STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 211 



THE LIVE STOCK INTER l:STS OF CALIFORNIA. 



BY C. M. CHASE, ESQ., OF SAN FRANCISCO. 



CATTLE. 



California is peculiarly adapted for the raising of cattle. It abounds 

 with mountainous and rolling land unfitted for other purposes, heavy 

 frosts preventing its use for vineyards and small fruits, and its pre- 

 cipitous nature, as well as distance from transportation, rendering it 

 unprofitable for cultivation. These elevations are covered with rich 

 and succulent grasses, wild oats, clover, alfillerilla, etc., which are 

 fattening in. their green state. A^ast fields of wild oats, cured standi 

 ing by the warm dry air of Summer, form excellent Fall pasturage, 

 and seeding themselves, are reproduced annually by copious rains 

 during the Winter and Spring months. Eight tenths of all cattle 

 slaughtered are from the range, grass fed, and will bear favorable 

 comparison with the stall fed cattle of the Eastern States. The basis 

 of our horned stock were the original herds of the old Catholic Mis- 

 sions, and the immense bands of long-horned (so called) Spanish 

 cattle owned by wealthy rancheros. These numbered tens of thou- 

 sands, and were of little value, being mostly slaughtered for their 

 horns, hides, and tallow. In size small, color undesirable, and tem- 

 per vicious, they were almost valueless as commercial property. 

 Upon the advent of the Americans the condition of things changed. 

 Well bred Durham and Devon bulls were imported, the mean, cross 

 tempered little Spanish toros were killed, and a determined effort 

 made to " breed up," with the most happy results. The State now 

 abounds with handsome, sleek, well fed animals, deep red in color, 

 with short horns, well formed, heavy carcases, most desirable either 

 for stock cattle or the shambles. These are denominated American 

 cattle, and are the result chiefly of the continued crossing, as before 

 stated, of well bred Durham and Devon (principally the former) 

 bulls upon the native, or, as they are technically termed, Spanish 

 cattle. 



The Durhams are the distinctive beef cattle of the State. They are a 

 combination of the principal desirable qualities, milk, butter, and beef. 

 Some difficulty has been experienced with thoroughbreds, imported, 

 on account of their delicate nature and seeming inability to earn their 

 living, but it has been demonstrated that the offspring of these very 

 thoroughbreds, when born upon the range, and indigenous to the 

 climate and locality, have proved themselves "rustlers" equal to the 

 best descendents of the native breed. The bulk of the beef cattle of 

 the State may be said to be of the short-horn variety. About twenty 

 years ago, several small herds of Devon cattle were imported from the 

 Western States, and an effort made to cross them with the graded 

 Durhams, it being claimed that the Devon, being a mountain cattle, 

 were especially adapted to such a rough country as California. Tiie 



