THE CULTIVATOR. 
29 
short in the leg, the horns small and fine, the head and neck delicate, the latter 
thickening properly toward the shoulders, the carcass deep but inclining to be fiat, 
and the loin and haunch, compared with the Short Horn, narrow. The accom 
panying portrait, (fig. 12,) gives a favorable idea of one of the cows. Five gal¬ 
lops of milk daily, for two or three months, after calving, three gallons for the next 
three months, and one gallon and a half for the remaining four months, in which 
she is milked, is stated as the average amount given by the Ayrshire cow A As a 
milker, she of course, yields to the larger Short Horn, nor will she take on an equal 
amount of flesh and fat, on the richer soils of England; and on the bleak and heath¬ 
ery hills of Scotland, the various breeds of black cattle would thrive and fatten 
where the Ayrshire would scarcely obtain a subsistence. But on medium soils, 
there is perhaps no breed, size and the consumption of food being considered, which 
presents a much better combination of milking and grazing qualities. Of their 
value as working oxen, our authorities are silent, and we do not know that any 
experiments have been instituted among the few imported into the United States. If 
they are good in this respect, such a breed would be a desideratum in many portions 
of our country. But as we have before hinted, we believe this disideratum can be 
supplied more easily and cheaply by materials within our reach. This point will 
be discussed in its proper place. 
The Alderney. 
This small breed of French cattle, are fashionable in the parks and pleasure grounds 
of English gentlemen, on account of their diminutive size, and the peculiar richness of 
their milk. Col. Powell, after fifteen years experience with them, pronounces them, in 
his somewhat summary way, “an unthrifty, dwarfish,savage breed;” and Parkinson 
remarks, “they are of as bad a form as can possibly be described.” Their appetite 
is voracious; an Alderney cow consuming nearly as much as a Short Horn, which is 
three times her size.f Some of them have been imported into our country, but pro¬ 
bably with no very great general advantage. 
The Holderness—(Fig. 13.) 
Sometime during the 18th century, Short Horned Cattle were introduced into the 
north-eastern counties of England, from the adjacent continent. They are indiscri¬ 
minately termed Yorkshire or Holderness cattle, by the earlier writers; the former 
name derived from that of the county where they first began extensively to prevail; 
the latter from a town in the same county, where either they were originally intro¬ 
duced, or where, as tradition runs, certain improvements in the breed were first at¬ 
tempted. They subsequently, as we shall see, attained the name of Teeswater, and 
finally of Durham, or “Improved Short Horn.” 
Marshall describes the original Holderness as “thin quartered, too light behind 
and too coarse before, large shoulders, coarse necks and deep dewlaps.” Lawrence, 
after passing a high encomium on a selection which might be made from them, de¬ 
scribes the remainder as “long, gaunt, deep carcasses, without adequate substance, 
placed on high stilts, of the coarsest timber, slow feeders,” &c. They were also, by 
the consent of all the English writers on the subject, thin skinned, inclined to be tender 
constitutioned, bad provers, their flesh coarse and often dark or “liery.” In one par¬ 
ticular, however, they were from the first pre-eminent, namely, in the amount of 
milk given by them, though it was not of so rich a quality as that yielded by some 
other breeds. In York, Durham, and the adjacent counties, over which this breed 
rapidly spread itself, early attempts were made to improve the form, without sacri¬ 
ficing their milking properties. Marshall gives a singular account of one of these 
efforts. After describing the Holderness, as we have already quoted, he says:— 
“ This, from being found disadvantageous to the butcher, * * * the breeder at¬ 
tempted to enlarge the hind quarters; and had he stopped when he got to the happy 
medium, he would have wrought a good work; but the fashion was set—cloddy bul¬ 
locks were in estimation. The first variety of this species of cattle, which I can 
recollect,Avas a thick, large boned, coarse, clumsy animal; remarkably large behind, 
with thick, gummy thighs; ahvays fleshy, but never fat, and the flesh being of a bad 
quality. This, however, Avas not the Avorst: the monstrous size of the buttocks of 
the calf was frequently fatal to the coav. * * * They Avere probably the Avorst 
breed the vale ever knew.” We have here an exact description of a variety existing 
in many parts of our oaaoi country, knoAvn popularly in this, and some of the adja¬ 
cent counties, as “ Devonshires,” though their horns, to say nothing of their poste- 
rial deformity, proves this to be an entire misnomer. From the singular projection 
behind, they are commonly knoAvn also as “ Pumpkin rumps;” and although large 
and rather shoAvy, they are certainly the Avorst breed in the United States. The pic¬ 
ture given abovu, (fig. 13,) is that of a Holderness or TeesAvater coav, crossed Avith 
the Improved Short Horn. 
The Teeswater. 
In more judicious hands the Short Horns rapidly improAmd. Among the spirited 
breeders, on the banks of the Tees, (which divides York and Durham,) they rapidly 
assumed a distinctive character; shorter legged, more compact, the milk but slightly 
diminished, and this more than counterbalanced by its increased good quality,—bet¬ 
ter feeders,, hardier, carrying more fat, and their flesh more marbled and finer in 
g ra j n - This signal improvement was effected, it is generally supposed, by a system 
of judicious crosses. An importation of coavs from Holland, is usually referred to 
as one of these, and Mr. Berry conjectures the Avild Avliite breed of England to have 
furnished another. Hence the strong admixture of Avhite in the TeesAvater and the 
Durham. The improved v-ariety, denominated indiscriminately, TeesAvater or Hol- 
* British Cattle, Farmers’ Series. j Farmers’ Series. 
derness, immediately became the general favorite in the large metropolitan dairies 
and milk establishments. For milking properties, and when no longer used for that 
purpose, aptitude to take on flesh, England had never possessed so valuable a breed. 
The Durham, or Improved Short Horn—(Fig. 14.) 
At this epoch, and with such materials, Mr. Charles Colling commenced his career 
as a breeder. His wonderful success has been ascribed by some, to chance; but the 
Rev. Henry Berry, the best possible authority on this subject, thinks otherwise. He 
pronounces it the result of “ a deliberate and well considered plan.” Mr. Colling 
found the Teeswater yet possessing some of the faults of the old Short Horns. 
From their overgrown size, they were too frequently coarsely and loosely formed, and 
they were yet entirely inferior to Avhat the Durhams afterwards became, in apti¬ 
tude to fatten and early maturity. Mr. Colling Avas remarkably favored in his eflorts 
to counteract these defects, by the possession of the bull “ Hubback,” the great an¬ 
cestor of the improved race. He was smaller than the Teesw r ater, Avhile “ his flesh, 
hide and hair,” Mr. Berry remarks, “ Avere seldom equalled ” On account of his re¬ 
markable disposition to take on flesh, he soon became useless. The same qualities 
marked his dam. It is unnecessary for us, at this time, to follow the progressive steps 
Avhich marked the onward career of the Improved Short Horns. While it is admit¬ 
ted that in the hands of some breeders whose attention has been turned exclusively 
to the carcass, their milking properties have deteriorated, it is Avell known that in 
other hands, they have fully maintained their equality with the TeesAvaters as milk¬ 
ers, Avhile in early maturity, kindly feeding, proof and quality of flesh, they decided¬ 
ly surpass them. In early maturity they have, confessedly, no rivals, being ready for 
the butcher from two to four years earlier than the other English breeds.* It is not 
Avonderful that a race, presenting such a rare combination of excellencies, should 
soon become the favorite of the English breeders. The Long Horns have disap¬ 
peared before them, or been merged in them by repeated crosses in the northern and 
midland counties, Avhile in the south they are rapidly superceding the Hereford and 
the Devon. They have been engrafted on the Holderness Short Horns of the city 
milk establishments almost universally, and with manifest advantage. The produce, 
with milk very slightly diminished, but of increased richness, yield as profitable re¬ 
turn in the dairy, Avhile the value of the carcass for the grazier is nearly double in 
value. 
Short Horns, of every variety, from the gaunt, unsightly animals described by 
Lawrence, to the most finished specimens of the improved family, have been re¬ 
peatedly imported into the United States. The miserable, heavy bultocked variety, 
known here provincially, as “Devonshires,” Ave have already adverted to. There 
are also among us, large and not unsightly Short Horns, probably a modification of 
the above, poor milkers and bad prov r ers, Avhich are popularly known as “English 
cattle,”—though they sometimes borrow the name of Teeswater or Durham, to suit 
the purposes of the seller. They are usually red or broAvn, with dark muzzles, their 
horns short, fine and tipped with black. A Holderness bull from North Allerton, on 
the Arve, Avas imported from England a few years since, and finally was driven to 
Oneida coimty in this State, Avliere he remained until he died. Though a monster in 
size, and marked with the characteristic defects of the earlier Short Horns in his 
form, his get, Avith the best common coavs, Avere valuable as milkers, and not deficient 
in symmetry. Animals of vnrious degrees of merit, bearing the name of Durhams, 
but not of pure blood, have also been introduced at various times, on speculation. 
And finally, pure Improved Short Horns,t in considerable numbers, have been import¬ 
ed by spirited breeders in several of the eastern, northern, and western states. 
The most Profitable Breed. 
Having thus given a hasty summary of the principal facts which tend to throw 
light on the main question before us, viz. “ ichat breed of cattle is most profitable,” 
Ave proceed to state our convections on the subject. 
That the common cattle of the country do not possess the greatest attainable com¬ 
bination of excellencies, will readily be admitted. A selection of them present very 
desirable qualities for the dairy and the yoke; but in feeding properties, and espe¬ 
cially in early maturity, they are deficient. A full blooded Durham bullock will go 
profitably to the butcher, at least two years earlier than the American, a decisive 
consideration to the grazier: and although the former is the greater consumer, the 
extra food required by him, will weigh but little against the two or ev r en one year’s 
additional keep of the latter. 
But notwithstanding all that may be said for or against them, it is to the best cress 
with selected animals of the common race,feasibility and expense being takeninto con¬ 
sideration, that the common American farmer must look for the most profitable breed 
of cattle. In this proposition we wish to be distinctly understood. We do not intend 
to assert that the produce of any cross we might thus make, would surpass in value 
breeds already in existence; but the entire substitution of a foreign variety for our 
own, presixpposes an expenditure of time and funds utterly out of the question. 
The question then is, with what breed is this ameliorating change to be effected ? 
On a careful comparison of the characteristic merits and defects of our own cattle, 
AA r ith the corresponding ones of other varieties, we arrive unhesitatingly at the con¬ 
clusion, that to the pure improv’ed Durham, we must look for the basis of the desired 
improvement. A cross with the Devon or Hereford, would sacrifice milking proper¬ 
ties: the dwarfish and ill-shaped Alderney, is not to be thought of: the Ayrshire or 
the Long Horn, possess no excellencies that the Durham does not possess in a great¬ 
er degree: and the Holderness, and the Teeswater Short Horns, compared with the 
improved race, are as the crude ore to the manufactured and polished metal. 
Experience has already proved, that the cross between the Durham and our com¬ 
mon race, is a most judicious one, and examples are not wanting of it in our own 
county. A few years since, a bull, sired by Wye Comet, was introduced into Homer, 
and his progeny are remarkable for their size, beauty, and milking properties. They 
are but fevA r , as most of our people at that period, who gav^e a thought to the subject 
* Farmers’ Series. 
f There need be no confusion or uncertainty on the subject of blood, ns those possessing 
animals of the pure, improved family, will, of course, be prepared to show their pedigrees 
in the “ Herd Book.” 
