64 
Shorthorns  in  Scotland  and  Ireland. 
defect  from  his  stock,  began  the  use  of  Shorthorn  bulls.  The 
results  more  than  fulfilled  his  most  sanguine  expectations,  the 
crosses  being  larger  and  finer  shaped  than  the  ordinary  cattle  of 
the  county,  while  they  also  grew  and  fattened  much  more 
rapidly.  Mr.  Horne  reared  an  excellent  class  of  stock,  and, 
having  fattened  his  bullocks  with  much  care,  he  usually  obtained 
the  top  prices  in  the  London  market.  In  1838,  he  sent  a re- 
markably fine  lot  of  twenty  four-year-old  cattle  to  the  London 
Smithfield  Market,  and  for  each  he  received  the  then  remark- 
able price  of  40Z.  a head.  Soon  after  this  the  use  of  Shorthorn 
bulls  became  general  in  Caithness,  and  for  many  years  few 
other  sires  have  been  taken  into  the  county.  The  soil  of 
Caithness  is  not  suited  to  fattening.  It  will  grow  bone,  but  is 
slow  in  putting  on  fat.  The  farmers  have  therefore  given  atten- 
tion chiefly  to  the  raising  of  store-stock,  for  which,  when  twelve, 
fourteen,  or  eighteen  months  old,  they  find  an  excellent  demand 
in  Ross-shire,  Aberdeen,  or  other  parts  of  the  north-east.  These 
Caithness  store-cattle  partake  mainly  of  the  Shorthorn  type  ; and 
generally  speaking  they  are  of  large  size,  good  form,  and  fine 
quality.  From  18Z.  to  20Z.  are  common  prices  for  lean  animals 
ranging  from  fourteen  to  seventeen  months  old.  The  Shorthorn 
has  carried  its  work  of  regeneration  into  the  Orkney  and  Shet- 
land Islands,  and  has  there  produced  results  almost  as  satisfactory 
and  beneficial  as  those  attained  in  Caithness.  The  farmers  of 
Caithness,  Orkney,  and  Shetland  purchase  Shorthorn  bulls  in 
Aberdeenshire  and  elsewhere  in  the  east  and  south,  and  in  turn 
send  back  to  be  fattened  a fine  class  of  lean  stock.  The  Caith- 
ness demand  is  now  to  some  extent  supplied  by  local  herds, 
which  have  been  established  with  care  and  enterprise. 
The  demand  for  Shorthorn  bulls  throughout  Scotland  has, 
ever  since  the  introduction  of  the  breed,  been  constantly  on  the 
increase.  At  times  it  has  outrun  the  supply,  unduly  raising 
prices  and  calling  into  use  many  animals  not  well  fitted  for  the 
production  of  stock.  In  recent  years,  however,  there  has  been 
no  lack  of  good  bulls,  and  prices  have  taken  a turn  in  the 
favour  of  buyers.  Formerly  the  leading  breeders  held  annual 
auction  sales  at  their  respective  farms,  but  lately  that  costly  and 
troublesome  system  has  almost  entirely  given  place  to  large 
Joint  Sales  at  convenient  centres.  Sales  of  this  kind  are  held 
once  or  twice  a year,  in  spring  and  autumn,  at  St.  Boswells, 
Perth,  Aberdeen,  Forres,  Inverness,  and  elsewhere.  Probably 
three-fourths  of  the  whole  supply  of  bulls  are  disposed  of  on 
these  occasions.  The  Aberdeen  Joint  Sale,  held  in  spring  and  i 
autumn,  is  the  largest.  For  the  sale  there,  in  February  this 
year,  260  Shorthorns  were  catalogued.  Prices  of  course  show 
a considerable  range.  Exceptionally  good  lots  now  and  again 
