ON MILCH cows AND HEIFERS 65 



SO COWS that give twenty quarts of milk a day arc often heard of, but 

 seldom seen. 



Of the many thhigs which might be taken up in connection with 

 the subject, the space allowed for this report will permit me to touch 

 upon two only — the kind of cow most profitable for the farmer, and 

 the mode of keeping. Upon the first of these, the opinion of many 

 of ray friends may perhaps differ from my own. 



Among cattle there are these four general divisions — short horns, 

 long horns, middle horns and hornless. Each of these classes has 

 its peculiar merits and its friends. So prejudiced indeed are many 

 of the friends of one, that they can see nothing worthy of regard in 

 any of the rest. 



In New England, cattle have been divided into two classes — native 

 and imported. Between these the farmer has to choose. I speak of 

 the general farmer, and not of the milk-man, who selects his cows 

 with regard to quantity only, careless of the quality of their milk. 

 Of the imported breeds, those recommended for their qualities are 

 the improved short horns and the Ayrshires. The former we have 

 long had among us ; the latter are but little known in the County. 

 Which is to be preferred ? "Cut your coat according to your cloth,'* 

 is a very trite maxim, but it has of late grown somewhat out of 

 fashion. In many parts of the County, the pastures, in summer, are 

 short and greatly over-stocked. For winter feeding, we have an ex- 

 cess of mean hay, and every where and always a rugged climate. 

 The prudent farmer, looking to profit rather than fancy or experi- 

 ment, Avill undoubtedly be partial to cows rather than breeds. He 

 will prefer a good cow without a pedigree, to a poor cow with the 

 whole herd book to back her ; and I think he will adopt this general 

 rule — that small cows are more profitabc than large ones, and for 

 these reasons: 



A small cow requires less food to supply the natural waste of the 

 body than a large one. The small Canada cow, for instance, will 

 pick up a subsistence from pastures on which some of the larger 

 breeds vyould starve. Young and growing cattle will not only g.row^ 

 but gain flesh, on pastures where large cattle, although arrived at 

 their full size, will fall away. Again, small cows give the richest 

 milk from the same kind of food — and sometimes from the game 

 Avcight of food, give a greater volume of milk than large ones. It 

 is said, that the small, long-haired cow of the Scottish Highlands, 



