320 THE OX. 



and are driven southward, mostly in the latter part of the 

 season, and chiefly to the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. 

 They are purchased by the English graziers, wintered on 

 straw, hay, and green food, and fattened on the grass of the 

 following season, and driven to Smithfield, supplying a large 

 part of the consumption of the city from Christmas to July. 

 They are well known, accordingly, in this great market, and 

 are greatly valued by butchers and consumers. A number 

 are likewise fattened in the lower parts of Dumfriesshire, 

 and indeed, over a great part of that extensive county, the 

 prevailing breed has hitherto been the Galloway. But for 

 many years the Ayrshire breed has been gaining ground in 

 Dumfriesshire with the progress of the dairy, and in some 

 cases the Short-horns have been introduced. 



In Galloway proper, the management of the cattle when 

 young is rude, but suited to the character of the district. 

 The calves are generally permitted to suck the dams, are 

 fed on the coarse herbage of the country, left a great part of 

 the winter in the fields, or kept on straw or coarse hay. The 

 production of corn in the district is limited, and is regarded 

 as subordinate to the purpose of producing straw for the 

 stock. The habit of trading in cattle was very general 

 amongst the farmers of Galloway, and gave rise to a spirit of 

 speculation which was somewhat unfavourable to the pursuit 

 of regular agriculture. The farmers are still in the practice 

 of attending markets, and making purchases and sales of 

 cattle, with the view of a profit on the transfers. The great 

 trade, however, is in the hands of the Norfolk and Suffolk 

 drovers, who used to settle with the owners by bills, which 

 was attended with hazard to the sellers, and was sometimes 

 productive of great losses to the district. The practice of 

 spaying the heifers prevails to a greater extent in Galloway 

 than in any part of the kingdom. The operation used to be 

 performed at the age of twelve months, but is now very gene- 

 rally done at two months. The greater part of those that 

 are not retained for breeding are thus treated. Those heifers 



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