XIII 

 ROMANCE OF THE DUKES AND DUCHESSES 



ROBERT AITCHISON ALEXANDER probably had a 

 larger hand in molding the character of our west- 

 ern cattle stock, as seen during the early days of 

 the upbuilding of all our great central markets, than 

 any other one individual identified with our agricul- 

 ture throughout the great constructive period. I 

 doubt if many bulls ever went upon the western 

 range prior to the advent of the Herefords that did 

 not carry the BATES Duchess blood. Practically 

 every important cornbelt herd established during 

 the rapid extension of good breeding that set in 

 during the "Seventies" had as its dominant factor 

 the blood of imported Duke of Airdrie or his sons 

 and grandsons. Substantially all of the best cattle 

 feeders of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Mis- 

 souri were indebted to the BATES Duchess blood 

 for the squareness and the levelness of the big 

 frames that distinguished the export bullocks of 

 GILLETT'S and MONINGER'S time. All of which is but 

 another way of saying that Kentucky set the stand- 

 ard and supplied the seed for these widespread 

 early improvements, and that the most impressive 

 sire ever used in the "Blue Grass" herds was this 

 same BATES Duchess bull called in honor of the 



