248 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Ago. 
66—LONG-HORNED BULL. 
Dandies of il)e domestic ©*:. 
Tlse Long-Horns. 
The Long-Horns may be fairly considered as one of 
the original stocks of Britain ami Ireland. More than 
two thousand years ago, when these countries were in¬ 
vaded by the Romans, the Long-Horns were found oc¬ 
cupying the low and marshy sections of those islands, 
while the various middle-horned varieties were in pos¬ 
session of the hills and mountains. 
The Long-Horns were much larger than the other 
aboriginal breeds of Britain* but were generally of 
coarse bone, thick and mellow hide, with drooping horns 
of great length,—those of the oxen being from two and 
a-half to three and a-half feet. The cows were noted 
for the extreme richness of their milk, which was yield¬ 
ed in moderate quantity. Though the general charac¬ 
ter of the breed was coarse, the animals had points and 
qualities which recommended them to favor: they were 
hardy , excellent for the dairy, and though arriving late 
to maturity, were very long-lived. 
The district of Craven in Yorkshire and Lancashire, 
vfrere the original strongholds of the long-horns in Eng¬ 
land. The great improver of the breed was Bake- 
well, who founded what was called the Dishley or new 
Leicester breed of long-horns, which was for many 
years the most popular breed in the world. Before 
Bakewcll’s day, some spirited attempts at improve¬ 
ment had been made with the breed. Sir Thomas 
Gresley had long-horned stock which was highly pri¬ 
zed j and about the year 1720 a blacksmith and small 
farmer by the name of Welby procured some cows of 
this herd, which were taken to Linton in Derbyshire. 
Soon after this, Mr. Webster, of Canley, procured 
some of the stock of Sir Thomas Gresley, and procured 
bulls from Lancashire and Westmoreland, and after se¬ 
veral years, distinguished himself as a breeder. He 
established what was called the Canley breed, from 
which Mr. Bakewell, about 1760, purchased two long¬ 
horned heifers, and by crossing these with two long¬ 
horned bulls obtained from Westmoreland, he laid the 
foundation of his famous breed. 
Mr. Bakcwell’s object was the production of beef at 
the least expense. Youatt observes—“ Many years did 
* The shorl-hnrns are not considered aboriginal having been in¬ 
troduced into Englarid from the Continent. 
not pass before his stock was unrivalled for the round¬ 
ness of its form and smallness of its bone, and its apti¬ 
tude to acquire external fat; while they were small 
consumers of food in proportion to their size; but at 
the same time, their qualities as milkers were very con¬ 
siderably lessened. The grazier could not too highly 
value the Dishley or new Leicester long-horn, but the 
dairyman and the little farmer clung to the old breed 
as most useful for their purpose.” 
Mr. Bakewell was ultimately most successful in the 
accomplishment of his object. He established a breed 
which for fattening purposes, were superior to any be¬ 
fore known ; and it is, indeed, doubtful whether, for 
this purpose they have ever been surpassed. This 
breed was bred many years by Mr. Bakewell and his 
associates and successors, and was of great service in'* 
crossing the common long-horns, not only in England, 
but fn Ireland. Youatt says —“ The Irish breeders 
owe everything to the new Leicester cattle. A new 
stock, in fact, has arisen since the improved long-horns 
were grafted on the native Irish stock.” 
The stock of Bakewell, and his successors, Fowler, 
Princep, Munday, and Honeybourne, frequently sold at 
very high prices. In 1791, bulls sold at auction at 
£230 to £250, and cows at £150 to £273; and Mr, 
Fowler refused 500 guineas for ten buil calves. 
The long-horns are not as frequently to be met with 
pure, as formerly : and the variety introduced and cul¬ 
tivated by Bakewell, is thought to be nearly extinct. 
The pure long-horned stock is, however, still cherished 
and preserved by some breeders with great care, and \ 
excellent animals of this breed are brought out at the ^ 
English shows. 
Importations of long-horns, of Bakewell’s variety, 
were made to this country by several individuals. They 
were taken to Kentucky by Mr. Sanders, as mentioned 
by him in the March number of our current volumef 
cows of this stock were introduced into Massachusetts 
by Gilbert Stewart and Ward N. Boylston; two 
bulls of this or some other family of long-horns were 
imported into Maine by Mr. Vaughan, in 1792; and 
the breed was introduced into New-York, by Mr. Ad¬ 
cock of Otsego county. There are probably but few 
full bloods at the present time in the country. Their 
success in crossing with the common stock, has beets 
generally satisfactory. They generally improved the 
form, constitution and muscular energy of our stock, 
rendering it better for fattening and for labor, while thft . 
