28 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Texas. These cattle have been so exclusively reared ever 

 since, that the Texan cattle of to-day may be called full- 

 blooded Spanish, and they may be said to have inherited all 

 the characteristics of the original stock." On the vast plains 

 of Texas these cattle become, to all intents and purposes, 

 wild cattle ; and even yet, some of our herds are in a half- 

 wild state, so that it is unsafe for a man on foot to venture 

 amongst them. 



These Texan cattle are sent in considerable numbers to 

 the corn-raising districts to be fattened. Few however, if 

 any, of the pure wild bred stock are sent, they being of very 

 inferior quality, difficult to fatten, and not very valuable 

 when fat. Great efforts are being made to improve these 

 cattle, by crossing them with the short-horn cattle. 



The herds of cattle of the Western and Southern country 

 have increased marvellously within a short time. 



It is only about eight years since the cattle men began to 

 put their drives out upon their pastures to graze : now there 

 are hundreds of herds numbering from a thousand to fifty 

 thousand head, and we have learned of one firm which owns 

 a hundred thousand cattle, and of one single individual who 

 owns ninety-six thousand cattle ; while the acres of these 

 herdsmen number from a hundred thousand to five hun- 

 dred thousand. 



It is stated that the immense possibilities of the export 

 trade in cattle have induced William H. Vanderbilt, the 

 railroad king, to head a great enterprise for this purpose, and 

 he has declared that it shall be a magnificent success, if 

 money will do it. 



It may be interesting to notice some of the great markets 

 for this production, and their rapid growth. 



Twenty years ago 150,000 beeves were received at New 

 York ; and New-York State ranked first in furnishing the sup- 

 ply for the city market. In 1860, her receipts were 227,000 ; 

 in 1865, 273,000. In 1875, Illinois and the States farther West 

 were credited with furnishing half of the supply. In 1868, 

 New- York State still held the second place as regards the 

 supply, and Texas contributed 10,000 beeves. In 1874, Illi- 

 nois was credited with supplying one-half, and Texas 75,000, 

 of the 451,000 cattle received. In 1876, 470,000 cattle 

 were received; in 1877, 505,217; in 1878, 544,371 beeves, 



