CHAPTEK III. 



WE have said that one of the stocks of British cattle, to 

 which we may apply the term original, was a long-horned 

 variety, the stronghold of which was Craven, in the West 

 Biding of Yorkshire and Lancashire, whence it diverged over 

 the midland counties. This breed prevailed also in various 

 parts of Ireland ; while a light, active, middle-horned breed, also 

 claiming to be called original, but now much crossed with the 

 Devonshire and Hereford breeds, occupied the more hilly and 

 mountain districts. Long-horned cattle are not so often to 

 be seen pure as formerly. Within our own remembrance, 

 however, they were the ordinary cattle of the midland counties ; 

 the huge horns generally swept in a curve downwards, and 

 often met before the muzzle in such a manner, that the points 

 were obliged to be sawed off, in order that the animal might 

 be at liberty to feed. In other instances the horns took a 

 lateral direction, first sweeping horizontally outwards, and 

 then curving gently forwards ; occasionally the horns seemed 

 somewhat distorted, and the tournure of each did not pre- 

 cis elycorrespond, 



These long-horned Craven, or Lancashire, cattle were large, 

 long-bodied, and coarse in the bone ; but they had good points : 

 the hide was thick and mellow ; and though the milk was not 

 abundant it was extremely rich. 



The great improver of this breed was Mr. Bakewell, who 

 founded what was termed the new Leicester breed of long- 

 horns; but, before his time, other spirited individuals had 

 made successful attempts, and among them maybe mentioned 

 Sir Thomas Gresley, whose seat, Drakelow House, was on the 

 borders of the Trent, near Burton. Sir Thomas Gresley's 

 stock was celebrated in its day; and, in or about the year 1 720, 

 a small farmer at Linton, in Derbyshire, but close to the borders 

 of Leicestershire, commencing upon this stock, pushed its im- 



