313 



the position which they are entitled to, the 

 leading heef producers of the world. 

 "I am yours truly, 



"T. L. MILLER." 



Directly after the Fat Stock Show (1882), 

 we found the following statements in sub- 

 stance in several of the Chicago papers: 



"The Illinois State Veterinarian, Dr. N. H. 

 Paaren, was called upon to decide the question 

 raised during the Fat Stock Show by Mr. T. 

 L. Miller, of Beecher, as to the age of some of 



1226 



PIG. 23. OUTSIDE VIEW OF MOUTH OF "GRINNELL." 



the steers exhibited by Mr. D. M. Moninger, of 

 Iowa. Dr. Paaren decided, after a careful ex- 

 amination, that there was in the condition of 

 the mouths of the animals nothing to prove 

 that they were older than Mr. Moninger stated. 

 He considered that a system of feeding which 

 would make a steer less than two years old 

 weigh nearly a ton would hasten the develop- 

 ment of the mouth in a corresponding degree. 

 In this view he is supported by a number of 

 eminent veterinarians." 



Hardly believing that Dr. Paaren could 

 have examined the steers, and given as decided 

 an opinion as this article would indicate, I 

 wrote him the following letter: 



Beecher, 111., Dec. 2, 1882. 

 Dr. N. H. Paaren, 



My Dear Sir : I notice by the Chicago "Trib- 

 une" that you examined some of the steers of 

 D. M. Moninger as to their ages, and that you 

 found nothing to prove they were older than 

 Mr. Moninger entered them for. Does the ar- 

 ticle referred to in the "Tribune" properly rep- 

 resent your action and your views? If you will, 

 be so kind as to advise me of the fact, and at 

 whose solicitation you examined them, and 

 when, and which of the steers you examined. 

 The ages of these steers will have the fullest 

 canvass, and I am having cuts prepared repre- 

 senting the teeth of cattle from birth to ten 

 years old, as given by the best authorities, and 

 I propose to verify this testimony by actual 

 comparison with living animals from a large 

 range of herds in this country and England. 

 You are probably aware that Mr. Moninger 

 entered a bullock 715 days old, and that Mr. 



Potts entered another 715 days old. Mr. Mon- 

 inger's steer had six teeth fully developed, 

 while Mr. Pott's steer had two. You will rec- 

 ognize that Mr. Pott's steer has a mouth cor- 

 responding with the age he gave him, while 

 Mr. M/s had a mouth that Youatt, on page 

 322, gives to a four-year-old, and that Youatt 

 and Martin give to a three-years past, and 

 that Allen, in his American Cattle, gives to a 

 four-year-old. Very truly yours, 



T. L. MILLER. 



I received from him in reply the following: 



Chicago, 111., Dec. 8, 1882. 

 T. L. Miller, Esq., Beecher, 111., 



Dear Sir: Your favor of December 2d, ad- 

 dressed to the care of the Prairie Farmer Com- 

 pany, just received. I only call at the above 

 office once a week which accounts for delay in 

 receiving your letter. 



In regard to your question about the age of 

 certain bullocks, at whose solicitation I ex- 

 amined them, and when and which of the 

 steers I examined, I have only this to say: 

 Having accidentally learned that a contro- 

 versy existed in regard to the age of certain 

 animals exhibited at the recent Fat Stock 

 Show in Chicago, my curiosity led me to have 

 some of Mr. Moninger's steers, said to be sub- 

 jects of controversy, pointed out to me, and 

 with the assistance of a bystander I examined 

 their mouths as to their age. In two of the 



ST227 



FIG. 24. TEETH OF SHORTHORN "TOM BROWN." 

 (Exhibited as 3 years 3 months 4 days.) 



animals examined I found but one year's dif- 

 ference in their age; and this is, in fact, all 

 that I know about them. I know neither of 

 these animals by name, number, or otherwise; 

 furthermore, Mr. Moninger was not present at 

 the time; my* examination was not made, at 

 that gentleman's instigation; in fact, I am 

 not acquainted with him and never spoke to 



