48 



turing the plan of his work, and having once adopted it 

 abide by it, till successful, or he has found by experience 

 that it is wrong. 



Every farmer engaging in this business, acting upon the 

 the known law of reproduction in nature, " that like pro- 

 duces like," with improvement by proper nurture and cul- 

 tivation, should ever select animals, both male and female, 

 from which to raise his stock, possessing in the highest de- 

 gree practicable, those qualities required by the object to 

 which it is to be devoted; and having obtained his young 

 animals, should commence at once to perfect them according 

 to the plan adopted, and not wait till the first year, the most 

 important part of the life of the animal, for a healthy start 

 toward perfection has passed away, and they perhaps stunted 

 for ever, as is too often the case. 



It is rare that very inferior animals at one year old of this 

 kind ever attain to any high degree of perfection, any more 

 than vegetation which is puny when the season is a third 

 gone. Such may, in some instances, be the case, but they 

 are exceptions to the general rule, and should never be 

 relied upon by the farmer who would be certain of success. 



No production of the farm makes a more sure or 'larger re- 

 turn for the expenditure than neat stock, nor is any produc- 

 tion of more importance to the consumer. Think for a 

 moment of the almost absolute necessity for leather made 

 from the hides of these animals, yet this use is considered of 

 but secondary importance, compared with the meat for food. 

 The faithful ox too as a draft animal could hardly be dis- 

 pensed with in civilized society; nor could we well do with- 

 out the strong, substantial and permanent manure made by 

 these animals to fertihze our exhausted fields. The Com-- 

 mittee have been led to these remarks in view of the import- 

 ance to the stock raising farmers, of the subject of systema- 

 tizing their efforts in this direction, and thereby concentrating 

 their energies upon the particular object desired, and greatly 

 multiplying their chances of success. 

 All which is submitted. 



CHARLES H. MERRIAM, Chairman. 



