AYRSHIRE BREEDING 147 



failures and successes of modern breeding. Every stockman knows 

 the value of a good constitution. The plan must always precede 

 the foundation, the base the edifice, and the substantial structure 

 the finished building. If we count up mentally all the remarkable 

 animals we have known we shall find that comparatively few of 

 them prolong their lives to beyond eight years. Man}' breeders 

 own animals many years older than this, and their offspring go 

 down to posterity to perpetuate their fame. The recent practice of 

 preserving from 3ear to year the record of a cow's products is 

 extremel}' useful, and should be encouraged in every possible wa}'. 

 The breeder of the future will be more likely to found his judgment 

 of value on the annual earnings of a cow than on the published 

 accounts of tests made under forced feeding. What we need most 

 is improvement in verifying our commercial work ; so that when a 

 buyer desires to know the commercial feature of a cow's working 

 life of five or ten years he may get it without trouble b}- reference 

 to an authenticated statement covering the full period of her working 

 life. 



Of late more than one person has challenged the quality of Ayr- 

 shire milk. Only a few days ago I was asked if the average quality 

 of Ayrshire milk would come within the Massachussetts standard 

 of 13 per cent of total solids. The best answer to this query is a 

 quotation of some analysis of Ayrshire milk sampled by the Canadian 

 analyst in various cities of Canada I give the date and other facts 

 as they occur in the reports. 



1887. Montreal. 



Herd of Pure Ayrshires, 

 June 23. Water 87 42 



other Solids .: : Z. g.^g ^ Total Solids 12 58 



100.00 



A Montreal Herd. 

 July 14. Water 87 20 



oSSe; Solids;- :::_8 jo [Total Solids 12.80 



100 00 



The Bay State milk must analyze 12 per cent solids in May and 

 June and 13 per cent during the balance of the year. These milks 



