THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 391 



had a double cross of Belleville (6778) and were 

 superior specimens. Mr. Campbell bought 

 Hunger ford's interest and eventually acquired 

 Brodie's. 



Kichard Gibson was employed as manager of 

 the farm and cattle, and speaking of the trans- 

 action just mentioned says: 



" By this deal Mr. Campbell became possessed of Short-horns, 

 for which he had no love at the time, and I doubt if he ever had. 

 It was only the calves that he cared for Of an Ayrshire he was 

 a fair judge, and as they were a paying investment in supplying 

 milk to the operatives they were looked upon with a great deal 

 more favor by the proprietor than were their swell relatives the 

 Short-horns. ' Gibson, what good are they? They give no milk; 

 just one mass of blubber; you can't eat them.' This idea of a cow 

 simply raising a calf was preposterous, just as among the opera- 

 tives every child must work, and usually the mother as well. So 

 it is easy to understand that in this community of busy workers 

 no drones were allowed, and the Short-horn cow at rest in the 

 rich pastures of the Mohawk Valley, negligently chewing her cud, 

 was entirely out of keeping with the surroundings. Why should 

 the patrician English cattle live in purple and fine linen? They 

 weaved not, neither did they spin ! 



" The remark quoted came in response to my question as to 

 what bull to breed the Short-horn cows to. I was led to make 

 this inquiry on seeing the men take out the Ayrshire bull to the 

 Short-horn cow imp. Rosamond. My ire arose. No more such 

 sacrilege was permitted, but it was some months before I could 

 persuade Mr. Campbell to allow me to buy a bull. I eventually 

 secured Weehawken, bred by J. O. Sheldon. Upon this bull 

 hinged the destiny of the breed so far as the Mills was concerned. 

 He proved a most impressive sire, and as his progeny developed 

 his value became more established, and yearly the treasury of the 

 New York State Agricultural Association was laid under contri- 

 bution. After returning from one of our successful trips Mr. 

 Campbell put the situation in this way: ' Now I find your things ' 

 (he always called them ' Gibson's things ' up to a certain time) 

 ' are giving us notoriety. We must either get rid of them or go in 

 deeper. I don't ask your opinion ; I know what that will be; but 

 this I ask, can we take as high a position with Short-horns as we 



