bull that recovered was good enough to go to Glasgow and take the first prize in the aged bull class. His bull "Panmure" gained the first prize at the Highland Society's Show at Dundee in the aged bull class; and Mr Fullerton also carried off the prize for the three best cows. "Panmure was sold to the late Mr Taylor, Wellhouse, Alford, and some of my best stock trace their descent from "Panmure." The late Lord Panmure sent the late Mr Phillip, the great painter, to Wellhouse, to take the bull's portrait. Not satisfied with Mr Phillip's first sketch, he sent him back; and Mr Phillip lived at Wellhouse for weeks, and painted "Panmure a second time. Mr Fullerton is one of our best judges, and to him I am indebted for my best stock in the female line. It was at his sale I purchased the "Queen," whose descendants in the female line have in many a hard field driven competition before them in Scotland, England, and France. Many of my best stock trace their pedigree from the "Queen."

دو

The Ballwyllo herd were long celebrated, and were a tower of strength at the Angus Agricultural Society's shows. The late Mr Robert Scott was a most enthusiastic and successful breeder. The prizes gained by the Ballwyllo herd were very numerous. At Aberdeen, in 1847, Mr Robert Scott gained a first prize for a cow from the Highland Society; and at Windsor, in 1851, he gained the first prize in the cow class for the same animal, which was bred at Tillyfour. He also gained the first prize in the aged bull class at Perth, and the first prize in the yearling heifer class. Both animals were bred at Ballwyllo. The Ballwyllo stock have taken a prominent place at Dumfries, and at the Royal Northern Agricultural Society's shows. Since Mr Robert Scott's death, Mrs Scott, his mother, has most enthusiastically stuck to the Angus Doddies; but it is a matter of deep regret that she also was a severe sufferer by the rinderpest.

Mr Mustard, Leuchland, is a very old breeder, and

Mr

I believe no purer stock exist in Forfarshire. Mustard never forces his stock for the show-yard, and seldom sends any except to the county show, where they are always winners. I have often admired the purity, style, and condition-as it ought to be in a breeding stock-of the Leuchland herd. Mr Lyell of Shiellhill, brother of the late Sir Charles Lyell, had a very good herd of polled Angus cattle. His bull" Prospero gained the first prize at Perth in the two-year-old class, and at Battersea Park he won the first prize in the aged bull class. Mr Leslie of the Thorn is also a most successful breeder. He came out so strong at Stirling that he beat all and sundry for yearling bulls, and followed up his conquests by selling "President the Fourth at an almost fabulous price. Mr Ferguson, Kinnochtry, Coupar-Angus, has bred Angus cattle with success for many years.

A celebrated breeder since 1826 was the late Mr Robert Walker, Portlethen.* It would be endless to attempt to sum up his victories, local, national, and international, they are spread over such a large surface. Mr Walker was a most successful competitor at the International Show at Paris, and refused £230 for his prize bull. His bull "Porty" was sent to Inverury, and took the first prize. There was no Aberdeen show at that time. "The Banks of Dee" carried everything before him, and his descendants gained seven firsts and a second in one year in the show-yard; but although Mr Walker had never bred another animal save "Fox Maule," his celebrity as a breeder would have been established. "Fox Maule was one of the best polled bulls ever exhibited. Mr Hector, late in Fernyflat, was a very celebrated breeder of polled cattle, and his stock was of the very highest order, and gained many prizes at our national shows. His son-inlaw, Mr Glennie, succeeded in the farm, and keeps good

* Mr Walker died in 1874; but his son Robert has kept on a portion of the herd.

black cattle. The Crathes stock is of long standing. The late Sir Thomas Burnett was a most successful breeder, and stood in the front rank for many a long year. The Crathes herd was a tower of strength, and under the able management of Mr John Davidson they were dangerous antagonists. I have had many encounters with them in the Aberdeen show-yard, and have got soundly beaten. "The Banks of Dee," mentioned above, was the most celebrated bull of his day, and took the first prize wherever he was exhibited, local and national. Sir Thomas had his portrait taken and engraved. The prizes gained by the Crathes stock count by the hundred. On the lamented death of Sir Thomas Burnett he was succeeded by his brother, Sir Alexander Burnett, who kept up the stock; and at his death he was succeeded by the present proprietor, Sir James Burnett, who has added drafts from the best stock in the country. There is no doubt the Crathes herd will remain true to its ancient fame.

In Aberdeenshire the breeders of polled cattle are very numerous, but we shall only mention a few. William M'Combie, of Easter Skene, had always stuck to the polled breed, and his stock have been conspicuous as prize-takers. His cow, "Queen of Scots," beat Lord Southesk's "Dora" and ten other fine cows in 1853, and "Roderick Dhu" gained the first prize the same year; while "Alastor the Second" beat "Fox Maule" at Aberdeen-the only time that animal ever was beaten. One ox I purchased from Mr M'Combie gained the first prize at Glasgow at the last fat show held by the Highland Society.*

*Mr M'Combie has taken a very prominent position since the above was written. At the Highland Society's show at Aberdeen in 1868, he gained the first prize for the best yearling bull, the first prize for the best two-year-old bullock, and other prizes. At Perth and Aberdeen in 1871, he was first for yearling bulls with "Taurus; " and he stood first for yearling heifers at the Stirling show of the Highland Society in 1873, leaving only second to me.

The late Colonel Fraser, of Castle Fraser, stuck long to the Aberdeen and Angus polled cattle. His stock took a prominent place at the Royal Northern Agricultural Society's shows.* They were not pampered. for show-yard purposes, and he bred from the best blood, and his stock always took a good place where exhibited. The Castle Fraser herd was sold off in the autumn of 1870. In the Garioch, as a breeder of polled cattle, Mr Stephen, Conglass, stands pre-eminent. The Conglass stock have been handed down from father to son; and the son, while maintaining the herd long, has latterly given a good deal of attention to crosses, though he still keeps good polled cattle. Mr Stephen gained the Fat challenge cup by a threeyear-old ox, bred to himself, at Aberdeen in 1864. At Poissy he carried off the first prize for the best heifer, beating all and sundry.

In Banffshire, Mr Walker of Montbletton is a celebrated breeder. He has twenty breeding cows, and has carried almost every medal and prize at the Banff and Turriff shows for polled cattle, as well as many of the highest prizes at the Royal Northern and Highland Society's shows.

In Morayshire we had the late Mr Brown, Westertown, who was well known as one of our best judges of polled cattle.+ Mr Brown's herd came first prominently into notice at the Highland Society's show at

* Since the first edition of this book was published, Colonel Fraser's stock has taken a leading position. At the Royal Northern Agricultural Society's show in 1867, he gained the Polled challenge cup. The cup has to be gained for three successive years by the same party, and with different animals, before it becomes his property. I had gained it the two preceding years, and it was fairly within my grasp. It was my last asking, but it was dashed from my lips, and went for the time to Castle Fraser, instead of going to Tillyfour for ever. Colonel Fraser likewise gained the first prize for the same cow at the Highland Society's show at Glasgow in 1867; and again carried first honours with a younger cow at the Highland Society's show at Aberdeen last summer.

The Westertown herd was sold off in the autumn of 1874, in consequence of Mr Brown's lamented death.

Inverness in 1856, when he carried off the highest honours for heifers, and was second to "Hanton "who never was beaten but once-in the aged bull class. At the Highland Society's show at Aberdeen, he was first with "Windsor" in the two-year-old class. Mr Brown's skill was tested as to the purchase and sale of "Windsor ; he bought him from me as a calf in low condition, under £40, and sold him to Lord Southesk for 200 guineas. At Elgin, at Aberdeen, and at the Highland Society's shows, Mr Brown was a most successful competitor. But at the Dumfries show, Mr Brown, Mr Collie, and myself got pleuropneumonia into our stock, and it decimated Mr Brown's valuable herd. Mr Brown's character as a judge stands in the front rank with the breeders of Aberdeen and Angus stock, and he has often been put on to act in that capacity by the Directors of the Highland and Royal Northern Agricultural Societies.

دو

Mr Paterson, Mulben, is a great and successful breeder of polled stock. Mr Paterson commenced to breed in 1846. His celebrated "Mayflower" was the first-prize cow at the Highland Society's show at Perth in 1861; "Malcolm was first at Elgin and Aberdeen, and second at Perth; and "Prince of Wales," bred to Mr Brown, Westertown, was first at Aberdeen in 1862, and first at the Highland Society's show at Stirling. It would be a hopeless as well as an endless task to record Mr Paterson's victories at the Highland and Royal Northern Society's shows at Elgin, Aberdeen, Banff, Huntly, and Dufftown, where he has often swept the field.

Mr John Collie, Ardgay, was a celebrated breeder, and was one of the most dangerous men to face in the show-yard I have ever encountered. Mr Collie's herd was dispersed nine years ago, and he died himself very suddenly at Ballater in the summer of 1874. He gave me a sound drubbing at Edinburgh in the cow class, and beat me for a first place out of my own