454 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



The dutiable sheep imported also came from Canada, except 5,099 

 from Mexico, and a few from the West indies. 

 The average value of imports were : 



Stock. 





Free. 



Dutiable. 







50.31 

 121.10 

 16.84 



13. 51 

 55. 38 

 2. 78 







Sheen.. ._ 







The aggregate of duty-free cattle may leave a false impression if as- 

 sumed to represent superior blood introduced to improve the breed of 

 American cattle. It is 41,021, of which 29,592 are from Mexico, and 

 worth only $14.13, while the remainder, 11,429 animals, were entered 

 at the value of $1,891,846, or $165.53 per head. It may be deemed a 

 violation of the spirit of the law, as the purpose is to obtain the cheap 

 cattle of Mexico; by the introduction of cows "for breeding purposes," 

 to get cheap calves for ranch-stocking by cross-breeding with better 

 stock. 



The horses come mainly from Canada and France. The importation 

 from the latter country is mainly Normans or Percherons. More than 

 h alf are from Mexico, valued at little more than $8 per head. These are 

 for " breeding purposes," but not for improvement of our horses ; they 

 are bought because they are cheap, to be bred up into better blood and 

 greater value. 



The principal sources of these supplies are as follows : 



From— 



Cattle. 



Horses. 



Sheep. 



Number. 



Value. 



Number. 



Value. 



Number. 



Value. 





645 

 121 

 8 



3 300 



$47, 735 

 9,512 

 957 

 814 910 



54 

 1,007 

 2 



372 

 418 

 5,183 



$47, 226 

 586, 216 

 238 

 152, 123 

 148, 589 

 1, 183, 101 









104 



5 

 98 



$11, 330 

 2, 200 

 4, 150 





13?; ! 33 fiM 





4, 643 

 34 

 29, 592 



2,527 

 16 



773, 269 

 13, 213 

 418, 104 

 196, 325 

 2, 300 



2, 684 

 120 

 1, 416 



31, 605 

 24, 155 

 1, 118 





11, 224 



92, 085 





11 



3, 013 













41, 021 



2, 309, 950 



18, 271 



2, 212, 591 



4, 427 



74, 558 



PROPORTION OF BREEDS IMPORTED. 



The records of the Bureau of Animal Industry of this Department 

 show the breed of all animals imported^ and the residence of the im- 

 porter to whom the permit is given. In the five months from July 1 to 

 December 1, 1884, there were 1,688 animals received in quarantine under 

 permits to persons in thirteen States. Much the larger portion are the 

 dairy breeds, 1,235 Hoi steins, and 198 Jerseys. The former were all 

 credited to the Eastern and Middle States, except 76 to Kentucky, 43 

 to California, 35 to Mississippi, and 7 to Wisconsin. There were 92 

 Galloways, 70 Herefords, and 72 Guernseys. The country is so well 



