398 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



Ayrshire, fifteen per cent.,- Alderncj, twenty-three and one- 

 half per cent. 



There are some who prefer the native cow, because more 

 easily kept. Much depends, however, upon the treatment of 

 the animal. If the keeping be poor, the less one has to do 

 with fancy stock, the better. If it be good, then will native 

 stock soon become fancy, or highly improved stock. Much 

 might be said on this subject, but the want of space forbids 

 further remark. 



Secondly. With regard to keeping, or the effect which pas- 

 turage has upon the quality of butter. It is a common remark 

 that certain localities produce better butter than others. Much 

 less, however it is thought, depends upon pasturage than upon 

 the dair3Muaid. In every district, says Dr. Anderson, an 

 English agricultural writer, where good butter is made, it is 

 universally attributed to the richness of the pastures, though it 

 is a well-known fact, that, take a skilful dairy-maid, from that 

 district into another, where no good butter is made, and where, 

 of course, the pastures are deemed very unfavorable, she will 

 make good butter, as good as she used to do ; and bring one 

 from the last district into the other, and she will find that she 

 cannot make better butter there than she did before, unless 

 she takes lessons from the servants or others whom she finds 

 there. I have frequently, says he, known instances of this 

 kind. 



M. Tessier of the French National Institute, remarks, that 

 the particular quality of Bretagne butter, whose color, flavor, 

 and consistence are so much prized, depends neither on the 

 pasture nor the particular variety of cow, but on the mode 

 of making. This butter is of a superior quality, because they^ 

 make it of the richest cream, and in large quantities at a time. 

 As soon as it is made and washed, they sprinkle it with sweet 

 milk, spread it out in flatted cakes, larger or smaller, but rarely 

 containing less than six pounds, and lay it on a kind of pan 

 placed on hot cinders, and covered with a copper lid, on which 

 are put cinders, also. It remains there some minutes, more 

 or less, according to the bulk of the cakes. This mode re- 

 quires skill and practice, in order to succeed. 



Thirdly. With regard to the care and treatment of cows. 



