

HEREFORD CATTLE. 39 



(7) That the Hereford cattle were noted for their good 

 grazing and beef making properties in the eighteenth cen- 

 tury, and 



(8) That the oxen were extensively used for purposes of 

 labor prior to the nineteenth century. 



III. The most noted of the early improvers 

 of Hereford cattle were Benjamin Tompkins, father 

 and son, but the latter was the more noted of 

 the two. 



(1) The elder Benjamin Tompkins, born at New House, 

 Kings Pyon, in 1714, died in 1789. 



(2) The younger Benjamin Tompkins was born at the 

 Court House, Canon Pyon, in 1745, and died at Wellington 

 Court in 1815. 



(3) Many of the best herds afterward built up in England 

 rested upon foundation stocks purchased from the younger 

 Tompkins. 



(4) Like Bakewell, he improved his cattle through the 

 most careful selection in mating and through in-and-in 

 breeding. 



(5) At the dispersion sale of his stock in 1819, the breed- 

 ing animals sold for an average of more than $700 each. 



IV. Prominent among the early improvers of 

 Herefords are the names of Galliers, Tully, Skyrme 

 and Haywood, and somewhat later the names of 

 John Price and John Hewer. 



(1) At the four sales held by John Price it is said that 

 he realized not less than $100,000 for Herefords. 



(2) Some of the animals bred by John Hewer were of 

 extraordinary size. u^l|**v>^Jj / 



V. Progress of Herefords early in the 

 century. 



(1) Prior to 1835 herds had been established in fifteen ' 

 English and Welsh counties. Y 



(2) During the first half of the century Herefords won 

 more prizes at the Smithfield London Show than the animals 

 of any other breed. 



VI. Some influences which hindered the dis- 

 semination of Herefords. 



(i) Their milking powers were not equal to those of some 

 other breeds, notably the Shorthorn. 



