14 



INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: 



secretion of milk at another, from the same Cow. Accordingly, this is the very 

 character which has been acquired by Short-Horned Cows. They will yield from 

 six to sixteen quarts a day throughout the season ; and they are such constant 

 milkers, that they seldom remain dry above six weeks or two months before the 

 the time of calving. 1 know a Scotch breeder who had a Short-Horned Cow which 

 gave fifteen quarts a day during the flush of the grass in summer, and never went 

 dry for two seasons. A cross between a Galloway Cow and a Short-Horned Bull 

 in Berwickshire yielded twenty pints [twenty "pints" here probably mean 

 Scotch pints, equal to English quarts] a day during the best of the season, and she 

 had to be milked five times a day to keep her easy." We have thus considered 

 it our duty to give the opinion of Mr. Dickson regarding the value of the Short- 

 Horned breed of Cows as a dairy stock, seeing that the demand for Short-Horned 

 Bulls has of late years been great in many of the counties of both England and 

 Scotland. It seems, however, a well-confirmed opinion that the breed which of 

 all others appears to be gaining ground, throughout the United Kingdom, for 

 abundant produce on ordinary pasture, is the Ayrshire kyloe, which is described 

 as without a parallel under a similar soil, climate, and relative circumstances, 

 either for the dairy, or feeding for the shambles. But the ever variable circum- 

 stances in climate, soil, shelter, and the quality and quantity of the pasturage, as 

 well as the winter leeding and general treatment, will always have an effect up- 

 on the stock. 



Mr. GteorgeLaw, of Baltimore, has an imported Irish Short-Horn Cow, Sophy, 

 sent to this country by Mr. Mukdoch, (now of N. C. near Asheville, a gentleman 

 farmer of superior judgment and various intelligence,) which gave last summer, 

 when well fed and in full milk, 38 quarts, or one bushelof milk, a day. Her " es- 

 cutcheons" or signs correspond with those laid down in the work of M. Guekon, 

 here in'hand transferred from the Farmeks' Libkaky. 



In proof of our suggestion, that with the aid and close observance of the direc- 

 tions given in that work, a mi/i-race of the greatest excellence may be establish- 

 ed on the basis of our country stock, we need only mention first the success of 

 Col. Jacques in the formation of his " cream-pot " breed. His calves of that 

 blood are bespoken at $100 — also the case of the Cow called " the Oaks Cow,'" 

 which was of what is called the Country breed, and rather under size. It is not 

 to be doubted, that if this great discovery in hine-ology had been made, she would 

 have been found to display the " escutcheons," in full relief, and lastly to show, 

 that for milking purposes, we need not go abroad, unless, as we go for foreign 

 voters, for increase of numbers. We may refer to Mr. Donaldson's famous Cow, 

 Kaatskill, of which a fine portrait is given in the Cultivator, with the following 

 account: — " 'Kaatskill' received the first prize of the New- York State Agricul- 

 tural Society as the best Dairy Cow exhibited at Poughkeepsie, in 1844. We 

 are unable to refer to the original statement furnished the Society by Mr. Don- 

 aldson in regard to the produce of this Cow, but can say that satisfactory evi- 

 dence was given that she had yielded, when kept on grass only, thirty-eight and 

 a half quarts of milk per day, and that from the milk given by her in two days, 

 six and a half pounds of butter were made, being at the rate ojT twenty-two and 

 three-fourths pounds per week. Her appearance fully corresponds with the ac- 

 count of her produce. It is proper to state, that while her milk was measured 

 for the purpose of accurately ascertaining the quantity, she was milked four times 

 every twenty-four hours." Kaatskill is represented as a " native," which we sup- 

 pose means what is commonly called " country breed." 



The Improved Kerry is an Irish breed, of rather diminutive size, hardy, and 

 which can subsist on scanty pasture. This renders t' i exceedingly well adapt- 

 ed for hilly pastures, and for cottagers who may not ve the best ifood to offer 

 their stock. Their milk and butter are rich in quality, and for their size they are 

 good milkers. They are quiet enough when let alone ; bm, if the least irritated, 

 no fence can contain them. The Irish Cows have improved very much of late 

 years, in consequence of crossing ; and they are now, in many respects, thought 

 equal to the breeds of either England or Scotland. 



The LoNG" Horned or Lancashire is distinguished by the length of its horns, 

 the thickness of its hide, and the large size of its hoofs. It is far from being a 

 handsome animal, nor is it held in very general estimation either for milking or 

 leeding. 



