526 The Cumberland and Westmoreland 
It will be noticed that Mr. Atkinson sells his male animals 
either as bulls or steers at an early age. He seldom has occa- 
sion, however, to " steer " them, as there is a good demand 
generally for his bulls. 
A few of the calves get a little litter, but it cannot be afforded 
for the cows and heifers ; it was therefore satisfactory to find 
the buildings superior to the general run in the North, where 
the practice of laying the cattle on the bare floor is common, and 
where it often leads to a filthy condition of the byres, which, 
indeed, cannot be avoided under such circumstances. A capital 
airy large square shed, with plenty of head-room, holding 30 
cows, with Musgrave's iron fittings, contrasted very favourably 
with the low fcEtid dens in which a good many of the Cumber- 
land and Westmoreland cattle are condemned to spend their 
winters. This building, which is 56 feet long by 42 wide, has 
gangways 4 feet 8 inches wide behind each row of cows, and an 
additional equal space at their heads for feeding. The cows 
are arranged in three rows of 10, and there is an alley at the end 
communicating with the fodder-houses. The roof is arranged 
in three gables, and the building is well lighted by windows 
in these gables and at the sides. The floor is of stone-flags, 
and the iron fittings of stalls and mangers give it a light and 
cleanly appearance. 
Butter is made of the milk which can be spared ; but some 
milk is sold in the village, where there are a paper-mill and 
one or two woollen factories, which create some little demand. 
In February 20 cows were in milk, and 90 lbs. of butter, the 
produce of that week, had just been sold in Kendal, at Is. 9rf. 
per lb., by Mrs. Atkinson, who " stands the market " herself, and, 
having a good connection, can generally make top price. At 
my April visit the week's produce, 126 lbs., had just been sold 
at Is. Id. a lb. The cows in winter are fed on oat-straw and 
hay, swedes, oat-meal, and occasionally a little cake, but the 
outlay on this last item is not very heavy as will be seen when 
I come to that subject. They scoop their own swedes (paren- 
thetically, this is not bad evidence of the quality of the roots). 
The dung, almost absolutely pure, is carried out into a midden, 
and thence conveyed in the winter to the mowing meadow 
and pasture land, the whole of the former of which, besides 
about 14 acres of the latter, is dressed every season. I have 
before noticed that all the dung is employed for this purpose. 
This year the entire field, called " Low Park Meadow," which 
consists of 32 acres, had been literally covered with this un- 
adulterated excrement. I may mention that this field, which, 
no doubt, is largely composed of diluvial gravel, will not stand 
dry weather at all. Mr. Atkinson says that one week of hot and 
