HISTOKY OF HEKEFOKD CATTLE 



SM1T11FIELD SOCIETY, 1805. 



Mr. Westcar's prize ox, fed on oil-cake: 



Carcass weight 1.988 pounds. 



Fat . 216 



2,204 pounds. 

 Duke of Bedford's grass-fed ox : 



Carcass weight 1,061 pounds. 



Fat . 192 " 



1,253 pounds. 

 Mr. Westcar's grass-fed ox : 



Carcass weight 1,439 pounds. 



Fat . 163 



1,602 pounds. 



Tho Fourth Sheep Shearing Gathering of 

 the Duke of Bedford commenced on Monday, 

 June the 18th, 1800. A large attendance was 

 on the ground and the meeting occupied four 

 days; the time was given almost entirely to the 

 shearing exhibition, sale and renting of sheep 

 on Monday. There dined at the Duke's table 

 160 persons; in the steward's room, 60, making 

 220 who dined on Monday, and about the same 

 proportion, 245, on Tuesday; 244 on Wednes- 

 day, and 138 on Thursday. 



The Duke offered and awarded large pre- 

 miums to those who expended the largest sums 

 in the purchase of pufe-bred sheep in the 

 county of Bedford. 



On the Wednesday, after dinner, Mr. West- 

 car, of Creslow, Bucks, informed the Duke, in 

 the hearing of the whole company, that Mr. 

 Tully, of Herefordshire, and his friends would 

 produce twenty Hereford oxen at Woburn this 

 time twelvemonth, fresh from the yoke, for one 

 hundred guineas, against twenty of any one 

 breed in England, the Duke of Bedford to ap- 

 point the judges. This offer of a bet was in- 

 stantly accepted by Sir Thomas Carr, of Bed- 

 ingham, in Sussex, who offered to produce 

 twenty Sussex oxen. against them. 



A friend of Sir Thomas Carres here inter- 

 fered, requesting explanations, which, in the 

 opinion of very many, did not appear necessary 

 for a plain bet explicitly accepted. 



A conversation ensued upon fattening the 

 oxen, and various other circumstances, on 

 which Mr. Westcar (who declared that Mr. 

 Tully would bet on any fair conditions) retired 

 in order to offer two propositions in favor of 

 Sir Thomas Carr, that if he liked the second 

 better than that he had already accepted, he 

 might be indulged with it. This proposed the 

 following extension of the bet, should Mr. 

 Thomas Carr wish it, which, before reading, 



was explained to be distinct from the first 

 proposition, and not annexed to it as a neces- 

 sary condition. 



"And that such oxen may be fatted and pro- 

 duced at the Christmas following at Smithfield, 

 for a second hundred guineas, value to decide 

 the superiority." 



Here a fresh debate ensued. Mr. Ellman, of 

 Clynd (Sir Thomas Carr's friend), proposed 

 an explanation by adding these words: "Dis- 

 position to fatten and quality of flesh to decide 



SCENE ON THE RIVER ARROW, COURT HOUSE. 



FARM OF JOHN PRICE. 

 "Its low lands are often called the 'Garden of England.' " 



the superiority without size being a chief ob- 

 ject of consideration." 



This Mr. Westcar rejected, observing that it' 

 size was thrown out of the question, twenty 

 runts might be shown against Herefords of two 

 hundred stone (2,800 Ibs.). 



Propositions and explanations being multi- 

 plied and mixed with conversation, the original 

 acceptance of the bet slipped from attention, 

 and the whole was eluded, but not without the 

 Sussex breed suffering somewhat in the repu- 

 tation, as it was deemed all escape on that side. 



One bet, however, was clinched. Mr. Tench, 

 of Broomfield, near Ludlow, in Salop, offered to 

 show a Hereford bull against any bull in Eng- 

 land for one hundred guineas, which was ac- 

 cepted by Mr. Knowles, of Nailstone, in Leices- 

 tershire, immediately entered, viz. : 



"Mr. Tench bets Mr. Knowles one hundred 

 guineas that he shows a Hereford bull against 

 any Leicester, bull to be produced at Shifnall, 

 the Monday fortnight after the great show at 



