THE FARMEE'S MAGAZII^E. 



DECEMBER, 1860, 



PLATE I. 

 A SHORTHORN COW, 



THIS PROPERTY OF HENRY SMITH, ESa., OF DRAX ABBEY, SELBY, YORKSHIRE. 



This COW took the prize of 5 sov. in the extra 

 stock class, as well as the Ottley gold medal for 

 " the best cow or heifer bred and fed by an exhi- 

 biter," at the Birmingham Fat Cattle Show, in 

 December, 1858. 



In the week following, she was awarded a silver 

 medal as " the best beast in the extra stock," at 

 the Smithfield Club Show in London. 



We thus wrote of this animal on first seeing her, 

 at the Birmingham Meeting: "Tested by the 

 great points, quality, symmetry, and pedigree, the 

 best of the Shorthorn entry was Mr. Henry 

 Smith's cow, which took the prize in the extra 

 class, as the best cow bred and fed by an exhibiter. 



By Mr. Booth's famous bull Harbinger, a beauti- 

 ful handler, and a model to look at, there could be 

 only one reason, for finding her in such a place. 

 Although nearly six years old, she has never had a 

 calf, and hence her reduced value as only butcher's 

 meat." Mr. Smith, however, did not try to sell 

 her with a semi-warrantay about being in calf, or 

 play any of those dirty tricks Mr. Carr has been 

 denouncing so ably ; but when he found it was 

 hopeless, straightway prepared her for the sham- 

 bles. It was still a great sacrifice, far we have a 

 keen recollection yet of the strawberry, as being 

 one of the prettiest cows we ever saw in a show- 

 yard. 



PLATE II. 

 ANNETTE AND POLYXENA, 



BROOD MARES, THE PROPERTY OF EARL SPENCER. 



Of these two Priam mares, still in Lord Spencer's 

 stud, the old brown, Annette, is by far the most 

 famous. She was foaled so far back as 1835; and, 

 bred in Ireland by Mr. Whaley, is by Priam, her 

 dam Potentate's dam, by Don John, out of Moll 

 in the Wad, by Hambletonian — Spitfire by Pipa- 

 tor. She was put to the horse at three years old, 

 and threv/ a filly to Economist in 1839, and a colt 

 called "Whisky" by Philip the First in 1840. She 

 was not covered in 1841, but was sold during that 

 season to Mr. Minor, and crossed the Channel for 

 England proper. Here, in 1842, she had a colt with 

 thej^e,^e .' name of " Breeches" to Pantaloon, and 

 next year a filly by Epirus that was first of all en- 

 titled " Matilda," and next " EUena Clara," and 

 after that "Madge Wildfire," but now known as 

 " Nidia the Blind Girl." Next in succession John 

 Osborne had Agnes, by Clarion from her, and 

 then Mr. Watson had six foals in succession 

 without the mare ever missing. These were — 1845, 



OLD SERIES.! 



" Paladin," by Clarion ; 184(5, " Nina," by Cother- 

 stone; 1847, "Paul," by Cotherstone ; 1848, 

 " Nineveh," by Cotherstone ; ] 849, " Ambrose," 

 by Touchstone ; 1850, "Charley," by Cotherstone. 

 Annette "missed for the first time in 1851, and 

 threw "Goose," afterwards " Englemere," to Van 

 Trosnp in 1852. She was purchased during this 

 year by the late Lord Spencer, since when she has 

 made the following return:— In 1853, "Cleopatra," 

 by Pompey; in 1854, " Glenraasson," by Cother- 

 stone; in 1855, her produce to the same horse died 

 a foal ; in 1856, " Northampton," by Cotherstone; 

 in 1857, a filly toNewcourt; in 1858, "Blisworth," 

 by Cotherstone ; in 1859, a bay colt by Grampian 

 or Cotherstone, sold at the sale of the Althorp 

 yearlings in June last for 190 gs. to Mr. Wynd- 

 ham. Annette is still living, and again supposed 

 to be in foal. 



The bay mare Polyxena is only two years the 

 junior of her companion, having been bred by John 

 H n ;v'i, Liii- :■;.■. ■■-. 



