Middletown transcript., 1907-06-22
KING EDWARD AS a FARMER
Fine Stock Which Is Raised Under His
Direction at Saadringhani

Efuc otOCk Which ~ kdt1rN Gh1SA AAso
Direction at SandringhaEii
King Edward, who paid bis annual
visit to the smithfeld Club catlleshow re-
Gently, has been an enthusiastic agricul-
turist for nearly half century, says the
London cypress. For many years his
lshorthorns, shires, thoroughbreds, hack
neys, Southdown sheet and so forth have
been second to none in the kingdom.
His Maiesty's success as d farmer forms q
striking testimony to the versatility Of his
interests.
Il would be erroneously supposed that
the King wins at the agricultural and
Smifhield shows merely because he is
King Farmers, who ought to know, are
quick to controvert the idea. The King
never shows an animal he has NOS bred
himself and his cattle win purely on their
merits. because they are the best.
Since he came to the throne affairs OF
State have prevented his Majesty from
deyosing as much time as be would Ike
to his farming and agricultural interests.
He is no longer able to occupy bis morn
ings, as he did when Prince Of Wales, sit-
ting in bis pleasant business room at San
dringham, receiving and instructiDg the
bailiffs and others concerned in the man
agement of his :, 1000 acre farm.
But in spite Of his multifarious engage
ments the King still manages to continue
and supervise the breeding Of stock. His
stockkeepers are enthusiastic In his SER
vice, and the result has been that the
King is even more successful at the shows
now than be was when Prince Of Wales.
King Edward may well be proud Of his
remarkable record, particularly if he
recalls the condition of the Sandringham
farm lands, whence many of these
triumphs have come, before he put them
into cultivation.
A famous agriculturist who inspected
the land before King Edward Get about
transforming it reported: It is very bar
rem soil, barely capable of cultivation.
Could he revisit the land to-day he would
indeed be amazed at the revolution which
has made Sandringham one Of the finest
stockraising farms in the country.
The result of his Majesty's labors is
summarized by an unimpeachable au-
thority, Rider Haggard, who says: 'It is
a wonderful farm, for imagine that mo-
where is SO much high bred stock TO be
seen upon the same area; at least, in all
my extensive iourneyings throughout the
rs counties in England of which I have
examined the agriculture have not found
its equal.
King Edwards example and patronage
have been of inealculable benefit to agri-
culture in England. He has always been
earnestly interested in the work OF the
Royal Agricultural Society, Of which he
has been president several times, and he
is also patron OF the British Dairy FARM
ers' Association.
If there is one department of his farm-
ing in which King Edward takes particu-
lar pleasure it is that Of horse breeding,
and be is greatly delighted, therefore, at
the achievement OF his shire stallion,
Bremvictor, in winning the first prize in
the international Live Stock Exhibition
at Chicago.
The success of the Kings shires has
been extraordinary. At one sale 81 Of his |
horses realized an average Of 224 pounds
each. The Kings Southdowns and short
horns are as famous to-day as they were in |
the heyday of his active farming when
Prince of Wales. Only few months ago
one Of bis shorthorn bulls, Pride Of Sun
shine, fetched the high price Of 400
guineas. Not that this is a record. One |
such bull, destined for Argentina, brought |
no less than thousand guineas. The |
shorthorns are coveted by |
breeders everywhere, and picked bulls
from among them have often been sold for
snms,
Dog fancying hardly comes within the /
average farmers scope, but ii is Wellto note
that the Sandringham farm contains some
of the finest kennels in the country, and |
that our farmer King has displayed an
active interest in dogs, both as breeder
and exhibitor. No variety comes anaiss
to these splendid kennels pointers and I
settlers, barriers, deerhounds, spanieis, /
bulldogs, fox terriers, st. Bernards, basset
hounds, Esquimaux, Norwegian sledgeI
dogs, retrievers and others too numerous
to mention. Queen Alexandra is also q
lover Of dogs, and may frequently be seen
going around the sandringham kennels
with baskets Of bread and biscuits, feed
ing the dogs separately with her own
hands.
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