THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 379 



Duchess 78th twinned with Duchess 79th, 

 thac was placed fourth in same class; Richard 

 Booth's Soldier's Bride heing second. In year- 

 ling heifers Gunter was first with Duchess 83d. 

 It soon became evident, however, that the 

 stock would not successfully withstand forcing 

 for this purpose, and the show business was not 

 persistently pursued. Gunter had started in 

 1853 with Duchesses 67th and 69th, both white, 

 and Duchess 70th, red-and-white, and soon be- 

 came the only possessor of the tribe in England. 

 Duchesses exported to England. In the 

 spring of 1861 Samuel Thorne visited England 

 and was besought on all sides for 'Duke and 

 Oxford bulls. Accordingly, he sent over soon 

 afterward the roan 3d Duke of Thorndale 2789, 

 the roan 4th Duke of Thorndale 2790, the white 

 5th Duke of Thorndale 3488, the red Imperial 

 Oxford 4905, and the heifer 4th Lady of Oxford. 

 The 5th Duke sickened on the voyage and died 

 in Queenstown harbor, but the rest sold quickly 

 after landing at Liverpool at prices varying 

 from 300 to 400 guineas each in gold. Of these 

 the 4th Duke of Thorndale and Imperial Ox- 

 ford acquired great celebrity in England as 

 sires. The former was bought by Mr. Hales at 

 400 guineas and earned that amount in fees 

 alone during the first two seasons. At Mr. 

 Hales' sale in 1862 he was taken for the Mar- 

 quis of Exeter at 410 guineas after a sharp con- 



