Report on the Exhibition of Live Stock at Gloucester. 457 



was mainly attributable to the above regulation ; it being well 

 known that many of our first breeders refused to exhibit, not 

 choosing to run the risk of their animals being disqualified for 

 over fatness. 



Another rule of the Society, which has only been in operation 

 at Lewes and Gloucester, viz., limiting the age of bulls to four 

 years, has also had a material effect in reducing the number of 

 good animals ; and the Council must now decide whether they 

 will continue these restrictions, or allow animals of all ages to 

 be shown, without a jury of disqualification, leaving it to the 

 judges to award prizes to those which are most likely to be of 

 service to the country. 



It perhaps ought to be stated how the jury system was carried 

 out at Gloucester. The animals were arranged in three classes, 

 and a jury of nine judges in each class, drawn by lot, proceeded 

 to examine every animal previous to commencing their inspection 

 as judges. No cattle or horses were rejected as unfit to compete, 

 some of the judges stating, that had their animals been excluded 

 they would have ceased to exhibit. 



Only two sheep and two pigs were disqualified. 



The whole of the stock was examined by Professor Simonds, 

 to guard against any infectious disease, as well as to acquaint the 

 judges if he discovered any hereditary unsoundness in animals to 

 which they awarded prizes. 



In the short-horn classes some good animals were exhibited, 

 but many not possessing much merit ; and the judges '^^ think that 

 the recent regulation as to examination by jury has tended to lessen 

 the number of good animals shownr 



The Herefords were generally good, but the judges were dis- 

 appointed in the number shown, and particularly when the 

 meeting was held in their immediate locality. 



The Devons kept up their reputation : the heifers were par- 

 ticularly good ; but although the total number of this breed far 

 exceeded those shown at Lewes, yet there were fewer bulls than 

 the Society had a right to expect. The judges were of opinion 

 that the new regulation had not interfered with the show in this 

 section of cattle. 



The Welsh breed was a complete failure : 101. was offered 

 by the Society, for which only five animals were shown, and 

 these were not worth the amount of the prizes. With regard to 

 Other breeds the same remarks would nearly apply : 40/. was 

 offered in six prizes, and only 12 animals shown. We may now 

 hope that after repeated trials, with the best intentions to draw 

 out the cattle peculiar to a district, the Society will cease to offer 

 prizes for any but the three recognised breeds of cattle. 



The Leicester rams were not tliought equal to former years, 



