with the English breeds, told against them, but they had about them that which many an English breeder has long since ceased to cultivate-milking properties. In our rambles curiosity led us to make inquiry upon these points. A French herdsman in broken English set forth the milking properties of his cattle, and vouched for the purity of his breed, exclaiming at the same time, "But we be nothing: you do things so great in England." The varied costume of these foreign herdsmen mingling with that of the passers by, together with the oftrepeated "ranz des vaches," the song of the Swiss mountaineers, eliciting many a comment and transfer of English coin, gave to this department a very pleasant and international character. The same may be said of the Scotch classes. The Highland shepherds with their plaid and kilt, the Duke of Athol's dairymaid in Scotch costume, also contributing to the picturesque character of the meeting. The horses on view" were the great features of the show. An Englishman loves a horse. Thousands hurried at the hours of eleven and three to see them out. The box system was first-rate; the ring admirable (for numbers) with the exception of its being of too large an extent for the eye to compass. Possibly a new arrangement may be made another year. In place of one ring and one set of boxes being centred in one place, groups of boxes and rings may be resorted to thus: Group 1. Thoroughbreds, Hunters, and Carriage Horses. 2. Roadsters, Hacks, and Ponies. 3. Agricultural, Dray, and Suffolk Horses. This vast display has been a seven-days' wonder on the field, and will be turned to for data in many a year to come. But of the past and the future what shall we First, that the country is much indebted to the say? talent of our early breeders, who, in the days of slow enterprise and small encouragement, propagated from animals that appear to possess peculiar qualities worthy of cultivation. These have been handed down to the present breeders. Most of the best herds and flocks were represented in the yard, and new varieties upon these have been added by a rising class of spirited agriculturists, taking for their guide and motto the success that attended the establishment of the Bakewell Leicesters, the Ellman Southdowns, the Collins Shorthorns, the Quartley Devons. Such enterprise demands consideration. Let it be remembered that in the days of Bakewell, Ellman, Collins, and Quartley, but little, if any, artificial food was given to animals; hence the old familiar talk, "These will pay the most per acre for the food consumed." Tell it not in these days of artificials! The English system of production is changed. The rising class remark: "Give me the animal machine that will convert a given amount of food into the most money, whereby my general farm may become improved." Show-animals are pampered specimens of the family herd or flock, but not to be depended upon like samples of seed or corn. The effect of artificials may be seen in root crops, when size, not quality, is produced. The same applies to the flavour of meat. Natural products represent quality; artificials, quantity. We shall return to these points when reviewing the several breeds. We now place on record the comparative girths and ages of the distinguished animals. The tape has been ridiculed by many an active mind: it does no harm, while it assists the inquirer over a difficulty, and gives data for home comparisons with the past and present winners. Measurements of this kind have two resultsone points to form, the other to fat. These are conflicting evidences, but the eye of the observer places its own authority upon the points at issue-fat and form. These returns are naturally voluminous, but they may be consulted with safety. 4,3,2 yrs. 3 9 The competition was both varied and numerous, and in every class animals were to be found representing the true type of their respective breeds. This was essential to the fulfilment of the objects of the exhibition. The English, Scotch, and Foreign breeders have displayed their samples, and await the extension of their market. The animals from the many counties added materially to the interest of the show. The Society appears to have gained the public estimation, and will return to its migratory system with increased vigour. But while the public reflect upon the results at Battersea, they must not be indifferent to the thought that such a display could only be realized by unity of purpose. South Wales Scotch polled ..... .... Before we enter upon our duties as to the merits of the several breeds, it may be well to enumerate their strength at Battersea, with a comparative statement of entries in the two preceding years; as also to show what progress the Shorthorns, Herefords, and Devons have each made in location in the different counties, the other breeds being chiefly confined to the district or county of the name they bear. NO. OF ENTRIES AT BATTERSEA. 80 105 :267 Meeting. Bulls exceed ing 3 years, and under Bulls exceed- and under 4 years. Bulls exceed ing 2 years, and under 3 years. ing 1 year, and under Bull Calves. 38 888 18 26 10 5 Total. COUNTIES. Northumberland Cumberland Lancashire Yorkshire..... Lincolnshire Derbyshire Salop....... Herefordshire Warwickshire Northamptonshire .... 3 1 3 1 7 19 11 28 2 Hertfordshire Bedfordshire.... Buckinghamshire.. Oxfordshire Berkshire. Gloucestershire.. Wiltshire Hampshire 13159 11152 .... 4 13 13 ..... Kent...... Surrey Devonshire ... Somersetshire Cornwall ܗܘ܂ :: :: 15 30 12 65 Total...... 103 241 40 96 18 65 The above tabular statement of "the distribution" of what are aptly designated the old-established breeds, points most forcibly to the rapid strides made by the Shorthorns, representing 241 entries, against 96 Herefords and 65 Devons; the amount of prizes being the same, the West Midlands claiming the Herefords, and the Western Counties the Devons. The intermediate spaces have their own district breeds, and with these are mingled new comers, trying to effect an invasion of the local sorts. THE HEREFORDS. The great similarity of these animals-with their placid countenances, uniformity of colour, viz., a rich red body, with face, mane, throat, under portion of the body, inside and lower part of the legs and tip of the tail white, spreading horns, straight backs, full eye, and cylindrical appearance-gives them a high position in the English market; and they have been even more freely sought after, of late. This extension may be mainly attributed to the Hereford Herd Book, now edited by Mr. Duckham, Baysham Court, from which it appears that the earliest breeders had a lingering fancy for "the greys :" these seem to have now merged into the "reds, with white faces," the males usually of a darker red colour than the females, and the hair, in too many instances, of a harsher touch. The Herefords appeared in greater numbers than at any previous meeting of the Society, and in proportion to the numbers became the difficulty of the judges. thus it was that we heard their judgment questioned by the disappointed exhibitors, endorsed in some instances by the public. We have on some former occasions seen more striking animals; but for uniformity we have not seen them surpassed. This is supported by the general commendation of so many classes. In looking over the Leed's catalogue, we missed many well-known names from the seat of the breed this year they rallied again. Many of the winners were produced from an infusion of new blood, the success of which will, doubtless, be a further stimulant for Royal honours. Of the prizes, only two firsts go into Herefordshire, the others into the counties of Berks, Surrey, Salop, Dorset, Gloucester, and Warwick. The dispersion of the Cronkhill herd, which had been so successfully bred by the late Lord Berwick, had some little to do with this: indeed, we have never seen so many prizes awarded to them at one meeting, as at Battersea; Adela (from the Royal herd), of Leeds celebrity, maintaining the position she then gained, her sister Adelaide, exhibited by Mr. John Baldwin, Luddington, occupying a similar one to hers at Leeds; these, with Mr. R. H. Capper's (Northgate, Ross) Ada, third prize, and Mr. Hewer's (Vern House, Hereford) Beauty, commended in the cow class, are daughters of the Cronkhill Silver Cow. Mr. James Reed's (Elkstone, Cheltenham) Theora, first among the heifers in Class 6, and his Miss Southam, a good second to Adelina, are both out of Lord Berwick's cow Cherry 7th, and Heiress, exhibited by Mr. J. Naylor, Leighton Hall, Welshpool, was also bred at Cronkhill. In addition, we may name that the sires of Milton, exhibited by Mr. R. Hill, Golding Hall, Shrewsbury, and Victor, exhibited by Mr. Duckham, winners of first and third prizes in Class 2, were both by sons of, and the commended bull Alcephron a son, of Cherry 7th. Thus, eight prizes, besides commendations, were awarded to animals, either bred by, or descended from, Lord Berwick's herd, founded by him in 1844, with cows purchased at the Ashley Moor Sale, of Knight's grey blood. These were crossed with red with white face bulls, from the herds of Messrs. Hewer, Carpenter, Longman, and Williams. A similar strain of blood may be traced in many others of the prize animals, particularly those of Messrs. Evans, Tudge, and Vevers. The countenance and general appearance of the aged bull Maximus, from the Windsor herd, showed that he claimed close affinity to the Tomkins or mottled-faced tribe of Herefords, and a refer ence to the Herd Book shows that in him is amalgamated some of the best or mottle face, grey, and red, with white face Herefords. He was also a first prize animal at Warwick. This herd now numbers 43 cows, 3 bulls, 35 calves, and 20 store beasts. Courtier (1194), exhibited by Mr. Thomas Davis, Boulton Court, Hereford, and Salisbury, exhibited by Mr. John Naylor, winners of the second and third prizes in the class for aged bulls, have also gained Unity, several local prizes. Silvius (1726), exhibited by Mr. Thomas Rea, Westonbury, Pembridge, Hereford, who obtained second honours at Leeds, was unnoticed. Milton, exhibited by Mr. R. Hill, of Golding Hall, Shrewsbury, winner of the first prize in Class 2, was also first at Leeds and at Hereford last year. the property of Mr. James Taylor, Stretford Court, Leominster, who stood first in Class 3, has also gained first honours at Leominster, Ludlow, Hereford, and Tredegar. He is of good quality, with heavy flesh, but we doubt of its being judicous to continue keeping him as a prize animal. This was a large and good class, as also that for bull calves, in which Battersea, exhibited by Mr. Charles Vevers, of Ivington Park, Leominster, gained the first, and Percy, the property of Mr. Turner, of The Leeu, Pembridge, the second. The cows may be said to be the best lot ever exhibited. Mr. H. Coates's (Sherborne, Dorset) Matchless was selected as first, Mr. George Pitt's (Chadnor Court, Leominster) Perfection, second, and Mr. Capper's Ada, third. The first and second prize animals from Leeds were unnoticed, although certified to have bred, and we confess that we should have preferred seeing the gold medal awarded to a more even animal than Mr. Coates's Matchless. She was, nevertheless, a grand cow, when out, of massive frame and good quality, and will have produced five calves before seven years old. Her origin is worthy of record. Mr. Henry Coate commenced his Hereford herd in 1855, with one cow, Mystery by Venison. Her produce now amounts to seven, the first of which, Eva, won the first prize at Dorchester, 1860, beating Mr. Taylor's Fancy Leominster, the first prize cow at Canterbury, and ten other prizes at local shows. The next produce Matchless, the Battersea gold medal cow, was also first at Wells, and has won eleven prizes at local shows, never having been beaten. Two bulls have been sold, and three heifers are in stock. The bull Ranger, winner of the first prize at Wells, and four other prizes, was a son of Matchless. The peculiar squareness of her frame induced us to take her dimensions. Height, only 4 feet 5 inches; girth, 8 feet 1 inch; width of pins, 2 feet 4 inches; length from first joint of shoulder to end of rump, 5 feet 3 inches. In Class 6, Theora, as referred to, stood first with Mr. Tudge's (Ardforton, Leintwardine) Butterfly second, and Mr. H. R. Evans (Swanstone Court, Leominster) Sylph, third. Theora, first at Battersea, was third at Leeds, and Mr. Naylor's Plum, second at Leeds, was unnoticed. The heavy fleshed level cow, Rose, from Mr. Naylor's herd, and Picture from that of Mr. James, Mappowden, Dorset, were also annoticed, though of undoubted good quality. Could the young bull Victor, exhibited by Mr. Duckham, have appeared in Class 3 instead of Class 2, for which he was only 15 days too old, he must then have been first in the class, having to contend in Class 2 against animals which had been in preparation nearly 12 months longer; he was thus overmatched rather by weight than merit. This young bull has been sold to Mr. Lewis Lloyd, Addington, Surrey, for 100 guineas, who also purchased Butterfly and Sylph, the second and third prize heifers, and Mr. Evans's Flora, for the commencement of a herd at Addington. Rarely have we witnessed a prize list without a Monkhouse, and our curiosity has led us to ascertain that he had shown seven times, and never before returned without a prize. Mr. James Rea and his son Thomas Rea have been equally successful, particularly the latter: we well remember his beautiful cow at Warwick. The stock purchased for Canada were principally from the herds of Lord Bateman and Lord Berwick. Mr. Richard Davy, M.P. for West Cornwall, has |