The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-09-17

The Spanish edition OF the Pan
American Union Bulletin reviews Mr.
Borthwick's article on the "Catalo'
in the Forecast. The following Eng
iish version gives the salient fea
tures:
II seems that new species OF the
genus bos has been evolved in the
United States and Canada. Aa is well
known, the American bison, or buffalo
has become almost extinct, only a few
small herds, nearly all to be found in
captivity in geological gardens, being
left 10 propagate the species. The
caialo. the name given the new spe-
cies, is a cross between the buffalo
and the domestic COW, and according
to an article by Mr.. Benton Borth-
wick In q recent number Of the Fore
cast published in Philadelphia. Pa).
much may be expected from it as a
meat producer. He states that un-
like most hybrids, which proverbially
inherit the worst qualities belonging
TO both parental strains, the catalo
feems to have selected and combined
4 himself the most useful qualities Of
tn buffalo and COW. He is so hardy
! at he can live on pastures that
,.ould afford poor sustenance for even
a sheep. and his meat is equal to the
! est beef, TO which has been super
led the tender luscious hump that
8de the wild buffalo SO eagerly
LJught by the huntsmen Of the plains.
1t was the extreme desirability of
this hump, combined with the value
OF his shaggy hide, that helped to
bring about the practical extinction
of the American buffalo. The Indians
appreciated both. but they lived in
peace and amity with the buffalo and
left enough OF them to insure an in
exhaustible supply of meat and tepees
for future years. The white mans
appreciation was equally keen, but,
like the Indian, the buffalo was in
his way. He wanted the plains for
his cattle to range over and he did
not approve of the cattle associating
with the buffaloes. Therefore the buff
faloes were gradually exterminated.
Even in the early days there were
some far-seeing individuals who dimly
saw the possibilities of an animal
which would be a blend of buffalo and
COW, so a number of breeders tried to
establish a species of cattle carrying
the buffalo strain, and the expert
ments began as far back as the first
invasion of the western plains by
white men, but they always failed.
Even down to the present day there
are but two breeders who have sue
ceeded in establishing this new bovine
strain, one in Texas and the other in
Canada.
The important fact remains, how
ever, that the new species. has really
been established and there are now
sufficient number of cataloes, ac-
cording to Mr.. Borthwick, to make it
safe to prophesy that the new ami
NAL win play a leading part in the
future food supply of the United
States.
Unlike the mule, this hybrid is able
to perpetuate its own species without |
reverting to type. SO far as Is known.
no males have ever been born from
this first cross. The heifers resulting
from the first cross are bred either
TO domestic or buffalo bulls, So that
the second generation is either three
quarters or one-quarter buffalo, as the |
case may be. In this second genera
tion the animal resembles very closely
either the buffalo or the domestic |