HERD NOTICES 117 



years ago. In the late seventies and early eighties, 

 when the calves were suckled, the young bulls from 

 Rosemount made a great appearance as a rule, but 

 since that time they have not been seen to advantage 

 around the yearling stage. 



In its 500 acres Rosemount has about 100 acres of 

 shingly, normally thirsty land, which might have 

 suited Andrew Fairservice's parish of Dreepdaily, but 

 the main portion of the farm is " real able," as John, 

 the farm-manager, puts it, and he should know, as 

 he was born on the farm, and has been on the place 

 as boy and man all his life. 



On a beautiful plateau, with wonderful views to 

 mountain-ranges and outpost summits, fine banks of 

 land, as the natives term them, fall away very gently 

 from the homestead, and the owner may be said to 

 have neighbourly touch with the Stormont and fair 

 Strathmore. The farm buildings were intended to 

 endure. One sees no sign of scamped mason-work 

 in them. Mr Geekie, a retiring but genial and keenly 

 observant man with a sense of Scots humour, had not 

 gone much from home during the last twenty years. 

 Were he inclined to be fanciful he might have said 



" 'Tis pleasant through the loopholes of retreat 

 To peep at such a world ; to see the stir 

 Of the great Babel, and not feel the crowd." 



From his father's and his own garnering he had 

 notes grave and gay relating to Barclay, Hugh Watson, 

 and other strong men who ran their course between 

 the Mearns and Central Scotland. In a sense he was 



