THE HEREFORDSHIRE-BREED. 365 



trict ; and that thus the breed of Tomkins was formed from 

 the pre-existing cattle of Herefordshire, rather than by any 

 mixture with dissimilar kinds proper to other parts of the 

 country. The Short-horns were then of little estimation be- 

 yond the districts which produced them, and there is little 

 appearance of the Long-horned blood in the modern breed. 

 A resemblance, indeed, has generally been sought for between 

 it and the Devons. The resemblance, however, is merely 

 such as may be supposed to arise from a common and distant 

 ancestry ; and the form of the modern Hereford s differs 

 greatly from that which is typical of the true Devons. There 

 is nothing, therefore, in the breed as it now exists, which can 

 lead us to the conclusion, that its original improver had re- 

 course to any other races than those which he found na- 

 turalized in his native district. 



From the unobtrusive course pursued by Tomkins, it was 

 only by slow degrees that the merit of his stock became 

 known, and its influence felt ; and early as had been the 

 period at which the improvement of it had commenced, the 

 Hereford Breed was late in being brought prominently before 

 the public, as one possessed of the valuable properties which 

 are now, by common consent, ascribed to it. The progress 

 of the breed, however, though slow, was sure, and it silently 

 extended itself throughout all the county of Hereford, gra- 

 dually assimilating to a more uniform standard the stock of 

 the county ; so that Herefordshire became the most import- 

 ant breeding district of a distinct family of the larger cattle 

 in the West of England. Tomkins himself died at an ad- 

 vanced age, having realized the honourable competence to 

 which his high merits as an original, skilful, and successful 

 breeder, entitled him. Eminent agriculturists in the district 

 and elsewhere contributed to extend the reputation of the 

 breed ; amongst whom it may not be regarded invidious to 

 mention the names of the Honourable George Germain, Mr 

 Price, and the Earl of Talbot, who became purchasers of the 



