REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURE OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 331 



breeds of horses, — one, the pure Clydesdale ; and the other, a 

 thick-set, short-legged, compact animal, peculiar to the county, 

 very useful, but without any particular name. We may here 

 state that the farm-horses, as a rule, are anything but first-rate ; 

 but, as we said before, that there were exceptions with regard to 

 the farmers, so there are as to the horses. There are really no 

 first-class stables of farm-horses in Dumfriesshire ; and any judge 

 travelling along the roads for a day, will see but few really good 

 horses in the carts, ploughs, &c. If any further proof were 

 wanting, those interested have but to visit the local shows, where 

 the very pick are exhibited ; and how seldom do w T e see horses 

 belonging to Dumfriesshire carrying away prizes at the Highland 

 Society's shows ? The horses kept are no doubt found to answer 

 the purposes for which they are intended very well, but without 

 any pretentions to quality or breeding in a general way. There 

 are few first-rate thoroughbred sires kept for use in the county, 

 and the thoroughbred mares, with the exception of those 

 belonging to gentlemen connected with the Dumfriesshire Hunt, 

 are anything but of good quality ; consequently the class of 

 hunting and harness horses is not first-rate. But as the county 

 is not adapted for hunting (being too uneven, except in certain 

 parts of it), nor the sport gone into with the same zest as in 

 many counties of Scotland, it is not surprising the breed of 

 hunters should be middling. 



The next most important class of animals connected with the 

 farm, is cattle, the principal district breeds being the Ayrshire, 

 Galloway, and Shorthorn ; but very frequently, for feeding 

 purposes, the Ayrshire and Galloway cow is crossed with a 

 Shorthorn bull, the produce of either being animals much sought 

 after by the best feeders, who seem to prefer them to the pure 

 breeds ; besides which, they come to great weight — in some 

 instances 80 to 100 stones, 60 being a very common one. Dairies 

 being very numerous in Dumfriesshire, Ayrshire cattle occupy 

 the most prominent place — cows of this useful and valuable 

 breed being considered the best milkers, and at the same time 

 easier kept than any other. Great attention is bestowed by 

 farmers in endeavouring to develope the chief points of merit 

 in Ayrshire cattle, be they male or female — a capacious and well- 

 set udder in the latter being the principal object aimed at ; 

 although a straight back, with a sweet head and branching horns, 

 are also viewed with favour in the show-yard. Many of the 

 dairies in Dumfriesshire contain from 40 to 60 valuable cows 

 (the average being about 30), and it is no unusual thing for some 

 of the cows to give 4 gallons of milk per diem at the pride of the 

 grass ; and several first-class dairies average 18 stones of cheese 

 per cow, which, when the price is 14s. or 15s. per stone, comes 

 to something considerable in the year. Ayrshire bullocks, are 



