of her butter or cheese making qualities, as the dam that 

 drops it. 



All of which is respectfully submitted, 



JOSHUA T. EVERETT, Chairman. 



MILCH COWS AND MILCH HEIFERS. 



Committee. — Messrs. Ephraim Murdock, Winchendon ; Charles Fla^g, 

 Sterling ; George Chandler, Shirley ; John Roper, Geo. O. Skinner, Prince- 

 ton ; Joseph W. Forbush, Westminster ; Abel Fox Adams, A. Crocker, 

 Fitchburg. 



A most important inquiry at the present time, to the owners 

 of Milch Cows, is, what breed, or cross of breeds, is best 

 adapted to the production of milk, quality, as well as quantity 

 being regarded. It is not the true end and scope of this or 

 any other Agricultural Society to pick up for premiums one 

 animal from a dairy of some half-dozen, who, fortuitously, 

 may turn out to be a good milker, while the other five, per- 

 haps, are bad or indifferent ones, shrimped, camel-backed, and 

 ugly, of every size and color, without pedigree ; selected, or 

 reared without brains or science, upon the doctrine of con- 

 tingency or luck. 



Nor could it have b^en the object of our Commonwealth in 

 its liberal grants to our various County organizations, so far 

 as such grants are appropriated to the stock growers, that the 

 money should be given to the lucky holder of any chance 

 animal ; but to the systematic, intelligent grazier, who aims 

 at excellence and perfection in the stock he produces ; and 

 who, like Farmer Washington, of blessed memory, carefully 

 registers the breed, keep, characteristics and qualities of his 

 stock, either for the dairy, the plough, or the shambles. Who, 

 for instance, when he offers Milch Cows for premium, has an 

 exact account of the profits of each kind and breed, booked 

 and footed up, not of those, only annually registered for pre- 

 miums, but his whole stock, from year to year, so that by 

 2 



