■2U 
Brittany Cows. 
and having promised the sceptic some butter of the true Brittany 
flavour, was acknowledged to have fulfilled his promise — " La 
question ttait nettemcnt n'solue." 
The butter, then, is much esteemed at home (at Rennes, Ayr- 
shire butter would not sell), and much of it is exported to Eng- 
land. It would, therefore, seem that it is a mistake to sell the 
produce of these cows as milk, particularly near London, where 
food of choice quality and delicate flavour is so highly prized. 
Xext as to cross-breeding. Both^the states of Brittany in 
old times, and the present provincial administration under the 
Empire, have voted grants of 'public money for the object of 
improving their breed of cattle. So long ago as 1760, on the 
suggestion of the Bishop of St. Pol de Leon, 45 bulls were bought 
in La Vendee of the Bocage breed. In the more remote parts of 
the province the influence of this importation was only indirectly 
felt, but it has left permanent traces in the grey tint which 
encircles the eye and tips the muzzle of many cows. Other 
French breeds have been tried for crossing with no great success, 
though without diminishing the value of the produce. From 
Great Britain, Ayrshire bulls have been imported bv the prefet 
of the department Ille-et-Vilaine : a mistake, in !M. Jamet's 
opinion, because that breed has the same weak points as the 
native race, — a narrow chest, defective hind-quarter, and, above 
all, Ijecause the milk of Ayrshires, though of fair quality for 
cheese-making, is deficient in butter. It would seem, however, 
that the last importations from Scotland were not favourable 
specimens. 
The cross with the Ayrshire, then, is not to be recommended. 
To a cross with the Jersey breed objections are raised on the 
score of their very defective frame (an evil considerably modified 
of late) and of the rich food which they require. 
On the other hand, crossing with a shorthorn is considered a 
decided success. " After a trial of twenty years at Grand Jouan, 
it is found that the half-bred Durham find Brittany has a much 
better shape, and gives more milk in proportion to the live weight 
and to the food consumed, than the pure native race. T^heir 
earlier maturity and increase in size add to the value of this 
cross." 
The dairy of the model farm at Ti'ois Croix has been quite re- 
modelled by the use of shorthorn bulls, the yield of butter not 
being impaired, since 9| quarts here produce 1 lb. of butter ; 
whilst with the pure breed, on an average, nearly 10 quarts (9"84) 
are required. 
The Breton breed, when pure, may be crossed three or four 
times. In the case of the ordinary cows of the country, it will be 
well to stop at the second cross, because, having no fixity of 
