10th. Which of these imported breeds are held in the highest estimation, and why?

This question may have as many different answers as men have different nctions and opinions. To the flock-master, who breeds and keeps sheep for the wool principally, the Spanish Merino is esteemed above any other in this climate. Some of the reasons for which are as follows:

1st. The Spanish Merino produces a greater quantity of wool, in proportion to the size of the carcass, than any other variety of sheep.

2d. It is a generally admitted fact, that all animals consume food in proportion to the weight of carcass. This being the case, and the difference in weight between a Spanish Merino and a Leicestershire or a Southdown being about one-third, it will readily be seen which of the two varieties is most profitable for wool; for, generally, it will be found that the well-built, close and compact Spanish sheep of eighty pounds weight will produce more pounds of wool than the Leicestershire or the Southdowns of one hundred and twenty pounds. If this be true, it requires one-third more feed to produce a pound of wool from a Leicestershire or Southdown sheep than it does from a Spanish Merino; while, at the same time, a pound of the Spanish Merino is worth and will sell for at least one-third more than the other.

Another reason why the Spanish Merino is more desirable than any of the light-wooled varieties is, that the wool is generally very compact and close, and being oily, as well, protects the bodies of the animals from the inclemencies of the weather; while the loose, open and light wooled varieties, when exposed to the rains and storms, the wool becomes saturated, the water finds its way to the skin, the animal takes cold, and perhaps dies from the exposure.

Another reason why the husband man who keeps sheep for wool prefers the Spanish or some other of the Merinoes is, that they herd together in large flocks better than the Leicestershires, or Cotswolds, or Southdowns. They are, perhaps, the most quiet and docile variety of sheep of all others. This to the flockmaster is a great consideration.

But to the flock-master who breeds and keeps sheep principally for mutton, I think the Leicestershires, Southdowns or Cotswolds may be preferable. But I know of no person in our county who breeds and keeps sheep exclusively for mutton. Indeed, I am of the opinion, that most of these mutton varieties of sheep are raised by the millions of farmers who keep, perhaps, but from ten to fifty head of sheep, and pay but little attention to them at any season of the year. Their principal attention is turned to growing wheat and other grain, and keeping a good supply of horses and cows, with a few sheep to trim out the fence corners, and these few are generally the larger and rougher varieties and take care of themselves, generally dropping their lambs about mid-winter; and each year the owner permits the buyer to enter his flock, and select for the market such as he wants. I give it here as my opinion, that a man could not take and keep a large flock of these sheep, and make it as profitable, as he can a flock of the Merinoes.

11th. For what purpose are sheep most generally bred-for mutton or for wool ?

Ans-For wool principally.

12th. Which variety is considered the best mutton ?

Ans-There are differences of opinion upon this question-some maintaining that the Leicestershire variety produces the best mutton; others the Southdowns ; while many others contend that the Merino makes as good mutton as any of the coarser wooled varieties, though not so much of it.

13th. What is the probable cost of rearing a two year old sheep? Ans.-I think, perhaps, about three dollars.

14 h. What system, if any, is adopted of wintering sheep?

Ans. Every experienced Flock master of the county is provided with a good warm, comfortable sheep house. It is generally closed tight and close, and three sides, with an open front, from six to eight feet high. The sheep are inclosed by the use of hurdles to said open front. The interior of the sheep house is well supplied with racks, designed for feeding both hay and grain, or either. The sheep are divided into flocks of convenient number by the use of said racks, which are light, and can easily be shifted from place to place by a man and boy, or two persons. The number of yards in front of the sheep house should correspond with the number of flocks designed for the sheep house. This is indispensably necessary in order to convenient feeding. For previously to beginning to feed they shou'd all be turned into their respective yards, there to remain until the feed is all placed in their racks or troughs. The most of the flocks are kept on hay and straw during the winter, excepting ewes and lambs, perhaps, which are also generally fed oats and shorts or bran, particularly the latter part of the winter and spring. I will say also that every good Flockmaster has his sheep furnished daily, in their winter quarters, with a good supply of clear pure water. I think water as indispensably necessary to the welfare of a flock of sheep as food; at all events they cannot do without it and do well, or even middling well.

15 h.-What diseases are most common among sheep?

Ans-Perhaps foot-rot, or hoof ail, is the most common; although I think there is but very little of it, if there be any, in the county. It prevailed very extensively at one time, and for a number of years in this county, but Flockmas. ters finally took hold of it with energy, determined to rid their flocks of it if there coull be any such thing, and they were entirely successful. Another disease incident to the sheep is the scab, and there have been a few cases of it in this county, but it has not prevailed to any great extent. I consider this disease by far the most to be dreaded, by Flockmasters, of any other disease incident to the sheep in this country. There is, perhaps, no disease which is so contagious among sheep as this; and if the time should ever arrive when this disease becomes general among the flocks of this country, the raising of sheep, as a business, would probably have to be abandoned altogether. Another disease, perhaps as common among sheep as any other, is the rot. This disease is brought on by keeping

sheep too long, in the latter part of the summer and fall, upon low, wet, marshy ground. It is not good to keep sheep, for any great length of time, upon such pastures without changing them every few days to high and dry pastures. When this disease is fastened upon the system the sheep might as well be killed at once, for it will drag out a miserable existence without any profit to its owner.

16th.-Are many lost by disease?

Ans.-I think not. In a period of twelve years last past, my loss, from all causes, has not exceeded five per cent. of the flock; while my gain has been twenty-five per cent.

17th. What varieties appear to be best adapted to the food, soil, and climate in your county?

Ans. I do not know that there is any difference. They are admirably calculated to all varieties of sheep.

Respectfully, &c.,

WM. M. CUNNINGHAM.

MULES.

Mules are raised more or less in most parts of the State, but hitherto they have mostly been sold to southern markets rather than used at home. Their general use, however, has increased slightly within the last five years. Their freedom from disease, length of life, ease and cheapness with which they can be kept-strength and ability with which they endure hardships, and adaptation to certain kinds of labor, will tend to bring greater numbers into use in future. For teams on the road, for mowing and reaping machines, and for the purpose of cultivating corn, potatoes or other field crops, they surpass horses. There is always one satisfaction in using mules, and that is, there is no fear of over-working them. They should be well trained and worked steadily.

HOGS.

The interest of Ohio in hogs amounts to several millions of dollars annually. In the corn growing region they are raised largely for export, some counties selling nine-tenths of all they grow. In the grass and dairy parts of the State, the amount of pork exported is less, but even here it is considerable, and the profit is at usual prices large, because they consume so much refuse of the dairy and kitchen which in no other way could be converted into valuable material.

BREEDS OF HOGs.-The hogs of the State are classified into the large and the small breeds. Of the large breeds we have the Chester White, the Liecestershire, the China hog and the Russian, besides the usual mixture of all breeds. At present the most popular are the Chester Whites and the Liecestershire. The former are very large framed animals, feed well, and when fattened will dress from five to six hundred pounds. The Liecestershire are not so large boned, and possess a remarkably round and full barrel, dress about the same as the Chester

Whites, and though not as yet so generally diffused, are probably equally valua ble. Of small breeds the Suffolk is the most popular, being small boned and fine grained, easily fattened and early to mature Where farmers raise pork for

their own use only, and wish a choice article, the Suffolk is generally kept. Where feed is abundant, and pork is raised largely for export, the larger breeds are more frequently found. The common but mistaken opinion among farmers that a cross between different breeds of animals always results in improvement, has led to frequent crosses between the small and the large breed of hogs with a view of increasing the size of the former and improving the quality of the latter. If such mixture could always be confined to the first cross, in many instances it might be an advantage, but after this the results are very uncertain.

COST OF RAISING A HOG TO THE AGE OF ONE YEAR.- -We have no reliable data for determining what it costs to rear a one year old hog. Farmers generally keep no account of such things. Where allowed to run at large without more feed than they can gather for themselves, unless the mischief they do is counted, they do not cost much; where kept growing from the time they are taken from the sow till a year old, they may be made to cost from six to fitteen dollars, according to the value of the food given them. It is a very common practice among farmers who keep few swine to kill them at the age of one year or a little less. Where this is the case they are forced with all the food they can eat, and of course cost more than if allowed only their natural development. A hog will cost more or less according to the manner in which he is kept, and there is a wide difference between the extremes. So far as profit is concerned, the plan of keeping them growing rapidly, though not forcing them, is undoubtedly the best.

HOW MUCH CORN DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE A POUND OF PORK?-Of course this depends very much on the manner in which the hog is fed. If warmly and cleanly kept, and not allowed much room, the quantity is much less than when they are allowed exercise and exposure to cold. A certain amount of the food given any animal must be expended in keeping up his heat. If we limit the amount necessary for this purpose by dry and warm pens, whatever is saved in this way will go to increase the quantity of fat laid on or deposited in the cellular tissue; so if the amount of exercise taken be great, the change of tissue in the muscles and the increase of respiration is so great that a large share of the food taken will be consumed in carrying on these functions. As most frequently kept, it takes about five pounds of corn to make one pound of pork. Where the food is cocked, a saving of about twenty-five per cent is made. There is a limit, however, beyond which saving food from being used for the wants of the system to be converted into fat cannot be carried. The power of storing up fat depends largely on the ability of the system to digest food well, and this to a certain extent is determined by the amount of exercise taken and the quantity of air breathed. If we diminish these below the amount necessary for perfect health, we destroy the ability to digest food and to form healthy tissue.

HOG CHOLERA-This disease has appeared in many parts of Ohio. From returns we have, about fifty counties have suffered more or less from its ravages.

Though distillery-fed hogs have suffered most, yet it has not been confined to them. I may seem a remarkable fact, but it is true, that in scarcely a county where pork is not exported has this disease appeared; and wh re it is very largely exported the disease has been most common. As to the causes of the disease, there are many opinions, but a majority of farmers usually ascribe it to some unknown cause. Where large numbers of swine are massed together, where they are confined in cold, damp and shaded positions, and where they eat largely of unwholesome food, there is most of this disease; and the causes of it will much more likely be found in some of these conditions than elsewhere. Of the different methods of treating the disease, none have been very successful. Removing the animal to clean, dry, healthful places, and letting him alone, has succeeded full as well as special treatment.

Of all our domestic animals, the hog is subject to the most abuse. Not that he does not have sufficient food, but the condition in which he is kept is entirely contrary to his nature, and prevents the healthful exercise of his natural instincts, Very much has been said by medical men and others, and rightly, ag inst the use of pork, because, say they, it is almost always more or less diseased. How can it be otherwise than diseased when the instincts of the hog are so completely annulled? A writer in the Mark Lane Express says: "Exercise, light, and pure air are essentially necessary to the proper development of healthy, juicy, lean meat, and also of healthy fat;" and yet swine as almost always kept are deprived to a great extent of all of these conditions. We deprive him of exercise that he may not work off the corn given him, and yet in so doing we prevent free respiration, by which only the blood is purified, and vigorous circulation, by which only the most healthful tissue is built up. There is no escaping this conclusion, unless we set at naught the well established principles of animal physiology. Pure air is also equally important, otherwise the blood is constantly being loaded with matters productive of disease. Pure air for the hog in a pen or yard where his own excretions accumulate from day to day, is out of the question. It needs only the testimony of the olfactories of any one passing near almost any stye to determine this. The hog by nature inhabits the woods, where he has abundant exercise to procure his food, pure air, and, never being confined, does not suffer from the accumulations of his own excretions. In domesticating him we should not forget his nature. It is very true that the present mode of fattening swine gives more pork to the pound of corn than that plan which would give them health; but, compared with its value, this would be of no account. There is reason to believe that less pork is used in Ohio in proportion to the population than formerly. The facility of the farming population for obtaining fresh beef and mutton being better, its use is taking to some extent the place of swine's flesh.

POULTRY.

Since the subsiding of the "Hen Fever" which swept over the country like an epidemic a few years ago, people have been content to "make haste slowly" in the improvement of their poultry. We have no means of knowing the amount