EARLY ENGLISH IMPROVERS 77 



It remained for a Shropshire man to take the initia- 

 tive. Mr. T. C. Eyton of Donnerville, Wellington, 

 Salop, did for the Heref ords what old George Coates 

 of Great Smeaton, Yorkshire, had done for the 

 equally careless Shorthorn breeders a few years 

 previous. 



Mr. Eyton, we are told, had gone into Hereford- 

 shire to buy some breeding cattle for his own use 

 and finding, with the exception of John Price's rec- 

 ords at Eyall, much confusion existing as to the 

 genealogy of most of the herds visited, determined 

 to begin compiling pedigrees for his own private in- 

 formation. Subsequently on being promised assis- 

 tance by several prominent breeders he decided to 

 collect material for publication. 



Color Quarrel Compromised, Serious difficulties, 

 however, were at once encountered. Some were 

 doubtful as to the utility of such a work. Others pre- 

 ferred to shroud their own particular practices in 

 more or less mystery. Why indeed should a "trade* 

 secret" be given away unnecessarily? But worst of 

 all was the keen rivalry of different warring fac- 

 tions. There was first the color line with all its di- 

 vision of sentiment. Those who had used the Tully- 

 Tomkins-Price-Knight and allied strains freely were 

 powerful, and many of that school not only de- 

 clared the mottle-faces best but clearly entitled to 

 a record of their own. Those who had by the use 

 largely of the Hewer and Jeffries and Yeomans bulls 

 got a white-face standard fairly well established 

 were positive that their sort was most desirable. 



