144 CATTLE-BREEDING. 



may read," are controverted and denied, and 

 the principles which may or may not have 

 governed and controlled the actions, are the 

 battle-ground of warring factions, then the task 

 becomes ten times more difficult, and the most 

 fair-minded and painstaking account is fre- 

 quently assailed by partisans of one or both 

 views. Yet these life stories are too valuable 

 to be neglected. Experience has from imme- 

 morial days been one of the great guide-posts 

 erected on the way through life the experi- 

 ence, not only of each man for the better guid- 

 ance of his own future, but of each man, also, 

 for the aid of every other man who fares that 

 way. What we can glean from the trials of 

 other breeders in pursuit of the true method 

 of breeding cannot but prove of value to us, 

 then, and approaching it in the attitude of real 

 seekers after truth we may, perchance, be vouch- 

 safed a glimpse that may be of some value to 

 all who would learn the lesson of their lives. 



We have seen how Robert Bakewell struck 

 out a new line in breeding methods, and with 

 what notable success he met at the outset. 

 His reputation was bruited abroad, and many 

 enterprising men engaged in breeding various 

 kinds of stock, following in his footsteps, began 

 to make trial of his methods. Before Bakewell 

 improved the Longhorns they appear to have 

 been very generally regarded as distinctly in- 



