"THE HERDSMAN OF ABERDEENSHIRE" 159 



were not only unhorsed, through an overindulgence 

 in the theory of close breeding, but were brought 

 face to face with the palpable fact that while they 

 were riding their pet hobbies to an inevitable fall, 

 men possessed of penetration like unto that which 

 had worked such wonders in Yorkshire, had been 

 quietly duplicating the triumphs of Kirklevington 

 and Warlaby in other quarters. The TOMKINS, JOHN 

 PRICE of Ryall, the HEWERS, REA and PHILIP TURNER, 

 MONKHOUSE, "the blind breeder of The Stow," ROGERS, 

 TUDGE the Hereford fathers in brief were laying 

 the foundation for the future conquest of the western 

 American range in the grassy vale of the Severn. 

 Beyond the Tweed, BARCLAY of Ury, ROBERTSON of 

 Ladykirk, RENNIE of Phantassie, HAY of Shethin, 

 GRANT DUFF of Eden, SYLVESTER CAMPBELL of Kin- 

 ellar, the elder MARR of Uppermill, the GRUICKSHANKS 

 and their contemporaries had worked out along inde- 

 pendent lines the secret of how to profitably produce 

 prime beef in a land where straw and "neeps" and 

 a bit o' cake had to take the place of luxuriant 

 permanent southern pastures in the agricultural 

 economy. And there were others far beyond the 

 hills of Lammermoor who contributed heavily to 

 the cause which finally landed "Prime Scots" at 

 the top of Smithfield market. WM. McCoMBiE of 



