HISTORY OF HEEEFOED CATTLE 



145 



stitution, good travelers of great size, will fat 

 at an early age and will make more pounds of 

 beef with the quantity of food consumed, and 

 when better known in market will command the 

 highest price. 



"Three Hereford and three Durham cattle 

 were put in the stalls to be fattened on the 3d 

 of November. The weight of the Herefords was 

 then 33 cwt. and that of the Durhams 38 cwt. 

 and 14 lbs. Between that period and the 30th 

 of March, when all were sold at Smithfield, the 

 Durhams had consumed 12,755 pounds weight 

 more of turnips and 1,714 pounds more of hay 

 than the Herefords, but the Durhams, notwith- 

 standing the large size when put to fatten, and 

 the greatly larger quantity of food consumed, 

 sold for only twenty shillings more per head 

 than the Herefords, and such, I believe, will 

 ever be the results of similar trials, when one 

 class of animals has been properly fed and the 

 other overfed, the merits of the breed equal. 



"At the meeting of the Smithfield Club in 

 December, 1839, the Herefords took the first 



four premiums in Classes 1 and 2 : in Class 3 

 the second prize and second prize in Class 7. In 

 the prizes for extra stock, the Herefords took 

 the only prize. In the list of commendation, 

 the Hereford stands 13, Durham 8, Sussex 1, 

 North Devon 1. 



"I have examined the Hereford cattle lately 

 imported by our spirited and enterprising citi- 

 zens, Erastus Corning, Esq., and Wm. H. So- 

 tham, as noticed in the last 'Cultivator.' I 

 must confess I was greatly disappointed in the 

 size and general form of the cows, for they were 

 apparently as large as the Durhams and possess- 

 ing the broad loin, large, capacious bodies, deep, 

 broad and projecting brisket, but with a coarser 

 head and neck, which, to those familiar with the 

 Durham, would appear oxy, if I may be allowed 

 the expression. The shape and size of their 

 udders would indicate fair milkers. Mr. Thorn- 

 ton, the person who has charge of them, in- 

 formed me they gave on an average full a mid- 

 dling quantity of milk." 



R. A. ALEXANDER. LEXINGTON, KY. 



