THE BORDER LEICESTER BREED OF SHEEP. 27o 



Whitsunday 1880, when he was succeeded by Andrew Paterson 

 from Mertoun. 



Besides these two flocks, there are, of course, many stocks 

 of more or less reputation throughout what may be called 

 the Border counties. In 1776, sheep of the Bakewell blood 

 were introduced to East Lothian by Mr W. Brodie, then 

 tenant of Upper Keith. By and by Mr Brodie's example 

 w^as followed by others, until early in the present century 

 the rivalry among breeders became so keen, that it led to 

 the first show of sheep ever held in the county. A ques- 

 tion, it is said, arose in July 1808 between the farmer at 

 Linplum, Mr Bogue, who had purchased ewes and hired 

 rams from the Culleys and others, and Mr Brodie, Scoug- 

 hall, who had immediately before made some purchases at 

 the Culleys' sale, as to w^ho had the better class of sheep. 

 The two very naturally declined to abide by one another's 

 judgment, and the result was an agricultural gathering so great, 

 according to the opinions of the times, that the writer, whose 

 duty it was to describe the proceedings in " The Farmers' 

 Magazine," could compare it to nothing less remarkable than 

 the flight of Johnny Cope's army after the battle of Preston- 

 pans ; though in what respect there w^as any resemblance 

 between the two events, he does not trouble himself to say. 

 Whatever it was that led to this strange idea, the gatherinsr 

 undoubtedly was an important one, for it brought the farmers 

 of the county, who assembled at Linplum in a large com- 

 pany to see the sheep examined, into contact with such an 

 eminent breeder as Mr Matthew Culley, who, along with Mr 

 Brodie of Upper Keith, was elected to give the award. The 

 judgment was given in favour of Mr Brodie's rams, which were 

 said to be " constitutionally disposed to fatten faster than the 

 others." 



Of late years, East Lothian breeders have collectively taken 

 a higher place in the show-yard than those of any other district, 

 though, on the other hand, the average price realised for their 

 rams at the Edinburgh sales have always been beaten at Kelso — 

 a fact which is probably due to this, that the East Lothian sheep 

 seem to come out better earlier in the season than those from 

 lioxburghshire and elsewhere, but that later in the season their 

 rivals are tlien at their best. No exliibitor — no matter from 

 what county — has ranked higher of late years in the Highland 

 Society's yard, or met with greater success at the Edinburgh 

 sales, than Mr Clark, Oldliamstocks. At the start Mr Clark was 

 greatly indebted to a Pulwarth ram, descended from the Hay- 

 mount sheej), which was first brought from Mertoun by ^Ir 

 Ainslie, Costerton, whose flock at one time was very successful. 

 This tup he purchased at the dispersion of the Costerton Hock, 



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