138 



H1STOEY OF HEKEFOKD CATTLE 



three-year-old Durham heifer lately imported 

 against the one produced by my opponent, 

 whether winner or loser, on the same terms. I 

 will also show a Berkshire boar and sow now in 

 the possession of Mr. John Thomas, of Albany, 

 nine months old, which were a part of the iden- 

 tical stock so cruelly 'laughed at,' against any- 

 thing in this state of the same breed, excepting 

 Mr. Allen's herd, of Buffalo (as I think him the 

 best judge to decide), for a prize similar to the 

 one given by the Institute. I will go still fur- 

 ther; Mr. Clift has the two ewes shown at the 

 fair now in his possession, and I presume both 

 have lived together and fared alike since then; 

 if so, they shall be exhibited at Mr. C.'s farm; 

 I will accompany Mr. K. there, who shall be 

 the judge, without knowing to whom either 

 originally belonged, and I will venture a similar 

 cup to the one Mr. C. gained on his decision. 



"As regards the milking dispute I shall not 

 go beyond the proposition I have made, but am 

 ready to fulfill that 'in earnest.' My cow shall 

 be pure Hereford, but I could not agree to for- 

 feit if not in my possession. She shall be one 

 of the 'twenty-four' I imported last summer. 

 It is not my wish to make any sort of gambling 

 contest of this business, but to give an excellent 

 breed of cattle a chance of being appreciated as 

 they ought to be, and to silence their traducers, 



A TYPICAL HEREFORD OF 1840, COTMORB, WEIGHT 



3,920 LBS., AT 9 YEARS OLD. 



(From an old painting.) 



and I refer the public to Mr. E.'s various epis- 

 tles to say whether or not they have made it 

 incumbent on me so to do, or whether I had 

 any alternative but to reply, or to submit in 

 silence to his injurious misrepresentations. 

 Should my offers be taken and the triumph be 

 mine, I shall value the prizes as mementoes 

 worth preserving; should I fail, a second trial 

 may be more successful, as I am resolved on 

 perseverance. 



"Mr. Randall says I have 'seduced' himself 

 and others into this controversy. Let him refer 

 back to the 'Cultivator' if his memory fails. 

 He will soon see who commenced it, and I will 

 leave it to your readers to say which of us has 

 most violated that amenity of feeling which 

 ought always to accompany us, however eager 

 we may be to impress our own opinions on the 

 minds of others, or controvert those of our op- 

 ponents. I ask Mr. R. what accusation can be 

 more opprobrious than that of 'stealing ?' And 

 has not Mr. Hepburn endeavored to fix this 

 charge on the breeders of our cattle? I also 

 again ask him to cross his pure Berkshire with 

 the 'land-pike' he speaks of, exhibit the produce 

 to proper judges, with his certificate of pedi- 

 gree and purity, and if he is not detected by 

 them, the said produce and his own conscience, 

 he may then venture on the 'alligator,' and I 

 will believe that 'stolen' crosses may be con- 

 cealed. I say now what I have said before, 

 that a cross with a Hereford and Durham is an 

 excellent one, probably better than the pure 

 breed of either, but cannot be brought under 

 the observation of a judge without immediate 

 detection. 



"I must now call your attention to Mr. You- 

 att's text book, to which Mr. Randall and Mr. 

 Hepburn seem to have pinned their faith with 

 an obstinacy which regards anything that may 

 differ in the smallest degree with its dogmas, 

 as an innovation and a heresy not to be toler- 

 ated. Mr. Youatt is unquestionably a man of 

 great talent and judgment; he, however, is but 

 a man and is liable to errors like others ; while, 

 therefore, his opinions have all the weight 

 which they so justly deserve, with practical men 

 in his own country, these men do not, like 

 Messrs. Randall and Hepburn, make an agri- 

 cultural Pope of him, or consider his book (ex- 

 cellent though it be) as the agricultural gos- 

 pel. Science and improvement are too much on 

 the advance to rest long on any particular 

 point. But to return to the text book : On the 

 llth page he says, speaking , of Devons: 'They 

 have long been celebrated for a breed of cattle 

 beautiful in the highest degree ; and in activity 

 at work and aptness to fatten unrivaled.' 

 In speaking of the Here fords, page 32, he says : 

 'They are even more kindly feeders than the 

 Devons, and will live and grow fat where a 

 Devon will scarcely live.' And, further, in the 

 same page : 'The Devons will acquire bulk and 

 hardihood, and the Herefords a finer form and 

 activity/ These are his exact words. Gentle- 

 men, reflect on these conflicting statements, and 

 reconcile these contradictions if you can. When 

 Mr? R.'s classical knowledge, backed by Mr. H/s 



