54 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



from worse to better continue to improve, till they arrive at that 

 perfection which the change in their situation is calculated to pro- 

 duce." 



He thought this principle was exemplified in Indian corn. By 

 rei^eatedly planting here the Southern horse tooth or dent corn we 

 find it every year diminishes in size and becomes more dense in its 

 texture, until in time it is identical with the corn we generally 

 raise ; and so on the other hand, if we plant the small Canadian 

 seed it will gradually increase in size until it reaches the standard 

 prescribed by nature for our locality. The case with neat stock is 

 somewhat analagous to this. By a wise provision of nature there 

 is inherent in auimals and vegetables a flexibility of organism which 

 enables them to adapt themselves to a change of circumstances. 

 And if a choice must be made between the relative sizes, it is bet- 

 ter to take such as are smaller than the prevailing breeds, because 

 they carry up a greater muscular development with cleaner limbs 

 and diminished ollial, while in the diminishing process it is first a 

 reduction of muscle, consequently the animals have disproportion- 

 ately large bones and go down with ragged joints. 



He believed the original cattle introduced into New England 

 •were Devons. Of the seventeen ships that came over in 1630 

 bringing cattle, thirteen were from Devonshire and the adjacent 

 counties, and directly from the region of Devon cattle. They had 

 been bred without care and crossed with other races and breeds so 

 indiscriminately, that there was now no reliance upon the best of 

 them for breeding. He believed the true North Devon of two hun- 

 dred years ago, purely and carefully bred ever since, and always 

 selecting the best only for breeding, now offered the Maine farmer 

 the best cattle for his use. They were a little larger than our com- 

 mon natives — the oxen often growing to measure seven feet — were 

 very hardy, had a thick coat of hair, — active, and fed with ease 

 upon ordinary or even dried-up pastures. 



The Durhams originated in the richest parts of England, and 

 were profitable only in rich localities. He was aware that for 

 lumbering operations grade Durhams were extensively employed. 

 Lumbermen liked large oxen. But there was more working power 

 in the Devons, which were liardier, and supported at less expense. 

 The fact that grades of Short-horn whicii inlierit the hardiness of the 

 native dams do better here than the full bloods, is a very significant 

 one. Such was not the case with the Devons, for the full bloods 

 were hardy enough and good enough for any uses. 



