258 
WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
scarcely ever rises above 65° or sinks below 50°, while the 
average through the year is not far from 60°. 
Bunch grass, wild oats, and other natural grasses, grow in 
great luxuriance, and are depended upon as pasture for stock. 
About three thousand cows are in milk on the estate, and 
they are divided up into twenty-one dairies, averaging about 
one hundred and fifty cows to each. The different farms or 
ranches are substantially fenced with red wood pickets six feet 
long, diiven into the ground about six or eight inches apart, 
with a rail placed horizontally about two feet from the top to 
which each picket is nailed. As there is no frost here, these 
fences keep their position, and will stand without needing re¬ 
pair for twenty years. Generally, each ranche has interior 
fences dividing the land into four fields. 
Mr. Howard states that he commenced improving his stock 
about the year 1858 by crossing common eastern cows with 
two thoroughbred Short-Horn bulls of good milking family 
brought from Vermont at a cost of $10,000. 
•One of the Vermont bulls was an exceedingly fine one, and 
his stock proved to be excellent milkers. 
A year or two after, twenty-two head of Devon cattle were 
purchased and introduced among the herds. This breed did 
not prove satisfactory, and it was discarded, and in 1865 he 
commenced again wiih the Short-Horns, raising annually one- 
fifth of the calves from the best cows. In this way the stock 
has been improved so that a good flow of milk is obtained. 
Size of Stock, Influenced by the Surface of the Country .—I have 
stated that the Point Beyes estate was broken up into 
numerous hills and valleys. Many of the hills almost approach 
the dignity of mountains. Their sides are rounded, and do not 
generally present an abrupt surface, but are of a sufficient 
inclination to be readily reached in all their parts by cattle. 
This uneven surface, requiring the climbing of hills and descent 
into valleys in quest of food, has had a strongly-marked influ¬ 
ence on the size and form of the stock. The animals are quite 
small for Short-Horns, and apparently more active than is 
