218 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



HOW SHOULD A CATTLE-SHOW BE REPORTED 1 



" Many men of many minds" — some take a lively interest in one department 

 of Cattle-Shows, some in another — though, in our country, it must be confessed, 

 the great mass of people have their eyes and feelings engrossed almost exclu- 

 sively with the animals, and especially the horses. Bring on a goodly number 

 of roaring bulls and fat cattle, aud twenty prancing stallions, with the razor- 

 strop man, a live monkey. Gen. Tom Thumb, and a boa-constrictor, and most 

 people go away in ecstacies with the show .' 



The very distinguished Editor of the London Agricultural Gazette, Prefessor 

 LiNDLET, seems to have been puzzled to know what to report. His case re- 

 minds one of the old man, his son and the ass — which should carry which ? As 

 we correspond exactly with the Professor in his opinion, we venture to give 

 what he says : 



The English Agricultural Society hold their 

 annual meeting a month hence at Northampton. 

 Will any kind reader give his advice as to how 

 iheir proceedings should be reported ? What 

 subjects should engage most of the reporter's 

 attention ? To the report of what should the 

 largest portion of his space be devoted ? His 

 object on past occasions has been to excite 

 those feelings and to record those facts which 

 the reader would himself have experienced and 

 ascertained had he been present ; and this, how- 

 ever unattainable in perfection, is, of course, the 

 result at which he proposes to aim. But he 

 may err in his judgment of the relative import- 

 ance of the many objects there offered to view, 

 and whatever course ho adopts he cannot hope 

 to satisfy all. And thus he cannot be wrong in 

 asking for instructions before, for the fourth 



report of the Newcastle meeting was objected 

 to because it referred almost exclusively to the 

 exhibition of implements and to the discussions 

 led by Professor Johnston and Mr. Parkes, 

 and added but little on the show of cattle to the 

 mere premium list, naming those animals which 

 in the opinion of the Society's Judges were the 

 best in the yard. And we have no hesitation, 

 in still adhering to our opinion that the fvllest 

 report of the show of live-stock 7roiiJd he of less 

 value to the reader than one of the various ivi- 

 plcmcnts exhibited, and of the agriciilliiral dis- 

 cussions conducted. In fact, we have never 

 yet seen a useful report of a Cattle-Show, and 

 should be very glad if some of our readers, be- 

 fore the July meeting, woidd discuss the ques- 

 tion, What points should such a report refer to? 

 What particulars are worthy of a permanent 



time, he enters upon his task. record ? To what would allusion be most useful 



This is the more necessary because his last in the case of readers who had not an opportu- 

 year's report was unsatisfactory to many. The ' nity of being present ? 



For ourselves, those who are personally interested may think we should re- 

 port all the details — who got the premium, first, second and third, for cows and 

 calves, pigs and poultry ; and this might be well enough, if this journal were 

 of local character and circulation ; but as its circulation is equally spread over 

 the Union, is it not clear that the space which would be thus filled by details 

 personal and local, may be occupied with matter more generally useful and in- 

 teresting? Such is the impression under which we act — otherwise nothing 

 would be easier than to cover several pages with lists of premiums. We prefer 

 however, to give general observations, independent and important, on the gen 

 eral aspect and spirit of such exhibitions. Are we not right ? What say you 

 readers ? Where anything original and useful appears in the Reports of Commit 

 tees, we shall endeavor to give it. There ought to be in such cases a Commit 

 tee appointed to make a general report on the exhibition as a ivhole, whose duty 

 it should be to say frankly and on full consideration, in v/hat departments, as 

 shown in such exhibition, the Agriculture of the State appears to be improving, 

 retrograding, or stationary — a sort of resume of the whole. As for the " dis- 

 cussions " referred to by the London Editor, we have none at our Fairs ; they 

 don't wind up, in New-York, as in Massachusetts, with a dinner, appropriate 



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