138 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



capital employed, and a correspondingly cheap outfit in 

 every particular. Cheap, as used in this connection, has no 

 reference to quality. The dairyman cannot afford, because 

 of poor markets, to lower the quality of his stock ; but he 

 must secure the liest, at the lowest possible cost. He cannot 

 aftbrd to pay fa1)ulous prices for blooded cows, to be used 

 for practical dairy work; yet he cannot afford, as I shall 

 endeavor to show, to dispense with the services of the best 

 blooded sires in breeding grade stock, even though they may 

 cost many times the market value of bulls of common stock. 



Gradiiig-up. 



With abundant capital, and proper qualifications for the 

 business, one may profitably pay high prices for a few 

 choice animals, with which to lay the foundation of a 

 pure-bred herd. But it is only advisable in connection with 

 such conditions. Dairymen with limited capital, who have 

 good average herds of grade or native cows, can provide 

 themselves with the best of dairy stock for practical work 

 much more cheaply. To do this they must, like the suc- 

 cessful breeder of blooded stock, heed those natural laws 

 and conditions which govern reproduction. They must first 

 determine what branch of the business they wish to pursue, 

 and then organize success by persistent efforts on the line 

 which they have intelligently marked out. 



While ordinary improvements in dairy practice pay from 

 the outset, the breeder must be content to wait for the 

 growth of his stock. But the reward will be nevertheless 

 sure, and his profits will annually increase in volume, like 

 the increase in an arithmetical progression. 



I shall treat this subject from the stand-point of a butter 

 maker, as I propose to base my remarks upon practical facts, 

 drawn from actual experience. 



Fundamental Laws and Conditions. 

 No intelligent breeder, whether of blooded or grade 

 stock, will lose sight of that fundamental, natural law, 

 which is the basis of success in every department of stock- 

 breedino;. It is that law which soverns transmission, and 

 which is conveyed in the expression, "Like begets like." 



