SOLON ROBINSON, 1850 395 



this paper for sale upon the farm of Mr. Sheafe,^ on the 

 Hudson River below Poughkeepsie, to prove to you this 

 fact, and show you what mountains of beef might be 

 made to move about upon our rich prairie lands, if a por- 

 tion of this herd might be brought here to infuse some of 

 their good qualities into the common cattle of the coun- 

 try. I do honestly believe that if that bull "Exeter" was 

 presented to the State, it would be of more value to the 

 people than a present of ten thousand dollars in cash. 



It is true that some spirited individuals have hereto- 

 fore introduced some valuable cattle, and have failed to 

 realize a fair compensation for their expense and trouble, 

 but that was when every man had a grain of wheat in 

 his eye, so he could see nothing but great profits from 

 great crops, except when he saw great disappointments 

 from great failures. But would it be so now ? And after 

 so many failures to your rich, growing wheat, is it not 

 worth while to grow wise, and make the attempt to make 

 some of the down-easters think we can grow as good a 

 herd of Durham cattle upon the Western prairies as can 

 be grown upon the weekly pastures along the Hudson 

 River ? 



To do this we must have the stock to start with. If I 

 had not already made arrangements to be absent from 

 the country the next year, I should be willing to join any 

 gentleman who felt disposed to try the experiment fully 

 of growing good cattle in the West for an Eastern mar- 

 ket, which I am well satisfied may be done more profitably 

 than growing wheat for the same market. If any of your 

 readers are of the same opinion, I have only to say that 

 the sale of Mr. Sheaf e's cattle will afford a better opportu- 

 nity to obtain animals of pure blood and excellent quality 



^ J. F. Sheafe, a prominent cattle breeder. Specialized in Short- 

 horns. His stock was frequently mentioned in the American Agri- 

 culturist, 1850-1851. He was a life member of the New York State 

 Agricultural Society. New York State Agricultural Society Trans- 

 actions, 1854, vol. 14:xvii. See also The Plough, the Loom, and the 

 Anvil, 3:179 (September, 1850); American Farmer, 4th series, 6:48 

 (August, 1850). 



