304 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



past season, would cost fifty-seven dollars and thirty-one cents, 

 and, deducted from 



$342 48 

 57 31 



Leaves to Mr. Robinson $285 17 



Against Mr. Lincoln's account of 306 75 



Or two hundred and eighty-four dollars and eighty-three cents 

 actual proceeds for four months and twenty-one days only. 

 The pasturage of Mr. Robinson is represented by him to have 

 been good, while Mr. Lincoln complains that his was severely 

 pinched with the drought of the season. The feeding of meal 

 to Mr. Robinson's cows may have improved the condition of v 

 the animals, but does not appear to have added, in any degree 

 corresponding with the cost, to the quantity or quality of the 

 milk ; and with good pasturage, the committee cannot recom- 

 mend the practice. 



The cows of both dairies were exhibited at the cattle show 

 on the 27th of September, in compliance with the proposals, and 

 were examined by the committee. They were, without excep- 

 tion, fine animals, having all the points of good milkers. Those 

 of Mi\ Robinson were obviously the largest and heaviest, as 

 might be expected from their Durham blood, without regard to 

 any difference in their feeding. 



In the sale of their commodities both gentlemen obtained 

 unusual high prices; but in the ratio of three pounds of cheese 

 to one pound of butter, which has long been considered as the 

 just equivalent of the one to the other, Mr. Robinson seems to 

 have had the advantage in the market, inasmuch as his three 

 pounds of cheese gave an average price of thirty-four and one- 

 half cents, while Mr. Lincoln's one pound of butter obtained 

 but thirty-three and one-third cents. It would be a most de- 

 sirable and curious experiment to ascertain the result of the 

 reciprocal conversion of the milk of each of these daries to the 

 uses of the other, as it would tend to settle, more satisfactorily 

 than in any other manner, the much-vexed question, whether the 

 same animals are equally profitable for both productions. 



The committee, taking into consideration the unequal period 

 of the calving of Mr. Lincoln's cows previous to and during 



