o6G On the Exhibition of Live Stock at Cliester. 



since they were not of the same uniform appearance of colour as 

 now, there having been some herds self-coloured like the Devon 

 and Sussex breeds, and opinions have been published that this 

 was their original character. Subsequently we find the grey, the 

 mottled, and the white-faced, each with their distinct admirers, 

 and their successful breeders. This subdivision of a race of 

 animals (it may be readily imagined) would occur from the use 

 of a self-coloured bull with a white-faced cow, or the reverse ; but 

 that the race was originally red Avith a white face, is clearly indi- 

 cated by the almost perfect uniformity of colour which the breed 

 of the county now presents. The Hereford cattle have hitherto 

 been held in high estimation for the rapidity with which they 

 feed and the quality of their flesh, together with the working 

 powers of the oxen, which display the activity of the Devon 

 combined Avith the strength of the Durham. 



The calves usually run with their dams in a natural state — 

 a rude state of things which the breeders ought to alter, as its 

 present effect is to depreciate the value of the whole race. In this 

 thickly populated kingdom it is necessary that both milk and flesh 

 be produced. We hope to be excused for making this allusion, 

 particularly as we are aware that not only can these cattle be 

 greatly improved by cultivation, but that their milk is of a supe- 

 rior quality, and yields a return equal to that of any other breed 

 possessing similar pretensions to flesh. 



Among the earliest breeders- of celebrity, of whom anything 

 is known, the names of Tully, Yeoman, Skyrene, Williams, and 

 Weyman, may be mentioned as some of the most successful. 

 Subsequently those of Tomkins, Price, Hayton, Jones, Hewer, 

 Jeffries, Knight, and Smithies. These, too, have passed away ; 

 and in our present day we see recorded in the Society's Journals 

 an increasing number of competitors from different parts of the 

 kingdom. This proves that the value of the breed is becoming 

 more appreciated. A few years since they were almost exclusively 

 in the hands of the tenant farmers of their native county ; they now 

 form the principal breed of the counties of Monmouth, Radnor, 

 Brecon, Salop, and parts of the counties of Gloucester, Worcester, 

 Warwick, Stafford, Wilts, Herts, Dorset, Somerset, and Cornwall. 

 There are also some good herds in North Wales and Scotland, 

 for which districts their hardiness of constitution, thick but mellow 

 hides, wavy, soft, and moderately long hair, render them pecu- 

 liarly adapted. Recently a considerable number have been ex- 

 ported to America and the Australian colonies, where they are 

 rapidly gaining favour. It is much to be regretted that no correct 

 pedigree of this breed was kept until T. C. Eyton, Esq., of Eyton 

 Hall, Salop, exerted himself to collect information, and (ondense 

 it in a ' Herd-book.' His first volume appeared in 184G ; but 



