THE BOVINE TIM UK. 



20!) 



a separate existence. Over the rest of the country .some little attention was paid to the qualities of the 

 ox as a beast of draught, but beyond this the cow was merely a milk and CM 1C -pmdueiMg animal. The 

 bull was selected onlv for his proximity ; and in three or four years was discarded, from the prexalrnt, 

 notion that a change would be advantageous. He was thru marched oil' to Stilton, or 1'orehesdT 

 Castle, to feed French prisoners, or, if his si/e and substance were favourable, he was degraded into an 

 ox, and took his place in tho team. The females were reared. Such as were seasonably prolific, ami 

 as showed milking qualities, succeeded their mothers in the dairy, and the remainder, after being 

 indulged with the best pasture the district afforded, served to relieve, with the tenderness of youth, 

 the uniformity of old cow-beef, which formed the staple supply of the provinces. 



It would appear that Durham, as well as some parts of Yorkshire, had long possessed a breed nf 

 short-horned cattle of large size, and celebrated for the quantity of milk yielded by the cows. This 

 stock was subsequently improved. The present Durhams differ from the old short-horns, in 

 a well-developed figure, and in aptitude to acquire fat. 



TUB DKVON OX. 



Among the older breeds of cattle, but now greatly modified, was a long-horned race, of which the 

 West Riding of Yorkshire, and Lancashire, were the central residence, whence it extended through 

 the midland counties, and into Ireland. This breed was termed the Craven, from a district of the 

 same name in Yorkshire, bordering upon Lancashire, and where it is said to have originally 

 appeared. 



This old breed was large and coarse-boned, and apt to be long in the body, which, however, was 

 destitute of roundness. The milk, if not abundant in quantity, was extremely rich, and suited 

 the purposes of the dairy farmer. The horns were of enormous length ; sometimes they projected 

 horizontally on each side of the head ; generally, however, they swept downwards, with an inward 

 flexure, often reaching below the level of the muzzle, or even meeting before it, so as to interfere with 

 the power of grazing. 



In the beginning of the eighteenth century, various agriculturists began a series of attempts 

 towards the improvement of the long-horned breed ; and to the skill and judgment of Mr. Bakewell are 

 to be attributed the Dishley, or New Leicester long-horn. In this breed the form and the tendency 

 to acquire fat were greatly improved, and the si/.e of the bone reduced. To the grazier, the improve- 

 ment in these points was of the highest value, but the dairyman preferred the old stock. 



In process of time, however, the new breed extended, improving the cattle of the midland and 

 northern counties, and especially of Ireland. Everywhere, indeed, the long-horned has of late years 



