STOCK. 169 



pounding process, said to be for the purpose of making it ten- 

 der, though in case of the laboring ox, in many instances, that 

 was done beforehand, resulting, perhaps, in either case, in not 

 having juicy and tender beef ; and the boiling of your corned 

 beef, the cook complains that it is all " shrunk up," and all, of 

 course, because the slaughtering was done at the " wrong time 

 of the moon." Occasionally some choice calf is reared for the 

 purpose of getting the most growth and making the finest beef, 

 and when slaughtered it is made the scape-goat for a half dozen 

 poorer ones, resulting in no credit to the best fattened beef. 

 One very essential thing for making the finest quality of beef, 

 is the keeping of it in such a manner as to make continuous 

 growth, without having at some seasons of the year loss from 

 poor feeding or inattention and care. 



Take, for instance, two steer calves of good form and size, 

 grade Durham, if you please, put them upon a good cow, let 

 them have the use of her the first summer, then feed in winter 

 upon early cut hay, some roots and a little meal, give good pas- 

 ture the second summer, and so continue till three or four years 

 old, and see if you have not beef of a quality equal to any here 

 described. 



This manner of growing beef will be objected to by some as 

 too expensive. Can you have anything of a superior quality, 

 without care, labor, and expense ? And as regards profit, we 

 believe there is more of that, and certainly much more pleasure 

 will be derived in this way, than skimmed milk and meadow 

 hay. Farmers are too careful about present profits in the rear- 

 ing of good oxen for beef as compared with future rewards. 



E. C. Faensworth, Chairman. 



WORCESTER NORTH. 



From the Report of the Committee on Thoroughbred Stock. 



Your Committee having made its awards, cannot forbear 

 some remarks growing out of the occasion of its coming together. 

 Its members were felicitously chosen for the impartial perform- 

 ance of its duties, four of them being non-residents of the county, 

 and one of them being a breeder of Shorthorn or Durham stock ; 

 another of Ayrshires, and another of Jerseys, and strangers to 

 the particular stock exhibited at Fitchburg. The arrangements 

 22* 



