HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



16? 



so. Editors have puffed his cattle puffed his 

 management as a breeder courting an equality 

 to his exalted society, and to obtain a golden 

 fir, he knowing at the same time the true credit 

 belonged to his agents. By this means some 

 editors are made notorious, their papers popu- 

 lar, their judgment consulted, and frequently 

 put on as judges of cattle, some of which find 

 difficulty in distinguishing the different breeds, 

 without "guessing" and inquiring. Still they 

 can write about these breeds with as much con- 

 fidence as the best judges. 



These editors may call me "pugnacious," but 

 they know my statements are true, and there- 

 fore they may poke their editorials at me to 

 suit themselves, if they are only sufficiently 

 manly to send me a copy and allow me to an- 

 swer them ; if not, it is no better principle 

 than stabbing a man in the dark. I think it 

 will benefit the community if they are "re- 

 proved in kindness." 



There are many editors truly good fellows, 

 if they did not assume to be judges of cattle. 

 Many remarks they make on this subject are 

 truly ridiculous. 



It is very gratifying to receive "visits" from 

 many of them if the more vain would not tell 

 the public how kindly they had been treated by 

 great men, in what kind of carriage they had 

 been drawn to such breeders' mansions; how 

 upright and stately they sit in that carriage, 

 ruminating over the "big" words that should 

 compose their description and flattery; not for- 

 getting to tell such a man what advantage and 

 favor it was to have such puffs in their col- 

 umns. 



Some editors are even weak enough to tell 

 what they had for dinner, and even add to this 

 the enormous size of the beautiful Tom Turkey 

 presented to them *to carry home for another 

 "luxurious meal." My readers who have read 

 agricultural papers must admit all this to be 

 true, and they must further admit that a mod- 

 erate breeder who understands his business 

 practically, lives in a moderate house, with mod- 

 erate ideas, and possessing substantial judg- 

 ment, is very seldom noticed, but more fre- 

 quently avoided and unjustly repulsed. To be 

 the guest of an honest, plain farmer would not 

 be etiquette, if he lived in a plain house. Such 

 editors as the "Ohio Farmer" would deem him 

 beneath his dignity and unworthy of an edi- 

 torial remark if he had not a fine pair of mules 

 or a splendid pair of horses to ride behind, 

 seated in an aristocratic carriage for the purpose 

 of taking his observations ; a Tom Turkey, how- 

 ever fat, however "enormously" heavy, would 

 scarcely be considered a present, while that of 



the reported great man's would be puffed and 

 stuffed with "enormous extravagance." 



Such is the way of the world, and we are 

 compelled to succumb to it as long as such ed- 

 itors as that of the "Ohio Farmer" "has his own 

 way," and is allowed to burn up a proper an- 

 swer. I suppose he is lord of all he surveys 

 when he beholds the whole of his paper, and 

 therefore has power to forbid. 



There are many agricultural editors who re- 

 quire more substantial judgment; more inde- 

 pendence of character; more sound investiga- 

 tion into the numerous articles they publish, 

 and although some of them are willing to treat 

 both sides of the question fairly, every one must 

 admit there is a vast deal of cattle trash pub- 

 lished only for the want of better judgment to 

 guide them. 



A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE 

 FARMER." 



'OHIO 



Owego, N. Y., Jan. 17, '57. 

 Thos. Brown, Esq. : 



Sir : A friend- has sent me your paper to- 

 day, containing Mr. C. M. Clay's letter, from' 

 which I see you have previously copied mine 

 from the "Mark Lane Express." If you publish 

 the whole of that letter, I am satisfied. 



If you publish 

 my letters just as 

 I write them I 

 will meet Mr. Clay 

 or any other per- 

 son on that sub- 

 ject. "All I ask 

 is a fair field and 

 no favor." It is 

 very easy to say 

 and to print that 

 another tells an 

 "untruth," but it 

 is more difficult 

 to prove it, nor 

 can I believe it 

 gentlemanly to 

 say so without 

 proof. When Mr. 



Clay or any other person proves an "untruth" 

 in any of my letters they are at liberty to con- 

 demn me as one of "low degree," "low bred," 

 "third-class quality," and "no breeder." I will 

 then retire from the field disgusted with my 

 own actions. 



On the other hand, I am perfectly willing to 

 admit all that Mr. Clay says as a "gentleman," 

 but I cannot agree with him in opinion, nor in 

 his judgment on cattle, however long he may 

 have been a dealer or a breeder. 



HON. J. W. PROWERS, 

 WEST LAS ANIMAS, COLO. 



