502 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



HOLLAND. 



DUTCH CATTLE. 



REPOBT nr CONSUL ECKSTEm, OF AMSTERDAM. 

 nUNTINa UP CATTLE STATISTICS IN HOLLAND. 



In compliance with the instructions contained'in the Department cir- 

 cular of the 18th of July last, and in the memoranda accompanying the 

 same, received by me on the 4th of October, I Lave the honor herewith 

 to return a series of forms such as sent with the said circular, being 

 filled out and containing as much and as authentic information as ob- 

 tainable, and further to report on the subject as follows, viz : 



Observing that the matter at issue is regarded to bo of great impor- 

 tance to the agricultural interests of the United States, and that, the 

 Department desires and expects that in investigating the same it bo so 

 exhausted as to leave as little as possible to surmise or speculation, 1 

 have to express my regrets that in performing the task assigned to me 

 I found myself so utterly unaided by any practical experience in i'arin- 

 iug, stock-raising, and dairying, and my own knowledge of those pur- 

 suits so limited and superficial. 



Eealizing my shortcomings in these respects, it became the more neces- 

 sary that 1 should make, as I did, the greater efforts to secure informa- 

 lion, data, and material of such persons as are generally held to be 

 amongst the best authorities on the subject in this country. 



Strange as it may seem, it is nevertheless true that here iu Amster- 

 diiin I could obtain no information or be in any way facilitated in the 

 ]jremises beyond ascertaining the names and places of residence of cer- 

 tain i)arties to whom to apply for attaining my object. 



Amongst others I was directed to Mr. J. P. Amersfoord as one of the 

 persons most widely known for possessing an intimate knowledge of 

 and having much practical and diversified experience in affairs pertain- 

 ing to farming.and stock-breeding, &c. 



He is the owner and proprietor of one of the finest estates in this 

 country, and of a country-seat, named "Badhofeve," situated near the 

 little town of Sloten, on the turnpike between Amsterdam and Haarlem, 

 about an hour's drive from this city. 



There 1 called upon him, explained to him the object of my visit, and 

 received from him courteous offers of such assistance as it was possible 

 for him to render me. 



I left in his hands a copy of the forms and of thememorandum, a few 

 of which I had previously printed, to be left with the parties whom I 

 expected to ask for, and, if possible, receive the required information, 

 data, or statistics for this report. 



Mr. Amersfoord prepared, and, several weeks thereafter, furnished 

 me the filled up forms herewith inclosed, 



1 send them just as received from him, believing that any attempt on 

 my part to sift and transcribe the information they contain might have 

 impaired the value thereof, and that on coming into the hands of some 



