OUR FARM-YARD MILK-GIVERS. 167 



shapes and colors, with and without horns, and have been 

 equally serviceable for the yoke, for beef, milk, butter, 

 and cheese. The distinct breeds of cattle that have been 

 introduced to satisfy the wants of advanced agriculture 

 may be divided into two general classes the one excellent 

 for beef, and the other for milk and its products. Each 

 of these classes, however, serves to some extent the pur- 

 poses of the other ; the beef class is used for milk, and 

 the milk class for beef. The beef breeds best known 

 among us are the Devon, Durham, or Short-horn, the 

 Hereford, and the Polled Angus. The milk breeds em- 

 brace the Ayrshire, Jersey, or Alderney, the Guernsey, 

 the Holstein, and the Swiss. 



5. The Devons, closely and carefully bred for centu- 

 ries in Devonshire, England, are of medium size, compact, 

 of deep-red color, with white graceful horns. They are 

 docile, active, surpass all others for the yoke, while many 

 individuals and strains are excellent milkers and butter- 

 makers. The Durhams, or Short-horns, take their name 

 from the county of the same name in the north of Eng- 

 land, where they are most extensively raised. They are 

 supposed to have originated on the Continent. They are 

 the ideal beef breed, showing an almost parallelogram in 

 the shape of their bodies. Of mixed red and white roan 

 or solid red colors, with short crumpled horns and fine 

 muzzle, they are the aristocrats of cattle, the pets of lords, 

 and the pride of stock raisers. 



6. The Herefords, from Herefordshire, in England, 

 recognized by their deep-red body color, with white face, 

 white-lined backs, and horns of medium length, are larger 

 than the Devons, often reaching the weight of Short-horns, 

 and are active, hardy, and easily fattened. Very similar 

 to the other beef breeds in its tendency to take flesh is the 

 Polled Angus, jet-black and without horns. 



