Report on t/te Exhibition of Live Stock at Leeds. 
231 
pcndontlv obliged the Society with their services. In my own 
particular dejiartment — the Cattle — I can say honestly that I 
believe no set of gentlemen ever acted more ably in discrimi- 
nating between the mere catching points, and those more innate 
essentials of good breeding which sliould tend to reproduce a 
perfect animal. 
In the Shorthorn Classes, which came more immediately under 
my own observation during the adjudication upon them, I had 
pleasure in noticing that the form and character of the animal, 
combined with constitution and quality, were preferred by the 
Judges to mere grossness of flesh or the artificial temptations of 
liigh feeding. 
It still remains for me to describe the Nursery Departhient — 
a secret corner, wherein the " nurses " dwell — and officials can 
testify to the growing taste of the rising generation of cattle for 
" new milk, fresh from the cow." Both early and late were to 
be seen sixteen " suckers " of all ages, from the talf to the 1 year 
and 5 months-old heifer, led, not to the slaughter, but to their 
attendant nurses, who have comfortable apartments, board and 
lodginffs, provided for them free of charge ! 
The question may be asked. What means all this new milk 
system ? What is a calf? How long should he suck ? How 
many buckets of milk, or how many new nurses, should he have ? 
or, in other words. Is there no limit as to the age of a calf and 
the supply of milk to be provided ? At any rate, the 1 year and 
5-months heifer is not a calf, unless her going dov.n upon her 
knees for her " meal of milk " makes her one. 
There were formerly some three or four cows sent to the outer 
yard, of which no notice was taken, as they were chiefly intended 
to supply extra milk to calves exhibited with their dams ; but 
since the " Calf Classes " have been added this new feature has 
become enlarged and changed its character, and it will still 
further increase unless some restriction be enforced. As now 
allowed, it not only creates a gathering of cows of every deno- 
mination and colour (many of them having very question- 
able dark noses) — Scotch, Irish, Welsh, Channel Islands, and 
Provincials, without either pedigree or breed — but it also fosters 
and sanctions the costly system of forcing, which is frequently- 
found to be injurious both to the constitution of the animal and 
to the propagation of the species. 
The Thoroughbred Horse Classes, hitherto more or less a 
failure at our Shows, were undoubtedly one of the great successes 
and attractions of the Meeting. There was a true proof of this 
in the way in which well-bred good-looking horses were bought 
up during the week ; and I certainly think that the precedent of 
offering liberal prizes for the best-bred horses has been attended 
