SHORTHORN BRKEDERs' ASSOCIATION. 207 



It is about the same way with the Sliorthorn breeder; the old herd has 

 beeu dispersed and the new herd has been started. Most of you present 

 know that a few years ago we sold our farm and dispersed our herd. 

 The next spring we started a new herd. We gathered together just what 

 we cared to select of the blood of the herd we had dispersed. It is a 

 pleasing thing to realize that one is in a line of business he feels justified 

 in following; that there is a sufficient return for following that business; 

 that there is enough pleasure in it or that the hobby is sweet enough for 

 him to wish to continue it. We feel justified in continuing in the business 

 of breeding Shorthorns. It is said that the majority of men in this 

 country, when they reach their majority, are either Democrats or Repub- 

 licans according as their fathers haA'e been Democrats or Republicans. 

 Now it does seem that the sons who follow their fathers in a rural 

 occupation follow very closely in his line. If the father is a horsebreeder 

 the son is apt to continue in that line; if a cattle breeder, he is apt to 

 breed the same class of cattle. The fact that I am breeding Shorthorns 

 in association with my father and two brothers would indicate that my 

 father has had great influence in first directing my attention and my 

 love to that class of cattle. There is still another reason, which reason 

 also explains why I am now interested in that line of breeding. That 

 particular cause is one that interests everyone of us— the pocketbook. 

 If you are in a business you can get satisfactory returns out of, you are 

 apt to stay in that business. Such has been the business of my life in 

 relation to the breeding of Shorthorn cattle. I believe the vicissitudes of 

 cattle breeding are not greater than any other vocation commonly fol- 

 lowed. In fact, I do not believe they are as good, especially if you are 

 breeding Shorthorns. Even if there Avere Hereford Ijreeders here, or 

 breeders of any other class of cattle, I would naturally advocate the 

 good old red, white and roan, because I believe in them. As I said before, 

 there are perhaps less vicissitudes in breeding Shorthorn cattle than in 

 Itreeding any other class. It is true that we sometimes buy at very high 

 prices and fail to realize on those particular animals, but that is true 

 of any undertaking or business, it matters not what it is. It is but a 

 short time since the Rates blood was considered the strongest. Time 

 passed along until this condition of affairs clianged with the particular 

 lypcs of rattle, and the type of cattle that pleased the people was that 

 type which matured early and were good feeders. This caused the intro- 

 duction of Scotch cattle into this country. These cattle commenced 

 ooniing to America, and by the introduction of this blood into the Rates 

 JK-rd you all know that the Siiorihorn of the T'nited States were greatly 

 improved. If we could get from the fountain head the pure Scotch 

 blood, that would be considered the acme of our desires. If we had a 

 pure Sootfh bull and nur herd was .Vmeritan. the oft'si)ring of that herd 

 would be half Scotcli. We know tliat frcipu'utly salfs have been adver- 

 tised as all Scotch. I rtMiicmlM-i- mm advertisement that appeared In the 



