The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-12-08 00:00:00

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER Bth, 1883.

CATTLE SHOWS AND CHRISTMAS.

The dull December light has once more come
to remind town and country that Christmas is
at hand. Cattle Shows, alike in ecattered agri-
cultural districts and in widely-spreading cities,
are the order of the day. Bingley Hall, Bir-
mingham, is this week alive with fat cattle, as a
preliminary to the big show which is to take
place in London next week. In this, as in other
respects in our modern history, the thriving
hardware capital leads the way. At times the
metropolis of the empire is inclined to resent
the too rapid pace at which the big midland town
is disposed to move. Less than two months ago,
for instance, the political machinery of birruing-
ham was brought into requisition to the danger
of thrusting London aside in the legislation of
next session. But as for nearly ha f a century
Birmingham has been in full possession of those
municipal institutions for which London hitherto
asked in vain, the capital for once asserted itself,
and latts made its voice hear:l in an unmistake-
able manner. But it the matter of cattle shows
there is no rivalry between the two. Each
heartily welcomes the farmer in December.
This is atime of year at which the agricultural
interest may be said to have its hour of triumph.
A fat beast is not bred and fed in a day, nor is
the harvest grown in a similarly short compass.
But the ingathering of the crops is a compara-
tively quiet affair; at all events the celebrations
are confined to the fields themselves. These are
hearty enough, but they are exclusively rural.
'I hey are not witnessed by the town populations.
The harvest, too, depends more upon the weather
for its success than does the breeding of cattle,.
and is less s result of skill than of favourable
atmospheric conditions. But cattle exhibitions
are held under essentially different circum-
stances. They are a direct consequences of
skilful management, unaffected by flood or
orought, and fortunately Lois the farmer he is
able to display this part of his work to the best
possible advantage. He does not confine it to
his own fields,. where his corn is stacked, but he
bringe his splendid animale into the gteat towns
and shows the busy dwellers therein what he has
been able to accomplish.. lit is gazed upon by
all classes from Royalty downwards. The great
populations are thus reminded once a year of
how much they owe to the sturdy energy of the
tiller of the soil, and. the feeder of those prize
quadrupeds so soon to, be converted, into beef,.
mutton,, or pork. What would they do witheui
him?, All his time he is employed in the pre-
', aration, of food for an ever increasing popula-
tion.. He does his eork in the face of exposure
which, would very speedily impair and nestroy
the health of those who live "in populous city
rent.l." Therefore it is that the open honest face
t the. farmer is always welcomed by the resi-
dent in. the town.. Truth to sey„the farmer al-
though credited with an occasional disposition to
murmur and to complain of. bad times, seldom
lleo4s ill.. Be is the picture of. health, and OD
ateet occasions of contentment as well.. It does
',ls. townspeople gocd to see his jovial, epee
Qtauntenance.. They admire his capacit3 fie
htliouri in the open air, and wish they could
jay their pound and a. half of beefsteak as he
cbtas..
During the last few years- the disadvantages
rtsidta whiah the agriculturist pursues his attoaa-
alialhaYe come- prominently before the public.
'7lla4armer declares that metaphorically speaking
AD has-. been, face to face with seven years of
twit-tea But with all that we have seen no loan
Abe at our annual Flows. The harvestsheve
30 dhubt been. inferior in quantity owing to a
rang succession of adverse seasons;, but there
nertainly has been no falling off, in the quality of
Weida exhibited. at such shows as those of this
wee/amid next.. The farmer has patiently con-
tided. with the heavy tideway. against which he
haa.been called upon to pull.. He sees that both
in:Har lament and with the public there is eve y
disposition to do him justice. The Agricultural
lioldings.Act of last session may not have been
all that he would have wished,,but at all events
it was-better than nothing. Something better
will no doubt follow in time. Meanwhile when
the farmer comes to town, the people there are
very glad to see him.. They know how. much
they are indebted to his exertions to make them
feel comfortable at Christmas; they hope he will
return, to his quiet homestead all the better for
rubbing up against those whose life is passed in
Great City, and trust that the elements may be
kinder to him than in some recent years, and
that the sunshine of success may attend tile
performance of his arduous and unremitting
labours.

THE IRON TIL.,DE

kV oIN k ttriAßFf N, Wedneadiv.

The market this aftern ,on was very qitiet, but
few ti a ['sae+ ions being r. cori led Toeh,,ine buy, rs
are not inquiring so b iskty as they have beim doing
for the la-t few vveetus. anti the shippers aru chiefly
purcha-ing tile oetter quality ot 13rs, gal ,anise
iron, ant haling os. 1. he works in the nisi' nit
are ii,onerately w.ll urnp.oyed. but rders are ot
coining in so numerousty as of late. The p, ineipai
inquiry is tor the cheaper ii=iscriptions oi strips,
hoops, and stnalt bars Sheets are noi wanted so
much tur w. pui poses, end the manufac-
turers have plenty to do io maintain tiietr pri eS
Sellers of pig iron comp am nof the small purchases
that are being mad,, in mail instances raiely tx-
ce, ding 100 tons. Ihe Ott, however, is wanted
for pri.mpi delivery. and the majoiny or the bar,
pins are or medium quality of metal. Derbyshire
ft undry irn ii. akers report some satisfactory it,
quiiies, but they are unable to secure any butter
mins. Some active buying is takii'g pace in