I 06 THE OX AND THE DAIRY. 



ply of the second growth of clover, and afterwards of turnips 

 strewed over the pasture-ground. When the weather becomes 

 stormy, in the months of October and November, the cows are 

 kept in the byre during the night, and in a short time after- 

 wards during both night and day ; they are then fed on oat- 

 straw and turnips, and continue to yield a considerable quan- 

 tity of milk for some time. Part of the turnip crop is eaten 

 at the end of harvest and beginning of winter, to protract the 

 milk, and part is stored up for green food during the winter. 

 After this store is exhausted, the Swedish turnip and potatoes 

 are used along with dry fodder, till the grass can support the 

 cows. Chaff, oats, and potatoes are boiled for the cows after 

 calving, and they are generally fed on rye-grass during the 

 latter part of the spring." 



In this part of Scotland, a peculiarly rich cheese, termed 

 Dunlop cheese (from the district of that name, in Cunning- 

 ham, where it was first made), is prepared. It is the product 

 of the unskimmed milk ; but common or inferior cheese is 

 also made from the milk after it is skimmed. 



With regard to the Ayrshire breed of cattle, as fitted for 

 the grazier, it is less so than for the dairy-farmer ; neverthe- 

 less, in rich lands, the oxen fatten with considerable facility, 

 and even the cows accumulate flesh ; but, then, they cease to 

 yield much milk, and, as there are decidedly better breeds for 

 the purpose of the grazier, few are purchased by the great cattle- 

 dealers for depasturing on the luxuriant feeding-grounds of 

 England. Undoubtedly their great value is as milkers, and 

 that principally in their own territory, to the feed and climate 

 of which they seem to be constitutionally adapted. 



The improved Ayrshire cow, of the present day, has the 

 head small, but rather long, and narrow at the muzzle, 

 though the space between the roots of the horns is consider- 

 able ; the horns are small and crooked, the eye is clear and 

 lively, the neck long and slender, and almost destitute of a 

 dewlap ; the shoulders are thin, and the fore-quarters gene- 

 rally light ; the back is straight, and broad behind, especially 

 across the hips, which are roomy ; the tail is long and thin. 

 The carcass is deep, the udder capacious and square, the 

 milk-vein large and prominent ; the limbs are small and 

 short, but well knit ; the thighs are thin ; the skin is rather 

 thin, but loose and soft, and covered with soft hair. The 

 general figur-e, though small, is well proportioned. The 

 colour is varied with mingled white and sandy-red. 



