4 
Irish Agriculture. 
and in the four-year-old class also one entry. Four two-year-old 
heifers were entered ; two three-year-old heifers, and two cows, 
being- altogether ten animals of the " Teesw ater " breed, at a 
Show of what was at that time the national agricultural society of 
Ireland. It is worth while preserving the names of those early 
pioneers of Shorthorn breeding in Ireland. The exhibitors of 
bulls were the Hon. Sir Thomas G. Xewcomen, Bart., and the 
Hon. and Rev. Dean Bourke. Of heifers and cows, VV . G. 
Adamson, Travers Adamson, John Trench, and Sir Thomas 
Newcomen. At the Dublin Spring Show of the " Farming 
Society of Ireland," in 1813, three " Teeswater " cows were 
exhibited in the fat class, not one of which was successful. 
What a contrast to this is presented by the Spring Shows of the 
Royal Dublin Society at the present day, where, as was the case 
last Easter, 253 Shorthorns were exhibited in the classes of 
breeding stock, irrespective of animals, more or less pure, 
exhibited as fat stock. 
Notwithstanding the strong feeling which existed in Ireland 
in favour of the Longhorn breed, the rival Shorthorns continued 
to be quietly imported into the country. But it was the 
Chilton sale, held on the 1st of September, 1829, that gave 
the first real impetus to Shorthorn breeding in Ireland. The 
" Irish Contingent " mustered strong at Chilton, and a consider- 
able number of the animals were purchased by Messrs. Adamson, 
Holmes, La Touche, Archbold, Cusack, OTarrell, and Cassidy. 
Mr. La Touche became the owner of " Monarch," and Air. 
Holmes purchased " No. J," by "Cato" (119), then eight years 
old, for 130 guineas, and her yearling daughter " Victoria," by 
"Satellite" (1420), for 125 guineas. Mr. Holmes became also 
the owner of Mason's " Britannia," by " Monarch." " V ictoria " 
and " Britannia " were descended from " Lady Maynard," whose 
blood did much to establish the reputation of both Charles and 
Robert Colling. From Mr. Holmes's purchases at the Chilton 
sale originated the " Victoria " and " Britannia " tribes, for 
which his herd was long famous, and the blood of which we 
now find scattered throughout the kingdom. The late Mr. Fox, 
of Foxliall, the late Mr. A. H. C. Pollock, of Mountainstown, 
and others, also introduced Shorthorns of jVIason blood into 
Ireland, from the herds of the late Captain Barclay, of Ury, and 
those of other breeders, so that Mason blood is the foundation of 
many of the best tribes of Shorthorns at present in the country. 
Of that line the famous bull "Bolivar" was a notable illustra- 
tion. For a number of years " Booth " blood has been the 
favourite line with Irish breeders, and there are few herds of any 
repute in the country where it is not prominent. This has been 
in a great measure owing to the regular importation of stud 
