exhibited at the Society s Meeting, 1882. 
571 
it brought out several novelties, it produced no champion bull ; 
nor youngster likely to become one. The closely in-bred strains, 
as those of Mr. St. John Ackers, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Peel, and 
Mr. Pugh — which have of late produced such noble cows — have 
failed hitherto to yield a really grand bull. Probably "Trojan," 
exhibited by Mr. Ackers, is the best bull yet sent out from the 
Painswick herd. Yet his very best points (his early maturity 
and delicate quality of coat) do not indicate a very long Show- 
yard career. 
It may be worth mentioning that whereas many of the 
successful females approximate to what is called " pure " 
breeding, not one of the prize-winning males does. Except 
" Trojan," and the bulls (of which there are three — " Osmanli," 
" Rover," and " Pearl-Dealer ") descended from the elder Mr. 
Stratton's herd, all winners have strong outcrosses. " Lord 
Zetland " (probably the bull of most striking appearance in the 
yard) has for a grandsire one of the Sittyton bulls. " Duke 
Oneida " has a strong double infusion indirectly of the blood ot 
" Romeo ;" and " Bright Helm " has Killerby upon a Grand- 
Duke bull. " Harry Hotspur " (from Sandringham) has, by his 
sire, a good deal of blood foreign to the fine Kingscote herd, 
which produced his dam. Altogether, it may be questioned 
whether the very close breeding of the last ten years has not 
diminished the grander character of the early Shorthorns. Mr. 
Willis's herd (which has contributed champion bulls of late years 
in " Royal Windsor " and the two brother " Admirals ") shows 
in "Major Fitzclarence" a perceptible decadence in nobility 
of appearance, whatever may be the result in beef. Still, it 
cannot be gainsaid, after the display at Reading, that the 
Shorthorns, as a breed, are in no danger from any rival. The 
substance and framework of Mr. Hutchinson's three females ; 
the bulk of Messrs. Hosken's cow and heifer, of Mr. Bruce 
Kennard's " Blossom," and of Mr. D. Pugh's " Czarina Manor- 
avon ;" the precocious ripeness of the " Ladies Carew," of 
Ashton- Winsome 3rd," and of " Wild Duchess of Rosedale ;" 
with the milk upon the Marchioness of Downshire's, Sir 
Hussey Vivian's, Mr. R. Stratton's, and Mr, J. J. Sharp's cows 
— these, with the downright prettiness of Mr. Brierley's " Snow- 
flake," the Duke of Northumberland's " Sunshade," of H.R.H.'s 
" Priscilla," of " Maid of Glamorgan," " Wallflower's Beauty," 
and of " Oxford Bijou," formed together a combination of 
charms which no other breed can pretend to supply. Without 
the least gainsaying the distinguished merits, for special purposes, 
of other varieties, so well represented at Reading, it may safely 
be said that the Shorthorn is still ahead of all of them for 
serviceable all-round qualities. 
