gan race. I have been somewhat lengthy in my remarks about Morgan horses, thinking the subject might possess some interest to the readers of your Transactions.

In relation to field crops, the number of competitors for premiums was not as large as we could wish, nor are our yields as abundant as they should be in a county so largely agricultural, and, embracing as it does, so many intelligent cultivators of the soilI transmit, herewith, a few of our reports on crops awarded at the winter meeting of the society; not that I think they possess any great merit, but because I think it well for every county in the State to report progress to the parent society, and thus endeavor to stimulate and enlighten each other in the great pursuit of agriculture.

Indian Corn.-First premium was awarded to A. F. Cramer, Middle Granville, raised on one acre, 68 bushels. Second premium was awarded to A. Willard, Hartford, 62 bushels per acre.

Potatoes.-Jacob Bump, plowed 20th April, and planted the same week, five bushels small Carter potatoes to the acre, hoed twice, cultivator first time, and plowed the second; yield, 200 bushels per acre.

Oats.-A. F. Cramer, Middle Granville, 54 bushels per acre. Spring wheat.-Spencer Chapman, 31 bushels per acre. Carrots.-A. F. Cramer, acre, 2021 bushels.

In concluding my report, I would say that at 11 o'clock of the second day, the plowing match came off. There was but few competitors, but the work was all done in a workmanlike manner. The exercises of the afternoon were commenced by an appropriate prayer by the resident clergyman. The president then introduced to the society and the farmers of Washington county, Professor Norton, of Yale College; his address was practical and theoretical, and addressed to the candid judgment of every tiller of the soil. It was a fine production, and worthy of its learned author; it was filled with practical hints, and was listened to with the closest attention by a large and intelligent audience. "Practice

and Theory," said the learned professor, "must go together, and it is their close connection that I am advocating before you to-day. I do not come and say to these experienced farmers about me, that I could take their farms and carry on every department of work better than they. If I attempted this, the consequence would certainly be a failure for want of that practical every day experience of details which is absolutely essential. But I do nothing of the kind; my business is to point out the connections of your practical views with science, to find where are the points on which science can aid you. The scientific man has it for his vocation to study the composition of the soil, of the plant, of the animal, of manures; to learn what are the links which connect them together; what are the laws of the changes and transformation which occur among them. Every fact that he ascertains in his researches, is a direct benefit to the farmer, because it gives him increased power in the various departments of his business."

At the conclusion of the address, a resolution was passed unanimously, that Prof. Norton be requested to furnish a copy of his address for publication, which request he complied with, and it was published in most of the newspapers of the county, which gave it a wide and extended circulation. The professor, by his gentlemanly address and unostentatious manners, has won for himself golden opinions with the farmers of Washington county, and should he ever visit us again on a like or on any other occasion, 1 bespeak for him a warm reception.

The Annual Meeting of our Society was held at South Hartford, on the second Tuesday of December, at which the subject of a permanent location of our fair for ten years was thoroughly discussed. The meeting adjourned to the second Tuesday of February, when the probability is it will be decided to hold our future fairs and cattle shows at some permanent place; and buildings and enclosures will be erected for that purpose by the town where the society shall decide to locate.

The following named persons were elected officers of the society for the ensuing year:

President, John M. Stevenson, Cambridge; 5 Vice-Presidents; Corresponding Secretary, Milo Ingallsbee, South Hartford; Recording Secretary, LeRoy Mowry, Greenwich; Treasurer, Ahira Eldridge, North Whitecreek, and an executive committee of one from each town; all which respectfully submitted.

Report of Le Roy Mowry, in answer to circular of President. In answer to the first question: What is the chief product of your county? The products of our county are of so mixed and varied a character, that I am scarcely able to answer your question; rye, corn and oats are all very generally raised by most of our farmers, but I should think Indian corn might be called the "chief product."

2nd. Its increase or decrease this year? The corn crop in Washington Co. is a light crop, owing to early frosts, full one quarter of our crop did not come to maturity.

3rd. The estimated number of acres devoted to this product, with the quantity and qualities produced? I am not able to form any correct estimate of the number of acres devoted to the culture of this important crop, but I should judge it would not vary much from one-third of all the land taken up from year to year for cultivation; the quantity produced, I should say would not much exceed on the average, 25 bush. the acre; the quality this year is generally inferior, but the early planted, and that grown on quick warm soil, is of good quality and sound.

4th. The condition generally of other important products? Our other agricultural products are rye, oats, wool, butter and cheese, flax is also becoming an important crop with us; our farmers are also beginning to raise wheat again; this crop is uncommonly fine, and yield good. The general condition of all the important crops in our county the past season, is more than an average yield, if we except corn.

5th. The increase or decrease in the number of acres under tillage for all purposes? The number of acres under tillage for all purposes exceeds that of any past year, from the fact that owners

of flax mills have offered high prices for the use of land in our county for the raising of flax. They have paid from nine to eleven dollars an acre for the use of land after it was prepared to receive the seed, which induced many farmers to break up land that would have otherwise remained to grass; as manufactories increase for working this product in our own county, this is destined to become one of the most lucrative crops which the farmer can raise, if it is not already.

6th. The increase or diminution in the number of animal stock, with the improvement in breeds? I think there has been a gradual increase in the number of animal stock, owing chiefly to the high prices paid for beef for the last two years. I am, however, sorry to say, that there is not that attention paid to the improvement in breeds of animals that there should be; you will, indeed, find in many parts of our county, a sprinkling of the Durham, and occasionally a fine animal; but I am not aware that there is a thorough bred animal of that stock owned in the county, what you and myself would call thorough bred. We have many good animals presented at our fairs that the owners will tell you are full blood; but when you ask them for a pedigree, they cannot produce it. As to Devons, I can speak with more satisfaction; I am myself engaged in rearing that breed of stock, and have spared neither pains nor money to get the best bred stock in the country; and intend to have all my animals as thorough bred as flesh and blood will make them. But I cannot say that my efforts thus far to introduce this stock have been crowned with that success in the way of sales, that I expected when I started in the enterprise. Notwithstanding the stock takes well in the county, and farmers are desirous of getting into the breed, yet, when you come to ask them 50 or 75 dollars for a good yearling, they admire your animals, and commend your public spirit, and take time to think about it; but I do not despair, that cattle breeders in old Washington will yet be fully remunerated for their efforts in endeavoring to introduce high blooded animals in the county. I think I can discover already, a growing taste for improvement in this respect, and I trust the day is not distant, when our county will awake to her true interests in this matter. More attention has

been paid to the breeding of horses than any other stock. I have within the last year gone to much expense to introduce into our county the Morgan stock of horses. I have now on my farm two breeding mares, a yearling colt, and a young three year old stud, all sired by the celebrated General Gifford Morgan, and from high blood mares, which will in time, give us a start in that valuable stock of horses for all work.

7th. The increase, or decrease, or absence of scientific attention to farm cultivation? Scientific farming, I think, is receiving more attention with us every year; but I cannot say that we have any really practical scientific farmers; by that I mean, men who take the pains and have ability to analyse their soils, and who know to a certainty the component parts of all their manures; and yet how vastly important it is, that we should all possess this information to be completely successful in our calling.

8th. The increased, diminished, or stationary value of farms? The value of farms in our county, for the last ten years, has been comparatively uniform. If there has been any increase in their value, it is owing more to investments in buildings, than to a higher state of cultivation, or increased production.

WAYNE.

REPORT. STEPHEN HYDE, president.

Owing to the proximity of the State Fair to us, and the universal desire of our community to attend its exhibition, there was but one Fair held in our county this fall, and not two as in some previous years. This was held at Lyons, on the 23, 24th, and 25th of September, and the agriculturists and mechanics of our county were well represented. The competition for premiums in the various departments was spirited, evincing a good degree of interest in the improvement and breeding of stock, and the improvement in the implements of husbandry. No one who has witnessed the fairs of our county for some ten years past, but would readily observe a very marked progress in the various breeds of cattle competing for premiums. In the eastern portion of our county, they lead us with their Devon cattle, whilst in the western, the im