CATTLE, HEREFORDS. 
27 
Of the Skin and Hair. 
The skin of the Devon, with his curly hair, is exceedingly mellow and 
elastic. Graziers well know that there is not a more important point than 
this. When the skin can be easily raised from the hips it shows that there 
is room to set on fat below. 
The skin is thin rather than thick. Its appearance of thickness arises 
from the curly hair with which it is covered, and curly in proportion to 
the condition and health of the animal. These curls run like little rip- 
ples on water. Some of these cattle have the hair smooth, but then it 
should be fine and soft. Those with curled hair are more hardy, and 
fatten more kindly. 
The favorite color is blood red. This is supposed to indicate purity of 
breed ; but there are many good cattle approaching almost to bay, and others 
of intermediate hues. 
If the eye is clear and good, and the skin mellow, the paler color wl,L 
bear hard work, and fatten as well as others, but a beast with pale hair, 
and hard under the hand, and the eye dark and dead, will be a slusgisli 
worker, and an unprofitable feeder. 
Thoso of a yellow color are said to be subject to diarrhoea, or scouring, 
These are the principal points of a good Devon ox ; but he used to bo c 
perhaps as many are yet, a little too flat-sided, and the rump narrowed 
too rapidly behind the hip bones ; there was too much space between the 
hip bones and tho last rib, and he was too light for plowing in tenacious 
and strong soils. 
A selection from tho most perfect animals of the true breed — the bone 
small and the neck fine, but the brisket deep and wide, and down to tho 
knees, and not an atom of flatness all over tho side — these have improved 
the strength and bulk of the Devon ox, without imparing, in the slightest 
degree his activity, his beauty, or his propensity to fatten 
The Herefords. * 
Tho Herefords, named from the county of Hereford, England, were 
originally red or brown, with no white about them. From that they were 
bred to brownish or yellowish red, somo few even being brindle. Only 
Within the last hundred years have they been bred to white faces. 
It was finally made to extend along the top of the neck, along tho throat, 
dewlap, brisket and fore legs, belly and flanks ; and white hind feet and 
tail aro now fashionable. 
They are a very ancient breed, and undoubtedly allied to the Devons, which 
they very much resemble. 
