STOCK. 257 



Who is there, who lias mingled with New England farmers, 

 who has not frequently heard men say, " Our native cattle 

 are good enough; " " Why should we go to England for cattle 

 to improve what is already good enough ? " " There is Mr. 



*s cow ; she's nothing but a native ; and where'll you find a 



better ? ,; Such remarks as these are made every day in every 

 town in New England. They are founded not on prejudice 

 alone, but on ignorance of the principles of breeding. 



No one will dispute that scattered throughout New England 

 are very many good cows, possessing, in a remarkable degree, 

 excellent dairy properties. Many of these have no known 

 pedigree, nor have they any mark that indicates the presence 

 of foreign blood. They stand before us simply as good native 

 cows. The owner of one of these cows, recognizing her value, 

 is anxious to perpetuate her virtues, and retains her as a breed- 

 er. Having this good foundation for a valuable family of stock, 

 how is he to proceed ? 



We do not propose to enter deeply into scientific breeding, 

 though well aware that it is a subject of great interest, and 

 deserving the earnest attention of stock growers. For such as 

 desire to study it, there are books of great value, well worth 

 the very reasonable prices at which they are sold ; and there 

 are agricultural papers scattered broadcast over the land, full 

 of information derived not only from the works of those who 

 have in past years devoted their strong minds to this subject, 

 but from living breeders, who, with true public spirit, delight 

 to contribute to their brother farmers the results of their 

 studies and experience. Our purpose is to present a few hints 

 to those whose attention has not been directed to blood, and 

 to endeavor to point out how the materials within our reach, 

 as farmers in Bristol County, may be applied to the substantial 

 improvement of our stock. 



The fact that a cow is a good one is not enough, of itself, to 

 warrant the hope that her progeny will equal her in excellence, 

 unless care is used in the selection of the bull to which she is 

 bred. It is only when, by a long course of careful breeding, 

 certain properties have become impressed upon a tribe of ani- 

 mals, — have become characteristics of the race, part of its 

 blood, as it were, — that we can feel in any degree sure that an 



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