GRASS BEEF 29 



of May, the date varying with the geographical district, the aspect 

 of the land, the nature of the soil, season, and so on. 



Each acre of land is expected to carry one large bullock, the 

 varieties chosen varying with proximity to certain markets, the 

 farmer's idiosyncrasy, and various other causes. The relative 

 numbers are, roughly, as follows: Shorthorns (more or less 

 thick-fleshed according to their breeding) are by far the most 

 numerous; next, Herefords, the famous "white-faces" beloved 

 of all grass-land men; after these, though a long way behind, 

 come the quaint black-polled Scots or their crosses, the famous 

 Blue Greys, the strong-boned Black Welsh and Lincoln Red, 

 and, in far smaller proportion, Devons, though in some dis- 

 tricts they predominate South Devons, much fancied on 

 account of their hardiness, though they are large feeders even 

 for their great size ; a very occasional group of the Sussex breed 

 (most level of all grazing cattle, for they eat everything as it 

 comes) ; West Highlanders, and crosses of all the breeds men- 

 tioned. a 



While the casual observer might say that Shorthorns out- 

 number all the other breeds put together by two to one, many 

 so-called Shorthorns are of mixed, or even of mongrel, origin. 

 Whatever the breed, they are all large stores, weighing alive and 

 unfasted about 1000 lb., i.e. 72 stone imperial or 9 cwt. on the 

 average. As far as possible, they are all in good health and just 

 in "fresh" condition, their frames, or skeletons, being well 

 covered with flesh, their muscle mixed with little fat, and their 

 digestive organs little, if at all, larded with suet and "fat 1 ." 

 It must be candidly admitted that the quality (i.e. their capacity 

 to thrive or put on weight) is a very varying factor. Probably 

 few are really good, and many, it is to be feared, are quite poor 

 specimens of their race. It is indeed a strange thing that this 

 country, the stud-farm of the world, should produce so large 

 a proportion of a grade low enough to assort with the most 

 primitive of their race. The large proportion are steers, though 



1 Kidney suet goes with the carcase, "apron" or "caul" or "caul suet" 

 is the butcher's chief perquisite, the "gut-fat" is often of value as suet, 

 but sometimes goes with the "waste fat" to the soap-boiler and some other 

 fat is unfortunately absolutely waste material. 



