ageicultural society held at stirling in 1881. 253 



Cattle. 



Of Shorthorns the exhibition was less numerous than would 

 otherwise have been had Ens^lish exhibitors been allowed to brincj 

 their " plumes " across the Border. But although the number of 

 animals forward was fewer tht-n at some former exhibitions, 

 the general character and quality of the stock shown was very 

 creditable, considering the present position of agriculture. Aged 

 bulls were a good useful lot, and although differing considerably 

 in individual character and shapes, several of them showed good 

 style, symmetry, and substance. Two-year-olds were neither so 

 lar^e nor so c^ood as the ag^ed or vearling bulls. The latter 

 section was fairly represented and possessed one animal of con- 

 siderable merit. The cow section w^as not large, but was fairly 

 good ; two or three animals show^ed excellent character and sub- 

 stance. Two-year-old heifers were a small section and middling 

 in quality. Yearling heifers were a fair section, but from their 

 varied individual forms and character were more difficult to 

 judge than any other section. Several of the animrls showed 

 good style and breeding. A marked and a greatly improved 

 feature of the shorthorns exhibited was the absence of over-feed- 

 in<^. Exhibitors should be encourac^ed to brinf]^ forward breeding 

 stock for exhibition in a more natural condition, over-feeding 

 having proved very prejudicial, especially to the heifer sections. 



The show of Ayrshires was pronounced very good. The aged 

 bulls were a very fine lot, and contained some animals of great 

 merit. In the section for two-year-olds there were two or three 

 good specimens. The yearlings were a very large and fine section. 

 The aged and three-year-old cows in milk were fair animals, 

 while the cows in calf were a large and remarkably fine section. 

 Among the two-year-old heifers w^ere some extra good animals. 

 The yearling heifers were a large and very fair display, but not 

 so good as the two-year-olds. 



The Polled Angus or Aberdeen Breed was exceedingly well 

 represented, being almost entirely devoid of coarse or inferior 

 animals. The aged bulls, althougli not numerous, were a very 

 creditable section and all good specimens of the breed, the first- 

 prize animal in particular being of extra quality. The two-year-old 

 bulls were scarcely so well represented as in the former section, 

 the first and second prize animals, however, deserving special 

 notice. The one-year-old bulls were a well brought out, fair lot, 

 but, except the first prize one, were not possessed of any great 

 excellence. The cows were all good useful animals, those placed 

 especially being of great substance and fair quality, partaking, 

 liowever, of somewhat different character. TIk^ prize-takers in 

 the two-year-old heifer section were particularly good, the lirst 

 prize iKiifer being of extra style and substance ; the other winners 



