The Chester Meeting. 
545 
The subjoined details are furnished respecting the competi- 
tions in the several classes : — 
Class I. — Open to the United Kingdom. 17 competitors. — The washing 
of the butter in this class was excellent on the whole, and the weights of 
the butter obtained by the competitors were very equal, although less than 
they should have been owing to thinness of the cream. The compactness of 
the butter was fairly good, but the quantity of water was excessive on 
the whole. 
Class II. — Open to female members of a farmer’s family not in service or 
working for wages. 34 competitors. — The washing of the butter in the 
churn was only fair, and not so good as in Class I. The compactness of the 
butter was disappointing, evidently showing signs of hurry in manipulation, 
and the water in the butter must again be described as excessive. The weight 
of butter obtained by this class, though greater owing to thickness of cream, 
was less uniform than that by the previous class. 
Class HI. — Open to dairymaids and others residing in the Society’s 
District G. 11 competitors. — The judgment and skill shown in churning 
were very equal, and deserving of special notice, the washing of the butter 
being also fairly good. The compactness was better than in the previous 
class, but the same remarks must be repeated in regard to the excess of 
water in the butter. A weakness in this class was shown in the want of 
knowledge of the temperature of the butter when it first came, though some 
were careful in this respect. The weight of the butter was again uniform, 
and a fair quantity was obtained from the cream. 
Class IV. — Dairymaids and others resident in Cheshire or North Wales, 
who had received instruction in Dairy schools. 20 competitors. — Again the 
judgment and skill in churning were on the whole excellent, and the washing 
of the butter in the churn was good. Compactness fairly good, but the quan- 
tity of water was again excessive. The weight of butter was uniform. The 
careful attention to temperatures in this class was very noticeable, the effect 
showing itself in the firmness of the butter. 
Champion Class. — Limited to prize-winners in previous classes. — This 
competition took place on the rainy Friday of the Meeting, when the 
conditions as regards temperature of the daily were considerably altered ; 
with few exceptions the competitors did not sufficiently consider this point, 
but altogether the work was most creditable both as regards skill in churn- 
ing, washing the butter, and making it up, the appearance of the butter being 
in most cases admirable. There was a great improvement in the compact- 
ness and freedom from moisture, though two failed greatly in this latter 
point. 
Horse-Shoeing Competitions. 
These competitions were limited to shoeing smiths in the 
Society’s District G, comprising Cheshire, Lancashire, and 
North Wales. In Class I., Hunters, there were 14 competitors, 
and in Class II., Agricultural Horses, there were 12 competitors. 
Amongst the regulations it was stated that : — 
Each competitor will be required to make a fore and hind shoe out of 
the new iron provided by the Society, to take off the fore shoe and put the 
new dne on. The hind shoe will be retained by the Steward. 
