386 Wisconsin State Agricultural Society. 
Colonel Warner, of Dane county, Wisconsin, informs me that 
from his field of one hundred and seventy acres of wheat, in 1874, 
after a visitation of chinch-bugs, he realized only thirty dollars, or 
seventeen annd a half cents per acre. 
Mr. Stephen Favill, president of the Wisconsin Dairymen's As¬ 
sociation, says: u The question of whether the dairy can be made 
profitable in Wisconsin, has already been settled. Those who have 
had access to the balance-sheet of the dairyman know that no 
branch of farming has paid as well for the past eight years as the 
dairy, and we think the question of the future dairy-interest in 
Wisconsin will depend largely upon the amount of brains we put 
into it. If we undertake to run in a slop-shop manner, as we do 
much of our other farming, it will prove a failure. On the other 
hand, if we intelligently care for and foster it, we may rely upon 
good financial returns. The natural advantages which we enjoy 
over the eastern and older States are cheapness of land, cheap 
coarse grain and mill-feed.” 
VERMONT DAIRIES AND STOCK. 
And now let us glance at the dairy and stock-farmers of Ver¬ 
mont; where it is said neither Scotchmen or Jews can exist. With 
lands that almost put humanity at defiance, and which western far¬ 
mers would regard as of little value, the Vermonters have been suc¬ 
cessful with grass-crops, which are manufactured into butter, cheese, 
meat, and wool. Some of the flock-masters of the Green Mountain 
State, have obtained distinguished reputation, and fabulous prices 
for raising fine merino sheep, which have been sent to all parts of 
the United States. When we consider the fact that the fleece of 
the common sheep averages only from five thousand to five thou¬ 
sand and five hundred wool hairs to the square inch, and that some 
of these highly bred sheep of Spanish blood, have from thirty thou¬ 
sand to forty-eight thousand wool-hairs to the square inch; and 
that the ordinary fleece of sheep in Texas weighs only about two 
pounds, while these wrinkly merinos under Vermont management, 
yield fleeces averaging over six pounds, while premium bucks ex¬ 
ceed twelve pounds, we are enabled to comprehend the value of 
sheep-culture in its highest form; but, even if the sheep produced 
no wool, they would not be abandoned by a good farmer, for they 
pay their expenses as auxiliary forces in keeping the farm in order, 
