MR. proctor's address. 17 



the county of Essex may speak with some confidence. 

 Here have been raised and exhibited numerous cows 

 that will bear a fair comparison with those of any other 

 county. Instance the Oakes Cow and the Nourse Cow, 

 and tlie present year the Pond Cow, (all of which were 

 from Dan vers, I believe,) they have not been excelled 

 by any others. Two of these yielded from 16 to 20 

 pounds of butter a week, for many weeks together, of 

 superior quality, and this without extraordinary feed 

 or pampering ; and the other, 14 quarts of milk per 

 day, for ten months together. Statements of similar 

 produce have I noticed within a year, of cows of native 

 breed at Springfield and Northampton.* 



If such animals can be found in this manner, without 

 any extra care in rearing, what might they be made, by 

 the application of the skill that has been used in perfect- 

 ing the foreign breeds ? I am not unmindful that single 

 instances may be found of the short-horn cows that have 

 yielded from thirty to thirty-six quarts of milk per day; 

 and of fiocks that have produced larger quantities of 

 milk, in iveight and measure, than have been obtained from 

 the same number of native cows. In the notices of 

 these cows that I have seen, the quantity of their milk is 

 usually spoken of, and not the quantity of butter it will 

 yield. Now every intelligent observer knows that 20 

 quarts of milk from some cows will yield more butter 

 than 30 quarts of milk from other cows ; so that the 

 quantity only gives but an imperfect idea of the value of 

 their pi-oduce. Take into view also the expense of feed 

 required, and their comparative capacity to endure the 

 severities of our climate, and the peculiarities of their 

 habits ; and it may well be questioned whether the for- 

 eign breeds are of so much value upon our farms, as 

 those that might be raised from the best of our own 

 stock. All that is wanted is the same care in selection 

 and vigilance in rearing that have been applied to the 

 others, and there will be no deficiency in an adequate 

 supply of milk tor our dairies. 



* In the Massachusetts Ploughman, a paper worthy to be read by every 

 . Farmer. 



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