Report of the Senior Steward of Lice-Stock at Beading. 557 
undone which could be desired. The preparations for the Show- 
were as complete as man could make them, but its success was 
marred bv influences beyond human control. There appears to 
be a fatality about the Royal Show as regards the weather ; 
during three out of the four years I have had the honour of 
being Steward, rain has been ruinous to the Sliow. Many were 
the suggestions as to holding it at a different date, it being con- 
tended that Julv is generally a wet month. Until the last few 
vears wet weather has been the exception, and one can well 
remember the brilliant sunshine which has favoured so manv 
Roval Shows. Xo better time could be selected for holding 
the Meeting, as it generallv occurs, in the average of seasons, at 
a leisure time, viz. between hay and corn harvest. The Council 
will no doubt pause before making any alteration. 
Showers fell heavilv on Monday afternoon, but there was a 
thorough downpour on Tuesday during nearly the whole of the 
dav, not only injuring the Show, but doing a great amount of 
damage to the crops throughout the country, inflicting another 
loss upon a body of men who are little able to bear it. 
On Wednesday His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales 
visited the Show, and brought with him truly '■ Royal weather," 
the day being all that could be desired. The numbers exceeded 
bv nearly three times those of the preceding days, the Show-yard 
presenting a most charming appearance. Showers again fell on 
Thursdav and Friday, but not to the extent to cause anv great 
inconvenience. The weather, of course, greatly affected the 
attendance, the numbers being fewer than at any meeting since 
Taunton. The result will be attended by another drain upon 
the "Royal" exchequer, increased by the heavy expenses in 
trving the novel experiment of making hay in wet weather. 
For this attempt, the weather, damaging as it was in other 
respects, was all that could be desired, the practical farmers 
finding, upon a visit to the trial-fields, that the results promised 
in glowing advertisements could not be realised, the operations 
all being at a stand-still. 
The weak feature of the Show was that of the exhibition of 
Horses. With the exception of a few well-known entire animals, 
it did not reach the standard of many local shows. To remedy 
this state of things is a matter for the serious consideration of 
the Council. 
The show of Cattle was one of the best ever seen in a Royal 
Show-yard ; the most remarkable for excellence being the Short- 
horns, Herefords, and Channel Islands breeds. 
The parade in the large ring of all the prize animals for the 
inspection of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales was a 
grand sight, and one of which this country has great reason to 
II 
