Arizona republican., 1898-03-01
were purchased for fattening by the

were purchased for fattening by the f, farmers of the country were of the Hereford breed, and that the price for 6-year-old oxen from the plow varied from $50 to $75. He relates with astonishment the circumstances that the age at which Hereford cattle were generally fattened was 6 years and as to this example of what ne looked upon as eXtravagant waste ne observes: "I do not mean to cenSure the workers of these oxen for throw ing them up in their prime as beasts of draught, much less to blame the graziers for fattening them or the butchers for slaughtering them 1n their useful stage of life; yet I cannot help expressing my regret at seeing animals so singularly well adapted to the cultivation of the lands of the kingdom as are the principal part or the 6-year-old oxen of Herefordshire, prescribed and cut off in the fitness of their strength and usefulness"
 These were manifestly not the days of early maturity and "baby beef" Benjamin Tompkins, who was born in 1745, is by many regarded as the real founder of the breed. Although
 
 tained as regards himself personally, there is no doubt that his ancestors were among the first by whom the improvement was begun, while he un- doubtedly contributed largely to the establishment of the new character of the breed. MT. Tompkins was one Of the ancient and much renowned house of Tompkins of Woebley, small town lying about twelve miles northwest of Hereford in that county. The family was seated in the county as early as 143O, and was of consider able note prior to the several wars of Charles I. So far as pedigree rec ords reveal the earlier history of the imported breed, it may be said to have been largely moulded upon the stocks of Tompkins, Fully and Skyrme. Will liam Callers, the friend and compan- ion of the older Benjamin Tomkins, did much to improve the breed. AS to I the history of the families of Fully and Skyrme, but little definite knowledge is known. A Fully bull appears to have been the foundation of MT. Tudge's herd. The celebrated Lord Wilton traces back of him. The first prize OK at the first meeting of the Smithfield club was bred by Fully. l The Skyrme cattle were of some what blood red color, the Tomkins cattle the darker shades of red, and the Fudge the gray, afterwards SO celebrated as 1.-The Knight grays." The family of Haywood was one of the very earliest of breeders. At a very early date the system of in-and-in breeding was to some extent adopted. A superior character was established e., %I l-s, called, and the trade mark as it may be termed chosen for each being the color markings. MT. John Price of Ryall was the greatest supporter and disciple of Benjamin Tomkins the younger, he first purchasing from the Tomkins herd in 1904 Many other distinguished names of earlier improv- CTS could be added to the list The Hewer family, the Jeffries family, the Knight herd, Turner, Fudge and many others have brought the Hereford fam lily up to the present standard of to- day.
 Hereford cattle are remarkable fer the distictiveness and uniformity of their outward characteristics and gen. eral attributes The red curly hair and broad, kindly looking white face mark the trail of the Hereford wherever the breed has roamed. They are also noted for their quiet, docile tempers and kindly expression of face, indicative of good fattening proper ties. The most important characteris- tic in Hereford cattle is that they carry flesh most heavily on the parts of the frame on which the best and highest priced meats are cut. They are unsurpassed as grazers, robust in constitution, quiet in temperament , kindly feeders and large growers. They thrive and fatten well on pasture land. They suffer less than most va rieties from exposure to cold and wet. Abortion is of rare occurrence; and Hereford COWS, even when submitted to extreme high pressure in feeding, breed with remarkable regularity. The breed has attained a good name in many parts of the world. The first shipment of Herefords to America was in 1877, when two bulls and two heif- CTS were imported by the Hon. Henry Clay of Kentucky, but their identity was gradually lost. Australia and South America are at present being largely reinforced from British herds, an indication that the breeder of cattle in South America is as much awake to the necessity of improving his cattle as are the breeders of the United States.