246 THE PORTRAIT GALLERY 



ordered, to present Mr. Colling with a piece of silver plate bear- 

 ing the signatures of over fifty breeders, "as a token of gratitude 

 due from the benefit they have derived from his judgment, and 

 also as a testimony of their esteem for him as a man." 



Robert Colling's individual accomplishments were perhaps 

 lesser than those of Charles, but it is di£Ecult to say just where 

 his counsels ended and Charles' began, so intimate was their 

 association. Early in his career, he bought Leicester sheep from 

 Bakewell (78) an4 developed a system of ram leases that be- 

 came a certain source of profit. Three tribes of Shorthorns were 

 created at Barmpton, the Wildairs, the Red Roses and the Prin- 

 cesses, while the bulk of the foundation bulls of Thomas Booth 

 were here produced. The Princess blood was indeed epochal as 

 through the Princess-bred Belvedere, Mr. Bates (74) ultimate 

 success occurred. Robert Colling's partial dispersion was in 

 1818 and completed in 1820. At the first sale sixty head sold for 

 $40,000, while two years later forty-six head brought only $10,- 

 000, due to the deep agricultural depression of the time. 



