180 
KENTUCKY FARMING AND CATTLE SHOWS. 
a mile from the town, containing ten acres, 
which were purchased by the society, and have 
been handsomely improved, by the erection of 
tents for the judges, and booths in which differ¬ 
ent kinds of refreshments were provided. In 
addition to these, there was a very neat building 
fitted up as a dressing room for the ladies. I 
have no idea how many spectators were pres¬ 
ent, but by 11 o’clock, they had nearly filled eve¬ 
ry part of the show ground; and about one half 
were ladies, amongst them some of the most 
beautiful and accomplished of Kentucky’s 
daughters. 
The first day was the “ladies’ day,” and was 
devoted to an examination of domestic manu¬ 
factures, of which there was a good assortment. 
There was considerable competition in the 
different classes, and the articles reflected great 
credit on the exhibitors. But as it would take 
up too much space to particularise all the dif¬ 
ferent articles which were shown, and give the 
names of the successful competitors, I will pass 
to the second day, on which the cattle, sheep, 
and hogs were shown. And here I will remark, 
that the arrangements for the convenience of 
the spectators, and display of the stock, were 
most admirable. There is a hollow in the ground 
containing about one fourth of an acre, fenced 
in with a neat circular fence about three feet 
high. Outside this fence, the ground rises some 
ten or twelve feet, around which seats are 
placed, somewhat on the plan of the seats of a 
circus. Into this ring, the different classes of 
stock, which are all well halter broken, are led, 
and as soon as one class is examined and 
passed upon, are let out and another brought 
in. I think this a much better arrangement than 
to have the animals tied in stalls, some distance 
apart; for the judges having each class together, 
and immediately under their eyes, can come to 
a much more accurate decision. 
There were about 130 head of cattle, all 
shorthorns, and a most superb lot. This was 
the fifteenth show, and I was informed by sev¬ 
eral, who had attended them regularly, that the 
exhibition of cattle, was fully equal, if not better, 
than on any previous occasion. Most of the 
animals in each class were choice specimens, 
possessing great merits and excellence, and 
such as were highly creditable to the owners. 
I was at the show in 1849, and I thought the 
present one much superior. The premium on 
aged bulls, was taken by Mr. Abram Renick, 
with Buena Vista. I intend to describe Mr. Ren¬ 
ick’s stock more particularly hereafter, and 
will say nothing about this bull at present. The 
two-year-old premium was taken by Mr. C. 
W. Innes, with John Moore. He is white in 
color, very large of his age, having weighed 
1,703 pounds, a few days before he was two 
years old. He is an animal of imposing pres¬ 
ence, an excellent handler; and, notwithstanding 
his size, fine in his points, with a clean neck 
and head, deep rib, and as fine a thigh as lever 
saw. In another year, when his form comes to 
be more fully developed, he will be hard to 
beat. He was bred by Dr. Kinnaird, of Fayette 
county, who also showed some first-rate ani¬ 
mals. The doctor is a very fashionable breed¬ 
er, and has taken more premiums, and bred 
more premium animals, probably, than any 
other breeder in Kentucky. His cow Olive, with 
which he took the premium on aged cows, in 
competition with 24 others, is a magnificent an¬ 
imal. She is but four years old, has been suck¬ 
ling a calf since March, and weighed the day 
of the show 1,850 pounds. 
I would gladly give you the names of the 
different premium animals, and their owners; 
but, being comparatively a stranger, I could 
not recollect them all. I will, however, give 
you the weights of some of them, and see wheth¬ 
er you can beat them in New York. Mr. C. W. 
Innes got the premium on aged bullocks.. His 
was five years old and weighed 2,740 pounds; 
he showed two others, one weighing 2,790 and 
the other, 2,710 lbs. He has about 40 of the “ same 
sort,” and has promised to send me the weight 
of each, which, when I get them, I will send 
you. Mr. E. G. Bedford’s premium three-year- 
old weighed 2,464 lbs. Mr. Hughe’s two-year-old 
weighed 2,073 lbs. Mr. Hutchcraft’s fat heifer was 
estimated to weigh 1,500 lbs. nett. 
The show of sheep was very good. They 
have but two classes in Kentucky. Sheep for 
mutton and sheep for wool. In the first, some 
excellent Cotswolds were shown, and in the 
latter, some fine Saxony. The show of hogs was 
what might be expected in Kentucky, and I 
understood the premium boar weighed 794 
pounds. I did not stay to see the horses, which 
were exhibited on the third day; I understood, 
however, the show was never better. There 
were about 150 on the ground, among them 
some fine blood horses, roadsters, and cart horses. 
There is not half the number of horses raised 
in Kentucky that there was a few years since, 
the farmers having turned their attention, most¬ 
ly to the raising of mules, which they find much 
more profitable at present prices. Good suck¬ 
ing mules sell very readily at $50 each. To 
give you some idea of the Jacks and mules, 
