39 



colnshire, and the Kent or Romney Marsh breeds. The latter 

 are chieflj the breeds known as Downs, mcluding the Essex or 

 South Downs, the Hampshire, and the more newly formed breeds, 

 Shropshire and Oxfordshire Downs. Some experiments that have 

 been made in England, indicate that the Leicester and Cotswolds 

 will make more flesh in a given time than any of the Downs ; but 

 the superior price of the latter in market will nearly or quite 

 overbalance this advantage. It should be remarked here, that 

 the Essex and Plampshire Down mutton commands the highest 

 price, Avith the exception of that of the Scotch and Welsh moun- 

 tain breeds, in the English markets. In American markets, the 

 difference in the quality of the mutton of the breeds mentioned is 

 as yet only partially recognized. The principal criterion here, 

 in mutton, as in other meats, is fat7iess, although there are people 

 who judge on better principles. But until a similar standard to 

 that of England is established in our markets, it is probable that 

 the production of mutton from the Cotswold and other long- 

 wooUed breeds, will be found most profitable on lands which 

 afford a tolerable supply of grass. 



" Still there are many circumstances which afiect the relative 

 profit of breeds, and those above mentioned have scarcely been 

 sufficiently tried in this section to determine which are, on the 

 whole, to be preferred. Actual experiments only can settle the 

 question. May we not hope that something will ere long be done 

 in this direction ? 



" Yours truly, Sanford Howard." 



An increasing disposition to raise or keep superior breeds of 

 cattle, horses and sivine, is a marked feature in the present agri- 

 cultural condition of the County. We have been gratified to 

 observe remarkably fine farm stock in places where the want of 

 means and facilities for procuring such animals would formerly 

 have been considered an insuperable obstacle to the possession of 

 them. Although the show of blood and grade stock at the late 

 annual exhibition of the Society was very good, we believe it 

 might have been increased by large additions from parts of the 

 County which are seldom represented there. The distance from 

 our show grounds, and the injury to which cattle are often expos- 

 ed when driven far from home, together with the known fact that 

 much greater means and better facilities are possessed in other 

 parts of the County for procuring fine blood stock, have hitherto 

 operated to prevent the exhibition of many animals tliat were 

 really of superior character. An arrangement has now been 

 made in the regulations of the Society, by which we trust farmers 

 remote from the show grounds, will feel encouraged to exhibit 

 their stock with moi-e freedom, and at the same time, be enabled 

 to derive benefit from a comparison of their own with other ani- 



