Page:The Victoria History of the County of Lincoln Volume 2.pdf/447

Rh nursery for Shire horses, a class of stock that is as remunerative as any that the farmer can breed; for good horses take no more to keep and will do far more work on the land than bad ones, and, in spite of the coming of the motor car, there is still a brisk demand for high-class geldings in the big towns. Indeed Lincolnshire may be said to be the original home of the Shire horse. South and east Lincolnshire are the best breeding grounds for Shires, where even the smallest farmer keeps a good brood mare or two, breeds from sound sires, and has a wonderful measure of success in the show ring against even the biggest establishments. Mr. R. N. Sutton-Nelthorpe of Scawby Hall, who has probably done more to encourage Shire-horse breeding in Lincolnshire than anyone, and thus materially benefited agriculture in the county to no small extent, has a fine stud of Shires and is a most successful exhibitor at all the principal shows. It was he who owned the famous mare Starlight. Mr. A. H. Clark, Moulton Eaugate; Mr. W. Rowland, Fishtoft; Mr. R. J. Epton, Wainfleet; Mr. G. Marris, Kirmington; and Mr. F. Ward, Quarrington, are also well-known breeders and exhibitors in the county.

Lincolnshire possesses a breed of cattle of its own, and ninety per cent. of the cattle bred in the county are Lincolnshire Red Shorthorns. Ten or a dozen years ago the Lincoln Reds, as they are popularly called, were unknown beyond the limits of their county boundaries, although they had been carefully bred for a century or more. Then the Herd Book was started in 1895, which attracted attention to a breed of cattle whose admirers claimed it to be more hardy, more thrifty, and more generally useful to the tenant farmer than the Coates' Herd Book Shorthorn from which it was originally descended. Records of the leading herds, though not entered in Coates' Herd Book, have been kept in some cases for nearly one hundred years, and the breed has gradually conformed to one type and colour. The original cattle of Lincolnshire in their improved state were distinguished by their enormous size, but slow powers of fattening; and their improvement dates from about 1810, when three bulls were purchased at Mr. Charles Collings's great sale, and sent into Lincolnshire. But the origin of the Lincolnshire Red Shorthorn is probably the herd formed by Mr. Thomas Turnell, at Reasby, near Wragby. Mr. Arthur Young, in his report to the Board of Agriculture, said that Mr. Turnell's cattle had no superior in the county. They were a deep red in colour, and while somewhat smaller in size than the average, showed great rapidity of fattening and a development of lean flesh in the primest joints.

In 1901 the Royal Agricultural Society granted the breed separate classes at their annual show, and agriculturists and stock-breeders from all parts of the kingdom were enabled to inspect a number of representative exhibits for the first time. The impression they made was a most favourable one, the general opinion being that they were bred to a well-defined type, that they showed great wealth and evenness of flesh, while their milking qualities were undeniable. Since then they have advanced in popularity with rapid strides, registered herds having been established in practically every county in England, and extensive shipments made to every dairy country in Europe. South Africa