ON IMPROVEMENT OF LIVE STOCK. 



89 



to which, if I had a large dairy, and was anxious to 

 make it profitable, I should be wilhng to send a cow 

 from which I calculated to increase my stock. There 

 are such, probably, which I have not seen. 



I will endeavor to describe such an animal as I should 

 Hke to see. A small, clear head ; small straight ears, 

 thin, not loaded with hairs, rather inclined to be erect ; 

 a full, clear, mild eye, mild rather than bright ; a 

 short clear neck, full wheie it joins the shoulders; a 

 bold, full, capacious chest, and deep from the risen to 

 the dew-lap ; a straight back and broad, and the sides 

 of the spine well filled with muscle ; the tail small 

 round, with fine, short hairs, well set where it joins 

 the spine, not rising there with a bunch, and at its 

 lower end a bunch of strong hair, hke that upon a 

 lion's tail, and the more of these the better ; the 

 haunch compact, with well defined muscles ; the bar- 

 rel straight, and smaller behind, not deep ; legs short 

 and slender, the animal standing higher before than 

 behind ; the color would be of no importance, except 

 it could be a light dun, which generally indicates a 

 fine constitution, and kindly temper. To such an ani- 

 mal turn a good cow, of quiet habits, and there will 

 be almost a certainty of a valuable calf. 



It is generally the case, that the best breeds of ani- 

 mals for the dairy, are not the most profitable for 

 slaughter ; nor will those which are the most profit- 

 able for slaughter, produce the best stock for work- 

 ing. The Devon have been imported, and perhaps 

 none will surpass them for utility at labor. There are 

 heavier breeds, but none equal them for strength in 

 proportion to their weight, endurance of toil, and 

 speed in travelling. Their bone is rather small, but 

 they are well clothed with muscle, and the vigor of 

 an animal lies more in its muscles than its bones. 



Leicestershire was the native county of the cele- 

 brated Bakewell. It is naturally a grazing country. 

 He improved the Leicester neat cattle, and made 

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