THE UNITED KINGDOM. 67 



and each of these may be readily obtained, and should be consulted 

 as affording the most valuable information extant on the various subjects. 

 Careful illustrations of the various breeds, critical notes on their stand- 

 ard points in these works convey a correct knowledge of the animals, 

 and nearly all the written information that individual reports may contain 

 will have been in most cases drawn from the sources above indicated. 



Herewith I forward (inclosure 3) a useful small dictionary volume, 

 by the Kev. Holt Beever of the several tribes of Shorthorns. I also for- 

 ward as a most successful work (inclosure 4) a large folio volume on 

 the Cattle of Great Britain, containing several illustrations and with de- 

 scriptions written by authors selected for their knowledge of the sub- 

 jects; and also a volume (inclosure 5) entitled "The History of Polled 

 Aderdeen or Angus Cattle," by Messrs. James Macdonald and James 

 Sinclair, which is a valuable and most complete work, exhaustive of the 

 subject. 



In the volumes of the Eoyal Agricultural Society of England, since 

 1840, are found the Prize County Histories of the country, in which are 

 given an account of the geological subsoil, the surface soil, rotation of 

 crops, pastures, elevation and aspect of the land, of breeds of stock and 

 methods of feeding and rearing them. Such histories were written in 

 response to prizes offered by the Eoyal Society. 



The Farmers' Hand-Book (inclosure G) herewith forwarded contains 

 notes on the Koyal Society, the Smithtield Club, and various other 

 leading societies. Here may be observed that the several prize lists of 

 the great agricultural shows give the names and addresses of the chief 

 stock-breeders in the country, although exceptionally some of the most 

 renowned breeders do not exhibit, as their stock enjoys celebrity for its 

 excellence that commands the highest prices at home and abroad. 



PEIZE VS. ORDINARY STOCK. 



In the matter of prize cattle, whether for size, weight, quality of flesh, 

 milk, wool, smallness of offal, &c., it is well to remember they are 

 always exceptionally chosen animals, reared and fed under favorable cir- 

 cumstances, and are not representatives of the total number of farmers' 

 stock which is not usually of a pedigree character. For this reason the 

 weight of meat, or the quantity given of milk, have to be regarded sim- 

 ply as instances of special rather than of general excellence. Still, I 

 may make comment that the differences between prize results and ordi- 

 nary results are not enough to induce the ordinary farmer or dairyman 

 to purchase stock at fancy prices 5 and the same argument applies to 

 purchases from abroad. However, when the pbject is to establish herds 

 or flocks of repute, only pedigree stock should be bought. 



GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



The geological character of the British islands, their insular climate, 

 and the small altitude of the land are best described in special works on 

 the subjects, and agriculturists afford but little information. The up- 

 land pastures and what are called mountain districts are inconsiderable 

 in comparison with the lowland grazing districts, valleys, and marsh 

 lands of only 50 to 500 feet above sea-level ; and of Great Britain gen- 

 erally it may be said that the various breeds of stock may be changed 

 from district to district without losing their character. Shorthorns 

 thrive everywhere, yet the north of England well holds its character as 

 the home of the race. Devons fattened in Norfolk often surpass those 



