GRADE AND SCRUB CATTLE. 43 



nothing about it ; you must study that subject at home ; and 

 unless you have studied it at home, you can have no remedy." 



Now, how will science help in this matter ? Just by giving 

 the methods by which the study can be made ; by just telling 

 how insects are studied, in a general way ; and with that 

 general information, the agriculturist of any district which has 

 not yet been investigated in that manner may go to work and 

 learn for himself, or through those to whom he may intrust 

 the labor, what to do for his particular locality. That is exactly 

 what I should like to have done in the way of preparing teach- 

 ers for our agricultural colleges. Give them that kind of 

 general knowledge relating to those animals which belong to 

 the -different classes from which are borrowed the useful 

 animals, and any which exist that are injurious to vegetation, 

 that with this general information, they may begin to carry 

 on the special study which will give them the means of checking 

 the injurious one, and of fostering that which is useful. 



H. C. Meriam, of Tewksbury. It is perilous, almost, to 

 attempt to say anything on the subject of cattle husbandry, after 

 it has been nearly exhausted by others ; but its importance has 

 not been exaggerated. I believe the value of neat cattle in this 

 Commonwealth to-day cannot be much less than twenty millions 

 of money ; and I think there is no man who is in the habit of 

 visiting Brighton market, or knowing the prices at which cattle 

 sell there, who will not say that grade cattle bring from twenty 

 to thirty per cent, more in open market than scrub or native 

 cattle. I believe myself, that with a little care, our neat cattle 

 might be increased twenty-five per cent., at least, in value. 

 Agriculture in New England is somewhat general, and hardly 

 any farm in the interior is devoted to making butter and cheese. 

 Generally, where there are forty head of cattle, there are some 

 fifteen cows ; the farmer is raising calves, has a few heifers and 

 steers coming on, and some three or four year old steers with 

 which he does his Work, while the older ones are sent off; so 

 that I think the breed should be selected which is adapted not 

 only to the dairy, but to beef and working oxen. 



It has been stated here that the first male put to a young 

 female has an effect forever upo.n her offspring. That doctrine 

 has increased in favor somewhat within the last twenty years. 

 I recollect conversing with the late Col. Jacques, wha was pei> 



