THE -UNITED KINGDOM. 107 



out in summer and winter, coming into a well- sheltered yard at night 

 in winter, They calve down at two years of age, and remain at the 

 farm till they reach their 'prime, i. e., coming down with third calf, 

 when they are sent to the before-mentioned farm. The stock in August, 

 1883, consisted of 31 cows and heifers, in milk or about to calve ; 18 

 yearling heifers, fifteen to twenty-one months old, for calving the fol- 

 lowing spring ; 19 winter calves, mixed, eight to ten months old ; 10 

 Shorthorn calves, three to six months old; 13 Shorthorn calves, under 

 three months ; and 1 yearling bull. 



. The winter's average yield of milk was, at the first-mentioned farm, 

 where the animals in most profit are kept, about 9 quarts, and at the 

 latter about 7 quarts, giving an average of 8 quarts. In summer the 

 result was higher, viz, 11 quarts and 10 quarts respectively, giving an 

 average of 10J quarts. Assuming that the average is 9 quarts a day 

 for nine months in the year, we have, at 10 pence a gallon, a gross re- 

 turn per cow of over 25, which for the liberal mode of feeding pays 

 well. East Park is well sheltered by plantations, clumps of trees, and 

 fine spreading timber. 



Letting out cows to laborers. One other branch of Mr. Turnbull's en- 

 terprise must be noted, which has been pursued since 1876, and this is 

 the letting out of cows to laborers. The experiment was commenced 

 . with Kerry cows, of whose valuable dairy properties Mr. TurnbulT had 

 satisfied himself during a visit to Killarney. These were succeeded by 

 Ayrshires. The rate of hire is regulated by the cost of the cow, one- 

 fourth of the cost being the average rate obtained. The cows are sup- 

 plied when near calving. The contract is for a year, and the-money is 

 paid in advance, a plan which insures due care of the cow, as, although 

 the loss of the animal is borne by the owner, the loss of produce falls on 

 the hirer. As an evidence of the care that is taken of the animals, Mr. 

 Turnbull states that, having let out 150 cows in the seven years of this 

 business, only one cow was lost in calving, and the first animal let is 

 still in service. The opportunity of getting the calf and the produce on 

 such terms has been largely appreciated. Mr. Turnbull estimates the 

 annual cost of keeping an Ayrshire cow on these conditions as follows : 

 Hire, 5; summer keep, 5 ; winter keep, 8 10s ; total 18 10s. A 

 fairly good cow is considered to yield 2,200 quarts. Taking this at 3d. 

 per quart, and the calf at 20s., though the present value if by a Short- 

 horn bull would be more than double that sum, the value of produce is 

 28 10s., leaving a profit of 10, besides the great advantage of skim- 

 milk for the children. After having been continued for three years the 

 experiment was found to give a return of 5 per cent, interest on the 

 capital invested, after paying all expenses of agency, and allowing for 

 depreciation, fall of price, &c. The hiring commences with heifers 

 about calving time, these being let at from 10s. to 20s. under the ordi- 

 nary price, and frequently retained by the same hirer for some years. 



(4) THE DEVON CATTLE. 



The Devon cattle, as we find them now, are very different no doubt 

 to what they were many years ago, but there is very little question that, 

 even in their latter-day aspect, they exhibit many of the particular feat- 

 ures, and, to a very large extent, much of the form which characterized 

 the members of the aboriginal breed from which they sprung. They 

 have been called into existence to fulfill a particular and in some re- 

 spects peculiar purpose, and, as far as it is given to us to judge, they 

 are not to be found wanting." The localities in which the breed is most 



