THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



537 



siderable quantitj', is much prized as a manure ; it is 

 superior in quality to that of the domestic fowls. In Bel- 

 gium it is much used as a top-dressing for flax ; and the 

 excrements of 100 pigeons are sold for about twenty 

 shillings. Its immediate effect depends almost entirely on 

 the quantity of soluble matter which it contains, and this 

 varies according to its age and the circumstances under 

 which it has been preserved ; thus Davy and Sprengel ob- 

 tained respectively of soluble matter in pigeons' dung : — 



Davy. Sprengel. 



Per cent. Per cent. 



Recent 23 — 



Six months old — ........ 16 



After fermentation 8 — 



The soluble matter consists of a sradl portion of uric acid, 

 of urate sulphate, and more particularly of carbonate of 

 ammonia, common salt, and phospliate of potash ; the in- 

 soluble mostly of sulpliate of lime, phosphate of magnesia, 

 and a mixture of sand and other earthy matters. Goose 

 dung is less valuable as a manure than either of the pre- 

 ceding, as these fowls gather a great part of their subsistence 

 from the fields, where they obtain grass and other green 

 herbs. Their excrements are so strong, wlien first 

 evacuated, that it frequently kills the sward on which it 

 is dropped ; but no fear need be apprehended from its use 

 when mixed with absorbents, or after it has become 

 partially decomposed. G. T. H. 



— Country Gentleman : an American paper. 



DUNSTER ANNUAL GREAT CATTLE SHOW. 



The annual great market and cattle-show, ao long celebrated 

 for the excellence of the Devon stock exhibited, took place at 

 Dunster, Somerset, on Friday, the 20th Nov. The attendance 

 was unusually large, and included many of the most noted 

 agriculturists and dealers in the western counties. The cattle, 

 both fat and breeding, were exceedingly fine, and both in 

 number and quality considerably in advance of last year's 

 show. Mr. Corner's bull (which obtaiued the society's silver- 

 cup, value £5) was really a splendid animal ; aud Messrs. 

 Gibbs aud Risdon's fat oxen and steers exhibited an amount of 

 perfection and general excellence in feeding which is calculated 

 in no small degree to uphold the high character of the Dunster 

 district for the production of firat-clasa beef. Mr. Levcrsha 

 and the Messrs. Oatway showed some very choice things as 

 breeding stock, which, as will be seen by the subjoined schedule, 

 take a high position in the prize-list. The number of sheep 

 was small, and the quality very good. The show of horses 

 was hardly equal to former years, either as to number or 

 quality, though there were several good and useful heavy 

 draught horses, suitable to the requirements of a purely agri- 

 cultural district. The trade throughout was brisk, 

 and the sales were sufficiently rapid as to clear the 

 market at an early hjur. Beef of best quality ranged 

 from lis. to 123. per score (to sink the offal) ; fat sheep were 

 a trifle lower. The dinner of the Association was held at the 

 Luttrell Arms Hotel, and presided over by Captain Carew, of 

 Crowcombe Court. The company numbered about 120. The 

 premiums were awarded as follows : — 



Premium of 5^ offered by H. F. Luttrell, Esq., for the best 

 pair of fat oxen offered in the market for sale, to Mr. J. Ris- 

 djn; 2nd prize, 2^., offered by G. F. Luttrell, Esq , to Mr. J. 

 BisdoD. 



Premium of ?i., offered by E. A. Perceval, Esq., for the best 

 pair of fat steers, under 4 years old, to Mr. Gibbs, Bishops 

 Lydeard. 



Premium of 2i., offered by J. Halliday, Esq., for the best 

 fat cow or heifer, to Mr. Thomas Oatway. 



Premium of 2Z, offered by T. Dyke Acland, Esq.Jor the 

 best bull of pure breed (aged 2 years on the 1st October), to 

 be kept within 10 miles of Dunster for the ensuing season, to 

 Mr. C;arke. 



Silver cup, value £5, by the Society, for the best bull, pure 

 bfed, not exceeding two years old, under like conditions, to 

 Mr. Corner. 



Premium of £2, offered by W. Hole, Esq , for the best 

 breeding cow in-calf, to Mr. T. Oatway; 2ud, £1, Mr. T. 

 Oatway, 



Premium of £2, by James Hole, Esq., for the best breeding 

 cow and offspring, to Mr. Leversha. 



Premium of £3, by the Hon. P. P. Bouverie, M.P., for the 

 best three-year-old in-calf heifer, to Mr. Leversha ; 2nd, £1, 

 to Mr. Gibbs. 



Premium of £2, by the Rev. A. F. Luttrell, for the best 

 two-year-old heifer, to Mr. T. Oatway; 2ud, £1, to Mr. Copp. 



Premium of £3, by Sir H. Hood, Bart., for the best five 

 breeding ewes under two years, to Mr. Corner. 



Premium of £3, by Sir T. D. Acland, Bart., for the two best 

 horn rams, to Mr. T. Nurcombe. 



Premium of £2, by the Rev. T. F. Luttrell, for the best pea 

 of horn ewes, two years old, to Mr. T. Nurcombe. 



Premium of £2, by the Rev. T. M, King, for the best boar, 

 to Mr. Chorley. 



Premium of £1, by J. Halliday, Esq., for the beat breeding 

 sow, to Mr. Clarke. 



Several other prizes, for horses, extra stock, and root crops, 

 were also awarded. 



In the course of the evening a proposition was made with a 

 view to prevent in future years a collision with the holding of 

 the Taunton Show of Cattle (usually held at the same period), 

 aad it was resolved that overtures were to be laid before the 

 Taunton committee ou Friday next. 



IMPORTANT TO AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT 

 MAKERS ATTENDING AGRICULTURAL SHOWS.— 

 At the last sitting of the Preston County Court an action was 

 brought by Mr. F. Mann, agricultural implement maker, 

 against the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, to 

 recover the sum of £1 8s. Gd. for damages sustained by goods 

 in transilu from Lythim to Preston. A statement of facts 

 was agreed upon by the advocatej on both sides, so as to dis- 

 pense with evidence. It appears that an arraugement was 

 made at the last exhibition of the Royal North Lancashire 

 Society, by wbich agricultural implements shown thereat 

 should be conveyed to and from the place of exhibition at cer- 

 tain molifieJ rates of charge. The plaintiff sent some goods, 

 which, on their return by rail, stistained the amount of damage 

 now claimed, and it was contended on his behalf that he paid 

 the fare demanded ; that he had nothing to do with the agree- 

 ment made between the secretary of tbe agricultural society 

 aud the manager of the railway company, which was in contra- 



