DUAL-PURPOSE CATTLE 63 



a "potted" paste, is there evidence to show that their milking 

 qualities in any way atone for all these failures ? 



The experience of inspecting a very large number of herds 

 of all sizes in many different localities, belonging to all sorts 

 and conditions of farmers and farms, and kept under everv 

 condition of climate and fertility of land, convinced me vears 

 ago that deep-milking were as rare as decenthr-fleshed cows, 

 and that many of the worst specimens, as butchers' beast*, 

 were no better Jor the pail than they were for the block. Of 

 recent years my conviction has been upheld by milV records 

 taken systematically in different parts of the kingdom im ifrr 

 responsible supervision. It is true that the number of ffr 

 records taken under the inspection necessary to ensure accuracy 

 has hitherto been lamentably small, compared with what bis 

 been done in other countries. Still, it has been sufficient to 

 enable a reliable judgment to be formed. Judging by my own 

 experience, as well as by evidence collected by reliable milk 

 recorders, I can say without hesitation that amnng our com- 

 mercial cattle the number of better-daw specimens of good 

 deep-milking kine simply emphasizes the worthlessness of tbe 

 poor quality beasts and shows the folhr of the innumerable 

 mediocre specimens being allowed to eat food that might be 

 much more profitably consumed. 



There is probably no better evidence of the decadence to 

 which, owing to unfavourable ffimomir conditions, British 

 husbandry has sunk, than the perfection of the animals bred 

 by good farmers holding specially good farms, and the imper- 

 fection of the stock kept by die otdhmv practitioners, tbe 

 ordinary tenants of medium land. These bane bad to face such 

 unhappy conditions that only the men satisfied with very poor 

 returns for their arduous labour, or those owning abundant 

 capital, have been able to avoid a vicious circle which continually 

 became worse as far as cattle-breeding was concerned. A con- 

 sideration of these pre-war conditions .with a view to tuture 

 improvement will not be superfluous : in fact, it is out of tbe 

 faulty practice of the past that* the improved husbandry of the 

 future must, in the ordinary course, be developed. In agri- 

 culture, which moves slowly, a sudden and drastic change dot 



