22 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



were introduced into this country somewhat earlier than the Jer- 

 seys, although as a dairy breed their influence came later. I 

 speak of the Shorthorns as a dairy breed. In some respects it 

 is truly a dairy breed, in many other respects it is a beef breed. 

 There are two strains of Shorthorns, one of which is of the dairy 

 type and the other decidedly of the beef type, and according to 

 which of these strains is being developed, the dairy type or the 

 beef type will predominate. This is not true of most of the 

 other breeds. The Jerseys, Guernseys and Holsteins are more 

 generally of the dairy type. 



The development of the breeds has been the outgrowth of 

 selection and environment ; selection being the part played by 

 man and environment the part played by nature. The Jersey 

 breed and the Guernsey breed have each been selected for gene- 

 ration after generation for their milk and butter qualities, partic- 

 ularly the butter qualities. The Holstein breed, on the other 

 hand, has been selected for a large production of milk, and the 

 Ayrshire breed has been selected for a large milk flow. 



We find, too, that the surroundings under which the animals 

 have been placed have done much toward the development of the 

 breeds. For example, the Jerseys and Guernseys are not natur- 

 ally as rugged and hardy as the Ayrshires. This is mainly a 

 result of differences in the climates in which those breeds origi- 

 nated, the isles of Jersey and Guernsey in the English Channel, 

 between the coast of France and England, having a much milder 

 climate than the south of Scotland where the Avrshire breed was 

 developed. The Ayrshire breed, without question, is one of the 

 hardiest breeds of dairy cattle. I am not saying that the Jerseys 

 and Guernseys are not generally hardy, but as a result of the 

 difference in chmate, the original stock of the two breeds differed 

 in hardiness in favor of the Ayrshire and these differences are 

 still noticeable. The Holstein breed, as a result of peculiar 

 environment, has become a heavy milk-producing breed. The 

 lowlands of Holland are adapted, and have been for centuries, to 

 yielding immense quantities of rich herbage for pasturage, and 

 this has tended to develop a large milk-producing breed. 



If we want to get the very best results, it seems to me that we 

 should follow out the plan of development that was undertaken 

 when the breeds were first started. If we want to get the largest 

 butter production, we ought naturally to select those breeds, 



