( 247 ) 



PART ir. 



The Live Stock of Cumberland. 



Horses. — What may be termed the general farm breed of the 

 northern part of the county, is the Clydesdale, which prevails 

 from thence along the western side of Scotland as far as Ayrshire 

 and Lanarkshire, through the whole of which country there are car- 

 ried on constant interchanges of stallions and mares. This breed 

 has been long and deservedly noted for its strength, docility, and 

 endurance, as well as for its activity and honesty in drawing. It 

 is however a circumstance rather to be regretted, that the high 

 prices paid by the Scotch dealers for large heavy-boned horses for 

 drays has created a partiality, on the part of many breeders, for 

 those qualifications, in preference to the more valuable ones of 

 activity and power of endurance, more frequently and easily asso- 

 ciated with moderate size. In these larger specimens is too fre- 

 quently observable a more sluggish temperament, with looser pro- 

 portions ; they are also in general larger consumers of food : 

 nevertheless, when liberally fed from the first, they are sufficiently 

 powerful to take the side of a plough at two years' old and after 

 working two or three years for their keep, are readily sold at the 

 spring markets of Carlisle, Wigton, and Dumfries, for from 30/. 

 to 40/. each, if of good make and action. A year or two since, 

 when so many railways were being made, the demand was so high 

 that even 50/. were frequently given for good cart-horses. Con- 

 siderable numbers are also annually bought up at high prices by 

 the Northumberland dealers, for the supply of Newcastle and the 

 coal districts. 



The usual and most highly esteemed colours are grey, brown, 

 and ba^i' : these last are frequently spoilt in appearance by a large 

 splash of white on the face and legs, which, particularly when 

 dirty, looks unseemly, and might as well be remedied by a little 

 attention in breeding. Some breeders are also, strange to say, 

 partial to a large plain head, which, they say, shows " good 

 Scotch breeding." A tolerably good feather of hair on the legs 

 is preferred. 



On approaching the higher grounds bordering on the eastern 

 moors and mountains, the size diminishes, indicating more or less 

 of a cross with the ponies or galloways which are the denizens of 

 the latter localities. These are wonderfully hardy, and compactly 

 made, active little animals ; and are a good medium for restoring 

 these qualities to the larger breeds when wanted. Considerable 



VOL. XIII. s 



