16 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



The weather during the Fair was very cold, so much so as to 

 make the attendance of visitors in the highest degree uncom- 

 fortable ; and this circumstance, united with the unexampled 

 financial crisis under which the whole community was groaning, 

 and which at that particular time was about at its height, had a 

 very unfavorable effect. Exhibitors, however, appeared in great 

 numbers, and with spirited emulation, and the judges being 

 nearly all present, proceeded promptly with their examinations. 



The first class in the published schedule of premiums included 

 all neat stock arranged in ten divisions, the first of which was 

 the 



IMPROVED SHORT-HORNS. 



The opinion has prevailed, especially in tlie eastern part of 

 the State, that this splendid breed of animals was less adapted 

 to our climate and short pastures than some of the smaller 

 races. TVhether this opinion be correct or not, it is certain that 

 very few pure bred short-horns are to be found in this section. 

 Many fine specimens are kept in the western part of the State, 

 and the crosses there obtained with pure bred short-horn bulls 

 and grade or " native " cows, would do credit to any breeding 

 section in the world. 



This famous breed was originally, as we have reason to 

 believe, built up by careful selections of fine boned males and 

 females of the best form and symmetry, especially in the county 

 of Durham, along the valley of the Tees, in England, from which 

 it is often called the Durham, and formerly the " Teeswater 

 breed." There is a dispute among the most eminent breeders, 

 as to how far it owes its origin to early importations from Hol- 

 land, whence many superior animals were brought for the pur- 

 pose of improving the old long-horned breed common in York- 

 shire, Lincolnshire and Northumberland. 



The cattle produced by these crosses were at one time known 

 under the name of " Dutch." The cows selected for crossing 

 with the early imported Dutch bulls, were generally long-horned, 

 coarse animals, a fair type of which was found in the old 

 " Ilolderness" breed of Yorkshire, — slow feeders, strong in the 

 shoulder, defective in the fore-quarter, and not very profitable 

 for the butcher. They are known to have been large boned, 

 while their meat was said to have been " coarse to the palate, 



