+ THE DAIRY. 327 
vided with market facilities. The eight counties above mentioned are 
reported to contain about 25,000 milch cows, distributed among dairy 
estates of widely varying magnitude. The largest dairy, that of Howard 
& Shafter, in Marin County, numbers between 3,000 and 4,000 cows. 
Steele Brothers, cheese manufacturers, own two herds of 700 cows each, 
one in San Mateo County,.and the other in San Luis Obispo County. 
In Monterey County, Mr. S.C. Abbott owns 1,000 cows, a herd of excellent 
butter-making stock, chiefly of Devon, Short-horn, and Alderney blood, 
besides a large number of steers and young cattle. Other dairies num- 
ber respectively 300, 400, and 600 cows. ‘There are many important 
dairies in the interior, but, as a rule, that portion of the State suffers 
the disadvantages of greater summer heats and inferior pasturage. We 
give below some interesting facts in regard to the present condition 
of the dairy interest in California, derived from the statements of Mr. X. 
A. Willard, of New York, who visited that State during the summer ot 
1870, in company with other distinguished agriculturists from the East. 
The dairy sections of the coast country possess a low, even tempera: 
ture, with winters so mild that cattle need but little shelter, and are 
often wintered without other food than what they obtain from the fields. 
Even in these favored localities, however, the practice of good managers 
is to give a daily allowance of fodder in November and December, dur- 
ing the early part of the rainy season, at which time the old grass is 
injured by the washing of copious rains and the new growth is yet 
immature. After the close of December, green pasturage, embracing 
wild oats, the nutritious bunch grass, and other native grasses, is found 
in abundance until June or the beginning of July, when the dry season 
commences, which lasts until the latter part of October, and sometimes 
until December. During this dry season, the bunch grass and other 
wild herbage, though browned and crisped by the sun, afford a grate- 
ful nourishment to the stock, keeping it in high condition. The period 
from the beginning of January to June, in California dairy locatities, 
corresponds to the best grazing season of the Atlantic slope. 
On the 1st of August Mr. Willard visited the Howard and Shafter 
ranch, situated at Point Reyes, Marin County, near San Francisco, and 
claimed to be the largest butter dairy estate in the world. It has a coast 
range of fifty miles, and contains 75,000 acres, the surface of which is 
diversified by a succession of hills and valleys, varied occasionally by 
large level tracts. As an instance of the expenditures which have been 
made on the property, it is stated that, at the time of this visit, one 
hundred miles of fencing had been constructed, at a cost of $400 per 
mile, amounting to $40,000 for fences alone. The climate is cool, the 
temperature sejdom rising above 65°, or sinking below 50°, the average 
for the year being about 60°. Stated in round numbers, there are 3,000 
cows in milk on the estate, divided into twenty-one dairies. Improve- 
ment of milk stock was commenced in 1858 by crossing common eastern 
cows with two thorough-bred Short-horn bulls of a good milking family, 
brought from Vermont at a cost of $10,000. A year or two afterward, 
twenty-two head of Devon cattle were introduced, but did not prove 
satisfactory for dairy purposes, and were subsequently discarded. 
Since 1865 Short-horns have been the favorite stock, and the practice 
has been to raise annually one-fifth of the calves from the best cows, 
resulting in a good average product of milk at the present time. The 
animals are quite small, compared with the general standard of Short- 
horns, and are more active than usual for that breed, but were healthy 
and in excellent condition when seen. It is Mr. Wiliard’s opinion that 
Ayrshires are better adapted to the locality. 
