100 



seem as if the improvement ought to be slightly manifest 

 by this time. I know well the argument and theory, that 

 the Ayrshires have been bred with care for years in Scot- 

 land, on a soil similar to our own, and have been brought 

 to great perfection as milkers, and that it is a waste of 

 time to undertake to bring up our stock to their stand- 

 ard. But have they always proved as expected ? In fact, 

 have they averaged better than good natives ? A few 

 years since, a herd of Ayrshires was imported by the 

 Massachusetts Agricultural Society, and were kept on 

 our county farm one season. Mr. Brown, who had charge 

 of them, was of the opinion they were not superior to as 

 many heifers selected at random from an eastern drove. 

 These same heifers were afterwards removed to the Bus- 

 sey farm, near Boston. I have never seen a published 

 account of the disposition made of them by the Society, 

 but rumor says they were disposed of in a manner which 

 redounds more to the credit of the Society, than to the 

 Ayrshire breed of cattle, and these were selected by one 

 of the best judges in the State, regardless of expense. 



Of Jerseys, a few j^ears since, a herd of eight pure 

 bloods was owned in the northern part of the county, 

 by J. P. Putnam. Their owner employed as foreman, a 

 man who had been used to native cows, who informed 

 me there was not a fair milker among them, and what 

 surprised me more, that the quality of their milk was 

 but little, if any, better than natives. At any rate, 

 they purchased a native of the " Wilmington Farmer," 

 that Avas so much superior, that the Jerse}^ flock was 

 very soon disposed of 



Of the North Devon it is perhaps unnecessary to 

 speak, as I do not remember of their being exhibited in 

 our County for several years past, and yet Mr. Coleman, 



