220 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



duce of liis own fann — turnips and straw, 

 with perliaps a little bean meal to finish them 

 otl'm the spiiug. He believed that the rea- 

 son why there were not so many cattle ex- 

 hibited at these meetings as might be expect- 

 ed was that gentlemen were afraid of coming 

 into competition with those individuaJs who 

 had been so successful upon this and upon 

 other occasions ; but although he and others 

 could not boast of being able to comj'ete with 

 them, they could boast and congiatulate each 



other upon the fact that through the improve- 

 ment which had taken place in the breed of 

 cattle, they could now bruig their stock to 

 maturitj' at an earher period than they for- 

 merly could." 



" Air. Bates, of Kirkleavington, responded, 

 and in the course of his remarks he noticed 

 the history of the breeding of the Short- 

 Horns, and stated that the first Agiicultural 

 Society was established m this country in 

 1782." 



We cannot let the occasion pass without noticing the fact that the British 

 agricultural annals fully evince that Mr. Vail, of Troy, the zealous President of 

 the State Agricultural Society, has gone to one of the most distinguished and 

 successful breeders of Short-Horns in England for his imported stock of that 

 blood. His cows at Auburn and at Saratoga, which bore off the first premiums, 

 were both imported from Mr. Bates, of Kirkleavington, Yarmouth. At the 

 meeting referred to, 150 sat down to dinner, and speeches were delivered by 

 Lord Feversham, E. S. Cayley, Sir J. V. B. Johnston, the Earl of HareAvood, Lord 

 Morpeth, and others. 



Besides their visible and intrinsic excellence, it is saying much for Mr. Vail's 

 cattle that the breeder, not only of his two prize cows, but, we believe, of most 

 if not all that he has of imported stock, took at this great Show lately in York- 

 shire — 



First prize for the best bull of any age $1.50 I Second best cow of any age $50 



Second best yearling bull 50 | Second best two-year old heifer 25 



Best heifer calf $50 



Looking back on what has occurred within our own experience and observa- 

 tion, we are sorry to add that the public spirit in the department of improving 

 our cattle has not kept pace with a wider ditfusion of agricultural knowledge. 



We remember well that some twenty years since, the first three imported in 

 Maryland — bull Champion and heifers Shepherdess and White Rose, sold in- 

 stantaneously on coming on the ground, for $1,500, and that to a gentleman ■v^ho, 

 until he saw them, had maintained that England contained no better cattle than 

 his own ; and he afterward declared that he considered himself well remuner- 

 ated for the whole outlay, for the use of the bull for one year on his own farms, 

 of which, however, we believe, he had fourteen ! and he got $500 for the first 

 calf. Wye Comet, from White Rose. 



This early importation into Maryland twenty-five years ago, was made by the 

 present Editor of The Farmers' Library, (then Editor for more than four years 

 of the American Farmer,) with no view but to let the country see what had 

 been actually doing in the way of nnproving cattle in England, of which his in- 

 formation was derived from correspondence and English journals. He was glad 

 to have them pass, without gain or loss, which he could have but ill aflTorded, 

 into liberal hands like Governor Lloyd's, who would know how to esteem and 

 cherish them. The following proceedings, which we may be excused for re- 

 cording as an agreeable reminiscence, historical of the introduction of these 

 splendid animals, will serve to show the light in which such efforts were then 

 regarded by men who have not left behind them their superiors in discernment, 

 liberality and public spirit. Ah ! those were good old times, of which we shall 

 call up some farther remembrances in honor of the men and for the good of 

 the cause. Mem. — When these cattle sold thus off-hand readily for.fljSOO, cash, 

 the reader may ask, Ah ! but what was the price of produce ? The answer is — 



June, 1822 — Flour. ..$6 50 1 Corn 75 cents | Tobacco, fine yellow. $25 to $35 ; spangled, $18 



Wheat.. 1 40 I Rye 68 " | to $25 ; line red, $12 to $18 ; good, $6 to $12. 



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