from them have been various. Some importers have evidently been unfortunate in their selections. One of four Ayrshire cows imported by J. P. Cushing, Esq., of Watertown, Mass., gave in one year, 3,864 quarts of milk, beer measure. The late

E. Phinney, Esq., of Lexington, Mass., informed the writer that, the first Ayrshire cow imported by the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, 1837, afforded sixteen pounds of butter per week, for several weeks in succession, fed on grass only. The yield of several of the cows imported or bred by Messrs. Hungerford & Brodie, of Jefferson county, N. Y., is understood to have equalled if not exceeded this. On the whole, so far as an opinion can be formed from fair trials, it may be said that no breed has afforded here, more satisfactory returns, for dairy purposes, than the Ayrshire.

THE JERSEY OR ALDERNEY BREED takes its name from a group of islands in the English channel, and is hence sometimes called the Channel Islands breed. These cattle are supposed to have come, originally, from the French coast, as they bear a close resemblance to those of Normandy. Indeed, they were formerly called the "Alderney or Normandy breed." The cows are distinguished for the richness of their milk and the superior quality of the butter it affords. The quantity of butter is also large, in proportion to the size of the cow, which is considerably less than that of the Devon. The old stock was delicate in constitution, and the shape of many of them was ragged and uncouth -as Col. Le Couteur, in his essay on the Jersey cow, has remarked, they were "Meg Merriles of cows." The Alderneys were introduced into this country upwards of thirty years ago. About that time they were quite common in the vicinity of Boston, being kept by gentlemen at their country seats; but they generally failed for want of hardiness. The improved Jersey is claimed to be superior to the stock of Alderney and Guernsey. A society has existed in Jersey for many years, which was established for the improvement of these cattle. According to Col. Le Couteur-to whose valuable essay, published in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, of England, and republished in the Transactions of the New-York State Agricultural Society, 1855, we have alluded-the shape and constitution of the breed have been much improved, by proper selections through many generations, while something

has been gained in the quantity of butter afforded, in proportion to the food consumed. This improved stock has only been introduced into this country within a few years, and, of course, time enough has not elapsed to justify a positive opinion in regard to their success here. They are evidently superior to the old stock in having better constitutions; their hides are generally thicker, though still frequently too thin; they have much better forms, and their fattening tendency is increased, but is not generally possessed to that degree which causes the cow to carry much flesh while giving milk. So far as an opinion can at present be formed, they appear to be just the cows for the town and city, where food enough and comfortable shelter are always provided; and in respect to general adaptation for dairy purposes, are worthy a fair trial. Some persons who keep this breed of cows, in the vicinity of Boston, have found no difficulty in getting an extra price for their butter. Fifty cents a pound has been obtained, in several instances, for all the dairy produced.

The issue was Flora received

The bull Diamond (figured at page 143), is owned by Wm. A. Harris, Esq., of Newton, Mass. His dam, Flora; was bred by Col. Le Couteur, in the island of Jersey. She was imported in the spring of 1854, being then less than two years old, and preg nant by a first-prize bull of the Jersey Society. the bull in question, dropped July 27th, 1854. the first premium of the Jersey Society, being awarded all the merits (28) belonging to the scale for heifers. She has never been accurately tried in reference to dairy produce, but her appearance indicates the possession of superior properties for butter. Her son, Diamond, is an animal of great beauty of form with much energy and constitution. He might, in fact, be pronounced a model of a bull for a dairy breed. The figure gives a very just idea of him.

The cow Flirt (figured at page 153), was bred and is owned by Thos. Motley, Jr., Esq., of West Roxbury, Mass. She was got by Colonel-bred by Col. Le Couteur-dam Flora (not the cow mentioned in the pedigree of Diamond), selected by Mr. Motley, in Jersey. Flirt received the first premium on Jersey cows, at the show of the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture, 1857, being then five years old. She is well shaped (as her portrait shows), has a good constitution, and is known to be a