Report of the Steioards of Stock at the Batter sea Show. 371 
a step ; and it was gratifying to find that the evidences of scro- 
fula — which were so frequent a few years since among the Devon 
cattle — were not to be found in the Battersea classes. We learn 
from Professor Spooner that although several certificates had 
been given in a very lax way, he has to report a very material 
diminution of disease — especially hereditary disease — among the 
horses at Battersea, as compared with those at Canterbury or 
Leeds. There were only 3 cases of ophthalmia, and the roaring 
was principally confined to the cart-horses — which were much 
freer than usual from ossified cartilages. Among the Suffolks 
especially he found several cases of synovial disease of the hocks ; 
and the Clydesdales were very ridgy about the coronets, and 
rather brittle in their feet (owing to the use of too many nails in 
shoeing) — defects which he believes to become hereditary in time. 
Four of the thorough-bred sires were disqualified, 2 for being 
whistlers, a third for spavin, and a fourth for curbs on both hocks. 
Of the hunter sires, 5 had to be set aside, viz., for ophthalmia, 
contracted fore-feet, whistling, and flat fore-feet, coupled with 
chronic disease of the frog, and sand-crack. This much will 
sufiice to indicate the general nature of the disqualifications, 
without going seriatim through the classes. 
Those who witnessed the show at the Palais d' Industrie in 
1856, or the recent International Easter one at Poissy, can judge 
of the strength of the French herds when it is adequately put 
forth on their own soil. We had not at Battersea the long white 
and cream-coloured lines of Charolais ; the dark-red Salers ; the 
dun and white-faced Comtois ; the lion-tawny Aubracs ; the bay, 
white, and grey Algerians ; the barley-coloured Limousins and 
Garronais, with their great offal, and collar power — but still the 
few which crossed the Channel, when joined to the Swiss, with 
all their picturesque accessories of collar-bells and herd music, 
gave a right pleasant international tone to the gathering. 
Various causes operated to prevent the French part of the Show 
from being so extensive as His Majesty the Emperor and his 
agricultural representative, M. St. Marie, could have wished. 
Still every facility was given by the Imperial Government ; the 
cattle were conveyed by rail, free of all expense, to the sea-coast, 
and the South-Eastern and South Coast railways were alike liberal 
in their arrangements. Two of the Charolais breed were brought 
over — a bull and cow — level, but hard to the touch ; yet fair speci- 
mens, the bull more especially, of a tribe more renowned for beef 
than milk. There was also one greyish-brown Garronaise, and a 
few specimens of the sturdy brindled and white Normands, to 
which Paris looks for its milk supplies ; 1 or 2 yoke-bulls from 
the spurs of the Pyrenees, Avith coats like dull-red gold ; and an 
excellent class of Bretons, to which England contributed largely, 
2 B 2 
