THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



87 



attd rather coarse lot, described on the card as purple- 

 topped yellow Aberdeen, but which was a green-top 

 white globe. The second sample, which was grown by 

 the Marquis of Kildare, consisted of pure purple-top 

 Aberdeens, and, although not so heavy as the first lot, 

 was composed of much more handsome bulbs, possess- 

 ing the finest possible shape — model bulbs in fact. Mr. 

 D'Chaigneau's third lot was also pure purple top, and a 

 nice lot, but not so perfect in shape as the preceding. 



Of field cabbage there were several good samples ex- 

 hibited, but nothing of more than ordinary character. 

 The lots shown were quite sufficient, however, to 

 prove the great value of this variety of plants for farm 

 purposes. 



The show of flax, both hand and mill-scutched, was 

 very limited; and, considering the importance of this 

 crop to the principal manufacture in Ireland, there 

 ought to have been a much better turn-out on the part 

 of the flax-growers. Mr. Patton, of Glasslough, and 

 Mr. Robb, county Clare, were the principal exhibitors. 



There were several excellent samples of butter ex- 

 hibited, Mr. Patton's first prize lot being particularly 

 so. In cheese there was only one exhibitor — a Scotch 

 lady, Mrs. Reid, from the county Wexford — who 

 showed three samples, of very good quality. Cheese- 

 making is not much followed in Ireland, and the success 

 which attends it is rather uncertain. This is a subject, 

 in fact, which the Irish farming societies ought to in- 

 vestigate thoroughly. 



The show of wool was very inferior, both in quantity 

 and quality, and by no means what we ought to expect 

 in Ireland. 



In the special collections of farm produce Dr. 

 Radcliff stood first, with a large and varied assort- 

 ment ; whilst Mr. Pollok's and Mr. Mutton's col- 

 lections were also very good, although not so large 

 as that exhibited by Dr. Radcliff", Mrs. White 

 exhibited a capital collection, grown at an elevation 

 of 800 feet above the level of the sea, in which a 

 prime sample of white Holland oats was conspicuous. 

 The Earl of Charlemont, whose veteran prize-taking 

 manager, Mr. James Brady, has for some time given up 

 competing, sent forward a large and beautiful collection 

 of produce, which was specially commended, although 

 not entered for competition. A very interesting portion 

 of the vegetable show consisted in forty specimens of 

 seedling potatoes of different and new varieties, grown 

 by Mr. David Moore, the curator of the botanic gar- 

 dens belonging to the Royal Dublin Society. Mr. 

 Moore's attention has been specially devoted to this 

 matter during the last ten years, and we think there are 

 several of the varieties which he has succeeded in pro- 

 ducing which will become of great importance. Another 

 very interesting part of the show was the exhibition 

 of produce grown on farms connected with public insti- 

 tutions, the first prize being taken by Mr. P. Boyle, 

 agriculturist to the North Dublin Union, with a mag- 

 aificent sollection of roots, &c., in the cultivation of 

 which boys alone — none of whom exceeded 14 years of 

 age— were employed. The second prize was awarded 

 to the agriculturist of the South Dublin Union, Mr. 

 P. O'Brien, whose collection was also most creditable, 

 and another clear proof of the benefit of employing 

 pauper labour in this manner, whereby habits of indus- 

 try are acquired by those who would otherwise be an 

 unprofitable burden upon the public. 



We now turn to the fat stock department of the ex- 

 hibition, which, although it might not in every respect 

 satisfy a Bingley Hall or Baker-street man, was, gene- 

 rally speaking, creditable. The Society was agam 

 much indebted to Mr. Allan PoUok, who was on 

 this occasion also the principal exhibitor in the fat cattle 

 classes. Taking, therefore, the difi"erent lots exhibited 



by that gentleman, we would remark that his prize 

 bullock, two years old, was a beautiful specimen of good 

 feeding. Some might consider that he had frame enough 

 to carry a much greater weight of beef ; but as shown, 

 he was more than sufficient to satisfy any reasonable 

 person. Mr. Pollok's prize West Highland ox was very 

 prime, but the other cattle of the same breed shown by 

 him in this class were not nearly as well finished. His 

 cross-bred four-year-old ox had a famous rib and loin ; 

 but being pitted against an extraordinarily well finished 

 animal, a cross between the polled Angus cow and 

 Shorthorned bull belonging to Mr. Thomas Gerrard, 

 he had to yield to the superior quality of the latter. 

 We scarcely ever remember to have seen so thoroughly 

 finished an animal %ipon grass alone, as Mr. Gerrard's 

 ox. His back, loin, and rumps were covered with masses 

 of flesh, and on handling he was found to be perfectly 

 firm all over. Mr. Pollok's pair of oxen, worked in 

 the plough up to May last, were coarse. A lot of three 

 polled Galloway bullocks, bred and fed by Mr. PoUok, 

 were much admired, and one of the lot, a two-year-old, 

 was awarded the prize as the best of all the fat oxen of 

 any age or breed. His quality was particularly good, 

 and so uniform was he, that it could scarcely be said 

 that he was better in one place than in another. In the 

 class of Highland cows, Mr. Pollok showed two prime 

 specimens of that admirable breed, and in Shorthorn 

 heifers, his four-year-old heifer took the prize as the 

 best in her class, and the best of all the prize heifers. 

 Her back and loin was grand, but she handled soft. In 

 the class for heifers of any age or breed, Mr. Pollok 

 showed three lots, two of which got the prizes belonging 

 to the section. They were not of particularly 

 fine quality, but useful enough for general pur- 

 poses. Mrs. Laurie's prize three-year-old short- 

 horn bullock was particularly well-finished, of good 

 quality, and even. A lot of good and very heavy 

 four-year-old bullocks were shown by the same lady, in 

 the class against Mr. Pollok's Galloways, and deserv- 

 edly received a high commendation, although they were 

 not equal in quality to Mr. Pollok's lot. Mr. H. 

 Tuite's Devon ox was a little slack in the back, but on 

 the whole a sweet animal, and fully finished. Mr. Tuite 

 also showed a prime Hereford cow, not very large, well- 

 covered all over, and full of inside fat. Decidedly the 

 fattest animal in the show was Mr. Farrell's short- 

 horn cow, an exceedingly well-proportioned animal. 

 She had uncommonly fine fore-quarters. Mr. Gar- 

 nett's cow (second prize) was particularly good in the 

 loin and fore-quarters. Colonel Leslie's cow, in the 

 same class, was very heavy in flesh, but soft. Of 

 Kerry cows there was only one specimen, and she had a 

 good loin, but bad fore-quarters. Mr. Barton's short- 

 horn heifer (second prize) was extremely well-finished, 

 and very superior in her 'buttocks. The Kerry heifers 

 were very indifferent. It must be remarked, with re- 

 ference to the prize offered by the Smithfield Club for 

 " Irish breeds," that the Kerry is the only real Irish 

 breed of cattle, and consequently, if feeders from that 

 part of the kingdom entered their stock for competition 

 at Baker-street, they must take their place in the Short- 

 horn or other classes. If the object of the Smithfield 

 Club is to encourage entries from Irish graziers, the 

 prize-sheet must state, " Cattle bred and fed in Ire- 

 land," instead of merely " Irish breeds," Ireland being 

 in this respect differently situated from Scotland, which 

 has the polled Angus and Galloways, the West High- 

 lands, the Ayrshire, &c., as native breeds. 



The sheep classes were but moderately filled, and, 

 strange to say, one of the best pens of wedders ex- 

 hibited were placed second to a lot in very moderate 

 condition. The lot we refer to, as being undervalued by 

 the judges, was a pin of Lincolnshire two-shear wed- 



