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Management of Devon Cattle. 
brought in to be fed upon straw and roots, and have a Tun out 
during the day. Close confinement, and everything of the 
nature of pampering, for stock heifers — and the remark applies 
to all breeding stock — should be avoided. Forcing for show ap- 
pears to be a necessary practice, too often followed by evil results. 
The heifers are usually from two years and nine months to 
three years old when they produce the first calf. We have seen 
already that in steer-breeding herds the cows, as their calves are 
taken away, are milked for the daily of the house. In herds 
from which animals are exhibited, such cows frequently have to 
help forward any specially promising calves intended for the 
shows ; and the system of feeding for exhibition may be here 
described in a few words, none, perhaps, more significant than 
those of the late Mr. James Davy, of Flitton in North Devon, 
whose immense success in the show-yard induced a visitor at 
Flitton, when looking at the superb yearling heifers, to ask of 
him the secret of feeding to such perfection. “ My friend,” 
Mr. Davy replied, in his characteristic manner, “ I have been 
grinding vg? sovereigns for them.” 
Illustrative Notes. 
Mr. W. S. Perry, of Whiterow, Lew Down, Devon, although 
a breeder of high-class pedigree Devons, does not extensively 
adopt the suckling system. He has a theory that suckled calves 
do not get capacity to clear off as much coarse food as they 
should dispose of to make the best profit from farming in his 
particular district (and, of course, under similar conditions, in 
other districts) ; so he hand-rears, for the purpose of bringing 
out a keen and healthy appetite. His general plan is to wean at 
ten days old. 
In the old home of the North Devon breed we find in the 
principal breeding herds very little high keeping, either of calves 
or of older animals. Take North Molton district, for example ; 
there is the historic homestead of Champson, where Mr. Fi’ancis 
Quartly acted his great part towards the preservation and 
restoration of the Devon breed of cattle, and where his nephew, 
Mr. John Quartly, is still the owner of an important herd bred 
from the old “ Quartly ” stock. The calves at Champson are 
suckled for only a short time, weaned and moderately kept 
during their growth ; and their owner declares that their pre- 
decessors were treated with still less liberality. Messrs. Tapp, 
Mogridge, and other breeders act upon somewhat similar rules 
of light expense in rearing, with faith in the great maturing 
power of the Devon upon grass. 
