A HTTNDRED VEARP/ PROGRESS. 297 



setts, wliilc IToiiry Clay introdu(;e(l the Heretbrds into Keutucky in tlio 

 year 1817, aud Colonel Sannders*s imiwrtatiou of sbort-liorus arrived in 

 that State the same year. 



Of all these early importatioiKS made by public-spirited individuals, 

 the Tattou stock probably made the most mark. They did much to 

 teach people the possibility of improvement. They were the pioneers, 

 and, together with subsequent importations, not only infused their blood 

 into the stock of that great western country, but did something to 

 excite a spirit of emulation among the farmers there, and thus may be 

 said to have laid the foundation "for the splendid results which Ken- 

 tucky, Ohio, and adjoining States have since realized. 



After 1820, that is within the last half century, importations became 

 more frequent. But though from time to time all the prominent breeds, 

 the short-horns, the Herefords, the Devons, the Ayrshires, and the 

 Jerseys, were introduced on trial, and, to some extent, crossed with our 

 common cattle, the interest in stock was conlined chiefly to individuals. 

 The mass of farmers were slow to make changes, especially among the 

 smaller farmers at the East. We may discover the first evidences of 

 some general interest at the West about the year 1834, when the Ohio 

 company for importing English cattle gave a great impetus to the spirit 

 of improvement, and from that date the progress in cattle-husbandry 

 became rapid, and we see the magnificent results of it at the present 

 day. Early maturity aud a tendency to fatten well are of transcendent 

 importance to the western farmer who breeds to supply the stalls in 

 our eastern markets, and he was quick to see how he could improve 

 the intrinsic qualities of his stock in these respects. 



In the eastern portions of the country the dairy early became the 

 leading object of pursuit. Size aud fattening properties were of less 

 account, and hence Ave find that modern importations have consisted 

 chiefly of the celebrated dairy breeds, of Avhich the Ayrshires and the 

 Jerseys have taken the lead, according to the special object proposed. 

 These importations have been especially numerous within the last 

 twenty years, till they have greatly modified the stock. In Massachu- 

 setts, for example, in 1853 there were less than seventy-five pure-bred 

 Jerseys in the Avhole State. Kow they number several thousands, and 

 single herds now contain more pure and high-bred animals of this breed 

 than could have been found in the State twenty years ago. And the 

 same remark applies to the Ayrshires. 



While the constant introduction of improved cattle from abroad has 

 effected a very marked general improvement in the quality of our ani- 

 mals, the universal interest in cattle-husbandry has led to greater 

 knowledge of stock, to better systems of feeding and management, and 

 so to more satisfactory results. Xo longer ago than 1841, Mr. Colman, 

 a well-known agriculturist, remarked that the general treatment of cows 

 at that time, in New England, Avould not be an inapt subject of present- 

 ment by a grand jury. Now they are better sheltered, better fed, and 

 more tenderly treated. 



And while this progress in the improvement of the intrinsic qualities 

 of our stock has been going on, the number of neat-cattle in the country 

 has largely increased. The aggregate number by the census of 1840 

 was 14,971,586 ; in 1850 it was 18,378,907 ; while by the census of 1870 

 we find 23,820,(308. Of these there were about nine million of cows. It 

 will be seen that the amount invested in this class of live stock alone 

 cannot be less than $300,000,000, the total value of the live-stock of the 

 country being of&cially reported as $1,525,276,457. 



It would be interesting to study the form in which the product, or, 



