The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-03-30
From the Canadian Agriculfurist
HON. ADAM PERCUSSION UPON I'M
PROVED DURHAM CATTLE.

PROVED DURHAM CATTLE.
Editor Of the .4grieulturis,
Dian SIR:-lf you consider the following
memorandum of my Stock, likely to be either
interesting or useful. place i. at your disposal,
to assign il, if approved, place in your Jour-
nal.
came, as a settler. to Canada in 1883, and
soon perceived that improvement was imperi-
ously required in the department of Live
Stock, called on the aid Inexperienced friends
at home, to select for me few animals for a
trial.
had leng before made up my own mind upon
the superior excel.ency of improved Short horns,
when selected with Judgment and care, and
without any unwise pareimony as to giving lib
eral price, without which, was perfectly aware,
that no first class Stock could be had, and with
ordinary second rate herds, | resolved to have
nothing to do.
The Stock from which Bull and two Rsifers
were selected for me, was that of Mr. Chrisp, of
Doddington in the County of Northumberland,
a gentleman whose practical skill, long expert
erce. and unwcaried efforts had established a
high reputation even in that district, where so
many distinguished breeders were to be found.
NV cattle come out in 1884, under the charge
of an old farm servant of my own.
They consisted of Sir Walter, Beauty, and
Cherry, 10 which | added at Albany,two Heifers
from the thorough bred herd of Stephen Van
Ransaaer, the Palroon.
At that period it was by no means easy a
matter as ii is now to bring Stock in safety
the Atlantic. My cattle were rather unfortunate
in their voyage. They were over 4O days at
sea, and their fodder became exhausted. A
party showed them great kindness, giving them
straw from their beds, notwithstanding which.
for the two last days, they had only ashandtul
of oatmeal, and filed up the vacuum with fresh
shavings from the carpenters bench. Ia due
time they reached me in safety, though in poor
enough plight.
Sir Walter was an animal of great substance
and good form; the English Heifers were excel
lent samples Of their breed, and all bore regular
pedigrees in connection with the English Herd
look MIR. Chrsp's animals were all of a
strawberry roam colour-the Albany Heifers
were red and white These latter were fine
animals, but decidedly inferior to the English
stock, and they proved so amentably defective
in milking qualities, that was we'll pleased, ere
long, to get rid Of their blood.
Beauty brought me the first calf in August,
1885 She had white Bull calf, and at calvin.r
time gave US the slip, and two days elapsed ere
we found her calf, carefully covered up in the
bush 1t seemed remarkable that an animal
should follow so independent course, seeing
large, or to dispense with the constant care and
attention of man. She throve we'll, and ali my
Short-h horns seemed to agree we'll with Canada
requiring no particular feeding or care
About the year 1887 somewhat singular
epidemic prevailed among cattle in the Gore
district, and many farmers lost the geater parl
of their stock. The animal continued to take
its food, but the feet became affected To such a
degree as to rot off, and the animal soon perish
ed. | became uneasy, and determined to have
sale. Seven animals were sold, and fetched
fI79. Among them was Sir Walter, and it is
not unreasonable to term the prices moderate
when ascertained that this Bull, knocked of
ut S32, was sold few months after in r ches-
ter for fl50.
The next transaction l had. was with Mr.
Clelland, a breeder from Kentucg, VIII evinced
his ss tisfaction with nay herd by giving me EST
for Champion, bull then 23 months old, and
f65 for Cherry, one of my improved cows.
In 1889, Beauty had twin Bull calves by
Champion. named them Romulus and Remus
The first was sent TO my son at Fergus; Remus
was sold for ESQ to Messrs. Davis, in Nelson
and ultimately was sold into New York State
About this time my stock received AMI infusion o
rood blood from the stock Of Col. Burrowes, q
Brantford The Colonel sent two favoriie
Cows Beatrice and Anne,te) to be served By
my bull Mayduke, and their soourn with me
being somewhat prolonged, he very handsomely
insisted upon my accepting Annette call, then
a, her feel, as grass mail. This calf was 90. BY
Triumph, and proved an acquisition | named
him Strathmore, and after using him for some
seasons, disposed Of him to the Goderich Agri-
cultural Association. | may here mention thai
Mayduke, above referred to, was purchased by
LAWS r Allen, Esq of Black Rock, N. T., and
while in his possession carried the first prmiun
OF his class at the New York State Show, held
that year in Rochester.
In ls49, MIR. Hewitt, of Guelph, purchased
from me Ruby, superior young Cow, and has
been well satisfied with her progeny. Mr.
Hewitt is well knawn as breeder OF Short
horns. He is thoroughly skilled in stock, and
always wiling to pay an adequate p'ce for an
article that meets his views. His own herd is
a very high bred one. 1t was originally brought
from Egland by Rowland Wingfeld, Esq. Mr.
III. considered his stock as showing tendency
to become rather fine, and sough. 10 restore sub
stance by introducing some fresh blood
have been pretty regular in keeping a note
Of the CESSATION ofmy Cows, aud find it to range
from 274 to 300 days. | have only had one
case Of obstinate barrenness. A white heifer,
Blossom, gotby Starthmore out of Beauty, was
decidedly sterile. She showed from an early
age an uncommon tendency to take on flesh, and
strong, butcher in Toronto. Mr. A kept her
for two or three months on extra feed, and
Of date Jan. II, lS49, he wrote me:
aSIR-I received yours dated January 9Th,
and with much pleasure comply with your re-
quest.
any opinion is decidedly in favor Of the
Durham breed for Canada. think them better
suited than any for this untry.
.sThc weight Of Blossom on the market scale
was 1892 lbs; dead weight, that IS to say, beef,
hide and tallow, 1859 lbs. This you may rely
on, as correct. As regards the arality of the
beef, my customers were unanimous in pro-
nouncing il the best they had ever eaten.
ssAs proof of my admiration, had her like
ness taken, a copy of which intend TO forward
YOU as early as can.
Yours, &c,
PHILIP ARMS STRONG.
To the Hon Adam Ferguson, Woedhill
In new country, the improvement of live
stock must necessarily be slow. Capital is
scarce, and our agricultural population not very
general enlightene I. There is doubt, how
ever, that progress is making, and that consid.
cradle excitement has taken place. The Pro-
vincial Legislature has been liberal and has ever
shown itself ready to promote Agriculture -
Some politicians consider itas having gone too
wherein Bureau Of Agriculture is appointed
and placed under a specified member of the
Cabinet. shall not enlarge upon the expedi-
ency of such an arrangement, but will certainly
not withhold my unqualified appreciation Of the
measure. consider it likely. if judiciously ad-
ministered, to prove most beneficial link in the
connection which should exist in such Country
as this, between the yeomen Of the Province
and the ministry Of the day; and consider it
no very hazardous prediction to pronounce it an
arragemen, from which essential good may be
expected to result.
it's most interesting question, by what
means shall we best attain an Improvement in
the live stock Of Canadr.
As regards our cattle, without desiring to dis
courage importation by Local Associations,
incline to think that in no way will benefi', SO
quickly and certainly ensue, as from the disper-
sion of really good Bulls throughout the Pro-
vince, leaving farmers to select superior cows
from the native stock. very few years will
exhibit good fruits from steady perseverance
in such a course 1t is fair subject Of discuss.
ion, what Bulls will be st likely 10 effect this
end. While one man adnres the .4yrshire,
another cxalts the Deron or the Durham, and