312 WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY . 
grade short-horns, all the cows in the stable except two or three 
pure bred short-horns which were saved. 
I have thus given a brief account of the origin, as far as known, 
the breeding and prominent characteristics of short-horn cattle. 
If I am correct in my views as.stated, and I believe I am, the Short- 
Horn is the animal for the general farmer and the dairy. One 
can, with judicious selections, obtain from them a very valuable 
class of cows, perhaps the most valuable, all things considered. 
In commending this class of cattle to the farmers of the state, 
I do not wish to be understood as advising all farmers to engage 
in raising pure bred animals for breeding purposes ; this would 
clearly be unprofitable and unwise for them to do. The general 
farmer will find it more to his interest to grow only the grades, 
commencing with the pure bred bull, (whose ancestors date back 
to the remote past, and whose profitable characteristics have been 
fixed for many generations,) on the native or common cow, from 
which crop you would have the half blood short-horn. The heifer 
from this crop should be bred to a pure bred bull having similar 
qualities with the first, producing a three-quarter blood, and so 
on until your cattle have become high grades. You would then 
have them of the greatest value for all purposes, except that of 
reproducing their own good qualities. 
In each county or perhaps in each populous and thriving 
neighborhood, one or more good, careful and upright farmers, 
with a taste in that direction, could properly and profitably grow 
the pure bulls, along with other farming, and thus be near by the 
demand and in readiness to supply the general farmer, at reason¬ 
able prices, and without the risk and expense of transportation, 
with pure bred bulls to enable him to make the improvement 
indicated above. 
In starting these pure bred herds, care should be had not to go 
too fast. As a general rule, the better way would be to com¬ 
mence with but few females, perhaps only one, and grow gradu¬ 
ally and quietly into the business, acquiring knowledge of it as 
your herd increased in numbers and value, and as you became 
known as a breeder. While acquiring this knowledge and 
increasing your herd, make for yourself such a reputation for in¬ 
tegrity that when your neighbor or others buy an animal of your 
