76 



Agriculture of Scotland. 



the scanty produce of natural grasses, converted into hay, enabled 

 the occupant of land to maintain during a winter of long endur- 

 ance. And, as we have seen that a comparatively narrow ex- 

 tent of land was occupied at this time with these valuable crops, 

 the number of cattle and sheep maintained was necessarily still very 

 limited. It is accordingly in the border counties, from which the 

 improved turnip system emanated and first spread to any extent, 

 that we find the greater number of instances of care being given 

 to this essential branch of good husbandry. The mode of fatten- 

 ing in this district was by stall-feedings but it is evident no great 

 improvement had taken place in rendering cattle susceptible of 

 early maturity, since we find they were not fitted for the shambles 

 until they had attained the age of four or five years. Throughout 

 Scotland, generally, at this period, indeed, no particular variety of 

 cattle seems to have been held in especial estimation. It is true, 

 then as now^ the Galloway breed prevailed in the south-western 

 district, while the West Highland were held in equally high fa- 

 four in the northern counties. But in those parts where cultiva- 

 tion had made the greatest progress, though Bake well's breed had 

 been introduced ten years before by some spirited proprietors, and 

 had been adopted by a few enterprising tenants, they had not been 

 carried to any great extent ; and from their having been injudi- 

 ciously managed^ and from indifferent keep in some cases, many 

 even began to think they were not calculated to effect any im- 

 provement. 



In like manner the Dishley, or new Leicester sheep of Bake- 

 well, — which had been introduced about the same time, — from their 

 hav ing been attempted in high and unsuitable districts, had be- 

 come liable to the suspicion that they also were not adapted to the 

 climate of even the better parts of Scotland. Some very notable 

 exceptions, however, existed, and this breed had partially found 

 much favour in the Lothians, and particularly in the south-eastern 

 counties ; where, from their vicinity to that quarter of England 

 where Bakewell and Culley's rams were held in such high estima- 

 tion, a great improvement was effected on the indigenous cross breed 

 of the country by means of these rams, for the hire of which a high 

 price was paid. Folding upon turnips had also been practised to 

 some extent in those parts where the cultivation of this valuable 

 root was best understood ; and we find as the resvdt, that the sheep 

 improved by this cross acquired a weight at two and a half years 

 old equal to what the Leicester breed of the present day attain, 

 with ordinary feeding, at from one and a half to two years ; while 

 the weights of the lieece are stated as being nearly the same with 

 the improved breed now : w e have to take into account, however, 

 that, in the former period, salving universally prevailed, which mate- 

 rially added to the weight. 



