1875 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
13 
The Cow “Victoria Victrix.” 
The engraving here given is a portrait of a 
Shorthorn cow, remarkable as being a choice 
“ Booth Cow.” In the rivalry between the 
Booth and Bates 
families of this 
breed, the first- 
named is left far 
behind, while the 
other enjoy all the 
popularity and 
profit, at least if 
excessive prices re¬ 
sult in profit. The 
late wonderful ad¬ 
vance in favor, 
amongst a certain 
class of breeders, 
of the various 
families of Short¬ 
horns, which owe 
their origin to 
Thomas Bates, has 
left the Booth 
tribes in a position 
whfch is more use¬ 
ful than ornament¬ 
al. There is just 
now little honor 
belonging to the 
Booth stock, but 
it would be a seri¬ 
ous mistake to 
suppose them therefore deficient in merit. In 
fact, among Shorthorns at the present time, it 
may to a great extent be said, that “ reputation 
is oft got without merit, and lost without de¬ 
serving.” The cow of which the portrait is 
given, is one of the most reputable of these 
neglected Booth cattle. In 1871, as a calf, she 
received the second premium at the Royal and 
Yorkshire Agricultural Shows, and several first 
premiums at mi- 
nor shows. Since 
then she has taken 
a large number of 
prizes, and in 1874 
received the first 
premium as the 
best cow in calf or 
in milk, of any 
breed, at the West 
of England Agri¬ 
cultural Show. 
Her breeder and 
owner is Lady 
Emily ' Pigot, of 
Newmarket, Eng¬ 
land. This lady’s 
herd consists of 
about 30 animals, 
which are descend¬ 
ed from two cows 
of the best “Booth” 
tribes, the “ Man- 
talini ” and the 
“Boughton.” The 
produce of these 
two cows have 
been very closely 
bred together, and 
the whole herd possess almost the same 
ancestry, as this beautiful cow. She is four 
years old, of a light roan, has an elegant 
frame, with broad, level back, and is an excel¬ 
lent milker. The portrait is from a photograph, 
and represents her as she is. In this case the 
parallel ruler and the square have not been 
called into requisition, to produce one of those 
wonderful productions of art, which strangely 
enough seem to please some old and experi¬ 
enced breeders, and are accepted by them as 
portraits. This portrait, and the estimation in 
A Fine Southdown Ram, 
SHOKTHOKN COW—“ VICTOIUA VICTiUX.’ 
which this cow is held, are sufficient recom¬ 
mendation to public notice of a genuine “ Booth 
Shorthorn.” It is gratifying to know that of 
this class of stock there is a liberal supply in 
America, and that they are held at reasonable 
prices. It is from this stock that the “ service¬ 
able bulls ” are to come, for just now its rivals 
have attained an eminence, which places these 
beyond the reach of farmers and business- 
SOUTHDOwfl^KAM. 
breeders, and confines them to a class of fancy 
breeders, who seem to deal with each other in 
a manner that savors somewhat of the more 
speculative ways of the stock market. This 
cow proves that the neglected Booth' stock pos¬ 
sess some excellencies, if they have some defects, 
The value of the Southdown sheep in Amer¬ 
ica for the purpose of crossing upon and im¬ 
proving our common sheep, is probably greater 
than for the pur¬ 
pose of perpetuat¬ 
ing the pure race. 
There are few 
flocks of South- 
downs that are 
kept up to a high 
standard without 
renewed importa¬ 
tions, but there are 
many cases in 
which our com¬ 
mon sheep have 
been materially 
improved by ad¬ 
mixture with this 
blood. Again, the 
Southdown is the 
basis from which 
in England sever¬ 
al cross-bred races 
of sheep have 
originally sprung, 
and these races 
have been since 
interbred, until a 
constant type has 
prevailed, and a 
permanent breed 
been secured. Such is the origin of the Shrop¬ 
shire sheep, which is one of the most hardy 
and profitable races in England. The Hamp¬ 
shire and Oxford Downs are also indebted to 
the Southdowns for some of their good quali¬ 
ties, and in fact it is as an improver of other 
races, rather than as a distinct race, that the 
Southdown excels in this country. We need 
to establish American breeds of sheep, and to 
stop importing 
with a view to 
maintain the stan¬ 
dard of the Eng¬ 
lish breeds. AY e 
need to do with 
other sheep, what 
has been done with 
the Merinos, estab¬ 
lish an American 
race that suits our 
climate and other 
circumstances bet¬ 
ter than any for¬ 
eign race can. To 
do this for mutton 
sheep, and for a 
certain medium 
class of clothing 
wool, the South- 
down breed fur¬ 
nishes an admir¬ 
able groundwork. 
The animal of 
which the portrait 
is given in the en¬ 
graving, is now hi 
use by one of our 
most careful and 
successful breeders, in building up a race of 
American sheep, which shall be as well, or bet¬ 
ter, suited to our especial needs, as the import¬ 
ed Shropshire. This yearling ram was bred by 
Col. Morris, of Fordham, N. Y., and is at 
present the property of Beacon Stock Farm, 
