234 HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



in the hands of the Society for effecting improvements on 

 the Hve stock of this country ; and, therefore, it is pecuharly 

 important that the Society, in tlie kind of encouragement it 

 is to afford to breeders, should act upon a steady and well- 

 matured system. It is not enough to give prizes for animals 

 exhibited. These prizes should be directed to the end of 

 inculcating sound principles of breeding, and of encouraging 

 the rearing of the best classes of animals suited to the 

 circumstances of the country. It is important that the 

 basis upon which the Society means to found its system of 

 premiums should be clearly explained, so that a unity of 

 proceeding may be observed, and districts applying for 

 general shows may be at once apprised of the conditions on 

 which the Society's patronage is to be offered. Under 

 this system, steadily acted upon, will be avoided those 

 sacrifices which it has been necessary to make to the 

 prejudices of districts, and in some cases, it may be believed, 

 to the wishes and interests of particular breeders. 



'A primary question, with relation to this object, is the 

 particular classes of stock, or breeds, as they are called, 

 which the Society will recognise and encourage in their 

 pure state, by the offer of specific premiums. 



' A classification of this kind is obviously necessary. 

 Premiums could not be offered merely for the best animals, 

 because there could be no standard of comparison between 

 the larger and more highly cultivated breeds and others, 

 which, though inferior in size and feeding properties, are 

 yet the only kinds which the natural circumstances of the 

 country will permit to be reared. Thus, there could be no 

 principle of comparison between a Shorthorned and a West 

 Highland ox, and yet the latter is the more important 

 staple production of the country, and can be reared in 

 circumstances under which the other could not subsist. 

 In order to encourage, therefore, the different kinds of stock, 

 which different parts of the country are capable of produc- 

 ing, it is absolutely necessary to divide them into classes 

 or breeds. 



' Of what are called- breeds, the most highly cultivated 

 in this island, and, it is believed, in Europe, appears to be 



