HISTORY OF HEEEFORD CATTLE 



99 



fields smile again with ample harvests ; her 

 wastes by a general enclosure covered with cul- 

 tivation; her farmer rich; her poor well fed 

 and happy^ and may we all, by reverence of 

 that being from whom all blessings flow, en- 

 deavor to deserve them." 



THE DUKE OF BEDFORD'S SHEEP SHEARING IN 

 1801. 



On Monday 255 people attended, on Tues- 

 day 259, on Wednesday 232, on Thursday 132. 

 The sale and rental of sheep made a very satis- 

 factory progress. Liberal premiums were paid 



There hung a gloom over the whole business, 

 which would not dissipate. The succeeding 

 Duke had given orders for conducting every- 

 thing exactly as on former occasions. Lord 

 iSomerville presided at the dinners, and the 

 general arrangement of business was conducted 

 by his lordship, and Mr. Coke, with the assist- 

 ance of the Rev. Mr. Cartwnght. 



The company was very numerous all the three 

 days and on Tuesday equal to the appearance 

 on any former occasion. In addition to the 

 sale of sheep there was a sale of Hereford cows 

 and heifers, including two bulls, ten head, all 

 of the Herefordshire breed. The sale amounted 



HEREFORD OX, CHAMPION AT SMITHFIELD, 1816. (Bred by S. & C. Haywood, Worcestershire.) 



to farmers of the county for the best cultivated 

 farms and for the largest improvement of the 

 sheep, and on different classes of farm machin- 

 ery. 



The Duke of Bedford died in the spring of 

 1802. The Sheep Shearing Shows at Woburn 

 bearing his name were continued in J803 by 

 his son. 



Those who attended this meeting, hitherto so 

 bright and cheerful, animated as if was by the 

 enlivening presence of a nobleman so greatly 

 beloved and respected, looked around on every 

 scene with heavy eye and sorrow in their hearts. 



to £974 ($4,870), an average of $487 a head. 

 Premiums were awarded and paid to the farm- 

 ers for the best conducted farms and the largest 

 improvement in live stock. 



We quote Mr. Young's "Annals of Agricul- 

 ture" (Vol. 35, p. 91) to show the aims of 

 Herefordshire agriculturists in founding their 

 county Society, which, being the -oldest and 

 most flourishing in England, is another proof 

 of the intelligence of the Herefordshire farm- 

 ers : 



"Rules and orders of the Herefordshire Ag- 

 ricultural Society, with an account of pre- 



