Full text of "Cattle and cattle-breeders"

See other formats

PERKINS
AGRICULTURAL LIBRARY

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
SOUTHAMPTON

WORKS ON RURAL AFFAIRS,

The Book of the Parm. Detailing the Labours of the

Farmer, Farm - Steward, Ploughman, Shepherd, Hedger,
Cattle-man, Field-worker, and Dairymaid, and forming a safe
Monitor for Students in Practical Agriculture. By Henry
Stephens, F.R.S.E. Two Volumes, Royal Octavo, £3, hand-
somely bound in cloth, with upwards of 600 Illustrations.

" The best hook I have ever met with." — Professor Johnston.

"We have thoroughly examined these volumes ; hut to give a full notice
of their varied and valuahle contents would occupy a larger space than we
can conveniently devote to their discussion; we therefore, in general
terms, commend them to the careful study of every young man who wishes
to become a good practical farmer." — Times.

The Book of Parm Implements and Machines. By James

Slight and R. Scott Burn. Edited by Henry Stephens,
F.R.S.E. Illustrated with 876 Engravings. Royal Octavo,
uniform with the ' Book of the Farm,' half-bound, £2, 2s.

The Book of Farm Buildings : their Arrangement and

Construction. By Henry Stephens, F.R.S.E., and R. Scott
Burn. Royal Octavo, with 1045 Illustrations. Uniform with
tbe ' Book of the Farm.' Half-bound, £1, lis. 6d.

The Forester: A Practical Treatise on the Planting,

Rearing, and Management of Forest-Trees. By James
Brown, Wood Manager to the Earl of Seafield. Third Edi-
tion, greatly enlarged, with numerous Engravings on Wood.
Royal Octavo, 30s.

"Beyond all doubt this is the best work on the subject of Forestry
extant." — Gardeners' Journal.

Physiology at the Farm, in Bearing and Feeding the Live

Stock. By William Seller, M.D., F.R.S.E., and Henry
Stephens, F.R.S.E. Octavo, 16s.

Occasional Papers on Veterinary Subjects. By William

Dick, late Professor of Veterinary Surgery to the Highland
' and Agricultural Society of Scotland, &c. &c. With a Me-
moir and Portrait. [In the press.

William Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh and London.

Price One Guinea.

THE BOOK OF THE LANDED ESTATE;

CONTAINING DIRECTIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
OF THE RESOURCES OF LANDED PROPERTY; DETAILING THE
DUTIES OF THE LANDLORD, FACTOR, TENANT,
FORESTER, AND LABOURER.

By ROBERT E. BROWN,

Factor and Estate Agent, Wass, Yorkshire.

In One Volume, royal 8vo, uniform with Mr Stephens's
'Book of the Farm,' with numerous Engravings.

Pall Mall Gazette.

"Apart from its own substantial merits, Mr Brown's tall and stout
volume is emphatically a sign of the times. It is a product of a period of
revolution in the ideas and habits of English landowners. ... Mr
Brown's book offers minute and ample answers to every possible inquiry
which the landowner's ingenuity can suggest."

Saturday Eeview.

"Mr Brown is always ready with an intelligent reason for whatever,
from the vantage-ground of experience, he takes upon him to recommend.
Indeed there is not a chapter from which any reader may not gain some-
thing. ... It is impossible even to glance at a tithe of the useful
information and advice contained in this volume, which will be certain to
be the landlord and the agent's vade-mecum."

Borth British Agriculturist.

" Mr Brown is plain and practical in his remarks ; he is evidently a
cautious and sensible land agent, and his valuable work testifies to his
having made good use of his opportunities, his observation, and his
experience."

Economist.

"We can heartily commend this book for the instruction of both land-
owners and estate agents. It is full of solid practical knowledge, clearly
arranged and expressed— a repertory of all that is essential to be known
theoretically by the managers of properties."

Bell's Weekly Messenger.

" A work admirably calculated to produce a better state of things, not
only by pointing out to landowners the advantages that must inevitably
accrue to them from their estates being properly cultivated, but by show-
ing how that object may be attained."

"William Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh and London.

CATTLE

AM)

CATTLE -BKEEDEBS

CATTLE

AND

CATTLE-BREEDERS

WILLIAM M'COMBIE, M.P.

TILL YFOUR

SECOND EDITION, REVISED

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS
EDINBUHGH AND LONDON
MDCCCLXIX

CONTENTS.

CHAP. PA0E

I. THE FEEDING OF CATTLE, ETC 1

II. REMINISCENCES 3*

III. THE CATTLE TRADE, THEN AND NOW, ... 67

IV. BLACK POLLED ABERDEEN AND ANGUS CATTLE AND

SHORTHORNS 86

V. HINTS ON THE BREEDING AND CARE OF CATTLE, . 99

CATTLE

AND

CATTLE-BREEDERS.

I. THE FEEDING OF CATTLE, Etc.

(Read before the Chamber of Agriculture. )

As my friend Mr Stevenson and some other members
of the Chamber of Agriculture have expressed a
desire that I should read a paper on my experience
as a feeder of cattle, I have, with some hesitation,
put together a few notes of my experience. I trust
the Chamber will overlook the somewhat egotistical
' form into which I have been led in referring to the
subject of dealing in cattle.

My father and my grandfather were dealers in
cattle. The former carried on a very extensive
business : he had dealings with several of the most
eminent feeders in East Lothian; among others, with
the late Adam Bogue, Linplum, John Rennie of Phan-
tassie, Mr Walker, Ferrygate, &c. I cannot express
how much T reverence the memory of the late Adam

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

Bogue, as one of the finest specimens of a kind-
hearted gentleman I have ever met Other friends
of my father and of myself in East Lothian I also
recall with the greatest respect; among these let me
mention William Brodie, John Brodie, William Kerr,
John Slate, Archibald Skirving, and Mr Broad wood,
farmers, all eminent as feeders of stock. My father's
chief business -connection was with East Lothian;
but he had also a connection with Mid-Lothian and
the county of Fife, and a large trade with England.
At one of the Michaelmas Trysts of Falkirk he sold
1500 cattle. He wished to give all the members of
his family a good education. I was kept at school,
and was afterwards two years at college ; but to
this day I regret my inattention when at school.

_ My father was very unwilling that I should follow
his business, knowing that it was a very precarious
one ; but what could he do with me ? I would do
nothing else, and he was obliged to yield. I worked
on the farm for years, when not away at the fairs,
with the servants, and shared their diet. I cut two
harvests, and during the season took charge of the
cattle. My first speculation was a £12 grass-field.
In this I had a partner, an excellent man, who had
been a servant to my father for twenty years. It
was a good year, and we divided £15 of profit. This
gave me encouragement. I yearly increased my spec-
ulations, and gradually got into my father's business
at the Falkirk markets and Hallow Fair. My father
was very indulgent, and sent me away to a fair when
a very young man, giving me authority to buy, and
money to pay for, half-a-dozen beasts. I exceeded
my commission and bought three little lots— about
fifteen in all. The owners trusted me the money I
was short. I drove them home myself— about six-

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

teen miles — feeling very proud of my drove. My
father examined them next morning, and remarked,
" They have not the countenance of beasts." Of
course, this chagrined me very much. This was
about my first appearance as a buyer of cattle, and
some of the beasts I remember to this day. I believe
there is no better way to train a young man than to
put him to market without assistance. If a man
cannot back himself, he is unfit for the trade of a
butcher, a jobber, or grazier.

My father retired with a good name, and I retained
his old customers. On one occasion only did Adam
Bogue buy a beast from any dealer except from my
father or myself, and he declared he was no gainer
by the transaction. He purchased 120 cattle yearly.
The late Mr Broadwood always bought about eighty
beasts at the Michaelmas Fair. I put up the number
and the size he wanted, and he bought them from
me and my father for many years, always choosing
middle-sized three and four year olds, and never
going beyond £11 per head. The highest figure
at that time for feeding-cattle at Falkirk Tryst was
about £13. On Tuesday morning he came to my
cattle, and inspected them first of any he looked at,
and asked their price. With such a customer as Mr
Broadwood I asked close. To some parties it is
necessary to give halter. He then went away and
examined the cattle of other dealers, but always
came back in about an hour ; and I think he never
once failed to deal with me. He was a good judge,
and did not require any assistance in selecting his
stock ; he came alone.

I bad also several dealings with Mr Broadwood's
son, but only occasionally, and he did not hold so
close to me as his father had done, I also retained

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

the friendship of Eobert Walker, the Messrs Brodie,
and Archibald Skirving, and secured for myself that
of Mr Buist, the late William Kerr, the late John
Slate, and John Dudgeon, Almondhill. My father
and I always had about the best cattle at Falkirk
Tryst.

There was then a great trade with Cumberland at
the Michaelmas Tryst for horned Aberdeen cattle.
The animals were sent from Cumberland to Barnet
in spring, and sold off the marshes fat in July and
August. My best sixty generally commanded the
highest price.

The late Mr William Thorn was my great oppo-
nent in the horned-cattle trade, and sometimes beat
me despite all my efforts. When we saw it for our
interest we went in company, and attended all the
great fairs in the north; and in conjunction with
each other we secured a good proportion of the best
cattle. Our grazing cattle were always sold separ-
ately. Mr Thom must still be remembered by many.
He was a giant in strength : an honester man never
lived ; perhaps a little decided in his manner, but of
great ability and perseverance. As copartners we
were not very regular book-keepers, and our accounts
got confused. At the wind-up at Hallow Fair, as
we had the accounts of the Falkirk Trysts likewise
to settle, we worked at them for days, and the longer
we worked the more confused they became. To this
day I do not know in whose favour the balance was.
For the future we resolved to act separately. It was
a bad Hallow Fair for large cattle. I have doubled
stirks at Hallow Fair, buying them at from £2 to £4,
and, to use an Aberdeen expression, turning them
heels over heads. But I never could make a shilling
of profit out of large cattle. At Hallow Fair Mr Thom

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE .

and I had unfortunately sixty very large cattle left
over unsold from the Michaelmas, many of which had
cost £13 and £14 in Aberdeenshire. Mr Thorn had
the selling of them. He had just one offer in the
shape of three gentlemen — one from East Lothian,
one from Fife, and one from Perth, who likewise
joined. They were sold the next day at £12, 5s.
a-head. After the bargain was struck, the gentle-
men requested Mr Thorn to divide them. His
answer was, with a sarcastic look to his customers,
"Well, gentlemen, you have been good and great
friends for two days, it would be a great pity for
me to make you quarrel now." Mr Thorn, who was
thoroughly " awake," turned upon his heel and went
away. I divided the beasts for the gentlemen ; and
to divide a lot of beasts equally is not such an easy
matter as some might suppose.

I have often been puzzled in dividing, say, forty
beasts into four tens (I had often to divide lots of
cattle for my customers when I was in the lean-
cattle trade). The cattle are first cut through as
equally as possible ; the two divisions are then cut
through again, and you have thus four tens. They
are then examined, and a good beast is exchanged
for a bad from the best to the worst side, and so on
alternately until you bring them as equal as it is
possible to make them. But with all my experi-
ence, I have often been unable to satisfy myself of
the equality of the four tens ; and when this was
the case, I had to decide what was the difference
and tell the buyers. If you draw, say, No. 1, being
the most valuable lot, you must pay to the gentle-
man drawing No. 2, an inferior lot, the sum of £2,
£3, or £5, as the case may be, &c. This may
seem strange to a good judge of cattle, but let him

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

be called on himself to decide in such a case. He
may naturally think a change of a beast will make
all right, but he will find that in some cases no
exchange will rectify the matter to his satisfaction.
In connection with this let me offer my friends a
piece of advice : — if they buy a cut of cattle from a
dealer, say twenty out of sixty, a neutral party and
a good judge ought to divide the cattle : it should
not be the buyer, and much less ought it to be the
dealer, because the seller knows the beasts indi-
vidually ; and however well you drive sixty cattle
round the circle, there will always be a better and
a worse side. The dealer sees this at a glance,
and, if so inclined, can make the cut much as he
likes. The buyer, again, if he is as good a judge
as the jobber (which is seldom the case), if allowed
to cut them, would be likely to make a good cut for
himself, and not a fair one for the seller ; but the
difference will not be so glaring, as he cannot know
the beasts as the dealer does. I am speaking al-
ways of a fair cut as sold from the sixty. It is not
easy to explain in writing how this division is made ;
but as there is no doubt many a one has been bitten,
I shall do my best to describe the process. Sup-
pose the sixty beasts are well driven through one
another, which is always done before a cut is at-
tempted, and suppose the dealer is to cut the cattle,
he merely gives the lot a glance ; he can see in a
moment the strong and the weak side, for there will
be a difference. He will run off the twenty from
the worst side of the sixty, and he will run the
number oIT to a beast or two. It is very quickly
done ; the stick is used sharply, and in running off
the twenty he can easily put six or eight of the
best in the line to any side he may think fit. I do

THE FEEDINU OF CATTLE.

not mean to say this is often done, bnt I wish to
show that it can be managed.

In selling lean cattle there is a great deal to be
gained by choosing a favourable stance and showing
them off properly to the buyers. Cattle look best
on the face of a moderate sloping bank, and worst
of all at a dead wall. The larger the number shown
in a lot, especially of polled cattle, as they stand
close together, they look the better. I never liked
to show less than forty in a lot, but sixty will
look better than forty, and eighty better still. I
never would break a lot of beasts except for a con-
sideration in price, as the cattle left behind never
have the same appearance. The dealer likewise
knows that cattle look largest on the off-side. Many
buyers like to see every beast in a lot go past them ;
and if the dealer can get the buyer to inspect them
on the off-side, it is to his own advantage. Cattle
and sheep are the better of a good rouse-up when
the buyer is inspecting them. I have often seen
quarrelling between the buyers and the drovers, the
buyers insisting on the drovers letting them alone,
while the drovers will not let them stand. I have
seen a clever man keep some of the best beasts
always in view of the buyers, a stick with a whip-
cord being used for the purpose.

Many were the long rides, the late nights, and
early mornings that Thorn and I had together in
the North buying drove cattle. In the end of
October and beginning of November the nights get
very dark. At Skippy Fair of New Deer we nearly
came to grief two or three years in succession ; it
is held in the end of October. There was a decent
man, Abel, and his wife, who lived in Inverurie, and
attended all the fairs. Their conveyance was a

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

cart. They were honest hard- working people, and
good judges of cows. They knew very well what
they were about ; and they required to do so, for
Mrs Abel brought up, I believe, nineteen of a family :
she was a very stout, "motherly" woman. They
drove home likewise in the cart, always buying two
cows, which they led with ropes behind the cart.
A cart with a cow attached by a rope at each side
will take up the greater part of a narrow road. It
was very dark, and near the old Castle of Barra.
Thorn rode a very fast horse he had hired from
Eichard Cruickshank, a celebrated judge of horses,
who was at that time a horse-hirer in Aberdeen. I
rode an old steady pony of my own which had been
sixteen years in our family. Thorn was going be-
fore at a dashing pace, I considerably in the rear,
when bang he came against the ropes attaching the
cows to the cart. His horse was thrown into the
ditch ; he recovered himself, but fell again, coming
down heavily upon Thorn, who was very much hurt,
and had to go home instead of going to Potarch
Market next day. I escaped, Thorn's mishap warn-
ing me of the danger. At the same fair next year
we had bought, as we found on comparing our
books, ninety-nine cattle, mostly stirks. It was
dark before we got the animals settled for, and we
had to watch them on the market-stance. While
crossing the lonely moor between New Deer and
Methliok, Thorn was as usual a little in advance, I
following on the same old pony the best way I could
close at his heels, when all at once a man took hold
of his horse by the reins and asked him the road to
New Deer. I observed another man and a box or
two lying on the road, such as are used by travelling
hawkers. Thorn struck at the man's head with his

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

stick with all his might, saying at the same time,
" Cattle of your description cannot be far out of your
road anywhere!' The man let go his hold, and
Thorn galloped off, calling to me to follow, which I
was nothing loath to do. Thorn's horse was white,
and mine was a bay. The vagabonds might have
seen a white horse coming on in the dark, while
they did not observe the bay, and may thus have
been led to suppose there was only one man. As
the boxes were laid aside, I have no doubt they
intended a robbery, though this did not strike me
at the time. But our troubles were not yet at an
end ; at the same old Castle of Barra, Thorn, still
in advance, called out, " The wife, the cows, and the
ropes again!" He had just time to save his dis-
tance, and save me too.

The ninety-nine beasts turned out to be only
ninety-five (they were no great spec after all, leav-
ing only £45 of profit). Thorn had booked four he
had never bought ; and when the lot was counted
to be joined to the drove, they would not number
more than ninety-five. I advertised for them, and
had a man in Buchan a week searching for them ;
and when I told Thorn in Edinburgh that they could
not be found, he confessed he had never bought them.

I am not sure if it was the same year we had
come up to Edinburgh the Saturday night before
Hallow Fair. We were rather late in getting ready
to go to church. I had heard a great deal about
Dr Muir as a preacher, and we went to hear him ;
but not being very certain of the church, we in-
quired at a gentleman's servant, dressed in splendid
livery, very civilly, the way to Dr Muir's church.
Instead of giving a civil reply, " Oh," he said,
" Aberdeen awa' !" Thom, who was very impulsive,

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

came across the side of the fellow's head with his
umbrella, and laid him fiat on his back in the middle
of the street, with his heels in the air. I made no
remark, Thorn said as little, but walked on as if
nothing had happened. We heard our friend calling
after us he would have his revenge ; I hope it was
a lesson to him to be civil in future.

I sent for many years sixty horned cattle in
spring to Mr Buist, Tynninghame. They were
grazed in Tynninghame Park, and he also required
other forty or sixty during the season for house-
feeding. I only gave up the commission business
when I could carry it out no longer to my satisfac-
tion and to the advantage of my employers. For
years after I went to the Falkirk markets there was
not a white beast to be seen ; but by-and-by Irish-
bred cattle appeared, and then the Shorthorns. The
business of dealing in north-country cattle came to
be worthless. I bade Falkirk adieu, and turned
my attention entirely to the rearing and fattening of
cattle at home. I gave up the fascinating business
of a lean-cattle jobber, seeing it was done for, and
I have never regretted my resolution. The lean-
cattle trade was difficult to manage, and in fact was
most dangerous. Many a day, when attending
Hallow Fair, I have got up by four or five o'clock
in the morning, breakfasted, and not tasted food till
six o'clock at night. The weather was so bad on
one occasion that man and beast were up to the
knees in mud. I had my beasts standing near one
of the gates. Mr Archibald Skirving never got
further than them ; he bought forty, sent them
away, and returned home. As he bade me good
morning, he remarked, " I would not like to be in
your place to-day."

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

I have stood many a bad Hallow Fair, but the
worst was about twenty years ago. I never was so
much in want of assistance from my friends. The
price of cattle had fallen very much after the Mich-
aelmas Tryst. Turnips were bad in East Lothian.
I had been on a visit to Mr Buist, and met Mr Kerr,
Mr Slate, Mr Walker, &c. Both buyers and sellers
anticipated a bad fair, and it turned out the worst I
ever saw ; it is generally either a very good or very
bad market. Tuesday came, and with it a perfect
storm of wind and rain — the worst market-day I
ever encountered. You could hardly know the
colour of the cattle, which were standing up to
their bellies in a stubble-field. My friends got to
the market ; there were Mr Buist, Mr Walker, Fer-
ry gate, Mr Kerr, Mr Slate, and one or two more.
They gave my cattle what examination it was pos-
sible to give animals in such a stormy day. Out of
about two hundred which I had, they wanted about
one hundred and seventy. Mr Walker said to me,
"I think you might give us a glass of brandy;"
and accordingly we retired to a tent, from which we
did not move for an hour, as one wanted forty, an-
other thirty, another twenty, &c. ; and of course it
took a good deal of time to talk over the different
lots. At last we rose. I had, while seated, drawn
them as to the price as far as they would come.
The weather was dreadful. I was very unwilling,
and they were not very anxious, to face the storm.
I was in the middle of my customers. I did what
I could to get an advance on their offers, but I
could not extract another farthing; and when all
was settled, I gave the accustomed clap of the
dealer on the hand all round, and I did not see
them again till night, except Mr William Kerr, who,

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

with a struggle, got the length of my remaining
thirty beasts, and bought ten. I think I hear the
triumphant howls of the men to this day, as they
started the nine score of cattle for their destina-
tions, one lot after another, through the astonished
dealers, whose cattle at that hour, I believe, were
never priced. There were few sold on the first day.
I could not sell my twenty remaining cattle, and
could not even get a bid for them. Of all the good
turns my friends did for me, this was the best. I
came out with a small profit, while the losses sus-
tained by other parties at the market were heavy.
A great manj r cattle were sent farther south, and
returned back to the north. One respectable dealer
told me that no one had ever asked the price of his
cattle, and coolly added, "I have taken turnips

from , and sent the cattle home." I never lost

a shilling in East Lothian, or by a bad debt, as a
lean-cattle dealer.

To be a good judge of store cattle is exceedingly
difficult. We have many judges of fat cattle among
our farmers and butchers, and a few good judges of
breeding stock ; but our really good judges of store
cattle are exceedingly few. A judge of store cattle
ought to be able to say at a glance how much the
animal will improve, how much additional value
you can put upon him on good, bad, or indifferent
land, and on turnips, in three, six, or twelve months.
Unless a grazier is able to do this, he is working in
the dark, and can never obtain eminence in his pro-
fession. Since my first speculation, already referred
to — the half of the £12 field — I have bought and
grazed store cattle for nearly fifty years. No one
has been able to put upon paper a clear definition,
such as can be understood by the reader, of the

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

characteristics of a good store beast. It is only-
practice and a natural gift that can enable any one
to master the subject. There are a few rules, how-
ever, that the buyer of store cattle should be ac-
quainted with. He ought to know how they have
been kept for the previous six months, otherwise
their keep may be entirely thrown away. I make
it an almost universal rule (and I have never de-
parted from the rule except with a loss), that I
will graze no cattle except those that have been
kept in the open strawyavd, and have been fed ex-
clusively on turnips and straw. If you can get
them off yellow turnips it will be decidedly to your
advantage. I have seen this proved by dividing
twenty beasts, and keeping one half on yellow tur-
nips, and one half on swedes, both lots getting full
turnips. Those on the swedes shot far ahead in the
strawyard of those upon the yellows. When taken
up from grass, however, the cattle fed upon the
yellows were equal to those fed on the swedes.
They were grazed together. The difference of im-
provement in different lots of cattle must have often
struck every observer.

I am well acquainted with the different strawyards
in Morayshire, and know how the cattle are kept, and
how they thrive. There are some farms on which
they thrive better than others, even when their keep
is in other respects the same. There are farms in
Morayshire which are not breeding farms, and where
the young stock does not thrive, and the calves have
to be sold, and even old cattle only thrive for a cer-
tain length of time. Some farms are apt to produce
cancer on the throat and side of the head. I pay
little attention to this, as change of air cures the
complaint. For the first two or three weeks after

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

a beast is attacked with tins disease, it will go back
in condition ; but I have seldom seen much loss by-
it. If in warm weather, the beast may have to be
taken tip to avoid the flies ; if the disease is inside
the throat, it may interfere with the breathing, and
the animal may have to be killed. I bought from
the late Mr David Sheriffs, Barnyards of Beauly, in
spring, ten Highlanders, every one of which had
cancer in different stages. I grazed them until
October, when the cancers had all disppeared, and
the beasts did well (for Highlanders) at grass.

If you put upon grass cattle which have been fed
through the winter upon cake, corn, brewers' wash,
grains, or potatoes, and kept in hot byres or close
strawyards, and look to them to pay a rent, you will
find that they will soon make a poor man of you.
This mode of feeding is unnatural. Before the
animals begin to improve, three months will have
passed. If half- fat cattle are bought, which have
been kept close in byres or strawyards, and put to
grass in April or the first two weeks of May, and
cold stormy weather sets in, with no covering to
defend them, they will fall off so much that the
purchaser will scarcely believe they are the beasts
he bought. Thus he not only loses all his grass,
but the beasts will be lighter at the end of three
months than when they were put into the field. Let
me not, however, be misunderstood. I do not mean
to say that a few weeks of a little cake or corn will
ruin a beast for grazing ; but you may depend upon
it, that the less artificial food given during winter the
better. When kept upon the food I have specified
for months and months, they are perfectly unfit for
grazing. I regard cake as the safest substitute for
turnips ; and corn, potatoes, brewers' wash, and

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

grain, as the worst. But my ambition is to graze a
bullock that has never been forced, and has never
tasted cake, corn, or potatoes. The store cattle I
winter for grazing are all kept in open strawyards,
with a sufficient covering for bad weather, and as dry
a bed as the quantity of straw will permit. This is
indispensable for the thriving of the cattle. They
receive as many turnips as they can eat. Beasts
must always be kept progressing ; if they are not,
they will never pay. My store cattle never see cake,
corn, or potatoes. I would rather throw potatoes
to the dunghill than give them to a store bullock,
though I would give them to my fatting bullocks*
If I can get the bullocks for grazing that I want, I
will not lose one mouthful of grass upon them. They
will not go on, however, without proper care and
superintendence. It requires a practised eye. If a
grazier has a number of fields and many cattle, to
carry out the treatment of his cattle properly, shifting
and fresh grass once in ten or fourteen days should,
if possible, be adopted. This has always been my
practice. In one day I have observed a marked dif-
ference in the improvement of animals after the shift.
The grazier must always consider the quality of

* As to giving potatoes to store cattle, since writing the
above, I -wish to modify the opinion I have expressed to a
certain extent. I had a conversation with Mr Hope on the
subject, and he states that his belief is, that potatoes are not
prejudicial to the growth of store cattle when put to grass,
and that his practice is to give them potatoes. I will admit
that a few potatoes may not do a store beast much harm; but
in my experience in Aberdeenshire I have found that in cattle
which have been fed with potatoes the black colour changes
to a dusty brown; they are also bad thrivers. A beast
that sports that colour is never doing well. I shall, however,
prosecute the inquiry.

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

his grass-land, and buy cattle adapted for it. It
would be very bad policy to buy fine cattle for poor
or middling lands. You must always keep in view
how the cattle have been kept. If they have been
kept improperly for your purpose, their size, whether
large or small, will not save you from loss. If the
cattle are kept on cake, corn, potatoes, or brewers'
wash or grain, during the previous winter, it will be
rum to the grazier. Let it not be supposed, how-
ever, that I recommend buying lean, half-starved
beasts. What I wish to impress on you is, that you
must keep the cattle always full of flesh; and, as a
breeder, you must be careful not to lose the calf
flesh. If you do so by starving the animal at any
time of his growth, you lose the cream— the cover-
ing of flesh so much prized by all our best retail
butchers. Where do all the scraggy, bad-fleshed
beasts come from that we see daily in our fat mar-
kets, and what is the cause of their scragginess ? It
is because they have been stinted and starved at
some period of their growth. If the calf flesh is once
lost, it can never be regained. A great deal of
tallow may be got internally by high feeding, but the
animal can never again be made one that will be
prized by the great retail butcher. Our Aberdeen
working bullocks carry little good meat. Draught
as well as starvation takes off the flesh. They are
generally only fit for ship beef.

Let me now offer a few observations as to the
breeds of cattle best adapted for paying a rent-the
great object of our cattle rearing and feeding I
have grazed the pure Aberdeen and Angus, the
Aberdeen and North-country crosses, the Highland,
the Galloways, and what is termed in Angus the
South-country cattle, the Dutch, and the Jutland

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

Except the two latter, all the others have got a fair
trial. I am aware that the merits of the pure Aber-
deen and Angus form a difficult and delicate subject
to deal with. I know that the breeders of Short-
horns will scrutinise my statements carefully. _ But
my only object is to lay down my own experience,
and I trust that I have divested myself of prejudice
as much as possible. If store cattle of the Aberdeen
and Angus breed out of our best herds can be secured,
I believe no other breed of cattle will pay the grazier
more money in the north for the same value of keep.
But there is a race of starved vermin which is known
by some in the north by the name of " Highland
hummlies," which I consider the worst of all breeds.
No keep will move them much. At the top of these
I must place those with the brown ridge along the
back. They can be made older, but it takes ^ more
ability than I ever had to make them much bigger.
Keep is entirely thrown away upon such animals.
As regards good Aberdeen or North-country crosses,
they are rent-payers. He would be very prejudiced
indeed who would not acknowledge their merits.
I graze more cross-bred cattle than pure-bred
polled. The Highlanders on our land are not pro-
fitable ; they are of such a restless disposition that
they are unsuitable for stall-feeding, however well
they are adapted for grazing purposes in certain
localities and under certain conditions. But, I re-
peat, for stall-feeding they are unsuitable ; confine-
ment is unnatural to their disposition. The last
Highlanders I attempted to feed were bought at a
cheap time. Tn the month of June they were most
beautiful animals, and they grazed fairly. I tied
them up ; but they broke loose again and again, and
ran three miles off to the glen where they had been

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

grazed. There was one of them that his keeper
never dared to approach, and the stall had to be
cleaned out with a long crook. They consumed few
turnips, and did not pay sixpence for what turnips
they did consume. No other description of cattle,
however, is so beautiful for noblemen's and gentle-
men's parks.

As to the Galloway cattle, they also have had a
fair trial with me. I was in the habit of buying for
years from one of the most eminent judges of store
Galloways in Britain — Captain Kennedy of Bennane
— a lot of that breed. He selected them generally
when stirks from all the eminent breeders of Galloway
cattle, and bought nearly all the prize stirks at the
different shows. In fact, he would not see a bad
Galloway on his manors. The Galloway has un-
doubtedly many and great qualifications. On poor
land they are unrivalled, except perhaps by the
small Highlanders. Captain Kennedy's cattle always
paid me ; they were grazed on a 100-acre park of
poor land — so poor, indeed, that our Aberdeens could
not subsist upon it. I had ultimately to break it up
for cropping. If I had not been obliged to do this,
I should not have liked to have missed Captain
Kennedy's Galloways. Although the Galloways are
such good cattle to graze — and this goes to prove
the truth of my remarks as to the forcing system,
the Galloways atGlenapp being wintered out — they
are not so easily finished as our Aberdeen and
Angus or cross-bred cattle. They have too much
thickness of skin and hair, too much timber in their
legs ; they are too thick in their tails, too deep in
their necks, too sunken in the eye, for being very fast
feeders. It is difficult to make them ripe. You can
bring them to be three-quarters fat, and there they

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

If)

stick ; it is difficult to give them the last dip. If,
however, you succeed in doing so, there is no other
breed worth more by the pound weight than a first-
class Galloway.

As to what we term the South-country cattle, I have
also given them a trial. My experience is that they
are great beasts to grow ; that they consume an
immense deal of food, but that they are difficult to
finish ; and when finished they are very indifferent
sellers in the London market. They generally carry
a deal of offal along with them ; but those who have
patience, and keep them for many months, they may
pay for keep. I have had a few German and Jut-
land cattle through my hands, but not in sufficient
numbers to enable me to say anything about them
worthy of your notice. After trying all the breeds
of cattle I have specified, I have come to the con-
clusion that the Aberdeen and Angus polled, and
the Aberdeen and North-country crosses, are the
cattle best adapted, under ordinary circumstances,
in the north of Scotland, for paying the feeder. Our
cross-bred cattle, and especially the South-country
cattle, are greater consumers of food than the pure
Aberdeens. This is a part of the subject which has
never got the consideration it deserves. When the
cross and South-country cattle are two or three years
old, and when the day lengthens out, they consume
a fearful quantity of food. The age of cattle ought
also to be taken into consideration. No doubt a
young two-year-old will grow more than a three-
year-old, and for a long keep may pay as well. But
I havo been always partial to aged cattle ; and if
you want a quick clearance, age is of great conse-
quence. The great retail London butchers are not
partial to " the two teeths," as they call them ; and

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

I have seen them on the great Christmas-day exa-
mining the months of cattle before they would buy
them. They die badly as to internal fat, and are
generally light on the fore-rib. I have always given
a preference to aged cattle, as they get sooner fat,
are deep on the fore-rib, and require less cake to
finish them. Aged cattle, however, are now difficult
to be had, and every year they will be scarcer with
the present demand for beef. A perfect breeding or
feeding animal should have a fine expression of
countenance — I could point it out, but it is difficult
to describe upon paper. It should be mild, serene,
and expressive. The animal should be fine in the
bone, with clean muzzle, a tail like a rat's, and not
ewe-necked ; short on the legs. He should have a
small well-put-on head, prominent eye, a skin not
too thick nor too thin ; should be covered with
fine silky hair — to the touch like a lady's glove ;
should have a good belly to hold his meat; should
be straight-backed, well ribbed up, and well ribbed
home ; his hook-bones should not be too wide apart.
A wide-hooked animal, especially a cow after calving,
always has a vacancy between the hook-bone and
the tail, and a want of the most valuable part of the
carcass. I detest to see hooks too wide apart ; they
should correspond with the other proportions of the
body. A level line should run from the hook to the
tail. He should be well set in at the tail, free of
patchiness there and all over, with deep thighs,
that the butcher may get his second round and pro-
minent brisket deep in the fore-rib, with a good
purse below him, which is always worth £1 to him
in the London market ; well fleshed in the fore-
breast, with equal covering of fine flesh all over his
carcass, so valuable to the butcher. His outline

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

ought to be such that if a tape is stretched from the
fore-shoulder to the thigh, and from the shoulder
along the back to the extremity there, the line should
lie close, with no vacancies ; and without a void, the
line should fill from the hook to the tail. From the
shoulder-blade to the head should be well filled up —
as we say, good in the neck vein. I am aware that
the preceding remarks as to the quality and propor-
tions a beast should possess must be very unsatis-
factory to you, as they are to myself; scarcely any
one animal has possessed them all, and to look for
the half of them in a good commercial beast would
be vain. I have consulted no writer upon the sub-
ject ; they are set down, and not in good order, just
as they struck me at the time. Thick legs, thick
tails, sunken eyes, and deep necks, with thick skin
and bristly hair, always point to sluggish feeders.

In cold weather in the month of May, the old
silky coat of the strawyard bullock is of great ad-
vantage. If we could get the qualities and propor-
tions I have specified in animals, it would not be
difficult to make them fat. It would be difficult
only to make them lean, when once in condition. A
high standing, want of ribbing-up and ribbing home,
with the tucked-up flank, always denote a worthless
feeder. You must all have observed how difficult it
is to bring such cattle into a state for killing. _ It
will take a deal of cake and corn to make them ripe.
A great many can never be made more than fresh; it
is only a waste of time and money to keep them on.

1 have adverted to the way cattle should be
treated in winter as stores. The earlier you can
put cattle upon grass so much the better. Cattle
never forget an early bite of new grass. A week's
new grass in Aberdeenshire at the first of the season

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

is worth at least two and a half upon old grass ; and
it is wonderful what improvement a good strawy ard
bullock will make in four or five weeks at the first of
the season. If kept on straw and turnips alone in
winter, he may add a third or at least a fourth to
Iris live weight. But much depends on the weather.
I have never known cattle make much improvement
in April, or even up to the 12th of May, because the
weather is so unsteady, and the cold nights when
they are exposed in the fields take off the condition
the grass puts on. The grazier will find it of great
advantage to house his cattle at night during this
season. In Aberdeenshire the 10th of May is about
the earliest period cattle should be put to grass.
Where there is new grass, first year, it is a most
difficult matter to get the full advantage of it.
There is no other grass to be compared with it for
putting on beef in Aberdeenshire. You must be
careful at the first of the season, if much rain falls,
not to allow the cattle to remain on the young grass.
They must be shifted immediately ; and no one can
get the proper advantage of such grass who is de-
prived of the power of shifting the cattle into a park
of older grass till the land again becomes firm for
the cattle. I have seen a small field of new grass
in the month of May or the beginning of June
utterly ruined in one night, when heavily stocked
with cattle. When wet and cold the cattle wander
about the whole night, and in the morning the fields
are little better than ploughed land. In fact, the
field so injured will never recover until broken up
again.

In regard to my own farms, I cut scarcely any
hay. I pasture almost all my new grass, and the
moment the cattle's feet begin to injure the grass.

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

they are removed. If cattle are changed to an old
grass field, so much the better ; but they will be
safe on second or third year's grass, provided the
land is naturally dry. By tbe 1st July, the new
grass land gets consolidated, and you are safe.
New grass fields are bad to manage in another re-
spect. Tbe grass comes very rapidly about the 10th
June, and if you are not a very good judge of what
you are about, it will get away in a few days, be-
come too rank, and will lose its feeding qualities
during tbe remainder of the season. By tbe middle
of July it will be nothing but withered herbage.
Young grass ought to be well eaten down, and then
relieved for two or three weeks ; then return tbe
cattle, and the grass will bo as sweet as before. It
requires practice to know the number of cattle, and
the proper time to put on these cattle, to secure the
full benefits of new grass. Three days' miscalcula-
tion may cause a heavy loss. I have been bit so
often, and found the difficulty so great, that I fear
to extend my observations on this part of the sub-
ject, when I am addressing gentlemen many of whom
make their young grass into hay, or sell the grass
to the cowfeeders. The pasturing of new grass, in
which tbe farmers of Aberdeenshire and the north of
Scotland have a deep interest, may not apply to many
other parts of Scotland.

I come now to the way cattle should be treated
after being taken from their pastures and put on
turnips. The earlier you put them up, the sooner
they will be ready for the butcher. The practice of
tying the cattle early up in Aberdeenshire is now
almost universal ; the success of the feeder depends
upon it, for a few weeks may make a difference of
several pounds. I recollect tying up a lot of cattle

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

at^Ardmundo, thirty in number — a fair cut of ten
being left in the field at home on fine land and beau-
tiful grass. The thirty were tied up by the 1st of
September, the ten on the 1st of October. The
weather was cold, wet, and stormy ; and between
the improvement the thirty had made and the deteri-
oration upon the ten, there was by my computation,
however incredible it may appear, £5 a-head of
difference. Mr Knowles of Aberdeen happened to
see the cattle, and when he came upon the ten he
asked what was the matter with them. He could
scarcely credit the facts ; their hair was so bad that
they actually looked like diseased animals, and it
was long before they took a start. I shall state the
method I adopt, I sow annually from twelve to six-
teen acres of tares, and about the middle of June save
a portion of the new grass full of red clover, and
from the 1st to the 20th of August both tares and
clover are fit for the cattle. I have for many years
fed from three hundred to four hundred cattle ; and
if I was not to take them up in time, I could pay no
rent at all. A week's house - feeding in August,
September, and October, is as good as three weeks'
in the dead of winter. I begin to put the cattle into
the yards from the 1st to the middle of August,
drafting first the largest cattle intended for the great
Christmas market. This drafting gives a great re-
lief to the grass parks, and leaves abundance to the
cattle in the fields. During the months of August,
September, and October, cattle do best in the yards^
the byres being too hot; but when the cold weather
sets in there is no way, where many cattle are kept,
in which they will do so well as at the stall. You
cannot get loose-boxes for eighty or a hundred cattle
on one farm. I generally buy my store cattle in

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

Morayshire. They have all been kept in the straw-
yard, never being tied. When the cattle are tied up
on my farms, a rope is thrown over the neck of the
bullock ; the other end of the rope is taken round
the stake ; two men are put upon it, aud overhaul
the bullock to his place. When tightened up to the
stall the chain is attached to the neck, and the beast
is fast. We can tie up fifty beasts in five hours in
this way. When tied, you must keep a man with a
switch to keep up the bullocks. If you did not do
this you would soon have every one of them loose
again. They require to be carefully watched the
first night, and in three days they get quite accus-
tomed to their confinement, except in the case of
some very wild beast. I never lost a bullock by
this method of tying up. This system is like other
systems — it requires trained hands to practise it.

I never give feeding cattle unripe tares ; they
must be three parts ripe before being cut. I mix
the tares when they are sown with a third of white
pease and a third of oats. When three parts ripe,
especially the white pease, they are very good feed-
ing. Fresh clover, given along with tares, pease,
&c, forms a capital mixture. I sow a proportion of
yellow Aberdeen turnips early to succeed the tares
and clover. I find the soft varieties are more apt to
run to seed when sown early than yellow turnips.

It is indispensable for the improvement of the
cattle that they receive their turnips clean, dry, and
fresh. When obliged to be taken off the land in wet
weather, the hand should be used to fill the turnips
from the land to the carts. The turnips should be
pulled and laid in rows of four or six drills together
on the top of one drill, with the tops all one way
and the roots another ; but it is better that parties

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

should follow the carts and pull the turnips from the
drills, and throw them into the carts at once. It
is an invariable rule with me that the turnips are
filled by hand in wet weather. Advantage should
be taken of fine weather to secure a good stock of
turnips, and a good manager will always provide for
a rainy day. A very considerable proportion of tur-
nips should be stored, to wait the severe winters very
often experienced on the north-east coast. If I had
sufficient command of labour, I would store the greater
part of my Swedish turnips (if ripe). I would, how-
ever, store only a proportion of the Aberdeen yellow,
as they lose the relish, and cattle prefer them from
the field ; but I require a proportion of them for
calving cows in frost. Frosted turnips make cows
with calf abort, and rather than give calving cows
such turnips I would order them straw and water.
Fresh Swedish turnips are indispensable to feeding
cattle during the winter. It is a sorrowful sight to
see a gang of men with picks taking up turnips in a
frosty day, leaving a third of the produce on the land,
and the turnips going before your bullocks as hard
as iron. We have almost every year a week or ten
days' fine weather about Christinas, and this should
be taken advantage of to store turnips, if not stored
previously. I have tried all the different modes of
storing recommended. I shall not enter on the min-
utiae of the subject, as it is now generally so well
understood ; and I need only urge here that the roots
should not be bled in any way, that the tops should
not be taken off too near to the bulbs, that the tails
be only switched, and that they be pitted and secured
every night to keep them free from frost and rain. I
have adopted my friend Mr Porter of Monymusk's
plan (iu a late climate and where Swedish turnips in

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

some years never come to full maturity) of pitting
them upon the land where they grow, from one to
two loads together ; and, although not quite ripe, I
have never seen a turnip go wrong when stored in
this manner. The land also escapes being poached,
as the turnips are carted in frost, and at a time when
the other operations of the farm are not pressing.
A foot of earth will keep them safe, and they are
easily covered by taking a couple of furrows with a
pair of horses on each side of the line of pits.

In a week or ten days after the first lot of cattle
is taken up from grass, a second lot is taken up.
This is a further relief to the pastures, and the cattle
left in the fields thrive better. This taking up con-
tinues every week or ten days to the end of Septem-
ber. At this period all feeding cattle ought to be
under cover that are intended to be fattened dur-
ing the succeeding winter. The stronger cattle are
drafted first, and the lesser ones left until the last
cull is put under cover.

It would be of no use to attempt to feed cattle,
unless you can command a staff of experienced men
to take charge of them. However faithful in other
respects, these men must have a taste and a strong
liking to cattle — they must be their hobby. Even
with men of the greatest experience, the difference
in the thriving of the different lots upon the same
keep is great. They must not be oppressed with
having too many in charge, or the owner will siuTer
by his ill-judged parsimony. From August till
November a man may take care of, and pull turnips
for, thirty cattle very well, or a few more, if the
cattle are loose; but when the day gets short, twenty
to twenty-five is as many as one man can feed, to do
them justice, if tied up. Good cattlemen are inval-

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

uable. They must not only know what to give the
cattle ; but the great secret, especially when cattle
are forced up for show purposes, is to know what not
to give them. An inexperienced man amongst a lot
of feeding cattle must be a great loss to his em-
ployer. Like everything else, the proper manage-
ment of the animals cannot be learned iu a day —
the cattleman must be always learning. For myself,
I can only say that, long as I have traded in cattle,
have studied their treatment, have considered their
symmetry, I am learning something new every other
day. As regards the treatment of cattle when put
upon tares or cut clover, there is no danger ; but
with turnips an ignorant man may injure the cattle
in one week so much that they may not recover it
during the season. The cattle must be gradually
brought on, giving them a few turnips at first, and
increasing the quantity daily, till in from ten to
fourteen days they may get a full supply. When
improperly treated the cattle scour and hove, the
stomach getting deranged. It is a long time before
they recover, and some never do well. We gener-
ally cure hove by repeated doses of salts, sulphur,
and ginger. Occasionally a beast will hove under
the best treatment ; but if you find a lot of them
blown up every day, it is time to change their
keeper. In cattle which are being forced for exhi-
bition, hove is generally the first warning that the
constitution can do no more. I have seen cases so
obstinate that they would swell upon hay or straw
without turnips. Putting the animal out to grass
for a couple of months will generally renovate the
constitution and remove the tendency to hove ; and
after being taken up from grass, with a man in
charge who knows what to give and what not to give,

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

«'.)

the animal may go on for a few months longer, and
with great attention may at last prove a winner.
Occasionally an animal may be found whose diges-
tion no amount of forcing will derange, hut such
cases are very rare. Cattle feeding in the stall
should be kept as clean as the hunter or valuable
race-horse, and their beds should be carefully shaken
up.

I change the feeding cattle from tares and clover
on to Aberdeen yellow turnips, and afterwards to
swedes, if possible by the middle of October. I do
not like soft turnips for feeding cattle. The cattle
that I intend for the great Christmas market have
at first from 2 lb. to 4 lb. of cake a-day by the 1st
of November. In a week or two I increase the cake
to at least 4 lb. a-day, and give a feed of bruised
oats or barley, which I continue up to the 12th or
14th of December, when they leave for the Christ-
mas market. The cake is apportioned to the con-
dition of the different animals, and some of the
leanest cattle get the double of others which are
riper. The cattle being tied to the stall places
this quite in your power, while in the strawyard it
could not be done. When ten or twenty beasts in
the strawyard stand together, the strongest take the
greatest share, and these are very often the animals
that least require it. I consider the stall a great
advantage over the strawyard in this respect, as
you can give each beast what you wish him to
have. My men are told the quantity of cake and
corn which I wish every beast to receive. You
must all have observed the inequality in the im-
provement of cattle in the strawyard when ten,
fifteen, or twenty beasts are fed together. I have
seen the best beast in a lot when put up, the worst

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

when taken out. The first three weeks after the
cattle are put upon cake along with their turnips,
they will put on as much meat as they will do with
an equal quantity of cake for the next five. It is
absolutely necessary to increase the quantity of
cake and corn weekly to insure a steady improve-
ment ; and if cattle are forced upon cake and corn
over two or three months, it will, in my opinion,
pay no one. To give unlimited quantities for years,
and to say it will pay, is preposterous. To give
fat cattle the finishing dip, cake and corn, given in
moderation and with skill for six weeks before the
cattle are sent to the fat market, will pay the feeder;
but to continue this for more than two months will
never pay in Aberdeenshire. This is no doubt, a
bold assertion, but I believe it to be correct. The
cake and corn given to cattle day by day loses its
effect, till at last you bring the beast almost to a
standstill, and week after week you can perceive
little improvement. Cake, and still more corn,
appear to injure their constitution ; grass, turnips,
and straw or hay are their only healthy food. For
commercial cattle, and for commercial purposes, two
months is the utmost limit that cake and corn will
pay the Aberdeenshire feeder. There can be no
substitute for grass, straw, and turnips, except for
a very limited period ; though in times of scarcity,
and to give the last dip to fat cattle, the other
feeding materials are valuable auxiliaries.

I have kept on a favourite show bullock for a
year, thinking I would improve him, and given him
everything he would take; and when that day
twelvemonth came round, he was worse than a
twelvemonth before. You can only torture nature
so far ; and if you force a yearling bullock, he will

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

never come to the size that he will attain if kept on
common fare. If you wish to bring a bullock to size
for exhibition, give him as much grass and turnips
as he can eat. Begin to force only when he is two
and a half to three years old, and by the time he is
four years he will not only be a neater but a larger
animal than if he had been forced earlier : forcing
in youth deteriorates the symmetry of the animal as
well as diminishes his size. I am speaking only
of Aberdeen and Angus cattle, but I believe the
breeders of Highlanders are also well aware of this
fact. I am not speaking of pounds, shillings, and
pence, or of the profit to the farmer ; for who would
think of keeping beasts bred to himself older than
rising three years old ? Calves dropped early should
go to the fat market at the age of two years.

A word as to show bullocks. I believe they are
the most unprofitable speculation an agriculturist
can interfere with. To keep a show bullock as he
ought to be kept will cost from 12s. to 15s. a-week,
which amounts to about £40 a-year.

The method I adopt as to using cake and corn is
the following: — On the different farms where I feed
the cattle, I put a fourth part of their number only
upon cake and corn at one time, and six weeks
(which is about, my limit of time for cake and corn,
&c, paying the feeder) before they are to be sent to
the fat market. When the six weeks are expired
they are sent away ; another fourth part of the
original number take their place, and get their six
weeks' cake. When they leave, the other cattle in
succession get the same treatment. When turnips
are plentiful the system works very well. The
cattle draw beautifully, week by week, from the
different farms, and come out very ripe. I may

.32

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

mention that almost all the cattle I graze are gene-
rally kept during the previous winter upon as many
turnips as they can eat, and are in high condition
when put to grass. I believe, however, that in the
south of Scotland, where there is more com and less
grass land, this method would not be suitable.
Large bills for cake are not easily paid, aud when
paid swallow up our profits. When cattle are fed
almost exclusively upon the produce of the farm,
the feeders know what they are about ; but this
method of feeding requires time and patience, and
there is a long outlay of capital. Still, if the
system is adopted and judiciously managed, upon
medium or high - lying and low -rented land, the
cattle treated as above ought to pay the rent and
leave a fair profit to the feeder. There is no doubt
that in the north, and especially in Aberdeenshire,
there is a rage for fine cattle ; and on my part it
lias almost amounted to a " craze." I would have
been a richer man to - day if I had not been so
fastidious in my selections ; but I cannot endure to
look at, and never will tolerate, a bad beast on my
land. The gentlemen I buy from know my weak-
ness, and they say, if they are anxious to sell, We
must let M'Combie have a " pull." Many are the
lots of beasts I have bought and culled, and I had
to pay for it. Sellers have served me right. Still
there is a fatality follows me that I fear it is hope-
less now to endeavour to get over. A good bullock
will always be a good one, and will easily be made
ripe — requiring little cake or corn — and come right
out at last.

The following is the system I have adopted in
the selection of the cattle I have wintered. I buy
the best lots I can find during the summer, fit for

THE FEEDING OF CATTLE.

wintering and keeping on to the following Christ-
mas. I then cull the worst of the different lots,
feeding the culls and wintering the tops. By this
method I secure a lot of wintering cattle for the
great Christmas market of the ensuing year, without
one bad or indifferent beast among them. The
price I have obtained for several years, with the
exception of the culls of my winterers, has been
£35 a-head.

In Aberdeenshire I consider that a large bullock
ought to pay 25s. to 30s. a-month for keep, if he is
properly treated. We often get less, and sometimes
a little more, owing in some measure to the way in
which the cattle are bought, the price of beef at the
time, the season of the year the cattle are bought,
and the time they are sold. Before we were
threatened with the cattle plague I always made
a point of buying my beasts early in the season,
beginning in January and buying monthly up to
May. I had thus a chance of the best lots, where-
as, if I deferred making my selections, these went
into other hands.

II. REMINISCENCES.

Fifty years ago, and for many a long year there-
after, there were no shorthorns in the north. There
were few turnips grown, and few cattle fed. The
great firm of the Williamsons, who rented St John's
Wells, Bethelnie, and Easter Crichie ; James Allar-
dyce of Boyndsmill; the Harveys of Beidlestone
and Danestone, and a few others, were almost the
only parties who attempted the feeding of cattle.
Mr Harvey of Ardo, who was then tenant of Danes-
tone, died only the other day, aged ninety. Messrs
Williamson and Eeid were the great Aberdeen
butchers at that period, and the feeders had either
to sell to them or send their cattle on to Barnet
Fair on their own account, or in the hands of the
jobber. The journey occupied a month, and hay
was their food. The cattle stood the road best
upon hay, and it was surprising how fresh and
sound the drovers took them up. Disease was un-
known ; the lung disease, the foot-and-mouth dis-
ease, are comparatively recent importations.

I was in the lean-cattle trade when foot-and-
mouth disease first broke out, and got a sad fright
when I came up to Falkirk and found my drove
affected. When it got into a drove on their transit,
the loss was heavy. At that time the cattle were

REMINISCENCES.

not made more than half fat, else they could never
have performed their journeys.

I was well acquainted with the Messrs William-
son, and, when a boy, was the guest of the late
George Williamson,. St John's Wells ; of the late
James Williamson, Bethelnie ; and of William Wil-
liamson, Easter Crichie. George Williamson -was
a great wit, and many are the anecdotes I have
heard him tell. One of these I recollect. He was
passing through Perth with a large drove of cattle,
the bells were ringing a merry peal for the peace —
St John's Wells said it was a sorrowful peal to him,
for it cost him £4000. He told -that the Messrs
Williamson and Beid came to buy a lot of cattle at
Bethelnie, and they were not like to agree, when
Bethelnie's grieve volunteered the statement — much
to the chagrin of James Williamson, but to the de-
light of Messrs Williamson and Beid — that there
were turnips to put over to-morrow and no longer.
Messrs Williamson and Beid did not advance their
offer under these circumstances.

James Williamson was a smarter man in some
respects than George ; he had great taste as a far-
mer, but lacked the wit of his brother; while William
of Easter Crichie, St John's Wells' eldest son, and
a member of the great firm, took matters more
coolly than either, but was a capital judge, and a
good buyer of drove and store cattle. They have
all gone to their rest, but have left a name behind
them which will not soon be forgotten in Aberdeen-
shire. As a firm they were the largest cattle-
dealers in Scotland of their day. William William-
son was most hospitable, and many were the happy
evenings I have spent at Easter Crichie. It was a
great treat to hear him when he became eloquent

REMINISCENCES.

upon the Haycocks, the great Leicestershire graziers,
and the bullock he bought from Mr Harvey and sold
to Mr Haycock that gained the prize against all
coiners at Smithfield. The Williamsons were the
largest buyers in spring, not only in Aberdeenshire
and the north, but in Forfar and Fife, shires. At one
time they had little opposition in the spring trade,
and old St John's Wells' advice to the members of
the firm, when they went to Forfar and Fife, was to
" bid little and lie far back." The Williamsons gen-
erally brought clown from Fifeshire on their spring
visits a lot of the best Fife cows, and no doubt their
blood are in many of the Aberdeen cattle to this day.
The Williamsons also bought largely at the Falkirk
Trysts. Although they had the spring trade mostly
to themselves, it must not be supposed that the
summer trade was equally in their hands. For a
time, however, it was doubtful if they would not
concentrate the whole business in their own firm ;
as when they had heavy stocks on hand, and prices
showed a downward tendency, they adopted the
daring expedient of buying up almost all the cattle
for sale, that they might become the exclusive
owners. This might have succeeded so far, but it
was a dangerous expedient, and could not continue ;
and other energetic men, both in the north and
south, began to oppose them. My own father be-
came their greatest opponent, and, though single-
handed, for years conducted as large a business in
Rummer as themselves.

Mr James Anderson, Pitcarry, who is still alive
and tenant of Pitcarry, was also an extensive dealer,
and sent large droves to England — a man who
through life has enjoyed the respect of all classes,

REMINISCENCES.

of great coolness, and proverbial for Lis rectitude.
The writer was sleeping with him at Huntly the
night of an Old Keith market ; and in the morning-
Mr Anderson was in the middle of a deep discussion,
when his topsman knocked at the door. On being
asked what he wanted, he said he had lost four
cattle. " Go and find them," was Mr Anderson's
answer, and he immediately resumed the discussion.
My father often told how Mr Anderson and he were
at a dinner at Haddington, given by the East
Lothian Farmers' Club, on the day of the cattle
market, when Mr Eennie of Phantassie was chair-
man, and where, after dinner, a discussion arose
about an Act of Parliament. Mr Anderson told
them they were all wrong, and that the contents of
the Act were so and so. The books were brought
from the Council Chambers, when Mr Anderson was
found right, and all the East Lothian gentlemen
wrong. He is a very well-informed man, and has
all the Acts of Parliament at his finger-ends. I was
present at a Hallow Fair when a cross toll-bar was
erected, and many paid the toll demanded. At last
Mr Anderson came up with his drove, and having
the Act of Parliament in his pocket at the time, he
broke down the toll-bar and sent the keeper home
to his honest calling.

But James Milner, Tillyriach, was perhaps the
most remarkable among all the cattle-dealers of the
time. He was a very large tall man, with tremen-
dously big feet — a great man for dress — wore top-
boots, white neckcloth, long blue coat, with all the
et-ceteras, and used hair-powder. He was, withal,
very clever, and had an immensity of mother-wit.
He rode the best horse in the country, kept grey-

EEMINISCENCES.

hounds, and galloped a h.orse he called the " Bat-
tler." The rides he took with this animal are the talk
of the country to this day. The Eattler 'was very
fast, and would jump over anything. There was no
end to the hares Milner killed. He was tenant not
only of Tillyriach, which was at that time the pro-
perty of Sir William Forbes of Craigievar, but he
rented Carnaveron and other farms in the Vale of
Alford. His position was good : he dined with the
gentlemen of the neighbourhood. On one occasion
he had Sir William Forbes to dine with him at
Tillyriach, and collected all the horses, cattle, and
servants from his other farms, and had them all
coming as if from the yoke when Sir William ar-
rived. Milner wanted allowances for several im-
provements from his landlord, and, among the rest,
allowance to build, and payment for, a large dwell-
ing-house ; but he outwitted himself for once, as
Sir William was afraid of the man, and refused to
give any allowance whatsoever, remarking that his
wealth in cattle and horses was so enormous that he
might build himself in so that he would never get
him out. However, Milner built an additional large
dining-room at his own expense, and it being
finished all but the chimney-top, he got up one
summer morning very early, ordered his men and
horses along with a mason to follow him, and went
to William Laing, one of his sub-tenants, of whom
he had a host, quietly removed a new dressed granite
chimney-top which Laing had lately erected, with-
out being detected by the inmates, and had it placed
upon his room ere ever it was missed. There it
remained for fifty years, until the houses at Tilly-
riach were taken down. Milner was very fond of a
lark ; he was the best possible neighbour ; but if he

REMINISCENCES.

took offence or considered himself slighted or over-
looked, he would have his revenge. There was a
rather troublesome neighbour who had offended Mr
Milner, and of whom he could not get the better,
except in the following way : — He put a large drove
of cattle among his corn during the night, and was
there in the morning with his appraiser to pay the
damage. The damage is never in such cases esti-
mated at the loss sustained by the owner, and a man
may easily be ruined in that way. Mr Milner was
the Captain Barclay of the Vale of Alford. He
must have the best of everything — the best horses,
the best cattle; and at the first cattle-show in the
country, at Kincardine O'Neil, he gained the first
prize for the best bull. He had the finest horses in
the country, and it was worth something to get a
" lift" of Milner's horses; and the most grievous fault
his servants could commit, was allowing any other
horses in the country to take as heavy loads as his.

Tillyfour and Tillyriach adjoin, and are now one
farm.* My father was in Tillyfour, and Milner in
Tillyriach. The crop was all cut by the sickle, and
wonderful were the prodigies performed by some of
the shearers. When the harvest came near a con-
clusion, there was generally a severe "kemp"
between neighbours who would have " cliach " first.
One season Milner had fallen much behind his Tilly-
four neighbours, and it became clear that Tillyfour
was to gain the victory. Milner ordered Eattler
to be saddled, and he was not long in galloping
with such a horse, and on such an emergency, over
the length and breadth of the Vale of Alford. He
collected the whole country, and cut the last stand-

* For description of a day at Tillyfour, see Dixon's ' Field
and Fern,' Part North, p. 158-181.

REMINISCENCES.

ing slieaf on Tillyriach in one night. The first
thing heard at Tillyfour next morning was one vol-
ley of firearms after another, which was continued
through the day, with a relay of shooters, and in the
very teeth of my father's people. It cost Milner a
great deal of Athole-brose* and powder, but he did
not mind trifles to gain his point. It was the custom
at that time that the party who finished harvest first
communicated the intelligence to his neighbours by
the firing of guns.

Another anecdote or two of Milner, and I have
done with him. As he was dressing at the glass
one morning, at an inn in the south, and in the act
of powdering his hair, and tying his white necker-
chief, which he always wore on high days and holi-
days, James Williamson of Bethelnie said to him,
" Ah ! what a pretty man you are, James!" " Yes,"
said Milner, with an oath, " if it were not for these
ugly skulks of feet of mine." He always carried
large saddlebags on his horse on his journeys, well
replenished with all necessary auxiliaries for a
change of dress, as when he went north he had often
to dine with the Highland proprietors, and Milner
was not the man to go otherwise than in full dress.
He took a good deal of liberty with his fellow-
cattle-dealers, who were not so exact as to their
wardrobes, and carried generally in their pocket
only a spare shirt and a pair of stockings. Milner's
traps were a great additional burden on his horse.
While going north he thought proper, one morning,
to fasten them on my father's horse. My father
took no notice of this at the time ; but falling a little
behind before coming to the top of a high hill, he con-
trived to unloose the mouths of the bags. The cattle-
* Whisky and oatmeal mixed.

REMINISCENCES.

dealers always dismounted at the top of a hill, and
walked down, either leading or driving their horses be-
fore them to the foot. My father dismounted, put the
whip to his horse, a very spirited animal, and down the
hill he galloped. First one article of clothing, then
another, went helter-skelter along the road for a mile,
one here and one there — ruffled shirts, white neck-
cloths, long coats, cashmere vests, boot-tops, pomatum
boxes, cotton stockings, &c. &c. — -not two of them
together. It took Milner a long time to collect the
contents of his bags ; he was very sulky during the
day, and his own horse carried the saddlebags in
future. On a journey in the north, his comrades
proposed that he should dress himself (and he did
so to some purpose), and call on a gentleman, a
large owner of fine stock, but whose land-steward
and the cattle were some forty miles distant from
the manor-house. Mr Milner did so ; was well
received and hospitably entertained ; and at parting
the gentleman gave him a letter to his land-steward,
with instructions as to the sale of Ids stock. Milner
was very quick, and he had his doubts as to these
instructions ; and as from forty to fifty miles was a
long journey out and returning, he became anxious
to know the contents. He returned to his friends,
and communicated his suspicions to them. One
more daring than the others proposed that the letter
should be opened ; a tea-kettle was got, the water
brought to the boil, the wafer put to the steam, and
the letter opened. The contents read thus : — " Be
sure and sell the old cows, but do not sell the bul-
locks upon any account." I need not say what a
rage Milner was in ; calling the gentleman out was
the least punishment he might expect.

On one occasion he was in the south, where he

REMINISCENCES.

bought cattle as well as in the north, and had an
appointment to purchase a rare lot of cattle. James
Williamson, Bethelnie, was also anxious to secure
the same lot. The two were at the same inn ; and
after Milner went to bed, his shoes were turned out
of his bedroom to be brushed. Williamson got hold
of thein, and had them put into a pot of water and
boiled for hours. He contrived to do away with
his stockings in a way I shall not mention. When
Milner rose to continue his journey, he might have
got the better of the loss of his stockings, but his
shoes were a hopeless case, and he was obliged to
defer his journey. New shoes had to be made ; and
as miner's feet were so large, lasts had first to be
made ; and thus it took several days to get him
fitted out for the road. James Williamson, mean-
while, bought the cattle and had his laugh at Mil-
ner, who reaped a share of the profits. It is now
about half a century since Milner died, at a com-
paratively early age ; but there still remains a lively
impression of his person and exploits among the
older residenters of the Vale of Alford.

James Allardyce of Boyndsmill, tenant of Co-
bairdy, was also a great farmer, but of a different
stamp. He was a friend of the late Duke of Gor-
don, who introduced him at Court ; he also always
wore powder. Many were the stories he told of his
journey to London, and the great personages he was
introduced to there. He was the best chairman at
a public meeting I ever saw ; and at a public sale
it was a perfect treat to hear him. He was a master
of the art of pleasing, and no man could put a com-
pany into equal good-humour. He had something
to say in every one's praise, and no one else could
say it so well. He spoke the dialect of his own

REMINISCENCES. 43

county (the kingdom of Forgue) and never affected
the English language. He fed — such feeding as
they got ! — sixty bullocks annually, which were
always sold to one or other of the dealers, and went
to Barnet Fair. Cobairdy's winterers and their
prices were an interesting topic of conversation
every spring, as the season came round.

The great English dealers were the Armstrongs,
James and Thomas, the Millers, Murphy, Eobert
M'Turk, Billie Brown, John Elliot, the Carmichaels,
&c. &c. The Armstrongs were from Yorkshire; they
bought largely of our good beasts at Falkirk, Falk-
land, and Kinross. Their credit was unlimited. They
paid the cattle, not with Bank of England notes, but
with their own private bills ; and whereas they left
home without more money than was necessary to pay
the expenses of their journey, they would return with
hundreds of pounds. For example : they would buy
a lot of cattle for £860, give their acceptance for
£1000, and get the balance (£140) from the seller.
At last, however, they became bankrupt, and paid 3s.
per pound. My father lost £3300 by them; and a
great many of the returned bills are still in my
possession. Messrs John and William Thorn lost
about the same sum. The Bannermans of Perth lost
£4000 — in fact, were ruined by their loss. My father
and the Thorns stood out. The Thorns lost very
heavily by the Millers also. My father's losses by
bad debts were fully £10,000 in all. John Thorn of
Uras, Stonehaven, was also one of the firm that lost
heavily, and has always, to his credit, paid 20s. in
the pound. It was a saying of an old friend of mine
that no great breeder or great cattle-dealer ever died
rich; and this has held good in the great majority
of cases. John Elliot and William Brown bought

REMINISCENCES.

largely of our Aberdeen cattle, and attended Aikey
Pair as well as Falkirk. Brown, who was very
clever, had raised himself from being an Irish drover.
He rented a farm in the neighbourhood of Carlisle,
and died a few years ago much respected. Elliot
was a Carlisle man, and so were the Millers. Elliot
latterly became a Smithfield salesman, but died many
years ago. But Bobert M'Turk stood, in my esti-
mation, at the top of the tree. I have known him
buy seventy score of Highlanders at the October
Falkirk Tryst without dismounting from his pony.
I have, seen seventy-five score of Galloways belong-
ing to him in one drove passing through Carlisle to
Norfolk. I have known him buy from a thousand to
two thousand of our large county cattle at Falkirk,
sweeping the fair of the best lots before other buyers
could make up their minds to begin. He rented
large grazings in Dumfriesshire, where he wintered
and grazed the Highlanders, and which, I believe,
his relatives still retain. He was a warm friend, and
very kind to me when I was almost a boy, and on a
busy day he trusted me to cull the beasts he had
bought from myself. I shall never see his like
again at Falkirk or any other place. I have a vivid
recollection of the stout-built man upon his pony,
buying his cattle by the thousand ; his calm and
composed demeanour was a striking contrast to the
noise made by some jobbers at our fairs in even
the buying of an old cow. Although plain in man-
ner, he was a thorough gentleman, devoid of slang
and equivocation. He was the Captain Barclay of
Dumfriesshire, and furnished an exception to my
friend's remark, for he died in independent circum-
stances. He paid for all his cattle ready money.
The Carmichaels were another extensive firm of

EEMINISCENCES.

English dealers ; they bought largely at Falkirk,
Aikey Fair, and in the north. Kobert Carmichael,
of Batcliffe Farm, near Stirling, was many years
appointed a judge of Highlanders at the Highland
Society's shows. But we had also the Hawick Club,
a set of giants — Halliburton, Scott, and Harper — a
very wealthy firm ; and James Scott died the other
year worth seventy or eighty thousand pounds. As
a company they seldom bought runts — a term by
which our Aberdeen cattle were known to the
English jobbers ; they bought large lots of High-
landers, especially Highland heifers, in October and
November ; but they were open at all times, when
they saw a good prospect of profit, to buy any num-
ber, or any sort. I once came through Mr Harper's
hands at a bad Hallow Fair with seven score of
Aberdeen runts in a way I should not like often
to do.

The business of the " Club " was principally con-
fined to the months of October and November, but
individually they had large stakes in the country.
James Scott was one of the largest sheep-farmers in
Scotland, and one of the greatest buyers of sheep at
Inverness. I could tell many anecdotes of the firm
of Halliburton & Co., but I fear tiring my readers. I
will, however, venture on one or two. As I have
already mentioned, they were very powerful men.
On one occasion Halliburton had arrived at Braemar
very tired to attend the fair. He had fallen asleep
on the sofa, and a thief was busy rifling his pockets,
when he awoke, took hold of the thief, held him with
one hand as if he had been in a vice, and handed
him over to justice. It was told of James Scott,
who was a very quiet reserved man, that once when
he was in the Highlands he was insulted by a party

REMINISCENCES.

of Highland gentlemen ; from better it came to
worse, and ended in Scott nearly killing every man
of them. Halliburton was much respected, but he
was a great declaimer as to prices of cattle falling
when he was a purchaser. At an Amulree market
he was very early on the market-ground. A soft-
looking country man, well dressed, came up with
thirteen very fine polled cattle, which Halliburton
bought at a price that satisfied even him as to their
cheapness. He took James Eitchie, an Aberdeen
dealer, to see them. On hearing the price Eitchie
was astonished. " Ob," said Halliburton, " I have
have often told you, James, what country men would
do, but you would not believe me." The seller was
very anxious to get the money, as he said he had
horses to buy ; but Halliburton told him horses were
dangerous, and he must wait his time. He began
to be suspicious that all was not right, and in a short
time the seller was apprehended for stealing the
cattle from Wemyss Castle. He was tried at Perth,
and transported for fourteen years, and Halliburton
and Eitchie had to give evidence. The judge said
to Halliburton at the trial at Perth, " You surely
must have known the cattle were too cheap/' Halli-
burton answered, " My lord, the next market would
have proved if they were too cheap or too dear."

The payments at Falkirk were all made through
the bankers ; there were always from four to six
bank- tents on the muir. When I took payment for
my cattle I went generally with the buyer to the
bank-tent. This was merely a common tent, with a
bank-office attached The banker calculated the
amount, and received the money, which he put to
my credit, and after I concluded my business I got
an order for the amount on Aberdeen. This avoided

REMINISCENCES.

all risk of forged notes, &c. Strange payments were
sometimes offered. On one occasion an Irishman,
who appeared to have been "holding his Christmas,"
bought sixty horned cattle from me, the best in the
fair, at £14, 14s. a-head — a long price at that time.
The beasts were good, and the price was good. He
presented first £70 in gold ; he then took out a
handkerchief, the contents of which were £100, £20,
£10, £5, and £1 notes. Such a miscellaneous pay-
ment I had never seen offered, and I believe no one
else had, at Falkirk or any other place. It would
have been hopeless for us to attempt counting it, and
Mr Salmon, agent for the Commercial Bank, took the
business in hand. Looking first at the confused
mass of notes, all " head and tail," and then scanning
the appearance of my customer, he began his task ;
but with all his practice it took him a quarter of an
hour to assort the payment. He threw back two
£l-notes to the buyer, who got into a towering
passion, and, with words that I cannot put upon
paper, asked him if he thought he would offer forged
notes. Mr Salmon meekly replied that M'Combie
might take them if he pleased, he had got nothing
to do with that, but he would not. Our Irish friend
then exchanged the notes, for he had no want of
money. I did not even know the gentleman's name;
I never saw him before, and I never, to my know-
ledge, saw him afterwards.

There were in such large markets as Falkirk and
Hallow Fair great chances of good prices to be had
at times. When cattle were selling dear, buyers
from England, Wales, Ireland, and all parts of Scot-
land, congregated at Falkirk : they were not all
judges alike, and some sellers at such a time were
always sure of a good price. For the amusement of

REMINISCENCES.

my readers, I will give a few examples. On the
second day of an October Falkirk Tryst (I had sold
out, as I generally did, the first day), I was stand-
ing with a dealer from the north who had forty or
sixty — 1 think sixty — two-year-old polled stots to
sell. He had just parted with a customer for 2s. 6d.
a-head, having offered them at £8, 15s., and refused
£8, 12s. 6d. A gentleman's land - steward came
through the lot of cattle with a milk-white horse,
and his eyes looked first to the right and then to the
left with wonderful quickness. He asked the price
of the cattle. I thought the seller's conscience a
trifle lax when he asked £13, 13s. a-head. Being
very young I turned my back, as I could not keep
my gravity. The owner then asked what he would
give. £1 1, lis. was the answer. No sooner were the
words out of the man's mouth than down came the
clap, "They are yours." I could stand it no longer,
and drew back aghast. The buyer became suspici-
ous that all was not right ; and my father, who was
held in great esteem both by buyers and sellers,
acted as umpire, to whom both parties referred the
transaction. Being the only witness, I was closely
interrogated by the umpire, the buyer, and the
seller. I told the price asked and the price offered.
The matter had now assumed a serious aspect. My
father, after hearing the evidence, which was not
denied, and the price having been fairly offered and
accepted, could only decide one way. I recollect
his words when he gave his decision : " Well, sir,
the beasts are dear according to this market, but
they are good growers, and you will soon make
them worth it ; my decision is, you must take them."
They were paid for, and went across the ferry to
Fife again. In a rising market I have seen cattle

REMINISCENCES.

raised £1 a-head ; and if the jobber does not take a
price when there is a rise, and fairly in his power,
he is a fool, for he will soon find out that the buyers
will have no mercy upon the sellers when in their
power. In all my experience, the above, in a dull
day, or any other day, was the most glaring start I
remember.

I never attended the fairs in Angusshire, but
on one occasion Mr Thorn hauled me off to Forfar
market in the beginning of November, before Hal-
low Fair of Edinburgh. We were in partnership
at the time, and bought seventy small polled stots
to take to Hallow Fair, to which we had sent off
two or three droves the week before. We could get
but one drover, a townsman, to assist in lifting them,
and had to turn drovers ourselves. We had not
gone above a mile on our way to Dundee with the cat-
tle when it came on a fearful night of rain, and got
very dark. Mr Thorn quarrelled with the drover —
a useless creature — and sent him about his business,
so that we were left alone with our seventy beasts
in the dark, on a road with which we were entirely
unacquainted. We went on for hours, not knowing
where we were going, till at last we came to a bothy,
where we asked the servants what we were to do
with our charge, and if we were on the road to the
ferry at Dundee. We were told, first, that we had
taken the wrong road, and were miles out of our
way ; and second, that we might put the cattle into a
field close at hand. We put the cattle up accord-
ingly, and went to a public-house near by, which
was kept by a very decent man, Edward, a cattle-
dealer. We got supper, and took an hour or two
in bed ; and between one and two o'clock in the
morning, the rain having abated and the moon
n

REMINISCENCES.

risen, we started the drove and had the beasts at
Dundee and across the ferry by the first boat at
eight o'clock in the morning, with no assistance
whatever. We now started fairly on our destination
for Edinburgh, and having got food for the cattle
and bread and cheese for ourselves, about three
miles up the south side of the Tay we hired a sort
of drover, and bent our way by Eathillet. About

dark we arrived at (Mr Walker's), where we

not only got as much turnips and straw to our
beasts as they could eat, but were ourselves treated
like princes by Mr Walker. He gave us the best
bed in the house, would not let us go without a
good breakfast in the morning, and would accept of
scarcely any remuneration. We started for Loch-
gelly after breakfast, but Mr Thorn persuaded me to
turn off and take Falkland market, which was held
that day, while he and the drover proceeded straight
to Lochgelly with the cattle. Falkland was far out
of the way, but he assured me there were plenty of
horses to hire there, and that I could easily join him
at Lochgelly at night. When I got to Falkland I
found there were only four beasts in the market that
suited our trade, which was not encouraging, as I
did not want plenty of money if I could have got any-
thing to lay it out on. I found also that Mr Thorn
had been mistaken about the hiring. Not a horse
was to be got at any price, and I had no help but
to set off on foot for Lochgelly, on a road I had
never travelled. I had scarcely left Falkland when
I was overtaken by a heavy rain which continued
throughout my journey. I had first to climb a long
steep hill for about three or four miles, and when at
last I got to the public road, I found it one mass of
mud, in consequence of the large coal traffic, and the

REMINISCENCES.

heavy fall of rain. I had a deal of money with me,
and as it was quite dark, I was rather uneasy about
it, meeting so many miners and coal-carters under
such circumstances, and in a part of the country
with which I was utterly unacquainted. The road
is a very long one, and with such a protracted soak-
ing in the mud, my feet began to fail me. I at last
reached my destination, however ; and with consider-
able difficulty — for I had never been in Lochgelly
before — I hunted up Mr Thom, whom I found com-
fortably quartered beside a good fire, with supper
before him. But my troubles were not yet over.
One of the servants at the place was leaving, and
what was termed a " foy " was being held that night.
She had collected a great number of her friends, who
kept the house in an uproar the whole night. We
went to bed, but could get no sleep, the row these
revellers made was so great, and our bedroom door
was all but broken open two or three times. Our
remonstrances bad no effect, and sleep being out of
the question, we got up about one o'clock, hunted
up our drover, and started our drove once more,
although the night was as bad as could be. By
about nine o'clock a.m. we arrived at Queensferry ;
but by this time I had strained my leg, and was un-
able to proceed. I was therefore left on the north
side in charge of the cattle, while Mr Thorn crossed
to the south side to procure the necessary food for
the other droves during the market. It will thus be
seen that we droved the seventy catle from Forfar
market all the way to Queensferry in two days and
three nights during the short day of November,
going out of our way once as much as six miles. I
cannot say what the distance was exactly, but it
must have been at least seventy miles — a feat in

REMINISCENCES.

cattle-droving unparalleled in my experience. After
a day's rest I crossed the ferry with the cattle, as-
sisted by the drover. The beasts were dreadfully
jaded, and with difficulty reached their destination,
within a mile of the market-stance. The journey
had told severely upon them, and two went down
immediately on reaching the field. We tried every
means to stir them, but failed. They were hand-fed,
and with great difficulty got to the market, where
they were quickly sold, though how they were got
to their destination I never learned.

At a very good Hallow Fair, I had forty small-
horned Cabrach beasts and forty small polled stirks
standing alongside of each other. I had been with-
in 7s. 6d. a-head of selling them once or twice, when
a stranger priced them, a very well-to-do and appar-
ently young man. My price was £7, 7s. a-head for
the eighty. He just took one look through them,
and said, "Well, I shall have them, and you meet
me at the Black Bull at eight o'clock, and I will pay
you for them." It not being the custom of the trade
to get all our askings, I was a little nervous about
my customer, but found he was all right. 1 met
him at the Black Bull at the hour mentioned. He
was in great spirits, and paid me in Bank of Eng-
land notes.

Arthur Kitchie, Bithnie, a cattle-dealer from Aber-
deen, used to tell the following story: In a bad
Hallow Fair, towards sunsetting, a gentleman came
round and asked the price of a lot of cattle. Arthur
had given him a large halter, and he got an offer
which he accepted. It was a great price for the
market. The buyer refused afterwards to take
them, and my father was made umpire. The buyer
said that a glimmer came over his eyes, and he

REMINISCENCES.

thought them better when he offered the price.
However, he got ashamed, and took the cattle. An
old respected servant of my own, who assisted me
for years in the buying and selling of cattle — James
Elmslie, very well known here and in the south —
had sold twenty beasts very well at Hallow Fair for
me. There was a "buffalo" among them of the worst
type— a great big " buffalo dog." The buyer, when
he paid them, said, " Well, James, if they had all
been like the big one, I would not have grudged
you the price." " Ah, sir," said James, " you
would have difficulty in getting a lot like him ! "
I could scarcely keep my gravity. A very grave
and solemn conclusion to a sale occurred to me
at Hallow Fair. I had sold twenty beasts to a
very rich farmer near North Berwick, who had
bought many lots from me. He had employed a
marker, who had just marked nineteen out of the
twenty. The buyer was joking with me about the
dearness of the cattle, when, in a moment, he
dropped down dead, falling on his back, and never
moving or speaking more. The event created such
a sensation, that no more sales were made that day.

The English dealers seldom came north except to
Aikey Fair. Then we had the Armstrongs, the
Millers, Murphy, and other English dealers, and it
was quite a sight to witness the droves going south ;
but Aikey Fair has now lost its ancient glory, and
is only the. shadow of what it was. It was a sight
I shall never witness more to see the whole hillside
covered with innumerable herds of " Buchan humm-
lies." Mr Bruce of Millhill showed the largest
lots, and stood at the top as an exhibitor. Talking
of Buchan, the names of Bruce, Millhill, and Smart,
Sandhole, were household words at my father's

REMINISCENCES.

board. My father and myself have bought thou-
sands of cattle from them ; no agriculturists have
ever been more respected in Buchan. Mr Bruce,
perhaps, was as solid, but Smart was the more clash-
ing man. I have never met any one who would do
the same amount of business with as few words as
Smart, and do it as well. As one example : He
brought sixty beasts to Mintlaw market — cattle were
low-priced at the time. I had the first offer of them :
he asked .£12, 12s. a-head. I offered £12, and we
split the 12s. The whole transaction did not take
up half of the time I require to write it. Mr Bruce
and Mr Smart were the best judges in Buchan. We
had other great exhibitors, Mr Bruce, Iriverwhom-
rey ; Mr Scott, Yokieshill ; Mr Milne, Mill of
Boyndie ; Mr Paton, Towie ; Mr Milne, Watermill,
&c. Mr Mitchell, Fiddesbeg, the Browns, the
Eattrays, Hay of Little Ythsie, and Wm. M'Donald,
were all extensive dealers in cattle in those days.
The following anecdote of William M'Donald was
told by my father : It had been a very good Septem-
ber Falkirk market, and Mr John Geddes, Haddoch,
who was an extensive home grazier and dealer, had
a large stock of cattle on hand. M'Donald and my
father were both anxious for the chance to buy
them, and pushed through their business at Falkirk
as fast as possible to get to Haddoch. At that time
the dealers accomplished all their journeys on horse-
back, and prided themselves on the flectness of their
saddle-horses. My father thought no one his match
in the saddle. He reached Haddoch on Wednesday
at midnight- — the first cattle-market day at Falkirk
being on Tuesday- — but the first thing he observed
on drawing near to the house, which remains on
the farm to this day, although a new one has been

REMINISCENCES.

built, was the main room lighted up. On coming
nearer, he heard voices fast and loud, and one was
that of M'Donald ! It was all over ! M'Donald had
fairly beat M'Combie in the chase. My father got
hold of Mrs Geddes, worn-out and disappointed, and
got quietly to bed ; and I have often heard him tell
how M'Donald' s peals of laughter rang in his ears as
the punch-bowl went round, even to the dawning of
the day. Neither M'Donald nor Haddoch knew my
father was in the house. He left in the morning
for Clashbrae, where he bought some smaller lots
from the farmer there, who was a local dealer.

A word as to M'Donald : He was a stout-made
middle - sized man, and spoke so fast over the
"bowl" that no one could follow him. He had a
good deal of mother-wit ; and his great ambition
was to be the owner of large droves of cattle. I
have seen a drove belonging to him a mile and more
long. Mr John Geddes was a man of high standing
and great firmness of character. He wore the broad
blue bonnet, with a long blue coat and clear buttons,
and boot-hose, and rode a very fine cob pony with a
long tail. He was of great strength of constitution,
and could have sat twenty - four hours with the
punch-bowl before him (it was always the bowl at
Haddoch), and risen as sober as when he sat down.
Such were the habits of those days. I never pass
on the railway from Huntly to Eothiemay, but on
casting my eye over the old house I recall the
night described so graphically by my father. He
and Haddoch had large transactions. After a bad
October Tryst, where my father had sixteen score
of Aberdeenshire cattle, and when he lost £4 a-head
upon every beast, Mr Geddes returned him £70 as
a luck-penny upon a large lot he had bought from

REMINISCENCES.

him. There have few men appeared in the north
of greater influence or of higher moral worth than
the late Mr John Geddes of Haddoch. His landlord,
the late Duke of Gordon, was proud of him, as well
he might be.

It was the general custom that the dealers came
to the market-ground with their cattle, and immedi-
ately before them, to the part of the market-stance
where they wished them to stand. It was quite a
sight to see Mr Geddes on an Old Keith market-day
(Old Keith Market, like Aikey Fair, is now only a
shadow of its ancient greatness), with his broad bon-
net, the long blue coat, the overall stockings, and
mounted on a strong bay pony with its tail to the
ground, at the head of a large lot of heavy cattle.
Every one made room for his cattle, as he rode
before them to the upper wall ; it would have been
of no use to resist, as the weight of his animals
would have soon cleared the road for themselves ;
and as soon as the large black mass of horned cattle
appeared in the valley below, the cry was, " There
comes Haddoch ! We must clear the way, or else
his cattle will soon clear it at our expense." After
the first lot was stationed, another and another fol-
lowed in succession, which were placed beside the
others, till perhaps there were 200 altogether ; the
different lots being all kept completely separate for
the inspection of purchasers. Mr Geddes never
went south with cattle, but sold them all at home.
In a bad year he once got as far south as Tillyfour
with 120 cattle in November. They were at Tilly-
four a night, and my father bought them in the morn-
ing, but they were about a mile on the road before
the bargain was struck. No one could have seen
Mr Geddes without pronouncing him a man of mark.

REMINISCENCES,

But the greatest dealer the county could claim,
and one at the same time deeply engaged in agri-
culture and its interests, was Mr James Innes of
Durris. Mr Innes was born at Leuchars in Moray-
shire ; his father was Sheriff of Kincardineshire, and
proprietor of Leuchars ; his brother, Cosmo Innes,
Esq., was Sheriff of Morayshire. The father of Mr
James Innes bought the lease of the estate of Durris
for ninety-nine years from the trustees of the Earl
of Peterborough. for £30,000 and an annual feu-duty
of a few hundred pounds. Owing to some new views
of the law of entail, the Duke of Gordon, the legal
heir of the Earl of Peterborough, turned Mr Innes
out of the estate after he had expended £95,000 in
improvements, and after the case had been in court
for fifteen years. Mr Innes farmed extensively,
having had seven or eight farms in his own occu-
pancy at the same time. He rode on horseback
yearly to Falkirk, and bought a large lot of Highland
cattle. He generally had 200 cattle, 1500 sheep,
and from ten to twelve pairs of horses on his farms.
Mr Innes's horses went at the top of their speed in
cart and plough ; they had all breeding. No stand-
ing was allowed when the horses were in harness.
In a busy day in harvest, and when the horses were
yoked double, you would have seen Mr Innes's
horses driving in the corn at a smart gallop. The
harvest-carts were wide, railed and framed on both
sides, with one or two cross bearers. In a " lead-
ing " day Mr Innes was a sure hand at the fork in
the stackyard, and the man on the stack and the
man on the cart had to look out. Mr Innes was no
trifler, and would not be trifled with ; but if an acci-
dent happened he made no remarks. He did not
transact business by commission, but purchased both

REMINISCENCES.

the cattle and sheep himself. The aged West
Highlanders were sent to the wood during winter ;
the year-old Highlanders were put into the straw-
yards ; and the four-year-old Aberdeens were bought
for stall-feeding. Black-faced wethers were sent to
the low pasture and for turnip-feeding. An annual
sale of cattle and letting of grass took place about
the 20th May. Mr Innes was famed for growing
turnips. He gained the prize of £50, given by the
Highland Society for the best field of turnips in the
north of Scotland, twenty acres of yellow and ten of
globe turnips. Deacon Williamson's six and eight
year old Aberdeen work oxen — these were not the
days of quick returns in cattle — consumed them,
and they went to the Greenland whale-ships at last.
Mr Innes was the poor man's friend, and a kind
master to his servants, but a cool determined man.
Although standing almost six feet three inches in
height, he was a splendid horseman ; when crossing
the Dee he made his horse jump into the boat with
himself upon his back. He galloped as the crow
flies from one farm to another, and was at the head
of everything himself. He was an intimate friend
of the late Lord Kennedy, Captain Barclay of Ury,
Farquharson of Finzean, Davidson of Balnagask,
and Cruickshank of Langley Park. He sometimes
took a holiday with them ; and even entered for a
time into some of their frolics, when his seedtime
and harvest were finished : he was quite fit to keep
his own with them. He was well educated, wrote
out his leases, collected his rents, could floor any
one in court, and was very popular as a justice.

Mr Cruickshank of Langley Park and Mr Innes
afterwards quarrelled : the quarrel originating at
Blackball. There had been a good deal of chaffing

REMINISCENCES.

between them, which ended in a row. Cruickshank
went home and wrote a challenge to Innes, and
Innes went home and wrote one to Cruickshank.
They met and fought at Laurencekirk : Major C.
Eobertson, Kindface, Invergordon, was Cruickshank' s
second, and Dr Hoyle, Montrose, was in attendance

as surgeon. was Innes's second, and Dr

Skene, Aberdeen, his surgeon. After the first fire
the seconds stopped proceedings ; but Mr Innes's
mother had intercepted a letter, which she gave to
her son after the first duel, and Mr Innes forthwith
sent another challenge to Cruickshank. They fought
again at Bourtreebush, half-way between Aberdeen
and Stonehaven. Mr John Stewart, late in Angus-
ton (who was a great friend of the laird of Durris)
was standing with Mr Innes at the Plainstones, in
Aberdeen. Mr Innes looked at the town clock, and
said, " My time is up ; but you will meet me at
breakfast to-morrow at Durris at eight." He did
not say what he was to be about. Mr William
Walker, who was afterwards three years overseer to
Mr Innes at Durris, tells that he thinks it was in
June or July 1819 that his father's servant and him-
self were carting home fuel from near Bourtreebush,
when they observed two carriages on the turnpike
from Aberdeen driving at a furious pace. The car-
riages stopped in an instant within 300 yards of the
inn ; several gentlemen alighted and walked into the
nearest field, and in a few minutes shots were twice
exchanged, one party and carriage leaving twenty
minutes before the other, in the direction of Stone-
haven. At the second shot Mr Innes was wounded
in the thigh ; and it was a close shave on the other
side, for Mr Innes's ball went through Mr Cruick-
shank's whiskers. Mr Innes, however, kept his

REMINISCENCES.

appointment with Mr Stewart next morning. Mr Stew-
art said that he met him at Durris House at break-
fast. He came down stairs with his wonted agility,
in the best of spirits, and shook hands with him ;
but he seemed to tremble a little, and his hands fell
downwards, and although he never mentioned the
duel, Mr Stewart afterwards heard he was wounded
in the groin. For the above account of the second
famous duel fought between Mr Inues and Mr Cruick-
shank of Langley Park, I am indebted to Mr William
Walker and Mr John Stewart, late of Anguston.
The two were, however, great friends ever after.

I was well acquainted with Alexander Davidson,
the notorious poacher and smuggler. He was a very
powerful man, and his whole body was covered with
hair like that of an ox. He was a favourite with
many of the gentlemen, and was often sent for by
them to show his feats of strength and agility. He
could shoot in a direct line from Braemar to Aber-
deen with very little interruption. From many of
the proprietors he had permission to take a run
through their property ; others winked at him : from
myself, then acting for my father, he had permission
to go on his course. He was very polite in his ask-
ings, and put it thus : " Will you have the goodness
to allow me to go through your property when I am
on my annual tour? I will not poach it; I will keep
the straight line, and only kill what may be on my
way." I believe Davidson was true to his promise :
but if he was refused permission, and if any attempt
was made to entrap him, he had his revenge : he
would shoot and poach on that property for days,
and no one could take him. In the year 1820 Mr
Innes and Mr Davidson of Balnagask gave their
support to Davidson against Lord Kennedy and Mr

REMINISCENCES.

Farquharson of Finzean, who laid a bet of £50 that
Davidson would not run without clothing from Bark-
ley Street, Stonehaven, to the gate of Inchmarlo in
a given time. It was thought that Davidson's feet
must fail him. At the Bridge of Banchory there was
a posse of wives, with Mrs Duncan the toll-mistress
at their head, ready to make an onslaught on poor
Davidson. They had been hired, some at five shil-
lings, some at ten, and the leader, Mrs Duncan, at
twenty shillings, and came prepared with their
aprons full of stones and other missiles, and Mrs
Duncan had in addition a large knotty stick. When
Davidson came in sight he saw the trap that was
laid for him, and drew up for breath before he came
within the enemy's reach. The fearful rush and the
unearthly appearance of Davidson took his enemies
by surprise ; their missiles fell wide of the mark,
and with a few tremendous bounds he passed the
wives and the bridge. Mrs Duncan was in a tower-
ing passion because Davidson had escaped, after all
her generalship, and declared, not in the most be-
coming language, "that it was not a man, but a
beast." Davidson was safe, and reached the gate
of Inchmarlo up to time, and pocketed the £50.
Davidson was at last found dead on the hills, with
his faithful pointer standing over him.

Captain Barclay of Ury and Mr Innes laid a heavy
bet with Finzean that they would produce six better
men in Durris than Finzean could do in all his
estates. The men were selected, and the day was
fixed ; a long and strong rope was procured, which
crossed the Dee, and twelve yards to each side extra,
to allow the men to be tied in at regular distances
from each other. At the place chosen to decide the
wager the river had sloping banks on each side.

REMINISCENCES.

Those who got the first start were sure to pull the
others probably nearly through the river ; the tide
would then be turned, and the other party be as
successful with their opponents. So matters went
on several times, until it was found necessary to
stop, and no decision could be given. The poor
men got a proper ducking, and some of them were
even in great danger of being drowned or hanged,
as they were all tied into the ropes.

I was very well acquainted with the late Captain
Barclay, who was the lineal descendant of the author
of the 1 Apology for the Quakers,' and claimant of the
earldom of Monteith, and was familiarly designated
"the father of the shorthorns." Though Captain
Barclay remains without a national acknowledg-
ment of his merits, no man deserved better of the
farmers of Scotland ; for he was their firm supporter
through life in good and bad report. Captain Bar-
clay was in many respects a remarkable man — one
not to be forgotten by any one who had once met
him. I have been many a day in company with
him, and have the most vivid recollection of him
as he examined the stock in a show-yard. Pacing
along from class to class, I think I see him drawing
his open hand leisurely down over his chin, and, as
he met an acquaintance, saying in his deep sonorous
voice, " How do you do ? " laying the emphasis on
the "how," and passing on. No one would have
made any mistake as to Captain Barclay being a
gentleman, although his dress was plain — a long
green coat with velvet collar and big yellow but-
tons, a coloured handkerchief, long yellow cashmere
vest, knee-breeches, very wide top-boots with long
brown dirty tops, and plain black hat, generally
pretty well worn. When at home he wore knee-

Reminiscences.

breeches with patches on the knees, coarse stockings,
and large shoes. Captain Barclay carried through
with energy whatever he took in hand. The "De-
fiance " must go its twelve miles an hour including
stoppages. He took a great delight in driving the
" Defiance," wearing the red coat with the " De-
fiance " buttons ; and on one occasion he drove the
mail from London to Stonehaven out and out. His
horses were the strongest and his fields the largest
in the country. He said " he did not like a field in
which the cattle could see one another every day."
He put four horses in his waggons, and never sent
less than '20 bolls (16 quarters) of grain to Aberdeen
upon a waggon. It was a great sight to see four or
five of Captain Barclay's waggons going down Mar-
ischal Street. The houses shook, the inhabitants
were alarmed, and nervous people thought the
houses would tumble down. Captain Barclay could
not tolerate a boaster or puppy in any shape. A
few years before his death he happened to be in the
coffee-room, Market Street, Aberdeen, one evening
along with some of his friends. A fast young man
took out £20 and boasted be would run a mile in a
certain time : he was not aware that Captain B. was
present. The Captain covered the money, and the
£40 was lodged with the stakeholder. " Now, my
man," said the Captain (turning the quid of tobacco
once or twice in his mouth, and taking his hand
down from his nose to his chin), in his prolonged
solemn tone, " we will put you to time." The race
was run and lost. The Captain was walking one
day in his park when he came on an intruder in the
shape of an ass. He seized the donkey and threw
it over the wall of the park. To his astonishment
the animal was returned. The Captain pitched him

REMINISCENCES.

over again, and again he came back. This was re-
peated several times, till at last the Captain went
outside the wall and found that it was a gypsy that
was his match. He was so much pleased with the
prowess of the man. that he took him to the mansion-
house of Ury, treated him to all he could eat and
drink, and gave him permission to graze his donkey
as often as he liked on the policies of Ury. One
morning, when the Captain was driving the " De-
fiance," there was a plain country woman sitting
behind him. A gentleman wished to deprive the
woman of her seat. The Captain remonstrated with
him and bade him let the poor woman alone. The
stranger did not know that it was Captain Barclay,
and went on from better to worse, till he told the
Captain if he would stop the coach and come down
he would settle the matter with him. The Captain
immediately stopped the coach, saying, " I suppose
I must gratify you/' gave the reins to Davie Troup,
and jumped down with his top-coat on. The
stranger advised him to strip. " Oh no," said the
Captain, " that would be troublesome." His op-
ponent, a very strong man, rushed at him like a
bull-dog. The Captain put on his guard, looked at
his antagonist for a moment or two, turned the quid
of tobacco once or twice in his mouth, and then gave
him a blow that felled him to the ground like a log
of wood. He got to his feet again, when the Cap-
tain doubled the dose. The stranger was satisfied,
and said, " You must either be the devil or Captain
Barclay of Ury." " I am not the former," said the
Captain, " but I am the latter." A stranger would
hardly at first sight have got an adequate impression
of Captain Barclay's power, but his appearance grew
upon you when you came close to him ; you then

REMINISCENCES.

saw his great strength. He was a very round-made
man, shaped for great endurance, which was put to
a severe test when, in 1809, he walked a thousand
miles in a thousand hours. His man Cross, who at-
tended him, described to me the difficulty of his task
in keeping him awake. At first he had to apply the
stick and the lash, and the Captain growled most
hideously at him ; but latterly, when he saw he was
to win, he improved in strength and spirits every
hour till the end. After two days' rest he went on
the Walcheren expedition. "When past sixty he
would walk twenty or thirty miles to dinner. I
could relate many interesting reminiscences of
Captain Barclay, but as most of them have been
published already, I have only given a few well-
authenticated anecdotes, which, so far as T know,
have never before appeared. He was found dead in
his bed in 1854: and in him the tenant-farmers of
Scotland and the poor of his own neighbourhood lost
one of their best friends.

While speaking of Milner I referred to the great
feats performed in those days with the sickle. I re-
member a Highland woman, "black Bell," who made
sixteen to eighteen threaves (384 to 432 sheaves)
daily in harvest of good-sized sheaves ; but George
Bruce, Ardgows, in the parish of Tough, could shear
thirty-six threaves in a day, and bind and stook it.
However incredible this may appear, it is a fact. I
have seen him shearing after he was an old man ; he
drove the "rig" of say eighteen feet from side to
side, and never lifted his hand till he had a sheaf.
He used a long sickle, and drew the corn to him. I
cannot describe his method properly. He was a tall,
thin, wiry man, with very long arms. My father used
to tell how my grandfather sent two men and two

REMINISCENCES.

women to give George Bruce a day's shearing, and
how George came with a little girl (who did little or
nothing but make bands for her master), and how my
grandfather asked him " if that was the way he in-
tended to pay his debt." George replied that " he
could put his four shearers on one ' rig ' " — they were
fully an average of the shearers in the country — "and
he and the lassie would take the other." They started
accordingly, and Bruce kept ahead of them through-
out the day.

III. THE CATTLE TKADE,
THEE" AND NOW.

The lean-cattle trade is a most dangerous one, and
I would not advise any young friend of mine to en-
gage in it. I believe for one who has succeeded
twenty have gone down. This is true, at least, as
far as droving from the north to the south of Scotland
and England is concerned. Home jobbers have been
more fortunate, though I am not acquainted with
many who have done much good. There are many
temptations connected with it, and it requires a
strong mind to resist them. I have only given the
bright side of the picture ; but let us look for a
moment at the other. I have told that great chances
are got by some at times ; these, however, are ex-
ceptional to the general rule. Lean cattle are sold
by value as well as fat, and if well bought will be
easily sold. I found it the safe plan to buy a small
drove well. It was only a little trade that I carried
on — I never had fewer than from seven to ten score,
and my largest droves never exceeded eighteen
score; as a consequence, my losses were not heavy
nor my profits very great. When I was in the trade
the price of cattle was very low, which lessened
my risk, but I have known £2 a-head lost over a
large drove. During the French war the price of

THE CATTLE TKADE,

cattle became very high ; and £4 a-head, and even
much more, would sometimes be lost or gained on
droving cattle.

My father when a young man went to the far
north- — to Caithness, Sutherland, Skye, and the
islands — and bought large droves of Highland
cattle and brought them home. They were disposed
of often by public roup in this county, or driven to
the southern markets. At that time there were few
regular markets in these counties, but the dealers
when they went to the country cried a market, an-
nouncing that they would meet the sellers on a
certain day and at a convenient place, and in this
way the trade was carried out. Large profits were
obtained ; but the dealers were liable to heavy
losses, especially in spring, the cattle being then
but skin and bone, and many dying in the transit.
My father lost in one night, after swimming the
Spey, seventeen old Caithness runts. There were
no bridges in those days. It came on a severe
frost after the cattle had swam the river. The
value of bone-manure was unknown, and their bones
bleached in the sun on the braes of Auchindown for
more than thirty years, and remains of them were
visible within the last few years. My father not
only carried on a very large trade to the Falkirk
markets, but also a very extensive business to Eng-
land, and had a salesman who attended all the great
English fairs, particularly in Leicestershire, who
sold drove after drove that were bought by my
father here. .Referring to documents in my posses-
sion, I find he had in one year 1500 head of cattle
at the October Tryst of Falkirk, 800 of which were
Highlanders, and the remainder Aberdeen cattle.
The Highlanders were grazed in Braemar, on the

THEN AND NOW.

Geldie, Boynach, and Corryvrone, the property of
the Earl of Fife. His books show a clear profit at
that fair of £2000, and the year following of £1 500.
Prices of cattle were very high during the war. I
observe the prices of three heavy lots of horned
Aberdeen cattle sold in Cumberland — viz., £22,
£23, 10s., and £25 a-bead. A Carlisle carrier, I
have often heard my father say, was the purchaser.
He declared he bought them for eating up his horse-
litter.

Steam navigation and the use of bone-dust being
both introduced about the same time, shortly pro-
duced a complete revolution in the cattle trade ; feed-
ing soon became general, from the larger breadth
and heavier crops of turnips grown ; droving an-
nually diminished, till now it has all but ceased,
almost all the herds in Aberdeenshire being fat-
tened, besides many brought in from north and
south.

The late Mr Hay, Shethin; Mr Lumsden, Aquhor-
thies ; and his brother, Mr Lumsden, Eggie ; Mr
Milne, Fornet ; Mr Mitchell, Fiddesbeg ; Mr Stod-
dart, Cultercullen ; Deacon Milne, and Deacon
Spark, took the lead ; and to these gentlemen the
credit is due for being the first to introduce a
proper and profitable system of feeding cattle in
Aberdeenshire. More attention was also paid to
the breeding department. James Anderson, Pit-
carry, was the first man who shipped a beast from
Aberdeen to London ; his venture was two Angus
polled oxen. The late Mr Hay, Shethin, was the
first who sent cattle by rail from Aberdeen ; his
venture was a truck of Highlanders.

The shipping of cattle gradually and rapidly
increased, and soon became a great trade from our

THE CATTLE TRADE,

ports, many sailing-vessels, as well as steamers,
being brought into requisition. Lean cattle were
sent by sea instead of road. We bad at that time
no railway, and the expense was heavy. On a fat
bullock it was from £2, 10s. a - head to £3 by
steamer; by the sailing-vessels, however, it was
only about £1, 10s. a-head. Sometimes they made
quick passages, but this was uncertain ; and I have
known them a month at sea. I have seen the same
cargo of cattle driven back to Aberdeen two or three
times. I have been in the hold of the vessel when
they were driven back, and shall never forget the
scene when the buckets and water were brought
forward ; you would have thought the ship would
have rent asunder by the struggles of the cattle to
get at the water. I have sent cargoes of lean cattle
by sailing-vessels to Barnett, Woolpit, &c. I have
had them driven back after being days at sea. It
was while inspecting one of these cargoes that I
witnessed the scene of watering I have described.
I lost money by that branch of my business, and I
gave it up. Although the loss by deterioration of
condition must have been great, it was astonishing
how few deaths occurred in the sailing-vessels ; the
proportion was greater in the steamers. A year
seldom passed without the shippers having heavy
losses. I was owner of part of the cattle when
every beast on board the Duke of Wellington, ex-
cept three (one belonging to me, and he had to be
carted from the boat, and two belonging to Mr
Farquharson of Asloun), was either thrown over-
board or smothered in the hold. The sailors told
that a blackhomed Bogieside ox, belonging to Mr
Hay, swam for several miles after the ship. I have
made inquiry of the cattle-man as to the scene in

THEN AND NOW.

the hold of a steamer in a storm amongst the cattle.
He said, " I went once down to the hold amongst
them, but I was glad to get back with my life ; and
although you had given me the ship and all upon
her, I would not have gone back." He declared
that, though you had set a hundred men with heavy
flails in operation at one time beating upon the side
of the ship, it would not have been worse than the
legs of the cattle beating upon each other and all
within their reach.

The owners of the Aberdeen steamers have al-
ways been anxious to accommodate their customers;
and about twelve years ago they raised an insurance
fund for the protection of the shippers. They laid
past one shilling for every beast they shipped to
meet deaths and accidents, and they have most
honourably paid the losses incurred by the shippers
of cattle. It is a good arrangement for both parties;
it gives confidence to the shippers, and no doubt-
has a tendency to make the owners more careful in
not sending their ships to sea if danger is appre-
hended. The cattle go well by sea when the
weather is moderate, but in rough weather they are
safer by rail. The above description will give some
idea of the hardships the poor beasts endure in the
hold when overtaken by a storm. I have seen my
own cattle, after they were taken from the hold of
the steamboat at London, so changed in appearance
that I could not identify them, and could not tell
whether they were black or grey. I should most
seriously advise the Eailway Company to adopt
some method of insurance, to avoid the unseemly
squabbles that are daily occurring with the senders
of live cattle and dead meat. It is not my province
to make any remarks on the late rise of the freight

THE CATTLE TKADE,

on cattle by the Steamboat Company and the Hail-
way. The matter is in their own hands ; but I
think conciliation, owing to the present state of
feeling, might have been their wisest policy ; how-
ever, we will allow them to be the best judges. It
will now be our study, for our own protection, to
exert our influence in the proper quarter to have our
grievances removed. The method of transit is an
important subject to the owners of the cattle, to the
landowners, and to the consumers. I have no doubt
whatsoever that a legislative enactment will make
all right by-and-by. I cannot leave this subject
without noticing Scott, the cattle-traffic manager of
the Caledonian Company at Aberdeen, and John
Henry, the cattle-traffic manager of the Aberdeen
and London Steam Navigation Company — men who
deserve to wear a better coat, and who have done
everything in their power for the interest of the
senders of cattle. I believe there is difficulty in
avoiding causes of complaint at all times where
there are so many servants, and the senders of
cattle are sometimes themselves to blame. I have
never myself lost a beast by rail ; I prepare my
cattle for their journey before they start from home.
My heavy cattle are turned out three different times
at least before they are sent to rail. I walk them
in a lea field : the first day they are put out four
hours ; I then give them a day to rest ; turn them
out again on the second day and increase the dis-
tance, and they come quite fresh out of the trucks
at London. What can an owner of cattle expect
but that some will go down if he take his cattle six,
eight, or ten miles without their ever having left the
stall for five or eight months before, and put them
on to rail ? Many hundreds of good oxen have been

THEN AND NOW.

lost in this way, or crushed arid bruised. Cattle
when tied up are kept in an unnatural state ; they
often take founder when at the stall as a conse-
quence, and sometimes paralysis ; but such mode-
rate exercise as I have described tends to bring
them back to their natural state. I have often been
asked the question by those who had seen my
Christmas market cattle — " How is it that your
beasts are so good upon their legs compared with
others ?" The first day after the cattle are put out
for four hours they will not look so well, and will
return to the stalls very much fatigued ; but on the
second and third days of their exercise they will
recover their wonted appearance. They will walk
eight or ten miles in a morning and go fresh into
the truck, and on reaching their destination will
come out and stand well up in the market.

Founder generally yields to bleeding and two or
three doses of salts with sulphur and ginger : I
never saw this treatment fail. Paralysis is a more
serious matter : in that case the firing-iron must be
applied, and after the most skilful treatment the
results are often very unsatisfactory. Cattle of all
ages that are confined are liable to paralysis of the
hind quarters ; the complaint, however, is most
prevalent among young bulls, and although removed,
they generally lose from six to twelve months'
growth. Cattle that have been confined to the
stall, and even straw-yard cattle, are utterly unfit
for the road, on account of the softness of their
hoofs, and when put to it at once, are very apt to
take paralysis if not carefully prepared by previous
exercise. A certain season of the year is more
especially to be guarded against — viz., from the
middle of March to the middle of May. Cattle that

THE CATTLE TRADE,

have been two weeks at grass may, however, be
safely droved.

Every one who has been in the cattle trade will
recollect the losses he has sustained in spring, in
the transit of cattle, by the animals throwing their
hoofs ; and we can all remember how often we have
seen our beasts, especially in dry warm weather in
spring, lying on the roads, and how we had to cart
them home or to the nearest slaughtering shop. If
there be a separation of the hoof at the top from the
skin, and if a white frothy substance oozes out at
this break, it is a sure sign that irreparable injury
has been done. The beast will pine on for six
months, and at last throw the old hoof when a new
one has grown up. This is a more teasing case to
the owner than when the hoof is thrown at once.
The animal should be slaughtered immediately, if at
all in condition, as it will not only lose conditiou every
day till the hoof comes off, but be a bad thriver ever
after. Five or six miles of bad driving at this season
is enough to do the whole business. If cattle should
cast their hoof's, or even one hoof, suddenly, if at all
in condition, they should also be slaughtered without
delay, as they will pine for six months and be a
daily grievance to the owner. If it be a young or
valuable breeding animal, however, it should be
bled, and get two or three doses of cooling medicine
to remove the inflammation ; then soiled in a loose-
box, and his feet well bound up with tow and tar.
If animals are not slaughtered, I would recommend
soiling in all cases, if possible. But " prevention is
better than cure ;" and all this can be avoided if we
will only take proper precautions. I shall state the
method I adopt in my practice, and I have paid
dearly for my experience. I generally buy a good

THEN AND NOW.

many beasts in spring in Morayshire, and sometimes
winter a lot or two there. Until within a few years
we had no railway conveyance, and the cattle all
came by road. Before the time appointed for lifting
the cattle, I sent across three or four able-bodied men
who were acquainted with the dressing of the feet.
Beginning their operations at the most northern
point of the county, and going from one farm to
another where the cattle were wintered, they dressed
every hoof of every bullock that required it. By
dressing, and by the proper training of the cattle
before starting, I have brought home thousands of
them safe and sound. Proper attention was no
doubt paid to the droving, the men who had charge
of them being trained to the occupation. Short
stages and plenty of food are indispensable to then-
safe arrival. It is of great importance, in order to
cattle thriving upon grass, to have their feet pro-
perly dressed ; and many of our careful farmers have
their cattle's feet dressed every year before they are
put out to grass, even although they are not sent
from the farm. The general method adopted in
dressing is to take up the leg with a rope run from
the couple ; this, however, must be a severe strain
on the beasts. The method I adopted when I was
in the lean-cattle trade was different: the bullock
was driven to a wall ; a man, or two men, secured
him by the nose and the back of the neck. The
fore feet were easy to hold up — one man could
generally manage them ; but the hind feet were not
so easy a matter, and it always required two, and
sometimes three, strong men to hold them up It
is done entirely by method : not allowing the beast
to stretch out his legs is the whole secret. The
bullock has no power if his legs are kept close to

THE CATTLE TRADE,

his hind quarters; but if he is allowed to stretch
them out, he will throw off any number of men.
Two men, one on each side, put their backs close to
the hind quarters of the bullock, and keep in his
leg, not allowing him to strike it out. There he is
fixed ; and the topsman, who is generally an adept
at the business, dresses the foot.

Before the introduction of railways shoeing was
sometimes required, but more frequently in autumn
than in spring. In bad weather many of the cattle
had to be shod, else they never could have per-
formed their journeys. In wet weather their hoofs
wore through to the sensitive parts, and they got
lame ; but when properly shod, they immediately
recovered and took the front of the drove. The
following may appear incredible, but it will show
the proficiency some men attained in the art. Eo-
bert Gall of Kennetbmont on one occasion shod
seventy cattle to me in one day, near Perth, and no
rope ever touched them in the field. It should,
however, be remembered that cattle, after beinc
driven a distance, get more easily handled. Eobert
Smith, one of the few of the old race of drovers now
alive, and who is still in my service, assisted in this
great performance. I should explain, for the sake
of the general reader, that the inside hoof of the
fore foot is generally the first to wear through.
Many of the cattle had only one or two hoofs shod,
others perhaps three or four, and an exceptional
beast would have every one of the eight done. The
shoes were made at the Crossgates of Fife ; they
were sent by coach to different cattle stations, and
the men, by rotation, had to carry a supply upon
their backs. It may seem a strange fact that no
other blacksmith could make nails equal to those

THEN AND NOW.

made at the Crossgates. The men would not hear
of any others ; they said they would not drive. The
Crossgates blacksmith not only supplied the Scotch
drovers, but also the English lean-cattle jobbers.

As to fat cattle for market, after they are trained,
they should not go a yard except by rail or steam-
boat. As to trucking store cattle, this must be
regulated entirely by the season of the year and
the weight of the cattle, &c. I have always had a
reluctance to truck store cattle if I could possibly
avoid it, not only for the expense, but for the risk
incurred from dirty and infected trucks. I would
recommend, if the cattle have a distance to travel
in March, April, and May, and until they have been
fourteen days at grass, that they should be tracked.
But I have often been astonished at the recklessness
of farmers buying cattle in a fair, going straight to
the nearest station, and turning them into any dirty
truck they can get — (when are trucks other than
dirty ?) The danger is great ; despite the utmost
circumspection, even the most careful may some-
times be caught. If those who act so escape, it is
not owing to their good management. I would re-
commend my friends, when they go to a fair for the
purpose of purchasing cattle, to take a confidential
servant of their own along with them, or else make
it a part of the bargain that the owner keeps the
cattle for a certain time, till the buyer can get the
trucks properly cleaned — which I find no difficulty
in getting done — so that before they allow their
cattle to be trucked they may be satisfied the tracks
are thoroughly cleaned. They should be washed
over with chloride of lime, or, what is still better,
given a fresh coat of paint. Three to four shillings
will paint a truck ; that is a small matter — say

THE CATTLE TRADE,

sixpence a-head ; but care must be taken that thfe
paint is dry before the cattle are pnt into the truck,
else the beasts will be poisoned. If this is ne-
glected, there is great risk of bringing home foot-
and-mouth disease, or even the lung disease. Some
say that it was impossible to attend to such an
operation — that business called them home, and that
people would not take home their cattle. I have
never found any difficulty in my own experience ;
but I must allow that some sellers are too distant to
send the cattle home. In such an emergency the
beasts should be laid past upon a little hay or straw
for a day in the neighbourhood ; there is always a
field to be had, or the market green. What is a
day, or a man or two, and a night's hay, if your
beasts come safe ? Disease has been carried in this
way to hundreds of steadings, and the results have
been most disastrous. The day's rest will be a
great advantage to the cattle after the fatigue of
standing in the market. The main object with
store cattle should be to keep them sound on their
feet and free from disease. If their transit is to be
by rail, the quality of their food for a day or two is
of minor importance ; they will soon recover.

It would be foolish to truck store cattle after they
have been at grass for a few weeks. Their feet get
hardened, and in the end of May, and in June, July,
and August, there is no risk of injuring the beasts
by driving in easy stages from ten to fourteen miles
a-day. At that season cattle can hedge it; they
will live almost on what they pick up on the road-
sides as they go along. Your cattle arrive safe and
sound, and free from all trouble and risk as respects
trucks.

In the dead-meat trade there has now sprung up

THEN AND NOW.

a new trade and almost a new race of men. The
quantity of dead meat sent from Aberdeen regulates
the Newgate market. Mr Bonser, the great dead-
meat salesman, states in his evidence before a com-
mittee of the House of Commons, " that there are no
others that know the beasts for the London market
equal to the Aberdeen butchers, and from no other
place does it arrive in the same condition ; and this
may be owing to the cold climate." Mr Wilson of
Edinburgh put the question to the Chamber of Agri-
culture, "What is the reason that the Aberdeen-
shire cattle proved better and carried more good
flesh than any other cattle ? " Mr Wilson's ques-
tion is perhaps not very easily answered, but I
should give as some of the reasons the following: —
The Aberdeenshire farmers have turned their atten-
tion almost exclusively to the breeding and feeding
of cattle. They have continued for a long period,
without regard to price, in many cases, to introduce
the best blood into their herds. By a long-con-
tinued infusion of first-class animals, and weeding
out inferior animals, they have established a breed
unequalled for meat-producing qualities in Britain.
The Aberdeenshire turnips have been proved by
analysis to be of a very superior quality, and it is
likewise a good grazing county. Another point is
the great attention paid to calves after weaning,
and not allowing them to lose the calf-flesh, which,
if lost, can never be regained. But the indomitable
perseverance of the farmers in selecting good and
weeding out inferior animals is, I think, the main
cause.

It will be seen by the following table that the
dead-meat trade has become one of the great institu-
tions of the country. There are hundreds engaged

THE CATTLE TRADE,

in the business, and it is yearly increasing. Amongst
the greatest senders are Messrs Butler, Skinner, Wish-
art, and Wisely, and White of Aberdeen ; but a great
deal of dead meat is also sent from the rural districts.
When the supply is short, some of our most enter-
prising butchers attend the Glasgow market, bring
down cattle, and slaughter them in Aberdeen, and
send their carcasses to London. I have known Mr
Butler bring down fifty in one week. The following
table shows the number of cattle and tons of dead
meat sent to the London and other markets during
1865 and the six previous years ; it also shows what
was sent by rail and sea respectively : —

Cattle. Dead Meat.

Year.

Rail.

Sea.

Rail.

Sea.

1859

13,130

7,282

6,905 tons.

48 tons.

1S60

13,993

3,782

5,769 „

53 „

1S61

S.S52

S,324

8,041 „

127 „

1862

0,281

4,518

9,392 „

76 „

1S63

9,623

4,163

9,395 „

58 „

1804

7,624

3,551

9.S40 „

2 „

1S65

9,031

4,558

10,074 „

61 „

Taking the year 1865, there were 10,074 tons of
dead meat sent by rail, and 61 tons by sea. Calcu-
lating that 6 cwt. was the average weight of the
cattle, this will show that 33,783 cattle were sent
away from Aberdeen as dead meat, against 9031
live cattle by rail and 4558 by sea, so that '20,194
more were sent away dead than alive. The live
cattle would weigh 7 cwt., or 1 cwt. more than the
dead.*

* Since the amalgamation between the Caledonian Railway
and the Scottish North - Eastern took place, the returns of
cattle and dead meat sent to London and elsewhere have not
been given to the public. The Caledonian Company refused
repeatedly to give them, and when pressed by myself, ottered
to let me have access to the accumulated pile of forwarding-

THEN AND NOW.

I have stated that almost a new race of men has
sprung up within the last forty years. Very few
are now alive that were prominent in the cattle
trade at that time ; there are, however, some alive
that I may name: Mr Anderson, Pitcarry; Mr

notes for the last four years ! The following valuable sta-
tistics, compiled by Mr James Valentine, Aberdeen, show
that the proportion of dead meat sent to London is on the
increase : —

1. The cattle and dead meat sent by sea during the past
three years stood : —

Cattle. Dead Meat.

Year. Number. Tons.

1866, 5483 499

1867, 2770 487

1868, 6313 380

2. Of dead meat booked ''through "per Great North of Scot-
land Railway, the amount for five years was : —

Tear. Tons. Year. Tons.

1S64 1848

1865 2874

1866 3346

1867 3414

1868 3544

3. The number of cattle-hides passing through the hands of
the dealers in Aberdeen during 1867 was, in whole, 49,181.
In 1868 the number was 42,115, besides 13,167 from the
county, and 3125 from Kincardineshire. If we set down
each animal slaughtered at 6 cwt., this would give a total of
17,500 tons ; or, deducting the town's consumption (say 2500
tons), 15,000 tons sent south for the year. Probably, how-
ever, though hides to this amount dealt with in Aberdeen,
represent meat as stated, part of the meat may be included in
the category " booked through per Great North." Supposing,
therefore, that the whole amount of dead meat despatched
from Aberdeen from every quarter, in 1868, was 15,000 tons,
we may assume that, in addition, 7500 cattle were sent
south. The tendency of late years has undoubtedly been to
send fewer live stock and more dead meat to the London
market, and also to send more cattle by sea and dead meat
by rail.

THE CATTLE TRADE,

Lumsden, Aquhorthies ; and Mr Stoddart, Culter-
cullen. These must always hold a prominent posi-
tion in the cattle trade of Aberdeenshire, as Mr
Anderson was the first man that shipped cattle
from Aberdeen, and Messrs Lumsden and Stoddart
distinguished themselves in Aberdeenshire as two
of our best judges, and were amongst the first to
see and take advantage of steam communication.
They are now the oldest of the Aberdeen shippers
of cattle. They were some of the first to develop
and mature that system of feeding which has made
Aberdeenshire celebrated through Britain. The
Aberdeen butchers have a higher standing than can
be claimed by their brethren in any other part of the
kingdom. The butchers in other cities are generally
only purveyors, and never dispute the honours of
the show-yard with the grazier or breeder. They
buy their weekly supply at their weekly markets ;
but many of the chief Aberdeen butchers do not
depend up on the market for their supplies, but feed
large lots of fine cattle and sheep themselves to
meet emergencies, upon which they can fall back.
They do more than this ; they are the largest and
most successful exhibitors at our great annual fat
shows. They are not only great purveyors them-
selves, but they supply a good proportion of the
Christmas prize animals to the chief butchers of
London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle, York,
Darlington, Edinburgh, Glasgow, &c. The names
of Martin, Stewart, Knowles, &c, are celebrated not
only in Great Britain, but in France. Such men
are public benefactors, and entitled to the gratitude
of their country. Messrs James and William Martin
(butchers to the Queen) kill and retail 40 beasts
and 100 sheep weekly. Messrs Knowles, Stewart,

THEN AND NOW.

and Milne, have grand retail trades, but Mr White
perhaps retails as much as, if not more than, any of
them. It is a great sight to see the display of meat
and the immense crowd of purchasers in his shop
on a Friday forenoon. Mr White is a man who has
raised himself to the highest position by his steadi-
ness and persevering energy. He is one of those
men who cannot be kept clown.

These butchers are also great senders of live
cattle to London. At the great market they stand
pre-eminent. The Messrs Martin, who stand at the
top, send as many as 100 or 150 cattle, worth from
£.'i5 to £50 a -head. Messrs Stewart, Knowles,
Wishart, and Wisely, &c, send yearly splendid lots.
Messrs Wishart and Wisely, as feeders and deal-
ers, are gradually drawing to the top. They feed
a great many superior cattle, and put an immense
number through their hands. Many of them, they
send alive to London, but they also send an enor-
mous quantity of dead meat. No men in the trade
know their business better. Mr Martin, however,
must still stand at the top. As an example, I may
mention that he exhibited a four-year-old High-
lander at Birmingham, London, and Liverpool in
1868, which gained the first prize at each of these
places. His head now adorns Mr Martin's shop in
New Market, alongside of the royal arms, the firm
being butchers to her Majesty. It is a perfect
model of what the head of a Highlander should be.
Deacon Milne, however, surpassed them all for
several years, if not in numbers, in the quality and
value of the animals he forwarded to the great
Christmas market. For several years Mr Skinner,
Woodside, has sent about 100 valuable animals to
the Christmas market. He is one of the greatest

THE CATTLE TRADE,

senders of dead meat, and he also feeds a large lot
of bullocks. To speak of all the senders of dead
meat, butchers, and jobbers, in the city and the
provinces, would be a hopeless and an endless task.
I believe there cannot be fewer than 500 in Aber-
deenshire alone ; and, long as I have been connected
with the cattle trade, I could not name one in ten.

I have briefly noticed the cattle trade in connec-
tion with the Aberdeen butchers : let me now glance
at the shippers and jobbers of the provinces, as it is
from them that the raw material is furnished. The
following remarks apply to Aberdeen, Banff, and
Moray shires : our provincial jobbers are a host in
themselves, and are a very heterogeneous multitude ;
from the man who can pay thousands, through all
the intermediate stages, down to the man that buys
a beast and cannot lift it unless he can sell it there
and then for a profit. We have a large class of the
first, who can not only pay their hundreds but their
thousands. We have an intermediate class that
job, generally occupiers of two and four horse
farms. There is no end to their peregrinations,
toil, and industry ; in summer, in winter, in fair
and foul, by night and by day, by moonlight and by
starlight, they scour the country, and collect cattle
from all points of the compass, and sell them at the
fairs to farmers, butchers, and dealers. We have
also the dealer of smaller pretensions, who can only
afford to buy a beast or two, which he drives to
market himself ; such a beginning, however, I have
known end in becoming the proprietor of £25,000
worth of landed property. We have the cow-jobber,
and it is sometimes a very lucrative business ; many
have been veiy successful in the trade. Mr Forrest
was a cow-jobber : he rented all the grass land

THEN AND NOW.

round Hamilton Palace for many years from the
Duke of Hamilton. He bought nothing but cows,
and it was said he would ride 100 miles to buy a
farrow cow. He died worth a fortune, and proprie-
tor of a good estate. We have the jobber who buys
only lean store cattle, and. the jobber of fat cattle
alone. Banffshire can claim a Stoddart, and Moray-
shire the two M'Kessocks, the Laird of Ardgay,
and the tenant of Balnaferry ; and I do not know
which to admire most, the daring and skill of the
laird, or the caution and skill of the tenant, Mac-
donald of Blervie, through whose hands three-fourths
of the store cattle in Morayshire pass. We have in
Aberdeenshire Mr Beid, Grey stone, in the Vale of
Alford ; Mr Stoddart, Cultercullen ; the Messrs
Bruce in Alford, Clova, and Strathbogie ; and Mr
Mennie of Huntly. Mr Beid, Greystone, has at-
tained the highest position as a feeder and grazier
amongst British agriculturists. His stock have for
many years taken a most prominent place at our
national shows at London, Birmingham, Liverpool,
York, Newcastle, Leeds, Edinburgh, &c. &c.

IV. BLACK POLLED ABEEDEEN AND
ANGUS CATTLE & SHOKTHOENS.

It is not my purpose to treat of shorthorns : I may,
however, glance at some of the principal breeders
of that kind of stock in the north. Mr Alexander
Hay, Shethin, was the first who introduced short-
horns into Aberdeenshire. He bought the celebrated
bull "Jerry" from the late Mr John Rennie of
Phantassie ; and he was the first shorthorn that
crossed the Dee. I should have mentioned his
brother, the late William Hay, Shethin, the cele-
brated breeder of shorthorns, and one of the greatest
feeders in the north. He was the first man in Aber-
deenshire who gained a prize at the Srnithfield Club
Show, the animal being a Hereford ox; and he was
also the first that sent cattle by railway to Lon-
don. He and the Messrs Cruickshauk, Sittyton, had
everything their own way in the show-yard for
years. The late Mr Gi ant Duff of Eden was one of
the greatest and most systematic breeders of short-
horns in the north. He paid 170 guineas for
" Brawith Bud," and she made his " herd's fortunes."
He astonished the country by his crosses between
the shorthorns and West-Highlanders. He was dead
against the system of forcing for the show-yard.
Foremost among eminent breeders of shorthorns

BLACK POLLED AND SHORTHORNS.

in the north at the present time are the Messrs
Cruickshauk, Sittyton. Their fame is European;
they own the largest herds of shorthorns in the
world. It is only necessary to name " Fairfax
Royal," " Prince Edward Fairfax," " Velvet Jacket,"
"Matadore," "Lord Sackville," the "Baron" by
" Baron Warlaby," " Master Butterfly,'' the " 2d
John Bull," "Lancaster Comet," "Lord Raglan,"
"Ivanhoe," "Lord Garlies," "Malachite," "Wind-
sor Augustus," " Sir James the Rose," and last,
though not least, "Forth"— to show the distinguished
position their herd has taken. Suffice it to say that
no other breeder of shorthorns can claim having
owned such an array of first-class bulls. Amongst
the eminent breeders of shorthorns, Mr Campbell,
Kinellar, occupies a distinguished place. I believe
no one is a better judge of shorthorns, and no other-
has been more successful as a breeder. Mr C.
began to breed this class of stock about twenty
years ago, and "Lord Scarboro'," "Mosstrooper,"
" Beeswing," " Garioch Boy," " Scarlet Velvet," and
" Diphthong," are some of the celebrated bulls that
have been introduced into the herd. " Scarlet
Velvet" and "Diphthong" gained the Aberdeenshire
challenge-cup in 1862-G3. At his annual sales his
bull calves bring high prices ; for some as much as
sixty, eighty, and a hundred guineas each have been
paid. His stock has for years taken a high position
in our show-yards. Mr George Shepherd, Shethin,
who succeeded his father-in-law, Mr Wm. Hay, had
one of the largest herds of shorthorns, which were
mostly sold off some years ago. Mr Shepherd's herd
was of the highest blood, and won many prizes.
The bull " Cherry Duke the Second," bred by Mr
Bolden and bought by Mr Shepherd, juu., from

88 BLACK POLLED AND SHORTHORNS.

Mr Atberston, was invincible. After gaining every
prize in the north and the challenge-cup at Aber-
deen, he finished his honourable career as a prize-
winner at Edinburgh, when, in 1859, he took the
first prize in the aged bull class. Mr Milne of Kin-
aldie is an eminent breeder of shorthorns ; he has
distanced all other competitors with his cows. Mr
Marr, Uppermill, has got some of the very best
shorthorns in the country ; and his brother Mr Marr,
Cairnbrogie ; Mr Scott, Glendronach ; Mr Bruce'
Broadland; and Mr Mitchell, Haddo— are all eminent
breeders of shorthorns. Their bull calves command
high prices at their annual sales. In Banffshire
we have that veteran and successful breeder, Mr
Longmore, Bettie, whose stock has long borne a high
character. In Morayshire we have two eminent
breeders — Mr Geddes of Orbliston and Mr M'Kes-
sock, Balnaferry, who have everything their own
way in the show-yard north of the Spey. Mr Geddes
stood at the top of the Highland Society's prize-list
at the Inverness show as the owner of the best aged
shorthorned bull, and was a winner along with Mr
John M'Kessock in the class of shorthorned heifers.
Mr Stronach of Ardmellie was a successful breeder
of shorthorns. He sold off his stock some years
ago. His farm was only 100 acres, but his stock
fetched high prices. One yearling quey brought
£54, and a cow £53. The proceeds of the sale
amounted to about £1000— a large sum, considering
the smallness of the farm. Mr Stronach was for
many years a successful competitor at the local
shows, and sold a cow to Mr Cruickshank that car-
ried the first prize at one of the Highland Society's
shows at Aberdeen. Mr Stronach crossed the
yellow Highland cows and heifers with shorthorn

BLACK POLLED AND SHORTHORNS. 89

bulls, and the result was very successful. Mr
Stronach was also an exhibitor at the Paris show.

I have only glanced at the breeders of shorthorns
in the north ; in conclusion, I may notice some of
those noblemen and gentlemen who have distin-
guished themselves as breeders of Aberdeen and
Angus polled cattle. Among these the late Hugh
Watson, Keillor, deserves to be put in the front
rank. No breeder of polled Aberdeen and Angus
will grudge that well-merited honour to his memory.
We all look up to him as the first great improver,
and no one will question his title to this distinction.
There is no herd in the country which is not in-
debted to the Keillor blood. For many a long year
Mr Watson carried everything before him. He
began to exhibit in 1810, and won during his life-
time some 200 prizes for cattle, sheep, and cart and
thoroughbred horses. The heifers which he exhi-
bited at Perth in 1829 were greatly admired ; and
the Smithfield heifer of '29 was so good that she was
modelled, and her portrait is in the volume 1 Cattle '
of the publications of the Society for the Diffusion
of Useful Knowledge. He gained the Pureell chal-
lenge-cup at Belfast for an Angus ox, which was
kept by the Prince Consort at the Eoyal Farm,
Windsor, till his death, when his age was seventeen.
As an example of the longevity of the race, Mr
Watson's celebrated cow, " Old Grannie," the first
cow in the Polled Herd Book, died at thirty-five
years of age. Mr Watson bred many celebrated
bulls, but " Old Jock " was facile princeps. He car-
ried everything before him, and in 1844 was sold
for a hundred guineas — a large price at that time.
To " Angus," who fell into my hands, I am in-
debted for some of the best blood in the male line.

90 ELACK POLLED AND SHOETHOENS.

Mr Watson also bred " Strathmore," " Windsor,"
" Pat," and " Second Jock," which last beat all the
bulls in a sweepstake at Perth in 1852, after he was
thirteen years old.

Mr Bowie, of Mains of Kelly, has been a most
successful and energetic breeder of polled cattle. To
him I am indebted for "Hanton," who, with "Angus"
and " Panmure " in the male line, were my " herds'
fortunes." He also bred " Cup-Bearer," who did so
much good for Lord Southesk's herd. " Second Earl
Spencer " and " Cup-Bearer " were 1st and 2d prize
bulls at Berwick. At our national shows Mr Bowie
has been the most successful prize-taker in the Bull
classes. Where he has exhibited he has generally
carried the first honours. At Aberdeen, at Berwick,
at Dumfries, and at the Boyal Agricultural Society
of England, his bulls were invincible. It is most
deeply to be regretted that the plague got into his
stock, and he has sustained a heavy loss. Still he
came out better than any of his neighbours. He
saved twenty-three cattle ; and his herd will, I trust,
in a few years attain its wonted position. I have
drawn, at one time or another, largely from Mr
Bowie's stock, and have paid him high prices — as
high as a hundred guineas for bulls, and forty, fifty,
and sixty guineas for females. Mr Bowie is one of
the best judges of Aberdeen and Angus cattle in
Scotland.

Lord Southesk was one of our most enterprising
breeders of polled stock ; and before the plague
decimated his fine herd last year, it was almost the
best in the land. There has been a herd of pure
Angus cattle at Kinnaird for fifty years ; but when
his lordship succeeded to the property it got a fresh
start. He introduced "Cup-Bearer" by "Pat" from

BLACK POLLED AND SIIOKTHORNS.

Mr Bowie's herd, and he did good service. The
"well-known "Druid," of show-yard celebrity, was
descended from "Cup-Bearer" and from "Dora,"
bred to Mr Buxton of Farnell. "Windsor" was
afterwards introduced. He was bought from George
Brown, Westerton of Fochabers, for two hundred
guineas, and took the first prize at Edinburgh in the
aged bull class ; the silver medal to the breeder
came to Tillyfour. He was carried off by the
plague, at nine years of age, last winter at Kinnaird.
" Druid " was a great prize-winner, and gained more
than £100 in his different journeys, and. a host ot
medals. The Kelso heifers were very superior, and
" Quadrona" gained the first prize at Smithfield in
the female polled class. It is deeply to be regretted
that Lord Southesk's fine herd suffered so heavily by
the rinderpest. This has been indeed a national
loss. Lord Southesk spared no expense in purchas-
ing the finest animals, and had an able assistant in
his brother, the Hon. Charles Carnegie, M.B., who
is not only a good judge, but knows the pedigrees
of the different polled herds better than any other
man.

William Fullerton, late of Mains of Ardovie, now
of Mains of Ardestie, was a celebrated breeder of
Angus cattle ; but pleuro-pneumonia got into his
herd, and he lost no fewer than eighty cattle by the
disease. One bull that recovered was good enough
to go to Glasgow and take the first prize in the aged
bull class. His bull " Banmure " gained the first
prize at the Highland Society's Show at Dundee in
the aged bull class, and Mr Fullerton also carried off
the prize for the three best cows. " Banmure " was
sold to the late Mr Taylor, Wellhouse, Alford, and
some of my best stock trace their descent from

BLACK POLLED AND SHORTHORNS.

" Panmure." The late Lord Panmure sent the late
Mr Phillip, the great painter, to Wellhouse, -to take
the bull's portrait. Not satisfied with Mr Phillip's
first sketch, he sent him back ; and Mr Phillip lived
at Wellhouse for weeks, and painted " Panmure " a
second time. Mr Fullerton is one of our best judges,
and to him I am indebted for my best stock in the
female line. It was at his sale I purchased the
" Queen," whose descendants in the female line have,
except in two or three solitary cases, driven competi-
tion before them in Scotland, England, and France.
Many of my best stock trace their pedigree from the
"Queen."

The Ballwyllo herd have long been celebrated,
and were a tower of strength at the Angus Agricul-
tural Society's shows. The late Mr Eobert Scott
was a most enthusiastic and successful breeder.
The prizes gained by the Ballwyllo herd were very
numerous. At Aberdeen, in 1847, Mr Eobert Scott
gained the first prize for a cow from the Highland
Society; and at Windsor, in 1851, he gained the
first prize in the cow class for the same animal,
which was bred at Tillyfour. He also gained the
first prize in the aged bull class at Perth, and the
first prize in the yearling heifer class. Both animals
were bred at Ballwyllo. The Ballwyllo stock have
taken a prominent place at Dumfries, and at the
Eoyal Northern Agricultural Society's shows. Since
Mr Eobert Scott's death, Mrs Scott, his mother, has
most enthusiastically stuck to the Angus Doddies ;
but it is a matter of deep regret that she also was a
severe sufferer by the rinderpest.

Mr Mustard, Leuchland, is a very old breeder,
and I believe no purer stock exist in Forfarshire.
Mr Mustard never forces his stock for tire show-

BLACK POLLED AND SHORTHORNS.

yard, and seldom sends any except to the county
show, where they are always winners. I have often
admired the purity, style, and condition — as it ought
to be in a breeding stock — of the Leuchland herd.
Mr Lyell, of Shielhill, brother of Sir Charles Lyell,
has a very good herd of polled Angus cattle. His
bull "Prospero" gained the first prize at Perth in
the two-year-old class, and at Battersea Park he won
the first prize in the aged bull class. Mr Leslie of
the Thorn is also a most successful breeder. He
came out so strong at Stirling that he beat all and
sundry for yearling bulls, and followed up his con-
quests by selling " President the Fourth" at an
almost fabulous price.

From Angus we come north to Kincardine, and
we there find the celebrated breeder since 1826, Mr
Piobert "Walker, Portlethen. It would be endless to
attempt to sum up his victories, local, national, and
international, they are spread over such a large sur-
face. Mr Walker was a most successful competitor
at the International Show at Paris, and refused £230
for his prize bull. His bull " Porty " was sent to
Inverary, and took the first prize. There was no
Aberdeen show at that time. " The Banks of Dee "
carried everything before him, and his descendants
gained seven firsts and a second in one year in the
show-yard ; but although Mr Walker had never bred
another animal save " Fox Maule," his celebrity as a
breeder would have been established. " Fox Maule"
was one of the best polled bulls ever exhibited. Mr
Hector, late in Fernyflat, was a very celebrated
breeder of polled cattle, and his stock was of the
very highest order, and gained many prizes at our
national shows. The Crathes stock is of long stand-
ing. The late Sir Thomas Burnett was a most sue-

BLACK POLLED AND SHORTHOENS.

cessful breeder, and stood in the front rank for many
a long year. The Cratb.es herd was a tower of
strength, and under the able management of Mr John
Davidson they were dangerous antagonists. I have
had many encounters with them in the Aberdeen
show-yard, and have got soundly beaten. "The
Banks of Dee," mentioned above, was the most cele-
brated bull of his day, and took the first prize
wherever he was exhibited, local and national. Sir
Thomas had his portrait taken and engraved. The
prizes gained by the Crathes stock count by the
hundred. On the lamented death of Sir Thomas
Burnett he was succeeded by his brother, Sir Alex-
ander Burnett, who kept up the stock ; and at his
death he was succeeded by the present proprietor,
Sir J ames Burnett, who has added drafts from the
best stocks in the country. There is no doubt the
Crathes herd will remain true to its ancient fame.

In Aberdeenshire the breeders of polled cattle are
very numerous, but we shall only mention a few.
William M'Corabie, of Easter Skene, has always
stuck to the polled breed, and his stock have been
conspicuous as prize-takers. His cow, "Queen
of Scots," beat Lord Southesk's "Dora" and ten
other fine cows in 1853, and " Eoderick Dhu" gained
the first prize the same year, while " Alastor the
Second" beat " Fox Maule" at Aberdeen — the only
time that animal ever was beaten. One ox I pur-
chased from Mr M'Combie gained the first prize at
Glasgow at the last fat show held by the Highland
Society.*

* Mr M'Combie has taken a very prominent position since
the above was written. At the Highland Society's show at
Aberdeen he gained the first prize for the best yearling bull, the
first prize for the best two-year-old bullock, and other prizes.

BLACK POLLED AND SHORTHORNS.

Colonel Fraser, of Castle Fraser, has also stuck to
the Aberdeen and Angus polled cattle. His stock
take a prominent place at the Eoyal Northern Agri-
cultural Society's shows.* They are not pampered
for show-yard purposes, but he has bred from the
best blood, and his stock always take a good place
where exhibited. In the Garioch, as a breeder of
polled cattle, Mr Stephen, Conglass, stands pre-
eminent. The Conglass stock have been handed
down from father to son, and the son has not allowed
them to lose their position. Mr Stephen gained the
Fat challenge-cup by a three-year-old ox, bred to
himself at Aberdeen in 1864. At Poissy he carried
off the first prize for the best heifer, beating all and
sundry.

In Banffshire, Mr Walker of Montbletton is the
most celebrated breeder. He has twenty breeding

* Since the first edition of this book was published, Colonel
Fraser's stock has taken a leading position. At the Royal
Northern Agricultural Society's show in 1S67, he gained the
Polled challenge-cup. The cup has to be gained for three suc-
cessive years by the same party, and with different animals,
before it becomes his property. I had gained it the two pre-
ceding years, and it was now fairly within my grasp. It was
my last asking, but it was dashed from my lips, and went for
the time to Castle Fraser, instead of going to Tillyfour for ever.
Colonel Fraser likewise gained the first prize for the same cow
at the Highland Society's show at Glasgow in 1S67 ; and again
carried first honours with a younger cow at the Highland
Society's show at Aberdeen last summer.

Mr M'Combie of Easter Skene's farm -manager has great
merit by his indefatigable exertions in bringing up the Easter
Skene stock to its high position. He is an old and respected
servant of my own, and nothing gives him so much satisfaction
as to beat his old master. Mr Hampton, manager for Castle
Fraser, deserves equal credit for his unwearied exertions in
improving the Castle Fraser stock.

BLACK POLLED AND SHOKTHORNS.

cows, and has carried almost every medal and prize
at the Banff and Turriff shows for polled cattle, as
well as many of the highest prizes at the Eoyal
Northern and Highland Society's shows.

In Morayshire we have Mr Brown, Westerton, who
is well known as one of our best judges of polled
cattle. Mr Brown's herd came first prominently into
notice at the Highland Society's show at Inverness
in 1856, when he carried off the highest honours for
heifers, and was second to " Hanton " — who never
was beaten but once — in the aged bull class. At
the Highland Society's show at Aberdeen, he was
first with " Windsor " in the two-year-old class. Mr
Brown's skill was tested as to th"e purchase and sale
of "Windsor;" he bought him from me as a calf in
low condition, under £40, and sold him to Lord
Southesk for 200 guineas. At Elgin, at Aberdeen,
and at the Highland Society's shows, Mr Brown was
a most successful competitor. But at the Dumfries
show, Mr Brown, Mr Collie, and myself got pleuro-
pneumonia into our stock, and it decimated Mr
Brown's valuable herd. Mr Brown's character as a
judge stands in the front rank with the breeders of
Aberdeen and Angus stock, and he has often been
put on to act in that capacity by the Directors of the
Highland and Eoyal Northern Agricultural Societies.

Mr Paterson, Mulben, is a great and fortunate
breeder of polled stock. Mr Paterson commenced
to breed in 1846. His celebrated "Mayflower" was
the first-prize cow at the Highland Society's show at
Perth in 1861 ; "Malcolm" was first at Elgin and
Aberdeen, and second at Perth; and "Prince of
Wales," bred to Mr Brown, Westerton, was first at
Aberdeen in 1862, and first at the Highland Society's
show at Stirling. It would be a hopeless as well as

BLACK POLLED AXD SHORTHORNS.

an endless task to record Mr Paterson's victories at
the Highland and Eoyal Northern Societies' shows
at Elgin, Aberdeen, Banff, Huntly, and Dufftown,
where he has often got everything his own way.

Mr John Collie, Ardgay, was a celebrated breeder,
and was one of the most dangerous men to face in
the show-yard I have ever encountered. He gave
me a sound drubbing at Edinburgh in the Cow class,
and beat me for a first place out of my own kennel
with " Fair Maid of Perth," which he bought from
me at 81 guineas ; but not satisfied with that, he
took a second place with "Mayflower," bred to Mr
Paterson, and left me with the bronze medal for my
cow prize. I am indebted to Mr Collie for some of
my best animals — viz., " Zara," the second - prize
heifer at Battersea, and " Kate of Aberdeen," out of
"Zara," and many others. He has been a very
successful exhibitor of stock, and has distinguished
himself at Elgin, Aberdeen, the Highland Society's
shows, and the great International Exhibition at
Paris. The ox I gained the Smithfield prize with
in 1864 was bred to Mr Collie.

Perhaps the Ballindalloch herd of polled cattle are
the oldest in the north ; they have been the talk of
the country .since my earliest recollection, and were
then superior to all other stock. The herd has been
kept up to its wonted standard, and even raised
higher, by the present proprietor, Sir George Mac-
pherson Grant, of Ballindalloch and Invereshie, by
selections from the best herds in the kingdom.
Coming fast into notice is the Drumin herd ; it con-
sists of about twenty cows and their followers. Mr
Skinner has improved his stock by drafts from the
best herds in the country. He never forces for the
show-yard, but his stock have been veiy successful
G

BLACK POLLED AND SHOBTHOENS.

at the Spey and Avonside Agricultural Society's
shows. He has won the first prize for cows for the
last two years — no small victory, when he had Sir
George Macpherson Grant and Mr Paterson to con-
tend against. He has also had his fair share of
prizes for bulls, heifers, and bullocks. A bullock
bred at Drumin took the first prize at Liverpool, in
the Polled class, in December last, Mr Skinner has
not exhibited his stock at the Highland Society's
shows, but there is no doubt we shall see them there
by-and-by.*

* Mr Skinner was an exhibitor at the Highland Society's
show at Aberdeen last summer, and gained the first prize for
his two-year-old heifer.

V. HINTS ON THE BREEDING AND
CARE OF CATTLE.

It has been suggested to me that I should add my
experience as a breeder of Aberdeen and Angus
stock to my observations on the feeding of cattle.
It is with considerable hesitation that I have ven-
tured to put upon paper my views upon a subject on
which there is such diversity of opinion. It will,
however, lessen the field of controversy, that my
practice and observations apply only to the Aber-
deen and Angus breed ; although I presume what
applies to one breed may apply in a great degree to
all. My observations may be of some use to those
readers who have not devoted much attention to the
subject ; they may prove of interest even to more ex-
perienced breeders, should I be able to adduce facts
that may have escaped their notice, or in confirma-
tion of their own observations. I can hardly speak
with the same authority as a breeder, generally, that
I can as a feeder ; yet I have been a close observer
now for many years, and devoted my earnest atten-
tion to the improvement of the Aberdeen and Angus
polled breed of cattle, with respect to size, symmetry,
fineness of bone, strength of constitution, and dis-
position to accumulate fat, sparing no expense in
obtaining the finest animals from the purest stock.

100

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

Laying the foundation of a breeding stock will be
the first matter under consideration. We are met
here at the very outset by the advocates of blood
and those of selection. Much may be said and
volumes have been written in favour of both. My
experience leads me to take a middle course between
the two, and to keep in view both the one and the
other. With respect to the qualifications of a suc-
cessful breeder, Darwin writes : " Not one man in a
thousand has accuracy of eye and judgment suffi-
cient to become an eminent breeder. If gifted with
these qualities, and he studies the subject for years,
and devotes his lifetime to it with indomitable per-
severance, he will succeed and make great improve-
ments ; and if he wants any of these qualities he
will assuredly fail." Darwin's view will be found
pretty correct. Many breed with a certain success,
and even rush to the top for a time in the show-yard,
but it is only those described by Darwin who will
finally succeed. In laying the foundation of a breed-
ing stock there is generally one of two objects in
view : either, first, to raise up a herd the best of its
race, with a view to competition in the show-yard
and to improve it to the utmost ; or, second, to breed
commercial cattle for commercial purposes with the
greatest possible profit. The first requires inde-
pendent means ; and, to secure success, skill, perse-
verance, and patience under heavy disappointments.
The second can be attained by ordinary prudence.
If the first object be the one aimed at, the selection
should be made from the most established herds,
and of animals of pedigree, and possessing the char-
acteristics of the race you intend to propagate. But
my attention will be more particularly directed to
the second. There are few that have hatfuls of

AND CAKE OF CATTLE.

101

money to expend upon the purchase of high-bred
animals ; nor is this necessary in order to secure a
profitable return from a breeding stock.

I would recommend the following method : I shall
suppose a farmer wishes to buy twenty cows to stock
his farm (Aberdeen and Angus cattle). His entry
is, say, at Whitsunday. He must have a bull to
serve his cows. He should be selected from an
established herd and from a race of good milkers.
The farmer must be a good judge, or employ one in
whom he has implicit confidence to act in his behalf.
In his selection he must have a certain model in his
eye, such as he wishes to propagate. I assume that
he considered that his farm is adapted for the rear-
ing of the Aberdeen and Angus breed of cattle, and
is convinced of their hardihood of constitution being
adapted to his soil and the climate. He ought to
keep to certain ground in his selection ; that, name-
ly, where the polled breed are still in a state of
purity, as in Angus, Aberdeen, Kincardine, Banff,
and Moray shires. He ought to visit the Alford
district, and all to the west of Alford. On the Spey
he will find cattle well worth his attention. They
are not of large size generally, but many of fine
quality. In the neighbourhood of Dufftown, and
west from Dufftown, there are many useful beasts.
The Mearns and Angus he should carefully examine,
visiting the farms where polled cattle are bred. The
wealthy breeder, No. 1, may look to the honours of
the show-yard ; but No. 2, 'with his limited means,
must have regard only to his ultimate profit.

As it is a Whitsunday entry, he ought to have the "
lot made up, and the bull put to them in season, that
he may not lose a year. The cows he buys will give
milk to the house, and the two-year-old heifers will

102

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

be easily kept on. I speak on the supposition that
cows and heifers are bought, but the majority should
be heifers. He ought to attend all the fairs in his
power through spring, and be on the instant ready
to pick up a suitable beast wherever it appears,
which he can always do at market value. He ought
to select the best heifers or cows (duly informing
himself as to their breeding) from the different dis-
tricts I have named. The produce, after a first-class
bull, will be astonishing. The cows that throw the
best calves should be retained, while those that
" cry back " should be dismissed, and their places
filled up with a new selection. By careful breeding
for two years there will be a most useful profitable
breeding stock established, and there is no doubt
that even some good races may be secured. We
have ample experience and proof of this in the good
calves thrown by our worthless little black polled
country cows, and it is on my experience of this
fact that my recommendation is founded. For two-
year-olds rising three, out of small cows, I have at
Christmas got £40 from the butcher. Purity of
blood in the male will be found highly to improve
inferior races. A herd of breeding stock without
the risk of haphazard will be secured at a moderate
cost — one that will be profitable to the owner.

The following remarks apply partly to a show-
yard herd, and partly to one for commercial purposes.
In the original selection, as I have already observed,
the breeder must have in his eye the model he wishes
to propagate. The animals selected should ap-
proach the desired type as nearly as can be obtained ;
and by careful and repeated selections the ideal may
be reached. The selector must be well satisfied as
to soundness of constitution, especially in laying the

AND CAKE OF CATTLE.

103

foundation of a show-yard herd. If male or female
have hereditary defects of constitution, their progeny
will inherit them. Show-yard stock, being pampered
for exhibition, are more liable than the common
stock of the country to be affected with hereditary
diseases. Pedigree is of the most vital importance.
We ought always to prefer a bull of high pedigree,
with fair symmetry and quality, to another bull,
though much superior in appearance, but of ques-
tionable pedigree. If the latter be turned to a herd
superior in blood to himself, incalculable mischief
may be done. Breeders have not given the subject
the attention it deserves. I have paid dearly for my
experience in the matter. But bulls, even from the
purest herds, will not all produce stock alike. Some
will give a majority of bull calves, others a majority
of heifer calves ; some will be famous for getting
fine bulls, and others for getting fine heifers, while
others produce little to boast of in the one or the
other. No one can affirm that he has a first-class
sire till he has been tested. If the result be satis-
factory, money should be no temptation ; he must
not be sold. It must not be forgotten that the male
has most influence in breeding ; but without first-
class females the descendants will not shine gener-
ally in the show-yard. Breeding for the show-
yard must not be loft to haphazard ; nor is the
breeder likely to be successful if pride and conceit
be his besetting sins'. Take the foUowing by way
of illustration : At perhaps a distant sale a fine cow
is bought, or it may be at market. Attention to
pedigree is ignored ; the age is perhaps considered
of no consequence. On her arrival she is examined
and applauded by friends and neighbours. The in-
spection may cost the owner gallons of whisky ; but

104

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

she is to prove a mine of wealth. Great hopes are
entertained of her progeny. The calf is expected
to be first-class. After days of care and nights of
dreams and anxious watchings, with unnecessary
aid in calving, the calf at last sees the light of day.
The owner is disgusted at the result. The cow
yields little milk, either for the calf or the family.
She is sent where she should have gone years before
— to the butcher. The disappointed owner in future
buys the cheapest animals that come to hand. If
pedigree be ignored, and the sire be of doubtful an-
tecedents, except in an accidental case, the progeny
will be at the best of medium quality ; but by ordi-
nary precaution such loss may be avoided.

Breeding in-and-in has some advantages and
many advocates. It is a knotty point to touch
upon. At the commencement I stated that my own
experience led me to adopt a middle course ; that
experience has not been in favour of the system.
By adhering to it I found that quality was main-
tained, and even improved ; but size was reduced,
and symptoms of delicacy of constitution were mani-
fested. It may be pursued for a time, until the
type is developed, but to continue for any length of
time to breed in and in, is not only against my
experience, but, I believe, against nature.

In looking over a herd of breeding cattle, I have
often seen the owner or the cattle-keeper pointing
out a cow that throws a good calf, and never threw
a bad one, and at the same time telling you how
great a milker she is. It would be difficult to buy
such a cow too dear. Most of the above remarks
may apply alike to the home farm of the proprietor,
to the large and small farmer, and to the crofter with
one cow. It is well known to breeders of cattle,

AND CAKE OF CATTLE.

105

and I believe of sheep, that there are particular
races that are celebrated, and upon which you can
calculate that they will never propagate an inferior
animal. Specimens not so desirable will now and
again appear, but the blood is there, and the diverg-
ence will not be great from the desired type. Again,
there will be one race noted for producing celebrated
males, and another for producing celebrated females.
A bull may be introduced that is a great getter of
bull calves, yet the change may not be to the ad-
vantage of the owner, as the female calves will not
be bred of so high an order. Professor Thury, of
Geneva, has written a very interesting paper on the
law of the production of sexes. In a letter to me,
dated 14th February 1864, he says : " There are, if
the owner pleases, two periods of heating : the one
the general period, which shows itself in the course
of the year, following the seasons ; the other, a par-
ticular period, which lasts in cows from twenty-four
to forty-eight hours, and which reveals itself a cer-
tain number of times. It is this particular period,
lasting from twenty-four to forty-eight hours, the
commencement of which gives females, while its
termination gives males. In order that we may
obtain a certain result, we must not cause the same
cow to be covered twice in succession at an inter-
val too short, for the (generative) substance of the
bull preserves itself for a time sufficiently long in
the organs of the cow. In the experiments made in
Switzerland we have taken the cow at the first cer-
tain signs of heating, for the purpose of obtaining
heifers, and at the termination of the heating for the
purpose of obtaining males. The result of these
experiments is, that we do not yet know what is the
relative length of time which gives females, and the

106

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

time which gives males ; this would form an inte-
resting subject of examination. I am of opinion
that various circumstances must be regarded as
influencing the relative period, so as to alter the
moment of (conception), and that the season must
exercise considerable influence. I am of opinion
that in such questions as that which forms the sub-
ject of my little work, we physiologists should learn
much from men of practice and experience, such as
you, who have afforded proofs of their knowledge.
The best results will follow when the raisers and
experimentalists direct their attention to the same
object." I would here acknowledge the courtesy
and kindness of Professor Thury in so readily re-
sponding to my inquiries. The experiments con-
ducted in Switzerland were decisive in support of
Professor Thury's theory. In a trial of twenty-
eight cows, it proved correct in the whole number.

In the selection of the male, you will have to
consider the faulty or defective points in your cows
with a view to correct them. As far as possible —
pedigree being right — you ought to purchase the
bull that is strong upon the points where your
females are faulty. If this is not duly attended to,
the defect or malformation may be aggravated. But
although the bull selected possesses the excellence
wanting in the cows, he ought, of course, not to
be very deficient in other points, else the cure may
be worse than the disease. If possible, he should
be taken from a pasture not superior to your own.
Docility of temper in male and female is indispen-
sable. Inexpressible mischief may be done by the
introduction of wild blood into the herd, for it is
sure to be inherited. I have suffered seriously by
this error.

AND CARE OF CATTLE.

107

To be good behind the shoulder, good in the
girth, and well down in the fore-rib, are the quali-
fications most difficult to attain. Lightness of the
fore-rib shows a tendency to delicacy of constitution,
and strength and soundness are most important to
the success of the breeder. Depth of rib is more
important in the male than in the female. Light-
ness of the fore-rib may be tolerated when milk is
the object (and many great milkers are so charac-
terised), but not where the production of beef is the
object. Then you must study to combine quality
with weight. Quality ought to be the first con-
sideration, but we must never forget that all must
come to lbs. at last.

I have already given my opinion as to the shape
and quality of a perfect breeding and feeding animal.
I shall only here remark that it is indispensable in
our cold climate that the animals should have a
good coat of soft silky hair to defend them from the
cold blasts of autumn, winter, and spring.

The Kev. H. Berry, in his Essay on Breeding,
remarks : " A person selecting a stock from which
to breed, notwithstanding he has set up for himself
a standard of perfection, will obtain them with
qualifications of different descriptions, and in differ-
ent degrees. In breeding from such he will exer-
cise his judgment, and decide what are indispensable
or desirable qualities, and will cross with animals
with a view to establish them. This proceeding
will be of the 'give-and-take' kind. He will sub-
mit to the introduction of a trifling defect, in order
that he may profit by a great excellence ; and be-
tween excellences perhaps somewhat incompatible
he will decide on which is the greatest, and give it
the preference. To a person commencing improve-

108

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

meat, the best advice is to get as good a bull as lie
can ; and if he be a good one of his kind, to use
him indiscriminately with all his cows ; and when
by this proceeding, which ought to be persisted in,
his stock has, with an occasional change of bull,
become sufficiently stamped with desirable excel-
lences, his selection of males should then be made,
to eradicate defects which he thinks it desirable to
get rid of. He will not fail to keep in view the
necessity of good blood in the bulls resorted to, for
that will give the only assurance that they will
transmit their own valuable properties to their off-
spring; but he must not depend on this alone, or
he will soon run the risk of degeneracy."

I agree generally with the above extract from Mr
Berry's most valuable prize essay ; but I must take
exception to at once using even the best bull indis-
criminately for a large and valuable herd of breeding
cows. I hold that every bull must be tested, and
when the result is found satisfactory, then, and not
till then, use him indiscriminately for all your cows.
My experience coincides with Mr Berry's where he
says the wise breeder " will not fail to keep in view
the necessity of good blood in the bulls resorted to,
for that will give the only assurance that they will
transmit their own valuable properties to their off-
spring ; but he must not depend upon this alone, or
he will soon run the risk of degeneracy." To keep up
a breeding stock to a high point of excellence is very
difficult. The breeder ought to be always buying and
selling and incorporating different strains together.
There will be many blanks, but there will be a prize ;
and when you hit, and the incorporation proves a
lasting benefit and is stamped on the original herd,
it is a great prize you have won. I therefore agree

AND CAKE OF CATTLE.

109

with Mr Berry that we must not depend alone upon
the good blood of the bull.

Having done my best to explain how T think the
foundation of a breeding stock should be laid, I
shall now give my opinion and experience how the
herd should be treated, and how it should be kept
up. The cows, heifers, and bulls should be kept
fresh, not fat, nor too lean. The calves should have
a different treatment. All breeding cattle tied to
the stall should be let out every day for two or three
hours, or at least every second day, unless the
weather be very wet or stormy. The finer the
quality of the stock the less rich will be the food
they require. It is only throwing away your means
to give high-bred cows with calf, or heifers rising
two years old, a full supply of turnips. A few to
keep them fresh and healthy, and plenty of straw, is
all they should be allowed. Bulls that are apt to
accumulate fat should also be stinted, else they will
soon be useless as stock-getters. After calving, the
cows, to secure a flow of milk, should receive a full
allowance of turnips, but the increase must be
gradual, as the cow has been stinted, or ought to
have been, before calving. Before calving, milk-
fever, or dropping after calving, is to he guarded
against. I have three or four cases with only one
recovery. I now bleed and physic every cow two
or three days before calving. I stint them in their
food two or three weeks, and have never lost one
where this practice was fully carried out.

The lean cow is as apt to go down as the fat one.
Some think warm weather is the cause. I believe
it has nothing to do with it. The grass being
generally luxuriant in warm weather, and many
cows going off in milk-fever at that season, has led

110

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

to this error. Milk-fever may, however, be produced
by giving cold water immediately after calving, &c.
Cows may be attacked immediately or in a few hours
after calving ; when four or five days have passed,
the animal may be considered safe. There are
different causes, no doubt ; but bringing a cow from
poor pasture and putting her on a rich and luxuriant
one without stint, or from straw and giving her a
full allowance of turnips up to the time of calving,
are two of the greatest predisposing causes. As an
example, I bought a cow in July off a poor pasture
and put her on a rich one ; as she was low-priced I
did not use the necessary precautions : she went
down in milk-fever. A respected old servant bought
a fine polled cow. I was walking across the field
with him, and we came upon his cow. It was in
July, and the grass was very luxuriant. I asked if
he had bled the cow, as she would calve imme-
diately. He said, " No, I have not ; and I never saw
them bled except at Tillyfour." To my sorrow and
to the man's heavy loss the cow died of milk-fever.

Milk-fever is thought by many to be incurable.
Mr Sorely, veterinary surgeon, late of Alford, has
been most successful in its treatment ; and if the
cows are not very far gone before he is called, he
generally effects a cure. I would recommend those
not acquainted with the treatment of this dreadful
calamity to communicate with him. The symptoms
are known by the cow getting restless, lifting her
legs and setting them down again, a wild appear-
ance, and attempting to poke her keeper: then
succeeds a quick motion in the flank ; she begins to
stagger, falls, but recovers herself again. This is
repeated several times, till she is at length no longer
able to rise. Her head will be turned to one side ;

AND CABE OF CATTLE.

Ill

she loses the sense of feeling, and although pricked
with a sharp instrument gives no sign of pain ; and
if not relieved, death closes the scene. If the sense
of feeling returns, it is the first sign of recovery.
The moment that milk-fever is observed the veter-
inary surgeon should be called in. There is little
risk with a heifer with her first calf, and I never
bleed or physic a heifer in calf, because she has not
attained her growth. In her case " the additional
nutriment goes to increase of size, instead of be-
coming the foundation of disease."

Eed-water is also a very fatal complaint among
cows. They generally take it about the thirteenth
or fourteenth day after calving. Many farms are
almost exempt from this disease. It is very fatal,
but if taken in time it can generally be cured ;
heavy losses are, however, experienced every year
by it. I have only had two or three cases of red-
water, and I do not therefore enlarge upon it. My
observation lias led me to believe that the theory of
the late Mr Peter Smith, veterinary surgeon, Alford
(who gained the Highland Society's prize for the
best essay on red- water in cows), is correct, that the
disease is generally most prevalent on farms where
the land is black and of a moorish tendency. The
veterinary surgeon should be called in instanter.
Garget in the udder, or weed, is also to be guarded
against. After calving, some cracks and sores
appear in the udder ; they get very troublesome.
The teats must be drawn and clean milked out ;
blood will sometimes appear with the milk ; the
cow must be secured, if necessary, to effect this.
The udder should be bathed with warm water, and
well rubbed over with hog's lard, and to this treat-
ment the complaint will generally yield. The too

112

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

hastily drying the cow, and frequent carelessness in
not milking clean out, are the general causes of this
complaint. It may, however, assume a more serious
aspect ; the milk gets coagulated in the udder, and
the result will be the loss for yielding milk of one,
two, or more of the quarters of the udder, if the
proper remedies are not instantly adopted. Mor-
tification sometimes ensues ; diseased portions will
break off from the udder, and it may end in the
death of the animal. Putting the calf to suckle the
cow will be useful in effecting a cure ; but often the
teats become so painful that the cow will not allow
the calf to approach her. I cannot impress too
strongly on the breeder that, as soon as symptoms
of garget are observed, the cow must be firmly se-
cured and the teats properly drawn three or four
times a-day. If this is neglected or inefficiently
performed, the result is scarcely doubtful. ^ Very
often there will be only matter to draw, but it must
be withdrawn from time to time as it collects. The
teaching of experience is costly in such a case ; and
here the care of honest, intelligent servants is in-
valuable.

When the calves are taken from their dams there
is the greatest danger of garget, and this is always
an anxious time with the breeder. The cows must
be allowed to go gradually off their milk, the
greatest care being taken to draw the teats once
a-day when necessary. The food must be restricted
till the milk disappear; and as some cows that have
been suckled will not allow their teats to be drawn
by the hand, the calves must be put to them once
a-day till the milk cease.

The proper age for breeding. — The proper age for
breeding may depend upon circumstances, breed,

AND CAKE OF CATTLE.

113

&c. ; but, dealing as we are with the Aberdeen and
Angus, I would say that heifers should never be put
to the bull before they are two years old. There is,
no doubt, some force in the argument that by breed-
ing earlier keep is saved ; but the answer to this is
that growth is diminished, while calving is attended
with danger. I had six heifers bulled when they
were one year old. They had all difficulty in calv-
ing ; three of them required assistance, and were
very much torn and lacerated before the calves could
be extracted, and the mothers have never attained
the size of the other cows in the herd. Nor has the
argument much force with me that the one-year-old
is surer to stand to the bull than the two-year-old.
I maintain that we have this very much in our own
power, and that the two-year-old, with proper treat-
ment, and at little cost, is as sure to stand to the
bull as the one-year-old, while she will attain to a
larger size. The treatment I adopt with yearling
heifers intended for breeding purposes is the follow-
ing — and I have seldom or never failed in getting
them in calf : They are not starved to interfere with
their growth, but through the summer, when rising
two years old, they are kept on the very worst grass
on the farm, and on the refuse of the grass rejected
by the other cattle, which are removed to fresh pas-
tures. In winter and spring, up to the time of serv-
ing with the bull, they get an average barrowful of
turnips amongst every three, and no more. By this
treatment the heifers will just be fresh, and will
stand to the bull as readily as yearlings. I grant
that if you were to put them on luxuriant pasture,
and give them full allowance of turnips through the
winter and spring, they would be fit for the butcher,
and not for the bulL The advantages more than
H

114

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

counterbalance the disadvantages. Their parts will
be strong and open, and they will calve with safety ;
while, on the other hand, the calving of those served
at a year old will always be attended with difficulty ;
the parts will often be injured and lacerated, and
mortification of the womb and the death of the animal
may follow.

I need not tell my readers that the bull should
not be allowed to go with the breeding cows or
heifers, as the almost universal practice now is to
keep them separate. The advantages of this must
be manifest to every one. The symptoms of coition
are so well known, that I shall not enlarge upon
them ; but if cows are confined to the house, there
are some shy animals that require the greatest
attention to detect them, while the majority are
easily observed by their lowing and agitated appear-
ance. In the former case the animal will not blare,
neither will there be much difference in her general
appearance ; but her external parts will be red, and
a transparent liquor will be discharged from the
vagina. Let her be put out with another, which
will prove her at once. In some seasons, although
the cows and heifers are in a breeding state, it is,
even with the best management, difficult to get them
in calf. This becomes a source of great annoyance
and loss to the breeder. A cow should never be
allowed the bull sooner than five or six weeks after
calving ; to do otherwise will prove a failure, and
will be detrimental to the animal. If a cow or heifer
should miss to stand to the bull before the eud of
May, and the weather get warm, it is difficult to get
them in calf ; they may run on for months every
two or three weeks. Many a good breeding animal
has been lost in this way, and gone to the butcher,

AND CAKE OF CATTLE.

115

their owner having despaired of getting them in calf ;
whereas, if he had had patience until September or
October, when the cold weather sets in, in all likeli-
hood they would have been got in calf. I had three
cows out of four, that had run on the whole summer,
got in calf in one day. An early spring calf is pre-
ferable to a late one, and most desirable ; but my
doctrine is, that a good calf never can come wrong.
It is trying to the breeder to see his fine cows
running on, but we must not despair ; we must
not lose a chance, for we will generally catch them,
and sometimes when we least expect it. When a
cow assumes the appearance of what we term a
regular buller — when she is running every day, or
every second or third day, or when one or more
retire from the herd and assume the habits of the
male — then, and not till then, does the case become
utterly hopeless. I had two fine cows I was obliged
to quit ; they assumed the habits of the male,
absented themselves from the rest of the herd, went
through the field lowing, roaring, and pawing the
ground with their feet, their lowing being that of the
male and not of the female, and their shapes and
looks were completely changed. Some friends, in
whose opinion I have confidence, think this disease
hereditary.

I would recommend, when cows and heifers are
not standing to the bull, to give a dose or two of
medicine. A change of the bull may succeed ; and
leading the cow or heifer six miles out and six miles
in, when coming in heat, will sometimes be effectual.
I was led to this practice by observing that cows or
heifers that had run on the whole season up to the
time of exhibition, when put to the bull on their
arrival from the show, were got in calf at once. I

116

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

naturally concluded that the exercise which they had
undergone was the cure. I adopted the principle,
and have succeeded in several cases, though not in
all ; and I know of some other breeders who have
also been successful.

A cow goes nine months with young, generally
ten or fourteen days longer. I have known one go
twenty-seven days past her time. They generally
go longer with a bull calf than a heifer. It is almost
a sure sign that all will be right if the cow go past
her time ; when matters are wrong the birth is
generally premature. Slinking is one of the greatest
pests to which a breeder is subjected. The symp-
toms are as follows : a yellow mixed with red,
glairy, offensive fluid will be observed running from
the vagina, a flow of milk to the udder, and a loosen-
ing of the couplings behind ; in a day or two pre-
mature labour follows. No time is to be lost on
these symptoms being observed. The cow should
be immediately removed to a separate apartment,
and kept by herself for two or three weeks. If the
premature birth should take place before the cow is
removed, the foetus and after-birth must be instantly
buried, and not only the stall where the cow was
standing, but the whole of the byre should be
thoroughly washed over with hot lime, or chloride of
lime. It is well known that if one cow abort, others
are apt to follow. I recollect that almost every cow
out of forty, belonging to the late James Walker,
Wester Fintray, aborted. One half were polled, the
other shorthorns.

When a cow is with calf she has strong sympa-
thetic feelings. The foetus and after-birth from a cow
that has slinked are very offensive, and if left within
reach, the other cows will sniff at it, and bellow

AND CARE OF CATTLE.

117

around it ; and in a short time more of the cows will
abort. Many reasons have been given as the cause
of abortion ; from my own observations, frosty tur-
nips are one great cause, and I never allow my cows
to get these. If I happen to run short of fresh tur-
nips from the store, and frosty weather continue, I
order the cows straw and water, and perhaps a little
cake or corn at the same time. I have paid dearly
for this experience also. I believe hove to be another
cause of abortion ; and that particular atmospheric
conditions have a good deal to do with it. The
skilful veterinary surgeon should be consulted ; he
will probably recommend physic to cool the system,
the foetus and placenta to be buried, the animal
separated, and the cow-house disinfected. The cow
should be fattened and sold, unless she be a very
valuable breeding animal, as the chances are that
she will slink again. I have indeed seen a cow,
after slinking, breed regularly for many years ; but
the sure way is to get quit of her to the butcher, if
she is not a valuable breeding animal.

I have explained, under the head of Milk-Fever,
the treatment previous to calving ; I shall add that
a cow ought to be let dry six weeks at least before
calving. It is well known that a cow that is milked
up to the time of calving proves very deficient as a
milker for the season, even although she had for-
merly been a good one. It prevents improvement of
condition ; and from a very lean cow there is not
much to be expected.

As to natural labour a very few remarks will suf-
•fice. The cow should be disturbed as little as pos-
sible, and no assistance rendered where it is not
necessary. When the water-bag comes away, the
hand should be introduced to ascertain whether the

118

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

calf is coming the right way ; its fore-legs protrud-
ing to the passage, and its head lying upon thern or
a little between them, is the natural position when all
is right. We must have patience, and, if possible,
allow nature to effect its object ; but if six or eight
hours shall have passed, assistance must be given.
In my practice I have observed that when the water-
bag comes away in the early stages the labour is
protracted. I have seen many tail - presentations,
but I have found them easily dealt with by pushing
back the hind-quarters and getting hold of the feet ;
pushing backwards, forwards, and upwards the hind-
legs, and bringing them to the level of the pas-
sage, the calf will be easily extracted. In unnatural
labour the veterinary surgeon should be immedi-
ately called in. Skellet 1 On the Parturition of the
Cow ' is the most valuable authority I am acquainted
with on unnatural labour, but I fear it is out of
print.

A word here as to free-martins. When a cow pro-
duces two calves, the one a male and the other a
female, the female is called a free -martin. The
almost universal belief is, that the free-martin will
not breed; and generally this holds good. I have
had, however, in my practice two free-martins that
have bred. One of them proved one of the most
useful animals and best breeders in the herd, and
produced some of my finest females ; but her own
appearance lacked that female style which shows
itself in a high-bred herd.

And here I may remark that those who act as
judges at our cattle-shows, if they are judging males,
ought to judge them as males and not as females ;
and if they are judging females, they ought to judge
them as females and not as males. Some may under-

AND CARE OF CATTLE.

119

stand what I mean. As I consider it one of tlie most
important qualifications in a judge to have the dis-
cernment I refer to, and as many are appointed
judges, even at our national shows, who never should
have been appointed, and many act who never should
act, it ought to be put out of all doubt. As an ex-
ample, when a bull shows the head of a female and
a want of masculine character', he should be rejected.
Masculine character in the bull is of the greatest im-
portance to the success of the breeder — effeminacy
in the male must be shunned as the most deadly
poison. On the other hand, let that female be re-
jected by the judge in the show-yard, and by the
breeder in his selection, that looks as much like a
male as a female. However long she may have
been kept up for show-yard purposes, or whatever
enormous quantity of beef she may have put on, if
she have the head of the ox (I do not say of the bull,
because I have never seen a female so characterised)
she must be put aside, unless very superior in other
respects. Such animals will seldom pass muster with
the first-class judge, but even he must be upon his guard.
I have often seen great blunders committed, especi-
ally with heifers, the owner of which may, for the
sake of winning the prize, have fed them for years
without hope of propagation. I have seen them
carry the prize to the exclusion of the really useful
breeding animal, and when the show was over they
were sold to the butcher. I would not propose any
rule to be laid down to exclude animals from our ex-
hibitions on account of their condition, because the
proper amount of flesh can never be satisfactorily
settled ; nor can it be definitely fixed when an animal
should be excluded as being too fat for breeding.
The experiment was tried at some of our national

120

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

shows, but utterly failed, as the jury could not agree.
The rules of the Highland Society are good so far as
they go — viz., that unless the owner of cows that
have not had a calf in the year of the exhibition, and
of the two-year-old heifers that have been awarded
prizes, can certify that the animals have had a calf
— the cows in four months and the heifers in nine
after the exhibition — the money prize will be with-
held. But this does not cover the difficulty, as the
prize-money is of secondary importance to the major-
ity of exhibitors — heing first on the prize-list is their
main ambition ; but, I believe, it is all that rules can
reach. The only safeguard lies with the council and
the directors — and the strong moral force of the ex-
hibitors ought to be brought to bear upon them — of
our national and local cattle-shows. They ought to
appoint no one, however highly connected, unless he
is acknowledged a judge by the exhibitors of the class of
stock to which he is appointed. If the right man be
put in the right place, there will seldom be cause to
complain of overfed useless breeding animals gaining
the prizes; but if ignorant forward men are appointed,
you are certain to see the fattest animals at the top of
the prize-list. At one of our great shows the same
judges were appointed for cattle and sheep ; — they
were unexceptional judges of cattle, but knew very
little about breeding-sheep. There were two pens
of breeding- ewes in competition : one of the pens
was from a first-class stock of sheep, but from hill
pasture ; the other was from a jobber, who had se-
lected them from the common sheep in the country,
but had grazed them with the cows on the farm, and
they were in high condition — they wanted style and
breeding. The judges were hesitating as to which
of the pens the prize should be awarded to, when one

AND CAKE OF CATTLE.

123

of them exclaimed, " Stop, stop ; let me in o'er till I
handle them ! " — an Aberdeen man likes something
that will handle, whether ox or sheep. He went,
and after he had performed the handling proof, which
required little time and less skill, "Ah!" he ex-
claimed, pointing to the fat ewes, "that's the sheep ! "
and the ticket was fixed accordingly. This anecdote
was related to me by the owner of the fat ewes, who
was present.

No butcher, except he be well acquainted with the
treatment of a breeding stock, ought to be a judge of
breeding animals. With fat stock one of the judges
ought always to be a first-class butcher.

In natural labour the after-birth generally comes
away soon after calving. Many remove it immedi-
ately ; this, however, should never be allowed, as the
cow will chew it greedily, and it acts as physic to her.
If the after-birth should be retained, as it generally
is in cases of premature labour, this need cause little
alarm to the owner. • I have never seen any danger
from allowing it to remain, and I prefer letting it
alone, as it will rot away of itself, to the danger of
tearing it away; but the cow should be removed
from the others. I believe the opinion to be erron-
eous that there is danger from the after-birth being
retained for any moderate length of time ; but the
womb itself will sometimes follow the calf, and this
requires prompt treatment. I have known of its
being successfully returned without the aid of the
veterinary surgeon, but this should never be at-
tempted by an unpractised hand if you can command
the surgeon's attendance. It is a very common oc-
currence that two or three months before calving the
vagina protrudes when the cow is lying : when this
occurs she should be kept well up behind, else it

122

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

may bring on premature calving. When the cow
calves the danger is over.

If the calf is to be milked from the hand it should
be taken from the cow as soon as it is dropt, and
before the mother sees it ; if allowed to remain with
the cow for some time and then removed, it will be
a cause of great irritation to the mother and very
prejudicial to her milking. When it is to be suck-
led, the calf should be left quietly with the cow :
and by licking the calf and eating the placenta the
cow will be settled, the calf will get to its legs, and
all may be expected to be right. A warm drink
should be given — cold water must be avoided — and
the cow made comfortable. She should be milked
out after first suckling, and this will require to be
repeated two or three times a-day for a few weeks,
until the calf is able, and can with safety be allowed,
to take all the milk. In a day or two after the calf
is dropt it ought to be muzzled, and allowed a limited
time to suckle the mother three times a-day. It must
not be allowed a full allowance for the first fourteen
days after birth. A confidential servant must remove
the muzzle, stand beside the calf until it has taken a
safe allowance, and then return the muzzle. When
the calf has got the cud, which will be observed
about fourteen days after its birth, it will then be
safe to remove the muzzle. I muzzle all my calves,
to prevent them from eating straw, hair, &c, which
they cannot digest, and which accumulate in the
stomach and prove the death of the animal. Many
thousand calves are lost in this way, the owner never
suspecting the cause. If the calf is opened up after
death, there will be found in the stomach a large,
firm, round ball composed of straw, hair, and other
substances, with knots of curdled milk conjoined.

AND CARE OF CATTLE.

123

After the calf has got the cud, and is fourteen days
old, it may be allowed to suck at pleasure. It must
be seen, however, that the calf has ability to clean
out the udder of the cow ; if part of the milk is re-
tained, the cow must be milked by the hand.

Plenty of good milk is the proper foundation to
make a good animal ; if stinted when a calf, a year's
growth is lost. Selling a great deal of butter and
rearing a good bullock are incompatible. Many
good calves are milked from the pail, and they
thrive better after they are weaned ; but it will
generally be found that the sure way to make first-
class calves is to allow them to suckle. There will
be many drawbacks at the expense of the calf if it
is brought up from the pail ; drafts will be required
by the housekeeper for milk, butter, and cheese for
the family, which cannot be made if the calf is
suckled by the mother in the field. The plan
adopted by some of giving skimmed milk to the
calf cannot be too much reprobated ; and to give old
milk to a new-dropt calf is perfectly preposterous :
it is unnatural, and will probably prove the death of
the calf.

The calf should be allowed to suckle or be fed
from the pail for six or eight months. It has then
strength to stand weaning, and, if properly cared for,
will not be checked in its growth, and it will retain
the good calf-flesh it has put on. The loss of the
calf-flesh cannot be remedied, and great care should
be taken to avoid this. If the calf-flesh is lost the
animal will be reduced in value, and can never be
made to yield first-class meat. Great care, there-
fore, must be taken by the breeder when his calves
are weaned.

To guard against Black-leg, the calves should be

124

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

immediately corded in the dewlap,* and receive, along
with other nourishing food, each \\ lb. of oilcake a-
day. This treatment is absolutely necessary during
their first winter. The open strawyard for calves
is of great importance. If they are kept regularly
growing on, black-leg will be prevented. While
proper treatment is adopted, there will be little to
fear from that dreadful scourge.

I have never lost more than two of my breeding
stock from Quarter-ill. There is no question that
the cause of this dreadful malady is sudden transi-
tion from a restricted diet to a full and nutritious
one, from a poor pasture to a rich and luxuriant one,
or from a poor pasture in autumn to a full allowance
of turnips ; the increase of blood on the system is so
great that the constitution cannot stand it. I have
seen almost every calf on several large farms carried
off by black-leg. There is no secret as to its pre-
vention. Keep the young calf gradually growing,
never let him want ; give 1 to 2 lb. of oilcake a-
day; and keep up the irritation by cords with a
good hold of the dewlap. After the first winter,
black-leg is little to be feared. I have had a case
or two in two or three year olds, but it is very un-
common. Prevention is the only safeguard, for I
have never seen black-leg cured. To some 1 to 2
lb. of oilcake a-day may look an expense that the
calves cannot repay ; but if any of my friends will
divide a lot of their calves, and give the one lot
turnips and straw, and the other turnips, straw, and
1 to 2 lb. of oilcake daily to each calf, if they are
dissatisfied with the result on the 1st of May I shall

* I have been accused of cruelty for cording the dewlaps of
my calves. The pain must be of short duration, as it is done
by a sharp instrument in a moment.

AND CAKE OF CATTLE.

125

pay the balance. I shall not enter upon the point
of the great additional value of the manure, but
leave that to the chemist.

I allow my calves to suckle till October, and the
late ones two or three months longer. Butter and
even corn are but secondary to our cattle, and in
these days of progression we must advance with
the times or go down.

As to Navel-ill, much has been written on the
deadliness of the complaint. I have never had any
loss from it. Diarrhoea is a very common complaint
with calves, and I have lost one or two by it, but, I
believe, owing to carelessness. It will generally
yield to a dose or two of castor-oil. The Knee-ill is
more to be dreaded. The complaint is worse some
seasons than others, and some, under the best treat-
ment, will die. The calf gets down and is unable
to rise ; on examination it will be found that one
or both, generally of the fore-legs, are very much
swollen at the joints ; the calf is very much pained,
especially if moved, and the disease acts very much
like rheumatic fever on the human body. I cannot
assign any cause for this disease, as I have seen
calves seized with it that were kept warm and com-
fortable. In some cases it may be attributed to
some particular atmospheric influence. It is very
difficult to remove. The calf will be down for weeks,
and in some cases they never get up. Very little
can be done for them, and any treatment I have
seen adopted is of small value. Eubbing turpentine
daily into the swollen joints is useful, but attention
to the general health is of the greatest consequence
— such as counteracting costiveness in the bowels,
&c. I have seen splints of wood introduced, and also
tying out the leg with bandages ; but I have no

126

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

great faith in any such treatment. Eubbing daily
with turpentine, and attention to the general health,
is all I can recommend. Costiveness of the bowels,
if not counteracted, may end in serious consequences.
I had a case of a calf that got very costive — so bad
that it moaned dreadfully from pain. I lost all hope
of saving it. I thought of injections, and had them
administered repeatedly for hours ; to my astonish-
ment the calf recovered and did well. Castor-oil is
the safest medicine for calves. Let me here record
an observation for which I am indebeted to Mr Sore-
ly, late veterinary surgeon, Alford. (While I have
seen some with as good hands as Mr Sorely, I have
never had the fortune to meet another with as clear
a head.) The first question he asks when told that
a calf is ailing, is, " How old is it?" If the calf is
very young, and violently ill of any complaint, the
great chance is, that it will not recover ; whereas,
if it be three weeks, and, still more, two or three
months old, the probability is that it will.

As to the castration of calves, it is such a simple
process that it is unnecessary to say much on the
subject. The only thing I would recommend is,
that the breeder, if he does not castrate his calves
himself, should not allow the operator to 'cut away
any part of the purse, as it should be recollected a
good purse in the London market will be the next
criterion to the butcher after the flank, and a good
purse is always worth £1 to a bullock in London.
If the purse should get much swelled after castra-
tion, warm fomentations should be applied two or
three times a-day, or even a poultice if the case be
very bad. If there is an accumulation of pus, it
may be necessary to puncture the purse, and the
animal will soon be relieved.

AND CAEE OF CATTLE.

127

Kheumatism, I have no doubt, is hereditary. T
have seen it in the fourth generation ; little, if any-
thing, can be done for it. At certain seasons of the
year it will appear, and wear off again. Howk is
perhaps the complaint to which my cattle are most
liable. I have repeated cases of it every year.
The animal is observed to be stiff and staring in his
coat, eats little, and, as the disease advances, retires
from the rest of herd. When taken up, his skin
along the back will be found adhering to the flesh,
and if pressed on the spine he will nearly crouch to
the ground. If a hold is taken of the skin — which
is very difficult to accomplish — and it is lifted from
the flesh, when let go it will give a crack similar to
the sound that follows when you give a knock to the
common corn-basket. This is a never-failing symp-
tom. I treat the complaint very successfully with
doses of salts and sulphur. If the animal is taken up
in the early stages of the disease, the skin may only
be adhering to a part behind the shoulder-blade ;
but in a day or two the adhesion will be found to
extend along the whole of the spine ; or, vice versa,
it may begin across the kidneys and go forward to
the shoulder-blade. I regard indigestion as the
cause, and some cattle take it in particular fields
worse than others. Diseases of the tongue are rare :
I have had some half-dozen cases. A cure is utterly
hopeless, and the animal should be sent to the
butcher without delay. When examined, the root
of the tongue, or one side of it, will be found very
much inflamed, and warts will also generally be ob-
served. The animal will be found frothing at the
mouth in the field ; and if in the stall, a great deal
of frothy matter will be seen before him. I never

128

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

knew one recover, and I have attempted all sorts of
treatment.

Foul in the foot is very serious when it gets into
a lot of heavy feeding cattle in winter ; the loss
it entails is sometimes very heavy. It assumes
several phases. If there be but a crack between
the claws without swelling, it is easily managed.
The old plan of taking a hair-rope and drawing
it several times through is very good practice,
and with a little caustic applied, a cure is soon ef-
fected. There is another form of the disease more
difficult to treat: there is the great swelling between
the claws ; it becomes a hard substance and very
painful ; the animal gets feverish and is scarcely
able to rise, and if got up holds out the afflicted
leg. He is off his food, and sinks rapidly in con-
dition ; and the pain is excruciating. I apply a
succession of poultices, and when the lump breaks
the clanger is over : tow and tar are then applied to
the sore, a cotton bandage put on between the claws
of sufficient length to secure the application, and
the ends made fast by a woollen garter cut from an
old stocking. If the disease is neglected the con-
sequences may be fatal ; it is worst in winter when
cattle are at the feeding-stall. I regard it as infec-
tious. If it get into a byre of weighty fat cattle the
loss will be heavy. I have seen a bullock drop in
value £3, £4, or even £5 ; and several animals lost
by carelessness. I had a bullock out upon turnips,
which had been neglected, and was pronounced by
my veterinary surgeon incurable.

As to Foot-and-mouth disease, it is a light matter
among stirks and lean cattle — they will be little if
any the worse of it ; but it is very serious amongst
heavy feeding cattle and milch cows. If fat cattle

AND CAKE OP CATTLE.

129

are attacked, they should have their turnips sliced,
with crushed oilcake and meal. There is no treat-
ment of any avail in the fever stages. 'When the
fever is gone, there will be a beast or two out of a
lot whose feet will require attention. The horn of
the hoof gets loosened from the flesh. The animal
may require to be thrown and the dead horn cut
away. It must be remembered that it will never
attach itself again. The veterinary surgeon should
generally perform the operation, unless the owner is
skilful himself. Cows require great attention. The
disease seats itself in their udders, and unless they
are most carefully milked out they may be rendered
useless as milkers — losing one, two, or even all the
quarters of the udder. The foot-and-mouth disease
is very infectious. I recollect having carried it
home from a neighbouring farm, by merely handling
a bull which was down with the disease. I came
straight home and handled the first beast opposite
the door in one of my own byres ; in three days he
was seized with the complaint ; and in two or three
days thereafter nearly every beast through the
steading was down with it. Out of forty fat cattle
thirty-eight had it, only two escaping. Upon in-
quiry I found that one of them had had it before.
I lost from £4 to £5 of condition on an average off
every one of the thirty-eight. From the same farm
and at the same time a veterinary surgeon had been
called in. He went straight to another farm six
miles distant, and in a few days every animal there
was seized with the same complaint. It is the
general belief that an animal will not take the foot-
and-mouth disease twice. This is a mistake. I
have a cow that took it twice, but there were seven
years between the attacks.

130

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

I have had the Lung disease on two farms ; all
known treatment is unsatisfactory. I believe, if the
attack be violent, no treatment will save the animal.
It is sometimes difficult to know it at first. There
will generally be a cough, but it is not the clear
cough of the animal in health. It is compressed,
and the animal coughs unwillingly and with evident
pain. The particular cough cannot be mistaken,
and the grunt is a never-failing symptom. There
is generally one lung more affected than the other.
The ear being applied to the chest will discover the
impeded circulation. Many cattle take the disease
so slightly that it is never discovered. Some have
little if any cough, and the pile continues soft and
healthy. I recollect a milking cow which I was
suspicious had the disease. I made her be run out ;
there was no acceleration of breathing ; her coat
was fine, and there was no diminution of the milk ;
but she gave a grunt which confirmed me in my
opinion that she had had a slight touch of the com-
plaint. The grieve, a most intelligent man, was
satisfied that the cow was healthy. I fattened her,
and for my own information had her slaughtered at
home. It was three months after, and the post-
mortem examination showed one of the lungs, to the
extent of about the size of a crown-piece, adhering
to the ribs — a sufficient proof that my conjecture
was correct. Many take the disease that are never
suspected. I had a bullock showing some symptoms
of the disease in a byre amongst ten. The others
were, to all appearance, in perfect health. I sent
them immediately to London. My salesman was in-
structed to inspect the carcasses after they were
slaughtered, and to report. He did so carefully,
and there was not one of the number but had their

AND CAKE OF CATTLE.

13]

lungs more or less affected. Mr Collie, Ardgay,
Morayshire, had a byre of cattle slaughtered under
the same circumstances, and with the very same
result. Pleuro-pneumonia is not so infectious as
foot-and-mouth disease, but if it get into a farm-
steading it is most difficult to get clear of. I have
known cattle infected in three days. I had bought
a lot of cattle from a farm in Morayshire where the
disease has never been up to this hour. It was in
the month of April. There were two or three of
the lot that I did not think profitable to graze. I
tied them in a byre where infected cattle had stood.
They were only to be kept a week or two, and I
had no idea of danger. One of them took the dis-
ease very badly in three days after he was tied up.
I have known it lie dormant in the system (as to
any visible appearance) for three months and a half.
I found the general period of incubation from five to
six weeks. I have taken the greatest pains with
the byres where the infected cattle stood, having the
wood-work taken out, the roofs and greeps carefully
scraped and washed with soap and warm water,
lime-water, and afterwards with chloride of lime ;
and yet, after all this labour, I have seen the disease
break out again and again. After repeated out-
breaks, I not only removed the wood-work, but the
whole of the stones in the stalls and greeps, and
buried them. I had the roofs and stone mangers,
&c, carefully scraped, and washed with soap and
warm water, and afterwards with chloride of lime.
They were then closely painted, and lastly coal-
tarred ; but it was only after five or six months'
perseverance that I got clear of it. Having heard
a report that a cow belonging to my cousin, Mr
M'Combie, editor of the ' Free Press,' was labouring

132

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

Tinder pleuro- pneumonia, I went to see her. Mr
Sorely, veterinary surgeon, was in attendance. As
there had been no disease in the neighbourhood for
five years, I was unwilling to credit the report.
But a more marked case I have never witnessed ;
and the post-mortem examination showed all the
symptoms of the fell disease. Mr Sorely, Mr
M'Combie's overseer, and I, all agreed that as a
wood dividing-partition had been allowed to remain
since the time of the previous infection, and the cow
was seen chewing pieces of the wood that had got
rotted at the base, the wood had retained the poison,
and the cow had been infected from the chewing of
it. The breath is the cause of the infection when
cattle are housed together and the disease intro-
duced. It generally attacks the animals standing
at the walls first. The breath is driven by different
currents through the building to the walls, where it
is stopped ; it rebounds, and hence the beasts at the
walls generally fall the first victims — so, at least, I
have found it in my experience. I had forty beasts
divided by a stone-and-lime mid-wall to the level of
the side-walls ; up to the roof there was a strong
and close division of wood. Unfortunately there
had been a small aperture about two feet square left
open. I made an observation to the cattleman that
I should not be at all surprised if the disease came
from the infected byre through the opening to the
byre where the cattle were sound. The first or
second day thereafter the animal standing below the
aperture was seized, and got down in the disease.

In treatment I have no confidence, having tried
everything that could be tried and completely failed.
I would, however, recommend that neither hay nor
straw be given to animals labouring under the dis-

AND CAKE OF CATTLE.

133

ease. I lost a valuable bull, after be was recovering,
from tbis cause. He was allowed to eat too freely
of bay, -which he could not masticate ; and when
opened after death, an ordinary bucketful of hay
was found in his stomach, as dry as when it was
eaten. I have come to the conclusion that no ani-
mal should be allowed hay or straw while unable
properly to masticate its food. It is well ascertained
that when the poison is lying dormant in an animal,
it will infect the other cattle before it is visible in
itself. As a confirmation of this fact, I had a sale
of breeding stock after the Dumfries show, on
Thursday, 30th August 1860. The cattle seemed
to be in perfect health on the day of the sale ; about
three-fourths of them were removed on Friday. The
day following — viz., Saturday — a cow was taken
ill. I entertained fears that it might turn out
pleuro-pneumonia ; and circulars were sent to the
parties who had removed their cattle. The buyers
isolated the cattle bought at the sale from their own
stock. Two of the beasts that had been removed
died, other two took the complaint and recovered ;
but fortunately it did not spread amongst the buyers
other stock. The cow first taken ill recovered, and
another that was left over took the disease and re-
covered. But, further, a bull was withdrawn from
the sale and sent home to Tillyfour from Dorsell the
night of the sale, to all appearance in perfect health,
though he afterwards died of the disease. He was
watered at a watering-place on the roadside, where
a crofter's cattle watered daily. The crofter's cattle
went down in the disease, and one of them died.
Many were the weary days and restless nights I en-
dured when the disease got fairly developed through
two of my largest steadings. It is in such cases

134

HINTS ON THE BREEDING

that the value of a clear-headed veterinary surgeon
is appreciated. I would not be well away from one
steading, when a messenger would meet me with
intelligence of some disaster at the other. I had
many beasts being fed on other farms as well as
those on my own — not fewer than 400 one way or
other. I have said how much I am indebted in such
emergencies to the advice and counsel of a clear-
headed veterinary surgeon. The disease was in the
midst of my breeding stock, and two or three had
succumbed to it. Mr Sorely and I were brooding
over this state of matters, when I asked him whether
he could do anything to save the herd. He said, "I
will think over it till to-morrow." He came on the
morrow, and seven successive evenings, and ad-
ministered to each animal a drench, and he would
trust no one but himself to do it. I believe there
were three changes of medicine ; not one animal
which got the medicine took the disease, although
they had been standing in the midst of it. There
was one worthless old milk cow amongst the others,
that I did not think worth the trouble of giving the
medicine to ; she took the disease, and was fed with
gruel for fourteen days, and recovered, while the
others continued in perfect health.

I have related the diseases that are of a local
character, as they have come under my own notice,
without any desire to set myself up as an authority.
My experience has led me to differ in many respects
from eminent authorities. I have merely stated my
own experiences during a lifetime that has been de-
voted to the management of cattle ; they are written
with no view of superseding the valuable assistance
of the veterinary surgeon ; but every farmer ought

AND CARE OF CATTLE.

135

to know and be able to treat the local diseases
incident in his neighbourhood which are not of a
dangerous character. When they are dangerous, the
owner ought to be able to distinguish them at once ;
and in that case not a moment should be lost in
calling in the aid of a veterinary surgeon.

THE END.

PRINTED BY WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS, EDINBURGH.

MESSRS BLACKWOOD AND SONS'

NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Works of George Eliot.

A New Edition, complete in One Volume, Crown Oetiivo,

FELIX HOLT, THE RADICAL.

By GEORGE ELIOT.
With Seven Engravings, price 3s. 6d.

Uniform with the above,
ADAM BEDE. With 7 Engravings, 3s. 6d.
THE MILL OH" THE FLOSS. With 7 Engravings, 3s. 6d.
SILAS MABNER. With 3 Engravings, 2s. 6d.
SCEIfES OP CLERICAL LIFE. With 7 Engravings, 3s.

NEW AND CHEAP EDITION.

THE SPANISH GYPSY.

By GEORGE ELIOT.

A New Edition, being the Third, in Crown Octavo, price 7s. Gd.

A TRANSLATION

OF THE

ODES AND EPODES OF HORACE.

By the Right Honoukaele LORD LYTTON.

[In the Press.

MESSXS BLACKWOOD &> SONS'

New Volume of Poems by (lie Author of 'Rdba di Roma.'

GKAPHTI D 'ITALIA,

By W. W. STORY. In foolscap Svo, price 7s. 6d.

ON SEATS AND SADDLES, BITS AND BITTING, AND

The Prevention and Cure of Restiveness in Horses. By FRANCIS
DWTER, Major of Hussars in the Imperial Austrian Service. Crown
Svo, with Eight Engravings and numerous Diagrams, price 7s. 6d.

"The Major is no theoretical dogmatist, but a scientific writer practically acquainted with the
nature, capacities, and requirements of the creature.*' — Athwumm.

" A book of signal value. In tin's work wc have some of the soundest and most valuable sugges-
tions we hare read. No man who owns or rides a horse should leave this wort unstudied."— Sunttuy
Timet :

THE HANDY H0ESE-B00K ;

Or, Practical Instructions in Riding, Driving, and the General
Care and Management of Horses. By A CAVALRY OFFICER. A
New Edition, with 6 Engravings, 4s. 6d.

" As cavalry officer, hunting horseman, coach proprietor, whip, and steeplechase-rider, the author
has had long and various experience in the management of horses, and he now gives us the cream
onus information. 1 *— Athenmtm.

" He propounds no theories, but embodies in simple untcclmical language what be has learned
practically."— Sporting Gazette.

THE TREATMENT OF ODE DOMESTICATED DOGS.

By " MAGENTA," Author or ' The Hand; Horse-Book.' Foolscap Svo,
price 2s. Gd.

HANDY BOOK OF METEOEOLOGT,

By ALEXANDER BUCHAN, M.A., Secretary of the Scottish Meteoro-
logical Society. A New and Enlarged Edition. Crown Svo, with 8
coloured Charts and other Engravings, price Ss. Gd.

" A very handy book this, for in its small compass Mr Ituchan has stored more and later in forma
tion than exists m ;U \y volume wn h which we are ac^uainted."-,^/!^^ M<A:u,\,U.<,vil M-fKuinc.
Clear, concise, and easy of reference."— The FieliL
" Wc do not know a better work on Meteorology."— Gan lenen? Chronicle:.

HANDY BOOK OF THE ELOWEE-GAEDEN :

Being Plain, Practical Directions for the Propagation, Culture,
and Arrangement of Plants in Flower-Gardens all the Year
Round; embracing all classes of Gardens, from the largest to the
smallest; with Engraved Plans, illustrative of the various systems of
Grouping in Beds and Borders. By DAVID THOMSON, Archerfield
Gardens. Author of a 'Practical Treatise on the Culture of the Pine-
Apple.' In crown Svo, price 7s. Gd.

"This is essentially a book for amateurs, and every amateur who is fortunate enough to be its
possessor, or who may merely skim over its jmges, will, we are assured, agree with us in regard me its
author a- beniK entitled to great prai.-e lor the ,-imple and clear manner in whieh he has explained
the cultural directions, which, if carefully complied with, will enable the non-prof, ssiotial llorieul-
turiu to grow plants as well aa any gardener."— Qardmtrr Chronicle, March II, 18CB.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS.

Second Edition of Mr Kinglake's New Volumes.

THE INVASION OP THE CEIMEA.

With some additional Notes and Observations in reply to Sir John
Burgojme. By A. W. Kinglake, M.P. Volumes III. 6 IV. "With nume-
rous Maps and Plans, price 31s.

GEOLOGY P0E GENEKAL EEADEES.

A SERIES OP POPULAR SKETCHES IN GEOLOGY AND PALAE-
ONTOLOGY. By DAVID PAGE, LL.D. P.R.S.E. F.G.S. Second
Edition, containing several New Chapters. Price 6s.

" Few of our handbooks of popular science can be said to have greater or more decisive merit
than those of Mi- rage on Geology and t'aheontology. They are clear and vigorous in .style, they
never oppress Hie reader iviih a pedantic di>play of learning, nor overwhelm him with a pompom
and su peril no us terminology; and they have the happy net of taking him straightway to the
face ol nature herself, m-iead of leading him by the tortuous and bewildering paths of technical
system and artificial clarification."— Stitwnluy ]{<-ciev:

"This Is one of the best of Mr Page's many good books. It is written in a flowing popular style.
vi Ethoul Illustration or any extraneous aid, the narrative must prove attractive to any intelligent
reader."— Gtolwjicul Muuuzine.

THE LITE OE ST COLUMBA,

APOSTLE OF CALEDONIA. Reprinted from the ' Monks of the
West.' By the COUNT DE MONTALEMBERT. Crown Svo, 3s. 6d.

THE ETJBLia SCHOOLS :

WINCHESTER — WESTMINSTER— SHREWSBURY — HARROW —
RUGBY. Notes of their History and Traditions. By the Author of
1 Etoniana. 1 Crown Svo, Ss. till.

CAPTAIN SHEEAED OSBOEFS WOEKS,

Uniform Edition. In 3 vols. Sold separately.

Vol. I. STRAY LEAVES FROM AN ARCTIC JOURNAL; on,
Eighteen Months in the Polar Regions in Search of Sir John
Franklin, in the Years 1S50-51. THE CAREER, LAST VOY-
AGE, AND FATE OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN. 5s.

Vol. IL THE DISCOVERY OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE nv
H.M.S. Investigator, Captain R. M'Clure, during the Years
1S50-54. 5s.

Vol. III. QUED AH ; or, Stray Leaves from a Journal in Malayan
Waters. A CRUISE IN JAPANESE WATERS. THE FIGHT
OF THE PEIHO IN 1S59. Ts. 6d.

THE "EVEE-VIOTOEIOUS AEMT."

A History of the Chinese Campaign under Lieut. -Col. C. G.
Gordon, and of the Suppression of the Tai-Pino Rebellion. By
ANDREW WILSON, F.A.S.L., Author of 'England's Policy in China/
and formerly Editor of the 'China Mail.' In 8vo, with Maps. Price 15s.

" That his work contains much food for reflection on our relations with the East, besides viriilly
relating a tale second to none in dramatic interest, no one who peruses it can doubt. Carefully
compiled from authentic sources and forcibly and graphically written, it is a work of far more than
ordinary merit,"— Athenaitm.

" This able and Interesting volume, by a writer who has given close attention to Chinese affairs,
and has had tin; advantage of residing for sonic time in the country, appears at an opportune mo-
ment."— Full Mull Gazette.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS.

LEOTUKES OrT THE EAELY GEEEK PHILOSOPHY,

AND OTHER PHILOSOPHIC REMAINS OP PROFESSOR TER-
RIER OF ST ANDREWS. Edited by Sir ALEX. GRANT and Pro-
fessor LUSHINGTON. 2 vols, post 8vo, 24s.

" These Lectures, in so far as they treat of Greek philosophy '.own to Plato, have been carefully
elaborated, and are of much value— of higher value, indeed, than any writings on the frame sub-
ject in tho English language; anil in point of clearness, depth, and resolute search after truth,
and tenacious hold of it when found, we doubt if they arc surpassed in any language. . . . For
our part, we do not know any philosophical writings su fascinating to a young student of philoso-
phy as these curly pages."— .Scotsman.

THE WORKS OP SIR WILLIAM HAMILTON, BART.,

Professor of Logic and Metaphysics in the University of Edinburgh.

LECTURES ON METAPHYSICS. Edited by the Rev. H. L. MANSEL,
B.D. LL.D., Waynllete Professor of Moral and Metaphysical Phi-
losophy, Oxford ; and JOHN VEITCH, M. A. , Professor of Logic and
Rhetoric in the University of Glasgow. Third Edition. 2 vols.
Svo, 24s.

LECTURES ON LOGIC. Edited by tho Same. Second Edition. 2
vols. 8vo, 24s.

DISCUSSIONS ON PHILOSOPHY AND LITERATURE, EDUCA-
TION AND UNIVERSITY REFORM. Third Edition. Svo, price
21s.

Completion of Mr Worsley's Translation of the Iliad.
THE ILIAD OF HOMER.

Books XIII. to XXIV. Translated into English Verse in the. Spen-
serian Stanza. By JOHN CONINGTON, M.A., Corpus Professor of
Latin in the University of Oxford. Price 10s. Gd.

The work is now complete, viz. —

THE ODYSSEY. By Mil WORSLEY. 2 vols., ISs.

THE ILIAD. By Mb WORSLEY and Professor CONINGTON. 2
vols., 21s.

FAUST: A DRAMATIC POEM.

By GOETHE. Translated into English Verse by Theodore Martin.
Second Edition, post Svo, price 6a.

" The best translation of * Faust ' in verse we have yet had in England."— Spectator.
"Sir Theodore Martin's translation is unquestionably the best in the language, and will give tu
English readers a fair idea of the greatest of modern poems."— i'l'tw,

ESSAYS ON SOCIAL SUBJECTS.

Originally published in the 'Saturday Review.' First and Second
Series. A New Edition. Post Svo, 12s.

" Two remarkable volumes of occasional papers, ' Essays on Social Subtccts, contributed to the
Saturday Review ' ( Mack wood), are far above the average or such miscellanies. They are the pro-
duction ora keen ami kindly observer of men and manner.-, and they display a subtle analvsis of
character, as well as a breadth of observation, which are remarkable. Willi much of occasional
force, these Kssays have sufficient solidity to make a book ; ami while they recall the wit of Mou-
taiunc ami the playfulness of Addison, they are animated by a better moral tone, and cover a large

range of experience." — christian Remembrancer.

CATALOGUE

MESSES BLACKWOOD AND SONS'

PUBLICATIONS.

LIS TOR Y OF EUROPE,

From the Commencement of the French Revolution in 1789 to the Battle of
"Waterloo. By Sir ARCHIBALD ALISON, Bart., D.C.L.
A New Library Edition (being the Tenth), in 14 vols, demy Svo, with

Portraits, and a copious Index, £10, 10s.
Another Edition, in crown Svo, 20 vols., £6.

A People's Edition, 12 vols., closely printed in double columns, £2, 8s.,
and Index Volume, 3s.

"An extraordinary work, which 1ms earned 'for itself a lasting place in the literature of the country,
nnd within a few years found innumerable readers in every part of the globe. There is no book extant
that treats so well of the period to the Illustration of which Mr Alison's labours have been devoted. It
exhibits great knowledge, patient research, indefatigable industry, and vast power."— Times, Sept. 7, 1S50.

CONTINUATION OF ALISON'S HISTORY OF EUROPE,
From the Fall of Napoleon to the Accession of Louis Napoleon. By Sik
ARCHIBALD ALISON, Bart., D.C.L. In 9 vols., £8, 7s. 6a. Uniform
with the Library Edition of the previous work.
A People's Edition, in 8 vols., closely printed in double columns, £1, 14s.

EPITOME OF ALISON'S HISTORY OF EUROPE.

For the Use of Schools and Young Persons. Fifteenth Edition, 7s. 6d., bound.

ATLAS TO ALISON'S HISTORY OF EUROPE;

Containing 109 Maps and Plans of Countries, Battles, Sieges, and Sea-Fights.
Constructed by A. Keith Johnston, F.R.S.E. With Vocabulary of Military
and Marine Terms. Demy 4to. Library Edition, £3, 3s.; People's Edition,
crown 4to, £1, lis. Od.

LIVES OF LORD CA STLEREA Gil AND SIR CHARLES
STEWART, Second and Third Marquesses of Londonderry. From the
Original Papers of the Family, and other sources. By Sin ARCHIBALD
ALISON, Bart., D.C.L. In 3 'vols. 8vo, £2, 5s.

ANNALS OF THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGNS.

By Capt. THOMAS HAMILTON. A New Edition. Edited by F. Hard-
man, Esq. 8vo, 16s. ; and Atlas of Maps to illustrate the Campaigns, 12s.

A VISIT TO FLANDERS AND THE FIELD OF WA TERLOO.
By JAMES SIMPSON, Advocate. A Revised Edition. With Two Coloured
Pians of the Battle. Crown 8vo, 5s.

WELLINGTON'S CAREER:

A Military and Political Summary. By Lieut. -Col. E. BRUCE HAMLEY,
Professor of Military History and Art at the Staff College. Crown 8vo, 2s.

BOOKS PUBLISHED BY

THE STORY OF TUB CAMPAIGN OF SEBASTOPOL.

Written in the Camp. By Lieut.-Col. E. BRUCE HAMLEY. With Illus-
trations drawn in Camp by the Author. 8vo, 2ls.

" We strongly recommend this ' Story of the Campaign ' to all who would pain a just comprehension
of this tremendous struggle. Of this we are perfectly sure, it is a hook unlikely to he ever superseded.
Its truth is of that simple and startling character which is sure of an Immortal existence ; nor is it paying
the gallant author too high a complement to class this masterpiece of military history with the most pre-
cious of those classic records which have been bequeathed to us by the great writers of antiquity who
took part iu the wars they have described."— The Press.

THE INVASION OF THE CRIMEA:

Its Origin, and Account of its Progress down to the Death of Lord Raglan.
By ALEXANDER WILLIAM KINGLAKE, M.P. Vols. L and II., bringing
the Events down to the Close of the Battle of the Alma. Fourth Edition.
Price 32s.

TEN YEARS OF IMPERIALISM IN FRANCE.

Impressions of a "Flaneur." Second Edition. In Svo, price 9s.

" There has not been published for many a day a more remarkable hook on France than this, which
professes to be the impressions of a Flaneur. ... It has all the liveliness and sparkle of a work written
only for amusement; it has all the solidity and weight of a State paper ; and we expect for it not a little
political influence as a fair, full, and masterly statement of the Imperial policy— the first and only good
account that has been given to Europe of the Napoleonic system now in force,"— Timet.

FLEETS AND NAVIES.

By Captain CHARLES HAMLEY, R.M. Originally published in 'Black-
wood's Magazine.' Crown Svo, b"s.

HISTORY OF GREECE UNDER FOREIGN DOMINATION.
By GEORGE FINLAY, LL.D., Athens— viz. :

Greece under the Romans, b.c. 146 to a.d. 717. A Historical View of
the Condition of the Greek Nation from its Conquest by the Romans until
the Extinction of the Roman Power in the East. Second Edition, 16s.

History of the Byzantine Empire, a.d. 716 to 1204; and of the
Greek Empire of Nicaea and Constantinople, a.d. 1204 to 1453. 2 vols.,
£1, 7s. 6d.

Medieval Greece and Trebizond. The History of Greece, from its Con-
quest by the Crusaders to its Conquest by the Turks, a.d. 1204 to 15G0 ;
and the History of the Empire of Trebizond, a.d. 1204 to 1461. 12s.

Greece under 0 thomas and Venetian Domination, a.d. 1453 to
1821. 10s. 6d.

History of the Greek Revolution. 2 vols. Svo, £1, 4s.

" His book is worthy to take its place among the remarkahlc works on Greek history, which form
one of the chief glories of English scholarship. The history of Greece is but half told without it."—
London Guardian.

THE NATIONAL CHARACTER OF THE ATHENIANS.

By JOHN BROWN PATTERSON. Edited from the Author's revision, by
Professor PILLANS, of the University of Edinburgh. With a Sketch of
his Life. Crown 8vo, 4s. 6d.

STUDIES IN ROMAN LA W.

Witli Comparative Views of the Laws of France, England, and Scotland. By
Lord MACKENZIE, one of the Judges of the Court of Session in Scotland.
Svo, 12s. Second Edition.

" We know not in the English language where else to look for a history of the Romnn law so clear, and,
at the same time, so short. .... More improving reading, both Tor the general student and for the
lawyer, we cannot well imagine ; and there are few, even among learned professional men, who will not
gather some novel information from Lord Mackenzie's simple pages."— London Jieviete.

THE EIGHTEEN CHRISTIAN CENTURIES.

By the Rev. JAMES WHITE. Fourth Edition, with an Analytical Table of
Contents, and a Copious Index. Post 8vo, 6s.

THE MONKS OF THE WEST,

From St Benedict to St Bernard. By the COUNT DE MONTALEMBERT.
Authorised Translation. 5 vols. 8vo, £2 12s. 6d,

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS.

HISTORY OF FRANCE,

From the Earliest Period to the Year 1848. By the Rev. JAMES WHITE,
Author of 'The Eighteen Christian Centuries.' School Edition. Post
8vo, 6s.

"An excellent and comprehensive compendium of French history, quite above the standard or a
school-book, and particularly well adapted for the libraries ol literary institutions."- National Iteview.

LEADERS OF THE REFORMATION :

Luther, Calvin, Latimer, and Knox. By the Rev. JOHN TDLLOCH,
D.D., Principal, and Primarius Professor of Theology, St Mary's College,
St Andrews. Second Edition, crown Svo, 6s. 6d.

ENGLISH PURITANISM AND ITS LEADERS:

Cromwell, Milton, Baxter, and Bunyan. By the Rev. JOHN TULLOCH,
D.D. Uniform with the ' Leaders of the Reformation.' 7s. ttd.

HISTORY OF THE FRENCH PROTESTANT REFUGEES.
By CHARLES WEISS, Professor of History at the Lyeee Buonaparte.
Translated by F. Hardman, Esq. Svo, 14s.

HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND,

From the Reformation to the Revolution Settlement. By the Very Rev.
JOHN LEE, D.D. , LL. D. , Principal of the University of Edinburgh. Edited
by the Rev. William Lee. 2 vols. Svo, 21s.

HISTORY OF SCOTLAND FROM THE REVOLUTION

To the Extinction of the last Jacobite Insurrection, 1689-1748. By JOHN
HILL BURTON, Esq., Advocate. 2 vols. 8vo, reduced to 15s.

LIVES OF THE QUEENS OF SCOTLAND,

And English Princesses connected with the Regal Succession of Great Britain.
By AGNES STRICKLAND. With Portraits and Historical Vignettes. Post
Svo, £4, 4s.

" Every step in Scotland is historical ; the shades of the dead arise on every side ; the very rock!
breathe Mi- Strickland's talents as a . riter. and turn ol mind as an in.lm.ltnl. " a peculiar mariner
r.i h ur for paiuiiiu!' a historical gallery of the most illustrious or dignified female characters in that land
of chivalry and song."— Machwuotl'a Ma(/a:me.

MEMORIALS OF THE CASTLE OF EDINBURGH.

By JAMES GRANT, Esq. A New Edition. In crown Svo, with 12
Engravings, 3s. 6d.

MEMOIRS OF SIR WILLIAM KIRKALDY OF GRANGE
Governor of the Castle of Edinburgh for Mary Queen of scots. By JAMES
GRANT, Esq. Post 8vo, 10s. 6d.

MEMOIRS OF SIR JOHN HEPBURN,

Marshal of France under Louis XIII., 6c. By JAMES GRANT, Esq. Post
8vo, 8s.

WORKS OF THE REV. THOMAS M'CRIE, D.D

A New and Uniform Edition. Edited by Professor M'Crie. 4 vols, crown
Svo, 24s. Sold separately—™. :
Life of John Knox. Containing Illustrations of the History of the

Reformation in Scotland. Crown Svo, 6s.
Life of Andrew Melville. Containing Illustrations of the Ecclesiasti-
cal and Literary History of Scotland in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth
Centuries. Crown 8vo, 6s.
Historv of the Progress and Suppression of the Reformation in

Italy in the Sixteenth Century. Crown Svo, 4s.
History of the Progress and Suppression of the Reformation in
Spain in the Sixteenth Century. Crown Svo, 8s. 6d.

BOOKS PUBLISHED BY

THE BOSCOBEL TRACTS;

Relating to the Escape of Charles the Second after the Battle of Worcester,
and his subsequent Adventures. Edited by J. Hughes, Esq., A.M. A New
Edition, with additional Notes and Illustrations, including Communications
from the Rev. R. H. Barham, Author of the ' Ingoldsby Legends.' In 8vo,
with Engravings, 16s.

" ' The Bwcobei Tracts ' is a very curious book, and about as pood an example of single subject histo-
rical collection* as may be found. Originally undertaken, or at least completed, at the suggestion of tho
late Bishop Copplestone, in ls^T. it was Carried out with a degree of judgment and taste not always found
in works of a similar, tuaraaer. "— Spectator.

LIFE OF JOHN DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH.

With some Account of his Contemporaries, and of the War of the Succession.
By Sir ARCHIBALD ALISON, Bart., D.C.L. Third Edition. 2 vols. Svo,
Portraits and Maps, 30s.

THE NEW ' EXAMEN

Or, An Inquiry into the Evidence of certain Passages in 'Macaulay's History
of England' concerning— the duke of Marlborough — the massacre of

GLENCOE — THE HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND — VISCOUNT DUNDEE — WILLIAM FENN.

By JOHN PAGET, Esq., Barrister-at-Law. In crown Svo, 6s.

" Wc certainly never saw a more damaging exposure, and it is something worth notice that much of it
appeared in ' Blackwood's Magazine ' during the lifetime of Lord Macaulay, hut he never attempted to
make any reply. The charges are so direct, and uriieii in such unmistakable language, that no writer
who valued his character for cither accuracy of fact or fairness in comment would let them remain un-
answered if he had any reason to give."— Gentleman's Mmjuzinu.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE REV. DR CARLTLE,

Minister of Inveresk. Containing Memorials of the Men and Events of his
Time. Edited by John Hill Burton. In Svo. Third Edition, with
Portrait, 14s.

" Tins book contains by far the most vivid picture of Scottish life and manners that has been given to
the public since the day's of Sir Walter Scott, in bestowing upon it this high praise, wc nuikc no excep-
tion, not even in favour of Lord Coekburn's ' Memorials '— the book which resembles it most, and which
ranks nest to it in interest."— Edinburgh Review.

MEMOIR OF THE POLITICAL LIFE OF EDMUND BURKE.
With Extracts from his Writings. By the Rev. GEORGE CROLY, D.D.
2 vols, post Svo, 18s.

CURRAN AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES.

By CHARLES PHILLIPS, Esq., A.B. A New Edition. Crown 8vo, 7s. Gd.

" Certainly one of the most extraordinary pieces of biography ever produced No library

should he without it."— Lord Brouyham. .

" Never, perhaps, was there a more curious collection of portraits crowded before into the same can
vasa."— Timei.

MEMOIR OF MRS HE MANS.

By her SISTER. With a Portrait. Feap. 8vo, 5s.

LIFE OF THE LATE REV. JAMES ROBERTSON, D.D.,
F.R.S.E., Professor of Divinity and Ecclesiastical History in the University
of Edinburgh. By tho Rev. A. H. CHARTER IS, M.A., Minister of New-
abbey. With a Portrait. Svo, price 10s. fld.

ESSA YS; HISTORICAL, POLITICAL, AND MISCELLANEOUS.
By Sir ARCHIBALD ALISON, Bart. 3 vols, demy Svo, 45s.

ESSAYS IN HISTORY AND ART.
By R. H. PATTERSON. Viz. :

COLOUR IN NATURE AND ART — REAL AND IDEAL BEAUTY — SCULPTURE —
ETHNOLOGY OF EUROPE— UTOPIAS— OUR INDIAN EMPIRE — THE NATIONAL
LIFE OF CHINA — AN IDEAL ART-CONGRESS — BATTLE OF THE STYLES — GENIUS
AND LIBERTY — YOUTH AND SUMMER — RECOnDB OF THE PAST : NINEVEH AND
BABYLON— INDIA 1 ITS CASTES AND CREEDS — "CHRISTOPHER NORTH:" IN
ME.MORIAM. In 1 VOl. Svo, 12s.

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS.

NORMAN SINCLAIR.

ByW. E. AYTOUN, D.C.L., Author of 'Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers,'
&c. (Sic. In a vols, post Svo, 31s. 6d.

THE OLD BACHELOR IN THE OLD SCOTTISH VILLA GK
By THOMAS AIRD. Fcap. 8vo, 4s,

SIR EDWARD BULWER LYTTON'S NOVELS.

Library Edition. Printed from a large and readable type. In Volumes of a
convenient and handsome form. Svo, 5s. each — viz. :

The Caxton Novels, 10 Volumes :
The Caxton Family. 2 vols. | What will he do with it?

My Novel. 4 vols. I 4 vols.

Historical Romances, 11 Volumes:

Devereux. 2 vols. The Siege of Grenada. 1 vol.

The Last Days of Pompeii. 2 vols. The Last of the Barons. 2 vols.

Rienzi. 2 vols. I Harold. 2 vols.

Romances, 5 Volumes :
The Pilgrims of the Rhine. I Eugene Aram. 2 vols.

1 vol. I Zanoni 2 vols.

Novels of Life and Manners, 15 Volumes :

Pelham. 2 vols.
The Disowned. 2 vols.
Paul Clifford. 2 vols.
Godolphin. 1 vol.
Ernest Maltravers— First Part.
2 vols.

Ernest Maltravers — Se-
cond Part (i.e. Alice.)
2 vols.

Night and Morning.
2 vols.

Lucretia. 2 vols.

"It is of the handiest of si/.es; the paper is pood; and the type, which stems to be new, is verj clear
and beautiful. There arc no pictures. The whole charm of the presentment of the volume consists
111 its haudiness, and the tempting clearness and beauty of the type, which almost converts into a plea-
sure the mere act of following the printer's lines, and leaves the author's mind free to exert its unob-
structed force unun the reader." — Examiner.

" Nothing could be better as to size, type, paper, and general get-up."— Athe-ntmtm.

JESSIE CAMERON: A HIGHLAND STORY.

By the Lady RACHEL BUTLER. Second Edition. Small Svo, with a
Frontispiece, 2s. 6d.

SOME PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OF ADAM BLAIR,

And Histoiy of Matthew Wald. By the Author of 'Valerius.' Fcap. 8vo,
4s. cloth.

CAPTAIN CLUTTERBUCK'S CHAMPAGNE:
A West Indian Reminiscence. Post Svo, 12s.

SCENES OF CLERICAL LIFE.

The Sad Fortunes of Amos Barton — Mr Gilfil's Love-Story — Janet's Repent-
ance. By GEORGE ELIOT. 2 vols. fcap. Svo, 12s.

ADAM BEDS.

By GEORGE ELIOT. 2 vols. fcap. Svo, 12s.

THE MILL ON THE FLOSS.

By GEORGE ELIOT. 2 vols. fcap. Svo, 12s.

SILAS MARNER: THE WEAVER OF RAVELOE.
By GEORGE ELIOT. Fcap. 8vo, 6s.

THE NOVELS OF GEORGE ELIOT.

Cheap Edition, complete in 3 vols., price 6s. each — viz.:
Adam Bede.

The Mill on the Floss.

Scenes of Clerical Life, and Silas Marner.

BOOKS PUBLISHED BY

VALERIUS: A ROMAN STORY.
Fcap. 8vo, 3s. cloth.

THE DIARY OF A LATE PHYSICIAN.

By SAMUEL WARREN, D.C.L 1 vol. crown Svo, 5s. Cd.

TEN THOUSAND A -YEAR.

By SAMUEL WARREN, D.C.L. 2 vols, crown 8vo, 9s.

NOW AND THE A.

By SAMUEL WARREN, D.C.L. Crown Svo, 2s. 0(1.

THE LILY AND THE BEE.

By SAMUEL WARREN, D.C.L. Crown Svo, 2s.

MISCELLA NIES.

By SAMUEL WARREN, D.C.L. Crown 8vo, 5s.

WORKS OF SAMUEL WARREN, D.C.L.
Uniform Edition. o vols, crown Svo. 24s.

WORKS OF PROFESSOR WILSOJST.

Edited by his Son-in-law, Professor Ferrier. In 12 vols, crown Svo, £2, Ss.
Illustrated with Portraits on Steel.

RECREATIONS OF CHRISTOPHER NORTH.
By Professor WILSON. In 2 vols, crown 8vo, Ss.

THE NOCTES AMBROSIANjE.

By Professor WILSON. With Notes and a Glossary. In 4 vols, crown Svo,
Ids.

LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF SCOTTISH LIFE.
By Professor WILSON. Fcap. Svo, 3s. cloth.

THE TRIALS OF MARGARET LYNDSAY.
By Professor WILSON. Fcap. Svo, 3s. cloth.

THE FORESTERS.

By Professor WILSON. Fcap. 8vo, 3s. cloth.

TA LES.

By Professor WILSON. Comprising ' The Lights and Shadows of Scottish
Life;' 'The Trials of Margaret Lyndsay;' and 'The Foresters.' In 1 vol.
crown 8vo, 4s. cloth.

ESSAYS, CRITICAL AND IMAGINATIVE.
By Professor WILSON. 4 vols, crown Svo, 16s.

TONY BUTLER.

Originally published in ' Blackwood's Magazine.' 3 vols, post Svo, £1, lis. 6d

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS.

THE BOOK-HUNTER, ETC.

By JOHN HILL BURTON. New Edition. In crown 8vo, 7s. 6d.

•'A book pleasant to look at and pleasant to read-pleasant from its rich store of anecdote, its genialitv
and its humour, even to persons who care little for tile subjects of which it treat-, but bev„n,i mea-ure dV
Ugbtni] to those who arc in any degree members of the above-mentioned fraternity."— Saturday Btvum

"We have not been more amused for ft long time : and every reader who takes interest in typography
SttTSrarWoSSBSi. S " m ''' ' **** " ' bc8inn '" g ' hc wi " «idhe sorry

"Mr Burton has now given us a pleasant book, full of quaint anecdote, and of a lively bookish talk.
reSSj Smi^™S!!i"r ™ very tati "S- tbtre is a curious knowledge of hooks which is

HOMER AND HIS TRANSLATORS,

And the Greek Drama. By Professor WILSON. Crown 8vo, 6s.

" Rut of all the criticisms on Homer which I have ever had the good fortune to read in our own or
any alienage, the most vivid and entirely genial ate those found in the ' Essays, Critical and Imagina-
tive,' of the late Professor Wilson. "-Jf r Ulattduat'a Sadies on J/omer. ™ s ™

THE SKETCHER.

By the Rev. JOHN EAGLES. Originally published in ' Blackwood's Maga-
zine.' 8vo, 10s. 6d.

" This ' volume, called by the appropriate name of ' The Skctcticr,' is one that ought to he found in the
studio of every I.iiglish landscape-painter. .... More instructive and sugge-tivc reading, for young
artists, especially landscape-painters, can scarcely be found."— The Globe.

ESS A rs.

By the Rev. JOHN EAGLES, A.M. Oxon. Originally published in ' Black-
wood's Magazine.' Post 8vo, 10s. (id.

Contents :— Church Music, and other Parocliials.— Medical Attendance, and
other Parochials. — A few Hours at Hampton Court.— Grandfathers and
Grandchildren.— Sitting for a Portrait.— Are there not Great Boasters
among us ?— Temperance and Teetotal Societies.— Thackeray's Lectures :
Swift. —The Crystal Palace. — Civilisation : The Census. — The Be»gar's
Legacy.

ESSA YS; HISTORICAL, POLITICAL, AND MISCELLANEOUS.
By Sir ARCHIBALD ALISON, Bart., D.C.L. Three vols., demy Svo, 45s.

LECTURES ON THE POETICAL LITERATURE OF THE
PAST HALF-CENTURY. By D. M. MOIR. Third Edition. Fcap. 8vo,Ss.

"Exquisite in its taste and generous in its criticisms."— Hwjh Miller.

LECTURES ON THE HISTORY OF LITERATURE,

Ancient and Modern. From the German of F. Schleciel. Feap., 5s.

wn language."— Quarlerlt,

THE GENIUS OF HANDEL,

And the distinctive Character of his Sacred Compositions. Two Lectures.
Delivered to the Members of the Edinburgh Philosophical Institution. By
the Very Rev. DEAN RAMSAY, Author of ' Reminiscences of Scottish Life
and Character.' In crown Svo, 3s. lid.

BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE,

From Commencement in 1817 to December 1861. Numbers 1 to 554, forming
90 Volumes. £31, 10s.

INDEX TO THE FIRST FIFTY VOLUMES OF BLACKWOOD'S
MAGAZINE. 8vo, 15s.

BOOKS PUBLISHED BY

LAYS OF THE SCOTTISH CAVALIERS,

And other Poems. By W. EDMONDSTOUNE AYTOUN, D.C.L., Professor
of Rhetoric and English Literature in the University of Edinburgh. Twen-
tieth Edition. Feap Svo, 7s. 6d.

" Professor Avtoun's ' Lays of tlie Scottish Cavaliers '—a volume of verse which shows that Scotland has
yet a poet. Full of the true lire, it now stirs and swells like a trumpet-note— now sinks in cadences tad
and wild as the wail of a Highland dirge."— Quarterly BeetetB,

BOTH WELL : A POEM.

By W. ED.MONBSTOUNE AYTOUN, D.C.L. Third Edition. Feap. 8vo,
7s. Cd.

" Professor Aytoun has produced a fine poem and an able argument, and 'Bothwcll' will assuredly
take Its stand among the classics of Scottish literature."— Tlw frtsa.

THE BALLADS OF SCOTLAND.

Edited by Professor Aytoun. Third Edition. 2 vols. feap. 8vo, 12s.

" No country can boast of a richer collection of Uallads than Scotland, and no Editor for these Ballads
could be found mure accomplished than 1'rofessor Aytoun. Helms sent forth two beautiful volumes which
range with ' Percy's Relinues '—which, for completeness ami accuracy, leave little to be desired— which
must henceforth be considered as the standard edition of the Scottish Ballads, and which we commend
as u. model to any among ourselves who may think of doing like service to the English Ballads."— Times.

POEMS AND BALLADS OF GOETHE,

Translated by Professor Aytoun and Theodore Martin. Second Edition.
Feap. Svo, tis.

•■ There is no doubt that these are the best translations of Goethe's marvellously-cut gems which have
yet been published."-Ti)iw.a.

THE BOOK OF BALLADS.

Edited by Bon Gaiiltier. Tenth Edition, with numerous Illustrations by
Doyle, Leech, and Crow«uill. Gilt edges, post Svo, 8s. 6d.

FIRMILIAN; OR, THE STUDENT OF BAD A JOS.
A Spasmodic Tragedy. By T. PERCY JONES. In small Svo, 5s.

" Humour of a kind most rare at all times, and especially in the present day. runs through every pape,
and passages of true poetry and delicious versification prevent the continual play of sarcasm from becom-
ing tedious."— Literary Gazette.

POETICAL WORKS OF THOMAS AIRD,
Fourth Edition. In 1 vol. feap. Svo, lis.

POEMS.

By the Lady FLORA HASTINGS. Edited by her Sister. Second Edition,
with a Portrait. Feap., 7s. tid.

THE POEMS OF FELICIA HEM A NS.

Complete in 1 vol. royal 8vo, with Portrait by Finden. Cheap Edition,
12s. 6d. Another Edition, with MEMOIR by her Sister. Seven vols, feap.,
35s. Another Edition, Six vols, bound in Three, cloth, 12s. 6d.
The following Works of Mrs Hemans are sold separately, bound in cloth, gilt
edges, 4s. each : —

Records of Woman. Forest Sanctuary. Songs or the Affections.
Dramatic Works. Tales and Historic Scenes. Moral a_nd Reli-
gious Poems.

THE ODYSSEY AND ILIAD OF HOMER.

Translated into English Verse in the Spenserian Stanza. By PHILIP STAN-
HOPE WORSLEY, M.A., and Professor CONINGTON. 4 vols., crown
Svo, £1, 19s.

" Mr Worsley,— apply inn the Spenserian stanza, that beautiful romantic measure, to the most romantic
poem of the ancient world— making the stanza yield him, too (what it never yielded to Byron), its trea-
sures of fluidity and sweet ease— above all, bringing to his task a truly poetical sense and skill.— has pro-
duced a version of the ' Odyssey' much the most pleasing of those hitherto produced, and which is de-
lightful to read."— Professor Arnold on Translating Homer.

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS.

POEMS AND TRANSLATIONS.

By PHILIP STANHOPE WORSLEY, M.A., Scholar of Corpus Christi
College, Oxford. Fcap. 8vo, os.

POEMS.

By ISA. In small 8vo, 4s. 6d.

POETICAL WORKS OF D. M. MOIR.

With Portrait, and Memoir by Thomas Aird. Second Edition. 2 vols,
fcap. 8vo, 12s.

LECTURES ON THE POETICAL LITERATURE OF THE
PAST HALF-CENTURY. By D. M. MOIR (A). Second Edition. Fcap.
Svo, 5s.

" A delightful volume."— Morning Chronicle.

" Exquisite in iu taste and generous in its criticisms."— Jfuf/h Miller.

THE COURSE OF TIME: A POEM.

By ROBERT POLLOK, A.M. Twenty-fifth Edition. Fcap Svo, 3s. 6d.

"Of deep and hallowed impress, full of noble thoughts and graphic conceptions— thu production of a
mind alive to the great relations of being, and the sublime simplicity of our religion."— ttlackwoud a
M'Ujaziiie.

AN ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF THE COURSE OF TIME.
In large Svo, bound in cloth, richly gilt, 21s.

" There has been no modern poem in the English lani;uapc, of the class to which the ' Course of Time '
belongs, since Milton wrote, that can be compared to it. In the present instance the artistic talents of
Messrs Foster. Clayton, Tkxmrl, Evans, Dajlzikl, Qhkkk, and Woods, have been employed iu giving
expression to the sublimity of the language, by equally exquisite illustrations, all of which are of the
highest class." — Beli's MeascH/jer.

POEMS AND BALLADS OF .SCHILLER.

Translated by Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, Bart. Second Edition. 8vo,
10s. 6d.

ST STEPHEN'S;

Or, Illustrations of Parliamentary Oratory. A Poem. Comprising — Pym —
Vane— Stratford— Halifax— Shaftesbury— St Jolm-Sir R. Walpole— Chester-
field — Carteret — Chatham — Pitt — Fox — Burke— Sheridan — Wilberforce —
Wyndham — Conway— Castlereagh — William Lamb (Lord Melbourne) — Tier-
ney — Lord Grey — O'Connell — Plunkett — Shiel — Follett — Macaulay — Peel.
Second Edition. Crown 8vo, 5s.

LEGENDS, LYRICS, AND OTHER POEMS.
By B. SIMMONS. Fcap., Vs. Od.

SIR WILLIAM CRICHTON—A TIIELWOLD — OUIDONE :
Dramas by WILLIAM SMITH, Author of ' Thorndale,' &c. 32mo, 2s. 6d.

THE BIRTHDAY, AND OTHER POEMS.
By Mrs SOUTHEY. Second Edition, 5s.

ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE LYRIC POETRY AND MUSIC
OF SCOTLAND. By WILLIAM STENHOUSE. Originally compiled to
accompany the ' Scots Musical Museum,' and now published separately, with
Additional Notes and Illustrations. Svo, 7s. Gd.

PROFESSOR WILSON'S POEMS.

Containing the 'Isle of Palms,' the 'City of the Plague,' 'Unimore,' and
other Poems. Complete Edition. Crown 8vo, 4s.

POEMS AND SONGS.

By DAVID WINOATE. Second Edition. Fcap. Svo, 5s.

"We are delighted io welcome into the brotherhood of real poets .1 tountryman of Rums, and whose-
verse will go far to render the raughor Border Scottish a claisic dialect iu our literature."— J oli'i bull.

BOOKS PUBLISHED BY

THE PHYSICAL ATLAS OF NATURAL PHENOMENA.
By ALEXANDER KEITH JOHNSTON, F.R.S.E., die, Geographer to the
Queen for Scotland. A New and Enlarged Edition, consisting of 35 Folio
Plates, and 27 smaller ones, printed in Colours, with 135 pages of Letterpress,
and Index. Imperial folio, half-bound morocco, £8, Ss.
" A perfect treasure of compressed iuformation."-,Str John Ueradiel.

THE PHYSICAL ATLAS.

By ALEXANDER KEITH JOHNSTON, F.E.S.E., &c. Reduced from the
Imperial Folio. This Edition contains Twenty-five Maps, including a Palreon-
tological and Geological Map of the British Islands, with Descriptive Letter-
press, and a very copious Index. In imperial 4to, half-bound morocco,
£2, 12s. 6d.

" Executed with remarkable care, and is as accurate, and. for all educational purposes, as valuable, as
the splendid large work(by the same author) which has now a European reputation."— Eclectic Review.

A GEOLOGICAL MAP OF EUROPE.

By Sib R. I. MURCHISON, D.C.L., F.R.S., drc, Director-General of the
Geological Survey of Great Britain and Ireland ; and JAMES NICOL,
F.R.S.E., F.G.S., Professor of Natural History in the University of Aberdeen.
Constructed by Alexander Keith Johnston, F.R.S.E., die. Four Sheets
imperial, beautifully printed in Colours. In Sheets, £3, 3s. ; in a Cloth Case,
4to, £3, 10s.

GEOLOGICAL AND PAL&ONTOLOGICAL MAP OF THE
BRITISH ISLANDS, including Tables of the Fossils of the different Epochs,
die. <fcc, from the Sketches and Notes of Professor Edwabd Forbes. With
Illustrative and Explanatory Letterpress. 21s.

GEOLOGICAL MAP OF SCOTLAND.

By JAMES NICOL, F.R.S.E., die., Professor of Natural History in the Uni-
versity of Aberdeen. With Explanatory Notes. The Topography by Alex-
ander Keith Johnston, F.R.S.E., die. Scale, 10 miles to an inch. In
Cloth Case, 21s.

INTRODUCTORY TEXT-BOOK OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.
By DAVID PAGE, F.R.S.E., die. With Illustrations and a Glossarial Index.
Crown Svo, 2s.

INTRODUCTORY TEXT-BOOK OF GEOLOGY.

By DAVID PAGE, F.R.S. R., F.G.S. With Engravings on Wood and Glos-
sarial Index. Seventh Edition, 2s.

" It has not often been our good fortune to examine a text-book on science of which we could express
an opinion so entirely favourable as we are enabled to do of Mr Page's little work.' -AUienixum.

ADVANCED TEXT-BOOK OF GEOLOGY,

Descriptive and Industrial. By DAVID PAGE, F.R.S.E., F.G.S. With
Engravings and Glossary of Scientific Terms. Fourth Edition, revised and
enlarged, 7s. 6d.

" It is therefore with unfeigned pleasure that we record our appreciation of bis ' Advanced Text-Book
of Geology ' We have carefully read this truly satisfactory book, and do not hcm.ite to say that it is an
excellent compendium of the great facts of Geology, and written in a truthful and philosophic spirit. —
iftfinoiii-o/i FliiloaopliicalJuurnal.

HANDBOOK OF GEOLOGICAL TERMS, GEOLOGY, AND
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. By DAVID PAGE, F.R.S.E. F.G.S. Second
Edition, crown Svo, 7s. 6d.

THE PAST AND PRESENT LIFE OF THE GLOBE:

Bern" a Sketch in Outline of the World's Life-System. By DAVID PAGE,
F.R.S.E., F.G.S. Crown Svo, 6s. With Fifty Illustrations, drawn and
engraved expressly for this Work.

•• Sir Pago, whoso admirable text-books of geology have already secured him a position of imponancein
the scientific world will add considerably to his reputation by the present sketch, as ho modestly terms
i ? or the I,Ko.S?It™ or gradual cv„I,iti„ . of the vitality of our glooc. In no manual that we are aware
,r have the fa«, and Phenomena of biology been presented in at once so systematic and succinct a form,
the Mice. mile nuvm^HcSofliro on the earth set forth ill so clear an order or traced so vividly from
She earliest org" S.Vdeep -buried ill its stratified crust, to the familiar forms that now adorn and people
Its surface."— Literary Gizeil*.

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS.

THE GEOLOGICAL BXAMINA TOR ;

A Progressive Series of Questions adapted to the Introductory and Advanced
Text-Books of Geology. Prepared to assist Teachers in framing their Exami-
nations, and Students in testing their own Progress and Proliciencv Bv
DAVID PAGE, F.B.S.E., F.G.S. Third Edition, Is.

THE GEOLOGY OF PENNSYLVANIA:

A Government Survey ; with a General View of the Geology of the United
States, Essays on the Coal Formation and its Fossils, and a Description of
the Coal-Fields of North America and Great Britain. By Professor HENRY
DARWIN ROGERS, F.R.S., F.G.S., Professor of Natural History in the
University of Glasgow. With Seven large Maps, and numerous Illustrations
engraved on Copper and on Wood. In 3 vols, royal 4to, £8, 8s.

SEA-SIDE STUDIES AT ILFRA COMBE, TENBY. THE
SC1LLY ISLES, AND JERSEY. By GEORGE HENRY LEWES. Second
Edition. Crown 8vo, with Illustrations, and a Glossary of Technical Terms,
6s. GcL

PHYSIOLOGY OF COMMON LIFE.

By GEORGE HENRY LEWES, Author of 'Sea-side Studies,' be. Illus-
trated with numerous Engravings. 2 vols., 12s.

CHEMISTRY OF COMMON LIFE.

By Professor J. F. W. JOHNSTON. A New Edition. Edited by G. H.
LEWES. With 113 Illustrations on Wood, and a Copious Index. 2 vols,
crown 8vo, lis. Gd.

NOMENCLATURE OF COLOURS,

Applicable to the Arts and Natural Sciences, to Manufactures, and other
Purposes of General Utility. By D. R. HAY, F.R.S.E. 22S Examples of
Colours, Hues, Tints, and Shades. Svo, £3, 3s.

NARRATIVE OF THE EARL OF ELGIN'S MISSION TO
CHINA AND JAPAN. By LAURENCE OLIPHANT, Private Secretary
to Lord Elgin. Illustrated with numerous Engravings in Chromo-Lithogra-
phy, Maps, and Engravings on Wood, from Original Drawings and Photo-
graphs. Second Edition. In 2 vols. 8vo, 21s.

" The volumes in which Sir Oliphant has related these transactions will he read with the strongest inte-
rest now, ami deserve to retain a permanent place in the literary and historical annals of our time."—
Edinburgh Hevicio.

RUSSIAN SHORES OF THE BLACK SEA

In the Autumn of 1852. With a Voyage down the Volga and a Tour through
the Country of the Don Cossacks. By LAURENCE OLIPHANT, Esq.
8vo, with Map and other Illustrations. Fourth Edition, 14s.

EGYPT, THE SOUDAN, AND CENTRAL AFRICA:

With Explorations from Khartoum on the White Nile to the Regions of the
Equator. By JOHN PETHERICK, F.R.G.S., Her Britannic Majesty's Con-
sul for the Soudan. In Svo, with a Map, 10s.

NOTES ON NORTH AMERICA:

Agricultural, Economical, and Social. By Professor J. F. W. JOHNSTON.
2 vols, post Svo, 21s.

" Professor Johnston's admirable Notes. . . . The verj best manual for intelligent emigrants, whilst
to the British agriculturist and general reader it conveys a more complete conception of the condition of
these prosperous regions than all that has hitherto been written."— hcviioniut.

A FAMILY TOUR ROUND THE COASTS OF SPAIN AND
PORTUGAL during the Winter of 1860-1861. By Lady DUNBAR, of North-
field. In post 8vo, 5s.

1-2

BOOKS PUBLISHED BY

THE ROYAL ATLAS OF MODERN GEOGRAPHY.

In a Series of entirely Original and Authentic Maps. By A. KEITH
JOHNSTON, F R.S.E., F.R.G.S., Author of the ' Physical Atlas,' &c. With
a complete Index of easy reference to each Map, comprising nearly 150,000
Places contained in this Atlas. Imperial folio, half-bound in russia or mo-
rocco, £5, 15s. 6d. (Dedicated by permission to Her Majesty.)

«' No one can look through Mr Keith Johnston's new Atlas without seeing that it is the hcst which has
ever been published in this country."— J'/ie Times.

•• Of the many noble atlases prepared by Mr Johnston and published bv Messrs Blackwood & Sons, this
ltoyal Atlas will be the most useful to the public, and will deserve to be the most popular. -Allicuwum.

" We know no scries of mops which wc can more warmly recommend. The accuracy, wherever we have
attempted to put it to the test, is really astonishing."— Saturday Review.

a T i le culmination of all attempts to depict the face of the world appears in the Royal Atlas, than
which it is impossible to conceive anything more perfect."— sUornino Herald.

" This is. beyond question, the most splendid and luxurious, as well as the most useful and complete,
of all existing atlases."— Guardian.

" There has not, wc believe, been produced for general public use a body of maps equal In beauty and
completeness to the Royal Atlas just issued by Mr A. K Johnston."— Examiner.

"an almost daily reference to, and comparison of it with others, since the publication of the first part
some two years ago' until now, enables us to say, without the slightest hesitation, that this Is by far thc-
most complete and authentic atlas that hits yet been issucd."-6'cofsman.

" Beyond doubt the greatest geographical work, of our tlme."-Jf uscum.

INDEX GEOGRAPHICUS:

Being an Index to nearly One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Names of
Places, &c. ; with their Latitudes and Longitudes as given in Keith
Johnston's 'Royal Atlas;' together with the Countries and Subdivi-
sions of the Countries in which they are situated. In 1 vol. large Svo., 21s.

A NEW MAP OF EUROPE.

By A. KEITH JOHNSTON, F.R.S.E. Size, i feet 2 inches by 3 feet 5
inches. Cloth Case, 21s.

ATLAS OF SCOTLAND.

31 Maps of the Counties of Scotland, coloured. Bound in roan, price 10s. Gd.
Each County may be had separately, in Cloth Case, Is.

KEITH JOHNSTON'S SCHOOL ATLASES:—

General and Descriptive Geography, exhibiting the Actual and Com-
parative Extent of all the Countries in the World, with their present
Political Divisions. A New and Enlarged Edition. With a complete
Index. 26 Maps. Half-bound, 12s. (id.
Physical Geography, illustrating, in a Series of Original Designs, the
Elementary Facts of Geology, Hydrology, Meteorology, and Natural
History. A New and Enlarged Edition. 19 Maps, including coloured
Geological Maps of Europe and of the British Isles. Half-bound, 12s. 84

Classical Geography, comprising, in Twenty-three Plates, Maps and Plans
of all the important Countries and Localities referred to by Classical
Authors ; accompanied by a pronouncing Index of Places, by T. Harvey,
M.A. Oxon. A New and Revised Edition. Half-bound, 12s. 6d.

Astronomy. Edited by J. R. Hind, Esq., F.R.A.S., &c. Notes and
Descriptive Letterpress to each Plate, embodying all recent Discoveries
in Astronomy. 18 Maps. Half-bound, 12s. ad.

Elementary School Atlas of General and Descriptive Geography
for the Use of Junior Classes. A New and Cheaper Edition. 20 Maps,
including a Map of Canaan and Palestine. Half-bound, 5s.

" They are as superior to all School Atlases within our knowledge, as were the larger works of the same
Author in advance of those that preceded them."— Educational Tiniee.

a Decidedly the best School Atlases we have ever seen."— English Journal of Education.

" The best, the fullest, the most accurate and recent, as well as artistically the most beautiful atlas that
can be put into the schoolboy's hands." — Mueeum, April 1803.

A MANUAL OF MODERN GEOGRAPHY:

Mathematical, Physical, and Political. Embracing a complete Development
of the River-Systems of the Globe. BytheREV. ALEX. MACKAY, F.R.G.S.
With Index. 7s. 6d., bound in leather.

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS.

THE BOOK OF THE FARM.

Detailing the Labours of the Farmer, Farm-Steward, Ploughman, Shepherd,
Hedger, Cattle-man, Field-worker, and Dairymaid, and forming a safe Monitor
for Students in Practical Agriculture. By HENRY STEPHENS, F.R.S.E.
2 vols, royal Svo, £3, handsomely bound in cloth, with upwards of 600
Illustrations.

"The best book I have ever met with."— Professor Johnston.

" We have thoroughly examined these volumes ; but to give a full notice of their varied and valuable
contents would occupy a larger space than we can conveniently devote to their discussion ; we therefore,
in general terms, commend them to the careful study of every young man who wishes to become a good
practical farmer."— Times.

" One of the completes! works on agriculture of which eur literature can boast."— Agricultural Gazelle.

THE BOOK OF FARM IMPLEMENTS AND MACHINES.
By JAMES SLIGHT and R. SCOTT BURN. Edited by Henry Stephens,
F.R.S.E. Illustrated with S76 Engravings. Royal Svo, uniform with the
' Book of the Farm/ half-bound, £2, 2s.

THE BOOK OF FARM BUILDINGS:

Their Arrangement and Construction. By HENRY STEPHENS, F R.S E
and R. SCOTT BURN. Royal Svo, with 1045 Illustrations. Uniform with
the ' Book of the Farm.' Half-bound, £1, lis. 6d.

THE BOOK OF THE GARDEN.

By CHARLES M'INTOSH. In 2 large vols, royal Svo, embellished with
1353 Engravings.

Each Volume may be had separately — viz.:
I. Architectural and Ornamental.— On the Formation of Gardens —
Construction, Heating, and Ventilation of Fruit and Plant Houses,
Pits, Frames, and other Garden Structures, with Practical Details.
Illustrated by 1073 Engravings, pp. 70S. £2, 10s.

II. Practical Gardening. — Directions for the Culture of the Kitchen
Garden, the Hardy-fruit Garden, the Forcing Garden, and Flower
Garden, including Fruit and Plant Houses, with Select Lists of Vege-
tables, Fruits, and Plants. Pp. S(iS, with 279 Engravings. £1, 17s. tid.

" We feel justified in recommending Air M'lnto&b/a two excellent volumes to the notice of the public."
—Gardener a' Chronicle.

PRACTICAL SYSTEM OF FARM BOOK-KEEPING:

Being that recommended in the ' Book of the Farm ' by H. Stephens. Royal
Svo, 2s. 6d. Also, Seven Folio Account-Books, printed and ruled" in
accordance with the System, the whole being specially ad&jited for keeping,
by an easy and accurate method, an account of all the transactions of the
Farm. A detailed Prospectus may be had from the Publishers. Price of
the complete set of Eight Books, £1, 4s. 6d. Also, A Labour Account of
the Estate, 2s. Od.

" We have no hesitation in saying thai, of the many systems of keeping farm accounts which are now in
vogue, there is not one which will bear comparison with this."— Bell's Messenger.

AINSLIE'S TREATISE ON LAND-SURVEYING.

A New and Enlarged Edition. Edited by William Galbraith, M.A.,
F.R.A.S. 1 vol. Svo, with a Volume of Plates in Quarto, 21s.

"The best book on surveying with which I am acquainted."— W. Rutherford, LL.D., F.R.A.S., Royal
Military Academy, Woolwich.

THE FORESTER:

A Practical Treatise on the Planting. Rearing, and Management of Forest
Trees. By JAMES BROWN, Wood Manager to the Earl of Sealield. Third
Edition, greatly enlarged, with numerous Engravings on Wood. Royal Svo,
30s.

" Heyoud all doubt this is the host work on the subject of Forestry extant."— Gardener*' Journal
" The most useful guide to good arboriculture in the English language."— Gardeners' Vhrunicle.

BOOKS PUBLISHED BY

HANDBOOK OF THE MECHANICAL ARTS,

Concerned in the Construction ami Arrangement of Dwellings anil other
Buildings i Including Carpentry, Smith-work, Iron-framing, Brick-making,
Columns, Cements, Well-sinking, Enclosing of Land, Road-making, &c. By
E. SCOTT BURN. Crown 8vo, with 504 Engravings on Wood, 6s. 6d.

PROFESSOR JOHNSTON'S WORKS: —

Experimental Agriculture. Being the Results of Past, and Suggestions

for Future, Experiments in Scientific and Practical Agriculture. 8s.
Elements of Agricultural Chemistry and Geology. Eighth Edition,

6s. 6d.

A Catechism op Agricultural Chemistry and Geology. Fifty-seventh

Edition. Edited by Dr Voelcker. Is.
On TnE Use of Lime in Agriculture. 6s.
Instructions for the Analysis of Soils. Fourth Edition, 2s.

THE RELATIVE VALUE OF ROUND AND SA WN TIMBER,
Shown by means of Tables and Diagrams. By JAMES RAIT, Land-Steward
at Castle-Forbes. Royal Svo, 8s. half-bound.

THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURAL FACTS.

1859 and 1860. Edited by R. Scott Burn. Fcap. Svo, 5s. each. 1861 and
1863, 4s. each.

ELKING TON'S SYSTEM OF DRAINING:

A Systematic Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Draining Land, adapted
to the various Situations and Soils of England and Scotland, drawn up from
the Communications of Joseph Elkington, by J. Johnstone. 4to, 10s. 64.

JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE, AND TRANSACTIONS OF
THE HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND.
Old Series, 1S2S to 1S43, 21 vols. . . . £3 3 0
New Series, 1843 to 1851, 8 vols. ... 220

THE RURAL ECONOMY OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, AND
IRELAND. By LEONCE DE LAVERGNE. Translated from the French.
With Notes by a Scottisli Fanner. In 8vo, 12s.

"One of the best works on the philosophy Of agriculture and of agricultural political economy that has
appeared." — Spectator.

DAIRY MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF MILCH COWS:
Being the recorded Experience of Mrs AGNES SCOTT, Winkston, Peebles.
Second Edition. Fcap., Is.

ITALIAN IRRIGATION:

A Report addressed to the Hon. the Court of Directors of the East India
Company, on the Agricultural Canals of Piedmont and Lombardy ; witlt a
Sketch of the Irrigation System of Northern and Central India. By Lieut. -
Col. BAIRD SMITH, C.B. Second Edition. 2 vols. Svo. with Atlas in
folio, 30s.

THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE FARM:

A Series of Designs for Farm Houses, Farm Steadings, Factors' Houses, and
Cottages. By JOHN STARFORTH, Architect. Sixty-two Engravings. In
medium 4to, £2, 2s.

" One of the most useful and beautiful additions to Messrs Blackwood's extensive and valuable library
of agricultural and rural economy."— Afortiinp Post.

THE YESTER DEEP LAND-CULTURE:

Beino* a Detailed Account of the Method of Cultivation which has been suc-
cessfully practised for several years by the Marquess of Tweeddale at Yester.
By HENRY STEPHENS, Esq., F. R.S. E., Author of the ' Book of the Farm.'
In small Svo, with Engravings on Wood, 4s. Od.

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS.

A MANUAL OF PRACTICAL BRAINING

By.HENBY STEPHENS, F.R.S.E., Author of the 'Book of the Farm.
Third Edition, Svo, 6s.

A CATECHISM OF PRACTICAL AGRICULTURE

By HENRY STEPHENS, F.R.S.E., Author of the ' Book of the Farm ' ire
In crown Svo, with Illustrations, Is.

HANDY BOOK ON PROPERTY LAW.

By Lord ST LEONARDS. The Seventh Edition. To which is now added
a Letter on the New Laws for obtaining an Indefeasible Title. With a Por-
trait of the Author, engraved by Holl. 3s. 6(L

inc "ifm-in?",,^,?^.?, 3 ,,; 8 "'V? wi "' t >?°° r V.<""-y precautions to which we should attend in sell,
lug, billing, mortgaging, Iodine. Mtllmg, ati.l devalue eMaiw. \V._- arc i„tcrni,il rC cur i- 1 ilium toi.nr

THE PLANTER'S GUIBE.

By Sm HENRY STEUART. A New Edition, with the Author's last Additions
and Corrections. 8vo, with Engravings, 21s.

STABLE ECONOMY :

A Treatise on the Management of Horses. By JOHN STEWART V S
Seventh Edition, 6s. 6d. '

f.Vp™ ° 1W ° JS """"""" it! P° slti <"> «» » standard work upon tho management of horsos."-Jfar* i„,„

ADVICE TO PURCHASERS OF HORSES
By JOHN STEWART, V.S. IS1110, plates, 2s. tid.

A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE
GRAPE VINE. By WILLIAM THOMSON, Gardener to His Grace the
Duke of Buccleuoh, Dalkeith Park. Fifth Edition. Svo 5s

an^aiu".^^

successful practice, and as such .we can will, confidence rcroinmcnd'il as ii.Jisneiisalk- lo'dl wilt w i",
to excel in the cultivation of the vine."- J7ie Florist and PomohyuL ""'"Pinsaoic to all who wis.i

THE CHEMISTRY OF VEGETABLE AND ANIMAL PHYSI-
nf L m K i a T M ? L ? E ?' Professor of Chemistry in the University

of Utrecht. With an Introduction and Notes by Professor Joh.nstov 22
Plates. Svo, 30s. " '

THE MOOR AND THE LOCH.

Containing Minute Instructions in all Highland Snorts, with Wanderings

2I?L < 2Si. and ? orrei '.J lo T ?, d and Fe »- B y JOHN COLQUHOUN, EsS.
Third Edition. Svo, with Illustrations, 12s. u'd.

SALMON-CASTS AND STRAY SHOTS:

Being Fly-Leaves from the Note-Book of JOHN COLQUHOUN Eso
Author of The Moor and the Loch,' &c. Second Edition. Fcap. Svo, 8s.

COQUET-DALE FISHING SONGS.

Svo" 5s St coUected by a North-Country Angler, with the Music of the Airs.

THE ANGLER'S COMPANION TO THE RIVERS AND LOCHS
OF SCOTLAND By T. T. STODDART. With Map of the Fishing Streams
and Lakes of Scotland. Second Edition. Crown Svo, 3s. 6d.

» Indispensable in all time to come, as the very strength and grace of an angler's tackle and cuuiDment
m Scotland, must and will be Stoddabt'i Ahoux'i SaaAnm^-BtaOmS^i ijawrtte equipment

BOOKS PUBLISHED BY

RELIGION IN COMMON- LIFE:

A Sermon nreaehed in CraUrie Church, October 14, 1S55, before Her Majesty
tte«S££3 S» Albert By the Rev. JOHN CAIB1) D D. Published
by Her Majesty's Command. Bound in cloth, 8d. Cheap Edition, 3d.

« E> T> jV"?

Bv the Rev. JOHN CA1RD, D.D., Professor of Divinity in the University of
Glasgow, and one of Her Majesty's Chaplains for Scotland. In crown Svo 5s
This Edition includes the Sermon on 'Religion in Common Life, Poached
in Crathie Churcli, Oct. 1S55, before Her Majesty the Queen and the late
Prince Consort. .

rather A.,. i.~o it .. - ' ■ !;,,;;' , ! ' ! '™ I '„,„„ „ re L m ,...it-= » Mid

W&tt'fi iSS b"u,g hurried . W from then, b, . rap.d speaker, w.hout beng
allowed to enjoy them a second BmeT'-JVuMrt Jfuoo*™.

^Bv aftoBE^GEORGE CROLY, LL.D., Rector of St Stephen's, Walbrook.
With a Memoir of the Author by his Son. Fcap. Svo, 4s.

LECTUPFS IN DIVINITY

By the late Rev. GEORGE HILL, D.D., Principal of St Mary's College, St
Andrews. Stereotyped Edition. Svo, 14s.

" I am not sure it I can recommend a more complete manual of Divinity."-Dr Clalmm.

THE MOTHER'S LEGACIE TO HER UNBORNE CHILDE.
By Mrs ELIZABETH JOCELINE. Edited by the Very Rev. Principal
Lee. 32mo, 4s. 6d.

" This beautiful and touching legacic." -A Ihmmim. , . „

., A jjUgntful monument of the pietj aud high feeling of a trulj noble mother.' -Mcmmg Aimttof.

ANA LYSIS AND CRITICAL INTERPRETATION OF THE
HEBREW TEXT OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS. Preceded by a Hebrew
Grammar, and Dissertations on the Genuineness of the Pentateuch, and on
the Structure of the Hebrew Language. By the Rev. WILLIAM PAUL,
A.M. 8vo, 18s.

PRAYERS FOR SOCIAL AND FAMILY WORSHIP.

Prepared bv a Committee of the General Assembly of the Church of
Scotland and specially designed for the use of Soldiers Sailors, Colonists
Sojourner in India, and other Persons, at Home or Abroad, who are deprived
of the Ordinary Services of a Christian Ministry. Published by Authority of
the Committee. Third Edition. In crown 8vo, bound in cloth, 4s.

PRAYERS FOR SOCIAL AND FAMILY WORSHIP.
Being a Cheap Edition of the above. Fcap. 8vo, Is. 6d.

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, dausat
In its Origin. Progress, and Perfection. By the Very Rev. E. B. RAMSA1 ,
LL.D., F.R.S.E., Dean of the Diocese of Edinburgh. Crow-n Svo, Us.

THEISM: THE WITNESS OF REASON AND NATURE TO
AN A .l-WISE AND BENEFICENT CREATOR. By the Rev. JOHN
TULLOCH, D.D., Principal and Professor of Theology, St Marys College, St
Andrews ; And one of Her Majesty's Chaplains in Ordinary in Scotland. In
1 vol. Svo, 10s. 6d.

ON THE ORIGIN AND CONNECTION OF THE GOSPELS
OF MATT1IFW M4RK AND LUKE: With Synopsis of Parallel Passages,
and CrlSl Notef By JAMES SMITH Esq of Jordanhill F.R.S., Author
of the ' Voyage and Shipwreck of St Paul.' Medium Svo, 16s.

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS.

INSTITUTES OF MET A PHYSIC : THE THEORY OF KNOW-
ING AND BEING. By JAMES F. FERRIER, A.B. Oxon., Professor of
Moral Philosophy and Political Economy, St Andrews. Seuond Edition.
Crown Svo, 10s. 6cL

" Wo have no doubt, however, that the subtlety find depth of metaphysical genius which his work lie-
tniva, its rare display of rigorous and consistent reasonings, and the inimitable precision and beauty of its
style on almost every page, must secure for it a distinguished place in the history of philosophical discus-
kioo." — Ttilloch'n Uurnett Prize Treatise.

LECTURES ON METAPHYSICS.

By Sir WILLIAM HAMILTON", Bart., Professor of Logic and Metaphysics
in the University of Edinburgh. Edited by the Rev. H. L. Maksel, B.D.,
LL.D., Waynlleto Professor of Moral and Metaphysical Philosophy, Oxford ;
and JoriN Vi:itcii, M.A., Professor of Logic, Rhetoric, and Metaphysics, St
Andrews. Third Edition. 2 vols. Svo, 24s.

LECTURES ON LOGIC.

By Sir WILLIAM HAMILTON", Bart. Edited by Professors Hansel and
Veitoh. In 2 vols., 24s.

TIIORNDALE ; OR, THE CONFLICT OF OPINIONS.

By WILLIAM SMITH, Author of ' A Discourse on Ethics,' iic. Second Edi-
tion. Crown Svo, 10s. Gd.

" The subjects treated of, and the style— always chaste anil beautiful, often attractively grand — In which
tliey are clothed, will not fail to .secure the attention of the class for whom the work is avowedly written.
. . . . It deals witli nianv of those higher forms of sacculation chare ctcrblio of the cultivated minds of
the age,"— Jrortt JiritislL Jtcvieio.

GRAVENIIURST; OR, THOUGHTS ON GOOD AND EVIL.
By WILLIAM SMITH, Author of ' Thorndale,' &c. In crown Svo, 7s. 6d.

" One of those rare honks winch, being filled with uohlo and beautiful thoughts, deserves an attentive
and thoughtful perusal."— 11 'esOiunster JievUiv.

A DISCOURSE ON ETHICS OF THE SCHOOL OF PALE Y.
By WILLIAM SMITH, Author of ' Thorndale.' Svo, 4s.

ON THE INFLUENCE EXERTED BY THE MIND OVER
THE BODY, in tile Production and Removal of Morbid and Anomalous
Conditions of the Animal Economy. By JOHN GLEN, M.A. Crown Svo,
2s. 6d.

DESCARTES ON THE METHOD OF RIGHTLY CONDUCT-
ING THE REASON, and Seeking Truth in the Sciences. Translated from
the French. 12mo, 2s.

DESCARTES' MEDITA TIONS, AND SELECTIONS FROM HIS
PRINCIPLES OF PHILOSOPHY. Translated from the Latin. 12mo, 3s.

SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY :

An Introductory Lecture delivered at the Opening of the Class of Logic
and Rhetoric in the University of Glasgow, Nov. 1, 1S64. By JOHN
VEITCH, M.A., Professor of Logic and Rhetoric in the University of Glas-
gow. Is.

CORNELIUS O'DOWD UPON MEN AND WOMEN, AND
OTHER THINGS IN GENERAL. Originally published in 'Blackwood's
Magazine." 3 vols, crown 8vo, 31s. 6d.

" The flashes of the author's wit must not blind us to the ripeness of his wisdom, nor the general play-
fulness uf his O'liowderies allow us to forget the ample evidence that underneath them lurks one of the
most earnest and ohserrant spirits oftlie present time."— Ihiilr, VM'iVie.

o lru t|, one or the most delightful volumes uf personal reminiscence it lias ever been our fortune
to peruse."— Glut*.

MESSRS BLACKWOOD £- SONS?

THE HISTORY OF SCOTLAND,

FROM AGRICOLA'S INVASION TO THE REVOLUTION OF 1688.
Ry JOHN HILL BURTON. To be completed in 6 vols, demy Svo. Vols.
L to IV., price 56s.

"The best account that has yet been written or the national life and being of Scotland."—

Times.

" One of the completest histories that we ever saw of any country."— Saturday Review.
" Not only the most complete and trustworthy history of Scotland yet written, but it will merit
a high place aiming the historical works of our age."— Daily jYeu's.
" A great contribution to historical literature."— Scotsman.

"We do not remember to have read so reticent, so calm and dispassionate a history."— Black-

WOOtCs M ■>[>'< -"I if.

" Une grande et belle histoiro."— Rmuc tics Deux Mundea.
" Tiiis admirable book. - '— Moniiny Herald.

COUNT MONTALEMBEET'S HISTOEY OE THE MONKS

OF THE WEST. 5 vols. Svo, £2, 12s. 6d. The volumes just pub-
lished (III. to V.) contain the History of the Conversion of England by
the Monks, ami may be had as a complete book, price 31s. (id.

" On the whole, the intellectual interest of the Count's ' Monks of the West ' rests mainly on
this that it is the work of a brilliant and accomplished layman and man of the world, dealing
witli a cla-s of characters who have generally been left to the arid professional handling of ecclesi-
astical writers. Jlontalembert sees their life as a whole, and a human whole; and, with all his
zeal as an amateur bngiographer, he cannot but view them with some of the independence of a
mind trained to letters and politics."— Fall Mull Gazette.

THE HANDY EOYAL ATLAS.

By ALEX. KEITH JOHNSTON, LL.D., be., Author of the 'Royal
Atlas,' the ' Physical Athis,' &c. 45 Maps, clearly printed and care-
fully coloured, with General Index. Imperial 4to, price £2, 12s. 6d.,
half-bound morocco.

ATLAS OE ASTEONOMY;

Comprising, in Twenty-one Plates, a complete Series of Illustrations of
the Heavenly Bodies, drawn with the greatest care, and printed in
Colours, from Original and Authentic Materials. By ALEX. KEITH
JOHNSTON, LL.D. F.R.S.E., &c. A New and Enlarged Edition.
With an Elementary Survey of the Heavens, designed as an Accompani-
ment to this Atlas," by Robert Grant, M.A. LL.D. P.R S. F.R.A.S.,
Professor of Astronomy and Director of the Observatory in the Univer-
sity of Glasgow. Imperial Quarto, half-bound morocco, 25s.

SCHOOL ATLAS OE FHYSIOAL GEOGEAEHY ;

Illustrating, in a Series of Original Designs, the Elementary Pacts of
Geology, Hydrography, Meteorology, and Natural History. By ALEX.
KEITH JOHNSTON, LL.D. P.R.S.E. F.K.G.S. P.G.S., Author of the
' Physical Atlas,' the ■ Royal Atlas,' &c. A New and Enlarged Edition,
containing 20 Plates, drawn with the greatest care, and Printed in
Colours, with Explanatory Text. Imperial Svo, half-bound 12s. (id.

RECENT PUBLIC A TIOMS.

THE BOOK OP COMMON OEDEE,

Commonly known as John Knox's Liturgy, and the DIRECTORY
FOR PUBLIC WORSHIP OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. With
Historical Introductions and Illustrative Notes by the Rev. GEORGE
W. SPROTT, B.A., and the Rev. THOMAS LEISHMAN, M.A. Hand-
somely printed, in imitation of the large Editions of Andro Hart, on
toned paper, bound in cloth, red edges, price 7s. (id.
"Besides the reprints, carefully edited, this work gives the history of
Knox's Liturgy, its sources and relation to the Reformed Liturgies of
the Continent and the English Book of Common Prayer; also full details
as to the discussions at Westminster on the Directory, and the sense
in which it was understood; and by extracts from MSS., pamphlets,
records of Church Courts, &c., illustrates the worship of the Church of
Scotland from the Reformation till the present lime."

THE DTOEEASE OP EAITH.

Contents.— 1. Of the Nature of Faith. 2. Of the Aspirations of the
Believer for Increase of Faith. 3. That Faith is capable of Increase.
4. Of Faith's Increase : What it is. 5. Of Faitli as the G?ft of God.
6. Of the Means of Faith's Increase. 7. Of the Hindrances to Faith's
Increase. 8. Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation. 9. Of Faith
made Perfect.

Second Edition, price 4s.

NATTJEAL THEOLOGY;

AN INQUIRY INTO THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF RELI-
GIOUS, MORAL, AND POLITICAL SCIENCE. By W. R. PIRII5,
D.D., Professor of Divinity and Church History in the University of
Aberdeen. Price 6s.

EUCHOLOGIOrT ; OE, BOOK OP PEATEES:

Being Forms of Worship issued by the Church Service Society.
Price 6s. 6d.

THE EATHEEHOOD OE GOD,

Considered in its General and Special Aspects, and particularly
in Relation to the Atonement ; with a Review of Recent Specula-
tions on the Subject. By THOMAS J. CRAWFORD, D.D., Professor
of Divinity in the University of Edinburgh. Third Edition, revised
and enlarged, with a Reply to the Strictures of Dr Candlish. Price 9s.

PAMLLT PEATEES,

As authorised by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland; to
which is prefixed a Pastoral Letter from the General Assembly on Family
Worship. Price 4s. 6d. Also a People's Edition, price 2s.

BLACKWOOD'S

STANDARD NOVELS.

Uniform in size and legibly printed.

EACH NOVEL COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME.

lllus-

totted

Cover,
boards.

Tom Cringle's Log. By Michael Scott, . . 2/0
Cruise of the Midge. By the Author of ' Tom

Cringle's Log,' 2 /°

Cyril Thornton. By Captain Hamilton, . 2/0
Annals of the Parish. By John Gait, . . 2/0
The Provost, & other Tales. By John Gait, 2/0
Sir Andrew Wylie. By John Gait, . . 2/0
The Entail. By John Gait, . . . .2/0
Reginald Dalton. By J. G. Lockhart, . . 2/0

Pen Owen. By Hook 2/0

Adam Blair. By J. G. Lockhart, . . .2/0
The Life of Mansie Wauch. By D. M. Moir, 1/0
Peninsular Scenes and Sketches. By F.

Hardman, .■ . 1/0

Sir Frizzle Pumpkin, Nights at Mess, &c, . "1/0

The Subaltern 1/°

Life in the Far West. By G. F. Ruxton, . 1/0
Valerius, a Roman Story. By J. G. Lockhart, 1/0
Lady Lee's Widowhood. /// the Press.

Other Works in preparation.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, SOUTHAMPTON
THE LIBRARY

This book is to be returned to the Library on or before the last
date stamped below

H 23901

JfeX If.*

, fpfc

43-23777

Internet Archive Audio

Featured

Top

Images

Featured

Top

Software

Featured

Top

Books

Featured

Top

Video

Featured

Top

Mobile Apps

Browser Extensions

Archive-It Subscription

Save Page Now

Full text of "Cattle and cattle-breeders"

See other formats