THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 83 



ons descended) possessed old Hubback's hand- 

 ling quality. He was a light-red bull said to 

 have been remarkably perfect in his points 

 and evenly and smoothly fleshed. His stock 

 were uniform in shape, color, hair and handling, 

 " as well as in countenance." His heifers all 

 proved good milkers. We have in his case 

 another illustration of the fact that strongly - 

 bred sires very often get their best stock from 

 cows not bred "in line." Certain it is that The 

 Earl's best calf was 2d Hubback from a Red 

 Rose dam, none of the bull calves from the 

 Duchesses equaling him.* 



It is said that while at Ridley Hall Bates took 

 no steps to bring his herd before the public. 

 He rarely let any bulls and kept no bull calves 

 except those he thought he might require for 

 himself or which his friends desired for their 

 own herds. He used the knife freely and fed 

 off his steers, as well as such cows and heifers 

 as did not settle down to breeding at an early 

 age. Many a good female was undoubtedly 

 thus sacrificed. He never had calves born dur- 

 ing the three summer months. He very seldom 

 sent any fat cattle to the market. The princi- 



*2d Hubback's measurements at eight years old have been handed down 

 as follows : Girth at crops, 8 feet ; girth at ribs, 9 feet 3 Inches ; girth hooks 

 over thick of flank, 8 feet 4 inches; breadth of hooks, 2 feet 6 inches plumb; 

 length from breast plumb to tail, 6 feet; length of rumps, 2 feet; length 

 from breast to crops, 2 feet; length from crops to hooks, 2 feet; girth of 

 fore leg below the knee, 8 inches; girth of horn at root next the head, 8 

 inches. 



