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THE FxVRMER'S MAGAZINE. 



Heath's ox were pure-bred or not, the Club hardly 

 went the best way to settle such a question. 

 To pass an animal as i)ure by simply looking at 

 him, argues an amount oi" confidence tbat few would be 

 inclined to trust to, and that none but those who exer- 

 cised it did in this instance. Again, in the entries of 

 last week there were animals exhibited and prize- 

 winners amongst the pure breeds, that were strongly 

 suspected to have a very recent cross in them. Mr. 

 Beazley, with a committee for consideration and 

 inquiry, might have done much good. 



The age of a pig would appear to be becoming a more 

 momentous question than even that of a horse or a 

 lady. All the trickery of this kind has evidently not 

 been confined to the turf. The great agricultural 

 meetings have liad their Running Reius and' Leanders. 

 According to a humorous and well-applied illustration 

 of Mr. Gibbs, " formerly one might have fancied that 

 some of the exhibitors had taken a lesson out of Cap- 

 tain Marryatt's ' Midshipman Easy,' where a negro 

 was represented as acting as if he thought the chief 

 thing he ought to pay attention to was the filing of 

 his teeth." With the knowledge of this, and the 

 attainments of Professor Simonds, the motion of 

 Mr. Jonas Webb was strongly called for, pointed as 

 it was by something of an example in this vei-y 

 show. It is, indeed, difficult at times to under- 

 stand how men of the hi:ih character we see occa- 

 sionally condemned for this ofience should have per- 

 mitted such practice:!. But the world is commonly 

 charitable enough to put the blame on their ser- 

 vants, just as it docs in the trimming and squaring 

 of sheep. We shall want some such a similar resolu- 

 tion, ere long to meet this bit of chicanery. Will Mr. 

 Webb be kind enough to bear it in mind ? 



Taking the age of cattle is anotlier point worthy oi 

 consideration, and we know some eminent breeders who 

 would go with Mr. Batson against the first of January 

 generally, and for other breeds as wx'll as Hereford^. 

 Mr. Badham backed out of iiis motion as to the ab- 

 surdity of showing cows in-calf as fat cattle. It is said 



the feeling generally would have been against him, as 

 the majority of heifers exhibited are in-calf. What- 

 ever may bo the fact, the practice is a direct contradic- 

 tion to the declared object of the Club. When we saw 

 the prize cow of last year go home again to calve, and 

 remembei-ed how we had seen her shown in just about 

 the same condition in the summer, the very natural 

 question that suggested itself was — Which, if you 

 please, Sir, is the breeding and which the feeding cow ? 

 It is this close association of the two states that leads 

 to so much abuse. 



We entered last week at some length on the chief 

 motion of the two meetings — the practicability of ob- 

 taining a more commodious place for holding the show ; 

 and we must now await the inquiries of the committee- 

 The conduct of that just held in King-street has since 

 been somewhat criticised as to the admission of affected 

 animals. We believe a great deal more has been made 

 of this than was in any way warranted. For the future, 

 it may be as well for the stewards to at once remove 

 any suspected beast ; while it was certainly not prudent 

 to readmit Mr. Brown's heifer, considiring the state 

 she was in. Travel and excitement only conduce to the 

 development of disease, and an invalided animal could 

 but be expected to jjet worse and worse in such a crowd 

 and atmosphere as that of the Baker-street Bazaar. 



On the whole, we can heartily congratulate the 

 friends of the Club on the increased activity and 

 watchful spirit it has recently evinced. To further this, 

 people must be encouraged to suggest and participate 

 in promoting its advancement. With a national ob- 

 ject and influence, its active supporters cannot be too 

 widely spread. Let it therefore be a care to mark out 

 districts with wliich, so far, the office-bearers of the So- 

 ciety have not been identified. If a steward is still to 

 name his successor, let there be ii byelaw that it shall be 

 some one living at least a hundred miles from him, and 

 wlio has never served before. There are plenty of good 

 men ready to take their turn if they are onlj asked to 

 do so; and " the more the merrier" might even make 

 the dinner a little more lively and attractive. 



CHRISTMAS WEATHER. 



BY CUTHBEKT W. JOIIXSOX, ESQ., F.R.S. 



To what bright and sunny thoughts do the words 

 "A happy Christmas !" give rise ! Of the blazing 

 yule log, handed down to us from Saxon days ; of 

 the family gatherings around smoking turkeys and 

 stout plum puddings, right able to withstand the 

 shock of hungry holiday-keeping youths. Long, 

 long may these truly national assemblages flourish, 

 with increasing comfort and warmth to English 

 homes ! And on one of these cosy gatherings, as 

 we sit around our fire, we may not spend our time 

 unprolitably if we just (without turning out into 

 the snow or the thick chilling fog) take a thoughtful 



turn round our homestead, and see how our live 

 stock are spending their Christmas, and bestow a 

 thought or two upon the useful inquiry. Can we 

 make these or our dependants more comfortable ? 



We have reason to be hearty in this little question. 

 Our pockets are concerned here, our balance at 

 the bankers may be influenced by these observa- 

 tions, especially if we do what many persons do 

 not, feel convinced that something good is to be 

 done, and yet never make even an attempt to do it. 



While I am saying these things a dense cold winter 

 fog encircles everything around me ; these foga 



