neighbor's families with all the milk wanted, the exact amount I cannot tell-three pints every day, and sometimes one gallon. Four days in June we tried to see what she would do in making butter, and the result was 9 3-4 pounds in the four days; but I suppose it would have weighed 10 pounds if it had all been weighed together.

I am very confident she will make in one hundred days 200 pounds of butter, and not force her in keeping her high.

Ipswich, Sept. 29, 1862.

WARREN AVERILL.

STEERS.

The Committee make the following report :

THREE YEARS OLD.

1st premium, of $6, to Dean Robinson of West Newbury. 2d premium, of $5, to Alfred Little of Newbury.

TWO YEARS OLD.

1st premium, of $5, to C. W. Hatch of West Haverhill. 2d premium, of $4, to Joseph Newell of West Newbury.

YEARLINGS.

Premium, of $3, to Gibeon Adams of Newbury.

CHARLES ROGERS,

CHAS. S. SPOFFORD,

PAUL D. PATCH,

EBEN KING,

COMMITTEE.

HEIFERS.

The Committee on Heifers would submit the following report:

There were entered for premium but one three year old heifer, four two year old heifers, seventeen yearlings, and two lots of calves-four in each lot. There were also several heifers upon the ground not entered, and some single calves, which, by the rules of the Society, were not allowed to compete for premiums. One of them, a two year old heifer, in milk, belonging to J. P. Jones of Georgetown, was very likely, and we recommend a premium of $5.

The Committee consider Mr. E. S. Parker's mottled Grade, three-year old heifer well worthy of the 1st premium, of $7.

We award to J. Longfellow of Byfield, for his two-year old heifer, the 1st premium, of $5.

To Charles Harriman of Groveland, the 2d premium, of $4, for his Devon Heifer.

To E. S. Parker of Groveland, the 3d premium, of "Flint's Book on the Dairy," for his Grade Heifer.

We found much difficulty in deciding the superior merits of the seventeen yearling heifers, as all were good, and we should have been glad to have had more premiums to dispose of, but finally awarded the 1st premium, of $4, to Theron Johnson of North Andover, for his Grade Heifer, and the 2d premium, of $3, to Joseph Newell of West Newbury, for his Grade yearling, and the 3d premium, of "Flint's Book on the Dairy," to Eben S. Poor of South Danvers, for his Ayrshire Heifer.

We would also award to J. Longfellow of Byfield, the 1st premium, of $5, for his superior lot of calves, and to Chas. Harriman of Groveland, the 2d premium, of $3, for his lot of calves.

BENJ. P. WARE,

RICHARD S. BRAY, COMMITTEE.
JONAS HOLT,

STATEMENT OF E. S. PARKER.

To the Committee on Three-Year old Heifers:

The mottled heifer I offer for premium is half Jersey-three years old last January. She has had three calves-will have her next in April; so that when she is four years and four months old she will have had four calves.

She gives excellent milk, but not in great quantities. She calved the 12th day of last June. The calf was killed when three days old. She has had only common pasture feed through the summer. She gave during the last fifteen days of June, 250 quarts of milk. She is now giving 10 quarts per day.

Groveland, Sept. 29, 1862.

SWINE.

The Committee on Swine would award for

BOARS.

The 2d premium, of $3, to Byron Goodell, South Danvers.

BREEDING SOWS.

The 1st premium, of $5, to David Carlton, N. Andover. The 2d, premium, of $3, to William Foster, N. Andover.

WEANED PIGS.

The 1st premium, of $5, to William Foster, N. Andover.
The 2d premium, of $3, to Byron Goodell, South Danvers.
PAUL TITCOMB, for the Committee.

SHEEP.

The branch of agriculture, which has been referred to this Committee, is one which has, within the last few months, increased very materially in importance, and has attracted unusual attention. The production of wool has become a matter of vital interest to our community. The suddenly increased demand for woolen goods, and the difficulties of various kinds which lie in the way of their importation, have enhanced the value of sheep of every description. And while we are still discussing the question of what kind of sheep-the smaller, fine-woolled breeds, or the heavy, coarse-woolled mutton sheep -is the most desirable, one point is clearly established; that the sheep is a most profitable animal, and that sheep husbandry is a very important part of the business of farming.

The decline of sheep husbandry in Massachusetts is remarkable, and, to some extent, unaccountable. By some it has been attributed to the introduction of fine-woolled blood, imported into the State in 1809-10 and 11. But it can hardly be supposed that what has been found so advantageous in other States, should have been so disastrous here. It is more probable, that as agriculture was superseded in Massachusetts, and farms began to be neglected, sheep were the first animals to feel the effects of the neglect. It is well known that the value of the animal, both for wool and mutton, was very much reduced, even before the number was diminished. The weight of the carcass was small, and the clip of wool was brought to a very low average. In twenty years, from 1840 to 1860, the decrease in the number of sheep was more than 250,000-and in the latter year the whole number was but little more than 100,000 in our whole Commonwealth; and in 1850 of the 22,000,000 pounds of wool consumed here, less than 600,000 pounds was raised in the State. Meanwhile New York contained 5,118,777 sheep, and Virginia, 1,293,772; and England had increased her number to over 50,000,000.

There is no reason that Massachusetts and some other parts

of New England should show so little attention to the branch of agriculture which we are considering. The soil and climate are just as well adapted to it, as are those of any other portion of the Continent; and there is abundant evidence that the wealth of our State, and of our own county, can be materially in creased by the introduction of suitable flocks upon our pastures.

In attempting to decide what flocks are suitable, we should bear in mind the circumstances of soil and climate by which we are surrounded. Our pastures are not luxuriant. Our climate is somewhat severe. Neither the grazing of summer, nor the usual quality of food in winter is conducive to large animal growth.

Keeping this in mind, we may consider with some benefit the various breeds of sheep, the objects for which they are kept, and their management. And first, of the mutton sheep of England.

One great object of English agriculture is to furnish animal food for the population of the kingdom, at as cheap a rate as possible; and to no one branch of animal breeding for this purpose has the English farmer applied himself with more skill and success than to the production of mutton. Various breeds of sheep, each adapted to the locality in which it is found, are scattered over the kingdom, supplying food, of a most nutritious and economical quality, to all classes of the inhabitants. Mutton is said to be the cheapest animal food that the farmer there can produce. The domestic consumption is very great. Every edible portion of the animal finds a ready market. The hind-quarters and saddle constitute a luxury for the rich; and the fore-quarters supply the poor with food at the most reasonable prices. In order to meet the demand which exists there, great care has been taken in the selection of animals for breeding purposes; and Mr. John Ellman, with his South Downs, and Mr. Bakewell, and Mr. Cully, with their Leicesters, are looked upon as the benefactors of England-while every farmer who cultivates his turnips, and improves his pastures, for the feeding of sheep finds that his labor meets with ample reward.