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TJic Country Gcntlcniaiis J\lagar:inc 



had secured 750 acres, nearly all of which is 

 consolidated in a convenient block, with a 

 public road on three sides, and a private 

 road on the fourth side. To this estate the 

 name of " Hillhurst Farm " has been given. 

 It lies about a mile and a-half from Compton, 

 a pretty little village of some 500 inhabitants, 

 and three miles from the railway station called 

 by the same name, which is no miles distant 

 from Montreal, on the line of the G.T.R. to 

 Portland. The locality is evidently one of 

 the most lovely and picturesque in the eastern 

 townships. Even in winter it is impossible 

 not to admire the widely extended landscape, 

 diversified as it is with hill and dale, belted 

 by wood-crowned and snow-clad heights, and 

 dotted with snug-looking farm houses. Ima- 

 gination supplies the river that flows through 

 the valley when the ice and snow have 

 melted, while the railroad that skirts the 

 stream is a visible reality, that, with its thunder- 

 ing trains and shrill engine-whistles, rouses 

 the echoes and gives vivacity to the scene, all 

 the year round. 



Hillhurst consists of a noble stretch of fine 

 rolling land, the soil a light loam of good 

 depth, with a variety of subsoils, gravelly, 

 rocky, and blue clay. The several buildings, 

 which were on the small holdings of which 

 the farm consists, make convenient dwellings 

 for the men employed on the estate, as well 

 as separate steadings for stock, which it is 

 found desirable to keep apart. The home- 

 stead, a very commodious, neat, unpretend- 

 ing, yet tasteful and comfortable dwelling, 

 suiTounded Avith spacious and well-arranged 

 buildings and premises, occupies a central 

 position on the estate, and is at once adorned 

 and sheltered by some ancestral maples, the 

 like of which we could wish embowered every 

 farm-house in Canada. 



It is Mr Cochrane's ambition to distinguish 

 himself as a breeder of choice stock, and 

 especially of shorthorns. Already he has 

 attained no small eminence, as the prize list 

 of our last provincial exhibition testifies. 

 The best aged cow, the best three-year-old 

 cow, the best two-year-old heifer, and the 

 best one-year-old heifer among the female 

 shorthorns, were, to say nothing of Hereford 



cattle, sheep, and hog prizes, surely glory 

 enough for one show, and must have taken 

 our older stockmen very much by surprise. 

 We candidly own that, notwithstanding the 

 honours won at the exhibition in question, 

 we were not prepared to find so noble a col- 

 lection of animals as we lately inspected at 

 Hillhurst. The shorthorn herd already col- 

 lected comprises no fewer than thirty-three 

 j)ure-bred animals of various ages, and ten 

 high grades. Among the pure shorthorns 

 are at least from six to eight that will be hard 

 to beat on the continent of America. The 

 aged cow, Rosedale, is of world-^nde cele- 

 brity, having won all possible distinction in 

 the British show-yards, and retired from com- 

 petition at the early age of two years and a- 

 half. Snowdrop and Margaret III. have 

 twice carried off the highest honours at our 

 provincial shows. The nth Duke of 

 Thorndale, recently added to this herd at a 

 cost of 3000 dols., has no superior as a two- 

 year-old bull of Bates or Duchess blood. 

 Baron Booth of Lancaster is of equal 

 merit as a representative of the strain of 

 shorthorns, that rivals the one just named. 

 Maid of Athole is another first-class two- 

 year-old, and beside her there are some year- 

 lings of the highest excellence. Not content 

 with thus mounting the highest pinnacle as a 

 shorthorn man, Mr Cochrane is hardly less 

 distinguished in the Hereford class. He had 

 the best one-year-old bull, the best cow, and 

 the best one-year-old heifer of this breed at 

 the last provincial show. The young bull, 

 Compton Lad, was a close competitor with 

 his father, Guelph, for the diploma awarded 

 to the best Hereford bull of any age. From 

 our late inspection we predict a career of 

 distinction for him, if no harm befalls him. 

 He not only holds his own, but has improved 

 greatly since the show. The Hillhurst herd 

 of Herefords, comprising now thirteen ani- 

 mals, are a very choice lot, and will contend 

 bravely with the notabilities of Morton in 

 days to come for prize honours. 



We must not omit mention of the beautiful 

 Suffolk Punch stallion, that won the second 

 prize for the best agricultural stallion and the 

 diploma for the best stallion of any breed, 



