AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
51 
these people were, for the most part, so clean, 
so decently dressed, and withal so joyous at the 
idea ot a holiday, that one would be half recon¬ 
ciled to their low position. I was obliged to 
leave the ground about the middle of the day, 
and of course I know not how much intemper¬ 
ance and rowdyism may have closed the day; 
but there was little or none while I remained; 
and when reflecting, as I left the place, on what 
I had seen on that and the previous days, I 
concluded, that if I were not an American, I 
should wish I were an Englishman. 
DOMESTIC ANIMALS OF CALIFORNIA. 
Of the domesticated animals of California the 
species are few. The dogs, of which every In¬ 
dian village could boast, are from six to twenty, 
of various sizes. They all have the same kind 
of barking or yelping as our dogs in these 
Eastern States have, but much less manners. 
I saw but few hogs ; they were, however, fine 
looking porkers. I saw no sheep, except such 
as were brought there since 1850. 
The ass, to the poor Mexican, is every thing. 
In color they are red-gray mostly, but some¬ 
times black and white, and of all sizes, from that 
of a large dog to that of a small mule. They 
were quite plentiful in the southern part of 
California. They all appeared gentle and of 
great endurance, carrying enormous loads in 
proportion to their size. The Mexicans haul 
their wood on them by two wooden hooks 
on either side, which support the wood; and - 
in this manner I have seen a poor little donkey 
carry a load in bulk quite equal to himself. 
The next in importance is the mule, and, as 
beasts of burden, they are in the first rank. 
Their color is from light chestnut to dark brown 
chestnut, and black; varying in size from a large 
ass up to a good-sized horse ; and these largest 
seemed to partake more of the nature and dispo¬ 
sition of the horse, while, as they became less in 
size,they were more mulish, until they come near 
down to the ass, and then I thought them to be 
more gentle and less spirited too. They seemed 
to enjoy themselves as well under hard treat¬ 
ment as any way. The Mexicans put from 300 
to 400 lbs. upon a mule, and then drive it 
thirty to forty miles per day. From those that 
I saw, I should think mules in general are bet¬ 
ter for carrying or hauling loads than any other 
animal we have. 
As to the California horses, I have not much 
to say, for they are in no way to be compared 
to our common breeds; their general color is 
not so good, nor is their form or size. They are 
slow and hard trotters, stiff and awkward gal- 
loppers, more like a cow’s gallop than that of a 
horse. But there are few exceptions, although 
I never saw any that would compare with de¬ 
scriptions that I have seen in print; and yet I 
have seen them by thousands, and once by 
the hundred thousand. It is said some of the 
Californians, both native and adopted, will not 
ride any thing else, however, if they can get a 
horse, either by buying or begging; and too 
often neither way is tried, if the horse can be 
got by theft. 
Neat cattle were very plenty in the southern 
part of California, running in immense wild 
herds, mostly with herdsmen or Indians to keep 
them within one or two days’ ride of their 
owners, and at the same time keep them near 
the best pasture or oats. I saw one herd that 
was very thickly scattered over some ten 
square miles. There must have been hundreds 
of thousands in that herd. There seems to bo 
two breeds, one small, with short legs and 
bodies, black, brown, chestnut, and white, and 
with all these colors mixed variously. There 
was nothing worthy of attention about them, 
except their ferocity when excited. A bull, 
from three years upwards, will not hesitate to 
attack any other animal, the grizzly bear not 
excepted. 
The other breed or variety is taller, longer, 
and heavier every way, as well as lighter-col¬ 
ored. The cows, too, of this breed had the ap¬ 
pearance of being the best, not only in quantity 
but quantity of milk. They were better-look¬ 
ing, too, than the males of their own breed, 
when size alone is considered; but they are 
wanting in nice points for a good cow, as they 
look, at a short distance, like a long-legged, 
long-bodied, and very gaunt ox. Their horns 
are very long and large. I saw some of this 
breed that had been so much tamed as to allow 
of being yarded, and tied head and foot for the 
purpose of milking. They were much better¬ 
looking than the wild ones, except the thick 
neck and heavy horns. Their milk is sweet- 
flavored and rich; their calves grow fast. To¬ 
wards the close of the dry season the cattle get 
to look as gaunt as grayhounds, and are almost 
as good runners. I saw one at the trial one 
day. 
A Mexican drover sold a lot to a butcher, and 
was to deliver them in the slaughter-yard, but 
as soon as they got near enough to smell the 
blood, they became enraged and frightened, and, 
as an Oregonian says, “ put out.” A very long- 
legged heifer started for open ground, and 
through a flat, where some scores of miners 
were engaged. Such scampering and jumping- 
one seldom sees as there was among the gold- 
hunters for a few seconds, until the cow was far 
away from them, with the drover, who was well 
mounted, in close pursuit. The ground was 
well contested, but, by some cause, the drover 
shot ahead, and no sooner was this accomplish¬ 
ed than the heifer made for horse, or rider, or 
both, so that the drover seemed as anxious to 
get away from the heifer as she had been to 
get away from him before: and now a new 
scene or race commenced. The horse being 
urged by his rider — and for his own safety we 
thought too—made smart time, and kept away 
until the cow gave up, and turned back for her 
mates. As soon as the drover saw that, he 
turned too, and then for the reverse chase. 
The drover used his lasso this time, and when¬ 
ever he got near enough, the way that he plied 
the lank sides of the cow with his lasso brought 
her to terms and to the yard in good time, not 
only to his own satisfaction, but greatly to the 
amusement of all beholders, who pronounced it 
the best race of the season. 
Neat cattle afforded the chief articles of ex¬ 
port before the gold discovery, but their price 
was not over the value of the hide, tallow, and 
horns; now, however, the table is turned, and 
these parts are of little or no value, the flesh 
being all of any consequence. The above com¬ 
prise all the domesticated animals in California 
at the end of 1850. 
There are many wild animals, some new to 
this part of the country. Of reptiles, birds, 
and fowl, I saw many new to me. Of the fowl, 
the wild goose will be of much consequence for 
years; and they are the most abundant, too, 
by far. There are three varieties, but the most 
abundant were those resembling our old domes¬ 
tic gray goose. Some were white, others a part 
so, and those with white wings were the most 
beautiful while in the air. The two years that I 
was there, the air appeared full of them at the 
time of migration. The quail was the next most 
abundant of the birds, and they were in count¬ 
less flocks. J. H. D. 
SALES OF IMPORTED SHORT-HORNED CATTLE 
At London, Madison Co., Ohio, Sept. 2,1th, 1853, 
belonging to the Madison County Importing Com¬ 
pany. 
BULLS. 
Lot 1, Thornbury, White, 3 years old, Felix 
W. ti: Harness Renick, Pickaway Co., $ 875 
“ 2, Sheffield, Roan, 3 years old, J. W. 
Robinson, Madison Co., - - - 1800 
“ 3, Mario, Roan, 2 years old, Robert Read, 
Madison Co.,.1550 
“ 4, Marquis, Red-roan, 2 years old, James 
Fullington, Madison Co., - - - 3000 
“ 5, Starlight,Red-roan, 2 vears old.Charles 
rnunpa, iviadison Co., - - - 3000 
“ 6, Beauclerc, Red roan, 2 years old, D. M 
Creighton, Madison Co., - - - 750 
11 7, Symmetry, Light roan, 2 years old, 
Walter Dunn, Madison Co., - - 1160 
“ 8, Farmer’s Boy, Roan, 2 years old, Jo¬ 
seph Robinson, Madison Co., - - 925 
“ 9, Prince Albert, Roan, 1 year old, John 
F. Chinowith, Madison Co., - - 300 
“ 10, Colonel, Red and White, 1 year old, 
Walter Dunn, Madison Co., - - 1350 
“ 11, Sportsman, Roan, 1 year old, James 
Foster, Madison Co., - - - 700 
“ 12, Prince Edward, Roan, 1 year old, M. 
B. Wright, Fayette Co., - - - 475 
“ 13, Rocket, White, 1 year old, David 
Watson, Union Co., - - - 476 
“ 14, Splendor, Roan, 1 year old, F. A. Yo- 
come, Madison Co., - - - 500 
“ 15, Duke of Liverpool, Roan, 3 months 
old, Geo. McDonald, Madison Co., - 550 
15 Bulls, average §1160 each, 817,400 
COWS. 
“ 1, Victoria, Roan, 3 years old, Quin Min- 
chall, Madison Co., - 600 
“ 2, Picotee, RoaD, 6, years old, Jesse Wat¬ 
son, Madison Co., .... 1276 
“ 3, Stapleton Lass, 3 years old, Jesse 
Watson, Madison Co.,- - - - 1350 
“ 4, Princess, Roan, (a young heifer calf,) 2 
months old, William Watson, Madi¬ 
son Co.,.690 
“ 5, Miss Hilton, Roan, 2 years old, David 
Watson, Madison Co., - - - 876 
“ 6, Alexandria, White, 2 years old, David 
Watson, Madison Co., - - 560 
“ 7, Blossom, Roan, 1 year old, David 
Watson, Madison Co., - - - 650 
“ 8, Yorkshire Dairy Cow, Roan, 6 years 
old, no pedigree, a great milker, Josiah 
Negley, Clarke Co., - - - 425 
“ 9, Yorkshire Roan, heifer calf, 5 months 
old, on pedigree, Joseph Raybourne, 
Madison Co., .... 295 
9 Cows and heifers, averaging §746,67 each, $6,720 
24 head of Cattle, averaging 81,005 each, $24,120 
COTSWOLD SHEEP. 
13 Rams, all yearlings, sold from $45 to $110 each 
in all, $725, averaging $55 each. 
7 Ewes, from $75 to §115 each, $655; average, 
$93.50 each; 20 Sheep, average$69 each, $1380. 
The sheep speculation only paid cost, hardly 
that. They were a fair lot—nothing extra. 
SUFFOLK PIGS. 
1 Boar, 6 months old, $200. 
1 Sow in pig, 9 months old, $120. 
1 do do do 200. 
9 others, younger, from 16 to $80. 
The 12 pigs brought $918, average, $76.50 each. 
Cattle, .... $24,120 
Sheep, .... 1,880 
Pigs, - - - - 918 
$26,418 
With few exceptions, the sales above were 
chiefly to the stockholders of the Company. 
The profits on the original investment were 
about 125 per cent. There were about 600 peo¬ 
ple present. The weather was beautiful, and 
every thing went off finely. Stock-raising here 
has been extremely profitable for several years 
past; and almost every one dealing in it feels 
rich. I am off for home to-night. 
L. F. Allen. 
London , Ohio , September 27 th. 
