The Sun.
London, England, 1839-10-09 00:00:00

EVENING- EDITION.

HIGHLAND SOCIETY'S CATTLE
SHOW AT INVERNESS.

THE COMMITTEE'S DINNER.
On Wednesday, at six o'clock, the Committee of the
Society, and a large party of their friends, sat down to
dinner in the Northern Meeting Rooms. As the dinner
was open to all members of the Society, a pretty nu-
merous attendance was anticipated. The result, how-
ever, far exceeded these expectations. The room was
filled to overflowing, and a great number of gentlemen
who had forced their way into the apartment—some of
them with coats torn in the struggle—were compelled to
retire. The number present at dinner was 240. The
room was brilliantly lighted up with gas, and had a
striking and imposing appearance. William Mackin-
tosh, Esq., of Geddes, Convener of the Society's local
Committees in the northern counties, took the chair,
supported on his right by the Duke of Richmoud ; the
Master of Grant, M.P. ; Lord Lovat ; Lord Ha-
therton ; Brodie of Brodie ; Henry Baillie, Esq., yr,
of Redcastle ; C. L. Cumming Bruce, Esq., of Rose-
isle ; Evan Baillie, Esq., of Dochfour ; J. F.
Baillie, Esq. of Leys, &c. On the left of the Chair-
man sat the Marquis of Tweeddale ; Lord Saltoun ;
General Sir John Rose of Holm ; John Hay Macken-
zie, E,q. of Cromarty ; Mr. Sheriff Lumsden ; Mr.
Mackintosh of Aberarder, &c. The croupiers were—
Hugh Davidson, Esq., of Cantray ; Sir F. A. Macken-
zie, of Gairloch, Bart. ; and Donald Horne, Esq of
Lanweil. Among the company, we observed the She-
riffs of Inverness-shire and Caithness ; the Provost and
Magistrates of the town ; the Hon. John Stuart ; P. B.
Ainslie, Esq. of St. Colme ; Sir Colin Mackenzie of
Kilcoy, Bart. ; Sir Charles Gordon of Drimnin ; Sir
William (1. G. Cumming- of Altyre, Bart. ; 11. Wat-
son, Esq. Keilor, Perthshire ; Mr.. Heriot, Ladykirk ;
Mr. Wood, Durham ; Mr. Wetherell, the celebrated
agricultural auctioneer, from Yorkshire ; J. M. Grant,
Esq. of: Glenmoriston ; Colonel Maclean of Ardgour ;
Major Gilchrist of Ospisdale ; P. Seller, Esq. of West-
field ; James Baillie Fraser, Esq. of Relie ; J. Mac-
pherson Grant, Esq. yrs of Ballindalloch ; Bishop Mac.,
donnell, from Canada (an interesting and venerable-
looking dignitary of the Roman Catholic Church) ;
J. C. Brodie, Esq. of Lethen ; W. Young, Esq. Ma-
ryhill ; Alexander Craig, Esq. Kirkton ; Mr. Gollan
of Gollanfield ; Mr. Dudgeon, Arboll ; Mr. Sim, Drum-
mood ; Major Mackinnon, Skye ; Mr. Nlacaskill, Tans-
ker, Skye ; Mr. Gibbons, Teorlig ; Mr. Mackinnon,
Corry ; Mr. Macleod, Giadfield, &c. &c.
The CnAIUMAN then rose and explained to the
meeting the business of the evening. He mentioned
that several topics interesting to farmers would be dis-
cussed, and he hoped they would be so as succinctly
and briefly as possible. This was the first time subjects
of this kind had been brought before a meeting of this
nature, but the Marquis of Tweeddale would explain why
the Directors of the Society had deviated from their
ordinary procedure on such occasions as the present.
The Marquis of TWEEDDALE rose, and was received
with much approbation. He had been requested by the
highland Society to make the explanation to which the
Chairman had just called their attention, and he com-
plied with the request the more readily when he consi-
dered that there were others besides members of the So-
ciety present—the members having been privileged to
invite a friend with them. The Society, thinking, that
the time of this meeting could be more profitably
occupied than simply in drinking toasts, as was
usual on such occasions as the present, had pro-
posed that the attention of the meeting shoeld
be directed to subjects interesting to this part
of the country in particular, but important also
to the advancement of the objects the Society
had in view generally. The great object the Directors
had in view was to obtain practical information from
all parts of the country ; and it occurred to them that,
could such information be obtained anti laid before
the meetings of the Society on such occasions as the
presents not only would such information be useful to
the members but to strangers, and any discussion which
might take place upon them would tend also to the
general advancement of agricultural improvements.—
(Cheers.) In this view, and under these impressions,
the Directors had selected a few subjects and sent them
to several gentlemen living in the district, requesting
them to give them their consideration, and state their
opinions upon them as they best could.—(Cheers.) The
Noble Lord then jocularly alluded to the " ways and
means" which were in the list, as part of the " order of
the night," and hoped that they would be disposed of
to Ale satisfaction of all present.—(Cheers.)
Mr. HEatoT, Ladykirk, then rose and read an essay
on the question, " How far is it a wise and prudent
measure to cultivate so largely the short-horn breed of
cattle, to the risk of the entire loss, or at any rate to
the deterioration of the fine native breeds of cattle ?"
This essay was merely historical, but evinced a great
deal of research, and also of practical knowledge of the
Rise, progress, and present state of the cross breeds,
both in Scotland and in England. According to this
essay when Teeswater crosses were first introduced to
the north of Scotland, farmers were not so well ac-
quainted with the system of judging of the quality of
the meat as they are now—that is, they did not know
mach about the virtues of touching, and, as a matter
of course, their handling of the cattle, was none of the
best. By-and-by, however, they got over the difficulty,
gad then they began to find out that the Teeswater
croeses, however pleasing to look upon, felt rather
duffy--that was just like " shammy leather."—(A.
laugh.) Mr. Heriot then traced the introduction of
the Gallaway bulls, and corrected what he believed
to be`an error on the part of Earl Spencer, who, in an ar-
ticle in the English Journal of Agriculture, had stated
that " most valuable crosses had been got out of Gallo-
way bulls and Durham cows" ; the fact being, that the
crosses in question had been out of a Galloway bull, and
a short horned cow. But even in this cross, however
advantageous it might have been thought at first, he
supposed that, by this time, the stain was nearly washed
out, and he believed that breeders generally kept as
clear of it now as they could. From the history of the
whole, Mr. Heriot concluded that, after the first cross,
the quality became detoriated ; that a second cross was
not advantageous, and, consequently, farmers in the north
of Scotland, at any rate, would consult their own advan-
tage by encouraging the native breed. Mr. Heriot's
essay was received with much approbation.
Mr. CaAte concurred in the views of the last speaker.
A second cross he said was always a failure, and if the
present system went on the whole of Scotland would
be filled with a mixed and spurious race of cattle.

---
Mr. DUDie,Eolv argued that the crossing different
breeds of sheep might be practised to much advantage,
and carried farther than it has been hitherto, when
greater attention has been paid to wintering. He was
decidedly of opinion that the best stock of Cheviots
in the north had already a share of Leicestershire blood,
and to this they are indebted for their superiority in
carcass wool, and propensity to fatten. As sheep-
walks vary in their qualities, so would the stock vary ;
while, what he ventured to assert might be adopted
with advantage on the best grazings, probably, in a
general point of view, judicious crossing of the Cheviot
stoclso by that kind of tups from different flocks may
be the most eligible ; and on the inferior or wildest
ground, the black faced or hardy mountaineers, pure or
Grossed, would probably pay beter than any other.
Mr. Hottsu, of Langwell, V.S., Edinburgh, also
spoke to this question.
The Duke of RICHMOND then rose, and was greeted
with loud and long-continued cheering. After alluding
to the business of the evening in a rather serious strain,
Ise jocularly remarked upon the schoolboy proverb,
" Jack can't always work, but must have some little
play," and craved a bumper to " The Highland So•
eiety of Scotland, and may it ever be productive of the
best interests of agriculture."—(Cheers.) He begged
now, as a Highlander, if they would permit him to be
one—(Renewed and prolonged cheering)—to ask the
Highlanders to show their Lowland friends present how
they could drink the toast with Highland honours.
His Grace remarked that agriculture was a question
which affected the world at large, and, as the Highland
Society of Scotland had perhaps done more than any
other institution to promote its extension and improve-
ment, it therefore was deserving of Highland honours ;
and, in drinking it thus, he hoped their Lowland neigh-
! hours would learn how they best coved drink this na-
tional toast. [The toast was drunk accordingly, all the
company standing with one foot on their chairs and the
other on the table. This is what is called Highland
honours ; and certainly, if this is yyliat the Celts under-
' stood to be a " /cede elevated," the system has been
sadly misused, fur now-a-days it puzzles the majority
Of most dinner parties to get off their seats alter tha
third tumbler, instead of getting cn the table. Here,
however, all the company got aloft in capital style.]
The CHAIRMAN then rose and craved a bumper, and
in a few complimentary remarks proposed the health of
~The Duke of Richmond, our newly adopted High niid eirs.
"G---a(aig
Teherteotausrtnewd thanks.asdrunk with great cheering.)
After a number of other agricultural questions had
been discussed, Lord
Saltoun sung a comic song, which
was more relished than the lectures,
eleven the meeting broke up. and at half-past