THE HOLSTEINS. 169 



gentlemen, a few years afterwards. It is to be regretted that 

 the blood of those importations, should have been so soon lost 

 by a lack of interest in their propagation. They were of great 

 value as dairy animals, as their qualities in that line were univer- 

 sally acknowledged where they were known. 



In the year 1852, an importation, consisting of a single cow, 

 was made into Boston, Mass., by Mr. Winthrop W. Chenery, 

 of that city. Her extraordinary good qualities led him to a 

 further importation of a bull and two cows, in 1857; and to the 

 importation of four more cows, in 1859. Most unfortunately 

 the "-cattle plague" broke out in this herd in the year 1859-60, 

 and the originals, and all their thorough bred descendants, with 

 the exception of a young bull, were destroyed under a law of the 

 State, to prevent the spread of the disease. In the year 1861, 

 Mr. Chenery made another importation of a bull and four cows, 

 which came out in good condition. He placed them on his farm 

 in the vicinity of Boston, wliere they have since been success- 

 fully bred — the only herd of pure bred "Holstein, or Dutch 

 cattle," known in the country; except their descendants, which 

 may be in some other hands. 



These animals were procured from the best dairy herds in the 

 vicinity of Beemster and Purmurend, in the Province of North 

 Holland, with a special care to their sanitary condition, and their 

 possession of all the highly esteemed qualities of their race. As 

 such, they were certified by the official authorities of the dis- 

 trict where they were bred. As this breed are strangers to the 

 masses of our cattle breeders and graziers, and may in time 

 become important instruments in promoting the dairy interests 

 of the country, a somewhat particular account may be given of 

 some of them, by which to judge of the improvement they may 

 give to our native herds. 



A four years old bull girts 7 feet 10 inches; his length is 

 8 feet 7 inches; height, 4 feet 11 inches; weight, 246.3 pounds. 



