1072 A HISTORY OP HEREFORD CATTLE 



the first place they have always utilized the tabu- 

 lated pedigree — a form of presenting bloodlines 

 that sets forth the facts in their proper relation. 

 Their colleagues in the Shorthorn and Aberdeen- 

 Angus world have not always been so wise. By 

 the method of pedigree-printing long in vogue 

 among the latter one of the maternal lines was 

 paraded in such way as to build up a more or less 

 mythical basis of family or tribal prestige which, 

 however convenient it may have been, was wholly 

 misleading and tended to exaggerate out of all rea- 

 son the importance of a certain fractional part of 

 the real pedigree. Some remote female ancestress 

 gave name, and in many cases supplied almost the 

 sole measure of value to great groups of cattle, to 

 the exclusion of the immediate ancestors on both 

 sides of the house. 



In so far as they use "family" nomenclature at 

 all, Hereford breeders commonly group their breed- 

 ing animals under heads that convey a definite 

 meaning. They have their Wiltons, Anxieties, Grove 

 3ds, Garfields, Beau Donalds, Perfection Fairfaxes, 

 Disturbers, Eepeaters, etc., thus laying stress 

 where it of right belongs, on the great producing 

 bulls ; and as a rule they have followed a great bull's 

 blood only so far as it appeared to make good in his 

 descendants. 



The record price for a Hereford bull has already 

 been noted. The American top for a Shorthorn 

 bull was higher— $17,900 for the 14th Duke of 

 Thomedale — ^but in his case the bidding was influ- 



