318 Beport on the American and Canadian Meat Trade. 
Kansas seems likely to become almost self-supporting in this respect. Mr. 
Albert Crane's shorthorn herd at Durham Park, Marion County, Kansas, is one 
of the largest and also one of the best in America, and several others through- 
out the State have commenced on a smaller scale to rear the fashionable 
shorthorn. 
" Durham Park lies in the eastern division of the State, just south of the 
central line, and all around for many miles is beautiful open rolling prairie. 
It extends to 10,000 acres, was purchased four years ago by Mr. Albert Crane, 
of Chicago — a wealthy gentleman of English descent, who has for long been 
engaged in real estate speculation. It was then all open prairie, but Mr. 
Crane has enclosed and subdivided the whole, erecting in all 43 miles of 
' post and plank ' fence, at a cost of £100 per mile. About 3000 acres have 
been brought under cultivation, and more than average crops of Indian corn, 
rye, and oats are grown. The soil is fertile sandy loam, and is very easily 
cultivated. The shorthorn herd numbers in all about 200 head, and contains 
a Bates and a Booth department. It has been collected with great care and 
almost regardless of outlay, is in good condition, and is really a very valuable 
herd. Refreshing sight indeed to glance at those stylish massive roans after 
a six weeks' ramble among long-horned, rough, ragged-looking Texans and 
grades ! All things are judged by comparison. The popular ' red, white, and 
roan' never before seemed so grand an animal. No razor-backs here. A 
characteristic American, who happened to inspect the herd along with the 
writer, and who claimed some acquaintance with Texas cows, handled one of 
the stock bulls carefully, and, stretching his arm across the broad, well- 
covered loins of the massive animal, he remarked, with the air of a critic, 
' Guess he ain't got a very well shed roof, that un !' 
" The Bates department numbers over seventy, and at the head of it arc- 
'Grand Prince of Clara' (28781), 'Royal Lancaster' (29870), and 'Lord 
Bates II.' (23740) — bulls of good character and fair quality. The second and 
third Duchesses of Airdrie are at Messrs. Avery & Murphy's, Port Huron, 
paying a visit to the twenty-third Duke of Airdrie ; but their two yearling 
heifers (Duchesses of Airdrie, sixth and seventh), after second Duke of Hill- 
hurst, are here, and are looking well. Mr. Crane recently refused an offer of 
100,000 dollars (20,0007.) for these four females. The fine, lengthy, stylish 
light roan Hecuba bull 'Lord of the Lake' (20250) is at the head of the 
Booth department, and is assisted by ' Star of the Border ' (24923) of the 
famous Braithwaite Vesper family ; by ' Knight of the Crescent,' a straight 
Torr ; and by 'Star of Empire,' a pure Booth, and half-brother to 'Star of 
the Border.' Several of the females in this department are of very high 
merit, but extended notice here is impossible. Mr. Crane, of course, from 
such high-pedigreed animals as about a third of the herd rears bulls that are 
too valuable to use in the improving of the general stock of the country ; but 
still from a number of his pure cows, and from a herd of grades, he raises more 
than a hundred bulls, which he sells at from 60 to 100 dollars (127. to 207.) 
to farmers throughout the Western States. He finds that the demand for 
bulls of this kind is larger than he can supply. A few of these graded bulls 
are plain, but on the average they show fair shapes and good quality. A 
Colorado stock-owner took away a useful lot of 30 the other day, at from 
00 to 70 dollars a head. Shedding is abundant, and all the shorthorns were 
stalled at the time of my visit. 
" In addition to the shorthorns and graded cows, Mr. Crane has about 4000 
improved Texan cows and steers, which run through the parks, and which will 
be fed off on grass and hay, and probably also a little com. Last winter 100 
cows were fed and sent to Kansas city, where they sold at close on 6 cents (3d.) 
per pound. With good feeding the steers now grazing at Durham Park should 
make good beef. Mr. Crane also owns a lot of very fine Berkshire and Poland- 
