Ixvi INTRODUCTION. 



of their favourite flock. And difclaimiiig (as fuch a Society 

 as this (hould ever do) all partial prejudices, it feems pro- 

 bable at prefent, to the majority of the inoft fkilful members, 

 that they fhall continue to fee fuch caufe of preference, as to 

 recommend a more general attention of the publick to the 

 native excellence of the North-Devon cattle. At a time 

 when the fcarcity of grain, and confcquently the unneceflary 

 confumption of corn by horfes, have been much th.e fubje£l 

 of remark, the more general introdu£lion of oxen into the 

 labour of hufbandry is confidered as very particularly de- 

 firable. And from the fulleft proof of the value of Devon- 

 fliire oxen, in hard labour, particularly rt the plough, this 

 Society has no hefitation in urging the ufe of them. They 

 have great ftrength in proportion to their fize, poflefling 

 much denfity of bone and mufcle ; — their ftep is quick, and 

 their durability remarkable.* They will live better on hard 

 fare than moft other forts ; and when they have worked 

 hard for feveral years, will fatten in a fliorter time than moft 

 of the known breeds ; produce the fineft-grained beef, and 

 meet a ready fale from the butcher at the firft, or at a fupe- 

 rior price. 



No fubjeft has continued more to occupy the atten- 

 tion of the publick, under the head of agricultural improve- 

 ments, than <7« alteration i?i the Jlate of Tithes. None 

 feems to be more the caufe of diffatisfadion among the 

 adive improvers of land, country gentlemen, yeomen, and 



* Several of the moft confidcrable gentlemen farmers in this Society 

 have been long in the habit of ufing thefe oxen with the double-coul- 

 tered plough. In a very ftiiffoil fix of them are ufed, two a-breaft; 

 but in lighter foils, and in after,ploughings, four will cafily plough 

 two acres in a day, with that kind of plough. 



farmers, 



