HISTORY OP HEREFORD CATTLE 



403 



guineas, and highest price for a cow 420 

 guineas, hut the average for 27 stud bulls was 

 a fraction over $410, and for 72 stud cows $440, 

 those Being the very pick of the herd. 



"There are very few stud Hereford herds in 

 Australia, not more than about ten, I think, and 

 the largest number are in N". S. Wales. How- 

 ever, in the last few years a few of the largest 

 Queensland cattle owners have taken up Here- 

 fords, and have been using nothing but them in 

 the general herd, but the majority are still firm 

 believers in the Shorthorn. The Devon is also 

 coming into favor and Shorthorn men fancy 

 that breed crosses better with the Shorthorn 

 than Herefords do. But it is nothing but 

 prejudice that makes them think so, as it has 

 not been thoroughly tested in many parts of the 

 country. 



"I see you use Hereford grade bulls very 

 largely in America. I confess that I am sur- 

 prised at that, as we cattle breeders in Australia 

 are of opinion that it is a great mistake to use 

 a grade bull, particularly a grade Hereford or 

 Devon, and I must confess that I have always 

 seen bad results in this country from so doing, 

 as cattle so bred go to be inferior in the long 

 run. All breeders of any note in this country 

 use nothing but pure bulls. I have forgotten 

 to mention that we have a great deal of the 

 same Hereford blood, both in N". S. Wales and 

 Queensland, as Lord Wilton has in his veins, 

 as the firm I am connected with imported two 

 bulls named Lord Ashton and Lord Brandon, 

 some years ago. The former by Adolphus, dam 

 Lady Ashford, by Carbonel (1525), and the 

 latter by Avon (2393), dam Lady Brandon by 

 Brandon (2972], g. d. Lady Adforton, by 

 Pilot (2156), the last two mentioned cows be- 

 ing the g. d. and g. g. d. of Lord Wilton. 



"I fear the length of my letter will tire your 

 patience, so I will stop. I enclose ten shillings 

 to pay subscription* to the 'Breeders' Journal' 

 for this year, and if sufficient, for 1886, also, 

 and hoping to hear from you again at no distant 

 date, I am, 



"Yours very truly, 



"JOHN FULFOED. 



"Lyndhurst Station, North Queensland, Aus- 

 tralia, June 13, 1885." 



STAND THE DROUTH IN AUSTRALIA. 



We have the following from Australia, which 

 we commend to Hereford breeders, ranchmen 

 and farmers of America. We would especially 

 call attention of range cattlemen to the facts set 

 forth in these letters and articles. If the range 

 cattle can protect themselves from the storms 



of winter and the drouths of summer, steady 

 and satisfactory profits can be realized. An- 

 other fact as shadowed forth in the articles is 

 that Australian breeders usually, if not always, 

 look for thoroughbred sires to put with their 

 herds. 



In Australia, as in America, it took hard 

 times to drive away erroneous prejudice and 

 predilection, that prevented the dispassionate 

 consideration of the value of breeds, as the fol- 

 lowing correspondence will show: 



"Editor 'Breeders' Journal' : 



"I send you two letters I lately issued in our 

 local press. My challenge, you see, was not 

 taken up. Herefords are steadily gaining 

 ground, and there is a good demand from drov- 

 ers for our coast country; Shorthorns no- 

 where. 



"This awful drouth is not over yet. Sheep 

 dying in millions; cattle by thousands. It has 

 been on now near three years. The openings 

 are gradually drying up and the big water holes 

 getting lower and lower. Our bullocks at Lales 

 Creek generally average 820 Ibs. dead carcass; 

 this year they will hardly average 700 Ibs. I 

 fear our interior will yet be a desert, as it must 

 have been when our early explorers, between 



H. R. HALL. 

 Orleton, Herefordshire. 



1830 and 1850, went out and returned with the 

 report, 'All desert/ 



"Our sugar industry has 'gone to pot.' The 

 German beet sugar and want of reliable black 

 labor has closed many large plantations. 

 "Yours faithfully, 



"BEARDMORE or TOOLOOMBA/' 



