98 Live Stock. 



This has been proved by crossing a West-Highland cow, 

 with a Herefordshire bull, not with a view of continuing the 

 breed, but to dispose of all the animals produced by the 

 cross. The offspring have the short legs of the West- 

 Highland cow, with the increased weight that might be ex- 

 pected from a Hereford bull. They are exceedingly hardy, 

 their flesh is of excellent quality, and they have, at two 

 years old, nearly the proportions of other stock at six. The 

 Females are consequently ready to be fattened at two years old. 

 The males require to be one year older ( ia8 ). The cross- 

 ing the Herefordshire heifer, however, with a West-High- 

 land bull, would answer better, were the formation of an en- 

 tire new breed to be attempted. 



Among the rules of breeding, one is, that the young 

 should be brought forth at the season of the year when 

 there is usually a full supply of suitable food. This is par- 

 ticularly necessary to be attended to, on high and exposed 

 situations, where there is little, or no other provision than 

 common pastures. Where this rule has not been adverted 

 to, great losses have been sustained ( I39 ). It is necessary at 

 the same time to guard against an opposite extreme, and to 

 take care that the birth shall not be so late in the season, 

 that there shall be any risk of the young animal being unable 

 to bear the cold and severities of the ensuing winter ( I3 ). 



Another rule in breeding is, never to fix on the ewes to 

 be put to a favourite ram, until the lambs got by him, the 

 preceding year, have been examined. The perfections and 

 defects of his progeny are thus ascertained, and ewes are 

 given him accordingly. By such attention, and carefully 

 selecting from the lambs, rejecting all doubtful ones, a flock 

 is kept in a constant state of progressive improvement ( l31 ). 



A third rule is, in selecting a male from a small number, 

 not to choose the weakest male, though it may possess the 

 most delicate form, and approach the nearest to female sym- 

 metry ; for if the same system were to be continued for a few 

 generations, it may easily be supposed, that such a breed 

 will dwindle, compared with one left to the process of nature, 

 in which the strongest males, driving off the weakest, are 

 exclusively employed for the propagation of the kind ( l3 *). 



It is farther necessary to observe, that any defect in a 

 breed, will not only be transmitted uncorrected, but will ne- 

 cessarily increase in the progeny ; a tendency to that defect, 

 being inherited by both parents, and both being immediate- 

 ly descended from its original propagator. This defect may 

 be in respect of size, form, inclination to feed at an early 



