Court Lass by David, (1204), gr. ¿. а. Lady Court by Mameluke (1307). that the members, in general meeting assembled, | We do not agree with them. Agricultural have decided to adopt the advice of their Com- reformers should put before the country and before mttee, and include "the reform of the laws relating Parliament all the most important of their aims. to the ownership and transfer of land" in their Still there is no denying the fact that if a superprogramme. They have now a sufficiently com- fluity of riches is sometimes embarrassing, a plete list of the most important agricultural reforms redundancy of wants to be dealt with at one time required. There are other aims quite deserving of is still more perplexing. We believe that the attention, such as the repeal of the Malt Tax and Alliance has chosen the happy medium, and with its the re-adjustment of the tithe system. But agri- present list of objects we confidently commend it cultural grievances-and real ones too-are to the support of tenant-farmers, and of all who numerous that it is impossible to take them all up desire the enfranchisement of the land and its culat once without formulating a programme as long tivators from the trammels of unjust laws and as a man's arm. There are those who say that the oppressive conditions. programme of the Alliance is already too long. SMITHFIELD CATTLE. 80 Compared with the past, there can be no question as to the more useful character assumed by the two great Fat Stock Shows of the year, at Bingley Hall, Birmingham, and at the Agricultural Hall, London. The judges at Birmingham, by awarding the chief honours to a young bullock, set an example which we trust will be followed in years to come, whenever it is fair and reasonable so to do, and we should like to have seen the Championship at Islington awarded to the same animal on the same principle. The relative merits in respect of weight for age, and average gain per day since birth, of the animals which obtained the chief awards at Islington will be shown by the following table : ... Average gain in lb. per day. 190 Sir W. G. Cumming's Cup Scotch Steer 979 1974 2-02 Mean 1485 1960 1 32 1.67 From which it appears that Mr. Adamson's Shorthorn steer which won the Elkington Challenge Cup at Birmingham, has made the best record against time, and, as his quality is undeniable, we think he was fairly entitled to the Breed Cup as the best Shorthorn instead of Mr. R. Stratton's Wild Flower, which is a long way behind him in figures, not so good in quality, not so evenly fed, and of no better Shorthorn character; and we also CLUB SHOW. think he was entitled to the Champion Plate as the best beast in the Show instead of Mr. Ratcliffe's Priory Princess, on the same counts-excepting that the heifer was as evenly fed. If quality of meat in connection with early maturity is the end and object of Fat Stock Shows then surely the young Shorthorn steer deserved the championship at Islington as at Bingley Hall. And had the award been so given, its effect on future exhibitions of the kind would doubtless have been very marked. Young steers are better worth encouraging in Fat Stock Shows than non-breeding heifers, but so long as the judges are chosen from amongst breeders' ranks so long will they be likely to favour heifers. A bull breeder looks upon a bullock as a fluke, whilst butchers and salesmen would regard the bullock as the desideratum, and the nonbreeding heifer as the fluke; although fat maiden heifers are always welcome to butchers. We are now accustomed to see the same men judging Fat Stock Shows who judge Breeding Stock Shows; and, what is far worse, we are beginning to see the same animals exhibited in both places. If bona fide breeding stock is exhibited in such high condition as to enable the same animals-still supposed to be breeding stock-to take high honours as fat beasts, there must be something radically wrong in the principle on which prizes are awarded at both classes of shows. And the only way in which a stop can be put to this pernicious system will be for the judges at Fat Stock Shows to award prizes for quality and early maturity only-in other words for consuming value at the earliest age. This would stop the exhibition of overfed and over-aged animals; and if the class for heifers were done away with entirely, it would put a stop to the exhibition as fat beasts of breeding stock in high condition. An old cow which has done her work, and comes into a Fat Stock Show carrying a good carcase of beef, is a credit to her breeder; but a non-breeding heifer may be considered a discredit rather than otherwise to a breeder's stock. The landowners and gentlemen farmers who waste time, money, and good food in preparing uselessly fat animals for the Showyard, are not teaching a useful lesson to struggling farmers; and by awarding prizes to such animals our Showyard judges are encouraging and bolstering up a system which must be acknowledged to be superficial and useless-therefore an outrage to common sense. Whilst indulging in general remarks of this kind we must not be understood to find any fault with Mr. Ratcliffe's Champion Shorthorn heifer. We think-as already stated that the steer was the more deserving, but the heifer has great merit, and an examination into her antecedents will go to show that she made a better record ast year than the steer has done this year. When exhibited at Islington in 1878 her age was 858 days, and her weight 1,9081b., showing a gain of 2.221b. per day since birth. Thus, compared with the steer, she was 25 days younger and 1981b. heavier, and her rate of increase 0.28 greater. These are hard facts, and their significance we appreciate highly. Standing side by side with her at Islington last year was Mr. R. Stratton's Icicle, and the comparative merits of the two animals-in figures | hind quarters, but his chine, back, loin, and libs are well covered with very excellent beef, and he is very thick through the heart. This bullock, though not so perfect an animal as Mr. Adamson's steer, shows a record which is only fractionally inferior, namely an increase of 1.931b. against 1.94lb. on his age; and last year his figures were better than Mr. Adamson's steer's figures are nownamely, age in days 910, weight in lb. 1,953, and daily increase 2.15 lb.; or, in other words, he was 27 days older, 243 lb. heavier, and his daily gain since birth 021 greater. So that with the exception of symmetry, Shorthorn character, and quality, he was better in some other respects last year than Mr. Adamson's steer is this year. Mr. John Wortley's Hereford steer, which was first at Bingley Hall, and only highly commended at Islington, shows better figures than the first prize beast in the same class at Islington (No. 48, see table given above), namely, age in days 1,270, weight in lb. 2,142, and daily increase 1.68 lb. The white Shorthorn ox from Gain per day, the United States of America shows age in days 1,550, weight in lb., 2,356, and daily increase 1.52 lb. Last on the list, in point of weight for age and daily increase— 1.50 lb. Therefore, as Priory Princess will be considered as good a Shorthorn as Icicle, as good in quality, and as evenly fed, it would appear that she ought to have taken the Championship that year instead of Icicle, as many thought and said at the time. And now that Icicle has been mentioned, and as she was exhibited again this year at Bingley Hall, it will not be out of place to put her record on paper, as below: amongst prize-winning animals-comes the Hereford cow Leonora, q. v., but if she is still to be considered a breeding animal her two calves must be taken into consideration, and she had no business at a Fat Stock Show at all. It is only fair to say, however, that we have not given figures relating to any other cow, as none other took a Breed Cup. It would appear to be an advantage if the Committees of Fat Stock Shows could see their way clear to give the Gain per day. ages in days, the weight in lb., and the daily average increase in lb. since birth, on their catalogues, after the practice obtaining in the United States of America. And what she has done during the past two years will be In compiling the table given above, a month has been Date. 1877 1878......... 1879 Dava. 1,018 1,409 Lb. 1,827 2,108 2,137 -clearly shown by the following fignres: 1878 1879 Total gain in lb. Gain per day in lb. As she merely obtained a £5 prize in the extra stock It is worthy of note, whilst dealing with weights and ages, that the highest ratio of increase per day, as shown in the table given above, is made by Sir W. Gordon Cumming's Polled Scot steer, and the next highest by the Hon. W. Stewart's Shortkorn ex, which, though first in his class at Islington, was not noticed by the judges at Bingley Hall. He was the heaviest beast exhibited at either show, and full of firm flesh, though not very handsome. He was certainly one of the best butchers' beasts in either show, and, taking his age into consideration, it will be seen that he has maintained a higher rate of increase for a longer time than any other beast which obtained a prize. Another bullock deserving especial notice is Mr. Darby's Shorthorn steer which was first in his class both in Birmingham and at London. His failings are a bare shoulder and comparatively light reckoned as thirty days, and the daily inerease has been calculated to the nearest decimal. Shorthorns, as a whole, made a show which was highly creditable to the breed; there were few plain animals, and no "wonders," but the ranks were made up of well-bred and well-fed beasts of good consuming value. And this was as it should be. Mention has already been made of the most meritorious animals in the class for steers not exceeding 24 years old, and also of Mr. Darby's first prize steer in the class for steers not exceeding 31 years old. It may be worthy of mention that the bareness on the shoulder of which we have spoken, we find by reference to our notes on the Birmingham Show of 1878 characterised him last year; we have already attempted to do justice to his merits. Mr. J. J. Colman's second prize steer in this class was noticeable for his quality and good Shortborn character, but he, too, was plain on his shoulders, rather flat-sided, and bare on his back. In our report of the Birmingham Show two weeks since, Mr. Colman's name was spelt " Coleman," and as our attention has been called to that fact we take this opportunity of acknowledging the error and rectifying it. Mr. J. Cridlan's third prize beast was a very massive animal, and one of the heaviest in the show. Colonel Loyd Lindsay's white bullock, which obtained a high commendation, was rather narrow in his rounds and twist, and too high on his legs. Nevertheless, his quality was good. He took third in the younger class last year, and has been first in more than one Provincial show; the Cup, as best beast in the show, was awarded him at Abingdon. The entries numbered 16, forming a strong and good class. Oxen above 3 and not exceeding 4 years old, were 8 in number. The Hoa. Walter Stuart's first prize bullock has already been mentioned and Col. Sowerby's second prize animal showed rather too much daylight underneath him to be considered a very good oue. A straight, level, and rather showy bullock bred and exhibited by Mr. B. Hoddinott, which was second in the corresponding class at Birmingham, was passed over altogether by the Islington judges. He was a good and useful bullock, not too well covered on his shoulders, but still one would think him worthy a ticket of some sort at Islington, if he could earn a blue rosette at Birmingham. The United States bullock, of which mention has been made above, was of good quality and by no means a disgrace to the class in which he stood. If 100,000 such as he is ever to come annually across the Atlantic, they will make a very distinct mark upon our markets. Shorthorn heifers, not exceeding four years old numbered 13, four of the entries being absentees. Mr. R. Stratton's Wild Flower, and the honours she secured, has already been made the subject of comment. The Prince of Wales obtained second prize for a small and plain heifer bredby Mr. H. Overman; her age in days was 1335, her weight in lb. 1663, and her increase per day in lb. 1.03 lb. Being of no particular excellence, this record in figures makes her a bad second. Colonel Loyd Lindsay's Durna, a heifer well-known to breeding stock showyards, was placed third, probably from a lightness of flank which was very noticeable. She carried much more substance than the one placed above her. The Earl of Dunmore's two heifers, -Red Rose of Missouri, and 4th Marchioness of Oxford -did no credit to the Shorthorn breed. A good heifer, shown by Mr. W. Hammond Betts, very justly received a commendation from the judges, and nothing else in the class calls for special mention. The cows were a poor lot, and even the prize-winners were very commonplace. Had the Earl of Dunmore's two cows-Red Rose of Strathtay and Red Rose of Alabama-been in their places the standard of the class would have been still further lowered. One exhibition-at Birmingham-was wisely considered to be enough; at all events, they did not put in an appearance at Islington. The Hereford breed was not particularly well represented, though the numbers made up rather a strong show. There were some useful steers in the class for steers not exceeding 2 years old. Mr. F. Platt's first prize animal was a fairly good one to the eye and the hand,as well as in figures. His age in days was 868, his weight in lb. 1680, and his ratio of daily increase 1.93. This record, which was accidentally left, out of the table given above, is but little inferior to that of Mr. Adamson's Shorthorn steer, but he was not 80 good Mr. an animal, nor so ripe at his age. The second prize also went to Mr. Platt for a steer which was 5 days older and 34lb. lighter; both these steers were by the bull Horace (3877). Nearly all the animals in the class, numbering 10 in their places, were good ones, and the class was the best in the Hereford division. There were some good bullocks standing in the next class, for steers not exceeding 3 years old, of which there were 15. Mr. R. Wortley's first prize animal, bred by Mr. Philip Turner, has already been noticed, and Mr. R. Wortley, also showed another bullock from the same herd. John Wortley's bullock, noticed above, was also bred by, Mr. Philip Turner. The second prize fell to a long, level, and useful beast bred by Mr. T. J. Carwardine, and exhibited by Mr. P. Phipps, M.P、, and the third to one bred by Mr. Thomas Rogers, Dilwyn, and exhibited by Mr. George Bright, of Broome. The herds of Mr. T.. Duckham, Mr. R. Shirley, Mr. James Marston, Mr. R. L. Burton, and Mr. Francis Evans, were also represented by various exhibitors. Two out of the 4 oxen in the older class have already been alluded to in this report and. that of the Birmingham Show. The heifers were 5 in. number, headed by Mr. Wm. Taylor's Lancashire Lass, referred to in the Birmingham report. Mr. Lewis Loydobtained second prize for a very neat small-boned heifer of nice quality, and the third prize fell to Mr. Philip Turner for a pretty heifer of equally good quality but not very level. Amongst the 5 cows was Mrs. Sarah Edwards' Leonora, which will not need further. comment, except to remark that in the preliminary report of this show last month the printers made the word shaped," which was used in describing her, into sloped" - -as will doubtless have been understood. The other cows were fairly good and creditable animals. Altogether, the Herefords, were scarcely as well finished.. as we have seen them at Islington, although there was.. not much room for complaint. 66 The same want of finish was more noticeable in the Sussex division of the Show. The young steers were a very useful lot, but we have certainly seen them better at Islington, and the same may be said of the steers not. exceeding 3 years old. The Breed Cup was taken by Mr. John Kirkpatrick, for an ox which had excellent back and loin, and a good flank, but was small in his. rounds and twist. The figures relating to the age and weight of this animal are given in the table above.. Sussex heifers and cows are nearly always better than the bullocks, and it was so this time. Messrs, J. and A. Heasman obtained first prize in the heifer class, for ex cellent quality, and Mr. J. M. Montefiore was first with a good cow in a good class. We certainly have seen the Sussex beasts in better form than they were this year at Islington. Devons were about of their usual quality, which is always good, and in their usual strength. There appears to be very little change in the Devon rauks from year to year, and it may be long e'er we see the like of Mr. Kiduer's ox again. Colonel Buller's steer, which was placed first in the class for steers not exceeding 3 years old, was a first-rate bullock, and so was Mr. J. Walters' ox, bred by Mr. Kidner, which took the Breed Cup. The heifers and cows formed small but good classes. Norfolk and Suffolk polled Cattle were 10 in number, and some of them would compare favourably with other breeds. West Highlanders were in larger numbers than usual, but the quality-for Highlanders-was not very remarkable. Polled Scots were eight in number, and the Cup steer, bred by Mr. C. Grant, and exhibited by Sir W. Gordon Cumming, though not a first-rate Scot, makes an ezcellent account of himself in respect of daily increase in weight, as will be seen in the above table, and to which attention has already been called. On the second day of the Show, a ticket bearing the words "disqualified on account of incorrect certificate" was place d over Mr. J. Merson's heifer, which took the President's prize at Birmingham. There were a few Welsh runts, but nothing which demands notice here. The Cross-bred and Mixedbred cattle were a lot of capital butcher's beasts, as they always are, but they were not the best lot ever got together at Islington. Mr. Reid's steer and Lord Lovat's cup ox are referred to above, as is also the first prize heifer exhibited by Mr. John Mayhew. This is remarkable as being a thorough mongrel-cross-bred sire and cross-bred dam--but she is a very thickly fleshed animal, a rare butcher's beast, and of great substance. She was first in the corresponding class at Bingley Hall, and first at Norwich. Many good bullocks stood in this division, and, as usual, the first cross between a Shorthorn bull and a Polled Scot cow appeared to produce the best result. The Extra Stock Class this year produced the Champion-Priory Princess. In closing this notice of the cattle classes at Islington we cannot do better than quote the following remarks from the Cultivator and Country Gentleman (Albany N.Y.) of November 27, on the Fat Stock Show recently held at Chicago, U.S.A.: "While the lessons of the show were many, important, and interesting, the great fact made prominent was that the best beef for the consumer, and the cheapest and most profitable for the feeder, is made from the pure blood and grade Shorthorn or Hereford, which, full-fed from birth, is ready for the butcher at less that two years, and better at 18 months. Such steers, when rightly selected and carefully handled, will sell for a cent or two more per pound than the fatter beasts of twice their age and nearly twice their weight. These young steers suit the consumer and yield a profit to the feeder. The heavy cattle have gone or are rapidly going out of fashion; these great mountains of fat, weighing something near a ton, will rarely be seen hereafter, as the choice steer of the future will be the one who gets his best development at less than eighteen months and which weighs not less than 1,200 or more than 1,500 pounds." Less than 18 months is too short a time for a bullock to mature, but good useful bullocks can be made out at two, years to two aud a-half years old. To give prizes for bullocks over three years old does not encourage early development. SHEEP. The sheep classes were not quite so well filled as they were last year, and the numbers fell considerably short of those of 1877. But the quality throughout was good, and although we have seen as good, or better, at Isling ton, we do not attempt to find fault with this division of the Show. Southdown wethers formed a class of nine entries all in their places, and most of them were sheep of first-rate quality. Lord Walsingham gives place this year to Mr. H. Humphrey, of Pulborough, Sussex, whose pen of sheep takes the first prize in the class; also the Breed Cup of £20 as the best Southdowns, and the Champion Plate of £50 as the best pen of sheep in the Show. Their live weight was 6861b., the pen of three, at 20 months old. The sheep were exceedingly firm handlers, and one was decidedly better than the other two. For wool and mutton they would be hard to beat, but they were not quite so finely bred as Lord Walsingham's second and third prize pens. The former were long, good backed sheep of the best possible South down character. The Duke of Richmond, the Prince of Wales, Mr. Hugh Penfold, and Mr. J. J. Colman were also exhibitors. The Southdown ewes were an excellent lot of sheep, and the first prize fell to the Earl of Suffolk for a pen which were not of he character and quality of Lord Walsingham's second prize lot; they did not handle so well, were not so level, and not of as good Southdown character, bat they were heavier. Messrs. J. and A. Heasman's first prize pen of lambs were very creditable, and so was the pen from the same breeders which took the second prize. With Hampshire Downs Mr. Alfred Morrison was again to the front with wethers, and his first prize pen of lambs weighed 674lb., a great weight They handled as firm as at 9 months and 1 week. wethers, and in our opinion deserved the Champion Plate as the best pen of sheep in the Show. Shropshire Downs were in small numbers, and not particularly well represented. Lord Chesham and Mr. T. Nock were the most successful exhibitors. Oxfordshire Downs were as good as we have ever seen them, the Breed Cup falling to Mr. W. Cooper for sheep bred from the stock of Mr. J. Treadwell. The quality of the Leicester sheep was about as usual, and some excellent pens of Cotswolds were shown. Mr. R. Jacob's first prize pen of ewes was the second heaviest pen of sheep in the Show, their live weight being 724lb Lincolns were in capital form, and Mr. T. Close's first prize pen of ewes was the heaviest pen in the Show, namely 1,1091b. Mr. Peter Dunn's first prize [en of wethers was third heaviest in the Show, namely 1,0081b. Kent or Romney Marsh sheep were well represented, and several pens were highly creditable to breeders and exhibitors. There were some good pens of Cheviots, Mountain Breeds, Devons, and Horned Dorsets; and, as we have already stated, the quality throughout was excellent. PIGS. This division of the Show was rather smaller than usual, but there was no falling off in the quality of the animals exhibited. The white breeds were represented by some of the best breeders, and the Breed Cup was awarded to the Earl of Radnor for pigs of excellent The Cup for the best pen of pigs of quality. black any breed was won by Mr. Wm. Wheeler, of Long Compton; and the Cup for the Berkshire breed was taken by Lord Chesham. As a whole, the pigs appeared to be less over-fed, and more useful than we have seen them on former occasions at Islington. manures. ROOTS, SEEDS, &c. We must say we were agreeably surprised to see the display of roots and vegetables as good as it was after such an untoward season as that which we have passed through, and that it was as good as it was says much for good stocks of seed and the judicious application of good In more favourable years the general average of size and quality has been higher, especially in the mangels; but there is far less difference this year than was to be anticipated. Taking the seed stands in the order of their respective numbers in the catalogue, we come first to that of Webb and Sons, of Wordsley, Stourbridge. Having recently recorded the successes of Messrs. Webb at the Birmingham Show, we were, of course, prepared to see a good display of roots on their stand at Islington. We find the Mammoth Long Red mangels of good size, and really remarkable quality for such a season. The Kinver Globes, Yellow-fleshed, and Iutermediates were also very creditable. We were most pleased, however, with the Imperial swedes, which would have been very good for any year. There were also some very fine white green-top and purple-top turnips. Webb's Green Kohl Rabi has, we understand, taken first and second prizes for three years in succession at the Birmingham Show, and the specimens at the Agricultural Hall were very good. This firm also had a fine display of potatoes-the Magnum Bonum, Surprise, Schoolmaster, Ashleaf, and other varieties, selected from 500 sorts grown by Messrs. Webb on their seed farms. Their Challenge White, Selected Squarehead, and Golden Drop wheat, Kinver barley, Prolific Biack and Challenge White oats were also exhibited, with a collection of grasses for lawns and pastures. Raynbird, Caldecott, and Co. were exhibited in great variety. Some of the grasses IMPLEMENTS. Robey and Co. exhibited their portable and vertical engines, and Wallace and Stevens a thrashing machine. Garratt and Sons, Leiston Works, Suffolk, showed portable engines, drills, horse-hoes, and a model of Lakeman's circular saw guard, a valuable invention recently described in our columns. Hornsby and Sons, Grartham, had their usual large display of reapers and mowers, ploughs of all kinds, turnip engines, besides their hedgecutting machine, portable engine and thrashing machine. They also showed their new artificial manure distributor, materially improved since the Kilburn Show. The |