232 Ld, Somerville’s Cattle Shew and Dinner, with Remarkse [April 1, 
For the Montily Magazine. 
LORD SOMERVILLE’S CATTLE SHEW 
and DINNER, with REMARKS. 
T is well known, that the Jate cattle 
fhews had become unpopular, and that 
the common fenfe of the public could beno 
lonzer dazzled with thofe huge living 
mafles of blubber, which produced little 
elfe but tallow, at double the price of 
fine beef. It is fuppofed, that Lord So- 
merville, probably the original propofer 
of the cattle fhews, had reprefented this 
error of giving encouragement to the over- 
fattening of cattle, to the late Duke of 
Bedford; and it is certain his Grace, by 
his candid and repeated declarations, was 
Fully convinced that fome change of 
fyfiem in the bufinefs was necefary. Here 
we have Lord Somerville’s motives for 
inftituting a feparate exhibition, in which 
the annual fums he fo generoufly beftows 
may be expended the moft to the public 
advantage. 
The conditions of Lord Somerville’s 
anrual prizes are as follow :—gol. to the 
beft, and 20]. to the fecond-beft yoke, or 
pair of oxen, which fhall have worked to- 
gether, for the {pace of three years previ- 
ous to their being turned up to grafs, 
aged from five to eight years, weighing 
from one hundred to one hundred and fixty 
fione, (lb. to the ftone); fuch being 
the fize beft adapted to labour and the 
average of markets. To be let up from 
work between April 25th and May rf, 
1862, and fhewn at Langhorn's Repof- 
tory, Barbican, on Monday and Tuefday, 
neareft March rft, following. ‘The order, 
as to flefh, in which thefe oxen are on New 
Year’s-day, and the number of day’s 
work done between that time and April 
25th, muft be fpecified. Due allowance 
to be made for diftance of drift from any 
part of thé kingdom, both in a Jean and 
fat ftate. To be fed with no corn of any 
deicription, or potatces, and the quantity 
of oil-cake given, to be accurately ftated. 
This prize ts defigned to countenance farmers 
in their ufual courfe of profitable bufbandry ; 
rather than thofe who, forgetful of general 
benefit, ave ambitious of keeping on catile 
too loug after they are ripe. . 
_ Another prize of sol. in like propor- 
tion, and at the fame time and place. 
gol. will be given to thofe who produce, 
in fair ftore ftate, the beft five ewe hogs, 
not in lamb, viz. not exceeding thirteen, 
nor lefg than ten months old, when thewn. 
Alfo, for the five beft fat wedders, four 
er fix-toothed fheep, 2ol. of any fhert, or 
clothing wool breed, whether horned or 
natt. This age does not exclude thofe 
flocks which work in the fold, yet their _ 
growth ought to be perfect. “Quality of 
carcafe, aptituce to fatten, quantity and 
quality of wool and meat per acre; to be 
confidered. Sheep not to be taken from 
the flock more than ten days betore the 
commencement of their journey, or forced 
beyond the average keep of the flock. 
No perion gaining a prize is qualified-to 
exhibit ftock for the fame prize the fuc- 
ceeding year. The prize for oxen to be 
divided between the grazier.and the far- 
mer, who poffeffed thofe oxen during the 
laft twelve month’s work. ‘The prize for 
fheep to be given to the breeders only. 
The two pair of oxen are not to be flaugh- 
tered with the axe, but to be laid, or 
pitched, according to the ufage of other 
countries, for which purpofe a fkilful per- 
fon will attend. Claimants for thefe prizes 
are requefted to give notice to Mr. Lang- 
horn, one month previous to the day of 
fhew, and not to fail fending in their ftocky 
at or before feven on. Monday morning., 
After nine o’clock, no entrance will be 
permitted. 
Such are the conditions of the prizes for 
the fucceeding years The late thew at 
Langhorn’s, a moft convenient place for 
the purpofe, confifted of ten yoke, or pairs 
of oxen, and of twelve pens of fheep, the 
exhibition of which continued from Fri- 
day until Tuefday, during which time, 
Lord Somerville gave conftant and unre- 
mitting attention, highly gratifying every 
perfon prefent, even to the meaneft, by 
the affability of his demeanor, and his 
readinefs to give information on every 
point. The cattle, confifting of Here- 
fords, red Devons, Suffex, Glamor- 
gans, and the produce of French cows by 
a Pruffian bull. His Majefty condefcend- 
ed to honour this Exhibition, by fending 
two yoke of oxei, one of which were of 
the: celebrated breed of Glamorganfhire, 
fo valuable for their a€tivity in labour, 
their aptitude to fatten, and the finenefs 
of their beef: the other, a powerful and 
well-bred pair of Herefords, A yoke of 
Herefords, the property of Mr. Weftcar, 
of Oxfordfhire, generally fuppofed the 
beft feeder in England, and, in truth, 
having fome of the beft feeding land 
to fecond his fkill, won the firft prize. 
They were remarkably wide, fubftantial,. 
and fhort legged cattle, and died very fate 
The fecond prize went to a pair of the 
red cattle, of great beauty and fymmetry, 
belonging to H, Hoare, Efq. to which 
they were intitled, for having attained a 
fufficient fate of fatnefs upon grafs only, 
q a 
/ 
/ 
without 
