HERDS AND VARIETIES 207 



v 



siderably in size and general characteristics : Groninger, 

 7; Friesland, 18.2; Holland or Hollandish, 7.1 ; Flemish or 

 Zeeland, 3.8; Geldrian, 7.1; Drenthish, 1.4; Friesland- 

 Drenthish-Geldrian, 13.6; Flemish-Geldrian-Holland, 15-5; 

 Groninger-Friesland-Geldrian, 23.8 ; crossed with foreign 

 breed, hardly to be recognised, 2.5 per cent. Although 

 Dutch cattle are often referred to as " Holsteins," there is 

 in reality no breed of that name. There is the Dutch Belted 

 Cattle Association, and the " Holstein-Frisian Association," 

 which look after the interests of Dutch cattle in America. 

 The Hollandish, from the province of North Holland, and the 

 Flemish breeds are believed to share the credit of having 

 contributed to the ancestry of the English Shorthorn. The 

 Holland and the Frisian breed, belonging to the provinces 

 of Friesland and Drenthe, are for export purposes regarded 

 with greatest favour as milk-producers, but for milk and 

 beef the Groninger breed the Hereford of Holland holds 

 first place. 



" Friesland cattle," says Storer, quoting Moll and Gayot, 



" are a mere sub-variety of the Holland or Dutch breed. 

 They tell us that, both in Friesland and in the neighbouring 

 country of Oldenburg, the ancient Friesland race has 

 succumbed under the blows of repeated crossings following 

 the great epidemics of the end of the eighteenth or the 

 beginning of the nineteenth century, and though it still pre- 

 serves exclusively the names, it is in reality much more Dutch 

 than Friesland." 



The pure Drenthish breed of the best type found in the 

 province of Overyssel. are reported to be " hardly distinguish- 

 able from Ayrshires." The practical advantages derived from 

 the union of the original breeds into modern composite breeds, 

 is proved by the fact that nearly 53 per cent, of all the 

 cattle of Holland belong to the three already named breeds, 

 which have been each formed by mingling the blood of 

 three of the older breeds. 



" The Dutch race of cattle is the leading representative 

 of the lowland races found on land of a moist and marshy 

 character, where there is much green vegetation. It is 

 mainly sought after in the neighbourhood of large cities, 

 where the sale of fresh milk is profitable." It is well established 

 in both North and South America, and in Cape Colony, 



