BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND ASSOCIATION. 
543 
form of the 1st prize at Southampton with a view of securing a 
prize. It is also a degradation to any society to allow a bull that is 
intended for stock purposes to leave their yard with the highest 
honour, instead of bearing the censure which such treatment of any 
young animal merits. This is what we must come to, and the 
sooner any great society comes to a determination on the subject, 
and sticks to it, the greater will be the honour which the authorities 
of the society will gain. The 2nd prize is evidently the result of the 
way in which his parents had been produced and got up for show ; 
for he shows signs of degeneration in the family to which he 
belongs. He is excellent for his symmetry, no doubt, but he has 
lost the character for which this breed has hitherto been looked 
upon as so valuable. Mr. Game’s, of Chipping Norton, is a bull 
which for size and character for his age was undoubtedly the most 
valuable bull in his class for legitimate profit. His outline is 
immense, and his fair feeding has not spoiled him. He was only 
Highly Commended. But between this and the 2nd prize animal, 
there was another young bull of great promise, unnoticed altogether 
by (he judges. His colour is a rich strawberry, and he has a beau¬ 
tiful long silken coat. These animals were in the condition in w'hich 
breeding stock ought to be sent; and considering the length and 
form of phis strawberry bull, he ought certainly to have met with 
some favour at the hands of the authorities. He was sent by Mr. 
Walter, M.P., of Barewood Park, Berks; and we hope to see him 
in good company again this year, and go before judges who will take 
into consideration the views we have urged. 
There is no calf class at this show. This may not be altogether 
a mistake perhaps, for calves alter so much in a year or two that 
we do not see the good of showing calves for prizes. Calves may 
be valued by the parentage they come of, but it is next to mere 
guesswork to attempt to say which calf will be the best animal when 
he has come to maturity. This after all is, or ought to be, the 
object of public judging and awarding prizes. And as judges are 
supposed to know nothing of parentage or pedigree, how is it pos¬ 
sible they can do justice to a class of calves? 
The cows and heifers were not numerous. We cannot endorse 
the judging in the class of aged cows. The 2nd prize cow is an 
animal which retains the true character of a Shorthorn dam, wide 
hips and expansive pelvis and rump, and therefore ample width 
between the thighs for carrying a full bag of milk; a cow’s chine, a 
long thin neck, and a long face below the eyes. These are the kind 
of COW'S that we now need to have publicly stamped with the appro¬ 
bation of judges. The 1st prize maybe adapted for breeding broad- 
shouldered and heavv-necked bulls; but if the race of females must 
be sacrificed for this purpose, we had better think no more about 
the breeding and milk-giving characteristics of our herds. But rather 
than this should happen w'e should be better without excessively 
broad-shouldered and heavy-necked bulls. 
The yearling heifers were more numerous, and there were a few 
excellent animals; but here the judges were evidently guided by the 
