8 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



Hodge's, in North Adams, produced 425 pounds of butter in one 

 year, 400 pounds of it being made in nine months. 



This list of good cows, confined indeed to Berkshire, might 

 be lengthened almost indefinitely, both from the published and 

 unpublished accounts. I am merely showing that there is 

 ample opportunity to make a beginning in improvement. Never 

 mind the pedigree : I would not undervalue it indeed, if relia- 

 ble, but there is something bordering upon the ludicrous in 

 such an array as the following, found in the Abstract of the 

 Returns of Agricultural Societies for 1845, page 196. " Wa- 

 terloo was sired by ' Bruce ;' Bruce by Wellington ; Wel- 

 lington was sired by Sandy senior, who was bred by Mr, Pa- 

 ton, of Swinlees, who was never beaten. He got the first prize 

 at Dundonold, when 14 years old. John Young." 



Imposing as all this is, I should much prefer the simple story 

 of Samuel Jaques, our own countryman, whose experiments 

 every man of us may, in effect, repeat. 



It is a serious question for the society to settle, whether 

 they really do the good they intend, by the present method. 

 Some think it would even be better to offer the premium for 

 each farmer's whole stock of cows, than, as at present, for the 

 petted one. It would be fairer no doubt. But suppose a stand- 

 ing olfer were made to all who should repeat the experiment 

 of Col. Jaques, with such variations as were unavoidable. 

 Suppose a premium of $15 were offered to all who would be- 

 gin with one cow now making 12 to 14 pounds of butter, or even 

 10 to 12 pounds a week, and who should drive her to some su- 

 perior bull, and all her progeny for five years to come should 

 be reared, the obviously faulty ones excepted. Would not the 

 effort be made, and could it fail of promoting one grand object 

 of the society, viz. : the improvement of our stock of milch 



cows ? 



How important an animal is the cow ! Into how many arti- 

 cles of food does her milk enter ? That stomach has departed 

 fearfully from the simplicity of nature, that cannot bear milk j 

 and yet many say they cannot bear it. Of its medical effects, 

 it is not proposed to speak, further, than to say, that one phy- 

 sician of eminence has remarked that it is of more value in 



