80 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



done. Never before in the history of the world has there 

 been so great a demand for milk as an article of food, and 

 that demand is growing. Xo other kind of production takes 

 so little from the soil. Because of this and because of the 

 extent to which concentrates are fed to cows in milk, dairying 

 brings with it increasing producing power to the land. Xo 

 other form of animal life will furnish food nutrients more 

 cheaply or better adapted to the needs of the average indi- 

 vidual of the race. The path of intelligent dairying is strewn 

 with beneficence. Every one, therefore, engaged in dairying 

 can well afford to magnify his calling. 



Question. What breed would you prefer? 



Professor Shaw. I would answer that question differently 

 in almost every State in the United States. I would say for 

 this State that the man engaged in dairying, if dairying is 

 his main and principal business, should have a straight dairy 

 cow; no matter which of the breeds, it should be a straight 

 dairy cow. They are produced by weeding out every one that 

 doesn't come up to the standard ; and you will never come to 

 the end of this weeding business, for it will always be, — 

 there are good and bad cow t s in all breeds. 



Question. Should the sire in this sort of breeding ever 

 be mated with his offspring '. 



Professor Shaw. That is legitimate sometimes. As long 

 as the animals are possessed of a marked degree of vigor, that 

 is allowed. But it is something that must be done with great 

 care, or inferiority will be transmitted. 



Question. Don't you think some breeds are stronger than 

 others, and predominate in the crosses ? I used the Holstein 

 blood, and since they have been crossed by the Jersey the 

 Holstein is the stronger. 



Professor Shaw. That is just a question, — it is a ques- 

 tion to be disputed. We mustn't lose sight of this fact, — 

 that Ave cannot always judge the amount of transmission 

 from the color ; that is only one way. There is transmission 

 in other respects that is very marked, but not so apparent 

 to the eye. 



Question. If you were breeding cows for milk, that were 



