Special Council, December 18, 1890. 
ccvii 
given for " Shearling Earns " and 
" Kams of any other age." At Reading 
in 1882, the Council, without any 
other notice to exhibitors than the 
issue of its Prize Sheet, reduced the 
last-named class to Two-shear Kams. 
At the Preston Show, in 1885, prizes 
were added on the petition of sheep 
breeders for Earn Lambs, and he for 
one thought the time was now come 
when they should carry the policy 
of encouraging early maturity a step 
further by abolishing the Two-shear 
classes. 
Mr. "Gorhinge agreed with Mr. 
Sanday. It had been suggested that 
instead of the Two-shear classes the 
classes for the Earn Lambs should be 
cut out. As a breeder he could never 
consent to that, as he had done all he 
could to encourage early maturity. 
Nearly every breeder would say that, 
after a sheep which might be exceed- 
ingly useful in a flock had been fed 
and exhibited, to put him up again 
and show him nearly always rendered 
him infertile, and spoilt his shape and 
usefulness thereafter. He might win 
prizes if forced for two years, but was 
afterwards too fat for use. 
Sir Jacob Wilson said that the 
convening of the Special Council at 
the instance of himself and other 
Members was no doubt exceptional, 
but he thought the circumstances 
were so exceptional as to justify it. 
He felt that the Council were not in 
possession of all the facts of the case 
when they passed their resolution of 
last week. He had then loyally sup- 
ported the report of the Stock Prizes 
Committee, in the belief, which he was 
sure was shared by the Council gene- 
rally, that cutting down was insisted 
upon by the Finance Committee. But 
as he had since learnt that Sir Nigel 
Kingscote was strongly in favour of 
their holding their hand as to the Two- 
shear classes, he felt that it was only 
fair to exhibitors that a change of this 
magnitude should not be made — if 
made at all — without further consid- 
eration and full notice. He therefore 
moved, " That it is advisable to restore 
the classes for Two-shear Earns to the 
Doncaster Prize Sheet." 
Mr. MuNTZ seconded the motion, 
saying that he felt very strongly that 
if there was any section of the 
Prize Sheet which ought not to be 
attacked it was the Sheep classes. 
They were the most profitable stock 
which farmers possessed. They did 
not get the full growth of a sheep 
until it was something like Two- 
shear. Many good sheep did not 
show themselves such until they 
became Two-shears. 
Mr. A. J. Smith said he should be 
very sorry to see the Lamb classes 
struck out. It would be more 
constitutional to strike out the old 
sheep, because the whole of the busi- 
ness of graziers had lately been t o get 
early maturity. No foreigner would 
look upon an old sheep as a pur- 
chase. 
Sir Nigel Kingscote said he 
took no part in the discussion on that 
subject last week, because he did not 
then full}' appreciate the serious con- 
sequences of what was being decided. 
When he did learn, after the discus- 
sion was over, what was happening, 
and that the older sheep were to be 
struck out of the Prize Sheet, he saw 
at once that a great injury would be 
done to the breeders by so little 
notice being given. He did not then 
wish to enter into the question as to 
the Earn Lambs or the older sheep. 
His own individual opinion was 
against striking out the Two-shear 
Earns. He would rather see the Earn 
Lambs taken out than the Two-shear 
Earns. No one wished to see early 
maturity more than himself ; but they 
gave prizes for breeding animals and 
not for fat ones. Many breeders 
kept their sheep with the prospect of 
showing them again, and he did not 
think they should now deprive them 
of the opportunity of competing at 
Doncaster. He should much regret 
if that day they had a divided 
Council, and he hoped that they 
would come to an unanimous decision 
upon the subject. 
Mr. Howard admitted that there 
was very great force in what Mr. 
Sanday had stated about the classes 
for the Two-shear Earns. There was a 
strong and growing feeling in the 
country against giving prizes for old 
animals — a feeling in which he parti- 
cipated. For his own part he was 
very strongly in favour of discontinu- 
ing prizes for old sheep, but keeping 
on with Earn Lambs. But he felt due 
and proper notice should be given of 
