130 



THE CATTLE OP GREAT BRITAIN. 



A few years ago the late Prince Consort established a herd of 

 Devons, and they are also patronised by several noblemen and 

 gentlemen in various parts of the United Kingdom. They 

 have also been conveyed to new homes in the United States of 

 America, where there are a great many herds of the purest 

 descent; and to Australia, Natal, Mexico, Jamaica, Canada, 

 and France, in all of which places they are answering a good 

 purpose. " The Devon Herd Book " was first compiled by the 

 writer and published in 1851, the 8th volume, bringing up the 

 number of bulls to 1671, and females to 5739, was published in 

 1881. 



Towards the end of 1883 Col. Davy sold the copyright of the 

 Devon Herd Book to Messrs. Hawkes and Eisdon, shortly after 

 which " The Devon Cattle Breeders' Society " was formed, who 

 now publish " The Devon Herd Book." Mr. John Eisdon, 

 of Williton, near Taunton, is the secretary to the society. 

 Volume IX. has been published by the society. 



Every breed and its varieties possesses peculiar merit, each 

 answering a better purpose than the other, according to the 

 soil, situation, and other circumstances in which it may be 

 placed. To succeed, we must study to keep animals which are 

 suited to our soil, pasturage, and climate. Those animals 

 which will thrive in cold, bleak, hilly districts cannot fail to 

 flourish in more favoured situation ; and North Devons are 

 never seen to greater perfection than among their native hills, 

 the last haunt in England of the wild red deer, and where 

 At morn the blackcock trims his jetty wing. 



[It is hardly doing full justice to the Devon to conclude 

 a notice, however short, without reference to their superior 

 qualities for draught purposes. It is true that at the present 

 time working cattle are the exception. The value of meat and 

 the advantage from getting our animals early into market 

 having operated against the practice, but no one can say how 

 soon circumstances may arise which will render it desirable to 

 recur to bullock labour. The extreme price of horse flesh 

 lately may well cause us to reconsider the question, and if, as is 

 possible, the supply of cattle either from increased breeding or 



