314 
poses in those parts of this country where beef is the leading object— 
especially where hardiness of constitution and ability to withstand expo¬ 
sure are primary requisites. In these qualities they are only inferior to 
the best West Highlanders. It is doubtful whether any of the genuine 
Galloways have ever been iijtroduced into this country. 
Of the British breeds specially adapted to the dairy, the Ayrshire has 
of late years taken the lead. Their origin, like that of the improved 
Short-horns, was artificial. The foundation of the breed appears to have 
been laid seventy or eighty years ago, by a cross of the Short-horn and 
the Alderney with the original stock of Ayrshire, in Scotland. It is re¬ 
marked, however, b} 7 ' Professor Low in his Illustrations , ( 1841,) that the 
Ayrshires had “acquired such a community of characters as to form a 
distinct and well-defined breed.’’ The color varies from a light or yellow- 
red to a brown, mixed more or less with white. Prof. Low says, “Heal¬ 
thy cows, on good pastures, give 800 to 900 gallons of milk in a year.” 
Aiton says GOO gallons a year may be deemed about the average of this 
breed; and the author of British Husbandry says in reference to this 
yield, “If equalled, we believe it will not be found exceeded, by any other 
breed in the kingdom.” Martin says, “ the milk of a good Ayrshire cow 
will afford 250 lbs of butter, or 500 lbs of cheese, annually.” The breed 
has not yet had a thorough trial in the United States. One of four Ayr¬ 
shire cows imported by J. P. Cushing, Esq., of Massachusetts, gave 3,864 
quarts of milk, beer measure, in a year. One imported by the Mass. 
Agr. Society, in 1837, afforded sixteen pounds of butter per week for 
several Aveeks in succession, fed on grass only. Instances are not rare of 
cows in this country of this breed having given twenty-four (beer) quarts 
of milk a day, which afforded twelve to fifteen pounds of butter a week. 
Prom a fair consideration of their merits, it is believed that the adoption 
of the Ayrshires for the dairy, would secure the following advantages 
over the stock commonly kept for this purpose in this country: 1. A 
greater quantity of milk, butter and cheese for the food consumed. 2. 
Greater uniformity in the general character of the stock. 3. Better sym¬ 
metry and constitution, and greater tendency to give flesh when not in 
milk. 
The Yorkshire Short-IIorn , as the term is commonly used, is quite a 
different animal from what is understood by the term improved short¬ 
horn. The latter, by attention in breeding has become specially a fatten- 
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