Agriculture and the Home of Russell. 
143 
fed almost entirely upon silage, and tlie stockman states that 
they prefer it to hay. 
His Grace was particularly proud of his Jersey herd, and 
was an excellent judge of the breed. The herd was good 
tln-oughout, and included many animals which would have 
been highly placed at the leading shows. Though he would 
never allow them to be exhibited for prizes, many will remember 
the evident pride with which they were occasionally paraded 
for inspection. He had the most accurate accounts kept of the 
weight of milk from each cow; and his dairy was justly re- 
garded as a model. He was also very fond of Jersey beef — a 
too expensive luxury for most people — and considered its flavour 
superior to that of any other breed. On one occasion, he sent 
to Mr. Fraser, the manager of the Experimental Farm, a couple 
of sirloins of beef — one being Scotch and the other Jersey — with 
a note to the effect that, after tasting the two, he felt convinced 
that Mr. Fraser would become a convert to the Jersey beef. 
The Jersey bullocks and the West Highland cattle formed a 
very pictiu'esque contrast in the Park, which, says Mr. Dent, 
" was the most evenly grazed and the best kept, both as to 
absence of weeds and neatness of roads, I ever saw." 
In all the details of farming operations the Duke took great 
pains to be well informed, and was, indeed, in every sense a 
practical agriculturist as well as a great landowner. The late 
Dr. Voelcker once said that he thought the Duke possessed the 
best knowledge of the details of farming of any nobleman in the 
country. Whilst about the land, it seemed as though his greatest 
interest was in matters relating to farming, and he was alwaj's 
well up in any question — no matter how small — that was under 
discussion in the agricultural papers and elsewhere. In going 
round the experimental plots, he was always anxious to 
know what was the opinion of farmers as to the prospects for 
the year, and what the probable prices and yields might be. 
This was particularly the case during those years when he was 
remitting large portions of the farm rents. He was, too, very 
open-minded — ready to apply well-considered theories to the 
test of practice, and to give them his support if he could depend 
on the reputation of the men by whom they were advanced, though 
he was sure to sift the matter, as far as possible, before coming 
to a decision. 
The Duke was an earnest friend to education, and erected 
several schools in various parts of his estates — those at Husbourne 
Crawley, Ridgmount, and Steppingley, to which he frequently 
took his visitors, may be cited as examples. He was also 
careful to provide gardens and allotments for the labourers. 
