LIVE STOCK. 329 



whey of cheese go to the market, and bring, within about two 

 pence, the price of whole butter. 



(9.) Improvements in Relation to the United States. In thus 

 giving an account of the neat cattle of Great Britain, I have 

 chosen to give my own observations, and facts coming within my 

 own knowledge, rather than to refer to any published accounts. 

 These are as accessible to others as to myself. The facts which 

 an individual circumstanced as I am is likely to collect, unless his 

 attention were exclusively directed to the subject, are necessarily 

 few, and furnish imperfect grounds for him to speak with confi 

 dence, which I would by no means be thought to do. That the 

 neat stock of the United States is of a very mixed and miscella 

 neous description every one must admit. Comparatively few 

 attempts have been made in a systematic manner, and upon an 

 extended scale, for its improvement. Where . they have been 

 made, they have frequently failed from want of perseverance, - 

 very often from want of encouragement, and have been some 

 times met with the sneers of ignorance, or the derision of envy. 

 The immense improvements which have been made here strike 

 every observer with grateful astonishment, and are evinced by 

 the accounts which I have given of the progressive size of 

 animals in the Smithfield market. Few subjects, in my opinion, 

 more concern the interests of American husbandry than the 

 improvement of our live stock. Much, undoubtedly, may be 

 done by the selection of the best from our own breeds, and by 

 breeding only from the best ; but our stock is so crossed, and 

 mixed up, and amalgamated, that it must be a difficult process to 

 unravel the web, and go back to any original breed. We may 

 certainly, with great advantage, avail ourselves of the breeds 

 existing here in the highest state of improvement. I am quite 

 aware that many very excellent animals have been imported into 

 the United States from this country ; and I hope these importa 

 tions will be increased, and that all pains will be taken to pre 

 serve the distinctness and purity of the races, and, if possible, 

 improve them. This can only be done by watchful care, good 

 judgment, and liberal keeping. 



In making a selection of breeds, it is plain that regard should 

 be had to the locality where they are to be placed. The im 

 proved short horns, the Yorkshire, and the Hereford, are best 

 28* 



