88 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doe. 



war of prepotent characteristics ; and the result is, in two or 

 tlu'ee generations, you get something that is neither fish nor 

 flesh. 



Mr. E. A. "Waters (of Worcester). There is a place for 

 the young man in the business of breeding and raising stock 

 in New England, whether it be pure bred or grade. The 

 man who loves the business, is charmed by it, takes an in- 

 terest in it, will succeed. It requires just as much time 

 and about as much talent in breeding and raising a dairy 

 cow as it does a trotting horse. Even if the calf is a good 

 animal, it won't grow up into a good cow unless you take 

 care of it. I have found, in my experience with cattle, that 

 a first calf needs considerable attention to make a good dairy 

 cow. 



To-day there are forty men looking for good stock where 

 thirty years ago there wasn't more than one. ]Men of wealth, 

 having accumulated a competency, buy farms and small 

 places, and want to keep a cow. They want a good one, 

 and they don't care what they pay for it. I claim that a 

 man startino; in wants a good sire. The sire is more than 

 half the herd. He can succeed with the business, if he 

 knows how. One great trouble with us farmers has been, 

 is now, and will be for all time, the difiiculty we experience 

 in getting good millcers. I don't know as it makes any dif- 

 ference how a cow is milked, whether cross-wise, her fore 

 quarters first, or her hind quarters first ; but I do know that 

 it makes lots of difi*erence how you sit down to milk her, to 

 make a <jood cow of her, when she is young. I found that 

 out several years ago, and it is hard work to teach a man 

 who doesn't know it. One-half of the farmers to-day are 

 poor milkers. 



Mr. N. I. BowDiTCH (of Framingham). As I have been 

 listening to the discussion, this thought has occurred to me. 

 Why can't we do something to develop a certain breed of 

 stock that shall be renowned in this State and the country 

 and the world over? The speaker has shown, it seems to 

 me, that Ave ought to confine ourselves to one breed of 

 cattle ; that is, it would be well for a community to do that. 

 Massachusetts is a milk and butter State, not a State of beef 



