664 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Dec. 



THE HEBEFOBD CATTI,B. 



The inquiry of our Maine correspondents, 

 on another page, for information as to this 

 breed of cattle, induces us to give at this time 

 the above beautiful illustration of a fatted 

 Hereford ox, with a somewhat extended no- 

 tice of this ancient race of English cattle. 

 No one can compare the artistic execution of 

 the above picture with those which were used 

 only a few years ago to illustrate farm stock 

 without being struck with the great improve- 

 ment which has recently been made in the art 

 of engraving. Our readers will perhaps be 

 less interested than ourselves by the statement 

 that the expense of these illustrations keeps 

 pace with their perfection. 



The Herefords take their name from that of 

 one of the richest agricultural counties in the 

 western part of England. They are supposed 

 to have oiiginated in a breed of white cattle 

 with red ears, which were great favorites as 

 long ago as A. U. 900. Somewhat later alafr 

 was passed which recognized the value of 100 

 of these cattle as equal to that of 150 dark or 

 black ones. One hundred years ago, says Mr. 

 Allen iu his work on American Cattle, from 

 which we copy our illustration, the Herefords 

 were of a deep red color, with mottled faces, 

 &c. They are nov?, he says, usually red, with 

 shades sometimes running into light, or yel- 

 lowish red, with white faces, throats, bellies, 



and sometimes backs, and occasionally a roan 

 of red and white mixed, and mure rarely an 

 almost clear white, with red ears, is found 

 among thera. 



After remarking that he finds less said in 

 English books in relation to the Hereford than 

 of almost any other well known breed, Mr. Al- 

 len says : — 



Fortunately for the present purpose, we 

 have had several years' close and almo?t daily 

 observation, in a herd of imported Hereiords 

 and their descendents, which were ki-pt near 

 us, as well as of occasional observation of 

 other importations, which have given us a more 

 intimate knowledge of them than volumes of 

 books, without such personal observation, 

 could have done. 



Perhaps we cannot convey a better descrip- 

 tion of the Hereford, after giving accurate 

 portraits of the sexes, than to say : give a 

 Devon a (juarter more size, somewhat more 

 proportionate bone and horn, a trille shorter 

 leg, and longer body, a little coarser in every 

 part, and j ou have a good Hereford, in all 

 excepting color. 



As useful cattle, the Herefords are a good 

 breed. We are aware that their introduction 

 into the United States has not been, in com- 

 pariiion with some other breeds, successful in 

 popularity or extended distribution ; but that 

 fact decides nothing as to the positive merits 

 of the stock itsell'. Partiality, prejudice on 

 the part of our cattle breeders, or pre-occu- 

 pation of the ground by other breeds which 

 meet the general approbation, may keep them 



