NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



65 



SHORT HORNED COW, CAMBRIDGE. 



This cow was bred by Thomas Bates, Esq., 

 Kirklevington, Yorkshire, Eng., by whom she was 

 exhibited, at the meeting of the Royal Agricultu- 

 ral Society, in 1840, when eight years old, where 

 she won the first prize for the best cow of any age. 



The Short Horned, or Durham breed of cattle 

 hold a high rank in England, particularly for beef; 

 and in some of the large milk establishments, this 

 breed is preferred. In this country, particularly in 



stock in the Eastern States, but few animals are 

 raised purposely for beef, as is the case in the West; 

 but they are used for work or milk several years, 

 then fattened for beef. 



The Durham or Short Horned Cattle are not dis- 

 tinguished as milkers, though some breeders of this 

 race are giving particular attention to the produc- 

 tion of a variety that will have a milking strain, 

 and as they have some good milkers to breed from, 



the West, the introduction and general diffusion ofjWe trust that they will be successful. 



this breed has made a vast improvement in stock, 

 not only where this race is kept pure, but there has 

 been great advantage in crossing it with the com- 

 mon breeds of the country, as blood stock generally 

 stamps its peculiar characteristics upon the cross. 

 The p^reit gain by the use of the Short Horns is 

 in their eirly maturity, by which they are as well 

 ripened for beef at three years of age, as the com- 

 mon stock at four. Every farmer is aware that this 

 is an important consideration. 



This stock and its crosses are raised in larofe 

 herds in the fertile West, and when fit for market, 

 many of the animals are driven East, leisurely, and 

 allowed to feed on the way, as the road-sides gen- 

 erally abound in good pasturage, so that they arrive 

 in the New York or Brighton Market in as good 

 condition as when they left their native pastures. 

 In this way, the beef is not injured, and as it were 

 poisoned, by hard driving and exhaustion, in hot 

 weather. 



As the pasturage of New England is not, gener- 

 ally, very luxuriant, nor the usual winter feed of 

 cattle very high, the Short Horns are not esteemed 

 very highly in this section of the country. Besides 

 these unfavorable circumstances in regard to this 



As for labor, the Short Horns are very mild and 

 tractable, and some firmers who have tried them 

 regard them as very good in this respect; but as we 

 have native cattle that possess all the requisites for 

 labor, and some of them in a high degree, tliat 

 can be obtained at less price than any blood stock, 

 and which are considered better adapted to our cold 

 climate and common fare than the Short Horns, 

 they are not, of course, in demand for labor. 



We have made a few scattering remarks as to 

 some of the peculiar properties of this celebrated 

 breed of cattle, and our columns are open to our 

 readers for the expression of their views, whether 

 they are in accordance with ours or not. 



Chain of Beings. — Bitumen and sulphur form 

 the link between earth and metals — vitriols unite 

 metals with salts — crystalizations connect salts 

 with stones — the amianthus and lytophites form a 

 kind of tie between stones and plants — the polypus 

 unites plants to insects — the tube-worm seems to 

 lead to shells and reptiles — the water-serpent and 

 the eel form a passage from reptiles to fish — -tlie 

 anas nigra are a medium between fishes and birds 

 — the bat and the flying-squirrel link birds to quad- 

 rupeds — and the monkey equally gives the hand to 

 the quadruped and to man. 



