HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



321 



Much time was required, combining capital, 

 skill and untiring perseverance, to bring this 

 breed to such a high state of perfection. Not- 

 withstanding all this, it was suffered to run out, 

 almost to disappear, in the course of a few 

 years. About the time the Longhorns were held 

 in such high estimation commenced the im- 

 provement of the Shorthorns. Skillful breed- 

 ers, with Charles Colling at their head, brought 

 this breed to a very high state of perfection. 

 Their value was at its height in 1810. In this 

 year a public sale took place. The list of ani- 

 mals sold and the very high prices paid for 

 each has been often published. Countess, out 

 of Lady,' four j-ears old, brought four hundred 

 guineas ($3,000) ; Comet, six vears old, brought 

 1,000 guineas ($5,000). He was bought by 

 four farmers. 



It seemed to me that if four farmers were 

 willing to pay $5,000 for a bull, there was a 

 value in that breed that we were unapprised of. 

 and that I would endeavor to procure it. I 

 made up an order for six bulls and six cows. 

 My views were then more inclined for good 

 milking than for a beef breed. The weight of 

 the authorities, given by the writers on the sub- 

 ject of cattle at the close of the last, and the 

 commencement of the present ceiiturv was in 

 favor of the Holderness breed as the best for 

 milking and the Teeswater and Durham as hav- 

 ing the handsomest and most perfect forms. I 

 settled on these breeds. In frequent conversa- 

 tions with Captain William Smith about the 

 contemplated importation, he strongly urged me 

 to include the Longhorns. He had witnessed 

 the marked improvement made by the use of old 

 Mr. Patton's first Longhorned bull, and he was 

 extremely anxious to have a bull of that breed. 

 I had some respect for him as a man. and con- 

 fiding in his judgment, two pairs of Longhorns 

 were added -to the list. The order was for- 

 warded in the fall of. the year 1816 to 

 Buchanan, Smith iS: Co., Liverpool, with in- 

 structions to cause selections to be made of the 

 best young animals for breeders. All to be 

 two years old in the following spring. 



First a bull and heifer of the Holderness 

 breed, to be procured from that district in 

 Yorkshire. Next two bulls and two heifers of 

 the Teeswater breed, to be procured on the 

 river Tees, in the county of Durham. Then a 

 bull and heifer of the Durham breed and two 

 bulls and two heifers of the Longhorn breed, 

 no limit as to price. If the money sent was 

 not sufficient to put that number on board ship, 

 they were to be reduced so as to have the best 

 animals that could be had for breeders. 



Buchanan, Smith & Co. employed Mr. Etches 



of Liverpool to go into the different districts to 

 make the selections and purchases, and he seems 

 to have executed the orders with much ability. 

 The following is the invoice : Cattle shipped 

 on board the Mohawk for Baltimore, consigned 

 to Messrs. Rollins & McBlair, merchants there : 



1. A bull from Mr. Clement. Winston, on 

 the river Tees, got by Mr. Constable's bull, 

 brother to Comet. 



2. A bull of the Holderness breed, of ]\Ir. 

 Scott, out of the cow that gave thirty-four 

 quarts of milk per day — large breed. 



3. A bull from Mr. Reed, Westholm, by his 

 own old bull. 



4. A bull of the Holderness breed from Mr. 

 Humphreys, got by Mr. Wase's bull, of Ingle- 

 ton. 



5. A bull of the Longhorn breed, from Mr. 

 Jackson Kendall, out of a cow that won the 

 premium. 



6. A bull from the Longhorn breed, from 

 Mr. Ewartson, of Crosby Hail — is of a very fat . 

 breed. , 



SOME SHADELAND YEARLINGS. 



7. A heifer from Mr. Wilson. Staindrop, 

 Durham breed. 



8, 9, 10. Three heifers from Mr. Shipman, 

 on the river Tees — his own breed. 



11, 12. Two heifers of the Longhorn breed, 

 from Mr. Ewartson, Crosby Hall — of Westmore. 



The Mohawk arrived in Baltimore in !Mav, 

 1817. The cattle were safely landed, in good 

 condition ; great pains had been taken in pro- 

 curing comfortable accommodations for them 

 in the ship, and an experienced herdsman was 

 employed to feed and take care of them on the 

 voyage. On arrival they were taken in charge 

 by my friend. Mr. John Rollins, who caused 

 them to be put into the pasture and particu- 

 larly cared for. 



After the cattle had been shipped and be- 



