272 SHORTHORN HERDS OF ENGLAND. 



giowth if not also the largest. Climbing upwards, a couple of 

 miles brings us to Sydnope Hall, where unfortunately, Mr. B. 

 Langdale Barrow, the owner of both the estate and a choice herd of 

 shorthorns, has been called away to London. In wandering round 

 the pastures, situate at a height of 800 feet above sea level, we have 

 the guidance of the herdsman, William Ward a son of the Ward 

 whose figure twenty years ago in the show ring was almost sufficient 

 to assure the rest of the competitors that no blue ribbon awaited 

 them well versed in the names and history of the animals. It is 

 necessary that cattle reared on the Derbyshire hills must possess 

 both hair and constitution, and on the advice of one well known in 

 shorthorn circles, and also on account of their breeding, Mr. Barrow 

 attended the memorable " Old Daisy " sale held in 1879, at Pencraig 

 Court, when half the herds belonging to the Rev. W. Holt Beever 

 and Mr. J. A. Rolls, made an average of within a couple of shillings 

 of 100 guineas for the 36 cows and heifers. The purchases made 

 consisted of Mercia 2nd, and Early Morn ; Royal Bijou, and Royal 

 Bijou 3rd, own sisters, by Mr. Foster's Royal Cumberland 27358 ; 

 and a two months calf, out of Charming Blush, bought by Lord 

 Fitzhardinge the same day for 350. Naturally a sire is quite as 

 important as buying good females, arid 22nd Duke of Oxford 31000, 

 was selected after several years service at Killhow, whence followed 

 50th Duke of Oxford 43121, and then in place of buying Holker 

 bred bulls from other breeders, Mr. Barrow went straight to the 

 fountain head, and bought ll f h Duke of Barrington 44652, which 

 has left some nice young cows behind him. While purchasing such 

 well bred sires, Mr. Barrow had not neglected buying occasional 

 highly bred females, specially must be noted his purchase of Violet, 

 at the dispersion of the Graddesby herd, and Banewort, privately 

 from Mr. J. H. Blundell. Both were bred by Archdeacon Holbech, 

 and were two of the half dozen of the Fairy branch of the Old 

 Daisies that averaged ^194 5s. at his sale in 1877. Mr. Barrow is 

 justly provd of the breeding of this particular branch. Old Daisy, 

 the dam of Fairy and Strawberry, whose descendants are knewn 

 at Sydnope as Fairy Duchesses and Strawberry Duchesses was 



