Agricultural Education in Canada, [april, 



animals to which prizes have been adjudged, and the weak or 

 inferior points which caused the unsuccessful animals to be 

 passed over. 



This practice has a salutary influence upon the judges, the 

 public are instructed, and the unsuccessful exhibitors are satis- 

 fied that their disappointment is the result of carefully-con- 

 sidered rules, and not due to caprice. 



The judging of the live animals is followed by what is known 

 as " the block test," i.e., the judging of the carcases of the animals 

 exhibited. 



The value of this practice has been proved by the fact that 

 whereas when it was first adopted the prize live animal fre- 

 quently did not win the prize given for the best carcase, this 

 difference now occurs less frequently, thus showing that the 

 judges have profited by the opportunity given them of learning 

 to what points importance should be attached in judging live 

 stock. 



2. Lectures on the judging, breeding, feeding, and general 

 management of live stock are given by members of the staff of 

 the Ontario Agricultural College, and by carefully selected 

 farmers, live stock dealers, exporters, and representatives from 

 the large meat-packing and curing establishments. 



I heard two lectures {a) on the champion steer, and {b) on the 

 champion cow for dairy purposes. The prize animals were each 

 brought in turn on to the stage of the theatre which had been 

 erected for demonstration and lecture purposes. The tiers of 

 seats were crowded from floor to ceiling by an interested assem- 

 bly. The various points to be aimed at by the fattener, of 

 which the prize steer on the stage was a fine example, and the 

 signs indicating quality, good constitution, and general excel- 

 lence, were carefully explained. The lecturer's address was 

 simple, clear, instructive, and useful. After the prize steer had 

 been taken out, the prize cow was brought on to the stage, and 

 a dairy expert, selected from the staff of the Ontario Agricul- 

 tural College, explained the various points of excellence in the 

 cow. 



I have no hesitation in saying that I learned more about stock 

 from these two short lectures than I have ever learned from my 

 attendance at cattle shows in England. 



