12 COMPARED WITH SHORT-HORNS. 



In an experiment carefully tried in 1828, for the pur- 

 pose of arriving at the comparative economy of the 

 short-horns and Herefords, the latter gained less by 

 nearly one fourth than the former, which* had consumed 

 more food. The six animals, three of each breed, were 

 sold after being fed, in Smithfield market, the Hereford* 

 bringing less by only about five dollars than the short- 

 horns, while the cost of food consumed by the latter 

 was greater, and the original purchase greater than that 

 of the former. 



The short-horn produces more beef at the same age 

 than the Hereford, but consumes more food in propor- 

 tion. " In all the fairs of England," says Hillyard, " ex- 

 cept those of Herefordshire and the adjoining counties, 

 short-horn heifers are more sought after and sell at 

 higher prices than the Hereford ; but it is not so with 

 fat cattle, for, with the exception of Lincolnshire and 

 some of the northern counties, they much prefer the 

 Herefords. Then at Smithfield, where the quality of 

 the beef passes its final judgment, the pound of Here- 

 ford beef pays better than the pound of short-horn beef. 

 Short-horn beeves produce at the same age a greater 

 weight, it is true, but they also consume more food. I 

 can easily conceive why, in the magnificent pastures of 

 Lincolnshire, and some of the northern counties of 

 England, they may prefer the short-horns; and that is. 

 that they may keep a less number on a given quantity 

 of land, and only the short-horn could, under these con- 

 ditions, produce a greater weight of beef per acre. It 

 is very difficult to decide which of the two races in 

 England (the two best in the world) is the most profit- 

 able for stock-raisers and for the community." There 

 are, even in Lincolnshire, many good feeders who pre- 

 fer the Herefords to the short-horns. One of these, 

 when visited the past season, had thirty head of cattle 



