NOTES FROM THE OLD LAND

Otago Witness, Issue 3247, 7 June 1916, Page 12

NOTES FROM THE OLD LAND

(Fi-om Our. Special Correspondent ) GLASGOW, April Some months aeo 1 int minted hi at Mr James Weir, of Sandilands, Lanarkshire, the noted breeder and judge of Clydesdale horses, was about to proceed on a visit to New Zealand. It was his intention to go out on the same vessel as took away a nembe- of horses he was sending to the Dominion, but the shipping company could not provide him -it:; a i.t-ith. ■ n» was a great disappointment to the veteran, as he was hopeuil ot rene\vin a tormer acquaintanceships, and it would have afiordeu him great pleasure to note the progress which 13 being made in the breeding of ins favourites on the other side oi iti? world. He told me the other day that, although he could not get away for the present, he hoped, in more peaceful times, to \ .sit New Zealand. Mr Weir is looking very fit, and is still one of the most active numbers of the council of the Clydesdale Korse Society. This has been a most remarkable spring It is now well past the middle of April, and comparatively little sowing has been done in Scotland. Many acres have yet to be turned over before the seed can be got in L\er since' the end of the year there been a continuance of wet weather, with only brief intervals of drought.. On several occasions snowstorms of considerable violence have occurred. At the beginning of the present month one of the worst falls of snow ever known to take place at such a season of the year was experienced. It lay several inches thick on the lulls, and on the low lands there were drifts many feet thick. Flock-masters had an anxious time of it. Lambing in the parks amongst Border Leicesters, halfbreds, and crosses was well advanced, and I learn from various quarters that the loss of young sheen has been very great, while in not a few cases there has been a large percentage of deaths among ewes. This, together with the expense of hand-feeding, which has been the rule in most districts, will make a decided inroad on the profits of the owners who were honing for a considerable degree of prosperity. Ordinary farm work has been greatly retarded by the shortage of labour. Many hundreds of our young men, the sons of farmers as well as servants, are doing duty in the battle lines, and it is impossible to fill their places. In England determined efforts are being made to enlist female labour, and all sorts of devices are being resorted to in order to get the women folk to come to the assistance of agriculturists. Special uniforms arc being provided, and armlets are issued to indicate that those who wear them may be- recognised as "doing their bit" for King and country. The novelty of the thing has appealed to many well-to-do girls; but I am afraid they will require a good deal of "drill" to lick them into shape as serviceable farm hands. It is different up here in Scotland. Farmers' daughters, even the better off of them, are well acquainted with the affairs of the holding, and it does not cost them any great effort to do an extra turn now that the men folk have gone to the war. 1 Even where there are big i hirsels of sheep, they have taken command I of the dogs, and it is wonderful how well they are doing during these anxious times. I In the handling of horses, too, many of them are proficient. So far as harrowing and rolling is concerned, they can do an excellent day's darg. The motor plough has been at work in several districts, even as far up as Orkney, and, although we may be a little late, wo_ will _" warsel " through, and come out all right in the end. There has been considerable activity in the export trade of late. A great many pedigree cattle have been shipped to different parts of the world. South America has of course, claimed large numbers of the best of our Shorthorn cattle, and some very fine specimens of the Aberdeen-Angus breed. South Africa, too, has received a large number of cattle of all the leading breeds. High prices were not common for cattle going to that country; but now there is a considerable improvement in that respect. A few have been shipped to the United States of America, and i understand that negotiations are at present proceeding for further consignments. Three fashion-ably-bred Aberdeen-Angus heifers have been selected for New Zealand by that wellknown firm of livestock salesmen, Messrs John Swan and Sons, of Edinburgh. From the Earl of Rosebery's famous herd at Dalmeny Park, near Edinburgh, there has been got the two-year-old Pure Pride of Dalmeny. During a recent visit .to the Earl's home farm I was shown this heifer, and I am convinced that she will fulfil the high expectations of thoso who bought her. She is by the Mulben-brcd Prince Bullcr, and is very level in her lines, with a beautiful skin and a sweet Angus head. Mr J. Ernest Kerr, of Harvicstoun Castle, Dollar, has supplied the beautiful two-year-old Eunice of Harviestoun by the great Prince of tho Wassail, one of the best and most successful breeding bulls ever produced at Ballindallooh. This, too, is a dandy, v.'ell-grown heifer, with all the best characteristics of tho breed. Mr D. P. Elliot, of Nisbet Hill, Duns, Berwickshire, Erovidoa the other two-year-old heifer. She s Elia 11, and is got bv tho noted eiro Black Jachin of Ballindallooh. This is a bunch of heifers wdiich are sure to pleaso their new owner, and I am certain that they will do much to popularise the AberdeenAngus breed in New Zealand. Messrs John Thornton and Co., of London, have selected

three yearling Aberdeen-Angus bulk for a client in Australia. They have been bred on the southern side of the Border. Ebony of Swaylands and Ernest of Swaylands are both Effulgent_ Erica breeding, and they are by the Harviestoun-bred Baron Breslau. 'J lie other bull is Bowman of Swaylands, by Earl of Swaylands-. _ A large majority of the agricultural societies in Scotland have abandoned their shorn this year in consequence of the war. I don't know that I can commend them for following such a course. The live-stock interest is of paramount importance, and it is at these shows that an impetus is given to breeding. Many people deplore the dropping of the National Show for two years. The stinginess of the directors of the Highland and Agricultural Society is the sole reason for this. What matters the dropping of a thousand or two of pounds when the interests of the great cattle, fiheep, and horse breeds arc at stake? If it is possible to carry through the shows of the Roval Agricultural Society of England at centres like Nottingham and Manchester, why not the Highland at Edinburgh? Two important fixtures have been continued in* the west of Scotland —Kilmarnock and Ayr. That under the auspices of the Kilmarnock Farmers' Society came off on Saturday, and I am sure agriculturists in New Zealand will care to know how things went there. The exhibition of stock was highly creditable, and- affords abundant evidence of the continued interest of breeders in their business. To begin with the Clydesdales, there was an excellent all-round show, some of the dandies of the breed being forward. The brood marcs made a grand display. They were led by Mr William Dunlop's great Dunure Chosen from Dunure Mains, Ayr. I don't think that Chosen has. cvei suffered defeat. Two years a.go she carried off tile Cawdor Cup, and siie had secured numerous other honours for her owner and

breeder. Got by the celebrated Baron of Buchlyvie, she is out of the groat mare Dunure Ideal, by the big massive stallion Auehenflower. She is thus own sister to the celebrated breeding and champion horse Dunure Footprint. Mr Robert Bryan. Orchardton, Cumnock, was second with Dunure Voice, a deep-ribbed, close-moving sort got by the great Apukwa out ot Dowhill Princess by Revclanta; Mr John Young, West Doitra, Kilwinning, was third with Florence Nightingale by the four times champion Hiawatha out of a Pride of Blacon dam; and Mr John Lainont, Ardyne, Toward, had the fourth award for a young mare by Dunure Footprint cut of a Hia"v.atha mother. This was a .great quartet, and there were others which would do credit to any prize-list. Only two yeld mares were forward, and no one complained of this, the paucity of numbers being- regarded as evidence- that the best females of the breed are reproducing their kind. Mr William Di.nlop was first with a get of Dunure Footprint, and Mr R. Watson, Auchincarroch, Alexandria, was second. The three-year-old fillies formed an excellent clacs. Here Mr James Kilpatrick, Craigie Mains, Kiimarnock, had a clear victory with his beautiful Craigie Sylvia, which he bought at a long price at the dispersion of th<i latj Mr Robert Chapman's stud, fche ; s by Apukwa, Mid is of leal draught type, with splendid legs and feet. Ever since ehe was a foal she lias been a noted prize* wit-nor The second and third prizes went to Mr William Dunlop for two black fulies— Dunure Hagar and Verona respe:tively. Ihe former is a high-priced daughter of Footprint out of the noted Elaine, bred by Mr John P. Sleigh, St. John's Weils. Fyvie; and Verona was bred by Mr D. Y. Stewart, being by Footprint out of the great mare Veronique. Mr C. Aitkenhead, Loehinch, Gcvan, was fourth with a daughter :>f Footprint out of Montrave Roseleaf; and Mr James Gray was fifth with Meti, by Apukwa out of a Baron's Pride .-author.

Two-year-old fillies were led by a couple which last year created something of a sensation by winning right throutrh the reason. Both were bred by Mr W. M. Ritchie, Balcuirn, and are got by Dunure Footprint. The first prize one is now owned by Air William Dunlop. and the second one by Mr H E. Roberts, Monk Castle, Southwaite, Carlisle The beautiful filly Nellie Paterson, owned by Mr James Gray, and got by Apukwa out of Queen Mary, by Baron's Pride, was third; and the fourth one was a daughter of the R-rydon Shield winner Dunure Stephen, out of the great mare Savcell, by Everlasting. She is owned by Mi- James D. Brown, Lawmuir, East Kilbride. The yearling fillies, although fairly numerous, were not so good all over as those of the two former classes. The first one was Gold Loaf, owned' by Mr Robert Young, Parkhall, Polmont. and got by Earon of Buchlyvie out of Parkhall Rnoda, 'Jlu's is a filly of good size, with abundance of quality and beautiful bones. She won quite a lot of prizes as a foal. Mr Robert ■Walker, Kirktnuir, Stewarton, was second with a sweet, good-ribbed filly by Johnstone Vjctor; Mr William Dunlop was third with a get of Auchenlower out of the noted mare Glad Eye; end Mr James Gray was fourth with a get of his own horse Apukwa out of a mare by Sir Rudolph. Dunure Chosen, the first prize brood mare, was made the female champion, with Craigie Sylvia reserve. Something of a sensation was created when the three-year-old colts were judged. Mr John P. Sleiglfs Kismet, by Dunure Footprint out of the champion mare Moira, mot and defeated Mr William Dunlop's Dunure Kaleidoscope, which was above him. at the Scottish Stallion Show, and gained the Cawdor Cup on the same occasion. Doth are great horses, and there was not much fault found with the Kilmarnock decision. Mr James Kilpatrick was third with hi; great upstanding hors? Craigie Hallmark, by Ronnie Buchlvvie out of a Mains of Aires dam. Mr William Dunlop's Glasgow premium horse of 1917, Dunure Footline, was fourth. In the two-year-old class Mr William Dunlop wa3 first with Dunure Independence, by Baron of Buchlyvie. This is a great specim mi of a draught colt, with remarkably fine bone and grand wide feet. As n>: the Stallion Show, Mr James Kilpy trick's Craigie Excelsior, bv Bonnie Buchlyvie. was second: Mr William Dunlop was third with a son of Footprint, called Dunura Walker, and Mr James Gray was fourth with Concord, a tidy, thick colt by Apukwa. There was quite a strong entry of yearling colts. Once more, as at the Stallion Show, Mr James Gray's unbeaten dark brown Botha, by Baron of Buchlyvie, was at the top. This young horse is going the right way, and may be expected to reach championship honours ere long. A particularly well balanced colt named Doura Select, by Dunure Footprint out of a Marmion mother, owned by Mr John Young, was second; iii William Dunlop wns third with a fine stamp o r a Footprint colt, and Mr Matthew Marshall, Bridgebank, Stranraer, was fourth with a son of Footprint out of an Everlasting dam. The Clvdesdale Horse Society's msdal went to Botha, with the first prize two*

year-old colt reserve. Kismet was made the ruale champion, with Botha first reservo, and the two-year-old colt second reserve. The show of Ayrshire cattle a highly meritorious one. The female championship went to a beautiful cow named Heather Bell, owned by Mr John Drennan, Hillhouse, Galston. She is of the wide, deep sort, with a grand vessel and good-sized teats well placed. Being near the calving, she was in fine show form. This cow was female ehnmpion at the last Highland Show at Hawick in 1914. The reserve was a cow m milk owned by Mr William T. Dunlop, Greo, Fenwick. The male champion was Mr James Howie's great bull Sir Hugh from Hillhouse-, Kilmarnoek. Although getting on in years, this bull is as fresh and active as over he was. He is of good scale and quality all over. The reserve was Lord Montgomerie's Eglinton Mains Look Alive', by Netherall Wide Awake out of Eglinton Mains Snowdrop. This is a handsome stlrk, which will be further heard of.