TESTIMONIAL TO PROFESSOR MORTON. 
539 
years ago, we diu see, “within the cow-shed,” as my friend says, men who 
were uneducated, who were totally unfit to be called upon to minister to 
the wants of animals when suffering from disease. Now, happily, a dif¬ 
ferent state of things exists, and, without doubt, this is to be traced to the 
efforts that have been put forth by the Royal Veterinary College, in con¬ 
junction with other colleges and schools and agricultural societies. 
If I have introduced my friend into the cow-shed, and he feels himself 
professionally at home there, I trust that, if he will go with me a little fur¬ 
ther, and pass from the cow-shed to the fold-yard, and from the fold-yard 
to the pig-stye, he will not think he is thereby doing outrage to his pro¬ 
fessional reputation, by ministering to the wants of the animals he finds 
therein. We must bear in mind that the occupants of these places furnish 
food for the people, and it is our bounden duty to maintain their health 
in the best possible manner. 
Allusion has been made to the improvements that have taken place in 
agricultural machinery, and these have been contrasted with the very 
little improvement which has been made in regard to the horses that are 
brought together at our agricultural shows. A lecture has been read in 
the hearing of my friend and colleague Professor Spooner, with regard 
to the scrutiny these animals have to pass through before they can be 
reported as fit to be brought into competition for the prizes. Why do I 
allude to this ? To show that thereby the country has the best guarantee 
that, if an improvement is needed in agricultural horses, that such is in a 
fair way of being effected. What is the reason that so many horses, which 
are still sent to many of our agricultural shows, are not even considered fit 
for competition ? Simply because there has not been a sufficient amount of 
attention given to their freedom from hereditary diseases, and veterinary 
surgeons have not been appointed to examine them. A check has been given 
to the practice of sending unsound animals to the meetings of the Royal 
Agricultural, and also some other of the principal societies, by the ap¬ 
pointment of veterinary inspectors ; but to be effective for all the good 
that is needed, similar appointments must be made by every local society. 
Breeders and exhibiters of horses will never give that attention to this 
subject which its importance requires while they can win prizes at local 
shows with unsound horses, nor will our national exhibitions be free from 
such animals being sent to their meetings. With regard to the Royal 
Agricultural Society, as I have said, a considerable improvement has taken 
place, and it is well known that, assisted by Mr. Hunt, of Birmingham, I 
have for some years examined the horses at its annual meetings. The 
society, however, has grown so large that more assistance was required for 
the proper performance of the veterinary inspection, and in seeking this, it 
wisely determined to appoint my friend and colleague Professor Spooner 
as the examiner of the horses. In this appointment we have the best 
guarantee that the improvement which has taken place will not only be 
continued, but that it will be yearly increasing in value. 
With reference, also, to the question of greater encouragement being 
given to agricultural machinery than for the horses, I confess that I 
strongly approve of the introduction of steam-power for the cultivation of 
the soil, although, to some extent, it may usurp the place of horses upon 
the farm. In making these observations I, of course, am speaking with 
regard to the advantages which will be derived by the country at large. 
Still I do not believe that if every farm of any size in this country, and it 
is only on large farms that steam is applicable, had either a fixed or a 
locomotive engine, there would be one horse the less employed or bred 
by the farmer. That which experience has proved in regard to railways 
would, I believe, be found to be the case with reference to the introduction 
of the steam-engine upon the farmer’s premises, namely, that there would 
