Farming of Devonshire. 
479 
the butcher forms a part of their general practice. The steers 
when they have attained the age of three years are sold as working 
oxen. The principal fairs for these are held at Crediton and 
South Molton, and the majority of those purchased by Devonshire 
farmers are driven to the north and east of Exeter. I hey are 
worked one or two seasons, after which they are fattened and the 
flesh is rendered more delicate by this period of rjentle labour. 
The more general practice is to purchase them in the spring — work 
them until the middle of summer, and then graze them in pre- 
paration for the fatting-stall in October or November. The 
ordinary mode of working them is by means of the yoke, which is 
much preferred to harness. The yoke is constructed so as to pro- 
portion the relative draught of the animals to their strength. If 
an ox is weaker than his companion, the iron by which the 
draught-chain is attached to the yoke is placed at a greater distance 
from the weaker, thus giving it a mechanical advantage. Cattle 
are very rarely employed in carts on the roads, this being a prac- 
tice almost obsolete. 
A large district in the south of Devon, comprising the South 
Hams, and the land on its west, is devoted to the rearing of cattle. 
They are grazed until 3 years old, when they are fattened for the 
neighbouring markets and navy provisions. The breed of cattle 
found in this portion of our county is known as the South Hams 
variety, and are supposed to have originally sprung from the 
North Devons, but are now a distinct breed, differing in most 
points from the parent stock. Their flesh is inferior to the North 
Devon cattle; but they are much liked in this part for their good 
feeding qualities. The careless mode of breeding adopted at the 
present time removes all hope of any immediate improvement. 
A careful selection of breeding stock would improve their shape 
and the quality of the flesh, whilst their peculiar tendency to fatten 
might still be preserved. We seldom find any artificial food 
used in this county for fattening cattle — hay and turnips being 
generally employed; but its judicious use would pay in the beast 
fattened and the increased value of the manure. 
The vales of the Exe and Honiton, with the neighbouring 
country, are the principal dairy districts. The dairies are not 
generally large, ten to fifteen cows being the average number 
kept. It is a frequent practice to keep one Guernsey cow in a 
dairy of ten or twelve Devons — the milk and butter being much 
improved in quality and appearance by it. In describing the dairy 
operations, the practice of scalding milk for the manufacture of 
" Devonshire or clouted cream,'' will be the first to receive notice. 
The milk immediately it is drawn from the cow is strained into 
shallow pans, in each of which about half a pint of water has been 
