AMOS CB'OIOKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 637 



It must be borne in mind that in resorting 

 to bulls of his own breeding Mr. Cruickshank 

 was contravening what had been the almost 

 universal practice in Scotland. It is generally 

 believed by those most familiar with his work 

 that if he had begun placing his own bulls in 

 service -many years earlier he would have more 

 quickly realized his ambitions. It seems clear 

 that the grand roan bull Lord Sackville (13249), 

 mentioned on page 619, might have filled the 

 place held later by Champion of England had 

 he been given like opportunity; for he possessed 

 such grand constitution, substance and quality, 

 and with his limited opportunity wrought such 

 an improvement on the Secrets and a few other 

 Sittyton sorts that he would doubtless have 

 made a great reputation' had he been more 

 freely used. Longmore of Rettie is generally 

 credited with having been the first of the North 

 of Scotland breeders to place home-bred bulls 

 in service. He was a man of rare intelligence, 

 and although his herd was small as compared 

 with that at Sittyton he met with marked suc- 

 cess by his departure from the then prevailing 

 usage, his stock possessing unusual size, flesh 

 and real show-yard character. Experience had 

 now taught Mr. Cruickshank the uncertainties 

 attending the use of even the best individual 

 bulls acquired from various sources and rep- 

 resenting many diverse elements. With his 



