Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-03-11
To Farmers.

that the leaulnB business OF oul idi hl'lio \
should be that Of the dairy, as we have
before attempted to show, the SOONER
attention is directed to. this subject the /
better for all concerned. There are many .
questions connected with the business (
which might be elucidated by discus
sion Of them in the newspaper, and by .
experiments Of the farming class, record
ed and brought before the people in the
newspaper. uchques'ionsas reIateto the (
best breeds Of cattle for dairy purposes
the best means of cultivating the dairy
qualities Of cows; the best processes OF
converting milk into butter or cheese &c,
with the thousand and one incidental
questions connected with them. Such
questions might be discussed in the CO.
lumns Of every county newspaper by
the farmers Of the county where it was
published much more pro6tably TO the
country. than to have them filed with
recommendation Of quack uostrums,
sickly tales, stale witticisms and all that
kind OF trash which too often diStigure
or rather disgrace otherwise valuable
papers. il is unnecessary that the far
mers TO do this, should stop the paper de-
voted exclusively to his business. The
more he reads on the subjects which
ought principally to occupy his atten-
ton, the better able will he be TO write
for the benefit of others. The more he
reads or writes the more will his interest
in them increase, and the better able he
will be to experiment intenigcndy or to
conduct his business probably.
While therefore it is well for every far
mer to take a paper devoted exclusively
10 the farming interest, it is as well or
better for him to assist in sustaining his
own county paper to publish much g"
the same subjects. Books have been
published on most or all the subjects con
nected with farming and are valuable and
necessary, but they cannot supply the
place of continued discussion. One book
lately published on dairy husbandry,
is highly recommended, and might pro-
badly be proftably read by all our dairy.
men, but we cannot speak Of 1t from ac
tual knowledge not having had an oppor
tuni,y to examine it.
But this is rather a DEPRESSION from
the subjects we intended to talk about
which was, one of the questions connect
ed with the dairy, viz: What are thu
best means of culdvating the dairy quail
ties Of cows
No fact is better established, in ply
siology, than, that the qualities Of parent
are transmitted to their progeny, ant
longer any given quality has been con
tinued in the same line Of ancestors, tn
more surely may we expect it in thel
offspring. The different breeds Of cattl
horses and sheep, prove this conclusive
". We know that the calf from Devor
shire parents will be red we know b
fore hand nearly its shape, and otherpr'
perties and the same OF other pul
breeds. Now apply this principle to Il
rearing of cows for the dairy. Bre,
from those cows only, which are goo
mixers, and in a few years the milk pr
ducing properties Of our cows would
greatly increased. 1t it true the eifec
of this would not be seen in great d
gree at first, in breeding from our nati'
cattle. New England farmers have n
kept any one purpose in view, loi
enough, In breeding cattle, to be sure
the result in the first generation. Y
every step in the right direction woc
increase the certainty Of the result in
next step. Should the farmers ia a
considerable section OF country unite
breeding for the dairy alone, even frC
our native cattle, there can be lit
doubt, that in few years, we might ha
the best dairy cattle in the world. To
this to the best advantage, then We sho,
keep only the best cows for that pupo
Another fact, Gf itbe such, )contended
by many; that the male offspring is Ill
ly to inherit the peculiarities Of its mo
er, and the female those Of its sire.
this is true much more might be done
proper selection OF males from VIII
to breed, than ever has been. Indeed
selecting males, hitherto, the form, 81
and color; and these with reference
beef and fancy, have been the only
quisites sought, consequently males h.
been raised usually from the largest
handsomest cows, which are frequei
the poorest mixers.
If the above is fact, it is, on the c
trary, of more consequence, that the n
should be from good mixer than