366 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



CATTLE AHD CATTLE BREEDING IN BF.} (;IUM. 



RETORT JiY CONSUL TANNER. OF LlLdtt. 

 DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY OF SECURING CATTLE STATISTICS. 



I can appreciate the desire on the part of the Department to make an 

 effort to elevate the standard of American cattle ; and it would afford 

 me pleasure of no ordinary degree should it be in my power to aid in 

 this important matter. The inquiries contained in the cattle circular 

 are far-reaching and very comprehensive. In a small country like Bel- 

 gium, where at least three distinct languages are spoken, where weights 

 and measures are so different from our own, one encounters difficulties 

 (in ascertaining facts such as are sought for by the circular) of such a 

 nature and from so many different quarters as to almost discourage one 

 in pursuit of them from all efforts. Most farmers in this part of Belgium 

 speak Valoonish, those near Antwerp or in the western part of Belgium 

 speak Flemish, while the better classes speak French. The laboring 

 classes not only cling tenaciously to their ancient language, but they 

 manifest absolutely no interest in imitating what is called the higher 

 class in speaking French. The consequence of this is that, as they 

 must come in contact with the laboring classes, and as all the servants 

 are from the Valoon class, the mountain must go to Mohammed, the 

 better classes must know enough Valoon to speak and understand it. 

 This being the case, I hope the efforts of the Department in a field so 

 difficult to get at facts will be appreciated by our stock-raisers. 



BELGIAN CATTLE BREEDS. 



So far as the different breeds of cattle in Belgium are concerned they 

 are as numerous as there are localities of different names, and there 

 has not been that general and universal effort to retain purity of breed 

 in Belgium, such as has been the case in England. There has been 

 effort, however, to this end in a few cases of families of rank, who have 

 been very particular about the pedigrees of their cattle, and therefore 

 in this way there are several breeds that have retained their untarnished 

 pedigrees most faithfully. The breeds to which I allude present now, 

 in outward appearance and in results for both the dairy and for beef, 

 cattle that cannot be surpassed in the world. This is more particularly 

 true of the breeds known here as the Hollandais or Dutch cow and the 

 Flamande or Belgian cow. There is a strong likeness between these 

 two breeds that suggests unmistakably to a judge of cattle a common 

 origin. Of this there is not a question in my mind. I will not take space 

 to explain why I am so thoroughly convinced of this. 



ASSUMED ORIGIN OF THE ENGLISH SHORTHORNS. 



Professor Hengeveld, a Dutch authority of great repute on cattle, 

 says that the Shorthorns of England had their origin from the cattle 

 of North Holland in this way : "When William, Prince of Orange, was 

 called to the British throne, he missed greatly the line flavor and rich, 

 creamy milk of his native land, and had a, shipload of them imported 

 from Holland to England, and from these sprang some of the now most 

 famous breeds of cattle in England." If that is true, I am glad to call 

 the attention of the Department to it ? as it seems to answer one of the 



