2 
Irish Agriculture. 
top of the shoulder to the tail-head. These measurements 
indicate a weight of about 30 imperial stones. 
The " Dexter " variety is the result of a cross, introduced 
about 50 years ago by a Mr. Dexter, but it is not exactly known 
what breed that gentleman resorted to for crossing with the Kerry. 
It is averred by some that the " Dexter "' variety is the result 
of selection, and not of a cross of another breed. Be that as it 
may, the points of the " Dexter " variety are materially different 
from those of the true Kerry ; for the " Dexter " has a round, 
plump body, square behind ; legs short and thick, with the 
hoofs inclined to turn in ; the head is heavy and wanting in that 
fineness and life which the head of the true Kerry possesses ; 
and the horns of the " Dexter " are inclined to be long and 
straight. Strange to say, distinct as these varieties are, neither 
the Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland, nor yet the Royal 
Dublin Society, have hitherto distinguished between them. 
Hence they have been classed together at the Shows of these 
Societies, which has given rise to much confusion. The dis- 
tinction, however, is made at the Shows of the County of Kerry 
Agricultural Society, and this example ought to be followed by 
other societies. Of late, breeders in Kerry have paid more atten- 
tion to their native cattle than they did ; they have certainly every 
inducement to do so, for pure bred Kerry cows and heifers com- 
mand high prices. The breed was long neglected, and many of 
the animals still hawked through the country by jobbers, under 
the name of Kerries, are but poor specimens of the breed. 
In the western part of Connaught the native cattle have a 
certain resemblance to the Kerry, but are of a coarser description. 
Thev, however, fatten readilv when put on good pastures. The 
West Highland breed has at different times been introduced into 
Connaught, and cattle presenting K^loe characteristics are fre- 
quently met with. There is a curious circumstance connected 
with the breeding of cattle in Connemara, a mountainous district 
in the west of Connaught, which mav be mentioned. Cattle 
in an inland part of Connemara become, if kept constantly on 
their native pastures, affected with a disease resembling ricketts, 
owing, apparentlv, to some delect in the s(jil. The bones become 
soft, and the horns grow weak and strangelv distorted ; one 
horn, perhaps, projecting straight from the head, or drooping 
downwards, while the other stands upright, or projects forward, 
giving a strange appearance to the animal. The preventive 
adopted bv the peojile of that district is to remove the cattle, 
when young, to pastures near the sea-coast, where thev are kept 
for a vear or so ; and this change seems to counteract tbe 
weakness to which thev would have been subject if they had 
been krpt at home. 
