Breeding Plants and Animals. 120 



of Short-horns, while the Red Polls and other general- 

 purpose breeds have been ground between the upper 

 and nether millstones till most of their devotees do not 

 know where they are "at." Associations or very large 

 firms have an opportunity to build up county families 

 or breeds of milking Short-horns or of Red Polls, and 

 their field for sales is practically without limit for stock 

 which has the suitable form and the backing of per- 

 formance faithfully and authentically recorded in sta- 

 tistical pedigrees. Plans such as have been outlined 

 above but combining records of both beef and dairy 

 qualities could, I believe, be worked out and put into 

 operation in al! these general breeds by co-operative 

 associations. A resident of Grant Co., Minn., who has 

 means and public spirit has expressed the firm belief 

 that it would be quite practicable to inaugurate a co- 

 operative enterprise in breeding milking Short-horns 

 in his county. 



Since this article is designed mainly to arouse stu- 

 dents and breeders of milking Short-horns from a Rip 

 Van Winkle slumber of nearly a half century to take 

 up anew the study of the philosophy of breeding these 

 all-round good cattle, it is thought that to take up a 

 specific problem will be an aid. The assumption is 

 that 25 farmers in Grant Co., Minn., would enter into 

 a co-operative breeders' association and that they would 

 each purchase an average of 10 cows and a bull to start 

 with. The Short-horn breeder whom I regard as best 

 qualified to pick up foundation stock for such an en- 

 terprise recently said that $200 per animal would be 

 ample to collect the most promising cows for such pur- 

 pose, cows which are known to be good milkers and 

 not too weak on the beef side. A bull for each mem- 

 ber of the association would cost more, and $500 each 

 would be none too much to secure the best available 

 bulls. Investigations would probably show the wis- 

 dom of securing part of these bulls from England or 

 even from Australia, where, it is believed, there are 

 stronger milking families of Short-horns than in Amer- 



