THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



63 



represented the Sarsden herd ; colour white j head fine, 

 and well set ; shoulder well thrown out, chine broad, 

 back level, hips well clothed, and touch firm. The 2nd 

 prize steer in the elder class is also white, from the Earl 

 of Gainsborough's herd, with level back, fine cylindrical 

 form and mellow touch. These two classes of steers are 

 not wonderful. There is no indication of progress. 



There are four Shorthorn heifers not exceeding four 

 years. This class was wont to be the centre of attraction. 

 This year it contains nothing of rare merit. A universal 

 lament is uttered. Those who saw " the milk-white 

 lo," the Beauty's Butterfly of last Christmas, retain too 

 clearly imprinted the vision of her fair comely form, 

 her lovely head, graceful neck, and full bosom, to rest 

 gatisKed with anything short of her perfection. Not- 

 withstanding this falling off, however, the white heifer 

 which secured the 1st prize, from the herd of Mr. 

 Heneage, M.P., was very beautiful, with a girth of 8 ft. 

 3 in. The 2nd prize heifer, Mr. Stratton's " Bee," of a 

 deep red, with strikingly beautiful head, deep forequarter> 

 highly-developed breast end, rump and thighs, bone 

 small and fine, is in all, to our mind, the most perfect 

 in her class. The judges certainly have far better 

 opportunities of judging than simple visitors, and we 

 should not say a word by way of showing any disagree- 

 ment with them, especially this year, when their awards 

 are so generally approved, were it not evident, by the 

 reversal of the Birmingham decisions in several impor- 

 tant cases, that judges in their fallibility are apt to differ. 

 A strong contest, in which this heifer was successful, 

 occurred at Birmingham. A commendation went to Mr. 

 Champion's Ruby, a red heifer, with remarkable rump 

 and thigh, though very inferior in touch to those already 

 mentioned. The show of sh'jrt-horned cows was re- 

 spectable. Col. Pennant's " Ada," was first, the Earl 

 of Radnor's " Bomarsund" second, and Earl Howe's 

 third. " Ada" was first at Birmingham, a level broad 

 white cow, of great and symmetrical proportions. 



Of the Herefords we have to report a fair show. Of 

 the young steers there was but one, but of so unmistake- 

 ably good a character, that although without a competi- 

 tor, no difficulty was felt about the award of the prize to 

 Mr. Bettridge ; Mr. Tudge, the breeder, receiving the 

 medal. The quality of the 2nd class much surpassed 

 that of the same at Bingley Hall. The 1st, 2nd, and 

 3rd prizes went to Messrs. Lewes Lloyd, George Game, 

 and W. Aldworth, respectively ; while Mr. Towers', 

 which won the 2nd prize at Birmingham, got only a 

 high commendation. Mr. Lloyd's was ^?ery beautifully 

 fed, presenting a level surface, bone fine, head neat, 

 horn waxy. Mr. Stoke's and the Prince Consort's 

 were both very large, but not so well fed as the gene- 

 rality. Mr. Game's girthed 8 ft. 6 in., and Mr. 

 Towers' 8 ft. 9 in. A pretty little heifer took the prize 

 in the next class, in which there were only two entries. 

 The Gold Medal for the cows lodged with Mr. R. 

 Hill's Lady Ash, aged 5 years and 2 months. She 

 has had two calves. This handsome cow stood 2nd 

 at Birmingham. The cow that won the 1st prize at 

 Birmingham ranks 3rd here ; while that which was only 

 highly commended at Bingley Hall, received at Baker 



Street the 2nd prize. This is reversal with a vengeance 1 

 We did not hear two opinions, however, about the 

 justice of the awards this week ; and though Mr. Pitt's 

 " Countess" (1st at Birmingham) possesseB a form of 

 great beauty and rare development, she is so unevenly 

 fattened and so loose in touch as to render her incapable 

 of holding the first place. 



The Devons formed a very ruddy class, much 

 improved in quality of bone and meat. Out of 

 the 34 representatives of the breed 19 were ex- 

 hibited by their breeders. The class was large and 

 good, and that point wherein the Devons mostly 

 fail (the rump) was certainly better developed than 

 formerly. Mr. Farquharson's 2nd prize steer, and his 

 2nd prize heifer ; Mr. VA'alter Farthing's heifer, 

 "Beauty," his first-prize cow, " Nelly," Mr. Bone's 

 second-prize cow, and Mr. Dunning's steer being 

 remarkable instances of this improvement. 



His Royal Highness the Prince Consort's herd was 

 well represented by one of the Birmingham "Zouaves," 

 and the dainty-limbed " Lovelia" highly commended. 

 The winner of the 1st prize in the steer class was bred 

 by Mr. Quartly and fattened by Mr. Heath. This, 

 with the Earl of Leicester's 3rd prize, was small. The 

 backs of both were beautifully level ; horns wavy and 

 branching, bones remarkably fine, heads graceful and 

 well set, bodies cylindrical, offal reduced to a minimum, 

 and touch mellow enough to send a thrill of exultation 

 throughout the minor nervous system of a susceptible 

 butcher. A commendation was given to Mr. Dunning's 

 steer, but no animal of the class was thought worthy to 

 take the 2nd prize. Mr. Brake's ox, in the next class, 

 from Mr. Fouracre's herd, received the 3rd prize, and 

 was very remarkable for its great size. Mr. Heath's, 

 the Ist prize, excited great admiration in consequence 

 of its fine thighs and twist, and the fineness of its bone. 

 Notwithstanding the firm manner in which it handled, 

 we thought it fed Somewhat unevenly. Mr. Farquhar- 

 son's 2nd prize ox presented a remarkably beautiful 

 head, and picturesquely twisting horns, a clear deep 

 red skin, springy touch, good rump and thighs, and 

 back perfectly level. Mr. Robert Farthing's had a low 

 back, but splendid thighs. Mr. Mogridge's 1st prize 

 heifer showed very good breeding, though we considered 

 her inferior to the Prince Consort's in set of shoulder 

 and breadth of chine. Her form was specially compact, 

 her back surprisingly level, and her touch firm and 

 mellow. The wide-spread and well-covered hips of Mr. 

 W. Farthing's heifer, the level back, and springy rib and 

 bold-set shoulder were points specially noticeable, and 

 we were forced to give more than one glance at that 

 pretty, perfect little animal exhibited by Mr. H. H. 

 Ball, of Taunton. 



Amongst the cows the breast-end, rump, thighs, 

 chine, and fine bone of Mr. W. Farthing's, and the 

 thorough-bred appearance of Mr. Bone's, struck us as 

 the points specially deserving notice, though we cannot 

 speak in too high terms of the whole class. 



There were 11 Sussex steers and 4 heifers or cows. 

 The 1st prize in the former class— Mr. Coote's animal 

 —showed a good level back, a defective rUmp, and gft»t 



