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On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
repetition  hereafter  to  introduce  in  this  place  what  is  to  be  said 
on  the  subject  generally. 
Breeds  and  Breeders. — As  a cattle-breeding  district  West 
Somerset  is  closely  connected  and  yet  not  to  be  identified  with 
North  Devon.  A line  of  noted  breeders  may  be  traced  along 
the  southern  slopes  of  the  high  land  from  Exmoor  to  the  Quan- 
tocks  : they  may  be  classed  in  three  groups.  At  the  western 
end  the  pure  North  Devons  cluster  round  Mollond  Down  and 
North  Molton  ; at  the  other  extremity  we  find  the  heavier  So- 
merset animal  round  the  base  of  the  Quantocks  near  Taunton 
and  Bridgewater;  between  the  two  extremes  are  the  bullocks 
of  Brendon  Hill  round  Wiveliscombe,  which  appear  in  a high 
■degree  to  combine  size  and  quality;  nor  must  1 forget  to  put  in 
a claim  for  the  sunny  knolls  and  marshes  of  Dunster  and  its 
neighbourhood  to  occupy  the  same  intermediate  position  in  the 
character  of  its  cattle. 
It  is  remarkable  how  entirely  the  reputation,  and  it  may 
be  said  the  present  existence,  of  the  Devon  breed  is  owing 
to  tenant  farmers,  and  above  all  to  one  man,  Mr.  Francis 
Quartly,  of  Mollond  Botreaux.  As  the  boundary  of  Somerset 
touches  Mollond,  and  as  his  name  is  not  even  mentioned  in  the 
Report  on  Devon,  it  may  be  allowable  to  record  in  this  Report 
the  debt  of  gratitude  which  West  Somerset  owes  to  him.  He  is 
now  advanced  in  years,  and  afflicted  with  blindness,  but  in  full 
possession  of  his  mental  powers.  The  account  which  he  gave  in 
answer  to  my  inquiries  was  to  the  following  effect : — 
More  than  fifty  years  ago  the  principal  North  Devon  yeomen 
were  all  breeders : and  every  week  you  might  see  in  the  Molton 
markets  animals  that  would  now  be  called  choice ; there  were 
no  cattle-shows  in  those  days,  and  therefore  the  relative  value 
of  animals  was  not  so  easily  tested.  The  war  prices  tempted 
many  farmers  to  sell  their  best  bulls  and  cows  out  of  the  district ; 
and  Mr.  Quartly  in  his  youth  perceived  that  good  animals  were 
becoming  scarce,  and  the  breed  generally  going  back ; he  there- 
fore determined  to  buy  quietly  all  the  good  stock  he  could  meet 
with.  He  often  picked  up  a cow  from  a dairy  farmer  who  wanted 
to  get  rid  of  her,  because  she  would  get  so  fat  she  gave  no  milk ; 
after  buying  all  the  best  animals  he  could  find,  he  continued  for 
many  years,  with  that  skill  and  judgment  which  great  breeders 
alone  can  appreciate,  to  improve  his  stock  till  he  brought  it  to 
perfection.  About  the  year  1831  cattle-shows  began  at  Exeter. 
Some  good  Devon  breeders  carried  off  the  early  prizes ; but  after 
a year  or  two  Mr.  Quartly  allowed  his  nephews  to  enter  in  all 
the  eleven  classes  at  Exeter,  and  they  brought  home  the  eleven 
prizes.  Mr.  James  Quartly  says,  that  when  he  had  to  return 
thanks,  he  felt  ashamed  to  think  they  should  have  been  so  greedy. 
