Live Stock Properties to be regarded in Size* 641 



fneirfupport. And laftly, what is the difference in the increafe and cjuicknefs of 

 feeding, in flock of different fizes, in relation to the quantity of food which they 

 confume. A varied fet of experiments, correctly made with a view to thefe dif 

 ferent points, would no doubt lead to many ufeful conclufions, though they would 

 not, probably, finally fettle the difpute, on account of the great difficulties that 

 mud always attend fuch comparative inveftigations, from the variation ofcircum- 

 fiances and other caufes. It would feem therefore, that, in the prefent ftate of our 

 knowledge, no certain directions can be given, in refpect to the fize of cattle, that 

 will be generally applicable in governing the conduct of the grazier. The largnefs 

 of fize, though it is a property that may be defirable, in fo far as it affords the 

 means of feeding to a great weight ; yet, as this is probably acquired by a much 

 larger and longer continued confumption of food, it is probable that, except in 

 fituations where food is abundant, the fmaller-fized animals may be the morepro- 

 fitable. In deciding the point, it is not merely, as has been feen, the difference 

 in the quantity of flefh that they are feparately capable of affording, but the dif 

 ference of fuch quantity in relation to the confumption of food, that is to be con- 

 iidered. It was found by Mr. Bakewell, that the &amp;lt;f fmaller the bone, the truer 

 the make of the beaft,&quot; and the quicker in fattening* j which throws the advan 

 tage on the fide of fmall fize : and the experience of graziers in general feems to 

 favour the fame conclufion, as they commonly find that the middling and fmall 

 breed are the moft profitable, from their fattening with the greateft expedi 

 tion. And it has been well remarked that the Lincolnfhire and Holderneffc 

 breeds of cattle &quot; are very large, but their fize lies in their bones : they may be 

 fattened to great lofs to the grazier,&quot; but can never &quot; return fo much for a given 

 quantity of grafs as the fmall-boned, long-horned kind.f&quot; 



It may perhaps be objected by fome, that the difference in the confumption of 

 food between the large and fmall-fized animals is not fo confiderable as is com 

 monly fuppofed. But though it muft be allowed that confiderable latitude may- 

 take p lacc in this refpect, according to the ftate of the digeftive organs and other 

 caufes, long experience among graziers has mown in the moft decifive manner, 

 that a number of fmall-fized ftock conftime much lefs food in a given time than 

 large, as in fome cafes they can ftock nearly in the proportion of two to one. Mr. 

 Knight, however,inclines to the fide of large cattle being the moft profitable, from 



* Young s Eaftern Tour, vol. I. t Ibid. 



VO-L, JT. 4 N 



