H USBANDRT. 
504 
aware of it. The former paid more attention to that 
kind which were of a true mould or form, and quicker 
feeders ; while the latter contented themfelves with the 
old-fafhioned, large, big-boned, kind, which are not only 
flower feeders, but, when fed, are not fuch good beef. 
In fhort, the little farmers in Lancafhire, tempted by the 
high prices given them for their bed flock, loft their va¬ 
luable breed before (hey were fenfible of it. This breed 
is commonly underftood by graziers to be in general flow 
feeders, except that particular kind felefled, improved, 
and recommended, by the late. Mr. Bakewell, which are 
Arid not only to eat lefs food than the others in propor¬ 
tion to their weight, but to become remarkably fat in a 
fhort fpace of time, and to lay their fat upon the mod: 
valuable parts, yet to have little tallow in them when 
killed ; and, when ufed in the dairy, to give but little 
milk. This improved variety alfo differs from the reft of 
the long-horned cattle, in having very fine, clean, fmall 
bones in their legs, and thin hides. They are a middle- 
fized, clean, fmalf-boned, round-carcafed, kindly-looking, 
cattle. 
The Middle-horned Breed of cattle feems to afford 
more variety than that of the preceding kind. The De- 
vonfliire variety, when in a ftate of purity, is diftinguifhed 
by a high red colour, without any white fpots, as the 
breed is reckoned impure when thefe exift, particularly 
where they run into one another; by having a light dun 
ring round the eye; by the muzzle being of the fame co¬ 
lour ; by being fine in the bone and clean in the neck ; 
by the horns being of a medium length and bent up¬ 
wards ; by being thin-faced ; fine in the chaps, and wide 
in the hips ; with a tolerable barrel, but rather flat on 
the fide; by the tail being fmall, and fet on very high ; 
by being thin-fkinned, and filky in handling; and by the 
property of feeding at an early age, or arriving at matu¬ 
rity fooner than molt other breeds ; they are a fort of 
cattle well fitted for draught, both as to hardnefs and 
quick movement, and their flioulder-points are beauti¬ 
fully fitted for the collar. 
The Herefordshire Breed is alfo deep red, with fine 
hair; very thin fkin; neck and head clean; horns neither 
long nor fhort, rather turning up at the points ; well 
made in the hind quarters ; wide acrofs the hips, rumps, 
and furloins j narrow in the chines ; tolerably ftraight in 
the backs, but the ribs or fides lying too flat; thin in 
the thighs; bones not large. It is oblerved, that, when 
all the properties which fhould attach to an ufeful breed 
of cattle are confidered, the middle-horned may be faid 
in general to come nearer to perfection than any other 
in the kingdom. They are of a large fize, well formed, 
and, in difpofition to fatten, probably much on a par 
with the fhort-horned, and greatly fuperiorto the Suffolk. 
As dairy-cattle, they are alfo as valuable as any that fall 
tinder the defcription of quick feeders; for, although they 
give a lefs quantity of milk than the Suffolk or the long¬ 
horned, it is faid to be of a richer quality. The Hereford- 
fhire as well as North Devon varieties of this breed are in¬ 
deed a very f'uperior.fort of flock, both for the purpofe of 
labour and that of fattening, as being not only clean, 
ftrong, and well made, but affording quick proof under 
the feeding fyilem. 
The North Devon Breed, from the finenefs of the 
grain in the meat, is held in high eftimation in Smithfield. 
And they are faid to have great fuperiority over many 
other breeds, from their pofi'efling more aflivity, being 
better calculated for labour, and having more blood ; and 
which is believed to arife from the circumftance of their 
being bred from one and two years old bulls and heifers. 
Great proof in this fort of cattle is fhown by tllb iize of 
the rib, the rotundity of the barrel, and the mellownefs 
of the fkin. The colours that are moft in efleem, and 
which denote a fuperiority in the animals, are thofe fhades 
of the mahogany kind, efpecially where there is a filky 
or gloffy appearance in the hide, with a flight degree of 
waving or curling in the hair. The ox in this variety is 
moftly confidered in perfeClion about the fifth year of hi# 
age. This valuable breed of horned cattle is moft preva¬ 
lent in the fouth-weflern parts of Dorfetfhire, Hampfhire, 
Devonfhire, Somerfetfhire, and even fo far northward as 
Herefordfhire ; where the largeft, and perhaps the fiheft, 
variety of this breed is met with. The Suffex breed, 
though not fo large as the Herefordfhire, exceeds thofe 
of moil of the other diflrifts. The oxen of the Kereford- 
fliire fort, when fix years old and fattened, will in gene¬ 
ral weigh from fixty to one hundred flone of fourteen 
pounds, the fore quarters being moftly the heavieft. From 
their being fleady, as well as capable of great exertion in 
harnefs, they are peculiarly adapted to the purpofes of 
the team and plough. They may be worked from three 
to five or fix years old, before they are fattened. 
The Short-horned Breed is diftinguifhed from the 
others by the fhortnefs of the horns; by being wider and 
thicker in the frame or mould, and, of courfe, feeding to 
the greatefl weight; by affording much the largeft: quan¬ 
tity of tallow when fattened; in having very thin hides, 
and much lefs hair upon them than any other breed ex¬ 
cept the Alderney ; and more particularly by the quan¬ 
tity of milk they give beyond any other breed. The 
great quantity of milk, thinnefs of their hides, and little 
hair, are probably the reafons why they are tenderer than 
any of the other kinds, except the Alderney. Their co¬ 
lours are much varied ; but the generality of them are 
red and white mixed, w^iich, when properly blended, is 
very pleating and agreeable, and fits them to run in gen¬ 
tlemen’s parks and grounds. This breed is chiefly found 
in Lincolnfhire, and the eaflern parts of Yorkfhire, Dur¬ 
ham, Northumberland, and Berwickfhire. In confequence 
of its having been originally imported from Holland, it 
is frequently called the Dutch, and fometimes the Holdtr- 
nefs breed, from a place of that name in Yorkfhire, where 
probably it was firfl ellablifhed. 
The Suffolk Dun Breed has long prevailed in that 
diftrift ; and are diftinguifhed by their being polled, of 
fmall fize, and a dun coloui. The cows are lean, and 
large in their bellies; yet the/ are valuable for the pur¬ 
pofe of the dairy, as giving laige quantities of milk. The 
weight of this breed is mofly on the average from fifty 
to fixty ftone. 
The Polled or Gallowi.y Breed of cattle is confi¬ 
dered as very valuable. In weight and fize, it is as much 
lefs than the long-horns as tlefe are than the fhort-horns. 
The cattle generally weigh fom forty to fixty flone, foma 
particular ones reach feveny and upwards ; but their 
moft effential difference ~fron every other breed is their 
hav.ing no horns at all; fone few indeed, in every other 
refpeft polls, have two litle knobs, from two to four 
inches long, hanging dovn looie from the parts where 
other cattle’s horns grow,joined to the head by a little 
loofe fkin and flefh. In moft other refpefls thefe cattle 
refemble the long-horn$both in colour and fhape, but 
are fhorter and more cor.pact in their form ; which pro¬ 
bably makes them weigi lefs. The origin of this breed 
was probably in Gallomy, a large diftrifl in the fouth- 
wefl of Scotland, whee they are moltly bred upon the 
moors or hilly country and grazed upon the lands nearer 
the fea until riling fo'r or five years old, when the gra¬ 
ziers and drovers takfthem up in great numbers to the 
fairs in Norfolk and fjffolk, previous to the turnip-feed¬ 
ing feafon; whence he greatefl part are again removed 
in the winter and tying, when fat, to fupply the con- 
fumption of the capital, where they are readily fold at 
high prices, few or 10 cattle felling fo high in Smithfield 
market, from their utting up fo nicely marbled, owing 
to their laying thei fat upon the moft valuable parts; a 
great excellence inall feeding-cattle. They alfo prevail 
in Dumfriesfliire ad Ayrfliire. The polled cows of this 
breed are laid to b good milkers in proportion to their 
fize, the milk beig of a rich quality, and yielding much 
more butter from given quantity than in the fhort-horns. 
The oxen and tyyed heifers have allb been afferted to 
anfwer 
