Cross-B reeding Cattle. 57 



age, both being treated alike ; but tlie heifer is inferior to 

 the pure breed for the yield and quality of her milk, and is 

 no favourite in the dairy ; the Ayrshire is also extensively put 

 to the Galloway, Aberdeen, and polled Angus bulls, and the 

 produce is very useful ; but for early maturity and fattening- 

 qualities nothing equals the cross with the short-horn. 



In the counties of Forfar and Kincardine (forming the eastern 

 seaboard of Scotland) the principal geological formation, as in 

 Herefordshii'e, is the old red sandstone. Here both breeding 

 and feeding is carried on to a great extent, the soil and climate, 

 with the convertible system of husbandry, insuring an abundant 

 supply of keep at all seasons. The native breed, the black- 

 polled Angus, greatly resembles the Galloway, but they attain 

 to greater weights, due, in great measure, to their superior 

 treatment, being generally wintered in yards, Avith a plentiful 

 supply of roots. They are also particularly well adapted for 

 crossing with the short-horn, and furnish a great number of the 

 magnificent specimens of half-breds which compete for prizes at 

 the great fat shows throughout the kingdom. The polled cattle 

 of Aberdeenshire differ but little in character from the last- 

 named. That county lying farther to the north, and being 

 principally confined to the gneiss and granite formations, has 

 fewer natural advantages, but finds some compensation in high 

 farming, and the introduction of first-rate short-horn bulls. A 

 distinct race of cattle has thus been originated, which, for weight 

 and quality and early maturity, is equal, if not superior, to any 

 of the pure breeds of the countrv. 



In consequence of the increasing attention now bestowed on 

 dairies throughout the eastern and north-eastern counties, great 

 numbers of Ayrshires have been introduced, and these are fre- 

 quently crossed by the native polled breeds. The first cross is 

 generally considered more valuable for the dairy than the native 

 races. They attain a greater weight Avhen fat than the Ayr- 

 shires, but are generally slow feeders. As breeders of cross- 

 breds from this part of the country, the names of Stewart, Martin, 

 and Knowlcs, are familiar to all who frequent our exhibitions of 

 fat stock, as is that of jNIcCombie as an exhibitor of the Aberdeen 

 and polled Angus. 



The county of Fife possesses a peculiar breed of cattle, black 

 and white, of large size, with horns of considerable length, and 

 famous milkers. How the race originated cannot now be clearly 

 shown. From the fact that the kings of Scotland had a palace 

 at Falkland in this county, it is surmised that these are descended 

 from stock sent as a present to some monarch either from 

 England or from Holland, their stamp and character apparently 



