524 



THE 



AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE 



GUST 



4, 1855 



t equalled, irwii . beauty ami proportion uawa to 

 immense size, ami carryiDg a heavy fleece of wool. 



CU*s 3. Pens of live Shearling ewes, 1st prize to 

 Mr T. B. Browne, These ewes were large, well-shaped, 

 some of them with straight backs, but they were not a 

 level lot, and several had thin chines and defi- 

 cient fore- quarters. 2d prize to Mr. Lane. These are 

 handsomer, and more worthy the 1st prize (in our 

 opinion) than those of Mr. Browne, which obtained that 

 honour. They are very nicely matched; they hive 

 broad hacks and loins, and fine pleasing countenances. 

 The judges need scarcely have bestowed commendation 

 upon the ewes belonging to Mr. Browne, Mr. Fletcher, 

 and Lord de Mauley, as they were not at all remark- 

 able, though s;ood animals. 



Mountain SiiEEr.— The class devoted to local breeds 

 is becoming an important, as well as interesting branch 

 of the Society's annual Exhibition. 



At Lewes, in 1852, the Romney Marsh or Kentish 

 sheep had a division of the show-yard to themselves ; 

 there were 17 rams and eight pens of ewes, valuable 

 perhaps for their peculiar constitution, enabling them to 

 endure the cold and fierce Channel gales, but defective 

 m most of the points commonly allowed to denote good 

 qualities. As far as mere size is concerned, irrespective 

 of symmetry, there were certainly some animals among 

 (fhem exceeding the Leicesters, that is, as indicated by 

 tiie tape-measure. At Gloucester, in 18.53, were shown 

 no less than 36 rams and 17 pens of ewes of the Shrop- 

 shire breed. Visitors generally expressed their admira- 

 tion at this class ; and some judges were of opinion that 

 the prize Shropshire ram had scarcely his superior in 

 the yard for good useful qualities. 



At Lincoln, last year, there were 32 rams and six 

 pens of ewes in the class of improved Lin coins. They 

 were remarked as being a very superior br:ed, possess- 

 ing large frame, fine feeding quality, and unequalled 

 quantity of wool ; indeed, it was said that the prize 

 sheep, measuring the great girth of 5 feet 8 inches, and 

 length 4 feet 1 inch, and clipping 51 J lbs. of wool in 

 three years, must be one of the most valuable of long- 

 wool animals, even though the character of frame 

 natural to the breed is not conformable to the ideal 

 which seems to govern judges of Gloucesters and 



Oxfordshire^. 



At Windsor, in 1851, mountain sheep were provided 

 with a special class, mainly with a view of displaying 

 the varieties of British sheep to the home and foreign 

 visitors of the Great Exhibition. There were but 13 

 rams and six pens of ewes, including Cheviots, Exmoor 

 Horns, Merinos, Herd wicks, Shetlands, and Spanish- 

 and- Welch, and Merino-and-Ryland crosses. The 

 judges to whom was confided the difficult task of singling 

 eut one breed for preference, awarded prizes to two 

 Cheviot rams ; to a pen of Cheviot, and another of 

 Exmoor- Horn ewes. 



At Carlisle we are of course in the very focus of 

 mountain breeds ; and meet here representatives of the 

 hardy, nimble flocks scattered over the fells of Cumber- 

 land and the lofty moors of Yorkshire, Northumber- 

 land, aud the Scotch border counties. They consist for 

 the most part of the well-known Cheviot and Black- 

 faced or Heath breeds, and of the Herdwicks — a variety 



not so generally known. 



The Herd wick sheep are polled, and have brownish 



or speckled black and white or mottled faces ; their 

 wool is fine, only about the neck and fore-quarters being 

 intermixed with kempy locks. The wool on the body 

 is often little better than hair, but the flock-masters 

 prefer this sort of fleece to one of better quality, as 

 with such coats the animals can better withstand the 

 severe winter upon the bleak mountains which are their 

 home. The wethers will fatten without any better 

 pasturage than they find upon the hills ; and go off at 

 4£ to 54 years old, weighing 10 to 12 lbs. per quarter. 

 Their mutton possesses the very finest flavour ; and 

 consists of a larger proportion of lean meat than the 

 flesh of any other sheep. The ewes are not put to the 

 ram until 2\ or 34 years old ; the lambs drop about the 

 second week in May ; and are taken to the vales and 

 lower grounds for the first winter. When at mature 

 age they support themselves in the deepest snow blasts 

 by scratching down to the herbage, and subsist through- 

 out the winter without any supply of hay. 



The Herdwicks are principally to be found in the 

 central and western portions of the Cumberland Lake 

 district ; that is to say, on Langdale Pikes, in Wasdale, 

 Eskdale, &c, extending from Windermere and Coniston 

 to Keswick and Whitehaven ; but great endeavours are 

 being made by farmers in Westmoreland to spread the 

 flocka of pure Herdwicks, with a view of displacing the 

 old heath or black-faced breed. 



There is a breed in the north of England, taken to 

 the mountains in April and May and brought back to 

 the lower grounds in November ; these are not properly 

 Herdwicks, but a cross with either the black-faced or 

 the large white-faced sheep of the lower country. 



Hebdwick Mountain Sheep.— Judges : Messrs. W. 

 Dodd, R. Donkin, and A. Douglas. 



Class 1. Shearling rams. The prize is awarded to 

 Mr. G. Robinson, of Orion Hall, Westmoreland, for a 

 ram having a good level back and fair loin, still wit! 

 narrow chine. 



good 



maich weil. and have a i'aiv iorm and pretty 



forequarter. " ._ , ,,, 



Black-faced Mountain Sheep.— Judges : Messrs. 



W. Dodd, K. Donkin, and A. Douglas. 



Class 1. Shearling Rams. The prize to Mr H. 

 Shield, of High Acton, Allendale, Northumberland 

 This shearling has a level back, good lorn, wide chest, 

 though the sides are too flat ; the wool, also, is straight, 



and is hairy in quality. . 



Class 2. Rams of any other age. The prize to Mr. 

 C Summers, of Whitfield, near Haydou Bridge, Nor- 

 thumberland. This is certainly a pretty good sheep, 

 bavin * considerable length and depth, ribs standing 

 pretty well out, but the wool not a very good sort 



Class 3. Pens of five Shearling ewes. The prize to 

 Mr. J. Brydon, of Moodlaw, near Langholm, Dumfries, 

 for a pen of well formed ewes, high standing, and having 

 good fleeces of wool. ( 



Cheviot Sheep. (Shown for special prizes offered by 

 the Carlisle Committee.) Judges; Messrs. W. Dodd, 

 R. Donkin, and A. Douglas. 



Class 1. Rams not more than four shear. 1st prize to 

 Mr. T. Elliot, of Hindhope, near Jedburgh, Roxburgh- 

 shire, for a 38 months old ram ; a very good animal 

 indeed ; with thick neck, good chine, good shoulders 

 and chest, wool pleutiful and of good quality ; 2d prize 

 to Mr. T. C. Borthwick, of Hopsrig, near Langholme, 

 Dumfries, for a 3 years and 3 months old ram; a large 

 sheep, but rather better in the rump and loin than in 

 the fore-quarter and neck. Mr, Elliot's ram, and also 

 that shown by Mr. W. Aitchison, of Linhope, near 

 Hawick, N. B., are highly commended ; the latter of 

 «:reat size, though hardly so good in form as many others. 



Class 2. Shearling rams. 1st prize to Mr. Elliot, 

 for a ram having a straight back and good rump, but a 

 long narrow frame, though good wool. 2d prize to Mr. 

 Borthwick, for a pretty good animal. Mr. Elliot and 

 Mr. Aitchison are both fortunate enough to obtain high 

 commendations in this class also. Both these rams have 

 good level backs, long though tolerably broad frames, 

 and good fleeces. 



1 



ouud aud iafc, 



fee dii 



rtnat 



also commended, 

 frame, fine 



*r* 



tided. It had a straight back "?^ * 

 , ^quality, light offal, and wastry frftj* 

 a remarkable animal for her a»e, which i 1* 

 months. A sow, bred by Mr. Hay ward and 1 ** 



by Mr. Jupson, of Staveley, Westmoreland wJ 

 commended ;" a remarkably well made b 



»*\wkl 



Decic 



derfully good neck chine, level back, and «*^ 

 broad frame. ^Jr***/ 



Class 5. Three breeding sow pigs of a large ttt| , 

 Mr. Sadler, of Bentham Purton, Swindon tafeTT 

 prize for a black and white sow pig, f beautiful * 

 metry, level, round, not too fat, with fine Lone *J 

 black hair, and these are three very uncommon 



No. 632, a pen of the improved Yorkshire 1 



may 



of tie b* 

 use 11, tnese muiviuuui annuals possess little claim tea* 

 honour, beyond the unfattened and natural conditio 

 which they are exhibited. 



Class 6. Three breeding sows of a small brwi-7U 

 prize pen belongs to Mr. Watson, and the three** 

 pigs (Faith, Hope, and Charity !) are broad, well ah*W 

 tine, and extraordinarily fat. The sow pigs ofl? 

 Brown, of The Height, Wigton, Cumberland, *er* 

 highly commended ; they are short, small, and of Um. 

 tiful quality. 



It is worth while noting, in conclusion, that two mi. 

 vals of small breed character have been disqualifie 

 the judges for having been entered in the large bred 

 clashes. And no less than four have been diaq^U 

 because their state of dentition indicated over a«, 



POULTRY. 



The entries at Lincoln were 295 ; at Carlisle tber ars 

 185, which is a falling off. 



The following table may in some sort be an index to 

 popular feeling with respect to the various breeds ;— 



Class 2. Kama 



T - of ^y other age. The prize to Mr. 



J. Mounsey, of Askham, near Penrith, for a 4 years and 

 3 months old ram. This appears to be very well 

 shaped lor the breed, but has narrow loins and flat sides ; 

 the wool of a fair quality. 



r five shearling ewes. The prize to 



Class 



Class 3. Pens of five ewes, of not more than 4 shear. 

 The prize is given to Mr. Borthwick, who indeed is the 

 sole competitor in this class. These ewes are large and 

 of very good quality, with fine looks, and pretty good 



wool. 



Class 4. Pens of five shearling ewes or gimmers. 

 The prize to Mr. Elliot, though eight competitors showed 

 against him. These are large and good ewes, with 

 great frames and good looks. 



PIGS. 



Class 1. Boars of a large breed. The first prize boar? 

 "Young Hector," the property of Mr. Horsfall, of 

 Burley Hall, Yorkshire, is an exceedingly good animal, 

 not possessed of very large frame, but rather short, 

 scarcely exceeding 2 yards in length to the root of the 

 tail. He is remarkable, however, for his good propor- 

 tions, thick, deep carcass, and fair quality. In this 

 case, the judges have wisely chosen an animal of use to 

 breeders, and not with all the defects obscured by over- 

 feeding. The second prize boar, shown by Mr. Charles 

 Jackson, of York, is another suitably-fed animal, having 

 an immense neck-chine, great thickness of frame, full 

 thick hams, a covering of long hair, and short fine ears. 

 No. 561, a remarkably good animal — large and symmet- 

 rical, with slender bone and fine quality of flesh, had 

 been entered in the wrong class, being undoubtedly of 

 small breed character, hence he was disqualified for 

 competition. 



Class 2. Boars of a small breed. Mr. Hatton, of 

 Addingham, Yorkshire, takes the prize for a wonderful 

 boar, under two years old, yet of extraordinary girth, 

 depth, and width ; having a very level broad back, 

 beautiful quality, and fine snout and ears, and every 

 point denoting a well-bred and quickly-feeding animal. 

 The second prize goes to Mr. Turner, of Barton, Devon- 

 shire, for a black boar of beautifully fine quality. This 

 pig is well formed, round, full and smooth in all pomts, 

 but not excessively fat. A boar, bred and exhibited by 

 Mr. Watson, of Bolton Park, Cumberland, struck us as 

 being surprisingly forward for his age, which is only 

 7 5 months ; yet he displays the compactness of form 

 and enlarged frame of a maturer animal. 



Class 3. Breeding sows of a large breed. The prize 

 sow belongs to Mr. Harrison, of Heaton Norris, near 

 Stockport, and certainly she is an astonishing animal ; 

 of immense length and proportionate breadth, high- 

 standing, yet with deep trailing belly ; thick hams, lull 

 chine, and with all this largeness of dimensions and 

 weight of carcass, having wonderfully small fine bone. 

 A great sow, belonging to Mr. Horsfall, but much older 

 than the above, well deserves the high commendation 

 she received. Mr. Wai Oman's, of Carhead Grove Hill, 

 near Leeds, was commended, but in our opinion was 

 much too fat. No. 590, bred by Mr. Farish, of Dor- 

 man stead, Carlisle, was also commended ; a long, level 

 backed sow, with seven very fine pigs. Ko. 603, belong- 

 ing to Mr. Taylor, of Oatlands, Leeds, is a large sow, 

 not made up to an extravagant degree of fatness, having 

 notwithstanding a remarkably good neck chine, though 

 somewhat deficient in the hind quarters. 



Class 4. Breeding sows of a small breed. — The prize 

 sow, exhibited by Mr. Watson, was too fat, not of very 

 great size, but straight, broad, of great girth and depth. 

 A beautiful black sow, of Mr. Turner, was highly 

 commended ; also, Mr. Horsfall 's sow, No. 625, a thick, 

 level, well formed animal, of beautiful quality, with two 

 fine pigs. No. G14, bred by Mr. Mangles, of Giverdaie, 

 certainly Ripon, Yorkshire, was commended, a small short sow, 





\z 



— 



o 



c 



■A 



2 



Lincoln 

 Carlisle ... 



• « » 



• • - 



• ♦ • 



13 



17 



! 



7*2 



51 





50 

 1") 



o 

 S 







S 



Z < 



3 

 3 



34 

 32 



i7 



27 



The Cochin has had his day ; the Dorking maintain! 

 his ground as the most valuable breed we possess, and 

 the Game fowl seems to be much esteemed. The show 

 of Dorkings was especially good—we refer to qualttj. 

 The Ducks were fair, and the Geese below par. 



The following is an attempt at a translation of 4* 

 speech of the Baron Ricasoli, at the Pavilion Baffltf * 

 the Carlisle Meeting last week. To do justice to B* 

 beauty of the original is impossible. (7. IF. H. 



It grieves me much that I cannot make use of TonrttjF 

 gentlemen, in order to express in a manner tliat an W"^ 

 stand the sentiments of my heart and the thought* 0! W ™J 

 I am not sufficiently accustomed to your 1*^W « " 

 make use of it in an extempore speech suitable to uwjyj 

 and honourable occasion. There are circumstances a*— 

 man feels strongly the necessity of niakins al I ww » ^ 

 fully understand all that he feels and all tijat he ta^ ^ 

 present is such an occasion for me, in which I * "^ T 

 you the deep impressions which my *^"££ 

 although brief, has conveyed to my mind. \ our ung-j 

 fore, being of no avail to me, I will speak in my 01 a ■*• 

 whose well-known beauty and richness mtm 



fcja* 



them. 



glish are travellers, ana man.v 1A "b""yCv&idM 

 Often have I heard Italian prouou need ^yw- 



T — 



purity 



red » fe T 



tarn 



h which it was spo-u. -- ^ 

 therefore that' in "this numerous asseniWJ ' ™2nwfllte* 



who will understand my words^ and tna 1 jriwy »*-- t ^ 



illUlBl* 



kind interpreters to the rest. It has fallen t ■. . m, ■ ^ 

 enjoy the honour of representing id the M*f*^ rf one of* 

 ,uL i,„n..„ ,.„Hr,n «iul from beins myselt a nau>^ _ -j-j, 



kind interpreters to the rest 



enjoy the honour of reprcser 



the Italian nation, and from being ffly*Jt' 

 most cultivated and fertile provinces, wO^STJit c*** 

 my case is render 



me more agreeable, i return my ""*""'/" f or me » ^ 

 president, whose kindness has procurea 5te ^rfi 



in the midst of you. I beg also tt thM« ^ p 

 members of Council, the secreta ry an o . trf * 

 becoming acquainted with my wwl «s , ami ^ k g 



journey, have taken every paw. to en«M ^ ^l* 

 thoroughly examine all the machines ""t^uy •<** 

 been collected for trial in Carlisle 1* ^ m »£ 

 those who, from the moment when I hrst sc ^ 



land, have with generous hospiahty, at oc^^^p 

 opened to me the way to this great meet n an afld d ^£ 

 me to learn what measures ot pohticsu mBy ; #S 

 life are gathered together m this nooi ^ ,j~ 

 having arrived in London on a dmrt d> at 



friends, when I think that ive week n X, ion ' i'tom * "J 

 my departure is near, I derive consols ^ jm 



Zt V have gathered much J-*-- 



V01 IT 



useful lessons from^iny short ^ ^"cis^.^ 

 If it be true that, in order to know «JW , ^ ,ts 



lengthened sojourn in it is ™* ~ «£££t y t0 Engbn*Jt * 

 organisation, it is more true *ith iv=>l>ec bging ue»P 



other nation, because the primal ^^ „dU«»*^. 

 customs and 'habits, to which her f tuu **££ 



constituted than the MS »» "j Volitical, those «• t & 

 development, Moral, Civ.1, «j ^iiiUed •««*** ^ 



M*-* 



of all true policy may be cernrf ? , co uld not »"W 

 think thus that I utter these *«« - ^, *1* 



ft people I so much -teem and to *our g ^ n n^. 

 Now it appears to me J brt £ne ° , tff« (hW 



national customs is the way • „ rapier r ,% alfjjj 

 lots U a great fact of »*«*«*» U not ^ &<+*" 



most leading points.. ""foJ^U » ot oaly 

 an art, but the practice of We, a "» 





