impregnated with organic acids, derived from the humus, and are known as "sour soils," and are unfit for the growth of the cereals or the better class of grasses until this property is corrected. Others still are so largely composed of vegetable matter, that they do not possess the requsite amount of mineral matter. The best indication of the nature of the soil is the vegetation that naturally grows upon it.

It is eminently worthy of notice, that our soils are magnesian. This, I believe, in the future upholdings of agricultural science, will be found to be a very important fact. Magnesia has been a muchabused element. It was formerly supposed that magnesian limestone made an inferior quick-lime, and it long lay under disfavor. But experience has finally shown that precisely the opposite is true. It is far superior to pure limestone for mortar. This is one thing that gives to Wisconsin its superiority. Our magnesian limestones rank among the very purest known, and will be more esteemed the more they are known. It was long supposed to be a useless ingredient as a flux for iron, but it is now becoming apparent that a certain proportion of magnesia is an advantage. Quick-lime, burned from magnesian limestone was formerly prohibited as a fertilizer, but the ban has recently been removed. That some such revolution of opinion must take place in reference to its utility as an ingredient of the soil, is more than probable. If you will examine all the analyses of grains, fruits, etc., given by Professor Johnson in his excellent work, "How Crops Grow," you will find that in the grains, magnesia largely predominates over lime, being sometimes five times as much. In the woody portion of the plant, however, the reverse is the case, the lime is usually double, or more than the magnesia. These are very significant facts, and seem to show that magnesia has more to do with forming the grain, and lime with forming the fibre of the plant. And this suggests forcibly the question, is not the well-known superiority of Wisconsin wheat due to this element of the soil?

With the exception of the silicious sandy soil, it would be difficult to find seven classes of soils more durable and fertile, and more easily cultivated than the foregoing. I have said little as to vegetable mould, because rich as it is in all this region, it is only of temporary value. It will soon be exhausted by cropping. I have only called attention to those features in the constitution of our

soils that show their permanent character. When the surface strength of the soils of the great west shall have been exhausted, as it will be speedily, then those soils that have a solid constitution will be in demand, and among those preeminently, will be found the soils of eastern Wisconsin.

To complete the subject, I ought to dwell upon the relations of these classes to the native vegetation, geological formations, topography, drainage, lake influences, etc., but time forbids. This, with a more complete description of its foregoing evils, is included in the geological report for the present year.

Mr. BENTON. Could you give us information and help us to determine on which class of soils the sulphate of lime produces the best grain and by what process it assists vegetation, and what soils require its application most?

Profesor CHAMKERLIN. That is a matter that does not lie in my line of observation; my examination has been of the physical characteristics of those soils and not in the line you refer to.

LIVE-STOCK ON WISCONSIN FARMS.

BY G. E. MORROW, OF THE WESTERN RURAL, CHICAGO. [This address was delivered from notes, and the author has kindly furnished the following brief abstract.]

The condition of farming in the West, and in Wisconsin and the Northwest as fully as in any other part of the country, for the past few years, as is well known, has been far from satisfactory. There has been a general feeling that too exclusive attention has been given to grain growing, and connected with this has been a general increased interest in relation to stock raising and feeding. For this, Wisconsin and the Northwest has some disadvantages, chief of which are the facts that the winters are long and cold, and there is more liability to droughts than in some other sections. There are, however, some advantages. The soil is fertile and grass and other forage grows with great rapidity. The difference in length of Wisconsin summers and those two hundred miles south, is less

than is generally supposed. The climate is healthful and the dry bracing air of winter, although cold, is better than the damp cheerless weather of some supposed to be more favored spots.

The rearing and feeding of live stock, gives work on the farm throughout the year, and thus enables the farmer to more steadily employ an important part of his capital. The growing of small grain exclusively, gives hurrying work during a part of the year and leaves the farmer comparatively idle during the remainder. Live stock use up profitably much of the coarser products of the farm, largely wasted in exclusive grain growing. The animals can get a good living from land which would otherwise give little or no profitable return. Keeping live stock greatly increases the quantity of manure made on the farm, and enables the farmer to better adopt a system of rotation of crops. Being able to ship live stock or animal products, greatly helps western farmers in meeting the great transportation question. Breeding, rearing and feeding animals tends to higher intelligence and better farming. Few things will tend more to give boys a love for farming than interesting them in breeding.

As nothing succeeds like success, a stronger argument in favor of giving increased attention to live stock than a feeling that this ought to be done or arguments to show that it would be profitable, is found in the abundantly proven fact that stock raising has paid well in Wisconsin and other parts of the northwest.

But if money is to be made, the stock must be good stock. By good stock is meant that which is well adapted for the purpose designed. In the market reports we read that one steer sold for seven cents, another for three cents a pound. One is better adapted for the designed purpose than the other. The purposes for which we desire animals are best accomplished when they are far removed from their "natural" condition. No natural or wild animal is so well fitted for meat, milk or wool production as when it has been subjected to the influence of man. "Like produces like," but with exceptions and modifications, and so by selection and careful treatment we develope the characteristics we wish and repress those we do not desire, bearing in mind that no animal can be perfect, and that special development in one direction is usnally accompanied by lack of development in other directions, and that a characteristic which has descended through several generations is much more

likely to be reproduced than one in which the animal differs from its ancestors.

Thus we see why the pedigrees of animals are valued. These are partial histories of families and furnish evidence, more or less conclusive, that for generations past the ancestors have or have not had the same general character as has the individual in question. The character of the more immediate ancestors is more important than those more remote; so if we know certainly the character of the sires and dams for a half dozen generations back, we need not be anxious about those more remote. Pedigree is not all that is important. A poor animal may have a good pedigree; a good animal may have a poor pedigree. If both pedigree and individual be good, and then good care be given, we have assurance of success.

Admitting the desirability of making live-stock prominent in our farming system, it is a pertinent question with many farmers, "how are we to change? Our farms have been devoted to grain culture; we have not the means with which to buy improved stock, nor have we the feed, had we the stock." In this, as in all such matters, time is required. A sudden change cannot be made. Grass should be sown as far as land can be spared for it. It is fortunate that the Northwest is especially adapted to the growth of crops which partially take the place of grass, and help us when the grass fails. Chief of these is corn.

By careful selection and skillful management, a farmer may, in a series of generations, so improve his stock that the first and last specimens would hardly be recognized as of the same breed, but this is a slow process, and hence the average farmer will do wisely to avail himself of the work done by others in this direction. Most farmers cannot afford to purchase full flocks or herds of the improved breeds. They can afford, however, to make use of superior and well-bred males, and thus in a comparatively few years have animals almost or quite equal for practical purposes to those pure-bred. If, in addition to this, even one or two full-blood females can be secured and bred from, a great additional help will be had, and it is surprising how soon a good-sized flock or herd of full-blood animals can thus be secured.

It is a fallacious and unwise objection that farmers cannot afford to pay the high prices asked and received for some specimens of imported stock, for there is no need that they should. Of any well

established breed very creditable specimens can be obtained at prices which farmers can afford to pay

In the selections of breeds it should be borne in mind that no one is perfect, no one adapted for all uses and climates; that the breed best for one man may be very illy suited to the wants of another. It is unwise to have so strong prejudices as to be unable to see any merit in but one breed. On the other hand it is well to have well established convictions, for in stock raising, frequent or aimless crossing of breeds is always an evil.

For the professional stock-breeder it is often advisable to give attention to but one class of animals, and but one breed of this class. For the general farmer it is often advisable to keep horses, cattle, sheep, swine and poultry, selecting some one breed of each. Exclusive attention to any one class is rarely advisable and sudden changes to meet the fluctuations in market prices are nearly always inadvisable.

The address closed with a statement of some of the leading characteristics of different classes of animals and their adaptations.

Mr. SMITH, of Green Bay. While I may not agree with Mr. Morrow in all his points, yet he strikes a cord where I think we must all agree with him, and that is in the encouragement and enthusiasm in the matter of improvement. He wants improvement in stock and everything. One of the most important points in my estimation is his remarks in regard to keeping stock for manure. That is a point, gentlemen, where we all make a mistake; I don't know of a farmer who makes as much manure as he ought to or can. It has been said here that I have been successful as a gardner. But gardening, as it is usually carried on, is very poor business, not better than general farming. Market gardening is not better business than farming conducted in the same way. If I had gone on to the same piece of land where I am and had raised the same crops that I have raised, or did raise when I first went on to it, and had kept right on from that time to this, I should not have been here to-day. I bought it and paid 10 per cent. interest on it, and in spite of such high interest made it pay. I have kept increasing the crop until this year the crop on that ground sells for about $6,000, and the crop of the same piece sold six years ago for $1,800. I am cultivating about 13 acres; but I made it what it is by improving and cultivating it. I have no particular advantage over any of