108 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



Whatever breed of cows we have, if they are great milkers, 

 and kept in good condition, they must have an abundance of 

 succulent food and roots — the higher the keeping the richer the 

 milk, and better the health of the cow. 



Ephraim B. Thompson, Chairman. 



NANTUCKET. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



In the stock presented there were peculiarities which incline 

 your committee to make some general observations. With 

 three exceptions there was not a blood animal exhibited. 

 Neither were there any cases of pure-bred cows. The cows 

 were what are called natives. Of late years there has been 

 improvement by crossing with Ayrshires, but we saw none that 

 were above half-blood. To the mind of a person understanding 

 the benefits of either pure breeds or a mixture of half-and-half 

 of two pure breeds, as half Shorthorn and half Ayrshire, or 

 half Alderney and half Shorthorn, these cows brought regret. 

 As natives, they were very good. Some of them would produce 

 as much milk, with the same feeding, as blood cows. But when 

 you come to their progeny, how little you can rely upon it. 

 The calf may take after a grandsire of the scrub race, or a 

 kicking or otherwise worthless grandmother. This is why we 

 hear continually from farmers the story of such and such a 

 heifer being far less promising than the mother, and of the dis- 

 appointment this result has occasioned. The progeny of native 

 cows cannot be relied on. There is no certainty that they 

 will follow in good points the dam. And here is just the 

 precise difference between blood stock and that which has no 

 pedigree. 



Now what should a farmer do in relation to procuring profit- 

 able stock. In the first place we must remember that his milch 

 cows are only so many machines to turn his grass into gold. 

 Therefore there are certain things beyond the mere milking 

 capacity which are important. When a cow has become too old 

 to be profitable as a milker, it is then important to profitably 

 prepare her for the butcher. There arc milch cows in Massa- 

 chusetts which sell readily for slaughter, after they have ceased 



