MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 389 



and corroborated by one of their own body, than whom no one stands higher in 

 the agricultural annals even of his State. On the total uncertainty that attends 

 breeding from an ordinary stock of no particular blood, he says : " The cautious 

 farmer will not run the risk nor incur the expense of raising a calf from stock of 

 the origin of which, and of the blood that runs in the veins of his favorite cow, 

 he knows nothing." 



" It may be contended," says he, " that we need not the aid of foreign stock to 

 raise up one of the best breeds of cattle in the world. This may be true, but who 

 will undertake it? What individual farmer has the patience, the skill, the Intel 

 ligence and the capital to engage in a task that will require many years and 

 much capital to bring to any considerable degree of perfection ? And wher« 

 would be the propriety or economy of undertaking a work of this kind, Avhen, by 

 a little extra expense at the commencement, we may find the work already done 

 to our hands ?" 



It is not enough, it may be added, that any gentleman should make an occa- 

 sional importation of a pair or more of the best animals ; for, without having re- 

 course to different families of the same blood, they would soon degenerate by close 

 breeding, and want of nice judgment in the choice of breeding stock. In answer 

 to the question, Who has the capital, and who will take the requisite pains? we 

 may, without invidiousness or prejudice to others, name a few that occur at the 

 moment, owners of choice specimens of crack breeds, besides the Devons and 

 the Ayrshires of the Massachusetts Society, so prudently placed in the care of 

 Mr. Phinney. There is, for instance, the very superior herd of Short-Horns im- 

 ported and bred by Mr. Vail, of Troy, and Mr. Sherman, of Auburn ; and the 

 Herefords, no less numerous and perfect in their way, of Mr. Corning. Mr. Pren- 

 tice has, we believe, disposed of nearly all his Short-Horns; but it is not to be doubt- 

 ed that the gentlemen named, while they continue to breed of their favorite races 

 respectively, will import the best bulls every three or four years, and brino- all 

 their judgment to bear in keeping their h-ecding stock clear of everything that is 

 stained in blood, or defective in form. So we may predicate of Mr. Hurlbut, of 

 Connecticut, and of all others engaged in breeding improved stock /or sale. This 

 we know to have been the practice of Mr. Patterson, with his splendid herd of 

 Devons, in Maryland. His practice is to import frequently the very best bulls to 

 be had in England, without regard to price ; and, with an eye and a jud"-menl 

 not to be deceived, he unites a pride in his own character as a breeder, and in 

 that of his stock, that would lead him much sooner to give away a superior than 

 to sell a decidedly defective animal for any price. And here we may as well say, 

 once for all, currcnte calamo, that as we ever have, so we ever shall, heartily 

 despise the malign and particularly the covert insinuations of those who would 

 ascribe improper motives either to our praise or our censure — too humble, it may 

 be, either to benefit or disparage any one. One thing we may fearlessly say, that 

 we are conscious of never having harbored any thought but thoughts of kindness 

 to all our colleagues, whether editorial or otherwise, co-workers in the field of 

 agricultural or horticultural improvement ; nor shall we be easily provoked to 

 act otherwise against, equally, our habits and our nature. 



For the matter of plainly and frankly commending the examples, and testifying 

 to the judgment of cultivators of exemplary industry and discernment, far from 

 seeing anything in that either reprehensible or indelicate, we hold it to be in the 

 line of our station and duty. Occasions of censure on the other hand, much more 

 of retaliation for totally unprovoked attempts to injure, may be often and again 



