CHARACTERISTICS OF BREEDS. 127 



CHAPTEE X. 



Characteristics of Various Breeds. 



The inquiry is frequently made, what is the best 

 breed of cattle, sheep, &c., for general use. In reply 

 it may be said that no breed can by any possibility ful- 

 fill all requirements in the best possible manner ; one 

 is better for meat and early maturity, another for milk, 

 another for wool, and so on. Because under certain 

 circumstances it may be necessary or advisable for a 

 man to serve as his own builder, tailor, tanner and 

 blacksmith, it by no means follows that all which is 

 required will be as well, or as easily done, as by a 

 division of labor. So it is better for many reasons, and 

 more profit can be made, by employing difierent breeds 

 for difierent purposes, than by using one for all, and 

 towards such profitable employment we should con- 

 stantly aim. At the same time there is a large class 

 of farmers so situated that they cannot keep distinct 

 breeds, and yet wish to employ them for difierent uses, 

 and whose requirements will best be met by a kind of 

 cattle, which, without possessing remarkable excel- 

 lence in any one direction, shall be suflQcieutly hardy, 



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