Mr. Vail’s Imported Heifer “Yarm Lass.” 
Eds. Cultivator —Allow me to hand you the pedigree of one of 
the two Short-hoi'll heifers, ■which I ordered ia July last,, from Mr. 
Bell, the friend and tenant of the late Thomas Bates, Esq., of 
Kirkleavington, Yorkshire, England, and of which there is in prepa¬ 
ration a portrait for the February number of the Cultivator. The 
directions given to Mr. Bell were, to send me two two-year-old 
heifers in calf, possessing as much of the Duchess tribe blood as he 
had in his herd,—well knowing as I did, from a long previous cor¬ 
respondence with these gentlemen, that Mr. Bell's stock was de¬ 
rived from Mr. Bate’s herd; and that Mr. Bell’s cows were bred 
to the Duchess bulls of the former gentleman. 
The two heifers was shipped from London on the 21st of August, 
on board the packet ship London, and arrived in New-York, T7th of 
September last. How well the order was executed, will be seen by 
the pedigree of the heifer whose portrait is here given. The heifers 
are both a favorite color, a dark red roan, possessing in a high de¬ 
gree, the characteristic of the Bates herd, as delineated in an article 
written by John Ewart. Esq., land surveyor, New-Castle-upon- 
Tyne, and published in the London 14 Farmer’s Magazine,” June 1st, 
1S50, after the sale. Mr. Ewart remarks, speaking of this herd— 
“ magnificent size, straight and broad backs, arched and well 
spread ribs, wide bosoms, snug shoulders, clean and light feet, 
small head, prominent and bright but placid eye, were the features 
of usefulness and beauty which distinguished this herd in the very 
highest degree; whilst the hide is sufficiently thick to indicate an ex¬ 
cellent constitution, its elasticity, when felt between the fingers'and 
thumb, and its floating under the hand upon the cellular texture be¬ 
neath, together with the soft and furry texlure of the coat, evinced 
in an extraordinary degree throughout the herd, excellent quality of 
flesh and a disposition to rapid taking on of fat.” 
Pedigree of the above heifer, “ Yarm Lass.” Calved 8th Jan., 
1849—got by the Duchess bull, 4th Duke of York (10167)—the dam 
of this bull is Duchess 51st, and this 4th Duke of York, was purchased 
at the late sale of Mr. Bates’ herd by Earl Ducie at £210 sterling, 
about $932, and is spoken of in the same article above quoted from 
the “ Farmer’s Magazine,” in the following language—“This ani¬ 
mal. now the properly of Earl Ducie, is th % beau ideal of bovine ex¬ 
cellence; his magnificent size, and perfection in every point of ex¬ 
cellence, entitle him to consideration, as the brightest gem of the 
herd; and if not the very best bull in existence, he certainly cannot 
be surpassed.” The editor of the “Magazine,” in an appended 
note, remarks—“Asa proof of this, and what may be expected from 
his produce, we beg to observe, that the only three calves got by him, 
realised the sun* of £279 Is., sterling,” being equal to $561 each. 
(It may be well here to state that “Yarm Lass,” is now in calf by 
the Duchess bull 5th Duke of York, and lliat he is an own brother to 
the 4th Duke of York above alluded to, and her time of calving about 
the middle of the present January.) The dam of “Yarm Lass,” is 
Dinah 2nd, got by 4th Duke of Norlhthumberland (3649)—grand dam 
Dinah, by 2d Earl of Darlington (1945) also bred by Mr. Bates—great 
grand dam Red Thompson, bought of Mr. Bates, By this pedigree 
it will be seen that the present product of “Yarm I,ass” will have 
three crosses of the Duchess bulls, which will make it |ths Duchess 
bull blood. 
It may not be uninteresting to such of your readers as take an inte¬ 
rest m breeding stock, to show how long it may take to breed up a 
herd of females of a particular family of stock. I mav therefore be 
allowed to remaik, that my first importation from Mr. Bates, was 
in 1840, when I received bull Duke of Wellington and heifer Duchess. 
Since then I have had from him and Mr. Bell, at diffierent times (in¬ 
cluding the two recently imported,) five females, and all the females 
from them I have retained in my herd except two, having now in my 
herd of this family eight head in all. All of these are in breeding con¬ 
dition, except one. It has been my aim to make my herd to consist 
eventually, principally of this si rain of blood. 
The young bulls bred from these cows, I have disposed of, with the 
the exception of such as I needed for my herd, and I am gratified to 
learn from their owners that they have done much good where they 
have gone. Among those sold was “ Halton,” when a calf not 
over a month old, to the Hon. Adam Furgusson, and his friend the late 
Mr. Wettexhall, of Upper Canada, for $200. This bull, now over 
four years old, Mr. Furgusson used to his herd three years, and for 
the reason that he could not breed him to his own heifers, he brought 
him to our state show at Rochester last Sept., to exhibit as foreign 
stock , and for sale. This bull’s appearance then, you are aware, at¬ 
tracted much admiration; he was awarded the 1st premium in the 
class of foreign stock, and was sold shortly after his appearance on 
the ground at $300, to Mr. S. P. Chapman of Madison county. In 
a letter I received from the Hon. Adam Furgusson, dated Nov. 12. 
1851, in speaking of the bull Halton, he remarks—“He has made a 
most important change on my herd for the better. I am truly happy 
to find you are still importing. I must have another bull calf, and put 
myself in your hands to provide me.” 
My herd now consists of about thirty head, young and old. I beg 
you to excuse the liberty I have taken in this lengthy communication, 
and I hope it may he of some interest to some of your numerous 
readers.’ Truly and respectfully yours, &c., Geo. Vail. Troy. Jan 
8 th, 1852. 
Clinton County Ag. .Society. —The Annual Meeting of this 
Counly Agricultural Society was held at Plattsburgh, on the 6lh ult 
The fol'owing is a list of officers for the ensuing year. 
President —Jona. Battey, Keeseville. 
Vice-Presidents —A. J. Moses, Champlain, 
Peter Keese, A usable, 
R O. Barber, Beekmantown, 
Sami. Chatterton, do 
S H. Moore, Peru, 
Andrew Dunning, Chazy 
Oliver K. Lapham, Peru, 
F. T. Miller, Plattsburgh, 
S. M. Taylor, Schuyler Falls, 
Miner Martin, Plattsburgh. 
Secretary —Anderson Keese, Keeseville. 
Treasurer —Willets Keese, Peru. 
