730 



CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



of all heavy stock; whilst the pigs looked very much like their English brothers, and 

 in fact were often more than half-and-half British blood. 



It may be noted of "how they do these things in France," that each set of the judges 

 is complemented by a member elected by the exhibitors in the respective sections. Cer- 

 tainly this is a commendable method, that might be introduced in English shows. In 

 Paris more than a dozen gentlemen were thus assisting in awarding prizes. 



The entries may be thus grouped: 



Cattle -~- 369 



Sheep pens 92 



Pigs 1 125 



Bulls 1 68 



Rams . 63 



Boars 23 



Besides 2,269 pens of live poultry, pigeons, rabbits, &c. ; 3,477 exhibits of roots, seed, fruit, 

 vegetables, &c. ; and 320 of dressed poultry, 487 of cheese, 217 of butter and milk, all 

 of these being inside the building, whilst outside, occupying ample space on the walks 

 and roads adjacent, the implement entries numbered 3,478, including a working but- 

 ter-maker and Laval's cream separator. 



The center of the large transept formed an admirable and roomy spaed for the exhibi- 

 tion of cattle, for the circulation of the public, and the task of the judges. There was 

 abundance of litter, and in all respects the feeding and comfort of the animals left noth- 

 ing to desire. The central and side passages were kept like garden walks, and shrubs 

 and flowers in the center formed an ornament and a rendezvous where friends could meet. 

 Under the galleries, corresponding to those of Islington, the great display of poultry, in 

 wire-fronted boxes, flanked the live stock, whilst at either end of the vast building were 

 the sheep and pig pens. Upstairs some thirty large rooms — the salons for pictures in 

 May — were filled with cereal, seed, root, forage, and other agricultural produce, includ- 

 ing oil and honey. As farm produce hops were missing, nor were there many exhibits 

 of manures, phospho-guano only being well represented. The cheese, butter, and dead 

 poultry exhibits were excellent and very numerous; and poultry appliances, including 

 many incubators, made an exhibition of themselves. In one of these salons the English 

 visitor might see with natural curiosity the inviting exhibit of sausages formed from the 

 meat of beasts of burden — horses, mules, and donkeys — the latter being especially recom- 

 mended at lOd. to Is. 3d per pound. Many persons tasted the tempting slices offered 

 them, and judges rank asses' flesh as savory food. So good indeed is it, that "Pate de 

 foie d'4ne' ' formed a display after the fashion of our ' 'Pimlico pies. ' ' Looking from the 

 galleries, where knicknacks were sold, the scene of animal life below was cheerful and 

 picturesque. The great blotches of color were more distinct than in an English show, 

 as the breeds of cattle — white, cream white, dun — gave much the same impression as do a 

 nuiftber of harvest fields of different grain, one tone being general. Of course there were 

 red and roan and pied animals, but these were in a minority, and there were no classes 

 of black cattle, Scotch polls, Welsh, and Irish to attract notice. This omission of black 

 color from a fat-stock show was a notable feature. 



As a curious piece of animal statistics may be given the following particulars of the 

 prize animals killed and analyzed a year ago, only the chief being here given ; and as 

 French weights and figures serve for comparison as well as do English ones, the oificial 

 report is quoted. It may be stated briefly, however, that a kilogram is equal to 2J 

 pounds, and 50 kilograms are close upon a hundredweight, and 1,000 kilograms a ton. 



* Probably for exhibition. 



Further, as regards loss of weight on b«ing killed, the fat Norman only lost 8 kilo- 

 grams, whilst Yorkshire lost 19 kilograms, and the big Yorkshire-Limousin but 7 kilo- 

 grams. 



