BREED OF CATTLE. 305 



any other in Scotland. AVe also have it on undoubted authority 

 that the polled breed were the almost exclusive inhabitants of 

 the lower grounds, the horned types being chiefly confined to the 

 liigh or hill districts. At Aikey Fair, early in the century, 

 thousands of polled cattle were shown — not a horned beast to be 

 seen ; and so with many other important fairs. The merits of 

 the best cattle will be understood by referring to the following 

 weights extracted from the history of Aberdeen. W. Garden 

 Campbell, Esquire of Troup, reared an ox that weighed 115 

 English stones, and sold eight stots at L.40 per head to Deacon 

 Williamson, Aberdeen. Two Freemartins were killed in Aber- 

 deen, which weighed respectively 1218 and 1030 Dutch lbs. 

 and 7 stones 5 lbs., and 10 stones 17 lbs. of tallow, — the stone 

 of tallow being 26 lbs. Dutch. Two oxen killed in Aberdeen, 

 fed by a Mr Walker, brought down, avoirdupois weight, 1978 

 and 1976 lbs. These were fed solely on the produce of the farm, 

 cake being then unknown. 



The cattle of the county, even at this date, are described as 

 having been much improved of late by crossing the most beauti- 

 ful and best formed females with the purest males of the breed 

 to \\ hich they belong. Moreover, we are informed from the 

 same source, that the breeders of cattle endeavour to improve the 

 size of the native stock by good keeping. These points are very 

 important, and will serve to check an erroneous impression 

 which at present prevails, namely, that the improved Aberdeen 

 cattle were formerly horned. We have already alluded to the 

 fact that there was a horned breed in Aberdeenshire at the time 

 named, and we are also quite aware that the injudicious mixing 

 of these with the polled breeds gave rise to every conceivable 

 shape and colour of crosses. Therefore, horned cattle, possessing 

 in other respects all the characteristics of polls, were quite 

 common, and have doubtless led many into the error of supposing 

 that the whole of the Aberdeen polled cattle were formerly 

 liorned. The original polls were generally fair milkers, and the 

 dairy produce towards the end of last century was something 

 considerable. 



The liistory of Angus, published iu 1813, gives some interest- 

 ing particulars relative to the native cattle of that county. The 

 ]>errn;ineut stock, we learn, constituted various breeds, which 

 <lifrerL'd very much from each other, both in shape and quality. 

 The report g«>es on to say, " that little attention is ])aid to the 

 selection either of the luak'S or females by whom the breed is 

 propatiatetl ; and no pains have been taken to elicit a breed dis- 

 tinguished by any peculiar ])ro])t'rties, either as a good milking 

 or as a good fattening breed." The calves were not always care- 

 fully reared. Some farmers, with the view of economy, reared 

 them on hay-tea, skim-milk, and the juice of boiled turnips, 



V 



