H I S T E Y OF HE i; E F R D C A 'J' T L E 



weather as it comes. The Shorthorns have thin ' 

 hides, fine, short hair, and do not stand ex- 

 posure to the weather so welL 



The importation of 1817 (alluding to which 

 it seems that the Longhorns are to be omitted) 

 gradually gained favor with the breeders and 

 feeders. The j'oung ones were ver}' much 

 sought after throughout Kentucky and parts of 

 Ohio, and were all sold for breeders. The Te- 

 cumseh and Sam Martin were the principal in- 

 struments used m effecting this great improve- 

 ment. Mrs. Motte, the Durham cow, and the 

 Teeswater cow were excellent breeders. The 

 Durham cow was ecjual to the best milk cow I 

 ever saw. Xapoleon was her best bull calf. Mrs. 

 Motte was the neafest, the finest animal of the 

 importation. 



A vear or two previous to 1831 I observed 

 that my young cattle were not up to the mark 

 of improvement that I wished to see progress- 

 ing, but were rather falling back. The onlv 

 remedy that I then thought, and still believe 

 necessary, to arrest this downward tendency 

 and to give a fair prospect of improvement, 

 was the introduction of remote blood. 



Col. John Hare Powell of Philadelphia im- 

 ported a number of animals of the improved 

 Shorthorn breed, several years subsequent to 

 ISl". He ordered his selections from the best 

 herds in England, with great particularity as 

 to pedigree from the milking qualities, and 

 without stint as to price. 



My attention was directed to this stock to 

 procure a cross on the Shorthorns of 181 T. 



In the spring of the year 1831 I procured of 

 Mr. Barnitz of York, Pennsylvania, a young 

 bull and three young cows of Col. Powell's 

 stock. In several points their forms were bet- 

 ter than those of 18 IT. 'The cross was very 

 beneficial to me. 



Some few years afterwards David Sutton of 

 Lexington introduced several animals of ;\Ir. 

 Powell's stock. 



Then other gentlemen imported cattle from 

 Philadelphia, and from other parts of the 

 United States and from England, so that we 

 had a number of bulls and cows from the best 

 known breeds in England and in the United 

 States. From this basis intelligent gentlemen, 

 with abundant capital and great skill, have 

 continued to improve by judicious crossing un- 

 til we have arrived at a high state of perfec- 

 tion, as to form and early disposition to take 

 on fat, points most desired of all others by the 

 grazier and the feeder. 



Notwithstanding that Col. Powell's stock 

 were drawn from the best milking families in 

 England, their descendants did not prove with 



us to be as good milkers as the sbjck m 1817, 

 nor were they so healthy. 



The dairy is but a secondary consideration 

 with a Kentuck}' farmer — beef is more profit- 

 able, and, as the great object of all pursuits is 

 money, the one putting most in the purse will be 

 pursued. For a dairy of cows' where there is a de- 

 mand, selling milk IS most profitable, next cheese, 

 if the climate suits ; last, making butter. Cheese 

 can be made here as well as anywhere else, but 

 it costs too much labor to save it. Some writers 

 say that it ought not to be relied on as a busi- 

 ness south of 40 degrees. Butter could be made 

 of the best quality, and in quantities, but it 

 seems that the farmers prefer taking only as 

 much milk from their cows as supplies their 

 families with milk and butter, giving the re- 

 mainder to the calves. From these considera- 

 tions it would seem that the Ijreed of cattle 

 bringing most money from the butcher at two 

 and three years old will give the preference with 

 the grazier and the feeder, they using nine- 

 tenths of the cattle bred in the State. 



It will be seen from what has been stated 

 that great attention has been given to the breed- 

 ing of cattle m this State for more than fifty 

 years, and the course pursued has been to pro- 

 cure the best breeds to cross with, so that we 

 now have an excellent breed for the grazier and 

 feeder. — forms approaching near and nearer to 



IMPORTED BULL DIPLOMAT (1S328) S1537 

 ISold for $8,000; property ot C. A. Jamison. Hamlet, Ind.) 



perfection, and an aptitude to take on fat at an 

 early age, but in obtaining these grand objects. 

 perfect form and early maturity, so much de- 

 sired bv the grazier and the feeder, we have 

 sacrificed mainly the milking qualities. 



^Vhatever be the breed, there are certain con- 

 formations which are indispensable to the 

 thriving and valuable ox or cow. If there is one 

 part of the frame the form of which, more than 



