Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1867-01-11

Supreme Court.
- ><De S,r-
| From the Hardin Co. Sentinel.
4 Tisit to Butler County, Brief Gail on
Dr.. spragGe ii Island Groye.
| Having occasion last week to pass
through Butler county, we made it in
our way to drop in upon DR.. Sprague
at hiz large farm at Island Grove. Many
OF our readers will remember that in
1856 Dr. s. selected for himself and
others associated with him, tract of
10000 acres Of land upon which improve
ments were begun. a l.rge herd of
stock, consisting of some eighty head
of cattle, mostly thoroughbred short
horn Durhams, and thirty head OF
horses, from Ohio. was at once placed
on the farm. While at the farm we eX-
smined the invoice Of the cows, and
found the prices paid for them to have
been Sl50, while several cost $500 each
these being wholesale prices.
These Improvements began in that
unfortunate year-cspecially unfortu-
nate for Iowa-iS57, when firms tumb-
led intobnnkruptcy,an and when the finan-
ces of the entire country were suddenly
thrown into disasters almost irrepara-
bic. We learn through parties in our
town, that DR.. Sprague, falling TO be
sustained by his partners in Ohio, ow-
ing in great measure to the famous
..'crisis Of that year, furnished means
through his own individual effort to
sustain the enterprise through the years
1887 and lS5S-the former the year OF
the crisis, the latter the wet year
during which Iowa was saas nioney,
grain, or credit. This unequal burden
forced the resident partner to demand
partition OF the property, and in July,
1859, he visited Ohio for that purpose,
and accomplished the object. The
stock and realty was divided and set off
On his return, and much Of the stock
sold IA part OF which was bought by
Peter Melendy, Esq, and by him sold
to various parties in contiguous States.
We find now on DR.. Spraguc's farm
six head OF thorough bred COWS and
heifers, the oldest Of which is "Pauiina
2nd," a rich roam COW, her dam Paulna
by Cthello. 792; 2nd dam YoIanLa by
imported Nacius, GSi; Sd dam Lsila
Hookh by Archer, 10; ith dam Lilly by
Windle, $50; 5th dam imported Meth
erly, imported By Ambrose Stevens,
Esq, of Batavia, n. Y.,} by Monarch,
1891, English Herd Book; 9th dam
Sweet Briar by Barnlton, 81; It'll dam
Roseberry by Western Comet, $50; Sth
dam BY Comet, lj5; 9th dam by son
of Favorite, %; 10Th dam by Cupid,
III; llth dam by Favoritc, 252.
The above will give such of our read
Grs MS are unfamiliar with Herd Book
pedisrecs, an idea of a clear pedigree,
running in every case to bulls recorded
III the Herd Book, either the English or
the American.
We had the curiosity to measure the
cow Pauliua 2nd across the hips, and
found the breadth % inches.-H
weight at years Old was 1870 lbs; at
maturity ] ,G30 lbs.
We were particularly pleased with q
rich roam hefer calf, Bird, thorough
bred, now seven months old. Her
width across the hips is II inches, her
weight cannot fall short OF 600 lbs, an Il
in form she is faultIess.
In the stables there were two very
fine three-year old heifers, with calves
now some Two weeks old. One is n
beautiful roam, the other deep red.
Weight 900 to POO lbs each. In both.
the French tGucnon marks were very
prominent, Indicating large flow of
milk. It Will DO noticed in ali cattle
that there is on the back part of the
thighs, extending from either side OF
the udder upward, curl in the hair,
very Ikea cowlick,' formed by the
meeting OF the quarters. The width
and boldness of this mark, as also, it's
length, is found TO be very sure index
OF the milking qualities of COWS. This
"curi - or slip varies from two to six
inches III width, and when narrow, the
udder will be found TO be contracted
and when wide, tie udder will be pro-
poriionate to il. On these two heifers
this curl is five inches wide, and so their
udders are wide, deep, extending well
forward and back and the teats are wide
apart. The two, with first calves,
on dry feed, about fiji patent pail
daily.
We find in these thoroughbred COWS
and heifers that quality so highly priz-
ed among breeders of fine cattle, and
city butchers who have fastidious Gus
TONERS to supply. This equality" asit
is termed, is indicated by the mellow
ness OF the skin and flesh ACCOMPANIED
by heavy coat of fine, furry hair.
This mellowncss in fat animal is lii,-
ened to that OLA very ripe peach. The
flesh of such cattle is Of fine texture, del
icate and tender, ami well malbled fat
and lean intermingled,) and is far SUI
perior for the table to the dark colored,
coarse beef found in animals having
Il coarse stift'hair and bard, stiff hide.
We saw several hogs remarkable for
lib cir size, symmetry aud fairness. These
were of the Yorkshire breed and would