io
OX THE LIVE-S’i dCK
and it lias been accompanied with a corresponding improve-ment in form, and in every valuable property.
Though the form does not appear to be so entirely de-pendent as the size, on the abundance or scarcity of food, itis very intimately connected wdth it. An animal that hasbeen stunted in its growth when young, is never afterwards ofa good shape, or well proportioned, however excellent thebreed may be to which it belongs. Many of the cattle ofthe Northern Highlands and Isles of Scotland have all thecharacteristics of starvlings, and are a very unprofitable race.Yet the cattle of the Western Highlands and several of theIslands are not better treated, at least in winter, and still re-tain their superior shapes, so much so, indeed, that the Skyeand Argyleshire cattle have been resorted to, as the best meansof improving these and other breeds.
1. A breed may be said to be improved, w r hen some de-sirable property, which it did not possess before, has beenimparted to it, and also, when its defects have been removedor diminished, and its valuable properties enhanced. Im-provement, in its more extensive application to the live-stockof a country, may also be said to be effected, when, by a to-tal or partial change of live-stock, the value of the naturalproduce of the soil is augmented, and a greater quantity ofhuman food and other desirable commodities obtained fromit. Whatever may be the merit of that skilful managementwhich is necessary to the formation of a valuable breed, aconsiderable degree of the same kind of merit may be justlyclaimed by those, who have introduced and established it insituations, where its advantages had never been contemplated,and in which, indeed, the obstacles to its success might haveappeared almost insurmountable. This total change of live-stock has been attempted, and with much success, both in theHighland districts, and in the Low Country of Scotland .
The change from cattle to sheep, is the only sort of im-provement which could be attempted with any prospect ofsuccess in the first division, which does not afford a supply