220 HISTORY OF THE SHORT-HORNS. 



increasing popularity of the " Bates " blood, they having more of it 

 than almost any other distinct family tribe ; for we do not recognize 

 it as predominating in any other tribes belonging to the different 

 English, Scotch, or Irish breeders. Thirty years ago we seldom saw 

 a purely red Short-horn, and not many where the red much overrun 

 the white. Red and white, and the roans, were the most common, 

 and pure white was more popular than a full red. In fact, the roans 

 were the most fashionable, and more preferred than any other where 

 a preference for color prevailed at all. Some of the best bulls and 

 cows ever imported into the country were pure white, so late as 

 twenty years ago, while now either at public or private sale a white, 

 or even a light roan bull, unless of distinguished blood, will sell for 

 a much less price than a full red or red roan of equal quality, even 

 when discriminating breeders in the more substantial qualities are 

 the purchasers. 



In this partiality or prejudice for we cannot call it any other in 

 the United States, we cannot but think it an absurd distinction so far 

 as the true merits of the animal are concerned. A purely red cow 

 may be bred to a purely red bull, and a white or roan calf may be 

 the produce, as is sometimes seen ; or, a bull and cow of any other 

 legitimate shades, white, roan, or of distinctly patched colors may be 

 coupled, and grades of color common to neither parent may be pro- 

 duced in the calf. In fact, color in Short-horns is not controllable, 

 or but partially so, except as through a persistent course of breeding 

 to certain colored bulls, on the rule that "like begets like," will the 

 produce inherit the shades belonging to the parents, and then not 

 uniformly. Therefore we say, other qualities being equal, one color 

 is just as good as another, no better, no worse. Still, fashion may 

 rule for a time among breeders, as the color of a person's dress may rule 

 in the fashionable world of people, to be discarded at the next freak 

 of fancy or taste, as those who invent them may dictate. 



Let us illustrate : The Collings always bred many more pure whites 

 than/&r<? reds, (seldom did they breed one of the latter,) while roans 

 of different shades were their prevailing colors. So also with other 

 of the leading breeders of England from time immemorial. The 

 Booths bred without regard to a choice of color ; so that their cattle 

 were good, color was a minor object. They seldom had a red ani- 

 mal, but chiefly roans and whites. In Mr. Bates' early Duchess stock 

 the red color prevailed, and it has through their close interbreeding, 

 although since crossed by roan bulls, still held its own in their 

 descendants. The importations into the United States from the 



