448  Report  on  the  Exhibition  of  Live-Stock  at  York. 
there  was  nothing  worthy  of  note  except  some  curious  specimens 
of  the  “old  Tamworth  breed,”  one  young  pig  certainly  showing 
great  size  for  his  age!  The  new  system  of  having  separate 
Judges  for  White  and  Black  Pigs  is  decidedly  a step  in  the 
right  direction,  but  I would  suggest  three  Judges  in  each  divi- 
sion, not  three  and  two.  I am  greatly  indebted  to  the  pen  of 
Mr.  Ashworth  for  the  account  I have  given  of  the  pigs,  and  I 
hoped  to  have  added  a few  lines  by  Mr.  Gorringe  about  the 
sheep,  a subject  with  which  he  is  so  well  acquainted,  but  unfor- 
tunately the  printer  cannot  wait.  I have  no  doubt,  however, 
that  these  classes,  and  for  the  matter  of  that  all  others,  will  be 
thoroughly  described  by  the  official  reporter  a few  pages 
further  on. 
The  weather  was,  taking  one  day  with  another,  good  and 
bad  together,  favourable  ; but  on  the  Tuesday,  just  as  the  Prince 
came,  and  the  last  hour  that  the  Show  was  open  on  Friday, 
visitors  learnt  that  it  can  rain  at  York  as  easily  as  at  Kilburn 
or  Carlisle.  It  was  certainly  very  fortunate  that  the  tremendous 
wet  of  the  dying  hours  of  the  Show,  and  of  the  two  following 
days,  did  not  come  sooner,  for  I am  told  that  the  “ Knavesmire  ” 
gave  indications  on  the  morning  of  the  21st  as  to  the  state  it 
could  have  got  into  had  it  been  compelled  to  appear  during 
the  Show  week  with  its  “ great-coat  ” worn  out ! The  Local 
Committee  deserve  more  than  a few  words  of  thanks,  for  doubt- 
less they  had  many  ups  and  downs  to  contend  against,  that  we 
know  not  of. 
Before  I send  off  these  few  lines  to  Hanover  Square,  may  I 
ask  our  noble  President  to  allow  me  to  thank  him  for  his 
great  kindness  to  me  during  the  time  I have  had  the  honour 
to  work  under  him  as  Steward  of  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society,  and  also  to  thank  my  companions  in  Stewardship  for 
all  their  aid,  including  with  them  our  good  friends  the 
Assistant  Stewards?  It  is  not  for  me  to  speak  of  the  work 
done  by  our  indefatigable  Secretary,  either  as  regards  the 
Stock  Yard,  or  in  superintending  the  rearing  of  his  favourite 
child,  “the  Dairy,”  but  I should  like  to  thank  him  and  the 
whole  of  his  staff  for  their  uniform  courtesy  to  me  during  my 
term  of  office. 
I must  not  forget  to  mention  that  the  building  of  the 
stables,  &c.,  again  showed  the  skill  of  Mr.  Bennison’s  hands. 
My  work  is  now  done  ; but  I must  ask  that  all  my  short- 
comings may  be  excused,  and  especially  so  poor  a Report,  it 
being  but  the  effort  of  a “ three-year-old,”  pushed,  perforce,  by 
the  exigencies  of  the  Society,  to  early  maturity,  instead  of  the 
work  of  a well-developed  Steward  of  four  years’  standing. 
