CHAP. i. DEVON CATTLE. 87 



They will thrive, in fact, on land of moderate quality where some of 

 the heavier breeds would hardly gain flesh without a great deal of artificial 

 aid. But the Devons, with all their merits, would not have won for their 

 owners so much silver plate, if they did not share with the other beef- 

 making breeds the merit of making the best possible use of their food. 

 Thfv are, in fact, fast flesh-forming animals whose meat is of the finest 

 quality. 



The following notes were kindly supplied (April 7, 1890), by Mr. John 

 Risdon, jun., Wiveliscombe, Somerset, secretary of the Devon Cattle- 

 Breeders' Society : 



"The Devon Cattle-Breeders' Society has only been in existence since 

 1884 ; previously to that date the Devon Herd-book was published by 

 the late Col. Tanner Davy, of Rose Ash, South Molton, Devon. In 

 the latter part of 1883, Col. Davy intimated to my father (Mr. John 

 Risdon), that he intended giving up the publication, and offered to 

 dispose of the copyright of the Herd-book. Negotiations were entered 

 into with the result that it was purchased by Messrs. Hawkes & Risdon, 

 auctioneers of Williton, Somerset. At this time a desire was 

 expressed by a few breeders of Devon cattle to establish a society. 

 Messrs. Hawkes & Risdon thereupon called a meeting of those 

 interested, and the result was that the Devon Cattle-Breeders' Society 

 was formed in January, 1884. 



" Colonel Davy published the first volume of the Herd-book in 1851. 

 In that volume there were entries from thirty-seven breeders. Volume 

 two was published in 1854, volume three in 1859, volume four in 

 1863, volume five in 1869, volume six in 1875, volume seven in 1878, 

 and volume eight in 1881 ; all these volumes were published by Col. 

 Davy. The eighth volume contained entries from thirty-eight 

 breeders only, so that there appeared to be no appreciable increase in 

 the number of breeders from 1851 to 1881. 



" Upon the Devon Cattle-Breeders' Society commencing their work, 

 there seemed to be more widespread interest in the breed. The 

 Society published the ninth volume in 1884. In this volume there 

 were entries from 117 breeders. In 1885, 1886, and 1887, annual 

 supplements were published, giving records of leading sales and shows, 

 and also annual birth-lists, changes of ownership, and deaths in the 

 various herds. Volume ten was published in 1887, and entries were 

 received in this volume from 161 breeders in Devonshire, Somerset- 

 shire, Cornwall, Dorsetshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Staffordshire and 

 Gloucestershire. As the number of entries was so much on the 

 increase, a resolution was passed that the ' Herd-book ' should be 

 published annually, and the supplement bound with it. This has been 

 carried out since that time ; volume eleven was published in 1888, 

 volume twelve in 1889, arid the thirteenth volume is now in the 

 printer's hands. 



" From these notes it will, I think, be seen that the Devon breed of 

 cattle is increasing very much in numbers and in popularity. Fresh 

 herds are continually springing up in the Midlands and other parts of 

 England, and there is also a good foreign demand. Large numbers 



