COATES'S HERD BOOK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 7

COATES'S HERD BOOK.

In the Field, London, of April 30 the following letter is given, as showing the early history of the now celebrated Herd Book, referred to by breeders of shorthorns all -the world over. It commends itself to us for insertion, because it affords convincing testimony to the exceptional milking characteristics of shorthorns in their early days. The 'Field says of the letter : "It is undated, but was most probably written about 1829, and -was addressed by a former Duchess of Leeds, wife of + he sixth Duke, to the daughter of a certain Mr Glaister, vicar of Erby, Leethain, in the North Riding of Yorkshire."

Hornby Castle, September 29 (?). My dear Miss ' Glaister, — I am truly shocked to -have forgotten when I last wrote to -you, not answering your' question relative to the Herd Bock compiler, and when the. new edition will appear. The latter, G.Coates, {.he compiler, says^. cannot be published before 1831, which will be the ' third volume-, at . one guinea per volume. I send the. two for. inspection ; in case you have anyone tc show to who will subscribe, thus benefiting poor old Caates, who really is deserving of a- subscription from rich, agriculturists. His history is pitiable. He was for a vast number of years a wealthy farmer near Driffield,-and always clever, and a great judge of cattle. He prospered, and was consulted by all the amateurs of cattle. At length bis farm was raised! so high he was forced to give io up. Afterwards a son mined him, and *he was forced to retire to a cottage in Carlton, which being near Dunmgton, I have often seen him (indeed 1 , am trying to persuade him come visit me and put my xdairy in better state) ; but he is so infirm and blind of one eye, 'tis a difficult matter to arrange. He has ar dutiful son and exemplary daughter, now almos* old people themselves, who live with and take care of Kirn. By my showing* his books, several have subscribed. He was so good as to get me the plates of the supplement book coloured; after the animals in print, of which Mr Whitaker has pictures, and many of the cattle in his possession I saw, the plates exactly represented in colour and' shape. If your father should be at Studley, and has never seen the Burley stock, which Mr Whitaker, I am sure, would be happy in showing him, I assure him it would be well worth his while, for I Teally said l I never saw cows' till I saw these, andl the next in _ perfection I after saw were Mrs Laurence's. My own dairy is very bad, and does not half supply the household, but I must wait patiently till a few calves grow up> for the Duke and Davy do not like to buy cows. You will see in Coates's pedigree books much mention of the Studley race. I am glad' your fater has got a young pedigree bull, which I last week took th© liberty of sending a young heifer to. — Ever affectionately yours, C. Leeds. P.S.— When can Mr Glaister get me the pedigree of Marwood's cow, which we bought of him three years ago, and which, alas ! I lost (the best cow we had) by milk fever? but I have a white calf from her I wish to preserve, and as have no pedigree animal, hop_o when the latter is old enough to breed with the pedigree gentleman your father keeps — that after that, if I am alive, > I shall see a better dairy tKan now is. Mr | Glaister, of course, (knows Burley is only j three miles from Otley and nine from Leeds, and in so picturesque a. country, and, oh, what an enviable dairy is Mr i Whitaker's, and such houses for these pre- ■ cious animals, perfect palaces ; but to ■ sells 5000 quarts of milk a day to manufac- j taries near him, which amply repays him. j