The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-27
COUNCIL OF AYRSHIRE BREED
ERS.
First National Meeting.

Sixteen breeders of Ayrshire cattle, re-
representatives. of that interest in the states
Vermont, New York. Massachusetts. Con
necticut and Rhode Island, met at Albany,
n. Y, on Thursday last and organized
society under the name of the Ayrshire
Breeders Association. The officers elected
are
President William Birnie, Springfield,
Mass.
Vice. presidents f. ID. Pearce,
Providence. r. l., I.emuel S. Drew, Bur
lipgton, VT
Treasurer Joseph f. Brown, Provi-
dence, II. |.
Secretar"-.Iohn X. Stuyvesant, Pough-
keepsic, n. Y.
Executive committee. u. w. French,
North Andover, Mass, Daniel Magone,
Ogdensburgh, N. Y, Stephen A. Wells,
Weathersfield. Conn N. S. Whitney,
Montreal, p. q, II. w. Blodgctt, Chicago,
Ill.,
The executive committee were empower
ed to fill vacancies that may occur IN their
own number before the next meeting, and
are authorized to prepare and report q con-
stitution and bylaws for the government of
the association. The next meeting of the
association will be held at Albany at the
call of the secretary.
Considerable discussion arose in regard
to the Ayrshire herd-book and its pedigrees
The two amateurs, Messrs. French and
Stuyvesant, proposed to sweep away every
thing that could not be traced by pen and
ink to importation, while the ripper judy
ments of A. b. Conger, Gen. N. M. Curtis,
Charles Sanford, James Miller, Edward l..
Coy, l.. s. Drew and others would accept
some, as heretofore, on their faith in the
veIacity of American breeders. 1t was
said that American bred animals often ex-
Gel imported ones, and also take the most
prizes at cattle shows and fairs. Mr. Con-
ger stated that. when in Scotland in 1854
the men from whom he took certificates
for cattle were not men of such character
as Messrs. Geo. W. Lyman of Waltham, |.
p. Prentice of Albany and VIM. Watson of
| New Ierk
Mr.. Brine said that importation alone
was no guaranty of purity. Sea captains
frequently bring cheap Scotch and Jersey
cows to this country simply TO give milk on
the voyage. and then sell them as best they
can. They are always men to be found
which will buy these cattle and try to make
thorough-breds of them. Mr.. Birnie's con-
nection with Ayrshire cattle was in this
wise When at one of the New York
state fairs, he thought, being a ScOtchman.
that he ought to have an Ayrshire COW.
BY advice of Mr.. Conger he visited the
| Ayrshires of Mr.. Prentice, and finally
bought his whole herd. He thought such
men as Messrs. Prentice, Lyman and Wat
son, who selected foreign animals on the
ground of their excellence, entitled to as
much confidence as those that had no such
characters to back them. There were no
herd-books or registers known then, either
in Scotland or America. Feeling the need
of one, he induced Mr.. Ii. Ii. Peters and
DR.. Thos. f. Hatch to make a start and
share the pecunlary risk. Subsequently,
he urged Mr. |. n Bagg of West Springfield
to undertake second and third volumes,
and spent considerable time in the exami-
nation of pcdigrees. The fourth volume,
recently published, was gotten up by Mr..
Bagg with the same honesty of purpose.
MIR. L. ID. Pearce of Providence, r. l.,
explained how Heather Bell" owned by
c. & S. Harris of River Point, r. l.. gain
ed such notoriety. She was small COW
and great mixer, and most all her calves
were heifcrs. Hence Heather Bell be-
came the synonym for milk, and many
calves took on that name. He thought that
when breeder claimed IA name, others
should keep aloof from it. The ventilation
of this whole subject will do much to in
crease the knowledge of the usefulness of
Ayrshres and make their registers popular.
Mr.. Corger justly remarked that Ayrshire
breeders do not study models so much as
| the milk pail