THE AYRSHIKES. 123 



they can eat during the night and morning, and, except in time 

 of snow, are turned out to the fields during the day time. The 

 greatest part of the young dairy stock are kept in byres, or in 

 sheds during winter, but some are laid out, and supported with 

 straw in the fields." 



After these prolonged and exhaustive draughts from Youatt, 

 and his authorities, which we consider mainly an argument in 

 favor of the Ayrshire — ^and have thought it a duty in a work of 

 this character, to give for the benefit of the great and increasing 

 dairy interest of our country — we have something to say on our 

 own account about them. And not in a partizan spirit, either, 

 but in that of a fair investigation of the breed and its merits. 

 And first, as to their origin and history. 



The Ayrshires first began to be imported into the United 

 States about the year 1831 — thirty-six years ago. They were 

 somewhat difierent in appearance from the later importations, 

 being in color usually deep red, or brown, flecked with white, of 

 rather plain look, and having, mostly, hlack noses. In recent 

 importations, or those within the last fifteen years, many of them 

 have assumed more the "short-horn" colors, the red in them being 

 of a lighter shade, and less of it — white being the prevailing 

 color in many — and some of them a lively patched roan, with 

 yellow noses, and handsome, and more symmetrical forms, but 

 alike bearing the marks of good milkers. These remarks may 

 appear inconsequent now, but their bearing will be found in fur- 

 ther speaking of their history, and course of breeding. 



In the array of fact, tradition, and inference relating to their 

 origin, as given by Youatt, a strange jumble is made of their 

 history, and still, most of the relations given by the authorities 

 may be admitted. The fact that the common Scotch, or Kyloe 

 cow, previous to the year 1724, was a creature of but ordinary 

 value for the dairy, is easily understood; and the "conjecture" 

 of Mr. Robertson, that the Earl of Marchmont, in some of the 



