two chief breeders of C.H.B. Shorthorns—and very prominent members of the Shorthorn world they are—are Mr. Jonas Webb, Melton Ross, and Mr. Henry Dudding, Riby Grove. The former gentleman has a very fine herd of pure Bates cattle, always in great demand for export to the Argentine and elsewhere, and to replenish the most prominent herds at home; and at the sale held in 1898 he disposed of fifty-two lots at an average of £37 17s., while in 1905 the average for forty lots was £52 1s. 4d. Mr. Dudding, who has been a wonderfully successful exhibitor both of Shorthorns and Lincoln sheep, had a sale the same year, getting 205 guineas for Lord Rosmead, and 200 guineas for Rosellan, both for Argentina, and an average of £38 14s. 7d. for forty-four animals. The following year forty-nine animals from the Riby herd averaged £55 10s., the highest average of the year next to that of £69 3s. 3d. which the fifty-four animals sold by the Prince of Wales realized; the bull Monogram made 360 guineas, another bull, Royal Fern, 360 guineas, and three of the heifers were knocked down at 360 guineas, 205 guineas, and 200 guineas respectively. Mr. Dudding's average for 1901 was £30 14s. 2d. for forty-nine animals, two heifers going at 145 guineas and 100 guineas. Owing to the closing of the Argentine ports there was no sale at Riby in 1902, but in 1903 Mr. Dudding disposed of seventy-seven head at an average of £43 19s., the bull Sir Charles going for 285 guineas, while the best of the heifers went at 145 guineas, 125 guineas, and 110 guineas. There was no sale again in 1904; but in 1905 he sold fifty-six animals at an average of £53 13s. 7d.
To Lincolnshire belongs the honour of the most famous Shorthorn sale that ever took place, viz., the dispersal of the herd belonging to the late Mr. William Torr, at Aylesby Manor, on 2 September, 1875. On this historic occasion over 3,000 people were present, and the eighty-four head of Shorthorns averaged the extraordinary price of £510 19s. The highest prices were as follows:—Bright Queen, 750 guineas, Lady Pigot; Bright Spangle, 1,055 guineas, Mr. Booth, Warlaby; Highland Flower, 1,500 guineas, Rev. J. Staniforth; Flower of Germany, 760 guineas, Mr. Miller, Singleton, Lancashire; Bright Baroness, 1,000 guineas, Mr. Andrew Mitchell, Scotland; Flower Alpine, 710 guineas, Mr. McCullam, Australia; Lowland Flower, 800 guineas, Mr. J. St. Gran-de-Acre, Gloucester; Heather Flower, 1,000 guineas, Rev. J. Staniforth; Bright Empress, 2,160 guineas, Mr. Booth, Warlaby (the highest price ever given for a cow in England); Bright Marchioness, 1,185 guineas, Mr. Chandos Poll-Gell; Bright Saxon, 1,505 guineas, Mr. Booth, Warlaby; Riby Empress, 760 guineas, Messrs. Cruikshank, Aberdeenshire; Foreign Queen, 805 guineas, Mr. Talbot-Crosby, County Kerry; Bright Dowager, 805 guineas, Mr, J. St. Gran-de-Acre; Riby Pearl, 775 guineas, Mr. Hugh Elmo, Norfolk; Bright Jewel,775 guineas, Mr. Hugh Elmo, Norfolk; Bright Jewel, 775 guineas, Mr. Booth; Riby Marchioness, 1,260 guineas, Mr. Talbot-Crosby; Fandango, 700 guineas, Sir W. Stirling-Maxwell; Riby Knight, 700 guineas, Mr. Marshall, New Zealand and Balmoral, 700 guineas, Mr. Micklethorne—the last three being bulls.
Mr. Torr, who farmed close on 3,000 acres in North Lincolnshire, was one of the leading agriculturists of his day, and a wonderfully active man, beginning his labours by giving orders from his bedroom window at 5 a.m., and never spending an idle minute during the day. When not at home, farming,
