40 CUMBERLAND COUNTY SOCIETY. 



Having thus awarded the premiumg, your committee feel it to be 

 incumbent upon them to admonish exhibitors against the prevailing 

 practice of claiming for their animals an infusion of blood which, if 

 in them, does not appear to an observer. We would, for example, 

 instance a fine flock of sheep entered, at this show, as grade South 

 Downs, which throughout presented perfectly white legs^ white and 

 smooth faces, and the buck having horns : whereas it is well estab- 

 lished, that South Downs are entirely destitute of horns ; that their 

 faces and legs are of a dusky gray, sometimes very dark ; that their 

 bodies are closely covered with quite short and curly wool, which 

 comes well forward in a tuft upon the head ; and besides these dif- 

 ferences, their bodies are broad, symmetrical, and have remarkably 

 full development of the hind quarters. 



Again. In the swine department, there were three entries this 

 year, of grade Berkshire; one being from the Keform School, about 

 the blood of which, there could be no question, as they evidenced 

 the truth of the statement made in regard to them ; but the other 

 two exhibited no such evidence, being entirely white in color; while 

 the Berkshire varies from reddish brown to almost black, some- 

 times brown, black,' and white, spotted, and sometimes black broken 

 with white, but never pure white. 



Your committee do not deny that there may have been some 

 South Down blood in the sheep referred to above, and Berkshire in 

 the swine. But it was not apparent, and they consider it their duty 

 to suggest, that exhibitors at all future shows, shall only name such 

 animals " grades" as show in themselves signs of relationship to the 

 blood claimed. Prompted by the desire of correcting an abuse of 

 terms productive of unnecessary confusion with regard to two classes 

 of animals which are second to none in value and importance, these 

 remarks are offered in a spirit of kindness. It is hoped they will 

 not be deemed impertinent. 



In conclusion. We desire to repeat advice often given unheeded, 

 " that farmers keep fewer dogs and more sheep and hogs," and pro- 

 pose a question for the earnest thought of those who regard the 

 general good. Would it not be better for the State, if every farmer 

 was allowed a certain number of sheep exempt from taxation, — 

 rather than, as now, the sheep-killing dogs 7 which infest the coun- 

 try, and in all the State devour and destroy, annually, more than 



