THE AYRSHIRE BREED OF CATTLE. 169 



division claims to be the cradle of the improved Ayrshire dairy 

 breed of cattle. 



Prior to the year 1780 the inhabitants of this part of 

 Scotland passed through a long period of religious feuds and 

 dissensions, entailing on the people a great amount of suffering 

 and privation. Possessing education and intelligence consider- 

 ably in advance of the age, the farmers of those days were ever 

 the warmest defenders of their homes and their religion ; even 

 at this distant date many a solitary moss-covered stone is still 

 held in reverence, and marks the last resting-place of one who 

 had fallen in support of the cause he had espoused. 



Until the country emerged from this condition but little 

 attention could be given to any branch of husbandry. The 

 cattle in the best parts of Cunningham were then of small 

 stature and badly fed ; they were mostly black, with white 

 spots on their faces, back, and other parts of their bodies. The 

 cows had high- standing crooked horns, marked with very deep 

 ringlets at their base — a true indication of their meagre fare. 

 The improvement of the Ayrshire breed dates from about the 

 year 1780, first by a cross with a stranger breed, combined with 

 a better system of feeding. Alton, who wrote a survey of the 

 county, and who was himself a farmer in the district of Cun- 

 ningham, could well recollect the appearance and condition of 

 the cows in that district as far back as 1766. After great pains 

 taken to inquire into the origin of the present celebrated breed, 

 he was of opinion that they are descended from the native stock 

 of the district, changed in their colour, and partly in their shape 

 and qualities, by being crossed with the Teeswater or Dutch 

 breeds. It is impossible to trace out all the crosses that were 

 made between these strangers and the native cattle of Cunning- 

 ham, and even to say explicitly who it was that first brought 

 them into the district. In 1750 the Earl of Marchmont pur- 

 chased from the Bishop of Durham several cows and a bull of 

 the Teeswater or some other English breed, of a light brown 

 colour, spotted with white. These his lordship kept for some 

 time at his seat in Berwickshire. Bruce Campbell, who was 

 then factor on his lordship's ^estates in Ayrshire, carried some 

 of the breed into Kyle; from thence their progeny spread 

 throughout the county. A bull from this stock was sold to Mr. 



