CHAPTER XXV. 



SECOND SHOW AT ABERDEEN, 1840. 



At the Aberdeen show which was held in 1840, the dinner 

 of the Committee was marked by the same features as at 

 Inverness, in the reading of short papers on agricultural 

 subjects. The committee's dinner assembled in the County 

 Rooms at six o'clock on Wednesday the 7th of October. 

 The Earl of Aberdeen presided, and there was a large 

 attendance, upwards of three hundred gentlemen being 

 present. Mr Walker, land surveyor, read a paper on the 

 Rotation of Cropping. Mr Boswell of Kingcausie read a 

 paper on the association of science with agricultural pur- 

 suits. JMr Barclay Allardice of Ury made a short statement 

 respecting Shorthorns, so far as within the range of his 

 own experience. He stated that he had introduced Short- 

 horns into the district in 1822, since which time he had 

 cultivated their breeding to a considerable extent, and they 

 had fully answered his anticipations. Mr Leslie of Warthill 

 read a paper of great interest on the progress of agriculture 

 during the previous half century. He selected the parish 

 of Ra}'ne for comparison. According to the Statistical 

 Account of 1795, the number of cattle then sold yearly was 

 180, their value being £2 a-head, while now, in 1840, no 

 less than ;^3000 per annum was obtained from the same 

 source. The cattle forty years before were very miserable 

 animals. The home-bred stots were considered unfit for 

 plough cattle, which were invariably brought in large 

 drafts from Angus and Fife at the commencement of the 

 ploughing season. After adverting to the system of keeping 

 the infield land constantly under grain crop, Mr Leslie 

 referred to the introduction of turnip culture. ' In the year 

 1778,' he said, ' my father, wishing to give his people a treat 

 at cliack, or harvest home, sent a servant on horseback in 



