THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



85 



ly moulded frame of the merely beefing 

 animal, must be relinquished for a lighter 

 and more active frame. 



15. Quality — on this the thriftiness, the 

 feeding properties, and the value of the 

 animal depends: and upon the touch of 

 this quality rests, in a good measure, the 

 grazier's and the butcher's judgment. If 

 the "touch" be good, some deficiency of 

 form may be excused ; but if it be hard 

 and stiff, nothing can compensate for so 

 unpromising a feature. In raising the 

 skin' frbm the body, between the thumb 

 and finger, it should have a soft, flexible 

 and substantial feel, and when beneath 

 the outspread hand, it should move easily 

 with it and under it, as though resting on 

 a soft, elastic, cellular substance ; which, 

 however, becomes firmer as the animal 

 "ripens." A thin papery skin is objec- 

 tionable, more especially in a cold climate. 



Points of the Devon Bull. — As re- 

 gards the male animal, it is only necessa- 

 ry to remark that the points desirable in 

 the female are generally so in the male, 

 but must, of course, be attended by that 

 masculine character which is inseparable j 

 from a strong, vigorous constitution. Even 

 a certain degree of coarseness is admis- 

 sible, but then it must be so exclusively of 

 a masculine description as never to be dis- 

 covered in the females of his get. 



In contra-distinction to the cows, the 

 head of the bull may be shorter, the fron- 

 tal bone broader, and the occipital flat and 

 stronger, that it may receive and sustain 

 the horn; and this latter may be excused 

 if a little heavy at the base, so its upward 

 form, its quality and color be right. — 

 Neither is the looseness of the skin at- 

 tached to and depending from the under 

 jaw to be deemed other than a feature of 

 the sex, provided it is not extended beyond 

 the bone, but leaves the gullet and throat 

 clean and free from dewlap. 



The upper portion of the neck should be 

 full and muscular, for it is an indication of 

 strength, power and constitution. The 

 spine should be strong, the bones of the loih 

 long and broad, and the whole muscular 

 system wide and thoroughly developed 

 over the entire frame." 



We have introduced this scale of points 

 in order that those who may desire to 

 become acquainted with the Devons, may 

 know when they can lay their hands on a 

 horough bred and genuine animal. No 



one should attempt to improve the com- 

 mon stock of the country without using a 

 thorough-bred male animal, for the great 

 " object of improved breeding is to dimin- 

 ish, or, if possible, remove the defects of 

 live stock, and to acquire and perpetuate 

 desirable properties." To improve ordi- 

 nary stock, then, the great importance of 

 using a pure-blooded male is apparent, for 

 it is not to be supposed that the females 

 will possess the qualities and attributes 

 which will lead to perfection in their pro- 

 geny. We are prepared to claim for the 

 Devons better results, and more rapid im- 

 provement, when crossed on our natives, 

 than can be effected by any other breed ; 

 and we predicate this claim because, as 

 before stated, they make a clearer impress 

 of their blood than is transmitted by any 

 other breed introduced for the purpose of 

 improvement. The improved Devon is 

 now a different animal from the coarse- 

 skinned, wiry-haired, black-nosed animal, 

 which is frequently palmed off on the un- 

 suspecting as the simon pure. Upon the ap- 

 plication of the hand to the hide of the De- 

 j von in fair condition its quality can be de- 

 termined by its soft and mellow condition. 

 This mellowness is indicative of the apti- 

 tude of the animal to fatten, and is esteem- 

 ed an important requisite, as an animal is 

 regarded as "almost valueless, though it be 

 possessed of perfect-symetry, if it cannot be 

 made fat without very extraordinary keep." 

 In the Devon, the great object of the cat- 

 tle breeder, " to get as little bone as possi- 

 ble." can be achieved. Large, round leg- 

 bones, indicate a coarse and illy-bred ani- 

 mal, as much so as that flat and small 

 bones are the indexes of fine qualities and 

 superior breeding. In all the requisites for 

 constitution, thirft, hardihood, aptitude to 

 fatten on short keep, it is conceded that 

 the Devons excel any other breed of cat- 

 tle wherever they have been introduced. — 

 In color, symmetry of form, grace and ele- 

 gance of carriage, they possess a like su- 

 periority over all British cattle. 



We have recently examined several of 

 the most celebrated herds in the United 

 States, and now write this hasty sketch of 

 the breed, from an honest conviction of 

 their superiority in all respects, to all the 

 improved breeds of cattle — as well in 

 their pure state, as when crossed on all 

 other breeds. We also express our opin- 

 ion that the improved milking Devons, 



