THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 385 



Grand Dukes arid Duchesses. Lord Feversham was in the chair, 

 supported by Gen. Hood (who came, like several other members 

 of Council, direct from Hanover Square) , and the Bates men made 

 up a most imposing array, while Mr. Torr and Mr. Thomas Booth 

 were at the head of the great rival house of * the red, white and 

 roan.* The noble chairman declared his Kirklevington faith in 

 such unwavering fashion that the Booth men complained he ra- 

 ther ignored Bridecake's share in the Grand Duchess pedigree." 



Mr. E. L. Betts of Preston Hall, Kent, bought 

 the whole herd of Grand Duchesses, which were 

 sold in "blocks of three." For the first trio he 

 paid 1,900 guineas; for the second, 1,300 guin- 

 eas; for the third, 1,800 guineas, and for the 

 fourth, 1,200 guineas; also securing Imperial 

 Oxford to accompany them at 450 guineas. 

 The Grand Dukes were scattered; the Duke of 

 Devonshire buying Grand Duke 10th at 600 

 guineas. The London Times said on the fol- 

 lowing day: 



*" The splendor of such an event almost pales the strongest 

 blaze that can be got up by agricultural societies. There is no 

 such test of value, no such triumph of enterprise as that which is 

 obtained without shows and judges and prizes in the auction-room. 

 Here is a p^ain commercial proof of what can be done and how far 

 we have advanced upon our forefathers in the matter of kine." 



Mr. Betts, the new owner of the family, 

 closed out his herd at auction in May, 1867. 

 He had not been particularly successful. 

 Grand Duchesses 10th, 12th and 14th ail died 

 from indigestion and impaction resulting from 

 the feeding of un decorticated cotton-seed cake. 

 The 7th and 13th were slaughtered and his 

 best bull calf of the tribe died just before the 

 sale. Nevertheless some astonishing prices 



