196 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



NORFOLK POLLS. 



They are red in color and have figured at the Boyal Agricultural 

 Society's meetings for many years, and have gained many prizes in the 

 class " for other established breeds," and were awarded the dignity of 

 special prize at the royal show held at Battersea in 1862. Since then 

 they have been gaining approbation, giving evidence, as they do, of good 

 milking properties, as well as size and symmetry, and carrying a good 

 proportion of lean meat to the fat. Considerable attention has been 

 paid to the improvement of this breed, and it is becoming more noted 

 for dairy.productions. The soil, climate, and treatment are favorable 

 to their cultivation and development of all their essential properties. 

 They are the general dairy breed of their county, which is more a grain 

 and grazing district than dairy. 



The soil is alluvial, loam and sand, fertile, with a mild climate. They 

 are an old breed, with short legs and thick bodies, supposed to be de- 

 scended from the Galloway, with native admixture. 



Live weight : Pounds. 



Four-year old ox at Smithfield show, December, 1883 (offal, 8 pounds to 

 tlie score) 2,012 



Cow or heifer - 1,984 



Dead weight : 



Ox fed in the ordinary way 700 



Cow or heifer fed in the ordinary way 640 



Color. All red. 



Climate. Mean temperature, 49. 5. 



WEST HIGHLANDER. 



This wild and fierce looking mountain ranger, with its long, shaggy 

 hair and gracefully set long horns, is a general favorite with every gra- 

 zier in the Kingdom, of which it may be said "it never lost a friend or 

 made an enemy." The great demand and keen competition for these 

 really hardy and picturesque animals for grazing in all parts of Eng- 

 land leaves a very small margin for profit. They are special favorites 

 with many noblemen, and are selected for the profitable adornment of 

 their parks. Many are slaughtered for the use of the castle or/mansion, 

 the beef being of the choicest quality, and they harmonize well with the 

 deer, and are the ornament of the parks through all seasons, as house 

 protection is unknown to them unless on special occasions, where show- 

 yard honors rule the ambition. I have seen them in their native homes 

 and again seen the same animals shown in our southern markets before 

 the railways were taken advantage of, fresh and vigorous after a drive 

 of over 600 miles. Their inexhaustible staying powers are specially de- 

 sirable to beef producers in distant countries where railway accommo- 

 dation is not available. They mature at four years old ; they are quick 

 graziers, and produce the highest quality of beef. They aVerage be- 

 tween 480 pounds and 600 pounds dead weight, according to keep, &c., 

 but can be brought to much greater weight by artificial food and treat- 

 ment. They have been bred in vast numbers in the bleak and romantic 

 isles and highlands of Western Scotland from time immemorial and still 

 retain their high reputation to the fullest extent for all the above prop- 

 erties. The grazier may not realize a very great profit for the outlay, 

 as the never-failing demand keeps up the price, but profit is very cer- 

 tain as there is always a corresponding demand when fat, and they re- 

 quire very little attention, being grass fed ; and they are free from ail- 

 ments. In their mountain homes they are of a wild nature, but soon 



