36 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Here is a common clifFerence of 700 quarts in each class ; 

 and if my figures are correct (and I have taken every fact I 

 could obtain, and excluded none), this sum, 700 quarts, 

 may well represent the breed difference of the A^Tshire and 

 native cattle. Consequently, any farmer who exchanges his 

 natives for Ayrshires of the same rank among Ayrshires as 

 his natives are among natives, increases, by this change, the 

 average annual yield of his dair^^, per cow, 700 quarts. The 

 milk farmer who is selling his milk at four cents a quart, can 

 increase his annual yield by at least $28 per cow, by 

 replacing natives by Ayrshires of equal grade. 



It is probable that these same results will apply in a deter- 

 minable ratio between grade Ayi'shires and natives ; but I 

 have not yet collected sufficient fticts to warrant a definite 

 statement of my own ideas of the value of grade animals. 



When, through the exertions of the friends of agriculture, 

 and the workers, sufficient facts are published, I shall reserve 

 the right to change these figures. The breed difference is 

 there, and is great. Thus much our present knowledge en- 

 ables us to state ; and according to my present figures , which 

 include every fact I have been able to collect, 700 quarts is 

 this breed difierence. 



I should not lay so much stress upon the records of 

 Waushakun Farm, did I not know that they are perfectly 

 ^accurate. Similar judgment was exercised in selecting both 

 natives and Ayrshires ; similar care, similar ideas of feed, 

 modified only by circumstances, and similar recording of 

 facts ; we have here the conditions of a true comparison of 

 breeds. The milk has been weighed daily, from each cow on 

 this farm; and I have the recorded weights, with the food 

 each day or month, and other notes of interest, preserved for 

 future reference. 



As a curious fact, let me add, that of all the cows whose 

 yield for the year I can find given in my Massachusetts 

 Report (I have not the Reports for 1858 and 1862), the aver- 

 age of the four premium native cows is 3,189 quarts; the 

 average of the three Ayrshire crosses per year is 4,673 

 quarts ; the extremes among the native cows are 2,692 quarts, 

 and 3,826 quarts ; among the Ayrshire grades, 3,700 quarts, 

 and 6,048 quarts ; the average of the best native or grade 



