236 HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



number of individuals brought forward, there may be an 

 increase in the number of premiums offered. 



'Another breed, distinguished from all others, is the 

 Ayrshire. In this breed the attention of breeders has been, 

 in a peculiar degree, directed to the characters which indicate 

 the property of producing milk. By this means, a breed 

 valuable for the dairy has been formed, on which account 

 the A}'rshire will be properly recognised as a distinct breed, 

 and the breeders of it encouraged by the offer of specific 

 premiums. 



' In this enumeration of breeds neither the Fifeshire 

 nor the Horned Aberdeenshire has been included. In the 

 case of the Fifeshire breed, it has appeared to the committee 

 that, though very fine animals under this name are often 

 reared by the care and skill of particular breeders, yet, that 

 in its general character, the breed of Fifeshire is inferior to 

 what the district is capable of producing ; and that, with 

 respect to the Horned Aberdeenshire, as the interests of 

 the breeders of that district are evidently leading them to 

 rear the hornless in preference, it is not for the Society to 

 attempt, by the offer of premiums, to revive the cultivation 

 of the other. 



' The Shorthorned, therefore, the West Highland, the 

 Ayrshire, and the Polled breeds of Galloway and the 

 northern districts, appear to the committee to be those 

 only which it is necessary for the Society to distinguish as 

 separate classes of stock in their offer of premiums. All 

 the others, under whatever name, will receive premiums 

 solely as they are good individuals, without any distinction 

 as to their peculiar designation, being comprehended under 

 the general class of " any breed, pure or cross." ' 



After these observations about the breeds which were 

 to be kept pure, the committee offer the following import- 

 ant observations with respect to crossing : 



' A mean of improving the live stock of Scotland may 

 be supposed to be by crossing the native stock with superior 

 males ; and since the introduction of the Shorthorns into 



