SECRETARY'S REPORT. 125 



nearly so, be well adapted in all respects to our situation, and fulfill 

 our requirements, and would also produce the desired improvement 

 in the grades, it would evidently be good policy to adopt it in 

 preference to the Short-horn. 



The NoKTH Devons are deemed to be of longer standing than any 

 other of the distinct breeds of England, and they have been esteemed 

 for their good qualities for several centuries. Mr. George Turner, 

 a noted breeder of Devons, describes them as follows: — "Their 

 color is generally a bright red, but varying a little either darker or 

 more yellow ; they have seldom any white except about the udder 

 of the cow or belly of the bull, and this is but little seen. They 

 have long yellowish horns, beautifully and gracefully curved, noses 

 or muzzles white, with expanded nostrils, eyes full and prominent, 

 but calm, ears of moderate size and yellowish inside, necks rather 

 long, with but little dewlap, and the head well set on, shoulders 

 oblique with small points or marrow bones, legs small and straight 

 and feet in proportion. The chest is of moderate width, and the 

 ribs round and well expanded, except in some instances, where too 

 great attention has been paid- to the hind quarters at the expense 

 of the fore, and which has caused a falling off, or flatness, behind 

 the shoulders. The loins are first rate, wide, long and full of flesh, 

 hii^s round and of moderate width ; rumps level and well filled at 

 the bed ; tail full near the rump and tapering much at the top. 

 The thighs of the cows are occasionally light, but the bull and ox 

 are full of muscle, with a deep and rich flank. On the whole there 

 is scarcely any breed of cattle so rich and mellow in its touch, so 

 silky and fine in its hair, and altogether so handsome in its appear- 

 ance, as the North Devon, added to which they have a greater pro- 

 portion of weight in the most valuable joints and less in the coarse, 

 than any other breed, and also consume less food in its production. 



As milkers they are about the same as most other breeds ; — the 

 general average of a dairy of cows being about one pound of butter 

 per day from each cow daring the summer months, although in 

 some instances the very best bred cows give a great deal more. 



As working oxen they greatly surpass any other breed. They 

 are perfectly docile and excellent walkers, are generally worked 

 until five or six years old, and then fattened at less expense than 

 most other oxen." 



The author of the report on the live stock shown at the exhibition 

 of the Royal Agricultural Society at Warwick in 1859 (Mr. Robert 

 Smith) says : 



