THE CULTIVATOR. 
125 
. 
Portrait of Mr. Bement’s Hereford Bull, Dallimore — [Fig. 75.] 
illSlIlliiilil 
HEREFORDSHIRE CATTLE. 
I was much gratified on perusing' the excellent “ Essay 
on Cattle,” in the February number of the Cultivator, from 
your talented correspondent, Henry S. Randall, Esq. His 
short and pithy history of several varieties, is well calcu¬ 
lated to arrest the attention of farmers, and guide them in 
the selection of that breed best adapted for the different 
sections and purposes for which they may be wanted; 
whether for the dairy, yoke or shambles. For instance, 
where the climate is mild, and a full and rich bite of grass 
at hand, and the dairy and beef the object, I would by all 
means recommend the Durham; but, where the climate is 
cold, seasons short, land rough and hilly, with a short and 
sweet bite of grass, with labor and beef the object, I would 
recommend the Hereford or Devon; and at the Northwest, 
in Missouri, Illinois, and Wisconsin, where only beef is 
wanted, and where they have to be driven any great dis¬ 
tance to a market, from what I have seen and can learn, 
the Hereford certainly would be preferable, being hardy in 
constitution, good travelers, of great size, will fat at an 
early age, and will make more pounds of beef with the 
quantity of food consumed; and when better known in 
market, will command the highest price. At the south, 
where the climate is warm,. I should think the Ayrshire or 
Devon would be preferable. 
Dallimore, a full bred Hereford bull, whose portrait 
stands at the head of this article, was imported with a two 
year old heifer of the same breed, in 1839. He was two 
years old the 6th of June last, bred by J. D. Kedwards, 
Esq., Westhide, Herefordshire, England. The heifer was 
bred by C. A. Maison, Esq. of Torrington, and was two 
years old last fall. Having had them in my possession for 
more than a year, enables me to form some opinion of their 
qualities. They were much bruised, and reduced very 
low in condition, (from the effects of a long and boisterous 
passage, and on short allowance,) when they arrived at my 
farm ; but on turning the heifer into pasture with my 
other cattle, without any other food but grass, took on 
flesh more readily than any other animal I have ever had. 
She dropped a fine bull calf on the first day of November 
last, and was then fit for the butcher. 
Being rather inclined to be vicious, I did not cause her 
to be milked, but let the calf run with her until he was six 
months old, when she became so gentle and quiet, we 
milked her without much difficulty; and if, under such 
circumstances, she is a fair specimen of the breed for milk, 
they have been most wofully belied, for when turned out 
to grass in June, seven months after calving, she has 
given seven quarts of milk per day. I consider it bad po¬ 
licy, and I believe it is so considered by every one who 
has paid any attention to the subject, to let the first calves 
suck their dams. Here, I must confess, I was not a little 
disappointed, for I had been led to believe they were the 
poorest milkers to be found of any breed. I have been in¬ 
formed, however, that their milking qualities have been in¬ 
creased of late years. 
There is nothing, (except great size of her age,) very 
prepossessing in her appearance. Her marks, however, 
answer the description of this breed, given by Youatt, in 
his excellent history of “ British Cattle,” in the “ Farmer’s 
Series” of the “ Library of Useful Knowledge,” which I 
have transcribed. 
“The Herefordshire white faced cattle,” says Youatt, 
“ with the exception of a very few Alderney and Durham 
cows, have almost exclusive possession of this, (Hereford) 
county. They are usualy of a darker red; some of them 
are brown, and even yellow, and a few are brindled ; but 
they are principally distinguished by their white faces, 
throats, and bellies. In a few, the white extends to the 
shoulders. The old Herefords were brown or red-brown, 
with not a spot of white about them. It is only within 
the last fifty or sixty years that it has been the fashion.to 
breed for white faces. Whatever may be thought of the 
change of color, the present breed is certainly far superior to 
the old one. The hide is considerably thicker than that of the 
Devon, and the beasts are more hardy. Compared with 
the Devons, they are shorter in the leg, and also in the 
carcass; higher, and broader, and heavier in the chine ; 
rounder and wider across the hips, and better covered with 
fat; the thigh fuller and more muscular, and the shoulder 
li’-g - an 1 coarse.” 
“ Th y fatten to a much greater weight than the De¬ 
vons,” continues Mr. Youatt, “and run from fifty to seven¬ 
ty score. A tolerable cow will average from thirty-five 
to fifty score. A cow belonging to the Duke of Bedforc 
weighed more than seventy score, and an ox belonging to 
Mr. Western, one hundred and ten score. They are not 
much used for husbandry, though their form adapts them 
for the heaviest work, and they have all the honesty and 
docility of the Devon ox, and greater strength, if not his 
activity. The Hereford ox fattens speedily and at a very 
early age, and it is, therefore, more advantageous to the 
farmer, and perhaps to the country, that he should go to 
market at three years old, than be employed as a beast of 
draft.” 
“ The Devons and Herefords are botli excellent breeds, 
and the prejudices of the Devonshire and Herefordshire 
farmers for their peculiar breed being set aside, a cross of 
the one will often materially improve the other. The 
Devon will acquire bulk and hardihood, and the Hereford, 
finer form and activity.” 
I have tried this cross, and have now two calves, a bull 
and heifer, and they are certainly very beautiful animals, 
and so far, I am well pleased with them, The heifer is a 
little coarser in the head and neck, than I could wish, but 
has many very fine points, and on account of their great 
length, size, and dark, rich, red color, are well calculated 
to please our eastern and northern farmers. 
“I am quite aware,” says John Ellman, Esq., that emi¬ 
nent breeder of South Down sheep, “that it is a well re¬ 
ceived opinion amongst all our first-rate breeders of cattle 
and sheep, that the first cross generally succeeds, but that 
if you attempt to go on with that cross, you will breed very 
inferior animals; and indeed, it is impossible to carry it on. 
I am not of that opinion. I am quite aware of the unceas¬ 
ing attention and great skill it will require to counteract 
the great, difficulties to be encountered; but I do not think 
them insu nno unta hie .” 
Now, according to the doctrine that “ like begets like,” 
I cannot see why two good animals, and especially where 
the resemblance is so nearly alike as the Herefords and 
Devons, may not produce a third equal to either. 
I am aware that in crossing very superior with very infe¬ 
rior animals, the improvement will be much more conspi¬ 
cuous, and the hazard of continuing the improvement 
greater ; but let me ask, how has the great improvement 
in all kinds of domestic animals been effected, unless by 
crossing and selecting only the best for breeding ? Are 
not the present beautiful, and I might say magnificent, 
Durham and Hereford cattle, splendid South Down, New 
Leicester and Bakcwell sheep, superior Berkshire, Bed¬ 
ford and other improved hogs, a made breed ? 
“ The Durham breed of cattle,” says Mr. Knight, “ ap¬ 
pears to possess the power of eating and digesting a much 
larger weight of food than the Hereford.' The only in¬ 
stance in which the experiment, I believe, was ever tried, 
has been given an account of in Youatt’s work on cat¬ 
tle.” 
“ Three Hereford and three Durham cattle were put in¬ 
to stalls to be fattened on the 3d of Nov. The weight of 
the Herefords was then 33 cwt. and that of the three Dur- 
hains 38 cwt. and 14 lbs. Between that period and the 
39th of March, when all were sold in Smithfield, the Dur- 
hams had consumed 12,755 pounds weight more of tur- 
neps and 1,714 more pounds.of hay than the Herefords, 
but the Durhams, notwithstanding the large size when put 
to fatten, and the greatly larger quantity of food consum¬ 
ed, sold for only twenty shillings more per head than the 
Herefords, and such, I believe, will ever be the result of 
similar trials, when one class of animals has been proper¬ 
ly fed, and the other over-fed, the merits of the breed 
equal.” 
At the meeting of the Smithfield Club in Dee. 1839, the 
Herefords took the four first prmims in class 1 and 2._ 
In class 3i the second prize, and second prize in class 7. 
In the prizes for extra stock, the Herefords took the on¬ 
ly prize. In the list of commendation, the Hereford 
stands 13—Durham 8—Sussex 1—North Devon 1. 
I have examined the Hereford cattle, lately imported by 
our spirited and enterprising citizen, Erastus Corning. 
Esq. and Wm, H. Sotham, as noticed in the last Cult.iva- 
tor. I must confess I was greatly disappointed in the 
size and general form of the cows, for they were apparent, 
ly as large as the Durhams, and possessing the broad loin, 
large capacious bodies, deep, broad and projecting brisket, 
but with a coarser head and neck, which to those familiar 
with the Durhams, would appear oxy, if I may be allow¬ 
ed the expression. The shape and size of their udders 
would indicate fair milkers. Mr. Thornton, the person 
who has charge of them, informed me they gave on an 
average full a middling quantity of milk. 
Mr. Corning has sent out for a bull of this breed that 
has taken several premiums, which he expects to arrive 
in the course of the season, as the owner would not part 
with him until after he had used him this summer. This 
will enable him to make a fair start, and we shall soon be 
enabled to ascertain how they will compare with the Dur¬ 
hams, Devons and native stock. 
Dallimore, as you perceive by the portrait, is in form 
and symmetry a very beautiful animal. He has all the 
fine points so conspicuous in the Durham. His low bris¬ 
ket, deep and broad chest, are pretty sure indications of 
a vigorous and strong constitution. He is full of life and 
vigor, and as playful as a kitten. He is not fat, but in 
good growing condition, and by an application of the 
tape, he measured in girth 6 feet and 4 inches; in length, 
from root of the tail to between the horns, 6 feet 8 inch¬ 
es ; around his arm, 15 inches; leg, below the knee, 7 
inches ; around the brisket and shoulders, 6 feet 10 inch¬ 
es ; neck, 3 feet 2 inches, and 4 feet 5 inches high. He 
was just two years old when measured. I do not give this 
as being extraordinary in size, for he has never been pam¬ 
pered or even fed on grain, but has been well cared for, 
and in the winter, until February, has hadhalf a bushel of 
ruta bar a per day, and as much good hay as he would eat. 
Mr. Kedwards, the breeder of Dallimore, has been the 
winner of a great number of prizes for the Hereford cat¬ 
tle, and whose herd lately sold at auction at prices which 
indicate the high estimation in which they are held in 
England. A cow sold for .£80, ($355) ; a heifer and calf 
for £81, ($360); a calf, ten days old, for £79; a year¬ 
ling bull for £80, &c. and the cows averaged over $133 each. 
I agree with Mr. Randall, that “ to the pure improved 
Durham we must look for the basis of the desired improve¬ 
ment ;” but. “ that a cross with the Devon or Hereford 
would sacrifice milking qualities,” I must, with all due 
deference, dissent. “ Facts are stubborn things.” I have 
now in my herd heifers of the Durham and Devonshire 
cross, that are fully equal for quantity and quality of 
milk to my high bred Durhams, and for my soil, should 
desire no better cattle. 
While they retain the rich red color of the Devon, they 
have the broad hip and loin of the Durham, which, to me, 
are desirable qualities. They do better on our light soil 
and short grass, and appear to thrive, where my Durhams 
decline. The Durhams, as far as my experience teaches 
me, and from what I can learn from others, require a full 
bite of rich grass in the summer, and a liberal allowance 
of substantial food, with careful attention and comfortable 
accommodations, in the winter. For those who have not 
the above conveniencics at their command, the lesser and 
more hardy breed ought, to be preferred. 
I have seen some very superior milkers produced from a 
cross of the Devon bull and native cows ; and for beauty of 
symmetry and richness of color, not easily surpassed if 
equaled. As to a cross of the Hereford with our natives, 
whether advantageous or not, remains to be proved; for, 
with the exception of those imported a few years since by 
Mr. Clay, until recently, I am not advised of any having 
been imported. 
To sum up in a few words—any person who is about to 
adopt a new breed of cattle, must ponder well, and take 
into consideration the situation, climate, soil, and the pur¬ 
poses for which they may be wanted, whether for the 
butcher, dairy or yoke. The Durham, like the China hog, 
would not bear driving any great distance to a market.— 
The Herefords may not endure a long drive when fat, but 
their appearance is certainly much in their favor. 
I do not wish to be understood as saying any thing 
against the Durhams, Devons, or any other breed ; each 
has its advocates and admirers, and each are entitled to 
favorable notice. The Durhams, in spite of the very high 
prices they have commanded, have worked themselves in¬ 
to favor, and have obtained such a strong and permanent 
foothold in several of the middle and southwestern states, 
that they cannot be easily displaced by any other breed_ 
Great size, in all animals, whether cattle, sheep or swine, 
at the present day, appears to be the predominant and rul¬ 
ing object, and as long as that is the fashion, the Durham 
will, most assuredly, stand preeminent. 
CALEB N. BEMENT. 
Three-Hills Farm, July 1st, 1840. 
CULTURE OF MADDER. 
Messrs. Editors —Will you give us from persons of 
observation, or on good authority, the process of grow¬ 
ing madder; and of preparing it for the mill of the 
manufacturer? 
What should be the quality of the ground—how pre¬ 
pared, planted, and crop managed ? 
The time required to mature; and the weight of dried 
product per acre, circumstances being favorable ? 
The usual market price per pound of the imported 
root, delivered fresh and in good order? 
Possibly some experienced manufacturer, or late tra¬ 
veler in Europe, from the motive of encouraging a great¬ 
er division of labor in agriculture, may be inclined to 
furnish through your valuable paper, some practical in¬ 
formation on this important article of commerce. 
Respectfully, ROBERT SILVEY. 
Blue Rock, Ohio, June 8th, 1840. 
