6 ON THE REARING OF CATTLE. 



the round ribs, tlie fine long- quarters, tlie flowing- silvery- 

 Lair, the clean limbs, and great substance — all present them- 

 selves simultaneously, and g-ive an impression that langiiag-e 

 cannot define. An artist, on looking- at a painting-, can 

 instantly discern whether it is a highly-finished picture; but 

 if called upon to describe its merits, he would, I presume, be 

 at a loss for lang-uage to convey his feeling-s and judg-ment 

 to an inexperienced person; and there is the same hig-li 

 finish in a g-ood short-horn, attended with the same diffi- 

 culty of explanation. . Experience is universally allowed to 

 be the best teacher ; though, if we are left to our own expe- 

 rience alone, it will recpiire a lifetime of no short duration to 

 become a proficient. 



Journal of the R.A.S.E., vol. vii. part 1. 

 RomeJy, May 6, 1846. 



Art. II.— on THE REARING OF CATTLE. 



By Mr. C. W. Wood, of Woodhouse. 



[This formed the subject of a paper read by Mr. Wood, at the June 

 Quarterly Meeting of the Loughborough Agricultural Association. Mr. 

 Wood confined himself strictly to the subject, not of breeding or of fatten- 

 ing, but of rearing stock ; treating it under the following heads : — 

 1. The Constitution and Economy of Agricultural Cattle. 2. The State 

 and Condition in which they exist. 3. Their Food and General Manage- 

 ment.] 



In the consideration of the substances which compose the 

 animal frame and their qualities, a key may be found to 

 many secrets in the g-eneral management of young- cattle, 

 particularly as reg-ards their habits and their food. Science 

 points out to us a framework of bones (the principal ing-re- 

 dients of which are phosphorus, lime, &c.), to g-ive form, 

 uprightness, stability, and strength to the machine ; next an 

 attachment of muscle (composed chiefly of fibrin or g-luten), 

 to g-ive motion and activity to the body; and lastly, a respi- 

 ratory and circulating- apparatus, to supply heat, nourish- 

 ment, and life to the whole, in order to resist the force of 

 the chemical powers from without. Seeing-, therefore, that 

 we have a mixed machine to deal with, it is self-evident that 



