STOCK. 269 



may be seen in the herd now under his charge in West Roxbnry. 

 These animals are, by and by, to be distributed among the 

 county agricultural societies of the State for the use of the 

 public; and # they cannot fail to prove of great value. Mr. 

 John Wood, of New Bedford, exhibited a fine cow and calf of 

 this breed at the recent cattle show. These were imported 

 for Mr. "Wood by that well-known stock breeder, John A. 

 Taintor, Esq., of Hartford, and arc, doubtless, superior speci- 

 mens of the breed. We had reason to regret that the confu- 

 sion attending a crowded and ill-arranged show ground pre- 

 vented many from giving these interesting animals the exami- 

 nation they deserved ; and we regret, too, that Mr. Wood failed 

 to give us the result of his experience thus far in the value of 

 his stock. Another year, we trust, will remedy these defects ; 

 and we cannot doubt that the lactometer and the churn of Mr. 

 Wood will tell a story that will astonish the " natives " and 

 their uncompromising advocates.* As a cross, the virtues of 

 the Alderney are conspicuous in the richness and yellow color 

 imparted to the milk. This improvement is observed even in 

 remote connections — a convincing proof of the long establish- 

 ment of this quality as a characteristic of the race, and of the 

 certainty we may feel that the distinctive features and excel- 

 lences of thorough-bred animals will be impressed upon their 

 descendants. t 



* Mr. Motley's imported Alderney cow, " Flora," made five hundred and eleven 

 and three-fourths pounds of butter from May 10, 1853, to April 26, 1854. For 

 three consecutive weeks in June she made fourteen pounds of butter per week, 

 never giving over fourteen quarts of strained milk in a single day. For several 

 weeks she made an average of one pound of butter from five quarts of milk ; and 

 even a little less has made a pound of butter. 



Mr. Motley found that, in a herd of thirteen cows, — one short-horn, one Ayrshire, 

 two half-breed Alderneys, and nine full-breed Alderneys, — an average of seven 

 and a half quarts of milk made a pound of butter in the month of November ; feed, 

 hay and one peck of carrots per day. 



One Alderney cow made six pounds of butter in a week, in March, nine months 

 after calving. A four-year-old heifer, of the same breed, made in the month of 

 April twelve and a quarter pounds of butter three weeks after calving. She gave 

 milk to within thirty days of calving, and never less than three quarts per day. 



These are facta, and speak volumes in favor of the Alderney when we remember 

 that animals of this breed are very small, and consume but little food compared 

 with the larger breeds. 



t Mr. Hodman's cows have never lost the evidence of their partial descent from 

 the Alderney, though many of them have now but a remote relation to that stock. 



