314 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



ness of the soil and of its high state of cultivation. As I fell 

 in with practical farmers in various parts of Holland, I took 

 considerable pains to inquire with regard to the character and 

 reputation of the cattle, where the best were procured, and the 

 prices at which they were held. It seems that the cows of 

 North Holland, the Beemster, and those around Haarlem, are 

 considered the best, and are about equally good, and the prices 

 about the same. The cows of these sections are great milkers, 

 and the dairy business is carried to great perfection. As I 

 have given all the details, fully illustrated, in the work on 

 " Milch Cows and Dairy Farming," it is not necessary to dwell 

 upon them here. 



The ordinary price of the best cows in Holland, as I was 

 informed by farmers who kept them, is from one hundred and 

 fifty to two hundred and fifty guilders, the guilder being equal 

 to forty-one cents ; but the very best in the Beemster and about 

 Haarlem are held at from two hundred to two hundred and 

 fifty guilders ; the general average of very good ones being 

 about one hundred and seventy to one hundred and eighty 

 guilders, or from $G8 to $12. Tlie very best bulls are not 

 nearly so high, and plenty of good ones can be had for twenty 

 or thirty dollars, though the choicest are often held nearly as 

 high as the best cows. This was the uniform statement of 

 practical men, and quite independent of each other, in different 

 parts of Holland. As to the dairy qualities, no cow could help 

 giving a great quantity of milk on the rich, juicy grasses of the 

 polders; and there is no, doubt that the Dutch are fairly 

 entitled to their high reputation in this respect. 



The peasantry of North Holland — the females, I mean — still 

 cling to a curious old fashion of wearing skull shields of metal, 

 often of the richest gold, brass or tin, according to their means, 

 under their clean lace caps, projecting out on each side of the 

 face in great square ornaments almost as large as a curtain 

 holder. It struck me at first as the most ludicrous custom I 

 had seen ; but I was told by an intelligent lady that the peas- 

 antry were generally rich, many of them very rich, and that 

 they put a good deal of their money into these gold ornaments 

 as a safe investment. Wouldn't they get a good premium if 

 they would just now send them over to New York ? 



