104 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



and large in proportion to her leg ; her leg fine below the 

 knee, and compact and strong above ; the hind feet should be 

 long and projecting. Time and space will not permit me to 

 extend this description farther." These and many other 

 essential points with which our experienced stock-raisers are 

 familiar, are all-important in a superior milch cow. 



Great care is also requisite in feeding a cow that is at work 

 in your dairy. "She should be fed in such a manner as to 

 preserve all her faculties to a good old age." The farmer's 

 adage, "An old cow for milk and a young hen for eggs," is a 

 good one. These remarks about stock-raising and feeding, 

 are as applicable to those who are grading stock, as to the 

 thorough-breeders. Selection of good stock from which to 

 breed, careful feeding and raising, are the main essentials for 

 improvement of cattle, be they native, grade or thorough- 

 bred. Important information from all sources and long con- 

 tinued observation and experience, must be our farmers' guide 

 in these matters. In this connection, I would refer to the 

 reports of the Secretary of our State Board of Agriculture, 

 for much very valuable information on stock-raising and feed- 

 ing. 



The interest of thorough breeding in our State, has become 

 of vast importance. In 1853, twenty-one years since, there 

 were but seventy-five pure-bred Jerseys in the whole State of 

 Massachusetts ; now they number many thousand, and many 

 more of Jersey grades ; the same with the Ayrshires. 



There is a vast amount of capital invested in dairy-stock in 

 our country. In the recent census of 1870, there were found 

 9, '000, 000 cows; the amount invested in this class of live- 

 stock alone cannot be less than $300,000,000. Among the 

 dairy products in our country, we find by the last census that 

 we sold 235,500,599 gallons of milk in its natural form, to 

 say nothing of the consumption at home ; at the same time, 

 514,092,683 pounds of butter was produced, and 53,492,153 

 pounds of cheese. These statistics are from the northern and 

 middle sections of our country alone. It is quite within 

 bounds to say that the butter-product alone will not fall 

 short of 600,000,000 pounds, and the cheese 200,000,000 

 pounds. 



The amount of product of our dairies will annually amount 



