Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-12-03
aeritultural.


The North Dcvons are deemed to be
of longer standing than any Of the 9th
er distinct breeds Of cattle, and they
have been esteemed for their good
qualities for several centuries. Mr..
George Turner, noted breeder of De-
vons, describes them as follows !:
Their color is generally a bright red,
but varying a little either darker OF
more yellow they have seldom any
white except about the udder of the
COW or belly of the bull, and this is
but little seen. They have long yell
lowish horns, beautifully and grace
fully curved, noses or muzzles white,
with expanded nostrils, eyes full and
prominent, but calm, ears of moder-
ate size and yellowish inside, necks
rather long, but with little dewlap,
and the head we'll set on, shoulders
oblique with small points or marrow
bones, legs small and straight, and
feet in proportion. The chest is of
moderate width, and the ribs round
and well expanded, except in some
instances, where too great atten-
tion has been paid to the hind quar-.
ters at the expense of the fore and
which has caused falling off or fiat
ness behind the shoulders (; the loins
are first-ratc, long, and full of flesh,
hips round and of moderate width
rumps level and well filled at the bed;
tail full near the rump and tapering
much at the top. The. thighs of the
cows are occasionally light, but the
bull and OK are full of muscle, with a
deep and rich flank. On the whole,
there is scarcely any breed Of cattle
SO rich and mellow i'm its touch, SO
silky and fine in its hair, and altogeth-
er so handsome in it's appearance as
the North Devon, added to which they
have a greater proportion of weight
in the most valuable joints and less
in the coarse, than any other breed,
and also consume less food in its pro-
duction.
AS mixers, they are about the same
as most other breeds--the general av-
erage of dairy of cows being about
one pound of butter per day from each
cow during the summer months, al
though in some instances the very
best bred cows gives deal more.
As working oxen they greatly sur
pass any other breed. They are per-
fectly docile aud excellent walkers,
are generally worked until they are
five or six years old, and then fatten-
ed at less expense than most other
oxen. .... .-.... ......... .... .s...
The Devons have been less exten-
sively, and more recently, introduced
than the Short Horn, but the expert
ence of those who have fairly tried
them fully sustains the opinions given
of them, and they promise to become
a favoritc aud prevailing breed.
Their qualities as working oxen are
unrivaled, no other breed so uniformly
furnishing such active, docile, strong
and hardy workers as the Devons, and
their uniformity is such as to render
it very easy to match them.
The Devons are not generally deeE
mixers, but the milk is richer than
that of most other breeds. 1t is, how
ever, as breed for general use. com
bining beef, labor. and milk, in fair
proportion, that Of the Deyons will
generally give best satisfaction, as
they are hardy enough to suit the eli
mate, and chiefly furnish efficient la
bor and valuable meat.--Pylneiplss ot
breeding by S. L. Goodale.