THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



85 



Pen of 3 wethera of any cross breed, under 22 montha old, 

 £3. to Mr. H. Bowser, Faxtleet, Howden; £1 to Mr. John 

 Wells, Booth Ferry House, Howden. Mr. J. Wells com- 

 meuded. 



Pen of 3 wethers, of any age, breed, or cross, except 

 Leicesters or Cotswold, £3, to Mr. Q. Clark, Bilton ; £1 to 

 ditto. 



Extra Stock. — Sheep. 



lOs. to Mr. F. Rickell; lOs. to the Hon. Admiral Dun- 

 combe. 



Pigs. 



Pig, large breed, of any age, £3, to Mr. Wm. Hindle, 

 Barlby Bank, Selby. 



Pigs, small breed, exceeding 12 months old, £3, to Mr. 



Wm. Fall, Walmgate, York ; £1 to Mr. J. Singleton, Teresa 

 Cottage, Pocklington. Mr. J. Singleton highly commended. 



Pig, small breed, under 12 months old, £3, to Mr. T. Eeles, 

 Islebeck, Thirsk ; £1 to Mr. S. Wiley. Mr. Charles Edwards, 

 CoUiergate, York, commended. 



Pig, middle breed, exceeding 12 months old, £3, to Mr. 

 Geo. Strickland, Snaith ; £1 to Mr. W. W. Wilberforce. 

 Stockton Hermitage, York. Mr. R. W. F. Mills, Dunning- 

 ton, York, commended. 



Pig, middle breed, under 12 months old, £3, to Mr. 

 Henry Hoggard, Clifton, York ; £1 to Mr. W. Green, Eara- 

 wick, York. 



Pen of ?> pork pigs, under 6 months old, £3, to Mr. Charles 

 Edwards ; £1 to Mr. W. J. Ware, Skirpenbeck. 



ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY. 

 WINTER SHOW OF ROOTS, GRAIN, AND STOCK. 



The winter show of the Royal Dublin Society, 

 which has generally taken place previous to the Bir- 

 mingham and Baker-street exhibitions, was held on 

 Tuesdayand Wednesday, Dec. 13andl4,in the Society's 

 agricultural hall, Kildare-street, Dublin. Inconsequence 

 of the show being thus held later in the season than 

 usual, the Society was prevented from sending forward 

 the collection of roots which it has been in the habit 

 of exhibiting at the Baker-street show, under the super- 

 intendence of its agricultural curator, Mr. Andrew 

 Corrigan. 



So far, the specimens of Irish produce shown in 

 Baker-street have effected much good, by directing 

 attention to the capabilities of that fine country. For 

 we have as yet but a faint idea of what Ireland is ca- 

 pable of producing, were the resources of its soil fully 

 developed by systematic cultivation. It is true that 

 the agricultural statistics which are taken annually in 

 Ireland do not present very encouraging results to 

 those who believe that the extended cultivation of roots 

 is one of the great means by which the prosperity of 

 that part of the" kingdom is to be effected, and who 

 consider a return to potato cultivation on a large scale 

 as a backward movement. Still it is to be hoped that 

 better modes of practice, and more correct habits of 

 thinking on agricultural matters, will yet become gene- 

 ral amongst the cultivators of Irish soil. 



On looking over the different ranges of tables covered 

 with farm produce at the late show, it struck us that 

 there were, on the whole, perhaps rather fewer lots ex- 

 hibited than we have seen at former Winter Shows of 

 the Society. This we found to be actually the case ; 

 but it was very evident that the character of the exhi- 

 bition was much improved in consequence of the 

 greater uniformity of the various entries in the differ- 

 ent classes and sections, and the absence of inferior 

 lots. In some of the sections the competition was 

 remarkably close, the roots being very fine, and the 

 different parcels nicely matched. At the same time, 

 all the classes were well filled, and some of them much 

 better than usual. 



The grain department contained some very good spe- 

 cimens, although there were none of very superior 

 quality. The best sample of white wheat — grown by 

 Mr. O'Reilly Dease, Palmerston House, county Dublin 

 —weighed 62 lbs, per bushel ; and the second best — 

 grown by Mr. J. W. Chapman, farm-bailiff to his Grace 

 the Duke of Leinster — weighed 61 lbs. The first lot 

 was grown after mangolds, and the latter after one 

 year's lea or seeds. There was only one sample of red 

 wheat exhibited, of rather good quality ; but it was dis- 



qualified, in consequence of the dressed grain not being 

 accompanied by a sheaf, according to the regulations. 

 We observed by the cards affixed to the prize samples 

 of white wheat that there was a considerable difference 

 in the quantity of seed which had been sown in the two 

 cases. Thus, in the best sample 17 stones (238 lbs.) 

 seed had been sown on the Irish acre' (7,840 square- 

 yards), whilst the Duke of Leinster's bailiff had only 

 used 7 stones (98 lbs.) per Irish acre. The difference 

 in the quantity of seed would make a very material 

 saving over the entire breadth of wheat on an ordinary 

 farm , and is a fact worthy of notice. 



Barley is seldom grown in Ireland with as good a 

 colour as it is in England, owing to the more humid 

 climate, but the prize samples were very fair in this re- 

 spect. The best sample — grown by Mr. O'Reilly 

 Dease, after a crop of turnips — weighed 55^ lbs. per 

 bushel, and was rather more equal than the second, 

 which weighed 56 lbs., the grower of which was Mr, 

 Hawkins, of Leopardstown, county Dublin, the preced- 

 ing crop having been wheat. In this case, also, there 

 was a considerable difference in the quantity of see'd 

 which had been sown. In the first case 16 stones 

 (224 lbs.) had been sown per Irish acre, and in the 

 latter 11 stones, or 154 lbs. 



Of oats there were a considerable number of samples 

 exhibited, all of which were rather deficient in the dress- 

 ing. The first prize for white oats was gained by Major 

 Gun Cunninghame — grown after turnips ; and the 

 second by Mr. James Perry, Monkstown — grown after 

 lea. The first sample weighed 43 lbs., and the second 

 44J lbs, per bushel, In«the section comprising black 

 oats, the first lot, weighing 41^ lbs. per bushel, was 

 grown by Mr, Perry ; and the second, weighing 39^ lbs., 

 by Mr. O'Really Dease. 



Of field beans there were several samples shown, many 

 of which were very deficient in colour, and unequal. 

 The first prize lot, however, was good, and weighed 

 66i lbs. per bushel, grown by Mr, Hawkins ; and the 

 second sample, weighing 66 lbs., grown by Dr. Rad- 

 cliff, was not much inferior in any respect, A very 

 nice sample of scarlet tick beans, weighing 65 lbs, per 

 bushel, was exhibited by the Hon, H, Sugden, and was 

 much admired. 



There were no samples of peas exhibited ; and the 

 only one of vetches was disqualified, in consequence of 

 the sheaf not corresponding with the contents of the 

 sample bag. 



In Irish-grown flax-seed, the first prize was taken 

 by Mr, David Fatten, Glasslough, co. Monaghan, with 

 a bright-coloured sample, weighing 541bs. per bushel . 



