xxxn 
Monthly Council, February 1, 1893. 
country might be said to be free 
from contagious diseases. That, he 
thought, was an argument in favour 
of such a resolution as he had placed 
upon the agenda paper. It would 
serve as an endorsement of the spirited 
action which had been taken by the 
last Minister of Agriculture, to whom 
he thought immense credit was due, 
and also of the way in which his suc- 
cessor had carried out that policy. 
There was one kind of Protection to 
which he thought the farmers of this 
country were entitled — that was, pro- 
tection from foreign diseases ; and, so 
far as experience went, it was quite 
clear that they could have no immu- 
nity from disease so long as foreign 
animals were allowed to be imported 
and distributed all over the country. 
The insidiousness of these infectious 
diseases of cattle, and their long 
period of incubation, were such that 
they could not possibly be detected 
for many months after they had been 
contracted. He thought the resolu- 
tion, therefore, was one which should 
be passed. It would be an encourage- 
ment for the Minister of Agriculture 
to proceed on the lines on which he 
had hitherto gone, and might be the 
means of keeping this country perma- 
nently free from these foreign dis- 
eases, from which they, as consumers 
and producers, had suffered so much. 
He was not going to occupy their 
time with figures as to the millions or 
hundreds of millions which Mr. Duck- 
ham estimated this country had lost 
from preventable disease, but it was 
undoubtedly a very large amount. 
Several of the best markets of the 
world — such, for instance, as Aus- 
tralia — had been closed against them 
for pedigree stock, in consequence of 
the disease which had been rife in 
this country. The prevalence of these 
diseases had very seriously interfered 
with the trade in pedigree stock with 
foreign countries. He begged to move 
this resolution, and that a copy of it 
be sent to the Board of Agriculture. 
Mr. Martin seconded the resolu- 
tion, which was then put and carried 
unanimously. 
Stock Prizes. 
Mr. Sanday reported his election 
as Chairman of the year. The fol- 
lowing offers of champion prizes at the 
Chester Meeting were recommended 
for acceptance : — 
(1) A prize of 10?. 10s. for the 
best animal exhibited in the Kerry 
classes, from the Kerry and Dexter 
Cattle Society. 
(2) A gold medal, value 51., for 
the best two-shear ram or shearling 
ram in Classes 138 and 139, offered 
by the Shropshire Sheep- Breeders’ 
Association. 
(3) A prize of 10?. for the best 
boar or sow in the Berkshire pig 
classes, from the British Berkshire 
Society. 
A letter had been read from the 
Ayrshire Cattle Herd-Book Society, 
expressing dissatisfaction at the 
smallness of the prizes offered for 
Ayrshire cattle at the Chest er Meeting, 
and stating that under the circum- 
stances they had reluctantly decided 
not to offer their challenge cups. The 
Committee having fully considered 
the question as to the number of 
classes for Ayrshire cattle when 
arranging the prize-sheet, could not 
recommend any alteration in the pub- 
lished list. Lord Coventry had in- 
formed the Committee that it had 
occurred to him that the President 
might not be unwilling to allow some 
of his thoroughbred stallions to be 
exhibited in the Chester showyard, as 
he felt sure that such an exhibition 
would prove a great attraction to 
visitors to the Show. Under the cir- 
sumstances, he (Lord Coventry) had 
written to the Duke of Westminster 
on this subject, and had received a 
letter from his Grace expressing his 
willingness to allow three of his 
thoroughbred stallions — viz., Bend 
Or, Arklow, and Blue Green — to be on 
exhibition during each day of the 
Meeting. The Committee desired to 
express their appreciation of Lord 
Coventry’s action in having brought 
this matter before the^President, and 
recommended that the Duke of West- 
minster’s kind offer be’accepted with 
the best thanks of the.Council. The 
question of rates proposed to be 
charged by the railway companies for 
the carriage of grooms and herdsmen 
travelling with live stock to and from 
the Show had been discussed, but, in 
view of the resolution on the subject 
proposed to be moved by Sir Nigel 
