SHORTHORN CATTLE—THE IMPORTED BULL EXETER. 
151 
were generally allowed to be selected by the 
butcher and killed; the next best, raised for 
steers or cows; and if there was a runt , unfit 
for an ox, he might be kept for the stock bull. 
No one ever thought of raising a bull because 
he came from milking stock. 
My old uncle kept a stock of 100 head, more 
or less, of horned cattle, and his ambition was to 
breed working oxen, and train them for use in 
this branch of husbandry. He became some¬ 
what noted, because he would occasionally im¬ 
port a bull from England. If he made a cross 
of a Devon bull upon a Hereford cow, he was 
made the butt of the two towns where his prop¬ 
erty lay, his house standing in one, and his 
barns in the other; they taxed his person in each, 
the assessors where his barns stood, contending 
that he lived more in his barns than in his 
house. 
I will only add in conclusion, that what New 
England was 70 years ago, on the subject of 
stock breeding, we are still the same, with a 
very few exceptions. Octogenaro. 
SHORTHORN CATTLE—THE IMPORTED BULL 
EXETER. 
There has been no time for many years that 
our farmers and cattle breeders have appeared 
so aliv to their real interests in producing good 
stock as at present; and from appearances, well 
bred cattle are likely to pay fair prices to those 
who have them to spare. 
We have had some solicitude to learn how the 
different animals composing the fine herd of 
shorthorns which we sold for Mr. Sheafe, last 
August, have progressed with their new own¬ 
ers; in most instances, we learn they have done 
remarkably well. Mr. Vail, the well-known 
shorthorn breeder, of Troy, purchased five 
cows and heifers, and among them were some 
of the highest priced animals. Two of these he 
sold at a considerable advance soon after he 
purchased them; the two others, one of which 
has now a remarkably fine bull calf by Exeter, 
are reserved for his great sale in June. 
That extraordinary fine, imported bull, of the 
Princess tribe, Exeter, was purchased by our 
brother, Lewis F. Allen, and went to Black Rock. 
Of him he recently writes, “You inquire about 
Exeter. I am gratified to say, that he fully 
equals my anticipation®; and they, after know¬ 
ing the high quality of the stock from which he 
is descended, and the wide reputation of his 
breeder in England—which were fully warran¬ 
ted by the appearance of the bull himself at 
Mr. Sheafe’s farm—-were not low. Exeter is truly 
a very superior bull. His points are most of 
them, perfect, his handling quality cannot be 
excelled, and I have rarely seen an animal his 
equal in that particular. He keeps, too, as easy 
as a Southdown sheep, now at two and a half 
years old, and in rapid growth, actually requir¬ 
ing less food than some of my grade yearlings. 
You know that I obtained Exeter not only to 
improve the quality of my general herd, but 
principally to cross upon the heifers, I have got 
by Mr. Vail’s bulls, two of which, (one of them, 
his imported Wellington.) I have had on my 
farm for three years; and from them I got much 
capital stock. I have now several cows in calf 
to Exeter, and intend, the coming season, to put 
every shorthorn and grade cow on the farm in 
calf to him, as he cannot but improve every¬ 
thing he touches. I now have about fifty cows, 
all thorough breds and high grades, and hardly 
an indifferent milker among them. Rely upon 
it, if you want deep and sure milkers, you must 
adopt the shorthorns.” 
By the above letter, we also learn that Mr. Al¬ 
len will probably offer a large portion of his 
valuable herd of cattle for sale early next fall, 
having now upwards of one hundred head. If 
so, we shall try to persuade him to bring ti.em 
to the neighborhood of New York for that pur¬ 
pose ; as nowhere are good blood, and milking 
stock more needed than here, and our farmers 
and gentlemen of the country are better able to 
appreciate and purchase them than formerly. 
How to Make a Harpy Home. —Always be 
cheerful. A dwelling furnished with cheerful¬ 
ness and cheap furniture will always afford 
more happiness to the inmates, than cushioned 
sofas and carpeted floors, elegant mirrors and 
mahogany sideboards, with sour looks and ill 
temper. Though the elegancies of a well-fur¬ 
nished house are not to be despised, they are not 
alone sufficient to produce happiness. Farmers, 
teach your children cheerfulness, and you will 
make them happy. Do not wholly restrain the 
girls from frolicsome mirth, or such enjoyments 
of long evenings as will add roses to their 
cheeks and vigor to their constitutions. Na¬ 
ture will then tempt them, as spring opens, to 
cultivate and beautify the garden, and make 
home happy. 
-- 
What Seed Will You Plant? —Acorns will 
produce oaks,and dollars produce fortunes; but 
if you wish to enjoy the fruits of virtue and hap¬ 
piness, .you must plant the seeds of loye,. and. 
cultivate goodness to all men. 
