xxxviii REPORTS OF VISITORS. 



native, so called, than of foreign, blood in most of them. The pre- 

 dominance of the Shorthorn, or perhaps old Durham, did not prevent 

 the occasional cropping-out of the Hereford, Devon and Aj'rshire, 

 and possibly Dutch, features. There was present various breed- 

 blood alloyed in combination, that make it difficult to secure from 

 the animals, progeu}' of fixed and desirable characteristics. 



Nor was there evidence that the communitj^, as such, had yet 

 formed to themselves a model, towards which they were making the 

 attempt to bring their animals to a correspondence. There were 

 very excellent oxen ; there were good meat animals ; dairy animals 

 also ; but the latter were not so good to the eye as may be found in 

 sections where for many years the dair}' has been the one exclusive 

 interest. 



Let beef animals be perfected in the direction of beefy character- 

 istics, and our milk animals in the milky line, assured that the two 

 cannot exist in equal perfection in the same animal. It is possible 

 exceptional circumstances ma}*^ render a compromise animal more 

 desirable. 



A herd of Jerseys entered b}' Mr. I. M. Mackie, and a herd of 

 Ayrshires entered by Mr. T. L. Foote, I was glad to see, as tending 

 to encourage the breeding of cattle towards specific rather than 

 general objects. 



Of distinct breeds, the Society recognizes three — Shorthorn, A3'r- 

 shire and Jersey. In the thoroughbred, we have an animal that has 

 been in a mould for from one to several hundred years ; and all this 

 time, man has been employing his utmost skill to develope specific, 

 useful qualities, and to blot out such as are of a contrary nature. In 

 using such, we are bringing to our service all these years of skilled 

 pains-taking of many generations of men, and annexing our efforts 

 on to theirs. The less of alloy in the animal, th.e more we partake of 

 these advantages, and only those who are dissatisfied with the breeds 

 already established, are justified in ignoring the results the past 

 has brought down to us, and beginning below the height of success 

 attained to found a new one. 



The Housatonic Society is richer than man}', and can extend 

 generous welcome to contributors. Perhaps this generosity supports 

 it in so doing. The first, second and third premium is as large as 

 is customary. The feature to which I would call attention, is the 

 offering, in man}- cases, of a fourth, fifth, sixth and so on, extending 

 to the ninth — diminishing the sum of premium $1 each step from 

 the higher to the next lower. The existence of a sixth or ninth 

 takes nothing from the worth of the first, while it considerabl}- sup- 

 ports the equanimity of the recipient of the former, since it parti}' or 



