BERKSHIRE SOCIETY. 357 



tember. The milk in June I gave to my calves. In Septem- 

 ber she made, on an average, one pound of butter from twenty- 

 one pounds of milk. She had pasture in June, and meadow 

 in September. Feed, very poor, on account of the dry weather. 



PiTTSFIELD, Oct. 6, 1852. 



Horses. 



The display of horses was quite equal, if it did not excel, 

 those of several preceding years. The number of mares and 

 colts exhibited was twenty-five. Carriage horses, five ; farm 

 horses, five ; single horses, ten ; stallions, three. 



The mares and colts were generally good — many of them 

 worthy of much commendation ; and we should have been 

 glad to have spent more time in their inspection, could we have 

 had it. If we have erred in our awards, we beg for forbearance. 

 Could the whole society examine the mares and colts offered 

 for premium this year, the committee entertain no doubt that 

 they would not only freely grant the premiums now offered, 

 but would regret, as the committee do, that they could not 

 make more awards. 



Your committee would not encourage too extensive a taste 

 for fancy animals, but they cannot withhold their opinion, that 

 too little care has been given in this county to the breeding 

 and raising of horses. The difference in cost of the rearing of 

 a horse worth from $150 to $500, and one worth from $50 to 

 $80, is but a trifle. Most of our farmers are in the too com- 

 mon error, that a mare is too good to breed from until she is 

 too old and unsound to be good for anything else. We have 

 been shown some very good colts from such mares at this ex- 

 hibition ; but would not these colts have been much better, 

 had the same mares brought them while in their prime and 

 vigor ? 



Your committee would recommend that the society give 

 premiums on yearling, two and three years old colts, as well as 

 mares and colts, which, we think, would not only encourage 

 the breeding of the horse more thorough, but be very condu- 

 cive to the better matching of our matched horses. Provided 



