NEW 
“ TO IMPROVE THE SOIL AND MIND.” 
SERIES. 
Vol. IV. 
ALBANY, FEBRUARY, 1847. 
No. 2. 
SKETCHES OF MASSACHUSETTS FARMING. 
From our last number we continue our notices of the 
eattle of Massachusetts. 
We have before alluded, (Cultivator, vol. vu., page 
134, and vol. n., new series, p. 75,) to a spirited and 
systematic attempt, commenced several years since, by 
Col. Jaques, of the Ten Hills Farm, near Boston, to 
establish a superior breed of cattle for the dairy. Though 
much, certainly, has been done by Col. J. towards the 
accomplishment of his object, his success would un¬ 
doubtedly have been more complete, had all circumstan¬ 
ces favored his operations. He has produced many 
valuable animals, and the excellent qualities of his 
Cream-Pot ” cows, seem to be acknowledged wherev¬ 
er they have been known. He still keeps a few ani¬ 
mals of this stock. His bull Cassius, (five years old,) 
is not often excelled in external points, and we have no 
doubt that he possesses very valuable qualities. His co¬ 
lor, like that of the Cream-Pots generally, is bright red, 
with a yellow skin. He unites the blood of some of the 
best animals Col. J. has ever bred, viz., that of the no¬ 
ted bull Don, (his sire,) and the celebrated cows Cy¬ 
press and Coral, (his dam and grandam.) Coral has 
been for some time owned by Mr. George Adams, of 
Somerville. From a statement of Mr. A.’s, published 
in the Massachusetts Plowman, Feb. 15th, 1845, it ap¬ 
pears that he kept fifty, cows; that he took a particular 
account of CoraPs milk from Feb. 1st, 1844, to May 
1st, same year, being three months; and that she 
averaged twenty-three quarts [beer measure] of strained 
milk per day: that lie sold the milk which was given by 
this cow in ninety days, for $103.50! Mr. A. con¬ 
siders her the most valuable cow he ever owned. 
Col. J. has of late years sold most of the stock he has 
bred, at a very early age—generally while calves or 
yearlings; and the prices lie has obtained, have ave¬ 
raged $100 per head. Several have been sold within 
the last four or five years, at $150, and some for $200 
each. But his farm has lately become too valuable for 
other purposes, (fortunately for him,) to justify its be¬ 
ing much devoted to rearing stock. It is estimated to 
be worth $1,000 per acre, for the clay it contains. It 
consists of 150 acres. 
In 1845, the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society 
for Promoting Agriculture, imported four cows and a 
bull, of the Ayrshire breed, and a bull and the same num¬ 
ber of cows of the Devon breed. They had previously, 
in 1835, we think, imported an Ayrshire cow and bull. 
On the farm of Elias Phinney, Esq., of Lexington, 
we saw the animals of the late importation, with their 
produce since their arrival. The old Ayrshire cow first 
imported, and several which the Trustees purchased at 
^Capt. Randall’s late sale, were likewise here, as was 
also the Ayrshire cow “Medal/ 5 purchased by Mr. 
Lawson, of Lowell, at Capt. R.’s sale. Several of 
the Ayrshires appear to be fine cows; especially “ Me¬ 
dal,” the old cow (now seventeen years old) above men¬ 
tioned, “ Jeannie Deans.” and “ Flora Macdonald.”— 
the two latter of the late importation. 
The Devons appear to be well bred stock. Two of 
the cows were very much to our fancy, being well 
made, beautifully limbed, and mellow skinned, with very 
fair indications of dairy qualities. The Devon bull, wo 
thought a very superior one, though he was in poor con¬ 
dition, from sickness. Mr. Phinney supposed his 
disease to be bronchitis, and he feared that it would 
prove fatal. We should regard the death of such an 
animal as a great public loss. Should he live, we hope 
his use will be permitted in some of the districts where 
oxen are considerably reared; and we will venture the 
opinion that his progeny, from the best formed and 
proper sized cows, will prove to be of high excellence 
for the yoke. We noticed several Devon bull calves, 
of fine form and thrifty appearance; in fact, we thought 
all the Devons, with one exception, indicated a great 
tendency to fatten. 
The Ayrshire bull which the. Trustees of the Agri¬ 
cultural Society first imported, has been kept in dif¬ 
ferent parts of the state. He was for one or more sea¬ 
sons in Berkshire county, and has since been at different 
places along Connecticut river. His progeny are held 
in high estimation as dairy stock. We have met with 
several persons who have tried them, and they invaria¬ 
bly speak very favorably in regard to their value. Mr. 
Henry Strong, of Northampton, has a cow of this 
stock, six years old, which is one of the best cows we 
have ever met with. She calved last season the first of 
April. Towards the latter part of the season, he was 
induced, supposing her milk was of very rich quality, to 
put her on trial for butter. He accordingly kept an 
accurate account of the butter made from her, from the 
1st of September to the eleventh of November, and it 
averaged eleven pounds per week, by actual weight. 
The late Isaac C. Bates, of Northampton, (former¬ 
ly U. S. Senator from Massachusetts.) purchased, seve¬ 
ral years since, the Hereford bull “ Sir Isaac,'” which 
was sent from England by Admiral Coffin, in 1824, 
as a present to the Mass. Soc. for Promoting Agricul¬ 
ture. This bull was kept till he was quite old by Mr. 
B., and from his son, Mr. S. H. Bates, (who now has 
charge of the farm,) and other persons in the neighbor¬ 
hood, we learned some facts in regard to the success of 
the Hereford cross. Mr. B. states, and Mr. Strong 
concurred in the same statement, that for all purposes 
combined, they were the best stock ever kept in the 
