Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1867-01-04
Westminster Farmers Club.
DEC. "a


ton to Congress relative TO the Tariff
question, returned the same to the Club
with upwards of two hundred signatures.
The Secretary was directed 10 forward
the same to Hon. Justin S. Morrill,.
Mr.. Horace Goodhue opened the dis
cussion OF the questions for the evening,
viz: What breed, Of cattle is best adapted
for beef? What bre, d, for work What
breed for milk 1t is a familiar principle
that like bege;s like. Profing by this he
had reared an excellent herd of cattle,
all bred primarily from a COW of superb
quality. The breed was mainly Durham.
He had marketed many excellent animals
from his herd for work and for beef, and
thought bis success chi, fly owing to breed
ing from that COW coupled with judicious
crossing. He believed that it was full as
important to have excellent qualities in
the dam as in the sire. The COW TO which
he owed his success in breeding was of
vigorous constitution, active, possessed of
a full bright eye, of kindly disposition,
deep in the ribs, thin and light in the
shoulders, and swelling out full towards
the hind quarters. She was large, regu-
larly formed, covered with close, silky
hair. She was good for milk. He always
crossed his cows with the very best pure
blood male, generally Durham. He
thought every farmer could from good Sc
lections from native stock, thus raise ami
mails superior for beef, for work, and for
milk.
Mr.. /. n. Farr said it was conceded
point that the Durham breed was the most
profitable for beef, growing large rapidly,
| and coming to maturity early under good
keeping. The Devons were the best for
work being active and good travellers. The
large, unwieldy Durham cattle would do
very well for lazy man to drive. AS for
milk, the best cow he ever had was
coarse haired native. He made from her
in the month Of March nine pounds of
butter per week, fed only on hay and
straw.
S. c. Underwood would select good
animal from whatever breed, by its char
acteristics. There were points which
would indicate an aptness for work, or
beef, or for milk, in the animal which were
vastly more reliable even than tracing
pedigree by herd books He had found,
however, a cross of the Native and Dur
ham breeds most productive as mixers.
Mr.. Grout had found the Durham breed
of cattle would produce very large hand
some steers, best of all for beef, for work,
and even for making large amount of
good butter.
Mr.. Jessaniah Hunt said the Durhams
and Devons both, or cross between them
were superior for beef, also for work.
They grew up quickly. He believed in
good blood and good keeping too. Have
the best breed and the best keeping both
and you will have good cattle. If how
ever either is to be ordinary, let it be the
breed by all means. He regarded the
Dutch cattle as presented at The New
England Fair, superior to all others if we
regarded all three points at once, Beef,
Work and Milk. He gave description
of this kind of stock as introduced into this
town, by Maj. Page and others, some
| years since from Consul Jarvis herd. Mr..
Pierce also believed this stock to be Of the
same kind as the Dutch cattle seen at the
Fair.
Dea. Mcneil, said the Dutch cattle in
all respects just filled his eye. They
were just right. Mr.. Goodrich and many
others heartily approved this preference
for the Datch cattle when all items were
regarded at once.
Other farmers Of the Club with the
above named, now participated in gene
raj discussion of the subject, from which
the following was gathered:
No matter what the breed or qualities
of COW may be, she must be fed well to
thrive or yield milk well. The milk first
enters the cows mouth in shape of boun.
tiful food. House, litter, give pure fresh
water, card, feed and milk regularly and
the udders of The cows will be streaming
fountains of richness, health and wealth to
her owners.
Milk from ill-housed, diseased, slop-fed,
animals deprived of pure water and pure
air, was the sword Of Herod that depopu-
lated our cities.
The Alderneys somewhat extensively
introduced into Westminster the past year
were regarded as a homely, ill-favored
breed Of feeble constitution, rag led, I'M
couth animals, whose little tendency to
fsiien, would not Interfere iniuriously with
the small quantity of milk which they
yield often in an inverse ratio TO the luxu-
rance of their keeping. q
Mr.. Eddie Pierce u ho had rort 81 mr., an