EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X. 541 



editor knows also, and I know from personal visits, that the Scotch blood 

 which has since been utilized to change the type from a slow-maturing 

 tallow-bearing carcass to one more fleshy and ready for the block, at a 

 much less age emanated from one single herd. Moreover, the cattle most 

 in demand by many of the best breeders in that country now carry the 

 most of that blood. But there are to be found hosts of Short-horns in 

 that counti^' with scarcely a trace of it. Now to label all promiscuously 

 pure Scotch and thus leave the impression that it is equally prepotent is 

 entirely misleading. 



You are quite right when you say that many of these so-called "pure 

 Scotch" are neither in quality nor probable prepotency equal to many of 

 the bulls seemingly neglected because of so-called outcrosses. The whole 

 thing is based on mere names which when analyzed have in them neither 

 "rhyme nor reason" nor meaning, and I do not wonder that you plead: 

 "Let us have more sense in buying Short-horns." 



It is well known that the late Mr. Cruickshank, long before he parted 

 with his Short-horns, felt that the time had arrived when some outside 

 blood of a similar character should be judiciously intermingled with the 

 Sittyton strains, but the American cry for "pure Cruickshank" at that 

 time forbade him doing it. If he felt it necessary then, how much more is 

 it years after his retirement as a breeder? But who dares to do it now? 

 Most breeders fear the force of public opinion. There is great need of 

 boldness, even though you may know that you are right. We seem to be 

 ever and anon going back to the theory which ruined the Bates Short- 

 horns; to study out only the breeding as represented in the pedigree and 

 if it read right no need to study the individual animals. 



To put it a little plainer: It was an effort to make pedigrees instead 

 of producing superior cattle. At that time the cry was "pure Bates." It 

 failed utterly and the whole structure fell with a crash probably never to 

 rise again. But they were not all bad cattle and I agree that mingled 

 with the best of the Scotch blood before applying the cross you are liable 

 to improve rather than injure the cattle of the present day. Who ought 

 to start public opinion in the right direction? I answer, a journal like 

 The Gazette. Because I believe you are right I am willing to stand be- 

 hind you. Nay, more than that, I have not hesitated to put it into prac- 

 tice even years ago. At that time Cruickshank-bred cattle were, as I be- 

 lieved, becoming too small and too weak in reproducing powers. Too 

 many were non-breeders and others irregular breeders. We could not 

 then import on account of foot and mouth diseases, so I selected a 

 Canadian bull of similar characteristics whose dam and sire were both 

 by Cruickshank bulls, but in their foundation of different blood. Would 

 this mix satisfactorily? It certainly did. This bull gave me size, vigor 

 of constitution, regular breeders and good milkers. But this bull had one 

 weakness; his head was not ideal and his horns were too strong and not 

 well placed. These are minor points which we have now overcome.' 

 What I want to say is that many point to this bull in the pedigree ex- 

 pressing great regret that it does not read "straight Cruickshank." 



My answer is that I have better and more useful cattle and I know I 

 am right. I have used "more sense" and therefore T rejoice that The 

 Gazette has come to my help in forming public opinion which will enable 



