THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



77 



Scots, Devons, and llerefords ; indeed, we may say, 

 without hesitation, that they were full of the 

 best butcher's points. Without, therefore, condemning 

 the system, which no doubt has proved a most profitable 

 one to those who have carried it out successfully, let us 

 hope that eventually it will not leave consumjition de- 

 pendent upon a mongrel supply of stock. The 

 crosses, then, brought forward on this occasion formed 

 no unimportant portion of the show. Next in order to 

 this particular description of stock we may place the 

 Shorthorns. Amongst them we observed scarcely any 

 inferior animals ; indeed, we may observe that in num- 

 ber they were very large, and that their condition was, 

 if anything, superior to the supply on offer in IS.'JO. 

 Perhaps, however, Lincolnshire has this season suffered 

 less from want of pasture food than in the previous 

 year. In considering the Herefords, we may observe 

 that, though there was a fair number of really useful 

 Beasts among them, we observed a falling off in their 

 general weight and condition. This is to be regretted, 

 because all must be aware, in this progressive age, of the 

 great importance of keeping up the pure blood of the 

 country. As regards the Devons, nearly the same ob- 

 servations may be applied to them ; but how is it that 

 Devonshire should of late years fall short of its usual 

 amount of supply ? Are higher prices realized at 

 home than in this market ? or do the graziers think it 

 more profitable to sell month by month, rather than 

 forward a large number of Beasts to London 

 on one particular occasion .' We cannot presume 

 otherwise than that there are now more beasts disposed 

 of in the country than in many past years ; hence the 

 deficiency here to-day. We feel gratified in being able 

 to state that the show of Sussex beasts — most of them 

 being of noble proportions, but, perhaps, rather too old 

 for general purposes, though they carried an immense 

 supply of good consumable food — was larger than 

 during tha last five years. This, we may observe, is an 

 important point gained from the now distinctive, but 

 not over-liberal, premiums offered by the Smithfield 

 Club. If we mistake not, Sussex will annually, with a 

 fair field before it, produce far greater wonders than 

 were shown on the present occasion. On a close exami- 

 nation of the Scots, whether Aberdeenshires or West 

 Hi;2:hlanders, we must admit that they were never ex- 

 celled. Tiiose forwarded to Messrs. Maidwell and 

 Slayland (27 in number) and those to Mr. John Lams- 

 den (10 in number), by Mr. William M'Combie, of 

 Tillyfour, Aberdeenshire, were some of the best we have 

 ever seen. But why" did not Mr. M'Combie allow his 

 noble animals to grace the show yard in Baker-street .'' 

 Their value might not have been enhanced by the 

 change in the place of exhibition ; but certainly we 

 should have been more pleased to have seen them there 

 than in the open market. The show of Scots and 

 crosses from Norfolk was an unusually good one. It 

 comprised stock of fine symmetry, great weight, 

 but of very moderate age. There were very 

 few polled beasts from that or the adjoining county 

 — Suffolk. The Welsh runts, though few in num- 

 ber, were in unusually prime condition, conse- 

 quently realized high quotations. As regards other 

 kinds, from various parts of England, we may observe 

 that they were, for the most part, in but middling con- 

 dition. There was a full average number of Irish 

 beasts on offer via Liverpool. Some of them were 

 well made up ; but, generally speaking, they did not 

 come up to some former shows. We observed amongst 

 them several crosses, evidently with the shorthorns. 



The following return shows the number of beasts ex- 

 hibited, and the prices realized for them, on the great 

 days in the last nineteen years ; — 



Years. 



1841 

 1842 

 1843 

 1844 

 1845 

 1846 

 1847 

 1848 

 1849 

 1850 

 1851 

 1852 

 1853 

 1854 

 1855 

 1856 

 1857 

 1858 

 1859 



Beasts Shown. 



4.509 3 



4,541 3 



4.510 2 



5,713 4 



r>,326 3 



4,570 4 



4,282 3 



5,942 3 



5,765 3 



6,341 3 



6,103 2 



6.271 

 7,037 

 6,181 

 7,000 

 6,748 



6,856 3 



6,424 3 



7,560 3 



Prices, 

 d. 8. 

 8 to 5 

 4 4 

 8 4 

 4 

 4 

 5 

 4 

 4 

 4 

 3 

 4 

 4 

 4 

 5 

 4 

 5 

 4 

 5 

 5 



On Mr. Robert Morgan's stand, we observed some 

 very fine Beasts from Norfolk, the property of Mr. 

 Lads, Mr. Felton, Mr. Freeman, and Mr. Farrar ; from 

 Scotland, the property of Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Stodart, 

 Mr. Kidd, and Mr. Garden ; from the midland coun- 

 ties, Mr. Morgan had, likewise, some very good stock. 



Messrs. Giblettand Son had on offer about 30 extra- 

 ordinary fine Norfolk Beasts, belonging to Messrs. 

 Wortley ; also some fine Scotch Beasts from Messrs. 

 Stewart, Martin, and Mennie, which, although smaller 

 than usual, were of very inferior quality. 



Mr. George Dickson hadanexcellent stand of Scotch- 

 fed Beasts from the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, Kin- 

 cardine, and Inverness. They were the respective pro- 

 perty of Messrs. Martin, Knowles, Thomson, Kidd, 

 Bruce, Longmore, Stodart, Smart, Frost, Shand, 

 Wishart, Mitchell, Thorn, and other Scotch graziers. 



Mr. William Collins had a very fine show of Beasts, 

 forwarded by Mr. W. Shaw, Far Coton, Northampton- 

 shire ; Mr. Owen Wallis, of Overstone, Northampton- 

 shire ; Mr. James Attenborough ; Mr. Overman, of Eg- 

 more j and Mr. John Hudson, of Castle Acre. Mr. 

 Collins had, likewise, some remarkably good Devons, 

 belonging to Mr. T. S. Moore, of Warham. 



Mr. Senior exhibited 40 very prime Devons, and 

 which were, perhaps, the best exhibited in the market. 

 Some of them were of great weight. 



Several other graziers had on offer some superior 

 stock ; but that on offer from Sir Charles Knightley's 

 breed was not equal to most former years. 



The show of Sheep was by no means a good one, 

 either as respects numbers^or quality. Messrs. Weale 

 had a good show of Sheep, belonging to Messrs. Oak- 

 ley, White, Senior, Rowland, &c. ; also several lots 

 from Oxon and Berks. 



Messrs. Eland and Son, Mr. Hancock, and other 

 graziers had some fine specimens of the Lincolnshire 

 long-woolled breed. 



Mr. Thomas Dodds exhibited some very good Down 

 and Half-bred Sheep, belonging to Mr. Franklin, of 

 Wallingford ; Mr. Readings, of Caversham ; and Mr. 

 Dodd, of Chickendon, Oxon. Mr. Collins exhibited 

 some remarkably fine cross-bred Sheep. 



STATE OF THE TRADE. 



The number of Beasts here to-day being unusually 

 large, the demand for most kinds was by no means 

 active. However, the primest breeds were in fair re- 

 quest at somewhat high currencies. A few very 

 superior Scots, &c., realized 5s. 6d. per 81bs., but the 

 general top figure for Beef was 5s. 4d. per 8lbs. 



From Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire 

 we received 3,200 Scots, &c. ; fi-om Lincolnnbire, &c. ; 



