Shorthorns  in  Scotland  and  Ireland. 
67 
25  or,  perhaps,  even  30  per  cent,  of  the  current  average  price. 
The  improvement  began  to  appear  even  earlier  than  thirty  years 
ago,  but  it  was  only  within  the  past  fifteen  years  that  it  could 
be  said  to  have  made  rapid  progress.  It  was  evident  that  the 
improvement  was  in  the  main  due  to  the  influence  of  Shorthorn 
blood,  for  the  change  in  the  form  and  character  of  the  stock 
consisted  in  a gradual  and  easily-recognisable  approach  to  the 
type  and  attributes  of  the  Shorthorn.  The  experience  in 
Scotland  has  been  very  similar  ; and  in  some  parts  of  that 
country,  where  formerly  they  found  little  or  no  favour,  Irish 
cattle  are  now  held  in  high  esteem.  The  Kincardine  Farmers’ 
Club  discussed  the  question  of  “Our  Cattle  Supply”  at  its 
meeting  in  December  last,  1882.  It  was  stated  that  that  part 
of  the  country  was  mainly  indebted  to  Ireland  for  its  supply  of 
store-stock,  and  all  admitted  that  Irish  cattle  had  exhibited 
great  improvement  in  recent  years.  One  member  remarked 
that  Irish  cattle  were  now  as  well  bred  as  any  they  could 
produce  at  home,  and  that  the  only  drawback  to  the  trade 
was  the  bad  treatment  which  the  cattle  had  to  undergo  in  the 
course  of  their  journey  from  Ireland  to  Scotland. 
There  is  no  need,  however,  to  go  outside  Ireland  for  proof 
of  the  good  work  which  Shorthorns  have  accomplished  amongst 
its  herds  of  cattle.  Of  this  there  is  within  the  Green  Isle  itself 
more  than  sufficient  evidence.  It  will  be  shown  that  the  breed 
was  early  introduced  into  the  counties  of  Wexford  and  Wicklow. 
Forty  years  ago  the  cattle  in  those  counties,  as  in  most  other 
parts  of  Ireland,  were  more  useful  for  dairy  purposes  than  for 
the  production  of  beef.  They  were  wholly  of  the  old  Irish 
sort,  of  mixed  breeding  and  varying  type,  black,  brindled,  or 
brown  in  colour,  thin  and  irregular  in  frame,  light-fleshed,  and 
very  slow  in  growing  and  fattening ; and  when  ripe  for  the 
butcher  at  a pretty  long  age,  generally  four  or  upwards,  would 
have  weighed  about  5 cwt. — a large  portion  much  less.  Few  pure 
specimens  of  this  variety  are  now  to  be  seen.  The  Shorthorn  has 
driven  them  out  of  existence,  bringing  in  their  stead  a larger, 
better-shaped,  thicker-fleshed,  and  more  precocious,  and  alto- 
gether greatly  superior  race  of  stock,  partaking  largely  of  the 
colour,  lorm,  and  general  character  of  the  Shorthorn.  Improve- 
ment became  widely  apparent  soon  after  1852,  and  has  been 
making  progress  ever  since.  There  is,  perhaps,  no  part  of 
Ireland  better  stocked  with  good  cattle  than  these  counties,  and 
in  the  main  this  is  due  to  the  strong  Shorthorn  influence  radia- 
ting lrom  such  centres  as  Coollattin,  Vinegar  Hill,  The  Island, 
rhorneville,  Bally hyland,  Lisnevagh,  <Stc.  Referring  to  the 
advance  in  the  value  of  cattle  due  to  the  improvement  effected 
by  Shorthorns,  Mr.  Samuel  Armstrong  says: — “ The  prices  of 
F 2 
