INTRODUCTORY. 19 



The calves came of all sorts, some good, some poor, a 

 few like the sire, more like the dams — all mongrels and 

 showing mongrel origin more than he did. There 

 seemed in many of them a tendency to combine the 

 defects of the grades from which he sprung rather than 

 their good points. In some, the quietness of the Short- 

 horn degenerated into stupidity, and in others the 

 activity of the Devon into nervous viciousness. Take 

 them together they perhaps paid for rearing, or nearly 

 so. After using him another year, he was killed, hav- 

 ing been used long enough. 



The other, we will say, served that same season a 

 reasonable number, perhaps four to six in a week, or 

 one every day, not more. Few came a second time 

 and those for no fault of his. The calves bear a striking 

 resemblance to the sire. Some from the better cows 

 look even better in some points, than himself and few 

 much worse. There is a remarkable uniformity among 

 them ; as they grow up they thrive better than those 

 by the low priced one. They prove better adapted to 

 the use intended. On the whole they are quite satis- 

 factory and each pays annually in its growth, labor 

 or milk a profit over the cost of food and attendance of 

 five or ten dollars or more. If worked enough to fur- 

 nish the exercise needful to insure vigorous health, he 



may be as serviceable and as manageable at eight or 

 3 



