Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1853-05-19
From the Boston Cultiyator.
POINTS OF CATTLE.

| From the Boston Cutivator.
POINTS OF CATTLE.
Ia awarding prizes on cattle, difficulty
hes frequently been experienced in ascer.
tanning the relative value of each ANIMAL
The points which constitute excellence are
usually very indefinitely understood, and
no common standard being established, each
person who is called to make awards i:
governed wholly by his own views. Hence
it is not uncommon that decisions are made
at one time directly opposed in principle ,c
those made at another. Thus nothing j,
settled, and endless confusion prevails.
The first step towards improvement is &c
establish the points which constitute excel.
lence, SO that every one may have in his
minds eye standard 10 direct his efforts
In some societies it is the practice 10 pu
ell breeds into one class, the prizes to be
awarded to such snimsls as the judges for
the day may prefer. The great improperly
of this course will be seen when i. is con-
sidered that the properties which constitute
the peculiar value of one breed are wholly
different from those which give value ia
another. One is preferred for beef, another
for the dairy, and third for labor. No
fair comparison can be msde between them
Each may be best in particular situations,
or for the purposes 10 which they are a.
dapted.
We are pleased to see that the n York
State Agricultural Society has taken mea-
sures TO set this matter ON proper footing,
scale Of points has been prepared for four
different breeds - Shcrt-h horns, Deavons.
| Hereford<, and Ayrsbires. These points
have been prepared by Francis Rocl, Esq
one of the most Systematic and skillful
breeders in the county and who has had
grea, opportunities for observation in every
thing relating to domestic animals, both in
this country and in Europe.
We regard the suhjec, involved in these
remarks as of so much importance that we
propose to give in this and succeeding nun
bers the points relating to the breeds above
mentioned. But before coming to that part
Of our subject, we would call attention to
the two following paragraphs, comprising
some valuable explanatory remarks Of Mr..
Rotch:
''As TO the points constituting excellence,
little perhaps need be said beyond the re-
mark that reference has been had to par,icu-
lar uses and characteristics Of the respective
variety under consideration. For instance,
the heavy, massive form Of the beeE-msking,
indolent Short-horn, would be, in many of
its details, inapplicable to the activity of the
North Devon, whose great excellence as a
aborer on Iigh, soil mus, be one Of its
usefulness. So again, ofthe Hereford, whose
double value in the yoke and in the sham
bles require balance of properties that is
not called for in the animal whose only des-
tina,ion is the butchers block. The Ayrs-
hire is breed whose improvement has had
reference solely to dairy proper,iee; il would
be destructive, therefore, of that very i'm
provement 10 require in this either the sub
stance or symmetry Of the other breeds.
"Anolher consideration has also infuenc.
ed the numerical value affixed TO the same
points in different breeds; which is, that,
where, from a natural or original tendency,
there is deficiency or difficulty in bring
ing any one or more points up to a maxi
mum, they are marked higher in that breed
than IN one known to be naturally strong
in that particular; for instance, i! is more
difficult, from the general conformation OF
The animal, the heavy shoulder, and the
massiveness throughout, required in the
Short-horn, to breed the crops full up and
even than it is to do so in North Deavon;
hence, that point we'll developed in the
Shor,-horn is marked a; in the North Devon
only a. So in the Ayrshire, whose grea,
excellence is her dairy properties, the udder
is marked 6, while in other varieties of i'm.
proved breeds it is marked low, inasmuch
as their improvement has had reference sole
ly TO early maturity, weight, symmetry, re-
duced offsl, quality, and the best feeding
properties, yielding the greatest amount o
meat q, smallest expense,
| sHoRT-HoRNs-THE COW.
Pedigree.-Showing unbroken descent,
on both sides, from known animals, as found
in the English Herd. Book-4O.
The Head-Small, lean, and bopy. Ia
perIng to the muzzle; the face somewhat
loDg-2.
The Nose of light delicate color-l.
i The Eye is Of great significance, and
should be prominent, bright, and clear
l"prominen." from an accumulation o.
"adeps' in The back par. of its socket, which
indicates a tendency TO lay on fat-"brigh,,' ,