284 



HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



he buys Shorthorns he can find three. If he 

 buys Devons he can find one." 



In the "National Live Stock Journal" for 

 July, 1876, pp. 303-4, the following letter ap- 

 pears : 



"To the Editor of the 'Journal' : In the last 

 number of the 'Journal' you ask : If we would 

 direct (an inquirer's) attention to them (the 

 Herefords)' by some statement as to their 

 merits, where are we to obtain the facts? 

 * * * What do they weigh at different 

 ages? How early do they mature for the 

 market ? 



"It is proper to suppose that a journal of 

 the standing of the 'National Live Stock Jour- 

 nal' would have all standard published reports 

 of the breeding and fattening of cattle and 

 other stock; and if Mr. Jones comes into the 

 office and inquires as to the merits of a par- 

 ticular breed of cattle, or writes to the office 

 for such information, you could refer to re- 

 ports, and give such information, if such in- 

 formation existed. 



"In this country the Herefords have not 

 such a record published and compiled as would 

 be conclusive and full as to their merits; but 

 still there is a fair record in this country. But, 

 to go to England, there is a record, classified, 

 compiled and published, in the proceedings of 

 the Smithfield Club, which is perhaps the most 

 complete and trustworthy that exists so far as 

 it goes. And in quoting from this report I will 

 assume, first, that the merits of a beef-produc- 

 ing breed must be judged by what it can pro- 

 duce as a beef steer, and the record it can 

 show, for its oxen and steers', is the true test by 

 which the trial shall be made. 



"I might go outside of the record of the 

 Smithfield Club, to the record of the other 

 English societies, where the Herefords have 

 been shown as breeding stock and at some 

 other time perhaps I may; but at this time I 

 will confine myself to the Smithfield report of 

 the cattle mainly: 



"The first show of this Society was held in 

 1799. The records of that year were incom- 

 plete, but from other sources I learn that Mr. 

 Westcar took the first premium with a Here- 

 ford ox. In 1800 the Herefords took 4 

 premiums; 1801-2 the record is incomplete; 

 1803 the Herefords took 4 premiums; 1804 the 

 record is incomplete; 1805 the Herefords took 

 2 premiums; 1806 the record is incomplete; 

 1807-8-9 the Herefords took 7 premiums. Up 

 to this date it does not appear that the Short- 

 horn oxen or steers took a premium. With- 

 out going into detail for each year, the record 

 up to 1851 shows that: The Hereford oxen and 



steers took 185 premiums; the Shorthorn oxen 

 and steers took 82 premiums; and to 1857 the 

 Hereford oxen and steers took 9 gold medals; 

 Shorthorn oxen and steers 10, and from 1857 

 to 1867, Shorthorn oxen and steers took 15 

 gold medals; Hereford oxen and steers 11. 



"In 1869 Herefords and Shorthorns, as to 

 weights, compared as follows: 



Herefords. Shorthorns. 

 Under 2 yrs. 6 mos. 



weighed 1,781 Ibs. 1,648 Ibs. 



Under 3 yrs. 3 mos. 



weighed 1,936 Ibs, 1,976 Ibs. 



Over 3 yrs. 3 mos. 



weighed 2,228 Ibs. 2,200 Ibs. 



showing the Herefords in two classes heavier 

 than Shorthorns. 



"In the year 1875 the two breeds compared 

 as to weights as follows: 



Under 2 yrs. 6 mos. . . 1,485 Ibs. 1,565 Ibs. 

 Under 3 yrs. 3 mos. . . 2,036 Ibs. 1,982 Ibs. 



Over 3 yrs. 3 mos 2,169 Ibs. 2,281 Ibs. 



Extra stock 2,524 Ibs. 2,290 Ibs. 



"The three heaviest cattle shown in 1875 

 were: 



1st, Hereford, weighing 2,624 Ibs. 



2d, Shorthorn, weighing 2,444 Ibs. 



3d, Hereford, weighing 2,420 Ibs. 



"I have confined myself to figures showing 

 the comparison between the two breeds of 

 Herefords and Shorthorns. It is with con- 

 siderable labor that I have brought together 

 the information that is scattered over the coun- 

 try in reference to Hereford cattle. As a 

 breeder I have no right to present my claims 

 to the public without something in the way of 

 facts to back my claims. Because I can see 

 so much in the Herefords I have no right to 

 complain because others don't see as I do. I 

 am surprised at times, but I am so sure of the 

 time coming I can afford to wait. 



"As early as April, 1873, I offered to help 

 make a record for the Herefords and Short- 

 horns, as compared with each other, as beef 

 cattle, through the 'Journal.' I have in several 

 ways repeated the proposition from time to 

 time since. I now repeat the offer made in the 

 'Journal' of April, 1873, over the signature of 

 Miller & Powell. It is true that there is no 

 Hereford Herd Book published in this country, 

 but there is one published in England, and that 

 there may be a copy accessible to inquiries at 

 the live stock headquarters in this country I 

 have ordered from the publisher a set sent to the 

 'National Live Stock Journal,' of Chicago, 111. 



"A prominent breeder of Shorthorns, while 

 admitting to me that the Herefords were bet- 



