72 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



old Suffolk cow." About the time of the first French revolution High 

 Suffolk was noted for its herds of dun cows, pale yellow, or slightly gin- 

 ger color. This cow, Mr. Lofft believes, is a variety of the old White- 

 Polled cow indigenous to the country, and kept, in bygone times, either 

 tame by the monks or semi-domesticated in noblemen's parks. He in- 

 tends to get up two small herd of these old and very scarce stock, fa- 

 mous for their milking qualities. 



The Herefords. In reply to my inquiries, Mr. T. Duckham, M. P., who, 

 as first editor of the Hereford Hera-Book and representative and resi- 

 dent in the county, is generally associated with its celebrated cattle, 

 gives his authority to the belief that they are "indigenous" (inclosure 

 13). He also refers to the records of Smithfield for comparison of the 

 Hereford breed with other sorts. 



I may here note that whilst staying at King's Lynn, Norfolk, after my 

 visit to the farms of the Prince of Wales, I found the picture of a Here- 

 ford ox on the walls of the hotel. This animal was exhibited in 1844, 

 and was bred in Norfolk by Mr. Hudson, of Castle- Acre. The weight 

 was 1,948 pounds, the carcass weighing 1,740 pounds, and the fat 208 

 pounds. The dead weight of the world-renowned Durham ox was 2,322 

 pounds. 



The Norland Sussex. Mr. W. 0. Morland, of Lamberhurst Court 

 Lodge, Kent, in reference to the Sussex breed of cattle (inclosure 14), 

 gives their weight at three years cow, 80 to 85 stone ; bull, 100 to 190 

 stone, the stone being 14 pounds. In this, as in other cases, the recorded 

 weights at Smithfield furnish the best comparison between the various 

 breeds. 



The Sussex stock are notably a heavy, beef-making breed. It is a 

 point to be remembered that the cattle are housed in winter, not on ac- 

 count of delicacy of constitution, but because of the wetness and cold- 

 ness of Wealden soil, a geological special clay. 



The Sussex breed are believed by many stock exhibitors to have been 

 derived from the Devon breed, but for a long date they have been na- 

 tive to Sussex, where they are favorites. 



The opinion of Mr. John Treadwell, Upper Winchenden, Aylesbury, 

 Bucks, is regarded as second to none in the matter of stock. Mr. Tread- 

 welPs leisure is entirely taken up by judging at the Eoyal Society and other 

 shows. This farm of 270 arable and 330 of pasture acres is visited by 

 agriculturists from all parts. In his report (inclosure 15) he states that 

 his herd of Shorthorn grade milch-cows average 16 pints of milk each 

 per day. 



The North Devons. An unsigned return (iuclosure 1C) from North 

 Devon speaks in favor of the North Devon breed of cattle for local 

 breeding and feeding, and gives a very moderate estimate of weight at 

 maturity cow, G to 8 cwt. ; bull, 10 to 12 cwt. ; ox, 8 to 10 cwt. which 

 seems to fit with the appellation given to North Devons, " the little 

 noblemen of the hills." 



The inclosure herewith sent (No. 17), relating to Smithfield, gives the 

 names of prize breeders for several years, and these names form a 

 directory of great value to buyers. 



THE ABBEY FARMS HERD OF SHORTHORNS. . 



Among the noted herds I was fortunate in being able to pay a visit 

 to the stock farms of Mr. Hugh Aylmer, West Dereham. I arrived at 

 the well-known "Abbey Farm" unexpectedly, and found Mr. Aylmer 

 was " amongst his stock in the fields." I soon had the pleasure of 



