178 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



Mr. Tamer's herd has been established for about eighty years, his 

 grandfather being the founder. Since 1854 Mr. Turner has won with 

 individuals of his herd 111 first prizes, 60 second prizes, 11 third, besides 

 52 special prizes. He received an average of $369 apiece for his animals, 

 his cows and calves averaging a little higher. 



These two herds were exceptionally fine and had a wide celebrity. 

 Many of the animals went to the United States, making, with all others 

 forwarded, a total of 1,800 pedigree Berefords sent to the United States 

 from February 1, 1883, to February 1, 1884. This includes one lot of 

 300 sent to Baltimore in January of this present year. 



The question naturally comes up now, whether this demand for the 

 Herefbrds is a fancy or a fashion, likely to die out and let down prices. 

 It is worth considering. I have said that the principal demand for the 

 Herefords in the United States was as beef makers, but I did not intend 

 at all to intimate that their merits as milkers were overlooked. On the 

 contrary many breeders in the United States are enthusiastic over 

 them as a dairy breed and quite a number of wealthy men are forming 

 herds. Some go so far as to claim that the Hereford is the coming 

 breed, which is going to carry all before it, and that the Short-horn will 

 eventually fall before the Middle-horn, just as the Long-horn went down 

 in the past. The high esteem in which the breed is held in the United 

 States and the growing appreciation of its merits which exists in 

 England preclude, it seems to me, the possibility of a fall in prices in 

 the near future or in fact for many years. It is even possible that for 

 a time prices may go higher than now. A gentleman writes me from 

 Hereford County thus : 



I am now looking out for a lot (of pedigree Hereford cattle for America) ; they are 

 more difficult to get, as the demand has been great and prices are much higher. 



HOW TO EXPORT HEREFORDS. 



By far the larger proportion of theHerefords sent to the United States 

 go via Liverpool, though several large herds have been sent by way of 

 Bristol. I am of the opinion that in many cases better facilities could 

 be obtained via Bristol than are obtained via Liverpool. One reason I 

 have for this opinion is the fact that several of the steamers plying in 

 the lines from Bristol to New York are unusually high between decks, 

 and extremely well lighted and ventilated an important matter. 

 Another advantage is that cattle can be brought from Hereford in the 

 cars directly alongside of the ship's deck. 



The Great Western Railway Company quote the following to me as 

 about their average rates for transporting cattle from the town of Here- 

 ford to Bristol or to Avonmouth docks (a port of Bristol) : 



Half wagon-load consisting of 4 cattle , $5 4G 



Small wagon-load consisting of 7 fat cattle 8 '20 



Medium wagon-load consisting of 8 fat cattle 9 23 



Large wagon-load, unlimited (holding about 10) 11 00 



The Great Western Steamship Company, plying between Bristol and 

 Kew York, inform me that their rates average from $25 to $30 per full- 

 grown animal. The ship provides water and stalls, and their bills of 

 lading contain this clause: " Ship not accountable for mortality or acci- 

 dent from any cause whatever." A herd of one hundred and nine Here- 

 ford cattle was carried on this line some time ago at the following rates : 

 Cows and heifers, $24.33 each,- calves, $12.16 each; sucking calves, 

 $4.86 each. 



n A herd of fine Jersey cattle carried on this line subsequently, when 

 freights were higher, paid an average of $30.50 each for full-grown 

 animals. 



