Prior to this, in 1858, the first Rural Show was organized at Palermo. It was not a success. As Dr. Zeballos has written, “It was held in the midst of public indifference and passed utterly unnoticed by the press.” However, it seems to have only been a sort of fair at which all kinds of other wares jostled some rural produce. In face of this fiasco it is not surprising that no other Rural Show was held until thirteen years later; when a really Rural Show was held in the City of Córdoba. This appears to have had as much success as was to be expected after taking difficulties of transport into consideration. The real commencement, however, of the series of great annual shows now held at Palermo was made by the Rural Society in 1875. The chief live stock exhibits at these shows consists of— HORSES. “Criollos” (native breed). Saddle and race horses. Light draught. Heavy draught (now in the majority). CATTLE. Shorthorn (in a very large majority). Hereford. Polled Angus. Dairy breeds. SHEEP. Merino. Lincoln-Merino crossbreds. Lincoln. Romney Marsh. Shropshire Down. Oxford Down. Hampshire Down. Leicester. The majority of the sheep exhibits are Lincolns and Merinos. Fine Pigs and Poultry of all kinds are also to be seen at these shows, but they are chiefly contributed by the wealthier estancieros. As has been indicated, the day of pig and poultry farming on a large practical scale has not yet dawned on the River Plate. Mr. Herbert Gibson shows us, in his valuable Monograph attached to the Argentine National Agricultural and Live Stock Census of 1908, that the coming of Cold Storage establishments, as well as the increase of the export trade for animals on the hoof, was very largely instrumental in securing the predominance of the Lincoln breed, most frequently crossed with merino. Merino for wool and Lincoln for mutton; and the cross which preserves the best qualities of both is in effect the guiding rule of the River Plate sheep-breeder of to-day. However, with the coming of alfalfa came also the various black-faced or Down breeds which mature quickly into fine meat carcases. It may be said that barbed wire, iron water-drawing windmills and cold storage establishments are the chief inanimate supports of the River Plate Live Stock industries. Another should be trees; the prime necessity of which to afford shade for animals which know no other roof but the heavens, from which a very hot sun shines on the Pampa in summer time, is not yet as generally appreciated as it should be. Still the planting of trees on pasture lands began some years ago, and only could be wished to spread more quickly and universally than it has yet done.