THE AYRSHIRES. 11 



dairy may be very unprofitable in the butter and cheese 

 dairy, as well as for the production of beef; while for 

 either of the latter objects the cow which gave the 

 largest quantity of milk might prove very unprofitable. 

 It is desirable to secure a union and harmony of all good 

 qualities, so far as possible ; and the farmer wants a cow 

 that will milk well for some years, and then, when dry, 

 fatten readily, and sell to the butcher for the highest 

 price. These qualities, though often supposed to be 

 incompatible, will be found to be united in some breeds 

 to a greater extent than in others ; while some pecu- 

 liarities of form have been found, by observation, to be 

 better adapted to the production of milk and beef than 

 others. This will appear in the following pages. 



Fig. 1. Ayrshire Cow, imported and owned by Dr. Geo. B. Loring, Salem, Mass. 



The Ayrshires are justly celebrated throughout 

 Great Britain and this country for their excellent dairy 

 qualities. Though the most recent in their origin, they 

 are pretty distinct from the other Scotch and English 

 races. In color, the pure Ayrshires are generally red 



