Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-11-29
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 very popular form of compe- tition, and at the various fairs and markets marvellous examples of ac- curacy are forthcoming.
 Perhaps in the county of Cumber- land they enjoy a greater amount of popularity than anywhere else, and beyond question nowhere is more striking Judgment displayed Only the other day really 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 MT Atherton expressed his opinion that the weight would be found to be 43 stone II pounds.
 When recourse was had to the arbi- tration of the scales the foregoing fig ures proved to be absolutely correct. On another occasion, ar Skelton, in the same county, there was a still more noteworthy demonstration of skill, couple of expert competitors succeeding in guessing the exact weight of a beast.
 But the place of honor ought per haps to be awarded to lady, who at still more recent show successfully judged the weight of heifer. even to the last half pound The lady. who has this performance to her credit is Miss Jeannie Armstrong, who at a show few days ago at Haltwhistle estimated the weight Of a ponderous heifer at 45 stone 10h pounds. The beast turned the scale at exactly these figures
 In point of accuracy rot far behind was competitor in the block test guessing competitions held at Wigton Cumberland Agricultural show. Jn this case, however the animal whose weight had to be guessed was sheep, a much easier subject for such an es- innate,
 One forecast of it's weight was S2b pounds, which turned out to be abso- lutely correct. This guess was made by Percy Strong of Drumleaning, put how close the estimates were may be gathered from the fact that three oth- CT competitors were only half pound out.
 At the same show there was some excellent guessing at the dead weight of huge bullock which won the ad- miration of the visitors. The actual weight of this bovine monster proved to be no less than 30 stone 13 pounds.
 Quite a number of persons had shot at this competition. the winners being J. Threlkeld of Wampool and I. Wills of Greenspot, both of whose, guesses were 20 stone 12 pounds. The forecasts of three other competitors, namely, w. Graham of Wigton. |. Spedding of Dockray and John Turn bull of Cleator were only a trifie of three pounds out of the actual weIght.
 But for really sensational display of expert weight guessing we must turn back to the records of last years agricultural show at Aspatria.
 The subject was shorthorn cow, whose weight when killed few days afterward was certified to be 43 stone 2 pounds.
 By an extraordinary coincidence there were among the competitors no fewer than four whose guesses were found to be. exactly these figures.
 As setoff to their accurate fore casts. however there were large number. which proved to he very wide of the mark. One of the competitors was, indeed. upward of 16 stone out. his guess running ID to the high fig ure of 59 stone ' pounds.
 On the other hand, yet another com petitor made quite ridiculous under estimate. he placing the dead weight of the shorthorn at nearly nine stone less than 1t actually proved to be- Tit-Bits.