SHORTHORN HERDS OF ENGLAND. 37 



park find a large number of cows out for exercise amongst the recently 

 fallen snow, each cow has had a calf to suckle during the 

 summer, and are hardly now seen at their best. Like many others 

 no doubt would be, we are considerably surprised to find Mr. 

 Cradock with the largest herd of shorthorns in England, at present 

 the female portion number 142, in addition to a large array of bull 

 calves seen at the bottom of the park, in useful boxes, which the 

 owner has been gradually increasing during the past few years. 

 For these young bulls Mr. Cradock can always find a market, so it 

 speaks well of the good they have done in the district, considering 

 the large number he has annually to dispose of ; on turning to the 

 last volume of Coates' we find no less than forty three cows entered 

 with produce of '84. At present Mr. Cradock has in hand about 

 1,000 acres, and the whole is now stocked, so far as the cattle are 

 concerned, with pedigree shorthorns, more than half descending 

 from the Hartforth blood of early days. What more pleasant on a 

 frosty morning with the sun shining, and the air gloriously sharp 

 and keen, than a walk with a gentleman farming his own estate, 

 especially if he be a breeder of pure bred stock, seeing the improve- 

 ments made, and hearing of those contemplated ? Such a pleasant 

 three or four hours stroll we had with the owner of Hartforth, and 

 as we crossed the hill sides we had a capital view of the surrounding 

 c ountry. 



The Cherries are still here in considerable numbers, in fact they 

 form quite a small herd, as twenty six come from Old Cherry's 

 daughter, Cherry Brandy, from whom also descend the Cherry 

 Duchesses, so well known in connection with the Sholebroke and 

 Penrhyn Castle herds of late years. Mr. Cradock's present Cherries 

 descend more particularly from a cow named Blameless, by Strawberry 

 Prince 25240, the sixth in descent from Cherry Brandy ; she had two 

 daughters Beauty and Faultless, both by home bred bulls, the former 

 bred 17 calves in 14 years, including five pairs of twins, so it is to 

 this cow that the recent increase of the tribe is mainly due. Beatrice, 

 one of Beauty's produce, by Chaser, is a good little cow, and 

 Columbine, another of Chaser's daughters, from Comely, a grand- 



