The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-01-27
Local Affairs.

Local AsHairs.
!. q u aas 81 SO Il ~
AdsicuLruRAL MEEr1sa The fourth
meeting Of the Legislative Farmers and
Mechanics Club. was held il the Hallsef
the House Of Representatives Thursday
evening. In the absence Of the President,
Judge Dayton presided, II Sg /.
Mr.. Wells, Of Fillmore county, made
few remarks, showing the benefits to be
derived from the meetings of the society.
he thought Minnesota was now the Best
and most profitable stock-growing country
in the United States, but that it would not
always continue to be so. He thought cat
tie were fatter here in three or four weeks
after grass started, than in other places at
the close Of summers pasturage. He also
urged the importance Of keeping good stock
on the score of economy. 80
Mr.. Buchanan, of st. Paul, said that four
years ago he imported q Durham bull and
beifer and crossed with common stock which
made a remarkable breed-the calf was
heavier than its sire, and twice the value Of
its er-putting Durham bull to com.
mon stock will double its value. The
Devon stock does not mature so well as the
Durham, but was better for work, while the
Devon was best for beef. he thought this
was great stock raising country, and par.
ticularly good for sheep. He called this a
good country for stock on account of its
being so well watered, and because it had
supported for so many years such hordes OF
buffaloes. He thought it was the rain that
injured stock and not the cold weather, but
that stock ought to be will housed in the
winter-that the Durham stock was also
the best for this climate, and that to get a
good bull was the first thing to be thought
Of BY the stock raiser. The South Down
sheep was the best of all others for meat,
but not for WOOL He had at first hogs of the
Berkshire breed, than the Essex, which
matured earlier, and at nine months old
averaged 200 pounds. The Suffolk matured
the earliest, but had too much fat, and he
had crossed Suffolk SOW with an Essex
boar, and had plenty of fat and lean, with
out feeding on corn should have them litter
by the first of March, if possible.
Mr.. Brooks, of Winona, believed the
dairy and wool business to be the most prof
liable for the farmer, and that this was as
good country for the dairy business as
Orange county, New York. His wife had
made butter here that had all the fine flavor
of the Goshen. He said that milk that
would make good butter would make good
cheese, and that we could always have
good southern market for all the products
Of the dairy. A cow would be purchased
here for 1875 that would make 300 pounds
of cheese, if fed on roots, besides fifty pounds
of butter, amounting to 1892. He made a
calculation to show that this was better than
beep raising, and said that we should al
ways have good market for all that was
raised here, and that if the farmers would
turn their attention to dairying, they would
make more money than they now do.
Mr.. Andrews, of Stearns, asked II any
gentleman present could tell him the result
of the exnortation from Rochester to Boston
of cattle--whether it was attended with
anv nrofit or not. <@-az' - ..s,
M Wbitcomb. of Olmsted, was able
TO state that Mr.. Olin, who bought the
cattle for the Boston market had returned
for another drove. and that he paid the
highest nrices. and he supposed he had done
well. ~
Mr.. Andrews had seen, at Crow Wing,
in 1856, fine drove which had been driven
from the Selkirk settlement, which had fat
tened on the way down. He would like to
be informed of the effect of cold weather on
stock. for the reason that some had said
thew had done we'll when left out. He be-
lieyed that Minnesota would succeed in
stock raising. and also believed it would be
demonstrates. Stock raising was the most
agreeable and interesting occupation a far
mer could follow. He spoke of the material
henef;t science had been to farming, and of
the importance of cleanliness and ventilation
of barns, ~ I. < y $780, -. KIN
Mr.. Abbott, of lie Sueur, thought it was
bad policy to leave stock out. He lived
= - =. xrooxlod -oounfrv where the winter was