632 Report on the Exhibition of Live Stock 



prize shearling ram. would appear, as compared witli Mr. Coles's, 

 to be exchans^ing- for something' approaching to Southdown quality. 

 The Judges, the same gentlemen who officiated in the South- 

 down classes say of them : — 



The competition for the Hampshire Down Classes was small, the whole of 

 the pens being good, especially the pens of Shearling Ewes exhibited by Mr. 

 Eawlencc. In consequence of the improvement which has extended during the 

 last few years in the flampshire Downs, their symmetry and quality make them 

 nearly equal to the Southdowns. 



The Black-faced Suffolks must possess qualities which a 

 stranger knows not of. The men of Norfolk and Suffolk know 

 their business too well to make it safe to assume that these sheep 

 are as bad as they look, and there must be some merit, though not 

 visible, to compensate for all their faults. Still it seems difficult 

 to understand that their good qualities, whatever they are, might 

 not be retained, with some modification at least of the long legs, 

 short ribs, thin necks, bare backs, and naked heads that characterise 

 the Suffolk sheep shown at Bury, and yet it seems that these 

 were considered favourable specimens, for the Judges say : — 



The show of Black Suftblks was considered to be superior to any before 

 exhibited ; but there is still room for more improvement. 



Surely a cross Avith Hampshire or Shropshire would bring 

 them nearer to the ground, with wider and deeper carcasses, 

 more tendency to fatten, and — crossed with Shropshire, if not 

 Hampshire — more wool. 



One point of difficulty in connexion with the sheep classes is 

 not yet satisfactorily settled. The Council have been anxious that 

 all sheep exhibited should have been really shorn after a certain 

 day, the 1st of April, and every exhibitor must certify that this 

 condition has been complied with, and inspectors have been ap- 

 pointed to report and to disqualify all that have not been shorn 

 hare after the time appointed. But these inspectors, Messrs. 

 Workman and Bone, and it is impossible to find two men better 

 qualified than those to whom the Society is indebted for under- 

 taking this most disagreeable duty, find this difficulty — the fact 

 of Inspectors being appointed has, with many breeders of sheep, 

 only led to greater skill in deception, and made detection most 

 difficult : the consequence is that only those who try to cut their 

 sheep into form, out of wool grown before the 1st of April, 

 and do it badly, are detected, while the more skilful escape. 

 After the Plymouth meeting it was recommended that the 

 1st of May should be substituted for the 1st of April as the date 

 of shearing, but in compliance with the wishes of some breeders 

 of sheep this suggestion was not acted upon. 



The question must come before the Council again, and the 

 regulation be made absolutely efficient or abandoned. One 

 month later as the tixne for shearing would be effectual, and all 



