"From the unparalleled success that has attended the efforts of the wool growers of our State, I cannot but believe that Wisconsin is destined, above all her sister States, to be the great producer of that staple. To ALBERT C. INGHAM, Esq., "Truly yours, Sec. of the Wis. State Agr. Society. SWINE.-No. OF ENTRIES, 32. "GEO. C. PRATT." Judges-JAMES BURLING, Green Lake; LUTHER A. COLE, Watertown; FLORUS B. Cook, Johnstown. Best boar, two years old; L. Thayer, Concord. $4. Second best boar, two years old; James Revell, Watertown. $2. $3. Second best boar, one year old; H. E. Coon, Palmyra. $1. Best breeding sow, two years old; John W. Gray, Oak Grove. $4. Second best breeding sow, two years old; David T. McClaughey, Black Hawk. $2. Best pair Suffolk pigs, six months old (imported); S. B. Edwards, East Troy. $2. Best pair Essex pigs, six months old (imported); S. B. Edwards, East Troy. $2. Second best two sow pigs; L. Thayer, Concord. $1. Best five pigs, two months old; John W. Gray, Oak Grove. $2. Second best five pigs, three months old; H. E. Coon, Palmyra. $1. JAMES REVELL'S STATEMENT. "My hogs are of the Berkshire breed, which I prefer, as being the quickest for market, easy to keep, and as producing more pork and bacon than any other. When properly kept they are at all times fit for the butcher, and are sure to weigh, when two years old, from five to seven hundred pounds as an average. "For feed, I invariably use cooked food or grain ground and soured, and am satisfied that there is considerable saving by so doing, as I cer tainly think there is great loss and waste in this country by feeding with raw corn-I also put some charcoal in the trough every week. "There is no doubt but that the quality of the Berkshire pork is superior to any other, as the fat is firm like the brisket of beef, whereas the meat of all white hogs is lardy and soft, at least that of such as are thrifty or quick to fatten. I have had the breed since 1826, and in 1849 I brought it to this country. JAMES REVELL." JOHN W. GRAY'S STATEMENT: "The sow upon which I received the premium is of native breed. Her pigs, upon which also the premium was awarded, are one quarter Suffolk. The sow was two years old last May, and kept the first summer on milk, wintered on corn and carrots. During the second summer she run in a timothy pasture, having nothing but grass, until the time of farrowing, (July 29th), after which she was fed upon oat and barley meal and milk until the pigs were two months old, when they averaged seventy pounds weight each. "I think that some of our best formed large native hogs, or crosses between them and the Leicesters, are preferable to any of the small breeds. I am satisfied, that in proportion to the amount of food consumed, they will produce as much or more pork, which will also command a higher price in market than that of the smaller varieties. They are also more easily controlled by our rail fences; but their greatest recommendation is, that the pigs may be fattened at eight or ten months of age to a weight of two or three hundred pounds without the trouble and expense of wintering. "There appears to be greater defects in the rearing and management of swine than of any other class of domestic animals. Pigs are raised from small young half-starved sows, and are often bred in and in until leanness and weakness become hereditary, and thus a stock of hogs which may have had its origin in a fine blooded pair of pigs, purchased at a high price, by the system of inbreeding commenced to preserve the stock pure, and of breeding from young sows to obtain a rapid increase, runs into a breed which, in the third or fourth genération, bears no resemblance to the original parentage. "If sows were not allowed to breed until they had reached maturity, a healthy vigorous offspring would be the result, receiving sufficient nourishment from the mother to keep them in a thriving condition until old enough to take to other food. "In crossing, care should be exercised to supply any defect in one animal by a union with another, possessing the quality wanting in the first. By following a judicious system of crossing and breeding from full grown healthy stock, there is no difficulty in keeping up a good breed of hogs. S. B. EDWARD'S STATEMENT: JOHN W. GRAY." "The pigs exhibited by me and which received the premium were one pair of the improved Suffolk and one pair of the Essex breeds, and were brought into this State by mê last spring, and were from the imported stock of L. G. Morris, Westchester county, N. Y. "During the fifteen years that I have resided in Wisconsin, I have tried the different breeds that I could obtain here, to wit: Native, Sussex, Leicester and Suffolk. "Of the Native breed it is not necessary to speak. "The Sussex I consider too coarse, and too long in arriving at maturity to be profitable or satisfactory. "The Leicesters I kept for several years and found them profitable, and considered them the best with which I was acquainted, until I tried the Suffolks. This latter breed is white, of medium size, with very little hair, thin soft skin, light bones and fine meat. They are remarkably easy keepers, and can be made to weigh from three to four hundred pounds with less feed and expense than any other breed I have ever tested. "The Essex I have not had for a sufficient time to speak of from my own knowledge, but should think they are similar to the Suffolk in keep, size, &c., but are black and rather more perfect in form. "Hogs should be at least a year old before used for breeding purposes, as if bred from, before arriving at maturity, the offspring will be less strong and diminished in size. I do not breed in and in, as I believe by so doing any breed will deteriorate and become comparatively worthless. "I think that the great reason why a breed of hogs which at first gives perfect satisfaction, will, after a time, become unpopular, is from the practice of the system of breeding from young stock and of breeding in and in, until the breed becomes degenerate, or, according to the ordinary expression, 'run out.' "Breeding sows, should, during pregnancy, be kept separate from other hogs, but not confined so as to want room for exercise, and fed moderately until within a few days before farrowing, when their food should be increased. For a week or so after farrowing they should be fed light, then their food should be raised and they be allowed all the slops they can eat. Boars should be kept in a good thrifty condition, but not fat. I wean pigs when about two months old, and feed them sufficient to keep them hearty and constantly growing until they are put up for fattening. Hogs should be provided with a clean warm shelter, and the cost of providing such will be more than saved from the expense of their feed. "Ground feed I consider much better than unground, and believe one bushel of grain ground and cracked nearly equal to two bushels in its raw state. POULTRY.--No. or ENTRIES, 7. S. B. EDWARDS." Judges-Professor S. P. LATHROP, Beloit, Chairman. Best lot of Shanghais; James B. Judd, Waupun. $2. Best lot of crosses-Shanghai and Chittagong; Charles Smith, Waupun, Discretionary $2. PLOWS AND PLOWING MATCH.-No. OF ENTRIES, 16. Judges-ALLEN H. ATWATER, Oak Grove; B. R. HINKLEY, Summit; GEORGE O. TIFFANY, Milwaukee. Best sod plow for stiff soil (Michigan Double); Edgerton & McCarter, Summit. Bronze Medal. Best corn plow; Richard E. Ela, Rochester. Bronze Medal, Best centre draft plow; J. W. Spencer, Watertown. Bronze Medal. FARMING IMPLEMENTS.--No. OF ENTRIES, 28. Judges-D. J. POWERS, Madison; DENISON WORTHINGTON, Summit; H. B. HAWLEY, Milford. Best milk pans and strainer; A. F. CADY, Watertown. Vol. Trans. Best fanning mill (Badger State); Richard E. Ela, Rochester. Bronze Medal. Best dash churn and butter tubs; J. Crow, Centre. Vol. Trans. Best double farm wagon; Joseph Hoeffel, Brookfield. Bronze Medal and Vol. Trans. Best corn cultivator; John Post, Saline, Mich. Bronze Medal. Best revolving horse rake; Randolph Brown, Utica. Bronze Medal. Best six hay rakes; S. H. Ford, Watertown. Vol. Trans. Best sett silver plated buggy harness; J. M. Riker, Janesville. Diploma. Best manure and hay forks, and hoes; Sewell Keyes, Watertown. Bronze Medal. Best cheese press; M. A. Hackley, Belleville. Vol. Trans. Best railroad horse power; W. D. Bacon, Waukesha. Certificate. Best separator or winnower and thresher; W. D. Bacon, Waukesha. Diploma.. DAIRY-No. OF ENTRIES, 7. Judges-TALBOT C. DOUSMAN, Waterville; GARDINER GALLUP, Fox Lake; Mrs. E. W. EDGERTON, Summit. Best twenty-five lbs. of June butter; Jonathan Cory, Bachelor's Grove. Sett of Silver Tea-spoons. Best forty lbs. of butter; Jonathan Cory, Bachelor's Grove. Silver Medal. |