Farming of Cumberland. 



253 



bulls, there is no present appearance of the breed losing ground 

 in that quarter. 



Some of our most enthusiastic breeders of Galloway cattle dis- 

 pute the superiority of the short-horns for early maturity ; and 

 one who is nearly, if not quite, the oldest* breeder of them, says, 

 " More depends upon the rearing of stock than on the hinds of stock. 

 I have at present some two-year old Galloway heifers that are fit 

 for the butcher; and they have not had any extra food, such as oil- 

 cake or corn, and last winter had turnips once a-day only." The 

 race of superiority is now fairly started between the rival breeds, 

 and future years must declare the winner. Some of the best Gal- 

 loway bulls have been sold as high as 30/., and the yearlings and 

 two-year olds of high blood usually fetch from 15/. to 20/. each. 



The short-horn is however the predominant breed of the county, 

 and of their present general utility on turnip-growing farms there 

 can be no doubt : they are easy to rear from the first hour of 

 their birth, healthy through life, profitable at the slaughter, and 

 so far the evidence is much in their favour as to early maturity. 

 What effect the almost general system of forcing, with a view to 

 early maturity, may have on the constitution of the race, it may 

 not be difficult to prognosticate. The high keeping of most of 

 the pedigreed stocks, now pretty numerous in the county, must 

 eventually tell with a detrimental effect on their constitutions. 



Short-horns have been bred in Cumberland about forty years. 

 Their introduction was regarded with doubt and distrust, and 

 their progress was accordingly slow for many years ; but the last 

 twenty-five years have spread them over the county, and placed 

 them or their kindred on every farm not devoted to the Galloway 

 or some other special breed. 



Mr. Howard has a beautiful and well-selected breeding-herd of 

 200 gold and silver dun Argyleshire cattle in the park at Grey- 

 stoke Castle. They are of the purest blood and quality, and 

 many of them attain the weight of 50 stones when fat. At a dis- 

 tance they resemble a fine herd of deer, and several are as wild 

 too ; but they form a noble adjunct to the grounds, and such as 

 no other park in the kingdom can boast. 



It would be reckoned invidious to attempt to enumerate the 

 breeders of short-horns here, there being so many who have 

 attained celebrity and been successful ; but it may he allowable 

 to state that the late Mr. Curwen, of Workington Hall, and Sir 

 James Graham, of Netherby, stood most prominent as the early 

 breeders ; and, at a later period, the late Earl of Lonsdale, though 

 his herd was kept beyond the boundary of the county, reared 



* Mr. Rigg of Abbey House, 1851. 



