Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

^^^ THE WEST HIGHLANDERS. 43
black cattle has- been greatly improved of late years, by the importation
of bulls and cows from various parts of the Highlands.
"WEST HIGHLANDERS IN ARGYLESHIRE.
The county of Argyle stretches along the western coast of Scotland
for 115 miles, but its average breadth is little more than 30
miles. The southern part is low, and comparatively level, and the
temperature mild. The northern is rugged and mountainous, and the
climate cold and ungenial, and there is much barren land, and little
good pasture ; but in Cantire, at the south, there is plenty of excellent
feed ; therefore the cattle differ materially in the northern and
southern parts. Among the mountains, the Highland breed is found
almost unmixed ; in the level country, there is the same variety and
mixture of breed which is observed in other dairy districts.
In North Argyle the West Highlanders are larger than the Hebrideans,
and are now bred to the full size which the soil, or the best
qualities of the animal, will bear. That fundamental principle of
breeding is generally adopted here, that the size must be determined
by the soil and the food ; and that it is far more profitable to the
farmer to have the size of his breed under, than over, the produce of
his land. Both will gradually adapt themselves to the soil ; but the
small beast will become more bulky, and improve in all his points
the large one will degenerate in form and in every good quality. Therefore,
the soil and management of Argyle being, generally speaking,
better than that of the Hebrides, it was found that a somewhat larger
animal might be admitted ; he was, however, procured, not by cross-
ing with a breed of superior size, but by careful selection from the
best of the pure breed. Experience -and judgment soon discovered
when the proper point—the profitable weight—was gained ; and
then the farmer went back to the equally pure but smaller breed of
Skye, lest the form should be deteriorated, and the fattening should
not be so equable and true, and the meat should lose some of its
beautiful character and flavor.
There is no part of the Highlands where the soil and the climate
are better adapted to the perfection of the breed than in Argyle, or
where we oftener see the true characteristics of the best Highland
cattle—short and somewhat strong in the shank, round in the body,
straight in the back, well-haired, long in the muzzle, and with a wellturned
and rather small horn. There is no district in which the
fanner so superstitiously, and yet properly, refrains from foreign admixture.
Could the two great errors of the Highland farmer be
remedied, namely, overstocking in summer and starving in winterthere
would be nothing more to desire for the grazier, except, per-
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