The experiment of extending the show sites for selection was tried for the first time by the Norfolk Association at East Dereham. Hitherto the meetings have alternated between Norwich and Swaffham, and it was only in the face of considerable opposition that Mr. Sewell Read could carry his friends with him out of the beaten track. The result, however, has well warranted the proposition he made and the support he enlisted. With some experience of the two places when under exhibition orders, we never remember to have seen the society so well received as at Dereham. More accessible and with better accommodation than Swaffham, there was a far heartier welcome for the agriculturist than he ever finds from the good citizens of Norwich. Town and country, in a word, responded alike to the call, and while the streets were all bustle and banners and nosegays, 66 the yard " itself was never so full. Estimated by that fine practical test of "money taken at the doors" the success of the show was immense, for seldom have the Stewards known so good a day, and this despite a threatening morning and heavy rain at intervals throughont the proceedings. Indeed, now that the Association has been to Dereham, there were many people quite ready to maintain it should never go anywhere else.

Encouraging so far, the character of the exhibition itself was scarcely equal to the occasion. Notwithstanding that the entries were said to be more numerous than usual, it certainly struck one as being rather a short show, and there were many unoccupied standings in the different classes. After the famous stand they had made at Battersea, we were more than disappointed to see so few of the red polled beasts at Dereham, and the more particularly as Lord Sondes' herd was in the immediate vicinity. Some, however, had not recovered from their journey to London, and others were "down" with the foot and mouth disease, which just at present is very prevalent in Norfolk. Still, Crocus, the highlycommended cow of the Royal Society, and who calved during her stay in town, was able to show again, as was the yearling heifer from Elham-the first at Battersea, the first again here, and the sweetest and neatest one of her kind. Lord Sondes was backed by Mr. Hammond and Mr. Tom Hudson, with a few other handsome and useful red cattle, Mr. Hudson's best bull matching the yearling heifer for completeness of points; although the father of the latter exhibitor, the well-known Mr. Hudson of Castle Acre, irreverently declares them to be nothing but Devons with their horns cut off! If, as we have intimated, the Norfolks were scarce, their high-bred relatives the North Devons, also with classes to themselves, were yet scarcer; and Lord Leicester, Mr. Blomfield, and Mr. Wortley had again the spoil pretty much to themselves. The Holkham bull, though bred by Mr. John Quartley, could get no higher than second to a home-reared one from the herd of Mr. Blomfield, and exhibited by Mr. Wortley. The colour of this bull, always a point in the west country, was against him, and the Molland animal in many ways the more orthodox of the two. In fact, the judges here would seem to have gone more for beef than breed. Still they can keep them fine in Norfolk; for Lord Leicester's three cows were three Graces in style and purity, though all “born and bred"

at Holkham. The other Devon classes brought no competition.

The Shorhorns were numerically in much greater force, there being an entry of no less than fifteen aged bulls, and eleven cows; but they made up a very curious collection; and we could have wished there had been a better illustration of the line the judges took, at least, with the male animals. They very properly passed over by far the grandest bull of the lot, Mr. Crisp's Baron of Bushey, as being far too fat for a place in an entry of breeding animals; but the brace they had to fall back upon for first and second were both very moderate, but with the one grand recommendation of being in fit condition for their work. This, indeed, was rather a feature in the class, for Lord Walsingham's clever youngster, Lord Lovell, was by no means overdone, and Mr. Gamble's Philosopher more evidently in use. Although Mr. H. Aylmer's third was first last year at Swaffham, and second a few weeks back at Bury, we certainly considered his unnoticed bull the better of the two, especially in quality, a point that he gets, no doubt, from "home," at Branches Park, out of which herd he was purchased. The Shorthorn bulls were, we must repeat, altogether an odd lot, and their placing, as it struck us, a bit of a scramble.

Lady Pigot saved the judges any such risk amongst the cows and heifers, for the Pride of Southwick looking healthier and fresher than ever, readily placed herself at the head of her class, and was, no question, the best of all the cattle; while Victoria was the picked heifer, though here things did not proceed so pleasantly. It will be remembered that we protested strongly against this fat beast when she was recently shown at Bury, as" already getting patchy and vulgar, simply from forcing and pampering ;" and at Dereham the stewards called a consultation over her case. To a man, as we are assured, these half-dozen gentlemen considered that she "ought to be disqualified," but they thought the power rather rested with the judges. These in turn did not exactly hold it to be in their province-and then she had recently been passed at other meetings-might be in calfand so on-points, in reality, of very little import. There is no doubt they had the power, as the Staffordshire Society's precedent would assure them, and it would have been all to their credit to have done more than others dared, if they knew they were doing right. As to the heifer being now actually in-calf, we hold that to be anything but conclusive "proof," for surely nobody will go to argue that a grossly over-fed beast will produce as healthy an offspring as one whose natural powers have not been so tampered with? However, as Mr. Ellis spoke out at the dinner on this and other matters, it is only fair that he should have a further hearing. In responding for the Judges of Stock, he said: "With regard to the shorthorns, I and my colleague experienced a degree of disappointment. They were not what I expected you would have shown. It was evident to me that you seemed to have been halting been two opinions-that you have been considering whether it would be best for you to go on with your native breed, or to go on with the shorthorn. You have thus left other counties to take advantage of you

in this respect, for you have not progressed, and appear not to have paid that attention to this class of animals which I feel sure you should do and thought you would. For, gentlemen, I will leave it to you to judge whether there is not something in them worth attending to. There can be no doubt, I think, that there is much in your native breed which is deserving of your notice, and which your forefathers knew was valuable. You have preserved them; but you have not gone on with them. I have never heard in Norfolk of the existence of a herd book of stock. You may say- Well, what is the use of a herd book?-a book which contains a long list of g.'s and gr.'s'? My answer to you is, that there is a good deal in a herd book, if you would only take the trouble to study it, and to find and select good animals from it, and take pains with them, and see how they have been bred. If you would you might try to follow the example set by the farmers of Sussex. They have a breed of stock handed down from their forefathers. That breed has been decreasing, and it is only lately that they have been admitted to the shows. The gentlemen who have been to Battersea will agree with me that there were some excellent animals exhibited there; and when you consider the little attention that has been paid to them; when you consider that the matter at present is only an enterprise, and notice what has been accomplished in twelve months, you will see that they have done that which you may do with the same facility, and with the same success, or I may go further, and say with more. (Cheers). Gentlemen, it is not for me as a Surrey man, and as a stranger among you, to dictate to you, or even to advise; but I can only express my astonishment, that as you have animals of such a class, of so good a stock, it is astonishing to me, I say, that you have not done more, and that the shorthorns which you have exhibited were not better than those which we have seen to-day. The prize animal in your class of shorthorns would, in some shows, only take rank as a second-rate animal. (Great uneasiness, and attempts to put down the speaker). Taking, however, your stock as a whole, it does you great credit, and it does credit to the important Agricultural Society of Norfolk. A good deal has been said as to the desirability of objecting to certain animals on the ground that they are not breeding animals, and have the amount of obesity which disqualifies them for breeding stock, and renders the thing a farce rather than doing them any credit. That is a difficult matter for the Royal Agricultural Society to deal with. There was a time when they made an attempt to limit the feeding. Unfortunately, all descriptions were not true. Certain representations were made, and the plan looked as though it was likely to do considerable injury. But I think if the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society, and not only the Council of that Society, but the committees of the local shows, would give authority to the judges to reject animals which, by reason of their obesity, may be considered as having been rendered unfit for breeding stock, the evil might be remedied. I don't hesitate to tell you that one or two of the beasts in the show-yard today-(Loud uproar: a portion of the company making another effort to put the speaker down)—I was about to allude, with your kindness, and your attention, to one or two animals which we saw in the show-yard today, and which showed that there was an excess of condition. But neither I nor my brother-judge felt that we should be justified in rejecting those animals in consequence of their unfitness in point of morbid fatness. But if we had had that authority given to us as judges, which it has been recommended should be given, we should have rejected them."

It is unfortunate that some clearer understanding was

not arrived at, as to with whom the power of rejection really rested, as we then might have another example to shame the national society of the kingdom into at least making some attempt towards correcting so monstrous an abuse. Little apparently as Mr. Ellis's straightforward style was relished at Dereham, his remarks are sure to tell, and in giving them as due warning to Lady Pigot and other offenders we must further go on to tell how the feeling is growing against the manner in which the Branches Park herd is illustrated in our show yards. The Norfolk Chronicle of Saturday last condemns Victoria as "a sadly over-fed and disguised heifer"— "a great fat heifer that in all probability would disqualify herself by never producing a live calf, an improbable event"-and so on; while The Norwich Mercury declares more tersely that "surely this beast should have gone into the fatted class." After all Mr. Ellis has said for them, one does not care to dwell much over the Norfolk shorthorns; but Mr. Gamble's second prize was a fine-framed old cow, and Mr. Crisp's couple of Marions had more breeding about them than what often passes for purity hereabouts.

If the gentleman who answered for the cattle judges was hard on the Durhams, one of the authorities for horses was equally severe over the Suffolks, by which breed the Norfolk cart horse is now chiefly represented; though the county itself makes no stand in the show ground. Mr. Crisp once more carried everything before him with the stallions; for the short-legged old Marquis was the best horse "not under four years old;" his Conqueror the first and May Duke the second best three-year-old colts; and his Essex colt the best two-year-old, and these were the only four he entered. Conqueror, moreover, enjoyed the especial distinction of carrying off the Dereham Cup, as "the best animal in the horse classes." He has not been out before this season, but was first as a foal at Swaffham, as a yearling at Framlingham, and as a two-year-old at Swaffham. Conqueror has grown into a grand horse, with a particularly fine forehand, but very unpardonable hocks and bad hindleg action. There is a deal to like about the second old horse Raglan, with the same exception to his hocks. Mr. Hodgson's good mare, and Mr. Gleed's mare and filly have already been distinguished in our reports of the Eastern shows, just as we have dwelt on The Marquis and May Duke; but Messrs. Overman and Taylor here varied the colour for second to them with a couple of bays, said to be more of the old Norfolk cart horse character. Mr. Clayden, himself a breeder of them, was well up in the chesnuts, but this is how his colleague, Mr. Taylor, so famed for England's Glory, estimates them: "I must say, with regard to the cart horses, that I came here expecting to see them very much better. The Suffolk horses had, many of them, bad feet and bad legs (loud laughter). I do hope that if there be any Suffolk gentlemen in the room that they will not be offended if I say that the Suffolk horses generally are so, and that the Suffolk horses are not farmers' horses

(cheers and laughter). They ought to belong to gentlemen who have a farm, as Mr. Gardner has said, to turn them into, and could afford to keep them without work (laughter and cheers). If those were specimens of Suffolk horses which were shown to-day, all I can say is that they are a very useless set of animals for farmers to have. There was, for instance, one class which we had to judge of-it was that of foals. We had two animals shown (laughter). I suggested to my colleague that we should withhold the prize, as we thought that neither of them had the least pretence for being called prize animals (loud laughter). We thought that if we awarded a prize, that the owner would go straightway and say, 'Why Mr. Clayden and Mr. So-and-So have awarded our foal a prize at the Dereham Show!' It is

not, however, always a pleasant thing for a judge to withhold a prize; and particularly as my friend suggested that the Dereham Agricultural Association was very rich (loud laughter), and had a little money to spare (renewed laughter). We therefore gave one of the foals a prize (cheers). Something had been said about stock male animals being exhibited overfed. I don't go quite the length which gentlemen have thought proper to do in the remarks they have made (Hear, hear). It is not always the case when you see an animal fat, and another not, that the fat one has had a great deal more food. Much depends upon constitution and breed (Hear, hear). One of the previous speakers said that at the Royal Agricultural Society they tried to do away with fat animals; but they found that they could not keep people honest. I, however, am not quite sure that they would know how. I have had gentlemen calling upon me, and asking, how is it that you get them so fat? There is no difficulty, I answer, in getting them fat: the difficulty lies in keeping them poor. If you get a good-constitutioned cart horse for instance, you cannot keep it poor without you deprive him of food so as to injure him. Another thing, gentlemen, I believe that there are many people who do not know when a horse is fat or when it is lean (loud applause). I have had gentlemen who have come to me and have said, 'Mr. Turner, your horse is enormously fat' (applause). I have said in reply, 'Gentlemen, it is the make of him; and to prove it I would have one of you put your finger on his ribs and you will feel them' (applause). With respect to the breeding or propagating propensities, I know that gentlemen who have entire horses are in the habit of keeping them fat. If they did not do so, farmers would not look at them (Hear, hear). If you sent a horse that was poor and another that was in good condition, I know which would take the prize. I say, then, that it is impossible to tell on all occasions whether an animal has been overfed or not. A word with respect to the cup which we-the judges of horses-have had to give away. I never gave away a cup in my life before; and on this occasion I had little pleasure in awarding it (loud laughter). There was a cup to be given for the best animal in the yard, which included mares, foals, entire horses, and geldings, and horses, in fact, of every description. If gentlemen who officiated as judges were puzzled with short or long-woolled sheep, surely we might with this award amongst horses comprising so many different kinds. I will tell you what we did. The four judges of horses came together, and we decided that the prize should be given to a male animal. We thought that the entire animal would be useful to the public at large, while the female would be useful only to its owner. That appeared to us also to be the intention of the giver (Hear, hear). Well, we selected all our first-class horses. Our (riding horse) friends came to us, and told us that they had nothing very special; and we said that we had nothing very special (laughter). At last we considered the matter over, and gave it to that which we thought the best, and so got shut of the cup (roars of laughter). assure you, gentlemen, that if you want to see good cart horses-better than you have had to-day-you will have to go into Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Huntingdonshire, or some of those counties. I shall, I think, try to induce some of my personal friends to become members of this association; and I for one shall join, so that we may be able to show you a better class of cart-horses than you have shown to-day." Of course there is "nothing like leather," and as Mr. Taylor makes it his business to use Shire stallions, his criticism on the Suffolks must be taken with some considerable qualification. As, however, regards over ·

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feeding, we believe that horses are occasionally as much overdone in this way as bulls; and had Mr. Taylor made this his charge against the exhibitors of the chestnuts, he would have been far nearer the mark than when backing the outrageously absurd notion of a Suffolk being of no use on the farm! A Suffolk is of " "no use" when he is so gorged and pampered that he loses his courage, and becomes unfit for his duty. There are one or two very "modern" instances of the effect of this feeding for show, that we should be by no means surprised to see further argued "hereafter." But even beyond this, a horse who has to "travel" must, with a grossly loaded top, find it sooner or later tell upon his legs and feet; and curbs, side-bones, and ring-bones will be some of the ills that flesh is heir to. Although our friends" said they had nothing very "special," there were half-a-dozen stallions brought out for the thorough-bred premium, to parade on the outside of an absurd little ring, instead of being in with the judges, and the public roped off. These halfdozen included an old white Yorkshire coacher, and one of the highest-bred horses in England, Van Diemen, by West Australian, out of the Flying Dutchman's dam-the gay old Sirikol, and a lathy fresh three-year-old by Joe Lovell; with the French-bred Eclaireur and the stilty Hurdle. Of these the judges divided over the three-year-old, and " Monsieur"-the latter a remarkably clever, compact horse, with a deal of substance, and just the sort for a farmer to fall in love with. Strange to say, however, on Mr. Clayden being called in, he gave it against Eclaireur, mainly we believe on the ground that the young one was cleaner and straighter on his legs; but this solution of the difficulty was not liked. The two best hunting mares were both useful enough, but the lot behind them very common," and Mr. Aylmer's renowned old chestnut mare was again the best hackney, with two clever ones placed next to her. The ponies would not compare with the Swaffham entry, and Mr Baldwyn's black Robin Hood, deservedly in favour as he is as a roadster, forced the query as to where was "Quicksilver," the Norfolk "nag," that made such an impression at Leeds.

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Mr. Clayden was again summoned as umpire by the two sets of sheep-judges. Their long-wool worships, with all due appreciation for Mr. Browne's very admirable ewes, had found nothing like Mr. Aylmer's grand old ram, the first at Swaffham and Norwich, although now badly broken down behind; and Messrs. Moon and Turner, after duly complimenting Lord Sondes for his lambs and ewes, stood on their best of Lord Walsingham's Downs, but not with quite the same precedent to support them. At Battersea, in the old class, the Merton rams were second, third, and commended to Mr. Rigden's sheep; whereas at Dereham the second and third were precisely in their former places, and the Royal commended sheep first! Mr. Woods has all through maintained that this is the right reading of their several merits, and general opinion goes again with him against another bench of Battersea martyrs. Lord Walsingham sold ten of his best ewes in London to go to France, and sold them well, too; but his Lordship was still able to pick out another quorum for his own show, where his flock were naturally in much force. They have more and more breeding about them, whereas Mr. Henry Overman has fairly turned his back on the thorough-breds, and entered at Dereham as extra stock four Oxfordshire down rams from the flocks of Messrs. Gillett, Druce, and Bryan, the third prize Royal sheep being amongst them. Mr. Clayden, however, stood by them, and awarded the cup for the best sheep to the Southdown ram. And then, what with all the Long-wools would say about it, and what his learned brother had to say about the Suffolks,

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horse classes," T. Crisp (Conqueror). Second of 51., T. Crisp (May Duke).

Two years old Cart Stallions.-First prize, 67., and Silver Medal, T. Crisp. Second of 41., E. Cottingham.

Cart Mares and Foals.-First prize, 71., and Silver Medal, E. L. Gleed, Second of 4., G. N. Waite, jun.

Cart Mares. First prize, 7., and Silver Medal, E. G. Hodgson. Second of 5., H. Overman. Third of 31., E. G. Hodgson.

Three years old Cart Fillies.-Prize of 61., and Silver Medal, W. Taylor.

Two years old Cart Fillies.-First prize, 57., and Silver Medal, E. L. Gleed. Second of 31., W. Taylor. Cart Foals.-Prize of 41., and Silver Medal, E. G. Hodgson. RIDING HORSES.

JUDGES.-B. Nicholson, Sturton Grange, Leeds.

R. S. Waters, St. Giles, Cranbourne, Salisbury. Thoroughbred Stallions.-Prize of 71, W. Dunham (Young Joe Lovell, by Joe Lovell, dam by Liverpool). Highly commended: W. T. Brackenbury (Eclaireur, by Mr. Waggs).

Stallions for saddle or harness purposes.-Prize of 7%., and Silver Medal, G. T. Baldwin (Robin Hood). Commended: J. A. Storey.

Hackney Mares or Geldings.-First prize, 107, R. W. Aylmer. Second of 5., Sir W. Jones. Third of 31., R. C. Browne. Highly commended: R. C. Browne.

Mares or Geldings for hunting purposes.-First prize, 57., H. C. Bonner. Second of 31., A. Palmer.

Brood Mares for saddle or harness purposes.-Prize of 37, J. N. Waite, jun. Highly commended: R. Hunt and C. C. Hardy.

Ponies not under 12 nor above 14 hands high.-First prize, 57., R. B. Aylmer. Second of 21., R. J. Kendle. Highly commended: F. E. Beck. Commended: W. Rose.

PIGS.

JUDGES.-E. Clarke, Scopwick, Lincolnshire.

W. Garne, Bibury, Gloucestershire.

Boars of large breed.-Prize of 47., and Silver Medal, T. Crisp (white).

Breeding Sows of large breed.-First prize, 4., and Silver Medal, T. Crisp (white). Second prize of 21, W. B. Wainman (white).

Boars of small breed.-First prize, 41., and Silver Medal, W. B. Wainman (white). Second of 21., T. Crisp (black).

Breeding Sows of a small breed.-First prize, 41., and Silver Medal, W. B. Wainman (white). Second of 21., T. Crisp (black).

Litter of eight Store Pigs.-Prize of 4l., and Silver Medal, 8. G. Stearn.

Litter of Pigs on the Sow.-Prize withheld-No competi tion.

IMPLEMENTS.

JUDGES.-H. B. Caldwell, Lackham House, Chippenham. H. W. Keary, Holkam, Norfolk.

Implements for Steam Cultivation.-Prize of 10., C. Burrell (Fowler's).

Grass Mowers.-Prize of 51., divided between Jesse Kemp and N. Rix, jun. (both Burgess and Key's).

Collections of Implements.-First prize, 8., Holmes and Son. Second of 51., W. T. Gidney. Third of 41, Garrett and Son. Commended: R. Hambling.

Newly-invented or Improved Implements.-Silver Medal, to Dr. Ager, for digger; to J. W. Sharman, for boring machine; and Holmes and Sons, for combined thrashing machines and set of steam cultivating apparatus.

Highly commended: Murton and Turner, for combined corn-dressing machine; J. Sainty, for wrought-iron covered sheep trough. Commended: T. H. Hastings, for plough and standards with double cutting subsoil head attached.

THE DINNER

Was fixed for four o'clock-quite late enough-but it was five before the company sat down; and the afterproceedings, as a consequence, were brought to a finish somewhat abruptly, in compliment to railway time. We have already quoted freely from the more practical speeches, but the uses of the Royal Agricul

tural Society of England were duly honoured, and thus answered for by Sir Willoughby Jones, in an address that must recommend itself to the serious consideration of his brother members, either on the Council or off it:

Sir WILLOUGHBY JONES was an old member of the Royal Agricultural Society, but had never exhibited until the present year, when he had the honour of taking a second prize for a polled cow, which he had bought of his noble friend Lord Sondes. The reason he mentioned that circumstance was because he did not think that sufficient importance was attached in Norfolk to their indigenous breed of polled cattle. The polled stock at Battersea were very much admired, and he believed that if they were to take a leaf out of the book of breeders of other kinds of stock, and try to do justice to the merits of their own native breed, the Norfolk polled cattle would prove second to none in the estimation of the country at large. With the number of good cows of that sort which the county possessed, he felt confident that they might soon make the herd not only popular throughout the country, but profitable to themselves. "Coming events," it was said, "cast their shadows before," and he perceived some significance in the fact that Mr. Hudson, of Castleacre-than whom, perhaps, there was no longer-headed man in the countyshould have sent a polled bull to this show, and it had taken the first prize. Now, he believed that Mr. Hudson would not have exbibited that bull if he did not consider it a description of stock that he might hereafter do something with. He had also seen a beautiful herd of polled cows on one of Mr. Hudson's farms. It was his (Sir Willoughby's) intention to offer a special prize to be appropriated in any way which the committee might consider best adapted to develope the local breed of polled cattle. They all knew the beautiful polled cattle which had year after year been exhibited by Lord Sondes, and he hoped that many others would also exhibit in future years, and that their animals would not only get prizes and commendations, but would fetch good prices from purchasers in the shires and elsewhere. With respect to the show at Battersea, Sir Willoughby expressed his opinion that the obesity of many of the animals exhibited was a disgrace to the common sense of agriculturists. He would venture to say that among the Herefords there was hardly a bull that could get a calf. It was a display of meat-carrying qualities, and not of reproductive qualities. He could understand the difficulty the judges must experience in having to discriminate between such stuffed ani mals where every defective point was filled up with fat. He considered that the only remedy was, that the judges should be empowered to reject anima's which were not fit for breeding, for the very essence of such a society was to promote the breeding of good stock, and therefore he thought that no animal should be allowed to take a prize which was not in a fit state to produce stock (Hear). He knew that that was the opinion of practical agriculturists, such as Lord Leicester, whom he had heard express his strong disapprobation of the practice of feeding animals up for shows, and he knew that the animals tent from Holkham never had a mouthful of oilcake or any food different to what they would have had if they had never been intended for exhibition (Hear). When animals their being converted into a heap of tallow, if the owner liked; were shown for the butcher, there could be no objection to but it was absurd that bulls intended for breeding should be shown as one was at one of the Royal Agricultural Society's meetings, which had had three wet nurses, having consumed the milk of three cows ever since he was born (laughter), and besides that it was said that his mother had had porter (laughter). He (Sir W. Jones) did not object even to that when an animal was going to the shambles, but he did object to it when a man was induced to buy such an animal at a long price for breeding purposes, and then discovered when he brought it into his stock yard that it was perfectly incapable of getting a calf (Hear, hear). He hoped the society would remedy this flagrant abuse. It was bad enough to have the wool of their sheep dressed by a hairdresser, but that was a mere external decoration. When it came, however, to converting animals into a huge heap of tallow, it was entirely nullifying the very object of these competitions, for the ani mal, however good his breed, was completely spoilt for breeding; and he heard a judge remark at the Battersea show, "It is a pity so much good blood should be wasted." (Hear, hear).

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