9. 7%e loin slinuld be flat Snd wide — the ade lying parallel, and nearly as high as the chine — 

 almost as wide at the fore as at the hinder part; being an indication of tKr, ."ibs bowing out, 

 which is desirable. 



10. The hip or huckle bones should be wide apart, coming upon a level with the chine, to the 



first touch or setting on of the tail. 



11. Tke Jirst touch or tip of the rvmp should be tolerably wide, so that the tail drop in a level 



between the two points. The tail should come out broad, as an indication of a flat chine. 



12. The. thigh should not be too full outside nor behind, which is always an indication of bully 



flesh, but the inside orlrwist should be full. 



13. The hock or hough should be flat and rather tliin, not coai"se and gummy, which indicates i 



coarseness ioNthe animal. 



14. The hind leg should be flat and thin. The legs of a medium length, and the hock or hough 

 - rather turning out. 



1.5. The feet or claws not too broad. 



16. The jihnk should be full and heavy when the animal is fat, indicative of being fat inside. 



17. 7'he beUy should not drop below the breast, but in a horizontal line with it. , 



18. 7^he brisket. 



19. Tke shoulder should be rather flat, not projecting. 



20. The foreleg should be also flat and upright, but not fleshy. 



21. The round or pot-bone should not project, but lie flat with the outside of the thigh. 



22. The nnder jnw. — The jaws should be rather wide, particularly for beasts intended for work- 



ing, as it affords them greater liberty to breathe. 



23. The chap should be fine, indicating a disposition to feed. 



24. 21ie ribs should spring nearly horizontally from the chine, the sides round forming a circle ; 



in which case the animal will never drop in the belly, and will lay its meat on the prime 

 parts. The great objection to the Sussex breed of cattle is that they are too sharp in the 

 chine, and the ribs too flat When thig is the case, the animal will always drop in the 

 belly, and seldom lay its meat on the prime joints. 



Remarks on Breeds. 



We have thus briefly treated of some of the many breeds of cattle considered val- 

 uable as dairy stock in Britain ; but we pretend not to give any decided opinion as 

 to which IS best. The merits of each kind have been vigorously contested by tneir 

 respective advocates, and it would be extremely difficult to decide between them. 

 Upon the form and qualifications of a perfect Cow, it ought to be observed, that 

 whatever breed is selected, there is a wide difference between the form of one 

 meant for fattening and that intended for the dairy. The first should resemble 

 the Ox as nearly as possible ; while the latter should be long and thin on the 

 head, with a brisk, quiet eye, lack in the neck, narrow across the shoulders, but 

 broad ix the haunches ; and there should be no tendency to become fat. The ud- 

 der should be large and full looking, but not protruding too far behind ; the teats 

 all pointing out and do'RTiward, equal in size and rather long and tapering ; all 

 corresponding with the signs or escutcheons as given in this book. A Cow with 

 a high back-bone, large head, small udder, and showing an inclination to become 

 fat, will be found to be a bad milker. This description applies to all breeds ; and 

 of course the difference between a Cow for fattening and one for yielding milk 

 will be comparative. 



Mr. Alton mentions the following as the most important qualities of the Dairy 

 Cow: — " Tameness and docility of temper greatly enhance its value. One that 

 is quiet and contented feeds at ease, does not break over fences, or hurt hersolf 

 or other cattle, will always yield more milk than than those who are of a turbu- 

 lent disposition. To render them docile, they ought to be gently ireated, fre- 

 quently handled when young, and never struck or frightened. Some degree of 

 hardiness, however, a sound constitution, and a moderate degree of life and spir- 

 its, are qualities to be wished for in a milch Cow, and what those of Ayrshire 

 generally possess. Some have thought that a Cow living on a small quantity of 

 food was a valuable quality, but that will depend upon the quantity of milk giv- 

 en by the Cow that eats little compared with those that eat much. If the Cow 

 that eats little gives as much milk as the one that eats mors, it certainly is a val- 

 uable quality; but of this I entertain doubts, which forty years' experience and 

 observation have served to confirm. Speculative writers affirm that some Cows 

 will fatten as well, and yield as much milk, when fed on coarse as others will do 

 on rich food. Cows that have been reared and fed on coarse pasture- will yield 

 some milk of a good quality, and from which the best butter may be extracted ; 

 while a Cow that has been reared and fed on much better pasture, would, if turn- 

 ed on that which is bad, give scarcely. any milk. With persons living in towns 

 and villages, and keeping but a single Cow, with opportunity of grazing on 



