Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-11-24
GUESSING AT DEAD WEIGHTS.
Skill Shown by Farmers at English
Fairs and Markets.

Fairs and Markets.
Among farmers and agriculturists
generally in the north Of England
what Is known as dead weight guess
ing" is a very popular form of compe-
tition, and at the various fairs and
markets marvellous examples Of accu-
racy are forthcoming.
Perhaps in the county OF Cumber-
land they enjoy a greater amount Of
popularity than anywhere else, and be-
yond question nowhere is more strik-
ing judgment displayed. Only the 9TH
er day a remarkable instance Of this
was reported from Silloth.
In common with other visitors, T.
Atherton was invited at the show there
to guess the dead weight Of fat beast
on exhibition. After scrutinizing the
animal Mr.. Atherton expressed his
opinion that the weight would be
found to be 43 stone II pounds
When recourse was had to the arbi-
trament Of the scales the foregoing
figures proved to be absolutely correct.
On another occasion, at SHELTON. In
the same county, there was still
more noteworthy demonstration Of
skill, a couple of expert competitors
succeeding in guessing the exact
weight of beast.
But the place of honor ought per-
haps to be awarded to lady, who at a
still more recent show successfully
Judged the weight of q heifer, even to
the last half pound. The lady who has
this performance to her credit is Miss
Jeannie Armstrong, who at show a
few days ago at Haltwhistle estimated
the weight Of a ponderous heifer at
45 stone 1Ob pounds. The beast turn
ed the scale at exactly these figures.
In point of accuracy not far behind
was a competitor In the block test
ing competitions held at Wigton
(Cumberland) Agricultural show. In
this case, however, the animal whose
weight had to be guessed was a sheep.
a much easier subject for such an es-
innate.
One forecast Of its weight was S2a
pounds, which turned out to be abso-
lutely correct. This guess was made
by Percy Strong Of Drumleaning, but
how close the estimates were may be
gathered from the fact that three 9TH
er competitors were only half pound
out.
At the same show there was some
excellent guessing at the dead weight
of a huge bullock which won the ad-
miration Of the visitors. The actual
weight of this bovine monster proved
to be no less than SO stone 13 pounds.
Quite a number of persons had q
shot at this competition, the winners
being ]. Threlkeld of Wampool and
]. Wills Of Greenspot, both Of whose
guesses were SO stone IL pounds. The
forecasts Of three other competitors
namely, w. Graham Of Wigton, j.
Speeding of Dockray and John Turn
bull Of Cleator were only trifie OF
three pounds out Of the actual weight.
But for a really sensational display
of expert weight guessing we must
turn back to the records Of last year }
agricultural show at Aspatria.
The subject was a shorthorn COW,
whose weight when killed a few davs
afterward was certified to be 43 stone
2 pounds.
BY an extraordinary coincidence
there were among the competitors 40
fewer than four whose guesses wele
found to be exactly these figures.
AS a setoff to their accurate fore
casts, however, there were a large
number which proved to be very wide
Of the mark. One Of the competitors
was indeed, upward Of 16 stone out
his guess running up to the high figure
Of So stone Z pounds.
On the other hand, yet another
competitor made quite ridiculous un-
derestimate, he placing the dead
weight at nearly nine stone less than
it actually proved to be.-London Tit
Bits.