100 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. , BOOK i. 



particular points, where animals high in those points are to be found," 

 and the " questions as to what breed of stock is the most profitable for 

 the breeder and the farmer would be in a fair way of being settled." 

 Mr. Bruce advocates a very complete register of points being kept by 

 the judges, and the publication of these would make each exhibition 

 or show "thoroughly educational," whilst they would afford the 

 largest amount of practical information with respect to stock, and their 

 excellences and defects, thereby teaching the uninitiated, and educating 

 the rising race of breeders. 



We confess to having a difficulty in seeing why the same thing should 

 not be done in the way of the live-stock department by the leading 

 shows as is done, for example, by the Royal Agricultural Society of 

 England in the department of steam engines, in which a vast amount 

 of detailed information of a highly practical character is given upon 

 the "points" or "marks" of all those tried, not merely the prize 

 engines. If this were done as regards stock, breeders would be as well 

 informed in their department as machinists are in theirs. And yet 

 there must be some difficulty in the wa} r , for it is not done. However, 

 as on almost every other subject, so on this, " many men have many 

 minds," for we find a " breeder" in a leading journal almost scorning 

 the idea of having any " system of points " to indicate the value of 

 cattle, and who maintains that while fancy animals, pigeons, terriers, 

 &c., may be judged by " points," it is wholly out of place in " adjudi- 

 cating on the merits of Shorthorns, Herefords, or Devons, whose 

 beauty, utility, and fashion are so intimately blended." In animals of 

 the higher class, he says, "we have a combination of the useful and 

 the ideal which can only be properly recognised by a critical taste 

 as well as judgment, not in its ultimate analysis above law, but cer- 

 tainly not subservient to figures." But surely, if the system of points 

 be not subservient to figures which, by the way, are but the conven- 

 tional organs used in order to give in the briefest fashion the relative 

 values of certain points the judges would be able to publish the 

 reasons for their awards. These reasons they must have had, or ought 

 to have had, before the awards were given ; the one being the founda- 

 tion or basis of the other, without which it could not exist. If this, 

 and this only, were done, one of the advantages we have already pointed 

 out, by a system of judging other than that now in use, would be 

 gained by the public. That there are certain indications of value in a 

 breed cannot be disputed ; and if a well-defined system could be agreed 

 upon by which these points could be valued, or made clear to the public, 

 we see no reason why it should not be adopted. 



In laying down a scale of " points " generally applicable, it would 

 be desirable that there should be a general system of technical names 

 of the parts of animals ; that is, there should be a universal nomenclature. 

 For one on hearing the breeders or sellers of different districts talk 

 about the peculiar merits of their animals, or a student in agriculture 

 in reading what may be written thereon by different authorities, 

 would be quite at a loss to know, in several instances, what were the 

 parts meant. The technical names used in the North of England and 



