Irish Aijricidture. 
3 
In the central parts of Ireland there was formerly a lone- 
backed, low-set variety of cattle, known as the "old Irish " 
breed, and held in repute chiefly for the great milking properties 
of the cows. The cows were exceedingly gentle, and good 
milkers, but it was very difficult to fatten them. These cows 
were very common 30 years ago, and some traces of them are 
even vet to be seen, as well as of a polled variety, known in 
Ireland under the name of Movie cattle. Crossing, however, is 
fast eradicating the last traces of these breeds ; and the Kerry 
now remains almost the sole representative of the old native 
breeds of Irish cattle. 
The first decided step which was taken to improve Irish 
cattle was the introduction of the English Longhom. The 
earliest importations of that description were of the Lancashire 
breed ; but in the hands of ordinary breeders, when dispersed 
through the countrv", they became coarse and large -boned, 
difficult to fatten, but growing to a great size. Their prin- 
cipal weight consisted chiefly in the coarser parts. Subse- 
quently, bulls of Leicester blood, as improved by Bakewell, 
were imported, with great advantage to the country, as their 
produce fattened more readily than the other kind, and their 
flesh was finer in the grain, and of better quality. The 
improved Longhorns were also good cattle for the dairy, but the 
breed is now nearly extinct. The last time I remember seeing 
Longhorns exhibited in public was at the Spring Show of the 
Royal Dublin Society, in 1858, when Lord de Freyne exhibited 
a pair of two-year-old oxen in the fat stock classes ; and so 
little was the breed known then that I recollect some persons 
present inquiring what " foreign breed " Lord De Freyne's 
bullocks belonged to. 
The Shorthorn breed was introduced into Ireland at least 
60 years ago, but a considerable time elapsed before it was fullv 
established in the country. Dubourdieu states in his " Statistical 
Survey of Antrim," which was published in 1812, that "a few 
years ago Sir Henry Vane brought a bull and some cows from 
Durham to Glenarm : they were of the Shorthorned breed, 
from Colling ; they were large and well-shaped, of a fine deep- 
red colour, mixed with white, but reckoned too heavy for general 
use, though the soil about Glenarm Castle, where I saw them, 
was fit for beasts of very great size ; but the climate, I have 
heard, did not agree with them, and they have been sent back." 
At the Show of the " Farming Society of Ireland," held at 
Ballinasloe, October .5th, 1812, prizes were offered for the best 
and second best " Teeswater, Durham, or Holderness ' bulls ; 
two, three, and four-years-old respectively. For two-year-olds 
there was "no claimant : " in the three-year-old class one entrv, 
B 2 
