170 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



for the examination of the stock cannot be too highly commended, 

 differing, as they did, from most of those at our county fairs, 

 and allowing the Committee to pursue their labors without mo- 

 lestation, and without the necessity of hunting on the field for 

 the cattle desired. We were very agreeably surprised by the 

 show of Shorthorns and Ayrshires, owned in Fitchburg, and 

 could hardly realize that amid the incessant toil and watchful- 

 ness consequent upon the employments of so prosperous a man- 

 ufacturing community, sufficient attention could be given to the 

 raising up of such noble herds. 



It was the remark of one (General Washington,) who seldom 

 said an unconsidered thing, that in the multiplication of ani- 

 mals the greatest blessing was being conferred upon the coun- 

 try, so far as its material prosperity was affected. Many of our 

 amateur farmers are coinciding in this view, and, of late years, 

 great attention has been paid to the breeding of pure stock, and 

 the most noted breeds — those which find higher favor among us 

 — the Shorthorns, the Ayrshires, and the Jerseys have attained 

 great prominence in New England. It is claimed by the adher- 

 ents of each class that it alone is more especially adapted to 

 our wants ; but, as Uncle Toby said to the fly, " the world is 

 large enough for all," and their merits are so sui g-eneris, that 

 neither breed should conflict with the other. The Ayrshires are 

 especially valuable when milk alone is desired, and the pastures 

 are rough and short ; the Jerseys, where butter is the main con- 

 sideration, and on the gentleman's lawn ; the Shorthorns, as a 

 general farming stock, and in localities where, in addition to a fair 

 allowance of milk and quantity of butter, carcass is needed for 

 working cattle and for beef. We need not fear being overstocked 

 with too many good animals of either kind, and the industry of 

 careful breeders will be severely taxed to meet the wants of the 

 more intelligent farmers, and fill up the voids arising from the 

 neglect of the less intelligent, who purchase fine stock and fail 

 to take proper care of it. 



The Shorthorn cattle, as is now well known, came from the 

 original stock, brought into England by the Danes prior to the 

 Norman conquest, and were improvements made by careful 

 breeding, commencing about the year 1780. Importations came 

 to this country as early as 1815, and into Massachusetts in 1818, 

 and the fine milking stock, now so prominent throughout New 



