274 FIELD AND TERN. 



pression at a distance is that they will not feed; 

 but the prettiest sight that ever loomed on us on a 

 Scottish road, was a barren heifer of the breed, fed as 

 level as a pea-pod, and beef to the very cheek. We 

 were almost sorry afterwards that we had seen her, 

 as it made it so very difficult to shake off a notion of 

 beef points in Ayrshire, and stick to the purely milk 

 ones. But it is nearly the same with all English- 

 men, until you get a Colly Hill and an Airblaes well 

 into your eye, and then you will not often find their 

 marrow in Ayrshires. In fact, you do not see many 

 crack things among the Ayrshire breeders, as the 

 fancy buyers always know what is going on in the 



of the stills (pot-ale) are good cow food. There has thus gradually grown 

 up in this locaUty under Mr. Harvey's energetic management, one of the 

 largest dairies in the kmgdom— probably in the world. Cow byres some 

 56 yards long, and from 12 to 24 feet wide, according as one or two rows of 

 cows are to be accommodated, stand closely packed, the whole surface of 

 the ground being thus covered by a roof; and from 900 to 1,000 cows are 

 pretty constantly in milk. They are fed during Avinter partly on steamed 

 turnips, seven tons being steamed in order to give one meal daily to 900 

 cows ; also on coarse hay, of which, as of straw, they get between 20 and 

 301bs. a day apiece ; also on draff, of which they receive half a bushel daily 

 each ; also on Indian Corn-meal, of which they have 31bs. daily each ; also 

 on pot-ale, of which they receive three times a day nearly as much as they 

 will take, from about 6 to 10 gallons daily. During the summer they are 

 let out, a byreful at a time, for half a day to grass, and come in to receive 

 their spent malt and still liquor, and hay in addition. They are managed, 

 cleaned, and fed by two men to a byre holding about a hundred cows ; the 

 milking is done three times a day, by women who take charge of 13 cows in 

 full milk, or double that number in half-milk, apiece. Between four and 

 five o'clock (taking the whiter management) the bj-res are cleaned out, and 

 the cows receive a "big shovelfid" of draff a-piece, and half their steamed 

 turnips and meal, and a " half-stoupful," probably 2 gallons, of pot-ale. 

 They are also milked thus early. At 7 they receive their fodder straw or 

 hay. At 10 they get a '• full stoupful" (probably 3 or 4 gallons) of pot-ale. 

 They are milked at noon. At 2 iJ.m., or thereabouts, they are foddered 

 again, and at 4 p.m. receive the same food as at the morning meal. They 

 are again milked at 5 to 6, cleaned out and left till morning. The average 

 produce is stated to be 2 gallons a day over the whole herd." 



