DIFFERENT BREEDS OF OXEN. 89 



grazier, the breeder, and the butcher ; but their flesh is not so 

 delicate as that of the North Devons, and it will not suit the 

 fastidious appetites of the inhabitants of Bath and of the 

 metropolis. A South Devon cow has been known, soon after 

 calving, to yield more than two pounds of butter per day, and 

 many of the old southern native breed are equal to any short- 

 horns in regard to the quantity of their milk, which, moreover, 

 is of greatly superior quality. 



Of the Cornwall cattle we shall not need to speak here, nor 

 shall we do more than mention those of Dorsetshire and those of 

 Somersetshire. 



Hence we come next to discuss the characteristics of the 

 cattle found in Herefordshire. 



In the western parts of England as a whole a great variety of 

 breeds are cultivated both for milking and grazing, and of these 

 different breeds the chief are the Devons, which we have just 

 described. Next come the Herefords, which we now proceed 

 to describe. The cattle belonging to the Hereford breed are 

 stouter than those of the Ayrshire variety ; but in some respects 

 they are more or less similar to them. Both the beef and the 

 milk are very good. Nevertheless, we find that in the districts 

 in which these animals formerly abounded oxen of the shorthorn 

 breed have now in great measure supplanted them. The Herefords 

 are noble creatures, and in point of feeding powders they are sur- 

 passed only by the shorthorns. Much of the richest pasture 

 land in England is stocked with the pure-bred Herefords. They 

 grow to a large size, and they usually take about a year and a 

 half longer to arrive at their full degree of development than do 

 the shorthorns. Up to quite recent times they have been, and 

 l-fiometimes, though very rarely, even now in these days they 

 r43till are, employed in drawing the plough, not being sold off 

 •to be fattened until they are six or seven years old. Oxen 

 of so great an age as this, are now but very rarely met 

 ■with, and they are sought after by the graziers who reside 

 in the rich midland districts on account of their capability 

 -of being readily fattened for the Christmas meat market. 

 The Hereford cows are faulty in respect of the supply of milk, 

 being, in fact, even worse than the shorthorns are for dairy 

 purposes. In Herefordshire, their native county, the former 

 -cows are principally used for the rearing of the calves. The 



