1S1-). 



rHE GENESEE PARMER. 



i:u 



DEVON CATTLE. 



Among the improved breeds of cattle in this 

 country, the Devons arc held in high i stimatii 

 probably the m aired. As a distinct 



breed of neat cattle they possess several features 

 peculiar to themselves, of which thej arc very tena- 

 cious — retaining them in a great degree, even thi 

 their distant crosses with other breeds, and particu- 

 larly our native stock. Thecolor of pur 

 always red, varying to a dark mahogany. Thedark 

 color ia generally most admired, although the lighl 

 shades are equally profitable. There is occasionally 

 a little white on the belly, which is more cot 

 with the beifi rs than the steers, and the cows udders 

 arc frequently white. The hairs which form the 

 brush of the tail are very- remarkable; on i 

 they are a darker shade than the other parts of the 

 body, but always turn white before the animals arc 

 three years old. The hide is thin, soft, and mellow 

 to the hand — the hair silky, and frequently curled. 

 The horns are long, line and smooth, and frequently 

 yellow at the root when young; the muzzle and round 

 the eye yellow, with a bright, keen and active 

 countenance. 



The Devons are fine boned, clean limbed, and very 

 active — resembling in cattle what is called blood in 

 horses more than any other stock. They are good 

 feeders, and make as much beef in proportion to the 

 food consumed as any other cattle. Their b< 

 also of the best quality, being what fleshers call 

 marbled (or well mixed with alternate fat and lean:) 

 and they always prove well when dressed — weighing 

 heavy to their appearance. In size they are about 

 the medium of neat stock. When dressed the cows 

 weigh from 6 to 800, and oxen from 10 to 15,000 lbs., 

 grass fed. 



The bulls of this breed are usually inferior, in size 

 and beauty, to the oxen; but his stock is the best 

 proof of the value of a sire, and not his appearance. 

 For labor we believe the Devons are not excelled by 

 any other breed — and their uniformity of color and 

 build renders them ea: ily matched. They are very 

 active, docile and tractable, as well as tough and 

 hardy, and when carefully used will perform much 

 labor from four to eight years of age, without dimin- 

 ishing their size or aptness to fatten. 



As milkers the Devons are similar to our native 

 . but the quality of their milk is always rich. 

 On this point Mr. Allen, author of "Domestic 

 Animals," (published in 1848,) remarks: — "The cows 

 invariably yield milk of great richness, and when 

 appropriately bred, none surpass them for the quan- 

 tity of butter and cheese if yields. Mr. Bloomfield, 

 the manager of Lord Leicester's estate at Holkham, 

 has, by careful attention, somewhat increased the 

 without impairing the beauty of their form, and 

 so successful has he been in developing their milking 

 properties, that his average product of butter from 

 each cow. is I lbs. per we b for the whole year. 

 lie has challenged England to milk an equal number 

 of cows of any linst 40 pure D. 



selected out of his own herd, without as yet i. 

 found a competitor." 



We believe the Devons were first introduced into 

 Western New York about twenty-five years ago, by 

 Wm. Garbutt, Esq., of Wneatfand. In 1835 or G, 

 Mr. G. stocked his farm in S 

 Mr. Beck, an experienced Sci 

 portion of his home stock. In 1838 or 9, Mr. 



now, of Etoi '. county, imported a hull 



and two b< if era from the besl Btocb in Devons 



E "' ind. Ml . ( ; irbI I r, i!:.i B and others, bred 



From the Vernon Bull (now known aa the Dibble 

 Bull,) and produced manj valuable animals. This 

 stock- is now scattered over much of Western New 

 York, and some of it i,, Michigan and Canada, so 

 that purchasers can be accommodated with thorough 

 Devons, not inferior to any, al much less ex- 

 e .aid trouble than to import them from England. 



N. Y. STATE AG. SOCIETY. - PROF. JOHNSTON. 



We are pleased to learn that Prof. J. F. W. John- 

 ston, of Durham, England, widely known lor his suc- 



i labors in the cause of Agricultural Imp] 

 merit, has accepted the invitation of the .Society to 

 • I sliver the Annual Address at Syracuse. We doubt 

 not this announcement will determine many to attend 

 this great Festival of the Farmers, who otherwise 

 •might not have done so. The distinguished gentle- 

 man will, doubtless, give to his hearers some account 

 of the improvements that are in progress in Europe, 

 in very many of which he has borne an important 

 part. We anticipate great good from the visit of 

 Prof. JonxsTOiN to this country. lie designs, we un- 

 derstand, to spend a year or more before he returns, 

 and he will doubtless devote much of his time in de- 

 livering lectures to Societies, &c., and it appears to 

 us that our State and County Societies can in no 

 other way at the present time appropriate a portion of 

 their funds more usefully, than by securing his servi- 

 ces in that capacity. 



The officers of the State Society are entitled to the 

 thanks of the friends of Agriculture, for their efforts 

 to secure the services of this distinguished Chemist, 

 and wo trust the result will prove in the highest de- 

 gree beneficial to the Agricultural interest. 



We have watched with no little interest the pro- 

 ceedings of the State Society — and we believe we 

 but express the united sentiment of the farmers who 

 are interested in the true advancement of the Agri- 

 culture of our State, when we assert that the manner 

 in which the Society has been conducted for the last 

 few years, has been in every respect well calculated 

 to sustain and advance this great interest of our coun- 

 try. The operations of the Society have been con- 

 ducted with a single eye to the public good. No 

 plans of mere theorizing have been put forth — but 

 objects of substantial and permanent usefulness are 

 presented, and untiring efforts are made to bring sub- 

 jects of deep interest to the farmers, before them in 

 such a mariner as to attract their attention, and enlist 

 their energies, so that improvement shall be the re- 

 sult. 



The influence of the Society is felt, not only in our 

 own Slate, but in every portion of our Union — new 

 ■lies are being organized, and none can 

 1 bat is to bo the effect which is to follow the 

 of our State Society. A responsibility of no 

 light character rests upon its officers, and they need 

 on of oil who arc interested in 

 the cause of Agriculture. The labors appertaining 

 rti of the Society are becom- 

 ing very arduous, am! I not the officers will 

 make every necessary arrangement for their discharge 

 in a manner that will continue to be satisfactory to 

 the public, and maintain the high standing which the 

 Society has already attained. * 



