The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-09 00:00:00

SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE SHOW.
We were last night favoured with ;a private view
of the stock entered for :exhibition at the Smithfield
Club Cattle Show of the present year, at the specious
premises known as the Rarer, in King-street,
Portman-square. As compared with the entries at
the preceding show, the number at the present one
shows a trifling diminution ; the falling off, however,
in numbers, is more than made up by the generally
improved character of the stook exhibited. Probably
at no previous exhibition has there been so much de-
serving of real praise, or more worthy the attention
of those interested in this important department of
agricultural occupation of grazing, as in the present
ono. There is no feature more deserving of atten-
tion in the exhibition of the present year than the
specimens which illustrate the great advance which
has been made in bringing young classes to an early
maturity. The proportion ;,which the young
classes bear to the older ones is exceedingly
favourable, and is a proof that the exertions of
the Club during the past few years have not been lost
upon our feeders. Tho importance to our graziers of
any system which will enable them to bring their
young " stock" as early as possible to maturity can-
not be overrated, and we are happy to see that the
labours of the Club in this direction have been so
successful. Passing to the next great feature of the
show, it will be found, from the awards of the judges,
which we give below, that among oxen and steers a
large preponderance of the prizes has been carried off
by the Herefords ; and of cows and heifers, the most
successful as a class have been the " short horns."
A third feature worthy of notice is that in pigs, the
first prize in each of the three classes, with of course
the gold medal, has been carried off by Mr. Coate, of
Hammoon, near Blandford, Dorset, for his " im-
proved Dorset pigs," a circumstance, we believe, un-
paralleled in the history of the show.
Of individual specimens deserving of more particu-
lar notice, we may mention a fire four years and ten
months old Hereford ox, shown by Mr. Heath, of
Ludham Hall, Norfolk, one of our moat successful
feeders, to which the first prize of 30 sovereigns and a
silver medal to the breeder has been awarded. In the
second class, which includes oxen or steers of any
breed, between three and four years old, a fine symme-
trical and well-proportioned Hereford, shown by Mr.
Longmore, of Salop, rewarded with a first prize of
30 sovereigns and a silver medal to the breeder, is
also deserving of notice ; and we may mention also,
in this class, a three years and nine months old Here-
ford, shown by Mr. Heath ; and a three years and
eleven months Hereford, exhibited by his Royal
Highness Prince Albert ; as also one by his Royal
Highness in the third class. A curious specimen,
forwarded by the Earl of Derby, as executor of the
late Earl, a two year and eight months old Brahmin
and short-horned ox, attracted considerable notice.
The animal is exceedingly well formed, active, and,
from his apparent restless character, it is a matter of
surprise how he has made so much flesh. The Earl
of Leicester shows a fine four year and one month
old, and a three 4Year and eight months old pure
North Devon in Classes 4 and 5, both of which
have been worthily honoured by the decision of the
judges. In Class 7, Mr. Samuel Druce, of Eyns-
barn, Oxford, shows a short-horned and Hereford
heifer, bred by himself, to which the gold medal
has been awarded. An important feature in con-
nexion with this animal is, that one of the
principal ingredients of the food upon which
it was fed was linseed compound. At a time when
the attention of our agriculturists is so generally di •
rected to the extension of flax culture, it is a matter
of importance for them thus to have an opportunity
of witnessing to what advantage the flax seed may be
applied for the purpose of fattening cattle. The
heifer shown by Mr. Druce may fairly challenge
competition with the best animal in the exhibition,
and while nearly the whole of its rivals were fed upon
ordinary linseed cake, made up of the refuse of the
foreign oil crusher, imported into this country, its
exhibitor more wisely determined to cultivate, with
considerable profit to himself, his own flax, and with
a portion of the seed obtain increased facilities for
feeding his stock. We were informed, upon inquiry,
that the feeder is in the habit of grinding together
the flax seed and wheat or barley, and forming of the
meal a kind of "gruel," which was mixed with chaff
or other articles of dry food, and the compound thus
formed was given to his cattle, who thrived re-
markably well upon it. We would recommend those
who have any doubts of the value of home-grown
flax seed for fattening purposes, to avail themselves
of the opportunity of examining this heifer of Mr.
Druce's.
Of the sheep exhibited, the most striking specimens
are a pen of three twenty-one months' old South
Downs, bred and fed by the Duke of Richmond, re-
warded with the highest medal ; a pen of three twenty
months' old South Downs, by Mr. Overman, of
Norfolk ; a pen of three twenty months' old Leices-
ters, by Mr. Bradshaw, of Burley, near Oakham,
Rutland; three twenty-one months' old Leicesters,
by Mr. R. F. Hall, of Bawtry, Notts ; and three
remarkably fine specimens of Cotswolds, bred and
fed by Mr. Robert Beman, of Moreton, Gloucester.
Some good South Downs are also shown by Prince
Albert, by Mr. J. V. Shelley, the Marquis of Exeter,
and Mr. A. Beisley.
As we have already stated, Mr. Coate has taken the
first prizes in each of the three classes of pigs for his
improved Dorsets; they are remarkably fine speci-
mens. Two pens of Bedford and Suffolk pigs, shown
by Prince Albert ; one by the Earl of Radnor, of the
famed Coleshill breed ; and an immense two-year-
and-nine-months-old Hereford and Sussex pig, bred
and fed by Mr. Culliford, of Hayling Island, are also
deserving of notice.
It would be impossible for us, in our limited space,
to notice individually the various specimens which we
might consider worthy of remark, and we must there-
fore refer our readers to the list of prizes given below
for the names of the successful exhibitors, and to the
show itself, for the many fine specimens which it con-
tains. To those disposed to adopt the latter course
we may state that great improvements and enlarge-
ments have been effected by Mr. Boullnois, and that
the arrangements are now so complete that the ani-
mals may be inspected with the greatest ease, and
that ladies, even though not attired ala Bloomer,
tray safely promenade the cleanly, spacious, and
well ventilated pathways; while to others interested
in the perusal of the prize list we may state that the
awards appear to have beets well and carefully
bestowed. The judges appointed were :
JUDGES OF CATTLE AND LONG-WOOL SHEEP.
Messrs. James Quartley, Henry Chamberlain, Thos.
Greetham.
JUDGES OF CROS6 BRED SHEEP, SHORT-WOOLS, AND PIGS.
Messrs. Edward Pope, John Ford, jun., John Fern-
combo.
STEWARDS OF CATTLE AND LONG•WOOL SHEEP.
Messrs. George Turner, John Buckley, Wm. Loft.
STEWARDS OF CROSS-BRED SHEEP, SHOAT-WOOLS, AND
PIGS.
Messrs. Jonas Webb, James Burgess, J. Saxby.
The following is the list of the awards :
OXEN OR STEERS.
Class I—The first prize of 30/. to Mr. William Heath,
Ludham Hall, Norwich; a silver medal to the breeder,
Mr. John Oakes, Afcot, Church Stretton. The second
prize of 151. to Mr. William Henry Brick well, Leek-
hampstead. Bucks. The third prize of Si. to his Royal
Highness Prince Albert.
Class 2—The first prize of 301. to Mr. Edward Long-
more, Adforton, near Ludlow; a silver medal to ditto
(the breeder). The second prize of 151. to Mr. William
Heath, Ludham Hall, Norwich. The third prize of 51.
to his Royal Highness Prince Albert.
Class 3—The first prize of 25/. to Mr. Joseph Phillips,
Ardington, near Wantage; a silver medal to the breeder
Mr. Thomas Carter, Dodmoor, near Ludlow. The se-
cond prize of 151. to his Royal Highness Prince Albert.
The third prize of 5/. to Mr. Isaac Niblett, Conygre
Farm, Filton, Bristol.
Class 4—The first prize of 201. to the Right Hon. the
Earl of Leicester, Holkham Hall; a silver medal to the
breeder, Mr. William Baker, Bishop's Nympton. The
second prize.of 101. to Mr. Daniel Mydwell, of Aabstead,
Surrey.
Class s—The first prize of 15/. to the Right lion. the
Earl of Leicester, Holkham Hall; a silver medal to the
breeder, Mr. George Turner, Barton, Exeter. The se-
cond prize of 5/. to Mr. Thomas Bond, Bishop's Ly-
deard, Taunton.
Class —The prize of 10/. to Mr. G. H. Kindorley of
Kilpaison, Pembroke.
COWS AND HEIFERS.
Class 7—The first prize of 201. to Mr. Samuel Drum,
Eynsham, Oxford; a silver medal to ditto (the breeder).
The second prize of 10/. to Mr. Richard Stratton, of
Broad Hinton, near Swindon, Wilts. The third prize
of Si. to Mr. John Phillips, of Ardington, Wantage,
Berks.
Class B—The first prize of 201. to the Right Honour-
able Lord Feversham, of Duncombe Park, Helmsley,
York; a silver medal to ditto (the breeder.) The s
e-
cond prize of 10/. to Mr. Joseph Gillett, of Little Hase-
ley, Wheatley, Oxon.
Class 9—The first prize of 201. to Mr. Wm. Holland,
Lightcliffe, Halifax; a silver medal to ditto (the breeder).
The second prize of 101. to Mr. Robert Beman, Moreton.
in-Marsh, Gloucester.
LONG-WOOLLED SHEEP.
Class 10—The first !prize of 20/. to Mr. R. L. Brad-
shaw, Burley-on-the-Hill, Oakhamil), silver medal to
ditto (the breeder). The second prize of 101. to Mr. R.
third F. Hall, Healey, Bawtry. The rd prize of 5/. to Mr.
George Walmsley, Rudston Bridlington.
Class 11—The first prize Leicester; a
silver modal to
of 201. to Mr. Lawrence
Willmore, Whetstone, near
ditto (the breeder). The second
Si
prize of 104 to Mr.