528 
Farming in Devon and Cornwall. 
properties of both could be combined, a most perfect dairy - 
farmer's animal would be the result. The line is, however, at 
present strictly drawn between them, and certainly North 
Devons do not thrive in South Devon, nor the South Hams in 
the district of the others. 
Attempts have been made to introduce the Shorthorn, Jersey, 
and Polled Angus, but none of these breeds have been freely 
patronised or supported by Devonshire farmers. Cornishmen- 
have, however, taken slightly to the Shorthorn, and some good re- 
sults can be traced to Messrs. Hosken's and other pedigree herds. 
The majority of the animals in Cornwall are cross-bred and 
chiefly Guernsey and Shorthorn. Mr. C. W. Williams, of Caer- 
hays, is substituting North Devon for Polled Angus. 
On the four breeds of Devon sheep (Devon Longwool, South 
Hams, Dartmoor, and Exmoor) praise cannot be too highly 
bestowed. Each has its special good qualities, and in its own 
district makes the best returns to its breeder. All show an 
aptitude to fatten (sometimes it is to be feared at the expense of 
the supply of milk to their lambs), and all carry heavy fleeces 
of wool of long staple, though getting somewhat coarse accord- 
ing to the climate and altitude of the land they have run upon. 
No mountain breed anywhere can show better wool, or get 
to heavier weights, or arrive earlier at maturity than the Dart- 
moor and Exmoor flocks. At the Paris International Exhibition 
last year a pen of Devon Longwools took first prize and gold 
medal over all other long-woolled breeds, including Lincolns and 
Leicesters, &c. 
Breeding flocks are kept upon most farms, but the increase 
of any of the breeds rarely reaches 125 lambs to the 100 ewes. 
The best of the ewe lambs are retained for the flock. The re- 
mainder and the wethers are reared and fed off at from 9 to 
12 months of age, or sometimes after the second shearing. 
This latter would be when the sheep are 15 to 16 months 
of age, as the lambs are always shorn at the first shearing time 
after birth. For some reason which has not yet been explained 
the percentage of sheep to the 100 acres of cultivated land has 
fallen off considerably during the last twenty years. In 18G9 
the percentages were for Devon 94-85, and for Cornwall 84'82, 
whilst in 1889 they are G9 - 74 and G9 - 30 respectively. The per- 
centages of other stock remain about the same. 
Implements. 
It is said that 80 years ago waggons were unknown in 
Devonshire, chiefly on account of the narrowness of the roads 
