30 THE OX AND THE DAIRY. 



is disproportionate, and its fibre is dry and insipid ; nor is 

 the weight of the beast proportionate to its admeasurement. 

 Previously to the time of Mr. Bake well,* the cattle in general 

 were large, long-bodied, big-boned, flat-sided, slow to fatten, 

 great consumers of food, and often black, or foul-fleshed, or 

 as it is called in Yorkshire, "lyery." This truly patriotic 

 breeder, acting upon true principles, energetically set to work 

 upon the improvement of cattle, and, in defiance of opposi- 

 tion and a thousand difficulties, lived to see the success of 

 his long continued efforts. Experience and a close and acute 

 observation had taught him that " like produces like ; " in 

 other words, that the qualities of the parents, such as beauty, 

 or utility of form, disposition to fatness, goodness of flesh, 

 abundance of milk, and even temper, were inherited by their 

 offspring ; and that by careful selections on the side both of 

 the sire and dam, a breed might be ultimately established, to 

 which the title blood could be distinctly applied. This, of 

 course, supposes a primary selection, but a selection of such 

 of the offspring as exhibited the properties which constituted 

 their perfection, in the highest degree ; and again of the off- 

 spring of these, and so on progressively. At first, Mr. Bake- 

 well was necessitated to breed in and in, but as his stock 

 increased, he was enabled to interpose more or less remote 

 removes between the members of the same family ; and ulti- 

 mately he established the Dishley, or New Leicester long 

 horns, a breed remarkable for smallness of bone, roundness of 

 form, aptitude to fatten upon a moderate allowance, and fine- 

 ness of flesh. But while he accomplished this, rendering the 

 animals admirably suited for the grazier, it was found that 

 their qualities as milkers were much deteriorated ; the dairy 

 farmers consequently retained their old breed, noted for the 

 richness, though perhaps not the great abundance of the milk. 

 We are not here speaking about the differences or the dis- 

 tinguishing excellences of the various breeds of cattle, but of 

 the principles upon which excellences, it matters not of what 

 sort, may be obtained. " Like produces like," and both 

 parents must present the same excellences, the same charac- 

 teristics. It was by following out these rules that Mr. Bake- 

 well arrived at perfection in his breed ; indeed by some he is 

 thought to have pushed his principles too far, and the follow- 

 ing remarks have perhaps some justice in them : "It was 



* Born at Dishley, in Leicestershire, 1725. His father and grandfather 

 resided on the estate before him. 



