DOMESTIC ANIMALS FOR PARKS AND PLEASURE GROUNDS. 



If he delight in a horse, and inclines to breed a colt or two, which may grow up on his 

 farm and make a good fiunily beast or a match of them, for his own riding or driving, let 

 him get one or more fine young, healthy mares, as breeders, and turn them into the park. 

 Let them be at least half-bred "turf horse" in blood. If three-fourths or seven-eights 

 of that blood, all the better, if well selected. They will be great in " wind and bottom" 

 for the road. A mare or two of such material, with each a colt at her foot, will be a 

 beautiful and characteristic ornament to the grounds in summer, keep easily through the 

 winter on the common " fodder" of the place, with a little grain, and grow up to profit 

 and future usefulness. If he love cattle — and he has little business in the country if he 

 does not — let him get, according to his area of ground, one, two, three, or more, well se- 

 lected Short-horn, Devon, Ayrshire, or Alderney cows, as his soil and fancy may direct, 

 and turn into his park; and if he have still more room, a dozen or two nice, well-bred 

 South Down sheep, to graze after the cows, and give him choicer mutton than any he can 

 find at the neighboring butchers, or even better than he can get out from the city. 



If his soil be strong, and his pastures rich, he should take the Short-horns for his cows. 

 They are the largest, most imposing and profitable of all others, where feed is abundant; 

 will give "a bushel" of milk in a day, of the richest quality; and, scattered over his 

 grounds, with their beautiful silky colors of white or red, or more usually, both inter- 

 mingling in every variety of shade, present the most picturesque group imaginable, as they 

 graze, or stand, or lie ruminating among the trees. If the soil be light, and the pasture 

 shorter, let him adopt either the Devons, the Ayrshires, or the Alderneys. They are all 

 good milkers, when properly selected, and for his governance I will describe them briefly. 



The Devon is a medium sized animal, deer-like in its appearance, a full cherry red in co- 

 lor, with a clean delicate head, a high spreading horn, a clear prominent eye, and of per- 

 fect symmetry in figure; light, agile, and beautiful; she is docile, perfectly hardy, and 

 easily kept. 



The Ayrshire is the "dairy cow" of the Scotch lowlands; a great milker, an exceed- 

 ingly pretty animal, of medium size, a deep to light red and white in color — the red large- 

 ly predominating; a low, yet delicate horn; not so light and graceful as the Devon in 

 figure, but of a most domestic, housekeeping appearance, and as useful and profitable a 

 creature as lives. 



The Aldernej^ Jersey, or Gurnsey cow, for she is called all these names — is the cow of 

 the English islands on the coast of France. She is largely kept on the Isle of Wight, and 

 in Hampshire and other southern counties of England, by the gentry, for her rich and 

 creamy milk, and delicious butter. She is small in stature, meek and somewhat inferior 

 in appearance, a " crumpled" horn, red and white in color, quiet in temper, usually low 

 in flesh, and requires good feeding to keep her in condition when in milk, and at no time 

 presents that beautiful and imposing appearance of the other breeds. But her usefulness 

 is unsurpassed; and a herd of Alderneys grazing in a pasture, or park, or a paddock, are 

 a pretty sight to look upon. 



Either of the above varieties of cow are profitable, as well as ornamental animals to the 

 park or pleasure grounds; and when selected with an eye to their milking qualities, in 

 which they usually excel, none others can equal them. Their value, according to blood 

 and quality, with the breeders, is from $100 to $250 each, but those wanting them for 

 milking qualities alone, and not requiring those choice and high traits of "blood," to 

 which professional breeders attach so much value, may readily obtain them at prices vary 

 ing fi'om $75 to fl50; and many of them, for milking alone, are worth either sum named, 

 better than a common cow is worth her usual price in market 



