528 
The Chester Meeting. 
Hants, and Northampton. Two-shear rams' (Class 134) were 
“ on the whole not a good class,” though the first prize ram 
was of good quality. Of shearling rams (Class 135), the first 
prize animal was by far the best, “ the remainder not being up 
to the standard usually seen at the Royal Show.” Shearling 
ewes (Class 137) “formed the chief feature of the Oxford Down 
section, there being several pens of excellent type and 
character.” 
Shropshires. — Though falling 50 pens short of the wonderful 
display which the Shropshire breeders made in the midst of 
their own country at Warwick last year, the breed of the West 
Midlands was nevertheless represented at Chester by the alto- 
gether creditable entry of 184 pens. These came from 41 
distinct flocks, of which 34 are in England, 3 in Wales, 3 
in Ireland, and 1 in Scotland. The English flocks belong to 
five contiguous counties, namely, Salop 15, Warwick 7, Stafford 
6, Hereford 4, and Worcester 2. The Welsh flocks are located 
1 each in Cardigan, Denbigh and Flint ; and the Irish flocks 
1 each in Meath, Queen’s County, and Westmeath. The 13 
prizes were thus distributed amongst the counties : Warwick 5, 
Salop 4, Hereford 1, Westmeath 1, Stafford 1, and Worcester 1, 
whilst Warwick must also be credited with the Champion prize 
for single ram. Two sets of Judges were engaged, the one set 
dealing with the rams (Classes 138-140), and the other set with 
the ram lambs and ewes (Classes 141-142). 
Two-shear rams (Class 138) formed “an excellent class,” 
wherein was found the Champion ram which won for Mr. A. 
S. Berry the Gold Medal offered by the Shropshire Sheep 
Breeders’ Association for the best ram in the two-shear and 
shearling classes. “ This sheep has excellent character and 
style, good back, heavy flesh, fine wool and skin, and walks 
remarkably well ; he won the Champion prize very easily.” 
Many animals in this class were noticed by the Judges, “ and 
some of them might have been placed higher if they could have 
walked better.” 
Shearling rams (Class 139) were not quite so numerous as 
usual, “ owing, no doubt, to the extra class of pens of five 
shearling rams.” “ There were many very good animals in it, 
but nothing of exceptional merit.” The Judges had little hesi- 
tation in awarding the first prize to a ram which proved to 
be “ very wide, heavily fleshed, with great scale, good back 
and fleece, with nice skin, strong head and neck, and well 
sprung everywhere.” 
Pens of five shearling rams of the same flock (Class 140) 
formed a special class for which prizes were offered by the Local 
