C 50 ) 



of the different kinds of flock ; yet, wfien re- 

 ference is made to the manner in which the farms 

 are occupied, as before mentioned ; and when the 

 vicinity of the great London market is confidered, 

 it will not be thought extraordinary. Of late years, 

 indeed, the improvement of the breed of flieep has 

 become an objedt of the firfl importance with many 

 of the mofl refpedfable and intelligent farmers. 



Black Cattle. There are very few of this fpecies 

 of flock reared in this county, a few in the open 

 field lordfliips excepted ; and thefe are fo croffed 

 and mixed with the breeds of other counties, 

 which arc often improperly chofen, and are fo ftint- 

 ed in their food, as to render them comparatively of 

 little value. 



In the few inflances where attention is paid to 

 the breed of cattle on the inclofed farms, the long 

 ' horned are the kind generally preferred, and are far 



fuperior to the original breed of the county, both in 

 fize and fliape, as well as in the other advantages 

 which ought to be attended to by every farmer w-ho 

 occupies a breeding- farm, namely, their extraordina- 

 ry difpofition to fatten, and to lay the greateft quan- 

 tity of flefli and fat on the rump, loins, and other 

 parts of the body, which always fell higheft at 

 market. 



The dairy farmers in the fouth-weft part of the 

 county, however, prefer the fliort horned Yorkfliire 

 cows, from which county they are principally fup- 

 plied. And, as they never rear any calves, they 

 fell them when a few days old, to a fet of men who 

 make a trade of carrying them to the markets of 

 Buckingham, and other places, where they are pur- 

 chafed by dairy farmers from KlTex, to be fattened 

 for veal for the London market*. 



It 

 • Confidering the diflance which thefe calves are carried, from this county to Eflex,. 

 being from 70 to 80 miles, ir may be proper to give feme account of the extraordinary 



manner 



