282 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



Devon cows in various parts of the country, a dairy of 

 Herefords is rarely to be found. To compensate for this, 

 they are even more kindly feeders than the Devons. Their 

 beef may be objected to by some as being occasionally a 

 little too large in the bone, and the fore-quarters be ing coarse 

 and heavy ; but the meat of the best pieces is often very fine- 

 grained and beautifully marbled. There are few cattle more 

 prized in the market than the genuine Herefords." 



There have been several importations of the Herefords 

 into the United States, which by crossing with our native 

 cattle, have done great good ; but with the exception of a 

 few tine animals at the South, we are not aware of their 

 being kept in a state of purity, till the importation of the 

 splendid herd, within the last six years, by Messrs. Corning 

 and Sotham of Albany, N. Y. These Herefords are among 

 the very best which England can produce, and come up fully 

 to the description of the choicest of the breed. Mr. Sotham, 

 after an experience of several years, is satisfied with the 

 cows, for the dairy, and he has given very conclusive pub- 

 lished statements of the results of their milking qualities, 

 from which it may be properly inferred, that Youatt drew his 

 estimates from some herds which were quite indifferent in 

 this property. They are peculiarly the grazier's animal, as 

 they improve rapidly and mature early on medium feed. 

 They are excelled for the yoke, if at all, only by the Devons ; 

 which in some features they strongly resemble. Both are 

 probably divergent branches of the same original stock. 



THE AYRSHIRE is a breed that has been much sought after 

 of late years, from their reputation for fine dairy qualities. 

 The milk is good both in quantity and quality, yielding, ac- 

 cording to a recent statement of Mr. Tennant, of Scotland, 

 who owns a large herd, 15 quarts per day during the best of 

 the season, 12 of which made a pound of butter. The pro- 

 duct of the latter averages about 170 pounds per annum to 

 each cow. Another authority says, on the best low-land pas- 

 ture, a good cow yields nearly 4000 quarts per year. This 

 is a large quantity, and implies good cows and extra feed. 

 Mr. Gushing, of Masssachusetts, who imported several select 

 animals, without regard to their cost, informed us after three 

 or four years trial, that he did not perceive any superiority in 

 them, over the good native cows of that state, for dairy purpo- 

 ses. A large number have been imported in detached parcels, 

 and scattered through the country. They are good animals, 

 but seem to combine no valuable properties in a higher de- 



