744 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 



curring May 6, 1896, at the home farm. While 

 it called out one of the largest and most repre- 

 sentative gatherings of breeders ever seen upon 

 a similar occasion in the Western States, times 

 were then at their very worst, and it was impos- 

 sible that anything like high prices should be 

 realized. The stock had not been kept in 

 strong condition during the few seasons im- 

 mediately preceding the sale, and had not re- 

 ceived the proprietor's close personal attention. 

 Many of the "plums' 7 of the herd had been sold 

 privately. Everything upon the farm, except 

 a few old cows, was catalogued, and the entire 

 lot of both sexes and all ages, passed through 

 the ring, without special preparation, at a gen- 

 eral average of $205 for the sixty-three head. 



J. J. Hill of North Oaks. In the summer of 

 1882 Mr. J. J. Hill of St. Paul, Minn., the rail- 

 way king of the Northwest, began importing 

 both Scotch and Bates-bred Short-horns from 

 Great Britain. He also made large importa- 

 tions of Aberdeen-Angus cattle from Scotland. 

 Both herds were maintained upon the sandy 

 soil of the farm of North Oaks, near St. Paul, 

 a body of land not specially adapted for agri- 

 cultural purposes. The imported cattle were 

 selected mainly by Mr. Robert Bruce. 



The first shipment of Short-horns included 

 the massive, prize-winning roan bull Gambetta 

 (49618), bred by Mr. Garhetty, Fochabers, Scot- 



