Report on the Dairy-Farming of the North-west of France. 287 
Sometimes, in proportion as the winter-kept cattle arc sold off, they are 
replaced by an equivalent number of beasts, bought later than the spring pur- 
chases, if the grass will carry them ; biit generally the summer-led beasts 
consist only of those bought in during April and May. 'J'hose, however, 
which can be sold in September are always replaced by others, which are 
sold before the cold weather sets in, especially if they were in good condition 
when they were put on the pastures. 
It is calculated that it requires, on the average, to fatten a bullock, the 
following quantities of land : — 
First quality grass, large bullock, seven-eighths of an acre. 
Second quality grass, medium bullock, 1 acre. 
Third quality grass, small bullock, seven-eighths of an acre. 
It has also been estimated that a medium-sized bullock consumes during 
its fattening period a quantity of grass equivaleut to three tons of hay. 
The greater part of the pastures fatten also a number of Norman sheep 
every year. In some localities they are bought in at Michaelmas and in 
others towards All Saints' Day. They are sold during the winter or at the 
commencement of spring, but always before the first of April, The advantage 
of this practice is that the sheep eat with avidity the grass which has grown 
under the stimulating influence of the cattle manure. The tufts of grass 
thus produced are always rejected by the bullocks, while the sheep, on the 
contrary, browse the pieces of grass which would be completely lost unless 
utilised in this way. 
The beasts which are beginning to be fit for the butcher become more and 
more diiScult to feed, and they frequently refuse to graze land which is shaded 
by trees as well as that which has grown vigorously where their excrements 
have dropped. It is therefore found necessary to put up such fields to be 
mown for hay. 
In confirmation of this statement, which English graziers will 
not regard as indicating a very advanced condition of " Pastoral 
Husbandry," it may be interesting to quote a portion of Arthur 
Young's description of the cattle-feeding and cow-keeping of 
this very rich grass-land district (' Travels in France,' vol. ii., 
pp. 48-50). It will be seen that, although prices and profits 
have altered, practices have remained the same as they were a 
hundred years ago : — 
Normandie — NeucJiatel. — There are dairies here that rise to fifty cows, the 
produce of which in money, on an average, rejecting a few of the worst, is 80 
to 100 liv. (31. lO.s. to il. 7s. 6d.), including calves, pigs, butter and cheese. 
In winter they feed them with straw ; later with hay ; and even with oats 
and bran ; but not the least idea of any green winter food. The vale from 
hence to Gournay is all full of dairies, and some also to Dieppe, One acre of 
good grass feeds a cow through the summer. 
To Rouen. — Good cows give 3 gallons of milk a day ; they are of the Alder- 
ney or Norman breed, but larger than such as come commonly to England. 
Pont au Deimr. — Many very fine grass enclosures of a better countenance 
than any I have seen in France, without watering ; grazed by good Norman 
cows, larger than our Alderneys, but of the same breed : I saw thirty-two in 
one field. In the height of the season they are always milked three times a 
day ; good ones give three English gallons of milk a day. A man near the 
town that has got cows, but wants pasture, pays 10 sous (about 5d.) a day 
for the pasturage of one, which is a very high rate for cattle of this size. 
I'ont VEveijue. — This town is situated in the famous Pays d'Auge, which is 
the district of the richest pasturage in Normandy, and indeed of all France, 
