The Mastiff 567 



Prince, bred by Mr. R. Cook, the secretary of the Mastiff Club of England. 

 Mr. Cook had much to do with the sending of good dogs to us at that time, 

 all the Ilfords coming from his kennel, including the brindle Ilford Crom- 

 well which was a strong addition to the Ashmont Kennels. Mr. Winchell, 

 of Fair Haven, who afterwards became prominent in bloodhounds, began 

 a successful career in mastiffs with the progeny of Monmouth Meg and Zulu, 

 from which he showed Boss and Bess at New York in 1876. At the same 

 show Mr. Reginald J. Aston showed some mastiffs sent up from Florida: 

 Baby, Ilford Cambria and Maidstone Nellie. His return to England caused 

 his early retirement. 



Much of the interest in mastiffs at this time was due to the untiring 

 efforts of Mr. William Wade of Pittsburg, who never let an opportunity pass 

 for booming the breed, and of all the large breeds the mastiff was then 

 the most popular. At the New York show of 1888 the entry was three 

 dogs in the champion class and an equal number of bitches in their 

 class; while in open dogs there were 19, in open bitches 14, and in pup- 

 pies 6, a total of 45. How the mighty have fallen ! when at New York in 

 1905 not a single mastiff was entered. The Ashmont Kennels had by this 

 time ceased to exist. Dr. Perry having sold his dogs to Mr. A. Gerald Hull 

 of Saratoga. Among them was a bitch named Bal Gal, about which there 

 is a little histdry. At the time Dr. Forbes Winslow sold out his kennels, 

 which was a few days after we saw Crown Prince as already mentioned, he 

 owned Bal Gal and she was one of the early lots for disposal. , Mr. Graham 

 found it convenient to make a trip from Belfast to London to see what was 

 sold at what he used to call butcher's price, and on looking over the kennels 

 saw some excellent puppies out of Bal Gal; so he concluded that the dam 

 was worth purchasing. He got her for ;^8 and later on the puppies fetched 

 extravagant prices. Graham then sold Bal Gal to the Ashmont Kennels at 

 a good profit. 



The year 1888 stands out prominently as the banner one in the history 

 of the mastiff in America. In the champion class Ilford Caution, Ilford 

 Cromwell and Homer were shown; and in the bitch class. The Lady ClarCj 

 Prussian Princess and Bal Gal. The open dog class included Winchell's Mo- 

 ses and Boss, Imperial Chancellor and the great Minting, while among the 

 bitches were Mayflower, Bess, Idalia, Hebe, Daphne, Moore's Duchess and 

 old Queen II. It was now Mr. Stevenson's turn to retire, which he did after 

 having made a good record for many years. Homer became the property 



