No. 63.] 267 



tute of a certain symmetry themselves, cross but indifferently well 

 with native cows. The true bull for the cross is one full in all his 

 points, but small of his kind. He should be delicate to a fault. 

 Animals are sometimes said by breeders to be bred " too high" or 

 " loo fine." This is produced sometimes by in-and-in breeding, some- 

 times by breeding between sires and dams, both inclining towards the 

 same fault. For example, " Volage"* was a cow of uncommon beau- 

 ty and style, but small and delicate to a fault. She was bred to 

 " Mammon," (Herd Book No. 2,297,) a bull possessing precisely si- 

 milar characteristics. The produce was a bull, (Volunteer,) which 

 exhibited all the indications of an " overbred" animal. He was small, 

 not exceeding in bone and carcass many bulls of the native variety. 

 Yet the produce of this bull with native cows, has been pronounced 

 by competent judges unsurpassed, and entirely superior to that of 

 many, in individual properties, far superior bulls. All the most suc- 

 cessful stock getters we have ever known with native cows, have 

 been small and very fine boned animals. 



Grade heifers and steers have been bred from ordinary looking 

 cows in repeated instances, in this county, which bore so close a re- 

 semblance to the pure Short Horn, that it would be difficult for any 

 one to distinguish between them. Some of the best milkers ever rais- 

 ed in the county, are among these grade heifers. On the average, 

 they are clearly and manifestly superior to the native stock in this 

 particular. Another important point we consider equally establish- 

 ed, viz: that the grade steers will make good working oxen. We 

 have examined a yoke of three year olds, coming four, during the 

 past week, owned by Mr- Alfred Chamberlain of this town. They 

 are of a high Durham form, white, except the ears and nose, and 

 weighed about a fornight since, 3,130 pounds. Mr. C, whose vera- 

 city is not only above question, but above suspicion, informed us that 

 these steers had been almost constantly at work during the past sum- 

 mer, doing the principal work of a medium sized farm, and that they 

 had received no extra keep beyond that allowed by most farmers to 

 laboring cattle. They are not large in frame, and their weight pro- 

 ceeds from their condition! Other grade steers have been put to the 

 yoke, by several of our farmers, and in all cases with satisfactory re- 

 sults. 



There is yet another point to be considered in estimating the value 

 of this cross, to wit: their hardiness and endurance of coarse or short 

 keep. We will first detail our own experience during the present 

 winter, which only serves to corroborate that of other years. Our 

 farm was severely affected by a drouth during the past summer, 

 and our hay crops were very light. We have wintered up to the pre- 

 sent time, (Feb. 14th,) between thirty and forty head of grade Dur- 

 hams, as follows: the yearlings have got one feed of hay daily, and 

 two of barley and oat straw, and nothing else. Every one is in good 

 condition — better than that of one herd in twenty of native yearlings, 

 however kept. Twenty head of cows and heifers receive a feed of 



*Bred by Mr. Rotch. The pedigree of this animal is incorrectly given in the Herd Book, she 

 having been confounded with another animal of the same name. 



