weight, and producing healthy offspring. This I consider a physiological fact well worthy of notice, and very creditable to the 'little red cow.' Of course the same nutritive power applied in other directions would give beef-producing results, such as we all know of."

Devon cattle are active and very hardy, qualities that make them especially valuable in dry or mountainous regions. The bulls are quite intelligent and active, and are not as liable to be cross as some other breeds; they weigh from 1800 to 2000 lbs. at three to four years old. The cows have strong vital organs, and large digestive and assimilating powers. Their udders are not large for the amount of milk they give, with good elastic teats, seldom sore. The milk is of good quality, either as food for infants and invalids, for the manufacture of butter or cheese, or for market delivery; it does not churn in the cans, nor look blue in the bottle.

Devons will pay their way at the dairy as well as in the feeder's stable; they will keep in good condition, and look plump and sleek on pasture that other breeds can hardly live on; they are easy keepers, good producers of the finest kind of milk, and also make the very best quality of beef.

VIII. DUTCH BELTED CATTLE.

By H. B. RICHARDS, Easton, Penna., Secretary Dutch Belted Cattle Association of America.

Dutch belted cattle are natives of Holland, and originated in that country during the seventeenth century, when the cattle interests of Holland were in the most thrifty condition; in fact, it was the chief industry of the country. At that time breeding had been developed to a science, and cattle of remarkable contrast of color were bred whose foundation color was black, with a broad white band around the centre of the body, a white head, a black ring around each eye, and a full white tail. Wonderful and remarkable as it may appear, a feat was accomplished during that period that would defy our modern breeders and can be safely classified as a lost art.

Dutch belted cattle became a classified breed and were

bred to a remarkably high standard. For several centuries they were owned and controlled by the nobility keeping them pure and limiting their number to their ownership. They were first imported into this country about the middle of the present century, the importers procuring the finest herds in Holland; the herds in the United States to-day are purely of American breeding.

The American Association have adopted as their standard of color a pure black, with a continuous white belt around their body, beginning behind the shoulders and extending nearly to the hips; this sharp contrast of colors makes a beautiful and imposing contrast and a most beautiful sight; when seen in number grazing on the green, they are admired by all, even if not interested in cattle or farming. This belt is almost invariably reproduced, and is so perfectly fixed that it will crop out in their grades for many generations, even against cold strains of blood; the potency of this feature is very striking, as the belt is often reproduced after the foundation color is lost; and grades of any foundation color can be produced to an unlimited

extent.

Their form is a strong characterized dairy type, medium size, and possessing all the qualifications of an ideal dairy animal. They are strictly a dairy breed, and are large and persistent milkers; strong constitutions, peaceable and quiet dispositions of a very compact form. Cows range from eight to twelve hundred, and bulls reach eighteen to twenty hundred. The late P. T. Barnum, the showman of national fame, said: They struck my tancy in Holland about 1850; I imported a few, and then found their unique and novel appearance not their only quality, for they proved to be wonderful milkers, far superior to any other cattle to which my attention has been drawn."

Nearly all the herds now in the United States are owned in New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, with a few scattering South and West. A herd of eighteen were exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago, where they attracted great attention and were admired by thousands who had never heard of such novel and beautife!

cattle before. This herd was sold and exported to a wealthy resident of the City of Mexico, where they are now kept and are doing well in that congenial climate. There is an association of breeders of these cattle known as the Dutch Belted Cattle Association of America, who have adopted a high standard of excellence, requiring breeders to breed typical animals of correct markings, thereby gaining uniformity and correctness of type. The association issues a herd-book, of which vol. 4, of recent issue, is the last number.

IX. BROWN-SWISS CATtle.

By N. S. FISH, Groton, Conn., Secretary Brown-Swiss Cattle Breeders' Association.

Brown-Swiss cattle were first imported into this country by Mr. Henry M. Clarke of Belmont, Mass., in 1869. He imported seven cows and one bull; since then there have been several importations. Most of the animals have come from the famed Canton of Schwyz, and the adjacent Cantons of Zug, Uri, and Unterwalden. The Rigi mountains, covered to their tops with fine, rich herbage, lie here, and some of the finest breeds of cattle in the whole country are here produced, the cattle grazing in the valley in winter and on the mountains in summer.

The United States consul at Zurich in 1882 made a report to our government of the cattle and dairy interest of Switzerland. He writes: "For a hundred years Switzerland has been famous for the production of its dairies. At the cattle show of Paris, 1878, every Swiss cow exhibited bore away a prize in competition with exhibits from Holland, England, Denmark, and other famous cattle countries.

The Brown-Swiss cattle are fed on grass or hay only the year through. A fair average for cows in Canton Zurich is ten quarts of milk per day the milking-year through; in Schwyz and Zug the average is but little less."

The consul of St. Gall says: "When a farmer in Germany, Italy, or France wishes to improve his breed, he

makes a selection from Swiss herds as the healthiest and hardiest known to the herd-book. The Brown

Swiss is considered the dairy breed par excellence of Switzerland; it not only gives more milk, but this is richer than any other European breed of cattle."

Marked Characteristics.—Size large; form firm; color shades from dark to light chestnut brown. The tuft of hair between the horns, on the inside of ear, and a narrow line along the back generally light. Horns rather short, waxey, with black tips. Nose black, with mealy-colored band surrounding nose. Switch, hoofs, and tongue black. Straight hind legs, wide thighs, and heavy quarters. cows often weigh 1600 lbs., bulls 2000 lbs. Calves large, some weighing 110 lbs. when dropped. They mature fast, have healthy constitutions, yielding generous returns for whatever care, time, labor, or money is expended on them.

The

A cow shown at the Chicago Fat Stock Show in November. 1891, gave in three days 245 lbs. of milk, showing 9.32 lbs. of butter-fat by the Babcock test, yielding during one day of the test 3 lbs. of fat, the largest amount of butter-fat ever shown at an official test of any cow of any breed up to that time. The cow Muotta calved about November 1, 1893, and in February, 1894, gave 67 lbs. of milk in one day.

The milk of Brown-Swiss cows has a sweet flavor which is very noticeable, and makes it very desirable for family use. With good farm care the cows give under favorable circumstances from 20 to 25 quarts of milk per day. They make the finest of beef and veal; when intended to be used for working oxen, they are easily broken and are fast walkers.

The cows are persistent milkers, with good teats; where used to produce grade animals they give the best of satisfaction, with the Swiss characteristics predominating. There are now about 1800 recorded animals in this country, located in almost every State, and some in Mexico.

YIELD OF MILK AND FAT FROM DAIRY COWS.

A good dairy cow should give at least 5000 pounds of milk during a whole period of lactation. As the quality of milk given by different cows varies greatly, however, as will be apparent from the tables given in the following, the yield of fat produced during a lactation period is a better standard to go by than that of the milk; three-fourths of a pound of tat per day for an average of 300 days may be considered a good yield (total 225 pounds). Many dairy farmers aim to have all mature cows in their herds produce a pound of fat, on the average, for every day in the year. To do this, a cow whose milk tests about 4 per cent. must give 25 pounds of milk a day (3 gallons) as an average for the whole year; a cow producing 3 per cent milk must give 33 pounds of milk daily, and one producing 5 per cent milk must yield 20 pounds of milk daily, on the average, etc.

The flow of milk is usually at its highest shortly after calving, and then gradually decreases, the rate of decrease being determined by the inbred milking qualities of the cow and the system of feeding practised. The average decrease in milk yield for good dairy cows on good feed is from one half to three fourths of a pound per head per ten days. Where cows are not fed liberally and receive but little concentrated feed, the decrease will be more marked, and often exceed one pound of milk per head per ten days. The decrease is more marked during the latter stages of the period of lactation than in the earlier ones, and is also more marked in cows with poorly developed milking qualities than in good dairy cows. A cow is considered at her best when from five to seven years old; the constitutional strength of the animal, the system of feeding practised, and the general treatment given the cow will determine her period of usefulness.

The quality of the milk produced by individual cows generally remains fairly uniform through the greater portion of the lactation period, and is not permanently influenced in any marked manner by feed or any external conditions. During the last couple of months, when the