748 A HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



in much better condition than the Shorthorns did 

 on hay. Since that time I have been much more in 

 favor of the Herefords than Shorthorns. They are 

 more quiet, have better coats of hair, stand the win- 

 ter better and running on a poor range show a much 

 less loss under same conditions. Furthermore, they 

 cross well if you have good Shorthorn cows, as we 

 had in 1880 cows that came in from Oregon and 

 Washington. In fact, I have never since seen as 

 good ones. 



"In-breeding and poor feed have caused some 

 loss of size and weight among the Herefords, at 

 least that has been my experience. They are not 

 naturally as big cattle as the Shorthorns, but they 

 are more blocky and there will be fewer culls in a 

 big herd. They naturally have shorter legs than 

 the Shorthorns, and do much better on short, poor 

 feed. 



"The cattlemen and commission men of Chicago 

 will condemn our Herefords in seasons when we 

 have hard winters and poor feed in summers and 

 cattle do not get fat. Then when we have the re- 

 verse in seasons and cattle get fat they think the 

 Herefords all right. Where the Hereford shines is 

 in a feedlot. As T. B. Hord used to say, 'Fat is a 

 good color.' He also said, 'Give the Hereford one 

 cross of blood and three crosses of corn and you 

 have beef good enough for any one.' 



Robert Kleberg. It is given to few men to be 

 afforded the opportunity for such big constructive 

 work as fell to Mr. Eobert J. Kleberg, Capt. 

 King's son-in-law, at the decease of the proprietor 

 of the great Santa Gertrudis property in southeast 

 Texas, to which reference has already been made. 

 Few of those who fall heir to such opportunities 

 rise to their full achievement. The development of 



