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VOLUME XXV—No. 4. 
NEW-YORK, APRIL, 1866. 
NEW SEEIES—No. 231. 
HEAD OP BAEON OP OXPOED' .—Drawn prom Life by Edwin Forbes for the American Agriculturist. 
This is an excellent portrait of the head of one 
of the best Shorthorn bulls in this country or 
the world. The Oxford family was selected by 
Thomas Bates, of Kii kleaviugton, who achieved 
for the Duchess family of Shorthorns their un¬ 
rivaled Imputation, as the best fora cross to give 
fresh blood and to avoid too close and too long 
continued in and-in breeding. Baron of Oxford 
was bred by, and is the propei ty of Samuel 
Thorne,of Thorndale, Washington Hollow, New 
York. He is 10 yeai'S old, but in full vigor. 
though in only moderate flesh. He is by Duke 
of Gloucester, out of Oxford 13th, by 3d Duke 
of York, and own brother to several famous an¬ 
imals sent out to England, by Mr. Thorne. 
Wherever Shorthorns have been introduced, 
there has been an immediate increase in tlie 
cash value of whole herds—often of 50 per cent. 
This is permanent, provided the use of thor¬ 
oughbred males is kept up; hut if frirmers 
can not resist the temptation to raise very prom¬ 
ising- grade calves, and use them as stock get¬ 
ters, progress not only ceases, but a positive re¬ 
trogression is at once observed. No one can 
rely on the progeny of a grade hull. Tlie bal¬ 
ance of nature has been disturbed in him, and 
it will shovv in his progeny. Not so in the use 
of full-blooded hulls upon grade cows, or upon 
those of mixed blood; in these cases the positive 
blood of the sire makes its mark with unerring 
certainty, and tlie animal may even excel his 
sire in beef qualities—including form, size, early 
maturity, aptitude to lay on fiesli rapidl}', etc. 
