422 SHORTHORN HERDS OF ENGLAND. 



remarkable that in so large a herd there is but one white, and it may 

 be added that the owner recently has had a visitor who selected the 

 best of the yearlings for exportation, and after the visit of Messrs. 

 Lythall, Mansell and Walters, in March next, the herd will be 

 reduced to under fifty head. 



Cheshire has long been famous for its dairy produce and the 

 fine herds of cattle which give the milk from which the celebrated 

 cheese is made, and Mr. George Cooke, of Clayley Hall, whose farm 

 is within seven miles from the city of Chester, but not more than 

 half-a-mile from Tattenhall Station, where we alight, holds a 

 prominent position, not only as a breeder of " Dairy shorthorns," 

 but as a successful exhibitor, and < 1,000 has been won by animals 

 from the Clayley Hall herd, principally however in the dairy classes, 

 including honours at the " Koyal," London Dairy Show, and County 

 shows, as well as the local exhibitions. On the day of our visit, Mr. 

 Cooke had departed before the arrival of our telegram, to read a 

 paper on the " Cow and her produce," before the members of the 

 Wirrall Farmer's Club, which on perusing in due course, we found it 

 had been ably explained that " Dairy Shorthorns " were the most 

 profitable kind of stock to be kept upon Cheshire farms. The herd 

 has been bred at Clayley Hall since 1872, when on succeeding to 

 the stock from his father who had previously used pedigree bulls 

 for many years upon the ordinary cattle of the district he found 

 2nd Duke of Sutherland 31120, bred by Mr. Thomas Bell, in service. 

 The majority of the cattle are descended from animals selected by 

 the late Mr. Cooke, and crossed with shorthorn sires as previously 

 stated, and there are few who can exhibit seventy such profitable 

 looking animals as Mr. Cooke, they are not only adapted for 

 supplying Liverpool with milk, but are not behind as beef producers 

 when required for that purpose. Mary, the champion shorthorn at 

 the recent Manchester show, is probably one of the finest cows at 

 Clayley Hall, where are found representatives of Col. Townley's 

 Barmpton Eoses, Mr. B. Wilson's Certainties and Col. Cradock's 

 Dainties, with Confidence 52654 exhibited by Messrs. Breach and 

 Coupland during 1886 and placed third at Norwich standing at 



