soils generally are _capable of feeding fully
and profitably_.

Their qualities as working oxen are unrivalled, 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. Without possessing so early maturity as the Short-horns,
they fatten readily and easily at from four to six years old, and from
their compact build and well balanced proportions usually weigh more
than one accustomed to common cattle would anticipate.

The Devons are not generally deep milkers but the milk is richer than
that of most other breeds, and some families, where proper care and
attention have been given to this quality in breeding, yield largely.
It is, however, as a breed for general use, combining beef, labor and
milk, in fair proportion, that the Devons will generally give best
satisfaction, as they are hardy enough to suit the climate, and
cheaply furnish efficient labor and valuable meat.

Farmers, whose ideas upon stock have been formed wholly from their
experience with Short-horns and their grades, have often been
surprised at witnessing the facility with which Devons sustain
themselves upon scanty pasturage, and not a few when first critically
examining well bred specimens, sympathize with the feeling which
prompted the remark made to the reporter of the great English
Exhibition at Chester, after examining with him fine specimens of the
Devons--"I am delighted; I find we Short-horn men have yet much to
learn of the true formation of animals; their beautiful contour and
extreme quality of flesh surprise me."

The HEREFORDS are an ancient and well established breed, and are
probably entitled to be called a race. Little is known with certainty
of their origin beyond the fact that for many generations they can be
traced as the peculiar breed of the county whence they derive their
name. Youatt says that "Mr. Culley, although an excellent judge of
cattle, formed a very erroneous opinion of the Herefords when he
pronounced them to be nothing but a mixture of the Welsh with a
bastard race of Long Horns. They are evidently an aboriginal breed,
and descended from the same stock as the Devon. If it were not for the
white face and somewhat larger head and thicker neck it would not at
all times be easy to distinguish between a heavy Devon and a light
Hereford."

Mr. Gisborne says "The Hereford brings good evidence that he is the