132 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



from a dark, rich color to pale chestnut, but no Hack or white is ad- 

 missible excepting a little white patch on and in front of the udder, 

 which sometimes extends forward on the belly, and white hair in the 

 switch of the tail. The skin is yellow and unctuous, its richness 

 being shown in an orange ring around the eyes and more or less of 

 the same encircling the muzzle. The hair is soft, fine, and often curls 

 closely on the necks, shoulders, and faces. The head is adorned, in 

 the case of the female, with particularly elegant, creamy-white, sharp- 

 pointed, black-tipped horns of medium length, having a good eleva- 

 tion at the junction with the head and curving upward. In the bull 

 the horns are shorter in proportion to thickness, straighter, and less 

 raised. Straight, broad, level backs, roundness of form, fineness of 

 bone, uncommon symmetry of outline, make up an animal of great 

 attractiveness. 



These cattle thrive on meagre pasturage and have shown re- 

 markable adaptability to varied conditions of topography and cli- 

 mate. They do well in the most hilly and rigorous parts of New 

 England and have proved well suited to the old field and pine lands 

 of the Gulf States. 



As Milk and Beef Producers. As a rule, Devon cows do not 

 yield large quantities of milk and are not persistent milkers ; yet some 

 families, bred and selected for dairy purposes, have made fair milk 

 records, single animals producing 40 and even 50 pounds per day. 

 The milk of this breed is rich in quality, ranking next to that of the 

 Channel Island cattle in percentage of butter, fat, total solids, and 

 high color, being in these respects well above the average milk of the 

 dairy cows of the country. 



While it is believed that the Devon is not commonly held in as 

 high esteem in the United States either as a dairy cow or a general- 

 purpose animal as is really justified by its merits, the best friends of 

 this breed regard it as more particularly a beef producer. The calves 

 are always fat and lusty, showing a vigorous growth, while cows and 

 steers are easily kept in good order and fatten readily on demand. 

 At the famous Smithfield Fat Stock Show of London the Devons have 

 year after year won highest honors for butchers' meat. The beef 

 is fine-grained, usually tender, and well marbled, and the fat of a 

 deep yellow color, like the milk fat. 



Capt J. T. Davy began the publication of the Devon Herd Book 

 in 1851, and animals bred and owned in America were for some years 

 entered in that book. Indeed, American pedigrees recorded run 

 back ten years further than the oldest published for English herds. 

 In 1859 herdbooks were published simultaneously in England and 

 America, and in March, 1863, the American Devon^ Herd Book, the 

 first volume of a new series, appeared. This publication has been 

 continued by the American Devon Cattle Club. 



The preceding description relates to what may foe regarded as the 

 true Devon breed, although by some called the North Devon. This 

 is to distinguish them from South Devons a variation from the 

 breed in its best form, giving a larger, coarser animal, not so well 

 adapted to dairy uses. 



