i84 WESTMORLAND AGRICULTURE, 1800— 1900 



Longhorn breed." In 1809 the Longhom was characterized by Pitt 

 as the natural breed of the county, the distingtiishing features of 

 which were their " graceful curving horns, white back and brindled 

 sides " ; and Sir Walter Gilbey* recounts that the " Craven district 

 of Yorkshire, the southern border of Westmorland, and the north- 

 western border of Lancashire had long been famous for the superiority 

 of the Longhorns bred there." 



CuUey's description of the Longhorns was that they were " more 

 varied in colour than any other breeds ; but that whatever the colour 

 be, they have in general a white streak along their backs, which the 

 breeders term ' finched,' and mostly a white spot on the inside of the 

 hough." Of the Galloways, he says, " they are generally polled, 

 yet they have several with horns, which they say are a bastard or 

 mongrel breed, by crossing with long-homed bulls from Westmorland 

 and Cumberland." 



Another breed which were fairly distributed over the county 

 were the Argyleshires or Kyloes as they were then called, they were 

 bought in numbers at Brough HUl Fair and were grazed for a year or 

 two or crossed with the native cattle. On many of the better farms, 

 judging from the sales, Longhorns, Shorthorns, and Argyleshires were 

 all kept about 1825. 



Longhorns continued to have classes at the local agricultural 

 shows tUl as late as 1845 ; in 1844 at the Lunesdale Show, which 

 was the last society to continue them, there were three classes with 

 16 entries ; but for many years previous to this date the classes open 

 to them were being gradually restricted ; then followed a period when 

 the classes were for the best bull, etc., of any pure breed, untU they 

 became extinct before the all prevailing Shorthorn. The last record 

 of a pure Westmorland Longhom was at Shap Fair in 1885, when 

 M. Hewitson, of Oddendale, showed a bull, and was able to give its 

 pedigree for fifty years back. The breed continued, however, longest 

 in Cumberland, and the Keswick Agricultural Society had classes 

 for the breed till about 1870, and it was from this district that a 

 few were bought each year for greizing purposes by Westmorland 

 dealers. 



• " Farm Stock loo Years Ago." 



