64 THE OX AND THE DAIRY. 



get to observe, that a small herd of wild white cattle, like 

 those at Chillingham, is preserved in the Park at Lyme Hall. 

 These cattle are very shy, frequenting the higher grounds in 

 summer, and the woods in winter : during the latter season 

 they are supplied by the keepers with hay. 



The original cattle of Staffordshire were of the long-horned 

 stock, afterwards greatly improved by the Dishley breed ; but 

 these have given place to the Yorkshire short-horns, and are 

 seldom to be seen, except perhaps towards the borders of 

 Derbyshire, and even there they are considerably modified. 

 The prevailing breed is the result of crossings of the short- 

 horned stock and the old long-horns. Middle-homed Devon 

 cattle have been introduced upon the farms of some agricul- 

 turists of note, and polled Galloways have also attracted 

 attention. In many large parks and grazing grounds, as those 

 of Trentham, numbers of black Scotch cattle are fattened ; 

 and the markets of the principal towns are well supplied with 

 beef of first-rate quality. Tri those parts of Staffordshire ad- 

 jacent to Derbyshire and to Cheshire, excellent cheese is pre- 

 pared; but little, we believe, comes to the London market. 

 It is the practice, in these districts, to kill the calves (those 

 excepted which are intended to be reared) at a very early age ; 

 consequently the veal is usually small and inferior. This 

 observation applies also to Cheshire and Derbyshire ; on the 

 other hand, the veal in the London markets is often too old. 

 The difference between the veal in London, and that in the 

 towns of Staffordshire, and the counties immediately adjacent, 

 is very striking. The London markets are chiefly supplied 

 from Essex, where the calves bought by the farmers, at ten 

 or fourteen days old, are fed for twelve or fourteen weeks 

 before being sent to the London butchers. 



The same changes, with respect to the cattle, have taken 

 place in Shropshire as in Staffordshire. The old long-horn, 

 which formerly prevailed there, was a coarse but hardy beast, 

 generally streaked with a broad line of white along the back ; 

 and, though not disposed to fatten, was well fitted for the 

 dairy. Few of these old cattle are now to be seen : the 

 Holderness and the Hereford breeds have not only modified 

 the stock, but, to a certain extent, usurped its place ; while 

 various breeds from Wales, small but good and hardy cattle, 

 are cultivated by the smaller farmers. 



Our remarks respecting the decline, or admixture of the 

 long-horned stock, and the ascendancy of the Durham or 



