168 OXFORD COUNTY SOCIETY. 



S/ock CoiD '■^ MuJ)le HecuV — Bred and reared by George P. 

 Hooper of Paris. She is five years old, and a grade Durham. 

 With her, I present a two year old heifer -with a calf at her side, 

 and a last spring bull calf, as samples of what she does as a breeder. 

 I think it will be very diflicult to produce stock, that is superior, in 

 all points, to hers, especially when sired by Hereford blood. As 

 evidence of this, I point to the bull calf, as a most perfect animal in 

 make, as well as very extraordinary in size. The white heifer has 

 size, but is not so desirable an animal so far as good points are con- 

 cerned. Both, however, will stand in the very first rank, in their 

 respective classes, for good points as well as size. 



This cow and heifer are treated in the usual way of farm stock, 

 in this county — in summer, kept in a common pasture, and in win- 

 ter, fed on hay and straw, with other rough fodder, to which is 

 added about two quarts of carrots per day, a portion of the winter, 

 and for about four weeks before calving, I give them a quart of corn 

 and cob meal a day, and afterward feed as before, on roots. 



My experience with the Durham blood, though limited, is very 

 far from being satisfactory. To say nothing of the many bad points 

 they exhibit to my eye, I find they are wanting in that hardiness 

 and the power of appropriating their food, Avhich will keep them 

 looking well with the ordinary feed produced from our farms, for 

 stock. No matter how bountifully they may be fed with such food, 

 their hair will look dull and lifeless — a staring coat and high bones 

 will annoy a man of taste continually. This, I find, can be reme- 

 died only by feeding liberally with grain of some kind, and this 

 must be done from calves. This makes them entirely too expensive, 

 to keep as general farm stock, if j^rofU makes any part of a man's 

 object, and he desires to have, withal, a decent looking breed of 

 cattle. Beside, as working oxen, I find they have great defects. 

 Their feet are entirely too small for the size of their bodies, and 

 their hoofs are soft and spongy, and they are wanting in that power 

 of endurance under hard labor, which distinguish the better class of 

 our old native stock. If any of the grades prove otherwise, it is to 

 be traced to the influence of our native blood. From what I have 

 seen and can learn from_ others, I cannot resist the conviction, that 

 on the whole, so far as working oxen are concerned, so large an 

 infusion of Durham blood into our stock,, has had the effect to depre- 



