SPECIAL OBJECTS. — GOOD POINTS. 6] 



equally good, nor equally well adapted to meet the 

 farmer's wants. It is desirable to know, then, what, 

 on the whole, are the best and most profitable to the 

 practical farmer. 



We want cattle for distinct purposes, as for milk, 

 beef, or labor. In a large majority of cases, — espe- 

 cially in the dairy districts, comprising the Middle and 

 Eastern States, at least, — the farmer cares more for 

 the milking qualities of his cows, especially for the 

 quantity they give, than for their fitness for grazing, or 

 aptness to fatten. These latter points become more 

 important in the Western and some of the Southern 

 States, where far greater attention is paid to breeding 

 and to feeding, and where comparatively little attention 

 is given to the productions of the dairy. A stock of 

 cattle that might suit one farmer might be wholly 

 unsuited to another ; and in each particular case the 

 breeder should have some special object in view, and 

 select his animals with reference to it. But there 

 are some general principles that apply to breeding 

 everywhere, and which, in many cases, are not well 

 understood. 



It would not be desirable, even if it were possible, by 

 crossing, to breed out all the general characteristics of 

 many of oui native cattle. They have many valuable 

 qualities adapted to our climate and soil, and to the 

 geological structure of the country ; and these should 

 be preserved, while we improve the points in which 

 many of them are deficient, such as a want of precocity 

 and aptitude to fatten, where it is an object to attain 

 this quality, coarseness of bone, and lack of symmetry, 

 which is often apparent, especially when the form of 

 the animal does not indicate a near relation to some of 

 the established breeds. 



It ie a well-known fact that, in crossing, the produce 

 6 



