STOCK. 283 



to sympathize in their short comings. Why this distinction in 

 the treatment of these animals ? How does this compare with 

 the gentleman's remark just quoted, from his truly sensible ad- 

 dress before the county society ? The fact is, these animals 

 cost more ; therefore, according to the rule laid down by Hudi- 

 bras, they are taken to be worth more, 



"The worth of a thing 

 Eeing so much money as it "will bring." 



Our farmers cannot afford to feed stock as these imported 

 animals require to be fed. In 1848, Mr. Phinney, of Lexing- 

 ton, who had tlie stock of the State Society in his keeping, re- 

 ported their bill of fare to be twenty pounds of English hay^ 

 two quarts of Indian meal, and a peck of carrots to each animal 

 over one year old, daily. This report was sanctioned by the 

 trustees of the State Society, and endorsed by Abbott Law- 

 rence and others, whose authority as indorsers will not any- 

 where be questioned. Let us look at this feed and see for 

 what it can be afforded. Twenty pounds of hay must cost at 

 least fifteen cents, two quarts of Indian meal at least five cents^ 

 a peck of carrots at least five cents, the care of the animal at 

 least five cents ; so that the daily board and keeping will be 

 thirty cents, or, with a little nipping on Sunday, two dollars a 

 week. What farmer can afford to keep cows thus, when the 

 returns of a good dairy stock, as they average, are not equal 

 to more than half this amount ? It is a good herd of milking 

 cows where the cows, on an average, yield milk that sells for 

 five dollars a month through the year. Farmers cannot afford 

 to keep cows whose milk will not pay for their feed. There 

 must have been some misapprehension on the part of Mr. Phin- 

 ney, who was reputed to be fully informed in the mysteries 

 farming like a gentleman, or else the class of animals he had in 

 keeping will not answer for New England farms. Facts are 

 stubborn things, as every man who attempts to gain a living by 

 farming, sooner or later learns. 



In confirmation of the foregoing views, I beg leave to quote 

 a part of a letter, written to me on the 8th of August last, by 

 the " model farmer " of Plymouth County, a gentleman of as 

 much experience and observation in farming as any other in 



