AYRSHIRE CATTLE. ROAD MANURE. 289 



Some raised in the county of Ayr have been crossed with the Shori-Horn breed. 

 This process is useful, perhaps, in some particular cases, because the first cross 

 is always larger than the miaternal stock in size, conformation and disposition to 

 fatten, and scarcely inferior in the production of milk ; but it cannot be of gen- 

 eral advantage thus to replace or supersede a race, the characters of which are 

 now so uniform and so well appropriated to the Agriculture of the country. The 

 true method of amelioration consists in preserving the race in the purity it pos- 

 sesses, and by adopting some mode of treatment and of nourishing which may 

 augment its valuable qualities and improve its conformation. Already, in the 

 course of our age, the weight of the Ayrshire has almost doubled, and its apti- 

 tude to give milk has been much augmented ; with the future progress of Agri- 

 culture its melioration cannot fail to be progressive. 



Such is the history, such are the qualities, of the Ayrshires, as given by very 

 recent and very high authority. We find we must postpone, for want of room, 

 what we had proposed to add, as to their milking properties and the cost of them, 

 on the authority of Mr. Colt of Paterson, Mr. Colman, Mr. Norton, Mr. Pliinney, 

 and last, if not least, on our own observation. Throwing aside all speculation, 

 the facts, when collected, may present a statement interesting to all who are cu- 

 rious (and what farmer of true spirit is not?) to know v/hat is said of all the 

 different races, by men enjoying the best opportunities to describe and estimate 

 them. 



It is not to be doubted thai, by nice discrimination in cboice of individuals, 

 and great and skillful perseverance, a breed excelling, for any given purpose, 

 might, after a long series of years, be formed out of our native stock ; but, with 

 those who would contend that there is nothing in breeds, we can only stop now 

 to ask, how he would like to take his chance to get out of a Conestoga wagon 

 mare, a hunter that would take him over a five-barred gate, and tail the pack 

 in pursuit of an " old red " ? 



As one of the first questions in these cases is, naturally, as to the cost of things 

 recommended, we add a short extract from a letter just received from R. L. Colt, 

 Esq., to the Editor of The Farmers' Library : 



" My Ayrshire bull cost me £40 sterling in Ayr — making, to get him here, $300. The 

 cow cost £19, and stood me in $200. Devon cows cannot be imported short of $200 each. 

 A bull will come at $300 ; Alderneys the same. My friend N. Biddle imported an Alder- 

 ney bull and four cows that cost him $1,500. My Alderneys aie of his stock. I would not 

 Bell an Alderney cow short of $150. I sold two Devon cows this fall at $100 each, and a 

 heifer at $75.'" 



_ Road Manure. — Turnpikes and roads in general are formed by ninuing a plow along tlieir 

 flides. and after the earth is loosened by several furrows, it is sorai)cd into the middle of ilic hifrh- 

 way by oxen or horsepower, having a ditch or gutter at each sido. two or three feet wide, a'lid 

 from one to two feet deep. These ditches are often completely filled up with fine rinh mould 

 (completely black), which is highly surcharged with the very essence of the road and of the adja- 

 cent grounds, having been washed thither by melting snows and teeming showers of rain. If the 

 gutters are level, or only of a gentle descent, they will require no attention in order to manure ; 

 but if the water flows through them with a rapid current, it will bo necessary to make small dams 

 across them every few rods to prevent the escape of the sediment that drag's along their bottoms. 

 There is an objection, however, for the farmer to interfere in this manner with any public high- 

 way, as it would render him liable to prosecution and the payment of all damaire.H which mijjht 

 accrue. If he could obtain permi.ssion. from proper authority, to deposit an equal quantity of good 

 gravel for every load of manure he might take away, the difficulty would be removed, and lie 

 could enrich his land at his own expense. j g 



(577) 19 



