OUR DAIRY HERDS. 67 



DAIRY COWS. 

 ESSEX. 



[From the Report of the Committee.] 



A writer in a recent publication, the "Nation," sa} r s that 

 "Every one of our agricultural products, with the single 

 exception of Indian corn, is surpassed in value by our dairy 

 yield. The value of the cows, and of the land especially 

 devoted to their support, is reckoned at one billion three 

 hundred million dollars. The annual production of cheese 

 is estimated at three hundred and fifty million pounds, and 

 that of butter at one billion five hundred million pounds. 

 Their combined value, estimated at three hundred and fift}' 

 million dollars, is only one-fifth less than that of the corn- 

 crop. The production has increased thirty-three per cent 

 within the past year; and, since the introduction of the 

 American factory system in the manufacture of them, they 

 have become important objects of export, the foreign sales 

 amounting, during the last season, to thirteen million dol- 

 lars for butter, and fourteen million dollars for cheese. The 

 exportations this year have paid more than a million dollars 

 freight, or enough to support a weekly line of steamers to 

 Europe. They have paid five million dollars freight to the 

 railroads of the country, and milk pays nearly as much 

 more." 



No cow is worthy of belonging to the royal family, who 

 does not yield at least two thousand quarts of milk in a 

 year. If this were only true of all, the above figures would 

 be largely increased. 



What we wish to show is, that, at present prices, it does 

 not pay to keep a cow that gives less milk than the quantity 

 mentioned ; and we believe, with the present abundance of 

 improved breeds of cattle, there is no excuse for keeping a 



