CHARACTERISTICS OF BREEDS. 137 



any breed of cattle so rieh and mellow in its touch, so 

 silky and fine in its hair, and altogether so handsome in 

 its appearance, as the North Devon, added to which 

 they have a greater proportion of weight in the most 

 valuable joints and less in the coarse, than any other 

 breed, and also consume less food in its production. 



As milkers they are about the same as most other 

 breeds ; — the general average of a dairy of cows being 

 about one pound of butter per day from each cow dur- 

 ing the summer months, although in some instances the 

 very best bred cows give a great deal more. 



As working oxen they greatly surpass any other 

 breed. They are perfectly docile and excellent walk- 

 ers, are generally worked until five or six years old, 

 and then fattened at less expense than most other 

 oxen." 



The author of the report on the live stock shown at 

 the exhibition of the Eoyal Agricultural Society at 

 Warwick in 1859 (Mr. Eobert Smith) says : 



" Although little has been written on it, the improve- 

 ment of the Devon has not been neglected ; on the 

 contrary, its breeding has been studied like a science, 

 and carried into execution with the most sedulous 

 attention and dexterity for upwards of two hundred 

 years. The object of the Devon breeder has been to 

 lessen those parts of the animal frame which are least 



