72 ADAPTABILITY. 



The hardiness of the Ayrshire, her instincts, lend- 

 ing both boldness and prudence to her character ; 

 her liveliness of movement; her medium size, and 

 her character for seeking her food, all adapt her to 

 be useful, where many breeds would be out of place, 

 and would be spending their force in contention with 

 adverse circumstances. The Ayrshires show their 

 superiority the most where disadvantages are to be 

 overcome. Scant pasturage, steep hill-sides, sudden 

 changes of temperature, and transitions from a moist 

 to a dry atmosphere, are not favorable to dairy in- 

 terests. But among such conditions, as in New Eng- 

 land, the cow may be as much a necessity as in more 

 favored sections of the country. While the Ayrshire 

 may be as well, or better, adapted to afford profit in 

 the favored localities than other breeds, we bespeak 

 specially her superior claims for such half-fertile 

 localities, where as great work is required of the 

 animal in the obtaining of food as in the utilization 

 of it. 



We would not be understood to assert that she is 

 unappreciative of the clover-field, where the feed is 

 to her eyes ; in such her udder swells to large pro- 

 portions. The Ayrshires of the western* portion 

 of New York State show how kindly she accepts 

 generous fare. The cheese factory to which many of 

 this breed are tributary tells the story of their worth. 



Upon soils of great agricultural capacity the dairy- 

 man has more breeds from which to select than he 

 who cultivates a soil of less fertility. To the former, 

 the choice is equally open between the larger and the 



