lified at once by the stewards on the certificate of the
veterinary surgeon. It may at once be admitted that this mode of
procedure is very hard on an honest exhibitor whose pig has for some
reason developed its temporary or permanent teeth abnormally--and such
cases are not unknown--- although as a rule the various stages in the
cutting of the permanent teeth are very regular, the majority of the
irregularities are also in favour of the exhibitor, since delayed rather
than precocious development of dentition is the most common. Just how
imperative it was that some steps should be taken to prevent mistakes
being made in the ages of young pigs exhibited, many cases could be
cited, but one may suffice where one of the sow pigs in a pen of five
entered in a class for pigs not exceeding six months actually farrowed a
litter of fully developed pigs in the show yard.

During the last forty years, great improvements have been made in the
classification for pigs at our principal Fat Stock shows. The division
of breeds or types has been attended to and the ages of the pigs in the
various classes have been greatly reduced. For instance, when the writer
was judging pigs with two colleagues at the 1880 show of the Smithfield
Club, there were classes for Small White pigs, not exceeding nine
months; above nine months, and not exceeding twelve months, and above
twelve months and not exceeding eighteen months. A more ridiculous
classification could not possibly have been devised since no small white
pig would have paid for fattening after it had become nine months old. A
similar classification existed for pigs of the Large White breed, for
Black breeds, and for Berkshires. In addition there was a class for a
single pig of any age or breed. The condition of some of the exhibits in
the oldest classes was most pitiable, they had been stuffed to such an
extent that their life must have been a misery to them, they were unable
to walk any distance, and to prevent suffocation rollers were used on
which to raise their heads. The only way in which to describe these
unfortunate subjects of man's inhumanity was as animated bladders of
lard.

At the recent shows of the Smithfield Club, not only has the age limit
been greatly reduced but classes for pigs not exceeding 100 lbs. live
weight have been instituted, in addition to classes for all the
recognised pure breeds of pigs and those of any cross. Even this great
reduction in age has not been eno