236 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



general, and became known as " the Teeswater breed." The 

 Teeswater cattle were celebrated for the quantity of milk (of 

 rather inferior quality) yielded by the cows, and for the great 

 weight they were capable of attaining when fully matured. In 

 regard to fattening tendency and quality of flesh, they exhibited 

 decided improvement, though still somewhat liable to be heavy 

 in offal, and slow feeders, producing an inferior quality of 

 beef. 



Such may be said to have been the character of the Tees- 

 water Short-horns, when, towards the close of the last century, 

 they wore adopted by the brothers Colling, whose herds obtained 

 great notoriety, and with others of similar blood gave rise to a 

 stock to which was applied the name of " Improved Short- 

 horns." From some of the leading breeders residing in Durham, 

 it was sometimes called " the Durham breed." 



It may now be asked, in what the alleged improvement of 

 these cattle consisted ; for we are told by the principal historian 

 of the Short-horns — Berry — that " whatever had been the merits 

 of the Teeswater cattle, it is certain Mr. Charles Colling greatly 

 improved them." [Rev. H. H. Berry's account of the Short- 

 horns, in Youatt's Treatise on Cattle, p. 228.] 



A few extracts will throw light on this question. Mr. Berry 

 himself in his pamphlet on "Improved Short-horns and their 

 Pretensions," published in 1824, speaking of Charles Colling's 

 " rule of proceeding," says : " His constant aim was to combine 

 the greatest inclination to fatten with the most correct form." 

 [Page 25.] 



John Rooke, a contemporary of Colling, in a communication 

 to the London Farmer's Journal, June 2, 1821, says: " Use or 

 profit was his [Colling's] constant aim ; but the proeurement 

 of it was directed to obtaining the greatest value of carcass 

 alone for the food consumed. Had milk and carcass combined 

 formed the basis of his selections, it may not be too much to 

 say he would never have obtained that early maturity, excellent 

 quality of flesh, aptitude to fatten, and perfect symmetry, 

 by which his bull Comet was so pre-eminently distinguished." 



This language sufficiently shows what was Charles Colling's 

 object, and what the improvement which he effected. It was 

 the earlier maturity of the Short-horns, greater weight in pro- 

 portion to offal and food consumed, and better quality of flesh" 



