11 



North the Ayrshire cross has been most fortunate in obtaining 

 premiums, they still believe as at present advised, that in the 

 country at large, and especially in New York, the Durham 

 cross* has been most successful, not only for the plow and 

 beef-barrel, but also for milk. 



Before adverting to the premiums, your Committee would, 

 suggest to those who may enter cows hereafter at future shows, 

 a more systematic and detailed account, of feed given — exact 

 cost thereof, coupled with a succinct detail of time of milking, 

 pasturage, amount of root feed, corn fodder, shorts, &c, and 



* Concord, Sept. 17, 1855. 



Dear. Sir — In a conversation with you the other day upon agricultural 

 matters, you asked for my opinion as to what foreign blood I considered best 

 to mingle with our common stock, in order to produce the best milch cows. 



I have been a somewhat careful observer of the effects of crossing for many 

 years, and am satisfied, that both in animals and vegetables, when judiciously 

 done, it is productive of the most beneficial results. For in this way bad 

 qualities may be obliterated and good ones introduced in their stead. 



The Devons, now so symmetrical as to attract the attention of the most in- 

 different observer, were once small, angular, and scarcely desirable in any 

 point of view. The improvement has been equally as great in the Durhams, 

 as well as in Sheep and Swine. The weight of mutton has more than doubled 

 in the London market within the last hundred years, 



I am satisfied that the largest number of fine milch cows is produced by a 

 cross of our common stock with the Durham short horn blood. They are 

 symmetrical, good feeders, gentle, yield a good flow of milk and continue it suf- 

 ficiently late — for I do not, as a general thing, think it desirable that a cow 

 should continue to give milk until the time of calving. 



With regard to your other question, whether it may be ninde profitable for 

 the farmer to raise roots to feed to his milch cows, I am not in the least at a 

 loss for an opinion. I feci eight cows one winter on the best hay and three 

 quarts of meal each per day. The following winter I fed the the same cows on 

 hay cut on the same ground, without meal or grain of any kind, but gave 

 each cow per day half a bushel of roots, carrots, beets, turnips and parsnips, 

 and obtained just as many again cans of milk, of equal capacity, as I did when 

 I fed the meal. 



I should be glad to write more but have not the leisure at present 



Very truly yours, SIMON BROWN. 

 A. Crocker, Esq., Fitch burg. 



P. S. I intended to be at your show, but one in my own County on that 

 day will call me another way. 



