No. 149.] 239 



that day and would be now. Would it not be best, then, to cul- 

 tivate by crossing tliese breeds with some of our best natives 

 than some of the best foreign? The one possessing symmetry of 

 form is preferable to the ugly, unsightly one ; as we should be 

 more likely to get from this a better race for fattening and work, 

 as well as milk. We think it would be preferable; such a breed 

 would be inured to our climate, having always been in it for 

 many generations. It would be considerably cheaper, as we 

 should not have to pay for the expense of importation, and the 

 additional value which novelty and fashion, with some of our 

 plain republican population, throw around everything of foreign 

 origin. Tliese two circumstances, acclimation and cheapness, 

 ought to have considerable influence with our farmers at this 

 time. The first is important for the health, hardihood, and thrift 

 of animals, and the last for the health and thrift of the farmer's 

 purse. We are not apt to think anything so extraordinary that 

 occurs near us. and that we are familiar with, as when occurring 

 at a distance and in a foreign land. This circumstance alone 

 often blinds us, and makes us overlook merits because they are 

 common ; and we imagine these only to exist in things beyond 

 our reach, and whose reputation we hear of through impure 

 channels, and see emblazoned upon paper, and put in motion by 

 the interested and selfish both at home and abroad. From what 

 has been said, it may be inferred that there is no certain rule, 

 especially as regards milkers, about the great race they sprung 

 from ; that one of these may come out from a herd whose descent 

 cannot be traced to any source, by any line — possessing beauty of 

 form or great milking powers — that may possess one or both of 

 these in a high degree. Indeed, we wall venture to say that the 

 last class of native cows which possess symmetry of form and 

 milking properties that the owners or families of that day knew 

 nothing, or very little, about the breeds from wliich they sprung, 

 and cared as little about it. All they knew was, that such an 

 animal came out of their herd, and all they troubled themselves 

 about was to have as many calves from her as they could from 

 crossing with the best of their own herd or some of the neighboring 

 herds. 



Look at the celebrated Cramp cow of England, one of the 

 greatest milkers on record of any country or age. In 1808 she 



