396 
The Management of a Shorthorn Herd. 
in-calf to remain out through the cold nights in autumn, are 
frequent causes of abortion. 
The importance of retaining the " calf's-flesh," that layer of 
fine elastic muscle so agreeable to the touch, and, in its effects 
as regards the animal's looks, so pleasing to the eye, is fully 
recognised at Alnwick Park ; so likewise is the difficult)/ of 
retaining it. The calves, after weaning, receive special attention, 
for, although liberally fed, they are apt to lose much of their 
plump and bloomy appearance. It is an excellent plan, Mr. 
Patten finds, before weaning-time, to accustom the calves to eat 
the same kind of food that will be given to them after weaning. 
He recommends (and uses) 1 lb. to 2 lbs. of linseed-cake per diem, 
with some sweet hay, and a few slices of mangold. This proves 
to be a good diet for newly-weaned calves. When a little older, 
they may have coarser food with advantage. A lot of ten came 
forward to grass in the spring of this year in nice condition, 
their food in winter having been inferior hay, scalded, and 
mixed with a little Indian meal, served twice a-day, and in their 
racks oat-straw ad libitum. By thus cooking or scalding the 
worst part of the hay, and so destroying its injurious properties, 
he obtains for the young stock a very useful article of food. 
North-West of England. 
Crossing from the north-east to the north-west of England, we 
have in the " over-sands " nook of North Lancashire one of the 
most noted bull-breeding herds in the country, that of the Duke 
of Devonshire at Holker. Its character, as thus intimated, will 
be remembered in connection with the management about to be 
described ; for in all these particulars of the system adopted in 
each herd, it is most essentially important, in order rightly to 
appreciate the practice, to bear in mind the main objects that 
the breeder has in view. 
The average rainfall at Holker is great. The average tem- 
perature in the different months of the year is given, in the 
following table, over three not consecutive years, but the two 
last years are taken, and the year 1875 introduced for the 
purpose of comparison. The rainfall in each of these years 
is added. Holker is situate at the head of ]\Iorecambe Bay, 
and in the close neighbourhood of the Lake Mountains, where 
showers and rainy days are frequent. Part of the land is park 
and other permanent grass, part arable, and part recently re- 
claimed from the Bay and laid down to grass ; but I have no 
memoranda of the proportion of each. 
