16 MR. newell's address. 



the present century we have had few breeders who even attempted 

 to estabhsh any pecuharity in our horned cattle, either of color, form, 

 or size. Most of the improvements made, were accidental, or the 

 result of better feed and care. When improvement became a matter 

 of consideration, it was attempted mainly by the introduction of for- 

 eign stock, and from that source, most of our improvements, if any, 

 have been made. I believe one of the errors in breeding, in this 

 country, has been the introduction of too large a race for general 

 use — not too large, perhaps, for farms in the highest state of cultiva- 

 tion, but larger than the ordinary cultivation and manner of feeding 

 would keep, where they were. Of course they have become degen- 

 erate stock. 



But I believe the skill and capital that has been brought into ac- 

 tion in England, to improve their stock, have turned to a good 

 account, and that their improvements have gone beyond any made 

 in this country, with what we call native stock. I also believe that 

 with the same skill, and the same time, and the same capital, our 

 own stock may be carried to a state of perfection, equal to any of 

 theirs. Still, I can never look upon the fine form and noble size of 

 the Durham, without considering him the most perfect of his kind 

 that I have seen, and wishing that our feed was equal to his demands. 

 But, as it is, I believe for the present, it is better to take the smaller 

 breeds. The Ayershire and the Alderney are in high repute for the 

 dairy, and the North Devon for oxen. These breeds seem to possess 

 a imiformity of qualities, which is not the case with any of our cattle. 



That we have had some cows equal to any of the above, may be 

 true, but it seems accidental rather than hereditary. The progeny 

 of our native stock is not so likely to inherit the good qualities of the 

 parent as is the foreign breed, so far as I have observed. I suppose 

 the difference in this respect between the imported breeds and ours, 

 is the result of a long course of skilful breeding to perfect and render 

 permanent certain qualities, which might have originally been acci- 

 dental. The quality of the milk of the Alderney and Ayershire 

 breeds, is almost uniformly rich, while there seems to be no uniformi- 

 ty about the (Quality of our native cows' milk. A few years ago, I 

 made a little experiment to test the quality of the milk of sixteen 

 cows. A gallon of each cow's milk was set by itself, and after stand- 

 ing twenty-four hours, the cream from each was churned by itself, 

 and the quantity of butter ranged from three to eight ounces. Thus 



