THE ANGCJS-ABERDEEN CATTLE. 163 



The Balliol College farm herd, at Long Benton, near New- 

 castle, is of comparatively recent origin, and its existence is 

 due to the fact that a polled Angus bull on the common cows 

 then on the farm impressed his characteristics on 80 per cent, 

 of his produce. Mr. Stephenson, in his first catalogue, says : 

 " Having for many years been engaged in a large veterinary 

 practice, with special opportunities for forming an opinion on 

 the merits of the different breeds of cattle, and having for the 

 last eleven years been a farmer and feeder of stock, I believe 

 this breed of cattle stands pre-eminently forward, both to the 

 farmer and the butcher, as being hardy and healthy, good 

 milkers both in quantity and quality, easily fed, good beef pro- 

 ducers, coming early to maturity, and highly prized by butchers. 

 In 1881 the Erica bull Englishman, then a calf, by Young 

 Viscount out of Edith by Juryman, was bought from Sir G. M. 

 Grant, and so splendid an animal did he turn out that when his 

 services were no longer required by Mr. Stephenson he was 

 sold for 300 guineas to Mr. Owen Wallis, of Bradley Hall, 

 where we saw him in the spring of 1886. He is succeeded by 

 Evander, another Erica, and also from Ballindalloch ; he is ])j 

 the Jilt bull Julius (1819) out of Evening, by Elcho, and 

 promises well. 



There are at Long Benton at present very few Ericas or Jilts. 

 The principal families are the Prides, Lady Idas (Montbletton) ; 

 Prides from Tillyfour ; Abbess family from Easter TuUoch, &c. 

 Mr. Stephenson has done a feat hitherto unparalleled in show- 

 yard annals, viz., winning the Elkington Challenge Cup three 

 years in succession. His last triumph was with Luxury, a two- 

 year-old heifer out of a cow called Lemon, which came from 

 Mr. Walker's herd at Portlathen, which also took Champion in 

 London, 1885, as best animal in the hall. We do not remember 

 her exact age when shown, but her live weight at Islington was 

 17141b., and her carcase weight without inside fat or appur- 

 tenances was 13181b., being at the rate of 76| per cent., which 

 speaks volumes as to thickness of flesh, quality, and lightness 

 of offal. Mr. Stephenson's success in founding a herd encouraged 

 his neighbour, Mr. O. C. Wallis, of Bradley Hall, Ryton-on- 

 Tyne, who commenced operations in 1881, by purchasing all 

 the Ericas he could lay hands on, supplementing with members 



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