REPORTS. 



REPORT ON HERDS OF CATTLE. 



In submitting their report on Herds of Cattle the committee would 

 first express their regret that competition was so weak. We do not 

 wish to get into hot water, as has one of our prominent public men, 

 by preaching calamity to New England farmers. The past year has 

 been an eminently profitable one for them, and the signs of the times 

 seem to indicate still better things in the near future. In view of 

 this and in view of the many successful dairy farmers in our section 

 it is to be deplored that only three exhibitors should compete for 

 the awards on herds of cattle, and that only one of them was from 

 the town of Amherst. 



The Jerseys easily outranked all other breeds in numbers and 

 points of excellence. They seem to be general favorites among our 

 cream producers, and they have truly won this favor on their merits. 

 I believe that the Jersey cross has been the means of wonderfully 

 improving the dairy stock of our region, by imparting a quality to 

 the product which is equaled in very few breeds. They took both 

 first and second prizes at the Hampshire Fair, and while it is not 

 usually wise to rank different breeds iu the same class for such pre- 

 miums, we believe that in this case the award was just. 



Of the grand old Shorthorns only a few were on the grounds, yet 

 it is gratifying to note that some breeders are wide awake in their 

 endeavor to keep this noble breed of cattle in their purity and excel- 

 lence. As beef animals they have met and conquered all comers in 

 small and large shows, and, moreover, there are strains of milk and 

 butter Shorthorns that have proved among tiie most profitable 

 animals that can be found for the dairy. Probably our common 

 stock owes more to the Shorthorn crosses that have been made than 

 to any other element of blood for the improvement during the past 

 half century. 



