HIGHLAND CATTLE. 93 



as much as possible in eatable condition, that is, neither eaten 

 top bare, nor allowed to get too rank, or to run into seed. 



"In the winter and the spring, all the cattle except the 

 breeding cows are fed in the fields, the grass of which is pre- 

 served from the 12th of August to the end of October. When 

 these inclosures become bare, about the end of December, a little 

 hay is taken into the field, with turnips or potatoes, once or twice 

 in the day, according to circumstances, until the middle or end 

 of April. Few, only, of the farmers have these roots to give 

 them, and the feeding of the out-lying cattle with straw is quite 

 abolished. If any of them, however, are very materially out 

 of condition, they are fed with oats in the sheaf At two, or 

 three, or four years old, all, except the heifers that are retained 

 for breeding, are sent to market. 



"There is little or no variety of breeds of cattle in the Hebrides. 

 They are pure West Highlanders. Indeed, it is the belief of 

 the Hebridean farmer, that no other breed of cattle will thrive 

 on these islands, and that the Kyloes could not possibly be 

 improved by being crossed with any others. He appeals to his 

 uniform experience, and most correctly so in the Hebrides, that 

 attempts at crossing have only destroyed the symmetry of the 

 Kyloes, and rendered them more delicate, and less suitable to 

 the climate and the pasture. 



" By selection from the choicest of the stock, however, the 

 West Highlander has been materially improved. The Islay, the 

 Isle of Skye, and the Argyleshire beast, readily obtains a con- 

 siderably higher price than any other cattle reared in the 

 Highlands ' of Scotland. Mr. M'Neil has been eminently suc- 

 cessful in his attempts to improve the native breed. He has 

 often obtained lOOl. ($500) for three and four-year-old bulls out 

 of his stock; and for one bull he received 200Z. ($1,000.) He 

 never breeds from bulls less than three years, or more than ten 

 years old ; and he disapproves, and rightly in such a climate, of 



