646 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



1879, in Australia, about 5 per cent, of the Herefor^s were lost on a 

 run in Queeenslaud, against 10 per cent, of the Shorthorn herd and 20 

 per cent, of the stud Shorthorn. In one large paddock there were sev- 

 enty Shorthorn and seventy Hereford bulls one and two years old. The 

 Shorthorns got so poor that they had to be turned out on the run, the 

 paddocks being bare of grass, but the Herefords kept in good, strong 

 condition. 



When Captain Cook first visited New Zealand there were no cattle 

 in the country, but at a subse^ent period some were introduced from 

 Australia. In the early settlement of the colony, the length of time 

 occupied in a voyage from England, and the many diflculties which had 

 to be overcome by the pioneers, prevented any special attention being 

 given to the improvement of the breed of cattle by importation, as that 

 necessarily involved a heavy expenditure of money, not to say any- 

 thing of the time and patience required to introduce them ; but at last 

 the colonists began to improve their herds by the introduction of thor- 

 oughbreds from Euroxio, and I have not the slightest hesitation in sayr 

 ing that nearly all the imported cattle thrive better in New Zealand 

 than in their native homes, and that this superiority is developed to a 

 still higher degree in their offspring. 



NEW ZEALAND SHOKTHOENS. 



The Shorthorns, as I have stated previously, outnumber those of any 

 other breed in Kew Zealand. They were amongst the first pure-blooded 

 cattle imported into the colony, and have ever since been very popular 

 on account of the prevailing impression that they are the best suited 

 for improving the breed of inferior cattle and for adapting themselves 

 to different kinds of soil and climate. Those who keep up the pure 

 strain prefer tlje roan color to any other, though in large herds red and 

 white are not uncommon. Any sign of black is regarded as an impurity 

 of blood and is not bred from, but are drafted off' to the butcher. The 

 cows of this breed are believed to give milk for a longer period than any 

 other and, when dry, fatten rapidly. 



The largest prices ever paid for New Zealand cattle have been paid 

 for Shorthorns. Messrs. R. and E. Maclean, of Auckland district, for 

 many years gave great attention to this breed. 



The famous bulls Duke of Newcastle and Duke of Cambridge, now 

 the property of the New Zealand Stock and Pedigree Company, were 

 bred by the Messrs. Maclean. These bulls took «the first prizes at 

 the Auckland agricultural shows, and attracted so much attention 

 amongst judges of stock that they were sent to Sydney in 1878. At 

 that time they were said to be the finest specimens of cattle ever seen 

 in New South Wales. The Ouke of Cambridge, dam Lady Eleanor, 

 a prize-taker at the West of England shows at Taunton and Exeter, 

 and his sire the 25th Baron Wetherby, came of the celebrated Sidding- 

 ton tribe of pure Bates, the proi)erty of Mr. Bowley. The Duke of Cam- 

 bridge is of a light-roan color, and at four years of age was very massive, 

 with great thickness through and of immense depth, with capital un- 

 derline, good spring of the rib, and level back. His companion, the 

 Duke of New Castle, a rich roan, was calved in November, 1875, got by 

 Ninth Colonel Tregunter, dam Countess of Taunton by Duke of Som- 

 erset (26012), grand dam Windsor, 1st by Red Windsor (24926) 3d of 

 Crocus by Henry 1st (26370), 4th dam Cowslip by Saladin. This is a 

 pure Bates pedigree of great excellence. His sire, 9th Colonel Tre- 

 pqter^ was 9^* Qf ^ Si4d;ngtoa cow, DHtcbess O^th, an4 l^£^8 ^n ftn- 



