156 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



loana, of good depth, or a sort of mixed limestone, well adapted for growing excel- 

 lent crops of swedes, mangels. &c., and it will grow heavy crops of oats (black bet- 

 ter than white) and barley. The yield of grain is only fair in finding properties. 

 Most sorts of grasses are grown in this neighborhood, but clover is not a certain crop. 

 The climate is damp and changeable, but extremely mild, the spring .often late and 

 cold, with a prevailing east wind. 



The annual rainfall of the districts occupied by the Black cattle is about twice the 

 amount of that of Chiswick, and the westerly winds are very strong. 



Mr. George F. Bowden says : 



It requires a hardy race to stand the exposure during the winter to which the Black 

 cattle, without any shelter except the high hedges, are subject, and this quality of 

 hardiness of constitution is possessed by the Blacks. In. their coats and general ap- 

 pearance they show the first approach of the genial spring. There is no animal which 

 commands so good a price in the fairs as a bullock that has been wintered out in the 

 fields and shows fair condition and a good coat. To those who wish to be possessed 

 of a good herd of Blacks I would say, avoid all attempts at crossing such attempts 

 have never yet succeeded but purchase the best pedigree bull of as good a strain as 

 you can get for the money. As to rearing and feeding for milk, a few years ago I pur- 

 chased some of the best cows to be procured in calf to noted bulls. I was enabled to 

 have this rare opportunity by being acquainted with several of the best breeders. I 

 have tried Shorthorns, and I have had the best of cows procurable for milk and feed- 

 ing purposes, but I prefer the long horn Black cow, which gives rich milk, thick cream, 

 and makes beef not to be surpassed, quite equal to Scots, and commands as good a 



Erice. They drop better and hardier calves, and I have never, so far, lost a calf. I 

 ave had cows calve about November and December, and all times of the year. I 

 keep the cow and calf in for, say, one month and then turn them out. They stand 

 the winter wonderfully well, and will do well on hay and chop ; sometimes I use tur- 

 nips and rice meal. I never tie up any only those I milk and finish off for the butcher. 

 Some calves I have reared upon their mothers' milk, and I do not know whether this 

 does not pay best in the long run, and is more natural. The calves reared in this way 

 at one year old are as big and have better hair and coats than those reared by hand 

 at two years old. I do not believe in allowing the calf to suck the cow and keeping 

 the calf in the shed, but rather in allowing it to have its freedom with its mother on 

 the grass. It then learns to eat with her, and when they are separated it does not 

 feel so much the loss of the mother's milk and is better prepared to get its own living. 

 Other calves I rear on skim-milk , calf meal, and a little dissolved oil-cake. I find that 

 new milk for one month is the best way to start a calf. After four months I begin to 

 give them chop, rice-meal, and linseed-cake, and continue this through the winter, 

 all given out of doors. I find also that for feeding purposes it best answers to buy 

 barren heifers and bullocks turned three years old. If bought at two years old they 

 want summering and wintering in the sheds on turnips, hay, rice meal, Indian meal, 

 and linseed-cake, and then they come out good ones at three years old and very fit for 

 the butcher. This is my experience, having bought several trucks for myself and 

 others. If it pays the Welsh farmers to keep this class of cattle on poor land and poor 

 feed, surely they ought to do something on good land and good feed. 



JAMES LONG. 

 HEICHIN ENGLAND, l883->84. 



SELECT BREEDS OF BRITISH CATTLE. 



REPORT BY CONSUL PACKARD, OF LIVERPOOL. 

 INTRODUCTORY AND EXPLANATORY. 



I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of circular dated July 

 IS, 1883, in reference to the breeding cattle in this country and request- 

 ing me to report upon the same. 



The difficulty of collecting reliable information has been very great. 

 This consulate being far removed from, the agricultural and farming 

 districts has necessitated the writing of a large number of letters to 



