LETTER XIV. 



enough, the whole herd was alarmed, and coming to 

 its rescue, obliged him to retire. 



The size of horned cattle, in general, as well as 

 the quantity of milk, butter, and cheese, they pro- 

 duce, depend in a very great degree on the nature 

 of their pasturage. In barren countries, they are al- 

 ways of an inferior bulk, and the largest breed will 

 there soon degenerate, and become small. The dif- 

 ferences arising from this circumstance are exempli- 

 fied in many parts, even of this narrow island ; and, 

 throughout the world, are confirmed by universal ob- 

 servation. In the country of the Elut Tartars, where 

 the pastures are remarkably luxuriant, the horned 

 cattle are said to grow to so large a size, that a man 

 must be tall that can reach the top of their shoulders; 

 The quantity of milk and butter, afforded by the 

 cow is increased or diminished by a variety of cir- 

 cumstances, although it-be affected by none more than 

 the difference of its pasture. Some cows give only 

 six, while others yield ten, fifteen, or even twenty- 

 quarts of milk in one day ; some are even said to 

 have afforded thirty quarts. From the milk of seme 

 cows, twelve or fourteen pounds of butter have been 

 produced in one week. The quantity, however, us 

 well as the quality of these productions -of the cow, 

 depend very much on the greater or less advance- 

 ment of the period of gestation, which is nine months. 

 The life of the cow extends to about fifteen years. 



Formerly the ox was, of all quadrupeds, accounted 

 the most proper for the draught or the plough. Be- 

 fore our highways were so well repaired, and so many 

 turnpike-roads made in every part of the country, he 

 was certainly better adapted to the draught than the 

 horse ; but in the present state of the roads, the case is 

 altered, and horses are found much more expeditious. 

 The use of oxen for the plough is also nearly laid 

 This ahan^e arises from a similar reason ; the 

 superior speed of horses, which the advanced price of 

 lab, ..u- renders at this day an object of considerable 

 imports ce. In the reign of (*ueen Elizabeth horses 

 so scarce, that 110 more thau two thousand could 



