The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-03
EZRA MILLER'S BUFFAL0ES.
BRINGING UP THREE THAT WE'RE T1-
KEN YOUNG ON THE PLAINS.
Comparing their Meat. MIIk. and HITTER with
Those OF Ordinary Cnttic-The Astonishing
Stories Told by MIR. Miller about BIN"

overlooking the Ramapo valley. with its colony
OF big barns and stables. is known for miles
around. and the Colonel is looked upon as tho
model farmer Of the valley.
In tho winter Of 1873" the Colonel snid TO
reporter for THE sun. q" I was out in the buffalo
country on some railroad business. The times
were hard. and was constantly planning how
might reduce my expenses. Tor every winter
have to do great deal for those who can't do
foi themselves. saw on the plains thousands
OF carcnsses OF huffaocs that had been killed
simply for their hides. and said TO Ed. Bowen
then the superintendent Of the Kansas Pacific
Railroad. now general superintendent Of the
Erie. that ii was a great pity to SEQ 50
much good meat wastnG. and | wondered
whether 1t would pay TO ship buffalo mcat to
New York. II would mt least MI many hungry
mouths. He thought that the meat was too
coarse. too strlngy. and dry. knew that tho
character Of the meat Of animals depended on
the food given the an NAL. You fntten goose
or a turkey on fish, and it'll taste iishy. ] once
bought some hogs from farmer down on the
coast that had fed them fish, and. though fed
them corn two months. the pork tasted de-
cidcdly ilshy Now. the buffalo cats only coarse.
rank grasses and brush consequently the flesh
is dry and coarse. thought that on our rich.
juicy grasses buffalo meat would be good. so
talked the matter over with Bowen. and he said
AiNA i' ~ Ni1 Nuh ilttNf one b MS SNtllNu
In the buffalo country get me some calves.
The next June there camo case contain
ing two calves a bull and heifcr. Three had
been shipped but ono died on the way. Tho
station agent caught four. but ono died before
shipping. Soon nfterward he shipped two more.
but one died. Finally | got three in all-two
heifers and bull Thoy werc little fellows. not
over ten weeks old. They took kindly to cows
milk and did well. Ono Of tho heifors proved
farrow. but from the other l got nice. thor
oughbred buffalo calf. and from an Ayrshire
COW nice buffalo calf 1t WIS a pure white
buffalo. something very rare. The bull was
black and the COW rcd roam. But I'M
fortunately the little fellow was killed 10y
falling timber. My thoroughbred buffalo
cali grow nncly. and IL now year old.
] had now proved to my satisfaction that
the hunalo could be crossed with our common
cows-a fact hitherto denied. Why. that little
white buffalo Ayrshire ralf was as smooth rs a
button. There was NO sign OF hump. That
nnpearS rs the calf grows. then thought to see
So fa,tened the bull. The farrow hciier was
fat all the time on the commonest Kind Of pas
the pnl. didn't wnnt g. hang him up by Il
rope ike q ielnn and knock him on tho head so
decided To shoot him. But that was not easily
done. for a buffalo keeps his nose on a line with
tho top Of his head most of the time. wanted
to get q square shot. too. SO that the ball
Just IN front Of him. and as be bent his head to
see whore 1t fell. / aimed for the curl i'm his
bullet in his brain. / also Killed tho fnrrow
COW and then gave buffalo dinner to some
The Coloners friends speak in terms Of praise
OF that dinner. The hill Of fare embraced buff
buffalo roast, buffalo porterhouse steaks. buf-
iao steaks fried and broed. roast buffalo hump
fred huifalo liver. picked buffalo tongue. BUT
Ialo butter. desserts with buffalo butter sauce
buffalo mix pain and buildings made Of buff
lhO milk. Nor was this tho only buffalo dinner
!hat was eaton. Ono hundred and ;wenty-eight
boxes ofbuiinlo meat were sent 70 tho Coloners
friends. and each box Yielded II buffalo. dinner,
Now, have proved 70 my own satisfaction"
The Colonel continued, several important
points, First, that huifalces ran be tanned Sec
pnd. that Y doesn't cost onr-half rs much TO
Third, they can be iaitrned a, quickly as ordi-
IS Just as I good t." f"nr bSy are Sna s eSo
mixers rs our Alderneys. aud NTH. they nre
As good butter makers TIE mill, oilthe buffalo
ls IA little Follower than III Il ~ the Attorney.
out very sweet and rich and there is more
quantity OF mix given by buiiaiS cows. they
Will average with the average mixer. Tho I'D
der OF the buffalo COW is very small indeed.
out the milk veins are immense. This Is pro-
vision whereby nature enables them to run
Iaster than IL numbered by large udder. am
Of tho opinion that the most desirable cross is
with tho biz Dutch cattle that have such blk
udders. think that crossing them with our
But the beef from our huiialocs moro than met
my expectations. II was sweet and Juicy. and
lender. not Ht all ike the meat OF the buffalo VI
" Now. in drawing the balance between the
DuiIulO ana tNt ordinary cow, | ma these facts.
Inc bulinlO can be Kept at one-snlt the cost Of
the COW. that's one point for th- buffalo. We
Will assume 10 give The cow a fair show. that she
yields moro milk and butter That balances the
account 50 tar The buffalo Is fully equal 10 our
stock in the quality 81 meat Sothey are still on
even terms: but It's hide Is worth four times rs
much, so it comes out far hheal in the last
heat ~ hofsemen say. The hide from my bull
was a beautiful specimen. Il was better than II
t25 robe bought TO compare with it. Tho fur
wos longer aud inner. the result OF good feed, |
Tho Colonel led tho way to the barnyard
whore ihe buffalo COW and heifei were kept A
saNory smell was eXhalsd from the kitchen as
:" Come in here n minute" he said. suddenly.
Three or four farm hands were eating dinner.
steak stood GA the table, The Colonel seized a
knife and cut lnio il. II was sweet. juicy aud
h. rdund F T he C oonc said Sot 'r ths
best cut hy any means, hs you know; but our
women say the tuifaO meat Is all tcnderloin.
Ihe lump Is very iinr. be NJ rich and ilicy.
The hrart is ilnw nse in size. and the liver
beats my beef YER ! ever tnsted."
\ COOL ioOkiu. colorcu man went TO tho cow
stahl >. AMI from among a number OF ordinary
lL9okipg animals turned out the buffalo cow.
Her Dnrk horns curved inward, and were
Tipped with trl-s knoll. Otherwise she was
the ordinary u1n!o. Her calf, the yearing
hotter ws5 irr Counterpart without the horns.
rtad is 20 the upmr of Nancy"
" W" Euye mad no iroIhlo in raising them"
the Colonel sad. aud ry herd with the other
,aite ON the b II OF terms. What surprises me
Is their weasrrss. / SUPPOSED they were very
powerful: but thy are not. | hayu seen "A year
linz Adernel Lpl push Bill, the buffalo bull.
Wh'h D." wos ihrr' years olt, right M hin
arc as, very coward n. very playful. and very
cunning. ! az" ttudi,i th"ir habits ami have
D. greatly an Nsed. II on" II taem sees YOU
after you; iut tc won't go ou' II tho guie.
ens,n ~ o M Az a. r ana P2 ,b ihG a
.r9W 'l'll oi rye wos down. | 7eng q man to
DICK 90 t!.e hou~" h'iorr Etl gr,yrly walked