286 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



by extensive reading and personal observation. Without the shadow of motive for 

 partiality, we shall relate, from time to time, as we can find room, what is said, 

 what we know, and what we believe of them all. If in our impressions we are 

 mistaken, all we have to say is, that '• to err is human." Yes, we have this to 

 add, that, far from presuming to censure, or complain of any difference of judg- 

 ment, we are always grateful for the expression of opposing opinions by men 

 who think with freedom, and who, like gentlemen, speak accordingly. And first 

 of the Ayrshire. We have not room or time to refer to the different importa- 

 tions that have been made. We saw those which were imported some years 

 since by the late Allen I. Davie, selected by himself in Scotland, and landed in 

 Baltimore. They passed into the hands of John Ridgelt, Esq., and were sent 

 to the celebrated Hampton estate — where, as we have understood, they have 

 given great satisfaction as dairy stock. He not being now in the country, it is 

 not in our power to ascertain more particularly ; and besides, he belongs to that 

 category of gentlemen farmers who, though always ready to welcome a friend 

 to the enjoyment of his elegant and ample hospitality, and to give, personally, 

 every information he possesses, does not find his greatest pleasure in a minute 

 survey of his agricultural operations, any more than in the trouble of writing 

 down what he knows. But it takes " a good many kinds of people to make a 

 world ;" and these gentlemen farmers, full of hospitality and intelligence, yet 

 afflicted with the pen-phobia, form a class, we are sorry to say, someAvhat too 

 numerous — for, where much is given, much ought to be expected. Then came 

 Dr. Hoffman's importation of Ayrshires, some years since, but at a much later 

 period. These have passed — some of them, at least — together with some sent 

 out by McHenry Boyd, Esq., from England, into the hands of Mr. McHenry, in 

 Hartford Co., Maryland ; who, on trial, entertains the highest opinion of their 

 value for the dairy — and if we may form an opinion of his judgment, in such 

 cases, by such specimens as we have seen of his dairy products, there need be no 

 better. 



We are under the impression — but of that we shall soon be better informed — 

 that, some years past — not a few — there was an importation of Ayrshires into 

 Massachusetts that did not tend to establish it as a popular breed ; for what 

 reasons we are not now exactly informed. On the other hand, the very fact that 

 oUch an Association of well-informed, disinterested, judicious, inquiring, and 

 thinking men as the Trustees of the Massachusetts Agricultural Society — (for 

 we are disposed to lay great stress on the importance of grounding action on 

 thouo-ht) — the very fact, we say, of such men, having the means to be employed 

 and the license where and what to choose, sending for Ayrshires and North 

 Devons, would of itself be, with us, prima facie evidence of the eligibility of 

 the choice, for their purposes. On this point we find the following reasons in 

 what we deem an authentic exposition of their views : 



" The breeds of cattle which the Trustees 

 iHjlieved, under all the circumstances, to be 

 best adapted to this country, best calculated 

 to promote the object they had in view, and 

 to 8ubsei-ve the wishes and wants of the 

 farmer, were the Ayrshire and North Devon. 



The Ayrshire cows have been, for nearly 

 or quite a century, distinguished as deep 

 milkers, and at llie same lifne are known to 

 be a hardy, mild-tempered and docile race — 

 easily kept, with a disposition to fatten when 

 not in mUk, and having a capacity of convert- 

 (574) 



ing their food to milk beyond that possessed 

 by any other breed of cows in Great Britain. 

 The venerable Alton, who may be justly 

 styled the pioneer and cham[)ion of im[)roved 

 husbandry in Scotland, and particularly of 

 that branch which relates to dairy stock, 

 says : ' The Ayrshires are the most improved 

 breed of cattle to be found in the island, not 

 only for the dairy, in which they have no 

 pai-allel under similar circumstances, but also 

 in feeding for the shambles. They are, in 

 fact, a breed of cows that have, by judicious 



