254 N. n. STATE AGRICULimiAL SOCIETY. 



A perfect touch will be found Trith a thick, loose skiU; float- 

 ing, as it were, on a layer of soft fat, yielding to the least 

 pressure, and springing back towards the fingers like apiece 

 of soft, thick chamois leather, and covered with thick, glossy, 

 soft hair. Such a collection of hair looks rich and beautiful, 

 and seems warm and comfortable to the animal. It is not 

 unlike a bed of fine soft moss, and hence such a skin is fre- 

 quently styled " mossy." The sensation derived from feel- 

 ing a fine touch is pleasurable, and delightful, to an amateur 

 of breeding. Along with it is generally associated a fine 

 symmetrical form. A knowledge of touch can only be ac- 

 quired by long practice; but, after it is once acquired, it is 

 of itself a suflicient means of judging of the feeding qualities 

 of the ox; because, when present, the properties of symmet- 

 rical form, fine bone, sweet disposition, and a purity of blood, 

 are the general accompaniments. These are the essential 

 points of judging lean cattle ; but there are other and im- 

 portant considerations which must claim the attention of 

 the judge, in forming a thoroughjudgment of the ox. 



The proportion wliich the extremities bear to the body 

 and to each other, is one of these considerations. The head 

 of the ox should be small, and set on the neck as if it ap- 

 peared to be easily carried by the animal. This considera- 

 tion is of great importance in sliowing cattle to advantage 

 in the market. The face should be long from the eyes to 

 to the point of the nose. No face can be handsome without 

 this feature. The skull should be broad across the eyes, 

 and only contract a little above them, but should taper con- 

 siderably below them to the nose. The muzzle sliould be 

 fine and small, and the nostrils capacious. The crown of 

 the head should be flat and strong, and llic horns should 

 protrude horizontally from both sides of it, thougli the di- 

 rection of the growth from the middle to the tip varies in 

 the different breeds. The cars should not be large, l)ut 

 should stand a little erect, and be so thin as to appear 

 translucent when exposed to the sun. The neck should bo 



