84 AT THE SIGN OF THE STOCK YARD INN 



In this connection it may be said that Mr. BATES 

 was a great advocate of showing live stock by 

 family groups. Isolated champions counted for little 

 in his estimation. It was not, with him, so much a 

 question of what a skillful fitter could do with a 

 single animal that happened to be blessed with a 

 strong constitution and a good digestion, but rather 

 what results might be achieved, en bloc, through 

 consanguinity. In this he was undoubtedly contend- 

 ing for a sound principle, and in all our modern 

 shows it would be well if the views of this prince 

 of British stock breeders upon this important point 

 might find more general adoption. 



The English Royal Show was founded in 1839 

 and held its first meeting at the old university town 

 of Oxford. Mr. BATES, by the way, often expressed 

 regret that at the two great national seats of learn- 

 ing Oxford and Cambridge there were no profes- 

 sorships in agriculture. He urged at all times the 

 study of soils, chemistry, and the little-known laws 

 of heredity in animal life, upon all who would listen. 

 He made up his mind that he would wipe out those 

 Yorkshire decisions by an appeal to the higher tri- 

 bunal now set up, so we find him at Oxford in 1839 

 with "The Duke," now three years old, Duchess 

 42d, Duchess 43d and a heifer of a newly-acquired 



