THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



IGl 



TREDEGAR CATTLE SHOW. 



This annual gathering took place on Tuesday, Dec. 

 18, at the flourisbiug town of Newport, under the 

 auspices of Lord Tredegar, by whose father (the re- 

 nowned " Ivor Hoel ") this excellent and now impor- 

 tant society was established sonae forty years ago. It 

 cannot fail to be gratifying to the present noble lord to 

 notice the great improvements which have been brought 

 about in the agriculture of that portion of the princi- 

 pality since its establishment, comprising as it does a 

 district of almost unexhaustible wealth in mineral pro- 

 ductions, much of which is only of recent discovery, and 

 in consequence an enormously increased population has 

 to be provided lor. Whilst these have been unceas- 

 ingly engaged in extracting from the bowels of the earth 

 the valuable minerals contained, the farmer of the dis- 

 trict has been equally industrious and persevering in 

 his endeavours to provide for their wants, aided by the 

 liberality of the landed proprietors, with Lord Tredegar 

 at their head— each equally vieing in the promotion of 

 agricultural progression. Thus it is we see not only 

 the general character of the stock of the country changed, 

 but large tracts of comparatively valueless land drained 

 and converted into a state of fertility, which, like many 

 of the herds and flocks of the district, bid fair to chal- 

 lenge many more favoured parts of the kingdom. Yet 

 there is much more remains to be done, and therefore 

 it is with sincerity we wish this valuable society good 

 speed, and indeed under such patronage and judicious 

 management it can scarcely do otherwise. When we 

 state that the noble Lord himself not only annually dis- 

 tributes twelve silver cups, but also bears a great por- 

 tion of the expenses, amounting altogether to the sum of 

 i^300, and that his noble example is liberally followed 

 by a large number of other wealthy inhabitants, we can- 

 not doubt it will not only maintain its position of being the 

 principal meeting in Wales, but that it will continue to 

 increase in importance and usefulness. Here our readers 

 will perhaps pardon our digressing for a moment from 

 the subject of our report, to acknowledge our sense of 

 the liberality of Lord Tredegar at his recent rent audit, 

 when, in consideration of the late trying season which 

 all tillers of the soil have had to combat with, his agent 

 received instructions to return the tenantry 10 per cent. 



The numerous lists of prizes offered for competition 

 embrace not only distinct prizes for Devons, Shorthorns, 

 and Herefords, open to all England, but also prizes for 

 which each and every breed are open to compete, and then 

 follow prizes limited to the locality for animals bred by 

 and the property of persons resident within 25 miles of 

 Newport. This arrangement certainly brings together 

 what may be termed a motley group, and by the unob- 

 servant some who send may possibly be ridiculed for 

 doing so. But here is the great value of the arrangement, 

 as under the first many superior animals from different 

 parts of the kingdom are brought into competition, and 

 the local farmer who possesses what be considers first-class 



stock at home, upon placing them beside the superior 

 bred animal, cannot fail to be struck with a sense of their 

 inferiority, and by such comparison becomes stimulated 

 to effect improvement. Judging from the smallness of 

 the number of Devons, and the inferiority of a large 

 number of the Shorthorns exhibited, and not only the 

 numbers, but the superiority of the Herefords, we are 

 led to the conclusion that they are the race of cattle 

 most adapted for the district. In the Devon classes (for 

 his lordship's prizes) there was only one yearling bull 

 and two heifers shown, all of which were the property of 

 the Hon. G. C. Morgan. The Shorthorn classes suffered 

 in their wonted attraction from the absence of the vete- 

 ran exhibitor from Broad Hinton (Mr. Stratton), 

 who has often won easy laurels here, but has now 

 been absent two years. In his stead we have represen- 

 tations of the well-known herds of Mr. Hewer (Seven- 

 hampton), Mr. Logan (Mainder), and Mr. Lane (Cir- 

 encester) — easy winners; indeed, the yearling bull from 

 the former herd, by Barrowby Lad (12,486), is a choice 

 animal of great size, and very superior quality of flesh. 

 In the Hereford classes Mr. Jones (Llwyn-y-gaer) 

 takes the first prize, with a young bull of great substance, 

 good quality of flesh and hair, in a class of seven com- 

 petitors ; and Mr. Taylor (Stretford Court, Leomin- 

 ster) is awarded second for a level, handsome animal — 

 passing from his lordship's premises. In competition 

 with other breeds, this gentleman takes a first prize with 

 a very choice specimen of a Hereford heifer ; while Mr. 

 Law's shorthorn receives a high commendation. In 

 the fat cow class the Hereford is again successful, and 

 so for the best pair of two-year-old heifers, the pro- 

 perty of Mr. Leyshon (Bridgend, Glamorganshire). In 

 the breeding-cow class, which was one of no ordinary 

 merit, the palm is given to three very superior, heavy- 

 fleshed Herefords, belonging to Mr. Evans (Llan- 

 dawlais). The next point of interest is a class of fifteen 

 competitors for the prize given for the best bull-calf, 

 and wherein the Hereford of Mr. Jones (Llyn-y-gaer) 

 takes first honours. In the bull cow and offspring class 

 we have four competitors. Mr. Rees Keene (Pencraig) 

 takes first premium with three beautiful animals, and the 

 offspring — an heifer only 8 months 2 weeks old — is 

 awarded the piece of plate value 20 guineas, given by the 

 corporation for the best breeding animal of either sex, 

 exhibited in the yard, limited to the district. In this 

 class Mr. Jones (Llyn-y-gaer) takes second prize with 

 three excellent animals. In the fat cow classes, open to 

 all breeds in the district, Mr. Keene is again singularly 

 and deservedly successful, and so with the steers. We 

 have frequently seen the Herefords carry away many 

 marks of distinction at these meetings, but never re- 

 member to have seen them so singularly successful as 

 this year. In the sheep classes we have many animals 

 of superior merit ; and we think, had Mr. Sidney been 

 there, be would have formed a more favourable opinion 



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