803 
for Devons, but which, I have no doubt, are descended from the Sussex. 
The cattle of New England, in many districts, have the characteristic* 
of th$ Sussex.” 
Within the last sixty years, specimens of the Short-horn, Long-horn, 
Hereford, Devon, Ayrshire, and Alderney or Jersey breed, have been 
imported to this country, and their blood has been more or less dissem¬ 
inated and mingled in various degrees with the former stock, being 
possessed (remotely) by many animals, probably, without the know¬ 
ledge of the breeder. But with few exceptions, the breeds just men¬ 
tioned have not tended to produce uniformity in the common stock, but 
on the contrary, from the want of systematic breeding, have generally 
had an opposite effect.* 
What has been said is not intended to deny that the common cattle 
are susceptible of improvement without further admixture with foreign 
stock. Nor is it intended to say that, by a proper course of breeding, 
a variety possessing peculiar and valuable properties may not be pro¬ 
duced from them. It is to be regretted that a skillful and systematic 
attempt to do this has not been made. Animals are frequently found 
among the common cattle of the country, whose shape and qualities are 
by no means of an inferior order, having reference either to the yoke, 
the dairy, or the stall; and under the judicious management of a Bake- 
well, a Colling, or a Price, there can be no reasonable doubt that these 
qualities might have been in a good degree established in numerous 
descendants. But we have wanted the right men for the business. 
When shall we see the experiment properly carried through ? 
The few trials of this kind which have been made, so far as they have 
been made public, have not been conducted in a way to throw much 
light on the subject. The results from the celebrated Oaks cow may be 
cited. At eight years old, 484^ lbs. of butter were made from her milk 
in eight and a half months; besides which she suckled her calf five 
weeks, and one quart of her milk, daily, was taken for other purposes. 
She was subsequently owned by Hon. Josiah Quincy and by Col. Jaques, 
_ 
* Besides the breeds mentioned, the Hungarian has been introduced by It. L. Colt, 
Esq., of New Jersey, and J. P. Cushing, Esq., of Watertown, Mass., and a pair of 
Syrian cattle by Lieut Lynch, on his return from the Dead Sea Exploring Expedition 
The latter were presented to the State of Virginia. 
1 
. 
