592 
Report of the Live-Stock. 
level back, the good touch, and other fine characteristics of the pure South- 
downs, yet lacked the robust development which it is now necessary to acquire 
to get to the front in the Showyard. 
Class 128. Shearling Bams. — There was a large show in this class, 
numbering 42 entries, and comprising some fine specimens of the breed. 
The first prize went to a grand young sheep, level, long, and wide, and of 
fine type. The second was a clever sheep of very nice quality. There were 
many others of considerable merit. No. 1168, which was highly com- 
mended, was a clever little sheep of pure Southdown character, but wiis 
small. The Judges could not but observe that many sheep of considerable 
merit, with good backs, good rumps, and plenty of character, were a bit light 
in their legs of mutton, an important point in a Southdown. 
Class 109. Two-Shear Bams. — This was not a strong class. The first 
prize went to a heavy thick-fleshed sheep, with remarkably good hind- 
quarters. The second-prize sheep had a splendid back, with well-springing 
ribs, grand fore-end, and good male character, but rather light in his leg of 
mutton. 
Class 110. Shearling Ewes. — There was an entry of 15 pens of very good 
«wes. The first-prize pen were extraordinarily heavy and well-formed sheep, 
with great constitution and good quality. The second prize went to a pen of 
strong clever ewes with great character, and looking ;like breeding prize rams 
some day. The third-prize pen was a very nice matching lot, of fine quality. 
No. 1210 (liighly commended) was a pen of ewes with long level backs, 
well-sprung ribs, and -vool of the finest quality ; but, being rather light of 
flesh, did not show so well as some ewes of less merit ; they were, however, 
grand Southdown ewes. There were other pens of ewes of considerable 
merit ; and it was altogether a good class. 
John A. Hempson. 
Thos. Fulcher. 
Hampshires and other Longwools. 
The older Hampshire Classes were a great disappointment. 
So much interest has been awakened by the most wonderful 
lambs sent to London in May and June, and by the pens shown 
at Islington in December, that not a few visitors came to 
Reading expressly to see the Hampshire rams and ewes. There 
were none of the latter which had had lambs this season ; and 
not above two or three good old rams. The ewe- and ram- 
lambs, being excellent, made amends ; but one would have liked 
to have seen the parents from which such lambs were reared. 
Mr. W. Parsons (although one of his pens of ewes was dis- 
qualified by the Judges of Shearing) stood at the head of three 
classes ; and Mr. A. Morrison, whose feats with the breed have 
excited great wonder, was ahead with shearling tups ; whilst 
Mr. H. Lambert (who runs the breed through all East Anglian 
Showyards) quite held his own with the local leaders. There 
can be no question that this breed is good, and also that it is 
distinct. It would be a great gain if one could get the breeders 
of them to trust to onlookers to find their entries out without 
daubing all their lambs with red ochre to mark them out from 
their rivals. 
