24 



of the [county. Among the elates of animals none should be made an object 

 of greater interest than the Milch Cow. And she may be considered as stand- 

 ing at the head of our domestic animals ; therefore in justice to her many noble 

 qualities she ought always to have a fair chance to represent herself at our an- 

 nual shows. There is no animal that pays the farmer better for good feeding 

 and kind treatment than the Cow. She always pays down, and the better she 

 is kept and treated the better returns she makes. But wiio knows, and by w T hat 

 instructions shall the farmer select the best animals for his purpose ? There are 

 partialities, doubtless, for different breeds, but they are the result rather of a 

 knowledge of particular instances of excellence than of any general ascertained 

 rule which has respect alike to the selection, management and use of the animals, 

 until it can be ascertained which race is most bountiful in milk and longest in 

 the continuance of the milking season ; which is most productive of Butter or of 

 Cheese ; which is most cheaply kept, having reference to productiveness ; which 

 produces the best calves and ultimately will make the most beef at the least cost ; 

 and finally, which in view of all these considerations unites the largest variety 

 of valuable properties and becomes the most profitable. Competitors for pre- 

 miums should be held to make the trial and furnish the information which is 

 required to arrive at a satisfactory result. But w 7 hat the Society needs and the 

 Agricultural community most wish to kuow is, the preference which should be 

 given in the cow 7 to the different races of all, which is the most productive to 

 the farmer, which may he buy or raise to the most profit. If any one is to be 

 preferred, wiiy ? Thus the subject of stock breeding and raising becomes at 

 once a matter for careful and intelligent consideration by every farmer who 

 wishes to make this part of his business as profitable as possible. Both natives 

 and the thoroughbreds have their enthusiastic admirers and opponents. Now 

 what every enterprising farmer wants to know is whether it is better for him to 

 invest in Native or well bred stock or both ; whether it is better to keep them 

 pure or cross with the natives. Whether cross-breeding with imported stock or 

 a course of judicious selection for a series of years from our own cattle be they 

 natives or nameless, as you will, aiding this selection by a system of constant 

 care and nutritious food, will best improve the dairy qualities of our cows your 

 committee express no opinion. Purity of blood, however, is of the utmost im- 

 portance, and we venture to say that any increased product and any material 

 change in the milking properties of our cows is attributable to improved care 

 and good liberal feeding rather than to any improvement in the qualities of the 

 stock. In connection with the statement of the awards of premiums the Com- 

 mittee beg leave to state that while the Society off er, six liberal premiums, there 

 w T ere only three competitors, viz., Benjamin Wheeler, Jr., of New Marlboro, 

 Henry W. Burget of Egremont, and P. M. Shaylorof Lee, to which we award : 



Best Dairy Cow, P. M. Shaylor, Lee, $15 00 



2d do., Benj. Wheeler, New Marlboro', . 12 00 



4th do., H. W. Burget, Egremont, 8 00 



Confined, as we were, to these three competitors, the Committee were much 

 gratified to find even three herds of Dairy Stock, so wisely selected for size and 

 adaptation to the soil and circumstances of the owners. It is hoped that the 

 farmers, moved by the liberal annual premium lists, by that ever present and 

 most powerful incentive, their own personal interest, will hereafter take pains 

 to improve their Dairy Stock, so that another year's exhibition will include a 

 larger number of competitors, and mark an era of improvement in this very im- 

 portant department of agricultural pursuits. 



W. C. Laxodon, ) 



Isaac Spurr, > Committee. 



Henry Dresser, ) 



