Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-03-28

A Maine Cattle King.


ward in connection with the recent for
nation of the 'sIndiana Blooded Stock
Company" which is spoken of by West
ern stock journals as one of the largest
breeding companies in the world-of
which company Mr.. Burleigh is Presi-
dent and General Manager-the leading
farmers of Maine who have long been
acquainted with Mr.. Burleigh, and his
efforts at improving our breeds of cattle,
have been led to think over the many
steps of progress by which he has reached
this high position, some facts of which
will, we trust, be of interest to all our
readers.
Mr.. Burleigh is native of Somerset
county, and we should judge about 80
years of age. His stock breeding opera
tions were commenced Immediately after
coming of age, and the first money earned
by himself was invested in three young
Shorthorns. This was before he owned
an acre of land, but by buying grass and
cutting it, and putting all his earnings
into cattle he soon had quite a herd.
About 1852, his father removing to Penn
sylvania, he hired, and soon after pur-
chased the old home farm, situated m
Fairfield and Waterville, running in debt
for every dollar of the purchase money,
some S3200. The farm then cut about
fifteen tons of hay. Mr. Burleigh kept
twice as many cattle as the farm cut hay
to feed, purchased hay and grain, and
soon brought the production of the farm
up to sixty tons of hay, and large
ield of corn and grain. In 1858 he pur-
chased fine Shorthorn bull of the Capt
Henry Lawrence eblood-descendant of
the original stock Of this breed brought
into Maine-and soon after, in company
with other farmers purchased the prize
Shorthorn bull Bolivar. About 1897,
Mr.. Burleigh-ever casting about for
choice blood to improve his own herd
and the stock of his neighborhoOd-pur-
chased the ShorthOrn bull Boz, by Bay
State, of Mr.. VIM. ). Grant of Farming
dale. Ii was about this GATE that he also
obtained his first Herefords, which were
grades, keeping the two breeds together
more or less. In 1865 Mr.. Burleigh
bought the Shorthorn bull, Matadore Jr.,
of Hon. T. 5. Lang, and the year follow
ing Hereford bull from Winthrop.
For some years ne had been studying the
relative characteristics of the two breeds,
and found the IIerefords so much better
feeders than the Seorthorns, and their
net weight so much more in the same
chance. that, Notwithstanding his love
- H. Ix.rh ht.,h oh
with him to a certain extenD, he decided
the IIerefords were the breed for the
New England farmer. 1t was just as
this decision was formulated, about 1868
if we remember cOrrectly-we visited
the animals at Mr.. Bureigh's stables in
Fairfield few days after their arrival
that, in company with Mr.. George f.
Shores of Waterville, he purchased the
entire Hillhurst herd of Herefords, be-
longing to Hon. NJ. III. Cochrane of
Compton, p. O., Canada, which those
gentlemen owned in company for some
two or three years.
During these early years of Mr.. Bur-
leigh's devotion to our cattle interests he
has always resided in Fairfield-up to
within few years past, or since the pur
chase of Lang Farm, Vassalboro-and
has been identified with all our progress
i've agricultural endeavOrs. For many
years he was President of the North Ken
nebec Agricultural Society, and has been
leading exhibitor at our local and State
shows, always having something in the
show ring to bear off high prizes. At
our farmers conventions and meetings
of the State Board of Agriculture, his
voice has always been heard for i'm
proved farming, and skill and intelli-
gence in breeding. Many of our readers
will remember the commotion which was
producedin the Farmers Convention at
Winthrop some ten years ago. when Mr..
Burleigh said that "an ill-bred thorough
bred was the worst animal farmer could
breed from" how many leading breed
ers in our State at the time said ''no
breeder could afford to make such an as
sertion in public or in print" and how
he was opposed for the assertion. Yet
the farming public of our State have
learned to see that Mr.. Burleigh was COR
rect. and that at no time since could he
have ever been sorry for having make
the statement.
In 1869. Hon. J. II. Bodwell of Halo
well-one of the leading business men in
the country, good farmer, and high
type of Natures noblman-formed a
partnership with Mr.. Burleigh for the
importation and breeding of Herefords
on the then largest scale of any American
breeders. At the commencement of
their enterprise Mr.. Burleigh personally
visited all the principal herds of Here
fords in the United States and Canadas,
and became satisfied the only course for
them to follow. in starting what they
aimed should be the best herd of Here
fords in America. was to visit England
and buy from the leading breeders there.
Accordingly MIR. Burleigh went abroad
and the results are well known to all our
readers. He has visited Great Britain
four times, personally inspecting all the
prominent herds of Herefords, Aber-
deen-Apgus and Sussex cattle, has stud
led them at the leading fairs, and pur.
chased with discrimination. good Judge
ment and foresight possessed by but few
cattle men in this country. In all
Messrs Burleigh Il Bodwell have made
seven importations, bringing TO this
country total of six hundred and TWEEN.
ty-seven animals. which, with the large
number raised. would amount to a most
magnificent herd. These animals have
been planted all through the West, and
by their influence in improving the herds
of our great country will cause the name:
of Burleigh 4 Bodwell to be regarded as