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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



more than that the prize in the first case was awarded to 

 Mr. Grove for " Speculation," and in the second to Mr. 

 Starkey, for " Caper." 



Of these extra classes we may say that there is more 

 blood exhibited amongst the stallions, and less good 

 breeding amongst the mares, than we remember to have 

 seen at Chelmsford. The show was very creditable to 

 the southern counties, however, and all should be thank- 

 ful to those gentlemen who are thus willing to exhibit 

 their valuable horses for the public good. 



We are glad to see that the Society has availed itself 

 of the advice given with respect to its duty to offer 

 prizes for thorough-bred horses, hunters, hackneys, &c. 

 The Royal Agricultural Society may thus impart an in- 

 calculable benefit upon those districts where she pitches 

 her tent. It is her business to arouse attention to a 

 national want — a want that agriculturists can alone sup- 

 ply — and to point out the means by which they may 

 do it. 



SHEEP. 



The number of Sheep at different meetings is as 

 follows : — 



Our survey of the Sheep classes at once convinced us 

 that the show was greatly above an average one in point 

 of numbers, and on closer inspection we were soon 

 assured of its superiority in most other respects. The 

 class of Leicesters we did not think quite equal to that 

 of former years, although Mr. S.inday exhibited some 

 splendid aniranls of the breed, which fully entitled him 

 to the high pre-eminence he achieved. The honours 

 he obtained were unequalled in any class, or at any time, 

 so far as our recollection serves us — taking all the prizes, 

 and three high commendations. No. 420 is in beautiful 

 form and proportion, well thrown out in every part, 

 great in size, yet compact in frame ; the model of a good 

 Leicester ram ; his bead handsome and mild-looking ; 

 ears rather drooping, but not detractin<( from his hand- 

 some looks; neck full, but not clumsily thick ; breast full 

 and broad, chine flat and well thrown out and covered, 

 plaits perhaps a little defective for a first-class animal, 

 but very good ribs, well hooped out, and exhibiting a 

 broad level fat back, and loin all you can desire ; hips 

 wide, and in their right place ; no objectional distance 

 between hip and rib, so that the frame retained its cor- 

 rect rotundity ; rump very good and full, but rather short; 

 dock fair ; flanks, twist, and thighs all right, offal fine, 

 and wool very satisfactory — 1st prize £25. No. 419: 

 The above remarks would nearly apply to this sheep ; 

 his head is, if anything, rather handsomer and finer than 

 420, his ears rather long and fine, and neck perhaps 

 too thin, and shoulder rather defective ; plaits are 

 good, back and chine well out in good form, rump too 

 short but wide, twist fine, thighs not full, but flank 

 good ; wool rather strong in fibre, and heavy fleece ; a 

 handsome well-made sheep— 2nd prize, £lb. No. 445 

 in the second class : We have above attempted a hum- 

 ble outline of Mr. Sanday's prize shearlings: to proceed 

 to describe seriatim the other beautiful animals he ex- 

 hibited would take up too much of our space, and is also 



superfluous, as they are so much in character, that one 

 notice, with ordinary care, will suffice for the whole 

 flock ; we shall merely, therefore, hint at some slight 

 difference noticed on our hasty inspection. No. 445 : 

 very heavy plaits and great depth of frame, thighs some- 

 what too light — 1st prize of £2h. No. 444 : " Like a 

 pea in a peck," but a broader loin and heavier wool— 

 2nd prize of ^^15. Nos. 441, 442, and 443, all beauti- 

 ful animals, and all received high commendation. 



The 3rd class, sliearlmg ewes, — Mr. Sanday wasmore 

 than commonly successful, and deservedly so, as they ma- 

 nifested a decided superiority above the whole class — 

 their forms so perfect, their looks so handsome, and 

 general contour so full and fine as to retrieve the some- 

 what medium character of this class. 



Mr. Pawlett has long been the acknowledged close 

 competitor with Mr. Sanday for the Society's honours, 

 and we therefore give him the next place in our notice. 

 His shearlings are remarkably similar in form and cha- 

 racter, No. 426 perhaps somewhat longer in frame. 

 We prefer the form of their rumps to some of Mr. 

 Sanday's sheep ; but they are not]so large in frame, nor 

 do we think them so profitable to the grazier as a class ; 

 but they are quite equal in beauty and proportion. It 

 should be borne in mind that the prevailing taste of the 

 present day is, to combine a little more substance with 

 beauty and proportions of frame. Hence the decisions — 

 correct decisions of the judges in the Leicester classes. 

 The older sheep shown by Mr. Pawlett possess the usual 

 full, compact, rotund form, with all those admirable 

 accompaniments of perfect rumps, broad fat backs and 

 loins, full thighs, flanks, and plaits, and chest and 

 beautiful looks ; indeed the only defect, if defect it is, 

 is in being, rather too small, and showing a longer leg. 

 No. 452 received high commendations. Mr. P's were 

 all two-shears ; these shown against older animals do not 

 always succeed according to merit. 



Mr. G. Turner, of Barton, as he always does, exhi- 

 bited three highly creditable shearlings, denoting truth 

 in breeding and great usefulness ; in character large and 

 profitable. His shearling ewes, we thought, approached 

 next in their class to Mr. Sanday's ; but not so regular 

 and uniform in frame and beauty. 



Mr. R. W. Cresswell, of Ravenstone, brought forward 

 some exceedingly useful sheep in the shearling class. 

 His No. 440 has capital plaits, and out shoulders, back 

 level and very broad, rump first-rate. His older sheep 

 denote great usefulness, and No. 463, a capital animal, 

 was favoured very properly with a high commendation. 



Lord Berners, of Keythorpe Hall, exhibited a very 

 profitable sheep, with every characteristic denoting good 

 grazing capabilities and true Leicester blood : he was 

 highly commended. 



Mr. F. Spencer, of Claybrook Magna, near Lutter- 

 worth, exhibited several very pretty and excellent sheep, 

 but too long in frame and high on the leg for taking the 

 lead in the first class. His ewes were of similar cha- 

 racter. He should aim at a greater depth of frame. He 

 has many other good qualities. 



Mr. Radmore, of Court Hayes, near Thorverton, 

 Devon, exhibited some very creditable shearlings : we 

 thought their chief defect was want of real *' sub- 

 stance." Leicester sheep must be compact for first- 

 class sheep, 



Messrs. J. Burston Corner, of Longforth, near Wel- 

 lington ; J, Gregory Watkins, of Woodfield, near Droit- 

 wich ; and Mr. Webber, of Halverton Court, near Tiver- 

 ton, were creditable exhibitors in the respective classes 

 of Leicesters ; but the same fault was theirs as named 

 above— the want of compactness in form and depth of 

 frame. 



Mr. John Bodley, of Stockley, Pomeroy, exhibited 

 some good sheep ; but to our judgment these did not 



