REFORM IN AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 75 



animals in the thoroughbred classes. Such cases should not 

 occur, and our committee should be instructed, in accordance 

 with printed authority from the State Board of Agriculture, 

 exactly how it shall be ascertained whether an animal is 

 thoroughbred. 



When aU the ancestors of an animal can be proved to have 

 been imported from Ayrshire, or to be descended from 

 animals imported from Ayrshire, such animal is a thoroughbred 

 Ayrshire. When in this case an ancestor cannot be proved 

 to be a thoroughbred, such animal is a grade. The same rule 

 ajDplies to all important breeds of cattle. 



Imported stock has been of the greatest value to this 

 country, and the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture, as 

 I have said, encourage the use of thoroughbred bulls only, 

 and it is best that only such should be used, that their ancestry 

 may be readily traceable and the quality of their descend- 

 ants be assured. 



The only thoroughbred stock that we have in this country is 

 imported from abroad. The imported breeds should be kept 

 pure ; but must we always be advised by the highest agricult- 

 ural authority in the State to use none but thoroughbred bulls 

 from imported stock? Cannot the Board recommend some 

 carefully matured plan by which we can gradually arrive at a 

 breed of cattle, which shall combine, for example, the richer 

 milk of the Jersey and the greater quantity of the Ayrshire 

 and at the same time be purely Massachusetts, or New 

 England , in its origin ? 



Why should we not some day in the future be able to 

 export to England a breed that shall prove invaluable there, 

 and be an improvement on their home breeds, thus doing 

 better by them in return for their having done well 

 by us? 



It would take time to accomplish this, and as all such results 

 must have a beginning, the longer that beginning is postponed 

 the farther off is the time when success would crown our 

 efforts. 



The importance of that noble and companionable animal, 

 the horse, should be kept prominently before the managers of 

 our society, and every possible opportunity should be afforded 

 for showing his capacities to the best advantage. He should 



