On Short-horn Cattle. 
205 
procuring; a change of the male bird. Mr. William Clark, of 
Shincliff, miller, whose fighting-cocks were so notorious, continued 
to breed from his own kind till they lost their disposition to fight, 
but stood to be cut up without making any resistance, and were so 
reduced in size as to be under those weights required for the best 
prizes; but on obtaining a cross from Mr. Leighton, they again re- 
sumed their former courage and weights. In the numerous trials 
afforded him, he found those that were bred from a hen and her 
male chicken were the heaviest cocks and the best fighters ; those 
from a cock and hen of the same brood the reverse. In pigs, the 
writer's experience was considerable in breeding from three or four 
sows at the same time, all descended from the same parents, boar 
and sow : these were put to the same boar lor seven descents or 
generatit»ns ; the result was, that in many instances they failed to 
breed, in others they bred few that lived ; many of them were 
idiots — had not sense to suck ; and when attempting to walk, they 
could not go straight. The last two sows of this breed were sent 
to other boars, and produced several litters of healthy pigs. In 
justice to the advocates of the in and in principle, it is but right 
to state that the best sow during the seven generations was one of 
the last descent — she was the only pig of that litter. She would 
not breed to her sire, but bred to a stranger in blood at the first 
trial. She possessed great substance and constitution, and was a 
very superior animal. Superior animals bred in that way may 
be occasionally met with ; but this falls far short of proving the 
system to be good. 
The proper size of animals is a subject on which we find a dif- 
ference of opinion amongst men whose judgment and experience 
entitle them to great deference ; but it would be well to consider 
the quality of the land, and the peculiarities of the situation with 
respect to shelter and elevation, before stock is selected for it. 
Short-horns are naturally of a large size, and some of the best spe- 
cimens I have seen were large. There are many instances of 
their attaining great weights at early ages : I would instance the 
year 1828, when Mr. Grey, of Milfield Hill, sold six steers, three 
years old, that never tasted oil-cake, and averaged 84 stones : two 
of them weighed 90 stones. In November, 1803 or 1804, Mr. 
Brown, of Aldborough, sold eight steers at Darlington Fair — two 
of them a few weeks over three years old, and six of them under 
three years old — that averaged 84 stones. It was stated that they 
had not been kept in yards or houses the previous winter. At 
this period Swedish turnips were not much grown, and no turnip- 
cutters in use : they never tasted corn or oil-cake, and were brous^ht 
up at the pail. Many other instances of great weights might be 
adduced.' In advocating a moderately large size, it must be 
understood that it is the length, depth, and width, and not the 
