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speaking, deeper than in the other, being reds and rich roans. The Booth cattle are wider, deeper, and perhaps less pretty. Their shoulders are more laid back, their foreribs and flanks deeper and better filled. They are more a beef than a milk breed, with well-packed quarters and thick loins. The sires remind one more of a fat Smithfield ox, and they move without that courage and dash so peculiar to the "Duke's" and other highly valued strains of the Bates tribes.' But while these are the two great divisions of the breed, there are a great many excellent shorthorns of mixed breeding which do not show any decided leaning either to the one or the other. The prevailing colour of shorthorns is roan of varying shades, but many are red, and some white. There is a dislike to red and white in distinct spots as a colour, and quite an unreasonable objection to white.

In precocity, production of meat, and general utility, the shorthorn is unsurpassed. Other varieties may excel it in special points for peculiar purposes or in certain limited districts, but for a combination of all the more useful properties of domestic cattle and adaptability to varying conditions of soil and climate, there is no equal to the shorthorn. The facility with which the shorthorn adapts itself to changes of soil, climate, and treatment is quite remarkable, and this combined with the valuable property which it also possesses in an unequalled degree suitability for crossing with and improving other and inferior classes of cattle-has spread the improved shorthorn far and wide, not only in its own native land, but in countries beyond the seas. In North and South America, the continent of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and other parts, the shorthorn has been extensively introduced. In all these countries, as at home, it has been one of the most active and effective agents in improving the native races of cattle and in increasing the production of high-class beef. Many breeders of shorthorn cattle have cultivated the fattening to the detriment of the milking properties. Still, while it is quite common to meet with a very light milker amongst shorthorn cows, there is a large section of the breed which possesses dairying properties of the highest order. Good shorthorn cows give from 700 to 1000 gallons of milk in twelve months. At the London Christmas Fat Stock Show in December 1887 the class of shorthorn steers under two years old (averaging 672 days) gave an average liveweight of 1396 lb.; steers over two and under three years of age (averaging 988 days), 1870 lb.; and steers over three years old (averaging 1321 days), 2116 lb. each.

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little doubt that infusions of foreign blood contributed to some extent to the building up of the modern Hereford. In the 17th century cattle had been imported into Hereford from Flanders by Lord Scudamore, and in later times there had been introductions of stock from various parts of England and Wales. The dominant ingredient, however, is the aboriginal race of the county, and selection in breeding and careful management have been the principal agencies by which the breed has been brought to the high standard it has now attained. The modern typical Hereford is red in colour, with white face and white marks in the top

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line of the neck, back over the crops, as well as in the chest and bottom line all the way backwards. The 'white face' is indeed the tribal badge' of the Hereford, and with their wide and graceful horns they are singularly handsome in outward appearance. Formerly there were gray-faced or spotted Herefords; and even yet there is in existence a strain of Herefords known as 'smoky-faced Montgomeries.' The Herefords are similar in size to the shorthorn; usually broad along the back and heavily fleshed, but occasionally light in the thighs and deficient in internal fat. Their highest property lies in their value as grazing cattle; and this has led to the extensive employment of Hereford bulls in breeding cattle for the rolling prairie-ranches of the western states of America. They are hardy cattle, with a rank coat of hair and thick mellow hide, and they are excellent foragers'-all points of special importance in ranche cattle. It is pre-eminently a beef-producing breed; matures early and yields meat of the finest quality. As a rule the cows are deficient as milkers, for this property has never been cultivated as it ought to have been. The average live-weight of two-year-old Hereford steers (averaging 634 days) at the London Christmas Fat Stock Show in December 1887 was 1390 lb.; of steers over and under three years (averaging 938 days), 1742 lb. ; and of steers over three years (averaging 1310 days), 2041 lb. There are a few excellent herds of Herefords in Ireland, and they have been exported in large numbers to foreign countries, notably North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Hereford cattle display strongly fixed and peculiarly distinctive characteristics both in outward features and general attributes. The improved breed traces directly from the stock of cattle which were found by the earliest writers on agricultural topics existing in the county of Hereford and adjoining districts-the same aboriginal variety from which have descended the Devon Devon cattle are deep red in colour, and have and Sussex breeds. The improvement of the frequently a white spot on the belly just in front of Hereford would seem to have been begun by the the udder, with wide round loins, smaller in size Tomkins family far back in the 18th century, and than the two breeds just mentioned. It is noted was taken up in a systematic manner by Benjamin for the almost perfect formation of the shoulder, Tomkins about 1766, and carried on by him with which is laid into the body with remarkable much energy and success until his death in 1815. neatness. The breed has still its headquarters His herd was continued by his daughters till 1819 in Devon and Somerset, where it has held undis(one year later than the Barmpton sale of short-puted sway for hundreds of years. It won the horns), when it was dispersed by public auction. Twenty-eight breeding animals realised an average of £149 per head; four adult bulls having brought as much as £267, 15s. each; and two bull-calves £181, 2 6d. each. From that time the fortunes of the breed fell into other hands, and never for a moment have the Hereford stock-owners wavered in their loyalty to their fine old breed of cattle. There is

admiration of Arthur Young, who gives interesting information regarding the breed in his report dated 1776. Here also there was one master mind' at work on the improvement of the breed. Mr Quartly of Molland is described by Young as the most celebrated of breeders in North Devon; and the greatest of our early writers on agriculture gives a most minute account of the scheme of

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breeding which was pursued by Mr Quartly and his brother, the clergyman who interests himself much in live-stock. The ideal animal which the Quartlys kept before them and bred up to exactly corresponds to the typical Devon of to-day; and there is no doubt that their sound and systematic method of breeding imprinted an indelible stamp upon the race through which the blood of their stock has freely permeated. In former times, when cattle were beasts of burden, the Devons were greatly esteemed for their agility and hardiness. Now that the yoke has fallen upon other shoulders, the Rubies of the West,' as the plump little Devons have been called by their admirers, are holding a high position as beef-producers. The quality of their meat is excelled by none; and while they are small in size, they give a good return for the food they consume. Garrard, writing in 1800, attributed the excellence of Devon cattle mainly to the mildness of the climate and high dry ground, calcareous soil, and sweet pasture where they were bred; but he considered it might be clco to some extent due to an admixture of finer blood from the still warmer continent of Europe. There may have been some slight foundation for this latter suggestion; but it is undeniable that the main forces and features now existing in Devon cattle are distinctively native to the south-west of England. This idea is strengthened by the recollection of the estimate of Devon cattle formed by Bakewell, who declared that they could not be improved by any cross. From the first and greatest of all our early improvers of farm live-stock this testimony is weighty. The dairy properties of the breed are not of a high order. The yield of milk is comparatively small, but its quality is exceptionally rich. Some rare specimens of the breed have reached 19 cwt. live-weight at four years old, but the average is much below that. At the London Christmas Fat Stock Show in December 1887 the class of two-year-old Devon steers (averaging 681 days) gave an average live-weight of 1235 lb.; steers over two and under three years old (averaging 996 days), 1489 lb.; and steers over three years (averaging 1320 days), 1734 lb. each.

The Red Polled cattle of Norfolk and Suffolk are supposed to bear a close affinity to the polled breeds of Scotland through the circumstance that formerly Scotch cattle were freely transported to be fattened on the Norfolk pastures. Be this as it may, the red polled breed has been sufficiently long associated with Norfolk and Suffolk to enable these counties to claim them as natives. Marshall in his Political Economy of Norfolk, published in 1782, tells us that the native cattle of Norfolk were a small, hardy thriving race, fattening as freely at three years old as cattle in general do at four or five. They are small boned, short legged, round barrelled, well loined; the favourite colour a blood-red with a white or mottled face.' Arthur Young, writing in 1794, says the Suffolk breed of cattle is universally polled, that is, without horns; the size small; few rise when fattened to above 50 stone (14 lb.); the milk veins remarkably large; cows upon good land give a great quantity of rich milk. These are the progenitors of the modern red polls, and all the good features of the old breed have been retained and developed. The cattle are now relatively larger, still blood-red in colour, but with no white face, good meat-producers, and, taken as a whole, perhaps the best of all the native English breeds from a dairying point of view. Individual shorthorn cows will be found to exceed them in yield of milk, but red-polled cows are distinguished for high average milking properties. The breed has found much favour in the United States of America and elsewhere abroad. Its uniformity of colour, absence of horns, and

usefulness both as beef and milk producers have won for it many hearty admirers in America. Sussex cattle are also uniformly red in colour, with strong spreading horns, larger in size than the Devons, heavy meat-producers, but deficient in dairying properties. Marshall is probably right in stating (1796-98) that the Sussex, Devon, Hereford, North Wales, and Gloucestershire cattle had all sprung from the same aboriginal stock; and that in fact they were varieties arising from soils and management of the native breeds of this island.' Formerly Sussex cows were highly esteemed for their milking properties, but in the rage for beefproduction these have unfortunately been destroyed. Sussex cattle mature early, grow to great weights, and in late years they have been improving in quality. They have also found supporters in foreign countries, chiefly in the United States of America. Young Sussex steers (averaging 659 days) at the London Christmas Fat Stock Show in 1887 reached an average live-weight of 1436 lb., and three-year-old steers (averaging 1349 days), 2030 lb. each.

Longhorn cattle are now in few hands; so few indeed that the breed may be said to be approaching extinction. They are big, rough, ungainly cattle, with long drooping horns which are often so shaped as to make it difficult for the animals to graze short pasture. The cows give a fair quantity of very rich milk, and the bullocks grow and fatten to great weights. But for general utility they are being ousted by smaller, finer, and more rapidly maturing varieties. Peculiar interest attaches to this breed from the fact that it was upon it that the past great improver of farm live-stock, Robert Bakewell (q.v.) of Dishley, tried his earliest experiments. The improvement of live-stock upon scientific principles dates from 1755, when Bakewell began his great work with longhorns. These cattle were at one time widely diffused through England, and also obtained a footing in Ireland, but were many years ago supplanted by shorthorns, Herefords, Devons, or other varieties.

Welsh cattle present considerable variety of type and character, yet there is all through a noticeable family likeness, arising of course in their common origin in the aboriginal cattle of the principality. They are black in colour, with long horns, hardy in constitution, good milkers, slow in maturing, but able to subsist and thrive upon scanty fare. In late years they have been considerably improved, especially in their fattening properties. They vary greatly in size, but many of them attain great weights at from three to four years old. The average live-weight of Welsh steers at the London Christmas Fat Stock Show in 1887 was 2111 lb. each, their average having been 1286 days.

Amongst the four Scotch breeds of cattle the Polled Aberdeen Angus is well entitled to precedence. Descended directly from the ancient polled cattle of Angus (Forfarshire) and Buchan (in Aberdeenshire)-two varieties of the same type, known in the former as 'Doddies,' and in the latter as Humlies'-this valuable beef-producing breed has made great strides in public favour since 1878, when, with five plump black polls the late Mr William M'Combie (1805-80) of Tillyfour carried off the champion prize for the best group of 'meatmaking' cattle at the Paris Exhibition, where no fewer than sixty different varieties of cattle were represented, including the best of the English breeds. That remarkable triumph has been followed by great achievements at home, the breed having in 1881, 1885, and 1887 won the £100 Champion Plate at the London Christmas Fat Stock Show. The improvement of the breed was begun before the advent of the 19th century, and all

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through its breeders have been careful to preserve and cultivate its exceptionally high properties in the production of meat of the choicest quality. In this lies the chief excellence of the breed, and in these times the characteristic is one of great value. This property in the northern polls, combined with the sound system of feeding pursued in Scotland, has secured prime Scotch' beef the highest favour and longest price in the London market. At one time

Fig. 3.-Polled Aberdeen-Angus Bull and Cow.

the cows of this breed gave a bountiful yield of rich milk, but owing to the breeders' attention having so long been mainly directed to the cultivation of the fattening properties, they are now only moderate milkers. In recent years the breed has improved considerably in early maturity, and at the London Fat Stock Show in December 1887 it surpassed all other breeds in this important property. At that show the class of polled Aberdeen-Angus steers under two years (averaging 667 days in age) gave an average live-weight of 1475 lb.; and steers over two and under three years (averaging 984 days), 1874 lb. Black is the prevailing colour, but occasionally a red calf is dropped.

The Galloway breed, which takes its name from the south-west of Scotland, where it has existed it is believed for centuries, has an undeniable claim to an ancient lineage. Its origin is lost in the mists of bygone ages, but enough of its history is known to insure for this breed a high position amongst the native races of British cattle. Black and hornless like the polled Aberdeen-Angus breed, Galloway cattle differ substantially from the former, not only in outward features, Fig. 4.-Galloway Bull. but also in their inherent properties. They are similar in size, more shaggy and muscular in appearance, having a thicker hide and ranker coat of hair, but they do not mature so quickly, and are not so well suited for rapid house-feeding as the northern polls. But the Galloways are excellent grazing cattle, and for this property they have been highly esteemed for many generations, both in England and Scotland. In recent years they have been exported in large numbers to America, where they have been found admirably adapted for ranching purposes. They are exceed ingly robust and hardy, and have surpassed several of the other finer varieties on the ranches of the western states of America, where the cattle have to accomplish a great deal of walking in finding food and water.

From a dairy-farmer's point of view, the Ayrshire is the most valuable of all the British breeds of cattle. Its origin is uncertain, but it is considered more than probable that its progenitors were of Dutch extraction. Be this as it may, it was well established as a famous dairy breed in

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the south-west of Scotland before the close of the 18th century. The prevailing colours are brown and white, but some are almost entirely white, others are almost a whole brown. They are wide, low-set cattle, with fine horns curving upwards. They are second-rate cattle as beef-producers, but as profitable general dairy cattle they are unsurpassed. A fairly good Ayrshire cow will give 600 gallons of milk in a year, a very large quantity for her moderate size.

There is no more handsome animal of the bovine species than a genuine representative of the West Highland breed. Almost as large in size as the shorthorn, and quite as well proportioned in the frame, the West Highlander gains in appearance by his rank shaggy coat of hair, long, spreading, gracefully turned horns, and hardy, muscular, and defiant gait. With the Wild White cattle of Chillingham and the tiny little Kerry of Ireland, the West Highland is regarded as the finest existing representative of the ancient cattle of Britain. The breed presents considerable variety in size and colour. Dun or yellow of various shades is the prevailing colour, but many are black or brindled. They mature slowly, but their beef is much esteemed for its quality and flavour. They are unequalled for hardiness, and can be kept with advantage where no other breed would subsist. The cattle of Orkney and Shetland differ considerably from the varieties on the mainland, but they are as a rule of an inferior character and small in size.

Fig. 5.-West Highland Cow.

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The Kerry is the smallest of all the recognised varieties of British cattle. The breed has its headquarters in the bleak hills and upland pastures of the county from which it takes its name, and having been much neglected by Irish farmers, it forms only a very small proportion of the cattle stock of Ireland, which now mainly consists of crosses between the improved shorthorn and 'old Irish cows,' which were of mixed-bred nondescript character. Kerry cattle are very hardy, and the attributes of the Kerry cow have thus been truthfully described by Youatt: Truly the poor man's cow, living everywhere, hardy, yielding for her size abundance of milk of good quality, and fattening rapidly when required. Black is the prevailing colour, and their horns are upturned and often peculiarly cocked.' There is a sub-variety called the 'Dexter Kerry,' shorter in the leg, thicker in body, and heavier in the flesh than the Kerry proper.

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The extension of dairy-farming in the United Kingdom, and the somewhat meagre milking properties of the greater proportion of British cattle, have led to the importation of large numbers of Channel Island cattle. These often indiscriminately called Alderney cattle-comprise the Jersey and Guernsey breeds, supposed to be from one common origin, but known to have been bred in purity in the respective islands of these names for upwards of a hundred years. They are both essentially dairy breeds, giving an abundant yield of rich highly-coloured milk. The Jersey is the smaller of the two, and is docile, delicate, and of graceful deer-like form. In the production of beef it is of little value. The Guernsey is not only larger, but also hardier and more generally useful. When in

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