REPLIES TO QUERIES. 
315 
This breed, no doubt, originated from the short-homed; but, 
from a proper selection, they possess properties superior to the 
original* The points in which they are improved, are a dispo¬ 
sition to remain in tolerable good condition during the time they 
are giving a large quantity of milk ; and, when they become dry, 
fattening quickly. Another point in w hich they are improved is, a 
hardier constitution ; and, having a thicker coat of hair, they are 
better able to resist the inclemency of the weather. The follow¬ 
ing points are in general considered requisite, and from these the 
improvement has been accomplished. The muzzle small and 
clean ; forehead broad and Hat, eyes prominent; the neck clean, 
with no appearance of loose and useless parts; chest wide and 
deep; loins w ide, with a round or barrel-shaped carcass, and 
the back straight; legs clean and small; skin moderately thick, 
with a fine silky coat of hair, of a good thickness. The colour 
of this breed is various; those which are principally esteemed 
are spotted with red and white, and that variety of colour 
termed a roan: where, however, this selected and improved 
breed has been carried to excess, they have become considerably 
less procreative; and, in some instances, to such an excess has 
this been carried, that they have utterly refused to propagate 
their species any further. A gentleman in my neighbourhood 
bought an excellent high-bred bull to improve his stock; but to 
his great disappointment he never could obtain one single calf 
from this excellent beast. In the western parts of the county of 
Durham, where the land is not so good, and the situation more 
exposed, a breed is met with which is a cross from the short¬ 
horned and highland breed: about the third or fourth cross they 
become excellent for the richness of both milk and butter. They 
keep in good condition where the larger breed could not possibly 
thrive. Where the land is good, the Durham breed is peculiarly 
adapted to the dairy; yielding a larger quantity both of milk 
and butter: their value for the butcher is considered excellent; 
as, in general, they feed quickly, the meat tolerably fine in the 
grain, and weighing, upon an average, from forty to sixty stone 
(141b. to the stone) and upwards. As to husbandry labour, I can 
say nothing; very few, if any, are ever employed at present in 
the county of Durham. 
■ The diseases most incident to cattle in my neighbour¬ 
hood, are red water, diarrhoea, and milk fever. Red water 
is a disease that occurs frequently in the months of May and 
June, and likewise about the latter end of September and be¬ 
ginning of October, and attacks cattle of every description. 
The farmers suppose that it arises from the animals eating 
or cropping the bushes, as it occurs principally in situations 
where large quantities of these exist; that they are of an acrid 
