152 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



thought and study, but there is a great deal of satisfac- 

 tion in it. 



Mr. Douglas. I heartily endorse all that the gentleman 

 has said. You will observe that my theory and practice are 

 based on that very idea of having pure-bred animals as sires. 

 We must have those in order to obtain perfectly bred herds. 

 But it has been admitted that but a small proportion of 

 those are what we want. A large proportion must be 

 eliminated from the herd ; and, with these thousands of 

 farmers in New England who must set up this work imme- 

 diately, where are the blooded cows coming from ? But I say, 

 to every man who has means, lay the foundation for a 

 blooded herd. 



Now, what are the facts? To my personal knowledge 

 there are many herds in Vermont that have been bred in the 

 way I recommend up to 300 pounds and over. I have the 

 facts with regard to individual grade cows and their produc- 

 tion. I have one here that gives 503 pounds of butter; 

 another, 480 ; another, 461; another, 410; another, 504; 

 another, 633 pounds. Now, these are facts that we cannot 

 get by ; and, while I would heartily indorse what the gentle- 

 man has said, if it were possible to have this pure-bred 

 excellence which I have dwelt upon, these fiicts show what 

 can be done with grade animals. I am talking to a great 

 many farmers who must set about this work, and time is a 

 matter that we must consider. I would advise every such 

 farmer to procure a pure-bred animal to lay the foundation 

 for his herd ; and if the farmers of New England would 

 realize the importance of this, it would give the blooded 

 herds of New England a boom such as has never been known 

 heretofore.' Every blooded animal of the right sort would 

 be needed for this purpose. I am not saying one word 

 against full-blooded herds, l)ut I am emphasizing the fiict 

 that we must have them. It is one of the fundamental con- 

 ditions of success in breeding-up a grade herd. 



Mr. GoDDAKD. The gentleman said that common farmers 

 cannot afford to buy pure-l)red stock at the high prices that 

 are asked for such animals. I do not agree with him in that. 

 I started a few years ago without any money, and I can say 

 to-day that I have got a herd of pure-bred stock. The 



