THE UNITED KINGDOM. 165 



there from time immemorial, but it was only in the year 1808 that some 

 attention was given to improve it. 



The first herd-book came out in 1862, and since that time the breed 

 has greatly improved and has become somewhat famous for the excellent 

 quality of its beef, which, according to some admirers, stands pre-emi- 

 nently forward, both to the farmer and butcher, as being hardy and 

 healthy, good milkers both in quantity and quality, easily fed, good 

 beef producers, coming early to maturity, and highly prized by butchers, 

 The color is black. 



The description of a fine type of a Polled Angus is : The head of a 

 male should not be large, but should be handsome and neatly set on. 

 The muzzle should be fine, the nostrils of only moderate length, the 

 eyes mild, large, and expressive; the poll high, the ears of fair size, 

 lively, and well covered with hair, the throat clean, with no devel- 

 opment of skin and flesh beneath the jaws, which should not be heavy, 

 the neck pretty long, clean, and rising from the head to the shoulder top 

 and surmounted by a moderate " crest," which contributes to masculine 

 appearance, a desirable point in a bull. The neck should pass neatly 

 and evenly into the body, with full neck vein. The shoulder blades 

 should lie well back wards, fitting neatly into the body, and not lying awk- 

 wardly outside it; they should show no undue prominence on the shoulder 

 top, on the points, or at the elbow. .The chest should be wide and deep, 

 the bosom should stand well forward between the fore-legs, and under- 

 neath should be well covered with flesh and fat. The crops should be 

 full and level, with no falling off behind them ; the ribs well sprung, 

 neatly joined to the crops and loins ; the back level and broad, the loins 

 broad and strong, the hook-bones not too wide, narrower than in an 

 average S hort-horn ; the quarters long, even, and rounded ; the tail should 

 come neatly out of the body, not too far up the back and not higher at 

 the root than the line of the back. 



The above description refers more correctly to bulls than to cows; the 

 latter, of course, differ considerably in character ; the head is much finer, 

 the neck thinner and cleaner, with no u crest ; " the shoulder top sharper, 

 the bone altogether finer, the skin not quite so thick ; the udder large, 

 and milk vessels large and well defined. 



Age at maturity : Three years. 



How long bred pure : Seventy years. 



Annual average pounds of milk: 9,000 pounds. 



Milk to pounds of butter: 27 pounds to 1 pound of hotter. 



Product. 



Quantity. 



Mont pounds. 



Milk :..do... 



1,458 



3,000 



Labor: Little. 



Method of housing : In covered courts and stalled in winter, pastures in summer. 



Feeding: Grass, turnips, straw, and cake. 



Breeding : Two .years of age. 



Grasses : Clover and rye grasses. 



