394 Report on the Exhihition of Live Stock at Cardiff. 
It is commonly said that our Blacks are derived from the same original 
stock as the Sussex, Devon, and Hereford cattle. As with other middle 
horned varieties, the quality of their milk is excellent ; but, unlike some of 
them, the quantity is abundant. They are hardy, but slow in coming to 
maturity ; good doers out of doors during winter as 2-year-olds, and coming 
fast when turned into good pastures the following summer : hence their popu- 
larity with graziers, and the great trade through dealers or middle-men, who 
take them from Wales to Barnet, and other large fairs. 
A curly coat is liked, and the usual points of good loin, hide, well-set tail, 
&c., are thought much of. The horn is not attended to quite so assidirously 
as formerlj' ; in fact the breed does not now receive half the consideration' it 
had twenty years ago; probably, as you suggest, because the Shorthorn and 
Hereford cattle suit the rich farmer better. Crossing is carried on without any 
system whatever. Calves are reserved for bulls, regardless of every sound 
reason, except, perhaps, the probability of their dying through weakness if 
subjected to the usual Eastern operation ; and the best heifers are, as a rule, 
sold fat to the butchers. We are now trying to get up a little enthusiasm in 
the matter, and the Agricultural Societies have subscribed between them 5(5?. 
towards some champion prizes for bulls, to be competed for at CaiTnarthen next 
September. A Herd-Book is also in contemplation, to include not only Castle- 
Martin, but also Anglesea Blacks, a rather heavier variety of the same breed. 
Sheep. 
At the Gloucester meeting in 1853, and it is noticeable how 
useful a landmark this may be made in the history of the Society, 
an experiment, at the instance of the late Lord Ducie, was tried 
with a view to check the over-feeding of show stock. A jury 
of nine of the Judges, drawn by lot, were instructed to examine 
every animal previous to his coming before the Judges of his 
class ; but no cattle or horses were rejected, and only two sheep 
and two pigs disqualified as unfit for breeding purposes. The 
Shorthorn Judges morever, considered that " the regulation as to 
examination by jury had tended to lessen the number of good 
animals shown;" while Mr. Milward, the steward, reported that 
"the lower character of the show was mainly attributable to this 
regulation ; it being well known that many of our first breeders 
refused to exhibit, not choosing to run the risk of their animals 
being disqualified for over-fatness." * 
I confess that I have ever regretted the failure of this great 
English principle of trial by jury, the more especially as a very 
prevalent abuse at this very time is the pampering of sheep for 
show or sale. One hears, from all sides, of rams taken at long 
prices, which have proved utterly or next to useless, of large 
proportions of barren ewes — there are more about this year than 
ever — and of course of mutton getting dearer and dearer. I stood 
by and heard an unsuccessful exhibitor at Cardiff, reproved hy his 
own brother, in this way : " How could you expect to take any 
prizes, when you had not got your rams half fat enough !" and, 
no doubt, there were too many " gross " cases about to point such 
