JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
206 
the present cold weather, the hive may be placed at once in the required 
position. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.—MARCH 7 th. 
The bulk of the late Grapes now coming are very inferior, and prices are 
unusually low, good examples also being much below their value. Market 
quiet, with little arriving. 
FRUIT. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
d 
Apples. 
2 
0 to 7 
0 
Grapes . 
ft. 
s 
0 to 6 
0 
M • .. 
per barrel 20 
0 
40 
0 
Lemons. 
case 10 
0 
20 
0 
Apricots. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Melons. 
each 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Cherries. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Nectarines. 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Chestnuts. 
. bushel 10 
0 
12 
0 
Oranges . 
100 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Currants, Black 
. J sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Peaches . 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
,, Red.. 
. j sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pears,kitchen .. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Figs. 
. dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
dessert . 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Filberts. 
ft. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples, English ft.. 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Cobs. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
lb. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Gooseberries .. 
. 4 sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Strawberries .... 
oz. 
i 
0 
0 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
8. d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d 
Artichokes. 
dozen 
2 
0 to 4 
0 
l 
ftt.nl 
6 
Asparagus, English bundle 12 
0 
0 
0 
Mushrooms 
i 
0 
1 
6 
Asparagus, French bundle 
25 
0 
30 
0 
Mustarddi Cress .. punnet 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Beans, Kidney... 
100 
2 
0 
0 
0 
Onions. 
2 
3 
2 
6 
Beet, Red. 
. dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Parsley. 
doz. bunches 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Broccoli. 
bundle 
0 
9 
i 
6 
Parsnips .... 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Brussels Sprouts. 
. i sieve 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Peas . 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Cabbage . 
dozen 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Potatoes.... 
6 
0 
7 
0 
Capsicums. 
. 100 
1 
6 
3 
0 
Kidney.... 
6 
0 
8 
0 
Carrots . 
. bunch 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Radishes.... 
doz. bunches 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Cauliflowers. 
. dozen 
f> 
0 
3 
0 
Rhubarb .... 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Celery. 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Salsafy. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Coleworts_doz 
bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Scorzo'nera 
1 
rt 
0 
0 
Cucumbers. 
. each 
0 
9 
1 
s 
Seakale .... 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Endive. 
. dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
tb. 
3 
o 
o 
Fennel. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Spinach .... 
3 
ft 
ft 
0 
Herbs . 
. bunch 
2 
0 
0 
lb. 
1 
6 
2 
o 
Leeks. 
. bum h 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Turnips .... 
0 
2 
0 
3 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
THE POLLED BREEDS OF CATTLE. 
There are two distinct breeds under this name, one being by 
tradition and history described as belonging entirely to certain 
districts and counties in Scotland, the other having been located 
and peculiar to the counties of Suffolk and Norfolk in England. 
In order to show how distinct these races of animals may be con¬ 
sidered, it is no more than we may expect when we know the 
great difference in soil and climate which prevails in these dis¬ 
tricts and their actual position in the kingdom. To enable us, 
therefore, to treat the subject fairly and do equal justice in 
describing the qualities and peculiarities of each breed, we pro¬ 
pose to notice first the polled cattle of Scotland, which have an 
origin, rise, and progress distinct from the other breeds of cattle 
now known in Great Britain. These, however, may be described 
as two breeds—the Galloway, and the Aberdeen or Angus. We 
shall, however, give our principal attention to the latter as being 
the lineal descendants of the ancient polled cattle of the north¬ 
east of Scotland—the “ Doddies ” of Angus, and the “ Humlies ” 
of Buchan. 
In Youatt’s well-known work on “ Cattle, their Breeds and 
Management,” written in about 1835, we find the following state¬ 
ment :—“ There have always been some polled cattle in Angus ; 
the country people call them Himlies or dodded cattle. Their 
origin is so remote that no account of their introduction into this 
country can be obtained from the oldest farmers or breeders. 
The attention, however, of some enterprising agriculturists appears 
to have been first directed to them about 1770 or 1780.” This 
celebrated authority gives a full description of the Angus Doddies 
as he found them, and details at length the doings of the first 
great improver of the breed, the late Hugh Watson of Keillor. 
All the early writers on the agriculture of Aberdeenshire speak. 
[ March 8, 1883 . 
of the Buchan cattle—those occupying the lower part of the 
county known as Buchan—as a distinct breed, but in no work 
dated before the present century have we found it stated whether 
they were polled or horned, but some writers give a description of 
the breed, yet make no mention of horns. It is stated by Keith 
in his “ Diocese of Aberdeen,” dated 1730, that the thanedom of 
Buchan, which originally extended from the river Don to the 
river Deveron, was so named because it abounded in old pasture 
and paid its rent in cattle, for the word in the Irish means “cow 
tribute.” In the recently issued “ History of the Highland and 
Agricultural Society,” Mr. Ramsay gives an extract from the com¬ 
munication he had received from Mr. George Stodart, “ lately 
farmer in Culter-Cullen, Foverham, now (January, 1879) in his 
ninety-seventh year, and who made his first purchase of cattle in 
1801.” Mr. Stodart says—“ There were at that time both polled 
and horned cattle in Buchan, but the horned cattle were mostly 
in the highlands of Aberdeenshire.” 
The writer of some interesting notes on the early history of the 
polled breeds, which appeared in the Banffshire Journal in 
the spring of 1880, gives much evidence in reference to the exist¬ 
ence of the polled breed in Aberdeenshire. He says, “That 
the late Mr. Marr, Cairnbrogie Tawes, commenced to breed Buchan 
polled stock in 1810, and exhibited animals of this breed at the 
Highland ■ Society’s shows at Aberdeen in 1834, and Dundee in 
1843. The improved polled Aberdeen and Angus cattle are the 
lineal descendants of that native breed. The two strongholds of 
the native polls were Angus in Forfarshire and Buchan in 
Aberdeenshire, the fact being that they are the descendants of 
one well-defined race—the ancient polled cattle of the north-east 
of Scotland. In this part of Scotland the lion’s share of the farm 
work now accomplished by horses was done by oxen down to a 
comparatively recent date—in many parts far into the present 
century. The native breeds were, however, found to be too small 
for working-oxen ; animals were obtained from the south of 
Scotland, the Lothians, and from Fifeshire. From this time a 
cross-breed was sought and obtained for working purposes 
through the union of the large handsome Fife bulls and the thick 
low-set native cows, which produced a class of cattle combining 
the size and power of the former with the excellent beef-producing 
properties of the latter. They were, however, designated the 
black horned cattle of Aberdeenshire, and well suited for farm 
work. 
The great improvement of the black polled cattle must be 
dated from 1808. In that year Mr. Hugh Watson, tenant of the 
farm of Keillor, Meigle, Forfarshire, laid the foundation of what 
in his skilful hands became a widely celebrated herd of pure-bred 
polled cattle. Hugh Watson was a man of much intellect, great 
perseverance, and correct judgment; and in various ways present¬ 
ing a striking resemblance to his great prototypes in the Short¬ 
horn world, the brothers Codings, who had commenced the 
systematic improvement of their favourite breed just twenty- 
eight years (in 1780) before the famous Keillor polled herd was 
founded. It may be therefore remarked with truth, that what 
the Codings were to the Shortherns, Hugh Watson was to the 
polled Aberdeen and Angus breed. He w T as the first great im¬ 
prover of the breed, and no one has ever grudged him the credit 
of that honourable distinction. In the year 1808 Hugh Watson 
succeeded his father in the farm of Keillor, and among the stock 
left him were six cows and a bud of the native polled breed. 
Not satisfied with these as a foundation for the herd he had 
decided to build up, he in the same year went to a fair at Trinity 
Muir, near Brechin, and there he purchased ten of the best polled 
heifers and the best polled bud he could find. It is stated that 
with these sixteen females and two buds he founded the celebrated 
herd of Keillor Doddies. 
Of the great success which Hugh Watson achieved as a breeder 
