now have in this state three hundred thousand cattle, producing a yearly revenue of more than $6,000,000; and when we examine the fact, that within twenty-five years a great change has taken place, and is still going on, in the uses to which cattle are applied, the subject assumes an importance which should receive our most careful consideration. In England, Scotland, Germany and nearly all of the European States, for a long time, and especially during the last half century, improved breeds of cattle have called forth the best agricultural talent, and vast sums of money have been expended on this object. But in this country prior to 1817, scarcely any attention was paid to this matter, and from that period to 1852, when some spirited companies in Ohio and Kentucky made quite extensive importations of Short Horns, but little attention was paid to blood cattle, except in isolated cases, and the public attention was not at all aroused to the importance of the project. Since then stock breeding has constantly increased in importance, so that at the present time there is a very general inquiry into the merits of the different breeds of cattle.

"Cattle were imported into this state in 1631, '32 and '33 by Capt. John Mason from Denmark to supply the Danish emigrants who had settled on the Piscataqua river." "These cattle were coarse, large animals of a yellowish color;" and I infer that they made good milkers from the fact that this color, in native cows, has always been held in high repute by dairymen: and from this time down to the present, importations from Europe have been made of the various races of cattle there, and so commingled and mixed up that native or grade cattle may mean a very good, ordinary or decidedly bad animal, of any size, form or color. That these grades of cattle have produced fine animals, both of the ox and the cow, admits of no dispute. "But the uncertainty of these cows producing an offspring equally meritorious, has been an utter bar to establishing a race, from among themselves, of even standard value for the dairy." "It is a mere chance medley affair altogether." One of the chief defects of these common cattle, is their lack of early maturity.

Amongst the earliest pure breeds of cattle imported into this country was probably the Devons; for oxen of this color, build, form of horns and motion, have been held in high repute by teamsters ever since oxen were used for labor here. "The origin

of these cattle dates very far back. Some claim that they were known in England at the time of its invasion by the Romans; but be this as it may, they are certainly the oldest known race of cattle in the British Empire, and their blood has been kept purer and more distinct than any other race. They are decided favorites in England on hilly soils, where their compact forms and active habits fit them both for grazing and work. Their size is an objection to persons who wish to raise large animals, but in the Southern States, the Devon is often preferred to any other breed. They have few equals for work, good at the pail, and full medium for the shambles, and in my opinion have no superiors when labor on the farm and teaming on the road are performed by oxen, and when grazing requires activity to supply the wants of the animal.

The Alderney, Jersey, Guernsey, or Channel Islands cattle, are all one breed, though they are often designated as different races. They are usually known in this state as Jerseys. The cows of this breed have obtained quite a notoriety in many sections. of the country, and are commanding high prices. "This breed are natives of Normandy in the northern part of France. Natives of a milder climate than ours, they are more delicate in constitution and require good shelter and food," and must be handled kindly and carefully. They give very rich milk and make superior butter. Still this breed does not work its way to any considerable extent into public favor. Youatt, the celebrated English writer on cattle, does not devote quite two pages to this breed. Flint, in his work on Milch Cows, says "the most common decision prevailing among many, even of the best judges of stock, seems to be that however desirable the cows may be for the lawn, or the gentleman's park, they are wholly unsuited to the general use of the practical farmer," and Allen, the most celebrated writer on neat cattle in this country, says "she is simply a milking cow, and for nothing else should the race ever be bred." There is no necessity for telling a story of large quantities of either milk or butter being produced by an Alderney. They were never made for great yields of anything.

AYRSHIRES.

This breed were imported into this country about thirty-eight years ago, and they have met with a fair share of public favor. It is admitted by the best authors that this breed is indebted to

the Short Horns, on one side, at least, for its symmetry of form and good milking qualities; and that a cross of a small sized Short Horn bull, with a native cow, would produce a stock much resembling them. The Ayrshire cow as a milking cow on ordinary keep has no superior. It is claimed by the advocates of this breed that they will give a larger return of milk for the food consumed, than crosses of any other breed. It is not a favorite with the butcher, as the fifth quarter does not weigh well, and as oxen they are but medium.

DUTCH OR HOLSTEIN.

This breed of cattle, which are creating some little stir in the New England states, were imported into this country as early as 1825, but have not yet spread abroad to any considerable extent. Mr. Chenery, who imported some fine specimens of this breed in 1852, '57 and '59, has been the most successful propagator of this race of any who has taken hold of it yet. Allen says "the dairy qualities of the Holstein must be acknowledged as remarkable. The Short Horns, as in many instances of trial, have heretofore acknowledged no superior; yet they have now, in these new strangers to our soil, to say the least, found most formidable competitors, and an opportunity is here offered, by those who cultivate them for the dairy, to test their long acknowledged good qualities by comparison." Great care has been taken by the Dutch in cultivating the milking qualities of this breed, especially for cheesemaking purposes.

The color of the Holsteins, jet black, spotted with pure white with a skin of the same color, is not indicative of rich milk, and I entertain serious doubts about the superiority of their milk for butter making. As beef animals and working oxen, I know nothing; and can learn but little from any American authors which I have consulted, but see no good reason why they may not be fair for both.

The Holsteins are a large breed of cattle, but in symmetry of form and general appearance, they do not strike the cultivated eye of the admirer of the bovine race with that force that the Short Horns do.

SHORT HORNS.

Great attention has been given to the perfection of this distinguished breed in England, and far greater numbers of them have been imported into this country, north of the Potomac,