CATTLE. 153 



particular points in which the New Leicesters dif- 

 fered from the common Long Horns, are referred to 

 the fourth volume of the Genesee Farmer or the 

 volume on British Cattle, where these peculiarities 

 are described. But what has become of Bakewell's 

 Improved Long Horn breed is a question which may 

 well be asked, when it is known that it has entirely 

 disappeared from the vicinity in which it originated, 

 and the farm from which it received its name. 

 " 1 he truth of the matter is, that no sooner had the 

 master spirits of the day disappeared, than the char- 

 acter of this breed began imperceptibly to change. 

 The cattle had acquired a delicacy of constitution 

 • inconsistent with common management and keep; 

 and they began slowly, but undeniably, to deterio- 

 rate. Many of them had been bred to that degree of 

 refinement, that the propagation of the species was 

 not always certain."* 



Let the attention of cattle-breeders be called to 

 the fact stated in the last sentence ; for all experi- 

 ence among animals (and, we may add, the doctrine 

 receives abundant confirmation from a race still 

 higher in the scale of being) shows that breeding 

 " in and in" has a direct tendency to decrease the 

 certainty of the propagation of the species ; and the 

 evil results noticed by Marshall, though counteracted 

 by Bakewell's care and skill, were apparent in the 

 cattle bred by his successors. 



But, though the particular breed of cattle known as 

 the Improved Long Horns has almost ceased to ex- 

 ist as such, the beneficial eflfect of Mr. Bakewell's 

 efforts have not been lost, but by crosses with other 

 breeds, and in particular with the Short Horns, have 

 been widely difl'used. In the most highly favoured 

 districts, the Short Horn has superseded both the 

 Long and the Middle Horns ; but there are in all 

 countries extensive territories where a more hardy 



» British Cattle. 



