282 



HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



TEN EVENTFUL YEARS; A CONSTANT REQUEST FOR TESTS 1871 TO 1881 



(j[ 199) A history of Hereford cattle would 

 not be complete without giving some account 

 of that with which they had to contend in the 

 way agricultural journals met their claims of 

 excellence, as a beef breed. 



It will also be of interest, we think, to read 

 what efforts were made by Hereford breeders 

 to have a Fat Stock Show founded, where a 

 public exhibition and competition between the 

 breeds, would demonstrate in an authoritative 

 way what the Herefords could do in America. 



The following statement of the case, as 

 made by us, in 1881, will give some facts of 

 interest, and also records of value: 



It is now nearly ten years since I engaged 

 in the breeding of Hereford cattle, and from 

 the time I commenced until within the last 

 eighteen months, the Shorthorn men have 

 predicted the collapse of the Hereford boom, 

 nor have these predictions come from Short- 

 horn men only; but also from my friends; 

 and those that wished me well, have feared the 

 verification of their prophecies. I ask the pa- 

 tience of my friends when I review somewhat 

 the course that has been pursued during these 

 ten years; and of the Hereford breeders I ask 

 forbearance if it should seem that I give to 

 myself a too prominent place in this move- 

 ment. I here make the statement that the 

 general success of the movement and the suc- 

 cess of my associate breeders, has a place in 

 my plans and aims, hardly second to the suc- 

 cess of my individual interest; and for this 

 reason there is room for all that may engage 

 in this business during the present generation 

 of breeders. 



In following the movements of the Here- 

 fords for these ten years, I shall be as brief as 

 possible. The breeders then engaged in the 

 raising of Hereford cattle resided mainly in 

 Loraine Co., Ohio, and vicinity; and of these 

 Mr. John Humphries, of Elyria, deserves spe- 

 cial mention. Mr. H. was an Englishman, 

 and, in connection with Mr. Thos. Aston 

 (fl 200), another Englishman, brought over 



from England two cows and two bulls. The 

 importation was a joint one, and the animals 

 were named as follows: "John Bull" (3885) 

 464; "Curly" (801) 14; the cows were, "Vic- 

 toria" 186, and "Duchess" 15, of the American 

 Hereford Record. "Victoria" was bred by Mr. 

 Turner, The Noke, Leominster. "John Bull" 

 was bred by Mr. E. Price, of Pembridge, and 

 "Curly" by Mr. T. Roberts, of Ivingtonbury. 

 Other bulls were imported by Messrs. Hum- 

 phries and Aston, and still others by Mr. F. 

 W. Stone, of Canada. 



It would be an interesting study to take the 

 American Hereford Record and follow the 

 produce of these two cows. It would be a sur- 

 prise, even to those who are familiar with 

 breeding, to find what a large proportion of 

 Herefords in the country, previous to late im- 

 portations, trace to these two cows. 



The importation referred to was made in 

 1851 thirty years ago. Mr. Aston had sold 

 out and returned to England before I entered 

 on the breeding of Herefords. Mr. Humphries 

 was still breeding, though in feeble health, and 

 continued a breeder until about two years ago, 

 whea he died, having at the time of his death 

 a very choice herd, though not a large one. 



This stock had been bred by Messrs. Hum- 

 phries and Aston, and others to whom they 

 made sales, but no record, beyond the private 

 one of the breeders, had been kept. My pur- 

 chases were made from both branches. I 

 should state that in dividing the stock, the 

 bull "John Bull" 464, and the cow "Victoria" 

 went to Mr. Humphries; "Curly" and "Duch- 

 ess" to Mr. Aston. 



I had the stock that I bought recorded in the 

 English Hereford Herd Book, and this led to 

 the recording by other breeders. When I com- 

 menced the breeding of Herefords, the Hon. 

 John Merryman was a breeder in Maryland, 

 the foundation of his herd being from Mr. 

 Sotham's importations. Mr. "F. W. Stone, of 

 Canada, had the largest herd then in America 

 or Canada. There were individuals from the 



