Agriculture of the Scilly Isles. 
385 
little hav. Fifty years ago they lived upon furze.* Recently 
also, during one winter when other food was scarce, they had 
nothing but furze, and throve upon it. In 1750, oxen as well as 
horses were used for ploughing.! 
Cattle are the chief live stock. Fifty years ago a small black 
breed was kept, and fed, on some of the islands, with seaweed. 
Cattle from Jersey were afterwards introduced, and have been 
subsequently crossed with Devons and Shorthorns. There are 
also a few Irish cattle on some of the islands. 
Cows are usually kept upon the pastures at all seasons, except 
on wet days and at night in winter. They arc frequently 
tethered. 
Some farmers house their cows during two or three of the 
winter months, feeding them upon hay and straw, mangolds, and, 
in plentiful seasons, potatoes. 
The statements concerning the yield of milk and butter were 
remarkably various. The truth ])robably is, that the better class 
of cows give, when in full milk, from ten to twelve quarts daily, 
and from eight to ten pounds of butter in the week. 
On the Home farm, where the cattle are better fed, one cow 
gave sixteen quarts of milk in the day, for six months in succes- 
sion, and thirteen pounds of butter in the Aveek. The cream is 
scalded according to the Devonshire system. Cheese is seldom 
made. 
Autumn calves are fed upon hay, mangolds, and cabbages. 
Spring calves are pastured. 
Cows are worth from 10/. to 12Z., yearlings from 3/. to 3/. \Qs., 
and calves of a few days old 10s. each. Bullocks are chiefly 
fed upon the islands of Tresco and St. Mary's, the farmers of 
the other islands contenting themselves with rearing calves and 
making butter. In winter the food of fatting cattle consists of 
mangolds, turnips, hay, and unthreshed barley or oats. Very 
little cake is given. Many are fattened upon the grass land in 
summer. 
At Holyvale, St. Mary's, the mangolds are sliced, and the 
unthreshed barley or oats passed through the chaff-cutter ; but 
this practice is exceptional. 
Fat cattle are killed when from two to three years old. Their 
dead weight varies from 3 to 5 cwt. Butchers come over from 
Penzance to buy beef, and outward-bound vessels often take in 
a supply. 
The islanders feel the want of a veterinary surgeon. 
* Woodley on the Scilly Isles (1822). 
t Heath on the Scilly Isles (1750). 
