Cultivation of Grafs Laud D&amp;lt;iirf/if1g. Breeds of Coica vioft profitable. 



long experience, that ionic kinds -of cows give milk of a much thicker continence 

 and richer quality than others; and that this richnefs-of quality is not HccefTanl^ 

 connected \vith the fmallne-fs of the quantity yielded by thofe of nearly an equal 

 lize; it is therefore of confequence to the owner of a dairy to be peculiarly atten 

 tive to this circunvftancc. In choofing cows for the purpofe of butter, ir ought 

 rather to be the quantity and the quality of the cream produced from the milk in a 

 given time, than the quantity of the milk itfelf, that ought to be regarded : this 

 i^ a circumstance of more importance than is generally fuppofed ; but where chcefc 

 is the object of the dairy, quantity of milk as well as goodnefs mould probably be 

 attended to. As there are cows in every diftricl to be found, by a careful feledtion, 

 that afford much thicker milk than others, thefe ought to be fearched for with care 

 and their breed reared with attention, as being peculiarly valuable. 



In comparing the milk of two cows in order to judge of their refpetflive quali 

 ties, particular attention mould be paid to the time that has elapfed lince their calv 

 ing ; as the milk of the fame cow is always thinner foon after calving than it is af 

 terwards, as it gradually bccames thicker, though generally lefs in quantity, in pro 

 portion to the time the cow has calved. The colour of the milk, however, foon 

 after calving is richer than it afterwards becomes ; but this, efpecially for the firil 

 two weeks, is a fault in colour that ought not to be regarded.* 



On the richer and more fertile paftures it is probable that the large and middle 

 breeds of cows may be the moft beneficial, efpecially where both cheefe and butter 

 are made; but in fuch as do not poffefs fuch a high degree of fertility, the middle 

 and fmaller breeds may prove more profitable to the dairy farmer. Some fuppofe 

 the long-horned breed not well fuited for the dairy ; but experiments that have been 

 carefully made fhow, that more cheefe may be produced from the fame quantity of 

 milk in that breed than in thofe of the mort-horned, as well as more butter from 

 the fame quantity of cream. f And in Ireland the Craven breed afforded more 

 butter than the Holderneffe.J Of the fmaller breeds, the Alderney, the Suffolk 

 polled, and the Kiloe or Scotch breeds, may be found the mod profitable. In the 

 dairies of the Ifle of Wight, as well as thofe of fome parts of Hampfhire, the Al- 

 derneys prevail much, and are highly efteemed for butter. Two-thirds of the Suf 

 folk polled breed, and one third Alderney have been recommended as conftituting 

 an excellent dairy, the milk being mixed. || 



* Amlerfon in Bath Papers. i Young s Six Months Tour, vol. II. + Irifli Tour, vol. I. 



j| Annals of Agriculture, vol. XXXII. 



