FIRST HEKEFORDS ON THE RANGE 695 



grade steers in June, that were four years old in 

 the spring, weighing 1,800 pounds each, and twelve 

 others and three heifers, weighing a fraction under 

 1,500 pounds each. None of them had been fed at 

 all, having made their weights on grass alone, ex- 

 cept they may have been fed hay at times during 

 storms. 



Mr. Church, who lived near Denver, had turned 

 off thirty to forty grade Hereford steers for several 

 years, at three years old, averaging about 1,250 

 pounds each, that had never been fed anything ex- 

 cept what they themselves had taken from the range ; 

 and one lot of these steers was sold in Buffalo at 7 

 cents a pound. 



Judge P. P. Wilcox, of Denver, said that his cattle 

 ran with a herd in which there was a grade Here- 

 ford bull, and from him he had several white-faced 

 calves, and that these white-faced calves were as 

 good at two years old as his others at three. 



Another prominent stockman in southern Colo- 

 rado testified: "The Hereford cross on my native 

 cattle has been very satisfactory. They stand the 

 winter well, take on flesh rapidly, and are really the 

 best cattle for these ranges that I have ever had any- 

 thing to do with." 



Commenting upon these and similar reports and 

 launching a challenge against Shorthorn breeders, 

 Mr. Miller witii prophetic vision said : 



"There is now open to the world, and brought into 

 the world, a stock country, the like of which was 

 never before known. It changes or will change the 

 whole system of breeding, and the question must 

 and will be solved as to the breed of cattle best fitted 

 for it" 



Speaking of difficulties tending to restrict enter- 



