Report on the Exhibition of Live Stock at Leeds. 227 
send a number of liis best sheep, wliich, as heretofore, were 
generally victorious, although certainly beaten in one instance by 
Colonel Inge, who for several years has bred regularly from the 
Holme Picrrepoint flock. 
' Southdowns. — There was a decided falling off in the number of 
pens exhibited. The Judges inform me that they did not con- 
sider the classes quite up to the average of what they have been, 
and there is no question but that the absence of the famous 
Babraham rams '^^'as materially felt. The old sheep were con- 
sidered to be better than the shearlings. Although Mr. Jonas 
Webb did not exhibit, his strain of blood was represented by 
Mr. Rigdcn, who, it will be seen, at once succeeded to the post 
of honour. The Goodwood flock was also represented by a 
beautiful pen of shearling ewes, and Lord VValsingham, as usual, 
gained prizes and commendations. 
Shy'opshires. — There was a splendid exhibition of this valuable 
breed of sheep, and the Society have done quite right in granting 
separate classes for them. Mr. Randall, one of the Judges, gives 
the following excellent Report : — 
" Perhaps no description of sheep excited more interest in 
the show-yard than these. It is only within the last eight or 
ten years that they have come prominently into notice ; and 
it was not until the Canterbury Show last year that their claims 
to be considered a distinct breed were recognised by the Royal 
Agricultural Society. Yet here we find them in gi'eater num- 
bers than any other breed of sheep shown ; and the Shrop- 
shire flockmasters certainly deserve credit for the way in which 
they have responded to the encouragement which has thus been 
given to them. It is impossible not to be struck with the appear- 
ance of these sheep, as a most useful, rent-paying kind of animal ; 
and if they have not yet attained that uniformity of character 
which we are accustomed to see in some other breeds, it must be 
admitted that they possess all the elements which are required to 
constitute a near approach to perfection ; and all that the Shrop- 
shire breeders have to do is to concentrate these qualities by 
careful and judicious selection. In the class for yearling rams 
upwards of fifty were shown, most of them heavy-fleshed 
animals of considerable merit ; a few indicating the effect of 
crossing with the Southdown more or less remotely, and pos- 
sessing less size and robustness of character, though with more 
compactness of form, and finer but lighter wool. It would, Ave 
think, be well for the breeders of these sheep to bear in mind 
that the qualities which have brought them into notice are — 
their aptitude to produce great weight and quality both of mutton 
