THE GLAMORGAN BREED OF CATTLE.

By MORGAN EVANS.

"Among the breeds doomed to extinction is the once so well known and highly prized Glamorgan breed. The Glamorgans are of ancient lineage, and their origin is hidden in the past. They belong to the class called middle-horns, and in character and antiquity of descent they rank with the Herefords, Devons, the Welsh black cattle, and other allied breeds. As far back as the twelfth'century, it is- said that a Norman knight, Robert Fitzhammond, who had seized a great portion of Glamorgan, introduced some Normandy cattle into the county, which, are supposed to have been crossed with the native cattle. The swelling crest of the Glamorgan ox is by some traced to the influence of this admixture of foreign blood. Youatt says that the influence of Devon blood could not be mistaken at the end of the last century, and attributes it to the importation of Devons into the district by Sir Richard de Grenaville, one of the knights who at one time divided the lordship of Neath. It is certain, however, from all legends and historical accounts, that the Glamorgan cattle are a very old breed, and were the native cattle of the district from a very early date, and that their principal characteristics remain unchanged, Norman and other breeds notwithstanding. In more modern times the Glamorgan farmers were particularly careful of their breed, and we are told that in the last century they prided themselves greatly on the fact that they admitted no admixture of foreign blood into their cattle. The Glamorgan cattle soon became famous. Stock in England at that time were fed at grass. There was no stall feeding and no improved Shorthorn. There was land, to plough, and active strong oxen did most of the work. The ideal of a good breed consisted in the females being hardy and profitable milkers, and the males active, docile, and strong workers in plough and cart, and beasts that, when their allotted period of farm labour was done, would, at six or seven years old, fatten into brave oxen on the broad English pastures, on their way up to London and other great centres of the beef-eating population. The Glamorgan breed was celebrated for these desired qualities, and about the commencement of the present century they were highly prized and much sought for by the great English graziers and feeders in the counties of Northampton, Warwick, Wilts, and Leicester. George III., who has been dignified by Youatt with the character of being a "good judge of cattle," was very partial to this breed. He stocked his farm at Windsor with them, and periodically recruited the herd with fresh blood from the Welsh country fairs.

Notwithstanding the high patronage of a king, and other circumstances which might be thought favourable to their development, they have gradually declined in character and in numbers, until at the present time there is no pure herd of these cattle to be found in the county where they were so long held supreme. The Glamorgans are almost extinct. A cow here and there of the old type might be found, but they have greatly degenerated in size and quality; and a pure-bred bull of the true sort it would be difficult, if not impossible, to find. The reason of the decline of these once famous cattle is popularly attributed to the high price of corn during the French Revolution and the succeeding wars of Napoleon, which were followed by the breaking up of the old fine pastures of Glamorgan for the purpose of growing greater breadths of grain crops. Why the Glamorgans should succumb under such influences more than many other well-known breeds I cannot say. It is, however, certain that from that time less care was bestowed on them, and they_ diminished in number. Consequently their fame became more circumscribed, and when the farmers of the county once more turned to breeding cattle, they took advantage of the fashionable improved breeds that had. already gone so far in advance of their native stock...

The Glamorgan cattle produced a rare quality of meat, highly prized in the metropolitan and provincial markets. They were'profitable to the butchers, being well lined inside with tallow, and their meat, from its first-rate quality, always commanded the highest price."