The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-09 00:00:00

SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE SHOW.

At the "private view" last night we were happy
to find the number of animals considerably greater
than in the previous year. The entries are 214,
against 25 at the last show ; and the classes of
extra stock, both of cattle, sheep, and pigs, present
a considerable increase.

In the cattle classes there are 21 Devons, 21
Herefords, 42 short-horns, 16 Scotch or Irish, 3
Welsh, 11 of other pure breeds (a much larger class
than usual), 12 cross or mixed breed, and 13 of
extra stock.

The Devons are unusually good.
Mr. Heath's steer, in class 1, is a very level and
compact animal ; and Prince Albert's second prize
steer possesses also very good quality of flesh and
a fine head and bone. Mr. Fouracre's, in the same
class, of the same age, has much greater size, and
marks of good constitution. Perhaps the chief
attraction of the show is Mr. Heath's ox, in class 2,
which has obtained the gold medal, as being the
best beast in any of the classes. Its symmetry is
beautiful, back uncommonly level, and first-rate in
loin, chine and shoulder exceedingly good, the
meat is of splendid quality, and, though very fat
and well made-up in all points, there is not a trace
of patchiness visible. His Royal Highness's highly
commended ox is very inferior to the prize animal,
having too much of the characteristic defect of the
breed, a sloping and deficient loin, but the flesh is
of excellent quality.
Mr. Heath is not satisfied with attaining a proud
position as an exhibitor of Devons, but takes prizes
also with some very superior Herefords. His steer
has a fat back, wide hips, heavy thighs, but is
somewhat defective in the forequarter. Some very
fat animals are found in the Hereford classes ;
as Mr. Naylor's or in class 6, and Mr. Heath's
heifer, which carries a wonderful quantity of flesh,
rather too patchy for our taste. The Herefords,
taken generally, form a very meritorious class, iu
no respect inferior to what they have been on for
mer occasions. The short-horns are scarcely so
grand as we have seen them in past years, although
several noble animals are exhibited.

The Duke of Beaufort's steer is of large frame,
yet ♦ery compact iu form, and having a great
weight of excellent meat. We should mention Sir
AY. Booth's steer, of great size, very level, yet
narrow and not half fat, as an example of an old-
fashioned sort that, however goad in some respects,
has no chance in competition with beasts of better
breeding and fed beyond the usual requirements of
the market.

Mr. Stratton's will challenge universal admi-
ration for a deep wide forequarter, fine proportions
of frame, handsome head, and a great weight of
firm meat ; and Mr.' Bett's ox is very level, fat,
with wide hips, outspring rib, and a first-rate hand.
Among the short-horn heifers Mr. Armstrong's is
remarkably handsome, very compact and symmetri-
cal, wide, deep, and well filled out in every part,
of very superior quality, evidently highly bred, and
altogether perhaps one of the best animals in the
show. Mr. Stratton's cow is of extraordinary
breadth, well covered with meat, and a most supe-
rior animal.

The Baker-street judges have supported the deci-
sions of those of Birmingham pretty closely, as far
as the short-horns are concerned, but in the Here-
ford and Devon classes some of them have been re-
♦ersed, so that there will be a sufficient topic for
discussion in the agricultural journals for some
weeks to come.

There are some very good West Highlands and
one or two pretty fat Welsh cattle. In the class for
" other pure breeds" we noticed Mr. Cox's long-
- horn, of immense frame, and Mr. Nearne's Sussex,
of very superior quality, with a broad chest, well-
covered back and hips, and exceedingly good twist
• and thighs. In the classes for " cross or mixed
breeds" there are some very valuable crosses, well
worthy of the breeder's and grazier's study, parti-
cularly those between shorthorn and Hereford and
shorthorn and Devon. A. rather plain beast, of
enormous size, a cross between shorthorn and
Aberdeen, is not so much can ornament as a pecu-
liarity in this part of the yard.
The number of sheep are thus distributed—Long-
wools, 21; short-woolled, 24 ; cross-breeds 12 ; and
extra stock, 39.
Mr. Walmsley's Leicesters are admirable for their
size, breadth, and beautiful proportions, their very
fine character of head and bone, and first-rate
mutton. Mr. Bradshaw's pen, and also that of Lord
Berners, are exceedingly good and. praiseworthy.
The long-woolled sheep are nearly all entered as
extra stock ; and we single out as most worthy of
attention the very fine Leicester ewe of Mr.
Wahusley, and also his beautiful lone-woolled ewe.

The "Cross breeds" is a very valuable class, inas-
much as it tends to show what improvements may
be made in live stock by judicious admixtures of

pure blood.
Mr. Howard's Down and Cotswold wethers are
remarkable for their extraordinary beauty, com-
bined with great breadth and capacity of form ; and
the quality of their flesh is all that can be desired.
Mr. John Overman's Southdown and Leicester
wethers are exceedingly good.
In the short-woolled classes Lord Walsingham
shows some extremely geod Downs ; and those of
the Duke of Richmond are very symmetrical and
beautiful, and richly merit the gold medal they
have obtained.

We have seen better exhibitions of pigs, and,
though iu point of number they far exceed
last year, yet at Birmingham the entries were
nearly three times more numerous. Some very
fat and also some beautiful animals are present,
Mr. Coates's pigs, of the improved Dorset breed,
which received the gold medal, being very fat, with
extraordinary neck chines, sides, backs, and
quarters.

In the implements' and seeds' department Tux•
ford, Clayton, Ransome, Hornby, Garrett, tize.,
show steam engines and thrashing machines, all the
great firms have stands of ploughs, carts, chaff-
cutters, mills, kc. ; and there aro several stalls of
roots, seeds, samples, and specimens, including
Messrs. Gibbs's large display.
Among the company at the private view we ob-
served Lord Berners, Lord Walsingham, Lord
Feversham, Sir John Shelley, Sir W. Booth, Col.
Challoner, Mr. Jonas Webb, Mr. Stratton, and
many eminent breeders and leading agriculturists.
The following is the award of the judges:—

Dedhill-house, near Taunton : silver medal to the breeder,
the Rev. W. Bernard, of Clatsworthy, near Wiveliscombe.
Class 21. —The prize of 101. to Mr. Charles S. Cantrell,
jun., of Riding-court, Datchet, Bucks ; silver medal to the
breeder, Mr. Charles S. Cantrell, jun., of Riding-court,
Datchet, Bucks.

SHEEP.
LONG-WOOLLED BREEDI.
Class 22.—First prize of 201. to Mr. George Walmsley,
of Rndston, Bridlington, Yorkshire ; silver medal to the
breeder, Mr. George Walmsley, of Rudston, Bridlington,
Yorkshire ; second prize of 101. to Mr. C. J. Bradshaw, of
Barley on-the Hill, Oakham ; third prize of 51. to Mr. G.
S. Foljambe, of Osberton-hall, Worksop.
Class 23.—First prize of 201. to Mr. C. J. Bradshaw, of
Burley-on-the-Hill, Oakham ; surer medal to the breeder,
Mr. R. L. Bradshaw, of Tinwell, near Stamford ; second
prize of 101. to the Right Hon. Lord Berners, of Keythorpe-
hall, Tugby, Leicester ; third prize of 51. to Mr. William
de Capell Brooke, of G eddington-grange, Kettering.
LONG-WOOLS, NOT LEICESTERS.

Class 24.—The prize of M. to Mr. William Slatter, of
Stratton, Cirencester ; silver medal to the breeder ; Mr.
Wm. Slatter, Stratton, Cirencester.
CROSS BREEDS.

Class 95.—First prize of 101. to Mr. C. Howard, of Bid-
denham , near Bedford, and silver medal as breeder ; se-
cond prize of 51. to Mr. John Overman, of Burnham Sut-
ton, near Burnham Market.
Class 2G.—The prize of 101. to Mr. John Overman, of
Burnham Sutton, near Burnham Market, and silver medal
as breeder.

SHORT WOOLLED BREEDS.
Class 27.—First prize of 201. to his Grace the Duke of
Richmond, K.G., of Goodwood, Chichester, and silver
medal as breeder ; second prize of 101. to the Right Hon.
Lord Walsingham, of Merton-hall, Thetford, Norfolk.
Class 28.—The prize of 101. to his Grace the Duke of
Richmond, K.G., of Goodwood, Chichester, and silver
medal as breeder.

Class 29.—First prize of 201. to the Duke of Richmond,
K.G., of Goodwood, Chichester, and silver medal as
breeder ; second prize of 101. to Mr. William Rigden, of
Hove, near Brighton.