78 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



them some very superior specimens of that breed of cattle. A bull 

 calf, in Mr. Harvey Dodge's pen, was the most promising animal of 

 the kind v/e have ever seen. The calves, entered by Mr. Broolis, of 

 Princeton, Avere grade Ayrshires, of the McGregor stock. Three 

 heifers in this drove, six months old, gave evidence of careful breed- 

 ing, and had every mark of good milkers. Their size Avas good, and 

 their whole appearance that of hardy and thrifty animals. The pen, 

 furnished by Mr. Buckminster, showed some fine specimens of Devon 

 stock, bred with the care for which that gentleman is distinguished ; 

 but being of the same breed and at the same time inferior in appear- 

 ance to those of the Messrs. Dodge, although valuable animals in 

 themselves, the committee regret that they can do no more than 

 recommend them to breeders of Devon cattle. 



The heifer calf of Mr. Burroughs, and the Alderney bull calf of Mr. 

 Thatcher, did not come under the regulations furnished to the com- 

 mittee, who were however gratified to witness such evidences of care 

 and taste on the part of the owners. 



For the committee, 



Geokge B. Loring, Chairman. 



According to tlic arrangement of the schedule of premiums, 

 class first included all neat stock in ten divisions, and class 

 second all horses, beginning with the 



THOROUGH-BRED. 



We have seen that the native cattle of New England had no 

 common origin, but were derived from the union of a great 

 variety of stock and blood intermingling in endless crosses, 

 without any regard to fixed principles of breeding. The same 

 is true with our "native" horses, which, for the most part, 

 form no distinct breed, hut owe their origin to sources 

 equally various, to the English, the French, the Spanish, 

 the Flemish and the Danish horses, which were imported at 

 different times by the early settlers, as most suited the con- 

 venience of each. The only race that can claim exemption 

 from this general rule is the through-bred which traces its origin 

 to the hot blood of the deserts, to the Arabian, the barb, and 

 the Turk. 



In some sections, it is true, the identity of some of the races 

 which formed the original stock, is distinctly traced in the form 

 and characteristics of some of our horses, but in others it is 



