THE UNITED KINGDOM. 191 



stamped standard and is universally acknowledged, and is found to 

 answer admirably in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United 

 States. They are very quiet and contented animals, and stand a long 

 sea voyage well, without falling off in condition. Death or difficulty 

 rarely occurs in transit. The origin of the Hereford was from the cattle 

 of the county, from which selections were made, and the breed as it 

 now stands owes all its reputation to modern changes. In the latter 

 part of last century a Mr. Tornpkins started a system of breeding which 

 ultimately exercised great influence on the stock of this paj?t of England. 

 Size, adaptation to the dairy, and the purposes of labor were the chief 

 properties studied by the breeders. Two cows fell into the hands of 

 Mr. Tompkins which had an extraordinary aptitude to become fat, 

 on which account he retained them for breeding. One of them, with 

 more white on, he named Pigeon, and the other, a rich red with spotted 

 face, he called Mottle. Mr. Tompkins established his Herefords from 

 tfce existing breed of the county, and not by mixture with dissimilar 

 kinds from other quarters, and although the improvement commenced 

 in the last century, the Hereford breed was late in being prominently 

 brought before the public as one possessed of the valuable properties 

 for which it is now so justly esteemed. 



Pounds. 

 Live weight of four-year-old ox at Sffiithfield show, December, Ib83 (offal, 8 



pounds to the score) 2, 486 



Live weight of four-year-old heifer at Smithfield show, December, 1833 (offal, 8 



pounds to the score) 2, 127 



Live weight of four-year-old cow at Smithtield show, December 1883 (offal, 8 



pounds to the score) 2,329 



Milk, annual average 3,000 



Soil. Deep-red loam and clay, lighter and poorer near the Welsh hills. 

 Climate. Mean temperature,^ /?. 



Color. Ked, with white face and%Yhite streak down back, and a broader one on the 

 belly. 

 An old established breed, without foreign admixture. 



DEVONS. 



The Devon is an old and well-defined breed, and is honored with 

 standing first in the catalogue at the Christmas fat-cattle show in London, 

 where it has been known to obtain the highest honors. They are to be 

 found in the greatest purity and perfection in the northern part of 

 their county and a portion of Somersetshire. They are very compact 

 and graceful in appearance and light of bone. Their uniform, deep-red 

 color, peculiar to the North Devon, goes to prove their freedom from 

 any admixture or foreign element, which gives them a high standard of 

 purity. 



The purest bred ones are somewhat wanting in size for general pur- 

 poses, and their improvement is slightly impeded by show-yard decis- 

 ions, which are invariably in favor of small, compact animals, which no 

 doubt are admirably adapted for their own locality, where they graze 

 well and produce an excellent quality of beef, but they cannot surpass 

 (as many of their ardent admirers try to maintain) some animals of 

 greater weight in arriving at maturity at an earlier age. Therefore they 

 are not eagerly sought after for rich feeding districts in other quarters. 

 There are cases in which great weights have been attained by single 

 animals, but this is not a characteristic of the breed, and will be al- 

 luded to hereafter, The stronghold of the pure North Devons is not 

 the richest parts of Devonshire and Somersetshire. The soil is light 

 and varied, in some parts hilly and uneven. 



