10 



CHAPTER II. 



John Gardiner His herd and sale John H. Dickson His families of 

 cattle Indebtedness to Keir His sale William and John M'Ewen 

 Their breeding stock Sir Charles Dundas Composition of his 

 herd How he looked at ring side William Harris Torenia and 

 Kobertson, Ballechin Ballechin bulls Dauntless and Newton Stone 

 Eobertson's death His sale Appearance and nature. 



IN Perthshire farming and stock-breeding circles 

 of sixty to eighty years ago Mr John Gardiner of 

 Rottearns, Auchterarder, and tenant of Kinkell, was 

 a man of note, because of his broad outlook and 

 strength of character. He founded his Shorthorn 

 herd with purchases from Warlaby, Towneley, Athel- 

 staneford, Sittyton, and Keir. During the late fifties 

 he gradually sold most of his cattle. He retired from 

 farming in 1861, and died about eight years after- 

 wards. At Mr Gardiner's sale on 22nd October 1861, 

 the Sittyton - bred roan cow Aroma, by Matadore 

 (11,800), was taken at 50 gs. by Mr James M'Artney, 

 Yetts of Muckart ; Princess Mary, a roan also bred 

 by the Messrs Cruickshank, and by The Baron (13,833), 

 was secured by Mr M'Artney at 60 gs. ; Queen of 

 Beauty 4th, a roan by Prince le-Beau (13,512), made 

 less money. She was out of the same dam as Lord 

 Strathallan's Retribution, the Aberdeen Highland 



