308 FIELD AND FERN. 



were in the Yale, and sprittle-faces on the heights ; 

 and as the Highlands of the south-west began to 

 flank the coast, we saw Galloways or rough crosses 

 from them browsing on their sides. Forty years ago 

 there was not an Ayrshire in Ballantrae, and nothing 

 but these stunted blacks as far as Whithorn in 

 Wigtownshire ; but Ayrshire dairies have gradually 

 overspread the Stewartry of Kirkcudbrightshire, and 

 away to the Mull of Galloway and Burrow Head. 

 The wild hard pasture gives it its pre-eminence as a 

 dairy country; but it was long before this faculty' 

 was properly brought out, and twenty years 

 ago an Ayrshire would have been almost a raree- 

 show. 



The farmers hated their neighbours' spotted kine, 

 » and would not allow their hinds or "bondagers" to 

 keep them for fear of the colour effect on the blacks. 

 Mr. M^Clue of Din Vin is one of the earliest Ched- 

 dar men, and keeps as many as 140 cows ; and Col. 

 M^Dowall has a beautiful dairy at Logan House. 

 Ayrshire men found the price of land cheaper, and 

 crowded into Galloway, and so the idea has spread 

 on. In one respect the dairy management differs from 

 Ayrshire, as there are fewer bowers, and every year 

 lessens the number. 



There are not many sheep till you reach the east 

 of the county. Half-bred lambs are on the holme 

 land near the river, and all the mountain district is 

 stocked with sprittle or brocky faced sheep, more 

 especially in the south-west, on the Minnigaff hills. 



