HISTORY' OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



CHAPTER IX. 



CONTEMPORARY REPORTS OF SMITHFIKLD CLUB MATTERS 



We find that considerable light can be shed 

 on the cattle history of the early years of the 

 nineteenth century by giving what was pub- 

 lished in the agricultural publications of that 

 day. 



The Smithfield Cattle and Sheep Society, 

 gathered in London, Dec. 13, 1799, appears to 

 have been a meeting for general business, and 

 the following classification was published: 



Class 1. Beasts fed on grass, hay, turnips, 

 cabbages, or other vegetables, under the weight 

 of 150 stone but above 80 stone, a piece of plate 

 not exceeding 15 ($75) for the best, and a 

 piece of 'plate not exceeding 10 ($50) for the 

 second best. 



Class 2. Beasts fed on oil-cake, corn, or any 

 other food except grass, hay and vegetables, 

 same premium. 



Class 3: Beasts fed as Class 1, above the 

 weight of 150 stone (2,100 Ibs.), a piece of 

 plate not exceeding in value 20 ($100) for the 

 best, and a piece of plate not exceeding in value 

 15 ($75) for the second best. 



Class 4. Beasts fed as Class 2, and the same 

 weight as Class 3, same premiums as Class 3. 



"That the cattle be brought, on the following 

 or any other conditions that the committee may 

 think proper, to a place fixed upon by the com- 

 mittee on Thursday preceding the Christmas 

 market day for the purpose of being accepted 

 by the judges on the day succeeding, who will 

 be directed to select the two best from each 

 class. 



"Those selected to remain at the place fixed 

 upon by the judges, for the purpose of their 

 being exhibited to public view, and that they 

 be exhibited accordingly on Saturday, Monday 

 and Tuesday immediately following the day of 

 selection, when they shall be returned; but it 

 will be expected that the proprietors shall agree 

 with whomsoever they may sell them to, that 

 the judges shall have full power to inspect the 

 killing for the purpose of ascertaining the 

 weight of each animal slaughtered, distinguish- 

 ing the fore and hind-qiiarters, the tallow, hide, 

 offal, including blood, etc. ; or by some other 



satisfactory mode of ascertaining the compara- 

 tive live and dead weight, and having ascer- 

 tained such points the judges are then to decide 

 on which is the first and which the second best 

 in each class, and make their report to the com- 

 mittee. 



"Resolved, That one of the conditions be, 

 that each candidate shall at the time of show- 

 ing, produce to the judge a paper, signed by 

 himself, containing an account of the breed, 

 age, time of fattening, sort of food, and time 

 they have eaten cake or corn, etc.; also the 

 name of the breeder in case where it can be 

 known. 



"Resolved, That no candidate shall be enti- 

 tled to two prizes in the same class. 



"Resolved, That the committee be instructed 

 to direct the judges to take particularly into 

 their consideration age of the sheep, the society 

 being of the opinion that early maturity is a 

 merit. 



"Resolved, That the committee be instructed 

 to 'advertise the premiums in the following pa- 

 pers once : County Chronicle, Bath, Hereford, 

 Lewes, Leicester, Stamford, York, Northamp- 

 ton, Cambridge Intelligencer, Oxford, Canter- 

 bury, Sherburn, Ipswich, Reading and War- 

 wick, on the first day of publication in the 

 month of October, 1800. 



"Resolved, That it be left to the committee 

 to fix a price to be paid for admission to see the 

 different prize cattle and sheep. 



"Resolved, That the committee be instructed 

 to dispose of the surplus arising from the sub- 

 scribers, shows, etc., in such manner as they 

 think fit, rendering such disposal public, and if 

 there is still a surplus after their object is ac- 

 complished to pay it over to the committee for 

 the year ensuing. 



"Resolved, That the committee be instructed 

 to have a dinner provided on the Christmas 

 market day, subject to such regulations as they 

 may deem proper. 



"Resolved, That the committee be instructed 

 to draw up a report of the whole of their pro- 

 ceedings, including their receipts and expendi- 



