U CATTLE. 



aptitude to fatten is increased, and its property as a milker might 

 be improved, without detriment to its grazing qualities. 



Those points in wliicli the Devons were deficient thirty years ago, 

 are now fully supplied, and all tliat is now wanting, is a judicious 

 selection of the most perfeci of the present breed, in order to pre- 

 serve it in its state of greatest purity. Many of tiie breeders are as 

 careless as they ever were ; but the spirit of emulation is excited in 

 others. Mr. Davy, of North Molton, lately sold a four-year old bull, 

 for which the purchaser had determined to give one hundred guineas 

 had it been asked. 



The J3evon cattle are more than usuall}^ free from disease. The 

 greater part of the maladies of cattle, and all those of the respira- 

 tory system, aie owing to injudicious exposure to cold and wet; the 

 heiorht and thiclness of the Devonshire fences, as affordinsr a com- 

 fortable shelter to the cattle, may have much to do with this exemp- 

 tion from disease. 



The Devons have been crossed with the Guernsey breed, and the con- 

 sequence has been, that they have been rendered more valuable for the 

 daily ; but they ha\ e been so much injured for the plough, and for 

 the grazier, tliat the breeders are jealous to preserve the old stock in 

 their native purity. 



The treatment of the calf is nearly the same in every district of 

 North Devon. The calves that are dropped at Michaelmas, and 

 some time afterward, are preferred to those that come in February, 

 notwithstanding the additional troul;le and expense during the winter. 

 The calf is permitted to suck three times every day for a week. It 

 is then used to the fingei*, and warm new milk is given it for three 

 weeks lonoer. For two months afterward it has plenty of warm 

 scalded milk, mixed with a little finely-powdered linseed-cake. Its 

 morning and evening meals are then gradually lessened ; and, when 

 it is four months old, it is quite weaned. 



Of the other districts of Devonshire little need be said. Toward 

 the south, extending from Hartland towards Tiverton, the Devons 

 prevail, and in their greatest state of purity. There are more dairies 

 than in the north, and supplied principally b}"- the Devon cows. 

 Such are the differences of opinion even in neighboring districts, that 

 the later calves are here uniformly prefeiTed, which are longer suckled, 

 and afterward fed with milk and linseed-meal. 



Advancing more to the south, and toward the borders of Corn- 

 wall, a different breed presents itself, heavier and coarser. We have 

 arrived now in the neighborhood of Devonpoi t, where larger cattle 

 are required for the service of the navy ; but we must go a little more 

 to the south, and enter on the tract of country which extends from 

 Tavistock to Newton Abbott, before we have the South Devons in 

 full peifection. They are a mixture of the Devons with the native 

 breed of the country ; and so adapted do they seem to be to the 



