170 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the former gave thirty-two quarts daily, and the latter was 

 equally good. 



Notwithstanding the fact that breeders of short-horns in 

 this country have generally ignored the dairy qualities and 

 allowed them to fade out of many herds, the several vol- 

 umes of the Herd Book give a notable list of fine dairy cows, 

 giving their product, but generally only of milk. In the first 

 fifteen volumes (the twenty-seventh is now in press) the yield 

 of twenty-eight cows is recorded by breeders who value the 

 milking qualities of short-horns. The tests are for different 

 periods, from a few days up to a full season, and if we get 

 the average of milk per cow for the time tested, by reducing 

 quarts to pounds, it gives the remarkable average of 60 lbs. 

 per day for each cow. Thirteen of these twenty-eight state- 

 ments add that the feed of the cows was grass only. 



Having told good stories of the accomplishments of short- 

 horns owned by others, perhaps I ought to tell the modest 

 doings of my own herd. Fairy Belle 10th, a cow of my own 

 breeding, at nine years old, during the year, from June 21, 



1880, to June 21, 1881, gave 10,890 lbs. milk. By numer- 

 ous tests we ascertained that 24 lbs. of her milk would make 

 one lb. of butter, which would make her product for the year 

 453 lbs. 12 oz. of butter. The next year, from July 25, 



1881, she gave 10,723 lbs. milk, which would figure 446 lbs. 

 12 oz. butter. The third year, from June 18, 1882, she gave 

 10,955 lbs. milk, which figures 456 lbs. 7 oz. butter, or an 

 average, for three consecutive years, of 10,856 lbs. milk and 

 of 452 lbs. 5 oz. butter. She was one of a herd of 16 to 20 

 cows, and had only the same care and attention that the other 

 cows of the herd received. In the year 1880, 15 cows, of all 

 ages, averaged 6,288| lbs. milk and 261 lbs. 14 oz. butter. 

 In the year 1881, 16 cows, all ages, averaged 6,350 lbs. 11 

 oz. milk and 265 lbs. butter each. Taking the 8 cows 

 which were in their prime alone, the average was 7,252 lbs. 

 milk and 302 lbs. butter per cow. In 1882, which was a 

 year of short pastures on account of drouth, 19 cows aver- 

 aged 6,221 lbs. 15 oz. milk and 254 lbs. butter per cow. 

 T.'dcing only the 10 mature cows and the average was 6,779 

 lbs. 15 oz. milk and 282 lbs. 8 oz. butter. 



