during repeated
generations, aided perhaps by judicious crossing with more recent
importations, fully as good as any now existing, is not to be doubted.
Very probably, a breed for dairy purposes might be thus created which
should excel any now existing in Europe, for some of our so called
native cows, carelessly as they have been bred, are not surpassed by
any of foreign origin upon which great care has been expended. To
accomplish this is an object worthy the ambition of those who possess
the skill, enthusiasm, ample means and indomitable perseverance
requisite to success. But except the single attempt of Col. Jaques, of
the Ten Hills Farm, to establish the Creampot breed,[24] of which, as
little has been heard since his death, it is fair to presume that it
has dropped into the level of common grade cattle, no systematic and
continued effort has come to our knowledge. Consequently such as may
be deemed absolutely the best is a thing of the future; they do not
yet exist--and there is no probability that the desideratum will soon
be attained. We Yankees are an impatient people; we dislike to wait,
for any thing, or to invest where five, ten, twenty or fifty years may
be expected to elapse before satisfactory dividends may be safely
anticipated.

Still, if all would begin to-day, to use what skill and judgment they
have, or can acquire, in breeding only from the best of such as they
have, coupling with reference to their peculiarities, and consigning
to the butcher as fast as possible every inferior animal, and if, in
addition, they would do what is equally necessary, namely, improve
their general treatment as much as lies in their power, there would
result an immediate, a marked and a steadily progressive improvement
in stock. To the acclimation or Americanization already acquired,
would be added increased symmetry of form and greater value in many
other respects. This is within the power of every man, and whatever
else he may be obliged to leave undone, for want of ability, none
should be content to fall short of this. Those who have the command of
ample means will of course desire that improvement should be as rapid
as possible. They will endeavor at once to procure well bred animals,
or in other words, such as already possess the desired qualities so
thoroughly inwrought into their organization that they can rely with a
good degree of confidence on their imparting them to their progeny.

It may be well to allude her