23 



Holstein-Friesians, though now ranking foremost among dairy 

 animals, had no herd to compete for a premium. The only herd of 

 this breed on the grounds was the Agricultural College herd, com- 

 prising four imported cows and their progeny, and headed by the 

 splendid bull Prince of Concord, No. 6594-H-F, H-B. The last 

 named animal being out of a cow with a record of thirty-one pounds 

 of butter in seven days. It is a step in the right direction to build 

 up and improve the butter qualities of this wonderful breed of cattle, 

 and dairymen are taking hold of it with a determinination that can- 

 not but bring success. With the quality of rich and plentiful creaming 

 properties added to the long list of other good points belonging to 

 the Holstein-Friesians they would seem to come very near to the 

 ideal dairy stock ; giving an enormous flow of milk, strong and 

 rugged in constitution and of good size. They must certainly lead 

 all others when the butter quality is fixed. 



The hardy, handsome Ayrshires though not numerous are worthy of 

 mention. There are many farms that are not managed in the best 

 manner, and the animals are left to shirk for themselves far more 

 than' is profitable. No race of cattle is better able to do this than the 

 Ayrshire. They will yield fair returns where some of our improved 

 cattle would be kept at a loss. If they will prove profitable under 

 such circumstances, they will surely give handsome returns when 

 skilfully handled and fed. 



That cousin of the Jersey, the Guernsey, was also present in very 

 small numbers. We know that there are some very fine Guernseys 

 in the vicinit}' and we regret that they were not on exhibition at our 

 fair. It seems as if they possessed most of the attributes of a butter 

 cow, their cream being in the largest proportion and ot the best quality 

 so far as breed can make it. They are also hardy and vigorous in 

 constitution. 



Of the beef breeds very little needs to be said. Beef cannot be 

 grown in New England successfully as a sole product. Cattle to gain 

 favor as beef animals here must have also value as dairy stock. A 

 very fine Herford herd was shown that was a credit to the breeder, 

 but Herfords have a very bad reputation as dairy animals. 



While devoting so much space to the pure-bred classes of cattle it 

 is a great pity to pass unnoticed the great mass of all our horned 

 stock, the grades and natives. It is only in rare herds that we find 

 pure-bred cows. Grades are the rule. They are what most dairy- 



