POLLED CATTLE IN EARLY SHOWS. 67 



J. Tayler of Glenbarry ; the late Mr Alexander Paterson, 

 Mulben ; the late Mr Skinner, Drumin, and his son, Mr 

 William M. Skinner ; the late Mr Eobertson, Burnside ; 

 and the late Mr John Collie, Ardgay, The late Mr 

 George Brown's father bred polled cattle at Westertown 

 more than half a century ago ; and when Mr George 

 Brown himself succeeded to the farm in 1853, he devoted 

 his attention in a very special manner to the rearing of 

 the breed. He procured the best material available, and 

 devised a skilful and systematic plan of breeding which 

 gave promise of grand results, but which was prematurely 

 closed by his early and much -lamented death in 1874. 

 Of the operations of Mr Brown and other breeders and 

 improvers more anon. 



'Improvers of polled cattle have received hearty encour- 

 agement in their noble work from the many influential 

 agricultural societies which have existed in Scotland 

 during the greater part of the present century. We have 

 seen that at least one society in the old county of Angus 

 the East Forfarshire Farming Association was started 

 early in the century, mainly for the purpose of promoting 

 the improvement of the native polled cattle. In the 

 county of Aberdeen, where there are more than a score 

 of similar societies, the improvement of the polled breed 

 has in most cases been one of the chief objects kept in 

 view. As early as 1812 " black humble " cattle were 

 exhibited and won prizes at the show of the Garioch 

 Farmers' Club, which was established in 1809, and still 

 continues as active and useful as ever. At the second 

 show of the Highland Society, held at Edinburgh in 1823, 

 a second prize was won by a polled or "dodded" ox 

 bred in Aberdeenshire ; while at the Society's first pro- 

 vincial show, held at Perth in 1829, prizes were offered 

 for polled cattle. On the latter occasion, as noted else- 

 where, Mr Hugh Watson exhibited some of his famous 

 Keillor doddies, both in the fat stock and breeding classes. 



