LECTURE XIX. 



GALLOWAY CATTLE. 



Origin, History and Development in Great Britain. 



Like the Aberdeen Angus, the Galloway has, for a time 

 beyond the memory of man, existed as a polled breed; but 

 as previously pointed out, there is no reason to believe that 

 the polled character would be acquired while cattle remained 

 in a wild state, and it is highly probable, from what we know 

 of the development of other polled breeds, that the polled 

 character first arose in a "sport" and was afterwards per- 

 petuated by judicious selection by men. 



From the -earliest known times the breed has existed in 

 Galloway, a county in the southwestern part of Scotland, and 

 here it may be said to have originated. This section is about 

 ninety miles in length by forty in breadth, undulating in sur- 

 face, with some good pasturage, but with much rough land, 

 covered with sparse herbage. The climate is cold and damp, 

 favorable to the growth of a hardy race, for the weaker ones 

 would inevitably perish, or, failing to thrive, be sent to the 

 slaughterers. The climate and food combined to make the 

 Galloway a very hardy, rugged breed, with a coat eminently 

 adapted to protect the animals from the rigors of the climate, 

 but the size was somewhat small owing to a lack of nutritive 

 food. Coarseness of shoulders, high tail heads, and a gen- 

 eral lack of finish were among the chief faults, but they 

 were heavy for their size, killed out well, and their flesh was 

 highly esteemed as being of superior texture and flavor. 



It cannot be said that the Galloway breed has had any 

 great improvers, as were the Colling Bros, to the Shorthorns, 

 or Tomkins to the Herefords, and the improvement did not 

 begin until long after the other breeds had attained world- 

 wide fame. The quiet, steady efforts of a score or more of 

 leading breeders during the last fifty or sixty years, has 



