100 . BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



satisfactory butter cow. Let me state what I had to begin 

 with. I had a two-year-old heifer, that in June after her 

 first calf, which was in May, had made her seven pounds 

 of butter a week ; and, taking a pure-bred of the same breed 

 for the sire, I have not been able to secure a descendant from 

 that heifer that has ever made over ten pounds a week, and 

 only one that would do that in the best seasons of the year. 

 Now, if I could have had the control of the conditions that 

 were necessary to secure a good dairy cow, it seems to me 

 that I could have produced something that was better than 

 that in the end ; and yet that is all I have got. After six 

 years, taking every precaution that it was possible for me to 

 take under the circumstances, I have been able to secure but 

 two cows that were satisfactory : probably they are as good 

 as the average cows in Franklin County, with the exception 

 of animals that have been bred by those who have had all 

 the appliances under their control, and have continued in 

 that direction for at least ten, if not fifteen years. 



So I say it is an exceedingly difficult matter, this matter of 

 breeding ; and I was very glad to hear Gov. Hyde speak of 

 the importance of pure-bred sires. I believe that nothing 

 can be done until we come back to that position, that there 

 shall be no other animal used for a sire than a pure-bred. I 

 believe, further, that we had better pay almost any price for 

 the service of a pure-bred than to have the service of a scrub 

 on any condition whatever, even if we were to be paid for 

 allowing the service, especially if we are to raise any stock- 

 I am so well satisfied of this, that I would go any reasonable 

 distance for a pure-bred rather than take a scrub at my own 

 door. 



It seems to me that this is one of the points which we 

 should press, — for I belong to that class of small farmers 

 who cannot control all the conditions, — that there must be co- 

 operation in the matter of stock-breeding, and we must breed 

 for the purposes of the dairy ; for that, with us in Franklin 

 County, at least for the present, is the practical business ; it is 

 that which pays the best ; it is that which will pay the best ; 

 and it can only be done by the small farmers uniting. Let 

 me give some idea of my theory of co-operation ; and it does 

 not seem to me to be so much a theory, so-called, as it might 

 be, but it is one that could be easily carried into practice. 



