176 State of Agriculture in Northumberland. 



more grass if grazed by sheep than by oxen. As sheep graze 

 much closer than horned cattle, the pasture after them is always 

 in a state to spring afresh, but in ox-pastures a considerable 

 quantity of grass is allowed to go uneaten, and to attain a state 

 beyond which it does not improve ; just as a held of hay, when 

 fit for cutting, would not improve if left uncut, although after 

 cutting a large produce of aftermath comes up. This, however, 

 may be considered more matter of speculation than certainty, and 

 therefore irrelevant to our present subject. 



The cattle of the county are essentially of the short-horned 

 breed, although many are imported from the Scottish Highlands. 

 This breed was early introduced from the stock of Messrs. 

 Colling, and has superseded every other, as is the case in many 

 counties. A reference to the ' Herd-Book ' will show that the 

 district contains many extensive and eminent breeders of short- 

 horned cattle, who sell their young bulls and heifers at good 

 prices and into distant parts ; and although individual specimens 

 of equal merit may exist throughout England, in no part of it 

 will the general stock in the hands of farmers be found better, or 

 perhaps even so good, as in this. It is not a dairy- country at all, 

 and cows are kept only for family use and to produce calves, 

 which are reared from the pail, and by means of linseed-meal, 

 hay-tea, oil-cake, &c. Three calves are generally reared for 

 each cow that is kept. In some cases, where extensive pastures 

 of rough and poor land are connected with a farm, it is not 

 unusual to breed cattle by crossing West Highland heifers with a 

 short-horned bull, allowing the calves to suck till they are of age 

 to be weaned, and then fattening the cows for the butcher. 

 These two breeds, though suited to different climates, pretty 

 much resemble each other in quality, being the best for their 

 respective localities, as I believe, that anywhere exist ; and when 

 the parents on both sides are pure in blood and well selected, the 

 produce rarely fails in combining the excellences of both. That 

 well-known breeder, Mr. Thomas Bates, when in Northumber- 

 land, brought this cross to great perfection. The calves in either 

 case are kept during the first winter in the straw-yard, with a 

 moderate allowance of turnips daily; but in situations where 

 much loss has been sustained by '^quarter ill," or '^'^ black leg," 

 as the sudden mortification is sometimes called, with which cattle 

 at that age are frequently seized in the limbs or back, a little 

 oil-cake and hay are substituted for turnips with good effect. 

 A constant supply of rock-salt in their mangers is, I am inclined 

 to think, of great use in this respect. 



In the next summer they have commonly an inferior pasture, 

 or are put among the sheep to eat up the coarse grasses which 

 they refuse : during the second winter they get turnip-tops, and 



