The Stock. 
177 
to take advantage of the nearness of Lincoln to start dairying. 
Selecting, to commence with, the best bagged cows in the herd, 
he has added other deep milking cows from time to time. 
Beginning on Monday, March 23, 1885, the morning and 
evening milk from every cow was weighed and recorded. This 
system has been continued up to the present day, and for the 
last sixteen years yearly milk records of the herd have been 
published. This means a marvellous number of figures, but it 
has been of the greatest value ; cows yielding below a certain 
quantity of milk are rigorously discarded, and their offspring 
sold. The ideal aimed at has been milk, combined with size, 
quality, and constitution. 
Showing. — The first cow shown in competition was at the 
London Dairy Show, October, 1887, when “ Beauty ” won 
1st prize in the Shorthorn Milking Trials, and the Lord Mayor’s 
Champion Cup as the best milker in the Show. This early 
encouragement seems to have induced fui’ther showing, which 
has been continued from year to year with conspicuous success. 
The Burton Herd have over and over again won chief prizes 
in the keen competition of the Milking Trials and Dairy 
Classes at the “ Royal ” and other leading Shows of England 
and Ireland, these successes being again repeated in 1907 at 
the “ Royal,” Tring, and London Shows. 
Bulls. — After Mr. Evens started dairying one of the first 
bulls used was “Beauty Bull ” 1770, from “Beauty,” the cow 
mentioned above. The owner firmly believes that “ like pro- 
duces like,” and has satisfied himself that in breeding for milk 
“the bull is half the herd,” nay, more, he believes that the 
sire has more influence in transmitting good dairy properties 
to the produce than has the dam. 
Selection. — By keeping milk records, by weeding out in- 
different milkers, by using only bulls from cows of “ proved 
dairy merit,” the owner has succeeded in building up a large 
herd of dairy cattle which many visitors have been good 
enough to describe as “ The best herd of dairy cattle they ever 
saw.” The female calves are kept in good natural condition 
in order to replenish the herd. Many have been sold for 
abroad and the home counties, but the owner steadfastly keeps 
to his determination to retain the best at home. The male 
calves are all kept for bulls and sold privately at about a year 
old ; for these there has been a ready demand. Besides going 
largely into our own dairy counties, many have found their 
way to Canada, South Africa, New South Wales, British 
Columbia, South America, Sweden, &c. A Pedigree Herd 
Book is kept showing the breeding and ultimate destination of 
each animal. Mr. Evens has now got together a herd of some 
200 cattle that stand second to none in the kingdom, and at the 
VOL. 68. N 
