PBEFACE. 



Owing to the unusual length of the first part of this volume, or 

 the Report of the Board, it has been found necessarj^ to condense 

 the papers returned in the transactions of the A^arious Agricultural 

 Societies in order to keep the work within reasonable limits. When 

 the exceptionally high character and value of most of the papers of 

 the Report itself are considered, the necessity for this condensation 

 will hardly be regretted, though some papers do not appear in the 

 following pages that would otherwise have been used. 



I am indebted to the Messrs. Sturtevant Brothers, of South 

 Framingham, for the admirable likeness of the AjTshire cow 

 " Georgie," and to Edward Burnett, Esq., of Southborough, for 

 that of his first-prize cow " Daisy of Deerfoot." 



"Georgie" was bred by James Wilson, Boghall, Houston, Ren- 

 frewshire, Scotland, and was imported in April, 1871. When two 

 years old, she was first at Houston ; she gained a medal for best cow 

 in the j'ard, beating the cow which, the preceding year, took the £25 

 challenge-cup at Stirling. When four j-ears old, she gained first prize 

 at Houston, likewise medal for best cow in the yard ; and at Ren- 

 frewshire county show she was again first, beating a second time 

 the challenge-cow. Calved spring of 1866. Has been exhibited 

 but once in America, at the New York State Agricultural Society 

 Fair at Albany, 1873, when she received the first prize, thirty-two 

 entries (nineteen competing) in her class. Arrived at Waushakum 

 Farm June 15 (412 miles by rail), 1871. Yield, 6J- months, 

 ending January 1, 1872 (calved May 13), 4,600 lbs. January 1, 



1872, to January 1, 1873 (calved January 27) , 7,127 lbs. January 1, 



1873, to January 1, 1874 (calved August 1), 6,094J- lbs. Weight, 

 September 1872, 890 lbs. 



