I ALKI. IBP. 



Otfcttdj MBfy rcceivcd numerous colonies of Flemings, 

 and 1. A the opposite continent such an inter- 



- an the limited commerce of these rude times admit t< ; d. 



The Flemings and Hollanders were, even at this early period, 



for their Cows; and it i altogether probable that some 



of these animals were brought, to the royal park of Falkland, 



as something tliat was curious and useful. The ancient 



of Scotland it. is to be Obfifriwk IMM hffBMM JJivi 



breeders of the useful animals on the great scale, nearly all 

 their housf .-hold rerenue being derived from the produce of 

 their own domains. Of this, innumerable evidences are de- 

 ri ved from the charters and other documents of our early 

 history ; and it is reasonable to believe, that, during the fre- 

 0,'jent residence of .the royal household at the rural retreat 



Ikland, cows, and the produce of the dairy, were not 

 MgUefted* 



But however the dairy breed of Falkland found its way 



hether from England, or from the marshes of the 



S':h<:ldt and Rhine, it is manifest that it had been natural* 



at nor/jo ^arly p'.-rio'J in t\n-. \>\w. vvh^.-rr- its remains arc 

 foun'i. L'nfoH.unat^ly, it. has hoon so mor^l in t.fio 

 common races of the country, that individuals can now v/ith 



1 1 ty be obtained pure. It was of a black colour, marked 

 often with white, and having the skin of an orange-yellow 

 tinge. It had short and very white horns, turned up in a 



< r sufficient to distinguish it. Although now difficult 

 to be obtained free from mixture, its traces are everywhere 

 to be found in all the home-breds of the eastern parts of 

 fife ; arid it is probably to this intermixture that the modern 

 Fife*! I e owe the most useful qualities which are sup- 



posed to distinguish them. It is much to be regretted that 

 the former breeders of Fifeshire should have been too care- 

 less of the preservation of a breed so much superior to the 

 mixed varieties that have succeeded to it. Had the Falkland 

 Hreed been cultiv;ited with care, during a period when arti 



food could have been -'implied in the requisite quantity, 



