76 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



dairy cattle, or the dual-purpose cow, or some dairy cattle and 

 some beef cattle on the same farm? Another question: will a 

 farmer ever be able to handle a quarter-section of land in New 

 England as profitably as he can a quarter-section in the middle 

 west? 



Professor Wing. I don't believe I quite understand you. 

 If you raise the question whether you could farm a quarter- 

 section — 160 acres — in New England as profitably as you 

 could 160 acres in the middle west, that is a question that there 

 might be a great deal of discussion about, and I don't believe 

 you would be satisfied even then. All I can say would be this: 

 taking the average of what we call the middle States — Ohio, 

 Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, parts of Minnesota and 

 Wisconsin — the productive fertility of the soil will average 

 greater per acre than it will in New England. Bvit as to 

 whether you can farm more profitably will depend upon the 

 investment in the land, the business capacity of the man with 

 respect to following the course of the markets and systems of 

 farming, and then the actual ability of the farmer himself. 

 Now, those are factors that no person can determine, and 

 might be answered either in the negative or in the affirmative. 

 Some men will make more on 160 acres in New England than 

 other men will make in the middle west, and vice versa; but as 

 to what the same man would make in both places would de- 

 pend on his capacity to adapt himself to circumstances. 



Question. Would you recommend crossing Holsteins with 

 Shorthorns in order to get a dual-purpose animal? 



Professor Wing. No, I would not recommend crossing any 

 breeds. There is no question but what you may develop 

 strains of Holsteins large enough framed to take on flesh to 

 answer the purpose. You may do it even in Jerseys and 

 Guernseys. But don't start out with the idea that in your 

 lifetime you are going to make a combination that is better 

 than the two separate. If you had the skill and the capacity 

 and the money that men like Thomas Bates and Robert 

 Batewell had you might leave something for your posterity. 

 It is a worthy object, but don't go into it in the present day 

 of our improved breeds with the idea that you are going to do 

 much for vourself. 



