PRICES AT AUCTION 



83 



cattle have remade the constitution of English Shorthorns, 

 and, while shortening their legs, have added to their depth, 

 substance, and wealth of flesh. On Bates cows, with their 

 beautiful heads and stylish carriage, the springing ribs and 

 ample girth of the Cruickshank bulls remove the tribal defect 

 of deficient heart measurement, and the progeny of three 

 Scotch crosses on pure Bates families are in great request for 

 export to the Argentine. The Booth cross brings a very 

 strong quarter from the hook to the tail a favourite measure- 

 ment with the butcher. The following are examples of the 

 criticisms which are freely made of crossing with Cruick- 

 shank blood. It improves the middle, but " puts the animal 

 wrong at both ends." " It has shortened the hind quarters 

 and spoilt the once beautifully chiselled head and curved 

 horns (of Bates cattle), and substituted a mean and * cocky ' 

 horn." Owing to their mixed breeding, " many Scotch bulls are 

 irregular getters and not very impressive sires." l " Their hind 

 quarters are short, their bellies big, and their crops defective, 

 and it is necessary to be careful to test for tuberculosis." 

 Scotch crosses are all for flesh, and of little repute as milkers. 

 It is said " the first cross with a West Cumberland cow (widely 

 known for deep milking qualities) takes away the front half 

 of the bag, and the second cross destroys the remainder." 



Average Prices at Auction Sales of Shorthorn Cattle in 

 Scotland, twenty-four Years, 1882-1905, from the 

 " Banffshire Journal." (See Appendix F.) 



1 J. Deane-Willis has pointed out that "these mixed-bred Scotch bulls 

 are often called Cruickshank, and the latter often bear the blame for the 

 former's deficiencies." 



