PEDIGREES OF STOCK. 185 



full, and signed by the competitor, before ten o'clock of the 

 first day of the fair. 



In conclusion, the Committee beg leave to call the attention 

 of members to the importance of increasing the number of thor- 

 oughbred cattle in this part of the Commonwealth. It is true 

 that we have already a good breed of native cattle ; but it is 

 also true that it can be. greatly improved by a larger infusion 

 of the blood of thoroughbreds. It is now generally believed by 

 intelligent persons that wherever the full-blood Durham bull is 

 used on native'cows, he improves the beef; wherever the Ayr- 

 shire bull goes, he adds to the milk and cheese ; wherever the 

 Jersey goes, he increases the butter. 



It is also generally admitted that thoroughbreds have this 

 great advantage over natives, that they transmit good qualities 

 to offspring with more certainty. For example, if a full-blooded 

 sire and dam are remarkable beef or cheese or butter produ- 

 cers, it may be relied upon as very nearly certain that tlieir fe- 

 male oifspring will possess the same characteristics. A good 

 thoroughbred cow is sure to bring a good calf. Now, we all 

 know that native bulls and cows are very uncertain breeders. 

 Our good native cows often bring calves quite unlike them- 

 selves in quality. Their blood is so mixed, the good with the 

 bad, that sometimes the good is inherited, and sometimes the 

 bad. Hence the farmer is often disappointed in his breeding, 

 and cannot rely with any certainty on making improvements. 



This important truth may be well illustrated by the recent 

 experience of a member of the society in raising corn. Having 

 planted the large white Sandford corn by the side of the 

 smaller Canada, he obtained some very handsome ears, con- 

 taining kernels as yellow as tlie Canada, and as large as the 

 Saudford. Thinking he might get an improved variety, he 

 planted, in the year following, those kernels by themselves, and 

 so far from other kinds of corn that there could be no mixing 

 with them. The result was very inferior ears, with kernels not 

 all yellow, as the seed had been, but some yellow and some 

 white. Instead of continuing to improve, the corn deteriorated. 

 So it is with cattle. The first cross of two different breeds 

 often results in producing a good animal ; but when these cross- 

 bred animals are coupled together, it is a well known fact that 

 the issue is almost always inferior, yet most of the grade bulls 

 24* 



