MILCH COWS. 201 



animal, was originally a poor, unproductive creature. By 

 skilful breeding and good treatment, she has been developed 

 into the overflowing milker she now is. p]ach cattle district 

 wants a breed of cattle " native and to the manor born," so to 

 speak. Every region has its peculiarities of soil, climate and 

 physical conformation, and the animals adapted to it by birth 

 flourish best and are most profitable. There is no reason why 

 we should not finally have a Middlesex breed of cows equal to 

 the world-renowned Ayrshire, Hereford, Durham and the 

 Channel Islands. True, our pastures may not be so luxuriant, 

 nor our atmosphere so moist as that of England and Scotland, 

 yet human skill and care can improve nature or supply her 

 deficiencies. 



It is said that the milk product of the United States amounts 

 to ;I160,000,000 ; this is a large figure. 



Flint's admirable work on Milch Cows and Dairy Farming, 

 says that the native stock or scrubs, as they are sometimes 

 called, of eastern New England, are largely of Danish origin; 

 others say they are deteriorated Devons. Our native cattle 

 undoubtedly trace their origin to the herds of many lands. 

 Not until the last quarter of a century have they received the 

 attention, either in the 'way of breeding or treatment, to which 

 their value and profitableness entitled them. Somebody has 

 remarked, that up to 1841, the treatment of our neat cattle was 

 such as to be a fit subject for presentment by a grand jury. 

 They were kept out in the winter's cold " to toughen," as it was 

 facetiously remarked ; and the grim Sabbatarian of olden times 

 thought it a sin to look after his dumb, shivering and hunger- 

 pinched dependents of the barnyard on Sunday. But all this 

 has changed ; a better era has dawned for neat cattle ; blood in 

 stock is now found to be most profitable. 



The milch cow is, so to speak, a highly artificial animal ; she 

 is, to a great extent, what her breed and keeper made her. In 

 a state of nature, the cow gives only sufficient milk to nourish 

 her offspring ; in the stall and barnyard of a good dairy-man 

 she yields it all the year through, and in extreme cases, in 

 quantities almost exceeding belief. 



^lore attention should be bestowed upon the milch cow with 

 us than upon stock intended for the yoke or shambles. On the 

 rich diluvial pastures of the West beef is a prime object — with 



26 



