378 
Polled Aberdeen and Anr/us Cattle. 
Tayler, of Glenbarry ; IVIr. Skinner, Drumin ; Mr. Grant, 
Auchorachan ; Mr. Williamson, Netherwood ; Mr. Smith, Inch- 
corsie ; Mr. Robertson, Aberlour Mains ; Mr. Petrie, Glencorrie ; 
Representatives of the late Mr. Walker, jNIontbletton ; and Mr. 
Stephenson, Blairshinnoch. In Morayshire, Sir William Gordon 
Gordon Gumming, Bart., of Altyre ; Mr. McKessack, Earnside ; 
and others, have excellent herds; while at Guisachan, Inverness- 
shire, Sir Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks, M.P., has recently 
established a most select and most valuable herd. 
The general system of management pursued hy the various 
breeders of Polled Aberdeen and Angus cattle differs but very 
slightly. It is as a rule simple and natural. High feeding has 
of course been freely resorted to in the training of showyard 
animals, but the great bulk of the breed has had hardly any 
"pampering" or unnatural treatment of any kind. To this 
last fact I have no doubt the well-known fecundity, general 
soundness, good health, and hardiness of the breed are mainly 
attributable. No race of animals can long withstand unnatural 
treatment, however systematic and skilful that treatment may 
be. As a rule, breeders aim at having the calves dropped 
between the 1st of December and the end of March. A good 
many come later, and some earlier, but these are not in 
favour. There is no doubt great advantage in having early 
calves, and breeders are now endeavouring to obtain as many as 
possible before the end of January. I may quote a few notes 
from some leading breeders as to their system of management. 
Mr. Thomas Ferguson, Kinnochtry, states that his calves suckle 
their dams till from six to eight months old ; and that after 
being weaned they get straw, turnips, and cake or bruised oats, in 
covered courts. He feeds the bull-calves in the same manner 
all th^ winter after weaning, and generally sells them in spring 
when they are a little more than a year old, the prices generally 
ranging from 25 to 50 guineas. Last season his yearling bulls 
brought an average of over 40 guineas each. After Mr. 
Ferguson's heifers are ten months old, they get little food, 
excepting straw and turnips, until put upon the grass. Bulls are 
used when about twelve months old, and heifers bulled about 
two years old, seldom sooner. He feeds liberally the bulls that 
are in use, but he keeps his cows rather lean than fat. In 
winter his cows before calving are fed in covered courts, with 
about 30 or 40 lbs. of turnips per day along with barley- wheat- 
or oat-strfiw, generally either of the two former, as oat-straw is 
scarce. After calving, they get three times as many turnips as 
before ; and in summer they are kept solely on the grass fields. 
]Mr. Bowie, Mains of Kelly, rears most of his calves by the pail 
or " cog," giving at the outset about one pint, and gradually 
