CHAPTER XVIII. 

 THE EED EOBE OF COURAGE. 



The winter of 1886-87 was one of the worst ever 

 experienced on the western ranges. It brought wide- 

 spread disaster and an almost complete collapse 

 of the cattle business as then conducted on the open 

 range. The result of this great calamity, which 

 brought ruin to many leading operators, was an 

 increased demand for Hereford bulls. Heavy 

 losses had occurred in different localities during 

 preceding years, and in most cases the comparison 

 as to the relative hardiness of the different breeds 

 had from the beginning been altogether favorable 

 to the "white faces." When the supreme test came 

 in the winter of 1886-87, while the Herefords them- 

 selves suffered considerable losses, the gen- 

 eral consensus of opinion was that they had stood 

 the test in a manner which demonstrated that they 

 were better qualified to endure privations than any 

 other known type. Not only did the range men 

 turn more generally to the use of Hereford bulls, 

 but what was equally important, they began 

 making better provision for the future maintenance 

 of their herds. There was less overcrowding of the 

 ranges, more businesslike methods of administra- 

 tion generally, and in the end better results than 



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