DAIRY STOCK. 25 



kept, and beef should be altogether. a subordinate con- 

 sideration. The Shorthorn is usually red or roan, and 

 occasionally red and white, though we always suspect 

 other blood Ayrshire, for instance in the spotted ani- 

 mals. As a rule, we do not consider the Shorthorns as 

 really profitable dairy cows, though there are many ex- 

 ceptions where a milking strain is cultivated. But there 

 is no disputing their value for beef. 



THE DEVON. 



This is one of the choicest and most reliable of the 

 dairy breeds. They are uniformly red, of fair size, have 

 a sprightly appearance, and reproduce their like more 

 certainly than any other breed that we know. As has 

 been said, they are so prepotent, uniform, and distinct 

 from the other breeds that they may be called a race of 

 cattle. Their history runs back hundreds of years, until 

 it is lost in tradition and uncertainty. But origin and 

 history are of little consequence, since it is the living 

 fact the cattle themselves that w T e have to deal with. 

 The cows give a good sized mess of milk large milkers 

 have appeared among them as among other breeds and 

 their milk is very rich. It is not as rich as the Jersey's 

 and the Guernsey's milk, but there is more of it, and 

 it approximates the richness of the milk of these 

 breeds more closely than that of any other. Hence, they 

 are excellent butter cows, and justly favorites among 

 those who are the most familiar with them and know 

 how to breed them. Healthy, hardy, and easy to keep, 

 they are adapted to almost any circumstances, and are 



