172 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



to the British crown, which lie near the shores of France, in the 

 bay formed by the coasts of Normandy and Brittany. The 

 islands are four: Alderney, Jersey, Guernsey, and Sark ; and 

 from the largest and richest (Jersey,) our more recent importa- 

 tions have arrived ; and, as by a law of that island, no cow, 

 heifer, calf, or bull can be taken into it from elsewhere, the in- 

 digenous breed must be pure. The breed of Guernsey differs 

 from the others, having more spreading horns, size of the ani- 

 mal larger, form rounder, and bones less prominent, and the 

 whole carcass coarser, and presenting but few of the peculiarities 

 of the graceful Alderney or Jersey cow. As is well known, these 

 cows are now great favorites, are increasing in numbers, and sell 

 for good prices, and estimated as well for their diminutive size, 

 and deer-like head, body, and limbs, as for their richness of but- 

 ter. The late John A. Tainter, of Hartford, Ct., as early as 

 1850, made the first large importations, and their descendants 

 have always been highly esteemed ; but in all probability the 

 finest animals of this breed in the world are now owned in the 

 eastern part of Massachusetts. The herd of Mr. Brooks, of 

 Princeton, was well represented at Fitchburg, and there were 

 several other fine animals belonging to other owners. 



It is not necessary for us to refer to the'Devons, another fav- 

 orite in special localities ; nor to the Holsteins, now coming into 

 notice, through the exertions of Mr. Chenery, of Belmont, as 

 they were not represented on this occasion. 



Perhaps we have dwelt too long on the subject of improved 

 stock ; but when it is considered that in England, by improved 

 breeding, the capital of the country invested in bovine stock has 

 increased in value twofold during the present century, merely 

 by the earlier maturity of the young intended for beef — a steer 

 or heifer weighing as much now at two years as formerly at four 

 — the two years' feeding being thus saved, among other consid- 

 erations — and that we have an aggregate value of nearly one 

 thousand millions of dollars invested in neat cattle of all de- 

 scriptions, in this country, we can but think no employment 

 is more worthy of the men of resources and taste, than the car- 

 ing for and the improvement of our stock ; and we rejoice in 

 the activity of the thousand and more agricultural associations 

 throughout the land — owing their origin to the Berkshire sys- 

 tem, introduced by Elkanah Watson, in Pittsfield, in 1810 — by 



