The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-11-29 00:00:00

Isriculturr.

THE BIRSHNOHAM CATTLE AND POULTRY

SHOW.

This, the first of the principal annual exhibitions of
fat stock, Ice., opened on Monday (yestenlsy), and that
of the Smithfield Club on the Tuesday in the week fol-
lowing. Both meetings are fixed for an early period
this year, too early it is believed, for the convenience of
those persons who have to make arrangements for the
Christmas markets ; but, at the same time, the entries
for Bingley-hall and Baker-street are satisfactory to the
gentlemen to whom the management of these gatherings
is intrusted. With regard to stock, the Birmingham
Show has always been popular with exhibitors in conse-
quence of the improved system of classification by
breed, which was adopted on its establishment, and has
since been followed by the Smithfield Club. There are
also some other special features in this division, which
have received the approval of agriculturist& generally,
and among these may be mentioned the classes for breed-
ing pigs under six months old, which are found very
useful to purchasers of this kind of stock. In one of
these classes, that for Berkshire pigs, there will be no
less than 25 pens brought together this week. The Bir-
mingham society also opened classes for two descriptions
of short-woolled sheep, the Southdowns being confined
to the first, and the second being intended mainly for
the Shropshire breed, now firmly established in the Mid-
land counties and being gradually introduced into other
portions of the kingdom.
The exhibition of roots at Birmingham has assumed a
more important character during the last few years, and,
although the prises are small, with the exception of
two silver cups offered by Sir John Ratcliffe, entries
of roots have this year been made by growers in not
less than 17 counties. The council, it is thought,
would do well to enlarge their plans in this directon for
future years, for there is no part of their show better
calculated to be practically useful. Although only half
a dozen specimens may be sent for competition, and it is
often urged that this plan affords no satisfactory
evidence of the extent or value of the general crop, yet
in this, as in other similar cases, there can be no doubt
that these exhibitions are of considerable advantage,
and that while in each succeeding year we find heavier
specimens staged for the prizes, the general production
of the same roots throughout the whole country goes on
at the same time increasing in weights and quality. A
striking instance of this is supplied by a crop of the
yellow globe mangold wurzel, nine acres in extent,
grown this year by Colonel North, M.l'., at Wroxton-
Abbey, near Banbury, which, on being very carefully
weighed hilt week, was found to be not less than 63
tons. newt. per acre, the bulbs averaging nearly 91b.
6oz. each. With respect, also, to the improvement
which has been made in sonic kinds of stock, it is
curious, when endeavouring to trace the history of
several of the breeds of sheep which are now held in
high estimation, to read of their originals as weighing,
at the age of three or four years, front 151 b. to 1131 b. a
quarter. Unquestionably, great progress has been made
as respects early maturity and increased bulk, while the
quality it still higher : and, although at any given time
the sheep, for example, which are exhibited in Birming-
ham or London, or at the meetings of the Royal Agri-
cultural Society, may possess a higher degree of excel-
lence than the ordinary flocks of the country, yet, in
these also, there has been witnessed a rapid and most
satisfactory improvement. There is probably nothing
more important in a national point of view in comiem
tion with the progress of agriculture at the present
time, than the increased attention which is now being
given to the breeding and rearing of farming stock gene-
rally, for it is on the English farmer mainly that we
must rely for the production of the animal food which is
required by the increasing population.
Another and most interesting portion of the exhibi-
tions in Birmingham, is the wonderful collection of
domestic poultry, which is always to be seen there. In
this department the show stands unrivalled, for the
plans of its promoters have been so liberally and
judiciously carried out as to secure the cordial support
of poultry breeders in all parts of the United Kingdom.
The entries this year, inaluding the pigeons (a show in
themselves), exceed 1,500 pens, the four first classes,
for coloured Dorkings, numbered 180 pens, and there
being other classes for this valuable breed. In order to
prove that the establishment of poultry shows lois been
productive of useful results, attention need only be
directed to the extraonlinary improvement which luta
been made in the I>orkings, for before these shows were
held nothing like whist can be seen this week could have
been produced anywhere. There has been a very con-
siderable increase in the average weight of these fowls ;
while, by careful breeding, they have become more
hardy in constitution, and will thrive in any locality.
The IMrlcings have, in many instances, already dis-
placed the mongrels which were formerly to be found in
nearly every farm-yard—a clangs which must have led
to profitable results.
Earl Spencer is the president this year, the Mayor of
Birmingham for the time being, by one of the standing
rules of the society, being always the Vice-President.
The principal railway ceopanies have, WI usual, made
liberal arrangements with regard to special trains, and,
this week's meeting in Ilinglerhall may be expected to
prove as pleasant and successful as any which have been
held there.
In addition to the other engagements for the show
week, the breeders of Shropshire sheep have been in-
vited to meet for the purpose of deciding upon such
steps as may appear desirable with the view of inducing
the council of the Royal Agricultural Society to open
separate classes for these sheep at the future country
meetings. The circular which has been issued bears the
signatures of the Earls of Dartmouth and Ayleaford,
Mr. William Orme Foster, M.P., and Mr. Edward Hol-
land, m.p. upwards of 130 pens of these sheep were
entered for the Warwick meeting of the Royal Agri-
cultural Society, and it seems to be ahnost impossible
that the council can refuse so proper and reasonable a
request as that which is about to be made, and especially
as successive stewards of stock have in their reports
borne the highest testimony to the value of these cheep;
and, in one instance, at the Glocester meeting, urged
the counsel at once to acknowledge their claims to be
considered a pure breed.

DEMOLITION OF AN IRON-HOLLINO MlLL—About
11 o'clock on the night of Friday week a most destruc-
tive accident occurred at the extensive ironworks of
Masers. Gibbs Brothers, Deepfields, near Wolverhamp-
ton, by which a large iron-rolling mill was levelled with
the ground, one man killed, and several others severely
injured. A number of the workmen had fortunately
gone to supper, and others were disengaged while some
alteration was being made in the rollers, when suddenly
the large driving wheel, some tons in weight, broke into
fragments, which were propelled on all sides with great
force. Several of the iron pillars that supported the
roof, the principal iron beam, and and several of the
lesser ones, were broken, and the entire roof shortly
afterwards came down. Of the men who were in the
mill at the time, one, named John Taylor, was dug out
of the debris insensible, and expired shortly afterwards;
three others sustained severe fractures and other in-
pines, and two or three escaped unhurt, in a manner
little short of miraculous. The whole place looks as if
it had been blown up with gunpowder, and the damage
is estimated at about £3,000.
FRIGHTFUL ACCIDUNT ON THZ LonDON AND SOUTH-
WiurTERN RAILWAY.—An accident of • very alarming
character, and which might have been attended by •
most fearful sacrifice of human life, occurred on Tuesday
at mid-day, at the Fleetpond station of the London and
South-Westeni Railway. It appears that the 11 a.m.
express train left the Waterloo terminus at its fixed
time, and proceeded with safety, notwithstanding the
density of the fog which prevailed, until within a few
miles of its first stoppage, Basingstoke, where it was
due at 12.15. The Fleetpond station is a very small
place, and the officials there having a goods train in
charge proceeded to shunt it, to allow the express train
to pass. To prevent any accident the usual signals
were displayed at the station and by the goods train, bat
it would appear that, owing to the fog or some other
cause, the driver of the express train could not see
them ; nor were the men at the station aware of the
approach of that train, for without any warning the
express rushed through past the station at a rapid rate,
and crushed the back portion of the goods train. The
collision was most fearful, and it is nothing short of •
miracle that the lives of • large number of people were
not sacrificed. The locomotive belonging to the express
train, a very magnificent engine, worth upwards of
£2,000, was almost broken to pieces; the tender and
guard's van of the express train were also destroyed, as
were likewise • number of the trucks belonging to the
goods train. The shrieks of the passengers were awful,
and it was feared at first that several were killed; as
soon, however, as the first shock was over an investiga-
tion was made, and it was found that, although the
passengers had received a terrible shaking, and several
were more or less bruised, yet no loss of life had oc-
curred. It • 'uprise how the driver and stoker
of the train escaped with their lives, considering that
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they
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were in, threw themselves down and thus escaped In-
jury. Information of the catastrophe was at. once for-
warded to Mr. W. Wisdhsui Young, the superintendent
of the Watorloo station, and a number of ben were im-
mediately despatched to render what assistance they
could and to clear the line, but, fortunately, the line
had been cleared before their arrival, so that the traffic
on the railway was not impeded.