22 



management, and none that will stand so much maltreatment 

 and yet give fair returns. 



The Committee are unanimous in the award of the first 

 premium of $i to Charles B. Shaw, and the second of $3 to 

 Ira Cleveland. 



For the Committee, 



ELIPHALET STONE. 



Dedham, Dec. 1, 1867. 



HEEDS OF MILCH COWS. 



The Committee are sorry to report that with four premiums 

 at their disposal, of the value of over -$50, the first being 

 the " Wilder Cup," there was but one entry made. Mr. J. W. 

 Gay, of West Dedham, entered his fine herd of fifteen cows, as 

 follows : One native, from N. H. ; one grade Devon, from Ver- 

 mont ; one native, raised in Dedham ; one Ayrshire grade, also 

 raised in Dedham. The remaining eleven were all raised in 

 Dedham, and arc pure or high grade Jamestowns, varying from 

 three to eight years old. Like most of the cows owned by 

 regular milk farmers, these were part dry, and others nearly 

 so, the herd giving from two to eighteen quarts each per day. 

 According to Mr. Gay's statement, their feed has been rather 

 short — pasture with one peck of brewers' grains per day, and 

 after-feed in its season. He feeds for profit rather than for 

 fancy ; is not a breeder and has no stock for sale ; but he has 

 drawn together such a herd of cows, for use, as it would be 

 very difficult to match. 



As this herd was so largely made up of Jamestowns, and so 

 few farmers know precisely what Jamestown means, when 

 applied to stock, the Committee felt it a duty to gather what 

 information they might in relation to the history of this breed, 

 hoping the Society would see the importance of making a 

 record of the facts in its Transactions. This seemed the more 

 important as it is understood that this Society has acknowledged 

 the Jamestown as a distinct breed. 



In looking over the back volumes of the Norfolk Transactions 

 we have found but one allusion to the Jamestown stock. Mr, 

 Sanford Howard, in an essay on Cattle Breeding, published in 

 the volume for 1859, says : " The Suffolk breed is without horns. 

 It was formally somewhat noted for dairy properties, but it is 

 not extensively kept at the present time. It is not absolutely 

 known that any of this breed have ever been imported into 

 this part of the country ; but polled or hornless cattle, which 



