DOMINION OF, , CAN ADA. 539 



The Ayrshires have a far closer relationship to the common cattle or natives than the 

 Jerseys, possibly than any other breeds, although that is an open question. And the 

 Ayrshire bulls may bo found of service in maintaining and perpetuating or reviving 

 the functions where they appear to have fallen off or to be declining. The Ayrshires 

 can be brought to a fair size for market, and, some tendency to milk fever excepted, 

 owing to the great activity of their milking functions, are a hardy and thrifty race of 

 cattle. But it is impossible to say that they are the breed to which the general 

 farmer can look for the means of putting his herd on the most profitable and economi- 

 cal footing. 



The Galloways have the merit of being good beefing cattle if well fed, and of endur- 

 ing hard fare if such be their fate. They may, also, from the absence of horns, be a 

 little better adapted for a shipping trade than others. But they take no high place 

 as milkers, unless it be in isolated instances, and in the presence of the Durham and 

 Hereford it is not possible to say they are the breed on which the ordinary farmer 

 should place reliance. There may, however, bo situations in so wide a country as 

 Ontario, not to say Canada, where the hardiness of the Galloway would make it of 

 value. 



The Devons as draft-cattle, and rich if not very copious milkers, may suit those 

 who have special need of animals possessing such qualities, while for the home mar- 

 ket they produce meat of a rich and excellent quality ; but as a breed to furnish the 

 grade steer or heifer needed by the Ontario shipper they will never, it may safely be 

 predicted, take a high place. 



The fact is, that for the object the commissioners have in view, namely, the several 

 combined requirements of the Ontario farmer, the competition for first place lies 

 between the Durham and Hereford alone. Of either of these two noble breeds there 

 are a sufficient number in Ontario to supply the ordinary demand, although the Dur- 

 hams being the most numerous the opportunity for selection by buyers is greater, and 

 the services of Durham male animals can be as a rule most easily secured. 



For attaining a given size and weight in a, given time and at the earliest period of 

 its life, always assuming its treatment to be liberal and judicious, the Durham cannot 

 be beaten. The prepotency, too, of the Durham male is universally recognized, and 

 there is enough Durham blood in most of the present farm stock of Canada to make 

 assimulation easy and to secure certain results. By careful selection, too, of bulls 

 from milking families the dairyman may secure in the Durham the means of beefing 

 his cows profitably when needful to do, "without diminishing the supply of the milk 

 on which he primarily depends for his profits. The only danger, if there be danger, 

 in the Durham, is that by too close breeding, and perhaps pampering, a delicacy of 

 constitution may be engendered and disseminated. Such a possibility has been hinted 

 at, and while it ought not to tell for one moment against the use of the Durhams at 

 the present time, it makes it all important (1) that no opportunity should be lost of 

 giving the Durham stock in Ontario the benefit of imported blood ; (2) that the in- 

 telligence and vigilance of breeders and veterinary surgeons should always be on 

 guard against such a possibility ; (3) that the knife should bo used unsparingly when 

 anything short of the most vigorous constitution is detected, and (4) that all legiti- 

 mate encouragement should be given to a second breed of cattle capable, approxi- 

 mately, of holding its own against the renowned Shorthorn. 



That breed, so far as Ontario is at present concerned is, if the evidence be correct, 

 the Hereford. Strong in its prepotency, all but equal in early maturity in the stall, 

 and more than equal in the pasture to the Durham ; with a constitution in which, 

 so far, no trace of or tendency to any weakness has been detected and with good 

 milking qualities, the Hereford may yet prove to bo a useful factor in the great work 

 of giving to Ontario a class of cattle adapted to*the varied demands of such a country. 



THE NATIVE CATTLE OF CANADA 



The foregoing conclusions are based upon a large amount of testi- 

 mony given by prominent cat tie- growers before the commission, and 

 representing all portions of the province. I would also in this connec- 

 tion call attention to the common grade of cattle, which are said to have 

 considerable merit for beefing and dairying purposes. 



Prof. "W. Brown of the agricultural college at Guelph, in a report to 

 the Agricultural Association of Ontario, in 1882, says : 



The Canadian : I know of no class of cattle so well deserving a first-class notice in 

 these pages as the Canadian. There is a distinct typo entitle'! to this name. I do not 

 mean those with a touch of the Ayrshire, Devon, or any others, not even the Short- 

 horn grade; but that moderate sized, milking, wiry, active stamp well known to 

 the average farmer. I claim that the Canadian deserves more notice than has ever 



