DIGEST OF STATE REPORTS. 4J9 



During a discussion as to the best manner of saving, curing, and using 

 rennet, Mr. Wire said : 



Calves ehould be "deaconed " in the morning without haying been recently fed, and 

 thoy sbonld be so muzzled as to prevent their reaching the ground ho as to get dirt into 

 their stomachs. The rennets should be cured with fine salt and kept in paper sacks. 

 When preparing for use they should 1)6 soaked for 24 hours before nsingi being fre- 

 quently squeezed with the hand and handled from one crock to another. Thoy should 

 be soaked in the cleanest whey with so much salt that it will not quite all dissolve. 

 Keep them in earthen vessels, with a weight to keep them under the liquor. 



In discussing the best manner of saving, curing, and using rennet? 

 Mr. Wire said he would not kill a calf for the rennet under six days old? 

 and if it was three weeks old it would be better, if it had not been upon 

 the ground. Being asked why whey was better than water for soaking 

 rennets, he said he could not give the scientific reason, but experience 

 had shown him that it was decidedly better. Messrs. H. K. Carter and 

 A. Bart^ett both indorsed Mr. Wire's statement that in preparing rennets 

 for use they should be soaked in whey 24 hours. 



The Western Reserve Dairymen's Association held its annual meeting 

 at Garrettsville, in February, 1874. Mr. Cornelius Baldwin opened a 

 discussion on the selection of the best cows for the dairy. He said : 



There are but three breeds of milkers in America — the Dutch or Holstein, Alderneys, 

 and Ayrshires. There are but few of the former found. As the Alderneys are espe- 

 cially known for their butter-producing qualities, the question narrows down to the 

 Ayrshires. On the average you can scarcely meet with a poor Ayrshire cow. You may 

 select good cows from any breed, but such uniformity cannot he found in any other 

 breed as the Ayrshire develops in her milking qualities. As dairymen we must only 

 consider milking qualities and let other considerations go. Every dairy has good 

 cows, good feeders, well built, and good milkers. If your bull is selected from such 

 stock, you can soon produce a breed of good milkers ; but from a failure to comply strictly 

 with the latter requirement, the stock is not improved. 



Mr. Baldwin then proceeded to illustrate his subject by large drawings 

 of cows, showing the points and marks relating to the good qualities for 

 milk-stock. He reckoned sixty-five points or marks that indicate a good 

 cow ; some are of minor importance, while others are infallible guides to 

 be observed in the selection of good milkers. The principal features of 

 a good cow are a small bony head, slender horn, a symmetrical neck, not 

 large shoulders, straight back, heavy hips, not too straight hind leg, thin 

 thighs, large milk-veins, and very crooked, large veins on udder; udder 

 large and yielding, with homogeneous texture, covered with fine hair, 

 and shrinking much when milked ; a greasy dandruff in the hair is also 

 a good sign. In reply to a question, he said: 



How to select dairies that will produce forty pounds of milk per day to each cow is 

 what dairymen want answered. More money is paid for poor cows than is paid for 

 good ones. Milking qualities are inherited. A bull from a line of milkers and a cow 

 that is a good milker will almost always have an offspring that will be a better niiiker 

 than its dam. u fact, any farmer can produce a breed of thoroughbreds that will en- 

 tirely answer all purposes of higher-priced and more celebrated breeds. 



Report for 1874. — This is a volume of over 600 pages. As the pre>ced- 

 ing volume reports the transactions of the agricultural convention held 

 in January, 1874, so this of that held in January, ]875. Besides the 

 transactions of the board, it also contains reports of the county and dis- 

 trict societies, and a full account of the exj)ositiou and reports of com- 

 mittees at the State fair, including a list of the premiums awarded. 



At the thirtieth annual agricultural convention sixty-nine counties 

 were represented. In his opening address the president, L. G. Delano, 

 gave a brief history of the organization of the State board, and of the 

 State convention under it. He said : 



The first meeting of this board was held in Columbus April 1, 1846. At that meet- 

 ing the board elected Allen Trimble, president, Samuel Medary, secretary, and Michael 



