BUTE AND AKKAX. 49 



ri,f{an possessed an excellent stock, which has been maintamed 

 and improved by his son. On the Douglas hotel farms also there 

 are now splendid stocks of Ayrshire cows, and the breeding of 

 good milk cow^s generally is being prosecuted throughout the 

 island. On the smaller farms the breed is not yet pure; the 

 cows still show cross-breeding, but were a little care and atten- 

 tion paid to the selection of sires, the Ayrshire breed would 

 soon be the only one found in the lower districts of Arran. 



There are three bowing establishments in the island — one at 

 Glenkill, Lamlash, and two near Lagg. The average price paid 

 by the bower per cow is £10 per annum. With the exception 

 of the occupier of the Lamlash dairy, all the other dairymen 

 make cheese, and the smaller farmers invariably make butter, 

 for which there is an extensive demand all over the island in 

 summer. 



The price generally realised for cheese, which is sold to mer- 

 chants in Glasgow, Hamilton, Ardrossan, Kilmarnock, and Ayr, 

 is from 12s. to 18s. per stone of 24 lbs. ; butter realises from 

 Is. 2d. to Is. 4d. per lb. 



The stocks on all the farms are maintained by the quey calves 

 reared on each, and the bull calves are almost all sold as slink 

 veal to the butchers. 



The pure West Highland breed of cattle has now become very 

 scarce in Arran. About twenty-five years ago, and prior to that 

 time, on many of the hill farms from 20 to 30 head were grazed 

 during summer, and Monyquill was then noted for its herd. The 

 quality of the cattle has been allowed to degenerate, and ]Mr 

 Crawford, Drimadoon, and Mr Craig, Dougarie, have it all their 

 own way at the island shows in the matter of prizes. 



The native Arran breed are still to be met with in the north 

 end, and the farmer in Sannox regularly purchases the best of 

 the yearlings bred by the nortli end farmers, which he feeds until 

 they are three years old, when they turn out excellent beef pro- 

 ducers. The remainder of the "stirks" are sold annually, at 

 whatever prices they will bring. They are seldom in good con- 

 dition, the pasturage being very bare. A first cross with an Arran 

 cow and an Ayrshire bull has invariably produced an animal 

 possessing good milking qualities. 



The only new breed introduced into Arran of recent years is 

 the Galloway, a number of which are kept by Mr William Tod, 

 of Glenree, who, in 1875, purchased ten well-bred heifers and a 

 bull in the Galloway breeding districts, and now has a herd of 

 between 30 and 40 head. Ten or twelve calves are produced 

 annually; the bull-calves are castrated when a few days old, and 

 tlio calves are allowed to suckle their dams for seven or eiglil 

 months. Thev are not allowed to run loose with their dams but are 

 kept in a shed by themselves and are led morning and evening to 



D 



