588 Report on the Exhibition of Live Stock at Birmingham. 
Those selected were true ia type, aud several of llie other pens were of goal 
quality. Ko. 1284 were a great pen of lambs, but scarcely matching in 
feature. 
Class 109. — This was a special prize for yearling wethers, and brought 
together a lot of good sheep calculated to supply a good quantity of mutton 
and high class of wool. The 25?. jilate for the greatest number of points was 
awarded to Mrs. Beach. The points were calculated for first prize, 3 ; for 
second prize, 2 ; for third, 1. The winner secured 13. Lord Chesham was 
second with 8 points. 
We would here remark that it is most desirable for ram-breeders to be more 
careful in the selection of sires, to secure an uniform class of animal; and we 
think a breeder can make no greater mistake to his own interests, while he, at 
the same time, will ultimately deteriorate the breed of Shropshires, wlio uses 
sheep of a spurious character in order to secure an increase of size, and a ques- 
tionable increase in the weight of wool. We desire to urge upon sheei>breeders 
the necessity of paying attention to these points, as also to the undue length 
of the ears — which in some cases causes a vulgar appearance — and also to the 
somewhat variable character of the fleece. It is our duty to observe that tht; 
whole of the classes compare, in our opinion, most favourably with other breeds, 
and warrant us in recommending the Shropshire sheep as an object especially 
deserving the attention of the practical and rent-paying agriculturist. 
R. H. Masfex. 
John Evaxs. 
Hexey Lowe. 
There were few disqualifications of anv sort, taking the stock 
as a whole, and sheep were entirely exempt from them. The 
Society may be heartily congratulated on the circumstance, and 
the subjoined Report from the Inspectors of Shearing will be 
read with interest : — 
It is with very great satisfaction the Inspectors have to state to the Council 
that they found the whole of the sheep in the Yard well and fairly shorn. 
The change brought round in a few years is something wonderful, as the gieat 
ditSculty was to find sheep in the Yard that were equally shorn. To correct 
this general system of false shearing, your Inspectors did not condemn all 
false shearing, they only took the worst and most glaring cases, and rccom-, 
mended the Council to disqualify such. This was carefully done, and has 
Jed to the result of having a clear sheet, and not a single sheep in the Yard 
that we could find fault with. We congratulate the Council in having so 
fully corrected that system of false shearing, and in so short a time done 
its work effectually. It also recommends itself to other Agricultural Societies, 
your Insj^ectors having had invitations to attend the Royal Society of Ireland 
at Cork this season. The sheep are now shorn in their natural and true shape. 
We feel sati.-fied that the great improvement in shearing will lessen the labour 
of the Judges of sheep, and enable them to come to a more correct decision 
than thej^ could do in former years. We trust that exhibitors will profit 
by past experience, and bring out the sheep-stock in their true*and natural 
form, as has been so well done this j'car. 
William Jobsok. 
J. B, W0KKM.\Jf. 
Pigs. 
The porcine Exhibition, if not so large as on some previous 
occasions, was characterised by an uniformity of high-class merit 
