THE DAIRY. 



The reports of the Judges on butter and cheese exhibited at 

 the fair at Watertown,. show that the exhibition was the largest 

 and best ever presented at our fairs — and the fact, that with so 

 large a number of corapetitors so great excellence had been 

 attained, affords the most gratifying evidence that the efforts of the 

 Society in this direction, which have been continued from 1846, 

 have been completely successful. The dairy districts in New- York 

 are the most extensive of any State in our country, and the quality 

 of butter and cheese manufactured in very many of our dairies has 

 never been excelled. The Society will omit no efforts to improve 

 all of our dairies, and it cannot be doubted but the same success 

 which has attended their efforts will continue, adding yearly to 

 the number of dairies, whose products will command the highest 

 prices in our own country and abroad. The returns of the last 

 census, wliich accompany this report will show the increase 

 whicli has been secured, notwithstanding the unfavorable season 

 in wliich the census was taken. While in many departments ol 

 agricultui-e competition from abroad may diminish the profits of 

 agriculture here, in this department we are confident that New- 

 York must stand pre-eminent — and increasing profits will continue 

 as our dairymen avail themselves of the improvements wliich 

 liave given to our dairies the high position which many of them 

 now sustain. 



NUMBER QUARTS OF MILK REQUIRED TO MAKE A POUND OF BUTTER. 



Much difference of oj»iiiion is entertained in relation to the 

 quantity of milk required to make a })ound of butter. It is true 

 that there is a very great difference in the quality of milk from 

 different rows. The feed, also, has much inlluence upon the 

 richness of the milk. The milk of the Alderney cow will give 

 much more butter from a given (quantity of milk, than any other 

 breed with which we are familiar — but it is very desirable to 



