THE AYRSHIRES. 121 



select the coarsest animals they can find, in order to avoid the con- 

 sequence of the change of climate and food. It is useless to 

 exaggerate the qualities of any cattle, and it cannot be denied, 

 that even in this tendency to fatten when their milk begins to 

 fail, or which often causes it to fail, the Ayrshires must yield to 

 their forefathers, the Highlanders, and also to their neighbors, 

 the Galloways, when put on a poor soil; and they will be left 

 considerably behind their short-horn sires, when transplanted to 

 luxuriant pasture. It will be long, perhaps, before they will be 

 favorites with the butchers, for the fifth quarter will not usually 

 weigh well in them. Their fat is mingled with the flesh, rather 

 than separated in the form of tallow ; yet this would give a more 

 beautiful appearance to the meat, and should enhance its price to 

 the consumer. 



"Two circumstances, however, may partially account for their 

 not being thought to succeed so well when grazed : they are 

 not able to travel so far on the same keeping, as the Higliland 

 cattle can do ; and, from their great value as milkers, they are 

 often kept until they are too old to fatten to advantage, or for 

 their beef to become of the best quality. 



"The advantage of feeding well in winter, and sending a cow 

 to grass in good condition, is now generally understood ; but the 

 defect in practice is, that what can be afforded to the cow in this 

 way, is given only while they are in milk, or when they calve. 

 The return is, indeed, rendered more immediate, but it would be 

 still more advantageous if a fair portion of the proper winter's 

 food were given to the dairy cows, after they were dry of milk. 



" Mr. Alton gives a satisfactory account of the rearing of dairy 

 stock. They are selected from parents of the lest quality, and 

 few are brought up that are not of the fashionable color. Those 

 are preferred that are dropped about the end of March, or the 

 beginning of April, as they are ready for the early grass, and 

 attain some size before winter. 

 6 



