No. 63.] 155 



HoldernesSj or unimproved Short Horns, were brought into the 

 county about ten years since. The coarseness of the old Short Horns 

 had been modified in the bulls introduced, by an admixture of other 

 blood. One was crossed with our native stock, one with the Hol- 

 steins, imported by Consul Jarvis, and one with some Ayrshires in- 

 troduced into Connecticut, by Henry Hills. All of the bulls were 

 good stock getters with our native cows, and particularly the last. 

 Their produce were uniformly superior to their dams, and character- 

 ized almost invariably by good milking properties. 



Devons have been introduced into the county by importation and 

 otherwise. On our thin hill lands they might have succeeded; but 

 no one has been found to test their qualities in such a situation. On 

 our valleys their size has been objected to, and it has been thought 

 that our rich valley lands would sustain a larger, and in other res- 

 pects, a more profitable breed. There are those, however, and the 

 writer of this among the number, who are partial to a " dash" of 

 Devon blood in the larger varieties. It gives symmetry and com- 

 pactness — hardiness — a depth of coloring which will not disappear 

 even in the most remote crosses, and usually ensures a good gait, and 

 a well raised head. 



Leicesfers — From the stock of the late Daniel Adcok of Otsego, 

 have obtained an extensive footing; but they have been in all in- 

 stances crossed with the improved Short Horn. They are some- 

 what smaller than the Short Horn, beautiful handlers, good milkers, 

 and usually delicate and " fashionable" in the forend. The cross 

 between the Durham and Leicester is either an unusually good one, 

 or it resulted most fortunately in those few animals of this cross, by 

 means of which this sub-variety have been introduced into Cortland. 

 There are not wanting those who in the Leicester deeply crossed into 

 the Durham, (say one-sixteenth Leicester to fifteen-sixteenths Dur- 

 ham,) fancy they discover a mellowness in the handling, a softness 

 and " silkiness" in the coat, a delicacy and " style" in the head* 

 and in the manner of carrying it, which are rarely found in the 

 thorough bred Durham. Bulls of this family have received most of 

 the prizes at our county fairs. 



Improved Shoi't Horns — Have been introduced from the yards of 

 Messrs. Rotch, Van Rensselaer, Powell, &c. Here, as elsewhere, 

 when on good soils, their career has been one of uninterrupted suc- 

 cess. There are in the county a few full-bloods and several hun- 

 dred head of grades, (betweed the Durham and the natives,) and the 

 latter command prices which demonstrate beyond the possibility of 

 denial, the value of such a cross. Those possessing only half of 

 the Durham blood, sometimes present a combination of valuable 

 points which would almost entitle them to compete with the thorough 

 bred animals, and every succeeding cross towards the Short Horns, 

 if judiciously conducted, increases their value. The grade cows are 

 almost uniformly plentiful and steady milkers, and on the average, 

 i. e. taking an equal number of untried animals from them and the 



* Francis Rotch, Esq. perhaps the most distinguished judge of fine stock in the State, when 

 looking at one of these crossed-bred cows, declared to the writer of this, that she "was the 

 finest animal forward" he had ever seen. 



