REPORTS OP THE SEVERAL COMMITTEES. 



Committee on Milch Cows a7id Fat Cattle. 



Oliver Fiske, of Worcester, Chairman; Jacob Conant, of Ster- 

 ling ; Henry Penniman, of New-Braintree ; Dexter Fay, of 

 Soathborough ; Royal Keith, of Grafton. 



THE Committee on Fat Oxen and Milch Cove's have performed the 

 very dilficult duty assigned them, with their best skill and judgment, as 

 applied to the view of the animals oifered for their inspection, and to the 

 evidence furnished them of their respective merits. Agriculturists must 

 be aware that the most careful examination of an animal may be decep- 

 tive, and the best information prove incorrect. This remark applies to 

 Milch Cows more forcibly than to any other animal offered for premium. 

 The smallest and most ordinary looking cow in the farm-yard is often the 

 most valuable of the flock for a dairy. She also may be the best in the 

 pens without attracting particular notice, while one of large size, and of 

 commanding points and proportion, of not half her value, is preferred. — 

 The testimony at the pens is seldom the best evidence the nature of the 

 case admits : not because the owner is an interested witness, and prone, 

 like every body else, to fancy his own possessions the best ; but from 

 the circumstance that the dairy is managed by the other partner of the 

 Jirm^ and that he has not been conversant with the amount and quality 

 of milk which any cow furnishes. He is satisfied if she is called a good 

 cow ; and probably brings her to the Show, relying more on her fine ap- 

 pearance than on her intrinsic worth. These difficulties are inherent to 

 the duty of the Committee. A worse impediment was in several cases 

 encountered. From the inattention of the owner, the Committee could 

 learn only his name^ and the age of his cow, from the ticket furnished for 

 the pen. This preliminary the Committee have deemed it important to 

 make, that those who may think they could have decided better may at 

 least be led to doubt whether more competent judges would have come 

 to a more correct decision. 



On the other branch of their services, the subject of Fat Oxen, the 

 Committee had an easier task. The question of the fattest was not im- 

 portant, as it applied only to two belonging to one owner. By a rule of 

 the Society no person can obtain one premium for the best, and another for 

 the next best of the same article. The premium for the fattest ox, the 

 Committee must confess, was not adjudged to the owner with reference 

 to the best and cheapest mode of fattening, and in testimony of his hav- 

 ing produced good beef in a profitable manner, as a guide and stimulus 

 to others ; but as in part remuneration for the great trouble and expense 

 he must have incurred in giving attraction and credit to the Show, and 

 in further demonstrating to the world the capacity of our native breed of 

 C3.me to become enormously fat zndijnmenseli/ large. As an article of 

 food, the Committee are of opinion that the beef by the hundred weight 

 was better a year ago, and that the owner, carefully notiug the items of 

 expense, will find by the result t^iat. ag an article of profit, it was also 

 better at that time. 



