MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 743 



COWS FOR DAIRY PURPOSES — HOW TO BE 

 SELECTED, AND THE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS 

 USE TO BE MADE OF THEIR MILK. 



BY WILLIAM PARKHURST. 



Every department of agriculture is yet in its infancy, dairy- 

 ing among others. Manufactures, the arts, and commerce, 

 have each received the fostering care of the government, and 

 are arrayed in gorgeous apparel, while agriculture, the first- 

 born of the family, has not only been deprived of the rights of 

 primogeniture, but is actually clothed in tatters ; we rejoice 

 that the government, as well as the people, are waking up to 

 a sense of their duty, and extending to this poor, forlorn child, 

 the paternal hand, and clothing it in a better costume. 



Notwithstanding dairying has been carried on to a great 

 extent for centuries, still, it must be acknowledged by all, that 

 it is in a very imperfect state. In order to advance this great 

 enterprise, and bring it nearer to perfection, let each dairyman 

 record and publish to the world his experience and observation. 



The above question may be divided into two parts ; 1st, 

 How to select dairy cows? 2d, How to dispose of their milk? 

 The most important step is the selection of the cows ; here 

 farmers differ, each having his favorite breed, and supporting 

 his opinions with at least a becoming zeal. Some are warm 

 advocates for the Alderney breed, others the Ayrshire, the 

 Durham, the Herefordshire, the Devon, the Sussex, &c., each 

 being considered best for the dairy ; a mLxture of the different 

 bloods is supposed to improve their dairy properties. Still, I 

 find many of our finest cows are of the pure native breed ; but 

 a cross with some foreign blood, generally, not only improves 

 for the dairy, but for raising stock. How shall the farmer, 

 who is entering this important branch of husbandry, choose 

 his cows ? by what traits ? by what marks shall he select those 

 cows that bid the fairest to make the finest milkers ? This can 

 never be done for a certainty. There are certain marks that, 

 generally, hold good ; not that each cow will have all the 

 striking traits, but a good cow will have some of the most 



