148 



HISTORY OP HEREFORD CATTLE 



the Hereford blood was the controlling element 

 in his breeding, and that he owed his excellence 

 to the Hereford blood. He says: 



"While on my late trip to the East I saw 

 this ox of Mr. Rust's. He is truly a most 

 superb animal. His portrait in the 'Transac- 

 tions' does not do him full justice. He is finer 

 in the neck and every way more finished than 

 the picture represents. He has, both in shape 

 and color, all the leading characteristics of a 

 Hereford; his shoulders are well set, his chine 

 full, back short, loin and hips very wide, rump 

 long, legs clean and sinewy, and he is consid- 

 erably heavier than any other animal I ever saw 

 of so little bone and offal. At the time I saw 

 him Mr. Eust thought his weight could not be 

 less than 3,700 pounds, and it has been ascer- 

 tained by repeated weighings that his gain was 

 at least three pounds per day. Notwithstanding 



following report : "Your committee further re- 

 port that a new and beautiful race of cattle was 

 presented for their examination, the Herefords 

 imported by a distinguished breeder of cattle, 

 residing in Albany County, which they take 

 pleasure in recommending to the attention of 

 those who desire to improve their stock. Your 

 committee recommend a special premium of 

 twenty dollars for the Hereford cow 'Match- 

 less,' as we consider her a very superior animal, 

 and they would also suggest the propriety of 

 offering and awarding premiums for the best 

 blooded animals of each individual breed, Im- 

 proved Shorthorn Durhams, Herefords and 

 Devons, at their next agricultural meeting, in 

 addition to premiums offered for the best ani- 

 mals of any breed." (Report of Com., page 49, 

 Transactions N. Y. Agl. S., 1841.) 



In 1842 this fair was held at Albany, and we 



MEDAL OF THE N. Y. S. A. S., AWARDED TO WM. H. SOTHAM, 1856. 



his immense weight, he was from the justness of 

 his proportions very active. When lying down, 

 he would get up as quick as a suckling calf. 



"I saw the man who said he raised this ox 

 and the history which he gave of him was that 

 the bull which sired him was 'part Hereford.' 

 In this both he and Mr. Rust agreed. I cannot 

 see why this statement need be doubted, for, 

 according to an account which Mr. Bement has 

 published, some Herefords were introduced into 

 this part of the country several years ago. But 

 history and tradition out of the question, it ap- 

 pears to me there would be as much propriety 

 in taking an animal which would show all the 

 principal points in shape and color of an im- 

 proved Shorthorn as a specimen of the 'native 

 stock' as there is in taking this ox as such. An 

 example of this kind would probably be re- 

 garded by the advocates of the Shorthorns as 

 not altogether fair." 



At the close of this fair the judges made the 



quote from the judges' report, published in 

 March following, six months after the fair. Re- 

 port of cows, heifers, etc. : 



"In publishing the account of the State Fair 

 in the November number of the 'Cultivator/ 

 the following report was omitted: 'The com- 

 mittee of the New York State Agricultural So- 

 ciety on Cows, Heifers and Heifer Calves, com- 

 prising Classes V, VI, VII and VIII, respect- 

 fully report : 



" 'That they have attended to the duties of 

 their appointment, in which they experienced 

 the embarrassment usual on such occasions, 

 from finding the animals numerous while the 

 premiums were few, but adopted the rule that 

 a majority in number of the committee should 

 of course in all cases be decisive. 



" 'Your committee found it no easy matter to 

 decide among so many fat calves as were shown 

 in Class VIII, their respective merits and 

 faults being alike covered and hidden by flesh, 



