THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



thick ; the withers rather narrow ; and the fore-quarters 

 much weaker than the tind, with the tail high. The 

 expression of the animal is generally mild ; and the 

 yield of milk, though smaller in quantity than that of 

 the two races just mentioned, is rich in quality, and 

 much sought after. The disposition to fatten is also 

 great ; and the animal does not easily lose flesh. 



The white line on the back disappears in the Zilesthal 

 and Egerer races ; and tlie red of the head is much 

 darker than that of the Pinzgau. They much resemble 

 our Devons in colour, and, like them, vary greatly in 

 size. This is an excellent thickset and close-made race, 

 though their defects are, rather low backs and flat ribs. 

 The quality is good ; the hides thick, softj and elastic ; 

 and the horns short. The bulls run from 70 to 90 

 stone, when fat ; and the cows from 54 to 70 stone. 

 This breed has evidently had the advantage of better 

 management in the selection of male animals for the 

 purposes of breeding than many others at the Exhibi- 

 tion. The milk of this race is rich in quality, and makes 

 good butter and cheese. The animal is reared to perfec- 

 tion in the rich valleys of the ZiUer and Inn. 



The Oberinnthalle race is of a yellowish-grey, with 

 larger eyes than the Tyrol breeds generally have. The 

 flesh is tender, and good in quality. The animal is not 

 generous in fattening, but yields a large quantity of 

 milk. It is also rapid in its growth, attaining generally 

 in two years the same weight as the red or brown ox 

 takes three years to do. When slaughtered, the ox 

 gives from 500 to 8001b. of meat, and the cows from 

 350 to 7001b. 



The relative weight of the carcases of these several 

 races may be summed up as follows : 

 Lean oxen (net weight of flesh), from 40 to 50 per cent. 

 Half-fed oxen, ,, ,, 50 to 60 ,, 



Fattened ditto, ,, ,, 70 to 80 ,, 



The relative quantity of fat in each is generally : 

 Lean oxen, from 5 to 10 per cent. 

 Half- fed ditto, ,, 10 to 15 ,, 

 Fattened ditto, ,, 20 to 25 ,, 



The average price of meat in Central Austria, which 

 influences ordinarily that of a great portion of the em- 

 pire, is estimated as follows : 



Lean cows, per quintal of 1121b , 32s. to 36s. 



Half-fed ditto, „ 36s. to 42s. 



]?ulls, used, ,, 38s. to 44s. 



Draught oxen, ,, 44s. to 50s. 



Fat ditto, ,, 48s. to 52s. 



The proportion of fat, in all these races, is mainly 

 determined by the price of corn, with which they are 

 mostly fed. When the latter is low in price, the quan- 

 tity of fat in the Miirzthal and Mariahof races varies 

 from 120 to 1801b., or about 30 per cent. ; but when 

 corn is high, the fat seldom reaches more than 901b., or 

 from 10 to 15 per cent. The quintal of fat (1121b.) 

 ordinarily sells at from 50s. to 54s. The brewers are 

 mostly the stall-feeders of cattle, having a great quan- 

 tity of refuse grain from brewing. 



The relative value of fodder and meat is thus esti- 

 mated : To produce 1121b. of meat and fat, it requires 

 about 3,0001b. of prepared food, such as chopped hay, 

 &c., or its equivalent. With animals of a superior 



breed, which are recognized by the fineness of their 

 skin and the smallness of their bone, it requires for the 

 same weight of food about 2,000 to 2,4001b. ; while 

 heavy-boned and thick-skinned animals will consume 

 as much as from 4,000 to 4,500Ib. for the same weight 

 of meat. 



It was evident, throughout the whole show, that the 

 continental breeders of cattle looked rather to the milk- 

 ing properties of the animal than to its disposition for 

 making beef. Indeed, so strongly is this fact evidenced 

 in some of the races, that the milk alone has been 

 thought of any value, and the capacity for feeding as quite 

 subordinate to it, or of little or no consideration. 



HORSES. 



In this deparlment we were agreeably surprised to 

 find a few animals that would not discredit Lincolnshire 

 and Yorkshire. In most instances, however, it was evi- 

 dent whence the blood was obtained : it was also equally 

 clear that it had been derived from the sire, and not 

 from the dam. The English stallion has long been a 

 favourite amongst the horse-breeders of Hungary ; and 

 the form, the fire, and the expression of his whole frame 

 are unmistakeably impressed upon the best-bred horses 

 of that country. Better results, we think, would have 

 been obtained, had the mare also furnished her share in 

 the crossing of the breeds; bMt this is a point which seems 

 not to have struck the Hungarian breeder, nor, perhaps, 

 those whose suggestions he has so carefully adopted. 



There were certain defects, however, in most of the 

 specimens exhibited, which may easily be accounted for. 

 The general run of horses were nearly thorough-bied — 

 somewhat lanky in appearance, narrow in the chest, and 

 short in the hind-quarters. A great many of them, too, 

 were cow-hocked. This defect generally arises from 

 being badly fed when young — a fault most of the 

 breeders commit throughout the Austrian Empire. In 

 fact, they have no idea of what is called " making up" a 

 horse j for they never give the colt a bit of corn until it 

 is three years old, and ready, as they suppose, to begin 

 work ; whereas a feed, occasionally, of good corn would 

 obviate in a great measure that common but highly- 

 depreciating defect in the colt. A few specimens of 

 cart-horses presented better features, denoting strength 

 as well as agility in the animal ; while the prices asked 

 were exceedingly low, as compared to those demanded 

 in England for the same class and character of horse. 

 We ought also to remark that the horse, generally 

 speaking, is used very tenderly in the Austrian do- 

 minions, and, if anything, is often in too fat a condition 

 to do his work comfortably. 



SHEEP. 



The majority of the sheep were of the Merino breed ; 

 and some of them as pure, and as fine in wool, as the 

 best Rambouillet race, so famed in France. This sort 

 was first naturalized in Hungary by Maria Theresa, in 

 1773, though with great difficulty, as the Archbishop 

 of Gran, after several attempts, had utterly failed in so 

 doing. The present flocks of Hungary and Bohemia, 

 marvellous as they are in number, are mainly the result 

 of 325 ewes and rams imported from Spain by the Em- 



