124 



NEW ENGLAND FAR^rER. 



IMarch 



HEREFORD BULL. 



This breed of cattle take their name from 

 the country in which tliey originated, though 

 little is positively known as to their origin. 

 More than a hundred and fifty years ago they 

 were popular in England as beef cattle. Mr. 

 Sanford Howard says that, in 1799, a Hereford 

 ox girthing 12 feet and 4 inches and 7 feet 

 high, was exliibited at Smithfield, and one 

 girthing 10 feet, 4 inches, and 8 feet 11 inches 

 long was sold for a hundred guineas. In. 

 speaking of the aptitude of the Herefords to 

 fatten, and of the great amount of flesh they 

 give in proportion to the bone and ofFal, Mr. 

 Howard says, "on a well fed Hereford the 

 choice or top pieces — back, loin and nnnps — 

 are of extraordinary thickness and weight as 

 compared with other parts of the carcass. 

 The fat and lean are so combined as to render 

 the beef beautifully marbled." We have heard 

 this opinion confirmed by our Boston butchers. 



Their value as working oxen is also gener- 

 ally admitted. Mr. Howard says they have 

 nearly the activity of the Devons, with much 

 greater size than the average, and correspond- 

 ing strength. 



Many of the descriptions that we have seen 

 of the ilerefords admit their inferiority as milk- 



ers. In this respect Mr. Howard believes they 

 have been misrepresented. He says, "accord- 

 ing to the testimony of persons who have had 

 the best opportunity for comparison, keeping 

 both Short-horns and Herefords, the latter give 

 quite as much milk as the. former in propor- 

 tion to the food consumed, and generally milk 

 of richer quality." 



Mr. Allen, in speaking of the Hereford cattle 

 bred by F. M. Stone, Guelph, Canada, says 

 "some of the cows proved excellent milkers." 

 He also says, that, from occasional marks 

 among our native cattle, it is evident that Here- 

 fords were among the early importations to 

 this country. 



Abortion in Cows. — Dr. McClure fur- 

 nished the Practical Farrier the following as 

 a preventive of abortion ;: — 'Powdered sul- 

 phate of iron, two drachms : powdered gen- 

 tian root, half an ounce ; mix and make one 

 dose. This will be a powerful tonic, adding 

 richness to the blood, strengthening the mu- 

 cous surfaces and imparting health and 

 strength to the whole system, thereby enabling 

 the animal to carry her young to its full time. 

 Good and generous feeding is also a preven- 

 tive by itself, but better in conjunction with 

 the above powder." 



