324 ON THE POLLED ANGUS OR ABERDEEN BREED OF CATTLE. 



feeding, opinion is divided ; we, llo^Yeve^, decidedly lean to tlie 

 former system, as being tlie most natural and the best. There 

 is no fear of the calves becomino; so fat that their future useful- 

 ness will be impaired even by this liberal practice. 



In after-life there is danoer of over-feedinc^ females, which 

 should be zealously guarded against. This leads to another point. 

 The pampering of show cattle as practised at the present time is 

 positively injurious, and destroys the breeding properties of many 

 a blooming heifer. On this subject, Mr Bowie, Mains of Kelly, 

 makes some pertinent observations, which are given elsewhere in 

 this report, and to which we can add but little, coming, as they 

 do, from an experienced breeder and a good show-yard judge. 



In conclusion, we may remark that, considering all the points 

 of merit which the polled breed may justly lay claim to, 

 it deserves its boundary to be much extended, as we feel confident 

 that it would pay both the breeder and feeder far better than the 

 weedy crosses which are found not only in many counties of 

 Scotland, but also in various parts of England. May its merits 

 become more widely known, and the area of its dominion con- 

 siderably increased is the earnest hope of an enthusiastic admirer 

 of the breed. 



ON IMPLEMENTS SELECTED FOR TRIAL. 

 I. TisKEN Steam Cultivating Machinery. 



In 1871, the Fisken Steam Cultivating Machinery was tried 

 at the late Marquis of Tweeddale's home farm at Tester, and at 

 Offerton Hall, near Sunderland. Both of these trials were 

 attended by members of the Highland Society's Committee on 

 Machinery, and reports of the oloservations then made will be 

 found in the 4th volume of the Society's Transactions by 

 Professor Wilson, Mr Swinton, Holyn Bank, and the late 

 Professor Eankine, then consulting engineer to the Society. 



On perusing these reports, it will be found that circumstances 

 prevented a full investigation being made, and that, while some 

 defects in the machinery for conveying the power from the 

 engine to the plough were noticed, there was nevertheless a 

 general expression of opinion that the apparatus was admirably 

 suited to perform the work required of it. 



Since 1871 jMessrs Fisken have improved their apparatus so 

 much as to warrant them in applying to the Judicial Committee 

 of the Privy Council for an extension of their patent, which was 

 gi^anted in March, 1876, for a period of six years. On the same 

 grounds they exhibited a model of their apparatus, as now im- 

 proved at the Society's Show in July last, at Aberdeen, and the 

 Implement Committee, on consideration, recommended it for 

 rial. 



In accordance with this recommendation, the Fisken apparatus 



