60 IMPROVEMENT OF THE BREED. 



ing the 'Polled Herd Book.' The principal existing herds 

 in Kincardineshire are those owned by Sir Thomas Glad- 

 stone, Bart, of Fasque ; Mr Scott of Easter Tulloch ; and 

 Mr George J. Walker, Portlethen Mains. 



It has already been indicated that in Aberdeenshire, as 

 in Angus, the systematic improvement of the native polled 

 breed within its own limits would seem to have been car- 

 ried on to some extent before the beginning of the present 

 century. It has also been seen that by 1810 the polled 

 cattle of Buchan had attained to the highest favour with 

 the leading cattle-dealers and cattle-breeders, who even 

 then preferred it in its pure "unmixed" state to all the 

 other varieties in the county. The superior beef-producing 

 properties of the native polled breed naturally induced 

 the leading agriculturists to draw to it more exclusively 

 as the demand for beef became greater; and thus it is 

 found that by 1820 a good many of the more prominent 

 farmers in the lower parts of Aberdeenshire had com- 

 menced the rearing of pure polled herds on an extensive 

 and systematic scale. Prominent among these were the 

 late Messrs Williamson, St John's Wells ; the late Mr 

 Eobert Walker, Wester Fintray ; the late Mr Marr, Cairn- 

 brogie ; the late Mr Hay, Shethin ; and the late Mr Stephen, 

 Conglass. 



After this there came a peaceful intruder, which ulti- 

 mately became so powerful as that for a time it threat- 

 ened to entirely displace the native polled cattle. The 

 fame of the improved Shorthorns after CoUing's great sale 

 in 1810 (when Comet reached 1000 guineas) spread rapidly 

 over the length and breadth of the land. About the end of 

 last century. Shorthorns had been introduced into Scotland 

 by Mr Eobertson of Ladykirk, Berwickshire, and General 

 Simpson of Pitcorthie, Fifeshire. Mr Eennie of Phantassie 

 obtained cattle from Mr Eobertson, and at the first shows 

 of the Highland Society at Edinburgh in 1822 and 1823 

 exhibited Shorthorn oxen, which, by their extraordinary 



