f 15 ] 



I believe in all other respects, there is not a more valuable in the 

 kingdom. 



In that part of the kingdom little attention is paid to cheese or 

 butter, but if a cow produces handsome stock it is all that is re- 

 quired of he* ; and it frequently happens that a farmer, with ten 

 or twelve cows, has but little more of those articles than is suffi- 

 cient to supply his family. 



The Somersetshire dairy-men generally keep their good cows till 

 they are ten or twelve years old ; at which time their value is re- 

 duced to four or five pounds each. A long horned cow at that 

 age might be worth eight or ten pounds ; (I mean of the middling 

 breed) here is then an apparent deficiency of four or five pounds; 

 but when we reflect that the keeping of one is worth ten shillings 

 a year more than the other, the loss is not fo apparent; and if we 

 admit that the short horned will make half a hundred of cheese 

 more per year than the long horned, the ballance of profit is then 

 in favour of the former. 



I do not mean by what I have said to detract from the merit of 

 Mr. Bakewel, or other great breeders of the north.- I only wish to 

 recommend a discriminating principle, and to deter the credulous 

 farmer from too hasty a dereliction of principles and practices, 

 founded in experience, and to which he has been long accustomed. 

 I may be here told that the foregoing premises, from which con- 

 clusions are drawn unfavourable to the long horned cow, are delu- 

 sive ; that a north country breeder will laugh at the idea of keep- 

 ing a cow till she is ten years old ; that at six years, or at the far- 

 thest at seven, she ought iu be in *Vu» possession of the butcher. 

 But coolly and calmly ; ask a practical cow-keeper at what period 

 of life a cow makes the most goods, and he will tell you between 

 the age of six and twelve years old. I have known cows continue 

 good milkers till they have past their twentieth year. 



I beg pardon of my readers for this digression, and will now 

 return to my survey. 



When cheese only is made, the annual produce per cow is from 

 three to four cwt. 



Many dairies, in the vicinity of Bath and Bristol, make butter 

 sad half skimmed cheese ; in either way the annual produce per 



C 2 cow 



