THE WEST HIGHLANDERS. 



black cattle has been greatly improved of late years, by the im- 

 portation of bulls and cows from various parts of the Highlands. 



WEST HIGHLANDERS IN ARGYLESHIRE. 



The county of Argyle stretches along the western coast of Scot- 

 land for 115 miles, but its average breadth is little more than 30 

 miles. The southern part is low, and comparatively level, and the 

 temperature mild. The northern is rugged and mountainous, and the 

 chmate cold and ungenial, and there is much barren land, and little 

 good pasture ; but in Cantire, at the south, there is plenty of excel- 

 lent feed ; therefore the cattle differ materially in the northern and 

 southern parts. Among the mountains, the Highland breed is found 

 almost unmixed ; in the level country, there is the same variety and 

 mixture of breed which is observed in other dairy districts. 



In North Argyle the West Highlanders are larger than the Hebri- 

 deans, and are now bred to the full size which the soil, or the best 

 qualities of the animal, will bear. That fundamental principle of 

 breeding is generally adopted here, that the size must be determined 

 by the soil and the food ; and that it is far more profitable to the 

 farmer to have the size of his breed under, than over, the produce of 

 his land. Both will gradually adapt themselves to the soil ; but the 

 small beast will become more bulky, and improve in all his points — 

 the large one will degenerate in form and in every good quality. There- 

 fore, the soil and management of Argyle being, generally speaking, 

 better than that of the Hebrides, it was found that a somewhat larger 

 animal might be admitted ; he was, however, procured, not by cross- 

 ing with a breed of superior size, but by careful selection from the 

 best of the pure breed. Experience and judgment soon discovered 

 when the proper point — the profitable weight — Avas gained ; and 

 then the farmer went back to the equally pure but smaller breed of 

 Skye, lest the form should be deteriorated, and the fattening should 

 not be so equable and true, and the meat should lose some of its 

 beautiful character and flavor. 



There is no part of the Highlands where the soil and the climate 

 are better adapted to the perfection of the breed than in Argyle, or 

 where we oftener see the true characteristics of the best Highland 

 cattle — short and somewhat strong in the shank, round in the body, 

 straight in the back, well-haired, long in the muzzle, and with a well- 

 turned and rather small horn. There is no district in which the 

 farmer so superstitiously, and yet properly, refrains from foreign ad- 

 mixture. Could the two great errors of the Highland farmer be 

 remedied, namely, overstocking in summer and starving in winter — 

 there would be nothing more to desire for the grazier, except, per- 



