1870. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



365 



J. J 





AYBSHIRB COW. 



On copying the above illustration of a mod- 

 ern Ayrshire cow, from Mr. Allen's book on 

 American Cattle, we do not propose to give a 

 detailed history of this well known breed of 

 cattle. Mr. Rankin, an English breeder, 

 claims that the Ayrshires unite, perhaps, to a 

 greater degree than any other breed, the sup- 

 posed incompatible properties of yielding a 

 great deal of both milk and beef. 



]\Ir. Aiton, another English authority gives 

 the following description of the Ayrshire cattle. 



^'Ilead small, but rather long and narrow at 

 the muzzle ; the eye small, but smart and lively ; 

 the horns small, clear, crooked, and their roots 

 at considerable distance from each other ; nech 

 long and slender, tapering towards the head, 

 with no loose skin below ; sJiouklers thin ; fore- 

 quarters light ; hind-quarters large ; hack 

 straight, broad behind, the joints rather loose 

 and open ; carcass deep, andi pelvis capacious, 

 and wide over the hips, with round fleshy hut- 

 tocks. Tail long and small ; legs small and 

 short, with ^rmjoijits ; udder capacious, broad 

 and square, stretching forward, and neither 

 fleshy, low hung, nor loose ; the milk veins 

 large and prominent ; teats short, all pointing 

 outwards, and at considerable distance from 

 each other ; skin thin and loose ; hair soft 

 and woolly. The head, hones, horns, and all 

 parts of least value, small ; and the general 

 figure compact and well proportioned." 



PHOSPECTS OF THE CHOPS. 



In a ride of about sixty miles by horse 

 power through a portion of Middlesex and 

 Essex counties, we have had opportunity io 

 notice the condition of the crops, and of con- 

 ver.-ing with many farmers in ndation to them. 



We have no recollection of ever seeing the 

 grass crop more promising in the s cond week 

 in June than it is now, June 9. The clovtr 

 is exceedingly luxuriant, and some portion if 

 it so stout as to be beaten down by the gentle 

 rain of the sixth instant. This will require 

 cutting at once, though not more than a fourth 

 of it is in bloom. 



The cereal grains and Indian corn look 

 finely. They came quick and well and are 

 very promising. 



All the early garden stuff seems to have 

 come well. Some peas were in bloom ;. pota- 

 toes, beans and the garden vegetables gener- 

 ally were looking finely. 



There is promise of an abundant apple 

 crop. Though millions of the young fruit 

 have fallen, other millions remain ; enough to 

 afford a crop beyond anything we have had 

 for several years, if no attack by blight or in- 

 sects is made upon them hereafter. 



In some localities the canker worm has en- 

 tirely destroyed the foliage, and in others only 

 partially so ; but the injury is not general in 

 any locality. 



