The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-01 00:00:00

BIRMINGHAM CATTLE AND POULTRY SHOW.

BIRMINGHAM, Saxons:tax livitsruta.
This year's exhibition of cattle, sheep, and poultry,
at Buigley-hall, will he opened on Monday to what is called
the " private view." The show has pined so padually
upon that of Smithfield, that so far from being merely
Dewed to that time-honoured exhibition, this is at

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least on a par with it ; and this year's show is in every re-
spect equal, and in some rather superior to any which have
preceded it. For instance, the member of entries for
cattle is 131, which 11, we believe, the largest, with one
exception, in any year since the show was established.
Since last year an important change has taken place in the
arrangements at Bingleyball ; spacious as the area of the
building is, it has been found inadequate, and especially
so since the determination of the council to admit agricul-
tural implements. Last year a small space was devoted to
that purpose, but the applications for it being much larger
than cu* possibly be spared, the council determined to in-
crease their space by the erection of a gallery at one end of
the building. This has been .done with ,good effect, and it
is this year filled with • fine collection of roots of excellent
growth for the season, especially as regards the mangokls,
of which there are some very magnificent specimens.
The alteration to which reference has been made has
left such • apses to be set apart for the implement depart-
ment as to produce a very fine collection, the principal
exhibitors being Messrs. Ransom. and Sims, of
Ipswich; Memos. Howard and Son, of Bedford;'
Messrs. Clayton, Shuttlewortb, and Co., of Lincoln ;
Messrs. Garrett and Sons, of ffaxmondham ; Moan.
Hornby and Sons, of Grantham ; Messrs. Richmond sad
Cheadle, of Manchester; Mr. Boby, of Bury St Edmund. ;
Mears. Mapplebeck and Lows, of Birmingham, and several
others. We believe that the applications for epos in this
department were larger than bad been calculated upon, sea
the rent for allotments will amount to nearly UV. There
are some articles exhibited which cannot certainly be
classed amongst " agricultural implements." These may
with more propriety be excluded at future exhibitions,
and the apace thus occupied be far more appropriately set
apart for articles more closely connected with agricultural
pursuits.
In another respect the council have altered the arraoge-
meets of previous years. With the very best inteutions, no
doubt, it resolved to admit the representatives of the
press soon after three o'clock this afternoon, the judges
being at that time in the midst of their duties ; the remit
was that there were at times a greater number of persons
in closer proximity to those gentlemen than was perhaps
quite convenient or consistent with the very arduous duties
they had to perform. Mr. Jeremiah Matthews and other
members of the council did their best to keep the judges
free from all embanseament from the cause referred to,
and probably with mew ; but we are by no means certain
that the new arrangement is • satisfactory one ; a modifi-
cation of the rule for future years may render it so.
The show itself is • great saucer ; no doubt there have
been occasional instances in which a better animal has been
shown in • Hereford due than is now to be soon in Bingley.
ball ; but as • class entire, it is the opinion of the judges
that there never was a finer display. The Hereford bul-
locks are splendid animals, end the short-horn heifers are as
near perfection as possible. The pnas in class one is •
noble specimen of the Hereford breed ; its girth behind the
shoulders is 9 feet 4 inches ; the exhibitor, who is also the
breeder, is Mr. John Hatcher, of Maywood Grange, marmar
Bristol. This animal deo took Mr. Joel's prier.
The Hereford steer which took the tint prize
in class 2 also obtained the President's prize for the best
animal, shown by an exhibitor who waa also the breeder.
This was Mr. George Pitt, Chadnoncourt, Dilwyn, near
Leominster. Is class 3 (cows), to the animal whichigained the
first prize was also awarded the 201., as the beat Hereford
in the yard. Class 7, for short-horn cows, was • very
ant class, not an inferior animal it ; the winner of the tint
also the 'itratinahc.tairt-on
prizeeni eZllfbited, awardedid th 'ihord.midalex.traFour this
there was a formidable competitor in Mr. Swinnerton's
short-horn ox, which obtained the first prize in
aids 5, sad which gained a prize in Bingley-hall last year,
and was also the second-beet animal exhibited on that 00a-
don. Class 8, Shortboru heifers—No less than 18 animals
were shown, Mr. Robert Tennant, of Scarcroft, near Leeds,
taking the first pnu. The Devon classes were rather better
filled than nanaL To the winner of first prize for animal.
exceeding three years and three months old was also
awarded the extra 201. ; the exhibitor was Mr. William
Smith, of Southernhay, near Exeter. In the class for
Derzn steers not exceeding three years and three months
old the second prize was awarded to an animal exhibited
by Major-General the Hon. A. N. Hood, his late Royal
Higbee's the Prince Consort being the breeder. In the
class for Devon cows the first prise was withheld. la class
15 for pore breeds (except Scotch and Welsh) and ewes
breeds, the pries and gold medal, as the best animal in the
yard, was awarded to Mr. James Stewart, of New Market,
Aberdeen, to whom was also awarded the prize of the Inn-
keepers' Cup.
Tao Scotch breeds were well represented. The first prize
In class 18 (oxen or steers) was awarded to Mr. James
Steuart, of New Market, Aberdeen. To this animal was
also awarded the extra 201. as the best Scotch breed
shown, bet there was a very formidable competition for
this ; • heifer shown by Major Wollaston. of Sheldon Hall,
Nuneatou, which obtained the prize in class 19. The Welsh
breeds were poorly represented as to numbers, and in the
extra classes there was no entry. The competition in all
the classes was very great, as was evidenced by the number
of times the judges had the animals out ; also by thelatenese
of the hour—past seven o'clock—before the labours of the
judges of cattle had concluded. The commendations were
numerous.
The sheep pens were well filled. Of Shropshire, and long
wools the display was probably the finest ever seen at this
exhibition. South Downs were not quite so good as usual.
The pigs will bear comparison with any previous exhibi.
thin here. and it has always been first rate in that depart-
ment. The Berkshire breed maintained its ascendancy.
Of poultry there is a magnificent display, every species of
domestic fowl being represented. There held) a good caw,
tree of pigeons.