32 THE PORTRAIT GALLERY 



AN AMERICAN WHO INVADED SHROPSHIRE 



8. Probably the pioneer Shropshire breeder of the United 

 States from a constructive standpoint was Dr. G. Howard Davison. 

 His foundations for the Altamont flock at Millbrook, N. Y., were 

 laid in the best blood to be secured in Britain during the 90's, 

 his purchases being from the Tanner, Bowen-Jones and Minton 

 flocks. American breeders of those days leaned very strongly 

 toward a big-framed, slower maturing, open fleeced kind, but 

 Dr. Davison from the start advocated a compact, thickly mealed, 

 early finishing type that would fit more strongly into the niceties 

 of consumer demand. His first sheep were brought over in 1893 

 under the care of his first shepherd, Herbert Fox. Ambitious 

 to equal the productions of the Shrewsbury district, he sent to 

 England the second year thereafter a flock of his own breeding 

 for exhibition and competition at the English Royal. So suc- 

 cessful did this mission prove that Dr. Davison was paid high 

 tribute by the British agricultural journals of the day and was 

 elected a member of the Royal Agricultural Society. In the same 

 year, 1895, he secured Dan Taylor as shepherd, thereby bringing 

 to America one of the master Shropshire fitters of the last quarter 

 century. Two years later he secured Fred Fox and in 1898, 

 Tom Bradburne, who remained with him for over twelve years. 

 Tom possessed the genius for developing through his ovine arti- 

 sanship what Dr. Davison sought in his capacity as breeder. The 

 Altamont or Davison type became a distinct stamp in the show- 

 yard, arousing violent arguments on more than one occasion. In 

 season and out, Dr. Davison fought and fought for the short- 

 legged, well-sprung type with thickness of back and plumpness 

 of quarters. In his campaign he sent rams to nearly all of the 

 agricultural colleges and experiment stations, to spread the 

 knowledge of, and demand for, his sheep. If the college was 

 unable to pay for them, as frequently happened, he gave them 

 to the institution, thereby starting an acquaintance with his kind 



