258 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



them, even at high rates, on account of the uncertainty of 

 replacing them. 



Your committee do now respectfully recommend to farmers 

 to take greater pains in raising their cattle — raise a better 

 quality and more of them. If the definition of the term 

 " grade," is correct, — which is in substance, " incapacity of 

 transmitting witli certainty," — we should be cautious in using 

 those animals, especially if we intend raising the calves. True 

 it is, many of our best cows and oxen are grades; but it would 

 be very strange indeed if we did not occasionally have a good 

 animal out of the thousands raised, especially as the dilferent 

 breeds are more or less mixed all over the country. 



There are a few native bulls that can be relied upon. These 

 might be honored with the title of " full blooded," and they 

 ought to be kept and used as long as possible. Many excellent 

 ones have been slaughtered before their stock has been 

 thoroughly tested, and oftentimes we have found out their good 

 qualities too late. As full blooded animals are more reliable, 

 your committee recommend the use of tliem when practicable; 

 but there being a very few of them, most of us have not these 

 opportunities. This could be remedied in a measure, by club- 

 bing together and purchasing one. All have their opinions of 

 the different breeds ; but a club of farmers would hardly ever 

 fail of getting the right one. 



In short, make use of the best bulls ; give the owners some 

 encouragement to keep them ; raise the heifer calves from your 

 best cows ; and in raising stock, do it with so observant an eye, 

 and so luidcrstandiiigly that in case you are successful with 

 one lot, you can, with some degree of certainty, raise another. 

 Through this habit of destroying our best calves, and leaving 

 to others that which we ought to do ourselves, we have nearly 

 lost all traces of the celebrated " Denton." His stock is so 

 mixed up as to nearly lose its identity, and not a bull of his 

 breed can be found in England. 



Marshall Flagg, Chairman. 



