DUAL PURPOSE CATTLE 11 



the tendency was in the direction of the Booth ideal. Judging, year 

 by year, at most shows was thus on lines that, on the whole, corres- 

 ponded with those that governed awards at the Smithfield Club an- 

 nual shows. In many herds, where fashion did n* t rule, however, the 

 dual-purpose was upheld. In recent years it has been more in favor, 

 but with too little attention to the fact that inherited qualities may 

 not be notable in every succeeding generation. "Like begets like" is 

 not always in evidence. The miik and its butter-fat record should 

 therefore be the rule for every cow in the herd. This was the rule 

 in Lord Rothschild's Shorthorn herd at Tring Park from 1899, when 

 it was added to the then existing herds of Jerseys and Red Polled, 

 where milk recording had been maintained from October, 1891, with 

 published lists year by year. Red Polled milk records of each cow's 

 production in the herd began . as from May 1st, 1886, and 

 continue to this day. Moreover, as will be seen from following pages, 

 there has been such a form of registration with group letters and 

 family numbers that it is an easy matter to note the milk inheritance, 

 whether it be through the dam or as influenced by the sire. The beef- 

 making aptitude of a steer or heifer may be as systematically noted 

 by the percentage of increase of live weight, as estimated by a com- 

 parison of the recorded weight of the same animal when competing 

 two years in succession. This is the only true means of reckoning, 

 since the live weight of the calf usually varies according to the breed 

 of the dam and sire. 



The qualities of beauty and utility of form, of respective types 

 and breed of cattle, can now be seen pictured frequently, for the public, 

 by photo process, and comparative estimates be determined. The 

 money value of the other qualities can be determined by the net profit 

 of milk and butter sold, when the cost of food is set down, or by the 

 price per stone (of 8 Ib. or 14 lb.), at which the fatted animal is bought 

 by the trader at public auction. 



JOHN REEVE'S IDEAL: RED POLLED CATTLE. 



Just one hundred and ten years ago a tenant on the Holkham 

 Estate, in North Norfolk, began to experiment on the hybridisation 

 of cattle. John Reeve, a man then in his prime, had held Wheycurd 

 Hall Farm, Wighton, by lease, since 1786. Thomas William Coke 

 "Coke of Holkham" was a man who knew and valued a good tenant, 

 though they differed in opinion in regard to cattle and sheep. John 

 Reeve was one who evidenced independence; he bred neither Devon 

 cattle nor Southdown sheep, which varieties of live stock Mr. Coke 

 held to be the most suitable. Yet a new 21 -year lease had been agreed 

 on in 1806. Mr. Coke, at the Holkham Sheep-Shearing Dinner, to guests 

 and tenants, presenting John Reeve the silver cup as breeder of the 

 best Leicester wether said: 



He could not neglect that public opportunity of returning his best thanks for 

 the attention Mr. Reeve had paid to the improving his meadows by irrigation. He 

 wished the public to notice that Mr. Reeve had expended 930 pounds on 35 acres of 

 land ; that he (Mr. Coke) had asked him if he, the landlord, should pay the expense, 

 and fix such an additional rent as would pi-ocure him a fair interest for that ex- 

 penditure ; and he was happy to assure them that his tenant had preferred retain- 

 ing the land without any advance of rent, and declared that he would soon be repaid 

 the whole principal, and that he should be amply rewarded, in having made that 

 improvement, by the extraordinary increase of produce. 



Arthur Young, in his "General View of the Agriculture of Nor- 

 folk" (1804)' had said of John Reeve: 



