The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-14 00:00:00

THE BIRMINGHAM CATTLE SllO GP:

Yesterday the Birmingham exhibition of fat cattle,
pigs, and poultry, under the patronage of his Royal
Highness Prince Albert, and the nobility of that and the
adjoining counties, was opened at Bingley Hall, Bir-
mingham, and was certainly one of the most splendid
shows of the kind that has ever taken place in the king-
dom. The immense building, erected especially for these
exhibitions, was admirable and most tastefully arranged
for the occasion, affording the exhibitors and the public
the utmost possible accommodation which could be ex-
tended. In point of number and quality, the fat cattle
far excels those of former years ; but the most extra•
ordinary improvement is evinced in the poultry depart•
ment, where a splendid collection of almost every de-
scription of domestic and fancy fowl is to be seen. The
number of birds is nearly deuble the
.quantity exhibited
last year, and constitutes one of the main attractions of
the exhibition. There were last year one thou-
sand three hundred pens of this description of farm
produce, a number which was then quite unapproached ;
but now the entries are 2,275. If it be borne in mind
that the present contributors, who come from all parts
of the country, and even from Ireland, with the excep-
tion of some 50 or 60, are all amateurs, and that the
sales of birds exhibited amounted yesterday, before four
o'clock, to 1,0001., some idea may be formed of the
wide area over which the poultry mania is diffused,
and of the intensity of its symptoms. One of these
dealers sold a cock and hen (Bramah Pootras) yester-
day for 1201., the auctioneer, with a boldness which
reminds one of poor George Robins, declaring that
" they were thrown away at that price." It would
therefore appear that, notwithstanding all the ridicule
poured upon it, the poultry mania still rages among us
with epidemic fury. It has given an extraordinary
interest to this year's show at Birmingham, for such a
collection has never previously been brought together ;
and, however absurd may be the present mode of forcing
forward a branch of farmyard economy hitherto as
absurdly neglected, there can be no doubt that in our
usual wild extravagant way we are perfecting the best
breeds of poultry in the world.

In DorKings, especially the dark gray, there is a won-
derful display. The Spanish and game varieties are also
exceedingly well represented. Malays, which generally
form weak parts of poultry exhibitions, are here ex-
ceedingly strong. As for Cochin Chinas, they are larger,
more awkward upon their legs, and heavier than ever,
and, therefore, will no doubt be considered more beauti-
ful by discriminating judges. The black and white va-
rieties are chiefly in vogue at present, but none are
without their special admirers, are feathered and
" fuffed" out, while those in others have discolourations
of the legs, or some blemish equally fatal to their repu-
tation and standing as fowls, At this season of the
year, when turkeys rise so much in estimation and in
price, it may not be useless to point out that the wild
American species, distinguishable by its bronzed wing,
carries the palm away at all our recent shows for
weight and excellence. Being close-feathered birds, they
do not look so large as they are in reality. An erro-
neous impression appears to prevail, that because wild
in America they are troublesome to domesticate, but
this we are assured is not the case. A cock and two
bens exhibited weigh 551 lbs.
Of the show of fat cattle and pigs, it may be said it is
everything that could be desired, and reflects great credit
upon the breeders and feeders throughout the country.
The winner of the gold medal for the best ox or steer is
Mr. W. Heath, of Ludham-hall, Norwich, in former
years a very successful exhibitor at the Smithfield Club
shows. The animal which has gained him this distinc-
tion is a young Hereford of such extraordinary beauty,
that the judges have with unquestionable propriety
given it the preference over Mr. Richard Stratton's,
which won the gold medal last week in Baker-street.
Mr. Robert Beman's Hereford, which ranked second in
her class in London, has only been highly commended,
the first prize being carried off here again by Mr. Heath,
for an animal which, though a year younger, must be at
least 10 inches thicker behind the shoulder.

In the porcine department Prince Albert's litter of pigs
has been again selected for the chief prize.
During the day the ball was visited by the aristocracy
and gentry of the surrounding counties, and, up to four
o'clock, no less than five thousand persons were admit-
ted, the charge to non-subscribers being five shillings.
The award of prizes took place on Monday evening.
The judges of cattle were Mr. Booth, of Yorkshire ; Mr.
Halse, of Molland ; and Mr. H. Chamberlain—of sheep,
Mr. Wm. Sanday, Mr. V. Barford, and Mr. John
Meire—of pigs, Mr. John Moore, Mr. Wm: Torr, and
Mr. J. C. Etches—of poultry, the Rev. Wm. Wingfield,
Gulval Vicarage, Penzance ; G. J. Andrews, Esq.,
Dorchester ; Mr. Baily, London ; the Rev. R. Pulleine,
the Rectory, Kirby Wiske, near Thirsk ; Wm. Symonds,
Esq. ; Mr. Thos. Challener, of Burnt Leys, near Work-
sop—of pigeons, Mr. T. L. Parker, Birmingham, and
Mr. Hale, Handsworth.
PRIZES.—In class one, for Herefordshire oxen, the
first prize was awarded to J. Ackers, Esq.; age, 3 years
11. months. In class 2, for Hereford steers, the first
prize, also a gold medal, was awarded to Mr. W. Heath,
of Norwich ; age, 2 years, 11 months, and 3 weeks. In
class 5, for short horn oxen or steers, Mr. Richard
Stratton obtained the first prize ; and in class 7, the
first prize and medal was awarded to Mr. J. 11. Lees.
For Devon oxen, in class 9, the first prize was awarded
to the Right Hon. the Earl of Leicester; and for heifers,
Mr. Umbers was successful. The first prize for long
horns (cows or heifers), in class 13, was awarded to Mr.
Chapman, of Upton ; and for fat oxen, to his Grace the
Duke of Beaufort. Alexander Campbell, Esq., obtained
the first prize for his Scotch oxen, and the second was
awarded to the Duke of Beaufort. First prizes for the
various breeds of sheep were obtained by the Marquis of
Exeter, Mr. Turner, of Barton ; Mr. Beman, of More-
ton-in-the-March ; Mr. John Williams, Berkshire ; Sir
Robert Throckmorton, Bart. ; the Hon. R. Curzon,
Mr. B. Twitchell, Mr. Thomas Hemming.
PIGS.—The first prize, 101. and silver medal for "fat
pigs not exceeding ten months," was awarded to his
Royal Highness Prince Albert ; age, 9 months and 18
days. The first prize for pigs not exceeding 15 months,
was obtained by Mr. Sadler, Wiltshire, and his breed-
ing-pigs were alike successful. The second prize, for
the latter description, was awarded to the Duke of
Sutherland.

The following, amongst the many exhibitors of poultry
received prizes :—The Countess of Chesterfield, the Earl
of Dartmouth, Lord Berwick, Lady Calthorpe, G. R.
Collis, Esq., Viscount Hill, Lord John Scott, the Duke
of Sutherland, and the Hon. R. C. Hill.
The annual dinner took place last evening at the
Royal Hotel. The Council of the Birmingham and
Midland Counties have determined, in addition to the
Christmas show, to hold a triennial exhibition of stock
for breeding purposes, and agricultural implements.
The first show will take place in the second week of
June, 1854, when prizes will be awarded for cattle,
sheep, horses, and pigs.
The Council, in establishing a second exhibition, are
desirous of encouraging the improvement of agricultural
stock generally, and the prize list will be framed so as to
be well calculated to promote this object. Young stock
only will be eligible to compete for prizes, and this prin-
ciple, which will form the main feature of the list, ap-,
pears to be absolutely necessary to give to the meetings
a strictly practical and useful character. /

THE LIVERPOOL ELECTION PETITION.—The Liverpool
Albion states that the petition against the return of
Messrs. ECorefall and Liddell has been withdrawn,