SECRETARY'S REPORT. 73 



yield it. Eacli generation in its turn becomes more completely and 

 fully adapted to the circumstances amid which they are reared, 

 and if bred indiscriminately with anything and everything else, we 

 by and by have the common mixed cattle of New England, mis- 

 called natives ; or if kept more distinct, we have something ap- 

 proaching the Devon, the Ayrshire, or the Jersey breeds. 



A due consideration of the natural effect of climate and food is a 

 point worthy the special attention of the stock-husbandman. If 

 the breeds employed be well adapted to the situation, and the 

 capacity of the soil is such as to feed them fully, projSt may be 

 safely calculated upon. Animals are to be looked upon as machines 

 for converting herbage into money. Now it costs a certain amount 

 to keep up the motive power of any machine, and also to make 

 good the wear and tear incident to its working ; and in the case of 

 animals it is only so much as is digested and assimilated, in addi- 

 tion to the amount thus required, which is converted into meat, milk 

 or wool ; so that the greater the proportion which the latter bears 

 to the former, the greater will be the j)rofit to be realized from 

 keeping them. 



There has been in New England generally a tendency to choose 

 animals of large size, as large as can be had from any where, and 

 if they possess symmetry and all other good qualities commensur- 

 ate with the size, and if plenty of nutritious food can be supplied, 

 there is an advantage gained by keeping such, for it costs less, 

 other things being equal, to shelter and care for one animal than 

 for two. But our pastures and meadows are not the richest to be 

 found any where, and if we select such as require, in order to give 

 the profit which they are capable of yielding, more or richer food 

 than our farms can supply, or than we have the means to purchase, 

 we must necessarily fail to reap as much profit as we might by the 

 selection of such as could be easily fed upon home resources to the 

 point of highest profit. 



Whether the selection be of such as are either larger or smaller 

 than suit our situation, they will, and equally in both cases, vary 

 by degrees towards the fitting size or type for the locality in which 

 they are kept, but there is this noteworthy difference, that if larger 

 ones be brought in, they will not only diminish, but deteriorate, 

 while if smaller be brought in, they will enlarge and improve. 



The bestowal of food sufficient both in amount and quality to 

 enable animals to develop all the excellencies inherent in them, and 

 to obtain all the profit to be derived from them, is something very dis- 



