HEREFORDSHIRE PASTURES AND PIONEERS 41 



fitting for show, in that particular, experienced by 

 American herdsmen. 



Some of the Pathfinders. — The names of Richard 

 Tomkins and Benjamin Tomkins (the elder) of 

 King's Pyon, Galliers of Wigmore Grange, the 

 TuUys, Skyrmes and Haywoods are the ones most 

 frequently mentioned as leading pioneers in the de- 

 velopment of the material out of which the breed 

 was finally evolved. There is ample proof that these 

 and numerous other substantial farmers of Here- 

 fordshire and the adjacent counties of Gloucester, 

 Worcestershire, Salop and Monmouth had long 

 maintained herds generally recognized as possess- 

 ing superior merit for the yoke as well as for graz- 

 ing purposes. References to dairy quality are not 

 infrequent, in fact, they all expected that a cow 

 should be able to rear her own calf, at least. 



Ben Tomkins, the elder, was born at the New 

 House, King's Pyon, Herefordshire, in 1714; began 

 business at Court House, Canon Pyon, about 1738 ; 

 took Wellington Court in 1758, where he died in 

 1789, leaving six children. The second son — ^named 

 after the father — ^was destined to become one of the 

 most celebrated constructive breeders known in the 

 annals of British agriculture. The father was the 

 intimate friend and contemporary of William Gal- 

 liers of Wigmore Grange and the two are said to 

 have often exchanged breeding stock and to have 

 made excursions to distant parts together in quest 

 of fresh material from outside sources. 



William GaHiers was bom in 1713 and died in 



