430 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 



SALE OF THE MILCOTE HERD OF SHORTHORNS. 



BY MR. STRAFFORD. 



The dispersion of this well-known herd took place 

 the last Wednesday in March, at prices that must be 

 highly satisfactory to the proprietor, Mr. Adkins, and 

 as encouraging to the breeders of Shorthorns generally. 

 There appears to be no lack of interest in this fasliion- 

 able class of our horned stock, for fresh men are con- 

 stantly swelling the list of our breeders, while the in- 

 creasing numbers that attend the sales clearly show the 

 favour the breed receives. The day was the most 

 pleasant of any in 1860. The company was the most 

 numerous we have seen since the sale of Mr. Harvey 

 Combe, at Cobham, last year. The stock, of the best 

 blood, showed in excellent condition ; the biddings were 

 very spirited, and the hospitality of the proprietor of 

 the most profuse character. Everything, in fact, went 

 to make it one of the best sales we have ever attended. 



The "Sylph" tribe commanded the highest favour, 

 and therefore the highest prices; they have been ex- 

 cellent breeders, a fact proved by thirty-three of the 

 family appearing in the catalogue. Further — and this 

 is very imjjortant — though it has been much neglected 

 in this breed, they are good milkers, and will no doubt, 

 by judicious crossing with bulls of another strain of 

 blood to those lately used, produce some most valuable 

 animals. The highest priced cow (lot 10, Charmer 6th) 

 was purchased for 160 guineas, with one other (lot 4, 

 Charmer 3rd) for 92 guineas, by Mr. Pawlett, of 

 Beeston, Beds., the well-known and successful Leices- 

 ter sheep-breeder, who, we gather, intends during the 

 coming season to bring his flock to the hammer, and 

 for the future (his health being indifferent) to amuse 

 himself with a few Shorthorns. He has commenced 

 well, and we wish him as successful a career with them 

 as he has had with his sheep. These two are very fine 

 cows, and have been regular breeders from two years 

 old. The calf of lot 10, with two other lots 37 and 39, 

 all of the Sylph tribe, were purchased by Mr. Ayres, 

 of Girtford, a friend and neighbour of Mr. Pawlett's. 



The men of Kent again mustered strong, from a dis- 

 trict where Shorthorns seem to be rapidly gaining 

 ground ; Messrs. Hales, Noakes, Tracey, and Wells 

 securing nine lots. Mr. Joseph Robinson, oi Clifton- 

 pastures, also closed with No. 5, one of the Sylph tribe, 

 for 70 guineas, to add to his numerous and famous herd. 

 She is a very fine white cow, has hitherto bred all bull 

 calves, but we trust a change of air will have the eflfect 

 of altering the gender. The "Frill'' family realized 

 very good prices ; "Flounce," a beautiful heifer, fall- 

 ing into Lord Dartmouth's hands, at 105 guineas; 

 while another, "Frontlet," at 89 guineas, finds its way 

 over the border as an addition to Captain Barclay's 

 herd. The cross with Sir C. Knightley's bulls upon this 

 tribe has told remarkably well. The old bull " Mame- 

 luke" was purchased by Mr. Wasey, and remains in 

 the neighbourhood of Milcote. The young bulls were, 

 upon the whole, perhaps not equal to the heifers, 

 but some of them were of excellent quality, and likely 

 to grow into very fine animals. Amongst them Come- 

 dian, purchased by Mr. Bramston, M.P., at lOoguineas, 

 " Coxcomb," by Captain Barclay, at 80 guineas, and 

 "Combatant," by Mr. Evans, at 60 guineas; the latter, 

 although closely allied to the herd, had been used, 

 proving the high estimation in which he was held by 

 the owner. 



After a most excellent luncheon, reflecting terribly 



upon that provided at a recent sale of a country 

 squire not a hundred miles from Luton, Mr. Strafford 

 led his company to the ring, where he officiated with 

 his usual ability. The candid manner in which he 

 spoke of the animals, as they presented themselves, was 

 alike highly commendable to himself and his employer, 

 and called forth the approval of the company. We 

 should like to see such a course more frequently 

 adopted at Shorthorn sales ; we should then hear less 

 of those vexatious disappointments of which so many 

 have had cause to complain. Mr. Adkins did himself 

 an injustice by putting one or two inferior animals 

 into the catalogue, the average of the sale thereby 

 being considerably reduced ; one was a " martin," 

 and the other appeared never to have done well. 



Milcote appears admirably adapted for Shorthorns, 

 although we believe there is not much grass-land; yet 

 the lack of this is made up by its being a good root- 

 producing farm, which appeared exceedingly well 

 managed. Indeed, the whole place, house, homestead, 

 and farm, bear the unmistakable signs of the presence 

 of a man of business; one who, while not forgetful of 

 the comforts of his animals, is not unmindful of those 

 that more immediately concern himself and his family. 

 It is now six or seven years since Mr. Adkins had a 

 sale, and we hope that should he ever have another 

 it may be as satisfactory as the one of March 1860. 



Amongst the company, which numbered at least 800 

 persons, were Lord Willoughby de Brooke, the Hon. 

 and Rev. Noel Hill, Sir Charles Knightley (who seemed 

 as much interested as ever). Sir T. Lennard, Captain 

 Barclay; Messrs. Hales, Noakes, Tracey, Wells, from 

 Kent; Mackintosh, Essex; Bland, Lincolnshire; 

 Champion, Reading ; Topham, Harrison, Slye, Abbey, 

 Barford, Longland, Robinson, from Northamptonshire; 

 Josh, and Sam. Druce, Bradshaw, Middleton, Hutt, 

 Graves, Cotter, Bryan, from Oxfordshire ; Game and 

 Hewer, Gloucestershire ; Charles Howard and Robt. 

 Ayres, Beds.; Allen and Willoughby Wood, Notting- 

 hamshire; Graham, Yardley; Woodward, Breedon's 

 Norton; Stratton, Broad Hinton; Josh. Robinson, 

 Clifton-pastures; Spencer, Nuneaton; Oliver, Towces- 

 ter; Morris, Aylesbury; Evans, Green, Ball, Baldwin, 

 James, Lane, Lythall, Worsey, and a large number of 

 the neighbouring agriculturists. The agents and repre- 

 sentatives of the following noblemen and gentlemen 

 were also present: — Mr. Drewry, for Duke of Devon- 

 shire ; Mr. Moore, for Lord Radnor ; the agent of the 

 Duke of Sutherland; Mr. Savidge, for Mr. Langston, 

 M.P. ; Mr. H. Humphreys, for Mr. Herrick, of Beau 

 Manor Park; Mr. Uzzleby, for Lord Dartmouth; the 

 agent of Mr. Bramston, M.P. ; Mr. Hendrick, for Mr. 

 Strickland, Oxon, &c., &c. 

 Sweetheart, white, calved April 10, 1847; by Acccordion (5708), 



dam (Charmer) by Little John (4232).— Sold to Mr. Noakes, 



Kent, 26 guineas. 

 Young Frill, roan, calved In September, 1848; by Broughton 



Hero (6811), dam (Frill) by Rockingham (2550).— Mr. Bland, 



Lincolnshire, S5 gs. 

 Charmer 2nd, roan, calved January 26, 1850; by White Friar 



(9327), dam (Charmer) by Little John (4232).— Mr. Noakes, 



Kent, 74 gs. 

 Charmer 3rd, red roan, calved November 2G, 1851; by Earl of 



Dublin (10173), dam (Charmer) by Little John (4232).— Mr. 



Pawlett, Bedfordshire, 92 gs. 

 Sweetheart 2nd, white, calved December 27, 1851 ; by Earl of 



Dublin (10178), dam (Sweetheart) by Accordion (57''8).— 



Mr. Robinson, Clifton, 70 gs, 



