The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-08 00:00:00

The Herefords are more numerons than last
year, but show no particular improvement ; whilst
there are several unwieldy specimens, bearing
much too large an allowance of mere fat. General
Hood's 2 year and 11 months steer, from the stock
of the late Prince Consort at the Flemish farm,
takes the first prize of £3O, although it only won
the third prize at Birmingham—a fact that needs
no commentary in considering the merits of the
show in this department.
In the classes for short-horns, which are unusu-
ally numerous, there are many fine beasts of a breed
which is perhaps affected by butchers more than
any other. The Duke of Beaufort, Earl Howe,
Mr. J. Pain, Mr. Tennant, and Mr. Eastwood, are
among the successful exhibitors. Mr. Tennant's 3
years and 6 months heifer is awarded the silver cup
as the best in any of the classes. Mr. Eastwood's
6 years and 5 months heifer, which achieved a
similar distinction at Birmingham, has a prize of
£25; and Mr. Stratton's and Mr. Pain's heifers,
which took the second and third prizes at Bir-
mingham, change places now.
There is a capital collection of the Sussex breed,
and some of them display so close a resemblance to
the Devons that the difference is scarcely distin-
guishable by the uneducated and unpractised eye.
Indeed the principal difference consistsin the length
of the limbs and the back, which is greater than
that of the Devons, and in the temper and disposi-
tion, which is less lively than that of the latter.
There are only two polled Norfolk or Suffolk
steers ; these, however, are very good ; and one
long-horned ox, which for its angularities, length
of horn, and general ugliness is not to be sur-
passed within the four seas. Amongst the Scotch
polled breeds, Mr. M'Combie's and Mr. Stewart's
oxen, which won first and second prizes at Birming-
ham, change places, and, as it appears to us, with
credit to the discrimination of the Smithfield
judges.
In the classes for cross breeds will be fund Mr.
Stewart's 4 years and 8 months mixed short-horn
and polled Aberdeen. This is the animal which
took the gold medal at Birmingham, It is a fine
beast, such as brings joy to the butcher's heart,
carrying a large coating of meat of excellent qua-
lity; but Mr. Overman's 3 years and 4 months
cross-bred Devon and Durham has the preference
awarded to it, and carries off the silver cup. It is
a magnificent cross, in which the qualities of the
two breeds are blended in the greatest perfection,
and requires no particular acumen on the part of
any one to detect its superiority as a fat beast.
The sheep classes are filled to repletion in every
department. Leicesters come out in force, and in-
dicate some slight improvement. The silver cup is
awarded to Mr. Foljambe, but without disparage-
ment of his pen it is hinted by more than one exhi-
bitor that the judges have been guided in their de-
cisions more by size than by quality. The Cots-
wolds include several fine specimens of the breed,
and show that they are daily making rapid ad-
vances. It is in the Southdowns, however, that the
show of sheep may chiefly pride itself. Mr. Rigden,
of Hove, the steady rival in this description of stock
of the late Duke of Richmond, is now once again at
the top of the tree. His pen of twenty and a half
months Southdowns are far ahead of everything in
the hall. A more splendid " three" we never saw,
and rightly do they deserve the honour of receiving
the silver cup which has been conferred upon them.
The Goodwood flock is also represented, but the
noble owner takes only a prize of £l5, and a third
prize of £5. Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Oxford
downs are increasingly encouraged, and the moun-
tain kinds possess considerable merits.
Mr. Stillgoe, of Banbury, appropriates the silver
medal for cross-brede, his pen consisting of mixed
Sussex and Cotswolds.

The show of pigs is not extraordinarily large.
Most of the famous exhibitors are represented ; but
the gold medal, the first prize of £l5, and a silver
medal, are adjudged to Mr. W. Baker, of Christ-
church, for a pen of 15 months and 3 weeks improved
Hampshires, bred by the exhibitor from the stock of
Mr. Coate, of Hammoon, Blandford• Never before
in the history of the club have the pigs enjoyed such
luxurious quarters, and they show their appreciation
of the care with which they are treated by being—
for pigs—remarkably well conducted.
In the galleries there is an immense display of
seeds and roots, at stalls arranged in the most
coursetemptingMessrs.
manner
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Son, Messrs. G. Gibbs and 'Co., and. r
Messrs.
Carter and Co. occupy the prominent and conspicu-
ous positions in this locality.
On Saturday, whilst the judges were engaged in
the discharge of their duties, the hall was visited
by
the Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cambridge,
and Marl' ; and the Royal party had
scarcely th e
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o inspection Wales, and
accompanied
quitted the
' building when