218 THE PORTRAIT GALLERY 



When, too, his uncle passed on in 1864, he succeeded to most 

 of the Warlaby animals and reunited such of the Booth strains 

 as had become separated during the previous years. During 

 the succeeding five years the Booth her^ds reached the height 

 of their show career. At the Royal of 1868 the two breed cham- 

 pions came from Killerby, Commander-in-Chief and Lady 

 Fragrant, and in 1869 at the last appearance of the Booths at 

 the Royal, Lady Fragrant was again supreme. 



Long periods of showing and high fitting had adversely 

 affected the Booth stock, however, and there was a marked 

 •decrease in the fertility of the herd. Whether this was due to 

 the effect of the conditioning of the animals or whether in the 

 search for the meatiest, animals that were pathologically fat 

 had been retained, is unknown, but there is little doubt that 

 the herd stood in need of regeneration. The only certain source 

 of Booth quality outside of Killerby itself was found in the 

 herd of William Torr (84) and hence at the Ay lesby Manor dis- 

 persion of 1875, following Mr. Torr's death, T. C. Booth was 

 both a liberal and constructive bidder. During the two or three 

 years immediately preceding this purchase the Killerby herd 

 had been ravaged by foot and mouth disease, hence Mr. Booth's 

 problem was more than a pedigree one. 



From thenceforward until his death in 1878, Mr. Booth's 

 progress was phenomenal, exports to America being numerous 

 and the Irish demand insatiable. The last of a family of 

 masters, Thomas C. Booth bridged the period of incubation 

 in England's north country and carried successfully into modem 

 time the standards and ideals so ably formulated by his notable 

 ancestors. 



