COWS. 7 



The "longhorns" are of Irish extraction. (Youatt.) 

 Whether, again, the descendants of Master Butterfly 

 or Bride Elect, if turned out into the wild forest, 

 might hereafter revert to the galloping form, is a 

 question for Professor Owen to decide. Let us simple 

 husbandmen be thankful for what we have, and be- 

 take ourselves to our oaten porridge, grateful that 

 our destiny has fallen on such days. Certain it is 

 that of the comparatively distinct species of our 

 native land — with time, intelligence, study, fair luck, 

 and capital — a farmer may mould an animal pretty 

 much as he pleases, taking for his elementary clay 

 the best existent specimens he can find of the class 

 that meets his fancy. To return, however, to our 

 estimate of existing breeds, the shorthorn must be 

 well kept, or she will disappoint your expectations. 

 The Hereford and Devon are not as a rule good 

 milkers, and are, therefore, most valuable to the 

 grazier. To the one has been attached the honorary 

 title of " beef-making " Hereford. It does not fetch 

 the fancy prices of the fashionable shorthorn, but has 

 lately been in considerable request for the colonies. 

 To the merits of the other, the juicy red line of the 

 deep West Country lanes, let Baker-street attest, by 

 the many gold medals for the " best animal in the 

 yard," which have fallen to the lot of the Prince 

 Consort's Lobelias. As I observed above, a number 

 of careful experiments were instituted by the late 

 Duke of Bedford, with a view to testing the com- 

 parative fattening merits of the Scot, Devon, Pem- 

 broke, Hereford, Shorthorn, with the ultimate result 

 only of a decision, that " it was a losing concern in 



