332 EEPOET ON THE AGMCULTUKE OF DUMFRIESSHIRE, 



however, generally speaking, useless animals to feed, and never 

 attain to a considerable weight, unless four years old, and at the 

 same time are slow feeders ; the consequence being that, as a 

 rule, the male calves (unless first-rate ones, which are kept for 

 bulls), are all castrated, milk given to them for a few weeks, and 

 then sold to the butchers for veal. On the whole, however, for 

 the dairy, the Ayrshire is by far the most useful breed ; and in 

 no county are there better specimens, as can be evidenced by the 

 displays made at the local shows of Sanquhar, Thornhill, 

 Lockerbie, and the Union Show held at Dumfries, where bulls, 

 cows, and heifers of the very best stamp, and possessing every 

 point of good breeding and quality, are to be seen. We might 

 mention the names of many eminent breeders of Ayrshire cattle, 

 but these are so numerous that it is not advisable. Next in 

 importance comes the Galloway, an old and deservedly favourite 

 breed, not so much for its milking properties as the excellence of 

 the beef, being preferred in the English market to any other class 

 of cattle, and frequently selling at from 6d. to Is. per stone more 

 than the Shorthorn or cross. Although, as we before said, the Gal- 

 loway cow is not, generally speaking, a " pail-filler," yet the milk 

 is very rich, and less makes a better calf than from the Ayrshire. 

 In this breed, bullocks are as valuable as heifers, all calves being 

 reared and carried on until they are ready for the butcher, at the 

 age of three or four years, when they generally run from 50 to 60 

 stones in weight. The breed is on the decrease in Dumfriesshire, 

 the best specimens of it coming into the county from Galloway, 

 where there are many first-class breeders. Probably the best 

 Galloway cattle in Dumfriesshire are to be found at the Duke of 

 Buccleuch's home-farm on the Drumlanrig estate, where several 

 Highland Society's winners can be seen. The last, and least ex- 

 tensive, breed is the Shorthorn; but in saying this, we do not 

 mean to cast any slur upon this noble animal ; but the climate is 

 not good enough, nor the land sufficiently rich and heavy, to bring 

 cattle of this fashionable breed to perfection. It is only by about 

 half-a-dozen crack farmers, who have land suitable, that they 

 are kept, although many keep a Shorthorn bull to put to their 

 Ayrshire or Galloway cows. The Eedkirk herd of Shorthorns, 

 dispersed three years ago, was in great repute, and many splendid 

 animals were sent thence to America, realising enormous prices. 

 A well-bred and selected Shorthorn herd is kept at the Howes-farm 

 near Annan, which at present stands foremost in the county. 



We now come to sheep, the most favourite and numerous breed 

 of animals connected with the farm ; and in this class (especially 

 Cheviot) Dumfriesshire stands foremost in Scotland, both as a 

 feeding and breeding county. The breeds of sheep in Dumfries- 

 shire are the Cheviot and Black-faced, this being the pure and 

 native breeds of the county ; but many farmers have lately com- 



