246 ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



of that kind of cattle is to make meat. There is a catechism 

 that was originated by Gen. Burchard, associate editor of Hoard's 

 Dairyman, that he called a shorter catechism for the breeder. In 

 substance it is as follows : 



Q : — How many classes of cows are there ? 



A : — There are three. 



Q : — What are they ? 



A : — Dairy cows, combination cows, and beef cows. 



Q: — What is a dairy cow? 



A : — A dairy cow is an individual that consumes feed and 

 then transforms it into milk, after taking out enough to support 

 her body? 



Q : — What is a beef cow ? 



A : — A beef cow is a cow that eats the grain of your farm, 

 and converts it into beef. A combination cow is one that tries 

 to take both forks of the road and never gets anywhere. 

 (Laughter and applause.) 



Q: — And what makes this difference? 



A : — Heredity. 



Q : — What is heredity ? 



A : — It is that biological law by which all living beings 

 tend to repeat themselves in their decendants. 



Now, this little catechism is neither new or peculiar, and 

 it is not my fault that it is not. If a dairyman hears that John 

 Smith, living in a certain township of Will county, has a certain 

 sort of seed oats for sale that will yield ten bushels more per 

 acre than his, straightway he will go to John Smith's place for 

 seed oats. Is that wisdom, or foolishness? Wisdom, most cer- 

 tainly ! Then why is it that, when he hears of a dairyman that 

 has a certain breed of cattle that is producing more than his, 

 that he does not seek some of that dairy blood. Why not study 

 the art of dairying enough to know how to handle and care 

 and feed intelligently the dairy cow? 



