THE SHORT-HORNS. 135 



those years, and Berry, Youatt, Martin, Bates, and some others, 

 in a brief way, in the present. "We sliall use all these author- 

 ities, without particular, or but partial mention of either, in 

 relating their history and progress down to the present day. 

 "We must acknowledge, also, many facts derived from American 

 writers and breeders of the race, whose information is of particu- 

 lar value, touching their recent history, or breeding, which will 

 be duly acknowledged ; and wherever pretended history, either 

 English or American, has been found in error, we shall strive to 

 correct it. • 



For a proper understanding of the matter, here at the thresh- 

 old, we may as well assert (better here than elsewhere,) that the 

 prevailing impressions of the history of the improved short- 

 horns, (as they are called,) to some extent in England, and 

 almost altogether in America, is a, false one. With a charge of 

 tliat character, an explanation is necessary. 



Youatt, already frequently mentioned, is given as the principal 

 and most important English authority on "British " cattle. He 

 compiled his work, as we have before stated, at the request of, 

 and published it under the superintendence of, the " Society for 

 the DiiTusion of Useful Knowledge," a body then existing, and 

 whose press was in London. He was competent to the task, 

 and the chief parts of his work have been admitted to be correct. 

 The various breeds of " British cattle " received a due share of 

 his attention. With well-established authorities for his accounts 

 of most of the breeds which he noticed, he left the short-horns 

 for the last ; and with a strange infatuation, when he came to 

 them — the most important in value of any other — instead of 

 doing the work himself, he farmed it out, with the exception 

 only of a fev/ running notes of his own, to one who had been a 

 breeder of them for a few years only, the " Rev. Henry Berry." 

 A brief account of Mr. Berry, and his short-horn experience, 

 must be given. 



