450 
Report  of  the  Live-Stock  exhibited  at 
opinion  on  the  subject,  however,  were  satisfied  that,  with  due 
care,  there  was  no  occasion  to  postpone  the  Show.  The  Council 
took  that  view,  in  the  belief  that  the  precautions  they  were 
about  to  adopt  would  prevent  the  occurrence  of  the  Show  from 
augmenting  the  amount  of  foot  - and  - mouth  disease.  The 
Council,  as  the  result  of  much  consideration  and  forethought  on 
the  part  of  the  Society’s  responsible  officials,  and  at  much 
expense,  succeeded  in  (1)  purchasing  the  grazing  rights  of  the 
300  acres  called  Knavesmire  (on  which  the  Show  took  place), 
with  the  view  of  keeping  it  clear  of  cattle,  sheep,  or  pigs  from 
the  4th  of  June  till  after  the  Show;  (2)  closing  the  Railway 
siding  at  which  the  stock  were  to  be  received  and  despatched  for 
a similar  period  ; and  (3)  closing  the  York  Cattle  Market  from 
the  21st  of  June  till  after  the  Exhibition.  No  cattle,  sheep,  or 
pigs  were  to  be  admitted  from  an  infected  area.  The  Council 
submitted  these  arrangements  to  exhibitors,  to  the  Privy  Council, 
and  to  local  authorities  throughout  the  kingdom,  and  were  able 
to  assure  all,  that  there  had  for  a long  time  been  no  disease 
within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  City  of  York,  nor  very  near  the 
town.  The  result  of  the  labours  of  the  Council  and  the  Secre- 
tary in  this  matter  was  that  exhibitors  came  forward  with  a 
considerable  degree  of  confidence  ; that  local  authorities  agreed 
to  allow  stock  to  return  to  their  respective  homes  from  the  Show, 
on  the  receipt  of  a certificate  from  the  Secretary,  countersigned 
by  one  of  the  Society’s  Veterinary  Inspectors,  to  the  effect  that 
there  was  no  disease  in  the  Yard,  and  that  the  particular  animals 
were  healthy.  With  these  precautions  rigidly  carried  out,  it  is 
gratifying  to  the  Society,  and  satisfactory  to  all  concerned,  that 
no  outbreak  of  disease  has  been  traced  to  the  movements  of  stock 
involved  by  the  Show. 
The  collection  of  the  British  breeds  of  stock  was  better  than 
might  have  been  expected.  Saving  alone  Ivilburn,  it  may  be 
doubted  if  ever  the  Society  had  a Show  that  embraced  such  a 
good  representation  of  so  many  different  varieties  of  horses,  cattle, 
sheep,  and  pigs.  In  no  section  of  the  Show  was  there  so  much 
improvement  as  in  that  of  horses.  The  Society  popularised  the 
classification  of  the  heavier  breeds,  and  increased  the  prize-money 
somewhat,  while,  thanks  to  the  liberality  of  the  Local  Com- 
mittee and  of  the  Yorkshire  Agricultural  Society,  greater  induce- 
ments than  usual  were  offered,  and  not  in  vain.  Seldom,  if 
ever,  has  the  Society  had  such  a splendid  show  of  horses,  both 
heavy  and  light-legged.  The  Cattle  sections  were  more  remark- 
able for  generally  well-sustained  merit  than  for  the  super-excel- 
lence of  any  one  variety.  Sheep,  more  particularly  of  the  Down 
order,  were  fully  up  to  the  average ; and  pigs,  as  was  looked  for 
in  York,  were  creditably  represented. 
