REARING AND FEEDING OF ANIMALS. 33 \ 



engage in the most rational and delightful of all pursuits agri- 

 culture to have some knowledge of the different breeds or 

 classes of animals. Our limits admonish us of the necessity of 

 brevity, and in our present description of neat cattle, we pre- 

 sume no more than to give a bird's-eye, but still faithful view 

 of the different breeds, their structui^, rearing and breeding, 

 mode of management, &c. derived from the best authorities. 

 The varieties of cattle are greatly diversified, both by the dif- 

 ferent natural circumstances in which they are placed, and by 

 the effects of art in changing their properties and form. To 

 these varieties is generally applied the term breeds. 



We have - already referred to the great varieties of breeds in 

 Great Britain, from whence we have derived our imported 

 stock, almost as various as the districts in which they are 

 reared. As a matter of convenience, they have been classed 

 according to their horns. 1. The long-horns, originally im- 

 proved by that most eminent breeder, ROBERT BAKEWELL,* 

 became established in the midland counties. 2. The short- 



* Mr. YOUATT, in his admirable work History of British Cattle says, that 

 it is a disgrace to the agriculture of the times, that BAKEWELL should have been 

 suffered to pass away without an authentic record of the man the principles 

 that guided him and the means by which his objects were accomplished. 

 All that we are enabled to furnish our readers on this point, is gleaned from 

 a fugitive paper in the Gentleman's Magazine year or volume not given 

 from which we learn that ROBERT BAKEWELL was burn at Dishley, in Leices- 

 tershire, England, about the year 1725. His lather and grandfather had re- 

 sided on the same estate. 



Possessed of an observing and discriminating mind, he was forcibly struck 

 with the great similarity existing among domestic animals. After a careful 

 and laborious investigation, of this (to him) interesting and important subject, 

 he came to the conclusion that, by selecting from the most valuable stock, and 

 pursuing a steady progressive system, he would be able, in the course of lime, 

 to produce a breed, possessing many very superior points or qualities. For 

 this purpose he travelled extensively, and examined the different breeds. The 

 result was, that he chose as the basis of his intended improvements, the long 

 horned breed as it then existed. The precise steps which he followed in the 

 course of his experiments are unknown. It is supposed by some but not sup- 

 ported by an examination of the breed that he produced that he ciossed the 

 native long-horns with some other variety. 



Many years did not pass by before his stock was unrivalled for the round- 

 ness of its form the smallness of its bone its aptitude to acquire external fat 

 while they were small consumers of food in proportion to their size. But 

 their qualities as milkers were much lessened. The grazier could not too 

 highly value the Dishley or New Leicester short-horns but the dairyman 

 clung to the old breed as most useful for his purpose British Cattle, 192. 

 He lived to witness the complete triumph of his system the overthrow of its 

 opponents the dissipation of all prejudice. He died (1795) verging on his 

 seventieth year. His countenance bespoke activity, and a high degree of 

 benevolence. His manners were frank and pleasing, and well calculated to 

 maintain the extensive popularity he had acquired. His hospitality to 

 strangers was bounded only by his means. Many anecdotes are related of 

 his humanity to the brute creation. He would not suffer the slightest act of 

 cruelty to be perpetrated by any of his servants, and he sternly deprecated the 

 barbarities practised by drovers and butchers, showing by examples on hus 

 own farm, the most pleasing instances of docility in every animal. 





