C. F. ADAMS'S ADDRESS. 439 



the manner of keeping them. Everybody knows that a very 

 good cow is worth to its owner much more than two or 

 three ordinary ones, but every body is not yet fully aware of 

 the fact, that almost any kind of a cow well fed, and above all, 

 comfortably housed in cold weather, is more profitable than 

 two which are neglected. The time has been in Massachusetts 

 when the opinion was common, that native cows could take 

 pretty good care of themselves even though left to run their 

 chance of wind and weather, of very short pasture and scanty, 

 and poor meadow hay in winter. I am happy to believe that 

 this opinion is very much exploded, and that it is now well un- 

 derstood how much good keeping will do to help on prosperous 

 farming. Something has been done, too, in the improvement of 

 the pasture grounds, upon which the quality of milk and butter 

 depends, quite as much as the quantity. In all these matters 

 there is no room for doubt what is the best thing to be done. 

 I cannot venture to say so much upon the greatly vexed ques- 

 tion of breeds of cattle. Whatever may have been the experi- 

 ence of persons in other sections of this country, it can scarcely 

 be denied that the general feeling here, is one of disappoint- 

 ment, from the results thus far of the importation of the highly 

 reputed races of English cows. The practical men who are 

 under the necessity of following but one rule, and that is, to 

 choose the stock that will pay the best, still incline to trust 

 their judgment in selecting from the old, rather than to take 

 crosses from the newly imported cattle. This matter would 

 require a great deal more time to examine than the limits of 

 my address will allow. And as yet we scarcely have data 

 enough to form any positive conclusions. Of all the people in 

 the world, farmers seem to like the least to confess their want 

 of success. Extraordinary good results are sure to be heard of, 

 and quite as large as the reality ; but it seems to be considered 

 almost as mortifying to admit an unlucky one, as if it were a 

 failure in a gambling speculation on the exchange. All this is 

 in point of fact false pride. And I do not know any greater 

 benefit that could be conferred on the farming interest generally 

 by persons whose fortunes are able to bear the hazard of new 

 experiments, than to have them frankly communicate to their 



