The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-06-20
From the Michigan Farmer.

A visit to that part of Shiawassee count!
lying east and north of Corunna the pas
week gave us an opportunity of lookini
over the wheat fields of one of the hes
agricultural sections of the State, and 1t II
within bounds to say that at no time within
ten years have the prospects been poorer
Field after field has been pl0wed up and pu
into spring crops, and a good many Others
might as well have been. The corn, while
backward, was coming up well, and If i
does not fall before the ever-present cut
worm, has fairly favorable prospect. But
the season is late, and where 1t has been
planted on sod, the worm is likely to do 1t 9
great deal of damage, which, If repaired by
replanting, will simply give some immature
corn. Barley is the best of the spring crops,
and greater breadth than usual has been
put in, frequently replacing wheat which had
been plowed up. Oats are not looking as
well as usual. They are uneven, and the
fields frequently have bare spots. Potatoes
were growing fairly well, in some instances
quite promising. Pastures here, as else
where in the State, are in fine shape, with a
little too much water, however, for the best
quality of grass. Sunshine and steady
growing weather is what is required fol
everything.
At the Coru.ma station we met w. ID.
Brands, of Kerby, who had volunteered to
show the beauties and capabilities of this
portion of Shiawassee county. We stopped
first at the farm of Mr.. Otis 5. Mead, where
a herd of Poland-C hinas is kept. He had a
nice bunch of young pigs in the lot, but
unfortunately was absent himself. He is
now using young boar bred at the Agri-
cultural College, which is proving very sat
isfact0ry. 1t traces back to the stock of the
Barnes Brothers. of Byron.
Near him is Mr. j. Parlin, also breeder
of Poland-C hinas, and who uses the same
boars as Mr.. Mead. His sows come from
the herds of Henry Gulick, of Nagg's Cor
ners, and A. Parmenter, of Vernon. He
said the boarGrom the Agricultural College
had been quite satisfactory, and his stock
very good.
We stopped next at Mr. Riley's to see
the Percheron stallion ROBBIE 1916 Q1SSO,
owned by Joseph Craig, of Kerby, and inn
ported by Savage 81 Farnum, of this city.
He is now eight years old, light gray in
color, and of the true percheron type. His
colts are showing up well, and those we saw
were exceptionally good. The Messrs. Riley
there are two brothers located close
together-are admirers of good horses, and
we saw some good ones in their fields. These
farms were settled after the Detroit & Mil
waukee Railroad had been built through to
Grand Haven, and many of those who
worked upon the road took up land along its
line, and have since become prosperous
farmers. The country here is very level
but when once cleared and drained is very
productive.
A two-mie drive brought us to the farm
of Mr.. Underwood and his neighbors,
Messrs. Ed. Pearsall and A. CrickmOre.
These are old Oakland county boys, and
have brought their love for Shorthorn cattle,
mutton sheep and Berkshire hogs along
with them. Mr.. Underwood has started a
herd of Shorthorns, and fine red bull,
Fennel Duke of Hamburg S6455, by Renick
Wild Eyes 641S9, out of Princess 18th by
Fennel Duke 46O7O. He is quite good
bull, deep red, good handler, straight top
and well-shaped head and horn. Mr..
Underwood started with three cows-a
Stapleton Lass, a Pomona and Miss
Sewers, and will soon have nice herd
around him. He also has nice bunch of
Berkshire hogs, which are the favorites in
this locality. He has also started flock of
ShrOpshires.
Mr.. Ed. Pearsall also has herd of Short
horns-seven head of females-and is breed
ing to Mr.. Underwood's bull. He has a
flock of grade long wool ewes, and is breed
~
counted forty-three lambs from his thirty
three ewes, good stout ones, too, which is
not bad record even for this season, when
lambs are thicker than we ever saw them be-
fore. His ram came from the flock of Rob
ert Smith, near Howell. Mr.. Pearsall also
keeps a few Berkshires, and one OF his
breeding sows has fine litter with her.
Across the road from Mr.. Pearsall's is the
farm of VIM. A. CrickmOre, with handsome
residence, fine barns, and nice lot of Short
horns. The females came originally from
the herds of the late Jas. Moore, of Milford,
and N. A. Clapp, of WixOm. He has a red
cow OF the Victoria (by Swiss Boy family
which is a grand good one, and her three
heifers are marked so closely after her that
they could be picked out at glance. A
Miss Sewers, roam from the Clapp herd,
is great milker-will not keep in condition
while milking. Mr.. Crickmore has also
couple of Herefords, and handsome lot of
Berkshires, and one sow, from the noted
herd of J. w. Hubbard, had a fine litter
from Mr.. Underwood's boar. Some early
pigs were fine growthy animals.
Starting towards Kerby, we came to the
farm of Mr.. +. A. Thompson, young man
who has just started on farm, and is push
ing ahead with great deal of energy. He
was back In the field when we stopped, and
the late hour precluded visit He has
brought in Hereford bull, purchased from
Mr.. John Turnbell, of Owosso, tracing, we
think. TO the Grape herd. He intends breed
ing grades for feeding. Then he has lot
of long wool ewes which he is crossing with
aShropshire ram. Lately he has determined
to go into Berkshires, and is breeding his
sows to Royal Minton, the boar imported by
Mr.. Brands, of Kerby. He and Mr.. Brands