THE BEEF BREEDS OF CATTLE 207 
interest of agriculture and introducing an improved breed 
of cattle.’ Felix Renick was chosen agent of this com- 
pany to go to England to select cattle for the company. 
While it was not restricted to purchase all Shorthorns, it 
decided, after considerable investigation, to import only 
Shorthorns. Among the herds visited were those of May- 
nard, Booth, Bates, Whitaker, Althrope, Craddock, Raine 
and Paley. Seven bulls and twelve females were carefully 
selected for the first importation. In this lot were the two 
heifers, Rose of Sharon and Young Mary, which were 
destined to play such an important part in the history of 
Shorthorns in the United States. This importation was 
so satisfactory to the shareholders of the Ohio Importing 
Company that their agent was soon authorized to make 
arrangements for further importations. In 1835 and 1836, 
Whitaker, through Renick’s authorization, sent out two 
shipments comprising forty-two animals to the Ohio 
Importing Company. Among these were Josephine, 
Young Phyllis, Illustrious and Harriet. In August, 1836, 
this company held a sale on Felix Renick’s farm in Rose 
county, Ohio. Forty-three animals were sold at an 
average price of $803.25, or a total of $34,540. The final 
dispersion sale of the company was held in 1837, at which 
the fifteen animals averaged $1071.65. A uumber of 
importations were made to Ohio from 1836 to 1840. In 
1839, the Kentucky Importing Company brought over a 
number of Shorthorns. 
239. History since 1840. — From 1840 to 1850, agri- 
culture in the United States was in a very depressed state, 
and the cattle industry, along with other farm interests, 
remained practically at a standstill. There was little 
demand for breeding cattle, which resulted in large num- 
bers of Shorthorn breeding stock finding their way to 
