James Young,
James S. Young.”
Examination of the Herd of William Calder, Esq., Harrisburg.
The commission visited one of the farms of William Calder, near Harrisburg. This gentleman has seven farms, containing nine hundred acres, and keeps a variety of stock. On the farm visited, near the reservoir, the commission examined eight head of grade stock, in very good order, on good September pasturage. The dairyman, a very intelligent man, had no record of the exact quantity and quality of the stock, but, as he milked them himself, a knowledge of their general qualities; and upon hearing the decision of the commission upon each cow, assented to the character given of all of them, except on two points: on one as to yield, and on another as to time. It was pleasing to notice the surprise and delight expressed by him at the exhibition, of entire strangers to the herd, of such accurate knowledge of them as the system showed it could give. And he determined to acquire it forthwith.
The commission saw a very fine black grade cow, with the calf by her side a perfect specimen of the Belted stock, though sired by a thorough-bred Jersey bull—to be accounted for only by the fact that the cow had been served by a Belted bull the third time before this one.
Examination of Several Herds near West Grove, Blanketed and Unblanketed, under the Supervision of a Committee of the Experimental Farm Club.
It had been stated by some that the commission used the ordinary means of judging of the value of cows, in addition to the Guenon tests. This was, of course, entirely denied by the commission; and as it was repeated in the public print, the commission, to settle the matter in the minds of candid men, offered to have any number of cows blanketed, so that only their posteriors could be seen, and then judge of their escutcheons, provided a committee should be present at the examination, view it closely, and give a report. Thus pressed, the challenge was accepted, and there was appointed a committee of five of some of the best farmers and dairymen residing near the Experimental farm. It was also understood that any could attend who wished to, and on the day of the examination three of the committee were present, as well as a number of other farmers. The commission examined the first five in the stable, blanketed, then two unblanketed, then two blanketed, and the remaining four unblanketed. The report of this committee is appended herewith. The cows were examined on a farm of Thomas Gawthrop, near West Grove. Afterward a number of cows were examined on several farms in the neighborhood, in the presence of the committee. No longer time was required to form an opinion on the blanketed cows than on the others, and the comparative results can be judged from the accompanying tables.
The commission met them on the day appointed, at the farm of Thomas Gawthrop, and in the presence of the committee (three being present,) and of others, examined seven cows blanketed, and would have examined more, but the committee said it was useless, as they could see, and had full faith that only the escutcheon was considered by the commission. On this farm thirteen head were examined, and the results are herewith given. All then adjourned to the farms of Mark Hughes, Howard Preston, and Everard Conard, and examined other stock in the presence of the committee. The committee’s report will be found annexed, thus setting to rest the charge that the commission were examining by any other than the Guenon test.
| Thomas Gawthrop’s account of Cows Examined at Thomas Gawthrop’s Farm, September 20. | The Guenon Commission’s Account of Cows Examined at Thomas Gawthrop’s Farm, September 20. |
|---|---|
| No. 1.—Victoria.—Grade, Jersey and Durham. | No. 1.—Victoria.*—Grade, Jersey and Durham. Eight years. |
| Quantity, first. | Quantity, first. |
| Quality, first. | Quality, first. |
| A first-class butter cow, and milks well up to time. | Up to her time. |
| No. 2.—Cecil.—Grade, Jersey. | No. 2.—Cecil.* |
| Quantity, first. | Quantity, first. |
| Quality, first. First-class for butter. | Quality, first. |
| Milks up to time. | Short eight weeks. |
| No. 3.—Nellie. | No. 3.—Nellie.*—Demijohn, 1. |
| Quantity, second. | Quantity, second. |
| Quality, second. | Quality, first. |
| Dry from ten to twelve weeks. | Short eight weeks. |
| No. 4.—Lucy.—Recently purchased. | No. 4.—Lucy.*—Flanders, 2d. |
| Yields three months from calving thirteen quarts. | Quantity, second. |
| Quality, first. | Quality, first. |
| Up to her time. | |
| No. 5.—Lily.—Grade, Jersey. | No. 5.—Lily.*—Grade, Jersey. Flanders, 2d. |
| Quantity, second. | Quantity, second. |
| Quality, first. | Quality, first. |
| Milks up to time. | Dry four to six weeks. |
| No. 6.—Beauty.—Jersey. | No. 6.—Beauty.—Jersey. Five years old. |
| Yields fourteen quarts per day. | Quantity, third. |
| Quality, first. | Quality, second. |
| Milks to within eight weeks of calving. | Dry two months. |
| No. 7.—Darby.—Jersey. | No. 7.—Darby.—Jersey. Flanders, 2d. |
| Quantity, fourteen quarts per day. | Quantity, second. |
| Quality, first. | Quality, first. |
| Almost impossible to turn dry, though never excelling in quantity. | Dry four weeks. |
| No. 8.—Star.—Grade, three quarter Jersey. | No. 8.—Star.†—Grade, three quarter Jersey. |
| Flanders, 3d. | |
| Yield with first calf from twelve to fourteen quarts per day, and milks well up to time. | Quantity, second. |
| Quality, first class. | Quality, first. |
| Dry six weeks. | |
| Her Jersey blood helps to overcome some blemishes on her escutcheon. | |
| No. 9.—Norah. | No. 9.—Norah.†—Grade. |
| Quantity, first, | Quantity, first. |
| Quality, first. | Quality, first. |
| Dry from eight to ten weeks. | Up to her time. |
| No. 10.—Sallie.‡ | No. 10.—Sallie.—Grade. Twelve years. Flanders, 2d. |
| Quantity, second. | Quantity, 2d. |
| Quality, second. | Quality, second. |
| Goes dry eight weeks. | Up to her time. |
| No. 11.—Dido.‡—Grade. | No. 11.—Dido.—Grade. Left Flanders. |
| Quantity, twenty quarts. | Quantity, first. |
| Second in quality. | Quality, second. |
| Dry from eight to twelve weeks. | Dry three months. |
| No. 12.—Molly.‡ | No. 12.—Molly. Imperfect Flanders. |
| Yields about sixteen quarts per day. | Quantity, second. |
| Second-class quality. | Quality, second. |
| Dry from eight to twelve weeks. | Dry ten weeks. |
| No. 13. Whiteface‡ | No. 13.—Whiteface.—Grade. Curveline, 3d. |
| Second-class in quantity, fifteen quarts per day. | Quantity, third. |
| Second quality. | Quality, second. |
| Dry about ten weeks. | Dry ten weeks. |