CATTLE AND SHEEP. 7 



so interesting to him, we must know the antenatal cost of 

 each 10 tons, and their respective debits and credits up to 

 the day when they leave the hands of the beef manufac- 

 turer for the shambles. 2ndly. We must know which 

 fetched the most money the beef represented by 21, or 

 that by 19. It is easy to say, "I have bred a beast of 

 rare symmetry, great size, early maturity, first-rate quality." 

 Equally ready are the inquiries, " After how many failures ? 

 At what cost ? How stands the balance ? " These ques- 

 tions are answered by many brave and contradictory asser- 

 tions ; by many wild and contradictory guesses ; but by no 

 statistics on which we can found a safe conclusion. And, 

 yet, on the answer depends, on average agricultural farms 

 suited to any description of cattle, the whole question of 

 successful breeding and feeding. The statistics are not 

 forthcoming ; first, because few farmers keep any accounts 

 but a cash-book ; and, secondly, because considerable in- 

 tricacy arises from the circumstance that the breeder and 

 feeder (in the case of cattle) are ordinarily not the same 

 person. To those who give to the public accurate statistics 

 of one farm, or of one animal, we are under great obliga- 

 tions ; but the questions at issue can only be solved by a 

 multitude of instances. Being, therefore, without the sure 

 monition of arithmetic, and left to our own observation, 

 aided by the opinions of men of sagacity, and finding no 

 very definite or decided preponderance in those opinions, 

 we are not in condition to offer to our readers any guidance 

 on which we could safely advise them to found their prac- 

 tice. But, we may mention some of those characteristics 

 of the various animals which we have under review, which 

 must be important points of consideration whenever in- 

 creased knowledge shall enable us to bring the main ques- 

 tion to a definite issue. Before we do so, we may be 

 allowed to premise, in a single sentence, that in the breed- 

 ing of cattle as in every other important human pursuit 

 national objects are promoted by the successful skill and 

 industry of individuals. The first vocation of a cattle- 



