26 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



quite distinct from the other Scotch and English races. In 

 color, the pure Ayrshire is generally red and white, spotted, not 

 mottled like many of the short-horns, but presenting a bright 

 contrast of colors. It is sometimes, though rarely, nearly or 

 quite all red, and sometimes black and white, but the favorite 

 color is red and white brightly contrasted. The head is fine 

 and clean, the face long, with a sprightly yet generally mild 

 expression ; the horns short, fine and slightly twisted upwards ; 

 the neck thin, body enlarging from fore to hind quarters ; the 

 back straight and narrow ; broad across the loin ; ribs rather 

 flat ; hind quarters rather thin ; bone fine ; tail long, fine and 

 bushy at the end ; hair generally thin and soft ; udder light 

 color and capacious, extending well forward under the belly ; 

 teats of the cow of medium size, generally set regularly and 

 wide apart, milk veins prominent and well developed. The 

 carcase of the pure bred Ayrshire is light, particularly the fore- 

 quarters, which is considered, by good judges, as an index of 

 good milking qualities. On the whole, the animal is good look- 

 ing, but wants the symmetry and the aptitude to fatten which 

 characterize the short-horn. 



The climate of Ayr and the adjoining counties on the north- 

 western coast of Scotland is moist, and the soil clayey and well 

 adapted to pasturage, but difficult to till, and the cattle natu- 

 rally hardy and active, and capable of enduring severe winters, 

 and easily regaining condition with the return of spring and 

 good feed. 



The origin of the Ayrshire race is not yet well settled, some 

 contending that it was derived from the native stock, crossed 

 with larger southern races, and others that it grew from the 

 peculiarity of climate, location and soil, and especially from the 

 circumstances of the farmers of Ayr and the counties of Ren- 

 frew, Lanark, Dumbarton and Stirling, in which the Ayrshire 

 race is almost the only stock kept. The three first of these 

 counties, including the whole region around Glasgow, comprises 

 a fourth part of the whole population of Scotland, a large pro- 

 portion of which is engaged in manufactures and commercial 

 or mechanical pursuits, and furnishing a ready market for milk 

 and butter, the supply of meat coming from more distant sec- 

 tions, where no local demand for the products of the dairy 

 exists. This local demand for fresh dairy products has very 



