STOCK. 171 



In concluding this report the committee remark that it is a 

 matter of just pride to notice the improvement made in this 

 department of husbandry since the formation of the society. 

 At its first exhibition it is believed that not a single thorough- 

 bred animal of any breed was presented. To-day all the leading 

 breeds are represented, and of most of them there are several 

 valuable herds owned by members of the society. Let the 

 good work thus begun go on, and the time will not be far in 

 the future when the exhibitions of our society will rival in this 

 department those of the oldest and best-conducted societies of 



the Commonwealth. 



J. White, Chairman. 



NANTUCKET. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



Grade Stock. — Had we been permitted, we should have 

 commenced our awardings with the highest grade of each 

 class, and worked downward to the half-breeds ; but we were 

 restricted by the rules of the society to the consideration of 

 all alike in respect to gradation of breed and pure blood, if 

 they were half-bloods. Hence we have decided on the merits 

 of each cow in comparison with others in appearance, with 

 reference to keeping and milking qualities. Grading is all- 

 important to stock-raisers, as it is the only means of deter- 

 mining with any degree of accuracy, the qualities of the off- 

 spring. If parties admire and esteem the highest type of 

 the noble Ayrshire and fawn-like Alderney, shown in these 

 grades, it argues the purer blood the better cow. It is not 

 our immediate duty to speak of l)ulls in this report, yet it is 

 a matter of great importance to look to it, and not encourage 

 the raising for breeding of any but the pure blood. Our 

 society have very properly refused to offer any award for any 

 but the pure type. The slightest curve is a deviation from 

 the straight line in this matter, that will diverge wider and 

 wider annually until the pedigree is lost in the distance. 



It is but repetition for us to write upon the subjects which 

 are so nearly connected with the rearing, feeding and treat- 

 ment of cows. Our farmers are more familiar than we are 

 with these topics, and we have ocular demonstration in the 



