THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 407 



5th Duke of Geneva which he contracted for 

 at $3,000; but before the youngster was 

 shipped Sheldon arranged for an exchange of 

 the 5th Duke to Edwin G. Bedford of Ken- 

 tucky for the 6th Duke of Geneva.* In 1869 

 Col. King added by purchase from the Sheldon 

 herd a Bloom, two G Wynnes, a Mazurka, and 

 several other females, including Constance 6th, 



*"I took occasion on one of my frequent trips east to visit the New 

 York Mills Herd of Ayrshires, which was then reputed to be the finest of 

 the kind in the United States. It was on that occasion that I first met both 

 Mr. Campbell and Richard Gibson and formed an acquaintance with the lat 

 ter which led to many later business transactions between us and a friend- 

 ship which still exists and has been to me a source of much pleasure. But 

 to my story. Telling Mr. Campbell the purpose of my visit the old gentle- 

 man left his business office and walked with me to the barn, where, calling 

 for Gibson, he ordered out for review his Scottish pets, which Gibson 

 began to assemble from the various small lots adjoining the barns and 

 yards. While standing on the platform of the barn looking at the Ayr- 

 shires there was a great crash near by, and looking in that direction I saw 

 a young Short-horn bull about eighteen months old which had dashed 

 through a partly opened gate to an adjoining yard and with head and tail 

 erect stood before us a living picture of animal beauty. 'What's that? ' said 

 I to Mr. Campbell. 'Oh, that's one of Gibson's things, a Short-horn, but I 

 don't think much of them,' was the reply. But a friend who had accom 

 panied me to inspect the herd turned to me and said: 'Colonel, that's the 

 kind of stock you want for the West. Your Western people will never be 

 satisfied with these Ayrshire cattle.' Mr. Campbell was evidently nettled 

 at this remark and replied: 'Then the people of the West don't know what 

 is best for them.' Truth compels me to say that I was a little nettled my- 

 self. It was Ayrshires that I 'went out to see '; Ayrshires that I had fully 

 decided were to be my instruments in the work of stock and dairy reform 

 in Minnesota, and the result was that before leaving the barn I had picked 

 out a small number of young Ayrshire heifers and a yearling bull and ar- 

 ranged for their shipment. Before I left, however, Gibson found an oppor- 

 tunity to whisper in my ear: 'You will make no mistake if you take the 

 advice of your friend and take along a few Short-horns.' So just as we 

 were about leaving I turned to Mr. Campbell and asked: 'What will you 

 price me that young bull for? ' 'Oh, if you want him you may have him for 

 $100,' was the reply. 'Why, Mr. Campbell,' spoke up Gibson quickly, 'Mr 

 Sheldon would never sell such a bull as that for a cent less than $400 ' 'No 

 matter, said Mr. Campbell, 'if Mr. King wants him for $100 he can have 

 him.' ' Take him,' said my friend decidedly; ' he will be worth more to you 

 than all the Ayrshires on this farm.' I took the bull, and with him two or 

 three young heifers of the same strain of blood, all, I think, by Weehawken 



