862 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



cow in the herd. But since the proper application of the mind 

 has been directed to the science of cause and effect, as pertain- 

 ing to this subject, such has been the progress of successful 

 experiment, that not less than five hundred pounds of cheese 

 for each cow in the herd is considered satisfactory ; and of such 

 we have many instances before us. But as excelsior should be 

 the motto of every farmer, we will quote but one instance here, 

 and that only to raise our motto to a point where our Hampden 

 farmers may all see it, and feel it a pleasant duty to attempt to 

 give it another hoist. The instance we refer to is adduced in a 

 statement to the New York State Board of Agriculture, by 

 Alonzo Fish, Esq., of Herkimer county, in which he says: 

 "The average yield of my dairy, in 1844, was seven hundred 

 pounds per cow, market weight ; in 1845, average yield, seven 

 hundred and seventy-five pounds per cow, weighed daily from 

 the press." 



In regard to the quantity or the quality of cheese, as depend- 

 ing npon the food of the animals, your committee were not called 

 upon to decide ; but very much of the good character of its 

 quality may depend upon this point, if the remarks of an ancient 

 writer upon (English) Cheshire county cheese, so long cele- 

 brated for its superior quality, are entitled to any consideration. 

 He says : " It doth afforde the best cheese for quantitie and 

 qualitie, and yet the cows are not, as in other counties, housed 

 in the winter : some essaied in vain to make the like in other 

 places ; though from thence they fetched their kine and dairie 

 maides ; it doth seem they should have brought their ground 

 too, wherein is surelie some occult excellence in this kind, or 

 else so good cheese will not be made." 



These instances of the productive capabilities of the cow will 

 sufiice, nntil some more fortunate committee upon the milch 

 cows of Hampden county shall have the pleasure of awarding 

 the premiums of the society upon a larger product. Your com- 

 mittee have endeavored to avoid any expression of personal 

 preference in regard to any particular breed of cows for the 

 dairy. The conflicting opinions of those interested in the sev- 

 eral distinct breeds, and the frequent piiblic challenges given to 

 decide the pre-eminence of favorite stock by a fair trial of pro- 

 ductive qualities, has not yet determined the question any 



