OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 199 



x 



to aflert, that the niceft fhaped beaft in a farm, with 

 few exceptions, is the fattefl. 



Rearing Cattle. 



Rearing cattle is here moftly confined to the keeping 

 Up the flock upon the land, yet there are fome perfons, 

 whofe farms are larger than the general fize, that rear 

 all' their calves ; the heifers are either taken into the 

 dairy, to replace fuch cows as they choofe to part with 

 or fatten, or they are fold in calf ; the bullocks difpofed 

 of as may fuit their conveniency. Calves are with very 

 few exceptions reared by the pail ; generally new-milk 

 for a month or fix weeks, afterwards fkirh-inilk for the 

 fame period, and then they are left to Ihift for them- 

 felves j the quantity varies according to the attention 

 paid by the owner to the goodnefs of his calves, from 

 two to four quarts at a meal. As the cows generally 

 come into milk in the fummer months, the calves have 

 not fufficient time, in this way, to gain proper firength 

 before winter, and many of them die of confequence. 

 Were the cows to calve in winter, the calves would 

 have double the flrerigth ; as they would be ready to 

 turn to grafs in fpring, and would have the whole 

 fummer to acquire that vigour of constitution, which 

 would enable them to get through the firft winter, 

 which is the moft trying to them. I know it is ob- 

 jected to this idea, that there is a cohfiderable lofs by 



having 



