864 Report on the Exhibition of Live Stock at Plymouth. 



that in the number exhibited there were few inferior animals, 

 and many of the very highest quality, reflecting the greatest 

 credit on their exhibitors. 



Devons. 



There can be no question that the show of Devons was the 

 feature of this year's exhibition. The gay, lively-headed bulls, 

 so full of grace, so active in their movements, and full of wild 

 spirit, which more than once led to an upset of bull, herdsman, 

 and spectators — the cows, heifers, and calves so full of quality, 

 so perfect in their backs and ribs, so clean in the head, so short 

 of offal, and altogether so aristocratic in their mould, made the 

 Devon ring a constant source of attraction. 1 could find no 

 fault but one, and that was want of size ; and this is a deficiency, 

 which in these days of dear meat is not easily condoned on the 

 plea of superior quality or purity of breed. The beef, no doubt, 

 is excellent ; but there is not enough of it. 



There were in all 89 entered for the Society's prizes, and 34 

 for the Local ; and the best names amongst the Devon breeders 

 carried off the prizes ; the Davys, the Quartleys, the Turners, 

 the Farthings, and the Royal Farm, being all represented. Perhaps 

 the pairs of cows and heifers, and the grand old bull " Viscount,' 

 with the cow and calf in his company, were the most striking 

 part of the Devon show. But 1 shall not venture on individual 

 criticism, and only remark that it was worth a journey to Ply- 

 mouth to see so many beautiful cattle, and so many Devon 

 exhibitors satisfied with the awards. 



I regret much that I have not a report from the Judges 

 mentioning more particularly the merits of the animals exhi- 

 bited ; Mr. Franklin, the only one from whom I have heard, 

 merely writing in general terms that they " were more in 

 number and better in quality than at any previous meeting of 

 the Society, and decidedly the best classes in the yard at Ply- 

 mouth." But as a proof of this general excellence, the Judges 

 commended all the animals in the classes of two-year old bulls, 

 cows, yearling heifers, and heifer calves, showing that it was not 

 singular, but general merit which pervaded the Devon classes. 



Sussex and other Breeds of Cattle. 



Although the Sussex cattle were much better here than at 

 Newcastle, and though amongst the " other breeds " were some 

 good specimens of the Suffolk polled, and a grand old Long- 

 horn bull from Warwickshire, himself one of the greatest 

 curiosities of the show, I must still question the advisability of 

 giving prizes to the amount of 100/. for Sussex cattle so far 

 from home, where only 12 animals were exhibited by three 



