SOME AMERICAN BREEDERS. 261 



Many of the warmest competitors in the show ring today are animals bred 

 from or descendants of this herd. Other large herds have sprung up and 

 flourished for a season, but Spring Brook is still in it and at the top, as was 

 proven in the show rings of 1895. 



Mr. Hallman's connection with the Canadian Holstein-Friesian Association 

 has been prominent from its organization in 1892, and it was largely due to his 

 efforts that this independent record was established. He is at present one of 

 its vice-presidents and prominently identified with the Holstein-Friesian inter- 

 ests of the Dominion. 



MR. JOHN M. HAM of Washington Hollow, N. Y., was born at Washington 

 Hollow, Dutchess county, N. Y., upon the farm where he now resides Lyn- 

 feld which has been the homestead of the family since about 1745, when it 

 was settled upon by the great-grandfather of the present owner, and has been 

 occupied by the Ham family in direct line since that date. 



He received his early education at home in the common schools, and at the 

 Poughkeepsie Military Institute, and later pursued a special course in engineer- 

 ing at Lafayette College. 



In politics he is a Democrat, and has for several years represented the town 

 of Washington in the Board of Supervisors, which, as the town is largely 

 Republican, speaks highly of the consideration in which he is held by those 

 who know him best. 



As a breeder and handler of live stock, his experience has been, it might 

 be said, lifelong. When eighteen years old he was interested with the selec- 

 tion and purchase of stock cattle and sheep, the business at that time being the 

 feeding of cattle and sheep for the New York markets, which in later years was 

 succeeded by the dairy business. The first pure-bred Holstein-Friesian cattle 

 for Lynfeld were purchased by Mr. Ham after his attention had been drawn 

 to the breed through the successful handling of the grades as dairy animals. 

 The business was increased by breeding and the purchase of choice animals 

 until the entire herd were pure-breds. It has been his aim to conduct his herd 

 on a paying basis from a dairy standpoint, and in the selling of breeding stock 

 he has paid particular attention to supplying the local demand of dairymen 

 and farmers for animals to improve their herds. 



As a breeder of horses Mr. Ham brought the first pure-bred Percheron stall- 

 ion to stand for public service into Dutchess county, and later successfully 

 established the first breeding stud of pure-bred horses of that breed in this part 

 of the state. He has a wide reputation as a breeder of Berkshire swine, this 

 branch of his pure-bred live stock antedating that of any other. He was one 

 of the early breeders in America of Dorset Horn sheep, and one of the organiz- 

 ers of the registry association of that breed, and at present is one of the execu- 

 tive committee. In addition to the local business in pure-bred stock, shipments 

 have been made from Lynfeld in the past year into every Eastern and Middle 

 state, Canada, South America and the West Indies. 



MR. JOHN D. HARP of Benevola, Md., was born at Benevola, Washington 

 county, Md., in 1853, and became a member of the Holstein-Friesian Associa- 

 tion of America in 1895. 



The farm upon which he resides is a fertile tract of land, well watered by 

 fine springs and a small stream called Beaver Creek running through it. Mr. 

 Harp is the elder of two sons of Rev. Joshua Harp. From early youth he was 

 given the care of his father's sheep and swine, and in riper years the horses 

 and cattle were added to his charge. As a young man he took little interest in 

 cattle, but was greatly devoted to horses. In 1879 his father retired from busi- 

 ness, and sold his entire live stock to the subject of our sketch. 



The horses were of a good class, and the cattle were grade Durhams. Mr. 

 Harp, still pursuing his love for horses, was a pioneer in the introduction of the 

 Clydesdale in Washington county. His early experience in the horse business 

 was very discouraging from the loss of a number, but perseverance and great 

 courage overcame these difficulties, and he now raises some very superior 

 horses. 



Mr. Harp's experience with Holstein-Friesian cattle began in 1887, when he 

 purchased his first bull of Roberts, Durnall & Hicks, and several cows from the 

 Lackawanna Breeders' Association in Pennsylvania. Proceeding carefully 



