104 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



yet attained perfection in that respect. One gentleman in 

 Fitchburg, who has now gone out of the business, I believe, 

 (Mr. Page), told me that he had a Short-horn cow that was 

 about perfect for milk. Her butter qualities were not yet 

 developed fully ; but for milk he thought she was as good as 

 any cow that could be presented from any breed by any 

 breeder, almost. But that cow is not certain to produce a 

 perfect animal in her progeny, from the fact that thorough 

 breeding has not been continued long enough. 



Bates and Colling, as I said, commenced their experiments 

 to produce a perfect animal for the slaughter nearly a hun- 

 dred years ago ; and it may take as long, I do not know but 

 longer, to connect the two, — a perfect dairy animal and a 

 perfect slaughter animal. That problem, gentlemen, is be- 

 fore you. Let all breeders of stock have that in view. Some 

 men or set of men will make themselves famous hereafter as 

 having accomplished that, as Bates and Colling did. Bates 

 had no idea, when he commenced in England, ninety years 

 ago, of breeding for the dairy. His object was to get the 

 best animal for the English market when slaughtered. As 

 3'ou know, the English are notorious for their love of beef- 

 steak and roast beef the world over. Now, let us look to 

 that point, and let all breeders have that in view. 



Mr. Ellsworth (of Barre). This subject is one of great 

 importance. In the first place, I do not think there is any 

 thing better for a butter cow than the Jersey ; and perhaps 

 the grade Jersey is equally good for butter. 1 have seen 

 butter from full-blood Jerseys that appeared to be too heavi- 

 ly loaded with fat, and did not seem to be quite agreeable 

 as to flavor ; while I have seen butter made from the milk of 

 grade Jerseys that I thought was perfect. I am aware that 

 there are cows of mixed blood that are equally good for 

 butter-making as the full-blood Jerseys ; but they must be 

 bred for the purpose. If I understand the object of this 

 discussion, it is to ascertain how to breed a dairy cow, and 

 that means a cow for milk, butter, and cheese. The ways 

 and means will differ for the different objects. A grade Jer- 

 sey is a remarkably good milker, in my experience, for milk 

 or for cheese ; and I have found that the grade Short-horn 

 was equally good, when carefully bred. That is my stock. 

 I have bred it wholly for the dairy, not for beef, for about 



