134 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



or meagre pasture, and arc also fair milkers. They differ ma- 

 terially from the South Devon cattle, which are coarser animals, 

 ill-shaped and of later maturity. Mr. Coleman remarks of these, 

 that they are very like the native breeds of New Enj^land. 



The Herefords are usually of somewhat lartrer size, and 

 deeper color than the North Devons, with some white upon the 

 face and throat, a hardy race and will thrive on comparatively 

 poor keeping and fatten well ; docile, and for heavy labor are 

 unsurpassed, but not so sprightly as the Devons, and have little 

 claim is dairy stock. 



The Ayrshire and Jersey cattle, though having no claim to 

 consideration either for the yoke or for beef, stand unrivalled 

 for milking properties. The Ayrshires, so called, from the 

 county of Ayr, in Scotland where they originated, have been 

 but little introduced as yet into this State. By some they are 

 thought to be allied to the Jerseys, while others insist that they 

 are only well bred grades from a cross of the Short Horns, 

 upon the small native cows of Scotland. However this may 

 be, they are great favorites in their native locality. The Jer- 

 seys have been long famous for the quality of their milk, 

 yielding as it does, from a quarter to a third of rich cream, of 

 a deep golden hue. They have as little claim for beauty as 

 for labor, but for the dairy, are unsuipasscd by any other breed 

 known. As more or less of these popular breeds are every 

 year being introduced among us, and exhibited at our State 

 and County Shows, it seems highly desirable that adjudging 

 committees should have some standard of perfection, by which 

 to judge of their several merits ; as otherwise, with the best 

 intentions, they are liable to fall into serious errors. There 

 may be a very honest difference of opinion among the mem- 

 bers of the committee, or between the committee and the ex- 

 hibitor, to reconcile which, a reference to some acknowledged 

 standard might be found of great service ; and it often happens 

 too, that a critical and detailed examination serves to modify 

 first impressions. No such standard having been, to my knowl- 

 edge, adopted within the State, it is thought advisable to 

 introduce a scale of points, which has been adopted by the 

 society of a neighboring State, and which does not differ 

 materially from that used by the best breeders in England, 



