DAIRY STOCK. 329 



very good animal, and is wortliy of commendation. We there- 

 fore recommend that a gratuity of $25 be awarded to them for 

 their bull. The others were not only very far from being pure 

 blood animals, but possessed no other qualities which deserve 

 recommendation. Their owners undoubtedly believe what they 

 say, but are very much mistaken. 



For the Committee, 



T. E. Payson, Chairman. 



Report of the Committee on Devons. 



In the execution of their duties the committee have necessarily 

 experienced some embarrassment, resulting not alone from the 

 difficulties which occur in deciding on cases where the shades of 

 difference are scarcely perceptible, but, in some degree, owing 

 to the v/ant, of what the committee deemed, proper evidence as 

 to the purity of blood of the animals offered for premium. Act- 

 ing under the rules prescribed by the trustees of the State Socie- 

 ty, the committee felt bound to a rigid adherence to them, and 

 that nothing but pure blood had any apology for the granting 

 of a premium. Although there were animals presented that 

 were very perfect in form, and such as manifested great excel- 

 lence in breeding, and were individually almost perfect for the 

 class underexamination, yet tlie defect of a single link in the chain 

 of their pedigree has placed them out of the reach of the socie- 

 ty's liberal benefaction. Such they have felt compelled to pass 

 by without further comment. There were others placed before 

 them, of peculiar merit and beauty, but whose owners had not 

 taken proper measures to bring within the regulations of the 

 society. In the opinion of your committee, it is time that all 

 our agricultural societies should assert a claim to high excel- 

 lence in all the grades of cattle, which they are called upon to 

 approve and commend to the public, and though it may be the 

 beginning of a new era in the progress of improvement in 

 that direction, it cannot fail to produce great benefits to the 

 interest of the farmer. Animals to which premiums are award- 

 ed by the State or County societies, should be acknowledged to 

 have an equal merit with any others in the country ; purchasers 

 of blood stock should never be allowed room to doubt for a 



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