128 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 7, 189&. 
PROFITABLE LIVE STOCK—SCOTCH CATTLE. 
The supei’iority of Scotcli beef has obtained sucb general 
recognition that it has a special quotation on the Bondon 
markets, the price always being higher than that of any 
other beef. This is an outcome of good management, affording 
proof of the profit of really intelligent breeding and feeding. 
It has reference to the prime Scotch beasts sent regularly to 
Smithfield, and not to just a few extra choice beasts specially 
fed for exhibition. This is the fact, but results at cattle 
shows in recent years, where the leading breeds are brought 
into competition, tend to emphasise the cattle dealers’ opinion 
by placing Scotch beasts before all others. 
To take an example we may point to the remarkable success 
of Mr. Clement Stephenson, who in 1893 and 1894 won the 
champion prize at Birmingham, with Bridesmaid of Benton 
in 1893, and Benton Bride last Christmas, both out of the 
same Aberdeen Angus cow—the famous Bride 13,343. Since 
the last cattle show it has been announced that Bride has 
another calf, “ a most promising one, just as fine as could be. 
Bride is certainly a grand cow for a breeder to own. She 
is very short legged and wide-bodied, milks like a good 
dairy cow, never gives any trouble, settles to the first service, 
and produces a good calf every year. She was calved 
December 7th, 1886, and this is her seventh calf.” 
Such a description causes us to regret that every heifer 
from such a cow has not been saved for breeding. But when 
it is remembered that Mr. Stephenson must have received about 
£1000 in prizes, and for this and the sale of Benton Bride 
alone, it must be admitted that he has a grand incentive to 
try again in the same direction. It was the general opinion 
that Benton Bride was superior to tb'^se other prizewinners 
of Mr. Stephenson s Bridesmaid of Benton, Achievement, and 
Luxury. Her form was as near perfection as we shall ever 
see, flesh well and evenly laid on, fine bone, short legs, frame 
wide and deep, a model of symmetry, and yet so massive that 
there seemed more of her than the reserve beast, the Queen’s 
shorthorn steer Masterpiece. Her age was about thirty four 
months, and she weighed 16 cwts., 2 qrs, 21 lbs. 
It is certain that the exhibition of such magnificent examples 
of this breed has done much to induce more general attention 
to its high value. The sales of Aberdeen Angus last year 
were remarkably successful, many being purchased to form the 
nucleus of fresh herds both in England and Ireland, where an 
association has been formed for the extension of this excellent 
type of the polled breeds in that country. Quality and merit 
have been kept well in view in the development of the Aberdeen 
Angus in Scotland; it will rest with breeders in the sister 
countries to maintain the high standard of excellence to which 
they have been brought. 
That older type of polled breeds, the Galloways, is well 
known to repay one for all the care that can be bestowed on 
it. In no breed does selection and breeding tell better, or prove 
more profitable. These are remarkable for the long silky black 
hair —in such striking contrast to the short coats of the 
Aberdeen Angus, for points of excellence all over them—long 
sides, well sprung ribs, well-rounded hips, straight and broad 
backs. Width of chine, deep prominent chests, and short legs. 
Many of them are good milkers. For hundreds of years have 
they been sent over the border into England in very large 
numbers. On the rich pasture of the midlands they answer so 
well that they become larger and heavier than in Scotland. 
They are very hardy, bearing exposure better than short-coated 
cattle; but even they with their long shaggy coats are the 
better for shelter. So kindly are they that a Galloway cow is 
said to cost £2 or £3 a year less to keep than a shorthorn. 
In 1892 a remarkable feat was achieved at the Smithfield 
Cattle show in the winning of the champion prize by a cross¬ 
bred, a blue-grey from a Galloway cow by a shorthorn bull. 
Blue greys are in high favour on the border for the early 
maturity, choice quality, and heavy weight of cattle from this 
cross. A brisk demand for blue greys sprang up after the show 
of 1892, affording one more instance of how prompt graziers are 
to adopt and turn real improvements in breeding to account. 
We have no doubt that if only really well bred cattle on 
which profit is a certainty could be had in suflficient numbers 
there would be an end of the sale of mongrel breeds on our 
markets Ample materials have we for breeding with for such 
a purpose, let iis turn them to full account and so have really 
profitable live stock, to the exclusion of all that is inferior. 
WOEK ON THE HOME FAKM. 
Very trying has the weather been for all live stock. As we are 
writing there is snow lying everywhere several inches in depth, and a 
bitter east wind, with 6° of frost, at midday. Animals exposed out in 
the open in such weather, if at all low in condition, have a severe 
struggle for bare life. Every scrap of food they can get goes to support 
vital heat—the heat on the maintenance of which life itself depends. 
What wonder, then, if many of them die outright, under such insane 
exposure, such reckless mismanagement, such shameful cruelty. To 
those having and using proper means of shelter, we advise making a 
close inspection now of every enclosure, in order to ascertain if the yards 
and hovels are really snug. It is not an uncommon thing to see yards 
with nothing but posts and rails ; such yards are wind-swept, the cattle 
would find more shelter in pasture with a thick hedge to break the force 
of the wind. Or hovel shelter may be very inadequate. We have 
actually seen at a so-called model home farm hovels for stall-fed 
fattening beasts so narrow that the hind quarters of the beasts were 
barely covered by the eaves, and they must have frequently suffered 
from wind-driven rain and snow, one side of the hovel being left open. 
Now is the time to look into all such matters, while the yards are 
full and faults are readily detected. It is the yards shut in by buildings 
or enclosed by walls, boarding, or corrugated iron sheeting that are 
worthy of the term “ snug,” which afford cattle real shelter. Make the 
shelter of buildings equally efficient, keep out wet and cold cutting 
draughts, keep the floors dry and the litter clean, then indeed will the 
food be turned to best account. This may be repetition of advice often 
given before, but so long as we see so much negligence and evidence of 
BO little thought in the management of live stock, we are bound to per¬ 
sist in calling attention to the fault and its consequences. It is a good 
plan during such cold weather to improve the quality of the dietary by 
using more crushed Oats or mixed corn. This is always eaten greedily, 
and it can be followed by straw, hay, chaff, roots, only make sure of the 
more nutritious food being eaten first. A free hand with food now ia 
true economy ; it keeps the store beasts steadily improving, and in the 
dairy cows keeps up a full flow of milk. 
METEOROLOaiCAL OBSERVATIONS. 
OAMDEN SQUARK, LONDON, 
Lat.51° 32'40" N.: Long. 0° 8/ 0" W.; Altitude. HI feet 
Date. 
9 A.M. 
In the DAT. 
Rain, 
1895. 
January and 
February. 
1 Barometer 
1 at 32°, and 
1 Sea Level. 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of soil 
at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun. 
On 
Grass. 
Inchs. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
Inch?, 
Sunday .. 27 
29-815 
24 3 
23-8 
N. 
35-4 
31-1 
20 2 
43-9 
20-0 
0-092 
Monday .. 28 
29 984 
27-4 
26-5 
N.W. 
34 9 
31-1 
22-4 
56-6 
22-0 
Tuesday .. 29 
30-261 
23-9 
23-3 
N.W. 
34-8 
30-6 
17-2 
33-9 
16-2 
Wednesday 30 
30-465 
21-8 
21-3 
N. 
34-3 
32-3 
20-2 
60-0 
18-1 
Thursday.. 31 
30 206 
29 6 
28 4 
N. 
34-1 
34-2 
21-1 
67-2 
19-7 
0-090 
Friday .. 1 
30-021 
26-4 
25-9 
N. 
34 0 
33-8 
22*4 
38-9 
19-1 
0-062 
Saturday .. 2 
-29-931 
33-3 
33 0 
N.B. 
34-1 
36-3 
26-9 
41-8 
25-3 
0-010 
30-098 
26-7 
26-0 
34-5 
32-8 
21-5 
47-5 
20-1 
0-2&4 
REMARKS. 
27th.—Sun shining through fog all day ; snow showers from 7.30 P.M. 
28th.—Snow showers early and till 9 A.M ; unbroken sunshine from about 11 A.M. % 
clear night. 
29th.—Fog all morning, but very little in afternoon and evening. 
30th.—Alternate sunshine and sprinkles of snow in morning; cloudy afternoon. 
31st.—Fine early with solar halo at 10 A.M. ; heavy snow shower at 11.15, sun again at 
11.30, snow and soft hail from 11.55 to 0.45 P.M., and frequent slight snow 
showers during the rest of the day and night. 
1st.—Snow in small hours ; overcast all day, with occasional sprinkles of snow. 
2nd.—Snowing more or less from 1 A.M. and at intervals all morning; overcast 
afternoon and evening. 
A very cold week, owing chiefly to uniform low temperature, and not to any 
one excessively low reading, the lowest 17'2° having often been exceeded at this station. 
—G. J. Symons. 
