THE HEREFORD BREED OF CATTLE. 119 



** The Hereford cattle classes comprised many animals of 

 high merit. The exhibits were from a very extended area, viz., 

 Maryland on the south, Maine and Canada on the north, and 

 Illinois on the west. Nearly the whole of the specimens were 

 bred in those several districts ; and it is most satisfactory for 

 us to be enabled to report that we found they retained that fine 

 character, form, and quality, for which they have for ages been 

 so distinguished in the United Kingdom of Great Britain, thus 

 proving that they readily became acclimatised; and we feel 

 assured that they will soon occupy a foremost rank amongst the 

 herds of the United States. 



" We cannot close our remarks upon the Herefords without 

 a brief notice of two pairs of gigantic working oxen from grade 

 cows by a Hereford bull. They presented all the characteristic 

 marks of pure breds. Their united weight was 10,1991b." 



Feeling anxious to make the personal acquaintance of as 

 many Hereford breeders, and see their herds, as he could in the 

 limited time at his disposal, the writer travelled some 4000 

 miles, and visited nearly every herd at that time of any 

 importance in America, including those from whence he had 

 seen selected specimens. The object in view was to see how the 

 Herefords acclimatised, and make the personal acquaintance of 

 their breeders, whom he had for some years known by 

 correspondence only. Several of the breeders had just returned 

 from their state and county fairs (agricultural shows) flushed 

 with the very marked success which had attended their various 

 exhibits. At those gatherings champion prizes are offered for 

 the best herd of any breed (a herd usually consists of a bull 

 and four cows or heifers), and a very spirited competition is set 

 up, as may be inferred from the fact that at the Michigan State 

 Fair Mr. Clarke's success with his herd of Herefords, from 

 Elyria, was declared against nine competitors, viz., seven 

 Shorthorns, one Devon, and one Ayrshire herd. The triumphs 

 of the Herefords that year for those important prizes were 

 almost unbroken, and therefore it could be no matter for 

 surprise that their breeders were somewhat jubilant at the 

 very marked success which had attended their various exhibits. 

 There were not any money prizes offered at the International 

 Exhibition, merely certificates of merit, accompanied by bronze 



