372 On the Exhibition of Live Stock at Chester. 



not strong in numbers, although they were fair specimens of 

 their several breeds. The Sussex men, from some cause or 

 other, did not exhibit at this meeting, though at Windsor there 

 were 22 entries, and at Lewes, in 1852, 75 entries of Sussex 

 cattle. The Sussex cattle showed to most advantage at Lewes, 

 and on that occasion certainly made a favourable impression on 

 the public. They were amongst the earliest recognized breeds 

 in our island, and bear a considerable resemblance to the 

 Devons. The Sussex and Scotch Highlanders are specimens 

 of the " middle-horn " class of cattle, said to be indigenous to 

 our country. 



The Horse. 



The breeding of the horse is a national subject, but as yet 

 has not been treated as such. There is a want of system in our 

 arrangement and management. In fact he is not a popular animal 

 to breed. If we discuss the subject with the arable farmer, and 

 press upon him the importance of this " lucrative branch," he 

 at once meets you with " It's not my business." If with the 

 grazier, he replies, " They disturb my cattle." If with the 

 amateur, he has " no fields or sheds." If with nobles of the 

 land, " None but a thoroughbred can ever pay." 



These objections are vague, but there is a certain amount 

 of truth in them. Hence the production of this valuable animal 

 is generally ill-regulated and unsystematic. As instances to 

 the contrary, however, where sijstem is adopted, we may point 

 to the Yorkshire coach-horse, the Suffolk punch, the Lincolnshire 

 dray-horse, the Clydesdale horse, and the mountain pony. 



In the earlier periods of our history oxen alone were employed 

 in England for the plough. To King John we were first in- 

 debted for the introduction of one hundred selected stallions of 

 Flemish breed, which mainly contributed to the foundation of our 

 noble species of draught horse ; Edward 11. and Edward III. con- 

 tributed alike to the improvement of the English horses " for war 

 and agriculture." Henry VIII. in the fifteenth century prohibited 

 the exportation of English stallions. It liad been the custom in 

 his reign to keep large herds of horses indiscriminately in the 

 pastures and common fields. The consequence of this was that 

 the progeny presented a strange admixture and deterioration of the 

 breed ; subsequently an act was passed prohibiting stallions from 

 being turned at large. Henry VIII. passed an act, whereby he 

 affixed a certain standard of height for every entire horse, below 

 which no horse should be kept. Charles 1. established races in 

 Hyde Park and at Newmarket. Charles II. sent his Master of 

 the Horse to the Levant to purchase brood mares and stallions ; 

 these were principally Barbs and Turks. William III. was a 



