150* AGtiiCVLrVtLAL £SSAtS. 



brought forth calves before that time. The better they are 

 kept, the sooner they will breed ; if, however, they bjeed so 

 early, they should be highly kept ; for otherwise they will be 

 apt to be stinted in their subsequent growth. Mr. Bakewell 

 used to keep his Diskley breed of heifers from the bull until 

 the age of three ; Sir Jolm Sinclair attributes to this their often 

 missing being with calf. It is believed to be best to follow 

 nature's law : — let them go to the bull as soon as they feel the 

 inclination. 



Breeds of cattle are much hnproved by crossing, or mixing 

 different kinds together. 



As the purest American breed is almost universally a mix- 

 ture we may consider that a favorable circumstance to the rais- 

 ing from it a valuable stock, which may possess all the superior 

 characteristics of the English breed. 



But in doing this, much sound discretion and pi-actical sci- 

 ence is to be exercised. 



In Great Britain, much pains has been taken to select breeds 

 which should unite the two qualities of being the best for milk- 

 ing, and the kindest to fatten ; but hitherto such breed is not 

 to be found. It has been observed, however, by Sir John Sin- 

 clair, that by great attention, a breed might probably be raised, 

 the males of which might be well calculated for the shambles, 

 and the females produce abundance of milk, and yet when 

 they reached eight or nine years,* might be easily fattened. 

 He further adds, that some of the English and Scottish breeds 

 have nearly reached this point of perfection. 



To improve the breed, it is also of importance that there 

 should be no fornication between animals which are nearly re- 

 lated ; no consanguinity between the bull and the cow which 

 is put to him. This seems to be agreeable to the laws of na- 

 ture, and among men is strikingly exemplified in the degener- 

 acy of the race, where the posterity of some small secluded 

 districts constantly intermarry with relatives ; or where the 

 pride of families has served to preclude a due intermixture 

 with others. 



For the bull, the finest looking calf, possessing as nearly as 

 can be judged, the foregoing requisites for a good ox, should 

 be selected, and from the finest of the breed which he is intend- 

 ed to propagate ; and he should not be suffered to go to the 

 cow until he has attained a good growth. Suffering young, 

 or dwarfish, or ill looking bulls to go to cows, only tends to 

 degenerate the breed ; and in the two former cases, the cow, 

 by being served with such, frequently misses having a calf. 



