THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



239 



Of 123 entries of sheep, 97 were Leicesters or long- 

 wools — the principal sheep of the county ; and being 

 classed together there is no necessity to attempt a dis- 

 tinction, sometimes rather fine, between the breeds, as 

 a separate Leicester class ouglit properly to consist of 

 pure-bred animals only, and not of sheep from flocks 

 which might just as well compete as long wools. In 

 addition to "shearling rams," "older rams," and 

 '' pens of ewes," we have " shearling wethers," and 

 " shearling gimmers." The Cotswolds having come 

 up rather strongly at Ilotherham, we have this year a 

 sei)arate class for them. The South and West Downs 

 are comparatively few. The Leicester and long- 

 woolled shearling rams were a particularly good class. 

 Mr. Abraham's are what we could wish from his well- 

 known flock ; Mr. Burton's second-prize shearling is 

 beautiful, and that of Mr. Walmsley very handsome 

 indeed, having an exceedingly good back, and fine 

 head and quality. The cla^s of older rams was better 

 still ; and we would name as especially commendable 

 the rams of Mr. T. Hannam, one of Mr. Leake's of 

 Market V^'eighton, and Mr. Wiley's prize sheep. Both 

 the prize pens of ewes are beauties, the first prize- 

 ewes having the best flesh, and the others being too old, 

 namely five-shear. The shearling wethers were good. 

 Among the Downs Mr. Marris' three-shear ram, bred 

 by Mr. Webb, and Lord Wenlock's five shearling gim- 

 mers, are particularly excellent. Mr. T. B. Browne's 

 two-shear Cotswold is of exti'aordinary dimensions, 

 and a remarkably handsome and valuable sheep. In 

 the Extra Stock class we saw some animals that were 

 not very creditable ; but taken altogether the show of 

 sheep was considerably better than we have before 

 seen it. 



There is a greater number of pig classes than at 

 our Royal Society's shows — namely, one for sows in 

 pig or milk, not qualified to compete in the large or 

 small breed classes ; one also for boars not qualified to 

 compete as of large or small breed. Then there is a 

 distinction as to age, and a competition between differ- 

 ent breeds, namely a class for " Three store pigs of 

 any breed from 4 to 9 months old," for " Large-bi'eed 

 boars under 12 months old," for large-breed sows ditto; 

 for small-breed boars ditto, and for small-breed sows 

 ditto; and also another class for "Extra stock." 

 There were no less than 100 entries of pigs; and the 

 character of the show was extraordinarily good. The 

 large-breed boars were, if possible, more enormous 

 than ever ; the large-breed sows uncommonly good, 

 particularly the prize sow of Mr. J. Tulley, which is of 

 deep as well as long and broad proportions, and fine in 

 her quality. Mr. Mangles has justly taken a high 

 position in the small-breed classes, his prize sow being 

 of wonderful breadth, and splendidly filled out in all 

 points; and his three store pigs wonderful for fine and 

 delicate quality. Mr. Wiley's store pigs are also beau- 

 ties. Lord Wenlock, too, showed some very fine pigs. 

 Among the boars and sows under 12 months old are 

 several really wonderful for their growth and early de- 

 velopment. The class of young small-breed sows is 

 one of the best we have seen. In the Extra Stock class 

 M'ere five little black beauties shown by Mr. Barrowby, 

 of Dishforth, but otherwise they are not much in 

 fashion in this county. 



The show of horses is not only far greater than has 

 been known before in the history of the Society, but is 

 quite unexampled even by the Royal Society ; for 

 there is a total of 283 entries, more than one-half in 

 excess of last year, and nearly double the number 

 shown at Salisbury. Of the character of the show it is 

 hardly needful to say more than that the reputation of 

 Yorkshire for first-class hunters is now raised higher 

 than ever, while the hackneys, coaching, and agricul- 



tural horses have never been better ; in fact, we have 

 never before known so many first-rate horses to be 

 brought together, though we could not single out any 

 one as being so superb as to utterly eclipse all the rest. 

 There were 62 hunters, 61 coaching horses, 53 road- 

 sters and hackneys, 70 agricultural horses, and 37 extra 

 stock. The hunters are classed as " Stallions," " Mares 

 and foals," "Three-year-old geldings," " Three-y ear- 

 old fillies," " Four-year-old hunters, either geldings or 

 maies," and a special class for " Five-year-old hunters, 

 mares or geldings, possessing not less than three crosses 

 of blood," for which prizes were given by Lord 

 Wenlock. Roadsters and hackneys are classed as 

 "Stallions," "Mares and foals," "Three-year-old 

 geldings or fillies," and " Geldings or mares, not less 

 than four years old and not exceeding six." Coaching 

 horses are divided into " Stallions," " Mares and foals," 

 " Three-year-old geldings," " Two-year-old geldings," 

 and "Two-year-old fillies." Of agricultural horses 

 we have "Stallions," "Mares and foals," "Three- 

 year-old geldings or fillies," " Two-year-old fillies," 

 " Yearling geldings or fillies," and a real practical 

 class for pairs of horses (of either sex) worked during 

 the season ; and of course a large Extra Stock class. 



As may be expected, a great deal of interest was 

 concentrated about the ring in which the hunter 

 stallions were shown. We most all admired " Dago- 

 bert," Mr. Batty's dark-brown horse, which gained the 

 first prize, having wonderful strength, and certainly the 

 best back in the yard. He was bred by the Duke 

 of Richmond, and is seven years old. Mr. Manfield's 

 second prize horse, " Spencer" is a good animal; but 

 we like the size and style of the old chesnut, " The 

 King of Diamonds,'' of IVIr. Macintosh of Berwick -in- 

 Elraet; also "King Caradoc," the black stallion of 

 Mr. Strickland of Wassand, having a splendidly showy 

 head and neck, and good action; and again, 

 " AVetherbit," a small horse, but extraordinarily good 

 in most of his points. Good as was the show of hunting 

 stallions last year, a horse which gained high honours 

 then is now " nowhere." And, indeed, all the horse 

 classes exhibited marked advance, excepting perhaps 

 the pairs of farm-horses worked during the season. The 

 stallions for agricultural purposes formed a magnificent 

 class, great disappointment being felt that Mr. 

 Hildyard's " Matchless" did not appear, although 

 entered in the class. Some of the horses were amazingly 

 powerful, and heavy enough for drays. The hunting 

 mares and foals were extraordinarily good, especially 

 Mr. Booth's chestnut mare, " Marigold," and the bay 

 mareof Mr. Barber, ofTangHall. Themaresandfoalsfor 

 coaching were excellent, but the roadsters of exceedingly 

 great merit. Among the mares and foals for agricultural 

 purposes we admired the powerful and useful as well 

 as noble mare of Mr. Angus, of Norwich. ," Black 

 Bess," exhibited and bred by the Earl of Carlisle, is 

 also an exceedingly good one. There were one or two 

 splendid hunting geldings, and Mr. J. Johnson's brown 

 coaching gelding is very fine indeed. The three-year- 

 old hackneys were uncommonly good ; and we would 

 mention Mr. J. Wilde's " Pretender" as very superior. 

 Among the pairs of farm horses were some very power- 

 ful and active teams, precisely adapted for stepping 

 briskly with a heavy load behind them. The four-year- 

 old hunters were a very superior class. In the Extra 

 Stock we looked at some wonderfully fine mares — Mr. 

 Vyner's strong hunter for instance. " Hobbie Noble" 

 obtained no prize; but another horse of Mr. Grove's, 

 " The Conqueror," of amazing size and substance, 

 took the first prize. In Lord Wenlock's special class 

 for five-year-old hunters, there were a few really good 

 ones; Mr. Booth's bay "Jeweller" taking the first, 

 Mr. Coulson's bay second, and a very good mare, high 



