REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. 



THOROUGH-BRED STOCK. 



The progress made in the past twenty-five years in cattle hus- 

 bandry has been a decided mark of improvement. The hap-haz- 

 ard or accidental cow of no definite breed, is fast giving place to 

 the Thorough-bred, and the future progressive improvement of 

 our dairy stock can be relied upon with unerring certainty. The 

 prejudice against the pure bred animal is fast giving way or 

 changing in their favor. 



The intelligent farmer will not run the risk, or incur the ex- 

 pense of raising a calf from progenitors, accidentally good, which 

 have no strength of blood to reproduce their like, but in the 

 breeding point, we must raise our calves from pure breeds only, to 

 be in any degree successful. We now have, (thanks to the intelli- 

 gent breeders of foreign countries), several pure breeds of stock 

 whose especial characteristics are adapted to the farms and the 

 markets of our county; and our State and county contains these 

 breeds of cattle in their purest excellence, as well as breeders full 

 of enthusiasm in their intelligent calling. With such men and 

 such animals our county may well be hopeful for a prosperous 

 future. That breeds of cattle of foreign origin are susceptible of 

 improvement in this country there can be no doubt. Time has fully 

 demonstrated the fact. Even the shorthorns have outdone the 

 shorthorns that were, with the judicious care of the American 

 breeder. The fabulous prices that have been recently paid by gen- 

 tlemen from England indicates their scale of improvement. The 

 Ayrshires are twenty per cent, larger than were the Ayrshires im- 

 ported twenty-five years ago. 



The general form and structure of the Jerseys have wonder- 

 fully changed. Running upon our pastures has developed both 

 bone and muscle, and the quantity of their milk has increased in 

 a corresponding ratio. 



