194 FIELD AND TERN. 



dered his men to take on the van with the four 

 grey mares to Keith Hall for " the county cham- 

 pion." " It isn't more than once in a life-time/" 

 said he, " that a lord or a farmer has a really crack 

 beast, and every proper respect should be paid it by 

 the neighbours." 



Chinese and Berkshire pigs were the " bacon 

 makers " he rejoiced in, on account of their 

 aptitude to fatten ; but he was not very particular 

 about breed, and, if the shape was just to his mind, 

 he would buy a pig out of any litter. His sheep fancy 

 was to have fifty black ewes, which he picked up 

 where he could, but he never kept a black ram. At 

 first, he got twopence or threepence more per pound 

 for his wool, which was bought to mix for stockings. 

 He also crossed Anglo-Merino rams with Leicesters, 

 and drafted all those which did not hit to the 

 Leicester form. The wool had a much more silky 

 lustre, but it was his deliberate conviction that no 

 strictly eclectic appetite would have cared for a slice 

 of his mutton. 



Grey Stanmore was his cart sire, and begot the 

 renowned Eory from a Clydesdale mare of Mr. 

 Walker's; and he kept a grey Arab to cross 

 his pony mares. He had also a blood horse, Gouty ; 

 and this chesnut's daughter, Bessy, may be traced 

 through Myrrha, Ellen Middleton, and Wild Day- 

 rell, down to Wild Agnes. Matching horses in his 

 break was a great pleasure to him; and he pur- 

 sued the same plan with his Shetland ponies, and 



