202 THE CATTLE OP GREAT BRITAIN. 



me that in all the best strains of Castleinartins there was a 

 cross of the Herefords. A Mr. Hitchings, of Ermytage, he 

 said, had migrated to the north of Pembrokeshire to the home 

 farm of a Mr. Barham, of Trecwn, and brought back with him 

 to Ermytage, in Castlemartin parish, on his father's death, a lot 

 of half-bred Herefords, and black cows in calf to Mr. Barham's 

 bull. The best breeders, according to Mr. Lewis, adopted the 

 infusion of strange blood, and he says that the most celebrated 

 stock in Castlemartin were soon after impregnated with it. 



I have seen and closely watched several attempts to improve 

 the breed by crossing. One effort, within my recollection, to 

 introduce Hereford blood ended in utter failure. The white 

 face was difficult to wipe out, and the progeny of the cross never 

 appeared to work into the blacks. The North Devons amalga- 

 mated more easily, and the produce was more of the proper 

 type, but did not on the whole improve its general character. 

 The West Highland cross resulted in small, useful beasts, and, 

 though they sold very readily at the fairs, were not as profitable 

 as the native breed of the district, for there was a loss in size 

 and in milkiag qualities, with no corresponding advantage 

 gained. I speak of all these crosses from practical knowledge 

 and home experiment. 



The late Mr. Eichard Harvey, of Haverfordwest, was the 

 first person who made any serious attempt to improve the breed 

 by introducing a cross with the North Wales breed of black 

 cattle, and he produced some remarkably fine stock. The Earl 

 of Cawdor, who has recently become an enthusiastic patron of 

 the black cattle of Wales, has also committed himself to this 

 experiment, and is one of the most successful exhibitors of the 

 day. Notwithstanding all this, although the cross leads to an 

 increase of size, it destroys the original characteristics of the 

 Pembrokeshire cattle. On the whole, this cross was unadvisable 

 in its conception, and unfortunate in its result. The two breeds 

 should have been kept distinct. 



The quickest and best way to improve the breed is by making 

 a judicious selection of the old stock of the country. By 

 breeding from the best and weeding the bad, considerable 

 progress might be made in developing it to a perfection 

 hitherto unattained. It is not impossible that a superior class 



