The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-02-02
Prices of Short Horn Cattle.

To the Editor Of the M0rristown Gazette:
The editor of the Farmers Home Jour
nat, in a recent number of that sheet,
says: The breeding of bloOded cattle,
horses, &c, is a noble pursuit. 1t is a
business in which men of little culture,
but much natural capacity, sometimes
after long years of faithful and patient
labor, succeed. 1t is also a business in
which the highest results are obtained
by men of large culture, Joined to high
order of mind. Among the many charm
ing occupations that engage the atten-
tion of those that live in the country
there is none that stand in any respect
above this, and there is certainly no
place where a high sense of honor and
honesty is more needed than here"
1t is to the breeding of Short-horn cat
tie invite the attention of the reader,
and for the purpose of showing the mag
nitude which this branch of industry has
reached l will give the statistics of the
public sales of animals of this breed for
the past few years in the United States.
For nearly two hundred years this no
BILE lace of cattle has been a distinct
breed, and for more than a century a
faithful record of their history and line
age has been kept, that they might be
bred in perfect purity, and great atten-
ton paid to their individual merits, Civ
form they now possess. Nor has their
breeding and improvement been cOnfin-
ed to the farmer proper only. Men of
all pursuits and professions indulging
tase for them; the English lord and
American gentleman alike rejoice in
the ownership of their lordly Short
horns. They arc rapidly extending over
a wide range of territory, and are owned
and bred by all classes of intelligent
land hOlders, where climate, soil and
forage is suited TO them, from those who
control their thousands of acres to the
possessors of less than hundred. Their
commercial value, too, is constantly and
steadily Increasing, and ever has, from
their earliest history. AS an illustra-
ton of this, when Charles Colling, in
1907, sold the bull Comet for $1,000, at
that DAY a wonderfully high and UMPIRE
cedented price, it was said the same
would never again be equalled, but, on
the 9th of last September, at the sale of
the herd of Lord Dunsmore, of Scot
land, lincal descendant of the above
bull was sold for more than five times as
much, or $27, 200. The average price of
all ShOrt-horns, both in England and
America, have increased at least two
hundrd per cent. since the year 1900.
In 1870 there were four hundred and
ninety-fve head of pure bred Short
horns sold at public sales in the United
States al an average eff $343 each. In
1871 four hundred and seven head were
sold at an average of $500; in 1872 one
thousand and fourteen head brought an
average of $312.S7; in 1878 eighteen hun
dred and thirty-siX, at an average of
$513.SS; in 1874 two thousand six hun
dred and seventy-siX averaged 1885, and
in 1875 there were one hundred and fif-
teen sales, at which four thousand three
hundred and forty-seven animals were
sold, at an average of $421.53, making
the total sum of 81 1892, 383, and for the
six years, ten thousand seven hundred
and seventy-fve head have been sold at
public sales alone for Sd, 444, 800.
When we consider that these amounts
do not include the private sales, which
are generally at higher prices, and which
will amount to fully as much more, we
have some conception of the grandeur
this branch of agricultural industry is
assuming. The breeding of Short horn
cattle may be considered as vet in its in
fancy. The almost boundless range of
the great grazing regions west of the
Mississippi river are yet to be supplied,
and until this demand is supplied there
is no fear of an abatement in prices, or
relaxation in the interest which at pres
ent exists. It is a breed admirably
adapted to our own section, producing
the greatest quantity and best quality of
beef and milk, for the amount of food
consumed, and it has been thoroughly
demonstrated that they can be success
fully and profitaDly bred here.
VIM. s SHIELDS.
CTTNCHnATE Graiu0ar 10 Tam