NORFOLK SOCIETY. 285 



Milch Cows and Heifers. 



It is the opinion of the committee, that our exhibition, as a 

 whole, will compare favorably with that of any other county in 

 the Commonwealth. The show of milch cows was highly 

 respectable ; many of them fine and productive. Another year, 

 we hope to see them increased, and the quality improved. The 

 display of heifers was larger in number, and more beautiful in 

 appearance, and fully realized the expectations of the commit- 

 tee. Milk is an article, in the production of which, we are 

 deeply interested, as it forms a part of the daily food of almost 

 every individual in the county. Whatever, therefore, is calcu- 

 lated to increase the production of an article of general use, 

 should be considered of primary importance. 



The late Mr. Curwen strove to awaken an interest upon this 

 subject ; for, in his report to the British Board of Agriculture, 

 twenty-two years since, he stated that milk, compared with 

 other species of food, is not only the most nutritious, but the 

 cheapest article of subsistence, that can be produced for the 

 support of man ; for that the same quantity of agricultural pro- 

 duce converted into milk, will afford a larger proportion of hu- 

 man sustenance, than in any other shape. 



The committee would therefore beg leave, to offer some sug- 

 gestions in this connection ; and first, they would remark upon 

 the importance of careful and tender treatment of cows. It is 

 absolutely indispensable, that they should be warmly and com- 

 fortably housed, as a matter of economy, both in the saving of 

 feed, and in the yield of milk ; for a cow well housed in cold 

 weather, will yield much more than another, equally good, 

 which is not well housed, (the feed being the same,) for the 

 simple reason, that the cow well sheltered needs less feed to 

 sustain the animal heat, than the one requires that is not so 

 sheltered. Some farmers contrive their stables so as to have 

 water before the cows at all times, which tends to increase their 

 milk, particularly in cold and wet weather, when they should 

 be confined to the barn most of the time. 



In many parts of the county, where the natural grasses 

 abound, and the feed is backward in spring, it has been found 



