42 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[February, 
to Central Kentucky fifty years ago, and some 
years later, descendants of the Kentucky stock 
were driven into the Scioto and Miami Valleys 
of Ohio, where they improved the native herds 
among which they were scattered. In 1817, 
Short Horns were imported direct from Eng¬ 
land to Philadelphia, and went into Kentucky, 
where they were crossed upon the Virginia 
stock already there. From 1818, down to 1825, 
occasional importations of Short Horns and 
Devons were made into Boston, New-York, 
Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and scattered into 
the country adjacent to those cities. They were 
bred with care, and considerably crossed upon 
the native cattle in their several neighborhoods, 
tending to a decided improvement, both in the 
beef and milking qualities of the stock among 
which they were disseminated. 
Encouraged by their success in breeding from 
the early Virginia and Kentucky importations, 
in 1833 a company of spirited cattle breeders in 
Central Ohio, made a large importation of Short 
Horns from some of the choicest breeds in 
England. For several years afterward—up to 
1839, we believe—these importations were re¬ 
peated by the same association in Ohio, and oth¬ 
er associations in Kentucky, besides some few 
importations by citizens of the States of New- 
York and Pennsylvania. The spirit of cattle im¬ 
provement ran high, and the prices of choice 
stock became enormously inflated; but with tfte 
decline in value of all agricultural products in 
1840 to 1845, the prices of improved stock fell 
down to as much below par, as they had ruled 
above, and the proud herds which, but a few 
years previous, had attained such wide distinction, 
now grazed in the fields of their crest-fallen own¬ 
ers, without purchasers, leaving scarcely a hope 
that they would again rise to paying prices. 
But, with the increased value of our American 
meats, and their demand for foreign markets, in 
1852 and ’53 our improved herds began again 
to look up, the demand became active, and im¬ 
portations for several years thereafter were 
made, of choicer stock than ever before, and in 
much larger numbers, until the linancial revul¬ 
sion in the latter part of 1857 again stopped 
them, as in 1839. A few hnportations have been 
made since, up to nearly the present time, but 
only of choice animals, chiefly to cross upon 
some select herds, and perpetuate strains of blood 
of great value in the estimation of their owners. 
It will be seen in this running account of these 
valuable cattle in our country, that they must 
Have become widely disseminated throughout 
all our stock breeding States, and crossed as they 
have been, very generally, upon the native stock, 
they should have improved the character and 
value of our neat cattle in an eminent degree, 
aside from their own multiplication as a distinct 
race, in their own distinctive blood and lineage. 
There are now more than five hundred breed¬ 
ers of tliorougli-bred Short Horn cattle in the 
United States and the Canadas; probably a 
hundred breeders of Devons; besides numerous 
breeders of Herefords, Ayrshires, Alderneys, 
and Galloways, these being the chief breeds of 
British cattle which have attracted the attention 
of American farmers. 
As a consequence of this diffusion of improved 
blood in our herds, the standard, both in weight 
and quality of our beef, is higher than before it 
was introduced, while our cows are decidedly 
better milkers than of old, and of increased size, 
or otherwise, as they partake of the blood of 
either of the breeds from which they are de¬ 
scendants. 
Another benefit has followed this infusion of 
better blood into our native cattle. The method 
of keeping them is an improvement over the old 
practice, when we had nothing but the common 
ones to look after. Improved herds will not 
bear starvation, without a fatal detriment to their 
appearance and value; while the old stock, by 
neglect, had become constitutionally inured to it; 
and nobody appeared to consider it necessary— 
aside from purposes of immediate profit in their 
growth, labor, or milk—to keep tjiem above the 
mere living point of existence. There is still too 
much of this profitless practice throughout the 
country. It is not only a loss to those who fol¬ 
low it, but it has a directly injurious effect upon 
the breeding of choice cattle. Many butchers 
buy almost worthless stock, because it can Ibe 
had at a low price. Their customers are from 
the poorer classes, who are deceived with the 
cheap rate at which they purchase their meat, 
not considering that it is the dearest food 
they can buy. This state of the market keeps 
down the price of well fed, choice cattle, below a 
paying point, and has had a discouraging in¬ 
fluence on breeders of improved stock. 
Yet, notwithstanding this draw-back, there is 
abimdant evidence that a more rational system 
has commenced. As our general agricultural 
practice improves, this most important branch 
must continue to advance, until, at no distant 
day we hope, the stock of the United States will 
stand foremost in the world. 
--» » — - — - 
Apples Good for Cows. 
Now, while cattle can get so little food that is 
succulent and refreshing, it is well to cast about 
for everything that can in any way supply this 
lack. Potatoes, turnips, carrots—if these are not 
all gone—let an occasional mess find its way to 
the feeding troughs, especially those of the 
milk-givers. This year, where apples are abund¬ 
ant, let them not rot for want of use. Look 
over every barrel and box, once a month at 
least, cull out the small and defective ones, and 
feed them out to the cows, from time to time, 
as they may be needed. 
Too little use is made of the apple—sweet 
ones especially—as food for stock at all seasons 
of the year. Every dairyman knows that soon 
after the first frosts appear, his milch-cows be¬ 
gin to dry up, and need to have messes of some 
sort to keep up the abundance and richness of 
their milk. Let a few apples form a part of their 
daily dessert, and the effect will be apparent. 
And if the same mess is continued at intervals 
through the Winter, it will be very advantageous. 
Some persons, we know, have formed a differ¬ 
ent opinion, from seeing the bad effects of apple 
eating upon cows, when they have accidentally 
broken into an orchard, and gorged themselves 
with forbidden fruit. But suppose they had 
been allowed a few apples every day, would 
such results have followed ? Horses are some¬ 
times injured by eating grain to excess, and by 
drinking cold water at unsuitable times; are 
grain and water therefore bad for horses ? 
In the numerous orchards now being planted 
all over the country, it would be wise economy 
for the farmer to appropriate a section for the 
use of his cattle. As to the varieties best for 
this purpose, cultivators do not seem to be yet 
agreed. All that has been looked for, thus far, 
has been productiveness and hardiness. It 
would l»c well if a list should be made out of 
those ripening at different seasons, for a succes¬ 
sion. The “ Country Gentleman” proposes 
several sorts for such a list. For example, 
the Hightop, for Summer use. Coolie's Sweet, 
Jersey Sweet, Munson's Sweet, and Pumpkin Sweet, 
for Fall feeding. And for Winter, the Sweet 
Pea/rmain, the Wing Sweet , and the Green Sweet, 
the last named keeping quite late into the Spring. 
As will be seen in another article in this No. we 
are taking measures to secure long needed relia¬ 
ble information on this topic, of the best selec¬ 
tions of fruit for particular localities, which will 
be invaluable. (See page 49.) 
- m i p » m — 
Good Stock are Cheapest. 
A bullock of improved breed, at three year# 
old, will be superior both in size and weight te 
one of the coarse, common kind at five years. 
Two years’ feed and trouble are thus wasted upon 
those animals which by their nature are fitted to 
transmute hay and grain into hide and horn and 
bone, rather than into meat. In quality of flesh, 
the well bred steer as far exceeds the coarser 
brute, as the rich melting flesh of a Bartlett or 
Virgalieu pear is superior to the astringent, 
gritty substance of a wilding. 
When choice cattle were rare, when a well 
bred Short Horn, or Hereford, or Ayrshire, could 
only be weighed down by a purse of $1000 to 
$2000, it was too much to expect that men of 
moderate means, the great middle class of farm¬ 
ers, should become enthusiastic in improving 
their stock. But now, the better breeds are so 
widely disseminated over the country, that they 
are easily and cheaply obtained. Young bulls, 
thorough bred of their several kinds, abound. 
Numbers of them are every year made into 
steers for working purposes; but the use of 
these, at proper age, even upon the meanest 
common cows, and a few consecutive crosses 
upon their progeny, will, in a few years, give 
the breeder a herd, for all practical uses, equal 
in beef and dairy value to the best, and which 
will return in their products, double the profit to 
be derived from the inferior animals. The sea¬ 
son for breeding neat cattle will soon be here. 
Let eveiy owner of stock take time by the fore¬ 
lock, and secure, at least, the use of the best ani¬ 
mal that can be obtained within a day’s travel, 
or more if need be. Two years’ feed will be 
cheaply bought by a week’s labor thus given at 
the first in improving the breed. 
-«►-.-— — -- 
Pen Portrait of a Model Cow. 
The following beautiful outline portrait of a 
well bred milch cow,occurs in a communication 
to the American Agriculturist by Lewis F. Allen, 
editor of the “American Herd-Book.” 
“ She is marked with lines of comeliness, from 
the point of her nose to the root of her tail— 
sprightly in look, graceful in figure, and full in 
all her proportions. She has a coat of silky 
hair; no matter what its color, it is agreeable. 
She has a full, well placed udder, and clean, 
taper teats. She feeds well, and pours out a 
yield of rich milk, in profusion. Her temper is 
kind, and she is every way a grateful animal to 
keep and look upon. Even if an Alderney, her 
sharp points, and peculiar outline, are so re¬ 
lieved by her gazelle head, and fawn-like eye, 
showing unmistakable lines of aristocratic blood 
in her lineage, that she is at once taken into one’s 
affections as a thing to be cherished and petted.” 
To liighten the description by way of contrast, 
the common animal is thus noticed. “ Look at 
her rugged shape, coarse hide and hair, and ex¬ 
cess of offal in horn, dewlap, and bone. She 
has no redeeming feature, save in the tolerable 
quantity of milk she occasionally yields. She 
