JUDGING LIVE STOCK. 49 



In the very beginning of their work, Charles Colling, in 

 1783, with unusual foresight, went direct to Bakewell's farm 

 at Dishley and made a prolonged study of the theory and 

 practice of inbreeding and of Bakewell's general methods and 

 management. In the next year he bought a cow on the Dar- 

 lington market which became one of the most noted cows of 

 his entire herd, and he stated frankly in after years that he 

 had never been able to breed one as good as this original 

 cow that he bought. She is described as a massive, short- 

 legged animal of a beautiful yellow-red flecked color, and was 

 undoubtedly an animal of very superior merit. The low 

 price of cattle at this time is shown by the fact that Colling 

 paid but $55.00 for her. During the next few years he bought 

 many other cows and used many bulls of different breeding, 

 but one, Hubback, was the most useful of any that he used. 

 This animal was bred by a small farmer from the only cow 

 that he possessed, and his value was not realized for many 

 years. Charles Colling saw him, but was not particularly 

 impressed with his value, and declined to buy him. His 

 brother Robert, however, purchased him and used him very 

 successfully, afterwards selling him to Charles Colling, and 

 Charles Colling, after using him for a brief time, sold him. 

 This animal was of unusual refinement and is described by 

 Coates as having a good head; horns, small and fine; neck, 

 fine; breast, well-filled and fine; shoulders, upright; girth, 

 good; loin, belly, and sides, fair; and rump and hips, excep- 

 tional; flank and twist, wonderful; and is further mentioned 

 by Mr. Bates as having clean, waxy horns, mild, bright eyes, 

 and a pleasant countenance; and further says that he was 

 one of the most remarkably quick feeders ever known. He 

 retained his soft and downy coat long into the summer, and 

 in handling was superior to that of any bull of the day. 



The calves sired by this animal partook largely of his 

 excellent characteristics and he was, by all odds, the most 

 useful of all animals used in early days. The Colling Broth- 

 ers were unusually careful, and were good judges, followed 

 Bakewell's plan of inbreeding, breeding to the best regardless 

 of relationship, and achieved notable success along these 

 lines. 



About the middle of their breeding operations they intro- 

 duced alloy blood from the Galloway breed, but the results 

 of this were very slight and of no special importance even 



