FATHER OF THE FLOCK. 249 



and but little knowledge of their wants. No man ever 

 founded a race of animals of great value, who, in many of his 

 attributes, did not challenge your highest respect. I have 

 known many, and among them Mr. Hammond, of Vermont, 

 one of the most ingenious, level-headed, calm and sensible 

 gentlemen in this country in his day, who, by his careful, 

 attention and his good judgment, raised himself to the level 

 of the Bakewells and CoUings of the Old World, and was a 

 man who would have done well in any sphere of life. He 

 would have made a good statesman ; he would have made a 

 good jurist. If ha had sat, with his broad shoulders and his 

 calm countenance, as chief justice upon the si^reme bench 

 of the United States, nobody would have raised the question 

 of his fitness for the place. He had great powers of mind 

 and great self-possession. When you were in his presence, 

 you felt that you were in the presence of an invigorating and 

 controlling influence. And so, when he entered his sheep-" 

 fold he went there as the father of the flock. They all knew 

 him and all trusted him. When he entered his pens, all was 

 calm and quiet ; there was no irritation, no noise, no fear, 

 no disturbance there. Thus it was that Mr. Hammond 

 was the most successful breeder that we have known in our 

 day. So, I have found that all those men who have elevated 

 their herds to a high position have taken pains that all the 

 surroundings of those herds should be admirable. Is there a 

 man in this hall who will question this ? Is there a man in 

 this hall who does not believe this theory? If there is, let 

 him recall an instance in which, through his own hard treat- 

 ment, his herds have deteriorated, his cows have not been up 

 to the standard, his calves have been unequal. That is what 

 I mean by external circumstances. 



Then there are other external circumstances. The accident 

 of the day, the month, or the year in which an animal is con- 

 ceived and perhaps born, may have an effect upon it. A sud- 

 den thunder-shower disturbs a cow ; so does irregularity of 

 feeding. If you propose to keep your standard high, you* 

 must strive for that continuallfJ, and keep all surrounding 

 circumstances in accordance with your demands. You can 

 neither, in the treatment of your cattle, nor in their feeding, 

 be negligent or careless, if you expect to arrive at that point 



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