MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 509 



The Scioto (Ohio) Gazette says, that " from 25 to 30,000 

 head of their best beef cattle are annually driven to the eastern 

 markets, from the Scioto valley, south of the national road; 

 that the short-horn stock has become widely disseminated 

 throughout this state in all the grazing and feeding regions. 

 That the greatest gain is to be found in the increased average 

 weight of the fat cattle driven from this neighborhood, which 

 is not less than 100 pounds per head, above that which pre- 

 vailed twenty years ago," Now assume the average price for 

 such beef in the markets to which these cattle were sent, to 

 have been $6 per 100 pounds, the value thus gained is from 

 $150 to $180,000, to this small portion of the state of Ohio 

 alone. 



The prevailing breed of cows employed in and near London, 

 to supply that great metropolis with milk, is the short-horn. 

 Yet it is not alone that they yield more milk than other races, 

 that preference is given to them, but beca "'se the carcass is 

 more valuable, after they have ceased to be profitable as milk- 

 ers. It is simply because they yield more value in milk and 

 flesh, in proportion to the food consumed, than other breeds, 

 that they are adopted. This race of cows must have been used 

 for this purpose in London, to at least some extent, for half a 

 century; and it is difficult to believe that great numbers of in- 

 dividuals, after so long a period, will arrive at a conclusion 

 which conflicts with their own interests. 



Much of the soil of New England. being thin and sterile, we 

 would not advise that the short-horns be adopted in such lo- 

 calities, nor indeed in any, except they be well cared for ; for 

 if animals must have short feed, a small race is more desirable 

 to be so used than a large one. Hence, for animals so to be 

 kept, we do not hesitate to recommend the Devons. We be- 

 lieve them, as milkers, to equal most other races, whilst their 

 uniformity of color, size, and sprightliness, render them for the 

 yoke, equal to any other race. Yet, on the other hand, where 

 pasturage is luxuriant, and in all cases where animals can be 

 well kept, in summer as well as winter, we cannot hesitate to 

 advise that the race of short-horns be adopted. 



PAOLI LATHROP, Chairman. 



