Shorthorns  in  Scotland  and  Ireland. 
89 
Still  further  north,  useful  herds,  not  now  in  existence,  were  maintained  by 
Mr.  Mackessack,  of  Balnaferry;  Mr.  R.  Bruce,  of  Newton  of  Struthers;  Mr. 
Harris,  of  Earnliill ; and  Mr.  Geddes,  of  Orbliston,  all  in  Morayshire  ; and  by 
Mr.  Cran,  of  Ivirkton,  Inverness;  and  Mr.  Fletcher,  of  Rosehaugh,  Ross-shire. 
Throughout  Scotland  there  are  at  the  present  time  a very  large  number  of 
Shorthorn  herds.  In  the  southern  counties,  where,  as  already  indicated,  the 
breeding  and  rearing  of  cattle  occupy  a secondary  position  in  the  calendar  of 
fanning  operations,  there  are  a few  valuable  herds  whose  names  are  well  known. 
Prominent  among  these  are  the  Duke  of  Buccleugh’s  herd  at  Dalkeith  Park, 
and  that  owned  by  Messrs.  A.  and  A.  Mitchell,  of  Alloa.  The  Dalkeith  Park 
herd  has  had  a long  and  exceedingly  useful  career,  a great  number  of  excellent 
sires  having  gone  from  it  all  over  Scotland.  The  Alloa  herd  contains  some 
choicely  bred  strains  ; and  here  the  Warlaby  bull  “ Royal  Studley  ” (45,548), 
by  “ Royal  Stuart,”  and  out  of  “ Royal  Lady,”  by  “ Royal  Benedict,”  is  at 
present  on  hire. 
Lord  Polwarth’s  herd  at  Mertoun  is  composed  of  excellent  Booth  material. 
Mr.  Bain,  of  Legars,  Kelso,  owns  a small  herd,  and  so  also  do  Mr.  Balfour,  of 
'Whittinghame,  M.P.,  Sir  David  Baird,  and  Sir  Thomas  Buchan  Hepburn, 
all  in  East  Lothian.  Mr.  Bethune,  of  Blebo,  Fifeshire,  has  a good  herd, 
while  in  Perthshire  the  chief  breeders  are  Mr.  Dundas,  of  Dunira,  Mr.  Whyte, 
of  Muirhead,  Col.  Williamson,  of  Lawers,  Mr.  Maxton  Graham,  of  Redgorton, 
and  Mr.  D.  Fisher,  of  Keithock,  &c.  In  Forfarshire  Mr.  Geikie,  of  Baldowrie, 
Mr.  Granger,  Pitcur,  and  a few  others,  have  for  some  time  maintained  useful 
herds. 
4 he  great  majority  of  Scotch  Shorthorn  herds  are  situated  in  the  north- 
eastern counties,  with  the  lower  parts  of  Aberdeenshire  as  the  head  centre. 
Here  Shorthorn  breeding  has  gone  on  continuously  for  close  on  half  a century. 
At  present  between  500  and  600  young  bulls  are  sold  in  these  districts 
annually  ; and  although  prices  latterly  have  been  rather  lower  than  some  years 
ago,  owing  to  an  increased  supply  and  other  causes,  there  is  every  probability 
of  that  demand  still  continuing  to  grow.  The  principal  herds  in  Aberdeen- 
shire are  those  owned  by  Mr.  Cruickshank,  Sittyton;  Mr.  S.  Campbell, 
Ivinnellar  ; Sir.  W.  S.  Marr,  Uppermill ; Mr.  Davidson,  Mains  of  Caimbrogie  ; 
Mr.  Bruce,  Broadland  ; Mr.  Scott,  Towie  Barclay ; Mr.  Mackie,  Petty ; Miss 
Hepburn,  Keith  Held  ; Mr.  Shepherd,  Shethin ; Mr.  Dutbie,  Collynie ; Mr. 
Cowie,  Cromblybank  ; Mr.  Bruce,  Myreton  ; Mr.  Nares,  Bructor ; and  Mr. 
Stewart,  Sandhole,  Fraserburgh.  In  Morayshire  valuable  herds  are  kept  by 
the  Duke  of  Richmond  and  Gordon,  Gordon  Castle,  Fochabers ; Mr.  James 
Bruce,  Burnside ; Mr.  Lawson,  Braelossie;  Mr.  Watt,  Garbity;  Mr.  McWil- 
liam,  Stoneyton,  and  others.  At  Dochfour,  near  Inverness,  Mr.  Evan  Baillie 
owns  a herd  composed  of  very  good  material.  Lord  Lovat  has  some  well- 
bred  animals;  while  Mr.  Gordon,  Udale,  Ross-shire,  has  the  remnant  of  a 
I large  and  very  useful  herd,  which  was  presided  over  for  several  years  by  the 
400  guinea  prize-bull  “ Rosario  ” (35,315).  In  Caithness,  Mr.  Adam  of  Lynegar 
has  established  a herd  of  good  animals,  selected  chiefly  in  Aberdeenshire. 
A short  account  of  the  composition  of  the  chief  existing  herds  would  have 
been  interesting.  This,  however,  would  have  occupied  too  much  space ; and 
therefore,  as  a good  sample,  the  Sittyton  herd  may  be  briefly  noticed.  Not  only 
the  oldest  in  Scotland,  but  also  the  largest,  the  Sittyton  herd,  alike  in  respect 
to  the  material  of  which  it  has  been  built  up  and  the  principles  upon  which  it 
lias  been  managed,  presents  an  excellent  illustration  of  the  system  of  Scotch 
Shorthorn-breeding  from  which  the  country  has  derived  so  much  benefit,  and 
which  has  at  the  same  time  brought  out  in  their  best  and  most  useful  form 
the  valuable  properties  of  our  principal  national  breed  of  cattle.  In  1837 
Mr.  A.  Cruickshank  imported  a heifer  from  Durham,  and  in  the  following  year 
the  bull  “Inkhorn”  (6091)  was  obtained  from  Captain  Barclay,  of  IJry.  In 
