THE UNITED KINGDOM. 217 



Altitude: In Scotland a high and almost continuous ridge of mountains run 

 from the NNW. to SSE. To the east of this ridge of high ground the rainfall fa 

 comparatively small, and the climates of all districts not exceeding 500 feet ahove 

 the sea are dry and suited for the successful cultivation of cereals. To the west of 

 the ridge the rainfall is heavy and the climate moist, and therefore only adapted to 

 the rearing of such stock as West Highland or Polled Galloway cattle. 



Mean temperature : The mean temperature of January, the coldest month, is 39 

 in the west and 37 in the east. The mean temperature of July, the warmest month, 

 is about 64. Wheat and barley are sufficiently ripened, although the mean temper- 

 ature of July and August falls as low as 56. 



Summer: Summers have been bad in Scotland for the last seven years, generally 

 cold and wet, with much want of sun. The impression current is that the seasons in 

 Scotland are not as good as formerly. 



Winter: Generally raw and open in Scotland, but for some years very wet, with 

 little frost. 



Soil : All of the four varieties of soil above mentioned as well as others prevail in 

 Scotland. Agricultural survey and surface mapping of this country has been hith- 

 rto little studied. Any approximation, therefore, of the relative proportions of the 

 various descriptions of soils would, it is thought, partake largely of the character 

 of conjecture. 



Substratum : The underlying rocks in this district are carboniferous, trap, old red, 

 and alluvium. 



Cultivated grasses: Clover: For 1883, 1,502,004 acres. Rye-grass, &c : For 1883, 

 4,790,032 acres. 



SCOTCH BREEDING CATTLE FOR THE UNITED STATES. 



REPORT J?F CONSUL LEONARD. 



As a means of obtaining the most reliable information regarding the 

 kinds of Scotch breeding cattle which are likely to be of use to the 

 stock-breeders of the United States, I applied to William MacDonald, 

 esq., editor of the North British Agriculturist, and he has kindly sup- 

 plied me with much of the material that forms the basis of this report. 



Mr. MacDonald published in the North British Agriculturist an edi- 

 torial on the subject which gives so fully and clearly the information 

 desired as to breeds of cattle peculiar to Scotland that I adopt it as 

 part of my report and give it below without any material addition : 



EDITORIAL FROM THE NORTH BRITISH AGRICULTURIST. 



It is difficult to answer the queries of the circular definitely or accurately. There 

 is a lack of data, but approximations can and will be given. 



At once it may be conceded that with dairying in the forefront there is only one 

 breed native of Scotland which can be a great object to the American. That, of 

 course, is the beautiful Ayrshire, whoso milking properties are second to those of no 

 ctherrace when properly developed, and whose fattening qualities, whendry, are aston- 

 ishing. In the full flow of milk a cow cannot get fat ; but when an Ayrshire becomes 

 yeald she is not difficult to fatten. This cannot bo said with so much force of the 

 rival dairy breeds. An Ayrshire steer is a kindly feeder, and becomes good beef, if 

 well kept throughout, at thirty to thirty-six months, with a live weight of from 1,000 

 to, 1,200 pounds. The breed, however, being in such a pronounced manner a dairy 

 one, the number of pure Ayrshire oxen is not large ; nor does the breed claim to rank 

 high as beef-makers, though meat of pretty good quality is easily produced by Ayr- 

 shires even after they have served their time at the pail. Records of milking tests 

 with Ayrshires should satisfy Americans that, keeping in view their tendency to lay 

 on flesh when dry, there is no breed preferable to it where dairying is the main object, 

 and few, if any, so good. 



The average annual yield of milk per cow of the Ayrshire breed is fully 600 gallons. 

 Of course, some animals produce far more than that, but others are less. The return 



