The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-08-25
Fine Cattle.

turn out and listen to the discussion.
Fine Cattle.
GH- On Saturday last, accompanied
by our friend, Mr.. G.. DICKINSON, we Wis
tied the farm of Mr.. DAVID MERRILL, of
Spring Township, for the purpose cfview-
ing some fine full blooded Devon cattle
owned by Mr.. NJ. His farm is hand
somely situated on the road from Quas-
queton to Pine Greek, about three miles
from the former place and eight from In
dependence. 1t borders the beautiful
body of timber lying along the Wapsi-
pinicon river and Pine Creek, and con-
tains l6O acres, 60 Of which are timber
ed. Mr.. MERRILL has ninety of the one
hundred acres of prairie under cultiva.
ton, and properly fenced, and among
his crops we noticed field of about
twenty acres of timothy. His land is
elevated and level, and has most beau
tiful stream of water passing through it.
His house and barn. large, roomy frame
structures, are situated high and dry,
and are we'll protected on the west by
the timber above referred to. Altogether,
we think Mr.. MERRILL has not only a
good, productive farm. but one very fine
ly located. The improvements which
his enterprise. aided by few years of
prosperity, will undoubtedly create. will
make this an admirable farm.
We predicate our opinion of Mr. MER-
RILL's enterprise upon what he has al
ready done. Anxious to procure good
stock, and, after trial. coming to the con-
clusion that the Durhams were not hardy
enough for this climate, Mr.. M. pur-
chased of Col. CApRoN, OF McHenrv
County, Illinois, four head of full blood
Devon cattle, for which he paid the very
handsome sum of $1,000. They con-
sisted of bull Duke of Devonshire) },
two years old heifer, (Victoria) two
years old and two yearling heifers,
one named Nora the name of the other
has slipped our memory. They are all
of blood red color. and have that beau
,y of head and form, liveliness of ex-
preston, and quickness Of action, char
acteriStic of the breed.
The Duke of Devonshire is four years
old, and is a beautiful animal, weighing
some 800 pounds. He is of dark
cherry red, and has all the points of
full-blood Devon. He is from some of
the best stock in the country, his dam.
Jane, being sired by imported Herod-
dam direct from the original Coke Dew
ons. The Dukes sire was Bloomfield,
whose dam, Dido, was sired by imported
Eclipse, dam from the original Coke
Devons. Eclipse took the two first prizes
at the Maryland State Agricultural Ex-
hibitions in 1882. and was universally
pronounced the best North Devon bull
ever imported into America. Bloomfield,
the sire of Duke, took the first prize in
the same Exhibitions, as the best bull of
his age, and also the first prize al the
State Fair of the Illinois State Agricul-
tural Society. in 1855.
The pedigree of Victoria, as given us
by Mr.. MERRILL, is Dam, Nellie sire,
Columbus. Nellie was of pure North
Devon stock, from the importations of
Messrs SAND d L. HuRLBURr, of Win
chester. Columbus bred by Chancellor
JUDD, Esq, of Connecticut, from the
Baltimore importation. Victoria is small,
but very symmetrical and beautiful. In
color. shape and color of horn, flatness
and smallness of forehead, and fneness
of muzzle, she exhibits all the character
istics Of purity of blood, as does also her
mate, Nora, a three year old. whose dam,
May Queen sire, Rob Roy, were also
full-bloods.
Mr.. MERRILL has very fine yearling
bull, out of Victoria, by Duke of Dew
onshire, and four other calves, of differ
ent ages. His herd now numbers nine
head, and we think is by far the best lot
OF full-bloods in this region. He will
probably exhibit the herd together at the
next county Agricultural Exhibition.
The peculiar good qualities of the
Devons. as given by YouArr, are their
working, fattening and milking. Of
their working qualities, he says:
Where the ground is not too heavy,
the Devon oxen are unrivalied at the
pillow. They have quickness of action
which no other breed can equal, and