214 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



tiike the prize. The first prize of .£20 was borne away 

 by Mr. W. Hewer, of Hill House, Northleach, with his 

 No. 573, a sheep having all the good characteristics and 

 points of this approved breed. Mr. Robert Game, of 

 Aldsworth, Northleach, took the second prize of £10 

 with his No. 567, a splendid animal of like porportions 

 and worth. Mr. Geo. Fletcher's No. 504 was deservedly 

 hnoured with a high commendation; and Mr. F. Beale 

 Brown's No. 566 and ^Ir. W. Lane's No. 571 received 

 commendations. These classes were well sustained ; 44 

 being entered in the shearling class, and 17 in the aged 

 class, any one of which would be worthy of a prize. Mr. 

 Handy, Mr. Smith, Mr. King, ISIr. Tombes, Mr. Howell, 

 and Mr. Jas. Walker exhibited some capital s^heep in 

 these classes, which were highly appreciated by the 

 public. In class 3, the shearling ewe class, Mr. W. 

 Hewer carried off the first prize of X'20 with his pen 

 No. 589, and Mr. W. Lane the prize of .£"10 with his 

 pen No. 587. Mr. Thos. Walker's pen No. 578, Mr. 

 Geo. Fletcher's pen No. 579, Mr. T. J5. Browne's pen 

 No. 582, and Mr. W. Lane's pen No. 588, received 

 commendations. We have seldom seen a more useful or 

 better class, plenty of every kind and quality that a 

 breeder may desire in his sheep. Mr; Hewer's are a 

 very superior lot, as are also Mr. Lane's, and both 

 richly deserving the distinction they meet with. Mr. 

 T. B. Browne's are very good indeed ; but it is al- 

 most invidious to make a selection out of such a trans- 

 cendently superior lot. 



The classes of long wools have this year obtained the 

 greatest tokens of public favour, and the pens were 

 much thronged. Additional interest was given to these 

 classes, from the announcement that Mr. T. B. Browne 

 had given a challenge to sliow seventy of tiiis breed, 

 bred by himself, for 1,000 guineas, against seventy the 

 property of any other breeder, and that Mr. W. Hewer 

 had accepted it. We may, and do, admire the talent 

 of these spirited breeders ; but there appears some- 

 thing more in tliis — it looks like vexation, and we 

 question the propriety of such kind of rivalry being- 

 excited by the decisions of competent judges selected 

 by our Society. We hope long to see breeders 

 exhibiting in harmonious competition ; but when a 

 disappointed exhibitor proceeds to challenge all his 

 competitors, it is paying a poor compliment to those 

 judges who have to the best of their ability given an 

 impartial decision^ while, after all, the challenger has 

 had to succumb, and pay his £500, rather than pro- 

 ceed to show. We don't like the feeling, and hope 

 never to see it again. Ours is a peaceful rivalrj', and 

 not designed to call fi)rth indignant feelings, or to pit 

 one breeder against another. Let them be content to 

 bring their sheep before the world through the Royal 

 Agricultural Society, and there leave the result. How- 

 ever, Mr. Hewer had no option but to accept in this 

 case a challenge so loudly given. 



SHORT-WOOLLED SHEEP 



(not soutiidoavns). 



These classes were well filled up with fine and 

 noble specimens — Hampshire Downs, Shrojishire 

 Downs, Oxfordshire Downs, West Country Downs, 

 Short-wools, Down and Cotswolds, and Cheviots. 

 Here now the judges had ample scope for the exercise 

 of the most general or the most fastidious taste. We 

 have already said that the public taste is setting in for 

 larger sheep. " It is quite clear the larger varieties of 

 short-woolled sheep are gaining in public favour. The 

 Shropshire Downs have for several years stood high as 

 a distinct breed ; they are very prolific breeders j they 

 fatten upon very moderate food ; their form is in good 

 proportion, and they yield good fleeces." In re- 

 porting upon the Gloucester Meeting, we said 



something like this — that the best sheep in the show 

 was a Shropshire Down. From that time our eye 

 has been upon them, and, taking them in every point, 

 wo have yet to be convinced that they arc much sur- 

 passed by any other breed. The West Country Downs 

 are nearly equal to them in size and general propor- 

 tions, and, in fact, are truly Down sheep of a larger 

 character ; but the Shropshire Downs are a 

 cross from the Leicester, or rather larger breed 

 of long wools, and this cross pursued till a 

 definitive breed was established. Mr. Humfrey's (of 

 Oak Ash, Chaddleworth, Berks) are West-country, or, 

 as we believe, Hampshire Downs. He takes the first 

 prize of £20 with No. 647, and the second of £10 with 

 No. 650 ; his No. 651 received high commendation, and 

 a commendation was given to No. 648. This is no 

 slight honour for one flock to attain. They are very 

 superb animals of their kind. Messrs. J. and E. Crane 

 with Nos. 622 and 625, Mr. J. Bryan with No. 638, 

 and Mr. W. O. Foster with No. 640, also received 

 commendations. This was an extraordinary class, con- 

 taining no less than 60 capital specimens of their re- 

 spective breeds, possessing great qualifications in those 

 essential points — size, frame, wool, and mutton. 



In Class 2 — rams of any other age — Mrs. Baker, of 

 Grendon, Warwickshire, takes the first prize of ^£20 

 with No. 660, a sheep of remarkable beauty and exqui- 

 site symmetry, though rather small for the class. Mr. 

 Geo. Adney, of Harley, Much Wenlock, took the se- 

 cond prize of ,£10 with No. 660, a sheep of great size 

 and substance, with correct well-proportioned frame, 

 and plenty of wool. His No. 059 we thought an extra- 

 oidinary sheep. Mr. John Bryan with No. 667, and Mr. 

 Wm. Humfrey with No, 677, received high commenda- 

 tions. Mr. J. W. Brown with No. 052, Mr. G. M. 

 Kettle with No. 654, INIr. W. Humfrey with Nos. 075 

 and 076, received commendations. It would appear 

 rather invidious to name the breeders of animals which 

 most caught our attention in these superlative classes ; 

 but it is but fair we should do so, as, upon examination, 

 we thought ourselves correct in our judgment. The 

 sheep shown by Mr. Humfrey were unusually good. 

 Messrs. Cranes' Shropshires are all you can fairly de- 

 sire. Mr. Adney 's possess great substance, and have 

 immense frames, of great length. Mr. H. Smith's are 

 highly serviceable animals, and Mr. W. O. Foster's 

 are very complete. Mr. Brown, Mr. Kettle, and 

 Mr. Bryan show some exceedingly useful sheep. 



In Class 3 — shearling ewes — Mr. Humfrey again 

 takes the first prize of £^20 with his pen No. 699 ; and 

 Mr. Robt. Coles, of Middleton Farm, near Warminster, 

 takes the second prize of £10 with pen No. 688. 

 Messrs. J. and E. Crane's pen No. 690, and Mr. W. 

 Humfrey's pen No. 700, receive high commendations ; 

 and Messrs. J. and E. Crane's pen No. 091, and Mr, 

 E. Holland's pen No. 698, receive commendations. 

 This is also a very superior class, and many prime ani- 

 mals were exhibited — some extraordinary specimens for 

 size and substance, which fully bear out the profitable 

 character of these various breeds, brought together in 

 pleasant and peaceful rivalry from so many parts of the 

 kingdom. We are right glad to be enabled to test 

 their comparative merits. 



SPECIAL PRIZES 



Given for Sheep by the Chester Local Com- 

 mittee, 



Sheep Class : Welsh Mountain Rams of any Age.— 

 Before entering upon any critique of these classes we 

 may be pardoned for indulging in a few remarks upon 

 mountain sheep generally. The sheep ranging upon the 

 higher mountains differ from those more extensively 



