78 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



good handler, and I will tell you what her progeny will be. If 

 I wanted to raise a nice pair of steers, I should be very sure not 

 to have her calves deaconed. 



There were four competitors for herd premiums. That of 

 Paoli Lathrop, of South Hadley Falls, consisting of twelve head, 

 all Shorthorns, of superior excellence. They need no comment 

 of ours, for they stand at the head of thoroughbred stock in 

 this region. 



M. J. Smith & Son were there with fourteen head, all very 

 good, most or all of them thoroughbred Durhams. 



M. D. Kellogg with his Ayrshires — in all eighteen head. 

 They were choice stock, and the owner may well feel proud of 

 them. They were mostly cows and heifers, and will compare 

 very favorably with any other stock on the ground. 



In behalf of the Committee, H. S. Porter. 



NANTUCKET. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



What stock was examined was of the Jersey breed, and came 

 from animals brought here by James Thompson, Esq., and we 

 are free to say, after examining much other Jersey stock at the 

 fairs of other counties, that there is none in the country that 

 boasts a better pedigree than this which has laid a foundation 

 in Nantucket for future sale abroad. 



This island of Nantucket is most favorably situated for pre- 

 serving any pure breed of stock. No mongrel cow can be 

 brought here privately. The only communication with the 

 continent is by steam or packet, and these are compelled to land 

 within a few rods, and under circumstances that will defy the 

 introduction of animals unknown to the public. About the 

 time that the Jerseys were imported here, a fine lot of Ayrshires 

 were also brought ; but upon consideration, it was deemed 

 advisable to devote our attention to the. rearing of one kind 

 alone ; and as the view of the farmers in the neighboring island 

 of Martha's "Vineyard agreed with ours, and as they preferred 

 the Ayrshires, what few of that breed we had were disposed of, 

 and only the Jerseys retained. As the Ayrshires of the 

 Vineyard are of the very best stock of that kind, and our Jerseys 

 rank first in the country, the stock raisers of these two islands 

 are determined to have animals so pure in breed that farmers 



