HISTORY OF HEREFOED CATTLE 



191 



former's statement. Then came the man who 

 drove the team and delivered the milk to the 

 customers, who was a German. "Do you take 

 the milk of Mr. Allen to market?" "I do." 

 "Was there any complaint of his milk among 

 the customers?" "There was. Mr. Allen told 

 them that his man did not send the milk from 

 the farm according to orders." "Did you take 

 up the milk of Mr. Sotham at the same time ?" 

 "I did." "Was there any complaint about his 

 milk?" "No; all the customers wanted the 

 cans with the spot on it, as all sold before it 

 became sour." "What did you do with the sour 

 milk?" "It came back and I measured and 

 put some in both cans, to be divided according 

 to the agreement made by Mr. S. and Mr. A. 

 Mr. Allen collected the money every week and 

 paid Mr. S. his share, deducting the number 

 of gallons of sour according to the number of 

 gallons taken up." This settled my determina- 

 tion to quit the milk business, as I could rely 

 on the just testimony given, and the witnesses 

 are now living -in the neighborhood of Black 

 Rock and Buffalo, who will vouch for the facts 

 just as I have stated them. I then began to 

 look out for other quarters for the Herefords, 

 but my means were limited, the times were very 

 hard, I had gotten into debt, and I had not the 

 ready cash, without sacrificing my Herefords to 

 meet them or to procure suitable fresh quarters. 



The late banker, Hon. Allen Ayrault, of Gen- 

 eseo, N. Y., came to see the Herefords, having 

 two splendid farms of his own, and command 

 of the late Mr. Spence's, near Geneseo. He 

 probably was one of the best judges of cattle 

 in that part of the country, and made more 

 money by feeding the best than any man in that 

 part of the country. Some of the most promi- 

 nent graziers in the United States are located 

 in this valley. Such gentlemen as the late Mr. 

 Jas. Wadsworth, Dr. Fitzhughs, Mr. C. Jones, 

 the late Mr. Wm. Wadsworth, the Messrs. Bud- 

 long, Judge Sibley, and other wealthy graziers, 

 took very active parts, all of whom thoroughly 

 understood their business and who owned some 

 of the best land for grazing of any men in the 

 Union. 



The Genesee Flats are as well known through 

 the United States as any other part of it. 

 Although a very circuitous, muddy stream 

 winds its way through this fertile valley, it was 

 the means by which it was enriched. When the 

 floods came the sediment remained as a fertil- 

 izer, and the water did not remain long enough 

 to do very much damage, and the occupants 

 were generally prepared for it. I knew the 

 country well and felt it would be just the coun- 

 try for the Herefords. 



Mr. Ayrault was highly pleased with the cat- 

 l^e. He said he had previously seen them at 

 State Fairs, but he said that the Shorthorns 

 had got such a strong hold, were so strongly 

 supported by rich men, that Herefords could 

 have no chance. He viewed them very closety 

 in their pastures, and said, "what do you feed 

 these cattle beside what they get here ?" I told 

 him the grass was all they had. He seemed to 

 doubt me, but did not say so. "To tell you the 

 truth, Mr. Ayrault, I have not the means to 

 buy forcing feed for them, and if I had, I do 

 not believe they require it. They, like myself, 

 are willing to work for their living, and they 

 will live upon the roughest kind of feed, which 

 you see growing in these pastures." 



He proposed a loan and again looked them 

 through very steadfastly, and said: "Money 

 is exceedingly tight now, and chattel security 

 very treacherous. I will make a proposition to 

 you. There is a very nice cow ;" pointing to my 

 best three-year-old. "If you will give me that 

 cow, and drive all the others over to Geneseo, I 

 will rent you the best flat land there is in the 

 valley, a portion of the late Major Spence's 

 splendid farm, at a very reasonable rate. Re- 

 member, it is a 

 very hard matter 

 to get money now. 

 You may not get 

 such a chance 

 again." I asked 

 him if he would 

 not take some 

 other cow than 

 the one he had 

 fixed upon ; that 

 she was my best 

 cow and was 

 named (Anne) 

 after my wife, and 

 that I considered 

 her as good a cow 

 as there was in 

 America. He said, 

 "I am better 

 'fixed' to put her 

 in condition than you are. I think it will 

 be an advantage to you. It is worth more 

 money than you would ask for her in these 

 close times." The Genesee Flats were very 

 tempting, and I thought such grass would 

 so much improve the Herefords that I accepted 

 the offer. Mr. Ayrault drew a check for the 

 money, and I made arrangements to leave Black 

 Rock, and more especially L. F. Allen and the 

 milk business. 



WALTER M. MORGAN, 



IRVING, KAN. 



(Forty years a breeder of Here- 

 fords.) 



