FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA. 165 



viding the ways and means for a more diversi- 

 fied system of agriculture was taken up by the 

 farmers and planters of that section. Some- 

 thing more than tobacco was wanted. The 

 historic " valley" was really well adapted to 

 the requirements of live-stock husbandry. As 

 nearly as can be ascertained at this late day it 

 was in 1783 that the first improved cattle were 

 purchased in England for Virginia. A Mr. Mil- 

 ler of that State, in connection with Mr. Gough 

 of Baltimore, must be given credit for the ini- 

 tial shipment. As to the number purchased no 

 record has been preserved. As to their charac- 

 ter we only know that they represented two 

 distinct types one known locally as the milk 

 breed and the other as the beef breed. 



Character of the Gough & Miller cattle. 

 The "milk breed " was described as having short 

 horns and heavy and compact carcasses, the 

 cows displaying marked dairy propensities. In 

 color they were red, red-and-white and roan 

 proof positive that they were of Short-horn 

 origin. The stock of the "beef breed" were 

 longer-horned and "rangier" in conformation. 

 They lacked the smooth, even lines of the so- 

 called "milk breed" and were slower in com- 

 ing to maturity. They attained large size and 

 made heavy carcasses of beef when fully grown 

 and finished. It seems equally certain, there- 

 fore, that they represented one of the older 





