330 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



tbe richness of its quality. They are much sought 

 after by wealthy gentlemen, who desire rich milk, 

 without regard to cost. For ordinary dairy purpo-' 



ALDKRNYS. 



ses they are inferior to the Ayrshires. For beef they 

 are utterly valueless. This breed has been^ exten- 

 sively introduced into the vicinity of Boston, Phila- 

 delphia, and other large cities in this country. At 

 the United States Fair at Boston, in 1855, there was 

 a finer show of Alderneys than we ever saw in Great 

 Britain. 



Long HORNS — Time was when this was one of the 

 prineipal breeds in the midland counties of England, 

 as they still are in some parts of Ireland; but not- 

 withstanding this wide diffusion, and the compara- 



LONGHORNS. 



tive excellence to which they were brought by the 

 genius of Bakewell, they are so unquestionably in- 

 ierior to the Shorthorns, that they have rapidly 

 given place to them even in those district- in which 

 they have been brought to the greatest perfection. 



Short- HORNS or Durhams. — The ''improved Short- 

 horn" originated on the banks of the Tees some sev- 

 enty years ago. The cattle of this district were large, 

 coarse and ungainly, generally deficient in the fore- 

 quarterg with strong shoulders; they fatted slowly, 

 and the meat was coarse to the palate and uninviting 

 to the eye. The brothers Charles and Robert Col- 

 LT.NGS, undertook the task of improving them. It is 

 to tbnir patient skill in selecting, and perseverence in 

 breeding, and to their famous bull "Hnbback," calved 

 in 1777, and bought out of a b\'-lane for .$40,- that 

 the present breed of Short-horns owe their great and 

 just celebrity. Such vfas the great improvement pro- 

 dueed by these breeders, that at Charles Collings' 

 sale in 1810 his herd of 47 animals brought £7115.17, 

 say $;i5 57i), or $161 each ; and at Robert Coixings' 

 sale in 1817, his herd of 61 animals brought £7858.4, 

 gay S89.291, or S644 each. So much for persever 

 ing aitd judicious breeding. 



These two sales dispersed the improved Short- 

 horas, and at the present time there are some five or 



six bundled herds in Great Britain, and from six to 

 sevea thousand head registered every alternate year iii 

 the Herd Book. Pure blood animals of this breed are 

 now found in nearly every country of continental 

 Kurope. In Canada and Cahloniia, in ]N'ew Zealand 

 and New Brunswick, in America and Australia, the 

 Short-horn quietly crops the luxuriant herbage, and 

 (urnishes " the roast beef of old Evigland" to the in- 

 habitants of every clime. The influence of this 



suurt-hukns. 



breed it is hardly possible to overestimate. In the 

 language of a high authority, " the Short-horns im- 

 prove every breed they cross with." 



The most remarkable characteristic of the Short- 

 horns is the rapidity with v,hich they mature. In 

 England vast numbers are now slauphtered at two 

 years old and under, weighing from £C0 lbs. to 1,000 

 11')s. On rich soils no breed can compete with them 

 in this respect. 



HEREyoRDs. — The general characteristic of this 

 breed as regards color, is light or dark red, with a 

 white lace — Irequently with white marks on the neck 

 and along the back, and also the under parts of the 

 body. It is supposed that at no very remote period 

 the breed was for the most part self colored, like the 

 Devon. The white faces are said to have been in- 

 troduced by the importation of some cows of that 

 color irom Flanders, and with them commenced the 

 improvements of the breed which for so many years 

 gave it the first rank among the grazing cattle of 

 England. It is now genejally admitted, however, 

 that the Short-horns mature earlier, and they have, 

 to a considerable extent, driven the Herefords out 



HERKFORDS. 



of their native districts. In the rich meadows on 

 the banks of the Severn they are still numerous, and 

 are highly esteemed by graziers, and it is undoubted- 

 ly true that to buy (not to rear) and sell again after 

 fattening, they are the most profitable breed. They 

 are better "handlers'" than the Short-horns, and af- 

 ford more first quality beef. In England, both Here- 

 fords and Short-horns have been so long bred exclu- 

 sively for the butcher, that they are ordinarily but in- 

 different milkers; but in both breeds there are some 



