164 CATTLE-BREEDING. 



one half out and the other a strong outcross, 

 following one upon the other, produced his best 

 stock. It thus appears from Mr. Bates' own 

 testimony that it was the outcrossing which 

 gave his herd its great excellence. Afterward 

 careful inbreeding of outcrossed strains contin- 

 ued the excellence for a time, though fresh 

 blood again (in the Oxfords) was soon de- 

 manded. 



We have already noticed the conclusion 

 reached by the great German student Nathu- 

 sius, that no breeder of note ever followed in- 

 breeding throughout life. This we see is true 

 of Mr. Bates in a marked degree. He began 

 with close in-and-in breeding, which he was 

 compelled to abandon both in practice and 

 theory and never returned to it. The Duch- 

 esses have here been used as the exemplar of 

 his whole career because they were the pivot of 

 his life as a breeder. What we read in them 

 may be read in all. 



Contemporary with Mr. Bates, and not less 

 notable than he, both as men and breeders, 

 were the Booths, Thomas and his sons Richard 

 and John. The foundation of the great Booth 

 herd dates as far back as the year 1790, about 

 which time Thomas Booth began to actively 

 breed the improved Short-horns. As descend- 

 ants of the elder Booths still breed this noble 

 breed at the old seats and still maintain the 



