Congested Districts Board (Scotland) (1897-1911)

Forsyth thanks Ewart for sending him 'The Multiple Origin of Horses and Ponies', which Forsyth says will form the first part of the report which he proposes to bring out the Congested District Board. He writes that he has written to Tullibardine offering to visit Atholl.

Forsyth reports that the other members of the Congested Districts Board are complimentary about Ewart's proposed Report on Ponies, although because parts of it have already appeared in the Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society, they do not wish to publish it. He hopes that the pony 'Atholl' has arrived in South Uist.

Forsyth comments that he has read Ewart's notes and recommendations on ponies with interest. He requests that Ewart add a whole summary of recommendations and notes on the results of crossing experiments, so that the whole report can go to the Secretary directly.

Forsyth lists the ponies which he proposes that the Congested Districts Board should take over from Ewart. He asks Ewart to check the list in advance of the Board's meeting and states that Lord Arthur Cecil may be asked to fix the prices for them.

McDonald proposes to give Ewart a grant of £10, on top of any grant that may be obtained from the Congested Districts Board, to pay the carriage of the pony to Keppoch and back, and for a man to attend him. He invites Ewart to his camp near Tain to see 'ponies from all parts'.

Stewart-Murray asks where 'Braemore' will stay during the summer and winter and states that he will try and find a few mares to suit him. He wonders whether the Congested Districts Board or the Duke of Portland would take his stallion 'Bonnie Laddie'.

Cecil describes the estimate he has provided to the Congested Districts Board as to the price of the studs and horses intended for cross-breeding with the crofters' animals.

Cecil writes that he thinks the Congested Districts Board pony stud 'an unqualified success' and believes the concept could be extended to other animals such as bulls and sheep. He believes there are around 20 stallions running wild on Barra and wishes Lady Gordon Cathcart would exert her influence to rectify this.