THE AYBSHIRES. 125 



tured" Dutch bulls, brought in by Mr. Duulop. From no other 

 race of cattle, either Scotch, English, or Irish, could the improved 

 Ayrshires get their shape, color, and milking qualities combined — 

 color and shape resembling the short-horns more than any other, 

 and the milking quality also possessed by them in an eminent 

 degree. And although a persistence in such crosses has been kept 

 out of sight, or not acknowledged, the further improvement of 

 the Ayrshires shows still greater marks of a continued cross 

 from the same quarter. 



The late Mr. Adam Fergusson, a distinguished statesman, 

 farmer, and stock breeder, of Upper Canada, a native, and fifty 

 years a resident, and connected with agricultural interests in the 

 Lowlands of Scotland, repeatedly informed us that the improve- 

 ment of the Ayrshires was effected by the use of short-horn 

 bulls, and the more intelhgent of the Scottish agriculturists con- 

 sidered them as simply grade short-horns. The Ayrshires resem- 

 ble the short-horns more than they do any other cattle, and as 

 they do not claim originality in breed, and have been made up 

 mainly within the last hundred years, there need be no hesitancy 

 in acknowledging both the facts and inferences concerning them. 

 That they are a good breed of cattle, useful, and eminently 

 qualified for the dairy, and capable of perpetuating among them- 

 selves their good qualities, are facts now well established, both 

 in Scotland and America; and thus we leave their "origin and 

 history." 



THE AYRSHIRES IN AMERICA. 



Their thirty-six years' trial here has been successful. They 

 are hardy, healthy, well fitted to our climate, and pastures, and 

 prove good milkers, both in the imported originals, and their 

 progeny. Their flow of milk is good in quantity, and fair in 

 quahty; yet, we must be permitted to say, that in this country 

 they do not yield so muchjn quantity, as is alleged they have 

 produced in Scotland. The chief reason for this is obvious. 



