622 Report on the Live Stock exhibited at Bedford. 



is very small. In point of fact, there were 7 classes with only 

 24 entries in all, and in these classes prizes to the amount of 

 163Z. were offered. It may fairly be questioned whether, where 

 the competition is so small, it is desirable to allot so much prize 

 money. On some of the classes, doubtless, the locality where 

 the Show is held might have an effect, favourable or otherwise ; 

 but should it be found, on an average of years, that the compe- 

 tition falls below a certain amount, it may fairly be supposed that 

 the liberal offer of prizes fails to produce the desired result in 

 the encouragement thus given to breeding sheep of particular 

 species. 



Bej>ort of the Inspectors of Sliearing. 



"We, the undersigned, Inspectors of Slieap-shearing, have to report that the 

 shearings of sheep shown at Bedford Show, and examined by us, were not so 

 satisfactory as at the Hull meeting in 1873. We found several sheep in the 

 yard with which we were not satisfied, and were compelled to recommend 

 some of them to he disqualified from showing for prizes — which Avas acted on 

 by the Stewards. 



We strongly recommend that the Council of the Eoyal Agricultural Society 

 press on exhibitors the necessity of honest and fair shearing of their sheep. 

 We particularly desire to draw the attention of exhibitors to the abuse of 

 colouring oil, or other filthy covering, put on their sheep, which make them 

 unfit to enter a show-yard. We marked out the two worst jxns in the yard 

 to be disqualified, and many others had a narrow escape. At no showyard 

 have we seen such an extravagant use of oil and other greasy substances as at 

 Bedford. We wish to call the serious attention of the Council of the Royal 

 Agricultural Society to this stupid practice. The sheep are not fit to touch, 

 and, in our opinion, are not in any way improved by such applications. 



William JoBSON, | j tors of 



07.7 7 7 .a- A ?TV t Sheep-shearing. 



27th July, 1874. J. B. Workman, ) ^ ° 



Pigs. 



The Hon. W. Egerton, M.P., has kindly reported as follows 

 on the exhibition of pigs. 



The number of entries this year shows an increase of 223 

 against 191 in 1873, which would have been still more marked 

 but for the number of absentees, which amounted to 39 against 

 10 in 1878. Three of the animals died on arrival, and at least 

 3 on the road, while many others were probably deterred from 

 coming by the great heat. : 



It is worthy of remark that a hot sun, acting on animals 

 whose vital organs were debilitated by an excess of fat,, pro- 

 duced the same effects as a thick fog on many of the animals 

 shown in a similar condition at the Smithfield Show in Decem- 

 ber 1873. 



