Shorthorns  in  Scotland  and  Ireland. 
93 
events  have  resulted  in  greater  substantial  benefit  to  the  agricultural  interests 
of  the  country.  A great  many  of  the  Shorthorn  breeders  of  Ireland,  whose 
large  and  skilfully  managed  herds  have,  in  the  course  of  the  past  half  century, 
been  so  instrumental  in  promoting  the  agricultural  welfare  of  the  Green  Isle, 
being  as  it  were  mines  of  ever-increasing  and  ever-spreading  wealth,  have  been 
indebted  to  those  Chilton  purchases  for  not  a little  of  their  very  best  material. 
Want  of  space  prevents  me  from  attempting  to  trace  the  career  of  the  Mason 
tribes  in  Ireland,  although  much  that  would  be  interesting  would  be  brought 
out  in  the  inquiry.  Even  in  this  hurried  sketch,  however,  at  least  one 
tribe,  Holmes  “Victoria,”  the  descendants  of  No.  1,  by  “Cato”  (119),  de- 
mands mention.  At  Moycashel  Farm,  Co.  West  Meath,  Mr.  R.  Holmes,  who 
in  visiting  the  Booths,  Thomas  Bates,  and  other  early  English  breeders,  about 
1823  and  following  years,  had  imbibed  a strong  liking  for  Shorthorns,  built 
up  a very  fine  herd,  almost  entirely  of  the  descendants  of  the  cows,  No.  1 and 
No.  8 at  the  Chilton  sale,  purchased  by  himself  and  Mr.  Adamson.  The  bulls 
■used  were  of  the  best  breeding,  and  several  of  them,  including  “Volunteer” 
(1553),  and  “ Augustus  ’’  (1662),  calved  respectively  in  1825  and  1827,  were 
hired  from  the  Booths.  His  herd  was  dispersed  on  September  29,  1853,  by 
Mr.  Strafford,  when  twenty-four  “Victorias  ” brought  an  average  of  80/.  15s.  a 
head,  eight  “ Britannias,”  descendants  of  Mason’s  No.  8,  averaging  35/.  5s.  each. 
The  “ Victorias  ” are  still  held  in  high  estimation  in  Ireland.  At  the 
Islanmore  dispersion  in  1875,  eleven  of  the  tribe  averaged  88/.  9s.  9 d. 
Mr.  Robert  Holmes  was  breeding  Shorthorns  some  years  before  the  Chilton 
sale,  and  it  is  believed  that  his  first  cow  was  “ Modish,”  got  by  “ Remus  ” 
(550),  and  bought  from  her  breeder,  Mr.  J.  Booth.  In  1826  this  cow  presented 
Mr.  Holmes  with  the  well-known  bull  “ Belzoni  ” (783),  got  by  Mr.  J.  Booth’s 
“ Captain  Parry  ” (838).  Mr.  La  Touche  imported  a good  many  valuable 
Shorthorns  in  addition  to  his  selections  at  Chilton  ; and  from  his  highly-bred 
herd  a great  deal  of  excellent  material  was  spread  throughout  the  country. 
.From  Killerby  he  was  plucky  and  fortunate  enough  to  obtain  the  two 
. celebrated  twin  daughters  of  “ Mantalini  ” and  “ Buckingham  ” (3239), 
, “ Pelerine  ” and  “ Polka.”  “ Pelerine  ” produced  “ Rose  of  Autumn,”  the 
ancestress  of  the  famous  Athelstaneford  “ Roses,”  and  through  the  descendants 
• of  “ Ladylike,”  by  “ Stars  and  Stripes  ” (12,148),  bought  from  Mr.  Douglas  by 
Mr.  Campion  in  1853,  and  through  other  channels,  the  strain  is  still  well 
represented  in  Ireland.  At  the  Studley  sale  Mr.  Archbold  purchased 
. “ Young  Maria  ” and  the  bull  “ Argus,”  and  he  also  bought  many  other 
: good  Shorthorns  from  England.  At  his  dispersion  sale  in  1847  no  fewer 
i than  106  Shorthorns  were  offered.  Several. cows  brought  from  40/.  to  46/., 
the  majority  realising  from  20/.  to  30/.  a head.  The  stud  bulls  at  the  time 
were  “ Sockburn,”  bred  by  Mr.  T.  Bates,  got  by  “ 4th  Duke  of  Northumber- 
land ” (3649),  and  out  of  “Blanche  3rd,”  by  “ Short  Tail ” (2621);  “Lord 
of  the  A alley,”  by  “ Provost  ” (4846),  and  “ Guy  Faux”  bred  by  Mr.  Crofton, 
Holywell,  and  got  by  “ Gainford  ” (2044).  It  is  believed  that  the  first  bull 
.introduced  by  Mr.  Archbold  was  “ Streamer,”  (624),  got  by  “ Comet  ” (155), 
and  out  of  “ Rosa,”  by  a son  of  “ Favourite  ” (252).  This  bull,  calved  in 
1813,  came  to  Davidstown  about  1818  or  soon  after,  and  ultimately  passed 
into  the  possession  of  Mr.  John  Dempsey,  of  Marshalstown.  He  proved  an 
excellent  sire,  and  bulls  got  by  him  did  much  good  in  the  surrounding  districts. 
At  a very  early  date  Shorthorns  found  their  way  into  the  counties  of 
Wexford  and  W icklow.  Mr.  Wentworth  Taylor,  Tinahely,  states  that  about 
1826  his  grandfather  purchased  from  Mr.  Archbold,  of  Davidstown,  a young 
bull,  a son  of  the  famous  sire  “ Streamer  ” (624)  just  referred  to.  This  young 
bull  was  used  freely  amongst  the  old-fashioned  black-and-white  cattle  then 
.occupying  the  county,  and  the  very  first  cross  showed  marvellous  improve- 
ment. By  this  gentleman  and  his  son,  the  late  Mr.  Robert  Dowse,  the  use  of 
