THE BALQUHARN HERD. 173 



Balquharn. 



Mr Henry D. Adamson, who went to the north of 

 Scotland to learn farming under Mr M'Combie of Tilly- 

 four, naturally had his attention early directed to the 

 merits of the polled breed. During the time he occupied 

 the farm of Balquharn, near Alford, he always kept a few 

 polled animals, but the herd with which he ultimately 

 became associated was not actually started until 1876, 

 when he made an important purchase at Lord Airlie's sale 

 at Cortachy, Kirriemuir. From that year till 1881 he 

 paid great attention to the collection of his choice herd. 

 Mr Adamson's main aim appears to have been to gather 

 together some of the best specimens of the Pride of Aber- 

 deen family in order to demonstrate that, for usefulness 

 and showing capabilities, it had lost none of its early 

 celebrity. In consequence of the owner's ill-health, the 

 herd was unexpectedly thrown into the market in 1881 

 when it realised the highest average price ever obtained 

 at a public sale of polled cattle 56, 4s. 8d., for 36 head. 

 Mr Adamson's purchase at Cortachy, to which reference 

 has been made, was the Pride cow Regina 1179, out of 

 Pride of Aberdeen 3rd 1168 and after Jim Crow 3rd 350. 

 The price was 70 guineas. Pride of Mulben 3rd 3249, 

 after Elgin 724 and out; of Pride of Mulben 1919, was 

 bought at the Tillyfour sale in 1878 for 100 guineas. At 

 the same sale Pride of Aberdeen 7th 1777, out of Pride 

 of Aberdeen 581 and after Derby 377, was acquired for 

 50 guineas. From Mr M'Combie was also obtained less 

 noteworthy members of the Pride tribe; and also the cow 

 Sybil 2nd of Tillyfour 3526 of the Baads Sybil family, a 

 member of the Tillyfour prize group at Paris, and a 

 first prize cow of the Highland Society. At the Tulloch- 

 allum dispersion in 1877, the Erica cow Miss Macpherson 

 1252 was added for 90 guineas, but was subsequently sold 

 privately to the Earl of Airlie. Another Erica cow added 



