SHORT HORN CATTLE. 



SHORT HORN CATTLE. 



Tins excellent breed of cattle, which used to stand first in the 

 estimation of breeders in America, seems to have lost rank, and to be 

 meeting with very close competition from the Hereford and the 

 Scotch Polled cattle, which are rapidly taking their place in the 

 West. A few years ago there was an enormous speculation in this 

 breed of cattle, and $30,600 was actually paid for one single cow; but 

 to-day the average price for a good pure bred Short Horn cow is 



SHORT HORN COW. 



about $200. It is claimed for them that there are families of good 

 milkers in the breed, but, as far my experience goes, it takes two 

 cows or mothers to raise one calf. I saw Dutchess 75th when in this 

 country, and again at Lord Dunmore's in Scotland, when she was 

 being prepared for the Christinas show of fat cattle. She had all the 

 turnips, oil cake, peas and beans she could eat, and grew to such an 

 enormous weight that, while standing up, she had to be put in slings, 

 lest her limbs would give out; but after all this feeding and care, a 

 Polled Angus cow led at nearly all the Christmas shows of beef cattle 

 in London, the Hereford s coming in second. I saw once a new 

 importation of Short Horns, where the dams of the calves could not 

 feed them, and Ayrshires were imported at the same time to supply 

 this want. Originally the Short Horns were the best of dairy cattle, 

 and were valued on that account as much as for beef. That they 



