308 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



constitutes the best dairy cow ? At first view, the rules pre- 

 scribed would seem to imply that the quantity of milk of each 

 cow, ascertained for the first three days of each month of trial, 

 and the amount of butter and cheese manufactured from all the 

 milk, during the whole period of trial, might satisfy the object 

 of the proposals. But this would be but a narrow construction 

 of the purpose designed by the trustees. Nor, added to this, 

 would the judgment of the committee upon the appearance of 

 the animals, fulfil the scope of the inquiry. Whatever the pro- 

 duct of the cow, or however symmetrical her proportions and 

 apparent points of excellence, to the eye or the touch, there are 

 other matters which enter largely into a proper consideration of 

 the award of the proffered premiums. The true purpose of the 

 exhibition was, not to make a show merely of fine animals, 

 however gratifying this might be to the spectators, but by far 

 the higher and more important end of eliciting information, and 

 acquiring knowledge of well authenticated facts and results, 

 which would instruct the community of practical farmers, and 

 offer to them richer inducements to the improvement of their 

 stock, than any transient success in a cattle show competition. 

 It was this communication of the peculiar qualities of animals, 

 best suited to the dairy, — of the preference to be given for these 

 qualities, among the various races, — of the relative product of 

 the different breeds, — of the expense of their keeping, and their 

 docility under management, — and of the arrangement and con- 

 duct of the dairy, which were primarily sought ; and unless 

 these arc furnished, in substantial compliance with the requisi- 

 tions accompanying the proposals, the object for which alone the 

 premiiims were ofiered, and to which the hopes and labors of 

 the trustees have been directed, has not been obtained. The 

 money may, indeed, add to the rewards of a few well-managing 

 and prosperous dairymen, but will do little for the community 

 of farmers, who have looked to this occasion for a communica- 

 tion of knowledge and skill in a leading department of agricul- 

 tural industry. 



It is now more than a year since the trustees of the State 

 Society, with munificent liberality, appropriated a sum exceed- 

 ing two thousand dollars, for the encouragement of dairy stock, 

 of which sum one thousand and fifty dollars were offered, in 

 published proposals of premiums, for dairy cows, in two classes 



