SECRETARY'S REPORT. 53 



"would liave produced as much milk, and of as good quality, as 

 any other cows. I have shown, by the sales of Mr. Peters' herd, 

 as well as others, that the pure-bred cows would bring three or 

 four times as much as our best quality of common cows. Now, 

 if each of these institutions had a herd of twenty or thirty cows, 

 they would be constantly selling to the farmers throughout the 

 State. If any one wanted a pure-bred animal, he would know 

 where to go to get one ; as the State would have no object to 

 breed any but pure-bred animals, and the superintendent would 

 have no object but to do his duty in carrying out the purposes 

 of the State, it seems to me very clear that it would be of 

 great public advantage, and equally clear that it Avould be for 

 the credit and interest of the institutions themselves. 



Mr. Stedman. — I admit it would be of advantage; but the 

 question is, whether it would not be a greater advantage if they 

 had two kinds of stock ? 



Mr. Flint. — Take the case of Daniel Webster's stock, for 

 example: At the sale of that stock, which I attended, there 

 was not a man who had any confidence in the purity of either 

 of the breeds. The question was, " Who can tell whether that 

 is pure or not?" Who can tell, where there are two or three 

 kinds of stock, and perhaps a common laborer to take care of 

 them ? The superintendent would have to stand over them half 

 the time to be able to swear that the produce was pure-bred. 

 Mr. Webster's cattle went off for a song, comparatively, even 

 those reported to be pure. The thing is impracticable. If there 

 were two or three kinds of bulls kept at these institutions, there 

 would be a want of confidence in the community around, in the 

 purity of the stock ; and that would make the sales slow and at 

 much lower prices. I think the matter will bear pretty close 

 examination, and that the argument is most decidedly in favor 

 of one particular breed, and no other. • 



The second Resolution was adopted, and the third was then 

 taken up for consideration. 



Mr. Stedman. — I move to strike out the word "middle," and 

 modify the language so that the Resolution shall apply to the 

 eastern part of the State only. 



Mr. Davis, of Northborough. — I hope the amendment will 

 not prevail. My experience leads me to favor the Ayrshire. 

 The experiment has been tried at the State farm. We have had 



