CATTLE FOR GENERAL PURPOSES. 171 



time when the}- felt a greater pride or took a deeper Interest in their 

 calling ; never a time when the best methods of conducting every 

 branch of farming were so eagerly sought after and inquired for, 

 and we are so fortunate as to have a Board of Agriculture, composed 

 of gentlemen who are not onl}' interested and full of zeal in their 

 work but who are also capable of imparting the information we so 

 much desire. They will tell us how to restore and how to keep up 

 the fertility of our farms, thereby increasing both the quantity and 

 quality of food for our cattle. They are also able to tell us what 

 kinds of cattle food will give the best results when fed for the 

 different purposes of milk, growth or fat. And they can tell us, 

 too, of specialties in stock keeping, and the results that have been 

 attained in dairying, both in butter and cheese making, and how to 

 obtain still better results. All this and more are they able to tell 

 us. Now, if we are wise and give heed to the information, we shall 

 be the better able to judge what, under our circumstances, is the 

 best breed of stock for us to keep, whether we keep it for special or 

 for general purposes. 



The discussion following the reading of this paper indicated that 

 farmers are gradually drifting away from the keeping of animals for 

 "general purposes," and are introducing special stock for special 

 purposes, and special breeds adapted to the kind of purpose in hand. 

 No report of this discussion is here given. 



The full programme arranged for the day was carried out, yet no 

 further entry is here made. 



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