( 449  ) 
XXIII. — Report  of  the  Live-Stock  exhibited  at  the  Society's 
Meeting,  1883.  By  William  Macdonald,  Editor  of  the 
‘ North  British  Agriculturist,’  Edinburgh. 
DESPITE  the  deterring  effects  of  restrictions  on  the  movements 
of  stock,  arising  from  the  existence  of  a considerable  amount  of 
foot-and-mouth  disease  in  various  parts  of  the  kingdom,  the 
York  Show,  held  on  the  16th,  17th,  18th,  19th,  and  20th  of  July, 
will  take  its  place  among  the  most  successful  the  Society  has 
had.  This  is  saying  a great  deal,  when  it  is  remembered  that 
heavy  showers  characterised  the  weather  of  the  second  day,  and 
a deluge  of  rain  that  of  the  closing  day  ; that  no  little  dread  of 
disease  naturally  existed  among  pedigree  stock-owners,  and  that 
agriculturists  have  passed  through  a long  period  of  great  depres- 
sion. Of  the  agricultural  disasters  of  recent  years,  it  is  true, 
there  was  little  or  no  trace  in  the  Showyard.  If  one  were  to 
judge  by  what  he  saw  at  York,  it  might  be  assumed  that  the 
worst  was  past,  and  that  that  worst  had  not,  after  all,  been  so 
bad.  Well,  it  should  not  be  too  much  to  expect  that  the  worst 
is  over ; but,  as  to  the  magnitude  of  the  depression,  it  would  be 
misleading  to  estimate  that  by  what  turns  up  at  a national  Show. 
Be  that  as  it  may,  it  is  so  far  comforting  to  find  so  much 
vitality  and  confidence  still  in  agricultural  quarters  as  was 
manifested  at  the  York  Meeting.  The  live-stock  showed  no 
falling  off,  neither  did  the  attendance  of  visitors.  Both  in 
respect  of  the  character  of  the  bestial  collection  and  of  the 
patronage  of  the  public,  the  York  Meeting  is  likely  to  be 
pointed  to  with  a considerable  degree  of  satisfaction  for  years  to 
come.  The  magnificence  of  the  site  on  Knavesmire,  the  railway 
and  other  accommodation,  and  the  admirable  manner  in  which 
the  Yard  was  laid  out,  as  well  as  the  precision  with  which  the 
arrangements  were  carried  into  effect  by  the  officials,  are  matters 
on  which  all  concerned  can  reflect  with  pride  and  pleasure. 
The  authorities  of  the  ancient  city  of  Y ork  rose  to  the  occasion, 
and  gave  the  foremost  Agricultural  Society  a welcome  worthy 
of  the  town  and  of  the  Exhibition. 
Any  report  of  the  Show  would  be  incomplete  without  refer- 
ence to  the  success  of  the  precautions  taken  by  the  Council  of 
the  Society  to  prevent  the  spread  of  disease.  Early  in  the 
summer  the  Council  were  confronted  by  the  facts  that  foot-and- 
mouth  disease  had  a considerable  hold  of  the  country,  was  pre- 
valent in  some  parts  of  the  county  in  which  the  Show  was  to 
take  place,  and  had  occasioned  restrictions  on  the  movement  ol 
stock  which,  if  not  partially  relaxed,  would  have  proved  almost 
fatal  to  the  Exhibition.  Those  best  able  to  form  an  accurate 
