74 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK i 



The counties of Meath, Roscommon, Clare, Limerick, Cork, and 

 Tipperary are chiefly celebrated for the vast herds of Shorthorn cattle, 

 generally, which are there annually bred and slaughtered for exporta- 

 tion ; and many of the most public-spirited breeders have, of late years, 

 incurred very considerable expense by purchasing prime stock from 

 England for the purpose of improving their breeds ; a measure that 

 has already been attended with the most beneficial effects, and that will, 

 doubtless, in the course of a few years, prove a source of considerable 

 wealth to Ireland. Indeed, the trade in store cattle has largely 

 increased, and is now very important. Norfolk farmers depend largely 

 on Ireland for their supply of stores for yard feeding. 



The diversity in appearance in the cattle of Ireland, which is so 



Fig. 26. Kerry Cow, " Flora." 



The property of Mr. Martin J. Sutton, Holme Park, Sonning. 



obvious to a close and experienced observer, "has arisen," says a 

 writer in the " Irish Farmer's Gazette," " in great measure, from the 

 numerous breeds which have been introduced, especially bulls from 

 time to time, and the careless and irregular manner in which these 

 have been used by the common class of farmers. The imported bulls 

 might be used for a season or two, and the produce would then be put, 

 perhaps to a cross-bred bull, or a bull of no particular breed, simply 

 because such a bull could be got for a shilling, or because the cross- 

 bred bull was most convenient. From this cause, amongst others, 

 there is in many parts of the country a race of mongrels, which 

 it is impossible to assign to any particular breed, whilst in others 



we may readily detect traces of some distinct breed So 



that in some country fairs we have seen descendants of half-a-dozen 

 different breeds, and not a pure-bred animal of any breed on the 

 ground." 



