88 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK r. 



to rear, support, and fatten them. Every attention should therefore be 

 early paid to accustom them to be docile and familiar ; and gentle, 

 kindly, equable treatment will most effectually conduce to this 

 end. 1 



vn. Hardiness of constitution, particularly in bleak and exposed 

 districts, is a most important requisite. It usually depends on form ; 

 all animals with fine arched ribs, and wide chests and backs, are 

 more likely to prove hardy than those having their fore quarters 

 narrow. 



There is a rather prevalent opinion that white is a mark of delicacy 

 of constitution ; but the wild cattle of Chillingham are invariably of 

 that colour, and the highest-bred Herefords are distinguished by white 

 faces. 



vin. Connected with hardiness of constitution is early maturity, 

 which, however, can only be attained by feeding cattle in such a manner 

 as to keep them constantly in a growing state. Beasts and sheep with 

 this propensity, and thus managed, thrive more in one year than they 

 would do in two if they had not sufficient food during the winter. 



ix. There is in some animals a kindly disposition to accumulate fat 

 on the most valuable parts of the carcass at an early age, and with little 

 food, compared with the quality and quantity consumed by others. On 

 this account smaller cattle have been recommended as generally having 

 a stronger disposition to fatten, and as requiring, proportionately to the 

 larger animal, less food to make them fat ; consequently, a greater 

 quantity of meat can be produced per acre. "' In stall feeding," the 

 nature, method, and advantages of which will be stated in a subsequent 

 chapter, it has been remarked, that, " whatever may be the food, the 

 smaller animal pays most for that food. In dry lands, the smaller 

 animal is always sufficiently heavy for treading, in wet lands he is less 

 injurious." : This opinion, however, is combated by some very able 

 judges, who still contend that the largest animals are the most profit- 

 able. They doubtless may be so on strong land; but the smaller 

 animals will thrive on soils where heavy beasts would decline. 



x. Besides the rules thus stated, there are some particulars with 

 regard to the age of neat cattle and sheep, which merit the farmer's 

 consideration. 



" Neat cattle cast no teeth until turned two years old, when they get 

 two new teeth. At three they get two more ; and, in every succeeding 



1 Mr. Edwin Ellis, of Shalford, Guildford, a very successful breeder, says (Journal of 

 the Royal Agricultural Society, 1890) : "I have always tried to make every man who 

 looks after my stock, of whatever character, an enthusiast in his work. When that is 

 accomplished, your feeding will be satisfactory, and not till then. No feeding can answer if 

 you have a stupid clown throwing in just as much food to one animal as to another, putting 

 fresh victuals on stale ones, and frightening the animal every time he approaches it. I 

 have had such men, and soon parted with them ; but when you have inoculated your man 

 with your own enthusiasm, you have got at the root of all good feeding. Watchfulness 

 of appetite, of likes and dislikes, humouring the dainty, changing the unappreciated food, 

 and withholding food when the animal appears surfeited these are methods that bring 

 success. The man has got to love and understand his animal, and you then do far better 

 to trust him as to feeding than to lay down a diet scale to be strictly adhered to.*' 



2 "Journal of the Bath and West of England Society," vol. x. p. 262. 



