1884 .] 
AMEBIOAK AGBlOtJETTJRIST. 
835 
The Rival Beef Breeds, 
F. D. COBUKN, KANSAS. 
Considerable changes have occurred within a 
quite recent period in the popular estimates and 
selling values of cattle of the various beef breeds, 
most common in the great grazing territory 
between the Allegheny and Rocky Mountains. 
Perhaps the most remarkable of these is the intro¬ 
duction, in comparatively large numbers, of the 
polled Aberdeen, Angus, and Galloway cattle from 
Scotland, and their wide dissemination at high 
prices, mainly to ranchmen on the Western prairies; 
prices which at the spring sales of the present 
year have been considerably cut down. The latter 
fact is partly accounted for by a determination of 
many cattle raisers to no longer pay two or three 
times as much for animals of breeders that here, un¬ 
der existing circumstances, are largely experimen¬ 
tal, as for others of a breed or breeds of thorough¬ 
ly demonstrated value under like conditions. This 
determination is also strengthened and the prices 
lessened by the pedigree of many of the newly-in¬ 
troduced animals being presented in such shape as 
to give small assurance of their being better than 
grades, while some of the individual animals have 
little more to recommend them than their being 
black, hornless, and imported. In spite of high 
prices heretofore, or apparent low prices now, 
there is no doubt that the best of these black cat¬ 
tle have great merit, upon which, like their com¬ 
petitors, they will be judged, bought and sold. 
The Herefords were almost unknown in America 
a decade ago, when the bare suggestion of their 
ever being formidable competitors in the beef 
classes was regarded by ninety-nine persons in a 
hundred as most ridiculous. They have shown 
themselves the peers of any, in the stall or on 
the butcher’s block. In price they arc held more 
firmly by their owners than cattle of any other 
breeds. They occupy this position not from merits 
assumed, but from desirable qualities thoroughly 
demonstrated under conditions adverse as wmll as 
favorable, and their popularity founded on the 
basis of merit seems permanently assured. 
Shorthorns, the best known,and most fully 
tested of all improved cattle in America, have, as a 
breed, for years suffered harm from the distorted 
views entertained by many persons raising them, 
who placed pedigree and color above individual 
excellence, also from the selling to confiding pur¬ 
chasers as representatives of the breed, thousands 
of the more unworthy specimens to perpetuate 
their inferiority, that should have been sent to the 
shambles. There are weeds in every breed, and if 
used to propagate from, the standard is sure to 
be lowered sooner or later. Notwithstanding the 
mistakes of which they have been the victims, the 
Shorthorn interest is probably now in a more 
healthy condition than at any time in the past 
twenty years. Much of this favorable reaction is 
due to the rivali-y and rapid advancement of other 
breeds towards occupying the fields before sup¬ 
posed to be all its own. The tendency in rearing 
each of these breeds is constantly toward a higher 
beef standard, to the economical and profitable at¬ 
tainment of which other considerations, such as 
color, pedigree, and remote crosses will be rated 
but secondary. Let us agree upon essentials. 
The Cattle for the South. 
Some recent experience Avith Jersey and Devon 
cattle, seems to Indicate that the latter are best for 
the tide-water sections of the South. Two years 
ago a thoroughbi'ed Jersey bull was purchased, and 
put to service on several of the best obtainable na¬ 
tive or graded cows. Six fine calves was the result; 
but these did not make much headway in growth. 
Before another season, the bull sickened and died, 
despite all that could be done for him, though 
he had a good pasture, and Avas not allowed to run 
out upon the commons. Since then, four of the 
-calves have also died, from no apparent cause, un¬ 
less it be on account of the peculiar character of 
our summer season. The two remaining calves. 
though seemingly healthy, are small and delicate. 
They may survive, but will never attain the spright¬ 
liness and usual vigor of the Jerseys, as I have 
seen them in mountainous districts. The conclu¬ 
sion is that the Jersey is too delicate for this section. 
It may do in the more elevated regions, where the 
summers are not so moist and sweltering as they 
are nearer the ocean. A first class native, or a 
grade Shorthorn, Avould be a safer investment. 
This preference for the Shorthorn is based on 
actual, and somewhat extended tests. Several 
years ago, Avhen I started farming, I found the 
grade Shorthorn a very good milker, and excellent 
for beef and labor. The oxen are strong, heavy, 
and enduring, and the breed, having had long trial 
here, appears to be entirely hardy, and fully accli¬ 
mated. On good pasturage, the Devon develops 
into a superior animal for beef and for labor. It 
stands as much neglect, even ill-usage, without ma¬ 
terial deterioration, as any other breed of cattle. 
And as there are already here many good grade 
Devons, any one who may desire to establish a 
nearly pure blood herd, would only have to procure 
a full blooded male, and purchase the native 
grades, which would cost him much less. The par¬ 
tiality that many feel for the Jersey, might lead 
some in this region (Surrey Co., Va.) to invest 
more in this breed than Avould be justifiable under 
the circumstances. B. W. J. 
Sloping Shoulders in Draft Horses. 
The student of horse anatomy from the usual 
text-books and horse-books, will naturally conclude 
that an upright arm or humerus (the bone desig¬ 
nated as 6, in fig. 1), and an oblique shoulder are 
incompatible. That this is not so, is clearly shown 
in the accompanying diagrams. In figure 1 Ave have 
an upright humerus, in figure 2 a very oblique one, 
and yet the slope of the shoulder blades (a, a, in 
each diagram), is exactly the same. It has long 
been held that while a sloping shoulder is very im¬ 
portant for a hunter or a trotter, an upright shoul¬ 
der does very well for a draft-horse. The sloping, 
shoulder is supposed also to promote high action, 
Avhieh is desirable in carriage horses. From recent 
observations of Mr. James Howard, communicated 
in “Notes on Cart-horses,” to the Royal Agricul 
tural Society, it would seem that we have all been 
poor observers, and pupils of very poor masters, 
not to have seen how much more the power, style, 
action and usefulness of any horse, and especially 
of a draft-horse, depended upon the position of the 
leg, rather than upon the slope of the shoulder- 
blade. In figure 1 the weight of the horse is sus¬ 
tained in front, upon an almost perpendicular col¬ 
umn of bone, the humerus, at the shoulder joint, 
being but very little out of the perpendicular, just 
enough to give the needed elasticity to the limb. 
The leg is Avell forward, which position of course 
causes the weight of the body to be much more 
evenly distributed between the fore and hindlegs, 
giving greater stability, and greater propelling 
power. While, were high action desirable in a 
draft-horse, and they usually possess it, this posi¬ 
tion of the humerus is far more favorable to it than 
the ijosition shown in figure 2. In that we see the 
fore legs inordinately loaded with the Aveight of 
the body, and the bones so connected, especially at 
the shoulder and elbow joints, that a long stretch 
of the leg as in fast walking, or high knee action, 
can not be taken with any case, if indeed by any 
possibility; the whole cause being the obliqueness 
of the humerus or true arm. We have n<j doubt as 
to the great desirability of looking well to this 
point in draft-horses, and wonder that it has never 
been forcibly presented to us before. So far as we 
can see, it is of nearly equal advantage to other 
horses. Their legs are, however, neither adapted to, 
nor called upon to sustain equal proportionate 
weight, except, perhaps, in the case of hunters, 
whose legs in leaping must sustain enormous pres¬ 
sure. It is, moreover, the experience of Mr. Hoav- 
ard, that for both draft and saddle horses, the up¬ 
right humerus is of greater importance than the 
sloping shoulder blade. It is nevertheless true, 
that in draft-horses Avith very sloping shoulders, 
high Avithers are most important. Otherwise the col¬ 
lar will not be held well in position, but will bear too 
heavily against the chest, shoulder points, and per¬ 
haps against the lower part of the neck, so as to ob¬ 
struct the breathing and inconvenience the horse. 
Valuable Points in Horse Breeding. 
Mr. James Howard, a famous English breeder of 
horses, has arrived at some important conclu¬ 
sions in the art of breeding. He believes that 
the external structure, configuration and out¬ 
ward characteristics, including peculiarities of 
locomotion, are mainly derived from the sire, 
while the structure of the various internal organs, 
the temper, habits, and constitution, come from the 
dam. The purer the blood of the parent, the more 
certainty there is of its qualities being transmitted 
to the offspring. This is particularly true, if the 
greater purity of race or breed is on the side of the 
sire. A pure-blooded male that has descended 
from a stock of uniform color, fixes that same color 
upon his colt. A sire may influence progeny sub¬ 
sequent to that of Avhich he is a parent; that is, his 
influence is stamped upon the dam. The trans¬ 
mission of diseases of the vital organs, is more cer¬ 
tain from the female, while disorders of the ex¬ 
ternal parts, joints, etc., most surely come from 
the side of the sire. W'e know of many exceptions 
—if they are exceptions—to the above points, and 
give them more as food for thought for horse- 
breeders and others, than as rules of action. 
Hens Picking Feathers. 
The pernicious habit of picking feathers occurs 
generally among hens and chickens that are con¬ 
fined to small yards, or henneries, without any 
yard. Villagers are often obliged to raise chick¬ 
ens, if they have them, in very narrow quarters. 
It is much easier to supply grain and. vegetable 
food, than to furnish the animal food which is es¬ 
sential to the production of eggs. If they cannot 
get it otherwise, they Avill pick at the feathers of 
their neighbors. The pin feathers are a very delic¬ 
ious morsel, and chickens are most likely to bC' 
plucked at the moulting time. The old hens will 
draw blood, and when this is tasted the flesh wilt 
folloAv, and we have occasionally known half-grown 
chickens to be killed and eaten by the hens Avitli 
Avhich they were confined. The remedy is animal 
food in some form, and this should be given Avitli- 
out delay, as soon as there is any indication of the 
