68 CATTLE AND DAIEY FARMING. 



fed in their native connty, and Cotswold sheep also thrive in various 

 counties. Southdowns, Oxfordshire downs, and in fact nearly all the 

 breeds of stock in the British Islands allow of interchange, district with 

 district, without losing their character 5 from which the fact may be 

 inferred that the diversities of altitude and climate are insufficient to 

 affect stock materially in Great Britain. 



THE SANDRINGHAM HERDS. 



The inclosure 7 is a return- with which Mr. Samuel Beck, agent to 

 the Prince of Wales, favored me. It will be observed that all the stock 

 are managed, pedigree Shorthorns, Alderneys, Black Polls, and other 

 cattle, in a manner that a tenant farmer might profitably follow. Of 

 this I had the opportunity of assuring myself by a visit of inspection 

 which I made in the middle of the present month, devoting 'several 

 hours to a survey of the farms, their buildings, stock and general char- 

 acter, and being favored with personal explanations from Mr. Beck, and 

 from his son, Mr. Frank Beck, whose minute acquaintance with every 

 agricultural detail was of the greatest advantage to me. The parade 

 of the pedigree stock in the several exercise-yards, and the groups 

 grazing in the open pastures formed a "royal show" in private of the 

 most interesting character, being free from the turmoil and crowded 

 surroundings under which stock are commonly seen at agricultural 

 shows. 



The herds of Shorthorns, at Sandririgham, are located upon two dis- 

 tinct farms at Babingley and at Wolferton, 2 miles apart. The one 

 herd of the u Bates and Knightly" blood is kept separate from the herd 

 of the "Booth" blood, and admirers of either have thus an easy oppor- 

 tunity of noting the respective points. 



Some years ago the following words were written by a competent 

 critic of Norfolk farming : 



It is nothing "but a plain truth to say that Norfolk farmers needed a sound lead to 

 follow in the matter of live-stock management, and there is one to be found at Sand- 

 ringham, thanks to the management of the Prince of Wales. 



The bulls of the Wolferton herd include the Admiral, Baron Wolfer- 

 tou, Beauchamp, Denmark, Dereham, Downkam, Dunkirk, Fortis, Fra- 

 ternas, Gamester, Marias, Ponsapo, Pluto, Eoyston, Samson, and Vis- 

 count. Their ages are from twelve months to six years. Amongst the 

 cows are fifteen Diadems, the offspring of Mr. Fisher's bull (Fawsley 

 Prince, 31,150, and Diamond, by the Chieftain, 20,942). Amongst the 

 Babingley herd is the bull Babingley Duke, 42,680, with the best of Mr. 

 Bates's blood. Through all the mazes of the Wild Eyes family, dam 

 * Blythesome Eyes, sire Marquis of Oxford 2d, 37,055, the bull Duke of 

 Norfolk, calved June 13, 1880, and bred at Sandringham, is by the Earl 

 of Bectlve's Duke of Underly 3d, 38,196, and Fuchsia of Hilhurst. 



Considering the size of the farms, their carrying a pedigree herd of 

 about 30 bulls and 80 cows, besides numerous store-stock of Devons, 

 Black Polls, Highlanders, and dairy cows, they bear witnesses to econ- 

 omy of management and productive capabilities which are astonishiog 

 in an estate that was "nowhere" twenty-five years ago, and which has 

 since 1863 been made into a most picturesque domain and fertile land. 

 Even the miles of evergreen trees, mostly Scotch firs, giving Sandring- 

 ham a moorish appearance, were planted by Mr. Beck, and in the very 

 hot season of 1868. 



The farm buildings were mostly the old farm structures, merely kept 

 in good repair, and here and there improved by economical additions. 



