THE WATERINGBURY SHORTHORN SALE. The Field.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1624, 30 October 1874, Page 409

THE WATERINGBURY SHORTHORN SALE. The Field.

When enthusiastic gentlemen breeders of dogs come to us with stories of their success, we treat their statements with the respect which belongs to all professions of faith, and if we be incredulous, we hold our tongues about it. Rut this prudent course of conduct will not avail an honest critic of cattle. If these do not weigh well, we must say stoutly there is no improvement. No matter upon what testimonials new importations come to us, unless they can show that the new comers make, or help to make, better butcher beasts than we had before, the policy of the introduction must be questioned. There should be no mistake in this matter: everything has its objects; that of cattle is to make beef, or that which is the arrested essence of beef—milk and cream. It is of no avail to say they are graceful; the grace we want is that after a full meal. Having very firm opinions on this head, the Wateringbury herd has this day, July 2, been examined. The tactics of its owners are manifest—to get the best possible Bates bulls, and to put them to the best obtainable Bates or Knightley cows (purchased regardless of expense), and to offer part of the produce to breeders generally, from time to time—and the result this day must have been eminently satisfactory. Mr Strafford had to face a company as numerous, as influential, and as liberal as any which he can ever have encountered. The gathering at Willis's Rooms seems to have convinced all breeders that the pursuit is not losing ground ; and we think that assemblage added ten per cent, to the value of all Shorthorns. All of the most influential assemblers on July 1, in King-street, St. James's on July 2, went into Kent. And the place was equal to the occasion. Possibly a prettier spot may be found ; we never saw one> nor one more replete with evidence that liberal treatment is that to which Dame Nature responds most readily. Fertile soil, high-farmed, every inch cropped with hop or fruit tree, corn or roots, till no room was left for hedges, or the green edgings to the road which the horseman loves. Round the paddock, at Messrs Leney's, the hop yards stretched in every direction. And Shorthorn breeders " turned up " at every turn ; coming up the roads, or between the alleys 'mid the bines—a gathering as miscellaneous and as enchanted as that which Mr Riviere has painted bewitched by the music of Apollo, and for a moment forgetful of all ancient strifes. On this occasion Mr Strafford piped the melody of Pan, to the bewilderment of sober reason ; and the company responded, not with silent enjoyment, but with lavish promises of five-pound notes, till reason reeled, and one wondered where.it all must end. First came the examination of the lots for sale. These were arranged in " leanto " sheds, or under cherry trees laden with fruit, from which many a visitor plucked a furtive berry or two and fancied himself aboy once more robbing an orchard on a holiday. The two famous bulls were introduced for the visitors to examine. Eighth Duke of Geneva is kept poor for work ; but he has a fore arm grand as a lion's paw ; a front, like Jove's, awful; a rear that looks a little mean, and the side view is marred by ribs which certainly are not well-sprung. So many of this tribe have dark, almost iron-gray, roan, that a yellow red is a boon to breeders, and his calves inherited this merit; all were gay colored, and most were well-framed to boot. But the nine months old Duchess calf, for which a new Shorthorn breeder, Mr Loder, of Northamptonshire, Was content to give 2,000 guineas, was certainly not the most sightly of the lot. Still, taking them all together the calves by Eighth Duke of Geneva were an improvement on those by the sires employed before ; whether by Grand Duke of Oxford (28,764), who seems to havo been a failure, or Grand Duke of Kent (26,289), who (better than his predecessor) was not so good as the American, whose odd lopping ears, vast bulk, and thick muscles (the hind legs are especially good) are not likely to be forgotten. And striking as he must be allowed to be, his colleague, Sixth Duke of Oneida, was in most respects a better bull. He, too, has a complete freedom from undue tendency to blackness. Horns, nose, cherry-colored hue, ribs, feet—every point is good ; and hardhandling hair is no blemish in a bull. Effeminacy is the vice to be dreaded most. A coat which will turn a snowstorm and repel the wind is none the worse for not being silky. Let silks and satins be for feminine wear. Altogether, the American introductions seem to be successful. High colors, and good carcases on high legs, have followed ; and if these bring high prices, who shall impute failure ? There is no mistake about the " growth " of their offspring; the whole of the American-bred calves were big for age, if a little tall. And the talk and the prices were to match. But of these, as we give a complete list of sums fetched, and the names of the buyers, we need not treat. Suffice it to say, it is plain that Knightley topped up with Bates is a mixture in great request, and there seems no reason why it should not continue so for some time to come. Below is a list of prices and the names of the buyers : BULLS. 1. Young Knightley, red and white j born, 1872; Eev. J, Storer, purchaser, 60 guineas

2. Charming Prince, roan; born, 1873 ; Mr Larkworthy, purchaser ; 81 guineas 3. Young Thorndale, red roan ; born, 1873 : Mr Deuchfield, purchaser; 65 guineas 4. Duke of Kirklivington, red ; born, 1873 ; Mr Godwin, purchaser ; 66 guineas 5. March Duke, red and white ; born, 1873; Mr T. Rigg, 50 guineas 6. Nestor, white ; born, 1873 ; Mr Bendall, Brecon, purchaser; 26 guineas 7. The Young Knight, white ; born, 1873 ; Mr Harvey, purchaser; 51 guineas 8. First Lord, red roan ; born, 1873 ; Mr . Larkworthy, purchaser ; 210 guineas 9. Wild Duck, 2nd white ; born, 1873 ; Mr C. Collard, purchaser; 145 guineas 10. The Eoyal Duke, roan j born. 1873 ; passed 11. The Eoyal Prince, red ; born, 1873 ; Mr Larkworthy, purchaser ; 140 guineas 12. White Fawsley, white ; born, 1874 ; Mr A. P. Clear, purchaser ; 45 guineas 13. The Friar, red and white; born, 1874 ; Mr J. Thornton, purchaser ; 58 guineas 14. Caliph, red roan ; born, 1874 ; Mr Staveley Hill, purchaser ; 45 guineas 41 lots made £9,095 2s, an average of £221 16s 7£d 28 cows and heifers £B,OOI, an average of £2Bl 15s 13 bulls and calves £1,094 2s, an average of £B4 3s 4d.