GALLOWAY CATTLE. 



157 



jxtreme climatic changes. The late Duke of Buccleuch, Mr. 



Fardine, and others, have done much to encourage improved 

 breeding. The Eev. John Grillespie, through whose indefatig- 

 able efforts the herd book was established, has done more to 

 popularise the breed than any other individual. 



A cross has been tried between the Galloway and other 

 established breeds. That between the Galloway bull and Ayr- 

 shire cow is held in high esteem, the produce have the reputa- 

 tion of being kindly feeders, arrive early at maturity, and attain 

 a medium weight. The prepotency of the male is most potent 

 in the blood of ancient and unalloyed races, hence few, if any, 

 are equal to the Galloway in this respect. Put a well descended 

 Galloway bull on a herd of Ayrshire cows and every calf will 

 come black as a crow without exception, on the other hand put 

 the purest bred Shorthorn bull it is possible to obtain on a herd 

 of Galloway cows, and calves of all imaginable colours will be 

 dropped, some black, others black and white, generally two- 

 thirds of the number will be of bluish-grey colour. For feeding 

 purposes the Shorthorn cross is not surpasssed by any pure 

 breed in the kingdom ; when well kept they attain great weight 

 at an early age ; for lightness of offal and superior quahty they 

 cannot be surpassed. 



During the spring of 1884 I sold thirty GaUoway steers from 

 the stalls at an average of SSI. each, many of these were under 

 three years old, they realised ninepence per pound, the top figure 

 in the market. As a further proof of their popularity in the 

 London market all other breeds are comparatively neglected by 

 the West End butchers as soon as the Scotch begin to make 

 their appearance in the markets. 



