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AMONG THE SHORT-HORN BREEDERS.
Great Sales in Western Indiana, August 12th and
18th—The Herds of John Giles and Claude
Matthews—The Cattle to be Sold—The Value
of Breeding Cattle—Why Breeders should attend these Sales—Etc., ate.
JOHN GILES   SALE.
A few daj's since I had the pleasure of
looking over the herds of Short-horn cattle, belonging to John Giles, of Sullivan,
Sullivan county, Indiana, and Claude Matthews, of Clinton, Vermillion county, Indiana. As these valuable herds are soon
to be exposed to sale at public auction, I
thought that a few notes at this time relative to their merits might be interesting
as well as profitable to some of the many
readers of the Farmer. Perhaps there is
no State in the Union that is better adapted in all the requirements for successfully
and properly growing the tame grasses and
grazing cattle than Indiana : and yet there
are comparatively very few farmers in the
State who attempt to grow the amount of
grass that they really should grow, and for
the want of more good grass they are induced to keep but few cattlo, and those
often of a very inferior quality. If there
are any subjects upon which Indiana farmers need to be stirred up, more than others,
it is this:—Grow more grass and keep better cattle. Grass farming is profitable with
the right kind of cattle to consume the
grass, but with a common and poor quality
of cattle it is much less so. Farmers
should raise steers that would weigh at
two years old, when well fatted, from 1,400
to 1,500 pounds; at three years old, from
1,800 to 2,000, and at four year old, from
2,200 to 2,400 pounds. They should not
only have the weights given above, but
the steers should be so fine in flesh and so
heavy in the consumable and most valuable
parts of the carcass, and the offal and
cheaper parts should be so light that
butchers could not only afford to give, but
would actually give from twenty to forty
per cent, more per pound for them than
they could give for the common low grades
of the country. Such steers can be produced by good treatment, by having the
right kind of Short-horn blood to commence with, and snch blood may be obtained at cither of the sales above referred
to. As the value of such blood is greater
than that in the common stock of thc
country, so ought the purchase price of
thoroughbred cattle to be greater than
that of grades or natives, Farmers who
have goo'i grr-rs. and who aim to make
money by breeding and grazing cattle,
should attend both of these sales with the
determination to purchase at least one
good breeding animal. They should not
be deterred from purchasing merely because the price appears to be high. "All
things hang upon comparison." The value
of breeding cattle does not depend alone
upon their weight, or the amount? they
would bring from the butcher, but mainly
upon their power to produce offspring
having the same superior qualities as them-
.selves. The price that a farmer can afford
to pay for a breeding bull does not always
depend upon his intrinsic value alone, hut
upon the amount of service he may be allowed to perform and the quality of the
females to which* he may be used. The
best thoroughbred bull in the land, if used
only#o four or five scrub cows annually,
and the calves turned off to the butcher at
one or two years old, would be worth no
more than the cost of keeping him; while,
if he was used to sixty or seventy cows annually, and the calves were kept until three
or four years old, his services would be
worth from three to four hundred dollars
annually; again if he were used to his full
capacity to the best of thoroughbred females, and the calves all kept for breeding
purposes, his services might be worth five
thousand dollars a year. This Comparison
is made to encourage grangers and farmers
generally to form companies large enough
to secure at least fifty females to a bull at
one point, and then purchase a first-class
bull for the use of the company. You can
afford to pay for a good one anywhere from
$200 to $500. Try it; it will pay. But I
find I shall have my article too long, the
first thing I know. I commenced writing
to give a little description of the herds as
I saw them. The herd of John Giles consists of eighty-two head of Herd Book
animals that will be sold in separate lots,
besides ten or twelve calves that will be
sold with their dams. Of the eighty-two
head twenty-two are males and sixty are
females. Nine of the bulls are now old
enough for service. Thirteen of the bulls
,are deep red in color, four are red and
; white, four are roan, one is white. Twelve
■of the bulls were sired by Patrick, 8761.
' the bull which has stood at the head of
his herd for the last four .years. Patrick; long and well-sprung rib.
is worthy of special "mention,"not only'on j and long, level rump, togc
account of'his'individual excellence, but c-- — * •
also-on account of his..superior.•and.urii-
form breeding.' ' He is now over five years
old, and will weigh in good flesh near 2.500
pounds. He is deep red in color and gives
with nearly absolute certainty the same
color to all his calves. He is on a very
nice, well set limb; his arm running
smoothly into a deep massive, yet fine
shoulder. He is a bull of good substance,
connected with fine style. His calves have
nearly invariably fine clean heads, with
large eyes and thin ears. He is very quiet,
is active and vigorous, just now in his
prime, and will be able for good service for
several years yet. He was sired by Burn-
side, 4,618, out of Ellen Challenger, second,
lis broad
'ier with
0111
hi:
The man*
grass ami
gement would be,  no feed but i     Head.—Small, lean,
hay for the ewes or ewe lambs till Uo the muzzle—3.
bony, tapering
fine and stylish head'and netk.ull show to j the time draft ewes would have to be fat
the careful observer that lie must have I tened ; then they would be allowed to stuff
been a very superior animal in his young- \ themselves with such proportions of the
er days. He should have been such, for; best mutton-producing food as was most
his blood is obtained from old imported i convenient for use; and as there are two
Duke of Airdrie (12730), Nannie Williams I profits attached to usingrichfoodit would
by Sir Alfred 000, and from Louan 8th by! be a very great addition of fertility given
D'Otley 432.   Four of the bull-calves to! to the land by the richer dung and urine
be sold are by*Duncan's "Airdrie 5(315, and
one by 3d Duke of Oneida 9027, a pure
Duke bull, bred by Samuel Campbell, of
New York Mills.   The bull-calves, though
from the sheep, aud consequently much
more produce grown. The wether sheep
would be very prime by having eaten good
food, and the best fed mutton always com
too young for service this season, will be | mands a high price per pound. Or a mag-
ready for next year, and will all make | nificent sheep farm might be established
valuable bulls. Of the twenty-four females j where there are fine prairies adjoining, and
to be sold, twelve of them are dec-ended j on which might be had unlimited pasture
from imported Matilda, by Imperial (2151). [and much hay, too, to help the inclosed
SHORT-HORN COW.
(See article headed "Points in Cattle," on this page.)
by Gen. Geo. B. McClelland, 5,663, running back through several good crosses to
imp. Young Mary by Jupiter (2,170).
Burnside was sired by Duke John, 2,741,
out of imp. Bracelet by Duke of Athol
(1015), Duke John by imp. Duke of Airdrie (12,730), out of Lady Sherwood bv
5th Duke of York (10,168). Ofthe sixty
females only eighteen are over five years
old; twenty-nine are over one year and
under five, and thirteen are under one
year old. Forty-five of. them are red,
seven are red and white, and eight are
roans. Sixteen of the females are Seconded from imported Illustrious by Emperor
(1074). This is a valuable family, and a
number of them in this herd have decided
individual merit. There arc six in this
herd that aro descended directly from
imported Lady Barriscourt, by Jasper
(11,069). The balance of the females are
scattered through sixteen or seventeen dif-
ierent families, thc most of whi. h ought to
be good enough for Uie most careful buyer.
Among these.is Zcnaida, lth,a very handsome, compact, good feeding, six year old
red cow. She was sired by 2d Duke
of Geneva, 5,562. has in her also the
blood of Lord Derby, 3,086. Duke of Airdrie (12,730), Perfection, 810; her fourth
dam being Nannie Williams by Sir Alford,
969. Gold Ring is a very large, good, six
year old red cow, with her pedigree tracing
back to imported Mrs. Motto, her twelfth
dam. Miss Wiley is a handsome red, three
year old heifer, with a pedigree that ought
to be satisfactory to the most fastidious
breeder;   the blood of Duke of Airdrie
i 12,730), enters largely into her veins.
Jeauty, 2d, is an excellent good feeding
red cow, sired by Ashland Airdrie, 7.514,
a grandson of Duke^ of Airdrie, (12,730).
tracing on her dams side to importedl oung
Phillis by Fairfax, (1,023). Ashland Short
Tail, 4th, is a large, deep red, sis year old
cow of unexceptional pedigree. I will
not make further special mention, though
there are many other animals that are
quite worthy, but must say that in looking
over the cows that are now giving milk,
one will be impressed with the idea that
The bulls appearing in the pedigrees above
Matilda are imp. Count Halley (1855). imp.
Hazelwood (2098), Prince Charles 2d 861,
Winfield 1107^ and Major Duncan 5927,
and in some of the younger things, Bluff
Airdrie 8538, and Duncan's Airdrie 5615.
The pedigree of this family is not only unexceptionable, but really desirable, and the
individuals to be sold are all good to very
good. Some ofthe older cows aro in light
flesh at present, owing to their good milking qualities. Three of the females are
descended from imported Flora, by a son
of Young Albion (730),with top crosses
very similar to those in imp. Matilda.
These cows are also good'milkers. There
are five females of the Bonnie Eyes family
to be sold, with four or five excellent top
crosses in the pedigrees, with imported
Mrs. Mott, by Adam 717, near the middle.
It is moro than probable that some excellent good bargains will be had in the purchase of these animals. I tome now to
notice last the two celebrated show cows—
Hazel Queen 1st and Hazel Queen 2d.
They aro both deep red. and bred by R. R
farm; in the latter case, which would give
opportunity for expansion, fabulous wealth
could be accumulatod by a perfect system
of husbandry. Suppose 10,000 native ewes
tended by careful men, selected by a superintendent knowing what kind of shepherds
to get, and understanding how.to keep
them in seperate lots when necessary, etc.,
and then imagine the improvement pure
English rams would make, and how. by
continuing to keep no rams but thoroughbred ones, each generation would become
more and more a counterpart of the flocks
from which the sires came, then calculate
the profits from wool and mutton on a
properly managed rauche, where there was
system in every way, where nothing was
left to take care of itself, and everything
was turned to advantage. However, the
main question is, a breed of sheep which
will thrive ou good hay and grass. A great
many American gentlemen don't know
what good sheep hay is ; for the coarse,
large-stemmed, cultivated grasses, which
are mowed when in seed or nearly seeded,
is only lit for sheep to pick out the finest
Seymour, of Ross eounty, Ohio.    The first \ portions; the old dead stuff so often  put
was sired by Plantagenet 6031, out of
Queen of Highland 2d, by Airdrie of Pax-
ton 740.>—second dam Queen of Highland
by Grand Duke 2934. The second was
sired by Duncan's Airdrie 5615, out of
Queen of Highland, by Grand Duke 2934.
The first is four years old, has had one
calf, and is bred again. The second is now
in calf to Breastplate 11431. The first
weighs, now, about 1,700 pounds, and the
second not much less. They are both in
fine showing condition, and will be hard to
beat at any fair this fall. Their pedigrees
are short, but every cross above imported
Victoria is of the best quality.
I bespeak for both of these sales a good
attendance of lively bidders. Col. J. W.
Judy, auctioneer, will hold the hammer
on both occasions.        Chas. Lowder.
SHEEP-FARMING FOR PROFIT.
Many gentlemen of means are anxious
to plaee their sons with good farmers, to
as a herd of cows they are rather extra give them a more practical experience of
regular'agriculture than they would gain
good milkers. Many ofthe cows now giv
ing_ milk are quite thin in flesh, indeed
entirely too thin to sell to the common
buyer for what they are worth. This sale
will take place on the Fair Grounds, near
Sullivan, in Sullivan county, on the E. &
C. Railroad, 25 miles south of Terre Haute,
on the 12th of August next.
CLAUDE MATTIIEWS'  SALE.    "
On the day following, (August 13th,)
Claude Matthews' herd will be sold, at the
fair grounds at Terre Haute. This is a
good railroad center. Two roads run west,
two north, two east, and one south. This
herd, though small in number, contains
some very superior animals. It numbers
thirty head—six males and twenty-four
females. Duncsfh's Airdrie, 5615, a good,
deep red bull, now ten years old, has stood
at the'head of the herd for the last three
years, and most ofthe young things are by
him.   Though old, he is a handy and sure
in colleges "put up " more for the benefit
of those at the head than the students;
now it would not cost a " ring " of wealthy
men half as much to start a joint stock
farm; and if some moneyed men (say ten)
will start such an undertaking, I will be
one, taking a less share of the profits of
sheep than is given in a general way as my
remuneration. It must be extensive
enough to have 500 breeding ewes, and be
in the Southwest, and so located as to
allow of having grass land, which has the
best native varieties growing on suitable
soil which has never been plowed—say
1,000 acres, half grass, never to be disturbed by plowing; 500 in corn, grain,
roots and clover; say 500 breeding ewes
"and young sheep to be raised and disposed
of in a systematic way; 50 dairy cows,
1 heifer calves all raised, and 30 brood mares
breeder.   He is now thin in flesh, but his) —or double and treble the stock if desired.
into barns is almost as bad for sheep as the
gristle of beef and the rind of pork would
he for children to digest and thrive on.
Merino sheep are a long time growing to
maturity ; when they have grown they will
support their thin-fleshed frames with less
food than the mutton breeds, but how little their carcass is worth! As there seems
to be an objection to feed as the English
do, it is of no use _ to have English sheep,
but I should imagine the very best ram we
could use woujd be an Oxford Down, because he combines the best qualities of the
Cotswold, the Hampshire Down, and the
pure South Down, and the wool is first
class. The ewes should be the best grades
we know of, but no farmer can possibly do
any good with sheep if he sells his ewe
lambs; nor will he succeed if he keeps old
ewes in his flock; for I have known hundreds of prosperous and wealthy agriculturists, but never one who became so by
farming, who had old ewes, old cows\ or
old horses. There have few English farmers come to the States ; but should any one
read this having come lately, I ask him to
say the truth respecting present management, for I can only say that twenty years
ago there were thousands of farmers who
annually sent good mutton to market and
sold wool averaging seven pounds per fleece,
who never fed grain, meal, oil-cake, or
anything but pure vegetable food. Nevertheless, those who fed .very freely of the
most stimulating food were most prosperous and grew very much heavier crops all
through thc rotations.—A Working Farmer in the Rural New Yorker.
POINTS IN CATTLE.
The following scale of points of excellence were established by the New York
State Agricultural Society in 1853.
POINTS IN A SHORT-HORN COW.
Pedigree—Should show unbroken descent on both sides, from known animals
derived from English herds, as found in
the English or American Herd Books, and
without this an animal cannot compete in
this class.
Fact— Somewhat long, the fleshy portion
ofthe nose of a light, delicate color—2.
Eye—Prominent, bright, and clear;
prominent, from an accumulation of adipose substance in the socket, indicating a
tendency to lay on fat; "bright," as an
evidence of good disposition; "clear," as
a guarantee of good health—2.
Horns and Ear—The horns should be
light in substance, waxy in color, and symmetrically set on the head. The ears should
be large, thin and with considerable action—1."
Neck—Rather short than long, tapering
to the head ; clean in the throat, and full    v
at its base, thus covering and filling out
the points of the shoulders—3?
Chest—Broad from point to point ofthe
shoulders, deep from the anterior dorsal
vertebra to the floor of the sternum, and
both round and full just back of the elbows,
or. in other words, " thick through the
li-sart"—14.
Brisket—Deej)and projecting,indicating
a disposition to lay on fat—5.
Shouldei—Where weight, as in theSho'rt-
horn. is an object, sliould be somewhat upright, and of a good width at the points,
with the blade bone just sufficiently curved
to blend its upper portion smoothly with
the crops—4.
Crops—Must be full and level with the
shoulders and back—8.
Back, Loin and Hips—Should be broad
and wide, forming a straight and even line
from the neck to the setting on of the tail,
the hips or hocks round and well covered—8.
Rumps—Laid up high, with plenty of
flesh on tlieir extremities—5.
Pelvis—Should be large, indicated by the
width of the hips (as already mentioned)
and the breadth ofthe twist—2.
The Ttoist—Should be so well filled out
in its "seam" as to form an even and wide
plain between the thighs—3.
The Quarters—Long, straight, and well
developed downward—5.
The Carcass—Round ; the ribs nearly
circular, and extending well back—4.
Th Flanks—Deep, wide,and full in proportion to condition—3.
lite Leg—Short, straight, and standing
square with the body—2.
The Plates—Of the belly strong, and
thus preserving nearly a straight under
line—3.
The Udder—Should be pliable, and thin
in its texture, reaching well forward, roomy
behind, teats wide apart, and of convenient
size—3.
The Tail—Flat and broad at its root, but
fine in its cord, and placed high up. and on
a level with the rump—2.
The Coat—Should be third:, -hort. and
mossy, with longer hair in winter; tine,
soft and glossy in summer—2.
The Citrriagt—Of an animal gives style
and beauty: the walk should be square,
the step quick, and the head up—2.
Quality—On this the thriftiness, the
feeding properties, and the value of the
animal depends; and upon the touch of
this quality rests, in a good measure, the
grazier's and the butcher's judgment. If
the "touch" be good, some deficiency of
form may be excused; but if it be hard and
stiff, nothing can compensate for so unpromising a feature. In raising the skin
from the body, between the thumb and
finger, it should have a soft, flexible and
substantial.feel; and,, when beneath the
outspread hand, it should move easily with
it and under it, as though resting on a soft,
elastic, cellular substance.which, however,
becomes firmer as the animal ripens. A
thin, papery skin is objectionable, more
especially in a cold climate—15.   100.
POINTS OF TnE SHORT-HORN BULL.
* Most of the points desirable in the female are generally so in the male, but, of
course, should be more masculine in their
character as inseparable from a strong,
vigorous constitution. Even a certain degree of coarseness is admissible, but then
it must be so exclusively of a masculine
description as never to be discovered in
the females of his get. In contradistinction to thc cow, the head of the bull may
be shorter, the frontal bone broader, and
the occipital flat and stronger, that it. may
receive and sustain the horn; and this
latter may be excused if a little heavy at
at the base, so its upward form, its quality,
and color be right. Neither is the looseness of the skin attached to, and depend-^
ing from, the under jaw, to be deemed'
other than a feature of the sex, provided
it is not extended beyond the bone, but'
leaves the gullet and throat clear and free
from dewlap. The upper'portion of the-i
neck should be full and muscular ; for it'
is an indication of strength, power and -^
constitution. The spine should be strong, S*
the bones of the loins long and broad, and
the whole muscular system wide, and thoroughly developed over the entire frame.