Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-07-13
AMONG THE FARMERS.
"srHEp THE PLow."
BIooded Stock.


Riding through the country one sees
on the hillside pastures droves of cattle,
generally of prevailing color, indicating
that they belong to some particular class
of bovines.
Time was when such distinction did
not exist. A COW or an OK was simply q
COW or OK. Neither had breed and
when blooded stock was introduced they
were called "natives."
It will be seen, then, that all blooded
stock is foreign-st best nsturslized i'm.
migrants. They cannot be called one
hundred per cent. American. As they
became assimilsted, there came q large
number of half-breeds or quarter. breeds,
or some other fractional part of breed,
so that the small boy when asked what
was the breed of his pet calf, was not so
far ont Of the way when he answered |:
"Part heifer and part jersey"
The first importations were from Eng
land, large animals, generally, of pre-
vailing red hue with some markings OF q
different color. The Durhams were red,
ss whole, in color, but some of them
bad white hair mixed with the red,
generally called ''grizzled Durhams."
Then there were the Herefords. Per.
haps no bandsomer animals Of the bovine
race have ever been created. Large red
bodied cattle each with q white face and
kindly, gentle eyes. Both of the above
varieties might be called beef cattle or
working cattle as they were excellent
for both uses. The cows gave generous
quantities OF milk but they could not be
recommended for butter.
There was another variety which one
sometimes came across. They were
smaller in size and of deeper red color.
Some called them cherry colored, which
was not an entirely inaccurate indication
If their hue. They were nervous race
with eyes that suggested wild animal,
yet graceful 10 their movements. Per.
haps they are as near the original wild
cattle as anything that has come down
to US. They are handsome animals,
however. The Shaker community,
which formerly lived just below the
Poland Spring hotels, had big herd of
these animals and sight of them In their
pasture was worth looking at. There
are very few of them now owned in this
vicinity. The last herd of these Devons
in Oxford County, 80 far as the writer
knows, was that owned by Luther 81.
Maxim, then of Sumner, but now q resi-.
dent of Florida.
About half century ago large impor-
tations of Jerseys were made, with a
few of their cousins, the Guernseys. 1t
is one of those singular things that two
small islands could produce race of
cattle that would largely dominate the
cream product of the world. 1t simply
UNDERWRITERS Ralph Waldo Emerson's
statement that IL man can make a bet
ter mouse-trap than another the world
will make a'trodden path to his door for
the product; or words to that effect.
As everybody knows the Jersey has the
build and color of q deer. Yet the
damp, dog-da climate of the southern
English Channel has made them suscep.
tible to tubercular affections.
During the last quarter of q century
dairy men have turned toward Denmark
for breed Of cattle that shall combine
the highest ideals of the Danes, who
furnish quite portion of the golden
material which buffers the bread of
most of Europe and a'hsrdihood north
ern climate alone can produce; so the
pastures mentioned in the first OF this
article show droves of black and white
cattle under the general designation of
Holsteins.
On farm few miles south of South
Paris can be seen drove of black and
white cattle not exactly like the others.
One glance shows them to be up to date,
at least from feminine standard. No
lady at the present time can be consid-
cred In style who does not have belt of
some kind about her person, and these
COWS all have one, quite wide one too,
so they must be in style. The general
color scheme of their dress Is black and
the belt Is white. Belted Dutch Ia their
designation.
It can be readily seen that the bovine
race have formed league of nations
English, Danish, Dutch and other varie-
ties living together in harmony. They
seem to have done the humans one bet.
ter inasmuch as Holstein don't think
he has got to fight Durham, simply be-
cause of color or race.
Perhaps they may be little proud of
pedigree like their masters. Maybe the
calves may brsg, when they get together,
of the ribbons their mothers have won;
or, maybe. of how many governors or
senators their fathers have driven out of
a pasture; but the humans ought to be
able to excuse such vanity.
AoJTl RJJIs