BELGIUM. 



367 



inquiries of the cattle circular, as to whether the breed of cattle are 

 improved by migration ? as the Shorthorns which sprang from the Hoi- 

 landais seem to thrive better in England, and seem to be greater favor- 

 ites than any other breed of cattle in the world. 



CATTLE CENSUS OF BELGIUM. 



Statement showing the different breeds and number of cattle of different breeds in Belgium. 



THE FAVORITE BREEDS IN BELGIUM. 



As before stated, there has not been that general effort in Belgium 

 to retain purity of particular breeds which has been the rule in Eng- 

 land. There are many distinctive breeds here, but this is more in con- 

 sequence of the customs of the people, who care little for change. More 

 effort has been bestowed on the perfection of the material on hand than 

 in trying to accomplish such results from foreign stock. Each breed 

 has its advocates as to its superiority, and if an equal assemblage of 

 the representatives of all the breeds should meet to determine which 

 was the best, it would be difficult to arrive at a decision. I believe, on 

 the whole, that the contest would be reduced to three breeds, viz, the 

 Flemish, the Dutch, and the Flechet. Between these three the con- 

 test would be very close, with many advantages in favor of the latter, 

 the principal being the richness of the milk and the cheapness of the 

 cattle. 



THE HOLLANDAIS. 



The Hollandais, or Dutch, cattle, on the whole, I think are generally 

 more esteemed than any other, though the Flemish, which belong to 

 the same family, hold almost equal rank. The two cuts below will rep- 

 resent, though in an unsatisfactory manner, the Holland cow as she 

 exists in this section. 



The color is black and white, but it often varies, as it does also in the 

 Flemish, to a briudle-reddish or dun color, varied with spots of white. 



