FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA. 179 



experimental crosses between cattle carrying 

 Short-horn blood and the Long-horns were 

 made in Kentucky, Virginia and Ohio,* but the 

 judgment of the best breeders of the day was 

 not favorable and the Long-horns presently dis- 

 appeared. 



In 1818 Mr. James Prentice of Lexington, 

 Ky., imported the two bulls Prince Regent 877 

 and John Bull 598J, both certified to be of pure 

 Short-horn blood but not supplied with pedi- 

 grees. John Bull was described as a deep red, 

 of fine size and good form, with small down- 

 curving horns. Prince Regent was "pied," 

 white with some red spots. As indicating the 

 enterprise of the Kentucky breeders of that 

 clay in the work of improving their cattle it 

 may be stated that these bulls were purchased 

 by Nathaniel Hart of Woodford County and 



* George Reniek of Ohio was among 1 those who tried the cross and dis- 

 carded the Long-horn blood. Writing upon this subject Mr. Brutus J. Clay 

 of Bourbon Co., Ky., said: "We recollect in 1821, when just verging into 

 manhood, taking a horseback journey from Columbus to Circleville, O., in 

 the vicinity of which latter town the Reniek brothers owned large landed 

 estates. We saw a herd of a dozen or more long-horned cattle grazing in a 

 field by the side of the road. Their singular appearance, grazing on the 

 rich blue grass or lying under the shade of the majestic trees, attracted our 

 attention. We rode up to the fence, hitched our horse and went into the 

 field to view them. They had every appearance of being either pure-bred 

 or high grades of the Long-horn breed, with long, drooping horns pushing 

 forward beyond their noses or falling below their jaws, light brindle in 

 color, with white stripes along their backs, as we now see their portraits 

 in the books. They were long-bodied, a little swayed in the back, not very 

 compact in shape, but withal imposing animals to the eye. We made no in- 

 quiries about them at the time, as we knew little of breeds of cattle. Thirty 

 years afterward, being again at Circleville, and having a better knowledge 

 of breeds, on inquiry for cattle of that character we could find no trace nor 

 even a recollection of them among the older farmers of the vicinity." 



