84 BOAUD OF AGRICULTURE. 



mate. The number of full-blooded animals in our town is not 

 large; but of neat cattle, sufficient to cross with our mixed 

 stock. The number of full-blooded animals is as follows : — 

 Durhams, six; Ilerefords, two." 



In the adjoining county of Franklin: — "The breeding, or 

 raising of stock may, perhaps, be said to be the most important 

 )n-anch of agriculture in this town. Large numbers are raised 

 and sold to drovers, at two and three years old, with a fair 

 amount of oxen and fat cows ; and for a few years past, per- 

 haps no branch of farming has paid the farmer better." 



Another correspondent in Franklin County writes: — "More 

 attention has been paid to raising neat cattle, than any othei* 

 branch of farming. I question whether there is a town in the 

 State, that can exhibit a neat stock equal to Shelburne, that is, 

 of their own raising. The breed is a mixture of Durhams with 

 what arc called ' the natives.' We have been in the habit of 

 purchasing Durham bulls for twenty-five years, so that our 

 whole stock is from one-half to seven-eighths Durham. 



" We have no full-blooded animals, except bulls. Such a breed 

 as wx raise we consider the most profitable, both for the dairy 

 and for working oxen. Our best working oxen, in September, 

 at four years old, weigh from 3,500 to 4,000. Some of the 

 best cows give from thirty-five to fifty-five pounds of milk." 



Advancing still farther west into the county of Berkshire, we 

 find that: — "Breeding of stock, receives a great deal of atten- 

 tion, so much so that our native stock has been brought up 

 from almost nothing, to a point which reflects honor and great 

 credit upon our breeders. The progress has been slow, but 

 sure, and we now think we can take the premium at any cattle 

 show in our State, for native stock. This result has been 

 brought about by selecting and crossing with the best breeds 

 in our town and vicinity ; it is a cross with the short-horn Dur- 

 ham in most cases, but many cross with the Devons. Our 

 short-horn Durham cross is our best, and cannot be surpassed. 



" The variety of opinions in regard to which is the best breed 

 of milch cows is so great that I hardly dare to offer an opinion ; 

 but as you ask the question, I should say, in my judgment, a 

 cross of the Aldcrney with our native stock, would be the best. 

 The dairy interest of our town is very large, therefore we 



