20 COMPARATIVE TRIALS. HARLEY. 



In a series of experiments on the Earl of Chester- 

 field's dairy farm, at Bradley Hall, interesting as giving 

 positive data on which to form a judgment as to the 

 yield, it was found that, in the height of the season, the 

 Holderness cows gave 7 gallons 1 quart per diem ; the 

 long-horns and Alderneys, 4 gallons 3 quarts ; the Dev- 

 ons, 4 gallons 1 quart ; and that, when made into butter, 

 the above quantities gave, respectively, 38 ounces, 28 

 ounces, and 25 ounces. 



The Ayrshire, a cow far smaller than the Holderness, 

 at 5 gallons of milk and 34 ounces of butter per day, 

 gives a fair average as to yield of milk, and an enor- 

 mous production of butter, giving within 4 ounces as 

 much from her 5 gallons as the Holderness from her 7 

 gallons 1 quart ; her rate being nearly 7 ounces to the 

 gallon, while that of the Holderness is considerably 

 under 6 ounces. 



The evidence of a large and practical dairyman is cer- 

 tainly of the highest value ; and in this connection it 

 may be stated that Mr. Harley, the author of the Harle- 

 ian Dairy System, who established the celebrated Wil- 

 lowbank Dairy, in Glasgow, and who kept, at times, 

 from two hundred and sixty to three hundred cows, 

 always using the utmost care in selection, says that he 

 had cows, by way of experiment, from different parts 

 of the united kingdom. He purchased ten at one Edin- 

 burgh market, of the large short-horned breed, at 

 twenty pounds each, but these did not give more milk, 

 nor better in quality, than Ayrshire cows that were 

 bought at the same period for thirteen pounds a head; 

 and, on comparison, it was found that the latter were 

 much cheaper kept, and that they improved much more 

 in beef and fat in proportion to their size, than the 

 high-priced cows. A decided preference was therefore 

 given to the improved Ayrshire breed, from seven to 



