LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. Chus f T . L_. IV! I HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE PROVEN CONCLUSIVELY THE OLDEST OF IMPROVED BREEDS By T. L. MILLER WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED A HISTORY OF THE HEREFORDS IN AMERICA By WM. H. SOTHAM 1902 T. F. B. SOTHAM, Publisher CHILLICOTHE, MISSOURI Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1902, by T. F. B. SOTHAM, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, AH Rights Reserved. GENERAL AGRIC. LIBBAfiY INTRODUCTION. "I have just returned from a trip to the Pacific Coast, and everywhere on the western plains found the Whitefaces conspicuous. And they look well wherever they are to be seen. I know they have a magnificent future. I am not a boomer, but this is a great country and I feel assured that our present prosperity will continue. It has always been demonstrated that Herefords are great cattle wherever grass grows, and the settlement of this irrigation problem now agitating the West will convert the desert into pastures and open up vast areas to cattle raising. The more grass, the more Hereford cattle will be needed, and with all due respect to other breeds, I venture the assertion that Herefords will make more beef on grass than any other breed of which I have any knowledge/' When we consider where and by whom the sentence above quoted was uttered, and the unequalled sources of information and expe- rience that led to this conclusion, we feel, that at last, the Hereford breed of cattle is coming into its own. The speaker was Mr. Alvin H. Sanders, Managing Editor of the greatest live stock pub- lication in the world, namely, the "Breeders' Gazette," Chicago. The occasion was the reduc- tion sale of the Weavergrace Herd, at which, in Chicago, Tuesday, March 25th, 1902, was gathered one of the largest representative com- panies of Hereford breeders the country has ever seen. With all due respect for the work of individuals in popularizing pure breeds of live stock, their work without the aid of the agricultural press must of necessity be limited in its influence. The leading advocates of Hereford cattle in America ever fully realized the influence of the agricultural press, and as far as they could have endeavored to utilize it in spreading a correct knowledge of the Here- ford breed. The influence that utilized the power of the agricultural press to propagate injurious theo- ries, and their success in that direction, are thoroughly set forth in the body of this work and need not be discussed further here. We are glad to say, however, that conditions and influences, existent at the time the "Breeders' Gazette" was founded, have largely disappeared. Nothing shows plainer the present unpreju- diced position of the "Breeders' Gazette" than the fact that it has been accused by prominent speakers in important meetings of Shorthorn breeders of being partial to the Herefords ; that on several occasions adherents of other breeds have asserted that the "Gazette" leaned toward the Aberdeen-Angus "Doddies," while com- plaints that the "Gazette" was a Shorthorn pa- per have been frequent. Each breed in turn, prompted by some activity of its rivals (fully reported in the "Gazette"), exhibiting its in- born jealousy. The statement that "Herefords will make more beef on grass than any other breed," made by Mr. Sanders, has been made repeatedly by Col. F. M. Woods, the celebrated live stock WELLINGTON COURT, NEAR HEREFORD. auctioneer, whenever he has conducted a sale of Herefords. Similar statements have been made on hundreds of occasions by that other favorite auctioneer, Col. K. E. Edmonson, who for years was the idol of the Kentucky Short- horn breeders. This "Kentuckian of Ken- tuckians" not only makes this assertion in words, but, backs it up in action, having be- come an extensive breeder of Hereford cattle on his Texas ranch. These are not to be counted straws to show which way the wind blows, but rather may be considered goodly- sized weather-vanes, known and seen of all men, for without commenting on the influence of these two great auctioneers we can say of the "Breeders' Gazette" under the management 101932 1 N T BOBUCTION KING'S-PYON CHURCH, NEAR HEREFORD. Wigmore Grange, born 1713, and the superior- ity of their cattle long before B. Tomkins, Jr.'s, marriage. These recollections and many facts that will be mentioned clearly prove that the systematic improvement of the Herefords was begun by the elder B. Tomkins in 1742. It will be seen on referring to Sinclair's" His- tory of Hereford Cattle that when Eichard Tomkins of the New House Farm, King's- Pyon, died in 1723, he let seven children six sons and one daughter. The eldest, Miles, was nineteen and the youngest, Thomas, was three years old. He left to Richard, his second son, a yoke of oxen, named "Spark" and "Merchant," with ten acres of land. To his fourth son, Benjamin, a cottage and land and a cow called "Silver" with her calf. The others were left small sums of money, and his widow, Catherine, the little New House Farm for life, making her his sole executrix. His will was proved in the Consis- tory Court at Hereford. He doubtless had good reason for leaving these cattle to Eichard and Benjamin. Eichard being nineteen was old enough to be teamster and was left his team. Benjamin being- nine years old would be old enough to take an in- terest in the cattle, possibly wishing to possess the Silver cow and calf, which his father after- wards left him by will. This would be calcu- lated to give him additional interest in the cattle and dairy, probably filling the office of cattleman for a time. Having two brothers younger than himself, he necessarily would have to leave the small farm when one of these were old enough to take his place and seek a situation in the particular line he had followed at home. This he appar- ently did, as all the sons but one were brought up to be farmers, and Professor Low was in- formed that Mr. Tomkins married his employ- er's daughter. Low does not give the source of this information, but it certainly would not come from the Misses Tomkins. We find by the parish records that B. Tom- kins, Sr., married a Miss Ann Preece, of Alton Court Farm, in the parish of Dilwyn, in 1742, and began business at the Court House Farm, Canon-Pyon. In Low's words: "Mr. Tomkins when a young man was in the employment of an individual, afterwards his father-in-law, and had the especial charge of the dairy. Two cows had been brought to this 1 N T R D U C I 1 ION dairy, supposed to have been purchased at the fair of Kington, on the confines of Wales. Mr. Tomkins remarked the extraordinary tendency of these animals to become fat. On his mar- riage he acquired these two cows and com- menced breeding them on his own account. The one with more white he called 'Pigeon' and the other of a rich red color with a spotted face he called 'Mottle/ ' ; Further he says: "He then began a system of breeding that ultimately completely altered the character of the Herefords." Low applied this information to B. Tomkins, Jr., who mar- ried his first cousin Sarah, daughter of Eichard Tomkins, of Wormsley Grange, in 1772. Family tradition and the King's-Pyon register attest that his father died in 1748, when Mr. B. Tomkins, Jr., was but three years old, con- sequently he could not have been in the "em- ployment of an individual, afterwards his father-in-law;" nor is it likely that Low's in- formant would call his first cousin "daughter of an individual." This expression may well have been applied to the elder man's wife, as in the lapse of years her father's name would most likely have been forgotten. It may be retorted that it was the widow who employed him, but Richard Tomkins left three sons, Richard, George and Thomas, aged twelve, eight and two years respectively. All were brought up as farmers, so that the widow could not have at any time required the services of her nephew when old enough even to manage for her. As to his ever being employed as a dairyman, the idea is absurd, for his father, as will be shown, had only two sons, and was a well-to-do man at the time. Many other circumstances prove this por- tion of Low's information to refer to B. Tom- kins, Sr., on his marriage in 1742. Low not knowing that there had been two of the same name applied it to the son, on his marriage in 1772. Again, Professor Low in his "Practical Agri- culture" (1843) writing of Hereford cattle, says: "The breed owes all its celebrity to changes began about the year 1760. The great im- prover, or rather it may be said, the founder of the modern breed, was the late Mr. Tomkins of King's-Pyon, near Hereford, who, from a very humble stock of cows, but by means of a long course of skilled selection, communicated to the breed its most valuable distinctive char- acters." There is unmistakable evidence that the Misses Tomkins let Low believe that it was all the work of their father, consequently it is not surprising that he did not harmonize facts and dates when applying them all to the younger man. . Low here says the changes began about 1760. This was nine years before the younger man commenced business (as ^will be shown later on) and twelve years before his marriage in 1772, yet, as previously quoted, Low says he commenced the improvement on his mar- riage, evidently referring to the elder man. It is greatly to be regretted that Low never seriously attempted to harmonize his facts and dates. If he had done so he must have dis- covered at once the existence of B. Tomkins, Sr., and given a chronologically correct history of the origin and development of the Tomkins cattle. The correction of his remarkable mis- take quite allies the hitherto accepted ideas as to when the systematic improvement of the Herefords began, which was in 1742, not 1772. COURT HOUSE, CANON-PYON, HEREFORDSHIRE. Tomkins was at work improving the Herefords nearly a quarter of a century before Bakewell began to improve the Longhorns, and a much longer time before the Brothers Colling, the Shorthorns; consequently Bakewell followed' Tomkins, not Tomkins Bakewell, as has been generally asserted and believed. Thus the Herefords are the oldest improved breed of cattle in the kingdom. B. Tomkins, Sr., had evidently formed the idea of developing a superior breed of cattle to any then extant some years before his mar- riage in 1742. On his marriage he was able to set about it in a systematic way, having already selected the materials. He began with the three distin- guishing color types of the Tomkins cattle, namely, the Silvers, reds with white faces, the mottles and the greys. These three type names were applied to the Herefords for more than a century, unfortunately giving rise to endless controversies amongst breeders about breed. Low says Tomkins "acquired the cows 8 INTRODUCTION "Pigeon" and "Mottle" on account of their ex- traordinary tendency to become fat, qualities most likely not manifest in his Silvers, which we infer would be more of the large bony type, suitable for draught purposes, like the majority of the cattle were at that time. The rising importance of our manufacturing and commer- cial interests would be creating an increased demand for butcher's meat. Young Tomkins saw in this a new sphere of usefulness and profit in cattle other than the yoke and pail. He saw manifest in these two cows some of the characteristics he desired to conserve and in- tensify for this purpose. _ Fortunately, we know under what conditions ' these cows fed so rapidly. Artificial foods were not used in those days, and the Alton Court pastures are by no means feeding lands, yet their cows quickly became fat on them, having most likely come off the still poorer Welsh Hills; at any rate they apparently fed much more rapidly than any of the others under the same conditions. Tomkins was impressed with this, and con- ceived the idea of raising up a race of cattle that would readily fatten on inferior food. As the grass at the Court House partook of the same character, he for upwards of twenty years carried out his works on inferior pastures. Although Richard Tomkins was but a small yeoman farmer, the minute books of King's- Pyon show that the family received a good education at a time when many of the middle classes could not read nor write, and the peas- ants were wholly uneducated. All the sons appear to have been enterpris- ing, as they soon became established on farms in the neighborhood: Miles at the Hill in 1727, Richard at Wormsley Grange in 1734, Benjamin at the Court House in 1742, George at Wooton in 1746; John, known as "Butcher Jack," as a butcher in Canon Pyon, afterwards joining the army as a life guardsman. The daughter married Oakley, a farmer in Canon Pyon, and the youngest son, Thomas, remained with his mother, subsequently going with her to Calverhill Farm, in the parish of Norton Canon. This shows that there were a whole colony of the family farming in the neighbor- hood when B. Tomkins, Sr., was at his work of improvement, and we know that all these men and their descendants acquired the Tom- kins cattle. B. Tomkins, Sr., had only two sons who lived to grow up, Thomas and Benjamin, born 1743 and 1745. He had one daughter, who married Williams of Brinsop Court, brother of Williams of Thinghill Court. Both these men won prizes for cattle at the early Hereford shows. When B. Tomkins, Sr., increased his holding by taking Wellington Court, in addition to the Court House, in 1758, his two sons were fifteen and thirteen years old, by which time he had become comparatively well oft', chiefly by the sale of his improved cattle that were then in possession of all the farming members of the family and many others throughout the coun- try. His most intimate friend, William Gal- liers of Wigmore Grange, had a fine herd founded on the Tomkins breed, as it was al- ready called. This was in the recollection of members of the family still living when Sin- clair wrote his history. From the foregoing it will be seen that B. Tomkins, Sr., was not only the first who systematically improved the Herefords as beef producers, but was actually the founder or originator of the improved breed, and pioneer improver of cattle in these islands on systematic lines. He worked for nearly fifty years, 1742 to 1789, and his son B. Tomkins, Jr., worked with him for more than thirty of them, continuing for twenty- five years after his father's death. Unlike Bakewell, he was a quiet, steady worker, accumulating means rapidly, without pushing himself for public notice. This char- acteristic was even more pronounced in his son, whose name seldom appeared, but when challenging the boastings of contemporary breeders, whom he never failed to silence. This, in some measure, accounts for the great value of their work not being publicly recog- nized until years after, when the glamour of the famous sale at the Brook House in 1819 drew universal attention to the younger man's work, quite obliterating the elder, by merging his life into that ( of the more conspicuous figure of his son. In the meantime their im- proved cattle had been quietly absorbed and helped to build up without exception all the famous old herds that it has been possible to trace back to their foundation. Soon after going to live at Wellington Court in 1758 B. Tomkins, Sr., relinquished the Court House to his eldest son, Thomas. The younger son, Benjamin, appears to have re- mained with his father until on his contem- plated marriage with his first cousin he took the Blackball' farm, King's Pyon, 1769. Writers have been uncertain as to the exact date when B. Tomkins, Jr., began business at the Blackball. The parish books of King's- Pyon show this date, as the last signa- ture of his predecessor appears in 1768 and B. Tomkins, Jr.'s, first signature in 1769. B. Tomkins, Jr., undoubtedly had his select breed- ing cattle from his father's herd at Wellington INTRODUCTION Court. Being the favorite son he would have his pick of the best of them, and the two herds were afterwards bred conjointly for twenty years, when on his father's death, in 1789, he acquired the stock and farm at Wellington Court. In the meantime B. Tomkins, Jr., had acquired the Court House and Brook House Farms, King's-Pyon, in addition to the Black- hall, so that the father and son together occu- pied three and for a time four farms from 650 to 840 acres in extent. How closely they worked together is shown by his having his father's stock and farm on his death. The lives and work of father and son were so inti- mately blended together that no wonder after many years succeeding generations, without close inquiry, regarded their work as that of one man. The father worked for 47 years (from 1742 to 1789) and the son for about the same number (1769-1815), and they worked together for about thirty of the seventy-three years of their joint breeding career. This oc- cupying of several farms with . separate home- steads enabled them not only to keep more cat- tle, but to keep the different strains distinct in different places, enabling them to carry out their system of line breeding without neces- sarily using very near affinities. It has been imagined that they inbred their cattle very closely, but this idea is not justified by facts. It is well known that they bred all the bulls they used, and that they kept several at each homestead, thus enabling them to cross in their own herds from selected variations in desired directions without close in-breeding. They likewise had a wide family circle breed- ing the same variety of cattle, which gave them a still wider range for the exercise of their judgment and skill. When working alone we know that these two men achieved a most marvelous success. What must have been the power of their united judg- ments during the thirty years they worked to- gether? Eyton says, 1846: "The Misses Tomkins have been in possession of the same breed with- out a cross since the period of their father's death. They were in the habit of keeping four or five bulls and whatever is bred from their stock may be relied upon for the purity of the blood." Here we have evidence to show that the "Misses Tomkins continued to follow their father's and grandfather's system of breeding in the male line for over thirty years after his death on a single farm of less than 300 acres. Eyton says further: "During the latter por- tion of Mr. Tomkins' life he used none but bulls bred by himself, and did not cross with any other stocks." As Eyton was here treating the work of the two men as that of one he should have said: "During the latter portion of Messrs. Tom- kins' lives they used none but bulls bred by themselves, and did not cross with any other stocks." When B. Tomkins, Sr., practically ceased crossing from outside sources is uncertain, but most likely it was about the time he took Wel- lington Court, in 1758, as there were then herds of Tomkins cattle more or less pure-bred TABLET OF BENJAMIN TOMKINS, SR., IN WELLING- TON CHURCH, HEREFORDSHIRE. at the Hill, New House, Weobley's Field, Wooton, Court House, Canon Pyon, Wigmore Grange, and probably other places outside the family circle. How quickly successful he was is thus shown by the early and rapid spread of his cattle amongst members of the family. Eyton says: "The bull which is often re- ferred to as 'Silver Bull' he always considered as the first great improver of his stock. There is a prevailing opinion respecting this bull's name, that it was given to him because he was of a silver or grey color, but the fact is that he was a red bull, with a white face, and a little white on his back, and his dam was a cow called 'Silver.' " 10 INTKODUCTION Eyton, like Professor Low and others, did not know that he was treating the work of two men as that of one; referred this information to B. Tomkins, Jr., but it must have concerned his father, whose stock had become famous many years before the son began business in 1769. The father evidently at an early period of his career bred this bull from descendants of the Silver cow his father left him in his will in 1720. Sinclair has shown that the red, with the white face, color markings for cattle were fashionable in the country before the death of Lord Scuddmore in 1.671, and Eichard Tomkins esteemed them fifty years after in 1720, since his favorite Silvers were thus marked, so that the taste for these colors dates back much further than has been generally supposed. Their system of breeding was essentially the same as that fol- lowed by Hereford breeders at the present time, only over a more prescribed area. In one re- spect it was the opposite, since they always bred the bulls used instead of purchasing them. In their case this was necessary, as there was no reliable source to procure them from out- side their own herds, in fact no cattle so good as their own to improve them with were out- side their own herds. Professor Darwin says: "The power of man to accumulate the slight variations of our do- mesticated animals in a given direction by con- stant selection is very considerable. The im- provement begins by crossing different types, and is afterward continued by constant selec- tions from the varieties produced. When a cross is made the closest selection is more necessary than in ordinary cases between good animals of an established type or breed. To accumulate these slight differences, absolutely inapprecia- ble to the ordinary observer, acquires an ac- curacy of eye, touch and judgment that not one in a thousand possesses. A man endowed with these qualifications, who devotes a life- time to the work, will effect great improve- ments." This work the two B. Tomkins were pre- eminently fitted for, as they carried it out with consummate skill and success, which the sale in 1819 demonstrated. They seemed to have intuitively grasped the physiological law enun- ciated by Darwin a hundred years after, "that given an equal amount of pureness of blood, the male animal possesses a greater amount of ac- cumulated variation in a given direction than the female.'* "These variations are at first artificial, but after accumulating them for a length of time they become typified, and constitute a distinct variety or breed." It is remarkable that the elder B. Tomkins first observed the variation in the direction he desired in two females, and he and his son afterwards conserved it more particularly in the males. Regret was at one time expressed that Tom- kins did not exclusively adopt the red with white face colorings for their cattle, but con- sidering that the cattle B. Tomkins, Sr., began with were a grey, a dark red with white spots on its face, and a red with white face: one starting with these animals differently marked, he and his son would have to subordinate color marks to the more essential qualities when developing a fresh type of animal from various sources. When selecting and blending the best materials from a limited number of animals, it would have been impossible, even if desired at that time, to make the places of the color spots on the body an all-important considera- tion. If they had bred exclusively from red with white face, mottle face or grey, they must have sacrificed some of their best animals and thus defeated their object. They knew the business too well to do that, and by continually crossing their differently marked cattle to de- velop and fix certain desired characteristics they kept these color marks on the body, liquid or movable, consequently when the old red with white face Herefords were crossed with the Tomkins cattle the color marks were easily made to conform to the originals, while the progeny retained the typically fixed, good qual- ities of the Tomkins breed, conserved through a long line of generations. It is unfortunate that at the time when the Tomkins were systematically transforming the Herefords from rough, bony draught and dairy cattle into a superior beef -producing breed, that no written records were kept. In the absence of these the old writers took color markings as indicating what they chose to call breed. They spoke of the white-face breed, the mottle breed, the grey breed; and they took it for granted that breed and color necessarily went together and could not be separated. The universal ac- ceptance of this great error led to endless, re- grettable disputes amongst the old breeders. This misuse of the word "breed" was most misleading during the transition state of the Herefords, and all attempts to trace its history by color marks completely failed. Marshall, describing Bakewell's Longhorn in 1784, says: "Color is various, the Brindle, the Pinchbeck and the Pye are common. The lighter the color the better they seem to be esteemed, but INTKODUCTION 11 this seems to be merely a matter of fashion." And when describing the points of a perfect Longhorn he says: "Any color that can be joined with the foregoing qualifications, it being perhaps of little (if any) essential im- port." Thus Bakewell, like Tomkins, disre- garded color marks, and his improved Long- horns varied in this respect, but were not called in consequence the Brindle breed, the Pinch- beck breed and the Pye breed. Instances are given in the first volume of the Herd Book where the sire and dam are white- faced and the offspring mottle-faced, and vice versa. In the phraseology of the day, the sire and dam would belong to the white-faced breed, and the offspring the mottle breed. This clearly illustrates the fallacy of taking color marking as a guide to the breed during the transition period of the Herefords. Tomkins never line bred color markings, but rather used them together in every imag- inable way. Their system was in the words of the poet: "White face, Pick face, Mottle face and Grey, Mingle, Mingle, Mingle, ye that mingle may." The Herefords were then in a state of com- minglation with the Tomkins cattle, on whose bodies color marks had no fixed abode, so that at that time it was a matter of choice where these should be placed on .the future Hereford. It could have been constituted a grey, a mottle face or a white-face breed. The overwhelm- ing choice was to stick to the old red with white face markings, and although some old breeders resisted this for a time, they ultimately died or gave up the contest. The red with white face markings left liquid by Tomkins have now through many years of selection carefully obliterated the spotted face and grey markings, and become typically fixed and the true index of breed, which they were not during the transition period. Doubtless the Tomkins cattle would have spread much faster if B. Tomkins, Jr., had not been so extremely jealous of others obtaining his best blood. It is well known that he had many of his best bulls killed at home for the harvest men rather than others should have them, and many of his best cows were resold by the butchers for breeding purposes. The old butchers bore universal testimony that the Tomkins cattle were the most profitable butch- ers' cattle they killed. Day of Credenhill, Bakerville of Weobley, Preece of the Shrewd, Davies of Canon Pyon, and others used to declare that for quality of meat, associated with smallness of offal, none they killed approached them. And Sinclair has shown in his history that all the old noted herds, without exception, that could be traced went back to what Hewer tersely called "Old Tomkins' Prime Cattle." * * * Beside the foregoing manuscript, prepared by Mr. Bustin, I wish to acknowledge here his great assistance in the preparation of the illus- trations in this history. Without Mr. Bustin's help this great feature of the work would be most lamentably lacking. His skillful search has unearthed drawings and paintings that have TABLET OF BENJAMIN TOMKINS, JR., KING'S-PYON CHURCH, HEREFORDSHIRE. been hid for years; he visited various parts of England, securing photos of homesteads, farm views, ancient drawings, paintings and engrav- ings, etc., etc., which are invaluable to the student of Hereford history. I wish to ac- knowledge also the kind co-operation of Mr. Geo. Leigh, of Aurora, 111., to whom I am in- debted for many photographs of English Here- ford breeders, their homes and their cattle. I would draw particular attention to the fact that the illustrations in this work are, as far as possible, reproductions of photographs from life. The successful photograph of live ani- mals is only a recent accomplishment, and not as yet so successful in America as in England. This is one great work wherein England excels America, a condition which can hardly be ex- pected to last. It is only in recent years that actual photographs of cattle from life has been the successful method of illustration in Eng- land. Therefore, the illustrations in this work of both English and American subjects, prior to 1895, are reproductions of lithographs, paintings, engravings, etc., all produced by hand. I thought at first that it would be best to have old drawings modernized by an up-to- date live stock artist, as has been done in some other prominent works on cattle, but after giv- ing the matter much thought it seemed to me W. H. BUSTIN, HEREFORD. ENG. best to reproduce these old pictures exactly as they were made. They vary, as does all hand work, with the ideals of the artists drawing them. Messrs. Gauci, Page, Dewey, Burk, Hill> Palmer, Throop, etc., each had their ideal, so that were each of these men to portray the same animals those familiar with their work would have no difficulty in discovering from the pic- ture who the artist was- by the peculiar personal ideal invariably, and perhaps unconsciously, incorporated into the picture. Some of the ancient artists painted the forms of the ani- mals they portrayed upon impossible stems, representing legs. If the readers of Miller's History will bear in mind these variations of the artists' ideals when examining the old draw- ings of cattle reproduced herein they will form a much more intelligent conception of the ex- cellence of those old foundation animals by sub- stituting in their mind's eye correct impressions of animal anatomy for the superfine limbs and heads portrayed by the artists. I have in the appendix added full page reproduc- tions of photographs from life of choice specimen Herefords . of diif erent ages, be- ing correct reproductions of actual pho- tographs from life; every one knows that pho- tographs have never yet been made to flatter animals, for, as a rule, they portray faults more plainly than virtues. These photo- graphs, however, give the most correct ideas of anatomy attainable by any process known at this day. These illustrations have been selected carefully from photographs taken in England, and are specifically included in the appendix of this work to give correct ideas of Hereford form and character. In closing I wish to say that there are per- sonal references in this book, mainly of persons long since deceased, that I regret exceedingly to see again in print. Yet, to leave out these references, would be leaving out facts of his- tory that would give the reader no conception of the trials and vexations to which the early supporters of the Hereford breed of cattle were subjected. No one coming freshly upon the scene to participate in the breeding of pure- bred cattle in these days of breed tolerance could understand the lengths to which jealousy, prejudice and selfish interests drove men in their opposition to. Hereford cattle; in what was, in veriest truth, the "Battle of the Breeds." I have personally experienced some- thing in this line myself. Several old show ring controversies are, in this work, again brought to light. Fraudulent entries and false ages are shown to have been prominent factors in past conflicts. Let no reader suppose that such things do not exist to-day. They are not so patent between the breeds, because the show ring contests between breeds has largely been done away with, but the fraudulent exhibitor is, if possible, more prevalent to-day than ever. He can be found in our own ranks, so much so that an exhibitor must take one of three courses, either one of which is equally unpleas- ant. I refer to the fact that ages are misrep- resented (flagrantly, in some cases). Surgical operations are performed to change the appear- ance and eradicate defects of animals in a man- ner that should put the most unscrupulous horse farrier to shame, and there are, at times, INTRODUCTION 13 as notorious manipulations of judging commit- tees in the present day as ever occurred in the past. As I said before there are three courses open to the honest exhibitor who desires to bring his cattle before the public at the great shows. He must either (first) protest and prove these nefarious practices; (second) practice these unworthy methods himself, or (third) submit tamely and allow the unscrupulous ex- hibitor to win unmerited prizes and escape unscathed. The one redeeming feature of the show ring is that the unscrupulous exhibitors are a very small minority, so that whenever those who show fairly and honestly get to- gether and protest in a body against crooked practices they can be overthrown, but as a rule up to this time exhibitors have preferred to allow these frauds to go unrebuked, because of the prominence of the parties committing them, or of a desire to keep peace regardless of price. Again, the class of exhibitors commit- ting these depredations on the show ring usually last but a little while. They are, as it were, meteors, who come out and, to use their own language, "make a killing" in the prize ring for a year or two, and then disappear, only to be followed by some similar fraud upon whom their mantle invariably falls. As I said before, these unpleasant parts of the book are left as their author shaped them. Mr. Miller and my father had the habit of calling things by their real names, and both were accustomed to tell the truth regardless of who were hurt or benefited thereby, and therefore I have felt constrained to adopt the policy that was forced upon Pontius Pilate and say, "What is written is written." They could never in life forgive the garbling of their statements by the editor, and I could not be party to such action now that they are not here to protest for them- selves. This is Mr. Miller's work, and as such is submitted as the best work ever published on cattle. If every stockman in America will read this work and act upon its suggestions, in the light of its teachings, more will be accom- plished in the profitable upbuilding of the beef interests of America in one decade hereafter than has heretofore been accomplished in a century. T. F. B. SOTHAM. Chillicothe, Mo., April 14th, 1902. HISTORY OF. HEREFORD CATTLE CHAPTER I. FOUNDATION HEREFORD HERDS In the year 1627, John Speed published a work on England, Wales, and Scotland, in which he says of Herefordshire, "the climate is most healthful and the soil so fertile for corn and cattle that no place in England yield- eth more or better conditioned." (fl 1) Starting from this data, it is fair to presume that the cattle of Herefordshire should im- prove, and that Mr. Benjamin Tomkins, who commenced the breeding of Herefords in the year 1742, should have found a class of cattle of great merit. (j[ 2) It is well here to give an account of the Tomkins family. The Tomkins of Weobley were of considera- ble note and position in its neighborhood, prior to the civil war of Charles the First, but being enthusiastic Royalists, they suffered much, in consequence of that monarch's overthrow. They were distinguished in music and paint- ing, being patronized in both arts by royalty, and the leading members of the House; they were great and consistent politicians, for many generations, representing Leominster and Weobley in Parliament. . At successive periods during the seventeenth century, the branch from which the dis- tinguished cattle breeder sprang was known as Tomkins of Garnestone, a considerable do- main, situated immediately south of Weobley, which belonged to James Tomkins, Lord of Weobley, and M. P. for Leominster from 1623 to 1628, who was much esteemed as a country gentleman and noted debater in the House of Commons. In the beginning of the eighteenth century, was one Richard Tomkins, of the New House, King's-Pyon parish (|[ 3), who spent his life there, and became a very successful farmer and breeder of work oxen. In his will in 1720, he bequeathed a yoke of oxen, called Spark and Merchant, to his son Richard, and a cow Silver and calf to his son Benjamin. Richard Tom- kins died in 1723, leaving six sons and one daughter. Five of his sons established them- selves as farmers in the immediate neighbor- hood. The fourth son, the first distinguished cattle breeder, "Benjamin Tomkins the elder," was born at the New House, King's-Pyon, in 1714, and commenced business at the Court House, Canon Pyon, about 1738. He married Anne Preece of Alton, in 1742, and subse- quently moved to Wellington Court in 1758, where he died in 1789, leaving six children, four sons and two daughters. Of these four sons, Benjamin, who has been credited as the noted breeder and improver of the Hereford breed of cattle, was the second son of Benjamin of the Court House and Wellington Court, and from Richard of New House to Benjamin in- clusive, there were ten of the sons and grand- sons, who were all farmers and probably breeders of Hereford cattle. Benjamin Tomkins, (ft 4) the renowned breeder, was the second son of Benjamin Tom- kins of Court House, Canon Pyon, where he was born in 1745 and commenced farming at Black Hall, (fl 5) King's-Pyon, in 1766. He married in 1772, his cousin Sarah, second daughter of Richard Tomkins of the Grange, Wormsley. He occupied Black Hall until 1798 when he sub-let it to his nephew, George Tomkins, Jr., of Frogdon, and removed to Wellington Court, which he held as a bytake, from his father's death. In 1812 he gave up Wellington Court and went to reside at his own place, Brook House, (ff 6) King's-Pyon, where he died in 1815. From James Tomkins, Lord of Weobley, who was active in politics in 1623-8, to Richard, who commenced farming at New House, King's-Pyon, and died in 1723 nearly one hundred years we are without a record. Returning to Mr. Benjamin Tomkins, the younger, who commenced the improvement of the Herefords in 1766, we have very little in- formation as to the course he pursued, except that his cattle obtained a very enviable reputa- tion among breeders, and brought large prices from some of the best breeders during his time. At one time he took twenty cows to Hereford- 16 HISTOEY OF HEREFORD CATTLE shire Agricultural Show and gave a challenge of 100 to any one who would show an equal number against him. His nephew, George Tomkins, after traveling over Herefordshire and other parts of England, among cattle breeders, when he came home, reported to his uncle that of all the cattle he had seen, there were none equal to his. Mr. Jno. Price, of Ryall, about the year 1804, became acquainted with the cattle of Mr. Benjamin Tomkins, from whom he bought a few cows, using them to bulls descended from Mr. Walker's stock. He first attempted to improve the Tomkins cattle by crossing them with the larger stock of Mr. Walker, with a view of increasing their size, but the result was so unfavorable that he put away all these crosses and returned to the pure Tomkins variety. Mr. Price continued to breed Herefords until 1841, his herd being solely of the Tomkins blood. So that, upwards of seventy years at least, this strain, first in possession of Benjamin Tomkins, and then in that of John Price, was bred continuously without an out-cross. It would appear that Mr. Tomkins was en- titled to the position of leader in the improve- ment of the breed, and for giving a fixed char- acter both as to quality, color, and markings, and at the same time, the Hewers, William and John, were close seconds. It was perhaps to be expected that their friends would take sides, and a feeling of rivalry should grow up among them for the time being; but ultimately as these different lines expanded and new men took the places of the early rivals, the best of each were brought together. Mr. John Price of Ryall and other eminent breeders acquired bulls and cows of the Tom- kins breed and they soon spread widely over the country. In October, 1808, Tomkins had a large sale at the Court Farm, Wellington, which the auctioneer, Mr. William James, an- nounced in these words : "For sale, the follow- ing valuable and much admired stock, the property of Benjamin Tomkins, who is going to decline breeding cattle; consisting of 20 capital cows and heifers, which have five calves now sucking, two four-year-old bulls, one ditto martin, nine three-year-old bullocks, six two- year-old ditto, two yearling heifers, one of which is heavy in calf, three two-year-old bulls, two ditto yearlings/' No note of the prices or purchasers' names at this sale has been ob- tained, but we are able to give a private valua- tion of the stock at Wellington Court Farm, drawn up by George Tomkins in June, 1808, SCENE IN HEREFORDSHIRE. A FERTILE SOIL AND WELL-CONDITIONED CATTLE. HISTOEY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 17 which will indicate the owner's estimate of their worth: "12 cows and calves at 40 ($200) each, 480 ($2,400) ; 12 oxen at 43 ($215) each, 516 ($2,580) ; 10 two-year-olds at 20 ($100) each, 200 ($1,000); 10 year- lings at 15 ($75) each, 150 ($750)." An average for old and young, steers and breeding stock of over 30 ($150) each. Only a comparatively small number of the hulls bred by Benjamin Tomkins were entered in the Herd Book, and in few cases are par- ticulars given of their breeding. Wellington (4) 160 (ff8) is registered simply as coming under the division of the mottle faces, and as having been bred by Mr. B. Tomkins. He' passed into the possession of Mr. Price, and was purchased at his sale in 1816 by Mr. Jelli- coe of Beighterton for 283 10s, ($1,400), be- ing afterwards sold to Mr. Germaine. He was considered by Mr. Tomkins the best bull he ever bred, his Silver Bull (41) 432, excepted, and also the best stock getter. In Vol. 1 of the English Herd Book, there is a colored litho- graph (reproduced herein) of this bull from a painting by Mr. Welles, representing a compact, straight animal, of fine size, with fine bone, mottle face, white dewlap, and white along the lower parts of the body. Another of Tomkins' bulls registered in Vol. 1, is Ben (96) 6703, of which the editor, Mr. Eyton, says that "Miss Tomkins informed him that Ben was by Sam (144) 6704, out of one of Mr. Tomkins' cows called Nancy." Sam (144) 6704, is without recorded pedigree, all that is said concerning him being that he was bred by B. Tomkins. Wild Bull (145) 3040, bred by 'Tomkins, was, on Miss Tomkins' authority, said to be by Sil- ver Bull (41) 432, out of Tidy 340. Phoenix (55) 3035, a mottle face, out of Storrell 3039, bred by Mr. Tomkins and got by Wild Bull (145) 3040, was purchased at Miss Tomkins' sale in 1819 for 560 guineas (over $2,800) by Lord Talbot. Mr. Eyton has this remark as to his dam: "Storrell, Miss Tomkins informs me, was out of a mottle faced cow of the same name ( Storrell 3041 ) , by a Pigeon bull." The bull called Son of Prices 25 (84) 440, bred by Tomkins, was out of (Price's No. 25) 439, "who was out of a sister to the dam of Price's 23, or 'The Slit Teat cow,' by the Silver Bull (41) 432." Proctor's bull, (316) 376, was bred by B. Tomkins "out of his favorite cow, 'Old Pink."- Voltaire (39A) 429, was a white faced bull bred by Tomkins, dam Price's No. 3. Wizard (59) '6699, was a mottle face of Tomkins' breeding by Ben (96) 6703, and was sold to Mr. Germaine for 300 guineas ($1,500). Wedgeman (166) was bred by Tom- kins, but no pedigree is given in the Herd Book. In the appendix to Vol. XI of the English Herd Book, Mr. E. F. Welles gave some inter- esting recollections of the stock of Mr. John Price, from which a very complete idea can be obtained of the character and appearance of the Tomkins cattle. It is, indeed, one of the most valuable statements that has been made on the subject. Mr. Welles says: "When Mr. John Price commenced cattle breeding, the character of bull most in esteem in the chief Midland districts was one having a throat with as little loose flesh as possible depending from TYPICAL HEREFORD FAT OXEN OF THE OLD- FASHIONED SORT. it. This character was also introduced by some cattle breeders amongst Herefords. The cele- brated Purslow bull, the property of the Hay- woods of Clifton-on-Teme, had this character. Mr. Walker of Burton had also adopted it, and from him Mr. Price had a bull or two. Mr. B. Tomkins and other Hereford breeders had not been affected b}r this fashion, and Mr. Price, when he became acquainted with Mr. Tomkins' stock, relinquished it, preferring, and upon sounder principles, that character which better indicated the male animal, a considerable de- gree of throatiness not being objected to. This character belonged to Wellington (4) 160, the first bull, and I think, the only one bought by Mr. Price of Mr. B. Tomkins. This bull was very dark in color, with face and bosom both mottled and speckled. His dam, too, bought afterwards by Mr. Price (but did not breed with him), was also of the same color." "The cows bought by Mr. Price of Mr. Tom- kins were the following: First, a large cow with a speckled face, giving a blue appearance to it, with what may be termed an arched fore- head or Roman nose, tips of horns blackish, body of lightish brown, dappled, under part of 18 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE body and legs inclining to blackness, white along her back and well formed, but on rather high legs. Secondly, a cow commonly called 'the Mark-nosed cow' a red cow with mottled face, square made, and on short legs, rich quality of flesh, with a soft and thick pile of hair moderately curled. This cow was un- fortunate to Mr. Price as a breeder, the only produce I recollect out of her being the 'Marked faced bull/ alias Tyon' at his sale. Thirdly, a large yellow cow with white face, rather long headed, and not carrying much flesh. She was the dam of Voltaire (39 A) 429, by one of Mr. Tomkins' bulls. "Pigeon, by far the most remarkable cow he had of Mr. Tomkins and her own character, as well as that of her descendants, will well warrant me in terming her the best was a large cow, rather on high legs, somewhat shal- low in the bosom, with very fine bone, neck rather light, head good but horn short; her color a speckled grey, the red parts being dark, growing still darker about her legs ; hair rather short but soft, quality of flesh excellent, back and hind-quarters great, excepting thighs, which were rather light, but with good twist; her constitution hardy, and she was a regular THE NEW HOUSE, KING'S-PYON, HEREFORDSHIRE. and successful breeder. About this same time also, Mr. Price had another cow from Mr. B. Tomkins, which was called the Rough cow, from her coat being much curled; she was a middle sized cow, nothing remarkable in form, her color dark red, with white back, and she had the reputation of being of a family that were good ox breeders. Mr. Price had a bull from this cow called 'Rough bull' alias 'Origi- nal/ but he did not long retain any of his stock. There were sisters to him by other Tomkins bulls. Two more cows Mr. Price subsequently obtained from Mr. B. Tomkins a half-sister to No. 25, and a daughter to Mr. Tomkins' famous 'Slit Teat Cow' No. 21. The former of these was a small cow out of a very true form, dark color, with white along her back; she was the dam of Lord Talbot's Woodcock (50) 654, sire of Mr. Price's Woodcock Pigeon 651. I am not aware that Mr. Price had any more cows from Mr. B. Tomkins, but he afterward obtained two cows of his blood one called Damsel 371 from Mr. T. Tom- kins, and another from Mr. Tomkins of Worm- bridge, the former the dam of W'oodman (10) 307 and the latter the dam of Diana 638. He also bought a few Tomkins bred cows from Mr. Jas. Price; among these was the dam of Peg Murphy 3559." These notes, which furnish a complete pic- ture of a large number of the Tomkins cattle, fully bear out what has been said as to their diversified colors. Mr. Price's selections com- prised animals that were yellow with white face ; speckled grey ; dark red, with white back ; red with mottle face; dark color with white along the back; and lightish brown dappled, with white along the back, etc. The only point in which there was an approach to uni- formity as regards color was the white back. A few other notes as to Tomkins' cows are gleaned from the entries in the Herd Book. The "Slit Teat Cow" referred to by Mr. Welles was considered by Tomkins the best cow he ever had. Storrell 3039 by Wild Bull (145) 3040, was, as has already been mentioned, dam of Phoenix (55) 3035, sold to Lord Talbot for 560 guineas ($2,800). Old Rose was out of the dam of Silver Bull (41) 432, Old Lovely 657 was a daughter of the "Slit Teat Cow." All we know about others are their names, and in some cases those of their sires Blowdy out of Old Pidgeon, the dam qf Mr. Price's Pigeon 373; Margaret, by Silver Bull (41) 432; Stately, by Wizard (59) 6699; Blos- som, by Phoenix (55) 3035; Old Lily, Nutty, etc. After the death of B. Tomkins, in October, 1815, the herd, which had by this time been much reduced in numbers by private sales, was kept on by his daughters, the Misses Tomkins, until October, 1819, when part of it -was sold. Through the courtesy of Mr. Haywood of Blackmere House we have been favored with a copy of the original sale bill, containing the prices and purchasers' names, marked by one who was present at the sale. The document has a historic importance, and is reproduced in full: "A catalogue of the valuable stock of prime Herefordshire cattle, the property of the late 1 1 I S T R Y OF HEREFORD CATTLE 19 i. Tomkins of Wellington Court, which will be sold by auction without reserve, upon the premises at King's-Fyon, nine miles from Here- ford, on Monday, 18th October, 1819, being the eve of the Herefordshire Agricultural Show, and two days previous to the great cattle fair at Hereford: PURCHASER. PRICE. 'LOT. NAME. 1. Yearling heifer, Young Blowdy ..... Mr. W. West ......... 56 14 0= 2. Ditto, Young Fair- maid ............... Mr. Court ........... 99150= 3. Two-year-old i n - calf heifer, Young Mr. G. Tomkins, for Blossom ........... Lord Talbot ....... 105 00= 4. Ditto, Young Silver. Mr. John Tomkins. . 73 10 0= 5. In-calf heifer, Duch-Mr. G. Tomkins, for ess ................. Lord Talbot ...... 105 00= 6. Ditto cow, Pigeon. ..Mr. W. West ......... 159120= 7. Ditto, Stately ........ Mr. G. Tomkins, for Lord Talbot ...... 52 10 0= 8. Ditto, Silk .......... Mr. Lewis ........... 70 70= 9. Ditto, Beauty ....... Mr. Cooke .......... 262100= 10. Ditto, Silver ........ Mr. West ............ 210 00= 11. Ditto, Cherry ....... Mr. G. Tomkins, for Lord Talbot ....... 110 50= 12. Ditto, Prettymaid...Mr. Lewis ........... 99150= 13. Ditto, Piot .......... Mr. Turner ........ 7.105 00= 14. Ditto Nancy ......... Mr. G. Tomkins, for Lord Talbot ....... 252 50= 15. Ditto Blowdy ........ Mr. Cooke ........... 273 00= 16. Ditto, Fairmaid ..... Mr. West ............ 65 20= 17. Ditto, Tidy .......... Mr. Cooke ........... 131 50= 18. Ditto, Lovely ....... Mr. Cooke ........... 53 11 0= 19. Ditto, Storrell ....... Mr. G. Tomkins, for Lord Talbot ....... 262 50= Mr. Edwards ........ 141150= . Mr. Clarke ..... ..... 147 00= Mr. Crooke .......... 215 50= 48 60= 20. Ditto, Pink -21. Bull-calf -off Ditto 22. Ditto off Beauty 23. Fat Cow, Blossom. .Mr. James 24. Pair of two-year- old steers (twins). Mr. T. Cooke ......... 47 50= $285 500 525 370 525 800 265 350 1310 1050 550 500 525 1260 1365 325 855 265 1310 705 735 1075 240 235 240 245 100 25. Ditto ................. Mr. W. Cooke ........ 48 60= 26. Ditto ................. Mr. James Price ..... 49 00= 27. Single Bullock ....... Mr. James Price ..... 20 00= 28. Pair of yearling bul- locks .............. Mr. Smith ........... 24 00= 120 29. Ditto ................. Mr. Patrick ......... 27 00= 135 30. Ditto ................. Mr. James Price ..... 49 00= 245 31. Ditto ................. Mr. Oliver ........... 27 60= 135 32. Ditto ................ Mr. Wedge .......... 2510.0= 130 33. Pair of bullock calves ............. Mr. W. Cooke ........ 20100= 100 34. Ditto ................. Mr. W. Cooke ........ 16 00= 80 35. Ditto ................ Mr. Wright ......... 16 00= 80 36. ?,7. Heifer calf ..... ..... Mr. G. Tomkins ...... 30 00= 150 38. Ditto ................. Mr. Cooke ........... 26 00= 130 39. Two-year-old bull of Pink ............ Mr. W. West ........ 147 00= 735 40. Ditto of Storrell ..... Mr. G. Tomkins, for Lord Talbot ...... 588 00= 2940 41. Four-year-old Ditto. Mr. Welles ......... 162150= 815 42. Five-year-old Ditto. .Mr. T. Cooke ........ 173 50= 865 "N. B. The above cattle are all of the pure breed, which have been so justly esteemed and admired by the most competent judges in every part of the kingdom where they have been in- troduced, and for which peculiar blood, the highest prices have been obtained, and particu- larly No. 23, which is considered to carry the greatest weight upon the smallest bone of any cow in the kingdom." SUMMARY OF SALES. Total. Average. s d s d=U. S. D. 17 cows ...................... 2249 20 149 18 9=$ 749.68 3 two-year-old heifers ..... 283 10 94 10 0= 472.50 2 yearling heifers .......... 156 90 78 46= 391.12 4 bulls ...................... 1071 00 267150=1338.75 2 bull calves ................ 362 50 181 26= 905.62 28 Head; Total, 4172 6s Od ($20,861.50); Average, 149 ($745.00). It is interesting to compare the foregoing averages with those realized at the great Short- horn (Durham) sales of the Brothers Colling, which took place about the same time. At Mr. Chas. Ceiling's sale at Ketton, in 1810, the average for 47 head was 151 8s ($757.00) (the bull Comet bringing 1,000 guineas or $5,000.00). At Mr. Robt. Ceiling's sale at Brampton in 1818, 61 head averaged 128 17s lOd ($644.35); and at his sale in 1820, 46 head averaged 49 8s 7d ($247.14). A statement has recently been made to the effect that the Tomkins Herefords, if they had not from the effects of excessive in-and-in breeding fallen into disrepute before B. Tom- kins' death, at least did so almost immediately afterwards. There is certainly no evidence of want of public appreciation in the sale list which has just been given. Moreover, Mr. John Price for many years retained without any mix- ture the blood of Tomkins, and also bred very closely, arid yet when his herd was dispersed in 1841 (26 years after Tomkins' death) the aver- age for 99 lots was 53 16s 4d ($270). But it is only necessary to glance at the composition of the foundation herds of Herefords as recorded in the Herd Book those of Knight, Smythies, Yarworth, Hewer, Walker, Hoskyns, Perry, Jellico, Smith, Lord Talbot, Sir F. Lawley, etc., to see how largely the Tomkins blood was infused over the breed. There was scarcely one of the early herds that was not indebted to the Tomkins strains for part of its excellence, and if the results of injudicious in-and-in breeding had then, as is alleged, been so painfully ap- parent, the blood would have scarcely obtained such wide circulation. That some of Tomkins' cattle went into- the possession of those who were not able to do them justice, and who failed in the attempt to carry out what they supposed was his system, is unquestionable; but that the herd retained unimpaired its high character when Benjamin Tomkins died, is proved by the results in 1819, and by the fact that John Price continued for 37 years to suc- cessfully breed on the Tomkins' lines without resorting to other blood. After the sale in 1819 the Misses Tomkins remained at the Brook House Farm, and con- tinued to breed Hereford cattle. They had a second sale in October, 1839, when it was an- nounced that they were about to retire from business. The catalogue of this sale shows that their cattle still retained considerable reputa- tion. Among the prices were 108 ($540) for the nine-year-old cow Pigeon, the purchaser being Mr. (rough; 50 ($250) for the eight- year-old cow Stately (Mr. Davenport); 5& BENJAMIN TOMKINS, JR., 1745-1815. 21 ($280) for the seven-year-old cow Diana (Mr. Galliers); 50 (or $250) for the nine-year-old cow Lovely (Mr. Galliers); 52 ($260) for the three-year-old heifer Countess (Mr. Jones); 51 ($255) for the two-year-old heifer Tidy (Mr. Galliers). A three-year-old bull No. 1, got by a bull from Old Pigeon by the same sire, made 82 ($410) (Mr. Griffiths). Among the other purchasers were Mr. Smythies, Mr. Yeld, Mr. Vevers, Mr. J. Moore, etc. The average for 48 animals was over 30 (or $150). The final Bale was in October, 1854, one of the sisters having, in the interval, died. The entire herd, numbering 55 head, "descended from that peculiar blood which has for three-fourths of a century been the admiration of the county, and which have upon former occasions realized higher prices than any other breed of Here- fords in the kingdom," was then dispersed. No catalogue of this sale seems to have been printed; the announcement having been made on a "broadside," specifying the numbers of the various classes of stock, and there is no note of prices. The auctioneer, however, stated that the animals were purely descended from the herd of the late Mr. Benjamin Tom- kins, from whom the late Mr. Price of Ryall obtained that breed of cattle which, at different times, have been distributed through the I' uited Kingdom at enormous prices, particu- lars of which will be found in "Eyton's Herd Book." From a note in Vol. 1 of the Herd Book it appears that it was the custom of the Misses Tomkins to give the same names to their cows through successive generations, and their bulls of which they were in the habit of keep- ing four or five were not distinguished by names but by numbers. From these causes no bulls or cows bred by them appear in the Herd Book. We are informed that for some years the Misses Tomkins had the advantage of Mr. (icorge Tomkins' assistance, but when he gave up his farm in 1836 the herd does not seem to have been so carefully managed, though the system of close breeding was continued. Doubtless the Misses Tomkins parted with the best portion of their stock in 1819, and most of the remainder in 1839; and between that date and 1854, having only themselves and a bailiff to depend upon, it was only to have been expected that their herd should not continue to possess the special merits by which it was formerly characterized, and it may be from its decadence that the idea has arisen, that Ben- jamin Tomkins' stock had greatly deteriorated before his death. Other members of the Tomkins family beside the Misses Tomkins engaged in the breeding of Herefords. Among them may be mentioned Mr. Eichard Tomkins, Hyatt, Sarnesfield, a brother of the wife of Benjamin Tomkins. He was born in 1736 and died in 1819. After the death of this gejitleman, his herd was sold in April, 1819. We have the sale list but it is unnecessary to print it in full, The prices were very good for the times. A pair of oxen named Summons and Merryman were sold for 80 ($400); another pair named Merchant and Lightfoot sold for 60 ($300); Mr. Westcar gave 50 ($250) for a pair of three-year-old bullocks, and 48 10s ($240) for another pair. Among the purchasers of breeding stock were the Rev. Mr. Smythies, and Mr. Jones, Brein- ton. Mr. Bray tells us that among Richard Tomkins' stock were a good many of the "hailed backed" variety, and several of the animals included in the sale are thus described in the catalogue. The Rev, J. R. Smythies purchased two "hail backed" heifers. George Tomkins of Frogdon, born 1740, died 1797, brother of Benjamin Tomkins, the younger, had also a noted stock of Herefords, and he is generally believed to have been a remarkably good judge of stock. George Tomkins, son of the gentleman just named, nephew of Benjamin Tomkins and a trusted friend of Lord Talbot, also bred Here- ford cattle. Born in 1776, he occupied the farms of Wistaston and Frogdon. He gave up the former farm to his son-in-law, Thos. Gal- liers, in 1836, and then retired to the Green, Norton Ganon. The portrait of a cow, bred by George Tomkins, was often pointed out by the mother and father of T. T. Galliers, Wistas- ton, as being a good representative of the Tom- kins' "Silver-breed." This cow was purchased by Mr. Peploe, of Garnestone Castle, and was a favorite of his, being kept to a great age for breeding. He had her painted by Weaver in 1814, when she was eight years old, and the picture hung in Mr. Peploe's study during his lifetime, and during that of his successor, Cap- tain Peploe. When the Rev. J. B. Webb-Peploe succeeded to the property he presented the oil painting to the late Mrs. Galliers on her re- questing permission to have a photo taken of the portrait of her father's'Silver cow. (fl 9) This painting represents the Tomkins Silver variety of Herefords. Mr. T. A. Knight, of Downton, obtained some of his stock from Mr. Geo. Tomkins, who died in 1854, aged 79 years. Other members of the Tomkins family who were breeders of the Hereford cattle were Rich- ard Tomkins, of Dippers Moor, born 1757, died 1800; William Tomkins, of Wormbridge, 22 HIS TOBY OF HEREFORD CATTLE born 1756, died 1821; and Thos. Tomkins, of Court House, born 1743. Mr. T. C. Yeld (fl 10) in an interesting arti- cle from which we shall quote, mentions Wig- more Grange sale, and says "that most of the purchasers secured several lots. They were cows, calves, and young heifers; the oxen, steers and bulls being sold in the following spring. The writer has seen a painting of one of the oxen, four of which, he has learned, from the family, sold for over 70 ($350) each. "Old Mr. Tully also left three sons in farm- ing business one at Huntington, one at Clyro and one at Graf ton; and these possessed by far the best of what would be called the white- faced Herefords, if I except Mr. Skyrme, of Stretton, but of whose stock I have no reliable account, except the opinion of Mr. T. A. Knight, which is certainly most favorable. In BLACK HALL, KING'S-PYON, HEREFORDSHIRE. giving an account of the Herefords of the last century, I have stated nothing but what is from correct sources. "I now proceed to name the best herds at the commencement of the present century, and al- though Mr. Benjamin Tomkins was in the highest repute there were many who possessed equally good cattle. The late Mr. T. A. Knight in replying to my inquiry about the pedigree of the celebrated White Bull, writes as follows: " 'Sir: The account which you appear to have received respecting the bull from which you have bred is in every essential respect correct, but I did not give the calf to Mr. Turley. He bought it of me, and never paid me anything for it. The dam was bred by Mr. Skyrme, of Stretton, who at that time possessed, in my opinion, by far the best breed of cattle in the country, and which was Mr. Westcar's opinion. I reared several other bulls from the same cow, which were very excellent, and for one of them at eleven months old I refused 40 guineas. The sire of your bull descended from a mixture of the breed of Mr. Tully, of Huntington, and Mr. Isaac Martin, who possessed very excellent though small, stock. I do not think a better bred animal than that about which you have inquired ever existed in the county of Here- ford. I never bred above two or three animals from Benjamin Tomkins' stock, which, I con- fess, I never liked. With good wishes, your obedient servant, (Signed) T. A. KNIGHT, (fl 11) To T. C. Yeld. Downton, January 8th, 1836.' * It may be pointed out that Mr. Yeld was evi- dently unaware of the fact that there were two breeders named Benjamin Tomkins. The asso- ciate of William Galliers, of Wigmore Grange, to whom he refers, was, as has already been explained, not Benjamin Tomkins, the younger, as he seems to have believed, but his father. William Galliers (ft 12a), of Wigmore Grange (TJ12), was intimately associated with the elder Benjamin Tomkins in social and business relations, and was born in the year 1713, and died May 26th, 1779, and his herd passed to his son, John Galliers. William Galliers, of Frogdon, was a son of William Galliers (ff 13A), of Wigmore " NH S# 85 sires that his Grace's profile should appear on the reverse side of the club's medals, and that his Grace be requested to sit to W. Wyon, Esq., K. A., of her Majesty's Mint, for the prepara- tion of a die." 1851. Resolved, That in future the cattle be classified according to breed. That all notices of motion be delivered to the honorary secretary on or before the. last day on which certificates are to be received. That a copy be sent by the secretary to each member stating the meeting at which such mo- tion is to be considered, etc. 1852. The cattle were classified into distinct breeds, viz., Herefords, Devons, Shorthorns, Scotch, Welsh or Irish; other pure breeds, cross or mixed breeds. A committee reported its recommendation to add poultry to the show, but it was subsequently found that the space would not admit of it. 1853. Resolved, That it shall be incumbent on the exhibitors and breeders of animals ex- hibited at the Smithfield Club's shows to prove the correctness of their certificates, if called upon by the stewards to do so. Separate classes were formed for Welsh cat- tle, (fl 69) 1854. His Koyal Highness, Prince Albert, his Koyal Highness, the Prince of Wales, and his Eoyal Highness, Prince Alfred, honored the show by visiting it. Resolved, That in future the ages of animals be calculated to a fixed date, viz., the first of December. That the judges give in a reserve number in each class, in case of prize animal being dis- qualified. That in future no person be eligible to be elected a steward unless he shall have been a member of the club three years. That in future steam engines, etc., may be exhibited down stairs. 1855. Resolved, That for the future, in extra stock long-wools, and also short-wools, there be a silver medal for the best wether sheep, and another for the best ewe. That in future members who shall have paid their subscription for the current year be ad- mitted to the private view by a special card. That a silver medal be awarded to the breeder of each first-prize animal in the Scotch and Welsh classes, provided he has furnished the breeder's certificates. That the outgoing stewards shall nominate THE CELEBRATED FEEDER OF PRIZE STEERS, RICHARD SHIRLEY, AND FAMILY, OF BAUCOTT. (House built in 1600.) 86 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE their successors to the honorary secretary pre- viously to the annual notice paper being sent to the members, prior to the annual meeting; and that no member shall be considered eligible to be appointed unless he shall have been three years a member of the club. A testimonial of plate was presented to B. T. Brandreth Gibbs, honorary secretary, at the annual dinner of the club. Philip Pusey, Esq., a vice-president, died. 1856. The amount of prizes offered to the club was still further increased, and additional ^50 YOUATT'S TYPICAL HEREFORD COW. (Drawn from imagination. Reproduced from "Youatt on Cattle.") separate classes added for Sussex, Norfolk, or Suffolk-polled, Longhorned, Scotch-polled and Irish cattle. Resolved, That in future the award be not read at the dinner, except the portion relating to the gold medals. That in future the certificates be lodged with the honorary secretary on a fixed day, viz., al- ways November 1, except the first fall on Sun- day, and then to be on Monday, the 2d. 1857. The thanks of the club were voted to the honorary secretary for his "History of the Club," and ordered to be recorded on the min- utes. That in future the club's accounts and state- ments thereof be made up the first of Decem- ber; that the statements show the balance car- ried forward from year to year; and that the stewards audit the accounts up to the first of December annually; and that the statement be that of cash actually received and paid. Earl Spencer, a vice-president, died. 1858. The Right Honorable Lord Fever- sham elected a vice-president. On the motion of Mr. John Giblett, a committee was appointed to inquire into the practicability of procuring a better and more commodious place for the Smithfield Club to hold its annual exhibitions. That there be three additional judges, viz., three for cattle, three for long-wooled sheep and pigs, and three for short-wooled sheep and cross-bred sheep. Those for cattle and long- wooled sheep and pigs to be nominated by the stewards of cattle and long-wools. That in future all the pigs shall have their dentition examined by a competent authority, previously to the judges making their awards, and if the dentition shall satisfactorily indicate that the age of any pig had been incorrectly re- turned in the certificate, the stewards shall dis- qualify such pig and report their having done so to the first meeting of the club, and that such disqualification shall be final and without appeal. That there be two silver medals for extra stock cattle, viz., one for steers or oxen, and one for heifers or cows. That the judge's award be not read in ex- tenso, but laid on the table. That no alteration be made in any of the implement stands, except under the actual direc- tions of the stewards or secretary, both as to the articles to be exhibited and the arrangement of their stands. 1859. His Royal Highness, the Price Con- sort, visited the show. The show yard committee reported on the site, etc., that had been offered for the club's show, including a proposition from the Crystal Palace at Sydenham. (][ 70) Mr. John Giblett having suggested the for- mation of a company, the show yard committee recommended, "That, if a responsible company be formed and adequate terms offered to the club, the club should lease their exhibitions for a term of not exceeding twenty-one years." The committee was empowered to further consider the subject and report again in May, 1860. That a tabular statement of the amounts of- fered in prizes and the number of entries in the different classes during the last three years be printed and furnished to the members. That no article (except agricultural books) exhibited in the implement galleries be allowed to be removed during the time the show is open to the public. The Right Honorable Lord Walsingham elected a vice-president. C. T. Tower, Esq. (the father of the club), elected a vice-president. 1860. Preliminary prospectus of the pro- posed Agricultural Hall Company issued, with Mr. Jonas Webb as chairman. The show yard committee reported their rec- HISTORY OP HEREFORD CATTLE 87 ommendation in favor of the site known as "Dixon's lair," at Islington: "That if a responsible company be formed who will enter into an agreement to erect a suitable building on this site to the satisfaction of the club, also to pay the club 1,000 ($5,000) per annum, and to enter into an arrangement on similar terms to those now made with Mr. Boulnois, the club shall lease their exhibition for a term of not . exceeding twenty-one years, commencing 1862." Several meetings were held on the subject of the removal of the show to the proposed new Agricultural Hall. On the 17th of July the following resolution was carried : "That the report of the sub-com- mittee appointed at the general meeting of December 9, 1859, to inquire into the practi- cability of providing a more commodious place for holding the annual exhibitions of the Smith- field Club, having been adopted at the special general meeting of the 22d of May, 1860, and the report of the legal arrangements committee, appointed on the same 22d of May, to conclude the terms of an agreement with the agricultural meeting held on the 6th of June, 1860, this meeting does in the fullest manner confirm those proceedings." Power was given to the committee, or any two, to sign the agreement, and a copy of it ordered to be entered on the minutes. His Grace, the Duke of Richmond, K. G., president of the club, died. Resolved, That the meeting desires to record its deep regret at the irreparable loss the club has sustained by the decease of the late presi- dent, His Grace, the Duke of Richmond, K. G., who has, during a number of years, given the greatest attention to further its objects and promote its prosperity. The Earl of Yarborough, a vice-president, died. Her Majesty, the Queen, and his Royal High- ness, the Prince Consort, visited the show, De- cember 10, 1860. Her Majesty, the Empress of the French, visited the show. Resolved, That the president be elected for the term of one year, and that the said presi- dent be not eligible for re-election for the term of three years, and that this be the rule of the club for the future. That Right Honorable Lord Berners, elected president for 1861, be the first of the annual presidents. Lord Portman and Mr. Brandreth Gibbs re- signed their offices of trustees, and the thanks of the club voted. Charles Barnett, Esq., Thos. Greetham, Esq., and Samuel Druce, Esq., elected trustees. Resolved, That all exhibitors of cross-bred animals shall be required to specify the exact nature of the cross that is, the breed of sire and dam respectively, and whether the animal exhibited is the result of a first or more remote cross. Prize sheet rearranged and fresh divisions and classes added, and prizes to amount of nearly 800 ($4,000) extra. The following were added to the list of vice- presidents : Lord Berwick, the Honorable Col. Hood, the Earl of Leicester, the Duke of Rich- mond. Lord Berwick, a vice-president, died. 1861. Lord Tredegar elected a vice-presi- dent. Implement committee appointed to arrange as to allotment of space and determine the rules and regulations for the implement department. Resolved, That the honorary secretary be re- quested to make the same arrangements as to catalogues that he has been in the habit of mak- ing with Boulnois, and. that the entire arrange- ment shall rest with the honorary secretary TT51 '" YOUATT'S TYPICAL SHORTHORN COW. (Drawn to flatter Rev. H. Berry. Reproduced from "Youatt on Cattle.") of the club, who is to fix the maximum prices at which the catalogues are to be sold by the Agricultural Hall Company. (|[ 71) 1862. This show held at the Agricultural Hall for the first time. His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, visited the show, accompanied by his Royal Highness, the Crown Prince of Prussia. His Royal Highness, the Duke of Brabant (now king of the Belgians), and his Royal Highness, the Prince Louis of Hesse ; also his Royal High- 88 HISTORY OF HEEEFOKD CATTLE ness, the Duke of Cambridge; her Royal High- ness, the Duchess of Cambridge, and her Royal Highness, the Princess Mary of Cambridge. Prize sheet revised and 600 ($3,000) added to the prizes. Resolved, That an implement catalogue be published on the same terms as the live stock catalogue. That in future any member of the club who has duly served his three years as steward of R.S&ttBEKV YOUATT'S IDEA OF A HEREFORD WORKING-OX. (Drawn from imagination. Reproduced from "Youatt on Cattle.") the yard shall not be eligible for reappointment for the next six years. That both the nomination and election of the new stewards be in the business of the general meeting, and that no retiring steward have the especial right of nominating his successor. On the motion of Major-General, the Hon- orable A. 1ST. Hood, it was resolved : 1st, That the management of the Smithfield Club be vested in a council consisting of the President, Vice-Presidents, Trustee, Honorable Secretary and twenty-four members. 2d, That one-third of the twenty-four mem- bers shall go out annually by rotation, and not be re-eligible for one year. 3d, That the council shall prepare rules and regulations for the management of the club, and shall submit them for consideration and adoption at a special general meeting of the club in May, 1863. His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, was elected a member of the club. Two silver cups, value 40, for cattle ; three silver cups, 20, for sheep, offered in lieu of gold medals, also separate silver medals for ewes in extra stock. 1863. On March 5th, the council of the club held its first meeting and considered the draft of by-laws as preliminarily prepared by the hon- orary secretary. Resolved, That the honorary secretary be empowered to appoint an assistant secretary, at a salary of 50 guineas per annum ; that the appointment, removal and control of such as- sistant secretary shall rest entirely with the honorary secretary. Resolved, That one month shall be added to the ages of sheep, viz., to be under twenty-three months and under thirty-five months, instead of twenty-two months and under thirty-four months. That a silver cup, value 10, be offered in lieu of the butcher's medal. By-laws of the club finally discussed and agreed to. The private view arranged to take place on the Monday afternoon of the show, and the public to be admitted at 5s ($1.25) each. Resolved, That every member of the coun- cil be invited to send the names of fitting per- sons for judges in each particular class. That the council shall select the judges. That the council shall have power to add names to the list. That the members of council sending in any names shall first ascertain that the respective parties are willing to act as judges. That the names be delivered to the honorary secretary on or before the 1st of November. Resolved, That there be fifteen judges, viz., six for cattle, six for sheep and three for pigs. Resolved, That all the judges of cattle shall be joined to decide the adjudication of the sil- ver cups, and in case of equality of votes, the stewards shall call in a judge for umpire out of one of the other divisions. That the six judges of sheep shall be joined to decide the last cup named on the prize sheet, and in case of equality of votes, the stewards shall call in an umpire, as in the case of cattle. A special divine service given for the first time by the Vicar of Islington for the men in charge of live stock. The first report of the council laid before the general meeting. Two stewards of implements appointed. Humphrey Brandreth, Esq. ( formerly honor- ary secretary), elected a vice-president. 1864. Resolved, That members of the club and exhibitors be admitted to the galleries dur- ing the judging. That a framed diploma and a sovereign be given to the man (to be named by the exhib- itor) who has had charge of the stock winning first prize in each class. The ages in the class for steers were rearranged. (See prize sheet.) The marking of the sheeps' ears was discon- tinued. HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 89 Resolved, That all protests against animals exhibited at the club's show must be delivered in before six o'clock p. M. on the Tuesday of the show, and that no protests be received after that time. Fines were instituted for the non-exhibition of animals that had been entered. Resolved, That the club will not, in any case, or under any circumstances, hold itself respon- sible for any loss, damage, or mis-delivery of live stock or article exhibited at the club's tshows. Rosettes placed over winning animals. Resolved, That for the information of the agricultural and such other journals as may wish to publish the awards the same evening, the winning numbers be posted on a placard in the gallery from time to time as the judges proceed. That the reporters of the press generally shall obtain the complete award by applying at the honorary secretary's office at the hall at 3 o'clock, when a clerk will be in attendance to read over the numbers, so that the reporters may mark their catalogues. Veterinary Inspector's fee raised to 15. Judge's fee raised to 7. Freemartins to be allowed to compete in the heifer classes. The Marquis of Huntley, vice-president, died. Humphrey Brandreth, Esq., vice-president, died. 1865. Resolved, That the stewards be paid a fee of 10 each. That a silver cup be substituted for the gold medal hitherto given for the best pen of pigs. That a gold medal be given in lieu of a silver medal for the breeder of the best ox or steer, also to the breeder of the best cow or heifer in any of the classes. That there be three butcher's cups one for beasts, one for sheep, and one for pigs. The date of the show was put a week later than usual in consequence of the cattle plague necessitating early slaughter after the show. Various stringent rules were enacted in or- der to guard against the plague, animals ex- hibited at any show within a month being excluded ; veterinary certificates being required to be sent with the animals, conveyances being required to be disinfected ; animals to be exam- ined by a veterinary inspector before being ad- mitted to the show; constant attendance of veterinary inspector night and day, etc. Resolved, That this year the show shall close on the Thursday evening instead of the Fri- day. Resolved, That the stewards of live stock and implements, not already members of the coun- cil, be so ex-officio, during their terms of stew- ardship. Resolved, That it is the opinion of the gen- eral meeting of the Smithfield Club, held this 12th day of December, 1865, that it is the duty of the government, under the formidable visita- tion by which this country has been afflicted, to issue such orders for the regulation of the cattle trade in Great Britain as may be neces- sary to check the extension of the cattle plague, so that the practice may be uniform throughout the country; also that this meeting concurs in. the spirit of the recommendations made to the Privy Council by the Council of the Royal Ag- ricultural Society of England in reference to the cattle plague, and begs to press on the gov- ernment the extreme importance and urgency of its taking immediate steps to insure uni- formity of action throughout the country. 1866. Resolved, That the condition disqual- ifying spayed heifers be struck out. That the butchers' cups be discontinued. That the rule excluding animals exhibited elsewhere within a month be rescinded for this year. That all the other rules and regulations in reference to cattle plague be enforced as last year, with the exception of that altering the date of the show. That no steps be taken by the Council of the Smithfield Club to obtain a relaxation of the YOUATT'S HEREFORD FEEDING OX. (Drawn from imagination. Reproduced from "Youatt on Cattle.") orders of Privy Council in reference to the cat- tle plague. That a deputation consisting of the presi- dent and honorary secretary shall wait on the Privy Council to advocate the following recom- mendations : (j[ 73) 1st. That no fair or market for store- stock should be opened before the 1st of April. 90 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 2d. That the greatest care should be taken that the regulations as to quarantine be rig- idly carried out. 3d. That permanent lairs be established at the ports of debarkation. 1867. Resolved, That a list of the winners of the gold medals and silver cups at the past shows of the Club be printed at the end of the annual Prize Sheets, the same to be a reprint and continuation of the tabular statement in the appendix to the honorary secretary's "His- tory of the Smithfield Club.''* That a list of the members of the club be printed at the end of the Prize Sheets. That none but the official placards respecting the food on which the animals have been fed be allowed to be placed over the heads of the animals in the hall. T54- YOUATT'S ORIGINAL DURHAM COW. (Drawn from imagination. Reproduced from "Youatt on Cattle.") Lord Feversham, vice-president, and C. T. Tower, Esq., vice-president and father of the club, died ; also Thos. Greetham, a trustee, died. The club entered into arrangements with the Agricultural Hall Company respecting various alterations in the hall, by which on the one hand the club had to pay the Hall Company 1,000 ($5,000) in consideration of the en- largement of the galleries ; building of a dining room, in which the club's annual dinners are to be held ; store room for animal's food, and construction of a new building for the pigs, and other improvements. On motion of the President (Major-General Hood), Resolved, That 15 be given for a report on the animals exhibited at the club's show. The Duke of Marlborough and the Earl of Powis elected vice-presidents. The president was requested to lay the fol- lowing resolutions before the Privy Council as recommendations from the Council of the Smithfield Club: That all foreign stock be slaughtered at the place of landing. That sheep be included in the present quar- antine regulations for store stock. Mr. H. H. Dixon was appointed to write the report of the present year's show. Resolved, That in future each member of the Council shall not nominate more than one per- son to each division of judges, and that the conditions requiring that the nominators shall have first ascertained their willingness to act be remitted. Her Majesty the Queen exhibited for the first time in her own name. His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, exhibited for the first time. A donation of 25 ($125) was received from Her Majesty the Queen in lieu of that of 5 ($25) hitherto annually paid by Major-Gen- eral, the Hon. A. N. Hood. SMITHFIELD CLASSIFICATIONS. (fl 74) The following are the Smithfield Show classifications made on cattle from the organi- zation of the society to 1835 : (Note. A stone was reckoned at 14 Ibs. for live weight and 8 Ibs. for dressed or dead weight, "sinking the offal." In live weight 2 stone equaled a quarter or 28 Ibs. Four quar- ters made one hundred weight (cwt.) or 112 Ibs.) 1799. Oxen or steers. Class for beasts fed on oil-cake or corn, class for beasts fed on grass feed, etc., class for beasts under 24 score (480 Ibs. dressed or 840 Ibs. live weight). 1800. Oxen or steers. Class for beasts un- der 150 stone (2,100 Ibs.), above 80 (1,120 Ibs.), grass fed, etc. Class for beasts under 150 stone (2,100 Ibs.) above 80 (1,120) fed on oil-cake, etc. Class for beasts above 150 stone (2,100 Ibs.), grass fed. Class for beasts above 150 stone (2,100 Ibs.), cake or corn fed. 1805. Oxen or steers. Class for 160 stone (3,240 Ibs.) or upwards, not to have cake or corn before the 5th of April, 1805. Class for 100 stone (1,400 Ibs.), not to have had cake or corn. Class for under 100 stone (1,400 Ibs.), not to have had cake or corn. Class for oxen or cows that have gained the greatest weight from the 1st of April or later, to 1st December, grass fed. HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE Cows. Class for fat cows, must have had three calves at least, 1810. Oxen or steers. Class for any age, classified separately, as according to breed, as follows: Herefords, Longhorns, Shorthorns, Sussex or Kent, Devons. Class for any breed, 5 years, above 100 stone (1,400 Ibs.). Class for any breed, 5 years, under 100 stone (1,400 Ibs.). Cows. Class for fat cows, must have had three calves. 1815. Oxen or steers. Class for any age, classified separately, according to breed, as fol- lows: Herefords, Sussex or Kent, Devons, Longhorns, Shorthorns. Class for any breed under 5 years, 100 stone (1,400 Ibs.) or up- wards. Class for any breed under 100 stone (1,400 Ibs.). Bedfordian plate for oxen, 110 stone (1,540 Ibs.), or upwards. Bedfordian plate for oxen under 110 stone (1,540 Ibs.). Cows. Class for fat cows that have had at least three calves. 1820. Oxen or steers. Class for any breed under 36 months. Class for any breed, 160 stone (2,244 Ibs.), not exceeding 5 years. Class for any breed above 120 stone (1,680 Ibs.) and under 160 (2,240 Ibs.), not exceeding 5 years. Class for any breed under 120 stone (1,680 Ibs.), not exceeding 4 years. Bedfordian plate for 130 stone (1,820 Ibs.) and upwards. Bed- fordian plate for under 130 stone (1,820 Ibs.). Cows. Class for any breed of cows that have calved twice. 1825. Oxen or steers. Class for any breed under 36 months. Class for any breed 160 stone (2,240 Ibs.) or upwards. Class for any breed under 160 stone (2,240 Ibs.) and above 110 (1,540 Ibs.). Class for any breed under 110 stone (1,540 Ibs.). None of the above to have had cake, etc., pre- vious to the September twelve-months preced- ing. Cows. Class for cows that have calved twice at least. Class for cows not spayed. 1830. Oxen or steers. Class for any breed under six years. Class for any breed or age, 160. stone (2,240 Ibs.) or upwards, that have had no cake, corn, etc., before August 1st, 1830. Class for any breed under 160 stone (2,240 Ibs.) and above 120 stone (1,680 Ibs.), no cake, etc., as above. Class for any breed under 120 stone (1,680 Ibs.), no cake, etc., as above. Cows. Class for cows that have calved twice at least. Class for cows of any age, must have calved once in years 1828-29, and not been dried last time previous to November 1st, 1829. Class for cows or heifers not eligible as above, freemartins and spayed heifers not qualified. 1835. Oxen or steers. Class for any breed under 5 years. Class for any breed under 6 years, 90 stone (1,260 Ibs.) and upwards, no cake, etc., previous to August 1st, 1835. Class for any breed under 5 years, under 90 stone (1,260 Ibs.) and above 70 stone (980 Ibs), no cake, etc., as above. Class for any breed not more than 4 years, 3 months, under 70 stone (980), no cake, etc., as above. Cows. Class for cows under 5 years. Class for cows 5 years and upwards. Freemartins and heifers not qualified. LORD BATEMAN, 1826-1901, LORD LIEUTENANT OF HEREFORDSHIRE, 1852-1901, THE CELEBRATED BREEDER OF HEREFORD CATTLE. HISTORY' OF HEREFORD CATTLE CHAPTER IX. CONTEMPORARY REPORTS OF SMITHFIKLD CLUB MATTERS We find that considerable light can be shed on the cattle history of the early years of the nineteenth century by giving what was pub- lished in the agricultural publications of that day. The Smithfield Cattle and Sheep Society, gathered in London, Dec. 13, 1799, appears to have been a meeting for general business, and the following classification was published: Class 1. Beasts fed on grass, hay, turnips, cabbages, or other vegetables, under the weight of 150 stone but above 80 stone, a piece of plate not exceeding 15 ($75) for the best, and a piece of 'plate not exceeding 10 ($50) for the second best. Class 2. Beasts fed on oil-cake, corn, or any other food except grass, hay and vegetables, same premium. Class 3: Beasts fed as Class 1, above the weight of 150 stone (2,100 Ibs.), a piece of plate not exceeding in value 20 ($100) for the best, and a piece of plate not exceeding in value 15 ($75) for the second best. Class 4. Beasts fed as Class 2, and the same weight as Class 3, same premiums as Class 3. "That the cattle be brought, on the following or any other conditions that the committee may think proper, to a place fixed upon by the com- mittee on Thursday preceding the Christmas market day for the purpose of being accepted by the judges on the day succeeding, who will be directed to select the two best from each class. "Those selected to remain at the place fixed upon by the judges, for the purpose of their being exhibited to public view, and that they be exhibited accordingly on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday immediately following the day of selection, when they shall be returned; but it will be expected that the proprietors shall agree with whomsoever they may sell them to, that the judges shall have full power to inspect the killing for the purpose of ascertaining the weight of each animal slaughtered, distinguish- ing the fore and hind-qiiarters, the tallow, hide, offal, including blood, etc. ; or by some other satisfactory mode of ascertaining the compara- tive live and dead weight, and having ascer- tained such points the judges are then to decide on which is the first and which the second best in each class, and make their report to the com- mittee. "Resolved, That one of the conditions be, that each candidate shall at the time of show- ing, produce to the judge a paper, signed by himself, containing an account of the breed, age, time of fattening, sort of food, and time they have eaten cake or corn, etc.; also the name of the breeder in case where it can be known. "Resolved, That no candidate shall be enti- tled to two prizes in the same class. "Resolved, That the committee be instructed to direct the judges to take particularly into their consideration age of the sheep, the society being of the opinion that early maturity is a merit. "Resolved, That the committee be instructed to 'advertise the premiums in the following pa- pers once : County Chronicle, Bath, Hereford, Lewes, Leicester, Stamford, York, Northamp- ton, Cambridge Intelligencer, Oxford, Canter- bury, Sherburn, Ipswich, Reading and War- wick, on the first day of publication in the month of October, 1800. "Resolved, That it be left to the committee to fix a price to be paid for admission to see the different prize cattle and sheep. "Resolved, That the committee be instructed to dispose of the surplus arising from the sub- scribers, shows, etc., in such manner as they think fit, rendering such disposal public, and if there is still a surplus after their object is ac- complished to pay it over to the committee for the year ensuing. "Resolved, That the committee be instructed to have a dinner provided on the Christmas market day, subject to such regulations as they may deem proper. "Resolved, That the committee be instructed to draw up a report of the whole of their pro- ceedings, including their receipts and expendi- HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 93 ture, at as early a period as they conveniently can, and to make the same public in the cheap- est manner." The first premium equal to $75 for the best beast in the show and another equal to $50 for the best ox fed on oil-cake, was awarded to Mr. Westcar, on a Hereford. A prize equal to $25 was awarded to the Duke of Bedford's Here- ford for the most complete beast under the weight of 48 score (960 Ibs., dressed, or 1,680 Ibs. live weight), fed on oil-cake and grain. The Duke also gained $75 for the best beast fattened on grass and hay only. A prize of 10 ($50) was awarded to Mr. John Edmonds, of Welford, for the second best ox fed on grass and hay only", and 5 ($25) to Mr. Ellman, of Glynd, for the best ox fattened on grass and hay only in the shortest time from the yoke. The following are sample certificates pre- sented with cattle exhibited. The Duke of Bed- ford's reads: "Dec. 12, 1800. "This is to certify that my two oxen were purchased of the breeders, lean from the yoke, on the 15th of March, 1800; and the Hereford- shire ox was bred by Samuel Patrick, of Mid- dleton, near Ledbury, and the Shropshire ox was bred by Thos. Bishop, of Moor, near Lud- low; both were five years old, and have been fattened with grass and hay only, and have not eaten any hay before the 17th of November last." Another reads : "This is to certify that the two Sussex shown by me for the prizes given by the Smithfield So- ciety were bred by Mr. John Ellman, of Glynd, Sussex; were eight years old last spring and worked constantly until the last week in May, 1799, and have been fed on grass and hay only until the 14th of December, 1799, by Mr. John Ellman; since that time by Henry King, mak- ing together nineteen months from the yoke. "Witness our hands this 12th day of Decem- ber, 1800. JOHN ELLMAN, HENRY KING." At the Christmas market at Smithfield, Dec. 21, 1800, Messrs. Hixcock and Farrow made a show of beasts that was never equaled or ex- ceeded in the kingdom. Their largest bullock, a real Herefordshire one, was fed by Mr. Grace, of Buckinghamshire, and on account of his very extraordinary bulk and fatness, was conveyed to London by water. He was seven feet high, MR. WM. PRICE ON HIS FAVORITE HORSE AT "THE VERN," ONCE OCCUPIED BY JOHN HEWER. "The surface of the country is undulating in long ridges," HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE weighed upwards of 260 stone (3,640 Ibs.) and measured in the girth twelve feet, four inches. The other killed by them was a real Glamor- ganshire, grazed by Mr. Woodman, of Buck- ingham, and weighed 220 stone (3,080 Ibs.), and was the fattest ever seen on the ribs and sir- loin. A prize Hereford ox was purchased at Smithfield in 1800 by Mr. Chapman for $500, and exhibited to public inspection in the Fleet market on Wednesday. This fine animal was fed by Mr. Westcar, of Buckinghamshire, and weighed nearly 300 stone (4,200 Ibs.), was eight feet eleven inches long, six feet seven inches high and ten feet four inches around the girt. He carried the first prize at the Smith- field Show of Cattle. SMITHFIELD CATTLE SHOW, 1801. Dec. 12, the judges met and examined certifi- cates of the exhibitors who had cattle to show. Mr. Westcar, for two oxen fed on cake, six years old, one bred by Mr. Tully, the other one by Mr. Holman; have eaten cakes since last September, at Ledbury, March 17, 1799; also, two others fed on grass and turnips, bought at Hereford, October, 1799, bred by Mr. Williams, of Thinghill. Class 1. Several cattle were exhibited by Mr. Westcar who took the first prize on a Here- ford ox, and the Duke of Bedford second prize on a Hereford ox. Class 2. The character of the cattle in this class was not sufficient in the opinion of the committee to be awarded a premium. Class 3. Mr. Westcar's white Hereford took first premium. 1802. The following is a report of the judges of the Smithfield Cattle and Sheep Club, Dec. 8, 1802: We, the judges, appointed by the Smithfield Club to examine and report the merits of the cattle, sheep and pigs shown for the prize of this year, having received and read the certifi- cate of the several candidates and duly consid- ered the instructions this day received from the club, do adjudge: Class 1. First prize in this class to Mr. Westcar, second prize to the Duke of Bedford, for Hereford oxen. Class 2. The first prize to Mr. Westcar for the Hereford ox; second prize to Mr. Ladds. Class 3. Only the Duke of Bedford's French ox shown if a prize must be given in this class the Duke of Bedford is entitled to it. "SAY WHEN." MR. J. H. ARKWRIGHT AND SON TROUT FISHING AT HAMPTON COURT, HISTOEY OF HEEEFOED CATTLE 95 Class 4. For cows, the first prize to the Duke of Bedford. The following certificate shows that Here- ford oxen of the Tomkins sort were strong com- petitors at the early shows : Class 1. This is to certify that the Duke of Bedford's Hereford ox just shown for a prize offered by the Smithfield Society (winner of second prize in Class 1 ) was six years old when put to fattening, was bred by Mr. Tomkins in the County of Hereford, was put to fattening the 1st day of May, 1801, being then respecting flesh very poor, having been till then at hard work; has been fed on cakes, turnips and hay. Signed EDMUND CARTWRIGHT, JOHN CLAYTON. Class 2. The following is the certified ac- count of the food given to Mr. Westcar's grass- fed Hereford ox : 1802. Tankard turnips Hay Hay per day. per day. taken up. Oct. 1st to 8th.. . ... 108 Ibs. 21 Ibs % Ib. Oct. 8th to 15th.. ... 108 Ibs. 21 Ibs % Ib. Oct. 15th to 22d. . . . . 108 Ibs. 21 Ibs % Ib. Swedish Turnips. Oct. 22d to 29th. .... 94 Ibs. 20 Ibs % Ib. Oct. 29th to Nov. 5th 94 Ibs. 20 Ibs V 2 Ib. Nov. 5th to 12th ... 94 Ibs. 20 Ibs % Ib. Nov. 12th to 19th 94 Ibs. 20 Ibs % Ib. Nov. 19th to 30th ... 94 Ibs. 20 Ibs % Ib. Total 5934 Ibs. 1221 Ibs. 3614 Ibs. We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, do certify that the ox Mr. Westcar shows for the grass-fed prize, was purchased by him of Mr. Williams, of Thinghill, March 20, 1801, di- rectly from work, and in store condition. THOS. HEDGES. EGBERT BYNG. An account of the food given to the cake-fed ox, Mr. Westcar's: 1802. Oct. 1st to 8th.. Oct. 8th to 15th. Oct. 15th to 22d Oct. 22d to 29th. Oct. 29th to Nov. 5th Nov. 5th to 12th.. Nov. 12th to 19th. Nov. 19th to 30th. Total 512% Ibs. 722 Ibs. 1036 Ibs. 72 l / 2 Ibs. We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, do certify, that the ox of Mr. Westcar shown for the cake-fed prize, was purchased by him of Mr. Tully, of Huntington, near Hereford, March 30th, 1801, directly from work in store condition, and that the said ox never had any cake except in the year 1802. EGBERT" BYNG, THOMAS HEDGES. The dressed beef of Mr. Westcar's cake-fed Hereford ox (1802), bred by Mr. Tully, was as follows: Cakes Turnips Hay Hay per day. per day per day. taken up. 7 Ibs 24 Ibs. 20 Ibs. 1 Ib. 7 Ibs 24 Ibs. 20 Ibs. 1 Ib. 8 Ibs 17 Ibs. 19- Ibs. 1 Ib. 8 Ibs 17 Ibs. 19 Ibs. 1 Ib. h 9 Ibs 10 Ibs. 18 Ibs. 1>4 Ibs. 9 Ibs 6 Ibs. 18 Ibs. 1^4 Ibs. 9V 2 Ibs. 2 Ibs. 17 Ibs. 1% Ibs. 10 Ibs. 2 Ibs. 17 Ibs. 1% Ibs. Stone. Lbs. Fore-quarter 72 1 Hind-quarter .... 65 2 =577 pounds = 442 One side . ,137 3 =1019 pounds W't of whole body 274 6 =2038 pounds Mr. P. Giblett, the celebrated London butch- er, gives the following particulars of Mr. West- car's grass-fed prize ox of 1802 : Stone. Lbs. Carcass 225 6 =1 ,806 pounds. Fat 28 /? 230 Hide 15 2 = 122 Liver 1 5 = 13 Entrails, not emp'd 22 7 = 183 Pluck 1 6 = 14 . " Head 5 3 = 43 Feet 4 1 = 33 Tongue 1 2% = 103/4 306 63/4=2,4543^ SHOBDON COURT, SEAT OP LORD BATEMAN. Smithfield Show, Dec. 13, 1803. Certificate Admitted. Class 1. This is to certify that the two oxen I showed for the prize offe'red by the Smithfield Society were bred by Mr. Tully, of Huntington, near Hereford, of whom I pur- chased them the 12th of April, 1802, directly from work and in store condition. And I also certify, the said oxen never ate any corn of any description while in my possession, nor any oil- 1803. WESTCAR. cake, except in the present Creslow, Dec. 3, 1803. Witnesses to the above : THOMAS HEDGES. JOHN EOADS. Particulars of the food eaten by the large ox: 570*^ cakes and 919 pounds hay. 96 HISTORY OF HEEEFOED CATTLE Particulars of food eaten by the smaller ox : 315 cakes, 1,302 pounds turnips, 1,005 pounds hay. Mr. Grace, two oxen cake-fed and two grass- fed, the grass-fed five years old, and the cake- fed seven years old, bred by Mr. Farmer, of Weobly, Herefordshire, and by Mr. Holmes, of Hereford. THOMAS GRACE. Premiums awarded as follows : To Mr. West- car, first premium of $60 for beast under 150 stone (2,100 Ibs.), fed with grass and hay, on a Herefordshire ox. To Mr. Edmonds, first premium of $75 for beast above 150 stone (2,100 Ibs.), on a Here- ford ox. To Mr. Westcar, first premium of $75 for best beast above 150 stone, fed with cake and corn, being a Hereford ox. To Mr. Grace, for second premium of $50 for Hereford ox in the same class. The dressed weight of one of Mr. Westcar's oxen was as follows: The four quarters weighed 1,952 pounds, one sirloin and rump weighed 240 pounds, six of his fore ribs weighed 176 pounds, buttock 128 pounds, his leg 20 pounds, his head 28 pounds, his tongue 14 pounds; bought by Mr. Chapman, of Fleet market. Two oxen were shown by His Majesty at Smithfield, 1802. One of them was taken from work Oct. 17th, 1799; he was seven years old, and worked three and one-half years; he was fed on hay and grass only, except on a few potatoes for a few -weeks prior to his going to London; the other was five years old, and worked nearly two years, and was taken from work Sept. 12th, 1799, was fed with grass and hay only, except on a few potatoes for about five weeks; both were bought for the King by Passey, in Herefordshire. SMITHFIELD SOCIETY, 1804. Certificates of Mr. Westcar's brown ox, oil- cake fed : Carcass weight 1,674 pounds. Fat , 204 " 1,878 pounds. Mr. Westcar's dark brown grass-fed ox : Carcass weight 1,626 pounds. Fat 193 1,819 pounds. A SCENE AT "THE WHITTERN," KINGTON, PROPERTY OF MR. R. GREEN. "Ash and oak coppices clothe its hillsides." nf flu* awafrc*nwr vmi hfU'r mtflf rrd u& mprrmattr ntlv retabfobitty fhf brr f & ofljw farMJatHr in fimrrtra ITi^MfT .-- * JJV 't .', ,, .... ,,,- ///// /,,,/ //',/ A;; k, Mi WALFORD (871) 47, CALVED ABOUT 1844. (Bred by T. Longmore. Walford won many prizes and his blood has a powerful influence in the improvement of the breed.) because Youatt has? Never. This must be a wild thought ; probably I have seen as many of the best oxen in this country as Mr. H., or any other person. In the fall of 1838 I purchased myself, for barreling, nearly five thousand head of cattle, in the western country in the course of two months, and was engaged in that busi- ness four years previous, when from four to six . FREDERICK WILLIAM STONE, GUELPH, ONT., CANADA. Canada's greatest importer of pure-bred live stock. 130. HISTOKY OF H E E E F K D CATTLE thousand were slaughtered annually, selecting the best for the New York market, and the whole time I did not see an ox that was border- ing on goodness (for what I call a show beast) ; good breeding must be looked to for such an animal, and requires as much skill as it does to breed a bull or cow. I should have been much surprised at this remark from a breeder, had I not known he was led astray by the study of theory alone. Mr. H. may have seen larger oxen, but I doubt whether he ever saw the first quality. I shall leave the breeders of our cattle to answer the unwarrantable attack he has made on them. I shall only tell him that were they disposed to steal 'crosses/ represent them pure when not so, they could not show them for ERASTUS CORNING, ALBANY, N. Y. a premium; a true certificate of their pedigree is demanded. If they are entered as pure Here- fords, they must prove so, or the beast is dis- qualified, the owner erased from the list and never allowed to show an animal again. Match- less [Mr. Sotham's cow, entered in the Herd Books as Spot 1070. T. L. M.] was entered as a pure Hereford, won the first prize, and I defy any man to prove 'there is a drop of Durham blood in her veins, or any other of our animals that I say are Herefords. I hope this is plain enough for Mr. Hepburn. We have a half- bred Durham heifer, as I have before stated, and a man that can distinguish a mule from a Spanish ass, can see this cross, though I think her a superior animal. I refer these gentlemen to a late number of the 'Farmers' Magazine,' to peruse the letters of Mr. Price and Mr. Bates; there they may profit from practical knowledge, and see what the Herefords were forty years ago in their estimation. "I was honored by a letter from the Earl of Warwick a few days since, which I send you, and trust his lordship will not feel displeased at his name appearing in your valuable paper. Much information may be gleaned from it. "I think I may say, with confidence, we have just received from E. Lovel, Esq., Edgecott Lodge, one of the finest Shorthorn heifers, com- ing three years old, that ever crossed the water. I will send you her likeness and pedigree at some future period; she is a pure herd book animal. "I could say much on Mr. E. and Mr. H.'s articles, but will leave it to consult your space, or some other means, to do it. Their ideas of arriving into notice as breeders, in six or eight years, are quite ridiculous unless at an enor- mous expense to start with. "Yours sincerely, . "WM. HY. SOTHAM. "Perch Lake Farm, Jefferson Co., N. Y., Feb., 1841." The following is the letter from the Earl of Warwick, mentioned by Mr. Sotham : "7 Carlton Gardens, Dec. 28, 1840. "Sir: I received your letter of the 13th of November, and accompanied by a 'Cultivator' paper; your wishing an answer induces me to send one, but not breeding myself any Here- fordshire cattle, I fear I have little satisfactory to communicate; or any breeding stock on my farm to show you should you visit this country. I consider they can breed better stock in the counties where the whole attention of the farm is devoted to that object. I therefore buy in my stock, poor, between two and three years old ; fat them, and feed them off for the butcher as I can get them ready on grass for summer keep; Swede turnips (on which I mostly de- pend) and hay for the winter keep, with some finish only, of oil-cake when necessary. To do which it would be immaterial to me what breed I bought, or where, depending on what would grow fat fastest as good butcher's beasts, the butcher being my customer, and I have no doubt the Herefords are the best breed for such objects, and notwithstanding well-bred ones are bought very dear (a proof of their estimation), I think they pay for their keep, turning into money fastest for the food they eat, and less liable to casualties from the thriving disposition << 18 - H O a) 132 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE of their constitutions to do well, and lay on flesh while growing. I send into Herefordshire and buy in lean, young stock of the best breed- ers, not trusting to fairs; I know how all are bred. "The ox I won the first prize with at the rtmithfield Show last year (fl 65) (and the best beast of the class shown, ninety competitors) I so bought as a three-year-old (with many more) for 17 ($85), lean. He ran with the other steers, and was put up with them to fat, and I never thought of sending him to the Smithfield till two months before the show, as I never sent a beast there before. After the show I sold him to a London butcher to kill for 70 ($350). There is a wretched print of him in the London shops. The painter who did his picture for me is Mr. Davis, animal painter to the Queen, and lives at Chelsea. He has made a very good col- ored engraving, and one of which I shall be very happy to procure for you, if you will have the goodness to write to me when you arrive next summer in England. "We breed some pretty good Leicester sheep in Warwickshire. My bailiff will be happy to show you anything I may have, if you are likely to be that way. I only breed sheep we con- sider nothing like the Leicester for long wool, and Southdowns for short. A Leicester tup has been known to let for the season for 1,000. My House in London is 7 Carlton Gardens. "Your obedient servant, "WARWICK. "W. H. Sotham, Esq." "Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker: Since writing you, I learn from Mr. Thornton (the person who has charge of our stock) that the heifer Spot, by 'Sir George/ coming three years old, calved on the 18th of January, is now giving from five to six quarts of milk daily over what her calf sucks; he is a fine bull, thriving very fast, is her first calf and lies loose in the stable with her; her feed has been cut straw and hay of about equal quantities, mixed with about a peck of bran. Gay is the dam of Spot, whose pedigree may be seen in the July number of the 'Cultivator/ "Yours sincerely, "\\'M. HY. SOTHAM. "Albany, Feb. 20, 1841." We submit that Mr. Sotham conducted this controversy in an able and gentlemanly man- ner. We next find Mr. H. S. Randall coming to the attack in an article entitled "The Short- horns and Herefords." "Messrs. Editors: It is with deep concern TOMB OF THE PARENTS OF WM, H, SOTHAM, IN WOOTON CHURCHYARD, OXFORDSHIRE. HIS TOBY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 133 that I perceive by a communication in your March number that Mr. Sotham has lost some of that comity of feeling with which he pro- fessed to enter into the discussion of the rela- tive merits of the Shorthorns and t the Here- fords, more especially that he has, without pausing to consider the pain and injury it would inflict, spoken in terms falling little* short of utter disrespect of the breeding skill, and even the knowledge of what constitutes the valuable points of cattle, possessed by Mr. You- ATT, Hon. Henry Clay, Mr. Hepburn, and late- ly, my humble self. No man, I will venture to say, intimately acquainted with Mr. Sotham, values him more highly than I do, and I have ever believed that he was by no means properly appreciated by a large portion of our breeders. "I well recollect with what profound pleas- ure I hailed Mr. Sotham's communication from England (published in your October number), that he was on his way to this country, 'with the best lot of stock ever seen together,' and his modest challenge to the owners of the best cat- tle in America, to meet him at the cattle show at Niblo's in October. It is an affair of more magnitude than every one may suppose for one man to buy up 'the best lot of stock ever seen/ even in the small Island of England, and I could not help fancying the deep mortification, the unavailing regrets of such men as Earl Spencer, Mr. Bates, and other English breed- ers, when they ascertained the fact and found that the broad Atlantic rolled between the aforesaid 'lot' and England. What deep and lasting gratitude then should every American have felt towards so great a public benefactor. But alas ! all know that the 'ingratitude of re- publics' has passed into an adage. The fair day arrived at Niblo's, and with it arrived Mr. Sotham, with the Hereford cow (with the aliases) that 'won the first prize at Oxford, 1839, against all England;' the cart mare and cart colt, 'allowed by the best judges to be as good as England could produce;' the twenty- four rams that 'could not be beaten even in England;' and lastly, 'the pigs of various de- scriptions, the best that could be procured in England.' Mark the astounding sequel. The cow that 'beat England' was beaten by an Amer- ican-bred Durham, though rumor says that Mr. Sotham actually condescended to wait person- ally on the committee, after they had retired to their room for consultation, for the generous purpose of imparting his superior knowledge of what constituted the true excellencies of cattle, and to inform them in what low estimation the WOOTON CHUJRCH, OXFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND. (The cross marks location of the Sotham tomb.) 134 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE cow that subsequently proved to be the winner would be held in England. Whether any of the four-and-twenty rams like the fiddlers of old, 'all in a row/ received premiums, 1 am unable to say, though I learn that some of Mr. Soth- am's sheep were beaten by Mr. Cliffs. And to show at what an utterly low ebb the taste of our country is in such respects, I will state that I am credibly informed that those splendid steeds, as well as those pigs, whose loss it is feared England will never be able to repair, were actually laughed at by two-thirds of the ignorant, impudent Yankees present. "But enough, of this. It only proves that men in advance of their age are rarely appreciated by it. Galileo found it so; Copernicus found A TABLET IN WOOTON CHURCH. it so ; Capt. Symes found it so, and Mr. Henry Sotham, if he finds it so, should neither be grieved nor disappointed. It is your empty, swaggering, conceited fellow, who always pro- claim their own 'best,' who are most successful in these degenerate days; for the modest and unassuming there is but little chance. The simple fact that the Committee of the Ameri- can Institute decided against Mr. Sotham's Herefords, proves nothing. That they were 'the best of the lot' at Niblo's, or that 'were ever seen,' we have the most indisputable authority the same which the Marshal Montmorenci had, that the Dauphin was a brave man, the Dauphin told him so himself. Will any man deny that this was " 'Confirmation strong As proof of holy writ.' "But I must say I think it was hardly mag- nanimous of Mr. Sotham, after seducing Messrs. Clay, Hepburn, myself and others into this controversy by honeyed assurances of deal- ing gently and lenient with us, to suddenly, without a word of warning, convert a merely friendly passage of arms into deadly strife. It might have evinced considerable nerve on the part of Fitz James to say to a party of wild Gael, 'Come one, come all.' But Mr. Sotham, when he says he is willing to stand a brush with Messrs. Youatt, Clay, Hepburn, etc., 'individ- ually or collectively/ well knows that he utters a safe challenge. True, Mr. Youatt is conced- edly the first writer in England on cattle, Mr. Clay is a clever man in the Senate, and one of the first breeders of the various kinds of im- proved cattle in the Western States. Mr. Hep- burn certainly writes like an intelligent man but which of these men ever 'purchased five thousand cattle in two months/ or belonged to a concern 'which slaughtered from four to six thousand annually for four years ?' If there be truth in the sage old apothegm that, 'He who kills fat cattle must himself be fat/ does it not follow by a parity of reasoning that he who buys and slaughters cattle must be an adept in the science of breeding them? Cannot your butcher, who wields the knife and cleaver, man- ufacture these implements better than your mere blacksmith who, perhaps, never cut up a beef in his life? We doubt whether this last process was ever performed by Mr. Youatt, un- less in the way of dissection; and as for the Kentucky Senator, confess, 'An' thou lovest me, Hal,' that there's many a man within half a dozen miles of Ashland, who has bought more, killed more, barreled more and ate more beef than thyself, and argal, knows better how to breed it. The fierce old Hepburns, of East Lothian, were drovers and butchers both in a border foray, but we doubt whether their peaceable Pennsyl- vania descendant has ever drove or slaughtered 5,000 cattle in his life. If not, what should he presume to know about breeding fine cattle ? "By the way, we should like to know what was the 'head and front' of this unfortunate man's 'offending' that he should be selected as the especial victim of Sotham's ire- used up as little of him left as the famous Kilkenny HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 135 cats. Was it for suggesting that the recently imported Herefords were indebted to a Short- horn cross for their improved points ? Mr. Hep- burn undoubtedly considered this the greatest compliment he could pay them. Mr. Sotham, in the October number of the 'Cultivator/ page 161, in enumerating 'the best lot of stock ever seen together/ says, 'one-half blood between the Hereford and Durham, to show the cross, which I think an excellent one, probably better than the pure breed of either, and from what I saw of Mr. Cother's, of Middle Aston, it may be extended much further than is generally sup- posed, for his fourth cross was equal to the first not the least sign of degeneration.' Can words be more explicit? And what did Mr. Hepburn do but 'follow in the footsteps of his illustrious predecessor?' Why, Mr. Sotham is as difficult to please (the best have their foi- bles) as the drunkard, who, reeling home at midnight, declared 'if he found his wife up, he would whip her for not going to bed when she ought to have done; if he found her abed, he would whip her for not sitting up and waiting for him.' Disagree with Mr. Sotham and you incur the fate of Clay and Youatt; agree with him and the shade of the mangled Pennsyl- vanian arises warningly before you. Mr. Hep- burn only surmised (in common with many others) that Mr. Sotham has been a more for- tunate man than he himself supposed that in- stead of mere Herefords he had actually ob- tained that cross between the Herefords and the Durhams, which we have Mr. Sotham's own authority for supposing 'better than the pure breed of either.' Why should Mr. Sotham ob- ject to having it believed that his cattle have received that last finishing touch, which, by his own showing, will make perfection more per- fect. Is it modesty the fear of claiming for his own more than they deserve ? Yet, he may be mistaken against himself. He says of the cow that was beaten at Niblo's, 'I defy any man to prove that there is a drop of Durham blood in her veins.' I presume there is not, but, sup- posing there was, and a good many of them, who could testify to it, except the breeder? I assert that my pig is pure land-pike, and now grant, for the sake of argument, there are sev- eral drops of the 'alligator' in him, how is Mr. Hewer or Mr. Sotham to ascertain the fact if I see fit to conceal it? "Finally, Mr. Sotham challenges Mr. Hep- burn or myself to exhibit a pure Shorthorn against one of his pure Herefords, as a milking cow in May nex-t, for a silver cup, value ,$15. SIR CHARLES (3434) 543. (Bred by F. W. Stone, purchased by T. L. Miller, 1872, for $1,000 gold. From drawing by E. H. Dewey.) 13G HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE Now did Mr. Sotham ever hear of a shrewd Yankee by the name of Ezekiel Peabody, who, having tried in vain to dispose of a horse for $40, rode him one bright morning briskly into the town of C. (where several sportsmen re- sided), and -offered to wager $15 that the afore- said horse could out-run anything in C. for a mile; and how that he finally consented to sell 'Connecticut Eclipse' to young 'Squire W. for $150, before the race came off? But would not Ezekiel have betrayed a great want of discre- tion had he suffered his motive for making the bet to leak out in the presence of a third per- son who was under no obligation to keep it from the other parties? I will merely add that this 'silver cup' challenge came to my ears long be- fore it was openly made to me. Verbum sap. actual measurement of 'milk or, rather, the pounds of butter made during one week of each month from the time of calving to the time of exhibition the matter to be decided at the an- nual fair of the State Agricultural Society I hereby distinctly inform him he shall be met. Satisfactory proof to be had, of course, of the milk and butter produced by each cow, and the bet to be forfeited in case either party should 'sell out.' If Mr. Sotham accepts this challenge he will signify it in your next number, to enable the proper steps to be taken. "HENRY S. RANDALL. "Cortland Village, March, 1841." We find in this controversy Hepburn charg- ing fraud in the breeding, and when obliged to admit the merit of Mr. Sotham's cattle, then JOHN R. PAGE'S CONCEPTION OF SIR CHARLES (3434) 543. "In reply to that challenge I may be per- mitted to say that I never have paraded my own stock before the public. I have discussed the merits of the Shorthorns and Herefords as fam- ilies without converting my communication into advertisements setting forth the merits of my own animals, as the vendors of patent medicines recount the wonderful virtues of their nos- trums. My herd, always small, has been ren- dered still more so by recent sales, and circum- stances have induced me to turn much of my attention to crosses between the Shorthorn and other varieties. But if Mr. Sotham is really in earnest if he wishes to risk $50 or $100 on the milking properties of a pure Shorthorn and a pure Hereford, by the proper tests (say the claiming the credit clue to Shorthorn crosses. Mr. Randall there leaves the argument and the merits of the breeds and proceeds to personal abuse. . These two men are representative Short- horn men from the time that Berry entered upon the Hereford-Shorthorn controversy, from 1820 to 1830 down to the present time. The Randalls, Hepburns, Aliens, Pages, Ste- vens, Nichols, Matthews, Andersons, Judys, Sanders, Rusts, and the entire list are of one class, and made use of the same measures, and substantially the same language. They came before the stockmen of the world in 1834 with the livery of that august society termed the "So- ciety for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge/' officered by the nobility of England, and used as HISTOEY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 137 their scribe a learned and scholarly student, and asked the world to witness the impartial his- tory written by this scholar and endorsed by the nobility of England. And then follow such men as Randall, Ste- vens, Page, Allen, Nichols, Anderson and Mat- thews, asking the stockmen to believe that his- tory, and accept their claims on that title. If a political party had come into power on such fraudulent claims they would be buried beyond a resurrection when their crime was brought to light. If a lawyer, in the interest of the client, should have committed such a fraud in his prac- tice as Berry did in the interest of himself and his associate Shorthorn breeders, he would have been prohibited from practice. What Berry did under the cloak of the "So- ciety for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge," Randall, Allen and Stevens and their associates did in organizing the State Board of Agricul- ture of New York, and they used it as Berry used the English Society, and with this ma- chinery broke the Hereford interest. Let us look at this. Mr. Sotham, in 1840, brought to Albany a herd of Hereford cattle. Mr. Erastus Corning, a wealthy citizen of that city, bought an interest in them, and would have probably furnished capital to any extent needed but Henry S. Randall used the fraud of Berry, and copying after Berry organized the New York State Fair, and used it to defeat the Herefords, and the result was that Mr. Sotham and his enterprise was financially ruined, and on these ruins Mr. Randall and his associates were enabled to perpetuate the fraud that Berry inaugurated, and the State Agricul- tural Societies have been brought under this Shorthorn influence and each and all have been made tributary and obedient to the Shorthorn behest, and every man that has dared to ques- tion their right has been broken. Thus, the Shorthorn breeders again, in my time, have en- deavored to do with this movement. This was witnessed by one of the most fraudulent con- spiracies ever conducted, that was pushed dur- ing the year 1881 with all the venom and malice that could be devised. But it was met and hurled back upon the originators. Let us see how Mr. Sotham met this abuse. We find his answer in the "Cultivator," on page 83: "Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker: I have read with much amusement the highly facetious let- ter of Mr. Henry S. Randall, in your last 'Cul- tivator/ and laughed at its contents almost as much as he says 'the impudent Yankees' did at my steeds and pigs. My mirth, however, was mingled with a feeling of regret that I had in- curred his wrath, and that his good sense (of which I had previously a high opinion) had allowed him to stoop to ridicule and ribaldry as a 'dernier resort/ certain signs of a weak argument. "I know nothing of his friend, 'Mr. Ezekiel Peabody/ and therefore give Mr. Randall all the credit he can gain by his acquaintance ; and THE BATES SHORTHORN IDEAL, IMPORTED DUKE OF AIRDRIE (12730) (From a drawing by J. R. Page.) I leave all such passages, dictated as they are, by anything but good breeding and gentlemanly discretion, to pass for what they are worth, which I think will be very little, less even than the shadow of one of the Kilkenny cats, so wit- tily served up in the 'Olla Podrida' with which we are regaled. Such insinuations are unwor- thy of Mr. R., and are beneath my notice. I will merely answer those parts of his letter which appear businesslike. "In the first place, I am aware I spoke highly and confidently regarding my purchases ; but it was not bravado. I knew the prejudices I had to contend against, the true worth of my ani- mals, and was willing to back my own opinion. I see by your last paper that I have raised up opponents who will throw out every obstacle against me, but 'Truth is mighty and will pre- vail/ and they shall not drive me from my pur- pose. I did not intend to say anything regard- ing the judges at Niblo's fair, but only wished for an opportunity to test their judgment. Mr. R.'s article has given it to me. I will show 'Matchless' against any cow in the United States, of any breed, as the most valuable ani- mal, for a cup of the same value as was there given, adding the expenses of the judges, who shall be selected in the following manner: I will name mine, my opponent his, these two se- lecting a third; and to prove that I am not actuated by any exclusive feeling I will show .a 138 H1STOEY OF HEKEFOKD CATTLE three-year-old Durham heifer lately imported against the one produced by my opponent, whether winner or loser, on the same terms. I will also show a Berkshire boar and sow now in the possession of Mr. John Thomas, of Albany, nine months old, which were a part of the iden- tical stock so cruelly 'laughed at,' against any- thing in this state of the same breed, excepting Mr. Allen's herd, of Buffalo (as I think him the best judge to decide), for a prize similar to the one given by the Institute. I will go still fur- ther; Mr. Clift has the two ewes shown at the fair now in his possession, and I presume both have lived together and fared alike since then; if so, they shall be exhibited at Mr. C.'s farm; I will accompany Mr. K. there, who shall be the judge, without knowing to whom either originally belonged, and I will venture a similar cup to the one Mr. C. gained on his decision. "As regards the milking dispute I shall not go beyond the proposition I have made, but am ready to fulfill that 'in earnest.' My cow shall be pure Hereford, but I could not agree to for- feit if not in my possession. She shall be one of the 'twenty-four' I imported last summer. It is not my wish to make any sort of gambling contest of this business, but to give an excellent breed of cattle a chance of being appreciated as they ought to be, and to silence their traducers, A TYPICAL HEREFORD OF 1840, COTMORB, WEIGHT 3,920 LBS., AT 9 YEARS OLD. (From an old painting.) and I refer the public to Mr. E.'s various epis- tles to say whether or not they have made it incumbent on me so to do, or whether I had any alternative but to reply, or to submit in silence to his injurious misrepresentations. Should my offers be taken and the triumph be mine, I shall value the prizes as mementoes worth preserving; should I fail, a second trial may be more successful, as I am resolved on perseverance. "Mr. Randall says I have 'seduced' himself and others into this controversy. Let him refer back to the 'Cultivator' if his memory fails. He will soon see who commenced it, and I will leave it to your readers to say which of us has most violated that amenity of feeling which ought always to accompany us, however eager we may be to impress our own opinions on the minds of others, or controvert those of our op- ponents. I ask Mr. R. what accusation can be more opprobrious than that of 'stealing ?' And has not Mr. Hepburn endeavored to fix this charge on the breeders of our cattle? I also again ask him to cross his pure Berkshire with the 'land-pike' he speaks of, exhibit the produce to proper judges, with his certificate of pedi- gree and purity, and if he is not detected by them, the said produce and his own conscience, he may then venture on the 'alligator,' and I will believe that 'stolen' crosses may be con- cealed. I say now what I have said before, that a cross with a Hereford and Durham is an excellent one, probably better than the pure breed of either, but cannot be brought under the observation of a judge without immediate detection. "I must now call your attention to Mr. You- att's text book, to which Mr. Randall and Mr. Hepburn seem to have pinned their faith with an obstinacy which regards anything that may differ in the smallest degree with its dogmas, as an innovation and a heresy not to be toler- ated. Mr. Youatt is unquestionably a man of great talent and judgment; he, however, is but a man and is liable to errors like others ; while, therefore, his opinions have all the weight which they so justly deserve, with practical men in his own country, these men do not, like Messrs. Randall and Hepburn, make an agri- cultural Pope of him, or consider his book (ex- cellent though it be) as the agricultural gos- pel. Science and improvement are too much on the advance to rest long on any particular point. But to return to the text book : On the llth page he says, speaking , of Devons: 'They have long been celebrated for a breed of cattle beautiful in the highest degree ; and in activity at work and aptness to fatten unrivaled.' In speaking of the Here fords, page 32, he says : 'They are even more kindly feeders than the Devons, and will live and grow fat where a Devon will scarcely live.' And, further, in the same page : 'The Devons will acquire bulk and hardihood, and the Herefords a finer form and activity/ These are his exact words. Gentle- men, reflect on these conflicting statements, and reconcile these contradictions if you can. When Mr? R.'s classical knowledge, backed by Mr. H/s HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 139 'intelligence/ have shed their light on them and converted such language into reason and proof, I shall then believe there is real and sound advantage in studying the classics; but till then I shall be content to make my quota- tions in humble dog Latin; to 'gallus meusego et nunquam animus,' notwithstanding Mr. R.'s terrific range of literary acquirements from the 'Kilkenny cats' and his 'friend Peabody,' to 'Galileo' and 'Copernicus,' his high sportive and illuminating prose, his poetic taste, and 'slaughtering' satire. But enough of this. I will turn to another attack. "When I sent you the 'Earl's letter' for pub- lication I did not expect my motives to be im- pugned, or my character calumniated by an illiberal suspicion; my object was to show that the men of the highest rank in England know the value of good stock equally well as the prac- tical breeder; and the advantages to be derived from a careful selection. The latter was a 'genuine,' off-hand, businesslike communication, in which forms and phrases were evidently less thought of than the sound information con- veyed in it ; and I very much regret that it did not please the fastidious taste of your several correspondents. Doubtless some of them thought that an 'Earl' should convey his in- formation on the science of breeding cattle in a most labored and elegant pastoral compo- sition. For the criticisms on myself,- I care not; I write with a view only of promoting the farmer's welfare and the cause of truth. I am not *o easily pulled down, therefore, by any error in etymology and syntax. I have taken my stand and propose to main- tain it. Now, Mr. Editors, I will be very much obliged if you would tell me the names of your private correspondents, or publish their communications, so that I may distinguish my friends from my enemies. "I send you a letter from Mr. Turner, Court of Noke, Herefordshire, a gentleman well known in the agricultural world, so that you may again state that you have seen the 'origi- nal' from which my extracts below are taken. " 'It is a well-known fact that there is no other breed that can compete with the Here- fords as regards a profitable stock. For instance, the memorable old Mr. Westcar, the Bucking- hamshire grazier, at the dinner of the Christ- mas Cattle Show, some years ago, when the first prize in the first class was awarded to a Durham ox, the owner in the heat of the moment rose and offered to bet a wager that he won the same prize on the following year with an ox of the same breed. Mr. W. silenced him with this public challenge. He would go to the next Oc- tober fair at Hereford and purchase one hun- dred oxen of the Hereford breed, which he would feed and show against the same number of all the breeds in England, for one hundred guineas per head, or two thousand guineas, which offer no one dare accept.' This was done to show the rich men who then possessed the Durhams, that he was ready to support the Herefords with his purse. 'He then told the company that during his experience as a grazier he had fed and sold twenty Herefordshire oxen to the butcher at an average of one hundred guineas each, and he would defy all the breeders of Short- horns together to say they had done the like. As re- g a r d s my own breed of Here- fords, I can boast of having bred the last ox sold to the slaughterer for one hundred pounds, which was in 1827, since that several steers un- der four years old, from sixty to seventy pounds. I have much pleasure in saying my herd has not degenerated, as will appear by the show at Hereford last week. All the prize cattle were either bred by, or descended from, bulls of my own breed. Mr. Perry purchased the "Gold- finder" of me when a yearling.' " 'As regards the Hereford breed for dairy purposes I can speak from experience that when well kept few will answer better. I can give an instance of a prime cow of my father's produc- ing thirteen pounds of butter per week when al- lowed hay and cabbages the whole of the winter ; but the principle of the Herefords being the stock, little attention is paid to the dairy. We all know to keep up cows to their milk requires the most nutritious food, which is seldom al- lowed to cows in this country. We have expe- rienced a very severe winter, and the epidemic so prevalent, I fear good stock will not be very plentiful this spring. The present prices are very satisfactory to the breeder. The fair at Hereford was very pleasing to do business at, a complete clearance of all good stock, particu- larly bulls, of which there was a most splendid exhibition.' "I now conclude with one remark for the satisfaction of Mr. R., that 'Matchless' was THOMAS BOOTH, The Great English Shorthorn Breeder. 140 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE bred by Mr. Turner, purchased by Mr. Hewer for Mr. James Walker, and the only reason I altered her name was I had one named 'Spot' in my first importation. "I will give my views on sheep breeding at some future period. I think nothing is a better test for profitable animals than those that get the greatest weight of animal food with the least vegetables. "WM. HY. SOTHAM. "Perch Lake Farm, April, 1841." We now give a letter from Mr. Wm. King- ham, which may be found in the "Cultivator," on page 116: "Messrs. Editors of the 'Cultivator' : I have been induced to take up my pen by the perusal of a controversy between Messrs. Randall, Hep- burn and Sotham. I have been acquainted with the Hereford cattle for the last thirty years, as a grazier, a dairyman and butcher. My father used to graze about fifty and dairy about seventy cows, of different breeds, Longhorns, Short- horns and Herefords, in Oxfordshire, England. For feeding, the Herefords are not surpassed by any breed I have ever seen ; for the dairy, I do not say they are invariably good milkers, though they are, many of them, very good. I never kept an account of the produce of a single cow, but one of my neighbors says he knew a Hereford cow that made sixteen pounds of but- ter per week. As a butcher, which business I worked at in London, and afterwards followed in Berkshire for eight years, I say the Here- MARCHIONESS, BRED BY E'. CORNING, JR., ALBANY, N. Y. (First prize, N. Y. S. F., 1867. From a drawing by Page.) fords cut the best stall of beef I ever put a knife in. Mr. Hepburn takes Youatt for his author, and by his description is led to believe the Herefords to have been a trifling breed as lately as six years ago. I know them to have been as good thirty years since as now, and whenever they have been shown against the Shorthorns have oftener gained the prize than their antago- nists. Mr. Youatt must have been prejudiced in favor of the Shorthorns, was ignorant of the qualities of the Herefords, or got his informa- tion from some one no better informed than himself. Mr. Hepburn very ingeniously en- deavors to impose on his understanding by sup- posing the Herefords of Mr. Sotham to be the produce of a stolen cross with the Durhams. I have no doubt but Mr. H.'s experience, if he lives long, will convince him that his supposi- tion was erroneous, and that he_ was misleading the judgment of the community and doing in- justice to the breeder and importer by suppos- ing them guilty of imposition. I should say, as a breeder, the Herefords need no such cross ; but I should say as a breeder, that many of the Durhams, some of even Herd Book pedigrees, would be materially improved by a cross with the Herefords, as having a tendency to lengthen the rump . and widen the -hip of those whose edge or round bones are wider than their hips, the rump short and low, the tail high, and their skin as tight over their rump as if stretched over it with a pair of pincers. Such animals have a thick, heavy thigh, the thick, coarse but- tock, supported by a large bone, coarse leg, the sides, as Culley* describes, being one layer of black flesh across another, the shoulder bones large, the points projecting. Such beasts arc sure to be bad handlers, never get very thin, and never get fat, will get fleshy, but when it is on is no better than bull beef. With such animals a cross from the Herefords would be a great im- provement. I have handled many Durhams with high pedigree, with all the above objec- tions. I never yet put my hand on a Hereford that was not a good handler. My opinion of the Herefords is that they are the nicest breed of cattle, taken for all purposes, that walk the earth, and would have had some in Ohio long ago if my means had been equal to my wishes. "I remain, gentlemen, yours respectfully, "WILLIAM KINGHAM. "Springfield, Clark Co., 0., March 11, 1841." We now give a letter from Mr. Wm. Cother, of Oxfordshire, England, to Mr. Sotham, under date of Middle. Aston, Oxfordshire, Feb. 1, 1841, which may be found on page 132 of the "Cultivator" for 1841 : "Mr. Wm. H. Sotham: I am happy to in- form you that our ram season closed very satis- factory for the breeders of Cotswolds. Their superiority is acknowledged by the extraordi- nary demand and the high prices given for them, which is very easily accounted for by HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 141 their being much better sucklers, maturing earlier, producing more lean, and heavier fleeces than the Leicester^. Their fame is now spread far and wide, and I expect in a very few years that nearly every long-wooled flock in England will be 'alloyed 1 by Cotswold blood. "The heifer you call Eliza is not by Young Sovereign, but by Favorite, Jr., a son of Fitz Favorite. Fitz Favorite was by Favorite, the sire of Old Sovereign, and the latter was the sire of more prize beasts than any other bull of his day, and was a remarkable instance of suc- cessful in-and-in breeding, being the produce of a mother and son, the pedigrees of which can be given, if required, for a period of more than forty years. And I would add that the dams of each of the bulls I have named were pure Herefords, the pedigrees of which can be given with equal accuracy. The dam of Favor- ite, Jr., I knew well, and it is my firm opinion that I never saw ten so good. "This, I should hope, would be sufficient to satisfy the most skeptical as to the purity of her pedigree on the male side. Her dam was bought of Messrs. Brown and Lion, the great North-country cattle dealers, and was pur- chased by them at Darlington, in the County of Durham. It was fortunate that you did not have her sister, as she has cast her calf. "The whole of my three years and nine months old steers by Favorite, Jr., grazed on my inferior land and finished with 3 worth of oil cake each, have made this Christmas 41 apiece, a price which 1 am of opinion where very few Shorthorns or Herefords have arrived at, in the same time, and under similar treatment. These were the second cross from Shorthorns, with a pure Hereford bull each time, a cross I do not by any means recommend you to adopt. You are in possession of some of the very best Hereford blood this country can produce (a-few of the heifers are perhaps a little too much in- and-in bred), and all you now require is a couple of first-rate bulls, with the addition of a few heifers of different blood to make proper crosses with, to start you a first-class Hereford bull breeder, and depend upon it that your neighbors will ultimately discern that they can live harder, work better, feed equally quick if not more so, and produce a stall of meat su- perior in quality, with a less quantity of coarse, than the Shorthorns, and milk as well as the highest-bred animals of other kinds. In short, I believe they will pay more money for the food they consume than any other breed, in which opinion many of the most eminent graziers agree, some of whom reside in Shorthorn dis- tricts and travel nearly a hundred miles to Hereford fairs to buy oxen a distance unparal- leled by graziers in search of cattle of any other kind in this country. "1 advise you to breed pure bulls, and let others cross for the shambles, and in so doing I think each will benefit his country as well as himself. "Hard things, indeed, may justly be said of some cattle wearing white faces, and with equal truth it may be observed that there are many very bad ones of beautiful roan and spotted color, with Shorthorns; such are frequently good milkers, and so are the Herefords which are of low breed and bad form. I imagine that Mr. Youatt and others who have designated the Hereford cow 'an inferior animal,' could not have done so from actual observation, for it so happens that in symmetry of form, with sub- stance and quality combined, a more beautiful animal (of her species) cannot be found in Britain. Nor can it be very pleasing to owners TROMP, BRED BY W. H. SOTHAM. (Property of A. Ayrault, Geneseo, N. Y. First prize, N. Y. S. P., 1851. From a drawing by Forbes.) of such superb animals as are very many of the Hereford cows, to have them so dominated in what is called 'A Standard Work on British Cattle.' Nor do I think such an opinion (libel) ought to be so uncontradicted, given as it must have been (one would suppose) from informa- tion and not from ocular demonstration. "However 'astonishing' it may appear to Mr. Randall that the Herefords in the Gloucester Hills 'should have escaped the notice of Mr. Youatt six years since,' they have located there long before that period, and in many instances cows and heifers have been known to weigh from fifteen to nineteen scores [300 to 380 Ibs. T. L. M.] per quarter [or 1,200 to 1,520 pounds to the carcass. T. L. M.], when dead, exclusive of hide and tallow, and the oxen from twenty to twenty-eight scores [400 to 560 Ibs. per quarter, equal to from 1,600 to 2,240 Ibs. per WILLIAM H. SOTHAM, IN HIS 80TH YEAK (1801-1884.) Fifty years the Champion of Herefords in America. HISTOEY OF HEEEFOED CATTLE 143 carcass. These carcass-weights would make the live-weights, according to the fixed English system, 2,100 to 2,660 Ibs. for cows and 2,200 to 3,920 Ibs. for oxen. T. L. M.] "A Hereford steer and heifer, both bred in the parish of Northleach, Gloucestershire, fed in the County of Wilts and slaughtered at Ox- ford this Christmas, the former under four years old, weighed nearly eighteen scores per quarter [1,440 Ibs. dressed, equal to 2,520 Ibs. live weight. T. L. M.] and the latter three years and six months old, more than seventeen scores per quarter [1,360 Ibs. carcass, equal to 2,380 Ibs. live weight. T. L. M.] "I now take my leave of the 'lady-like' fe- males, for the purpose of pursuing their 'lordly' sons of the Smithfield Club Show, where the tug of war is annually kept up between the two con- tending breeds. Of their extraordinary fame there, let the annals of the t?lub testify ; but I would observe, by the way, that they are by no means well represented there, in proof of which a great number of graziers of high reputation, viz., Messrs. Eowland, Lidbrook, Terry, Hewett, Manning, the three Pains, Bull, and many oth- ers equally well noted, who are purchasers of a large quantity of the very best steers Hereford- shire produces, seldom, if ever, exhibit an ani- mal ; the reason of which, as some of them have stated to me, is 'that winning a prize entails a certain loss,' while the breeding and feeding of them is almost neglected by wealthy owners of the soil. "Not so with Shorthorns. They are reared, fed and shown under the fostering care of the Marquis of Exeter, Lord Spencer and Brown- low, Sir Charles Knightly, and other opulent men to whom expense is not an object. In mak- ing these observations, do not suppose that I wish to detract anything from their merits. On the contrary, I consider them a credit to their noble owners. But I cannot pursue this subject further without transcribing the opinion of an eminent breeder, Mr. Bates of Kirkleavington, Yarm, Yorkshire, whose cattle bore away nearly all the Shorthorn prizes from Oxford. He says, at page 426, 'Farmer's Magazine' for Decem- ber, 1840 : 'I visited Hereford about fifty years ago, and was then and continue still an admirer of the best variety of cattle (Here fords). But I consider now and have for above forty years been convinced that the very best Shorthorns, which are only a few, are capable of improving all other breeds of cattle in the United King- dom, as well as the ordinary Shorthorns, which are far from a good breed, and inferior to the Herefords, Devons, and others.' And so would any moderate judge of stock conclude from tak- ing a survey of Smithfield market at Christmas, where and when some of the meat of nearly every kind are pitched, the Herefords reigning paramount to any other breed, in numbers and quality combined, making more money per head than a like number of any other variety. "Should the position I have taken be doubted by any of your American opponents I would say to such, come and see, and do not be satis- fied with a view of a few inferior of their kind, but go home to the best breeders' houses, where they will be met with a hospitable reception and a hearty welcome, and will find such ani- mals as are worthy of a place in a herd book; but in the absence of their names and pedigrees in print their own good qualities will be found sufficient passport. "It may be asked what reason can a man find for resorting to a cross breed who so extols the LUTHER TUCKER, SR. (America's first great Agricultural Editor.) Herefords? The question is solved in a few words. I was resolved to breed rather a large size, and it being difficult to procure large, well- bred Hereford cows, except at very high prices, and, not having a long purse, I preferred as good Shorthorns without pedigrees as I could procure, rather than Herefords under the like disadvantage, considering, with the 'alloy' in my mind's eye, that by so doing I should procure a rent-paying, though not a bull-breeding stock, and I have much reason to be satisfied with the steps I took at that time, since which I have added some well-bred Herefords to it, and am now in possession of one bull by Cotmore, the Oxford pet, and two others, embracing the blood of old Trojan and Old Sovereign in a high de- gree, which, I think, would be likely to do good in America, as a very near relative of the two latter has done in Scotland, a son of which won a prize in London this Christmas. "I should deem it impossible to get up a 14-1 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE Hereford herd book here. The breeders are so satisfied of the superiority of their own breed that they are at perfect ease on the subject. But I advise you to have a well authenticated pedi- gree with every beast you import, and com- mence a herd book of your own. "Mr. Wm. Hewer's Major, the sire of most of your heifers, won a prize at Farringdon, beat- ing a nurnber of Shorthorns, and at Cirencester he did the same. Major and a daughter of Sir George and his (Major's) son won the prize for bull, cow, and offspring, a daughter of Old Sovereign winning another prize as the best breeding cow. And a bull calf, ten months old, by Major, won another prize as the best under two years old, and here also they came in com- petition with Shorthorns. Will it be asserted again that 'on the bleak highlands of Glouces- ter no breed has been cultivated with any very marked success'? "I say it has been for twenty years, and can prove it, and I say more : no man has a right to CASSIUS M. CLAY, WHITE HALL, LEXINGTON, KY. injure another by an assertion he cannot prove. These may be considered hard words, but they are just ones, used only for the purpose of cor- rection, and not intended to give offense. "My three fat ewes, which you saw, were killed at Oxford last month by Messrs. Green- ing, Alden, and Barr, and weighed respectively 228, 185, and 184 pounds. "Your friends and acquaintances are well, many of whom speak anxiously of your success, which I sincerely hope may exceed your most sanguine expectations, nor do I doubt it, for I consider you have fixed on the breeds of cattle and sheep well suited to the rigor of your cli- mate; recollect Devons are natives of a much warmer country than the Herefords. "Yours truly, WM. COTHER." It will be remembered that Mr. Sotham, in support of his claim for the Herefords as milk- ers, gave in proof that the year before (1839) at the first show of the Royal Society of Eng- land the Hereford cow of Mr. Smythies took the first prize for the best cow in milk. On page 57 of the "Cultivator," Vol. 8, may be found the following testimony, under the cap- tion of "The Hereford Prize Cow :" "We have a letter from our friend, Joseph Cope, of East Bradford, Pa., in relation to the statement made by Mr. Sotham that 'a Here- ford cow won the first prize, as the best cow for dairy purposes of any breed at the great show of the Royal Agricultural Society at Ox- ford in 1839.' Mr. Cope doubts this fact, and to show that such was not the case he gives a detailed list of all the awards of prizes to cattle at that show, quoting from a newspaper and pamphlet account in his possession. We have compared Mr. C.'s account with that published in the 'Farmer's Magazine,' the organ of the society, and find it all correct with the excep- tion of so much as relates to the fifth class, in which there is no notice of the animal- which took first prize. The first prize of fifteen sov- ereigns, 'for the best cow in milk, which shall, in the opinion of the judges, be best calculated for dairy purposes/ was awarded 'to the Rev. J. R. Smythies, of Lynch Court, Hereford, for his Hereford cow, aged nine years, six months.' The second prize was awarded 'to Joseph Bad- cock, of Pyrton, for his Durham cow, aged four- teen years and two months.' ' ; With this array of testimony in favor of the Herefords as brought before the public by Mr. Sotham in 1840-41, the breeders .of to-day will be surprised that they did not succeed in 1840, and then become the dominant breed for this country as they are now in the West and are bound to become in the East as well. We find on page 125 of the "Albany Cultiva- tor," for 1840, a letter from C. N. Bement, and take the following extracts from the same: "In Missouri, Illinois, and Wisconsin, where only beef is wanted, and where they have to be driven great distances to a market, from what I have seen and can learn, the Hereford cer- tainly would be preferable, being hardy in con- HISTOEY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 145 stitution, good travelers of great size, will fat at an early age and will make more pounds of beef with the quantity of food consumed, and when better known in market will command the highest price. "Three Hereford and three Durham cattle were put in the stalls to be fattened on the 3d of November. The weight of the Herefords was then 33 cwt. and that of the Durhams 38 cwt. and 14 Ibs. Between that period and the 30th of March, when all were sold at Smithfield, the Durhams had consumed 12,755 pounds weight more of turnips and 1,714 pounds more of hay than the Herefords, but the Durhams, notwith- standing the large size when put to fatten, and the greatly larger quantity of food consumed, sold for only twenty shillings more per head than the Herefords, and such,. I believe, will ever be the results of similar trials, when one class of animals has been properly fed and the other overfed, the merits of the breed equal. "At the meeting of the Smithfield Club in December, 1839, the Herefords took the first four premiums in Classes 1 and 2 ; in Class 3 the second prize and second prize in Class 7. In the prizes for extra stock, the Herefords took the only prize. In the list of commendation, the Hereford stands 13, Durham 8, Sussex 1, North Devon 1. "I have examined the Hereford cattle lately imported by our spirited and enterprising citi- zens, Erastus Corning, Esq., and Wm. H. So- tham, as noticed in the last 'Cultivator/ I must confess I was greatly disappointed in the size and general form of the cows, for they were apparently as large as the Durhams and possess- ing the broad loin, large, capacious bodies, deep, broad and projecting brisket, but with a coarser head and neck, which, to those familiar with the Durham, would appear oxy, if I may be allowed the expression. The shape and size of their udders would indicate fair milkers. Mr. Thorn- ton, the person who has charge of them, in- formed me they gave on an average full a mid- dling quantity of milk." R. A. ALEXANDER, LEXINGTON, KY. 146 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE CHAPTER XII. MORE EARLY AMERICAN HEREFORD HISTORY It is reported that W. C. Rives of Virginia imported Herefords, the date and number of which I have no account. The Hon. Henry Clay of Kentucky imported two pair of Herefords in 1817. Admiral Coffin, of the Royal Navy, imported and presented to the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture a pair of Herefords. The cow, not breeding, was slaughtered, and the bull sent to North Hampton, Mass., where he was kept for several years, and his produce highly esteemed as work cattle, as butcher's beasts and in the dairy. In 1839 Mr. W. H. Sotham made his first importation of Hereford cattle. On his arrival in New York he sold an interest in them to Hon. Erastus Corning of Albany, N. Y. Mr. Sotham was born on the 25th of Janu- ary, 1801, in the village of Wooton (ff 73a), Whitechurch, Oxfordshire, England. His father owned his own estate of 200 acres, which de- scended to the oldest son. William Henry was kept at school until fourteen years old, when he took a working place on the farm for two years as under teamster, having a team of four horses, and a boy to drive. From that time he was in charge of the sheep, the farm carrying 150 Cotswold ewes. He then had charge of the colts, breaking and training them; thus for several years having charge of the sev- eral departments upon the farm, in the hand- ling of the stock and marketing of the same until. 1832, when he came to America with large expectations, obtained from descriptions re- ceived. Stopping a short time in New York he thence went to Buffalo by the New York Canal, from there to Cleveland, Ohio. He here met Mr. Henry Coit, of Euclid, near Cleveland, who owned a large tract of land at Liverpool, Me- dina County, about twenty-five miles from Cleveland. He went with Mr. Coit to look at the land, finding a comfortable brick house with a small farm cleared. Mr. Sotham made an engagement to take charge of the farm and sales of land. He remained here for two years, hav- ing accumulated a considerable stock of cattle and horses. He took the cattle to Cleveland and sold them, and the horses he took to New York. After selling the horses and paying the pro- ceeds over to a brother of Mr. Coit's, Mr. So- tham returned to England. Before making the importation of Herefords in 1840 he had been to England four times, having brought over in that time a few sheep. In 1840 he imported twenty-one Hereford cows and heifers, a two-year-old Hereford bull and two Shorthorn cows. One of the Shorthorn cows, bred by Sir Charles Knightly, died on the passage. The other Shorthorn cow, "Venus," bred by R. Lovell of Edgecott, was sold to Mr. Thomas Hillhouse for $1,000. He again returned to England and brought out ten Hereford heifers and a bull, six first- prize Cotswold ewes, shown at the Royal fair in 1839, and seventeen Cotswold rams. A third importation was made in 1843, when he took the whole steerage of the ship Hendrick Hudson, which he filled with Hereford heifers, one bull and several calves. He met a heavy and severe storm off the bank of New- foundland. The severity of the storm made it necessary to close the hatches for several days, and the result was the suffocation and conse- quent loss of the entire shipment. During this time' the Hon. Erastus Corning was interested with Mr. Sotham in his im- portations. Mr. Corning had large business in- terests and was influential in the political world. Recognizing these facts, the Shorthorn breeders made special efforts to detach Mr. C. from the Hereford interest, and were finally successful. They went still further and endeavored to pre- vent the stock from going to Mr. Sotham at all, but on this point they failed to carry out their plans. Mr. Corning met their endeavors in this particular way by saying that Mr. Sotham should have such as he wished and sold to him at favorable prices and terms. We wish here to call particular attention to the chapter which precedes this, and gives the HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 147 details of the Hereford-Shorthorn controversy as waged in the agricultural papers and at the different shows and fairs from 1834 to 1841; the New York Agricultural Society being founded for the special purpose of promoting the Shorthorn interest. We give in the chapter on Fairs and Shows a full account of the formation of the New York State Fair, as a matter of reference. It will be seen that the Shorthorn breeders^ used every means in their power to defeat Mr. Sotham. We will follow that controversy from 1841, in which year the New York State Society organized their first show. It will be shown that that society was under the control of the same parties that met Mr. S. and his Herefords in 1840, with the correspondence we have given. The writers of Tthat day speak of the Sotham importation of Herefords in the highest terms. A. B. Allen says of them : "that they gave him a different opinion of the breed from what he had before." The committee of judges at the first fair held by the New York State Agricultural Society recommended a special premium to the Here- ford cow "Matchless" (ff 74F) and further spoke of the Herefords belonging to Messrs. Corning and Sotham as entitled to .a class, and recommended that a class should be made and special premiums should be awarded them, which, so far as we are enabled to find, was not done. Mr. T. C. Peters, writing from London Jan- uary 6th, 1842, says: "One of the best Here- ford bulls I have seen, indeed one of the best I ever saw of any breed, is going out to Albany by the packet ship Hendrick Hudson." Major was purchased by Mr. Sotham in person. We have in our review of the Hereford-Short- horn interest from 1834 to 1841, brought Mr. Sotham's connection with that controversy fully before our readers. We have shown that he brought in support of the Hereford claims an array of testimony that was a complete estab- lishment of his claims; that it was done in a manner creditable to him as a man and a breeder. We have shown that his opponents admitted that his stock was excellent, of the best quality; that it was better than the history of Youatt would warrant them in expecting to see, and they claimed it must have a cross of Shorthorn to give character. Other and disin- terested parties came to Mr. Sotham's aid to bear testimony to the merits of the Herefords, and their testimony was not only for the time then under controversy, but covered from a quarter to a half century previous, and the only testimony that the Shorthorn men who opposed Mr. Sotham brought forward in favor of the Shorthorns and in opposition to Herefords was Youatt's History of British Cattle. This his- tory, we have shown by Youatt himself, so far as the Shorthorn breed was concerned, was writ- ten by Rev. Henry Berry, a Shorthorn breeder. We have shown from Youatt's history of the Herefordshire cattle that extensive experiments had been made by the Duke of Bedford in the feeding and gracing of Shorthorns and Here- fords that had resulted in displacing the Short- " WHITE HALL," NEAR LEXINGTON, KY. (Residence of Cassius M. Clay.) horns and establishing the Herefords on that estate, and we quote Youatt as saying that the reason why the date for these experiments was not given was because they were not satisfactory to the patrons of the Shorthorns. We have shown that Youatt, in the history of several of the local breeds, credits the Herefords as giving character to those breeds in improving the feed- ing, grazing and dairy qualities, that, had they been given in the history, would have placed the Herefords in the first position at the time he wrote. We state distinctly and confidently that Mr. Sotham produced a class of cattle in 1840 that finally established the claims he made for su- periority, that he brought forward testimony, clear and convincing, that these qualities had been in the breed for half a century, and that the success of the Herefords at that time was defeated by a combination of Bates' Shorthorn breeders, and we have shown that the New York State Fair was organized by these men in 1841 at Syracuse. At this fair Mr. Rust showed a fat ox with a mottled face (fl 75), which took the first premium, for which the Shorthorn men claimed the credit. Mr. Sanford, one of the leading writers of that day, and a breeder of large experience, met this claim by showing that 148 HISTORY OP HEREFORD CATTLE the Hereford blood was the controlling element in his breeding, and that he owed his excellence to the Hereford blood. He says: "While on my late trip to the East I saw this ox of Mr. Rust's. He is truly a most superb animal. His portrait in the 'Transac- tions' does not do him full justice. He is finer in the neck and every way more finished than the picture represents. He has, both in shape and color, all the leading characteristics of a Hereford; his shoulders are well set, his chine full, back short, loin and hips very wide, rump long, legs clean and sinewy, and he is consid- erably heavier than any other animal I ever saw of so little bone and offal. At the time I saw him Mr. Eust thought his weight could not be less than 3,700 pounds, and it has been ascer- tained by repeated weighings that his gain was at least three pounds per day. Notwithstanding following report : "Your committee further re- port that a new and beautiful race of cattle was presented for their examination, the Herefords imported by a distinguished breeder of cattle, residing in Albany County, which they take pleasure in recommending to the attention of those who desire to improve their stock. Your committee recommend a special premium of twenty dollars for the Hereford cow 'Match- less,' as we consider her a very superior animal, and they would also suggest the propriety of offering and awarding premiums for the best blooded animals of each individual breed, Im- proved Shorthorn Durhams, Herefords and Devons, at their next agricultural meeting, in addition to premiums offered for the best ani- mals of any breed." (Report of Com., page 49, Transactions N. Y. Agl. S., 1841.) In 1842 this fair was held at Albany, and we MEDAL OF THE N. Y. S. A. S., AWARDED TO WM. H. SOTHAM, 1856. his immense weight, he was from the justness of his proportions very active. When lying down, he would get up as quick as a suckling calf. "I saw the man who said he raised this ox and the history which he gave of him was that the bull which sired him was 'part Hereford.' In this both he and Mr. Rust agreed. I cannot see why this statement need be doubted, for, according to an account which Mr. Bement has published, some Herefords were introduced into this part of the country several years ago. But history and tradition out of the question, it ap- pears to me there would be as much propriety in taking an animal which would show all the principal points in shape and color of an im- proved Shorthorn as a specimen of the 'native stock' as there is in taking this ox as such. An example of this kind would probably be re- garded by the advocates of the Shorthorns as not altogether fair." At the close of this fair the judges made the quote from the judges' report, published in March following, six months after the fair. Re- port of cows, heifers, etc. : "In publishing the account of the State Fair in the November number of the 'Cultivator/ the following report was omitted: 'The com- mittee of the New York State Agricultural So- ciety on Cows, Heifers and Heifer Calves, com- prising Classes V, VI, VII and VIII, respect- fully report : " 'That they have attended to the duties of their appointment, in which they experienced the embarrassment usual on such occasions, from finding the animals numerous while the premiums were few, but adopted the rule that a majority in number of the committee should of course in all cases be decisive. " 'Your committee found it no easy matter to decide among so many fat calves as were shown in Class VIII, their respective merits and faults being alike covered and hidden by flesh, HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 119 so much so that they were really better adapted for the inspection of a committee of butchers than of breeders. " 'The practice, now too common, of fatten- ing breeding animals for exhibition is not only wholly without utility, but is so bad and in- jurious in every point of view that it ought to be discountenanced. " 'It will not fail to be noticed that all the foregoing premiums are given to animals of the valuable breed known as "Durham Short- horns," against which kind there were on this occasion no other breed shown in competition, except Herefords, of which there was a beautiful and very creditable exhibition, consisting of a portion of the herd of Messrs. Corning and So- tham, some individuals of which this committee would highly recommend, especially as being good specimens of that important quality, good handling, always essential to excellence. '"Your committee (of which a portion if not a majority is composed of what might be called "Shorthorn men," either by preference or interest, as Shorthorn breeders), from mo- tives of delicacy, not to say generosity, did not deem themselves called on to decide between these two rival breeds and against the Here- fords, which would have been, for the most part, and in effect, their decision, if made on this oc- casion. " 'In England, the home of both breeds, where beef is the first and almost governing considera- tion, the Herefords as a breed, it is well known, have long maintained a sharp and often success- ful competition with the Shorthorns for feed- ing purposes, especially as a grazing stock, while it is claimed and now generally conceded by well-informed, dispassionate persons in Eng- land, that the well-bred Shorthorns have the merit of earlier maturity and are also entitled to the preference for stall feeding and more especially and decidedly so for dairy purposes, in which the Shorthorns and their crosses are believed to excel all other breeds and that the pure-bred males of this breed are capable of improving all other breeds of cattle, certainly a most important consideration, and especially so in this and all the northern portions of the United States. " 'It is understood that the Herefords have not yet been sufficiently tried in this country as milkers, in the absence of which there seems to prevail at present an unfavorable impression of them as dairy stock, which impression, it is hoped, may be soon done away, if, as their friends claim, the Herefords are really a su- perior milking breed. Some of their crosses with native live stock, now existing in Massa- chusetts, descended from an importation of Herefords made many years since, by Admiral Coffin, are understood to have proved excellent milkers. " 'It is, besides, claimed for the Herefords that they will make good working cattle, being strong and active, which is not doubted. It is also conceded that the quality of the Hereford beef is excellent. Therefore, taking no more than a fair view of their case, the Herefords must in all probability prove a highly valuable stock in those portions of this country where the grazing cattle for beef is a primary object. " 'Under these circumstances your committee would ask in behalf of the newly-imported Herefords a fair chance and that they be al- lowed after coming from on shipboard to get well upon their feet before they "enter the lists" against the now well-established Short- horns. If the Herefords are cherished and en- couraged for a time it is to be hoped that the now favorite Durhams may by-and-by, in future competition, find in them "foemen worthy of their steel." JOHN MERRYMAN, OP "THE HAYFIELDS," COCK- EYSVILLE, MD. " 'If the Herefords were distributed in more hands so as to give room for competition among themselves, your committee would suggest the expediency of hereafter offering premiums for them in a class distinct from other breeds. Also for North Devons, a highly useful and 150 HISTOKY F H E E E F E D CATTLE most valuable breed, especially on light soils and in hilly districts of country. " 'Your committee cannot, in justice, close their report without remarking that the want of information as to how the animals had been fed, also as to the milking qualities of the cows, and occasionally as to pedigrees, was much felt by the committee, who in the absence of this needed information, were in many instances left to grope their way in the dark to a decision, of course in some cases by no means satisfactory even to themselves. Nor did we find persons in attendance to lead out the animals for a more full and careful examination, especially as to their style of carriage or movement, which, it is needless to remark, is, as well as form and hand- ling, an essential element of any intelligent opinion or critical decision on their merits. All of which is respectfully submitted. " 'DAVID C. COLLINS, Ch'n. Hartford, Conn. I. S. HITCHCOCK, W. K. TOWNSEND, CHAS. BROOM, E. L. ALLEN, Committee. "'Albany, Sept. 29, 1842.'" We give this quotation in full. The com- mittee state that they are Shorthorn men. We have clearly shown that Mr. Sotham had a con- test single-handed against the State of New York. These Bates men had taken that society and organized it and ran it in their interest. The report, it will be noticed, states that all of the premiums were given to Shorthorns, and that there was no competition except the Here- fords. With Shorthorn judges it would not be expected to be otherwise. Mr. Sotham exhibited his Herefords at the New York State Fair for a number of years, as he did at other fairs in Ohio, Kentucky, Mis- souri and Pennsylvania. He sold stock to go to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Ver- mont, Connecticut, Ohio, Kentucky and Ten- nessee. We have found descendants of his stock in all parts of the country from Maine to the Eocky Mountains. Whatever proportion of blood remained they made friends of their own- ers, and the influence of his work we have met everywhere and have been benefited thereby. We met a Mr. Kelly, formerly of Eutland, Vt., who said he had owned Herefords forty years ago, and they were the best dairy cows he ever owned, and the young cattle were always ready for the butcher. We met Judge Downing of Denver, who has HEREFORDS. PROPERTY OF T. F. B. SOTHAM, HISTOEY OF HEREFOED CATTLE 151 Herefords from Mr. Corning, and they were used as mountain teams at three years old, from grass, made 1,600 pound bullocks. A Mr. Gird took a half-blood Hereford to Colorado and he gave character and reputation to the cattle of his neighborhood, and Judge Wilcox, whose herd run with the descendants of this bull, said the calves from the quarter- blood were as good at two years old as the others were at three. We might repeat these influences almost without limit. About 1852 Mr. Sotham sold a number to Mr. H. Bowen, Jr., Summit, N. Y. (fl 76), and four to Mr. Remington of Auburn, N. Y. They bred for several years and were exhibitors at the New York State Fair as late as 1860. We met Mr. Bowen at the Centennial Exhibition at. Philadelphia, where he introduced himself. We recognized him at once from what we had publication of his "Hereford Journal," a copy of the first number of which we herewith pre- sent in full, as again illustrating his aims and the opposition met with: HEREFORD JOURNAL. By W. H. Sotham. Vol. 1, No. 1. Owego, Tioga County, N. Y., April, 1857. AMERICAN JUDGES OF CATTLE. Owego, Tioga Co., N. Y., Jan. 21, 1857. To the Editor of the "Mark Lane Express" (London) : Dear Sir : As it is a very stormy, snowy day, and a vefy severe "cold blow," I will show what kind of a "judge" Mr. Chapman proves to be, and I am exceedingly sorry to say there have been numerous judges of this kind at our state shows, by which more second and third-class MEDAL OF THE N. Y. A. S., AWARDED TO WM. H. SOTHAM, 1859. known of his connection with the Herefords. Me spoke in the highest terms of the Herefords as the best cattle he has ever had or known, and to the question why he did not continue to keep them, his reply was, the Shorthorn inter- est was too strong for him ; he could not make sales at paying prices. Mr. Sotham sold to Mr. Ayrault of Geneseo, N. Y., and to Mr. Murray of Mount Morris, and about the same time he sold to the Hon. John Merryman of Cockeysville, Md., and Mr. Mer- ryman continued an active and successful breed- er from that time and the family are still breed- ing Herefords. That those he desired to reach should the better hear both sides, Mr. Sotham began the Shorthorn bulls have gloried in their triumph with first and second prizes over those of first class. The following is my letter to Mr. Chap- man: Sir: As you say you treat every person "gentlemanly," allow me to ask you as a gentle- man whether you put your hand on all or any of my cattle during the time they were in the ring? You were closely observed by many, who feel confident in saying your eye was your judge, and that you did not put your hand upon either of them properly. I have a right as an exhibitor to ask this question, and you as a gen- tleman have a right to answer it. I am, sir, yours, etc., W. H. 152 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE The following is Mr. Chapman's reply : Mt. Pleasant Farm, Clockville, Madison Co., N. Y., Dec. 22, '56. Sir: In yours of the 15th inst., just re- ceived, you ask if I put my hand on either of your animals while in the ring? I answer, No, sir but for you to suppose that "my eye alone was my judge" is simply ridiculous. I think that the animals "in the ring" would not handle materially different from animals in their stalls. And I endeavored to give all animals (cattle) of any merit a good examination during the three or four days previous to their appearance in the ring. For you to feel so sore about the decision of four such men as composed that committee, setting aside myself, the fifth, I think, will lead you to injure rather than bene- fit your herd. Respectfully yours, S. P. CHAPMAN. Wm. H. Sotham, Esq. My reply to the above: Owego, Dec. 26, '56. I received yours thjs morning, and in reply must ask you one more question, which you are bound as a gentleman and chairman of that committee to answer. Did you put your hand on- either of my animals while in their stalls at Philadelphia? Both my young men (students of mine), my herdsman and myself all know you ; either one or the other, and more frequent- ly two of us, were with the cattle ; all four will say you never entered "either stall" in our pres- ence. When I ask your advice you are at liberty to give it ; I will risk my herd myself, and I fear no man. My object is to know whether you did your duty as chairman, and you ought to know, as a breeder, that is my right. If Mr. Tainter is as rich as Golconda he is "no judge of cattle." What you can say or do will not injure my herd; it will stand the test under sound judgment. I am, sir, yours, etc., W T M. H. SOTIIA.M. S. P. Chapman, Esq. I was perfectly satisfied Mr. Chapman did not put his hand upon my cattle, and I waited three weeks for his reply to this, in hopes of getting something more in Mr. Chapman's own "hand"-writing ; but I suppose he found out his true predicament and declined to expose him- self further. Therefore I wrote him the follow- ing letter: Owego, Jan. 16, 1857. Sir: As you did not answer my last letter, I suppose you silently confess all I said were facts you could not contradict; but as you pro- CITY OF HEREFORD AND THE RIVER WYE. 153 fess to treat all men "gentlemanly," why refuse to answer the questions therein contained more than the other? All seem to correspond. I have written an- other letter to the "Mark Lane Express," in which I shall copy both yours and my letters. I also send you a copy of my letter from the "Mark Lane Express," so that you may answer for yourself as you deem proper. I have also sent a copy to each of your associates (one of whom now owns the four cows I there ex- hibited), so that you may bring them to your aid. I know the person who purchased them handled them thoroughly, both in and out of I am prepared to meet you on either horn of the dilemma, or both, or any of your associates who choose to take up this all-important subject. I consider it "gentlemanly" to send you a copy of everything I write, therefore I shall do so, also your associates on the sweepstakes committee. I am, sir, your humble servant, W. H. SOTHAM. S. P. Chapman, Esq. Now, Mr. Editor, I send you the "Ohio Farm- er" containing Mr. Cassius M. Clay's answer to my former letter, published September 15 in your paper, in which he says, "I made a mistake in calling his brother's, Brutus J. Clay's, herd LEONORA, "THE INCOMPARABLE," BRED BY MRS. S. EDWARDS, WINTERCOTT, LEOMINSTER, HEREFORD. (From a painting.) the ring, and I also know his opinion of them. On the other hand, I must confess I never saw or heard a plainer case of prejudice or ignorance on cattle than yours. Or, if you mean to infer by saying "I endeavored to give all the animals (cattle) of any merit a good examination dur- ing the three or four days previous to their ap- pearance in the ring" that mine were of no merit, which evidently shows your object, to es- cape the accusation, proves wilful in the super- lative degree; therefore you can place yourself on which horn of the dilemma you think best. his. I therefore transfer the remarks I made on that herd to where it belongs, and will truthful- ly maintain all I did say." Mr. Cassius M. Clay says, "the best judges I have heard speak on the subject regard the Herefords as not a pure breed; and if they were I have all the more no fancy for them." Is this not hearsay and prejudice of the worst kind and carrying his fancy to schoolboy ex- treme without investigation? Can any man say more against any breed unfoundedly ? Still, he says, "Shorthorn breeders do not attempt to 154 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE pull other breeds down to build up their own." I would ask Mr. Clay, as he professes to be an old breeder and dealer, and also your more experienced breeders, whether Shorthorns with long, silky coats are thoroughbred animals; or whether the origin of that coat does not belong to the Scots? I am perfectly satisfied in my own mind that that coat came from Scotland, clandestinely bred into Durhams, for it was never seen in their originals; so say all the original breeders. Again he says, "I do not know what Mr. S. means by proof. The cow of mine which weighed 2,020 pounds" (I suppose Mr. Clay WINTER DE COTE (4253) 3204. (Bred by T. Edwards. Champion of England, 1871 to 1875, inclusive. Sire of Leonora, Beatrice, etc. From a painting.) here means live weight, much the best way of selling Shorthorns), "was only stuffed six months, and as good judges as Mr. S. offered me $140 for her." He (Mr. C.) challenges any cow in America to beat this. I could have fed twenty cows of my own breeding that would have beaten it fairly ; all raised on a light soil ; much more, had they been raised on the rich grazing land in Kentucky, with a close ad- herence to the breeders' abundant corn cribs in winter. My cattle never could enjoy such lux- uries of "stuffing" as Mr. Clay says his "can bear." My purse was always too light and too much embarrassed to afford this extravagance. So, Mr. Clay may boast of stuffing, but I wish he would produce his balance-sheet with that "stuffing." In 1844 and 1845 I took a Hereford cow and a half-bred Hereford and Shorthorn cow to Boston. I sold to Mr. Bennett (the noted sales- man of Brighton) both cows. The former for $150 she weighed 2,313 Ibs., when put on the railroad scales at Albany, and when weighed again at Brighton she weighed 2,247 Ibs. The half-bred Shorthorn weighed somewhat lighter and fetched a little less money, but was an ex- cellent cow. I did not keep the dead weight of either. The Hereford was milked once a day until August 1st; afterwards grazed as long as there was a good bite of grass and then put up to feed. She was in good store condition while milking and came to her stall good average American beef. In the last of March I started to Boston with her. The butcher who killed her took the meat round Boston for public in- spection on a sunny day and spoilt the whole of it; it had been hanging in his stall long enough for this purpose previous to this, and for good keeping, and this was the reason I could not get her dead weight. I never saw a cow that would sink less offal. She was perfect in her symmetry and her quality of meat proved it could not be excelled. Mr. Clay further says : "As to the Heref ords I have nothing to say for or against them, ex- cept they have never in public opinion risen to the rank of contending for the supremacy." Can Mr. Clay, professing to be an old breeder and dealer, plead ignorance for this assertion? Does he know nothing of Smithfield and Birm- ingham shows? "I guess not." I shall leave this to you, Mr. Editor, as you are well and impartially "posted" in this matter; and you know how frequently the Herefords have beaten the Shorthorns while each breed were contend- ing for the "supremacy" and the former always met the latter under adverse circumstances. I see by one of your papers "that a snug little family party of Shorthorn breeders had pre- viously controlled the Smithfield Club," but lat- terly the "march of progress" had taken its seat amongst them ; the pressure without called loud- ly for justice, to break up this combined clique, and has now succeeded. We shall now be able to see which breed deserves the "supremacy." The home of the Shorthorns in England is as rich land as Kentucky, which gives them every advantage forces them on in early life. Still the Herefords have always beaten them in early maturity, when brought under a fair trial. No better proof of this could be shown than in the decision of Mr. White of Upleaden and the Rev. H. Berry, producing the yearling Herefords and Shorthorn heifers at Sir Charles Morgan's shows at Tradegar Mr, Berry giving the "chal- lenge" and Mr. White beating him as a year- ling. Mr. Berry, not being satisfied, challenged to show Mr. White the second year, the heifer gaining the greatest weight to be the winner ; Mr. White again accepted the challenge and beat him in weight 112 pounds. I refer you to this statement in one of the late Rev. J. R. HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 155 Smythies' letters in your paper a short time previous to his death, and who was present at both decisions. The home of the Herefords in England is light sterile soil, and they are generally bred on light soil here. Still, we beat the Short- horns, both here and there, under impartial and proper judges, and with this just treatment will ultimately rank first of all breeds. You see plainly by the prejudice advanced by Mr. Clay and Mr. Chapman what Hereford breeders have to contend with here; and there are many such writers as "C. M. C." fresh ones springing up every day like mushrooms assuming that a breeder can be made in a day by purchasing "herd-book cattle" and the next week copy from some one else an article to teach old breeders. This you will see by the "Ohio Farmer," which I send you with this. Such "judges" as Mr. Chapman have been frequently put on the committee at our State fairs. When "Halton" took the first prize at Rochester in the foreign class, one of the "judges" was a schoolmaster. This I know to be true, for I was manager of the whole cattle department that year and laughed heartilv while they were "judging" of "Belted Will/' and "Halton" (both Shorthorns), the former being by far the best bull. They call "Halton" an enormous size, therefore "Halton" was the best. Whether this was the "schoolmaster abroad" I know not. From such causes as these, Mr. Edi- tor, springs my spirit of controversy; and in such defense you cannot blame me. Whatever you see amiss in my letter tell it to the people ; such conduct will never offend me. I write my views on a subject as plainly as lam capable, not being a "classical man," and solicit information from the soundest source. If I deviate from the truth intentionally, trim me with a severe pen and I will retire from the field disgusted with my own actions. I am the only breeder who will write in defense of Herefords against Short- horn boasting, and I am determined to stand my ground against unlimited numbers of those who call themselves "breeders" and who are constantly puffing their cattle in this country either by tongue or pen. Since my last letter to you I have traveled through much of Canada, and from casual ob- servation in the townships of Markham and Pickering, near Toronto, was impressed most favorably with the quality of the soil, more es- pecially for turnips. It is mostly inhabited by GRATEFUL (4622) 2572. (Bred by A. Rogers. Champion of England, 1876-1880. From a painting.) 156 Scotch. The crop of swedes, carrots, etc., etc., grown by George, William (fl 97) and John Miller in these two townships proved to me that they had not forgotten their old Scotch cus- toms. Their crops of swedes were equal to any- thing I ever saw in England under a similar season, and cultivated in a very workmanlike manner, perfectly free from weeds and perfect, straight drills. Messrs. George and William Miller have twelve head of Shorthorns, which they imported from Scotland. Ten of these heifers and a bull were the best lot I ever saw come from one man's herd; they were uniform in symmetry, first quality, size and compactness, "straight bottoms and large, straight tops," on short legs, NORTH HEREFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. (From a photograph.) free from hollow crops and large paunches, most of them long, beautiful "silky coats." My "hand" was upon the whole of them ; and after "a good examination" I pronounced the breeder of those Shorthorns worthy of the name, al- though I never before heard it, or ever saw it in print. He would not sacrifice his herd for the purpose of ruining them for "high shows." I consider this a wise man and should very much like to know how he bred them. I feel very much inclined to say Scotland and Scotch coats was the making of that herd. After examining another bull that came out at the same time I found him second-class. I then began to think Shorthorns could not be bred uniformly in first- class quality, imagining this a descent from it, . but ultimately discovered that this bull was not bred by the same person. He has searched far and wide for similar quality to his own; not succeeding, he sent the best he could. Here lies the principal evil in breeding. Had the Messrs. Miller used this second-class bull, in what class would the offspring of these first- class heifers have ranked ? Would they not have gone back to their sire generally? But the Messrs. Miller concluded not to use him. I ad- vised them to search the country through for a first class, as their means were ample; recom- mended them very strongly to get "Balco," im- ported by L. G. Morris, or "New Year's Day," imported by the Ohio Company the two best bulls of that breed I ever put my hand upon. Such Shorthorns as these, in a breeder's hands, are very hard to be beaten by any breed, and when I see them compare generally with this herd, or a similar one, my pen shall cease to complain of want of true uniformity in that breed. On the other hand, suppose Messrs. Miller used the one they had, or "Halton," "Meteor," "Marquis of Carabus," "Locomotive" (which Mr. Cassius M. Clay says "beat the world"), and many others that I could name, most of which have gained first prizes at our State shows, how quickly this herd would go back into second and third class, or mingling all these qualities with it. Here the very secret lies: "Judges" have not sufficiently studied all three classes given prizes more to large size than any other object; and purchasers have been in- fluenced by the endorsement of these Societies. So long as this principle is allowed to govern, thus long shall we possess all qualities in Short- horns, and more frequently third class. I will call on all proper breeders to deny this if they can. Mr. George Miller lived in a mud house built by his own hands. I was much amused by the description he gave me of the operation while building it. A man chopped straw with an ax, mixed it with the mud and served him with this material while he laid up the walls with a dung-fork, hewed them straight with a broad-axe when sufficiently dry. It was after- wards covered with lime mortar and small stone, having the appearance of a stone house, costing him 113 days for one man building. I am, dear sir, yours sincerely, WM. HY. SOTHAM. A CHALLENGE ! W. H. SOTHAM. HERD BOOKS. Written for the "Ohio Farmer," by Cassius M. Clay. Whitehall, Madison Co., Ky., Dec. 18, '56. My Dear Brown : I was not a little aston- ished at the article of a Mr. Sotham, which you copied from an English paper. I make a few remarks in response to his assertions about my stock, not so much to repel his untruths as to "vindicate history" for its own sake. Mr. Sotham seems to think that I ventured HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 157 upon asserting that the "Shorthorn" was the "best breed of cattle" without "proof." Now, every intelligent agricultural writer and reader ought to know that the word of a man is not more worthy of credit because they may go before a magistrate and make oath to the same. Each one gives his opinion, no doubt biased in some extent, by habit and the amiable weakness of self-interest. But, after all, a man's ability and honesty will be very properly estimated by the public/ as Mr. S. will no doubt find out after awhile. The imputation against me as one of those who are getting up an "excitement" about Short- horns need not be proven to you to be untrue, when you remember that I only write the few articles in the "Ohio Farmer" by your request. I am the first breeder of Shorthorns in Madison County, and a breeder and dealer for more than twenty years, and yet I never before wrote a line on the subject. For Mr. Sotham's consolation I will say that my herd is very small, and I have a desire to increase it, rather than sell, even for "exorbitant" prices! His remarks about my cattle at the National fair at Springfield are rather singular, as I had only one-half of the bull Locomotive (who took the first premium in his ring against the world) and no other cattle at all. If through mistake he applied his re- marks to me instead of my brother, B. J. Clay, I need only say that he took more premiums than any other man upon the same number, and many thought he was entitled to the pre- mium for the "best herd," which was not given, I learn, because some other parties were not willing for additional judges to be called in. The breeders of Shorthorns do not deem it necessary to attack other breeds in order to elevate their own. In giving my views upon the "best breeds" I was willing to admit that the Devons and Ayrshires were the best breeds in some localities and under certain circum- stances of climate and food. Mr. S. complains of our "stuffing" our "cat- tle." Ours are the cattle that will bear "stuf- fing" and "pay" well for the stuffing. We al- ways avowed that they were heavy feeders and would not recommend them where "heavy feed- ing" was" not desirable, and yet as I suggested, the Boston "Cultivator" asserts that those fine ones in Maine and New Hampshire are crosses of the Shorthorn, Devon and Longhorn. As to the Herefords, I have nothing to say for or against them, except that they have never, in public opinion, risen to the rank of contending for the supremacy, and with Mr. S. for an ad- vocate I think the day is far distant when an "excitement" in their behalf will be gotten up ! The best judges I have heard speak on the sub- ject regard the Herefords as not a pure breed; and if they were I must say that I have all the more no fancy for them. I know not what Mr. S. means by "proofs." The cow of mine which weighed 2,020 pounds was only "stuffed" six months; and the butchers at Albany, N. Y., who are, I presume, as good judges of fine beef as Mr. S., offered $140 for her, which was re- fused by her owners. Now, this cow was by no means the largest or finest of the breed, and never was much "stuffed," and yet I venture to assert there is no "Hereford" in America which will weigh as much or bring as much money at the block ! The above facts, if not "proofs" can be proved by certificates, if we have, to go outside of the rules of gentlemen in this discussion ! What though I admitted that some families or strains of Durhams or Shorthorns were "deli- cate," do not fa'cts aver the same of all breeds of all animals ? I desire to elicit truth and promote the general good. If I was merely a defender of Shorthorns, I should say buy any of long- pedigree, without regard to quality, beauty, form or constitution; but as I profess to en- lighten others, as far as my knowledge and ex- perience go, I wish them to use their own judg- ment ; and I give them hints upon which I have founded my own. I don't know how Mr. S. could dare to ven- ture upon the assertion that the many engraved likenesses of Shorthorns in the United States were simply copies of the same animal; when YOKE OF HALF-BRED HEREFORD STEERS, 2 YEARS OLD, OUT OF DEVON DAMS. (Favorites of Wm. H. Sotham.) there are so many thousand living witnesses in disproof of his allegation ! and yet his admis- sion of a common type and common peculiari- ties, when so proved, are in direct establishment of the purity of the breed, and their great ex- cellence in reproducing their like with so much 158 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE certainty. So far as you and my friend Allen are concerned, you can answer for yourselves. In conclusion, I'll give you one "proof" of my belief in facts. 1 will, at the next National fair, to be adjudged by the Society's judges of sweepstake cattle, show two heifers, bred and now owned by me, of the "short-horned" breed, one year old last November, against any two heifers, bred and owned by any one breeder of "Herefords" in America, the loser to pay the expenses of going and returning from the fair. Or, in case there are no heifers of the same age or near the same, I will show two 'shorthorn females' of any named age of my own and my YOUNG HEREFORDS, BRED BY T. F. B. SOTHAM, CHILLICOTHE, MO. brother B. J. Clay's- herd against any two 'Herefords' of any two breeders in America, owned and bred by the same parties. Your obedient servant, C. M. CLAY. Herd Books. P. S. Any attempt to create jealousy between American and English breed- ers, or controversy about which is the best herd book, the American or the English, is ridicu- lous. Herd books are simply general and con- venient registers of pedigrees, and their merit depends upon the fidelity and ability with which they are edited. Both the English and Ameri- can are good authority, and both needed for convenience; and any refusal to put pedigrees in either is based upon narrow views of the thing to be answered by "herd books;" for they neither give nor take away credit due to the authenticity of pedigrees, further than that the editors are presumed to be well versed in such things; and that errors are more liable there to be corrected, and frauds to be exposed. C. M. C. THOMAS BROWN S EDITORIAL. WILLIAM H. SOTHAM. Mr. Sotham has sent us the copy of the "Mark Lane Express" in which his notice and critique of the National Agricultural Exhibition, of Philadelphia, is contained. With the above came also a letter, over his name, concerning "Shorthorns," containing a vast amount of spleen and emphatic, under-lined words and sentences. We are requested to publish it or send it back. Now, we don't think it is worth the attention of the public, and not' worth preservation by Mr. Sotham; we shall there- fore gently drop it beyond that "bourne" whence no letter returns. Since writing the foregoing, we have received from the same source two other long letters for publication, made frightful by italics and threats; but they have gone the way of the other! Ohio Farmer. MR. KEARY'S ESSAY. Mr. Keary, in 1849, wrote an essay on breeds of cattle, favorable to Shorthorns, for the Royal Agricultural Society; the Council of which then comprised Shorthorn breeders, who had much influence over that society ; much in the same way as they have had over the New York State Agricultural Society. I can vouch for the truth, that Mr. Lewis F. Allen and Mr. Fran- cis Rotch, Sen., and a few other such Short- horn breeders, have nominated more "judges," more presidents and more vice-presidents, more members of ex-committee, than all the rest of New York State people put together. The two former have always been very officious in these matters. This every one will admit who knows anything of the society; and I think much to its injury. Mr. Allen, being author of the Herd Book, cannot back out of what he has said so exultingly favorable to Shorthorns, although turned to a Devon breeder. Mr. Rotch was not satisfied in helping nomi- nate "judges" but assumed the responsibility of teaching them the "true points of excellence" in the different breeds; which I consider the most absurd stuff ever penned by a breeder, al- though the quality he advocated, if cellular sub- stance could be called quality, exactly suited to his own herd, giving the preference to soft, flabby flesh, characteristic of the very herd he then possessed. This was endorsed and adopted by the New York State Society, and would have been permanently posted on the books, had not a few of us strongly opposed. These "points of excellence" died a natural death, very com- posedly, for I have not heard o,f them since HISTORY OF HEEEFORD CATTLE 159 their first appearance at the show at Saratoga, which I believe was the end of them. I may be called "pugnacious," "fire and tow," and many hard names for saying what I do, but who can speak and write patiently in defence of Herefords with such men to encounter? I can be as courteous as any man with reason- able men to deal with; but every impartial man must admit that I have had a certain clique of Shorthorn men to oppose, who were deter- mined to drive me out of market with the Here- fords. There are some kinds of men in the world whom the truth cannot reach, and such men are most apt to accuse others of untruth unfounded- ly notwithstanding this, I shall speak the truth boldly, and fear no man. The time will come when we shall have just and proper judges of men, as well as of cattle. When Mr. Keary wrote his "essay" for the R. A. S., he found his opponent, Mr. Smythies, a straightforward, just man, who wrote the truth, and Mr. Keary found it went home to him. I did not keep Mr. Keary's letters in M. L. E., but publish the following challenges Mr. Smythies gave to Mr. Keary, and his last let- ter in reply to him, which will show about the whole of the discussion. EDITORIAL FROM "MARK LANE EXPRESS" (LONDON). Day by day we are coming to a more distinct classification as to a more becoming recognition of our several breeds of stock. Without exactly undertaking to assert which is really the best, we now give to almost every variety a fair op- portunity of displaying its merits and attrac- tions. We have for some time been gradually approaching this, but never so directly nor so decisively as during the last Smithfield Show week. The admiring public is to be puzzled no longer, but to go methodically through every class or kind of animal it ever heard of. It is no longer Shorthorn, Hereford, and Devon only; but as equally defined, Sussex, Welsh, Scotch, and any other high-bred cattle that can prove to a local habitation and a name. All this is very good. We not only encourage our breeders and enlighten our visitors, but we even ease the duties and lessen the respdnsibilities of our judges. Years back, the upright judge went into the yard instructed to say at once which was the best beast there to pick him out valiantly from all sorts and sizes, thoroughbred or mongrel, no matter which ! He owned, per- haps, to some little sympathy with the Dur- ham, or to some slight antipathy to the Devon, and he decreed and got abused accordingly. Now, however, he can pronounce on a Short- horn simply as a Shorthorn, without any of those invidious comparisons which so often ere this have brought him to grief. To be sure there is the gold medal still, but then a man who takes the first honors of his school will always look with some little philosophy on any little "mistake" his friends may fall into. The labours, then, of our judges are consid- erably facilitated, while their decisions are like to be freed from much of that angry discussion which has too often attended, the publication of the awards. And yet, strange to say, there never was more difficulty in making out an efficient corps for such duties than there is just at present. Crabbe, who, whatever his mer- its as a poet, always wrote with wondrous truth and fidelity, thus describes the man we are looking out for: "He was of those whose skill assigns the prize For creatures fed in pens, and stalls and sties; And who in places where improvers meet To fill the land with fatness had a seat; Who plans encourage, and who journals keep, And talk with lords, about a breed of sheep." We will not venture to say how many years it is since this was penned; but this we may say, that the lines are far more applicable now than they possibly could have been when orig- inally composed. Where the poet had one or STII3 LONGHORN BULL, REPRODUCED FROM YOUATT'S BOOK ON CATTLE. two such models in his eye, we have them in scores and hundreds. He might perhaps have pointed to a Bakewell or an Ellman. We turn at once to the list of the Royal Agricultural Society some six or seven thousand strong and "tick off" name after name of men who sit in places where improvers meet, who plan, encourage, journals keep, and talk with lords 160 HISTORY OP HEREFORD CATTLE about a breed of sheep, or of horses, or of cattle, of of pigs. The Society would indeed seem to have been born to "make" such men; and as, no doubt, to a great extent it has done. Yet now it has made them it cannot use them. At this moment the Royal Agricultural Society has nothing more trying to contend with than the appointment of its judges. Exhibitors must not be judges; members of the council have something else to do during this busy week, and so we return to Mr, A and Mr. B., who have very often obliged us before, and will prob- ably be kind enough to oblige us again. That a certain sort of exclusiveness has had something to do in creating this difficulty there "SEVENTEEN STEER," SOLD AT CINCINNATI, 1841. (From an old print.) can be but little question. As with the Smith- field Club, gentlemen have duly gone the round of their duties, and then like Bloomfield on his visit to Vauxhall, "Why, then, they go round them again!" It has been Mr. A out and Mr. B in, and Mr. C. re-elected, until at last, should we ever get through our A, B, C we are fairly at our wit's end. We don't know what to do. We have been preparing no one else for the place, and now that it is vacant, we have nobody ready to take it. The only thing, of course, is an ad- vertisement in the papers, which we insert here, duly free: "Wanted, a few good judges of stock, etc., etc., for the ensuing meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society of England. Apply by letter or in person, at 12, Hanover- square." Once more do we ask, do the members gen- erally of the Society know their own rights and privileges ? Are they aware, that according to the rules and regulations of their own body, they are directly requested to send in the names of any of their acquaintances whom they feel are competent to assist in any way in the pro- ceedings? Could they tell us the names of a few gentlemen qualified to act as judges at the great national meetings, but who never yet have acted in such a capacity ? If so, as no doubt very many of them can, let them oblige, not us so much as the Members of Council, and send such names in on their nomination. Never mind if they are yet untried in so large a field. We have been working a little too much by iine and rule as it is, and if we want a precedent of any kind here, it is that every man must have a beginning. So far we appear to have been selecting men as judges and stewards be- fore. Let us now extend the classes a little, as we do with the stock. Let it no longer be all Shorthorn, Hereford, and Devon, but let us have grace enough to name a good man for the office, on the very excellent showing, as we take it, that he never held it before. There is precedent even here, if we must have it. One or two of the very best judges ever enlisted for stock or implements, we will not care which never acted at all until within the last two or three years. The selection, of course, must rest with the Council, and it is only right they should have something good to select from. However much or little encouraged, so far, it is a duty the members of the Society generally owe to them- selves to assist in making this list. out. We will not go quite so far as to say that every member reads the "Mark Lane Express." If he does not, however, there is the more necessity for his being directly invited to appreciate a little more demonstratively the privileges he enjoys. Why, there is not a man amongst us who does not meet, every day of his life, some capital judge of a horse, or Down, or an ox. The Council of the Society requires the services of this gentleman. It may be a gratifying and well-merited distinction to him, and it will be an essential advantage to them. Send up his name, then, by all means and if you know of another as good, don't hesitate to send his, too. It is impossible to have too many to pick from. We have said that this selection is made by the Council; that is, by as many Members of Council as choose to attend any meeting ap- pointed for that purpose. It is sometimes as- serted that a large meeting cannot get through its business anything like so efficiently as some two or three members of it would. But this, on the contrary, is especially the business, if not of a large, of a full meeting of Council. Depute it to two or three, and you will have the old prejudices and precedents stronger than ever. Go carefully through the list in open Council, 161 and if you want a name here or there, you will be far more likely to get it from the experience of two or three and twenty than from two or three only. Let us never forget the united strength of a bundle of sticks. MR. SMYTHIES' CHALLENGE. In 1849 Mr. Smythies gave the following challenge : "I will show 100 Hereford beasts, which were the property of Sir Francis Law- ley, Bart., on the 1st of January, 1849, and the same number which were the property of Mr. Aston, of Lynch Court, on the same day, against an equal number, the breeders of Short- horns or Devons in any part of Great Britain, on the same day, for one hundred sovereigns. I am willing to leave the decision to the three judges at the last Smithfield Show, two of whom are unknown to me, even by sight." At the same time Mr. S. made the following offer: "I am ready to place four Hereford calves, on the 1st of May next, in the hands of any respectable grazier in the midland counties, against four Shorthorns, and four Devons; no calf to be more than four months old on that day; the twelve calves to be turned to grass together, to have nothing but grass till the 20th of October following, then to be put in stalls and to be fed as the grazier thinks proper, but the food to be weighed in each lot, till the fol- lowing May, when they shall be again turned to grass till the following 1st of October ; then to be again taken into the stalls, and the food weighed as before; the whole to be shown as extra stock at the Smithfield Show, at the Ba- zaar, and after the show to be slaughtered, the four beasts that pay the best to be the winners." HEREFORDS VS. SHORTHORNS AND DEVON'S. To the Editor of the "Mark Lane Express" : Sir: It was not my intention to have troubled you with any more letters on the sub- ject of Mr. Keary's essay, but his misinterpre- tation of my last letter is too gross to allow it to pass unnoticed. As to what he means by his assertion that my letter can have no weight with practical men, I do not understand. Hav- ing occupied fifteen hundred acres of land for forty years, and having purchased every beast on the estate myself, and every animal upon it having been bred under my own immediate direction, and the whole management of the es- tate having been conducted by me, I think I am as much a practical man as Mr. Keary. He accuses me of having hastily arrived at an er- OX WEIGHING 3,500 LBS., RAISED IN SANGAMON CO., ILL., 1834. BRED FROM "SEVENTEEN BLOOD," (From an old print.) 162 HISTOEY OF HEEEFOED CATTLE roneous conclusion, in having accused him of having drawn a comparison between Short- horns, Devons and Herefords unfavorable to the latter. Yet, his essay speaks for itself. Does he not, in every particular, claim the pref- erence for his two favorite breeds; while I, on the contrary, declare that they are both in- ferior? and I have offered to test their several merits and to back my opinion. Mr. Keary says : "My knowledge of Herefords is questioned because I have omitted to notice the grey ones, a pet sort of Mr. Smythies. I cannot call to "SEVENTEEN STEER," JOHN SHERMAN. (Bred by J. D. Gillette, Elkhart, 111. Champion Chicago Fat Stock Show, 1878.) mind having often seen many of these extra- ordinary greys, and Mr. Smythies admits him- self that after a lengthened inquiry and a great deal of trouble, he could only purchase four." Four what? Not four greys, but four of the pure blood of Mr. Tully's of Huntingdon. I think no man could mistake the meaning of my letter who did not do so willfully. If I had only desired to purchase grey ones, I might, I suppose, have got four hundred in the time. Some of our best breeders had nearly all greys; Mr. Jones, of Brierton, who used to produce as good a lot of steers as most men, had all grey ones for many years; and Mr. Eicketts, of Sarnesfield, whose herd was a very good one, had nearly all greys, and many other breeders in the county had a good many. As an excuse for omitting the name of Sir Francis Lawley as a breeder of Herefords, he said he did not profess to mention the names of all the breeders of Herefords that may be ; but still, it appears singular to me that he should have omitted the name of a breeder who not only has the best herd in existence at the present day, but the best herd of any breed. Did he do so with respect to either of the other breeds ? Mr. Keary denies that he states in his essay that the young Shorthorns have rather a liberal al- lowance of cake, and that he only asserts that of the Herefords, and requests that I will refer to it again. I have done so and copy the fol- lowing sentence from the "Journal" : "From the time of rearing, little or no difference may be said to exist in the treatment of the young stock, between the Shorthorns and Herefords. Warm and well sheltered paddocks, with hovels or yards with open sheds, form, in both cases, their winter quarters, in which they are sup- plied with hay, roots, and, generally speaking, a rather liberal allowance of cake, or other artificial food." Now, sir, I confess I was stupid enough to consider, from this statement, that Shorthorns were so treated. I will leave your readers to determine whether or not I had a right to come to such a conclusion from the foregoing sen- tence. I denied in my letter that Herefords were so treated at least, that mine were, and I asserted this on my word of honor as a gentle- man. Mr. Keary then says : "To practical men such statements are somewhat startling," or, in other words, What Mr. Smythies has stated is false. Never having heard Mr. Keary's name till I saw it at the end of this essay, I have no means of knowing in what society he may have been brought up, but I beg to inform him that the men with whom I have passed my life hold such an assertion as I have made above as sacred as the most solemn oath. It is very difficult to prove a negative, but the doubt which Mr. Keary has attempted to throw on my veracity renders the endeavor to do so im- perative. If Mr. Keary will do me the favor to accompany me into Herefordshire, I will bring before him men who have worked on my farm for many years, some ever since I oc- cupied it. I will produce two of my bailiffs who lived with me nine or ten years each, and one twenty-three years. He shall also see the men who looked after my cattle; he shall also see a variety of men who have worked on the farm at various periods, and who were dis- charged, and who are not likely to make any false statements in my favor; and if he can find any one man who can prove that he ever saw an oil cake on my estate during the time I occupied it, excepting the year mentioned in my former letter, or ever saw any lot of steers of mine eating cake, corn,- seeds, meal, or any artificial food whatever, I will present him with a hundred sovereigns and pay all his expenses. I beg also to refer him to Mr. Eusbridger, the Duke of Eichmond's bailiff; to Mr. Eowland, of Creslow, one of the largest graziers in Eng- land ; to Mr. Senier, of Broughton House, near Aylesbury; to Mr. Druce, of Ensham; to Mr. HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 163 William Trinder, of Wantage; to Mr. Bailey, near Wolverton, and to a variety of other graziers who have bought my steers, whether, when they put them into the stalls to feed, they took to cake as if they had been accustomed to it. I think, sir, I have offered such proof of the truth of my statement as must satisfy the mind of any unprejudiced man, and if I have not satisfied Mr. Keary, which I think not unlikely, for "A man convinced against his will, Holds the same opinion still," I shall be glad to give any further proof that the nature of the case admits of, if he will be so good as to point it out. Mr. Keary goes on to say that he has learned that the practice of treating young cattle as he has described was extensively, if not uni- versally, used. The best steers at Hereford fair were usually found in the show yard. When I was a member of the Herefordshire Agricul- tural Society, all animals exhibited for their prizes were restricted from having cake or corn, and no person could become a candidate for a prize without first signing a certificate that the animal exhibited by him had not eaten cake, corn, seeds, meal, or any artificial food what- soever. One thing is certain, that if those per- sons who have been in the habit of showing their stock there have told Mr. Keary that their steers were fed as he says they were, they must have stated what was not correct in one in- stance, for they cannot both be true. I have obtained many prizes there, and I always had to sign such a certificate. Mr. K. seems very indignant at my accusing him of knowing but little of Hereford cattle. I was willing to attribute his unfair comparison to ignorance from which, indeed, I really thought it did arise ; but if he wishes to have it considered willful misrepresentation, I can have no objection ; he is welcome to place him- self upon which horn of the dilemma he likes best. Another striking instance of Mr. K.'s per- version of the meaning of my letter I cannot pass over. He says that though I bred seventy a year for a long period, I never had but one good milking cow ! ! Does the sentence in my letter to which he alludes convey any such meaning? It is this.: "I have seen Hereford cows milk well, and had one myself that made eleven pounds of butter a week for three months." .Does that imply that I had but one good milker? Was that any reason to infer that I might not have had a hundred good milk- ers ? It is true that from this sentence it might be inferred that I had only one that would make eleven pounds of butter a week, but I might have had any quantity that would have made seven or eight ; but to exemplify the argu- ment I was using, I selected the strongest in- stance that had occurred in my herd. He also adds that I admit it takes several months longer to make up a Hereford than it does a Shorthorn. I fancy he is the only man who read my letter that did not perceive that that was a sarcasm on his assertion, which I clearly showed my disbelief of by offering to place four Herefords in competition with four Shorthorns, to be slaughtered at two years old. I will only allude to one more instance of gross perversion of the meaning of my letter. Mr. Keary says, "With Mr. Smythies' challenge I can have nothing to do." In this wise decision he shows his creed. The prudence of the York- shireman is quite apparent in refusing to ac- cept a challenge, which he knows he must lose if he accepts. But the way in which he evades it is most to be noticed. He says it is im- practicable ; he knows no Shorthorn breeder who breeds a hundred steer calves in a year. Nor I, either, nor of any other breed, and I would ask, is there any other man in the United King- dom who has read my letter, besides Mr. Keary, I had challenged him to who imagined that show a hundred steers bred by one man in one year? What are the words of my let- ter ? "I will show one hundred Hereford beasts that were the property of Sir Francis Lawley, on the 1st of Jan- uary, 1849, and the same number that were the property of Mr. Aston, Lynch Court, on the same day, against the same number that were the property of any two breeders of Shorthorns or Devons on the same day in any part of Great Britain." Is it not clear that I meant the general breeding stock upon their farms? He then adds, "His next challenge is equally difficult to carry out impar- tially and fairly." What, sir, is there no grazier in the midland counties to be found with suffi- cient honesty to try this experiment ? I could name twenty myself who would J J WM. POWELL, CHANNING. TEX.. FORMERLY OF BEECHER, ILL. OF THE UNIVERSITY HIS TOE Y OF HEREFORD CATTLE advocate of truth, and therefore court investiga- tion; I have nothing to conceal, and therefore have no occasion to put false interpretations upon passages as clear as the sun at noon, nor to make use of subterfuges of any sort. As to the boasted superiority of the Shorthorns, let us see what the past says. If Mr. Keary will search the records of the Smithfield Club, I think he will find the Herefords have taken away more prizes than his favorite Shorthorns, and five times as many as the Devons. Mr. \Ycstcar sold twenty Hereford oxen for two thousand one hundred and fifty odd pounds. I "QUEEN OF ATHENS" AND CALF, "MY MARYLAND." (Bred by John Merryman, Cockeysville, Md.) once stated this fact in a letter in the "Farm- ers' Journal," which statement was ridiculed in a letter the following week, written by Mr. Henry Berry [Youatt's authority. T. L. M.], who was a great advocate for the supremacy of Shorthorns, as a perfect impossibility. A few days after his letter appeared I received one from a gentleman staying at Creslow, contain- ing an extract from Mr. Westcar's books, giv- ing the date of the sale, the name of the butcher they were sold to, and the sum paid for them, amounting, together, to the sum I have men- tioned. Six of them were sold in one deal to Mr. Giblet, of Bond street, for six hundred pounds. Have twenty Shorthorn bullocks ever sold for two-thirds of the money? So much for the past. As to the future, I am ready and willing to test the respective merits of these three breeds in any way Mr. Keary will point out. I only wish it to be clearly ascertained which are the most useful beasts. I am con- vinced in my own mind that no animal of any description can be fatted on the common vege- table produce of a farm so soon, or brought to such perfection 'on grass, hay and roots only, as a Hereford, and this appears to me to be the great desideratum at the present day, that we should be able to convert the vegetable pro" duce of our farms into animal matter at the greatest advantage, and that we should not have to go to the foreigner to buy oil cake to feed our beasts when we have enough at home to feed them with if we select the proper animal. I know it is a notion amongst Shorthorn breeders that oxen cannot be fatted without corn or cake. I once showed a fat cow at Bath, and won the prize with her, and sold->her to Mr. Hale, the celebrated butcher in that town, who told me she was the fattest animal he had ever seen. I had given in a certificate that she had been fed on grass, hay and roots only. Some people who saw her thought it impossible she could have been so fed, and somebody, just before the judges entered the yard, threw some oil cake into the manger before her, in hopes the judges might see her eating it. This I was told by one of the judges when he came out of the yard, and he added, she evidently had never seen such a thing before, for she took no notice of it ; we tried her competitors with it, and they ate it up in a minute. So convinced am I of the decided superiority of Hereford 'cattle for feed- ing purposes over any others, that I am most anxious to see them brought fairly into com- petition, and whenever they are so, honestly and honorably. If the "Journal" committee of the Royal English Agricultural Society wish to act fairly, they ought to publish my letters, that the poison and the antidote may travel together, and let the world determine who is right. I have done nothing underhand, or in secret; I have referred you by name to many most re- spectable men. If I have stated one syllable that is not true, I have afforded you every means of detecting me; if, therefore, you fail to do so, I have a right to claim from my agricul- tural brethren an implicit reliance on the truth of my statements. Regretting that I have oc- cupied so much of your valuable paper, I remain your obedient servant, J. R. SMYTHIES, (ff 78) Grey Friars, Colchester, Feb. 16. I wrote to Mr. Thomas Brown, editor of the "Ohio Farmer," to find out the clandestine man who signed himself "Agricola," who wrote on "in-and-in breeding," etc., as I considered the remarks he made on that subject doing much injury to the public. His assertions on other points seemed to me truly ridiculous, and that a common sense editor would refuse to publish such stuff. His teachings on breeding, his Shorthorn puffing, and his writing anonymous- ly, condemned him in my estimation. I never knew a man (who is a man) ashamed to own HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 165 his own productions. The following was Mr. Brown's reply : Cleveland, April 23, 1856. My Dear Sir: I do not think there is any special danger of my being seriously used hy Mr. Allen. I know your alarm is honest, and your cautions well meant, and I therefore thank you for your letter. "Agricola" is not Mr. Allen, and I don't know that Allen ever met him. He is one of the "oldest breeders in America," a D. D. and LL. D., whose fame is as wide as the earth. He is now president of a flourishing theological college and professor of Biblical Literature and is none other than the Rev. Robert J. Breckenridge, of Lexington, Ky. Are you sat- isfied on this point? Keep it to yourself. I have just received a good article from Aston on Herefords. I mean to do you and your Here- fords full justice, but I must be permitted to take my own time and way to do it. I am obliged to you for any advice, and reproof, even, given in kindness. I desire, too, to continue on friendly relations with you. I am, very truly, Your friend, THOS. BROWN. I wrote Mr. Brown that this was the first I had ever heard of the Rev. Robt. J. Brecken- ridge, and that it was high time he declined to give instructions to breeders. If Mr. Brown's extravagant encomium of the man had gone still further, and he had said this famed Mr. Breckenridge had been known beyond "the earth," I should have believed it quite as read- ily as many other assertions made by him and his correspondents on Shorthorns; but I do and always shall believe that neither of these as- sumed writers on breeds of cattle knew how much mischief he was doing the community by advising "sire to daughter and continue it." One of these noted writers and breeders, to my knowledge, has bred blind calves, calves void of symmetry and quality, calves minus their legitimate power of reproducing, calves with long pedigrees, and who has not gone near so far into the "in-and-in" system as -he recom- mends others to breed, and at the time he talks of "Colling's successful in-and-in breeding in Shorthorns ; the long Scotch coat was produced in them, the origin of which no man can dis- pute who knows both breeds." Here is a mys- tery that ought to be solved and who is more capable of doing it than the man "whose fame is as wide as the earth?" a man anxious for notoriety as a breeder and dictator, a man care- ful and kind to his "flock and herd," a man who advocates truth, purity, morality, honesty, jus- tice, one who loves his country. I say again, there can be no better man to solve this mystery than this intelligent and learned divine, upheld and, supported by his one-sided editor and con- temporary, who is so well versed in the im- provement of his country, and in the protec- tion of his pet correspondents. This same one- sided editor speaks of my letters being "made frightful by underlining." Mark the letter above, that his readers may "learn and inwardly digest." This is a wide world to live in, and the people are diversified. Some feel "warm when they have seen the fire," and are satisfied with the comfort such a blessing bestows. Others, with more extravagant ideas, heedlessly clench the flames, and if a man will put his hand in the fire he must expect to get scorched. Ed- itors may, in their ignorance, madness or self- conceit, commit truth to the flames, but can never destroy; it will, phcenix-like, rise again from its ashes, to teach such vain editors de- cency and justice. One-sided editors will fre- quently add brighter coloring to glaring un- truths from a favored correspondent, while his opponent is repulsed with editorial power, in forbidding entrance to his columns what he knows to be true. But truth will out nothing can suppress it. The editor of the "Ohio Farm- er" will sooner or later find out that "two heads are better than one, if one is a sheep's head." "DOLLY VARDEN" (V. 9, p. 279) 5. (Bred by J. Morris, Madley, Eng.) I did not see Mr. Aston's "good article on Herefords," of which Mr. Brown speaks, nor do I believe it ever appeared. It was in answer to C. M. Clay, therefore, I suppose it was too "powerful" for Shorthorn breeders, and was committed "gently" to the flames, from whence, he thinks, such articles never return. I have been accused of "untruth" unfounded- ly by an editor before this, and my accuser had fairly been convicted of perjury ; nothing saved him from a prisoner's cell but money, untruths, 166 and a flaw in the indictment; but this same editor is now reformed, and, I see, strongly ad- vocating morality. 1 glory in his wisdom, and therefore freely forgive him. If I am "pug- nacious," unclassical, severe, and forbidding, as my opponents choose to characterize me, I can forgive. Nor do I consider publishing Mr. Brown's article a breach of trust, after his con- duct to me. * * * EDITORS AND JUDGES. There is nothing more important to the agri- cultural community than just and good judges. Nor is there any true evidence of a man's being a good judge of cattle because he lives in a large, expensive house, and gives high prices for imported stock. Such men, if reported rich, are very apt to be looked up to for this depart- ment many of which are very fearful of soil- ing their hands and their clothes, frequently handle cattle with their gloves on; some of kid and others of a different material. Such men generally consider such labor beneath their dignity, while practical men leave not a single point unexamined, making their hands and their eyes guide them to a just decision. Such men will not be swayed from the true points of an animal by prejudice, favor or aristocratic influential men, but will give the animal its due without reference to its owner. All societies will be a curse to the country until such men are nominated. In the present course of things, a costly ani- mal, say a "five thousand dollar one,'' must be the best, because he costs so much, when good, unbiased judgment would probably pronounce him in second or third class. There is no lack of display in portraits and publications, and these enormous prices quickly go the rounds. Editors of agricultural papers are generally too anxious to "obtain first" such exciting articles, and are very jealous of others who "copy from them without credit." Neither do they forget to flatter and feed the vanity of those extravagant purchasers, many of whom never see the animals until they arrive home, spurring them on to this destructive mania, and when such prices are given without judgment or discussion, it is a ruinous principle. Most judges are apt to select animals for prizes from their "important" puffed charac- ter, made public by editors, who had probably been well paid for their puffing rather than trusting to their own judgment, and frequently listen to these dictates as settled facts without consideration. The owner, too, is an important man, and frequently money only has made him HEREFORDS ON THE PLAINS OF COLORADO. (From a photograph taken in the spring, after a hard winter.) HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 16? so. Editors have puffed his cattle puffed his management as a breeder courting an equality to his exalted society, and to obtain a golden fir, he knowing at the same time the true credit belonged to his agents. By this means some editors are made notorious, their papers popu- lar, their judgment consulted, and frequently put on as judges of cattle, some of which find difficulty in distinguishing the different breeds, without "guessing" and inquiring. Still they can write about these breeds with as much con- fidence as the best judges. These editors may call me "pugnacious," but they know my statements are true, and there- fore they may poke their editorials at me to suit themselves, if they are only sufficiently manly to send me a copy and allow me to an- swer them ; if not, it is no better principle than stabbing a man in the dark. I think it will benefit the community if they are "re- proved in kindness." There are many editors truly good fellows, if they did not assume to be judges of cattle. Many remarks they make on this subject are truly ridiculous. It is very gratifying to receive "visits" from many of them if the more vain would not tell the public how kindly they had been treated by great men, in what kind of carriage they had been drawn to such breeders' mansions; how upright and stately they sit in that carriage, ruminating over the "big" words that should compose their description and flattery; not for- getting to tell such a man what advantage and favor it was to have such puffs in their col- umns. Some editors are even weak enough to tell what they had for dinner, and even add to this the enormous size of the beautiful Tom Turkey presented to them *to carry home for another "luxurious meal." My readers who have read agricultural papers must admit all this to be true, and they must further admit that a mod- erate breeder who understands his business practically, lives in a moderate house, with mod- erate ideas, and possessing substantial judg- ment, is very seldom noticed, but more fre- quently avoided and unjustly repulsed. To be the guest of an honest, plain farmer would not be etiquette, if he lived in a plain house. Such editors as the "Ohio Farmer" would deem him beneath his dignity and unworthy of an edi- torial remark if he had not a fine pair of mules or a splendid pair of horses to ride behind, seated in an aristocratic carriage for the purpose of taking his observations ; a Tom Turkey, how- ever fat, however "enormously" heavy, would scarcely be considered a present, while that of the reported great man's would be puffed and stuffed with "enormous extravagance." Such is the way of the world, and we are compelled to succumb to it as long as such ed- itors as that of the "Ohio Farmer" "has his own way," and is allowed to burn up a proper an- swer. I suppose he is lord of all he surveys when he beholds the whole of his paper, and therefore has power to forbid. There are many agricultural editors who re- quire more substantial judgment; more inde- pendence of character; more sound investiga- tion into the numerous articles they publish, and although some of them are willing to treat both sides of the question fairly, every one must admit there is a vast deal of cattle trash pub- lished only for the want of better judgment to guide them. A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE FARMER." 'OHIO Owego, N. Y., Jan. 17, '57. Thos. Brown, Esq. : Sir : A friend- has sent me your paper to- day, containing Mr. C. M. Clay's letter, from' which I see you have previously copied mine from the "Mark Lane Express." If you publish the whole of that letter, I am satisfied. If you publish my letters just as I write them I will meet Mr. Clay or any other per- son on that sub- ject. "All I ask is a fair field and no favor." It is very easy to say and to print that another tells an "untruth," but it is more difficult to prove it, nor can I believe it gentlemanly to say so without proof. When Mr. Clay or any other person proves an "untruth" in any of my letters they are at liberty to con- demn me as one of "low degree," "low bred," "third-class quality," and "no breeder." I will then retire from the field disgusted with my own actions. On the other hand, I am perfectly willing to admit all that Mr. Clay says as a "gentleman," but I cannot agree with him in opinion, nor in his judgment on cattle, however long he may have been a dealer or a breeder. HON. J. W. PROWERS, WEST LAS ANIMAS, COLO. 168 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE There is but one true standard of quality, symmetry, weight, etc., and he who differs from that is no judge. I honor the name of "Clay" as highly as any other man, and I regret that I made the mis- take of calling Mr. Brutus Clay's Mr. Cassius M. Clay's. I fully understood that it was C. - M. C. that took the prizes at Springfield. I therefore transfer the remarks I made upon that herd to where they belong, and will fully maintain all I. have said in answer to C. M. C. When we have both had a fair trial, I will leave to the public, whose just opinion has most weight in the scale of true judgment. HEREFORDS BRED BY THE REYNOLDS LAND & CAT- TLE CO., CHANNING, TEX. My desire is to test this matter honestly, and fear no man. If you publish this, I will accept Messrs. C. and B.'s challenge in a fair way in another communication. If not, I shall answer him in other papers. I send you another letter from the "Mark Lane Express," for your perusal and publica- tion, if you choose. I am, sir, Your humble servant, WM. HY. SOTHAM. MR. SOTHAM'S ANSWER AND ACCEPTANCE OF c. M. CLAY'S CHALLENGE. Owego, Tioga Co., N. Y., Jan. 25, 1857. Mr. Editor: In reply to Mr. Cassius M. Clay's letter. He says, "The word of a man is no more worthy of credit because he may go be- fore a magistrate and make oath to the same." I fully endorse this, Mr. Editor, and will say still further : a man who is over-anxious to take such a course is less likely to be believed and trusted. I take it for granted (inside the rules of gentlemen) that Mr. Clay had no self-interest in Shorthorns, but has more of it in Mr. Brown's invitation to write for his paper. The half of "Locomotive," and the whole of that "robust family of Shorthorns'' ; the former "beating the world," and the latter as good as can be found in it, can have no "exciting inter- est" to their owner, nor can there be the least sign of "elevation" towards these valuable ani- mals by such expressions from Mr. Clay. He having "se//-possession," "se//-control," and an "amiable disposition" rests composed and con- tented with the increase as it surrounds him (enviable position this !) He needs no demand, has no desire to attract a man in the "habit" of giving "high prices," or taking advantage of his "amiable weakness." Mr. Clay has no such intentions, his only "habit," object, and self- interest is in writing for the Ohio Farmer, and Mr. C. seems to think "that a Mr. Sotham will 'find out' these profitable advantages in time, when the public become more familiar with his character." I must say, Mr. Clay, that I have no desire for this public "estimate," and rather your "seZ/-interest" would rest where it is. Neither have I any desire to excite high, artificial prices in Herefords. I always sold at reasonable ones, and it is still my wish to do so. Now, Mr. Clay, I see plainly by- your letters, you consider yourself a judge of cattle. You have studied it practically, therefore you must know that the herd that takes most prizes is not always the best ; neither are the judges who award those prizes. Excellent proof of this was shown at Springfield, which every practical judge must candidly admit. I met a Short- horn breeder, whom I am well aware ranks "in- side the rules of gentlemen," and who openly confessed that Shorthorns there were miserably lacking in quality, nor did he attempt to hide the remarks from some of his own herd. A white heifer belonging to Mr. Duncan was de- cidedly the best female in that class and the best in her own. There was another red and white heifer that compared well with her, still these two were beaten by one as hard and as tight as flesh could be forced upon her third- class of the lowest kind. The white heifer went home prizeless, and, in my opinion, reflecting much animal or "amiable weakness" on the ma- jority of the judges. Hence, my minor report. I have too much regard for my associates to believe for a moment there was any self-interest in this decision, for I feel assured they came inside " the rules of gentlemen." Mr. Clay says that breeders of Shorthorns do not deem it necessary to attack other breeds in order to elevate their own, and further says, HISTOEY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 169 "the best judges I have heard speak upon the subject regard the Herefords as not a pure breed, and if they were I have all the less fancy for them." This remarkable injustice; this hearsay ; this fancy ; this self-contradiction, is it not untruth? Mr. Clay, I will not have it so; neither will I deem it self-interest, if I am con- sidered by the public "to step outside the rules of gentlemen." I cannot help it I must say it is your amiable weakness to vindicate history. Notwithstanding this, your opinion is the same opinion still. Your robust family is the same and may still be the best in the world under the same opinion. Durhams may still be the best- breed of cattle, and Locomotive, who took the first premium against the world, is still Loco- motive if his weight has kept such steam pres- sure from his becoming too exaltingly elevated. So the world goes we are all entitled to an opinion, and many of them will be remembered as long as they remain in print. Again, Mr. Clay says : "As to the Herefords, I have nothing to say, for or against them, ex- Show at Birmingham; he will there find the Herefords stood far superior to any other breed classes at that exhibition. Mr. Clay did not mean to pull down the Herefords by these re- marks, I know he did not. He had previously said it was not necessary, and he would have studied the facts in the case before he had ven- tured to attempt it, though I cannot help think- ing there is a little amiable weakness in this mistake to vindicate history. As to the animal likenesses. Did Mr. Clay ever see one of Mr. Page's bull portraits on paper show hollow crops? On the contrary, did Mr. Clay ever see the original except New Year's Day and Balco with full crops? There may be more in these two questions than Mr. C. imagines, and I would advise him to con- sider before he answers them in the name of an old breeder. I have something further to say on this important subject hereafter. I have now to acknowledge the proof of Mr. C.'s cow weighing 2,020 Ibs., and also his own assertions that no Hereford in America could MEDAL OF THE CENTENNIAL AT PHILADELPHIA, 1876, AWARDED TO T. L. MILLER. cept. they have never in public opinion risen to the rank of contending for the supremacy." Can such an assertion as this come from the pen of an old breeder and dealer? They have beaten the Shorthorns five times out of eight, when each were contending for supremacy, under the most adverse circum- stances, and influential nobility on the other side. I refer, Mr. Clay, to the annals of the Smithfield and Birmingham Clubs from their beginning for an endorsement of this fact. I also refer him to the report of the "Mark Lane Express" of December loth, of this Christmas weigh as heavy, or realize as much as $140. I have bred more than twenty cows that would beat her, myself, under the same circumstances, and to confirm "my opinion" I sold to Mr. Bennett, the noted salesman at Brighton (who almost every dealer knows), a Hereford cow that weighed on the railroad scales at Albany 2,313 Ibs., and when in Brighton 2,267 Ibs.; Mr. B. gave me $150 cash for her; I also sold him a half-bred Hereford and Short- horn cow, a very superior animal, she weighed somewhat lighter, and sold for less money. The Hereford was milked once a day until August 170 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 1st, when she became dry. I kept her on a good bite of grass, on a light sandy soil, as long as the grass lasted, then put her up to feed. She was economically fed (and not "stuffed") until the last of March, when I started to Bos- ton with her. This was the extent of her feeding. I will now for a finality, propose to meet Mr. Clay's "challenge" in a fair way; I have two heifer calves, "Prudence," calved August 29, 1856; "Woodlark," calved September 30, 1856. These are all I have left this season. They ran with their dams as long as any grass ; when the cows came to winter quarters, they were allowed HEREFORD. SHORTHORN. (The thickness of Hereford and Shorthorn roasts compared. Actual photograph of roasts from Hereford and Short- horn bullocks dressed at Chicago Fat Stock Show, 1879, showed Hereford 33 1-3 per cent thicker than the Short- horn.) to suck their dams once a day; about the 20th of December they were taken away, and now live on oat chaff and cut cornstalks, mixed with about a pint of oatmeal each per day, mixed with their chaff, one common sized rutabaga per day, cut up between them regular, and are in growing store order, as I do not believe in forcing calves; as spring and warm weather approaches I shall increase the roots, and keep to about the same quantity of oatmeal. These calves shall be turned to grass in the spring, until -next fall, wjien I will bring them with me to Kentucky, at the National Show, place them in any honest Kentucky grazier's hands, against any two heifer calves now owned by Cassius M. Clay, or Brutus J. Clay, of a similar age ; if they have not any exactly the same age, a few months difference imist be allowed for accordingly. The four calves shall be weighed when delivered to the receiver, the feed to be weighed the whole year, and at the end of it all four of them again weighed. The following year shall be pursued with the same treatment; coming in at three, again at four years old. They shall be milked both seasons, each as long as she will hold out in milking under the just and economical management of their receiver; the butter regularly weighed, and disposed of by him, he reporting quality and giving a just account at different times, as he deems right. At the end of this trial they will be five years old; they shall be fed for one year, or two, as agreed upon, the two heifers that make the most butter and most beef, for the food consumed, to be the winners. The quality of beef at the "block" to be taken into consideration. Each pair of heifers to be charged with what they eat, of each kind of feed, all living on the same, and allowing them a good and sufficient grazier's quantity through the whole trial, the losing heifers to be forfeited to receiver, to pay expenses. Pedigrees of heifers to be given at the time of delivery. There are plenty of men in Kentucky that will act fairly between us. One more question, Mr. Clay, and I have done for this time. Did you ever see a "Dur- ham," "Shorthorn," or "Teeswater" with a "long, silky coat" that you would "venture" as a breeder to pronounce "thoroughbred?" I will "venture" to assert that kind of coat is de- scended from the Scots. The original " Dur- ham s" have no claim to it, or ever possessed it ; so say all the old breeders in England with whom I am acquainted, and they are not a few. Most of them speak from knowledge descended from their ancestors. Every effort "Short- horn" men have made to contradict this charge has created a stronger desire in me to believe it and that it was bred into them clandestinely. I have every reason to believe the noted Hub- back was half Scotch, no "proof" has ever been shown to the contrary, but the more breeders try to hide this plausible "history" of him, the more likely to be true. I hope Mr. Clay's next letter will contain more practical teaching, and I heartily wish him success, though we differ widely in "opinion." I am, etc., WM. HY. SOTHAM. WM. HY. SOTHAM'S LETTER TO B. p. JOHNSON, ESQ. Secretary New York Agr. Society. Owego, N. Y., Aug. 15, 1855. B. P. Johnson, Esq.: Sir : As you have undertaken to write an un- called-for article in your "New York State Journal" of that Society, placing the Short- horns predominate in your opinion, in value, weight, early maturity, etc., I think you have done great injustice to the Society. No such body has the right to endorse the opinion of any man, without his producing the weight of each breed satisfactorily, and prices sold for to the HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 171 butchers, also the facts of their early maturity. You, as editor of that "Journal," ought to be extremely cautious how you advance your opin- ion, extolling any one breed over another; it is a ruinous, selfish principle for such a Society to adopt. Such opinions adopted by the Society are puffs unfounded, and very injurious and destructive to all connected with them. The Hereford breed is the only one that has taken first prizes at Smithfield and Birming- ham Shows at two years old. They have done this three times, proof of which you can find by referring to the record of each club. The Shorthorns have never won a prize younger than three, and if you refer back to the records you will not only find one at that age; they are generally four and upwards. You are the first man who dare risk his repu- tation in print that Shorthorns are uniform in quality. I will defy you to refer me to a just breeder of Shorthorns who will admit this. They kuoir better, but prefer being silent on the subject. It is those who are ignorant of the facts, and wish to make themselves notorious who advance such opinions, and it is by this abominable system that the Shorthorns have ob- tained their assured notoriety, and called "first class." Societies, especially those of the Empire State, ought to be impartial and give all breeds an equal chance. If members of that Society are expected to look up to its superior officers for example it is very important that those of- ficers are upright and just men. Now, Mr. Johnson, I ask you (as I know you to be an honest and just man) whether you know a herd of Shorthorns uniform in quality? No breed on earth varies more in this respect. I have seen first, second and third quality in one herd, and that of puffed notoriety. I have never seen a herd of Shorthorns (and I have seen a great many, both in England and this country) without two qualities, and those fre- quently of second and third. As you have decided for the Society that Shorthorns are bcM, and Hercfords are second, it is high time we show outside the gate, and challenge to show the Shorthorns inside, as we are there forbidden to show by the remarks ad- vanced by the secretary of that Society, nor can Herefords ever succumb to Shorthorns, when we have shamefully beaten them in England under the most adverse circumstances and by the best judges. I send you an extract from Mr. R. Rowland's letter to me, dated March 13, 1855, giving weights of Herefords and prices sold to the butchers. When you can honorably beat them, you are at liberty to state all the particulars in your "Journal." Hereford breeders challenge you to do so, and until you can do so truthfully we shall consider our breed triumphant in reality. Richard Rowland, Esq., and successor to the well-known Mr. Westcar, writes me as follows: "I will add the prices of some of Mr. West- car's oxen. The weights I do not know, ex- cept in a few cases. I was an exhibitor for some years after I came here and took three prizes with Hereford oxen, which weighed from 290 to 270 stone, eight pounds to the stone these were the four quarters [that means dead weight, or 4,000 to 3,800 Ibs. live weight, T. L. M.], and that is about the weight Mr. Westcar's large oxen reached. I have shown for many years, but have now" left off. Shorthorn men in the aristocracy always ruled at Smithfield, and Hereford feeders are very tenacious of feed- ing there on that account, but the prize Short- horns that win there (as you have seen) go to Birmingham, and get fairly beaten by Here- fords where no favor is shown to breeds of any kind; they are there governed by true merit." Now, Mr. Johnson, if you will give a prize for the six heaviest breeding cows of any breed from one breeder, fed on hay, roots and pasture only, I will be an exhibitor for that prize; the scales will then be the only judge wanted. I will also show the same six cows for qual- ity also for butter, sepa- rately. Now, sir, you have a chance of proving all you have said so highly fa- vorable to Shorthorns JOHN D. GILLETTE, ELKHART, ILL. and you must admit that the course you have taken in puffing them in our "State Journal" will tend to bring the Society into disrepute. Every judge the So- ciety selects reads these puffs and many of them are much guided by them in their decisions. Your remarks on Mr. L. C. Morris's bulls, Balco and Marquis of Carabus, extolling both bulls to the highest pitch of eminence (in your opinion ) in the State Society's "Journal," a pa- per destined to be the organ of the Society, is also very ruinous. Both these bulls were, in 172 HISTOKY OF HEREFORD CATTLE the opinion of the Secretary, "hard animals to beat," both were equally praised for their vari- ous good qualities. While Balco was an excel- lent first-class animal, and the Marquis of Cara- bus a very inferior second-class very flabby flesh and very thin skin this, every man who is really a judge of cattle, will admit. Some time before this, I wrote a letter to the Secretary, condemning Mr. Rotch's "points of excellence," showing the Society the fallacy of countenancing such stuff, and told them it was a direct insult to good judges. These letters were then read to the ex-committee, and then IT 126 FOUR-YEAR-OLD. THREE-YEAR-OLD. (Ages of cattle compared by teeth.) "laid upon the table," which was the last of them. The influence of Shorthorn men pro- hibited anything of this kind from having its proper force. With the above letter I gave the following memorandum of the price of twenty fat oxen sold by the late Mr. Westcar, Bucks, England, taken from his books by his nephew, Richard Rowland, Esq. Sold in Fleet Market, London: Dec. 16, 1800, 2 oxen to Chapman 200 Dec. 4, 1800, 1 ox to Chapman 147 Dec. 15, 1800, 1 ox to Harrington 100 Nov. 26, 1801, 6 oxen to Giblett & Co. . . 630 Dec. 31, 1801, 1 ox to Chapman 126 Dec. 31, 1801, 2 oxen to Harwood: 200 Dec. 4, 1803, 1 ox to Chapman 100 Dec. 19, 1803, 1 ox to Reynolds 105 Dec. 19, 1803, 1 ox to Giblett 105 Dec. 5, 1804, 1 ox to Giblett 105 Dec. 4, 1805, 1 ox to Giblett 100 Nov. 28, 1811, 1 ox to Chandler 105 2123 Averaging 106 3s, or $513.04 each. These proofs were entirely unnoticed and there has been a time since when you could scarcely pick up a New York State agricultural journal that did not contain a puff for Short- horn cattle. I ask the members of the Society whether this is right? I have not shown an animal at our State Society Show, except at Elmyra, where I was bound to sustain our southern tier of counties, and which will ulti- mately show what they can really accomplish when put to the test. , When I found the Secretary of the Society would not publish my letters I wrote to the President, whose letter I have now, and will probably appear at some future time. I asked him why my letters could not be published in the "Journal." He said nothing could appear there unless connected with the Society. I did not see why my opinion on cattle, as a member, had not as much right in that "Journal" as that of the Secretary, and I thought that "the anti- dote ought to go with the poison." "But no !" all was of no avail, and here it ended. I ask my readers to look at this in its true light, for the next "Quarterly" may bring something more for the members to investigate. WM. HY. SOTHAM. PEDIGREE. My idea of pedigree is to refer' back to those breeders who have universally bred first-class cattle. Uniform in quality, symmetry and size, more especially the two former. If like ^ pro- duces like, of which I have no doubt, when the breeder understands his business, is sufficiently versed in the three distinct qualities, and never allows a second or third-class beast to enter his herd. From this process and care in breeding spring all genuine herds. If a breeder has gained just celebrity in breeding uniformly best animals, long ago, and the offspring of that breeder follow his example, inheriting the true judgment of their sire, and never deviate from the true course laid down to them, such animals (fan be perpetuated. From such a par- ent tree branches extend their influence, the old stock is genuine, many of the branches are genuine, while others should have been cast off and committed to the flames before it had con- taminated the original and substantial stand- ard. A pedigree from the old stock, conveyed through the best branches, where no dark stain has entered, and where sober thoughtfulness has perpetrated that true delineation of character, in a long continuance of good, uniform breed- ing, is worth much, and such pedigrees only should be recorded in a Herd Book. I contend that the composer of that book should know, before he enters an animal in its pages, whether it inherits quality and symmetry; if not, it cannot be genuine. The principal point in a herd is uniformity of first quality, and should HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE that herd possess first, second and third, does it deserve recording in the Herd Book? I de- cidedly say no. Such a herd ought not to be countenanced by judge or breeder, and how many coarse third-class and flabby second-class bulls there are in the Shorthorn Herd Book, with long pedigrees. There is no class of cattle in the world so uneven in this important par- ticular; therefore, what good is their pedigree, which is intended to perpetuate uniformity in good qualities ? The Herefords and Devons are generally uniform in first quality, if descended from proper breeders. It is no criterion that a man is a genuine breeder because his name is puffed in almost every paper by editors and their puffers. I would rather risk a pedigree from a man whose name is scarcely known at all. A good judge can seldom be deceived in the true points of an animal. And in these exciting times a large, coarse Shorthorn bull in second or third class, with a long pedigree, is a curse to buyer, seller and the country. The late Mr. Bates, for instance, was puffed as a breeder in the most extravagant manner; and whose herd can show more unevenness than his? He has sent to this country more coarse second and third-class bulls than any other breeder. His name and pedigree have created a mania which I feel much inclined to say is bordering much on lunacy. And as I am bound to tell the truth, I think a pedigree from such exciting causes, descended from such bulls as the late Mr. Bates', are worthless. I would much, rather trust my hand and eye, guided by sober judgment, than such pedigrees, for there must be something wrong in a herd possessing three qualities. I think a pedigree from a man who advocates in-and-in breeding ought to be avoided. I have tried this ruinous experiment to my own satis- faction, and when I come to a "deadlock/' as many breeders have, I will mix with another breed of cattle where I shall not lose my quality rather than engender disease. W. H. S. I owe an apology to my readers for the hur- ried way in which this paper is got up. The next quarterly will explain all. (END OF PAPER.) After Mr. Sotham's dissolution of partner- ship with Mr. Corning he moved to Black Rock, near Buffalo, N". Y., and from thence to Gen- esee Flats and to Owego, and finally to Islip, Long Island, all in the State of New York, continuing to breed Herefords. In 1850 Mr. John Humphries and Mr. Aston of Elyria, Ohio, imported the Hereford bull John Bull (3885) E. H. B. and 464 of the American Hereford Record, bred by Mr. E. Price of Pembridge, Herefordshire, Eng., by Goldfmder 2d (959) 474, bred by John Perry, Macho warne; by Wichend (1118) 486, bred by Mr. Perry; by Monkland 3d (1012) 498, bred by Mr. Perry; by Monkland (552) 504, bred by Mr. W. Perry of Cholstry; by Lion (335) 519, bred by Mr. W. Perry; by a bull of Mr. Jeffries; and on his dam's side tracing to Sir David (349) 68. Mr. Humphries also imported Victoria 478, bred by Mr. Bowen of Markland, Leominster, tracing to Old Court (306) 60. T. Aston imported the cow Duchess 15, bred by Mr. Bowen of Markland. For continuance of her breeding see Vol. 1 of the Herd Book. Also imported Curly (801) 14, bred by Mr. T. Roberts, Ivingtonbury, Leominster, Eng., trac- ing directly to the stock of Mr. Benj. Tomkins. From these herds H. and N. Abbie of Elyria, H. Chappel, Thos. Clark, Thomas Cox, A. Dyke, H. S. Kline, N. G. Porter, William Rich- ardson, H. T. Smith, W. W. Aldrich and G. W. Byers, all of Ohio, had stock from the produce of these importations. Mr. Frederick William Stone of Guelph, Can., "SEVENTEEN" SHORTHORN STEER, McMULLIN. (Champion Chicago Fat Stock Show, 1881-2, bred by John D. Gillette.) imported in 1860 or 1861 quite a number of Hereford cattle, (fl 79-80-81) Among the bulls imported by Mr. Stone was Sailor (2200) 12, by Severn (1382) 24, and he by Walford (871) 47. (fl 82) Mr. Stone's importation was large- ly of Lord Berwick's herd of Shropshire, and Lord Bateman's of Shobdon, Leominster, Eng. Mr. Stone also bred Shorthorns, and while the Herefords were his favorites, having both breeds, he was not a decided advocate of one more than another, but distributed much very valuable Hereford blood. HISTOBY OF HEREFORD CATTLE Mr. Taft of Williston, Vt., writing to the "Breeder's Journal," August 7, 1882, says: "The Albany 'Cultivator' in August/ 1846, contained the following notice of some Here- fords that were brought to this town: " 'Rev. L. G. Bingham of Williston, Vt., has lately purchased of Messrs. Corning and So- tham some fine Hereford cattle. The lot con- sisted of the imported cow "Aston Beauty/' two } r earling heifers, a yearling bull and heifer calf. They were animals of excellent qualities, and we think will prove particularly valuable to that section of the country. Their vigorous constitutions will adapt them to the climate, and on the sweet pastures of the hills and moun- tains they will easily and quickly thrive and fatten, while in any fair trials in the yoke or for the production of butter they will not be 'found wanting.' MR, J. H. ARKWRIGHT, HAMPTON COURT, HERE- FORDSHIRE, ENG. "The cattle more than justified all that was said of them in the above extract. They pro- duced splendid oxen, were not wanting in the production of butter, and one of the best drovers in the Boston cattle market told me he was never cheated by buying a Hereford 'in the lump/ But the man who brought the cattle here failed in his extensive enterprises and left the State, and they were not bred after that; but the grades were here and traces of the blood, with its excellent characteristics, re- mained in this vicinity until lately. There is now but one full-blooded Hereford in Vermont, 'High Chief 2d/ recorded in the English Here- ford Herd Book No. 5966, bred by Mr. Hawes in Maine, and now owned by me ; and there are very few in New England. "Yours truly, "R. S. TAFT." Commenting on which, the editor of the "Journal" says : "There are quite a number of Hereford s in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut which we know of. A herd was started in Oxford, Me., by Mr. Holmes." Ed. THE RUST OR SYRACUSE Ox created a sensa- tion in his day, being proven by Mr. Sot ham and others to have Hereford blood. This ox was owned and fed by Mr. N. P. Rust, Syra- cuse, to whom was awarded the first premium of the New York State Agricultural Society for the best fat animal exhibited at the Albany Fair, in 1842. This ox was eight years old; his live weight February 19, 1841, 2,360 pounds; on the 18th of July, 1842, it was 3,400 pounds, and when exhibited at the State Fair in Albany September 28, 1842, it is said to have weighed 4,200 pounds, which would be a gain of three pounds per day for nineteen months. At this weight he retained his activity and appetite, and continued to take on flesh as fast as ever. If it is said that the weights and gains are too large, we have only to say that they are given by Shorthorn men, when claimed by them as a Shorthorn grade. Mr. Rust made a certificate as to the feeding of his ox, as follows : He has been fed nineteen months on corn- meal, from twelve to sixteen quarts a day, and during the winter he was fed a bushel of pota- toes or rutabagas each day. During the sum- mer he was fed four quarts of oil meal in addi- tion to his cornmeal. Mr. Sanford Howard, one of the careful, practical, painstaking writers of that time, gave his opinion that the ox owed his excellence to Hereford blood and was a typical Hereford. (U 84) CONTEMPORARY WITH THE RUST Ox, a gigantic Hereford ox was being exhibited in England, of which the following account sve find in the "Chamber of Agriculture Journal" of November 14, 1881. It must be remembered that the English ton is 2,240 pounds, which would make the steer the immense weight of 4,480 pounds: "The records of Hereford cattle are not de- void of information respecting gigantic oxen. Some forty-five years ago one animal gained some notoriety by the name of 'Wettleton Ox/ on account of his immense scale, deep flesh and wonderful symmetry. The ox was exhibited upon HISTORY OP HEREFORD CATTLE 175 Ludlow race course, and also at many of the principal towns in England. To give some idea of his immense size we quote an old poster call- ing attention to the animal when it was ex- hibited in Ludlow race course. It is as follows : 'Stupendous Ox. Now Exhibited on this race course. The celebrated Wettleton Ox, bred and fed by Mr. Sheppard of Wettleton, the proprie- tor. He is of the pure Hereford breed, stands eighteen hands high, girts twelve feet, three feet six inches over the first rib ; three feet three inches across the hips, and weighs upwards of two tons (4,480 pounds).' At that period the exhibition of the ox created great attention, and no animal approaching it in scale has ever be- fore been exhibited in that part of the king- dom." Mr. Sotham never lost interest in the Here- fords even after he had given up breeding. Writing to the "National Live Stock Jour- nal," May 12th, 1871, Mr. Sotham says, under the caption of "lIEREFORDS VS. SHORTHORNS." To the Editor of the "Journal" : Much has been said in comparison of Ilere- fcrds with Shorthorns, and much more can be said; and as the Herefords are but little known in the West 1 think it only fair to bring their true merits before the people, and as I do not own a single animal of the breed I cannot now be accused of interested motives. Much has been said in favor of Shorthorns, and extraor- dinary prices have been published to the world, given by men of money, for none other could purchase them. There are but few men capable of breeding Shorthorns, and all who know any- thing about them are aware that they are a made-up breed, hence their want of unity in breeding. Tell me, ye Duchess men, ye follow- ers of Bates, did you ever see uniformity of breeding in the herd of Thomas Bates ? A more uneven herd I never beheld, either at home in their glory, with their admirers around them, or divided in America by those gentlemen who strongly advocate the Duchess tribe of Bates' breeding of thin skins and soft handling. What is more remarkable, these advocates both in England and this country were generally men who knew nothing about breeding ; were literary men who had acquired a fortune by some lucra- tive business, became possessed of it by heir- ship, or leaped into it by some "lucky" specu- lation. These men gave high prices because they had the money, not because they had the judgment to select for themselves; because the THE RIGHT HON. EARL OF COVENTRY, CROOME COURT, WORCESTERSHIRE.- HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE Duchess stock had become fashionable in Amer- ica, and men who did not know their true value paid fabulous prices for them. Still, they soon began to find out that it cost more to keep up appearances than the animals could realize, and they retired from the Duchess contest as soon as propriety would allow, or with as little injury to the cause as possible Morris & Becar retired in favor of Thorn, Thorn retired in favor of Sheldon, Sheldon retired in favor of Walcott & Campbell all Duchess men. Vail retired from a Duchess to a Devon breeder. Lewis F. Allen, author of "American Shorthorn Herd Book," followed Mr. Vail's example and went MR. S. W. URWICK, HEREFORD, ENG. (For twenty years Secretary of the English Herd Book Society.) from Duchess to Devon. After spending much more than he got from them in hawking them about from place to place with nattering adver- tisements he finally disposed of the tail-end in Illinois, after a winter's feeding on corn to lay on the flesh. He flew to Devons for relief. Then came Stevens in literary force, with arguments strong in favor of Sherwood and himself. They imported freely from Bates. What became of them, all know. Then came Chapman, with all his Duchesses, full of puffs, portraits and pedigrees. This ended in smoke, with Halton at the head of the herd, who sold at the sale for about what his owner advertised as the price of a cow. Then came Page, with his flattering portraits macje of straight lines as if all done with a ruler, accompanied with constant puffs of the Duchess tribe. But where are Mr. Page's Shorthorns ? They can be mainly seen on paper and there he gets his profit. Flattery is not lost upon his admirers, and these pictures please fancy men of money, and attract novices by their sameness in straight lines. I could enumerate others to the end of a very long clii>- ter, but space in the "Journal" is too valuable. Let me ask the Duchess men the cause of all this? Because, in another communication, and at a more convenient season, I shall show that Bates could not be compared to Booth in breed- ing Shorthorns, and I shall endeavor to show that Shorthorns well bred by scientific breeders, such as Booth and his true followers, are equal to any cattle in existence. Notwithstanding this, Hereford breeders have pursued the even tenor of their ways, bred some very superior animals and have won more prizes than Short- horns at the Smithfield and Birmingham shows in England, more especially when they have come in competition with each other. The Here- fords, being a race, they breed more uniformly, and the breeders, not being led away by ficti- tious prices or sham auctions, as the Shorthorn breeders in England and this country were, they stick to good breeding, and, being content with reasonably remunerative prices, made money and extended the breed all over England, Wales and Australia; and now the West Indies and Scotland are beginning to encourage them and they are increasing strongly among the farmers of Ireland. You seldom hear of sales of Here- fords where they are thoroughly known, be- cause the demand at home, at reasonable and remunerative prices, is greater than the supply ; while Shorthorn breeders, waiting for their extraordinary prices, look in vain for moneyed men, who are a long way between, but who pay well to have their name conspicuous in print, injure the Shorthorn cause by bidding far be- yond the value, vainly seeking that fame which can only be realized by fancy men with money. As the Shorthorns have many strong advo- cates among these men of money, let me show you what Herefords have done against their strong influences, you have seldom heard of a Hereford sale, unless when the head of the fam- ily had gone to his last home and his estate had to be divided; while the Shorthorn sales are everlastingly in print, under the sheriff or, to attract novices, with under-bidders to spur them on, aided by strong and frequent drinks, to keep up notoriety. This cannot be denied. In the early part of the Smithfield shows, HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 177 when Shorthorns and Herefords contended against each other, the Herefords almost in- variably took the first prizes. Mr. Westcar of Creslow, Buckinghamshire, took the first prize with a Hereford twenty years in succession, but subsequently retired from the contest, disgusted with the trickery of Shorthorn breeders who, at length, insisted that Hereford's and Short- horns should be put in separate classes because repeated failures drove them to it. Notwith- standing this, the Herefords took more prizes in steers and oxen from that alteration than Shorthorns, while the cow class in Shorthorns took the majority of prizes because Hereford breeders would not sacrifice their best animals for that purpose. Shorthorn breeders forced their females from birth for show and appear- ance, thus producing barrenness, hence their show cows for the gold medal. This being fash- ionable, a large majority of Shorthorn cows over Hereford could always be found in the show yard, enabling them to win more gold medals under the forcing system. Again, Shorthorn breeders were constantly boasting of early maturity over Herefords, un- til they were obliged to succumb. In 1862 Mr. Heath won the gold medal with a Hereford steer two years old, while there were thirteen Shorthorns from three to five years old in the same class. Soon after this, I believe in 1854, Mr. Shirley showed another two-year-old Here- ford, winning the gold medal under precisely the same circumstances. The following year he did the same. I may be mistaken in the years of Mr. Shirley's triumphs, but these are facts that cannot be denied, for they are on record, and they silenced the traducers of Here- fords, and you heard of no more bragging in print of the early maturity of Shorthorns. Even Allen, Stevens, Tucker and Tom Brown had to knock under and fly to some other plea for Shorthorns. Then the great milking qualities were brought before the public. A prize was given for that quality at the Royal Show at Oxford, in 1839, open to all England and all breeds. There was great competition, Shorthorns pre- dominating. Mr. J. R. Smythies' Hereford cow took first prize for the best milker, a Shorthorn second. This prize was discarded afterward, because Shorthorn men had control and they feared a repetition. This somewhat silenced the bragging for milking Shorthorns and en- couraged the dairy men in favor of Herefords. Mr. Smythies, in a communication to the "Mark Lane Express," February 5, 1849, discussing the merits of Herefords as milkers, says: "I have seen Hereford cows milk well, and had one myself which made eleven pounds of butter per week for three months;" but he observes that "beef is much more profitable than butter in this section, and on that account it is not an object with Hereford breeders to have good milkers." This is undoubtedly the fact, and it explains why Hereford breeders have not paid more attention to the milking properties of their cattle. Mr. Duckham (fl 83), in his lec- ture, says of Herefords : "In the dairy counties, where the milking qualities of the cow are well atfended to, the most satisfactory results are realized." He quotes from a letter from Mr. Reed, to whose experience with the Herefords as workers reference had been made, the state- ment, "that they have been used for dairy pur- poses for nearly half a century upon the farm and that he believes they yield a larger return than could be obtained from any other breed upon a similar class of land." Mr. Duckham also quotes from a letter of Mr. James of Map- powder,. Dorsetshire, whose dairy herd of Here- fords has been formed thirty years. He states that the stock has been much improved since he obtained it, and that Hereford dairies are becoming very common in that country. He adds : "In proof that they are good for milk, we let near a hundred cows to dairy people, and if I buy one of any other breed to fill up MR. J. H. ARKWRIGHT. (First President of the English Herd Book Society; on his favorite hunter, "Bagpipes.") the dairy they always grumble and would rather have one of our. own bred heifers. We let our cows at so much a year, finding land and making the hay." Mr. D. also quotes from a Cornwall correspondent, who says that accord- ing to his experience "the Herefords are good milkers and he is convinced that when the cows are deficient in their yield of milk it does not arise from any constitutional defect, but rather from mismanagement in rearing, or a deficiency HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE of the constituents essential to the production of milk in their food. My cow Patience," he continues, "bred by Mr. J. Y. Cook, Moreton House, Hereford, has this summer given four- teen pounds of butter per week, and Blossom, bred by the late Mr. Longmore, Salop, gave twenty-two quarts of milk, yielding two and one- half pounds of butter per day, equal to seven- teen and one-half pounds of butter per week." The same correspondent says: "I consider the Herefords are particularly adapted to this humid, fickle climate, where Devons become small and delicate and Shorthorns grow long and coarse." This statement of butter, seven- teen and one-half pounds, is somewhat extraor- dinary, but I know Mr. Duckham to be a gentle- man of veracity, who would not state anything to the public but what he knows to be true. WM. H. SOTHAM. Detroit, Nov. 20, 1870. C. M. CULBERTSON, NEWMAN, ILL. (First President American Hereford Cattle Breeders' Asso- ciation-.) 179 CHAPTER XIII. MR. WM. H. SOTHAM'S HISTORY OF THE HEREFORDS We have quoted from the standard publica- tions of the day the early correspondence of Mr. W. H. Sotham and his opponents to show his and their methods. We have proven beyond doubt that the Herefords were during all this time the thriftiest graziers and the most eco- nomical producers of the best beef of all the British breeds. Before taking up the later his- tory of the Herefords we feel it but justly his due to more fully present a history of Mr. So- tham's connection with the breed. Mr. Sotham fought a good fight, actuated by the highest motives ; his was a practical mind thatj looking through the fog of fashion, fad, prejudice and self-interest, saw nothing but the beef-making qualities of beef-bred animals. Prime beef at minimum cost was to Mr. Sotham the desidera- tum in cattle, and no animal had value in his eyes that did not meet the requirements of our motto : "Economy of production and value of product." It is given to few men to have such a rich and varied experience. His sterling hon- esty and love of truth added to this experience founded a character that could not patiently brook opposition based on inexperience, subter- fuge, mediocrity and self-interest. Mr. Sotham gave his life-work to the Here- ford breed of cattle, without at any time much hope of financial reward. He came naturally to look upon the Hereford breed as a ward un- der his 'fostering protection, and upon their thrift and perfect quality as inherent good traits of faithful adopted children. And undaunted by vicious opposition he continued his cham- pionship half a century, till, at the ripe age of eighty-three, he died in 1884 at Chicago. We quote herewith as a suitable place for its preservation, from Mr. Sotham's own pen with- out comment his "History of the Herefords," written for the "Chicago Drover's Journal" in 1881, two years before his death. PART I. Stonington Park, 111., Oct. 2. Referring to the stock on exhibition at the recent New York State Fair, the "Country Gentleman" of the 23d of September says : "The twenty-six Herefords are owned by two exhibitors, Erastus Corning of Albany, N. Y., and Burleigh and Bodwell of Fairfield Centre, Me. Mr. Coming's cattle were all bred by himself with the exception of one imported bull, Comus (4457) 6665, and it is complimentary to the skillful management un- der which this well-known herd has always been conducted that it defeated the Maine white- faces, including, as they did, a number of cattle recently brought over and regarded as among the best in England. The Hereford show, all things considered, was certainly the best for years." I think this pretty good proof of what I told more than once, that the Herefords were as good when I imported them to the United States as they are now. In 18^9 I bought the first-prize cow at Oxford Royal Agricultural Show. The bull, cow and offspring that took first prize at Tredegar and Cirencester, England, and several others about as good in my first importation. Mr. Erastus Corning, Jr., has only brought one female into this herd since we first imported them, and she never bred a beautiful animal and every means were tried to obtain an off- spring without success. All the improvement that has been made on the herd to my knowl- edge has been from the bulls Mr. Erastus Corn- ing, Jr., has imported, and they have been good. I am not at all surprised to hear of his success . over the boasted herd of Mr. Burleigh, as I fully believe that herd and others sold from it was imported on speculation rather than for good breeding purposes ; and I am fearful that there will be too much of this, to the injury of the Herefords. I had supposed that Hereford breed- ers had profited by the bad example set them by Shorthorn speculators on pedigree. The late Hon. Erastus Corning (ff 85) was a true nobleman at heart, and a sincere friend. Whatever he undertook was based on sound principle, and, being just in all his dealings, remarkably liberal in his views, coupled to an enterprising spirit, he was a true benefactor to 180 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE his country. He did everything in his power, while obtaining a huge fortune, for its benefit; though not a speech-maker, while Senator of his own State, and at Washington, his sound judgment was the foundation of many that were made. Many who were popular for their best speeches based them on the foundation of his soundness. This I know ocularly and demon- stratively, having been present at such consulta- tions many times to witness his superiority. Un- fortunately for the Herefords, he was a strong politician an'd, although he delighted in im- T. E. MILLER, BEECHER, ILL. (First Secretary American Hereford Cattle Breeders' Association.) provements, he had but little judgment in cat- tle. When I first went to England for Herefords I had very limited capital, but great faith in them as being the best breed for this country. I felt that I understood their true merit when in England, and some of their best breeders were my most intimate friends. Having but little capital, I felt that it was impossible for me to get any from my mother country. The fall of 1839 I'had just finished buying nearly 4,000 head of cattle in droves for Mr. Ebenezer Wilson, as they were making their way from the West to Albany. I paid a portion down on each drove to be then delivered at the price stated per hundred at his slaughter house for barreling purposes. After contracting for many droves I returned to Albany, and as the droves came in we selected some of the best and (1J 86) I took them to the Bull's Head (N. Y.) for market. Mr. Wilson barreled a little over six thousand head that season ; he sold his hides for cash, his tallow for cash, his feet, horns, and bones also. His beef as soon as in the bar- rel was sent to New York to his factor and ship- per, of whom he drew at sight for the propor- tion per barrel agreed upon, he holding the beef as security. The whole of his capital was in- vested in his beef, and the prospect being favor- able for higher prices he held on to it. I had frequently spoken of the Herefords in high praise to Mr. Wilson and he, being highly pleased with my description, proposed that if I would go to England and get credit for a good lot that when I arrived in New York he would meet me there with money enough to pay the whole investment, in which he said he should have ample means from his returns in the spring. I told him that I would do this, if I could do it with safety. He assured me that I could, and with this promise I started. I purchased twenty-two head, paid what little money I had of my own, and promised to pay all on my return to New York. Among them were those I have above stated. When I arrived I found that barreled beef had gone down and much depressed, that much of his had soured and was unsalable, as he had involved himself so much that he was compelled to fail ; but he went to the Hon. Erastus Corning, told him in what way he was situated with me, that he knew my judgment was good and that the cattle would be superior. On this information Mr. Corning sent Mr. Watts Sherman, then cashier of the Albany City Bank, of which Mr. C. was president, to ex- amine the cattle on board. This gentleman was highly pleased with them, examined my bills and prices for them, and drew a draft on Mr. Corning for the whole amount. I took them to his farm and, they being about the first Here- fords ever imported, they raised considerable excitement; but their true m,erit was but little known. The Shorthorns had full sway, were owned by rich men who determined to support them at all hazards and who had the controlling power over the executive committee of the N. Y. State Agricultural Society, and when they (the Herefords) came to be shown in the fair by their side (the Shorthorns), could not avoid seeing the Hereford superiority for beef-mak- ing, hence became jealous and full of prejudice, put on Shorthorn men as judges, who would not report anything in their favor, but tried to make HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 181 a bad impression, considered me an innovator, and were determined to keep them in the back- ground ; would not make a class for all breeds, although I kept constantly urging it, on paper, and at their meetings. They often insinuated that the Herefords were far below the Short- horns, and a portion of them puffed and por- trayed Bates and his tribes beyond control; he must have the ascendancy, above everything. This brought me into a controversy with many Shorthorn men, with whom I had to fight a hard battle, to which the editors of the "Coun- try Gentleman and Cultivator" must confess, and their paper will prove. No person could be more kind to me than Mr. Corning, and my endeavor was to recipro- cate. He was much pleased with the cattle and the same year gave me a draft on Baring Broth- ers, London, to go and buy another lot. They were similar to the first purchase, and being so successful in bringing them out I did not in- sure. Took the whole steerage and filled it with cattle and feed. Just before we got to the banks of Newfoundland a heavy storm came upon us, shattered our bulwarks and swept off our galley. This storm blew us back 300 miles; the hatches were closed, and the waves sent their foaming white-caps and heavy spray over us in quick rapidity; no air could be conveyed into the steerage, consequently the cattle broke .loose, were jumbled up together and died in their suffocation and confusion. Such a spec- tacle I never before beheld, as each animal was drawn up to be deposited in its watery grave. I had become attached to several of the beauti- ful animals that thus suffered and perished, as I fed and nursed them on the voyage ; I thought; of the kindness and liberality shown me by Mr. Corning and felt that he would blame me for not insuring. When the calm came I began to reckon on the loss, and found that gentleman's would not be less than $8,000. My embarrassment was most trying, although I was not ashamed to meet Mr. Corning, but his loss, under the kindness he had shown me, weighed heavily. When we met and he heard my explanation not a murmur did I hear from him. He was so well versed in this world's affairs, and the disasters belonging, that he saw the situation at once. He never hinted the loss to me. After this he became so beset by Shorthorn breeders, who did everything they could to dis- courage him, and they being men of capital and influence, he listened. They tried to make him believe that the Herefords did not amount to anything, that I was only a braggadocio, that there were no other cattle in the world like Shorthorns, and the fictitious prices they sold for made him believe there was something in it ; still, they could not get him to adopt them. Between politics and his other extensive busi- ness he found he could no longer stand the worry of the special pleading of Shorthorn breeders, of their abuses toward me and the dis- paragement of the Herefords. He resolved to become clear of it. I never was so kindly treated by any person in the world as I was by the late Hon. Erastus Corning and Mrs. Corning; had I been a near relative they could not have treated me more kindly. They did much to lead me into the best society in Albany. I fully appreciated all they did, and exerted my utmost to reciprocate. I frequently went to his house to spend the evening, and in one of those events he said to me : "Sotham, I know your strong faith in the ADAMS EARL, "SHADELAND," LAFAYETTE, IND. (First Treasurer American Hereford Cattle Breeders' Asso- ciation.) Herefords, and the strong prejudice that Short- horn breeders have against you and them. I like the Herefords and believe all you say of them ; but I cannot stand the constant pleading of that body of men to turn my attention to their favorite breed. I know nothing of either 182 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE breed, practically; therefore, if you have faith in taking the most part of them at half value, and will get an endorser for the amount, you shall take them. You may make the papers to suit your time. I will keep three heifers, the cow Victoria and a bull, to show that I am still a believer in them. You may take the bulk of the herd, and if you do I sincerely hope you will be successful." This seemed to me a most rea- sonable, kind and valuable offer for me, but I felt that the little capital I had in them was gone in our, wreck at sea, and how to get a J. M. STUDEBAKER, SOUTH BEND, IND. (Member Organization Committee, American Hereford Cattle Breeders' Association.) farm to support them upon was an important consideration. However, I secured an endorser and a farm at Black Rock, near Buffalo, and took the herd there. * * * PART II. From my early boyhood I had an exceedingly high opinion of the Hereford cattle, and have since that time been a strong and staunch advo- cate for them, and think I can fully support all I have said. The uniformity of their char- acter, the superiority of their flesh, combined with rich milking and substance of body, induced me to patronize them to the best of my ability. My frequent visits to the herds of Messrs. Hewer of Northleach, Gloucestershire, England, in an early day, gave me an opportunity of see- ing some good ones bred by them. Mr. Win. Hewer, Sr., Wm. Hewer, Jr., and Joseph Hewer, the father and two sons, did all in their power to outvie with each other, and each tried his utmost to get at the pinnacle of good breeding. They were as earnest in excelling each other as opposite breeders. All were practical men of good, common sense. Their herds originated from that well-known breeder, Mr. John Hewer of Herefordshire. If either procured a very su- perior bull, each derived the benefit and each bred him at pleasure. They studied together the improvement each animal made, and vice versa the defects, and by their combined good judgment none excelled them in good breeding. This prosperous course of rivalry was pleasant and instructive, and ren- dered superior aid in arriving at superior judg- ment, without which no man can become a proper breeder. The Messrs. Hewer's Hereford cattle and Cotswold sheep obtained as high a stand as any in England, and by which all became wealthy, derived from their practical knowledge of a superior animal and the coup- ling of male and female. (If 88) Much care and attention are required in the effect of improvement, and can only be obtained gradually. Skill in the advancement is inherent, which cannot be learnt by lessons or lectures or by professional theoretical novices. The re- sult must be practically satisfactory to enable you to pursue with confidence ; without this you cannot succeed. He who trusts to the opinion of others will never make a breeder. Results from his own experience must be his guide, and when a breeder arrives at the highest point of excellence, his name spread far and wide, it is a very difficult matter to keep there. Prosperity is apt to make men careless and consequential, which is almost certain to create degeneration, and when this takes place the downward strides are long and rapid. The Messrs. Hewer made vast improvements in the Hereford cattle and Cotswold sheep. The senior held his fame and his untarnished repu- tation until his death ; Wm. Hewer, Jr., until he retired; but Joseph was taken away in his early career, by jumping into the water to save a favorite ram when he was saturated with per- spiration in his haste to arrive. He, in his usefulness, left a fine herd of Herefords and Cotswolds to be divided. The Hereford cattle and Cotswold sheep of my first importation were derived from the Messrs. Hewer, with the ex- ception of the first-prize Hereford cow I pur- HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 183 chased from Mr. James Walker, with her year- ling bull, which took first prize at the show of the Royal at Oxford in 1839, and bred by Mr. Turner. I showed the kindness I received from the late Hon. Erastus Corning of Albany. This gentleman was a pattern to rich men. He was a princely honest man, and was always ready to encourage true enterprise. His object was to do good, and his thorough knowledge of busi- ness and the world gave him the advantage over most men. There was no man who ever knew him thoroughly but that loved and revered him. He was moderate in all his views, kind, even to a fault, and no man worthy of support ever called upon him in vain. He was a true pro- moter of deserving enterprise. I only wish there were more such men at the head of our Govern- ment now. It would then have a solid founda- tion. His mind was based upon a sound and solid principle, and being just in all his deal- ings, he advised others into the same course. With such a mind as this, Mr. Corning could not help seeing the true value of the Hereford cattle when they appeared on his farm, and after paying all the charges upon them, ad- vanced me more money to go to England again for others of a similar character, as they were admired by all who saw them. (j[ 89) The trio, Lewis F. Allen, Ambrose Stevens and John R. Page, were the scribes for the "Bates mania," and to denounce the Herefords, and, although neither of them had any practical knowledge of stock, they had an unbounded conceitedness connected with their brass to teach men more practically informed how to breed. Then there were Thos. Brown of the "Ohio Farmer/' Francis Rotch of Bates fame, George Vail, an importer and constant puffer of Bates and his tribes, in connection with S. P. Chap- man, neither of whom really knew anything more of Herefords or Shorthorns than a cast- iron soldier. All wrote and re-wrote, but neither knew what they were writing about. They might know enough to distinguish a heifer from a steer. All these scribes went to Erastus Corning with high -praise of Bates and claiming that Herefords had no character. Al- though Mr. Corning felt differently, he was dis- gusted with their familiarity and constant har- angue, that, with his other important business, was a great annoyance to him, and on that ac- count he made me the generous offer which I explained. Now, let me show you what became of all these scribes and deceivers. Lewis F. Allen, editor of the Shorthorn Herd Book, became a hawker- of his Shorthorns ; tried public sales at great expense, without effect; then sent them to Illinois to be fed on corn for many months to make a better appearance, so that he could dispose of the whole. All who purchased know what trouble there was in obtaining correct pedigrees in the Red Ladies more particular- ly. After the disposal of these he went to Devons. While in Shorthorns and their grades his diary presents a most laughable tale, with which I am familiar, and may present at some future day. Ambrose Stevens, the bosom and confidential friend of the editor of the Herd Book, who kept two Shorthorn cows for him, the only stock of the kind he then possessed, bred to Allen's bulls, but bred nothing of character. Allen, finding they were no profit to him, wished me to take them until Stevens could find a place for them. I put them to my Hereford bull Major, and one of them produced a heifer calf of true Hereford character, except she had a "sweet head" so GEO. F. MORGAN, LINWOOD, KAN. (Member Organization Committee American Hereford Cattle Breeders' Association.) puffed up by Bates. I saw this heifer at Bata- via, N. Y., when she was two years old, and among the "grand importation" made by Am- brose Stevens, Esq., from Mr. Stevenson, the noted breeder of the Princess tribe, Ambrose could not help but admit that she was the best animal in the lot. She was of pure Hereford character except in head and horns, which were 184 short, small and crumpled. I tried to buy her, but he would not set a price, as he valued her "sweet head" very highly. I never learnt what subsequently became of her or her progeny. I now hear but little of John K. Page; his light seems to be "hid under a bushel." I hear nothing of his herd, and his notorious flattering portraits on paper seem to have lost patronage. John was once a shining light ; I should not be surprised to see him swaggering amongst the white-faces with as much pomp as he did at Shorthorn sales, if he can make it prove as agree- THOS. CLARK, BEECHER, ILL. (Member Organization Committee American Hereford Cattle Breeders' Association.) able to Hereford breeders as he did to those of Shorthorns. Jphn puffed Morris & Becar, who retired in favor of Jonathan Thorn ; he retired in favor of Sheldon, who retired in favor of Walcott & Campbell all Duchess men. Vail retired to S. P. Chapman and became a Devon breeder. Chapman failed when in prime of life when he considered himself just in his glory, while advertising Halton (purchased by -Mr. Vail) at $20 per cow, which was more than the brute was worth. I should like to hear the first man say that he ever saw a good one from him. All Page's puffs and portraits of him at the head of the herd ended in smoke. Halton sold at the sale at about the price advertised for a cow to be bred to him. Francis Kotch was another Bates puffer and a fancy pet scribe of the "Albany Cultivator and Country Gentleman," the organ for the Short- horns, which was solely under these scribes and breeders. If a Hereford breeder advocated their breed he was either "strongly prejudiced against Shorthorns" or was no judge of them or of Here- fords. They knew "on which side their bread was buttered," and they took advantage of it. Eotch's prestige in Shorthorns failed before he died ; his herd became extinct ; there is nothing left of his work as a pleasant memorial, and this same "Country Gentleman" has ever since shunned the Herefords, though conscious of how much they had abused them. I name some of these gentlemen and their or- gan because they were the principal ones who were constantly worrying Hon. Erastus Corn- ing by condemning Herefords and speaking in high praise of the Shorthorns. Thirty to forty influential men of money against one individ- ual, who had but little means to defend himself against such men, glorying in their power. It was that overbearing power that brought them to a sense of their weakness, when put into the balance scale of profit and loss. It is difficult to say how much they losl. I do most earnestly wish that good and just man, the late Hon. Erastus Corning, was here now to witness the change and realize the true char- acter of those men in their present state, who did all in their power to influence him in their well-known deceit, none of which can again visit him for the purpose of deceiving him in his calm and unalloyed resting place. He is now receiving his just reward for the good he has done on earth. PAET III. These Shorthorn men were fully aware they had something to contend with in the Here- fords, and exerted their utmost to keep them in the background. Criticised their white faces and bellies, the long horns of the cows and the large horns of the bulls, their thick hides, not knowing that the two latter were the best signs of con- stitution and good quality, of which the most fashionable Shorthorns were deficient. Bates ob- tained a name for breeding superior cattle from in-and-in families, at the same time produced his best cattle from "outs in the dark/' deceiv- ing his followers, thus condemning himself and destroying his reputation for "pure breeding." Although the truth will out, nothing can sup- press it, the Bates mania became so strong that his disciples were not sufficient judges or ob- servers to detect this fraud, or they were de- termined to fully endorse it. HISTORY OP HEREFORD CATTLE 185 The facts were so plain to a practical breeder, and, when coming before the public, though startling, the more they were stirred, the more plainly the proof appeared. The way Mr. Mat- thews sifted Mr. Bates' pedigrees in the "Na- tional Live Stock Journal" and stating unde- niable facts of their mixed-up alloys were suffi- cient proof of his intentional misleadings. Judge T. C. Jones and J. H. Sanders, publishing these articles without comment, were at the same time insane on Bates and his "top crosses," neither of them being capable of detecting which alloy had the advantage. The mania cry was "pure Bates," "absolutely pure," and men went headlong into this "pur- ity" like maniacs released from an asylum, proof of which was so palpable at the New York Mills sale, that "he who runs could read." Bates and his clique consisted of the men I have named ; the tongues and pens of those who had but little money were freely exercised by favor of those who had. Mr. John R. Page was a special pleader. He made in-and-in pedigrees pure, assisted by L. F. Allen and Ambrose Stevens; to make this more sure he sketched very flattering portraits of pet animals, and Lewis F. Allen placed them in the Herd Book, which was sufficient to create an excitement. John R. Page had just the tools to do it. (ff 90) (fl 91) His pencil and ruler could draw straight lines out of an original crookedness. He had a faultless art of making crooked side-lines straight, could make high hips low, coarse bone fine, smoothen rough shoul- ders, transfer thin necks into prominent neck veins; "sweet heads" was a specialty with him, as he invariably carries that pattern in his eye, and his brain -was always addled with it. He always patronizes "up-standing style," conse- quently could not shorten the legs to change that character in the fashionable Dukes, but he made their bone finer and much out of pro- portion. John could not make a picture in Shorthorns without excessive flattery no matter how uneven the original was ; the one on paper was all straight lines, and thus they appeared in the Herd Book and sale catalogue, which were John's principal advertisers, assisted by Lewis F. Allen's and Ambrose Stevens' tongues and pens. Examine all his pictures there and you will find a straight furrow along the back of those so-called breeding animals, as if made up of blubber and over-ripe for Christmas show. Here let me ask any practical man who has seen the original Dukes (j[ 92) whether they ever saw a full neck vein, a smooth shoulder point, a straight under-line or full crops on either of them all strong signs of constitution and quality? Then look in the Herd Book and see how John R. Page has straightened them and blended each together, so that the picture on paper appeared ideal. Can any reasonable man see such transactions with such proof before him in any other light but that of deception ? But it fully corresponds with the "ins and outs" of the Bates pedigrees, and thus all went hand- in-hand. I am exceedingly sorry that the best Shorthorns should be abused by novices which brought a curse upon them. The next position was that John should be the Bates auctioneer. I saw him at . his first appearance on the nostrum sell the noted herd of Mr. Haines of Elizabethtown, New Jersey. His audience was looking for a strong "opening speech" on the Dukes, and "pure breeding," but were much disappointed. On going to the scaf- fold, raised for his exaltation, all eyes were upon him, expecting great things to come to pass in BEN HERSHEY, MUSCATINE, IA. (Member Organization Committee American Hereford Cattle Breeders' Association.) the Shorthorn world, and from the tongue of him who professed to be "the Herd Book in breeches," the infallible man of Bates. No sooner had he shuffled himself into posi- tion, he stood erect as if studying attitude. In this state of mind he resembled an automaton. He then moved gracefully, flourishing his right 186 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE arm to the assemblage, then, pointing his fore finger in vacancy, his phiz looked beseechingly. This was done in silence, to command attention. Then came the opening: "Gentlemen," said he, with a short pause, "you are all aware of the great importance of the breeding of Bates' Shorthorns, and how exceedingly popular I have made them in this country and in England, and I have the honor of being selected above all other men as the sole auctioneer for that excellent tribe, the breeders of them knowing how thoroughly I am posted in their pedigrees ; having every one committed to memory, I can vouch for their being correct. As there are many in this herd that have top crosses in Bates I shall expect you to bid very spiritedly. This is all I have to say/' He then looked gravely at his audience, but his gravity was not that of a cynic, for I sup- pose he felt like the ass when amongst the monkeys, that they were all "making faces at him." "Now, Mr. Haines, have the first animal brought before me." "There, gentlemen," said John, "is a most beautiful animal, one of the most fashionable pedigrees (which he read) that a fancy man can desire; she has four top crosses in Bates, by Dukes, in-bred to Duchesses, and one in Ox- fords. Now, gentlemen, give me a bid." Si- lence ruled for a while. He calmly repeated, "Come, gentlemen, give me a bid." The audi- ence looked at John and John looked at the audience. "I have seen animals not so good as that, not so high in Bates, sold for five thou- sand dollars. Give me a bid, gentlemen; she is to be sold. Shall I say a thousand dollars for you, Mr. L. F. Allen?" who shook his head. "You, Mr. F. Rotch ?" who looked over his nose on to the ground. "What do you say, friend Stevens?" who wriggled in his boots, as if he wanted to bid, had he the purse to endorse him. A gentleman from Rahway offered him $100. "Did you say one hundred ?" said John ; "I sup- pose you meant one thousand the very lowest I expected to be the first bid, but as Mr. Haines will not allow any under bidders, and means to W. H. TODD, VERMILLION, O. sell, 1 suppose I must take it." S. P. Chap- man offered $125; there she stood and John looked as if he was struck dumb; twisted his curled mustache round his fore-finger, hung his lower lip, looked solemn, mumbled out in his confusion, "Gentlemen, I am surprised at such a Bates cow as that going at $125 ; going, go- ing remember, I shall knock them down quick- ly." One dollar advances were afterwards made, until she reached $133 "going, going, gentlemen; I cannot dwell gone." John looked like a mummy rising in a muddle when the next animal came out, and the next sale went on as in the beginning; he looking inci- dentally like a "live auctioneer/' until the sale was postponed. Luther Tucker, Sr., was the "chiel takin' notes" for the "Country Gentleman," who ex- pected John to be a shining light, and sustain the flattering advertisement he had given him, and more fully support the Bates mania. Both felt gloomy and forlorn in their unexpected dis- appointment. To make a little amend, John sketched a flattering picture of the Haines un- sold bull, so high up in Bates, to be "transferred on stone," to appear in the "Country Gentle- man" at the editor's earliest convenience. When it appeared, John's zeal for the Bates mania cheeringly revived, and he again considered himself the leading star of the Bates clan; his cheek added an additional shade of brass, and he again felt in his prodigality that he was born a wonder, was ready for the second sale, and that he was armed and equipped to again urge on the Bates fiction with the strictest propriety. I am sure that all who attended the Haines sale will vouch for the truth of my statement. About this time I was preparing a herd of seven of the Herefords for the State Show at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., the first time I ever fed for show, and they were in fine store condition. The Shorthorns were always pampered for this purpose. The Shorthorn breeders controlled that society, demanded high prizes for them, which were more in the aggregate than all the other breeds put together. The above gentlemen I have named were the leading stars to make premiums and appoint judges, and they combined together to shut out all opposition to them. I made a plea to the committee for the privilege of showing against the Shorthorns. They insisted that I had no right to expect to be heard ; that the Herefords were so far inferior to Shorthorns that they could not listen to such a preposterous propo- sition, notwithstanding my stalls were crowded with admirers and with the novelty of seeing the "new breed" that the Shorthorns seemed HISTORY OF HEEEFORD CATTLE slighted by the visitors. I was treated as an innovator, a braggadocio, or an adventurer un- worthy of notice by the clique; men I have mentioned looked over the other's shoulders and withdrew with a puff; a few good judges pronounced them a superior breed of cattle. Luther Tucker, Sr., was quite taken with them, and wrote a splendid short article praising them highly, for which he received many up- braidings from his pet Shorthorn correspond- ents. As there was no Hereford Herd Book when I imported them, this was held as a plea for their not being worthy of showing against the Shorthorns, with all their alloys, and many made a laughing stock of themselves by abus- ing their thick, mellow hides, and turned their white faces into ridicule. Then their excuse was that it was impossible for judges to decide between two breeds. I asked them if there was more than one proper standard for a good and profitable beefing animal, and whether there was not to be found unprejudiced men of good, sound, common sense, capable of judging, impartially, a good animal regardless of the breed. I was aware that flesh governed almost all judges, but if the Shorthorn men were de- termined to pamper, and state societies allowed them to do so, Hereford breeders must do the same. Shorthorn men would not accept of this. Xeither would they accept of a challenge. When I offered to show four cows and a bull against them on the show ground, on my own account, for $100, they evaded it, well knowing they would be beaten under good and impartial judges, as I consider three of these cows were as good as any of the late importations. One was the first prize cow at the Oxford Royal, two others first and second at Tredegar, and the bull first prize with dam and their offspring. Although they had not been pampered, they showed evenness of flesh, with substance, sym- metry and quality; they did not require pam- pering to hide their faults in their coarseness, or require long legs, long necks, high crests and high hips, to make them stylish or fashionable, but I OFFERED TO WEIGH THEM ON THE SCALES AT THE SAME AGES. They considered this "im- pudence" in me ; they declined to accept.- They knew they were beaten and kept aloof, instead of embracing the opportunity. I called upon the officers of the State Agricultural Society in the following letter to the Albany "Cultivator," September number, pages 250-53 : "I did not intend to have said anything more in favor of Herefords, as I had made up my mind to let them take their chance till their real value should be proved, but as certain in- dividuals are. continually boasting of particular tribes of Shorthorns, in your paper, I am anx- ious to see the Herefords brought into fair competition with them. I think the State Ag- ricultural Societies should do something to bring the different breeds to a fair trial. I am ready to stand a brush with any breed and in any way the society will point out. All I ask is a fair field and no favor. My idea is that some of each breed should be placed in the hands of an honest, disinterested person, to try the experiment, and the society should pay the expenses. An accurate account kept of the weight and kind of food consumed; the beef, butter, or other products should also be weighed and disposed of, and the cattle that yield the greatest return from the weight taken at com- mencement for cost of food, etc., should be de- termined the best. I hope the Executive Com- mittee will take this matter into consideration and propose an honest trial." This, and many other such trials, I offered these boasting men of Bates, but not one dared to take me up. They were aware that discre- tion was the best part of valor, in the position in which they were placed. The tongues and the pens of these Shorthorn men before named had given them a widespread notoriety, and their money gave them a partial command of the press. Most of the agricultural editors and proprietors were poor, and money to them was tempting. They puffed and praised, where no praise was due, but in reality censure might have been more properly ad- ministered. Lewis F. Allen strained every nerve to bring the Short- horns, more espe- cially Bates, into notoriety ; but he took great precau- tion to keep de- grading and more important facts in the dark, as Bates did in his pedigrees; took great care to keep the best qualities of the Herefords out of sight, and exhibit fancied weak points conspicuously. I refer you to Mr. Allen's fraudulent book on cattle. Never were more infamous inten- tional mistakes printed on paper. He read Youatt, and grounded his artificial knowledge of Herefords on this unfounded authority. G. S. BURLEIGH. VASSALBORO, ME. 188 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE Every one of common sense who read his work was aware that his object was to make money out of the Shorthorn breeders who paid him for his puffing of Shorthorns and condemning Herefords (fl 93), by which he had to stretch his conscience, but his self-contradictions in the latter partially destroyed the effect which he in- tended to convey. This is how all such men lose their prestige. Lewis F. Allen, when he wrote his book on cattle, had no practical knowl- edge of breeding. Had he studied it impartially he would have found while praising the Bates so highly for purity of blood they had more of the alloys, even to "the old black cow," than any other breed; although he pretended to have the most horrid abhorrence of the Galloway cross, he was aware of the improvement, and procured it in his repeated mysteries. Still, he stuck to it that not a particle of it was in his herd, W. S. VAN NATTA, "HICKORY GROVE," FOWLER, IND. (First Chairman Herd Book Committee American Hereford Cattle Breeders' Association.) though Mr. Matthews, of Virginia, proved con- clusively from his own statements in "Bell on Bates," and other authority, that such a state- ment was utterly false. Lewis F. Allen, who was constantly quoting Bell, etc., must have been aware of this fact, but he overlooked all imperfections in Bates and his breeding. All who have ever read Bell on Bates will corroborate Mr. Matthews' articles in the "Na- tional Live Stock Journal." Allen was, like Youatt, determined to uphold the Shorthorns with extreme flattery, at all hazards, although he felt too poor to support them ; he patronized the Devons because they were cheaper, better and more profitable than the noted herd of Thos. Bates, who disliked Booth, because he beat him in almost every instance when they came fairly into competition together. Bates was continually condemning Booth (!| 94) for his Galloway cross, to which Mr. Booth openly confessed. Bates contended that his "pure bloods" were far above Booth's "al- loys," which ought to have been taken into con- sideration in the showing. Here lies a serious myth. Could it be possible that Bates did not know how his cattle were bred at the time he made the statement; that all his families pos- sessed it? which has since been proved, by his own conviction, which his weakness could no longer hide, for his general positiveness was one of the certain marks of his weak judgment. There he allowed his fancies to rule over reason, and thus they ruled over him. When Bates showed against Booth he was very desirous of having such committees favorably disposed to- ward him, and if he did not succeed in this, his rage deprived him of his reason, and made him a laughing stock, forgetting the old adage, "that reason governs the wise man and cudgels the fool." It was hard work for his friends to make Thos. Bates believe this, and no man living can believe contrary to his convictions, or doubt when he is convinced ; if he affects to do other- wise he deceives himself. Thos. Bates proceeded, flattered by his fol- lowers, some of which were never more happy than when sheltering themselves behind in- trigue, proof of which has been ample in the sales of Shorthorns in this country. I say much of Bates and his followers because I think they have done much injury to Shorthorns in this country and in England, and it was their combined influence intended to injure me and the Herefords. There are no better men in the world than Shorthorn breeders, and if so many of them had not been led away by the farcical Bates, the Shorthorns would have been in high repute. I always liked a good Shorthorn cow, if not pure ; and I shall be highly pleased to see the best contending against the Herefords under com- petent judges, who will reward merit where it is justly due. It is profitable to have two breeds that can contend against each other; it is stimulating to success. HISTORY OF HEBE FORD CATTLE PAET IV. All who have read the description of Lewis F. Allen's comparison of the Herefords and the Shorthorns in his hook on cattle must have been satisfied of his extreme prejudice against the former. It was certainly distinctly plain to all who read it that it must have been written to give a very unfavorable impression of the abused Herefords. [Allen did not mention the name of Sotham in his book, purporting to be a history of cattle breeds entitled "Ameri- can Cattle/' referring to Mr. Sotham as "an Englishman." T. L. M.] He tried to make it appear that those I sent to the East from Al- bany had no reputation, while, in fact, the steers bred from the bulls I sold to Mr. Bing- ham, of Vermont, and others, stood higher in the Boston market than any other, and were much sought after by the butchers, although only half-bred. I refer you to a letter from Mr. Gregory, in the Albany "Cultivator" of 1851, page 305. He says : "A car-load of two-year-old Hereford steers, on ordinary keeping, astonished the Bos- ton buyers and butchers, and sold higher per pound than any other." What could L. F. Al- len have been thinking of when he tried to injure those Herefords which he said the Englishman (moaning W. H. Sotham) sent to Vermont and Maine ? He knew when he wrote that pretended history that he was deviating from the truth. I sold several to go to Maine, where they succeeded admirably. He knew full well the full history of the importation of Mr. Corning and myself; fre- quently sympathized with me for the loss we had sustained at sea, but I always mistrusted his sympathy was feigned for a selfish purpose, and so it ultimately proved. His object was to obtain the Herefords, if possible, and applied to Mr. Corning to see if he could purchase them, by giving him time, but Mr. C. informed him that if the Herefords were sold that I should have the advantage, and at half the price he would sell them to anyone else. Mr. L. F. Allen did not dream of the state- ments he made, for he knew the whole particu- lars. He knew I was dependent on Mr. Corn- ing's generosity. He came to see me at Albany and went to see the Herefords (fl 95). Mr. Corning told him that I should have them as above stated. Mr. Allen had been in the Legis- lature, was a prolific speaker at every meeting connected with agriculture, generally chief spokesman, and was never more happy than when upon his legs and his tongue going. Under the circumstances I confided in what he told me. "You buy the Herefords," said he, "take them up to Black Rock. My brother will sell you his cows, eighteen in number, his cans, and half of the team and wagon, which draw his and my milk to Buffalo. The milk business is good, you can soon pay for the cows from their milk, and the Herefords will sell there. The timothy grows as high as the fence, the shady pastures are always good; you cannot help but make money, and you and I can send up our milk together, as my brother and I have done." This struck me as an excellent opening. I made the purchase and took possession sent up my milk with L. F. Allen; but I soon found out that the demand for it was not so good as repre- sented, the price low- er, and, for the first time, I began to sus- pect that the Aliens were getting out of it on that account; but I got on in way milk paid my expenses and a little over, about a year I sold to R. L. Allen two Here- ford heifer calves, to be sent to Cuba, the price of which about half paid for the Allen cows. He purchased at the same time about six Short- horns of L. F. Allen. They were all shipped together to New York; from there by R. L. Allen to Cuba. The whole of the Shorthorns died on the voyage, and the two Herefords were the only ones that landed safely. This Mr. A. B. Allen published in the "Agriculturist," when he was its editor. After trying the milk business one year, in connection with the Herefords, I found the ob- ject of Mr. L. F. Allen getting me there was to get his brother as well out of it as he could, and give him a chance to get some of the Here- fords, of which I sold him three a bull, a cow and a heifer calf. He took these three to Al- bany, with the whole of his Shorthorns, with one of the most flattering advertisements in the Albany "Cultivator and Country Gentle- man" that was ever put into print, and a com- ment made by the editor of the high value of this herd of the editor of the "Shorthorn Herd Book." All of the Shorthorns that were sold at the sale were two, purchased by Mr. Geo. Vail, of Troy, whose sale was soon to follow, and the W. E. BRITTEN, HEREFORD, ENG. the best ( A large exporter of Herefords u -.- to America.) I could. My In 190 HISTOEY OF HEREFOED CATTLE cause of his buying, as he told me subsequently, was to encourage L. F. Allen, and a few weeks after they were included in his sale. The Here- fords were the only ones for which he received the cash. Mr. Erastus Corning, Jr., seeing Earity among such a miserable lot of Short- horns of the "Allen display," which those who came there expected to see from the flaming ad- vertisement, bought her for $100. And Baron DeLonegdale, of Kingston, Canada, purchased the bull and heifer. I must deviate from my subject here to tell you that L. F. Allen was not only a very care- less breeder, but a most miserable feeder, to which I was witness. I did not see a spring while I was at Black Eock but many of his cattle had to be lifted up by tlie tail in their weakness. This was the case the same spring he sent his Short- horns to Albany for sale, hence their miserable appearance. The best Shorthorns are an excellent breed, but it is just such novices as these, under the false pretense of breed- ers, who have destroyed The clan of Bates men, before named, have been the Shorthorn breed. J. Judge T. C. Jones, who many to be "somewhat sound," proved them- selves to have been almost insane. The latter does not know which horn of the dilemma to hang his hat upon, "Booth or Bates." Here it was where he got himself while recently in England. He is now in a quandary as to which side he had better take, and Sanders is in the same situation as to discover the best way to advise him. It is these novices I have described, and oth- ers of the same sort, that have injured the Shorthorns. The breed itself is a good one when in the hands of good and practical men ; and it is proper to have two such breeds as Herefords and Shorthorns to contend against each other. If I was put on as judge of the two breeds I would give it to the best animal and to the best of my judgment, notwithstanding some men suppose I am prejudiced against Shorthorns. I J. H. BURLEIGH, MECHANICSVILLE, IA. (Forty years a Hereford breeder.) their reputation, of which I have a direct curse to H. Sanders, and were supposed by may have a dislike to the novices I have named that have abused the Shorthorns, but I value the best of the breed; and I have frequently been told by some of the best breeders of Short- horns that I have done them much more good than those flattering scribes who had not brains enough to sustain what they wrote. I found that the supply of milk in Buffalo was greater than the demand, and when re- duced to two cents per quart there was no profit. At this critical point Lewis F. Allen and his farm manager fell out and a dispute arose be- tween them that could not be settled without a lawsuit; at the same time the Grand Island farm milk had obtained a bad reputation, and as my milk was sent up with it, and the sour milk returned was divided in proportion to the number of gallons of each, I supposed there was something more than common the matter, as I had so much coming to my share. Whenever I went to Buffalo the customers always told me that my cans, which had a spot of solder on each, to distinguish them from L. F. Allen's, were always sweet and good [natur- ally attributed to the richness of the Hereford milk. T. L. M.], while those without the spot were always not only inferior but often sour before half was sold. The lawsuit came on be- tween Allen and his man, and I was present through the whole trial. Mr. John Townsend, his foreman, produced his witnesses to prove that he had done his duty faithfully, and Mr. Allen produced his to defeat their testimony. After the former had brought all in, the wit- nesses of the latter came. The first on the stand swore as follows: "Do you work for Mr. Al- len?" "I do." "In what capacity?" "I milk part of the cows, and help take charge of the milk." "What did you do with the milk after you put it into the cans ?" "We stood the cans in the river up to their necks ; the night's milk went to Buffalo in the morning, and the morn- ing in the evening; we put ice in the cans to cool it." "What else did you do ?" "We took off the cream." "By what orders did vou take off the cream?" "By Mr. Allen's." "Did he ever go with you to do this ?'' "Yes." "Did he say that it was all right ?" "Sometimes he told us we did not take off enough, and showed us how to do it." "What did you do with the cream?" "Mrs. Townsend made butter." "What did you do with the butter?" "Part of it was kept for the use of the house on the farm, and the other was sent to Mr. Allen's house." The second witness was called, whose name was Edward. He was the second person who milked and helped take care of the milk; he principally corroborated the HISTORY OF HEREFOED CATTLE 191 former's statement. Then came the man who drove the team and delivered the milk to the customers, who was a German. "Do you take the milk of Mr. Allen to market?" "I do." "Was there any complaint of his milk among the customers?" "There was. Mr. Allen told them that his man did not send the milk from the farm according to orders." "Did you take up the milk of Mr. Sotham at the same time ?" "I did." "Was there any complaint about his milk?" "No; all the customers wanted the cans with the spot on it, as all sold before it became sour." "What did you do with the sour milk?" "It came back and I measured and put some in both cans, to be divided according to the agreement made by Mr. S. and Mr. A. Mr. Allen collected the money every week and paid Mr. S. his share, deducting the number of gallons of sour according to the number of gallons taken up." This settled my determina- tion to quit the milk business, as I could rely on the just testimony given, and the witnesses are now living -in the neighborhood of Black Rock and Buffalo, who will vouch for the facts just as I have stated them. I then began to look out for other quarters for the Herefords, but my means were limited, the times were very hard, I had gotten into debt, and I had not the ready cash, without sacrificing my Herefords to meet them or to procure suitable fresh quarters. The late banker, Hon. Allen Ayrault, of Gen- eseo, N. Y., came to see the Herefords, having two splendid farms of his own, and command of the late Mr. Spence's, near Geneseo. He probably was one of the best judges of cattle in that part of the country, and made more money by feeding the best than any man in that part of the country. Some of the most promi- nent graziers in the United States are located in this valley. Such gentlemen as the late Mr. Jas. Wadsworth, Dr. Fitzhughs, Mr. C. Jones, the late Mr. Wm. Wadsworth, the Messrs. Bud- long, Judge Sibley, and other wealthy graziers, took very active parts, all of whom thoroughly understood their business and who owned some of the best land for grazing of any men in the Union. The Genesee Flats are as well known through the United States as any other part of it. Although a very circuitous, muddy stream winds its way through this fertile valley, it was the means by which it was enriched. When the floods came the sediment remained as a fertil- izer, and the water did not remain long enough to do very much damage, and the occupants were generally prepared for it. I knew the country well and felt it would be just the coun- try for the Herefords. Mr. Ayrault was highly pleased with the cat- l^e. He said he had previously seen them at State Fairs, but he said that the Shorthorns had got such a strong hold, were so strongly supported by rich men, that Herefords could have no chance. He viewed them very closety in their pastures, and said, "what do you feed these cattle beside what they get here ?" I told him the grass was all they had. He seemed to doubt me, but did not say so. "To tell you the truth, Mr. Ayrault, I have not the means to buy forcing feed for them, and if I had, I do not believe they require it. They, like myself, are willing to work for their living, and they will live upon the roughest kind of feed, which you see growing in these pastures." He proposed a loan and again looked them through very steadfastly, and said: "Money is exceedingly tight now, and chattel security very treacherous. I will make a proposition to you. There is a very nice cow ;" pointing to my best three-year-old. "If you will give me that cow, and drive all the others over to Geneseo, I will rent you the best flat land there is in the valley, a portion of the late Major Spence's splendid farm, at a very reasonable rate. Re- member, it is a very hard matter to get money now. You may not get such a chance again." I asked him if he would not take some other cow than the one he had fixed upon ; that she was my best cow and was named (Anne) after my wife, and that I considered her as good a cow as there was in America. He said, "I am better 'fixed' to put her in condition than you are. I think it will be an advantage to you. It is worth more money than you would ask for her in these close times." The Genesee Flats were very tempting, and I thought such grass would so much improve the Herefords that I accepted the offer. Mr. Ayrault drew a check for the money, and I made arrangements to leave Black Rock, and more especially L. F. Allen and the milk business. WALTER M. MORGAN, IRVING, KAN. (Forty years a breeder of Here- fords.) 192 PAET V. It was a hard blow to part with my favorite* Not only was she the best cow I had, but I be- lieve she was as good a one as I ever saw. Noth- ing could have induced me to part with her had I the means to carry me through. I went back with him to look at the pastures, and found them all that he had represented, and rented a house in the village of Piffard. I felt satis- fied that the Herefords would get fat in those pastures "without cake or corn." I got the Herefords together and drove them myself to Geneseo, glad to leave Allen and the milk business, with the privilege of his abusing the Herefords and my- self to his heart's content, and that he, Ambrose Stev- ens, and John E. Page, might enjoy themselves making pedigrees to suit their own inclina- tions, and that the latter might make all crooked lines straight as con- veniently as he could stretch out his conscience to flatter the picture, beyond the original, to its fullest extent. These were my thoughts as 1 traveled slowly behind my cattle to their new home, and wondered how thinking men could be led away by such vain pretenders, who in reality could not discover quality in the live animal, and were too indolent to follow them to the shambles. Without the practical knowledge of "hand- ling" (by "scientifics" called "the touch") no man can become a judge or successful breeder. It is very difficult to discover real worth from tinsel, and it is certain that wrong will always bring its own punishment, therefore I will leave these worthies in their flatteries and fiction in their full enjoyment and proceed on my way to a better harbor, where prejudice is not so strong and judgment more matured. What struck me more forcibly was that this trio should be so conceitedly vain as to attempt to teach .others so much better informed than themselves. It has been very unfortunate for Shorthorn breeders to have such men to lead them into visionary scheming and recklessness beyond con- WILLIAM A. MORGAN, IRVING, KAN., of the firm of W. A. Morgan & Son. trol. Excitement led them on to speculation, pride stimulated them to worship pedigree, and in their moneyed power rode the hobby with whip and spur, not having the judgment to discover the true valuable points to constitute a perfect beefing animal, which leaves their faith intact, and their knowledge of quality only a sham. If Shorthorns are still held up I must do my best to meet them. As I traveled through the country I was asked all manner of questions, most of them too tedious to be answered. I turned my cattle into their pastures, which were luxuriant, and the following morning Mr. Ayrault drove in with his splendid pair of dappled greys. The cattle had filled themselves splendidly, some of them resting themselves from their journey, and sleeping in the sun. "Mr. Sotham, I like your cattle very much; they are just what we want on our rich flats. There are many rich men here, and I shall have much pleasure in driving them here to see them; most of them visit me frequently. I will send my man for my cow to-morrow. She is a good one, is she not?" "I should like you to show me a better amongst all your rich men," was my answer. I delivered the cow to his man, who drove her to his farm, and in the midst of a heavy shower put her into a luxuriant clover pasture, where she bloated and died, and when opened had a heifer calf, within six weeks of calving. If some Short- horn men had had such a truly valuable cow as this die, they would have said they had lost $10,000. When the news came to me, if I had lost one of my children I could not have felt more dejected. I thought fate was against me. After they had been there about a month I never saw cows improve faster or fatter calves by their sides not one but was first-class beef or veal. The heifers not sucking were thriving too fast. Mr. Ayrault drove into the pastures, sur- veyed the cattle with scrutinizing eye. "Well, sir," said he, "I have been reading your articles in the Albany "Cultivator and Country Gentle- man" very carefully. Your reply to Mr. Henry S. Randall is practically magnificent. I think neither he nor Judge Hepburn will trouble you again. That letter is a grand help to the Herefords, and I suppose all you say is true." "Mr. Ayrault," I said, "I always endeavor to write the truth, without which no mail is capa- ble of entering into a controversy. Mr. H. S. Randall is a prolific and classical writer, Judge Hepburn a rich and prominent man on the bench, but my opinion is that neither of them has sufficient knowledge of Herefords to write against them. I know nothing of the classics, and but little of grammar, and advance my HISTORY OF HEREFORD C A T T L E 193 opinions in my own way, and in plain language, llave you seen the letter of Win. Kingham?" Yes, I have. You could not have had a I ictter endorser. Although he is not a classi- cal writer, he certainly is a very practical man, and seems to write facts."' I will here copy the k'tter. | \Vo omit the letter of Mr. Kingham, which we have reproduced heretofore in Chapter XI. -T. L. M.J .Mr. Ayrault asked me if I would not sell him my best bull for $100. "If you will do so I will have his picture taken and my name shall be put under him as the owner, which will go far to help you, and you know as you are situated you cannot afford to pay for that picture." I asked him what I should do for a bull to show at the State Fair at the head of my herd. "Your young bull is good enough," said he, "and my name appearing in the paper under the picture (H 96) of Tromp will do you great service. I am so well known amongst cattlemen and have great influence with some of them. I lend them money to buy the cattle they take to New York market. Remember, the cow I got for lending you the money, died, from which I had no benefit ; you must sell me the bull lower on that account." "Had your man known enough not to have turned her into that wet, young clover the cow would have been still living, which you must be aware." This he admitted. I consented to let him have the bull, though I thought him worth double the money. Tromp was put in the "Cultivator," but his picture did not do him justice. The State Show at Roches- ter came. The prizes were as they always had been, half in value and half in number, that for Shorthorns. Mr. Ayrault beat me in bulls, but I gained most of the others in Herefords, but they were not sufficient to pay the expenses. Many who had a strong passion for red had a forcible effecting prejudice against any other color; condemned their white faces and long horns. The Shorthorn men were exceedingly jealous of them as rivals. L. F. Allen was there and blew his horn loud and long. The majority of the Executive Committee were Shorthorn men. or influenced by them : many had been so from the commencement of the New York State Ag- ricultural Society. It developed that the object of my money-lending friend was to get these cattle of me by degrees at very low prices. His constant plea was that chattel mortgages were very precarious, and that I must consider it a very great favor to have money lent upon one. I sold him two heifers to apply on the debt, for $60 each, about half as much as they were really worth. My calves were not in the mortgage, so I sold a bull and a heifer calf to a gentleman for $200, and the gentleman drove them off. I went to Mr. Ayrault and paid $125 of it on my debt. "Why, you had no right to sell any- thing without first consulting me. I shall send my man and have them driven back again." His lawyer lived next door, whom he consulted, who subsequently informed me that he in- formed him that I had a perfect right to sell those calves, and apply the money as I thought proper. "Now, sir, if you sell another calf of either sex out of that herd I will have them all sold." This transaction made quite a stir in Geneseo and the neighborhood.. Now, my money-lending friend was known by the familiar name of "Old Slikey." Numerous men came to caution me against "Slikey's" tyranny, and told me of many he had ruined by lending money and tak- ing advantage of them. Beware of "Old Slikey" CHAS. 13. STUART, LAFAYETTE, IND. (Framer of the American Hereford Cattle Breeders' Asso- ciation's Rules and By-Laws.) was constantly brought before me. "He will catch you unawares, as is his custom." I felt that I was in a very precarious situation. I realized this to be the case, for he foreclosed, the sale was advertised, and before I knew of it. the bills were out and the sale was to take place ten days from the date of the bill. 194 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE My case was soon noised abroad, and many came to see me, knowing that 1 was fully in the clutches of "Old Slikey, the money-shaver," and I received much sympathy. Amongst these gentlemen was Mr. Murray, of Mount Morris, but a few miles from Geneseo, and who well knew the shaving principle of "Old Slikey." 1 told him my situation and showed him the cat- tle. Although he was a perfect gentleman in 'every particular, he was no judge of cattle, but he admired them very much. He inquired how much was the indebtedness, which I showed him. He offered to lend me the money. Mr. Murray was a large capitalist and a true phi- lanthropist. We talked the matter all over and con- cluded that it would be much better to let "Old Slikey" sell under mortgage, and to call my friends to- gether, which I did. The day came and I found that I was surrounded by friends who were all strangers to "Slikey." He drove up to the crowd with his pair of dappled greys and addressed his auctioneer. Their faces were familiar to each other. "Go on with the sale," said "Slikey." The first cow was put up. The money-lender was the first bidder $50. The biddings were spirited, and she was knocked down to Mr. Murray at $165. "Slikey" looked around with a little surprise, and seeing strangers he could not recognize he did not know what to make of it. The next cow came ; the banker offered $50, she ran up to $162, and was knocked down to Mr. 'John Lapham, of Penn Yan, N. Y. The next .came a very good cow, and known to be a very great favorite of "Slikey's," who put her in at $75, then bid up to $100. There she stood for a while; Mr. Murray 'bid $150. Hon. E. Casner, of Penn Yan, bought her for $175. "Slikey" looked around with astonishment. Al- though, when he alighted from his carriage he looked as slick as "Beau Brummel" ever did look, and as he viewed the crowd, he found he had some substantial men around him. Another cow was ordered in, with a young heifer catf; a wag inquired if the calf was in the mortgage. "Slikey" looked at him, and said, "What business have you to make any remarks, EDWIN PHELPS, PONTIAC MICH. sir ; I know my business." "So do 1," said the wag, "and if the cow and calf is to be sold sep- arately, and I buy the calf, I want to know who I am to pay my money to." All understood this thrust at "Old Slikey," and the laugh was loud and hearty. He stood erect, as if before the glass after fixing his toilet. At length he said, "The cow and calf will be sold together." The wag said, "Will Mr. Sotham agree to that without being consulted?" "Slikey" was all confusion. He began to feel that the public knew the secrets of his heart. The cow was of the first-class, and "Slikey" often wanted me to sell her to him before she calved, at $100. There was but little choice in ten of them. The cow and calf were put up together. "Slikey" put them in at $100. Mr. Murray offered $200 ; Mr. Cas- ter $210; Mr. Lapham $220; "Old Slikey" $225 ; Robert Rome, the well-known cattle buyer of Geneseo, $230; "Slikey" $240; Mr. Murray $250, and she was knocked down to him among loud cheers from the crowd, and this was the highest price I ever sold a Hereford. At this juncture Mr. Murray and Mr. Casner came to me and asked if I wanted to have any more sold. I told them that I could not help myself. "You go tell the banker that you will have no more sold," which I did. He looked almost black in the face. "What right have you to stop the sale? there is not much over half enough sold to pay your indebtedness of mort- gages and rent. I am surprised at your impu- dence, sir." There were lots of listeners around to hear what was going to be done. . He looked at me as contemptuously as he well knew how. "Go on with the sale, Mr. Auctioneer ; but little over half of the indebtedness is yet reached." Mr. Murray and Mr. Casner stepped up to him and told him to make up the balance of Mr. Sotharrrs indebtedness, and they would pay it. The "shaving banker" knew not which way to look ; all eyes were upon him. PART VI. I have not said much of Mr. Francis Rotch. of Butternuts, Otsego County, a retired banker, and a follower of Bates, a pet scribe of the Al- bany "Cultivator and Country Gentleman." He was also somewhat of an artist sketched many animals for the paper though they were not so highly flattered as those of John R. Page. He was about generalissimo of these papers and took the junior editor, Luther Tucker, Jr., under his care. He made much of him, and he frequently visited him at his farm. He advised his father to send "young Luther" to England, HISTORY OF HEEEFOBD CATTLE 195 and the "Bates ring" promised to do much for him. Luther Tucker, Jr., was then but a stripling, but being the son of a very worthy father, whose character for integrity and truth was well known, was an advantage to him. He managed through Mr. Bates and others, to whom he had introductory letters, to obtain a good showing off. He became acquainted with the "Druid," a gentleman who wrote much for the "Mark Lane Express." At that time Luther wrote some communication for the paper, copying as near as his ability would admit, the Druid style ; tried to imitate his style, and in his deep study im- paired his constitution for a while, which com- pelled him to give it up. Ultimately the young man began to think himself out of his "leading strings;" he could adopt a style and language of his own. He praised Bates highly for favors received, gave him a puff in the "Cultivator," and returned to America to take the position as junior. A short time had elapsed before he paid Mr. Rotch a visit, who at that time had a pure Bates bull, which he contemplated sending to England to catch the enthusiastic followers of Bates, whose mania was nearly at full height. The junior editor in his youthful state was in ecstasy when nattered by such a man as Fran- cis Rotch, Esq., of Butternuts, whom he sup- posed stood so high in the Bates ring and was very wealthy. "But what went he out for to see ? A reed shaken with the wind," or a Bates bull he had so partially extolled in England. The truth was evident. They went to the stable and the bull was ordered out. About this time the strongest objection to the Dukes were their coarseness and sluggishness, even by the most imaginative of Bates men. "Now," says Mr. Rotch, "I want to show you the activity of this bull so you can explain to the public that the sluggishness of Shorthorns is unfounded." The bull was brought out. . He described him as follows : "He came out of his stall with his head and his tail up." As he was led to and fro Mr. Rotch said, "Did you ever see such ac- tivity in a bull of his great size ?" "No, never," said the junior editor. "He can move like a race horse, his action is extremely good ; he has such a beautiful high crest he cannot help but move actively, more especially with his large size, large bon-;-, and large, long legs; he is ex- tremely active." "See what a loin he has," said Mr. Rotch. "And look at his high hips," said the other ; "that in horses is an indication of speed." "Look what a cupboard he carries; that is what we want to make beef," said Mr. Rotch. "Then look what a slender waist he has ; more like a Duchess than a Duke," said the editor. Although this may not be exactly the same language as was published in the "Cultivator," it is so near that it would be folly for anyone to dispute it, and I can refer to the original. After it appeared I wrote a criticism of this ri- diculous, supposed-puff for Rotch, but it was refused publication. I sent it to the "Mark Lane Express," where it was published. Wm. Carr, who wrote that interesting book on the Booth Shorthorns, embraced the opportunity and commented upon it, part in poetry and part in prose, in which Mr. Rotch'' s bull was eulo- gized as coming to England (fl 97), and the junior .editor of the "Cultivator" was coining with him to ride him to fox-hounds to show his activity as a Bates Duke. The poem was a laughable one, which I am sorry to say was burned up with my furniture in the Chicago fire. This bull that Mr. Rotch anticipated send in ir to England was one of the coarsest Dukes of those exciting Bates times. Here let me say, that there was no man in this country I more highly esteemed than Luther Tucker, Sr. He was a purely honest man, and I believe a sin- cere Christian ; but the Bates mania overpow- ered him. He had his family to support and it was his duty to do it. I never could properly blame the senior editor. The Bates mania afforded him a profit, and he en- couraged it. He was not to blame. The Shorthorns were very valuable cattle, but the Bates mania was a curse to them, which all who read must have learned, and those who adopted it found it a curse to the community. After the New York State show at Poughkeepsie the following editorial appeared from the pen of that worthy gentleman, Luther Tucker, Sr., editor of the "Albany Cultivator and Country Gentleman." I copy verbatim from the "Cultivator and Country Gentleman/' page 312, October number, 1844: "Herefords. The only specimens in this class were eleven head from the capital herd of Messrs. Corning & Sotham, Albany. These were splendid ani- mals. The two-year-old bulls and bull calf, which were all of the masculine gender exhib- H. C. BURLEIGH, VASSALBORO, ME. 196 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE ited, were good. They had fine limbs, very spa- cious chests, round bodies, etc. Several of the cows were very extraordinary. 'Perfection' is one of the most massive cows of her age to be found anywhere, and 'Aston Beauty' and 'Vic- toria' 1075, for beauty and finish, can scarcely be surpassed, if equaled. It is but justice to SMV that no animals on the ground excited more praise than these." I called upon this worthy and impartial edi- tor (j[ 98) and thanked him for the high com- pliment he had paid our cattle, and told him TOM. C. PONTING, MOWEAQUA, ILL. (The first man to drive Texas cattle to New York.) that I thought he had told the truth. I asked him why the Society would not allow me to show against the" Shorthorns. He told me that "it w-as impossible for anyone to say less of them, for their superiority was apparent, but the Shorthorns had become so strongly estab- lished in this country that it was almost im- possible to contend against them. Your letters have been very pointed, although I publish them. The Shorthorn breeders thought they were very severe, and my son, who you know has just returned from England, and is now a partner, is averse to having them published. He speaks so highly of Mr. Bates and the ho*s- pitality he met with at his house, that he is highly impressed in favor of the Bates tribes, and you know how high they stand in this country now." Whether the son had any influence with the father I had not heard, but there has never been an editorial in favor of Herefords since that time. After my article was refused publication in the "Cultivator," I met the junior editor, but he looked cross-eyed at me. I began to joke him about the Rotch Duke, but he made himself scarce. A Shorthorn breeder, not of the Bates clan, was present. I said I intended to have asked him if he was going to take the Bates clique with him to England to see the bull take his fences in a style becoming his action, as it was admitted by all of that clan that they were "all stylish; that their heads and tails were always up," and legs long enough to get over the ground. No editor could be more conspicuously situated than to be thus placed, for all the Dukes, Duchesses, Lords and Ladies in England would be there to witness such a transaction, and the example would be great for all such editors to follow. The poem of Wm. Carr, and the comic way he described "view halloo" and "bull bellow," was one of the most laughable productions of the kind that was ever written. It stirred up the wrath of all belonging to the Bates mania, as the poem was founded upon my article. Auctioneers were more in demand, the ring became more excited, sales more frequent, coun- terfeit prices were obtained to make the Bates mania popular. Pedigree was all in all. "Pedi- gree, oh, pedigree, thou art my darling, we praise thee, we worship thee, we give thanks to thee with sincere affection. Bates, the great 'I Am' is pure, he has no 'alloy,' he detests it, and we, his devoted followers, endorse him." Such were the views and actions of this devoted tribe. Thus went on the battle. Shorthorn breed- ers of Bates tribes were seen traveling all over the country, to consult each other, as the Here- fords must be kept down at all hazards, regard- less of their true merit. The ring was contin- ued and none admitted unless in secret. Bates Shorthorns must go up above any other tribe, and the Herefords must be put down; there was no other alternative. Expense was no ob- ject; the time had come for the Bates men to be up and stirring; every man must be at his post when necessary. Every flunky belonging to the ring must do his duty. The editor of the "Shorthorn Herd Book" must add flattering no- tices to the preface of his book; Ambrose Ste- vens' wits must be stirred up to aid him ; Page's pencil and brush must be kept going, and, if possible, in more flattering style ; nothing must be left undone that can be done. Such was just the state of things when the unexpected panic came. The Bates men dropped off financially, one after another. Imaginary rich men failed, on whom not the HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 19? least suspicion rested, except from the maniac prices given, which, in the minds of prudent men, was a caution to prevent them from enter- ing into this mad extreme of speculation so con- trary to reason and prudence. Being supported by men of supposed moneyed influence was the principal cause of its long continuance. Even now some of the aristocracy of England con- tinue the farce, hut they, like their fat calves, decline as the "milk fails." Those who laid great stress on the traveling exhibition of the "Bijou" and the "White Heifer,' 1 '' knew nothing of the rules of good breeding, or they might have known at once that both of these animals were very injurious patterns by which novices in breeding wished to guide them. Every de- scription of them has been of extreme coarse- ness of frame and softness of flesh, and a paunch purposely made to consume expensive provender without profit. Mark how the brains of L. F. Allen and Am- brose Stevens used this supposed elevation of the Shorthorns this portable caravansary, con- taining the show ox and white heifer as an example of exaltation in "American Shorthorn Herd Book" (page 5 or 6 of Vol. II). What would either of these gentlemen say now should they see an exact picture of either, without flat- tery, transferred to the "American Shorthorn Herd Book" to compare with the flattering ones of John R. Page? When all of these flattering gentlemen speak of these "wonderful animals" they think "they struck ile," at the same time the Messrs. Col- lings were taking a cross with the Galloways to . reduce the Durhams' coarseness and improve their quality. Both were overgrown, overfed and forced to the extreme to create wonder, by which they did much to the injury of good breeding. Notice what stress Mr. L. F. Allen made on the craft of the Messrs. "Collings" when they started this wonderful caravansary. Barnum never succeeded so well. This, his strongest plea for Shorthorns, in the second vol- ume of the "American Shorthorn Herd Book." There were hundreds of Herefords that out- weighed them of far more compact character, supported with less feed and expense^ less bone and offal, that were of far superior quality and held to their original character, which had been established for over a century without, like the Shorthorn, changing their pedigree into hodge- podge confusion, of which all the hidden secrets are coming to light. Old Father Time does much when he under- takes to search into the secrets of men's hearts. Mr. Allen also says in the same volume that Mr. Ceilings was a close man. Are we to infer from this that he kept the stock bull in the dark and the show bull in the sunshine? What will he say now, as he discovers those secrets are exposed? Probably Collings will "be in a fix" when he is compelled to reveal those secrets he kept in that closet. There has been more mystery in breeding Shorthorns than in any other course of breed- ing, but why should there be such mystery, un- less these breeders like darkness better than light? The deceit is far more injurious. It is now generally believed that the Shorthorns are a mixture of Durhams; the white cattle with red noses and red ears of Chillingham Park; the Dishley; the Devons; the Galloways; the West Highland, and last, though not least, the Herefords; at least in the Seventeens, which are now generally conceded to be the best of the American Shorthorn tribes. I have no objection whatever to this mixture ; such experiments are beneficial, and are the art of good breeding, had they not been kept hi the dark; but the deception kills the merit due to it. Dukes, Duchesses, Lords and Ladies were superfluous names to exalt, and a sham to de- stroy "good breeding." They were fascinating to the moneyed man, who had more of it than brains, and who was extremely anxious for a con- spicuous title. The white-faces hold to their color and keep up their character for sym- metry, substance and quality, prin- cipally derived from good breed- ing. Their breed- ers have not stud- ied pedigree so ex- clusively; they have not pinned their faith en- tirely to it; know quality by the hand, sym- metry by the eye, and, being aware of the su- periority and purity of their own breed over all others, have jealously exerted every effort to keep it pure. Here let me quote a letter written to me by Wm. Cottier, Middle Aston, Oxford- shire, England, which I had published in the Albany "Cultivator," page 132, August number, 1841, soon after my first importation. [This letter we omit as it is produced in full in Chap- ter XI, to which the reader is referred. T. L. M.] I always considered Mr. Cother one of the 11150 A. A. CRANE, HOUSTON, TEX. 198 H1STOKY OF HEREFORD CATTLE most practical men and as good a j udge of .any kind of animal as I know, and he stood as high as a Cotswold breeder as any in England, being a son-in-law of Mr. Wm. Hewer, Sr., of whom he secured a part of his Herefords and Cots- wolds; he was a school-fellow of mine, and we traveled much together in younger days to the different sales of Cotswolds in Gloucestershire and in Herefordshire to examine the Herefords. I need not say anything in favor of his substan- tial mind, as the letter is sufficient proof. When I imported the Herefords there was no Here- ford Herd Book, but I had full and correct pedigrees of all I imported and kept them strictly so, but the great fire at Chicago, 1871, destroyed the whole of my records, with all of my furniture. * * * PAET VII. Soon after the New York Mills sale of Short- horns Mr. Cassius M. Clay published a chal- lenge in the "Country Gentleman" that he and his brother Brutus would show a herd of one bull and seven Shorthorn cows and two yearling heifers against any two breeders of Herefords in the United States. My anxiety was great to accept that challenge, but I had not the means to meet it. Mr. Frederick Pumpelly of Owego, N. Y., of whom I rented my farm, saw the challenge and came to see me. "Why/' said he, "you ought to ac- cept that. Your cattle look well enough to show anywhere." I told him I had not the means to meet the $200 deposit, or the money to get them in order fit for show. "Call upon me for all the money you want for expenses, and I will deposit $200 in the bank at Louis- ville, Ky., where he proposes to meet you at the National Show." I immediately accepted the challenge. My cattle, having lately come from the flats, were in excellent store condition. I fed them corn and oats ground together, in addition to their pastures, to harden them for the journey. 1 took one aged bull, seven cows, two yearling F. p. CRANE, CHICAGO, ILL., of firm of A. A. Crane & Son. heifers, three bull calves and one yearling bull, supposing I might sell all of the latter. I had at that time never met Mr. Cassius M. Clay, (fl 99) I had the Herefords nicely fixed in their stalls on the show ground and left my man and a young friend of mine from Boston, who accompanied me to witness the contest, and who felt as much interested as if they were his own cattle. I went to the Gault House and engaged a room for the week, and then entered my cattle in the different classes of the Here- ford department. The late Mr. Robert Alexanders (j[ 100) Shorthorns were there, loaded in flesh to ex- treme. I learnt subsequently that the two of the highest character (Bates) had not had a calf for two years, and as they walked the blub- ber shook under their thin hides as if in a jelly bag. Thinks I to myself, "I am in for it now. I might as well have put my head into a hor- net's nest as to have come to Kentucky, the home of the Shorthorns." I had shown the Herefords at the national shows previously, and had become familiarly acquainted with Col. Wilder of Boston, who was president of that society. The Colonel used to always call me "Billy;" that was before I was old enough to be called "Uncle Billy." I went to his room at the Gault House; he took me by the hand and said: "Well, Billy, I am mighty glad to see you. I suppose you have brought the Herefords here to meet Brutus and Cassius M. Clay?" I said I had, but I thought it almost an impossibility for me to have justice here in the midst of so much opposition. "Never mind, Billy," said the Colonel, "you shall have justice to the utmost, as far as I am concerned ; and the Kentucky breeders are honorable men. Keep up your former courage and all will come out right." "I am aware of the honor and in- tegrity of the Shorthorn breeders," I answered, "but a case like this is out of the common way. There is much interest at stake, and I am here alone to contend against so many rich men, whose influence is great. What can I do among so many?" "Keep up your natural courage, Billy," "said the Colonel, "and you will go through." In the morning I left for the show grounds, and I saw a gentleman sitting in a buggy in front of my stalls. As I was looking through the stock this gentleman descended from his buggy and came to me. "Is this your stock, sir ?"" said he. "It is, sir, when it is paid for," I remarked. "Is your name Sotham?" "That is my name, sir." "My name is C. M. Clay." We shook hands and congratulated each other on the meeting. II I S T II V F H E K E FORD C A T T L E 19U Mr. Clay called me aside and began to ex- plain. "Since I wrote that challenge my cir- cumstances are differently shaped. I cannot meet you. I have only brought one heifer here and my brother declines." "Well, Mr. Clay," I replied, "I did not expect this ; but I know you to be a gentleman, and I will endeavor to meet you as such. No man knows better what it is to be in a difficulty than myself. I sympathize with you heartily, and will consider the trial at an end/' There was a crowd around my stalls to see the white-faces; among them Mrs. Dr. Watts of Chillicothe and her daughter. The Doctor's reputation is well known as a Shorthorn breed- er. I had met the whole family at their house at Chillicothe previously, consequently I walked with them through the stalls of the Shorthorns ; but I found that Mr. Alexander had been polite- ly showing them through his previously, and Miss Watts, being not only a belle, but a very sensible young lady, he paid her much atten- tion, and, being a bachelor, it was very appro- priate. Mr. C. M. Clay and I walked together to the amphitheater, where most of the breeders had assembled. There we met Mr. Alexander and Mr. Clay introduced me. "Well, Clay," said the former, "I suppose you and Sotham are to settle your differences in opinion to-day." "N"o," said Mr. Clay, "we have amicably settled the difference." "Indeed," said Mr. Alexander, "how came that so ? I suppose you are afraid of each other." "No, Mr. Alexander," said I, "that is not the case. I will leave Mr. Clay to ex- plain." He repeated, "You are afraid of each other." With this repetition my blood began to rise. I then said, "In my lot I have brought two yearling heifers here to show against Mr. Clay. I will place these two heifers in any honest, competent man's hands in Kentucky against any two yearlings in your herd you choose to place against them. They shall be fed alike in weight and quality of food, and those who shall pay the most for food consumed at two and a half years old shall be the winners." (If loi) Mr. Alexander turned round with rather a forbidding look, and said : "If you come here to fight, I can fight." I replied that I did not come here to fight, but that I could fight, and I had the determination to meet him on that score. The atmosphere began to feel warm, and quite an excitement ensued. Mr. Brutus Clay remarked to me that I was just the man for Kentuckians! The difficulty must b<> settled, so he said, "I propose that we all go to Alexander's camp, take a drink, and bury the hatchet." This was agreed upon. On our way we encountered Mrs. and Miss Watts; the latter said: "I think, Mr. Alexander, that you and Mr. Sotham had better compromise." He said we were on our way for that purpose. We seated ourselves on the rustic seats; the display of the numerous silver cups, all trophies of Mr. Alexander's success in the Kentucky show rings, were distributed, and bottles of old bourbon, the contents of which were trans- ferred to the cups, in which we drank each other's health in friendly terms. DR. ORLANDO BUSH, SHELDON, ILL. (Ex-President American Hereford Cattle Breeders' Associa- tion, the friend of all Hereford breeders.) We adjourned to Mr. C. M. Clay's tent for lunch, which was amply displayed on the grass in true picnic order, characteristic of true Ken- tuckian style at agricultural fairs. Those not acquainted with Mrs. Clay and her daughters were introduced; here we again met Mrs. and Miss W r atts, and a more happy and a more merry party never met together. We separated to look after our own interests in the show ring. I took all the premiums in Herefords, as I had no competition, which paid my expenses. I drew the two hundred dollars in a draft on New York, payable to Mr. Pumpelly, and had it enclosed to him. Sold my yearling bull to the well-known Hon. Eobert Wickliff of Lex- ington for $100, which was then considered a high price, and my bull calves at $80 each; 200 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE they went to Tennessee, all of which gave me great satisfaction. The next week was the show at Lexington. Although there were no premiums offered, the society agreed to give me first-prize cups for bull and cow if I would exhibit, which I agreed to do. The Hon. R. Wickliff, who took much interest in me and my cattle at Louisville, told me to make his house my home while I remained in Lexington, and Mr. Clay gave me a general invitation to their picnic lunch on the show grounds, and I never met with kinder treatment in my life from all parties. Mr. Wickliff, although partially blind, or- dered his car- riage and took me out to his valuable estate, directly opposite to Hon. Henry Clay. Although he had no thorough- bred cattle, he had some fine grades with which he in- tended to breed to the Hereford bull he purchased of me. I never heard the result of this cross. I then shipped my stock to Cincinnati, to the Ohio State Fair. There was no class for Herefords there, and the Short- horn classes were strong from Ohio and Ken- tucky. The society gave me a special prize on each animal of bull, cow, heifer and calf, about half as much as given for Shorthorns, but about a*s much as paid my expenses at the show; altogether, I returned home pretty well satisfied. I presented the cups I received at Lexington to Mr. F. Pumpelly, with which he was highly delighted, told me he had received the draft safely and said that nothing could have given him greater satisfaction than to know that he had the power in helping me, and that he 'felt proud of the triumph, (fl 102) Soon after my return I sold ten head of my Herefords to Mr. John Merryman (j[ 103) of Cockeysville, Md., for $1,000; and they were a very nice lot. Mr. Merryman is a nobleman in heart and soul, and was just the person to join me in the fight for supremacy against Shorthorns, but they had such a strong hold that it seemed to be an impossibility; their moneyed influence was so powerful over agricul- tural societies, the press and judges, that made THOS. FOSTER. FLINT, MICH. it very discouraging. Still, this $1,000 and my sales in Kentucky helped me much. I sold Mr. George Clark of Otsego County, N. Y., four cows. He was a large land owner, having several farms. I had previously sold him bulls, and he bred some very fine half and three-quarter-bred steers, one large lot of twen- ty-five he sold to Mr. Van Alstyne of Kinder- hook, N. Y., who fed them, and when they went to the New York market made quite a sensa- tion. They sold readily at half a cent more per pound than anything present, notwithstanding what has been lately said in a Kentucky jour- nal to the contrary; this was true for I was present at the sale. Mr. Van Alstyne and many others will vouch for the facts. This was an- other of Ambrose Stevens' unfounded thrusts on the Herefords, which, had it been made to me instead of T. L. Miller, I would have re- plied, as I intend to let him fight his own bat- tle, all I ask of him is due credit for my former articles. Mr. Miller is just in his glory, and he may become the "father of the Herefords," which, if rightly achieved, may be honor suffi- cient to gratify the ambition of the best of man- kind, who are engaged in the true improvement of stock. Rich and influential men are apt to have their hobbies and preferences, and the Shorthorns had their advantage in this respect, and, being fully aware of the superiority of the Herefords. found that they had much to do to obtain the ascendancy. They combined together as one man in England, where the origin of the well- known feigned sales originated, where animals were transferred from one herd to another at fictitious prices, to present to the world an artificial value, becoming men of wealth and character, which, like all such transactions-, ended in failure. Let me here refer you to a small portion of the text of Mr. Youatt's book. In the eleventh page he says, speaking of Devonfc : "They have been long celebrated for a breed of cattle beau- tiful in the highest degree, and in activity at work and aptness to fatten unrivaled." In speaking of the Herefords, page 32, he says : "They are even more kindly feeders than the Devons ; will live and grow fat where a Devon will scarcely live." Further in the same page : "The Devons will acquire bulk and hardihood and the Herefords a finer form and activity." These, Mr. Editor, are Youatt's exact words. Let me ask the reader to reflect on these con- flicting, glaring statements and reconcile them- selves to these contradictions, if they can. Many such passages can be found in Youatt on the breeds of cattle, which convinced me that he was HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 201 no authority on either breed. His object was to endeavor to please all, at the risk of his own reputation. Let me here refer you to a letter written by Hon. Henry S. Randall, in the Albany "Culti- vator," April number, 1841, and my reply to him in the following number. [These letters ap- pear in Chap. XL T. L. M.] These two let- ters will give some insight into the prejudice 1 had to meet against Shorthorns, and here I will copy the letter published at the same time, which I received from Mr. Turner., Court of ISToke, Herefordshire, England, who bred the first-prize cow at the Royal Agricultural Show at Oxford, 1839, which I purchased of Mr. James Walker. [This letter appears also in Chapter XL T." L. M.] Some time after Mr. Turner's letter appeared in the "Cultivator" Mr. Richard Rowland, a nephew of Mr. Westcar, whom I know well in England, and who inherited his property, wrote me a very pleasant letter, giving me the names of the. butchers, the prices each paid, copied from Mr. Westcar's books, which corresponded exactly with what Mr. Turner wrote me. T. L. Miller used this letter, as he did Mr. William Gurrier's, having the old books to refer to; every one of my letters were marked so as he could refer to them. Notwithstanding the proofs I had given of the Herefords, the Shorthorn men I have named had great prejudice against them, knew their value, and were jealous, and they felt satisfied that with my light purse they could drive me to the wall. They run their cattle up to fictitious prices far beyond their value for the pur- pose of running the Herefords out of the mar- ket. A lot of speculators formed themselves into a ring (all were underbidders for each other), with the three flunkies I have named to do the drudgery, to catch novices with more money than brains who came to purchase and who were easily caught in the snare laid for them. Many changed hands understandingly, and were transferred from auction to auction, fre- quently without any money or notes being trans- ferred. I know of one instance where four Shorthorns, sent to a sale at Toronto, Canada, from Kentucky, were knocked down there at high, fancy prices up in the thousands. About four months after I saw the same animals at the owner's farm, who sent them there, and they remained until they were sold by the sher- iff. Pedigree, regardless of the animal, was the chief attraction, (fl 104) * * PART VIII. It was with much pleasure I recently revis- ited the breeding farm of Erastus Corning, Esq., the only son and heir of Hon. Erastus Corning, and who, I know, inherits most of his late fathers noble qualities. The cattle stables were familiar to me. I was present at their erection, and some of the Herefords called to mind an inheritance of the old sort. Old Vic- toria, whose likeness Mr. Corning retains in a painting by Van Zant, was fed at the age of nineteen, after raising sixteen calves. Some of her progeny are still here ; two of them took first and second prizes over Mr. Burleigh's im- ported ones at the New York. State Fair last fall, but I think Mr. Corning has one better cow than either, and his young stock are very promising. The bull he imported to cross with the old stock was bred by Mr. Turner, Herefordshire, England, from which he has bred some fine ani- mals. I should have liked him better had he inherited a thicker and more mellow hide, al- though Mr. Turner has bred some good ones. The cow Matchless I purchased at the Royal Agricultural Show at Oxford, England, 1839, winner of first prize, was bred by him ; he also bred many winners. He is now breeding for thicker hides, un- der a close ob- servance to mel- lowness. Match- less formerly oc- cupied one of the stalls, and there were four others equally good, Vic- toria, Perfection, Pretty Maid and Gay, in the first importation, all but Matchless bred from the original stock of Mr. John Hewer of Herefordshire, to which all the best recent importations can be traced, and I suppose there is not a herd of the present day but that contains a portion of his blood, the de- mand for Mr. Hewer's bulls being so great that he let them out by the year. In 1856 Mr. Corning imported three heifers from one of the best breeders in Herefordshire, which the high character of the stock proved. Although he has not kept a register of their pedigrees, no other breed has been crossed in, WALLACE LIBBEY, OTTAWA, ILL. 202 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE and although only kept in good store condition they are as good and well-bred as any herd. The good example he has always set in showing his cattle in natural shape is an excellent one, and the judges had the practical soundness to see their situation against pampered ones, hence his success in the show ring. I hope we are fast coming to this legitimate state of things; the country would profit much by it. (fl 105) Mr. Corning showed a fat heifer at the New York State Fair last fall against a dozen Short- horns. She took first prize and was considered by all who saw her a perfect beauty. At Christ- mas she was killed, and some weeks since an appropriate poem was written of her / by a butcher boy who admired her attractive appear- ance ; the poem was copied into the "Drover's Jour- nal." The butcher who killed her, Mr. J. Battersby, told me that she was the best carcass of beef he ever cut up ; not only was she of most excellent quality, but steaks cut from her neck vein were beautifully marbled and fit to serve his first-class customers better even than the choice steak of many other animals. How many times such truths have been told to me by other butchers, under similar circum- stances, and of equal standing as Mr. Batters- by, whose father was one of the prominent butchers in Albany for the past forty years. No man killed better meat, for which he had a high reputation, and his customers were of the highest class. His son is following his good example, and I value his testimony, so fully corroborating that of many others of a like prac- tical soundness. PART IX. Before going further into the Herefords, I must give you an additional insight into what I had to go through with in the Bates mania, of which, as I have told you before, Lewis F. Al- len, Ambrose Stevens (who were called twin brothers) and John R. Page were the leading proselytes to that injurious imposition that so much injured the Shorthorn cause. I pro- A. H. BULLIS, WINNEBAGO CITY, MINN. nounced this trio "the three flunkies" to induce men of means to join the hue and cry of fancy' and fashion that had taken possession of all who belonged to it. The first wrote a book on the different breeds of cattle, to extol the Shorthorns, and did not only overstretch his ability in the task, but made gross misrepresentations, one must sup- pose purposely, to mislead. All who had pa- tience to get at all interested in the work, and read his history of the Shorthorns and Here- fords, could see his aim to effect high favor to the former, and create a panic against the lat- ter, both of which he grossly and, I think, in- tentionally, misrepresented. The case was so plain to every unprejudiced reader that my at- tention was called to it by several gentlemen, among whom were some of the best Shorthorn breeders. I had an intimate knowledge of the writer's character, so I did not look into his book until my friends strongly advised me, and then the comparison between these two valuable breeds was all I had the patience to investi- gate. Fancy and fashion are capable of leading even the best men astray, and Lewis F. Allen did everything he was capable of doing to pro- mote both of these delusions. The second man was an adventurer precisely of the same calibre as the first ; they were called "twin brothers," as they constantly coupled their visionary brains together, to support the fancy and fashion adopted to boost the "Bates mania." This was their hobby and they ex- pected to reap their reward from the profit made by the Bates clan, but, like all such the- ories and profitless scheming, the bubble burst, which all who read can prove. He was the man who rewrote the fictitious Shorthorn compila- tion called history, to defeat the facts published by Rev. Henry Berry, but his misrepresenta- tions soon found him out, and the Rev. Henry Berry's unpleasant truths now stand as firmly as if this misjudged prodigal had not so thoughtlessly interfered. Still further this notorious Batesite brought out from the Bates herd of such notoriety the bull Duke of Cambridge. Stevens, after a long and familiar stay at Mr. Bates' house, had per- suaded Bates that he (Stevens) was the great '"I am" of the Shorthorn fraternity; thus pre- possessed, Bates presented him with this "Noble Duke of Cambridge" as a memento of his kind- ness in so strongly supporting the Bates cause in America, the urgency for continuance of which Bates had strenuously instilled into the anxious mind of this supposed exalted breeder. The bull arrived here with others from an- other breeder, of which I shall hereafter give a HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 203 description through Mr. Stevens' letter to the "Cultivator" at the time of their arrival here. The Noble Duke of Cambridge was taken to the herd of Col. Sherwood of Auburn, and the own- er charged him a very high price for half of him. Subsequently Stevens wrote asking Mr. Bates to state in a letter to him that he (Stev- ens) had given Bates an enormous price, nam- ing the. sum. At this Mr. Bates became indig- nant; he felt that a secret gift for puffing was not so profitable to him as represented, conse- quently wrote Stevens in gentle language that he was sorry to find he (Stevens) was somewhat the reverse of a "great I am ;" told his house- keeper if he ever came to his house again to forbid his crossing the threshold. I refer your readers to "Bell on Bates" to corroborate these facts. Xow comes the third chap in the Bates mania who, in his vanity, supposed himself to be the head of all, having been selected by James 0. Sheldon of Geneva, N. Y., to take a portion of his Bates tribe to England. This gentleman, being so elated with his flattering pictures in catalogues and Herd Books, placed Page on equal terms with the other great "I am," and at that time the Bates mania was at its zenith. Page was so fortunate in his pretense^ of the knowledge of pedigree, fancy, fashion, upstanding style, thin hides, beautiful, soft touch, sweet heads, high hips, extended paunch and grand thighs, so peculiarly essential to denote the Bates tribe, that he had precisely what these fanciful, fashionable supporters of Bates wanted on the other side of that "big pond." The only thing against his personal appearance was his natural swagger, for which he had no checkrein. He caught the rich com- moner and dipped a little into the nobility, who were at that period anxiously striving to gull each other at every sale, to find out which could build the most expensive castle in the air, conse- quently Page returned home highly elated. I do not describe this trio with the idea of injuring them or the Shorthorns ; far from it : but I do say that it was this kind of men that did that cause more injury than any other class ; their tongues and their pens were "too fast" for their brains, and this short sketch will plain- ly show how the Bates mania was created, and I challenge any man to deny with truth the facts as I have stated them. I have no malice against this trio, but I had pity for them in their weakness, which I always predicted would end in the disappointment it did. This trio was quite successful with fancy and fashionable men, their smooth tongues, in the plenitude of their politeness made excessive flattery plaus- ible to them, but when they met together to flatter each other upon the glorious impression they were making upon the Bates mania, Satan stepped out without interfering. Bates, with all his faults, showed much cun- ning. When Mr. Price challenged to show twenty Hereford breeding cows and a bull for 100 against any breeder or breed in Great Britain, no man ever showed greater weakness in judgment than Mr. Bates when he accepted it. He felt that he should be sure to be beaten unless the judges were favorable toward him, and he would only have the choice of one of them. Influenced by this conviction, after de- positing the forfeit, he began to realize his crit- ical situation, fully aware that if he did not ac- cept that the horns of his cattle must be drawn in much shorter. JOHN GOSLING, KANSAS CITY, MO. (America's greatest expert judge.) Alarmed at his situation, Mr. Bates sent his confidential man Friday disguised in his smock frock on Sunday, while Mr. Price was in church, to examine the cattle he had to contend with. Friday went into the stable under the pretense that he wanted to hire to Mr. Price as a stock- man. After looking them through he left, with- out leaving his name. Soon after Friday re- turned home Mr. Bates became exceedingly ner- vous; raised the most frivolous quibbles and excuses amongst his neighbors and friends; his 204 H I S T K Y OF H E K E F li D CATTLE schemes to enable him to back out made him querulous. He wrote to the "Mark Lane Ex- press" that he had a great aversion to gambling ; advanced this as a plea, notwithstanding he had been showing for money exactly on the same principle. Bates' friends became alarmed; rode over to Kirklevington to inquire if that plea of gamb- ling was the only reason ; others wrote with anx- ious inquiries. Bates, in his perplexity, seemed to be wandering about the farm like a hen by candle light, in search of his man Friday, to GRADE HEREFORD STEER. CONQUEROR, AT 27 MONTHS. (Bred by T. L. Miller; the rightful champion of 1879-80.) caution him to be sure and keep his secret ; but, unfortunately, Friday could not keep from say- ing that Price's white-faces was a most excel- lent herd, and that his "master" would have very hard work to beat him. Friday was asked many questions by all comers to Kirklevington. At length one Shorthorn breeder came who had been into Herefordshire to buy steers for feed- ing. "Why, Friday," said he, "what were you doing in Hereford a few dav> ago? I saw you riding through that city and tried to hail you. but yon seemed in a hurry as you put the spurs to your horse. . Had anything gone wrong ? You seemed to have your India rubber rolled up, as if you had been a long journey." This breeder, in opposition to Mr. Bates, be- gan to be a little quizzical, as he had strong sus- picion of Friday's visit to Herefordshire, after reading Bates' letter in the "Mark Lane Ex- press." "I hear you have been calling on Mr. Price. I understand his herd is a very superior one. How did you like it ?" Friday was as much confused as Bates. It was the truth, but how did he know it? The Shorthorn breeder tried to look Friday in the face, but he looked every way but his. He was determined to sift him a little further: "Now, Friday, I am as good at keeping a secret as Mr. Bates. Tell me how you liked Price's herd of Herefords? I heard you were there." "Who told you?" "What made you take your smock frock along, rolled up in front of you, to look conspicuously ? That was not a garment you usually wear on Sun- days. There is some mystery which you ought to explain to me, as I am as much interested as Bates; I do not want to see the Shorthorns defeated. Why did he deposit the forfeit and then withdraw? There is something wrong." After this it^was generally known what \vas the object of Friday's visit to Herefordshire, and for a time Friday was made the market talk, and one of Bates' myths was made public, much against his secret wishes. Friday had kept the West Highland cross confidentially in secret, but this one, so far from home, was too much for him. I have obtained these facts about as I state them from a source that can be relied upon, and I was familiar with the transaction through the "Mark Lane Express." In his letter to that paper, Mr. Bates wished Mr. Price to call upon him. None but a man of extreme vanity could have expected this. Mr. Price, being aware of Bates' prominent pe- culiarity of bribing the judges with insinua- tions, was the principal reason of his making the challenge, as he was determined that such a transaction should not be allowed on either side. Mr. Bates wrote to Mr. Price, saying he de- clined to meet him on account of gambling. This, and more frivolous excuses, he made in his letter to the "Mark Lane Express." In these letters he wished Mr. Price to call upon him, and he would return the call. Here was a chance for more quibbles on etiquette, but Mr. Bates, being a confirmed bachelor, I suppose did not study that part of his ceremonies, as a quibble for delay and a chance to back out. How they were to settle between themselves which was the best herd was only a schoolboy transaction. Of course each would declare his own the best, and neither they nor the public would have been satisfied. At the same time Mr. Bates said that he had a pair of twin bull calves of the Duchess tribe, he thought one of which would improve Mr. Price's Herefords. Mr. Price replied, "If you want to back out, tell me plainly; then I will listen, but I will not have any more cavil. The three judges having been agreed upon, can go to Kirklevington, and I will accompany them ; they can return to my place with your escort, then neither herd can be removed. I feel very reluctant in taking your proposition as a direct insult, but circumstances HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 205 indicate it. I must say that I was much surprised at such a proposition from one who professes so much to be a pure breeder. 1 as- sure you that no such cross as that can enter my herd." Mr. Price was indignant, and well he might be. Although Mr. Price might think that such a cross on the other side might have been made w T ith impunity in addition to Bates' other outs, he had more sense than to advise it, and eti- quette forbade him taking that liberty. When the news came to America, there was much con- sternation. The Bates organs modified it to the best of their ability. The advocates of the Bates mania, supposed to be moral men, thought the plea of gambling sufficient, notwithstand- ing more than half of them would buy pools or bet on a horse race. The trio of Bates flunkies Allen, Stevens, and Page were silent for a time, but the other part of the clan, like Bates, made manv excuses, and as the mania their nods as if they were familiar acquaint- ances. Although John had on his best clothes, there was something more wanting. It is very difficult for a plebeian in England to know how to act among aristocracy. No matter what clothes he wears, he is easily detected under any display of "independence"; however, the duke, lord or baronet in this "independent country" has no privilege, where all men are equal. Here John had the advantage over them "in "inde- pendence" ; but dukes and duchess titles in cattle were highly honored here, their money value far exceeding those whose titles were in- herited under the law of primogeniture, as they knew not the value of it. Reckless in their "independence," the English squandered it; consequently John had an ex- cellent opportunity to show himself, and his tongue had no curb to check it from having its full scope. John, fully aware the transactions in England amongst Bates men would justify AN AMERICAN SHOW-RING. UNDER THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR TENT. was previously up to fever heat, and the advo- cates in their glory, it was a difficult matter for them to form combined action, as the indis- cretion of Bates was so glaringly ridiculous. John R. Page, as he made himself very con- spicuous at the Shorthorn sales, when praising a Bates pedigree so highly, looked slyly and cautiously over his shoulder to see if Mr. Price or any Hereford breeder was behind him. In this connection I must give you more experience of this "herd book in breeches" as an auctioneer. All who knew John knew the frivolous airs he put on to assume consequence, his call to the "New York Mills sale" was supposed to be of such an exalted nature, and as he had to meet some of the nobility and aristocracy of England, he was compelled to put on as much polish as consistent with his high calling, and to. receive his case in action and attitude, felt independ- ent, his tongue moved as rapidly as was con- sidered discreet for him to make it. After being introduced to the foreigners, some of whom we knew, John mounted the rostrum, and when so elevated, the loftiness was of a very exciting nature. He stood erect in silence; not one of the nobility ventured to say, "Is that a dagger I see before me ?" "His stature will not compare with our old veteran Stafford in England," said one. His attitude was one foot forward, the other its rear guard, but he was evidently confused ; he pointed his forefinger tow r ards heaven, and the canopy- above was clear. He stammered a little and then said that he was exceedingly glad to see so many wealthy and influential gentlemen around him from both countries, "and you are aware that I HISTORY OF H E li E F it D CAT T L E have to offer you to-day some oi' the most fash- ionable blood descended from Mr. Bates' true and unadulterated original Dukes and Duch- esses, well known the wide world over, and you all well know that I am the gentleman who sold Mr. James 0. Sheldon's cattle of precisely the same families at Windsor, at the very gate of your Queen, and as there are many exalted Bates breeders among you I shall expect you to bid spiritedly." Here was John Bull and Jonathan pitted against each other, regardless of consequences. AT A COUNTRY FAIR IN MISSOURI. After the first bid John's flattering tongue was of no use to him nods were rapid and the order of the day. Fanciful John Bull was so extremely anxious to bid, and Jonathan out- numbering them, nodded conspicuously or gave tongue. The auctioneer became so confused he did not know which bid to take first; he almost fancied that it was he that was up for sale instead of the Duchess. An automaton would have answered the same purpose as John, amid such bidders. The representatives of both nations acted more like lunatics released from an asylum than breeders of discretion, seeking proper and profitable animals, as an example to benefit mankind. When the Duchess sold for forty thousand dollars, the shouts from the crowd were loud and long, neither John Bull nor Jonathan could command themselves; hats were thrown in the air, men were crazed in delight ; Jonathan and John Bull shook hands with each other, and with such a grip that all supposed that the two nations would never be divided, and that Thos. Bates would be king over all. One would sup- pose that Bedlam had been let loose, or that the lunatic asylum at Utica was on fire, and that the scattered inmates were attracted, by the hideous noises, to take a part. When Page asked for a bid on the next ani- mal, he was overcome; his voice failed, and when articulation came, a half dozen bids had been offered. "Go on," said John, and they did go on like men on the high road to ruin. When the sale was ended, some of them sup- posed they had been dreaming; others boasted of their bargains, and felt as proud as "Luci- fer." After the Englishman for whom the Duchess was said to be purchased was informed of the transactions he preferred to pay $10,000 forfeit rather than $30,000 more and take the Duchess, which offer was accepted, and a rich New Yorker agreed to take her, but she died before she was delivered. The majority of the Duchesses were either hopelessly barren or fol- lowed the fate of the Duchess, who was buried in utter silence, and in the dark with her thin skin on, in honor of Thos. Bates, Esq., Kirk- levington, Eng. I am not posted as to her hav- ing a marble tomb erected over her to denote her sacred memory. I could tell you much more; L have said so much on Bates and his followers to show how much this clan set against the Herefords. Now I intend to show what I and my Herefords went through after this bubble burst. All I have told you about it has been true, which I will challenge any man of truth to deny. * * * PART X. You saw by the letter from Mr. Wm. Cother, Esq., that there was no Herd Book for Here- fords when I imported; but the breeders from whom I purchased kept a reliable record of their own. After the present Herd Book was estab- lished, some of the best breeders were very care- less about entering their cattle. Being so well satisfied with the pedigrees kept by themselves, and feeling confident of their practical judg- ment in selecting the sires to maintain the supe- riority of their herds, they felt perfectly safe in keeping the sound doctrine of self-preserva- tion. The Hereford breeders were principally prac- tical men, not easily led away by novices or theory. The profits of their cattle kept them independent. Any one conversant with the Hereford fairs (j[ 106), and seeing the immense number of white-faces that came in on these occasions (the money that changed hands there, aside from that paid to the breeders of steers, at their homes), and sent directly to those graziers spoken of in Mr. Cother's letter, could not but see their true value. The graziers, knowing the truth of the supe- riority of Herefords for grazing, purchased HISTORY F H E R E F R I) CAT T L E them. Amongst them were Shorthorn breeders to my knowledge. I will give you an instance of one of these of much prominence, which came under my observation. My brother-in-law, Mr. Marmaduke Matthews, lived a close neigh- bor to the well-known rich commoner, Mr. Langston of Sarsdon, Oxfordshire (whose only daughter and heiress married Earl Ducie), the well-known purchaser of the Bates Shorthorns, at Earl Ducie's sale, that were subsequently pur- chased by Mr. Jonathan Thorn and Mr. L. G. Morris, brought to this country, and with which all breeders of Shorthorns are familiar. While staying with my brother-in-law he pro- posed to 'drive me over to see Mr. Langston's Shorthorns, and as I had frequently met Mr. Langston in the hunting field and once sold him one of the best hunters he ever had in his sta- bles, at a high figure, and which proved a great favorite with him, I readily accepted. We drove to the house of Mr. Savage, who was Mr. Lang- ston's steward, which situation affords him a splendid home, and one of his best farms, which he rented. There was another farm he managed for Mr. L., which surrounded Mr. L.'s mansion and pleasure grounds. Mr. Savage and myself had previously met at fairs and markets and were pretty well known to each other ; therefore etiquette was not called into question, arid an introduction was unnecessary. We had a good, hearty shake, and I was ten- dered a hearty welcome. "I will send over to the house and tell Mr. L. you are here, as I know he will be glad to see you; he has the old hunter you sold him, and although now six- teen years old he is about as good as ever. He often speaks of the daring way you used to ride across the country here, and that you were as close to the tail of the hounds as any of them.'' Here I must digress a little, and may be considered a little egotistical, but never mind. Probably there was not a more daring rider in the whole of the Duke of Beaufort's hunt, and at the age of twenty-five I never knew what fear was. I sold many horses to the nobility and gentry, and I was a fair judge of a hunter, but did not spare them when under me and the saddle. Bullfinch, brook, wall, or awa-awa never came amiss to me. The horse had to take them if there was the least prospect. By this daring I was as well known to the Duke of Beaufort's hunt as any man. We had just got through our "bread, cheese and ale" when Mr. L. appeared, seated on the old horse. He held out his hand and gave me a hearty shake, which was the grip of the true English sportsman. "Do you know the old horse?" said he. "I do, and it calls to mind the happy days through that win- ter in which 1 rode him." "Ah/" said he, "you were enough for any of them then, and the old horse was master of your weight. My careful riding has saved him until now, and he is good yet." We took a survey through the Shorthorns, which were all of the Bates tribes, a draft in the beginning from the Earl of Ducie. Al- though then considered in the height of fashion and petted by fancy men, I must say I never saw a worse herd. They seemed to me longer and coarser in the legs than any of the tribes I had seen in America, or even what I had seen at Kirklevington. I asked Mr. Savage if there was any propriety in keeping such stock. This brought out a long argument between my- self and Mr. Savage. He held up for style and grandeur, and I went for compactness, sub- stance and quality. I condemned their thin hides and blubbery handling, at which Mr. Sav- age was a little inclined to take offense. Mr. Langston laughed, and Mr. Matthews said but little, as he was breeding unpedigreed Short- horns to a Hereford bull, raising steers and sending them to market at two years old, by which he made a handsome profit. There were lots of young bulls. If I had been a Shorthorn breeder I would not have taken either as a gift. "Who do you get to buy these bulls, Mr. Sav- age?" said I. "Oh! We let our tenants have them to improve their stock." At this period I PRACTICING FOR THE SHOW. saw a lot of white-faces in a field at a little distance. "What are you doing with those white- faces?" I said. "Oh, they are some two-year- old Hereford steers I bought at Hereford fair to feed." We took a survey through them; they were a very nice lot; probably not quite so good as those of graziers who picked them up of the breeders before the fair, but they were even, and showed good breeding. They were JJ IS TORY OF HEKE'FOKD CATTLE in a good bite of grass; some of them were stretched out in the sun sleeping, others stand- ing chewing their cuds contentedly.-' If we dis- turbed one from his lair he would twist his tail round and stretch himself, which satis- fied Mr. Savage that they were thriving finely. One of them seemed contented, and with a mild look in his eye allowed us to handle him. His hide was thick and mellow, his flesh firm and ripe; I called Mr. Savage's attention to this steer's compactness, symmetry, quality and weight. "Have you a Shorthorn in your herd that can compare with him ? Is there an ani- mal amongst them with such a constitution? Have these and your Shorthorns all lived alike ?" He said there was but little difference in their pastures. "If Shorthorns are so su- perior to Herefords, why did you not go to Darlington fair or market and buy high-grade Shorthorn steers and spayed heifers, which could be bought in any quantity, and at less money than Herefords? There seems to be a myth among Shorthorn breeders that I cannot understand. I think you are more attached to fashion, fancy and pedigree than you are to a rent-paying animal." "I tell you, Sotham," said Mr. Savage, "it is of no use disguising the fact. Those Hereford steers will go to market a month hence, without cake or corn, but Short- horns want to be finished on cake, and. I am free to say they fetch the higher price over the Shorthorns. If Shorthorns make greater weight, the extra weight does not compensate for food consumed." "I am satisfied, Mr. Sav- age," said I, "so let us change the subject," which was converted to prospects of things in America. Mr. Matthews and myself dined with Mr. Savage, and spent the afternoon smoking our long clay pipes, drinking our port and sherry in moderation, and in the evening sat down to a game at whist, which we kept up un- til a late hour. Probably it is one of the greatest sights in the world to see at any Hereford fair so many superior cattle with white faces, and so uni- form in color, symmetry, substance and qual- ity combined, as to make that breed superior to any other. I was never more amazed than at my first visit. It confirmed my belief and a fixture of me, in favor of the Herefords, prob- ably to the end of my life. I at once felt satis- fied I was on the right track in cattle breed- ing, however the Americans might be preju- diced against them. Notwithstanding they were shut out of state and county shows and driven under the lash A "LINE-UP" AT WEAVERGHACE, FARM OF T. F. B. SOTHAM. HIST R Y OF H E R K F () H D CAT T L E 209 of influenced judges, they could not always be robbed of their good name and real merit ; the reputation of the Herefords was too well es- tablished to be forever injured by a moneyed power or to allow prejudice to long rule over them. Under such a pressure, however, it was impossible for Herefords to win prizes, unless their superiority was so palpable that con- science, though seared, was compelled to give way. Soon after this, the Earl of Warwick won the first prize at Smithfield with a Hereford ox of which the editor of the "Mark Lane Ex- press" spoke very highly. I wrote to the Earl of no doubt the Herefords are the best breeds for such objects. Notwithstanding well bred ones are bought very dear (a proof of their estimation) 1 think they pay best for their keep, turning into money faster for the food they eat, less liable to casualties, from the thriving disposition of their constitutions to do well and lay on flesh while growing. I send into Here- fordshire and buy lean, young stock, of the best breeders, not trusting to the fairs. 1 know how all are bred. The ox*I won the first prize with at the Smithfield show last year, 1840, and the best beast of any class shown by the ninety competitors, I bought as a three-year-old, with THE CATTLE RING AT THE DETROIT INTERNATIONAL FAIR AND EXPOSITION. T. F. B. SOTHAM, SECRETARY. Warwick for a little information of the Here- fords and received the following letter : Warwick Castle; Eng. Sir: I buy my stock in poor, at two and three years old ; fat them for the butcher ; fat them on grass in the summer and on hay and turnips in winter, finishing them on oil cake when necessary. To do which it would be immaterial to me which breed I bought or where, depending on what would grow or fat fastest, as good butchers' beasts the butcher being my customer and I have many more at seventeen pounds each, lean. He ran with the other steers, and was put up with them to fat, and I never thought of sending him to Smithfield until two months before the show, never having sent a beast there before. After the show I sold him to a London butcher to kill, for seventy pounds. There is a wretched print of him in the London shops. The painter who did his picture for me is Mr. Davis, animal painter to the Queen, and lives at Chelsea. He made a very good colored engraving, one of which I should be happy to procure for you if you will have the goodness to write to me when 810 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE you arrive in England next summer. My house in London is 7 Carlton Gardens. (Signed) WARWICK. I called at Warwick Castle in 1842, and, after sending in my card, the Earl ordered his valet to show me in. As soon as he remem- bered my letter to him, and the prize ox, he or- dered his man to bring up two. saddle horses and he would show me the steers feeding in the park. The pasture* was excellent on the old sod. They were a capital lot of two-year-olds, he purchased in Herefordshire in the spring. We talked of the prospects of the Herefords in America, and other different subjects, and he gave me a note to Mr. Davis, to give me one of the engravings of the ox, which I brought STOCK BARN AT T. L. MILLER'S "HIGHLAND FARM," BEECHER, ILL. here and presented to the late Hon. Erastus Corning, and, if I mistake not, it still hangs up in the residence in Albany now occupied by his widow, whose age is 87 years. This letter to me from so prominent a peer in England made quite a stir. Mr. Francis Rotch felt quite indignant. He wrote a clas- sical criticism upon it, in which he hinted that the letter could not be genuine. Luther Tucker, Sr., called upon me, and told me what Mr. Rotch had written. He did not publish it, but wrote him that the letter was certainly from the Earl of Warwick ; that his "coat of arms" was on the seal, and there was nothing relating to the letter that could be construed into deceit. I immediately sat down and wrote Mr. Rotch as severe a letter as was ever written to an- other. I knew the circumstances for which he left New England, and I did not scruple in asking him if he supposed my character was like unto his, obliged to leave home for evil deeds done in the body. I told Mr. Tucker what I had done, who knew the circumstances of the late banker's sinning, notwithstanding I told him "that he who was without sin, let him cast the first stone," still I felt certain' that I should never be guilty of forgery and for this broad insinuation I should chastise him the first time we met. A few days after, Mr. Tucker came to me and said there was a gentleman in his office who wished to see me very particularly. Mr. Tucker had shown him the original letter, which he pronounced genuine, and Mr. Tucker, when he told me who it was, asked me to keep my temper. "Why, Mr. Tucker, I think you know me well enough that I can always forgive a man who acknowledges himself in error." Mr. Rotch then walked in out of the back room, and made me a very satisfactory apology, but there was much said about this letter in the "Culti- vator," which can be seen on investigation, in 1841. Here is another substantial evidence in favor of Herefords, and I have never yet seen a single instance where Herefords have been fairly tried but what they were appreciated. The following is an extract from a letter to me from Mr. Fisher Hobbs, Marks Hall, Essex, England, one of the most prominent agriculturists of his day : "When I commenced farming and breeding on my own account, in addition to my steward- ship to Lord Western, I purchased a Short- horn herd, probably but few better in Eng- land. I kept them and had to nurse them ten- derly for five years. Notwithstanding this, I had become almost wedded to them. The no- bility, with whom I much associated, patron- ized them, and I followed their example. I purchased a small herd of Herefords, because they sold cheap, and to my utter astonishment they could live and -grow fat, while the Shorthorns grew poor, all faring alike. Al- though much against my wishes, I sold off the Shorthorns and took to Herefords, and have kept to them with much faith." I sent the whole of this letter to the Albany "Cultivator" just before the beginning of the Bates mania, and when the junior editor was a boy playing marbles in the street. Mr. Luther Tucker, Sr., published it and was much pleased with it. Mr. Hobbs won the first prize for the best cow-in-milk, with a Hereford, against numerous Shorthorns, and kept to the Here- fords until his death. Wherever similar trials have been impartially made, the Herefords have invariably been successful. Mr. Fisher Hobbs and Lord Western were the originators of the Essex hogs, the latter imported the Neapolitan hog and the former crossed them with the "old Essex" breed, hence the improved breed. When in England, after my .second lot of Herefords, I called upon Mr. Hobbs, at Essex HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE Hall, and was received most kindly. We rode over his farm, viewed the battle, which con- sisted of Herefords, and discussed the demand for his Essex hogs, which at that time was very great. I found in Mr. Hobbs one of the most substantial men I ever met, and never spent a more pleasant time than while under his roof. Many of the nobility looked up 'to him for ad- vice. No man stood higher as a steward or as an agriculturist, and he was a leading man at the principal meetings and exhibitions of the country. I purchased a pair of his pigs, and had them sent to London to be shipped with my Herefords. The testimony of such men is worth preserv- ing, while those who write for the sake of see- ing their names in print copy from others, no better informed than themselves, put on airs un- becoming men of judgment, do a great deal of injury, much more than they have any idea. How many writers of the past have been prac- tical men ? Youatt is yet often quoted by edi- tors, novices in breeding, such as J. H. San- ders, Judge T. C. Jones and many others I have named, who have pinned their faith to him, when all practical men who have read Youatt can plainly see that he knew little more about cattle than cattle knew of him, and it was sheer affectation for him even to attempt so impor- tant an undertaking. He was educated as a veterinary surgeon, which profession required a classical education, and upon which acquired education such men are apt to place the founda- tion of their knowledge so that when they write, they study the classical part more fully than the more practical. So it was with Youatt. He looked more to his orthography, etymology, syntax and prosody than he did to the good points and character of animals, or the true science in breeding them. He never studied good breeding practically, but gained his information at market ordinaries of those interested, and his friends were princi- pally amongst the Shorthorn breeders. It was mostly hearsay without proper foundation. Any practical man can discover this through the whole of his work, which I have read close- ly, and have frequently quoted critically, which can be plainly seen in my former letters. He decidedly shows that he listened attentively to the dictates of Shorthorn breeders, because he knew they were rich, and by their riches had run themselves into a rapid current of notoriety. Such men have done great injury to the progress of good breeding. There are too many who have followed this example, feeling themselves ex- alted because they have written a book, no mat- ter whether mankind had received any benefit from it, or it had inflicted a great and palpable injury. All L. F. Allen's works are borrowed from such men as Youatt, while the portion ema- nating from his own brain rests upon a very shallow foundation, or smacks strongly toward his own interest. You might easily suppose that L. F. Allen was the founder and self-pre- server of all the breeds in the universe, but it was this consummate vanity that prompted him to borrow the plumage of others in forming the bulk of his books. Shorthorn men them- selves saw the exaggerations of Shorthorns and his desire to depreciate the Herefords. All knew his motives and his strong prejudices, and some of them made allowances for some of his idiosyncrasies. Although L. F. Allen was exceedingly anxious to become a noted breeder of Shorthorns, which was at one time partially supposed, on paper, he never bred or owned a good animal of the Shorthorn breed in his life. He was a man of great notoriety, without the necessary essentials of true merit to back him. I cannot but believe that his book on the different breeds of cattle has done much more harm to the community than he can ever repair. He supposed in his vanity that I was so far inferior to him in position, amongst the cattle men, that there was no paper in this A MISSOURI COW AND HER TRIPLETS. country whose editor would allow me to reply to him. I am very anxious to have him reply to my strictures upon him, backed by the other flunkies I have named, so intimately connected with him. I tell them all that the editors and proprietors of the "Drover's Journal" are hon- est in their purposes, and will publish anything they choose to write. My suggestions to them are, not to change a word, but give them their full force, and that they will find the "Drover's Journal" impartial toward either breeder or breed, and for which they have be.en rewarded for their honesty and independence in the sue- 212 HISTORY OF H EKE FOR I) CATTLE cess they have achieved in the field of journal- ism. May they still become more prosperous is my sincere wish. My ohject is to write the truth, and if any of my former opponents think me in error, I am open to criticism, I care not in what shape it comes. If I cannot vindicate myself I will cry peccavi, and acknowledge the fault. All I ask is a fair field and no favor. PART XI. The Bates ring is now broken up, the Bates mania defunct ; titles are looked upon with sus- picion. Men who supported them did so to their hearts' content, but would now gladly re- turn them to the country in which they were created. GRADE STEER CALVES IN AN IOWA FEED LOT. The wise men at the East have to be fed with roast beef by the practical men at the West; therefore, they have to study the best and most economical way of making it to their own ad- vantage. They have found out that the Here- ford has a strong constitution, has a good, thick, mellow hide to protect it, under which good quality invariably rests. Their meat being well interlarded is put on in the right places; this gained in their activity is" unchangeable, which enables them to take it to market in good shape. The Bates tribes under their thin hides and soft handling, so vehemently supported by their breeders, cannot stand the hardship they have to endure, especially when weaned from their nursing and pampering. The character of their soft flesh is bred in them, under the absurd doctrine Thomas Bates was constantly preach- ing to his followers. This flabby flesh wasted away in their coarseness from the exertion which compelled them to travel for their food, and what they did put on was carried to market in had shape, which made thorn only fit for stoekers to be finished amidst plenty, where they could be indulged in idleness, then the most profitable parts were deficient, not having been bred there; their pedigree must have been a fraud. So goes the world and the people in it are subject to many changes. L. F. Allen and his herd book, J. R. Page and his flattering portraits, even with the assistance of Ambrose Stevens, can never compensate for the injury thev have done to Shorthorns. * * * PART XII. about in my 25th year, I used to go to visit my uncle in London, who lived in White Lion street, a close neighbor to Mr. William Gurrier, who was salesman for my father; and being fond of stock, I used to get up in the morning between 1 and 2 o'clock to ride with Mr. Gurrier to market, as Smith- field began at this time by lamp light. He kindly took me through the cattle as he handled them in their pens, frequently asking me which was the best bullock. If I differed with his judgment he explained it to me. I was always on hand at my uncle's door when he called for me. Mr. Giblett was one of the best customers, and we frequently went to Bond street to view the stall of meat killed by this noted purveyor. We had not much chance of judging between the Herefords and Shorthorns, as he seldom killed any of the latter, which were at that period very coarse and of inferior quality. Mr. Giblett's principal purchases were Herefords and Scots. Here we had a good chance to com- pare our judgments of alive and dead,' and I again say here that no man can be a successful breeder of cattle of any breed unless he can discover true quality in the live animal. To do this, his hand must be his guide. The more Galloway and Highland blood they introduced into the crossed Durhams the more they improved them, hence, the name of "Im- proved Shorthorn." When the passion for up- standing style in Dukes and Duchesses became fashionable and fanciful, this improvement was destroyed, and good breeding was lost sight of. Mr. Giblett's establishment and his repu- tation for the best stall of meat was extended far into the country, he killing nothing but Herefords and Scots. It was a great grati- fication to me to see the display of meat in this well-known and extensive establishment, and I was a frequent visitor when on a visit to my London friends. Everything was kept in the HI-STORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 213 neatest order, he would not aiiow inferior car- casses of beef, mutton or veal to enter it. It Was a pattern to all such establishments in that metropolis. There was not a breeder or farmer of any note in England, when visiting the city, but took a pleasant survey of it before they left. 1 frequently talked to Mr. Giblett and his son rtbout the Herefords. They always spoke of them in the highest terms, and as being the most profitable beasts for the butcher. I in- quired of several of the best butchers in sev- eral of the market towns in the country; all told me the same tale, but many of them said that they bought more Scots and Welsh cattle on account of the smallness of the joints, and because they could buy them cheaper than they could Herefords before they reached London. Go to Oxford and you find that all the first- class butchers say that they buy none but first- class Herefords to supply the colleges with beef, and here much of it is consumed. Go and ex- amine the extensive meadows rented by the principal butchers in that city, containing some of the best grazing land in the. world; there you will see none but the best Hereford steers and oxen, all belonging to butchers, placed in ilic different lots, as a supply when wanted. It is highly gratifying to the lover of good stock and well-fed beef to go and examine the carcasses behind these white-faces, every meadow containing from twenty to forty head. I remember Mr. A. B. Allen, when in England, then editor of the "American Agriculturist," being struck with this display of Herefords, could not refrain from writing a paragraph of high praise as he viewed them from the terrace of Christ Church College. This was the principal market to which the noted and most worthy supporter of Herefords, Mr. Westcar of Creslow, Buckinghamshire, sent- his well-fed Herefords. Mr. Richard Rowland, his successor, taking all things into considera- tion, found this his best market; he still holds to the Herefords as most profitable. Having become, like his uncle, thoroughly disgusted with the way the shows were conducted, he de- clined ever again showing an animal, notwith- standing he feeds the very best. In a letter to me, which I published in the Albany "Culti- vator" of 1842, he said he never would allow another animal of his under such treatment as the Herefords had at their shows. TEXAS 2-YEAR-OLD STEERS IN AN OHIO PASTURE. (Champions at Chicago Live Stock Exposition, 1901. Property of D. W. Black, Lyndon, O.) a 14 H 1 S T O R Y OF H E E E F E D C A T T L E PART X11I. As many of the Herefords conn 1 , when calved, with spots on their faces, let me tell those con- cerned that it is no disparagement to the breed. 1 have seen some of the best with mottled faces. Tomkins was a prominent breeder of the best, and preferred the mottled face, and many are descended to his favorite mottled faced cow, which, at that day, was considered as good as any, and those that run back to the Tomkins sort in this respect are generally good animals. The defeat the Bates Shorthorns have ex- perienced at the Bath and West of England A BUNCH OF MISSOURI YEARLING HEIFERS. (Bred by T. F. B. Sotham.) show, by the Herefords, has had a tendency to check their breeders' vanity. 1 will here give extracts from the leading papers of England. The following is from the "Mark Lane Ex- press" of June 17th, 1878, on the Royal Show of that year: "We consider the Shorthorn cow class to be a disgrace to that breed, and therefore to the breeders. We are quite unable to discover the 'grandeur' and 'superb character,' and the 'mag- nificent character' of these old crocks, which some of the Shorthorn fanciers appear to have the faculty of discovering, and do not hesitate to record them as being just a rough lot of cows. If their blood is of the bluest, their carcasses nre of the ugliest, and are not worth anything beyond contractor's price when they come at last to the shambles. We can't help thinking that to a really unprejudiced mind there must be an evidence of a something outside agri- culture, and quite useless to the rent-paying farmer, in this Shorthorn 'fancy.' We are sen- sible of the improvement that has been effected already in the rank and file of our cattle throughout the country by the use of this Short- horn blood. We do not wish to detract one iota from its legitimate merits, but simply to point out wherein it becomes sometimes a matter of ridicule to non-believers. We see prizes awarded systematically which are not calcu- lated to improve the production of either meat or milk in their descendants, and we are told that there is some marvelous power and virtue stowed up in their veins, and that although their bodies the casket are unsightly, their blood the jewel is pure, potent and almost priceless. Well, we simply do not believe it as they put it. We are perfectly well aware that any 'terribly in-bred weed," a wretch to look at, but having an exceptional pedigree, will, if matched with mongrel-bred stock, produce a result which is far, very far, in advance of the mongrel-bred dams. So would any absolutely purely bred animal. Therefore, we think that farmers, those who have the production of beef and milk in view, have a right to expect some- thing which is calculated to effect their object in a direct manner; no breeder of bullocks would give herd room, much more a high price, for the bluest blood bull which did not carry a frame the character of which it was desirable to transmit. When a lot of highly bred, but not correctly fashionable, young bulls, are to be bought for about thirty pounds apiece, and here and there one that has been bred correctly to" fashion fetches three thousand pounds and would not be worth one shilling more to the food producer, then we think we are justified in saying that rent-paying farmers have already drawn the line between business and fancy by refusing to give more than a business price for a fancy article. We should be glad to see every young Shorthorn bull now in the breeders' hands sold to tenant farmers, who would use them for meat or milk, as their requirements might decide, and are firm believers in the gen- eral usefulness and superior adaptability of the breed to any other; but we feel it a duty to point out the ridiculous position the Shorthorn breed- ers seem content to occupy at our great shows, by the mixed qualities and low status of many of the animals exhibited, which gives oppor- tunity for pointing the finger of scorn, and leads to such questions as 'when is the bottom of this Shorthorn humbug likely to drop out?' We hear a great deal about the 'alloy,' and if correctly informed, it means an infusion of Scotch blood of some kind, and to our mind the very thing these Shorthorns are now needing is another infusion a strong one of some al- loy which will give them the thickness of flesh, the wealth of hair, and the butchers' form they so seldom possess, and then we should be pre- HISTORY OF H EKE FORD CATTLE 5J15 pared to expect great things from the renovated blood." The same paper, speaking of the Herefords at this same show, says : "They are not so numerous as the more fash- ionable breed, but the quality throughout is ex- cellent. In the aged bull class there are five animals of which the Hereford men need not be ashamed. The heifers in milk numbered only three, but two of them were such animals as it was worth while coming to Oxford on purpose to see. Mrs. Sarah Edwards of Win- tercott took first and second, leaving Mr. Lutly the reserve, but Mrs. Sarah Edwards' Leonora (|| 107) is one of the most perfect animals that has been shown for years. It was first last year as a yearling at Liverpool, and will likely be first wherever it goes. The Champion prize given by the Oxfordshire Agricultural Society was also awarded to this heifer, as the best fe- male horned animal in the yard. The champion heifer, Beatrice (fl 108), is also very handsome, and took second to Leonora's first at the Royal last year, as it did last week at Oxford. Mrs. Edwards may well be proud of such stock as that. If Leonora had been a Grand Duchess, Shorthorn, a poem would have been composed in her honor, and translated in several lan- guages by this time, but no Shorthorn that we have ever seen was cast in such a mold as this Hereford heifer." Of the award of the champion prize, the same authority gives the following account : "One of the most attractive features of the opening judging was the awarding of the cham- pion prizes given by the Oxford Agricultural Association, and a great deal of interest cen- tered in it. For the best Shorthorn animal in the" yard' the award was given by the Shorthorn judges, of whom there were but two, Mr. Drew^ ery and Mr. Trindall, and the contest was be- tween Mr. Ljnton's Sir Arthur Ingram and Mr. Marche's heifer Diana, and after some little time the bull took the prize card. To our minds the white bull calf Prince Victor was a better Shorthorn than either of them. He would be a bold man who would stake his reputation on a calf, as it may not realize the expectation formed of it, but taking the animals as they stood simply as merit actually possessed at the time, we thought the calf the best, nor were we singular in that opinion. Then the whole con- claves of judges came into the ring to decide which was the best male horned animal in the yard, and here the Shorthorn men were hope- lessly in the minority, cornered in a manner that does not often happen in a show yard. In vain Mr. Brewery contrasted the strong points of Sir Arthur Ingram with the weak ones of Mr. Roger's Hereford bull Grateful (fl 109) ; it was all to no purpose; the rest could not get away from the Hereford, whose wonderful rib and forehand was too much for the Shorthorn, and the show of hands showed an overwhelm- ing majority for the Hereford. There is no doubt but that, had the Shorthorn judges been of sufficient numerical strength, they would not only have prevented this Hereford triumph, but also that which followed when the best female horned animal had to be decided upon, for if went sadly against the grain to award even such a heifer as Mrs. Sarah Edwards' Leonora the championship over the Shorthorn Diana, but it had to be done, and we think there were few outsiders who were not thoroughly satisfied. These champion awards were an unquestionable streak of lean for the 'fancy,' and we may de- pend on their not allowing such a thing to occur again if they, can help it. This, coming after Paris, is about as much as they will be able to bear with patience. We should be glad to see sweepstakes judging of this kind more fre- quently." The Shorthorn men, gaining full control of the Royal Agricultural Society and the Smith- field Club, forbade the contest between the Shorthorns and Herefords thereafter, well knowing the consequence, should it again occur under impartial and sound judgment. The edi- NBBRASKA RANGE CALVES IN THE KANSAS CITY STOCK YARDS. (En route to Eastern feed lots.) tonal in the "Mark Lane Express" instituting comparison is true and was written by an im- partial scribe, shows plainly how others see it. The "Mark Lane Express" supported the Short- horns above any other breed, until they saw their error. The interest in that paper was supported by the aristocracy of the country. I will conclude with a short sketch of Cap- tain Morgan's visit to Mr. Hewer's in Glouces- tershire. As 1 had crossed the ocean with him HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE in the old Philadelphia and Hendrick Hudson seven times and return, we became thoroughly acquainted, were never more happy than when we could get a good joke on each other. The Captain's laugh was so hearty that it cheered everyone who heard it, and this being my third trip for cattle, I engaged the steerage in New York to bring them in. Going out Captain Morgan agreed to go with me into the country, to see some of my friends. We went into Oxfordshire and tarried all night a't the house of an old acquaintance, who was exceedingly glad to see us, to talk about the old country and the new, and, being early spring, the young rooks were fully fledged and ready to depart from their nests, a rook-shooting party was expected the next day. The host, the Cap- tain and myself went out to view the young ones, perched by the side of their nests ready to take their flight when confident of the strength of their wings. The host asked the Captain if he was a good shot. "I used to be a good shot with a rifle when young, and I think I could hit one of those chaps on the highest tree with one." The host fetched his gun and loaded both barrels; the Captain brought down his bird. "Try again," said the host; he did, and was equally successful. "You may as well kill enough for a rook pie for dinner to-morrow, before the shooters come in the afternoon." RANGE CALVES BOUGHT BY T. F. B. SOTHAM FOR EASTERN FEEDERS. "Why, do you eat crow in England?" said the Captain, and he gave the American defi- nition, with one of his hearty laughs. "We consider young rook quite a favorite dish with us, and I do not think you will de- spise it to-morrow, after tasting it." So the Captain went on shooting until he killed a dozen, only missing two shots. "Why, you will do to compete with the best of them to-morrow." The uproarious noise the old and young rooks made in the rookery at- tracted a great deal of the Captain's attention ; it amused him much. We strolled round the farm until tea time, looking at the Cotswolds, all of which were very good. -After, the neighbors called in, to whom I was principally known, and the Captain soon became acquainted, as he prided himself on be- ing a "full blooded Connecticut Yankee," and knew how to ask a few questions. We smoked our long pipes, and drank our ale, or brandy and water, as tastes differed. The Captain told some good yarns about land and sea that amused the whole party. He almost made them be- lieve that roast pigs were in every shop window. with a fork stuck in their backs, inviting emi- grants to come in and eat them free of cost. One old gentleman said he thought it must be a great country, but that he thought he was too old to emigrate. The next day at 1 o'clock we sat down to the rook pie. The Captain could not help thinking of crow. He said to me, "Do you eat crow?" "Certainly," said I, "and I bet you praise the crow as much as you did the gun with which you killed them." The top crust was short and flaky, the under crust savory; the crow tender and of very nice flavor. The Captain looked at me and said "crow pie," as soon as he tasted it. I said, "How do you like it ?" "It is good, so far, anyway." All were helped, and all en- joyed it. The Captain began to think it ex- cellent. "I challenge you to a glass of wine," said the host. "Which will you have port or sherry?" and after he washed the first serving down, he was ready to be served to a second. Who would have thought a Yankee could have supposed crow so good as this? The Captain said he never before enjoyed a dinner so much. The host loaned the Captain his gun, and nearly every one of his shots brought a "crow." The guests thought the Captain a dead shot, and there was about a wagon-load of young rooks in a pile from all the guns. All were anxious for a rook pie, and each took his share, the best shots having no more than those less successful. The Captain asked the hostess how she mado that "crow pie." She told him that she took out the backbone, which was considered bitter, arid jointed the rest, which was finer than even partridge or pigeon, and the rooks being young were always tender and of fine flavor. The Captain said he wished they could convert the crows into rooks in America. It was now time to leave for Northleach, Gloucestershire, to visit Mr. William Hewer. William and myself being intimate friends from school -fellows, I Avas as much at home as if I had been in mv own house. William knew we HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 217 were coming and met us at the station. 1 said to him that "this is a Yankee Captain from New England, and 1 advise you to look out for him." "All right," said he, "and we will make a Hereford man of him." We got there just in time for supper, which was a cold leg of mutton, bread, cheese and water-cresses. The Captain said that he had eaten so much "crow pie" that he did not feel like eating any supper. The Captain liked water-cresses fresh from the spring, and that, with the Stilton cheese, re- freshed his appetite, and we supped together in merry mood, notwithstanding we had eaten crow. After supper we took our long pipes, and Miss Hewer brought in some mulled elder wine for a night cap. The next morning after break- fast William ordered his hunter, a mare four- teen years old I had sold him before I left Eng- land, as good a hunter as was ever under a saddle, and as good a pony that he rode around the farm, as ever was crossed by a man, and who knew as much as half of them. The grey- hounds came jumping round, and we were off for a course. Hares were plentiful. "Which will you take, the old mare or the bay ? Sotham. can ride either, and I will ride the pony," but the Captain chose the pony. We joked the Cap- tain on his seat in the saddle, and asked him if we should tie h.is legs. The first field produced a hare, and the greyhounds killed her before she got out of it. The pony became a little excited, but' the Captain stuck to the saddle, and was highly delighted with the course, the first he had even seen. The next field William saw a hare in her form. "jSTow, Captain," said William, "go start for that tree and you will see her, whip her up; a hare will always lie very close when the dogs are round. We will give her plenty of law." The Captain could not see the hare in her form, but he supposed he must be near her, so he popped his whip. Up jumped the hare and the pony jumped from under the Captain. He lay upon his back and the pony kicked up his heels at his leisure. The course lay in the adjoining field. Our horses took the wall in good style (j[ 110). The Cap- tain was soon on the top of it in great excite- ment. It was a capital course and our mutual friend was highly delighted ; the wall gave him the advantage of seeing the whole of it. We afterwards killed a brace more hares and re- turned home to eat a coursed hare that had been hanging in the larder until ripe. It was fine, with the port wine gravy and currant jelly. "I tell you, Sotham," said the Captain, "this is about as good as crow. Why," said the Captain, as we joined in a glass of wine, "you English fellows live well. A fine boiled leg of Cotswold mutton and turnips, a roast hare, and an English plum pudding." The Captain was as much at home as if he had known Mr. Hewer his whole life, as they were two hearty, good fellows, well met. The next day we proposed to go and look at the cattle and Cotswolds that were to be shipped. As it was only half a mile to where the stock were, we agreed to walk and take the greyhounds with us. We walked about twenty yards apart. "So-ho !" said William, "there she sits just before you, Captain; put her up." The hare being so near the color of the ground, and she crouching into it so closely, the Cap- tain could not see her until she jumped up. It was a good, strong hare, and the turnings were A ROW OP STOCK BULLS. AT SHADELAND FARM, LAFAYETTE, IND. numerous. The hare got a little law, and went straight for the Captain. A hare, when pur- sued by greyhounds, never sees anything before her, as her eyes are always back upon her pur- suers. The Captain took off his new beaver, and as she was coming straight to him, put it between his legs to catch her. She went right straight into it, knocking the crown' partly out, and the greyhounds being so close, came in con- tact with the Captain, nearly upsetting him. The Captain, gaining his equilibrium, gave one of his most hearty laughs, which echoed over the hills and through the vales. Such a burst of laughter issued from this, our trio, that will be remembered to our latter end. The Cap- tain was highly delighted^ and at her death, ran to take the hare from the dogs, forgetting his hat, which lay at a short distance from him. "By Jupiter," said the Captain, "did you ever see anything like that ? It will do for me to tell the Connecticut Yankees." We examined the hat, and the crown was about, half circled. "Never mind," said the Captain, "I suppose there is a hat store in Northleach." We then went to see the cargo destined for America. The Herefords were in one yard, the Cotswold rams, seventeen in number, in one 218 HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE pen, the ewes, eight, in another. 1 never saw a man enjoy anything more than the Captain did in viewing this stock. "Remember, Mr. Hewer," said he, "I am a Connecticut Yankee, and like to ask questions. How do you manage to raise such stock as this, and keep them in such fine condition? Why, the cattle look all alike, and the sheep all alike; how can you tell them apart?" "I know every sheep in my flock by its face, as you know your children. The cattle are also familiar to me from calves. I like all of them as I do my family. I do not like to sell any of SOME SHADELAND MATRONS. (Herd of the late Adams Earl, Lafayette, Ind.) my best, but as my old friend and I have been attached to each other from school boys to- gether, I could not do less than let him have some of them. He bought the Cotswold rams at my sale and I think they are a good lot. Five of the ewes took first prize at the Royal Show at Oxford, 1839. I should be very sorry to have my culls go to America under such cir- cumstances." "There is something in that," said the Cap- tain, and we all agreed it was an amicable trade, and no man could feel more proper pride than the Captain that he was going to convey such stock to his country. As the Captain had to leave in the 4 o'clock coach, we made for home, and on our way had another course. This made the fifth hare. "Now," said the Captain, "Mr. Charles Dickens, of Pickwick fame, is going out in my vessel this trip, and if you will say which day you will be in London, I will invite him to dine with us on the vessel." So we agreed to be there three days before sailing day. The five hares were packed in a flag basket, and checked to Captain Morgan's quarters in London, and the Captain departed, saying that he never had such a pleas- ant time in his life. At the entrance of the dock we met the Cap- tain. As soon as he caught sight of us he hailed us with his new JSforthleach hat in hand, and with a laugh bearing no deceit, a most hearty grip was exchanged. On our way along the dock (|f 111) there was one o-f the greatest old hags that could possibly be beheld. The Cap- tain gave me a flat-handed slap on the back. "Do you see that beautiful female?" said he. "What would you do if there was no other in the world?" "Well, Captain," said I, "I am at a loss to decide in haste. What would you do?" "I would wash her up and take her." We entered the cabin of the Hendrick Hud- son, full of merriment on our past actions. "We dine at five," said the Captain, "and Mr. Dick- ens will be on hand." Mr. Griswold, then the senior proprietor of the firm of the London Packets, was in Lon- don, and was invited to meet us. About half an hour before dinner we all met on deck. I had met Mr. Griswold before, in Xew York, and after a formal introduction to Mr. Dickens, the Captain began to give a sketch of his visit in the country, and his merry way of telling it was . capital. "I ate crow there," said he, "and it was magnificent;"' he explained why it was so. Mr. G. understood what was meant by "eating crow" in America, but Mr. Dickens did not un- til he heard the Captain's explanation. The bell rang for dinner in the cabin; there was a nice boiled leg of mutton and turnips. To this we did justice. Then came one of the coursed hares. Had her head been put in a crouching position instead of up, she would have resembled one sitting in her form. "So-ho," said the Captain, "shall I cut her up, Mr. Hewer?" "I suppose that is what you mean to do," said he, "and that will be the end of her." "Is that the hare that went through the Cap- tain's hat?" said Mr. Griswold. The port, sherry and champagne was ordered in to wasli her down, and the steward had cooked her to a charm; the port wine sauce and the currant jelly to encourage the appetite were all that could be desired. The Captain's peculiar history of his visit was highly interesting, as he told it with such glee. When we came upon deck the tide had come in, and the vessel was far above the dock. Mr. Hewer said, "How are you going to get the cattle into this vessel?" The Captain looked at me as much as to say, "we have the joke on Hewer now." He called the first mate. "Mr. Starks," said he, "take Mr. Hewer down below and show him where you are going to cut the hole by the side of the ship for the cattle to H 1 S T II Y OF HEBEFOBD C A T T L E enter." The sailors, with tools in hand, could not keep straight countenances, and Mr. Hewer began to suspect, and with one of his most hearty laughs the Captain said, "So-ho, Mr. Hewer, you are floating now." "Sold," said William. "I'll pay the fine," so he handed out a half sovereign to the mate to treat the sailors. Mr. Dickens invited all to dine with him the next day, which we did, and had a very merry time. All through the trip, not one of us ex- ceeded what Englishmen call "market merry," which is just enough to become pleasant to each other. When the cattle came in Mr. Hewer came to the vessel to see them loaded, and as the bull Major was dangling in the air in a sling, be- tween heaven and the decks, a tear came into his eye. When he was landed in the steerage he went down and caressed his old favorite for the last time, and so with all the others. He al- ways disliked to see any of his favorites go away. The vessel was hauled out into the river, Mr. Hewer returned home, and the Captain and myself took train to Portsmouth. Here the Cap- tain was informed that Mr. Dickens could not leave until the next packet, so we were deprived of his company. * * * The old gentleman (Mr. Sotham) has gone to his rest, but not until he saw the triumph of the Herefords, and the breeding of Shorthorns started safely on the road to improvement, by rational breeding for practical results. The Scotch, which but recently was rated plebeian by Shorthorn breeders, and therefore utterly un- fashionable, bids fair to revolutionize Short- horn breeding, and is destined to do the breed great good, if the breeders do not overdo it and replace the "Bates mania'' with a "craze for Scotch." Mr. Sotham would rejoice to see the present state of the Hereford breed of cattle. Coming into their own has not addled the brains of Hereford breeders ; they remain aloof from fads and fashion in pedigrees ; they insist ever upon a superior individual with a good pedigree, and for such animals as embody a large degree of perfection in this desired combination, splen- did prices are readily paid. Like the veteran champion and father of the breed, all influential Hereford breeders ever bear in mind that the end of every Hereford is the block, and they deprecate any Hereford that would fail to give a good account of itself in the butchers' hands. Mr. W. H. Sotham was a half century ahead of his time; he made every sacrifice for the Hereford breed, because he knew their true value. His work must be deemed successful, for he blazed the path that is essential to pioneer work in every important movement. He laid the foundation upon which the Hereford struc- ture rests (ff 112) and he laid that foundation so soundly that, built up upon the same prin- ciple of truth and merit, it will endure so long as beef cattle are bred. OUT FOR AN AIRING. (Scene at Shadeland Farm, Lafayette, Ind.) HISTORY OF H E K E F S D CATTLE CHAPTER XIV. EARLY CATTLE IN KENTUCKY THE "SEVENTEEN* The following letter, written by Lewis San- ders and published in March, 18-i9, in the "Cul- tivator," gives a full and exhaustive account of the early cattle interests of Kentucky : The first emigration to Kentucky "the dark and bloody ground," the hunting grounds of the Southern and of the Northern Indians, with the view of permanent occupancy, of hold- ing the country at all hazards, by men deter- mined to overcome the tomahawk and scalping knife by the use of the rifle, took place in 1775-6. The country then belonged to Vir- ginia. A large proportion of the settlers were from that state, next from Pennsylvania, then North Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, etc. It is presumed that the emigrants brought with them domestic animals, such as were then in use. H. Marshall, speaking of General Ben Logan, in his history of Kentucky, Vol. I, says : "In the fall of the year 1775, Colonel Logan removed his cattle and the remainder of his slaves to his camp (near where Danville now stands). Horses and cattle subsisted in the summer on the range, consisting of a great variety of nutritive grasses, including the buf- falo, clover and pea vines, luxuriant beyond description, and in the winter in the cane brakes." It seems to me that the general characteris- tics of the cattle of the United States at the commencement of the present century were very similar to those of Devonshire, Dorsetshire and Somersetshire, in England, as represented in prints of cattle in those counties in the last cen- tury. I have observed the cattle of Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and the New England States; they seem to have had a common origin. The first improvement of cattle in Kentucky was made by Mr. Matthew Patton and his fam- ily, to whom the country is much indebted, for the introduction of several animals. An his- torical account is given by Dr. S. B. Martin, a highly respected and spirited agriculturist of Clarke County, in this state, which is herewith forwarded as a part of this communication. Judge Beatty, in his very valuable "Essays on Practical Agriculture" (a book I recommend to all beginners to own), treats on this subject. These two papers combine all the evidence it is thought that can now be obtained relative to the Patton cattle. I have heard it intimated that the introduction of the Patton cattle in- creased the weight of the four-year-old bullocks 25 to 30 per cent., besides improving the quan- tity and quality of the milk. This was a great gain. The next marked improvement in the breed of cattle was brought about by the importa- tion of some animals direct from England in 1817. At that period and for many years previous, I lived in Lexington. My pursuits were otherwise directed than to agriculture, but I had early imbibed a fondness for fine stock, particularly horses and cattle. I admired good fruits and gave some attention to their culture. For several years I was in receipt of a variety of English publications on agricultural subjects and agricultural improvements, from which I got a glance of what was going on, in some respects, in the old country. It astonished me greatly to see the enormous prices paid for par- ticular breeds. First, the Longhorns brought to a high state of perfection by the justly cele- brated Bakewell, Princep, Munday and Fowler. Towards the close of the last century they were at the height of their popularity. Mr. Prince]) refused 500 guineas ($2,500) for a two-year- old bull of his breed. He was offered 100 each for twenty dairy cows. He refused to let his best bulls go to his neighbors' cows for thirty guineas ($150) the cow. At this period (1789) the circulating medium was gold. The bank did not suspend specie payments until 1797. Mr. Fowler refused 500 guineas ($2,500) for ten bull calves of the same breed, and let his bulls go out for the season (April 1st to August 1st) for from 60 to 80 ($300 to $400). HISTORY OF HERE F R 1) C A T T L E Much time was required, combining capital, skill and untiring perseverance, to bring this breed to such a high state of perfection. Not- withstanding all this, it was suffered to run out, almost to disappear, in the course of a few years. About the time the Longhorns were held in such high estimation commenced the im- provement of the Shorthorns. Skillful breed- ers, with Charles Colling at their head, brought this breed to a very high state of perfection. Their value was at its height in 181 0. In this year a public sale took place. The list of ani- mals sold and the very high prices paid for each has been often published. Countess, out of Lady, four years old, brought four hundred guineas ($2,000) ; Comet, six years old, brought 1,000 guineas ($5,000). He was bought by four farmers. It seemed to me that if four farmers were willing to pay $0,000 for a bull, there was a value in that breed that we were unapprised of, and that I would endeavor to procure it. I made up an order for six bulls and six cows. My views were then more inclined for good milking than for a beef breed. The weight of the authorities, given by the writers on the sub- ject of cattle at the close of the last, and the commencement of the present century was in favor of the llolderness breed as the best for milking and the Teeswater and Durham as hav- ing the handsomest and most perfect forms. I settled on these breeds. In frequent conversa- tions with Captain William Smith about the contemplated importation, he strongly urged me to include the Longhorns. He had witnessed the marked improvement made by the use of old Mr. Patton's first Longhorned bull, and he was extremely anxious to have a bull of that breed. I had some respect for him as a man, and con- fiding in his judgment, two pairs of Longhorns were added to the list. The order was for- warded in the fall of the year 1816 to Buchanan, Smith & Co., Liverpool, with in- structions to cause selections to be made of the best young animals for breeders. All to be two years old in the following spring. First a bull and heifer of the Holderness breed, to be procured from that district in Yorkshire. Next two bulls and two heifers of the Teeswater breed, to be procured on the river Tees, in the county of Durham. Then a bull and heifer of the Durham breed and two bulls and two heifers of the Longhorn breed, no limit as to price. If the money sent was not sufficient to put that number on board ship, they were to be reduced so as to have the best animals that could be had for breeders. Buchanan, Smith & Co. employed Mr. Etches of Liverpool to go into the different districts to make the selections and purchases, and he seems to have executed the orders with much ability. The following is the invoice : Cattle shipped on board the Mohawk for Baltimore, consigned to Messrs. Rollins & McBlair, merchants there: 1. A bull from Mr. Clement, Winston, on the river Tees, got by Mr. Constable's bull, brother to Comet. 2. A bull of the Holderness breed, of Mr: Scott, out of the cow that gave thirty-four quarts of milk per day large breed. 3. A bull from Mr. Reed, Westholm, by his own old bull. 4. A bull of the Holderness breed from Mr. Humphreys, got by Mr. Wase's bull, of Ingle- ton. 5. A bull of the Longhorn breed, from Mr. Jackson Kendall, out of a cow that won the premium. 6. A bull from the Longhorn breed, from Mr. Ewartson, of Crosby Hall is of a very fat breed. SOME SHADELAND YEARLINGS. 7. A heifer from Mr. Wilson, Staindrop, Durham breed. 8, 9, 10. Three heifers from Mr. Shipman, on the river Tees his own breed. 11, 12. Two heifers of the Longhorn breed, from Mr. Ewartson, Crosby Hall of Westmore. The Mohawk arrived in Baltimore in May, 1817. The cattle were safely landed, in good condition ; great pains had been taken in pro- curing comfortable accommodations for them in the ship, and an experienced herdsman was employed to feed and take care of them on the voyage. On arrival they were taken in charge by my friend, Mr. John Rollins, who caused them to be put into the pasture and particu- larly cared for. After the cattle had been shipped and be- HIST R Y OF HEREFORD C A T T L E fore their arrival in Baltimore, I sold to Cap- tain William Smith, one-third of the concern, and to Dr. William H. Tegarden another third ; reserving to myself one-third only. A suitable agent was sent to Baltimore for them and they would be brought to Kentucky at the joint risk and expense of the three parties. On their ar- rival at Lexington they were divided. There fell to my lot : No. 1, which I named Tecum- seh; No. 2, named Sam Martin; No. 8, named Mrs. Motte; No. 10, named Georgiana. Captain Smith's lot: Bull No. 5, which he named Bright; No. 7, cow, which he named YOUNG BULLS AT SHADELAND STOCK FARM. The Durham Cow; No. 9, cow, named Tees- water Cow. Dr. Tegarden's lot: Bull, No. 4, which he named Comet; No. 6, which he named Rising Sun; No. 12, Longhorn Cow. No. 10 died in Maryland ; No. 3, bull, became lame on the travel out to Kentucky and was left on the way; he was afterwards received and sold by the company to Captain Fowler, who sold him to General Fletcher of Bath County, Ky., where he died. When the division took place, Captain Smith evinced great anxiety to own the largest Long- horn bull. Dr. Tegarden preferred No. 4, and, as neither of them were my favorites, I cheer- fully yielded, and in consequence they gave me the choice of the cows. I selected one of the Teeswater heifers and named her Mrs. Motte. It was a very pleasing occurrence to have each highly gratified with receiving the very ani- mals he preferred. The narrative of a pertinent coincident will not, I think, be deemed ill-placed. Mr. H. Clay being in England in 1816, hav- ing always had a fondness for other fine stock, concluded to send home some fine cattle. At this time the Herefords were great favorites at Smithfield. Either from Mr. Clay's own taste, or from the recommendation of others, he selected that stock, purchased a cow, a young bull, and heifer of that breed, and sent them to Liverpool to be shipped to the United States. It so happened that they were put on board the Mohawk, the same ship with my cattle, and they arrived together at Baltimore, where they were placed in the same pasture, and the agent that was sent for my cattle brought out Mr. Clay's to Kentucky. Although Mr. C. and myself at that period resided in the same city, and had always been personal and political friends from the time of his coming to Kentucky, in 1789, till March, 1825, and our social and personal relations have been unchanged for fifty years, yet, neither Mr. C. or myself had the slightest knowledge or intimation of the intention or views of the other in regard to importing foreign cattle. Mr. Clay at one time had a good stock of horses. He bred the dam of Woodpecker, one of our best race horses, and he proved to be a good stallion. His flock of sheep were cele- brated for the fineness of their fleece. Having introduced the Herefords, I might as well finish them. At this time, 1817, Mr. Isaac Cunningham owned the largest and best grass farm in Ken- tucky the identical farm settled by old Mr. Matthew Patton, the father of the Patton fam- ily, who introduced the Patton cattle. Mr. Cunningham was wealthy, had a good stock of . Patton cows, and had been in the habit of sell- ing his young ones for breeders. Mr. Clay's good judgment led him to place the Herefords in the hands of Mr. Cunningham ; notwithstand- ing all these advantages, the Herefords made no impressions. In a very few years they were unknown as a breed in Kentucky, and at this day a part blooded one is rarely to be met with. As to the Longhorns (fl 113), although there were two bulls imported, the breed was nearly run out. Captain Smith kept them for a while, but he died soon after they were introduced; his stock was neglected. The Rising Sun left a good stock in Clarke and Bourbon Counties, and for a while they were very popular with the feeders in these counties, but they have gradu- ally yielded to the Shorthorns. A mixture of Longhorn blood in a remote degree is deemed by many feeders of great value (and that is my opinion). The hide is thick, the hair is long and very closely set; they are of very hardy constitution, well adapting them to our mode of feeding. Cattle are not housed or sheltered, but fed out in the fields, taking the H I S T K Y OF H E H E F O K D A T T L E weather as it comes. The Shorthorns have thin hides, fine, short hair, and do not stand ex- posure to the weather so well. The importation of 1817 (alluding to which it seems that the Longhorns are to be omitted) gradually gained favor with the breeders and feeders. The young ones were very much sought after throughout Kentucky and parts of Ohio, and were all sold for breeders. The Te- cuinseh and Sam Martin were the principal in- struments used in effecting this great improve- ment. Mrs. Motte, the Durham cow, and the Teeswater cow were excellent breeders. The Durham cow was equal to the best milk cow I ever saw. Napoleon was her best bull calf. Mrs. Motte was the neatest, the finest animal of the importation. A year or two previous to 1831 I observed that my young cattle were not up to the mark of improvement that I wished to see progress- ing, but were rather falling back. The only remedy that I then thought, and still believe necessary, to arrest this downward tendency and to give a fair prospect of improvement, was the introduction of remote blood. Col. John Hare Powell of Philadelphia im- ported a number of animals of the improved Shorthorn breed, several years subsequent to 1817. He ordered his selections from the best herds in England, with great particularity as to pedigree from the milking qualities, and without stint as to price. My attention was directed to this stock to procure a cross on the Shorthorns of 1817. In the spring of the year 1831 I procured of Mr. Barnitz of York, Pennsylvania, a young bull and three young cows of Col. Powell's stock. In several points their forms were bet- ter than those of 1817. The cross was very beneficial to me. Some few years afterwards David Sutton of Lexington introduced several animals of Mr. Powell's stock. Then other gentlemen imported cattle from Philadelphia, and from other parts of the United States and from England, so that we had a number of bulls and cows from the best known breeds in England and in the United States. From this basis intelligent gentlemen, with abundant capital and great skill, have continued to improve by judicious crossing un- til we have arrived at a high state of perfec- tion, as to form and early disposition to take on fat, points most desired of all others by the grazier and the feeder. Notwithstanding that Col. Powell's stock were drawn from the best milking families in England, their descendants did not prove with us to be as good milkers as the su/ek in 1817, nor were they so healthy. The dairy is but a secondary consideration with a Kentucky farmer beef is more profit- able, and, as the great object of all pursuits is money, the one putting most in the purse will be pursued. For a dairy of cows where there is a de- mand, selling milk is most profitable, next cheese, if the climate suits ; last, making butter. Cheese can be made here as well as anywhere else, but it costs too much labor to save it. Some writers say that it ought not to be relied on as a busi- ness south of 40 degrees. Butter could be made of the best quality, and in quantities, but it seems that the farmers prefer taking only as much milk from their cows as supplies their families with milk and butter, giving the re- mainder to the calves. From these considera- tions it would seem that the breed of cattle bringing most money from the butcher at two and three years old will give the preference with the grazier and the feeder, they using nine- tenths of the cattle bred in the State. It will be seen from what has been stated that great attention has been given to the breed- ing of cattle in this State for more than fifty years, and the course pursued has been to pro- cure the best breeds to cross with, so that we now have an excellent breed for the grazier and feeder forms approaching near and nearer to IMPORTED BULL DIPLOMAT (18328) 81537. (Sold for $8,000; property of C. A. Jamison, Hamlet, Ind.) perfection, and an aptitude to take on fat at an early age, but in obtaining these grand obj-ects, perfect form and early maturity, so much de- sired by the grazier and the feeder, we have sacrificed mainly the milking qualities. Whatever be the breed, there are certain con- formations which are indispensable to the thriving and valuable ox or cow. If there is one part of the frame the form of which, more than HISTORY OF HEUEFOKD CATTLE tmother, renders the animal valuable, it is the chest. There must be room enough for the heart to beat and the lungs to play, or suffi- cient blood for the purposes of nutriment and of strength will not be circulated nor will it thoroughly undergo that vital change which is essential to the proper discharge of every func- tion. Look, therefore, first of all, to the wide and deep girth around the heart and lungs we must have both. The proportion in which the one or the other is preponderate may depend on the service we require from the animal ; we can excuse a slight degree of flatness of the THE FOUNDATION OF AN OHIO HERD. sides, for he will be lighter in the forehand and more active, but the grazier must have breadth as well as depth. And not only about the heart and lungs, but over the whole of the ribs must we have both length and roundness the hooped as well as the deep barrel is essen- tial. There must be room for the capacious paunch, room for the materials from which the blood is to be provided. The beast should also be ribbed home. There should be little space between the ribs and the hips. This seems to be indispensable in the ox, as it regards a good, healthy constitution and a propensity to fat- ten; but a largeness and drooping of the belly is excusable in a cow, or, rather, notwithstand- ing it diminishes the beauty of the animal, it leaves room for the udder, and if it is also ac- companied by swelling milk veins it generally indicates her value in the dairy. The introduction of the Patton stock into Kentucky effected as much benefit to us in the improvement of our cattle in a little more than twenty years as was effected in England in more than sixty years. A printed report of a select committee of the House of Commons, in 1795, stated that cattle, and sheep had increased on an average, in size and weight, about a fourth since 1732. The average weight of cattle slaughtered for the London market in 1830 was 656 pounds. (McCullough's Dictionary of Com.) [Un- doubtedly dressed weight of 82 stone, which would be equivalent to 1,148 pounds live weight. T. L. M.] At Liverpool, about the same period, 600 Irish beasts averaged 720 pounds; 140 English beasts averaged 730 pounds; 60 Scotch beasts averaged 810 pounds. [These being dressed weights would make the live weights 1,148 pounds, 1,277 pounds and 1,417 pounds respec- tively. T. L. M.J It would seem that our improved breeds ex- ceed these weights. Twenty fat cows were sold in the early part of this month by one drover at Cincinnati, the average weight of which was over 1,000 pounds the four quarters [or by the English system of calculation 1,750 pounds live weight. T. L. M.] These cows were Ken- tucky bred. All but three had produced calves. I expected to receive authentic data to state the average age and weight of the four quarters of cattle slaughtered at Louisville and Cincin- nati, for three periods. Though promised, the paper has not yet come to hand. In 1833 I took to New Orleans three bullocks, produced by a cross of the cows of the Patton and Miller stock by bulls of the importation of 1817. Xo. 1, red, six years old, live weight, 3,448 pounds; No.. 2, red, six years old, live weight, 3,274 pounds; No. 3, brindle, four years old, live weight, 2,868 pounds. I sold these three animals together at auction for the sum of $925. I was at the New York State Agricultural Exhibiton at Saratoga in September, 1847. I very attentively examined the cattle stock there shown. The oxen were better than are generally to be met with in Kentucky, all others not so good. The Ayrshire cattle may be classed with our half-blood Durhams, from common cows. \V<- can derive no benefit from a cross of Devon blood. The diminutive size and ill forms of the Alderneys would exclude them from our pastures. Our climate is favorable for breed- ing and rearing cattle. They are free from any marked disease. I have never known an epi- demic among them. It is the custom with some farmers as soon as the corn is in the roasting ear to cut it up, giving stalk and all to the hogs. The hogs masticate the stalk suck and swallow all the juice, throwing out the remaining fibrous mat- ter, which soon becomes dry. Cattle are very te o a - 5 - yc = t? ^< K 9 Is P- K OF MR. M was one of SUCCESS ( MAID OF r C Ps r tr 1 * 2 >> rO M to S * ^ S c S o ga a &! 5 OD 3 O E - OF THE UNIVERSITY VG HISTOEY OF HEKEFOKD CATTLE 225 fond of this refuse stuff, but when taken in quantities it causes a derangement of the mani- folds, for which no remedy has as yet been dis- covered. At first the animal becomes restless, and is feverish; soon after it begins to rub its head down and up a post, or anything it can rub against, manifesting the greatest pain and misery. It continues rubbing until it dies. I have seen several so affected with it and after rubbing commenced I knew of none to be cured. Upon opening the animal it is found that the manifold is entirely deranged, dry and hard, mortification having in some instances already commenced. The only remedy is to keep your cattle from the place where green corn stalks have been fed to hogs. Cattle of Ohio and Indiana are not so healthy as are the cattle of Kentucky. I was told by a Cincinnati butcher who supplied with beef a portion of the Jews of the city that he was com- pelled to procure his cattle for these people from Kentucky. The priest sticks the animal, which is dressed in his presence by the butcher. Upon opening the animal if any imperfection of the intestines is visible, such as blisters on the liver, etc., the priest remarks : "This one may do for the Christians, but will not do for the Jews you must bring up another." The cattle of Ken- tucky have no blemish; the intestines are in a perfectly healthy condition; so, we only can supply the Cincinnati Jews with beef. I was informed by Dr. Watts of Chillicothe, a gentleman of intelligence and great enter- prise, who feeds and grazes on a large scale, that he would pay five per cent more for Ken- tucky raised cattle for either purpose than he would for Ohio or Indiana cattle. He consid- ered the risk of life this per cent in favor of the cattle of Kentucky. There are three epochs in the history of Ken- tucky cattle; first, the introduction of the Pat- ton cattle, say in the year 1790, and some years afterwards the Miller stock of the like. These are generally diffused throughout the State, im- proving our stock twenty-five to thirty per cent in a period of twenty-five years. Second, the importation of 1817, which gave us finer forms and an aptitude to take on fat at an earlier age, adding twenty-five to thirty per cent upon the Patton improvement, in a period of less than twenty years. Third, the numerous importations made into Kentucky and into Ohio, from 1831 to 1836, from which has arisen the superior breed. To keep up this breed as it now is requires sound judgment and unceasing vigilance, or a decline must follow. I recommend to the breeders in Kentucky to import at least half a dozen bulls from the Netherlands, Holland, or Northern Germany, at once, and renew such an importation every five or six years, for twenty years, rather than to draw their bulls from the best stock to be found in England. I do not think it is desirable to have a very large breed, but form and early ma- turity are not for a moment to be lost sight of. A skillful breeder endeavors to shape the ani- mal so as to carry most flesh on the valuable points, to have the loin and hind quarters much the heaviest, as these parts bring to the butcher the most money. LEWIS SANDERS. Grass Hills, Ky., December, 1848. Dr. Martin, to whom Mr. Sanders refers, gives the following information: Dear Sir: Your letter of the 25th ult. is just received, and I will try to answer your in- quiries. Your first question is, What breed, cross or variety (of cattle) has been found most profitable in your region for beef; and what for the dairy? The improved Shorthorns and THE EXPOSITION BUILDING, CHICAGO. (Home of the American Fat Stock Show.) their crosses are most profitable for beef. They are of large size and fatten easily at /any age, so as to come to early maturity, and they carry a large portion of their flesh upon the best parts and their beef is of an excellent quality. They pay better for food consumed than any other cattle that I have fattened or grazed. In regard to the milking qualities of the im- proved Shorthorns there appears to be much diversity of opinion, some contending that they are the best milkers had in the country, and others that they are worthless. The truth is, that some tribes of Shorthorns are remark- able for the quantity of milk they give and other tribes are equally so for their small yield. I purchased two cows at Col. Powell's sale in 1836. One of them, a cow of the Daisy tribe, was a steady milker, giving from twenty-eight to thirty-two quarts of milk daily. The other was scarcely able to raise her calf. And the quali- ties of each have been transmitted to their de- scendants for several generations. The cows that 226 I imported from England were all fine milkers, and so are their descendants. The cows of these milking tribes are generally thin whilst giving milk, but fatten very quickly when dry. The steers of the milking tribes are equal and gener- ally superior as grazier's stock to the others. Mine has been superior, which I attributed to having been better nourished by their mothers. Second. Which of the breeds imported in 1817, the Longhorns or Shorthorns, have suc- ceeded best? There was a close contest, for many years, be- tween the Longhorns and Shorthorns and Here- fords. Each had their advocates and each pro- duced a stock that was a great im- provement as grazing stock upon the native and "Patton stock" (as the old unimproved Short- horns introduced by Mr. Patton were called ) . This contest was kept up until about 1830, when the advocates of the Shorthorns became most numerous. The Long- horns and Herefords were gradually bred to Shorthorn bulls, until the pure breed of the former are nearly extinct, (fl 114) Third. How do the Longhorns of that im- portation (1817) or their descendants compare with the Patton Longhorns ? :Mr. Patton was one of the original importers in 1783 of two breeds of cattle. They were then called the milk and beef breed. The milk breed was Shorthorns. The beef breed had longer horns; but / have always supposed they were the unimproved Herefords. I am not aware that there were ever brought into Kentucky any of the full-bred beef breeds, so that my opinion that they were Herefords is based upon the appearance of the half-bloods that I have seen. Mr. Patton brought to Kentucky the full- bred milk breed and half-blood cows of the beef breed, and Mr. Smith brought also a bull which was half beef and half milk breed, called Buz- zard. Mr. Patton's Shorthorns were very fine animals. They were fine-boned, heavy-fleshed and came early to maturity and fattened kindly and were extraordinary milkers. They were much larger than cattle that we had in the State previously. Mr. Patton brought only one JOHN P. REYNOLDS, CHICAGO. cow of this breed, and she had no female de- scendants. The produce of these fine cattle were very much injured by breeding them to bulls which were descendants of the beef breed, such as Inskeeps, Brindle and Smith's Buzzard. These cattle produced large, coarse, big- jointed stock that came slowly to maturity, difficult to fatten, and when fully grown were of enormous dimensions. This was the state of things in 1817 when your importation of Shorthorns and Longhorns was made. I remember well exam- ining the Longhorn bull Rising Sun, soon after Messrs. Cunningham & Co. bought him, and I then thought him the finest animal of the ox kind I had ever seen. His stock was very fine vastly superior to the coarse stock above de- scribed. I sold a cow (got by Rising Sun) to a butcher who paid me for a thousand pounds, net meat [about 1,750 Ibs. live weight. T. L. M.], a very unusual size for a cow in those days. Fourth. How do the Shorthorns imported in 1817, or their descendants, compare with those that have since been introduced, includ- ing those of the Ohio Importing Co. ? The Shorthorns of 1817 were fine-boned, heavy-fleshed animals that came early to ma- turity and fattened much easier than the Patton stock (especially after the latter had been mixed with the beef breed). They fattened mostly on the outside, so that they always showed their fat to the best advantage. Their flesh was rather inclined to hardness, which was a considerable drawback upon their excellence. The best of the improved Shorthorns, intro- duced within the last twenty years, have all the good qualities that the stock of 1817 had, and have these additional advantages: Their flesh is soft (tender), and they throw a portion of their fat among the lean so as to marble it. The beef is of a better quality and they take on fat much easier. They are as forward at three years old as the stock of 1817 were at four, or as the Patton stock were at six. But the later importations have had greatly the ad- vantage of the stock of 1817 in having the im- provement made by the latter to start with. Some of the finest animals I have ever seen fat- tened were a mixture of the two breeds. I think there was some of the importation of 1817 that did not have that hardness of flesh, but they soon became so mixed in their descendants that it was a general characteristic, (fl 115) Fifth. If you were now to choose a stock for general grazing purposes in your State, what breed or breeds would you select from ? I should have no hesitation in preferring the improved Shorthorns to every other kind of HISTOEY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 227 stock that I have ever seen, for the grazing in this region of country. Sixth. Give as full a description as you can of the qualities of each breed, as they have been developed with you, embracing remarks on com- parative size, form, activity, hardiness and ten- dency to disease of the different breeds. The original breed of cattle in Kentucky strongly resembled the old unimproved Devon- shire cattle. They were small, thin and diffi- cult to fatten cow weighing when fat from three to four hundred pounds. [This undoubt- edly means dressed weight, the corresponding live weight being 525 to 700 Ibs. T. L. M.] These cows were good milkers, giving a moder- ate quantity of rich milk. I do not know that they were subject to any other disease but the hollow horn, a disease brought on by poor keep in winter, so that the pith of the horn is frozen. It was cured by boring a hole in the horn. The introduction of the Patton stock in 1785 and subsequently made a considerable improve- ment in these cattle. Cows of the Patton cross would weigh when fat from 6 to 7 cwt. [Mean- ing dressed weight, or 1,050 to 1,225 Ibs. alive. T. L. M.] There was such a general disposition to increase the size that the coarse- jointed, large-boned animals were selected and saved as breeders generally, from 1785 to 1817, and the consequence was at the latter period the Patton stock (as all these cattle were called) were very coarse. The size of some of these cattle was enormous ; but they did not weigh, net, near equal to their size. The graziers at that period did not like to attempt to fatten cattle until they were four years old. The importation of 1817 improved the coarse cattle very much, in- creasing their disposition to fatten. They came earlier to maturity, were gentler, better dis- posed and had much less offal. Whatever repu- tation the Shorthorns acquired in Kentucky prior to 1830 was owing to the importation of Shorthorns, and they had great reputation. The improved Shorthorns introduced within the last twenty years has been a great improve- ment upon those imported in 1817, and those of Mr. James Prentice of Lexington in 1818. At the last cattle show that we had in Win- chester I showed a three-year-old steer, a mix- ture of the stock of 1817 and the improved Shorthorns since introduced; and the judges put his weight at 750 pounds. Shortly after the fair I sold this steer to Mr. Brinegar, who took him to New Orleans, and when butchered he weighed 1,242 pounds. I mention this cir- cumstance to show how much more weight is contained in the same bulk ; for if this bull had been of the Patton stock his bulk would have given him about the weight the judges laid him at. A few months before I had sold to a butcher in Lexington a steer two years and eight months old that weighed 1,025 pounds. I sold a heifer six years old to B. Roberts, that weighed when driven to Cincinnati 1,487 pounds. Last year I sold to Mr. Horn a five-year-old heifer that weighed 1,116 pounds. Both of these were mixtures of the stock of 1817 and later impor- tations, and the last was uncommonly small for her weight. I regret that this last was not weighed before she was slaughtered that I might know the difference between her gro'ss and net weight. However, I can give you the gross and net weight of a four-year-old steer sold to the same gentleman. His gross weight was 2,000 pounds and his net weight 1,280 pounds. All these net weights are exclusive of hide and in- side tallow, taken out with entrails. As regards the diseases of all the above, they are very few, if bred from healthy stock. The most formidable disease of the improved Shorthorns with me has been the milk fever. I lost two of my imported cows and one that I purchased at Col. Powell's sale with it. It chiefly attacks cows that are fat and have their calves in very warm weather the attack being in a few days after calving. I never knew any but fine milkers to have it, and not until they have had several calves. The udder be- comes very large, hard and hot. They soon appear to lose the use of their hind legs so that they can- not stand. I have cured some by large bleeding and purging freely with Ep- som salts. But prevention is far better, which may be generally accomplished by preventing the cows from having calves in warm weather. Healthy parents generally produce healthy offspring in this region. You are aware that cattle in most of the adjoining States are diseased, particularly in the liver. These cattle produce sickly progeny, which seldom look as well as stock from more healthy parents. And I have noticed calves from them to be very subject to bowel complaints. H. D. EMERY, CHICAGO. 228 Seventh. What breed of cattle is best for driving long distances ? This question is more difficult for me to answer than any of the others, as I have very little experience in driving cattle ; but I am told by persons who have been engaged in this busi- ness that the improved Shorthorns, when fat- tened young, do not stand long journeys well. I should suppose from their make that the Herefords would be the best travelers. The im- proved Shorthorns make excellent oxen, as they never get overburdened with flesh while they have plenty of hard work to do. The breed is more gentle and docile than any others that we have had. Yours respectfully, SAM'L D. MAKTIN. Near Colbyville, Ky., Dec. 4, 1848. We present these complete and authoritative statements to show that while the "seventeen" importations included Herefords and that these were not by any means first-class specimens of the Hereford breed, yet they had enough of the naturally inherent thrift of the breed, so that the "seventeens" owed considerable (to say the least) to the Hereford for the thrift and quality they became particularly noted for. The "seventeens," as a family of Shorthorns, were never fashionable because of this Hereford al- loy. But at the same time no Shorthorn fam- ily surpassed, if any equaled, them in real merit. Evidence of this Hereford blood crops out frequently in the descendants of the "seventeen" importations to this day, as witness the steer John Sherman, whose portrait we give, (ft 11(5) Mr. Gillette, who bred this steer, reports the dam a "white-faced cow" of unknown breeding, descended, as are all his herd (Shorthorns), from the earlier Kentucky stocks. The so- called "seventeen" families being given the greatest credit for excellence of the Gillette herd. The presence of this old grazing blood un- doubtedly has had a most favorable influence in making the reputation of "Gillette Short- horns" for superiority above the pure-bred Shorthorn for range purposes. WILLIAM WATSON (UNCLE WILLIE). (Father of the Angus cattle in America.) HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 229. CHAPTER XV. REVIVAL OF HEREFORD INTEREST IN AMERICA From 1850 to 1871, although Hereford cattle in America were making friends for themselves in their immediate vicinity and had very staunch friends in all who bred and handled them, they were not so widely known as their merits deserved. This, possibly, was owing to the tremendous upheaval in the political world of America, ter- minating in the Civil War that occupied the entire attention of the people from April, 1861, to 1865. There were very few families either Xorth or South but what sent their contribution of father, son or brother to the armies. The price of all produce of the farm was high. The price of meat was correspondingly high. The farmers and stock raisers all made money with such stock as they had, and did not feel that urgent need of improvement that came later. In 1871 I determined to spend the balance of my life upon the farm if we could find a way to make it profitable; and in view of this determination we gave two years to careful in- vestigation as to the best methods and practices for obtaining this result, and this investigation brought us to the adoption of the Hereford breed of cattle. We were familiar with Mr. Sotham's fight for Hereford cattle through the files of the Albany "Cultivator," etc., which we had preserved, and these cattle were again urged upon our notice by Mr. William Powell (ft 117), who was then acting as our foreman. As a re- sult of our investigations early in February, 1872, we made our first purchase of six or eight head of Hereford cattle. In March or April following we bought three more at the sale of W. W. Aldrich, Elyria, Ohio; two or three months afterwards we bought of Dyke and Creed, in Ohio, some twelve or thir- teen head. Soon after we purchased six heifers from John Humphries, Elyria, Ohio, and about the same time we bought for $1,000 gold the Hereford bull Sir Charles (3434) 543 from F. W. Stone of Canada. From time to time as opportunity presented itself, we purchased from others; from D. K. Shaw of Chautauqua his entire herd, and later the herd of H. C. Burleigh of Maine, excepting one cow and calf; from H. Woodward's estate in Kansas, the entire herd, and quite a number at different times from Mr. Parsons of Pitts- field, Ohio; several from Mr. Thomas Clark, then of Elyria, Ohio; several from the Hon. John Merryman, Cockeysville, Md. (ft 118) ; and in 1873 imported from England Dolly Varden (Vol. 9, p. 279) 5, and her bull calf Success (5031) 2. When we had become satisfied of the value of the breed we undertook to make it known through the advertising columns of the agricul- tural and live stock journals of the country. We found a very warm opposition from the Shorthorn interest as against their introduction, and ceased to make any strenuous efforts to in- troduce them among farmers in the States. In the meantime quite an extensive corre- spondence had grown up with the ranchmen at the West. There seemed to be a demand from that quarter that promised success, but it proved difficult to bring out of that correspondence any results. The plains of Colorado (ft 120) were, in 1874, still the home of the buffalo, but cattle were being rapidly brought north from the great breeding grounds in Texas to stock them with beef animals. Denver, at that time, was the center for cattle men, they coming here for their supplies and making it their headquarters when not off on the range. We took our first shipment of Herefords that went away from home to be sold, to Denver, Col. This consisted of five Hereford bulls. Three of these were sold in the spring of 1874 to Mr. Geo. Zweck of Longmont, Col. They were Plato (4843) 590, Duke of Beaufort (4527) 744 and Hervey (4644) 815. The first was four years old, the second was two years old, the third one year old. These bulls were put upon the range. Plato, the four-year-old, had been a show bull, and kept in high condi- tion. He held this condition when on the range and continued a vigorous stock-getter for eight years. The other two bulls were reported eleven years later as still in fine condition and yet in service in Wyoming, in the herd belonging to 330 HISTORY OF H E 11 E F R D CATTLE Mr. Zweck and his nephew. Mr. Zweck paid in 1874 for the three bulls named $1,250. Hav- ing had eight and eleven years' service, we would like to ask ranchmen whether such pur- chase would seem to them to have been a good investment? It is simply a representative one that may be repeated with Hereford bulls in A CARTOON OF 1882, BREEDERS' JOURNAL. ("The Shorthorn committee discover the dam of Mr. Mil- ler's grade Hereford steer Kansas.") the experience and practice of any ranchman. Long prices may be, as in this case, the best investment. Two other bulls taken at this time we sold to Mr. Powell at Canon City, Col., for $900. We followed this shipment by another in the fall of the same year that were sold to the honorable P. P. Wilcox, Geo. F. Lord and others. In 1875 we took a carload of Hereford bulls to Denver, and they were sold to Mr. John Hit- son at Deer Trail, Col., about fifty miles east of Denver, on the Bijou. The grass was fine there, the country not being overstocked. These bulls, although in high condition when turned out on the ranges, not only held it, but next spring after running out all winter, never see- ing a shed or a barn, or any feed except what they got from the plains themselves, had round- ed out, and thickened up, and had such splendid rough, curly coats of hair that they had proved their fitness for range conditions. We took two carloads of Hereford bulls to West Las Animas, on the Arkansas Eiver, Col., in the spring of 1876, all thoroughbreds and good ones. After five months of work, we sold them to cattle men as far west as Pueblo, on the river, and south to the Cimarron River in New Mexico. The Hall Bros., John W. Prow- ers (fl 121), Abe Cronk, the Reynolds Bros. (fl 122) and the Jones Bros, being among the purchasers. These shipments were followed by others up to 1877, or until a demand was cre- ated that reached back to the States for grade Hereford bulls. And this demand from the plains for grades made a demand for the pure- breds to cross upon Shorthorns and other cows to produce bulls for this trade; and from that time there has been a steady and increasing de- mand for Herefords that has more than kept pace with the supply. While at work among the great cattle herds of the West to create a demand for the Here- ford cattle by taking the cattle out to these gentlemen and showing them what superior beef animals they were, we were not idle in ex- hibiting o^r cattle at the various shows in the East, and doing all that lay in our power to secure fair play for the Herefords. This was a gigantic undertaking, as the fairs were, as we shall show, under the control of Shorthorn men. The judges were all appointed by them. We trust we shall be pardoned if it shall appear to any of our readers that we have gone too much into detail in showing up the frauds that were practiced ; also the opposition that was encountered by the Hereford cattle and their breeders. It was a matter of great expense to fit show herds, and a further great expense to ship them over the country for the purpose of educating the people as to the great merit of the breed. This was particularly so in 1876 when we took our show herd to the World's Fair, the Centen- nial Exposition, held at Philadelphia. This trip cost $1,200 for expenses only, we being there two weeks. There were no money prizes, but we have a bronze medal (fl 123) in our pos- session that was awarded to us as first prize, the cattle being spoken of in the following lan- guage: "Their exceedingly fine character, form and quality entitle us to consider them to be first- class specimens of the Hereford breed and worthy of our highest commendation." Suc- cess (5031) 2 was at the head of this sweep- stake herd. This herd at the Northern Ohio Fair, held at Cleveland, Ohio, won first sweep- stakes for best bull and four cows or heifers, owned and bred by exhibitor ($150), and first sweepstakes for bull, Success (5031) 2, and five of his get, $75. This was in competition with the best Shorthorns in the United States. We visited Lafayette, Ind., with our herd in 1877, at which time there was no class for Here- fords, they not being recognized in their pre- mium lists. The society, however, awarded the following certificate: "Office of the Secretary of the Tippecanoe County Agricultural Association, Lafayette, Ind., Oct. 9th, 1877. On Saturday, the 8th day of September, 1877, at a meeting of the Directors of this Association, on the fair grounds, the following proceedings were had. to-wit : On motion, the following preamble and HISTOEY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 231 resolutions were unanimously adopted by the Board : "Whereas, Mr. T. L. Miller, Will County, Illinois, breeder of thoroughbred Hereford cat- tle, has exhibited his herd of thoroughbred Heref ords at the annual fair for the Tippecanoe County Agricultural Association for 1877, at which there had been no ring or class of individ- ual entries provided in which he could show his stock, which, of necessity, compelled him to ex- hibit at great disadvantage, and "Whereas, The said herd were very generally admired by the visitors attending the fair, in- cluding gentlemen conceded to be experts in the matter of breeding and handling beef cattle, for their great uniformity of marking and their general feeding and fattening qualities; be it therefore "Resolved, That the thanks of this Associa- tion are due and are hereby extended to Mr. Miller for affording the visitors at said fair, in so substantial a manner, with a pleasing variety in the show of thoroughbred cattle, and that he has the best wishes of the Association for his future success in an enterprise which has the laudable purpose of improving the breeds of beef cattle. "And the secretary is ordered to make out a certificate of this action of the Board and for- ward same to Mr. Miller. "(Signed) DANIEL ROYSE, Secretary." Among those who examined the Herefords here were Messrs. C. M. Culbertson, Moses Fowler, W. S. Van Natta, Adams Earl, A. D. Raub, Robt. W. Sample, Chas. B. Stuart and others, whose attention for the first time was then drawn to the great value of Hereford cattle, and all of whom afterward became breed- ers of Herefords, in most instances getting their start from our herd. Two weeks later Mr. Culbertson bought five head that were in this exhibit. Five years later the show of Herefords at Lafayette in 1882 was very gratifying and encouraging to the Here- ford interest, and it seems hardly possible that such a change could be wrought in five years, and thus, what had at the time seemed a some- what discouraging exhibit, really proved one of the most successful ever made by an exhibitor. In the year 1879 Mr. C. M. Culbertson sent Mr. Geo. Morgan (who was then my superin- tendent) to England to purchase as good a herd of cattle as could be found. The result was. if we remember rightly, the importation of thirteen head. In 1880 we imported 109 head from England, .and Mr. Morgan imported for Mr. Culbertson and Mr. Hershey of Muscatine. la., something over 200 head. From that time the importations have increased, in some years amounting to over 1,000 head. Public sales were held in this country at which the higher range of prices has been from four hundred to fifteen hundred and odd dollars per head. Our beginning with Herefords, like Mr. So- tham's, was up-hill work, and had we depended upon the farmers' trade of the agricultural States we should, like him, have been over- powered by the hostile Shorthorn interest, but on the plains we were enabled to promptly show results, so plain by comparison, that the Here- ford was victorious from his first introduction. But we are convinced that the Herefords are the best "general purpose" or farmers' cattle, and believe Hereford breeders should never be content till their merits are well known by every farming community of the whole country. On the range, when known, they have the field alone without a rival, but until every bovine has assimilated the true Hereford thrift his all- SHORTHORN COW CONQUEROR. A BREEDERS' JOURNAL. CARTOON OF 1882. ("While the Shorthorn breeders claim the virtue of grade Hereford steers due to Shorthorn dams, the farmer looking on decides that the credit is due to Hereford bull.") conquering work of improvement must be vigor- ously continued. It is easier for some Hereford breeders to "let well enough alone;" to be satisfied with exist- ing conditions; to curry favor with the opposi- tion, and at the same time reap where they have not sown from the active sowing of others ; and while the herd of an active advocate of Here- fords should not be patronized more than these, unless he really has a breed of Herefords equal- ly good or superior, if equal, the great body of Hereford breeders always will, as they always have, yield a loyal support to those whose cat- tle, pen and voice are ever doing honest, intelli- gent and meritorious service for the Hereford cause, and therefore for the betterment of the chief product of American agriculture, good beef. 232 HISTOBY OF HEREFORD CATTLE CHAPTER XVI. AN INCIDENT OF AN EARLY CHICAGO FAT STOCK SHOW The Hereford breeders considered that if they could only have a fair contest with other breeds on the butcher's block they would win a victory over all other breeds that could not be gainsaid. They estimated that a re- liable and accurate record of every part of the slaughtered animal would be kept, and facts as to the percentage of dressed meat to the live weight, and also the weight, both live and dressed, would be something that could not be talked down or hid. We are very glad that these records of the Chicago Fat Stock Show of 1879 are available. At that show a Hereford, a Devon and Short- horn were dressed in competition. We present here an engraving (fl 124) taken from a photo- graph of the rib roast cuts from the Hereford and Shorthorn steers. Both show well-marbled meat, but neither show as well as they would have, had the weather been cooler. Neither of the beeves ought to have been cut; the meat of either not being as good for being cut so warm as it would have been had it had time to cool. The Hereford suffered the most in this respect, from being the thicker-fleshed nearly, or quite, 40 per cent. Both show marbling and well-marbled. Another point is that the beef was too fat. This is perhaps true. True for economy in making and economy in use; but the breeder who came before this show or Smith- field with lean steers would have gone away with little credit and no honors. If these steers were made over-fat, there was a point where they could have stopped, and their meat shows them to have had good feeding qualities. Thus much in common ; but it is fair to give somewhat of a comparison of the two. The Hereford steer was one of fourteen steers, all that there was of the lot, and was from a com- mon native cow and by a Hereford bull. The Shorthorn steer was one of sixty, selected from 600, and from a herd that has had an American and English reputation for years as the best steer herd in America, if not in the world, and probably no breeder in the two coun- tries stood higher as a breeder of steers than did Mr. John D. Gillette, (ff 125) Probably no man understood better the char- acter and merits of a bullock than did Mr. Gil- lette. There was no man that was more familiar with the individuals of his herd than was Mr. G. Under all of these advantages the Short- horns came to this test with the prestige of be- ing from the most noted herd in this country. A selection of one from sixty and sixty from six hundred the one of six hundred selected by the most experienced breeder in America. It must therefore be conceded that the Short- horn came to this test with all the advantages that an animal of the breed could claim or wish. Mr. G. entered two steers for dressing Snowflake and Drake, both three and under four years, and selected from these the steer Drake said to be three years old May 15, 1879, out of a three-quarter Shorthorn cow and by a thor- oughbred Shorthorn bull. The Hereford steer was three years old May 15th, 1879, and it is well to state that the exact age of the two steers was not a matter of rec- ord, but were claimed to be three years old, and dropped as near as could be ascertained in May, and called the 15th. On the record the two steers stood as to age alike. For some reason the Gillette steer was not measured, and therefore the measurements of the Hereford are not used, as there is no means of comparison on these points. The age alike, the gross weight of the Here- ford 1,963 pounds, and the gross weight of the Shorthorn 1,795 pounds. Stating these facts, we will give the official statement of the society, made up by the secretary : LOT 9. DRESSED BULLOCKS. Not less than two entries will be considered. The bullocks to be killed, dressed and weighed under directions of the awarding committee. HIST Oil Y OF HEEEFOKD CATTLE 233 The dressed carcasses to remain the property of the exhibitor. Bullock dressing the largest percentage of meat in proportion to the live weight, $50. This is perhaps enough to say on this sub- ject here, as we have treated the subject else- where, but there are some few points of com- parison that the report does not bring out. The o M CD 32. x a ST KTO EXHIBITOR. c*. ** 8 BREED. NAME OF STEER. I o CD H M S-CD # r 3 "" 1 1 T L Miller Beecher 1274 1963 1.56 Grade Hereford " Barney." 2 1254 1614 1 31 Grade Devon "Jim Lockwood " 3 J D Gillette Elkhart 1274 1795 1 41 Grade Shorthorn " Drake." Average 1267 1790 1.42 Premium : $50, to grade Hereford steer Bar- ney, exhibited by T. L. Miller of Beecher, Will County, Illinois. steers being of the same age, the Hereford had made 1.56 Ibs. per day. The Shorthorn had made 1.41 Ibs. per day, a difference of .15 in REPORT OF COMMITTEE. >TJ C^ g H K _. 5 CD 5 >-j CD TO" 2> TO" g s of 95 BH So 4 1986 1.53 2. Jim Lockwood, D'n. June 4, '76 1284 1649 1.28 0. Barney, G. Hereford May 15, '76 1275 1991 1.56 There were other Hereford steers before the judges, perhaps better than this, but this is well enough. For stee'rs, two and under three years, both awards went to Shorthorns ; there was only one Hereford entry. We give below the age, weight and gain per day of the winning steers and of the Hereford steer: .2 Name of Animal. a Date of Birth. _. W _ri a ^ rt cd MrQ > tl < p, 1. 2. 0. McMullen, G. S. H. Mar. 5. '76 C. S. Reed, G. S. H. May 15, '78 Putnam, G. Hereford July 12, '78 605 644 483 1196 1300 1152 1.97 2.38 2.39 This review of the four classes of grade steers where the Herefords and Shorthorns were in competition with the tables showing ages, weights and average gain per day from birth, is in each class in favor of the Herefords. The only question remaining open is the one of quality. To test this Mr. Miller, the owner and exhibitor of the Hereford steers, made a propo- sition to test these awards by dressing the bul- locks as follows: Chicago, 111., Nov. 14, '79. Hon. J. R. Scott, President of the State Board of Agriculture of Illinois: The object of your Board is to determine, among other things, the comparative value of th.i different breeds of beef animals. Among other ways, expert judges of beef animals are called upon to pass upon the merits of such .animals as are brought before you. This will determine the merits excepting the errors of judgment and prejudices in favor of different breeds. To correct such errors and prejudices, if any exist, I will submit my cattle that have come in competition with other breeds to the direction of your Board, to be slaughtered as follows : My grade Hereford steer "Ben," four years old, which took the first (1st) premium in Lot 5, against the four-year-old steer that took first (1st) premium in Lot 6. My three (3) year-old steer Barney against the first (1st) premium steer in Lot 5. My yearling steer Putnam against the first (1st) premium yearling steer in Lot 5. . My yearling steer General against the year- ling steer that took first premium in Lot 6. My cow Jennie against the cow that took first premium in Lot 6. The best of each of these animals to be deter- mined by the quality of the meat of each ani- mal, and the greatest amount of dressed meat to the gross weight of each. Very respectfully yours, * T. L. MILLER. In reply to this proposition the following en- dorsement was made, and the papers returned to me: Illinois State Board of Agriculture, Chicago, Nov. 15, 1879. Respectfully returned with the statement that the matter contained herein has been duly con- sidered by the Board, and that the Board has decided not to depart from the published pro- gramme for the Fat Stock Show in this request at this late date. Jos. R. SCOTT, President. The following entries were made for the premiums for dressed bullocks : Name of Animal. Date of Birth. 3 ca Boynton, S. H. Dec. 13, '77 697 1338 1.92 Snowflake, G. S. H. June 1, '76 1257 1978 1.57 Drake, G. S. H. May 15, '76 1274 1799 1.41 Barney, G. Hereford May 15, '76 1274 1991 1.56 Putnam, G. Hereford July 12, '76 483 1152 2.39 Jim Lockwood, Devon June 4, '76 1254 1619 1.31 The above entries were made by parties as follows: Boynton, by J. M. Brown & Sons, Berlin, 111. ; Snowflake and Drake, by J. D. Gil- lette, Elkhart, 111. ; Barney and Putnam, by T. HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 237 L. Miller, Beecher, 111. ; Jim Lockwood, by L. F. Ross, Avon, 111. Besides, our Hereford cow Jennie was entered for dressing. We offered the owner of the cow taking the premium to dress his cow against ours, which was declined. We then offered ten cents a pound for the cow. This was refused. The dressing would have been a fitting and proper test by which to have tried these verdicts. In the above table there is evidence to show in the three-year-old classes that the Hereford was certainly a better steer than the Devon, and the dressing of these steers proved this con- clusively, as between the first premium steer and the Hereford the difference is so light that only the dressing would determine the fact the difference is, however, in favor of the Here- ford. In the two-year-old class the Hereford shows .16 pounds per day from birth the largest gain; and he was certainly the ripest and smoothest steer of the lot. In the one-year-old class the Hereford shows a trifle the largest gain per day, and for quality and thickness of flesh the Shorthorns could not compare with him, and he would have dressed ten pounds to the hundred more than either the first or the second premium steer. The large exhibits of Hereford cattle that we have had made at many of the prominent fairs were found to be a desirable feature by the several managers, and we had many cordial invitations to show over the West. We were promised fair play and a classification for the Hcrefords. To these invitations we gave in Au- gust, 1880, the following reply: "Your favor inviting me to exhibit at your fair this fall is at hand. While I should be glad to exhibit on your grounds, if I were ex- hibiting at all, I have to reply that I deter- mined last fall that I would not exhibit breed- ing stock in' the future, and for these reasons: that the condition in which stock must be put, if success in taking premiums is secured, endan- gers the breeding quality of the animals ex- hibited, and, beyond this, is wasteful and ille- gitimate, and the fact that this custom has been followed for years is no reason why it should be continued. "There are none that realize these facts more fully than the exhibitors themselves. I fol- lowed the exhibitions for years, with some suc- cess as an exhibitor. I have had large numbers on exhibition and in good condition. If it has not resulted in as much loss of good breeding animals as some others, it has been because the feeding has not been pushed to such an extent as others have done, and the feeding has been conducted with good judgment and my breed of cattle has more constitution to stand the strain. "Our showing brought the Herefords into notice and gave them a credit they might not have obtained without it. We followed this showing, not that I might prove my cattle better than other Herefords, but that we might prove the Herefords better than any other breed, and this showing of breeding stock has been the only opportunity that we have had of bringing them in competition with other breeds. We were obliged to show under the great disadvantage of having Shorthorn breeders make our rules and our judges. We, however, won substantial hon- ors, even under these conditions, over the Short- horns, their breeders themselves being our judges. "This is not all. Nearly all the societies that have been prominent at the West exclude this competition as between the Herefords and Shorthorns. Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and St. Louis offer no compe- tition between breeds. A TYPICAL BULL'S HEAD, CORRECTOR 48976. (Photograph from life.) "The Minneapolis Fair Association, con- ducted by Col. King, does offer open competi- tion between breeds, and he offers liberal pre- miums, and I should be glad to go there and give that association such help as my herd and flock could, to make his fair the greatest success of any show this fall, and I will give all the aid I can to see that the Herefords are well repre- sented there, and should he another year give the competition he offers now to breeding stock and fat steers I will agree that the Herefords shall have a representation that will be credit-, able to his show and to the breed. "The societies that I have named as having shut off competition as to breeds are run by Shorthorn breeders and in the interest of Short- horn cattle. Some of the officers of these socie- 238 HISTOEY OF HEREFORD CATTLE ties say I cannot afford to keep my cattle off their show grounds. Perhaps not. The future will determine this. There is one thing about this: these societies cannot afford to run them in the interest of the Shorthorn breed of cattle. The people are inquiring for the best breed and they are looking for the proper tests of merit as between the different breeds, and they would look to the State and district societies for a solution of this question. They have done so in the past, supposing that societies taking the names of our great commonwealths to designate their special organization, conducted by men selected from the different congressional dis- tricts, and holding office under official seal, in the name of the people, for the purpose of se- lecting the best kind, and the best of the best kind: I say, it has been supposed that men acting thus under the great seals of the dif- ferent States, and ostensibly for the public THOS. ASTON, ELYRIA, O. benefit, were doing what they professed, and not for their individual benefit ; and when they, the people, shall recognize that all this machinery has been used to advance the Shorthorn inter- est, there will be as much use for them as there is for the old ruined castles and monasteries of the Old World. "I have shown under these managements, un- der this order. I have known when on these grounds that there was as much chance of win- ning against Shorthorns as there was to be struck by lightning; still, I have gone on, hop- ing there might be a time in the future when this partialism should pass away. But this hope has never passed. When these men could no longer carry their ends, they say they will not permit competition as between breeds. Having decided on this, there is no further object in visiting these show grounds. "This work of Shorthorn breeders was fairly illustrated at Ottawa (Illinois State Fair) when Mr. was superintendent of the cattle de- partment. I was making a very good show, and I asked of the president and ex-president and several of the vice-presidents that they would see that fair and impartial men were se- lected as judges to pass on the herd and sweep- stakes premiums. I claimed I had a right to this. It was admitted, and Mr. admitted the right, and after great protestations of try- ing, said to me he thought he had a good com- mittee, and the last men selected had been se- lected after a very careful and laborious search, a search that had been so burdensome that he was obliged to get the aid of that other impar- tial and disinterested vice-president and offi- cial, Col. , and the combined efforts of these officials one the cattle superinten- dent, the other the marshal of the ring, and, after a laborious and painstaking search of the State they found Mr. Spears, another disinter- ested and impartial man, to place as one of the judges to pass on the merits of the Herefords and Shorthorns. Mr. (the superintend- ent) is and was a prominent Shorthorn breed- er. Col. is and was all this and, besides, was the salesman that sold all the Shorthorns of the great West; and the judge selected was one of the leading, and perhaps at his best, the leading Shorthorn breeder in Illinois. "These are the kind of men that have run the cattle department of the great Board of Agri- culture of the State of Illinois. The farmers of Illinois and the West wish to know the best breeds for a given purpose, and they will find a way by which to determine it. I am not pre- pared to say that the showing on the fair grounds of Illinois has not been a benefit to the Herefords. I think it has ; but there may be ways and means by which the Herefords can be brought before the public. We may find one of these ways, and find it by bringing breeding stock in breeding condition and fat stock in fat condition. "The steer is the legitimate product of any beef breed. I will endeavor to show to a rea- sonable extent this product, and will take the liberty of using the public shows or find some other way. For the present I will not show breed- HISTOEY OF HEEEFOED CATTLE 239 ing stock in fat stock condition, and will not, if I can avoid it, show Herefords against Short- horns with Shorthorn men for judges. A prom- inent Shorthorn advocate calls my attention to the premiums offered at Minneapolis $825 in class and for best herd and asks if Herefords are not in full force what will be the reason? Well, for myself, I have decided not to show breeding stock; but it is somewhat singular that this Shorthorn advocate is anxious for the repu- tation of the Herefords. "Very respectfully, "T. L. MILLER." FIRST WESTERN SHOWING FAT STEERS. The end and profit of all beef herds of cattle is the butcher's block; but previous to the de- termined effort made by Hereford cattle breed- ers to show to the public that their cattle were by far the best beef cattle, both in economy of production and dressed carcasses, no effort had been made at the several State and Agricultural Shows, to bring out a beef exhibit in the way of fat steers. The St. Louis (Mo.) Fair always had, in those days, much the best attended and success- ful show in the West. That fair in 1879 made a move in the right direction, by offering a large and remunerative premium for the five best fat steers. This was a new feature in their fair and the premium was awarded to five Hereford steers, shipped from within forty miles of Chi- cago and owned by the writer. PURE HEREFORD COW JENNY. (Champion Chicago Fat Stock Show, 1878, bred by T. L. Miller.) 240 HISTOEY OF HEREFORD CATTLE CHAPTER XVIII. IMPARTIAL JUDGES NEEDED It had been remarked upon several occasions, "the enormity of Miller, that insignificant Hereford cattle breeder", charging a conspiracy upon a large number of Shorthorn men, mem- bers of State Agricultural Associations and di- rectors of Fat Stock Shows, to suppress and de- fraud the Hereford cattle of their rightful hon- ors. To meet this, as well as to show what Herefords have had to contend with, we have gone quite fully into the facts, and presented the evidence tending to prove our position and say what we think that it proves, thus giving all a means of judging whether we were right -or not. That impartial judges were needed, and also men of intelligence and fairness, to award the prizes at the several fairs, was so conspicuous a fact that the leading daily paper at Chicago, "The Tribune/' had the following to say, after the Fat Stock Show in November, 1881 : "Nothing is plainer to the average observer than the necessity for improvement in the mat- ter of selecting judges to act in the various cat- tle rings at the Chicago Fat Stock Show, and unless radical changes for the better are made before another year rolls round, the great show will lose caste, and become, in the eyes of the people, simply a place where a certain class of breeders are given preference over all others, without reference to merit. "The members of the State Board are gentle- men of excellent reputation, who, of course, would not countenance anything which had the appearance of unfairness. "Several of the committee awards of last week were the subject of unfavorable comment, and the grounds for complaint and adverse, criticism were perfectly well grounded. It is to be deplored that charges of unfairness were made under any circumstances, but in the cases referred to, there was a palpable lack of discre- tion, at least, on the part of the management in allowing the same set of judges to act in more than one sweepstake ring. The judges could take but one course, and that was to simply en- dorse their own decisions, as to do otherwise would have amounted -virtually to stultifica- tion. "In several cases it was unnecessary to take the cattle into the ring to undergo the farce of an examination by the judges, and it would have been just as well to have tied the blue rib- bon onto the winning cattle while in their stalls. "The force of this proposition may be readily shown in the case of Mr. Gillette's steer McMul- len. (j[ 127) This animal, which, by the way, is fairly entitled to rank among the very best of high grade stock, was shown in a ring of twenty-one steers, composed largely of Short- horns, for the prize offered for the best steer in the show three years old and under four. It may be presumed that the judges were governed en- tirely by the question of merit, and after a crit- ical examination the prize was awarded to Mc- Mullen. This occurred on Wednesday. On the following day in the sweepstakes ring for the best steer or cow in the show the same animals were entered and the judges were called upon to act. The decision of the men who had al- ready decided in a ring composed of identically the same cattle was of course a foregone conclu- sion, and the examination of the cattle under the circumstances closely resembled a farce. The judges were handicapped by their own previous action, and were absolutely compelled to again award the premium to the steer McMullen. "When it is remembered that this animal was overlooked entirely in a ring where the Here- ford men were victorious, and did not even re- ceive second or third place at that time, it looks very much to a man up a tree as though a change was necessary. It is not proposed to criticise the men, but the idea of allowing the same judges to be placed in a position to pass upon their own previous judgment is a great mistake, to say the least. "In the interest of harmony among exhibitors of the different breeds of cattle, it is hoped that some better method of selecting judges will be adopted ere another year has passed. It has HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 241 been openly charged that the Shorthorn ring, so called, has secured control of the show, and that other breeders are denied certain rights and privileges to which they are entitled. 'The Tribune' does not believe that any ring exists who can control the management of these shows, but it does insist upon a better system of judging, to the end that exact and impartial justice may be the rule hereafter. "In this connection the following plan is sug- gested, by which, at least, disinterested men might be secured for these trying and impor- tant positions : the Board should select the best butchers from eastern cities and pay them for their services, and thus avoid the scandal that yearly crops out because judges and exhibitors are from the same localities. Having good judges, the rule should be, that no man who owns an animal shall be allowed to hold it while in the ring, or to enter the ring under any pre- text while the judges are at work. The adop- tion of some such rules as the above, or some- thing of that character guaranteeing a better state of things, must be adopted at once, or the greatest of American shows will become a by- word and reproach." Those who read our great daily papers know that they are too apt to leave the beef interests and agricultural necessities of our stock breed- ers and farmers out in the cold, by saying noth- ing about them and leaving them severely alone. But this matter of showing beef cattle, and hav- ing justice done to the deserving ones, was of such moment that "The Tribune" in January, 1882, again came out in the following editorial : "During the past year much has been said and written upon the subject of choosing judges to act at fairs, and the matter of these selections has become one which must attract still greater attention before another season. There has grown up in the minds of farmers, a pretty well grounded opinion that in nearly all exhibition rings there is a lack of judgment displayed, as well in the selection of judges as in the method in which their awards are given, and last year's experience has not had a tendency to change their views very materially. During the next three months many State Boards of Agriculture will hold their annual meetings, at which ar- rangements for this year's fairs will be per- fected, and it is certain that no single subject in connection with their work demands more thoughtful consideration than that of an im- proved method of selecting and working judges. There will of course be many suggestions offered, all havmg^n view the employment of men whose integrity cannot be questioned, and who, from experience, are competent to pass in- telligent judgment and discover merit where it exists, without regard to who may, or may not, be pleased or benefited. It has been openly charged, particularly by cattle exhibitors, that no one but a Shorthorn breeder or feeder can hope for justice at the hands of Western fair associations, and breeders of other families claim that at these fairs the judges are invari- ably chosen from localities where Shorthorn cattle are raised almost exclusively. Protests against this manner of choosing awarding com- mittees have been repeatedly made, especially by Hereford breeders, not a few of whom assert that the whole system of selecting judges, par- ticularly in the Western states, is controlled by what they are not backward in terming the 'Shorthorn ring/ "If such a combination exists, it is high time that measures were adopted by which its influ- ence and power can be broken. The struggle for supremacy between the different breeds of beef cattle has become an exciting one, and the