172 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



fine display of well-fed animals and excellent milkers, that 

 their owners are well-read and experienced dairymen. Yet 

 there may be some exceptions in our county to a proper sys- 

 tem of feeding, care and treatment, and a few hints may be 

 apropos. We have witnessed the treatment of this meek 

 and gentle animal which calls for a word from us. Whip- 

 ping, kicking, pounding men and boys should not be tol- 

 erated in the stalls where cows are milked, nor should a rude, 

 destructive boy be permitted to drive them to and from the 

 pastures. They are naturally very timid, and becoming 

 frightened are rendered vicious where they were otherwise 

 docile. Cleanliness is an important consideration in our 

 barns as in our stables, with our cows as with our horses. 

 Every intelligent groom combs and curries his horse with 

 great care, and he will tell you it is essential to his well-being 

 so to do ; that it does him almost as much good as his daily 

 food ; yet we have seen great negligence with regard to cows 

 in this respect. Why will not the same rule apply to them ? 

 It most assuredly will, and they should have a thorough cur- 

 rying and brushing daily. One advantage would result to the 

 cow's comfort from this cleansing : the barn floors would be 

 kept cleaner to save labor on the cows. Diet is another im- 

 portant subject. An eminently successful farmer and dairy- 

 man in our county, changes the food in the mangers at 

 morning and evening, and says cows thrive better to have a 

 variety of food daily ; that they require it at times for their 

 well-being. 



The principal breeds from which our grades have been pro- 

 duced, are Ayrshire and Alderney, in the proportion of thirty 

 Alderuey to twenty-five Ayrshire descent, and a few mixed 

 half- Alderney and Ayrshire. 



The Ayrshires, as you well know, were originally from the 

 county of Ayr, of English descent, and originated from a 

 cross of Shorthorns at a time when this race was more gen- 

 erally distinguished for milking qualities ; they have been 

 credited with an infusion of Alderney blood, and this suppo- 

 sition appears to be borne by the light stripe round the 

 nose, often noticeable in Ayrshire calves ; they have been for 

 a great number of years an estal)lished race of cattle which 

 have been unequalled for yield of milk. We would submit 



