116 



upon his farm. I venture this assertion as a fundamental 

 maxim to start with. I know there are dealers in stock who 

 argue otiierwise, and who puff up the vahie of the animals 

 they have to sell : hut I caution those who have to earn their 

 living by the sweat of their brow, to beware of such puffs. 

 They bewilder but to betray. They will not bear to be scru- 

 tinized. 



Massachusetts has ever been under obligations to thg 

 adjoining states at the North, for many of the best animals 

 in her stall — especially oxen for labor^ and cows for the dairy 

 — the main purposes for which animals are kept on our 

 farms. To be sure, occasionally a pair of cattle, or a cow, 

 is fed for beef, after they have passed their period of useful- 

 ness in the other departments — but this is not the purpose 

 for which they are kept. 



Of the comparative value of our native stock for beef, I do 

 not presume to speak, for in this my experience will not war- 

 rant the expression of an opinion. If heresay is to be credited, 

 I should suppose the Durhams would have the preference, so 

 far as size is taken into view; but whether this size can be 

 attained without a proportionate expenditure for feed, I am 

 not advised. It is of little use to groiv a great caf when 

 it costs twice his value to feed him. Many such have come 

 to my knowledge. 



It is so fashionable, of late, to regard the Durhams, the 

 Devons, the Ayrshires, the Alderneys, and others, with for- 

 eign appellations, as the only stock worthy of notice, that 

 the humble animals springing up on our hills, with no pedi- 

 gree attached, are shoved one side, or are allowed to occupy 

 only the leaii-to back of the stable, and to feed upon the crumbs 

 that fall from their betters' table. I am not unmindful that 

 there are those, and sensible men, too, who say we have no 

 native breed of cattle, and to pretend to call them such is a 

 mistaken idea. I am aware that all our animals had their 

 origin from abroad, but I contend they are now fairly natur- 



