198 STATISTICAL SURVEY 



markabiy quick fteppers ; fome of the bullocks will, 

 he thinks, come to five or fix hundred weight; the 

 cows fie does not reckon remarkable good milkers, al- 

 though fome of them have turned out very well: upon 

 the whole he thinks them profitable ftock upon ground 

 not of the firfl quality, but when it is fo, he prefers 

 the cattle from the weft of Ireland. In choofing a 

 breed of cattle, confideration fhould certainly be paid 

 to the quality of the ground, on which they are to be 

 fed, and it certainly would be an abfurdity to bring the 

 Lincoln/hire ox to ftarve upon a barren or unflieltered 

 hill; at the fame time it feems both rational, and indeed 

 becoming the fpirit of an enterprizing improver, to ob- 

 tain a fuperior kind, and by every means to provide 

 for them, and to keep them as near the original flock 

 as he can; at leaft this advantage will attend it, though 

 the fize may decreafe, the fliape will jftill be preferved, 

 and probably the other valuable qualities, and hand- 

 fome cattle are an inducement to the owner to pay 

 more regard to them, and, confequently, to thofe, who 

 have the immediate care of them. But when the point 

 is fo far given up, that land is only capable of maintain- 

 ing cattle of an inferior clafs, the proprietqr grows 

 comparatively carelefs of them, and whatever 'kind he 

 pitches upon are likely to degenerate. I will not go fo 

 far as to fay, that the fineft or largeft cattle are the 

 moft eafy to keep in condition, but fo far I can venture 



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