24 ON MILCH COWS. 



where ; while the present condition of the cows of our county, 

 at least, proves as clearly that without attention, great atten- 

 tion, to the bull, nothing eifectual can ever be done at improv- 

 ing stock. What were the results of the Charlestown experi- 

 ment, made at the Colonel's Ten Hills stock farm? "I have 

 forty cows and heifers," says he, "ten bulls and bull calves of 

 different grades of this cream- pot breed, all raised by myself. 

 I keep my bulls, selected as breeders, until 1 have proof of the 

 quality of their offspring. My old cream-pot bull is ten years 

 old. My Don cream-pot, from which I am now breeding 

 with some of my cows and heifers, is three years old," 



Extraordinary native cows are not wanting in every town, 

 which can often be purchased reasonably, for making a begin- 

 ning. Thus, to go no further, a few of those cited by the late 

 lamented Mr. Colman, may be mentioned to show that they 

 can easily be found ; — one single cow being sufficient to begin 

 with, as was the case in the grand experiment above referred 

 to. The cow of Mr. Colt, of Pittsfield, produced 193 lbs. of 

 butter in 148 days, and that from 1st December to 27th April ! 

 Mr. Campbell's cow, (same town,) yielded 26 beer quarts of 

 milk per day, and Mr. Hosea Merrill's 30 beer quarts. A four 

 year old cow of Mr. Calvin Davis's produced 225 pounds of 

 butter in 172 days, and fatted a calf, in the year 1838. Mr. 

 Wm. Dewey's two cows averaged for a time 14 lbs. of butter 

 each per week, and so did Dr. Hyde's, of Stockbridge. A cow 

 of Mr. Thomas Hodge's, in North Adams, produced 425 lbs. of 

 butter in one year, 400 lbs. of it being made in nine months. 



This list of good cows, confined indeed to Berkshire, might 

 be lengthened almost indefinitely, both from the published and 

 unpublished accounts. I am merely showing that there is 

 ample opportunity to make a beginning in improvement. Nev- 

 er mind the pedigree : I would not undervalue it indeed, if re- 

 liable, but there is something bordering upon the ludicrous in 

 such an array as the following, found in the Abstract of the 

 Returns of Agricultural Societies for 1845, page 196. "Wa- 

 terloo was sired by 'Bruce ;' Bruce by Wellington ; Wellington 

 was sired by Sandy senior, who was bred by Mr. Paton, of 

 Swinlees, who was never beaten. He got the first prize at 

 Dimdonoldj when 14 years old. John Young." 



