CATTLE. A few of the commercial features relating to cattle are all that need be touched on in this work.
The British and Irish breeds of cattle have been resolved into Long-horns, Middle-horns, and Short-horns. The Long-horns were for-. manly coarse and heavy beasts ; they had, however, good points ; the hide was thick and mellow, and the milk, though not abundant, was rich. The great improver of this breed was Mr. Robert Bakewell, of Dishley, who founded what was called the New Leicester or Dishley Stock. But of late years this breed has fallen behind the improvdd Shorthorns ; and, though good Long-horned cattle may occasionally be seen in the midland coun ties, the fame of the New Leicesters is ex tinguished. To the Middle-horned race belong the breeds of Devonshire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Sussex, Wales, and the Scot. fish Highlands. The horns are of moderate size, fine, well turned, and sharp pointed ; the limbs are clean ; the figure is compact, and the expression animated ; the oxen readily fatten, and the cows yield rich milk. In har diness, and in the excellence of the meat they yield, the Middle-horns claim a high rank. Devons, Herefords, and Scots, whether horned or polled, sell well in the London markets. The Shari-horns had long been known in the counties of Durham and York, before the time of their great improver, Mr. Collings. The cows were held in reputation as milkers, but the oxen were indifferent feeders, coarse, and ill formed, and produced meat of inferior quality. In the improved breed, however,
while the milking properties are preserved, the tendency to fatten is brought to a high degree ; and these qualities are combined with size, a magnificent figure, and the pro duction of beef of the highest excellence.
The present leading breeds are the Middle horns, and the Durham, Yorkshire, and Tees water improved Short-helms. It is from the latter stocks that the great London dairies are supplied with milch cows. While in milk they yield abundantly, and when dry may be fattened off for the market with rapidity.
The great day for the sale of cattle in Lon don is on the Monday in the week before Christmas. On this day, in six following years, the numbers brought to Smithfield have been as follows :— 1845 .. 5320 1846 .. 5470 1847 .. .. 4250 1818 .. 5940 1849 .. 5758 1850 .. .. 6720 The cattle exhibited for prizes at the Smith field Cattle Show increased in number from 83 in 1845 to 180 in 1850.
The foreign cattle (including calves), im ported into the ports of London and Hull, in forty-six weeks of the year 1850, amounted to 51,572.
The cattle sold at Smithfield amount at the present time to about 220,000 annually.
Of the uses which cattle render to the arts of life, in respect to milk, butter, cheese, lea ther, bladder, gold-beater's skin, horn, blood for clarifying, bone for handles and for ma nure, the details given in this work afford much evidence.