EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
473 
splendid collection of animals. Ireland and Wales contri¬ 
buted a small proportion only, while the Channel Islands 
were fairly represented as to number, as were France, 
Holland, Switzerland, and several of the German states. 
Apart from the rest of the show, the animals alone occupied 
nearly two miles of shedding. To criticise the merits of 
individual animals, even in one division, would therefore 
be no easy task, could we find space for such a purpose, 
in this our double number. Speaking in general terms, the 
horses were the weakest part of the show in point of merit, 
notwithstanding that there were many splendid animals 
among them, particularly in the cart-horse classes. We 
could have wished to have seen a far better selection of 
hunters; as those sent could hardly have impressed the 
foreigner with a belief in the dashing feats that are per¬ 
formed in the hunting-field, of which he hears so much. 
Our ideas also had wandered over a strong gathering of 
superior thorough-breds, and we confess to a disappointment 
in not seeing a more spirited competition both for the £100 
prize, and also for the one for the best stallion for getting 
hunters. 
The cattle were superb. Of the 646 entries, no less 
than 241 consisted of short-horns. All the bull classes of 
this breed received the commendation of the judges, and 
perhaps rightly enough. The gold medal in the male class 
was won by a ten months, two weeks, and four days old 
calf, “First Fruit” the property of Mr. Jonas Webb, of 
Babraham. The circumstance of a calf beating the first 
prize yearling, two years old, and aged bull in a competi¬ 
tion, is, we believe, without precedent, and it was conse¬ 
quently very satisfactory to find that the voice of the 
general public went with the judges. 
In the female classes of short-horns, the Booth blood was 
pre-eminent, bearing away almost all the prizes. The gold 
medal was won by Mr. Booth’s cow “ Queen of the Ocean,” 
aged three years, seven months, and twenty-five days. 
The numerical strength of both the Herefords and the 
Devons was greater than it has been for some years; while 
the specimens exhibited were never surpassed in quality. 
