198 



FARMERS' REGISTER— LONG-HORNED BREED- 



VI. The Long-horned cal tie cive descended from 

 a breed which luid lona; been established in the 

 Craven district, in Yorkshire; some cows of which 

 race, and a Lancashire long-horned bull, of the 

 kind delineated above, Avere brought, early in the 

 last centuiy, by a Mr. Webster, to Canley, in 

 Warwickshire, where they produced a stock that 

 soon became remarkable ibr its beauty. 



Of this Canley stock, the late Mr. Robert Bake- 

 well, of Dishley, in Leicestershire, procured some 

 cows, which he crossed with a Northund^erland 

 bull,* and thus reared that celebrated race now so 

 well known as the Dishley breed. They were 

 long and fine in the horn, had small heads, clean 

 throats, straight broad backs, wide quarters, and 

 were light in their bellies and ofl'al; and, probably 

 from the effect of domestication and gentle treat- 

 ment, remarkably docile: they grew liit upon a 

 smaller proportion of food than the parent stock; 

 but gave less milk than, some other breeds; and 

 the chief improvements effected seem to have been, 

 in their aptitude to fatten early on the most valua- 

 ble points, and in the superior quality of the flesh. 



Notwithstanding the deservedly high reputa- 

 tion, as a breeder, enjoyed by Mr. Bakewell dur- 

 ing his life, and which still attaches to his name, 

 his judgement in selecting the long-horned cattle 

 for his experiments has been called in question; 

 and it has been asserted, "that had he adopted the 

 'middle-horned breed, either of Sussex, Devonshire, 

 or Herefordshire, in preference to the inferior stock 

 which the reputation of his name, and the mys- 

 terious manner in which his breeding system was 

 conducted, have introduced, it would have contri- 

 buted to exalt the sui)eriority of his stock, beyond 

 the power of local prejudices to remove."! 1'he 

 removal of local prejudice is not, however, an 

 easy task, even when ill-foimded, which it would 

 be too much to assume in the present instance; for, 

 whatever may be the merils of the iong-horned 

 cattle, comparatively with other breeds, it must be 

 admitted, that they rank among the finest in the 

 kingdom; and it is certain, that the perfection 



* See Agricultural Survey of Leicester, p. 218. Mr. 

 IMarshall says, "a bull purchased in Westmoreland;" 

 but he does not state the breed. See his Rural Econo- 

 my of the Midland Counties, Vol. L p. 269. 



tRev. Mr. Young; Agricultural Survey of Sussex, 

 p. 226. 



which they have attained in the hands of the 

 eminent breeders of the present day, has been ac- 

 quired through the medium of the Dishley blood. 



With regard to the "mysterious manner," in 

 which Mr. Bakewell has been too generally ac- 

 cused of having conducted his business, it is a 

 charge so vague and undefined, as hardly to merit 

 remark; yet, as it conveys somewhat of reflection 

 up/on his character, it may be due to his memory 

 to enquire upon what foundation it rests, and if 

 examined closely, it will resolve itself into this: — 

 that he was gifted with more than common acute- 

 ness of observation, judgement, and perseverance; 

 \vhich, combined with the experience he had ac- 

 quired under his fatlier, (who was also a distin- 

 guished breeder in his time,) he unremittingly ap- 

 plied to the improvement of cattle. Such quali- 

 ties, directed to any one object, could not fail of 

 success; and such, it may be fairly presumed, 

 were the only mysteries he employed. That his 

 practice was not oj^en to the insj)ection of every 

 one who sought to profit by it, will not surprise 

 any person who is acquainted with the rivalry ol'emi- 

 nent breeders; and, however it may be regretted 

 that he has not left any record of his experiments, 

 yet, as no man is bound to publish his transactions, 

 his having omitted to do so cannot justly be made 

 a ground of accusation. 



The modern im.provements made in the long- 

 horned cattle, since the first attempts of Bakewell, 

 are considered to consist chiefly in the coarser 

 j)arts having been reduced, and the more valuable 

 enlarged. The present breed is finer boned, and 

 finer in the neck, throat, and breast; the back is 

 straight, wide, and well covered with flesh; the 

 rump is also wide, and particulaily fleshy on the 

 points, and about the root of the tail. Even when 

 only in store order, the flaidt feels thick and fleshy, 

 and in every part the animal handles loose and 

 mellow, 



Such, indeed, were always the distinguishing 

 points of these cattle; but they were not thought 

 attainable except they were fed on the richest 

 pasture. This, however, has proved to be an 

 error; for not only are tliey now found on land of 

 no extraordinary qualit}-, but it even appears to be 

 generally admitted, that well bred cattle will do 

 better on ordinary food than those of an inferior 

 kind; it was indeed asserted by Bakewell, that 

 this breed kept themselves in good condition or) 



