28 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Communications, 
ESSAY ON CATTLE. 
The domestic ox, is not, as is well known, indigenous to America; but was intro¬ 
duced here by our European ancestors in the beginning of the 17th century. An at¬ 
tempt has been made to trace the origin of our common cattle, especially those of 
the northern states, exclusively to the English Devon; and it is probable that it did 
mingle largely in the early importations, from the fact that a large portion of the co¬ 
lonists were from the south of England, or embarked from ports in that district, where 
the Devon at that period was the prevailing breed. The characteristics of this va¬ 
riety also, as to horns, color, etc., have always been the favorite ones among the peo¬ 
ple of the United States. But at the time of the settlement of America, little atten¬ 
tion, comparatively speaking, was paid to breeds, or purity of blood, and it is alto¬ 
gether incredible that the emigrants, to whose number almost every port in England 
and probably in the United Kingdom, furnished its quota, should have been at the 
pains to procure the Devons. To say nothing of the preferences which each would 
naturally have felt for the cattle of his own district, it would argue a degree of care 
and solicitude on a subject, then deemed of little importance, altogether incompati¬ 
ble with the character and motives of the men who colonized the new world. Many 
of them probably were scarcely aware that there was such a breed in existence! 
Besides, the Dutch in New-York, and the Swedes on the Delaware, introduced the 
eattle of their respective countries, which were subsequently incorporated with the 
common stock. Although, as we have before remarked, the Devon characteristics 
prevail, the practiced eye will readily detect traces of this varied lineage. Few or 
none of our common stock equal the North Devon, in the finish and beauty of their 
proportions, more generally perhaps resembling the coarser Sussex ox;* and our 
cows are better milkers. Our black polled cattle give indications of their Welsh 
and Galloway extraction, and it is but a few years since, on the Mohawk and Hudson 
livers, there existed undoubted remnants of the stock imported by the Dutch settlers 
from Holland. 
To speak of the merits of a race so varied, as a whole, would evidently be prepos¬ 
terous. Selections may be readily made from our common cattle, combining very 
considerable excellence for the dairy, the yoke, and the shambles; while another and 
a larger portion are destitute in a part or the whole of these qualifications. Their 
value to cross with the improved breeds, will be hereafter adverted to. 
We shall proceed now to consider the breeds of later introduction, imported with 
the view of improving the common stock. These are the Devons, Herefords, New 
Leicesters, Ayrshires, Alderneys, and the Short Horn family, consisting of the “Im¬ 
proved Short Horn,” or Durham, the Teeswater, Holderness, and a thick, heavy but- 
tocked variety of Yorkshire cattle, which have provincially obtained the name of 
“Devonshires.” 
The Devon— (Fig. 10.) 
In symmetry and beauty of proportion, the high bred Devon scarcely acknowledges 
an equal. His delicate limbs, deep red color, beautifully tapering horns, high and 
spirited action, united with docility in the yoke, and a show of blood, falling little 
short of that of the thorough bred horse, have always rendered him a favorite with 
breeders of taste, in his native country. Favorable specimens of them were intro¬ 
duced into the United States in 1817, from the herd of the Earl of Leicester, (then 
Mr. Coke.) Notwithstanding his many excellencies, it cannot be said that the in¬ 
troduction of the Devon was attended with any striking benefits. Singularly suited, 
by his rapid gait for the plow, on the light lands of Norfolk, and some other parts 
of England, his peculiar excellence, his activity, has been found to avail him little 
on the more generally tenacious soils of the United States. In strength, the Devon 
ranks only in the fourth or fifth class of British oxen. The cross with our common 
eattle produced an animal somewhat improved from the latter in his points, but with 
no great additional value for the yoke, and decidedly inferior for the dairy. Yet a 
slight admixture of Devon blood, has been thought advantageous in modifying the 
coarseness of heavy, bony breeds, like the Holderness, and it has ever been strenu¬ 
ously advocated as a cross with the Improved Short Horn, by distinguished English 
breeders. But others object that the Durham gains nothing by the admixture in his 
propensity to take on flesh and fat; while size and milking properties are sensibly 
diminished. This was decidedly the opinion of Col. Powell, who instituted nume¬ 
rous experiments. The variety thus produced would doubtless be capable of endur¬ 
ing a shortness of keep, incompatible with the superior size of the pure Short Horn, 
and thus be better adapted to high and less fertile lands; but there are other breeds 
which as a cross with the Short Horn, would be as well calculated to attain this end, 
without so great a sacrifice of milking properties. The portrait above (fig. 10,) is 
that of a Devon cow, owned by Mr. Western,which we copy from the Farmers’ 
Series 
The Hereford. 
The Hereford ox is supposed to be descended from the same stock with the Devon, 
but is larger, heavier in the bone, usually of a darker red or brown color, with a 
white face, throat and belly. They are shorter legged than the Devon, hardier, and 
kindlier feeders, but less docile in temper, and even worse milkers. Indeed, a Here¬ 
ford cow is rarely seen in an English dairy. Their hardihood and great muscular 
power give them the first rank among working cattle. This, together with their su¬ 
perior grazing qualities, has led to their introduction into the United Stales, by the 
Hon. Mr. Clay, of Kentucky, and several other individuals. But it is probable 
that their deficiency in milking properties will always prevent their very general 
adoption, either as a cross, or in a pure state. 
The New Leicester —(Fig. 11.) 
This breed, spoke into existence as it were, by the commanding genius of Bake- 
well, were derived from the original Long Horns, of the midland and north-western 
* The smaller variety of the old Sussex o*en. 
[Fig. 11.] 
counties of England. The Lancashire or Craven, as this original variety is general¬ 
ly denominated, were characterized, at least the better portion of them, by their length 
and roundness of carcass, and by giving peculiarly rich milk, though in moderate 
quantities. They were large, coarse boned, but possessing a considerable, and some¬ 
times a marked tendency to fatten. A smaller variety of the same breed, generally 
inhabiting mountain and moor lands, according to Mr. Youatt, gave milk as superior 
in quantity as quality. Out of these materials Bakewell formed the New Leicesters, 
which for aptitude to acquire external fat and early maturity, became almost unri¬ 
valed. He reduced the size, and especially the bone of the old Long Horns, and 
under his molding hand, the new variety reached a finish and beauty unknown in 
any other breed of the day. This is strikinaly shown in the above portrait, (fig. 11.) 
from Garrard’s Views of British Oxen. Unfortunately, however, milking properties 
were, to a considerable extent, sacrificed by him. The Leicesters, or “ Shakspeares,” 
as they are more usually styled in the United States,* were of different colors, but 
more generally red, with finch or “ lined” backs, as they are termed, in this country. 
Long, slim, tapering horns, projecting forward and downward, and turning up at the 
points—sometimes falling down the sides of the head in a curve, the points nearly 
meeting in front, is also characteristic of the race. The New Leicesters, owing to 
that cardinal defect in Bakewell’s system, breeding from too close affinities, and to 
the appearance of a rival in the improved Short Horns, destined to sweep away all 
opposition, have nearly disappeared; but grades between them, and the old Long 
Horns are still cherished by many of the midland dairies of England. A cross be¬ 
tween them and the Short Horn are still more common, and answer excellently for 
the purposes of the butter dairy. The milk of the Short Horn is improved in quality, 
though diminished considerably in amount, and the cross bred animals are supposed 
to be peculiarly hardy and unsubject to disease. Long Horns of various grades be¬ 
tween the old Lancashire and the improved Leicester, have at various periods, been 
introduced into the United States, and specimens of them, crossed with the Durham, 
(with no admixture of other blood,) exist in this and one or two neighboring counties. 
They are a beautiful breed, possessing much of the substance of the Short Horn, 
with the peculiar fineness in the forend, characteristic of the New Leicester. Some 
of them are exceedingly delicate handlers, with thick, silky coats, and are rich, 
though not uncommonly deep milkers. 
The Ayrshire—[Fig. 12.] 
It is but a little more than fifty years since, according to Mr. Aiton, (the best au¬ 
thority on the subject,) the Ayrshire cows were “of diminutive size, ill-fed, ill¬ 
shaped, and they yielded but a scanty return of milk; * * * the chine of their 
backs stood up high and narrow, their sides were lank and short, their hides thick 
and adhering to their bones, and their pile coarse and open.” In short, there can be 
but little doubt that they would gain nothing by comparison with the most ordinary 
American cows. We have adverted particularly to their then condition, because in 
following them up to their present high degree of excellence, we find a lesson fraught 
with peculiar value to the American farmer. Our breeders have certainly as good, 
or a better breed on which to commence their improvements, and the ameliorating 
crosses which made the Ayrshire cow, what she is, are equally within our reach. 
Though from the length of time which has elapsed, and the imperfect record, or 
rather the absence of all record, which is too generally kept of such transactions, 
little is known of the progressive steps attending the cross, and though there are 
some who seem disposed to call in question the fact, whether it ever took place, it is 
generally conceded that the pesent celebrated race were produced by a judicious ad¬ 
mixture between the original cow of Cunningham, Kyle, and Ayrshire, (Mr. Aiton’s 
description of which we have already quoted,) and some of the earlier Short Horns, 
from the banks of the Tees. The benefits attending the cross were accelerated, 
and no doubt much heightened by the moist, mild climate, and rich herbage of that 
district of Scotland where the Ayrshires principally prevail; pronounced by Mr. 
Youatt, “the finest dairy county in Scotland, and equal perhaps to any in Great 
Britain.” This improved race is of a red and white color, beautifully mottled, 
* Probably from Mr. Forsbus’ “ Shakspeare,” the most successful stock-getter of the L. 
H. breed. 
