452 
Farming of Cormcall. 
generally proves successful, — the stock being full one year in 
advance, in both weight and early maturity, compared with the 
common average of the Devons. The consequence of this cross- 
ing will, however, soon prove injurious, unless care be alwavs 
taken that pure blood be on one side — the male generally ; for 
where both sire and dam are only half bred, which is sometimes 
the case with us, the third cross proves a most mongrel stock 
indeed. Crosses with the Hereford bull have also been success- 
fully made in the south-eastern parts of the county, particularly 
in the neighbourhood of St. Germans, where this breed has been 
carefully preserved by the late Earl of St. Germans for the last 
twenty years. 
78. Feeding of Cattle. — The usual time to take the cattle into 
the houses to feed is about the months of October and Novem- 
ber, when they are fed on white and yellow turnips, straw and 
hay, until March : after this on swedes, straw, and hay to the 
fattening in June. Others feed on straw and turnips until 
February ; and hay, straw, and swedes until May, and finish on 
grass afterwards. Others, we are sorry to say, rear a greater 
number of cattle than they can properly feed, which are kept in 
a half-starved condition, either in the yards or lanes in the winter, 
and turned out on the fields in the spring, and on the rough 
pastures, or commons, in the summer. Cattle thus kept are 
sold from four to six years old, varying from 10/. to 14/. each, 
and driven by the eastern jobbers up into the pasture lands of 
other counties to be fed. Some of our best farmers give small 
quantities of barley during the fattening. Oil-cake is seldom if 
ever used, and has scarcely been seen by one farmer in a thou- 
sand. The common Devon ox, fed in the general way, and with 
ordinary care, averages 7J cwt. ; cows 5 cwt. ; and very many 
oxen will reach 1000 lbs. weight. Good shelter, warm litter, 
wholesome and abundant fodder, arc the necessaries which fortify 
our stock against the attacks of winter ; and through these, sleek- 
ness and good condition — which are the only signs of health and 
prosperity in the animal — are preserved. There should be no 
cessation in the rearing and feeding of cattle: those that ^ are 
stulTed and starved by turns are certain to prove unprofitable to 
the feeder in every way ; for here it is that the inroads of disease 
are first to be apprehended, and here its attacks will be certain 
to prove formidable and fatal. The diseases of cattle are neither 
numerous nor very fatal. The " pleuro-pneumonia " has lately 
occasioned the death of thousands in other counties, but has 
were made a great many years since in Cornwall, some of that blood . 
having been introduced by the grandfather of the present Earl of Fal- 
mouth, at Tregothnan, in ITW. 
