New-York daily tribune., 1858-02-16
-AGRIEULTURAL. i

one 0i which all The great families for which
that slspd Is now so famous, in an agricultural
point OF view and 20 the cultivation of which we in
America have, in late years, paid 80 much attention
are directly to be reierred-the middle horns the
ong.horns, the polled-cattle and the short horns
We also added II few brief inquiries into the origin
Of these divisions, AMI the nature OF the countries
to which they appear 10 have been when first known
aud sometimes at very remote periods peculiar il
not Indigenous. These Investigations are not, as il
may AZ first appear, merely die specuatous, or in
terestipg only to the historian. the antquary, or
the natural philosopher; since il is not to be dis
pued that all animals are the best adapted by their
aa,ure and constitution 10 the climate. soil, and
country to which they are Indigenous and that II
removed thence aud colonzed elsewhere, they will
thrive and succeed the best IN countries OF which
the climate, the soil, the productions, and even the
face Of the landscape is the most analogous to their
native home. More especially sths the case with re-
gard to anipals, which are e,iabe TO sogreatmOdiica
tions from circumstances of pasture, soil and eli.
mate As are neat cattle. Nor is it q surm;se, un-
proved by fact. that they are so modified and so
adapted BY nature 70 cert,in localities, that they
cannot be amended or improved, in their native
homes, by any admixture of larger, nobler, or
more profitable breeds; which have invariably
failed in places unsuited to Themselves 10 engraft
any Of their OVID peculiar excelences on the inte-
rior stock; while they have done so in an eminent
degree where the same inferior stock exists in 3
climate or region more analogous TO their own.
NJ - tha tyr hraa nf "a
now peculiar to the districts II Kyle and Canning
ham, mmeasurably superior to any. other Scottish
breed which were entirely unknown III the dis
tricts Of which they are now the boast within the
short space of seventy years. That they are the
result of some foreign cross upon the native stock
of the Western Highlands, is not To be doubted;
and all probability seems TO point to the Teeswater
short.horns as the origin oi that cross. Now the
cross Of the Teeswater short horn AS been found
to be utterly useless in effecting any Improvement
on the kyoes, among the bleak and barren
mountains, which form their home, IN which they
are exposed to biting blasts cold rain and sieet, or
snow storms and long subAlpine Winters, and
where they CLEAN but a scsnty subsistence from the
coarse and innutytOus grasses which vegetate with
difficulty among tie rocks and heather OF the nigh
land hills. So soon, however as the same ky!oe ls
brought down into the mild, maritime lowlands,
rich pastures and soft climate of Ayrshire, the
same cross hits to miracle and the result is one
of the most highly and justly esteemed of modern
families Of cattle, both for its milking aud tatenng
qualities
1t is not, therefore useless, but on the contrary
highly desirable for the cattle breeder to know what
is the native climate, the inspect OF the country
the soil, the pastursge, and tie general character
Of the locality in which different breeds of cattle
have their origin Since if he desire TO succeed ne
must hold his choice Of the families OF cattle which
he would roar subordinate to the nature OF the
climate and country into which he would Introduce
them and must neither attempt to acchmatlze,
with any hope Of success, the races Indigenous to
rich level or lowland pasturages, such as the Tees
water shOrt.hOrns or the Leicester long horns
among the wild and savage mountains, which are
precisely adapted to the hardy, hill-freQuenting
KyOes, which will thrive and rejoice on barren
hill-pastures where the short-borDs would pine
and perish; nor. on the other hand, to introduce
the sturdy stunted races of the mOorlands to the
deep fat fenlands and morasses, which are most
cODgenial to the large lOwland cattle
We now proceed briefly to enumerate the most
distinguished families of each Of these divisions,
with passing mention of the qualities for which
each family is the most celebrated, previous to
deyotiDg separate paper to each one OF what may
be called the great families of modern cattle, espe
cislly those families TO which our own cattle chiefly
trace their descent, or TO which we are looking for
the Improvement of our general stock. This done,
We shall give little time to the examination OF
some families Of our own native stock, as it is
called, which have become in great measure dis
tinct varieties, endowed with admirable character
stics, and capable, far can be understood, of
reproducing themselves pure ad iajinitam. Such
appear to be the famous red cattle OF New
England.
But to proceed: OF the Middle-hOrns, by far
the most celebrated family are the Devonshlres;
which, being inferior to many others for dairy pur-
poses are superior to all working oxen, not ar
irving at their highest excellence as beef cattle
unt1 they have been worked up to their sixth year.
when they fatten with great ease and rapldlty;
and, if they do not reach the vast weight of some
other races give beef the most beautifully marbled
of ALL and equal in fayer and richness to any
The Devonshires are very beautiful, docie, active,
the working oxen being able sometimes to trot sn
miles in the hour, and remarkably free from dis
ease. The Herefordshire cattle which are nearakin
to the Devonshires are perhaps, even superior to
them as beef cattle, some good judges giving 70
their flesh the palm over all others, and are good
workers in the feld; but the cows are exceedingly
inferior animals, bad mixers, and Of no account
The Hereford OK is heavier animal than the Dev-