APPENDIX. XXXV 



and it received the first premium as a herd, which seems to show that 

 the committee rather leaned to the opinion that it was made up of a 

 class of stock eminently suited to the county. The Ayrshire probably 

 yields more milk and profit in proportion to the food consumed than any 

 other breed, and as food is not over abundant in Plymouth, as a general 

 rule, it follows that such an animal would thrive better than a large one 

 there. We hope the herd will be kept together, and form the nucleus 

 of a large and successful breeding establishment, an honor alike to the 

 State, and a public benefit to that part of Plymouth County. 



The Jerseys of Seth Bryant, of Joppa, a euphonious locality in East 

 Bridgewater, made a very creditable show and excited a good deal of 

 interest. The oldest cow, the dam of several members of the herd, was 

 imported sixteen years ago, and is still thriving. "We consider the Jer- 

 seys, also, well adapted to that county, and Mr. Bryant is doing a good 

 service to the public by breeding them so intelligently. The president 

 of the society, Charles G. Davis, Esq., of Plymouth, is also a successful 

 breeder of Jerseys, and some of the butter made from them graced the 

 tables at the dinner on the second day, as rich and beautifully colored 

 and flavored as any we ever saw. 



Mr. W. Adams, of Bridgewater, also exhibited a herd of grades, or 

 " natives," which received the third premium, Mr. Bryant taking the 

 second on his Jerseys. 



There was a goodly number of entries of single milch cows, many of 

 them of decided excellence. One or two Shorthorn bulls, looking very 

 much as Shorthorns on Plymouth pastures might be expected to look, 

 and one Dutch bull and a large number of heifers and calves really 

 made up a most creditable show of neat stock. 



The sheep were few in number and not remarkable in quality. Most 

 farmers in that county would make as great a mistake to select and try 

 to breed Ci)tswolds as in trying to breed Shorthorns. It can't be done 

 with any profit on thin or second rate pastures. The Cotswold requires 

 luxuriant feed to bring it to perfection, and it is of little use to struggle 

 against nature and try to keep a large animal where it does not belong. 

 Disappointment is inevitable. "VVe had hoped to see a large show of 

 either Merino grades or Southdbwns, but looked in vain. Probably, 

 a good lot of common or native ewes, with a close-built, short-legged 

 Southdown ram cross, would produce a class of sheep that would do 

 Avell in that section, and enable the farmer to turn off a first class quality 

 of mutton, and more or less profit on wool. 



The swine were of good quality and made a fine show, and so. of the 

 poultry. Neither of these classes were as largely represented as they 

 should have been. 



