408 NORFOLK SOCIETY. 



but because they are the result of careful, continued and judi- 

 cious breeding, under tlie direction of men who have devoted 

 to the business their entire attention for a long series of years, 

 and because the animals thus carefully bred beget their like, 

 and transmit their qualities, with scarcely an exception, to their 

 get. Instance the Devons, as one of the oldest breeds, how true 

 are all to their color and other characteristics; insomuch that a 

 child can always recognize the breed at a glance. The in- 

 stances are rare, w^here a heifer calf out of a good milking cow, 

 of a pure blood, by a thorough bred bull coming of a good 

 milking tribe, fails to be herself a good milker. Whereas, so 

 common are the failures when native cows and bulls are em- 

 ployed, that it has passed into a proverb, " a good cow may 

 have a poor calf." 



It is therefore of the utmost importance that our bulls should 

 be selected with a view to our wants, and that they should be 

 of the pm'e blood of whatever breed we select, in order to 

 transmit the qvialities which we desire, to their offspring. If it 

 be true — and in this county the fact will be very generally 

 allowed — that the above-mentioned breeds are improved breeds, 

 and therefore desirable, it follows, that the use of grade bulls 

 is pernicious ; because by them we constantly breed out the 

 very blood that we desire to breed in. Take the instance of a 

 bull one-half Durham and one-half native, crossed upon a 

 native cow ; the produce is three-quarters native, and but one- 

 quarter Durham. And thus, in each generation, you diminish 

 the proportion of Durham blood. By the same reasoning, 

 bulls of pure blood will constantly improve our native stock. 



The native bulls are a little of everything mixed up ; and 

 they beget their like in one respect, their calves being a little 

 of everything a little more mixed up. Those then, who, as 

 above, allow the English breeds to be an improvement, must, 

 to be consistent, pronounce the use of native bulls an. injury. 



We are perfectly aware that it is unpopular doctrine, and 

 that we run counter to the prejudices of many excellen-t farm- 

 ers and estimable men ; but as our opinions have been care- 

 fully considered, and we believe them to be well founded, it 

 would be cowardice to withhold them. 



A breed in all respects equal to the best British breed, and 

 in some respects superior, could be made from our native 



