52 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



on poorer pastures, where there is too little feed to bring young 

 stock to their most perfect development, the pure bred short- 

 horns and high grades of tlie short-horn are thought, by some, 

 to be too large, and consequently unprofitable. How far this 

 objection to them might be obviated by stall feeding or soiling, 

 and the use of roots, is for each one to consider who has these 

 facilities at command. 



Of the smaller breeds, we have among us the Devon, the Ayr- 

 shire and the Jersey. All these breeds give milk of a very rich 

 quality. The Ayrshires have been bred with reference both to 

 quality and quantity, and the grades are usually of a very high 

 order. The best milkers I have ever known in proportion to 

 their size, have been grade Ayrshires, and this is also the expe- 

 rience of many who keep dairies for the manufacture of butter. 

 Though the Ayrsldre has never been considered a great favorite 

 with the butcher, yet a cross obtained from an Ayrshire cow ol 

 good size and a pure bred short-horn bull, will produce a stock 

 which it will be hard to beat, especially if the bull belong to 

 any of the families of short-horns which have been bred with 

 reference to their milking qualities, as some of them have. 



An exceedingly good cross is got from an Ayrshire cow and 

 a Hereford bull, especially so far as the value of the meat is 

 concerned. 



The pure bred Devon bull, put to a good, young native cow, 

 produces a beautiful and valuable cross, and if the cow is a 

 good milker to begin Avilh, there would be no fear of materially 

 lessening the quantity in the offspring, while its form and other 

 qualities would probably be greatly improved. The high charac- 

 ter of the grade Devons is shown in the awards of the committee 

 on grade stock. Grade Devons are also very much sought for 

 working oxen, and high prices are readily obtained for them, 

 while as beef cattle they are also very highly esteemed. On farms 

 where the making of butter is an ol)ject of pursuit and profit, an 

 infusion of Jersey blood will be likely to secure richness of milk 

 and high flavored, delicious butter. Many good judges of stock 

 recommend tliis cross for dairy purposes, and it is worthy of 

 careful trial. One thing is certain, that " if we would rear a 

 good race of milkers, having regard to the quality as well as the 

 quantity of their produce, it is absolutely necessary that we 

 should breed from stock tiiat has already acquired a reputation 



