On Breeding Cows for the Dairy. 6 1 
state. We have been in the habit of cultivating the milking 
qualities of the cow, from the earliest stages of civilization, and 
even from the shepherd state. Not so with any other animal. It 
is a general rule with us, that " like begets like," and that the 
young animal partakes largely of the qualities of its parent stock. 
It is, therefore, reasonable to suppose, that by breeding from the 
best milkers, this great length of time we have greatly increased, 
and no doubt doubled the quantity of milk from each cow. This 
natural rule then, that the young requires all the milk of the dam, 
w^ould in the case of the cow, only require one-half. It is w^ell 
known that for the first four or six weeks after the cow comes in, 
(as it is usually termed,) she gives a large quantity of milk. It 
then decreases in quantity, but increases in quality; that is, it be- 
comes richer, and this continues through the season, until the calf, 
if it was allowed to run with her, would give up by degrees its 
support from the cow, and leave her to produce its successor. 
This decrease of quantity and increase of quality, is admirably 
calculated to facilitate the healthful growth of the young animal, 
during the first four or six weeks; its whole dependence is on the 
milk, and the quantity is sufficient to satisfy its hunger, and fa- 
cilitate its growth, while in quality it is not so rich as to be in- 
jurious. At this age the growth is such, that the quantity does 
not satisfy its hunger, and the decrease of quantity causes an in- 
crease of appetite for food, while the increase of quality tends to 
keep the animal healthful and vigorous, its hunger drives it to 
eat such food as it can get; and in case of variety, nature has 
given it sufficient sagacity to select that which is best suited to 
its age. It is therefore, clear, that if w^e could aflfbrd to rear 
calves, by allowing them to draw from the cow one-half of the 
milk, we could grow good stock. And in this we should not de- 
viate much from the natural rule. But it will doubtless be thought 
by some, that we cannot afford to grow them in this way; but 
one thing is too certain to admit of any doubt, viz.: that a large 
portion of the neat stock reared in this county, (and it is thought 
through the state generally,) has been of an inferior grade. 
If we wish to improve it, it may be well to enquire how this 
