Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-16
agrifultural.
A Talk at the Fair.


County Agricultural Society last week. I've
had long talk with farmer whom we
had never met before, and who, as we
walked along past the cattle pens. note
book in hand. evidently took US tor one of
the committeeman, or perhaps for an ex-
pert one-man Judge, as is now the custom
for most societies to employ. This man
| had quite lot of stock upon the show
ground, some twenty head in all. buff
we must make what seems to us very
just criticism, and made in the interest OF
true Improvement in breeding-most OF
them very ordinary animals. Now just
here we want to put in the re-
mark that this applies with much force to
the chief portion of the cattle shown at
this fair. Ordinary is a good term to
describe that which is common, and ordi-
nary stock is common because it repre-
sents no choice, high, improved blood.
1t shows want OF the improving, stay
I ing, dominating qualities of the thorough
bred blood, especially as shown in the
best breeding sires of the pure blood
( families or breeds. If asked what the
farm stock on the farms represented at
this exhibition needed most of all to bring
up its quality and character, we
should unhesitatingly reply, IAN
/ introduction of few of the best
/ aAt
of the several breeds kept, to be crossed
upon the best cows now owned in the sew
eral towns" Euch a course would in 4
few years so improve and bring up the
quality of the individual animals, that
with little selection far better show of
stock could be made than was made this
year But this selection should, even with
common stock, be more carefully made
Tor our fairs, than it is. An exhibitor
had better select four good, likely ami
mails out of his herd and show them, than
to exhibit his whole herd of twenty head
good, ordinary and scrubs all togeth err
Now to 90 back tor moment to our con-
/ NtTsdllOH Win Tue Idt fneF.
We said most of his animals
were ordinary. The exceptions were
three individuals which. he informed us
and we saw no reason to doubt the asser-
/ tion-were thoroughbred Here fords, "a bull,
/ three year old heifer and heifer calf; and
one fine high grade Jersey COW. The
others were a most common collection of
very ordinary cows, heifers and calves 4;
some showing Hereford characteristics,
some those of the Jersey. We looked
them over carefully, the farmer mean
while following us from one end of his
string to the other, as we went back and
forth. Finally we ventured to ask why
he did not more closely confine his year
| ly breeding to one class Gas his
herd represented parts of two or three
classes) of animals, either the Jersey or
the Iiereford-as he had some full bloods
of the latter, and some very high grades,
nearly full bloods, of the former. Well.
he really had not the means, he replied,
to 60 into high priced fancy blooded stock.
and felt obliged to get along as he did.
Then we ventured to inquire still further
what special line of farming, if any, he
was engaged in. To this he replied that
he was making butter. Then we told him
that if butter was his specially he GER
tainly did not want to breed Herefords
he wanted to breed Jerseys, Gas he
had one or two good grade ami
ais of this breed,) and he should get
a good male animal, or get some of his
neghbors to join him in the purchase of
such one il he could not buy it alone
We explained to him briefly the difference
| in these two breeds. that the Heretords
were in no sense butter breed, as were
the Jerseys. but that they were the
best beef breed in the world, and if
he was to keep on making butter he didn't
want them. And moreover he should
endeavor to select his herd. discard the
poor animals he had, and breed on
ly the best.
After we talked with our new made
friend in this way for short time,
his eyes and intelligence opened
as to new revelation, and he said,
as he thanked us, and made a steady.
earnest, ne-sided stare at the ground in
front of him. II guess you're right,
neighbor." We guess we are-and
we guess these remarks will apply to
many other counties and towns in Maine
besides those named.