NEAT OR HORNED CATTLE. 283 



gree than are to be found in our own good cattle, and espe- 

 cially such as are produced from a cross of the Short Horn bull 

 of a good miking family, on our native cows. They are evi- 

 dently a recent breed, and do not therefore possess that uni- 

 formity of appearance and quality which attaches to one of 

 long cultivation. Mr. Alton, of Scotland, gives the following 

 account of them : "The dairy breed of Scotland have been 

 formed chiefly by skilful management, within the last 50 

 years ; and they are still improving and extending to other 

 countries. Till after 1770, the cows in Cunningham were 

 small, ill-fed, ill-shaped, and gave but little milk. Some 

 cows of a larger breed and of a brown and white color, were 

 about that time brought to Ayrshire from Teeswater, and from 

 Holland, by some of the patriotic noblemen of Ayrshire; and 

 these being put on good pasture, yielded more milk than the 

 native breed, and their calves were much sought after by the 

 farmers." 



We may fairly infer from the foregoing, which is deemed 

 indisputable authority ; from the locality of their origin, in 

 the neighborhood of the Short Horns ; and from their general 

 resemblance, both externally and in their general characteris- 

 tics to the grade animals, that they owe their principal excel- 

 lence to this long established breed. 



MANAGEMENT OF CALVES. 



The safest and least troublesome manner of raising calves, 

 is at the udder of the dam ; and whenever the milk is con- 

 verted into butter and cheese, we believe this to be the most 

 economical. The milk of one good cow is sufficient, with a 

 run of fresh, sweet pasture, to the feeding of two calves at the 

 same time, and if we allow the calves to arrive at three or 

 four months of age before weaning, we may safely estimate, 

 that one good cow will yield a quantity of milk in one season, 

 fully equivalent to bringing up four calves to a weaning age. 

 By keeping the calf on the fresh milk, whether he take it 

 directly from the udder, or warm from the pail, all risk of dis- 

 ordered bowels is avoided. The milk is precisely adapted to 

 the perfect health and thrift of the young, and whenever we 

 substitute for it any other food, we must watch carefully that 

 not the slightest mismanagement produces disorder, lest more 

 is lost by disease or want of improvement, than is gained by 

 the milk of which they are robbed. 



The first milk of the cow after calving, is slightly purgative, 

 which is essential to cleanse the stomach of the calf. It is 



