^v'?-. f MASSACHUSETTS STATE COLLEGE GOODELL LIBRARY IE1E._ THE FARMER^S MAGAZINE. VOLUME THE FORTY-SECOND. THIRD SERIES, JULY TO DECEMBER, MDCCCLXXIL LONDON: PUBLISHED BY ROGERSON AND TUXFORD, 265, STRAND. MAY BE HAD BY ORDER THROUGH ALL BOOKSELLERS- LONDON : PRINTED BY ROGEESON ANU TUXFOKD ~C)5 STRAND. r Zer 3 V 4 2- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. JANUARY, 1873. CONTENTS. Plate I.— LORD IRWIN (29123). Plate II.— A L\WN MEET. Description of Plates The Farmers' Club: Large and Small Farms A Foolish Controversy Impractical Agriculture The Wheat Crop of 1873 The Prospect of a Wheat Crop Threr Calves at a Birth The Cirencester Royal Agricultural College Club Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture Norfolk Agricultural Society Sale of Stock at the Smithfield Club Show. The Scottish Chamber of Agriculture Chippenham Agricultural Association The West Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture : Labourers' Societies Bath and West of England Society, and Southern Counties Associat Gloucester Root and Grain Society . East Kent Chamber of Agriculture : Tenant-Right . Rutland Agricultural Society: Meeting at Oakham . IxwoRTH Farmers' Club: The Reclamation of Waste Land The Midland Farmers' Club: "Practical Agriculture" The Kildare Tenants' Defence Association : The Leinsteu Lease The Norfolk Lease ..,.,. The Butchers' Premiums at the Birmingham Show The Diseases of Sheep . . . The Devons at Birmingham ..... Royal Agricultural Society of England The Smithfield Club Show ..... The Smithfield Club Annual Meeting The Royal Visit to the Smithfield Club Show The Yorkshire Society: Fat Stock Show at York The Birmingham Agricultural Exhibition Society Bingley Hall Farmers' Club Annual Dinner Farmers' Club Annual Meeting Review of the Corn Trade Market Currencies, Imperial Averages, &c. Fat Cattle Show in PAGE 1,2 2 13 14 15 16 16 16 16 16 16 17 2-2 23 27 27 28 30 31 33 36 41 41 42 49 50 57 69 73 73 76 82 86 87 88 INDEX. A. Aberdeenshire Analytical Association, I7ti A Cattle Sale Case, 462 A Cold Look-out — Description of Plate, 377 Aeronian— Description of Plate, 473 Agricultural Intelligence, Fairs, &c., 179 Agricultural Reports, 87, 178, 180, 277, 373 Agricultural Societies: — Bath and West of England, 16, 45, 249 Boroughbridge, 140, 501 Essex, 311, 410 Herts, 408 Highland, 63, 80, 176, 536 Ludlow, 431 Queen's County, 176 Royal Agricultural Society of England, 2. 91, 121, 162, 194, 269, ^■'iO Royal Agricultutal Society of Ireland, 61, 175, 196 Yorks, 461 A Large Farm, 153 Anti-Game Law League, 240 A Parsonage Farm, 309 A Provincial Pack — Description of Plate, 1S7 A Royal Berkshire Boar — Description of Plate, 377 Artificial Manure Analysis Case, 467 B. Benhara Squire — Description of Plate, 1 Blount's Farm Sale, 270 Blue Bell — Description of Plate, 91 " Bounds of the Beat" — Description of Plate, 92 British Agricultural Societies ; by C. W. Johnson, Esq., F.R.S., 188 C. Carrots — Their Varieties and Culture, 543 Cattle Diseases and Transit, 463 Cattle Fever in Texas, 500 Cattle Plague, '283, 347, 543 Cattle Trade Review, 277, 567 Chalk, 498 Chambers of Agriculture : — Central, 35, 523 Cheshire, 31, 389 Cirencester, 17, 496 Cornwall, 312, 521 Devon and Cornwall, 229 Devon Central, 420 Devonshire, 14, 493 East Kent, 393 East Suffolk, 519 Essex, 513 Gloucester, 489 Kincardine, 57 Ledbury, 557 Morpeth, 75 Northamptonshire, 559 Nottinghamshire, 144, 442 Perth, 324 Ross, 323 Staffordshire, 49o Surrey, 59 Warwickshire, 4l', 49" West Suffolk, 110 York, 29 Cider, 14 Coal Supplies, 555 Commercial Currencies, 90, 180, 185-6, 280, 375-6 Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act — Order in Council, 149 Cop Hall— Description of Plate, 187 Corn Trade Reviews, 86, 88, 183, 278, 37i, 471, 565 D. Dairy Management, 136 Danish Farming, 192 Difficulties in Cheshire, 31 Diseases of tlie Intestines of the Horse, 147 Dog Days — Description of Plate, 1 E. Education of Farmers, 521 Ephippic, 549 Exportation of Lincoln Sheep, 276 Exportation of Shorthorns, 78 Exportation of Stock, 276 Fairs, 87, 179 Farmers' Clubs ; — Athy, 504 Ayrshire, 508 Botley, 551 Carmarthen, 306 Central, 474 Croydon, 147 East Lothian, 152 Gala Water, 394 Haddington, 441 Hexham, 145, 463 L\' worth, 416 Lancashire, 429 Lavenham, 434 Limerick, 555 Maidstone, 84, 109, 303, 432 Manchester, 331 Midland, 12, 113 Morayshire, 22 Penrith, 28 Wigton, 25 AVin frith, 511 Farming in Syria, 486 Farming Notes, 370, 372 Farm Prizes, 175 Foot and Mouth Disease, 123, 208 Freedom in Cultivation and Security of Capital, 474 French Peasant Farmers" Fund, 373 Fruit Culture, 150 INDEX. G. Game Laws Committee, 64, 78, 145, 154, 230, 380 Game in Scotland, 424 Geology of the British Brighton District, 320 Grain Currencies, 89, 185, 280, 375, 472, 568 Ground Game, 29 H. Harvest Expenses, 508 Hay and Corn Drying Machines, 182 Highway Management, 557 Horace Greeley's Exjjeriences of Farming, 443 Horse Breeding Companies, 560 Horsewhipping by a Farmer, 16 How to overcome the Cattle Disease, 2S5 I. Implements in Holland, 182 Implement Trials, 411 Indian Corn, 446 Infertility of Land— its Cause and Cuie, 216 Irrigation, 30*5 Irrigation at Healhcote, 113 Irish Farm Statistics, 345 Judges at Cardiff, 207, 269 K. Kidd V, the R.A.S.E.— Action i\jY Libel, 258 Labour Questions, 12, 25, 378, 307, 501 Land Questions, 437 Land Tenure, 140, 496, 513, 519 Lavender Cultivation, 297 Local Taxation, 58, 151, 38], 549, 551 Lombard Farming, 73 Lord Derl)y on Agriculture, 379 Lord Leinster's Lease, 507 " Matchless" at Malton, 269 Meadows and Garden Allotments, 107 Meetings of the Half-year: — Aylesbury, 353 Bake well, 412 Belfast, 190 Birmingham, 203 Bodmin, 55 Bolton, 405 Bridlington, 228 Bury St. Edmunds, 130 Cambridge, 120 CardiflF, 91, 162 Cardigan, 271 Carhsle, 340 Chester, 418 Derby, 401 Doncastar, US Dorchester, 45 Driffield, 222 Dublin, 354 Durham, 352 Easingwold, 342 Gloucester, 245 Halifax, 349 Halsted, 52 Hereford, 384 Hexham, 201 Islington, 42 Jersey, 16 Keighley, 206 Kelso, 241 Kilmarnock, 537 Lancaster, 207 Leominster, 343 Llanboidy, 392 Loughborough, 419 Luton, 2 24 Lynn, 52 Lytham, 343 Malton, 252 Market Harborough, 336 Newca&tle-on-Tyne, 199 Nottingham, 251 Pembroke, 271 Penrith, 409 Penzance, 135 Peterborough, 127 Pontefract, 227 Pieston, 251 Ramsey, 348 Redcar, 248 Richmondshire, 344 Ripon, 134 Spalding, 219 Stafford, 350 Stourbridge, 338 The Hague, 413 Thirsk, 225 Wakefield, 247 Warwick, 404 Weedon, 393 Whitby, 341 Wirral, 347 Windsor, 114 Milk, 331 Monument to Lord Leicester —Description of Plate, 281 Mr. Lawes and the Wheat Crop, 388 Native Guano, 303 New Act on Public Health, 335 No False Alarm — Description of Piute, 474 Novelties in Telegraphy, 487 O. Obituary: — Challoner, Colonel, 268 Housman, Mr. R. F., 268 Old and New Plans of Farming, 330 On a Shiny Night — Description of Plate, 283 Orders in Council, 296, 3 L 4 P. Parasites in Lambs, 312 Pedigrees, 462 Peruvian Guano, 112 INDEX. Pigs Poisoned by Convolvulus, 497 Potatoes, 22, 322, 441 Poultry at the Crystal Palace, 5G3 Preparing for Turnips, by the Northern Farmer, 105 Presentation to Mr. Corbet, 123 Preservation of Grain, 152 Prize Farms of 1872, 105 Professional Prophecies, 320 Public Health Bills, 110 Public Opinion on the Central Chamber, 4S4 R. Root Show by Messrs. Carter at the Crystal Palace, 561 .Root Show by Messrs. Sutton at Reading, 502 Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, 39, 82, 495, 550, 5Gl S. Sack Demurrage, 547 Sales— Miscellaneous : Herefords at Marden, 5G4 Late Mr, Blenkiron's Stud, 179 Mr. Sexton's Stock, 365 Royal Yearlings, 81 Shorthorn Sales : Aslichurch, 77 Audley End, 76 Beaumont Grange, 271 Burgh By Lands, 456 Chapel Hill, 177 Dunmore, 358 Harlowbury, 453 Keir, 559 Pencraig, 270 Ribchester, 357 Rougholm, 454 Roxwell, 177 Tansley, 453 Thurmaston, 365 Wednesfield, 457 Weeting Hall, 177 Winterfold, 362 \Yoodside, Luton, 77 Salisbury Hotel, 174 Scientific Instruction, 176 Seeds and Weeds, 432 Sewage, 434 Sheep Breeding, 544 Sheep Sales and Lettings, 271, 365, 458 Sheep versus Bullocks, 416 Show Inspectors, 191 Smithfield Club Council, 536 Statute Hirings, 28 Steam Ploughing, 75 Supplies of Stock, 276 T. Table-Talk : Aberdeen, 240 Alford, 212 Angus, 214 Bicester, 292 Blofield, 538 Bradford, 450 Braiseworth, 295 Brighton, 290 Bury, 289 Derby, 448 Dorchester, 209 Felton, 209 Gloucester, 210 Glynde, 291 Halifax, 294 Highclere, 450 Holme Cultram, 294 Inverness, 292 Lancaster, 287 Leominster, 29S Loughborough, 451 Luton, 210 Maryborough, 215 Newcastle-on-Tyne, 213 Over, 451 Penrith, 452 Rickmansworth, 291 Sheffield, 212 Skipton, 291 Stourbridge, 238 Turriff, 213 Walford,452 Wareham, 539 Tenant-Right, 17, 173, 229, 298, 300, 323, 389, 393, 390, 420,423, 46l, 485, 4S8, 489 Tenant-Right in Scotland, 391 Tiptree Hall, 74 Transit of Stock, 183, 284 Turnip Cultivation— By the Northern Farmer, 382 U. Unexhausted Improvement, 144 Uniformity of Corn Measures, 333 Utilization of Town Sewage, 109 Uses of Straw, 511 V. Veterinary Art, 311 Veterinary Department, Privy Council Reports 1871, 314 W. Waste Land, 218, 541 Wheat after Wheat. 193 Wild Flower Oxford 2nd, 371 Y. Yorkshire— The Cattle Plague, 321 THE EMBELLISHMENTS The Dog Days . Benham Squire. Blue Bell The Bounds of the Beat Cop Hall A Provincial Pack The Leicester Monument On a Shiny Night A Royal Berkshire Boar A Cold Look Out Aeronian . No False Alarm 1 1 91 91 1S7 187 281 281 378 378 473 473 No. 1, Vol. XLIL] JULY, 1872. [Third Series. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE AKD MONTHLY JOURNAL O? THE AdEICULTUEAL INTEREST. IBelrwatelr TO THE FARMERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. LONDON: PUBLISHED BYROGERSON AND TUXFORD, 365, STRAND. PRICE TWO SHILLINGS. ROGEBBON AND TUXPORD,] [PRINTERS, 265, STRAND. THE FAKMER'S MAGAZINE. J U L Y, 187 3. CONTENTS. Flats I.— BENHAM SQUIRE: thk Property of Mr. George Trumpbr, of HoRTON, 8lough. Plate II.— THE DOG DAYS. Description op Plates .... EoYAL Agricultural Society op England : Monthly Council The Norfolk Agricultural Association : Meeting at Lynn The Midland Farmers' Club : The Labourers' Home The Cider Question .... The Eoyal Jersey Agricultural Society The Horse-Whipping Case . , Cirencester Chamber of Agriculture : Tenani-Right Morayshire Farmers' Club : The Potato WiGTON Farmers' Club : The Labour Question Penrith Farmers' Club : Statute Hirings York Chamber op Agriculture : Ground Game Cheshire Chamber of Agriculture : A Council Extraordinary The Central Chamber of Agriculture The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution The Islington Horse Show Warwickshire Chamber of Agriculture The Bath and West of England Society, and Southern Counties Association Meeting at Dorchester Essex Agricultural Society : Meeting at Halsted Royal Cornwall Agricultural Society : Meeting at Bodmin The Kincardineshire Chamber of Agriculture Local Taxation not a Farmers' Question The Surrey Chamber of Agriculture Royal Agricultural Society op Ireland Anti-Adulteration Society Flax Supply Association The Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland The Game-Laws Committee : Mr. Mann's Evidence Examination of Mr. Clare Sewell Read, M.P, The Farming of Lombardy ; The History of Tiptrbe Hall The Corn Averages ... Proposed Steam-Plough and Traction-Engine Company Sale of Lord Braybrooke's Shorthorn Herd Sale of Mr. J. H. Blundell's Shorthorns Sale of Mr, Woodward's Shorthorns at Ashchurch Exported Shorthorns . . , Sale of Show Stock at Dorchester . Sale OF THE Royal Yearlings . , The Maidstone Farmers' Club : Suffolk Farming Agricultural Reports, &c. Review of the Corn Trade . Market Currencies, Imperial Averages, &c. . Title, Index, &c. PAGE. 1 2 2 14 15 16 16 17 22 25 28 29 31 35 39, 82 42 44 45 52 55 67 58 59 61 62 63 63,80 64 68,78 73 74 75 75 76 11 11 78 78 81 84 86 88 90 §\n ^' 1 ^^ ■■'r^m- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. JULY, 1872. PLATE I. BENHAM SQUIEE. THE PEOPERTY OF MR. GEORGE TRUMPER, OF HORTON, SLOUGH. Benham Squire, bred by Mr. Richard Sutton, at Ben- ham Park, near Newbury, in 1867, is by Camerino, out of Juanita Perez by Melbourne, her dam Jeanette by Birdcatcher — Perditaby Langar. Camerino, bred by the late " Squire" Osbaldeston in 1858, is by Stockwell, out of Sylphine by Touchstone, her dam Mountain Sylpli by Belshazzar — Stays by Whalebone. Camerino, a very neat nag, showed some form as a race-horse, while his stock have been running for the last four or five seasons, but with so far no very high-class winners put to his credit, Juanita Perez, an Irish mare, bred by Mr. Disney in 1851, but brought to England by the late Lord Strath- more in 1860 is also the dam of Drogheda, Waterford, Cruiltshank, Skeffington, A. 1. Somerled, and Juanita. She has long been in Mr. Sutton's stud. Benham Squire never ran but once, at Newmarket, and on being put out training was purchased by Mr. Trumper, who hunts him in the winter, and travels him in the summer. The Squire has, indeed, already earned a very good character with the Royal Stag-hounds and Harriers, being up to weight, very temperate, and a fine fencer. There are some who thiuk he would have made a crack steeple-chase horse, but his owner has put him to better account. His services are always available in the Slough district, and his fee 6 gs. for thorough-bred, and 3 gs. for half-bred mares. At the meeting of " the Royal Counties," Hants and Berks, Agricultural Society, in the Home Park at Wind- sor, on the last Wednesday in June, Benham Squire took the premium of £10, as the best thorough-bred stallion for getting hnnters, and has thus thoroughly qualified for a place in The Farmers^ Magazine. He stripped a very corky clever horse, and either in the field or at the stud, promises to become a worthy successor to Mr. Tom Hussey's Sir John Barleycorn, so long and so well known in these parts. PLATE II. THE DOG DAYS. Wednesday, Juhj 3. The Dog Days begin. So says The Almanac, and our illustration should come as an especial caution against that caielessness which leaves " water, water everywhere, nor yet a drop to drink !" Poor Pincher would seem to be in something of this case. Old Skries.] [Vol. LXXn.— No. 1. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. Monthly Councii,, Wednesday, June 5. — Present : Sir Watkin W. Wynn, Bart., M.P., President, in the chair ; Earl Cathcart, Viscount Ossington, Lord Chesham, Lord Kesteven, Lord Tredegar, Lord Vernon, the Hon. H. G. LiddeU, M.P. ; Sir Massey Lopes, Bart., M.P. ; Sir A. K. Macdonald, Bart. ; Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Barnett, Mr. Bowly, Mr. Cantrell, Mr. Davies, Mr. Dent, M.P. ; Mr. Druce, Mr. Edmonds, Mr. Brandreth Gibbs, Mr. Hornsby, Mr. Wren Hoskyns, M.P. ; Mr. Bowen Jones, Colonel Kingscote, M.P. ; Mr. Leeds, Mr. IMclntosh, Mr. ISIasfen, Mr. Milward, Mr. Pain, Mr. Randell, Mr. Rawlence, Mr. Ridley, M.P. ; Mr. Shuttleworth, Mr. Statter, Mr. Stone, M"r. Thompson, Mr. Torr, Mr. Jabez Turner, Mr. Wakefield, Mr. Earle Welby, M.P. ; Mr. John Wells, Mr. W. WeUs, M.P. ; Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson, Mr. Jacob Wilson, and Dr. Voelcker. The following were elected Governors of the Society : Earl Fitzwilliam, Wentworth Woohouse, Rotherham Earl Cowley, Draycot House, Chippenham The Marquis of Westminster, K.G., Eaton llall, Chester Lord Leconfield, Petworth House, Susses. The following new members were elected : Allen, Henry George, 66, St. James' Street, S.W. Allen, J. D., Tisbury, Salisbury, Wilts Armitage, William Sugden, Bickmarsh Hall, Redditch Bannister, Thomas, Limehurst, Hayward's Heath, Susses Barrington, Viscount, M.P., Beckett, Slirivenham, Berks Bedford, Duke of, 82, Eustou Square, SW. Bengough, J. C, The Ridge, Wotton-uuder-Edge Best, Robert Storr, IMoorfields, Goole, Yorkshire Biddnlph, R. Myddelton, Chirk Castle, Chirk, Denbighshire Boardman, Frederick B., Manoravon, Llandilo Boyd-Kiunear, J., Courtil Rozel, Guernsey Bridgwater, Rees W., Great Porthamel, Talgarth, Brecon Britten, William Edward, Stapleton, Presteign Brace, T. R., Slogarry, New Galloway, Kirkcudbright, N.B. Bucknill, John Charles, M.D., Hillmorton Hall, Rugby Burke, M. R., 70, Park Street, Grosvenor Square, W. Butler, Tliomas, Dalton-in-Furness, Lancashire Campbell, Henry, M.P., Genniugs Park, Maidstone Chandler, Charles T., Haysgate, Chepstow, Monmouthshire Chalcraft, James, Stroud, Petersfield Chittenden, Andrew, Detling, Maidstone, Kent Clarendon, Earl of, The Grove, Watford Cole, Henry, Ashbrook, Cirencester, Gloucestershire ColHngham, Joseph, Welham, Retford, Notts Corbett, John Stuart, Cogan Pill, Cardiff Dangan, Viscount, Draycot House, Chippenham Davenport, W. Bromley, M.P., Capesthorne, Congleton Davis, Jenkin, Engleiield, Reading, Berks David, John, Ely, Cardiff, Glamorganshire Davis, W. Mardee, Llandrinio, Oswestry Dent, R. J., Streatham House, Darlington Derry, Charles Main, Gedney, near Wisbeach Digby, Reginald, Geashill Castle, Tullamore, King's County, Ireland Duncan, George, Coldrey, Alton, Hants Dyke, William Hart, M.P., Lullingstoue Castle, Dartford Ellison, Richard G., Boultham Hall, Lincoln Finch, G. H., M.P., Burley-on-the-Hill, Oakham Fisher, H. L.. Helborough, Alcester Fitzwilliam, Hon. G. W. Milton, Peterborough Fletcher, Lionel Jolin William, Kenward, Yalding Garnett, Robert, Wyreside, Lancaster Garrard, T. R., The Hall, Framlingham Godwin, Mary, Troy Farm, Deddington, Oxfordshire Goldsraid, Julian, M.P., Somerhill, Tunbridge, Kei^t Gould, John, Bampfylde Lodge, Poltimore, Exeter Greeuwod, WUUaw, Duahaw Massey, 41truicbam Grosvenor, Lord Richard, M.P., 76, Brook-street, W. Hilder, W., Coldharbour Farm, Tenterden, Kent Hill, George Job, White Heatli, Malmesbury Hopkins, Dr. John, Llautrisant, Glamorganshire Hopton, John, Kemerlon Court, near Tewkesbury Howell, John Richard, Noyadd-Trefawr, Llandyssil Hudson, C. Donaldson, Cheswardine, Market Drayton Huntley, Marquis of, Orton Hall, Peterborough Jarvis, G. K., Doddinstton Hall, Lincoln Jones, Lieut.-Colonel Alfred Stowell, Hafod-y-wern, Wrexham Jones, Thomas, Suramerfield Park, Llandiloes Jones, W., Llwynygroes, Llanwnen, Carmarthen Jones, W., Pantrewgach, Castletown, Cardiff Jones, W., Blackball, Newtown Lake, Robert, Oakley, Rochester, Kent Lawton, W. F., Wyck Hill, Stow-on-the-Wold Lucas, John Clay, Lewes, Sussex Mainwaring, Salusbury K., Oteley, Shrewsbury Millington, Mary E., Ashgrove, Ardley, Bicester Morgan, G., Cleves Cross, Ferry Hill, Durham Newport, Viscount, M.P., Weston-Shifnal Newton, F. H., Farrant Abbey, Blandford Nicholson, Thomas, 100, Lowther-street, York Norton, Henry, Greenhill, Carmarthen Parry, William, Corbet Arms Hotel, Towyn Pease, Edward, Greencroft West, Darhngton Pliillips, Charles, 93, Commercial-street, Newport, Mon- mouthshire Prcton, Robert, Bos, Chippenham, Wilts Piper, Edward, Hensill, Hawkhurst, Kent Powell, W. R. H. Maesywynne, Whitland Preece, Thomas, West House, Wick, Bridgend Price, Alfred B., The West, near Bridgend Reece, Edward Bernard, Cardiff, Glamorganshire Rebow, H. J. Gurdou, Wyvenhoe Park, Colchester Rendleshara, Lord, Rendlesham Hall, Woodbridge Riley, John, Brearley House, Luddenden Foot, Yorkshire Rockett, Jolin Humble, Goole, Yorkshire Rolt, John, Ozleworth Park, Wotton-under-Edge Rothschild, Baron Mayer, M.P., Mentmore, Leighton Buzzard Riggall, Robert W., Smeathalls, Ferrybridge, Yorkshire Rutherford, James, 40, Eccles-street, Dublin Ruxton, G. F. Symonds, The Crook Farm, Brenchley, Staple- hurst, Kent Sharpe, Octavius, Brampton Abbotts, Ross Stephenson, Clement, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Stoughton, Tliomas Anthony, Owlpen, Uley, Gloucestershire Stratton, Joseph, Alton Priors, Marlborough Sykes, Christopher, M.P., Brantingham Thorpe, Brongh Thomas, John, Eastfield House, Cowbridge Turner, James Thomas, Bidwell, Thorverton, CuUorapton Turner, Thomas Austen, The Farm, Staunton-on- Arrow Vaughan, Captain Herbert, Brynog, Talsarn Viveash, Oriel, Berwick Bassett, Swindon Ward, Samuel, St. David's, Exeter Warde, Ambrose, West Farleigh, Maidstone Warren, William de Grouchy, 29, Picton Terrace, Carmarthen Waters, Robert, Sarnan, St. Clears Wemyss, Maynard, Pearcelands, Westhoatley, East Grinstead Williams, David i'robert, Penbury, St. David's Williams, Rees, Pencelly Castle, Brecon Williams, W. Watts, Hendre, St. David's Wright, Robert, Nocton Heath, Nocton Wyndham, Hon. Percy, M.P., 44, Belgrave Square, S.W. Yeld, George, Twyford, Pembridge, Hereford. Finances. — Mr. Davies presented the report, from which it appeared that the secretary's receipts during the past month had been duly examined by the committee, and by Messrs. Quilter, Ball, and Co., the Society's ac- countants, and found correct. The balance at the bank- ers on May 31 was £2,773 6s, 8d,, whjk f 3,000 remaina ftt deposit. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. JouRNAl,. — Mr. Thompson (chairman) reported that Mr. Corbet had accepted the office of reporter of the exhibition of live stock at the Cardiff meeting, and that the committee recommended that the application from the United States' department of agriculture at Wash- ington be complied with, and that the Society's Journal be in future presented to the departmental library. This report having beea adopted, Mr. Thompson, in reference to the notice which had been given by the committee, that they would move for a vote of £100 to be expended in obtaining a report on foreign agriculture, stated that there was a difference of opinion in the committee with regard to the country to be reported upon ; he also men- tioned that there were at present some objections to selecting France as the country to be visited, in conse- queuce of the effect of the late war upon the agriculture of the country, aad more particularly on account of the late prevaleuce of the cattle plague, which has not yet been entirely got rid of. He therefore preferred a dis- trict of Germany which had not been affected by these disturbing causes, and he especially selected Wurtemburg as being ouc of the best small-farm districts in Europe, and as being the country — according to the agricultural statistics issued by our Board of Trade, where the average production of wheat reached the high figure of 40 bushels per statute acre. Although he was of opinion that there must be some mistake in the fi- gures, he thought that the district ought to be reported, upon, and that at the same time inquiries should be made in the Rhenish provinces and other places across the track of the armies iu the late war, with a view of show- ing the effect of restrictions in preventing the spread of cattle plague, and, on the contrary, the spread of the plague in the absence of quarantine and other reg. lations. He therefore moved, " That the Journal Committee be authorised to expend £100 in obtaining a report by the Secretary on the farming of Baden and WUrtemburg, with some incidental notice of the circumstances attend- ing the visit of the cattle plague to the western portions of Europe in 1870-71." After a question about the statute acre, put by Lord Ossiugton, had been replied to, Mr. Jacob Wilson stated that he was of opinion that it would be better to decide, iu the first place, whether any grant should be made ; secondly, whether the report should be on English or Continental farming ; and, thirdly, if the district selected were Continental, whether it should be a large or a small farm district. He admitted that an average production of 40 bushels of wheat per acre was very wonderful if it was true, but, on the other hand, he maintaiued that Holland and North Germany offered lessons which the English farmer might learn, while Wiirtemburg and Baden did not ; and therefore he con- sidered that a report on the large-farm district would be more in accordance with the first object of the Society as stated in the Charter, which referred particularly to the collection of information which has been proved by prac- tical experience to be useful to the cultivators of the soil. He therefore moved as an amendment, "That, con- sidering that a report on small farming on the Continent has so recently appeared in the Journal, it is not desirable at this moment to have another report on the same sub- ject."— Earl Cathcart stated that, since the subject had been under the consideration of the Journal Committee, lie had re-read some of the standard works on the agri- cultuie of France ; and although in that country good representatives of all the various styles of European farming could be found, he acknowledged the objections which Mr. Thompson had also admitted ; and he should therefore support the original motion, although at the same time he felt the force of the view put forward by Mr. Jacob Wilson.— The Hon. II. G. Liddell, M.P., considered thftt Qiifi cf the «i98t iwjpcvtant giil^ects of t)]§ d.^ wftisttH; question of checking cattle-plague and other contagious and infectious diseases of stock. The Privy Council were continually besieged by the representatives of the " consuming " interests, and he considered that the Society was the best channel through which the Privy Council could receive information that would assist them in maintaining the quarantine regulations on the im])ortation of foreign stock ; he should, therefore, concur with the journal Committee. — Mr. Randell asked whether either way was the best in which a grant of money could be expended, or whether it wonld not be better to limit the inquiry entirely to the cattle plague. He considered that another article on the im- provement of grass laud, like the one recently written by Mr. Thompson himself, rather than one on Conti- nental farming, would be most interesting and useful to the members of the Society ; but if the Council decided upon a foreign report, he "would move that the investi- gation be co'nfined entirely to the cattle plague. — Lord Chesham stated that he would second a proposal to omit all reference to the Continent.— Mr. Dent Dent, M.P., confessed that he, for one, knew very little of Ge-man farming, and would consider a report upon it most interesting. They had recently had reports upon home and Irish farming, and in the next Journal the farming of Wales would be treated of in connection with the farm prize competitions; he also urged the diflS.- culty of keeping up the interest and readal ^ nature of the Journal without such reports as the one Ck,ntemplated. — Sir Massey Lopes, Bart., M.P., would prefer a report on the recent outbreak of cattle plague in Europe as being the most practical paper they could obtain. He thought that the Journal ought to be made practical rather than readable.— Mr. M. W. Ridley, M.P., said that, with other members of the Journal Committee, he did not see the necessity of spending £100 for _a report on Continental farming, as he thought that, if foreign publications were searched, interesting papers might be obtained without that expeuditure. — Mr. Wells, M.P., had understood that there was a unanimous feeling in the Journal Committee in favour of a grant for a report on Continental farming, the only difference of opinion being, as he considered, in reference to the district to be visited. He should support Mr. Thomp- son's proposition.— Mr. MQward, while agreeing with Mr. Wells as to the feeling of the committee in favour of the grant, would support Mr. Wilson's proposition in preference to Mr. Thompson's. After some further discussion the ^proposition was divided, and a vote was called for on the question whether a grant of £100 should be made for the purpose of obtaining a report bj the (secretary on Continental farming. An amend- ment was thereupon moved by Mr. Pain, and seconded by Mr. Bowley, to leave out the words " Continental farming." On a division, the amendment was carried by 19 votes against 15. Mr. Thompson thereupon stated that, after that decision, the committee were not at pre- sent prepared to pursue the subject further. Chemical. — ilr. J. Dent Dent, M.P., reported that Dr. Yoelcker had had submitted to his investigation, during the last twelve mouths, five cases of inferior cake, partly composed of spoiled earth-nut cake and flavoured with locust-meal. In all these cases, illness, and in some the death of the stock feeding on the cake ensued ; and the Professor is carrying out further investigation for the purpose of preparing a paper for the Journal on the sub- ject. The committee suggested that the use of such cakes and their effect on stock might form a fit subject of in- quiry for the veterinary department of the Society. — This report was adopted. Geneeal, Caupitf.— Mr. Eandell presented the fol. lnwi»S report \ Th? pominittee y§cofflmenfl that jO.OQQ THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. stock and 5,000 implement catalogues be printed for the Cardiff meeting ; that the sum of £400 be allowed for the cost of advertising ; and that the honorary director, in conjunction with the Mayor of Cardiff, be requested to communicate with the Vicar of St. John's, Cardiff, as to the arragements for divine service in the showyard. Mr. Corbett reported that he had procured the forage and straw as requested, and also the corn in the straw for the trials of implements. The attention of the local com- mittee having been called to the state of the preparations for supply of water to the showyard, they had undertaken to proceed therewith without delay. The committee re- commended that application be made to the Home Secre- tary to allow the Society to obtain the services of a suffi- cient number of the Loudon police during the show and the trials of implements. — This report was adopted. Showyaed Contracts. — Mr. llandell (chairman) reported that the committee had received the report of the surveyor, certifying that Mr. Penny, the contractor, is entitled to the payment of £1,400 on account; and that they had examined and approved a plan of a perma- nently constructed refreshment-shed for the Bodega Com- pany.— This report was adopted. Judges Selection. — Mr. Milward (chairman) re- ported the recommendation of the committee that the butter and cheese exhibited at Cardiff' be judged on Tues- day, July 16, and that the butter may come into the yard on Tuesday until 9 o'clock in the morning. — This report was adopted. Special Committee on Receipts and Expendi- ture.— Lord Vernon (chairman) presented the following report of the committee : At the meeting of the Council held last November, atten- tion was called to the financial results of the two last country meetings, the published accounts of which show the followmg deficiencies : Oxford, £2,504 4s. 8d. ; Wolverhampton, £2,174 16s. 5d. : total, £4,679 Is. Id. The following motion was thereupon adopted : " That a special committee be appointed to consider the whole question of the receipts and expenditure of the Society, and the possibility of securing equal results at less cost." A committee was appointed consisting of the following representatives of some of the standing committees of the Council : — Fiaance : Lord Bridport, Colonel Kingscote, Mr. Davies. Showyard Contracts: Lord Vernon, Mr. Randell, Mr. Shuttleworth. Stock Prizes: Mr. Dent, Mr. Milward, Mr. Torr, Mr. Jacob Wilson. Implement : Lieut.-colonel Wilson, Mr. Booth, Mr. Ransome, Mr. Thompson. The committee met in December, and addressed the fol- lowing schedule of questions to the several standing cora- mittees'of tlie Council as well as to the officers of the Society : 1. Should the quinquennial system of trials be expanded, and thus lessen the annual expense to the Society ? 2. Should the charge for accommodation be increased to exhibitors of miscellaneous articles ? 3. Can medals or certificates be given in place of money as implement prizes P 4. Cost of labour at implement trials. 5. Can the cost of judges be diminished F 6. Can the showyard expenses be diminished ? 7. Tickets to the Society's exhibitions — free, season, and railway. 8. Whether, and if so, by what means the number of mem- bers may be increased P 9. Investment of funds. 10. Consideration of the amounts now expended in the dif- ferent departments of the Society's operatious, and wliether any improvement can be effected in their relative proportions ? 11. Can the expenses for employment of yardmen and others be reduced ? 12. Can the bulk, and therefore the expense, of the cata- logues be diminished p 13. Cost of advertising and bill-posting ? 14. The consulting engineer, honorary director, and secretary to report m what direction iu their departments economy can be eflected ? They also directed the secretary to prepare comparative tabular statements of the Society's expenditure under various heads for several years past. The committee have since held three meetings, and received and discussed tlie reports in reply to these queries from the showyard contracts, stock priies, implement, veterinary, and finance committees, as well as from the honorary director, con- sulting engineer, and secretary. They recommend the adoption of the following suggestions contained in the reports received from the standing committees and the officers of the Society. Showijanl Cuntrads. — 1. That as the Council, by obtaining tenders for the erection of the showyard works, have effected a ]saving to the Society ot more tlian £1,000 per annum, and have also entered into a new contract, extending over five years, upon terms still more advantageous, the committee are unable to suggest any means of eifectiug any considerable further reduction in the cost of the showyard, and the Council may be satisfied with the prices agreed to be paid for the works as shown upon the plans now iu use. 2. That in future there be no inner fence dividing the stock- yard from the implement-yard. 3. That the space left at the entrances may be diminished in future, thereby reducing the extent, and thus the cost, of the outer fencing. 4. That the country meeting or other committee should an- nually consider what should be the minimum size of the show- yard, and whether any reduction in extent on the present ar- rangement can be made by diminishing the spaces between the sheds. 5. That the present plan of horse boxes be abandoned, and the stalls plan alone be adhered to, making the spaces allotted to tliree stalls serve for two boxes for stallions, or mares with foals — no boxes to be allowed for other classes. The backs of these stables to serve for outer fencing as far as practicable. Implements. — 1. That the quinquennial rotation of imple- ments for trial be expanded to a septennial, subject to a rule which shall enable the stewards to try any prominent invention which may be exhibited for the first time atany of the Society's meetings. 2. That the payment for shedding by the exhibitors of mis- cellaneous articles be in future years 10s. per foot ; and that a new schedule of misceUaueous articles be prepared. Stock Pi izes. — That the j udges of stock be paid £5 and first- class railway fare, instead of £10, as heretofore ; and further, that the number of judges of live stock should be limited as much as possible, by having only two where the entries are short in number, or by one set taking more than one division. Finance. — 1. That the issue of free tickets should be re- stricted as much as possible. 2. That the sale of season tickets is advisable under such conditions of price as the varying circumstances of the different shows render necessary ; and that there is no reason why the use of these season tickets should be restricted as heretofore, to once only on each day of the show. 3. That a carefully arranged scheme of co-operation belweeu the Society and the railway companies would be productive of good financial results to the Society. 4. Tiiat the number of members may be largely increased by the individual exertions of members of Council and of members of the Society, iu their respective neighbourhoods. 5. That a classified list of members arranged in counties be printed in the February number of the Journal. 6. That the Society's funds may be invested more profitably than at present, and that the Finance Committee be empowered to invest the funds of the Society in any securities in which trustees may legally do so. Veterinary. — That in future two veterinary surgeons, with their assistants, will be amply sufficient to perform the duties required of them at the Society's country meeting. Honorary Director'' s Department. — 1. That the contractor be requested to engage men for the Society's work at the same price as he pays for his own. 2. That the attention of the surveyor be called to the ques- tion of the Society's permanent buildings being raised so mucli above the level of the ground as have been done of late years, as this entails a considerable expenditure on the local commit- tee, and sometimes also on the Society. 3. Tliat iu future the award lists for stock contain only tiie THE MUMBR'S MAGAZINE. catalogue-uuiiibei's of the prize winners, aud the description ol' the prize awarded. 4. Tliat the attention of the surveyor be drawn to tlie question of substituting some other kind of division than hurdles between the slieep aud pig pens, or of providing the hurdles at a eheaper rate at the elose of the existing contract. 5. That the manure in the stockyard be put up for public tender previous to the eoranieucement of the show. 6. That the railway companies be requested to convey the Society's dyuaraoraeters, bo.\cs, &c., on the same terms as ex- hibitor's goods, viz., free on the return journey. 7. That in future years the cost price to the Society be charged to exhibitors of agricultural articles in the seed and model sheds, and that exhibitors of non-agricultural articles be charged 10s. per foot, as for ordinary shedding. Secreiari/s R-cporf on Calnlogues. — That in future yearS exhibitors of agricultural implements should be charged £1 per page, or 6d. per line for odd lines, to defray the cost of printing their lists of exhibits iu the catalogue ; that exhibitors of miscellaneous articles (not agricultural) should be charged double that amount, and that the question of restrictions in the length of the description of each implement be referred to Journal Committee. Secreiary's Department. — Lodgings: 1. That the consulting engineers and engineer judges be in future allowed £1 per diem in lieu of lodgings. 2. That the accommodation for the stewards be in future provided by the authorities of towns, either free or at a certain fixed charge, and that a question to this effect be inserted in the usual country meeting queries. Advertising: 1. That the railway advertising be dispensed with. 3. That tlie bill-posting in towns and villages within a reasonable distance of tlie showyard should be continued. (Signed) " Vernon, Chairman." This report was adopted after a conversation, in the course of which Mr. Boweu .Tones slated that he con- sidered the quinquennial rotation of implements for trial Ions enough ; Mr. Masfen urged the individual exertion of members of the Society to increase the immber of sub- scribers ; Earl Cathcart pointed out that progress was the essential principle of the Society, aud should be car- ried out, if possible, in all its operations as well as in its list of members; Mr. Jabez Turner, Mr. Cantrell, and Mr. Randell concurred in considering that the amount given in prizes at the country meetings should not be considered a charge against the meetings ; and Lord Vernon summed up the result of the work of the com- mittee as likely to produce a gain of £1,000 per annum without any loss of efReiency. Dr. Crisp's suggestion at the annual meeting having been laid before the Council, it was moved by Colonel Wilson, seconded by Lord Kestcven, and carried unani- mously, " That no beneficial result is likely to arise from referring the condition of the agricultural labourer to a committee of this Society." Mi'. Milward gave notice that at the next monthly Council he will move that the Council meeting usually held on the first "Wednesday in August, be this year held on W^ednesday, July 31. Letters w^ere received from the Board of Trade and the Secretary of the Austro -Hungarian Embassy communica- ting the prize-sheet of the exhibition of dairy implements at Vienna next December ; and from Mr. W. R. Robe • son, general superintendent of the Government farms i the presidency of Madras, enclosing a report of agrici - tural experiments, conducted on the Government experimental farm at Madras. THE NORFOLK AaHICULTUR AL ASSOCIATION. MEETING AT LYNN. "King's" Lynn, on Wednesday, was worthy of its title ; as the meeting held within its boundaries well merited that Royal countenance which it enjoyed. Any such distinction, moreovei", could not be regarded as a merely formal compliment. Had not the Prince of Wales been President of the Association, and had he not thus regarded it as a duty to attend, the probability is that his own tastes and inclination would have induced his Royal Highness to visit the show. Few men, indeed, had a more direct interest in the proceedings ; and, as an exhibitor of horses, cattle, and sheep, the Prince might, on his arrival, have been tempted to ask what the judges had been doing ? or have proceeded to the stalls of his own stock in search, aud that not in vain, for prize placards. The Norfolk farmers were, no doubt, delighted at the masterly address in which their chairman, at the dinner, proposed success to the Society. But the secret of so genial a speech should be suthciently appa- rent, as something of the very popularity of the Prince may be traced to his sympathy with the pursuits and pleasures of a country gentleman. He had some hunters of his own riding in the entry, he took the chief pre- miums for Southdowns, and, when he spoke of Lord Leicester or Mr. Hamond, it was good to see that he regarded these gentlemen rather as friends and neigh- bours than the attendants on his State, or the company of his Court. In a word, the Prince of Wales, when at Lynn, was at home — within a few miles' drive of his own house — and in the midst of people he knew, with whom he had ridde side by side over the country, shot the covers, or fiehled on the cricket ground. The President of the county Agricultural Society for 1872 was not only the Heir to the Throne but " the Squire" of Sandringham. . It should not be difficult to see how much cause Agriculture has to rejoice from so auspicious a cele- bration as the meeting at Lynn, when a son of Coke of Norfolk could introduce the Prince as another Norfolk farmer, while a tenant-farmer not only sat in the same line at the high table, but was amongst the most prominent of those called upon to speak. There is the right ring about a country dinner-party when we can get together the Prince from Sandringham, Lord Leicester from Holkham, and Sewcll Read from his place in Par- liament. The Woburn sheep-shearings, the very column on Ilolkham's heights, could scarcely tell of such gatherings as these, or where the interests of farmers were so directly represented through King, Lords, and Commons. And the meeting did not care to deal in only empty passing compliment. Mr. Read said in so many words that Lord Leicester's lease looked at the matter from a money-making point of view, and the Prince told the farmers that, to make the Association what it should be, they must no longer be content with beating each other, but extend its scope, after the manner of the West of England, into an East England Society. And the Norfolk show, as at present constituted, is like THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. the Essex, the Suffolk, and too many more, very much a matter of all prizes and no blanks. With three or four gradually descending prizes there are often enough but three or four entries ; and as the system is to encourage the judges to give something if possible to everything ex- hibited, the business of course sinks beneath any very close criticism, or anything beyond a limited local repute. Of course tiere was an occasional exception or so, as amongst the Southdovvns, where the best old ram was the handsome sheep purchased last summer at the late Lord Walsingham's sale for the Prince of Wales at 100 gs. But as we said at the time, the Merton rams, though beautifully got up, were, if anything, only too high in condition, and we question whether any of them are as good now as when they came under the hammer. Sir Robert Throckmorton's good-looking sheep, "the bar- gain" as it seemed of the day, has not been of much use, and the Prince's ram has by no means improved in appearance, as we should question his holding any very high place at Cardiff, the more especially as there was nothing "very particular" to beat here. However, the Merton sheep will fight their own battle at the Royal meeting in July, for which Lord Walsingham has made entries in every class. The Prince's flock also won amongst the shearlings, with a coarse plain sheep, as the very judges admitted they might "use" for prefer- ence either of Mr. Colman's for smarter second or third. Size, in fact, carried the point, as we are inclined to think it seldom should do with a really pure-bred animal like the Southdown. Indisputably, with its numerical strength fairly con- sidered, one of the best entries of Downs was Lord Sondes' pen of twenty shearlings, especially sorty, neat, and bloodlike, although the long-wool judges held out in favour of some ronghish Shropshires, and Mr. Charles Howard was called into decide, as he did with no hesita- tion in favour of the Southdowns. Mr. Farrer had a capital pen of cross-breds, of great size and good quality, and Mr. Brown as usual took all the chief prizes for long-wools, although, as with most of the Cotswolds, the Marham flock would look to be going back. The first shearling was a fairly good sheep, but the others light and leggy, with the ewes also very stilty and gaudy in their quarters ; while Mr. Henry Overman's Oxfords, although they did, of a necessity as it seemed, obtain some ofl[icial recognition, could only have done so on the all-prizes-and-no-blanks system. But for this off chance it is difficult to understand how so good a judge could have sent such poor creatures on to the ground, especially when " the Prince was coming to see." As Jlr. Hugh Aylmer does not exhibit, Norfolk makes no public show of Shorthorns, and the best animals come from elsewhere, the best of all being the flashy 3rd Earl of Warwickshire, from Churchill, who, despite his journey since into Essex, certainly looked more blooming than he did at Dorchester, as he won fairly enough in a moderately good class ; whereas amongst the yearlings Mr. Game's coarse common Red Prince, with his terrible head, could have only won on the understanding that the second and third prize beasts were really worse, although this scarcely promised to be possible. Mr. Garfitt's bull-calf is a very good one, and will be heard of again ; while the cow class was well filled, and Mr. How took first place with one of his good heifers, as the ladies were generally better ; Mr. Game and Mr. Barnett showing some very meritorious stock here. The best sample, however, of the Shorthorn breed was Mr. Wortley's Oakham and Birmingham steer, who has grown into an especially stylish handsome ox, and, if he can only put on a little more flesh as level as that he now carries, the roan must take a deal of beating by Christmas time. He won here in a large class of aU sorts so soon as he came out, as, despite a large and commended " field," it was less like a race than a walk-over. As perhaps it should be, the best general show of any breed of stock at Lynn was that of the Norfolk red polls, where all the classes were well filled, and the improve- ment effected of late was very noticeable. Local judges of the sort said it was the best entry ever seen in the county, and the judges of the day highly commended the whole class of two-year-old heifers, if their unanimity did not extend further. Mr. Howard, indeed, undertook to teach Mr. Badham his business, and so they divided over the first and second, both the pro- perty of Lord Sondes. Mr. Newton, on being called in, declared for, as it seemed from outside, the better and altogether more stylish of the Elmham pair, as this was also Mr. Howard's choice, so that the poll authority was worsted. The old bulls Cherry Duke and Norfolk Duke are old opponents, as at Dereham last year Norfolk Duke was first and Cherry Duke third, their places being precisely the reverse here ; but at Wolverhampton, where they finished first and second, Norfolk Duke also beat Cherry Duke, so that so far he has the best of the three heats. Then the second cow. Cherry, beat the first, Countess, when they met last season as heifers, the opinion being that the Shorthorn judges at Dereham were somewhat at sea over this breed ; but, beyond a bull or two being put out of place, we heard little or no complaint as to the judging of the capital show of red polls on Wednesday. Some of the cross-bred milking cows were pure-bred Shorthorns — by a Shorthorn out of a Lincoln cow, and so on, although this kind of cross so far has not told in the end in Norfolk; but the yearling-off heifers were generally commended, the improvement, of course, trac- ing to the use of a Shorthorn bull. It sounds scarcely intelligible to see the entry of a thoroughbred horse accompanied by a note that the breeder is unknown, as under such circumstances how can the pedigree be authenticated ? However, both the first and second prize stallions at Lynn were in this cate- gory; the winner, moreover, having an untraceable, and, as we should hope, an improbable pedigree appended to his name — sire. Flying Dutchman, dam Barbelle by Sandback ; that is by The Flying Dutchman out of The Flying Dutchman's dam ! Shorthorn breeders, of course, have been rather prone to try such repulsive experiments, but the practice is almost unheard of amongst breeders of racing stock. This horse, Egbert, was bred at Raw- cliffe in 1857, and is by The Flying Dutchman, out of Espoir by Liverpool, but neither his age nor his pedigree is correctly given in the catalogue ; and a grave question arises whether in a class where pure blood is the leading condition a horse can be qualified when his entry in the main features is altogether wrong? According to the Stud Book the description of the second prize horse Douro is also faulty; as his dam Jenny Lind, bred in 1847, was by Voltaire, whereas the Lynn catalogue utterly destroys her identity as " Jenny Lind, by Voltigeur," a horse foaled in the same year as the mare supposed to be got by him ! We are aware that the stewards and committees of agricultural societies, most probably from ignorance, pay but little attention to such points as these, although it is manifest that the door will be opened very wide if such matters are passed over, or a horse's pedigree regarded as a mere idle form to be filled in just as an exhibitor may care or not care to do. To breed hunters every one now knows that the farmer must have the use of the thoroughbred horse, and it consequently becomes very essential that such a condition on the prize-list should be strictly enforced, as this cannot be the case if loose descriptions and impossible pedigrees are suffered to pass. And in Norfolk they are taking to breeding their hunters in the right way, there THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. being two or three particularly stylish, promising young horses in the three ami four-year-old class ; while the all-aged premium was wou by quite a sweet nag, the property of Mr. Ilamoud, the master of the Norfolk foxhounds. Of great power, for the Westacre Squire, like his father, is a welter, 15irdsecker is very bloodlike, with not a trace of coarseness about him, and altogether superior to the Prince's bay put second, a useful but rather common-looking oue ; while His lloyal Highness' own favourite, the thesnnt Paddy, of more appearance than his companion, was not noticed by the judges. Neither of the prize hackuey stallions were horses of any character, the great growth of the three-year-old put first being his main recommendation, as it is quite impossible to undcrtand how either could have been preferred to the merely commended Quicksilver, an older horse certainly, but for getting hackneys of infinitely better stamp than either of the two nondescripts put above him on the Lynn list. And this, too, is the sort of stallion which clearly requires looking up in Norfolk, for the class of Norfolk cobs from the winners downwards were as plain, under- bred looking a lot as ever were brought together. The hacks were far better, with The Prince's stable in great force, and iMr. Henry Overman win- ning with his well-known chesnut, Jenny Liud, or as now called " Here-I-am-again," to be known next year, perhaps, as " I'm come to see you once more, you see," or by some other such facetious a title. Sm'ely there should be a law framed and glazed against any change in the names of animals which are in the habit of appearing in public, whether on a race-course or a show-ground. And Mr. Overman's horses, nags or teamsters, are worth showing again, as in the best-filled class of the day, one generally and highly commended, that of the working pairs, the Weasenham stable took the first, second, and third pi'izes, with half-a-dozen of the most comehj cart ' horses — there is no other word for it — ever seen together. They were so active and of such fine quality, so cheer- fur and thriving, that it was difficult to give the greater credit to the master or man — to the judgment displayed in breeding or buying, or to skill and care in looking after Brag, Brisk, Depper, and Jolly. The whole show here was an honour to the county, and told more for the fame of Norfolk farming than the Southdowns, the longwools, or even the red-polls. It was altogether a capital entry of cart- horses, the more especially of Norfolks, although the distinction in this way is not so easily drawn. Seeking the shade of that pleasant show- ground we encountered a very clever good-looking three- year-old stallion, the best of his class, and that a Norfolk class, but he looked like a Shii-e horse, is by England's glory, and travelling in Lincolnshire ! It is doubtful, in the face of this, whether the Norfolk bays and browns are kept very religiously to any very particular strains of blood, as no question they have marvellously improved of late when brought out for exhibition. The Duckerings and Mr. G. M. Sexton were the only exhibitors of pigs from beyond the confines of the county, and with one exception only they carried away every first prize, with sundry seconds, a small white from Suffolk being pronounced the best pig in the show. On the second day a very noticeable feature in the pro- ceedings was the interest taken by the farm labourers in the implement exhibition, which was both extensive and well placed. Some of the men, in these days of strikes, might be inclined to regard at the outset a prize imple- ment as one of their worst enemies, although no question, on a closer acquaintance, the engine or the machine will prove to be the workman's as well as the farmer's best friend. The premium for the stacking and elevating machine was only awarded with some hesitation after a second trial, and sundry medals and commendations were also distributed amongst the following firms with stands on the ground : Baker, Wisbech ; Baker, King's Lynn ; Bath, King's Lynn ; Bear, Sudbury ; Bradford and Co., Fleet-street, London; Boby, Bury St. Edmunds; Boulton and Co., Norwich ; Burrell, Thctford ; Crawley and Co., Cambridge ; Cutlack, Ely ; Dennes and Co., King's Lynn ; Dodman, King's Lynn ; Edgington, Duke- street, Southwark ; Everitt, North Crcake ; Fowler and Co., Leeds; Garrett and Sons, Leiston ; Gidney, East Dereham ; Hambliug and Son, East Dereham ; Head, Wrightson, and Co., Stockton-on-Tees; Holmes and Sons, Norwich ; Hughes and IMcIntyre, Fakenham ; Inwood, St. Albans ; Jolly and Son, Norwich ; Kemp, Cambridge; Le Butt, Bury St. Edmunds; Le Fevre, Norwich ; Fordham IMote, March ; Murton and Turner, Kenninghall; Perowne, Great Snoring; Plowright and Sons, Swaffham ; Piper and Theobald, Norwich ; Rands and Jeckell, Ipswich ; llansome, Sims, and Head, Ips- wich ; Readwin, Fakenham ; Riches, Norwich ; Riches and Watts, Norwich; Robey and Co. (Limited), Lin- coln; Rouse, Wisbech ; Sainty, Wisbech; Sanitary and Economic Manure Company, Manchester ; Savage, King's Lynn ; Sawney, Beverley ;' Sharpin, King's Lynn ; The Singer Manufacturing Company, Cheapside, London; Slator, King's Lynn ; Smith, Halesworth ; Thorn, Nor- wich ; Ward, King's Lynn ; Wa ren, Maldon ; Watson, Andover ; Watts and Co., Broad Weir, Bristol ; Whit- worth, Lincoln ; Woods, Cocksedge, and Warner, Stow- market ; Woods and Son, Wells-next-the-Sea ; Wheeler, Humphrey, and Co., Nottingham; Dyball, Weasenham St. Peter ; Palmer Pryke, King's Lynn. The more miscellaneous entries were headed Sutton and Sons, seedsmen, Reading, backed by Baly, Sutton, and Co., Norwich (artificial manures) ; Birch and Son, Lynn ; Davies, Royal Polytechnic, London (cement) ; Day, Son, and Hewitt, Dorset-street, Baker-street (cattle medicines) ; Hills, Sudbury (cement) ; Hope, Islington (cattle food) ; King, Coggeshall (seeds) ; Pack- ard and Co., Ipswich (manures) ; Sharpe, Wisbech (seeds) ; Tipper, Balsall, Birmingham (cattle meal) ; Townsend, Fordham, Cambridgeshire (seeds). PRIZE LIST. JUDGES.— Cattle : G. D. Badham, Bulmer Tye, Suffolk ; C. Howard, Biddenham, Beds. Norfolk Cart-iiorses : T. Plowwright, juu., Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire ; T. Wood, Wychley Warren, Lincolnshire. Cart-horses of any Breed: N. G. Barthropp, Hacheston, Suffolk; J. Nix, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire. Thorough-bred and Hunt- ing Horses : G. Higgins, Bedford ; C. M. Nainby, Bar- noldby-le-beck, Yorkshire. Hackney and Riding Horses AND Ponies : H. Beevor, Blytli, Notts ; H. Thurnall, Royston. Southdown Sheep : H.Fookes, Whitechurch, Blandford, Dorset; W. Rigdeu, Hove, Sussex. Long- wooLLED Sheep : Henry Dudding, Panton, Lincolnshire ; R. J. Newton, Campsfield, Woodstock. Pigs : J. S. Turner, Chyngton, Sussex. Implements : T. Chambers, Colkirk, Norfolk ; John Fergusson, Brettenham, Norfolk. CATTLE, SHORTHORNS. Bull, above three years old.— First prize, £10, A. Hamond, Westacre (Prince Louis) ; second, £7, J. Morton, Stow (Faun- sit) ; third, £i, J. Eastland, Terrington St. Clement's (Baron Panton). Bull, above two years old and not exceeding three jears. — First prize, £10 and 10 gs., G. Game, Chipping Norton, Oxou (3rd Earl of Warwick) ; second, £7, James How, Brougbton, Hunts (King Victor) ; third, £4-, N. Catchpole, Bramford, Suffolk (Oxford prize) . Highly commended : J. Upson, Riven- hall, Essex (Duke of Westwood). Bull, above one year old and not exceeding two years.^ Firt prize, £10, G. Game (Red Prince) ; secoud, £7, Charles Beart, West Head, Stow Bridge (Master Blithe) ; third, £4, VV. Golder, Wimbotsham (HopeweU 3rd). THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Bull calf. — First prize, £5, A. Garfit, Seothern, Lincoln- shire (Lord Brilliant) ; second, £3, R. H. Wiles, Nordelph. Cow, above three years old. — First prize, £10, G. Game (Princess Alexandra); second, £7, N. Catchpole (Daisy); third, £4, N. Catchpole (Coronet). Highly commended : J. Morton (Beauty's Queen) ; and J. Upson (Moss Rose). Commended : Captain C. R. Catling, Needham Hall, near Wisbech. Heifer, above two and not exceeding three years old. — First prize, £5 and £5, J. How (Verona) ; second, £7, G. Game (Ladybird) ; third, £4, N. Catchpole (Lady Lubbock). Heifer, above one year old and not exceeding two years. — First prize, £8, G. Game (Butterfly's Duchess) ; second, £5, C. Baruett, Stratton Park, Biggleswade, Beds (Bertha Oxford the 2nd); third, £3, J. Morton (Daphne). Commended: Captain Catling. NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK RED I'OLLED. Bull, above three years old. — First prize, £10, J. J. Colman, M.P., Norwich (Cherry Duke) ; second, £7, Lord Sondes, Elmham; third, £4, B. Brown, Tliursford (Norfolk Duke). Highly commended: B. Brown (Duke). Bull, above two years old. — First prize, £10, J. J. Colman, M.P. (Easton Duke) ; second, £7, J. Hammond, Bale (The Baron) ; third, £4, G. M. Nicholson, Gressenhall (Noble- man). Bull, above one year old. — First prize, £10, and Prince of Wales' prize 10 gs.. Lord Sondes ; second, £7, T. Brown, Marhara (The Agent) ; third, £4, T. Brown (The Peer). Bull calf. — First prize, £5, T. Brown ; second, £3, Sir W. Jones, Bart., Cranraer Hall (Broadback). Commended : J. Hammond (Red Duke). Cow, above three years old. — First prize, £10, B. Brown, Thursford (Countess) ; second, £7, Sir W. Jones, Bart. (Cherry) ; third, £4, J. Hamond (Mrs. Davy). Heifer, above two years old. — First prize, £10, Lord Sondes ; second, £7, Lord Sondes ; third, £4, B. Brown (Duchess). Class highly commended. Heifer, above one year old. — First prize, £8, B. Brown (Hansom) ; second, £5, Lord Sondes ; third, £3, W. Betts, Flitcham. Best collection of Norfolk and Suffolk red polled animals exhibited. — Extra prize, £10 10s., Lord Sondes. Heifer calf. — Prize, £5, Lord Sondes. CROSS-BRED. Cow, above three years old. — First prize, £10, H. Overman, Weasenhara (Cactus) ; second, £7, H.R.H. the Prince of Wales (Jewel) ; third, £4, H.R.H. the Prince of Wales (Lady). Heifer, above two years old. — First prize, £10, H. Over- man (Kind) ; second, £7, E. Durrant, Wimbotsham ; third, £1, J. Morton (Moss Rose). Commended: H. Overman (Beauty). Heifer, above one year old. — First prize, £8, W. Johnson, Walpole ; second, £5, W. Johnson ; third, £3, H. Overman (Rosebud). The class commended. Fat Steers, Cows, and Heifers. Steer, above three years old. — First prize, £8, and Prince of Wales' prize, £10 10s., E. Wortley, Ridlington, Rutland; second, £5, W. Durrant, Brunstead. Highly commended : H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. Class highly commended. Steer, not above three years old. — First prize, £8, W. T. Brackenbury, Sliouldham Thorpe; second, £o, W. Howe (Prince Charlie). Highly commended : K. Wartley, Suflield. Class commended. Cow, above three years old. — First prize, £8, J. J. Col- man, M.P. (Norfolk Duchess) ; second, £5, N. Catchpole (Acacia). Heifer, not above three years old. — First prize, i'8, J. B. Aylmer, Fincham (Sunbeam) ; second, £5, H.R.H. the Prince of Wales (Miss Farreu), Highly commended: Prince of Wales and W. Durrant. HORSES. NORFOLK. CART HORSES. Stallion, not under four years old. — First prize, £15, J. How, Denver (Farmer's Glory) ; second, £7, J- Taylor, Wal- pole St. Peter (Young Matchles.s). Three-yrar-old stallion. — First prize, £10, R. K. F'olley, Long Sutton, Lincolnshire (Major) ; second, £7, W. Searle, March, Cambs (Emperor) ; third, ^4, J. Anthony (Young Emperor). Two-year-old stallion. — First prize, £8, L. J . Palmer, Snet- terton (Monarch) ; second, £5, G. Jones, Stow Bridge (Lion) ; third, £3, J. Waltham, Parson Drove, Wisbech (Young Honest Tom). Yearling entire colt.— Prize, £7, T. Brown, Marham. Maie and colt— First prize, £10, W. Betts, Bunwell (Diamond) ; second, £7, E. Crowe, Denver (Smart) ; third, £4, H. Overman (Gipsy). Gast mare, not under four years old. — First prize, £5 and £5, C. Edwards, Stow Bardolph (Pink) ; second, £7, W. Betts (Brandy) ; third, £4, H. Overman (Diamond). Three-year-old gelding.— First prize, £7, W. How (Short) ; second, £4, T. Brown. Three-year-old filly.— First prize, £S, E. Betts, Moulton ; second, .£5, E. Betts; third, £3, T. L. Taylor, Starston (Duchess). Two-year-old filly. — First prize, £8, T. Brown ; second, £5, W. How (Darling) ; third, £3, C. Beart, Stow Bridge (Lioness). YearlingfiUy.— First prize, £8, H.Little.WiggenhallSt.Mary (Lightsome) ; second, £5, T. Brown ; third, £3, H. Little (Gipsy). Pair of cart horses.— First prize, ^£10, H. Overman (Brag and Brisk) ; second, £7, ditto (Short and Depper) ; third, £4, ditto (Gilbert and Jolly). The class highly commended. CART HORSES OF ANY BREED. Stallion, not under four-years-old. — First prize, £10, S. Walton, Butley, Suffolk (Monarch) ; second, £7, C. Boby, Sutton, Suffolk (Royal Prince). Three-year-old stallion. — Prize of £8, G. D. Badhara, Buhner Tye (Sultan). Two-year-old slaUion. — First prize, £6 and £15, M. Hopper, Whittlesey, Cambs (Prince of the Isle) ; second, £4, S. Wolton. Yearling entire colt. — First prize, £5, C. B. Mason, Beech- amwell (Sultan) ; second, £3, B. W. Ground, Jan., Whittlesey. Mare and foal.— First prize, £10, B. Mitchell, Denver (Blossom) ; second, £7, Infield Jones, Wimblington, Cambs (Star). Gast mare, not under four-years-old. — First prize, £10, H. Wolton, Newbourne, Suffolk (Diamond) ; second, £7, C. Ilandley, Walpole St. Peter (Gipsy). Three-year-old fUly.— Prize of £6, E. Crowe, Denver (Blossom). Two-yeay -old filly. — First prize, £5, E. Crowe (Flower) ; second, £3, T. Brown. Y^earling filly. — No merit, THOROUGHBRED STALLIONS. Stallion. — First prize, £15, T. Upton, Gosberton, Lincoln (Egbert) ; second, £8, J. T. M*ills, Clermont (Douro). HUNTERS. Mare or gelding, equal to carry not less than 14st. — First prize, £15, A. Hamond (Birdseeker) ; second, £8, H.R.H. the Prince of Wales (Campaigner). Mare or gelding, not equal to carry 14st — First prize, £10, R. G. Beart, Raynham (Brunette) ; sceond, £5, J. T. Mills (Ratcatclier) . Three or four-year-old colt or filly. — First prize, £10, J. T. Mills (Ruby) ; second, £5, R. Bygott (North Croake). Brood mare. — First prize, £10, J. Tomlinson, Sutton Marsh, Lincolnshire (Sloughby) ; second, £5, R. Bygott. HACKNEY AND RIDING HORSES. Stallion, for saddle or harness.— First prize, £15, E. Jolly, Banham (Pride of the Isle) ; second, £8, H. F. D'Oily, Hemp- nail (Confidence). Highly Commended : T. Upton (Young Quicksilver). Riding mare or gelding. — First prize, £1,0, H. R. H. the Prince of Wales (Delight) ; second, £5, ditto (Prudence). Commended : S. Delf, Christchurch (Pearl), and W, H, Betts, Frenze (Beauty). Hackney mare or gelding.— First prize, £10, H. Overman (Here I am again) ; second, £5, W. Cann, Wymoudham (Princess). Highly Commended : J. Sewell, North Picken- ham. Commended : J. Finch, Swaffham (Miss Nolan). Class generally commended. Hackney brood mare. — First prize, £10, C. Cook, Litcham (Bell) ; second, £5, C. Edwards (Creamy). Commended : C. Edwards (Anny). THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Cob.— First inize,"£10, C. Cook (Robin) ; second, £7, F. AV. Beck, Mileham (Robin) ; third, U, W. W. Middlelon, Flitcluim (Duke). PONIES. Pony, not under thirteen nor more than thirteen three inclies high. — First prize, £5 and £3, W. J. Bcart, King's Lynn ; second, £5, G. W. Gaylbrd, Wolverton (Toby) ; third, £3,T. II. Edwards, Keswick (Deception). Commended: C. Willis (Topsy). Pony, not above thirteen hands high. — First prize, £5, W. Barker, Great Melton ; second, £3, II. R. H. the Prince of Wales (Peg Top). Commended : J. Johnson, Terringtou St. Clement, andR. K. Folley,Long Sutton, Lincolnshire (Quick- silver). SHEEP. SOUTHDOWN. Shearling rams. — First prize, £10, II. R. H. the Prince of Wales ; second, £7, J. J. Colman, M.P. ; third, £1, J. Colman. R-am of any age. — First prize, £10, II. R. II. the Prince of Wales ; second, £7, C. Boby ; third, £4, J. Overman. Highly Commended : Lord Sondes. Commended : J. J. Colman, M.P. Five shearling ewes. — First prize, £7, Lord Sondes ; second, £-1, J. J. Colman, M.P. Highly Commended : H. R. H. the Prince of Wales. Ten fcwe lambs. — First prize, £5, Lord Sondes ; second, £3, H. R. H. the Prince of Wales. Commended : J. J. Colman, M.P. Ten wether lambs. — First prize, £5, Lord Sondes ; second, £3, II. R. H. the Prince of Wales. Commended : Sir W. Jones, Bart. LONG WOOLLED. Shearling ram. — First prize, £10, T. Brown ; second, £7, T. Brown ; third, £4, T. Brown. Ram of any age. — First prize, £10, T. Brown ; second, £7, T. Brown ; third, £4, Thomas Thornton, Wereham. Two ram lambs. — First prize, £8, T. Brown ; second, £5, T. Brown. Five shearling ewes. — First prize, £7, T. Gunnell, Miltou, Carabs. ; second, J. Giblin, Bardlield, Essex. Ten ewe lambs. — First prize, £5, T. Brown ; second, £3. T. Brown. SHEEP OF ANY BREED Ten ewe or wether lambs. — First prize, £10, G. Cooke, Horseheath, Cambs ; second, £7, J. L. Barrat, Barney. Three shearling wethers. — First prize, £7, E. Farrer, Sporle ; second, £4, G. Cooke. Ten ewes. — First prize, £10, Lord Sondes ; second, £5, T. Brown. Commended: T.Brown. Ten ewes not being Southdown or Long-woolled. — First prize, £10, G. Cook ; second, £5, H. Overman. Commended: T. Fulcher, Elmham. Twenty shearling ewes. — First prize, £5 and £5, Lord Son- des , second, £7, G. Cooke ; third, £4, John Sewell, North Pickenham. Highly commended, T. Brown. Commended : H. R. H. the Prince of Wales and H. Overman. PIGS. LAKGE BREED. Boar, above twelve months old. — Pilze, £5, Duckering and Son, Northorpe, Lincolnshire. Boar, not above twelve months old. — First prize, £5, Duck- ering and Son ; second, £3, Lord Rendlesham. Breeding sow. — First prize, £5, Duckering and Son ; second, £3, F. H. Everitt, Bridgham. SMALL BREED (bLACK OR BERKSHIRE). Boar, above twelve months old. — First prize, £5, G. M. Sexton, Wherstead, Suffolk; second, £3, Lord Rendlesham. Boar, not above twelve months old. — First prize, £5, G. M. Sexton ; second, £3, Lord Rendlesham. Breeding sow. — First prize, £S, Duckering and Son; second, £3, G. M. Sexton. Highly commended : F. H. Eve- ritt and J. N. Waite. Three breeding sows, not above twelve months old. — First prize, £5,G. M. Se.\ton ; second, £3, Lord Rendlesham. SMALL BREED (WHITE). Boar, above twelve months old. — First prize, £5, Duckering and Son; second, £3, Duckering. Highly commended: C. North, Rougham ; R. C. Winearls, Marbam ; Rev. T. L> Fellowes, Honingham ; and H. R. II. the Prince of Wales. Boar, not above twelve months old. — First prize, £5, and £5 as best of all the boars, G. M. Sexton ; second, £3, G. D. Badham. Class commended. Breeding sow. — First prize, '.Duckering and Son ; second, £3, F. II. Everitt. Highly commended : Lord Rendlesham. Class highly commended. Breeding sow, not above twelve months old. — First prize, £5, R. C. Winearls, Marhara ; second, £3, G. M. Sexton, Highly commended ; 11. C. Winearls. IMPLEMENTS. Stacking and elevating machine for straw, hay, or shea f corn. — The prize of £10 to S. G. Soame, Marsham (Price £55). Silver JIedals to Holmes and Son, for turn-table applied to elevator ; Everitt, North Creake, for sheep troughs with wheels ; Sutton and Sons, for collection of grasses, roots, and seeds. Highly Commended. — King, Coggeshall, for roots and seeds ; Baly, Sutton, and Co., for artificial manures and agri- cultural chemicals ; Birch and Son, for invalid carriages and garden seats ; Davies, Royal Polytechnic, for cement ; Day, Son, and Hewitt, for horse and cattle medicines ; E. Hills, Sudbury, for adamantine cement ; Hope, Islington, for cattle food; Packard and Co., for manures; Sharpe, Wisbech, for seeds and plants ; Tipper, for cattle food ; Townsend, Ford- ham, for seeds and plants ; Baker, Lynn, for winnower. Commended. — Baker, Wisbech, for cabbage cutter. THE DINNER. At five o'clock a party of many hundreds sat down ; H.R.H. the Prince of Wales presiding. On the right of the President was her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales gave the health of her Majesty the Queen. Lord Leicester said : May it please your Royal High- nesses, my lords, ladies, and gentlemen, I have had on many occasions the honour of proposing to you at public meetings in this county that toast which our president has now placed in my hands ; but this is the first time that I have had the great pleasure of proposing that toast in the presence of those whose names are mentioned therein. In times past the giving of this toast was an easy duty, but on the present occasion it is a difficult one. But, my lords and gentlemen, I have the utmost possible pleasure in giving you " The health of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family." In calling upon you to drink that toast, I assure you no words of mine are necessary, even if my tongue were not tied by the presence of their Royal Highnesses, to increase in the slightest degree the feeling of love and loyalty that exists in your hearts, or add one more cheer of welcome to those you have now given them. I may, however, as one deeplv interested in this Asso- ciation tender tlie thanks of the mer ers of this Association to his Royal Highness for the assis/ nee he has given us to- day, for the support he has ever gwen to that pursuit with which we are so intimately connected. I may thank him on the part of the county of Norfolk for the liberal aid he has alvvays given to her charitable institutions, and for the interest he has ever shown in the proceedings of the county, whether it be in the advancement of science, the extension of educa- tion, or tlie amusements of her people, whether as a colonel of a militia regiment, or as a supporter of our foxliounds, or in his private capacity as a landlord setting us an example by his kind and considerate conduct towards his tenants, and not only towards the occupiers of land, but towards all the labourers on his estate. We are grateful to his Royal High- ness for these and for more than these. Beyond all and above all these we are indebted to his Royal Highness for the presence on this occasion of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales. I have to offer to her Royal Highness the thanks of the Association for the great and signal honour she has conferred upon the society in attending here to-day, and for the example set by her to the women of England. And while I deplore that spirit of action which some women at the present day are inclined to take in these matters, and which alone should belong to men, I have long wished that wives should be more associated with their husbands in those undertakings in which there should be a mutual interest. 10 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE When we see ladies competirtt,' for prizes at societies like this, I thiuk we may fairly conclude that the science of agriculture is within their province. I now call upon you to wish health and happiness to their lloyal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales. Tlie promise the Prince made to be pre- sent to-day he has, by the blessing of God, been able to fulfil. There was a time, in those dark December days, when no one here present ever expected to see his Royal Highness again. But as it pleased God to listen to the prayer of the English people, and to spare his life, may that life be devoted to the service of the Queen, to the welfare of the people of this country, and to the promotion of all that is good and all that is useful. We know that the illness with which it has pleased God to afflict his Royal Highness was in many ways a mercy, more especially in calling forth that deep feeling of love and loyalty for her Majesty, for his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and for her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, a circumstance which I am sure the Prince will never forget as long as he lives. [The Prince bowed his acquiescence.] I ask you to drink with hearty cheers " The health of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family." The toast was drunk by the company upstanding with great enthusiasm, the band playing God bless the Prince of Wales ! His Royal Highness, the President, said: After the ex- cessively kind and flattering manner in which my noble friend, the Lord-Ueutenant, has proposed my health and that of the Princess and the other members of my family, I feel that I can hardly ever thank him sufficiently for those kind words which he has uttered. Allow me also to thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for the kind reception you have given the Princess and myself this day, and I feel sure that you know that they are not mere idle words when I say how deeply thankful we are for the reception you give us upon all occasions. 1 am truly glad that it was ia my power to fulfil the promise that I made of presiding to-day, and of now occupying the position of President of tliis Association. If under my presidency this meeting has been a success, I shall always feel it a high com- pliment to myself to have been connected with it. The noble lord has also been kind enough to make some flattering allu- sions to rae as a landlord. Gentlemen, it is always difficult — and it is right that it should be difficult — for one to receive praise before one's own face ; at the same time, by the warm approval given by you to-day to the words so kindly spoken by Lord Leicester, I feel that during the nine or almost ten years I have lived in your county, I have not, at any rate, been behind hand with the other landlords who so ably perform their duties. One ought never to be satis- fied with what one does in this world. You may all of you be convinced that it shall be my earnest endeavour always to promote everything that will be most use- ful to the country at large, to which I am chiefly bound, but also that will be conducive to the wellbeing and good of this county, to which I now feel myself so much endeared. The Princes also desires me, in responding in her behalf to the toast so kindly given by Lord Leicester, to thank you all for the warm reception you have always given her whenever she appears in public. No one agrees more tlioroughly than I do with the noble lord that in certain movements ladies ought not to take a part, but to leave tliem to their husbands or fathers. But that, if they are able to associate with their husbands or f&thers in any object, it is most desirable they should do so. When the Princess does not accompany me on any public oc- casions, I always feel that something is wanting. One other subject referred to by Lord Leicester I hardly like to allude to — my recent long and painful illness. I shall never, you may be quite sure, forget that kind expression of feeling shown to- wards me, a fact which did not come to my knowledge until some months later. Not only do I accept that as a kind expres- sion of feeling towards myself, but as an evidence of the feelings entertained by this great and enlightened country towards the Queen, my mother, and for that monarchical system under which we live. Never, ladies and gentlemen, can I thank you sufficiently — for you represent, I may say, the whole county of Norfolk — for the feeling you have expressed towards me, and both myself and the Princess are grateful to you for it. The Royal President rose again and proposed the Army, the Navy, and the Reserved Forces. General Sir William Knollys, Admiral Sir Henry Keppel, and Lord Suffield in turn responded. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., said: Tour Royal Highnesses, ladies, and gentlemen — I have the high honour and the great pleasure to propose the next toast. In some counties it is a formal toast ; it is not so in the county of Norfolk — for I have to give The Health of Lord Leicester, our Lord- Lieutenant. Wherever improved agriculture is known, the name of Coke, of Holkham, is known and respected. Our fathers and our grandfathers looked to Holkhara for all the new improvements of their day, and we now look to Holk- ham for all that is sound, practical, and useful, and, I would add, in these degenerate days, money-getting. Before giving you " The Health of Lord Leicester," let me first say that this is surely a truly red-letter day in the agricultural calendar of Norfolk, especially so when we consider the grand, magni- ficent, and most successful Show which has this day been held under the presidency of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. We seem to be in the hey-day of our prosperity, for we have accomplished our highest efforts as a county show. But, nevertheless, I hope we shall still continue to prosper. But I think we must look forward to a more extended sphere of usefulness ; we wish still to prosper and succeed. One word more about the Lord Lieutenant. We, as Norfolk far- mers, have to thank him for having drawn up, with the aid of his tenantry, a long and liberal and truly noble lease. That lease is no empty form, for those who have the honour of liv- ing on the Holkham estate know full well that they have the support and the sympathy of a kind, a generous, and a benefi- cent landlord. I now ask this distinguished and numerous company to drink to the Health of Lord Leicester, the Lord Lieutenant of the county of Norfolk. The toast was drunk with three times three. Lord Leicester, in responding, said : Perhaps I may attri- bute the reception you have given me more to my being a farmer than to anything else. I, like my father, have devoted the energies of my life to the promotion of agriculture, and be assured, gentlemen, that I will always act with you as far as I can in retaining for our county the high position which it now holds among the agricultural counties of Eng- land (cheers). Mr. G. W. P. Bentinck, M.P., proposed The Health of the Bishop and Clergy of the Diocese, to which the Bishop of Norwich responded. The Royal President said : My lords and gentlemen : It is now my high privilege, and I will also say great pleasure, to propose to you the principal toast of this evening. Prosperity to the Norforlk Agricultural Association. I feel sure, gentle- men, that this is a toast which we ought to drink in bumpers. Many of my predecessors have, I feel convinced, made long and able speeches on this toast which is capable of embracing a great many important and interesting subjects. I will not, however, as I know people are anxious to return to different parts of Norfolk and to other counties, weary you with too long a speech ; nor will I trouble you with any dry statistics. I will only make a few remarks concern- ing this excellent Association, and state a few facts relating to it. As you are all doubtless aware there were formerly two Agricultural Societies in Norfolk, one in the east and one in the west. I believe that about thirty years ago those two As- sociations joined together, and thus became one Society, hold- ing its annual meeting at Norwich and Swaft'ham alternately. Ten years ago, it was decided that those meetings should be held annually at different towns of the county, and I think that it was at King's Lynn where the first of those shows was held. There is no doubt that this change has been in every respect highly beneficial to the finances of the society. It has given a greater stimulus to, and excited a greater interest in, the association, for as people go from town to town and make acquaintances right and left, an interchange of ideas takes place on agricultural and other subjects. In that manner these associations are benefited in a very marked degree (Hear, hear) ; and I trust that I may not be incorrect in stating that at the present time this association is in a highly flourishing condition (Hear, hear). It also affords me great pleasure to be able to inform you that there are sixty more entries of stock and one hundred more entries of implements than in any previous year. No doubt these facts were known to most of you, but, at any rate, it gives me great pleasure to state it. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 11 Norfolk, gentlemen, lias always been held up to our other couuties as oue of the best fanned in the kingdom. I am glad that it is in my power to allude to the name of one who, altliougli now no more, is remembered amongst you, and who is represented here by his son (tlie Earl of Leicester) — the late Lord Leicester, more generally and popularly known as Coke of Norfolk. This is a name that has been referred to by several gentlemen who have spoken to-day. I feel proud in having this opportunity of mentioning his name, and of reminding you that to him the origin ol this assoeiation is due (Hear, hear). It remains as a part of the history of the eouuty that to tlie Holkham " sheep shearing," where the late Lord Leicester's tenantry met to compete one with another, does this association owe its origin. His name has not been forgotten by any of you, and by none less than by his son, whom I will not attempt to compliment, because I know no one to whom such a thing would be more disagreeable. Tlie way in which you have received him here to-day shows how popular he is amongst j-ou as lord-lieutenant, and also as a landlord (cheers). Norfolk has also always held up its head high as regards the breeding of cattle and sheep. Amongst breeders of cattle, I may perhaps be allowed to mention two great names, those of Lord Sondes and Mr. Aylmer, and amongst the breeders of sheep, those of Lord Sondes, Mr. Aylmer, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Overman. There was also ano- ther well-known name associated with sheep-breeding in Nor- folk, that of the late Lord Walsingham, who, it is to be regretted, is no more in out midst. We all know what an in- terest he took in the association, and also in agriculture, both in this county and throughout the kingdom, and how justly celebrated were his Merton flock. I hope that flock is as famous still ; and from what I hear of the present Lord Walsing- ham— who is many thousands of miles from us, but whom we soon hope to see again amongst us — it seems to be his inten- tion to maintain that celebrated flock of sheep, of which every Norfolk man has been so proud. Of myself as a farmer I will (say but little. 1 farm on a very small and lilliputiau scale, for I only cultivate 600 acres. But I take the very greatest and deepest interest in all that concerns agriculture. No one regrets more than I do that I am not able to give so much time to it as I should like, at the same time I feel proud at being able to walk in the footsteps of my late father — (prolonged cheers) — who took a deep interest in all that con- cerned agriculture and the well-being of the farmer. As you are aware, the Queen also keeps up those farms which my father once had, and is an exhibitor at all the great meetings throughout the country (cheers). By the way in which you have received the name of my father, I know how much you revere his memory (Hear, hear) . It is not necessary for me to mention to you how deep an interest he took, and what pride he took in difl'erent shows. It was always his custom before any great exhibitiwai especially the Christmas shows, to take myself, my brothers and sisters, to see the animals that were to be exhibited. But, gentlemen, I wish to bring before your notice a topic which has been much thought of, if not much discussed, by many present. All Norfolk men are satis- fied, as they have every reason to be, with the show of to-day as well as with previous exhibitions ; but, as I have already said, much as we may be satisfied with ourselves, we should always ■wish to do better. It has been tliought by many — and I am only too glad to be able to give my opinion upon the subject — that the area of the assoeiation should be enlarged. Last year I had the opportunity of going to Guildford to see the most excellent show of an association called the Bath and West of England Agricultural Association. That assoeiation is com- posed of gentlemen residing in several counties. Now, gentle- men, why should we not also extend our area, and include in our agricultural association other counties, say Lincolnshire, Cambridge and Suffolk ? That is a question I will leave to your consideration. As the means of travelling are so great that people can go from one county to another with great facility, and as so many gentlemen belong to other counties compete in the county associations, I feel sure that it would be desirable and for the good of each county to place the associa- tions on a broader basis. The effect of this would be benefi- cial to the associations, to the interest of farmers and to all concerned in agriculture. There are two other topics to which I will allude before sitting down. In one of them I take a special interest. It is one in which every landlord ought to feel strongly — and I hope as strongly as I do— namely, cot- tage accommodation. A landlord who has a fine estate, whether it be great or small, ought, if that estate be well cared for, at least to have a pride — putting it upon that ground only — in providing his tenants f-nd his la- boure.rs with proper house accommodation (Hear, hear). Merely out of self-conceit he ought to do this. But there are far higher motives which should influence him, for what can be more desirable than that one should wish his men who work hard from early morn till night should, when their labour is done, find a comfortable home to receive them ? Such a home will improve their moral and physical well-being (cheers). Those cheers [siiow how unanimous your views are on this important subject. I feel also convinced that there are few landlords present who do not entertain the same views and who do not desire to carry them out to the utmost of their power. In a small way I have during the nine or ten years I have been a Norfolk man, been able to do so myself (cheers), and it is every year a source of great pride to me on coming to my estate to see cottages gradually cropping up, for it is a matter of satisfaction to me, having built a new house for myself, to know that the labouring men employed upon my estate to improve it are also comfortably housed. There is another subject to which I will allude, though I fear you wiU think I am breaking my engagement in promising not to make a long speech. Allusion has been made by the Bishop to the subject of a Norfork middle-class school. As a county man I am glad, as I am sure your Bishop is, that there is a pros- pect of establishing a great and important county school. The subscriptions now, I believe, amount to the sum of £10,000. This shows how warmly everybody in the county feels the necessity for a great school of the kind. I hope that before long the first stone of the school will be laid. I can only say that should I be anywhere near Norfolk — I won't promise it — or able to come down, it would give me the greatest pleasure to lay the foundation stone myself (loud cheers). In conclusion, his Royal Highness called upon the company to drink in an enthusiastic manner the toast, with which he associated the health of Lord Sondes, who, he said, was so justly popular and beloved (loud cheers). Lord Sondes, in responding, said his Royal Highness had alluded to the fact that he was very much devoted to a par- ticular breed of sheep. Now, he certainly was very proud of his Southdowns, although he knew that several gentlemen did not approve of that breed. But whether this was or was not a suitable breed of sheep, he was anxious to secure a true breed of some sort. Although it might be argued that cross- bred sheep were the most profitable, and possibly that was so, yet he considered that it would be far better to have a true breed even if they had a flock of Southdowns. Whenever he won a prize he was of course delighted ; but he was not less gratified when he was beaten by his Royal Highness. The Prince of Wales had to-day won several prizes, showing that he had exhibited sound judgment in the selection of his stock. Even when other breeders took away prizes he was not dis- contented or discouraged, because this very fact showed that his desire was being reciprocated by others, and that more Southdown or true-bred sheep were now to be found in the county than was the case when first he commenced breeding many years ago. Sir W. Jo2JEs, Bart., gave the health of the Members for the County and for the Borough of Lynn. Sir W. Bagoe, Bart., M.P., responded. Something had been done by the House of Commons this year. On the sub- ject of local taxation. Sir Massey Lopes had succeeded in pass- ing by a large majority a resolution in favour of transferring permanent charges to the Consolidated Fund. It was high time tliat something was done in the way of relieving local rates, and he thought it probable that if this matter was ad- journed for the same length of time as was another matter — viz,, eight months — a satisfactory solution of the question would be arrived at. The Royal President next gave the health of the Mayor and Corporation of King's Lynn. The Mayor of Lynn thanked his Royal Highness for the great honour conferred upon himself and Corporation. The Royal President proposed the last toast — that of the Ladies. He said that although the last this toast was by no means the least important. He could only say that on such an occasion he was glad to see so large a number of fair 12 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ladies present amongst tliem ; lie hoped that the innovation was one that wonld meet witli general approval, and that it would be continued on future occasions. Mr. A. IIamoiightson suggested — go to the length of tying the hands of the parties, and say they should not make this or that kind of agreement. It seemed to him that that latter kind of legislation was what Mr. Suowsell's resolution distinctly led to, but he confldently believed that that was not the opinion of tiie Cliamber upon that point — as to whether the farmers were the only people who were not to be trusted to go by themselves, but must go in leading-strings provided by the legislature, and one answer of the Chamber to that question had always been that they would rather be treated upon commercial principles. Taking that to be the opinion of the Cliamber, it must seem that it could not favour Mr. Suowsell's resolution. All of Mr. Suowsell's resolution wliich the Chamber was prepared to adopt was contained in the report of the committee, and there- fore he desired to second the resolution of Mr. Constable. The discussion had already reached some length, and he would therefore only allude to two observations whieh fell from Mr. Wrightson. The first as to valuers. There was no better method at present known ; and they had this before them, that it had been actually adopted by the legislature in relation to improvements which did now come within the scope of le- gislation. It was for that reason, and because no better method was known, that the committee had made the recom- mendation they had. He did not understand Mr. Wrightson to be able to make any better suggestion. He understood him to feel the difficulty arising from the various customs prevalent, and unless these customs could be abolished, and some uniform basis could be formed, the present course must be followed. Of course if that point could be reached there might be no occasion to refer to valuers. Then the other point in the report which Mr. Wrightson objected to was as to leaving the law where it was with respect to buildings, and he objected that the right to lemoval if the landlord refused to pay by valuation was iusufficient. It was merely the fault of the tenant himself if he did not secure for himself by con- tract a better compensation, if he thought the compensation provided by law insuflicient. The report had also been ob- jected to on account of the three years' limit as to allowances for manure, &c. Mr. Wrightson said there should be no limit. It seemed to him that there must be some reasonable limit, otherwise improvement might be made the subject of compen- sation, which had already been taken into consideration when the rent was fixed. Major Bathukst said : I cannot help thinking that we 22 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ought not only to look at this question as anxious that the tenant should not suffer injury, but also from a commercial point of view. Now, in all pecuniary matters, in investments of capital, one always looks to the risk run, and expects a return proportionate to tliat risk. The landlord's capital is land. If a law compels him to pay for want of skill on the part of the tenant, or for unforeseen expenses, of course he naturally would expect a higher rent ; and it seems to me, if the law lays down a hard and fast line, it would he uujuit to the landlord, because he might be required to find a large sum (and it is not every landlord who can find a large sum) at 4 or 5 per cent, interest, he runs a risk, and, on commercial principles, would require a higher rent to pay for his risk. American securities pay a high rate of interest when they pay, but many who have invested in them have had to wait for years for payment of interest — I have myself ; and it seems to me that the same principle would apply to land when the land- lord was left in perfect uncertainty as to what calls would be made upon him. Of course I cannot profess a practical know- ledge, but at the same time one can take an ordinary com- mercial view of the thing, and I think it would be a great pity to lay down a hard and fast line, and to limit that con- fidence between landlord and tenant which exists in so many cases, and which confidence most tenants Talue more highly than any legal enactment. Mr. Lawrence thought the report required some modifi- cation to show that they did not wish to interfere with the free right of contract. The Rev. J. Constable read his resolution with the addenda which had been made. That the reeonmsmlatioiis of the Committee be adopted, with modi- fications, as follows ; 1. By the expression " Tenant- Right," the Chainbor means Llie right of tenants of farms to be compensatoil at the ex- piration of their tenancies for unexhausted improvements. 2. The Chamber is of opinion that in order to onsuro the due cultivation of the soil, it is necessary to aflfbrd greater security for the capital invested in its cultivation, and tliat for this purpose the law needs amendment, so as to entitle outfjoing tenants (not holding under written ngroemcnts) to compensation for unexhausted improvcmouts, the amount of such compensation to be ascertained and determined by two referees, or their umpire, in the usual way. 3. By "Unexhausted Improvements," are meant— (1.) Drainage done with the consent of the landlord. (2.) Artificial manures used and feeding stuffs con- sumed during the last three years of the tenancy. (3.) Tillages and acts of husbandry of which the out- going tenant shall not, in the opinion of the referees or umpire, have derived the full benefit. 4. AVith regard to buildings and fixed machineiy, the Chamber is of opinion that the existing law, giving the tenant the right to remove or be paid for the same, is snfficiCHt. 5. The Chamber is further of opinion that in any new enactment, giving outgoing tenants a legal i-ight to com- pensation for unexhausted improvements, provision should be mado for compensating tho owner of the land in respect of dilaindations, including injury resulting from neglect to cultivate the land in a husband-like manner, such com- pensation to be also ascertained by valuation, at the ex- piration of the tenancy. C. The Chamber consider that the present law, by which yearly tenancies can be determined by six months' notice, reiiuiros amendment with regard to tenancies of farms (say of 20 acres and upwards), as to wliich at least twelve months' notice ought to be reqirired. Mr. Ellett seconded the resolution. The President said it would be impossible for the legis- lature to interfere in contract. If sucli an enactment was made, it would be evaded daily. In the second place, it was not for the interest of the tenant that it should be so. He thought the committee had done wisely in not recommending that the tenant should only be able to make a certain agree- ment, but simply proposing to give the tenant by law that which he was getting now from the custom of many parts of England, and to compensate for unexhausted improvements. Mr. I. Pitt thought the law was not satisfactory if a man was compelled to remove liis improvement, or to get no compensation. Mr. Lawrence said it was generally the interest of the landlord to keep the improvement, so that it worked round. The other amendments having been dropped, the President put the resolution as proposed by Mr, Constable, when it was carried, and the meeting broke up. MORAYSHIRE FARMERS' CLUB. THE POTATO. At the quarterly meeting, Mr. Robert Bruce, Newton of Struthers, the chairman, said that the subject for discus- sion was — " Considering the great breadth of potatoes an- nually planted in this county, M'hat i? the opinion of members as to the most suitable manure for the successful cultivation of this crop, having regard to the quahty and cost per acre ?" Mr. YooL (Coulartbank) read the following paper : The question which is set down for discussion this evening is rather a wide one, and it would take no inconsiderable time, as well as a very large amount of experience and practical experiment, to answer it satisfactorily. The man>ires suitable for one class of soils are not so suitable for others, differing in chemical composition, mechanical texture, and climate. Keeping these considerations in view, I shall not attempt to answer definitely the question as to the most suitable manure for the successful cultivation of the potato in the coimty, but will, with your leave, lay before you the results of some e::- periments carried on by me last season, v/hich I consider to be amongst the most successfnl I have ever carried out, and which show fewer anomalies than most agricultural experi- ments. The experiments were instituted in the first place for the purpose of ascertaining the necessity or otherwise of applying potash salts to the potato crop, but, when arranging them for this purpose, I resolved to carry them somewhat farther, with the view of determining the action of ammonia and superphosphate of lime alone and in mixture, as well as farmyard dung, upon the crop. The soil on which the experi- ments were carried out consists of a good clay loam, very equal in quality, as the no-manure plots will show, and was only m moderate agricultural condition, the subsoil consisting of light sandy ioam — altogether very suitable for growing good crops of potatoes. The field has been under beans dunged in 1869, and wheat in 1870. Each of the experi- mental plots consisted of one-eighth of an acre. The drills were 37 inches wide, and the potatoes (regents) were planted at intervals of 10 inches in the drills. They were planted on 1st May, 1871. Plots 1 and 16 were dunged and manured exactly 'the same as the rest of the field. I may mention that in the following tabular statement I have calculated all the different quantities to the imperial acre, to avoid multiplicity of tables and confusion. The plots and manures used on them were arranged as follows : 1. 16 loads dung, 2 cwts. sulphate of ammonia, 3 cwts. dissolved coprolites, and 3 cwts. kaiuit per acre. 3. 16 loads dung per acre. 3. No manure. 4. 3 cwts. sulphate of ammonia, 4 cwts. dissolved coprolites, 3 cwts. kainit per acre. 5. 4 cwts. sulphate of ammonia, 4 cwts. dissolved coprolites per acre. 6. 4 cwts. dissolved cop- rolites and 4 cwts. kainit per acre. 7. No manure. 8. 4 cwts. sulphate of ammonia and 4 cwts. kainit per acre. 9. 3 cwts. sulphate of ammonia and 4 cwts. dissolved coprolites per acre. 10. 4 cwts. sulphate of ammonia per acre. 11. No manure. 12. 4 cwts. dissolved coprolites per acre. 13. 4 cwts. kainit per acre. 14. No manure. 15. 16 loads dung per acre, 16. 16 loads dung, 3 cwts. sulphate of ammonia, 3 cwts. dissolved coprolites, and 3 cwts. kainit per acre. The sulphate of ammonia contained 34 per cent, ammonia ; the dissolved coprolites, 36 per cent, soluble, and 5 per cent, in- soluble, phosphates ; and the potash salts, 34 per cent, sul- phate of potash. The manures were sown in the drills, the potatoes planted, and the drills split in the usual way. The THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 23 after-ciiltivatioil colisistecl of liand and horse-hoeing, and, finally, eartliiug up ; and the plots were lifted and weighed on the 2ud November. Before proceeding to state the final results, I may give you the notes made upon the different plots on the 16th June, when in a growing state : No 1, well up, and looking fresh; No. 3, not nearly so fir advauecd as No. 1, but rather further advanced than the nothing plots ; No. 3, of the same colour as No. 2 and nearly as far forward — darker than No. 1, but not . jarly so far advanced or growtiiy looking; No. 4, further advanced, and of a rather paler green than No. 1 ; No. 5, robust looking, dark green stems, and nearly as far forward as No. 4 ; No. 6, pale green stems, and not so robust or forward as Nos. 4 and 5 ; No. 7, same as No. 3 ; No. 8, slightly further advanced than No. 7, and darkish green stems ; No. 9, fully further advanced, but of much the same colour and appearance as No. 4, these plots, viz., 4 and U, being much the furthest forward of the lot, and followed by No. 5 ; No. 10, about the same state of forward- ness as No. C, but of a dark green colour ; No. 11, not such robust or dark green stems, but nearly as forward as 10 ; No. 12, further lorward than No. 11, but lighter coloured; No. 13, of a darker green, but otherwise much the same appearance as No. 12, though scarcely so forward — about the same for for- wardness as tlie nothing plots ; No. 14, much like No. 13 ; No. 15, like No. 2 ; No. 0, like No. 2 ; No. 10, like No. 1. On 12th July the plots were again carefully gone over, and the following notes made : On east side of the plots, where the soil is rather lighter. No. 9 looked as well as No. 4 or No. 5 ; but on tiie stronger land, towards the west end of the plot. No. 5 looked best, then No. 4, followed by No. 9. On the whole, No. 5 looked best, then No. 4, and then No. 9. There was not very much difference in the appearance of the other plots — that is to say, the nothing plots — and the re- mainder of those dressed with artificials alone. On the 5th of August they were again carefully looked at, and the note made that the plots having most sulphate of ammonia were looking best. The different plots were lifted and weighed on 2nd No- vember. They were dressed over an inch and five-eighths riddle, the large and the small separately weighed, and pitted. No diseased tubers were taken out at this time. They were left in the pits until the 15tli March last, when they were dressed over, the diseased ones thrown out, and the sound ones weighed. This was done for the purpose of ascertaining which of the manures tended most to increase the spread of disease. As already stated, although the plots were only an eighth of an acre each, the following results are calculated to the imperial acre : Plot. 1 La T. c. 7 4 6 6 3 18 7 15 9 19 4 18 3 19 6 6 7 7 7 3 3 15 3 16 4 0 4 0 6 6 7 9 •ge, Q. t. 3 12 3 13 1 13 1 13 0 8 0 8 3 24 2 22 2 8 2 0 0 0 1 4 1 12 3 4 2 16 1 4 Small. T. C. Q. L. 2 10 8 1 5 2 24 1 2 1 12 2 4 2 21 2 4 14 18 2 8 14 3 4 1 11 1 20 2 12 8 1 16 1 4 1 8 3 20 1 10 1 12 15 2 0 1 3 3 12 17 3 4 1 16 3 12 Total. T. 0. Q. L. 9 5 3 20 2 6 11 2 8 3 5 0 2 24 4 10 0 0 8 6 12 3 1 12 6 6 6 2 16 7 5 4 2 0 8 7 18 0 6 9 9 9 0 16 10 8 18 3 4 11 5 3 3 20 13 6 6 2 16 13 5 5 3 12 14 5 4 2 16 15 6 14 1 20 16 9 6 0 16 The first point to which I would wish to call your attention in regard to these experiments is the quality of the ground, as indicated by the returns from the plots which got no manure, as well as by plots 1 and 16 and plots 2 and 15, which were respectively manured alike. The average of the four nothing plots is 5 tons 3 cwt. 1 qr. 221bs. per acre ; whilst the lowest of these plots only differs 2 cwt. 2 qrs. and 261bs. from that average, and the lowest plot is only 3 ewt. 3 qrs. 201bs. less than the highest of them. Again, you will observe that the difference between plots 1 and 16, situated at opposite sides of the experiment ground, and which were manured alike is very slight. Tbe same remark applies to plots 2 and 15, which were also manured alike. All this shows that the ground was of remarkably uniform quality, and, so far, most suitable for such a set of experiments. I will now ask your attention to some of the most important points brought out by these ex- periments. In the first place, the iufiueiice of sulphate of ammonia is very marked, either alone, or in combination with the other manures. In every case, it has caused a very con- siderable increase of crop. Even when, as in plot 10, 4 cwt. alone was used, the crop reached a total of 8 tons 18 cwt. 3 qrs. 41bs. per acre, being 3 tons 15 cwt. 1 qr. lOlbs. above the average of the nothing plots. Again, in plot 9, where 2 cwt. sulphate of ammonia was used in conjunction with 4 cwt. dissolved coprolites, the results obtained were still more favour- able, namely, 9 tons 9 cwts. and i61bs., being 4 tons 5 cwts. 2 qrs. 221bs. above the average of the plots which got no manure. Plot 4 again, where the same manure was used as in plot 9, with tbe addition of 2 cwt. of potash salts per acre, the results were fully as favourable ; while plot 5, winch got 4 cwts. sul- phate of ammonia and 4 cwts. superphosphate per acre, gave the very large return of 12 tons 3 cwts. 1 qr. 121b., being 6 tons 19 cwts. 3 qrs. 181bs. above the nothing plots. Potash salts alone and dissolved coprolites alone gave only a very tri- fling increase over the nothing plots. Ivainit in combination with sulphate of ammonia, as in plot 8, gave a less return by 1 ton 2 qrs. 161bs. per acre than sulphate of ammonia alone. Tills result is doubtless due to such a large dose of saline manure as 8 cwt. per acre coming into too direct contact with the roots of the plant. In this case, had one-half the quan- tity been mixed with the soil previously, and the other half applied in the drill, tbe results would in all probability have been somewhat different. The addition of 4 cwts. dissolved coprolites to sulphate of ammonia, as in plot 5, gave an in- crease of 3 tons 4 cwts. 2 qrs. Slbs. per acre above sulphate of ammonia alone, and an increase of 6 tons 19 cwts. 3 qrs. ISlbs. above the nothing plots. Superphosphate and kainit, as in plot 6, gave an increase of 1 ton 3 cwt. 321bs. above tiie nothing plots. Sixteen loads dung per acre gave, taking the average of the two plots, Nos. 2 and 15, 6 tons 13 cwts. of potatoes, being 1 ton 9 cwts. 2 qrs. 61bs. more than the no- thing plots; while the addition of 2 cwts. sulphate of ammo- nia, 3 cwts. superphosphate, and 2 cwts. of kainit per acre gave, taking the average of plots 1 and 16, 9 tons 6 cwts. 4lbs. per aeie, being an increase over the dung alone of 2 tons 13 cwts. 41bs., and over the plots without manure, of 4 tons 2 cwts. 2 qrs. lOlbs. per acre. Plot 4, however, without dung, and with very nearly the same quantities and kinds of artificial manures as plots 1 and 16, gave a larger return than they did, while plot 5 gave by far the largest return of any. The in- fluence of artificial manures, and especially of sulphate of ammonia, and superphosphate of lime in conjunction, on the potato crop on the field under notice, was very marked ; while potash salts, on the whole, were only of slight benefit. On the 13th March last the different plots were again dressed over, the diseased and decayed tubers thrown out, and the sound ones weighed. I can give the figures to any member of the Club who wishes them, but as I have already taken up so much of your time, will only state the general result. About one-third of the tubers were found to be more or less diseased, the proportion of diseased being somewhat larger in the plots which got dung than in those which got artificial manure alone, but the difference between any of the plots in this respect was not very striking. The relative proportions of the large to the small tubers present some points of interest, but I cannot at present detain you longer by referring to them. The experi- ments, as a whole, have, in my opinion, been very successful, and present fewer anomalies than agricultural experiments often do, and I hope that the details which I have now had the pleasure of laying before you may prove of some value as a guide to practice on soils similar to that on which the ex- periments were carried out. 1 would, however, caution those who grow potatoes on the lighter class of soils, which are so common in this county, against using such a large quantity of animoniaeal manure as that which produced the greatest re- sults in the experiments which I have laid before you, because, from experiments which I have carried out on light land, and from my own observation and experience, I am of opinion that on the light soils of this county the action of aramonia- cal manures will be less marked, and that of superphosphate and potash salts more marked than in the heavier classes of soil ; and that, therefore, as the land gets lighter, the propor- tion of ammoniacal manure should be reduced, and that of superphosphates, bones, and potash salts increased. I have thus endeavoured to direct your attention to the principles >Yhich should guide us in forming mixtures of the artificial 24. THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. manures for the potato crop. When once these principles are understood, what the farmer has to do is to purchase the necessary materials at the cheapest rate, and mix them for himself. The same materials can be got in different forms. Yor instance, you can get nitrogen, the valuable element in ammonia, in guano, in sulphate of ammonia, in nitrate of soda, &c., but the relative prices of these articles vary from year to year, and sometimes you can buy the desireable nitro- gen cheaper in one form than the other. The same holds true with regard to superphosphate of lime, potash salts, and other manorial substances. From this you will see that ' the most suitable manure for the successful cultivation of the potato crop, having regard to the quantity aud cost per acre," vary from year to year, in accordance with the fluctuating prices of the different substances from which the desirable manurial elements are derived ; and it is only by knowing the priuples which should be followed in forming the most suitable mixtures for the different kinds of soil that the farmer can enter the manure market to the greatest advantage, and pur- chase the different articles which he requires in the cheapest and most suitable forms. I have thus endeavoured to auswer the very important question set down for discussion this even- ing in a way which I hope will meet with your approval, and which I trust may prove of some use to those of you who may not have given the subject so much attention as I have done. Mr. Adam (Hillhead) planted his potatoes upon the lightest portion of his soil. He used principally superphosphate, dis- solved bones, and very finely ground bones, coupled with farm- yard manure. He found last year that the crop grew much better than formerly, after some three or four years' grass. Mr. Harris (Earnhill) was a very small potato grower, but evidently some special manures were required for good grcJwth, because he found that on his land, on the banks of the Find- horn, the succeeding crops were not so good as they ought to be. He liad been particularly struck by the facts brought out by Mr. Yool, and how well they agreed with the old notions entertained before chemistry was known. It was common to say — guauo and ammonical manures to the strong heavy clays, and bone and phosphatic manures to the lighter soils. It just showed how practice went hand in hand with science, aud where science inquired into a matter, practice ever gave a pro- vision and was very much like the right thing. Mr. Walker (Altyre) said that potatoes were with him only a chance crop ; he grew them only where he could not grow anything else, and had no information to p;ive. Mr. MacBey (Woodside) had only grown a few acres of potatoes upon his light land. He put down about 4 cwt. of potato and blood manure, and 15 loads farm-yard manure, at a cost of about £4 per acre. Mr. RuxTON (Inchbroom) said that, from the variableness of the land in the county, it could scarcely be said that any one kind of manure was fitted even for a whole field. Last year he put down his potatoes with 13 to 14 yards farm manure, and about 50s. worth of superphosphates and ex- traneous manures, aud he had a very good crop. Tliis year he was giving them about 5 cwts. of a mixture of bone-dust, superphosphate, and guauo, along with about 12 yards farm- yard manure, and he expected to grow a good crop. He did not, however, get one field where he was sure the same manure would answer the whole of it, and therefore he thought it was safest to have a good large mixture. Mr. YoUJMG was of the same opinion as Blr. Ruxtou, and he gave from 50s. to 60s. value of extraneous manures to each acre. Mr. Simpson said that with 20 loads farm-yard manure and £2 worth of other manures, he had a crop of 8 tons an acre. Mr. Pateuson (Mulben) said he gave his potatoes 16 to 18 yards farm manure, and 8 cwt. Kynoch's Potato Manure, aud he found that work very well. Mr. Cruicksiiajs'k (Westerton) said that farm-yard manure, if they could get it, was best for potatoes. He was sure they rooted better with that than with artificial manure, though a little of the latter might be given to make them start. Mr. IM'Kessack (Ardgye) quite agreed with Mr. Tool that what would suit one farm would not suit another. A great deal depended upon what kind of artificial food a farmer gave to his stock. If there was much ammonia thus on the farm, the less guano and ammonia would do. What he gave was a mixture of bone meal and a little Peruvian guano and farmyard manure. He thought it a very dangerous tiling for a farmer to use ammonia and nitrate of soda. He had quite ruined good land with that. It took too much out of the land, and, though they might continue it for a few years, he was sure it would ruin the strongest land in this country. What he would do, would be to feed his bullocks well and give plenty of bone manure. Mr. Rose (Sheriffstown) gave potatoes farmyard manure and 2 or 3 cwts. dissolved bones. He, however, grew very few potatoes. Mr. Petrie (Coxton) said that last year he laid down his crop with 4 or 5 cwt. of phosphates, and he had no disease, and a very good crop. Mr. Cruickshank (Meft) had tried his potatoes with farm- yard manures alone, and with other manures. With farmyard manure they were more apt to get diseased. When planted with light manures they were safer, and kept better in the pits. He, therefore, considered 4ight manures as more satisfactory for potatoes than farmyard manure. Mr. Broavn (Westerton) grew his potatoes upon very light, gravelly soil, and he could not grow a crop sufficient for any market without farmyard manure. He gave perhaps 4 cwts. of artificial manure to the acre, a mixture principally of am- monia, potash, aud phosphates. Upon gravelly soils he thought they could not grow potatoes without ammonia ; he found upon his land they required ammonia to bring the plants forward. At the same time, if the soil was full of am- monia, to put in more would only be adding an evil, because if they brought too many shaws they lessened the root crop. Yet it was necessary to have a good shaw, to bring a good root crop. By the use of farmyard manure there was a little more disease than by using artificial manures alone, but the additional quantity raised by farmyard manures amply made up for all the disease that came amongst them. Mr. M'Kessack (Earnside) only grew potatoes upon poor land, where he had nothing else to grow. He used farmyard manure, with a mixture of superphosphate, dissolved bones, and other manures. Mr. AV.VLKER (Leuchars) had but a very small farm, aud grew a few acres. He ploughed in from twelve to fourteen loads of good farmyard manure in the autumn, and then gave 4 or 5 cwt. dissolved bones when planting the potato. He raised very good crops, but could not say the weight ; and last year, when there was a good deal of disease, he had not a diseased potato about the place. A great object was to stir the manure well into the land in the autumn. In 1845-6, when the disease appeared in the county of Fife, he knew a farmer in the neighbourhood of Kirkcaldy, who planted nearly a hundred acres. He stirred in all his dung in the winter season, and gave a quantity of soot — for artificial manures were not theu known — when planting, aud he saved his crop, which was a very large one. He had the experience of seeing in 1S22 the greatest crop of potatoes that was perhaps ever grown, from fifteen to twenty tons per Scotch acre, raised with farmyard manure alone. They got a very great quantity of tlie manure, and it was probably the first time that potatoes were grown on the land. If he had plenty of farmyard ma- nure, he would use it for potatoes in preference to all their artificial manures, ammonia, or such like stuff. The Chairm.vn put the following as the result of the dis- cussion, namely, " That on the heavier soils a considerable proportion of ammonia is required, while, as the land gets lighter, the ammonia should he reduced, and the proportion of superphosphate, bones, aud potash increased ; and that on the lighter soils more especially it is better to use farm dung in conjunction with artificial manures." Mr. Cooper (Spyuie) moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Yool, who, in reply, said the experiments he had related took place on his farm of Westerfold. Tlie whole field was now sown in oats without any manures. He did not know that he would be able rigidly to define the plots, but he would make a pretty near guess, aud would watch the result. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 25 WIGTON FARMERS' CLUB. THE LABOUR QUESTION. At tlie last meeting, Mr. Norman, Hall Bank, in the cliair> a paper was read by Dr. Tiffen, of Wigton, on the Present Aspect of the Labour Question, as connected with Agricul- ture. Dr. Tiffen said although the movement, which has for some time past been disturbing the ordinary quietude of the agriculturists of the midland counties, has not yet spread so far north as this, it is only reasonable to expect that, sooner or later, we shall feel the effects of it ; and it seems very proper, on the part of the agriculturists of any district, to anticipate any such movement, on the part of its labouring classes, by giving the subject of it a fair and calm considera- tion, before the excitement naturally incident to such a state of things has been roused in the minds of those cliiefly in- terested. It is, of course, only natural that the farm labourers of this county should be tempted, by reading, or hearing, of tlie proceedings of their fellow-labourers in other counties, to look around them to see if they also cannot improve their condition ; and it certainly hehoves their employers to be pre- pared to meet any emergency that might possibly arise out of any agitation that might, rightly or wrongly, be set agoing amongst them. I have, therefore, been tempted to introduce the subject for your consideration to-day ; and I may say that I feel all the more pleasure in doing so in tliat I believe the agriculturists of this district have little to fear from any move- ment of this kind amongst their workpeople. " Less work and more pay" is, as you all know, the cry of the Warwick- shire labourer, and the sound has found a ready echo in neigli- bouring counties. Strikes have been arranged, trades-union principles adopted, and combinations have been formed among farm-labourers to such an extent, and in such a manner, as to cause no small amount of uneasiness, and even alarm, among the tenant-farmers of the affected districts. Indeed, the whole circumstances of the movement seem to indicate that it is not the mere offspring of a sudden thought, but rather the result of a deliberate arrangement, and determination to obtain better terms, both as to time of work and remuneration than farm-labourers have ever been accustomed to, and to secure, if possible, a certain amelioration of their general condition such as they have hitherto been strangers to. And it may well concern the cultivators of the soil, especially tenant-farmers, to contemplate to what extent they will be affected if this agitation should result in their workpeople attaining to the objects they appear to be striving for. Farms have been taken — in many instances for a term of years — rents have been calculated, and other arrangements made for their profitable conduct, upon the belief that the cost of labour would average a certain amount psr annum ; and if this cost be increased 15 or 20 per cent, by any cause, and such increase becomes per- manent, the matter assumes a serious aspect to the tenant- farmer, and such questions as the following will naturally arise in his mind : Is he to resist any attempt on the part of his labourer to increase his wages or lessen the hours of labour ? or are there any means by which, notwithstanding the in- creased cost of his hand-labour, he can still carry on his ope- rations with his usual legitimate profit ? The consideration of these questions must necessarily press itself upon the far- mer's attention should any agitation in the direction suggested occur ; but beheving as I do, and have already said, that the farmers of this district have little to fear from any such agi- tation, I do not propose to discuss them at present, but will rather proceed to give you my reasons for the opinion I have formed. Now, the first and most important fact which has had most weight with me, in endeavouring to arrive at some rational conclusion upon the matter is this : That the wages already paid in the counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland to the agricultural labourer are equal to those now demanded by the labourers of the southern counties, and indeed they have been so for some time past. To satisfy myself on this point, I have examined the Returns on Earm Labour made to the Poor-law Board for 1870, and the Reports of tlie Employ- ment of Women and Children in Agriculture for 1868-9, and I find that whilst the ordinary wages paid in Cumberland and Westmoreland averaged 15s. to 18s. per week, and from 9s. to 12s. per week with food ; in Somersetshire they were only 7s. and 8s. to 128. per week with about Is. worth, weekly, of cider; and in eighteen other counties, including Warwicksliire, they ranged from 8s. to 12s. with Is. worth of cider or beer weekly, but in none of these did they exceed the latter sum. In Wigton Union, the weekly wages averaged 15s. per week, or 9s. with food, whilst in 38 of the southern unions they did not exceed lis., and in 18 12s. per week; and in a large number 13s. per week was the maximum. The foregoing figures, it is to be observed, apply to ordinary labourers only ; a proportionate increase in the weekly wages having been given in all counties to skilled workmen, shepherds, cowmen, &c. I ought here to remark that since the foregoing was written I have seen the report of a paper read before the Midland farmers' Club, in which it is stated that the average earnings, without perquisites, of a labourer's family in War- wickshire were 17s. lid. per week, and those of a cowman's or carter's family were 19s. lid. per week. With privileges, the average earnings of these were, respectively, £1 Os. 7id. and £1 2s. l^d. per week. The paper I refer to appears to have been intended as a defence of the Warwickshire farmer, and whether the statements contained in it are more reliabla than the Poor-law Returns I don't pretend to say, but it is to be noted that the writer includes the earnings of a whole family, whilst the Poor-law Return refers to those of individuals only, so perhaps both are right ; but whether the Poor-law Return be correct or not I don't think the matter is much mended by the statements contained in the paper I have spoken of. The cottage rents in the midland and southern counties varied, according to these reports, from Is. to Is. 6d., 2s. 6d., and even as high as 3s. 6d. per week, whilst I suppose, though, as it is not named, I ought not perhaps to introduce the comparison, the ordinary rent of a labourer's cottage in this district would be about Is. 3d. to Is. 6d. per week. No account is taken in these reports of the relative price of pro- visions in different parts of the kingdom, but it would, I pre- sume, be pretty nearly the same throughout. It cannot be doubted, therefore, that in tlie years 1868-9 and 1870 the con- dition of the agricultural labourer in this and the neighbour- ing county was from 30 to 50 per cent, better than in the southern counties referred to ; and I think it may very safely be assumed that the same relation between the different parts of the kingdom exists at the present time. Tlius, whatever grounds our labourers might be supposed to have for com- mencing an agitation it is quite clear that smallness of their wages cannot be adduced as one of them, when they compare tiiera with those of the south. The amount of the wage is not the only advantage, however, which our agricultural work- people have over their southern fellows. They not only re- ceive larger wages, but they also have them fully paid in cash, and I believe not any portion of them in kind, which is a system that appears to prevail largely in the south. The truck system or " tommy-shop," does not exist, in any shape, that I am aware of, in our agricultural system, so that our la- bourers are in no way interfered witii in the spending of their money after they have once earned it, but can, at their own. option, lay it out to the best advantage, according to their own taste, and without being subjected to the exactions or imposi- tions, supposed to be inseparably connected with the presence of "tommy." However just, honourable, or even liberal, the employer may be, a workman always feels it a grievance that he should be compelled to receive a portion of his wages in any such way, and, therefore, I consider that a very import- ant source of dissatisfaction is removed from the minds of our agricultural workpeople in the non-existence of any form of the truck system amongst them. There is another important reason for the impression I have in this matter, which is of a more general character, and is one that will account for the ^6 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. comparatively high Irate of wages which has for some time prevailed in the uorthern counties. No one form of industry prevails very largely over another in these counties. The manufacture of raw materials of various kinds, mines, agri- culture, railways, and commerce, are very equally represented. By the demand for each kind of labour, the wages of the whole are fairly balanced. If one be less remunerative than another, a workman need not remain where he is, but can turn himself to another more conformable with his necessities or desires, even if it be not in accordance with his tastes. Hence the agriculturist is obliged to give wages su.fficiently good to tempt his labourer to remain upon the land ; and as he has been subjected to this kind of influence for some years past, and the wages he has had to pay have been regulated by tiie demand in other branches of industry carried on in the county, and are so still, it is not probable that any violent convulsion in the labour market of tliis district will occur, unless some great rise should take place in the wages of those engaged in other employments. It is probable, nevertheless, that some little disturbance may be caused by the agitation going on in other localities extending to this, but when this does occur, I should expect that a little reflection and sober examination into their present condition here, as compared with that of their fellow-workmen in the southern counties, on the part of the agricultural labourers themselves, will so influence their actions in any such movement as to admit of their employers dealing with them in a manner satisfactory to both parties. Hence I feel a conviction that so far as regards the effect upon the price of labour in this district of the present movement in the south, our agriculturists need be under little apprehension. The comparatively high rate of wages, the payments being made in cash, the total ab- sence of " tommy," and the ready opportunities men have of varying their employments and getting the best wages going in the terms, point to the conclusion that the principles and motives mainly actuating the agitators of the south are en- tirely absent, and that we have, therefore, a reasonable hope and prospect of remaining comparatively at peace. But, although the amount of the actual wage may not be affected much, one cannot be sure that the present hours of work may not be questioned, and in this and the neighbouring county of Westmoreland, where two-thirds of the agricultural labour is performed by farm-servants housed in the dwellings of their employers, any re-arrangement in this respect would, I appre- hend, be atttendcd with difficulty and possible unpleasantness. Anxious farmers accustomed to rise with the lark, and set their teams agoing by five or six o'clock in the morning would hardly reconcile themselves at once to start them at six or seven and yet pay their men the same amount of wages. Besides they would in this way lose as much of their ordinary profits, it might be supposed, as though they were paying higher wages. Unless, therefore, they can see their way to realising as much profit, in the shape of produce, by the fewer hours' work, they may reasonably enough he effected to hesitate be- fore agreeing to any such reduction. But should any such event happen as that the hours of labour should be reduced, and his opportunities of making money so curtailed, I have no doubt that the energy and shrewdness of the Cumberland farmers will speedily find a way of realising as much if not more than his ordinary profits, notwithstanding that he may be called upon to reduce the working hours of his labourers, at the same time paying as much or even more for them than he lias been in the habit of giving for the longer hours. The question of how to do this is scarcely withiu our province to- day. It will no doubt meet with due consideration at some future meeting, but at present it will be well to confine our- selves to the hand-labourer. It may, however, be observed that steam-cultivation, the extended application of improved machinery to farming purposes, and some plan of contracting for labour, suggest themselves as means whereby the farmer will be enabled to make up for the increased cost of his hand- labour. He must not trust to increased value of his produce, for it is very doubtful whether farm produce-^I mean grain and vegetables, &c. — will ever increase in value to sueli an extent as to meet the increased cost of production, what- ever this may be, or however it may arise, seeing that free- trade and its concomitants tend to keep down prices, and will prevent the producer reaping any advantage he might other- have done, by forcing up prices in accordance with the in- creased cost of labour ; in tact, they must do so ; so that it is not by increased prices that the farmer must expect to com- pensate himself. It is by the increased quantity of produce per acre that he may be able to realise by the application of all the improved methods of cultivating the soil and farming generally, that he most hope to maintain his position. Steam cultivation, therefore, and the more general use of skilled labour — of properly educated labour, if I may so express my- self— must undoubtedly become the necessities of the future farmer; and how he can best attain these is the question to which he must devote chief attention. In the foregoing remarks I liave confined myself to the discussion of the wages part of the labour question. Let us now take a glance at some of its moral aspects ; the education of the agricultural labourers' children — the inculcation and cultivation of habits of temperance, and the closing of unnecessary public-houses iu rural districts — the desirability of providing suitable cottages upon every estate — the providing of suitable accommodation in farm houses vvhere servants of both sexes are lodged, and the most suitable mode, times, and terms for hiring them, are all subjects of the deepest interest to the agricultural coramuuity,and claim our most anxious consideration. Each of these subjects, however, would furnish an ample theme for a separate paper and dis- cussion, so that I will only speak of them very briefly on this occasion. Most of you are no doubt aware that a bill has been introduced into Parliament entitled the " Agricultural Cliildren Bill." The object of tiiis Bill is to prevent the em- ployment of children in agriculture below a certain age, and to secure to them a certain amount of education. It proposes to enact that no child under eight years of age shall be so em- ployed at all ; that between eight and ten years of age the child may be employed to a limited extent, but must at the same time receive 125 days' schooling during the year ; and between ten and twelve 75 days' schooling annually. Objection has frequently been taken to the Legislature interfering in a mat- ter of this kind, and it has even been asserted that education is anything but beneficial to the working classes, as tending to render them discontented and diilicult to manage ; but anyone who has any knowledge of the working of the " I'actories' Act" and of the extent to which it has served the interests of both employers and workpeople in the manufacturing world will readily approve of the application of similar laws to the agricultural labourers ; and no one, I think, can object to this Bill on the score of stringency. And then as to the utility of some education to them, if it be necessary at all to prove such a thing, 1 think we have only to look for evidence to the immense increase that has taken place iji recent years in the use of agricultural machinery requiring skilful management and intellgent handling. Even on the very question of wages, how much more easy would it be to deal with men possessing some knowledge of their true position than with an ignorant workman having no more judgment than the clod he crushes, and deluded by the clamouring of some scliemiug agitator ? Again, if, as seems probable, the franchise be put into the hands of our agricultural householders, how much safer it will be for the country and good government if only they can ex- ercise it with some degree of intelligence. In fact, every con- sideration bearing upon the altered state of this country as re- gards it agriculture, points to the necessity of educating all those who may have practically to do with the future develop- ment of it various resources, and the regulating of the laws bearing upon it. Much has been done in this neighbourhood already in the way of promoting education amongst the work- ing classes. The present high sheriff, and others, have been the means of having well-planned schools and excellent teachers established in nearly every parish, and largely have they been taken advantage of ; but more requires to be done, aud it only needs some moderate plan of compulsion to be car- ried out to ensure the few children whose parents seem to be indifferent to their future welfare in this respect a certain amount of education, and the employers of the district a com- paratively intelligeut body of working men; this the Bill I have referred to promises well to secure. With regard to the habits of our labourers and farm-servants I am glad to think that in- temperance does not prevail to any great extent. Whether this remark correctly applies to the south, where beer is a habitual allowance as part of the wage, I do not know, but in this county, vrhere beer is scarcely ever given except in harvest times, I believe drunkenness is seldom seen, except perhaps at fairs or hirings. NevertheleRs, I cannot help thinking that in many of our villages there are too many public- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 27 houses, winch do occasionally put temptatiou in the way of the working man, and lead hira into trouble, and his family, if a married niau, into unnecessary distress. Let me now say a word upon a subject I have on previous occasions in this room spoken somewhat strongly. I refer to the faulty management which generally, or at least too fre- (jueutly, exists for the lodging of farm-servants, and the ne- cessity there is for proprietors providing sufficient cottage accommodation for the labourers and workmen refjuired upon any estate, and the desirability, upon moral and other grounds, of doing away with the present system of boarding farm- servants of both sexes in the houses of their employers. The patriarchal system of our forefathers, when the good man, the head of the house, took his seat on a winter's evening by the side of his kitchen fire, in his old arm-chair, and gathered around hira his children and servwits as members of one family, aud discoursed upon the topics of the day, or the farming matters of the morrow, and in other ways exercised a healthy influence over the minds of those about hira, has disappeared never to be recalled, and, in its stead, we have the more reiiued aud better educated family occupying the parlour, dining olf a separate table, aud leaving the servants to the care and under the control of one of themselves, it may be, in a distant kitchen, where, after work hours, the master's face is seldom seen, and wliere, consequently, Liberty is too apt to run to licence, and loose and licentious talk substituted for sober conversation. Thence, I believe, arises much of the demoralisation of which we hear so much in rural districts ; thence originates that want of interest in the employer's affairs which is so marked a characteristic of the present day ; thence, also, the indifference too often shown of the employer to the welfare of his servant ; and thence, of course, much of the chronic discomfort known to exist in almost all farm-houses where servants are lodged with their employers. The remedy for this state of things appears to mc to lie in the provision of sufficient cottage accommodation, and the encouragement of early marriages among the working classes. It may seem odd that I should advocate early marriages among a comparatively poor class of people, but T conceive this is really the best way to prevent the demoralisation of those whom education has had little opportunity of influencing. It is almost the only way to secure home comforts for them, and certainly tends to create, or, at all events, extend tliat love of locality and home associations which forms so large a part of the moral nature of all classes of Englishmen, aud is the best guarantee against the continuance of that scarcity of labour which is fast be- coming one of the greatest difficulties with which the agricul- turists of this country will have to contend. In connection with this part of my subject, I would take this opportunity of urging upon farmers the extreme desirability of furnishing their labourers aud their families with au ample supply of good nutritious food, in the shape of milk, at all times. The prevalent custom of feeding pigs and calves with superabun- dance of this article, and, at the same time, absolutely refusing to sell it for the children of their workpeople, is a stain upon the character of the agricultural community, which no exigency of their business as farmers, or no desire for making themselves a uame for producing line animals, can possibly excuse. Bodily weakness, habitual indolence, dulncss of intellect, aud many other defects in the working man are traceable to the extreme poverty of his living iu childhood ; and how can it be otherwise when is deprived, at tlie most important period of his growth, of that which forms the staple and necessary sustenance of all animals in their infancy, aud of none more so than the animal — man ! I speak of this matter, which may perhaps seem of small importance, from a desire to see some change effected in this respect, and with a hope that farmers will not deem it unworthy of their auxious consideration. Indirectly, the wliole community, but especially the agriculturists themselves, suffer from the present unnatural system to a much larger extent thau they have any conception of, and I therefore seriously commend it to their notice for alteration and improvement. Before concluding my remarks, I must briefly refer to a subject which has been largely dis- cussed iu neighbouring clubs, viz., statute hirings. A great variety of opinions appears to exist in reference to this old institution, but, from all I can gather from the discussions which have taken place, I cannot help thinking that they are a necessity with as so long as our agricultural work is so largely done by farm-servants who have to be lodged with their employers. The present periods for holding the hirings do appear very inconvenient, especially as regards the uncer- tain Whitsuntide ; and 1 am strongly inclined to take a side with those who advocate Candlemas and Lammas as the fittest and most convenient periods for engaging agricultural servants. I do not see how the registry is to assist in the obtaining or selection of them ; neither can I see in with the views of those who advocate a longer period of trial or service than six months. With a cottage system, however, short periods of three months, or longer, as employer and workman found themselves to suit each other, could easily be arranged, and, I believe, would be found by far the most satis- factory. In conclusion, permit me to say that in introducing the " Present Aspect of the Labour Question as affecting Agriculture " for discussion to-day, I have endeavoured to make my observations apply entirely to the circumstances of our own district, with which we are all famihar, and upon which, therefore, every member of the Club can speak from prac'ical experience. ]\Ir. William Lawson said there was one point on which he differed from Dr. Tiffen, and that was upon the subject of milk. He ventured to question what Dr. Tiffen had said as to the value of milk for children. Dr. Tiffen said that milk was the natural food of all ani- mals, man included, and, if they deprived children of their natural food, how could they expect them to grow up as. strong upon substitutes ? He might say he spoke authori- tatively, and he could say that great numbers of children were small, puny, and short-lived in consequence of poor living in infancy. In the south of England milk was scarcely ever seen among the labouring classes, but beer or cider for the men, aud tea for the Momen aiul children. It was a common thing to hear it said that the labourers iu the south could not do as much work as those in the north, and he believed it was because they were ) otter fed in the nortii. The better class of people certainly I v> d milk, but the poorer persons scarcely ever saw milk, u the nortJi here scarcely a farmer thought of setting his servant down to a meal without giving them milk, aud there w as no doubt but they did more work for it. Children required milk. The want of it brought on weak- nesses, and tendency to disease, particularly scrofula. Mr. ToRDiFF (The Pow) said there was one thing the doctor found fault with, and that was, having unmarried servants in the house. What other plan had they to follow when they were unmarried ? Dr. Tiffen said that this county was about the only one where this kind of thing was permitted, and he had suggested, as the remedy, early marriages, which he thought would have the effect of keeping them upon the place, which would be desirable. Mr. Lawson said he should much like to hear what effect Dr. Tiffen thought the abolition of the law of entail and the encouragement of co-operation amongst the farm-labouring classes would have. Dr. Tiffen thought it would be difficult for him to speak on the subject of entail, or what effect it had upon the agri- cultural labouier, but, with regard to co-operation, he thought that if they could devise a good system, and could get intelli- gent men to take part iu it, co-operation would work well, as the co-operative principle helped to improve the position of the labouring classes. They must, however, have the labourer more educated. He believed co-operative societies worked ad- mirably. The doctor moved that the meeting stand adjourned until that day fortnight. Mr, T. HoRNE (Baggrow) seconded this, which was carried. 28 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, PENRITH FARMERS' CLUB. STATUTE HIRINGS. At the adjourued meeting, the Rev. T. B. Lowry, of Water- millock, in the chair, Mr. H. Newby-Frasee, moved that tlie Club express its sym- pathy with Mr. George Hope, a Scottish tenant-farmer, who had been ejected from tlie farm whicli he and liis family had managed and improved for many generations. He added that other farmers' clubs had'expressed their sympathy in a' similar way. Mr. Tiioji seconded the motion, which was opposed by Mr. J. P. SiiEPiiEKD, on the ground that the question put involved a most important matter. He objected to the mo- tion chiefly because he failed to gather any satisfactory details connected with Mr. Hope's case from the statement made by Mr. Eraser, which happened to be all he (Mr. Shepherd) knew about the matter. It was possible all the facts miglit reveal a different state of things ; and he was not prepared, upon the simple statement of any man, to deny the riglit of a landlord to dispose of his property in the way he thought best. Mr. Fraser was also called to order by Mr. Tyson, who maintained that notice should have been given. Mr. I'lCASEK gave notice that he would move the vote at the next meeting. Mr. Jabez Crosby, wlio introduced the subject for dis- cussion, said : We are accustomed to hear it said that the age in which we live is one of progress. Laws and institutions are being tested, and that which cannot abide the test will be cast aside. The commercial and manufacturing classes are in the habit of looking upon farmers as " slow coaches." They regard us as being altogether behind the age, but it may be fairly questioned whether, during the last thirty years, there have not been quite as great improvements in agriculture as in manufactures or commerce. However, although we are not quite so slow as is often supposed, yet it must be admitted that in some matters we are behind the age, and I scarcely know anything which shows this more clearly than our method of hiring servants. As far as I know in all the other industries of the country there is nothing corresponding to the hiring statutes in agricultural districts. Masters and servants make their own arrangements with each other without any statutes, and the engagements thus made commonly continue for years. It is easy to see that there are many evils incidental to our present method of engaging servants. In the first place I maintain that our present method has a tendency to lower the self-respect of the sevants. It is degrading for a number of men, and especially w'omen to be standing in the market-place, hour after hour, waiting for employers of labour to come and look at them and inspect them, as though they were buying horses to do so much labour for them in return for so much food given. Let any farmer or farmer's wife ask themselves, whether they would not feel it a degradation to have to make arrangements for selling their labour under juch conditions. They would feel it to be so, and would prefer to make an en- gagement without having to expose themselves in the market to the public gaze. But it may be said that farm-servants do not believe in those uotious of self-respect. No doub this is so with many, but do we think any better of them because they are lost to shame ? As farmers, we ought to do our best to awaken feelings of self-respect in our servants, for such ser- vants will be most likely to respect us, and do their work in an intelligent and conscientious fashion. When men and women lose self-respect, they easily fall into drunkenness, and licentiousness, and all other bad habits ; and because our practice of hiring by statute has a tendency to lower the self- respect of our servants, I am desirous of seeing a change. But further, I maintain that it is extremely dilhcult, and in- deed oftentimes impossible, to form an intelligent opinion of the qualities of servants simply by seeing them in the hiring fair. If we will but think seriously, we must see that our present method is absurd. A master hires a servant after a little conversation, and then, after he has hired him, he meets with a friend and says, " I have hired so-and-so. Do you know anything about him ?" And so he goes on, picking up information from one and another concerning the qualities of the person he has hired. Surely this is something like buy- ing a pig in a poke. The servants adopt the same senseless method in relation to the character of the masters. They in- quire of one and another concerning their new master, and the result is that in many cases the servants during the week send their earnest money back, and say that they have changed their mind ; they have heard things about the place they don't like, and they won't go, the result being that masters are thrown out of servants, and servants out of places to be a burden upon their parents. In other cases, although they may go to their place, yet it is with a dissatisfied spirit. They are prepared to put the worst construction upon every- thing they meet with ; they have no respect or atl'ection for tlieir masters ; they do not put their wills into their work ; and at the end of six months they mean to leave. Now, surely, it must be admited that this is an evil which naturally arises out of our present system. But if the engagement was a matter of private negatia- tion, inquiries would be made beforehand, and many of those disappointments would be avoided. Besides, if the statutes were abolished there would not be so much wandering about of servants from place to place, which in itself is a great evil. It would be far better for youths to find places in the neigh- bourhood in which they have been bred and born. The eyes of their parents would be more or less upon them. When a young man goes to a village where nobody knows him, he loses some of the props which his character greatly needs while his passions are strong. The statute fair fosters the desire for change. Every six months servants are brought face to face with masters from other parts of the country, and they think they will try their luck somewhere else. They know the difli- culties of the present place, but they don't know the difficul- ties of another, though they will resolve to go and see, because at the worst they can but leave at the end of the half-year. Now, I look upon this constant changing of places as a great evil, so far as work is concerned. We farmers are always teaching men to do their work according to our own ideas ; but as soon as they have adapted themselves to our way of doing, they leave, and at once we have to commence with another set of men, whose methods of labour cause dissatis- faction to the masters. We get used to see things not done- according to our mind, but we do not see that this constant change is at the bottom of the evil. Moreover, when servants expect to leave in a short time they become careless of their masters' interests. We may say this ought not to be so, but it is so, and it will continue to be so under the present system, AVhat we want are servants who will he interested in their masters' welfare ; but the system is against such a feeling ; and we must not expect them to be of such a character so long as we lure thera in the way we do. It may be said that it is not practicable to do away with statute hirings. In reply to that I have to say that in all the great industries of the country, except that of agriculture, there are no such hirings, and yet there is no difficulty experienced. Mr. Crosby con- cluded by reading a letter corroborative of his views in regard to the working of the system in Lincolnshire. Mr. J. M. EiciiARDSQjM (New Ren;) said that anyone who had been accustomed to notice the frequent changes resorted to by servants must have felt the inconvenience and the loss occasioned by such a practice. He himself had during a large number of years been an extensive employer of labour ; and he always found that those servants who kept their situations were generally the men and women whom they afterwards found in an advanced position in life. There could be no doubt that lengthened service at any particular farm brought knowledge which in the end must be advantageous to the farmer, as it related to his own particular course of manage- ment. Mr. Crosby : It would be a very good thing if servants THE FAKMER'S MAGAZINE. 29 were hired for twelve months instead of for half-a-year, as they would then take a deeper interest in their masters' affairs. Mr. W. LoNGRTGQ saitt that the twelve mouths' system would not work upon small farms where employers only re- quired their servants during a few months in the year. Mr. fliCHA.RDSON : These are only exceptional cases. Mr. IIaurison : But what will the servants themselves say to these propositions ? Mr. LoNGRiGG : There are a good many of these small farms, scattered throughout the dales of the two counties. Mr. W. Harrison : We have heard a good deal condemna- tory of statute hirings. I should like to hear if any one lias anything in tlie shape of private substitute ? Mr. Crosby would hire servants either hy negotiation or by register, two methods which he thought had worked pretty well in other places in different parts of the country. He thought tliere ought to be a sympathetic spirit between mas- ters and servants, which, under present circumstances, was not suflSciently cultivated. The abolition of this statute system would develop that spirit. In conclusion, he observed that his feelings on the subject were entirely pure ; he had no sel- fish point to advocate in the way of puUing down the wages, which, generally speaking, were regulated by the demand and supply. Mr. TitOM said he was a great advocate for the abolition o f these hirings, which were but a remnant of feudalism. If they were to aboUsh these hirings — which liad the appearance of slaves in a slave market— a great deal of evil would be re- moved which they had now to deplore. He urged the esta- blishment of register offices. Mr. Newby Fraser was in favour of yearly engagements, and the total abolition of statute hirings. If Mr. Crosby had not put his thoughts into a tangible form, he (Mr. Traser) would move — " That, in the opinion of this club, it is desir- able that statute hirings should be abolished." Th«demoralis- ing effects attendant upon such gatherings must by this time be pretty well known to farmers generally, who had been in the habit of attending Penrith and Carlisle hirings. There they saw dancing, rioting, drinking, and everytliing that was demoralising to the agricultural class. They, as farmers, ought to consider their position, and endeavour, by every means within their power, to alleviate the wrongs occasioned to servants by the statute hirings. It had been suggested tliat in lieu of these hirings they should have private engagements, orengageraents through a register office. He himself had nine men liviag in cottages upon iiis farm, and seven single men at the farm house. With regard to private arrangement in the hiring of servants, he migiit say that he had tried that plan, and he always sent his foreman to look out for single servants, and his plan was to enter into an arrangement for twelve months; but with the present demand for labour he found it very difficult indeed to make the arrangement binding with monthly payments. Only this year he had engaged two men from Martinmas to Martinmas, and they left, alleging that under monthly payments they were ouly bound to give a month's notice. To remedy that he would recommend written instead of verbal agreements ; because they might be sure if a man refused to sign a written agreement, he did not want to do what was right and proper. He (Mr. Fraser) had tried register offices, private arrangement, and tlie statute hirings, and he was not prepared to say which was the best as a means of procuring servants, but he said this, that it was a most em- barrassing thing to go into tliese statute hirings, to wade tlirough a dense phalanx of servants, and be compelled to listen to the rough talk and swearing usually prevalent. These fairs were out of all character with the manner and customs of the present century, and he therefore moved that they be abolished. Mr. Tnoji seconded the motion. Mr. J. C. BousTEAi) said he hoped before they decided to abolish these fairs that they would discover some substi- tute that would give equal satisfaction to the farmers, and the servants themselves. He denied tiiat these statute hirings were the chief source of the immorality in the two counties. He could show the inconsistency of the registry system, viz., pointing out that if a master made application at the registry office he might have to travel eight or ten miles to see the per- son, and when done it might not be the person he wanted. At the hiring fair the process took up less time. Master and man were face to face, and there was always some ft lend at hand ready to give advice either on one side or the other. Mr. Hawell thought servants looked forward with plea- sure to these gatherings. Mr. ToppiN (Skelton), was opinion the terms should be altered from the 1st Tuesday in May to the 1st Tuesday in November, instead of at Martinmas and Whitsuntide. Mr. Hogarth thought the " immorality,' business had bean preached long enough, and the remarks of the different speakers under that head belonged to a bye-gone age. Mr. Jameson, as a magistrate, differed altogether with those who attributed the immorality of the sister counties almost solely to these hiriugs. No doubt the magistrates had a great deal of experience in dealing with these cases, but he did not believe that it ever crossed the minds of the magistrates, or that anything ever led the magistrates to the opinion that Martinmas and Whitsuntide are periods of immorality, such as had been described. No doubt a great many young men and young women did mostly congregate for the dance on these occasions ; and no doubt the young men were in the habit of having a glass of beer on such occasions, but, as a general rule, it was merely taken by way of recreation, and not witli the view of practicing excesses of the kind alluded to by Mr. Eraser. Such things as he alleged were the exception, and not the rule ; and he maintained they had no right to lay any such charges against servants. He ridiculed the idea of masters, as soon as they got large farms, delegating their duties in the hiring market to the "foreman." They never saw their servants until they turned up at the farm ; and some- times the foreman did not select the men for the master. The result was obvious, as it might be, in the case of Mr. Fraser. He (Mr. Jameson) regarded " characters" generally as worth- less ; and believed ihat it was a much more manly and straight- forward way (or the masters to meet the servants face to face. Mr. W. Harrison, Mr. J. P. Shepherd, and other speakers were in favour of keeping up the hirings ; the latter main- tained this was not a properly constituted tribunal to try the question, inasmuch as only one side was represented. Mr. Eraser's motion — " That statute hirings be abolished," was supported by the mover and seconder and two others, and opposed by 24, YOEK CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. GROUND GAME, At the last meeting there was an unusually large at- tendance ; Mr. W. J. Ware, of Skirpenbeck, in the chair, Mr. Peacock, of Mount Vale, York, read a paper on the cost and evils of ground game on cultivated land in Great Britain. The occupiers of farms did not wish to deprive the landowner of the right to shoot over his own estate, and tliat it was not desirable, for important reasons, to abolish sporting, but to reduce the quantity of ground game, that the landowner might follow his favourite sport without serious loss to the occupier. The farmer rarely found fault with winged game. Partridges comparatively did little harm, and pheasants were principally fed in and near the woods in which thty were preserved. It was the over-preser- vation of hares and rabbits to which the tenant-farmer had serious objections. In estimating the cost of their production, he said he calculated, from information derived from good sources, and also from personal observation, that two hares and two rabbits, when full grown, would eat as much as a small sheep. This estimate, he believed, would be found far within the mark when it was considered what serious damage those animals inflicted on the crops, and what they consumed as food. At a meeting of the Midland Farmers' Club, Mr. so THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Robolham stated that the effect of preserviug the game to llie extent prevailiug in many districts liad a bad effect, morally and physically, upon the farmer, the price of meat, in his opinion, being greatly increased owing to the immense depre- dations of the game, and that, therefore, the whole population of the country was directly interested in tlie question. Mr. Robotham calculated ahoat 16,000,000 acres of land to be overrun with an excess of game to the extent of one hare or one rabbit to the acre, and he contended that one for every four acres was a fair quantity for sporting purposes. There was, therefore, an excess of 12,000,000 liares and rabbits, taking them in equal quantities. The hares would represent the value of £900,000, and the rabbits £300,000, or a total value of £1,200,000 ; but, remembering that two hares and two rabbits consumed as much as a sheep, they could keep in their place no less than 3,000,000 more sheep than were kept at present. lu twelve months a small sheep fed without artificial food would leave £2. Three million sheep at this price would realize £6,000,000 in place of £1,200,000, the value of hares and rabbits in excess. It was evident, therefore, that a loss was incurred annually, by the excessive preservation of ground game, of no less than £•1,800,000 worth of food and wool for the people, which loss had to be sustained by the occupiers of laud — an amount which is in excess of the value of all the cattle and sheep imported annually into this country. It was evident then that the annual cost of hares and rabbits kept on cultivated laud v.as 10s. each. In addition to this there was the cost of preserving, keepers, watchers, dogs, powder, shot, &c., while the value of this costly article of food was 3s. per head for the one, aud Is. for the other. It was not to be expected that a farmer, when he saw the depredations from game going on upon his farm, would have the spirit to purchase the quantity of manure for the laud and cakes for his stock which were necessary for good farming ; hence he would continue his tenancy with loss both to himself and his landlord, or else he must seriously contemplate leaving the farm, and it was by no means an easy matter to get away from a farm without pecuniary loss. It some- times happened, when a farm was taken tolerably clear of game, iu a few years a new owner commenced to preserve game to the injury of the tenant. What remedy under such circum- stances had he P It might be said that if he did not like to stay, he was at liberty to leave. In many cases this was done, after having laid out extra money without the chance of getting it back again. He might consent to continue his tenancyon the promise that orders were to be given to the keeper to kill the rabbits ; but those were often the keeper's per- quisite, and it would be against his own interest to de- stroy all the rabbits. In the meantime the capital of the tenant was being reduced year by year, until, in many cases, the tenant scarcely dare think of leaving, for fear that he should have little to leave with, although he might ultimately be obliged to do so. Several cases of this character had come under his own observation, aud where valuation or arbitra. tiou had been resorted to, ho had never seen the farmer receive half compensation for his loss by game, &c., a statement which could be borne out by practical valuers. The abuses and in- justice traceable to the over-preservation of ground game were almost endless. Keepers might profess to kill rats, &c., and perhaps they did when they found them, but they de. stroyed the destroyer of vermin, and shot or trapped the cats that killed the mice, and waged war against owls and hawks- Rats, where numerous, are very destructive in fields as well as in corn stacks and buildings, and it is next to impossible to keep them down without dogs and cats, which are very diffi- cult to keep on game-preserved lands. Hares were very de- structive to wheat, barley, and dovers in April and May. Tlie blade which was eaten did uot come to proper maturity, was later ripe, and smaller in the ear, thus causing the sample to be uneven. The hare also eats tracks through a wheat field when nearly matured, taking only one bite out of each stem. The ear, dropping down was entirely wasted, and half-acre patches of apparent barrenness here and there testi- fied to the destructive tendency of the hare. Those animals appeared to have a pleasure for waste, for the barren ground on such patches would be fouud strewn with stems, &c., which they had left behind. This damage, however, could not well be seen without going over the land before reaping. Rabbits eat all before them near the woods, burrows, &c. The prac- tical former knew the yaUie of m early seed, field, April aud early iu May was the most expensive time for the keeping of sheep until the seeds were a pasture, especially when all the roots were consumed, aud if sheep had to be kept on dry food, they did not improve much, and it was very costly. He had seen a clover field so eaten by hares aud rabbits that it was fuUy two weeks later than it otherwise would have been to turn the sheep iuto. He had known many acres of land sown with oats instead of wheat because of the ravages of hares iu a wheat field. The hare will eat wheat in preference to oats, and this, in many instances, entailed great loss on the farmer. Another serious loss he might mention arose out of the fact that they could not sow winter tares where much game was kept, unless they were particularly anxious to pro- vide for the hares and rabbits a continual feast. Again, where ground game abounds, the farmer must have all the turnips off the land and pied before or early in December ; for if there came a storm, he would witness the destruction which was made. This involved an extra expense ; for the turnips must be well covered, and, iu consequence of the scratching of rabbits and hares, must be examined almost daily iu frosty weather. In his opinion the laud did not grow so much barley where the swedes were pulled off so long a period before they were consumed on the land. The hare is an epicure, who just tastes and tries, and then passes on, leaving the work of destruction either to other offenders, or to gradual decay. They heard of several instances where gentlemen shared tlie hares and rabbits with their tenantry, and had better partridge-shooting than before, the tenants being allowed to course the hares and trap the rabbits. Per- sons had no more right to take a hare or rabbit without leave than a sheep or pig ; yet there were many more prosecutions against stealers of game than of farming-produce or stock. The occupier of the land has to pay towards prosecuting the poacher, also often towards keeping his wife and children when he was imprisoned, as well as towards the police, who were now the principal takers of poachers. In 1871, in England aud Wales alone, the total number of persons pro- ceeded against summarily under the game-laws was 10,771. After stating that he should not like to see any person killing hares, and that the facts he had brought forward sufficed to prove the enormous cost and evil of ground game in Great Britain, he recommended that hares aud rabbits should be struck out of the Game Bill altogether. He also urged the expression of an unanimous opinion on this subject by peti- tion, thatafavourable opportunity now presented itself for doing so, when a committee of the House of Commons was appointed to take evidence ou the Game Bill, and that if the farmers, who were the great sufferers, did not take action for themselves, • they could not expect to be relieved. They had no desire to interfere with the rights of property, but they had a right to expect due consideration iu its duties. His sole object in bringing this subject before them was to provoke discussion on a matter of vast importance in many districts to both land- lord aud tenant, with the hope that their deliberations might result in some united and unanimous action, with a view to lessen the evil, ot which, he thought, they had very just cause of complaint. The Chairman said he appeared before them both as a laud-agent and farmer, and ,lie could assure them that a land- agent suffered as much meutaUy as farmers did in their pockets from ground game. No person had had more abuse or ill-will from tenant-farmers than he had from the over- preservation of ground game, although he was doing all he could to get it destroyed, but he could not accomplish his object, because he had the higher powers against him. He was condemned to be shot, because everything was eaten up, but it was considered better to shoot the rabbits than to shoot the agent. Where there was an excess of ground game it was impossible to get young trees up in woods and plantations. He had planted trees four feet high, and gas-tarred every tree to prevent them being destroyed, but he found that that would not do, for when the gas-tar had worked off the ground-game then went to work upon the trees. He was afraid that land- lords were not aware of the injury and loss which was suf- fered from grouud-game. Trees had been planted two or three times over, but they were destroyed, and they might as well have done nothing. All this, in course of time, was a great loss to the country at large. He believed that those who wanted a good stock of wined game must have very few rabbits, Mr, JPriuce, who was present, lived just adjoiuing THE TARMER'S MAGAZINE. 31 the property he was going to speak of, wliicli was wiihiii four miles of York, where there was no gamekeeper, and the teu- nats were allowed to kill the rabbits. The geutlcmau who had the shooting over the land went there on the Ist of September, and killed twenty brace of partridges a day. The tenants looked after the game tiiemselves, and there were a few straggling hares and next to no rabbits. In fact, he believed that where the tenants had the privilege of killing the rabbits they would look after and preserve the winged game. He stated that in the East Riding in the winter time, when the ground was covered with snow, hares carae in the evening to feed in a four acres field, and he actually counted forty which ran out of that field. After the frost was over, the farmer who occupied that field found that all his turnips were gone. He went to his landlord and said " If you please, sir, I am afraid your hares are going to be hungered to death ; I wish you would go and drag the turnips for them." This showed that the farmer had no ill will. If anyone happened to have a good field of swedes, the hare would go five miles to taste them. There were no better judges of turnips than the hares, and they would select the best and the sweetest. The ground game were always at work, and where there was a bit of anything to be obtained they were ready to take it, but they destroyed a great deal more than they actually ate. He suggested that one way of assisting in tlie destruction of ground game was to have a litter of foxes near the place, as those animals liked nothing better than a few young rabbits and a leveret. Though those present might be opposed to the over-preservatiou of ground game, he thought he might say for them that they wished to encourage sport in every way. Mr. Elston (Selby) had had experience in valuing damages, and he had invariably found that the destruction was princi- pally caused by rabbits, and he had seen hundreds of acres which would not have paid rent and taxes owing to an excess of game. He corroborated the chairman as to the number of partridges which could be obtained when the ground game was kept within reasonable limits, pointed out the unpleasant con- sequences of having oflicious gamekeepers, and expressed an opinion in favour of the contents of Mr. Peacock's paper. Mr. f . Dickson (Heslington) said the question which had been introduced was a very delicate one, as between the land- land and tenant, but he thought they would all feel that Mr. Peacock had dealt with the subject very temperately indeed. There was no doubt that the over-preservation of ground game was a great national loss to the community, and he was rather of the opinion that perhaps tlie difTicuUy between the landlord uiul tenant was more witli the keeper than anything else. He believed the farmers, generally speaking, were not otherwise than wishful that their landlords should have proper and legi- timate sport, but not too much at the expense of the tenant and the country. He believed if landlords as a rule would keep fewer gamekeepers, they would have more game. Mr. Jolly (York) gave the results of his experience with regard to the destructive effects of having too much ground game, and too few animals to keep it within reasonable limits, and also referred to the blameable conduct of certain game- keepers. Mr. Walker (Hay-a-Park, Knaresboro') thought Mr. Pea- cock had not sufficiently estimated the injury done by game, the evidence given before a commission having shown that that injury was as much as 25 per cent. They could not get people to think that it was as great a sin to take a hare or rabbit as anything else that was upon the farm, and when they reflected on ths bloodshed, crime, and expenditure it had en- tailed, he felt they should come pretty much to the conclusion that the nearer the abolition of the Game-laws they got the better it would be both for themselves and the people. Mr. DuFFiTT (Wiiitwell) did not think that the limitation of ground game would have the effect of destroying winged game, and urged that if the farmers wished to apply a remedy they must speak out. He suggested that some member of the Chamber should be sent to give evidence before the committee of the House of Commons. Mr. Peacock said that Mr. Lett, of Scampstou, would give evidence before the committee on Tuesday for the East Hiding. Mr. WiiARRAM (Naburn) moved " That this Chamber is of opinion that the excessive preservation of ground game is in- compatible with good farming, and would earuestly counsel landowners to relinquish the custom of over-preserving hares and rabbits." Mr. SaiiTii (Escrick), in seconding the motion, said lie should be sorry to see the Game Laws abolished, and that the preservation of ground game was not what it was some years ago. He was certain the tenants would hke to see plenty of winged game for sport, and he was of opinion that there would not be the amount of ground game there had been. The motion was carried unanimously. The Chairman moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Peacock, Mr. Jolly seconded the motion, aud Mr. Peacock, in response, said it was decided that he should be recommended as a witness to be examined before the parliamentary committee. CHESHIRE CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. A COUNCIL EXTRAORDINARY. At the last general meeting at Crewe, Lord Egerton, of Tatton, in the chair, the report was read, in which it was stated : — " The tliird meeting of the Chamber for the half-year was on ' The land laws considered as hindrances to the tho- rough cultivation of the soil,' which was introduced by Mr. Latham, in a paper of great ability. Tlie meeting, unfortu- nately, was a small one, and attended by few landowners, so that the discussion was confined to very few speakers, and those chiefly of one class. The council regret that in the course of the debate opinions were expressed to which they sliould be sorry that the Chamber should be considered in any way com- mitted, viz. : ' That the land in this country was not property in the sense of property; it was the property of the nation, and should only be held for its benefit,' The council thinks that Mr. Latham, in stating ' that this was the principle on which his paper was founded' exceeded the limits of discussion and the principles on which agricultural chambers are founded, aud they trust that in future members will abstain from ex- pressing m the Chamber their own political views, when there is ample opportunity for doing so elsewhere, as such conduct must necessarily endanger the well-being and existence of these excellent institutions." The Chairman, in the course of his address, said he came to a very painful subject— painful because it implied in some degree a little censure on one of the members of the Chamber. Ever since he had had the honour of being president of the Chamber, he never read anything with more pain, or was more annoyed with anything tiian the report of the last discussion which took place in that chamber, because he felt it might render them liable to be misinterpreted, and might injure the cause all had in view; and that if discussions went on in future to the extent they did on that occasion, many of the members might withdraw, and the very existence of such excellent institutions as chambers of agriculture be endangered. There were so many subjects con- nected witli agriculture that it was difficult to know where to draw the line of demarcation. Still, while he thought as much latitude as possible should be given, both to gentlemen reading papers and those taking part in the discussions, when they came to such ticklish subjects as the game laws, the land laws, and the law of primogeniture and entail, they were approach- ing a line at which they should stop before going too far. He was bound to say that when such expressions were made use of there as to land not being property, but that which be- longed to the nation, and that it had certain rights whicli should be conceded by landlords before they were extorted by riot — he was bound to say, and Mr. Latham would jierhaps forgive him for saying it, that that was going beyond the 82 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. bounds of what he (the chairman) should call fair discussion. Those expressions might have been, as he hoped they were, misinterpreted ; but he could not help thinking if they were used that Mr. Latham was giving the reins to his imagination, and speaking rather as he would have done had he been on the hustings in Mid-Cbeshire. As president of the chamber, he had noticed this, he hoped, in a temperate spirit, and without hurting Mr. Latham's or auy gentleman's feelings, and simply with the view of preventing discussions going to such a length that the existence of the chamber might be endangered. He trusted that members would exercise a Jittle restraint in their papers and in discussions, not because he wislied to prevent them giving utterance to tiieir own opinions, but because if they entered into political discussions, or what bordered upon them, it would be impossible for them to go on. In other chambers he knew that the line was more clearly drawn than in theirs. Mr. Handle Wilbraiiam asked for the 11th rule to be read. The Chairman called attention to the first two lines of the 1st rule — " To watch over and discuss all measures affecting agricultural interests." He then read the 11th — " All discus- sions shall be strictly confined to tlie subjects set forth in the notices convening the meetings at whicli they are held, and which shall be clearly connected with the objects for wbich this chamber is instituted, and when requisite, the sense of the members thereon shall be ascertained by vote at its close." Mr. G. W. Latham thought he might object, as a point of order, to the report of a council on a discussion in the Chamber. He held that when a paper was read and discussion followed the reading of it, it was the duty of the chairman for tlie time being to control the speaker or to ask him to explain at the time anything which was beyond the limits of fair discussion or out of order ; and he confessed that in this case it should have been done, because he believed the words put into his mouth were not the words he used at the time. He had looked in the various reports of the proceedings at the last meeting, and he could not find it reported anywhere that he said that the land of this country was not property in the sense of property. He would have been talking nonsense if he had said that. What he did say, and what he maintained was that land was not property as other personal property was ; tliat there was an essential difference between what was called real property and what was called personal property ; and that was the only doctrine he maintained at the last meeting, and wbich he was prepared to maintain still. Now he would not go into the question, but he was very glad to have this opportunity because he believed he had been misunderstood by some and misre- presented by others, and he hoped in the words he was going to say it would appear that he was not quite such a sinner as Lord Egerton believed ; that, after all, his opinions and his (the speaker's) though they might be expressed very differently, were nearly the same. Now he was not going to weary the meeting by giving them a history of the tenure of land, as it would not probably be appreciated, but he would ask them to listen to a few words, written by the most eminent real-property lawyer of the day, on what real property is. Mr. Joshua Williams says (" Principles (jf the Law of Ileal Property") — " It seldom happens that any subject is brought frequently to a person's notice without his forming concerning it opinions of some kind. Aud such opinions, carelessly picked up, are then carefully retained, though in many cases wrong, and in most inadequate. The subject of property is so generally understood, that few persons are without some notions as to the legal rights appertaining to its possession. Those notions, however, as entertained by professional persons, are mostly of a wrong kind. They con- sider that wliat is a man's own as what he may do what he likes with, and with tliis particular principle they generally set out on sucli legal adventures as may liappen to lie before them. They begin at a point at which tlie law stops, or at which indeed tlie law has not yet arrived, nor ever will, but to which it is still continually approximating. Now the student of law must forget for a time that if he has land he may let it, or leave it by liis will, or mortgage it, or sell it, or settle it. He must humble himself to believe that he knows as yet nothing about it, and he will find that the attainment of the ample power which is now possessed over real property has been the work of a long period of time, and that even now a common purchase-deed of a piece of freehold laud cannot be explained without going back to the reign of Henry VIIL, or an ordinary settlement of land without recourse to the laws of Edward I. That such should be the case is certainly a matter of regret. The first thing, then, the student has to do, is to get rid of the idea of absolute own- ership. Such an idea is quite unknown to the English law. No man is in law the absolute owner of lands. He can only hold an estate in them." Now he asked, after reading those words of the most eminent real-property lawyer of the day, wbeflier he was not justified in saying that no man was the absolute owner of land ? Let him tell them, too, which was a curious fact, that in the two greatest books ever written upon the law of land, " Coke- upon-Littleton " and " Shepherd's Touchstone," tlie words " real property " never occurred. Tilings real and things personal was the only definition thpy gave to land and personal property. Not only so, but read any book on po- litical economy, from Adam Smith to John Stuart Mill, and you will find the same. Study the history of feudal tenure in Hallam, Freeman, or Knight, and you will find the same fact that in early times the lord, and now the nation as the lord, has the ultimate ownership of land ; and that anything else between him and the tenant is some sort of estate. Talk of re.ll property being personal property ! You cannot sell your land to whom you like ; you cannot sell it to an alien. You cannot give it to whom you like ; if you give it to a charity, and you die within six months, the gift is void. You cannot bequeath it to whom you like, because the law of mortmain steps in. If you die real property is divided under a totally different system from personal property ; and sup- posing, which is the case sometimes, a man is without heirs, his real property, instead of going to the Crown, as in the case of the forfeiture of personal property, goes to the immediate lord ; so he (the speaker) considered it was clearly proved that in law, in history, and in political economy there was a dif- ference between real estate and personal estate. He might be told these were legal fictions — the dreams of political econo- mists— the fallacies of historians. Well, let him take the opinion of a most practical body of men, the Houses of Par- liameut, for they were less likely to be led away by theory than anybody else in the world. He knew no place where theory was less likely to go down than in the House of Commons. What did they do? Let the public say that it wanted land for a railway, for the public health, for water works, for a ceme- tery, or for a sewage farm. What happened the moment tlie pre- amble of the bill was passed ? A man did not get what lie chose to ask for his land, but there was a certain system by which an arbitrator was called in to value the land taken, and the owner was paid for disturbance, for a forced purchase, but he had to give it up. He (the speaker) did not deny that if Parliament said it was necessary for the defence of the nation they had a right to the book he held or the inkstand before him, although it was not likely they would ; but every day they took land. There was this difference, however : Sup- posing he bought a picture of the acknowledged Raffaelle or Eubens of the day, and which he believed in twenty years would be worth to himself or his executors twenty times as much — supposing he bought a picture of Solomons and thought he was the coming artist, he would never be deprived of the picture except for the price he chose to put upon it. But if he bought ten acres of land near Crewe, and believed that from the increase of property there, and the signs of rail- ways, that land would be worth in ten or twenty years twenty times as much, and the next year a railway ran through it, he would not get the prospective value of the land, but simply its value, plus a forced sale and any severance they chose to give him. Therefore he thought he was right in saying there was a difference between the two classes of property. They asked him why after all he should have said this, and his answer was that on it depended the whole of the value of the paper he read. His meauing was this, that it was right in certain cases to take land out of the sphere of contract ; and he would go farther than that and say that the law had a right to lay down certain regulations under which laud should be held by the owner of it. He dared say that he would have written a plausible and perliapsconvincingpaper,showingthatitwas better for the landlord and the tenant that there should be Tenant- llight.thatwouldincreasetbe value of land and benefit property, but if they examined his paper — and Mr. Button found the difference when he came to read it — it would be seen that he did not depend upon that. He argued that where a landlord THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 33 neglected his duty the State had a right to say, "You shall do your duty." lu fact, he wanted to make bad landlords do what good landlords were doing. He did not wish to deprive a man of his estate. The estate he had ought to be paid for, every farthing. All he said was that a man had not the ultimate control of it. Why, surely, if people did not wish to misrepresent him, it would not be thought, after what he had said of a man who had an estate for years, that he was going to be loo hard upon a man who had an estate for life ! His object was to show that the former should be recompensed for every improvement ; and was it likely that he would sug- gest that the latter should be worse off ? lie could not help thinking that he had been wilfully misrepresented or mis- understood. He believed that a landlord ought to do his duty, and that he must do his duty, and that if he would not do his duty, the State had a right to say, " You surrender your land, and we will come in and be your landlords," and for every outlay of capital, every far- thing spent before that surrender took place, he should be tiiorouglily paid. Tiiat would not be interfering with what was popularly called the rights of property, although, as he said before, he did not hold that any one had property in land. The last thing he wished to say was that he did not think the last sentence in the paragraph of the report at all fair or just. It said, " and they trust in future members will abstain from expressing iu the Chamber their own views, when there is ample opportunity for doing so elsewhere." While he could not see the force of tliat, he supposed the Council meant party political views, because, iu the broad sense, everything discussed there was political ; it was matter for the good of the State ; and what he always understood they were to avoid, and what he had always Iried to avoid, was party politics. Indeed he had done so, except perhaps that might be considered a reference to them when he said that the Attorney-General of the present Government brought in a Bill for making the descent of land, in cases of intes- tacy, the same as that of personal property, but which never went beyond a first reading. The Game-laws had, to a certain extent, been considered, but his opinion was that they should have a permissive game law which had never been agitated or Buggested in Parliament, so that there was not any single subject he mentioned which could be regarded as within the area of party politics ; and if politics were not to be introduced there, where eould they be introduced P Tiie first rule said the chamber was formed " to watch over and discuss all measures affecting agricultural in- terests." What measure could more affect the agricultural interests than the right the tenant had in the soil ? It might be perfectly right to hold such a theory ; it might be per- fectly wrong ; but no one could deny that it did affect agri- cultural interests ; and if so, they had a right to discuss it. Mr. Latham then read the lltli rule, and went On to say that had it not been for Mr. Button the discussion would have goue off quietly enough ; but unfortunately he asked him how he justified what he had said. He did not drag the subject in neck-and-heels. He thought tliey would do him the jus- tice to say that. Mr. Button asked him a question, and he was forced to reply. He would have been a great coward if he had said, " No, I would rather not tell you upon what principle the paper is founded." He held that the paper dealt with subjects affecting agricultural interests, and that the discussion was connected with the paper ; and he thought it rather hard upon hira to say now that he had ample oppor- tunity for airing such views elsewhere. The fact was that was the most proper place. He had not been able to become a member of Mr. Stuart Mill's Land Law League, because he was totally unable to agree with a great deal of what that body held, and it struck him that the subject would be better discussed where it could be turned to some practical account than where it was only talked of as a theory. He hoped they would do him the justice to believe that what he had said he said for the good of agriculture and not for party or political purposes. He did not think that at the present time there was any body more capable of discussing Tenant-Right than a chamber of agriculture, for by so doing they would go a great way towards smoothing its introduction into Parliament. The Chairman : Excuse me, but we are not discussing Tenant-Right at the present moment. Mr. Latham : We are discussing ray paper which alluded to it, and my argument is that we should not abstain in future from expressing our opinions on a subject which may be con- sidered political. I hold that politics, so long as they are not party politics, are admissible. That question of Tenant- Ilight is one iu which we all are largely interested, and I was going to say The CuAUiMAN : Tlie question of Tenant-Right may be a matter for future discussion, but I think at the present moment you should confine yourself chiefly to an explanation of the views in your paper and the discussion, and in them there was no allusion of any kiud or sort to Teuant-Right. Mr. Latham : I wish to sliow that it is right to discuss Teuant- Right, but I yield to your Lordship. I only wish to justify my paper, which your Lordship hinted was a party political move instead of an honest .attempt to do good. I hope people know me well enough to believe that all I do in this Chamber I do to promote the cause of agriculture, and I cannot help thinking that when you come to look dispassionately at the discussion — that when you come to knock aside the clouds of prejudice, and hard words are cleared up — you will believe that I have been misunderstood, and recognize in the paper an honest attempt to promote tlie cause of agriculture. I cannot think I shall be subjected to censure merely for having read thnt paper and auswered a question which was asked me. There was not the slightest attempt on my part to dictate to the Chamber, or tiie slightest attempt to introduce party politics. I only threw out a few suggestions, I daresay imperfectly enough, in the hope that they might do good to agriculture ; and I was very much disappointed, though Sir Harry said he approved of the paper, that the Chamber did not discuss it, but were suffered to go off into a bye-path. Let me ask you to approve of tlie motiou that tlie paragraph in the report com- mencing" The council regret" down to the word "institution" should be omitted, not only for my own sake, but because I don't wish to sit down under the imputations cast upon me, but be- cause the council has made itself into a sort of " star chamber" in penning such a paraghaph as that without hearing any delence or asking for an explanation ; also for the sake of the Chamber itself, which I believe ought to look at questions broadly, and assert its justice, wisdom, and independence by carrying ray motion. Mr. R. Button said, as his name had been brought pro- raineutly forward, he wished to have an opportunity of explain- ing himself. His proposition in the council was tliat the paragraph in question should be struck out. He was quite aware of the principle which underlay Mr. Latham's paper, and notwithstanding his explanation he (Mr. Button) confessed he could not endorse what was contained in it. He was not so conversant with the legal aspect of the question as Mr. Latham was. No doubt he was perfectly right, but he (Mr. " Button) thought it should be put iu this way : What distinction is there between the owner of land and the owner of houses? None. Mr. Latham : None. Mr. J. Slater : Ships. Mr. Button : That was Mr. Swetenham's illustration. Of course he knew that the Legislature had a perfect right to take a man's houses or ships, or anything else, if the emergencies of the country required it. The Chairman said they should not go into another dis- cussion. He did not stop Mr. Latham, because it was said in the council that he should have the fullest opportunity for making any explanation he liked. They could not now enter upon a discussion as to the rights of property. Mr. Button agreed with his lordship, but said he was simply explaining his statements at the last meeting. Perhaps it was a little unfortunate, being aware of the prin- ciple underlyiug Mr. Latham's paper, that he should express liis dissent and ask the question lie did ask, and if he had known there would have been any misrepresentation or mis- understanding he would liave avoided asking it. He thought it desirable that the council should not express any opinion upon the paper read, for he objected to Sir Harry Mainwaring's and Mr. Slater's, as he did to the other, and he thought the council made a mittake when they did anything but record facts. He hoped in future the council would confine itself to what he thought was its duty, and if he could be the means of pouring oil on the troubled waters, as he was unfortunately the means ()f stirring them, lie would second that the paragraph should be struck out, as he thought it would do no harm to tlie Chamber, it being C 34 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. pretty generally known that they did not sympathise with cer- tain views ; and anything like a reflection upon a gentleman who read a paper of considerable ability should be erased, as it would be invidious to single out this one paper for such comments, when other papers had been read to which equal objection might be taken. Mr. George Willis wished, as a tenant-farmer, and one who had an interest in the cultivation of the soil, to say a word or two upon the point under discussion. It was stated in the first rule that the Chamber was established " to watch over and discuss all questions affecting the interests of agri- culture." Their noble president said, in the course of his remarks, that if they were to discuss political subjects it was impossible^that the Chamber could go on. If they would al- low liira (the speaker) he w'ould quote the words of Sir Stafford Northcote at a recent meeting. lie said, that " with- out raising any sharp distinction between the interests of agriculture, and those of commerce or anything else, that the agricultural interest was one, at all events, of the most im- portant, and one not only important, but affected by almost every question that affected any other portion of the com- munity. So they could hardly raise a question of finance, of police, or sanitary measures, of political economy, that did not more or less — and generally rattier more— affect the agricultural interest. Members who were particularly connected with the interests of agriculture, or members who had a desire to promote tlie general interests of the country — among which agriculture ranked very high — were conscious when questions came upon tliem suddenly that there must be an agricultural side to them, and that they ought to give full consideration to that if they only knew what it was. But frequently they did not know what it was, and they had learnt what they did know from conversing with some casual acquaintance, or from some constituent, and therefore they took a very one-sided view of a question vihich had a great many sides. Now what they really desired was that they should be instructed by tliose who were interested in and un- derstood these questions, and should have their deliberate opinion on a point after it had been fairly and fully consi- dered and discussed." After such words he (]Mr. Willis) thought it would be unwise to hamper their deliberations upon any subject which might come before tiiem, and which might be said to be truly political. He maintained that that cham- ber ought to be at liberty to discuss every question affecting agriculture, whether political or not, and he hoped the tenant- farmers, equally witli the landlords, might be considered coiu'- teous in their remarks and deportment to warrant him in coming to such a conclusion. Sir Philip Geey-Egeuton said he would be very sorry to prolong the discussion with reference to the subject brought before them, but lie was anxious that they should not lose siglit of the most important point, which was this : Mr. Latliam disavowed tlie quotation made in the paragraph, as not being the words he used. Mr. Latham : I cannot find them. Sir Philip Grey-Eoerton : lu that case, I wish to call upon the secretary to know whether he can authenticate that paragraph or not. The Secretary: I think they are words of the same meaning, if not the same words. I think in one paper I found tliose very words. Mr. Latham : I have looked over two or three papers, and I don't find exactly the same in any. I think if I said any- thing like them, it was that land was not property in the same sense as personal property. Sir Philip Grey-Egerton, wishing to be tlie friend of all parties — a friend to the Chamber and a friend to freedom of discussion — said it struck him that if there was the slightest dispute about the accuracy of the words in tlie report, it would be better to omit them. If the Chamber took the same view, lie would move that the paragraph which commenced with the words, " Your council regret that in the course of the debate," should be altered to the following : " Your council regret that in the course of the debate opinions were expressed which exceeded the hmits of discussion and the principle upon which agricultural chambers are founded, and must necessarily endanger the well-being of those excellent institutions." Mr. Latham : I should ask what were the opinions, be- cause, except wliat I said in auswer to Mr. Button, notliing was said that exceedrd Ibo limits of discussion," The Chairman said it would be perfectly impossible to go into every subject they might like to debate, as that would make the Chamber a mere debating society, which was not intended, and if he had not expressed himself as clearly as he ought upon that point before, it was his own fault. His object was to warn the members to be careful how far they went in future. He felt a little difficulty in accepting what Sir Stafford Northcote had said, who went further, and said that no subject whatever might not be debated which had a bearing upon the soil. Mr. Eani^le Wilbraham said that if party politics were introduced, the Chamber would come to an end, and as it had been declared that there was no intention to introduce them, he thought they might accept that as an assurance that nothing of tlie kind would occur again — that whatever some may have fancied had a party political bias would not be us.ed again, but that they would still go on as unanimously as before, and retain those members who he knew, in consequence of the reports in tlie newspapers, were much inclined to leave the Chamber. He thought the explanations given ought to put them on the same comfortable footing as if nothing had occurred. Mr. Latham consented to accept the amendment made by Sir Philip, and Mr. Button having signified his assent, went on to say that thougli the blame had been taken off himself, it was rather hard that Mr. Wilbrakam should stipulate that nothing more should be said which people might fancy was wrong. A speaker could not control the fancies of people. They must not blame him for something he said which some people fancied was wrong ; they must try to make the people more sensible. He promised, for his own part, to keep clear of party politics, but if they asked him to keep clear of poli- tics they might as well ask him to keep from breathing the air that was in that room. Mr. J. Slater asked if the effect of Sir Philip's amend- ment would not be to censure those who spoke at the last meeting, to take the blame from Mr. Latham and throw it on some one else, because he happened to be one of the speakers. Sir Philip Grey-Egerton : It is only a caution for the future. I don't know whether the council have such a right ; I rather tliink they have not ; but it is generally agreed that the explanation is satisfactory, and that the m&tter ought to be passed over. I don't think the Council should reflect upon the speakers at previous meeting, and that it is out of their jurisdiction to give any authoritative opinion, and therefore I would prefer it if some abstract resolution could be adopted. Mr. Latham : I saw that, when you got rid of the blame in one form you must throw it on others. If you could throw it on some one not here it would be a good thing. The Chairman then put Sir Philip's amendment, when 13 voted for it and 5 against it, Mr. J. Slater asked if it was not competent for him now to move an amendment, Mr. Wilbraham : Bon't you think, Mr, Slater, we are well out of a mess P Mr. J. Slater : I wish to have all exonerated. The Chairman : Well, if you like to read it I am bound to put it, Mr. Button thought it extremely important that in draw- ing up reports in future the Council should express no opin- ions upon the papers read during the year. The Chairman : I think the Council wiU understand what the views of the meeting are. Mr. G. Slater said he should like just one word added to what Mr, Button had said, it was that tlie Council should ex- press no " adverse" views. Tiiey had no objection to a little praise. Tlie sting was in the censure. Mr. Button could not accept that. The Council should express no opinions, Mr, G, Slater : No opinion as to the paper or the dis- cussion P Mr. Button : Yes, I would go as far as that. Sir H, MainwarinCx : Tlien what is the use of a Council ? The Chairman : What is the report to express ? Mr, Button : It should simply be a record of transactions. Mr. Latham referred to tlie 7th rule, and Tlie Chairman said it would be perfectly well understood from that what tlie Council were to do in future. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 35 THE CENTRAL CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. At the June meeting of the Conncil, on Monday, June 3> the cliair was taken by Mr. E. Heueage, The following letter was read : — Local Government Board, Wliitehall, S.W., 24th May, 1872 : Sir, — I am directed by the Local Government Board to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th inst., with which you forward copies of resolutions passed at a special meeting of the members of the Central Chamber of Apri- culture relative to the provisions of the Public Health Bill now before Parliament. With reference to the resolution (D), I am directed by the Board to state tliat it appears to be founded on a misapprehension, as the President of the Local Goverumeut Board has never declined to state how, and to what extent, lie proposes to provide the necessary means to carry out the enactments of the Public Health Bill, but that, on the contrary, he has undertaken, to furnish the required information. — I am, sir, your obedient servant, Ieancis Fletcher, Assistant Secretary. The following letter was read from the Gliancellor of the Exchequer : — 11, Downing-street, nniitehall, 22nd May, 1872 ; Sir,— 1 am desired by the Chancellor of the Exche([uer to acknow- ledge your letter of the 15th instant, transmitting copies of resolutions passed at meetings of the Central and Associated Chambers of Agriculture ; and with reference to the first resolution, expressing dissatisfaction that no portion of the surplus was applied to reducing the burdens which press upon agriculture, I am to remark that the reduction of 3d. in the income-tax has relieved tenants and occupiers of land to the amount of £150,000 per annum. If the members of the Association do not regard this sum as any relief to the bur- dens on agriculture, it can only be on the ground that the tax is an indirect one, and ultimately falls on the receiver, rather than on the payer, of rent. But the same argument would prove that the other so-called burdens on agriculture, such as the malt-tax, are really also indirect taxes, which, though paid by the tenant in the first instance, are made up to him by a corresponding diminution iu his rent. — I am, sir, your obedient servant, C. IIivees Wilson. Mr. Neild considered what the Chancellor of the Exche- quer said in that letter on the subject of the malt-tax almest insulting to all connected with agriculture, adding that in his opiniong that tax would never be repealed without a violent agitation, in which, he believed, the manufacturing districts would readily take part. Mr. BiDDELL also complained of the letter, but thought it desirable to treat it with contempt. Communications were read from the Gloucestershire, West Biding, and Cowbridge Chambers, Sir M. LoFEs, M.P., as Chairman of the Local Taxation Committee presented the following report : The Local Taxation Committee in presontinf? their report are glad to be able to announce the formation of an organiza- tion which will arid the co-operation of town ratepayers to their efforts to promote Local Taxation Reform. A prelimi- nary meeting of delegates fi-om municipal corioorations and others interested was held in London on the 30th ult., the Mayor of Norwich in the chau-, at which the chairman and several members of your committee attended, the Metropoli- tan Poor Rate Leagiie wore represented, and a large number of Members of Parliament of varied political opinions were also present. Resolutions wfere passed unanimously affirm- ing the injustice of the present incidence of local taxation, and calling on mayors to summon public meetings in their difTerent boroughs for the discussion of this subject to enable urban ratepayers to give expression to the gi-ievanco tmdcr which they suffer. A society termed " The Local Taxation Municipal Association" was formed, Mr. J. H. Tillett, of Norwich, being chairman, and Captain Warner Dennis (pre- sident of the Metropolitan League) vice-chairman. Your committee have always recognised the difficulty of reaching urban ratepayers and exciting an active interest in this ques- tion in the towns, owing to the system of composition by which all the smaller ratepayers are spared direct contact Tvith the rate collectors. The movement now organised will, they confidently trust, tend to surmount this difficulty. Its initiation by gentlemen who on many subjects hold antago- nistic political vievFS will also finally dissipate the delusion, at one time entertained, that your committee in agitating the question of Local Taxation Reform, were animated by party or class considerations. Your Committee would call atten- tion to a statement made bj' Mr. Stansfeld in reply to a recent question in the House of Commons, as to his intentions with respect to repealing the exemption of Government property from rating. After mentioning that he had prepared a bill dealing with this minor portion of the general c|uestion, he went on to say; — " He was sanguine at one time that he would have Ijeen able to have introduced it at an early period, but his views had lately considerably changed on that point. Tlie decision which the House came to a short time since on the motion of the lion, member for Siiuth Devon considerably enlarged the scope and comjjlicated the ciuestion of local rating, and the Government had come to the conclusion that it was unadvisablc to deal with the subject simplj- on the l^asis at first contemplated, and that it would be better to defer the whole subject until they had an opportunity of deal- ing with it on the broader basis contained ui the motion of the hon. baronet the member for South Devon." Y'our Com- mittee are glad therefore to note that the Government in this statement accept the emphatic decision recently pronounced by the House, and acknowledge the responsibility it imposes upon them to deal comprehensively with the question . As, however, no indication has been given by them of any imme- diate action, it lias been thought desirable that the Chairman of your Committee should put a question to Mr. Gladstone inquiring whether any determination has been come to by the Government as to the course which thej' will take in con- sequence of the vote of the IGth of April, and when they will make known their intentions. The President of the Local Government Board has for the third time evaded making any pledge as to the time at which ho will announce the proposals he has to make as to State aid for sanitary expenses, or the extent to which it will bo afforded. Froru his reply to Sir Michael Hicks Beach on Fridaj' last, it would however appear he does not iDroposo to make any general statement until after the House has gone into committee on the Public Health Bill. This would place your Committee in a much worse position than if the intentions of the Government were frankly announced before the measure was being considered in detail. It will therefore be the duty of your Committee to consider what course it will be necessary to adopt under the circum- stances. Your Committee are still engaged in watching the various measiu'es to which they have directed attention in former reports. The additional measm-es which have claimed their attention as imposing further charges on ratepayers are — the new bill introduced by Government respecting the Fees and Salaries of Justices' Clerks, the provision in the Steam Boilers' Explosion Bill for placing on the rates the cost of new inquu-ios to be held by coroners, and the twelfth clause of the new Juries' Bill, introduced by the Attorney- General, charging on the rates the preparation and postage of precepts and jury list returns, although this is strictly con- nected with the admuiistration of justice. During the Whit- suntide recess the Secretary of your Committee had an o)3por- tunity of addressing a successful meeting of the West Kent Chanibcr hi the city of Rochester, where considerable interest was manifested, and a cordial approval given to the policy of the resolution lately carried in the House of Commons. Yoiu- Committee take this opportunity of acknowledging many votes of thanks which they have received from local Cham- bers and other bodies for their past efforts, and they trust they will have the renewed support of all ratepayers in theu- future endeavours to resist any aggravations of their present unjust taxation, to secure the fruits of the recent victory, and to carry the arduous struggle now begun to a successful con- summation. The Committee have to acknowledge receipt of subscriptions. — Massex Lopes, Chairman. Tlie report having been adopted, on the motion of Sir M. Lopes, M.P., seconded by Mr. Neild, the following resolution was passed : " That this Council cannot pass over the interval which will elapse between this meeting and the next without reasserting the principle which it has always maintained, namely, that although many of the charges now paid out of the moneys levied under the poor-rate assessment may properly be charged on the Consolidated Pund, yet the removal of the exemption of income arising from .any and every source is the only radical solutiou of the anomalies now attaching to thii unjust ta){," 0 2 36 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Mr. Masfen (Staflfordshire) then moved a resolution which, after some slight verbal alterations suggested from the chair, assumed the following form : " That this Council con- siders it necessary for the proper security of capital engaged in husbandry that, in the absence of a lease or agreement to the contrary, the outgoing tenant should be entitled to compensation from the landlord or incoming tenant for the unexhausted value of his improvement, subject to the previous consent of the owner in the case of buildings, drainage, reclamation, and other improvements of a permanent character ; and that, at the same time, the landlord should be paid by such outgoing tenant for dilapidations and deteriorations ; tlie amounts respectively due to be determined by valuation." He said in the county in wliich he resided some action had already been taken in reference to that subject. A committee, consisting of land-agents and tenant-farmers, had sat for two days, and he believed tliey would soon be ready to report the result of their deliberations. He was glad that Mr. James Howard was about to introduce the question in the House of Commons. He (Mr. Masfen) had always been opposed to legislative interference, considering that it was rather a matter for contract between those who were concerned than for legislation ; but, on that question as on others, it was necessary to take a broad and comprehensive view. In many cases what was required was met by a custom, or by a good understanding between the parties. It was only where laud- lords declined to perform the duty which they owed to their tenants that complaints were heard, and the question was how such men could be bound to make adequate compensation to out-going tenants who had invested capital in tlie land, and had not an opportunity of obtaining an adequate return. He had no wish to compromise the Council, or any of the Members of Parliament who were present, by anything which he might utter on that occasion ; but he must say, that if the question could not be satisfactorily arranged without legislative interference, it would then be necessary to consider how far the Legislature could be called in for the purpose of securing proper compensation. A member of rarliament reniarked to him a day or two before, that in the event of their establishing what was called tenant-right, that would be as binding as an Act of Parliament ; and if that were the case, the end might be secured without the aid of the Legislature. As occupiers desired compensation for themselves, so they must be prepared to concede it to landlords in cases in which out- going tenants had not done their duty, and the resolution which he proposed was based on that principle. Mr. RussoN (Worcestershire), in seconding the resolution, said he was sure he expressed the opinion of hundreds of tenant-farmers when he said there was an absolute necessity for establishing an equitable system of compensation for unex- hausted improvements, or what he might term teuant-iight. There had been meetings all over his county in favour of that object, and one of the most numerous meetings that he ever attended, held recently at Worcester, unanimously adopted a resolution in accordance with what he had just said. The principle of the Irish Land Bill was as good for England as for Ireland, that principle being that there should be security for the capital invested by tenants in the land. He thought it would be generally acknowledged that the want of security was prejudicial to the interests of the tenant-farmer, who could not apply his capital in the most beneficial manner to himself. There were the same rent, the same rates, and otlier charges for small crops as for large ones ; but he could not improve the soil and increase his produce because he had no security. In the second place, for want of security the landlord was deprived of the benefit which he would de- rive from the increased fertility of the soil. A great deal had been said about leases offering a remedy ; but the great ob- jection to them was that they led to three stages of farming— a stage of improvement, a stage of fatness, and a stage of leanness. Mr. Caird remarked that under Scoteh leases there was seven years of fatness and twelve years of leanness. Sir John Pakington stated at the Worcester meeting which he had mentioned, that a friend of his wlio was a large landed pro- prietor in the Lothians, and also in Lincolnshire, told him that although the leasing system on his estate in Scotland had led to a splendid style of farming, as a landlord he preferred tenant-right without leases. Considering the present price of meat it was most important for the nation that tenants should be encouraged to invest their capital in the land. There were thousands of acres of waste land in Somer- setshire alone which might be cultivated were tenant-right established. The case of Mr. Hope, of Penton Barns, showed the necessity for some change. No doubt landlords generally were honourable men, and would scorn to take advantage of their tenants ; but there were some landlords who deserved the epithet " felonious" applied to such persons by the late Lord Clarendon. He spoke very feelingly on that subject, being himself the victim of misplaced confidence and of unfulfilled promises (laughter). Mr. Neville (Staffordshire) did not consider it desirable that there should be stringent enactments to regulate the re- lations between landlord and tenant, but thouglit it would be better to trust to the kindly feeling which existed in many dis- tricts, lie also complained that the resolution did not state by wiiat means the evil referred to was to be remedied. Sir J. Pakington, M.P., tliought the resolution might be made a little more clear ; he referred especially to the words " subject to the previous consent of the owner." He did not see exactly what that meant, and he thought that ambiguity or anything like " understandings" should, especially after what had occurred recently, be carefully avoided. He would therefore suggest, as an alteration, that instead of the word " improvements" should be inserted some such words as " in respect of drainage, reclamations, and other improvements of a permanent character." Tlie Cn.vuiMAN observed that that was the intention of the Business Committee, who framed the resolution. Sir J. Pakington said he was very glad to hear his neighbour Mr. Masfen introduce that important question. What would be the terms or extent of Mr. Howard's pending motion in the House of Commons he did not know ; but if it were in accordance with the resolution before the meeting he should give it his cordial support. He was not at all disposed to differ from the gentlemen who expressed a preference for Tenaut-Right over leases. That was a point on which there was great difference of opinion ; hut if as a landlord he had to make a choice between a lease and Tenant-Kight, he should on the whole prefer Ihe lease, though he should not care very much which it was so long as the object was secured. He agreed with Mr. Russon that a man who took a farm had a moral right to se- curity for the capital he invested in the soil ; and speaking as a landlord, he must say no landlord had a right to expect that his land would be cultivated to the greatest advantage unless he placed the occupier in a position which would enable him to make the most of liis farm. The reason why he thought a lease was on the whole preferable to Tenant-Right was that, judging partly from theory and partly from practical experience or observation, he thought the tenant set about his farming with more energy, more vigour, and more freedom and independence of mind with a lease than under a yearly tenancy provided there were a good system of Tenant-Right. He was disposed to go a step further, and ask why under a well-regulated system of land tenure, a lease and Teuant-llight should not go together ? The great defect of leases lay in the concluding years of the term, when the land was apt to get impoverished, and the interest of the succeeding tenant to be entirely overlooked; and he thought it was for tlie interest of both landlords and tenants that a sound system of Tenant-Right should be applicable to those concluding years. With regard to legisla- tion, he confessed he thought that the less of it they had the better ; but there were points upon which he did not think they could arrive at a perfectly sound system without legisla- tion. He wished they could persuade all landlords that their true interest lay in makiug proper terms with their tenants, and in a liberal system of occupation of land ; and if the landlords of England were influenced by such considerations and acted in that spirit, there would be very little necessity for legislation. With some such change as he had suggested, he would cordially support tlie resolution. Mr. Genge Andrews called attention to the fact that a large quantity of land belonged to small owners, and remarked that it was for such cases especially, and not as a rule the cases of large landowneis, that legislation was required. Lord Maiion, M.P., in supporting the resolution, said he believed that in Lincolnshire the custom was that the out- going tenant was compensated for artificial manures. The Report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons THE F ARMBR'S MAGAZINE. 37 which sat iu 18-1'S contained a vast deal of vahiable informa- tion in reference to tlie customs which prevailed iu difl'erent counties ; and, notwithstanding the long period wliich had elapsed, was still well worthy ot perusal. Mr. CiDDELL (SulTolk) thought it would be better not to pass any resolution on that subject tlien, but to wait until after the autumn, so as to afford sullicient time for a full discussion of it in the local chambers. There were great great difticuUies involved in that question, and they required careful consideration. The resolution mentioned dilapidations to be paid for by tlie outgoing tenant. If everything that miglit possibly be claimed for under that head in tlic eastern counties were included in that term, the result might be that the repairs of old buildings wliich tlie tenant did not examine with suflicient care when his occupation commenced would more tlian swallow up the profits of years. There was one matter in which the law certainly required speedy alteration. It appeared that on entailed estates, if a tenant entered upon his occupation at Michaelmas, and the landlord died early in September, the occupier could be compelled to quit with only a few days' notice. He hoped the result of the discussions on that question would not be to create what was called fixity of tenure, or to establish that indescribable kind of property, be- longing neither to landlord nor tenant, wliicii had in the sister island formed such an extraordinary feature in tlie claims for unexhausted improvements. He trusted that when any change was made it would be one which would give satis- faction to all parties ; what they all desired being that justice should be done to landlords, and that occupiers should not spend their money on the soil, and afterwards see their capital swallowed up by the landlord or the succeeding tenant (Hear, hear). Mr. Henry Clark (Devonshire) wished to state what had been done in relation to that question by the Devon and Corn- wall Chamber. In October, 1870, at the request of that body, he introduced the question, and, with a view to give it a practical turn, placed before the Chamber a farm agreement for a yearly tenancy, with twelve mouths' notice to quit. At the meeting of the Chamber an attempt was made to draw a false line across the scent by raising the question of yearly tenancy versus lease. He (Mr. Clark) accordingly submitted for consideration a lease for twenty-one years, with a defined schedule of allowances, .showing that llie principle of Tenaut-Right was equally applicable to a yearly tenancy as co a lease. The matter was then referred to a Committee of the Chamber, and, strange as it might appear to some, the Com- mittee reduced the allowances he had previously proposed for tenants ; but on the matter being referred back to the Cham- ber, it restored the allowances which had been struck out by the Committee. The result was the adoption of a form of agreement, which was printed in The Mark Lane Express, and circulated by hundreds in the two counties. That had done a great deal of good. It had induced many landlords iu tlie district to examine their leases with the view of ascertaining in what respect they failed to give proper security to their tenants, and of remedying the defect. There was no custom iu BevoDshire of giving a tenant-farmer compensation for any improvements, and that was a state of things that certainly should not exist. Any lease, whether long or short, which did not contain a liberal compensation clause, was not worth having. He hoped tlie Council would deal with that question practically. In his district they liad defined a scope of allowances extending over five years, and he had reason to believe that in several arbitrations what he had re- ferred to had done a great deal of good in that part of the country. He was strongly in favour of legislative interference, as being the best thing for the public, the landlord, and the tenant. Tenant-Right had a material bearing on the question now so much discussed — namely, the agricultural labourers' question. [The form of lease referred to by the speaker ap- peared with a letter of explanation in The Mark Lane Express in Tebruary, 1871.] Mr. Lii'SCOJiBE (Wcst-lliding of Yorkshire) said that it was absolutely necessary tliat they should come to some de- cision themselves as to what they wanted before they asked Parliament to legislate for them. He deprecated their mixing up as was done iu the resolution different kinds of compensation. It was preposterous to suggest that a tenant should pay for permanent improvements. Perma- nent improvements which the landlord had the power to make, he should be compelled to make; they did not belong to the tenant. He would conclude by moving the following amendment : " That the Council considers it necessary for the proper security of the capital employed in liusbandry that the out-going tenant should be entitled to compensation from the landlord for all permanent improve- ments made with the consent of the owner, and that at the same time the landlord should be paid by such out-going ten- ant for dilapidations beyond fair wear and tear ; also that for unexhausted value of his purchased manures, including cake, the out-going tenant should he compeusated on a scale to be fixed by tlie Central Chamber." General Herbert said while endeavouring to secure for out- going tenants just compensation they should guard against doing anything that might appear to sanction claims of an ex- travagant character. A case liad occurred in Ireland under the new Act iu which 42 years' rental had been awarded to a tenant, though the land was only worth 21 years' purchase. Mr. WiiiTAKER (Worcestershire) agreed with Mr. Biddell that it would be best to pass no resolution on that occasion, but wait till the subject had been discussed by the local cham- bers. In his opinion it was necessary to guard against an out-going tenant's having to pay too much for deterioration of the land (Hear, hea'-). It might happen that one wet season succeeding another would render it impossible to keep the land in good condition. Let them be careful how they handed over tenants to the tender mercies of land-agents and valuers (laughter). On the other hand, as a small landowner, he should decidedly object to a tenant's spending several_ hundred pounds in experiments and afterwards calling upon him to re- fund all the money. Mr. D. Long (Gloucestersliire) thought the resolution too complicated, and said he wished to propose one which was free from that defect. He should prefer such a resolution as this, and would propose it as an amendment ; " That this Council considers it necessary for the proper security of tenant's capital engaged in husbandry, and the production of the greatest possible amount of home-grown food for the people, that in the absence of any lease or agreement to the contrary the outgoing tenant should be entitled by general legislative enactments to compensation from the landlord or incoming tenant for the value of his unexhausted improvements, such value to be ascertained in the usual way." The Chairman observed that that could not be proposed until the first amendment had been disposed of. Mr. Yelland (West Gloucestershire) deprecated the Council's coming to a hasty conclusion. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., said the more that subject was dis- cussed tlie more palpable it became that they must avoid entering into too much detail, aud content themselves with passing some general resolution athrming the necessity of carrying out the grand principle of compensation for un- exhausted improvements. He preferred the original resolution to the amendment, because the amendment specified what should be paid by the landlord and what by the tenant. Let them just take this case :' A poor landlord did not drain his land, because he did not wisii to incur the trouble or the expense of a loan. The tenant did the work with the consent of the landlord, it being of no use for him to farm the land at all unless it were thoroughly drained. Well, in that case surely it did not matter who paid the outgoing tenant, provided he were properly paid. He had always con- tended that whether it were draining, or road making, or the construction of fences, it could not signify who paid the man who incurred the outlay so long as he was paid. Therefore he entirely objected to the amendment on that ground. The more they entered into detail the more difficulties cropped up. Again, any resolution including details might have to be modified with reference to the state of things iu dilTerent counties. The landlords in that room must be delighted at seeing how very sensitive tenants were on the question of interference between landlord and tenant by legis- lative enactment. He did not think it possible, however, to avoid legislative action, and if tliey were to have legislation let it be such as would do some good, aud not such that anybody might immediately contract himself out of it. If there was to be payment for unexhausted improve- ments let it be part of the law of the land. He should prefer saying, instead of " in the absence of a lease or agreement to the contrary," that under all Qircumstances auexhausted im- 38 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE, provemeuts should be paid for. Custom was a tiling of very slow growth, of such slow growth that in Norfolk it did not exist yet, and farmers in that county were not entitled by custom to be paid one single sixpence for unexhausted im- provements. That was a case which clearly called for legislative interference, and a man should no more be allowed to contract himself oat of his liability for improve- ments than he should be allowed to contract himself out of his liability to a legal penalty for committing robbery. Col. Brise had come there hoping to get some information as to the best course to be pursued, but did not find much either in the resolution or the amendment. He wanted to know what was the opinion of the Chambers of Agriculture with regard to legislative interference on that subject. It was no use entering into a discussion as to what unexhausted im- provements were till they had come to some decided opinion as to whether the legislature should be called upon to interfere or not. He agreed with Mr. Read that the legislature ought to interfere, but not that anything should be done without the landlord's consent; to that he should offer the strongest opposition. Sir J. Pakington expressed his concurrence in the opinion that the Council should on that occasion avoid entering into details. It would, he thought, be very imprudent for them to pledge themselves then to details ; but as there appeared to be unanimity of opinion as to the principle of compensation, he would suggest that they should not disperse without having passed some such general resolution as that read by Mr. Long, to the effect that it vras desirable that the principle of compensation for unexhausted improvements should be adopted. Mr. CORRAJJCE, M.P., also thought that the meeting should not enter into details in any resolution which it might pass. Mr. liiGBY (Cheshire) and Mr. Varley (Worcestershire) expressed similar views. Mr. ]\lAsrEN briefly replied, and in doing so observed that two or tliree chambers in the Midland Counties had combined to deal with tiie question in a manner which he hoped would lead to important results. He thought that alter the expres- sions of opinion which they had heard it was desirable that the question should be adjourned (cries of "No, no"). He did not mean without the passing of some resolution. It would now go forth to the world, he trusted, that it was the opinion of the united chambers that the demand for compensation for unexhausted improvements must be met in some way or other. The Chairman, after remarking that there were four or five amendments in prospect, said that after the very useful discussion which had taken place, he was inclined to recom- mend, as he did at the meeting of the Business Committee the previous evening, that the question should be adjourned till the autumn. He did not see how it was possible for the Central Chamber, without possessing more information, to lay down any scheme of compensation for unexhausted improve- ments which was likely to be approved ; and, moreover, there appeared to be a great difference of opinion in the meeting as to whether there should be any legislative enactments or not. Mr. Lipscombe's amendment having been put and negatived, Mr. Long then proposed what he had before read as an amendment. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., said he would second that amend- ment, though he would have preferred a shorter one, which he had prepared, viz., " That in all yearly agreements com- pensation for unexhausted improvements made by the tenant should be secured to him by legislative enactment." Mr. Pell, M.P., thought the original resolution preferable. Sir M, H. Beach, M.P., recommended that the reference in Mr. Long's amendment to the supply of food to the people should be omitted, as it might be taken to mean more than it really did, and had nothing to do with the pith and marrow of the question. He had also a great objection to spp'y'"S ^ legislative enactment in all cases, for lie was an earnest believer in freedom of contract, and considered it was inipossible for the Legislature to pass any measure that would effectually prevent people from contracting outside the law. If a tenant and landlord wished to make an agreement that might be better for either than the terms provided by the law, they would make it in spite of the law. He should, therefore, oppose any resolution which would bind the Chamber to an approval of a legislative enactment applying to cases in wliieh an agreement contrary to that enactment, or going beyond it, had been concluded between a landlord and his tenant. On the whole, though inclined to accept Mr. Long's proposal, if amended in these respects, he preferred the reso- lution of the Business Committee. The question was, how- ever, whether it was possible for the Chamber to come to any definite conclusion that day ; and it seemed to him that the more they endeavoured to frame a resolution embodying their views on the matter, the more they were likely to produce one that might be taken to mean more than it did, or nothing at all, or be understood by one person as meaning one thing, and by another person as meaning another thing. At this stage of the proceedings Mr. H. Biddell moved, and Mr. Hanley seconded the adjournment of the discussion until the November Council meeting, and the motion was agreed to by a majority of two, there being twenty for the ad- journment and eighteen against it. Mr. MASrEN, who had voted against the adjournment, showed that by the decision the Council had just come to, they had placed the deputed members in an awkward position; for they would have to return to the country, and report to their several Chambers that the Central Chamber had done nothing. The Chairman explained that the resolution of the Busi- ness Committee would still be before the Council and the As- sociated Chambers. On the report of the proceedings being published, the resolution, which had not been negatived and would remain on the agenda paper, together with the amend- ment, would, of course, be printed with the discussion ; it would thus go forth to the country, not that the Council had no decided opinion on the question, but that they thought the subject of such importance that the discussion vt as not suffi- cient to bring out all the points involved in it ; that they were anxious not to arrive at a hasty decision, which they miglit afterwards repent, but to give time for all the Associated Chambers to read and digest the discussion which had taken place, and which he believed would do them much good. Then, when the Council assembled in November, he hoped there would be less diiTiculty in drawing up a good sensible resolution than the Business Committee had experienced in the present instance. Mr. Pell, M.P., in allusion to the Master and Servant Wages' Bill, said that it was originally founded upon the report of the commission of inquiry into truck. That com- mission had, hovcever, taken no evidence with regard to agri- culture, and never inquired into such matters as might be considered agricultural truck. There was, therefore, no evidence before the committee of the House of Commons to which the bill was sent. It was only at the close of one of the committee's sittings that an amendment was moved by Mr. Mundella to bring masters and servants in husbandry under the operation of the Act, so far as concerned the supply of drink in the nature of cider, beer, and spirituous liquors in lieu, or as part, of wages. That amendment was carried in committee, and subsequently a new clause was introduced to give it effect, which Mr. Kennaway (one of the members for South Devon) would propose to amend by providing that the master who supplied his men with drink as part wages should not be regarded as committing an offence against the Act, or placing himself under its penal clauses, which con- tained heavy fines, but that he should be considered as not having paid such portion of the wages as he might have given in beer and cider, and which the servant would be entitled to recover. The subject was, no doubt, surrounded by difllcnlties, and, in coniniittee, he had put a question or two to the member of the Government (Mr. Winterbotham) who had charge of the measure, one of which was to this effect ; It was a fre- quent, almost universal, custom among farmers not to alter the wages of the men who were engaged in thrashing, or work of that nature, but to give them beer during their work, and he asked Mr. Winterbotham whether, in his opinion, that was to be considered truck. The reply was, " Certainly not ; for you pay the usual wages, and give the beer in addition." The next case he put was this : It was not an infrequent thing, when a half-an-hour's additional work would complete, say a rick or other operation in the evening, to save the expense of getting up steam next day, by asking the men to stop for the purpose, and give them a half-pint of beer in consideration of their doing so. Having asked whether that would be truck, Mr. Winterbotham said that it would, because more time was THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. got out ol the men by tlie beer. No doubt, however, it was the terms ou which cider was given in the western counties that had induced Mv. Mundella to ju-opose tliis additional provision to the bill. But there was another poiut that was deserving of notice. Curiously euough, tlie bill, as drawn, would not meet all the cases of truck in agriculture. It did not, tor example, meet the case of the farmer who gave malt instead of beer to his labourers ; aud the answer to that ob- jection was tliat " We don't care for that form of truck, be- cause tlierc the wife aud children get tlieir share." That, therefore, was something in favour of the cottage-brewing system, of which Mr. Head had so frequently expressed his approval. Of course, it would be debated in the House, and some decision arrived at on the subject. Mr. D. Lor their own money, give what is far more valuable to the Society their time and thought in the performance of the duties of local honorary secretaries. I regret to say that an examination of the number of subscribers connected with the dilferent counties has led me to the conclu- sion that, although the work of this institution is well known in certain counties of England, it is not as generally known as it ought to be, and on tliis point I shall later in the evening ven- ture to make a suggestion to the Council. Taking the listof Eng- lish counties 1 find that tlie pensions are distributed in very varying proportions. It is clear to my mind that the Institu- tion is not as well known in some counties as in others. Human nature being alike in all parts of England I feel certain that if the work of the Society were equally known in different counties there would have been a larger application for pensions from some counties than there has been. Know- ing very well how actively and intelligently the Council per- form their duties I feel great liesitation in making the suggestion which has occurred to my mind as being valuable in reference to the future progress of the Society ; and I hope they will excuse my doing so on account of the interest which I feel in the work, and not attribute to me any desire to obtrude my views. The first point which I would mention has reference to the dinner which we have all enjoyed much this evening. In the month of May and the early part of June there is great competition among many of the institutions of London for subscriptions in connection with their anniversary from residents in London and else- where, and I have no doubt that Mr. Willis, in whose house we are dining, could tell us that there is equal competition for the advantage of dining in this place. Now it appears to me that there are two things which would tend to make this institution more generally known ; one that the annual dinner should take place when the Smithfield Club Show lias brought together a large number of agriculturists from all parts of England ; the other the alternative course of its being held in connection with the Show of the lloyal Agricultural Society of England, when there would be the similar advan- tage of a large gathering of the class of persons among whom it is desirable that the work of the Society should be univer- sally known. Another suggestion which I would make is that in some of the counties where there are the fewest sub- scriptions special efforts should be made to increase the local agencies, or to establish local committees connected with the institution, I cannot believe that the county in which I have the happiness to live (Derbyshire) would appear to such com- parative disadvantage in the subscription list if the work of the institution were generally known there. Then, again, I should like to know whether the Council think it desirable to stand by the rule which was no doubt very valuable during the early days of the institution of maintaining the qualifica- tion for a vote at so high a standard as a subscription of 10s. 6d. per annum. It appears to me that it would tend to render the interest in the institution more general if that qualification were reduced to 5s. per annum, and you were to give two votes for 10s. 6d., and so on, in proportion ("No, no"). Then, again, with regard to the accumulated fund, it appears to me that the large amount invested might produce a better rate of interest than it does at present (Hear, hear). I am happy to learn, however, from a communication which I have received from the secretary, that that question is already under the con- sideration of the Einance Committee. And now I am about to make my last suggestion. It is a rather radical step whicli it contemplates, but I am led to make the suggestion by knowing the value which has arisen from the adoption of it in the administration of some of the charitable institutions of London. I think it would not be impossible, though it might be very diflicult to inaugurate a department in connection with tills institution, for giving temporary assistance to per- sons who are under pressure, which if not relieved will lead to permanent misfortune. We all know from experience the im- portance of the stitch in time ; and I have known many instances in which a £10 note advanced at once has done more good than a pension of £20 for life would have done. If this principle be applicable, as I know it is, in many cases in London, why should it not be applicable also to your work in the country ? I feel persuaded that you might thus enlarge your sphere of benefit very greatly. I also think that local agencies might do a great deal of good by endeavouring to find some light kind of employment for unfortunate farmers, of from 50 to GO years of age — a course which would, in my opinion, sometimes do more good than the granting of a pension. I must apologise to you, gentlemen, for having made these sug- gestions. I dare say you think some of them Utopian, but I have made them from conviction, and a desire to increase the usefulness of the Society, and all I ask is, that they may receive due consideration. Before I bring these remarks to a close, I would ask you for one moment to con- sider wiiat are in general the causes of distress which are most likely to affect the agriculturist. In the first place, there is personal and family sickness to which all classes and every sort of occupation are liable; but a more serious one by far than that, and you may trace it in almost every case where you give a pension, is the want of capital. We are in a state of transition in England at the present time. All old things are passing away and new things are appearing in every direction. Where £5 or £6 an acre was thought sufficient capital to farm with a few years ago, you now hear of £14' or £15 being thought rather inadequate. If capital could be enlarged you would see farmers far more independent than they are now when their stock is ravaged with the cattle plague and other diseases. There is also one terrible item of drawback to the agriculture of this country : that is the un- seasonable and uncertain climate which we live in. And one point which seems to me to lie at the root of all the farmer's difficulties is that, owing to the uncertainty of the conditions under which his operations are carried on, insurance of all sorts is almost impossible. I do not myself honestly believe that any system of insurance of stock could be made absolutely sound, unless it were carried out, as it never can be, under a Government guarantee There is another point which it is rather more difficult to touch upon. It is tliis — What amount of profit can fairly be made by the middle men who are connected with the farmer in carrying on his busi- ness ? These men go to the corn or wool merchants, or the cheese factor, and the question, which I do not think is suffi- ciently considered by the farmers as a body is, what amount of profit the middle man makes in his transactions witli them. I am speaking with some reason to guide me in this matter. It may not perhaps be known to everybody that in the county in which I reside, cheese factories have been started for the making of cheeses instead of in private dairies ; and the greatest difficulty which M'e have had to encounter in carrying out this experiment, has been the disposal cf our produce. We have found the cheese factors opposed to us, and dodging THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 41 us at every turn. I am sorry to use such a strong expression, but I do not know another word tliat expresses what I mean so well. In the result wo have this year sold 75^ tons, the produce of two factories, for 7~s. the cwt., which after de- ducting the commission is hrouglit down to 71s., whilst the average price at the sales of cheese in our county h'lS been GOs. per cwt. One of two things, therefore, is cpiite certain, either the quality of our ciieese is much better, in whicli case the cheese must be far better made in tlie factory, or else, and this is the point at issue, the farmers in private dairies do not get half the profit they ought. This can to a great extent be connected with what I was speaking of just now, the want of capital. The dairy farmer who has not suflicient capital is almost entirely dependent upon his factor for funds when he wants money ; consequently he is obliged to sell his cheeses at the factor's price. Well, 1 do not tliink that it is out of place to mention tliis as what I believe to be the cause of one of the great difficulties whicli conduce to the ruin of many farmers who live in the dairy districts (Hear, hear). There is one great question which is particularly agitating the public mind at this moment — I refer to the labour question. On that subject I can sum my own opinions in two words ; that is, that the agitation which has been disturbing the minds of the agricul- tural labourers has not come one moment sooner than I ex- pected it to do, and that if they were treated generally as I believe any man at this table would treat them, as reasonable men, and paid according to the value of the work done, I do not think that you need be afraid of strikes. It would ill become me to conclude my remarks without expressing the indebtedness which I personally feel to the members of this Council and the secretary for the assistance which they last year gave to me and my colleagues in carrying out the work of relief to a foreign country, which was attended with immense difficulty ; first, in the collection of funds at home, and next in the administration of tliose funds abroad. Tlie collection of funds at home would have been in the first place an insuperable difficulty, if we had not had the ready eo-operation of such institutions as this, of the Chambers of Agriculture, Farmers' Clubs, and others who assisted us ; and I may add that I do not think that any action you have ever performed could pos- sibly reflect more credit upon this institution than when you thus admitted the principle that true charity is world-wide, and that it ought not to be confined to home objects, but should extend beyond the four corners of this island. Gentlemen, I will not further trouble you, but simply thank you, which I do sincerely, for the honour you have done me in asking me to preside on this occasion. I am very sorry that I have not been able to give such a treat of eloquence as several of my predecessors have done, but if any one of the suggestions I have made should meet your approval, and be of the smallest value in carrying out the work of this institu- tion, I shall be amply repaid for any slight amount of trouble that I may have incurred (loud cheers) . Tlie toast was drunk with three times three. The Marquis of IIuijtly proposed " The Chairman," whom he described as setting a good example to other land- lords by the interest which he took in everything connected with agriculture. lie (Lord Huntly) eatertained a very strong opinion, and entirely agreed with the chairman, on the subject of the wages of agricultural labourers. He thought that if farmers paid good labourers well they would not have much cause to fear strikes. What he would recommend far- mers to remember was that it could not matter to them if they had to pay 35s. a week provided they had value for the money (laughter). When they had a good labourer they should encourage him, and should be prepared to })ay in pro- portion to the work performed ; and if they acted on that principle they need not be afraid of any strike. The Chairjian having briefly returned thanks, Mr. J. J. Mechi gave " The Agricultural Societies of England, Ireland, and Scotland." He expressed his surprise that so small a proportion of the farmers of England and Ireland belonged to that Society, and agreed with the chairman that the sole explanation was that the good which it had done was not sufficiently known. In conclusion he associated with the toast the name of Mr. Chandos Wren Hoskyns, and alluded to the fi\ct that that gentleman was the author of an excellent work entitled Talpa, or the History of a Clay Farm. Mr. C. W. Hoskyns, M.P., in responding, said those who were acquainted with the history of agriculture in this king- dom must be aware that the tiiree societies included in the toast had produced a wonderful revolution. Never had there been a greater change tha\i th-it which the Royal Agricultu- ral Society had brought about all over England. They were there that evening, however, not so much to sing a p;can over successes as to mourn over the failures which might attend what were at first the most promising careers. While, on the one side, they saw most wonderful success, on the other they be- held lamentable failure in the race of life ; and, sitting as lie had been by the side of two men who had distinguished themselves by noble efi"orts in the cause of charity. Lord Vernon and Mr. Mechi, one of whom had founded that society, and the other had done so much to relieve sufl'erings which arose from the ravages of war, he felt that they had reason to be proud of the cause of British charity as thus represented. The great fault of English agriculture lay in its inequality. 'J'hey saw one farm which was cultivated with the advantages of adequate capital and great intelligence, and on looking over the hedge they saw another farm where there was an utter lack of capital and intelligence (Hear, hear). There were, no doubt, various causes for that inequality, but he believed one of the chief ones was, that there was too much regard for old habits, and that the system of entailing did not allow the landlord to possess the power which he ought to have of as- sisting the farmer, or the farmer sufficiently to encourage the labourer. He agreed with the chairman that farmers had nothing to fear with regard to agricultural labourers. Agri- culture had in itself a power, not of revolution, but of reform Farmers were willing to listen to complaint, where there was cause to complain, and he believed that the best kind of labour would be found most profitable, and that in return for that they would be able to pay higher wages. The interest which that question had excited in the two counties in which he was especially interested, Worces- tershire and Herefordshire, had, he believed, led to a convic- tion in the minds of many landowners that there were faults in their agricultural system which required amendment. Agri- culture totally differed from other callings. There were three parties interested, the owner, the occupier, and the labourer, and there was a contract be' 'veen the landlord and tenant the nature of which was such i!iat it led them to over- look the fact that those who were 1 'leath the farmer were left too much outside the contract, lie did not quite go the length of a writer who said that in every agricultural lease there ought to be a stipulation that to every 50 or 60 acres of land there should be a cottage ; but he did think that there ought, if possible, to be some arrangement, under which, with the sanction of the Legislature, labourers would have a more recognised position upon the farm. He believed it was for the interest of all parties that there should be a recognition of the position of those who had a right to live out of the land. He apologised for introducing that topic ; but it seemed to him only natural that when they were providing for the de- cayed farmer they should consider also the position of the struggling labourer. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., in proposing " The Executive Council," observed that that Institution would be a monument of the largeness of heart and abounding generosity of the founder long after his agricultural romances and extrava- ganzas had been forgotten. He felt that the farmers of England were greatly indebted to the gentlemen who so well managed the afl'airs and promoted the prosperity of that so- ciety. Although that was the first time he had had the honour of attending one of the annual dinners, he was happy to say that Norfolk had not been unmindful of the claims of that Institution. The fact that the subscriptions from that great agricultural county amounted in the last year to ^500 showed tliat it had done its fair share. Moieovcr, he believed that before another anniversary Norfolk would have given a further proof of its interest in the work by trans- ferring a surplus of £5,000 from the cattle-plague subscrip- tions to that society, as a means of relieving its destitute agri- culturists, retaining the nominations in its own hands, and he hoped that would not be followed by any diminution of its annual subscriptions. He believed there was a rather troublesome future in prospect for the tenants of England, especially with regard to arable land. He might be charged with taking too gloomy a view of their position, but he could not repress the feeling he was expressing. Somehow or other, rents were constantly increasing, and artificial manures 42 THE FAEMEU'S MAGAZINE were constantly degenerating in quality and advancing iu price. The chairman said tlie latter evil was due to their own fault ; but Peruvian guano seemed to be nearly exhausted, and farmers could not cause the birds to make fresh de- posits. Again, the seasons had of late years been very adverse to agriculture : they still groaned under the burden of the INIalt-tas, and most of them were still subject to a six months' notice to quit, without having proper security for the capital invested. Added to all this, there had now come a great demand on their pockets in the shape of increased pay for the agricultural labourer. He quite agreed with the Marquis of Huutly that they must classify labour, and pay men according to their ability and the work they per- formed ; but as regarded piece-work, it was a remarkable fact in his own experience that there liad never yet been a case in which a labourer had come to him and asked him to let liim work by piece or job. A uniform rate of wages had hitherto been the rule, and if piece-work could be established, the best nieu would benefit considerably, and the worst might be left to take care of themselves. Mr. C. S. Caktrell, in responding, congratulated the company that, instead of spending money on bricks and mortar to provide an asylum, the society had largely increased the number of recipients of pensions, and that after the nest election tliere would be nearly .'500 pensioners receiving among them about £6,000 a year. On tlie other hand, the working expenses of the past year amounted to only £717, which was by no means extravagant considering the amount of benefit the society was conferring. He agreed with Mr. Disraeli, that in every parish or district of England where there were farmers that Society ought to have an honorary local secretary. As regarded agricultural labourers, he hoped it would not go forth to the world as the opinion of those present that they ought to receive 25s. a week; but he had for many years, as far as possible, employed his own labourers on piece work, and they had earned from 18s. to 30s. a week all tlie year round. The remaining toasts were " The Secretary," and " The Honorary Local Secretaries," severally responded to by Mr. C. B. Shaw and Mr. Hanslip Long. The Secretaky read a long list of donations aud subscrip- tions, amounting to a very large aggregate. The musical entertainments, of a very varied character, included, of course, the National Anthem, which was given with peculiar effect. THE ISLINGTON HORSE SHOW. On the Saturday, ilic opeuiug day of the niutli show of horses at the Agricultural Hall, the morning was warm, and wc expected to be kept iu a gentle simmer under the crystal roof, but were agreeably disappointed, as it was the coolest place we had fouud during the week. Business commenced at ten. Sir Watkiu \V. Wynn, Mr. Villebois, aud Captain Percy Williams acting as judges of thoroughbred stallions and hunters, three well-known masters of foxhounds iu their time ; the two tirst welter weights, while the last, besides having played his part with the horn, has landed many a winner by a short head — a thing that adds not to the beauty of a horse, but in a race it has made him famous as well as his sire and dam, and long-headed fellows of his owner, trainer, aud jockey — at least in the opinion of those who measure merit by success. The short head has enriched beggars and denuded lords, broken up homes, added to workhouses, gaols, suicides, and the gallows. But why should a noble animal and a glorious sport be libelled for this? We might stop burglary by pulling all the houses down, but not stop gambling by making the breed of horses extinct, or even banishing the root of all evil — "gold, glittering shining gold" — as gamesters would then pitch for their buttons or stake them on the turn up of a card, king or queen, or the birth or death of a prince or princess ; and when gentlemen call some of these hangers- on of the Turf " the greatest scoundrels unhung," they should most certaiuly couple with them " some of the most reckless idiots ever born" — " them as has money aud uo brains," &c. As to " uuhuug scoundrels," we have had them on the throne, in the Lords, the Commons, aud the Church. But here come the much-reviled thorough- breds. The most conspicuous among the lot is Dalesman byKingTom,out of Agnes by Pantaloon, who has thickened into twice the horse he was when he gained first honours here in 1869; aud the lot he has now to contend with is nothing to the company of that year, though it may be on an average with 1 8GS, when General Hesse, fi'om the same stable, was victorious. He is down in the catalogue as 16 hands 2 in., but this we should say is fabulous, and that 16 hands would be nearer the mark. His get up is far superior to Count D'Orsay, which, though magnificent, smacked too much of a " professor of the art." That compact brown looks very well as he comes to you, but, on passing, is wanting behind, aud has a shortness in the thighs, and a lack of libeity iu his hind- leg action, so the son of North Jjiucoln takes the same honours as he did last year, Avlien second to the haudsome Cambuscan. Tin/ile, tinlde, ilnkle ! What the deuce is that ? Why, an indefatigable little gentleman tolling a bell, like Joe 'o the clock, to remind the judges that time is on the wing, or that some of the rubbish in the class ought to be removed. Dust away ! while the gentleman in grey, like a good Samaritan, is trying to make every- one comfortable. Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle ! The big star- ing chesnut is Alcibiade by Cossack, out of Aunt Philia by Epirus, and so much improved since he was first here that we hardly knew him as the raw longboat leggy horse of 1870. Still, though he is well known as a steeplechaser, and looks like one that may be good for three miles across country, and easily outpaced iu a mile over the flat, he is anything but a perfect made one, and with all his good points aud in- firmities nothing but an overgrown son of the wiry merry-going Cossack, but not in the least like his dam's sire, the really neat handsome Epirus. Then here is the light narrow Fitz Ivan, just out of training, looking as much out of his element as a shorn sheep in a flock with their wool on. Wild IMoor is not of much substance, aud that scarecrow Rouge Dragon out of Paradigm, the dam of Lord Lyon and Achievement, shows what a lottery breeding is. Hotshots forelegs are too much under him, but with some of " Artillery's" markings and points ; while Sir Hercules, though big enough, with his long weak back, does not remind one of the great hero who mucked out the Augean stable, nor a horse of that name, that got Irish Birdcatcher. Pandanguero by Fandango, is a short hollow-backed horse, with strong shoulders, that we think we have seen before now in a trotter class, and once the property of the late Mr. Crisp, of Butley Abbey. The light hunting-like four-year-old is Cottesloe, own brother to Dalesman, aud belonging to the Veterinarian of the Vale. So much for Buckingham ! Dalesman gets the blue ribbon. Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, and out they go. Among the hunters, nobody can deny there were a great many totally unworthy of the title, but to counterbalance this there' was a fair sample, who, if they had not the beef of some in former exhibitions, looked more like going, with better action, which, after all, is the cardiua point ; for if they cannot move as a horse should that is THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 43 supposetl to carry a gentleman pleasantly across country with houmls, they arc not hunters, aud find their way after changing hands times innumerable Jove knows where. This is now a matter of history, and though at the time we had the "impertinence" to hint this of several " prize" nags, the same men now, if you men- tion the names of the horses, exclaim, " Oh ! ah, he was nothing but a 'bus horse." But these 'bus animals got all the prize money, and there's the mischief. Let us have no more of them, never mind how good a horse may strip, let the judges' motto be " Action, action, action." It is not the soft-spoken soapy individual that nods the head and cackles "Yea, yea," and crys "Amen!" to every one's opinion that is likely to do any good for horse shows or anything else, but rather the antagonistic one who, if he does not see a thing in the same light as another person, is not afraid to say so, and no man of in- tellect will take offence at this, knowing how liable we are all to error, more especially in horses. Tinkle, tin/de, tinkle ! drat that little man ! To horse, to horse ! and there are no less than thirty-four down in the fu'st-class, and although one mare's name is " Handsome is as Hand- some Does," we are not going to notice the lot, but let the indifferent ones pass, which is the only handsome way of getting rid of so long a named one as Mrs. H, H. D., not a bad sort. Those drawn by the judges were Major Quintin's bay five-year-old, a hunting like horse, rather slack in the back, and a round slow goer, and as much at home in the circle as a circus horse ; in fact, all the Major's nags remind one of the riding school. Traveller, a compact chesnut horse six years old, and bigger than he looked, a grand mover, going collected and well, is own brother to Wanderer, a very bloodlike horse, that was sold at the first sale of the Pytchley horses for 300 guineas. Iris, the first prize in this class last year, and consequently disqualified, looked blooming and better than he ever did. Some people may not have recognised him again, but he was Mr. Anstruther Thompson's favourite horse, on which he was painted by Sir Francis Grant, and exhibited in the last exhibition of the Royal Academy. Cigar is a lengthy, powerful mare, on a short leg. Pioneer, a five-year-old, and great lengthy horse, showing blood and power, of good form, with hocks and knees near the ground and no lumber, is a free mover, but wants a year or two to furnish. Viscount is a ragged-looking business-like horse, who with Dick Webster went along in hunting style, and Marmalade, who was nowhere last year in this class, but second in the next without condition as to weight, is still a bit of a daddy longlegs, and seemed at war with his bit. Monarch, a winner of 13 agricultural prizes, does not get his hind-legs under him. Longbow, from Nuneaton, fought with his bridle, and had his head in the air all the time. Beckford, the Bath and West of England and Birmingham horse, has fined, and is up to weight. Major Billington's Brilliant went short and stale ; action not adapted for a show-yard. Iris and Traveller were the best gallopers, and we think the latter, although he is not so good a stand-still horse as the three picked ones. Pioneer, Viscount, and Gigar, yet we thought he was quite as worthy of a place as two of them. We know he does not strip so well as the others, and that he does not grasp so much below the knee, but he looks as if made of the right stuff and, as we said before, can go. In the next class there were forty-seven down, some being entered for the previous class. The half-dozen drawn were Landmark, the fii'st prize, as handsome a looking horse as any in the yard as a five-year-old hunter, and galloped easily but not quite so strong in his hind-leg action as he might have been, and it struck us that in his trot he went nervous, twitching, and sticky ; in fact, although a good goer, and we quite agree with the ver- dict, the strong galloping of Caradoc pleased ns better, a short-necked horse, almost to deformity, but deep framed, compact, muscular, and hardy looking, with blood — then he is two years older than Landmark ; but we think Caradoc quite as worthy of a place as the second Free and Easy, a rather plain but hunting-like horse, or the third Marmalade, noticed in the previous class. Silver Rhone by Rapid Rhone, another Wansford horse, we did not take to ; but Captain Young's Knoek- orne, a varmint hog-nianed brown, looked like hopping over his fences, while Mr. Ashton's The First Corner could gallop. Amongst the others was that very beau- tiful little mare, Mr. Lucy's Heroine, a prize taker at the Agricultural Hall ; Mr. Smith's Patriot, Mr. Deuie's Charlie, Mr. Heathcote's Brilliant, Captain Stii-ling's steeple-chase like horse Little Harry, Captain Greville'a Dandyboy, of good form but no mover, Mr. Lawes's Roderick Random, Mr. Hntley's Quality, Sir. Little's slack-backed Arthur, and Mr. Hawkins's Cider Cup. In the four - year - olds there were some promising horses and prize takers, the first prize Brampton Boy, by Idler, showing blood with good form and fair action, but has a rather light rainbowy neck. The second prize horse, Moslem, by General Hesse, being the best for breed and looks, but lie was very raw, sticking his tail into his quarters, and not showing to advantage. Erl- King, the third prize horse, is a powerful big-limbed horse, but he did not get his forelegs away from him to our mind. Of the other picked ones Mr. Grant's useful little bay Banker galloped remarkably easy and well, and no mistake. Mr. Armstrong's The Banker, a well-known prize three-year-old, was smothered in beef like a prize ox, and did not perform at all well in the saddle. Cap- tain Barlow's Knight that beat The Banker at Birmingham, was here, and Mr. Bolton had a light charger -like animal. In the hunters not exceeding fifteen-two Slajor Quentin took first honours with a bay fifteen-one, a perfect gem — such a smart dash- ing little dandy, that he was quite the buck of the show ; a hog-maned dun of Captain Young, a hunter in form and action, being second ; and an extra prize was given to Mr. Phillips for Lincoln. Mr. Pilcher's Marquis, Mr. Bailey's Reviser, and Mr. Willett's Hartley were the next best- looking. Then came the Cup for the best in all the hunt- ing classes. Pioneer, Landmark, Bampton Boy, and the little dandy of IMajor Quentin's going for it. The tussle laid between Pioneer and Landmark, and went after a very little hesitation to the weight-carrier Pioneer. Lords Shannon and Calthorpe with Colonel Maude now took up the judging with the riding horses, Miss Millard taking a first and second on a neat brown. Marvel, with good knee action, and a bay. Roebuck, not so neat as the first prize ; while Mr. Allen came in for third on Black- bird, a showy ])ark hack : a great many in this class were poor indeed. In the cover hacks and roadsters, weight carriers, not above 15.2, Mr. Frisby, a very successful exhibitor, won with a very gentlemanly, blood-like black hack. Matchless, but not up to great Aveight ; the second. Filbert, was a good goer. Captain Jay taking the third riband with Confidence, a hollow-backed cob of power. Mr. Smith's Countess, Mr. Calthorp's Bobby, Sir. Oak- ley'sThe Imp, and Mr. Shillingford's Wolvercot were good looking. The park hacks and ladies' horses, not exceeding 13.2, were not an astonishing lot. Then, in park hacks not exceeding 13.1, there were several high steppers with style and form, the prize going to a clever stepping grey of Mr. Horusby's, that one may ride with pleasure and without being the observed of all observers ; while the second, Mr. Frisby's Gameboy, a grey, was a very showy attractive horse, with easy but grand action ; and the third, a nice brown hack of Mr. Jacob's, up to weight, dropped a little in her hind-leg action. Major Quentin THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. showed his little dandy hunter here, but got nothing — a class we thought he was just adapted for. Mr. Hewitt's Bridesmaid had park action; Mr. Matthews', a neat hack ; and Mr. Frisby's Empress very ilashy action, hut not much form. In park cobs the first went to a very handsome black. Tinker, with good action ; the second to Dunstan, a well-known prize-taker ; aud the third to Burton, a clever cob of Lord Rosslyn's. Mr. Holmes won the first prize for roadster stallions with North Star, a very clever bay horse, and a good mover. Ambition, an old stager but good mover, being second. Captain Barlow's Tom Brown being highly commended. There were some stallions of other breeds, including a couple of Arabians. Perfection and Norway were the only competitors in the pony class, the first being well- known in the prize riug. There are some nice ponies and harness horses, several having already appeared in the saddle. Taking it altogether, it is a fair show, but not equal to that of many years, and we miss many an old exhibitor. PRIZE LIST. HUNTERS AND TIIOROUGH-BRED STALLIONS. Judges. — Sir "Watkin W. Wynn. Captain Percy Williams, Mr. H. Villebois. Weight carriers up to 15 stone. — Pirst prize of £60 and cup, IMajor Peploe, Garston, Hereford (Pioneer) ; second of £30, Walter Farquhar, King-street, St. James (A^iscount); third of £20, T. Percival, Wansford (Cigar). Commended : E. Oakley's (Traveller). Without condition as to weight. — First prize of £50, H. Jewisons, Ilansthorpc, York (Landmark) ; second of £25, T. Percival (Free and Easy) ; third of £15, T. Mus- grave, Beverley (Marmalade). Highly commended: A. Billington (Caradoc) ; T. Percival (Silver Rhine) ; and Captain Young (Knockorne). Four years old. — First prize of £50, H. Sanders, Brampton, Northampton (lirampton Boy) ; second of £25, W. Core, Peterborough (Moslem); third, W. Killock, Liverpool (Erlkiug). Highly commended: J. Grout's (Banker). Without condition as to weight, and not exceeding 15 hands 2 inches. — First prize of £40, Major Quentm, Woodleigh, Cheltenham ; second of £20, Captain Young, Isle of Wight (Tradesman) ; third, C. Phillips, Mortlake, Lincoln. RIDING HORSES. Fine action and breed, exceeding 15 hands 2 inches. — First prize of £20, J. D. Murray, Carlton Club (IMarvel) ; second of £10, W. H. Harrison, Market Harborough (Roebuck) ; third of £5, G. Gurnell, Brigg (Black- bird). COVER HACKS AND ROADSTERS. Weight carriers, not over 15 hands 2 inches. — First prize of £15, H. Frisby, 13, James-street, Buckingham Gate ; second of £10, J. N. Beasley, Northampton (Fil- bert); third of £5, Captain Jay (Confidence). PARK HACKS AND LADIES' HORSES, Not exceeding 15 hands 2 inches. — First prize, of £20, Captain De Wingficld, Windsor (Conceit) ; second of £10, J. D. Murray, Carlton Club (Firefly) ; third, no award. Not exceeding 15 hands 1 inch. — First prize of £20, P.Hornsby, Grantham (Hilda); second of £10, H. Frisby (Gameboy) ; third of £5, F. Jacobs (Desidera- tum). PARK COBS. High steppers, not above 14 hands 2 inches. — First prize of £20, J. Grout, Woodbridge (Tinker) ; second of £10, H. Frisby (Dunstan) ; third of £5, Lord Rosslyn, Euston Lodge, Dunmow (Burton). Highly commended : G. GurncU's (Blanche), STALLIONS. Thorough-bred.— Prize, medal and £50, Lord Spencei", Al thorp Park (Dalesman). Highly commended: W. Taylor Sharpe, Baumber Park, Ilorncastle. Half-breds. — First prize, medal and £30, H. Holmes, Beverley (North Star) ; second, medal and £15, C. Beart (Ambition). Highly commended ; Capt. Barlow, Wood- bridge (Tom Brown). Of any breed. — First prize, medal and £15, J. Grout, Woodbridge (Mercury) ; second, medal, J. Coker, Hough- tou-in-the-Dale (Norfolk cob). HARNESS HORSES. Not exceeding fifteen two (park action). — First prize, £15, C. C. Baynes, Portland Place (Columoine) ; second, £10, H. Frisby, Buckingham Gate (Devvdrop). Not exceeding fourteen two. — First prize, £15, L. Lawson, Brook Street, Hanover Square (Flight) ; second, ^10, L. Leese, West Cliff, Preston (Rattler) ; third, £5, H. Frisby (Dunstan). Highly commended : Lord Rosslyn (I3everley). rilAETON HORSES. Park action. — Prize, £10, Lord Carrington (Cannon Ball aud Corporal Major). Commended : 11. Frisby (Eclipse and Empress). PONIES. Stalhons. — Medal and £10, Stud Farm, Cobham (Perfec- tion). In harness, not exceeding thirteen three. — First prize, £15, Stud Farm, Cobham (Kitty) ; second, £8, E. C. Hedges, Higli Street, Wapping (Emperor) ; third, £5, M. Kennedy, Hill Fort, Ulverstone (Bob). Class commended. Pairs not exceeding fourteen two. — Stud Farm, Cobham (Dandy and Swell). Tandem. — Prize, £5, C. Myring, Wallsall (Gipsy and Beauty). According to The Sporting Gazette, " the show was not so good as we have seen in several previous years ; and what may be termed the illegitimate business threatens to overwhelm in time its original character, as the jumping for prizes is brought forward to Wednesday, instead of being confined as previously to Friday. In fact, from the moment the judging is over, it \% little better than a cii'cus or country fair." Another sporting journal. The Field, appears to be even less pleased with the arrange- ments : " Things are little changed since last year" — " there is the same perplexity of numbering ;" while " the managers of the Agricultural Hall have the questionable distinction of being the only body amongst the round of shows we are called on to visit, who act in an uncourteous spirit." In justice, however, we must say that our representative received every civility from Mr. Leeds and Mr. Layard, WARWICKSHIRE CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. —At a general meeting held in Warwick, last mouth, Mr. John Ford, of Leamington, the Chairman, read the report of the preliminary conference between three representatives of the Chamber and three representatives of the Agricultural Labourers' Union, which conference took place on the previous Saturday. Mr. Muntz, one of the three representatives of the Chamber, said it was the earnest request of the labourers that a copy of the rules should not be pressed for, as tliey were unsatisfactory and incomplete. A copy would, however, be forvfarded as soon as possible. Mr. G. F. Muntz also moved the following resolution : " That observing the present position of the education of this country, and the increased means which are being provided for elementary instruction, the means for affording a suitable education for farmers' sons demands the immediate consideration of chambers of agriculture," which was adopted. The following resolution, proposed by the Chair- man, and seconded by Sir N. C. Hamilton, was then unani- mously agreed to : " That the Central Chamber be requested to postpone its decision on the subject of compensation for un- exhausted improvements until the committees of the several associated chambers now sitting shall have reported." THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 45 THE BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND SOCIETY, AND SOUTHERN COUNTIES ASSOCIATION. MEETING AT DORCHESTER. If somewhat one-sided, for the world ends at Wey- mouth, Dorchester is still very favourably placed for a meetiug of the old Bath aud West of Euglaud Society ; nor is it by any means beyond the range of the Southern Counties. As the very titles, in fact, of the two leading lines would imply, the show was famously fed into from the quarters comprehended more especially within the scope of these united institutions, and the Great Western aud South Western Railways, meeting as they do at Dorches- ter, furnish, most probably, the key to so successful a de- monstratiou. For the Dorchester was not merely a large, but with, of course, here and there an exception, a good show ; with not, perhaps, many entries of extraor- dinary excellence, but with most varieties of stock very creditably represented. Of the several breeds of cattle, whether Devons, Shorthoi'ns, Herefoi-ds, Sussex, Jerseys, or Gurnseys, there was not a section but which was well filled; while some of the pig classes were above the average, and the weak place would no doubt be found amongst the sheep, where the Longvvools, the Shrop- shires, aud Oxfords were not numerous, and only occa- sionally meritorious. Implicitly following the fashion, by far the best site was allotted by the management to the Shorthorn ring, while the other breeds, such as the Herefords, Devons, and Sussex, were fairly or unfairly thrust aside into a hole and corner, which, cousideriug the space available, might surely have been more be- comingly mapped out. Indeed, one cattle ring might under the exercise of a little method, have joined on to the other, instead of the hapless reds and reds with white faces being left to play at hide-and- seek during the opening morning, whereas the Shorthorns had every opportunity for attracting attention and making a display. The entries of this favoured race were cer- tainly much in excess of any other sort ; but, as we said by telegram last week, these were not altogether of a very high character, and for first-class or first-prize animals we might turn as readily to the smaller show of Devons, where the winners make as much promise of holding their honours, if even some of the beaten beasts do not improve upon their places hereafter. Nevertheless, the openiug class of all-aged Shorthorn bulls included un- questionably one of the best of his breed now about, Mr. Linton's well-known Lord Irwin, who has gone on capi- tally since last season, aud never yet showed so well as he did at Dorchester. Thick, deep, and square, he is the very embodiment of good flesh levelly laid on, and without be- ing a very gay bull, there can be few whose symmetry would prove better under careful examination. In an otherwise moderate class, it was a hundred to one on him from the moment he entered the ring ; aud yet at Guildford last year Lord L-win was only commended amongst another moderate lot, the judges putting him out on the plea that " his head was very deficieut in character." However, at the Wolverhampton Royal meeting another Bench placed the white first, as " a bull of excellent quality aud cha- racter, a massive, well-fleshed animal of great growth and much promise." To our eye it seems that there is as much objection to the way in which Lord Irwin holds his head, as in the head itself, as he did not carry himself very smartly. It would be difficidt, in fact, to imagine two animals of the same breed of more diff'erent style aud stamp than the first aud second bulls in this class, the Earl of Warwickshire not having furnished since last year, but beiug a light, leggy, flashy animal, with little substance, but a corky airy geutleraan, with the walk of a race-horse. " That's just the sort of bull to ruin any herd in England," said one man, and " How I should like to use him on my dairy cows !" said another ; and the judges we are inclined to think differed as much as the public, although outside the ring the majority might have been the other way ; as almost anything else in the class might " just as soon" have been second : the reserve Master Granville going on well but never a really high-class animal ; Mr. Barnes' red, with a deal to like about him, or Mr. Paull's best of all the bulls the other day at Exeter, when we said, although he did beat all the Devons, Prize Taker " could never hold any gi-eai rank in good company." With the exception of Lord Irwin the class was no doubt altogether moderate, and it was very much a matter of fancy as to what might be next best, but we do not like Earl of Warwickshire so well as we did at a year younger, and we question whether he can ever furuish or drop to his leg. The Cornish Duke of Oxford, of whom we reported so favourably at Exeter, as the most promising Shorthorn in the show, although not pronounced to be the best, was again at the head of his class here, beating another of Mr. Linton's well known winners, Leeman, with growth, length, and touch all in his favour, so that the victory was worth something. There was moreover, a deal of talk about another year- ling, Mr. Stratton's Jack Frost, a recent importation from Ireland, where he made a great impression at the Spring show, and an animal certainly with an admirable touch and as good a coat, with all over an air of high breeding, but standing badly behind, and hence perhaps his merely high commendation ; the judges declining to notice anything further, although Lord Chesham appeared as an exhibitor with a sample purchase fx'om the famous Holker Hall herd. Neither of the two prize-bull calves could win prizes under anything like a competitive ex- amination ; aud it was quite a toss-up which won here, they were so equally inditfereut. In a fair class of cows, the best of all the breeds at Exeter, a small, delicate, but veiy bloodlike heifer, was now merely commended, with another of Mr. Hewett's entries, the first prize going to Flower Girl, au old favourite of ours, and a regular appearance at these and other meetings for some time past, of which she is be- ginning to show signs, although still a very handsome taking heifer. The second is somewhat coarse, and of indifferent quality, as her place on the list rather tells against the remainder of the class, which was no ques- tion excelled by the bevy of ftiir beauties selected from amongst the two-year-olds. There were Mr. Bruce Ken- nard's white Oxford Lady, of great breadth and sub- stance, as really grand to meet ; aud young Mr. Strat- ton's comely and still improving white Innocence; and Messrs. Hosken's white Countess of Oxford, first at Exeter, but put out here from her steery head ; and a bit of Booth in the Yorkshire white Lamwath Violet; as, amongst these four white ladies the two prizes and two THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. commendatious were distributed, with two other eom- mendations going to red and roan in a show of nine. And, no question, this was one of the crack classes of the day, and one that told — as, in fact, did all the Shorthorn doings here — how fast the late Richard Stratton's herd is coming to the front. He left the champion Smithfield ox as a legacy to one of his sons, and the two brothers were continually winning here, oc- casionally in the best of company. Thus, the two prize yearlings were both bred at Burderop, as some critics fancied the roan and others the red, ]Mr. Stratton him- self preferring the second prize ; but they did far more than merely beating each other, as they won in the best filled class on the ground, with five commendations appended, and still some of " the very best" commanding no notice whatever ! Thus, Lord Dunmore, who came out for the first time as an exhibitor in England, sent on a pure Kirklevingtou, which had been bred at a great cost, and which only one of the judges ever put his hand on ! And when the class left the ring with the high-bred Marchioness altogether undecorated, his Lord- ship entered it and mildly expostulated on the want of care evinced in passing over so precious an animal. But the Kirklevingtou must have something within which passeth show, for she is good neither to the eye nor the hand, as wc have a suspicion that many of the long-priced Shorthorns we hear of would scarcely warrant the iigure when again appraised on the show-ground. Lady Fragrauts come few and far between. Like the bull- calves, the heifer calves were very moderate ; but the Dunmore herd did reach to a second prize here, with a little fawn-like thing, whose pedigree is only to be traced by the American Herd Book, througli Dukes of Thorn- dale and Frederick, and whose actual value as a conse- quence may be more easily imagined than calculated, al- thongh the judges hei-e again did not think niuch of this Stirling specimen. Still she has a deal more promise tlian the two-year-old. Lord Falmouth does not much affect the shows of this Society, and his stock will be kept back for the Bodmin and Carmarthen ]\Ieetiugs. In his lordship's absence Mr. Davy had it very much his own way, taking five first prizes and one second in seven classes ; but he did not enter anything amongst the all-aged bulls, where some very remarkable revision took place. Thus, Master Harry, a first prize at Guildford, and a second at Wolver- hampton last year, and a first at Exeter the other day, and who has beaten Earl of Hexworthy when they met in 1871 and 1872, is here merely commended, while Hexworthy takes the first place, Mr. Farthing's bull having been put first at Exeter, and Mr. Jackmau's third. We need scarcely say that we go altogether with the pre- vious award, the main difference of opinion resting between Mr. Quartley and Sir. llisdon, the Devon judges of the two meetings. A very plaiu beast of Mr. Hamboro's breeding was put second, a fact which tends the more to assure one that the decisions can be nothing to go by. Duke of Flittou Sth, tiie best yearling, is bloodlikc and straight, as shown at nearly a year's diiference in age with the second, also second at Exeter, where Mr. Jackman won with a younger and a better bull, so that there should be something good out in this class at Cardiff. Of the bull-calves the judges would seem to think still more highlj'-, as they added on two commendations in a small class ; but the winner is but a plain one when put side by side with some of the Flittons, and the lot very moderate. By the way, Mr. Trevor Senior sets an admirable example here in calling a calf after himself, Sir Trevor, a system which would grealty simplify as well as connect the nomenclature of the Herd Books. Thus from Stowey we should trace Rir Walter, from Hoopern Lord Smith, and so forth. In a small class of cows, the first and second were really charming, as there is scarcely any animal of sweeter appearance than a Devon cow not overdone, and both these were young, fresh, and comely. Mr. Davy's, at a year younger than the other, looked to rather want size, but she is a capitally ribbed, round, low, and lengthy cow that with time may reach her conqueror. Beyond the winner, Mr. Smith had another of his breeding in the class now the property of Mr. Senior, and a winner in her time at Leicester, as Picture was third at Oxford ; but Daisy's day has gone, and her proper place in Bingley Hall, or at the Smithfield Club. Amongst the two-year-olds, Mr. George Turner's first and Mr. Far- thing's second of a few weeks since were now quite out- classed, although Gay Lass has lost some of her good looks, apparently from forcing, as she is growing patchy and gaudy behind, and altogether too cloggy, to go on and preserve her fine Devon character. The yearling, Actress, on the contrary, has vastly improved since last year, while her old opponent. Fair Rosamond, has, as we protested at Exeter, fared but too well, and, as we foretold, has already been " put-out," Mr. Duller taking seconds in the heifer classes with two nice bloodlike young things, if not so meaty as it is the fashion to make them. Of the calves the second is better looking than the first, though she be a Temptress, but the class is a mistake. In his Guildford report, where these babies were first introduced, Colonel Luttrell says : " In spite of the various prejudices that exist against bringing into com- petition that which some are pleased to call the ' fatted calf,' this class will, in my humble opinion, tend to the improvement of breeding stock, for it mnst be admitted that if you want to arrive at anything like perfection in an animal you cannot begin at it too early. Now, look at the diiference between two colts, the one kept well and the other starved till two years old ; the one keeps growing and furnishing without a check, and becomes fit for the market at four years old; the other is always disappointing, for, in order to makeup leeway, the unfor- nate owner begins to graze him, by which means a deal of middle-piece is added — the limbs don't grow in pro- portion, and a heavy-topped, light-timbered brute comes into the market unsaleable, or perchance a flatcatcher." The illustration here is scarcely so happy, as the well-bred foal and the well-bred calf are, or should be, prepared for very different purposes, while it is even possible to overdo the foal, as many of the long-priced pampered yearlings go to pieces directly they are put into work, being merely fed up for sale as the calves are for show. However, the Colonel goes on to say, " We do not fiud that the auimals exhibited in the calf classes at the lloyal last year were deteriorated by their forward condition ; on tlie contrary, out of the six animals placed at Oxford, three have taken prizes in advanced classes this year, and, as far as I can judge, will continiie to do so." In his Dorchester report it is hoped that Colonel Luttrell may further point the argument by Gay Lass, a prize calf at Oxford, and Fair Rosamond, a prize calf at Wol- verhampton. Of course, there are some animals which will stand this early preparation, while many, no doubt, are ruined in the process. The two classes of Hereford bulls were very moderate, as shown in the facts that the always moderate Sir John was first in the all-aged class, and such a beast as the Due d'Aumalc second among the yearlings; while there were, moreover, only ten exhibited in the two classes. The best yearling, Lord Battenhall, is stylish and promising, with a good touch, but Sir John is a weak up- and-down animal, and Due d'Aumalc, if possible, growing plainer than ever. Mr. Fenn's calf is very taking, and better to the eye than the one put before him, a son of the prize bull Monaughty ; while the cows, though short in THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. 47 numbers, make out the best class. The handsome blood- like Duchess of Bedford, losing none of her sweet cow cha- racter, here beats her old rival Dahlia, as she always should have doue, although the Duchess is beaten in turn by Ivington Rose, transplanted into Somersetshire, and a good well-ribbed cow, only a little short in her quarters ; but the first and second are both capital specimens of the breed. In a class of four Mv. James' heifers are only passably good, and amongst the yearlings, where Mr. Morris is also first and second, the winners had a long lead of the others, Dolly Varden being a nice, straight, shapely heifer, and Madeline already a Iloyal second. The best calf has a capital touch, and the second is a daughter of Ivington Hose. They have, no doubt, got some good blood in Dorset and Somerset, from which counties the show of Ilerefords was mainly supplied, but the entry at all points was not one of any remarkable merit, as its strength depended mainly on the native Herefords, like the prize cows, Mr. j\Iorris' heifers, and Mr. Fenn's calves. Two of the heifers were objected to ns above the stated age, and one case is, we believe, still under consideration. At Guildford the Sussex judge declared that he had never previously seen together so good a lot of his own county cattle; audit, as might have been expected, the Sussex were not quite so strongly represented at Dorchester, there was still a very creditable show of the sort. The best all-aged bull and the best cow neither reached to auy higher rank than a commendation last year, and no question but tliere was more merit amongst the younger animals. With the exception of the winner, who has length and size, the old bulls were pretty generally coarse aud common, showing but little signs of high breeding ; whereas in the two younger classes the prizes, more particularly, were very blood-like, as improved almost up to the Devon standard of quality ; and Mr. Turvill's yearling might have passed muster as a Devon outright. The first and second cows were both good, and Mr. Tur- vill's straight and good Colley surely dsscrved some commendation ; while the best yearling heifer is of an especially nice kindly stamp, her good looks being pointed by her pedigree, as she is a daughter of the second prize cow. Mr. Tilden Smith's second here was only just out of the calf class, and thus exhibited at a disadvantage, being mauy months the junior of her competitors. Our impression, as derived from a look through the/se classes, would be that the Sussex stock has made some considerable advance as show cattle since the establishment of the Southern Counties Association. The Jerseys were mostly bred in England, a prac- tice which is against the theory of maintaining their fine pure character. Nevertheless there was a really good show, and the class of two-year-old heifers was generally commended, both the winners and the especially commended heifer having been calved in the county of Surrey. Still, the choice of all the Jer- seys was Mr. Davis' beautiful cow, bred on the Forest, to which Mr. Digby's first prize Exeter cow was put second, so that the Shorthorn judges here held to the line very closely. Amongst the bulls, however, they went for mere size iu preference to style, as the second prize was also a very plain animal, while Mr. INIartin Iloare's thorongh-bred looking yearling, an Island-born, was altogether passed over, probably from his tail being set on too high ; but he was otherwise of finer Jersey stamp than anything in the class. Of the companion breed of Guernseys, we certainly never remember to have seen so commendable an exhibition, an absence of that uncomely coarseness and gauntness of frame being very noticeable. All the three classes of bulls, cows, and heifers, were well filled, and, according to the Islanders who had come over with their cattle, as well judged. Aud it is only right that the Shorthorn men should know this, as no doubt any such association of duties must be something of " an experiment." For a Society of the calibre of the Bath aud West of England, the sheep show was pretty generally moderate, if not more decidedly indifferent. Some of the sections were still numerically well filled, while the competition in others was often enough confined to two or three flocks. Thus, there were only four exhibitors of Leicesters, where the prizes went almost precisely as at Exeter, with Mr. Potter and Mr. Tremaine as the chief winners, and Mr. Turner's delicate sheep less successful even than about home. The Cotswolds either on or off the show ground would seem to be declining, the great prices occasionally paid for really good rams notwithstanding, as these are said to be getting scarce, and hence the long figures re- corded. The Kilkennys are good fair sheep, and Messrs. Wheeler's second prize two-shear, a broad-backed ram of some style and size, but the remainder were not worthy of notice, and the judges must have awarded the premiums very much upon compulsion. They divided as to the best pen of ewes, but over so wretched an entry it would have simplified the thing to have withheld the prizes altogether, when we remember the pens of Cots- wold ewes which were once wont to be brought out. The Devon Longwools are rough useful cross- bred animals, whose repute is not likely to extend beyond the West, and with only two exhibitors one flock took all the prizes. Lord Chesham, again, had it almost as much his own way with the Shropshires, as his flrst shearling ram, by Mansell's No. 8, w^as perhaps the smartest sheep iu the show — thick, true, and deep, as well as of fine character. The Chesham old sheep was a commended shearling at Wolverhampton, and only one pen of ewes was entered. There were but two exhibitors of Oxford Downs, where Mr Treadwell's three shear is getting beyond show form, and his reaching to first place was somewhat of a surprise. Here also there was but one entry of ewes ; and so far, no doubt, many a county meeting has offered a far better display than the great West of England and Southern Counties Associa- tion. The Dorset and Somerset horns were altogether more commendable, as no question these sheep arc really de- serving of their classes, having both use and ajipearance in their favour. Still, they are sheep which a general judge can scarcely be expected to be quite up in, and they were thought to have got wrong now over the best pen of ewes, whose horns were not properly or fashionably turned. There was a very numerous entry of Southdcwns, but saving ]Mr. Rigden, there was not a flock up to its pre- vious repute. Some of the Somerset aud Dorset Downs have neither growth nor style, being mean and common- looking. Messrs. Ileasman's sheep were not in show form ; and Sir Wilham Throckmorton's entries did not evince that continued improvement we had expected, there being a growing tendency with some of them to white faces. As a consequence Mr. Rigden had it all his own way, taking the four prizes and one re- serve, with the five sheep he sent into the two classes, as the actual competition was entirely confined to the Hove rams. The size of the first shearling evidently turned the scale in his favour, for though a good sheep in many re- spects, he is not so bloodlike, or in other words, so fine a type of the Southdown as the merely commended ram, and any correction of this award would put the third sheep first, the first second, and the second third, although Mr. Rigdeu would we believe have himself put the last first and the first last. The decision over the old rams took a deal of time, the judges eventually resorting to the tape, although it looked from the first a certainty for the ram eventually prQ» 48 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. nounced to be the better of the two. This is a remarkably handsome finely-grown sheep, well spread, but still full of fashion and of high]quality ; whereas the second is by no means so good looking, nor does he prove so well either by the hand or eye, whatever the tape may say. These were the only two rams Mr. Rigden entered in the old class, and hence the two commendations went to the Bucklaud flock, whose ewes were far better, and a smart sorty pen, against \vhich there was virtually no opposi- tion. The Hampshires, if useful enough, do not " im- prove" much out of their coarseness, and sour sorrowful countenances, and Mr. Rawleuce has exhibited more taking lady -like ewes than either of the two pens which were here. As the judges say occasionally these are, no doubt, very good sheep " of their sort ;" but it is dif- ficult to fancy them after going through even so me- diocre a display of Southdowns as were got together at Dorchester. The pigs were as good as the sheep were bad, and with such exhibitors, almost all in force, as the Messrs. Howard, Duckering, and Wheeler, for whites ; Messrs. Stewart, Humfrey, Bailey, aud the Ciren- cester College for Berkshires ; and Lord Ports- mouth, the Sextons, Mr. Ware, Mr. Collier, Mr. Cor- nish, and others for blacks, it is not probable that the show, so various and still so excellent, can be sur- passed either at Carditt" or Malton. The judges com- mended the whole class of small black sows, the whole class of small white breeding sows in pairs, the whole class of all-aged Berkshire boars ; and Jtli/hli/ commended the whole class of Berkshire sows. Naturally the big white pigs are somewhat out of their range so far West, and the premiums were pretty equally divided between the Messrs. Howard and the Messrs. Duckering, the long good high-quality Bedford pigs being still noticeably short of hair. The judges, however, looked to go for thin coats, as they put out nearly all Mr. Sexton's blacks, which were as comfortably covered as Polar bears ; but the hair though well oiled and brushed was palpably coarse, threatening to show a strong black beard when boiled down into bacon ; and though shapely pigs the Suffolks had no success but in a small but capital class of sows in pairs. The previous class of small black sows, shown singly, was thought to have been rather too much for the judges, as neither the first nor second were by any means perfect specimens, the one being short aud bad in her quarters, and the other beginning with an unpardoaably bad head, long and mean, which should surely have stopped her from finishing so high in a commended class. Lord Ports- mouth's best boar at Exeter, by one of Mr. Sexton's breed, was here beaten by his own brother, and Mr. Smith's black Dorset, the best of his class, was like his namesake, The Claimant, an animal of extraordinary growth for his age. The Berkshires might be greeted with a continual note of admiration, as never were there so many good pigs from all quarters previously seen together ; of high quality, but not refined out of their original character. Certainly the most promising pig in the show was Mr. Humfrey's young boar, long, straight, and stylish, as an unnoticed sow of Mr. Stewart's, one Duchess 2ud, should have been his becoming help- mate. She is so handsome, and altogether so much more sightly than another grand old sow of ^Ir. Stewart's placed first, that as exhibition stock it is difficult to un- derstand the award, although it was rumoured there was a suspicion about the Duchess being a breeding auimal. The Cirencester best boar, of the famous Sambo family, beat, as they would say on the turf, the Slirivenham pig very cleverly by his length, but the College second prize sow scarcely realised such a place iu a highly commended class, as she could bear no comparison point for point with the much despised Duchess. It would be inter- esting to learn hereafter from the judges' report or otherwise why this sow commanded no more attention than that she shared in the general compliment ? There were far more horses at Dorchester than at Guildford, but not better ; as it is doubtful whether many of last week's winners will prove so well hereafter. The riding section, however, opcued promisingly with one very charming chesnut marc, good looking and a capital mover, at least in her walk and hunting trot, as iu fact the ring was too small to attempt to extend them, and one or two rather extraordinary feats of horsemanship occurred when the judges took to riding their fancies. A commouish brown mare, with an under-bred pedigree, looked for some time to dispute the point of precedence with the far more takiug Mavourneen, and did finish second ; while Mr. Michelmore's neat little mare was said to have been disqualified for spavins, although Professor Browne declined to commit himself to the pub- lication of any such " a libel." The rest of the class was indift'ereut, and the Guildford and Exeter horse, Bis- marck, won yet more easily iu the four-year-old class, and was straightway put into price for Mr. Chaplin ; his second in Devonshire beiug now displaced for a smartish grey, also from Mr. Festing's stable, and another importation from Ireland. The best three-year-old reached to nothing more than a share of the general commendatioa iu that capital class of twos and threes at Exeter, but she was quite worthy of her place here, being a fashionable looking filly of a good colour, and with fine action ; and here again there was nothing in the class to compare with the winner. The pedigrees of the yearlings sound too good to be worth much — for is Harkaway a thorough- bred horse ? and the hack class was indifferent. The ponies were much better, the two prize grey galloways, with another good-lookiug grey to back them, being particu- larly clever, while every one of the smaller ponies re- ceived some notice from the judges, the two ladies taking the prizes. With the exception of the two black mares and the pairs in work, the agricultural or cart-horses were iu- differeut. The best stallion was the best two-year-old at Southampton, and he has since been winning about home, but he had nothing to beat here beyond the Warwickshire Nonpareil, considered by many the better of the two. There were in all but three entries of two- year-old colts and three of two-year-old fillies, and as jMessrs. Bennett and Howard have had in their time a deal of practice in estimating the merits of cart-horses as well as of " nags," it really seemed scarcely necessary to make up another Quorum to try such trivial cases. As will be seen by the report of the last Council meeting, the Royal Society proposes to make the judges do more work " for their money." PRIZE LIST. DEVONS. Judges (and for Sussex and Ilerefords). J. Risdon, Monk Okehampton. J. Pitcher, Hailsham, Sussex. W. Taylor, Thiughill Court, Hereford. Bull, exceeding two and not exceeding four years old. — First prize, £30, J. Jackman, Hexworthy, Launcestou (Earl of Hexworthy) ; secoud, C. llamboro, M.P., Milton Abbey. Higlily commeaded : W. Farthing, Stowey, Bridgewater (A.ble). Commended : W. Farthing (Master Harry). Bull, not exceeding two years old. — First prize, £25, J. Davy, Flitton, North Moltou (Duke of Flittou 8th) ; second, J. Jackmau (Duke of Cornwall). Bull calf.— First prize, £10, J. Davy (Duke of Flitton 9th) ; second, W. Smith, Hoopern, Exeter (Johnny Exeter). Highly commended : J. A. Smith, Bradford Peverell (Duke of York) . Commended : W. Farthing. Cow in calf or in milk.— First prize, £15, J. A. Smith THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 49 (Picture) ; second, J. Davy (Temptress). Highly commended : J. Gould, Poltiraore (Spot). Heifer in cslf or in milk. — First prize, £15, J. Davy (Gay Lass) ; second, J. H. BuUer, Downes, Crediton. Heifer, not exceeding two years old. — First prize, £10, J. Davy (Actress 5tli) ; second, J. H. Buller, Downes, Crediton. Heifer calf. — First prize, £10, J. Davy (Temptress 3rd) ; second, J. A. Smith (Picture). HEREFORDS. Bull, exceeding two and not exceeding four years old. — First prize, £20, H. N. Edwards, Broadward, Leominster (Sir Joliu) ; second, W. C. Davy, Horn Park, Beaminster (Chevalier). Bull, not exceeding two years old. — First prize, £25, J. Harding, Bicton, Salop (Lord Battenhall) ; second, J. Bald- win, Luddington (Due d'Aumale). Bull calf. — First prize, £10, W. Evans, Landowlais ; second, T. Feun, Stonebrook House, Ludlow, Usk (King Severus). Cow in calf or in milk. — First prize, £15, W. B. Peren, Compton House, South Petherton (Ivington Rose) ; second, T. Fenn, (Duchess of Bedford 6th). Heifer in calf or in milk. — First prize, £15, J. W. James, Mappowder Court, Blandford (Ruby) ; second, J. W. James (Little Nell). Heifer, not exceeding two years old. — First prize, £10, J. Morris, Town House, Madley (Dolly Varden) ; second, J. Morris, (Madeline). Heifer calf. — First prize, £10, T. Fenn (Queen of the Teine) ; second, W. B. Peren (Rosalie). SUSSEX. Bull, exceeding two and not exceeding four years old. — First prize, £20, J. Turvill, Hartley Park Farm, Alton, Hants (Young Sutton) ; second, R. Mills, Theale Farm, Slinfold, Horsham (Bismarjk). Bull, not exceeding two years old. — First prize, £25, J. Turvill (Hartley) ; second, W. Hampton, Applesham, Shore- ham (Grand Duke 2nd). Bull calf.— First prize, £10, E. and A. Stanford, Eatons, Ashurst, Steyning; second, J. Turvill (Shermanbury). Cow in calf, or in milk. — First prize, £15, J. and A. Heas- man, Angmering, Arundel (Southampton) ; second, A. Agate, West-street, Horsham (Actress). Heifer in calf or in milk. — First prize, ^£15, E. and A. Stanford, Eatons, Sussex ; second, J. Turvill (Cherry). Heifer, not exceeding two years old. — First prize, £10, A. Agate (Actress 3rd) ; second, T. Smith, Knell, Beckley, Ashford (Young Primrose). Heifer calf.— First prize, £10, G. Smith, Paddockhurst, Crawley, Sussex (Gipsy 2ud) ; second, J. S. Osley, Fen Place, Worth (Betsy). SHORTHORNS. Judges (and for Channel Islands). C. Howard, Biddenham, Bedford. H. Aylmer, West Dereham, Norfolk. M. Savidge, Sarsden, Chipping Norton. Bull, exceeding two and not exceeding four years old. — First prize, £20, W. Linton, Sheriff Ilutton, York (Lord Itwin) ; second, G. Game, Churchill Heath, Chipping Norton (3rd Earl of Warwickshire). Highly commended: J. Stratton, Alton Priors, Marlborough (Master Granville) ; J. W. PauU, Knott Oak, Ilminster (Prize Taker). Commended : C. A. 15arnes, Charleywood, Herts (Lord Eglingtoun) ; R. Stratton, The DuiTryn, Newport (Saunterer). Bull, not exceeding two years old. — First prize, £25, W. Hosken and Son, Loggan's Mill, Hayle, Cornwall (Duke of Oxford) ; second, W. Winton (Leeman). Highly commended : J. Stratton, Alton Priors (Jack Frost). Bull-cair.— First prize, £10, J. A. Muraford, Brill House, Thame (Notley) ; second, T. Game aud Son, Broadmoor, Northleach (Baron of Knowleraere). Cow in calf or in milk. — First prize, £15, R. Stratton, The Duffryn, Newport (Flower Girl) ; second, G. Game (Princess Alexandra). Highly commended : Rev. R. B. Kennard, Mam- hull, Blandford (Ada) ; G. Game (Bonny Lass). Com- mended: W. H. Hewett, Norton Taunton (Violet); W. H. Hewett (Nelly). Heiferin-calforin-milk,— First priz?,£15,T. Stratton, Alton Priors (Innocence) ; second. Rev. R. B. Kennard, MarnhuU (Oxford Lady). Highly commended: G. Game (Lady Bird); Rev. R. B. Kennard (Queen Anne). Commended: H. F. Smith, Lamwatli House, Sutton, Hull (Lamwath Violet) ; W. Hosken and Son (Countess of Oxford 2nd). Heifer, not exceeding two years old. — First prize, £10, J. Stratton, Alton Priors (Village Rose) ; second, J. Stratton (Mabel). Highly commended : G.Garne (Butterily Duchess) ; G.Garne (Partridge). Commended : C. A. Barnes (Julietta) ; J. W. Larking, Ashdowu House, East Grinstead (Rose of Autumn) ; T. Game and Son (Protege). Heifer calf.— First prize, £10, J. W. Larking (Rose of Sum- mer); second.Lord Dunraore, Dunmore, Stirling (Red Rose •ith). Commended: H. D. Barclay, Eastwick, Leatherhead (Fanstitas). CHANNEL ISLANDS. Jerseys. Bull, exceeding one year old.— First prize, £10, Rev. J. S. Horner, Mells, Frome (Ranger) ; second, G. Simpson, Wray, Reigate (Favourite). Highly commendel : G. D. W. Digby, Sherborne Castle (Midshipman). Commended: G. Simpson (Gipsy Boy). Cow, in calf or in milk. — First prize, ^610, J. D. Sherston, Bramshaw, Hants (Fanny) ; second, G. D. W. Digby (Diamond). Highly commended : G. D. W. Digby (Miss Edith). Commended : Mrs. L. Malcolm, Beechwood, Hants (Bonnie). Heifer, not exceeding three years old. — First prize, £10, G. A. Fuller, Dorking (Cowslip) ; second, G. Simpson (Queenie). Plighly commended : G. Simpson (Lizzie). The class commended. GUEUJISEYS. Bull, exceeding one year old. — First prize, £10, H. Comp- ton, Lyndhurst (Rufus) ; second, C. J . Radcliffe, Hyde, Wareham (Sir William). Highly commended : E. A. Sanders, Stoke, Exeter (Victor Emmanuel). Commended : C. Le Page, Guernsey (Billy) ; J. Le Page, Guernsey (Duke); J.James, Guernsey (Lord of the Isles). Cow, in calf or in milk.— First prize, £10, H. Compton (Cowslip) ; second, U. Wakeford, Guernsey (Lady Jane). Highly commended: J. James (Valentine); C. S. Glyn, Cerne Abbas, Dorset (Guernsey Lily). Heifer, not exceeding three years old. — First prize, £10, C. Le Page (Guernsey Lily) ; second, D.Le Cheminant, Guernsey (Guernsey Lily). Highly commended : U. Wakeford (Duchess) ; E. A. Sanders (Lily of the Valley). Commended : J. James (Beauty). DAIRY CATTLE. Cows.— First prize, £10, J. A. Smith (Devons) ; second, N, Benjafield, Short's Green Farm, Motcombe (Shorthorn and Hereford cross). SHEEP. LEICESTERS. Judges (and for other Long-wools and Oxfords). R. J . Newton, Carapsfield, Woodstock. J. Carpenter, Dawlish. Yearling ram.— First prize, £10, J. Tremaine, Polsue, Grampound, Cornwall; second, J. Tremaine. Highly com- comraended : J. Tremaine. Ram of any other age.— First prize, £10, T. Potter, Yel- lowfore, Thorverton, Cullompton ; second, T. Potter. Cora- mended : G. Turner, Bramford Speke, Exeter. Yearling ewes. — First prize, £10, J. Tremaine; second, G. Turner. COTSWOLDS. Yearling ram.— First prize, £10, the Executors of the late T. Gillett, Kilkenny Farm, Faringdon, Oxford ; second. Royal Agricultural College Farm, Cirencester. Ram of any other age. — First prize, £10, the Executors of the late T. Gillett; second, J. Wlieeler and Sons, Long Compton, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwick. Commended: The Executors of the late T. Gillett. Yearling ewes. — First prize, £10, C. Spencer, Gileston, Cowbridge, Glamorganshire; second. Royal Agricultural Col- lege Farm, Cirencester. DEVON LONG-WOOLS. Yearling ram. — First prize, £10, R. Corner, Torweston, Williton ; second, R, Corner, D 60 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Ram of any other age. — Erst prize, .£10, R. Corner; second, R. Corner. Highly commended : R. Corner. Yearling ewes. — first prize, .£10, R. Corner ; second, R. Corner. OXFORDSHIRE DOWNS. Yearling ram.— i'irst prize, £10, J. Treadwell, Upper Win- chendon, Aylesbury; second, A. F. Milton Druce, Twelve Acres, Eynsham. Ram of any other age.— First prize, £10, J. Treadwell; second, J. Treadwell. Commended: A. F. Milton Druce. Five yearling ewes.— Prize, £10, A. F. Miltoii Druce. SOUTHDOWNS. Judges (and for other Short-wools). F. Budd, Hatch Warren, Basingstoke. E. Little, Lanhill, Chippenham. H. Woods, Merton, Thetford. Yearling ram. — First prize, £10, W. Rigden, Hove, Brighton ; second, W. Rigden. Commended : W. Rigden. Ram of any other age. — First prize, £10, W. Rigden ; second, W. Rigden. Highly commended : Sir W. Throck- morton, Bart., Buckland, Faringdon, Berks. Commended : Sir W. Throckmorton. Pen of five yearling ewes. — First prize, £10, Sir W. Throck- morton; second, H. D. Barclay, Eastwick, lieatherhead. Higiily commended : H. Gorringe, Ashcroft, Kingston-by-Sea, Shoreham. HAMPSHIRE DOWNS. Yearling ram. — First prize, £10, J. Rawlence, Bulbridge, Wilton ; second, A. Morrison, Fonthill House, Tisbury. Com- mended : R. Coles, Middleton, Warminster. Ram of any other age. — First prize, £10, A. Morrison ; second, W. F. Bennett, Chilmark, Salisbury. Highly com- mended : J. Rawlence. Five yearling ewes. — First prize, £10, J. Rawlence ; second, J. Rawlence. Highly commended : T. C. Saunders, Water- combe, Dorchester. Commended : W. E. Fitt, Littleton, Winchester. SHROPSHIRES. Yearling ram. — First prize, £10, Lord Cheshara, Latimer, Chesliam, Bucks; second, Lord Chesham. Ram of any other age. — First prize, £10, Lord Chesliam second, R. White, East Burton, Wareham. Pen of five yearling ewes.— Prize, £10, Lord Chesham. SOMERSET AND DORSET HORNS. Yearling ram. — First prize, £10, H. Mayo, Coker's Frome, Dorchester ; second, J . Culverwell, Clavelshay, North Pether- ton. Highly commended : H. Mayo. Ram of any other age. — First prize, £10, H. Farthing, Netlier Stowey, Bridgwater ; second, H. Farthing. Highly commended : H.. Mayo. Five yearling ewes. — First prize, £10, J. Culverwell ; second, H. Mayo. Highly corararaended : H. Mayo. Commended : W. Parraiter, Melplash Court, Bridport. EXMOOR AND OTHER MOUNTAIN. Ram of any age.— First prize, £10, J. Qaartley, West Molland, South Molton, Devon; second, J. Davy, Flitton. Commended : J. Quartley. Pen of five ewes of any age.— First prize, £5, J. Quartley ; second, J. Quartley. Commended: Sir T. D. Aclaud, Bart., M.P., Holnicote, Minehead, Somerset. HORSES. rOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES. Judges. — A. Lovibond, Bridgwater. J. Wood, Umberstone, Grimsby. Stallion, foaled before 1870.— First prize, £25, J. Feaver, Stouey Littleton, Bath (Littleton) ; second, W. Wynn, Cran- bill Leys, Grafton, Alcester (Nonpareil). Stallion, foaled in 1870.— First prize, £20, W. Thom, God- ney Farm, Wells (Young Robin Hood) ; second, E. and A. Stanford, Ashurst, Eatons, Steyning (The Prince). Mare and foal, or in-foal.— First prize, £15, V. B. Watts, Melcombe Horsey, Dorchester (Rose) ; second, W. Stanford, Charlton Court Farm, Steyning (Jewel). Highly commended : W. Stanford (Brown) . Filly, foaled in 1870.— First prize, £15, E. and A. Stan- ford (The Flower) ; second, N. Dvke, Brains Farm, Wincau- ton (Bonnie). Pair of draught horses. — First prize, £10, H. Mayo. Commended : G. and D. Taylor, King-street, Fordington. RIDING HORSES. Judges. — J. E. Bennett, Bosworth Grange, Rugby. R. G. F. Howard, Temple Bruce, Lincoln. HUNTERS. Mare or gelding, foaled before the 1st January, 1868. — First prize, £25, H. B. Festing, Maiden Bradley, Bath (M.;Vour- ueen) ; second, E. C. Legg, Coombe Down, Beaminster (Partiality). Highly commended : Rev. T. H. House, Ander- son Rectory, Blandford. Mare or gelding, foaled in 1868.— First prize, £25, G. B. Battams, Kilworthy, Tavistock (Bismarck); second, H. B. Festing (Shillala). Filley or gelding, foaled in 1869.— First prize, £10, G. B. Battams (Brunette) ; second, Mrs. L. Malcolm, Beechwood, Lyndhurst (Siesta). Highly commended : J. Sly, Dorchester, (Primrose). ColtorfiUy, foaled in 1871.— First prize, £10, G. W. Homer, Atlielhaiupton Hall, Dorchester (Mischief) ; second, J. Joyce, Wadhara, Knowstone, South Molton (Bird-on-the-A¥ing). Commended : E. and A. Stanfoid. HACKS. Mare or gelding, not exceeding 15 hands high, calculated to carry not less than 12 stone. — First prize, £15, £. A. Sanders, Stoke House, Exeter (Cherrystone); second, J. Michelmore, Berry Pomeroy, Totnes (Gay Lass) . Commended : G. Sy- monds, Sydling St. Nicholas, Dorchester (Little Star), T. W. Shettle, Bradford Farm, Wimborne. PONIES. Not exceeding 14 hands high. — First prize, £10, J. Gif- ford. North Cadbury, Castle Gary (Little Jane) ; second, W. Perkins, Bowling-green House, Southampton (Queen) . Com-. mended : G. A. Prevost, Came House, Dorchester (Peru) ; W. Fookes, Tarrant Monktou, Blandford. Not exceeding 13 hands high. — First prize, £10, Mrs. A. Lewis, Millbrook Lodge, Milbrook (Garibaldi) ; second, C. J. T. Hambro, M.P. (Prince Charlie). Commended: Mr. Parmiter, Wareham (Little Swift), II. W. Hawking, Dor- chester (Dolly Varden). PIGS. Judges. — S. Druce, Eynsham, Oxon. J. S. Turner, Chyngton, Sleaford. LARGE BREED. Boar above one year, and not exceeding two. — First prize, £5, J. and F. Howard, Britannia Farms, Bedford (Vic- tor 3rd) ; second, R. E. Duckering and Son, Northorpe, Kirton Lindsey. Boar, not exceeding one year old. — First prize, £5, R. E. Duckering and Son; second, R. E. Duckering and Son. Breeding sow in farrow, or with lier litter. — First prize, £5, J. and F. Howard, (Duchess) ; second, R. E. Duckering. Commended: John Wheeler and Sons, Long Compton, Ship- ston-on-Stour (Daisy). Two breeding sows, not exceeding nine months. — First prize, £5, R. E. Duckering and Son ; second, R. E. Duckering and Son. SMALL BREED (BLACK). Boar, above one year and not exceeding two. — First prize, £5, J. A. Smith, Bradford Peverell (The Claimant) ; second, W. M. Ware, Newham House, Helston (Onyx). Highly commended : W. M. Ware (Alpha). Boar, not exceeding one year. — First prize, £5, W. F. Collier, Woodtown, Horrabridge ; second. Earl of Portsmouth, Eggesford House, Wembworthy (General). Highly com- mended : T. Taylor, Pool Farm, Taunton. Breeding sow in farrow, or with litter. — First prize, £5, T. R. Cornish, Wolf's Grove, Bisliopsteignton, Teignmouth (Princess) ; second, N.Benjafield (Motcombe's Pride). Highly commended : T. Taylor. The class commended. Two breeding sows, not exceeding nine months. — First prize, £5, Q. M. Sexton, Wherstead Hall, Ipswich ; second, J. Tremaine, Polsue. Highly commended ; T. R. Cornish ; Earl of Portsmouth. SMALL BREED (WHITE). Boar, above one year and not exceeding two. — First prize, £5, R. E. Duckering and Son, Northorpe, Kirton Lindsey ; second, J. Wlieeler and Sons. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 61 Boar, not exceeding one year. — First prize, £5, Lord Ren- dleham, Rendleshani Hall, Woodbridge (The White Boy) ; second, R. £. Duckering and Son. llighly commended : J. Wheeler and Sou (Young King), Breeding sow in farrow, or with litter. — First prize, £5, R. E. Duckering and Son ; second, J.Wheeler and Sons (Miss Jewel). Highly commended : J. C. Andrews, Tail Mill, Crew- kerne. Two breeding sows, not exceeding nine months. — First prize, £3, R. E. Duckering and Son ; second, 11. White, East Burton, Waroham. Highly commended : J. Wheeler and Son (Two Graces). The class commended. BERKSHIRE. Boar, above one year and not exceeding two. — First prize, £5, Roy;d Agricultural College Farm, Cirencsster (Lord Liverpool) ; second, H. Humfrey, Kingstone Farm, Shivcuham (Maple Grove). Highly commended : Lord Ren- dleshani (Duudouald). The class commended. Boar, not exceeding one year. — First prize, £5, H. Hum- frey ; second, A. Stewart, Saint Bridge, Gloucester. Highly commended: J.Wheeler and Sons (Nimrod). Breeding sow in farrow, or with litter. — First prize, £5, A. Stewart (Be)la) ; second. Royal Agricultural College (Stumpy). Very higlily commended : H. Humfrey (for two sows). The class llighly commended. Pen of two breeding sows, not exceeding nine months. — First prize, £5, A. Stewart ; second, J. Wheeler and Sons (Polly 2ud, Kate 2nd). Highly commended : Royal Agri- cultural College (Topsy Family). Commended: Rev. H. G. Bailey (for two entries). VETERINARY INSPECTOR.— Professor Browne. POTTED BUTTER. Special prize for residents in Dorset. — First prize, £5, J. Saunders, Frorae Saint Quintin, Dorchester (produce of May, 1872) ; second, J. T. Homer, Hensworth, Wimborne (produce of May, 1872). HORSE SHOEING. Twenty entries : first prize, R. Slocombe, of Ilrainster ; second, J. W. Batten, Chard ; third, J. Way, Piddledinton. Highly commended: J. C. Upshall, Cattistock; T. Huirell, Dorchester; C. Way, Cerne. THE IMPLEMENTS. A complete list of the exhibitors of implements at the meeting, together wit h an enumeration of their several entries would be, perhaps, the fairest criticism which under the circumstances could be given. According to the Council the show of machinery on the ground was not so large as it has been, while the field-trials attracted as little atten tion as ever. The steam cultivators at work iocluded Howard's round-about steam apparatus, driven by a ten- horse power portable engine ; Amies and Barford with a Smith's improved set, with Campain's anchor ; the im- plements used being a three-furrowed plough, a turning cultivator, and a combined roller, grubber, and harrow invented by Williams, Blaydon. Fowler and Co. exhi- bited a pair of engines working on the direct system with a wide cultivator. Tne following firms worked self-delivery reapers on a good strong upstanding crop of rye : Samuelson, Howard, Hornsby, Burgess and Key, Kearsley, Picksley, Sims, and Co., Wood, and Brigham and Bickerton. Mowing machines were worked by Samuelson, Hornsby, Burgess and Key, Wood, Reading Iron Works, Picksley, Brenton, and Brigham. Manual delivery reapers were worked by Samuelson, Picksley, Wood, Brenton, Brigham, and Mattison. In the steam-plough field Howards worked their new double-furrow plough and subsoiler ; and Hornsby, Fowler, and Davey also shovved double ploughs in opera- tion ; Davey, with a new turnover implement, the sim- plicity of which, in construction and readiness in action, obtained some merited commendation. The grass crops were operated on by haymakers from Howard, Boby, and Reading Iron Works. The annual meeting of the West of England Society raises again and again the question as to the value of pre- miums as advertisements ; but it will be seen that Messrs. Garrett go a step further in our paper of this day when they say, " Unfortunately, the cost of coal, iron, and other materials has advanced so much this year, that all makers are obliged to put up their prices for implements, &c. Now it seems to us that if the manufacturers' expenses can be reduced in any way this year, so as to prevent any un- necessary increase of prices, it will be greatly to the ad- vantage of the farmers ; with this object in view, we na- turally think of the heavy annual expenditure which agri- cultural engineers incur in attending the Royal and other agricultural shows. Those large firms who go in for com- petition for prizes and attend many country meetings could reckon their outlay by thousands of pounds yearly, all of which, of course, the farmers must indirectly pay. Will our agricultural friends be content to diminish the outlay this year ? If not, and no other means can be found for reducing expenses, the prices of agricultural implements and machinery must be again advanced. For our parts, we mean to try the experiment of going to no expense this summer about shows." No question if some of the smaller and less known firms fall in with this proposition and decline to exhibit there will be a great saving in coal, iron, and other materials. THE ANNUAL MEETING was held on the Tuesday, the Duke of Marlborough, K.G., the President, in the chair. The report of the Council stated that since the meeting at Guildford, honoured for the first time by the presence of royalty, many members, distinguished not less in public life than by their devotion to the interest: of the Society, had been removed by death. Foremost among these must be men- tioned the late Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, Bart., who so long ago as the year 1853 held the office of President, and who, ever afterwards, until the time of his death, was a munificent contributor to the Society's funds, and took a lively interest in its proceedings. By the deaths of Sir Peregrine Palmer Acland and Mr. E. Ayshford Sanford, the Society has lost two highly-esteemed vict-presidents, and by the death of Mr. R. G. Badcock, of Taunton, it has sustained the double loss of a most zealous and efficient vice-president and treasurer, of more than twenty years' standing. Three vacancies have also oc- curred in the Council by the deaths of Mr. Richard Stratton, Burderop, Swindon ; Dr. Brent, of Woodbury, near Exeter ; and Mr. Edmund Francis Mills, of Orcheston St. Mary, Devizes. The vacancies thus occurring have been filled by the appointment of Mr. Henry Badcock, as treasurer; Mr. Charles Edwards, of Wrington, a steward of poultry ; and Mr. Henry Duncan Skrine, of Warleigh, near Bath ; Mr. Henry Mayo, of Coker's Frome, Dorchester ; and Mr. James Quartly, of Hol- land, South Molton, as members of Council. There are at present on the books of the Society 90 life members, 137 governors, and 848 annual members — total, 1,075. The funded stock of the Society, amounting to £7,200, equivalent, at 93^ Three per Cent. Consols, to £6,732, remains virtually unaltered since the last annual meeting. The entries of stock, poultry, implements, art and horticultural specimens, fully justify the discretion exercised by the Council in determining to visit, for a second time, the important agricultural district of which Dorchester is the centre. It is to be regretted that many horses intended for exhibition have again been excluded from the show in consequence of their owners not complying with prescribed regulations. No entries can be received after the exact date announced to the public ; and no animals can be admitted as extra stock. For the special prizes for the en- couraging proficiency in horse-shoeing, now given for thirteen years in succession by Mr. Miles, of Dixiield, Exeter, there are twenty competitors ; and the members of the Society are in- vited to concur in a special vote of thanks to that gentleman for his continued liberality. The implement department, though less in magnitude thaa at Guildford, contains 61 » 2 52 THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. special compartments devoted to machinery in motion; and nearly all the leading firms in England are well represented by their staple productions, the number of exhibitors being 169, whilst upwards of 3,000 articles are enumerated in the Society's catalogue. The publication of the Journal will take place as soon as deemed compatible with its completeness as a record of the proceedings of the year. The Council have granted a complete set of the Journal from the year 1852 to the present time, in recognition of the establishment of an agricultural chair in Harvard's College, L'.S. ; and also a similar set in aid of the establishment of a new free library at Chicago, and as a token of the Society's sympathy in reference to the recent calamitous fire. The Council, having regard to the usage of tlie Society that the president for any year shall be non-resident in the county wherein the annual meeting is held, recommend that the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe be re- quested to occupy the ofhce of president for tlie year ending with the Plymouth Meeting, and that the following members of the Society be appointed members of the Council, to supply vacancies occurring by retirement, by rotation, or other causes : Eastern Division — Clement Bush, Weston, Bath ; Thomas Danger, Rowford Lodge, Taunton ; Thomas Duckham, Bayshara Court, Ross ; John Gray, Kingweston, Somerton ; James Hole, Knowle House, Dunster ; J. E. Knollys, Eitz- head Court, Taunton ; R. Neville, Butleigh Court, Glaston- bury ; Gabriel S. Poole, Brent Knoll, \Veston-super-mare ; Herbert Williams, Stinsford, Dorchester. Western Division — The Hon. and Rev. J. T. Boscawen, Lamorran, Probus ; John Tanner Davy, Rose Ash, South Molton ; John Daw, Exeter ; R. R. M. Daw, Exeter ; Charles Gordon, Wiscombe Park, Honiton ; J. H. Kennaway, M.P., Escott, Ottery St. Mary ; James Quartly, Molland, South Molton ; Rev. A. Thynne, Penstowe, Stratton, Cornwall ; E. U. Vidal, Cornborough, Bideford. Southern Division — A. E. M. Druce, Twelve Acre Hill, Eynsham ; Arthur Glenfell, Shalford, Guildford : Wynd- ham Portal, Malshanger, Basingstoke ; W. Rigden, Hove Farm, Brighton ; George Shackel, Erleigh Court, Reading ; W. B. Simonds, M.P., Abbott's Barton, Winchester ; J. R. Stebbing, St. Andrew's Lodge, Southampton ; J. S. Turner, Chyngton, Seaford. Elected without reference to Districts — James D. Allen, Pyt House, Tisbury ; J. Webb King, West Everley, Marlborough ; Henry Robertson, Over Stowey, Bridgwater; H. D. Skrine, Warleigh, Bath ; E. W. Williams, Herringstone House, Dor- chester ; Richard Wippell, Rudway, Silverlon. On the motion of Sir J. T. B. Duckworth, seconded by Mr. J. Eloyer, M.P., the Report was adopted. Mr. R. K. Meade-King submitted for the oifice of presi- dent the name of the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. Colonel Aeciier seconded the motion, which was carried. On the motion of Sir E. Hulse, seconded by Mr. R. Bremriuge, the vacancies in tlie Council were filled up as recommended. Some formal votes of thanks were passed, including one to the President. The Duke of Marlborough, in responding, said there was one point on which he must say a few words, and this was that he considered it to be a matter of great congratulation that the effect of the Society's show being held at Dorchester had enabled a most industrious and thriving part of the British dominions, and one not altogether so much visited as it might be, the Channel Islands, to show some highly important and valuable stock. He saw that the entries for these stock were only less by five than those for Sliorthorn cattle, which was the most important and popular breed in the whole country. When they saw the great care which was taken in the Chan- nel Islands to keep their stock pure, and what a valuable breed they were for dairy purposes, it was a source of congratulation that the Society's meeting being held here had enabled those places to send sucli a large and magnificent contribution to the exhibition tliis year. ADMISSIONS AND RECEIPTS, 1870, 1871, 1872. Days. Taunton, 1870. iG'ldfohd, 1871. Ad- mis- sions. Monday 1,240 Tuesday ... 4,402 Wednesday. 12,310 Thursday... 27,400 Friday i 6,253 Totals 151,605 Ad- Receipts. I mis- sions. £, s.d 143 18 O! 1,714 532 12 6 3,034 1483 17 0 5,908 1323 16 016,541 296 11 0 6,863 3785 14 6 34,060 Receipts. £ s.d. 288 7 6 373 11 0 727 0 0 776 2 0 324 10 6 2489 11 0 D'bch's'e, 1S72. Ad- mis- [Receipts. sions. & s.d. 845 183 0 0 3,462 429 10 G 8,484 1026 16 C 14,489 700 16 0 7,001 1 331 4 0 34,281 2671 7 0 ESSEX AGRICULTUEAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT HALSTED. Given — a fixture in an out-of-tlie-way corner of the county, and at a town of curiously limited capabilities in the way of accommodation ; a threatening morning which gradually culminates in an unmitigated downpour ; a branch line which sooner or later lands the hapless visitor and takes him back again, according to our sport- ing contemporary, Tlie Yield, after the following pleasing fashion : " The railway arrangements were of the most disgraceful character, one hundred and sixty passengers being turned out into the rain on their return, at Chapell, three miles from Mark's Tey, and kept there two hours, instead of being conveyed to the main line and forwarded to their destination." Even further the show was pretty generally inferior, as in most sections a decided decline from the Romford Meeting of last year. To begin with the Shorthorns, there was a sad falling-otf in the quality of the stock exhibited ; and the meeting missed its old friend Mr. Clayden, and Messrs. Macintosh and Christy. There are some other breeders coming on, such as Messrs. Clear, Green, Chaplin, Piggot, and others ; but hitherto they have not availed themselves of such blood as the foregoing. For the Challenge Cup there was numerically a strong entry, but only one leading animal. It was very clear with just one march round the ring tliat the white Lord Irwia was too formidable for his companions. Mr. Foljambe sent a cow and heifer of considerable merit, although the young one still re- tains that hardness of touch which characterized her as a calf in 1870. From foot-and-mouth disease at Burghley, Telemachus could not put in an appearance, and the great interest of the thing evaporated. The bull, cow, and offspring class attracted a good deal of attention ; but all the entries did not appear in the ring, the foot-and-mouth here, as in other classes, thinning down the numbers. Mr. Catchpole took the prize, the bull being a winner at Birmingham in 1871, and bred by the Rev. Mr. Kennard. With one exception the offspring were very inferior. Mr. Slatter's entries were not sent, but the dairy classes were well filled with some very useful animals ; while the Havering Park Challenge Cup promises to last as long as the Society, The sheep, as usual, were not very nume- rous, as this is not much of a breeding county. Mr. Green, of Stadishall,' showed some good Black-faces not very fashionable out of the eastern counties, and Audley End took nearly all the Down awards with little trouble ; while Mr. Giblin had most of the cross-breeds to himself. The pigs were very good, where Mr. Griggs, of Romford, won nearly everything with Berkshires — " and a very good lot," said the judges. The cart-horses were perhaps an average show, with the stallions by far the weakest section j THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 63 while the mares and t'oals were very good, and young mares, one two and three years old, promising. Some out-of-the-connty mares and foals showed well ; but the £300 purchase at the Capon sale last year looked dear and altogether out of form. Among the riding-horses were some very useful animals, set off by a vast proportion of bad. Fandanguero, bought at Sir Tatton Sykes' sale by the late Mr. T. Crisp, takes £65, besides the fifty g/iinea Cup ; and Barker, the dealer, of Ingatcstone, wins most of the prizes for hunters and hacks ; with uags which had evidently been well rattled by " the London division." Major Barlow's Beckford, a prize horse of last year, was disqualified by the veterinary inspector as a roarer. The young ones, one, two, and three years old, reached to about fifty, many of them being very middling ; and cobs and ponies were "good for Essex." There were not nearly so many entries in the implement department as at Romford last year, while there was still a good practical display. The chief feature was the unusually large number of reapers and mowers exhibited. The follow- ing firms were represented : Hunt and Tawell, Earls Colue ; Fell Christy, Chelmsford; AV. and S. Eddington and Co., Chelmsford ; Catchpool, Stannard, and Stanford, Colchester; Rausomes, Sims, and Head, Ipswich; GarrettaudSons,Leiston ; Ward and Silver, Melford; J. B. Fash, Chelmsford ; Cole- man and Morton, Chelmsford ; E. R. and F. Turner, Ipswich; R. Boby, Bury St. Edmund's ; J. Dupont, Bures ; T. E. Wed- lake, Hornchurch and Romford ; C. Burrell, Thetford ; J. Warren, Maldon ; Dennis, Chelmsford; J.Smyth and Sons, Peasenhall and Witham ; W. E. Meeson, Rochford ; J. Peene, Rtvne ; T. C. Darby, Pleshey ; W. Cottis and Sons, Epping ; T. "Portvvay, Halstead ; T. Mann, Earls Colne; P. Hawkes, Aldham ; C. Crisp, Halstead ; J. K. King, Coggeshall ; God- frey and Jordan, Chelmsford ; and Rands and Jeckell, Ips- wich. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES.— Cakt Horses: M. BiddeD, Playford; V. B. AVatts, Melcombe Horsey, Dorset ; W. C. Spooner, Ealing, Southampton. RtuiNG Horses : W. Hurrell, Newton, Cambridge ; D. R. Scratton, Ogwell, Newton Abbot, Devon ; G. Higgins, Castle Close, Bedford. Shorthorn Cattle : C. Howard, Biddenham, Bedford ; J. K. Fowler, Ayles- bury ; Hugh Aylmer, West Dereham, Norfolk. Channel Island Cattle : Col. F.- M. Wilson, Stowlangtoft Hall. Sheep AND Pigs : A. M. Druce, Eynsham, Oxford; W. Rigden, Hove, Brighton. Veterinary Inspector : Pro- fessor 13rowne, Royal Veterinary College. HORSES. for agricultural purposes. stallion. — First prize, £20, G. D. Badhara, Bulmer-tye (Snltan) ; second, £10, J. Ketley, Peering, Talbot. Com- mended: A. Poole, Margaretting Hall (The Brewer). Stallion, three years old and upwards. — Prize, £25, G. D. Badham (Sultan). Highly commended : E. Emson, Little- bury (Peer of the Realm). Commended: W. Bott, Broom- field (Champion). Stallion, Saffron Walden Town Prize, open to all England. — Prize, £25, 1. Rist, Tattingstone (Young Champion). Entire colt, two years old. — Prize, £15, N. Allen, Great Horkesley (Young May Duke). Entire colt, two years old. — First prize, £15, 1. Rist (Young Champion) ; second, W. Welcher, Snare-hill Park, Thetford (Prince of Wales). Commended: N. Allen (Young May Duke). Yearling entire colt. — Prize, £7, G. de Home Vaizey, Hal- sted (Suffolk colt). Cart mare, not under four years old. — First prize, £8, D. A. Green, Donyland-place (Bonny) , second, £5, W. C. Rayner, Lyon's Hall (Bocking). Commended : F. Butcher, Colne Engaine (Depper). Cart mare, four years old aud upwards, Halsted Town Prize. —Prize, £10, G. H. Cant, Myland, Colchester (Violet). Highly commended : H. Wolton, Newbourn Hall (Diamond). Fdly, three years old. — Prize, £5, W. Thompson, juu.. Rose Cottage, Thorpe (The Despised). Cart filly, under four years old, Halsted Town Prize.— Prize, £10, W. Thompson, jun. (The Despised). Gelding.— Prize, £5, W. Peck, Halsted (chesnut). Two year old filly.— First prize, £8, D. A. Green, East Donyland, Suffolk; second, £5, P. 0. Whitlock, Yeldhani Hall, Suffolk. Yearling fdly.— First prize, £7, D. A. Green ; second, £5, W. Bott, Broomlield. Highly commended : W. Bott. Mare and foal.— First prize, £12, G. II. Cant, Myland (Violet) ; second, £8, D. A. Green (Brock). Commended : G. de H. Vaizey, Star Stile, Halsted. Mare aud foal at foot, Halsted Town Prize.— Prize, £15, E. Crowe, Dewer, Downhara Market (Smart). Highly com- mended: B.Mitchell, Crowe Hall, Downham Market (Blos- som). Commended and reserved : G. H. Cant, East Myland (Violet). Foal.— First prize, £5, G. H. Cant (dam Violet) ; second, £3, D. A. Green (dam Brock). Commended : W. Bott (dam Diamond). Plough mares, regularly used on a farm. — First prize, £10, W. Bott (Diamond) ; second, £7, T. Taylor, Earls Colne (Bonny). Plough horses or mares, Halsted Town Prize. — Prize, £10, W. Bott (Diamond) . Commended : T. Taylor, Earls Colne (Bonny). RIDING AND COACHING HORSES. Thorough-bred stallion.— Prize, £15, Rev. R. Westhorp, Berners Hall, Ongar (Fandanguero). Thorough-bred stallion, open to all England. — Prize, £50, Rev. R. Westhorp (Fandanguero). Stallion, thorough-bred, adapted fur getting hunters, hack- neys, or roadsters. — Prize, the President's challenge cup, value 50 gs., Rev. R. Westhorp (Fandanguero). Stallion, not thorough-bred, calculated to get roadsters or hackneys.- Prize, £15, F. Bramwhite, Long Melford (De- fiance). Gelding, that has been regularly hunted during the past season in Essex. — First prize, £10, P. C. Barker, Ingatcstone (Tom) ; second, £5, P. C. Barker (Bill). Hunter, up to li stone, which has been regularly hunted with the East Essex hounds during the last season, Halsted Town Prize.— Prize, £10, J. W. Lay, Great Tey (Haycock). Weight-carrying hunters.— Prize, £10, P. C. Barker, In- gatcstone (Tom). Leaper over hurdles and water, Halsted Town Prize. — First prize, £10, P. C. Barker (Venus) ; second, £5, P. C. Barker (Tom). Leapers over hurdles. — First prize, £10, B. Sparrow, Gos- field Place (bay mare); second, £5, C. W. Start, Pebmarsh (brown mare). Hackney mare, not exceeding 15 hands 1 inch, — First prize, £10, P.O. Barker (Viper); second, P. C. Barker (Virtue). Commended: P. C. Barker (Venus). Hackney gelding, not exceeding 15 hands 1 inch. — Prize, £10, P. C. Barker (Baigent). Highly commended : P. C. Barker (Bandbox). Four years old hunter, mare or gelding.—Prize, £6, David Christy (Hilda). Commended: J. Hutley, Braxted Hail (grey mare). Four years old hackney, mare or gelding. — Prize, £6, John Cutts, Little Bardfield Hall (Charlie Boy). Three years old mare or gelding.—Prize, £6, O. Barnard, Earls Colne (bay). Two years old mare or gelding.—Prize, £6, E. Ind, Warley (Duchess). Yearling colt or filly.— Prize, £5, S. Fitch, Wethersfield (colt). Brood mare with foal at foot.— First prize, £10, J. Norman, Head Gate, Colchester (Velocity) ; second, £5, R. Emson, Halsted (bay hackney). Commended: J. Hutley, Braxted Hall (thorough-bred chesnut). Cob, entire, gelding, or mare, over 13 and not exceeding 14 hands.— Prize, £6, P. C. Barker (Violet). Commended: G. Simson, Galley wood (Pale Face). Pony, entire, gelding or mare, under 13 hands. — Prize, W. Lucking, Great Waltham (Simple Simon, gelding). Match pair of carriage or phaeton horses, either sex, not under 14 hands 2 inches ; shown in double harness ; Halsted Town Prize.— Prize, £20, Miss Scratton, Gosfield (Templar). Horge or mare, shown in single harness, not under 14 hands 2 inches; Halsted Town Prize.— Prize, £10, W. A. Gilbey, Hargrave Park, Stansted (Engaged). 54. THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. CATTLE. PURE SHORTHOENS. Bull.— Krst prize, £20, J. R. Chaplin, Rldgwell (Ab) ; second, £12, J. Hutley, Rivenhall (King Lear 2ud). Bull, any age.— Prize, £20, W. Linton, Sheriff Hutton (Lord Irwin). Highly commended : F. J. S. Poljambe, Osber- ton Hall, Worksop (Shorthorn M.P.) ; R. E. Soffe, Hams Eastleigh, near Southampton (Lord Morpeth) ; G. Gavne, Churchill Heath, Chipping Norton (Third Earl of War- wickshire). Commended : W. Bradburn, Wednesiield, Wol- verhampton (White Satin) ; N. Catchpool, Stamford, Ips- wich (Oxford Duke) ; W. Tippler, Roswell (Cambridge Duke 2nd). Bull, two years old. — First prize, £15, D. A. Green, East Donyland (Cherry Prince) ; second, £10, C. Sturgeon, South Ockendon Hall, Oxford (Thorndale Darlington). Commended and reserved: J. 11. Chaplin, Ridgewell (General Carey). Yearling bull.— First prize, £10, A. P. Clear, Maldon (The Emperor) ; second, T. Cousins, Cressing (King John). Highly commended and reserved: J. Hutley (Royal). Commended: R. H. Crabb, Baddow Place (Romford Duke). Yearling bull. — Prize, £15, W. Linton (Leeman). Highly commended and reserved : A. P, Clear (The Emperor). •Bull, not exceeding twelve months old, and not under six months. — First prize, £6, C. Barnard, Harlow Bury (3rd Duke of Claro) ; second, £4, C. Sturgeon, South Ockendon Hall (Grand Duke of Kent). Cow. — First prize, £15, J. R. Chaplin (Maid of Honour) ; second, £10, J. Upson, Rivenhall (Moss Rose). Highly com- mended and reserved; C. Barnard (Lady Fragrant). Com- meuded : A. P. Clear (Lady Ducie) ; C. Barnard (Echo). Two years old heifer. — First prize, £10, D. A. Green (Blos- som White Peach) ; second, £6, J. R. Chaplin (Kitty Dod). Commended and reserved : C. Barnard (Thorndale's Sugar Plum). Commended: J. A. Piggot, Beckinghara Hall (Darhng). Yearling heifer. — First prize, £7, R. H. Crabb ; second, £5, R. H. Crabb (Queen of the May). Highly commended and reserved: C. Barnard (Strawberry). Commended: J. R. Chaplin (Grace Ogilvie). Heifer, not exceeding twelve months and not under six months old. — First prize, £6, A. P. Clear (Mulberry) ; second, £1-, R. H. Crabb. Highly commended and reserved : C. Bar- nard (Picotee). Commended : C, Barnard (Duchess) ; D. A. Green (Rose). Bull and cow, with calf their offspring, the latter calved after the 1st Juue, 1871 ; Halsted Town Prize.— Prize, £25, N. Catchpole, Bramford (Oxford Prize). Highly commended and reserved; W. Bradburn (White Satin). Commended: G. Garne (Puritan). Yearling bull and pair of yearling heifers. — Prize, £20, G. Garne (Red Prince). Highly commended and reserved : R. Crabb (Queen of tlie May). Commended: C. Barnard (Strawberry). Pure-bred Shorthorn. — Prize, the Havering Park challenge cup, value 100 gs., W. Linton (Lord Irwin). Highly com- mended and reserved: F. J. S. Foljambe, Osberton Hall, Worksop (Concert). SHORTHORNS WITHOUT PEDIGREE. Cow. — First prize, £8, J. Hutley ; second, £5, C. Swann, Colchester. Two years old heifer. — First prize, £0, J. 0. Parker, Wood- ham, Mortimer Place ; second, B. Sparrow, Gosiield Place. Yearling heifer. — First prize, £5, W. Sworder, Tawney Hall; second, J. Hutley. Heifer, not exceeding twelve months old, and not under six months. — Prize, £3, C. Barnard (Chrisp, Ex-Caroline). Highly commended and reserved : W. Sworder. Highly com- mended ; J. R. Chaplin. Commended; J. 0. Parker. DAIRY CATTLE. Cow or heifer, for dairy purposes. — First prize, £8, Francis Butcher, Colne Engaine (Shorthorn) ; second, £5, G. H. Cant (Daisy). Highly commended and reserved: G. H. Cant (Beauty). Highly commended : B. Sparrow; G. D. Badhara. Commended : J. Carwardine, Over Hall, Colne Engaine (Daisy) ; T. Taylor (Beauty). Dairy cow, thorough-bred or otherwise ; Halsted Town Prize.— First prize, ;B10, W. A. Gilbey (Milkmaid) ; second, £5, G. H. Cant (Daisy). Highly commended : J. Carwardine (Daisy). Commended : G. D. Badliam (Guernsey). TAT CATTLE, steer or heifer, not exceeding three years old.— Prize, £10, D. A. Green (Shorthorn steer). Highly commended : J. R. Chaplin (Shorthorn heifer). CHA2JNEL ISLANDS BREED. Bull, exceeding one year old, June 1st, 1872.— Prize, £7, and special prize £10, J. R. Vaizey (ilderney). Highly com- mended : W. A. Gilbey (Leo). Cow, exceeding three years old on June 1st. 1872. — First prize, £7, and special prize £10, W. A. Gilbey (Milkmaid) ; second, £7, Lord Braybrooke (Lamplight). Commended: W. A. Gilbey (Victoria) ; W. A. Gilbey (Bee) ; W. J. Bea- del (Alderuey cow. Bloom). Heifer, not exceeding three years old on June 1st, 1872. — First prize, £7, and special prize of £10, W. A. Gilbey (Bel) ; second, £i, L. A. Majendie, Hedingham Castle, Commended : J. Smith, Pattiswick (Daisy). Bull, of any pure breed, under two years old, owned by some person within six miles of Halsted ; Halsted Town Prize. — Prize, £10, T. Cousins (King John). SHEEP. Southdown ram of any age. — First prize, £10, Lord Bray- brooke ; second, £5, Lord Braybrooke. Ram, of any other short-wooUed breed. — First prize, £8, J. M. Green (Stradishall) ; second, £4, J. M. Green "(Suffolk). Short-woolled ram, not exceeding three years old, of a pure breed. — Prize, £10, G. Cooke, Horseheath Paik, Linton (Shropshire). Specially commended: C. Roby, Stutton (South- down). Highly commended : C. Roby. Shearling Southdown ram. — First prize, £10, Lord Bray- brooke ; second, £7, Lord Braybrooke. Shearling short-woolled ram, of any other pure breed. — I'irst prize, £8, Nockolds and King, Saffron Walden ; second, £4, J. M. Green (Suffolk). Pen of five shearling pure Down ewes. — First prize, £7, F. M. Jonas, Chrishall Grange (Southdowns) ; second, £5, Lord Braybrooke (Southdowns). Reserved : J. R. Vaisey, Attwoods, Halsted (Southdowns). Pen of five shearling shortwoolled ewes. — First prize, £6, J. M. Green, Stradishall (Suffolk ewes) ; second, £4-, W. Bel- cher, Sandon (Hampshire Downs). Reserved: W. Brown, Bridge Hall, Bradwell (shortwoolled). Cotswold, Lincoln, or Leicester ram. — First prize, £7, J- Giblin, Little Barfleld (Cotswold). Oxford,or Shropshire ram. — First prize, £7, J . Giblin (Oxford Down). LongwooUed ram, not exceeding three years, of a pure breed. — First prize, £10, T. Gunnell, Milton, Cambridgeshire (Lin- coln). Reserved : J. Giblin (Cotswold). Shearling, Cotswold, Lincoln, or Leicester ram. — First prize, £8, J. Giblin (Cotswold). Reserved : J. Giblin. Shearling, Oxfordshire, or Shropshire rara. — First prize, £8, J. Giblin (Oxford Down). Reserved: J. Giblin. Pen of five shearling longwooUed ewes. — First prize, £5, J. Giblin. Pen of five ewes, of any kind, with their lambs. — First prize, £6, J. Giblin (Cotswold). Pen of five fat shearling shortwooUed wethers. — First prize, £5, Lord Braybrooke (Southdowns) ; second, £3, W. Sworder, Tawney Hall (Hampshire Downs). Reserved : W. Sworder. Pen of five fat shearling cross-bred or longwooUed wethers. — First prize, £5, D. A. Green, East Donyland (cross-bred) ; se- cond, £3, W. Sworder (cross-bred). Reserved : W. Sworder. PIGS. Boar of a large breed. — First prize, £5, J, R. Vaizey, Att- woods, Halsted. Boar of a large breed, not exceeding 12 months. — First prize, £5, and second £3, G. Griggs, Romford (The Don and Sultan) . Boar of a small breed. — First prize, £5, W. Thompson, jun., Tliorpe, Black Suffolk ; second, £3, G. D. Badham, Bulmer (Windsor breed). Boar (open to all England). — First prize, £10, Ducker- ing and Son, Northorpe, Kirkton Lindsey. Highly com- mended: W. Thompson, jun., Thorpe (Black Suffolk). Com- mended : R. Swannick, Royal Agricultural College Farm, Cirencester (Lord Liverpool) ; Lord Rendlesham, Rendlesham Park (Dundonald). THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 65 Boar, not exceeding 13 months. — Eirst prize, £5, G. D. Badham ; second, £3, H. R. Stone, Bedfords, Havering-atte- Bower (Bon). Sow in jiig. — Eirst and second prize, £5 and £3, G. Griggs (Miss Hopeful and Charmer). Highly commended : H. K. Stone (Essex Rose) . Whole class commended. Sow, of a large breed (open to all England). — Eirst prize, £5, Messrs. Duckering and Sons. Highly commended and re- served : Lord Rendlesham (Jessamine). Higlily commended: G. Griggs (Miss Hopeful). Sow, of a small breed (open to all England) .—First prize, £5, Messrs. Duckering and Son. Highly commended : G. M. Sexton, Wlierstead Hall (Reine). Sow with her pigs, the pigs not to exceed IS weeks old.— First prize, £5, G. Griggs (Quality). Commended : W. Thompson, jun. Sow and pigs, large breed, Halsted Town Prize (open to all England).— Eirst prize, £5, G. Griggs (Quality). Re- served : Lord Rendlesham. Pen of three sow pigs, of the same litter, under nine months old.— Eirst prize, £5, G. Gtiggs (The Novices) ; second, £2, J. Wagstaff, Great Bromley. Reserved : Mr. G. D. Badham. ROYAL CORNWALL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. MEETING A.T BODMIN. During the Wednesday morning thejudges, Messrs. Eustice, Elliott, and T. Olver, delivered their awards for the imple- ments as follows : Brenton £5 for a general assortment of implements, the simplicity of the make of his mowing machines bein? specially noticed. Davey £5 for his collection, and more particularly for his new double turnwrest plough. Prout £2 for his gate. T. Barou £2 for a general assortment. Drayton £2 10s. for his ploughs. Oatey £2 for his cider-press. Wood £1 for improvement in lubricating. Messrs. Howard £2 for their double- furrow plough. Messrs. Plimsol Brothers, of Plymouth, £3 for a general assortment ; and Messrs. Samuel- son £1 for an improvement in lubricating. Amongst the cattle there were 57 Devons, and amongst the bulls Lord Falmouth's stock was conspicuous. In the four classes for Devon bulls he had seven entries. In the 1st class for bulls above three years old his Jonquil took the first prize, and in the 2nd class Kingcraft and Cinnamon carried off the first and second prizes respectively ; in the 3rd class of year- lings Mr. Jackman, Hexworthy, took the first and second with his two young bulls placed as at Exeter. This whole class was so excellent that the judges highly commended it. The class of Devon cows in calf above three years old was not only a numerous, but a most excellent lot ; out of twenty entries, no less than eleven were commended % the judges beyond those receiving prizes. The Devon heifers also maintained the character of the show. Mr. Farthing, who did so well in Cornwall last summer was not now an exhibitor in the Devon classes. Tlie Shorthorns were also represented mncli more numerously than usual, and the Messrs. Hosken of Hayle, were again very successful exhibitors ; they brouglit ten animals and carried away eleven prizes, ten ordinary and a special ; their Exeter and Dorchester young bull, together with the companion heifer, wiuaiug in their classes. The Herefords, wliich were represented last year by only a few beasts, now counted up to thirty, an extraordinary number for Cornwall, but in the two older classes of bulls there were only four entries for six prizes. There were twenty-two entries of the Channel Islands breed, but the exhibitors were confined to a few. Lord Vivian, Colonel Gilbert, and Mr. Rendle, being the most conspicuous. For Leicesters, of which there were 38 entries, Mr. James Tremain, of Polsue, carried of all the prizes but three, two of which were thirds. In Southhams, which were in 19 pens, Mr. R. C. Clark, St, Budeaux, and Mr. George Martyn, of Camelford, being the most successful. The Dart- moors were a small lot, but other long-wooUed sheep occupied 30 pens, and Mr. Corner, of Towerston, Somerset, carried off the chief honours here. In the Shropshire Down yearling rams andyearling ewes Lord Falmouth was the only exhibitor. The show of horses was extraordinarily large, there being no less than 152 entries, requiring a large amount of shedding. While there was a number of good animals which would do credit to any show in the country, there was also many which might well have been kept at home. There was a very strong competition lor the special prize of £10 for the best weight carrying hunter, not less than four years old ; the suc- cessful competitor being Mr. W. Trist, of Ugborough, Devon, 80 that the prize was taken out of Cornwall. Tlie pigs were a very good lot, but not particularly nume- rous. Messrs. Wheeler and Sons, of Long Compton, took the first prizes in boars of large breed and breeding sows in farrows in both large and small breed. Mr, W. Ware, of Helston, beat them in the boar of small breed, and Mr. Richard Roskilly in twelve months old boars took the first. Mr. James Tremain was first in the best pen of two breeding sows. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES.— Devons ani> HiREroRDS : J. A. Smith, Bradford Peverl, Dorset ; J, W. James, Mappowder Court, Bland- ford. Shorthorns and Pigs : Stiles Rich, The Cedars, Fearwell Heath, Worcester; H. Dudding, Panton House, Wragby, Lincoln. Sheep : G. H. Sandy, Holme Pierrepont, Notts ; J. Badcock, Bemscombe, Devon ; D. Brent, Clampit, Linkinhorne. Horses : D. Collins, Newton House, Quethiock; H. Biddell, Playford, Ipswich; M. Cann, Holwood, St. Germans. SPECIAL PRIZES. The best bull in the yard.— Lord Falmouth's Devon (King- craft). The best cow in the yard.— Messrs. Hosken's Shorthorn (Miss Maggie). The best ram in the show. — Mr. Corner's (Somerset). The best pen of ewes. — Mr. Turner's Leicesters. The best pig or pen of pigs. — Mr. Tremain's two breeding sows. The best weight-carrying hunter, not less than four years old.— W. Trist's (Bertha). CATTLE. devons. Bulls above three years old. — Eirst prize. Viscount Fal- mouth (Jonquil) ; second, R. H. Marshall, St. Mawgan ; third, Mr. Clarke, St. Ewe (Captain). Highly commended : J. Venning, St. Martyn. Bulls above two and not exceeding three years old. — Eirst prize. Viscount Falmouth (Kiugcrafl) ; second, Viscount Fal- mouth (Cinnamon) ; third, J. B. Parsons, Launceston. Bulls not exceeding two years old. — Eirst prize, J. Jack- man, Hexworthy; second, J. Jackman (Duke of Cornwall) ; tliird and fourth, Viscount Falmouth. Class generally com- mended. Bulls not exceeding twelve months old. — Eirst prize, J. Jackman ; second, H. Davey, Northhill. Highly commended ; Viscount Falmouth. Cows in calf or in milk above three years old. — First prize, T. Pinlesknd, Stockley, Pomeroy, (Queen) ; second, J. Gould, Bampfylde Lodge ; third, T. Julyan. Higlily commended : T. Julyan ; J. Mason, St. Clement. Commended : S. Barnes, Bellair; Rev.C.M.E.Collins,Trewardale; J.Tremaiu; J.Men- hennick, Wadebridge; R. H. Marshall ; W. Vercoe, Bodmin. Heifers in calf or in milk not exceeding tiiree years old. — Eirst rize, T. Julyan ; second, T. Powleslaud, Stockley Pomeroy ; third, J . Mason, St. Clements. Highly commended : J Tremain. Heifers not exceeding two years old. — Eirst prize, J. Gould; second, T. Julyan ; third, J. Nicholls, Altarnun. shorthorns. Bulls above three years old. — First prize, S. W. Stephens, St. Kew ; second, Messrs. Cardell and Martyn, St. Enoder (Bruce). Bulls above two and not exceeding three years old. — First prize, Messrs. Tremain and G. Williams, Polsue and Ruan (General Clarence 2nd) ; second, Messrs. Hosken, Hayle (Prince Frederick) ; third, R. Tremain (Lord John). Com- mended : Mr. Chapman, Gerrans (Young Mercury) . 56 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Bulls not exceeding two years old. — First prize, Messrs, Hosken (Duke of Oxford) ; second, Messrs. Hoskeu (Knight of Penvvitli) ; tliird, W. Trethewy, iVobus (Sir Joliu) ; fourth, Mr. Faull, Probus (Mercury). Commended : W. Chapman (Young Lord Stanley) ; J. Gill, Probus. Bulls not exceeding twelve months old. — First prize, Messrs. Hosken (Baron of Oxford 5th) ; second, W. Trethewy (Sym- metry), Highly commended : J. Gill. Commended : R. Tremain (Little Wonder) ; G. Martyn, Camelford (Oxford Barringtou). Cows in calf or in milk above three years old. — First and second prizes, Messrs. Hosken ; third, R, W. Pollard, Blagdon, Paignton. Heifers in calf or iu milk not exceeding three years old. — First and second prizes, Messrs, Hosken ; third, R. Tremain. Heifers not exceeding two years old. — First and second prizes, Messrs. Hoskeu ; third, R, Tremain. HEREFORDS. Bulls above three years old. — First prize, Messrs. G. and W. E. Lobb, Lawhitton (Ostorius) ; second, J, Paull, Ruan- lanihoriie (Gamester), Bulls above two aud not exceeding three years old, — First prize, W. Grose, Peupout, Wadebridge (Abuer), Bulls not exceeding two years old. — First aud second prizes, Messrs. G. and W. E. Lobb (Cheesewring aud Hailequin). Highly commended: T. Symons, Lostwithiel j J, Paull (Frank) ; R. Olver (Grand Turk). Bulls not exceeding twelve months old. — First prize, R. Tucker, Prideaux ; second, T. Olver. Highly commended : T, Olver aud W. Grose. Cows in calf or in milk, above three years old. — First prize, J. Paull ; second, T, Olver. Highly commended : W, Grose. The whole class commended. Heifers in calf or in milk, not exceeding three years old. — First prize, O. Ryall, Milton Abbott ; second, T. Olver. Commended : T. Olver and W. Grose. CHANNEL ISLAND BREED. Bulls not exceeding four years old. — First prize. Colonel Gilbert, The Priory, Bodmin ; second, G. Laity, St. Hilary. Highly commended : Lord Vivian, Glynn. Best cow in calf or iu milk, above three years old. — First prize. Lord Vivian ; second, third, and commended, Colonel Gilbert. Heifers in calf or in milk, not exceeding three years old. — First prize. Colonel Gilbert ; second, Mr. Pethybridge, Bod- min ; third, R. Rendle, Catel Farm, Guernsey. Highly com- mended : R, Rendle, SHEEP, Leicester yearling rams.— First, second, and third prizes, J. Tiemain, Polsue. Highly commended and commended: J. Tremain. Leicester rams of any other age. — First and second prizes, J, Tremain ; third, J. Mason, St. Clements. Highly com- raeuded: J.Gould. Commended: J. Rosewarne, Nanspuska, Hayle. Leicester yearling ewes. — First prize, G. Turner, Great Bowley; second, J. Tremain ; third, J. Gould. Highly com- mended: J. Tremain. Commended: J. Rosewarne. South Ham yearling rams. — First and second prizes, R. C, Clark, St. Bndeaux ; third, G. Martyn, Trewen, Camelford. Commended : G. Martyn. Rams of any other age. — First prize, G. Martyn ; second, J. Pickering, Coombe, Liskeard ; third, E. Tucker, St. Ger- mans. Commended : G. Martyn. Best pen of five yearling ewes. — First prize, R. C. Clark*; second, G. Martyu ; third, E. Tucker. Commended : G. Martyn. Dartmoor yearling rams. — First prize, T. Squire, Lamerton, Devon ; second, R. Mav, Glendon, Tavistock. Commended : R. May. Rams of any other age. — First prize, T. Squire, South Brentor ; second, R. May. Commended : R. May, Long-woolled slieep, not specified in the above classes. Yearling rams. — First, second, and third prizes, Mr. Corner, Torweston, Somerset. Highly commended : J. Ilenwood, St. Columb, Minor. Commended : T. M. Cardell, Cosworth, Colan. Rams of any other age. — First, second, and third prizes, Mr. Corner. Commended : T. M. Cardell, Pen of five yearling ewes. — First and second prizes, Mr. Corner ; third, J. Gatley, St. Erme. Highly commended: J. Gatlev. Shropshire Down yearling rams, — First and second prizes. Viscount Falmouth, Highly commended : Viscount Falmouth. Pen of five Shropshire Down yearling ewes. — First and second prizes, Viscount Falmouth. HORSES. Stallions for agricultural purposes. — First prize, J. Rowe, Lamorran ; second, T. Greenwood, St, Teath (Young Asto- nisher). Mares and foals or mares in- foal. — First prize, T. Pellow, Okehampton ; second, W, H. Symons, St. Mawgan ; third, G. Elliott, Swilley, Plymouth. Geldings or fillies, foaled in 1869.~First prize, Hon. G. M. Fortescue, Boccounoc; second, E, Tucker, St. Germans ; third, T. Jalyan, Creed. Colts, geldings, or fillies, foaled in 1872. — First prize, G. Elliott ; second, W, Grose, St, Kew ; third, J. Stick, Lanivet, Stallions, hacks, or hunters. — First prize, J. R. Bickell, Tavistock (Hunting Horn) ; second, H, Laity, Crowan (Mou- raviefl'). Mares and foals, or mares in-foal. — First prize, Capt. Holder, Jetwell House, Camelford ; second. Viscount Falmouth ; third, W. Rowse, Norton, Bodmin, Geldings or fillies foaled in 1869, — First prize, W, Rowse ; second, W. Trist, Ugborough, Devon ; third, T. B. Old, St, Merry n, Colts, geldings, or fillies, foaled in 1870, — First prize, H. Ivey, Camborne ; second, W. Trist (Nimrod) ; third, T, Pal- mer and Sons. Highly commended : J. Jacka, Marazion. Cobs, mares, or geldings, not less than li hands, or more than li hands 3 inches. — First prize, Mr. Jackman, Caprera Mews, Plymouth ; second, R. Hicks, Lauteglos-by-Fowey. Ponies, mares, or geldings, not exceeding 13^ hands. — First prize, R. Nicholls, Lostwitliiel ; second, W. Gatley, St. Co- lumb (Daisy). Special prize of £10, for the best weight-carrying hunter, not less than four years old. — Prize, W. Trist (Bertha). Highly commended: J. Gill, St. Erme (Nimrod). Boars, large breed. — First prize, Wheeler and Sons, Long Compton, Shipston-on-Stour ; second, E.Tucker; third, W. Copplestoue, Lostwithiel. Highly commended : Wheeler and Sons. Breeding sows in farrows, or that have farrowed within six months of the meeting. — First prize, Wheeler and Sons ; second, Mr. Lewis, St. AusteU ; third, Mr. Fish, Bodmin. Commended : W. Copplestone. Boars not exceeding twelve months old. — First prize, R. Roskelly, St. Enoder ; second. Earl of Portsmouth, Eggesford House, Devon ; third, Wheeler and Sons. Breeding sows in farrows, or that have farrowed within six months of the meeting. — First prize, Wheeler and Son ; second, W. F. Collier, Woodtown, Horrabridge ; third, J. Jackman, Hexworthy. Highly commended : W. M. Warne, Helston, Pen of two breeding sows (of the same litter), not exceeding twelve mouths old. — First prize, J. Tremain ; second, J. Bas- sett, Kenwyn ; third, AVheeler and Sons, Highly commended : Earl of Portsmouth. At the annual dinner, Mr. G. L. Basset, of Tehidy, the pre- sident, in the chair, Mr. Digby Collins, one of the judges, said he took it for granted they would all admit that there were three classes of people in this world — retrograde, sta- tionary, aud progressive ; and he thought the Cornish horse- dealer might lay claim to take his place in the latter category. He did not think he should be doing violence to their under- standings or their patriotism if he told them that they had not reached perfection ; but, as far as progression went, he had no hesitation in saying that immense strides had been taken. The two-year-old classes were excellent, and, taking the class througliout, it was about the best he had ever seen. He was sure that Cornwall could develop horses as rapidly and produce as much quality with as much size as any other coun- try, excepting, possibly, the best parts of Ireland. Mr. BiDDELL said as to the brood mares for agricultural purposes, their foals were of any class tliey might like to call them, or rather of no class at all, and had as much business in an agricultural class as in a poultry show. If Cornishmen wanted agricultural horses, they should breed them, and not half-bred hunting foals. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 57 THE KINCARDINESHIRE CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. At a meeting held iu the Towa Hall, Laurencekirk, Mr. Alexandeh (Beut of Ilaulkerton) couveuer of the County Committee, the cliairman, said that the meeting had been called at the request of the Chamber of Agriculture to consider what evidence could be laid before the Select Com- mittee of the House of Commons on the Game-laws. Seeing that the Scotch evidence would be led within the next fort- night, it was desirable that immediate steps should be taken to make it as eflfective as possible. He had a circular from the Secretary to the Chamber, asking that if any special grievance was known they would appoint a representative to appear be- fore the Committee. In the inquiry of lSi6 the destruction of property had been very imperfectly proved. The circular also impressed upon tliera the advisability of preparing evi- dence from the occupants of agricultural subjects, grazing larraers, owners of pendicles, and occupants of farms in the neighbourhood of game preserves, as to the amount of damage sustained by them from the depredations of game. He (the Chairman) adverting to the incalculable amount of damage done to crops by game, made the following interesting remarks : My first experience in game damage to farmers' crops was when I was quite a young man. The late Mr. William Thorn, who farmed Mains of Drumtochty and Drumelzie, on the Drumtochty property, asked me to assess damages on a turnip field ou the latter farm, and at that time I found the damage to be nearly £3 per acre, when, be it observed, turnips were not of the same value as they are now, as about that time the best crops of this now valuable root would not have let at more fomthau £5 to £7 per Scotch acre. I scarcely think Mr. Thorn got any compensation for that year ; but I understood that it was the means of him getting an arrangement with his pro- prietor to get the damage assessed every year by a competent person and he would be paid the loss, for in those days leases were not so strictly drawn with regard to game as most of them are ncw-a-days, otherwise the concession above alluded to would not have been gone into ; and I believe that cases of this kind had aroused the indignation of the lords of the soil against their non-submissive tenants to the old yoke of feudal serfdom, and were the means of the now very stringent game clauses being inserted iu the modern leases. Since my first start as a valuator at Drumtochty I have had considerable ex- perience in valuing crops between outgoing and entering ten- ants. I have deducted in several cases as much as from 10s. to upwards of £2 per acre for the deficiency on account of game damage. I have also been mutually employed between landlord and tenant to assess the game damage ; but in cases of this kind the landlord lionourably paidtlie tenant the full amount. In one case in this county I was asked by a young licensed valuator who was employed by a suffering tenant to value the game damages on his farm, to go along with him, and to my astonishment I found 22 acres of oats and about 16 acres of grass completely eaten by rabbits, besides the other grain crops Ijeiug roaded by hares, reminding one of the rails at a junction of a large railway. This farm, I see, is advertised to let, although the present tenant's lease is not yet half run. The advertisement for this farm says " tlie highest offer may not be accepted." I think this announcement wise ou the part of the proprietor, because if any rent is offered at all it could not be paid but out of the tenant's capital ; and it is to be hoped that it is this consideration which has induced the proprietor to warn tenants against filling his coffers with their former hard- earned savings. Mr. Taylok, (Cuslinie) said he once stood on the banks of the North Esk, and saw Lord Dalliousie, with eighty men in line, coming through the turnip fields chasing the game. They were just like an invasion of I'renchmen. He ventured to say that all the poachers in the county would not do so much damage as they did. The question they had met to consider was not merely of local but of imperial interest. He had a letter from a tenant whose loss in 1867, as estimated by practical farmers, was £350, and that only in fields adjoining the moors. The same gentleman estimated his loss for the first ten years at £300, and his rental was about £1,000. When he sent in a claim against the proprietor, he recieved back a letter threatening to prosecute him for miscropping. He (Mr. Taylor) saw a farmer who told him that day that last winter he saw a herd of 82 deer, of which 00 were quietly browsing on a t^urnip field. A neighbour of his turned off 25 deer from a field on Sunday night. He had seen another farmer yesterday who estimated his loss at £50 for the last ten years, while his rental was £190. On any field on that farm to which he referred from two to three hundred rabbits might at any time be seen. Mr. Taylor then referred to the protective clauses which several landlords inserted in their leases, re- serving the right of shooting and hunting game. He men- tioned among others the Arbuthnot leases, which reserved to the proprietor alone and to his friends, by written permission, the sole right of shooting or hunting game, and of passing and repassing through the farms for sport at their pleasure, the tenants to have no claim whatever. The Fasque clause, he said, runs as follows : " Likewise reserving to the proprietors and his foresaids, and others having his authority, power to shoot and hunt the game, including rabbits, and to destroy vermin at pleasure on the lands hereby let, notwithstanding any law being passed to the contrary, declaring that the tenant shall have any claim on the proprietors for any damage the crops may sustain from game and rabbits, the same having been taken into account on entering into the lease." The Barras Farms, which belong to the trustees of Donaldson's Hospital, Edinburgh, contained the following clause in the lease : " Like- wise reserving to the proprietors the whole game upon the said lands, and the sole right to hunt and kill the game, and to authorise others to do so, but so as not to injure the fences or crops ; the tenant being bound to preserve the game, and to warn off persons hunting or shooting on the farm without written permission, and to give information so as they may be prosecuted at tlie proprietors' expense in the the tenants' name, either separately or jointly with the proprietors." Such a lease as that, he contended, was absolutely degrading, and, besides, it was beyond the province of any trustees to insert such a clause. Mr. Alexander had made certain statements about Mr. Thorn, on the estate of Drumtochty, which he could corroborate. In the first year he lost £99, and in the early years of his lease, when the rent of the farm was £400, he lost by game £220. On the larm of Kuowegreens the rent was £14, and the estimated yearly damage, which was caused principally by hares and rabbits, was £40. Mr. BuiiNESS (Redford) said that wood pigeons were on some farms even a greater destruction than hares and rabbits. Mr. DuRiE ; It all results from game preserving. Mr. Carnegie (Newton) drew tTie attention of the meeting to the fact that, while they had been called to consider the in- juries done by game, none of the farmers who were the real sufferers were present. The Earl of Kiutore, on whose estate the most of the farms of the gentlemen present lay, was a most just and honourable landlord ; and in regard to the vexed question of game, dealt so liberally by them that they had no call — speaking for themselves, at least— to say anything ou the subject. Mr. Taylor said that those who did suffer were afraid to speak out, as it would tell very severely against them. The question was not confined to those who were present merely, but was of national importance. Mr. Largie (Mains of Haulkerton) proposed that Mr. Taylor, who had been most unwearied iu his researches and investigations into the subject, should be appointed as a repre- sentative to give evidence before the Select Committee of the House of Commons. Mr. Aiken (Kirkhill) seconded the nomination, but Mr. Taylor, on the ground of inconvenience, declined. The Chairman was afterwards proposed, and also refused for the same reason. At the suggestion of the Chairman, a committee was named, consisting of Messrs. Taylor, Durie, Largie, and himself ex officio, to draw up a report ou the subject, embodying all the particulars they might be able to glean, and to forward the same to the Chamber of Agriculture. 58 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. LOCAL TAXATION NOT A FARMERS' QUESTION. At a meeting held at Guildford last month a Chamber of Agriculture was established for the county of Surrey ; and the proceedings here possess something more than a merely local interest, as they point clearly enough to the chief use to which such Societies should be turned. Thus, Mr. Baker, who appeared to be the motive power of the occasion, and who proposed the first resolution, after referring almost incidentally, "amongst other sub- jects," to the tenure of land and the education of far- mers' sons, said " ahove all others" which they should discuss was "the great question of local taxation." This was palpably in Mr. Baker's opinion the main business of a Chamber of Agriculture. The Honourable Francis Scott, who moved the next resolution, delivered himself in so many words of a local taxation address : " It had been shown that the burdens which the landed interest bore were borne for the whole of the community" — " a question of such pressing importance deserved the immediate attention of the Chamber of Agriculture" — " the high rating of houses forced people to inhabit worse dwellings" — and so on. Lord Onslow thought local taxation was " well worthy their attention" ; aud Mr. Andrews, from Somersetshire, refen-ed at some length to local taxation, and " besought the members of the Surrey Chamber to work in unity for the protection of the agriculturists ;" or, in other words, to busy themselves over this matter of local taxation. So far it really looks as if the Surrey Chamber of Agriculture might more appropriately have been called the Surrey Local Taxation Society, so strongly does the tide of its discourse set in in this particular direction. As something of a commentary, however, on any such projected course of action, it does so happen that just about the same time there occurred the quarterly meeting of the longer-established Devon- shire Chamber of Agriculture, where of course the sub- ject of local taxation is familiar enough. Aud at this meeting Mr. George Turner moved : " That the thanks of this Chamber be given to Sir Massey Lopes for the great services he has rendered to the ratepayers of this county, and more especially by his able advocacy of their interests in the House of Commons on the 16th of April last, when the great majority of the members present affirmed the principle that it is unjust to impose taxation for national purposes on one kind of property only." The motion was seconded by Mr. Hamlyn, but opposed by Mr. Wippell and Mr. Fulford as not coming within the province of the Chamber, while Lord Fortescue, the chairman, was in favour of its being put and passed. Whereupon Mr, Wippell said : " Mr. Turner farmed his own land, and Earl Fortescue was a great landowner ; so that he could perfectly undei'stand Sir Massey Lopes' proposal being a great relief to them. But as a tenant- farmer, and standing there as the representative of the tenant, he was bound to give a very different opinion. He believed if Sir Massey Lopes' proposal were carried, it would relieve the landowners at the expense of the tenant-farmers, inasmuch as if the rates were taken out of imperial taxation, it would be taken out of the tenant's pockets instead of the landlords. He certainly could not very readily move a vote of thanks to Sir Thomas Acland for his amendment ; for even he proposed to take half of the additional burdens from the tenants, whereas the landlords ought to bear the whole." Now is there any gain- saying this remarkably straightforward expression of opin- ion ? Is local taxation really much of an occupier's question whether of house or lands ? At Guildford the Honour- able Francis Scott spoke very properly to the burdens borne by " the landed interest," which of course implies the landowner's and not the occupier's, whose interests here are essentially different. All or any of these bur- dens in the way of rates and taxes must when removed have the inevitable tendency to make land and house property more valuable. So soon as the landlords get quit of the burdens so soon will they raise in proportion the rents. This is a maxim which we shall assume no- body can contradict. Mr. Andrews, who at Guildford spoke at length on local taxation, and urged the Surrey farmers to take the matter up, stated distinctly before a Committee of the House of Commons that if £180 were taken off his lands in the way of taxes he should raise his rents to precisely the extent of the relief afforded. What then becomes of Mr. Francis Scott's argument about high rating compelling people to inhabit bad houses, when, as Mr. Andrews could have shown at the same meeting, if the rates decrease the rents increase. It is the fashion to say that the landlords and tenants pay the rates between them, whereas they do nothing of the kind. At the outset of an agreement the landlord pays every shilling of rates and taxes, which are duly considered and set-off in the rent. But for a single word out of place we certainly cannot see why the Devonshire Chamber should have hesitated to pass Mr. Turner's resolution. If the vote of thanks had referred to the great services which Sir Massey Lopes had rendered to the landlords of the county, of course there could have been nothing to protest against, but calling on the ratepayers to do this is quite another thing. The ratepayers, the tenant-farmers more especially, have the slightest possible interest in the re-adjustment of local taxation, by which they may expect to lose quite as much as they can gain. For many months past there has been no topic so con- tinually discussed in a one-sided way as this matter of local taxation, and yet the points we have referred to are continually shirked. Mr. Baker, at Guildford, protested " against local taxation being raised from real property, and that the monied and commercial wealth of the nation should escape." The yeoman, as a race, has died out. Farmers now, as a rule, but very exceptionally hold land of their own ; and thus, under a thorough re-adjustment of local taxation, they will have to pay more rent and fresh taxes on what Mi-. Baker calls " the monied wealth " which they may have been enabled to put by. Here the farmers would lose more than they gain. As we have demonstrated over and over again, but as nobody cared to show at Guildford, the tenants' main case and chief complaint must be against the imposition of new rates during his term, of which he has, under the present circumstances, very unfairly to bear the whole brunt. We have ventured to suggest the system of half- rating, a proposal which the great authorities of the Central Chamber of Agriculture scout, although they take good care never to answer, or enter on the argu- ment. And, no doubt, Mr. Wippell's plan is the more simple, when he maintains that the " landlords ought to bear the whole of the additional burdens." The farmers of England are on a wrong scent. They are " lifted" from their own game, such as Tcnant-Right, the Malt-tax, and the hares and rabbits, and capped on to a red herring which has been drawn across their line, and DO question brought them to cold hunting and pre- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 59 vented them running into their own fox. Of this we have tolerably strong evidence in the report of the open- ing day of the Surrey Chamber of Agriculture, where everything was made subsidiary to local taxation as a tenant farmers' question, under the shallow guise of a community of interests between the two classes ! THE SURREY CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. The first meeting of the members of the proposed County Chamber of Agriculture was lield at the Town Hall, Guild- ford, The Mayor, Mr. Hoffgaard Shoobridge, in the chair. Mr. W. Baker said it appeared that a few words written by hira to tiie county newspapers had called forth that amount of energy which Mr. J. Lane Hewett had since displayed iu getting sucii a large number of gentlemen to enrol themselves as members of the proposed Chamber. It was true be bad come amongst them a comparative stranger ; but be felt bound to confess that having been an active member of a Somerset Chamber of Agriculture, be was surprised to find that Surrey was without such an institution. When discussing this sub- ject now and then with farmers of his acquaintance, be had been met with two very general objections. Many gentlemen had told him Surrey was not an agricultural county at all ; others that it would be a great difficulty to get gentlemen to work together harmoniously in a matter of this kind. But as he looked around that room he thought be saw the elements of a strong and powerful association — influence and talent, and if tliose concomitants of success were only brought to bear upon their Chamber, he (Mr. Baker) predicted that their Chamber of Agriculture would be second to none in the country. Why should people say Surrey was not an agricul- tural county ? Could they not produce some of the finest wheat the British Isles produced? and of beef and mutton the same might be said. Another fact iu favour of combina- tion was that the farmers of Surrey were a representative body ; they came from all parts of the kingdom. He could not say what attracted them, whether it was the beautiful scenery, or the kindness of the soil, though as to the latter, it was not rich. At the same time they had a large number of landowners dwelling in their midst — and it was only by the representation of both interests that they could hope to suc- ceed. There must be mutual concession and forbearance. They were met to form a county Chamber of Agriculture with this object in view, and to connect themselves with the Central Association in London. Although this might seem something like an innovation so far as Surrey was concerned, be might tell them that there were 96 Chambers connected with the Central body in the Metropolis. Abroad all kinds of arbitrary movements were set on foot ; but they wanted nothing of the sort in England, but if possible to establish a representative organization which should have some weight iu agricultural questions as they arose from time to time. If they asked him of what use an Agricultural Chamber would be, he should tell them that the answer to that question de- pended upon themselves, upon the amount of talent and in- fluence brought to bear upon the work of that Chamber. There were no doubt many questions to which they might direct their attention. One of them was the defence of their home cattle. When the rinderpest visited them was it not a fact that the remedy which brought about its extinction emanated from a meeting of farmers in Aberdeen ? Might not a Surrey chamber in a future calamity propound a solu- tion of that description as well as the canny Scot ? If their Chamber and others had existed more extensively when that scourge was amongst their flocks there could be no doubt that the Government wonld have been induced to have in- serted a compensation clause in their bill which should have recouped the cattle owner for any losses he might have suffered. He adduced the value of agricultural societies' and their exhibitions as evidence of the advantage which must arise from associations of the landed and agricultural in- terests. Amongst other subjects which they might discuss were the tenure of land, the education of farmers' sous: be advo- cated a technical course of instruction which should fit them to grapple with agriculture as a science. Then, above all others, there was the great question of local taxation staring them in the face. Local taxation was levied under the name of poor's rates, but how it was misapplied no one could tell. He protested against local taxation being raised from real property, and that the monied and commercial wealth of the nation should escape. The question of reform in this matter was not a question of town against country, nor did it call for any abstruse theories or well defined arguments to prove its in- justice. Another addition to this heavy burden was looming in the distance in the shape of a Public Health Bill. Let them enter seriously into its details, and resist the unfair ad- vantage taken of them, and ask the whole nation to contribute to what were legitimate national burdens and charges. He moved the first resolution : " Tliat we now form an association, to be called the Surrey Chamber of Agriculture, and that its members shall consist of landowners, tenant-farmers, and others." Mr. John Ellis seconded the resolution. He quite agreed with Mr. Baker as to the importance of establishing such a chamber iu Surrey, but he should not touch upon the subjects the proposer of the resolution had introduced, as be thought they might more appropriately come on for discussion seriaiim when the institution was in working order. Lord MiDLETON rose to speak, and was about to introduce the next resolution, with which he had been entrusted, when the mayor reminded his lordship that the former resolution had not been put to the meeting, and during the time which was spent in this process the noble lord was obliged to leave the assembly. Mr. T. Baker (Somerset) spoke in support of the first resolution, enlarging on the importance of co-operation be- tween landowners and tenants, and recommending unity of action between these all-powerful sections of the community. Mr. Henry Whitehead said he was not an agriculturist, nor had he lived long in the immediate neighbourhood, but he rejoiced to see that such an institution as they were met together to promote bad taken root, and was likely to be pro- sperous. He would give them his reasons why he thought it was more necessary, perhaps, in Surrey, than in any other county lie knew of to have a chamber of agriculture. But before giving them his reasons for thus thinking, he would take a survey of the general position of the landed interests of the country. Iu England there were 78 millions of acies of laud, and out of these only 48 milhon acres were under cultivation, leaviug 30 millions entirely unproductive. These uncultivated acres certainly included roads and canals and things of that sort, but still there were not less than ten millions of acres capable of being rendered productive. Why were they not brought into cultivation? It was a question which concerned Surrey, because such a large portion of the county is absolutely waste. The man whom he succeeded in the house he occu- pied at Godalming bad told him that a pedestrian might go from Woking to Salisbury upon heather, and no doubt this was true at the present moment. Why was this ? Because the largest proportion of land in England was entailed. And what was the meaning of that P Mr. William Baker : I think the question before us is the formation of this chamber, and all this talking is out of order. Mr. Whitehead -. I am giving reasons why I think such an institution should be supported. If I am out of order I will sit down in a moment. The Mayor : I think we have notliiug to do with the ques- tion you have been discussing. Mr. Whitehead : I was endeavouring to show — The Mayor : Yes, and if you become a member of the Chamber we shall be most happy to hear your views another day. They are scarcely relevant now. The resolution was carried. The Hon, Tbancis Scott, moved the nest resolution, "That 60 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. local taxation, both ou account of its incidence and continual increase, has become a question of such pressing importance as to deserve tlie immediate attention of this Chamber of Agricul- ture." They had met for one common object, and lie did not think they should separate themselves intosmall factions bycon- sidering tlie question of land tenure, the position of landlord and tenant, the interests of town and country, or to place any class in antagonism to each other. It was only by common union that they could seek to produce that whicli it was their earnest desire to produce, namely, that they should obtain (lie referred to the resolution before liim) that legislation which avoided anything like a class character for that complaint which they had to make in regard to local taxation, which both on account of its incidence and continual increase had become a question of such pressing importance as to deserve the immediate attention of that Chamber of Agriculture. The reason why it deserved their attention was that it had been brought before the country for the last quarter of a cen- tury, and that nevertheless the legislature had not yielded to tlie importunity of those who had urged the change of tlie law in regard to it. The importance of the matter had been urged from different quarters. It had been shown that tlie burdens whicli the landed interests bore were borne for tlie whole of the community by a little more than one-sixth of the property of the country. It had been alleged — and it had been alluded to by Mr. Baker in his able introductory speech — that the poor's-rate ought to be borne by the land. Why, he asked, should the land exclusivelj bear that which was a national calamity ? If poverty was dilfused throughout the length and breadth of the country, why should one class of property bear all the burden ? lie was not going into the history of this subject. He was not going to dwell upou the fact that 300 years ago, when the maintenance of the poor was thrown upon the land, real property was then the whole wealth of the na- tion. But it might be interesting to note in the present day what the value of real property was, compared with other in- terests. It had been calculated that it was only between one- sixth and one-seventh of the country's wealth. And what had been the increase in real property compared with other pro- perty ? Most able statisticians had ascertained that during the last 50 years, whilst the increase in the value of real pro- perty had been 30 per cent., that in other property besides real had been 212 per cent. That showed that during the last half century the wealth of the general community had increased six fold in comparison with that of those who bore the burden. If it were only the raaintengnce of the poor he questioned whether they would have raised any serious complaint against this burden, but when they considered that two-thirds of that which was called the poor's-rate and one-third separated from other than national purposes, then he thought they had cause to complain. If they saw there vi'as any likelihood of the matter ending even here, they miglit be disposed to rest quiet. But they found that tlie great question which properly enough agitated the whole community, that of education, was to be imposed as a burden upon the real landed interests. Nor did they stop there. The Public Health Bill was upon them. They were all ahke interested in the welfare of the community, and in the health of the lower orders, but why, therefore, should all the burden be thrown upon real property ? He maintained that the very circumstance that the whole cost was borne by the land was one great cause which interfered witli the health of the people. The high rating of houses forced people to inhabit worse dwellings, and arrested progress and improvements in buildings. It obliged the poor to live in low alleys, where they had foul food, foul drink, and foul inter- course. What could one expect to merge from this but crime? Another fruitful source of expenditure on local taxation. If any property was less liable to be stolen than another, it was houses and land. But the landed property was burdened whilst the commercial and manufacturing interests were in a great degree exempt. He cited the Lancashire cotton famine as an instance of what the land had to do for the manufactur- ing classes. If it were true then that one portion of the pro- perty of this country bore the whole of these burdens, they had a fair claim to ask that the Government and Legislature should alter the incidence of local taxation. He was led to these remarks, and to speak with more energy from observing that in the Local Government Board there was an evident in- tention to inflict further charges upon the landed interests. Perhaps they were not cognisant of the fact that the Local Government Board was nothing more nor less than a board for suppressing local p;overnment in its truest sense, and substitut- ing central government in its stead. He would quote a few words from a recent report issued by them : " The great diffi- culty is," so tlie report ran, " in thinly and widely inhabited rural parishes, where impatience of rates and ignorance of sanitary principles concur in their extreme form." What did that show ? That they (the landowners and farmers) were thoroughly ignorant and impatient. That was, he supposed, that they were impatient at being obliged to pay when they did not know what they were paying for. He would continue the quotation : " As the work to be done is costly, and will largely increase the rates, it is sure to meet with strenuous local resistance from those who have the pressure of rates." He hoped they would strenuously resist these burdens. That was their object in forming a Chamber of Agriculture. He could only liken the present position of the owners and occu- piers of real property to a horse which had been enticed by a feed of corn — the other interests did contribute about one-fifth to local taxation — to have the halter put around its neck, and he cautioned them to be careful how they allowed the Loudon veterinary to put the twitch upon their noses, and to fire them and bleed them as he choosed. Lord Onslow, in seconding the motion, said he came there as a listener rather than as a speaker. He thought there could be no doubt that this Chamber would succeed. Local taxation was a great anomaly, well worthy their attention, and one which he hoped they would endeavour to remove. His lord- ship promised them every support in his power. Mr. WiiiTEiiEAB here began to re-address the meeting, calling attention to what was originally the law of poor's rates, namely, that everyone should contribute according to his means, when the Mayor asked him to allow him to put the resolution. Mr. Whitehead continued in spite of the chairman's inti- mation. Mr. J. L. Hewett then called him to order. Mr. Whitehead said he objected to being snubbed in any such way. The Mayor reminded him that they had no wish to do any- thing of the sort, only the business of the meeting was heavy. Mr. Jxo. Ellis took Mr. Whitehead's part. He knew him as a retired London solicitor, and considered his remarks as pertinent to the question at issue as any that had been made. But at the same time he thought brevity should be observed. Mr. Whitehead then went on to show that the old rule that everyone should contnbute to the relief of the poor ac- cording to his means had been abrogated altogether. Mr. Andrews, the deputation from the Somersetshire Chamber, made some remarks as to the importance of these institutions in influencing county members of Parliament, be referred at some length to the local taxation question, and be- sought the members of the Surrey Chamber to work in unity for the protection of the agricultural interests. The motion was carried. The third resolution was. That the business of this Chamber shall be conducted by an executive Committee ; the fourth, That G. Cubitt, Esq., M.P., be the President of this Associa- tion for the ensuing year ; that Viscount Midleton and Cap- tain Ilamsden be the Vice-Presidents; and that Mr. Wm. Baker be the Delegate from this Society to the Central Cham- ber of Agriculture in Loudon. Mr. CuiUTT was glad the suburban element of the county had thus been stirred, and if for one reason more than another it was because it would enable him to ascertain the wishes of his constituents the more correctly on any measure that might be brought before Parliament. He knew that Mr. Lee Steere would also value an institution of this kind, and watch as he should their interesting discussions, which he felt certain the motion of Sir Massey Lopes would not make lighter. THE FARMBB/S MAGAZINE. 61 ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND, At tlie Jaue Couucil meeting, Sir George F. Ilodson, Bart., iu the chair, a letter was received from the Secretary of the Anti-adulteration Society, requesting the co-operation of the Council in carrying out the objects for which it was esta- blished. Mr. CusT said a few weeks ago he brought the subject of the adulteration of Peruvian guano under the notice of the Council The matter was perfectly well known to the membeis, but it was not equally well known to the tenant- farmers. His object, which he had embodied in a resolution, was that it should be more generally known. Some time previously a sub-committee was appointed by the Couucil to report on the subject, but, unfortunately, the attendance of the members was extremely meagre, and nothing had been done. Since then he had purchased Peruvian guano, which he had analysed, through the Secretary, by the Society's chemist, who reported that it was, as a fertiliser, three quarters less in value than what had been offered for sale in previous years. Mr. Eagot asked what was the araouut of ammonia which it contained ? Mr. CusT replied that he was unable to state. Instead of 10 per cent., it only contained about i per cent, of ammonia. Under those circumstances he moved that " the Council do forward to the various local Societies a sliort abstract of the recent report of their chemist, bearing on . the quality of the Peruvian guano now imported into this country, with a re- quest that they will publish it in the local papers for the in- formation of the farmers of Ireland." Although he had not given notice of his intention to propose that resolution, he thought it of sufficient importance to warrant the Council t. make the report more public, by condensing it into a small form. Lord Talbot de Malaiiide said he wislied to say a few words on the subject, as he was connected with the Anti- adulteration Society, in which he took a deep interest. He was iu no wise opposed to Mr. Cust's motion ; and the only question was, whether there might not be some addition made to it. The Society to which lie referred was, he thought, deserving of the encouragement and support of the agricul- turists of this country. It had the same object in view that Mr. Cust's motion had, with this further advantage, that it had already taken practical steps in checking the sale of adul- terated manures. Although in its infancy, it had already eifected much good. In one district in the West of Ireland it had stepped in and assisted in prosecuting the vendors of manure imported from Liverpool. In the case to which he referred the parties had been brought before a legal tribunal and heavily fined, so that it was not likely they would do a similar act again. In every instance, where practicable, they had been instrumental in checking those frauds, and, there- fore, he believed the Society was deserving of general en- couragement. There was a universal expectation that the Society would be largely encouraged and assisted by the dealers and agriculturists of the country. For this reason, although they did not expect any pecuniary assistance from the Council, they were anxious their position should be acknowledged, and that some token of recognition should be given to it. He would propose a resolution, stating that the Council having received a communication from the lion. Secretary of the Anti- Adulteration Society, they highly approved of the Society, and that they hoped their operations would be generally recognised and appreciated. He desired to know if the terms of Mr. Cust's resolution referred to the adulterated state in which Peiuviau guano was sold in Ireland, or to the inferior quality of the guano imported from South America. Mr. CusT said that the object of his resolution was to awaken tenant-farmers to the fact that the quality of the guano now offered was inferior to what they obtained in former years. He maintained that it was the duty of the Council, having the machinery at hand, to have taken up the object sought to be attained by the Anti-Adulteration Society ; but not having done so, they should extend to it all the support they could. Mr. Bagot asked if the chemist had sent in his report of the analyses he had made during the past half year ? The Chairman replied in the negative. Mr. Bagot had a comrannicstion which had been received by the Committee, suggesting that as the contract with the Peruvian Government expired in August, the question should not be agitated at present. Lord Talbot de Malaiude explained that the Anti- Adulteration Society did not confine itself to Peruvian guano, but to all artificial manures. Mr. Cust did not see why the new contractors should not be lequired to sell an article according to a guaranteed analy- sis. Mr. Robertson, in seconding Mr. Cust's resolution, in- sisted that the present was the proper time for taking action in the matter. The proceedings of the Anti-Adulteration So- ciety had ventilated the question to some extent, but not so much as was to be desired. He knew, himself, that the Society had taken action in a case in which a large quantity of adul- terated manure had been sent to the county Wicklow, the effect of which was to prevent its being sold to the farmers of that county. An article was sold at £10 10s., wliich Dr. Cameron valued at about £6 a ton. The subject was one which should have been taken up by the Council, and not hav- ing done so, they should ventilate the matter, so that the par- ties should know what they were doing before they entered into a new contract with the Peruvian Government. Mr. Owen was personally aware that the Society had effected much good in the county of Wicklow, and he thought, from discussions which had taken place in that room, great benefit followed calling the Society into existence — a society which had conferred incalculable advantages on the tenant- farmers. Mr. Bagot was of opinion that if vendors sold by analysis, a higher price would be demanded for guano. He apprehended that it never would come to pass that Peruvian guano would be sold by analysis. The contract with the Peruvian Govern- ment was at present actually signed, and it was not likely that they would ever be able to induce the contractors to sell by analysis, inasmuch as they could not supply the demand for that article. Mr. Wade stated that no accusation whatever had been made against the Peruvian Government of adulterating thei r guano. All that was asked was, that the farmers should have a guaranteed analysis, so that they might know what they were buying. The resolution was then put from the chair, and adopted. The Secretary was directed to reply to the communication of the Anti-Adulteration Society, intimating the approval of the Couucil in its objects, and promising to co-operate in car- rying them out. The half-yearly meeting was held immediately after the business of the Council was disposed of; Lord Talbot De Malahide in the chair. Sir George Hodson, Bart., moved the adoption of the half-yearly report, as follows : In recording the transactions of the past half-year your Council have to state that the Society at present consists of 14 life members and 738 annual members, making a total of 753. At the council meeting in October last it was deter- mined to bold an exhibition of traction engines in connection with your Society. This exhibition accordingly took place on 17th January, 1872, and, at the same time, a trial of double- furrow ploughs was made upon the farm of Mr. Littleboy, neat Mayuooth, which was largely attended by the farmers of Kil- dare and the adjoining counties, and excited very great in- terest. The address to her Majesty tlie Queen and the Princess of Wales, unanimously adopted at the last lialf- yearly meeting, on the occasion of the restoration to health of his lloyal Highness the Prince of Wales, was forwarded by the proper officers, and was most graciously received. Your Society continues to offer prizes for the erection of farm- buildings and offices, for labourers' cottages, and for the per- raaneut repairs of tliose already existing, For the years 1870- 62 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 71, competition occurs in the counties of Londonderry, Meatli, Kerry, and Queen's County. Only one competitor has entered on this occasion for the prize for drainage. The subject of the inferior quality of the manures and feeding-stuffs at pre- sent in the market has recently attracted the notice of your council, and a Committee has been appointed to consider and report as to what remedy can be applied to this acknowledged evil. Your Council regret that the Society's members and those of the affiliated local Societies do not more largely avail themselves of the facilities for analysis through the instru- mentality of Dr. Apjohn. Every exertion to secure a success- ful meeting at [Belfast, in conjunction with the North-East Agricultural Association, is being made on the part of the local Committee, and a most eligible site, at a short distance from the town, has been selected for the purpose. The report from the Joint Committee of the Royal Dublin and Royal Agricul- tural Societies, as regards the application of the Government grant for instructionof flax inthe south and west of Ireland, has been issued, and as this grant will be in future discontinued, the Committee has been dissolved. Since the last meeting of Council, one of your members, who requests that his name may not be mentioned in connection with the subject, has liberally contributed a cup, value twenty sovereigns, as a prize to be offered at the coming Show at Belfast, for short-wooUed sheep, to be competed for under the same con- ditions as the Cork challenge cup. In accordance with the 9th rule ten members of your Council go out of office, but are eligible for re-election. There are at present two vacancies in the appointed number of members; one caused by the acceptance of the office of president by Lord Lurgan, the other by the demise of Mr. Denis Kirwan. A correct list of members whose subscriptions have been paid previously to the 1st April, 1872, has been prepared and forwarded to each member entitled to receive it. The following gentlemen are recommended as the finance committee for the current year : William Donnelly, C.B., Phineas Riall, Hon. C. J. Trench, H. H. Woods, Colonel Vesey, H. J. MacFarlane, J. M. Royse, and C. U. Towns- hend. Mr. Riall seconded the resolution, which was adopted unanimously. Scrutineers were then appointed to receive the voting papers of members for the election of twelve members of the Council, in the room of a like number who retired by rotation. ANTI-ADULTERATION SOCIETY. A meeting was held at the Ledwich School of Medicine, Peter-street, Dublin, Mr. William M'Kenzie in the chair. Alderman Purdon, hon. secretary, read the accompanying letter, which had been received from the Under Secretary, and which referred to the attempted sale of spurious guano : Dublin Castle, 10th May, 1872. Sir, — Referring to your letter of the 7th inst., relative to the sale of adulterated guano, and conveying the request of the Council of the Anti-Adulteration Society of Ireland that the matter should be brought under the consideration of Government, I am directed by the Lord Lieutenant to ac- quaint you, for the information of the Council, that your commuuicafion has been submitted to the law officers for Ireland, and they are of opinion that, as it does not appear that any person, criminally responsible in respect of the matters referred to, is within this jurisdiction, his Excellency ought not at present to interfere. If, however, a jurmrt facie case is made before the migistrates, and informations are returned for trial against any person amenable in Ireland, the Attorney-General will consider whether the prosecution ought not to be conducted by the crown. I am, sir, your obedient servant, J. H. BuRKE. To Edward Purdon, Esq, Alderman Purdon : This is a most important communica- tion, and ought to be published. Mr. J. Ball Greene : I really think so. It will show that the Government are determined to give us every assist- ance in checking fraud. The Chairman : It will act as a warning to manufacturers. Dr. Cameron reported : — Artificial Manures. — When analysing artificial manures chemists operate upon very small quantities, from 30 to 100 grains (less than \ oz.) only. The chemist before he weighs out tlie portion which he intends to analyse thoroughly rubs up in the mortar the sample which has been submitted to him, so that the few grains which he actually examines may accurately represent the quality of the whole sample. When, therefore, we are about to have a manure analysed, here is the way we should set about it : Take samples of about half-a-pound weight each from two or three places in each sack of the guano or superphosphate of lime, or whatever be the manure. Break down the lumps (if any be present) with the back of a spade, or other implement, and mix aU the portions together as thoroughly as possible. Next take somewhat less than a quarter of a pound, and wrap it carefully in lead paper or tinfoil, but not in ordinary paper ; for the latter, in the case of superphosphates, would absorb some of the soluble portion of the manure. The lead paper is then to be enclosed in a piece of ordinary paper or little canvas bag, and sent through the parcel post for 2d. When artificial manure is purchased, a portion of it should be at once enclosed in a bottle, sealed and corked up. Long after a quantity of manure has been purchased and used, circumstances may arise which might render an analysis of the article very desirable, and, perhaps, necessary. It is therefore necessary to be able to prove that the sample preserved had not been tampered with until de- livered to the chemist. Analysis of Soils. — The following is the method of col- lecting samples of soils : Take a cubic foot of the soil and subsoil and place it just as it is removed from the ground, in solid block, into a box. Limestones and Ores. — Send a solid piece, weighing 4 oz., through the post, 2d. postage. The specimens are best collected during moderately dry weather. Water Analysis. — A satisfactory analysis of water cannot, as a general rule, be made with a less quantity than one im- perial gallon. Brewers often require very elaborate examina- tions of water, and they should send two gallons to the chemist. The water must be placed in a thoroughly clean vessel. A new jar answers pretty well, but still better are half-gallon bottles • for their freedom from dirt can be seen, which is not the case with a jar. Rinse the vessel repeatedly with the kind of water with which it is to be filled, bung it up with a new cork, and cover the latter with wax. Spring or pump water should be rapidly introduced into the vessel, and expeditiously corked up, otherwise, but in certain cases only, certain kinds of gaseous matter may escape from the water before the chemist has had an opportunity of observing them. The great point in sending water for analysis is to be sure that the vessel is perfectly clean : one grain loeiyht of dirt distributed over the whole inner surface of the jar would very materially vitiate the results of the analysis. If the " hardness" of the water be the only point requiring determi- nation, one pint will be a sufficient quantity. Analysis of the Vicera of Animals. — In cases where it is desirable to ascertain whether or not animals have been poisoned, tlie following precautions should be observed : The carcases of dogs may be sent untouched. In the case of larger animals the whole of the vicera, except the lungs. Where it is necessary to make the parcel as small as possible, the most important organ to end is the stomach, next the liver, third the lieart, lastly the lower vicera, including the kidneys. If medicines or antidotes have been given to the animals, state fully their nature. It is well also to mention the symptoms (if observed) which the animals exhibited before and imme- diately after death. This kind of information often enables the chemist to shorten his labours by looking at once for some particular poison. For example, if the animal suddenly had violent spasm, and remained extremely rigid after death, the poison, if any, would in all probability have been strichnine. If a portion of the food last used by the animal be obtainable, it is well to send it to the analyst. Oilcakes and similar Feeding Stuffs. — Select a piece weighing about three ounces, from the centre of the cake, wrap it in a paper (leaving the ends open), and send it through the post-office. Seeds. — Two ounces enclosed in a bag, sent through the post-office. Milk. — Enclose two ounces in a bottle, place the latter in a wooden box or cork case, and send it through the post-office. Bread. — One pound is required for determination of alum, &c. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 63 Spirits, Wine, &c. — Half-a-piut is required, aud it must be sent by rail or coach. The Council, having disposed of some routine business, ad- journed. FLAX SUPPLY ASSOCIATION. At the bi-monthly meeting, Mr. Pliilip Johnston in the chair, the Seretary read the following report : — In former years query slips were issued during tlie month of May for the pur- pose of obtaiuing the requisite information to enable a report to be placed before the public of the condition of the grovviug flax, and the probable extent of land appropriated to the culture of this important crop. Owing to the sowing being delayed, caused by wet weather, to an uusually late period, the query slips have not yet been sent out ; but when it is considered that the crop has all been sown, aud that a reliable report can be obtained, the usual slips shall be forwarded to correspondents in the several districts, and a report published for the information of the trade ; meantime it may be mentioned that in many districts the brairds of early-sown flax look most promising, but the want of growth caused by the extreme coldness of the weather is com- plained of. This is the substance of reports from correspond- euts in several localities in Ulster, Leinster, aud Munster ; but owing to the peculiar character of the season, as was be- fore observed, a detailed account cannot be given until the crop has made more progress. Numerous applications have been received this year for flax-seed, and a very considerable quantity has been selected with much care and forwarded to flax growers in Munster, Leinster, aud Connaught. Applica- tions have also come from Ulster, which have received prompt attention. An Ulster farmer remarked that the seed sent to him was the best tliat had been seen for years in the district in which he lived. The accounts of the flax crop in Belgium and Holland are most favourable. A correspondent at Courtrai says : ' I never saw such a general happy result in one year's sowing.' Another correspondent writes : ' At pre- sent the appearance of our growing crop all around tliis dis- trict is everything that could be desired.' A correspondent in Rotterdam states: 'The brairds I have seen look splendid. A letter has been received from the secretary of the Chamber of Manufactures at Adelaide, South Australia, stating that the interest in the development of the flax industry was unabated, and expressing every confidence that, when the ne- cessary machinery was erected, the culture was likely to be firmly established, but promises to write more in detail in re- ply to letters received from this Association which had been recovered from the wreck of the ' Racoon,' alluded to in a former report. Another correspondent in South Australia asks for information regarding the process of oil-crushing. This has been obtained, together with drawings and estimates of the necessary machinery, whicli shall be forwarded by next Australian mail," THE HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND. At the June meeting of the directors, Mr. Binnie in the chair, letters were submitted from the Secretary to the Austro-Hungarian Embassy and from the Board of Trade, sending additional copies in French of the programme of an exhibition of dairy produce to be held at Vienna in December next, together with additional copies of the forms of appli- cation to be used by intending exhibitors. Forms to be had on application to Mr. F. N. Menzies, 3, George IV. Bridge. The Secretary reported that, according to previous arrangement, the Right Hon. W. E. Forster, Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education, had, in the un- avoidable absence of the Lord President, received a deputation of members of the Society at the Privy Council Office, on Tuesday the 4th iust., on the subject of the transit of cattle by sea and railway. The deputation was introduced by the Marquis of Tweeddale, who called upon the secretary to read the foUovcing statement on behalf of the Society : The very serious increase of disease among cattle in Scotland has induced the Highland and Agricultural Society to consider what have been the direct causes of this calamity, and they have come to the conclusion that disease has been greatly promoted by the exposure, starvation, and ill-treatment which animals meet ■with in transit by sea and railway. A committee of the Society has been engaged in making inquiries on this subject since March 1867, but as it was understood that the matter was to be brought before Parliament, the Society has not considered it necessary to wait on the Privy Council earlier ; but they now beg to call the attention of your lordships to the preval- ence of disease in many parts of Scotland, and to make a few .suggestions with reference to the transit of cattle, which they hope, if adopted, may have the effect of checking disease. It is well known that during the restrictions on cattle trafiic whilst the rinderpest was raging, pleuro-pneumonia and foot- and-mouth disease ceased to exist in the kingdom, and this fact goes far to prove that the bad system adopted in the transit of animals is the cause of these diseases being so pre- valent. It is presumed not to be necessary to advert to the enormous quantities of cattle and sheep which are now trans- mitted by sea and railway, and to the risks which the animals incur when put into steamboats and trucks commonly used for their reception. A very large proportion of tiie cattle before being sent away have been kept in comfortable byres, sheds, and courts, where they are sheltered from extremes either of heat or cold, have constant supplies of food and water, and stand or lie down on soft straw or other bedding, A sudden transition to a steamship or railway truck, and to remain in it for a length of time, cannot fail to be most injurious by the sudden exposure to a difi"erent temperature, by being deprived of food and water, being prevented lyiog down, being made to stand on hard boards to which they are not accustomed, and by being violently knocked about by the roUing of the ships, and in the shunting of the trucks on railways. These causes of injury affect not only fat stock going to market, but store stock, and lessen the value of both kinds most materially. It is also well known that when animals are weakened by starva- tion, or by rough treatment, they are more susceptible of dis- ease, so that when they come into any neighbourhood where an epidemic prevails they are less able to resist its influence. The Privy Council, it is understood, fully allow the correctness of these statements, and have passed some excellent regulations with the view of ensuring greater comfort to the cattle, when conveyed by sea, or travelling in railway trucks. One of these regulations, enacted in May 1870 (No. 300), is that railway companies shall have the cattle trucks fitted up with spring buffers, and means of supplying water to animals. But the Society regret to say that the regulation referred to is not attended to by all the railway companies, and though the local authorities in burghs and counties have power to .enforce the orders issued by the Privy Council, they fear that this power is seldom acted on. It is therefore suggested : — 1. That a circular be sent by the Privy Council to all local authorities, informing them of the powers they possess, and drawing their attention to the necessity of their taking the proper means to see these orders carried out. 2. That in the shipping of cattle from Ireland they should be protected from the elements, and that water should be supplied at the ports of embarkation and debarkcation, as ordered by the Council on 12th May 1870 (No. 300). 3. That in addition to the spring buffers stated in order of Council (No. 300), the Society con- siders it is absolutely necessary to provide covered waggons closed at the ends, and 18 inches along the side from each end, to protect the animals, as well from the snow, rain, and wind in winter, as from the heat of the sun in summer. That many of the trucks are not pro- vided with cross battens on the floor to prevent the cattle from slipping ; and the Society would further strongly urge on the Privy Council to adopt a plan, to give the animals some soft substance to stand on, such as tan, sawdust, or straw ; for when taken out of the trucks many of them are found so " foot-sore" that they can scarcely travel to the market, or 64. THE FAKMER'S MAGAZINE. more distant locality to which they are consigned. 4. That though it is very important that animals receive water on being trncked and untrucked, and though the Society is aware that the Privy Council have done all in their power to have water supplied at aU stations where possible, still it is con- sidered absolutely necessary that animals which from the long distance they have to go, as from Inverness or Aberdeen to London, are likely to be in the trucks more than twelve hours, should be supplied with water; and if on the journey twenty- four hours, with both food and water, duiing transit. The Society believes that without much difficulty troughs could be fitted to the sides of the trucks, and filled by a hose. Tliese troughs must not be inside of the trucks, for then they would run the risk of being dirtied by the dung of the animals, and occupy too much space, but they may be fastened to the outside of the trucks, and be within reach of the cattle. The food could be supplied in racks at the sides of the trucks, and should consist of hay or grass, and be supplied by the railway companies, as these com- panies should be taken bound to supply water for all auiinals which have been more than twelve hours trucked ; so also they should be taken bound to keep the racks filled with hay for all animals to be twenty-four hours in the trucks. 5. That it is believed much could be done to prevent the exposure of the poor animals to cold and starvation were the Privy Council to insist on the railway companies accelerating the speed at which cattle trains travel, and compelling the companies to discontinue the practice of delaying these trains, aud, as is frequently done, shunting trucks of cattle into sidings, and leaving them there for hours. Mr. Porster, after thanking the Society for bringing these matters under the notice of the Council, stated that the Government were most anxious to do everything in their power for the comfortable transit of the animals, both for their own sake and tlte public, and that some of the suggestions urged by the Society should have his serious consideration. The Secretary read a letter from Mr. James Caird, C.B., one of the Enclosure Commissioners, sending a copy of a set of plans of labourer's cottages for the use of the Society, with specifications and a copy of a circular letter to their inspectors, explaining that their object in issuing these plans is as follows : The two sets of plans and specifications of agricultural la- bourers' cottages, embrace all the conditions required under the several Acts of Parliament administered by tliis office, to secure permanence of structure and convenience of arrange- ment, without ornament or unnecessary cost. Plans Nos. 1, 2, and 3 are designed principally for Scotland aud the Border counties, and provide either a living-room and three bed-rooms, or a living-room in which there may be a bed and two bed- rooms. The plans numbered 4, 5, 6, and 7 are more specially designed for England, but are also applicable to Scotland, and provide a living-room and three bed-rooms. Plan No. 8 in- cludes the requisite offices. Where groups of cottages in Eng- land are erected at the same time, it has been and is the practice of the Commissioners to allow one-third of the nu.m- ber to be made with a living-room aud two bed-rooms, if that should be desired. The Commissioners wisli it to be clearly understood that the adoption of tliese plans is in no way im- perative on landowners. Tliey are based on the experience which the operations of this office in all parts of the country has afforded, and have been prepared with a desire to facilitate the construction of improved cottages, and in consequence of repeated applications by parties interested. But the Commis- sioners will be at all times ready to consider any other plans which landowners may prefer, or any alterations which they may suggest or circumstances render necessary, and they do not object to ornamentation if its cost is not sought to be charKed on the estate. THE GAME-LAWS COMMITTEE. MR. MANN'S EVIDENCE. Mr. Fairman Joseph Mann, the defendant in the case of Hemsworth v. Mann, which was lately decided by the Master of the Rolls in favour of Mr. Maun, has been examined during the whole sitting, which extended from about 12 o'clock until a quarter past 4. Beyond the Chairman, there were present, Mr. Winterbotham, Sir G. Grey, Sir M. H. Beach, Mr. Dent, Sir J. Trelawney, Lord Elcho, Mr. Muntz, Mr. M'Lagau, Mr. Roland Winne, Mr. Sherlock, Mr. C. S. Read, .and Mr. Pell. In reply to Mr. Read the witness said : I live at Church Earm, Shropham, Thetford, my occupation having commenced in 18G2. I have a 21 years' lease, and my farm consists of 460 ivcres. I pay a rent of £605, that being an advance of 5s. an acre over the rent paid by the preceding tenant. When I took the farm the game was let to a Mr. Daniell. He only remained for about two years, and during that time I had no reason to complain of the amount of game. The Hall and shooting were then sublet to Mr. Budd, and there was a rapid increase of the game. lu 1868 the damage had become very excessive, and in one field, consisting of 04 acres of wheat, it was estimated at £150. The damage was proved in tlie Court of Chancery. The otiier tenants suffered as well as myself, particularly Mr. Laud, tlie damage on whose farm was valued in 1869 at £150. I complained very much indeed to the landlord, who was a receiver under the Court of Cliancery, and got his consent to put up a bank and some wire-fencing for ray pro- tection. I liave power under my lease to kill the rabbits. 'I'he damage to wliich I alluded is caused principally by rabbits and hares. I don't complain of the damage done by winged game. I did all 1 could to kill the rabbits by setting traps and snares, but did not succeed. It is impossible to kill rabbits when they lie in coverts. They lodge in the covert by day and come out at night to eat the crop. In this case the covert was about 40 acres iu extent. The traps were sprung aud the snares removed by the keeper. The keeper admitted in his affidavit that he removed the snares, The bank and the wire- fencing cost me about £50. A bill in Chancery was filed to compel me to pull them down. It was filed in the name of the receiver, Mr. Hemsworth, but Mr. Hemsworth refused to bring tlie action until Mr. Budd had indemnified him for the expenses. The relief prayed by the bill was under three heads — that I should not be allowed to violate a cove- nant in my lease, that my men should not be allowed to carry a gun, and tliat my dog should not be allowed to go about near the covert. [At the request of tlie Committee the witness then read the prayer of the bill, which has appeared in the 3Iarli Lane Express in full.] As regards the last point the complaint was that my shepherd in driving a flock of sheep had disturbed the young pheasants. The result of the suit in Chancery was that the bill was dismissed with costs ; but I have no doubt that 1 shall be a considerable amount out of pocket, though my lawyer is ray brother-in-law. If the suit had gone against lue, what with the costs and the depreda- tions of hares and rabbits, I might liave been ruined. Mr. Budd pays a rent of £200 a year for the Hall, a garden, a park of 52 acres, 5 cottages, and tlie shooting over 3,278 acres. In 1868 the damage which I received was about £100, and in 1869 it was as much as £150. Siuce I erected the bank with the wire fencing the damage has been much less. Mr. Land, the neighbouring tenant, may have suffered more iu consequence of that erection. In spite of my fencing I saw the other even- ing 7 hares that had jumped over ; such a structure cannot keep out rabbits, which get under the fencing. In consideration of the small rent which I have mentioned, the renter of the shoot- ing has power to ruin the substantial tenants of the estate. The landlord would have the same power, but as a rule landlords do not use their power to the same extent. A. stranger from Loudon cares nothing for the tenants. Mr. Budd is a London solicitor. He has hired other shooting, and the result was that there was constant litigation between the tenants and the trustees of the estate. The trustees brought an action against him for injury to the grass, and for the destruction of underwood through an undue preservation of rabbits. The matter was referred to arbitration, and the arbitrator gave damages THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 65 agaiust the clefcndaut. I am aware tliiit by the coraraou hiw of the huid a tenant has ariglitto all the game on the hmdwhich he occupies ; but he parts with it because he would uot other- wise be able to get the farm. Very few of tlie tenants in Norfolk have a right to kill rabbits. 1 am in a better posi- tion than niauy of my neighbours because I have that right, and also liave a lease ; but notwithstanding these advantages, I have sull'cred very severely. When I took the farm Mr. Daniell had a lease with 19 years to run, and I did not imagine that he would leave. I obtained two convictions before the magistrates against Mr. Budd's gamekeeper — one for an assault, and another for injuring my bank ; in addition to which, my shepherd was summoned for killing a leveret, and the ease was dismissed. I have been a good deal annoyed by Mr, Budd's men breaking down my fences and strolling about. They have left gates open and broken fences. 1 know one case in which a keeper has gone past a farmer's room every morning while he was breakfasting simply to annoy him. Mr. Dent : Are these general accusations against game- keepers ? Are they all bad men ? — I think they are generally men of bad character. Sir G. Grey : Are you speaking from your own experience or that of others ? — I am speaking from my own experience. But that experience is limited to the estate on which you live? — I think what I have said is true generally. But your own experience is limited to the keepers on that particular estate ? — Yes, principally. Mr. C. S. Read : When you say that keepers are gene- rally men of bad character, do you mean that there is some truth in the old saying that the best gamekeepers are reformed poachers ? — Yes, I think so. You thiuk there is some truth in that ? — Yes ; I think there is a good deal of truth in it. Do you believe that as a rule they try to deceive the land- lord ? — Yes. [The witness here gave some particulars in support of this view, especially relating to rabbits.] Examination by Mr. IIead continued : When a man is allowed to kill the game on the land he occupies landlords and farmars live in peace ; when the contrary is the case there is no peace whatever. It is not possible to farm against rabbits, not merely on account of what they eat but also on account of what they destroy. Artificial grass will not grow where rabbits abound. The damage caused by winged game is very small indeed. I like to see partridges and pheasants preserved. Do partridges in moderate quantity do the tenant more good than harm ? — They eat insects. I should be very sorry indeed if winged game ceased to be preserved. Do you think that is the feeling among the tenantry gene- rally in Norfolk ? — Yes. What do you think would be the effect of taking hares and rabbits out of the game list ? — I don't think that would do any good unless something else were done as well. The Chairman : What do you understand by the words " taking hares and rabbits out of the game list ?" — I understand that there would be greater liberty. Mr. Read : Greater liberty to those who had the right ? — Yes. In districts where they were not preserved they would be killed more generally. Examination by Mr. Read continued : Unless you had a right to kill rabbits in the plantations you could not destroy them. I think that in the county of Norfolk no arrangement would be of any use which did not include a joint and inalien- able right on the part of landlord and tenant to kill the rabbits and hares. That opinion has been expressed by the Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture. When the cattle plague prevailed, so far as I know landlords did not object to pay their share of the rates which were levied, even when the tenant had cove- nanted to pay any fresh rates. I do not think the present law of trespass is satisfact jry, and in my opinion if hares and rabbits were taken out of the game-list it ought to be made more stringent. I think the penalty ought to be heavier when dogs and snares are used than in cases in which people simply walk on the grass. I have heard of cases of double conviction at Swaffham. A man who has killed a hare after suffering three months' imprisonment has been subjected at the instance of the Excise authorities to a £iO penalty for sporting without a licence. Sir G. Grey : When was that ? — About two years ago. By Mr. Read : I think the tenants should have the first offer of the shooting. I know a ease in which a tenant offered to hire it and was refused. I myself offered Blr. Ilemsworth £100 a-year, and would liavs agreed to indemnify him against any complaint from the other tenants. I would have given £50 a-year for the shooting over my own farm. I know cases in which a great deal of damage has been caused by game to neighbouring estates. The estate was in that case let for about half its agricultural value. By the Chairman : I do not think any wire netting would suflice for catching rabbits. The wire netting which I used was firmly twisted with furze laid on the top of the bank, the netting leaning towards the grove. The netting did not stop tlie rabbits ; tliey burrowed under the bank. I did not try the effect of letting the wire six inches into the bank. Triends of mine had tried it, and they said it was of no use. I thiuk erecting a bank with wire fencing is the most effectual way of keeping out rabbits. Should you be satisfied if landlords were bound to put up such fences ? — I should be satisfied if it had the desired effect, but I would rather the thing was done away with. Wiiat you waut is to be rid of the depredations of rabbits? —Yes. Should you be satisfied if the person who owned the covert which harboured rabbits were bound to put up such a fence as you have described ? — Yes, that would satisfy me. But I understand you to contend that the farm tenant ought to have by law a concurrent right to kill ground game ? — Y^es. You would not have that extended to other game ? — No ; I should like to see that preserved. In what do you want the law to assist you ? — I think we should have hares and rabbits struck out of the game-list, and an inalienable right to kill hares and rabbits notwithstanding any agreement to the contrary. Examination by the Chairman continued : I think that strangers who come on the land to kill hares and rabbits should still be subject to a penalty, and that there should he a heavier punishment for going on the land in pursuit of hares and rabbits than for going upon it in pursuit of birds' nests or butterflies. The Chairman : Then in point of fact you would protect hares and rabbits by law ? — So far as strangers are concerned. Y'ou wish that hares and rabbits should be protected by law against strangers, but not against the farm tenant by law ? — Yes, that is what I mean. I should be very ssrry to see the game-laws abolished except as regards ground game. I understand you to say that in every case in which you have appealed to the law your rights have been upheld ? — Yes, but other tenants might not be so fortunate. Your lease gave you the riglit to kill the rabbits, and the law has supported you in that right ? — Yes. So far you were satisfied ? — It has cost me a great deal of money. Do you think that as a rule where the landlord keeps the shooting in liis own hands the tenants have reason to com- plain ? — Oh ! yes. In that case, is the amount of game considered at all in the rent? — Yes. Supposing the game were entirely annihilated would not the tenants have to pay a higher rent ? — Yes. And therefore there is some consideration on account of the game ? — Yes. Do not landlords or their agents generally say, when a farm has to be let, that the rabbits are to be kept down ? — They say so, but they don't do it. Do you not think that promise might be put ii* writing, and that any man of business should say, " I should like to have an agreement to that effect" ? — I think very few would do that. Do you not think that if the whole class of tenant-farmers were to determine not to take a farm without such an agree- ment that would produce the desired effect ? — I am afraid there can never be such a combination of farmers. You would never take a farm without such a condition ? — Certainly not. Nor advise any one else to do so ? — No. Then don't you think that tenant-farmers have the matter very much in their own hands ? — Farmers are anxious to get farms. 66 THE FABMEE'S MAGAZINE. There is a great competition for fal-ms ? — Yes. Is it not commonly the case that there is an agreement that the tenant should be compensated for unreasonable damage ? — I think it is rather uncommon. Examination by the Chaikmajm continued: To appeal to the landlord against a mere shooting tenant would be a roundabout process. I think there ought not to be any such tenants. My opinion that the farm-tenants should have the offer of the shooting applies to cultivated estates and not to moors. The witness was then examined successively by the other members of the Committee. By Mr. VVimterbothaji ; He believed that there was a general indisposition on the part of landlords to let the shoot- ing to tenant-farmers ; and that they preferred letting it to a stranger. On the estate on whicli he farmed the tenants would gladly pay more than £200 a year for it. Perhaps the reason why a stranger was preferred was that there was a house to be occupied. His farm was protected from the game in the cover on three sides. If all the tenants on an estate were to erect a bank like his own the game in the wood would be starved ; they would eat each other. Probably if hares and rabbits were taken out of the game list and nothing else done, most farmers would have to sign an agreement to protect them as they were protected now. The farmer would in that case be compelled to watch his labourers, and could only punish them by dis- missal. That would involve a great deal of trouble ? — Yes. The tenant would be under just as severe restrictions as he is now, and would have more trouble with his labourers ? — Yes. Then his " last state would be worse than his first " ?— Yes, but then I want the other thing done. I think that hares and rabbits would be killed off more they are at present. Do you not think that what you propose would make the state of feeling between landlord and tenant worse than it is now ? — No, I do not. What you want is a law rendering invalid the reservation by agreement of hares and rabbits P— Yes. Examination by Mr. Winterbothaji continued: Leases were not very common in his neighbourhood, and he supposed that his good fortune in getting one was owing to the estate being in Chancery. He thought that if tenants had a right of shooting, landlords would not preserve to anything like the extent that many of tliem do now. A bad landlord might turn out his tenants, but landlords generally would, he beheved, respect the law. By Sir G. Grey : Thought that if a tenant had a right of shooting concurrently with his landlord he should not be allowed to transfer his right without the landlord's consent. Many hares were killed by the tenant's crossing. Perhaps one reason why landlords did not like to let their shooting to farm tenants was, that they might afterwards wish to resume it, and their doing so would, if they had so let it, create great dissatisfaction. By Sir M. Beach : He did not think that if hares and rabbits were struck out of the game-list they would become extinct animals, and he believed that farmers did not desire that. What they complained of was the enormous preserva- tion of game in plantations and coverts ; they did not object so much to hares that went about the farm. He himself did not object as seriously to hares as to rabbits. There are numerous cases in which the landlord and his tenants are on perfectly good terms as regards the preservation of game. Would you in such cases prevent it ? — What I ob- ject to is over-preservation. But does it not seem to you that there is a difference be- tween highly-cultivated lands like those in Norfolk and land in some other parts of England P — Yes. Then do you wish the same law to be applied to all ? — I think that in the case of warrens and heaths it may be desirable to have hares and rabbits ; but the case is different where the land is cultivated. Mr. Dent : You have made sweeping charges against game- keepers. You say that they are a bad lot, and nearly all re- formed poacher*. Don't you think that is an unfounded charge against a large body of men many of whom are very respectable people P — I spoke from my own experience. You stated that they were in the habit of breaking fences, leaving gates open, and what you call prowling about. Is that the general feeling among farmers P — I know that as a general rule they are very much disrespected by farmers. By Sir J. Trelawny : Thought farmers would be glad to p^y more rent in order to have the game. He wanted to have something done to protect farmers against bad landlords as re- garded game. If game entirely ceased to be preserved, don't you think there might be a danger of landlords leaving the district P — I should be sorry for that, and I think a good law of trespass would prevent any such result. [The witness was here pressed very much as to what amount of penalty he would have inflicted on trespassers.] Sir G. Grey : I suppose you would have the penalty enough to deter the trespasser from trespassing again P — Yes. By Lord Elcho : Thought tliat on all cultivated land the owner, if he parted with the shooting, should be bound to offer it in the first instance to his tenants. Believed that a three-feet netting would be an effectual protection against rabbits. Admitted that if the alteration which he advocated were made tenants ought to pay a little more rent in conse- quence of the quantity of game being reduced. If there were not so much competition for farms, tenants would not suffer as much as they do from game. Did not know whether or not the existence of the "inalienable right" of which he had spoken would increase the amount of competition. Must it not inevitably do so ? — That is a very difficult ques- tion for me to answer. He could not say whether it would be wise as a matter of principle for the legislature to do what he desired ; hut he wanted something done with regard to hares and rabbits. It was so extremely difficult to get farms that tenants were in- duced to sign what was opposed to their interests. He could not Bay whether it would be right to do anything to prevent competition for houses in Park-lane — that was quite out of his province. The alteration which he wished for would prevent a great deal of unpleasantness, and he believed that landlords would never regret it, because they vfould get their game much cheaper than they did at present. Most of the tenants would make very good gamekeepers. He had heard of a distinguished Scotch farmer named Hope. Was not aware that Mr. Loch's Bill contained the principle whicli he (witness) had advocated of an inalienable right irrespective of agreements. [Here the noble lord read a declaration of Mr. Hope made in discussion to the effect that he should re- gard any conduct inconsistent with an agreement on the part of the farmer as an immoral thing.] He could not express any opinion on that point ; but he wanted something that would save farmers from the ravages of destructive animals. The position of a yearly tenant would perhaps not he much changed by an alteration of the law if he would not consent to any preservation of game. Lord Elciio having asked the witness in reference to ex- ceptional cases of bad landlords and consequent liardships whether he thought it was the custom of the Legislature to protect minorities. Sir G. Grey interposed with the remark that that was just what the Legislature had done, and one or two other memberg of the committee intimated their assent. Examination continued. — He could not argue with the noble lord as to what was best to be done. In reply to the question whether he did not think that the object would be secured by an agreement that a certain amount of game should be preserved, the rent being fixed accordingly, and there being a right to compensation in the event of the amount agreed for being exceeded, the witness said he thought such an arrangement would meet the grievance ; adding tlmt there would be great difficulty as to what the quantity of game was to be and the amount of damage done. He should like to see the question dealt with in a fair spirit of arbitra- tion ; but farms were generally let on a general understanding, and that was one source of difficulty. He had known cases in which the amount of game was greatly increased after a farmer entered on his occupation- * By Mr. Muntz : Assuming that it could be determined be- forehand what amount of game should be kept, difficulty would arise if the shooting were afterwards parted with by the landlord. With respect to trespass, he would leave a discre- tion to magistrates in cases in vvhich trespassers had a gun or dog. As regarded the fact that men were willing to enter into objectionable agreements, the only e.xplanation he could THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 67 offer was that there were more farmers than farms. Game pre- serving prevailed most where the holdings were not small. He should be very glad to pay for the shooting on his part of the estate on which he farmed. There was a strong and increasing feeling among the farmers in his district on the subject of ground game. By Mr. Sherlock : In taking the farm he made his calcu- lations as to rent on a certain basis as regarded game. He knew that Mr. Daniell, who then had the shooting, was a fair man, and did not expect any change in the quantity of game. Tlie wire fencing he put up cost him about £50. On the whole he sustained a serious loss pecuniarily. There had been recently, as was admitted, about 400 head of game killed in one year, notwithstanding the wire fencing. He had suffered considerable annoyance from Mr. Budd's keepers. The class of trespassers who would look for birds' nests and butterflies would not be likely to do as much harm as tres- passers in pursuit of hares and rabbits. It would, he supposed, be impossible to redress the grievance in question any more than other grievances without in some degree affecting exist- ing rights. By Mr. McLagan : He believed that Mr. Budd sells the game, and that there was some restriction in his lease with regard to the quantity of rabbits. Weasels did not seem to have much increased in number, but rats did. One evil of the over- preservation of game was the increase of other animals be- sides game that were destructive to crops. One reason why he did not go before tlie county court to seek compensa- tion was a dread of the expense of litigation. He thought it might be of some use to take hares and rabbits out of the game list, even if farmers did not at the same time acquire an inalienable right to kill them. There would then be less temptation to preserve them, because they would be more easily killed. He believed that the present law did not give property in game to any one. The tenant had a right to kill it, and that right he generally handed over to the land- lord. He thought that if hares and rabbits were struck out of the game list the law of trespass must be made more stringent. Even now he thought it was not sufficiently strong. All he thought farmers generally wanted vk'as an inalienable right to kill hares and rabbits. Could not say whether the effect of the possession of such aright would be to increase the number of such animals. A tenant might injure his neigh- bours, but he did not know whether he would. He generally estimated the damage done by game in October. That was the best period for estimating it, even then it could not be all seen. By Mr. Roland Wtnxe : The abolition of the game laws would no doubt encourage trespassers. He thought the tenant and the landlord should have a joint right of killing hares and rabbits on the farm. He should like also to see a joint right of killing in the woods. Keepers were in the habit of deceiving their employers as regarded rabbits. A 3 ft. bank and 2ft. wire netting would, he believed, never keep out hares. The assessment committee generally fixed the rating on the basis of rental. He would like to see game rated, so that a landlord would be liable to an increased rating if the quantity of game increased. By Mr. Pell : The general effect in his county of letting the shooting to a stranger was to create ill-will between the owners of property and the occupiers. Strangers had no sym- pathy with tenants, and did not care what injury was done. The case was generally different when the landlord had the shooting, as he showed some consideration for his tenants and neighbours. When the shooting was let to a stranger it created another interest on the estate, and farmers did not like it. As a rule far more game was kept by a stranger than by the landlord. He had heard of cases in which the game- keeper was stated to have the leverets as a perquisite, and supposing that to be so, there was a third interest created. The preservation of ground game interfered with good husbandry, and tended to destroy crops. He cultivated root crops, and ground game very much interfered with that. The underwood and timber in the wood adjoining his farm was assessed at Ss. 6d. an acre, his own land being assessed at £5. He did not think that if tenants had an inalienable right to part of the shooting they should be allowed to sell it without the landlord's consent. By Mr. C. S. Read : It would be impossible to estimate the damage done by game in ditierent seasons. No one could tell the amount of injury in the course of a year. The committee then adjourned. On Friday, June 7, the following further evidence was given. Mr. Bailey, the London game-dealer, stated that of late years the supply of game had diminished. During the last fifteen years the price of all kinds of game had nearly doubled. Many rabbit warrens were now brokeu up. The only exception to this rule of diminution was grouse, which had never been so abundant as last year. He sold thousands at sixpence a piece. Grouse were imported to this country from North America in ice. The Continent of Europe took a good deal of winged game from Loudon. Marseilles w^s the largest market. 13elgium in one year exported 1,360,000 rab- bits to Loudon. The rabbits were fed on the produce of the gardens in Belgium — divested of their feet and skins for pur- poses of manure, and then sold in London at sixpence a pound. He made great capital out of the fact that, if hares and rab- bits were taken out of the game list the supply would be greatly decreased, and thereby the price increased. In his opinion rabbits were mostly bought by working men, and thus the working man would, by the enhanced price of rabbits, be deprived of his Sunday delicacy, and it was impossible to com- pute the injury that would be inflicted on poor iuvalids. He was formerly a farmer, but he remarked that he was glad to get out of that occupation. Mr. M'Lagan suggested that there had been too many rabbits for the profit of the specula- tor. Mr. M'Combie asked the witness, with reference to his statement that rabbits were cheaper than mutton, if he knew the difference in price bstween the hind leg and the fore leg of a sheep, and if the neck of a cattle beast did not sell for less money than the rest of the carcase. Mr. Bailey " gave up." A member of the Committee offered to supply the witness with with pheasants' eggs at l-is. a dozen, the price which Mr. Bailey said he was willing to give. At the sitting on Tuesday, Mr. Irvine, of Drum, Aberdeenshire, said that he was a justice of the peace for Aberdeenshire, and that for a period of thirty years he had been convener of the county. He also acted as chairman of quarter sessions, and had been an advocate ever since ]8-i3. Was the author of a work on the Game-laws of Scotland. The chief difference between the laws of Scotland and England with regard to game was that under an old Scotch Act a property qualification was required. The Act had never been repealed, but it was not enforced ; but the main difference between the laws of the two countries was that the right to the game was primarily in the possession of the landlord unless it was specially granted to the tenant. In Scotland, if an agreement or a lease between landlord and tenant was silent with regard to game, the game was the pro- perty of the landlord. Did not think the Scotch tenant was placed at a disadvantage in this respect with the English tenant. In very few cases, so far as witness knew, did tenants obtain the right to kill game. The law of game followed the same rule as related to mines, quarries, and minerals, the right to which was reserved to the landlord. In the event of the owner keeping an undue amount of game, the tenant had his remedy at law for any surplus damage that was done. Thus, the tenant on taking a farm, and undertaking to pay a certain rental, would understand what the amount of game was ; and even if there was no special agreement with the owner, if the farm was overstocked with game the tenant would obtain his remedy. In the case of game straying from the preserves of a neighbouring proprietor, w itness was of opinion that the owner of the farm on which it strayed would still be liable for damages. The point, however, had frequently been mooted, but had never been decided. It was not an uncom- mon thing for a Scotch tenant to obtain compensation for damages done to his crops by game, but these points were generally settled by arbitration or arrangement. It was ex- ceedingly difficult to understand the amount of damage done by game. The general complaints from tenant-farmers arose from over-preservation on their own farms, but, at the same time, he had heard great complaints by tenants of tiie injury done by adjoining proprietors. He thought it would be prac- tical for the owners of excessive preserves to confine their ground game. With regard to deer, formerly it was held they were the property of the crown, but now they were looked upon as the property of the proprietor of the soil. In the event of deer doing injury to a tenant's crop, the landlord clearly was liable for the damage. Tlie Poaching Prevention Act of 1862 had principally been used in his part of the country as a means of putting into operation the Trespass E 2 68 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Act of William IV. The Scotcli law of trespass differed from the Euglish law, as a person who was suspected of being about to trespass could have an interdict taken out against him, and then if the person committed the trespass after- wards he could be sued for damage, and alse charged with contempt of court, and punished for this offence. Witness was opposed to the doctrine of " inalienable right to kill game." He had recently been present at a conference of tenant-farmers on the subject of the Game-laws, and he gathered that the majority of the farmers desired to have an inalienable right with the landlords to shoot rabbits and hares. Tenants, as a rule, did not like the shooting being let to strangers, preferring it to be kept by the landlords. He was not in favour of hares and rabbits being taken out of the game list, as he was certain that if this were done a very much more stringent law of trespass would be required, and that such a law would be felt to be very oppressive by the people of Scotland. With regard to amendments of the present law, he thought that all game cases should be taken from the justices of the peace, and that they should be tried by the judge ordinary and the sheriffs. He did not think the decisions of the magistrates had been over severe, but they were liable to exceptions, as they belonged to a class of men who had cases of this kiud on their own property. He thought it would promote the purity of justice, and prevent undue feeling, if these cases were tried by another tribunal. Mr. M'Combie asked whether it had ever occurred to Mr. Irvine that, apart from the landlord and tenant, the body of the people had an interest in the cultivation of the soil, and whether the existing Game-laws did not injure them as much as the tenant-farmers ? Whether Mr. Irvine knew of a single instance in which an Aberdeenshire farmer who sought to obtain the right to kill hares and rabbits had any chance at all of renewing his lease ? Mr. Irvine was not aware of any such instance. Who feeds the hares ? The landlords, said Mr. Irvine. Wliat, does not the tenant do it ? In the first instance, replied Mr. Irvine, but the landlord really does so unless he overstocks with game. Mr. Irvine admitted that the excessive preservation of game produced an exceedingly bad feeling between farmers and landowners. He also admitted that there was a great deaf of sympathy with the poacher, but declined to admit that the community could never be brought to look upon game as a fair object of sport to " whomsoever could take it." He believed lie was acquainted with a farmer who lived happily and on good terms with a landlord who preserved game to a great extent. He admitted that a farmer would rather suffer a little materially from game than bring an action against his landlord. He would not go so far as to say that unless a far- mer submitted to the conditions of the landlord he vi'ould not get a farm at all. But it certainly was the case that, from the great competition for farms, men did submit to conditious which were not to their minds. Of course, when a farmer, from excessive competition and hard conditions, failed to get a farm, his only alternative was to go abroad or betake himself to another occupation. Lord Elcho remarked that the sons of aristocrats and of everybody else had from various reasons to go abroad or be- take themselves to employment not followed by their parents, and in reply to his lordship Mr. Irvine dechned to admit that there was any ground for sympathy with a disappointed farmer any more than there was ground for sympathy with a class of persons to which reference had been made. EXAMINATION OF MR. CLARE SEWELL READ, M.P. At the meeting on Friday, June 14-, Mr. C. S. Read, himself a member of the Committee, was examined at considerable length. The Chairman (Mr. Ward Hunt), as is customary, com- menced the examination. Mr. Hunt : What has been your experience, M r. Read, as a tenant-farmer, in reference to the Gamelaws ? — Will you first allow me to state what the Central Chamber of Agricul- ture has done ? Mr. Hunt : Yes. Witness : I have been requested by that Chamber to give evidence before this Committee. That body is composed of 99 local Chambers, and has a total constituency of 18,000 mem- bers. Owners and occupiers ? — Yes. The witness then read a resolution passed by the Council of the Central Chamber ou the 4th of April last, to the effect that none of the Bills then before Parliament was sufficient for the purpose of curing the evils of the preservation of ground game, but that the third clause of Mr. M' Lagan's Bill and the fourth clause of Mr. Loch's would be satisfactory. Will you explain what those clauses were ? — The clause in Mr. M'Lagan's Bill was for the putting of hares and rabbits out of the game-list, and that in Mr. Loch's was for estabhsh- ing a joint and inalienable right on the part of the owner and the occupier to kill game. The Farmers' Club does not pass any resolutions at its meetings, but it has had several discus- sions in whicii the over-preservation of game has been de- nounced. The last paper on the subject was read by the Secretary eighteen months age. It was entitled " Foxes v. Rabbits," and it proved tliat foxes are the farmers' best friends and rabbits his worst enemies. Mr. Dent : That paper was read by Mr. Corbet ? — Yes. Mr. Hunt : What was the view taken by the " best friends ?" — That wherever you had good fox-hunting you do not have a very large amount of ground game, and that fox-hunting is generally very beneficial to the farmer, inasmuch as it encou- rages landlords to keep at home, and enables tenants to join in sport witiiout any material detriment to their crops. Do you think that fox-hunting tends to prevent excessive preservation of ground game ? — I think that, as a general rule, where there is a large preservation of ground game fox- hunting does not exist. Have you had any experience of that ? — Yes, in my own county. I have observed there tha~. where foxes exist there is not much ground game preserved. Lord Elciio : Tlie largest amount of game-preserving that I know of in the kingdom is in Leicestershire. Mr. Read : What I have said is not merely my evidence, but the opinion of the Farmers' Club. Mr. Hunt : They are in favour of fox-hunting, and not in favour of keeping up a large amount of ground game? — Just so. You have farmed in Wales, Oxfordshire, and Norfolk ? — Yes. And you have, I believe, acted as a land-agent and valuer. Have you had great experience with regard to the over- preservation of game ? — Unfortunately I have. Can you estimate the damage done by game ? — It is the most difficult task that I have ever undertaken. You have been employed at times in valuing for other people as regards game ? — I have been employed both by landlords and tenants, and also as an umpire. There is no species of compensation tliat you can imagine P — It is generally argued on the part of the landlord that the bad farming of the tenant is the cause of the badness of the crops which are grown ; while, on the other hand, the tenant insists that it is caused by game. Then you oannot tell in different seasons what is the effect of the season ? — In one season you can hardly perceive any harm arising from game, while in another season the same amount of game may almost totally destroy the crops. Is it not a fact that game does a great deal of harm to wheat crops P — Yes, certainly ; it does a great deal more harm on arable than on grass land. Supposing that the crop is wheat, and the blade does not shoot high, the ground game has a much greater chance of damaging the crop ? — Let me refer to my experience as re- gards wiring-off crops. I have had it proved that some one, we will suppose it is the gamekeeper, has turned rabbits into the enclosed portion of the land. I have also had it proved that some one, probably employed by the tenant, has sown artificial manure in that enclosed spot at night. There has been every species of rascality practised. You mean that artificial manure was placed in that enclosed spot in order to create an impression that the excellence of the crop was due to the preservation of game? — I have known that in one instance. I mention it as an illustration of the difficulty whicli there is in assessing damage. In both cases the acts which you have mentioned were wrongful ? — Yes. May I take it as your opinion that ground game does a great deal of damage to growing corn ? — It does on heavy land in a wet season, and on light land in a dry season. Does it do more harm where the land is highly manured than where it is not ? — Generally it does. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 69 Have you ever yourself put up wire-uetting ? — Yes. What is your experience as to the possibility of protecting crops by that means P — My own experience has not been very extensive. Then you do not rest upon your personal experience with re- gard to it ? — I can only say with regard to the moderate amount of game kept in an adjoining covert, that with wire- netting I have had no difficulty in protecting my crops. From hares and rabbits ? — From rabbits. Against hares I don't think I can protect them, for two reasons — in the first place, that hares jump over the wire-netting, and in the nest, that they go almost round the farm. I have never been able to keep them out. Hares being great travellers get round to the crops which they want ? — Yes. And rabbits are not such travellers ? — No. I believe that if you have two and a half feet of wire-netting, and six inches of it in the ground, and keep it constantly watched, in the great majority of instances that will keep out rabbits, unless they are very numerous or very hungry. You think that a wire-netting will often keep out rabbits ? — Yes. I believe that the necessity of putting some of it in the ground is not generally understood. I should like to say a word about my own farm in relation to this matter. I farm under a most excellent and liberal landlady. Although there is game ou the farm, I have no complaint at all to make of damage by ground game, except as regards the coverts of an adjoining owner. I have this year put up 400 yards of wire- netting, at a cost of £15, and it is my opinion that that gentle- man ought to have provided the wire-netting instead of the tenant who was injured. What is the height of your wire-netting ? — Two feet above the ground. And six inches of it is put in the ground? — Yes; and I would recommend that that should always be done where it is prac- ticable. It would be impossible to put up such a fencing on a stock farm, because the sheep would knock it down where you had a clover ley. You might put up a wire-netting to protect the roots? — Yes. Still the damage of which you complain is chiefly damage to the white crops ? — To white straw, and root crops. Should you be satisfied if the proprietor of the covert ad- joining your farm put up a wire-netting ? — T should for my own part. I don't know whether you would like me to give the evidence on this point of a gentleman who has had more experience than I have. Yes, if you have any facts to lay before us. Evidence is rather objectionable when you cannot cross-examine the party who makes the statements. — The gentleman to whom I allude has the management of a large estate in Norfolk. I don't suppose he would like his name to be mentioned, but I have a letter from him. He says, " I do not think any law to compel pay- ment of damage done by a neighbour's game would be very sa- tisfactory. It wovdd lead to endless disputes and to a great amount of hard, if not false, swearing. The best and safest plan is that when hares and rabbits are kept on one property to the annoyance and injury of an adjoining proprietor, this proprietor should shut his eyes to etiquette, and use every means in his power to destroy them." He also recommends the putting up of a trapping-bank or wire-netting. That IS, sucli a trapping-bank as Mr. Mann described to us the other day ? — Yes. Don't you think a trapping-bank would be more annoying to a neighbouring proprietor than a simple wire-netting? — Yes. A trapping-bank would in all probability be regarded by the adjoining owner as more destructive to his game than a wire-netting. Are you acquainted with any other part of the county where wire netting is employed ? — Yes, in this instance there are miles of wire netting with a trapping bank, and there are also miles of it without a trapping bank. You give a preference to wire netting with a trapping bank ? — A trapping bank is more likely to ofl'end a neighbour- ing proprietor than wire netting. In ray limited experience I have had no difficulty in keeping rabbits out. Do I understand you to say that a trapping bank is more likely to cause ill-feeling than wire netting ? — Yes ; but I don't care about the ill-feeling. I think the person who is the aggressor ought to keep out his rabbits. You would prefer getting rid of the nuisance and being on good terms with your neighbour to getting rid of it and being on ill terms ? — Yes, but I consider that the man who kills the rabbits is not the aggressor. The law allows the tenant to kill the rabbits upon the land in his own occupation, unless they are reserved ? — Yes. Therefore he cannot be an aggressor in the eyes of the law P — No, nor in anyboby else's eyes except a game pre- server's. Supposing that hares and rabbits were so wired in a wood that they could not get out to feed, would it be possible for the owner of that wood to go on keeping a stock of rabbits ?^ Certainly not. There is a splendid wood which I have known for about twenty years, where the ground game have actually bitten they ouug timber, and unless there is some change of management it will be impossible to preserve pheasants there. Is that a case in which the wood is surrounded by a farm ? — No. I put it to you whether, supposing the rabbits to be confined to the wood in consequence of a wire netting having been put up by an adjoining occupier, the destruction of the wood would in tliat case be rapid ? — Yes, and I apprehend also the destruction of the ground game itself. I have known rabbits that were so confined to be so starved that they were hardly worth shooting. So that in that way the evil would work its own remedy P — Yes. Sir Selwin-Ibbetson : It would depend upon the size of the wood ? — If there were the same number of rabbits per acre that would not matter. Mr. Hunt : Rabbits do not travel very far for feeding ? — I have never had practical experience of a wood of more than 70 acres. I don't believe there is one rabbit in that wood but what goes out at some time or other. Rabbits generally burrow at the outer parts of the wood ? — Yes ; but there are a great number of cases on the stiff clay soil of Norfolk in which they do not burrow. You think that in all cases they come out to feed ? — Yes, provided they can get something better outside than they find inside. If they are restricted to the wood they destroy the under- \yood ? — They not only destroy the underwood, but I have actually known them to destroy trees of quite 50 years' grofvth. By a Member. — They were oak and beech trees. Is the land in the immediate neighbourhood of a wood let at a low rent in consequence of game being kept there P — I should say in my case certainly not, and in the case of neigh- bouring occupiers not. Is your farm extensively abutted upon by a wood ? — There are only two small plantations. If the wood were stubbed up, or converted into arable land would not the farm be worth a higher rent P— If I had not the right to kill the game myself. So that in fact the neighbourhood of a large game preserve is taken into consideration in setting the rent of a farm ? — Well, it ousht to be ; I don't know that it is. That being the case, does it make any difference whether or not the owner of the adjoining cover goes to the expense of putting up a wire netting P— He is the man who commits the nuisance, and he has no right to do it. Supposing he were compelled to put up a netting, would you have him put it on his own laud or ou the farm the occu- pier of which complained of the nuisance ?~I should insist upon his fencing his game in. On his own land ? — On his own laud. Would not that very often be a difficulty, a ditch separating the farm from the cover and forming the boundary between the two ? — I suppose there would be a ditch. The edge of the ditch would be the boundary ?— Yes. And there would be a right to four feet from the boundary P — That is the common rule. Where would you have him put the wire — on the top of his own bank ? — Yes, but the rabbits would get through. Do you mean that they would burrow under P — Yes. You think that the farmer should be allowed to put wire netting fence on his farm, and that the owner of the covert should pay the expense ? — That would do very well if he paid the whole of it. But supposing he paid the whole of it, whose property 70 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. would the netting be P— The property of the man who paid for it. There would be a little difficulty in adjusting that, would there not ? — There would be difficulty every way. By Lord Mahon. — If the wire netting were on the farm the occupier should, I tjiiuk, keep it in repair. Mr. Hunt : Are you aware that in many parts of the country the putting up of a wire fencing has solved the whole difficulty of rabbits coming from a neighbouring covert? — Yes. And by that means all complaint lias been removed ? — Yes. Supposing it were not put up properly and the rabbits were allowed to burrow, the nuisance would continue ? — Yes. It is the opinion of practical men that no fence raised against hares and rabbits can be eft'ectual unless it is constantly watched. By Sir Selwin-Ibbetson. — If it were put on the farm the shepherd might watch it, and if on the covert the game- keeper might do so. The cost of looking after it would not he appreciable. Do you think that the owner of the adjoining covert should in the first instance have the option of killing down the ground game ? — Certainly. The occupier of the adjoining farm might give him notice to kill down his game, saying that in the event of refusal he would compel him to put up a fence ? — Certainly. Do you think tliat if that were the law it would practically have the effect of keeping down ground game ? — I think it would have the effect ol removing the grievance which now exists, by preventing the tenant's crops from being consumed by his neighbour's game. The knowledge of that would, you think, induce persons to kill down an excess of game ? — I think so. I have been talk- ing of game being in the hands of the owner. I may say that I have known cases in which when a preserve has been let to a tenant-farmer lie has been just as bad, as regards the preser- vation of hares and rabbits, as the landlord. You mean on his own farm? — Yes; and in coverts. He has caused quite as much nuisance as owners. In fact, the taste for shooting is universal ? — I believe it is not confined to any class. I have known as much damage done by tenants as by owners. To their own crops ?— To their own crops. I am speaking of cases in which the tenants were men of property, and could afford to suffer damage. Do you not think that rabbits sometimes do some good? — I am positive that no rabbit that ever existed paid for being kept on the farm. You have heard the evidence of Mr. Bailey as to its paying to keep tame rabbits ? — There is no analogy between that case and the one under consideration. It is just like the difference between keeping a sheep in a fold and allowing it to wander all over the farm. No man could farm if his sheep went all over the farm. Kabbits kept in a hutch and not going about to get food may no doubt often yield a profit. Are there not some parts of Norfolk wliicli are more profitable for the breeding of wild rabbits than for anything else ? — I can only say that I can remember as many as from fifteeu to twenty thousand acres of rabbit warrens that have been done away with in my time. What is the land turned into now? — Sheep walks. And does it pay better as a sheep walk than it did as a rabbit warren ? — I have no doubt it does, both directly and indirectly. One of the largest occupiers of warrens says that we have now in Norfolk only about five or six thousand acres of warrens altogether, that the usual stock of rabbits in a warren is about six or seven to the acre, that the kill in warrens of that descrip- tion is not more, I think, than from eiglit to ten, and that in- dependently of that you have to feed the rabbits. " My rabbits," he says, " are artificially fed from Michaelmas to March." That is the evidence of a gentleman who occupies the largest warren in my neighbourhood. Cau you tell us what is the nature of the fence which is used to confine rabbits in these warrens ? — It is a sort of trapping bank on which is placed a quantity of furze horizontally. Like a projecting tile ? — Yes. Do you know what price the rabbits fetcli ? — I have under- stood that the silver grey rabbits have been worth as much as Is. 6d. or 2s. In winter time? — Of course in winter time; they are not now worth half as much. The skin is exported to Russia ; and just as we export gin and it comes back as brandy, so we export these rabbits and it comes back as th e grey fox (laughter). Can you tell us about the quantity of wire netting that is sold annually ? — I have some little idea. One firm at Nor- wich, [Messrs. Barnards and Bishops, told me that their order book last year (which did not include what was sold in the shop or warehouse) gave a total of 1,246,309 yards of wire netting. Can you tell us whether that was chiefly ordered by owners or by occupiers? — I imagine that three-fourths of it was bought for the protection of game, and no doubt some was bought to protect poultry. Tiiat is all I can say. My object in giving the figures I have done is to show that a great deal of wire is used for the purpose. I think that if it were not useful it would not be used. Supposing a tenant were at liberty to kill the hares on his farm, he would have no difficulty in doing so ? — None what- ever. If he had a right to kill hares lie would no doubt give a very good account of them. You think that if you had that privilege you would not be eaten up on a snowy night by hares? — Except in an extremely open country, I may say with regard to the snaring of hares that it is considered a very blackguard practice. That feeling prevails to a wonderful extent. But without snaring you might keep down the hares on your farm if you were allowed to do so P — Not without snaring. Do you think that if tlie farmer had tlie right which you con- tend he ought to have, public opinion v\ ould sanction his snaring hares? — Certainly, although, as I have said before, it is now looked upon as a blackguard thing. It is not considered sportsman-like ? — No. Mr. Pell : Is the trapping of a rabbit viewed in the same hght?— No. Mr. Dent : On a rabbit you would liave no mercy ? — None, and I would have none oi a hare. I have been speaking of the sentiment of others. Wliat is the cost of your wire-netting ? — The price is about 8fd. a yard for 13-inch netting, six inches being in the ground, and two feet out of it. It comes altogether to sixty- seven pounds a mile. Supposing tliere were a third party with an intervening field between you and the wood, to whom would you look in case of injury — To the owner of the wood. How far do rabbits travel ? — They may travel a quarter of a mile ; hares wiU go four miles. Lord Elciio : How long do you think wire-netting will keep good? — If it is well galvanized and not taken up, it will, I imagine, require scarcely any expenditure upon it for 15 years. I have had some for eight years, and it seems quite as good as ever. The Chamber of Agriculture said in their resolution that they thought hares and rabbits should be put out of the game list. What do you understand by tha>t ? — That the exceptional protection which the law gives to hares and rabbits should be dropped. That no one should be prosecuted for trespassing in pursuit of hares and rabbits P — No, that while those persons who had the right to kill haies and rabbits should do it without let oi hindrance, the law should be made more stringent against persons who trespass on the land, especially if they do so with dogs and guns. A great number of questions were then put to the lion, gentleman as to the nature and extent of the alteration which he desired in the law of trespass, in connection with a reform of the Game-laws, the effect of his replies being that if men per- sisted in trespassing after repeated notice, even though they did no substantial damage, they should be liable to such a fine as would tend to put a stop to such conduct. He had, he said, known a case in which a man dug out a Utter of foxes, and afterwards snapped his fingers in the face of the owner of the land, and cases in which rooks had been shot in a rookery with impunity. He thought that such cases proved the necessity for an alteration of the law of trespass. Mr. Hunt : We now come, Mr. Read, to a new point. Da you agree with the Chamber of Agricalture that no landlord should have a right of killing ground game to the exclusion of his tenant ? — I tliink the kilhng of ground game should the joint and inahenable right of owners and occupiers. What do you mean by " a joint and inalienable right P"— THE FAEMBR'S MAGAZINE. 71 I mean that the landlord should not be able to part with liis right, nor the tenant with his. Do you propose that the tenant should not have a power of transferring his right to another ? The right hon. gentleman here read the 4th clause of Mr. Loch's Bill in extenso ; and Mr. Read afterwards observed that the Chamber of Agriculture had repudiated the idea that they would have such a clause applied to existing agreements. Mr. ]lvsi : What they want is, that as regards all future agreements the tenant should have the right to kill hares and rabbits on the land which he occupies, notwithstanding any agreement or covenant to the contrary ? — Yes. Now, I want to know whether you think the tenant should have a right to let the right of killing hares and rabbit to a stranger ? — No ; not unless he had the whole of the shooting. Under this clause in Mr. Loch's Bill he would have that right P — If that be so I should object to the clause, and I think the Central Chamber would do so too. That has not been generally supposed to be the intention of the Bill. Mr. Dent : I understand Mr. Read to mean that he would not allow either the landlord or the tenant to let the right to kill ground game. Do you approve of interference with freedom of contract ?— Entirely. I think it is unjust to the tenant and unfair to the public for a landlord to reserve to himself the exclusive right of sliooting ground game. At present the landlord has the privilege of feeding ground game on the arable land of his tenant without paying a single sixpence for the damage, and he has further the power of disposing of that privilege to a third party. Let us examine that statement. Has not a tenant a perfect right before he takes a farm to make any stipulations he pleases as regards ground game ? — He has the right, but most dis- tinctly and unquestionably he has not the power. Take my own case. 1 believe I am as respectable a tenant and as good a farmer as most persons of my class. Mr. Hunt ; We generally think so, Mr. Read. Mr. Read : But I do not believe I could obtain a farm in the county of Norfolk either next IMichaelmas or the Michael- mas after with an unrestricted right on my part to kiU ground game. You heard Mr. Mann declare that he had the right to kill ground game ? — He has the right to kill rabbits but not hares. I ,'say most distinctly that the general practice in Norfolk is for landlords to reserve ground game, especially in the East of Norfolk, and I don't think they would part with it to the best tenants. Suppose the Farmers' Club, which comprises some of the best and leading agriculturists in the country, and the Central Chamber of Agriculture, were to agree that none of their mem- bers oaghtto take a farm without a concurrent right with the landlord of killing and keeping down ground game, do you think that would have any effect upon the agreements made in fu- ture ? — It might have a little effect, but I am of opinion that if the whole race of tenant-farmers occupying the land of tliis country were cleared off plenty of idle and wealthy men would be found ready to take the farms. In fact the occupation of farming is so much liked that men don't care much about the ground game (laughter). Does not that rather go to prove that the conditions of farming as regards game are not so onerous as some suppose ? — It goes to prove that there is so much wealth in this country and so little land that people will enter upon a farm without much consideration of the question of making money by it. Mr. Pell : Ignorance and speculation come into play ? Mr. Read : Ignorance, speculation, and unfounded hope. Mr. Hunt : Suppose the law were altered as you propose, and tenants had a joint and inalienable right with their landlords to kill hares and rabbits, how do you think the law would operate ? I think that in 99 cases out of every 100 things would go on exactly as they do now. I believe that where there was a moderate amount of ground game farmers would take no advantage of their right, and that where there was an immoderate amount farmers, finding that they were being eaten up, would exercise their right. But is it not, after all, a question of rent ? — It is not a mere question of rent. Damage from ground game is one of those things for which no reduction of rent can compensate the tenant. lUord M4H0N : Do you think a farmer would prefer paying low rent with game, or full rent with no game P— A full rent and no game, but it is not altogether or chiefly a question of rent. Mr. Hunt : You mean that such a quantity of hares and rabbits may be kept that no amount of reduction would com- pensate lor it ? — Yes. Mr. WiNTEKBOTiiAM : You would not object to a reason- able amount of ground game ? — A reasonable amount of ground game, or even an unreasonable amount of winged game, might be compensated for by a reduction of rent. Mr. Pell : Wlien you said just now, in effect, that farmers would prefer full rents and no game to low rents and much game, did you mean that answer to apply to farmers generally, or to the better class of farmers ? — I meant it to apply to any man with a good business head. But there are many farmers without that topping ? (laugh- ter.— Needy farmers, as a rule, are most hopeful persons. Would you not also say, foolish ones?— Most assuredly (laughter). Mr. Hunt : Are not the Norfolk farmers considered to he about the head of their profession ? — They are. They are among the best and most intelligent farmers ?— Some are. And is not game preserved in Norfolk as much as in any other part of the country ? — Yes. Have you not a good deal of what is called very high farm- ing in Norfolk ? — Not on game estates. Is not game preserved on Lord Leicester's estate ? — Not running game. It is all inside the Park. A Yorkshire witness said the other day that he would not mind one hare or one rabbit to every four acres. What should you say about that ? — I should say that one hare in ten acres would be plenty. I would rather keep a young sheep all the year round than four unconfined hares. What quantity of sheep per acre would your land bear P— < Mine is chiefly arable land, and it bears about half a sheep per acre. Mr. M'Lagan : What is your system of crops ? — The four- course rotation. I keep 200 sheep on 400 acres of land. My farm is what is considered a bullock grazing farm. Mr. Hunt : Would you complain if there were one hare to four acres P — I think that would be an undue proportion on arable land. Is the proportion of hares as great as that in Norfolk ? — I should say that on half the land it is a great deal more. In reply to further questions on this point, Mr. Read said he thought that on half the land in Norfolk there was not as much as one hare to four acres, and on the other half a great deal more. In reply to questions with regard to the letting of the shooting, he repeated his opinion that the shooting of ground game ought in all cases to be offered in the first instance to the tenant when the landlord wished to part with it ; adding that he did not care so much about winged game, and that what he was then saying was said on the supposition that the law in other respects remained as it is. He also said he thought that tenants would have less scruple in claiming da- mages against a person who had hired the shooting of the landlord than against the landlord himself, and that redress ought to be obtainable in the County Court. Mr. Hunt : Have you any suggestion to make with regard to the law of rating ? — I think the law requires to be altered. At present if the game is let to the tenant it is both taxable and ratable ; if it is let to another person it is taxable but not rateable ; if it is kept by the owner it pays neither taxes nor rates. If it is let to the tenant you say it is taxable and rateable P — Yes ; the moment it is let to an agricultural tenant the As- sessment Committee rates it. In Scotland all the shooting is assessable ? — It is when let. Do you think that should be the case in England ? — I don't Uke the Scotch law at all. That law applies to cases in which game is let ; I would have the same law applied to all game. [Here the hon. gentleman quoted from a Bill on the subject, which he introduced in the House of Commons to carry out his view in 1868.] You would treat the land as if there were no game upon it, and consider what it ought to let irrespective of game P — Yes. Would you let that be a matter of bargain between landlord and tenant ?--I wottld a« regards all future agreements, 72 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. And do you tliiuk the tenaut would be able to protect him- self?—Yes. Then why should he not be able to protect himself as re- gards hares aud rabbits ? — Because, whereas in the one case you know very well what you have to pay, ia the other you cannot possibly tell the cost. A hundred hares this year may become 200 next. Several other questions followed on this point, and Mr. Read, in replying to one of them, observed that landlords who would not any account allow tenants to have the game would let tlieir land for a reasonable rent. Mr. Dent : You mean that they like the game more than the money? — Yes (laughter). Mr. Read then, with the permission of the chairman, read an extract from a letter of Mr. T. F. Salter, whom he described as a large laud-agent in Norfolk, referring to a farm of 1,500 acres in that county in which there was a great deal of game, and which is now in the occupation of a retired gamekeeper, and stating that that farm is rated at £350 a-year, whereas with- out game it would be rated at £1,000 a-year. Mr. Hunt : Do you think that the change you propose with regard to rating would tend to redress that grievance ? — I think it would. I may say that notwithstanding the extreme lowness of the rent there have been two tenants on the farm in the last five or six years. Mr. Dent : Is that owing to the game, or to the natural poverty of the land ? — The land is poor and utterly unable to stand against the ravages of game. Lord Elciio : Were the farmers who have occupied it lately good ones ?— No good farmer would lake such land, unless this retired gamekeeper should prove a good one. In reply to questions respecting the operation of the Poach- ing Prevention Act, Mr. Read said he thought it had done good by leading to tlie discovery of other otl'euces than poaching, in consequence of the searching power given to the police, and that he believed what farmers complained of was that while the police were so useful to game preservers, the owners of game paid notliing towards the costof tlie police. He like- wise said that he tliought game should have no special privilege as regarded the question of identification, and that chickens should in prosecutions be treated in the same manner as game. He apprehended that the mere fact of a man being found with a pheasant on his person at 5 o'clock in the morning would be sufficient to convict, and he wanted the law to be made similar as regarded poultry. The hon. member then mentioned a case that practically illustrated the difi'erence which he wished to have removed. In reply to Mr. Cowper, Mr. Read said he believed that in almost all game-preserving districts farm labourers were badly employed, farmers not being able to employ a large number, while many labourers in consequence of being employed at night as watchers became drunkards. Now and then a man who accidentally or inadvertantly poached was driven by that to something worse, but he did not believe in the demoralising efi'ect of game preservation as a rule. Labourers knew that they had no more riglit to go out at night to kill hares than they had to steal. In reply to Lord Elcho, the witness said that his objections to game were chiefly confined to ground game, and that he thought winged game did not, on the whole, do much harm. He then read the opinion of an extensive land agent in Nor- folk in support of the latter view. It was not fair to cast the burden of killing such vermin as hares and rabbits upon occu- piers. A large quantity of rabbits would destroy the crops in spite of all that could be done to prevent it. He did not think it would be sufficient for a tenant who suff'ered from an adjoin- ing proprietor's game to be left to obtain compensation from him ; but that was the smallest part of the entire evil. In the great majority of cases, taking England throughout, tenants had no cause to complain. His proposal that in the event of a landlord letting his shooting the tenant should have the first off'er, was confined to ground game. He thouglit that Parliament should not refuse to enact that, and that such an enactment would not injure the landlord's property. In many cases it would increase the rental. If the landlord wished to transfer his right of killing rabbits, he ought to be compelled by law to offer the refusal to the tenant, and he believed the tenant would give more for it than anyone else. By Mr. Pell.— He would himself look upon what he paid for the right of shooting as au insurance against ruin, By Lord Elcho. — As regarded rating, it was as easy as pos- sible to tell what land was worth without game, while no one could say what it would be worth with game ; no one could estimate the future damage from hares and rabbits. Giving the tenant an easy way of going to law with his landlord would not do away with the evil. He would not give two- pence for the Bill before Parliament which had been introduced by the Government for that purpose. No Act for cheapen- ing the law as between landlord and tenant would do any good. lu any legislation it would be better to prevent the mischief than to provide for the payment of compensation after it was done. Hares travelled a great distance outside preserves, and if there were an unrestricted liberty of killing them a large proportion would never return. It was possible that under such a discriminating law of trespass as he ad- vocated a landlord would still be able to preserve ground game ; but it would be more difficult than it is now. Free- dom of contract was very much interfered with in this coun- try. It was interfered with in the case of parent and child, master and servant, solicitor and client, trustee and beneficiary, debtor and creditor, guardian and ward, agent and principal, buyer and seller, carrier and consignor, doctor and patient, inn- keeper and tippler, pawnbroker aud pledger, patron and pre- sentee, captain and seaman, salvors and ship, mortgagor and mortgagee. Why, then, should it not interfere between land- lord and tenant ? Here the noble lord put to Mr. Read a question of con- siderable length as to whether he approved of the interference vi'ith the rights of property in the case of the Irish Land Act, and, quoting a speech which he made on that subject, asked him in effect how he reconciled it with the evidence he was giving. The witness replied that he did not approve of that part of the Act in question which gave compensation for what was called " disturbance," but he entirely approved of the com- pensation of tenants in both countries for unexhausted im- provements. The Irish Land Act, in liis opinion, tended to create an injustice ; whereas what he desired was legislation to stop an evil and prevent injustice. The majority of the tenants belonging to the Central Chamber of Agriculture were large tenants rather than small ones, and what the Chamber wanted was a general law to meet an exceptional evil. In the case of a non-preserving landlord legislative in- terference was unnecessary ; and he saw no reason to doubt that preserving ones would obey the law. By Mr. Pell. — There were many landlords in the Central Chamber of Agriculture, and it was the general opinion of the agricultural press that landlords had far too much influence in it. By the Chairman. — At least one-third of the delegates sent up from the country were landowners. By Lord Klcho. — He should guess that at least one-eighth of the 18,000 members were landowners ; in Norfolk the pro- portion, including some yeomen who owned land, was about one-fourth. By Sir J . Trelawney. — In many districts it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to put up wire-fencing. If one mile of it could be put up any quantity might be under the same conditions. By Mr. McCombie. — He was the owner of some land which he let with the game. He did not know one farmer in the county of Norfolk who wished for the total abolition of the Game-laws. He did not know that he had any authority for saying that farmers would be satisfied with hares and rabbits being taken out of the game list beyond the resolutions which he had mentioned. He did not thiuk the chambers which he had referred to were as much political as agricultural, though he knew a portion of the agricultural press had said that. Such bodies represented landlords, he believed, as fairly as tenants. His experience of the influence of tenant-farmers in Parliament was limited and unsatisfactory. Personally, he would be satisfied with getting rid of hares and rabbits, and he be- lieved tenant-farmers generally agreed with him. The Scot- tish Chamber of Agriculture seemed to have a progressive opinion on the subject of game. Mr. McCombie -. You are aware that we know a little about farming in Scotland ? Witness : You think you do (laughter). (After a pause) And I think so. By Sir Selwin-Tbbetson. — If there were a concurrent and inalienable right on the part of landlord and tenant to THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 73 kill ground game, that would not prevent the tenant from agreeing witli his landlord. Under such circumstances it might happen that the landlord and tenant would be sliooting at the same time. He felt quite sure that no reasonable farmer would intend to do anything to annoy his landlord. If a teaaat wished to do that he could do it now ; and he knew a case in which a fanner sent eight horse-hoes into the field whenever he knew that his landlord was going to shoot, in order to drive the birds away. By Mr. McCo.mbie. — He believed that the House of Com- mons was likely to grant what he advocated. Mr. McCombie here put tyo or three long questions, which he read with such rapidity that the Government shorthand- writer could not possibly take them down, as to whether he thought that some tenant-farmers in Parliament, after the course they had pursued, were likely to be returned at the next general election. The witness replied to tlie elfect that he expected to be returned himself, but of course could not say what Mr. McCombie's chances were — a repartee which caused loud laughter. A division in the House of Commons was then announced ; whereupon, it being a quarter to four, the Committee at once adjourned till to-morrow, when some Aberdeen witnesses will give evidence. THE FARMING OF LOMBARDY. There is no other spot in Europe where the traveller meets with such varied systems of agriculture, or so many different customs, as may be seen during the course of a day's journey through Lombardy. The high wall of the Alps, which separates Italy from Switzerland, throws out other and lower hills stretching down rich and fertile to the plain, which lies, in shape like a vast spear- head, at their foot. This plain is watered by the Ticino, Miacio, and Adda, streams which descending from the Alps, become the tributaries of the Po, but are not absorbed until they have played their part in the important scheme of irrigation that forms so'promiaent a feature in Lombard agriculture. The productions extend from the lemon and olive trees of the lake of Garda to the pasture-grounds of the mountains. Vines and mulberry trees, with wheat, Indian corn, and other grain, are growi on the hills and upper plain, while rice, flax, and hay make up the chief products of the irrigated lands. Lombardy, besides being the seat of considerable manufacturing industry, is rich in silk, cheese, and butter. Such are the general productions of the country ; but there is one portion called the Milanese which, in a small compass, offers the variety shown on a large scale by the whole region. From a report drawn up by the President of the Milan Chamber of Agriculture, we become ac- quainted with the characteristics of this district. It has in its vicinity the city and suburbs of the city of Milan which forms a centre of great commercial and industrial activity, facilitating the sale of rural produce and the spread country wards of capital and instruction. At MUan, the climate which may be taken as representing the average condition of the plain geneially, makes the summers like those of Rome and Cagliari, and the winters colder than those of Paris. On the northern part extending to the foot of the hills, the proprietors superintend the metayers on their estates : the peasantry under the metayer system are more independent than in the lower zone ; the popula- tion is dense and laborious ; the fields are cultivated with corn, maize, vines, and the mulberry -tree, but the produce is subject to drought, to the oidium, and to the silkworm disease. In the middle district the crops are more flourish- ing than in the upper under the use of sewage-manure brought from Milan, and by means of irrigation, which, if not very abuudant, is sufiicieut to permit meadows and rice-fields to alternate with corn, maize, and the planta- tion of mulberry-trees. In the lower zone there are no metayers ; the population, not so dense, is less independent, but production is more certain. The peasant is not attached to the soil, but his daily bread is assured. Here the farms are of large extent, in order that the mechanism of irrigation may be fully utilised ; and on them is found a class of farmers possessed of means, activity, and intel- ligence, the true representatives of agricultural industry. With few exceptions, the estates ia this district are leased out to tenants for terms of nine or twelve years. It is in this portion of the territory that tradition, study, and in- defatigable labour have produced that system of irrigation which so justly forms the admiration of strangers. Here wheat, the vine, and the mulberry are either not cultivated or are of secondary importance, and their place is supplied by rice-fields and meadow-lands. The rice, tinder the modern system of culture, and with improved methods of irrigation, grows with luxuriance, while, by means of the evergreen meadows — the famous marcite — numerous herds of cattle are maintained, their milk, made into butter and parmesaii cheese, and their copious manure, forming no small part of the agricultural wealth of Lombardy. The winter meadows, or " marcite" are an exclusively Lombard — almost a Milanese production. These mea- dows have this peculiarity, that they are constantly under irrigation in winter as well as in summer. The land is divided into several compartments, so that the surface may be always covered with a thin sheet of runuing water, which maintains the activity of the vegetation, even during the cold weather. For the " marcite," the waters of the nearest spring are preferred, to the streams laden with town sewage. A heavy crop is cut in these meadows every sixty or seventy days, and in those irri- gated by the waters which contain the sewage of Milan, every forty or forty-five days ; so that from six to nine crops are obtained per annum. Vegetation continuing throughout the year, the cows, except during one month, are constantly fed on green fodder, a fact having great influence on the quantity of milk produced. In order to obtain the greatest profit from the meadows, large num- bers of cows, besides draught oxen and horses, are kept on the farms, which are well provided with stabling, cow-houses, hay-lofts, &c. To make a " forma" per diem, which is the name for a cheese weighing from 50 to 90 kilogrammes, not less than 50 cows are required, and on some farms as many as 120 to 160 head are kept. When the cows on the farm are few in number, the owners either join together in making the cheese, or sell the milk to the professional cheesemaker. But little at- tention is paid to the breeding of cattle, and the number of animals reared in the district is very limited. The cows are imported chiefly from the Swiss cantons of Schweitz, Lucerne, Zug, Uri, and Unterwalden. Brought into Lombardy when three or four years old, before they have completed their full growth, and fed on the tender and succulent herbage of the plain, they fill out and grow so rapidly that a cow of the largest breed, called "matronale," where there are no " marcite," will give forty or more Milanese brenti of milk per annum. The Swiss cows, born in a healthy climate, and fed on aro- matic herbs, and carefully bred, are of sound constitution, and capable of resisting the inclemency of the seasons . They are good milkers, long-lived, and subject only to 74 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. ordinary maladies, for which reasons they are preferred to the native breed. The breeding of live stock shows a tendency to improvement, and might become a source of considerable prosperity to the country as a nursery of cows required for Lower Lombardy. In the upper or dry zone the land is held upon tenancies for a money rent ; but these are so few as hardly to deserve notice. There are, however, the metayer farms, or the small holdings, let out to peasants, on which some products are reserved for the sole benefit of the proprietors : others, such as the grapes and the co- coons, are divided equally between the landlord and tenant ; while others again, such as the Indian corn, are for the separate use of the latter. These holdings are generally of from 2 to 2^ hectares in extent, and are an- nual. In the lower or irrigated zone the tenancies are generally held on lease for from nine to twelve years, and the farms on an average are from 80 to 100 hectares in extent. They are let out for a money rent, the farmer being the sole proprietor of the produce. In addition to the rent, however, the tenants are liable to certain sup- plements, such as the supply of a specific quantity of farm produce, the payment of the communal taxes, the carriage of the building materials, when required, and the like. The metayers pay their rent in corn at harvest-time, the proprietor taking his share from the thrashing-floor. For the other products the amounts are made up every year on St. Martin's Day (11th November). The tenants of the lower plain generally pay their rent in two rates, al- though sometimes the payment is divided into three. Improvements to buildings and the acquisition of a larger supply of water are made by the landlord, to whom the tenant undertakes to pay the interest of monies thus ex- pended. The improvements to the land are annually made by the tenant, either against compensation to be determined at the end of the lease, or in return for the trees and other plants existing on the land to be cleared, or it may be as a charge on the lease itself. But even for improvements to buildings made by the landlord the tenant is bound to supply the carriage of the required materials at his own expense. The relations between the landlord and tenant are, on the whole, friendly, although the conditions imposed- on the occupiers are generally heavy, and sometimes exorbitant. The proportion between meadow and arable lands, in the lower zone, is as one to two ; in the upper it is some- times as one to 100, and occasionally nil. In the upper zone, where small farms are held by metayers, hired la- bourers are very few in number, the labour power of each family being sufficient for the cultivation of their land. The small proprietors live on their own properties. Those who till their own soil are generally poorly off, and those who employ others to work for them are in a more prosperous condition. The dress of the small work- ing proprietors is composed of a linen shirt, and fustian trowsers, waistcoat, snd jacket: when the weather is cold they wear in addition a thick white woollen uuder- waistcoat. The dwellings of the peasantry are generally bad, with the exception of a few farms in the upper plain, where the requirements of the silk husbandry have induced proprietors to make the cottages of the metayers somewhat more airy and commodious than usual. In the upper plain small properties become more numerous as you advance towards the mountains. THE HISTORY OF TIPTEEE HALL in order to remove agitation, excitement, and divergence of opinion as regards the history of this larra, I will simply state the facts, and leave readers to draw their own conclusions. The farm, when I bought it, was known as Sadler's Farm, be- cause a very worthy farmer of that name had occupied it originally for many years. Its name in the deeds was Big- more's Farm. It was never called a Hall until I so named it, after rebuilding the whole of the premises on a new site. My origmal purchase was 128 acres and some poles, for £3,150, or a fraction under £24' per acre. I bought it in 1841, of a respectable land agent, who once farmed it himself, and it was considered a reasonable price. Tlie tenant then in possession paid £150 per annum rent for it. The great and small tithes were commuted (fortimately, just before 1 made my improve- ments) at 5s. per acre. The farmhouse was an ancient white- washed lath-and-plaster building ; the bed-rooms were in the roof, lofty in the centre, and coming down at the eaves to about 18 inches, as near as 1 can remember. The old thatched farm-buildings were detached from each other, and the north- east or any other wind had free passage between them. In fact, it was just such a piece of antiquity as one too frequently sees in this and other counties. Tlie land was undrained, the fields and open ditches numerous, and of various and irregular shapes, as are at this moment most of the fields in Essex. There was a bog (unsafe for man or beast) called the Wab- bings, and a winding road down from Potter Row Lane to the premises, having a great hedge and ditch on each side with trees. By-the-bye, I paid £100 for the timber on the farm. There were s\indry odd pieces of waste, which I enclosed. I removed altogether about 3| miles of fences, and filled in ditches, and have now 60 acres in one enclosure, and 42 in another, without a tree, but I have a shrubbery of some two acres for the birds to breed in. I have no doubt that in fa- vourable seasons respectable crops were grown on the limited area available for cereals, but a wet season must have been disastrous, for when I first visited the farm, in September, 1843, on a wet day, with my old friend Dean (now hearty at 87), the light 1 and was swampy, and the heavy as loving as birdlime, but as slippery as butter. The men assured me that some of tlie wheat crops that year yielded only about 1^ to 2 quarters per acre ; and, judging by the weak stubble and paucity of stacks, I can easily believe it. Now, owing to my deep drainage, the light land is always dry and workable, and the bog especially so, and I send down to ray neighbours for many miles about 40 to 45 gallons of pure water each minute — summer and winter — more in the latter. The late medical man of the district used, jocularly, to say that I had spoiled all his best cases of fever down that line of brook. Any one who will take the trouble to inquire of some of the old men on our heatii about the comparative condition and yield of this farm now and formerly will soon arrive at a satisfactory con- clusion. Finding the old buildings too tender for substantial repair, and otherwise unsuitable, I cleared the lot away — a very easy task — and erected a new house and homestead on higher ground, for when I first visited the farm 1 noticed a heap of peas growing from damp in what had been the best room. In fact, the baiUflF there lost his wife and several children from fever in a short space of time. In our new buildings health for man and beast for thirty years has been- the order of the day. Some land adjoining, which I subse- quently purchased, was enclosed from the heath about 90 years ago. Now comes the great fox question. Foxes often come into this neighbourhood, and one Saturday afternoon some years ago a brace of them killed 17 turkeys on an adjoining farm while the farmer was at market, ana buried many of them in the dung-heaps, which were unspread on the fields. A few years ago a hard run vixen fox ran into a drain near my gate. It was a very cold day (Tiptree nipper), so 1 invited the hunters (about 30) to refresh themselves, and they speedily cleared out all mine and my bailiff's bread and cheese, but the sherry held out. This led to my fixing a day Ibr a general meet here and a champagne breakfast, when 150 red coats made their appearance on a bright day, and had good sport. A pretty sight it was, and J hope the manly sport of fox-hunting THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. 75 will never leave us. When the said thirty drank my health and gave the vieve halloo ! the hounds, finding the hall door ajar, rushed into the drawing-room, to tiie dismay of the hun- ters, vifho feared their dashing through the plate-glass win- dows, but I tranquillised them by my knowledge and assurance that plate-glass, if stout, is dog-proof. I can readily believe that Mr. Srajthies' father (who by-the-hye was one of the best judges of cattle in England) did make the remark, " that Tip- tree Heath was too poor to hold tiie scent of a fox," for despite all that unfriendly critics may say or desire to the con- trary, it has always had a bad name, and is spoken of con- temptuously as poor cold Tiptree Heath, and sometimes " Tip- tree Heath, God help you !" Its natural growth is of furze, broom, aud ferns, which come spontaneously where I happen to leave a spot uncultivated, and furze fences thrive luxuriously. Still there is no doubt that the land, like most other common land, is improvable, as proved by my crops, and only requires drainage, deeper cultivation, and plenty of good manure, made by fattening stock. On one of these fields I grew, in 1868, 8 quarters of white wheat per acre, and realised from the corn and straw £28 per acre, or £4 more than 1 paid for the fee- simple ; and in 1869 tlie same field yielded 7| qrs. of Rivett wheat. In 1870, 39 tons of mangel, and in 1871, 5 qrs. of red wheat per acre ; and it has now a promising growing crop of beans, to be followed by wheat. Other fields have often yielded 7 qrs. of wheat per acre. The moral I draw from my farm operations is that example, good or bad, has, after a time, its influence. Thirty years ago I was pronounced to be some- body not very sensible, but now I can compliment many of my neighbours upon having adopted the very plans they once con- demned. It is really gratifying and almost surprising to see what a change has come over the scene in this immediate neighbourhood. Huge fences, green lanes, trees, &c,, de- parted ; land drained, clean cultivation, roads improved, new cottages and farm buildings. Even Mr. Mechi's 15 feet ex- travagant 25s. iron sheep-hurdles (inwear 28 years) are now " the order of the day," one firm in Colchester selling 100 weekly. I was the first who introduced hereabout " that 'ere Huano" (guano), as some of the natives called it, and who did not then believe that a mere " peppering" could do the land any good — nothing like " solid muck." Well, it is a pleasant thing, a very pleasant thing, to meet one's neighbours with smihng faces, and a tacit admission that one has done some good ; but the labourers, who know what agricultural im- provement means, and what it has done for them and their families, express to rae, and, I know, feel a deep sentiment of, gratitude for the change that has taken place in their condi- tion in this neighbourhood within the last 30 years. It is natural that there should be some jealousy and dislike on the part of those who don't believe in modern changes, but cling affectionately to "the good old times." They should, however, try to reconcile and adapt themselves to this steam age, for the bubbling kettle has upset and deranged many a comfortable old prejudice or attachment, and made many people angry ; but niillioQS have received, and will continue to receive, its comforts and advantages. It is not possible to please every- body, and I never expected to do so. The people of England want more bread, meat, and other consumables, and as the land of England is neither half-farmed nor half-capitalled, by landowner or by tenant, there must and will be great changes and improvements. Observation and experience have taught me, especially in this neighbourhood, that the grand remedy tor this uncomfortable stats of things is frequent change of ownership, by which means new sentiments and new and addi- tional capital flow into agricultural improvement. Therefore, I am decidedly opposed to fixity of tenure by the laws of en- tail and primogeniture. — J. J. Mechi. THE CORN AVERAGES.— At a meeting of the Morpeth Chamber of Agriculture on June 19th, Mr. Thomas Lawson, Long:hurst Grange, in the chair, a petition to Parliament was unanimously agreed to, asking the Legislature to abolish the use of the present weights and measures, and to pass a law establishing, instead of the present various weights and mea- sures, one uniform scale, and to render its use compulsory throughout the United Kingdom. Tlie following petition on corn averages was also agreed to : To the honourable the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament as- sembled. The petition of the Morpeth Chamber of Agricul- ture humbly showeth, that the weekly returns of the average prices of British corn taken and published by the inspectors of the various markets in the district do not correctly repre- sent the average value of British corn produced in tliis distiicfc or their various localities; tliat great injustice is hereby caused to all persons who pay tithe rent charges or other rents, or charc;es that are based on such corn averages, and that such injustice arises partly from tlie defective provisions of the Act of 5th Victoria, chap, li, section 2nd, which pro- vides for the manner by which the average price of British corn is to be obtained ; that, it being legal to sell corn by either measure or weight, the said Act enacts that all British corn bought by weight or measure shall be computed, and set forth by according, and with reference to the imperial standard gallon, and yet said Act does not make any provision as to by what scale or mode the weight of any British corn (when such is bought by weight) ;.shall be converted into measure ; that a reasonable correct return might be obtained by anuual inquisition, taken in a similar manner as is con- tained in the 14th section of chap. 3 of the 5th and 6tli of Williau the fourth. Your petitioners therefore pray your honourable House to so amend the Act of 5th Victoria, chap. li, that the corn averages on which so many payments are based, may accurately represent the value of British grown corn, &c., &c., &c. ; and your petitioners will ever pray, &c. It was also agreed that the practice of giving chap money or luckpenny out of contract at the time of payment might at the time at which it originated be a useful ratification of pay- ment, but that the continuance of such a practice now pos- sesses no advantage to either buyer or seller, and that its total abolition is desired. That a copy of this resolution be sent to the Central Chamber, and requesting that in the event of its approval some date be fixed for a general change to a net price. It was further resolved that the thanks of the Chamber should be sent by the secretary to Sir Massy Lopes, Bart., M.P., for the able manner in which he urged on the attention of the House of Commons the desirability of an ad- justment of the basis on which our local taxation is at present assessed. PEOPOSED STEAM-PLOUGH AND TEACTION-ENGINE COMPANY, On Friday, June 14, a meeting was called at the West- minster Palace Hotel by circular letter, which appears to have been very widely distributed, with the object of establishing a Company, in which " £50,600 might be immediately and pro- fitably invested," from " the fact that upon nine-tenths of the cultivated land in England the steam-plough can be applied." The meeting was called for two o'clock ; but the business did not commence until nearly an hour later, when beyond the members of the press there were scarcely more than a dozen persons present, and these of course included the promoters, Mr. King, of Beedou, Berks, being the only bond fide farmer recognizable. Mr. Uorsman, M.P., who took tlie Chair, quoted figures and calculations in favour of the steam when compared with the horse plough. Mr. Chadwick, M.P., in whose name the meeting had been called, also eave figures to show that the Company had every promise of be- coming a great commercial success. Mr. Caird, however, questioned the calculations offered, and gravely doubted whe- tber there could ever be a saving of 40 per cent, in the cost of labour through the use of the steam plough, and also whe- ther they could rely on an increase of 30 per cent, in produce ! Mr. Bass, M.P., said that for a number of years he had lost a regular income by farming, which he could not have continued but for some more profitable business in which he was also engaged. He, however, made more money than he wished to do as a partner in the North Staffordshire Steam Ploughing Company, and, as he was sure the farmers were chargedjtoo much by his Company, he would gladly support any more general scheme. Mr. Wren Hoskyns referred to the steam-plough trials at Wolverhampton, but unfortunately had forgotten the depth at which they were taken. He also, we hear, doubted the flattering figures given by the promoters of the Company ; and ultimately the following resolution was passed, and the remainder of the company quietly dispersed : " That the extension of the application of steam ploughing is a subject of great public importance, and worthy the encourage- ment of all who have the means and opportunity of pro- moting agricultural improvements." We have been furnished with a full report, which it would be idle to give. 76 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE SALE OF LORD BRAYBROOKE'S SHORT- HORN HERD, Ax AuDLEY End, on Thursday, June 6tii, 1872. BY MR. H. STRAFl^ORD. At this sale Mr. Strafford, assisted by Mr. "VV. Rand, dispersed fifty pure-bred Shorthorns, and a number of Southdown rams and Berkshire pigs. The Shorthorns were, however, the principal attraction, though there were several onlookers from the southern counties for the sheep. The herd is of some standing, a good stock of milking Shorthorn cows having been kept at Audley End for many years ; besides the herd of Alderneys, which is said to have been formed more than half a century ago. The fashionable element was, however, introduced at a more recent period. The old Northallerton, or Duchess- Nancy tribe, somewhat ambitiously christened Grand Duchesses of Oxford, had just reached its first decade at Audley End. The Babraham sales supplied the Celia family ; but the more favourite Knightley blood came from Fawsley in 1865. Save the Duchesses and Oxfords, no tribe of Shorthorns is more esteemed than the old Red Rose or Cambridge Rose family. The beauty, selected by Jonas Webb at Cobhara, was secured by Lord Bray- brooke when Mr. AV ebb's herd was scattered. She and her daughters, Heydou Rose and Christmas Rose, together with Christmas Rose 2nd, have formed quite a Rosary among the other beauties of Audley End, and given the herd a distingue character. After Second Duke of Claro had been hired from Colonel Guuter, and Fourth Duke of Geneva, a Cherry bull purchased from Lord Penrhyn, had been used, the strains were bred at home. The catalogue accordingly presented eight Second Duke of Claro cows, chiefly five years old, which averaged nearly 68 gs. apiece. The top lot of the sale was among these, as Emerald, out of Sir Charles Knightley's Galleon, a fine looking stylish animal, went after opposition from Sir G. R. Philips to Mr. Foster for 205 gs. Fourth Duke of Geneva left half- a-dozen, chiefly three and four years old, but among them were two Knightleys and a Northallerton, which sent the average of the half-dozen up to 93 gs. The union of these two series with the Roses produced Claro's Rose, a white bull, by the former, and Thorndale Duke by the latter, and these two bulls had been in service up to the present time ; indeed Claro's Rose was ofl'ered, and went cheap enough to Mr. J. J. Sharp at 58 gs. There were seven lots by him, three being white, two Knightleys, and two Northallertons, and they average exactly 70 guineas each. This lot included a pretty roan bull-calf, called Fifth Duke of Oxford, though he had but remote kinship to the thousand guineas Ilolker bulls of that family. He was out of a Second Duke of Claro- Northallerton cow, and nearly doubled his dam's price, as he went for 100 gs. to Col. Morris, of New iTork. Thorndale Duke was not shown, but no less than ten heifers and nine bulls, many of them calves, came out by him. Among the heifers were two yearling Knightley's, one of them being out of Emerald, and two Northal- lertons; the former went for 150 gs. and 135 gs. respec- tively, and the latter for 90 gs. and 61 gs. Lord Fever- sham purchasing Erin (150 gs.), and Lord Penrhyn Grand Duchess of Oxford 3rd for 90 gs. The ten females by the sire averaged nearly 63 gs., and the nine buUs not quite 40 gs. Many would be buyers were present for the three Cam- bridge Rose bulls. Lot 7. Heydon Duke 2nd, a handsome red yearling, brother to the bull that ran third at the Royal and Yorkshire shows two years ago, had excited most attention. In his box he was playful, and showed well when he walked into the ring before the other bulls ; but after some preliminaries it was aunouuced that as yet he had proved impotent, and in con- sequence a reserve of 300 gs. would be put upon him, and as no bid was made, he was withdrawn. Then followed Christmas Duke, a white yeai-ling, going rather queerly on his forelegs, but showing a good deal of style and character. After somewhat languid competition he was bought by Mr. Ratclifi:for 125 gs. For the other bulls there was fair bidding, and considering that eight out of the fifteen wei-e calves of this year, the average of 50 gs. was highly respectable. As a whole they were brought out well, and from the appearance of the cows it was evident that milk was certainly one of the best features of the herd. Mr. Crabb succeeded in retaining three of the best specimens in the county, and Mr. J. Clayden kept another. Several go into Hertfordshire, principally the Celias, which were bought by Col. Jones. The north was well represented, as Lord Feversham bought two or three ; and Sir 11. J. Selvvin-Ibbetson, chairman of the lunch, also got a couple for Denton Park, on the banks of the Wharfe, where a herd flourished half a century since. Mr. Rand sold the sheep and pigs. The Downs were bred from the Babraham ewes, and the pigs from pure Berkshire stocks. The rams were put up at 5 gs. each, the larger number finding purchasers ; and Col. Morris paid the two top prices, 21 aud 31 gs., for a couple to go to America. The pigs also sold well, one young sow fetching 101 gs., and a boar 7 gs. Altho agh the day was showery, the sale was certainly a good one, well attended, and the arrangements every thing that could be desired, as in keeping with one of the finest estates and grandest mansions of old England. COWS AND HEIFERS. Galleon, JMr. S. Canning, 40 gs. ; Memento, Mr. R. H. Crabb, 100 gs. ; Lady Florence Burdett, Mr. Brown, 40 gs. ; Souvenir, Mr. J. Clayden, 42 gs. ; Lady Alice Burdett, Sir H. S. Ibbetson, 57 gs. ; Harebell 6tii, Mr, Dauby, 43 gs. ; Harebell 7tu, Mr. Cooke, 43 gs. ; Eme- rald, Mr. J. P. Foster, 205 gs.; Suneloaver, Mr. Danby, 38 gs. ; Leila, Mr. C. Bayes, 36 gs. ; Third Duchess or OxroRD, Mr. G. Robinson, 66 gs. ; Fair Maid, Sir H. S. Ibbetson, 55 gs. ; Memory, Mr. R. H. Crabb, 160 gs. ; Duchess of Graeton 2nd, Mr. C. H. Coek, 51 gs. ; Guine- vere, Sir G. R. Philips, 150 gs. ; Lady Cherry Burdett, Col. Jones, 50 gs. ; Grand Duchess of Oxford, Mr. H. Sharpley, 100 gs. ; Harebell 8th, Mr. C. Barnard, 46 gs. ; Lady Rose Burdett, Col. Jones, 50 gs. ; Forget-me-not, Rev. C. W. Holbech, 80 gs. ; Harebell 9th, Mr. D. Turpin, 39 gs. ; Sultana, Mr. G. Underwood, 33 gs. ; Lady Geneva Burdett, Mr. J. Sworder, 38 gs. ; Harebell 10th, Mr. Fison, 40 gs. ; Farewell, Mr. J. Lynn, 125 gs. ; Erin, Lord Feversham, 150 gs. ; Regret, Mr. A. J. Robarts, 135 gs. ; Fifth Duchess of Oxford, Mr. D. McKiuder, 78 gs. ; HouRi, Mr. H. Webb, 45 gs. ; Lady Grace Burdett, Col. Jones, 40 gs.; Lady Jane Burdett, Col. Jones, 33 gs. ; Grand Duchess of Oxford 3rd, Lord Penrliyo, 90 gs.; Grand Duchess of Oxford 4th, Mr. R. H. Crabb, 61 gs. ; Harebell 11th, Mr. Brown, 23 gs. ; Haidee, Mr. Wood- house, 37 gs. ; Lady Mary Burdett, Col. Jones, 20 gs. BULLS. Claro's Rose, Mr. J. J. Sharp, 58 gs. ; Phantom, Mr. Gebhardt, 50 gs. ; Wizard, Mr. Chirnside, 52 gs. : Burdett Duke 1st, Mr. Davies, 62 gs. ; Christmas Duke, Mr. R. RatclifF, 125 gs. ; Sunrise, Mr. 11. Gebhardt, 52 gs. ; Hey- don Duke 2nd (reserved, 300 gs.) ; Token, Mr. T. B. Locke, 70 gs.; Burdett Duke 2nd, Mr. Jordan, 34gs. ; Talisman, Mr. H. Thurnall, 38 gs. ; Magician, Mr. J. A. Osier, 20 gs.; DuKE or Grafton, Mr. Hawkins, 16 gs. ; Fifth Duke of Oxford, Col. Morris, America, 100 gs.; Merlin, Mr. Jordon, 41 gs. ; Magic, Mr. G. B. Gibson, 13 gs.; Burdett Duke 3rd, Mr. Potts, 13 gs. SUMMAKY. Average. Total. 36 Cows £71 2 2 > £2,559 18 0 15 Bulls 52 1 8 781 4 0 51 i;65 10 3 £3,311 0 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 77 SALE OF MR. J. H. BLUNDELL'S SHORTHORNS. At Woodsire, Lutox, on Friday, June 7, 1872. BY MR. JOHN THORNTON. This herd, cousisting of forty head, had been kept for some years for supplying the town of Luton with milk, in one year upwards of 9,500 gallous having been sent in. The cows showed well in the yards, and even better as they came into the ring, where there was a good and ready sale for them at satisfactory prices. Lot 2, a neat nice cow, went cheap enough to Mr. Kendrick at 40 gs., and her roan two-year-old heifer was secured for Mr. Singleton at 47s. Azalea, a red aud white cow of Mr. Smith's blood, was purchased by Messrs. Ferry, as well as her two-year-old heifer, the former at 42 gs., the latter at 52 gs. Lot 7, Dahlia 3rd died in calving a roan bull-calf, which Mr. J. K. Fowler purchased rather dearly at 28 gs. The most attractive lot in the sale was Flossy Gwynne, a fine large stylish cow and a good milker. Mr. C. Howard bid for her, but she was finally knocked down to Mr. Salt at 160 gs. The heifers were brought out well, and several of them went to Mr. Greenwell, of Putteridge Park. Lot 19, Dinah, a thick roan two-year-old, bred from the Weston Park herd, went for 43 gs. to Mr. A. Blandell, Suffolk, and Willow Twig, also from Weston Park stock, fetched 51 gs. to Mr. J. Singleton. The calves, which were by Polyphemus, were very taking, and ranged from 17 to 38 gs. Polyphemus himself headed the bulls ; his excellent blood and fine fore-quarters were balanced by his age, and Mr. A. Blundell got him at a trifle over butcher's price. The two Gwynne bulls, the youngest of which was a little lame, both went to ^Ir. Bramley, and there was good bidding for the bull-calves. Some Berk- shire pigs were offered after the sale, and made satisfac- tory prices, but the heavy showers damped the business which otherwise went off well. COWS ATND HEIFERS. Mocking Bird, Mr. C. A. Tabor, 33 gs. ; Lady Augusta, Mrs. Strickland, 40 gs. ; Fairy Princess, Mr. H. L. Michalls, 40 gs. ; Grxzza, Mr. E. J. Simms, 31 gs. ; Azalea, Messrs. T. and G. Perry, 43 gs. ; Genoa, Mr. D. M. Brown, 38 gs. ; roan bull-calf out of Dahlia 3rd, Mr. J. K. Fowler, 38 gs. ; Dot. Mr. C. A. Tabor, 30 gs. ; Flossy GwynNe, Mr. W. H. Salt, 160 gs.; Cauliflower, Mr. T. Bates, 36 gs. ; Iris 2nd, Mr. W. Greenwell, 31 gs. ; Bride, Mr. J. Ross, 32 gs. ; Lady Dun, Mr. H. L. Michalls, 43 gs. ; Trifle, Mr. W. Greenwell, 46 gs. ; roan bull-calf out of Trifle, Mr. E. G. Ashwell, 7i gs. ; May Belle, Mr. J. Ward, 46 gs. ; red and white cow-calf out of May Belle, Mr. E. Samai, 11 gs. ; CosPETTO, Mr. J. Ward, 36 gs. ; Appletreewick, Mr. T. and G. Perry, 52 gs. ; Dinah, Mr. A. Blundell, 43 gs. ; White Violet, Mr. W. Greenwell, 39 gs. ; Item, Mr. W. Greenwell, 35 gs. ; Tallaru, Mr. D. Si. Brown, 42 gs. ; Lady April, Mr. J. Singleton, 47 gs. ; Willow Twig, Mr. J. Singleton, 51 gs. ; Idothea, Mr. J. Ward, 32 gs. ; Ge- nuine, Mr. J. Craven, 20 gs. ; Fair Princess, Mr. J. Press- land, 22 gs. ; Galatea, Mr. D. M. Brown, 40 gs. ; Consti- tution, Mr. D. W. Hill, 38 gs. ; Idalia, Mr. W. H. Cripps, 26 gs. ; Gravitation, Mr. J. Pressland, 20 gs. ; Breeze, Mr. D. W. HiU, 28 gs. ; Dipthong, Mr. G. Nott, 17gs.; Imogen, Mr. G. Nott, 21 gs. BULLS. Polyphemus, Mr. A. Blundell, 40 gs. ; Foster Gwynne, Mr. C. Bramley, 30 gs. ; Faultless Gwynne, Mr. C. Bram- ley, 50 gs. ; Merry Boy, Mr. G. Nott, 20 gs. ; Fair Prince, Mr. G. Woodward, 33 gs. ; Lord April, Mr. R. Campion, 24 gs. ; Acis, Mr. Noble, 14 gs. summary. £ s. d. £ s. d. 33 Cows averaged 41 9 6 1,368 13 6 7 Bulls „ 31 13 0 221 11 0 40 „ 39 15 1 £1,590 4 6 SALE OF MR. WOODWARD'S SHORT- HORNS AT ASHCHURCH, BY MR. J. THORNTON. On Friday, June 14, Mr. Thornton sold fifty-one cows and heifers and eleven bulls from Mr. Woodward's ex- tensive herd in Worcestershire. The catalogue stated that thestockhad been foundedin 1829 — indeed Mr. Woodward hasbeeu appropriately called the father of Shorthornbreeders in the south-west. He was a zealous disciple of the Rev. Henry Berry and Mr. Jonas Whitaker, and the principles received then have been continued unto this day. With the late Mr. Bates and Mr. R. Booth he was also inti- mate, and without running in the rut of fashion he has from time to time admixed the blood of their popular Shorthorus with his own herd, not quite directly, but in the diluted form of the second generation. Never an extravagant buyer, he has, notwithstanding, from time to time bought up well-bred cows or heifers and occasionally used their sons, so that although no fixed or defiaed prin- ciple has been adopted, a herd of thoroughly useful, healthy, and strong-constitutioned cattle has been reared. Bull breeding, like ram breeding, requires steady deter- mined principles. Mr. Woodward's herd can hardly be called a bull-breeding herd, nevertheless probably no man has sent more bulls among the farmers of the adjoining counties at moderate prices, and worked an enormous amount of good among the original stock of the neighbourhood. From far and near, farmers came up to see the herd from which they had had — some almost in ages gone by — a bull. Milk aud quality, health and strong constitution, were the things Mr. Woodward aimed at with pure blood, and he has succeeded in ob- taining them. Those cows or heifers that were rearing calves, or in milk, showed their capabilities in that way ; and some that had warped their calves late last season., after foot-and-mouth, evinced by their condition the dis- position to lay on flesh. This circumstance, coupled, doubtless, with the badly kept bulling book at an off-farm, had an influence on several lots ; otherwise there was good and lively competition for the best specimens, several of which made from 40 to 60 guineas each. ludeed, a few of the heifers, by their symmetry, quality, aud general good looks, might easily walk away with many a local or county prize. The bulls as a lot were very fair, two or three very excellent, especially the last lot, a fine roan yearling, which went for 60 guineas. It was past noon ere the company assembled, and although provision was bountifully spread in the hop rooms for two hundred, many had to stand, or wait until the first party had finished. The sale went off lively and in good time, resulting in a general average of £85 5s. 6d. Subjoined are the prices: Cows and Heifers, lot 1, Blooming Lass aud calf 37 guineas, Gardner; 2, Miss Nancy (daughter of Miss Nettle) and calf 35 guineas, Lovibond ; 3, Water Lily and calf 45 guineas, Lovibond ; 4, Madam 41 guineas. Cotes ; 5, Maypole 33 guineas, Wardle ; 6, Capsicum 27 guineas, Newman ; 7, Fatima 35 guineas, Talbot ; 8, Mimosa 28 guineas, Ludlow; 9, Lydia Bell and calf 42 guineas. Rev. H. Beckwith; 10, Cleopatra 6th 30 guineas, J. P. Wilkes; 11, Damson Pie 25 guineas, A. Newman; 12, Iceberg 33 guineas, John Woodward ; 13, Medusa 36 guineas, W. Payne ; 14, Dainty Maid 24 guineas, Pearce ; 15, Dolly 39 guineas, J. Buckle; 16, Narcissa 19 guineas, A. Newman; 17, Beetread 32 guineas, Ludlow; 18, Bountiful Star and calf 52 guineas, Cox ; 19, Matchmaker 26 guineas. Holder ; 20, Thrush aud calf 50i guineas, Quicke ; 21, Batwing 24 guineas. Holder; 22, Lady Agnes 31 guineas, Wardle ; 23, Woodpecker 31 guineas, Wardle ; 24, Twinkle andj calf 45.t guineas, Gnmbleton ; 25, Day 18 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Dream 31 guineas, Ludlow; 26, Milkbowl aud calf 57^ guineas, Cox ; 27, Gentle Duchess 28 guineas, Nesham ; 28, Louisa Bell 33 guineas, Neild ; 29, Adelaide 30 guineas, Webb; 30, Beehive 27 guineas, Ratcliff; 31, Needful 26 guineas, A. Newman; 32, Dinah 51 guineas, E. Grey ; 33, Damson Tart 29 guineas, Caldicott ; 34, Serena 53 guineas, Burnett ; 35, Isis 36 guineas, Hart ; 36, Ladybird 25 guineas, Caldicott; 37, Twitter 52 guineas, G. Parry; 38, Lucy Bell 26 guineas, Quicke ; 89, Fortune 28 guineas. Rev. H. Beckwith ; 40, Dila- tory 25 guineas, Quicke ; 41, Dewdrop 29 guineas, Wardle; 42, Damson Jelly 30| guineas. Gardener; 43, Brunette 27 guineas, Quicke; 44, Nectarine llower 31 guineas, Buckle; 45, Musical 2nd 31 guineas, Holder ; 46, Ladylike 62 guineas. Grey; 47, Icy 29 guineas, Quicke ; 48, Damson Cream 28 guineas, Grey ; 49, Neat- ness 36 guineas, Nesham ; 50, Annette 29 guineas, Quicke; 51, Lilywhite35 guineas, J. Arkell. Bulls: lot 52, Tichborne 23 guineas, W. Talbot; 53, Lord-Lieu- tenant 25 guineas, R. Attenborough ; 54, Lord Wemyss 27 guineas, Richardson; 55, Belmont 23 guineas, Thom- son; 56, North Star 41 guineas, G. Witcombe ; 57, Bis- marck 22 guineas, Thomson ; 58, Norval 21 guineas. Cotes ; 59, Lord Lowe 25 guineas, Neild ; 60, Welcome Duke 40 guineas, Harbage ; 61, Napoleon 30 guineas, Lovibond ; 62, Noble Butterfly 60 guineas, Capt. Cook- son. Total sale, £2,187 38, Eusor. Two Devon bulls belonging to Mr, Wm, Smith, of Higher Hoopern, Exeter, Pennsylvania and Earl of Devon, realised 35 guineas each ; Mr, C. Hambro's Agneta, a Devon cow in calf, eight years old, 30 guineas ; another of Mr. Hambro's, a yearling, 19 guineas ; and another yearling heifer 23 guineas. Only one Guernsey was sold, a fawn and white cow, Lady Jane, for 40 guineas. EXPORTED SHORTHORNS. Early in the past month the Winefred left London for Brisbane, having on board three young Shorthorn bulls and five heifers, the property of Messrs. McConnel, Queensland. The heifers had been selected from the herds of the Marquis of Exeter and Messrs. Atkinson, and were chiefly yearlings. The bulls were of the same age and of good substance, quality, and high blood, having been purchased from the herd of Mr. Hugh Aylmer, Norfolk. The La Hogue, for Sydney, had on board two very fine young animals, also of the Shorthorn breed. One was the well-known prize heifer Victoria Windsonia, a red two-year-old, bred by Lady Pigot. This heifei", after winning at several of the prmcipal shows, had been sent for service to War- laby, where she had been put lo Lord Blithe, own brother to Mr. Booth's celebrated prize cow Lady Fra- grant. This heifer was purchased by Mr. E. King, Car. The other was a cow, Modesty, bred by Mr. Searson. from the Messrs. Dudding's stock, and in calf to Mr. Torr's Bridport, a son of his well-known cow Blink Bonny. Mr. Ridge, of AVindsor, New South Wales, has also made several piirchases from first-class herds. Across the Atlantic our American cousins seem to adopt the English method in disposing of their surplus Shorthorn stock by auction. Several imported animals are announced for sale at Col. King's farm near Minneapolis, in the far north-west; whilst some leading Kentuckian breeders advertise large portions of their herds for public sale, and others their entire stocks. Mr. Gibson, it is rumoured, has landed in this country with some pure-bred animals for a spirited breeder in the Midland Counties, and Mr. M. H. Cochrane of Montreal, so renowned for his extraordinary purchases here for importation to Canada, has recently bought up the whole of Messrs. Walcott and Campbell's importa- tions of pure Booth cattle which were made a few years ago from Mr. T. C. Booth's herd at Warlaby. SALE OF SHOW STOCK AT DORCHESTER.— Some gi the stock exhibited was disposed of by auction by Mr, T. THE GAME LAWS COMMITTEE. {Continued from imge 73. J The conclusion of Mr, Sewell Read's examination has been deferred in order to suit his convenience. At the meeting on June 18, Mr. J. W. Barclay, merchant in Aberdeen, and farmer atAuchlossau.Lumphanan, was examined. In reply to questions put by Mr. M'Combie, he said he had been a member of the Aberdeen Town Council, and was honorary secretary of the Aberdeenshire Rinderpest Association, which was the originator of the stamping-out process, which Parliament afterwards adopted. His farm consisted of about 400 acres of arable land. Of these, he had reclaimed about 230 acres from the Loch of Auchlossan. This loch he drained, receiving for the drainage a lease from the proprietor of twenty years free, and of five years thereafter at a moderate rent. The proprie- tor reserved the game of every kind, and the iish as well, with the sole liberty to fish, shoot, and hunt over the land at all times. He was to get no compensation at the end of his lease for drainage done. By Mr. Hunt. — His rent after the first twenty years free was to be £100 a year for five years — that was twenty-five years in all — but, on account of the difficulty of draining the loch, the proprietor extended the lease two years during the operation. The drainage liad been exceedingly expensive, on account of the nature of the soil ; and in consequence of that the profitable length of the lease had been reduced by six or seven years. By Mr. M'Combie. — He did not believe that his offer to re- claim the Loch of Auchlossan would have been accepted if the game had not been reserved to the landlord. The game on Auchlossan was let to strangers at £120 a year, which included the value of the game on the rest of the estate. The whole estate consisted of about 4,000 acres, and he farmed about a tenth of it. A few years ago the ga:ne was let for £30. The game on the farm included hares, partridges, black game, and grouse. By Mr. Hunt. — There are no rabbits on the estate. There were a few years ago, but they were greatly complained of by the tenants. He himself did not sufter to any material extent from game, but when the game was more strictly preserved others suffered. At some seasons tlie grouse came down upon his corn, but he did not reckon they did much damage. Since he became a farmer he had taken an active part in agricul- tural questions, and had attended many public meetings held in Aberdeenshire on the subject of the Game-laws. At these meetings resolutions were passed condemnatory of the existing laws. One resolution stated that liares and rabbits ought to be excluded from the operation of the Game-laws, that their preservation was not compatible with good farming, and that all compacts for their pre- servation ought to be declared illegal. Other meetings had passed resolutions to the same effect, declaring that contracts such as those referred to should be declared illegal, as being contrary to the public good. Both political parties had been represented at these meetings. The tenants of a large proprietor in Aberdeenshire had lately sent him a peti- tion asking him to lessen the quantity of game on his estate. This proprietor almost invariably refused to grant leases. He had about forty tenants. On another estate in the same county there had been nothing to complain of up till 1863, when the present proprietor came into occupation, and straightway began the preservation of game. The crops of the tenants were very seriously damaged ; and in 1866 a tenant who claimed £29 for injuries done received £26. His extra-judicial expenses, however, amounted to about £10. On another estate in Aberdeenshire a petition had been addressed to the proprietor, in which it was pointed out that unless some THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, W reduction was made in the numbers of game the occupation of farms would become impossible. As it was, a stop to all per- manent improvements had effectually been made. No reply had been gfiven to the first petition he had instanced, because the landlord held that in some south country estates there was more game than on his. He knew of more than one case in which a tenant had been obliged to emigrate to America be- cause his farm coxild not be occupied profitably, so great was the quantity of game. He had given these instances to show the existing state of things, and had mentioned the petitions as showing the opinion of the Aberdeenshire farmers — an opi- nion which might be further ascertained from the resolution of the Aberdeenshire Game Conference, In reply to Mr. M'Combie, Mr. Barclay gave instances of game clauses. In one case the landlord reserved everything on the estate in the shape of game and fish, including hares and rabbits, with the sole right to shoot over the land ; and, notwithstanding any alteration made in the Game-laws, the tenant was bound not merely not to destroy the game but to do all he could to preserve it. He could make no claim for damages done by game. In another case the landlord made it binding on the tenant to keep off all poachers and suspicious persons, and he was further bound not to keep a dog. Since 1850 the conditions of lease on this particular estate had been made more binding. The tenants were prohibited from keeping on their farms any person likely to become a burden on the Poor-law funds (laughter). This was in addition to the game clauses ; and to crown the whole, a year's rent in arrear brought about a declaration of the tenant's bankruptry. There was, so far as he knew, only one estate in Aberdeenshire — namely, that belonging to Gordon's Hospital — in which the game was not reserved to the proprietor. There were twenty-nine farms on which the tenants had the right to kill hares and rabbits. In Aberdeen- shire little land was set apart by the proprietors for the main- tenance of game. The consequence was that game was kept by the tenants, so that in fact the landlord received two rents out of the farms. The tenants were, as a rule, exceedingly unwilling to make game complaints against their landlords. There were several reasons for this. The landlord had the tenant at all times very much within his power, and the farmer knew very well that if he made any complaint not only would his lease not be renewed, but he would not obtain a farm from any other game-preserving landlord. It was quite impossible to do justice to the tenant by any attempt to give money for damages done by game. In the first place, it was extremely difficult to find out the direct damages, and as for the indirect damages caused by the " keep" of hares and rabbits during all the year these could not be ascertained at all. No scheme of reform, therefore, which was based on compensation for dam- ages could be satisfactory, and sucli. a scheme had been universally scouted by all the farmers he knew. The effect of the state of things in Abeerdeenshire was that the farms were not so well cultivated as in any other circumstances they would be. The poacher was not looked upon in Aberdeenshire as altogether a bad fellow. Mr. M'Combie : Is he looked upon as a thief ? — No ; but he is looked upon as a dangerous subject (laughter). Witness continued : My opinion is that the present Game- laws might be abolished, and a simple Game -law passed instead. Some discussion here took place as to evidence concerning the deer forests on Deeside. Mr. Bakclay said that the Mar estates of the Earl of Fife had been almost converted into deer forests. The onlv farm of any extent on the estate was held by the factor, Mr. Clark. The Chairman : Do you know that personally to be a fiict ? — Yes, I do. Mr. M'Combie : How many acres of deer forest may there be on the fife estate ? Witness : About 100,000 acres I should say. I should think that 25,000 sheep might be fed in the Earl of Fife's glens. Mr. M'Combie: I remember when my father kept 800 cattle and 500 sheep on the Geldie, whicli tised to be a grazing glen on the Fife estates. Mr, BABCI.AY continued ; In Glen Tannes, near Aboyne, which was on the estate of the Marquis of Huntly, there were about thirty farms fewer than there were thirty years ago. Both in Braemar and Glen Tannes the heather was killing the grass, and the opens were becoming less able to support cattle and sheep than they used to be. In reply to Mr. M'Combie, Mr. Barclay said that he would object to any alteration iu the ordinary Trespass Law. Mr. M'Combie : Do you think that these gentry from England who take grouse shootings in the Highlands do any good to the country ? We hear a great deal about the good they do, you know. Witness : I don't think that they do very much material good to the country. They get most of their provisions from a distance. The good they do is done to the proprietors more than to the country. Mr. Cameron, of Lochiel, cross-examined Mr. Barclay at some length, with the object of showing that everybody in the Highlands benefit from the gentlemen who shoot grouse ; but Mr. Barclay held to his opinion that the proprietors and not the i?eople of the country chiefly benefited. He denied that the farmer benefited. He would substitute for the existing Game-law a simple Trespass Act, which would protect grouse and game, and give the inalienable right in hares and rabbits to the farmer. In one-half of Aberdeenshire high farming was impossible, because of the great preservation of game. In Aberdeenshire about half a million of money was expended in artificial manure. That, however, was no great figure for a county like Aberdeen. Mr. Cameron : Have you any experience in sheep farming ? Mr. Barclay : No ; there are very few sheep farmers in lower Aberdeenshire. To Mr. Sherlock. — Mr. Barclay said that when his lease in Auchlossan came to an end he would not have reaped so much from the money invested in it as if it bad been invested in business. The farmers in Aberdeenshire, he was quite sa- tisfied, made less out of farming than if their money were in- vested in .3 per Cents. The value of farms in Aberdeenshire had not decreased, but they would have been higher had it not been for the Game-laws and the excessive preservation of game. By Mr. M'Lagan. — He was somewhat of opinion that the arbitrary and despotic clauses in the leases were practically dis- regarded. For instance, though some farmers were bound to inform against poachers, the were like a certain admiral, who did not " see" the signal to retreat. They did not see the poacher, and therefore did not inform against him. What he understood by the absolute and unrestricted right to kill hares and rabbits was not that a farmer should give over that right to the proprietor for a consideration, but that the farmer should have the right in such a way that he could neither divest himself of nor be divested of it. By Lord Elcho. — The farmers of Aberdeenshire and the Chamber of Agriculture in Scotland want that when a new Game-law comes into operation it should take immediate effect, superseding previous agreements and leases. Mr. M'Lagan : If a Game Act were passed wliich the tenant and the poacher both tried to evade, would it not have a bad effect on the morals of the country ? Mr. Barclay : An Act of Parliament has nothing to do with the morals of the country. If it be just in itself it cannot in- juriously affect the country's morals. The present laws are not just, and do injure the country's morals. Witness further said that he would not take rabbits and hares out of the game list. What he wanted in place of the present laws was a simple Game Trespass Act, something like the Wild Fowl Act passed the other day, which would increase the penalties for every new offence. He would rather give the control of hares and rabbits to the farmers them- selves than take them out of the game list and give them to all the idle vagrants in the country and in the villages round about. Mr. Hunt : Do you wish to see the freedom of contract in- terfered with in relation to your business in Aberdeen? Witness ; [do rot. ^ 2 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Mr. Hunt : Then bn what principle would you interfere with the freedom of contract in relation to farmers P Witness : Because there is an exceedingly great difference between the land and the produce of it. At this point the examination of Mr. Barclay was adjourned. A.t a meeting of the York Chamber of Agriculture, on June 20, Mr. Ware, the chairman said, at their last meeting they had a very excellent lecture delivered to them on the Game- laws, by Mr. Peacock, of this city, and that gentleman was deputed by the Chamber to represent them before the Select Committee of the House of Commons sitting to receive infor- mation upon the Game-laws. Upon tiiat appointment being made, Mr. Grayston, tlie secretary of the Chamber, wrote to Mr. J. W. Hunt, the chairman of the Select Committee inti- mating that Mr. Peacock was ready to give evidence before them. In reply, Mr. Hunt sent a communication, intimating that there was a desire on the part of the Select Committee not to multiply unnecessarily the number of witnesses, as they wished to come to some conclusion on tlie subject during the present Session of Parliament, but that Mr. Grayston's letter would be laid before the committee. He (the chairman) hap- pened to be called suddenly up to London, to attend one of the law courts at Westminster, and singularly enough one of the first persons he met with was Mr. Peacock, who told him he had received an order to attend before the Select Commit- tee to give evidence upon the game question. He went with Mr. Peacock into the committee-room, and from what he saw and heard he could assure the Chamber it was no trifling mat- ter to appear before seventeen members of Parliament, the number of the committee, and to be questioned by them all round. Mr. Peacock was not called that day, but he gave his evidence on tlie following Friday, and was for three hours under examination, he being asked several questions, first by one and then by another. They might be sure that during this long time Mr. Peacock would give a great variety of information upon the subject. He was glad that the Chamber was on the occasion so ably represented by Mr. Peacock. It struck him that there was a certain degree of antagonism amongst the members of the Select Committee, some fighting one way and some another. From all lie could see, and from his knowledge of the subject generally, he was of opinion that Parliament would not be enabled satisfactorily to legislate up- on the game question, as it simply resolved itself into one to be settled between the landlord and the tenant. The present agitation, and the appointment of a select committee, would nevertheless be productive of much good, as it would tend to prove to gentlemen, who were great preservers of ground game, that they were in error, and would be induced he hoped to discontinue the practice, and not go in so strong as they had hitherto done. He could mention a fact that had come to his knowledge. One nobleman, whom he would not name, an ardent game preserver, had this spring sold 4,000 pheasants' eggs to a game dealer in York, besides additional eggs which he had disposed of at other places. Mr. Jolly (York) said he considered Mr. Peacock had conceded far too much when before the committee. When asked by M. Muntz respecting hares, he said that tenants should have the right to course them and to kill rabbits. Now they all knew that it was utterly impossible to keep down hares by coursing only ; and as to rabbits, if the tenants were only allowed to shoot them, the same result would be experienced. Hares to be coursed and rabbits to be shot by the tenants read very well on paper, but he was of opinion un- less they could have the privilege of killing both in the best way they could it would be utterly impossible for tenants to farm well and realise a profit under certain situations. The Chairman considered that it was premature to criticise Mr. Peacock's evidence, inasmuch as they had only as yet seen an abstract, and that a short one. As Mr. Pea- cock was under examination for three iiours his evidence must necessarily have been long, and it was impossible to tell the full bearing of it in the summary which appeared. It was scarcely fair at present to speak adversely of Mr. Peacock's testimony, but it might form the subject of comment when they obtained the full report as it would appear in the blue book. They knew pretty well what Mr. Peacock's opinions were, and he believed they were concurred in by farmers generally. HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND. At the general meeting, in the hall, George IV. Bridge, Mr. Binnie, Seton Mains, in the chair, 139 new members were elected. Mr. DUNDAS (Arniston) moved " That the death of Mr. Dickson having been communicated to the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, they resolved to record in the minutes their deep regret for his loss, and the sense of the obligations which the Society owed to him as a director. That the meeting direct that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to Mrs. Dickson, with their respectful condolence with her and her family under so painful a bereavement." The motion was unanimously agreed to. For the Kelso Show the entries are as follows : 1872. 1863. Cattle 280 245 Horses 200 • 127 Sheep 550 532 Swine 60 49 Poultry 330 261 Implements 1600 1100 Dr. Anderson said he had to make a verbal report in re- gard to the chemical department — a report which on the present occasion must be very much of the ordinary character. They had always during the first six months of the year the largest number of analyses to make for members of the Society ; and during the last six months the number had been no fewer than 373, including examples of every kind of analysis, with the details of which it would be unnecessary to occupy the time of the meeting. He might state that the results had been, on the whole, satisfactory, and he thought that the amount of deliberate and flagrant ^adulteration had this year been under an average. No doubt there had been many cases in which manures had been offered for sale vkhich had fallen short of the guarantee — cases in which there was no deliberate intention to defraud, but which had their origin in the keen competition which existed in the manure trade, £.nd which induced the manufac- turers to put their best foot foremost. There were several cases which were not without interest. One case particularly merited notice. A well-known manure manufacturer sent him for analysis a sample of guano, which proved to be of very in- ferior quality, and he accordingly reported to that efl'ect. The manufacturer afterwards informed him that the result was exactly what he had anticipated. Tiie facts of the case were these : This manure manufacturer had been very much annoyed by customers coming to his office and telling him that they were ofl'ered elsewhere a guano in a drier and better condition for £1 per ton less. That oc- curred so frequently that he asked for a sample, which was the sample he (Dr. Anderson) analysed, and it was found to be worth between £3 and £3 a ton less in value than the article which he was selling at 20s. higher. He asked the name of the seller, but it was declined. Other cases of a similar kind had occurred. It was found that great disinclination existed as to communicating to him the names of dealers in these cases so that he was unable to put the farmers as thoroughly off their guard as he would like to do. Several matters had occupied the attention of the committee since the last general meeting. At that meeting he was anxious that he should have been permitted to make a provisional report at the present time on the subject of the proposed establishment of an ex- perimental station. The committee were, however, of opinion that their plans were not sufficiently matured, and that too much difl'erence of opinion existed to render it advisable to proceed. He therefore simply mentioned the matter, so that the Society might see that they were not neglecting the subject. Some time ago attention was drawn to the fact that very great difl'erence was alleged to exist as to the method in which analyses were stated by himself and the chemists of the English and Irish societies. When the matter was brought up he expressed himself as being of an opposite opinion, and that he thought the analyses were identical. He had since inquired into the matter, and found that the analyses were substantially identical, althougii certain verbal difl'erences existed which appeared to create confusion amongst farmers. He had therefore been endeavouring to arrive at a regular THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 81 sjstcm of stating the analyses, and he lioped he would succeed in carrying out this — an arrangement wliich seemed to be desired by farmers generally. Several pieces of work were going on in the laboratory ; amongst others an investigation into scab in potatoes, on which he hoped soon to be able to report. The Society might feel assured that no delay would occur in communicating the results as soon as the investiga- tions were satisfactorily finished. Mr. George Harvey (Whittinghara Mains) said that after the last annual meeting in January considerable dissatisfaction was felt with him, in anonymous letters appearing in a well- kuovvn journal, stating that since he became a director he was checkmated, and that lie durst not rise to speak on this sub- ject. In fact, it was said tliat the lion and the lamb had lain down together. The real truth was that his reason for silence on tliat occasion was simply that the directors had announced some time previously that fraudulent manure-dealers were to be exposed under the auspices of the Society. Since that time he believed that no very fl^agrant case had occurred. At the same time he was not forgetting the subject, and he took as much interest in it as ever. He held it was unjust, unfair, and ungenerous to be attacked by such scurrility of writing in an anonymous way. Professor Balfour reported that the examinations for the Society's agricultural certificate and diploma took place on the 26th and 27th March, and that at a meeting of the Council on Education, hold on the 29th March, diplomas were conferred on Mr. Colville Browne, Long Melford, Suffolk ; Mr. A. H. Ashdown, Uppington, Wellington, Salop ; and Mr. Adam Ogilvy Torry, St. Ann's, Coupar-Angus, who obtained the certificate last year. A certificate was granted to Mr. Forbes Burn, Hardacres, Coldstream, wlio was entitled to present himself for further examination, in terms of the regulations, for the diploma. Professor Balfour also mentioned that the prizes given by the Society to the class of agriculture were this year awarded to — 1, Robert Gray Murray, Lanarkshire ; 2, Matthew C. Thorburn, Dumfriesshire. The following new bye-law was proposed for adoption : " That each successful candidate for the Society's agricultural diploma shall thereby become eligible to be elected a free life member of the Society." Also the following addition to bye- law No. 3 : " Holders ot the Society's agricultural diploma shall be declared duly elected if one-half of the members pre- sent at the general meeting at which they are proposed shall have voted for them." Mr. David Milne Home moved the adoption of the report and of the new bye-laws. He had great pleasure in doing so, and he thought that they would see that the gentle- men who had obtained the diploma were men who well de- served all the honour bestowed on them. Those who suc- ceeded in getting the diploma had to pass an examination on subjects of considerable difficulty. They must attain the age of twenty-one, possess a thorough knowledge of the practice and theory of agriculture, of mechanics and mensuration, of the physiology and treatment of domestic animals, and also a knowledge of chemistry and botany. They must undergo a great amount of study to fit them for obtaining the diploma, and the directors thought that these gentlemen were well en- titled to some further mark of distinction. They thought that, following the example set by the Royal English Society, they should besitow on them the privilege of becoming life members without paying £10 or £11. Major Hunter, of Thurston, seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Professor Baleouu reported that the examinations for the Society's certificates in forestry took place on the 2Gth and 37tli March, vvhen a second-class certificate was conferred on Mr. Peter Loney, Marchmont, Dunse. Captain Tou, of Howden, reported the examinations for the Society's veterinary certificate on the loth, 16th, and 17th of AprU. The general impression on the minds of those who were present at the examination was that the students made a very creditable appearance. In presenting the medals to the successful competitors, he made a few remarks about the short period during which the students had for study. Tlie sessions began about November and closed about the middle of April — in all, barely six months. They were obliged to attend two sessions, or about twelve months, and, during that time, one was expected to become a veterinary surgeon. He proposed that the session ougiit to be lengthened, or, li not lengthened, that instead of two sessions there should be three ; and he thought tliat tliat should be recommended by the Society to the trustees of tlie Collfgi!. It Deemed a very short period for veterinary surgeons that they should be only twelve months under their professors. Stock was now of immensely more value than in former times, and if the animals died the loss sustained was very great. At present the system adopted was, to a considerable extent, by coaching and cramming ; and he was of opinion that if the students had a longer course of in- struction it would be very beneficial. The Secretary said that Captain Tod spoke of recom- mending to the trustees the plan proposed ; but the Society had it in their own power. They held the examinations and issued the diploma. The trustees had notliing to do with the diploma. Captain Tod said he was glad to hear that. Professor Williams quite agteed with what he had said as to the short time for study, and he had stated that nothing would give him • greater pleasure than that the course of instruction should be lengthened by having three sessions. And the examiners thought that that was the proper thing. The Chairman said he thought that two short sessions of six mouths each was quite ridiculous and absurd. No young man ought to think of going out as a proper veterinary- surgeon unless he had had three sessions. Professor Baleour, on the part of the examiners, said he thought that three sessions formed a brief enougli period for study. On the suggestion of the Chairman, the matter was re- mitted to the directors. The Secretary reported that the following premiums had been awarded for reports lodged in competition since the general meeting in January : Twenty sovereigns to Thomas Ferguson, Kinnochtry, Coupar-Angus, for a report on pota- toes grown with potash manure; fifteen sovereigns to J. T. Scott Paterson, Plean Farm, Bannockburn, for a report on the best modes of housing and fattening cattle ; the gold- medal or ten sovereigns to George Young Wall, jun., M.R.C.A., land-agent, New Exchequer Buildings, Durham, for a report on the comparative productiveness of turnips. The report was adopted. Mr. Campbell Swinton said it would be in the recollec- tion of the meeting that Baroness Burdett Coutts had some time since offered, througli the Society, the sum of £50 for essays on the Duty of Humanity to the Lower Animals, and the Best Means of Inculcating it into Elementary Schools. The prizes were extensively advertised by the Society. Sixty- four essays were lodged in competition, and a committee was appointed to read and report on their merits. The duty of the committee was a very laborious one, and after considerable trouble the prizes were recently awarded to — 1, W. S. Gall, 135, Moore-street, Glasgow, £20; 2, W. A. Macdonald, 1, Monro Place, Canon-mills, Edinburgh, £10 ; 3, A. B. Dickie, Murdoch's School, Spriugburn, Glasgow, £5 ; 4, Miss Isabella Copland, 17, Soutii Mount-street, Aberdeen, £5 ; 5, Miss Elizabeth Harrower, 13, Picardy Place, Edinburgh, £5 ; 6, Miss Lizzie Daws, 14., Essex-street, Norwich, £5. After com- municating with Baroness Burdett Coutts on the subject of publishing the essays, the directors had resolved to print, at the expense of the Society, nearly the whole of the first prize- essay, along with extracts from the other five, to issue gratis copies among the schoolmasters in Scotland, and to thiow off an additional supply for sale at a cheap rate to the public. He had no doubt that tlie meeting would approve of the mode in which tlie committee wished to show the Society's appreciation of the liberality of the Baroness, who was always foremost in every good work. SALE OF THE ROYAL YEARLINGS.— At the recent sale by Messrs. Tattersall at Hampton Court the weather was unfavourable and the attendance bad. As a lot, the year- lings were very moderate, but they were brought to the hammer in excellent condition. The twenty-eight lots realised 4,645 guineas, or an average of 166 guineas within a fraction ; but competition, on the whole was tame in the extreme. In only two instances was 500 reached or exceeded. These prices of course compare very unfavourably with some previous sales, 82 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ROYAL AGRICULTURAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. On the first Tuesday in June the annual meeting of the members of the Bath and West of England Society was held at Dorchester, and on the first Wednesday in June the annual dinner of the subscribers to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution at Willis' Rooms, St. James'. These two Societies may be assumed fairly enough to represent the sun and the shade of agriculture. The visitor to the West of England show is a pushing thriving man, in high spirits and good health, winning a prize, may be, with a cow or a sheep, or a ready buyer, whatever Garrett and Sons may say to the contrary, of a •prize implement. The prize winner, on the contrary, or the anxious customer of the Benevolent Institution, is a broken down faint-hearted man, whose energies have evaporated, and who from bitter experience has lost all confidence in his own exertions. For the Council of the West of England Society the exhibitor fills up an entry form, giving the pedigree, and hence the value of his stock, as there is a prosperous ring about the very tone of such a paper. For the Council of the Benevolent Institution the applicant fills up a form, which is mainly a story of broken fortunes, of a large family and of bad seasons, of unavoidable calamities, and a destitute old age. It is satisfactory to see that the Royal Agricultural Bene- volent Institution is a great and still growing success ; as Mr. Sewell Read said, and said well, at the dinner, it will remain as a monument to its founder long after " his agricultural romances and extravaganza " have been for- gotten. And the success of the Institution rests of course upon the fact of its having been thoroughly worked. Men who would never read a circular, and who have something of an instinctive horror of " a collector," will give their guineas readily enough at the instance of a friend or neighbour. In a word, the local secretaries have " made " the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Insti- tution, as a direct proof of this is afforded in the fact that in some counties the subscriptions are numerous an d in others scarce. Wherever there is a Naish, a Long, a Cantrell, or a Clayden, there the list gradually lengthens, as the zeal of such men rather increases than abates. When the Volunteer movement was first tried it was regarded by many as a mere " spurt," which would quickly die out, and it is no question a matter of some surprise that our amateur army is now growing into old soldiers, whose hearts in the cause are as green as ever. So it has been with the volunteers of the Agricultural Benevolent Institution, whose chief duty would appear to be the collection of funds for this object, and in the next degree to attend to any business which they may happen to have of their own. "When I visit Mr. Long," said one of the speakers at the recent dinner, "I go and get some capital bird shooting, and he goes about getting subscriptions for this Society." A conscientious chairman, however, like Lord Vernon, is not satisfied to see the Society rest content with the great good it has already achieved, and his speech fairly bristles with suggestions. Of course more local agencies should be looked up, while the very dinner might be turned to better account : it should " take place when the Smithfield Club Show has brought together a large num- ber of agriculturists from all parts of England," or " be held in connection with the summer show of the Royal Agricultural Society ;" thus bringing the sun and shade of the farmer's life under one sky. But however well at the first glance or to the mere outsider these views may look, they will scarcely stand the proof of any closer examination. As a past-president of the Royal Agricul- tural Society Lord Vernon must be aware that the national body after repeated experiments, has given up its own dinner during the show week. The Farmers' Club, also, once tried a dinner during the July meeting, and never but once, as, we believe, the Chamber of Agriculture has already abandoned this part of its programme. Again, the members' dinner of the Smithfield Club has at last utterly fallen through, as, in fact, the only festival of the kind which is still a success in show time is the annual dinner of the Farmers' Club. People are too much engaged in other ways to bind themselves down to en- gagements of this kind, and on the force of experience it would threaten to be a mistake to change the time or place of the Benevolent dinner to July in the country or to December in town. Nevertheless, there is no reason why the character of this meeting might not be improved. On the recent occasion of its celebration the room had thinned terribly before the toast-list had come to a close — of itself always an unwholesome sign, as one cause for this should be evident enough. Instead of endeavouring to throw some variety into the proceedings, and draw some fresh blood, the same speakers are year by year put up for the same speeches. Thus, Mr. Mechi himself takes the Societies of Agriculture, Mr. Cantrell answers for the Council, Mr. Scott represents the Army and Navy, and so forth. On the face of it such an arrangement must grow wearisome, however able the chairman, or however versatile the abilities of those who follow him. Mr. Disraeli or Mr. Gladstone would gradually breka down under such a system, and even Mr. Mechi himself cannot always be inculcating the value of the Society's Journal, Mr. Cantrell continually speaking to the cost in time and money incurred by the country directors, or Mr. Scott for ever be expatiating on " the double capacity " in which he appears, as a volunteer on half-pay and as an original subscriber to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution. These, no doubt, are all very admirable " points" to take up ; but possibly somebody else might take up something else rather more novel or strange. We are induced to say thus much because we feel it would be a great mistake if the Benevolent dinner were suffered to fall through, as we question whether the income of the Institution would not suffer from its discontinuance. Moreover, it affords almost the only opportunity for pay- ing a well-merited compliment to gentlemen like the local secretaries, who have worked so hard during the year, as a charity without a dinner loses its very best advertise- ment. Lord A^ernon's further suggestion involves a matter for very serious consideration, if it does not open up an altogether new phase in the direction and distribution of such funds. Many a man, says Lord Vernon, has been saved by the loan of a ten-pound note, " often of more good than a £20 pension for life." This is true enough ; but the difficulty in dealiug with such applications would be very great, as we doubt whether the ultimate effect of such a system would be quite healthy. There are too many people in this world only too ready to put them- selves in the way of ten or twenty pound notes, when they know where these are to be obtained. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. The annual general meeting was held on Wednesday, June 19, Willis' Rooms, to receive the Report of the Council for the year ended on the 31st December, 1871, and for the election of officers and pensioners, Mr. Mechi in the chair. Messrs. Baldwin, Beddall, Nicoll, and Shaw, retiring mem- bers of the Council, were re-elected ; Messrs. H. Cheffius and E. Sherborn were re-elected Auditors, and Mr. D. Long was added to their number. The thanks of the meeting were voted to Lord Vernon, for presiding at the anniversary dinner of the Institution, to the Honorary Local Secretaries, and to the Auditors. The Secrktary read the Annual Report as follows : In presenting their twelfth annual report, the Council refer with confidence to the working of the Institution during the past year, as indicative of its continued prosperity, and the hope thus inspired of its increasing its sphere of usefulness. The Council, however, regret to observe that, from the unprece- dented number of candidates for election, there still appears to exist a large amount of distress among the farming classes, calling for renewed exertions on the part of all those inte- rested in the objects and welfare of the Institution. By reference to the balance-sheet, it will be seen that there is a still further increase of £500 in the receipts subsequent to the issue of the last Report, at which sum the average addition to the Society's funds for some years past may be estimated. It will be reaiembered that, in deference to the wishes ex- pressed by the subscribers, an unusually large number of can- didates were last year elected, whicli absorbed the greater part of the surplus income. That year being an exceptional one, the reduction in the numbers now to be added to the list of pensioners will not be a matter of surprise, especially when it is considered that the average of former years is still main- tained. It only remains for the Council to notice the kind acceptance by the Marquis of Huntly of the office of chair- man of their Executive Board, thus supplying the vacancy created by Earl Spencer's retirement. The Report was adopted, and the Council proceeded to the election of Pensioners. The following is the list of the successful candidates ; MALE PENSIONERS AT £26 FER ANNUM EACH. VOTES POLLED BY HIE UNSUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES : Votes Downey, William 270 Coles, Thomas 238 Garrett, Richard 233 Wilmott, Henry 218 Fidler, George 213 Hailes, James Thomas... 209 Moore, Henry 200 Hatch,John 193 MARRIED PENSIONERS AT £40 PER AMNUM EACH. Bird, Samuel and Jane ... 375 Morris, Mark and Emma. 341 Palin, Wm. and Mary E. 339 Giddings, William and Elizabeth 326 Rogers, Wm. and Eliza.. 309 FEMALE PENSIONERS AT £20 PER ANNUM EACH. Mardell, Mary 439 Cunningham, Jane Mason 308 Cox, Ann 296 French, Mary 274 Hickes, Lydia 266 Pickrell, Catherine 259 Rippin, Mary Ann 255 Iveus, Jane Pentelow ... 254 Barnwell, Elizabeth 341 Higgs, Ann 241 Long, Susan 234 Scarf, Mary Ann 234 Pratchett, Caroline 226 Young, Ann 218 Gregory, Ellen 213 Spencer, Emma 204 THE EOLLOWINCt ORPHAN CHILDREN WERE ALSO ADMITTED : Frederick Plimley. I William Coles. Thos. Martin Whatoff. I Fannie Higgins, Geo. Rhodes Withersden. | Mary Elizabeth Knight. Afiifc Candidates. Votes. Andrews, John 63 Lidstonc, George 30 Flint, .John 169 Miller, William 142 Brett, John Grave 176 Christian, John 101 Jones, David 13 Brewer, John 43 Clumbers, Wilham 191 Watts, Robert Bell 163 Bowles, Samuel 126 White, Joseph Wright... 14 Coorabes, James 62 Fox, Richard 54 Chester, William 165 Cutler, Joseph 41 Sargent, W.M 6 Wheeler, James 94 Sabin, Isbam 31 Keasey, James 29 Kingham, James 7 Goodchild, Josiah 139 Ham, Wm. Beale 3 Calcraft, William 25 Measures, Lemuel 11 Dimmock, William 5 BuUock, Thomas D 39 Jones, Jesse 67 Langley, Thomas 4 Kellaway, T. Smith 115 Brown, Thomas 4 Colman, John 6 Married Candidates, Bull, William j Bull, Jane ) Mason, James ") Mason, Susannah 5 Mills, James 7 Mills, Sarah ) Priest, John 7 Priest, Susanna ) Pearse, Thomas 7 -yd Pearse, Sophia ) Presswood, John 7 03 Presswood, Susannah... ) Frost, John 7 07 Frost, Elizabeth ) ' Barnard, William 7 ^^gg Barnard, Mary j Akerraan, John 7 Akerman Ann ) Turner, John Sippens7 Turner, Mary Ann ... ) Austin, Thomas 7 Austin, Sarah j Beck, Thomas 7 Beck, Louisa Eagle, Charles Eagle, Susannah .... Payne, Wm. George . Payne, Mary Ann .... TiUey, John 7 lo TiUey, Betsey j Lavington, WiUiam ... 7 oy Lavington, Mary ) Taylor Richard 7 ■^n.r. Taylor, Martha ) ^^^ Whaites,Charles Henry 7 000 Whaites, Eliza ) ^''^ Bueksey, John 7 Bucksey, Jane ) Inchley, William 7 oi Inchley, Elizabeth ... ) Parry, Joseph 7 gg Parry, Mary ) Policy, William 7 33 Policy, Mary Ann ) Femate Candidates. Hyne, Caroline 51 Watts, Mary 35 74 359 151 176 183 304 75 47 \ 132 63 Femate Candidates. Votes. Greenbury, Ann Anieoe 1 Perry, Mary 13 Pitt, Mary 165 Aburrow, Kezia 34 Tamlyn, Mary 41 Evans, Ann 3 Westwood, Beatrice 79 Kuowles, Hester 178 Charlton, Margaret 201 Melton, Matilda 52 Liakhorn, Frances 31 Matthews, Sarah 42 Stamford, Susannah 71 Pratt, Mary 52 Dennis, Sophia 25 Lavington, Jane 28 Bridge, Sarah 135 Sedwell, Elizabeth 112 Barnard, Mary 118 Lee, Rebecca 17 Hooke,Mary 116 Ord, Margaret 8 Whipps, Amelia 73 Scovell, Mary 34 Norman, Hannah 91 CoUingridge, Helen 87 Brown, Ann 13 Ellis, Elizabeth 53 Price, Mary G 108 WiUsher, Mary 105 Francis, Jane 141 Pack, Mary 199 Bartlett, Mary Ann 8 Bingley, Uephzibah 20 Tibbett, Elizabeth 5 Dove, Mary Ann 79 Parr, Jane 37 Whitehead, Eliza 66 Alexander, Mary 43 Belton, Elizabeth 7 Gleed, Elizabeth 141 Tucker, Eliza — Blakeley, Mary Ann 43 Browning, Charlotte 17 Cryer, Sarali 9 Pearraain, Louisa 88 Fincher, Elizabeth 74 Guy att, Martha 27 Hawkins, Harriett 168 Leaver, Mary 101 Brittain, Elizabeth 1 Harradine, Susan 43 Campion, Sarah 43 Jones Ann 87 Parkinson, EUen 164 Soffe, Martha 90 Chattaway, Sarah 91 Hance, Margaret Maria 78 Holly, Charlotte E 70 Mawer, Cassandra 190 Yalden, Mary Ann 53 Clark, Elizabeth 84 Jull, Sophia 59 Welsh, Frances — Courtney, Emma 54 Battin, Eliza 17 Brock, Phfcbe 37 Cox, Harriet 104 Mills, Mary 11 Peake, Susannah 9 Smith, Eliza 14 Allen, Ann 38 Jackson, Sarah 88 Susscns, Elizabeth 84 Wincup, Priscilla E 14 Lenny, Elizabeth 24 Farncombe, Charlotte ... 75 Policy, Martha 5 Jenner, Ellen , 85 THis FARMER'S MAGAZlisfe. THE MAIDSTONE FARMERS' CLUB. SUFFOLK FARMING. At the May meeting, Mr. T. Bridgland, juu., in the chair, a lecture was delivered by Mr. R. L. Everett, of Rushmere, Ipswicli, on Suffolk Farming. The Chairman, in introducing Mr. Everett, announced tliat Mr. Odams, of Bishop Stortford, had invited the members of the Ciub to pay liim a visit, and said that Wednesday, the I'Jbli of June, had been fixed as the day on which the visit should be made. Mr. EvEFxETT, after some introductory remarks as to the geograpliical position of Suffolk, and the history of agriculture in that county, in wliich lie was bred and born, lie referred to the 50 points of agriculture, written during the reign of Henry VIII. Iiy Tliomas Tusser, wlio, in those distant days, repiesented Suffolk as one of the best cultivated parts of England. At that time tlie greater part of the county was unenclosed, and Tusser was aa advocate for enclosures. He spoke of the damage done to crops by cattle going to fairs. In his day an abundance of cattle were reared in the county, and in that respect Suffolk had undergone a great cliauge ; but in respect to the large number of hoggs then produced by Suffolk, there had not been much change, except in liie quality, which was much improved. In those days two of tiie principal pro- ducts of Suffolk were che*se and butter, whicli were largely exported to the Continent. Then the cheese was liighly esteemed, but now it was supposed to be as hard as a millstone, and likely to turn the edge of the axe or knife with which it might be cut. Tusser also spoke of tlie cultivation of herap, and said tliat almost every farmer grew a small portion, which was woven by tlie women for domestic uses. In tlie discon- tinuance of that practice the county had lost one of tlie most valuable employments their ancestors had. One evil the agri- cultural population suffered from in the present day was the want of something to do when the day's work was over. An- otlier writer on Suffolk agriculture, and much more famous in his day than Tusser, was Arthur Young, who wrote about a century since. According to Youn? a better system of agricul- ture was practised in Suffolk than in any other part of Great Britain. Tiie ploughing was tiien done with two horses, and the practice was to make long fallows— much lonjer than it would be possible to make now and farm successfully. Swedes were just then being introduced by some of the more advanced farmers : but what a change had come over the scene since those days ! Tlie rents of tlie present day were about double what they were when Young wrote. All tiie intelligent far- mers were making great havock witli their hedges (where they were permitted to do so), believing that the larger their fields, if fenced off from tlie roads, the more likely were they to secure remunerative crops. The stock to be seen in the county to-day was very mucii improved; swedes, beetroot, and turnips — rarities in the days of Young— were now to be seen in abund- ance ; while mustard, trefoliura, and other plants, contributed largely to the prosperity of the agriculturists of tlie present day. Improved machinery, new manures, and draining — much more largely practised now than formerly— had also lielped to pro- duce tiie most satisfactory results. As to the famous Suffolk horse used for agricultural purposes, its history was involved n obscurity ; but the earliest records showed that an inde- pendent breed existed in the county, and that tlie Suffolk horse was always famous for the same characteristics and points it possesses to-day, though improved in shape and colour. One old writer had described the animal as " half liorse and lialf hog," ■*hicli, in a jocular sense, was not a bad description of the tjonipact, thick-set shape, familiar to the eye in the Suffolk horse. The breed of the present day had been greatly im- proved by a judicious selection of the best animals, with a view to correct those faults which had previously existed. Almost all Sutfolk farmers were breeders of horses. A few colts were reared as the cheapest and easiest way of keeping up the horse stock on a farm, and, speaking generally, tliat system prevailed all throughout the county. The greater part of the farmers preferred liaving a horse to sell rather than to buy. In Young's time, six horses were used on farms of 100 acres, but the means of cultivation had so much improved, that now the standard throughout Suffolk was i liorses to 100 acres. The tendency of farming was to crop as much as possible and to plough less ; and at the present time farmers were rejoicing in the intro- duction of the double-furrowed plough, whicli he (Mr. Everett) believed was an old instrument revived in an improved form ; and wliich, when used on liglit and level lands, would do as much work with three horses as two single ploughs would do with two horses each. But onlieavy soils, taking all kinds of work into consideration, the double-furrowed plough would never supersede the single plough, though it would enable the Suffolk formers to reduce the number of horses on their farms. As to the manner of keeping horses, the tenant was never de- pendent on the landlords for the kind of shelter lie had for them. As a rule, horses were very rarely turned out to pasture. They were baited in stables, and then turned out for the night into yards, some of which had sheds, wliile others were simply fenced round. The ordinary amount of food given to a horse in a week was a bushel of beans and one cwt. of clover-hay, but since maize had been introduced, it entered largely into tlic food of horses. By some farmers it was ground up with beans, but a better plan was to soak it for about 24' hours. It swelled immensely, and the water altered the nature of the maize. Used in that way with corn, chaff, and a little bran, it was the clieapest food that could be given to a horse. In days long since Suffolk was famous for its cows. Tlie Suffolk cow was a small animal, and it was said that in old times it had horns; but he had never known anyone wlio saw a liorned Suffolk cow. Old books told them that it was of a dun colour, quite small, but exceeded iiy no otiier breed for its valuable luilkine qualities. Now, however, tiie auiinal was quite changed in colour, and very much improved in form. What was now called the improved Suifolk breed was a red animal, a good deal resembling tlie Pole Scot, excepting in colour. It still retained many of the valuable milking qualities of the old Sufl'olk cow, while it was much more pleasing to the eye, and was not a bad animal to graze. For dairy purposes they were very useful, but beyond that there was no trade in them in the county, nor, as a rule, were they the animals which the farmers of Suffolk grazed. Cows for that purpose were bought out of the county. After referring to the superiority of the North Country or Yorkshire Shorthorns for grazing purposes, though many Irish Shorthorns were fast being imported into Suffolk, the lecturer said another practice prevailing in the county was to buy up the calves from Buckinghamshire and other counties, as soon as they could be taken from their mothers, and to wean them at home. When meat was very high he thought that was a wise plan. The manner of weaning calves was to give them fleet-milk, gruel, linseed and bran with a few pulped roots, or anything else they could be got to eat. The practice was one requiring some little skill and attention on the part of the man who had the management of the stock, but it waS carried on to a considerable extent by many farmers, who thought it was a means of spending less and bringing more in. In addition to the Irish cattle a few Welsh were brought over to be fed on the marshes in the summer, but no one in Suffolk thought of buying Welsh cattle to graze in the winter. During the past year Dutch cattle had been introduced to some ex- tent ; and his (Mr. Everett's) experience was that a good young Dutch heifer, properly treated, would pay for such treatment nearly as well as English heifers. Many thousands were intro- duced into the county last year, and if the Dutchmen con- tinued to bring them they would find a ready sale. Three systems of grazing were pursued. In the winter the cows were turned into a yard vvith a shed, and were allowed to roam at will, feeiiug out of troughs common to all. In that way the beasts did as well as any. Another plan was to tie the beasts up in stalls, keeping them changed and cleaned out as often as possible. The advantage of that system was that every beast got its own food. A third system, of which there were many advocates, was to put one or two bullocks in a place by them- selves, which, besides the advantage of each having its own food, gave the animals some degree of liberty. For that sys- tem much larger premises were required, and it was a much more expensive way of feeding cattle. On arable farms summer grazing was being greatly introduced, and the system pursued was to keep the animals in the barns, which were large, dark, and cool. The feed given was trifolium, tares, and similar green stuff cut up and mixed with corn, chaff, and cake. With such treatment it was found that farmers could make beef as well in July as in the winter months. The sheep grazed in Suffolk was a half-bred sheep got by a white-faced ram from THE MRMBR'B magazine. 85 a black-t'Aced wether. Yorkshire stood lirst as supplying the largest uiimber of hogs, and Suffolk second ; but he did not consider it greatly to the credit of the Suffolk men to say so. It was far more difficult to make meat in the shape of pork and get money by it, than it was to make meat and get money in the shape of beef and mutton. Great improvements had been effected in the breed of their hogs, but if they sold at 6d. per pound they only just kept their money together. It was found that pork sold best in the harvest mouths. They were not, however, a profitable investment as a rule. Next speaking of the management of the soil, the lecturer, referring to the treatment of heavy laud, said the first thing which had to be done was to drain it, and there was much heavy land in Suffolk which would be all the better if drained. The old system of draining was to lay the pipes 30 inches in depth, and one yard from drain to drain ; then to fill in with bnshes, leaves or straw, or still better, with tiles. Recently however, some farmers had advocated draining deeper and wider, and now in many cases the drains were placed four feet deep, and nearly twice as far one from the other as they used to be. J udging from the character of the men who adopted that system, he was inclined to think it was the best. Many of the best far- mers had done away with the " stitches," and farmed on the livel; and that system appeared to hira to be by far the best. It enabled the machines to work much better. On the heavy lands the four-course shift was almost universally adopted throughout Suffolk ; or perhaps it would be better described by calling it a two-course shift, the principle being a green crop, and a corn crop alternating. The fallows generally fol- lowed wheat stubble, and on heavy lands it used to be the practice to plough the land all through the year, thus resting it and enriching it by the effect of the air, but with the rents tiie farmers now had to pay, they were not able to follow their fathers' practice in that respect. Having described the rota- tion of crops, in the course of which he spoke of the extensive introduction of beetroot into the county, Mr. Everett alluded to the mixed soil farms, on which green crops consisting of rye, trifolium, and mustard, were extensively cultivated. He did not think there was any crop whicli would take the place of trifolium. It was of comparaively recent growth, and was not so widely cultivated as it ought to be. It was usual on mixed soil farms to fake two crops in a year. Rye being the earliest spring feed, that was cultivated first, and it was found that beet grew in remarkable quantities after it. As to the light lands, they were usually let in larger ciuanfities tlian the other descriptions of land ; mixed soil and heavy soil lands were let in farms varying from 50 to 300 or 400 acres, but 200 acre farms were the most common. The light land farms ranged from 200 to 3,000 acres, but the greatest part of them averaged about 1,000. On such-farms the rule was to keep the land cropped, but on many of the light land farms some portions of the land was so poor that it did not pay to cultivate it on the four-course system, and on such land the farmer would only take a crop once in two or three years, giving it rest in tlie interval. The maxim with the Suffolk farmers was, if they wished to find their way to the workhouse, to farm high on light land. As to manures, they useu to cart it oa in hills, and turn it over twice, but that system was quite exploded, though they were sometimes obliged to make hills when they wished to empty their yards. But they made as few as possible, and those they did make were only turned over once. With refer- ence to wages, perhaps the least that was said on that subject the better, for the masters thought that if the men were quiet they should be quiet too. The average pay of the labourer in Suffolk was 12s. per week, but the horseman got from one to two shillings per week more, according to whether he was under or upper horseman. He found from his own accounts that the extra wages paid to the men for task work, for hay- making, and harvest work, amounted to about 3s. per week all the year round. So that the average pay of the labourers in Suffolk was from 14s. to 15s. per week, besides which their cottages were let at small rents ; ,they generally had a good piece of garden, and got good wholesome milk for little or nothing. Their position would, therefore, compare favourably with that of labourers in towns earning 17s. per week. As he had before stated, the labourers in Suffolk were quiet, and if they made a stir they would probably go farther and fare worse. There was, no doubt, vast room for improvements in the agri- culture of Suffolk ; the farmers could do with less game, of which he heard bitter complaints from some quarters. He did not wish to see partridge and pheasant shooting done away with, but he did think the ground game might be very well dispensed with. Great improvements were required in the farm buildings in some parts of the county, and better accommodation for stock was sadly wanted. Their treatment of manure was also capable of great improvement ; and another thing much needed was the application of more capital on the land. He did not think it would pay to expend more money on the light lands ; but on the mixed and heavy lands there was a large field for the application of capital — in the shape of draining, deep cultivation, and the keeping of almost an un- limited quantity of stock. There was one thing he hoped to see, and that was better security for the tenant's capital; so that while the landlord had justice done to him the tenant would be made secure for any money he might lay out. While there was room for much improvement, Suffolk could still hold its own as a well farmed-county. Mr. SxoJfiiAH took exception to Mr. Everett's remarks as to not spending money on the high farming of light lands. They all knew the disappointing character of light lands, but they were not always to be despised. In the year I860 there was much land of a cheap character in some parts of Kent, which yielded far more valuable crops than the best land in East Kent. Wherever he saw clover crops grown to perfec- tion, he always looked upon them as a sign of fertility and good management. He had not heard so much said about that crop as he should like to have heard. They knew that in Kent — especially in this part of it — both on light and heavy soils, nothing could be so emphatically called the mother of wheat as a good clover ley. The attention of all farmers ought to be directed to occasionally getting a good clover crop, because, if they followed with wheat, they were sure to get a good crop of wheat also, besides which it was the best tilth for barley or oats. He could not agree witl Mr. Everett as to " catch" cropping, and he was not awar. that he ever grew a piece of rye that was worth the sowing There were many causes which militated against second crop- ping, and one was that it prevented the farmer having his land in hand, so that he might deal successfully with the crop that was to follow. His advice was that they should endea- vour to secure one good crop, and have no fear as to not be- ing able to keep their stock all the year round. After some observations as to the advantages to be derived from growing trefoil and sainfoin on the light lands of Kent, Mr. Stonhara explained that the Kentish mode of preserving the root crops was to put them up in small conical clamps, about a rod apart, and slightly cover them with earth. When they were wanted they were distributed about the fields for the sheep to feed off. Mr. CoLEY, after expressing his appreciation of the highly practical address they had listened to, said, with regard to Mr. Everett's observation as to folding off mangel-wurzel be- tween Michaelmas and Christmas, he did not think there was much nutriment in it until after Christmas. Mr. Elgar could not quite agree with the lec- turer's observation that the less money there was employed on light land the better. He remembered being present at an agricultural meeting when he heard an old man employed on a light-land farm say to Earl Darnley : " My Lord, you may depend upon it that if you starve the land, the land wiU starve you." The man who made that remark being a very practical old fellow, it seemed there was a great deal of truth in his observation. Mr. Foster bore testimony to the fact that some descrip- tions of light land, when treated well with plenty of manure bore abundant and remunerative crops. Mr. Chittenden pointed out that the observations of the lecturer had been directed to light lands which would not pay for manuring, and to spend money on such lands would indeed be a folly. His experience was strongly in favour of giving the land rest, and he believed it was much better to get three very good crops in preference to four fair ones. lie was also an advocate for growing heavy root crops, especially mangel- wurzel, and he quite agreed with all Mr. Everett had said in reference to the management of stock. The system of rear- ing calves he had spoken of might be followed in this district with considerable advantage ; for they could get better fat- tened animals than they now purchased of the importers. He condemned the system of trying to get two crops a -year out of the land. 86 THE FAKMJUR'S MAGAZINE. Mr. LovETT asked if steam cultivation in Suffolk was mncli approved of? Mr. Everett said he only knew two or three farmers who cultivated by steam, and they were exceedingly pleased with the results. They were large heavy-land farmers ; but steam cultivation was so expensive that the bulk of the Suffolk far- mers were not in a position to touch it. The Chairji-O" asked Mr. Everett if the practice of giving horses mangel wurzel was followed in Suffolk ? He himself had seen it done there, and he thought the practice was on tlie increase in Kent. Air. E\'EKETT, in reply, said, with regard to the question of light land, he thought one gentleman (Mr. Chittenden) had sufficiently explained that difficulty. There was light land and light land. Of course, in the case of such light land as that mentioned by Mr. Foster it would he a pity not to cultivate it well, but they found that on the light lands of Suffolk, if large quantities of manure were put on the crops sprang up after the spring rains, but if there was a dry season afterwards they came to notliing. Tliat had been the case during the last eight years, which had been the driest on record. If they put their manure on heavy land they put it into a safe bank, be- cause if they did not see its effects in the first year they would in the second. As to steam-ploughing he might mention that a gentleman near to him had worked a steam-plough for five years, and he was so much satisfied with the results that if he had not got one he said he should purchase one. He occupied about 2,000 acres of land, and it was only on large farms that the steam-plough could be used to advantage. He hoped that in course of time they would see a great improvement in that respect, because with the steam-plough they would be able to cultivate to a much greater deptli, and, of course, with more profit. He repeated his remark with regard to taking two crops in one season, and said the value of the system depended entirely on the mode in which it was carried out. As to feed- ing horses, he did not think the practice of giving beetroot was kept up as it used to be. I'rora Christmas up to the spring the horses thrived very well on beet-root, but the sheep and neat stock required so much, that the farmers found it more profitable to give it to them rather than to the horses. A vote of thauks to the lecturer terminated the proceedings. AGRICULTURAL REPORTS. REVIEW OF THE GRAIN TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. There is just now considerable speculation as to what will be the result of the harvest. We have now entered one of the most critical periods, namely, the flowering season of the cereals, and as in order to ensure a fair yield of grain a warm, dry, still atmosphere is a great desideratum, some anxiety is felt with reference to the weather we shall experience during the nest week or so. Until very recently the progress made by the wheat plant had not been at all satisfactory. There had been great discolouration visible, and as no small proportion of our wheat is grown on heavy lands, it was rightly argued that a continuance of wet weather would greatly endanger the ex- tent of the yield. The change, therefore, from damp and un- settled to comparatively dry weather, with a temperature more in accordance with the time of year, has produced much sa- tisfaction. Everywhere prospects have become more encou- raging. The plant has partially recovered, and although some doabts are still expressed as to the probability of an average crop being secured, it is very evident that the position of affairs has materially improved. Hay-making is making fair progress; notwithstanding that carrying is impeded in some districts by the frequent falls of rain. So far as we can learn, the crop is a heavy one, and the quality generally is good. Continental advices are more satisfatory. In Russia there have been many refreshing showers, and the apprehen- sion of a failure of the crops in some parts, in consequence of drought and defective irrigation have been alleviated. When we consider to what extent foreign parts rely upon Russia for her surplus produce in order to meet their own deficiencies, it is a matter of momentous importance that a good grain crop should be obtained by one of the greatest grain-growing coun- tries of the world. In the Southern part of Europe harvest has commenced, but the operations so far have not been suf- ficiently extensive to enable an accurate estimate to be made of the yield. From America we learn that crop reports have brightened up wonderfully since the late rains. From the west they are quite favourable. In the districts of the north- west a larger acreage of wheat has been sown than usual, which promises to give an excellent yield. It is expected that the total crop throughout the States will he 220,000,000 bushels. Oats and barley are also looking well. Summing up, we cannot refrain from expressing the opinion that the harvest prospects, both on the Continent and in America, are relatively more favourable than in this country. The change in the weather has exercised a depressing in- fluence upon the grain trade. Wheat has not been freely offered ; nevertheless a fall of 3s. per qr. from tlie recent highest point has taken place. There has been an almost entire absence of speculation, and a large proportion of the wheat offered has remained unsold. It is quite an open ques- tion whether the circumstances likely to influence the trade justify this decline. Granted that harvest prospects have greatly improved, some time must still elapse ere our stocks wiU be benefited, and the question still remains — Where are we to obtain supplies to meet our requirements prior to the commencement of harvest ? The exhaustion of our stocks steadily continues, whilst the quantity on passage from diffe- rent ports is much less than last year, with the prospect of a further falling-off as the season progresses. Therefore, should the weather here become unsettled, and there be a probability of harvest operations being delayed, we may look for a sharp reaction. Prices wUl be to some extent regulated by the pro- bable period of the harvest. With the harvest commenced in tlie South of Europe, grain which has hitherto been diverted from our shores to satisfy the demands of our neighbours, will now be allowed to pass to us, and the more rapid the pro- gress of the hardest, the greater wiU be the amount of pro- duce available for us. A significant fact must not be lost sight of. At present the total number of wheat cargoes on passage is lil against 244 at the corresponding period last year. From Azoff the number is 44 against 112 last year, and we are advised that stocks there have been so greatly di- minished as to preclude the possibility of further shipments of importance until the new grain comes forward. Ijiports ajvd Exports of Grain. Tlie following statement shows the imports and exports of grain and flour into and from the United Kingdom since har- vest, viz., from August 26th to the close of last week, com- pared with the corresponding period in the three previous seasons : — luPOETS. 1871-2. 1870-1. : 1869-70. ; 1868-9. Wheat Barley Oats Peas Beans Indian Corn., Flour Cwt. 30,465,160 10,302,244 8,003,541 763,880 2,748,757 Cwt. 25,563,702 6,4^11,471 6,890,531 771,691 1,555,763 14,369,843 11,627,983 2,524,54l| 3,612,710 EXPOEIS. Cwt. i Cwt. 32,244,761 1 21,321,610 6,483,297, 8,264,614 8,581,270 4,642,288 1,378,121 922,129 1,480,908 2,078,979 14,-564,799 10,517,214 5,126,869 2,993,229 Wheat i 2,160,333 Barley Oats Peas Beans Indian Com Flour 15,377 103,064 7,968 5,041 21,062 78,307 3,042,6581 108,1111 1,413,875 52,963 17,919 64,112l 1,342,756 338,562 35,891 191,778 12,749 2,281 14,814 33,300 151,550 100,248 100,245 23,762 4,433 1,174 30,398, Continental advices state that the trade has become much less firm. Germany is still purchasing in the Russian markets THE FARMER'S MAGA:iINB. 87 but not so freely as formerly, and there has been a decided tendency to lower rates. In the northern parts of France, also, the tone has become easier ; but at Marseilles, where stocks have been reduced to a miinmi'm, and where, owing to the limited receipts from the Black Sea, considerable difficulty lias been experienced in replenishing, a fair amount of steadi- ness has prevailed. In America the demand for both wheat and flour has abated. Some new wheat has been oifered in the southern markets, and the quality generally has been good. At New York stocks are still light, and shipments continue small. SOUTH LINCOLNSHIRE. We are now in a position to write an encouraging report of tills district. For the past eight or ten weeks we have had most trying weather, almost incessant rains, and as cold and inclement as in mid-winter. On Wednesday last a most ac- ceptable change took place, and at last we are in summer. AVe never knew a more difficult season for making progress in farm-work ; hence our green crops are very backward, and but few fields of swedes are as yet sown. Mangolds are only just up and receiving their side hoeing on ridges. The only benefit we have received from these continuous rains has been to soften the rough clods in our potato fields. Seldom has this crop been put m more unfavourably. The land could not be got into good order for the planting, and it is surprising to find so many fine fields of healthy-growing potatoes which were planted chiefly amongst clods, and in the roughest state of the soil ever known. The horse and hand-hoe, the ridge harrow, and scuffler, are in constant requisition, and at last a good tDtli has been obtained, so that the moulding up will now be done in a fair and business-like manner. The crop, taken as a whole, looks very promising, but backward — the acreage perhaps 20 per cent, below last year. The wheat crops are rapidly changing for the better. Up to the present week they were looking thin and discoloured. They have shot up won- derfuUy in the few warm days we have had, and will soon be in ear. The crop cannot be a heavy one ; but the season when the young ear is fresh formed in the plant was favour- able, and a good ear may be looked for, and should the setting be without storms a good yield may be anticipated. Spring corn is looking weU. Barley, oats, beans, and peas, all gromng admirably, the early peas coming into flower. We cannot report favourably upon our grazing prospects. Tlie grass was never more plentiful. The early spring, being warm and genial, caused an early growth, which the superabundant rains promoted, notwithstanding the unusual cold. All kinds of stock grazed unkindly. At tJie present time our pastures present the appearance of unstocked meadows even where fully stocked, for one of the drawbacks of the year to our graziers being the high price of stock, many fields have not their usual amount of grazing stock, and much land is laid in for the hay crop. Another sad hindrance to profitable grazing is the universal prevalence of the foot-and-mouth disease, and considerable losses have arisen, chiefly owing to the lame animals lying so long on the wet ground, and thus causing inflammatory action. Very many have been unable to imbibe food of any kind, and have been supplied with gruels, &c., constantly. These perplexing hindrances must cause the price of meat to rule very high. Clipping is general. The early clippers have sustained some losses from cold and rain. Wool is in good demand, and many buyers are in the district. Prices, however, are not yet settled. The pile wiU be clean and white, but not in good " yolk." Mow- ing has not yet commenced. The crops of grass and clover are unusually heavy. Stackyards are nearly empty. Harvest prospects not early and good. Labourers are in full work at 2s. 6d. per day of ten hours, and no complaints are now made. AGRICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE, FAIRS. &c. ABERGAVENNY FAIR.— The usual June fair took place on Tuesday. Whether the alteration of the day from the ~-ith of June to the 3rd of the same month is not become generally known is a problem, but it certainly had the appearance of such by the slackness of horse dealers who usually attend. The number of horses on show was middling, and there was a depression in the sale, and a slight depreciation in price. Good carters sold at about £60. The cattle department was but meagerly attended, as but little store stock was on show. Cows with calves ranged from £15 to £24;. There appeared to be no alteration in the price of sheep and pigs, and they were few in number. BANNOCKBURN FAIR.— This market, which is one of the largest of what are commonly called the country fairs of Stirlingshire, took place on Tuesday. The show of cattle was not so large as in recent years — a circumstance chiefly to be attributed to the small turnout of home-bred stock. There were exceedingly few Ayrshire mUoh cows on the ground, and the result was that those who held this class of stock ex- perienced a profitable market, with an excellent clearance. Ayrshire cattle for grazing, as well as crosses, enjoyed a fair Side. In the Irish department the sale was somewhat slow, but a considerable amount of business was done at recent prices. Fat cattle were in demand, and the currencies of the Edinburgh and Glasgow markets were fully maintained. In the horse fair the display was limited, but it included some very good draught animals, which realised high prices. BRADFORD SUMMER FAIR.— At this fair on Monday there was one of the largest shows of horses yet seen at Brad- ford. Draught horses were numerously represented, some fine roadsters were on sale, and there was a goodly number of ponies. Good animals were in request, and sold readily at high rates. First-class horses, suitable for dray and town work, ranged from £50 and £70 up to £80 each, medium agricultural horses from £18 to £40 each, roadsters from about £25 to £40 and £50, ponies from £18 to almost £40, and Welsh ponies from £8 up to £15. Cattle were in abund- ance and sold pretty well. Calving cows were worth from £20 to £26, cows in calf (laying-off). were from £20 to £23, and gilts from £15 to £20. There was a fair lot of pigs, small stores ranging from 21s. to 25s., middle stores from 35s. to 40s., strong stores from 60s. to 80s. Trade was rather slow. For a lot of Irish goats 25s. to 30s. was asked, and 8s. for kids. Tiie attendance of dealers, buyers, and visitors was imusuaUy large, and it was a matter of some difficulty to tra- verse the grounds, ample as are tlieii proportions. LEDBURY JUNE FAIR took place on Tuesday last, but was a somewhat small one. Fat stock was but limited in supply, the pries being Sd. to 9d. ; stores were rather dear. Cows and calves, from £18 to £25. Sheep, 8d. to 9d. ; ewes and lambs, £3 10s. to £4 5s. Pigs in pretty good numbers ; prices moderate. No horses. MUIR OF ORD.— This market, held on Thursday, was well attended, the number of stock exposed being 130 above the June market last year. Several heavy lots of Caithness cattle were on the ground, as well as large lots from the prin- cipal farms of the surrounding districts. Few fat cattle were present, and these were readily picked up at from 76s. to 80s. per cwt. Strong store cattle were higher in proportion, and for this description of stock prices exceeded anything hitherto known at this market, the advance being estimated for two-year- olds at 30s. to £2 each from May market. The rapid advance is owing to the superfluity of pasture, which can hardly be kept down. Highland stirks fetched £5 to £7 ; two and three- year-olds, from £9 to £11 ; cross stirks, £11 to £16 10s. ; two- year-olds, £19 to £24 10s. ; farrow and milk cows realised £12 to £20. Numbers of cattle last year, 1,466 ; to-day, 1,599. NEWCASTLE FAIR.— The fair on Monday was largely supplied with young stock, many very promising animals being shown in stirks and heifers. Barren and milking stock were somewhat scarce. Many people were in the Smithfield, but the continued high rates ot stock evidently checked sales, so that it cannot be said that business was brisk. A number of store sheep and lambs met with a ready sale. The supply of pigs was unusually large, and they indeed w^ere the only animals in which rates were easier. Horses were numerous, but the general complaint was that they were very dear. A number of good animals were shown, and those exchanging hands were at high prices. The Smithfield during the day presented a very business-like appearance. NORTHAMPTON JUNE FAIR.— There was a fair show of store cattle on offer, and trade was firm at high rates. The THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. show of fat cattle was good ; trade was good, aud prices high. Cattle at market : Stores bid, fat beats 53 at 5s. W. to 5s. 8d. per stone, calves 19 at 7s., sheep 920 at 5s. 4d. to 5s. 7d., lambs 210 at 8s.; fat pigs 130 at 10s. to lis. per score ; store pigs 225. WHITCHURCH TAIR.— The monthly fair for June, held on Monday last, was not overstocked with cattle, and what were shown were not of particularly first-class quality. Stiffish prices were asked in nearly every case. In Newtown there was a poor show of pigs. Porkets were in most demand, and they sold well. Cooper and Sons sold au unusually large number of sheep and pigs and fat calves at their Smitlifield, also about seventy head of cattle. WORCESTEll FAIR.— There was a good attendance, and business ruled active for most kinds of stock. Beef ranged from T^d. to 8d., best quality mutton fetched 9d., but for tlie inferior kinds prices were a sliade lower than at the previous fair. Lambs sold at from 35s. to 40s. a-piece. Cows and calves fetched as much as £22. The sale of pigs was fair, without particular change from previous prices. Veal fetched from 8d. to 9d. per lb. The supply of horses limited, good useful carters selling at £40 to £50 a-piece. REVIEW OE THE CORN TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. The mouth of Juue commenced with a very doubtful aspect, there being several early morning frosts and fre- quent cold and ungenial rains. Such a beginning was very disasti'ous to the fruit-trees, the apple-blossom being clean swept off before it was set ; and, as the wheat was coming into ear, its position became very critical. After, however, a week had passed, we had indications of summer weather, which were happily verified, just in time for the crops, which now have every chance of proceeding favour- ably ; and though it is still thought the clays and badly- drained loams will have but a poor yield, matters have become very generally hopeful, especially for every species of spring corn. The grass all along has looked well, having passed through the frosts with apparently no other damage than checking its very promising growth, and now there seems every reason to expect an abundance of hay. Such a beginning of the month, on short supplies of wheat in the country, but moderate arrivals from abroad, and dubious reports from Southern Russia, the Princi- palities, aud Hungary, could not fail strongly to influence the market, and a rise of 2s. per qr. was the consequence, with an advance of 4s. per sack on town flour ; but the advance was rather more than lost subsequently, by the continuance of splendid weather, the sultriness of which closed in thunderstorms, which have brought about a lower temperature, with fine breezes, still more favourable to the growing crop. The hay harvest has begun under extremely advantageous circumstances, and now the wheat question resolves itself into the state of stocks on hand and the weather : the former has been much reduced as to fine foreign, and we hear that stocks are not abun- dant in the country, though, since the late rise, deliveries have certainly been more free. The imports from abroad are not expected to be heavy, either from the Baltic, America, or even Southern Russia, though steamers to carry 100,000 qrs. are engaged in that direction, and those arriving quickly have sometimes a sudden influence on prices. Yet, fairly as we are now proceeding as regards the weather, we are not yet out of the wood, and, after all the irregularities of the past, it would be pre- sumptuous to make sure that it will remain fine. This consideration alone is sutticient to prevent holders from accepting any material reduction this side harvest. The following prices were recently current at the several places named : Native white wheat at Paris 63s., red 50s. to 60s., Chili white 63s., red wheat at Brussels 61s., at Antwerp and at Liege the same, mixed Polish it Am- sterdam 60s., white Zealand at Rotterdam 61s., best red at Hambro' 61s. 6d., at Cologne 58s., atPesth 55s., high mixed at Dantzic (cost, freight, and insurance) 64s., at Konigsburg (cost, freight, and insurance) 63s., red at Stettin 57s. (free on board), best wheat at Zurich 62s., in Switzerland and Roman shorn 61s., white wheat at Bor- deaux 59s., red Richelle at Marseilles 58s., white at San Francisco 57s. (cost, freigt, and insurance), red at New York 52s. 6d. (cost, freight, and insurance, and free on board). The first Monday in Mark Lane opened on a small supply of English wheat and moderate arrivals of foreign. The show of fresh samples on the Essex and Kentish stands during the morning was limited. Factors, with the weather uupropitious, were generally asking more for fine lots, and in some instances succeeded in obtaining it, there being no giving way in secondary sorts. The foreign trade, though quiet, was firm, prime old Pome- ranian red brought high rates, some Rostock as much as 70s. per qr., and all Saxonska and red American sorts of good quality were fully as dear. The weather being un- genial, and London reports favouring an upward move- ment, several ])laces in the country were Is. higher. At Liverpool prices were well maintained on Tuesday, and so they were at the closing market, but without much animation. Several of the Scotch markets were about Is. per qr. higher, but Glasgow was only firm for wheat, and Edinburgh rather dull. At Cork wheat moved olf briskly at the previous rates, while at Dublin, with scarcely anything on show, the trade was dull. On the second Monday there was a slight increase of the supplies, both English and foreign. There were but few fresh samples sent up during the morning from the near counties, and the weather continuing cold and wet factors were generally asking an advance of Is. to 2s. per qr. for English samples. One shilling was eventually obtained on good red, but white being held for the same millers declined buying it, so samples were left uncleared. The best Australian and other fine white foreign were generally held for an advance of Is., and red at Is. to 2s. more money. Cargoes off the coast found a quiet sale at previous prices. The weather this week, though early indicating improvement, was still so undecided that nearly all the earlier markets were Is. per qr. dearer, and some more, as at Ipswich and Horsham, while Here- ford and Hungerford were up 2s. ; but as the week wore and became decidedly fine former prices were no longer attainable. Bedford, Northampton, Saffron Walden, and some other places, giving way Is., Liverpool was 3d. to 4d. per cental on Tuesday higher, but lost Id. on Friday. At Glasgow prices were Is. per qr. higher, at Leith the previous rates were with difficulty supported. At Cork prices were firm from the small supply, but prices at Dublin were rather easier. On the third Monday the English supply was rather improved, and so was the foreign. Though the show of fresh samples from Essex and Kent during the morning was small, so complete a change for the better had taken place in the weather, which gradually had become hot THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 89 and forcing, that sales were quite stopped for a time, though factors were willing to accept a reduction of Is. to 2s. in order to make way. As they would not go beyond this, very little business was done. With moderate supplies of foreign, holders were not disposed to press sales, but there was no selling without accepting fully Is. per qr. less money. Floating cargoes could only be placed at Is. reduction. The extraordinary change ex- perienced, which first was sultry, followed by thunder- storms, which brought beautiful and growing breezes, could not fail greatly to affect all the country markets. In some it quite stopped business, in all it had the effect to limit it, and most places were glad to make progress at Is. decline, as Hungerford, Leeds, Lynn, Newark, Newcastle, and Salisbury; others accepted Is. to 3s. less, as Frome, Hull, Ipswich, Stockton, &c., and at some places millers wanted a still greater reduction ; Liverpool was 2d. per cental down on Tuesday, and again easier on Friday. The Scotch markets also came lower, as well as those in Ireland. On the fourth Monday the English supplies were small, and the foreign very good. The show of samples from Essex and Kent was limited, but the continuance of very fine and favourable weather reduced the attendance ; and though factors were willing to accept Is. to 2s. less than on the previous Monday, but very little business was done. The foreign trade under the same influence was quite on a small scale, and fully Is. per qr. cheaper. The imports into London for four weeks were 19,222 qrs, English wheat, 59,351 qrs. foreign ; against, 12,229 qrs. English, 97,999 qrs. foreign for the same time last year. The exports were 1,472 qrs, wheat ; against, 5,791 qrs. at that period. The imports into the Kingdom for four week's ending 15th June were 1,892,476 cwts. wheat, 188,729 cwts. flour. The general averages commenced at 57s. 9d. and closed at 58s. 8d. ; those of London began at 61s. 9d., and ended at 61s. lid. The flour trade has been influenced as usual by that of wheat ; country sorts first rose Is. and then fully lost the advance ; barrels giving way 6d. also. But town millers on the second Monday advanced their long-standing price of 50s. to 54s. for the first quality, at which it closed. The rates in America have been much too high for the English market for some time. The imports into London for four weeks were 78,969 sacks in country sorts, in foreign 10,094 sacks 3,004 barrels ; against 58,505 sacks country, 18,035 sacks 59,691 barrels foreign last year. The imports in maize during the month, though not very heavy, have increased, and the expectation of further supplies from America having influence, prices have de- clined Is. per qr., leaving rates for mixed American ex- ship at about 28s., white Danube 30s. to 31s., round Austrian 29s. to 30s. The imports for the mouth were 64,274 qrs. ; against 41,637 qrs. in 1871. The malting season being over it mattered little that the supplies of fine barley were short, but the ungenial opening of the month kept prices to their full height notwithstanding the small demand, and there has been no change since, though fair supplies from abroad have made sales of low sorts more difficult and rather in buyers' favour ; stained and heated parcels not being worth over 22s. to 23s., fresh Danube 25s. to 26s., French 27s. to 28s. Stocks are but small, and there is generally a clear- ance of foreign by the close of the season, and this some- times induces a temporary improvement in prices. The imports for the month into London have been 707 qrs. British, 40,729 qrs. foreign; against 334 qrs. British, 33,325 qrs. foreign in 1871. The malt trade throughout the month has been very steady, and at first, with bad weather, prices were harden- ing; but since it became fine holders have been more anxious to sell, and this has tended rather to lower values. As is usual during the summer months the bean trade has been very quiet, more especially as oats and maize have ruled low ; but the small supplies have prevented any depression in value. Small hard new winter have brought 42s, ; other English sorts in proportion. Foreign sorts have not materially changed, the only free import being on the first Monday. The London arrivals for the month have been 1,603 qrs. English, 6,164 qrs. foreign, against 690 qrs. English, 4,842 qrs. foreign for the same period in 1871. While the small supply of English peas has kept home- grown qualities at their previous value, increased arrivals from abroad have lowered the price of non-boilers about Is. per qr., with but a slow sale at the reduction. The best boilers are now not worth over 41s., inferior white 38s. to 39s. The imports into London for the month have been 917 qrs. English, 16,180 qrs. fweign, against 72 Qi's. English, 5,474 qrs. foreign for the same period in 1871. The oat trade this month as well as during May has been abundantly supplied with foreign qualities ; but English sorts have been scarce, and of Scotch and Irish there have been none. Every market has more or less tended downwards, there being an expectation of plenty from Sweden and the Baltic, while the time will soon arrive for the new Russian shipments to appear. The month's decline has been in all Is. per qr., leaving the value of 401bs. swedes, 21s. ; 381bs. do., 20s. ; sweet Russian 381bs., 21s, At these moderate rates it is not to be expected that much reduction can ensue, while the fine prospect of a hay-crop this year is against any ma- terial advance. The London imports for a month were 1,048 qrs. English, 170,552 qrs. foreign, against 3,848 qrs. English, 93 qrs. Scotch, 343,884 qrs. foreign in 1871. With very short supplies of linseed all through the month the value of this article has been fully maintained, supplies being only 6,002 qrs., against 13,951 qrs. in 1871. The seed trade, which was hardening during the rough weather, has relapsed into dulness, but stocks of clover- seed are very small. COMPARATIVE AVERAGES. WHEAT. BARLEY. OATS, Years. Qrs. s. d. Qrs, s, d. Qrs, s. cl. 1868... 23,965 J ... 68 1 633i .. 39 2 1,686 ... 29 3 1869... 48,459i ... 46 2 378J .. 32 2 l,107i ... 27 8 1870... 58.647 J ... •IB 0 783i .. 32 5 1,654J ...25 0 1871... 41,7221 ... 69 7 3691 .. 35 11 1,576J ...26 10 1872... 56,3401 ... 58 8 1,3141 .. 34 10 i 1,4614 •••23 4 CURRENT PRICES OF BRITISH GRAIN AND FLOUR IN MARK LANE. ShUlings per Quarter WHEAT, new, Essex and Kent, white 58 to 65 „ ,, red 62 60 Norfolk, Linclnsh., and yorkBh.,red 62 68 BARLEY 29 to 32 Chevalier, new 36 42 Grinding 28 29 Distilling 29 33 MALT, Essex, Norfolk, and Suffolk 61 68 Kingston, Ware, and town-made 63 68 Brown 61 66 RYB 36 38 OATS, English, feed 20 to 25 Potato 25 32 Scotch, feed 00 00 Potato 00 00 Irish.feed, whitel7 21 Fine 21 24 Ditto, black 17 20 Potato 26 30 BEANS, Mazagan ...32 34 Ticks 32 34 Harrow 34 36 Pigeon 37 45 PEAS, white, boilers.36 40Maple 36to 38Grey,new 32 34 FLOUR, per sack of 2801bs,, best town households.,. 48 64 Best country households 41 44 Norfolk and Suffolk ,.., 39 41 90 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. FORKIGN GRAIN. Shillings per Quarter. WHEAT, Dantzic, mired 67 to 63 extra KonigSberg 66 61 extra, Rostock 67 69 fine — Silesian, red 55 57 white.... 69 Pomera.,Meckberg.,andUckermrk. ...red 56 Russian, hard, 44 to 48... St. Petersburg and Riga 49 Danish and Holstein, red 54 58 American 67 Chilian, white 64... Californian 64 ... Australian 62 BARLEY, grinding 21 to 27.. ..distilling and malting 28 OATS, Dutch, brewing and Polands 18 to 24 feed 15 Danish and Swedish, feed 18 to 21..,. Stralsund... 18 Canada 17 to 20, Riga 18 to 20, Arch.l8to20, P'sbg. 19 TARES, Spring, per qr small 35 36 large — BEANS, Friesland and Holstein 33 KonigSberg 32 to 33. ..Egyptian 31 PEAS, feeding andmaple... 32 37.. .fine boilers 37 INDIAN CORN, white 33 34.. .yellow 29 FLOUR, per sack, French. .00 OO...SpaniBh,p.sackOO American, per brl 25 26...extraandd'ble.27 63 to 66 62 65 62 62 60 67 61 65 31 17 21 21 44 35 32 40 31 00 29 AVERAGE S Fob the Six Weeks ENDING 11, 1872 18, 1872 25, 1872 1, 1872 8, 1872 June 15, 1872 Aggregate of the above. The same week in 1871.... May May May June June Wheat, s. d. Barley. 8. d. 36 7 35 8 35 36 35 34 36 35 Oats, s. d. FLUCTUATIONS in the AVERAGE PRICE of WHEAT. Peice. May 11. May 18. May 25. June 1. ... r June 8. June 16. 69s. Id. >.( 688. lid. ... ... r _i_.J 68s. 8d. ... 1 ... ... •• 67s. 9d. ... r 66s. 4d. ... p ... 66s. Od, — __J BRITISH SEEDS. Mustard, per bush., brown 14s. to 16s., white 8s. Od. to lOs. Canary, per qr new 62s. 668.. ..old 62s. 65s. Cloversd., new red and dark pnrple68s. 72s. .corn. 46s. 568. Coriander, per cwt 22s. 233. Tares, winter, new, per bushel 5s. 3d. 5s. ed. Trefoil, old and low 16s. to 20s new fine 248. 258. Ryegrass, per qr 22s. 24s. Linseed, per qr.... sowing 68&. to 70s., crushing 60s. 628. Linseed Cakes, per ton £11 6s. to £11 10s. Rapeseed, per qr 84s. 86s. Rape Cake, per ton £6 10s. Od. to £6 15s. Od. FOREIGN SEEDS. Cloverseed, red 42s.to 52s white 68s. 74s. Hempseed, small 38s. to 40s. per qr Dutch 45s. 46s. Trefoil 16s. 208. Ryegrass, per qr 22s. 24s. Linseed, per qr.... Baltic 58s. to 62s. ...Bombay 64s. 66s. Linseed Cakes, per ton £10 15s. to £11 10s. Rape Cake, per ton £6 10s. to £6 15s. Rapeseed, Dutch 72s. 748. Coriander, per cwt 23s. to 24s. Carraway ,, new 33s. 34s. HOP MARKET. Mid and East Kent £10 10 £12 12 £17 0 Weald of Kent 8 10 Sussex 7 15 Farnham and country ... 11 11 Yearlings. Mid and East Kent £3 0 Weald of Kent 3 0 Sussex 3 5 13 0 10 10 9 9 16 0 Earnham and country ... — 6 0 £4 4 £6 10 4 0 5 15 3 15 5 12 Olds 1 5 1 10 POTATO MARKETS. BOROUGH AND SPITALPIELDS. LONDON, MoNPAT, June 24. — There have heen moderate supplies of Potatoes on sale. The trade has heen quiet at our quotations. Rocks llOs. to 120s. per ton. Regents 130s. to 140s. „ Flukes 140s. to 160s. „ Victorias 60s. to 00s. „ Jerseys new 8s. to 10s, per cwt. PRICES of BUTTER, CHEESE, HAMS, &c. BUTTER, per cwt. : s. s. CHEESE, per cwt. : Dorset 114 to 118 ~' "" Friesland 86 90 Jersey 80 90 Fhksh, per doz. ... 12 14 BACON, per cwt : Wiltshire, green... 70 76 Irish, green, f.o.b. 70 78 Cheshire 70 to 84 Dble. Glouc, new 60 60 Cheddar 80 90 American 68 68 HAMS: York 102 Cumberland 102 Irish 78 98 ELAX, &C. For hemp there has been only a moderate demand, but prices have been steady. Flax and jute have been in limited request. £ S. £ Bemp, Fetersburgh clean, per ton 35 0 to 0 Outshot 32 10 Half-clean 30 0 Riga, Rhine 37 0 Manilla 39 0 East Indian, Sunn 16 0 Juta 11 15 Colryarn......-.-....^. 26 0 60 0 Junk „.„._._._. 0 0 0 0 Fibre „. 13 10 33 0 0 0 iFlax, Riga 40 0 50 0 0 0 St. Fetersburgh, 12 70 0 I head „ „.„. 38 0 46 0 27 15 1 9 head ...„ „. 29 0 31 0 28 0\ Egyptian 54 0 60 0 ENGLISH WOOL MARKET. LONDON, Monday, Juue 24.— The Wool market has heen steady in tone, hut the actual business concluded has not heen extensive. Lustres are still principally dealt in, hut demi- lustres and most other sorts are neglected. CuEBiNT Pbices ov Ekglish WooIi. g. ci. g_ a^ Fleeces— Southdown hogga per lb. i* gitol' 9* Half-bred ditto „ 1 9J 1 lo Kent fleeces „ j 10 111 Southdown ewes and wethers ... „ j g 1 ai Leicester ditto „ j g 1 84 SoETS—Clothing, picklock „ j y j g Prime 14 15 Choice 13 13^ Super 12 1 24 Combing, wether mat „ in 1 nf Picklock , 1 7^ 1 8^ Common ,, j g 1 7^ Hog matching „ mi 2 0* Picklock matching 1 7^ 1 8 Super ditto „ i q 1 7^ IPSWICH WOOL SALE.— The first sale for the present season took place on Tuesday last in the Provision Market, when Mr. Bond disposed of about 10,000 ileeces of wool at satisfactory prices. The biddings throughout the sale were spirited, the principal buyers being Messrs. Alexanders, Blag- hrough, Stanley, Booty, White, and Everard. The highest price realised for half-bred hogget wool was a lot sent by Mr. Skeet, of Rushmere, which made 55s. per tod. Mr. Keer's, Raydou Hall, and various other lots made 54s. to 54s. 6d. per tod. For the Down or blackfaced hoggets, Mr. Harris's, Grundis- burgh, made 51s., which was the highest, and Sir Edward Kerrison's Down hoggets 50s. Some half-bred ewe wool of Mr. Dawson's, Stratton Hall, realised 51s., and Mr. Seaman's, Ashbocking, 49s. 6d. ; Mr. Cordy's, Trimley, 49s., and various other lots of the same wool made similar prices. Some Down ewe wool sent by Colonel Toraline, M.P., fetched 46s., and other lots of Down and blackfaced ewe wool made about the same prices. Every lot was sold. MANURES. Peruvian Guano, direct from importers' stores, £13 Os. per ton. Bones, crushed £8, half- inch £8 5s., bone dust £8 10s. per ton. Coprolite, Cambridge (in London) whole £3 5s., ground £3 15s., Suffolk whole £2 IDs., ground .£3 per ton. Nitrate of Soda, £17 per ton. Sulphate of Ammonia, £22 IDs. to £24 per ton. Gypsum, £1 lOs. per ton. Superphosphate of Lime, £5 5s. to £6 59. per ton. Blood Manure, £6 10s. to £8 per ton. Dissolved Bones, £7 per ton. E. PURSER, London Manure Company, 116, Fenchurch Street.E.C. Guano, Peruvian.£12 10 Oto£0 0 0, Cloverseed, N.A.... 2 2 0 to£2 5 0 Linsd.Bomby,p.qr.3 4 0 3 5 0, Niger 2 7 0 2 80 Linseed Cake, per ton— iNitr.of Soda, p. ct.O 13 G 0 13 fl Amer.,thin, bgs.lO 5 0 0 0 0 German Kainlt 1 0 0 2 00 Cotsd.Cake.decor. 7 5 0 7 10 0 Tallow, 1st P.T.C. 0 0 0 0 0 0 Eapeseed.Guzerat 3 8 0 3 10 0 „ super. Norths 2 2 0 2 3 6 SAMUEL DOWNES and CO., General Brokers, No. 7, The Albany, Liverpool, Prentice's Cereal Manure for Corn Crops „._._..„._.„... per ton £8 0 0 Mangold Manure _.„.„..„.„ _._.... ,, 8 0 0 Prentice's Turnip Manure _._ „ 6 10 6 Prentice's Superphosphate of Lime , 0 0 0 Agricultural Chemical Works, Stowmarket Suffolk. Printed by Rogersonand Tuxford,365, Strand, London, W,C, THB MARK LANE EXPRESS AND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL IS THB LARGEST AND THE LEADING FARMER'S AND GRAZIER'S NEWSPAPER. PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY EVENING, IN TIME FOR POST. Office of Publication and for Advertisements, 265, Strand, London. May be had of all BookstUtn and Newsmen throughout the Kingdom, price Sevenpence, or £1 lOs. 4d. per annum. LONDON AND COUNTY BANKING COMPANY. ESTABLISHED 1836. SUBSCRIBED CAPITAL... £2,500,000, in 50,000 SHARES of £50 EACH. PAID-UP CAPITAL... £1,000,000 RESERVE FUND... £500,000. DIKBCTORS. . NATHANIEL ALEXANDER, Esq. I FREDERICK FRANCIS, Esq. I JAMES MORLEY, Esq. T. TYRINGHAM BERNARD, Esq. I FREDERICK HARRISON, Esq. I WILLIAM NICOL, Esq. PfllLIP PATTON BLYTH, Esq. I WM. CHAMPION JONES, Esq. I A. HODGSON PHILLPOTTS, E«Q. THOMAS STOCK COWIE, Esq. | E, HARBORD LUSHINGTON, Esq. | FREDERICK YOULE, Esq. TRUSTEES. P. P. BLYTH, Esq. I F. HARRISON, Esq. | W. CHAMPION JONES, Esq. AUDITORS. WILLIAM JARDINE, Esq. | WILLIAM NORMAN, Esq. | RICHARD H. SWAINE, Esq. General Managee—WILLIAM McKEWAN, Esq. CHIEF INSPECTOR. INSPECTORS OF BRANCHES. CHIEF AOOOUNTANT. W. J. NORFOLK, Esq. H. J. LEMON, Esq., and C. SHERRING, Esq. JAMES GRAY, Esq. SOLICITOKS— Messrs. STEVENS, WILKINSON & HARRIS. Secretary— F. CLAPPISON, Esq. HEAD OFFICE, 21, LOMBARD STREET. Manager— WHITBREAD TOMSON, Esq. | Assistant Manager— WILLIAM HOWARD, Esq. THB LONDON AND COUNTY BANK opens— DRAWING ACCOUNTS with Commercial Houses and Private Individuals, either upon the plan usually adopted by other Bankers, or by charging a small Commission to those persona to whom it may not be convenient to sustain an agreed DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS.— Deposit Receipts are issued for sums of Money placed upon these Accounts, and Interest is allowed for such periods and at such rates as may be agreed upon, reference being had to the state of the Money Market. CIRCULAR NOTES AND LETTERS OF CREDIT are issued, payable in the principal Cities and Towns of the Con- tinent, in Australia, Canada, India, and China, the United States, and elsewhere. The Agency of Foreign and Country Banks is undertaken. The PoECHABB and Sale of Government and other Stocks, of English or Foreign Shares effected, and Ditidbkds, AirirtriTiBB, &c., received for Customers of the Bank. Great facilities are also afforded to the Customers of the Bank for the receipt of Money from the Towns where the Com- pany has Branches. The Officers of the Bank are bound not to disclose the transactions of any of its Customers. By Order of the Dii ectors, WM. MoKBWAN, General Manager; IMPORTANT TO FLOCKMASTERS. THOMAS BIGG, Agricultural and Veterinary Chemist, by Appointment to his late Koyal Highness The Prince Consort, K.G., Leicester House, Great Dover Street, Borough, London, begs to call the attention of Fanners and Graziers to his valuable SHEEP and LAMB DIPPING COMPOSITION, which reQuires no Boiling, and may be used with Warm or Cold Water, for effectually destroyrag the Tick, Lice, and all other insects injurious to the Flock, preventing the alarmmg attacks of Fly and Shab, and cleansing and purifying the Skin, thereby greatly im- proving the Wool, both in quantity and quaUty, and highly Oontributing to the general health of the animal. Prepared only by Thomas Bigg, Chemist, &c., at his Manu- factory as above, and sold as follows, although any other quantity may be had, if required : — 4 lb. for 20 sheep, price, jar included £0 61b. 30 81b, 40 101b. 60 201b. 100 301b. 160 401b. 200 601b. 250 601b. 300 80 lb. 400 100 lb. 600 (Cask and measure included) 0 10 0 16 1 0 1 3 1 7 1 17 2 6 Should any Flockmaster prefer boiling the Composition, it will be equally effective. MOST IMPORTANT CERTIFICATE. From Mr. Heeepath, the celebrated Analytical Chemist :— Bristol Laboratory, Old Pai-k, January 18th, 1861. Sii',— I have submitted your Sheep Dipping Composition to analysis, and find that the ingredients are well blended, and the mixture neutral. If it is used according to the directions given, I feel satisfied, that while it effectually destroys vermin, it will not injure the hair roots (or "yolk") in the skin, the fleece, or the carcase. I think it deserves the numerous testimonials published. I am. Sir, yours respectfully, WiLLiiM HEBiPATH, Sen., F.C.S., &c., &c.. To Mr. Thomas Bigg Professor of Chemistry. Leicester House, Great Dover-street, Borough, London. He would also especially call attention to his SPECIFIC, or LOTION, for the SCAB or SHAB, which will be found a certain remedy for eradicating that loathsome and ruinous disorder in Sheep, and which may be safely used in all climates, and at all seasons of the year, and to all descriptions of sheep, even ewes in lamb. Price FIVE SHILLINGS per gallon — ^sufficient on an average for thirty Sheep (according to the virulence of the disease) ; also in wine quart bottles, IMPORTANT TESTIMONIAL. " Scoulton, neai- Hingham, Norfolk, April 16th, 1856. "Dear Sir, — In answer to yours ot the 4th inst., which would have been rephed to before this had I been at home, I have much pleasure in bearing testimony to the eflScacy of your invaluable ' Specific for the cui-e of Scab in Sheep.' The 600 sheep were aU dressed in August la&t with 84 gallons of the •NoN-poisoNOus Specific,' that was so highly recom- mended at the Lincoln Show, and by their own dresser, the best attention being paid to the flock oy my shepherd after dressing according to instructions left ; but notwithstanding the Scab continued getting worse. Being determined to have the Scab cured if possible, I wrote to you for a supply of your Specific, which I received the following day ; and although the weather was most severe in February during the dressing, your iSpecific proved itself an invaluable remedy, for in three weeks the Sheep were quite cured ; and I am happy to say the young lambs are doing remarkably weU at present. In conclusion, I believe it to be the safest and best remedy now in use. " I remain, dear Sir, "For JOHN TINGET, Esq., " To Mr. Thomas Bigg. ' " R. RENNET. IKi" Flockmasters would be well to beware of such pre- parations as " Non-poisonouB Compositions:" it ia only necessary to appeal to their good common sense and judg- ment t "^ ^ '^' itm^ Vi 1 4 v^, Nj 22 >| -\ ^ THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. AUGUST, 1872, PLATE I. BLUE BELL; a Jersey Heifek. BRED BY MR. C. P. LE CORNU, OF TKINITY MANOR, JERSEY. This heifer was calved in April, 1870, on Mr. Le Cornu's farm, in Jersey. The following is her pedigree : — BLUE BELL (took Bronze Medal, Channel Islands Exhibition, 1871). I Sire Brown Prince — dam Beila. H. C. Jersey Herd Book, No. 390. H. C. Jersey Herd Book, No, 85. Took Bronze Medal, Channel Islands Exhibition, H. C. Soixthampton, 1869. 1871. I Sire Prince of Wales First prize, R. Ag. Soc. of Jersey, IJ Second prize, R. A, S, of England, 1! — dam Browny. H. C. Jersey Herd Book, No. 113. 865. First prize. Royal Jersey Aa;ricultural Society, 1865. 865. First prize, R, Ag. Soc. of England, Plymouth, 1865. Sire Noble — First prize, R. Jersey Ag. Society, 1861. First prize, R.A.S. of Eglnd., Battersea, 1862. dam Duchess. H. C, Jersey Herd Book, No. 24, Sire, W. Alexander's 2nd prize bull, — dam J. Arthur's 2nd prize cow, Royal Jersey Ag. Society, 1863. R.Jersey Ag. Society, 1859. It is unnecessary to give a longer pedigree, though there is evidence to show six generations of prize winners, from which Blue Bell is descended. She is light brown, with black tail, tongue, and legs, the only white abont her being a small speck on the forehead. She bears the marks of Gurnon's " Flaadrine order, 1st Class," as she is said to possess the points essential and recognised for a first-class dairy cow. Mr. Dinsmore, of New York, purchased this heifer at the recent Jersey show for 100 guineas, the highest price ever paid for an animal in the Islands. PLATE II. THE BOUNDS OF "THE BEAT." The Scotch evidence just now being taken at so great a length by the Game-Laws Committee gives an especial interest to our engraving, as there are some authorities very ready to maintain that the letting of shootings is quite as paying a business as the letting of land. The evidence of Sir James Elphinstone and of Lord Airlie is very curious in this way. ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND, MEETING AT CARDIFF. After a three-and-thirty years' tour about the country, the selection of a site for the Royal show, to be alike central and capable, becomes necessarily more and more of a diflBculty, and neither Cardiff nor Hull can be said to possess the first of these qualifications. They are both, in the way of reach, at extreme points; but while the North has already been well worked by the Society, there was at least the charm of novelty attached to any invasion OlD Sj?rie8,] of South Wales. The breeders of famous stock would travel so far if only to teach the natives a lesson, and the Cambrians in turn would bring forth from their fastnesses, the black and brindled beasts and wild mountain sheep. If the council chose Cardiff on these terms, the argument was based upon false premises. The lesson had already been acted on, as, according to the experience of this meet- ing, the Welsh farmer has long been familiar with the G [Vol.. LXXII.— No. 2. 92 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. merits of Herefords, Shorthorns, and Cotswolds, of all of which he is an exhibitor ; but, on the other hand, the most insignificant section of the show was that devoted to the Welsh breeds of stock, which were few in number and poor in quality. With the exception of sundry ponies and cobs, the meeting had, indeed, so little local charac- ter that, on auy reasoning of this kind, it might as well have been held at Cheltenham as at Cardiff. The show, again, in many of its more prominent features was barely up to an average. The Shorthorn bulls were mostly moderate enough, although the cows and heifers were better ; the competition in some of the Devon classes scarcely extended beyond the two or three prizetakers; there have been far better entries this season of Channel Islanders, and for general strength or individual excellence the Herefords were the only breed of cattle which thoroughly maintained or improved upon their position of late years. Amongst the sheep the longwools — Leices- ters, Liucolns, and Cotswolds — had the call ; while the Southdowns failed to create that impression they have done ; and the Shropshires showed a woful decline from their long lead at Wolverhampton. By way of set-off, there was a capital entry of pigs, whites, blacks, and Berkshires ; but in some of the horse classes the judges admitted to putting second-rate animals first, simply from the fact of it being impossible to find anything better. The entries of cattle and sheep were terribly thinned down by the prevailing epidemic, which was known to be raging in the Cardiff district ; and the first report of the stewards spoke to ninety vacant stalls in the cattle classes, although this on subsequent examination was found to be below the actual number invalided. The disease had kept probably the best bull of his day, Telemachus, out of the Short- horn ring, and the next best, according to public repute, was here beaten. At Wolverhampton, Lord Irwiu was first, and Royal Windsor second ; but at Cardiff, these places were reversed. There can be no question, how- ever, but that Mr. Linton has been attempting too much with his bull, as he has terribly faded and fallen away since we saw him at Dorchester, from which time he has been exhibited at Halstead in Essex, at Doncaster, and at llipon, so that in some six weeks or so the white bull has been out five times. At Dorchester we spoke of Lord Irwiu as very heavily-fleshed, and of course an animal in such high condition can only be knocked about the country at great risk or more positive detriment, as has been the case here. Our own opinion is that his travels lost Lord Irwin his previous year's place at Cardiff, as although Royal Windsor has also improved into a great reaching bull, of substance and quality, he has not the fine cha- racter of the other white, nor do we think Mr. Outh- waite could have won at the West of England show in June. The two may meet again at Spalding and Malton, or if Lord Irwin were nursed for the great Yorkshire meet- ing he might do better. It must, too, be borne in mind that Lord Irwin did not come to Cardiff under altogether favourable auspices ; as although Mr. Aylmer might, after Dorchester, be supposed to go for him, Mr. Drewry at Guildford had aided and abetted in putting the bull quite out of the prize list, from his small weak head — a point which is not susceptible of much improvement. The third bull at Wolverhampton, Iron Master, still wearing well, and with a good " bull's look " about him, was displaced here by another white, the colour finishing first, second, and third, with a roan for fourth. Flag of Britain, from Aylesby, has length, substance, and especially quality in his favour, but " the remainder " must be indifferent, with such an animal as Colonel Liudsey's entry taking a prize. Lord Cawdor's Sea Serpent, nevertheless, has a deal of good about him, and they talked much of the roan, St. Riuggau having once beaten Sovereign in Ireland, but as Sovereign could do nothing in England this performance cannot count for much, and the Kilkenny bull did not now prove well, being weak in his touch and scant in his coat. The two- year-olds, again, were not up to the Wolverhampton standard, the third and reserve number in the then yearling entry now succeeding to first and second places. The winner, Ignoramus, has made extraordinary improvement in the way of furnishing, his quality always having been admirable, while his increase of substance serves to hide a weak place or two in his frame, and he showed out to great advantage, as from the first the most taking bull in the ring. We fancied Earl of Warwick- shire far more at Wolverhampton, where we reported him as not half so much made up as some of the others ; and the point now is whether he ever will make up or thicken as he should do ? Naturally, with so light airy a gentleman a monthly tourist ticket has little or none of the effect it would have on a heavier fleshed animal, and the Earl Warwickshire still holds his own. It is noticeable, however, that all through the season he has had the same judges committed to him. At Thame Mr. Charles Howard was in office ; at Dorchester Mr. Howard and Mr. Aylmer ; in Essex Mr. Howard and Mr, Aylmer ; in Norfolk Mr. Howard, and at Cardiff Mr. Aylmer ; and thus the third Earl remains the most "promising" and the best abused bull in England. Prince Cliarlie, Master Glanville, Saunterer, and Lord of the Manor were in the next degree, but these never have, as they never can make much mark in really good com- pany. Leeman's vulgar colour is against him, but he was clearly the best of a small and indifferent lot of yearlings, the second being but a plain beast to the eye ; the Towneley third straight and square, and Magdala with a good coat and touch. Lady Pigot's sou of Bythis and Dame Swift, names familiar enough of late in pub- lic, is a really charming if rather backward calf, full of fashion either to the hand or eye ; but there were some things better than either the second or third in the class ; as, for instance, Mr. Williams' handsome roan from close by, as might be gathered from his unpronounceable Welsh title, or Lord Sudeley's Cherub, or the Irish Forester, if not Lord Cawdor's calf, especially to be commended for his coat. So far, however, matters had gone smoothly enough, but over the awards in the cow class the outside pub- lic began to talk. At Dorchester, where Mr. Aylmer was also a judge, Flower Girl was first, Princess Alex- andra was second, and Nelly was commended; and at Cardiff, Nelly was second, Princess Alexandra was third, and Flower Girl was commended. Thus, putting the winner, a fresh cow, out of the way, the awards at Dor- chester and Cardiff were reversed, so far as it was possible to overset them, and with one of the judges in office at both meetings ! Even further, no one appeared to ever notice Flower Girl until just at last, when they threw her the commendation ; and yet, for true Short- horn style and character, for growth, quality, and sym- metry, she was point for point the grandest cow in the class. She was, no doubt, rather too high in condition, and, from forcing from a calf for show, is getting gaudy in her quarter, but not to an extent to disqualify her, or, at any rate, many fatter cows have been passed ; as at Dorchester Mr. Aylmer and his brother-judges appeared to have no hesitation in doing so, and we believe their official report for the West of England Journal will record her as a really admirable cow. Still, the white Nelly was the best of all the cows and heifers of all breeds at the all-Devon meeting ; but though very blood- like, she is too small and delicate ; while Princess Alex- andra, also growing lumpy, is bad in her touch and vulgar iu her appearance ; and with these three cows, it THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 93 is scarcely possible to uuderstand how Mr. Aylmer could have been over-ruled, as the decision at Dorchester was known to have been unanimous. The tirst prize, the Northumberland Primrose, is a very airy gay cow out, showing herself to every advantage in the ring, but with her red-and-white spotted coat looking like a sort of half- Alderney, while she is thin in her touch, and with the Shorthorn features nowhere very strongly developed ; but she has, we hear, been a winner in the north, and is, in a word, as they would say about Alnwick, "just a nice coo." That vare old cow, English Emily, despite her black markings fore and aft, finished fourth; and Messrs. Bradburn and Statter shared the qualified compliment of n simple commendation with the despised Flower Girl. At Dorchester we spoke to the force with which the late Richard Stratton's herd was coming to the fore, and at Cardiff we have to record the curious discomfiture of the same stock. However, Messrs. Richard and Joseph Stratton are open to show James 1st and five of his pro- duce against the bull and offspring of any other breeder in England. Their famous white Innocence, in the nest class of down-calf heifers, although first at Dorchester, was only now commended, while Lamwath Violet, commended at Dorchester, was second at Cardiff ; but Innocence is fast growing out of form, and getting so bad behind for a two-year-old, that we doubt whether she will ever show as well as she has done. Still, the class was much stronger, the Lady Dodona being a very good level heifer, with size and style, picked up by chance for £50 from nobody knows where, but with a thoroughly orthodox pedigree. At the recent Lynn meeting, we pointed to horses entered as thorougbred with impossible pedigrees and their breeders unknown ; and here, under very similar circumstances, we have a heifer's age given to the day ! It might puzzle a senior wrangler to pi-ove such a problem. The third in this class, Baron Oxford's Duchess, was also third as a yeai'ling at Wolverhampton, as she is now ripening into beef, — good beef all over, and plenty of it, but her badly-turned, badly-coloured horn will always stop her from getting quite to the front ; and Violet, of sweeter heifer type, was now justly preferred. The Broadmoor and Churchill Games had also two or three nice heifers in this class, but the fourth place went to a native of these parts — a Shorthorn bred in Monmouth- shire but by 2nd Duke of Weatherby. Proof of this kind is very interesting, but Lord Dunmore declined to submit to it as regarded his high-priced importations. At Dorchester his Lordship considered that his heifer was quite overlooked, and for Cardiff he also made a few entries, but as he did not send these, the correction is not so apparent. It would, however, have been some- thing to see in the ring Red Rose 3rd, bred by Mr. M. H. Cochrane in Canada, and with a pedigree making continual reference to the American Herd Book ; or Red Rose 4th, the little delicate calf, which did get a second prize at Dorchester. But the Red Roses would risk no such further indignities, and so the Towneleys are first and third, and the Strattons second and fourth ; Mr. Aylmer for once holding to his line in again prefer- ring Village Rose to Mabel, whatever their owner may say to the contrary. Oxford Beauty is a very elegant heifer, and a fine mover out ; and had the whole entry come this would have been a very strong class, but out of some twenty-six more than a fourth of these were absent. The best calf — always understanding that the renowned Red Roses were away — was a very gay taking Irish lass, and the class altogether well filled, there being, as with the yearlings, numerous commendations ; and here no question the strength of the Shorthorn show centered — that is over these two classes of young things. There were 147 entries of Shorthorns at Cardiff, and 43 entries of Devons, most of >Yliicli had already beeu ruu through at Exeter or Dorchester, while some did not come on. In the old bull class, Duke of Plitton 5th was first and Jonquil second, as they were previously, with only one other from Molland, but now transplanted to Monmouthshire in the entry. Again, in the next class Master Hariy and Kingcraft, first and second at Exeter, were in the same places here ; Picture and Temptress, the first and second cows at Dorchester, were in precisely the same places at Cardiff, and Gaylass was the best heifer at both these meetings. When Master Harry won at Exeter we wrote of him as probably at all points the best Devon of his year ; and at Dorchester when Master Harry was put out, we referred to this remarkable revision as alto- gether a mistake ; or, at any rate, we went quite with the previous award. The most interesting event in the Devon classes was the placing of the yearling bulls, where Mr. Jackman's Earl of Exeter, first at Exeter, and Mr. Davy's Duke of Flitton 8th, first at Dor- chester, encountered each other, and the judges eventually could not agree as to the better of the two. At the Devon show we spoke of Mr. Jackman's young bull as full of fine character and showing more promise than anything on the ground, and, again, of^ Duke of Elitton 8th, as bloodlike and straight, and shown at some disadvantage in age. He is four mouths the junior of the Earl of Exeter, and by comparison by no means so forward, and all due allowance being made in this way his fine quality told, and on " a reference" the Duke won. The two cows are both " pictuixs ;" but the heifer Gaylass is growing very patchy, as is the yearling Pair Rosamond, so overdone that at Dorchester the judges threw her out ; and it is difficult to understand how either the first or second Royal yearlings could have been put before Actress 5th, who beat them both clean off at the West of England meeting; as did Mr. BuUer, whose heifer was now merely commended. Mr. Davy did not enter his heifer calf, and another Picture succeeded to first place, there being only two others competing against the Dorchester Devon. In our reports of the two previous shows in the West during this season we have already and so lately gone so fully into the merits of most of the Devons ex- hibited at Cardiff, that it would be idle to repeat ourselves, and no question the point of the business here and there has been the eccentricities displayed over the placing of Mr. Farthing's stock, whose good luck and bad luck have been very nicely balanced. As with the Shorthorns, there were many empty stalls in the Hereford section of the show, where, however, the entries ran up to no less than 95, a number far above the average, of at least of some years past. There can be no question, moreover, but that at most points this was the best represented of any breed of animals on the Cardiff show-ground. Had we wished to show the stranger an illustration of tine and at the same time uniform charac- ter— a type or model continually repeated of that excel- lence to which a certain description of stock may be brought — we would have placed him by the ring-side when that really magnificent class of Hereford cows was under the examination of the judges. There was not one of these but which honestly deserved her high commenda- tion ; while as regards the four placed first, second, third, and reserve, it is seldom indeed that such a bevy of beauties has been brought together. The first of these was also the first at Wolverhampton, Mr. Peren's rather dark-coated but sweet, thriving cow Ivington Rose, from the herd, as her name aptly implies, of Mr. Thomas Roberts, and, according to the Royal judges in 1871, " one of the best Hereford cows ever seen." Still, the compliment was qualified by an opinion as to the Rose being "rather over-fed for breeding purposes :" but she has thrown one calf since Wolverhampton, and is now iu calf again, Iviugtou Rose, of course so handy home Gt 2 54 THE TAUMER'S MAGAZHsTE. in her adopted country, was first at Dorchester, where our old favourite the beautiful Duchess was second, but at Cardiff in a much stronger class no nearer than fourth. Silk 2nd, put second, is a broad well-growu heifer of very fine character, but for elegance and a certain matron-like look which should always tell in judging a cow class, the Duchess of Bedford should surely take precedence of the merely useful Lady Milton. Still the Duchess triumphed once more over her old rival Dahlia, as she did at Guildford and Dorchester, their places being reversed at Wolver- hampton, when we protested against the mistake. In the class reduced byabsentees to nine entries, three of thehighly and deservedly commended cows are from Monmouthshire herds, and two from Glamorganshire ; a fact tolerably significant of how the brindled native breed has fallen into disuse. And any such proof was further confirmed in other ways, the best two-year-old heifer the third prize, and the reserve in the same class, and the best yearling heifer being all from the novv famous St. Hilary herd, near Cowbridge, in Glamorganshire ; while their excellence and adaptability to the district was poiuted by these four heifers, well worthy of rank with the four cows, beating such renowned names on the lists as those of Turner, of the Leen, Tudge, Fenn, and Morris of Madlcy. The St. Hilary two-year-olds have certainly some few months the advantage in age, but the neat smart Plum has not gone on growing like Sunfiower, and hence the Wolverhamp- ton decree was reversed. The yearlings were more thoroughly put about, for Lady of the Tenie, Madeline, and Rosaline, as so placed iu 1S71, uow ranked as Rosa- line^ Madeline, and Lady of the Teme ; but judging calves is always something of a lottery, and great growth perhaps in preference to style here again was triumphant. The heifer calves at Cardiff, however, were a beautiful sample, and for character and breed, backed by pro- mise, of great general merit. The Hereford and Shropshire breeders had the honours here pretty much to themselves ; but still the natives would not be denied, and one of the best of the bulls was the first prize two-year-old, bred in Mon- mouthshire, but entered from Glamorganshire. This is Mr. Evans Spencer's Von Moltke, a deep level bidl of noticeably grand appearance, beginning with a good true head, and very perfect in his forehand, but not quite so kind as he should be in his touch. Tiiis class was but a small one, and beyond the second prize, also from Monmouthshire, the competition was not by any means formidable. The fine quality of Bachelor would alone have served to beat his son the Provost, who was rather hard to the hand, but the old bull never showed better, and for style and breed is now about the best Hereford about ; in good evidence of which there was nothing near him but one of his own stock. The com- petition amongst the yearlings was much closer, and the three first would very probably be put iu fresh places by a fresh set of judges. Cheltenham Boy, the winner, is a good useful bull, long and low, but rather coarse, and for the winner either the stylish Lord Battenhall, or the bloodhke Prince Joachim, with his good thick flesh, would, we are inclined to think, have been a more popular award. In fact, there was quite a murmur of dissent amongst the little company of Hereford critics as this class left the ring. In a creditable entry Mr. Fenn's Cop Hall, a son of Severus, looked still to be a long way the best, being a high-bred showy calf, with a capital wealthy touch, and altogether so full of promise that his portrait as " the coming man " was straightway taken for The larmers Magazme. Still they have got the quality at Windsor, where if we are to judge by the Prince and the Marquis none of the herds are now doing so well as the Herefords. There have been far better exhibitions of Channel Island produce during this season than that got together at Cardifi', although the Jerseys brought over by their breeders never took either a prize or commendation, but they showed weak and poor in comparison with our comely Queenies and Milkmaids. Mr. Gilby's best cow was merely commended at Wolverhampton, where the native judge did not think much of her; nor has she improved in the interim, and we faucy his second prize heifer a deal more than his first cow. The best heifer, a little too well done by for a Jersey, was second at Dorchester, and first at Windsor ; but the judges declined to commend Mr. Simpson's bull Favourite, though they made him the reserve, very properly placing Don above him, and taking for first a very nice yearling bred by Lord Dacre and shown by Lord Chesham. But the Latimer heifers, full of Dauncey blood, are of a very different stamp, being high, plain, coarse animals, looking to be quite out of place iu a Jersey class. There was but one Guernsey bull sent, and the best cow seemed to be running to beef ; but she was partially dried for calving, though in any case the second or third were far more like milkers. One of the best, however, of all the Islanders was Mr. Rendle's Guernsey heifer, of a very nice cow-like character without an atom of coarseness about her, and in every way a credit to her breeder. In the mixed classes of Welsh breeds, including black Castle Martins and red and black Montgomeryshire, the compe- tition was very limited and the quality very moderate. After all we have heard of late of the famous black cattle of South Wales, of how well they do, and of the high prices they make, we should beinclinedto considerthat their advocates did not do justice to the breed at Cardifl". The bulls are lengthy, slack-framed animals, with some in- dividuality of character, but thin in their touch and gaunt in their frames, and if our memory serve us, we have seen a better show at Carmarthen.; as there may be again for the local champion prize in the coming autumn. Still, Mr. Jenkins' best old bull is a prize specimen of the Castle Martins, and has been winning about the coun- try for the last season or two. The pairs of cows were creditable, but if these few entries be all that cau be made of such an opportunity, the Welsh farmers may well turn away to the Herefords and Shorthorns. The other breeds included a few Norfolk polls, two or three Longhorns, and half-a-dozen Ayrshires, the polls having all the best of it by the aid of Lord Sondes and Mr. Colman. The bull, cow, and offspring was made up of a Hereford family, which the judges called "a very good class," although, as there was no competition, they must have intended an entry. Shorthorns and Herefords were ofllcially declared to make the best " dairy cattle" in preference to Ayrshires, an assumed fact which we believe it would be difficult to sub- stantiate. Highly-bred Shorthorns and highly-bred Herefords will no doubt look and handle better, but it must be a mistake to record them as more profitable dairy cattle than Ayrshires. More atten- tion is now very properly being given to milk, but if Ayrshires and Alderneys are to be fed up into show con- dition before they can take the attention of the judges, more harm than good will follow from so curious a system of encouraging milking properties. In Glasgow or Jersey a Shorthorn, a Hereford, or a Devon would never be put into comparison with the native breeds as a milker, and yet at an English national exposition the milking breeds have no chance even when shown on the distinct under- standing of being dairy cattle against Shorthorns or Herefords ! Will any man dare to maintain that a Here- ford cow can pay iu the dairy against an Ayrshire or a Jersey ? As it seems to us, the judges should act uuder more stringent instructions when taking a dairy class, and that the places in these classes should be determined by dairy-cattle judges, who would go for milk-produciug THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. as agaiust mcat-makiug qualities ; as wc shall liold it to bu a very serious error to attempt to combine the two, at any rate in an open sliow. The horse rings were nicely laid out, but rather con- liued for want of space, while the shedding was capital, with plenty of room behind the nags to stroll along, with- out danger or hindrance. Then, there was uot a stallion under lock and key, and, with the exeeptiou of some strong rails, these were treated as other horses, and not caged up like lions and tigers. In Normandy we have seen 450 stallions at one meeting, all in stalls, and why, in a show- yard here, they should be boxed up, and the public who have paid to see them left to the ca])ricious temper of some sulky attendant whether they shall have a sight of his horse or not, is to us incomprehensible. Managers of show- yards may gain a wrinkle from this, more especially those of Islington and in Lincolnshire. At the side of the nag ring there was a Graud Stand which, as long as it is con- ducted in the way it is now, with good standing room all along in front of the seats, at a shilling, is no ways ob- jectionable, but we rather hail it as a boon. Soon after eight the judges were on foot, both in the cart-horse and nag rings, which Mr. Jacob Wilson presided over, and, with his experience, everything went well. " If any three men know a horse they are now in the ring," said some one, as the trio were about to com- mence with the thorough-bred stallions — a very flattering eulogy that we have heard passed ou many a learned bench, as true followers in the tracks of others as a blood-hound or a pad-groom, while we have stood by the ring and seen prize after prize awarded to brutes no more entitled to the name of hunters than a rhinoceros ; and we could not echo the eulogy vohmteered to the Cardiff bench when we saw Laughing Stock put before ("hristmas Carol, Mr. Jones' brown gelding before old Iris ! and a prize given to the overgrown Honeycomb. Of the ten entries in the thorough-bred stallions Carbineer by Eifleman, out of Comfit by Sweetmeat, a Royal winner at Manchester, was absent through accident. He is now the property of the Fylde Horse-breeding Im- provement Company, who are also the owners of the cart stallion, Honest Tom. The others were Rallywood 12 years old, a level rather common-looking horse, with no hunting character, though by Newminster out of "Woodcraft by Voltigear. Ely, 11 years old, by Kingston, out of the Bloomer by Melbourne, who, with great length and sound-looking limbs, possesses characteristics of his pedigree on both sides, appearing to us to have grown longer and lighter in his middle, and more coltish in his looks than he was at Hampton Court. There is nothing hunting-like about him. Nine Elms, 8 years old by Sfockwell, out of Lady Kingston by Kingstou, is a taking, lathy-looking horse, with some of the corkiness of the Kingstons, but disfigured in his forelegs by long twisted pasterns. Wild Charley, ten years old, by Wild Dayrell, out of Phemy by Touchstone, smacks somewhat of parade or the park in form, but with such stilty forelegs and stiti' pitchy action that would look like bringing either warrior or swell to grief. Harcourt, 11 years old, by Stockwell, out of Ellerdale by Lanercost has thickened since we saw him last, but has scarcely size or forelegs for a hunting stallion, though himself a fair horse across country. SulTolk by North Lincoln, out of Protection by Defence, compactly built, is short in his quarters and thighs, and anything but good in his hind-leg action, as well as being light below the knee ; but we have described him over and over again, and though no favourite of ours, we quite agree with the Wolverhampton bench in putting him before such a horse as Laughing Stock, although we went to war with them for putting the coarse coacher Sincerity before the blood-like Blinkhoolie. Reinfrid, aged, by Newminster, out of Marchioness D'Eu by Mag- pie, is a big horse, with a light neck and deep middle, better to look at in profile than from a fore or aft view, and we think Major Ballard in luck gettiug third place. Laughing Stock, by Stockwell out of Gaiety by Touchstone, we have described so often with his pump-handle action in the run up and down of >i show-vard, wliere he is as much at home as a Norfolk trotter, or the most venerable of shopkeepers in a dealer's yard. It cannot be form that gets him the prize. Surely the name of Stockwell and that of Mr. Cookson who started him with the Royal hundred at Newcastle must tell with the judges. Look at his neck and shoulders, they don't belong to his car- case : theu take him from where the neck runs into the cliest, and let the eye follow the line until you come be- hind the elbow, where he wants at least three inches fall ; then see how his belly drops to the sheath, in fact, the under-line is more like that of a leggy hog than a horse. " Just tuck up iiis goofs," as a Yorkshireman would say, and you have more daylight under him than you would meet with in a tour round the globe. Look at his short quarter, and how far behind him are those thighs, aud hocks, uot remarkable for size. Then his short arms, how they fall ofl' towards the knees, and what a way the latter are from the ground, which accounts for the pump-handle action — no desideratum in a thoroughbred for getting hunters. Compare him with Christmas Carol, 10 years old, by Rataplan, out of Mistletoe by IMclbourue. His shoulders are a triflle thick, but not bad, with plenty before the saddle. See how deep he is in the girtli ; look at his powerful arms and thighs, and how short from the knee to the ground, and how well his hocks are let down, and how beautifully they incline under him. Look at him from head to foot, and if we know anything about horses, this is the one who looks like gettiug hunters and crossing a country, and uot Laughing Stock. As there is so much difference of opinion iu horse-flesh, we often- times " strike our harp geutly ;" but when things are palpably wroug to ourselves aud others, we think it but right to lay a little stress on the strings. The weight- carrying hunter would appear to be the animal most wanted, judging by the amount of prize-money given for such animals throughout the country, and the price given for known good ones when offered for sale by auction ; but they appear to get scarcer every day in the showyard. The only way we cau account for such a state of things is that gentlemen with real good horses get disgusted with the decisions, and the money going to some lumbering standstill brute, with no pretensions to the name, instead of the horse who moves strong and well, with hind-leg action, for if he has uot the last re- quisite he cannot be a hunter. In the hunters up to not less than fifteen stone there were seven with two or three hunting-like horses in and among them — including the well- known Iris, who beat all Yorkshire at Wetherhy iu 1868, was second to Sir Watkin's Expectation at Islington one year, and first there in 1871. He was twice sold at Tattersall's for something like 400 guineas, as well as being a grand looking horse, and going like a tower under seventeen stone, aud his late master — who stands six feet two, aud is quite that in the saddle — once told us that he never crossed a better. Iris may not be perfection in form ; few are. He has strong shoulders, a trifle upright, and is a little stilt' in the pasterns, while he brushes slightly under the knee when uot properly shod or ridden, and the poor fellow who rode him on ^londay seemed afraid of him, and hauled his horse about as if he had the charge of a collier instead of a horse ; in fact, he was quite as fit to take the reins of the Government as to show a high-couraged hunter like Iris. The trifling im- perfections in the horse are all made amends for by his splendid action, and the graud manner in which he 96 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, brings his hind legs under him, and it was thought out- side the ring nothing else had a chance to win. We should much like to have two Captain Anstruther Thom- sons up, one on Mr. Jones' clambering-going brown gelding, and the other on Iris, and just see which would " brush " first over the broad pastures of Northampton- shire. Mr. Jones' brown gelding is a very hunting-like horse, on a short leg, but with anything but good hunting action, and on this showing was fairly beaten by either The Hon. J. J. Bourke's The Colonel or Mr. C. Williams' Quaker ; while Major Ballard was again in luck in getting a third prize with his unmannei-ly Redwing, which seemed to astonish the Major quite as much as it did some of the spectators. Gay Lad from the same stable as Iris looked like a weight-carrier of a bygone age ; and may the next weight-carrier be as good a horse as Iris, who stands 16.2, but does not look it ! Twenty-one came in for the all-aged hunters up to not less than twelve stone, but they were a middling lot. There were thi'ee fair horses to the fore, the first prize having a heavy shoulder, and the third something very taking about him. Mr. Basil Mansfield's Premier is a line-topped bay, but a rather flashy customer; and John Pell, by Laughing Stock, a thickset chesnut, with a heavy forehand and no stride, but with action short and choppy. Thenj again, the four-year-old mares or geldings were very poor as a class. The first prize, a big iron-grey horse. Admiral, was beautifully steered by his jockey, and went oily, well, and as a hunter should go. He is not unknown to the prize-ring, but stands rather near together with his knees. Lady Graham is a kind-looking taking filly, with fair action, but has her shoulder a little too forward, and, when stripped shows a long slack back, as we fancy her more as a hack than a hunter. Policeman was a cow-hocked, dishing, slovenly goer ; but Mr. Phillimore's chesnut filly by Lifeboat out of Ijygonia by Pantaloon, is as nice a mare as any one would wish to see, barring a lightness below the knee, and for which reason, when she was placed second to Luna by Laughing Stock at Wolver- hampton, we preferred The Drake out of Becky Sharpe. At Birmingham the judges put her before Luna, who, inheriting the pump-handle action of her sire, is certainly more of a hack than a hunter. Here, however, this thoroughbred with the light forelegs is not noticed, but is ordered out in a middling class with the ruck ! Cu- riously enough Major Barlow was first and third, when she was second at Birmingham, and we really believe she must have been overlooked. Unfortunately for Mr, Phillimore ours is the only court of appeal. The three-year-old mares and geldings were not grand as a lot, the first horse being one of the big coarse Angelus breed. Honeycomb, with head badly set on, heavy fore- hand, stiff in his hocks, and slovenly hindleg action, like many of Angelus' stock. He has taken eleven prizes we believe ; but bad he taken forty it would not make the slightest difference in our opinion, which is not formed on those of other people. The Kettledrum gelding is a nice nag had he more wearing -looking fore- legs ; while Cape Horn is a wiry good-limbed gelding, and likely to grow into something more than a standstill horse. Had the numbers been turned upside down the verdict would have better pleased us, as we look upon it now as simply a beefy and follow-my-leader business. But the time may come, after he has received four or five hundred in prize money, like many a beefy one before, that some of the bench will turn round on their winning horse. There were few to boast about in the hunter geldings and fillies by a thoroughbred horse. The first, by Carbineer, is a nice one, and with some of the quality of his sire, and the second a capital mover. Then, Black Bess in action looks very good, but is a trifle short in the shoulder ; while Sabina is also nicely made, and has the gift of going. The hunting broffd mares were a good class, which shows that we have the right stuff in the country still, and when we see fine big-boned thorough- bred yearlings by General Peel brought to the hammer and taken away without a bid we must not be too ready to listen to the songs about the scarcity of horseflesh, although we have forty to one mounted now to what there were in our younger days. The Gentleman in Black, in one of his essays on horseflesh, regrets that the old farmer, to be seen seated in the alehouse settle, Avith his glass and pipe, and his son bought up on the perfect four-year-old at the covert side, to be for thirty or forty, are found no more. Surely he might have wound up with a requiem on the good old vicar reckoned rich on forty pounds a-year. The matrons were led on by Lady Emily, the Wolver- hampton mare, while the second on the list was old Go- ahead, who won at Oxford, and all over the country ; and it's the old story again, Lady Emily not placed at Cardiff, and Goahead not placed at Wolverhampton, but of these ever-varying verdicts we gave a full account in our Wol- verhampton report. Pink, second here, was second at Manchester, and is a nice-looking, fleshy mare, with a heavy forehand, which is not corrected by good hind-leg action, so that the slightest mistake would bring her |to grief. She is a placid-looking^ animal, and lacks the varmint stamp of one accustomed to hounds. The winner, Pairminster by Newminster, out of Fairwater, is a lengthy mare on good short limbs, with well-laid shoulders. The best of the others were Mr. M. Williams' Braudy and Pairiight, Mr. G. Williams' Fashion, Mr. II. Nichols' bay mare, Mr, T. W. F. Williams' Alice, Mr. W. H. Powell's Mrs. Evans, and Mr. J. Evans' Brunette ; while Mr. Rogers' Orange Lass was disfigured by a pair of forelegs very much back at the knee. The hackney stallions were poor to what we have seen ; and Norfolk Hero, a neat active little horse, with not the best hind-leg action, as a trotter must bring his hind legs under like a hunter, we saw beaten last year at York and Brigg, and Dick Turpin, of nice form, take the first colours at Wolverhampton, the third to him being a horse called Clear the Way, who at Brigg took a second prize, the Cardiff horse, Norfolk Hero, being then quite out of it. We merely mention this in a kind way so that the different benches may meet one another with a smile as well as ourselves, for as we said in our report of Islington no man of intellect would be offended with another for differing with him in opinion about a horse or groom. The third here, Telegram, went as wide behind as some of the sons of Clapham, The hackney brood-mares, with the exception of the first three, were poor ; |the best, Polly, we described when second at Oxford to Lord Norreys' bay, as a very handsome mare ; and here she was followed by a very neat one, bred by Major Ballard, of Cowbridge. Mr. Cockrell had a nice one, and there was some character about Judy. The roadster mares and geldings above fourteen hands one inch, and not over fifteen, were good, Dandy, a cream-coloured one, being a capital mover, with power and fair looks, though a trifle heavy in his shoulder ; the second was a cob up to weight, while the reserve number was a rare long-stepping brown cob, whose rider sat back on the saddle without rising, and when the judges sung out to him " Canter 1" he, as well as he could with the little wind that was not shaken out of him, hiccuped, " She ca-a-ant," The Hart, a neat hack who has taken a prize or two as a ladies' horse, was out of his class ; and Tommy Dodd, a very nice brown cob with three white heels and some fashion, car- ried off the winning colours in cobs above thirteen hands, with Cwmyro, an old man's weight-carrying cob, second to him, Mr, Perry being commended for another Cymro. Several others were worthy of notice, if not gifted with much fashion. Excepting a few, we were THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 97 disappointed with the ponies, as many had shoulders that would have delighted some of the old cart-horse judges, who liked as they said to see the whole weight of a horse thrown forward, and the more turnble-down-dickey he looked, and the nearer his nose was to the ground, the better they loved him, but luckily most of these judges are shelved, at least we should hope so for the sake of progres- sion. The merry going Sir George was the first pony stallion again, as he was at Wolverhampton, Oxford, and Islington, in fact it is veni, vidi, vici with him wherever he goes. Certainly he is hard to beat for his inches. But give us the animal behind him if we w^ere lads again for our riding, for here is a racehorse in miniature, half-an-incli under thirteen two, and carrying himself with all the hauteur of an old habitue of the Turf. His forelegs tell tales of galloping ; but how clean he is made throughout, how nicely the head is set on, and the neck, shoulder, and coupling of the quarter all glide iuto one another, while he has arms and thighs as big as any horse's in the yard for his inches. "I would order that weed out," says a dandy loud enough for any one within a stone's throw to hear him ; and when Blue Pill does go out we follow him, and find that he is own brother to Chimney Sweep, and consequently a grandson of Chanticleer, from which he takes his colour, and that he has beaten horses across covxutry with eleven stone five up. Cymro is a thickset light chesnut, with a white mane and tail, a shoulder loaded at the point, a middling goer, and the property of the Marquis of Bute. The second. Tramp, is of fair form, which Dick is not, but he is the best mover, and belongs to Reos-David Wil- liams. Thesewere the stallionsinthelandof thelittlehorses. Barnet fair was wont to be the place to see ponies in the rough, not stuffed ; but the world has turned upside down since we were there. Still, surely we have seen this gaudy lass, with the bald face and wall-eye, before ! Ah ! Kitty, where could it be ? What other town could hold such a lass as thee but Birmingham ! and in Biugley Hall we have watched your capers in better company, go unrewarded. But keep that quiet, as you are much ad- mired here, and some millionaire may wish to go in for a little notoriety, and take thee for better or worse. Polly of Cardiff is a neat little lass, but with harness shoulders, and a stumpy goer. Flora, with length, was very useful- looking and could move; while the unfortunate Lady Lascelles — all the way from Otley, in Yorkshire — was as lame as a cat, through a severe accident to the off arm. Jenny, not exceeding thirteen hands, was a very clever one ; but Polly had a bad shoulder, and we thought the rather cobby Queen Bee, from Manchester, ought to have been before her, Minnie, who we are certain we have seen before, was a really nice pony, with breed, and a good goer ; while the cobby little Dandy was a good goer but thick in his shoulder — and wind too, as we thought. This was a class of twenty-one, but with not more than half a dozen worth talking about. There was a fair show, but not a grand one, of agricul- tural horses ; still there were many of the well known prize winners throughout the country, excepting Suffolks, of which there were only half-a-dozen. But we will take them class by class, commencing with the agricultural staUions as the judges did. Eleven came into the ring and among them one or two light active horses suitable for the country and the work of a Welsh farm ; to climb the narrow winding lanes that bind the surround- ing hills, for which those great heroes Honest Tom, Young Champion, or Le Bon, are about as fit as the judges would be to go through the performance of a Leotard or Blondin. It is easy to imagne the astonishment of that high spirited and highly respectable farmer, John Jones, on meeting Honest Tom or Young Champion and his attendant trying the ascent of one of these twisting bye-ways and exclaiming, " In the name of Got, what have you there, man ?" If we are to teach people anything wc must first study the country we arc going iuto, but three such giauts standing before us with the prize colours on in the county of Glamorgan, immediately reminded us of Goldsmith's philosophical vagabond, who started to teach the Dutch English, but when he got there recollected that they must first teach him Dutch. Surely there should have been prizes given for horses suitable for the country, and the little tough Welsh cart- horse is quite as deserving of encouragement as his coarser and softer brethren of the Midland or Eastern Counties, and we must uot forget that for our far- famed thoroughbred we are partly indebted to the smaller animal of another country. It was the old story, as at Wolverhampton, Honest Tom, Young Champion, and Le Bon, the only difference here being that Le Bon, the nicest- sizedhorse for agriculture, took second place instead of third, a verdict we quite agree with, as Young Champion, though improved, is more of a brewer than an agriculturist. Victor, from Knutsford, a well-made black horse, was a fearful waddler in his movements; Culverwell's Ex- celsior from Abergavenny and Ann Powell's Hero from Monmouth were small active farm-horses. The IMonarch, the prize horse of the fourteen two-year-olds not qualified to compete as Clydesdale or Suffolk, is a neat active horse, with something of the Suffolk character at a first glance ; the second. Waxwork, a grey, had a weak shoulder, in comparison to other parts of his body ; while ]\Iontgomeryshire Hero was light and leggy. Lord Churchill was a nice looking horse, but a fumbling goer ; Young Lincoln useful. Big Ben remarkable for his height ; John Bull active, and Battcock's brown, a very fair horse. The Clydesdale stallions foaled before 1870 made a good class of six, and the sensation one of the cart ring, for the handsome Young Lofty, declared at Wolverhampton to be the best horse in any class, was put on one side as a roarer. This roaring in stallions is a serious and a curious business, too, for had all the stal- lions in our time been disqualified as getters of stock from roaring, we should not have had Eaughaballagh, Irish Birdcatcher, Robert de Gorham, Coronation, The Baron, Stockwell, Rataplan, Christmas Carol, or Laughing Stock ; for Sir Hercules was a roarer, and got roarers in our younger days as well as sound horses. Just think for a moment through how many veins the blood of that beautiful headed old roarer runs at the present time, not only in this country but in others, for we are speaking of five-and-thirty years since. If it matters not in a stallion for the fastbusiness, it can be of very little consequence for the slow, and we should recommend the next bench to ponder well before they put on oneside a horse like Young Lofty. For our own part had we a Clydesdale mare we would send her to him in preference to anything in the class. Taking into consideration the places in which horses are housed during the shows — the bog of Wolverhampton, for instance — the only thing that astonishes us is that they are not all roarers, ourselves included. The grey horse. Conqueror, is a powerful, thickset fellow, but not with that beauty and character which •. expect to see in a Clydesdale. The Duke is a useful nag, but suffering from a severe cold, which we hope will not lead on to roaring ; Young Bobby Burns is a very taking horse witn quality ; Sir Norman is an active little horse with a tremendous mane, and he might do some service in Wales, as he is for sale. There were three smart two-year-old Clydesdale stallions, but Sir Walter Scott did not remind us of his Jiamesake, of Battersea Park fame. Major Garrett has sold Cupbearer to the Rev. R. A. Westhorp, in Essex, so there were only two aged Suffolk stallions, and Royal Prince, with his present form and action, is a very poor advertisement for the Suffolks, and 98 THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. should not be allowed to stray from home ; hut Volun- teer is a deep compact horse, and looks more like work than the Prince. There was no opposition in the two-year-olds to a colt by Royal Piince, and there were only a couple of Clydesdale brood mares, Mrs. Muir being a very good specimen, of great character, very deep, on a short leg ; while Buntyn was of a much lighter stamp, but still very useful as well as good-look- ing. Of the two Suffolk brood mares. Gyp was a long way the best, although the second, again, was by no means a bad one. The agricultural mares not Clydesdale or Suffolk were a capital class, with an entry of sixteen, and many nice active mares from the surrounding district, and two well-known from Norfolk and Beds, Beauty and Smart, being conspicuous for their good looks. The agricultural two-year-old fillies not Suffolk or Clydesdale were a capital class, but with not a Welshman among them, the battle being between Honest Lass and Flower, the Cambridge decision being reversed. The Flower, not Flower, but a Bath and "West of England and Windsor heroine, a fine filly, was also showing herself off, as were Sophia Milhouse's Louisa, Pilgrim's Princess Royal, T. Brown's bay and chesnut, and Bras- sington's Diamond — all nice iillies. There were two Clydesdale fillies of a fair stamp entered for the three prizes, and one Suffolk for three others, but we don't remember seeing her walk over or on the ground. The two-year-old of Mr. Pilgrim's was good, the second very stylish, and Jacob Lewis' bay had form and could move. Diamond is a useful-looking yearling filly, and Mr. Phillimore's Perfection of great depth in her middle-piece ; while Mr. Harris, of Carmarthenshire, had a compact cobby active little black, suitable for the country, but which stood as much chance of getting a prize from the men in the ring as if he had stuck her on the lighthouse at the Mumbles or Kidwelly Castle. There were some good pairs, Mr. Brierley winning with his well-known horses Champion and Warwick, Sensa- tion having second place for want of a partner in any way her equal; but the nag ring was cleared, and she was trotted up and down to show her fairy-like action. Rees Williams, of Parkwenydd, Taibach, had a nice pair of agricultural horses, and is now pondering, no doubt, as to what he has gained by sending his light active cart-horses suitable for the country to the Royal Show^ and seeing big heavy horses adapted for fiat heavy soils receive all the ribbands. With the companion rings adjoining each other, so able a steward as Mr. Jocob Wilson, earnest, genial, and firm, had the horse classes thoroughly under his command ; but it is becoming more and more apparent that the sheep and pigs are beyond any one man's control. On the opening morning the public were roped off the sheep judges, but later in the day there was such a scene as would not have been countenanced at the veriest local meeting. When, for instance, the two judges were engaged over the Ox- ford Downs, some outsiders, with all the impunity of ignorance, took to handling the sheep at the same time as the judges, and of course freely offering their opinions thereon. So monstrous did this become that, with no one apparently to appeal to, some of the exhibitors them- selves ventured to remonstrate, when the offenders merely grinned, and proceeded with their investigations as the sheep were brought out ! Then, some smart men of busi- ness, who came duly provided in this way, placarded the sheep and pig pens with notices and announcements, to the manifest injustice of others who did not know such a system of advertising was admissible ; while one exhibitor, over whose pen of pigs a disqualification card had been fixed, coolly covered it with another stating that the pigs were Foe Sale, so that he got something of a pull from his misnrlvpntnrr. A stpward should have a quick eye and a shaip tongue agaiiist such (ricks as thesr, but wlica we left at mid-day on Wednesday the For Sale fiags were flying in all directions. Necessarily, if only in common fairness to the general body of exhibitors, the question to be answered is —-Shall anybody placard what he pleases, or shall no notice of any kind be put lip, save under the orders of the stewards ? The most legitimate form of advertisement to be found on a show-ground is the one adopted here by the Reverend George Inge -. in the course of a week or two this gentleman's flock of Leicesters will be sold by auction, and at Cardifl' Mr. Inge took the first prize for shearling rams, the first prize for old rams, and the first prize for ewes. And these Leicesters were worthy of their rank ; finely-bred, but with substance, firm in their touch, and good in their wool, they stood up and met you as well as they handled. The best old sheep, of capital quality, was a little short forward, and rather lacked the style of ]Mr. Borton's, a well-known winner, still keeping his touch and his good looks. The Yorkshire flock was also secondandfourthamongsttheshear- lings, with two truly-framed, compact rams, which, with the Thorpe Constantine flock out of the way, will improve on their positions hereafter ; while Mr. Teasdale Hutchin- son, as usual, shows a very smart stamp of sheep, of good mutton and fine character. Mr. Cresswell and the two Turners were amongst the other exhibitors, Mr. Turner junior apparently not having improved his flock since he has changed over to Northamptonshire. The show of Leicesters was not large, but it was pretty generally good, with the many commendations very properly appended to the more substantial compliments. Again, there was some noticeable improvement, at least numericially, in the entry of Cotswolds, where Glamorganshire made its mark, taking all the prizes for ewes and lambs. Mr. Thomas' ewes are, however, very superior to any of the other pens, which are only moderate ; and the first prize lambs, also from St. Hilary, are a long way before the others in competition ; the collateral proof thus afforded being sa- tisfactory enough. The first prize shearling ram, also first at Dorchester, is a agreat massive sheep, not quite right in his shoulders, which do not work fi-eely ; while the best old sheep at Wolverhampton, also from the Kilkenny flock, was put out here from standing so badly on his legs, or he might still have been first. Mr. Marhani Brown thus comes in with his three-shear, of Lane's blood, third at Wolverhampton and first at Lynn, and a showy sheep out. The other Mr. Browne's third prize depended more on his size than quality, as he was very loose in his flesh ; and the second best shearling here was first at Lynn, where he figured as a fairly good sheep. Still, the palmy days of the Cotswolds would seem to have passed away, and but few commendations were elicited at Cardifl', long entries from the same flocks being passed over in significant silence. The Lincolns well maintain the improved standard they have reached of late, and any criticism would be rather applied to their feeding than breeding. Some of the rams were over-done in this way ; but for fine quality of wool the sheep shown by Messrs. Dudding and Mr. Marshall are of remarkable excellence. The Branston best two- shear has, moreover, great size and firm flesh, as a grander Lincoln is not often seen. The successful exhibitors of these sheep included such familiar names and flocks as Wright of Nocton, Pears of Mere, Byron of Kirkby, and Gunnell of Milton, Cambridge, amongst whom sundry other premiums were duly distributed. There were three entries of other longwools in pens of ten ewes with their lambs, where some whitefaced Welsh beat Mr. Wooton's Shire crosses. Occupying just a single leaf in the catalogue, and so serving as something of a divisional line between the longs and shorts, the Oxfordshire Downs made a very commendable cxlubilion,altlioiigh the competition through- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 99 out was conliued to half a dozen Hocks, three of which are cultivated iu Oxfordshire, two ia Bedfordshire, aud one in Wiltshire. The lirst aud second shearlings were placed precisely as at Dorchester ; Mr. Treadwell's ram standing badly on his hind legs, hut heing otherwise a very good type of the sort ; and Mr. jMiltou Druce's second a par- ticularly clever sheep forward of nice quality, while Mr. Ilobhs' third was quite worthy of his place, being quite a taking ram out. The old rams were not so good ; the first, the third shearling at Wolverhampton, was well made up, at lef>,st for show, but despite his size he looks delicate aud stands straight in his shoulders ; and the Wincheudouj three-shear was first at Dorchester. It sounds like a curious fact in the history of show sheep that men who can win with their rams in many cases make little or no mark with their ewes, or vice versa, as it is here. In the two classes of rams Mr. Charles Ilowai'd could reach no higher than a reserve number, although it is fair tosayhis sheep were not iu high condition, whereas his sweet sorty pen of ewes were not merely the pick and pride of the Oxfordshires, but one of the sights of the shovt'. They go to prove, moreover, how close the flock has been kept to its original standard, not always the case with a new hreed, as at the first glance they re- minded one of the Bury pen of beauties, now no doubt hung in the gallery of famous ancestors at Biddenham. " The sale was not altogether unreserved, as there have been retained for further use at Mertou, the Jirst-pri~e Royal Manchester yearlhig ram, a son of this ram, and a son of the Urst -prize yearlirg ram at the Royal Meeting at Bury St. Edmunds, loith a small flock of ewes thaf have been kept distinct at the Stamford farm, and as there might have been added the services of John Day, the shepherd, so that it is probable enough we shall soon see the Mertou flock figuring again in the prize list." It was thus that we wrote and quoted from the catalogue of Lord Walsingham's sale in the Juue of last year, but no small surprise was expressed at the remnant of a flock appearing so soon again on the lists. This, however, helped if nothing more to make up some- thing of an entry of Southdowns, which so far as the actual competition went was limited alike in numbers and merits. Oue of the most rising flocks, that of Sir William Throckmorton, was altogether uurepresented through foot-and-mouth disease ; the Heasmaus, also from illness, made no sign, and the Goodwood flock, beyond oue good old ram, seems to have gone all to pieces. It is said that even the Duke's wide range of pasture is sheep-tainted, and at any rate something has " come over" the ewes, once so beautiful, and now so poor and plain — a very wreck after Oxford. Then, the Mertou shearlings, once so invincible, could only claim amongst them one simple commendation, while Mr. Woods' authority as a judge came again to be corrected. At Taunton, two years since, we had to hold him mainly liable as the Southdown man for the mistakes made over Mr. Rigden's sheep ; aud at Dor- chester, a few weeks since, when Mr. Woods was also in office, we wrote thus : " The size of the (Hove) first shearling evidently turned the scale in his favour ; for, though a good sheep in many respects, he is not so blood- like, or, in other words, so fine a type of the Southdown as the merely commended ram, and any revision of this award would put the third sheep first, the first second, and the second third, although Mr. Rigdcn would, we believe, have himself put the last first, and the first last." And at Cardiff two such judges as l\Ir. Fookes and ^[r. Turner put the Dorchester third first, and the first second. The Prince of Wales and Mr. Rigden have also commendations here ; but a long way the next best ram is Colonel Kingscote's third prize, an especially smart, stylish sheep, of true Southdown character, from a Sussex ram of Mr. Hart's breeding. The class of old rams was highly commended, Mr. Rigdeu again iinishing first and second with the same two sheep he won with at Dorchester, in precisely the same positions, as the winner is remarkably handsome and well grown, but with the second is by no means so good, either to the eye or the hand, and it was a very near thing between him and (he son of Lord Walsingham's Bury sheep, put third. The Mertou ram has far more elegance, and is altogether the better of the two to face ; but the judges found fault with his flank, and so put him out. We should add in fair- ness that we called in on our own account another well- known Sussex judge, Mr. Woodman, who declared the award as recorded to be " right enough." With some stretch of kindness the judges also gene- rally commended the whole class of Southdown ewes, but generally a middling lot, and with Lord Sondes' pen, as usual, of the neatest and truest type ; but, " as usual" again, their lack of size stops them, and mere size iu a Southdown is cominouly achieved at some sacrifice of quality. The Staflbrdshire Agricultural Society, which may be regarded as the head-centre of the Shropshires, has this year come to a determinatiou that stock exhibited at the Royal Show shall be thereby disqualified from entry at the country show of the same season ! Obviously this very remarkable resolution is calculated to injure alike the national and the local meeting. A man will be less willing to scud his auimals far away when he sees thereby that he sacrifices his opportunity about home ; while of course nothing tends so much to the success of a district exposition as the presence of a few Royal prize-takers, occasionally beaten as they are. If the aim be not to make the Stafford a second-rate meetiug, this or some other concomitant cause has conduced to an indifferent display of Shropshire sheep at Cardift'. In fact, we seldom remember a more unsatisfactory tone than was evinced over these classes. Rumour said there were prize sheep with palpable horns and black wool ; that the first prize ewes were a pen of odds and ends, two good and three bad ; and that the first old ram was quite over- done, a great gutty sheep, which could hardly be re- garded as the model of a serviceable ram. Then, to put a climax to all this outcry, the only shee[) disqualified by the inspectors were in the Shropshire classes, where the judges had instructions not to look at some sheep from such famous flocks as the Shrawardine and Freeford, Mr. German's shearlings being also put aside, although it will be found Mr. German has already entered a strong protest. Under such untoward circumstances the judges were left to do the best they could, and in a poor class of shearlings they put Lord Chesham's handsome Dorchester sheep first, although he looks almost as much Sussex Down as Shrop- shire Down. Still, if the ram were eligible it is diflicult to see why the Latimer ewes were not also first, as they were equally stylish as well as sorty, and any pen of ewes which are not " much of a muchness " should be put out, or a man had better show one or two in- stead of five. Mr. Bradburne's ewes did not match, either in heads or frames, and either the second or that very good third peu for first would have been a far more popular decision. Uniformity, however, has not yet been reached with the Shropshires, as in the shearling ram class the second prize was a very dift'crent animal from the first— bigger, bolder, aud grander, aud of a truer Shropshire type." Indeed, but for his horns JMr. Foster's sheep might have been fairly first, and the Shropshires originally were horned sheep. Still, we believe he was only passed with some reluctance from this cause, as Mrs. Beach with one bare-headed sheep, and Mr. Byrd were by no meaus up to their usual form. Both in this and the old class Mr. Allen showed some loo THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, well-bred rams of a very good stamp, but they received no notice, from, as it was said, a dark tinge in their coats. Mr. ManseU's first two-shear was a merely commended shearling at Wolverhampton, since when, though heavier, he has not improved ; and the second, from the same flock, a strong upstanding sheep of really masculine cha- racter, was infinitely to be preferred, as a model for which the public should be taught to go in an exhibition of breeding animals. One of the great abuses of the day is the system of overdoing rams for sale or show. The decisions over the Hampshires did not go to " right" Mr. Coles, as the Bulbridge flock took the first and second prizes for shearling rams and also for shear- ling ewes, Mr. Morrison interfering in the old ram class, where his best, all of Mr. RawlencVs blood, had been the second shearling at Wolverhampton. The other Hamp- shires, sheep and awards, were mainly after Dorchester. Mr. Mayo was quite invincible with his horned Dorsets, and Mr. Shortreed backed a capital old ram with some beautiful active Cheviot ewes, which might surely drive out the Radnors, whose chief recommendation would look to be their ripe old age. Of the four pens of ewes none were entered as under four years old, and of the five rams one was a five and the other a six-year-old. About Brecon and Kington old mutton has evidently still its value. One of these horned rams, not having received the attention of the veterinary-surgeons, would, from his very uneasy movements in such hot weather, probably have been benefited by a visit from Dr. Erasmus Wilson. However, no one seemed to care much about him, as this might pass as a pretty general commentary over the native breeds, who had few friends beyond an occasional family party who discoursed in a full-flowing, high-sounding tongue, which Sir Roger might have regarded as Greek, but which our own instincts induce us to interpret as Welsh. Up from Black Prince to Sir Watkin they've seen. The pig show was almost generally good, as, in places, rather too strong for the judges, who might have done better with the aid of a Berkshire breeder. As it was, the first class of Berkshire boars was generally commended, the younger class officially recorded as good, and the Berk- shire sows were declared to be an extraordinary class. But if the class were entitled to such a compliment the judges themselves were quite as deserving of it, as their doings here were still more extraordinary. For instance, they took as their first prize in this extraordinary class a great, coarse sow, with scarcely anything but her mere size and feeding in her favour. She has a bad head, a bad neck, and a mean drooping quarter. As a specimen of her breed she was one of the plainest sows in her class, as she of course never commanded any notice last year at Wol- verhampton, where we find this one word written against her name in our catalogue — bad. One of the main reasons given for putting Princess so forward was that some of the others had broken down from over-feeding, although it would be absurd to put the Aylesbury sow into comparison for breeding points with Mr. Stewart's beautiful Duchess, or the Cirencester Stumpy, or the Ox- ford first prize never noticed here, or my Lord Claremont's really handsome specimens from over the Channel. The decision without the official explanation looks altogether inexplicable. They did better over the boars, at least so far as their best of all went, taking Mr, Humfrey's Dorchester first, which we then recorded as the most pro- mising pig in the show, although afterwards so strangely passed over at Windsor, For second at Cardifl', however, they went for another of Mr. Fowler's sort, a boar begin- ning with an ugly long, lean head, which should have straightway stopped him; but the Cirencester Lord Liverpool had got " a leg," Mr. Smith's entry was also declared to be crippled, and though the class was com- mended, it was easily weeded out. The best young Berk- shii-e has great size ; Lord Claremont's, on the contrary, was too finely bred]; Mr. Smith's pigs were also wanting in Berkshire character, the College entry had not a Berkshire coat, and Mr. Wheeler was disqualified. We doubt if there were a first prize pig in the class, which the judges did not generally commend, though they wrote it good — a nice distinction. Amongst the big white pigs Messrs. Howard's boar and sow never showed to more advantage ; but the young boars of a large breed were an indifferent class, or they take more time to furnish, and generally look raw and plain at under a year old ; as the first was high, short, and flat-sided. Mr. Eden's first-prize large sow was backed by a capital litter, which possibly served to put her before the Bedford Duchess, and the argument is legitimate enough. But the strength of the whites centred in the two classes of small boars, where Mr. Eden's breed took all the four prizes, with three of these of just the same nice stamp. With beautiful heads and collars, and capital curly but still fine coats, they are all of a family ; Mr. Eden's and Mr. Royd's boars being both by Young King out of Sisters to Prince and Young Prince, and the best boar in the younger class being also out of a Young Prince sow, but bred terribly in-and-in. These are of what was known as " the Solway " breed, improved by Mr. Watson, 'but the second-prize young boar hardly looks of the same stamp. In the middle breeds, again, Mr. Eden's success was as remark- able, Mr. Royd's boar having been bred at Salford, while Busy Bee, the best sow, has now been first three years in succession, at Oxford, Wolverhampton, and Cardiff. The second-prize middle breed boar was a kind of Essex cross of no great merit, as the Messrs. Duckering quite lost their lead, with some of their entries disqualified. Amongst the small black breeds Mr. Mumford Sexton had some remarkable success, taking three first and two second prizes in four classes, facts which should go to make his the best breed of the kind about, and a capital prologue to his coming sale in September of 150 pigs. Exhibitors, however, must be content to let the story of one meeting speak for itself, or the placard system will lead to utter jconfusion ; and any new steward here must be prepared to exercise an " iron rule. " PRIZE LIST. HORSES. (All ages calculated to July Ist, 1872.) Judges— Riding Hoeses : J. Atkinson, Brandon, Alnwick. Major Barlow, Hasketon, Woodbridge, 0. M. Nainby, Barnoldby-le-Beck, Grimstoy, Cart Horses : H. Bidden, Playford, Ipswich. B. Spraggon, Nafferton, Stocksfield-on-Tyne. J. H. Wood, Humberstone, Great Grimsby. Agricultural Stallion, foaled before 1st Januai'y, 1870 (not quaUfled to compete as Clydesdale or Suffolk). — First prize, £25, the Fylde Cart-Horse Breeding Improvement Company, Singleton, Poulton-le-Fylde (Honest Tom) ; second, £15, C. Sharpley, Kclstern HaU, Louth (Le Bon); third, £5, T. Stattor, jun., Stand Hall, Whitefield, Manchester (Young Champion). Reserve and Commended: J. How, Denver, Downham Market (Farmer's Glory) . Agricultural Stallion, foaled in 1870 (not qualified to com- pete as Clydesdale or Suffolk).— First prize, £20, F. T. Bryan, Humberstone, Leicester (The Monarch) ; second, £10, J. A. Summer, Dcbdale Farm, Mansfield (Waxwork) ; third, £5, W. Davis, Mardu Llandrhiio, Oswestry (Montgomeryshire Hero) . Reserve and Coimnended : G. Jones, Stow, Down- ham Market, Norfolk (Lyon). Clydesdale Stallion, foaled before 1st January, 1870.— First prize, £25, R. Orange, Bcdluigton, Morpeth (Conqueror) j second, £15, E. and A. Stanford, Batons, Ashurst, Steyning, Sussex (The Dulie) ; thu-d, £5, T. Statter, jun., Stand HaU (The Black Prince). Clydesdale StaUion, foaled in 1870.— First prize, £20, G. and THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 101 W. H. Bothn.iu, 'Woxbam Court, Slongh (Bucks Hero) : second, £10, T. Stattcr, juu., Stand Hall, Whitefleld, Man- chestor (Sir Walter Scott). Suffolk Stallion, foaled before Ist January, 1870.— First prize, £35, 0. Boby, Alton Hall, Stutton, Ipswich (Royal Prince) ; second, £15, W. Byford, The Court, Glemsford, Suffolk (Volunteer). Suffolk StalUon, foaled in 1870.— First prize, £20, C. Boby. Thoroughbred Stallion, for getting Hunters. — First prize, £59, J. Moffat, Kirklinton Park, Carlisle (Laughing Stock) ; second, £25, J. Rees, Llanboidy, Whitland, Carmarthen (Christmas Carol) ; third, £10, Major J. Simpson Ballard, The Verlands, Cowbridge, Glamorgan (Reinfrid). Reserve : W. T. Sharpe, Eaumber Park, Horncastle (Suffolk). Stallion above fourteen hands, but not exceeding fifteen liands two inches, suitable for getting hackneys. — First prize, £20, B. Balderston, Mount Pleasant, Sibsey, Boston (Norfolk Hero) ; second, £10, J. Lockhart, CuLmington, Bromfleld, Salop (Dick Turpin) ; third, £5, J. Langley, Shirenewton, Chepstow (Telegram) . Reserve : W. Griffith, Ely Common, Cardiff (Ancient Briton). Pony Stalhon, not exceeding fourteen hands high. — First prize, £15, H. Roundell, Otley (Sir George) ; second, £10, T. L. Brewer, Danygraig, Newport, Monmouth (Blue Pill). Pony stallion, not exceeding thirteen hands. — First prize, £15, The Marquis of Bute, Cardiff Castle (Cymro) ; second, £10, J. A. Doyle, Plas-Dulas, Abergele, Denbighshire (Tramp). Agricultural Mare, in foal, or with foal at foot (not suitable to compete as Clydesdale or Suffolk). — First prize, £20, E. Crowe, Denver, Downham Market (Smart) ; second, £10, F. Street, Harrowden, Bedford (Beauty); third, £5, J. Lamb and J. Cooper, Bowstead, Penrith. Reserve : W. Frees, Underhill, Bridgend (Lofty). Clydesdale Mare, in foal, or with foal at foot. — First prize, £20, T. Statter, jun. (Mrs. Muir) ; second, £10, R. Thomas, Upper Court, Taibach, Glamorgan (Buntyn). Suffolk Mare, in foal, or with foal at foot. — First prize, £20, R. Capon, Dennington, Wiokham Market (Gyp) ; second, £10, J. J. Stone, Scyborwen, Llantrissent, Newport (Garnet). Mare, in foal, or with foal at foot, suitable for breeding hunters. — Fu-st prize, £25, W. S. Cartwright, Newport, Monmouthsbu-e (Fairmiuster) ; second, £15, T. Fox, Aven- ham Hall, Poulton-le-Fyldo (Pink) ; third, £5, J. T. Robinson, Leckby Palace, Aseaby, Thirsk (Go-a-Head). Reserve and Commended : T. Williams, AUbrightlee, Battlefield, Shrews- bury (Alice). Commended: W. R. H. Powell, Maesgwynne, Whitland, Carmarthen (Mrs. Evans). Mare, above fourteen hands, and not exceeding fifteen hands one inch, in foal, or with foal at foot, suitable for breeding Hackneys.— First prize, £20, A. Sherratt, Holdberry Farm, "Occlepitchard, Hereford (Polly) ; second, £10, A. Watts, New House, Coity, Bridgend (The Rosy Morn) ; third, £5, T. Tones, Cross Lane Head, Bridgnorth (Judy) . Reserve : T. Goddard, Greenwood, St. Fagans, Cardiff (Finale). Pony Mare, not exceeding fourteen hands. — First prize, £10, W. Coates, Scarborough Farm, Winchcombe (Kitty) ; second, £5, G. S. Worthington, Cardiff (Polly). Reserve and Highly Commended: W. M. Spence, Otley, Yorkshire (Lady Lascelles). Commended : J. Williams, Caercady, Cowlbridge (Flora) ; J. B. Fowler, Ovington Down, Alresford (Topsy). Pony Mare, not exceeding thirteen hands. — Fu-st prize, £10, W. Allen, Vaindre HaU, Cardiff (Jenny) ; second, £5, R. Travell, Mount Stuart Hotel, Cardiff (Polly). Reserve and Highly Commended: T. Statter, jun. (Queen Bee). Welsh Pony, not exceeding thirteen hands. — First prize, £10, J. Thomas, Cardiff (Minnie) ; second, £5, H. Bowen, Spring Bank, Cardiff (Dandy). Reserve and Highly Com- mended : W. Allen, Vaindre Hall, Cardiff (Rufus). Highly Commended : W. H. Mathias, Perth, Pontypridd (Little Gipsy). Commended: D. Howell, Womanby Street, Cardiff (Jenny). Agricultural Filly, two years old (not quaUfied to compete as Clydesdale or Suffolk).— First prize, £15, H. Purser, WiU- ington, Bedford (Honest Lass) ; second, £10, B. Crowe, Den- ver (Flower) ; third, £5, G. Sti-eet, Maulden, Ampthill. Re- servo and Highly Cemmended : S. Millhouso, Hinckley (Louisa). Commended : T. Brown, Marham Hall, Downham Market. Clydesdale FUly, two years old.— Prize, £15, G. Hampton, North End, Findon, Sussex (Blue Bell). Hunter up to not less than fifteen stone. — First prize, £20. P. B. Jones, Westall Court, Cheltenham; second, £10, G. W. G.Thomas, The Heath, Cardiff flris) ; third, £5, Major J. S. Ballard, The Verlands, Cowbridge (Redwing). Reserve: The Hon. J. Jocelyn Bom-ke, Buckingham Va,le, Clifton (The Colonel) . Hunter up to not less than twelve stone.— First prize, £20, A. Darbey, Stanley Hall, Bridgnorth (General Hood) ; second, £10, H. Howell, Coates, Cirencester (Lancer) ; third, £5, F. E. Stacey, Llandough Castle, Cowbridge (Bianconi). Re- serve: C. B. Mansfield, Llysonen, St. Clears (The Lamb). Hunter, four years old.— First prize, £20, C. Cook, Tadding- ton, Winchcombe (Admiral) ; second, £10, J. Moffat, Kirk- linton (Lady Graham) ; third, £6, D, H. Thomas, Derllys (Policeman). Reserve: J. W. Teasdalo, Toyerston, Pom- broke (Theodore). Hunter, thi-ee years old.— First prize, £20, J. M. T. Mus- grave, Beverley (Honeycomb) ; second, £10, T. H. Miller, Singleton, Poulton-le-Fylde (Kettledrum) ; third, £5, H. G. Allen, St. James's Street, London (Capo Horn), Reserve: L. Jenkins, Tynycaid, Bridgend (Sawara). Hunter, by a thorough-lsred Horse, two years old. — First prize, £10, T. H. Miller (Singleton); second, £3, L. and H. Thomas, Tydraw, Llantrithyd. Reserve : R.A. College Farm, Cirencester. Hunter, one year old, by a thorough-bred Horse. — First prize, £10, T. H. Miller (Victor) ; second, £5, J. Evans, Pen- gam House, Cardiff (Black Bess). Reserve: E. and A. Stanford (Sabina). Roadster, above fourteen hands one inch, and not exceeding fifteen hands. —First prize, £15, T. Goddard, The Greenwood,, St. Pagans, Cardiff (Dandy) ; second, £10, B. G. D. Cooke, Colomendy, Mold, Flintshire (General). Reserve: T. Statter, jun. Cob, above thirteen hands, and not exceeding fourteen hands one inch.— First prize, £15, F. E. Stacey, Llandough Castle, Cowbridge (Tommy Dodd) ; second, £10, W. Harrys, Canton, Cardifi' (Cwmyro). Reserve and Highly Com- mended: W. Nicks, Greville House, Gloucester (Gaylad). Commended : C. Francis, Venny Vach, Brecon ; T. George, Deri, V/hitchurch, Cardiff; E. Davies, Cowbridge (Toddy) ; J. H. Perry, Cardiff (Cymro). Agricultural Mare or Gelding, three years old.— First prize, £10, T. T. Parker, Charnock, Chorley (Princess) ; second, £5, J. Perry, Salter's Hall, Claverley, Bridgnorth (Captain). Reserve and Commended : R. W. Bridgwater, Great Portha- mal, Talgarth (Matchless) . Commended : T. Brown, Marham (Captain). Agricultm-al Mare or Gelding, two years old.— Fu'st prize, £10, S. C. Pilgi-im, The Outwoods, Hinckley; second, £5, T. W. D. Harris, Wootton, Northampton. Reserve and Com- mended : J. Lewis, Radyr, Cardiff. Commended : W. Lovwie. Old MUl, Cardiff (Farmer). Agricultural Mare or Gelding, one year old.— First prize, £10, F. Street, Harrowden (Diamond) ; second, £5, E. Philli- more, Prestbury, Cheltenham (Perfection). Agricultural Pair of Geldmgs or Marcs, of any age.— First prize, £20, C. W. Brierley, Rhodes House, Manchester (Cham- pion and Warwick) ; second, £10, C. W. Brierly (Sensation and Flirt). Reserve and Highly Commended : T. Statter, jun. Pan- of Draught Geldings or Mares, for underground pur- poses, not exceeding fifteen hands high.— First prize, £20, T. Statter, Jun. (Bobby and Bonny). CATTLE. SHORTHORNS. Judges.— H. Aylmer, West Dereham Abbey, Stoke Ferry. G. Drewry, Holker Grange, Lancashire. N. Mihie, Faldonside, Melrose. Bull above three years old.— First prize, £30, J. Outhwaite, Bamesse, Oattarick ( Royal Windsor) ; second, £20, W. Linton, Sheriff Hutton, York (Lord Irwin) ; third, £15, J. C. Bowstead, Hackthorpe HaU, Penrith (Flag of Britain); fom-th, £10, Lieutenant-Colonel Loyd Lindsay, V.C., M.P., Locking Park, Wantage (Lord Napier). Reserve and Highly Commended : J. Cooke, Ballyneal House, New Ross, Kilkenny (St. Rmggan). Highly Commended : Earl Cawdor, Stackpole Court, Pembroke (Sea Serpent) ; Rev. W. Sneyd. Keele HaU, Newcastle-under-Lyne (Ii-omnaster). BuU above two and not exceeding three years old.— Pu'st prize, £25, J. Lamb, BurreU Green, Penrith (Ignoramus) ; second, £15, G. Game, Churchill Heath, Chipping Norton (Earl of Warwickshire Third) ; third, £10, C. W. Brierley (Prince Charlie) ; fourth, £5, J. Stratton, Alton Priors, Marl- borough (Master GlanviUe) . Reserved and Highly Com- mended : R. Stratton, The Duffryn, Newport, Momnouth- shire (Saimterer). Highly Commended: Rev. W. Snej'd (Lord of the Manor) ; W. H. Hemtt, Norton Court, Taunton (Crown Prince). Yearling Bull, above one and not exceeding two years old. — First prize, £25, W. Linton (Loeman) ; second, £15, A. H. Browne, Bank House, AckUngton (Duke of Aosta) ; third, £10, Col. Towneley, To^vneley (Baron CoUing 2nd) ; fom-th, £5, Col. Towneley (Kenelm Butterfly.) Reserve and Highly Commended: Lieut.-Col. Loyd Lindsay, V.C, M.P. (Mag- dala). Bull Calf, above six and not exceeding twelve months old. —First prize, £15, Lady Pigot, Branches Park, Newmarket (Rapid); second, £10, Colonel C. Towneley (Hubback, Jun.) ; tliird, £5, J. K. Fowler, Aylesbury (Royal Geneva). Reserve and Highly Commended : J. WUhams, Llantrithyd, Cowbridge (Llantrithyd). Highly Commended : Lord Sude- ley, Toddington, Winchcombe (Cherub Third) ; Colonel C. Towneley (Oxford Gwynne) ; the Hon J. Massey, Milford House, Limerick (Forester); Earl Cawdor, Pembroke (Earl of Clarence). 102 T'iEiE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. Cow above three j'ears ol(l.— First prize, £20, A. II. Browne, Acklington (Primrose) ; second, £10, W. H. Hewett, Norton Com-t (Nellj') ; third £5, G. Game (Princess Alexandra). Reserve and Higlily Commended : C. A. Barnes, Charley- wood, Eickmansworth (English Emily). Commended: R. Stratton, The Duffryn, Newport (Flower Girl); W. Brad- burn, Wednesfleld, Wolverhampton ; T. Statter, Jun. (Countess) . Heifer in-milk or in-calf, not exceeding three years old. — First prize, £15, T. Statter, Jun. (Lady Dodona) ; second, £10, H. F. Smith, Lamwatli House, Sutton, Hull (Lamwath Violet) ; third, £5, Colonel C. Towneley (Baron Oxford's Duchess). Reserve and Highly Commended: J.J. Stone, Scyborwen, Llautrissent, Newport (Stuart Duchess Thii-d). Commended : J. Garsed, The Moorlands, Cowbridge (Blonde) ; J. Stratton (Innocence); T. Game and Son, Broadmoor (Malmsey) ; and G. Game (Lady Bird). Yearling Heifer, alsove one and not exceeding two years old. — Fii-st prize, £1.5, Colonel C. Towneley (Oxford Beauty) ; second, £10, J. Stratton (Village Rose) ; third, £5, Colonel C. Towneley (Butterfly's Memento Third). Reserve and Highly Commended : J. Stratton (Mabel). Highly Com- mended : Lady E. Pigot (Victoria Victrex) ; G. Game (Butterfly's Duchess) ; W. Tennant, White House, Barlow, Selby (Parting Rose) ; Colonel C. Townely (Duchess Eleventh). Commended: A. Garflt, Scothern, Lincoln (Brilliant Rose) : J. W. Wilson, Austin House, Broadway, Worcester (Princess Killerby) ; Lady E. Pigot (Scintilla); J. J. Stone, Scyborwen (Rose Second). Heifer Calf, above six and under 12 months old. — First prize, £10, R. J. M. Gumbleton, Glanatore, Curryglass, VVaterford, Ireland (Emma Courtoun) ; second, £5, Rev. W. Sneyd (Hollyberry.) Reserve and Highly Commended : T. (3arne and Son (Pink). Highly Commended : Lady E. Pigot (Rose of Wytham) ; Colonel C. Towneley (Oxford's Duty) ; T. Game and Son (Maid of Honour). Commended, T. Statter, Jun. (Rosalbina). HEREFORDS. Judges. — R. Bach, Elsich House, Bromfleld, Salop. E. Bradley, Cowbridge. H. Haywood, Blakemere House, Hereford. Bull, above three years old.--First prize, £25, T. Fenn, Stonebrook House, Ludlow, and J. Harding, Bicton House, Shrewsbm-y (Bachelor) ; second, £15, P. Turner, The Leen, Pembridge (Provost) ; third, £5, R. HiU, Orleton Court, Lud- low (Stout). Reserve and Commended: Lieut. -Colonel R. Feilden, Dulas Court, Hereford (Dulas). Commended: AV. Badham, Arkstone Coiu-t, Hereford (Standard Bearer). Bull, above two and not exceeding three j-ears old. — First prize, £25, J. E. Spencer, Lancadle, Cowbridge (VonMoltke) ; second, £15, E. Lester, Cefn Ha, Usk (Chanter) ; third, £5, R. Edward-*, Trewern Hall, Welshpool (Emstrey). Reserve and Commended : R. Keene, Penycraige, Caerleon (Tre- degar) . Yearling BuU, above one and not exceeing two years old.— First prize, £25, W. Taylor, Showle Court, Ledbury (The Cheltenham Boy) ; second, £15, J. Harding, Bicton, Shrews- bury (Lord Battenhall) ; third, £5, Her Majesty the Queen Windsor Castle (Prince Joachim) . Reserve and Commended : W. Tudge, Adforton, Leintwardine (Vespasian). Com- mended : R. Tanner, Frodesley, Dorrington (Frodesley 3rd) . Bull-Calf, above six and not exceeding twelve months old. —First prize, £10, T. Fenn (Cop Hall) ; second, £5, W. Tudge (Regulus). Reserve and Highly Commended: Her Majesty the Queen (Marqais of Lome). Highly Commended : W. Taylor (Triumph the ith) . Commended: T. Fenn (King Severus) ; R. Hill (Grateful) ; W. Tudge (Cincinnatus) ; T. Rogers, Coxall, Brampton Brian (Zocco) ; R. Tanner (Fan- ciful). Cow, above three years old. — First prize, £20, W. B. Peren, Compton House, South Petherton (Ivington Rose) ; second, £10, T. Rogers (Silk 2nd) ; third, £5, R. Tanner, (Lady MO- ton) . Reserve : T. Fenn (Duchess of Bedford 6th). The class highly commended. Heifer in-Milk or in-Calf, not exceeding three years old. — First prize, £15, T. Thomas, St. Hilary, Cowbridge (Sun- flower) ; second, £10, P. Turner (Plum) ; third, £5, T. Tho- mas (Lizzie 2nd). Reserve and Highly Commended: T. Thomas (Countess). Commended: E. Lester (Songstress); H. J. Bailey, Rosedale, Tenbury (Rosa Lee) ; W. Evans, Llandowlais, Usk (Fairlass) ; W. Tudge (Bonnie Belle). Yearling Heifer, above one and not exceeding two years old. — Fii-st prize, £15, T. Thomas (Rosaline) ; second, £10, J. Morris, Town House, Madley (Madelme); third, £5, T. Fenn (Lady of the Teme). Reserve and Highly Commended : W. B. Peren (Belle of the West). Commended: Her Majesty the Queen (Adelaide 2nd) ; W. Tudge (Czarina). Heifer-Calf, above six and under twelve months old. — Fh-st prize, £10, P. Turner (Rub^-) ; second, £5, H. J. Bailey (Lady Alice). Reserve and Highly Commended: T. Fenn (Queen of the Teme). Highly Commended : T. Rogers (Silverdrop) ; and T. Rogers (Silver Chain). Commended: J. Harding (The Bicton Belle); E. Lester (Dorothy); P. Turner (Exquisite). DEVONS. Judges. — T. Pope, Horningsham, Warminster. R. Woodman, Southcase, Lewes. BuU, above three years old.— First prize, £25, J. Davy, Fhtton Barton, North Molton (Duke of Flitton 5th) ; second, £15, Viscount Falmouth, Tregothnan, Probus (Jonquil). Bull, above two and not exceeding three j-ears old. — First prize, £25, W. Farthing, Stowey Court, Bridgwater (Master Harry) ; second, £15, Viscount Falmouth (Kingcraft) ; third, £5, Viscount Falmouth (Cinnamon). Reserve and Highly Commended : J. Jackman, Hexwortliy, Launceston (Earl of Hexworthy). Yearling Bull, above one and not exceeding two years old.— First prize, £25, J. Davy (Duke of Flitton 8th) ; second, £15, J. Jackman (Earl of Exeter) ; third, £9, Her Majesty the Queen (Prince Imperial). Reserve and Highly Com- mended : Viscount Falmouth (Gipsy King) . Commended : J. H. Bidler, Downes, Crediton. BuU-Calf, above six and not exceeding twelve months old. —First prize, £10, J. Davy (Duke of Flitton 9th); second, £5, AV. Farthing. Reserve and Highly Commended : J. A. Smith, Bradford Peverell, Dorchester (Duke of York). Com- mended : J. Jackman (Earl of Hexworthy 2nd). Cow, above three years old. — First prize, £20, J. A. Smith (Picture) ; second, £10, J. Davy (Temptress 2nd). Reserve and Highly Commended : Rev. A. Morgan, Machen Rectory, Newport. Heifer in-milk or in-calf, not exceeding three years old. — First prize, £15, J. Davy (Gay Lass) ; second, £10, J. A. Smith (Picture). Reserve and Highly Commended: W. Farthing. Yearling Heifer, above one and not exceeding two years old. — First prize, £15, W. Farthing (Fair Rosamond) ; eecond, £10, T. Lee Senior, Broughton, Aylesbury (Lady Edith) ; third, £5, J. Davey (Actress 5th). Reserve and Highly Com- mended : J. A. Smith (Daisey). Heifer Calf, above six and imder twelve months old. — First prize, £10, J. A. Smith (Picture); second, £5, T. L. Senior (Lady Maude). Reserve and Highly Commended : J. H. Bulle'r. JERSEY. Judges. — H. Middleton, Cutteslowe, Oxford. H. Tait, The Prince Consort's Shaw Farm, Windsor. Bull above one year old. — First prize, £10, Lord Chesham, Latimer, Chesham ; second, £5, W. Gilbey, Hargrave Park, Stanstead (Don). Reserve: G. Simpson (Favom-ite). Cow above three years old.— First prize, £10, W. Gilbey (Milkmaid); second, £5, G. Simpson (Wild Eyes). Com- mended: P. Gaudin, Spring Farm, St. Martin's, Jersey (Lady Light and Fanny Brown). Reserve and Commended: G. Simpson (Duchess). Heifer in-milk or in-calf, not exceeding three j-ears old. — Fu'st prize, £10, G. Simpson (Queenie) ; second, £5, W. Gil- bey (Bel). Reserve and Highly Commended: K. Rendle, Catel Farm, Guernsey. Highly Commended: T. Tones, Cross Lane Head, Biidgnorth (Filby) ; H. Denais de Vitre, Charlton House, Wantage, Berks (Sibbyl). Com- mended : R. Rendle (Lady Elizabeth) . GUERNSEY. Judges. — (As for Jerseys). Bull above one year old. — Prize of £10, C. Le Page, Les Naftiaux, Guernsey (Billy). Cov7 alDOve three years old. — First prize, £10, R. Rendle (Duchess) ; second, £5, C. Le Page (Betty). Reserve and Highly Commended : C. Le Page (Moor Hen). Highly com- mended : Rev. J. R. Watson, La Favorita, Fermain, Guern- sey (Placida). Heifer in-milk or in-calf, not exceeding three years old. — First prize, £10, R. Rendle (Lady Jane) ; second, £5, T. B. Le Page, Maison de Bas, St. Andrew's, Guernsey (Lucy). Reserve : Rev. J. R. AVatson (Ophirie) . Highly Commended : T. B. Le Page (Primrose) ; C. Le Page (Blue Bell). AVELSH BREEDS. (Including the Castle Martin Breed). Judges. — (As for flerefords). Bull, three years old or more. — First prize, £15, AV. Jenkins, Glanwern, Talsarn. Cardigan (Aeronian — Castle Martin) ; second, £10, H. Davies, Typicca, Dxyslwyn, Carmarthen (Castle Martin) . Reserve and Highly Commended : D. Lewis, Walton East, Haverfordwest (Walton). Bull, between two and three years old. — First prize, £15, J. B. Bowen, Llvpyngwair, Pembroke (Black Prince) ; second, £10, R. Humphreys, Beddgelert. Reserve and Commended: T. Harries, Lland'ilo, Abercowin (Tom — Castle Martin). Yearling BuU.— First prize, £15, J. D. Morse, Glandawke, St. Cleai-s (Taroo— Castle Martin) ; second, £10, Major J. H. Heyward, Crosswood, Welshpool, Montgomery (355 — Mont- gomeryshire). Reserve and Highly Commended : Mfjor J, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 103 H. Heyward (384— Montgomeryshire) . Commeuded : Major J. H. Hey ward (388— Montgomeryshire) . Heifer of between two and three years old. — First prize, £15, R. Humphreys ; second, £10, T.Evans, Llwyngrawys, Cardigan (Laurie — Castle Martin) . Reserve and Com • mended : R. Hnmphi-eys. Yeai-ling Heifer.— Pi'ize of £15, J. B. Bowen (Laurie 3rd— Anglesea) . CASTLE MARTIN BREED. Judges. — (As for Herefords). Pair of Cows, over three years, ia-milk or in-calf. — First prize, £15, W. B. Roberts, Loveston, Pembroke (Blossom and Mayflower) ; second, £10, H. Harries, Vaynor, Narberth (Mary Ann and Fanny). Reserve and Commended: H. Davies (Victoria and Queen). OTHER ESTABLISHED BREEPS. (Not including the Shorthorn, Hereford, Devon, Jersey, Guernsey, or Welsh Breeds). JuDGKS. — (As for Devons). Bull above one year old. — First Prize, £10, Lord Sondes, Elmham Hall, Thetford (Norfolk) ; second, £5, J. J. Colman, M.P., Carrow House, Norwich (Cherry Duke — Norfolk). Cow above three years old. — First prize, £10, Lord Sondes (Norfolk) ; second, £5, R. H. Chapman, Upton, Nuneaton (Ivanhoe — Longhorn). Heifer in-milk or in-calf, not exceeding three years old. — First prize, £10, Lord Sondes (Norfolk) ; second, £5, Lord Sondes (Norfolk). Reserve and Highly Commended : R. H. Chapman (Rolbright — Longhorn). Commended: R. H. Chapman (Lady Cropredy — Longhorn) . Bull, Cow, and their Offspring, of any pure breed. — Prize of £20, W. Evans, Llandowlais, Usk, Monmoiith (Monaughty 3rd and Damsel 3rd) — Hereford. DAIRY CATTLE. Judges.— (As for Devons). Pair of Cows, over three years and eight months old, in- milk. — First prize, £15, J. AVilliams, Llantrithyd, Cowbridge (Blanche and Pearl — Shorthorns) ; second, £10, J. E. Spencer, Lancadle (Beauty and Princess of Wales — Herefords) ; thii'd, £5, W. Bradburn (Miss Valentine— Shorthorn, and Oxley — nearly Shorthorn) . Reserve and Highly Commended : T. Statter, jun. (Beauty and Buttercup — A5Tshires). SHEEP. LEICESTER S. Judges. — E. Riley, Kipling Cote Farm, Hull. W. Torr, Aylesby Manor, Great Grimsby. Shearling Ram. — First prize, £20, Rev. G. Inge, Thorpe Constantino, Tamwonli ; second, £10, J. Borton, Barton, Bartou-le-street, Malton ; third, £5, T. H. Hutchinson, Manor House, Catterick. Reserve and Highly Commended ; J. Borton. Highly Commended : R. W. Creswell, Ravenstone, Ashby-de-la-Zo'uch ; G. Turner, Brampford Speke, Exeter. Commended : T. H. Hutchinson. Pam of any other age. — First prize, £20, Rev. G. Inge; second, £10, J. Borton ; third, £5, G. Turner. Reserve and Highly Commended : J. Borton. Highly Commended : R. W. Creswell. Commended: T.H.Hutchinson. Pen of S-ve Shearling Ewes. — First prize, £15, Rev. O. Inge ; second, £10, T. H. Hutchinson. Reserve and Highly Com- mended; J. Borton. Commended : G. Turner. COTSWOLDS. Judges. — W. J. Edmonds, Southrope, Lechlade. R. J. Newton, Campsfield, Woodstock. Shearling Ram. — First prize, £20, the Executors of the late T. Gillett, Kilkenny Farm, Faringdon ; second, £10, T.Brown, Marham, Downham Market ; third, £5, T. Brown. Reserve and Highly Commended : T.Brown. Commended: T. Brown. Ram of an J' other ago. — First prize, £20, T. Brown; second, £10, the Executors of the late T. Gillett; third, £5, T. B. Browne, Salperton. Reserve and Highly Commeuded : T. Brown. Pen of five Shearling Ewes.— First prize, £15, T. Thomas, St. Hilary ; second, £10, C. Spencer, Gileston ; third, £5, J. Walker, Northleach. Reserve and Commended : M. (Jodwin, Troy Farm, Deddington. Pen of five Ram Lambs. — Fu-st prize, £15, T. Thomas ; second, £10, C. Spencer. Reserve : J. Williams, Caercady, Cowbridge. LINCOLNS. Judges.— C. Clarke, Scopwick, Sleaford. H. Mackinder, Langton Grange, Spilsby. Shearling Ram.— First Prize, £20, W. and H. Dudding, Panton House, Wragby; second, £10, R. Wright, Nocton Heath, Lincohi ; third, £5, J . Pears, Mere, Lmcoln. Reserve and Highly Commended : W. and H. Dudding. Ram of any other age.— First prize, £20, W. F. Marshall, Branston, Lincoln; second, £10, R, Wright; third, £5, J, Pears. Reserve and Highly Commeuded : W. F. Marshall. Commended : W. P. Marshall. Pen of five Shearling Ewes.- First prize, £15, J. Pears ; second, £10, J. Byron, Sleaford. Highly Commended; T. Gunnel, Milton, Cambridge. Commended ; R. Wright. LONGWOOLS. Judges. — (As for Lincolns). Pen often Ewes, with their Lambs, of any longwool breed. — Fir.st prize, £10, J. Williams; second, £5', T. AV. D. Harris, Wootton. OXFORDSHIRE DOWNS. Judges. — (As for Cotswolds). Shearling Ram.— First prize, £20, J. Treadwell, Upper Winchendon, Aylesbury; second, £10, A.F.M. Druce, Twelve Acres, Eynsham ; third, £5, C. Hobbs, Maisey Hampton, Cricklade. Resei've and Hiuhly Commended ; j'. Treadwell. Commended : C. Howard, Biddenham, Bedford ; C. Hobbs. Ram of any other age.— First prize, £20, G. Wallis, Old Shififord, Faringdon; second, £10, J. Treadwell; third, £5, F. Street, Harrowden. Reserve and Highly Commended : C. Howard. Highly Commended : G. Wallis ; J. Treadwell. Pen of five Shearling Ewes. — First prize, £15, C. Howard, Biddenham; second, £10, A. F. M. Druce. Reserve and Highly Commended : F. Street. SOUTHDOWNS. Judges. — H. Pookes, Whitechm-ch, Blandford. J. S. Turner, Chyngton, Seaford, Sussex. Shearling Ram.— First prize, £20, W. Rigden, Hove, Brighton ; second, £10, W. Rigden ; third, £5, Colonel R. N. F. Kingscote, M.P., Kingscote, Wotton-under-Edge. Re- serve and Highly Commended : His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, K.G., Sandringham, King's Lynn. Highly Commended: W. Rigden. Commended: Lord'Walsingham, Merton Hall, Thetford: Colonel R. N. F. Kingscote, M.P. Ram of any other age. — First prize, £20, W. Rigden ; second, £10, W. Rigden ; third, £5, Lord Walsingham. Re- serve and Highly Commended : The Duke of Richmond, K.G. , Goodwood, Chichester. Highly Commended : His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales ; " H. S. Waller, Farmingtbn, Northleach. The class commended. Pen of five Shearling Ewes.— First prize, £15, Lord Wal- singham ; second, £10, Lord Sondes, Elham Hall, Thetford ; third, £5, J. J. Colman, M.P., CaiTow House, Norwich. Re- serve and Highly Commended : His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. The class commended. SHROPSHIRES. Judges.— W. K. Bourne, Fisherwick, Lichfield. W. Henderson, Fowbe»ry Mains, Belford. R. H. Masfen, Pendeford, Wolverhampton. Shearling Ram. — First prize, £20, Lord Chesham, Latimer second, £10, W. O. Foster, Apley Park, Shifnal ; third, £5, J Evans, Ufflngton, Shrewsbury. Reserve and Highlj' Com mended : S. Beach, The Hattons, Breewood. Commeuded T. Fenn, Stonebrook House ; T. Mansell, Adcott Hall, Bas church, Salop ; S. Beach ; C. BjTd, Littywood, Stafford. Ram of any other age. — First prize, £20, T. Mansell second, £10, T. Mansell; third, £5, S. Beach. Reserve and Highly Commended : Lord Chesham. Highly Commended J. Coson. Pen of five Shearling Ewes. — First prize, £15, J. H. Brad' burne. Pipe-place, Lichfield; second, £10, Lord Chesham third, £5, J. Evans. Reserve and Highly Commended : S Beach. Highly Commended: W. O. Foster; M. Wilhams Dryton, Wroxeter, Shrewsljiuy, Salop ; J. H. Bradburne The class coirunended. HAMPSHIRE AND OTHER SHORT-WOOLS. (Not quahfied to compete as Southdowns or Shropshires.) Judges. — (Same as for Southdowns.) Shearling Ram. — Pu-st prize, £20, J. Rawlence, Bulbridge, Wilton, Salisbmy ; second, £10, J. Rawlence ; third, £5, R. Coles, Middleton, Norton Bavent, Warminster. Reserve and Commended : R. Coles. Ram of any other age. — Fu-st prize, £20, A. MoiTison, Fontliill House, Tisbury ; second, £10, J. Rawlence ; third, £5, A. Morrison. Reserve and Commended : T. C. Saunders, Watercombe. Pen of five Shearlmg Ewes. — First prize, £15, J. Rawlence second, £10, J. Rawlence. Reserve and Commended : T. C. Saunders. DORSET. Judges. — (Same as for Southdowns.) Shearling Ram. — First prize, £10, H. Mayo, Cokers Frome, Dorchester ; second, £5, H. Mayo. Ram of any other age. — First prize, £10, H. Mayo. Re- serve and Highly Commended ; H. Mayo. Pen of five Shearling Ewes. — First prize, £10, H. Mayo; second, £5, H, Mayo. Reserve and Commended ; J. Culver- 104 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. well, Clavelshay, North Petherton. Commendecl : Viscount Bridport, Cricket St. Thomas. CHEVIOTS. Judges. — (Same as for Shropshires.) Shearling Ram.— First prize, £10, J. Eobson, Bymess, Rochester, Northumberlancl ; second, £5, J. Robson. Ram of any other age.— First prize, £15, R. Shortreed, Attonbiirn, Kelso, N.B. ; second, £5, W. B. Buddicom, Pen- bedw Hall, Mold. Reserve : J. Robson. Pen of five Ewes of any age.— First prize, £10, R. Short- reed ; second, £5, J. Robson. Reserve : W. B. Buddicom. RADNORS. Judges. — (Same as for Shropshires.) Shearhng Ram.— Fh-st prize, £10, B. Farr, Pilleth, Knigh- ton. Ram of any other age.— First prize, £10, J. R. Paramore, Preswylfa, Neath ; second, £5, B. Fan-. Reserve : J. R. Paramore. Pen of five Bwes of any age.— First prize, £10, T. Dalton, Crockherbtown, Cardiff; second, £5, T. Dalton. Reserve: E. Farr, WELSH MOUNTAIN SHEEP. (Not qualified to compete as Radnors.) Judges. — (Same as for Shropshires.) Ram of any age.— Prize, £10, H. Harrys, Crofta, Ystrad- owen, Cowbridge. Inspectors oe Shbaeing:— H. Bone, Avon, Ringwood. J. B. Workman, Ridon, Pershore. PIGS. Judges.— J. H. Clark, Lowood, Castle-hill, Maidenhead. J. Fisher, Carhead, Crosshills, Yorkshu-e. LARGE WHITE BREED. Boar above twelve months old. — First prize, £10, J. and F. Howard, Britannia Farms, Bedford (Victor III.) second, £5, R. E. Duckering, Northorpe, Kirton-Lindsey (Eighth Culti- vator) . Reserve and Commended : M. Walker, Stockley Park, Anslow, Burton-on-Trent (Victor II.). Boar above sis months and not exceeding twelve months old. — Fu'st prize, £10, P. Eden, Cross-lane, Salford, Man- chester (Sailor) ; second, £5, M. Walker (Pluto). Reserve and Highly Commended : J. Wheeler, Long Compton, Ship- ston-on-Stour (Young Sam). Commended : J. Wheeler (Jasper). Breeding Sow.— First prize, £10, P. Eden (Blanche) ; second, £5, J. and F. Howard (Duchess). Reserve and Highly Commended : M. Walker. Commended : C. R. N. Beswick-Royds, Pyke House, Littleborough (Queen Bee). Pen of three breeding Sow pigs of the same litter, above four and under eight months old. — First prize, £10, R. E, Duckering; second, £5, C. R. N. Beswick-Royds (Rose, Shamrock, and Thistle). Reserve and Highly Commended : P. Eden. Commended : P. Eden. SMALL WHITE BREED. Boar, above twelve months old. — First prize, £10, P. Eden (Peacock) ; second, £5, C. R. N. Beswick-Rovds (Hector). Reserve and Highly Commended : P. Eden (Young Prince). Boar above six months and not exceeding twelve months old.— First prize, £10, P. Eden (Mouse) ; second, £5, P. Eden (Baronet). Reserve: T, Nicholson, Lowther-street, Groves, York. Breeding Sow. — First prize, £10, P. Eden (Venus) ; secon^ £5, W. and H. Dudding (Little Queen). Reserve and High^ Commended : R. B. Duckering (Princess). Commended : C. R. N. Beswick-Royds. Pen of three breeding Sow pigs of the same litter, above four and under eight months old. — First prize, £10, Lord Rendlesham, Rendlesham Hall, Woodbridge (Thi'ee Lilies) ; second, £5, G. M. Sexton, Wherstead Hall, Ipswich (Thre Real Teazers). Reserve: C. R. N. Beswick-Royds. SMALL BLACK BREED. Boar above twelve months old. — First prize, £10, 0. R. N. Beswick-Royds (Uncle Tom) ; second, £5, G. M. Sexto* (Cremome). Reserve and Highly Commended: G. M. Sex- ton (Queen's Messenger). The class commended. Boar above six months and not exceeding twelve months old. — Fii'st prize, £10, G. M. Sexton (Patriarch) ; second, £5, W. M. Ware, Newham House, Helstone, Cornwall (Stea- tite). Breeding Sow. — First prize, £10, G. M. Sexton (Maria Louise) ; .second, £5, G. M. Sexton (Reine). Resei-ve and Highly Commended: C. R. N. Beswick-Royds (Topsy). Com- mended : W. M. Ware (Kate). Pen of three breeding Sow pigs of the same htter, above four and under eight months old.— First prize, £10, G, M. Sexton (What, Fii-st Again) ; second, withheld, BERKSHIRE BREED. Boar, above twelve months old.— First prize, £10, H. Ilum- frey, Kicgsiloiie Farm, SliriYenham (No, 380 M.) i second, £5, T. Radcliffe, Cheswell Grange, Newport, Salop (Dick Tur- pin). Reserve and Highly Commended : H. Humfrey (Maple Grove). Highly Commended : Lord Rendlesham (Dundonald). The class commended. Boar above six months and not exceeding twelve months old.— Fii'st prize, £10, the Executors of the late W. Hewer, Sevenhampton, Highworth ; second, £5, Lord Clermont, Ravensdale Park, Newry, Ireland. Reserve and Highly Commended : A. Stewart, St. Bridge Farm, Gloucester. Highly Commended : Royal Agricultural College, Chences- ter, Gloucestershire. Commended : H. Humfrey. A good class. Breeding Sow.— First prize, £10, R. Fowler, Broughton Farm, Aylesbury (Royal Princess) ; second, £5, A. Stewart (Duchess II.). Reserve and Highly Commended : N. Benja- field, Short's Green Farm, Motco'mbe, Shaftesbury, Dorset (Princess Beatrice). Highly Commended : A. Stewart, and Lord Clermont. Commended : Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. An extraordinary class. Pen of three breeding Sow pigs of the same litter, above four and under eight months old.— First prize, £10, A. Stewart; second, £5, J. Biggs, Cublington,Leighton Buzzard. Reserve and Highly Commended : Royal Agricultural Col- lege, Cirencester (Sally Family). Highly Commended: Royal Agricultural College (The Baroness BFamily). Com- mended : R. G. Cosby, Stradbally Hall, Stradbally, Queen's County, Ireland. OTHER BREEDS. (Not eUgible to compete in any of the preceding classes.) Boar.— First prize, £10, C. R. N. Beswick-Royds (Priam- Middle) ; second, £5, R. E. Duckering (Wolf— Essex). Re- serve and Highly Commended : F. H. Dyke, Acomb, York (Ebor— Middle). Breeding Sow.— First prize, £10, P. Eden (Busy Bee— Middle) ; second, £5, P. Eden (Flo— Middle). Reserve: R. E. Duckering (Victress — Lincoln Middle) . Pen of three breeding Sow pigs of the same litter, above four and under eight months old. — First prize, £10, P. Eden(lMiddle). Hon. Dihectoh. B. T. Brandreth Gibbs, Half Moon Street, Piccadilly, W. Stewabds Of Live Stock. Jacob Wilson, Woodhorn Manor, Morpeth. (For Sir Watkin W. Wynn, Bart., M.P., the President.) R. Milward, Thurgarton Priory, Southwell. R. Leeds, Castleacre, Brandon. Veteeinaet Inspectoes. Professor Browne, Vetermary College. R. L. Hunt, Birmingham. FARMS. Judges.— T. Bowstead, Eden Hall, Penrith. F. Dun, Weston Park, Shipston-on-Stour. T. Jenkins, Plasyward, Ruthin. First prize, £100, W. S. Powell, Eglwysnunyd, Tailbach second, £50, V. Parsons, Slough Farm, Caerwent, Chepstow Highly Commended : D. Owen, Ash Hall, Cowbridge ; M Spencer, West Aberthan, Cowbridge.; R. Thomas, St. Athaa Cowbridge. Commended: J. Culverwell, Penrose Farm Abergavenny; J. Jones, Pant-y-Goetro Farm, Abergavenny W. B. Roberts, Lovestone, Pembroke. BUTTER. Judges.— J. Davies, Castletown, CardiflT. J. FUnt, Cardiff. Six pounds, made up in pounds. — First prize. £5, Lord Ohesham, Latimer, Chesham, Bucks ; second, £3, M. H. David, St. Pagan's Rectory, Cardiff; third, £2, J. Jones, Old Beaupr^, Cowbridge. Highly Commended: 0. James, Pen- coed Farm, Cardiff; G. 0. Williams, Llanrumney Hall, Car- diff. Commended : W. Harris, Shepherdine House, Thorn- bury. CHEESE. Judges. — (As for Butter.) Over six inches thick, and weighing in the agcrregate not less than one cwt. (the produce of 1872). — First prize, £10, G. Gibbons, Tunley Farm, Bath; second, £5, AV. Dudlestone, New Lodge, Dorrington, Newport, Slu-opshire ; tliii-d, £2, E. Benjafield, Proghn Farm, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset. Highly Commended : A. Price, Bagley, EUesmere, Slirop- shire. Commended : W. Dudlestone. Under six inches thick, and weighing in the aggregate not less than 56 lbs. —First prize, £10, G. "Harris, Court House Farm, Lower Cam, Dursley ; second, £5, J. Smith, Nupdown Farm, Thornbury ; thii-d, £2, M. Barrs, Odstone Hall, Ather- stone. Highly Commended: T. Culverwell, Lltt-ynhelig, (Jowk'idge, Coauaeuaed ; R, Stratton, Tlie DufiVyn, Newi^ort THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 105 THE FIEST-PRIZE FARM OF 1872. The 100 guinea goblet lias been won for Wales by Mr. W. S. Powell of Eglysiumyd, Taibacli, Glamorgansliire. The seeond prize goes to Moumoutlisbire, and has been awarded to Mr. Valentine Parson, of Slough farm, near Caerweut. We had the pleasure of walking over Mr. Powell's farm on Tuesday afternoon ; and our readers will like to know some of the particulars which could be gleaned about it in the course of a short visit. It contains about 420 acres, of which 140 are arable — a light, easily worked soil — and the remainder are pasture, for the most part a somewhat rough marsh laud, lying between the wooded slopes surrounding the mansion of tlie landowner, Mr. Talbot, M.P. for Glamorganshire, and the wide sandy shore of the Bristol Chauuel. The arable land is iu fields of various size, from 10 to nearly 30 acres, and of various shapes, surrounded by old hedges, for whose position the tenant is not responsible, but for whose trim and well-kept condition he may claim the credit. It is cultivated for the most part ou a five-years' course of cropping, the clover remaining down two years, and being then broken up for oats. The oats give place to mangels, turnips, and swedes ; and these are followed partly by barley, but chiefly by wheat. Of coarse tlie yearly area of each crop varies somewhat, owing to the irregular size of the fields. There are this year about 25 acres of swedes, 4 or 5 acres of common turnips, and 8 acres of mangel wurzel. There are about 46 acres of first and second year's clover, 23 acres of oats, and 23 acres of wheat, besides a few acres of potatoes, peas, &c. Tlie wheat (Hailetl's Pedigree and Red Nursery) is a very promising crop, heavy, but all upstanding ; the barley (also Hallett's Pedigree) looks very well ; the oats (white Tartarian) promise a very abundant crop ; the swedes are all fairly forward, now being singled out — a very even plant, grown on ridges, with a half-dressing of farmyard manure and 5 cwt. of dissolved bones ; the mangels are a capital plant, about ready for their last horse-hoeing. The whole of the land is clean. The seeds, partly mown for hay and partly fed ofT, are a fairly even plant, hardly equal to the rest of the laud. The game is strictly preserved on the estate, but rabbits are kept down by ferreting. Hares are sufficiently plentiful on the grass lands ; and the 8 acres of mangels are protected by a wire net- ting placed temporarily by the tenant around the field for the year. The farm buildings, placed here and there in the neighbourhood of the farmhouse, are partly stone and slate, partly stone and thatch. They include ample accommodation for feeding cattle, sufficient shed room, with small yards attached, for store stock ; stable room for the eight farm horses ; waggon sheds, and granary. A portable engine is standing in one of the sheds, and can be applied to thrashing machinery, and to chaft'-cutting, turnip-pulping, and corn- chrushing machines. Hornsby's ploughs, reaping and mowing machines, are used on the farm. Tlie premises are not by any means excessive on the score of either quantity or character. And the prize has been won by the attention and skill of the tenant, not by any extraordinary equipment of the estate by the landlord. The farmhouse is secluded from the immediately adjoining buildings by wall, trees, and shrubs, and you enter from the wot king-yard through a door into one of the prettiest as well as most profit-like farm-gardens anywhere to be seen. The little greenhouse is covered at one end with a perfect glore of large purple clematis and at the other end with rosesy Flower-beds, rockery and lawn, lie betweeu the comfortable. and sheltered home and the vegetable garden, which is full and overflowing with abundant crops. Within the house the side- board is covered with cups and trophies won in local competi- tions for both stock and crops, and on the table lie books on the science as well as the practice of farming. Mr. Powell is a very young farmer, educated for his business at home, as were his father and grandfather before him on this same farm"; and his success is one more instance of the many which all agricultural colleges and schools may well take to lieart, that practical training is the very essence of sound agricultural education. A farm may very easily get out of order in four years, and the winner of this year's great distinction has, therefore, much credit personally due to him for its condition and fertility ; but for the character of the stock upon the farm, no doubt, credit is also due to those who have preceded him. The chief feature of the farm is its admirable herd of Ilerefords. From about 40 cows, all of them of good pedigree, calves are annuaUy reared, and either sold as bulls— three or four beingthusdisposedofaunually— or taken into the herd, or fattened. The calf sucks the cow for four or five months gradually learning to take meal before it is weaned. It is fed on sliced roots and straw chafi", or pulp and hay chaff, during its first and second winters, being grazed during the summers in the pastures. It is fed on turnips, mangels, and meal during a third -winter, and either sold at once, or grazed oS' on the marsh pastures. Heavy beef and heavy prices are made, and one or two of tlie best of the stock generally bring home a trophy from some of the winter shows of fat stock in the neighbourhood. The fiock includes 160 ewes of the Oxfordshire Down breed. A certain number of the ewes are fattened off every year, and the tegs are sold fat at twelve and thirteen months old. The pigs are a large white breed, of no particular merit. Tliere is nothing note- worthy in the farmhorse stable. About £250 are annually spent on purchased food. 5 cwt. of dissolved bones per acre are used over some 25 to 30 acres of roots every year, and about 70 acres of old grass and clover are made into hay. The fields are drained four, and sometimes five feet deep, at frequent intervals, and the mains were pouring out an enor- mous eftlux last Tuesday evening. We gathered from our hurried inspection of the farm that the prize has been won, not only by the few years of Mr. Powell's own good manage- ment of it, but by a long course of industrious and patient attention to business, during which good judgment and suffi- cient enterprise have always maintained for it a reputation for good cultivation. Eglysnunyd is not, in any sense, a " model farm," but it is an " example " farm in regard to just those particulars which a landowner, anxious for the prosperity and welfare of his estate, would most desire for his tenantry and their management. — T/ie Gardeners^ Chronicle, PREPARING FOR TURNIPS. By the Northern Farmer. No. 1. The great advantage of autumn cultivation is at this season sensibly felt and appreciated by those who carried out this highly important operation before the heavy rains of winter had rendered the land sodden and inert. The fields on which this work has been efficiently per- formed will now be thoroughly clear of root-weeds, and comparatively little labour will be required to bring the soU into a sufficiently friable state for the reception of the seed. As a mere labour-saving contrivance, the au- tumn culture of land deserves a prominent place amongst the field operations of modern husbandry, although it is not by any means in this light alone that it is valuable, there being several other recommendatory points in its favour well worthy of notice. One of the most striking is the thorough cleansing from all the most troublesome perenuial weeds known to the farmer, the riddance being most eflectual when completely disintegrated by the action of the harrow, and then deeply buried with the plough. In this way, instead of being a most expensive nuisance, they actually become utilised, their decomposition adding an appreciable quantity of organic matter to the soil, and thus materially aid in the profitable development of future crops. Further, land that has been cleansed and worked as soon as possible after the removal of the corn-crop, is easily brought into snch a state of commi- nution in spring, as will enable it to be drilled, and being thus hut little exposed to the evaporating influence of a powerful sun, the winter moisture is retained to the im- mense advantage of the embryo plants in their first efforts to establish themselves. Not only does the autum- nal seasou present au excellent opportuuity for stirring lOG THE i^ARMBR'S MAGAZINE. those fields deeply on which gveen crop is intended to be grown during the following year, but the aerification of a certain portion of the subsoil may be undertaken with perfect safety. A number of months having to elapse before it becomes necessary to put in the seed, the small portion of the underlying stratum whicli it may be con- sidered safe to bring to the surface has ample time to become decomposed by atmospheric influ- ence, and so rendei-ed innocuous to vegetation. Whatever the nature of the subsoil, whether poii'ous or retentive, it is highly essential that the upper soil should be of considerable depth, not only to permit the ramification of the roots of the plants which grow on it in their search for nourishment, but to aid in presei'ving the moisture which is so indispensable in maintaining them in a state of healthy vigour. A thin soil, whether I'esting on a retentive clay or incumbent on an open brashy material of exactly the opposite character, is equally to be avoided, the one souring the soil and sickening the crops by an undue retention of moisture, while the other permits the moisture to escape too sud- denly, the herbage being completely burnt after a drought of a few weeks' continuance. It was recently remarked by a well-known agriculturist that although it was out of the power of man to increase the acreage by an extension of surface, he yet could vastly add to the present amount of cultivable soil by every year going a little deeper than he had previously been iu the habit of doing. Want of power in both horses and implements will ever be a great barrier to the man of struggling means carrying out this most intelligent and thoroughly practical idea, but still there are plenty of farmers who have hitherto been satisfied with a depth of a few inches who require only the example of an enterprising neighbour in whose agricultu- ral ability they have confidence to set them in the path of improvement. No subsoil operation should be per- mitted during the spring preparation for green crop, the stirring and reduction to the state of friability necessary being strictly confined to the soil proper. The reasons now adduced for the performance of this operation at the particular season referred to ought to be suificiently cogent to make it a permanent institution on every arable farm, whether of limited or extended acreage. The most useful implement for giving the soil the necessary stirring is un- doubtedly the grubber, either powerfully horsed or drawn by steam power. Of all the implements of the farm scarcely any require such superabundant power to be worked properly as the grubber. Feebly worked, this implement loses much of its value, the utmost it can do under such circumstances being to pass through the soil without breaking it up, bringing the roots of weeds to the surface, or doing any of the several purposes for which it is designed with the slightest satisfaction. After a field has been completely torn to pieces both lengthwise and across, it requires to be well harrowed for the purpose of shaking out the roots of weeds, and equalizing the surface. The roots, however tenacious of life, never again catch hold if once properly loosened from the earth, this operation requires thei'efore to be carefully performed, so as to save all after annoyance and trouble. A deep furrow with the three- horse plough makes an excellent finish on a grubbed field, burying everything injurious to the cultivated plants, and bringing to the surface the beautifully clean and fresh mould, which has been freed by the disintegrating influ- ence of the modern cultivator. To simply turn over foul land with the plough in autumn and early winter, is but to take the surest mode of propagating the most troublesome weeds, no destruction of their vitality taking place, the plants being merely cut into oft'sets for their more extensive dissemination. Should it so happen that a farmer finds himself in the possession of excessively dirty fields on the return of the season, when he must of neces- sity take active measures for the eradication of everything which constitutes foulness in land, modern ingenuity still comes to his assistance, and with the aid of a more ex- tended series of implements it is quite possible, although with somewhat more labour and at a much more anxious season, not only to cleanse the land, but to reduce it to that fineness of tilth considered so desirable for the suc- cessful germination of the small seeds. Drying winds and strong unobscured sunshine, however much they may retard vegetation at a most critical period, are neverthe- less essentially uecessary for the spring-cleansing of land, and to undertake such o work under the opposite con- ditions is but a hopeless task. The grubber and plough must figure prominently on the field for the purpose of loosening the soil and bringing every rough clod and root of weed to the surface, the ordinary harrow, clod- crusher, or Cambridge roller according to tenacity of soil, and the chain-harrow, a most invaluable implement, being kept continually going between every stroke of the grubber or plough. If the farm possesses a full set of implements, but little manual labour will be required in getting rid of the weeds, as when the chain-harrow is applied after the crusher every bunch of roots is shaken free of the earth which it previously held together, and rolled into bundles by its peculiar action, which in the first stirrings are easily disposed of by carting away, or burning on the spot if time permits ; and should a por- tion still I'cmain when the working is finished, they may with great propriety be spread in the bottom of the drills as the plough approaches them, no danger of their ever growing needing to be apprehended after having been tossed about with the chain-harrow. However use- ful the grubber may be in preparing land for green crop it is nevertheless most efficacious when used in conjunc- tion with the plough, the latter implement securing the complete inversion of the soil, clearing it out underneath as if dug with a spade, the combined action of both im- plements converting the entire surface of the field into a mass of fine loam, through which the drill-plough can pass unimpeded. So as to be able to take full advantage of every opportunity of tearing out the weeds which the weather affords, it is well to work the land in handy portions, according to the amount of help available, about three days' work being suflicient to undertake at one time. The operations which this division will in- clude are — the last stirring, whether with plough or grubber, and the subsequent reduction and cleansing, the opening of the drills, carting and spreading dung, and sowing the seed. These concluding arrange- ments being got over quickly, the moisture is retained ; and vvith ordinarily favourable weather, success in starting becomes almost a certainty. By thus going over a field iu stetches, the work actually performed is clearly de- fined, a part is seeded and out of hands, and the season is caught in excellent time, for at least that breadth, whereas when extensive preparations are made over a great extent of surface and a break occurs in the weather, the season for that particular crop may be altogether late before a favourable opportunity again offers. The flexible or chain harrow is an invaluable implement on the farm at this season, and, costing little money iu comparison to its usefulness, should not be done without. Its texture or formation enables it to adapt itself to every inequality of surface, and when freely used between the bouts of the crusher and ordinary harrow, leaves the surface with every clod reduced to a state of the utmost fineness, and the whole of the roots and couch rolled together in a convenient form for removal. In covering grass and clover seed it is also most effective, as its tendency is to mix these small seeds witli the fine surface mould rather than cover, an even braird being inv^iriably secured by its use. THE FARMEB'S MAGAZINE- 107 MEADOW AND GARDEN ALLOTMENTS. At the Nationnl Congress at Leamingtou Sir Baldwin Leighton read the following: paper : Before attempting to explain how in certain places the con- dition of the labourer has been improved by allowing him some small share in the land on wliich he lives by way of allotments and cowland, it may be allowable to state two facts which, whether they be accepted or rejected, wtiether they be contra- dicted to-day and acquiesced in to-morrow, or otherwise, are nevertheless the result of distinct practical experience. Eirttly. That without any very considerable or sudden alteration in wages, any such rise for instance as would upset the economy of the farm or the cultivation of the land, the position of the labourer can be greatly improved, his income increased, his whole condition and value ameliorated by his own exertion on the land — which exertion at the same time by acting upon the quality of his labour and enhancing his value as a workman might increase his contentment and attachment to the soil, and eventually exterminate his pauperism — so that tlie solu- tion of this question will not be by a mere direct rise in wages, but by means more fundamental, more drastic, and more human. Secondly. That although much good may ensue from meeting and conference in imparting information and correcting fallacy, yet this matter will not be settled by speeches or congresses, or even by committees appointed thereat. It will be settled by landlords, farmers, labourers and others down iu their several districts, on every estate and farm, by personal devotion and practical experiment rather than by can- vas and talk, or what a great writer describes as " swannery." But, whether these propositions be conceded or not, it is of the last importance that at a meeeing like this practical truth and practical suggestion should be heard as to the best means of improving the standard of the worst by the example of the better. If it be conceded, as it must, that the position of tbe farm labourer in some parts is one of comparative comfort, that is to say compared with the unskilled labourer in towns aud elsewhere, it must also be asserted that his position in other parts, especially in the South of England, is capable of and does require great amelioration. And first by way of garden allotments. In some parts of England it is the custom to attach to every cottage a considerable and sufficient garden, of, say, one-quarter or one-third of an acre. This is chiefly the case where the cottages are scattered and not grouped to- gether in villages, but there are many more districts where the garden attached to a cottage is miserably insufficient. Now, it is in the power of every landlord and every farmer to re- medy this state of things, at no perceptible loss to himself, by letting oft' in portions of, say, one-quarter of an acre, some field or part of a field. It has practically been done in many counties in England, and wherever judiciously managed ii has been found to work well, and the plot of ground has come to be highly prized by the labourers. The rent paid is conside- rably higher than the farmer can aft'ord, and experience shows that tliey are willing to pay even au exorbitant rent for land at an inconvenient distance, so greatly do they prize the advan- tage. Some approach to such an arrangement is made iu many places by a gr.ant of potato ground, cultivated by and rented from the farmer ; but this is iu no wise equal to the allotment on which a labourer can work and invest his spare time, coming by degrees to take a permanent personal interest in it. The produce of the ground, generally potatoes and grain, makes a considerable addition to his income, but the human aspect of the system and the contentment produced, with the attachment and interest in the soil, are what is most striking in the result, aud the time snatched perhaps from the public-house and the zeal and care called forth in the labourer elevating him as a man and improving him as a workman. Some little personal direction aud care are useful where many allotments are made, as some few labourers will be found un- fitted to hold such ; aud there should be a stringent rule to give notice where the rent is in arrear. But in the case of the farmer with his labourers, he would have no difficulty in cutting off an acre or two of his farm and subletting it at a fair or even recuperative rent ; aud it seems a very small matter, where such advantage and contentment are found to ensue, for the labourer to ask or for the farmer to concede so much of inte- rest in the soil on which he lives. It might be worth while to mention, as it might easily be shown, that by thus alio ving large garden allotments to labourers they would be enabled to pay a fair rent for cottages, say a return of 4< or 5 per cent, on the outlay, and this would solve another difficult problem for landlords. Then to some few select and thrifty labourers, and, under strict precautions, a further boon can be accorded in the grant of a few acres of grass to keep a cow. In some parts of Northumberland it is the habit to allow the run of a cow to some or all of the labourers ; in the Agricultural Com- missions Report I find one case where a farmer had ten labour- ers, each of whom kept his cow on the farm. Besides heing a source of considerable profit to the man, through the labour of his wife, it enables him to rear strong healthy children ; and possibly to that cause may partly be attributed that fine type of agricultural labourer, that race of permanent giants there found, though something also must be due to nationality, and their superior education and thrift ; but the elements are not so dissimilar but that like conditions may gradually produce elsewhere like consequences, for it has been observed by competent judges, that this Northern work- man, though earning much higher wages than his Southern neighbour, is not an expensive labourer, but rather the con- trary, as he does far more and better work. Now, concerning this allotment of cow lands, it has been found on an estate where many such places exist, that by holding them out as prizes to those labourers who had saved money, who actually had an account at the Savings' Bank amassed by themselves, very considerable inducement was afforded to thrifty habits, and opportunities for investment with a prospect of compara- tive comfort were held out which indirectly has had a most beneficial effect on all the neighbourhood. This state of things is adverted to in the Report of the Agricultural Commission by the assistant commissioner, Mr. Edward Stanhope, and such steps as the following, direct and indirect, may be summarised as resulting from the system, if it can so be called. 1. Selection by means of thrift of the best labourers, reacting upon the rest in the general promotion of provident habits. 2. Elevation of the individual labourer and the whole family by increased self-respect and carefulness. 3. Supplementation of wages by the labourers' own exertions at no perceptible cost to landlord or farmer. 4. Comparative contentment aud comfort, with a strong attachment to the place as a labourer. 5. Gradual extinction of pauperism and improvidence, including drunken- ness. And from the experience acquired on this estate, it is probable that if where such small tenements existed, care was taken to utilize them, as prizes to the best and most thrifty of the agricultural labourers, or even altachiugthem to estates or to a farm, or carving them out of farms, great good might follow in opening a way and a prospect to the best men to rise. A landlord lately in this same county had sub-divided a small grazing farm of two acres that was vacant among four agricultural labourers on liis estate who had saved money, and other such opportunities would from time to time arise if they are sought. Then theifc are two further facts bearing on the same point. A gentleman fanner, cultivating his own land, told me he had a bailiff or foreman, to whom he only paid 18s. a week, but who he said was worth half as much more, yet he never thouglit of leaving him or asking for more .wages, and what was tbe secret of that ? Why, the man had a small holding of five acres of grass land under his employer. " That man," I said, " depend on it, will never leave you of his own accord." In another district, compris- ing coal and lead mines, as well as an agricultural population, where some interest was taken iu the savings' banks' de- posits, it was discovered that whereas many miners (that is workers at the lead mines) put by money, there was hardly a single collier who had i deposit. They were earning wages equally high, and the fact seemed incomprehensible, till on examination it was discovered that whereas most of the miners had a patch of land aud a cow, the colliers, owing to the H 108 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. smoke or some otlier local cause, hardly ever had that advan- tage ; and no doubt invested all their earnings in the public- house. Now the same sort of results are found to follow in other places by a similar system of precaution, in allowing only thrifty families to come on the land, and noteably on the estate of Mr. Hope Johnson, in Dumfriesshire, where, under the direction of his agent, Mr. Charles Stewart, the effect is thus described by an eye-witness in a report published by the Highland and Agricultural Society : " What we chiefly value in the system is its marked effect in producing and perpetuat- ing an orderly, respectable, and weU-conditioned peasantry. The problem which is generally looked upon as so difficult of solution is here solved with eminent success. It has been shown to be quite practicable to elevate the labouring man, not only without burdening the farmer or the landlord, but to the manifest benefit of both, to foster small holdings without depressing agriculture or retarding improvement, and to com- bine permanence with progress." A similar system with similar resislts obtains in North Derbyshire, and is described in the Agricultural Commissioners' Report. There are two other points not immediately within the scope of this paper, but bearing on it sufficiently perhaps to be mentioned here. 1. The prohibitory regulations of the enclosure commissioners as to cottage building prevent money from being taken up by landlords through the companies. If two or three practical men were put on the commission, there need be no great diffi- culty about cottage accommodation. 2. The administration of Poor-law out-reUef, which, in some parts, by indirectly supple- menting wages, is in fact degrading and lowering the wages of the unskilled labourer. When both employer and employed, as donor and recipients of out-relief look to the rates as a legitimate fund for indirectly and sometimes directly ekeing out wages, the effect cannot but be pernicious and demoraliz- ing ; and if this Conference only calls attention to this one fatuous fallacy, it will not have met altogether in vain. For man, even the most depressed and degraded, is not a machine or an animal. If he have any inteUigence whatever he must have movement, progress, and objects before him ; he must have some practical motive and reason to be respectable, thrifty, energetic, careful, and the like. If he is to be of any account, of any real use to an employer or a farmer he must have some other out -look and distraction than the beershop — some better prospect than the workhouse. The want of sympathy and intelligence sometimes displayed, especially about the southern counties, in the expression of the rural labourer, caused by the careless and pernicious —it would not be too much to say the atrocious adminis- tration of Poor Law, as yet uncorrected by the central Board —calls aloud for amendment and cure. There is one more point, not quite belonging to the subject of this paper, which is yet one of considerable moment to the agricultural interest. It is the answer to the question. Is it possible to introduce into farming any industrial partnership, such as already ob- tains in manufactures ? that is to say, by the farmer or em- ployer giving, in addition to the weekly wages, other extra payments depending on his own profits. I venture to assert, speaking from practical knowledge, that something of the sort is possible and desirable, and would also be for the advantage of employer as well as employed. And I say so as one who dare not advance one word or statement that is not founded on strict practical experience. In most districts, I might almost say on nearly every large farm, something of that ob- tains, in the allowances made to shepherds for their care and trouble in the lambing season ; this can be easily extended to stockmen and some others. The difficulties in the way of a general application of the principle arise partly from absence of strict accounts and partly owing to the uncertain effect of weather and seasons. It must be left to every farmer for him- self to work out how best to put such a plan into practice ; but certain I am that every farmer who in these days wishes to make farming profitable, would do well to consider how to give to every labourer on his farm some sort of an interest in the profits of that farming. By some such means as these described above, it is in the power of farmers as well as land- lords to mend this matter — gradually to improve the position of their labourers, without any very great cost or outlay. Let all have opportunities of rising and improving their condition. Let the best men feel that they are not dragged down to the treatment of the worst, and let all perceive that it depends on their own exertions whether they rise or not, But don't luppose from anything herein contained, that you can go down into a pauperised district, where there exists a total disregard of the real welfare of the people, aggravated by a fatuous administration of the Poor Law, and with this or any other plan in your pocket, set all right in a day or in a year. You cannot. You cannot put such a district on a par with one where the results of a totally different policy have left their permanent traces. But you can commence the improvement at once, and perhaps the results of a few months will appear marvellous. Thus a farmer employing say half-a-dozen la- bourers might, by apportioning one or two acres out of his farm, give each a quarter or a third of an acre, which would probably be more valued by the men than a considerable rise of wages ; and at the same time, he might hold out a prospect to any of his men who should have saved sufficient money to give them a run for a cow, or apportion another two acres for that purpose. By such means, and by some classification and payment by results, or industrial partnerships, he might gradually raise the quality of his labour and the status of his labourer — meanwhile, attaching them to the place more surely than by any cash however devisable ; and if his neighbours decUned to follow his example, he might come to demand the best men in the district. And let the landlords look to it also, and put off any inertness. Their personal direction and sym- pathy is not a little required down in these rural districts ; and the maladministration of the Poor Law is greatly their con- cern. To them is still the kingdom and the power ; to them it may yet be the glory, as it is assuredly the duty and inte- rest to come and help in tlxis matter. The Rev. J. Lamb (Birmingham) said Sir Baldwin Leighton was what they wanted — a man for the people, with a warm sympathy for the agricultural labourers, to advocate their cause. He would ask the reader of the paper to entreat those of his own order — in particular the Duke of Mal-lborough — to let their land at a fair rate. The Duke of Marlborough, at the village of Woodstock, was letting his land to labourers, in pieces of five acres, at £5 an acre, while to his tenants he was only charging 30s. an acre. These people also had to pay a tithe-charge to him, and this he thought an injustice, because tithes were never intended for the benefit of the lay land- owner, but for the support of the clergy and for the poor people. The fact that the whole of the land now held by him was given to his ancestors by the crown ought to be an in- centive to the Duke of Marlborough to properly apportion his land, and to do that which was right by the labourers. The farmers on his estate were paying only lis. a-week for labourers' wages, and that was an advance of Is. a-week on what was paid up to a short time ago. He had been informed, and they had heard, that in Lichfield farmers were paying their labourers 16s. a-week, and, if the farmers in Lichfield could pay this sum, why could not the farmers on the Duke of Marlborough's estate do the same ? Why did not they pay them what was just and right ? He hoped every dele- gate would take away with him this simple fact, that while the farmers on the Duke of Marlborough's estate were only paying lis. a-week, in Lichfield they were paying 16s. a-week, Mr. Stretton (Fernleigh, Worcestershire), who announced himself as a beerhouse-keeper, also spoke in favour of allot- ments, as a means of keeping men away from public-houses, and teaching them to be independent. The Rev. Mr. Piggott (rector of Edgemont, Salop) com- plained of what had been stated, that the clergy of the Church of England had. not been favourable to this movement, inas- much as the first movers in the action in several counties had been the clergy. Mr. Strajn'ge said allotments made men independent, and enabled them to look their masters in the face, because they knew that if they were turned out they could work on their own land. It raised the wages, and gave the men an interest in the soil, and also enabled them to educate their children. The following resolution was put and passed : " That it is desirable, as much in the cause of the employer as employed in agriculture, that the labourer should have some greater interest in the soil, by way of garden allotment, cow land, or otherwise." THE FABMER'S MAGAZINE, 109 UTILIZATION OF TOWN SEWAGE. THE MAIDSTONE FARMERS' CUJ3 AT BISHOP STORTFORD. Bishop Stortford has been visited by a numerous partj' from Maidstone and its vicinity, upon the invitation of Mr. Odams, of The Gran^-e, Bishop Stortford, a member of the Local Board., Among the visitors, who numbered between 30 and 40, were the Mayor of Maidstone and Mr. T. Bridgland, the chairman of the Maidstone Farmers' Club. The main portion of the day's proceedings and the chief ob- ject of the visit was, the inspection of a new system of utilis- ing town sewage, and the obtaining of as much practical in- formation in regard to sewage matters generally as the present state of the irrigation and outfall works would allow of, for it appears the authorities of Maidstone, like those of a great many other towns similarly situated, don't know what to do with their sewage, and feebng certain that " something" wOJ have to be done soon, they are anxious to be prepared with a suitable scheme when the screw, which pinches Bishop Stort- ford and other towns in the Lee valley so hard, comes to be turned in the direction of the Medway. The company were accordingly now conducted to the sewage farm — which is, as yet, but a " baby in arras" — and was further augmented by fresh arrivals until between 60 and 70 were present. The screening tanks and those of larger dimensions for the recep- tion of the liquid sewage after it has undergone a certain de- gree of filtration were the first to undergo examination, Mr. Odams answering with clearness the questions which were asked on ail sides and giving all the information in his power respecting the progress of the sewage works and the difficulties the Local Board had had to encounter. One of the screening tanks was set apart for the purpose of allowing a trial of the new system of distributing the sewage over the surface of the land, it being necessary for the proper accomplishment of that object to filter the sewage with greater nicety than if intended to irrigate in the ordinary way by means of carriers. The entire volume of water and sewage matter coming from the town was turned into this tank and considering the quantity of subsoil water which enters the pipes is estraordinarOy large and the number of connections made with the mains up to the present is only a small proportion as compared with those yet remaining to be done, there was a fair proportion of solid matter — quite sufficient to indicate its offensive character. Before passing through an inner chamber into one of the larger tanks, out of which it would be pumped by the engines and forced up the rising main, the liquid matter had to find its way through some faggots and a fine gauze screen, temporaril) put in for the occasion, which it did hut slowly and not in sufficient volume to keep the pumps in full and continuou. work. Doubtless, in future operations of the kind, some plau wiU be devised to obviate this difficulty. The steps of all were soon afterwards directed to an adjoining pasture of between two and three acres in extent, now the property of the Local Board, but formerly constituting a part of the Great Halling- bury glebe land, and which had been selected as a suitable piece of ground upon which to try the elfects of the ne\i system of " irrigation," described as being one for " the distri< bution of manure liquids upon the surface of land," and as offering the maximum of advantage with the minimum of cost. The chief recommendations of Walker's method are thus sum- marised : No more of the liquid is distributed upon any portion of land at one time than is required as moisture to promote good natural growth. The liquid is distributed equally, and directly over that portion of the surface which it is intended to fertilize. It is not necessary to select level land, or to spend large suras in the preparation of the surface. The system can be applied to the field nearest the outfaU sewer, whatever its shape or " lie," and may be extended from field to field, from farm to farm as required. The system is capable of applica- tion to all crops under the usual rotation, also to grazing, and to all the operations of high-class modem agriculture. The system of distribution being underground conduction, no por tion of the surface is withdrawn from cultivation in the shape of runlets, trenches, ditches, or other similar provisions, This system will be found in practice the cheapest, in consequence of the land requiring no preparation for its introduction, and because when once laid down it can be cheaply worked and maintained. The irrigation works are not liable to be damaged, and the material used in distribution will, at the end of any number of years, yield something like two-thirds of its original cost. The invention has been recognised as a " permanent im- provement" on laud on the same footing as drainage, and funds for applying it to the land can therefore, if thought necessary, be obtained on the same terms as for drainage or other lands improvements. One of the most deplorable results of the cultivation of sewage-flooded meadows has been the encourage- ment it has afforded to the maintenance of cows in town-byres, by >vhich the quality and wholesomeness of the milk supply has been much deteriorated. Town-byres are the natural result of sewage-grass cultivation over a limited area in the neigh- bourhood of towns — from the facilities they give for producing large quantities of watery milk from watery grass ; and they are the hot-beds of pleuro and other diseases. Cows cannot be grazed over land cultivated upon tlie flooding system, and their life of confinement and unnatural feeding renders them unhealthy, to the manifest detriment of all who consume town- made mUk. "R'lth a proper system of herding, however, cows may, upon this system, be successfully grazed to the extent necessary for promoting their health, and improving the quality of the milk, as good milk, any more than good blood, cannot be obtained without proper nutriment and a sufficiency of pure air. The pasture " operated" upon is situated on the slope of a hill and is not very even in surface. Along the south end of it was laid a 6-inch " feeding" pipe, whicli was supplied from the rising main at a pressure of about 251bs.^ about one-third of the force required to distribute the liquid through the four courses of lead pipes — Ij-inch diameter— ^ which were laid along the pasture, about twenty yards apart. These lead pipes are laid in shallow trenches and covered over with turf, except where the perforation takes place, and a kbd of " rose" is formed, at intervals of about two feet apart ; the holes, five in number at each interval, are pierced across the convex part of the pipe, and are protected by a piece of iron termed a shield, which allows of the water being thrown in sprays or jets perpendicularly and on either side. The feeding main ;an supply two sets of pipes, in opposite directions, where convenient or necessary. Before the sewage was turned on, the field presented very slight appearance of having been disturbed, but presently when the magic words " open sesame" were spoken there burst from the ground some thousands of sprays of liquid matter — clear as water to the eye— and form- ing as complete an imitation of a rainfall as the mind can con- ceive. The effect was very striking, aud as a preliminary test was decidedly successful. "What is to be the result of the system it will be difficult to foretell, but that it is likely to " make its mark" in the agricultural operations of the future none can scarcely doubt. At Stoke Park, near Windsor, it ap- pears a similar system of irrigation — by water alone and com- bined with " top-dressings" of manure — has been in operation upon 20 acres of land since the beginning of September, 1870. A cursory glance was taken of the ordinary irrigation works in operation on the farm — but which are in a very crude state at present — and then a move was made towards Hargrave Park, the residence of Mr. Walter Gilbey, to view his herd of Alderneys. A fierce thunderstorm broke over the locality just as the party had got safely housed. The return journey was soon commenced, and the next place of rendezvous was at The Grange, and having looked over the well-stocked houses — a veritable sea of glass — the company betook themselves to a large marquee erected under the shade of a couple of trees, aud where a repast was served up to between 50 and 60. Mr. Odams in the chair, and Mr. Alfred Spencer in the vice-chair. Mr. Hol'blo:m said the sewage question was a very difficult que to deal with, He felt that the drainage works in which H 2 110 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Bishop Stortford and otlier towns were engaged were for the good of tlie country at large. They might expect the health of the community to be improved by them, and for himself he hoped they might not only prove advantageous in a salubrious point of view, but in a pecuniary point also. Mr. Odams having suitably acknowledged the compliment paid to himself, proceeded to propose the health of the chair- man of the Maidstone Farmers' Club — which he believed stood second to none in England. On doing so he commented upon the " remote locality" of his own neighbourhood so far as good farming was concerned (" No, no") — as compared with the soil of Kent, a county proverbially known as the " Garden of England." He alluded to the many admirable qualities of Mr. Bridgland, and said he took it as a great honour that these gentlemen should have condescended to visit him in his humble agricultural neighbourhood. He was very much afraid they would go home disappointed with their visit (" No, no"). The operations they had seen that day were not in practical working order. The system had only been commenced that day, and a variety of experiments would have to be tried be- fore it could be considered to have been fairly tested or any- thing carried out in connection with it commercially. If they could solve the sewage question by an artificial rainfall it wonld be a very great desideratum — but it was a most difficult problem. In most towns lie had visited disinfectants were used in the disposal of the sewage ; he was against their use, being quite sure such a system could not pay commercially. Tlie only plan was to leave the sewage in its natural state and distribute it over the land, taking care to prevent anything like an unpleasant effect from it in doing so. He had been to Bedford, Rugby, and other places and had noticed the feculent matter standing in the open carriers ; and to-day, as he rode along the farm, the stagnant water in the carriers was most offensive. He did not say that its inoffensive distribution could be effected by lead pipes, but if it could be done it would be a very great desideratum. He was sure the men of Kent had much to be thankful for, and if they had |come there to see them in their nakedness he might just remind them that their county was bordered by that most noble of rivers, the Thames, on which they had no doubt seen little tubs floating in the water, indicative of shoals and quicksands : they might have seen a great many of these in their visit that day, and if they had done so and could profit by them their visit would not perhaps have been in vain. He concluded by proposing the health of Mr. Thomas Bridgland, of Bose Acre farm, Bearsted, chairman of the Maidstone farmers' Club, which he was sure would meet with a kind and cordial re- sponse from all present. Mr. Bridoland briefly returned thanks, remarking they had made several similar journeys to this one, but had enjoyed none more tlioroughly. There remained to be witnessed one more experiment, that of street watering by the Patent Permanent System. Lengths of lead piping had been laid just within the kerbstone of the footpath in Rye-street, commencing near the Plough beer- house and extending for about 200 yards in the direction of the town. The pipes were so peforated as to throw the water on the roadside only, and as the conveyances, which were taking the visitors to their special train, drove along, the water was turned on and would speedily have laid the dust had it n(t been done so effectually a few hours' before by the thunderstorm. The promoters of the system assert tliat its adoption will effect an enormous yearly saving of expense upon horse and cart distribution, and invite persons interested in such matters to inspect the system in operation in Hyde Park. — From The Herts Observer. THE PUBLIC HEALTH BILLS. A meeting of the West Suffolk Chamber of Agriculture was held at Bury, to discuss the various bills before Parliament for the regulation of the public health, when Lieut.-Colonel Wilion, the chairman of the Cliamber, presided. The Chairman said there were now before the House three bills with regard to this subject — one a very short one, intro- duced by Sir H. J. Selwin-Ibbetsou, which provided for the formation of a small sanitary committee in each parish ; but as this was a very small bill, they need not waste their time in considering it. The next was the bill of Sir C. Adderley, and, as he (the chairman) had already stated in his letter, the first schedule proposed to repeal, either wholly or in part, some twenty Acts of Parliament passed since 1847. This bill entered iuto every conceivable subject, but he (the chairman) doubted whether it was worth while going into such a large Act, as it was only introduced by a private member, and it was very improbable that it would become law this session, unless it was taken up by the Government. One thing about this bill he would mention, and that was, it proposed to allow appeal from the Local Government Board to be made to quarter sessions, which he (the chairman) considered to be the proper course. He then came to the Government bill, the object of which was first to divide the whole country into sanitary districts, urban or town districts, and rural or country districts. Then it was laid down what were to be the districts, and the boards of guardians were to carry out the duties of the Acts. The Chairman then quoted from the Act several sections with regard to what were to be tlie duties of sanitary officers and their powers. He also read what were to be con- sidered nuisances and what liquids were to be deemed polluted ; a provision as to penalties with respect to smoke nuisances ; that all drains and sewers are to be properly ventilated ; that traps sliDuld be properly closed from streets ; that the milk of any animal suffering from contagious disease should be con- sidered improper for sale, and that the seller should be punish- able ; that in the case of a seller selling diseased meat, the justices of the peace could order the purchase-money to be refunded ; a provision requiring buildings unfit for habitation to be made fit, or the tenants to quit ; another for requiring urban authorities to supply fresh water if they thought fit to do so, and also gas ; provisions for hospitals, dispensaries, for distributing medicines in case of epidemics ; a provision for analysts by the Act of 1860, which, he thought, had never been acted on in this part of the country — a provision for local government boards to appoint analysts, and for the quarter sessions also ; a regulation for lodging-houses, and a section giving urban authorities power to make bye-laws ; a provision as to obnoxious trades, or, as the Chairman ex- plained it, a provision to the effect that if one man created a nuisance in his business, he was not to go unpunished because his next-door neighbour created a greater nuisance. A great deal was to be done by this Government bill, but it was not a comprehensive bill, like Sir Charles Adderley's, and the whole power was to be vested in the Local Government Board. Any district medical officer might be appointed inspector with the approval of the Local Government Board, and the Local Government Board oHlcers were to have similar powers to the Poor-law officers. The Local Government Board could, by provisional order, declare any district to be an urban sanitary district, they could order the repeal of local Acts, and where, in the opinion of the Local Government Board, tlie population of any union is such as to render it expedient to provide dis- pensaries, the Local Government Board should have power to order the guardians to provide them in unions in such a way as the Local Government Board should direct. The sanitary authority had power to order any water to be analysed, or any food, according to the provisions of the Food Adulteration Act of 1860. The Local Government Board could appoint a public analyst to whom any person could go and have food or water analysed on payment of such fee as the Local Go- vernment Board might determine, &c. In case of default of the sanitary authority in performance of their duties, the Local Government Board may make an order for the perform- ance of the neglected duty, or they may delegate to any body of persons locally interested in remedying such default all or any of the powers of the defaulting sanitary authority, and all expenses incurred by them, including reasonable remune- ration, as may be awarded by the Local Government Board, to be paid out of the moneys in the hands of the defaulting authority, Any order of the Local Government Board to be THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. lii enfoiced b.v mandainns or removed to the Court of Queen's Bench. Where the sanitary authority liad failed to make bye- laws, tlie Local Government Board could compel the makinpf of them ; ill fact, he (the chairman) thought from the bill that the Local Government Board could do just as they liked. He thought they would see that the whole power in this bill was vested in the Local Government Board in London, and they had full power to order them to do just what tiiey liked, and to spend the money of the country in any way they thought fit. He did not argue for a moment that tliis bill was unnecessary, for they wanted legislation on this question, but, at the same time, an Englishman did not like to spend his money for nothing. There ought, he admitted, to be the power somewhere, and be had no objection to its being placed in the bands of the Government Board in London. It seemed to him that the most satisfactory mode of appeal in matters of this sort would be the court of quarter sessions. Mr. HuDDLESTO:^ asked if all these charges would fall on the rates alone. The Chairman said that would be the case, and the rates would be divided, and there would be special charges on cer- tain properties, but the money was to come out of the rates. All the conditions of the Act, or a great many of them, were simply for local purposes. The lighting and paving of towns the various towns and parishes ought to do themselves, and, if they did that themselves, they could pay for it, and they did not want the Government to do it. But when they got to medical officers and dispensaries, &c., he was utterly unable to see why real property was more interested in this than per- sonal property, but, as it was for general good, the public should not pay the expenses, but the Government. Since the last meeting of the Chamber, another bill had been brought before Parliament, and that was the Litoxicatiug Liquors Bill, which proposed that there should be special policemen appointed for every district to visit and inspect public-houses. The Act was most stringent. The visits of these police were to be periodical, and, unless the Government were satisfied that they were efficient, they would not allow even the one- fourlli of the expense of the pay and clothing of the police which they now pay towards their expendiure. These men were also to go into public-houses and ask for samples of beer and spirits, to be analysed by the Government analysts. He (the chairman) entirely agreed with stopping the adulteration of liquor, as he believed it was one of the great causes ef drunkenness, but he disagreed \\\i\\ the principle of putting this on the rates. If the Government sent out inspectors to analyse beer and spirits, he held that the Government ought to pay for it. He did not see why the oflices of inspector and analyst could not be combined, as both were to be Government officers. The Chairman concluded by proposing the following resolution, " That this Chamber, whilst admitting the necessity for sanitary legislation, regrets that the Government does not propose to consolidate the many existing statutes on this sub- ject. It also strongly objects to the great power reserved to the Local Government Board, with no provision for appeal, which it considers should be to quarter sessions, as well as to throwing the expenses of medical officers, inspectors, hos- pitals, dispensaries, and other measures for the cure or pre- vention of disease, on local rates, whereas they are for the common benefit, and are under the control of the Local Go- vernment Board." A member of the Chamber asked whether the power pro- posed to be given to the Local Government B||ard was greater than that given to the Poor-law Board. The CiiAiRMAJJ said the Poor-law Board had all the power now. Mr. Salmon regretted that the present Government bill was not a consolidation bill, but was merely an addition to the large number of bills already existing on the same subject. It appeared to him that the Local Government Board had the l)Ower first to make an order, and then were to have the power of compelling those living in the county to pay the costs. He took three items from the bill — hospitals, sewers, and water — which would be attended with the most tremendous expense. They found it difficult in towns to get rid of the seweiage, and, under the new act, how it was to be got rid of he did not see, and thought that that and the question of water demanded the greatest consideration from the ratepayer. He thought that such things as the administration of justice and the maintenance of the I'olicc force ou3ht rciUy to be taken in hand by the Government, and withdrawn from the local rates, and thrown upon the Consolidated Fund. Such charges as these were not imaginary. If the expenses of the police and the administration of justice were taken from the rates of Bury, it would make a dilferencc of i;3,000 a-year to ths ratepayers. While the bill was yet before Parliament, he urged them to keep the attention of their represen'atives on the local burdens, and not have them increased by the addition of the expenses of public-house inspectors and analysts. Dr. Short, whilst objecting to the centralisation which existed in both bills, called attention to the invidious position in which a medical man would be placed if he were appointed inspector also. He proposed that a superintendent medical officer should be appointed to supervise the district medical officers, and that the district medical officers should report to him when they found any sanitary defects existing in their districts, because, if the medical officers were found lodging complaints against anything connected with the public health they would at once be accused of interfering with the vested interests. It would not, however, be necessary to cJe this un- less either of those bills was carried. He thought when the bill did go before the House that it would rather a hash-up of the Government bill and a hash-up of Sir Charles Adderley's bi'l. Several clauses might be spoken on, and more especially that with respect to the power that at present existed and the po^^er that was then to exist with regard to overcrowding. It was a well-known fact that there was a great deal of over- crowding in several districts. He did not think the medical officer, or a medical man, or an inspector of nuisances, could interfere where the people living in a house belonged to one family, and turn them out. There were numerous instances of overcrowding, but he could not turn them out, as they had nowhere else to go. He did not believe that a strong feeling existed in his profession that sanitary acts were needed, but that acts were needed which were to take up matters of public health — and the health meant the wealth of the country — and that these should be made charges upon the Consolidated Fund, and should not be charges upon the rates, which were quite heavy enough already. He thought that vaccination should be charged upon the Consolidated Eund, and not upon the poor-rates : it would tend more to the good of the country, and would certainly be more satisfactorv to the ratepayers. Mr. HuuDLESTON said they were going to give all the power to a local authority, that was the board of guardians, or the town council, in an urban district ; but if these local authorities had the power, they ought also to pay, and they must draw upon tiie localities for payment. He thought that was the evil in these bills. They had established a board of guardians, but the board of guardians would have a very dif- ferent object than that for which it was originally established — to manage the health of the country. It would be best, he thought, to let the Government appoint their officers and in- spectors, and not to give any power to the unions. If any squabble arose in the neighbourhood it would be at once re- ferred to the Government. Tlie board of guardians or the town council would have no power in the matter at all, and the whole affair would be given up to the board in London. Mr. BiDDELL said it appeared to him that there were powers if the people would only use them, and they bad a staff now that if they would only act up to their powers they would not be in want of new ones, lie very much doubted if they would have heard so much about sanitary matterg if bis Royal Highness the Prince of Wales had had good health last year, and he thought the want was greatly exagge- rated. Referring to the three bills, he said it appeared to him that Sir H. Selwin-lbbetson's was the best plan. He was quite in favour of an efficient sanitary system, and thought that if each union had an efficient inspector they could ma- nage to keep themselves in order. With regard to the venti- lation of sewers, he said he thought it was one of the greatest deficiencies existing. They were always trapping, but the dis- agreeable odours would not be kept down, and they very often, by shutting them up at one place, got them into others where they did much more harm. He thought they had better leave dispensaries, &c., to the Board of Guardians, but thought some of the paupers should not have to walk so far as th«y did for their medicines, and was opinion it was a good thing that there should be some court of appeal. He agreed with the chairman that adulterated beer was a great cause of druiik'mnoss, aud thought that if the policf-iuspcc'ur wcat to 112 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. public-houses after samples of beer he ought to be allowed to go down into the cellar and draw his own, as he (Mr. Biddell) could never believe that a publican would ever give a police- man bad beer to be analysed. Mr. Sparke said he tliought with the chairman that it would be a good thing to clear away the large number of acts and substitute one for them, and was in favour of the guardians managing their own business, as he did uot see what a body of meu sitting at Whitehall could know about local af- fairs. The guardians could appoint officers and inspectors of all kinds, and could undertake sanitary improvements of all kinds, and if any nuisance exists in any parish they had only to apply to the board to have it removed. He thought there ought to be some supervising body over the whole number of unions to see tbat the duties were properly carried out, but he was sure that those duties would be better done by men living on tbe spot than by those living at a distance. Great evils, he said, still existed, and none greater than the want of proper water. He himself was shocked to see the horrid water people had to drink, but they liad no filters, and no means of making it otherwise. He supported the Local Government Board, as it was always easy to obtain advice from that body ; but he would not allow it, if he had any power, to supersede our local authorities. The Rev. T. E. Abraham said he did not know from the bill that they were to be superseded. The Chairman said it was merely a cat's-paw. The Rev. T. E. Abraham also agreed with what had been said on the matter of consolidating the law, because it was so difficult at present to find the local authority ; he also agreed that the cost should be thrown upon general property instead of real property. In speaking on the local powers already possessed by the country, he said that when a board of guardians was called upon to carry out some necessary sanitary improvement they must naturally feel great delicacy, and he (the rev. speaker) thought that it was of very great im- portance that there should be some power behind this local authority ready to support them. He rather thought they ought to encourage this power. He referred to the powers that the Local Government Board would have given them by this bill, and said they were very valuable, and would be of great assistance in euforciag sanitary measures. He tliought all were interested in the sanitary condition of the country : it affected their children, and he did not believe that the Local Government Board would have more power given to them by this bill than they had before in regard to the working of the poor-law. The Chairman said he thought Mr. Abraham had rather misunderstood him. He intended distinctly to say that it was ridiculous to pass an act and leave local authorities to carry out all as they pleased, but he would have some supreme power to appeal to, and he entirely held that there must be such a power. He did uot agree with what Mr. Abraham had said about the central power being anxious to support local authorities. His experience was that they wanted to go against tbe local authorities. He had fallen in with in- spectors of prisons, and a great deal of trouble one of them — a Mr. Perry — had been for four years, and with other in- spectors, and he found they did anything but support the local authorities. He did not think it was quite understood about the special and general expenses. General expenses, the act laid down, should be the expenses of the establishment and officers of tbe sanitary authority, the expenses in relation to disinfection, &c. Special, were to be the expenses of the con- struction of dispensaries in all necessary places within the dis- trict, and all other local expenses determined by the order of the Local Government Board ; therefore, the great bulk of the expenses would come under the head of tbe general ex- penses, and would come out of the poor-rate as it is levied now. There was another reason for legislation. During the past twenty years as many acts had beeu passed on this subject, and the mere fact of the existence of these twenty Acts of Par- liament was enough to require consolidation and legislation ; and in these twenty acts he (the chairman) knew of three dif- ferent local authorities. Some declared that the union should be the area, some the highway board, and some the vestry. He did not wish it to be understood that he was un- willing to assist the Government in carrying out sanitary measures. He quite thought it was a very important ques- tion. He was quite willing to assist in any way, but he did not like a central board in London to have the pdwer of spending his money, and for him not to have any appeal against it. The first clause of the resolution, which was contained in the first sentence, was then passed on the motion of Mr. Dewing, but some discussion ensued on the clause which con- tained the opinion of the Chamber that there should be appeal to Quarter Sessions. After some discussion it was proposed as an amendment that the words " which it considers should be to Quarter Sessions" should be struck out, but the amendment on being put to the meeting was lost. The third clause was passed without comment. THE PERUVIAN GUANO TRADE. [The following correspondence has been forwarded us.] Foreign Office, June 21, 1872. Sir, — With reference to my letter of the 1st April, I am directed by Earl GranviUe to transmit to you the accompanying translation of a note which has been ad- dressed to Her Majesty's Charge d' Affaires at Lima, by the Peruvian Minister for Foreign Affairs, in reply to the representations which Mr. Jerningham was instructed to make as to the practice of charging a uniform price for all qualities of guano. I am, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, E. Hammond. C. S. Read, Esq., M.P., &c., &c. [Translation.] (Dr. Loayza, Minister for Foreign Affairs, to Mr. Jerningham.) Foreign Department, Lima, 6th May, 1872. I have had the honour to receive the very attentive note which Y. H. has had the goodness to address to me on the 4th inst., and numbered 23, with reference to the depreciation of guano in the markets of England ; and in reply, I am happy to inform Y. H. that I have communicated with the Minister of Finance, acquainting him with the above-mentioned note, in order that the same be taken into consideration by his department, and measures be adopted in accordance with Y. H.'s state- ment on the matter. I avail, &c., &c., (Signed) Jose J. Loayza. The Farmers' Club, Salisbury Square, London, E.G., 26th June, 1872. My Lord, — I beg to acknowledge, and to thank your lordship for the favour of Mr. Hammond's letter of the 21st inst., and the enclosure of the Peruvian Minister for Foreign Affairs' reply to your suggestion for some fair and accurate mode of regulating the guano trade. I trust your lordship's friendly remonstrance may produce the desired effect. I venture to trouble your lordship upon another subject which may prove beneficial to the farmers of Great Britain. We are now annually importing upwards of 100,000 tons of Esparto grass, at a cost of about £1,000,000 a-year. Can it be possible, through our consuls in Spain and Afi'ica, to obtain samples of the best seed of this grass, which might be grown at Kew and the national farms in Ireland, with information as to the soil best suited to its growth, and the proper mode of its cultivation ? If the Esparto grass could be acclimatised, like the Italian rye-grass, it might prove a valuable crop to grow in this country. I am, my lord, your faithful and obliged servant, Clare Sewell Read. The Right Hon. Earl GranviUe, &c,, &c. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 113 LORD WARWICK'S IRRIGATION FARM. VISIT OF THE MIDLAND FARMERS' CLUB. A number of the members of the Midland Farmers' Club accepted the invitation of Captain Fosbery, the agent of Lord Warwick, to visit the irrigation farnis at Heathcote. The party were met at Leamington by Captain Fosbery, Mr. John Bowen, Chairman of the Local .Board of Health, Mr. Jolin Ford, Chairman of the Warwickshire Chamber of Agriculture, and otliers interested in agriculture. The President of the Club, i\[r. Bowen Jones, and a number of members from Birmingham and the neighbourhood were entertained at luncheon by Captain Fosbery, at the Crown Hotel, Leamington, Mr. Bowen Jones presiding. The Chairman said he had the authority of a practical man for saying that there were no better sewage works in the country than those they were about to visit. Captain Fosbery said they had as yet had only six months' experience of sewage farming, but he tliought he should be able to show them tliat very fine crops might be produced by it — perhaps liner than could be produced in any other way. Mr. John Bowen admitted that a few years since he was not an advocate for the application of the irrigation principle in this district ; but he had latterly been converted to the theory so energetically promulgated by a late townsman. The rainfall to the river, the sewage to the land. As the sewage of towns was admitted to be of great practical value, it seemed to be the duty of the authorities not to cast it into the sea, but to utilise it by its judicious distribution over the land. The sewage problem had long been a source of anxiety and annoyance to the Leamington Board of Health. What to do with the sewage was discussed at succeeding meet- ings of the governing body, and while this was going on the Board had an injunction issued against them for the pollution of the water of the Avon. The " powers that be" forbade them turning any refuse of towns into the river, but did not tell them what to do with the sewage, or assist them in any way in the solution of the vexed question. The Board were desirous of getting out of their dilemma, but after the adoption of the irrigation principle they found great difficulty in obtain- ing land for carrying out the system. In one instance when they heard that there was a probability of obtaiuiug a certain site for £14,000, they made inquiries about it, and found that as a public body wanted it, the price was raised to £18,000. Ultimately Lord Warwick, with that kindness and consideration which always distinguished him, came to the assistance of the Local Board at a time when they did not know which way to turn, and offered to take the whole of the sewage of the district from the Board for a given number of years. There was nothing more agreeable than a bargain which was equally gratifying to both the parties to it ; and he trusted this would be the case in reference to the agreement into which the Board and Lord Warwick had entered. He wished the Club had delayed their visit for a few days, by which time the Local Board's works would be quite completed. The Board had taken due pre- caution to have engines equal to any increase in the work which might devolve upon them in the course of years. The district was rapidly extending, and it had been thought desirable to have engines capable of doing double the amount of work at present required of them. Tliey had to provide not only for the sewage of Leamington, but also for that of Lillington and Milverton. He had no doubt there were other towns labouring under the difficulties which Leamington had happily surmounted, and probably they had not so generous a landlord near them as Lord Warwick was. Mr. Bowen then referred to Sir Robert Peel's opposition to the proposals of the Birmingham Town Council in reference to irrigation, and ex- pressed his opinion that the private interests of one individual should not be set up against the general advantage of an im- portant community. He next alluded to the rich crops of rye- grass which had been gathered on Lord Warwick's irrigation farms, and their present promising appearance. He mentioned that two months ago his lordship's cabbages from the farms were sold at £30 an acre. There was no doubt as to the excellence of the irrigation principle when laud could be ob- tained at a convenient distance from a town, and at a reason- able price, for the application of the system. The Chairman regretted that so large an amount of sewage was wasted, although on this score there was a deal of exaggeration. The aggregate amount of the whole mass of the population was immense, but it must be remembered that large quantities of sewage were rendered useless by the admixture of deleterious matter. The question was 'how to procure from the refuse of towns that which it would pay the farmer to apply to the land. The party, numbering between 70 and 80, proceeded to the engine-house and works belonging to the Board. This pump- ing station has two steam-engines working alternately, each of 180 indicated (60 nominal) horse-power. These engines commenced pumping six months ago, and have gone on unin- terruptedly with only one or two trifling accidents. Each engine has two pumps attached, which are capable of pumping a million and a half gallons of sewage in twelve hours. The average flow is about three-quarters of a million gallons — that is, the minimum flow is half a million and the maximum one and a half million gallons daily. The pumping-bouse is built near the sewage tanks, which will hold about a million gallons of sewage. The engine cylinders are 38iu. in diameter, with an 8ft. stroke, and the pistons have a stroke of 5ft, The fly-wheel is 26ft. in diameter, and in weight is a perfect " Claimant," being no less than 35 tons. The engines are by Clayton. The expense of constructing this pumping ap- paratus was £10,000, and the cost of laying the pipes about i'5,000, making altogether £15,000. The main 18in. in diameter, is carried a little over two miles to a height of 133ft, on to the farm, where eight hydrants, placed at convenient distances, supply the carriers — open trenches — for distribution over the land. The working expenses, beyond the_ wear and tear of machinery, pipes, interest of capital, &c., is between £500 and £600 a year. Passing on to tlie farm, the visitors were turned over by Mr. Davidson, the engineer, to Mr. Tough, the Earl of Warwick's farm bailiff, who pointed out the crops and the mode of tillage adopted. The farm is about 350 acres in extent, partly pasture and partly arable, and its situation slightly undulating. A field of beans, about ten acres, now blossoming and showing free luxuriant growth, promises a prolific crop. These were sown on the 1st of March, and the land has been liberally treated with sewage, to tlie manifest advantage of the plant, which has a clean and healthy appear- ance. If exception may be taken to auytliing so smart a farmer as Mr. Tough might do, we should certainly hesitate to drill beans so thickly on the land as he has done in this instance, but, nevertheless, there is every prospect of a big crop, and, after all, with English as well as with Scottish agricul- turists, "nothing succeeds like success." The sewage has been applied also to wheat, barley, oats, turnips, and mangold, and on some of the pastures. The first barley in ear this season we saw here, and the crop altogether is a good one. Several fields of spring wheat wliich had been under irrigation looked extremely well, and the same may be said of the oats, &c. Mr. Tough stated the effect of the sewage on rye-grass had been marvellous. The produce is much in request for fodder for dairy stock and for horses. On Lord Warwick's farm the first cutting of rye-grass was commenced in March last and by the end of April they had finished cutting forty-five acres averaging about eight tons to the acre. The second cutting be- gan on 1st of May, and the produce has been about twelve tons to the acre. The grass fetched 123.. per ton, and was taken away by the local dairymen for their cows, and by others for their dray horses, nags, and hunters. The greater portion is disposed of this way. What remains is given to the cows on the farm, young stock, and horses, and by them much relished. There are about a score dairy cows kept. The milk is sold in the neighbourhood, and we can say lU THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. loth the milk and butter are of excellent quality. The cattle sheds and out-houses at the homestead are a pattern of clcan- liuess and good order, showing, as tliey do, what punctuality, method, and industry will accoraplisli when a man is never above liis business. The pasturage exiiibited a satisfactory result of the ai)plication of the sewage. A piece of old turf which had been stocked np to the beginning of May had only one dressing of sewage in the winter, and it was found that the cattte preferred to graze that portion of the pasture before the part where uo sewage had been applied. The meadows appeared to be making headway under the improved weather, being full of succulent herbage, and bidding fair to yield a capital crop of hay. We noticed a field which had been sown with mangold, turnips being drilled at the same time "to make sure" of something should there be any failure of plant. The mangolds have come up pretty regularly, and the process of hoeing and singling is now being gone through, after which the sewage will be carried over the land. It is not often one sees such regular ridging as is to be found on tliis piece of arable land. — Leamint/ion Taper. THE BOYAL COUNTIES (HANTS AND BERKS) AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT WINDSOR. Under the very shade aud protection of the Castle, or, as Thackeray has it : Hard by, you t«e the Castle tall ; The village nestles round the wall, As round about the hen her small Young progeny of chickens. And " Our Village " is an impromptu one, of tents and sheddings, of beeves and ilocks — the very place, in fact, for a forager, only that " the Castle tall " is as ready to frown on a foe as to welcome a friend. And the show was not only held in her own Park and " under the immediate patronage of her Majesty," but the Queen gave the meeting her support not merely by her presence, but as an exhibitor of yhorthorns, Dcvons, Herefords, .ind Alderneys, of Clydesdale horses, and of white Windsor pigs. Again, the Prince of Wales was winning prizes for Southdown rams and ewes from his Sandringham flock, as not even the heavy rain during the afternoon could stay his Royal Highness and the Princess from visiting the ground. Never has an agri- cultural institution been more honoured, nor its chief delegated with higher duties than Lord Bridport, who conducted her Majesty through the exhibition iu the morning, and her heir in the afternoon. In truth what with Lynn one week and Windsor the next. Agriculture and her accessories will be coming fast into fashion. The show itself, although a fairly good one, was, like that at Portsmouth last year, in its best features very much a reflex of the "West of England awards at Dor- chester. Amongst the cattle there were, no doubt, many fresh faces ; but those best worth knowing in the several classes of sheep and pigs were as a rule, if not old, at any rate of recent acquaintance. Thus, ever since the Dor- chester show there has been a growing murmur against the decisions there and then over the Hampshires, and letters have been published iu the Wiltshire journals, of which we were of course favoured with copies, complain- ing how the admirable sheep of Mr. This or Mr. That had been passed over. Mr. Morrison made no sign at AVindsor, and in his absence Mr. Coles succeeded from a commendation to a second prize amongst the shearlings, Mr. Rawlence's first at one meeting being still first at the other. In the old class the Ponthill winner was ab- sent, and so Mr. Bennett became first and Mr. Rawlence second, all in accordance with previous ruling. Mr. Raw- lence's Dorchester ewes were again first here, with one really beautiful sheep in the pen, and the Bulbridge ram- lambs, which iu a few weeks time will be selling at 50 gs. and 60 gs. each, maintained the almost invincible repute of the flock. It is noticeable that one of Mr. Rawlence's commended lambs is by a Southdown sheep of Mr. Fookes* breed, as it is no secret that for some time past the Hamp- shire men have been chopping aud changing for a taste of pure Down. Por our part we should be the last to quarrel with such an arrangement, for, usefvd as the Hampshires may be, there is no animal in the story of modern agricul- ture whose appeai-ance is more susceptible of improvement. Amongst the Downs proper the Prince sent in his Lynn shearling, and Mr. Pookes left it to his two colleagues to pick out the Norfolk winner, as they soon did ; for the Ileasmaas arc not in force this season. Sir William Throckmorton's sheep, with a suspicion of foot-and-mouth disease about, were not sent ; and j\Ir. Penfold's next best is but a very moderate prize animal. Still, against such native Sussex flocks, this was something of a triumph for the Sandringham shearling, one of the best abused sheep out, and uo doubt his head is not " quite correct ;" but we should infinitely prefer a dark-faced to a white- faced Southdown. Mr. Gorringe had also some deserved success here, as his sheep are of a very smart type, and looking to be as true aud highly-bred as anything in the entry. If, moreover, the visage of the Prince's prize ram was wrong, two or three of the ewes had very sweet, snake heads, and if Mr. Beck can but sort out a whole pen of their stamp the Royal Downs will not discredit their be- longings at Carditf. Mr. AVallis, whose flock has been amiss from giddiness, reappeared here, his best old sheep being the reserved shearling of Wolverhampton ; while Messrs. Milton Druce and Treadwell set and re-set, and took each other up and down like the figure in a country dance. Although Lord Chesham did not send his best sheep, he won everything he entered for, Mr. Baker being his only opponent ; while the Kilkennics had no difficulty in overthrowing either for first or second such Cotswolds as Mr. Browne, Messrs. Wheeler, and others could supply. There were no entries in the Leicester classes, but one exhibitor of Dorset Horns, and a few cross-breds which the judges considered altogether out of place at an ex- hibition of breeding animals. Unfortunately, Mr. Druce was rather late on the ground, and the two other judges quickly got wrong over the first class of Bcrkshires, where they put out Mr. Humfrey's young boar, the best of his class at Dorchester, and there as here the "most promising pig in the show ;" as Mr. Joseph Smith eventually came round to this opinion. The younger class of Berkshire boars, with a good pig in "the remove," was only moderate; but the class of Berk- shire sows was highly commended. Mr. Stewart did not enter, but his place was well supplied by Lord Ailesbury, who won with an almost perfect specimen of the breed, long aud deep, of good quality, and with a nice but not coarsccoat, a rare collar, and so forth. The College second was also second at Dorchester, when the Topsy family were merely commended, although now the best pair in a generally commended class. With some of the white breeds there was little or no competition, but numerous or limited, the Duckerings won in every class with pig?. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 115 which have heen going about all Ihe season. licr Ma- jesty showed in three classes of small breeds, but the Windsor whites are not so formidable as of yore, and a second prize was tiie only recognition of their merits. There was comparatively a large but rough show of Shorthorns, about the pick of the bulls being ]\Ir. Dickers' smart, straight calf, highly commended at Thame, where he was bought up by Mr. Thornton, for Australia. But there was nothing in his class to com- pare with him, as Mr. Mumford's prize calf at Dorches- ter was actually beaten for second by such a wretched thing as jMr Fowler's " Royal" Geneva, a fact which does not say much for either of the two or the others behind thcni. With the two-year-olds ]\Ir. Mumford had more luck, as his first-prize, Caballer, was beaten by Mr. Barnes' second, at llugby and Aylesbury last year and at Thame this summer ; but when we first saw the two together, it looked to be a very close thing for choice. The cows were better, ^Ir. Barnes winning with his fine old English Emily, wearing well at nearly nine years old, and with a grand back. Either of the highly commended Charley wood heifers, again, looked to be better than the winner, an animal of little quality, and sadly set-off by her narrow mean quarters. The first and second heifer- calves would rank Avell with the first bull-calf as about the best things in one of the most moderate Shorthorn shows we have seen for some time, mere numbers being the chief, as a very negative recommendation. In fact, the nine Devons for breeding and quality would have beaten the ninety Shorthorns, her Majesty leading off with a grand, massive bull, Napier, from Mr. Farthing's herd, and Mr. Taylor, of Glynley, and Mr. Trevor Senior showing two Royal cows, both fast on their way to the butcher ; and also a couple of nice heifers, where the Broughton first had a great advantage at a year older than her competi- tor, a far truer-framed animal, Ruby, being narrow and mean forward. Mr. Taylor's beautiful heifer, on the con- trary, was perhaps the best Devon in Bingley Hall last Christmas, where she won in an absurdly-constituted yearling class, a fact which at once disqualified her from entering at either the Royal or West of England meet- ings, although it is satisfactory to hear that the yearling class of " fat" heifers will not be continued at Birming- ham. There were four entries of Herefords, where her Majesty exhibited two fine specimens of the breed in the bull Prince Leopold and the cow Victoria 2nd. There were five Sussex, three of which were from JMr. Turvill's famous herd, and a capital entry of Jersey or Channel Islanders, the Queen's yearling put first being as smart a Jersey bull at most points as we had in this fast improv- ing section of an agricultural show. Colin, bred by Mr. Savory, is by Romulus, out of Cicely, from the stock of Miss Doyle; but the judges here would not have the plain Favourite, which took second-prize at Dorchester, and as we then thought improperly. Mr. Simpson, how- ever, won very deservedly with his comely heifer, carrying great flesh for her breed, but with plenty of good looks, and also a second at the West of England Show. Lord Bolton's second-prize cow was bred by Mr. Philip Gaudin, in the Island ; but the others distinguished on the prize- list were of home production. Her Majesty's arrival ou the ground was so far inop- portune as that she reached the horse-ring, always the show sight of these occasions, just when the judges were endeavouring to weed out a very sorry class of so-called hunters. Great w^as the trouble which some of the riders took to force some of the uudcr-bred animals entered up to their bridles and into action, aud tedious was the de- liberation evinced in arriving at a decision. At length it transpired that each one of the three judges had a fancy of his own, and as no one would give way it was agreed to call in Mr, Corbet to settle the question ; but as he had grown weary of the scene and could not be found, the judges had another parley, and ultimately placed the three precisely as the referee would have done ; the fiist prize going to a smart white-hccled four-year-old by Blackdown, a nice nag up to a certain weight, and with I'ar more style than anything in the class. Some of the Berkshire farmers handy home here seem to be sadly in want of some tutoring as to how to set about breeding a hunter, and they should not overlook the prize thorough- bred stallion of the show. This is Beuham Squire, now the property of a Buckinghamshire yeoman, who travels his horse in the summer and hunts him ^Yith the Royal staghounds in the winter. The Squire should be just in place here with country-side mares, for he has good size, power without coarseness, and is beautifully bred ou either side of his head, going directly to Stockwell one way and to Melbourne the other, of course a very excellent cross. The best hack, another clever one, was also from Ilorton, while Mr. Anderson's prize pony was perhaps the very smartest thing in the show, not merely naturally good- looking, but with every beauty pointed by art, for Alice's toilet was simply perfect. The best cart stallion was the best two-year-old at Portsmouth, a smart Clydesdale, whose grandsire was by the late Prince Consort's well-known prize horse Britain ; while noticeably enough the granddam of the best cart mare was highly commended at the Royal Society's show on this very ground in 1851, so that the two might have felt fairly at home here. Seldom, however, has there been seen a more beautiful filly than Lord Ailesbury's three-year-old, that is, so far as head, neck, and top go, but she is terribly light of bone, being quite tied below the knee, and many cart-horse authorities would no doubt have put Mr. Stanford's black, also second at Dorchester, or one of Her Majesty's Clydesdale fillies before the gay chesnut, who has still so much style that it is hard to disparage her. But for really agricultural pur- poses, Messrs. Stanford's yearling. The Flower, was about the pick and pride of an altogether very creditable show of cart-horses, and we confess to having overlooked her at Dorchester, where in a very small class she was also first. There were poultry and flower shows and military bands, as matters of course, whilst those famous seedsmen, the Suttons from Reading and the Carters from Holborn, gave eff'ect to the scene with their palatial stands of tastily- arranged roots, seeds, grasses, and so forth — kind of half- way houses as they are between the rearing of stock and the cultivation of the soil. It was thus that w^e wrote of the Royal Counties meeting last year at Portsmouth, and it is in this magnificent style that the rival seedsmen still proclaim themselves like Mr. Overman's hackney at Lynn, " Here-we-are-again." The two stands fairly "balance" The Castle, while these are fitted up with every possible kind of contrivance for use or show% and evidently at an expense which would seriously disturb the equanimity of Messrs. Garrett and Sons. We ourselves follow the Royal procession no further than the horse- ring ; but the Court Newsman will tell you how Her Majesty stayed to take a catalogue from the hands of Mr. Martin Sutton, that she made a point of seeing out the great Sandringham Southdown, and that, with a woman's true tastes and instincts, the Queen left her carriage to see the flower show. The dinner appears to have been an especially amusing or a particularly melancholy business, just as a man might be minded to regard it. Like the renowned Mr. Jorrocks the appetites of the guests were ready before " the vittles," and so they commenced on that they could find, beef, lamb, and salad, jelly aud fruit pies, aud finished up or upside-down with clear soup and boiled salmon! When will the stewards of local meetings begin to see that cold meat aud comfort, a dinner so laid that people can help themselves without appealing to deaf if not 116 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE dumb waiters, must be all they should aspire to ? Those lake-warm soups and long-looked for fishes must have made a trying time of it for the chairman. There were some field trials of implements, with the sub- joined results : Mowing MiCHiNEs. — First prize, Samuelson and Co., Banbury; second, Picksley and Sims, Leigh, Manchester. Special prize, Reading Ironworks (one-horse machine). Highly commended : Brigham and Co., Berwick-on-Tsveed. Commended : Bickerton and Sons, Berwick-on-Tweed. In the ploughing matcli Mr. Wilder, of Heading, won with a Howard's plough, tlie second prize going to Mr. Stacey, of Newbury ; while Mr. Wilder was also first for double ploughs. The following firms had stands upon the ground : Tasker and Sons, Andover : Humphries, Worcester ; Gibbons, Wantage ; Sinclair, Bishopsgate, London ; The Reading Iron Works, Reading ; Marsden, Soho Foundry, Leeds ; Nalder and Nalder, Wantage ; Eddington and Co., Chelmsford ; Maynard, Cambridge ; Wallis and Steevens, Basingstoke ; Baker, Compton, Newbury ; Tasker and Sons, Andover ; Wilder, Reading, Berks ; The Farmers' Supply Association, King William -street, London ; Picksley, Sims, and Co., Leigh, Manchester ; Wood, 77, Upper Thames- street, London ; Fowler and Co., Leeds, Yorkshire ; George Stacey and Sons, Agricultural Implement Works, Uxbridge ; Hathaway, Chippenham, Wilts ; Stacey, Nswbury ; EUiman, Slough, Bucks ; Berridge and Sous, Windsor ; Williams, Alma-road, Windsor; Priest, Woolnough, and Micbell, Kingston-on-Thames ; Osmond, Ramsbury, Wilts ; Davis, 309, Regent-st., London ; Cottrell, Hungerlbrd, Berks ; Mil- ford, Thorverton, Cullompton, Devon ; Simpson, Melksham, Wilts ; Alway and Son, Chapel-street, Pentonville, London ; Beaumo'^t, Reading, Berks ; Gower and Son, Winchfield, Hants ; Haynes and Sons, Edgware-road, London ; Thorn, St. Giles-gates, Norwich ; Huckvale, J ohu-street West, Barnsbury, London ; Bickerton and Son, Berwick-on-Tweed ; Jones, Gloucester ; Dacre, Portswood, Southampton ; Parker, Woodstock, Oxford ; Gilbert, Shippon, Abingdon ; Aldworth, Abingdon ; Milford, Kenn, Exeter ; Roberts and Sons, Bridgewater, Somerset ; Mitchell and Co., Hunt-street, Manchester ; Adutt, Finzi, and Co., 34, Mark-lane, London ; AVoolf and Co., 119, New Bond-street, London ; Welch, Southall, Middlesex; Dodge, 79, Upper Thames-street, London ; Wallis and Steevens, Basingstoke ; Braggins, Ban- bury, Oxford ; Beach and Co., Dudley, Worcester ; Slack and Brownlow, Upper Medlock-street, Hulme, Manchester ; AUen, Basingstoke ; Lee, Gloucester ; Ellis, Oxford-street, London, and Crystal Palace, Sydenham ; The Singer Manu- facturing Company, 147, Cheapside, Loudon; Kent, 199, High Holborn, London ; Tomlinson, Hayward, and Bishop, Lincoln ; Tipper, Balsall Heath, Birmingham ; Hilton, Lichfield-road, Birmingham ; Beesley, Tntton - street. Plough-lane, Wandsworth ; Hope, Wellingborough, North- amptonshire; Spong and Co., 28, King William-street, Strand, London ; Newton, Wilson, and Co., 144, High Holborn, London ; Hall and Dyer, Monckton Combe, Bath, Somerset; De Leon and Andre, 24, Rathbone-place, Oxford-street, Loudon ; Scrivener, Wetton, and Gill, 2 and 4, Queen-street, Ipswich, and West Ham-lane, London ; Lyon, 32, Windmill-street, Finsbury, London ; Prince, Cher- ville-street, Romsey, Hants ; Dufiield, 23 and 60, WiUiam- street, Regent's-park, London ; Kerr, 56, Henry-street, Dublin ; Muggleton, 4, Apsley-terrace, South Norwood, Surrey ; Jacq[uet, 26, Charlotte-street, Portland-place, Lon- don ; Taylor, Windsor ; Smith, 309, Regent-street, London ; Proskaner, 309, Regent-street, London ; Main and Co., 62, Leanenbali-street, London ; Windover, 32 and 33, Long Acre, London ; Day, Son, and Hewitt, 22, Dorset-street, Baker- street, London ; Margrett Brothers, Kiug's-road, Reading ; Van Stan, Fort Parade, Margate, Kent ; Bradford and Co., 63, Fleet-street, London, and Manchester ; Henry Gold, New Windsor, Berkshire ; Belcher, Gee, and Co., Gloucester ; Wheeler, Basingstoke ; Carpenter, Staines, Middlesex ; Ford and Co., Gloucester ; Silvester, 80, Hatton-road, Canonbury- square, London ; Herbert, 66 and 67, High-street, Eton, Windsor ; Good and Brag, 10, Thames-street, Windsor ; Col- thurst, Symons, and Co., Bridgwater, Somersetshire ; Neigh- bour and Sons, 149, Regent-street, and 127, High Holborn, London; Sutton and Sons, Reading; Carter, Dimnett, and Beale, 237, High Holborn, London ; Kearsley, Ripon, York Tytherleigh, 10 and 11, Upper Weymouth-street, London Edgington, 2, Duke-street, London-bridge ; Sawney, Beverley, York ; Samuelson and Co., Banbury, Oson ; Watson, Ando ver, Hants ; Richardson and Co., Ray Park, Maidenhead Brigham and Co., Berwick-upon-Tweed ; Hodgetts and Son Moreton-in- Marsh; Townsend, Wimbish, Saffron Walden Berridge and Son, Windsor ; BeU and Co., 490, Oxford-street London; Cook, High-street, Reading; Stafford, Godalming GuUdford, Surrey; Hill and Co., York; Beard, 63, High street, Eton, Berks ; Matthews, Weston-Super-Mare, Somer set ; Voice, Handcross, Crawley, Sussex ; Dennis and Company, Chelmsford, Essex; Edgington and Co., 48, Long-lane, Smith field, London ; Major, Bridgwater, Somerset ; Tuck, Bath Somerset ; Dennis, 19, High Holborn, London. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES.— Sheep : H. Fooks, Whitchurch, Blandford ; E. Olding, Salisbury; H. Bone, Ring-wood. Cattle : A. Crad- dock, Lamborne, Berks ; W. Champion, Reading ; G, Game, Chipping Norton. Horses : C. B. Smith, Wickham, Hants ; W. Wheatley, Reading ; J. B. Spearing, Woking- ham. Pigs : S. Druce, Eynsham ; J. White, Broad Oak ; J. Smith, Uenley-in-Arden. Poultky : J. Bailey, Mount- street, London. SHEEP. HAMPSHIRE OR WEST COUHTRY DOWNS. Shearling ram. — First prize, J . Lawrence, Bullbridge ; second, R. Coles, Middleton ; third, J. Lawrence. Ram of any age. — First prize, W. F. Bennett, Chilmark ; second and third, J. Rawlence. Shearhng ewes. — First prize, J. Rawlence ; second, W. E. Fitt, Littleton, Winchester. Shearling ewes. — First prize, R. Coles ; second, W. Newton, Preston Crowmarsh ; third, J. A. and T. Palmer, Cliddes- den. Ram lamb. — First and second prizes, J. Rawlence. Pen of ram lambs. — First prize, J. Moore, Littlecot ; second, A. Budd, Overton ; third, W. Nowton. Pen of ewe lambs. — First prize, J. Barton, Basingstoke ; second, T. Moore, Basingstoke ; third, J. A. and T. Palmer. Ewes of any age. — First prize, J. Barton , second, J. A. and T. Palmer. Commended : A. Budd. SOUTHDOWNS. Shearling ram. — First prize. Prince of Wales ; second, H. H. Penfold, Selsey ; third, J, A. and E. Heasman, Angmeriug. Highly commended : Earl Portsmouth. Commended : H. Gorringe, Ashcroft ; J. A. and E. Heasman. Ram of any age. — lirst prize, H. H. Penfold, Selsey ; second and third, H, Gorringe. Highly commended : H. H. Penfold. Pen of shearling ewes. — First prize. Prince of Wales ; second, H. Gorringe. Highly commended : W. Taylor, Glynley. OXFORDSHIRE DOWNS. Shearhng rams. — First and second prizes, A. F. M. Druce, Eynsham. Highly commended: J. TreadweU, Aylesbury. Commended : G. Wallis, Old Shifford ; J. Treadwell. Ram. — First prize, G. Wallis ; second, J. Treadwell. Com- mended: A. F. M. Druce; J. TreadweU. Pen of shearhng ewes. — First prize, A. F. M. Druce ; second, C. A. Barnes, Charleywood. SHROPSHIRE DOWNS. Shearling ram. — First and second prizes, Lord Chesham, Latimer. Pen of shearling ewes. — First prize. Lord Chesham ; second, W. Baker, Moor Barnes. COTSWOLDS. Shearling ram.—- First and second prizes, the executors of Mr. T. GiUett, Kilkenny, Faringdou, Oxon. Highly com- mended : H. Howell, Cirencester. Commended : Cirencester College. Ram of any age. — First and second prizes, the executors of Mr. T. Gillett. Highly commended : J. Wheeler and Sons, Long Compton. Commended : T. B. Brown, Salperton Park. Pen of five shearling ewes.— Prize, H, Howell. Highly commended : T. Little, Morcote. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 117 SOMERSET AND DORSET HOKNED, Ram of any age. — Prize, H. Mayo, Cokers Frome. Pen of five shearling ewes. — Prize, H. Mayo. CROSS-BREDS. Pen of five ram lambs. — First prize, Mrs. Clift, Sherborne ; second, F. Battcark, Hemington, St. Ives. Highly com- mended : F. Battcark. Pen of five ewe lambs. — First prize, Mrs. Clift ; second, F. Battcark. Commended : F. Battcark. HORSES. CART HORSES. StalHon, foaled before the year 1870. — First prize, J. Butler, Sherfield Court ; second, G. Elliott, Laverstoke Grange. Stallion, foaled in 1870. — First prize, F. Battcark, Hemingford ; second, G. Botham, Wexham Court ; third, E. and A. Stanford, Eatons. Mare and foal. — First prize, G. AUen, Old Windsor ; second, R. Roberts, Iver, Bucks. Gelding or filly, foaled in 1869. — First prize, Marquis of Ailesbury, Savernake ; second, W. Stanford, Steyning. Gelding or filly, foaled in 1870. — First prize, E. and A. Stanford ; second, S. Davis, Woolas Hill, Pershore. Colt, foaled in 1871.— Prize, A. Waterer, Woking. Brood mare. — Prize, S. Davis. Gelding. — Prize, S. Davis. THOROUGHBREDS. Stallion of any age — Prize, G. Tramper, Horton, Bucks. HUNTERS, Mare or gelding of any age. — First prize, J. Barton, Basingstoke ; second, H. Howell, Cirencester. Highly com- mended : G. Elliott, Micheldever. HACKS. Mare or gelding, not exceeding 15 hands high, and calcu- lated to carry 12 stone. — First prize, P. A. Walker, Slough ; secondjj J. Moore, Pewsey. Commended : C. Willoughby, Wantage. PONIES. Mare or gelding, not exceeding 14 hands high. — First prize, J. Anderson, Staines; second, W. Perkins, Southampton. Highly commended: E. and A. Stanford, Steyning. Com- mended : J. Graham, llortou. Mare or gelding, not exceeding 1 3 hands high. — First prize. Lord Rendlesham ; second, G. Shackel, Reading. Highly commended : C. Cornwell, Windsor. Extra prize, T. C. Moore, Slough. CATTLE. SHORTHORNS. Bull. — First prize, Lieut.-Colonel Loyd Lindsay, Wantage; second, J. Blytlie, Woolhampton. Bull, above two years and under three years on the 21st of June. — First prize, J. A. Mumford, Thame ; second, C. A. Barnes, Rickmansworth. Bull, above one year and under two years of age. — First prize, Lieut.-Col. Loyd Lindsay ; second, W. H. Dunn, Hun- gerford. Bull-calf, not exceeding twelve months old. — First prize, S. S. Dickers, Tetsworth ; second, J. K. Fowler, Aylesbury. Cow in calf, or if in milk having had a calf within six months next preceding the 21st of June. — First prize, C. A. Barnes, Rickmansworth; second, 0. Viveash, Swindon. Heifer in milk or in calf, under three years of age. — I'irst prize, C. Charlwood, Reading ; second, J. WaUer, M.P., Wokingham. Heifer, above one year and under two years of age. — First prize, W. Nicholson, Alton ; second, O. Viveash, Swindon. Cow-calf, above six months and not exceeding twelve months old. — First prize, C. A. Barnes ; second, S. S. Dickers. HEREFORDS. Bull of any age. — First prize, Her Majesty the Queen ; second, J. Turvil, Alton. Cow in calf, or if in milk having had a calf within six months of the 21st of June. — First prize. Her Majesty the Queen. DEVONS. Bull of any age. — First prize, Her Majesty the Queen; second, J. W. Biel, Southampton. Bull under three years of age.— First prize, T. L. Senior, Aylesbury ; second. Her Majesty the Queen. Cow in calf, or if in milk having had a calf within six months of the 21st of June. — First prize, W. Taylor, West- liam ; second, T. L. Senior, Aylesbury. Heifer under three years of age.— First prize, T. L. Senior, second, W. Taylor. SUSSEX. Bull of any age. — Prize, E. and A. Stanford, Steyning. CHANNEL ISLANDS. Bull of any age. — First prize. Her Majesty Die Queen ; second, H. Drewett, Titchfield. Commended : G. Simpson Reigate. Cow in calf, or if in milk, having had a calf witliin six mouths of the 21st of June. — First prize, H. Drewett ; second. Lord Bolton, Basingstoke. Highly commended : G. Simpson, Reigate ; W. Gilbey, Stansteatl. Heifer, not exceeding two-and-a-half years of age on the 21st of June. — First and second prize, G. Simpson, and also commended for another. PIGS. BERKS HIRES. Boar of any age. — I'irst prize, Cirencester College ; second, H. Humfrey, Shrivenham. Boar under twelve months old on the 21st June. — First prize, Cirencester College ; second, H. Humfrey. Breeding Sow of any age. — First prize. Marquis of Ailes- bury ; second, Cirencester College. Sows under nine months old, on the 21st of June. — First prize, Cirencester College ; second, Major J. E. Riley, Winkfield. LARGE BREED (NOT BEING BERKSHIRE). Boar of any age. — Prize, R. E. Duckering and Sons, Kirton Lindsay. Breeding sow of any age. — Prize, R. E. Duckering anJ Sons. Commended : J. Wheeler and Sons, Shipston-on-Stour. SMALL BREED (NOT BEING BERKSHIRE). Boar over twelve months old on the 21st June. — First prize, R. E. Duckering and Sons ; second, J. Wheeler and Sons. Boar under twelve months old on the 21st June.— First prize, R. E. Duckering and Sons ; second, Lord Rendlesham. Highly commended : J . Wheeler and Sons. Breeding sow of any age. — First prize, R. E. Duckering and Sons ; second. Her Majesty the Queen, Highly com- mended : J. Wheeler and Sons. Sows under nine months old on the 21st June. — First prize, R. R. Duckering and Sons ; second, J. Wheeler and Sons ; third. Lord Rendlesham. EXTRA STOCK. Highly commended : A. C. Sayers, Botley ; J. H. Clarke, Castle Hill, Maidenhead ; R. Coles, Warminster. Com- mended: H. E. Rainbird, Basingstoke; J. W. Brown, Swindon. THE DINNER. The Chairman, Lord Bridport, said Her Majesty was perhaps one of the largest occupiers of land in this kingdom. She retained all those farms that belonged to the Prince Con- sort, who was beloved and endeared by the agriculturists of this country. Her Majesty that morning on going round the show expressed her satisfaction and interest, and said she was much pleased and surprised at the excellent ar- rangements of the show. She was moreover much pleased that afternoon to hear that she had been a successful exhibitor on that occasion, having gained several first prizes in the Here- ford, Devon, and Alderney classes. Moreover, he thought this Society was very much inaebted to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales for having sent some excellent specimens of Southdown sheep from Norfolk, for two pens of which he had obtained first prizes. He might mention a little anecdote with regard to those prizes. Mr. Fookes, who was the judge of Southdown sheep, informed him that morning that he had been acting as judge at Lynn, and he therefore hesitated to take part as judge and pronounce a decision. Therefore he stood aside and allowed his two brother judges to decide whe- ther his Royal Highness should have a prize or not, and they were unanimously of opinion that the Prince was entitled to a prize. He communicated that fact to his Royal Highness 118 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. at Windsor Castle that afternoon, and he replied " Quite right too ; it is just what he should iiave done." Mr. J. Wai.ter, M.P., said tliat, with regard to the illustrious assembly of whicli he had the honour to be a mem- ber, he would only say that they were extremely indebted to the agricultural classes for the little trouble which they gave. They certainly did not give them the same share of trouble which they received from other classes of the com- munity. It was some years now since they heard anything of the Malt-tax. He did not think they liad heard much of the Game-laws tliis session of Parliament ; and all those circum- stances proved that the agricultural classes were contented, and that they were aware tiiey were doing well (laugh- ter). He held these expressions of merriment as a confirma- tion of the remark he just now made (renewed laughter and cries of" No, no"). He was sorry to hear a few dissentient voices, but he could assure them of this serious fact, that they might depend upon it that just in proportion as classes had reason to know that they were doing well, and were well go- verned, just exactly in proportion would they abstain from coming to Parliament. If tlie great majority of the farmers of England at this moment were invited by Parliament to say what it could do for them, their reply would be that given by the cynic Diogenes — " Nothing ; get out of my sunshine." Mr. ScLATER Booth could not admit that agriculturists were in a state of prosperity, for that was an admission that no British farmer ever would make (roars of laughter). With regard to the Malt-tax, he would say that the British farmer was a practical man, and knew that there were occasions on which to agitate and occasions when it was better to be silent. A powerful organisation had been at work, and at the proper time the matter would be brought forward again. The grievance rankled, and on a future occasion would be found as fresh as ever. THE DONCASTER AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT DONCASTER. At the first show of this newly-established Society, of the entries, 355 were horses, lOi cattle, 65 sheep, 61 pigs. In the class for bulls of any age, Mr. Linton's Lord Irwin was of course the most dangerous rival ; and the next best ia the class, in the judges' estimation, was Mr. Mann's red and white Iron Duke. In the class of bulls be- tween two and three years old, the Thome prize-taker, Wel- lington, succeeded not only again in defeating Mr. Mann's re- presentative, but Mr. Brierley's two. It is no little praise to Iron Duke that, while he was second to such an animal as Lord Irwin, his produce should have obtained such unprece- dented success. In the younger bulls Mr. Watson's Pioneer j well deserved his position, and is likely to be heard of again at the local gatherings. Of cows and heifers there were many highly commendable animals, such as Mr. Foljambe's Concert, Mr. Statter's Lady Ann, and Mr. W. Teunanl's Parting Rose. The piece of plate, valued at £20, for the best Shorthorn beast in the yard, excited more than ordinary interest. All the first-prize winners were brought to the ring, and these were gradually reduced to two — Mr. Linton's bull Lord Irwin, and Mr. Statter's two-and-a-half year old heifer. Lady Ann. The prize was at length awarded to the white bull. The ex- hibition of Alderney cattle was so good that the judges highly commended it. Of the 65 entries of sheep the long-wools predominated, there only being 13 in the short-woolled classes. Amongst the entries were the two cup winners at Thorne, but Mr. Hutchinson, of Catterick, carried almost all before him. In a capital show of shearling rams he took otf all three prizes ; and in the rams of any age no other exhibitor could get nearer to him than high commendation. In the long-wool shearling gimmers, which were said to be the best lot of sheep on the ground, Mr. Hutchinson was not so fortunate. In this class gentlemen from Lincolnshire took all the prizes ; Mr. Byron, besides the pen winning the £10, hav- ing five other sheep whicli were voted very good. Mr. Craw- shaw's silver cup was taken by Mr. Turner, of Armthorpe, the competing pen being nothing near so good. The short-woolled sheep were not numerous, nor, with one or two exceptions, were they so commendable as the long-woolled. The agricul- tural horses were good, especially the three-year-olds, every one of which received commendation from the judges. In this class Farmer, belonging to Mr. Woolhouse, of Lincoln, succeeded in defeating Mr. G. Wood's filly by Young Action, the cup win- ner at Thorne. The iirst prize for the horse or mare, used ex- clusively for agriculture, was taken by Mr. R. C. Workman, of Almholme, as also Mr. Skelsey's silver cup for the best pair of light dray or van horses. Mr. Workman's success, however, did not even stop here, for he also took the silver cup given by Messrs. J. C. and T. Yates. The roadsters were also a superior lot. The judging of the five-year-olds excited considerable attention, and ultimately the award of the £50 went to Landmark, the horse who took the first prize at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, while during the present show Mr. Jewisou has sold him to Mr. James Hall, of Scarbro', for £500. Mr. Jewison is still to be allowed to retain Landmark for the season for exhibition, and the prizes he may receive are to be divided between his recent and his present owner. Mr. Harvey Bayly's well-known Borderer won in the all-aged class ; and in some of the others the horses shown were exceedingly good. The pigs included 61 entries, with the white breeds, here, of course the best. The exhibitors of implements were Whiteley, Doncaster ; Snowdeu, Doncaster; Driffield Linseed Cake Company; Stephenson, Scaftworth ; Stephenson, Doncaster and Bawtry ; Farr, Doncaster; Crossley, Doncaster; G. Smith and Son, Doncaster ; W. S. Smith and Son, Doncaster ; Burke and Co., Doncaster ; Bushell, York ; Sanderson, Thorne ; Little- wood, Stanley-lane, Sheffield ; Hurst, Doncaster ; Cooke, Lincoln ; Moore, Tickliill ; Harrison, Lincoln ; Hoyle, Baw- try ; Smith, Foston ; Rimington and Co., Newcastle-on-Tyue ; Foster and Smurthwaite, Pocklington ; Wade, Hornsea ; Wads worth, Doncaster ; Howard, Oldcoates ; Piatt s, Doncas- ter ; Edlington, Gainsborough ; Bramworth, Hanson, Hopper, Say nor, Doncaster ; Myers, York ; Pearson, Gainsborough ; Vickers and Son ; and Plant and Co., Doncaster. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES.— Cattle: W. Sanday, Ratcliffe-on-Trent ; J. Sin- gleton, Givendale, Pocklington ; H. Dudding, Panton House, Wragby. Sheep : G Leighton, Osgodby, Scarborougii ; G. Smart, Woodhouse Grange, Aberford; R. Woods, Os- berton, Worksop. Horses (Hunters) : J. E. Bennett, Husbands Bosworth, Rugby ; W. Godson, Normbanby-by- Stowe; E. Paddison, Ingleby. Horses (Agricultural): G. Angus, Beeford, Hull; G. Robson, Shires House, Easingwold. Wool : T. Clayton, Stanley House, Ripley. SHORTHORNS. Bulls, any age above three years old. — First prize, W. Lin- ton, Sheriff Ilutton, York; second, G. Mann, Scausby Hall. Highly commended : J. H. Sunderland, Billingley. Bulls above two and not exceeding three years old. — First prize, W. Dyson, Tinsley, Rotherhara ; second, C. W.Brierley, Rhodes House, Middleton, Manchester; third, G. Mann. Highly commended : Capt. Tennant, Scarcroft Lodge, Leeds. Commended : F. J. S. Foljambe, M.P., Osberton Hall. Bulls above one and not exceeding two years old. — First prize, T. Frank, Fylingdales, Whitby ; second, W. Linton ; third, J. F. AVatson, Crowle Wharf. Highly commended : G. Mann. Commended : S. Wiley, Bandsby, Easingwold, and G. Atkinson, Hall Farm, Seaham. Bull calves above five and not exceeding twelve months old.— First prize, J. D. Ellis, Thurscoue Hall ; second, Major Stapylton, Myton, Helperby, York. ' Cows of any age, above three years old, in calf or milk. — THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 119 First prize, F. J. S. Foljambe, M.P. ; second. Major Stapylton. Highly commended : T. Statter, jun.. Stand Hall, Wliitefield, Manchester. Commended : G. Mann, and T, H. Hutchinson, Manor House, Catterick. Heifers, not exceeding three years old, in ciilf or milk. — First prize, T. Statter, jun. ; second, F. J. S. Foljambe, M.P. Highly commended : T. Statter, juu. Commended: J. Gool- den. Clay House Hall, Altringhara ; S. Wiley, Brandsby ; E. Sayles, Ecclesiield : and H. F. Smith, Lamwath House, Sutton, Hull. Heifers not exceeding two years old. — First prize, W. Ten- uant. White House, Barlow, Selby ; second, T. H. Hutchin- son. Commended: F. J. S. Foljambe ; T. Statter, jun. ; and Capt. Tennaut. Heifer calves above five and ni^t exceeding twelve months old. — F'irst prize, J. T. Kobin.,^!, Leckby Palace, Asenby, Thirsk ; second, T. Statter, jun. Highly commended : F. J . S. Foljambe. Commended : F. W. Park, Grove, Retford. Alderuey, Jersey, or Guernsey cows or heifers, in calf or milk. — First and second prizes, J. Brown, Rossiugton Hall. Highly commended : Major Stapylton. — The class generally commended. jEo 53. (in addition to any other prize by the Society), for the best Shorthorn heifer iu calf or milk, which previous to the day of entry (June 6th) had never obtained a prize of £3 or upwards. — Prize, J. Goolden. £20, for the best Shorthorn in the show.— Prize, W. Liutou (Lord Irwin). SHEEP. LONGWOOLS. Shearling rams. — First, second, and third prizes, T. H. Hutchinson. Ram of any age. — First and second prizes, T. H. Hutchinson. Highly commended : R. Wright, Noeton Heath, Lincoln. Pen of five shearling gimraers. — First prize, J. Byron, Kirkby Green, Sleaford; second, R. N. Morhy, Leadenham, Grantham; third, R, Wriglit. Highly commended: T. H. Hutchinson. £3 5s., for the best pen of five shearling wethers, shorn not earlier than the 1st of April, 1873. — Prize, F. T. Turner, Armthorpe. Pen of five ewes that have suckled lambs up to the time of the show. — First prize, T. H. Hutchinson ; second, W. Roe, North Scarle Field, Newark. Highly commended : R. C. Workman, Almholme. SHORTWOOLS. Sliearling ram. — First prize, S. Ashton, Manor Farm, Tim- perley ; second, W. Baker, Moor Barns, near Atherstone. Ram of any age. — First prize, S. Ashton ; second, W. Baker. Pen of five ewes that have suckled their lambs up to the time of the show. — First and second prizes, W. Baker. Highly commended : J. Brown, Rossington Hall. HORSES. AGRICULTURAL. StaUion for getting agricultural horses. — First prize, J. Forshaw, Burley in Wharfedale, Leeds ; second, J. Edrainson, Burnley, Lancashire. Commended : B. Law, Standi. Brood mare for breeding agricultural horses, with foal sucking. — First prize, C. Lister, Coleby Lodge, Lincoln ; second, W. Banks, Babthorpe, Ilowdon. Commended : R. C. Workman, Almholme ; C. Carton, Wistow Lordship, Selby ; C. Marsden, Ash Hill, Hatfield ; T. Statter, jun. Three years old agricultural gelding or filly. — First prize, G. Woolhouse, Noeton Grange, Lincoln ; second, G. Wood, Hayfields. Highly commended : G. Woolhouse. Commended : J. Baddiley, South Kirkby, near Pontefract ; R. C. Workman, Almholme; F. Turner; T. Duckett, Bentley ; T. Turner, jun., Aldwark, RoHierham; W. Bramley, Amcotts. Two years old agricaltural gelding or filly. — First prize, 0. Burton ; second, W. Brocktou, Tudwortli Green, Hatfield. Commended : J. Baddiley ; I\ T. Turner. Yearling agricultural colt or filly. — First prize, W. Toder, West Burton, Retford ; second, J. Hudson, Kirk Sandail. Commended : S. Barker, Marr. Pair of draught horses, used exclusively for agricultural purposes. — First prize, C. W. Brierley, Rhodes House, Middle- ton, Manchester ; second, T, Statter. Commended ; S, Barker ; W> Bramley. Horse or mare used exclusively for agricultural purposes.— First prize, 11. C. Workman ; second, C. W. Brierley. Dray horse or mare, any age. — F'irst prize, C. W. Brierley ; second. The Corporation of Uoncaster. Pair of light diay or van horses. — First prize, £5 us., R. C, Workman ; second, W. B. Tate, Rossington. Pair of horses for agricultural purposes, any age or sex. — Prize, £5 5s., R. C. Workman. Colt or filly under three years old, by Warwick. — Prize, £5 53., J. B. Whitaker, Hesley Hall, Tickhill. Commended : W. Stephenson, Holly House, Scaftworth, Bawtry. ROADSTERS. Stallion for getting roadsters. — First prize, H. R. W. Hart, Dunuington Lodge ; second, J. Watkins, Newland, Epworth. Brood mare for breeding roadsters, with foal sucking. — First prize, T. Shearman, Warmsworth ; second, T. Harrison, Wheldrake, York. Commended : T. E. Morrell, Hellaby Hall, Rotherham. Three years old roadster, gelding, or ftUy. — First prize, T. Hall, Burton Agnes, Hull ; second, J. F. Crowther, Knowl Grove, Mirfield. Hackney or roadster, any age or sex, equal to carry 13 stone, nof exceeding 15 hands 2 inches high. — First prize, £10 and a silver cup, T. E. Morrell, Hellaby Hall, Rother- ham (Miss Polly) ; second, £5, Major Stapylton, Myton, Helperby, York. Commended : T. Clarksou, Melbourne- street, Leeds, and P. Horusby, Barrovvby Cottage, Grautiiara. Three years old coaching gelding or filly. — First and second prizes, J. Johnson, Brigham, Drirtield. Pony above 13 hands, and not exceeding 1-i hands high. — First prize, J. M. Blackliouse, AVistow, Selby ; second, J. H. Barton, Stapletou Park, Pontefract. Pony not exceeding 12 hands high. — First piize, F. Mosey, Leeds ; second, Colonel J. D. Astley, Elsham Hall, Brigg. Commended : J. Elwis, Doncaster ; W. J. Hoggard, Tickhill. Mare or gelding 14 hands or upwards, any age, to be shown driven in single harness, action to be taken into consideration. — First prize, J. Dickenson, Greenheys' Mews, Manchester (Duchess) ; second, J. R. Deuuison, Minsthorp, Pontefract. Pony, any age or sex, under 14i hands, to be shown in single harness, action to be taken into consideration. — First prize, F. Clater, Awkley, East Retford ; second, W. Bramley, Amcotts, Doncaster. Commended: W.White, West Villa, Doncaster. HUNTERS. Stallion for getting weight-carrying hunters. — First prize, W. T. Sharp, Baumber, Horncastle ; second, W. Johnson, Goole Fields, Goole. Commended : W. Axe, IDoncaster. Brood mare for breeding hunters, with foal sucking. — First prize, W. Tindall, Ashfield House, Lincoln ; second, J. T. Robinson, Leckby Palace, Asenby. Commended : Major Stapylton. Hunting gelding or mare, six years old and upwards, sub- stance and breeding to be taken into consideration. — Silver cup value £35, and the Society's prize of £25, T. H. D. Bayly, Edwinstowe House, Ollerton (Borderer) ; second, E. Hornby, Flotmanby, Ganton, York (For'ard). Five years old hunting gelding or mare, qualified to carry thirteen stones and upwards. — First prize, H. Jewison, Rais- tliorpe, York ; second, W. Mundy, jun., Wrawby, Brigg ; third, 15. Hornby, Flotmanby, Ganton, York. Commended : T. H. Newton, Oldfield, Cheshire. Four years old hunting gelding or filly. — First prize, T. Darrell, West Ayton, Brompton, York ; second, T. H. New- ton. Highly commended : W. Armstrong, Watts Fields, Keudal. Three years old hunting gelding or filly. — First prize, J. M. i'attersall Musgrave, Beverley ; second, J. Everatt, Laughtou, Gainsborough. Two years old hunting gelding or filly. — First prize, R. Cadman, Broughtou, Malton ; second, J. Byron, Kirkby Green, Sleaford. Commended : J. T. Robinson, Leckby Palace, Asanby, Thirsk. PIGS. Boar, large breed. — First prize, J. Garbutt, South Cave, East Riding; second, P. Eden, Cross-lane, Salford. Sow, large breed, in pig or milk. — First prize, P. Eden ; second, C. R, W. B. Royds, Pykehouse, Littleborongli, Man- chester. Boar, small breed. — First prize, P, Eden ; second, C. R, N, B. Royds. 120 THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. Sow, small breed, in pig or milk.— Ji'irst prize, P. Eden ; second, C. R. N. B. Royds, Boar, large breed, not exceeding 13 months old. — First prize, R. E. Duckering, Northorpe, Kirton Lindsey ; second, P. Eden. Sow, large breed, not exceeding twelve months old. — First prize, J. Garbutt, jun.. South Cave, Brough ; second, P. Eden. Boar, small breed, not exceeding twelve months old. — First prize, P. Eden ; second, C. R. N, B. Royds. Highly com- mended : R. E. Duckering. Sow, small breed, not exceeding twelve months old. — First and second prizes, P. Eden. Highly commended : J. Rudd, Horton, Bradford; T. Parkinson, Doncaster ; W. B. Tate, Rossington ; T. Kirk, Doncaster ; and R. E. Duckering. Three store pigs of any breed, the same litter. — First prize, R. Sellars, Boston Park, near Doncaster; second, T. Par- kinson. Cottager's pig, not exceeding twelve months old. — First prize, W. Mitchell, Balby ; second, T. Gore, Doncaster. WOOL. Five fleeces of wool grown by the exhibitor. — First and second prizes, M. Thomlinson, Cowthorpe, Wetherby ; third, G. Wood, Hayfield, near Doncaster, Highly commended : F. T. Turner, Armthorpe. OAMBRIDGESHIEE AND ISLE OF ELY AGEICULTUEAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT CAMBRIDGE. There was a very middling display of cattle, both as to numbers and quality. People either had the foot-and- mouth among their animals, or were afraid of getting it at the show, and very many entries, therefore, did not put in an appearance. In several classes therewas, perhaps, only one animal for two prizes, in others two, as altogether the competition was very small. Had it not been for the entries of Messrs. How and Game, the Shorthorns of Cambridgeshire would have made a poor impression upon strangers. Mr. Game seems to be making a tour of the provinces, and his " flashy" bull won easily in the open class, as some judges think he will be a formidable competitor, with another year to furnish. Mr, Game's white cow. Princess Alexandra, had to play second to Mr. How's massive, deep-fleshed, well-formed heifer Verona, a first-prize winner at Lynn, and who should be well up at Cardifi". The show of sheep was not very remarkable for merit, the majority of the entries being very middling animals. Of horses for agricultural purposes there were no fewer than 160 entries, and the classes were pretty generally well filled. Of riding and coaching horses, there was a capital display. The judges gave the blue ribbon to Bolero by Cellarius, the property of Mr. H. Thurnall, of Roystou. The same horse was declared to be the best hunter out of sixteen entered, which decision entitled its owner to the £20 prize; and he was also awarded Lord Royston's twelve-guinea cup for the best saddle-horse in the yard exceeding 13 bauds high. Mr. Purser has objected to Bolero, on the ground of his not being a hunter ! Eighteen animals weie gazetted as hackneys, and the in-ize went to a four-year-old by Performer, sent by Mr. W. Jones, of Kingsland, while the red ribbon was at- tached to Mr. r. Reynolds' roan mare, who has taken nine prizes at different shows. None other than Eastern Princess, the dam of the celebrated Prince Charlie, with foal at foot, won the special prize given for the best mare calculated to breed weight-carrying hunters. The followiug is a list of the exhibitors of implements : Beales and Co., Cambridge ; Ward and Silver, Suffolk ; Headly and Son, Cambridge ; Wilkinson and Son, Ely ; Baker, King's Lynn ; Innes, Royston ; Maynard, Whittles- ford ; Cutlack, Ely ; Savage, King's Lynn ; Woods, Cocksedge, and Warner, Stowmarket; Wright, Aiford ; Coultas, Gran- tham ; Kemp, Cambridge!; Stafford, Wansford ; Hills, Sudbury ; Wilkerson, jun., Bassingbourn ; Edwards, Fordham ; Baxter and Lutterer, Cambridge; Hope, Wellingborough; Cooper and Co., Chatteris ; Day, Son, and Hewitt, London ; Ballard, Cambridge ; Winship, Cambridge ; Hunnybun and Son, Cam- bridge; Vinsen, Cambridge; Harper, Cambridge; Crawley and Co., Cambridge ; Summers and Son, Cambridge ; Rouse, Wisbech ; Burton, Cambridge ; Taylor, Duxford ; Smyth and Son, Peasenhall ; Tipper, Birmingham ; Chater, Cambridge ; Hilton and Co., London 5 Burrell, Thetford. The arrangements were good, and the show was on a beautiful site. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES.— Cart Horses: J. Cox, Hill-end, Sandridge, Herts ; J. Manning, Orlingbury, Wellingborough. Na.g Horses : G. Higgins, Castle Close, Bedford ; "H. D. Boul- ton, Putnoe, Beds. Cattle : W. Torr, Aylesby, Grimsby ; C. Howard, Biddenham, Beds. Long-woolled Sheep, Pigs, and Wool : J. H. Casswell, Laughton, Folkingham ; T. W. Marshall, Branston, Lincoln. Short-WOOLLED AND Cross-bred Sheep and Wool : R. J. Newton, Campsfield, Woodstock; J. Turner, Chynton, Seaford. Implements: J.Martin, Littleport; H. Long, jun., Ely. Butter and Cheese : T. Nichols, Cambridge. HORSES. FOE AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES. Stallion.— First prize, £10, W. May ; second, £5, D. Camps. Two-year-old colt. — First prize, £5, R. Hopper ; second, £3, H. Lambert. Cart mare, not under four years old. — First prize, £5, and second, £3, H. R. Ekins. Mare and foal. — First prize, £5, E. Crowe ; second, £3, T. Gunnel!. Two-year-old cart gelding. — First prize, £4, T. and S. Fison; second, £2, T. Reynolds. Two-year-old filly. — First prize, £4^, E. Crowe ; second, £3, H. Purser. Plough team. — First prize, £6, J. Linton ; second, £3, J. Crisp. Plough team adapted for heavy land. — Prize, £5, J. Linton. Plough team adapted for light land. — Prize, £5, H. R. Ekins. Mare and foal, the sire of foal being a winner of the Trea- surer's Cup. — Prize, 13 gs.,E. Crowe. Foal, the sire being a winner of the Treasurer's Cup. — Prize, £5, T. Gunnell. Pair or team of cart mares or geldings. — Prize, £10, J. Linton. Three-year-old colt, gelding, or filly. — First prize, £5 ; second, £3, S. G. Jonas> Yearling colt, gelding, or filly. — First prize, £5, W. Nix, jun. ; second, £3, D. Camps. Foal. — First prize, £4, T. Gunnell ; second, £3, J. Linton. Entire horse. — Prize, a cup, value £20, R. Hopper. riding and coaching horses. Stallion, to get weight-carrying liunters. — First prize, £10, T. Smith ; second, £5, H. Dench. Hackney stallion. — First prize, £10, W, Flanders ; second, £5, B. Mitchell. Mare or gelding, under five years old, adapted for hunting purposes. — First prize, £5, H. Thurnall; second, £3, G. S. Hall. Hackney mare or gelding. — First prize, £5, H, Jones ; second, £3, b', Reynolds. Mare, calculated to breed weight-carrying hunters, and foal. —First prize, £10, and second, £5, H, Jones, THE FAEMBR'S MAGAZINE. 121 Mare, calculated to breed hackneys, with foal at foot. — First prize, £5, and second, £3, T. Smith. Cob, mare, or gelding, not exceeding li hands 2 inches high.— First prize, £5, F. Reynolds; second, £3, W. D. Brown. Hackney mare or gelding, under four years old — First prize, £5, G. K. Ambrose ; second, £3, E. Arnold. Hunter (open to all England).— Prize, £30, H. Thurnall. Saddle horse, exceeding 13 liands high, — Prize, u cup value £12 123., H. Thurnall. Brood mare, calculated to breed weight-carrying hunters. — Prize, £10, H. Thurnall. Light-weight hunter. — First prize, D. Adams, £10 ; second, £5, G. S. Hall. Pony, mare, or gelding, not exceeding 13 hands high. — First prize, £5 H. Jones ; second, £3, W. N. Saberton. JUMPING PRIZES. Horse or raare. — First prize, £6, W. P. Brown ; second, £4., G. S. Hall ; third, £2, W. Cockerton. Pony, not exceeding 14 hands high. — First prize, £5, C. Papworth ; second, £3, R. Pate. Pony, not exceeding 13 hands high. — First prize, £3, T. Baker; second, £2, R. Moore ; third, £1, W. P. Brown. SPECIAL PRIZE. Thoroughbred stallion.— Prize, £10, T. Smith. CATTLE. Bull, exceeding two years old. — First prize, £8, J. How ; second, £1, C. Ellis. Bull, not exceeding two years old. — First prize, £8, H. Lamb ; second, £4, J. Linton. Ball, not exceeding one year old. — First prize, £6, J. How ; second, £3, C. Ellis. Cow, in calf or in milk. — First prize, £6, J.Morton; se- cond, £3, H. Thurnall. Heifer, not exceeding three years old, in calf or in milk.— First prize, £6, J. How ; second, £3, F. W. Lilley. Heifer, not exceeding two years old. — First prize, £i, C. Daintree ; second, £2, T. Banyard. Heifer, not exceeding one year old. — First prize, £4<, J. How ; second, £2, T. Banyard. Cow, in calf or in milk, not eligible to be entered in the Herd-book. — First prize, £8, J. Morton ; second, £4, F. Street. Heifer, not exceeding two years, not eligible to be entered in the Herd-book. — First prize, £5, C. Daintree ; second, £3, J. F. Thoday, Alderney or Guernsey cow or heifer. — First prize, £4, H. Thurnall ; second, T. Rush. Fat steer or heifer. — Prize, £4, S. Wilson, Pair of grazing steers, not exceeding two years old. — Prize, £5, N. G. Hutchinson. Shorthorn bull, exceeding two years old. — Prize, £20, G. Game. Shorthorn bull, not exceeding two years old. — Prize, £10, H. Lamb. Cow or heifer for breeding purposes. — Prize, £10, J. How. Pair of fat bullocks. — Prize, a cup, value £5 Ss., J. Linton. BuU, cow, and offspring. — Prize, £10, J. Morton. SHEEP. Shearling Leicester or Lincoln ram. — First prize, £5, T. Gunnell; second, £3, T. Gunnell. Pen of five Leicester or Lincoln ram lambs. — First prize, £5, R. Sparrow ; second, £3, T. Gunnell. Pen of five Leicester or Lincoln ewes certified to have brought up a lamb this year.— -First prize, £5, P. Grain ; second, £3, F. AUwood. Pen of five shearling Leicester or Lincoln ewes. — First prize, £5, T. Gunnell ; second, £3, R. Sparrow. Pen of five Leicester or Lincoln ewe lambs. — First prize, £5, R. Sparrow ; second, £3, T. Gunnell. Shearling sbortwooUed ram. — First prize, £5, F. M. Jonas ; second, £3, Lord Dacre. Pen of five shortwoolled ram lambs. — First prize, £5, Lord Dacre ; second £3, G. Jonas. Pen of five shortwoolled ewes certified to have brought up a lamb this year. — First prize £5, G. Jonas ; second £3, Lord Dacre. Pen of five shearling shortwoolled ewes,— First prize £5, Q, Jonas ; second £3, F. M, Jonas. Pen of five shortwoolled ewe Iambs.— First prize, £5, Lord Dacre ; second £3^ G. Jonas. Pen of five cross-bred lambs. — First prize £4, W. J. Waters ; second, £2, S. G. Jonas. Pen of five sUearliug blackfaced Suffolk ewes. — First prize, £5, J. A. Oslar ; second, £3, H. Long, jun. Pen of five shearling blackfaced Suffolk ewe lambs. — First prize £4, H. Northern ; second, £2, R. M. Jary. Long-woolled ram, two-shear or upwards. — Prize, £5, C. Hales. Pen of five longwooUed fat shearlings. — Prize, £4, T. Gunnell. Pen of five shortwoolled fat shearlings. — First prize, £4, G. Cooke ; second, £2, S. Wilson. Pen of five cross-bred fat shearlings. — First prize, £4, and second, £2, T. Rush. Shearling Southdown ram. — Prize, £5 5s., F. M. Jonas. Pen ot Oxfordshire Down ewes. — Prize, £5 5s., F. Street. Pen of five Leicester ewes. — £5 5s., F. Street. PIGS. Boar, large breed. — First prize, £3, H. A. Kilham ; second, £1 10s., G. E. Daintree. Boar, small breed. — First prize, £3, H. A. Kilham; second, £1 10s., J. Dawson. Sow, in pig or suckling, large breed. — First prize, £3, F. H. Everett; second, £1 10s., H. A. Kilham. Sow, in pig or suckling, small breed.— First prize, £3, and second, £1 10s., F. H. Everett. Pen of three sow pigs, not six months old, large breed.— Prize, £3, 0. J. Jones. Pen of three saw pigs, not sis months old, small breed.— Prize, £3, H. A. Kilham. Pen of three yelts, not six months old. — Prize, £5 5s., 0. J. Jones. IMPLEMENTS. Collection of agricultural implements. — First prize, £10, Headly and Son ; second, £5, Beales and Co. WOOL. Five fleeces of Lincoln or Leicester wool. — Prize, £3, S. H, Rowley. Five fleeces of half-bred wool. — Prize, £3, J. J. Ellis. BUTTER AND CHEESE. 3 lbs. of butter made up in single pounds, the exhibitor being an owner or occupier of land. — First prize, £5, T. Gunnell ; second, £2, Lady Dacre. Cream cheese (not less than 1 lb.) — First prize, £2, A. Grounds; second, ^61, L. Carpenter. THE DINNER took place in the Town Hall, the President of the Society, Major Pemberton, in the chair. Lord George Manners, M.P., said : There was one sub- ject upon which he might wish to enlarge. He would not trouble them witJi more than one word, and that was the un- fortunate want of concert that existed between employers and employed. He would only say that he hoped that question would be approached with forbearance on both sides, and that it would be ultimately settled in a way that would be for the advantage of the country. But at tlie present time he thought the less that was said about the matter the better. The Chairman, in proposing Prosperity to the Cambridge- shire and Isle of Ely Agricultural Society, said he thought it was due to the Royal President of the Norfolk Agricultural Show to say that his Royal Highness had suggested that there should be an amalgamation of county societies. It was for them to consider the matter, for everything which came down from such a source ought be received with the greatest defe- rence. W'hetlier the amalgamation would or would not be for the good and'prosperity of the Society he was not able to say. His Royal Highness proposed the amalgamation of the Nor- folk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and Essex Societies. He would candidly :tell them that he did not think it would affect beneficially the emulation of that county. It was a matter for the farmers themselves to consider, but there were some mat- ters of detail, such for instance as the practicability of taking butter and cheese [and such like things say from Ely to 122 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. Chelmsford, aud especially in a hot summer. At the same time the matter deserved every consideratiou, coming as it did from such a source. Tliey also knew that the plan was very successfully adopted in the west and south of England, where there were large amalgamations, and it was for them to decide whether those examples should he followed. He thought it very desirable that tliey should follow the example of the Nor- folk societies, and admit ladies to the annual dinners. Professor Humphry said : We must not allow ourselves to think that the hero of song, the fine old English gentleman, helongs to the olden time only. He is still bodily present with us. Our ideal of him is still impersonated beneath many a rustic garb. He, or his equal, is to be found not only in the county hall, and in the residence of the yeoman, but also — and that very frequently — in the peasant's cottage. The position which I have, for thirty years, held in relation to this county and town has given me a large acquaintance with the agri- cultural peasant, larger perhaps than that of anyone here present. I have known him in his trials, sometimes succumbing to them, sometimes recovering from them, but commonly bearing them manfully ; and I have found that he possesses a large share of that which constitutes the essence of the character of the gentleman, namely, the reliance upon the honour, truthfulness, and good-feeling of others, springing from the fact, unrecognised by him, that those qualities are largely present in himself. Whatever changes may hangover us — and of the future we know this one thing only, that, in many re- spects, it will be unlike the present — I trust tliis feature of character may not be weakened, but that gradually improving education, with gradually increasing prosperity, may only add refinement to it. Mr. U. R. Brand, M.P., said as to the question that was agitating the employer and the labourer,' he thought it was right and proper for anyone who had the inteiest of agriculture at heart to say a word whenever he could which might lead to the promotion of a conciliatory spirit. There had been consider- able bitterness lately provoked, not merely in that county, but in various parts of England. The question of the improvement of tlie position of the labourer was not a new one (marks of dissension). He had always been of opinion tliat the agricul- tural labourer liad sometliing to complain of (No, and inter- ruption). He had four years ago given utterance to sentiments on the subject at Luton (interruption), and he had been taken to task for it. He had stated that in his opinion the labourers were the only class of persons who had not shared in the pros- perity of the country. Two years ago he had also alluded to the subject, and he stated this so that it might be seen he was not wise after tlie event (renewed marks of disapproval). He said at Hitchiu some short time ago that the agricultural labourer, as far as liis purchasing power was concerned, was not in a better position than he was 100 years ago (Oil, and shuftliug of feet). He did not make these remarks except after careful consideration (hisses and cheers). He knew it was said that if they gave increased wages to the labourers the in- crease would go to the public-house, and he felt there was some grounds for that statement, and it was for the labourers themselves to refute the statement. He did not beheve in restrictive legislation making men sober, but he firmly believed that clean and healthy homes could do much to induce the labourers to keep away from the pothouse, and there was some prospect now of the rent being forthcoming if good cottages were provided. He hoped that in time they might be able to get good cottages aud a piece of land to rent, and that it might have a good effect (interruptions). He would say that he lioped that nobody in that room would think that increasing the labourers' wages would be injurious either to the owners or occupiers of laud (Oh). He did not believe it would be inju- rious to one single owner or occupier (hisses and shuflling of feet, and other discordant noises). If it did not increase the cost of production (hisses), it could not be injurious. The rise would fall not upon the producer, but upon the general public (renewed interruptions) in the increase of prices (cheers and hisses). If there was not sufficient to carry the cost of pro- duction, the loss must fall upon the labourers themselves (hisses). lie saw his remarks were not palatable, and he was sorry, because it was a subject that he had v'ery much at heart, and felt a great deal of interest in, but if they would not hear him he could not help it (renewed interruption) . If they thought increasing the wages of the agricultural labourer would be injurious to the country, they made a very great mistake. [All the remarks of the speaker on this subject were received with strong marks of disapproval.] Mr. ToRRENS, M.P. said there was, however, one subject intimately connected with agriculture which was hardly of a political, certainly not of a party character, upon which he would say a few words. The noble lord who had recently left the room, and also the member for Hertfordshire, had already referred to the same subject. He differed from the noble lord in the opinion he had expressed, that it was expedient to avoid discussion on the question of the recent great movement amongst agricultural labourers (Oh, and interruption). On the contrary, he held it to be consistent with sound policy to look coming events fairly in the face, and in due time make such provision as might prevent inevitable changes falling in- juriously or unequally on any one class of the community (interruptions.) The movement was not confined to any one trade or business, or to any one country, but appeared to be simultaneous throughout great portions of Europe as well as in this country and the United States (increased interruption). The old relations which for so many centuries had subsisted between the agricultural labourers and their employers were doomed to change, and the question was, what new relations were to be substituted. [The disapproval of the meeting with the sentiments of the speaker was very marked.] It was too much the fashion in treating of this subject to dwell exclu- sively on the direct money payment received by agricultural labourers, as though that were their sole reward, leaving out of sight tlie perquisites which they very generally enjoyed, in the shape of cottages at rents which did not yield a fair return for capital expended ; in doles of various kinds ; in garden plots of potato ground ; but chiefly from the poor-rates — rates, be it observed, levied on the landowners and farmers for the exclusive benefit of the labouring class, all which were nothing more nor less than supplemental to wages. [Here about a hundred or more left the meeting, shuflling their feet and pro- ducing confusion]. It was, therefore, no more than just that the agricultural labourer when he demanded to be placed in the position of an independent, self-reliant, self-sustaining man — as he was in all new countries — should be made fairly to understand that this involved the cessation of his present semi-feudal relations with his employer, which, when it im- plied a dependence bordering on serfdom, was at the same time accompanied by substantial considerations, such as gratuitous medical aid in sickness, and provision — such as the workhouse or parish relief afforded — in destitution or old age. It be- hoved landowners and farmers to look out in time, and see that considerable modifications were introduced into our system or Poor-law administration, such as should place upou the agricultural labourer aud working classes generally tlie obliga- tions which belonged to the new position of self-reliance aud self-sustentation involved in the receipt of full money wages in payment for their labour (disturbance). He was convinced that the coming change would be for the benefit of both par- ties. [The disturbance was now so great and continuous that scarcely anybody but those sitting close to the hon. gentleman heard what follows.] It was time the agricultural labourer was raised from the position which was his evil inheritance of dependence since the old feudal days. To the employer this change should bring a large reduction of poor's-rates, aud lia could not agree in the opinion so almost universal amongst farmers that a high rate of wages would be detrimental to their interest. He could speak from experience and observa- tion upon that point, for he found that although he paid 5s. per day for labour in Australia, and but 2s. Gd. in Devonshire, there was scarcely any difference in the cost of a given piece of work in the two places. The reason was that the man who got the 5s. had plenty of beef and bread, decent and cleanly living, aud could, therefore, without strain or injury, perform double as mucli work as the man who, on 2s. Gd., never tasted meat, seldom had as much food of inferior kind as he required, and lived uncleanly and squalid. They all knew that a well- fed horse, well groomed and stabled, could do as much work as two horses out of condition, grass-fed, and neglected. And the same rule was found to apply to human beings. How else was it that farmers in the northern counties, whilst paying 18s. to 20s. per week, thrive better than Dorset or Devonshire farmers who paid but 9s. to 12s. a-week ? He felt that he was trespassing on their patience, but was led to do so by the interest of the subject. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 123 THE IMPORTATION OF THE CATTLE DISEASE FROM IRELAND. On the very eve of the great national cattle show there is something ominous in the interview which the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society had with the Vice-President of the Privy Council on Thursday. And yet those who have been about the country of late must, in some degree at least, have been prepared for the grave facts as here put. At the meeting of tlie Essex Society the champion bull of his year was prevented from again appearing in consequence of a suspicion of foot-and-mouth disease in Lord Exeter's herd. At Cambridge last week, as our report goes, in- tended exhibitors " either had the foot-and-mouth disease among their animals or were afraid of getting it at the show ;" and at Bury St. Edmund's on Thursday it will be found there were a great many gaps, the disorder now prevalent in the eastern counties being ef a particularly virulent character. In fact, the report of our correspon- dent as coming from the Suffolk show-ground and the re- solutions of the Royal Agricultural Society as submitted to Mr. Porster on the same day run in almost the same words : " That the foot-and-mouth disease, in an unusually virulent form, is at the present time extensively prevalent, and rapidly increasing." There is one feature, moreover, in the ofllcial report of this interview which has especial and peculiar prominence. Mr. Thompson in bis opening address stated that " the experience gained in his own county showed that outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease almost invariably followed the importation of Irish cattle into a district." The fourth resolution of the Council declared that " both at the ship- ping and landing ports in the Irish Channel the precau- tions requisite to prevent the transit of diseased animals between the two countries are grossly neglected." Colonel Kingscote could prove that " Bristol was the great centre of infection in his part of the country, and from that market the diseased animals went to Gloucester, Chippen- ham, Devizes, and other places, and spread the disease through the counties of Gloucester, Somerset, Wilts, Dorset, and Hereford ;" Bristol, of course, being simply a great centre because it is a landing port for Irish cattle. Mr. Torr held that as " Ireland had been kept clear of cattle plague by the strong restrictive measures adopted by the Irish Government Ireland ought now to be pre- vented from supplyiug us with foot-and-mouth disease ;" and Lord Powis said that " the importations from Ireland were confined to three or four centres from which the infection was spread all over the kingdom." So said the representatives of the Royal Agricultural Society, on the Thursday in last week, and so said The Mark Lane Express in the autumn of last year. In August and September we drew continual attention to the indisputable fact that it was from Ireland we now regularly received our supplies of home-established dis- eases, such as foot-and-mouth and plenro-pnenmonia. Correspondents of our own proceeded to trace the affected beasts from their arrival at Bristol down into Cornwall, or "about" in Gloucestershire and "Wiltshire ; and everywhere with the same disastrous results, as, early in September, we gave a distinct and general warn- ing that " cattle disease is now methodically imported from Ireland." And yet at this very time and for long afterwards, people who professed to be looking very jealously after the interests of . he English stock owners, were doing all they could to divert the public mind from the Irish to the foreign cattle trade. There must be a foreign market, or there must be " another" foreign cattle market ; two or three animals suffering from foot-and-mouth disease had been discovered up the river, or landed and sold, and so forth ; while diseased beasts were shipped, landed, and sold in droves from Ireland, and spread over the country, with what effect the blank places at Cambridge, Ipswich, and Halstead, may afford some, but only some very limited idea. Mr. Porster received the thanks of the deputation on Thursday for the firmness with which he had with- stood pressure from a certain class, whoever this may be ; but it is in any case sufficiently manifest that if the course of action now taken by the Royal Agricultural Society be right, that of some other associations has long been turned in a wrong direction. The resolutions of the Royal Society regard the virulent form of foot-and mouth disease, so rapidly increasing, as almost altogether a home question. The precautions against Irish cattle are " grossly neglected," magistrates and municipal authorities " must adopt restrictive measures best calcu- lated to abate the evil," and the regulations recommended by veterinary inspectors must be " promptly and efficiently carried into efl'ect." The Royal Society, it will be observed, says nothing of foreign stock or foreign mar- kets, while the Home Cattle Association has seldom said anything about anything else. Even at Northampton last week, where a meeting of the county Chamber was called to consider the best means of preventing the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, and some strong resolutions passed, not a word was said about Ireland. Somebody had heard something about some Dutch beasts, and some- body said that the importation of foreign cattle deterred the English grazier from doing his best, but nobody seemed to be aware that disease as imported from Ireland was running right under their very noses ! The weak point of the case as put by the Society is that the Cattle Act leaves most matters, as Mr. Porster showed, optional with the local authorities, and some of these have not hesitated to declare that they would rather run the risk of foot-and-mouth disease than shut out or stop even for a time the importation of Irish beasts, as hence the difficulty of adopting any general system of " re- strictive measures." There can be little doubt, however, that a deal more vigilance might be exercised over the shipping and landing of Irish stock, and with a view of doing something more in this way another deputation from the Royal Agricultural Society will have an inter- view this day with Lord Spencer and Lord Hartington. There are many visitors bound for Cardiff, who will find Bristol directly on their road, or there are some who talk of making that town their head-quarters. It is still to be hoped that the stock will be kept as clear as possible of a place from which of late has been disseminated more disease than from all the Continent of Europe, and a disease which is now assuming a very dangerous or even fatal type. — Mark Lane Express, July 8. "A MODEL AGREEMENT."— The members of the Maidstone Parmers' Club have just presented Mr. Henry Corbet with a handsome drawing-room clock, " in acknow- ledgment" of the paper read by him on this subject at one of the recent Club meetings. 124 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. Monthly Council: 'Wednesday, July 3. — Present: Sir Watkin W. Wynn, Bart., M.P., President, in the chair ; the Earl of Leicester, the Earl of Lichfield, the Earl of Powis, Lieut. -General Viscount Bridport, Lord Portmau, Lord Tredegar, Lord Vernon, the lion. ^Vil- brahaui Egerton, M.P. ; Sir Massey Lopes, Bart, M.P. ; Mr. Bai-nett, Colonel Challoner, Mr. Dent, JLP. ; Mr. Druce, Mr. Holland, Mr. Wren Hoskyns, M.P.; Col. Kingscote, M.P. ; Mr. Leeds, Mr. McLitosh, Mr. Ran- dell, M. Shuttleworth, Mr. Stone, Mr. Statter, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Torr, Mr. Webb, IMr. Welby, M.P. ; Mr. Wells, M.P. ; Colonel Wilson, and Dr. Voelcker. The Earl of Ilchester, Slelbury, Dorchester, and the Earl of Lonsdale, Lowther, Penrith, were elected go- vernors of the Society. The following new members were elected : Andrews, Charles James, Grey Friars House, Reading. Apperley, Newton, W., Rainton Gate, Fence Houses, Durham. Arkell, Daniel, Dean Farm, Hatherop Fairford, Gloucester. Arkell, William, Hatherop, Fairford. Barnes, J. E.., Brookside, Chirk, Raubon. Blenkinsop, James, Egham, Surrey. Brewer, T. Llewellyn, Dan-y-graig, Newport, Monmouth. Briggs, Captain C. J., Hylton, Castle, Sunderland- Brooks, WiUiam C, 5, Grosvenor Square, W. CarriUou, John Wilson, Wormhill, Buxton, Derby. Castree, jun., J., College Greeu, Gloucester. Corrance, Frederick S., M.P., Broadwater, Framlington. Cotton, T. E., Knolton Hall, Ruabon. Croker, Joseph, Shirenewton Farm, Chepstow. Danford, William Lewis, Langley, Bromfield, Salop. Dunbuz, J. Claude, KiUion, Truro, Cornwall. Edwards, C. B., Minster Close, Peterborough. Farmer, James, Llyssum, Welshpool. France, James, Grinsliill, Shrewsbury. Garrard, Robert, Brandish Grove, Wicklmm Market. Graham, William Benjamin, Torquay Villa, Maindee, New- port, Monmouth. Hall, Charles E., 4h5, Blensham Terrace, Gateshead-ou-Tyne Hinckesman, Charles Henry, The Poles, Ludlow, Salop Jenkins, David, Flemingstone Court, Cowbridge Jenkins, Thomas, Pantyocallog, Dowlais Jones, Wm., Record -street, Ruthin Lane, Walter, 17, High-street, Chepstow Leigh, William, High Oftley, Newport, Salop Luck, Captain F. Hartlip, Sittingbourne, Kent Mahon, Viscount, M.P., 48, Chester-square, S.W. Musgrove, Edgar, West Tower, Ormskirk Pate, Martin, Ely, Cambridge Peacock, Thos. K., Rugerra Castle, Newport, Monmouthshire Penson, William Stayt, Baunton, Cirencester Perkins, Loftus, G, Seaiford-street, Regent's-square, W.C. Perkins, William, Thorney, Peterborough Preece, W. Goodwiu, Shrewsbury Rees, W. G., Bryn Hedydd, Newport, Monmouthshire Ringer, T. F., Branca.ster, Lynn Roberts, G. C, 8, Wright-street, Kiugston-upon-HuU Smith, Wm., Berkeley, Gloucester Stanley, E. J., li, Grosvenor-square, W. Titterton, J. Ward, Shiffnal, Salop AVillianis, Rees D., Mannest Court, Brecon Williams, R. W., Windsor Villa, Cardiff Wilson, Charles, Shotley Park, Blockhill, Durham Young, Edwin, Park House, Newport, Monmouthshire. Finances. — Lieut.- General Viscount Bridport (chair- man) presented the report, from which it appeared that the secretary's receipts during the past month had been duly examined by the committee, and by Messrs. Quilter, Ballj and Co., the Society's accountants, and found cor- rect. The balance in the hands of the bankers on June .SO was £1,887 14s. Gd., and £2,000 remains on deposit. The quarterly statements of subscriptions and arrears to June 30, and the quarterly cash account, were laid on the table. This report was adopted, with the addition of the following resolution, moved by Mr. Webb, and seconded by j\Ir. Raudell : That the candidates for election as members of the Society, whose names have just been read, shall be entitled to the privi- leges of membership at tlie Cardiff meeting on paying their subscription for 1873, and signing the usual conditions. Journal. — Mr. II. S. Thompson (chairman) men- tioned the measures which had been taken to obtain a report on the proceedings of the Cattle Plague Congress recently held in Vienna, and on the veterinary aspect of the increasing virulence and spread of foot-and-mouth disease, and then reported the following recommendatioa of the committee : That they be authorized to expend a sum not exceeding £100 on an investigation into the causes which seem periodi- cally to produce fresh outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, especially amongst the cattle imported from Ireland. This report was adopted after a conversation, in the course of which Mr. RandeU expressed the hope that the investigation would not be curtailed should the amount of the grant prove insufficient to cover the expenses. Mr. Torr mentioned some new features of the recent outbreak of the disease, and the Earl of Powis, the Hon. W. Egerton, M.P., Sir Massey Lopes, M.P., and Mr. W. Wells, M.P., expressed their opinion of the importance of the investigation, as proved by recent experience in their several counties. Colonel Kingscote, C.B., M.P., then moved, " That a deputation of this Council wait upon Vice-President of the Privy Council to press upon him the necessity of using every means in the power of the Privy Council to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, which is now increasing throughout the kingdom to an alarming extent." This proposition was seconded by Lord Tredegar, and commented upon by several members of the Council, in reference to the question of the additional restrictions which the Council should recommend to Mr. Forster. Ultimately the motion was carried unani- mously, as well as a rider, on the motion of the Earl of Powis seconded by Mr. Thompson, naming a committee to prepare the oliicial statement of the views of the CouucU to be laid before Mr. Forster. Chemical. — Mr. Wells, M.P. (chairman), reported the recommendation of the committee, that pending the result of actions about to he tried at Leeds, the publica- tion of the quarterly reports of the committee be deferred. — This report was adopted. General : Cardiff. — Lord Vernon (chairman), re- ported that in consequence of a communication from the leading agricultural implement makers, representing that the price of manufacture has been largely increased since the completion of their specifications, and suggesting that the prices advertised in the Society's catalogue should not be adhered to, the committee recommended that the secretary be instructed to insert a fly-leaf in the Society's catalogue to that effect. They also recommended that ilr. Corbett be requested to purchase 10 tons of straw in addition to that which he has already secured, and that in cases where exhibitors of cattle and sheep are prevented by the existence of foot-and-mouth disease or jsleuro- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 125 pneumonia on their farms from sending them to Cardiff, they be relieved from the payment of the fine for non- exhibition to which they are at present liable by the regu- lations of the prize sheet. — This report was adopted. House. — Lieut. -General Viscount Bridport (chairman) reported that the committee recommended that the secre- tary be empowered to obtain an estimate for papering and cleaning the Council-room and library, and that the usual house cleaning be authorised. — This report was adopted. Showtahd Contracts. — Mr. Randall (chairman) re- ported that the showyai-d works at Cardiff were finished and ready for use ; that the railway siding, the approaches thereto, and the water-supply in the show-yard had been completed by the local committee, and were also now ready for use ; and that the contractor was entitled to his third payment on account, which they therefore recom- mended. A draft of the proposed agreement with the local authorities of Hull was submitted to the Council, with a recommendation that it be forwarded for approval to the Mayor and Town Clerk of that borough ; and a plan for the Hull showyard was recommended, subject to such modifications as the Honoraiy Director may deem necessary. The committee also recommended that the list of queries annually sent to the towns competing for the Society's country meetings be revised. — This report was adopted. The following noblemen and gentlemen were appointed a general Hull Committee : Sir Watkin W. Wvnn, Bart., M.P., (chairman). Earl of Lichfield, Earl of Powis, Vis- count Bridport, Lord Chesham, Lord Kesteven, Lord Ti'edegar, Lord Vernon, Sir Massey Lopes, Bart., M.P. ; Sir A. K. Macdonald, Bart. ; A Bannister, C. Barnett, T. C. Booth, Edward Bowly, Charles S. Cantrell, D. R. Davies, J. D. Dent, j\I.P. ; Joseph Druce, W. J. Edmonds, B. T. Brandreth Gibbs, Richard Hornsby, C. Wren Hoskyns, M.P. ; Mayor of Hull ; Colonel Kingscote, JI.P. ; Robert Leeds, Richard ililward, Charles Randell, R. C. Ransome, M. W. Ridlev, iLP. ; Joseph Shuttle- worth, William Torr, James Webb, William Wells, M.P., Charles Whitehead, Jacob AVilson, the Stewards. A letter from the Secretary to Her Majesty's Com- missioners for Annual International Exhibitions, in refe- rence to an exhibition of agricultural products used as food in 1878, having been read, and Lord Portman having stated that he was not officially cognisant of the communication, it was moved by Mr. Thompson, seconded by Mr. Wren Hoskyns, M.P., and carried unanimously : That the letter of the Commissioners be referred to Lord Poftman, and that the Commissioners be informed that the further consideration of their request will be deferred until the Commissioners have had the opportunity of conferring with Lord Portman, the especial representative of the Council on this subject. A letter from the Agricultural department of the Argentine Republic was ordered to be acknowledged, and was referred to the Journal Committee for further con- sideration. An application for the loan of the Society's plough dynamometer was refused, not having been made by an agricultural society. The Foot-and-Mouth Disease. — The following deputation from the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England was received by the Right Hon. W. E. Forster, M.P., Vice-President of the Privy Council, at the Privv Council Office, on Thursday, July 4th; Sir Watkin W. Wvnn, Bart., M.P., President ; Earl of Powis; Hon. Wilbraham Egerton, M.P.; Sir T. Dvke Acland, BaiT., M.P.; Colonel Kingscote, C.B., M.P.; Mr. J. Dent Dent, M.P.; Mr. T. Staffer; Mr. H. S. Thompson; Mr. W. Torr; Mr. W. E, Welby, M.P.; mi Mr. H, M, Jenkins, Secretary, Sir Watkin Wynn having introduced the deputation, Mr. H. S. Thompson (of Kirby HaU, York) stated that the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society were anxious to bring prominently before the notice of the Government the fact that foot-and-mouth disease in an unusually virulent form is at the present time causing great loss of meat, both by loss of condition in, and death of (particularly in the case of young stock) the animals attacked, and by the fear of the disease inducing farmers to send cattle to market before they have arrived at the proper age and condition. The evil arising fi"om this latter efl'ect of the prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease he regarded as highly important, because it was impossible to replace the stock thus prematurely sold, and the pastures could therefore not be stocked as they should be in the interests of both the producer and the consumer. In this way both the immediate and the future supply of meat was prejudicially affected, and the question had become so serious that aU possible precau- tions were requisite to prevent the transit of diseased animals. With reference to the precautions needed Mr. Thompson stated that the experience gained in his own county showed that outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease almost invariably followed the importation of Irish cattle into a district. He attributed this in great measure to the fact that the restrictions at present existing are not thoroughly carried into effect, in consequence of the authorities in many large towns refusing to insist upon their being properly enforced. He thanked Mr. Forster, on behalf of the deputation, for the firmness with which he had withstood the pressure put upon him by depu- tations of a certain class, the objects of which were more easily analyzed after the event than at the moment. For instance, persons interested in the cattle trade at an inland town would get up a strong deputation to protest against the slaughter of cattle at a seaport, on the ground that the inhabitants of the latter would benefit by the re- duction of the price of meat there at the expense of a populous inland town. Mr. Foester asked whether Mr. Thompson refen-ed to home or foreign cattle; because the Privy Council was responsible for the importation of foot-and-mouth disease by the medium of foreign cattle, but they were not in any way responsible for the result of the move, ment of home stock. Mr. TnoiiPSON replied that he referred specially to the consequences arising from the importation of cattle from Ireland, and expressed the hope that the Privy Council had the same power over Irish as over foreign stock. Mr. Forsteh having replied to this in the negative, Mr. Thompson read the following series of resolu- tions passed by the special committee appointed by the Covmcil of the Royal Agricultural Society at their meet» ing on Wednesday : 1. That the foot-and-mouth disease, in an unusually viru- lent form, is at the present time extensively prevalent and rapidly increasing. 2. That in the case of both cattle and sheep it causes great loss of condition and a certain per-centage of deaths, especi- ally amongst the young stock. 3. That the supplies of meat available for market are in consequence materially diminished and the price proportion- ately enhanced. 4. That both at the shipping and landing ports in the Irish Channel the precautions requisite to prevent the transit of diseased animals between the two countries are grossly neg- lected, and in many of the great towns in the interior of the country a great want of vigilance is also observable. 5. That under tliese circumstances the Royal Agricultural Society feel it their duty to represent strongly to the Govern- ment the serious mischief hereby arising, and to urge them to call upon the magistrates and. municipal authorities in their I 2 126 ^HE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. respective districts to adopt such restrictive measures as shall seem to them best calculated to abate the evil, and also to insist on the regulations recommended by the Inspectors of the Veterinary Department being promptly and efficiently carried into effect. (Signed) W. W. Wvnn, President. Mr. FoRSTER having asked whether the first reso- lution had been arrived at by the Council, in consequence of definite information in their possession, Colonel KiXGSCOTE, C.B., M.P., stated that many members of the Council were in a position to prove the fact, each one for his own district. He could himself, for instance, prove that the Bristol market was the great centre of infection in his part of the country (Gloucester- shire), and from that market the diseased animals went to Gloucester, Chippenham, Devizes, and other places, and spread the disease through the counties of Gloucester, Somerset, AVilts, Dorset, Hereford, &c. In the dairy districts the disease had lately become exceedingly viru- lent, and, in one respect, that could not be shown by statistics, namely, in the large number of cows that had cast their calves, Mr. FoKSTER said that before going further it might be desirable that he should acquaint the deputation with what the Government had actually done ; but, first, he would state, entirely apart from the assurance which a Minister felt it his duty to make on such occasions, that he was especially glad to see a deputation on such a sub- ject from the most important and influential agricultural society in the kingdom. The Government were very glad, also, to receive suggestions from so important a body, particularly as foot-and-mouth disease had given them more trouble than anything else. It was one of those maladies that was bad enough to do serious mis- chief, and yet not bad enough to allow of strong pre- cautionary measures such as the cattle-plague would justify. AVhen the Cattle Act was passed, great doubt was expressed as to whether foot-and-mouth disease should be included in its provisions, and even influential representatives of agricultural districts had doubted whether it was right to include it. This Act prohibited the exposure of diseased animals for sale in the markets, and their conveyance along the highways, but it left most other matters optional with the local authorities, who, however, had the power to issue further regulations. Towards the end of 1869 there was a bad outbreak of foot - and - mouth disease, and the Privy Council issued a permissive order to the local authorities, authorising them to take further measures. Subsequently, the Council received applica- tions from several counties asking the Council to make these measures compulsory. Accordingly they issued the necessary regulations, but found it impossible to work them, and the remedy was considered worse than the disease even by the agricultural public. The nature of the disease also varied, and while it was exceedingly bad in some parts of the country, in others farmers rather preferred that their stock should have it, as mothers prefer- red their children to get whooping-cough, while they were young. In fact, the Veterinary Department of the Privy Council was not supported in this matter by public opinion, and the continuance of compulsory measures would therefore have endangered the efficacy of their action with regard to pleuro-pneumonia, in which he believed that much good had been done. With regard to optional measures, some counties had insisted upon their being carried out, but others had not, and it had been found exceedingly difficult to obtain statistics showing the result in each case. He wished, however, that the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society would do two things : 1st., That they would inform him specifically, in writing, what regulations they would recommend ; ancl 2ndly., That they would use their influence with the local authorities to enforce whatever measures were in force. With regard to the foreign import trade, he considered that the agricultural interests had no right to complain against the Government, as if the existence of foot- and-mouth disease were discovered in a cargo of foreign cattle, not only the diseased animals, but the whole cargo were immediately slaughtered. This he considered an exceedingly strong measure, and only justified by the in- fectious nature of the disease. But it appears that no regulations will keep it out, as it has become an iu- digenous disease, and the reason why these restrictions are kept in force is that there is no other check upon the foreign trade, while there is over the home trade ; and unless it were made the interest of the producer to send healthy animals, it would distinctly be his interest to send uuhealthy ones. This view he had maintained against very strong deputations, but he had yielded so far as to allow the movement inland of healthy beasts from an in- fected cargo, provided that the railway could be isolated from other stock traffic ; but no town, had yet been able to comply with this condition. It was oniy necessary for two things to be said — viz., that meat was very dear, aud that the Government regulations pressed heavily upon the importation of stock, to lead people to the in- ference that the Government made meat dear. With regard to Ireland, he held that it was impossible to treat it except as part of the United Kingdom. At the sam time he must admit that it seemed unfair to those inte- rested in the foreign trade to insist upon their submitting to regulations which were not exacted in the case of Irish cattle. At the present moment the regulations in force in Ireland were the same as those obtaining in England, and as a recent deputation had strongly urged him to expunge foot-and-mouth from the Act, he considered that the regulations were now, at least, a reality. The Privy Council had fi'om time to time, also, sent com- munications to the local authorities urging them to carry out the piovisions of the Act. They had also recently undertaken the appointment of the veterinary inspectors, who were formerly appointed by the Customs. The Privy Council are now, therefore, responsible for the inspection of foreign cattle at the ports of landing. As to the home trade, the Government can do no more than (1) call the attention of the local authorities to the subject, and this is very often done ; and (2) send an in- spector to investigate the circumstances attending a bad outbreak of disease. If, however, the Society would make any positive and precise suggestions, he would un- dertake that they should receive the most careful cou- sideration. He also suggested that the Society should use its influence with the farmers to use greater care, aud on the local authorities to see that the provisions of the Act were complied with. Sir Watkin Wynn having asked whether the boats plying to and from Ireland are properly examined, and Mr. Statter having stated that, in his opinion, these vessels are the most fruitful centres of infection, Mr. Porster replied that in consequence of re- ports that had been received by the veterinary de- partment, he sent an inspector to Bristol, and afterwards issued an Order in Couucil, of a very strong character if the local authorities would see it carried out, having for its object (1) to diminish cruelty, and (2) to provide for disinfection. Although a strong deputation had protested against the proposal, it was afterwards settled in concurrence with the in- terested parties. He considered that the Society might usefully exert pressure in this matter also, but that it was impossible for the central government to do more thaa THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 12? give power to the local authorities ; and public opinion would not sanction the Government taking the power out of their hands. Mr. ToRR (Aylesby Manor, Lincolnshire) mentioned the increased virulence which was characteristic of the present outbreak, and chietly its greater ciTect on the feet, so that tiie animals cannot bear travelling. He also gave an account of the serious losses which had been incurred by himself and others, particularly in lambs and calves, young and breeding stock suffering more thanfeeding beasts. Mr. FoRSTER asked whether the local authorities had made use of the powers which had been given them by the Privy Council ? Mr. ToRH was not certain on this point, but as Ireland had been kept clear of cattle-plague by the strong re- strictive measures adopted by the Irish Government, he held that Ireland ought now to be prevented from supply- ing us with foot-and-mouth disease by our insisting on the examination of stock before they leave Ireland. Mr. FoRSTER said that this suggestion should be made to the Irish Government, as the Privy Council had no power in the matter, although they had suggested the appointment of an inspector, and other measures which had been adopted by the Irish Government. Mr, J. DEiNT Dent, M.P., observed that the evidence laid before the Transit of Animals Committee, of which he had been a member, went to show that the condition of the vessels was the great cause of the propagation of iafectious diseases. He presumed, however, that the in- spector might inspect these vessels. Mr. Forster replied that it rested with the Local authority to prosecute in case of noncompliance with the regulations, but the Central Government might put the Local authority on their defence ia case of their failing to do so. The Earl of Powis remarked that importations from Ireland were confined to three or four centres, from which infection was spread all over the kingdom. There- fore efficient inspection need not be very difficult to control. The Hon. W. Egerton, M.P. considered the existing regulations sufficient if properly carried out. Mr. Thompson, in reply to the suggestion made by Mr. Forster, that the Council of the Royal Vgricultural Society should send in writing the particular recom- mendations that they wished to make, stated that they would probably defer taking that step until after the completion of an investigation which they had organized to take place during the summer and autumn. At pre- sent he hoped that the Government would insist upon the existing regulations being complied with. The deputation then withdrew, after thanking Mr. ' Forster for his courtesy. THE PETERBOROUGH AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. The early bird gathers the worm, and after a fly of a j couple of hours by the 6.30 from King's Cross, we join a 7-ara avis or two pegging away at the well-spread table of the Angel, Peterborough, where the waiter whispers in our car with some awe, " Are you a judge, sir?" There must have been something in " our vacant eye, our vest unbuttoned, and our wig awry" — 'for July the 4th was a smoking hot day — denoting the majesty of the bench, as when we were taking stock of the nicely laid-out yard and well-housed animals we were again faced by a young gentleman, who in an inquiring tone said, " You are a judge?" We did not tell him that he was another, al- though perfectly satisfied on that point, but felt half in- clined to accept the badge of office held out for our button-hole, as it is a grand thing to be decorated like a hero, and to strut about amongst one's fellows with all the importance of a little man in a big hat. As we said before, the yard was nicely laid out, and there was evi- dently a wish on the part of those in office to do the thing that was right, and had all the classes been num- bered on the chest, as some of the hunting classes were, we should have had little to find fault with. But this was not the case with the yearlings, hunting brood mares, and all the agricultural horses, who for some reason had their number on one side of the head, that side invariably being towards the judges, so that it was impossible for the spectators to tell what or whose they were, although sup- plied with a well got up catalogue at sixpence. This marred to a great extent the pleasure of the meeting. It is a great pity, but so it is, after the times we have called attention to this very thing, meeting after meeting in fact, and in that kind and encouraging manner which would have set a right-minded, well-fed costerraonger's donkey olf full gallop in the right direction long ago. But we have heard of another driven by an elderly lady in a basket-carriage that required different treatment, for if ever her ladyship wanted him to go one way, she turned his head the other, when Jerusalem whipped round in an instant, and with ears laid and head down tore away with all his might. We fear we shall have to try the old lady's plan after all. Peterborough is not a great meeting, but there are quite sufficient animals to look through in a day, if of the right sort, as the horses, in- cluding ponies, were only a few short of a hundred-and- fifty ; and though the cattle did not number thirty, still they were a picked lot, with many from well-known herds. Of the sheep, when we have awarded fair praise to Mr. Marshall's very useful two-shear Lincoln ram, and to a really nice pen of three-shearling half-bred wethers, taking somewhat after the Biddenham flock, with heads well up, we may dismiss the others with " Right about face, march," as it was a difficult thing to pick out the worst. The grunters, who in heat gasp like fish out of water, were on a par with the sheep, and when we have noticed two pens of the white small breed, a boar of Mr. Brown's and the Marquis of Huntley's sow and eight youngsters, both useful well made pigs with quality and hair, we leave the others with their husks in the care of the " prodigal sons," who had a much easier time of it than the brawny kids of Vulcan toiling as they were at their hissing forges in a broiling sun, spurred on by the dream of ambition or the chance of prize-money — two to one on the latter. Sheltered in a tent that in its time might have served to hide from the outer world smoking rounds and sirloins and the mid- day feasting of congenial souls famous for tipping off bumper toasts as well as glorious with the vociferous "Three times three, and one cheer more !" stood the cattle chewing the cud in peace and quietness ; for there was not a bellowing one among them. The first on the list was a fat ox of Mr. C. Ward's, and anything but a bad one, although beaten by Mr. G. Wort- ley's roan four-year-old, by Imperial Count, whose good looks and great promise have already been set forth in the columns of The Mark Lane Express. Five pounds did not bring to the scratch a fat cow or heifer, but King Victor, a white Shorthorn bull, rising three, by King Bertram, is a thickset useful animal, and carried off the tenner against 128 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. three competitors not remai-kable for form, one having a conple of very comfortable vacancies behind his shoulders, without purchase or examination^ for two gentlemen of the small white breed. King Victor was successful at Cam- bridge and Lyun. The best bull under two years old is by General Napier, out of Bianca, and is of fair form, while the second, Monarch, is narrow and anything but a level animal. Telemachus the 2nd, with all the quality of his sire, was the best bull calf under a year, for although the commended Fitz KiUerby is a strong hardy well made fellow, still the two animals wUl no more bear com- parison than the warbling of Jenny Lind and the bellow- ing of Braham. The best cow having had a calf, and still in milk or breeding, was a neat red one by Prince of the Empire ; and the second, a fine broad-backed, roomy roan, falling away a trifle forwai'd. There were some other nice cows in this class. AVe now jog on to Verona, and find one of the best animals in the yard, as well as the best heifer in calf under three years old. Molly Gwynne, with plenty of quality, is a thickset buxom wench, with anything but true symmetry, but still she defeats the slight-made wicked-eyed Penelope, "by Telemachus," according to the catalogue, but not to classic lore, as here, though a man may not marry his grandmother, he is made the father of his mother ! Mr. C. Daintree, a name well known in the coursing world some years back, exhibited a handsome heifer in this class by Emperor of the Ocean, out of a common cow. Bad was the best heifer-calf. The horses were the strongest part of the show, and at half-past ten judging commenced, a trio stepping into the ring that it is supposed "When they look a horse in the face, Sir, Ah, they do know "Whether he is a hunter, hack, or racer, Ah, they do know ! Clever fellows if they do ; but they have been well selected, as here is one that will go for a coarse one, while another will stick out for blood, and the third comes from a part of the country where they know a thing or two. The first lot in were the hunters of five years and upwards, without any condition as to weight ; and a good thing, too, as oftentimes when there is a con- dition of equal to 15 stone and upwards the prize money goes to the "stand-still horse," some brute more adapted to cany a pack or run in a brougham than to go across country, even without Daniel Lambert up. But why encourage these overgrown men or horses ? What do we gain by coarseness ? "Why try and add inches to our stature or to our horses if of no avail ? as it has been proved over and over again when it comes to a tug of war between sinew, stamina, and wind, that the medium sized man and horse are the best, as a rule ; there are exceptions, of course. It was not a grand class, and three out of the fourteen belonged to ^Ir. Percival, but not the pick of the "Wansford stable, as we should think. The contest, if there was any, was between Marmalade, Mr. "Whitehead's brown gelding, and Forester, by that light-necked savage Footstool. Marmalade we have noticed oftentimes in better company, and here he was no doubt the best looking horse by far, stUl he does not move kindly, and dishes with his near foreleg ; and we don't quite like him, although we hear he is the best hunter in Yorkshire, and that a well-known M.F.H. has offered five hundred for him ; but, by the bye, we have heard this story tagged on to so many horses in the show-yard that it is almost as old to us as the dealer's pedigree, " by "S\'halebone, out of a wcU bred mare," or the "Welshmen's everlasting one at the fairs, "By Lismahago ; yes, indeed ! soiild again ! " But here is Marmalade with one of the bench up who sits him as stiff and erect, as does the Monument Fish-street Hill, and " By aU the blood of all the Howards ! " no one could make less of him. The second is a compact hardy quick- looking horse, adapted for a confined country, but still when you look at him yon are reminded of the collar, and almost hear the grating of wheels. Forester had too much flourish in his action. Mr. Staplee's Sparrow Hawk had form, and could go, but was marked with the irons, and Mr. Earl, a brown horse of breed. The prize four-year-old black gelding, by Martext, is very hunting- like throughout, but not up to great weight, but he can go, and is very wiry-looking. If he has a fault it is iu the base of the hock, which is rather small. Mr. Hill's bay, the second horse, is a deep middled use- ful nag, but rather deficient of quality ; still as good a goer as any in the yard. IMoslem, by General Hess, the second four-year-old at Islington this year, has not im- proved in manners, and with his back roached and tail stuck into his quarters, the judges were quite right in not giving him a prize, although the finest looking horse. There were four or five nice yearling colts and fillies for hunting purposes in a class of fifteen or sixteen, the prize filly being a bay by Optimist, very neat and corky throughout, and, barring a slight heaviness at the points of her shoulders, all right ; but is she not too neat to grow into as grand an animal as the Hon. C. W. Fitzwilliam's chesnut by Bonnyfield pro- mises to do, with his well-laid reaching shoulders and quarters ? JNIr. Goodlifl''s chesnut colt and filly by Tomtit were the next fancied. The yearlings by Rivet were such a sample that if they are the progeny of fair shaped mares, the sooner he is out of it the better for the country. In the hunting brood mares there was some hesitation as to whether a fine old brown hunting-like mare with more bone than blood, and a nice short legged thoroughbred-looking mare by Lambton or Magnum should have the prize ; but at last blood told, as it always will in a long thing. Mr. R. Smith and Mr. Goodliff had two good looking chesnut mares or breed. In the hackney mares or geldings Mr. Hornsby's Hilda, a first at Islington, came in for honours before she was fairly put through her paces ; at any rate not in the style she won in town. Mr. Core had a nice-looking grey called Stamford, and Mr. Cooke an old bay mare, Adelaide ; and there were one or two more, especially a chesnut that went straight and well ; but the class was badly num- bered. The cart-horses were more useful than orna- mental, the brood mares and foals being about the best, headed by a nice stamp of mare, a well made, lively, active-looking chesnut, with limbs nicely placed, and the winner of six and twenty prizes. The second of Mr. Vergette was a useful one, of which there were several others in the class. Mr. "\''ergette was also owner of the best filly rising three — a fine grown one with areat quar- ters. The colts rising two were poor, the first being anything but perfect in his middle, while the prize filly was of very good fonn, and a black with a white face. There were no prizes for stallions of any kind. The gorse hurdles were set in order, the stand was fast fiUing with well-dressed ladies, and the fun of the fair was just going to begin — but this is beneath our notice, which is one way of getting out of it, as the groom said when he got hung in the stirrups and slipped out of his boots. Messrs. Amies and Barford had a show of machinery in motion, backed by mowers and reapers ; while from the number of carts and carriages exhibited by townsmen Peterborough would seem to be a kind of local Long Acre. PRIZE LIST. JLDGES.— Horses : R. Young, Norwood House, Beverley ; J. E. Parsons, Charwelton, 'Daventry ; R. G. F. Howard, Temple Bruer, Lincoln. Cakt Horses: J. H. Wood, THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 129 Humberstone, Great Grimsby ; P. Plowrigbt, Manea, Cambridgesliire. Shoeing Horses : T. D. Broad, Bath. Cattle : C. Bland, Gadsby Hall, Liucoln, and H. Martin, Littlcport. SnEEr: W. Chatterton,Hallington, near Louth ; J. Treadwell, Upper Winchendon, Aylesbury. Pigs : W. Chatterton, Halliugton, near Louth ; J. Treadwell, Upper AVinchendon, Aylesbury. Butter : W. B. Tegetmeier, London. HORSES. Hunter, five years old or upwards.— First prize, £20, J. M. T. Musgrave (Marmalade); second, £10, W. Whitehead. Highly commended : S; Stokes (Forester). Commended : Mr. Staplee (Sparrow Hawk). Fonr-year-old gelding or filly, for hunting purposes. — First, prize, £10, W. Wood; second, £5, J. Hill. Highly corn- Hackney mare or gelding, 15i hands high. — First prize, mended : W. Core (Moslem). £7, P. Hornsby (Hilda). Highly commended : J. Core (Stam- ford). Horse (mare or gelding), whose action in harness is best, particular attention to be paid to pace, not less than 15 hands 2 inches high. — First prize, £7, G. Stapleton ; second, £3, J. Odam (Marquis). Pony (mare or gelding), not exceeding 12^ hands high.— First prize, ^5, L. Carpenter (The Claimant). Highly com- mended: T. Callow. Commended: T. Bingham (Charlie). Yearling colt or filly, for hunting purposes. — First prize, £10, A. Goodman, jun. Highly commended : C. W. Fitz- wiUiam. Commended : J. Goodlilf. Mare suitable for hunting purposes, and foal at foot, got by a thorough-bred stallion. — First prize, a silver cup value £10, J. GoodlifF. Highly commended : S. Middleton, Commended: J. T. Smith. Cart colt, rising three years old. — First prize, £3, P. Griffin. Commended: T. and S. Fyson (Boxer). Cart fiUy, rising three years old. — First prize, £3, T. H. Vergette. Highly commended : J. A. W. Underwood. Com- mended : J. Turner. Cart colt, entire or otherwise, rising two years old. — First prize, £3, R. Hopper. Highly commended : T. and S. Fyson (Young Honest Tom). Commended : H. Cooke (Napoleon). Cart filly, rising two years old. — First prize, £3, G. Fnllard. Highly commended : T. H. Vergette. Cart mare, and foal at foot. — First prize, £5, J.Tomlinson ; second, £2, T. H. Vergette. Highly commended : L. Shepper- son. \Vhole class commended. Special Prize. — To the owner of the best yearling, by Rivet. — First prize, a silver cup, value £5, R. Dods. Com- mended : G. G. Vergette. SHOEI^•G HORSES. Hunting horses.— First Prize, £6, J. Newton ; second, £3, H. Ford, Walton ; third, £1, R. Cooper, Polebrook. Hackney or carriage horses.— First prize, £3, H. Banham ; second, £2, J. Cooper. CATTLE. Fat ox.— Prize, £10, E. Wortley. Bull, above two years old. — Prize, £10, J. How (King Victor. Commended: C. W. Griffin (Nestor). Best buU under two years old. — First prize, £7, H. Lamb ; second, £3, C. W. Griffin (Monarch). Bull calf, under one year old. — First prize, £2, Marquis of Exeter (Telemachus 2nd). Highly commended: J. How (Fitz KiUerbyl. Cow, having had a calf within 13 months, and being stiU in milk or a breeding state. — First prize £5, E. Wortley ; second, £2 10s., J. Poles. Heifer, in calf, iinder three years old. — First prize, £4, J. How (Verona) ; second, £2, S. Vergette. Heifer, under two years old — First prize £3, second £1; Marquis of Exeter (MoUy Gwynne and Penelope). Heifer calf, under one year old. — Prize, £2, J . Turner. Best animal exliibited . in any of the seven preceding classes. — The Rowell cup (special prize), value £10, J. How (Verona). Extra stock.— Commended : J. Buck ; C. W. Grif^n (Lady Blanche). SHEEP. Long-woolled ram, of any age, open to all England.— First prize, £10, W. F. MarshaU. Pen of ten long-woolled ewes.— First prize, £3, J. Turner ; second, £1 10s., J. Whitwell. Pen of ten long-woolled shearling ewes, bred in the district. —First prize, £3, S. Middleton; second, £1 10s., W. B. Giles. Commended : J. Wliitwell. Pen of ten long-woolled ewe lambs. — First prize, £3 W. B. Giles. Pen of ten long-woolled wether lambs. — First prize, £3 W. B. Giles. Pen of ten short-wooUed wether lambs. — First prize, £3 W. Core. Pen of three shearling wethers of any breed, open to all England.— First prize, £3, W. WeUs, M.P. PIGS. Boar of the large breed, open to all England. — First prize, £3, W. Mann ; second, £1, W. Chapman. Boar of the small breed, open to all England. — Prize, £3, J. Brown. Breeding sow of the large breed. — Prize, £3, G. Gaunt. Breeding sow of the small breed — First prize, £2, Marquis of Huntly. BUTTER. Four pounds of best fresh butter.— First prize, £1, Mrs. Grieves ; second, lOs., E. Skrimshire. Highly commended : Mrs. Isaacs. THE DINNER. The Marquis of Huntley, who presided, said : According to Mr. Slechi and Lord Dunmore, two advanced agricultu- rists, we do not know much about agriculture yet. The adoption of machinery, whilst being a benefit to the em- ployer, rendering it needless to employ so many hands, would enable the employer to pay larger wages. The labourers now complained that they had not shared in the advance that had been made in agriculture. Whether that was so or not he would not pretend to determine. He regretted that the pre- valence of the foot-and-mouth disease had militated against the success of the show of cattle and sheep ; and although he observed that the returns of the Norman Cross Division were high, he hoped the disease would soon pass away. Mr. Parso>'S, for the judges, had no doubt there would have been a larger show of stock if the unfortunate foot- and-mouth disease had not been so prevalent. The Bishop of Peterborough believed that in any as- sembly of Englishmen there was no toast that was more cer- tain to receive a generous consideration than the toast of those with whom they might have been engaged in any recent dif- ference. He was going to propose to them the toast of " The Labourers," and he ventured to say this, that it would be a very evil day for agriculture, and a very evil day, therefore, for our country, in which the toast of the labourers should be a really unwelcome toast in an assembly of farmers. He said this because he was quite certain that every farmer present felt that Ids own material interests were deeply bound up in the welfare and prosperity of those who tilled the soil for him. He was told that the toast was rather a delicate and difScolt one, and those who said so did him the compliment of asking him to propose it. He took it because he didn't think it the least delicate or difficult. He was not in the least afraid of proposing it. He should be afraid of proposing the toast of "The Labourers" in an assembly of labourers, just as he should be afraid of proposing the toast of " The Farmers" in an assembly of farmers, because there would be the temptation to flatter and speak civil things to those of whom he was speaking. But he should not be ashamed to propose " The British Farmer" in any assembly of British labourers, and he was not afraid of proposing "The Labourers" in any assembly of British farmers. There had been recently some antagonism of feeling— there never could be really any antagonism of interest^ — between the British labourer and the British farmer. He was quite certain that what- ever really promoted the interests of the one, would really promote the interests of the other. In the question between the British farmer and the British labourer of the present day, they found one aspect of that question between labour and capital which was convulsing and agitating the country from one end to the other. He had no right, as Ms Master held before him, to make himself a judge and a ruler over con- 13b l^HE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. tending parties. And wlien lie spoke of the duties of labour to capital, and the duties of capital to labour, one thing they, as ministers of the Church of Christ, dreaded and trembled to see was the antagonism of class against class. The one thing they dreaded of all others was, not to see one class standing up for its rights, as every class of Englishmen ought to do, but one class standing up for its rights, forgetting it had duties to every other class. Tf he spoke to them of the rights of capital, he should speak of the duties of capital ; if he spoke of the rights of the labourer to the labourer, he should speak of the duties of tiie labourer. And when they said the right of the labourer was a fair day's wage for a fair day's work, it con- cerned both employer and labourer as to what was a fair day's work and a fair day's wage. As a member of the outside public — although farmers were members of that public — he was quite satisfied to leave that question to be settled between the labourer and the farmer upon one condition, that the la- bourer and the farmer were left alone to settle it. He was perfectly satisfied that in the long run the old kindly re- lations that had sprung up, like deep-rooted oaks from the soil of England, and that knitted together the farmer and the labourer ■ — the farmer with the labourer that was born and worked upon his land, and the labourer with the farmer of whom he earned his bread — if they were left alone, left to the natural and wholesome growtli of time and season, would uot ripen into any poisonous fruit. But what he dreaded was the interfer- ence— what he dreaded and deprecated was the uncalled for, the fussy, the ofiicious, the selfish, and mischievous interference between labourers and employers of those who had nothing to do with the matter. He should not be afraid — he did not think anyone there was afraid — of the honest, straightforward, manly gathering together of labourers engaged on the farms of a parish, who thought they had a grievance, and who in the plain, homely, straightforward language of Englishmen chose to tell out their grievances. He was quite sure the farmers would tell their grievances if they had any, and his clergy would tell theirs if they had any, and, speaking for his own order, the bishops would tell their grievances if they had any. Therefore he was uot afraid of men in any rank of life telling their grievances. But, as he had said before, he didn't like your mischief-making meddler. He did not like to hear of men, who never owned an inch of land, who never had a labourer, coming to settle these questions between farmers and their la- bourers. Before a man meddled in any matter he ought to know something about it ; and what he dreaded for our labourers, as he should dread it for our farmers in like circum- stances, was the attempt to make political capital out of it by professional agitators. They would allow him to use a simile. They had to-day been looking at all manner of beasts. Glad he was they were tolerably free from foot-and-mouth disease. Mouth disease was a very prevalent disease in the political world. Naturalists had told us that when any animal in any flock became diseased or sickly, that the kites, and the crows, and the ravenous birds of the neighbourhood, led by a very keen and carnivorous instinct, immediately perch upon its head, flap about its ears, and peck out its eyes. And they might know the sickly beast by the flapping of the wings, and the loud cawings of the birds who hoped to feed upon the animal. They knew that the labourer of this country was in the position of that unhappy and maimed member of the herd or flock. Whether he had or had not his full share of the in- creasing prosperity and wealth of the country was a question which time must decide, and which must be decided by that collision of interest, by that free expression of opinion, by that ctTort on one side or the other, which ever did decide such questions in our free country. The labourer would not see his way a bit the better because these professional kites and crows came to perch upon his head and busy themselves and bother him by flapping about his ears. They might safely leave the British farmer and the British la- bourer to settle their differences between them; and if he had one word to say to tliera. as one who was neither farmer nor labourer, but who was bound by his office to feel the deepest interest in the prosperity and well-being of both, it was this, that the principles of the religion of which he was a teacher and pastor, and of which every one of them were members, in teaching them justice and charity, in teaching them to distrust their own judgment where the interests of others were concerned, in teaching them to follow out tlie golden rule, to do unto others as they would be done by — that those principles really acted out would give the only true, the only wise, and the only happy solution of that difficulty which, he trusted and believed, was but a passing difliculty between the British farmer and the British labourer. Therefore, it was with full confidence that the old kindly feelings between the British farmer and the British labourer were not dead ; and, in spite of the deliberate endeavours of strangers to ex- tinguish them, they would not be extinguished, and, without the least hesitation, difficulty, or doubt as to how his toast would be received in that assembly of British farmers, he gave them the health, best interests, and future well-being of the British labourer (prolonged cheers). THE SUFFOLK AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. MEETING AT BURY ST. EDMUNDS. The Shorthorns did not muster in great force at Bury, as, with the exception of a few of Mr. Catchpolc's entries, they were but a middling lot. In consequence of Mr. Barnard's sudden death his stock was not sent, and there were very many vacant stalls— 34 out of 106 ; foot-and- mouth disease, or the fear of it, as at Cambridge, having its influence upon the show. It is spreading fearfully through the county, and of a much more virulent type than formerly. Mr. Game did not put in an appearance, his show stock being ordered home, most probably to pre- pare for Cardiff. The contest was between Essex and SuflFolk ; but thanks to Mr. Catchpole, the Essex people were not able to take away all the prizes. Essex was re- presented by ]\Iessrs. Chaplin, Upson, Tippler, Crabbe, and Green. The strongest class was that of the cows, where some good animals were exhibited. Mr. Chaplin's Maid of Honour, first at Halstead, had to take second place to Mr. Catchpole's Daisy, a cow of great substance and good form. There was a fair, but uot a large show of the Suflfolks, most of the prizes going to the Lynn winners ; while in some of the classes, owing to the absence of Lord Sondes as a competitor, certain commended animals in Norfolk took a higher position here. The best class of the whole, and with the strongest competition, was that of the Channel Islands cows, as a better show has been seldom seen. They were particularly handsome, besides showing great dairy properties, and the whole class was highly commended ; while Mr. Gilby's Cup cow at Halstead was not placed here, as this will prove the strength of the entry. In the sheep classes the competition was small, with the exception of the Southdowns, Mr. Colman here, as in Norfolk, taking the lead. He appears to be getting some good animals together. The show of pigs was good, Mr. Sexton appearing to be the chief winner, and the Duck- eriugs, of course, have the best of the white classes. The thoroughbred stallions were a moderate lot, but the roadster sires were better, and Quicksilver, the winner at Cambridge, was first here; the Halstead winner, a pretty goer, but undersized and too cobby, though second. There were only two in the coaching class, and Tom Brown won easily, as he did also the Duke of Ha- milton's Cup for the best stallion in the showyard. The other, a light, leggy three-year-old was fortunate enough to be commended,^ The prize hunting mare has heavy THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 131 shouMcrs and bad action, and wiUi Bccliford uo doubt is the uiore valuable nag. The Uuke of Hamilton's pair of roans (once Lord Hastings') were far the best " pair," but as one had a very " dickey " leg Mr. A. llansome got the colours. The soundest of His Grace's pair, however, won the single harness special prize. The hunting mares and foals were a very moderate lot indeed, and not worthy of comment, and the prize hunting mare has heavy shoulders and wide chest, and is a slovenly goer. Col. Wilson's chesnut was better. The four-year-olds were perhaps the worst class that ever entered a showyard. In the three-year-olds, Old Silvcrlock's son was decidedly the best, with a deal of old-fashioned character if he does not get too high. The second has bad shoulders, and Mr. " Paganini" Smith's thorough-bred chesnut was far better— one of Sir George Strickland's sort. There was nothing worthy of note amongst the hackney classes, and the pick of the ponies was Lord Rendlesham's little chesnut mare. One of the cart-horse judges spoke very highly of his section, especially of the yearlings and two-year-olds, and of the latter as being the best he ever saw, with the breeders going more for substance ; while the President declared that he never saw a more magnificent lot of cart mares. Cup-bearer was, as usual, at the head of the stal- lion class, but he was beaten for the Champion prize ; and a yearling by him, called Carlton, very unreasonably, as it was thought, put out of his place. No premiums are offered for machinery, but there was a strong show of implements, distinguished as light goods and heavy goods, in which sections the following were ex- hibitors : Light Goods. — Tipper, Balsale Heath, Bir- mingham ; Scrivener, Wetton, and Gill, Ipswich ; Earthy, Stowmarket ; Meadows and Bennett, Ipswich ; Silvester ; Smith, llalesworth ; Hudson and Jaggard, Bury St. Edmunds ; King, Coggeshall, Essex; De Leon and Andre, Rathbone-place, Oxford-street, London ; Hilton, Lichfield-road, Birmingham ; Day, Son, and Hewitt, Dorset-street, Baker-street, Loudon ; Bryan Corcoran, Witt, and Co., Mark-lane, London ; Bradford and Co., Fleet-street, London ; Kemp, Cambridge ; Rands and Jeckell, Ipswich ; Hills, Sudbury ; Piper and Theobald, Norwich ; Dodge, Upper Thames-street, Lon- don ; Goddard, Ipswich ; Hitchcock, Lavenham and Bury St. Edmunds ; Grayson and Co., Bury St. Ed- munds ; Manning, Bury St. Edmunds ; Packard, Ipswich ; Taylor, Bury St. Edmunds ; Andrews, Sudbury. Heavy Goods. — Tinsley, Ipswich ; Dupont, Bures ; Turner, Ipswich; Burrell, Thetford; Maynard, Whit- tlesford, Cambridge ; Eddington, Chelmsford ; Woods, Cocksedge, and Warner, Stowmarket ; Smyth and Sons, Peasenall ; Ward and Silver, Long Melford ; Murton and Turnei", Kenninghall, Norfolk ; Howard, Bedford ; Bear, Sudbury; Warren, Wetherden ; Boby, Bury St. Ed- muuds ; Eowler, Leeds ; Le Butt, Bury St. Edmunds ; Ransomes, Sims, and Head, Ipswich; Garrett and Sons, Leiston Works ; Bone, Eramliugham. The arrangements were good, the old Abbey grounds looking more beautiful than ever on Thursday, when there were crowds of visitors, the weather being ail that could be desired ; but the ground was badly mapped out. The desirability of having an East Anglian So- ciety, as Suggested by the Prince, was often discussed ; but it appears these shows in each county are looked npou as an annual holiday and gathering, and, in fact, taking the place of the pleasure fairs, even for the lower orders a desirable change. With this feeling each county will like to retain its own institution. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES. — Horses loii Agricultural Purposes : — P. Portway, Stamford, Braintree ; J. Thomas, Bletsoe, Beds ; D. Sewell, Beaumont Hall. Riding and Coaching Horses : H. Tliurnhal!, Royston ; W. Turner, Baddowi Clielmsford ; G. Higgius, Bedford. Cattle : C. Sturgeon, South Ockendou Hall, lloiuford ; T. Pulcher, Elmham ; C, Howard, Biddcuhain, Beds. SiiEEr : H. Woods, Mertou ; T. Hawkins, JHu.jSmallbridge, Bures. Pigs: O. Hawkins, St. Osytli ; J. Turner, Chyiigtoa, Seaford. Veterinary iNSrECTOR: R. L. Hunt, Edgbastou, Birmiugham. Horse Shoeing : Professor Varnell, Beltou, Great Yarmouth. HORSES. roR agricultural ruRrosES. Stallion, having served not less than twenty mares in the county. — Pirst prize, £20, R. Garrett, Carlton Hall (Cup- bearer) ; second, £10, S. Wolton, Butlcy Abbey. Highly commended: C. Boby, Alton Hall (Royal Prince) ; W. Byford, Glemsford (Volunteer) ; G. D. Badham, Buhner (Sullan)- Commended : N. Catclipole, Ipswicli (Emperor). Three-year-old entire colt, foaled in 186'J. — Pirst prize, £15, Col. P. M. Wilson, Stowlangtoft Hall (Heir Apparent) ; second, £7, G- H. Nunu, Bury St. Edmund's (Young Duke). Higlily commended: M. Biddell, Playford (Duke). Com- mended : J. Grout, Woodbridge (Emperor). Two-year-old entire colt, foaled in 1870. — First prize, £15, and cup. I. Rist, Tattmgstone (Young Cliampion) ; second, £7, S. Wolton, Butley Abbey. Best SulYolk stallion in three preceding classes— Prize, cup, value £26 5s., I. Rist, Tattingstone (Young Champion). One-year-old entire cart colt, foaled in 1871.— First prize, £10, J. Berners, Ipswich (Emperor) ; second, £5, C. Lee, juu., Walpole (Carlton). Highly commended: VV. Pollard, Ra- veniugham, Norfolk (Y'oung Duke). Commended : E.\ecuk>rs of Patrick Stearn, Elmsett. Mare with foal at foot.— First prize, £15, and cup, G. H. Cant, Mile End, Colchester (Violet) ; second, £7, Lieutenant- Colonel F. M. Wilson, Stowlangtoft Hall (Coucpiest). Higidy commended: R. Capon, Denningtou (Gyp). Commended: W. Noble (Duchess). Reserved : J. Read, Carlton, Colville, Lowestoft (Scot) Foal, foaled in 1872.— First prize, £8, G. H. Cant ; secoud, £4, J. Read. Foal by Cupbearer.— Prize, cup value £10 10s., G. H. Cant. Gast mare.— First prize, £10, II. Wolton, Newbourne Hall (Diamond) ; second, £5, Earl of Stradbroke, Henhara Hall (Matchless). Commended : Lieutenant-Colonel F. M. Wilson (Victoria). Three years old filly, foaled in 1869.— First prize, iGlO, W. J.Thompson, Thorpe, Colchester; second, £5, R. E. LofTt, Troston Hall, Bury St. Edmund's (Duchess). Two years old filly, foaled in 1870.— First prize, £10, E. Crowe, Denver, Downham Market (Flower) ; second, £5, Lieut.-Col. F. M. Wilson. ^ ^^ One year old cart filly, foaled in 1871.— First prize, £10, H. Scotchmer ; second, £5, W. Cross, Ivy Cottage, Prating, Esse.x (Matchet). , -,. • Best Suffolk cart niare or filly in the yard.— Prize, tlie President's Cup, Earl of Stradbroke (Brag). Best pair of plough horses, mares, or geldings, or mixed.— Cup, value £10 10s., the Earl of Stradbroke, (Matchet) and (Brag). Best team of four cart horses, either mares, or geldings, or mixed, of any breed.— Cup, value £21., Lieut.-Col. F. M. Wilson (Bury Empress), ditto (Scot), ditto (Violet), ditto (Oxford Moggy). riding and coaching STALLIONS. Thorough-bred stallion for hunting purposes, having served not less tlian 10 mares in the county. — First prize, £20, J. Grout, Woodbridge (Little Hastings) ; second, £10, Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, Easton Park (The Beadle). Reserve : Major F. Barlow, Hasketon (Playfellow). Stallion for coaching purposes, having served not less than 10 mares in the county.— Prize, £10, Major F. Barlow, Hasketon (Tom Brown). Commended: J. Grout, Wood- bridge (The Srpiire). Roadster stallion, having served not less than 10 mares in the county.— First prize, £10, W. Flanders, Fen House, Mil- denhall (Quicksilver) ; second, £5, F. Branwhite, Long Mel- ford (Defiance). Highly Commended : J. Reed Cooper, Manor House, Barton (Leiston). 132 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. Best stallion in the three preceding classes — Prize, £15 15s., Major F. Barlow, Hasketon (Tom Brown). Match pair of geldings or mares for carriage or phaeton purposes, not less than 14-.2 hands high. — Prize, cup, £10 10s., J. A. Ransome, Ipswich (Mulatto and Quadroon). Highly commended : Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, Easton Park (Marquis and Prince). Hnnting mare, with foal at foot.— First prize, £7, E. Greene, M.P., Bury St. Edmunds (Minnie) ; second, £3, H. Rodwell, Ampton Hall. Hackney mare, with foal at foot. — First prize, £7, E. Prior, Bury St. Edmunds ; second, £3, Duke of Hamilton and Bran- don (Jewel). Highly commended and reserved : J. Grout, Woodbridge (Lightfoot). Hunting foal.— Prize, £5, M. Biddell, Playford, Highly commended : H. Rodwell (Musketeer). Roadster foal. — Prize, £5, Duke of Hamilton and Brandon (The Beadle). Hisfhly commended: J. Walker, Loudham Hall, Petistree (Defender). Foal by Defender or Brennus. — Prize, cup, £5 5s., M. Bid- dell. Foal by The Beadle— Prize, cup, £5 5s., W. Thurlow, Hacheston. Weight-carrying hunting mare or gelding, not less than five years old. — First prize, £10, W. N. King, Great Barton Place, Bury St. Edmund's (King Pippin) ; second, £5-, Major F. Barlow, Hasketon (Beckford). Highly commended: Lieut- Col. F. M. Wilson, Slowlangtoft Hall. Weight-carrying hunting mare or gelding, not less than four years old. — First prize, £10, J. Grout, Woodbridge (Alice) ; second, £5, W. Harvey, Timworth. Weight-carrying hunting mare or gelding, three years old. — First prize, £7, Major F. Barlow (Blacklocks) ; second, £8, Major-General Sir Stephen Lakeman, Stoke Park, Ipswich. Commended : T. Smith, Banstead Manor, Cheveley, New- market (Talisman). Weight-carrying hunting mare or gelding, two years old. — First prize, £5, Major F. Barlow (Guildford) ; second, £2, J, Dorlin, Elmstead, Essex (Tiptop). Light-weight hunting mare or gelding. — Cup, value £10 10s., T. Harper, Northgate-street, Bury St. Edmund's (Kathleen). Commended : R. Capen, Dennington. Riding mare or gelding, not under 15 hands high. — First prize, £10, G. D. Badham, Bulmer (Black Prince) ; second, £5, E. Greene, M.P., Bury St. Edmund's (Jessie). Reserved : E. Greene (Ruby). Hackney mare or gelding, not under 14 hands high, and not exceeding 15 hands. — First prize, £10, J. Grout (Tinker) ; second, £5, Rev. W. F. Thursby, Bergh-Apton Rectory, Nor- wood (Black Prince). Highly commended : J. Gardner, Chevington. Three-year-old hackney mare or gelding. — First prize, £5, W. M. Flatt, Wantisden; second, £3, Rev. E. Walford, Dallinghoo. Two-year-old hackney mare and gelding. — First prize, £5, C. S. Scott, Thorp Morieux (Attraction) ; second, £2, not awarded. Hackney mare or gelding, of not less than 14 hands higli, nor more than 15 hands 2 inches. — Prize, cup, value 10 gs., Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, Easton Park (Marquis). Highly commended : J. Gardner, Chevington. Pony not under 13 hands high, and not exceeding 14 hands, —Prize, £5, R. C. Cooke, Liverraere. Specially recommended for a second prize : G. King, Gazeley. Pony not under 12 hands high, and not exceeding 13 hands. —Prize, £5, Lord Rendlesham, Rendlesham Park. Pony not exceeding 12 hands high. — Prize, £5, A. Ogilvie, Sizewell House, Leiston. CATTLE. Suffolk buU, not under two years old. — First prize, £10, J. J.Colman, M.P., Norwich (Cherry Duke); second, £5, B. Brown, Thursford, Thetford (Norfolk Duke). Highly com- mended: J. J.Colman, M.P. (Easton Duke). Reserved: J. Hammond, Bale, Norfolk (The Baron). Suffolk bull, under two years old. — First prize, £10, B. Brown (Prince) ; second, £5, H. Biddell, Playford (Great Ex- pectations). Suffolk cow, in-milk or in-calf. — First prize, £10, B. Brown (Countess) ; second, £5, J. Hammond (Mrs. Davey). Com- mended : R. E. Lofft (Newbourne Pride), Reserved : T. Thornhill, Riddlesworth. Suffolk heifer, in-milk or in-calf, under three years old. — First prize, £10, J. Hammond (Bessie) ; second, £5, B. Brown (Duchess). Commended : 11. E. Lofft (Handsome 2nd). Re- served : R. E. Lofft (Topknot). Suffolk heifer, under two years old. — First prize, £7, B. Brown (Handsome) ; second, £3, Sir E. C. Kerrison, Bart., Oakley Park, Scole. Highly commended and reserved : J. Hammond, Bale, Norfolk (Beauty). Red polled Suffolk cow. — First prize, a cup, £10 10s., B. Brown, Thursford, Thetford (Countess). Shorthorn bull, not under two years old. — First prize, £10. — N. Catchpole, Ipswich (Oxford Prize) ; second, £5, J. Up- son, Rivenhall, Witham (Duke of Westwood). Highly com- mended and reserved : Wm. Tippler, Duke Farm, Roxwell (Cambridge Duke 3rd). Shorthorn bull, under two years old.— First prize, £10, R. H. Crabbe, Baddow Place, Chelmsford (Romford Duke) ; se- cond, £5, N. Catchpole, Ipswich (Sorcerer). Sliorthorn bull, under one year old. — First prize, £7, Wm. Tippler (Proud Cambridge Duke) ; second, £3, N. Catchpole (Samson). Shorthorn cow, in milk or in calf. — First prize, £10, N. Catchpole (Daisy); second, £5, J. R. Chaplin, Ridgewell, Halstead (Maid of Honour). Highly commended and re- served: N. Catchpole (Acacia). Commended: N. Catchpole (Princess Emily) ; Wm. Tippler (Countess Landor). Shorthorn heifer, under three years old, in milk or in calf. —First prize, £10, D. A. Green, East Donyland (Peach Blos- som) ; second, £5, J. R. Chaplin (Kitty Dod). Shorthorn heifer, under two years old. — First prize, £10, N. Catchpole (Lady Ducie) ; second, £5, J. R. Chaplin (Grace Ogilvie). Highly commended and reserved : W. Tip- pler (Cinnamon). Highly commended : D. A. Green (Dony- land Rose). Bull of the Channel Islands breed, of any age. — First prize, £10,R. M. Jary, Westley, Newmarket (Prince Charlie) ; second, £5, J. R. Vaizey, Attwoods, Halstead (Alderney bull). Highly commended : C. J. H. Tower, Weald Hall, Brentwood (Eclipse). Cow or heifer of the Channel Islands breed, if over two years old, in milk or in calf. — First prize, £10, Rev. Morton Shaw, Rougham Rectory, Bury St. Edmund's (Mignionette) ; second, £5, the Marquis of Bristol, Ickworth Park, Reserved : F. M. Wilson, Stowlangtoft Hall. Cow for milkincf purposes, of any breed. — Prize, cup, £6 6s., Lieut.-Col. F. M. Wilson, Stowlangtoft Hall (Ada). SHEEP. Southdown tup of any age. — First prize, £8, C. Boby, Alton Hall, Stutton ; second, £4, J. Overman. Reserved : C. Boby, Alton Hall. Shearling Southdown tup. — First prize, £8, and second, £4, J. J. Colman, M.P., Norwich. Pen of five Southdown shearling ewes. — First prize, £8, J. J. Colman, M. P., Norwich; second, £4, J . Overman, Burn- ham. Commended and reserved : W. Harvey, Timworth. Suffolk tup of any age. — First prize, £8, and second, £4, J . M. Green, Stradishall, Newmarket. Shearling Suffolk tup. — First prize, £8, W. Harvey, Tim- worth ; second, £4, J. Smith, Hasketon. Pen of five Suffolk shearling ewes. — First prize, £8, J. M. Green ; second, £4, G. King, Gazeley. Highly commended and reserved : W. Harvey, Timworth. Pen of twenty ewe lambs of the Suffolk breed.— Prize, R. M. Jary, Westley, Newmarket. Long-woolled tup of any age. — First prize, £8, J.Giblin, Bardfield ; second, £4, J. Wheeler and Sons, Long Compton. Shearling Long-woolled tup. — First prize, £8, J. Giblin ; second, £4, J. Giblin. Reserved : J. Wheeler and Sons. Pen of five 'Long-woolled shearling ewes. — Prize, £8, J. Giblin. Pen of not less than five ewes of any pure breed. — Prize, cup value £15 15s., J. J. Colman, M.P., Norwich. Pen of ten ewes of any age or breed, which have had lambs this year. — Prize, £G, G. Cooke, Linton, Cambs. Pen of ten shearling ewes of any breed. — First prize, £6, G. Cooke, Linton, Cambs ; second, £3, Marquis of Bristol, Ickworth Park. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 133 Pen of ten ewe lambs of any breed. — First prize, £G, G. Cooke, Linton, Cambs ; secouil, £3, J. M. Green, Stradishall, Newmarket. Highly commended and reserved : J. J. ColmaDj M.P., Norwicli. riGS, Boar of the black breed, not under oue-year-old. — I'irst prize, £8, G. M. Sexton, Wherstead Hall (Creraorne) ; second, £t, S. Wolton, Butley Abbey. Commended: H. Biddell, riayford (The Claimant). Boar of the black breed, under one-year-old — First prize, £5, H. Bidden, Playford (The Cripple) ; second, £3, Herman Biddell (Sir Roger). Sow and pi^s of the black breed (the pigs not to exceed 10 weeks old) .—Prize £8, G. M. Sexton, Wherstead Hall. Breeding sow of the black breed. — First prize, £8, G. M. Sexton, Wherstead Hall; second, £4, Lord Rendlesham, Rendlesham Park (May Queen). Commended : E. King (Black Diamond). Pen of three young sows of the blaek breed, pigged since November 1st. — First prize, £5, G. M. Sexton, Wherstead Hall ; second, £3, S. Wolton, Butley Abbey. Boar of the white breed, not under one year'old. — First prize, £8, R. E. Duckering, Northorpe, Kirton Lindsey ; second, £4, R. E. Duckering. Commended: M. Biddell, Playford. Boar of the white breed, under one year old. — First prize, £5, G. M. Sexton, Wherstead Hall (Sir Roger) ; second, £3, Lord Rendlesham, Rendlesham Park (White Boy). Sow and pigs of the white breed (the pigs not exceeding ten weeks old). — Prize £8, Messrs. John Wheeler and Sons, Long Compton, Breeding' sow of the white breed. — First prize, £8, G. M. Sexton, Wherstead Hall ; second, £4, Lord Rendlesham, Rendlesham Park (Polly). Commended : Messrs. J. Wheeler and Sons, Long Compton. Pen of three young sows ; of the white breed, pigged since November 1st. — First prize", £5, G. M. Sexton, Wherstead Hall ; second, £3, Lord Rendlesham, Rendlesham Park. Pen of three clean Jid, pigs. — Cup, £3 3s., C. Cockerill, Pakenham. THE DINNER. The President, Lieut. -Col. Wilson, was in the chair. Lord Augustus Uervey, M.P., said there were two subjects to which he thought he might allude. In the neighbouring county of Norfolk his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales had been pleased to allude to the ability of the Eastern Counties to arrange a show which should be second to none in England. This was a question which more than once had occupied the attention of the Couucil of the Association with which he had the honour to be connected, and he thought that under the circumstances the suggestion ought to receive the attention of that Association. Another topic to which he might draw their attention was one of more general interest. The revenue of the present year showed such extraordinary signs of increase that he thought they might naturally look forward at the close of the financial year to a very large surplus, and he thought it was worthy of the attention of all who were interested in agriculture to consider in what way that surplus might be ap- plied at the end of the year, so as to beneiit agriculture. There were many ways, no doubt, in which it might be done, and he needed scarcely to remind them that during the present Session a motion had been passed with respect to Local Taxa- tion, which was in accordance with the views they had long held, and which could scarcely fail to produce an effect on the legislation for rural interests. Then, also, there were other outlets for the surplus wealth of the country with which they were familiar. Amongst them were the Income-tax and the Malt-tax. Whatever might be the result, he thought the agriculturists would do well to employ their minds in consi- dering how the large balance, which]would undoubtedly accrue, should be used so as to benefit agriculture. Mr. E. Greene, M.P., believed they had been already greatly relieved by the steps which had been taken in Par- liament by those who advocated a relief from local taxation, to get certain burdens borne by the public at large which formerly pressed upon the ratepayer. He congratulated them upon the Show that day, and hoped that one question would not be lost sight of, and that was steam cultivation. He felt sure tliat the day was coming when deep cultivation of the soil would be felt to be of vital importance. There were dif- ferences of opinion, perhaps, upon that subject as well as upon others, but he thought those who had tried it had felt it to be right. He had merely mentioned this because he had recently attended a meeting in London, which was held for the purpose of establishing a Company for carrying out steam cultivation, so as to relieve the occupier of the dilliculty of finding capital for such machinery as was needed for the work. He was convinced that the farmers needed all that they could do on their farms by the aid of machinery or otherwise. As a few drops foretold the coming storm, so he was assured that unless they availed themselves of scientific appliances, they would fall short in the race. Expenses would rise, and productions would remain stationary, and they would find the balance on the wrong side. Viscount Mahon, M.P., said as to the matters in the House of Commons, he would venture to say, speaking only of his own opinion, that he did not consider that the House of Com- mons represented the country. He would add one wor d to what his friend Mr. Greene had said as to Local Taxation. They expected much more good than they had yet experienced in the reduction of Local Taxation. Thay expected to pay higher wages, and could not do that if their rates went on increasing day by day ; and, therefore, the important motion which Sir Massey Lopes passed by a large majority would, or ought, to lead to some results favourable to their interests. Mr. R. Garrett : What about the Ballot Bill ? Viscount Maiion : I think that with regard to the Ballot Bill, we shall have it, but somewhat softened down. He was sure they would all deprecate having political agitators stirring up ill-feeling between landlords and tenants, and between the tenants and their workmen. They did not want them in Suffolk ; but he had too high an opinion of all, whether landlord, tenant, or workman, in Suffolk, to suppose that they would be very seriously afl'ected by these agitators. With regard to cottage building, he must observe that it was all very well to advocate better cottages, and he should be very sorry to say a work against it ; but they could not do everything at once. It must be remembered that here, as in other things, they were stopped by financial considerations. If they spent £200 upon a cottage which returned but £4 a-year, that was only two per cent,, and there are not many who could afford that. (A Voice : " You could build it for £100.") It had also been said that the land was in the hands of only wealthy people, and that its possession was a matter of luxury. Land, it was said, could only be held by rich people. That was not quite true, for by the Agricultural Statistics they learned that 51 per cent, of the land was owned by holders of under 20 acres in JEngland, and 55 per cent, by the same class of people in Scotland. The President might say tliat he never saw a more magnificent class of agricultural mares or the Alderney cows at the Royal or any other show. With regard to implements, as experience proved that they could get a good show without offering prizes, he thought the association was wise in giving none ; for having been a steward at the Royal Show for some years, he knew from experience that the trouble and expense of getting at anything like a satisfactory result were more than any county association could undertake. There was one sub- ject he did not like to pass unnoticed, as it was creating a good deal of stir in the agricultural world at the present time. He alluded to the labour question. He thought they would all admit that the labourer's labour was his capital, and he was perfectly justified, as long as he kept within the limits of the law, in making the best market he could. The only fear was that he might be led away by interested and mischievous men, who had their personal interests at heart more than those of the agricultural labourer. The rate of wages must be regulated by supply and demand, and if there was too much labour it must move off somewhere or other. From this neighbourhood a great many had gone into Yorkshire, and some he heard were doing well ; some had already returned, and there was no more talk of going away. He did not blame a labourer for moving if he thought he could better himself, because it was what was done by people in other walks of life ; but if a legitimate rise of wages was to take place, where was it to come from ? He did not believe that the profits of farm- ing were sufficient to pay any great increase of wages ; and if higher wages were to be paid, machinery must be used to 134 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. enable farmers to do with fewer labourers, and there must be a ditferent system of cropping. Then again it was said that the landlords must lower the rents. They must remember that money invested in land now only paid three per cent., and in many cases even less, and he did not see how they could look for a reduction of rents. Wliat tliey ought to do was to pay the labourer a fair day's wages, and in return they ought to have a fair day's work. If the prehcut movement was kept within bounds, he thought it would do good, as it would tend to make the labourers more independent of the rates ; but if they were led away by excitement, and the farm- ing interest was not able to meet their demands, it must re- coil upon their own heads. With regard to the amalgaraation that had been spoken of, it appeared there were two views upon that subject. They would get much larger sliovvs, but the question was whether the shows were not already large enough ; and also whether by araalganuUion they would not lose a great deal of local interest that was now very valuable. One other point he wished to mention, lie had often been joked about being instrumental in bringing the Royal Show to 13ury, and he wished to remind them that it was coming into the Eastern district again in 1874. It was true that the show was held in the county of Suffolk in 1SC7 ; but Suffolk was then the last on the list, and it would not be unfair that it should come again into this county, aud there was no town of the same importance as Ipswich where it had not been held. If Ipswich wished for it, they in tlie Western division would do all they could to ensure its being held there. Mr, PoKTWAT on behalf of the cart-horse judges spoke very highly of the various classes, especially the yearlings and two- year-olds, the latter being the best he ever saw. He was also glad to see that while the Suffolk men had adhered to quality they were getting also a little more substance. The young fillies were not nearly so good as the young colts. Mr. Turner, as one of the judges of the pigs, said that with one exception they were r remarkably good show. The exception, he should think, was seut by a man who never saw but that one pig; if he had he would have kept it at home, lie was in favour of deep ploughing, and if a man had a farm that would not pay for deep cultivation, he would advise him to give his landlord notice at once, as it wao not worth having at all. Mr. TiiuKNALL, as one of the judges of riding horses, said he was sorry he could not compliment the county on the show, but it was not at all surprising when he saw the kind of horses and mares from which they were in tlie habit of breeding. He advised more attention to breediug from animals of a better class. Mr. Gayfokd, referring to the question of amalgamating the Societies of the Eastern Counties, said there appeared to be no necessity for such a step at present, but the time might come when towns would not be so anxious for the meetings of the Association as they were at present, and when it would be advisable to iiold them less frequently, and then amalga- raation would become desirable, but at present he thought " Let well alone " a good motto. RIPON AND CLARO AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. The annual show was held at Ripon. The entries of cattle were 55, horses 155, sheep 42, pigs 23, poultry 83, pigeons and rabbits 72. and implements 232. The Marquis of Ripon's prize of £10 lor Shorthorn bulls was competed for by six animals. Mr. Linton's celebrated white bull. Lord Irwin, from Sheriff Hutton, and the winner of so many prizes, from the Royal Society's show downwards, was among the entries ; but the first and second awards went respectively to a roan, owned by Mr. Charles Mason, Disht'ortb, Thirsk ; and a red three-year-old, the property of Mr. W. H. Raine, Morton, Tyneraoutb, Darlington. Tiie Shorthorns, as a class, were more numerous than at last year's show, many of the best herds in the north of England being represented. The entries in the horse classes were also generally of fair average quality. The two hunting prizes obtained only few entries ; and, although in the roadster classes there were more animals shown, the general quality was not so good as at previous shows of the Society. The sheep classes were well filled, and equally well represented. Pigs were not so large a show as in previous years, but there were some useful animals exhibited in the store classes. The implements comprised the usual variety. Malthouse, Ripon, received an award for seed-drills ; Slater, Easingwold, for carts ; Smith, Lanthorpe, for a sheep-rack; Hewson, Northallerton, for washing machines and churns ; Kearsley, Ripon, for horse-mower and rake ; Bradford and Co., London and Manchester, general assortment of washing machines ; Corbett, Shrewsbury, winnowers and drills ; In- gram, Ripon, general assortment of agricultural implements ; Grainger, Ripley, sheep-rack ; Sherwood, liedale, reaper ; Wilcock, Dishforth, corn drill ; Bushell, York, general assort- ment ; James, Ripon, general assortment ; Spenee, Ripon, general assortment ; Lickley, Ripon, general assortment ; Hopperton, Sheriff Hutton, general assortment ; Rimington and Co., Newcastle-on-Tyne, farm boiler ; Scurrah, Well, ploughs; Kemp, Boroughbridge, reaping machines; Parkin- son, llipon, sewing machine ; Stephenson, Grewelthorpe, side- action reaper ; Mountain, Ripon, carts ; Croft, Ripon, carts. PRIZE-LIST. JUDGES.— Horses : T. B. Colton, Eagle Hall, Newark; W. S. Atkinson, Barroby Hall, Woodlesford, Leeds ; JW, Robinson, lluttou Hall, Darlington ; J. S. Stowell, Eauer- dale House, Darlington. Cattle : T. C. Booth, Warlaby, Northallerton; T. M. Eryer, Wensley House, Bedale. Sheep and Pigs : W. Lovrll, Nafferton Grange, Hull ; W. Hill, AVetherby. Implements : J. Gothorp, Mowbray- hill, Bedale. CATTLE. SHORTirORNS. Bull, two years old and upwards. — First prize, C. Mason, Dishforth, Thirsk ; second, W. H. Raine, Darliugton. Bull, above one and under two years old. — First prize, W. Linton, Sheriff Hutton ; second, Major Stapylton, Helperby, Bull-calf, under twelve months old. — First prize, T. H. Hutchinson, Catterick ; second. Major Stapylton. Cow or heifer, in calf or milk, three years old and upwards. — First prize, T. H. Hutchinson; second, J. Knowles, Wetherby. Heifer in calf or milk, under three years old. — First prize, Major Greenwood, Ripley; second, J. Yorke, Pately Bridge. Heifer, one year old and under two. — First prize, T. H. Hutchinson ; second. Major Greenwood. Heifer-calt, under twelve months. — First pri^e, T. II. Hutchinson ; second, F. Barroby, Dishforth, Thirsk. Pair of dairy cows in calf or milk. — First prize, G. K. Har- land, Northallerton ; second, T. II. Hutchinson. Cow for dairy purposes. — First prize, C. Mason ; second, Major Greenwood. alderneys or guernseys. Cow or heifer of any age, in calf or milk. — First prize, W. Tattersall, Ripon; second, S. Gothorp, Nunwick. ANY breed. Cow for dairy purposes, the property of a cottager whose annual rents collectively do not exceed £30. — First prize, G. Ilutley, Nunwick; second, M. lanson, Ripon. HORSES. Brood mare, with foal at foot. — First prize, W. C. Iloecliffe, Hull ; second, R. Russell, Bedale. Three-year-old gelding. — First prize, T. Hare, Easingwold ; second. Viscountess Downe, Thirsk. Three-year-old fiUy. — First prize. Viscountess Downe; second, G. Foster, Burley-in-Wharfedale. Two-year-old gelding or filly. — First prize, R. M. Bowman, Ripon ; second, G. H. Thompson, Kirkhammerton, York. Yearling colt or filly. — First prize, R. Williamson, Ripon ; second, T. Tebb, Ripon. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 135 Brood mare for harness, with foal at foot. — First prize, L. Manfield, Tiiirsk ; second, P. Barroby, Tiiirsk. Three-year-old gelding or filly, for harness. — First prize, I. Scartii, Northallerton ; second, T. Clayton, Ripley. Two-year-old geldiug or filly, for harness. — First prize, J. Wood, Tanfield ; second, L. Manfield. Yearling coll or filly, for harness. — First prize, L. Manfield ; second, J. Masou, Thirsk. Brood mare, with foal at foot, for the read. — First prize, R. M. Bowman ; second, W. Dixon, Thirsk. Three-year-old gelding or filly, for the road. — First prize, J. Woodward, Boroughbridge : second, W. Lumley, Wetherby. Two-year-old geldiug or filly, lor the road. — First prize, J. Greaves, Clotherholme ; second, F. Barroby. Yearhng colt or filly, for tlie road. — First prize, T. Dales, Wetherby; second, W. Fall, Wath. Brood mare with foal at foot, for the farm. — First prize, Major Stapyltou, York ; second, J. Smith, Humburton. Three-year-old geldiug or filly, for the farm. — First prize, A. Heddon, Baldersby ; second, E. and W. I'awson, Burley. Two-year-old geldiug or filly, for the farm. — First prize, R. P. Crow, Boroughbridge ; second, L. Lorrimer, Knaresbro'. Yearling colt or filly, for the farm. — First prize, A. Heddon ; second, T.^Gill, Bedale. Pair of horses for farm purposes, in which capacity they must have worked during the season. — iirst prize, A. Heddon ; second, G. Mangles, Givendale. Hunting gelding or mare of any age. — Prize, R. Brunton, Middlesbro'. Four-year-old hunting geldiug or filly. — Prize, Lady de Lisle and Dudley, Ingleby Manor, Northallerton. Leaper, gelding or mare, of any age. — First prize, H. John- son, Spofforth; second, W. T. Wells, Kirklington. Roadster, gelding or mare. — First prize, T. Clarkson, Leeds ; second, G. Knowlson, Thormanby. Pair of tandem horses or ponies, any size, to be driven in harness. — First prize, W. Scott, Broom Close, Boroughbridge ; secojd, J. Handley, Ripou. Single harness horse, gelding or mare (trotting and quality), to be driven in harness in the ring. — First prize, C. Mills, Bradford ; second, R. Williamson, Ripou. Pony, not exceeding 14 hands, to be mounted if required. — First prize, G. Blakcloek, Sherton Castle, Eden ; second, C. Mason, Dishforth, Thirsk. Pony, not exceeding 12 hands. — First prize, F. Mosey, Leeds; second, T. Clayton, Stainley House, Ripley. Donkey. — First prize, T. Davy, Bishop Monkton ; second, J. Parker, Middleton, Quernhow, SHEEP. LEICESTERS OR LONGWOOLS. Ram of any age.— First prize, "W H. Hutchinson, Manor House, Catterick ; second, C. and W. Dovenor, Suuley Rains, Ripon. Shearling ram.— First prize, T. H. Httchinsou; second, T. H. Hutchinson. Pen of three ewes. — First peize, T. H. Hutcliiusou ; second, C. and W. Dovenor. Pen of three shearling giramers. — First prize, T. II, Hutchinson ; second, C. and W. Dovenor. Pen of five shearling wethers. — First prize, J. Cundale, Capt Hewick ; second, J. Cundale. Pen of five he-larabs. — First prize, J. Greaves, Clother- holme ; second, W. W. GatlifF, Thorpe Lodge, Ripon. Pen of five gimmer-larabs. — First prize, J. Greaves ; second, W. W. Gathff. ANY OTHER BREED OR CROSS. Pen of five ewes. — First prize, S. Gothorp, Nuuwick ; second, S. Gothorp. Pen of five shearlings. — First prize, J. Masou, Skelton, Ripou ; second, J. Mason. PIGS. Boar of any age, of the large breed. — First prize, G. Mangles, Givendale ; second, W. Lister, Armley. Sow of any age, of the large breed. — First prize, J. Broad- with, Rainton ; second, G. Mangles. Boar of any age, of the small breed. — First prize, G. Mangles ; second, W. Lister. Sow of any age, of the small breed. — First prize, W. Lister ; second, G. Mangles. Cottager's pig, such cottager paying under £8 rent, and resident within eight miles of Ripon. — First prize, W. Her- ring, Skelton, llipon ; second, M. Lynch, Ripon. Pen of three pigs, of the large breed, not exceeding six inontlis. — Prize, G. Mangles. Peu of three pigs, of the small breed, not exceeding six months. — Prize, G. Mangles. EXTRA STOCK. One sow. — Prize, J. Mawe, Kilburn, York. At the luncheon, Mr. R. D. Oxley, Thorpe Lodge, in the chair, Mr. Atkinson, who responded for the judges, spoke of the great advantage of agricultural shows in creating good feeling and trust between landlord and tenant, and Irieudly emulation among exhibitors. PENWITH AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. The annual show was held at Penzance. There were in all 161 entries — 58 of cattle, 61 of horses, 25 of sheep, and 17 of pigs — subdivided as follows : Devons 16, Shorthorns 12, Channel Islands 20, cross breed cattle 10, saddle horses 16, general purpose ditto 14, agricultural ditto 14, Leicester sheep 21, Shropshire Down 2, South Hams 2, large breed pigs 3, small breed 14. The Devons included some good animals, but more conspicuous were the Shorthorns, the Messrs. Hosken, of Hayle, having forwarded ten, amongst which was the prize- taker, the Duke of Oxford, who was bedecked with ribbons and stripes which he had won in the various competitions in which he had been so successful. There was also a good show of Jerseys, Guernseys, and cross-breeds. The saddle horse classes were the best, and the agricultural classes not so strong as they might have been. There were some good pens of Leicesters ; and the small breed pigs, though the entries were not numerous, were on the whole very good. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES. — Horses AND Pigs : J. Sandoe, Bodmin, and R. Tremaiue, Trethurtfe. Catile and Sheep : J. Gill, Tre- worgie, and W. Clarke, Luney. CATTLE. North Devon bulls. — First prize, W. Clarke, Luney; second, J. Goldsworthy, Trewinnard; third, T. Stephens, Wendron. Shorthorn bull. — First prize, Hosken and Son, Hayle ; second, E. Bolitho, Trewidden. Bull of the Guernsey or Jersey Dreed. — Prize, T. D. Eva, Camborne. North Devon bull, calved since January 1, 1871. — First prize, J. Masou, St. Clement's ; second, T. Stephens. Shorthorn bull, calved since January 1, 1&71. — Prize, Messrs. Hosken. North Devon milch cow. — First prize, Mr. Rosewarne, Go- dolphin ; second, J. Mason. Shorthorn milch cow. — First and secoud prizes, Messrs. Hosken. Milch cow of the Guernsey or Jersey breed. — First prize, T. Roberts, St. Levan ; secoud, H. Hodge. Milch cow of the cross breed. — Krst prize, J. Cardell, St. Erth ; second, E. Bolitho. Two years old Shorthorn heifer, calved since January 1, 1870. — First and second prizes, Messrs. Hosken. Heifer of the Guernsey or Jersey breed, calved since Janu- ary 1, 1870.— Prize, T. Roberts. Highly commended. — Jersey bull, G. Laity; Guernsey cow, W. Edwards ; Jersey cow, R. Cardell, St. Erth ; Jersey cow, G. Laity ; cross-bred cow, J. Cardell ; two cross-bred cows, 136 THE FARMER'S I1A.GAZINE. E. Bolitho ; three Shorthorn heifers, Hosken and Son ; Gueiu- sey or Jersey heifer, T. D. Eva ; two years old stallion, for general purposes, J. H. Trevithick and Sous ; three years old filK or geldinK for the saddle, W. Laming ; two years old filly or gelding, H. Armitage ; cart horse or colt J. Barratt ; saddle yearling colt, M. A. Williams ; Leicester hogg ewes, J. Thomas. Commended.— Guernsey heifer, W. Edwards ; Jersey heifer, R. Cardell ; two years old gelding for the saddle, Mr. James and Mr. Iilitchell ; saddle yearling colt or gelding, R. White and H. Armitage. SHEEP. Leicester ram.— First prize, J. Rosewarne ; second, and third, J. Mason. Leicester hogg ram. — First prize, J. Rosewarne ; second, J. Mason ; third, J. Rosewarne. Five Leicester ewes, not exceeding three years old off, hav- ing reared lambs this season,— First prize, J. Rosewarne; second, J. Thomas. Five Leicester ewe hoggs.— First prize, J. Rosewarne; second, J. Mason. Southdown ram, or other Down ram.— Prize, T. Roberts. PIGS. Boar, large breed.— Prize, J. Foss, Perranuthuoe. Sow in farrow, or having had farrows. — First and second prizes, C. Strick, Sancreed. Boar, small breed.— First and second prizes, W. M. Ware, Helstou ; third, J. Bassett. Sow in farrow, or having had farrows. — First prize, John Bassett ; second, W. M. Ware ; third, J. Bassett. HORSES. Stallion, calculated to improve the breed of saddle horses. — First prize, J. P. and W. H. Yeo, Camborne (Lifton) ; second, Hawke and Williams, Truro (Motley). Stallion, calculated to improve the breed of horses for gene- ral purposes of husbandry.— Prize, W. Laming, Lelant (Trot- ting Rattler). Stallion, calculated to improve the breed of cart-horses. — First prize, J. P. and W. H. Yeo (Young Shiner) , second, H. Laity. Brood saddle mare, with her foal by her side. — First prize, E. Bolitho ; second, G. Phillips (Seunen). Three years old filly or gelding, for the saddle. — First prize, n. Armitage ; second, J. Cnrnow, Towednack. Three years old filly or gelding, for general purposes.— First prize, T. P. Adams, Breage ; second, H. Armitage. Two years old gelding or fiUy, for the saddle.— Prize, C. Friggens, Gulval. Two years old gelding or filly, for general purposes.— Prize, H. Armitage. Cart mare, with her foal by her side. — First prize, R. M. BranweU and Sons, Penzance ; second, R. Cardell. Yearling colt, gelding, or filly for the saddle.— Prize, J. Inch, Ludgvan. Yearling colt, gelding, or filly, for general purposes. — Prize, G. Chenhalls, St. Just. THE DINNER. Mr. T. B. Bolitho, the Chairman, should deprecate the termination of the operations of a society which, through ill report and good report, had laboured on for eighty or ninety years, and was still as vigorous as ever. There was a time when, if a man had a son too dull for scholarship and too in- dolent for business, he brought him up to be a farmer. Now, however, agriculture had grown up to be a science, an art, a business. The old routine system of farming had died out, and no one could hope for success in it unless he brought to it a competent amount of judgment, industry, and energy. Yet they were still in a transition state, and he would be a bold man who would predict where these things would end. He was of opinion that although the expenses of farming had increased, yet that the profits of farming would tend to in- crease in greater proportion. Probably before long they would witness some alteration in the laws of the inheritance of land ; let them hope likewise for some alleviation of the burdens that were laid upon it. They lived in high-pressure times, and landlords could not always afford to be generous ; but that landlord was wise who by a short, fair, and simple agreement let his laud to his tenant on such terms as would ensure a long occupation, or if the tenant left early, a fair allowance for un- exhausted improvements. Tliat landlord, too, was to be de- precated who allowed poor cottages on his estates. The edu- cation of the labourers was for the interest of agriculture, but unless they were provided with fitting houses in which to bring up their children, the labour and the money expended in edu> cation would be thrown away, Mr. T. S. Bolitho believed the Society had been produc- tive of great good, and hoped it would be productive of much more. He remembered not many years ago they had with them a Tremenheere, a Scobell — who introduced the first turnip-drill into the county — a Tyacke, who brought into Cornwall the first Shorthorn bull, and a Lemon ; and he felt that they should acknowledge the deep debt of gratitude they owed to them. With regard to the progress ef agriculture, he thought it might be fairly shown that although the steps had not been very rapid, the production of food in Cornwall had at all events increased 50 per cent, in the last forty years — probably more. Certainly the amount of stock had greatly increased, and if the animals had not quite doubled, he felt sure that the production, weight for weight, of beef, mutton, and pork had. He would say nothing about the pro- duction of corn, except that on a little estate of his own in the eastern part of the county three times as much was raised as when he let it to its present tenant. He knew that that was not a singular instance. A great deal more remained to be done, and the next seven or eight years would witness great improvements in the agriculture of the county. Mr. W. Hosken said the question of supply required serious consideration. His son and himself had done their part, for no one in the county turned out more animal food per acre than they did. DAIRY MANAGEMENT. The following is taken from Mr. Willward's address as delivered at the Ontario Dairymen's Convention : You will ask what are the living vital questions of the day in dairy management, and what can this association do to bring about most desirable results in Canadian Manufacture ? Until quite recently, neither the dairy farmer nor the cheese manufac- turer has fully understood the nature and causes of milk taints, or the influence of ferments upon the product manufactured. The cheesemaker groping along in the dark has employed certain agents, and manipulations to bring about a desired result. From the experience of others or from his own practice, he has fixed upon a set of rules which with good material and under favourable circumstances have accomplished the object sought — tnrning out a good product. But if the materialhappens to be faulty nud the Gireujnstances uufavourablej he fails of success, though operating under the same rules. Again, he has learned that faulty milk under certain manipulations need not be lost altogether, but may be turned into a second-class product. For several years past the great effort of manufac- turers has been to devise means for making a good product out of bad material. Of course much has been learned from these experiments, concerning the treatment of bad milk and of float- ing curds ; but at what a fearful cost ! and the result gained is that although faulty milk may be turned into an inferior or second-class product, no skill has yet been able to convert it in- to the best goods. Had we known precisely the nature of the causes affecting milk, and had the energy and unceasing exer- tions of manufacturers ^been turned to the primary causes of their troubles, and the correction of faults at the fountain head, the great bulk of American cheese to-day would have been of superior esceUence quite beyond anything yet produced. Sup- THE FAKMER'S MAGAZINE. 137 pose a woollen manufacturer skilled in the machinery and running operations of his factory, but with no knowledge as to the qualities of wool, should attempt to make superfine broad- cloth from the coarse, almost worthless tags taken at the factory. He finds it does not work satisfactorily, and cannot be made into fine goods. Supposing then he attempts to alter his machinery and adapt himself to the situation, would you say that this man is adopting the best plan for success ? Would it not liave been better to have studied the character of the raw material— to have selected his wool in reference to the quality of goods he was seeking to make — since no amount of ingenuity and effort on his part will enable him to manu- facture superfine cloth from coarse refuse material ? lie may learn some useful lessons in the management of this kind of wool, and perhaps the goods may be sold in market at a low price, sometimes covering the cost of production and some- times not. Now, the manufacture of American cheese has been carried on somewhat upon this principle. Milk is brought to the factory and the manufacturer cannot tell what is the trouble with it. He soon finds it will not work up into a first- class goods, and so he does the best he can to save it from loss, turning it into as good a product as lie knows how. In ray recent address at Ingcrsoll, I explained how milk is changed from its normal condition by fungi — living organisms that take possession of the fluid, and hy their growth and multiplication bring about the various pliases of coagulation, and the breaking down of the lumps of curd upon the shelf until it assumes a mellow flaky condition fitted in flavour and texture for the human stomach. Certain germs or species of fungi are sup- posed to be natural to all healthy milk, while the same charac- ter of germs pervade also the atmosphere, aud these last fall- ing upon the milk are absorbed in it, where they multiply and grow, and thus the milk curdles aud turns sour, developing what we commonly call lactic acid fermentation. The rennet is supposed to contain an immense number of these spores, and its effect in curdling milk is attributed to the growth of living organisms which by their multiplication in the milk cause curd- ling or coagulation of the fluid. They go also into the cheese upon the shelf, and under favourable temperature they perform the important olfice of breaking down the casein and converting the cheese into a mellow delicate morsel of food. And so far as //it'se fuHfji are concerned they are the cheesemakers' real friends, and under favourable conditions as to temperature, time and place, they may be controlled to do the cheesemakers' bidding. But it is altogether dift'erent with those fungi which have their origin iu putrid animal matter or in filthy vegetable decomposition. Their influence is altogether harmful, aud it is from these organisms, which get possession of the milk or the cheese upon the shelf, that nearly all the trouble comes in prosecuting the cheesemaking art. We now have positive knowledge that milk is tainted iu the cow's bag, before it is drawn, on account of the cows inhaling the odour of putrifying animal matter, such as that coming from dead calves and horses, and the like, left exposed to decay in the open air — that the filth from vegetable decomposition adhering to the udder and hair of cows, while passing through swales aud slough holes, becomes detached while milking, falling into the milk, and even though in minute quantities, spoils the milk and un- fits it for manufacturing into a good product — that filthy stag- nant pools are fiUed with living organisms, and the animals drinking from these pools take them into the system, when they are carried into the circulation and are secreted in the milk, tainting it, and producing the same character of filth from which they emanated. These facts have become fully estab- lished by the microscopical investigations of scientists, and it is for the dairymen of America to meet the situation squarely and devise means to obviate the difficulty, Is it not a waste of time and money to be longer dilly-dalying over the cheese vats, trying to devise means to get a good thing out of bad milk, when the trouble would be obviated by having good material in the first instance ? The most important point, it seems to me, is to educate the farmer in the production of good milk. This work sooner or later must be done, and I am fully per- suaded should the dairy association turn their attention to this one point and resolve upon a system of reformation among farmers in the production and delivery of milk, American cheese would at once begin to rise in excellence and make rapid pro- gress toward perfection. I know of but one man upon this continent who has fully comprehended this question in its bear- ings, and applied the remedy upon an extensive scale, that man is Gail Borden, the distinguished inventor of the process of condensing milk in vacuo. He has several factories operating in this business where a large quantity of milk is daily delivered. I recently paid a visit to Mr. Borden at his house in White Plains, and examined his extensive milk-condensing factory at Brewster. Mr. Borden has made milk a minuta study for the last twenty-five years, and probably there is no man liviug who has given so much attention to the practical handling of milk upon a large scale, and to the causes influen- cing its flavour and goodness as he. You will understand that Mr. Borden has originated and developed an immense business and has been able to put upon the markets of the world a milk that is now acknowledged by consumers to be purer, better flavoured, and altogether more healthful than it is possible to obtain from the city milkman. Consumers who have used his Eagle brand of milk for years tell me they have never opened a poor can, aud have never been disappointed in its flavour and quality. Now, as it is more difficult to preserve the flavour of milk for long periods than it is to preserve cheese, and as con- sumers notice imperfections in milk sooner than they do in cheese, you will ask how has this result been accomplished. I asked Mr. Borden this questiou. I asked, him how much milk received at his factory he allowed as waste, on account of its being out of flavour and imperfect, aud he told me not a gallon was lost on this account, that in fact no bad milk was now received at the Brewster factory. He told me that in his early experiments he made many fail- ures, that he had tried to convert bad milk into good as you cheese makers try, but that no ingenuity or device had yet been able to overcome the difficulty, nor did he believe it could be overcome by any process of handliug, for sooner or later its imperfections would make their appearance in the product manufactured. He said his success iu making a good article of milk depended not so much upon the formula in the best specifications, as upon the condition of the milk when brought to the factory, and the care and attention given to every part of the process from the washing of the vessels and the thorough cleanliness which should be observed in every department. The success of the milk manufacture at our three factories known as the Gail Borden Eagle Brand, he said, is due to the attention which we give to the personal inspection of every department of the dairies on the farms which is assigned to one person at each fuctory ; the constant examination of every man's milk by samples taken and subjected to tests as to cream, sweetness, and the time it will keep after being brought from the dairies. In short there is nothing in any manufac- ture requiring so much care and everlasting vigilance and at- tention as that of milk. Now Mr. Borden began in the first place at the farm. His milk must come from upland pastures or well drained soils. The animals must not be allowed to wal- low in swamps and mud holes. They must be provided with clean running water or good water pumped from wells. Atten- tion must be given to the food the cows eat, and nothing is al- lowed in the pastures or the food that will taint the milk. No milk is received from cows that have not calved at least 13 days, unless by consent of manager. The cows must be milked in cleanly stables, and not allowed to pass through accumula- tions of manure at the entrance of the stables or in the yards. The milk must be drawn in the most cleanly manner, and strained through wire cloth strains. It must be cooled in a bath of cold water to below 58*?, and the water must be sufficient to reduce the milk to this temperature in 45 minutes. Cows in heat must be separated from the herd aud kept quiet during its continuance. Dogging or fast driving of cows is not allowed. A sample of every man's milk is taken daily at the factory and tested in regard to standard of lactometer, temperature, cream, time it wiU keep. A record is also kept opposite each party's name of the amount of milk rejected and the cause of rejection, with such other remarks as the ease requires. The inspector visits every man's farm at least once during the month, and oftener if the register shows any variation in milk from a certain standard. In this way Mr. Borden has educated his patrons until, as he aflirms, no losses are sustained on ac- count of bad milk. Now I ask you if this is not the most practical aud common sense method to be adopted. [It has been found to produce the highest results and greatest profits in Mr. Borden's factories, while the farmers themselves have reaped more money by far than their neighbours following the old careless system of producing faulty, rotten milk, and at the same time the first are more iBtelligeut, and the happier 138 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. from the consciousness of well doing. Oh ray friends I feel an earnest desire for the success of dairying everywhere upon this continent, and I am fully convinced we shall never rise to the highest excellence in this hrancli uf industry until this work of education begins to take root and becomes developed upon the farm. I would urge this matter of producing milk as most vital to your success. Let every factory assemble its patrons at once, let there be full understanding and agreement among all concerned. Let an inspector of milk be appointed, clothed with authority to visit farms. Let the rules adopted be rigidly enforced, do not make any half-way work about it, but proceed with the determination that nothing short of " Gilt Edged" cheese is to be manufactured. That point is ■within your reach at once. Whea water is not abundant on the farm, introduce the system among farmers of aerating and cooling the milk by means of the recent invention for this purpose, which consists of forcing air by means of a common bellows through a pipe to the bottom of the can. It is a simple, cheap, and efficient appliance. In this way you at once strike ahead of the best dairy practice, and, with attention to curing cheese upon the shelf, will be able to compete with the finest goods in the world. The extreme fine flavour and quality of the high priced fancy Cheddars of England, is due to 5 points, viz. : perfect milk ; draining the whey early from the curds ; a slow development of acidity in the curds exposed to the air ; a thorough expulsion of the whey ; and a uniform tem- perature of 70S in curing the cheese upon the shelf. I speak from no mere theoretical stand-point, but from actual obser- vation, and the handling of the curds in the best Cheddar dairies of England. I have a word here in passing to say about rennet. In a recent letter from Dr. Cole, of Potsdown, he informs me that calves killed soon after being dropped, and before sucking will yield a rennet of much greater strength than in any other way, and that the skins of such calves make stronger and better leather than the hides of calves dressed in the usual manner. The suggestion is new to me and may be worthy of some experiment. The second great question for the attention of American dairymen to-day is the proper curing of cheese upon the shelf. The subject has been almost eutirely ignored by our daily associations, and by the dairymen of America. The curing of cheese has as much to do in se- curing fine flavour and quality as the manipulations of the milk and curd. Immense sums are thrown away annually in the best dairy regions of New York, simply on account of im- perfect curing rooms. I do not know a single " fancy gilt- edged factory" in the State but that has lost during the past two years more money on account of damaged cheese, caused by imperfect curing-rooms, than would have paid the whole cost of a large and properly constructed " Dairy House." I doubt whether there is a curing house upon the continent whose ventilation and uniform temperature can be controlled and maintained. A VAcU-made cheese when removed from the press to the cheese-room contains a certain amount of mois- ture, a part of which must pass ofi'in the ripening process, or the cheese will not acquire good flavour. If the cheese is kept in a damp or badly. ventilated placa, the excess of moisture will develop another class of fungi, a different kind of fermentation than that required for good cheese. From experiments made it has been found that 2,000 pounds of newly-made cheese will give out nearly two pounds of moisture during twenty- four hours, and the sooner the room is cleansed of such mois- ture the better; for if it is condensed and falls back upon the older cheese or the cheese is constantly saturated with these exhalations it will injure the flavour. We turn newly-made cheese daily, in order that this moisture may readily pass off, and the fermentation of the cheese be carried away in a uni- form manner. Ample ventilation, then, is important — ventila- tion that shall carry off these fumes of decay and cheesy ex- halations. Erom a large number of well-conducted experi- ments the principle has been established that a temperature of about 70 degrees is the best for curing well-made cheese ; to secure fine flavour and a rich mellow texture as well as long- keeping qualities, the growth of the fungi, or fermentation, must be slow and uniform. Yoa may force it forward by high heat and light salting, but always at the expense of long keep- ing qualities. The system of preparing cheese for market at 20 days old is a most pernicious system, and is the source of fearful losses to American dairymen every year. It is admis- sible ouly when you know where to place your goods and know they are to go into immediate consumption. In 1866 I saw the result of such manufacture in numerous instances—' cheese that came in good condition and if sold at once would command 76s., in a \veek'3 time so fell off in flavour that it went begging at 50s. I know that American dairymen and American dealers often boast of our system, because we cau make cheese that is so soon ready for market that the shelves cau be cleaned from month to month, but they do not couple it with the fact that much of our cheese sells in England for SOs. to 403. the cwt., and even less. Some one loses on these goods, for no cheese of good flavour, that can be held, would be sold at such a fearful loss. I think the American method of curing cheese is grossly defective, and it is upon this point that we need the application of science and the genius of in- ventors. It will not do to take the chances of the weather in a climate so variable as ours. Our intensely hot summers must be counteracted in some way in the curing house, and if we really set about it we can overcome the difficulty, and the time when this should be done is novv right upon us. I be- lieve that a good many old curing houses could be improved by building around au inside wall, leaving six or eight inches' space between it and the present wall, and by arranging double windows. It has been suggested that sawdust or some non- conducting substance be placed between the walls. I saw something of this recently in Ohio. It was a storehouse for keeping late-made cheese after it was cured during the winter. Messrs. Horr and Warren, of Wellington, have a storehouse of this description, where on the 24th of January they had over 10,000 boxes of cheese stored in boxes, and though the weather had been intensely cold, no trouble was had from frost I am inclined to think that the plan of dry, well-ven- tilated cellars or basements could be adopted so that a low even temperature in liot weather may be secured at little ex- pense and trouble. I would have such a basement under the whole dry house, at least six or eight feet below the surface of the ground. The walls should rise above the ground three or four feet, so as to give an abundance of sunlight throughout the whole. I would have the rooms ten or twelve feet high in the clear, and the bottom should be thoroughly under- drained. Then the floor should be jointed and covered with cement or flagging, so that no water could enter from with- out, or accumulation of slops be possible. Ventilators with wickets should be arranged leading to the roof. The trouble with underground structures or basements as ctiring rooms is that often no attention is paid to drainage and ventilation, and hence in such cases they make very imperfect curing rooms. But on the plan I have proposed these objections would be obviated. Then, if necessary, waste-water from the ice-house may be conducted in metal pipes along the ceiling, and the cool air falling from them would preserve a low temperature in the room. Mechanics with whom I have consulted affirm that cold spring-water flowing in large metal pipes along the ceiling and then out of the building where it may be utilized for other purposes, would be sufficient to reduce the tempera- ture to 70 degrees or below even in the hottest weather. Hot- water pipes arranged about the room, and connected with the boiler, would be the best means of raising the temperature in cold weather when heat is required. I do not pretend to give the best plans, but I offer suggestion by which tlie hot weather cheese may be kept in flavour until fall or such time as it may be sold, and not much expense in the way of curing rooms. I wish I could convince you of the great importance of having properly constructed curing rooms were good venti- lation and a low even temperature may be maintained ; and I speak to you from no mere theoretic standpoint, but from well conducted experiment in my own dairy practice. Some years age I built a farm-dairy house, with curing room in the second story, a/o/iff. Even with the floor on two sides of the room were openings turough the sides of the building, five on a side, provided with wickets so as to regulate the quantity of air to be admitted as desired. In the centre of the room there was a large ventilator, running from the ceiling np above the roof of the building, also provided with a wicket for regulating the air. Here I experimented from time to time in the curing of cheese, and 1 found even with this arrangement that a tem- perature not above 75 degrees could be maintained in the hottest weather in summer, by regulating the wickets, and by the use of water upon the floor, which in its rapid evaporation would reduce the heat as desired. Ey attending to this matter I found that cheese could be preserved in good flavour throughout the season, when the factories and farm dairies THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 139 abont were iiot able to keep it, and my experiments liave con- vinced me that any temperature above 75 degs. could not be safely allowed for curing cheese, and that with proper atten- tion to temperature, well-made cheese could bo cured so as to retain a mild, sweet, nutty flavour for a long period. In my examination of English cheese in 1866 I tasted of samples from one to two years old, in wldch this mild clover flavour bad been retained to perfection, and Mr. Ilerding and others assured me that the preservation of flavour was on account of the curing. When cheese is properly cured in an even tem- perature of 70 degs. and breaks down meUow and flaky it is not so liable to lose flavour afterwards, though exposed to higher heat. The great damage from lieat seems to result during the first torty days. In other words, two cheeses from tlie same vat, the one kept at 70 degs. for forty days and the other at 90 degs., and both then subjected to high heat, the first will retain its flavour a much longer time than the other. Now, the knowledge and practice of a good system of dairy farming is very essential to success. To know how to manu- facture good butter and good cheese, and to properly cure and pack it, is also of prime importance. But there is something beyond all this which not unfrequently depresses and paralyses all our best endeavours in dairy management. I refer to a loose and unskilful manner of marketing dairy produce. It is quite needless for me to say to you that no farmer, that no produce dealer, no business man can conduct operations with success when his necessary expenditures are greater than the receipts. Well-directed labour in any department of industry should have an adequate reward, and that it fails to accom- plish this end is the result often of some lack of foresight and consequent mismanagement on tlie part of the operator. The exports of cheese from the United States to Great Britain during the past year have been the largest ever made. Ac- cording to official returns from the Custom House they amounted to 6S,733,5201bs. from January 1871 to January 1872, or about 12 million pounds more than the previous year. The make of cheese in Canada is estimated to be from 10 to 15 millions o( pounds, and the exports are supposed to be 8 or 9 millions of pounds. If we call it nine millions, the ex- ports from America to Great Britain last year were about 77 millions of pounds. I have no statistics showing the amount of money which you have received the past year for Canada cheese, but I can give you the amount of money which Great Britain has paid the United States for cheese shipped forthe years ending July 1st, 1869-70, and July 1st, 1870-71. In 1809-70 England paid us 8,881,93<1 dollars for 57 miUion pounds of cheese. In 1870-71, 8,752,990 dollars for nearly 64" million pounds or about the same amount of money for seven millions more pounds of cheese. If the amounts were compared from January to January a much greater difi"erence would be shown, because prices from July to December 31st, 1872, were raucb lower than in 1870. The shipments from the United States last year, 1871, were in July, 12,424,505lbs. ; in August, ll,552,4961bs. ; in September, 10,095,7251bs., showing that the half of our whole exports was in hot weather. You need not be told that the average price of cheese the past year (1871) has been low. As much of your cheese, I am told, ims been sold for 7c. to Sc, the fact doubtless has been forcibly impressed upon your minds at every sale of cheese during the season, or up to January, 1872. And under the present system of marketing, I can see no prospect of much better average prices in the future. True there are several circumstances that have conspired to bring about a weak state of the market, such as the general decline in the price of all farm products, especially the low rates of bacon and pork ; but the chief cause of low prices is the stupid manner in which our cheese is brought forward in hot weather and forced upon tlie markets. There is scarcely a factory within my knowledge in New York that is provided with room sufficient to keep the hot-weather cheese. The factories push forward immense quantities of cheese in July aud August, not only from the fear that it will lose flavour at tlie factory, but because there is no room to hold it. The local dealer who buys is in a hurry to be rid of it, for fear of losses in hot weather. The shipper is also afraid of it for the same reason, and every one who handles cheese in hot weather is in hot haste to shift responsi- bility and risk upon some other shoulders than his own. I cannot see how it is possible to sustain prices under such a condition of things. It is a forced sale from beginning to end, and the law of forced sales is that real values cannot be realised. The remedy, it is obvious, lies in additional curing iiouses at the factory, so constructed that cheese may be held from time to time as desired, without fear of deterioration or loss of fla- vour. It is believed by many that dairymen are to get relief by the abandonment of dairying in some other locality. Thus, in the United States dairymen at the East talk of getting re- lief by the abandonment of dairying at the West, thereby re- ducing the general make of cheese. I do not think we can look for any permanent benefit in this direction. The busi- ness will be developed from year to year in new localities, where lands are adapted to the dairy. You cannot convince the West that more money is to be made in pork or grain raising than in dairying, even at present prices, because the facts are against any such assumption. Tiie cost of trans- portation eats out the profit on grain-raising at the West. The cheese makers of Illinois are altogether better off this year than the grain raisers of that State, and so of Wis- consin and other States. We are not over-producing in dairy goods — that is not the matter ; but we lack enterprise in open- ing up the home markets, and in supplying the kinds and qua- lilies of cheese desired by our people. And then, again, we persist in forcing forward our goods when there is most risk in handling, and when they cannot be taken except at a heavy margin to cover prospective losses. The feet has become no- torious that America furnishes no old cheese. There is a de- maud for good old cheese at high prices, but it cannot be had at any price. I am told that in Canada your best cheese goes abroad, and that no efi'ort is made to promote consumption among your own people. Y'ou cannot, in my opinion, do a more unwise thing than to try and force your nasty, ill-fla- voured goods down the throats of your home population. For by putting a superior article before your own people, you coax them to eat, and so educate their apetite that they will eagerly relieve your dairy houses of a considerable portion of stocks at good prices, thereby saving the cost of transportation and the numberless profits of the middlemen. The same system of picking out all the best goods for export prevails largely in New York, and it is a vicious system, because it checks home consumption, which should be promoted by everv means pos- sible. There are hundreds of villages in the United States where it is impossible to get a pound of good cheese from one year's end to the other, and many people who are naturally lovers of good cheese cannot understand why it is not offered for sale. It has been abundantly proved wherever the expe- riment has been tried that an organised system of marketing is not only a benefit to the producer but to the produce dealer. When goods are scattered over the coutry it requires immense labour on the part of dealers to huut up and get supplies to- gether. It is also quite expensive, not only taking time which is valuable, but necessitating an outlay for horse hire and other travelling expenses, which in the aggregate during a season amounts to a very large sura, all of which the dealer must either lose from his legitimate profits, or take out of the farmers' earnings by purchasing at so much below the actual market value of the article for sale. Suppose a farmer has five tubs of butter, or a few hundred pounds of cheese ready for market. The dealer makes a journey to the premises and buys the goods. His time is very much more valuable than that of the farmer's, and the actual expense of the journey (say 10 dollars, and perhaps more) must be met somewhere. Neither the farmer nor the dealer can afi'ord to lose this sum. It is a waste of time and a useless expenditure of money resulting from a wrong system of marketing, for if producer and dealer agree to meet on a certain day at same convenient market point, a large amount of goods can be examined in a brief time and at minimum expense. But this is not the only ad- vantage. There is a constant change going on in the great markets of the world. The price may be up this week and down the next. AVhen goods are scattered over the country in separate lots, it takes too much time to gather them to- gether, and hence the dealer must run large risks, or must make a liberal margin on his prices to cover any prospective loss on account of the delay in the city to meet present de- mands and present prices. If the dealer can meet the pro- ducer at the railroad depot and purchase bis goods and ship them at once, he knows to a certainty when thej will arrive at their at their destination, aud thus he reduces his risks. Aud it is very important to the farmer that these risks be reduced to the lowest possible point, for heavy losses on the part of the dealer always react upon the producer, making dull markets 140 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. and depression in business. It is right and proger that dealers be paid liberally for their services, for the risk of their capital, and for their skill in handling produce, and what we seek by a central market is not to deprive them of their just compensa- tion, but to cut off useless expenses, and make business more safe and profitable to both parties. Again, a central market stimulates to better production and more permanent improve- ment. There is many a farmer and factoryman who has no adequate idea of the relative quality of his goods until they are set side by side with those that are better, and where they can be fully tested and compared. At a central market you meet with numerous experts, and the judgment of different persons gives more satisfaction and gives greater weight than that of one person, whose opinion is often suspected of being warped or biassed, perhaps for private ends. Then at a re- gular central market there is always a community of interests, a spread of intelligence, not only as to market values, but as to production and manufacture, which are of very great im- portance to the producer's interest. I have en- deavoured to shadow forth some of the more sa- lient advantages tliat result from the establishment of country markets, markets which ought to be inaugurated at least in every dairy section in the country. The plan has long ex- isted in England, and I was very forcibly impressed with its great practical benefits during my visit to Great Britain in 1866. In England convenient buildings and grounds are pro- vided, where all kinds of farm products are collected for sale on market-days. Farmers find these markets of the utmost advantage, whether they be sellers or buyers. If one wants to buy a horse, a cow, a pig, or any other farm product, he goes to the nearest market where are collected a variety of these animals, and which are offered at different prices. Hence farmers themselves who are purchasers find the markets eco- nomical, because the expense of travelling over the country to look lip the article desired is saved ; while, at the same time, those who have goods to sell have an opportunity of meeting persons who desire to purchase, and thus they readily dispose of stock or goods that would, perhaps, depreciate on their hands awaiting a customer. Nothing strikes an Ame- rican in England with more force than the fact that an Eng- lish farmer can pay such enormous rents for land and yet save something by farming. The English consumers pays for the most part, but little more than the consumer here. Indeed, the cost of living is cheaper in England than in America, and yet the farmers on an average get more for their produce than the farmers of America. How is this to be accounted for, ex- cept it be that they have a better system of marketing, by which the consumer is brought more near the producer, and a great many useless expenditures and risks to the dealer are cut off than by our system, which is more expensive and specu- lative in its character. At the English cheese-markets the cheese from the surrounding neighbourhoods is brought info the market-place and piled in parcels under an open, shed-like building, and here the cheesemongers from all parts of the kingdom, or their agents, assemble and purchase such goods as are most desiral)le, while the different interests of dealers and the strong competition of the trade regulate the price, and prevents any of those losses that follow from selling below market rates on account of a lack of intelligence or a healtliy competition. The advantage of a healthy competition among buyers, who know just where to place their goods, has a very marked influence upon sales and prices. I have known goods to sell at the Little Ealls market late in the day, and after the leading dealers had left the market, at fuU 1 per cent, per pound below the earlier sales. Why ? Not because the goods were worth less money, but because the dealers present had mads up their supplies and were not certain where to place a surplus. This is a natural law of trade; the risks are increased, and consequently a larger margin must be exacted. LAND TENURE. BOEOUGHBRIDGE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETX. At the last quarterly meeting, Mr. Jacob Smith in the chair, Mr. Ford read the following paper : The subject on which I have to-day to address you, and the title of which stands at the head of this paper, viz.. Land Tenure, is one of very great importance, but one whicli is quite beyond our power of doing full justice to within the limits of an after-dinner discussion. Nevertheless, I have chosen it for to-day's consideration in consequence of its growing importance, and in the hope that, the subject once ventilated, it may be taken up in earnest by this society, that it will be well considered, and that the united intelligence of the gentlemen forming this association will be brought to bear upon those relations which should exist between landlord and tenant ; for such in its ordinary acceptation is what is meant when speaking of land tenure. I will therefore ofl'er no apology for introducing the subject, trusting that its develop- ment may fall into abler hands. I have said tliat the subject under discussion is one of great importance, and I believe it wiU require no pains on my part to substantiate this fact ; for, with what we have lately learned concerning the growing population of this country, its increasing wealth, its thriving trade and commercial prosperity, and the continually enlarged demand for the necessaries and even the comforts of life, pro- ceeding from our industrial classes, the paramount necessity of a liigher system of agriculture, and a larger outlay of capital to assist in the cost of an increased production, cannot fail to impress itself upon us ; and what is of infinite con- sequence, when viewing the subject in this respect, is a better defined understanding between the proprietor and occupier of the soil. Before I proceed to dwell upon what, as I conceive, should be the relations between landlord and tenant, permit me to glance for a moment at the causes which have tended to bring about this enlarged demand, and which have in so great a degree produced such changes as we now see in our social economy. First, the increasing wealth of the country will be found to have exerted the greatest influence, The enormous export trade and home consumption in almost every branch of industry has caused such an extraordinary demand for labour that the requirements of manufacturers can scarcely be satisfied. The price of labour, as a necessary consequence, has largely increased ; while the working classes of the country have protected their interests by such combination as Trades Unions. The effect of these Unions has been largely to increase the cost of production ; for vi'hile artisans in all branches of trade have by their protective influence been enabled to hold out and bide their time, employers of labour have been compelled to make very large concessions. Wages have therefore continued to rise — the standard of living among the working population has increased — while they are no longer content with the plain fare of but a short while ago. Education also has played no small part in raisiug the status of all classes of society, notably that of the upper and middle classes of operatives, throughout the country ; and we all know that the refining influence of knowledge works very wonderful reforms in the ideas and thoughts of men, and that while the ignorant and unlearned are often content with a mean and squallid mode of living, the educated iniuds seek after better tilings — for more improved surroundings, and for more of the amenities of life both in their dwellings, their persons, and their general mode of living. Then, again, " knowledge is power ;" and while we see the intelligence of the country greatly advanced dnring late years, we also see that more power has fallen into those hands which have most largely profited by education. These and kindred influences, which I must not further dwell upon, have united in making a larger and much increased demand upon the home productions of the two great requirements of life, viz., bread and meat — notably the latter — for while with tiie wealth of the country our bread- stuffs can for the most part be obtained from tlie granaries of Europe and the great corn-producing country of America, sncli is not the case with meat, which most men who have given their attention to the subject concur in believing must be the THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. 141 product of our own islands. One other influence I must be allowed to mention as bearing greatly upon the relations which must subsist between landlord and tenant in the future, and must be taken gravely into consideration by all who contem- plate the holding of land. I refer to the labour question, which has lately exhibited itself in a manner so unmistakable throughout tlie country. That all trades should thrive and all classes benefit under our advancing civilisation and progress, and that but one should remain stationary, is a condition that could hardly have long existed ; therefore it is not surprising that the agricultural labourer should desire to move onwards with ills fellows. Nevertheless it is a matter which must operate seriously upon the farmer, and render it more than ever necessary tliat he should receive increased protection in his holding ; for it can hardly be expected that the rent of land should recede. It is not probable that such will be the case ; at the same time it is but natural that the farmer should look for some compensating influence as a means of meeting his enhanced outlay ; for whether it be regarded as the in- creased cost of living and of those social ameueties incidental to the age in \\luch we live — to the enhanced value of land, or to the increased cost of labour and of every material re- quired in the working of a farm — or again to that extra outlay to which agriculturists must now be stimulated in order to meet the growing wants of the age — I say, having regard to all these disabilities which weigh upon the British farmer, it is but the barest justice that his interest in the soil should be protected in a manner which will afford him the best means of overcoming them, viz., by security of tenure. That the time has arrived when land must be held on fair commercial principles, no one, I think, will be disposed to deny. That fine old flavour of retainership appertaining to the holders of the soil, which whilome bound together the lord and his vassal in bonds of sentiment much closer than anything which could be obtained by the most carefully com- piled " conditions " of our own day, is now, for better or for worse, no more. The system of the feudal ages has given VTay through many a change and gradation to a condition of things more nearly allied to the spirit of the times in which we live ; but it may be remarked that while trade and com- merce have in nearly every quarter of the globe established themselves on a just and equitable basis, the relations existing between the proprietor and the occupier of the soil are even now often of the flimsiest and most uncommercial character j and, unfortunately, it is often the tenants themselves who, by an unpardonable indifi'erence, exhibit the most carelessness, while incurriug the grave responsibility of investing their capital and making for themselves a home. Leases are com- piled and conditions drawn out which are frequently never even read by an inbinding occupier, notwithstanding he has been careful to sign them ; and, on the other hand, stipu- lations and covenants are made which are never enforced, and penalties provided which are never insisted upon ; and what is the consequence ? A feeling is engendered that the holding of land can be undertaken as it were happy-go-lucky —for better for worse. Small enterprise is often exhibited, and the minimum of capital invested. While it is not un- common to meet with a good deal of dormant energy, or an energy directed in other channels, and capital invested in various ways, both of which might be profitably put into the farm, if a thorough sense of security accompanied their outlay. The idea which I would convey, if I could make my meaning clear, is that a certain looseness of idea exists in the hiring of land unsuited to the exigencies of our day. We want a more commercial spirit infusing into the transaction. We will assume that a landlord has found, as he believes, a suitable tenant, and the seeker of land has found both a good farm and a reputably good landlord. And let me here remark that, under a system such as I would advocate, great caution is requiied in the selection of a suitable tenant. He must not only be a reputably good man, but a man of skill and en- terprise, and of sufficient capital adequately to farm the land to the best advantage, and by an energetic and enterprising management to leave it better than when he entered it. Simi- larly, a tenant should be careful that the proprietor under whom he may wish to farm, is a man of enlarged ideas, free from narrow views and old world prejudices, but of a liberal and improving turn of mind. When the conditions of a lease or agreement are under consideration between them, it should be the endeavovir of the landlord, or his agent on his behaJf, to let the land on principles of the strictest equity, bearing in mind that it is for a livelihood that the tenant may be assumed to have become the hirer of the land. He should impose no antiquated or trivial stipulations or burdens, such as are some- times handed down in farm agreements from father to son, but which to an enlightened and trustworthy tenant become irk- some and oppressive, but should leave the tenant as free and unfettered as possible. All cropping clauses should be aban- doned, the only stipulation being that the land be kept clean and in good condition. If a landlord rides over his estates, and takes note of the crops on his various farms, it will be a good criterion (though by no means an absolute indication) of how the land is being farmed ; or, if not able to form a judgment for himself, there are generally those in his employment who are quite competent to advise a proprietor of how his land is being done to. But in the event of a divergence of opinion as to management, or other disputes, it should be arranged to have it settled by arbitration, the arbitrators to be mutually agreed upon with an umpire if so arranged. This is a better mode of dealing with such differences of opinion, thau by leaving it to the decision of an agent or middle man, who is frequently incapable of coming to an impartial judgment, and, though capable, might naturally be supposed to adopt the landlord's views of the matter in hand. The tenant again should be careful not to sign any clauses which he has any hesitation as to his power or intention to fulfil. It is bad management to run any such risk, or to lay himself open to penalties, trusting to " chance " or to its " all coming right in the end." In the next place a tenant must assure himself that he is absolutely and without reservation, politically free. The landlord should make it known to his proposed tenant that he is so for all times, and that under no circumstances shall po- litical opinions have any place, directly or indirectly in their business relations. Unfortunately we see instances from time to time — and a case in point has recently occurred north of the Tweed — where politics prove a futile source of discord be- tween landlord and tenant ; and, without entering into the merits of a case which, I doubt not, is well known to you aU, I would remark that it is a painful and humiliating spectacle to witness a man of great agricultural skill, of wide fame, and of unexceptionable integrity, evicted from a farm that has been in his family for three generations, because his political creed happens to be opposed to his landlord, and he has had the cou- rage to give expression to his opinions. Ihis is unwarranted despotism, and is degrading to any right-minded independent body of men. But I now pass on to another topic, which is one of very great interest to farmers. If the proprietor of an estate is a sporting man, I cannot conscientiously advocate the principle that he should, under any agreement whatever, be deprived of the right and pleasure of sporting over that estate, although some have argued to the contrary. But I do not conceive that this Society would give its sanction or ap- probation to any such arbitrary arrangement. For reasons which there is not time to enter into, but which must be pa- tent to aU, it is very desirable that landlords should have in- ducements to visit and acquaint themselves with their pro- perty, and shooting will often be found to afford a primary motive to do this. But in such cases where a tenant has not the right of shooting (and if the landlord does not reserve the shooting for himself, then I must affirm that his tenants should have priority of claim, even though they paid a tri- fling acknowledgment for the privilege, for I cannot admit the justice of preserving game in order to let it to a stranger, for the emolument of the landlord, at the expense of the tenant) — but in cases where the landlord reserves the shooting for himself, it would not only be a graceful act, but often a conciliatory one, if at times the tenants were invited for a day over the stubbles or in the covers. Under certain restrictions — in company with a keeper or alone, or for a certain number of days — or under whatever arrangements that might be made, such a concession would be greatly appreciated, and could do no possible harm. It should not be forgotten that both winged and ground game are maintained entirely by the cultivator of the soil. The destruction of rabbits, hy what- ever means, should be a sine qvd non with a tenant, and hares should be kept within strict limits. In all leases or agree- ments a compensation clause for excessive game depredations should be inserted, so that where undue damage has been done, the tenant shall, under the system of arbitration before referred to, have his remedy, It is altogether monstrous that K 2 142 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. a system should prevail under which au occupier of laud may spend his money and time, his skill and patience in raising crops, which may be consumed by unlimited rabbits and hares over which he has no control. I have myself seen, and so I doubt not have you all, fields of turnips in November, December, and January, which, from the depreda- tions of hares and rabbits, were a standing dis- grace to any community professing to let and hire land on fair and commercial principles. Such instances may be mul- tiplied ad iiifiHifiim. And in three-forths of such cases a tenant at will says thus with himself : " It is a great shame to see this ; look at ray crop, half destroyed, for after the first hard frost every one of these nibbled and partially eaten swedes will rot. I liad hoped to keep them for my sheep in spring, but as it is the sheep will have to go before they are ready, and be sold at a disadvantage ; " then his anger rises, and it is not to be wondered at that he turns away in a rage. But he straightway argues thus with himself : " If I make a row about it there will be some unpleasantness, and who knows what may come of it ? I have been here some years, and spent a lot of money in improvements, the benefit of which I can only secure by remaining ; for I should get no compensation for iliem if I had to go. I had belter be quiet ;" and so our friend pockets his atfront as best he may. And tiius is it with game depredations. Hence the tenant under either lease or agreement should be careful to protect himself by an accurately worded compensation clause. There is, however, now a prospect of some rehef for farmers in the matter of game. The Game-laws Select Committee of the House of Commons are at present sitting and taking voluminous evidence, and it is to be anticipated it will operate beneficially to agriculture. It is not my intention in this paper to go over all the clauses of a lease or agreement, but rather to point out some of the leading principles, which, as I conceive, should guide both the letter and hirer of land, and I trust it may not be considered that undue prominence is given to the interests of the occupier if my remarks are rather directed to those points, which should be so arranged as to give the greatest feeling of confidence and security to a tenantry, and act as inducements to them for the outlay of capital ; for it will hardly be disputed tliat in the execution of all well-managed estate agreements the interests of a landlord are sufticiently protected, while in the nature of farming all the risk and uncertainty remain with the tenant. If land must iu the future be brought to the maximum of cultivation, and the requirements of generations yet to come are to be satisfied, there can be no doubt that many of tlie disabilities under which farmers now suffer will have to be removed, for it may be that iu the inevitable course ol events, there are some burdens which, as times goes on, will be found to incrsase rather than diminish. It has fre- quently occurred to me that an improved form of lease might be adopted on the system of what is termed renew- able leases — combined with aTenant-llight, or, iu other words, for a term of years, with specified breaks or periods. We will suppose a twenty years' lease to be agreed upon. I would pro- pose that it be so framed as to allow it to terminate, if neces- sary or expedient, at the expiration of every five years, either at the instance of the landlord or the tenant, the coiulilions of lease not being in the meantime affected. There are many roasons which appear to render such a course desirable ; prominently among these, the event of death. But, from whatever reason out of many which will suggest themselves, a Tenant-Right proportionate as to time inperraanent and other improvements, or heavy outlays which may have increased the rental value of the land, should be recoverable. Such a system would offer great inducements to men of capital freely to expend it in the cultivation of their farms, for they would have the satisfaction of knowing, while so doing, that if they re- mained upon the farm they would eventually reap the benefit of their outlay, while, if the lease was brought to a premature conclusion, such capital as remained unexhausted tliey would still have a proportionate interest in, and which would be recoverable as Tenant-Right. There is another advantage also which might be made to work well with such a plan, viz., that at the expiration of — say fifteen or sixteen years, a mutual arrangement could be arrived at between the landlord and his enant as to the renewal or otherwise of the lease, and the erms or alteration of terras, if any, to be then and there ettled. This, it will be seen, would be very desirable, obviating, as it should, the system of scouring or running out of the land during the last rotation. If the lease is to be renewed, then it is obviously to the interest of the occupier to keep up the productiveness of his land ; if otherwise, then there is the Tenant-Right to fall back upon, the landlord and incoming tenant sharing in such proportions as they may ar- range such outlays as may have been incurred in lime, bones, and linseed-cake, buildings, drainage, and other improvements, calculated upon such a scale as shall recoup the out-going tenant his unexhausted interest in them. Our honoured friend, Mr. Alderman Mechi, than whom few men have possessed clearer or more intelligent notions in all matters relating to agriculture, has pointed out that there need be no limit in reason to the amount of capital expended iu land, and I fully believe that we may some of us live to see the old notion of £% or £10 per acre regarded as a relic of mediaeval times, coeval with flails and sickles. " The land is a good bank," many a capitalist may exclaim, " and show me that I have proper security and I will freey invest in it." Thus, under the system I have advocated, the details of which will readily be understood, a stimulus would be afforded for the outlay of money. If A has profitted to the extent of two-thirds the value of his expenditure, and from the force of circumstances quits his holding, it is rigiit that the remaining oue-third should be refunded him, which, on the other hand, the landlord might equitably charge to B, the incoming tenant, either as rent or as Tenant-Right on behalf of A. There has existed, as you are doubtless aware, a system akin to this for a long period in Lincolnshire, and many aver tliat it is the heart and soul of the flourishing condition of agriculture and the high-class tenantry to be found in that great county. It exhibits this im- portant difference, however — that there is no lease. The tenants are, in fact, " tenants at will," but with such a system of Tenant-Right that they possess an accurately defined pro- portionate yearly interest in sucli outlays as are involved in buildings, in drainage, the application of bones, lime-marl, and the consumption of linseed cake, or any other extraneous ex- penditure which may have served to impart an adventitious value to the laud. The result is seen in fine holdings in the highest state of cultivation, by a prosperous tenantry, and by a mutual confidence between landlord and tenant, which has im- parted a wonderful impetus to the agriculture of the county, Arthur Young very long ago considered Lincolnshire the " Garden of England," and, if his panegyric was uttered on gocd grounds, then we must believe that it had resulted iu great part from that Tenant-Right, or, in otiier words, security of capital, wliich must ever be the greatest incentive — the vitality of all progress and improvement. How can a prudent man be asked or expected to embark large suras of money — perhaps his all — upon a venture the issue of which depends not so much on his own energy and ability as upon the stability of mind of his landlord, without some definite as- surance that he may be allowed to reap the benefit of it ; or, if not that, that he may at least get his own again? And yet, under our present system, an energetic and improv- ing tenant has no assurance, save his landlord's word, tliat he may even do that. And in this assertion it will be under- stood that it is far from my intention to call in question the integrity and honesty of puipose of landowners as a body. But it must be remembered tiiat life is uncertain, and there is no security for a man^ that a son will walk in the same path as his father before him. It is absolute security that the British farmer must have before agriculture attains its highest de- velopment— a security that shall be tenable against the con- tingencies of life and death, or the caprices and infirmities of human nature. It is frequently asserted in defence of the system of yearly tenures that such and such districts or indi- vidual estates have been held on no other principle, and that they have exhibited an energetic and improving tenanty. This is not disputed ; but it may be said — give the same set of men ample security for their outlay, and see how much more will be done. All landlords are not good landlords, though it may with truth be said that this country is blessed with very many high-minded men, having the interests of their tenantry very near to their own hearts ; but that the capital of an improving tenant, which may be locked in the soil, should be left to the mercy and caprice of a bigoted and narrow-minded landlord is a state of things which calls loudly for redress, and which must before very long be changed. It has been thought to be impossible to apply legislation to the relations of land- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 143 lord and tenant ; but few, I think, will doubt that we are rapidly approaching the time when legislative protection will be the stronghold of English agriculture. Such protection should not, I trust it never may, loosen tliose bonds of natural esteem and regard which hapily reign between so many land- lords and their tenantry. It should rather be tlie means of creating a better feeling than that which may sometimes be found to exist ; and, looking at the question in its broadest aspect, it almost ceases jto be an individual one, for it is a grave national question, one upon which hinges the incentive to a more commercial, and in consequence, a more enlightened treatment of the soil of this country. I am no advocate for fixity of tenrre in its full scope and bearing. By such a sys- tem landlords would lose what it never can be expected they will consent to abandon, viz., a control over their properties, and it would result in their losing all interest in the improve- ment and development of them; or it might develop itself into such a condition of things as exists in Ireland under the opera- tion of the Land Act, where landlords are paying enormous sums amounting in one instance to about iO years' purchase of their properties as compensation to ejected tenants, and with no right of appeal. Such cases, I hear, are not unfrequeiit. In conclusion, we may congratulate ourselves upon having seen very vast improvements in our own time, due mainly to the energy of the teuaut-farraer, and the skill of the engineer and mechanic ; but let us also see some of tliose changes which I have ventured to advocate in the relations of the proprietor and cultivator of the soil, and, great as are the resources of the country — great as is the spirit and enterprise of the agri- cultural community of this kingdom, agriculture will yet rise to a degree of perfection hitherto unseen, when the natural produce of the soil of the country will be very largely increased, and when every waste place will blossom as the rose. The CiuiRMAN condemned tiie present system of the drawing up and wording of leases, as it was impossible to farm under them if they were strictly enforced ; but the un- derstrtuding seemed to be that if farmers cultivated well, although not in accordance with their leases, they would not be disturbed. Mr. Bennett considered that a liberal Tenant-Right was the basis of all good agriculture, that advantage being the inducement to all tenants to farm well, as they had some pro- tection. He was abnost in favour of a yearly tenancy, when there was a reasonable Tenant- llight, in preference to a lease without one. In the case of leases, whether for twenty-one, fourteen, ten, or seven years, he would have a Tenant-Right at the end thereof. With regard to game, he considered that there should be a distinct and strict understanding between landlord and tenant when the land was entered upon, as it was most unjust when a landlord increased the game, and, for all practical purposes, stocked the farm with game. Mr. T. Scott, the secretary, said that a properly drawn and practical agreement ought to protect the tenent as well as the landlord, and ought to be so framed that the farmer felt that his capital invested in the land was secure. If this fteling existed, we should have tenantry of enterprise and with ample capital, not only making the most of the land under their care, but increasing its fertility and improving the fee-simple value, obviating the necessity of legislative interference, which, under existing circumstances, was loudly called for. Yet, for the security of the landlord, an agreement ought to contain such clauses as would ensure good farming, which is alike advantageous to the owner and occupier, and any clauses which might appear somewhat too stringent might be released at the discretion of the landlord or his agent. This should never be denied to a deserving tenant ; but the great mis- fortune was that little distinction was made between a good tenant, who was annually improving his farm and thereby en- hancing its value, and one who hardly gave tlie land what it made. Landed proprietors should not forget that it was an easy matter for a tenant, by his mode of management, to en- hance or decrease the fee-simple value of the land ten to fifteen per cent,, and that between the two there was a difference of from twenty to thirty per cent, in the value of his property. Eligible and improving tenants ought to have proper security for their capital engaged in their undertaking, and they should be entitled to compensation for unexhausted manures, and for permanent improvements made with the approbation of the owner or his agent. On the other hand, the landlord should be paid for all damages arising from neglect or care- lessness on the part of the tenant. Mr. Brogden : Would a tenant give more for his land if lie had the control over the game ? Mr. Scott : I think so. I know a farmer who would be willing to give five shillings per acre more. Mr. Brogden : My opinion is that a good Tenant-Right is better than a long lease. Mr. Harland did not believe that landlords, as a rule, wished to oppress their tenantry and deal harshly and unfairly towards them as regarded game, as when they appeared to do so it was because they really did not understand the question thoroughly. There was no doubt that the over-preservation of ground game was a great misfortune to those districts wliere it occurred, besides adding to the cost of the people's meat. He could not imagine how landowners would any longer con- tinue the practice, if they did but comprehend the mischief that was done. The Rev. C. 11. Sale considered that tenants were for the most part pretty well able to take care of themselves and pro- tect their own interests, in this country at least, but at the same time he must say that existing farm agreements seemed to be drawn up for the protection of the landlords, who were ths most powerful class, and not for that of the tenants. This course of action was more necessary in former years than at the present time, because the tenantry in days gone by were men of no capital in the generality of cases, and were devoid of skill in husbandry, so that the landlord was com- pelled to have stringent farm agreements as a protection against bad cultivation. The tenantry of this day were a totally different class of men, as they brought skill and enter- prise, and a large amount of capital, in the management of their farms, and therefore harsh agreements were now altoge- ther unnecessary. As to the relations between landlord and tenant, he considered that they ought to be based upou what was strictly and conscientiously right, and that a tenant ought not to be discharged from his farm at the mere whim or caprice of a landlord, his agent, or even his gamekeeper. This should not surely be so. Under circumstances of this kind a farmer must be protected by a lease or good Tenant- Right, the latter of which should be exceedingly well guarded. Mr. Ben:«ett referred to a farm which he had occupied in Lincolnshire, and which he held under exceedingly good Tenant-Rights, showing that he was made a liberal allowance for bones and lime and artificial manures, and other items, the whole of which amounted to £1,765. Tenant-Right was a strong inducement to any farmer to cultivate well up to the very end of his tenancy. In his case the Tenant-Right was perhaps upon too high a scale. It was a very bad system when the manures belonged to the landlord. Mr. Scott ssid that a great many of the farm agreements were made to protect the landlord and not the tenant, the landlord consulting his solicitor in the matter, and the agree- ments were consequently made a little e.rparte. He considered that in all agreements Tenant-Right ought to be included, as common sense dictated that good farming was beneficial not only to the tenant but also to the landlord, whose land was rendered the more valuable, and in the course of ten or twenty years he would find himself a much richer man. A yearly tenancy, with a good and liberal agreement, was the best form of holding land. Under an enlightened landlord, granting a really fair agreement, he should prefer a yearly tenancy to a lease. The Chairman said that he and his neighbours had for many years farmed under lease, and they were satisfied. Tlie worst feature of a lease was when there was a state of un- certainty towards the close as to a renewal of it. Under such circumstances the farmer was placed in a difticulty as to cultivation for the last three or four years. He moved a vote of thanks to Mr. lord for his very able and excellent paper, and proposed his health. Mr. EoRU, in acknowledging the compliment, expressed his firm opinion that in all districts tenant-farmers required ample security, without which he did not see how any wise and pru- dent man could invest large sums of money in the cultivation and management of iiis farm. They must have security. If they had their money in the funds they had full security and 3^ per cent, interest. Their money ought to bear a proper percentage, and be perfectly secured. The laud was a good bank in which to invest money when secured, and it would lU THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. return fair interest, and there was no fear of its breaking- Let the land always be made to produce as much as it can, and let those who invested their capital in its cultivation be made as secure as they would be in the funds, and capital would be constantly pouring into it, and far greater and more important benefits and results would flow into the country by the holding of land than had hitherto been known. It had been a sort of hobby vpith him to collect old farm agreements from different parts of the country, and some of them were so extravagant in their character as to excite the risible faculties. the wonder being that men could be induced to take land under such unreasonable conditions. Many of these ob- jectionable clauses still remained, and they ought to be ex- punged from all farm agreements. He expressed a hope that the British farmer would experience relief by a modification of the Game-laws. A committee had for some time been sitting on the subject, a vast mass of evidence had been taken, and lie understood that one very important item of alteration would be the suggestion that hares and rabbits should be totally excluded from the game list. UNEXHAUSTED IMPROVEMENTS. At the quarterly meeting of the Notts Chamber of Agricul- ture, held in Mansfield, there was a small attendance, Mr. I. C. Smith, M.P., in the chair. The Chairman expressed his regret that he should not have been able to attend the meeting of the Chamber held on the 6th April last, at Retford, and to have heard the dis- cussion which took place on the subject which was to come before them again that day — unexhausted improvements. At the meeting of the 6th April the Chamber considered the question of unexhausted improvements, and Mr. Huskinson read a very interesting and able paper on that subject, and a discussion followed, which conveyed the views of the farmers generally in different parts of the county, and the opinion seemed to be generally expressed that the system prevalent in Nottinghamshire of valuation between the in -coming and out- going tenant was as good as that in any other county, if not better, and also that our own valuers were equal to those in other districts, and generally, if not aways, giving satisfaction between the two parties, which they must admit was a very satisfactory conclusion to come to. Whether it was owing to that conclusion being arrived at that they had not a larger attendance that day, or whether some of their friends were making hay whilst the sun shone, which they had not had the opportunity of doing during the last few weeks, he did not quite know, but certainly they had not a very large attend- ance that day. At tlie Retford meeting Mr. Hemsley moved a resolution to the effect that local bodies should recommend a system of payment for all unexhausted improvements suit- able for peculiar districts, and the further consideration of that resolution was ordered to stand over until to-day. Un- fortunately for their meeting Mr. Hemsley was engaged else- where, and two or three other gentlemen who had promised to be present were also prevented from attending. The following letter had been received from Mr. George Beaumont : East Bridgford, Nottingham, July 8, 1872. Dear Sir,— I have decided fiof to take any part in the discussion on " un- exhausted improvements" at Mansfield. In practice as an agent I try to do justice as far as I can, and the tenants' rights already existing in the South Notts district appears to me to be generally fair and reasonable. Unfortunately in these discussions all tenants are assumed to be good tenants, whereas, in practice, I find that the good tenants rarely quit their holdings, and I have to deal more frequently with ex- hausted farms than unexhausted improvements. Any argu- ments of this kind coming from land-agents at public meetings are met with distrust, and it is very diflieult to speak out freely without giving offence. I am quite prepared to admit that in some parts of the county grievances do exist, and I would advise every tenant on taking a farm to insist on a written agreement in liberal and fair covenants ; and speaking for myself and land-agents generally, I believe we are disposed to advise such land-owners as may rely on our judgment to enter into fair and reasonable agreements with their tenants, and to meet any suggestion in a fair and liberal spirit. Be- lieve me, yours sincerely, George Beaumont, Jun. Mr. Field proposed the discussion be adjourned till the September meeting at Newark. He did not think it would be desirable, considering the smallness of the attendance, to discuss the matter now. He was in hopes there would have been a better attendance, but it did not look much like it. Mr. Brett (Oxton) seconded the motion, which was adopted. The Chairmaj!! said the other subject set down for dis- cussion was their old friend Local Taxation, Mr. Marsh (Scarrington) thought it would be most in accordance with the feelings of the meeting that this subject should be also postponed ; and this was agreed to. Mr. Musters said there was another subject of great im- portance to agriculturists which he wished to bring before them, although it was not down for discussion that day. This was certainly a small meeting for ventilating the question he was about to mention ; but he thought it was one they ought to discuss, as ii was of the greatest importance, both to agri- culturists and to the public at large, as consumers of meat- he referred to the question of the foot-and-mouth disease. That disease, he believed, was very prevalent in some parts of the country, and was doing a great deal of harm. He was informed, indeed, that it had done as much harm in England as the rinderpest did. He believed that the cattle-plague itself, though a great misfortune, was to a certain extent good, because in connection with it they adopted means for prevent- ing the removal of cattle, and checking the spread, not only of rinderpest, but of foot-and-mouth disease; pleuro neu- monia, and other contagious diseases to which cattle were subject. In that way the rinderpest might have been pro- ductive of some good. He considered, however, that this was a subject worthy of discussion, and it was more a ques- tion for them than another class of persons, because they were the people most directly interested in it. Therefore if this meeting approved, he should propose that one of the sub- jects to be discussed at the next meeting, should time permit, should be the foot-and-mouth disease. Mr. Field said he had great pleasure in seconding the motion proposed by Mr. Musters, knowing as he did the great drawback this foot-and-mouth disease was to herds and flocks in many parts of England. The other day, in their parish, the foot-and-mouth disease broke out iu a field in which no fresh cattle, nor any person, besides the owner, had entered, to the owner's knowledge. The gentleman to whom he was referring had been a great sufferer from the disease ; in fact his flock was now down, and no treatment he could procure for them gave them any relief. Wlietlier it was foot-and-mouth disease, or some other disease not known to their medical men, he could not say, but assuming it to be the foot-and- mouth disease, he was sure the losses occasioned by it ought not to be set so lightly on as they were. He saw that a deputa- tion had waited on Mr. Eorster from the Royal Agricultural Society on the subject, when that right lion, gentleman con- sidered that it was so light a disease that he did not tliink it would be right to take any strong measures. He (Mr. Field) thought very differently, however, and if Mr. Forster had a herd of cattle or a flock of sheep down with this disease, he had no doubt he would be desious of using the strongest measures. He would suggest that at the next meeting of this Chamber they asked the Government to stop the transit of Irish and other beasts, or examine them before they left Ire- land and other places. It was quite clear that the whole of this disease had come to us, and that it had been brought by Irish or some other foreign beasts. The resolution was adopted. THE FABMEK'S JMAGAZINE. 146 THE HEXHAM FARMERS' CLUB THE GAME-LAWS. At a special meeting of the members to consider the desira- bility of asking to be permitted to give evidence before the Committee of the House of Commons ou the Game-laws, Mr. Thomas ]")ryden was voted to the chair. Mr. Wm. Tkotter, the Secretary, explained that the meet- ing had been called, after due consideration in committee, in consequence of one of their members having expressed a very strong opinion " that evidence against the Game-laws should be tendered from the Hexham district." A letter had also been received from McCombie, M.P. for Aberdeenshire, the tenant-farmer representative, urging the Club to similar action to what was now contemplated, in order to bring all possible weight to bear on the Commons' Committee, which was at present sitting in London. The Chairman : As the members of the Club had already discussed the matter, and liad come to certain resolutions con- cerning it, they could, lie thought, hardly let the present op- portunity of giving evidence pass them ; but what number of persons tlicy ouglit to send, and who were best fitted for the important duties to be performed, were questions which clearly ought to be left to the Club for decision. Mr. Edward Howkll, in support of a deputation being sent to London, said that although the Game-laws undoubtedly exercised a great influence over the relationship between landlord and tenant, they assumed a iar more serious bearing when looked at in a commercial light. As they were all very well aware, the high price of food, especially butcher -meat, was a matter of notoriety all over the north country ; and this was greatly owing, he had no doubt, to the useless " preserva- tion" of large quantities of laud which might otherwise be employed for the feeding of cattle and sheep, and also to the damage and destruction wliicli game caused to those crops which constituted so important a portion of the food of the people. It miglit be said that the price of corn was not high, and he admitted it ; but still they must all agree with him that, owing to the constant demands which this country was compelled to make upon foreign sources for supplies, very large amounts of capital were taken away which could be more beneficially employed in other channels of commerce. If, for instance, they were to conserve their resources at home, and not wilfully have them destroyed by vermin, it would be much better for the nation at large. Undoubtedly, the community had a right — an indirect one, he must admit — to expect that the population should be fed from the produce of the soil ; while he also maintained that no class nor party in the king- dom, however numerous, had a right to make the lands of the nation into play-grounds or sporting-places to the detriment and injury of any other branch of the community. He con- tended, further, that game, in which there was no private right of property, should have no special legislative enactments to protect it from those incursions which they so frequently saw made upon it by the poachers. In a commercial light, therefore, he was strongly in opinion that the Game-laws were altogether an evil ; and, in a moral light, also, it could not be denied that many mischievous effects arose from them. Nothing was so prolific of crime amongst the population, and nothing led to such fearful hand-to-hand conflicts as were wit- nessed, far too frequently, between the game-keepers and the poachers. It had been said, and with some degree of plausi- bility, that if men who were disposed to poach had not facilities for getting game they would be compelled to get something else that was more valuable. This, however, was a poor argu- ment in favour of the Game-laws being continued, because it only showed if they had not laws sufficiently stringent to pre- serve other kinds of property, and to teach offenders the peril they ran, the sooner they set about securing laws for the purpose the better. Now, as this club had already given its opinion very emphatically against the Game-laws, and had done so after the most mature consideration, they ought certainly to be prepared to justify that position by evidence before any com- mittee of the House of Commons. For his own part, he had not much confidence in the committee which was now sitting on the Game-laws, as he beheved it had only been appointed for the purpose of decently shelving the whole question— but still as the evidence taken would be printed, and would be valuable as a means of instructing the nation, he thought the Hexham Club, occupying the position it did, should contribute what evidence they possibly could on the subject. Under these circumstances, he had pleasure in moving that they should send one or two of their members to explain the particular grievances of the district. Mr. WuLiAM Taylor quite approved of most of the re- marks that Mr. Rowell had made. It was a subject of great importance to tenant-farmers and the nation at large, and in many cases the landed proprietors themselves might be bene- fited by achange, if they could only see it, at least in a pecu- niary point of view. Game was a great temptation in the way of working men, who looked upon hares and rabbits almost as much their property as the landlords', and they con- sidered there was not much harm in taking them, provided they could catch them without being caught by the strong arm of the law. The working man thought there was not much sin in it, and although it was against the laws, he thought that such laws ought not to exist, and calmed his conscience in that way. A tenant-farmer signed a lease that bound him to protect the game, but in most cases the agent promised that he would take care that he would not suffer any harm by it, al- though that was never inserted in the lease. But it might be that the lease was no sooner signed than the verbal agreement as regarded the game was broken ; andbesidesthe landlordmight die and things change considerably. The tenant might have embarked much of his capital in the way of improving his farm, and be unable to realise it under the altered circumstances, and the question arose whether he should leave the farm and lose all the time and money he had spent upon it ? Hundreds of farmers had been completely ruined by the game. He con- tended that they did not exactly go into it with their eyes open, they were told quietly that they would take no harm by it, but such was not inserted in the agreement, although the agent took care to have it put down in black and white that the game should be preserved for the landlord. Tenant-farmers, in consenting to preserve the game for the landlords, should have a distinct promise in their agreements that all hares and rabbits should be kept down in such a way as to prevent them causing unnecessary damage to crops. His own opinion was that they should go in for the total abolition of the Game- laws, as he believed that nothing short of that would be satis- factory, and effectually stop the waste which was so much deplored. The motion, on being put to the meeting, was carried with only one dissentient. The Chairman said the next question to consider was as to who should be selected to give evidence. He quite agreed with Mr. Taylor that nothing fcould be really satisfactory except the total abolition of the Game-laws ; but at the same time, believing this would be a difficult thing to accomplish, he was prepared to accept a compromise. If they could get rid of hares and rabbits to begin with, the other sources of evil woidd speedily disappear also. He did not, however, think it would be doing the members of the Club justice to only send persons who advocated total aliolition, although if they went to the real bottom of the thing he believed that view of it was nearly right. There were hundreds and thousands of acres of land in this country that might be improved were it not for the game. He had no hesitation in saying that in this county there were thousands of acres which might be improved, and feed much larger quantities of beef and mutton, if it were not for the preservation, of game. He thought that if hares and rabbits were in the hands of occupiers as well as owners it would be a step in the right direction, and would not be such a shock to certain members of the community as total abo- lition would be. He might say that he had not much oonfi- 146 THE TARMBR'S MAGAZINE. dence in the committee now inquiring into the game question, as he believed the question would be shelved ; judging from the evidence that had been taken so far, it was resolving itself into a question simply between landlord and tenant, the larger question never having yet been touched. Mr. RowELL was of opinion that if the towns would take the question up in its commercial bearing some remedy would very speedily be devised. The Club liaving decided by an almost unanimous vote to send a deputation before the Commit- tee, the next business would be to appoint this deputation. They ought not to select men holding the same opinions, as they ought to represent the whole of the opinion of this Club, and it was a fact that there was diversity of opinion, although the majority of the members of the Club were decidedly in favour of the total abolition of the Game-laws. He, there- fore, proposed that the chairman, Mr. Drjden, and the secre- tary, Mr. Trotter, should be sent to London to give evidence before the Committee, and he was sure two better men could not very well be found. The Chairman expressed his desire to have the name of Mr. Joseph Lee, of Dilston, substituted for his own, Mr. Lee holding similar views on the subject, but it was stated that Mr. Lee was intending to travel for a short time on the Continent. The Secretary remarked that Mr. Dryden seemed to have such a personal knowledge of the quantity of land kept out of proper cultivation through the preservation of game that they could not appoint a better person to represent the Club, al- though he must say he held some doubtful views as to asking what he thought to be right. He thought that Mr. Dryden, on mature consideration, would see that he was doing right in asking for what was right, and he trusted he would go before the Committee prepared to express such views as tie had ex- pressed that day as to the immense quantity of land kept out of cultivation owing to game. Mr. Taylor seconded Mr. Rowell's proposal, to the effect that Mr. Dryden and Mr. Trotter should represent the Club before the Committee. The proposal was agreed to. ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. DEPUTATION TO THE LORD-LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND. A deputation from the Council of the Royal Agricul- tural Society waited on Earl S))eucer, K.G., the Lord- Lieuteuant of Ireland, and the ISIarquis of Hartington, Secretary for Ireland,- at the Irish Office, on Monday, July 8. There were present .—Sir W. W, Wynn, Bart., M.P., President; Earl of Powis ; Hon. W. Egerton, 3I.P. ; Col. Kingscote, C.B., M.P. ; Mr. Wells, M.P. ; and Mr. T. Statter, (Mr. R. Ncville-Grenville, M.P., joined at his own request). Sir Watkin Wvnn introduced the deputation, stating that it had waited on Mr. Forster, who had intimated that with respect to the importation and transit of Irish cattle it would be desirable that they should see the Irish Government ; they accordingly had waited upon His E.\- eellency the Lord-Lieutenant and Lord Hartington. Mr. Egerton brought forward a case in Cheshire (it happened two years ago) that was distinctly traced to Irish cattle freshly imported. The disease (foot-and- mouth) died away last autumn for a time ; but broke out again more virulently than ever this spring, and was now increasing with rapid strides. Mr. Egerton read a letter from the Chief Constable of Cheshire, who enclosed reports of two special cases from inspectors to prove that it could be again traced to freshly imported Irish cattle ; he was of opinion that the disease was engendered on board the vessels. Lord Hartington : Butalljthcse eases were animals bought at fairs ? Mr. Egerton : Yes. Mr. Statter stated that in six or seven cases he had bought Irish cattle and sheep from on board ships at Liverpool, Bury, and elsewhere ; they did on not go into or near a fair, and in three or four days the disease broke out among them without their having been in contact with other cattle. Colonel Kingscote spoke more especially as to Bristol, which port did not offend so greatly as it had done ; but still Irish cattle from there had impregnated all the mar- kets, fairs, and country round. Believed that the vessels were greatly the cause of so much disease, and urged that a more thorough cleansing and disinfection should be enforced. ]\rr. Wells stated that in his part of the country (neighbourhood of Peterborough) farmers clubbed toge- ther, went over to Ireland, and bought cattle ; but that they were now saying they must give up doing so on ac- count of the foot-and-mouth disease. Lord Powis believed that the disease was engendered on board the ships. He trusted that increased supervision of the cattle ships would be given both before and after a voyage, and every other precaution taken ; in fact, the regulations really enforced as strictly as they were when the Irish wished to keep the cattle plague out of their own country. The Loud Lieutenant replied that it was quite a new thing for him to receive a deputation asking for in- creased supervision and stricter regulations. The many other deputations he had received wished all rcstrictioES taken off. In the interest of the Irish sellers he had always replied that such a policy would be suicidal _; that if atten- tion was not paid to regulations no one would purchase Irish cattlc,and that they would then have tobeputon the footing of foreign cattle. He had the power, and had exercised it to enforce cattle disease regulations in Ireland, probably much more so than in England, owing to the constabulary having more power and being under the Government. He had taken much interest in this matter ; and had inquired from time to time, but had not been able to trace a case of infected Irish beasts having been exported, or of any Irish cattle having the disease without their having been to a fair or market between the time they landed and were sold. He had appointed inspectors at all the ports ; they had been difficult to get, but the constabulary had been able to take their place ctriciently ; and special orders had been given last autumn at all the principal ports in Ireland that every animal should be inspected before it was shipped. Only one report of disease had been sent in. The deputation having again urged most strongly that the vessels carrying any sort of animals should be tho- roughly disinfected and strict inspection to this end en- forced. His Excellency stated. Lord Hartington agreeing, that orders for the special inspection of ships should be given, and that all existing rules and regulations should be complied with. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 147 THE CROYDON FARMERS' CLUB.* At the last meeting, Professor Pritchard, of the Royal Veterinary College, lectured on Some Diseases affecting the lutestiues of the Horse ; Mr. W. Taylor, of Wickham Court, in the chair. Professor PraTCiiARD began by reminding his hearers that in his two previous lectures he hiul spoken more particularly of the horse aud indigestion, and said that in the present lecture he proposed to speak of the intestines, which they would probably conclude were more liable to disease than the stomach, both in regard to the frequency of attack and the variety of disease. The fact of the intestines having to re- ceive the ingcsta either in a digested or undigested form might account for the more frequent occurrence of disease. It ai,i- peared to him that the condition of the ingesta poured into the intestines depended upon the manner in which the stomach was performing its functions. The extreme length of tlie intestinal canal might also account for the fact of the intestines being more frequently subject to disease than the stomach. Another consideration was the amount of exposure the horse was subject to under artificial circumstances, often having to go for a considerable period without food while hard at work, aud perhaps during that time exposed to all kinds of inclement weather, and then when allowed to take food allowed to t ike too much. These circumstances would account to a great extent for the fact of the intestines being so liable to disease. One of the most frequent diseases was bellyache or gripes. Scarcely a day went by with the stud of a large farmer without a case of that kind occurring. Under the term gripes, or bellyache, raaiy ditferent diseases of the intestines of the horse were thought and spoken of by the uneducated ; such complaints, for instance, as diarrhoea, dysentery, enteritis, inflammation of the bowels cases of constipation, where the bowels are loaded with a quantity of food which they are unable to pass, obstructions by the for- mation of calculi, &c. Then again the horse's bowels, like the bowels of most animals, are subject to parasitic disease, and under some circumstances we get the forcing out of the latter part of the gut, technically termed " inversion of the rectum." He should content himself on that occasion not with an at- tempt to bring before their notice all the diseases he had named, but should select one or more of them which, to the agricultural world, would be of most interest, and which men not scientifically educated were better able to cope with than with those requiring greater knowledge. He would first select the disease professionally termed colic. As he had already said, under the term bellyache or gripes the uneducated spoke of every disease of the intestinal canal attended with abdominal pain. "The horse has got the gripes," says the waggoner, and if he is kicking at his belly and lying down and frequently getting up again, it is said to be the gripes. Now they might have those indications of pain arising from a variety of different diseases. The lecturer preferred to speak, first, of gripes as a simple disease, unas- sociated with others, and then to speak of other diseases attended with griping pains, but not consisting simply of gripes. By colic, or simple gripes, he meant a spasmodic or cramped condition of the muscular coat of the bowels. They would remember there were three principal coats of the intestines — the external layer (the reflexion of the lining of the belly) and the internal layer, and, between those, a layer of muscular tissue, like that by which we are enabled to move our limbs. Anything that gave rise to spasmodic action of that muscular tissue would give rise to an attack of cholic or spasm of the bowel. Under diffeient circumstances the malady passes under different names ; hence you will hear of windy colic or griping colic, or, in teclinical language, "flatulent" and "spasmodic" colic. In the spasmodic case the intestines become smaller than ordinary, and in flatulent colic they are distended by the presence of gaseous material. Spasmodic colic gives rise to the same sort of pain as when a man is seized with cramp iu the calf. While the bowels are affected in that way, the pain will often disappear in one place, and gradually make its appearance in another place. Flatulent colic differs in this respect, that instead of the empty bowel being constricted, and the calibre of it be- coming smaller, it is distended by gaseous material, resulting from decomposition of the contents. He wanted to impress the fact that, although they commonly spoke of a iiorse having the gripes or colic when suffering from abdominal pain, he was not suffering really from colic except when the muscular coat of the bowel was iu that cramped or spasmodic condition he had described. What are the symptoms of colic ? It may be the horse is well and absolutely at work when his driver suddenly becomes aware of his being a little dull, and in a few minutes he suddenly stops in the road, and will throw himself down before the driver can get to him. Supposing he is taken out of harness and put into the stable, the probability is he will throw himself down and roll about, and strike at his belly, and give every evidence of active pain in the belly. That will last perhaps for half a minute, when he will get up, shake himself, stand perfectly still, and appear to have suddenly recovered. A short time, however, elapses before the symptoms reappear, when he lays down and kicks again, and bursts into a profuse perspiration, arising from pain. If we take the pulse at that time, we shall find that, instead of being from 33 to 36, which is the normal pulse, it has risen to 80 or even 100 beats a minute, but between the attacks it returns to its nor- mal standard. That symptom is diagnostic of the disease because in other diseases of the bowels we get no variation iu the pulse. In cases of inflammation or strangulation of the bowels, the mucous membrane is congested, and the animal is colder instead of waamer. In flatulent colic, when the stomach is distended by gaseous material, instead of having that violent pain, and the animal throwing itself about, and the marked periods of time between the attacks, we find the animal exhibits a mere dull pain, looking round at the sides, kicking at the belly, attempting to lie down, and so on, but not to the same extent as in spasmodic colic. Another marked symptom between the two kinds of colic is that in one (tho spasmodic) the abdomen presents its usual size, while in the other the Hanks are considerably extended. Among the diseases most likely to be confounded with colic is inflam- mation of the bowels, which is accompanied with griping pains, and an excessive febrile condition of the body, exhibited in the exacerbation of the pulse. If the symptoms are care- fully looked to, however, the diseases will not be confounded. In inflammation of the bowels, the pulse, instead of being quick and full, and easily felt under the jaw, becomes smaller and thready, and does not vary as in colic. The pain, too, is continuous and not intermittent, and while the malady lasts the animal is never free from pain as in spasmodic colic. Instead of throwing himself down, the horse will lie down quietly, selecting a well-littered corner where it is least likely to produce anything like concussion of the belly. The lining membrane of the nose, mouth, and eyelids is highly congested, and the animal, though sweating, is deadly cold. By those symptoms is inflammation of the bowels to be distinguished from colic and other diseases. Now what are the causes that give rise to these maladies? By knowing the causes and avoiding them, we can avoid the disease itself, which, though not fatal, is to be dreaded because it gives rise to others that arc fatal. Exposure to cold is a cause of colic. An animal driven for miles at a pace that makes him heated, is pulled up in the street without shelter, the circulation in the skin is suddenly checked, an abnormal amount of blood cir- culates internally, and spasmodic action of the bowels fre- quently results. The same result is produced by giving a quantity of cold water to a horse, especially when heated, which has been a long time without food, as the water, when the stomach is empty, immediately passes into the small in- testines. Suddenly changing a horse's food will give rise to attacks of colic. Supposing a horse has been feeding for a considerable period on dry food, and is then unguardedly allowed a quantity of green food (especially if grown in a wet season, and therefore containing a large amount of moisture), 148 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. the sudden change of food in the intestines will give rise to spasmodic colic. Indigestible food will very commonly give rise to it, and a horse suffering from indigestion is more liable to attacks of colic than one not so suffering; the food is brought into the bowels in an unprepared condition, acts as a foreign agent on tlie lining membrane of the gut, and an attack of colic results. Indigestion is perhaps the most fruitful cause of flatulent cholic: Crib-biters and wind-suckers, also, are commonly producers of windy colic. A horse suffering from colic, unassociated with any other disease, will in most cases recover, if the case is taken in hand early aud treated properly ; but if an animal apparently suffering from colic has a culculus formed in his intestines, then it is an obstruc- tion, and not colic that he is really suffering from, and re- covery then is uncertain ; but in ordinary cases of colic, when treated early and treated properly, ninety-nine out of a liundred will recover. Colic sometimes terminates more un- favourably. It is not at all uncommon to find strangulation of the bowels result from colic. If horses suffering from that complaint are allowed to roll and tumble about and do as they think proper, mischief in many forms may take place. A. horse suffering from either spasmodic or flatulent colic can be subjected to no belter ameliorative treatment than walking (not galloping) him quietly about. It can do no possible harm. Some may say it excites circulation and gives rise to nflammation of the bowels, hut is that more likely to do it than for the horse to be rolling aud tumbling itself about? He had known great mischief resulting from the latter cause, and had seen three cases where the intestinal mesentery had been twisted completely round, and in such case there is very little hope of recovery. Other bad results also come from the horses rolling and tumbling about, such as rupture of the bowels, or rupture of the thin veil of merabraue, when one portion of the intestine works itself through a hole in another portion, aud that becomes a fatal result ; when there is stran- gulation, rupture of the diaphragm or midrif, and various other kinds of displacement of the gut, all resulting from animals dashing themselves about while suffering from cohc. If colic is not treated, aud the bowels are allowed to remain in a spasmodic state for some period, inflammatory action sets in, and in nine liundred and ninety-nine cases out of a thousand tlie result is fatal. Veterinary surgeons will tell you they have known several cases of recovery, but he (the lecturer) doubted whether they were eases really, and whether they were not rather cases of impactment of the bowels, where iiiflaramation had not set in. Then, again, if colic be not properly aud early treated there is risk of a condition of howel taking place which seldom, if in any cases, becomes righted — one portion of the intestines slips inside another por- tion, and that state of things is called intersusception, from which a horse seldom recovers, although the same thing in men is sometimes righted. The necessary operation cannot be performed so well on a horse because the lining membrane is so susceptible that even if a case is diagnosed the veterinary dare not operate. The fact of making a large opening in the belly sufficient to put the hand in and right the intestines would be tantamount to cutting the horse's throat. Having now described the diseases, he was willing to tell tliem what he could as to the best mode of treating them, but he warned them that unless they were perfectly satisfied tliat they knew what the disease was, they had better not attempt to follow out his treatment, as under such circumstances it might do more harm than good. Now supposing they were satisfied a horse was sulferiug from colic or gripes, they would be justi- fied in admistering diffusible stimulants combined with opiates. He would give from one to one-and-a-half ounces of sweet spirits of nitre, combined with one ounce of tincture of opium, lie would give the first with the view of bringing about a diffusion of nervous force, of which they had too Jmuch heaped up in the bowels, and would give the latter with a view of alleviating pain, both on the ground of charity and of prudence. Supposing they were satisfied they had a case of spasmodic action of the bowels, aud were certain it arose from indigesti- hle food, he would advise that the same medicines should be given combmed with a bold purgative — he should say aloes. Some would choose oil, but in his mind the safest purgative for a horse was aloes ; and, as aloes were often adulterated, care should be taken to get the best Barbadoes aloes. If it was for a cart horse he would give six drachms of aloes in a state of solution, or combined with powder of opium. The dose might seem large, but experience showed him it was quickly carried off by the kidneys, and that the dose might be repeated in 21 hours. He remembered a case in which he gave 36 drachms of aloes in 36 hours, and the horse recovered. The aloes was consumed by the kidneys, but in the case of oil it must remain in the intestines till it came out at the anus. Fur- ther, the horse should be quietly walked about, as he had already advised. Then supposing after the administration of the antispasmodic draught in an ordinary case of colic there was no sign of relief in one or one-and-a-half hour, he should not hesitate to repeat the dose, and it after three hours there was still no relief, and no symptoms of inflammation setting in, then he should not hesitate to give a dose of purgative medicine. All the while they were treating a case of that kind, they must be on the look out for some of those terrible effects which he had said sometimes accompanied or resulted from colic. For instance, where inflammation of the bowels set in some of the treatment he had been describing would be very bad, and he would not use diffusive stimulants. Again, if the animal was getting cold about the surface of the body, and the attacks instead of remaining intermittent became more contin- ous, lie should be careful of purgative medicine, and then, if ever, bleed the horse, aud, if he thought it was an attack of inflammation, bleed largely, from the jugular vein, or perhaps from both, for the sooner the effect was produced the better. He would bleed till he found the effect in the pulse. The lecturer reminded them that one of the best preventives of all these diseases was so keep the auimals regularly fed and treated; that was why the array horses enjoyed such good health. He also advised that they should be watered before fed. Professor Pritchard then briefly referred to the history of some calculi exhibited on the table, and which had formed in the intestines of various horses, the largest being about the size of a bladder of lard, which was found inside a horse be- longing to Mr. Jones, of Worship-street. It was not uncom- mon to find such stones in the intestines of the horse, and not only one or two, but sometimes as many as a hundred small ones. They formed in the small sacs, and remained, as might be ima- gined, for a considerable period, until they got dislodged from their sacs, and, becoming an obstruction, led, unless they could be removed, to the horse's death. The majority of these ealculi were formed from lime salts derived from the food, and they were more common in millers' horses than in others, from the large quantity of bran and sweepings of the mill-floor, which they had among their food. In the sweepings they not only got a quantity of food containing a large amount of phosphate, but also a quantity of grit, chippings of the millstones, &c. If they examined the calculi they whould find in the centre of each a nucleus of some foreign agent — in one case there was a nail, and in another a piece of iron, and in another a piece of stone. The lecturer produced a tray fuU of small calculi, all of which were passed by one horse, which died sometines af- terwards from pain in the bowels, and three larger calculi were then found impacked together in one part of the intes- tines. There was another kind of calculi (of which iie had only one specimen with him), which was much lighter, because containing more vegetable matter. Another kind was made up entirely of a congregation of the silky-looking floss to be found in the husk of the oat. If anybody would take a piece of the calculus and compare it under a miscroscope with the floss from the oat bust they would find they exactly corres- ponded. The learned professor concluded by thanking his audience for their patient hearing of him, and resumed his seat amid applause. Mr. Streeter asked the lecturer how long he thought one of those calculi had been forming ? Mr. Pritchard said that was rather a poser. It depended a good deal on the sort of food the horse was feeding on. If the horse was a miller's horse, taking a quantity of food con- taining phophate, the calculus would form more rapidly than in a horse feeding on green food. Mr. Streeter asked if any of the calculi exhibited by the lecturer had been taken from the bladder ? Mr. Pritchard replied in the negative. Those taken from the bladder might always be distinguished from the others, the latter always having something in the centre as a nucleus, whereas those from the bladder had no nuclei. Dr. Shorthouse said several of the lecturer's statements had certainly startled him very much. He wished to know if he had correctly understood him to say that if they gave a THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 149 horse water on an empty stomach it would at once pass into tlie araall intestines ? Mr. Pritciiard : Yes. Dr. Shortitouse said he could flatly deny that statement, having with Professor Morgan tried the experiment on various animals, and found that if you give water without food on an empty stomach it is absorbed by the veins of the stomach, or the absorbent vessels, and never passes as water into the small intestines. Then as to intersusception the lecturer had said it would be dangerous to operate. He wondered veterinary surgeons had never tried a very simple method, but he kuew they were very foud of making blisters and using enormous machines. He had seen a number of cases in infants, aud there was a very ready method of recognising it, and a simple method of cure without the use of the knife. The symptom of the deraugement was similar in horses and children, a small oozing of blood from the anus. There was a very simple remedy, the use of the bellows or the injection of thin water gruel. He had seen 50 cases in which that remedy had been tried, and they had all recovered. The doctor went on to refer to what the lecturer had said about the twisting of the mesentery, assuming that the lecturer had said it had been twisted three times round, and arguing that that was impos- sible. It appeared, however, that he had misuuderstood the lecturer, who had only said it was twisted once round, and to that Dr. Shorthouse agreed. He then referred to the lecturer's statement that when oil was given it passed off by the anus. That he distinctly denied ; for whatever oil it was, whether linseed oil, or oil of turpentine, it went into the intestinal caual, where it mixed with the food and circulated in it, aud passed off with the urine, to which it gave a fragrance like sweet briar. As to aloes, to which the lecturer had given preference, he admitted they disturbed a lot of decayed mate- rial which had to be got rid of, and that the kidneys acted as scavengers. He knew Professor Pritchard was driving at him when he stuck up for administering large doses, but as it was a vegetable he was referring to, he had nothing to say against the large doses ; had it been a mineral he should have disputed it ; but even though it was a vegetable he should be disposed to try half a drachm rather than six drachms, be- lieving small doses to be the more efficient. He always used smaller doses than other people, and could cure the gout in three days by small doses. He doubted the lecturer's state- ment that aloes were often adulterated, aud was astonished to hear him term colic a disease, when it was simply an in- voluntry spasmodic action of the muscular texture, attended witii considerable pain, and he could hardly suppose it would be attended, as asserted by the lecturer, with a doubly in- creased pulse. He did not deny it, but it seemed extraordi- nary if it was so. Mr. Pritciiard said that as regarded intersusception, he believed the symptoms described by Dr. Shorthouse were only to be seen in children and men, and not in horses, and al- though, taking the history of a case and collateral circum- stances, a clever man of experience might be able to say " I thoroughly believe this to be a case of intersusception, he doubted whether he could ever say positively that such was the case. The treatment suggested by Dr. Shorthouse was also quite out of the cpiestion. The doctor had said veter- inary surgeons were fond of making blisters and using enor- mous machines, but the instruments used for horses were no larger in proportion than those used for men, and, therefore, if horse doctors used large machines so did human doctors. As to the administration of oil, the doctor had taken him rather unfairly, because when he (the lecturer) talked of oil he meant a fixed and not a volatile oil. The doctor said the alkali in the intestines affected them, but he denied it. When the bowels were in a state of spasm the secretion of the liver aud pancreas oil was acting there as a direct irritant, and was most likely to give rise to irritation of the bowels, whereas aloes was taken off by the kidneys. Mr. J. G. Cattrall, as a veterinary surgeon of 25 years' experience, was surprised at the theories set forth by Dr. Shorthouse, and especially by his statement that an enormous machine was used for performing an operation. Such a re- mark was calculated to mislead. He had never heard of such an instrument being used for that disease. Dr. Shorthouse : But you use it for others, and if it is right to use it for others it is right to use it for that. It is as big as a slop-pail. Mr. Cattrall had never known a case of recovery from intersusception, and he denied the existence of any such enormous instrument as that mentioned by Dr. Shorthouse. He differed from him also as to the use of oil, and the ad- ministration of small doses, aud ridiculed the idea of his curing gout in three days. Dr. Shorthouse did not think Mr. Cattrall had thrown much light ou the question. He would send him, next day, a veterinary catalogue, and a new one too, in which the large cylindrical instrument was illustrated. Mr. Cattrall said lie had never seen one. Perhaps he had not yet mastered all the knowledge in the world ; there might be some things not in his philosophy, and that did not come within the ken of his intellect. As to calculi, he had seen one at Mr. Charlton's, a miller, at Tunbridge, three times as large as the largest shown by the lecturer, and weighing 3Glbs. Professor Pritchard also said there were some much larger in the museum of the Veterinary College. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES (ANIMALS) ACT. [From The Gazette of July 13.] At the Council Chamber, Wliitehall, on the 11th of Julyi present the Lord President and Mr. Porster, the Lords and others of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, by virtue and in exercise of the powers in them vested under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1S69, and of every other power enabling them in this behalf, ordered as follows :— 1. This Order shall take effect froin'and immediately after the 31st day of July, 1S72. 2. This order may be cited as the Carcasses of Animals Order of 1872. 3. In this order — the Act of 1869 means the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1869 ; master includes any person having the charge or command of a vessel; other terms having the same meaning as in the Act of 1869. 4. In addition to the powers and duties vested in and im- posed on local authorities by Section 60 of the Act of 1869, and by Articles 36 and 37 of the Animals Order of 1871, every local authority is hereby empowered to make, from time to time, with the view of preventing the spreading of con- tagious or infectious diseases among animals, regulations for the following purpose : — Eor securing the burial, in accord- ance with the directions of Article 36 of the Animals Order of 1871, of the carcasses, being within the district of the local authority, of animals (including horses) which have died of any contagious or infectious disease, or the destruction thereof, under inspection of the local authority, in the mode prescribed by Article 37 of the Animals Order of 1871. 5. If an animal (including a horse) on board a vessel in Great Britain, or within three miles of the shore thereof, dies of or is slaughtered in consequence of being affected with a contagious or infectious disease, the master of the vessel shall, with all practicable speed, cause the carcase thereof to be disinfected on board the vessel in such mode as the Privy Council from time to time direct or approve. If he fails to do so, he shall be deemed guilty of an offence against this Order. 6. If any person throws or places, or causes, or suffers to be thrown or placed, into or in any river, stream, canal, or other water in Great Britain, or into or in the sea within three miles of the shore of Great Britain, the carcase of an animal (including a horse) which has died of or been slaughtered in consequence of being affected with a contagious or infectious disease, he shall be deemed guilty of an offence against this Order, unless he shows to the satisfaction of the Justices before whom he is charged that he did not know that the same had so died or been slaughtered, aud that he could not with reasonable diligence have obtained that knowledge. 7. It shall not be lawful for any person, except with the licence of the Privy Council, to dig up, or cause to be dug up, the carcase, or any part of the carcase, of any animal (includ- ing a horse) buried under a regulation of a local authority, or under the direction of a Receiver of Wreck. If any person acts in contravention of this Article, he shall be deemed guilty of an offence against this Order. 150 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. FRUIT FARMING AND KITCHEN GARDENING. It is somewhat supiising tliat tlie growth of fruit trees, and their successful culture, should be, to a great extent, neg- lected in Cheshire and Lancashire. We seem in this par- ticular to be going backward instead of forward. It would be an interesting inquiry to ascertain by a trustworthy return the number of fruit-trees of various descriptions that have been planted in Cheshire and Lancashire during the past — say five years. The number put in tlie ground would be found to be very limited. How many a little piece of land there is on farms that cannot be, or rather is not cultivated from its pe- culiarly out-of-the-way or awkward position. Why not fill such little bits of comparatively waste ground with fruit-trees, which would cost a mere trifle, and return abundant profit P Why should not apple, plum, and cherry-trees be planted along hedge-rows dividing fields, and along highways, instead of oaks, ash, and other trees ? Along the roads on the Conti- nent, in Germany especially, there are miles upon miles of cherry and plum trees planted, and why not in England ? It has been estimated by Mr. Roche Smith that at a cost of £15 per mile apple-trees could be planted in England witiithe greatest success. It may be said that the crops of such trees would be invariably stolen. Some portions of them might, but a greater portion would be left to the grower, with common watchfulness ou the part of himself and liis servants. Look at the damson crops how plentiful they were in former years, and how cheap consequently. Whoever thinks of planting a damson tree ? Aud yet a row of damsons might be set by the side of any ditch that would yield a large profit. If land oc- cupiers would turn their attention to the planting of fruit trees in little regarded places, rely upon it tiie bread cast upon the waters would come back after many days, if not to the ab- solute planter thereof, at any rate to his children or his suc- cessors. Almost every farmer or occupier of land lias found that his jiredecessors have done something to the place, which has benefited him, and, therefore, he ought not to begrudge some thougiitful and kindly act, for the benefit of those who come after him. It is quite surprising, also, how neglected are the sides of our railways. Miles and miles of now useless land might be planted with trees of all descripiions, while the southern and western banks of these great arteries of coni- merce might be covered with the strawberry plant, and low fruit-bearing bushes. It appears remarkable that enterprising men do not engage these railway banks for gardening pur- poses, which could be made easy aud safe of access by a little good management and trifling expense. Even vegetables and culiuary herbs might be grown on railway bank-sides. In proof of the capabilities of such spots for the purpose, witness the successful manner that the station-masters or their families cultivate little strips of land adjacent to their station-houses. Cherries could be grown in many localities with success. The Morello cherry is one of the most profitable of this description of fruit ; it is sought for with avidity by those who know its value : it always fetches a high price, is an invariably heavy bearer, aud will flourish in many an exposed situation where other fruit-trees would prove abortive, i'rom the acid nature of tills cherry the birds neglect it, and the pilfering school- hoy turns his back on it with disgust. The black-heart, the bigaroou, and the Kentish cherry are more to his mind. The Morello cherry should be extensively cultivated. This fruit always meets with a ready sale, especially in the metri)polis, where it is in great request. The mulberry tree is not much cultivated in Lancashire and Cheshire, but why it is not is un- accountable. It is a most prolific bearer ; the fruit is a fine antiscorbutic, and is moreover delicious in flavour, either for dessert, pies, or puddings. In some parts of Cheshire isolated trees appear and tlirive, and when they do not, from adverse seasons, the trees are extremely elegant and graceful to look upon. In the south of England, in one or two localities, mulberry trees are to be found in great numbers. At and about Southampton there are a great many, from the fact of Sir Walter Raleigh, under the auspices of Queen Elizabeth, attempting to introduce the culture of the silkworm in that \icinity. The silk produce did not thrive, but the mulberry trees did. In South Lambeth, Surrey (within three miles of London), there are numbers of mulberry trees to be found. Every garden of any pretensions thereabouts can hoast of one, and sometimes two of this excellent fruit tree. The reason this tree is so general in this part of England arose in this way: at the Manor House, South Lambeth, a handsome old mansion, which stands on the left-hand side of the road on the way to Stockwell, there dwelt in the time of James the First John Tradescant, a Dutch gentleman. During the latter years of his life, a friend sent him from llulkind a large number of young mulberry trees. Finding so large a collection to be of no use to him, after planting several trees in his own grounds, he distributed the remainder to his neighbours, so that in the vicinity of the old mansion many noble old mulberry trees are to be found. The growth of pears does not seem to progress in Lancashire or Cheshire. First-class sorts of pears, grown against house-walls, otherwise useless, always obtain a high price. As much as sixpence per pear has often been given by hotel-keepers for fine specimens. In mauy instances the produce and entire crops of such trees are bespoken, and se- cured by those to whom money is no object. The writer is acquainted with a cottager having but a small garden, who in good seasons makes two or three pounds per year by an Espalier tree, and the produce of a Jargonel that climbs up his cottage walls. The medlar is not much cultivated in Lancashire and Cheshire, although it is a most wholesome fruit, and generally is a heavy bearer. To those acquainted with the manage- ment of ripening the medlar, it is a great delicacy, but not so to a Lancashire farmer's wife, who said she " could make nought on 'ura," for she " baked and biled and stewed and persarved them, and made 'em into puddings, without making 'em tasty." Year after year the crops were giveu " to the pigs," who liked them " weel when they were rotten." Sensible pigs — " pigs of Epi- curus breed" — were they. Vine-rearing appears to be httle thought of in Lancashire and Cheshire. Perhaps the climate may be thought to afl'ect its prosperity, but with care and at- tention a vine may be trained up a warm house-wall with a southern aspect, in these parts, and be found productive. Even if the grapes that are borne do not ripen sufficiently to make them fit for dessert purposes, wine can be made of an excellent description of sour gi'apes, vine tendrils, leaves and prunings. A perusal of Mr. Clement lloare's treatise on the culture of the vine will repay the time bestowed upon it. The apricot standard tree is not much cultivated either, but it might be most advantageously introduced in dry climates. Apricots on kitchen walls have been known to yield immense crops, and realize yearly a large sum. Ill some villages o f Kent, Surrey, and Sussex many a cottage rent is paid by the produce of its apricot tree. AVe are not too far north to hinder a successful cultivation of this beautiful little tree, which in the spring time delights the eye by the beauty of its blossoms, while the eye and palate are both grati- fied in ciutumn by the appearance of its golden-balled crop and the delicacy of the flavour thereof. Bee keeping in Cheshire and Lancashire appears to be ou the decrease. For one bee- hive to be met with now, twenty might have been noticed thirty or forty years ago. Whythisshouldbethecaseinso valu- able and nutritious an article as honey is unaccountable. Such improvements in bee keeping have of past years taken place, in the sheltering ami management of bees, that it is a surpris- ing circumstance that such a branch of industry — the industry of others — should have been neglected in districts wiiere flowers are to be met with so abundantly. A well ordered apiary will be found to provide a neat little sum to its owners, who can be soon taught to become thoroughly conversant with the mode of keeping their industrious little neighbours in the best mode and fashion. There are several little books on bee keeping to be bought for sixpence, which will, when backed up by a little experience, make any one skilful in bees and bee- keeping, and the profits will be found considerable in warm and favourable seasons. Of late years a new source of revenue in the way of food has arisen in the extensive cultivation of THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 151 watercress, and it is quite surprising; to fiad what quantities of this wholesome, ciieap, aud agreeable adjunct to our breakfast or tea-tables are brought to Liverpool and Manchester, and other leading markets. A lew years ago tlie cultivation of the watercress to any extent was confined to certain suburbs and vicinities of London, such as at Hackney, where large fields (if they may be so called) of cress may be still seen from the railway while passing the church. There are now extensive watercress growers in Essex, on the pretty little rivers ruuning through tliat county, and there are some in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, which supply tlie London markets. From these cress fields Liverpool and Manchester are supplied wi^h the dark brown-leaved sort so much esteemed for its crispuess and fullness of flavour. Quantities of cress are sent from Ireland, but the Irish sorts want the flavour of the English. The leaves instead of being a dark bronze brown are brilliantly green aud loug, the stem being very stalky. Tiiese cresses are not cultivated, but grow wild, and in some parts in the utmost profusion. The writer of tliis paper rambling over a farm in Cheshire happened lately to stand with the owner of it, by the side of a wide and handsome pond — or pit as it is called— some fish were sporting on the surface, wheu the writer remarked that there was a good sum to be got out of that pit annually with a little outlay aud trouble. " Surely, not by tlie sale of fish" remarked the far- mer, laughing, " for they are not worth catching." r*lo, was the reply, " but if you would increase the growth of that little brown green-leaved plant you will make capital returns by the sale of it." The farmer entertained the usual doubt* on the subject that rise in bucohc minds when anything new is pro- pounded ; but, happening to be visiting a neighbouring city, he there beheld large crates of watercress from the south, aud equally large packages from Ireland, and it occurred to him, if profit could be got out of the article sent from a distance, it could be obtained when reared nearer at home. The conse- quence has been that he tried to raise water crops as well as land crops, and has been enabled from his ponds and ditches to send away large quantities of this valuable vegetable in prime order, and provide employment for the children in the cottages in his vicinity, in making the cress up in bundles. It is said that tan placed in a pit greatly improves and encour- ages the growth of the watercress. There is no doubt that a good sized pond, well planted with watercress, would produce a large return. In the cultivated cress grounds, the vegetable is grown in long trenches, supplied with water, let into them through flood gates, which regulates the quantity of water re- quired. Few farms are without one or two pits on them that might be put into an extensive state of cultivation. Of late years watercress has been much recommended by the medical faculty, and in some infirmaries and hospitals it is very much in use, being rich in medicinal qualities. The extension of railways and the establishment of telegraphs have wrought great changes in the production of vegetables. Tracts of country in a good climate, that produced little or nothing worth before, are now pressed to the utmost in this branch of produce. From the Scilly Islands, from Cornwall, and Devon- shire, come northward in the spring beautifully grown cauli- flowers which can be retailed at prices from one half- penny to threepence each. Years ago such cauliflowers could not be obtained, except in the height of summer, and then only at sixpence and eightpence each. It is only within the last sixty years that rhubarb has been brought into use as a culin- ary article. At first it was considered a curious experiment, and few would partake of pastry made of it, for fear of its supposed aperient properties, but withiu ten years of its be- coming known, it was generally adopted, aud has been daily increasing in popularity. Vast quantities ot rhubarb are grown at Leeds, where it is forced to perfection, in long, dark, low brick-built forcing houses. In the neighbourhood of Dublin an astonishing number of cabbages are grown, which are brought to the English markets, and retailed at from two- pence to fourpence per dozen. One wholesale dealer alone has been known to have paid two thousand pounds for a season's cabbages. The crates in which they arrive in England con- tain about eighty to ninety dozen each. Sometimes as many as two hunded crates per week are shipped from Dublin. The endive is a deligiitful salad, and deserves some notice. The great portion of the fine endive consumed in this country is brought from France, where it is cultivated underground, in dark places. Now, why cannot rhubarb and endive, and other choice vegetables be reared largely and successfully about here ? The soil and climate are both very suitable. In the neigh- bourhood of London, lettuces are grown to great perfection, notable in size and quality. It is remarkable that this fine salad is not more successfully produced in this part of England. It is iuterestiug to know whence our great supplies of fruit and vegetables are derived. We have in the spring time new potatoes from Malta and Portugal, long before the crop is ready iu England. From France we have cherries, grapes, plums, greengages. Apples are very early iu the year obtained from Spain and Portugal. German fruits, such as plums and cherries, are shipped in amazing quantities, iu their season, by way of Rotterdam and Hamburg. In the grape season last year, delicious grapes were imported from the South of France, being packed in the actual viueyaids iu baskets made on pur- pose, so that there should be little or no crushing. Had it not been for the troubles in France enormous supplies of grapes would have arrived last year, as the first year the experiment was tried of bringing them to England in this mode was fouud to answer well. In fact, the whole world seems drawn upon to supply the wants of the people of Great Britain. India sends some rare articles of food. China its ginger and man- gosteeus. From North America we have many fine fruit*. France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy provide for us. Germany and Holland contribute. We have pines from the Bahamas, and from Africa. The Mediterranean Islands aud its ports ship to us delicious fruits unheard of, and uutasted, betore steam became a potent power, and helped humanity onward. — The Joitnial of the Manchester and Liverpool Aijncidlurat Society. THE "LOCAL" LOCAL-TAXATION AUTHORI- TIES.— Local taxation statistics must surely be uuder some glamour. Economists who had patiently threaded the tangled mass of figures which the Ilome-oftlce annually laid before Parliament on the subject, concluded with little hesitation that the whole impost borne by England and Wales for local pui'- poses did not much exceed £30,00U,00U sterling a-year. Sir Massey Lopes, who for several sessions past has made local taxation his speciality, stated iu the House this year that it amounted to £30,000,000. Sir Massey seems to have had no doubt about the accuracy of his data, however surprising his statement was to those familiar with the facts, for he recurred to the figures in the course of his speech. The return recently issued from Mr. Staufeld's department, shows the authentic sum of these imposts iu 1809-70 to have been a little over £31,000,000. That is the amount the ratepayers actually placed in the hands of the rate-collectors during the year. A writer in the Chamber of Agriculture Journal of Monday, with the Local Government Ollice document under his very eyes, arrives at a conclusion still wider of the truth ; so far from it, indeed, that we quote the passage in extenso lest there should be a suspicion of exaggeration. He asserts that " in the local taxation returns, metropolitan local raanagemeut, towu rates, lighting and watching, sewers, drainage and embankment, burial boards aud church rates, tolls and dues, bridge, (erry, and harbour rates, are jumbled together iu the true Goscheii style, with poor's rate, county and police rate, turnpike tolls, City of London coal and wine duties, to form one grand homogeneous total of annual receipts amounting to £27,995,732, not including money received from loans and other sources, amounting to upwards of £56,000,000." He continues : " These are grand figures not included iu the Im- perial revenue, but paid nevertheless by her Imperial Majesty's liege aud loyal subjects, in most unequal and most unjust pro- portions." Now what are the facts as set out in Mr. Stans- feld's Blue-book ? The grand total of receipts from all chan- nels, and therefore inclusive of " loans and other sources," is £27,775,733, and no more. The £56,000,000 which the writer asserts to have been omitted must be a trick of his ima°-ination. There is no such amount in the table. Were his statement correct, and the return amended according to his idea, the local taxation receipts for England and Wales would mount up to the astounding sum of £84,000,000 for one year. Well may the chambers of agriculture with one accord, if they put their trust in such delusive guides, raise their voices against these taxes. — Fall Mall Gazette.— S^\A surely The Fall Mall Gazette should have given the name of the writer of this most amusing letter— Mr. Genge Andrews ! 152 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. THE EAST LOTHIAN AGRICULTURAL CLUB. PRESERVING GRAIN. At the last monthly meeting held in Haddington, Mr. Harper, Snawdeu, in the chair, the subject for consideration was The Best Mode of Preserving Grain. The Chairman said : Tlie harvest time must always be a period of real anxiety to the British farmer, and the best mode of cutting down, securing, and preserving in good order what truly is to him the fruits of a year's labour must also be one of interest and attention. I know of few occupations more healthy, independent, and enjoyable than that of farming, pro- vided rent and other collateral matters are suitable. But, however paradoxical it may seem, I know of none at certain seasons of the year attended with more care and anxiety, and against which foresight aud energy are at times so thoroughly unavaihng. Some mysterious blight, one night's bitter frost, may irretrievably damage the potato crop. Alter much labour in clearing and reducing the soil, we may secure a fine braird of turnips, which may rapidly be eaten down by the lly, or, after being thinned, they may be carried off by some grub. In a few hours a hurricane may lay on the ground a magnificent crop of grain, just about to be cut ; or, after being stooked, how often do we experience a track of wet weather, which on some occasions renders it unfit for human food, and at least most materially depreciates its value in the market ! I ofteu think that farmers, when offering for a farm, too seldom make any calculation for the losses unavoidably sustained by disease in their crop or death in their stock in a climate peculiarly varia- ble and uncertain as ours is. Hence we too olten find that the profits arising from a succession of profitable seasons and good prices are often swept away by a succession of those that are just the reverse. Assuredly, no man as a rule now-a-days may enter upon the business of farming with the liope of making a fortune, for, notwithstanding the enhanced price of the products of the farm within the last few years, somehow most of us find — what with increased rents, annually in- creasing expense for farm-labour and manures, with occa- sional outlay for expensive farm implements — that there is more mental care and as much difficulty in making the debtor and creditor side of the cash-book to square at the end of the year as in bygone days. With regard to the practical part of the business before us, t don't think I can offer for your con- sideration anything but what your long experience had al- ready taught. When the weather as favourable for cutting and carrying home to the stackyard, the work of harvesting is easy and pleasant, but when the weather is stormy, wet, or variable, one's temper, patience, and skill are often tried. You who live in the low, highly-cultivated, and highly-favoured parts of the county seldom experience much difficulty in har- vest time. It is we unfortunate denizens, who dwell in the higher districts, who so often experience late and disastrous harvests, 'because the later the period of harvest the more changeable the weather. You may say so to us — Why keep so much in crop ? Well, where |white-faced sheep are kept among the Lammermoors, or on lower ridges, they must have young grass and turnips, and this of course necessitates crop- ping. To substitute blackfaced for whitefaced sheep Vould undoubtedly be to substitute an inferior for a higher class of sheep. But, now that lambs command such high prices in the fat market, much may be said on both sides of this ques- tion. It occurs to me that a great error is often committed by many farmers, when leading corn in doubtful condition, in not using " bosses" in their stacks more frequently. Much loss from heated stacks is often sustained in consequence. I am so impressed with the advantage of this that for the last few years I have been gradually increasing the number : indeed, last year I had not a stack without three upright props in the centre, while most of them had also tresses at the bottom so as to admit of a free current of air passing through the stack. Last year was peculiarly unfavourable for the higher districts of the country. I find by the memorandum-book I keep that we did not com- mence to cut until the 4th of September, and that we ditl not finish leading until the 3rd of November. I suffered little from the shake, which some of you in the lower part of the county sustained so heavy a loss from. But in consequence of the long succession of wind and rain the grain got much dis- coloured. Latterly, I lost all patience, and when a dry day oc- curred— independent altogether of the wetness of the sheaf— we put it up in small stacks of two or three cartloads in the field of forty acres, using " bosses" very freely. We covered the stacks as fast as possible, thus shielding them from rain, but allowing them to get the benefit of the wind, and I was surprised to see how rapidly the corn dried. Such grain should not be thrashed or used until late in spring or mid- summer. I would, however, advise no man to force the stack- ing of grain in this way in the early part of the season, because the weather if wet is often also mild and murky ; whereas in the end of October, if wet, it is also cold and boisterous, and not likely to engender sprout. In connection with this subject, I may state that the propriety of having the whole stackyard roofed in is now occupying tlie attention of agriculturists. In our northern climate I am a firm believer, not only in the pro- priety, but in the absolute necessity of covered courts for cattle to prevent ehe manure being weakened by rain. I hold that those landlords and factors who, against all reason and argu- ment, are stiil building open courts, should be taken up for cruelty to animals. I am as little moved from this conviction by being told that cattle sometimes sweat and don't thrive in covered courts, as I would be, because there is disease and death in ill-ventilated and over-crowded apartments, therefore men, women, and children should throughout the year — night and day — be exposed to wind, rain, and snow. Certainly, covered stackyards would save the trouble and ex- pense of thack and rope, and, perhaps in consequence, would enable the farmer to lead a little quicker, and besides, by shielding the entire stack from moisture, would thus aUow him to thrash at all times, unless when raining. But in the mean- time the subject is one only for speculation. Let those who would sneer at the idea remember that a vast proportion of the hay and grain of this country is now cut by machinery, that steam is not only now used for the thrashing mill but also for ploughing and cultivating the soil. These required not only genius for their invention, but also perseverance for their construction, and to overcome the prejudice and difficulties in- cidental to almost everything that in mechanically new ; nay, it requires brains and hands to fashion new tools before they could be put in perfect working order. But in covered stack- yards the case is simple. It only requires to be proven to the agriculturist that the expense of erection will be compen- sated by their utility. Mr. Halliday (Rosehall) said I have no doubt you will all agree that the cheapest and best way of drying grain is with a good sharp breeze in the stook before it is stacked. That, however, cannot always be got in this changeable cUmate of ours, and particularly in the higher or later districts of the county. There are many seasons when artificial aid to accom- plish this would be of great advantage, and I would therefore suggest that a portion of the stackyard should be laid down with air pipes, fitted up with proper stands, raised from the ground on pillars — the centre pillar to be a hollow tube to convey compressed air from a set of fans into the stack or stacks, with an upright pipe perforated to distribute the air throughout the whole stacks. At present, with the high rate of land and labour, every effort has to be made to grow good crops, and I think it is equally important to preserve them when grown, even in the earlier districts, when grain may be taken in rather quick. Such means might also be applied with a good result. Most farm steadings have either a steam engine or other power that could be easily applied to driving a set of blast fans sufficient to discharge 5,000 or 6,000 cubic feet of air per minute, at a pressure of from 30 to 501bs. per square foot, which would be sufficient to blow the air from the centre throughout the whole stacks, and thus cause a strong THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 153 circulation, which should be continued until the whole are considered safe from heating. Suppose we were to blow five or six stacks at a time, each stack would have the benefit of 1,000 cubic feet of air per minute, or if ten or twelve stacks be blown at a cinie 500 feet of air, and so on. When neces- sary, the air may be heated by passing it over a coil of iron piping, through which the exhausted steam of the engine escapes, and thus raise its temperature and increase the drying power of the air to be discharged into the stacks. Grain, after being thrashed in a rather raw condition, might also be treated in this way. I trust before long to see such a plan applied to the drying and preserving of grain in the stacks, when the labor'ous and expensive mode of taking down and rebuilding of stacks would be at an end. Mr. ILvKVET (Whittingham Mains) pointed out that heated air would be required in damp weather for the purpose of drj'- ing the stacks. He would like Mr. Ilalliday to give some idea of what his contemplated apparatus would cost for, say, a 300-acre farm. He thought that the subject was one which the Highland Society might turn their attention to, and for the purpose of its elucidation give a premium, if necessary, of £500. Mr. Halliday said that it would be difficult to tell the exact expense that would be incurred by the plan he laid down. But, certainly, whea one looked at the great disadvant- age which farmers laboured under iu not securing their stuff in good time, and sometimes getting it all spoiled, he thought that it would pay a very heavy percentage. (" That's not the question.") Mr. Haevet referred to some exceptionally wet years in which he said the crops were rotting before they could get a fine day to take them in. He questioned if the grain could then have been put in stacks even to undergo Mr. Halliday's system. It was an old and true adage, " Better spoil a pound in the field than in the stack." Mr. Sjiith (Stevenson Mains) stated that a friend of his own had, two or three years ago, suggested a plan similar to that proposed by Mr. Halliday. But as they all knew schemes of that kind took a long time to come to anything, it had oc- curred to him that it would be of immense advantage to the country if an experiment were made in the putting up of covered accommodation for the barnyards. They had a worthy repre- sentative of the landed interest present in Mr. Smith, of Whittingham, and he thought that gentleman might try it on a small scale on some of the model farms of which he had the management. He thought that the matter was a landlord's question. A tenant might perhaps pay interest on the outlay. Mr. SiUTn (TVhittingham) thought that if they could have the courts and a portion of the corayards covered it would be very desirable. It could not be expected that the whole area of the cornj-ards would be covered, but if that could be done for a number of the stacks it would be an acquisition to the farmer in the way of securing the safety of his crops. This was one of the matters of such importance that, as had been noticed, the Higliland Society, whicli had to do with the interests of the country at large might turn their attention to. As they had the proper working staff, they could do it much better than any individual proprietors. The proprietors' in- terests were becoming more and more dependant on the tenants' prosperity ; and if it could be shown that what was proposed was good for them, he was safe to say that they would not be slow to give every facility for what might tend to the profits of the farmers, as unquestionably it must contribute to their share of the profits of the land. Mr. Robertson (Newmains) gave information as to various methods adopted for the securing of the grain crops in the stackyard. The CuAiEMAN said no resolution need be come to on the subject, as Mr. HaUiday only wanted to ventilate his view. Moreover, the suggestions were new, and would require to be thought over by farmers, who were supposed to be rather a slow class. After some remarks from Mr. Samuelson (East Mains), Mr. Smith (Whittingham) proposed a vote of thanks to the chair- man. A similar complement to Mr. Halliday, on the motion of Mr. George Hope (Fenton Barns), closed the proceedings. The nest meeting of the club will be held in October, when the subject of discussion will be the best mode of lifting and securing the potato crop. THE GREAT FARM OF ILLINOIS. Located in Ford and Livingstone counties, it lies, in a direct line to St. Louis, a distance of 100 miles from Chicago, Twenty years since, its owner, M. L. Sullivant, entered this and other lands from Government at an average price of 1 doUar 25 cents per acre. His determination seemed to be to keep himself " land poor," as the Western phrase is, until the disposal of surplus acres at a great and natural profit should give him the necessary funds to operate successfully a large farm. In 18G8, just previous to his location on Burr Oak, Mr. Sullivant visited his native place, in the vicinity of Columbus, Ohio. In response to inquiry after his welfare and prospects, he said that he had run down from nearly 100,000 to 40,000, mentioning in a joking way, as one of his losses, the Broadlauds Farm of ~0,000 acres, which he had sold to Mr. Alexander for a quarter of a million of dollars. (Broadlauds is to-day valued at more than 600,000 dollars.) In 18G8 Mr. Sullivant commenced work on Burr Oak with 1,000 acres of corn. In the following year 5,000 were put in ; in 1870 9,000 acres. At the present writing he has upwards of 11,000 acres of corn, which promises an average of fully forty-five bushels to the acre. Besides this there are quite 5,000 acres of other crops under cultivation. The estate embraces exactly sixty-five square miles — over 40,01)0 acres. Three hundred miles of hedge have beeu set out, six miles of board fence built for cattle and stock, and 150 miles of ditching (the ditches are seven feet wide, and average nearly two feet iu depth) have been done to drain the wet places ; numerous corn cribs, farm buildings, shops for various work ; and a vast amount of work of all descriptions, in which a new place abounds. His purchases are invariably made iu large quantities. For instance : fifty ploughs, fifty cultivators, &c. This enables him to make terms of the most favourable cha- racter. The hands, mostly Swedes and Germans, are engaged about the 1st of April, and are expected to stay until the 1st January. Two hundred and fifty men are required at present to work the farm. These, with the exception of a few who bring their own teams and work by contract, are assigned to the different farms and gangs. Mr. Sullivant is the com- mander-in-chief, Mr. J. M. Miner liis brigadier ; next twelve captains, each with three lieutenants, each lieutenant having charge of a squad of men, and immediately responsible to the captain or head of the farm for their work. Besides the organized farm gangs, there is a considerable force constantl employed in carpenter and mason work ; a regular blacksmith' shop, with its four or five smiths ; men constantly busy in the repair of machinery ; the harness-shop, waggon-shop, painters, &c. In the fall of the year Mr. SuUivant finds it necessary to detail a certain number of men as gunners to kill or drive away the innumerable flocks of wild geese and ducks which would otherwise destroy thousands of busliels of grain. A synopsis, and few of the leading items, wiU serve to explain the system : Men. Horses. Oxen. May, 1871 4.979f 7,060 1,987 pay's work. Men, Horses. Overseeing generally 45 90 Errands and chores 31 58 Harness shop 8 — Water hauling 27i 27i Stables 191 160 Blacksmith's shop 114 — Kitchens 273 — Implements and machinery 82 1 Js'ursery 79^ 18 Hedges 383f 214^ The machinery used at Burr Oak would handsomely stock two or three agricuhural implement stores: 150 steel ploughs, of different styles ; 75 breaking ploughs ; 14'^ cuhivators, of several descriptions; 45 coru-plauters ; 25 gang-harrows, S:c. The ditching plough, a huge affair of eighteen feet in length, with a share of eleven feet by two feet ten inches, is worked by sixty-eight oxen and eight men. These finish from three to three and a half miles of excellent ditch each day of work. The oldest hedges (Osage orange) are but three years' growth, but now staud fully seven feet high, and much of it is pigtight. Even here machinery is called iu and the rows are clipped by a sort of an upright mo\yQX,-~-Ammcan Weehli/, 154 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. THE GAME-LAWS COMMITTEE. Mr. J. Stewart, who, in answer to Mr. M'Combie said— I am tenant on the farm of Auchrivie, on the estate of Mony- inusk, Aberdeenshire. I liold the farm under a nineteen years' lease. Tlie arable land consists of 75 acres. 1 have expended about £450 in permanent improvements. I am bound by my lease to expend that money, and I will not receive anything in return when I leave the farm. In 18G5, and again in 1871, I gained prizes offered for the best managed and cultivated farm. All the tenants on the estate are bound to preserve the game, and are prohibited from keeping a dog. We are not prohibited from keeping cats, but we are constantly getting them destroyed. I submitted to the Game clause in my lease because I could not help myself. In Aberdeenshire, where great competition exists for farms, there are Game clauses in all the leases. Tiie game on the estate consists of roedeer, hares, partridges, gronse, snipe, and rabbits. The latter exist by thousands. The crops are very much damaged by the game in some places. In 1860 the tenants complained in a body to the landlord, Sir Archibald Grant, Bart. We represented that we were being ruined, but the landlord simply replied that we were quite aware there was game on the estate wlien we took our farms. I told Sir Archibald Grant that the deputation waited upon him in order to lay before him an account of the serious losses which were caused to the crops upon the farms in consequence of their being destroyed by hares and rabbits. Sir Archbald Grant told us that we knew there was game on tlie farms when we rented tiiem. He said the farmers were a troublesome set of fellows, and he eould do nothing to please them, and advised us, if we objected to the game being pre- served, to give up our farms, and he would turn them into rabbit warrens. The deputation, finding that Sir Archibald Grant was not inclined to meet them in an amicable spirit, shortly afterwards withdrew. After that we commenced to kill the rabbits, but did not interfere with the hares. The landlord was very much averse to our destroying the rabbits. Game is increasing in Aberdeenshire, especially hares and rabbits. By Mr. Read. — I am in favour of the total abolition of the Game Laws, at least so far as to give the tenants power to ])rotect their crops. My rent amounts to £75 per annum. There is no mention of rabbits in my lease. If I had no lease I should be inclined to leave the farm. The grouse do not do a great deal of damage to the farms. There is an enormous quantity of rabbits upon the estate, and in that respect the estate is exceptional. By Mr. Bell.— One of the keepers told me that 30,000 rabbits were killed upon the estate in one season, and about 10,000 more would be killed by the tenants. In 1869 I got a prize for the best managed farm. The gronse and pheasants do not do me any harm, but I am of opinion that the Game Laws with regard to them ought to be abolished. The first year 1 commenced to kill the rabbits I killed 400. I did not kill that number every year. I have nothing to say against the proprietors ; we were always on good terms. When the preserving of rabbits commenced I took the farm knowing that the game on the estate was preserved. There is a good deal of poaching on the estate ; a good deal is done by the farm-labourers, as well as by the people fronr the neighbouring towns. I think the landlords should be bound to let their farms at fair rents to good tenants, and that the game should be kept down. The rents could be fixed by valuation. I would preserve a reasonable quantity of game. It is only the excess of which we complain. There should certainly be a law for the punishment of trespassers. By Lord Elcho. — I have come here to speak of a special grievance rather than of a general one. In ray own individual case my grievance is the excess of hares and rabbits. Since 1866 I have had the power of killing rabbits. Unless I had the power of killing both hares and rabbits I would not renew my lease. I would limit the tenants to practical farmers. Rents have risen very high in consequence of the competition of non-farmers. I would not make any special law on the subject, but by some means or other the committee should try to devise means for checking undue and ruinous competition for farms. In answer to other questions, the witness said he thought it would be a bad thing for Scotland if the grouse were entirely ex- terminated from the country. He never competed for a prize for the best managed and cultivated farm in tiie county until after he had commenced to kill the rabbits. If he had done so he did not think he should have gained one. The tenants who had no right to kill the rabbits had their crops very much damaged. Mr, Walker, farmer, Bithuie, Aberdeenshire, was next called and examined by Mr. M'Combie. He said : I have been trained and brought up to practical farming. My farm consists of 160 acres arable in addition to pasture. When I entered the farm the injurious effects of game were not felt. In 185G the damage done to the crops by game was considerable, and every following year I received compensation. It is impossible for a valuator to correctly estimate game damage so as to do justice to the tenants. It is in my opinion unfair for a landlord to let land at its agricultural value, and then increase the number of game. Throughout the district game is preserved to an undue extent. I think that game preservation when carried to ex- cess operates against the progress of agriculture. This is one of the greatest grievances of which the tenantry of Aberdeen have to complain. I consider game laws a breach of morality and contrary to the public good, and nothing short of their total repeal will be just and satisfactory. It was shown at a conference held in Aberdeen that a third of the tenantry in that county had suffered loss by ground game to the extent of £19,000. In 1869 there were ten thousand convictions under the Game-laws in England alone, showing that those laws were inimical to public morality. At the meeting on Tuesday, the Right Hon. Ward Hunt in the chair, Mr. Walker, in continuance of his examination by Mr. M'Combie, said he had written to the Commissioner asking him to put down the hares and rabbits ; but the Commissioner, in reply, only gave instructions for traps to be laid down and also snares, but he would not allow witness to touch the rabbits, which was equivalent to their being allowed to eat up his crops. Wit- ness then asked permission himself to kill hares and rabbits, but the manager of the estate said he could not allow that and that witness was complaining without cause. lie then set traps himself to protect his crops, and in one fortnignt he caught 272 rabbits. The Commissioner, in reply to an application from the witness to trap rabbits, said that if he did so he would do so at his own peril. Witness continued to trap them, and he then asked that a clause should be inserted in the lease per- mitting him to kill ground game. The Commis- sioner said that it would lower the dignity of the landlord if lie were to enter into such an arrangement with a tenant. Witness oftered £300 a-year for the shooting. Ue expected to be a gainer by the bargain, for there were thirteen tenants on the estate, and he expected to get £20 a-year from each of them. After this, he brouglit an action against the landlord for damages sustained by hares and rabbits and roe-deer, and he got J'90 for compensation, lie also brought another action, but it fell through owing to a technical objection, the farm having been sub-let. The witness then proceeded to read several letters, showing the damage done to the crops on neiglibouriug farms, but he was stopped by tiie chairman. Ue now held a farm under Lord Eorbes, and paid a rental of £132. In consequence of the great increase of ground game during the first few years of his tenancy, he apphed to the lessee of the shooting to take some steps for the protection of his crops. Instead of obtaining protection, the trappers received instructions to look out for snares. He applied to the commissioner of the estate praying for protection, but his apphcation had been unattended to. When witness stated that he should protect his own crops, he was told that he was taking the law in his own hands, He kept dogs to secure the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 155 covers and prefect the laud contiguous to the covers. Neither hares nor rabbits were raentioued iu his lease. lu 1870, the lessee of the shooting died, and he offered to pay £300 for tlie right of shooting, but there w.as so niucii prejudice prevalent among landlords that his application was refused. Did not tliink tlie £90 lie had received for damage to liis crops had nearly compensated him. He liad five acres of turnips com- pletely destroyed, and that he estimated alone at between £70 and i'SO. Wlien lie first entered the farm, lie was informed that the total annual damage done by them during tlie whole of a nineteen years' lease was about .t'40. He did not think the country at large was any the better from the money spent iu the Highlands by sporting gentlemen. Tlie nation was undoubtedly increased by production, but not by the money spent Ijy gentlemen in the aiitumu. With regard to the num- ber of gamekeepers, he did not consider that the want of these men was any great loss, but as a rule wlieu young men were rained up to be gamekeepers they became useless for agricul- tural purposes. In some instances soldiers had to be employed by farmers for want of regular agricultural labourers. Did not think that farmers would get much assistance from game- keepers in such an emergency. Did not agree with Mr. Barclay that if a sporting gentleman leased £10 in Aberdeenshire it was a benefit to the country. In buying his produce shooting parses did not, iu his opinion, greatly benelit himself or the country, because their relations were merely tlie relations of commerce, and they received value for what they paid. There would be no difllculty in dis- posing of farm produce if shooting parties did not visit the Highlands. It frequently occurred tliat gamekeepers caused a severance of the good feeling which should subsist between landlord aud tenant. There were many instances of farmers being prevented from shooting rabbits on their farms, one particularly hard enforcement of this coming under his notice, in which a farmer was carried otf by the police for siiooting a rabbit at night. By the Chairman. — Gillies got about ISs. a week. Thought all the tenants would be glad to pay a very much higher rental if they were allowed to kill ground game. The landlord might get perhaps double the rent. By Mr. Dent. — Witness was in favour of tlie total aboli- tion of the Game-laws. He would not be satisfied with merely taking hares aud rabbits out of the game list. If the Game- laws were still maintained it would be necessary to have a much more summary mode of obtaining compeusation than that which existed at present. The remainder of the witness's examination was a repetition of his answers iu chief. The committee again adjourned. Mr. Smith (West Drums, Forfarshire), Chairman of the Scottisli Chamber of Agriculture, iu reply to tlie Chairman, stated that the Chamber had frequently had tlie subject of the over-preservation of game under consideration, aud they had passed a resolution in favour of Mr. M'Lagan's bill, one of the objects of which was to take hares and rabbits out of the game list. They were opposed to the bill of the Lord Advocate, which proposed to vest the property in game in the tenant, as the witness was of opinion that it would leave the tenants in quite as bad, if not a worse position than they were now. It would result in creating an ill-feeling between the landlord aud the tenant. Under the present law of Scotland the property in game was vested iu the landlord only. Wiiat the tenant-farmers desired was that hares and rabbits should be removed from the game list, and that a joint and inalienable right should be given to the tenant to kill all ground game with the landlord. In granting this right to tiie tenant it was proposed that special authority should be given by him to persons to kill ground game, simply with a view to the prevention of trespass. This provision would certainly be in the interest of the tenant. The Scottish Cham- ber of Agriculture was composed almost entirely of Scottish farmers. In England there was a preponderating influence of landlords in the chambers of agriculture. The Scottish Chamber prepared a game-law, and had asked several Scottish members to forward it in Parliament, but they had all declined to ||do so. The Central Chamber of Agriculture met at Edinburgh in November, 1871, when they received various recommendations [from the county meetings on the sub- ject of the Game-laws. After discussing them, they passed a resolution resolving to petition Parliament in favour of the total abolition of the Game-laws. Five years prior to this the Chamber iiad desired to drop hares and rabbits, and he conld only account for tlu; rapid change to more ad- vanced opinions in consequence of tlie Legislature being so very slow in dealing with the question. In one case he knew of the proprietor letting the shooting to his tenants at the rate of Gd. an acre. This was .attended with the most beneficial effects, as the proprietor was a keen sportsman, and kept down, in conjunction with his tenants, the amount of game. Witness could not say what was a fair amount of game to an acre of aiable land, but thought a good sportsman ought to be con- tent with sliootiug half a dozen hares with partridges iu one day. He had no doubt but that in 18GG the Chamber of Agriculture would have been satisfied with a very moderate measure, and they might be so still, only he would advise Parliament not to cut it too fine (laughter). The wit- ness then proceeded to quote the opinions given by the various county Agricultural Chambers iu Scotland on the subject of the Game-laws ; all of which were in favour of an alteration of the existing law, with regard to the right to kill ground game ; with some going so far as for total abolition. Rabbits used to be confined to coverts, but now they spread over a very large surface of land. They proved very de- structive to young plantations, as well as to the arable crops of tlie farmer. It was quite impossible to feed either sheep or cattle over grass lands on which hares and rabbits fed. Tlie witness handed iu statistics to show tiie destruction to plantations by hares aud rabbits ; and, iu reply to Lord Elcho indignantly denied that tlie Scottish Chamber of Agriculture had anything iu it of the character of a trades' union. The witness was still under examination when the commit- tee adjourned. On Tuesday, July 2, Mr. Ward Hunt presiding, Mr. Smith, President of the Scottish Chamber of Agricul- ture, being recalled, handed iu statistics which had been given into the Chamber as to the amount of game sold in Scotch towns, and the proportion of the ground that was cultivated. Sir J. Elphinstone was then called, and in answer to the Chairman, said : I have an estate called Logic, in Aberdeen- shire. I believe it was my property that was referred to by one of the witnesses, Mr. Stewart. I deny the accuracy of the assertions he made. I have always very rigorously kept down the rabbits. So far were they reduced in 1870, that we only got 752 rabbits. Last year they rose to 2,100. There are 1,000 acres of wood, and a few acres of arable land. When- ever a complaint is made by any of the tenants, people are sent to shoot tliem down. The tenants have the privilege of keeping down the rabbits. I tliink the damage done by game in Aberdeenshire has been very much exaggerated. I know in some places a certain amount of damage has been done. In 1871 the returns showed that there was about one-half of the soil under cultivation, while in 1853 there was only about a third. The wood area has been very much reduced in con- sequence of the introduction of railways. There is a large quantity of waste laud whicli, from its elevation, is not available for cultivation. In all countries, as is well known, there is a height above which cereals will not ripen. Aber- deen being one of the most mountainous portions of Scotland, has of necessity a considerable quantity of uncultivated ground. By Sir John Trelawney. — I am not personally acquainted with the way that cultivation is conducted up the mountains iu Switzerland, but it must be remembered that the power of the sun is much greater there than in Scotland, the consequence being that in Switzerland the cultivation can be carried much higher up than it can be in Scotland. The rents of shootings vary very much. I would not like to say what they might re- present in the aggregate. Mr. Ward Hunt : I am told the aggregate rent is over £10,000. Witness : I have no doubt it may be. I don't think the farm tenants would give as much as the shooting tenants give. I never heard much of the damage done by game until 18G6, when an agitation was got up by the news- papers aud public agitators. It has been throughout a politi- cal question, and little else. I completely deny many of the statements that have been made in the course of this agitation. There was a conference on the Game-laws in Aberdeen. The 156 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. proprietors were nominated at the county meetings. The re- presentatives of the tenants were principally men who had made themselves notorious by their unreasonable opposition to the Game-laws, and exaggerated statements they had been making. I have seen some statements got up by the confer- ence. They appointed the Sheriff-Substitute and the Superin- tendent of Police to collect the statistics. I thought that it was not a constitutional employment for a judge to investigate claims which might afterwards come before him in another form ; therefore I and a number of other proprietors made no returns. The returns were anonymous, and the damages were assessed by the parties themselves. Mr. Clare Read : Two of the previous witnesses said the returns were signed. WITNESS: The names of the parties never appeared, and thus there was no opportunity to test the accuracy of the statements or rebut the charges tliat were made. Tlien we considered that there was nothing more difficult to assess than the damage done by game, and we objected to these parties assessing their own damages. If, on their own returns, the damage was stated to be only £19,000, out of a rental of something Hke £800,000, and if the names had been made public, the damages would probably have dwindled away alto- gether. I was born in Aberdeenshire, and have lived there a considerable part of my life. I know the county well. I am not aware that tliere is a great excess of ground game in any part of the cultivated portions of Aberdeenshire. It is in the woodland part of the county that the game has increased. 1 think tlie damage done to the turnips can only be done when the snow comes down, and tlien the greater portion of them are packed away. By Sir J. Trelawney.— I do not think it desirable to pre- serve rabbits to excess, but they are not in the game list just now, and there is nothing to prevent their being kept down. I do not consider hares a nuisance. What I say is, that if you destroy all the hares and rabbits in Scotland you will not have a score more cattle, and the price of meat will be very much increased, especially to the poorer classes. _ By Lord Elcho. — Tlie estate of Monymusk is an excep- tional estate. The soil consists of soft gravel, and is very favourable for rabbits. I do not think that estate would give a fair idea of the state of game in the county. The very fact that it is always referred to as an estate where there is an excess of game, proves that it is an exceptional case, and when it consists of only five or six thousand acres I do not think it can be taken as a fair criterion. Generally speaking I do not think there is any real game grievance in Aberdeen. There are tlie exceptions which prove the rule. Rents have steadily increased in the county within recent years. There is no difficulty in getting tenants to take leases M'ith agree- ments as to the game. There are a great many more tenants than farms, and the competitiou is consequently pretty great. Most of the competition is between men who are practical farmers. I believe that concurrently with the Game-laws, or in spite of them, the reclaimable laud has all been reclaimed. I attribute tlie noise that has been made about the Game- laws to political agitation. This agitation relegated me to the south of England. Do you believe tlie towns take any interest in the Game- laws P — The people in the towns read the papers and believe what they see there, and so, of course, there is a class that may be said to take an interest in them, but I believe the working classes do not care about them. The working classes look upon the rabbit as their best friend. Mr. Clare Read : Yes ; when the rabbit is dead. Lord Elcho : One of the witnesses examined here was Mr. Barclay. Do you know him ? Witness : I knew him at the time of the rinderpest. Lord Elcho : Do you consider him an authority upon agriculture in Aberdeen ?— I cannot say that I do. I have followed the agitation on the Game-laws, but I have not read all the speeches that were delivered on the subj ect because they were so much alike that they became tiresome. There is not a similar sameness about the remedies proposed. One is the taking of the hares and rabbits out of the game list, and making it illegal for the tenant to give up his right to them. I do not approve of this, because I believe it would be an interference with the right of contract, and I believe one of the great reasons for the prosperity of Scotland is the fact that there are leases and complete freedom of contract. The effect of such an alteration in the law as is proposed might be one of three things — to introduce breaks into leases, to do away with leases altogether, or, in the case of determined game-preservers, to make them take their land into their own hands- I do not think it could have the result that some of the tenants expect. By Mr. Sturt. — If a proprietor's covers were adjoining another property, I think he should put up fences ; but if they adjoin a portion of his own estates, it rests with himself to say what should be done. Mr. M'CoMEiE then undertook the cross-examination of the witness, and was proceeding to question him on what a certain landed proprietor had said in an after-dinner speech, when he was interrupted by the chairman, who said he thought it a waste of time to put such questions. Mr. M'CoMBiE withdrew the questions, and then went on to ask witness : You say you know Mr. Barclay ? Witness : I know him, but I do not believe in him, Mr. M'CoMBiE : He was the author of at least one good act — the " stamping out" process in tlie rinderpest P Witness : I deny that he was. Mr. M'Combie was proceeding to inquire how the Rinder- pest Association was formed, when he was again interrupted by the Ciiairman, who thought the question aside from tha work of the Committee. Mr. Clare Read remarked that Lord Elcho had intro- duced the subject by asking who Mr. Barclay was. Mr. M'Combie, however, withdrew the question ; and, re- ferring to what witness had said about the interference with private agreements, said he would like to ask him whether it was not the primary principle of the law to set aside agree- ments which were pernicious or antagonistic to the common good, and, for example, whether it would not be considered proper to prevent a man's marrying with his own grand- mother, even though a priest liad been procured to perform a private agreement between them to that effect ? — The witness declined to answer the question, and it was not pressed. Mr. Clare Sewell Read, M.P. for West Norfolk, was then recalled for further examination by Mr, M'Combie and other members of the Committee. Mr. M'Combie : Do you think that, in spite of what the chief constables say on the subject, the experience of the farmers and public of the mischief arising under this act during the last ten years, fuUy justifies the resistance offered to its passing through the House of Commons in 1863 by Sir George Grey, at that time Secretary of State for the Home Department P Mr. Read : I believe in my previous answer I said I ob- jected to the principle of the Poaching Prevention Act, but that I believed that in consequence of the judicious way in which it was carried out that it would be beneficial rather than otherwise. Is it not strange, that since the passing of this Act there has been an increase of poaching in the county of Somerst and elsewhere? — I have no acquaintance with the county of Somerset, and I do not know that there has been a steady increase of poaching. I thought it had kept about the same level. Are gamekeepers much disrespected by the farmers ? — I think they are generally very much disliked by the farmers. Are the statements of landlords as to the quantity of ground game to be taken as gospel ? — Certainly not. Are you of opinion that the existence of gamekeepers in such numbers cements tlie union between landowner, tenant- farmer, and labourer ? — No. Do you think that if the hares and rabbits were given to the tenant you could go on without gamekeepers P — Yes. Would yon allow watchers ? — I think farmers would always take care of the winged game, and would keep ground game in moderation. As I understand you, it is not true that farmers would be worse gamekeepers tlian the squires ? — I think it is a calumny. Do you consider that the Game-laws have a demoralizing iuiluence on the masses of the people P — I do not believe in tlie demoralizing influence of the Game-laws as far as concerns winged game, nor in reference to a moderate amount of ground game. You think that a code of laws, the convictions under whicli have increased from between four and five thousand in 1845 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 167 to upwards of ten thousand in 1873, wants some amendment ? —Yes. And you are really of opinion, speaking for the farmers of England, that it is all a question of hares and rabbits to the tenants ? — I think that would solve the mystery. If you look at the convictions under the Game-laws, I should say, speaking roughly, quite three-fourths are for offences against ground game. Are you speaking for the farmers of England ? — I have said before and I say again that I only presume to speak on certain matters as appointed by the Central Chamber of Agri- culture and the Farmers' Club. Do you represent the Farmers' Club ? — Yes, I do. It has been said that if the Game-laws were repealed there must be a stricter law of trespass. Are you of that opinion * — I do not suppose that all trespassers are poachers, but if there was no game to poach there would certainly be less poaching. Would there be any trespass law required if there were no Game-laws ? — Yes. If the supposed increase of trespassers proves to be a real evil, and not a mere bug-bear, Parliament can at any time pass an improved trespass law, can it not ? — Parliament can at any time alter any law. You would not consent, I presume, as a tenant-farmer, to the passing of a new Game-law disguised under the name of a more stringent trespass law P — No. Do you think any one would attempt that in English game preserves ? — I do not think they would. I would trouble you with one or two questions as to the present inquiry. I presume you would wish it to be a real inquiry P — I should wish it to he a much more satisfactory inquiry than it has been lately. Are you aware that Mr. Bruce said no committee was needed ? — I beUeve he said something of that sort. Did the farmers think the bill of the Lord Advocate made bad worse ? — The farmers of England did not take much in- terest in the bill. It was confined to Scotland. I said the other day I would not give twopence for it, but there is a clause in the bill which might be productive of good. I very much object to the idea of making law cheap between landlord and tenant by getting rid of the Game-laws, but I do think that a law to allow the creditor of an insolvent farmer to go against his landlord would be beneficial, because I am sure that in many cases the insolvency of farmers in Norfolk is due to over-preservation of ground game. The Chaikjian : Would that bill have provided what you wish ? — I thought it gave power to the tenant to bring an action against his landlord for undue preservation of game. I wish that the same rule should also apply to the man's creditors. Mr. M'GoMBiE : But in any case Mr. Secretary Bruce was not the person to originate the notion of a Select Committee, although on the part of the Government he assented to it ? — I believe Mr. Bruce objected to the Committee in the first instance, and afterwards assented to it. Do you think the country will be satisfied unless we make a full, searching, and impartial inquiry ? — I think it has been made a very rambling inquiry. I should like to have a full inquiry into the Game-laws, and should be glad if other sub- jects were not gone into before the Committee. You do not believe that the farmers have taken fright, as some members of the Committee seem to suppose, at the length and the acuteness of the cross-examination to which one of their brethren was subjected the other day by this Committee P — I believe very few farmers would like to go through a severe cross-examination in this chair. You think they would be " men" enough to face the Com- mittee, and say what they have to say on the question? — Yes. Under the circumstances, you will agree with me that a considerable number of members of the House of Commons will not be satisfied unless this is a full and searching inquiry ? — I think there are a great number of members of that House who do not vote for the abolition of the Game-laws who would wish this to be a full and searching inquiry. When I asked you the question if you had anything to do with the land besides renting a farm, you stated that you had a property of your own on wliich you let the game. You are, then, a proprietor as well as a tenant-farmer ; naturally, you must entertain jointly the feelings of proprietor and tenant ?~ I have not been a proprietor more than five years, and I do not think that my natural instincts as a farmer have vanished in that time. Did you let the game on your farm to the tenant? — Yes: (aside) I do not suppose there is a hare in all the place now. Did you state that the Scottish Chamber of Agriculture went first for Mr. Lagan's Bill, then for Mr. Loch's, and now for total ahohtion. — That was proved by the evidence of the Chairman of the Scottish Chamber of Agriculture last Friday. Does not this show that Scotland has been steadily drifting to total abolition P — Yes, you have been at sea on the subject. Do you think it possible that the farmers of England may arrive at the same conclusion P — I think it is possible, though not probable ; but if hope is so long deferred you cannot tell what they may be driven to. You said you knew tenant-farmers who do not wish to abohsh the Game-laws P — I was at our agricultural show at Kings Lynn, and I asked every Radical tenant-farmer I saw and I did not find one who wished for the ahohtion of the Game-laws. Mr. WiNTEKBOTHAM : You said every " Radical farmer." Did you ask any of any other political persuasion P — I per- fectly well knew what their sentiments were without inquiry. Have no Chambers gone for total abolition P — I do not answer for any county but Norfolk in that respect, but I do not recollect any Chamber that has passed a resolution for the total abolition of the Game-laws. There may be some that have. Do you know the Hexham Farmers' Club ? — No, I do not. The Charman : We have got the Secretary coming. Mr. Read : I only know that the Hexham Farmers' Club is not a Chamber of Agriculture. Mr. M'CoMBiE : Is it not strange that they should have to apply to me, a Scotch member, instead of to one of their own country P The question was objected to, and the room was cleared. On the re-admission of the public, Mr. M'CoMBiE : Do you really think the constituencies will be content to have the Game-laws settled by some arrangement between landlord and tenants, irrespective of the general in- terests of the nation ? — I believe that the farmers would be satisfied, and I think the county constituencies also. I do not wish, and I do not pretend to know the sentiments of the town constituencies on the question. I think if there was a di- minution in the number of hares and rabbits it would be a good thing for the nation. Is it your deliberate opinion, as a farmer, a proprietor, and a public man that the nation at large would submit to accept any such arrangement as a final and satisfactory settlement of the game question ? — I think the agricultural portion of the kingdom would. What I should like to know is this : As a subscribing mem- ber of the Central Chamber of Agriculture , do you mean to say that the Central Chamber of Agriculture sends yon here, or is it only the Council ? — At a full meeting of the Chamber of Agriculture composed of delegates from all parts of England I was requested to come here and give evidence on the Game-laws, and I have put before you the resolution which was passed on that subject. Have the 99 local chambers been consulted, or even the members of the Central Chamber itself, upon this question of game ? — Certainly, we have had it on at least two occasions. What, 99 P — I do not know whether the whole 99 had been consulted, but a great number of them sent up delegates on the game question. Mr. M'COMBIE : I have no more questions to ask. Mr. M'Lagan : You say the Central Chamber of Agri- culture came to certain resolutions on the Game-laws ?— Y'es. Will you read them ?^(The resolutions were handed to the hon. member.) Mr. M'Lagan : According to these resolutions you will be satisfied with a bill that embodies the third clause of Mr. M'Lagan's bill, and the fourth clause of Mr. Loch's bill, with some modification of the law of trespass ? — Yes. What is the third clause of Mr. M'Lagan's bill, according to your interpretation P — I believe it is dropping hares and rabbits out of the game-list. What do you understand by that? — ^Taking away the excep- tional protection which hares and rabbits enjoy under the Game-laws. h2 168 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. That is as regards tenants, as well as the outside public ?— Yes. Then will you explain to me what you understand by tlie fourth clause of Mr. Loch's bill P — The fourth clause of Mr. Loch's bill ffives the joint aud inalienable right to the owner and occupier to kill ground-game. I have got Mr. Loch's bill before me and I do not think you win find it comes up to that. It says that it shall not be lawful to deprive the tenant of the power to kill game, and that any agreement or contract entered into in contraventiou of this section shall be void, and have no effect. According to that clause, has the tenant the inalienable right to hares and rabbits P— I believe no. Could the tenant give his right to a third party P — I am not a lawyer, but I should say no. I understood you to say that the opinion of the Cliamber is that the tenant should have an inahenable right P — Yes. Whatever this clause may mean ? — Yes. I understood you to say in your first examination that the tenant should have no power to transfer his right to a third party ? — Not to a third outside party : not to let the game to a teaant. You mentioned one Scotch Chamber of Agriculture that first went in for Mr. M'Lagan's bill, and then went in for the aboUtion of the Game-laws altogether P — Yes. Did they entirely approve of Mr. Loch's bill P — I under- stood from the witnesses who were here on Friday that they first approved of your bill aud then yours and Mr. Loch's bill together. Yes; but not Mr. Loch's bill alone P — Certainly not. In your examiuaticn the other day, yon mentioned several cases in which there might be interference with contracts, and you meutioaed, particularly, interference with contracts be- tween masters and servants ? — Yes. Can you give me an instance where the law interferes with a contract between master and servant P — The Legislature brought the Truck Act in. Has that interfered with master and servant's contracts? — I suppose it has not, or we should not have further legislation this year. 1 should say in the Factory Acts it has interfered. That is as regards women and children P — Yes. I want a case as between master and workman ? — In the case of pilots. I should like to take the case of mortgages between two ablebodied men who meet to lend and borrow money on land. If what I say is done in mortgages, why cannot the right to kill ground game be made inseparable from the tenant ? Do you think such a right for the tenant to kill hares and rabbits wou'd be practical ? — I think it would be quite prac- tical. It would have the effect of keeping down hares and rabbits. Do you think it would have the effect of exterminating hares and rabbits altogether ? — Certainly not. Do you think that game-preserving landlords would not take advantage of the position of the tenants if such a law were passed : that is to say, they would not keep the teuuut on their farms if he would not give up his right to kill hares aud rabbits ? — I think landlords, as a class, obey the laws now, aud would obey the laws then. I do not put it as a case of disobedience to the law, but I am speaking of an agreement. He might put the tenant out of the farm ? — He might, and very likely would. That might be prejudicial to the tenant ? — I do not know. It might be the best thing that could happen to him, to turn him out of a game-farm. In that case, you would be of opinion that such a modifi- cation of the law would not have the desired effect of keeping down hares and rabbits ? — I think it would have the effect of keeping down hares and rabbits to a reasonable extent. Mr. Pell : You were asked for an instance of a free contract being interfered with. Do you know the nature of contract which a servant enters into with his master for the yearP — We very seldom engage them for the year. You know the law prevents the contract being broken, and inteferes with the wishes of servant and master to break tliat contract P — Generally speaking, they cannot break the contract. That contract can only be broken in the presence of a magistrate, and subject to his approval P— I think so. An Hon. Member observed that if the master and ser- vant desired to terminate this agreement, the magistrate could not prevent them. Mr. Pell : They cannot break the agreement without the magistrate's consent. Mr. E-EAD : They have to go through the form in order to show that the weaker man is not oppressed by the stronger. Mr. Fell : Is there any decrease in the cpiantity of game in Norfolk P — I should say there is a great decrease iu the quantity of ground game in Norfolk in the last four years. I have known a case where a good shot stood in a corner of a plantation, and without moving shot 94 hares. I believe there are not 9i hares on that estate now. To what do you attribute the decrease of this ground game P — Very much to tiie agitation on the subject, the force of public opinion, and the reasonable force which Chambers of Agriculture liave generated. I think there was a time about ten or fifteen years ago wlieu there was as little ground game as there is now ; but there was a revival of the mania for battue shooting ten years since, which has now happily declined. Do you know any case where a tenant has been paid for the damage done by ground game in Norfolk, and where the money so paid has amounted to more than the rent of the farm ? — I stated the other day the case of a farm which was let for £300 a-year (but which was worth £1,000) in conse- quence of the game raised upon it. I also know a case iu which the landlord let his farm subject to damage done by ground- game ; and the tenant instead of paying rent had to receive it : still he left the farm. Another tenant took it ; the game was killed, and it is now a good farm. Have you known tracts of land for growing roots reduced to dead fallow in consequence of game P — Yes. That would be a great loss of food P — A great loss of food, and a great loss of employment of labourers. Is any objection made to the use of modern machinery in con- sequence of the injury apprehended to game P — 1 have known some landlords object to both mowing-machines and reaping- machines ; mowing-machines, because they cut off the heads of young hares and partridges, but I think it has almost entirely died away. These objections are not made now as they were a year or two ago. 1 may say ten years ago. Mr. De:it ; You should ask whether labourers did not raise objections in the same way P — They did some years ago ; but now I do not think they object to them at all. Mr. Pell : Can you give an instance of interference in the cultivation of laud iu your occupation in consequence of desire to preserve game ? — Speaking generally, in the first place I would say that when a large quautity of ground-game is pre- served it is impossible to grow vetches or green crops for early spring feeding. Iu my own case I have abandoned the cultivation of such crops as carrots or kohl-rabi. I have no wish to complain of the quautity of hares. I have little more than I ought to keep, but hares are such travellers that if there is a small crop of carrots within two or three miles of them, they will come and eat them. My father took a farm in 1833, on a 16 years' lease. There was no game upon it, but in one year, 18ii, rabbits had increased to an enormous extent, and upon making repeated applications to the landlord we were allowed to kill them by nets, aud iu August aud September of that year we killed 2,846 rabbits upon tlie open lands. We sold them for £-37. We had paid £8 for the use of the nets aud men's wages, leaving £19 balance for eiglit acres of barley and ten acres of wheat which were destroyed ; and that was entirely extra to the damage done to tiie farm. This was a long time ago. Would you say instances of that nature are to be found now ? — My father left the occupation of that farm about 20 years ago. I am confldent of this that during the last twenty years there has not been so much produce grown on the farm, by something like £8,000. What si^e is the farm ? — About 600 acres. An Hon. Membek : Is that a Norfolk farm ? — Yes. Mr. Pell : Permission is very generally given by landlords in your county to take ground game ? — Not unreservedly. It is given in a good many instances. The rabbits are more often given to tenants to destroy as they like, but iu the case of hares there is very seldom an unreserved right to kill them. Generally speaking, the permission is to course them during certain montlis of the year. Are tiiere restrictions put on that, such as not to shoot or to tate FAkM^H^S MAalZtNlS. m kill with a dog ; not to net or to snare them, not to trample them about the f Sees, W. H. NewelL; H. Y. Thompson, Esq., Viceregal Lodge, Phccnix Park ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. At the last monthly meeting of the council iu Upper Sack- ville-street, Dublin, Sir Allen Walsh, Bart., in the chair the half-yearly report of the chemist was submitted as follows South-hill, Blackrock, June 26, 1872. Since January 1st of the present year down to the present date (June 24) I have made 42 analyses for members of the lloyal Agricultural Society. Of this number 23 were super- phosphates, 6 phospho-guanos, S guanos, 1 crushed bones, 1 nitrate of soda, 1 a cotton cake, and 1 an artificial manure. The average amount of the phosphate of lime rendered soluble was — for tlie superphosphates, 25.58, and for the phospho- guanos, 22.7 per cent. One of the 8 guanos contained 15.91 per cent, of ammonia, or nearly the quantity yielded by the genuine Peruvian guano of the Chincha Isles ; but the average ammonia from the remaining 7 specimens was only 8.97. The ammoniacal constituent, therefore, of the guanos at present in the market is in amount only about the half of that which they contained about a couple of years ago. This is a matter on whichi have already observed in ray two last reports, sothat itis unnecessary to return to it. There is, however, a point connected with it to which I may here advert. As the most active fer- tilizing constituent of guano occurs in it at present in dimin- ished quantity, it might be expected that the price of guano would experience a corresponding reduction. Such, it should be known, is not the case. If a farmer at present purchases a ton of guano containing only 12 per cent, of ammonia, he will pay for it quite as much as he would pay some time since for a ton of Peruvian guano including 16 per cent, of ammonia. In fact, the market price of the ammoniacal salts has, within a comparatively short time, undergone a considerable rise ; and one of the consequences of tliat rise is that, while the value of the guano of the present day is very materially diminished, the original high price is still maintained. This is un- doubtedly a result very adverse to agricultural interests ; and I do not see any prospect of a'n altered state of things, unless through the discovery of new guano islands, or of some mineral deposit of an ammoniacal salt. There is another topic to which I would wish to direct attention in this report. The manufacturers of phosphatic manures generally sell them with a guarantee that they contain bi-phosphate of lime equivalent to a certain amount of soluble phosphate. This amount, however, is, upon analysis, very frequently not found in the manure, and when the vendor is apprised of the deficiency, his reply generally is, that when the superphosphate was freshly made, 176 THE FARMER'S MAaAZINE. the soluble phosphates were up to tlie mark ; but that, by keeping, a portion may have returned to the insoluble condition, and i\iAi precipil at ed phospiiate is of equal value with bi-phos- phate. The chemist then is required to ascertain how much of the precipitated phosphates have been formed, and, having done so, to add the result to the soluble phosphates determined by the usual process. I am anxious to take tliis opportunity of stating that 1 am quite unable to prove the presence or estimate the amount of these so-called precipitated phosphates. Methods for accomplishing such objects have been proposed, but I have satisfied myself by numerous experiments that they are quite fallacious. This, I may mention, is also the opinion of Pro- fessor Voelcker, as will appear from the following extracts from a letter of his, addressed to Mr. William Little, and pub- lished in the Chemical News of May 27 : " Your telegram is not quite clear ; but I presume you wish me to ascertain what proportion of the insoluble phosphates in the superphosphate occurs as precipitated. This I cannot tell you ; for there is no reliable plan for determining the percentage of precipitated phosphates. Precipitated phosphates are insoluble in water, and although more valuable than even insoluble bone phos- phate, yet these nice distinctions only serve to encourage doubt- ful transactions on the part of sharp dealers, and cause con- fusion in business transactions." And further on : " My ad- vice to purchasers of mineral superphosphates is, and always has been, to buy mineral phosphates by the percentage of soluble phosphate at a fixed price per cent. ; and to take no account of the insoluble phosphates in such superphosphates, and to discard entirely what the maker or dealer may say about precipitated phosphates." I shall, in conclusion, only say that the views so well expressed in these extracts are in perfect accordance with those which I have long entertained. —James Apjohn. QUEEN'S COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. ANALYSIS OF MANURES. The following is Dr. Cameron's Report : Dublin, 8th June, 1872. 1 have the pleasure of forwarding to you my report on the composition of the twenty-two samples of artificial manures which you had seut to me for examination. On the whole, the samples are very good. Nos. 1, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 21 and 22 are mineral superphosphates ; or at least if any of thcui have been prepared wholly or in part from bones, the latter must have been burnt, and converted into " bone ash." Nos. 3, 4, 5, 17, 19, and 20 are evidently pre- pared in great part from bones. Nos. 3 and 19 appear to be almost, if not solely, the products of the action of sulphuric acid upon bones. No 6 is richer in ammonia than ordinary bone superphosphates usually are. It is probably a special turnip manure. Nos. 8 and 14 are either special manures or " phospho-guanos" — most probably the latter. Both manures are very good. No. 2 sample consists of small crystalline masses, about the size of walnuts. It is evidently Peruvian guano ; and if the bulk be equal to the sample — which, I pre- sume, is the case — the purchasers of this article may consider themselves extraordiuarily fortunate. No. 10 appears to be a mixture of Peruvian guano with chalk and sand. It contains 47.74 per cent, of water, gypsum, chalk, and sand. It is not worth seven guineas per ton. The valuation which I have placed this year upon the more important ingredients of man- ures are as foUows : Ammonia £100 0 0 Bi-phosphate of lime .* 30 0 0 Phosphate of lime 10 0 0 Alkaline salts 1 10 0 Sulphate of lime 1 10 0 I have ceased to place any value upon the " organic matter and combined water," as they are of little or no importance. I have increased the valuation of ammonia £20 per ton since last year. At present manufacturers pay from £20 to £22 per ton for sulphate of ammonia, which contains on the average 23.5 per cent, of ammonia. It is evident, therefore, that the farmer cannot expect ammonia io be sold to him at less than £100 per ton. The prices of the phosphatic materials used by the manufacturers have gone up siuce last year ; but I have not increased the valuation of soluble phosphates this year, be- cause, owing to competion and other causes, soluble phosphate of lime is procurable by the consumers as cheaply now as was the case last season. The insoluble phosphate in a superphos- phate made solely from coprolites and similar minerals is of but trifling value to the farmer. I have, however, valued all the insoluble phosphate in the 22 samples of manure at the uniform rate of £10 per ton. If I did otherwise, it might happen that some of the phosphate of lime in the so-called mineral super- phosphate might be bone-ash phosphate, which is of consider- able value, though not equal to that in guano and bones. I may, however, mention that the total money value of the mineral superphosphates is, with but two or three exceptions, very slightly influenced by the value placed upon the insoluble phosphate. As for the soluble pliosphates, their value is pre- cisely the same, whether they are derived from bones, guanos, or minerals. During the season six samples of manures have been analysed for members at the usual reduced rates. — Charles A. Cameron. SCIENTIFIC INSTRUCTION. A special meeting of the directors of the Highland and Agricultural Society was held at their chambers George IV. Bridge, Edinburgh ; Professor Wilson in the chair. The following copy of the memorial adopted at last board meeting, and since forwarded to Mr. Milne Home, of Wed- derburn, for presentation was read : — To the Royal Commission on Scientific Instruction and the Advancement of Science, the memorial of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland Showeth, — That the Society represents upwards of four thousand of the principal proprietors, tenant-farmers, and scientific men of Scotland ; That one of the objects for which the Society was founded is the advancement of the science of agriculture, with which view the Society has, by means of prizes and money grants, endeavoured to encourage observa- tions, experiments, and discoveries in other sciences connected with agriculture, such as chemistry, botany, geology, meteoro- logy, and arboriculture ; That the Society has lately been in- quiring into the system pursued in Germany for advancing the science of agriculture by means of experimental stations, where trials are made of new kinds of grasses, grain, and green crops, and also of the efl^eet of new artificial manures on soils of diiferent qualities ; That these stations consist of a few acres of ground and suitable offices attached, managed by a scientific superintendent and others to assist him ; That your memorialists much desire to see stations of the same kind formed in Scotland, being satisfied that observations and con- clusions can be satisfactory only when the result of scientific care and precision ; That the Society strongly urge on the Government the expediency of establishing one or more of these stations in Scotland, or of advancing scientific research in any other manner which may appear to the commissioners to be more conducive to the progress of agriculture ; That, in the arrangements of any scheme the commissioners may recommend to her Majesty's Government, the Society will be glad to aid by giving all the information they liave collected on the subject. And your memorialists will ever pray.^ Signed in the name and by authority of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, James E. Newton, Chair- man of Directors' Meeting. Edinburgh, I9/A June, 1872. FARMER'S ANALYTICAL ASSOCIATION.— The far mers in Turriff and Garioch districts of Aberdeenshire have formed an association for enabling them to secure an analysi- of the artificial manures and feeding stuffs used by them. Mr. Watson, of Blackford, has been appointed president ; and Mr. Durno, Sunnyside, secretary. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 177 SALE OF SHORTHORNS AT WEETING HALL, BRANDON, NORFOLK This sale, under the management of Mr. Strafford took place on Thursday, the 11 Ih of July, and com- prised about 37 pure-bred Shorthorus, the property of Mr. William Angerstein, being a selection from his herd. The interest of the proceedings was sadly marred by a most unhappy and sudden calamity. On the Tuesday afternoon, as Mr. Watsou, the old and esteemed farm- bailitf, and William Ward, the herdsman, were making preparations for the sale-ring under the trees in the park, a severe storm arose, and Watson and Ward took shelter under a large sycamore. They were seated side by side under the second tree of the avenue, from which the hurdles were set out to the ring, when suddenly the lightning ripped the first tree from top to root, slightly struck the second, and killed Watson instantly on the spot. Ward was struck down also, and severely singed, but managed to crawl away to the yard. He appeared at the sale, walking lame, and still felt the severity of the shock. This dreadful visitation was the general topic of conversation as the company drew together, and it was some time before they (vent to view the various lots that were grazing in the paddocks, sacred but a few years since to the late General Augerstein's thoroughbreds. The cows were a fair good lot ; two or three of them, espe- cially one of the Ursulas and a Musical, were good animals; and among the heifers were several of great promise. Most of the calves were bulls, the pro- duce of highly-priced cows purchased by Mr. Angerstein last year at the Killhow and Wateringbury sales. A sumptuous lunch was provided in a tent close by the ring, at which Mr. Angerstein himself presided, and who, when his own health was proposed by Mr. Fellowes, spoke in touching words of the great loss he had sustained in the sudden death of Mr. Watson. Rain fell during the morning, and it was very hot and sultry, when Mr. Straf- ford mounted his rostrum at two o'cloek. A fine Collie dog walked at the head of Old Dame, the first cow (one of the Burghley Park breed), who was led round by the butcher. jSIr. Everington, of East Dereham, got her at 29 gs. Mr. Jas. Ladds, well-known as a breeder thirty years ago, secured two animals bied at Kiugscote, lot 2, for 30 ^s., and lot 4 for 34^ gs. Larkspur, a Fourth Duke of Thorndale cow, from a daughter of Sir Charles Knightley's Cambine, went for 65 gs. to Mr. G. Graham. Lot 5 Juliet was not brought forward, but Ursula 19th, one of the best animals sold, went to Mr. Sartoris for 72 gs. Mr. Samuda took the two ilusicals, one at 50 gs., and the other at 81gs., as more corner-stones for his new herd. Lot 8, Eantail 3rd, said to be a 150 gs. purchase last year, must have evidently sunk since then both in condition and price, for Mr. Larking got her now at 80 gs. Some young cows went from 28 to 33 gs. The two Duchesses of Brailes. heifers, bred from pure Knightley cows by Bates sires, kept up the reputation of Mr. Sheldon's herd. Mr. H. Shai'pley got the younger, and probably the the plainer of the two at 120 gs. Mr. Sheldon took the elder at 80 gs., though not safe in calf; and also bought the Elorentia heifer at 60 gs. The first buE, Lord Wetherby, was not brought out ; and the second one. Lord CoUingham, a pure Bates sire, was re- served at 200 gs. The others were principally calves, and, though the biddings were languid, they sold well, two making 50 gs. and 40 gs. respectively, and the ten ave- raging nearly 30 gs. ; though it must be admitted several of them were by fashionably-bred sires, that stand at a high service-fee. The 34 head sold averaged just upon 40 gs., and, considering the condition of the stock, only a short time recovered from the iool-and-n:iouth disease, and the lime and character of the sale, the average must be looked upon as fair and encouraging. SALE OF SHORTHORNS AT ROXWELL, CHELMSFORD, ESSEX.— Mr. Tippler, whose herd Mr. Thornton brought to the hammer on Tuesday, July 9, had bred from the county stock for some years, as well as exhibited at the annual meetings, and the animals now offered comprised the whole of his small herd. Among them were a few lots bred by the Rev. G. Gilbert and Mr. Clear, of Maldon, Essex, and the lot taken altogether was a very useful collection of well-bred animals. Lots 3 and 5 were of the Towneley blood, the former a doubtful breeder, went at a trifle over beef price; the latter, Proud Duchess, dam of two bulls, went, not very dear, to Mr. Robinson, of Burton-on-Trent, at 65 gs. Lot 11, Countess Sander, a fine roan cow, made 61 gs. ; and Duchess of Grafton Second, one of Mr. Clear's, went to Mr. G. Day, for 45 gs. Lot 17, Charming Girl, a red heifer, was also bought by Mr. Day for 36 gs., and a thick roan heifer with only three crosses of blood fetched 38 gs. (Mr. Baker). Lot 24, Cinnamon, a very good roan heifer-calf, highly com- mended at the Suffolk show, was purchased cheap enough by Mr. Chapliu for 46 gs., as she has all the make and shape, as well as the quality of a Royal winner. She was got by Cambridge Dulje 3rd, a fine old red bull of the Cambridge Rose blood, and who was offered in his seventh year. Mr. Gerard Day got him very reasonably at 53 gs., for if he leave stock such as lots 24 and 32, he must be worth fully thi-ee times the money. Lot 32, a fine red bull-calf out of Proud Duchess, went to Mr. Stubbs for 40 gs. There was rather a dull sale for the yearling bulls ; and some black pigs of the pure Suffolk breed made only fair prices, the best lot, a young hairy in-pig sow, gomg to Mr. Julius Arabin, for £7 5s. Towards the close of the sale the rain came down in torrents, which, doubtless had a slight effect on some of the prices. The average, however, all round for the 32 head was £35 6s. 9d. SALE OF MR. T. WALKER'S SHORTHORN HERD, At Chapel Hill, Berkswell, on July 3rd. BY MR. JOHN THORNTON. This herd had been gathered together during the last seven years, aud when brought to the hammer comprised but thirty-one animals, sis of which were bulls with old Grand Duke 9th in his tenth year at their head. Some of the cows and heifers were of the fashionable Knightley and Charmer blood : the former having been obtained from Lord Penrhyn were of the Walnut tribe with a ;cross of Mr. Booth's Vangu-'-rd aud Mr. Harvey Combe's Mar- maduke ; the latter from Mr. IMcIntosh's herd, when the first sale took place in 1867. Lot 5 of this blood was a grand-looking cow, and fetched, next to old Grand Duke, the best price of the day, going to Mr. H. De Vitre for 120 gs. There were several bidders, Mr. Sheldon of Brailes being the last sgainst Mr. De Vitre. The cows as a whole were a very superior lot ; if anything, better than the heifers. An attack of foot-and-mouth disease last autumn left several of these very late, and detracted from their value. COWS AND HEIFERS. Rosette, by Marmaduke (14897) ; dam Rosa Lee by Vanguard (10994).— Mr. R. H. Crabb, 47 gs. Princess Royal 2nd, by Bridegroom (19341) ; dam Princess Royal by Guy Faux (12980).— Mr. J. Glutton, 51 gs. 178 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Dahlia, by Star of the East (20896) ; dam Daisy Bud by Rubens (13642).— Mr. AVatson, 31 gs. Lady Geneva, by Duke of Geneva (19614) ; dam La Canta- trice by King Arthur (13110).— Mr. J. Glutton, 53 gs. Charmer 3rd, by Grand Duke 4th (19874) ; dam Charmer by Mainstay (16490).— Mr. H. D. De Vitre, 120 gs. Rosette 2nd, by Grand Duke 9th (19879) ; dam Rosette by Marmaduke (14897).— Mr. H. Wale, 60 gs. Princess Royal 3rd, by Grand Duke 9th (19879); dam Princess Royal by Guy Faux (13980).— Mr. Watson, 28 gs. Bride Elect, by Second Duke of Cumberland (23735) ; dam Bridesmaid by Fourth Duke of Tliorudale (17750).— Mr. G. C. Greenway, 60 gs. Caroline, by Grand Duke 9th (19879) ; dam Clarion by Wel- Hngtou (21090).— Mr. R. Lloyd, 28 gs. Victoria, by Grand Duke 9lh (19879) ; dam Annie by Prince of Saxe-Coburg (20576).— Mr. J. Ritchie, 40 gs. Olga, by Second Duke of Cumberland (23735) ; dam Princess Mary by Grand Duke 9tli (19879).— Mr. Watson, 51 gs. Princess Alice, by Grand Duke 9th (19879) ; dam Princess Royal 2nd by Bridegroom (19341).— Mr. Watson, 36 gs. Dahlia 2nd, by Napoleon (29423) ; dam Dahlia by Star of the East (20896).— Mr. J. Glutton, 42 gs. Princess Helena, by Duke of Middleton (25986) ; dam Princess Royal 3rd by Grand Duke 9th (19879).— Mr. J. Glutton, 30 gs. Florence, by Grand Duke 9th (19879) ; dam Rosette by Mar- maduke (14897).— Mr. G. Ashburuer, 70 gs. Cameo, by Grand Duke 9th (19879) ; dam Choice by Hero of Oxford (18060).— Mr. Watson, 32 gs. Princess Adelaide, by Duke of Cambridge (25940) ; dam Princess Mary by Grand Duke 9th (19879).— Mr. C. H. Cock, 81 gs. Ballet Girl, by Grand Duke 9tli (19879) ; dam Columbine by Colonel (14294). — Colonel Lane, 25 gs, Ruth, by Friponnier (26208) ; dam Rosette 3rd by Grand Duke 9th (19879).— Mr. T. W. Wright, 42 gs. Catherine, by Friponnier (26208) ; dam Caroline by Grand Duke 9th (19879).— Mr. C. A. Barnes, 24 gs. Princess Louisa, by Grand Duke 9th (19879) ; dam Princess Royal 2ud by Bridegroom (19341).— Mr. Watson, 43 gs. Charmer 5th, by Lord Collingliam (29089) ; dam Charmer 4th by Grand Duke 9th (19879).— Colonel Lane, 91 gs. Cordelia, by Friponnier (26208) , dam Caroline by Grand Duke 9th (19879).— Mr. W. Nevett, 13 gs. Emily, by Friponnier (36208) ; dam Olga by 2nd Duke of Cumberland (33735).— Mr. J. B. Lythall, 40 gs. Princess Maud, by Friponnier (26208); dam Princess Alice bv Grand Duke 9th (19879).— Mr. W. Nevett, 12^ gs. BULLS, Grand Duke 9th (18979), by Grand Duke 3rd (16182) ; dam Grand Duchess 5th by Prince Imperial (15095). — Mr. G. Asliburner, 155 gs. Lord Charmer, by Grand Duke 9th (19879) ; dam Charmer 3rd by Grand Duke 4th (19874).— Mr. J. Glutton, 72 gs. Lord Royal, by Grand Duke 9th (19879) ; dam Princess Royal 2nd by Bridegroom (19341).— Mr. J. B. Lythall, 64 gs. Lord Geneva, by Grand Duke 9th (19879) ; dam Lady Geneva by Duke of Geneva (19614).— Mr. J. R. Wynn, 35 gs. Lord Charles, by Friponnier (26208) ; dam Rosette 3rd by Grand Duke 9th (19879).— Mr. G. Darlinson, 33 gs. Lord John, by Grand Duke 9th (198/9) ; dam Dahlia by Star of the East (20896).— Mr. Watson, 14 gs. Summary. £ s. d. £ s. d. 25 Cows averaged 49 3 3 1,229 0 6 6 Bulls „ 6115 6 370 13 0 31 Head .£51 12 0 £1,599 13 6 SALE Of THE REV. W. HOLT BEEVER'S SHORTHORNS, At Pencraig, on Thursday, July 18th. BY Mr. J. THORNTON. COWS AND HEIFERS. Queeu Mary, by Royal Butterfly 17th (22774).— Mr. J. R. Uomfray, 41 gs. Ladye Love, by Frank (17874).— Mr. S. Wasboro, 40 gs. Fifth Duchess of York, by Royal Butterfly 17th (22774).— Mr. J. J. Stone, 50 gs. [Her red bull-calf, by Broomstick (38099).— Mr. J. J. Stone, Silence 4th, by Frank (17874).— Mr. G. Barton, 53 gs. Lady Culshaw, by Royal Butterfly 17th (22774).— Mr. H. D. De Vitre, 200 gs. Epernay, by Rose Butterfly (24993).— Mr. H. Theyer, 41 gs. Mary Blane, by Royal Butterfly 17th (32774).— Mr. J. R. Homfray, 38 gs. Lady Tortworth 2nd, by Royal Butterfly 17lh (22774).— Sir E. Cockburn, Bart., 58 gs. Butterfly Duchess, by Royal Butterfly 17th (22774).— Mr. R. M. Kuowles, 40 gs. White Frost, by Royal Butterfly 17th (22774') -—Mr. J. Rolt, 35 gs. Sweet One, by Etoile du Nord (21710).— Mr. T. Woodburn, 37 gs. Star of the Stage, by Etoile du Nord (21710).— Mr. T. Wood- burn, 42 gs. Rose of Wye, by Royal Butterfly 17th (23774).)— Mr. H. D. De Vitre, 120 gs. Venture, by Northern Light (29449).— Mr. C. Bailey, 55 gs. Lesbian, by Royal Butterfly 17lh (22774).— Mr. T. Wood- burn, 33 gs. Siberia, by Etoile du Nord (21710).— Mr. C. Bailey, 37 gs. [Her roan bull-calf. — Mr. C. Bailey, 6 gs.] Mary Blane 2nd, by Towncley Wild Eyes (37674).— Mr. J. R. Homfray, 37 gs. [Her red and white cow-calf. — Mr. J. R. Homfray, 10 gs.] 15oroalis, by Etoile du Nord (21710).— Jlr. R. M. Knowles, 34 gs. Pyrenee, by Etoile du Nord (31710).— Mr. B. H. Allen, 28 gs. Not for Joe, by Hush (38883).— Mr. H. D. De Vitre, 130 gs. Silence 6th, by Etoile du Nord (21710).— Mr. G. Barton, 42 gs. Pretty Poll, by Towneley Wild Eyes (27674).— Mr. W. H. Collins, 24 gs. Sister Mary, by Towneley Wild Eyes (27674).— Mr. C. Bailey, 36 gs. Princess Louise, by Hush (28883).— Mr. J. Pulley, 48 gs. Creamy, by Hush (2S8S3).— Mr. J. Roberts, 52 gs. Rose of Ross, by Hush (38883).- Mr. H. D. De Vitre, 120 gs. Rose of Hereford, by Hush (38SS3).—Mr.-II. D. De Vitre, 120 gs. Albatross, by Hush (28883).— Mr. J. Roberts, 53 gs. Devotion, by Red Cross Knight. — Mr. J. Pulley, 51 gs. Darling, by Red Cross Knight. — Mr. R. M. Knowles, 20 gs. Cherry Ripe, by Red Cross Knight. — Mr. J. R. Ilomfray, 19 gs. Bloodshot, by Red Cross Knight. — Mr. S. T. Tregaskis, 16 gs. Miss Hogarth, by Red Cross Knight. — Mr. C. Bailey, 18 gs. Chian, by Red Cross Knight.— Mr. J. J. Stone, 17 gs. Falernian, by Red Cross Knight. — Mr. A. Garfit, 12 g«. Fidelity, by Red Cross Knight. — Mr. T. Tregaskis, 14 gs. BULLS. Broomstick (28099), by Etoile du Nord (21710).— Mr. J- France, 100 gs. Hogarth Again, by Royal Butterfly 17th (22774).— Mr. W. Milburn, 42 gs. Lord Tortworth, by Hush (28883).— Mr. B. H. Allen, 31 gs. Chablis, by Hush (28883).— Mr. C. Bailey, 26 gs. Another Hush, by Royal Butterfly 17th (22774).— Mr. T. Woodburn, 60 gs. Plaintive, by Red Gross Knight. — Mr. J. R. Homfray, 26 gs. Squeak, by Broomstick (28099).— Mr. J. Eyke, 11 gs. Triumph, by Red Cross Knight. — Mr. G. Game, 26 gs. Not-so-Dusty, by Broomstick (28099).— Mr. H. Nevett, 7 gs. summary. Average. Total. 36 Cows £52 18 2 £1,904 14 0 9 Bulls 38 7 8 345 9 0 45 i'50 0 0 £2,250 3 0 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 179 SALE OF THE LATE MR. STUD. BLENKIRON'S The Middle Park sluJ, embracing the inarcs, foals, ;uul stallions, was dispersed during last wei'k by Mr. Edmund Tattersall, the sale orcu|)ying I'onr.days. Mr. Blenkiron died iu the autumn of last year, and during this suumier the whole stud has realised as follows : — Gs. June 15.— Yearlings, 58 17,105 July 6.— Yearlings, 43 •. 5,030 Brood Mares rnd Foals: July 23.— 67 lots 17,115 July 3-1.— 70 lots 16,U0 July 25.— 67 lots 16,625 July 26.— 57 lots 17,770 67,650 Stallions.— 12 lots 34.,720 124.,505 The following are the extraordinary prices made by the stallions : Amsterdam by The Flying Dutchman, out of "Urania Gs. by Idle Boy Mr. Chaplin -iOO Blair Athol by Stockwell, out of Bliuk Bonny by Melbourne New Stud Company 12,500 Breadalbaue by Stockwell, out of Blink Bonny, by Melbourne Count Lehudorf 6,000 Gladiateur by Monarque, out of Miss Gladiator by Gladiator Mr. Harcourt 7,000 King John by Kingston, out of Dinah by Clarion Mr. T. Pain 720 Lord Harewood by King Jolm, out of Ada by Knight of St. George Mr. Sexton 350 Mandrake by Weatherbit, out of Mandragcra by Rata- plan Mr. Weatherby 2,100 Marsyas by Orlando, out of Malibran by Whisker New Stud Company 750 Saunterer by Birdcateher, out of Ennui by Bay Mid- dleton Mr. T. Pain 2,100 Uncas by Stockwell, out of Prarie 33ird by Touch- stone German Stud Company 250 Victorious by Newminster, out "f a Jeremy Diddler mare New Stud Compauy 2,000 Warlike by Weatherbit, out of Luckuow by Nutwith Mr. Chaplin G50 Lord Harewood was purchased by Mr. G. M. Sexton, the well-known Suffolk pig breeder, who had " a fancy" for King John, but who has a better and cheaper horse iu the son. Mr. Blenkiron gave 5,000 gs. for Blair Athol, and 5,800 gs. for Gladiateur. AGRICULTURAL REPORT. NORTH AVALES. " Make hay while the sun shines" is an old and familiar pro- verb, and, perhaps, never has its force before been more strik- ingly exemplified than in the greater part of the hay season now almost psst. June was a wet month, and during the latter part of it we had heavy thunder showers, which in many other districts were accompanied with violent storms. Similar weather prevailed during the former part of the present month, though the first five or six days were beautifully fine, and enabled those who had cut in the middle of June, since when it had been in the fields alternately wet and dry, to get it into stacks, none of it we fear in first-rate order, and some of it much washed and impaired in quality. A large bieadth was cut and saved during these five days quickly and easily without getting a drop of rain, but on the 6tb the clouds again opened, and on the following day it rained almost incessantly from morning till night. Showers fell at different times during the following week; but fortunately we had long interludes of dry breezy weather, which quickly altered the condition of the saturated grass, and ou the 12th a good deal was carted. On the 13th it commenced raining again, and operatious were quite suspended after eleven o'clock in the morning. Since then we have had magnificent weather, from which our upland and mountain farmers, who are always two or three weeks later tlian those in the vales, have greatly profited as they have had an opportunity of getting together the bulk of their crop in fine order, and without cessation. Everywhere the s\yathe has been heavy, and a good provision is made for winter. Wages for the hay harvest have been very high, viz., from 18s. to 20s. per week, with board, or from 3s. 6dt o 4s. 6d. per day without, and at these prices even have been scarce. Our labouring population are earning more now tiiau they ever did before. Tliey are not certainly proverbial for thrift or carefulness, but, in these respects we think our labourers will bear comparison witli those in most other parts. Habits of this nature are encouraged here by the wholesome and com- mendable practice pursued by many landowners of letting their cottage tenants wherever practicable a few acres of grass land to keep a cow. On one large estate in this county it is a rule to do this, and it is attended with the best results. For many reasons, which we cannot enter into in a report of this kind, we consider this one of the best ways of really bettering the labourer's condition. We have in common with the rest of the kingdom an abundance of grass, and store stock has been realising enormous prices. Our breeders were never before so well remunerated for their produce. Sheep are just as high as cattle, and horses fetch anything within reason one chooses to ask. Turning to grain crops, we have prospects of a bountiful harvest. Oats, our staple, look as well as can be wished ; barley, too, should the weather be favourable, bids fair to be a good crop, though at one time it looked yellow and sickly from the cold and frost of the early summer. Wheat is various, some fields have every appearance of yield- ing well, whilst in others the plant is thin in the ground. Although the root-crop was sown late, with the land in any- thing but good order, the young plants made a good and rapid start, which has never been checked. The difliculty has been to keep the weeds under, which have grown apace, and when hoed they have struck root again from the continued moisture and absence of sun. We have had now, however, ten days of the finest possible weather for extirpating all these nuisances. Potatoes have a splendid appearance, but we fear disease is lurking around ; we have already seen some in our own garden which were attacked about ten days since, and have succumbed rapidly, the tubers being already affected. Vegetables generally are abundant, peas prolific, though in one or two instances we have seen failures in this latter crop from some inexplicable cause ; the stems have turned yellow, and soon began to wither, and on examining the roots they were i'ouud quite rotten. Apples and plums are very scarce, and indeed most kinds of fruit, save gooseberries ; strawberries and currants are a scanty crop. — July 24. AGRICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE, FAIRS, &c. BLANDFORD.— Mr. Fookes' annual sale of Down rams took place on Saturday week. Mr. Ensor, of Dorchester, ofliciated. Seventy-six rams were offered, Lots 1 to 10 were two-tooths for latting, and made from 6 to 18 guineas each. Mr. Paul hired at 8 guineas. Lots 11 to 20 were two-tooths to be sold, and realised from 5^- to 7i guineas. Lots 21 to 30 were two-tooths on hire, and they went at from 5-i- to 9J guineas, Mr. Udail taking one at the top figure, Mr. Harding giving 6 guineas. Lots 31 to 40 were four-tooths, and let at from 5;^ to 14 guineas, Mr. Mayo giving the highest price. Jjots 46 to 50 ranged at 7i guineas ; and lots 51 to 59, 7i to 26 guineas, Mr. Luekbam giving the top price, and taking another 16^ guineas; Mr. Scutt hired at 11 guineas. Lots 60 to 71 were for sale, four-tooths and six-tooths, and brought from 5| to 16 guineas ; and lots 72 to 76 let at from 10 to 20 guineas, Mr. J. Ford and Mr. Lawrence both hiring at 20 guineas ; Mr. Cave gave 10 guineas ; Mr. Brown, 11^- guineas, &c. The wool fair itself did not commence till late in the evening ; the number of packs pitched was small, and but little Was sold. Prices were, for Southdown Is. iOd., Dorset Is. lid. Mr. W. Hillyer, of Blandford, was the largest buyer. The market was not over until 11. THE BIDDENHAM OXFORDS.— This ram sale came off on Friday at Biddenham, near Bedford, when Mr. Strafford, 180 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. of Euston-square, ^lisposed of about 50 Oxfordshire Down shearling rams, bred by Mr. Cliarles Howard. There was a large company of buyers from different paits of the country, and the bidding was very spirited ; many of the sheep made over twenty guineas eacli. Mr. Doig gave 26| guineas for a ram which had won first prize at the Bedfordshire show the previous day. Several were also bought for Germany. The whole ivere disposed of for an average of £14? a-head. MR. LANE'S COTSWOLDS.— The first Cotswold ram sale of the season was held on Thursday, at Mr. W. Lane's, Broadfield, Northleach. There was a large company, and the biddings were spirited. Eifty-two sheep were sold, and made the high average of £25 17s. 3d. BAT AND BALL EAIR.— This Weald of Sussex fair for sheep and lambs was held in the Eair Eield on Tuesday last, and was largely attended by botli sellers and buyers. The number penned was something over 10,000, and most of both sheep and lambs were in fair condition. The trade in the earlier part of the morning was brisk, and prices showed no diminution from the high rates at St. John's and Eindon ; towards tlie afternoon, Jiowever, those that were unsold were not so eagerly inquired after, and as the sellers were by no means disposed to give way, transactions became rather lan- guid. But before business was over most of the lots changed hands, and few were taken home again. The highest prices of which we heard were Mr. G. Woodhams, Chilverbridge, tegs 63s. ; Mr. E. Deadraan, Chi ddingly, lambs 41s. 6d. ; Mr. Jenner, Marlgreen. lambs 41s. ; the latter lot, we heard, was resold by Mr. R. Paxton, at 433. The supply of horned stock was about as usual, and good things were sold at good round figures. We may mention here that harvest has already com- menced in the neighbourhood of Lewes, and that a fair average crop is promised. The following will show the average for the last five years : Prices, No, Penned. Sheep. Lambs. 1868 14,500 ... 35s. to 303. 10s. to 23s. 1869 15,500 ... 30s. to 41s. 10s. to 28s, 1870 18,800 ... 30s. to 40s. lis. to 23s. 1871 8,000 ... 38s. to 54s. 15s. to 34s. 1872 10,300 ... 47s. to 63s. 21s. to 42s. CHERRY EAIR.— This fair took place on Wednesday and Thursday. There was] a small show of cattle in the fair ground, and many of them were of an inferior description. New milch cows realised from 20 to 30 guineas ; yearling heifers and steers from 10 to 13 guineas. The horse fair was very poor indeed. Mr. R. Tompkins offered 140 horses for sale on Wednesday, and 95 on Thursday, the majority of which were sold. A large company was present, and the trade was very brisk for good horses. The best description of cart horses made from 50 to 80 guineas ; farm horses, from 20 to 45 guineas ; carriage horses from 30 to 80 guineas ; cobs, from 20 to 40 guineas, and ponies from 10 to 30 guineas. LANGHOLM LAMB AND WOOL EAIR.— The show of stock at this market was the smallest that has been seen here for many years, and comprised half-breds, Cheviots, and crosses. There was a good attendance of farmers and dealers. Prices of all kinds of lambs were up from 4s. 6d. to 7s. on last year's market. Correct quotations were difficult to get, but the following will show the prices generally going : Half-breds, Terrona, 38s. ; Brockwoodlees, 36s. Cheviot, Effgill 20s. 6d., Glendiven (tops) 19s. 6d. and (seconds) 13s. 6d., Carlesgill 19s., Glendinning 18s. 6d. There was not much business done in the wool market, farmers not being inclined to accept the prices offered by manufacturers and staplers, in the expectation that better prices would shortly be obtained, while the down- ward tendency of the English markets deterred buyers from giving the prices asked. HOP MARKET. BOROUGH, Monday, July 29.— The improvement in the growing crop noticed in our last has been maintained, and is now sufficiently assured to lead us to expect a good average yield. The small business done in new hops during the week has been at reduced rates. The reports from the Continent are very similar to our own. Mid and East Kent £10 10 £12 12 £15 15 WealdofKent ^ Q 8 10 9 0 |°s»f 7 0 7 15 8 8 larnham and country ... 11 11 13 13 Yearlings. Mid and East Kent £3 0 £3 15 £5 0 WealdofKent 3 0 3 10 4 15 Sussex 2 16 3 10 4 10 Farnham and coiintry ... — 6 0 7 0 Olds 1 0 1 5 1 10 CANTERBURY HOP MARKET, (Saturday last.— The week has been favourable for the development of the bine, the weather having been forcing with some much needed rain ; some of the forward sorts are coming intojiop. There were va- rious opinions expressed to-day as to the probable amount of the crop, but an average was the most prevalent : a better inquiry for 1870's. WORCESTER HOP MARKET, (Saturday last.)— There is little or nothing doing on our market to-day, the trade being entirely of a retail character. Planters' reports gene- rally are again more favourable, but we can only grow a very small crop in this district under the best circumstances. HOP PROSPECTS. ■ Maidstone. — During the past week the bine has continued its satisfactory progress, and the hopes of a good crop have grown every day stronger. There is a slight increase of ver- min in some pieces. — Bkenculey : The bine is looking well, but we want rain. — Wrotiiam : In this neighbourhood the bine is very promising. — East Peckham : Hops are going on very favourably here. No vermin worth complaint. — East Farleigii : Are sorry to report an increase of vermin here, otherwise hops are looking splendid. — Stapleiiurst : Bine continues to make good progress ; rain wanted though. — Yalding : The hops still continue to progress satisfactorily ; and there is every hope of a first class crop. — Marden : No- thing to complain of, excepting too much heat. — Nettle- stead : Are pleased to report that hops continue to go on nicely. — Bearstead : Hops looking splendid as a rule ; rain is asked for by some. — Hawkhurst : Our hop gardens con- tinue to progress very satisfactorily. They are fast coming into burr, but not entirely free from vermin. A fair crop is anticipated. — Otford : The bine looks as well as we can wish, and is coming into burr. Should there be no drawback, the gather will be very large. — Nortiiiam : Bine generally look- ing well and coming into burr, excepting few gardens which are turning yellow. We are not quite free from vermin. — West Hoathly : Our gardens are looking exceedingly well ; free from blight. There is every prospect of a good crop. — Brigutling : Our hops are looking well. Those who found theirs a little yellow at the bottom consequent on too much wet in their early days, have found a sufficient remedy on the application of guano. — Rye and Playden : The hops are fast coming into burr, and those who are well up in such matters estimate a good and very early crop. One gentleman pre- dicts that there will be a pocket of new hops in the Borough by the middle of August. — East Mailing : The bine in this parish is very strong, too much. A large increase of vermin. Honey-dew and mould rapidly spreading. — West Malling : The bine has made good progress. A fair bine. Red spider is spreading, injuring our prospects. Some vermin. — Water- INGBUKY : The bine good . Vermin increasing rapidly. — Ry- ARSH : The bine still growing and vermin. — Comp Ley- bourne : The bine slack and fine. A great many acres can- not produce more than a pocket per acre. — Oeeiiam : The best cultivated grounds are good, many very slack and cannot do much. A sprinkling of vermin still clings to the fickle plant. — Arpington : The Golding bine good ; the grape slack and yellow. Vermin on the young shoots. — Burwash : Progressing favourably and forward sorts coming nicely into burr, and although in some pieces there is still a little vermin and some mould, and in some others yellowness and slackness of bine, we have some very good gardens, which on the whole look promising, and hope to get quite up to an average crop. — BuxTED : The bine still grows very fast and we have a very good prospect of fair crop, we have no vermin of any account. — Headcorn : The hops here have grown very fast during the past week, and are looking well for a crop. Wheat har- vest will begin here on the 25th, and be general 29th. — Wad- IIURST. — Very satisfactory ; the copious rain of this morning was most welcome ; in some places they were looking yellow. — Quaker's Hall : As good as can be. — Black Hall ; Im- provingfast.— Fuller Street: Cannot be doing better.— Seal THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 181 Chart : Very good generally ; the once Larch lands now under hop cultivation by tlie Hon. Monson and Horace Wilkinson show in bold relief what good cultivation will do. — Kemsing : Promising perhaps better than for many years for crop ; some of the gardens might be in a " cleaner" condition, but per- haps the dripping season will serve for an excuse. — Under- KIVER : In the clay bottoms here the cold spring sliows its effects in shortness of bine. On the hassock side banks better culture is deserving, excepting " Black Charles," where all is clean and good. — Westeriiaji and toe Vale of Holms- DAXE : In well-farmed gardens the bine is making satisfactory progress, but th3re are many pieces not doing much, and there- fore the crop will be a partial one ; the Goldings are doing best, those at " Dunsdale" looking well, — Warbleton : We are fast coming into burr, and looking well in most places.^ Sussex Exjyress. HEREFORDSHIRE AND WORCESTERSHIRE. Hereford : Thursday last was St. James's day, and in the olden time it was said that when he has come and gone " there may be hops or there may be none." Well, the Saint's day has both come and gone, and we really think there may yet be something of a crop of hops, notwith- standing the sad blight of our yards nine or ten days ago. It is unc[uestionable that the scorching heat made wholesale havoc of the vermin, and that young slioots are now striking out vigorously. The smart showers, too, have mucli cleared the bine and leaves ; and some of our most experienced growers have hopes that there will yet be a smart sprinkling o f hops. However, nest week we shall probably be able to speak with more certainty ; at present the plantations have unc[uestion- ably made a start in the way of improvement — Bromyard : In plantations where the blight has not attacked the bine there is great improvement since the late hot and sultry weather set iu, and here some good hops may be grown ; but in otlier situations where the hops have been blighted, although the hot weather has had a beneficial elTect on them, the season has too far advanced to admit of their growing any hops, and be- tween here and Worcester they are much worse tlian nearer Bromyard. — Bosbury : The blight has decreased very much during the last few days, and the young shoots are now com- paratively free. But many hop-yards present only an average of bare poles. In some few cases the burr has appeared. What blight that remains upon the leaves is dying fast. But unfortunately in too many plantations its work of destruction is complete. — Dockloav : The hops in this neighbourhood are improved a little within the last few days. Still the blight follows the young shoots. The bine is very short ; conse- quently there cannot be many grown this year — Uir^EDOR : The plants are improving considerably, and in some grounds coming into burr fast ; but we still liearsome grumbling, espe- cially where the laud is poor. The general opinion is tliat there will be a crop, although not a very large one. — Dilwyn : The hops have much improved within the last fortnight, the vermin and bhght having left them ; so that there is a chance of most yards growing a sprinkhng, — Felton : There is some improvement in the hop plant since our last report. The little bine we have is throwing out branches, but the result must ae a very light produce. — Ledbury : There is a slight improve- ment in the hops this week, more particularly where there is strength of bine; but where the bine is weak the hop shoots are not able to contend with the blight, which still continues. The weather at night has, we believe, been favourable. — Stoke Lacey : The dry hot weather of the past few days has caused those grounds which were badly bUghted to throw out fresh shoots, and those grounds which were not so bad have made considerable improvement. — Tarrikgto:v : The hops have much improved during the last week, but it will be impossible to grow a good crop, except where there is plenty of bine and cultivation good Withington : The weather for the last week has been all that could be desired for the hops. The scorching sun has destroyed most of the green fly and lice, and the stench from them in the dew of the evening is dreadful where the blight was heavy. The plant is making an effort to throw out a few fresh shoots, which, however, can grow but few hops with a continuance of this fine weather. — Worces- ter : Mr. Edwin Leonard reports : " Nearly all the planters in this district give a most discouraging account of the state of their hops. The plantations still continue to swarm wdth all kinds of vermin. Where washing was commenced early and thoroughly persevered in, with good cultivation, there is every appearance of growing a f»ir crop, and the expense will be amply repaid this season like it was in 1871, to the few planters who gave it a fair trial. The general opinion seems to be against one-third of an average crop." — Hereford Times. ENGLISH WOOL MARKET. LONDON, Monday, July 39.— The Wool market has been steadier in tone, but the actual business concluded has been very moderate ; prices however are firm, sales not being pressed. CUBRENT PeICKS OF ENGLISH WOOL. S. d. 8. d. Fleeces— Southdown hoggs per lb. 1 G^tollOJ Hair-bred ditto „ 1 10 1 11 Kent fleeces , 111 2 0 Southdown ewes and wethers ... „ 19 110 Leicester ditto „ 1 11 2 0 Sorts— Clothing, picklock „ 17 18. Prime „ 14 15 Choice „ 13 1 34 Super „ 12 1 2^ Combing, wether mat , 111 1114 Picklock „ 1 7i 1 8 Common „ 16 1 74 Hog matching ,, 1 Hi 2 04 Picklock matching „ 1 74 1 8 Super ditto „ 16 1 74 BRADFORD WOOL MARKET, (Thursday last.)— No- thing has arisen since our last report to impart animation to our market. There is an exceedingly slow demand from con- sumers, who are themselves very destitute of orders, and the transactions which take place are little more than no- minal. Notwithstanding this state of things, and its long con- tinuance, the value of wool is not materially affected, So little business is passing that prices are not thoroughly tested, but there is no apparent giving way. There may be slight indications of softening in some quarters, but the wonder is they are so few. Nothing is more remarkable than the general firmness with which wool is bearing the test of long depres- sion. If the weight of the new clip were on this market, as is usual at this time of the year, this firmness would be im- possible. Fortunately for Bradford much of it is still in the farmers' liands. We learn that country rates are a shade easier at last, and this may account partly for the slightly lower prices which some staplers have accepted here. There is no pressure to sell, however, and most staplers are still holding on for full rates. DONCASTER W^OOL MARKET, (Saturday last.)— About 50 slieets of wool were brought to the scales this morning, wliich, with what remained from last Saturday, made a total supply of about 80 sheets. A pretty fair attendance of buyers, and a good disposition to do business was met with ; consequently, most of what was on offer was bought up before the close of the market, at firm rates, all-hogg making 29s. 6d. to 31s., two-thirds hogg 38s. 6d. to 29s., half-hogg 37s. to 28s., and all-ewe 25s. to 26s. per stone. HAWICK WOOL FAIR.— A slower or duller market has not been experienced for many years. The downward ten- dency of the markets for home wools during the last ten days, and the rise in the rate of discount, with the prospect of a further advance, made buyers cautious, and it was late in the day before a single sale was made. The difference between what buyeys were wiUing to give and sellers to accept was about 2s. per stone, and in the transactions which ultimately took place the advance on last year's prices ranged from 5s. to 7s., bat generally about 6s. per stone. Half-bred wools sold slightly under the rates of recent markets. JEDBURGH (RINK) WOOL FAIR.— This important wool fair was held at Jedburgh on Saturday week. There was a large attendance both of buyers and sellers. The market was upon the whole verj stiff, buyers not being inclined to give the high prices asked. At first sales were effected with con- siderable difficulty, but a large amount of wool changed hands before the close. It was wdth extreme difficulty that quota- tions could be procured, from the reticence of the dealers, but the following may be relied on : Half-bred 48s. to '1:9s., hogg 48s. 6d., crossed hoggs 50s., quarter-hogg 48s., three hogg to one ewe 52s., one-third hogg 48s., Cheviot with a little half- bred 47s., the Hethpool clip (Cheviot) 46s. 6d., half-faced (washed) 29s. 6d., Cheviot 46s. 6d., half hogg and half ewe at 50s., half-bred (one-third hogg) 49s. LEWES WOOL FAIR.— This fair was held on Saturday 182 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. in llie Corn Excliangc, aud will long be remembered as one of tlie most extraordinary that has yet taken place here, from the fact tliat not a single ileece \va5 sold, although the chairman (Mr. I)arby)uscd his utmost endeavours to facilitate business and bring buyers and sellers together. LONDON WOOL SALES.— Jlouday : 7,400 bales were catalogued to-day, principally Sydney and Tort Phillip, with about 1,400 bales New Zealand. Tiie demand continues very good. The I'Vench buyers are purchasing freely, whilst the home trade continues to operate with good spirit. — Tuesday : Tiic market was firm, at previous values. To-day's sale comprised : 2,054 bales Adclaule, 1,5'J7 bales Cape, 1,083 bales Sydney and Queensland, 967 bales New Zealand, 744 bales Port riiillip, and 2 bales German. — Wednesday : To-day's catalogue comprised: 2,33i bales Port Phillip, 927 bales Sydney, 708 bales New Zealand, 309 bales Cape, 223 bales Adelaide, 179 bales Australian, 131 bales Tasraauian, and 17 bales sundries. Good attendance, aud market firm. — Thursday : 4,634 bales were offered, comprising 1,656 bales Port Phillip, 1,437 bales .Sydney and Queensland, 753 bales Adelaide, 658 bales Cape, 65 bales New Zealand, 65 bales Van Diemau's. The market remains steady at previous rates. — Friday : To-day's sales comprised: 2,634 bales New South Wales, 2,600 bales New Zealand, 1,210 bales Victoria, 488 bales Tasmanian, 229 bales Adelaide, and 2 bales Jamaica. Tiiere was a fair attendance and bidding steady, at about late values. Saturday : To-day's catalogue comprised a very choice selection of Port Phillip combing Hocks, which excited keen competition. About 1,600 bales of Sydney were also in- cluded, and were taken mostly by the Prench buyers. The sales will terminate on Tuesday next. LIVERPOOL WOOL SALES.— Tuesday : The East India wool sales opened to-day with a fair attendauce of buyers, and the closing rates of last sales were fully maintained for all kinds, except good wools, which are 5 per cent, dearer. — Wednesday : The auctions progress steadily, with an occasional slight advance on the opening rate of yesterday, cardings being especially w ell competed for. — Thursday : Competition has been animated to-day, and all classes of wool have been freely bid for. The advance in prices is 5 to 10 per cent, on the closing rates of last sales for all kinds. Carding and blanket wools were in good request. — Friday: The East India wool sales closed this evening wirli good spirit, at the advanced prices obtained yesterday. AN IMPLEMENT EXHIBITION IN HOLLAND. [Extract of a Letter from Mr. Araersfoordt, of Lake Haarlem, Holland, to Mr. W. A. Gibbs, of Gilwell, Essex.] It is in 1872 a period of eighteen years since I established a farm in the then recently-drained Lake of Haarlem. During this period I collected and used all the best agri- cultural instruments as they were successively proved serviceable in other countries. Having frequently heard it said, and seeing it repeated in the papers, that I had whole barns filled with such implements which were only fit for show, and never used in the fields, I thought it would effectually contradict such reports, to invite the members of the agricultural societies and other agricul- tural celebrities to visit me and see these various modes of saving labour and increasing the produce of the earth at actual work. About four thousand of my countrymen and many leading agriculturists from other parts of the world accepted my invitation. On the morning of July 4 I showed a powerful portable engine driving a thrashing machine, a Dutch fan or win- nowing mill (remarkable for its simplicity), a straw cutter, root pulper, a circular saw, a corn mill, an oat bruiser, and other implements. After that I sent Fowler's 14-horsc engine to the fields, where it did good work with a four-furrow plough, a Cotgreave's plough, c\iltivator, and harrow ; to other fields I then sent horses to show mowing machines, hay-makers, hay-rakes, and various other ploughs, scarifieis, drills, horse-lioes, Sec- Last, but not least, came your hay-drying machine, prov ing the great attraction of the day. It was arranged with a horse -gear of Crosskill's, which I had employed during 17 years ; the wood having suffered much by this long service. I repaired it during last winter in my own carpenter's shop, the iron parts proved as strong and workable as the day they came in Holland. I took great pains in adjusting this mill according to my best notions, fixed it quite horizontally and strongly, with so good success, that although it had to drive an intermediate action of Bentall, I was able to drive the four-horses' mill with one hand, and it would even run some seconds after I had left the work. I was rewarded for my trouble, because, although you, the inventor, sup- posed that for driving the drying fan 700 revolutions iu a minute, three horses would be necessary, I could perform the task with one young ox, relieved after an hour's work by oue ordinary horse (a roadster). It had been announced by the Agricultural Society that grass could be made into hay by this machine in ten mi- nutes. We had spared for this purpose a beautiful crop of Timothy grass and clover in the immediate neighbourhood of the hay-dryer. It was cut by a workman with a scythe before the eyes of the assembled crowd. On the day before we had been able to dry it satisfactorily in exactly six minutes. The people now, of course, hindered the men a little in their work ; but it was done in ten minutes as aforesaid ; and I saw with satisfaction a great many farmers taking samples of the beautiful green, but perfectly dry hay to show at home to their friends. After this feat was accomplished, we showed to the public the real work for which the hay-dryer is intended — taking hay that was half dry and drying it in three mi- nutes ready for the stack, as will be necessary on wet days, as it was used frequently on my farm in the autumn of 1871, which proved itself very rainy. After St. Mar- garet's Day, the Saint who accomplishes in Holland the task ascribed in England to St. Swithiu, I have no doubt that many a cart of aftermath will have to pass through the artificial process of drying ; but I have not the slightest doubt that we will be able by this system to save a great deal of useful grass that would be lost without it. A NEW GRAIN-DllYING MACHINE,— To meet tlie evil of dampness in grain of all kinds, an appara- tus has been invented by a Greek gentleman, formerly Greek Consul in Wailachia, and now an agricultural engineer, with whom is bow associated the firm of Messrs. Adutt, Finzi, and Co., of 24, Mark-lane. This consists of a perpendicular cylinder .of metal or other suitable material, with eight (more or less) horizontal cylinders or pipes of like material, all connected witii and branching from the lower end of the upright cylinder. All these are perforated with small holes for the admission of air into the body of the grain, without allowing the grain itself to pass. A series of small tubes are placed in the inside of the large ones, for the return of the confined damp air, and to keep up the circula- tion. The apparatus is placed in the sliip, warehouse, or stack, when about to be loaded or formed, the upright tube being iu sections, so as to be capable of lengthening as the height of the ship's hold or tlie granary requires. The upper end is projected into the air, having attached to it a cowl or ventilator, acted upon by the wind, so as to force the fresh air down the tube, and, by the small holes therein, into and through the whole mass of the grain, and thus replacing with dry air the dam]), wiiich is supposed to be forced into the smaller tube, and conveyed by it into the atmosphere. Tlie pro- portion between the large tubes and the small return-tubes is as 3j to 12 inches, and it takes about twenty-four hours to expel the damp from the hold of a ship or granary, leaving the grain perfectly dry and sweet. With regard to its application on the farm in the case of wet weather, when it is scarcely THE FARMEK'S MAGAZINE. 183 possible to stack tlie coru or hay \a fjood condition (as is stated of last season's liay harvest), tlieie is every jironiise of its cilicieucy. Tlie ujiparatus used for liay-rieks is formed without the tubes whieh branch from the main cylinder, and consists of tlie main tube only — tiie outer perforated, and tlie iiiuer tube to draw oft" the foul air. The top is a self-acting, rotating Archimedean screw, covered with a cap ; and it works by the wind with the greatest ease. The advantage secured in constructing the apparatus iu tliis form is that it can be withdrawn from tlie stack when the drying process lias beeu completed, and used for the same purpose in another THE CARE OF STOCK ON TRANSIT.— At the Small- Debt Court, Leith, Sheriff Hamilton presiding, James Lawrie, butcher, Leith, sued tlie North British Railway Com- pany for £10 16s., being the value of three sheep at i'3 12s. each, wiiich were killed and destroyed by pigs while in transit between Haddington and Leith on the lltli March last. Mr. Wood, for the company, stated that the pursuer had delivered ninety-four sheep to the company at Haddington Station to be conveyed to Leith, and they were placed into three waggons by the officials and pursuer's servants some time before the train started. While standing at the cattle-loading bank, which is on the opposite side of the line, and some distance from the booking-office, Mr. Moffat, grocer and pig-dealer, Ormiston, brought si.t large pigs to the station for transmission to Leith, and there being no waggon at the station at the time to suit his puapose, he, witiiout authority from either the company's servants or the pursuer, put two of his pigs into each of the three waggons amongst Mr. Lawrie's sheep. The consequence was that the pigs attacked the sheep during the transit, killing eight and injuring several others, resulting in a claiin being made against the company for about £2G ; but, with the view of saving costs, it had beeu arranged to test the company's liahilily in the Small-Debt Court. Mr. Wood said that the defenders were no doubt liable in law to the pursuer, there being au action of relief against Moffat which they in- tended raising iu tlie Sheriff Court at Haddington ; but he maintained that the company were not liable for more than £3 per sheep, upon the ground that the Acts 17 and 18 Vic., cap. 31, sec. 7, limited the company's liability for loss of or injury to a sheep to £'2 per head, unless the value was de- clared, and increased rate of carriage paid by sender at the time of delivery to the company, which was not done in the present case. Mr. Wood, in support of his contention, quoted Brown on Law of Carriers, p. 11 ; Hinton v. Dibden, decided in Court of Queen's Bench, Rep. 23, B. 64G ; Hodgeman i\ Midland Railway Company, decided in Court of Queen's Bench, 13th June 1861 — cases which showed that a carrier protected by statute was not liable for more than £2 each even although the loss or injury was caused through gross negligence. Mr. Smith, solicitor, Leith, appeared for the pursuer. He admitted the statement made by Mr. Wood to be accurate, but contended that the statute quoted did not apply, inasmuch as the fault referred to iu the statute was the act of Mr. JMoffatt, who was not a servant of the company, and therefore the latter were liable for a breach of contract, as the section founded on could only be pleaded when the fault occurred by the company or its servants. The Sheriff held that, in the circumstances stated, the Act applied, and that the company were only liable to pay £3 for each sheep, and in respect that tliey had tendered that sum he found n© expenses due. REVIEW OF THE CORN TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. The moutU of July, like most of its predecessors, this year has beeu extraordinary as to the weather. June closed with thunderstorms, and au unsettled aspect. The openiug of the present mouth was line auJ did much to abate the backwardness of the season, but the second week brought fearful storms and floods, chiefly in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cambridgeshire, doing immense local damage, and though for the most part it was fine, subse- quently fresh storms and floods in some localities renewed the mischief, though to a less extent ; but, as a whole, the increased heat has much forwarded the ripening of the crops. There will, however, be a great difl'ereuce in the time of gathering, as the forward pieces may be ready in a fortnight, while some portions have only recently been in bloom. Great difference of opinion exists as to the probable yield of wheat, but the most sanguine scarcely expect an average, and some very much less, and we confess to some serious misgivings. In some of the best farmed lands the ears have been found to be very defective, and after the heavy showers and hail we have had iu the blooming time, and some smart touches of frost in June, it would be strange if these trials should not leave their mark. As respects the hay crop, though satisfactory iu bulk, much has beeu discoloured by the showers, and delay iu consequence of the difficulty in procuring steady labour. But the crops of spring corn, iu spite of some complaints of barley, promise generally to turn out well. Prices of course have fluctuated with the weather; but the state of the averages show very little change. Stocks are evidently getting low, both in the country and in granaried foreign, and these latter are not likely to be overdone by fresh arrivals befoie harvest, for there is a general deficiency throughout Europe, Odessa excepted, where the quality is poor. At jiresent rates there is no probability that speculation will be active, and markets left to themselves, with fair weather are generally iu favour of buyers. Millers knowing this, have lately been very reserved, and whatever be the quality of our future sup- plies, we think the quantity will be equal to our wants, up to next harvest. Great expectations have lately beeu raised about France for the coming season as au exporting country, and a power to ship three million quarters has been reckoned on ; but later accounts thence treat these prospects as delusive, for the present gatherings in the south as well as iu Italy, have proved short, and recent storms have done general harm, while the centre and north will be as late as several parts of England. The American produce seems only likely to be bountiful in Califoruia, but there the new crop is already appearing flue in quality, and prices declining. As a whole the world's harvest seems likely to be equal to the wants of its inhabitants, and though lower prices for delivery are generally quoted, we do not with the fluest weather expect anything like symptoms of depression. The following rates were quoted recently at the places named : best white wheat at Paris, 01s., red, 57s. ; white at Bordeaux, 5Gs. ; red at ^larseilles, 55s. ; at Rotterdam, white Zealand, 57s. ; red at Courtrai, 61s.; at Brussels and Louvaiu G2s., at Ilambro' 01s., white at Danzic, 5Cs. ; red at Petersburg, 40s. 9d. ; soft at Algiers, 56s. ; Ghirka at Odessa, 43s. ; at Adelaide, white 48s. per qr., at San Francisco 33s. 9d. per 500 lbs.; at New York, spring red at 47s. Id. per 480 lbs. The first Monday in Mark-lane opened on small sup- plies of English wheat, with good arrivals from abroad. The show of fresh samples from Kent and Essex was limited ; yet though the weather had become more un- settled there was no rally in English qualities, which 184 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. only went off slowly at the previous Monday's rates. Foreign was not so dull as English, the arrivals being nearly all from Petersburg, and there was a firm trade in the better qualities. Floating cargoes were quiet, and the turn lower to sell. The country trade generally had a tendency downwards, and several markets were Is. cheaper, Liverpool giving way 3d. per cental on Tues- day, and another 3d. on Friday, making about 2s. 6d. per qr. for the week. The Scotch markets were also quiet, and i-ather easier. At Dublin business was also in calm, and wheat 6d. cheaper, but other grain was without quotable change. On the second Monday there was a reduced supply of English wheat, but the foreign arrivals were largely in- creased. The weather having improved, though still doubtful, with very little exhibited on the Essex and Kentish stands, factors found they could not establish any advance on the previous rates, at which sales only pro- ceeded slowly. The foreign trade with the good arrivals was limited, and in some cases rather less money was ac- cepted. Though the arrivals off the coast were moderate sales could only be made at Is. reduction from the quota- tions of the previous Monday. Though some of the country markets this week were firm, and even dearer, others were unaltered, and several quoted lower rates. Sleaford was Is. cheaper, Thirsk Is. to 2s. down, and Gainsborough for secondary qualities 23. lower. Liver- pool was Id. to 2d. higher per cental on Tuesday, aud the rise was confirmed on the following Friday. Edin- burg was unaltered, Glasgow 6d. per boll down, Dublin was dull and Cd. cheaper for red Wheat. On the third Monday there was a short supply of English wheat, but with another large arrival of foreign, including 7,000 qrs. from Danzig and Pomerania. The show of English samples this morning was unusually small, and limited to one Essex factor, who would not sell without buyers paying Is. advance, there having been most disastrous storms in the north, and this advance was paid whei-e business was done, though reluctantly, aud some samples were left on the stand unsold. As respects foreign the arrivals were too liberal to permit of any rise ; but more was generally demanded, this checking sales. Floating cargoes were a slow sale, at Is. per qr. de- cline, inferior qualities being still further reduced. The ad- vance in London and the rough injurious weather in the north had the effect of generally hardening prices in the country,and many places noted a rise of Is. per qr. Among these were Leeds, Sheffield, Rotherham, Melton-Mowbray, Spalding, Market Rasen, and Ipswich ; while Thirsk and Sleaford were up Is. to 2s., but Liverpool, which had previously been excited, gave way 2d. per cental on Tuesday. Edinburgh was Is. per qr. dearer, but at Glas- gow no improvement was noted. At Dublin nothing was done in L'ish wheat, but foreign was held at 6d. per brl. improvement. On the fourth Monday there were very small supplies of English wheat, with less arrivals of foreign. The English trade opened on a scanty show of samples, and it was thought with a heavy thunder-storm in the midst of market hours factors would have been able to realise some advance, but millers were not numerous, and none disposed to pay higher rates, so prices were unaltered. The foreign supplies being chiefly Russian, this sort was difficult to sell ex-ship, and rather lower to quit freely, but the finer qualities maiutained previous values. The arrivals in London for the month were 9,768 qrs. English, 138,083 qrs. foreign, against 7,500 qrs. English, 200,485 qrs. foreign for the same time last year. The London exports were 1,295 qrs. The arrivals in the United Kingdom for the month ending 13th July were 8,138,691 cwts. wheat, 343,803 cwts. flour, against 8,138,291 cwts. wheat, 366,597 cwts. flour in 1871. The London averages commenced and closed at 61s. 8d. The general averages opened at 59s., and ended at 58s. 4d. The fiour trade, always influenced by wheat, has been very quiet, though now and then, when the weather threatened, more money was asked, dulness again return- ing as it became fine. Town-made has stood at 54s., Nor- folks at 41s., and best country households 44s., barrels from New York to 29s. — price there 26s. 6d. The im- ports for four weeks were 55,989 sacks country make, 21,923 sacks 7,332 brls. foreign, against 53,631 sacks country, 20,377 sacks 103,913 brls. foreign in 1871. Thus showing a great falling off in the foreign arrivals. The receipts of maize have been fair, but not so large as expected, some of the late arrivals from New York have been so out of condition that they would scarcely bring 26s., and fresh corn ex-ship has only brought 27s., though white Galatz is nominally worth 32s. It can hardly be expected this grain will fall much lower, as it is now relatively the cheapest food on the market, and equally available for horses and pigs — the last New York quotations were only 20s. 4d. The months' supply has been 54,047 qrs., against 82,206 qrs. in 1871. In the absence of the malting season barley has not met with much attention, and scarcely any of home growth has appeared. Various reports are abroad as to the crop, some estimating it as below an average in quality and quantity, but in the Isle of Thanet it certainly looks very fine and flourishing. Foreign sorts have been without change of value, the principal sujjply being still French, quotations at Paris only 20s. 6d. for good ; so we expect still more will come, as the trade is very dull there. Here it is worth 26s. or 27s., and Danish 28s., low grinding 21s. to 24s. The imports for four weeks were 830 qrs. British, 34,598 qrs. foreign, against 313 qrs. British, 26,639 qrs. foreign in 1871. The malt trade, though not active, has generally been firm, but less so at the months close. Fine quality 703. to 72s. per qr. The foreign arrivals of oats have continued very free, and, with a good promise as respects our own crop, and fine weather generally ruling, values have gone down Is. 6d. to 2s. per qr. AVith much difficulty in disposing of the numerous cargoes out of condition, continually arriv- ing, Russian sorts have been worth 17s. 6d. to 20s., Swedish ISs. to 21s per qr. The supply from the coun- try has beeu very limited, being worth more at home for consumption, and little trade experienced. Pi-ices are so low, and such losses have been incurred by importers, that we should not be surprised to find less forwarded. On the other hand, Belgium yet has stores, as well as the Baltic, and the prospects in France are reported as splendid ; so, with fine weather, there does not seem much chance of permanent improvement. The imports into London for four weeks were 1,234 qrs. English, 235,566 qrs. foreign, against 2,794 qrs. English, 253 qrs. Scotch, 367,006 qrs. foreign for the same period in 1871. Beans, with but moderate supplies, English aud foreign together, have been very dull, and rates, more especially for inferior foreign, have given way Is. to Is. 6d. Egyptian sorts of low quality may be had at 30s., and Barbary sorts at 39s. The low price of maize quite undermines this grain, for which there seems no chance so long as the New York imports last. The arrivals in Loudon for the month were 1,774 qrs. English, 4,035 qrs. foreign, against 682 qrs. English, 14,079 qrs. foreign for the same time in 1871. The supply of English peas has been very limited, boilers not being required at this time of the year, and hog-feeding sorts being supplanted by the low rates of other pig food. But foreign white have come in plenty THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 185 from Canada, and fine have been selling at 38s. as horse food, English maples being worth 40s. to 41s. The month's arrivals here have been 520 qrs. English, 8,172 qrs. foreign, against 170 qrs. English, 5,741 qrs. foreign this time last year. The linseed supply remaining very short, prices have been fully maintained, and the high price obtained for fat cattle has induced graziers to become free buyers of cake at fully usual rates. The arrivals for a month in London were 11,051 qrs., against 7,405 qrs. in 1871. The seed trade has been quite dormant ever since the weather changed from severely cold to warm. Scarcely any stocks of cloverseed ai-e held ; but, with a hot August, we may have a fair yield, and the artificial grasses gene- rally, like the hay crop, have been looking well. CURRENT PRICES OF BRITISH GRAIN AND FLOUR ,IN MARK LANE. ShiUings per Quarter. WHEAT, new, Essex and Kent, white 58to65 „ ,, red 52 61 Norfolk, Linclnsh., and Yorksh., red... 52 59 BARLEY 29 to 32 Chevalier, new 36 42 Grinding 28 29 Distilling 29 33 MALT, Essex, Norfolk, and Suffolk 62 70 Kingston, "Ware, and town-made ,.,.. 64 70 Brown 52 58 RYE 36 38 OATS, BngUsh, feed 20 to 25 Potato., Scotch, feed 00 Irish, feed, whitel7 Ditto, black 17 BEANS, Mazagan ...32 Harrow 34 PEAS, white, boiIer8.36 .25 32 00 Potato 00 00 21 Fine 21 24 20 Potato 26 30 34 Ticks 32 34 36 Pigeon 37 45 39 Maple 37 to 40Groy,new 32 34 FLOUR, per sack of 2801bs., best town households... 48 64 Bestcountry households 41 44 Norfolk and Suffolk 39 41 FOREIGN GRAIN. Shillings per Quarter. WHEAT, Dantzic, mixed 67 to 63 extra 63to66 Konigsberg 66 61 extra 62 65 Rostock 67 59 ....fine — 62 Silesian, red 53 67 white. ...59 62 Pomera.,Meckberg.,andUckermrk. ...red.. 58 60 Russian, hard, 44 to 48... St. Petersburg and Riga49 57 Danish and Holstein, red 51 58 American57 Gl Chilian, white 61... Californian 64 ... Australian62 65 BARLEY, grinding 21 to 27.. ..distilling and malting28 31 OATS, Dutch, brewing and Polands 17 to 23 feedl5 17 Danish and Swedish, feed 18 to 20.... Stralsund...l8 20 Canada 17 to 19, Riga 18 to 20, Arch.l8to20, P'sbg.lS 20 TARES, Spring, per qr small 35 36 large— 44 BEANS, Friesland and Holstein 33 35 Konigsberg 32 to 33. ..Egyptian , 31 32 PEAS, feeding and maple.. .32 37.. .fine boilers 36 38 INDIAN CORN, white 30 32. ..yellow 27 29 FLOUR, per 8aek,French..00 00...8panish,p. sackOO 00 American, per brl 25 26...extraandd'ble.27 29 IMPERIAL AVERAGES For the week ended July 20, 1872. Wheat 23,536^ qrs. 68s. 6d, Barley 1894 „ 32s. Id. Oats 949 „ 24s. 6d. COMPARATIYE AVERAGES. WHEAT. BARLEY. Years. Qrs. s. d. Qrs. s. d 1868.. . 27,9931 ... 62 9 4171 ... 35 8 1869.. . 40,873i ... 50 U 2461 ... 30 3 1870.. . 40,672i ... 49 9 2511 ... 31 2 1871. . 30,4191 ... 58 10 122i ... 35 11 1872. . 23,536J ... 68 6 189i ... 32 1 OATS Qrs. 981J 1,0891 l,184i 1,052| 949 d. .31 4 .27 3 .26 11 .27 2 .24 5 Wheat. s. d. AVERAGE S Fob the Six Weeks ENDIITG June 15, 1872 , June 22, 1872 June 29, 1872 July 6, 1872 July 13, 1872 July 20, 1872 Aggregate of the above. , The same week in 1871..., 68 4 53 4 58 6 68 8 58 10 Barley. | s. d. 34 10 33 0 33 9 32 3 33 3 32 1 33 2 35 11 Oats, s. d. 23 U 27 2 FLUCTUATIONS in the AVERAGE PRICE of WHEAT. Feicb. Juuo 15. June 22. June 29. July 6. July 13. July So. 59s, 2d. 593. Od. 68s. 8d. 683. 6d. 683. 4d. ... r -.••• r ... r 1. ... BRITISH SEEDS. Mustard, per bush., brown 14s. to 16s., white 8s. Od. to lOa. Canary, per qr new 54s. 568. ...old 52s. 55a. Cloversd., fine red and dark purple68s.72s.,com. 46s. 668. Coriander, per cwt 22s. 23s. Tares, winter, new, per bushel 5s. 3d. 6s. 6d. Trefoil, old and low 16s. to20s new fijie 22s. 243. Ryegrass, per qr 20s. 22s. Linseed, per qr.... sowing 686. to 70s., crushing 60s. 62s. Linseed Cakes, per ton ,. JEll 6s. to f 11 10s. Rapeseed, per qr 62s. 65s. Rape Cake, per ton £6 6s. Od. to £6 10s. Od. FOREIGN SEEDS. Coriander, per cwt 23s. to 24s. Cloverseed, red 42s. to 48s white 683. 72s. Hempseed, small 38s. to 40s. per qr Dutch 45s. 463. Trefoil 16s. 18s. Ryegrass, per qr 20s. 22s. Linseed, per qr.... Baltic 58s. to 62s. ...Bombay 63s. 64s. Linseed Cakes, per ton £10 163. to £11 53. Rape Cake, per ton £6 Gs. to £6 10s. Rapeseed, Dutch 60s. 62s. Carraway ,, new 32s. 33s. POTATO MARKETS, BOROUGH AND SPITALFIELDS. Shaws 70s. to 90s. per cwt. Regents 100s. to 130s. „ Kidneys 110s. to 160s. „ CHEESE, HAMS, &c. CHEESE, per cwt. : s. s. Cheshire 64 to 84 Dble. Glouc, new 56 68 Cheddar 74 90 American 60 58 HAMS: York 90 100 Cumberland 90 100 Irish 90 100 PRICES of BUTTER, BUTTER, per cwt, : s. s. Dorset 120 to 124 Friesland 102 106 Jersey ^^ Feesh, per doz, ,,, 13 BACON, per cwt : Wiltshire, green... 78 Irish, green, f.o.b. 78 GLASGOW CHEESE MARKET, (Wednesday last.)— Ar- rivals limited, and buyers still holding off. Where sales were made sellers complain of losing money. We must quote prices fully Is. down. Cheddars 50s. to 55s., Dunlops 43s. to 50s. per cwt. "" POULTRY, &c., MARKETS.— Goslings, 4s. to 6s. ; Ducks, Is. to Is. 6d. ; Ducklings, Is. 6d. to 2s. 6d. ; Surrey Fowls, 2s. Gd. to 5s.; Sussex ditto, 2s. 6d. to 3s. Gd. ; Boston aud Essex, Is. 6d. to 3s. ; Irish, Is. to 2s. ; Rabbits, tame, Is. to Is. 6d. ; ditto wild, 6d. to Is. 2d. ; Pigeons, 6d. to Is. ; Leve- rets, Is. to 63. COVENT GARDEN MARKET. " LONDON, Fbidat, July 26. We have a good attendance of buyers, and ordinary goods move freely, chiefly bush fruits, at somewhat higher rates. Hothouse produce is ample for the demand, Pines being rather more in request, without any advance in price, cargoes of West Indian fruit being again near at hand, and must be sold, owing to the tropical weather we are experiencing. FRUIT, s. d. Apples,^ i sieve 0 0 to 0 Apricots, per doz 2 Cherries, ^ lb 0 Cobs, ^100 tfi 0 Figs, ^ dozen 4 Filberts, ^16 0 Grapes ^Ib 3 Lemons, 'S hundred. 7 0 to 10 Artichokes, gi'ecn, ea. 0 Asparagus, per hund. 0 French, ditto 0 0 Beet, per dozen 1 0 Brocoli,pm"pl-,'^3 bdl. 0 0 Brus. Sprouts, "^ i sve. 0 0 Cabbages, per dozen... 0 10 Cardoons, each 0 0 Carrots, per bunch „. 0 7 French, ditto 0 0 Cauliflowers, per doz. 2 0 Celery, '^ bundle 1 0 Cucumbers, each 0 6 Fch Beans, new, J sve. 0 0 Herbs, per bunch 0 2 Horseradish.^buudle Melons, each 3 Nectarines,^ doz. ... 8 0 Oranges, ^ hundred 10 0 Peaches, % dozen ... 8 0 Pine Apples, per lb. 3 0 Strawberries, 'Sib.... 1 0 VEGETABLES. 3to 0 li Leeks, per bunch 0 2 0 0 0 Lettuces, per score „. 1 0 0 0 0 Mushrooms, ^ pottle 3 0 0 3 0 Onions, ^ bunch „. 0 4 0 0 Parsley, per bunch ... 0 2 0 n ; Peas, new, ^qt 1 0 1 3 i Potatos, new frame, 16 0 0 0 0 Radishes, per bunch.. 0 2 0 10' French, ditto 0 0 0 0 Bhubarb, ■^bundle.... U 4 B 0 Salsafy, % bundle 0 0 2 0 Scorzonera, ^ bundle. 0 0 1 0 Shallots, ^ lb 0 6 6 0 Spinach, per bushel... 2 0 0 4 Tomatoes, ■%! doz 2 0 5 C Turnips, 'S bun 0 0 8 0 18 0 15 0 24 0 New Potatoes— Round, 6s, to 12s, per cwt.; Kidneys, 9s. to 14s. ditto. 186 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. TIMBER. LONDON, Satubdai, July 27. BALTIC FIR TIMBER. Fer load 60 cubic feet. s. d. 8. d. Blga 70 0 to 75 Dantzic and Memel. Crown 80 0 100 0 Best middling 75 0 80 0 Good middling & second 65 0 75 C Common middling CO 0 05 0 Small, short, and irregular 60 0 65 0 Stettin 50 0 55 C Swedish 47 0 50 0 Small 0 0 45 C Swedish & Norway balks 0 0 42 6 AMERICAN PITCH PINE. United States o 0 0 0 BALTIC OAK TIMBER. Memel, crown no 0 130 C Brack 90 0 105 C Dautzio and Stettin, Crown 100 0 120 C Brack ftunsquar'd 75 0 95 C WAINSCOT. Per log 18 cubic feet. BIga, crown 77 6 110 0 Brack 75 0 80 0 Memel and Dantzic, Crown 75 0 80 C Brack 40 0 47 0 DEALS AND BATTENS. Per Petersburg Btanoard hundrsd . ^ £ s. £ 8. Archangel 12 10 14 10 Seconds 10 0 10 10 Petersburg „. 12 0 13 5 Wyburg 9 15 10 10 Finland and hand- sawn Swedish 7 10 B 10 Petersburg Ik Riga white deals 8 10 10 0 Memel and Dantzic, Crown red deals... 0 0 0 0 Brack „, 0 0 0 0 £ s. Christiana & Sanue- Bund deals, white and yellow 10 0 to 12 10 Second do ,,... 0 0 0 0 Dram & Frederick- etadt battens, do. 0 0 0 0 DramSVa-inchdo. ... 0 0 0 0 Qothenb'g.gd stocks 10 0 11 0 Common 8 10 9 15 Gefle and Swedish 14-feet deals 10 10 12 10 Swedish deals and battens, long mill- sawn 8 0 9 10 Dantzic, cr'wn deck, per 40-feet 3-inoh 10 16 Brack 0 14 0 17 LATHWOOD. Per cubic fathom . Petersburg 9 0 10 0 Riga, Dant., Memel, and Swedish 5 0 7 0 FIREWOOD. Per cubic fathom, red deal ends 5 0 6 10 Norway, red Jt white boards 4 0 4 10 Rounds and slabs 3 10 4 0 OAK STATES. Per mille pipe. Memel, crown 200 0 210 0 First brack 170 0 176 0 Dantzic, Stettin, * Hambro' fuU-slz'd crown 130 0 175 0 Canada, stand, pipe 85 0 90 0 Puncheon, %; 1,200 pieces 23 0 0 0 Bosnia, .single brl., ^1,200 pieces 30 0 32 0 United States, pipe 60 0 70 0 Hogshead, heavy and extra 35 0 62 0 Sllfirht 26 0 30 0 LEADENHALL LEATHER MARKET. LONDON, Satubdat, July 27. lbs. lbs 28 to 35 CROP HIDES. KNGIilSH. d. d. IG t017W! HOESB HIDES, lbs. Iba. d. d. English 13 18 ... KitoM „ withoutbutt.q 9 14 ... 16 ]8Mi Spanish, salted, without butts, 8. d.a. d. per hide 6 9 ...13 6 20 0 Do. do. do... 9 12 ...17 0 23 0 lbs. BUTTS. ENGLISH, lbs. 21 24 26 28 FOBEIQN. OFFAL, .. 14 a. 8 Do. Cheeks and Facs in Do. Bellies . 11 13 Do. Middles do. .. 13 12 15 li .. 10 . 10 11 Do. Bellies 12 Do. Middles do. .. IK 13 Drssslng Hide Shoulder 1. 12 14 Do. do. Bellies .... . 10 12 Kip Shoulders H IS Do. Bellies .. 7 :)BS. 11 DRESSING HII lbs. lbs, d. d Oommon 20 to 24 .. 16 tol7Vi Do 25 28 .. 10 17\il Do 30 34 .. 10 17 Do 35 40 .. 16 17 Baddlers' 30 35 .. 17 18 Do. „ 3C 50 .. 17 18 Bulls 12 IS 14 Shaved 14 10 .. 201A Do 17 19 .. 18 20V'2 Do. _ 20 23 .. 17MJ 20 Do 24 28 .. 24 .. 17 18 19VS Scotch do 16 Coach, per hide.... — S. to —3. HORSE BUTTS. SHAVED, d. d. d. d. English 15 17 ... 10 18 Spanish „..,.„. 13141 16 14 17 do. do. inferior ..H 0 14 0 dry do... 0 8 ...12 0 18 0 do. do . 9 11 ...14 0 20 0 do. do. iaferior ...10 0 2 0 CALF SKINS. Av. weight, lbs. lbs. d. per dozen 20to30 „. 24 Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. ..30 35 ..35 40 40 45 _ 45 50 „ 60 00 ..60 75 ... 23 35 ..76 90 ... 23 34 Welsh, unrounded. Av. wght., p.doz.25 Do. 35 50 KIPS. lbs. lbs. Feteisburgh 4 7 ... Do. _.... 7 9 ... Do. 9 10 ... Do 11 E. I.drysalted... 4 Do. do. ... 7 Do. seconds Do. thirds Do. iufoiior 13 SHEEP SKINS, Basils, unstrained, per lb. 10 22V4 Do. sti;ained, per lb. ... 10 22 Do. facing, per doz 78.24.". White Sheep & Lambs „ 8 18 Do. strained „ 10 24 Do. aprons , 12 30 Tan Sheep and Lambs ,, 12 30 Sumach roans 10 45 DO. skivers ,, 12 30 Bark skivers , 14 30 SUNDRIES. 8. B. Hog Skins, best each 8 to 18 Do. seconds , 6 10 Seal Skins, split, per dozen 0 0 Do. for bindings „ 0 0 Calf Skins.Sumach- tauned 0 0 Do. white 30 60 Horse Hides, white, each... 14 21 Hide Splits, per lb lOd. to 14d; HAY MARKETS. LONDON, Satubday, July 27. SillTHFIELD. — Large supplies ol" bay and straw are on sale. The trade is quiet, and middling qualities are unsale- able. Prime old meadow hay, 80s. to 90s. ; inferior, 36s. to 70s.; prime old clover, 110s. to 126s.; inlerior, 36s. to 90s. ; prime new clover, 80s. to 90s. ; inferior, 36s. to 70s. ; straw, iOs. to 44s. per load. BICESTER, (Friday last.)— Hay, £3 to £5; Straw, £2 to £2 10s. per ton. DERBY, (Tuesday last.)— Hay, £3 15s. to £4 10s.; Straw, £3 to £3 10s. per ton. WORCESTER, (Wednesday last.) — Hay, new. 75a. to 803. ; ditto, old, 85s. to 873. 6d. ; Straw, 42s. 6d. to 478. 6d. HIDE AND SKIN MARKETS. MARKET HIDES 50 to 641b8 „.... 0 64 to 721b8 0 72 to 801b8 0 80 to 881b8 0 83 to 961be 0 96 to 1041be 0 101 to 1121bs 0 «. d. 8 d. 4% too 4?4 0 B. d. 8. d. Horse hides, each _. 0 0 to 0 0 Calf skins, light 3 0 6 0 Full „. 9 6 0 0 Polled sheep 0 0 0 0 Half-breds „. 0 0 0 0 Downs 0 0 0 0 Shearlings „ 3 0 3 6 Lambs 4 0 5 6 BARK AND TANNING MATERIALS. LONDON, Satubday, July 27. £ s. £ S.I £ English, per load of Cork Tree, Barbary 6 45 cwt. delivered In I Do. Sardinian 9 London.... Coppice Dutch, per ton Hambro' Antwerp Tree Do. Coppice French Himosa Chopped ... Do. Ground... „.... Do. Lone 6 Valonia, Smyrna 15 .„. 0 0 0 0 Do. Camata „. 0 ,.„. 5 0 5 10 Do. Morea _. 12 ._. 5 0 5 10 Gambler in bales 21 ,.„. 6 6 5 IB Ditto, cubes, pressed. 24 .„. 5 16 CIO Ditto, cubes, free 25 ,.„. 0 0 0 0 Cutch, best Pegu 26 ,.„. 9 10 lllODlvlDivi 12 ,._. 10 10 11 10 Myrabolans 12 8 0 9 10 Sumach, Sicily 2ii s. £ 8. Oto7 0 0 10 0 0 20 0 0 0 0 0 17 10 10 22 10 10 25 0 0 26 0 0 27 0 0 15 0 0 J7 10 0 22 0 FLAX, &c. LONDON, SAT0BDAT, July 27 £ 8. £ B. Hemp, Petei'Sburgh Coir yarn,..-.-. - clean, per ton 3S Oto 0 Oi Junk -... Outshot 3J 10 0 ol Fibre Half-clean 30 0 no Flai, Rlgn Riga, Rhine 37 0 0 0 Manilla 39 0 70 0 East Indian, Sunn 16 0 27 15 Jute 11 15 28 01 St. Petersburgh, 12 head „. 38 0 9 head _. 20 0 Egyptian - _. 54 0 40 0 31 0 80 0 MANURES. Peruvian Guano, direct from importers' stores, £13 Os. per ton. Bones, crashed £8, half-inch .£8 5s., bone dust £i I'^s per ton. Coprolite, Cambridge (in London) whole £3 5s , ground £3 15s., Su ,^ whole £2 10s., ground £3 per ton. f[° Nitrate of Soda, £ 17 per ton. Sulphate of Ammonia, £22 10s. to £24 per ton. Gypsum, £1 10s. per ton. Superphosphate of Lime, £5 5s. to .£0 5s. per ton. Blood Manure, ,£0 10s. to £8 per ton. Dissolved Bones, £7 per toil. E. PURSER, London Manure Company, 116, Penchurch Street.E.C. LIVERPOOL SEED AND GUANO, kc, MARKET, (Saturday last.) — There has been a seasonable liome aucl e.x- port inquiry for Nitrate of Soda at last week's prices, and tlie sales comprise 250 tons on llie spot at 14s. 6d. to 14s 9d., with 300 tons afloat, since arrived, at 14s. 7^d. per cwt. for Liver- pool ; the weeks import is 9,700 bags. Nothing to report in River Plate Bone Ash on the spot, but for arrival some car- goes liave realized £6 7s. Gd. for Ash on 70 base and £7 ppr tou for Cattle Bone. There has beeu an iuaclive market for Linseed on the spot; sales of Turkish at 61s. Cd., and of Chilian at GGs. ; to arrive, Calcutta at GOs. Gd. fo 61s. per qr. There is a very sliglit demand for Rapeseed at rather reduced rates, trivial sales of yellow Guzsrat at 62s. per qr. Of Canary- seed sales at 4Gs. for Turkish, and 47s. Gd. for Barbary, and of Cottonseed at £7 2s. Gd. to .t7 5s. for West Indian, and at £6 5s. per tou for Marauham to arrive. For Peruviau Guano, all faults, £9 15s. was ofl'ered at auction, and for GOO tons from Patagonia 30s. per tou was also bid. No change in Oilcakes. The sales of Tallow have agaiu been unimportant at last week's quotations. Guano, Peruvian £12 10 0 to£0 0 0 Cloversced, N.A.... 0 0 0 to£0 0 0 Liiisd.Bomby,p.qr.3 5 0 Linseed Cake, per ton — Amer,,thin, bgs. 9 15 0 Cotsd. Cake, decor. 7 5 0 Kapeseed.Guzeriit 3 6 Niger 2 7 0 2 80 iNitr.of Soda, p. ct.O 14 6 0 14 9 5 0|GennanKainit 1 0 0 2 00 0 o|Tallow, 1st P.Y.C. 0 0 0 0 0 0 super. Norths 2 10 2 3 6 SAMUEL DOWNES and CO., General Brokers, No. 7, The Albanj^, Liverpool, Prentice's Cereal Manure for Corn Crops „.„ per ton £8 0 0 Mangold Manure „ „ „.„... ,, 8 0 0 Pientice's Turnip Manure _„ ,, Old 6 Prentice'.s Supei-pho.sphateof Lime.... , 0 o 0 Agricultm*al Chemical Works, Stowmarket Suffolk. Printed by Rogerson and Tuxfoid, 265, Strand, London, W.C. THE ROYAL FARMERS' INSURANCE COMPANY, 3, NORFOLK STREET, STRAND, LONDON, W.C. CAh^'^AL. — Persons insured by this Company have tlie security of an extensive and wealthy proprietary as well as an aniplo Capital always applicable to the payment of claims without delay. LIFE DEPARTMENT.— BONUS.— Insurers of the participating class will be entitled to four-fifths of the profits. ASSIGNMENTS. — The Company grant Policiog payable to the Registered Holders, whereby much exponso and iucouvouieuce arc prevented. Stamp Duty paid by the Office. FIRE DEPARTMENT, - 1st Class-^Not Hazardous ,,. Is. 6d. per Cent. 2nd Class — Hazai'dous 2s. 6d. „ 3rd Class — Doubly Hazardous 4s. 6d. „ BUILDINGS find MERCANTILE Property of every description in Public or Private Warehouses. — Distillers, Steam Engines, Goods in Boats or Canals, Ships in Port or Harbour, &c. &c., are Insured in this Office at moderate rates. SPECIAL RISKS.— At such rates as may be considered reasonable. FARMING STOCK. — 5s. per cent., with liberty to use a Steam Thrashing Machine without extra charge. Nearly FIVE MILLIONS Insured in this Office. SEVEN YEARS' INSURANCES may bo effected on payment of Sis Years' Premium only. LIGHTNING and GAS.— Losses by Fii'e occasioned by Lightning, and Losses by Explosion of Gas when used for Lighting Buildings will be allowed for. RENT. — The Loss on Rent while Buildings remain untenantable through fire may be provided against. HAIL DEPARTMENT.— (Ceops and Glass.) Policies to protect parties from Loss by the destruction of Growing Crops or Glass, by Hail, are granted on Moderate Terms. LOSSES.— Prompt and liberal settlement. AGENTS WANTED. Apply to JOHN REDDISH, Esq., Secretary and Actuary. LONDON AND COUNTY BANKING COMPANY. ESTABLISHED 1836. SUBSCRIBED CAPITAL... £2, 500,000, in 50,000 SHARES of £50 EACH. PAID-UP CAPITAL... £1,000,000 RESERVE FUND... £500,000. DIRECTORS. NATHANIEL ALEXANDER, Esq. I FREDERICK FRANCIS, Esq. I JAMES MORLEY, Esq. T. TYRINGHAM BERNARD, Esq. I FREDERICK HARRISON, Es^. I WILLIAM NICOL, Esq. PHILIP PATTON BLYTH, Esq. I WM. CHAMPION JONES, Esq. 1 A. HODGSON PHILLPOTTS, Esq. THOMAS STOCK COWIE, Esq. | E. HARBORD LUSHINGTON, Esq. | FREDERICK YOULE, Esq. TRUSTEES. P. P. BLYTH, Esq. | F. HARRISON, Esq. I W. CHAMPION JONES, Esq. AUDITORS. WILLL&.M JARDINE, Esq. | WILLIAM NORMAN, Esq. | RICHARD H. SWAINE, Esq. General Manager— WILLIAM McKEWAN, Esq. CHIEF INSPECTOR, INSPECTORS OF BRANCHES. CHIEF ACCOUNTANT. W. J. NORFOLK, Esq. H. J. LEMON, Esq., and C. SHERRING, Esq. JAMES GRAY, Esq. Solicitors— Messrs, STEVENS, WILKINSON, & HARRIS. Secketart— F. CLAPPISON, Esq. HEAD OFFICE, 21, LOMBARD STREET. Manager— WHITBREAD TOMSON, Esq. | Assistant Manager- WILLIAM HOWARD, Esq. THE LONDON AND COUNTY BANK opens— , „ , , DRAWING ACCOUNTS with Commercial Houses and Private Inclividuals, either upon the plan usuaUy adopted by ether Bankers, or by charging a small Commission to those persons to whom it may not be convenient to sustain an agreed Permanent Balance, DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS.— Deposit Receipts are issued for sums of Money placed upon these Accounts, and Interest is allowed for such periods and at such rates as may be agreed upon, reference being had to the state of the Money Market. CIRCULAR NOTES AND LETTERS OF CREDIT are issued, payable in the principal Cities and 'Sovms of the Con- tinent, in Australia, Canada, India, and China, the United States, and elsewhere. The Agency of Foreign and Covmtry Banks is undertaken. . „, ^ ^ , ^ t. The PoBCHASB and Salb of Government and other Stocks, of EngUsh or Foreign Shares effected, and Dividends, l&jfHuiTiBS, &c,, received for Customers of the Bank. „ Great tacihties are also afforded to the Customers of the Bank for the receipt of Money from the To^\tis where the Con- ^pany has Branches. VThe Officers of the Bank are bound not to disclose the transactions of any of its Customers. By Order of the Directors, "WM. MoKE WAN, General Manager. THE MARK LANE EXPRESS AND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL IS THB LARGEST AND THE LEADING FARMER'S AND GRAZIER'S NEWSPAPER. PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY EVENING, IN TIME FOR POST. Office of Publication and for Advertisements, 265, Strand, London. May be had of all Booksellers and Newsmen throughout the Kingdom , price Sevenpence, or £1 lOs. 4d. per annum. IMPORTANT TO FLOGKMASTERS. THOMAS BIGG, Agricultural and Veterinary Chemist, by Appointment to Ma late Royal Highness The Prince Consort, E.G., Leicester House, Great Dover Street, Borough, London, begs to call the attention of Farmers and Graziers to his valuable SHEEP and LAMB DIPPING COMPOSITION, which requires no Boiling, and may be used with Warm or Cold Water, for effectually destroying the Tick, Lice, and all other insects injurious to the Flock, preventing the alarming attacks of Ply and Shab, and cleansing and purifying the Skin, thereby greatly im- proving the Wool, both in quantity and quaUty, and highly Contributing to the general health of the animal. Prepared only by Thomas Bigg, Chemist, &c., at his Manu- factory as above, and sold as follows, although any other quantity may be had, if requii-ed: — 4 lb. for 20 sheep, price, jar Lucluded £0 2 0 61b. 30 „ „ , 0 3 0 81b. 40 „ „ „ 0 4 0 101b. 50 „ „ „ 0 6 0 20 lb. 100 „ „ (Cask and measure 0 10 0 30 lb. 150 „ „ included) 0 15 0 40 lb. 200 „ „ „ 10 0 501b, 260 „ ., „ 13 6 601b. 300 „ „ 17 6 801b. 400 ,. „ „ 1 17 6 1001b. 500 „ „ „ 2 6 0 Should any Flockmaster prefer boiling the Composition, it will be equally effective. MOST IMPORTANT CERTIFICATE. From Mr. Hehupath, the celebrated Analytical Chemist ;— Bristol Laboratoi-y, Old Park, January 18th, 1861. Sir,— I have submitted your Sheep Dipping Composition to analysis, and find that the ingi-edients are well blended, and the mixture neutral. If it is used according to the directions given, I feel satisfied, that while it effectually destroys vermin, it will not injure the hair roots (or "yolk'') in the skin, the fleece, or the carcase. I think it deserves the numerous testimonials published, I am. Sir, youi-s respectfully, William Hebapath, Sen., F.C.S., &c., &c., . To Mr, Thomas Bigg Professor of Chemistry. Leicester House, Great Dover-street, Borough, London". He would also especially call attention to his SPECIFIC, or LOTION, for the SCAB or SHAB, which will be found a certain remedy for eradicating that loathsome and ruinous disorder in Sheep, and which may be safely used ia all climates, and at all seasons of the year, and to aU descriptions of sheep, even ewes ia lamb. Price FIVE SHILLINGS per gallon — sufficient on an average for thirty Sheep (according to the virulence of the disease) ; also in wine quart bottles, Is. 3d. each. IMPORTANT TESTIMONIAL, " Scoulton, near Hingham, Norfolk, April 16th, 1865. "Dear Sir, — In answer to youi's ot the 4th inst., whiv.': would have been replied to before this had I been at home, I have much pleasure in bearing testimony to the efficacy of your invaluable ' Specific for the cure of Scab in Sheep,' The 600 sheep were aU di'cssed in August last mih 84 gallons of the 'Non-poisonous Specific,' that was so highly recom- mended at the Lincoln Show, and by their own dresser, the best attention being paid to the flock oy my shepherd after dressing according to instructions left ; but'notwithstanding the Scab continued getting worse. Being determined to have the Scab cured if possible, I vrroteto you for a supply of your Specific, which I received the following day ; and although the weather was most severe in February dm-ing the dressing, your Specific proved itself an invaluable remedy, for in three weeks the Sheep were quite cureil ; and I am happy to say the young lambs are doing remarkably well at present. In conclusion, I beheve it to be the safest and best remedy now in use. " I remain, dear Sir, " For JOHN TINGEY, Esq., «' To Mr. Thomas Bigg. ' "R. RENNBY. 1^" Flockmasters would be well to beware of such pro-' parations as " Non-poisonous Compositions :" it is only necessary to appeal to their good common sense and judg- ment to be thoroughly convinced that no "Non-poisonous" article can poison or destroy insect vermin, particularly such as the Tick, Lice, and Scab Parasites— creatures so tenacious of life. Such advertised preparations must bo wholly u selcss , or they are not what they are represented to be. DIPPING APPARATUS £14. M, £i, & £3. "TZZZ --- , 1 No. t, Vol. XLII.1 OCTOBER, 1873. [Third Semes. Per FZT^^^ THE 1 1 FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 4KD ?40NTHLY JOURNAL THE ACIRICULTURAL INTEEEST. IBetrifatelr TO THE FARMERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. LONDON : PUBLISHED BYROGERSON AND TUXFORD, 265, STRAND, PRICE TWO SHILLINGS. ROGERSON AND TUXFORD,] [PRINTERS, 265, STRAND. — ^ THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. OCTOBER, 1873. CONTENTS. Plate I.— THE LEICESTER MONUMENT. Plate II.—" ON A SHINY NIGHT." Description op Plates .... Cattle Plague "Theories" .... Cattle Diseases and Shorthorn Breeding . , A Matter of Business .... After-Dinner Table-Talk .... The Cattle-Plague ..... The Lavender Country .... The Land Laws and Tenant-Right Land Tenure Laws and Tenant-Right The Maidstone Farmers' Club — ^The ABC Sewage System Carmarthenshire Farmers' Club — Irrigation . The Parsonage Farm ..... The Veterinary Art as applied to Agricultural Societies The Lamb Disease ..... The Veterinary Department of the Privy Council Office — Report for 1871 Professional Prophecies Outbreak of Cattle Plague in Yorkshire The Potato Panic Tenant-Right . . , Tenant-Right for Scotland . The Geologist in Sussex . . , The Old and New Style The Manchester Farmers' Club Uniformity of Weights, Measures, and Coins The Public Health Bill Leicestershire Agricultural Society : Meeting at Market Harborough Worcestershire Agricultural Society: Meeting at Stourbridge East Cumberland Agricultural Society : Meeting at Carlisle Whitby Agricultural Society Easingwold Agricultural Society Lytham and Kirkham Agricultural Society : Meeting at Lytham Leominster Agricultural Society , . Richmondshire Agricultural Society . . The Agricultural Statistics, Ireland, 1872 — Official Report. WiRRAL Agricultural Society The Cattle Plague . . . _ Huntingdonshire Agricultural Society: Meeting at Ramsey . Halifax and Calder Vale Agricultural Society: Meeting at Halifax Staffordshire Agricultural Society : Meeting at Stafford Durham Agricultural Society: Meeting at Durham . Royal and Central Bucks Agricultural Association : Meeting at Aylesbury The Irish National Horse and Sheep Show in Dublin The Eccentricities of Shorthorn Judges Sale of Mr. T. Bracewell's Herd of Shorthorns Sale of Lord Dunmore's Shorthorns . Sale of Messrs. Harward's and Downing's Herds of Shorthorns Mr. G. M. Sexton's Stock Sale at Wherstead, Suffolk Mr. Allen's Shorthorns Sheep Sales and Ram Lettings Scotch Sheep Sales .... Sale of the Clydesdale Stallion, Prince of Wales The Reaper Trials at Brampton "Pure" Shorthorns ... Signs of the Times The Food Question and Tenant-Right Foot-and-Mouth Disease amongst Hounds The Shorthorn Pedigree Case The Hull Linseed Cake Trade Waste Materials ... '^he French Peasant Farmers' Seed-Fund North Northumberland Agricultural Report Review of the Corn Trade . Market Currencies, Imperial Averages, &c. PAGE 282, 283 283 Engraved by Hare from a Photograph. ^m Kl © L K !M] A Ki] [PAI^USa ^; ^ ■3 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. OCTOBER, 1872, PLATE I. THE LEICESTER MONUMENT. During the summer of 1870 there was some smart skirmishing between the agriculturists of Bedfordshire and Norfolk, Mr. Charles Howard opening the ball at Ilarleston, where he was acting as a judge, by cautioning his eastern friends in this wise : " I have had the oppor- tunity of seeing a good deal of the farming in Norfolk during the last few days, I am not going to find fault with your farming, but I should tell you this, that if you don't look out you will no longer hold the position you have done, but. other counties will soon trip you up ;" and so on, with a special protest against " the beastly rubbish" in the way of timber. Mr. Henry Overman, in reply, said, "as to hedge-rows Mr. Howard would not have made the remarks he had done if he had visited West Norfolk ; for there the landlords were going a head, taking down the fences by wholesale and thereby the timber." Very shortly afterwards Mr. James Howard, M.P., the chairman of the year, gave some of the leading members of the Farmers' Club a day's outing in Bedfordshire, when the subject was incidentally re- newed by Mr. Charles Howard, justifying the warning he had given when in Norfolk -. " No man was so unsafe as he who considered himself safe," and "some of the implements he had seen in Norfolk were curiosities which might have come from Noah's Ark." In answer here, Mr. Robert Leeds said " Mr. Charles Howard had not visited Norfolk in reality, for the Harlestou show had been held in a yard which vvas actually in Suffolk. In no county did the landlords do more to benefit their tenants than in his own, and the nobleman under whom he lived had compelled his tenants to ' cut down ' all the vermin, beginning with the rabbits. He trusted the Norfolk show would soon be held near his own place, and he should be happy to receive those of his audience who might attend it." The chairman of the day, Mi-. James Howard, pointed this little episode in the proceedings by remarking that " the development of agriculture in Norfolk and Bedfordshire was due to the exertions of the Earl of Leicester and the Duke of Bedford," Old Serif.s "• And during this past summer of 'seventy-two Mr, Leeds was enabled to carry out his hospitable threat. Some of his audience from the banks of the Ouse were present at that Royal meeting at King's Lynu, Mr, Charles Howard amongst them, when again acting as a judge, and these were secured for a companion outing in Nor- folk. On the day after the show we start early, and make a good beginning at Castle Acre, the repute of which Mr. Leeds himself ably sustains. Then, we touch on the occupation of a worthy neighbour, Mr. Ringer, of Rougham ; and next, in turn, little though he list it, the Midland Counties critics, like Mr. Howard and Mr, Newton, are busy over the crops and flocks of Mr, Henry Overman at Weasenhara — the good wheats, the trim fences, and the Oxfords vice the pure Downs of his forefathers. Passing the Marquis of Townsend's place at Raynham we order " the next pair out" at Fakenham, wheie even in these Express times a few posters are still to be found. In that crumbling castle at Barsham, on the lands of ray Lord Hastings, grim old Oliver had once a home, but our party of to-day has scant leisure for the picturesque — their business is with more wlieats and more barleys, and "how much an acre you give for this ?" and " what's the course you follow there?" And so speeding on by Mr. Lee Warner's at Walsingham, we skirt Egniere, the farmstead of Mr. Robert Overman, and even the Bedfordshire censor smiles his approval. With just here and there " a sniff" of the sea we reach the long drive avenues to Holkham, the seat of those Lord Leicesters to whom " the development of agriculture in Norfolk is due" — who " as landlords do everything to benefit their tenants," and of whom that tall column '' cherishes the precedent and commends the practice," Many years have sped since we were at Holkham, and as our companions, the judges of the land, seem to know little or nothing of the monument we put the photo- graper to work forthwith, and epitomise the story from Mr. Bacon's little book. In July, 18i2, immediately after the death of Lord Leicester, at a preliminary meeting held in Norwich, T [Vol.. LXXII.— No. 4. 282 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Mr. John Hudson moved the following resolutions : That, this meeting, deeply impressed with the irreparable loss they have sustained by the death of that great and good man, Thomas William Coke, Earl of Leicester, are anxious immediately to express their gratitude bythus publicly acknowledging the many acts of kindness, of friend- ship, and princely hospitality, which, for so long a period, and on all occasions, "they invariably experienced at his hands. That, as farmers, we owe to the late Earl of Leicester a debt never to be discharged, for whilst many have now to lament the loss of the kindest and most liberal of landlords, in liim we all have to deplore the loss of the greatest friend and patrou of agriculture the world has hitherto seen. That, this meeting therefore, deeply impressed with the private worth and virtue, with a due sense of the public services, and the encouragement so liberally, so success- fully, so patriotically bestowed upon agriculture by the late Earl of Leicester, are desirous of testifying their gratitude, for friendship so sincere and disinterested, for services so great, and for benefits so lasting and extensive, by the erectiou of a Public Monument to his memory. That, this meeting of the yeomanry and tenantry, al- though feeliug it incumbent upon tliem in gratitude to their deceased and revered benefactor, to come thus pro- minently forward, most respectfully and cordially invite the nobility, gentry, clergy, and all others who participate iu their sentiments, to join them in furthering the object iu view. A Committee was accordingly formed, and close upon £5,000 soon collected, when opinion being divided as to the site, the question was put to the vote of the sub- scribers : — For Holkham 322, and for Norwich 281. The design of Mr. Donthorn was selected at a cost not to exceed £4,200, The monument, overlooking the house, from the hill, aud standing on a base of forty-four feet square, is one hundred and twenty- five feet in height. The work is composed of a pedestal, on which is erected a fluted column sur. mounted by a wheat-sheaf. Three sides of the pedestal are bas-reliefs. One represents the late Earl granting a lease to a tenant; the second the Holkham sheep- shearing ; the third irrigation ; aud on the fourth side is the following inscription : This column iu Memory of THOMAS WILLIAM COKE, EARL OE LEICESTER, Eor more than Half a Century The faithful Representative of this County In the House of Commons, Erected by Subscription Originating with the Yeomanry and supported by the Noblemen and Gentlemen of all Parties, Records a Life devoted lo the Welfare of his Friends, Neighbours, and Tenants. Of such a Man Contemporaries needed no Memorial : his deeds Were before them : his Praises in their Hearts ; But it imports Posterity to know that HE pre-eminently Combined Public Services with Private Worth ; Aifording an illustrious Example of Birth and Station Actuated by Duty and inspired by Benevolence. Integrity and Independence marked his Political Career, Love, Honour, and Regret Attend the Father, Friend, and Landlord ; The Arts lament in him a liberal and fostering Patron ; And Agriculture, to which From early Manhood to the close of Life he dedicated Time, Energy, Science, aud Wealth, Crowuiug his Cenotaph with her Emblems, Cherishes the Precedent and commends the Practice Of hor Great Promoter and Benefactor, The four corners of the pedestal show the means by which cultivation and production were improved and in- creased by the late Earl. At the first corner, a Devon Ox, with the inscription. Breeding in all its branches ; the second corner, Southdown Sheep, with the in- scription. Small in size hut great in value ; the third corner, the Plough, with the inscription. Live and let J live; and the fourth corner, the Drill, with the " inscription, The Improvement of Agriculture, The Sheep Shearing group includes — Mr. Gurdon, Sir W, Folkes, Lord Colborne, the late Earl of Leicester, Mr. Leamon, Sir J. P. Boileau, and Earl Spencer ; Granting a Lease is made up of Mr. Blomfield, Mr. Hudson, jun., Mr. Baker, the present Earl of Leicester, Mr. Blaikie, Mr. Overman, Mr. Hudson, sen.. Sir W. Foster, and the late Earl of Leicester ; and Irrigation of Mr. Wil- liam Beck, the late Earl of Leicester, and the late Duke of Bedford. Here, then, having got Lord Leicester and the Duke of Bedford, the Champions of the two counties, together again, we drive to Agricultural Development in a a glass of champagne, backed by as mild a cigar as that fierce commentator from Biddenham can find, and are soon on the way home, through Quarlcs, and Lord Cholmondeley's property. There is, however, of course another great landmark in our journey, aud at Sandring- ham we just catch a glance of the Prince and Princess as they cross the road for the gardens, while Mr. Beck whispers our Open Sesame ! to a scene which really has something of an air of enchantment about it. Nature and Art, woodland, and water, have done so much, and Art has been so judiciously " kept down," as to give the effect of its illustrious possessor having the Tather grown the place than made it. Mr. Howard himself ex- presses an admiration even for timber and the bordering plantations through which we gang on to Mrs. Cress- ^ well's, the Lady Pigot of these parts, with her heart in the science, and " some capital lambs those," as the stranger visitors are kind enough to intimate. Mr. Mid- dleton, too, " does his land well" at Plitcham ; and just by way of " relief," if there were only time, we should like to call in at the kennels of the West Norfolk at Mas- singham, and anticipate another bench of judges, who open the Assize here on the morrow. But we are due again at Castle-Acre, there to talk over all we have seen, and ready to testify to all Thomas William Coke, Earl of Leicester, aud his descendants have done for the farming of Norfolk, and to hear how they have ever combined " Public Services with Private Worth." THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 283 PLATE II. "ON A SHINY NIGHT." Or, again, 'Till I took up to Poaching, As you shall presently hear. For 'tis my delight on a shiny night In the season of the year. Good luck to every ge'nelman "Who wants to buy a hare ! For 'tis my delight on a shiny night In the season of the year. And so on, as we first heard It some forty years since when trolled out at a village feast by a famous cricketer, who was something more than suspected at off times of putting the sentiment of his song into practice. But if we can only manage to keep down the hares for the harriers and long-tails poaching will not pay ; and as for sport, hare-shooting is but mere " potting" at best, as nobody cares for fur if he can get a chance at feather. CATTLE PLAGUE "THEORIES For some considerable time past it has been our duty to draw attention to a very anomalous state of things. iVlthough, as it would seem, a successful effort had been made to hold London safe, and although it was well known that disease was pouring in at other points, a very pecu- liar desire has been evinced to keep guard over the City, and to let the country take care of itself. Every mole- hill on the Thames has been magnifled into a mountain, and the most wonderful cock-and-bull stories continually put about. The outbreak in Yorkshire maintains, with marked emphasis, the necessity for a directly different course of action. The metropolis, so fai', is tolerably well looked after, while from elsewhere it is that danger is to be dreaded. If we are to trust to " authority" and " the profession," the argument goes straight in this direction. Professor Simonds, as we quoted from him in our last number, dwells on " the difficulty" and " risk" in dealing with diseased animals ashore, even at a port like Hull, and in support, as it were, of the September Veterinarian, clearly prefers letting the beasts drift out to sea. A writer in The Field, moreover, of Saturday 14th, says much the same, only still more decisively, and we give the more importance to this article as being ma- nifestly either actually penned or prompted by one of the Professors engaged over the Yorkshire outbreak. The writer, then, in making a deduction from the premisses taken after his own fashion, says : " The addition to our previous experience which is supplied by the circum- stances of the recent outbreak is in one sense valuable ; but what we gain in knowledge is taken from our con- sciousness of security. Slaughter of imported animals at the place of landing has always been the final demand of the home breeder contending for the safety of his herds ; but here is a case where due provision existed for the slaughter of the cattle which introduced the disease had they been landed ; and apparently a more stringent pre- caution than slaughter at the landing place was adopted, and yet without success. Waterside markets and qua- rantine stations are very effective inventions, '^in theory ; but the experience of Ireland in 1866, and our experience of the last few weeks, should teach us the importance of guarding against the conveyance of contagion by indirect means. Our measures of precaution are calculated to induce a false conviction of safety, unless we remain awake to the existence of imminent danger whenever animals affected with cattle plague approach our shores. 4t none of our landing places, except Deptford market, are there any efficient provisions for the destruction of diseased animals, and nowhere, so far as we have seen, are there proper arrangements for disinfecting persons who have been in contact with plague-infected animals." All this is well worth pondering over, showing as it does how much love's labour has been lost, and how, except at Dejifford, ihera are no "efficient provisions;" vihereas we have been assured almost from day to day that Deptford is the plague spot where there is no efficient provision 1 There is one sentence in the extract we give of pecu- liar significance, and that is as to " the conveyance of con- tagion by indirect means." The " materials" for the history of the outbreak, as now " in possession of the Privy Council," and probably supplied by the same writer already quoted, are published in T//e Times of the same day, that is of Saturday last, and herein the " indirect means" are more definitely spoken to : " None of the diseased cattle were permitted to land ; but they wete all slaughtered on board, and the carcases, battened down in two lighters, were sent out to sea to be sunk in the man- ner that has more than once been described. This was not done until the 28th, and it is quite possible, or even likely, that the disease may have been conveyed to cattle on shore by persons employed in the slaughtering on board. No exact way in which this could have happened has at present been traced out, and it is said that the slaughterers were disinfected on the completion of their work." On this showing the origin of the outbreak has been triumphantly traced, and the Editor of T/ie Agricultural Gazette, who has been " about" with Pro- fessor Browne in Yorkshire during the past week, is now enabled to state how " it seems probable that the three strange animals came direct from the somxe of the pesti- lence, with the germs ready for development ;" while the Privy Council materials tell us that " it is quite possible or even likely" that these three strange animals, of which nobody appears to have known anything in particular, might have taken the disease from " persons employed in slaughtering] on board" or by some other " indirect means." Upon this a very comfortable story or theory is bvxilt up, mainly as it would look with the object of " covering" the culpable negligence attributable to some- body or other in disposing of the carcases at Hull ; and of course, for affording a further opportunity of sneering at " the theories which have been advanced to explain the outbreak of cattle plague in the East Riding, which ascribed it to morbific emanations from the carcases of the Russian cattle washed ashore." Putting aside for a moment our own " theory," that notorious article in The Veterinarian for Septem- ber arrived at a complacent conclusion at thorough T 2 284 THE FAKMEE'S MAGAZINE. variance with the " materials" upon which the " theory" of the Professors is now advanced : " the escape we have had is a narrow one, for security depended not only on the quick detection of the disease, and the destruction of infecting materials as centred in the animals themselves, but in the disinfection, or other- wise dealing with matters, things, and persons, so as to prevent the matrr'tes morhi being carried to our cat- tle." Thus, until the disease broke out, we were informed upon authority that matters, things, and persons had been disinfected ; and when it did break out, we gather from the same high source that it is " probable" at any rate that matters, things, and persons liad not been dis- infected, as nowhere but at Deptford " are there proper arrangements for disinfecting persons." Under different circumstances it is " probable" again, that another view may be taken of " infecting materials in the animals themselves." 0;i the 1st of September the notion of any danger to be dreaded from carcases washed ashore was utterly ridiculed, as the disease had not then appeared ; but since, not a word has been advanced in support of such a " theory" by either of the Professors, jNIr. Simonds contenting himself with saying that it was the duty of Browne, Atkinson, and Co. to see the lighters sunk, and Browne, Atkinson, and Co. saying in reply that " neither our senior nor any other member of our firm undertook to see such work done." According to T]ie Veterinarian, of which Professors Simonds and Browne are the pro- claimed Editors, it was really quite immaterial on the first of September whether the carcases were sunk or not, but other phases in the case have undergone a change since then, and it would really be of advantage to know how the Professors stand at present with regard to their own theory before they attempt to ridicule the theories of other people. The country cannot afford to play fast and loose Avith such a matter as this. At one moment in support of a certain theory the regulations at Hull are pronounced to be efTicient, and then by way of impugning another awkward theory the regulations at Hull are de- clared not to be efficient. CATTLE DISEASES AND SHORTHOKN BREEDING. It may seem fantastic to couple these two things to- gether, but we houestly believe that a more sensible method of dealing with the former will only be attained by an extension of the latter. That the country has of late been sorely plagued with contagious diseases of every de- gree of destructiveness (from the rinderpest which killed more than half of its seizures, to the foot-and-mouth disease which slaughters about five per cent, of the animals attacked), is unhappily beyond disputing by anybody. Of the rinderpest we say nothing, because we are luckily quit of it for the time ; and because, even now% to give a genuine opinion about it and its treatment is to pro- voke a storm of personalities from persons committed to one theory or another. We suppose of all nations on the face of the earth the least willing to hear its shakey senti- ments fairly discussed is the bold Britisher. But the foot- and-mouth disease has hardly got to rank with theology and the Malt-tax as one of the subjects on which men cannot talk without getting into a passion. As yet, we may start opposite opinions about this epidemic without hearing our antagonist begin by saying " I have no patience," &c., and end by asserting that we, and every member of our. class, are either born fools or a general nuisance to society So before the subject is tabooed, and before it passes into the region of " experts," from whose hands nothing seems to emerge that is intelligible or practicable, we may take an opportunity of saying we shall never be rid of foot-and-mouth disease, or get it under common control, until half the English occupiers of land breed some of their cattle for themselves, and until, by breeding, they allow themselves to learn (that which many excellent agriculturists are profoundly ignorant of), the laws which govern health and life among animals. We think foot-and- mouth disease should be callad the " transit-fever." It is the hardships of the journey between the breeding and grazing districts which bred originally and now keep in existence this pestilential drawback to graziers. Just as among the crowded pilgrims to an eastern mart or shrine, or as among the inmates of overpacked gaols in the last century, a characteristic form of contagious disease developed itself, so, in the trucks and shiphol'ds, in which the wretched lean beasts endure the horrors of the middle passage, this particular vengeance against brute mal- treatment took its rise, and is still sustained through the mismanagement which originated it. It is not the dis- tance between the holding of the Irish or Scotch rearer of calves, and that of the portly owner of some century of acres of green crops ready for consumption, and crying " Come eat me," which causes half the disorders which disturb us, so much as the fact that during the passage of this distance the animals are in the ownership and charge of persons who know nothing and care less about what causes sickness and lays the seeds of future disease and premature death. Is this delightful system of changing all the stock on a farm once or twice a year " turning out" so many fat oxen in the winter, without even having reared one — the consummation of all humau wisdom ? Our predecessors followed this plan, and throve and vvaxed rich, but are not the conditions of the problem just a little altered since those days ? Does it follow be- cause the plan was a good one once, that it is the best feasible now ? Would it not be prudent sometimes to re-open questions once deemed settled, and ask. Is it the wisest plan now, when meat is steadily rising, and wheat rules at a continuously lower average, to depend entirely for one's winter stock on the supply at the nearest mar- ket, and the prices the dealers choose to ask and to give ? Other classes are rising in rebellion against the exorbitant charges of the middleman : perhaps the time is not far off when the grazier will discover that he is paying very dearly indeed for the services and intervention of his supple friend the dealer. But this is a distinct question. To-day we only inquire. Does not the present system of buying in all one's stock full grown in the autumn, and selling all out in the spring, entail several unpleasant con- sequences ? First, we make a plethora of beef and com- parative cheapness when the average farmer wants to sell, and a scarcity and comparative dearness when he has nothing to do with the trade except as a buyer. Next we keep in existence an amount of ignorance about cattle which would be incredible if every year's experience did not prove it to be true. Then we have to grapple witli unsoundness of many kinds, quite preventable under a ra- tional state of things, but unseparable from the hurry and crush of a trade which overtasks all that the men connected with railways and packets can do for some few weeks of the year, and then sleeps till another period of activity arrives and finds the staff, ample for ordinary occasions, once more incapable of dealiug with this exces- sive but intermittent traffic. Because the men on a farm. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 285 and the farmer himself, have been iu the habil of dealiui; only with full grown steers, a sound knowledge of animal life and its problems — which can only be gained by watching it coirtiuuously in all its stages as on a breed- ing farm — is rai-ely to be met with. We are not at all afraid to say that, on a great many first-class occupations, there is not a single person, from the master downwards, who knows what to do when a beast Hags, or even notices that he does flag until the disease has so far developed it- self that curative treatment is well nigh impossible. A very ditl'ereni, kind of observation is cultivated where cows are kept all the year round, and calves have regu- larly to be reared. There success entirely depends on a habit of carefully watching minute details ; and as no symptom can safely be disregarded, the master takes more notice of his stock, and the men get attached to the animals they have reared and tended, and greater interest causes increased knowledge and skill. There are not the losses on regular breeding-farms which are so frequently heard of where cattle are not to be found eight months out of the twelve, and then bought in at some crowded market to be turned out as speedily as possible. If the cattle go to these places well, they do not often come away so. We have said nothing of the vMste of letting a beast get full of condition in his native pastures, of reducing him to a skeleton by long journeys and hardships inseparable from railway, steamboat, and fairs, and then freshening him up again, to be again reduced, perhaps, before he takes his last polish and goes, as beef, to the batcher. Hamlet may have wished. Oil that this too, too sohd flesh would melt ! out the grazier is of a ditferent way of thinking. Hs sees the meat vanish under pleuro-pneumonia, br " transit fever," with anything but satisfaction, and wonders how many weeks' keep he will have to throw away before the beast begins to thrive again — if even he lives to thrive again at all. But the present sys- tem has established inself over wide districts ; and vested interests, numerous and strong, have established them- selves about it ; so that if a man speaks of breeding, he speaks to unwilling ears. He is quickly shut up with " Oh that won't do here," or " You can buy cheaper than you can breed," although heads get shaken wofully every spring, when graziers exchange notes over the results of " That fine lot of Irish beasts," or " Those spayed heifers which were as handsome as wax," but left nothing for the turnips and attendance when the cake bill was paid. Breeding, except in a limited number of districts, has never been fairly tried. Where it has, in this paper we have no remarks, to make, and no preference to in- sinuate for one breed over another. Each in its fit loca- lity is best. But we may be allowed to say that, where no local breed exists, there Shorthorns should be tried. We do not mean that Duchess cows should be imported at a cool thousand a-head, or Knightley or Killerby offshoots at a hundred or two apiece, but good milking cows of Durham, Yorkshire, or Lincolnshire descent should be got, as they may, at a little over dairymens' prices. Then the farm will have a new source of interest, and the banker's book a new set of entries on the right side. Next, a good thick young bull, of a well-established tribe, should be selected, and put to the cows bought in ; and all the produce should be reared, aud some calves, begotten by the pedigree sire from neighbouring dairies, bought in, and reared too. In a generation or two great improvement will surely be made ; and the home- reared steers will be always ready, when a sudden rise in the beef trade makes a sale remunerative. Crops can be grown, even on the most unfavourable occupation, so as to tide over the hot months without losing condition. Then, when the autumn comes and the roots are ready, the cattle will he ready too; and there will not be the same crush to buy, all at one time, and the prices of lean stock will bear a better proportion to that at which they will have to gO out at in the spring. At all events the farmer will have a number of fresh chances of getting his necessary stock on advantageous terms. The merit which the Shorthorn has, over all others, is its universal adaptability. Shetland or Sheerness, Kent or Canada, the introductions of Shorthorns thrive, take them wives of the daughters of the land, and rear giant olt'spring for their owners' benefit. The females will pay for their keep, either in beef or iu that true Liebig's " Extractum carnis," milk. When they milk no longer, they will fatten as no other milk machine can. The males, always to be steered without mercy, will grow into useful beasts, which will fatten at eighteen months, or increase till three years old, or work at the plough some time if w'anted, and yet make good beef when done with. The large foreign demand which is springing up, as well as the greatly enhanced prices which are every day to be ob- served at the advertised auctions, tell that, besides mil- lionaires wanting a new link to make society take an interest in them, besides fine ladies wanting a new sensa- tion, besides noblemen wishing to add a new charm to their already charming domains, and besides speculative agents wishing for a new source of profit, there are very many quiet middle-class Englishmen who begin to think that good cattle are worth paying for, and who probably, when they buy, expect to get the outlay back again with a fair return for their risk and capital at a future day, and, in this instance, stand a very good chance of not being disappointed in their expectations. A MATTER OF BUSINESS " Under the circumstances the first object is to pro- duce, in a safe and healthy form, the largest possible quantity of the higher class of food, for which we must depend on our own resources." And, again, " We must have a large increase of our flocks and herds in these islands, in order to secure a supply that can be depended upon, unless we persuade our working classes to give up their acquired tastes, and leave beef and mutton to their betters. This we shall not do in a hurry." So says The Times, aud says well, in an article on the recent outbreak of the rinderpest in Yorkshire, as it is becoming more and more evident to every one that the more the country can be brought to rely on its own resources for the sup- plies of animal food the better will it be alike for the in- terests of producer and consumer. And how to effect this ? At a meeting of a Scotch Farmers' Club, also within the last few days, Mr. Erier, the chief speaker, said : " In the use of foreign foods for the feeding of his stock, the farmer must in the mixing of these aud in the using of them as auxiliaries to his own, find the most economical at given prices, or what will produce the largest amount of flesh and fat at least cost to himself; always bearing in mind that if at the marketable value of the lean stock, and at the cost of his extraneous foods, with the price that he gets for his fat, he has at once a direct profit, he is adding 20 per cent, of his outlay to his capital iu the soil by the residue left in the manure of the animals." And Mr. Frier said further, " The agriculture of 286 THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. this countr)' will now go slowly on till tlie inducements foi* emigration held out bj the various colonies are lessened, from the price of labour being better equalised with other parts of the world. The insecurity of capital invested in agriculture and the slow and inadequate returns derived from it, as compared with general investments in the com- mercial world, no doubt partly arises from the want of Tenant-Right, and also from the extremely unsatisfactory state of the Game and other land laws." Then, stilf within the last few days, at Stourbridge, in Worcester- shire, a county which he represents in Parliament, Sir John Pakington said that " The time was coming for the serious consideration of the question of the tenure of land as between the owner and occupier of the soil. It was a question of great magnitude, into which he could not enter then ; but while great progress was being made in agriculture, and they saw more and more that it was becoming an important profession and a great science, he felt more and more convinced that those who entered upon the cultivation of the soil must do so for their own interest and for the interest of those who owned the soil, more upon commercial, and less upon terms of a feudal character." Here we have the three great interests in this business wonderfully well agreed. The Times says, pn behalf of the people, that to keep us safe the great ob- ject must be to produce more high class food, and encour- age a large increase in the flocks and herds in these islands. Mr. Frier, for the farmer, says that if more beef and mutton is grown a greater outlay of capital is incurred, as that Tenant-Right must be established, and the land laws amended. And Sir John Pakington, for the land- lords, says precisely the same as that which Mr. Prier does for the tenants — there must be a more business-like arrangement between the twB contracting parties. Here, however, this highly desirable unanimity comes abruptly euoughto an end. T/ieTimesis very desirous that the tenant should do more by his acreage, increase his ex- penditure in a word, but 7io( upon better terms. Seldom has abuse, indeed, ever exceeded that heaped upon the head of Sir John Pakington when he ventured to state that the tenure of land should be regarded as a commercial transaction : " His enigmas are intended to puzzle, his predictions to raise a pleasant conflict of hopes and fears somewhere or other. Broadly and generally. Sir John announces the early arrival of an age in which all the relations of property and society will be established and regulated on sound commercial principles — by the rules of arithmetic applied to pounds, shil- lings, and pence." Very good ; as so far this sounds the rather like sound common sense than anything very puz- zling or conflicting. Again, "All the feudal elements, and of course, too, all social regard and political under- standing, as we understand Sir John Pakington, are to disappear between the landlord and the tenant. The latter farms a manufactory of cattle and corn and other produce; he pays what he can, and makes what he can, and all he has to do with the landlord is to hand over the stipulated rent as soon as it is due, and to keep the premises in order. No- thing like a clear understanding in these things." This is probably intended for reflned irony, although in point of fact a very desirable state of things to arrive at. Surely, there can be nothing better than " a clear understanding" to any bargain between any people in any class ; and ■why, as inferred, this should tend to destroy all " social regard"^ seems to be simply incomprehensible. If by " social regard" T/ie Times would imply, although it does not dare to say so much, " abject dependence," then we say " there is nothing like a clear understanding ;" just as " the political understanding" of the good old feudal times, when the tenants were sent in droves to the poll, must give way to a clear understanding. And then, of course, we get on to the old stale story of land beine; a luxury ; T/ie Times putting it delicately in this way : " Up to the present time land has been a power, and the landed aristocracy might claim the privileges of a position the duties of which they are so willing to discharge. When a man gets next to nothing from his property he may suppose his connexion with it to be somewhat transcendental, and may expect a sort of worship in place of sordid coin. Such illusions are now, we are told, of the past. Per- haps the Ballot has finally dispelled them. It is all now to be a question of money. The Labourer who takes his sinews to market, the Parmer who takes his money and skill, the Proprietor who takes his acres and the plant upon them, are m the same case. All they have now to ask for is a fair field and no favour." This, no doubt, is considered very withering, but if the landed aristocracy does not wish to be left behind, it must give this fair field, or, as Sir John says, must go " more for commercial and less upon terms of a feudal character." The land- lord, Avho in this age " expects a sort of worship instead of solid coin," is simply an incubus, a drag-chain, an incumbrance on the soil, preventing it being turned to its best use. A man who in this age " gets next to nothing for his property" will generally be found to be incompetent to deal with it, feeble in mind or hampered in estate. As Jlr. Prier said so admirably and so boldly at the Gala Water Club : " A great proportion of the landed proprietors of this country have done little or nothing for the advancement of agriculture. Land as an investment is considered one of slow returns, as certainly it is ; but the owners of laud for the last forty years have assuredly no reason to complain. Landed property that was purchased at a fair market rate some forty years ago has in many instances, where money was judiciously in- vested in improvements, given two or even three times the rents then current, and that often entirely from the expenditure of the tenant's own capital in drainage, in the use of extraneous manures, and foreign foods ; so that these men, who probably bought their land to yield them three per cent., are now in the receipt of nine per cent, for their money. While many landlords discharge their duties as such iu a most creditable manner, too many of them — and these, imfortunately the largest entailed pro- prietors in the country — are utterly indifferent either to their property or the interests of their tenants, and leave the administration of their estates to parties from whom the only qualification asked or appreciated is that of being able and willing to extort the maximum immediate return which can be got out of the land." If the farmers in England would only speak out in this way, instead of trimming as some of them do when they see a landlord in the room, we should hear little more of the absurdities put forth as arguments by The Times news- paper. If there were a clear understanding, if the soil were made to yield more produce, and the landlord to receive more rent — what then ? And it is thus that The Times foreshadows the terrible conse- quences : " One naturally asks with curiosity and mis- giving where the Landlord is to be all this time. He has hitherto been still part of the social group, expected, asked for, and sometimes freely criticized for what he does, or fails to do. Is the Landlord of the future to live in town, or abroad, or in his yacht, or nobody knows or cares where ? Is he to live in the country surrounded by persons owing him nothing but money ? Is he to take one of his own farms and be his own food manufacturer ? It is one of the few remaining beliefs of this country that a Landlord by his very presence, and by all that presence necessarily implies, is an advantage to the neighbour- hood." Was there ever such outrageous nonsense as this ! Let us only answer it by the lessons of experience and pre- cedent. The Irish landlord came to " live in town, or THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 287 abroad, or in his yacht, or uobody knows where," ami sank into a confirmed absentee, because when at home he was commonly " surrounded by persons" — to whom he owed money. And on the like showing the English landlord is to become an absentee, because with better rents the chances are he would be sur- rounded by persons to whom he owed nothing ! Let The Times turn to the English peerage or baronetage and count up the heads of families now living abroad, or in yachts, or anywhere, and then 'proceed to ascertain why they do so. Our contemporary will find that " social regard" and " political understanding" and " a sort of worship" has little or nothing to do with the cause, but that this is essentially " a commercial transaction." The absentee's estates arc badly managed, and his rents not sufficient to admit of his " discharging the duties of his position." When, however, as Sir John Pakington says, the landowner sees that it is all to his own interest to treat more upon commercial and less upon terms of a feudal character, the probabilities are that he will find a permanent residence on his own property a deal pleasanter than he might do at present. And if we ai'e to produce more food, and increase our flocks and herds, we shall do so not after the stand-still policy of The Times with its social, political, and hero-worship traditions, but by treat- ing the thing strictly as a matter of business. AFTER-DINNER TABLE TALK. At Lancaster, tlie Tresideut, Mr. J. P. C. Staekie, M.P., said: Mr. Pa'^cett, the great political economist of the day, had acknowledged at lirigliton that he did not soe liow to get down the price of labour or the price of meat. Those ignorant of the real state of things put it down to the obstinacy of one of two classes, the farmer or tha landowner, or both. But what was the fact ? England was circumscribed in her dimen- sions, and her population was constantlyincreasing; peoplecould eat meat, but they could not provide more land for growing it. It was purely a case of supply and demand, and as long as they had a meat-eating population, which was increasing on their hands while the land could not be increased, they would have the difficulty before them. The increased demand made the raw material dearer, consequently the perfected article was also dearer. The cattle were so much subject to epidemic, and this was also a cause operating against them, and though it was not so much felt in Lancashire and Cheshire since 1869, no less than 70,000 head of cattle had been attacked by the disease. It was certainly not considered deadly in its effects, but it was not pleasant to know your whole stock was affected with it. About 100 cattle belonging chiefly to his neighbours a week or two ago were aU affected by the disease, and he could have wished to have had some of those ladies who were spouting on tubs the other day on a visit just to have seen the state the animals were in, and it would have taught them a useful lesson, and they would have had a little more sympathy with the tenant-farmer and landowner. As for the disease itself he attributed it to the increased means of transit, animals being now brought over from other countries in a few hours, even from the steppes of Russia, where the disease existed all the year round. He believed they were indebted to old Ireland for the foot-and-mouth disease, the Irish cattle having been traced from those landing at Morecambe to the inner parts of (he country. They certainly could not expect meat to be cheaper, and he could not encourage the hope so delusively held out that they would be able to get the choiset cuts of beef for 7d. per lb. He might be wrong in his notions of political economy, but he did not see how they could alter the present state of things unless they would kindly cease eating altogether. To speak more immediately of i\\e toast, the Royal North Lancashire Agricultural Society was founded in Lancaster in \%¥l — 25 years ago — for the purpose of pro- moting a better breed of stock, and to enable agricxilturists to see the stock of their neighbours, and also to have animals brought to market in less time than in the old days. There was no doubt whatever but that agricultural societies had served a most important part in the country, and had reahsed the most sanguine hopes that had ever been entertained of them. They had so improved the breed of the cow, the sheep, and the pig, that it would be utterly impossible ever to get it back again to its original condition. All this had been done by the enter- prising tenant-farmer and landowner, for none other could have wrestled with the subject. They had now got to such a pitch of perfection in stock that it was hardly possible to improve upon it, but he considered that in agricultural im- plements they were not yet as perfect as they might be. It was absolutely essential that they should have a supply of excellent agricultural implements, and they must have them by reason of the dearth in the labour market. Mechanical labour was the great desideratum of the farmer, and he ck- pected that mechanical labour would effect for agriculture what it had done in other respects in other trades. He instanced the coal-getting machine of fMr. Pease of Dur- ham, which it was said would so effectually supersede manual labour as to get 70 tons of coal per hour. Parraers must, therefore, apply ;theraselves to the subject of mechanical labour, for this seemed to be about the only matter which refpiired their immediate attention. The agricultural societies of the country had done a great deal of good, and the Royal North Lancashire had been essentially serviceable in its district, and deserved greater support than it received. It was a society well worthy of their consideration and support, and he should like to see it receive more support from the public. They had arrived at a certain degree of efficiency with regard to slock, and in a less degree, perhaps, the remark applied to implements, and he thought their next duty was to try and get the farms themselves in a proper state to keep their stock healthy and in a creditable condition. It was no use having fine animals unless they could get something to give them during the cold days between the 1st January and the 31st March ; and with the view of promoting good farming he had taken the liberty of offering a prize for the best 50 acre farm. He did hope to see an improvement in their farms. The tenant must do something, and the landlord must help him, and by this means they would be able to carry out im- provements. A good tenant would serve his own interests and his landlord's too, and would do what he could to make his farm look decent, to keep his fences in order, his gates in repair, and his farm-buildings free from slovenliness. He wished there should be no mistake as to his meaning. This neglect was not intentional, it was in too many eases bred into the farmer ; they did not understand it, but he hoped they would. If a landlord in going round saw that a tenant kept his farm in an orderly and tidy condition, he must be a wretched man indeed if he did not rejoice at the sight. The Right Hon. Colonel Wilson Patten, referring to the question of the disputes between capital and labour, said it was one of the most important subjects Parliament had to consider ; and when he said that, he did not wish it to be supposed that they had not already enough to occupy their attention. Both himself and his colleagues liad their strength pretty well tried in the House of Commons last session. There was one feature of these disputes between capital and labour which he had often thought he should become an advocate for. The trades agitated for nme hours labour a day, and ninepence an hour. Now, he had thought of going in for the nine hours labour, though he was content to drop the nine- pence per hour. They had had a good deal more tliau nine hours a day in Parliament on many occasions. On the last day of the session he was in the House thirteen hours from the time he entered it to the time he left it. This question between capital and labour was a very important one, and he hoped and trusted that intelligence and forbearance of the people, and intelligent discussions of the relative merits of the matters in dispute, would enable them to arrive at a just con- clusion of the respective duties of capitalists and labourers. 288 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. He could only say for himself; and though he appeared to be engaged in a work, rrqniring a considerable amount of labour, he had not had any turning out; tliey had commenced nego- tiations with himself about the increased value of labour, and had come to terms in the most friendly way, aud he believed that this had been the case througliout this county generally. He was sorry a like spirit hud not prevailed in some otlier counties, and that disputes had arisen, the effects of which would be felt in years to come. He promised that the subject should re- ceive his best attention, but he reminded the audience at the same time that it was one thing to make a promise of that kind and another to solve tiie difficulty. It was easy to make professions, but the diflSculty was to satisfactorily adjust the matters in dispute. He only wished that some of the leaders in these movements would act more up to their professions than they did. When the matter came before them in Parlia- ment his best judgment would be applied to tlie solution of the difficulty ; but when a man was past 70 years of age, as he was, they would agree with him that he was not so well able to engage in work as when he was 25 years of age, when he first took charge of their interests in Parliament. Air. Trotter (Newcastle-on-Tyne), one of the judges of implements, did not believe in a man working from six o'clock in the morning to six at night. He thought workmen were quite justified in getting shorter hours, and trying to improve tiieir condition. Mr. Goodwin, one of the judges of horses, said when he came to Lancaster he did not e.xpect to see such a nice quality of animals ; there were one or two mares tliat would be a credit to Yorkshire, or to the best breeding counties. There were some young horses which he considered, if not exactly perfection, were getting on tiiat way, although there were some rough ones ; but they were to be found wherever they went. Lancashire farmers could not do better than use the thorough-bred horses which the landlords provided for them, and they would have some excellent stock for riding and driving. He was glad to hear the remarks of the Cliairman with respect to the landlords co-operating with their tenants to effect improvements" on their farms, lie thought if land- lords would do this, and take more interest in their property, a much better feeling would exist between landlords and tenants. He was very glad they had taken up this question in the north, as most good things oame from the north, and lie hoped that tlie sentiments expressed by the Chairman would go forth to the landlords of England, and that they would take tlieir cue from it. Mr. W. J. Garnett said it was all very well to breed stock and liave first-class implements, but if they could not keep up tlieir land in good condition their stock must suffer, and to get it up they must restore that which they took from it. If the towns did not do this the agricultural interest must do it for themselves. The modern system of draining towns was one of tlie greatest abominations which existed in this country, and he did hope that in a short time the agricultural interest would be awakened to the importance of the question. If they could not increase the area of the country they could in- crease the farm produce. If the towns did not see to this the agricultural interest must do so. The results of certain ex- periments he had tried with liquid sewage were beyond his most sanguine expectations. Mr. Saunders expressed his conviction that this country was on the edge of a precipice, and he feared that they were half over it. At the same time, he admitted that the question revolved itself into one of political economy, it was as Cobbett would have put it, a question of supply and demand. If two men went to one master, then the latter could dictate his terms, but if the case was reversed then the men would com- mand the situation. He had not the slightest objection to men getting the highest price they could for tlieir labour, and God forbid that any man should interfere with him ; but on the other side, it was urged that there were men who caballed together, and who had what was called " the gift of gab," who incited men to strikes, and bred discontent in their minds, and brought Siin on many families. He warned working men against being led away by agitators, and especially warned them against the men who advocated the removal of the re- strictions on the importation of cattle. At Stourbridge Sir John Pakington, M.P., did not shrink from saying that the time was coming for the serious con- sideration of the question of the tenure of laud as between the owner and occupier of the soil. It was a question of great magnitude iuto which he could not enter then ; but while great progress was being made iu agriculture, and they saw more aud more that it was becoming an important profession and a great scieuce, he felt more and more convinced that those wlio entered upon the cultivation of the soil must do so for their own interest and for the interest of those who owned the soil, more upon commercial, and less upon terms of a feudal character. The question of the agricultural labourer was one which should be fairly met. His strong belief was that if this were done tlie agitator would appeal to him in vain. They should remember that provisions were now dear, that fuel was dear, and they must remember that under those regulations providing for the improved condition of the masses of the people the labourer would, in many instances, not be able to augment his earnings by the earnings of his children to the extent he had hitherto. He wished they could see the agricultural labourer occupying a better home and obtaining better food at more reasonable rates. He had beeu accused of holding forth that these things might be done by the action of Parliament. He had never doue so. He felt as strongly as any man that in this free country men of all classes must depend mainly for their prosperity on their own individual exertions ; but he believed that it was in the power of Par- liament materially to assist and promote such objects by judicious legislation. After his long experience in Parliament it would be to him a source of satisfaction to see more of their time devoted to those objects so essential to the welfare of those around them, and less of it to those party struggles in which they were all so apt to waste their time. He advised landowners, land occupiers, and labourers to hold together. They might depend upon it that was what their interest mainly required. He said emphatically, let them ho'd together, and cordially join in promoting whatever might conduce to the improvement of the agriculture and the welfare of those classes who were engaged in it. Mr. R. P. Campbell, M.P., with regard to the unfair pressure of local taxation, believed the time was arriving when that injustice would be removed; but they might have had to wait long for a redress of that grievance, if it had not been for the pressure aud force brought to bear by Chambers of Agriculture on political parties in this country. After the large majority which was obtained iu the House of Commons on that subject, and obtained over a powerful Government which had boasted a majority of 100, the subject could not be neglected, and he had no doubt in the next Session of Parlia- ment the Prime Minister would redeem the pledga which, he believed, he gave under the pressure of that majority, that the subject should he considered. He hoped they were not going to be diverted from that subject by questions regarding land- lord and tenant. Let them first get a fair rating of all property, and landlord and teaant could then agree how they should bear the burdens, and what their future relations should be. Mr. W. F. Knight, M.P., cautioned the farmers that if they did not ride steadily home they would stand a chance of being sent to prison for a month without appeal. There were many other things done by Parliament which farmers would grumble at. Before he reached England the House of Commons passed a resolution that no single interest was to be overweighted with taxes. Yet Parliament passed the Public Health Act, which would burden the agricultural interest more than a dozen Acts passed before. He confessed that fttention to public health was desirable, but the personal liberty which came down to them from their Anglo-Saxon forefathers was still more important. He did not agree with a great deal wliicli was said about public health, and at the present lime he thought the old proverb might be altered to Saiiitas sanilalum, omnia " insanitas." Lord Beauchamp said, at a dinner given to his tenantry, as they were met together as landlord and tenants, he wished to say a few words regarding an important question that affected the agricultual interest, he meant the great question now raised between the employer and the employed. He did not believe that the fortunes of the agricultural labourer were so bad as the professional agitators said they were. He be- lieved that the labourers living in the villages in that district, with the many perquisites and advantages which in youth and old age they received, and which could not be exactly stated, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 289 were luucli belter oil tli;m (he. woikiug men in our large towns, and that the wages of the one could not be measured with tlie wages of the otlior. Tliere was anotlier point to whicli he wished to direct their earnest attention ; he did so because in this instance he could quote his own humble ex- perience ; he referred to the part payment of wages in drink. It was obvious to any one who cousidered, and lie was not one who took a teetotal view, that it was difficult for an agricul- tural labourer to do his work witliout a proper amount of alcohol. Tiie result of his experience was that if they left tlie agricultural labourer to determine what tiiat proportion should be tliey would be doing a great kindness to him and his family, and securing a great benefit to themselves as employers of labour. It was now some three or four years since he adopted a money payment with respect to drink, and left it to the labourer himself to decide what drink he required from the cider that lie made. The result was that the labourer had druuk very much less than formerly, he had done much more work, and his employer had very much more fruit and cider to sell than lie ever had before. His advice to the farmers was, if individuals who did not hold an acre of land, and whose acquaintance with agricultural matters was only a theoretical one, should come into that neighbourhood and try to stir up dissatisfaction among the labourers, let them take no notice of such people. When the harvest was ended, and the short days of winter set in, and the high price of coal and fuel was felt, the labourer would then know who were his real friends. At Bury, Lancashire, Lord Derby, the chairman, said he supposed that all the industrial communities of this country were just now in a position which had hardly any prece- dent— at least not in recent historv. We were over-done with, and inconvenienced by, the very superabundance of our own prosperity. Make as many reductions as they pleased and he quite admitted that very considerable reductions ought to be made for the depreciated value of money, he apprehended that tliere was nothing in our recent history like the growth of trade and manufactures, and of industry and the increase of public wealth which had taken place within the last half- dozen years. It was rather a good lesson against hasty pro- phecies to look back, say, to July or to August, 1856, just after the great commercial crisis of that year had taken place, and to remember the lamentations which went up from every quarter about the ruin of our trade, and the probability that we should never again hold the position which we formerly had done. Well, wiiat actually happened? AVe had, no doubt, liad one or two very bad years, but our imports in the last year (1871) stood at £330,000,000 agaiust £271,000,000 in 1865, and our exports had increased in a still greater proportion. He might also point out, whilst he was a boy people were continually publishing good little books warning landowners and capitalists, and rich people generally, of the duty of giving employment to the ordinary population, whereas now we were in exactly a contrary position. We had two masters for one man, and, as a consequence, we had in every department of industry — including tlie agricultural industry — a very general and a very extensive rise in wages. Tliat rise of wages was one of the most remarkable industrial facts of our time, and probably they would expect him to say a word or two upon it. It was a matter which we must look at if we could in a dis- passionate manner. Masters had a right to get their labour as cheaply as they could, and employes on the other hand had a right to sell their labour as dearly as they could, and both classes had a perfect legal and moral right to combine for their several purposes, provided always that in so doing they did not molest or annoy those who refused to join them. He thought that when any set of men saw tlieir way to an extra 2s. or 3s. or 4s. per week, or, what was the same thing, a diminution of their hours of labour without a corresponding diminution of wages, it was not reasonably to be expected that they should give up their chance of securing these advantages merely from a speculative and doubtful consideration of what might be the effect in the long run upon manufactures or upon agriculture. Each, he thought, did the best they could for themselves, and those who complained would probably do the same in their place. But then came the question — Was it quite certain that they would always have the power which they at present seemed to possess ? Was it not doubtful, to say the least, whether this enormous and altogether unprece- dented demand for all kinds of labour would continue at its present rate. He spoke with great dillidence upon a subject upon which liis knowledge was mainly at second-hand ; but lie be- lieved tliat most practical men engaged in any kind of business would say that the pace lately had been too good to last, and that after the run of prosperity we had had during the last three or four years, a reaction must follow as surely as night succeeded day, and that we sliould be lucky if that crash came upon us in a slow and gradual manner, instead of coming with the ruinous suddenness and violence of the crash of 1866. We used to say that there were tiiree things which would not fail us for along time — cheap coal, cheap iron, and skilled labour — which, in quality and abundance, could not be equalled elsewhere. Coal and iron were as plentilul as ever, but they certainly were not cheap now, nor were they likely to be for some time to come ; and as for skilled labour, we must not conceal from ourselves that in that respect we were being competed with by foreign nations to a very much greater ex- tent tiian hitherto. Vve could not escape from the facts merely by ignoring them and refusing to acknowledge them. If there was any truth or meaning in these laws, dear labour must lead to diminished consumption ; diminished consumption would tend to check production ; diminished production would in its turn cause a decrease in the demand for labour, and so, unless other causes interfered, the tendency of wages would be to fall again — he did not say to, but towards, their old level. Taking the matter in another light, the simple explanation of the economical state of things which we saw around us was, that the demand for labourers in all industrial pursuits at present greatly exceeded the supply. Suppose, for argiuneut's sake, that a million, or even half a million, of working men could be suddenly added to the population, he apprehended that in that case they would see within a few weeks, or even days, a rapid change. There would be no more talk about strikes, and no more demands for higher rates of wages. Of course the in- crease of population could not at once happen, but it was a question whether it would not take place in a few years. Judged by former experience in England, large wages among the labouring population had inevitably brought about early marriages, and, consequently, an increase in the number of births. Probably the same causes would still have the same effect. In addition to that, the tendency to greater comforts being obtained by the poorer classes would be to check that emigration which was now taking place to foreign countries. With the growth of those sanitary improvements which they all talked about, and which many of them believed in, they would have a great diminution in infant mortality amongst the working classes, and, as many of them knew, that mortality, at least in great towns, is at present very excessive. Again, as in the United States and in the colonies, they would probably have in many branches of industry that which he referred to before — an increased foreign competition ; and in some rural districts at least it seemed to him the advanced rate of wages were not unlikely to lead now, as they had led 300 years ago, to a considerable substitution of pasture for tillage, especially if the price of meat continued at anything like its present rate. He asked them to bear these things in mind, and he thought they would agree with him that it was at least uncertain whether the present condition of the labour market could be assumed to be permanent. The practical inference he drew was this : If that was a matter of doubt, those who might have, or might seem to have, the command of the market now in their hands would do well to use their power with modera- ation, and those who were now inclined to complain and to despond would do well if they thought twice before they gave up the game. If he were talking there to agricultural labourers meditating either a strike or a demand for considerably increased rates of pay, he should try to impress upon them, in their own interest, that it did not necessarily follow because they could pretty well make their own terms in harvest time that, therefore, they would be equally able to do so in the winter months. He would remind them that they could not at the same time stand upon their extreme rights and extort from their employers things which were not a matter of bargain, but of favour. If, on tlie other hand, he were addressing employers, he would teU them that the principle of competition in life, and the very essence of competition, was that every man, within certain recognised limits, had a right to struggle for his own success, even at the expense of inconvenience or failure to others. I That being so, they had no right to find fault or complain of 290 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. the men whom they employed, for trying to better their condi- tion. But he should go on to say that, assuming that the present demands made upon them were excessive, there were perfectly legitimate and unobjectionable ways in which these demands might be met. He saw in one of the papers the other day an account of a meeting of a large number of persons in some of these northern towns, who, thinking the price of butchers'meat unreasonably high, agreed to abstain from use of meat for a considerable period, unless, indeed, meanwhile the price should have come down. He did not know whether those people kept their engagement, or whether they were likely to keep it, but he did know this, that wastefulness was one of our great Englisli faults. There was in almost everybody's expenditure, about the very poorest class, a great deal in regard to which retrenchment was always possible, and, being possible, was always wise. If, for instance, bread were at famine prices, then the richest persons would feel it incumbent upon them not to use more bread than was absolutely necessary. If labour was at famine prices, let them reserve it as far as they could for necessary use. That was undoubtedly right ; and if exercised, it would to a great extent break the force and lessen the violence of the movement, which they were all watcliing witli various feelings — some with feelings of fear, same with feelings of hope — but which they could not doubt must aifect in a serious degree our national interests. Let them understand that in what he had said to them he was not prejudging that very large question of wliat agricultural wages or any other kind of wages might be. That was a matter the decision of which did not lie within the control of any of them. It depended upon tlie action of social and economical forces which no individual could fix permanently in a more than infinitesimal degree ; but he said this — that all sudden changes, whether they were for better or for worse, were apt to press severely upon individuals and upon classes. If this movement was not likely to be permanent, then a certain check put upon it only prevented a great deal of disappoint- ment. If, on the other hand, it was likely to be permanent, then one efl'ect would be that none of them would be mucli the worse for having a little time, a little leisure, to prepare themselves for the new state of things they were about to encounter. The question was one of deep interest, and, as far as he could see, it was a question which they were likely to be discussing not only now, but upon a great many future occasions. . At Brighton Dr. Edward Smith, E.E.S., a Poor Law In- spector on the Local Government Board, said that the large proportions to which the consumption of preserved foods had attained rendered it most desirable that the public should un- derstand their value both in the pecuniary and nulritive aspects of the question. There were several difliculties in the way of this, for time had not permitted the unscientific to judge of these products by experience, while their composition was not a fixed and known quality, but variable, and could be determined only by chymical analysis. Hence it could not be surprising that there was much ignorance and even miscon- ception on the subject, and in offering his own knowledge he should do so, he said, in a summary rather than in a detailed manner. Speaking on preserved milk, which was made in England, Switzerland, and America, he first described the manufacture of that made in America and sold in England, and then pointed out that one pint of the produce repre- sented four pints of milk. Four pints of milk would cost, ac- cording to locality, from 4d. to 8d., but the " pint tin" of pre- served milk held only 16 ounces, and not a pint, which was equal to 20 ounces, and, making allowance for the sugar which was added to the preserved milk, the weight of the preserved milk was about 14 ounces, or two-thirds of a pint, and represented a value of 2|d. or B^d., according to locality ; but the price of the tin of preserved milk was lOd. or Is., and therefore was not an economical but a dear food. It was, however, he said, a useful invention, in so far as it added to the food of man that which in many localities would otherwise be given to the pigs ; and there was every reason to believe that it was most profitable to the manufacturer. Another point he drew attention to was that, as sugar was cheaper than preserved milk, and had different and inferior properties, according to the quantity used would the milk value of the compound be reduced, and the temptation to the manufacturer was to use the maximum quantity. The Aylesbury milk con- tained two ounces in the pound, or 12^ per cent., and it was said that there were other kinds wliich contained three ounces, or nearly 20 per cent, of sugar. It was possible to prepare the " condensed milk," not only with wholly new milk, but with skimmed milk, and with a mixture of the two — skimmed and new. The latter was said to produce the " smoothest" and best preserved milk, and there could be no doubt that a considerable proportion of the cream was first taken from the milk to be pressed in order to make butter. Tlierefore the product, though of value, was not new milk, and as in the important use of milk — the feeding of infants and young children — the fat was as necessary to nutrition as the caseine and other elements, new unskimmed milk, and not " preserved" milk, was required. It was a significant fact, he added, that the milk-condensing companies were also butter- makers on a large scale, and competition doubtless would show itself in tliese directions — increased proportion of water and sugar, and lessened proportion of cream and butter. He closed his remarks on this portion of the subject by pointing out that in preserved milk we have a product of uncertain composition and nutritious value. The preserved meat brought under consideration was that now so widely known as the Australian. He described the process of preservation, and stated that six pounds of raw meat, with a proportion of fat, were placed in a tin, which was put into a bath of chlo- ride of calcium, and exposed to a temperature higher than that of boiling water — namely, from 230 deg. to 250 deg. The tin was soldered and closed except at one point, where there was a hole through which tlie steam escaped. The ob- ject to be obtained was primarily tlie expulsion of the air from the tin, and therefore the high temperature was re- quired ; and secondly, the cooking of the meat, which, how- ever, might be effected at a much lower temperature. The tin, to prevent too great loss of weight, was " primed" from time to time, so as to keep up the weight of the contents. The circumstances to be remarked in the process were — first, that the meat was neither roasted nor boiled, but stewed in its own vapour ; second, tliat it was overcooked, so that a larger preportion of the soluble materials was extracted than occurred in the ordinary process of boiling, and the solid part was more or less broken up iuto bundles of fibres ; third, the extracted juices were more valuable than from ordinary boil- ing of meat, and by so much the solid mass was less valuable than ordinary boiled meat ; fourth, the ])eculiar flavour was given partially by the mode of cooking, but chiefly by the ad- dition of tlie flavour of roasted meat, which was agreeable. The soUd matter, although soft, was not easily masticated, since it eluded the grasp of the teeth, and without free masti- cation it was less perfectly digested. The conclusions to be deduced were classed under different heads. The nutritive value of the whole of the contents of the tin could not be greater than that of the raw meat put into the tin ; and hence, although the meat was cooked, the comparison of the value must be with raw meat, and not with cooked meat. If, there- fore, a dietary was 4 ounces of cooked meat, the Australian meat would have to be supplied in the same quantity as the raw meat in weight before being cooked — namely, 5| ounces to 6 ounces. He also held that the Australian beast was not equal to the English beast. The pecuniary aspect of the question showed that there was manifestly an advantage to the Australian producer, since he could by this process make larger returns than by boiling down the carcases of animals for the production of tallow and fat, and so far the wealth of the colonies was increased. Moreover, the process added to the amount of food for man, and so far must be of universal advantage. As to the English consumer, taking beef supplied to institutions as at 7d. and 7^d. a pound, he thought there was little gain in the use of the Australian tin meat in those cases, but there was a gain to the individual consumer who had to pay more to the butcher for his meat in this country. He advised that the recommendations laid down by the original importers of the meats should be adhered to in re- spect of not cooking the meat further than by preparing it in a stew or soup, without more than warming it, and to use it only as a change of food. Eespecting Liebig's extract of meat, he pointed out that it was claimed for this that one pound jar represented 321b. of flesh meat. Its composition was water, and, in large quantity, the salt of meat and the phosphates. It contained only the soluble parts of meat, and only such as could be preserved from putrefaction. The fi- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 291 Lriue or solid substauce of the meat was excludcil, for that was insohible m water. The fat was exduded most carefully, as it would become rancid. Gelatiue aud albumen were ex- cluded, because they would decompose. Wheu, therefore, fi- brine, gelatiue, and albumen were excluded, it was certainly not " meat" which was left, as the word was uuderstood, for nearly every part of the meat which could be transformed in the body and act as food was excluded ; therefore, Liebig's extract of meat was not meat, and to give the meat power the 321b. of meat from which it was said to be taken must be added to it, for as it w-as it was the play of Ilaralet without the character of Hamlet. The product was of less value to the consumer than to the producer, and the preparation was a delusive rather tlian a real advantage ; but although he said this, he held that it had a value as a stimulant in the same way as thcine or ralfeine, but its economic value was very small as representing 321b. of meat in a 1-lb. jar. There had been much misconception respecting the product, for Liebig never affirmed that it was meat, or the ecpivalent of meat. ' ■ ' At Rickmansworth, Lord Ebury said : All old labourers anticipated " a good time coming," aud at last it lias come. There has been an agitation from North to South of the country, and I am happy to say the result lias been that the wages of the agricultural labourer are very likely to become greater than they were, and the fact is they have already risen. Some people have thought that because the wages of labourers are higher the change has come a good deal too late, and it was a mistake they were not raised before. Tliey make a great mistake in thinking so. The value of labour is regulated by what you can get for it. But the truth is, the augmentation in the wages of the labourer lias risen from the immense develop- ment of manufactures and commerce, which must be kept up. You will find other people, in order to do this, are ready to give more money for labour; aud if you want the best labourer you must give the best wages. Tliat is the state of the case. I will not, however, say any more than this. I have not the least objection in the world to labourers forming a union — not the slightest; but what I want to warn them of is this : If you are tolerably comfortable where you are, if you have your wages paid regularly all the year round, if you have a good master — whether an honest farmer or a possessor of land — reflect a little, for this reason — don't surrender your own independence. The moment you enter a union your independ- ence is gone, you surrender it into the hands of the leaders of the union, and you may be called upon to strike when you would be very sorry to emit your master. At Glynde, Mr. Brakd, the speaker, said : About three years ago, when we assembled in this tent, I called the attention of the young boys in my employ to the necessity for those who could not then read and write, and who wished to remain in my service, to learn to do so at once ; and I warned them tliat unless they did so they would not con- tinue in my service. I am happy to find that that warning has produced a good effect, aud I intend to adhere to the principle that all boys who wish to be employed by me must learn to read aud write before they can receive wages. Now, I suppose that iu these times, when there is so much talk about the rate of wages, you will hardly think I am doing my duty if I do not say something in reference to the agitation whicli is going on throughout the kingdom. My opinion is we shall never have a satisfactory settlement of the question until the labourer receives iu some shape or other a share, though it may be a small one, of the profit of the business in which he is engaged. I refer not only to those employed upon farms, but to those engaged in mining, in manufactories, aud in trades of all kinds. But, you will say, how is the labourer to derive any share of the profits of farming when he has no capital ? Well, it is quite true that you have no capital be- yond your labour, but vt'hat is capital ? Capital is nothinsr more nor less than labour husbanded. Now, if you could save any money, however small the amount, aud could invest it in carrying on a farm, I thiuk, according to the sum so invested, you would be entitled to a share in the profits of that farm. I will give you a practical illustration of what I mean. Some of you, I dare say, are fortunate enough to have a few pounds in the savings bank, and I believe the savings bank limits the interest paid on the investments to 2J per cent. Now, I will make a proposition to you, and to all in my employ. If you have got £5, we will say, iu the savings bank, aud you would like to lend that to my farming business, I will engage to give you, as the savings bank does, 21 per cent, for the money. And I will do more than that, I will, supposing the profits of the farm amount to more than 2| per cent, upon the money I have invested, I will give you rateably precisely the same in- terest upon the capital you lend me. That is to say, supposing I get 10 per cent, as profit on the capital I have invested on tiie farm, you shall have 10 per cent, on your £5 instead of 2^. So you see you will be in this position — that you will never get less than the 2^ per cent, you receive at present, and if the farm yields more you will have the benefit of it. Some will probably say, "How am I to get the £5 ?" Well, we know it does not rain £5 notes, but I will suggest to those who have not that amount iu hand that they should lay by so much a week. The rate of pay to the boys is from 3s. 6d. to 4s. per week, and the wages increase according to the ability to work. The carters, shepherds, &c., for instance, receive about ISs. per week, and out of this it seems to me it is by no means im- possible that some may save 2s. a week; andif you pay me that sum I will engage, at the end of the year, to pay you the £5, if you desire it, jii'ns 2j per cent., or whatever higher rate of interest arises from the year's farming operations. I am quite sure of this, that we shall never come to a satisfactory settlement of the relations between employer and employed until the latter, according to the amount of labour aud capital he has invested, has an interest in the good conduct of the concern. My sole object is to give you a personal pecuniary interest in the conduct of the farm, and to endeavour to raise you a little above the position you now occupy as labourers. AtSkipton, Lord T. Cavendish, M. P., said there were two matters which occurred to him upon which he might make a few remarks. One was a satisfactory one to farmers — he meant the high price of meat. The other, perhaps, was not equally cheerful — it was the high rate of wages. But he believed the two were more closely connected than many seemed to think. There was one cause for the high price of meat which was brought home to many on the show field. They saw in the absence of stock the effect of the immense amount of disease now raging amongst cattle. It would be a good custom, which he should like to see established at such gatherings, if those knowing something about practical agriculture were to speak to them instead of those who practically knew nothing of it. He thought they might have had a useful and instruc- tive evening by hearing practical opinions as to the cause of the foot-and-mouth disease, which was making such havoc. Was it a contagious disease, or was it not, and could it be got rid of and checked by prohibiting the removal of cattle ? He asked them the question as farmers. If they thought it was a contagious disease to be got rid of, they could, by enforcing the law as it now stood, obtain that extinction. If they thought the disease was such a gigantic evil as to require the heroic remedy of stamping out, he believed the Government would join them iu doing so ; but if they believed that it was an epidemic such as scarlet fever, then, perhups, these remedies were out of place, and might only create mischief, without attaining any good results. He thought they might say that legislation as far as it had gone had had great success. He was looking the other day at a report of the Veterinary De- partment of the Privy Council, and he saw that last year there had been one of the worst visitations of rinderpest ever ex- perienced on the Continent. ^Now, the Continent was not very far from the shores of England ; the disease had created great ravages among the cattle in the northern provinces of France, and yet it had never obtained a footing on our shores. People who complained of the restrictions on the importation of cattle ought to consider this, for not only did rinderpest destroy our cattle, but it did a vast amount of mischief by preventing farmers from extending their stocks, or it induced them to reduce them. If they could create in the minds of farmers a sense of security against this evil they would do something towards removiug the evil which" they deplored. It had been stated that the number of cattle imported from Ireland this year was larger than from the whole of the Conti- tinent. And was it not horrible to contemplate the breaking out of cattle plague in Ireland ? Ireland had suffered much from potato famine, and it might suffer again this year, although he hoped not to the extent of 1846, but if rinderpest was once to obtain a real footing there, he thought that every 292 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. friend of Ireland would shudder for the results. Although he did not deny that in some respects the restrictions upon im- portation might have created some increase upon the price of food, still he thought that the course of legislation in restrict- ing the importation of foreign cattle and keeping from our shores rinderpest was justified by its results. lie did not believe that those restrictions were the sole cause of the high prices in whicli farmers must rejoice, although other classes did not. He believed there were other causes, and one a very satisfactory one — viz., that many men could now afford to buy meat who could not do so a few j-ears ago. He believed that the increased higli rate of wages which so many were deplor- ing was one of the reasons why the golden guineas were so rapidly falling into the pockets of the farmers. He would therefore ask tliose who might take a somewhat desponding view of this increase of the price of agricultural labour to re- collect that if they had to pay more they were receiving more. And here he must congratulate them upon the absence of the heartburnings and bickerings which existed in the southern counties. They had now increased wages, and they must re- joice that they had attained that result witiiout the strikes and heartburnings of their neighbours in the south. He hoped that the same satisfactory results might be obtained elsewhere. He thought they had obtained these results not merely owing to their superior wisdom and common sense, but also in a great measure from the fact that they had to meet a wholesome competition on the part of their neighbours in the adjacent towns. There was another cause of this good feeling. He referred to the existence of a strong and numerous class of small farmers. Political economists had prophecied with boldness that the small farmer must eventually disappear. He was not about to enter upon a discussion of the subject, but all he would say was that he saw no sucli inevitable necessity. He would deplore such a thing both on economical and social grounds. He believed that the labourers of their neigh- bourhood experienced a feeling that they might become in time small tenants themselves, and when once tiiey liad got their foot upon the ladder the world was before them. Socially and politically this was a most important class, and he hoped that it might long continue so. There was one other aspect of the question of increased wages. Increased wages was a very ditferent thing from increased return for labour. Wages had increased, and at the same time the prices of all articles had increased and were increasing. It was only natural ; the main or ruling cause of the increased prices of articles was the price of labour. If the agricultural labourer was to be better off it could only be by making his labour more productive. He believed that that could be done not so much by legislation as by improved skill and the application of capital. There might be some laws which in- terfered with the free transfer of land and kept estates in hands unable to ".do justice to them and tending to keep them in a state of bad cultivation ; there might be others which did not encourage a tenant to the free outlay of expenditure upon his land by leaving in the hands of his landlord at the end of the tenancy all tliai he had expended. But these were ques- tions which would occupy more and more attention, and re- quired practical discussion. He was in favour of the exten- sion of improved education to the agricultural districts and the application of the half-time system. At Inverness, Mr. Donald Cameron, M.P., the chairman, said that whereas in the South, as every one knew, farmers were in a great state of uncertainty on account of labourers' strikes; in the North ot Scotland they had reason to con- gratulate themselves that tlie system of hiring servants was such as tliat, whatever might be their demands at the markets, they could not be upset by them at the harvest time, and they did not run the same risk as their friends in the South country. In that respect he thought they were in a superior position to the farmers in the South country, and also in respect of their long leases. He, therefore, hoped tliat their friends in the South would project the same plan of long leases to protect themselves against their landlords and of half-yearly terms of service to protect themselves against their servants. Mr. MuNDELL (Golaufield) said : I was awl'ul pleased wi' oor member, how he knockit oot the Education Bill. Nobody could see but himself that it would starve the country. We certainly were awfully obliged to him ; but at the same time they're driving the thing too hard upon us tenant-farmers. That Committee, you know. Lord Elcho is puzzling truth, you know, and betraying, you know, honesty, you know. He (Mr. Mundell) was a Conservative, and hoped to goodness that his noble friend, Lochiel, and all his friends would take care, for he did not like to see the thing being pushed too much. The Chairman said Mr. Mundell had referred to a Com- mittee in Loudon, by which he supposed he meant the Game- law Committee. He would suggest, if Mr. Mundell took great interest in that subject, that he should offer himself as a witness next year. He was quite sure Mr. Mundell would meet with every indulgence, and would be subjected to a cross- examination of twenty gentlemen, all holding different opin- ions, and their cross examination, he was sure, would gratify him exceedingly. But if Mr. Mundell would take his advice, he would keep away from that Committee, for he had seen gentlemen come before that Committee primed up to the eyes with facts, aud go away itom that Committee very much as gentlemen who had been unsuccessful would return from an Inverness cattle show. The question of game was a question in which some gentlemen took a very great interest. Some gentlemen were very much afraid of losing their game, and were almost wild about it, while other gentlemen were almost wild at the opposite extreme, and from between those two sides there were twenty gentlemen upon the Committee, who were competent to examine witnesses. At Bicester, Mr. Henley, M.P., said : A great deal had been said of late — and he did not wonder at it — about the high price of meat. He did not believe that anything in the world would so much stimulate agriculturists to produce more meat than high prices. If that would not induce them to do it he did not know anything else in the world which could set their wits to work in that direction. Oxfordshire might take credit to itself in this respect. Seventy years ago sheep were brought to market under twelve months old, fat and full sized, and any one who had watched what had taken place since that time would know that it had become the general rule, and if that had not been so no one could tell what the price of mutton would have been. He could himself speak of the year 1812, because, being an undergraduate at Oxford, he used to see sheep come up in droves. It was not clear that the agri- culturists of the county were not setting the example of doing a good deal in the way of beef. Everyone who knew what had been done by Mr. Campbell, of Buscott, could only marvel that so much beef had been raised on such a limited extent of ground, and it was very possible that the example might be followed by others. It was impossible to refrain from saying something on the question of labour. No one could be surprised that it had turned up in the way it had done. When the coal miners, the iron miners, the carpenters, the bakers, and other classes were all at the same amusement, it was not to be expected that unskilled labour would not be disturbed by the movement that was going on all over the country. It was impossible not to see the great change which had taken place. Between thirty and forty years ago a vast number of people were sent away at the public expense. Now the reverse was taking place, and any one who looked steadily and dispassionately at the question would see that matters would be best arranged between the masters and the men with no foreign interference. He believed that such interference would do no good — that it was very likely to exasperate in- stead of making peace, and that it would create discord. He had no doubt tliat forbearance on the part of the masters would be met, as it generally had been met by the working classes, in a fair and quiet spirit. It was the interest of both, if he might use such a phrase, that peace should be kept. It would be a very bad thing for the working man, and would lead to much inconvenience, alteration of habits, and difficulty amongst employers of labour if things were to get into an un- pleasant state. He did not at present see any symptom of that being the case. Colonel North, M.P., said: Some fault had been found with Mr. Cardwell for allowing soldiers to gather in the crops. Now it appeared to him (Colonel North) that the first duty of any goverumeut was to take care that the food of the people should be as much within their reach as possible. They had nothing to do with respect to the disputes which might arise between neighbours, but they had a right to step in as Mr. Cardwell had done, and say, " We cannot allow the bounty of THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 293 Heaven to be destroyed because of differences between the employer and the labourer ; it is our duty to get in the harvest, and then let them settle the question of labour between them. He had no doubt the labourers would soon find that they had been humbugged by men who did not care a straw for their interests, but whose only object was to benefit themselves. Mr. Cartwuigut, M.P., considered the disturbance in the labour market throughout the length and breadth of the empire a most important question, and one deserving of investigation and close and straightforward inquiry. It was worthy of notice that there was a remarkable difference be- tween former controversies and the manner iu which the present dispute w^as carried on. Although sometimes vehement words had been used, there had been a general disposition both on the part of the masters and the men to come to an amicable agreement, thus showing a great change iu the general habits of thought on the part of the people. At Leominster, Sir J. R. Bailey, M.P., said the great events which had recently taken place had been out of Parlia- ment. They had had reference chiefly to the enormous rise in prices of many articles of consumption, which some persons said was due to the great rise iu wages. He did not pretend to say what the cause was, but he believed that 2O3. would only go about as far now as 10s. would a few years ago. He had heard a story of a school-inspector who, in examining a school, had asked the present price of a sixpenny loaf, and that upon one of the scholars replying " sevenpence-halfpenny," the scholar was sent to the bottom of the class. But really he thought that, in a certain sense, it might be said that the scholar knew more than the inspector. The increased prices to which lie was referring were attributed to the enhanced value of labour ; and it was clear that a mau could not sell for a Is. that for the production of which he had to pay 2s. 6d. A great stetesman had said that labour would get cheaper; but, how- ever that might be, he hoped that labour would never get down to the starvation prices which he knew prevailed in this country some years ago. There had been a great tide of labour flowing out of England to countries where there had been great demand for it ; but he trusted there would be such a demand for labour iu England as would turn the honest hands of our labourers into our own corn-fields and other brauches of industry. Some statesmen held the opinion that where there was a demand for labour there would be a supply. Now if ten men wanted a coat and only one could buy a coat there would be no necessity for making ten coats ; but it all the men could buy coats, then the coats would probably be made. But we could not make men like we could make coats. We might assume that wages would go down, consequent on an increased supply, because people would marry and have families ; but that would be a process which would take twenty years, and then there also came the question that by that time we might, with an increased supply of labour, also have a largely-in- creased demand for it. It was impossible to contemplate what might take place, and the practical question was best to man- age things as they existed now. With regard to farmers, although there was perhaps no great difficulty iu Herefordshire, he knew that iu Breconshire there was great difficulty experi- enced in getting iu the crops. The Speaker of the House of Commons, Mr. Brand, had had his harvest-home, and he said that tlie way to interest the workman in the welfare of the master was to give him a share in the farm. He said to his workmen " take your money out of the savings'-bank, and in- vest it with me ; I will give you the same rate of iuterest and your share of whatever profits may be made." That, it might be said, was a very grand scheme ; but he (Sir J. Bailey) did not think it practicable. Mr. Brand had been born to a noble position, and by his abilities had attained to tlie highest position which a man could attain in this country, that of Speaker of the House of Commons. His labourers knew very well that with him their money would be as safe as if it were in the Bank of England ; but that was a condition which could not apply to all. There were many cases of struggling farmers who could not be called upon to enter into such an arrangement; and he thought they should hesitate before makiug their labourers still more dependent upon them than they now were, for if he took the case of a man who was not a competent farmer, he would involve not only himself in ruin but also his labourers. Sir Herbert Ckoft, M.P., said : Among other measures which had been before Parliament was the Ballot Bill. There were, no doubt, in Parliament members who would have pre- ferred that an appeal should have been made to the constituen- cies ; but the bill had been passed and would be in operation for eight years. He was informed that the machinery of the bill was not very simple, and that the cost of elections under it was not likely to be less expensive than it had been before. If, at the end of eight years, the bill should prove to be a failure, it might then die a natural death. Then, Parliament had also passed a Sanitary Bill ; but it was only a skeleton bill of what was to come next year. The Bill threw a great deal of extra duty on Boards of Guardians, and he hoped that those authorities would express their opinions, with no uncer- tain voice, upon the question before the passing of the bill to which the present one was only a prelude. Mr. Akkwright, the chairman, said the great question of the day was that of the agricultural labourer. A great deal had been said about it ; and while they all might agree in the agitation which had taken place, they knew that the remedy was not the work of a single day. Although some people had gone round the country calling attention to the question, there could be no doubt that the present crisis was one which the friends of the labourer had been looking forward to. Labourers' dwellings and their sanitary condition had been improved ; as also their clubs, and other means by which they were assisted ; and that work had led gradually to the present state of things, which he did not thiuk, as he had said, could be settled at once, though he had no doubt it would be in due time ; but it must be without any extraneous force being ap- plied to the employers or the labourers. He knew that the farmers of Herefordshire were living near their incomes, and that they could ouly set aside a certain portion for labour. If, therefore, an employer was to devote more of his income than he had set aside for labour, what was to become of the weak and poor portion of the labouring class? Another thing, there was an immense amount of what might be called fancy labour which was calculated upon ; but if wages were to be risen a great deal higher than they now were much of that faucy labour would be given up, so that those who had had work in the winter time would find themselves out of employ- ment. He believed, however, that the whole agitation had doue a great deal of good, for it had led employers to consider what a good mau is and labourers to consider that all men are not equally good. He had no doubt that in the end they would settle it happily, but it would be amongst themselves. Another matter to which he wished to refer was that of agri- cultural returns, which he thought to be most important. As to the published statistics, he was pleased to find that there had been a great increase in the returns, but still they were not what they ought to be, considering how important it was that we should know what our produce is. Until lately we were the only country which did not return agricultural sta- tistics ; but now we did so, and he trusted that all would see the importance of making those returns, so that we might know the probable supply of cattle and corn required from abroad ; also as to the condition of agriculture in this and other counties of England. There were still more than 100,000 acres in Herefordshire from which no returns had been made, and iu the whole of England nine million acres from which no returns had been made, aud of which, of course, nothing was known. Our duty was to grow corn and cattle for tiie people, The population was increasing at the rate of 180,000 a year, and therefore we had to consider the question how best to grow something for them to eat. One thing must be done, and that was to stamp out those agitators who said that the interests of the employer and employed, and of town and country, were different. It jwas not so, and it could not be. Living as those he was addressing did, in an agricultural dis- trict, it was their duty to do the best they could to find food for the people. There was another matter. He was sorry, the other day, to hear from Mr. Duckliam, the editor of the Hereford Herd Book, that he was short of information as to Hereford cattle. This, he thought, was much to be regretted, because so much attention was paid to the pedigree of Short- horn cattle, and he did not see why there should be such deficiency as to Hereford cattle. It was necessary that full information should be given as to pedigree, as by that means stock was sold at higher prices and sent out to the Colonies — a matter, he need not say, of very great importance to that district, in which so many good cattle were bred. In return 294 THE FARMEK'S MAGAZINE. for cattle the Colonies gave as preserved meat, and he might state tliat last year two million pounds vpere sent from Aus- tralia. He had alluded to the increase of population and the scarcity and liigh price of meat, and the question was how to meet the difficulty. Well, there were some who now ate meat three times a day, while their fathers only ate it twice, and their grandfathers perhaps only once. According to the re- turns, the quantity of cattle in the kingdom was G5,000 head less than it was in the previous year ; while as to sheep the returns for 1871, as compared with 1867, showed a decrease of 3,500,000. The question, therefore, arose as to the necessity and economy of abstaining for a certain time from eating veal and lamb, lie could assure the company that it had almost made him cry to go round the Lugg meadows and see nothing for stock to eat. Then, again, the increase in the price of coal, about 5s. per ton, made it almost impossible for some people to use it ; and his opinion was that it would lead to tlie introduction oF a better and more economical class of stoves. As to the sewage question, they knew that nothing was lost by Nature ; and he believed that if they did not themselves take action a law would soon be passed by which nothing should be wasted from towns, and that great benefit would result. One other matter was that of the culture of fowls. Last year he bought twelve hens and two cocks of the Brahma Pootra breed, and he had cleared £9. The hens cost him l^d. a-week to keep, and in tlie winter he had a thousand eggs. He did not see why a poor woman should not do something of the same kind. By putting the eggs into lime-water thdy Could be kept, and she could have them for her husband in the winter. There was only one other subject, and that was the new Licensing ?Act. It was a very good act in some respects, but it must be made use of with common sense and not vvith prejudice. He believed that public-houses ought to be put in the most public places that they could be — that was, where they were wanted ; and that there should not be a competition between two houses so as to make prices too low. The publican ought to be selected, and to be in such a position as to have no occasion to adulterate his beer. In the country they liad that matter in their own hands, but it might not be so in towns. As to the Sunday question, his opinion was that the man who wanted his beer on that day ought not to have it drawn on the Saturday night. He should not like to drink such beer himself. The great thing was to get c/ood beer. I'or his own part, he believed there was much beer adulterated with salt, tobacco, and other things of which the consumers knew nothing, and tliat a great part of the drunkenness arose from that adulteration by people being led to drink more than they would otherwise do. His ojjinion was that intoxication would never be got rid of until adulteration was done avvay with by legislative enactment. Mr. George Teld said, as to lamb and veal, he did not agree with Mr. Arkwright, because he believed there was nothing which would produce the same amount of meat in the same time as a well-bred and well-fed lamb. He had sold lambs, 13 lbs. per quarter, at ten weeks old, for iSs. ; and when that could be done, he thought that was oneway of grow- ing food for tlie million. The CiiAiiiMAN : But if you don't kill your ewe Iambs, you would have double the stock tlie next year. Mr. S. GooDE said, in his opinion, the foreign cattle which were imported ought not to be " murdered" iu the condition in which they were now slaughtered, but to be fattened here. For that purpose he suggested the establisliment of large quarantine farms around the ports of debarkation, where the cattle might be fattened. If that were done, he did not hesitate to say there would be no difliculty in supplying meat to the people of England. He did not agree with the idea of not slaughtering calves and lambs, for nothing weighed so well as when it was young : it would never make the weight, accord- ing to the quantity of food consumed, afterwards, Mr. Daggs reminded Mr. Yeld that it was only persons who, like he, were situate on the ricli pastures of the Lugg, who could produce lambs of the class which lie had described. The Chairman took a national view of the question, but his friend Mr. Yeld, so fortunately situated, was perhaps more in- clined to view the matter from his own stand-point. At Halifax, Sir Henry Edwards, the Chairman, said the harvest of that year, taken altogether, was not equal to tliat of some former years ; but he believed that in that dis- trict they had no reason to complain. The cereal crops were very good, and those of hay were abundant, and as a rule had been won in good condition ; so that on the whole he could congratulate the neighbouring farmers on being fairly success- ful. He had had conversation with the gentlemen who had that day acted as judges; and it was their opinion that the exhibition of that day was the very best the association had ever held. The horses, of all classes, were very fine, and the cattle also a very good show, whilst that of pigs was wonder- ful. It had been a matter of remark that the number of sheep exhibited was very small, and to that his reply was that the lambs and calves were slaughtered, and that as a consequence the after-grass this year was knee-deep in the meadows. He thought it would be wise if the legislature was to pass an act prohibiting the slaughter of lambs and calves (cheers, and " no, no"), for if they had such a measure as that, the abundant after-grass would be eaten off, instead of being wasted as was the case at present. During the present season he had mown about 120 acres ; and what became of the after-grass? Why, on tlie previous day, at the floral show, the people were tread- ing down grass 13 or 10 inches liigh. This did hira no harm; the grass might as well rot in the ground, as he could not ob- tain cattle or sheep to eat it. His was not an isolated case ; but the rule throughout nearly the whole of Yorkshire. People dared not go into the market to buy, because they were afraid of bringing home cattle suffering from foot-and-mouth disease — that curse to our country. There was also the fear of re- introducing the cattle plague. At a great fair recently held in Berkshire, the number of sheep on offer was 15,000 less than in former years, wliich clearly proved that the number of sheep in the country was smaller than formerly. Another matter that had often struck him was the difficulty of supply- ing the army with horses. Instead of giving; £35 for a good cavalry horse, as was formerly the case, they had now to give £10. He believed if Euglisli farmers were to cultivate the breed of horses, they would get a fair price for them, and a good remuneration for their trouble, as there were no better pastures in the country than they had in that hilly country. He therefore recommended young farmers to turn their at- tention to the breeding of horses, suitable for the army. He considered that the export of horses was to be deplored. He knew men in tlie East Hiding who exported as many as 3,000 a year ; and how were these to be replaced unless English farmers would cultivate the breed of tliem P Ireland used to be famous for good horses ; but during the potato famine most of the best mares were sold, and the consequence was that the supply from that country was now much diminished. He was glad, however, that there was a feeling growing amongst Englishmen to preserve the best breeds of horses ; and to see that at the recent Middle Park sales an English Company bought three of the best stallions in the country, at a very large expenditure. He believed that were attention now paid to the matter, there would be a wonderful change in the sup- ply during the next few years. A feeling was gradually gain- ing ground in favour of the utilisation of sewage. In some places, he observed, sewage sold at a great profit ; and it the sewage of Halifax, vvith a population of 60,000, were sold, as he hoped, ere long, it would, to a profit, the benefit to the town would be very large. He believed that during the next ten years there would be such a revolution in the country with regard to sewage as would be perfectly astonishing. At Holme Cultrara, Mr. Hodgson, M.P., the chairman, said one measure had been passed, of which many in that room might be ignorant, but for which they would some day have to pay the price. He referred to what was called the Health of Towns Act, extended duriue the last session to country dis- tricts. Now, he knew this county pretty well ; he had had the pleasure of visiting a great many of the farmhouses in the county, and, seeing the state in which the farmers kept their farmyards, he could not find fault with them. He had always been told by the Cumberland farmer that the larger the midden he had at his door, the better he liked it. But he was afraid the Act which had just been passed, if its administration gets into some hands, would compel many farmers to remove that useful article some distance from their houses, and lie was afraid also that this and other operations under the Act would entail considerable expense upon them. There was great re- joicing when the Chancellor of the Exchequer could save the salary of a clerk, or could pull down some office whicli had THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 295 hitherto enjoyed a pittance on which a man could scarcely exist ; but here was a measure which would add, he believed, some five or six millious to the burdens of the ratepayers, many of whom were quite iguoraut of its existence at this moment. Now, cleanliness was a very good thing ; he approved of it in every department of life ; but they might buy gold too dear; they might ride a willing horse too hard. Although the Cum- berland farmers had a good dung-hill near their door, he did not thiuk they were a short-lived race. lie did not think they lived shorter lives than the men of the south or than men in any other part of the world. Indeed, he ventured to say that if they went into the churchyards of this county they would find the record of men whose length of days had been greater than they would find in almost any other county in England. He remembered being very much struck with that while visit- ing the churchyard of Lanercost. There, from the tombstones, you might suppose that the man who departed this life at the age of 70 had died in his youth, and those who were cut oif at the age of SO appeared to have been taken away in the prime of life, there being so many tombstones which recorded deaths at a greatci" age than that. He therefore did not apprehend, if they allowed the Cumberland farmers to live in the way their forefathers had done, that there was much danger of their lives being injured by the state in which they kept their farmyards. He was of opinion that legislation was going too far, and, as in this case, was icterfering unnecessarily with the manner in whicli a man managed his own business. Let the farmer manage his own farmyard as he likes ; if he finds it unhealthy, for the sake of himself and his family he will re- move the cause of the unhealthiness. It was unnecessary legislation; and when they came to pay for it, they would be of his opinion that it was not likely to conduce to the public welfare. At the present moment farmers had difficulties to contend with, but they were such as he hoped might be over- come, and that early. He wished it had I'cen in his power to fecilitate them on the prospects of an abundant crop of corn and other cereals. But he had had an opportunity of lately going over a great part of the best cultivated land in England, and from what he saw he concluded that the wheat crop throughout those districts would this year be deficient in quahty. The oat crop is most luxuriant everywhere ; it looked thick and strong on the ground, and so far as he had Been it, it would take off heavily and well. The barley crop was about an average one. He was sorry to say that the potato crop was suffering from what was known as " the potato disease." He had himself seen many fields blighted, and the crop generally was very seriously injured. But though this was the case this year, it was only a year by itself. The last two or three years had been years of abundance in the potato crop ; and even now we might hope that other means may be found for sustaining the population of this country, and especially of the sister island, Ireland. But with respect to England, he apprehended that the prospects of the agricul- tural interest were never brighter than at the present moment. He was not present at the Royal Agricultural Society's show, but he was told by a friend who was there, and whose judg- ment on such matters was sound, that the agricultural ma- chinery shown was much beyond anything ever shown before ; and though it had been said that agriculture owes less (com- mercially speaking) to machinery than any other branch of business, still, when we considered the perfection to which the reaping machine, the thrashing machine, the steam plough, and other appliances had been brought, it was sufficient to convince us that agriculture never had better prospects than it has at the present moment. Of course there was the labour diiSculty, to which reference had been made. Every man who had his' labour to sell had a perfect right to use every means in his power to get the best price he could for his labour, which was his capital. On the other hand, the man who wanted to employ that labour had a right to get it as cheap as possible, provided no illegal means were used either to raise or to beat down the price of the labour. He was sorry to say that serious differences had arisen in some parts of England on this subject ; but in this county the wages paid by the farmers to the labourers were such as to ensure the latter a comfortable existence such as they could not get in many parts, and therefore he hoped we should be preserved from the un- happy differences which perplexed agriculturists in other counties. Coming to the toast, he said he was quite sure that societies such as this were of great use in stimulating and pro- moting the success of agriculture. Thirty or forty years ago people could have no idea that the class of cattle shown to-day could ever be produced ; and this remark applied not only to Shorthorns, but to pigs, sheep, and horses also, and he at- tributed very much of the improvement which had taken place to the example and influence of shows such as this. When he goes into a show-ground, the farmer looks with pleasure upon what his neighbour brings to compete with his for the prize, and he says, " Well, I'm sorry you've beat me, but I'll try next year if I caa't beat you ;" and by that healthy stimulus much of our advancement in agriculture had been made. At Braise worth Hardest Home, Sir Edward Kereison asked : Why should any landlord stand in any other position to the labouring population than he does to the farmer ? Wliy should he endeavour to favour one class more than the other? Were not the labourers, as well as the farmers, tenants upon the estate ? And why, again, should people travel the country and give advice to the labourer ? If the labourers would come to him he would give them the best advice in his power, because he believed that was the proper feeling to encourage. There were no doubt always trying times when there was a change, but there must be changes The world would not progress without changes. It was some years since the question in the labour market arose ; prices had gone up, and it would not be fair towards the labouring classes that they should pay increased prices and not seek to get a little benefit out of the change. If they were rea- sonable in their terms they were sure to be met, but if they exceeded reason the markets would show them that it was im- possible to go on on unreasonable terms. We were all apt to sleep sometimes, and to be unaware that the world was pro- gressing. He was reminded of a story of a domestic who was in the habit of calling every morning at the house of a medical man and leaving the state of her mistress's health and her compliments. One day the old lady died, and the servant, making her usual call, said she was sorry to say her mistress's compliments, but she died last night ! She had got so into the habit of presenting her compliments that the womancould not really forget it for tlie moment. In the same way land- lords were apt to thiuk that people were always to have 9s, or 10s., or lis. or I2s. per week ; but this they found in time by the markets was not so. Humours of strikes and high prices being posted about from mouth to mouth, got more importance than they deserved. If an accident happened in the parish of Braiseworth, the first man would get at the truth ; the second would think the man was very bad ; and a third would think he was going to die. So dilfereut exagge- rated reports would be spread, and the only way to arrive at the truth would be to go to the doctor and ask him. So when he (Sir Edward) heard that things in the country were com- ing to a crisis, and that the harvest money was to be raised to £11, and thai everybody was going to quarrel with everybody else he did not believe it. People who did, tried to influence the labouring population, and prompted them to do what was not reasonable. When people were near large manufacturing districts, it was all very well to go down coal mines and into factories, and earn great wages. In these places, wages rose far more than they did in the agricultural portions like this county, but although it was necessary and essential that coal should go on being raised and that cotton mills should go ou being worked, yet it was not necessary that farmers should pay their agricultural labourers what was paid to miners and cotton weavers. If they thought that they were suddenly to rise in their fortunes they might depend upon it that the day would come when they would recollect what he had said. All things were gradual iu this country. No prices could remain high in this country for any length of time where competition was so great. If a bad and discontented feeling grew up between employer and employed, the labourer would be taken simply for his greatest value in the labour market, the old would cease to be employed, the strongest would get the best wages, and the others would have to eke out the best of their time. The principle he should advise was one of giving and taking. If the landlords agreed that iu consequence of the state of the times it was reasonable that the labourers should have something extra, the labourers should show tlieir satisfaction by giving their labour freely to the tenant-farmers, and they would long continue united, 296 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. THE CATTLE-PLAGUE. (From the London Gazette of Tuesday :) Whereas it appears to us, the Lords Justices of Ireland, and to Her Majesty's Privy Council in Ireland, to be expedient to make this Order, for the purpose of preventing the introduction among animals in Ireland of a contagious or infectious disease commonly called " the Cattle-plague" or " Rinderpest." Now we, the Lords Justices of Ireland, by and with the advice of Her Majesty's Privy Council in Ireland, hereby, by virtue and in exercise of the powers vested in us under the " Cattle Disease (Ireland) Act, 1866," and the " Cattle Disease (Ireland) Amendment Act, 1870," and of every other power euabliug us in this behalf, do order as follows : 1. This Order shall take effect from the publication of same in the Bullin Gazette, and shall continue in force until the lith November next, inclusive. 2. Cattle in this Order shall mean any cow, heifer, bull, bullock, ox, or calf. 3. No cattle, goat, kid, or swine from any place in Germany, or from any place in that part of the United Kingdom, called Great Britain, shall be landed in Ireland. 4. No sheep, ram, or lamb from any place in Germany, or from any place in that part of the United Kingdom, called England, shall be landed in Ireland. 5. No sheep, ram, or lamb from any place in that part of the United Kingdom called Scotland shall be landed in Ireland, save under the conditions hereinafter mentioned and set forth (and any breach of any such condition shall be deemed an offence against this Order), that is to say — The exporter of such sheep, ram, and lamb, respectively, shall, within three days of the intended time of shipment, duly make a solemn declaration in the form annexed to this Order, which declara- tion shall thereupon be delivered to the shipowner's agent, or captain of the ship, until which delivery the sheep, rams, or lambs shall not be allowed on board the ship or vessel ; and such declaration, along with the sheep, rams, or lambs, shall be committed to the captain's custody, and so remain until the ship's arrival at the port of debarkation in Ireland, where sucli declarations shall be handed over to the Collector of Customs or one of his officers ; and the sheep, rams, or lambs shall remain on board until permission has been granted by such Collector, or one of his oificers, for their debarkation. 6. No undressed or raw skin, hide, horn, hoof, or any part of any raw or undressed skin, hide, horn, or hoof, or any offal of any cattle, sheep, ram, lamb, goat, kid, or swine from Germany shall be landed in Ireland. 7. No undressed or raw skin, hide, horn, hoof, or any part of any raw or undressed skin, hide, horn, or hoof, or any offal of any cattle, sheep, ram, lamb, goat, kid, or sivine from any place in Great Britain (unless the same shall have been brought into Great Britain from India, South America, or Australia) shall be landed in Ireland. 8. Every person offending against this Order shall for each offence incur a penalty not exceeding £20, and when any such offence is committed with respect to more than four animals, a penalty not exceeding £o for each animal may be imposed in- stead of a penalty of £20, provided that a penalty less than tlie maximum may be ordered to be paid. Given at the Council Chamber in Dublin this 13th day of September, 1872. Athlumet. j. u. monaiian. Eked. Shaw. 11. Deast. Declaratio:n. County of to wit. I (name, residence, county and occupation of exporter to be here set forth) do solemnly and sincerely declare that the sheep, rams, and lambs described in the schedule hereunto annexed, and intended to be exported by me to (name and place of residence of consignee), are Scotch sheep, and have never been out of Scotland. And I make this solemn declaration, conscientiously be- lieving the same to be true, and by virtue of the provisions of an Act made and passed in the 5th and Ctli years of the reign of His late Majesty (5 and G William IV., cap. 62) intituled " An Act to repeal an Act of the present Session of Parlia- ment, intituled ' An Act for the more effectual Abolition of Oaths and Affirmations taken and made in the various depart- ments of the State, and to substitute declarations in lieu there- of, and for the more entire suppression of voluntary and extra- judicial Oaths and Affidavits, and to make other provisions for the abolition of unnecessary oaths," Made and subscribed before me, a Justice of the Peace for said county, at this day of 187 . (From Friday's Gazette.) At the Council Chamber, Whitehall, the 17th day of Sep- tember, 1872, by the Lords of her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council. Present : Mr. Hammond, Mr. Forster. The Lords and others of her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, by virtue and in exercise of the powers in them vested under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 18G9, and of every other power enabling them in tliis behalf, do order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows : Notwithstanding anything contained in Article V. of the Cattle Plague Order of 1872, which prohibits the holding of all markets, fairs, exhibitions, and sales ol cattle within the city of York, and within the East Hiding of Yorkshire, and all the boroughs therein, ex- cept under licence of the Privy Council, the following sales of cattle may be held without such licence : a. Cattle belonging to the owner or occupier of premises not in an infected place may be sold on those premises if the cattle are not affected with cattle plague, and have been on those premises in pos- session of the owner or occupier thereof, not less than 28 days immediately before the sale. b. Cattle within a defined part of a port, which have been delivered to the owner or his agent, may be sold within such defined part. Markets, exhibitions, and sales may be held under licence oi the Privy Council, — Aktiiuk Helps. A decree of the French Minister of Commerce, dated the lith inst., prohibits the importation and transport of horned cattle from the Steppes, and also the fresh hides and offal of such beast!. The prohibition also extends to all cattle coming from llussia. North Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the Danubian Principalities. The importation of cattle from other countries is only permitted after they have undergone a rigorous inspection by the special Custom-house authorities. Beasts arriving from Spain and Algiers are the only ones ex- empt from these mesures, and are admitted into the country as heretofore without previous examination. The local authority ofMaltou have put in force the resolu- tions of the Executive Committee at Northallerton on Monday, prohibiting the removal of cattle from the East to the North Riding, and vice-versa; closing fairs, markets, and sales, except by licence ; and appointing a veterinary inspector. Notices have been also issued prohibiting the depasturing of cattle upon or by the sides of the highways and lanes. The Local Board of Health has decided to extend the scope of the licences granted to private slaughterhouses in Norton, so that any of tlie borough butchers might slaughter their East Riding cattle therein. A telegram from Brussels states that a decree of the Minister of the Interior prohibits the importation and transit of sheep and cattle from England. This prohibition also applies to the fresh killed carcases and offal of the animals. The Cattle-plague Committee of the Hull Corporation has decided to close the cattle- market at Hull for 21 days. At a meeting of the subcommittee of the Local Authority for the Division of AUertonshire, Mr. Moulding Walmsley, Deputy Cliief Constable for the North Riding, was appointed to grant licences for the removal of cattle from the Petty Sessional Division to places out of the North Riding for markets, &c., and also for the removal of cattle, sheep, goats, and swine from premises or laud upon which any infected animal is found, or where they have been in contact with such animal. All the markets and fairs in the North Riding are prohibited. The local authority of the county of Westmoreland has, until further notice, prohibited the removal of bulls, cows, oxen, heifers, and calves fiom Yorkshire into the county of West- moreland, except by licence signed by a justice of the peace. The Northamptonshire Mutual Cattle Assurance Association has determined to petition the magistrates of the county to close all markets and fairs except for fat stock intended for immediate slaughter. On Wednesday, the steamer Schwalbe, of Bremen, arrived at Hull, having on board 112 head of cattle, and 160 sheep, the whole of which were landed, and every animal passed by the inspector as healthy. THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 297 THE LA YEN DEE COUNTRY. In a ride by i-ail from West Croydon to Sutton, and on both sides, commencing at Waddon, as far as the eye can reach are long narrow strips and occasionally broad ex- l)anse3 of lavender. After a thunderstorm, refreshened by the rain, the colour is deepened and intensified, and the perfume crosses the pathway of the train. When the sun is shining with unusual brightness, aayone standing in the midst of those fields may see the sky reflecting back the colours from the earth, the blue tints exchanged to lavender. Alighting at Sutton — the limit for the pre- sent of this cultivation — the road turns sharply to the right, and passes the well-known sign of the Cock, an hostelry of sporting notoriety, and brings us back on foot in the direction of Carshalton. Had we chosen the left-hand side of the railway we should have been upon a plain stretching far away from Ban- stead Downs to Epsom Downs. There seemed something so unusual, peculiar, and attractive in the appearance of the landscape. To ride through miles of vineyards in the Cute d'Or, the "golden hill-sides " of Frauce, or watch the terraced heights on the Rhine banks, where the sun casts back its rays from the broad waters like a mirror, and great and influential people discuss the merits of this or that year's vintage of Bur- gundy or hock in all parts of the world — compared with such scenes and thoughts lavender seemed to possess far humbler pretensions. But then we were told that it had unfailing medicinal qualities most valuable to workers in the fields, moreover it formed a component part or en- tered more or less into the composition of every descrip- tion of scent ; and the toilette and boudoir are no trifling questions in our days of supposed luxury and refinement unprecedented. "We well remembered those little muslin bags — possibly there might be one or two stowed away forgotten in drawers at home. Hereafter they would be better appreciated for their modest appearance by the side of the gorgeously-decked perfumes of a Rimmel. The road lays high, and commands an extended view, and the patches of lavender seemed to thicken and multiply, some near at hand, others in the hollow, to our unaccustomed eye having a strange efi"ect, when placed in contrast with light greens of standing ■waving corn, the graver greens of the fences, and the still darker greens of the trees, with the fairy-like structure of crystal glistening in sunlight on the horizon. The crop, we were told, was looking remarkably well, with every chance in favour of an average. The subject ap- peared to possess considerable interest to wayfai-ers like ourselves. It was not difficult to get information from the humbler sort of folks, and we followed the route pre- scribed through Carshalton, frequented by trout fishers and brothers of the angle, and described by a great art critic as the most picturesque of all the villages in Eng- land. A stream that emerged into the road-side seemed to race with our footsteps, then disappeared, when turning sharply about on the right we were at Wallington, in the centre of our search. The district of Beddington, associated with the palatial residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, of which Wallington is a hamlet, contains about 200 acres devoted to the growth of lavender. According to our informant, throughout the whole locality, including Sutton on the extreme verge, Carshalton and Mitcham, there may be counted about 300 acres of lavender fields. Mitcham is the parent source of the herbal or " physic gardening," in the native parlance, and from that place, about twelvt or fifteen years ago, some tiansplants were made to Bed- dington. From thence the growth has extended to the neighbouring parishes, until, as at present, tlie eye is at- tracted on all sides by the broad sheets of colour, and the air is scented with the perfumes. In no other part of England has the same success attended this kind of gardening, except in Cambridgeshire, where the production is said to be inferior, although this opinion might even be reversed by inquiries in that quarter. However, it is evident, as in the case of the hop gardens in Kent and Sussex, something peculiar existing in the soil or climate, or both, makes these plants to thrive. Those who have crossed the plains of Spanish Estremadura could have seen miles of waste land covered with the lacen- dula species, and florists conclude that the same skill brought to the assistance of nature might equally result in the successful crop that finds its way first to the distillery, and then by many transmutations to the scent-bottle or the medicine-chest. The only pe- culiarity observable is a loamy upper surface for several feet upon a substratum of chalk, rather of a " holding nature," although dry. The ploughing at present is not so deep as in former years, and to this circumstance has been assigned the reason why in place of bearing for eight or nine years as formerly, the plants are now exhausted in three or at the utmost in four years. Upon an open space at Wallington of thirty acres, the largest lavender- field in the locality, we were able to observe the different growths of the one, two, or three years. Nearly adjoin- ing was another four-acre enclosure spread out as level as a billiard-board, which we can readily believe to be the finest example of the one year's crop that could be seen anywhere. Only a moderate application of manure is ne- cessary at the outset in the autumn, when the planting takes 'place ; and after the first year's harvesting, the plants have grown to such dimensions that every other row has to be taken out, and every other plant in the row that remains. The three years' growths are the first to come to maturity, and then the second, and then the third. The harvest takes place in August. The cutting, which is done by the sickle, appears an art of itself, which affects the crop" iu the future year. The labourers are followed by women and girls, who immediately pack and tie the lavender up in mats to protect it from the rays of the sun, or otherwise the quantity of oil to be extracted would be reduced before it could be taken in hand at the distillery. Small quantities have been previously cut be- fore they are fully ripe, for Covent Garden Market, or for sale about the towns and villages in the neighbour- hood. The distillery process is carried on upon the spot, as the volumes of smoke from several chimneys and the strong odour of herbs around the buildings sufficiently testify to some very odoriferous process within ; for it must be remembered that peppermint, rosemary, dill, camomile, as well as lavender, have to find their way to the same crucial test. Beneath a brick-built shed stand a row of stills, with what are called worm-tubs attached to each still. Upon the ground-floor the furnaces are being attended, and the percolator watched, as a trickling noise indicates that the oil is being extracted by the pro- cess going on. Above the furuaces are the stills, of dimensions sufficient either to contain half a ton or a ton weight of herb, and the building is spacious enough to V 298 THE FARJ^IER'S MAGAZINE. admit of carts being diiven in for the purpose of un- loading. The still is filled thrice in four-aud-twenty hours, namely, eight hours to a run. The men get upon the upper iloor, remove the still-head by a lever, then take the lavender from the mats aud tread the stalks down with their feet until the copper is tightly filled to the brim. Liquor at boiling heat is then taken from the top surface of the worm-tub, although at the bottom and lower surface the water is quite cold, and the furnaces are set to work. The worm consists of piping attached to the head of the still, aud passes round and round the tub which contains the cold water. The men watch the briugiug over of the still — that is, the moment when the liquor begins to flow over the head into the worm. Directly it does so, they know that the oil is running, and immediately damp down the furnaces. The boiling liquor from the herbs by passing through the tubing immersed in cold water becomes condensed, and the oil separates from the water aud runs into the per- colator at the foot of the worm-tub. This bringing over is the most critical point iu the whole operation ; then great attention aud experience are needed, otherwise the herbs both stalk and flower might be taken into the worm, and the oil be spoiled. So well practised, however, are the men employed that what is called a " ruu foul " is scarcely known during the whole of the distilling season. Troni thence it is taken and placed in dark glass bottles with short necks, containing 41bs. to 71bs. each, ready for merchandising. When one lot has been distilled the still top is removed by the lever, and the charge taken out with long forks. The steam and vapour that arise are very great, for the uninitiated quite overpowering ; and what is termed the " walk " being very heavy, the men them- selves have to labour hard to get out the refuse, which is thrown just at the back of the building for manure. The coppers are filled up again with herbs, fresh water is pumped into the worm-i ub to supply what has been taken off the surface for the stiU, and to replace what has passed oif in the evaporation that has been always going on, and the process again proceeds. The quantity of oil extracted from a ton of lavender varies according to the influence of the seasons, from 151bs. to 161bs. is considered a fair average, very seldom it reaches 211bs., sometimes not more than lOlbs. The distilling lasts about two months, from about the first week in August to the second week in October, accord- ing to the abundance or otherwise of the surrounding crop. The business itself is separate from the growing ; the small growers as well as the large take their crops to the distillery, and pay a certain agreed-upon rate per ton. The results during the present season have been favour- able, although the continuance of wet weather somewhat interfered with the outdoor work. These operations may be seen and inquired iuto by foUowiug out the route we had taken from Sutton, tlirough Carshalton to Wallington, thence by the footpaths across the lavender fields to Beddington, and ou to Waddon station upon the I'ailvvay of the London and Brighton ('ompany, THE LAND LAWS AND TENANT RIGHT. At the recent half-yearly meeting of the Scottish Chamber of Agriculture in Perth. Mr. Smith (West Drams), the chairman, said that one or two alterations liad been made on resolutions which had beau agreed upon by the directors to be recommeuded for the adoption at tnis meeting of the Chamber. These resolutions, as altered, read as follows : " The directors having resumed consideration of tlie remit to them by the general meeting in November last on the land tenancy laws, and liaving also under their con- sideration certain overtures from counties' committees ou the subject, resolve to report to the approacliing general meeting at Perth as follows : I. That the land tenancy laws, particu- larly tJiose by which all improvements made by the occupier of land become the property of the owner, are detrimental to good husbandry, injurious to the interest of both landlords and tenants and the welfare of the general public, and that their immediate revision is urgently wanted, in order to meet the requirements of a modern agriculture. II. That in order to promote successful farming and ensure the fertility of the soil being kept up to the close of the lease, the tenant, in se- curity of the capital invested by him, ought to have a right by law to payment on his removal from the farm for all works executed and unexhausted manures applied by him, which add to its letting value, as the same shall be ascertained by arbitration. III. That a humble petition be presented to Her Majesty, craving that she will be pleased to appoint a commission to inquire into the workiug and effects of the whole system of the land tenancy laws, with a view to their revision and amendment." In submitting the resolutions, he said — I put these resolutions to the meeting for discussion, and, I trust, approval. That theie is a great land question before us in the immediate future there can be no doubt, and it is not out of place that I should counsel in its treatment the utmost fairness and candour. The question was so ably opened up in the address of Mr. M'Neel Caird in the meeting I have re- ferred to, that I am saved the necessity of speaking to you at length iu defence of the course the Chamber is recommended to take. The resolutions now submitted are of a general rather than of a special cliaracter, but they are intended to cover an inquiry into the whole system or code of land tenancy law. We had some years ago, as you are aware, a very mea- gre, and I will say fruitless measure, on a certain branch of these laws, to wit, that of hypothec. We still hold that the evidence which was then given on the subject before a Royal Commission, and afterwards before a Select Committee of the House of Lords, ought to have for ever sealed its fate, and sent such an exceptional law into oblivion. A law which is calculated to warrant a transaction, however bad it may be and however foolishly gone into, cannot surely be long in tlie statute book of a free country. The Game-laws I feel called upon to refer to on this occasion ; they are at present sub judice, and we may fairly wait the result of the inquiry in the hope that a just measure of relief will come out of it. I cannot, however, pass tliis subject without expressing my re- gret that the evidence, reliable as it certainly is, on the whole should have been encumbered with such an amount of altoge- ther irrelevant matter — matter certainly not calculated to aid the Committee in their report, and in my humble opinion, some of it certain to do mischief to the cause it was intended to forward. I shall now shortly refer to the principle of compensation to tenants holding under lease for unexhausted improve- ments made at their cost, calculated to add to the letting value of the subject they are about to quit. This, to most who have given the matter consideration, appears to be a per- fectly just claim, aud one which ought to be recognised by law. It comes very far short of wliat has been granted else- where, but the purposes of our advanced agriculture, we think, may be served by its recognition, even to the extent now put forward. When we think of the enormous expenditure in manures and feeding stuffs, going in many of our Scotch counties beyond the one-half of the gross rental, it is not to be wondered at that this new element should have arisen, and that an application and outlay so continuous should have come to require looking after. The tenant saves himself at present, or rather attempts to do so, by a miserable system of exhaustion towards the end of his lease — a system not only opposed to his own interest, but injurious also to the interests of the landlord, and, under a necessarily diminished produce of the land, is THE FABMEE'S MAGAZINE. 299 opposed to the public good. The hardslups which accrue when, it may be, unavoidable misfortune overtakes the tenant, I need not recount, and in the event of non-renewal of the lease, it amounts under our present system simply to confiscation. The fairness of the claim cannot, I think, be disputed. At any rate, let the law and its presumption, be on the side of justice, instead of being, as it is at present, on the side of in- justice. I should take a very narrow view of the subject if I failed to admit that if tlie tenant is to have a constituted right for unexhausted improvements, the landlord must be also held to have a just claim for deterioration. I think, however, considering the nature of the evidence tendered by an eminent Edinburgh lawyer much connected with this county the other day in London before the Game-laws Committee on a somewhat similar question, this part may be fairly enough left in the landlords' interest to Her Majesty's Writers to the Signet. I admit freely that we have more bad tenants than bad landlords, and if the improvements of the former are to be saved from appro- priation, deterioration of the subject let has not less to be guarded against. We are not likely to have legislation on this or on any other subject without inquiry, nor is it desirable we should have. We believe it to be called for, and with that view we recommend that Her Majesty be petitioned to grant it. We put forward these views, I trust, in the spirit in wliich they ought to be put forward. They may at once be met by those who have it in tlieir power to rectify abuse when it prevails, and to conciliate by acts of justice the disaffected. They are stated in moderation, and are, I hope, all the more, likely to be supported by firmness. Mr. GooDLETT (Bolshan) moved the adoption of the report in an able speech. Mr. Betiiune (Blebo), seconded the adoption of the resolutions. He thought they were not without reason- able hopes that a large number of men's attention was drawn to the subject of the resolutions. It seemed to him a very correct statement that was made by Lord Lansdownes some time ago to the effect tliat the three kingdoms should be dealt with independently in the matter of land laws. In carrying out the purpose of these resolutions they would require to use every lawful meaus to bring the subject before the attention of the public. He saw that tlie editor of the North British Affricul- tirrist in Wednesday's paper had expressed a fear that the di- rectors were wrong in recommending to the meeting that a request be made for a Royal Commission to inquire into the present condition of the land laws, with a view to their im- provement. He (Mr. Bethune) did not agree with this re- mark, as he did not think a bill could be brought in by any member of Parliament that would pass, and he did not think the subject could be fairly brought before the minds of the country without a Royal Commission. They must use every endeavour consistent with reason — aye, even, and of unreason —to get the Law of Hypothec abolished, because he was not very sanguine that the subject of proper compensation would be looked at in half such a favourable way till the law of hy- pothec had been abolished. After the very able and exhaus- tive speeches of the chairman and Mr. Goodlet, he would not occupy their time further than to urge the Chamber to agree to the resolutions, and to try to get a Royal Commission rather than try to get a bill. The subject would require to be ventilated a great deal more than it had been before a biU on the subject could be introduced. Mr. Du?f (Baldinuies) wished to make a few remarks in support of the third resolution. After what they had heard of the evils of the land tenancy laws, as these at present ex- isted, he could hardly suppose that doubt existed in the mind of any that those laws required revision and amend- ment, and as a Royal Commission to inquire into the working of the whole system of these laws seemed to be the constitutional form of opening up the question, he would say that the sooner such a commis- sion was appointed the better. It was idle to talk of leaving freedom of contract to solve the difficulty. The laws were there, and it was only by passing a better set of laws that they were to be relieved. He spoke on this subject the other day to a member of the Chamber, who told him he did not think the land tenancy laws required any change at all, as a man had the terms of his lease to decide the matter, If tliis gen- tleman and others had heard the discussion that had taken place that day, they might have been convinced that to leave the parties to a lease to settle the question of compensation for unexhausted improvements was simply to ignore the exist- ence of any grievance whatever, and to show that the law must interfere between man and man, and hold the balance at least even between them. The land laws supported the landowner to the injury of the tenant, and the cases of in- justice and grievance which Jiad already been referred to led one to ask the question, Why should tlie tenant's capital be placed in a position so dilfereut from that of the landlord's ? Although the promoters of a change in the land laws some- times got credit for attempting to " confiscate" the property of the proprietors, the plain truth was that they only wanted to have the law so placed as that the landlord should not have so much power to confiscate the property of the tenant. He had drawn up the following propositions in regard to an enactment on this subject, which might be approved in prin- ciple : 1st. In the event of a tenant's death during currency of a lease, compensation should be allowed for aU drains, lime, and unexhausted improvements. 2nd. In event of bankruptcy, all creditors whose capital has helped to improve tlie larm should have an equal dividend with the landlord. 3rd. In the event of bad health or accident overtaking a tenant during the currency of a lease, he ought to have unre- stricted freedom of transfer. 4th. At the natural expiry of lease a man should be entitled to fair compensation. Mr. Taylor (Cushnie) said that his friend, Mr. Largie, had taken a farm ten years ago by competition, the rent of which had previously been £330, while the new rent was £750, though an allowance of a few hundred pounds was given for repairs. Mr. Largie had since spent £1,300 upon build- ings, and at the end of the lease every farthing of the expendi- ture on the farm would go to the landlord. He also referred to the case of his friend, Mr. Alexander, who had drained the farm, repaired the steading, and otherwise improved the farm at considerable cost, and when a new lease had to be made some time ago, all the benefit of these operations went to the landlord, who raised the rent. All these were cases illustra- five of the hardships of tenant-farmers, and many more such cases could be given, which would testify to all the necessity for reform of the land laws. Mr. Bethuxe said that there were now only seven Tories returned by Scotland, and he would like to see some of their Liberal members educated on this question, so that they might assist the Chamber in their efforts. Mr. Gardinek (Chapelbank) said he could give many instances where good farms had been very much damaged by bad tenants. Seeing how slowly the present Game-Law Com- mission was getting on, he thought it might perhaps have been the better plan to get a few members of Parliament to frame and introduce a bill into Parliament on this subject of land tenancy laws. Mr. Russell (Kenly Green) moved, and Mr. Storrar seconded, an amendment to the effect that the words " unex- hausted manures " be left out of the resolution. On a vote being taken all present voted for the motion, and only the mover and seconder for the amendment. The resolutions of the directors were accordingly adopted. The Chairman said that the only bill now before Parliament in which they were directly concerned was that introduced by the member for East Aberdeenshire, and he hoped that that lion, member would see his way to withdraw his bill, in view of the action of this Chamber in the matter and the proba- bility of a Commission being appointed. A letter from a Caithness association in regard to road re- form was remitted to the directors for consideration. Mr. Taylor (Cushnie) suggested that an analysis of the evidence led before the Select Committee on the Game-laws sliould be prepared at the instance of the Chamber. Mr. CURROR, secretary, said that such an analysis would be sure to be prepared by a lawyer without the Chamber re- quiring to prompt in the matter. Mr. Dun and the Chairman having expressed their grati- fication at the numerous attendance at the meeting on this occasion, a vote of thanks was awarded to Mr. Smith for pre- siding, and the meeting separated. •U 2 300 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. LAND TENURE LAWS AND TENANT-RIGHT. A. special meeting of the Warwickshire Chamber of Agri- culture has been held, to consider the following report pre- sented by tlie committee appointed some months since to inquire into the laws on Land Tenure : In reporting upon the subject of Land Tenure and Tenant- Right, we have not dealt with customary minor conditions, viany of which it will be necessary to include in farm leases, as heretofore, but have confined our recommendations and suggestions in this report to the chief matters of importance. 1. We are of opinion that a much greater liberty of action in tlie cultivation of the land should be extended to the tenant than has hitherto been allowed. 2. We strongly recommend that the arbitrators should be appointed at the commencement of every tenancy, and that, in the event of any vacancy occurring in such appointment, it should be immediately supplied. 3. We recommend that farm tenancies should be subject to at least twelve months' notice. 4. We are divided in opinion upon the question, Which is the most desirable time for entering upon and quitting a farm ? 5. We recommend that before permanent improvements, upon wliich a tenant is to pay the landlord interest upon out- lay, are made, the works and the cost of the same shall be specified and accepted in writing by the landlord and tenant, and that interest shall not commence until the quarter-day after the completion of the work. 6. We recommend that any building or structure made by the tenant, or any fixture belonging to him, which the land- lord lias declined to purchase upon the termination of the tenancy, may be removed by the tenant before quitting, upon making good all damages. 7. We recommend that rick-staddles and fixtures paid for by the tenant on entering, with the consent of the landlord, or which he has added during his occupation with the consent of the landlord, shall be taken off the tenant at a valuation, when quitting the farm. 8. Upon the question. Who sliould do repairs ? we are not agreed. 9. We submit for consideration a schedule (A) annexed, for indicating unexhausted improvements, and we recommend that, at the termination of the tenancy, the tenant should be paid according to this scale for the value of any item speci- fied in this schedule which is proved to have been applied to the land. 10. We recommend that no account should be taken, and no payment made, for cattle food or manures used iu excess of the average of three years, in any one year. 11. We recommend that a clearly-defined system of vouchers for proving the quantity and quality of all articles for which value is claimed should be adopted. 12. We submit for approval a schedule (B) annexed, for indicating exhaustions of the farm value, and we recommend that the landlord should be paid by the tenant, at the termi- nation of the tenancy, according to this scale, for all exhaus- tions, and for all articles specified which are removed off the premises. 13. We are of opinion that all amounts owing in respect to the exhaustion or improvement of a farm, and all valuations, should be settled between the landlord and out-going tenant, and that all matters relating to a new tenancy should be arranged by the landlord and the incoming tenant. We recommend that, if at anytime the arbitrators award damage against the tenant for bad farming, or other causes, to the extent of the amount of one half-year's rent, he shall be liable to quit the farm in six months, ending at the time he entered, upon receiving written notice from the landlord to that effect, and shall pay to the landlord such amount for damages as the arbitrators shall determine. We liave submitted the schedules A and B in blank, being of opinion that it is not desirable to undertake the labour of tilling them up, until we are assured that the principle pro- posed would be approved. We have agreed to report only generally upon the question before us at present, but we are of opinion, after consider- ing the many attempts that liave been made, and the little advantage which has hitherto resulted from dealing with this very important subject time after time, in a general manner (and we particularly refer to the report of the Select Commit- tee of the House of Commons, July, 18i8, and reprinted July, 1806), that, unless our labours are confined to produce such a definite system as will ensure protection to landlords and in- coming tenants against improper claims and damage, iu ad- dition to provisions for giving security to outgoing-tenants, and that unless we demonstrate clearly the practicability of carry- ing our recommendations into eU'ect, with safety to all parties concerned, all our efforts to arrive at a satisfactory solution of the question will prove equally fruitless with every previous attempt. We therefore suggest, if you approve or our recom- mendations, which we herewith submit, that we be authorised to confer with the committees of other Chambers, now sitting upon the subject of Land Tenure, and that you instruct us to prepare a form of lease and agreement, based upon the princi- ples set forth in this report. Signed, on behalf of the Commit- tee; 6th July, 1872, John Ford, Chairman. Mr. FoiiD,the chairman, opened the discussion of the report by stating that, as a member of the deputation from the War- wickshire Chamber, he attended the last meeting of the Cen- tral Chamber in London, in June. There was a very large meeting, and the chief topic was " compensation for unex- hausted improvements." Several resolutions on the subject were submitted to the meeting, but none of them adopted, and it was ultimately decided that the discussion should be adjourned till the Council meeting in November. There was a great difference of opinion as to the desirability of the ad- journment, and the majority by which that resolution was carried was a very small one. He and others who were pre- sent were of opinion that some abstract resolution should have been attirmed at the Central Chamber, because it would have afforded a subject for consideration not only at a future meet- ing, but during the interval. By the action of the Warwick- shire Chamber his views had been carried out. Those piesent would remember that on the 27th of January last the Chamber met to consider the subject of Land Tenure, and a very valua- ble and suggestive paper on the subject was read by Mr. 1 . Horley, of the Vosse. After considerable discussion, the Chamber appointed a committee to consider the general ques- tion. As was wells known, that committee consisted of an equal number of tenant-farmers and landowners — six of each — and they referred the subject to a sub-committee, consisting of Mr. G. Y. Muntz and Mr. T. Horley ; but the latter gentleman fell ill, aud was unable to discharge his portion of the work. Having out-of-doors heard great complaints as to the matter being so long in abeyance, and rumours that it would ultimately fall through, he felt it to be his duty to call the General Committee together again, and it was thought desirable to add to the sub-committee the names of Mr. Wakefield, Mr. Startin, and himself (the Chairman). The committee were much obliged to Mr. Muntz for his great foresight and untiring energy ; to Mr. Horley, for his valuable assistance ; and to Mr. Wakefield, for the sound practical good sense which he had brought to bear on the discussion. He and his colleagues did not submit their report with any idea that it was perfect ; or as supposing for a moment that the Chamber would agree with all, or, perhaps, half of what they had done. They offered their report with a feeling that it might form a basis of farther action, and as suggesting a prin- ciple for future discussion, if not a sort ot foundation on wliich they might build a superstructure. They had been actuated by the desire to do the utmost good they could both to landlords and tenants. He might say his interests lay rather with the landlords than the tenants, being more of a landlord than an occupier. However, his sympathies were thoroughly with the tenant-farmers, believing that in the ex- isting state of affairs, and the present condition of agriculture, they required more assistance, and were less able to help them- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 301 reives than the landlords were. He aud those who acted with him had set aside all pcrsoual consideratious. During their meetings he had never known a single instance in which party feelings had heen entertained, or allowed to be introduced, their single aim being to do what they could for the Chamber aud agriculture. It had been said that all they had done would be of no avail, and that it was of no use Chambers of Agriculture uniting and making reports, because their propo- sals were not compulsory, aud that if any good was to be done it must be by Legislative interference. With all due respect, he differed entirely from those who entertained this opinion. The action ol' the committee did not prevent the advocates of legislative intervention from carrying out their views. What- ever might be the result of their deliberations that day, he should gladly fall in with the wishes of the majority. Some gentlemen said that their report was a very one-sided affair, aud entirely in favour of the tenant ; while others said, " We do not like your report ; it is entirely in favour of the land- lords." He had been glad to hear these opinions, because they shovifed that the committee had taken a medium course, their simple object having been to present a report which should not lean to either side, but be worthy the consideration of the Chamber generally. He hoped that all the members present had read attentively the report, and were now prepared to give it that fair and impartial consideration which he de- sired for it, and whether they approved or disapproved of it, he and the Chamber would be prepared to support their views and wishes. In concluding he invited discussion on the subject. The report as above, was taken as read. Mr. Endall, vice-chairman of the Henley Branch Cham- ber, approved of the committee's recommendations, but sug- gested the desirability of postponing the further consideration of the subject until after harvest. Mr. MuNTZ said that although it was not proposed that the report should that day be finally adopted, it would be a great advantage to the committee if members would express their opinions upon it. Their object had been to arrive at the truth and to submit recommendations which were fair and desirable for all parties concerned. The opinions of members of the committee had beeu much modified at their meetings, and the present discussion might lead to further modificatious. Mr. Sparks was not prepared to suggest amendments, not having had time to digest the report. He thought, however, there should be a better definition of what was meant by " a much greater liberty of action" being extended to the tenant in the cultivation of the soil. As to the committee's proposal that " arbitrators should be appointed at the commencement of every tenancy," he thought it would be better to give either owner or occupier the opportunity of referring to duly- appointed valuers rather than appoint arbitrators prior to an occasion arising for their intervention. Valuers should possess more power than at present, so that instead of acting from courtesy they might act decisively when their services were required. Farmers did not want any one up aloft overlooking their affairs, excepting those with whom they were in the habit of doing business. With respect to the committee's recommendation that " farm tenancies should be subject to at least twelve months' notice," he thought that was too limited a period, and that it should be eighteen months or two years. Mr. MuNTZ said that words "at least" were inserted advisedely. He agreed with the proposal that any excess of tliree years average should not be allowed. Many farmers laid out a great deal of money during the first year of their occupation, an average amount in the second year, and little or nothing in the third. If he was simply compensated for the average consumption of the last year of tlie tenancy he would not receive fair play. If payment were made on the last year's expenditure, it would be unfair to the incoming tenant as the out-gOQr might lay out more than was necessary simply to get compensation. The Chairman had asked him to reply to Mr. Sparks' objection to the arbitration clause. He agreed with the clause as it stood in the report. He disapproved of the system of deferring the appointment of an arbitrator un- til a dispute arose. He had repeatedly noticed that when a dispute existed arbitrators were not generally chosen for their soundness of judgment or ability ; but because they had some particular crochet corresponding with that of the person in whose behalf they acted. Each arbitrator had his particular views and inclination, aud when they met together they often I liad to call iu an umpire to settle the dispute. If arbitrators were chosen before the existence of any differences tiiey would not be selected for their predilections or crochets, but for their experience and cheracter. If no dispute arose there would be nothing for them to do, but their appointment would obviate to some extent the present system by wliich a small difference was often fanned into a large quarrel, and would promote justice and equity between landlord and tenant. Mr. W. Smith (Woolston), speaking as a tenant-farmer, " into whose soul the iron had entered," wished to see a better understanding between owner and occupier, and a better system of Tenant-Right than at present existed. These things must come, and their arrival was only a question of time. He wished landlords would move in the matter, and not leave tenants to take the initiative. He agreed with the committee that greater liberty of action in regard to cropping was abso- lutely essential. With greater liberty there would be greater production. As to arbitration, he had been told that they ought to do without arbitrators. He wished it was possible to settle all disputes between the landlord and tenant alone, but he thought they would never do that. He considered that the notice to quit should be at least two years, in cases of good farming. He farmed expecting to see the fruits of his labours after a lapse of seven years. If laud was farmed badly, it might be ruined in two years. He thanked the com- mittee for the excellent report which they had prepared, and their well-considered suggestions as to land-tenure. No " Tenant-Right" would be needed if all were good tenants and good landlords, acting on the principle of doing to others as they would be done by. With bad tenants and bad landlords, Tenant-Right was necessary to make each do what was just and right. Neither party should object to the principle, as it was advantageous alike for landlord and tenant. He ob- served that the committee were divided in opinion as to which was the most desirable time for entering upon and quitting a farm. He thought Lady-day was the best time for the in- coming, and Michaelmas for the outgoing, tenant. As to specifying the cost of permanent improvements on which the tenant was to pay the landlord interest upon outlay, this pro- posal would be very good if they could get the landlord to do anything. It was a very great question whether they could get compensation without an act of Parliament. When he wrote asking for deductions for property-tax, it was allowed ; but when he asked for compensation, he got insulted. The committee had made some good suggestions as to the removal of fixtures by the tenant, or their being taken at a valuation by the landlord. He had a copy of a Scotch lease, which provided that when any buildings which the tenant put up became dilapidated the landlord could call upon the tenant to repair them. He did not wish to take proper power out of the hands of landlords, but to ensure proper security to the tenant. He was desirous to see landlords protected as well as tenants. He thought that the clause as to liability to quit, on account of bad farming, at six months' notice, deserved serious consideration, aud especial account should be taken of the seasons. On hard, stiff, undrained clay, the present had beeu a terrible season. If his farm had been for sale this year instead of last year it would not have been worth so much by £5 per acre, and this not from any fault of his own, but simply because he could not get on the land to do anything with man or horse, and on that, the 20th of July, he was no forwarder than he was on the 20th of March. He did not agree with those objectors, to whom their worthy chairman had alluded, who predicted that no good could come from the action of the Cham- ber in this matter. However, he feared that justice would not be done to tenants until public opinion was brought to bear on landowners He hoped the public would speak for the farmers, as the latter dared not speak for themselves. He had been told that he would be a marked man for the part he had taken. He did not wish to be spotted, but he spoke feelingly and as a sufferer. They might tread on a worm till it turned, and they might break a camel's back at last. If the landlord and tenant changed places, and the landlord, instead of the tenant, had £600 or £6,000 taken from him, it would soon find its way into the newspapers ; the impoitance of the sub- ject would at once be acknowledged, and before another session of Parliament was over, the landed interest, without any Committee of Inquiry, would get Parliament to setttle the question. After referring to Sir John Pakingtou's speech at Worcester, the speaker contrasted the security possessed iu 302 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. trading and commercial pursuits with that prevailing in agri- cultural pursuits, and urged the necessity of giving greater security to out-going tenants. As to his own experience, he maintained that, during the eleven years prior to his farm being sold, he laid out £160 in manures, and thoroughly drained sixty-eight acres ; but he got a six months' notice to quit, and it was only through the kindness of the lady into whose hands the lauds passed that he did not get turned out of the farm. Farmers were now in a strait between the la- bourers on the one hand and the owners on the other, and if landowners did not help the farmers the matter would be taken out of their hands. Unless security was ensured to tenants, how could they expect the capital of the country to be applied to the tiUing of the soil ? To the landowners he appealed for help in the present difficulty, and he counselled his brother farmers to persevere peaceably, but earnestly, and success would crown their endeavours. Mr. ,T. Hands (Canley), could speak feelingly on the question under consideratiou. With Mr. Sparks, he did not wish to find fault with valuers, but rather with the system which bound them in their actions. The meeting was aware that he had been turned out, after having occupied a poor farm for four or five years. During that time he had, among other things, done a great deal of weeding of quick-set hedges ; but the valuer had only allowed him for half the labour be- stowed on the work. At a former meeting, Mr. Muntz had said the farmer should be compensated for his brains, and if he had been a bailifi' brains would uot, as now, have formed uo element in the compensation ; not only that, but they took half his capital. Nevertheless, he was told that his schedule was a very liberal one ; and perhaps we were uot the best judges of our own afl'airs. lie set a quick-set hedge in 1871, and the valuers stopped one-fourth of the cost of the work. He used 467 waggon-loads of manure, besides 58 tons 10 cwt. of artificial, during the six years he had one of Lord Leigh's farms. The Chairman : Did you not get compensation for that ? Mr. Hands replied that he never received a half-penny. He laid down some of the land for four years to rest, and manured it twice in that time. On account of speaking too plainly what he thought he had been debarred from reaping the fruits of the money and skill he had applied to the land, and he could not help thinking that his property had been taken from him. He might add that the valuers only allowed him what they supposed to be fourteen-twentieths of the haul- age for buildings aud things of that sort. He also made a lot of gate places, &c., for which he had no compensation whatever. Mr. J. J. BuRBERY expressed his acquiescence in the gene- ral recommendations of the]committee, although he tliought that further discussion would give to some of the proposals a more definite form. He saw no objection to the arbitration clause. As to the time of entry, there was no doubt that it should be a Michaelmas entry — as the tenant had then got his harvest, fed his stock, and could sell off and get well away. The in-coming tenant would then have time to become acquainted with the neighbourhood aud the markets. He agreed with the proposal that amounts owing in respect to the exhaustion or iinprovemeut of a farm should be settled be- tween the landlord and out-going tenant, and the matters re- lating to a new tenancy should be arranged by the landlord and the in-coming tenant. Mr. Sparks thought there was a feeling in favour of the appointment of a public arbitrator. He hoped that ninety- uine cases out of a hundred would be settled without the interference of the arbitator. This system would result in a thorough ventilation of the complaints of agriculturists. Mr. T. Horley was sorry to see so small an attendance, as it indicated that the question of land tenure was not receiving the attention which its importance deserved. Something might be said as to the season at which the meeting was held — it being in the midst of liay harvest— but he wished that more felt as warmly as he did in the matter, he having travel- led above 200 miles to attend the present meeting. It was surprising that more landlords and tenants were not present. If greater interest was not taken in this subject m other coun- ties it would be a long time before any beneficial result would be attained. Members should endeavour to turn pubhc opin- ion more in the direction of a subject of such vast moment to the nation at large. By adjourning the debate to a date wlien agriculturists were not so busily engaged, they might hope to see a good attendance of owners and occupiers. He approved of the arbitration clause in the report, as being the more prac- tical mode of arriving at a sound and legitimate agreement when difi'erences arose. Having taken considerable interest in the question, and being well acquainted with the views of gentlemen who were considered to be leaders of opinion in the agricultural world, he thought it would meet the general wish if in each county certain persons were appointed as arbitrators, to whom application could be made in cases of dispute. The persons selected should be thoroughly acquainted with the customs and practice of the respective districts. After hear- ing Mr. Hands' statement, he was aurprited to find that such things existed, and, as he knew none of the parties concerned, he could not be supposed to speak with any personal feeling. He thought it was the fault of the system rather than of per- sons. Everyone knew that a certain time must elapse before a tenant could receive any benefit from the skill and capital he applied to the laud, and he was, therefore, entitled to compen- sation for unexhausted improvements. Mr. W. Sjiitii asked Mr. Horley if there was anything wortli caUing a system of Tenaut-Right in force. Mr. Horley said that in many neighbourhoods a system derived from custom attained somewhat the force of law. Before any just system could become more generally prevalent there must be a greater interest felt in the wliole question. Unless such an interest was excited the matter would be taken out of their hands and dealt with by the Legislature. He believed that nothing could now prevent legislative interference. There was a vast deal of trust and pubUe property in this county, and, unless the law gave an enabling power, limited owners and trustees could uot grant compensation for unexhausted improvements. Public bodies and trustees would gladly avail themselves of such a provision if it were a statutory enact- ment. He was of opinion that ultimately — and, perhaps, the sooner the better — they must ask the Legislature to take up the matter, and give the desired power to limited owners to make charges on their successors to property for the matters to which he had referred. It was an undoubted fact that a great deal of land was not farmed so well as it might be, and the difficulties in the way of accomplishing this object were increasing every day, and the flow of capital to the land would continue to be checked so long as inadequate provision was given for the security of capital so applied. After regretting that, in a large agricultural county like Warwickshire, no more interest was evinced in the question, he proposed that the further consideration of the Committee's report be deferred till the 3rd of November. This proposition was carried. Mr. A, Startin (vice-chairman) proposed that the Com- mittee be requested to continue their inquiries, and to confer with the committees of other counties now sitting on the subject of land tenure, and also to fill up schedules A and B as to unexhausted improvements and exhaustions of farm value. He regretted having been unable to attend the meetings, and was obliged to the Committee for the able manner in which they had dealt with the subject. He cor- dially concurred in most of the recommendations with respect to the liberty of action to be extended to the tenant in the cultivation of the land ; he thought it undesirable to go too much into details. The enunciation of a general principle was all that was required on the part of the Chamber. The system of agriculture was changing day by day, and old systems of farming, like old musty agreements, were not in conformity with the existing state of things. He agreed with much that Mr. Sparks had said as to arbitration. It was essentially necessary that there should be a sort of Court of Arbitration, in which all parties should have confidence, aud to which each should have recourse in cases of dispute. Such an arbitration court could not be estabhshed without the in- tervention of Parliament. The Legislature would never interfere with the right of contract between man and man ; but, in cases of dispute, what was wanted was a court to which both parties could repair without being involved in much expense. Whether there should be arbitrators for respective counties would be a question for the Legislature to determine. The great desideratum was a court of appeal, to which all might resort, instead of being, as at present, in- volved in the expense of an Assize trial. In his own neigh- bourhood, for the last three or four years, there had been two THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. 303 Assize trials going on, at great cost to laudlord and tenant, and they would probably liave to be referred to arbitration at last. Mr. Berrt Congreve seconded the proposition. The Chairman expressed his belief that the discussion that day would be productive of good, lie mentioned that Mr. C. M. Caldicott was thoroughly with the Committee, having, with one or two minor exceptions, expressed his acquiescence in all that they had doue. He (the Chairman) shared Mr. Horley's surprise at finding so few owners and occupiers evincing a practical interest in that day's proceed- ings. He thought that if they did not find a larger attend- ance at the adjourned discussion, the sooner they let the mat- ter drop, the better. Mr. SwiNNERTON asked how far the meeting would be committed by the adoption of the report. Mr. MuNTZ said the Committee did not ask the meeting to adopt the report that day. He was glad the feeling was that tlie consideration of the subject should be postponed until after harvest, as the matter was one requiring matured and protracted consideration. Taking what the Committee had done as a starting-point, members would, he trusted, in November, be prepared with suggestions for alterations and improvements. He did not believe in hasty action. As the most valued trees were the longest growing, so measures of the greatest good were often the longest maturing. He hoped to sec no imperfectly developed scheme of Tenant-llight issue from the Chamber, but one which would be equally beneficial both to landlords and tenants. Mr. Startin's proposition was carried. THE MAIDSTONE FARMERS' CLUB. THE ABC SEWAGE SYSTEM. At the last meeting of the Club Mr. T. Bridgeland, juu., the Chairman, expressed his regret that the attendance was so small. He commented upon the absence of the Mayor, and the leading members of the Corporation of Maidstone, as they had introduced the subject, and also arranged the recent visit to the Bishop Stortford sewage farm for their special benefit. The question was not so much a one for the agriculturist as for those who lived in the towns ; and, as he had no doubt Maidstone would ultimately be compelled to adopt some etfectual system of drainage, he was surprised that so little interest was shown in that meeting. Mr. J. Rock, of Hastings, then proceeded to read the fol- lowing paper : At the request of ray old and esteemed friend, your vice-president, Mr. Lovett, I am here this evening to give what information I can upon the subject of manure manufactured from town sewage, especially that which is made by the so-called ABC process, and known as " Native Guano." I am neither agriculturist uor chemist, but simply a practical man, who has acquired considerable experience in the treatment of town sewage, and has had some opportunities of observing the results obtained from the use ot manure manufactured from it. It is due to myself to state that al- though I am now commercially interested in the subject, I worked upon it for several years solely on sanitary grounds, with the object of benefiting the town with which I had been connected from childhood, and which had done me the honour to place me in a position in my opinion demanding from me my closest attention to everything afi'ectiug the health of its population. Using the facilities placed at my disposal by the Local Board of Health of Hastings for more than eight years, I have made many experiments with the sewage of that town, and after trying various processes, in one of which I was largely assisted both in purse and person by one of your most respected townsmen, Mr. Chas. ArkcoU, I at length, in con- junction witti the Native Guano Company, undertook the treatment of the whole of the sewage of Hastings by the ABC process, which has now been in operation there more or less fully for about two years. The experience of those two years has been full of difficulty and anxiety. The utili- zation of sewage, like every other step in the process of civilization, has had its martyrs, and I look back with pain to the loss of three valuable lives in the earlier operations of the company with which I am connected. But I must not in this brief paper dwell on circumstances and details not immedi- ately connected with the object of this meeting, namely, to discuss the value of manures manufactured from town sewage, and, incidentally, the utility of such a manufacture as a sanitary measure for the benefit of town populations. My audience, I believe, consists both of residents in this town and of agriculturists using land in the neighbourhood; I feel, therefore, that I may be expected to say something on the subject of utilizing town sewage, both as affecting the town, and as affecting the country. Of the two opposite, or if not opposite at least broadly distinguished, plans for utilizing sewage, viz., irrigation with sewage water and the manufac- ture of a portable manure, I am inclined to tliink, after much consideration, that the plan of manufacturing a dry manure is the one which is the most hopeful in regard to the future, both for town and country. Hitherto, or till very recently, irrigation was the only plan that received any favour from central sanitary authorities, from chemists, and from engineers. At first sight it appears the most natural way of disposing of the excreta of human beings, and the refuse which accumulates wherever men " most do congregate," and while the possibility of converting these substances into a portable manure was by no means demonstrated, it is not surprising that when en- gineers or chemists were called in to assist towns under sani- tary difficulties they should recommend the adoption of the only method which seemed at all certain to remove those difficulties. Besides, as irrigation necessarily involved the outlay of large sums of money, and furnished employment for engineers, it is easy to see that this plan would be preferred by engineers before any other, which, besides not having been proved thoroughly successful, would, if adopted, transfer the work into other hands than their own. I trust, however, that there is some hope of a change in the manner of viewing this subject by the leading members of the engineering profession. It is beginning to be understood that neither irrigation or manure manufacture will alone provide a universal remedy for the difficulties in which large towns find themselves in disposing of their sewage. The President of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Mr. Thomas Hawksley, in his inaugural address on 9th January, 1873, says (p. 19) : " The question of the best means for effecting the purification of sewage- water, and for the utilization of sewage matter, is still un- settled, and the controversy has assumed the dimensions and character of a party conflict, in which the fact that the truth is not wholly with either party, and yet is partly with each, has been almost if not entirely lost sight of. That the ap- plication of liquid sewage in aid of the cultivation of land may be the means of raising prodigious crops of certain descriptions of vegetables no one will deny, but it is far from being established that the results can be realised with profit, or indeed without occasioning a serious loss, when the operation is to be performed, not at the cnltivator's will, but under the constant pressure of legal and sanitary obligations. Nor has.it been shown how or where the larger towns can acquire, at a reasonable distance, of a suitable quality, and at the requisite elevation, the enormous areas of land the employment of this system requires, or how or where a daily market is to be found for the excessive quantities of the pecuUar and perish- able productions of an extensive irrigation farm. I admit the principle is sometimes appUcable to the needs of small com- munities, but I have not as yet seen any evidence of its general availability in the eases of large communities, al- though of course special instances, exceptional to any general rule, may perhaps exist." This paragraph expresses very con- cisely the convictions of an eminent hydraulic engineer, whose special occupation has given him exceptional advantages in forming his conclusions, and raiglit induce him, if he were open to the influence of pecuniary considerations, to throw the weight of his opinions on the side of irrigation. Let us 3U'i THE I^AEMEE'S MAGAZINE. hear what he has to say on the opposite side of the question. On the same page (19), he says " On the other hand, the pro- cess of preoipitation by chemical means seems to me peculiarly suitable for adoption in those frequent cases in which the utilization of the sewage by the process of irrigation is in- feasible. That the sewage can be readily cleansed by chemical means to a sufficient e.Ktent to reader the effluent water reason- ably admissible into a running stream I have olten witnessed. That the process has hitherto been conducted with all the care and attention it requires, I do not believe, and that it is or can be made a source of profit to the manufacturer of artificial manures remains to be demonstrated. As an engineer wedded to no system and belonging to no party, I desire that this pro- cess should be allowed that measure of fair play which has not hitlierto been accorded to it, if only for the not unim- portant reason that it involves a capital of about an eighth or a tenth part of that which must be embarked in works of utilization by irrigation, and I also wish that it should not be liastily ignored and discountenanced by, or in consequence of, central interferences with the discretion of local autliorities." As I am not here this evening to speak of the whole of the sewage question, but only of that part of it which I am best acquainted with, I will not pursue the comparison between irri- gation and precipitation, which Mr. Hawksley has thus briefly made. I will proceed to explain th« ABC process, as now practised at Hastings, Leeds, "Crosness, and elsewhere, and to mention a few of the practical results which have been ob- tained from it, both as a means of purifying town sewage and of manufacturing manure. You are doubtless aware that tlie process invented by Mr. William Sillar, and worked out by himself in conjunction with several chemists and others, form- ing the stall' of the Native Guano Company, is called the A B C process, from the initial letters of the principal ingre- dients in tlie compound used to precipitate the solid matters of sewage — alum, blood, and clay ; but as charcoal is also used, the third letter should be doubled. In the first instance, alum manufactured at Whitby was used, but now a crude sulphate of alumina, made on the works, is employed, and while it efl'ects a great saving of expense, is found to answer nearly as well as pure alum. I liave specimens of the ABC compound and of the substances composing it, which I cannot describe better tiian by quoting Ironi one of the reports made by Mr. Hills, late manager of the Hastings Works. He enumerates the in- gredients as crude sulphate of alumina, fresh blood, charcoal, and clay. The use of blood in this precipitating com- pound has given rise to much controversy. Some eminent chemists liave considered it quite useless, and have even taunted the Native Guano Company with it as a piece of empiricism ; one remarked, " Oil ! that's your magic." Most of the chemists in the employ of the com- pany have been equally sceptical at the outset, but after much experimenting with sewage, they have all come to the conclu- sion that blood exercises an important influence both in purify- ing the water, and improving the manure. The ABC compound is ground in a mortar mill, then mixed with sewage- water in pits or wells, where it is well stired by agitators ; it is then pumped up in measured quantities, and poured into the sewer at the point where it enters the large tank used to receive the whole of the town sewage ; here sewage and ABC compound are well stirred together by an agitator, and flow into one of the two divisions of the tank. When that division is sufficiently filled, the flow is turned into the other half-tank, and the first portion is allowed to settle, when the supernatant water is let off, and the mud is pumped up to a large tank at the top of the works where it settles again. A further portion of the water is let off Iromthe surface, and the mud, just then enough to flow throu(;h the wooden trough connecting this upper tank with a stea;n drying floor, passes in that way to the floor to be dried. The steam floor is heated by means of the waste steam from the eigine employed to turn the agitators and other machinery, aid is covered by flat wooden covers a few inches only above the surface of the mud. The smoke from the boiler furnaces, which is made to pass over the surface of the mud, helps to dt/ it as well as to deodorize the vapour. The vapour and smoke together are drawn off by meaus of rapidly revolving fms, and escape into the air through chimneys filled with coke, through which water is kept trickling down. In this way the vapours are "scrubbed" or washed, and pass off without any offensive smell whatever. Other metliods of drying are used at some of the Native Guano Works, and the local arrangements uf each place differ some- what from those I have described. When the manure is taken from the drying floor, it is placed in heaps, where it ferments and heats ; when thoroughly well " rotted," it is passed through a disintegrator to reduce it to powder, and then packed in bags for delivery. Such, then, is the ABC compound, and such is the process for using it. As you are aware, it is not the only process for precipitating the solids from sewage and utilizing them as manure. There was first the lime process which was tried at great cost at Leicester, and failed, because the manure was found to be of very small value. The Leicester Bricks, as they were called, were valued as low as 12s. per ton. The lime appeared to have the effect of driving off all that was valuable. Noone's plan was to use the lime to throw off ammonia into a vessel containing acid, which fixed it. The ammonia was then recovered from the acid by evaporation, and returned to the manure- Other plans have been tried which I have not time to mention. The most prominent one is the Phosphate Sewage Company's process which has excited a good deal of attention, and has been received with consider- able favour by persons who think that a good manure cannot be made from sewage alone, but that the sewage deposits require to be " fortified" by the addition of known manurial substances. There is something which has the appearance of frankness in saying as the Phosphate Sewage Company do : " We do not profess to make a manure from sewage alone, but we purify it by meaus of a substance containing a la-ge quantity of phosphates, and thus make a valuable manure." The Native Guano Com- pany, on the other hand, say, " We profess to make|a[valuable, manure from sewage alone, by means of chemicals, not known as manurial substances, e.\cept the blood, which is used in such small quantities as to be out of the question ; those chemicals being for purification alone, and not to fortify (or strengthen) the manure." They rigidly adhere to this, and when I have urged them to make a compound manure, adding some substance or other known as a manure, they have re- plied, " We cannot do it — an independent company using the ABC process may do it — the Native Guano Company can- not. We say we can make a good manure from sewage alone by our purifying process, and that only will we do." As a matter of fact, I know, from having worked with the ABC company for two years, that their practice agrees with their principle, notwithstanding what was said to the contrary in the report of the Rivers Pollution Commissioners. To return to the phosphate sewage process, it is doubtful if it accom- plishes either of the objects it professes to do. As to purifi- cation of sewage-water, it takes out none of the nitrogen, and it adds phosphorus ; both of these substances indicating sewage impurities, and rendering the eflluent water unfit to go into a river. A letter by Mr. W. Hope, in the Money Market ReL-iew, of March 9th, points out the objections to the phosphate pro- cess very forcibly, and, I think justly. I have not heard of any results from the use of manure made by the phosphate process. I am doubtful of its value, for although by analysis phosphoric acid is present in considerable quantity, it is in con- junction with alum as phosphate of alumina, which is an in- soluble salt, and, therefore, not likely to be useful to vegetation. I have lately urged on the Native Guauo Company that they should make two kinds of manure — one, the native guano, made from sewage alone ; the other, compound native guano, made from sewage solids, and other substances compounded with them. This is what I had intended doing if I had gone on with Noone's process ; iu fact, Noone's patents, now in the possession of the Native Guauo Company, claimed the manu- facture of compound manure of this kind as part of the inven- tion. Hitherto no attempt has been made to manufacture a compound manure at the Hastings sewage works. The ma- nure made there is strictly a sewage manure — au entirely " native" production, both as to the raw material and the sub- stances used in its manufacture. I will now briefly state the chemical components of native guano, give a few instances of its agricultural value, and conclude with some remarks upon the usefulness of the ABC process as a sanitacy measure for towns. The chemical analysis of native guano does not show a high proportion of those substaaces by which chemists usu- ally estimate the value of a manure. The following is an analysis of native guano made by the Kivers Pollution Com- missioners : THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 806 Organic matter, contaiiiiiig 18.15 parts of carbou and 1.55 part of uitrogpu 34.27 Ammonia 0.16 Piiosphoric acid 1.98 Clay and other useless mineral matters 56.13 Water 7.4S 100 00 Total nitrogen calculated as ammonia— 2,05 per cent. This anal)-sis obviously suggests the question — If this manure is really valuable, why is it so, seeing that it is so deficient in that which is ccnsidered the most valuable constituent in our best manures, viz., ammonia ? Baron Liebig's remarks in a recent work on the " Chemistry of Agriculture and Phy- siology" may supply the answer. He says (pay 213) : " It is of great importance for agriculturists to know with certainty that the supjily of ammonia is unnecessary for most of our cul- tivated plants, and that it may eveu be superfluous if only the soil contain a suilicient supply of the mineral food of the plants, when the ammonia required for their development will be furnished by tiie atmosphere. It is also important to know that the rule usually adopted iu France and Germany of esti- mating the value of a manure accordiug to the amount of its nitrogen is quite fallacious, and that its value does not stand iu proportion to its nitrogen." lie also says in the same work (p. 180) : " In the solid and liquid exceraeuts of men and animals we restore to our fields the ashes of the plants which served to nourish those animals." Mr. Crookes, the editor of the Che- mical News, and now chief of the Chemical Staff of the Native Guano Company, says that this manure contains a large num- ber of manurial elements so finely divided and so proportioned to each other as to form a food for the plant which it can readily assimilate. But wliatever chemists may know, or con- jecture, on the subject of any kind of manure, after all, the practical use of it is tlie real criterion of value. Judging in this way, I have satisfied myself that native guano is a good manure. My personal experience is limited principally to grass and vegetables. By means of it, used two years suc- cessively, I have couverted a poor, dry, worn-out field into a good meadow. My garden for tli3 last two years has had scarcely any other manure, and it has never before had such crops in it as it has had the last twelve months. My cab- bages, brocoli, turnips, parsnips, and carrots have been the finest in the neighbourhood. Many of my parsnips weighed Sglbs. each. Vegetable marrows, cucumbers, and peas have done well. Old rows of strawberries, worn out when I took my place four years ago, are now like new plants after two dress- ings. I am not sure that I have found out the right way of using the manure with potatoes, with which I have not ob- tained any striking results. With cabbages it beats Peruvian guano used in the proportion of two to one, i-e., two of native guano to one of Peruvian. I am trying a few hops on a piece of ground which has had no manure of any kind for two years, cropped last year with broad beans. This has been ma- nured with native guano at the rate of one pound to a hill, and when I planted my hops I gave each hill another half- pound. By the end of May some of the sets had reached the tops of the ten-feet poles, but some, haviug been nipped by the late frosts, had not grown more than half-svay up. All, how- ever, were looking healthy and vigorous. At the present time, July 24, they are looking extremely well, more like second year's hops than first year. Those planted with cut sets, quite late, are nearly as forward as the others. There are no first year's hops in my part looking so well. From my study win- dow I look on a hop-garden about lialf-a-mile distant, which had a dressing last autumn, and I can see distinctly at that distance where the native guano was used. The general ex- perience of farmers and gardeners who have used the manure will be best gathered from the testimonials published by the Native Guano Company. My conclusions from reading them are that for all kinds of roots the manure is extremely good, also for peas and strawberries. 1 feel convince.l, too, from what I have seen in my own neighbourhood, it will be found good for hops. I am not so sure of its good cftects on cereals, but I have both seen and heard of some good results. I have ascertained from the secretary of the Native Guano Company that he sent out two hundred letters of inquiry. He received one hundred and sixty replies, of which only twenty were unfa- vourable. It is necessary to success that the manure should be used again and again on the same ground ; a single experi- ment is no suilicient criterion, and the mauura should be well mixed with the soil. All my best results have been obtained iu the second year of use — even when no second dressing has been given — proving that while on tlie one hand the manure may be slow, on the other hand it is lasting. I have had two excellent crops of pickling cabbages from the same ground with one dressing, and the patches of strawberries first ma- nured with native guano, are still the best parts of the rows, although all have since been manured. If any farmer will use this manure in his garden as I have done, he will soon wish to try it in his fields. Let him begiu with cabbages. The value of the ABC process, as a means of purifying the sewage- water of towns, has been fully demonstrated at Leeds, where tlie sewage flowing in at one end of the works black as ink, flows out at the other end perfectly clear, and so entirely de- void of nauseous taste or odour that mauy persons have drunk it without repugnance or ill elfect. In fact, the purification at Leeds is so complete that on the Town Council undertaking to apply the ABC plan to the whole of the sewage of the town, the injunction in Chancery under which they lay has been removed. But, besides purifying the water, the ABC process has another good result. Where it is necessary, as at Hastiugs, to have a covered tank at the outlet of the sewer, the compound purifies the air in the tank to a remarkable ex- tent, thus diminishing the chance of the drains communicating with houses becoming surcharged with dangerous sewage- gases, as has occurred at Scsrborough and elsewhere. I attri- bute the healthiness of Hastings in no small degree to this purification of the air in the tanks, in conjunction with the excellent system of drainage, and the admirable method of ventilating the sewers arranged by Mr. Andrews, the borough surveyor. I think I cannot do this town of Maidstone a greater service than by recommending the authorities to adopt the ABC system. It may be worked here well and economi- cally. At Hastings we have difficulty in drying the manure, in consequence of the very limited space at our disposal, which obliges us to use artificial heat. If we had greater space we should use cold drying exclusively, by which we should save a large sum now spent on coal, and perhaps im- prove the manure. To agriculturists in this neighbourhood it must be of importance that the substances now thrown away through the town sewers should be converted into a portable manure, which can be applied whenever and wherever they please, and be produced at a moderate cost. Dr. Mo^'CKTON pointed out the obscurity which involved the sewage question generally, and the difl'erence of opinion, of which the highest authorities were the victim. It would be more than useless to attempt then and there any settlement as to the best mode of purifying towns. The ABC was one method, and he ventured to think its success or failure might be determined out of the contents of the glass bottle before him. The manure therein contained was the point most inter- esting to them as farmers. If that manure was worth £3 10s. per ton, Mr. Rock stated that the process could be con- tinued at Hastings, and applied elsewhere as a paying enter- prise, imposing no costs whatever upon the towns. If, how- ever, the product offered to the farmers was worth only 20s., it seemed too likely that the system must ultimately collapse, unless the sanitary result and the sewage cleansing was so perfect, that towns would be willing to subsidize the factories out of the rates so as to more than cover the margin of loss, whatever that might be ; even this latter point had better be wholly omitted from their discussion that evening. He, at all events, should confine his observations to the manure. Mr. Rock w^as to be congratulated at starting, on haviug acknow- ledged at once, that, judged by the ordinary tests of agricultu- ral cliemists, the ABC manure would not be valued at any- thing like the price it fetched, and he quoted Baron L'ebig to show that, nevertheless, it might be fully worth the amount charged. This was asking them to surrender the only com- pass and repudiate the only chart that was available offhand in such matters. The onus, and a heavy one, was thrown up- on Mr. Rock to show by some hidden and undiscoverable pro- perty that the ABC manure was able to achieve results which its ingredients, otherwise combined, failed to touch. The sys- tem mauy years relied upon for the valuation of manures was this, that each sample should be regarded as about worth what its constituents could be bought for separately in the market and mixed together, just as the value of a bowl of punch might be arrived at by adding together the cost of the spirit, 306 THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. ^■lie lemon, and tlie sugar. Nor was this a mere book process, or one based upon theory alone. Chemistry showed that rape-dust contained one-third as much ammonia as guano. Practice had long taught that about 7 cwt. of the latter was an equivalent dose to one ton of the former, and in endless ways the trustworthiness of this method had been established. Two years ago by careful analysis, checked by a counter analysis performed in London, he (Dr. M.) had convinced himself that the article then being sold at Hastings and Leamington was worth one thirteenth part the price of good Peruvian guano. The sample put on the table that evening certainly looked better than those examined two years ago ; but Mr, Rock's own analysis did not show much improvement in value. Either, then, most indisputable evidence of the clearest kind must show that this manure differed utterly from all other sorts, or farmers could not give more than 20s. or 30s. a ton for it. One difficulty in getting this view accepted would be found in the fact that even the most genuine ma- nures sometimes failed to satisfy the farmers ; agricultural re- sults did not always co-exist with commercial value. This must always be expected ; but if the farmer began by pur- chasing an article commercially dear, he was very much less likely to find it agriculturally cheap. In fact the following propositions might be pretty well assumed : 1. As a rule, if a manure had got very httle in it, very little good would be got out of it. 2. As a rule, it was the right thing to spend money on that which was commercially worth it, agricul- tural effects being assumed to follow the quantity and value of chemical ingredients. 3. Tlie wisest purchaser of ma- nures will find liis dressings fail twenty-five times out of a hundred, and no blame to his merchant for its being so ; but he who starts by giving 70s. for a set of ingredients which he can buy in other shapes for 20s., must expect to make a mull of it seventy-five times out of a hundred. He suggested that the very best help the farmers' club could give to the whole sewage question would be to take twenty tons for twenty members at £3 per ton, undertaking to use the same experimentally, and to report results in one year, Mr. Bakling said he rose to take quite a different stand- point to that taken by Dr. Monckton, inasmuch as he had touched only upon the question in its commercial aspect, whereas he (Mr. Barling) considered its sanitary aspect a much greater consideration. He denied that the town au- thorities were at all apathetic or indifferent in the matter, or that they were niggardly where the health of the people was concerned, but the reason why no active steps were taken was that they had not any data to go upon, and were waiting till they could see their way clear to adopt some scheme which should be effectual. He pointed out that the probable reason why so few of the townspeople or members of the Council were present was that the subject had been thoroughly dis- cussed at a recent meeting in the Town Hall. There were three principles, he said, that sewage authorities had to deal with — 1st, to so arrange tlieir sewers that the matters which entered them might be wholly confined to the sewers through which they had to pass ; 2iid, when the matter reached the end of the sewer to deal witli it in a manner least injurious to health ; and, 3rd, that it might result in as small a burden to the ratepayers as possible. He alluded to the success of the ABC system at Hastings, and to the fact that it had been so tliorough that the injunction which had hung over the town had been withdrawn ; and condemned the haste with which schemes of sewage were often forced upon towns by the Local Government Board. Many of " the ills that flesh is heir to" were attributable to defective drainage. Mr. LiNTOTT inquired as to whether the scheme was a commercial success, or whether any burden was cast upon the ratepayers. Mr. Hock, in reply, took exception to the mode of valuing manures by chemical analysis, and said the benefit was not always derived from what they put into the soil, but they might give the plant something by applying substances that would enable it to gather from the soil or atmosphere what was required for its growth. In answer to Dr. Monckton's question, he stated that the quantity of manure he placed on the hops he had spoken of was 7 cwt. per acre, and said he would try it next year by the side of some other manure. In reply to the question put by Mr. Lintott, he said the work was carried out without any cost to the ratepayers at all, the town simply giving them the sewage, and a small piece of land upon which to carry out the process. He expressed his willingness, in order that the manure might have a fair trial, to send 20 tons to be tried in twenty different places by the side of some other manures. At the end of twelve months, a report should be made from each place as to the result, and if it was not favourable to the manure manufactured by the ABC process, no payment for it should be made, but that if it was, payment should be at tlie rate of £2 per ton, instead of £3 10s. The offer was at once taken up, and the meeting was brought to a termination with a vote of thanks to Mr. Rock. CARMARTHENSHIEE PAEMEES' CLUB. IRRIGATION. At the last quarterly meeting held at Carmarthen, under the presidency of Mr. T. T. Mousley, about seventy members were present at dinner. After the removal of the covers the customary raflle took place with the following result : A set of shaft harness, Mi\ Thomas, Penlanvoss ; a churn, Mr. Warren ; a curd mill, Mr. Humphrey, Coed ; a circular pig trough, Mr. Morris, surgeon ; a circular pig trough, Mr. Thomas, Tyllwyd ; a cart rope, Mr. Rees, Penlan ; a dung- fork, Mr. Rees, Llwynfortune ; a dung fork, Mr. Rees, Pibwr ; a dung fork, Mr. Harries, Pil- roath ; a spade, Mr. H. Norton, jun. ; a spade, Mr. Williams, Newfoundland ; a spade, Mr. J. M. Jones ; a hay- fork, Mr. Duntz ; a hayfork, Dr. Norton ; a hayfork, Mr. Campbell ; a hayfork, Mr. Davics, market man ; a hayfork, Mr. Gwyn ; a hayfork, Mr. Williams, Lime Grove. Dr. Hopkins introduced as the subject for discussion "Irri- gation," and said : I have been requested to introduce a sub- ject for discussion at this meeting. Considering that most of the ordinary subjects have often been placed before you, and espe- cially the subject of draining, which has Ijeen ably and fully commented upon, the result has been that in our condemnation at the excess of water in cultivated and other soils, the utility of that water as a fertilizer has been too much overlooked, es- pecially as three-fourths of the soi) in Wales suffers from the opposite extreme of drought. It may be taken as an aphorism that it is difficult to get too much water, provided it circulates readily through the soil and does not become too long stagnant. I beg, therefore, to introduce the subject of " Irrigation" to your notice and attention. Artificial irrigation consists in conducting water from some natural source of supply, such as rivers, springs, lakes, or rivulets by means of channels or ducts, to the cultivated land which it is desired to irrigate. In some places this is done by throwing dams across rivers so as to raise their levels, and by forcing the water into a canal, cut from the river at some point above the dam ; the canal is then carried along the highest grounds consistent with giving a sufficient slope to its bed to insure a regular flow of water, for which minor channels are led ofl" for the purpose of distributing the water to the various fields or divisions of lands. Where exist- ing lakes are found, the process of leading off the water in canals is simple enough, but artificial reservoirs are often con- structed by damming up a gorge in a range of hills, in which is collected and stored all the rainfall draining into it ; and where rock abounds, a practice prevails in some parts of exca- vating a subterraneous passage, having the usual slope of an irrigation canal in the direction where water is supposed to exist. Time will not permit me to enter fully into the elevation climate, and character of our district, or the direction, slope, or exposure of its various parts involving by altitude diminution of heat, dryness of air, and a scarcity of those substances which are produced by the de- composition of organic bodies in high places, the rains, as well THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 80!? waters of (lie springs dissolving and washing them off as they run away to the valleys which makes the poor uplands gradually poorer to enrich the lower in some degree, but not to the extent of the loss to the uplands ; the utilizing, there- fore, of the water from springs, drains, and rains constitutes the art of irrigation. This art, wliicii is of great antiquity in all known countries, instead of being further developed, lias everywhere been more or less neglected with the exception of Switzerland, entailing an enormous loss npon the inhabitants, and gradual deterioration of high lands already suffering from thinness of soil, and its accompanying aridity. Unfortunately, the hilly parts with which we are surrounded are by climate and position rendered inferior to other more favoured situa- tions, the herbage being more scant than in a low place or valley, which entails upon it a number of both consequent and accompanying disadvantages. Its grass lands yield a less succulent and nourishing herbage, and are slower in repro- duction, and earlier exhausted in the autumn. Its cereal crops bear less plump grain, run more to straw, are longer in ripen- ing, and more lialile to accidents. Its soils are more seriously washed away by heavy rains, and more deprived of their finest particles after every process of tilhug and pulverization. Its facilities of obtaining extraneous manures are much fewer, and its obstacles to every description of horse and steam labour more numerous and stubborn. Its lands are colder, more denuded of argillaceous and calcareous powders, more gritty, gravelly, and stony, and less fitted in both mineralogical and mechanical condition for producing wheat or the other valuable grains. On such lands in high and occasionally humid situations the principal objects ougiit to be good grass for pasture and the ample supply of winter food for live stock, and the attainment of these objects ought to be sought by the improvement of grass lands, the wise management of hay meadows, and the cultivation of lands fit for producing turnips and other green crops for cattle. In aid of these objects, gentlemen, I consider irrigation a most valuable and rarely failing adjunct in this country, and one which if practised where practicable, will be found as profitable in high and sloping grounds as draining ever has in wet and impervious soils. The methods adopted in India, Arabia, France, Peru, China, Spain, Italy, and at a still earlier date in Africa, have been conducted since the age of the earliest his- tories of those countries, and have been conducted on the most extensive jcale by means of diverting rivers by dams, and conducted to tanks and channels, sometimes under and sometimes above ground to the cultivated land which it was destined to irrigate ; but I propose a more simple, more general, and inexpensive mode for our climate, which is of a vastly more humid character. When it is re- membered that water, either in summer or winter, is led across a field naturally dry either by itself or with the assistance of what sewage might be obtained, or the addition of lime or sal ammoniac in small quantities, the effect is quickly seen, and even when nothing but the natural salts which all water, however pure, contains ; the cattle, who are the best judges, eat it with great avidity, and when left for mowing the crop is increased by five or six times the amount, and the effect is very lasting as may be noticed by what is called the " Cae odan Ty," or the field under the house on hill side farms. There is scarcely a farm in this country so situated that may not be rendered much more profitable at a very small expense ; at any rate one or two meadows might be so made from such a source in addition to their natural meadows al- ready existing. The cheapest way to do this is to make small furrows with the plough, running with a gentle fall across the sloped field or pasture, damming it up with a little wooden or iron spade, to be raised from time to time and altered in position so that the water may run over and the excess caught in the lower drain and treated in the like manner. The turf coming out with the furrow should be gathered in heaps, mixed with lime, nitrate, or muriate of ammonia, and spread evenly over the surface ; although some of the surface is lost that loss is much more than compensated by the top-dressing so applied, a sort of what drainers call sheep draining, except- ing no main drain is used as in such sheep draining, the dia- grams of which you will see in almost all the works upon draining. I have seen this plan tried, and have tried it my- self with the most satisfactory and permanent results. Its great recomendation is its cheapness and efficiency, and it can be undertaken by small holders without any serious outlay. All water, whether fiom heavy rains, brooks, springs, or drained land, may be so converted to use, especially when as- sisted by the fertilizers before stated. I have known three crops of Italian rye-grass mown in one year, treated by irriga- tion combined with sewage. Even water alone contains in nearly all instances an amount of fertilizing salts so diluted that it is at once absorbed and assimilated by the pastures. Water is always impregnated with atmospheric air and a minute quantity of carbonic acid. Deprived of air it is not agreeablo to drink ; it is even knowu when long continued to prove unwholesome. If the dissolved gases are expelled by ebullition river and brook water usually contains one-thirtieth in volumes of air, and one-fiftieth carbonic acid. In spring water the amount of the latter is sometimes far more consi- derable. The quantity and nature of saline ingredients in drinkable water vary much ; in an agicultural point of view, the study of the contained salts would certainly be useful. The waters which serve as drink to the cattle of a farm introduce to the dung-heap all the matters which are dissolved or held in suspension. It has been found that on an ordinary-sized farm, more than two cwt. of alkaline salts get into the dung heap in this way every year. You will thus perceive that irrigation by plain water must be of enor- mous service, applied to the surface of light and dry pastures. Salt you will find an excellent and cheap addit'um to irrigated fields. Salt is not a thing which shows itself conspicuously in the production of great luxuriance, but rather in giving strength to the stem of the wheat, and I may say an admirable condiment and healthful improver of grass lands. This sub- stance can l3e sown broadcast in any weather, about 4 cwt. is a good dressing for an acre of grass land ; if mixed with 2 cwt. of guano for grass or wheat so much the better, or mixed for a time with the furrows taken out will be still better, to which may be added, tlie cleansing of the ditches." All this I admit involves labour, and labour is now very dear, but the result will show it is worth all the money and something more. Those who have made vegetable physiology their study know- that in agriculture and other forms of vegetable propagation it is difiicut to get too much water upon pervious soils, and does not remain stagnant for a longer time than is required to sepa- rate most of its fertile properties. I may add that the manures deposited upon the surface by cattle, sheep, and horses during the heavy rains so constantly recurring in this country, and carried into the brooks, then to the rivers, and thence to the sea, become altogether lost to the cultivator, but by proper adaptation and care artificial irrigation will secure to him his legitimate sliare of tliat advantage which should exclusively belong to his taking. In conclusion, I may state that it is undoubtedly one of the most important duties entrusted to man that he should learn to control the elements, and by bringing science and art to bear upon the works of Nature to render them subservient to his will in promoting the general welfare of the human race, and to contribute to its every day requirements. Thus we see that destructive elements like fire fairly brought into subjection and forced to contribute to our wants in a thousand different ways. The earth yields its hidden treasures for a similar purpose, and every description of soil which covers the surface has its alloted task to perform ; whilst air and water, in addition to being absolute necessities of existence, have yielded the force and power with which they are invested to be applied in an infinite variety of ways to the wants of mankind. Mr. Campbell said that as regards salt some seven or eight cwts. per acre might be used on dry land with advantage. Mr. Davies, of Cincoed, said for the last twenty years he had practised irrigation on a small scale ; and fortunately there was a spring of water in his farm- yard which never failed even in the dry summer. This spring fed a pond secured by a wall, into which was made to flow the liquid from the dung heap and the manure from the cow stables. There were channels over a portion of his farm connected with the pond ; and when the latter was emptied, it gave a thorough irrigation to about six acres of land, and did immense benefit. After such irrigation the land needed no further manure, and excellent crops were obtained from the portion so irrigated. Tour years ago he drained this land four feet deep, and a considerable distance apart ; and it was since the draining that the result of the irrigation had been the most visible, for he was now able to get good crops oi iiay from laud that was very inferior previous 308 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZESTK lO tlie draining, ilis bcotlier farmers, lie hoped, would not, tliink him too ambitious in advising them, whenever they had a stream of water running into tlieir farm yards, to utilise it by turning it into a pond, and to allow the sewage from the cowhouse to How into it. By so doing they would greatly benefit. In most places the manure water from the farm yard was running into the ditch, and the fact was that the home- made guano went with it. Mr. Harries, LlandiloAbercowin, pronounced the sewage of the farm yard to be the best and cheapest manure that covild be obtained when carried over the land; and he was sorry to be obliged to agree with Mr. Davies in his assertion that some farmers permitted it to run waste. Where a farmer had no springs running through his yard, he ought to make a tank for the reception of his liquid manure. Mr. Harries, Penllwne, who was introduced by the chair- man as one who had successfully dealt with water under the soil, said he had also been successful with water above the sur- face. The plan mentioned by Mr. Davies, of Cincoed, was the very one he had himself adopted, with this addition, that he was careful to make use of the mud deposit at the bottom of the pond. He generally drove some of the cattle into the pond so as to disturb this sediment and get it mixed up with the water ; and it was after this that he turned the water upon the land. It was by that means that the very best ma- nure was obtained. Alter manuring his land in that way he now found he got from it double the former quantities of hay. Where that practice was followed the farm yard was utilized to the utmost extent. There were one or two things which Dr. Hopkins had omitted in his paper. It was not every kind of water that was fertiUsing. And again, there was the question as to the best time of the year for irrigation. Por some soils the spring was by far the best. Reverting again to the kind of water to be used, he would say that it ought to be tested. He had himself tested one or two springs, and found that the result of irrigating with them was that nothing but rushes afterwards grew. Others again would cause good crops to be yielded. But wherever he found a spring on his land, he en- deavoured if possible to utilise it ; and any other farmer who failed to do the same was simply throwing money away. Mr. Lewis (Garry) said he had recently seen a proof of the benefits obtained by the distribution of sewage over land at the Merthyr sewage farm. That farm was manured by the sewage from the town of Merthyr. He had not been all over the farm, but from what he saw he had formed the conclusion that good crops were everywhere obtained. In some instances these crops had paid at the rate of from £20 to £30 per acre. Now if the sewage of the smaller towus in Carmarthenshire were utilised in a similar vi'ay the benefit would be great. For example, the sewage of Llandilo was allowed to go to waste. But there, however, the water from tlie slaughter-house was taken down to the field of Mr. Thomas, timber merchant, and the result was that his grass crop was too heavy this year to be made into hay. Care should be taken in the construction of farm houses that the site chosen was suiliciently elevated to permit the farm manure to be distributed over the land. This had not always been done in the past. Mr. GwYN, the vice-chairman, stated that he had not done much in the way of irrigation. Some eighteen years ago he drained the whole of his meadows, and it occurred to liim that the next best thing was to irrigate them. Unfortunately the irrigation was commenced too soon, for he shortly discovered his drains to be filled with the sediment from the farmyard pond. He mentioned this as a reason why he had not done much in the way of irrigation, and as a caution to others. Since that experience he had not ventured to run a similar risk a second time. Still, it was an unquestionable fact that if irrigation were carried out in the manner proposed by Dr. Hopkins great benefits would ensue ; although he was not quite sure that irrigation would pay as well upon cold clays as upon friable porous soil. But he had seen a wonderful change produced even upon cold clays by irrigation. Mr. Pugh's agent remarked that his experience in the way of irrigation had not been very great, but that so far he was satisfied. He turned tlie water on this year in a field on the hill-side in March, and did not let it remain on too long, but irrigated at intervals. The crop of hay produced was a good one. If irrigation were properly managed, it was calculated to improve the laud considerably. He quite agreed with the censure passed by many previous speakers upon the custom of allowing the liquid manure from the farmyard to run to Waste ill ditches, when it might be turned to great advantage. In his own yard, not having a pond, he had a tank to catch the liquid manure. He often mixed it with ashes and earth of different kinds, and scattered it over the fields early in spring. That was a good plan to pursue when an early bite of grass was wanted for the cattle before they were turned out. Of course, it was the high land which required irrigation ; on the low lands the irrigation was natural. Mr. Thomas (Tyllwyd), who had tried to irrigate last winter, said he found a difficulty in the unevenness of the sur- face of the soil. This had rendered irrigation in his case im- possible. The Chairman. — Not impossible. Mr. Thomas. — It was so in my case. The water would stop in one place, and do more harm than good. The Chairman. — There should always be a little fall to help irrigation. ]\Ir. Thomas. — Then ray case was the exception, for there was no fall at all. Irrigation, however, was an important question, and next winter he meant to go into it extensively. There was a hill on his farm, and from that he meant to drive the water down and do as well as he could. From last winter's experience he was led to believe that it would pay him for all the trouble. The cattle would eat the grass grown from the farmyard manure kindly, and it was the most economical manure a farmer could use. Mr. Davies (Llwynddu), and Mr. Prosser (Tygwyn) also advocated irrigation, the latter asserting that every farmer who irrigated his land was enabled to grow two blades of grass where only one grew before. Mr. Philips (Bolahaul) said Dr. Hopkins' address left the meeting in the dark as to the best mode of irrigation. Most of the preceding speakers had confined themselves to irriga- tion by the sewage near the farm-house, as though it was not possible to irrigate land in any other way. Undoubtedly wherever there was a deposit of liquid manure farmers ought to avail themselves of it for the purposes of iirigation, though at the same time where they had got a little stream in any one part of their farms they ought to convey that also to the por- tions of their land lying below at a sufficient depression to enable the water to flow over them. If that were done it would be found that irrigation could be carried out in many places where it was hardly thought of before. A portion of his own laud was irrigated entirely by the drainage from dif- ferent fields. In this way a field lying low might be irrigated by the drainage of one of higher situation. The water so ob- tained might not be absolutely pure, yet it would be charged with chemical properties that would tend to fertilize the land. But care ought to be taken not to irrigate land that was too wet. It was a common practice to irrigate wet land, hut the result was mischievous, for it encouraged the growth of rank grass, such grass as cattle did not care much about. There- fore irrigation should be confined to the dryest land. By that means the growth of luxuriant grasses would be increased, whereas irrigation on wet land would kill the best grasses. There was another thing that should be remembered, viz., that, irrigation ought to be avoided during the prevalence of frost. Many persons were in the habit of letting the water run over their land during cold weather, and then when the frost came their fields presented the appearance of a mass of ice. When that was done grasses were destroyed. Mr. D. Prosser. — The ice is a protection. Mr. Philips disagreed with Mr. Prosser on that point, for he had proved the contrary. The simple effect was that the grasses were converted into decayed vegetable matter. Res- pecting the use of sewage, he did not know that it was in his power to throw any light upon it. It was an excellent thing. In England where there were so many hill streams and flat meadows, two or three crops were obtained by the use of sewage. Some farmers were in the habit of irrigating their cultivated grasses and not their meadows, and so got two or three crops. It was the duty of every farmer to avail himself of all his opportunities for irrigation. But it was not every- body who has got the beautiful low meadows to be seen in Eng- land, where from £10 to £12 per acre was made. That could not be obtained in South Wales. But farmers must employ all their powers, and by the help of irrigation he hoped and be- lieved they would be able to increase the annual yield of their holdings. •The FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 30^ Br. Norton said the question ought to be divided into two parts — liquid manuring and irrigation. During some of the speeclies tiie two things had been confounded. Now, if they looked at the hill sides and noticed the results where water had run over the land, they must he convinced that water was an enormous fertiliser. But then came the question — how does it fertilise the land ? It might do so for good or for evil, and water would fertilise for evil when it ran quickly over land having an iiniiervious subsoil. In every other respect it would fertilise for good. Consequently tlie question was, shall land after it has bcei drained be irrigated? To that lie would answer yes. But then cropped up the further question mooted by Mr. Gwynue. Like Mr. Gwynne, he had irrigated a five- acre field near his house with liquid manure, and found tliat it had been done too soon ; and further tliat the drains liad not been constructed for the purpose of irrigation Great injury often ensued to drains through moles getting into them, and it was diflicult to get rid of them. A great deal could be said about irrigation that ought to be tabulated for the guidance of fanners. One of liis own fields had been irrigated wilh great profit by tnrning into it the drainage from a plantation which was mixed up with the soakage of leaves and decayed vegetable matter. And he believed that even wet land might be irrigated to ad- vantage, provided care were taken to see that the outfall was good. When the season is cold, if the water was turned upon the land it should at least be allowed a fortnight to dry. But on thoroughly drained land, on gravelly soils, the intervals of irrigation might be more frequent if the bottom of the land was impervious to water. It was almost an axiom that whatever water was turned upon land it ought to have an easy mode of getting away. That involved the whole question of irriga- tion. Tiie Chairman complimented Dr. Hopkins on his paper, and also many of the speakers on the practical nature of tlieir remarks. In one respect Dr. Hopkins had given them a diflicult subject to deal with, for he had advised them to con- trol the elements. That was rather more than they could hope to do, but they might try to make use of the elements as much as possible. Something lias been said about the time for irrigation. It was his belief that they might irrigate at any time. Now, he did not like to contra- dict any speaker, particularly a gentleman of such experience as Mr. Philipps, of Bolaliaul ; and yet he could not help flatly contradicting him — (laughter and hear, hear from Mr. Philipps) — of course he did not do so rudely, where Mr. Philipps said he did not approve of irrigation in winter. With great submission he thought Mr. Philipps was wrong, because it was known tliat ice in winter was warmer than the air to the land. The proof of that was seen in the fact that when the ice dissolved the grass would appear green from growth ; whereas it was perfectly brown where there was no ice. It was generally admitted that ice in the winter pro- tected the land instead of injuring it. Mr. D. Prosser: Snow would be better. Dr. Norton : You mean a hard mass of snow. Mr. Prosser : Yes. The Chairman continued by sayiufj that in irrigating it would nf't do to depend upon every kind of water, for some kinds were injurious. And yet as a rule almost any kind of water might be applied with advantage. Wliere homestead were so situated, that it would not be possible to irrigate without machinery, he would advise the use of machinery such as an hydraulic ram, &c. Some very practical remarks had fallen from Mr. Davies, of Cincoed. But in one instance Mr. Davies- was wrong in principle, viz., when he advised farmers to convey their liquid manures into a pond where there was a spring. By so doing the reverse would take place of what ought to be done. The purity of the water ought not to be disturbed by the manures, but these should be collected into a tank ; and afterwards the necessary quantity of water could be thrown into the tank and afterwards carried over the land. The mistake committed in this part of the county was that liquid manure of too strong a nature was applied to the land. The results would be more satisfactory if the manure were diluted ; and in fact it could scarcely be diluted too much. Mr. Gwyn had given tliem rather a poser about the irrigating; water getting in the sub-drainage. A little care, however, in puddling the ground near the drains would prevent all that ; or the use of socket pipes for a short distance would have the same eifect. It was quite appalling to consider the loss suffered by the country through the running to waste of liquid manures. If the financial amount of the loss were known it would almost make one's hair stand on end. Therefore he urged farmers to incur a little expense where necessary, in order that those manures might be collected and made to irrigate their hold- ings. As Mr. Lewis, late of LlwynfeJwen, had said, some farm-houses were so situated that it was impossible to irrigate from the yards. Llwynyfedwen was an instance ; but he was surprised that Mr. Lewis never made a tank there, and used a cart to carry those manures away. It would have paid him well to do so, instead of allowing those manures to run into the River Towy. No doubt there was a great deal of ignor- ance prevailing on the important question of irrigation ; but if farmers were to make up their minds to apply a considerable amount of capital for the purpose of irrigating, they would do so with great advantage. He was glad to hear from one of tlie speakers that he had been trying the system of tanks ; and if otliers would do the same thing, they would find by judicious management it would pay them well. Dr. Hopkins, in reply, said that Mr. Gwyn was in error in supposing that the sediment of the sewerage in his farmyard pond had found its way into his drains. There was no better filterer and separator than the soil ; and it was impossible for mud to pass through several feet of soil and settle into the bottom of a drain. Some of the speakers had also fallen into the mistake of supposing that he advocated irrigation by means of sewerage alone. His allusion to sewerage was merely casual, and only for the purpose of pointing out the advantage derived from mixing sewerage with water. The subject of sewerage would be an admirable one for a future paper. Also he agreed witii the Chairman in advocating irri- gation in the winter months, for the ice being a non-conductor of heat preserved the natural warmtji of the vegetation beneath it. Mr. Philipps, of Bolahaul, desired to make a little ex- planation, and said : One word with regard to this treble attack on me about the effects of ice. What I mean to assert is this — that it is not advisable to irrigate in frosty weather because the water that runs over the grass gets frozen, and it freezes the ice into the grass, and then the grass is broken up and dies away. I do not think that grass requires any pro- tection from the weather, because it is not like something which dies in winter. If you allow the water to stagnate upon the grass, and afterwards the ice covers it, then I say it does more harm than good. And I will back my opinion against the opposite now. The proceedings then terminated. THE PARSONAGE FARM. In one of the fertile and well-cultivated counties of England, and at tlie foot of its cliffs, the pretty and picturesque little village of F presents itself to the traveller who may acci- dentally take the old Roman road from London to York. The said little village of F contains the usual number and variety of these substantial ornaments which nature and art liave joined each other in constructing in many of our English villages, amongst which stand boldly forth the lofty-spired church, the Squire's mansion and the parsonage house ; and it is of the last two occupants of the latter building that I am about to write. About a mile from the village, and just near enough the liigh road to arrest even the careless eye of the traveller, stands the house and homestead of that rural institution so useful to parsons and poor congregations — the Parsonage Farm ; and the careless eye aforesaid cannot help being struck 310 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. with the peculiarly attractive character of the modest and un- assuming building that stands before him. I cannot and shall not attempt to describe in what this forcible address to the admiration consists, and will be by content with informing my readers that I believe it is simply in the fact that the little structure seems to have been set up by its owner as if he didn't mind whether the traveller aforesaid admired it or not, and the result is that the modest little structure enjoys the triumph which hardly ever fails to be the lot of a modest little lady, when side by side with one more showy and more beautiful, but who dulls and deadens the eye of the beholder by the la- boured attempt that has evidently beeu at work to make him aware of it. In plain language — it is an elegant little farm- house, and it tells the observer so at one glance ; and all its surroundings tell him — or at least told him at the time I write about it — that there was a farmer in it. Attached to this homestead was about 350 acres of land, a large portion of which was of that class greatly shunned by farmers of the pre- sent day for tillage purposes, viz., strong clay. Its then occu- pant, however, had been trained in the old school of agricultu- ral instruction, for he was the son of a man who sent all his sons to the plough-tail as soon as they finished their scholas- tic education, which fifty years ago was a little too brief; he had, moreover, been born and trained on a clay soil, and un- derstood thoroughly how to work it, and with an industrious hand and skilful brain he farmed the glebe farm to perfection. The lime-burner hardly ever had him off his books; the bone- merchant, in tlie early days of bone-manures, quoted him as an authority as to the value of his goods ; and the seed crusher showed his account to others in evidence of the acknowledged value of oilcake as an improver of the soil. The good clergyman who enjoyed the living of F , and was his landlord, saw all this with pleasure and delight. He was a man of God, and loved to see the laws of God assisted in making the earth bring forth her increase so humbly and cheerfully as was done by his tenant, and there was no mi.x.ture of selfishness in his pleasure, for he was a man of conscience, and to have taken any advantage of his tenant's abilities and labours by either raising his rent or removing him, he M'ould have deemed an act of the greatest dishonesty ; his was a pure and sincere pleasure, he was proud of his tenant. His visits to the farm were frequent, and were of that friendly character which casts a halo around the family circle ; he did not call merely to collect a subscription for the Chippawa missionaries, or to ask the girls if tliey knew their catechism ; but he called as a neighbour and a friend, and to give pleasure to the intercourse by showing that the intercourse was a pleasure to him. The children did not call him the vicar, or the clergyman, they called Mr. . He discussed the philosophy of labour with his friend in that practical manner which they could both en- joy. He praised the quality of the butter and poultry of F as if he knew that the small delicate hands which peered through the frills of the muslin dress of the charming little lady before him had something to do with that culinary fact, and he played and romped with the children in the garden during the day, and sat chatting with them in the evenings upon the little pleasures of life, as if — as if, well, as if he wasn't a clergyman at all. That was just the great secret of the charm, just the great secret of his power over their hearts, aud, like the charm which hung around the little dwelling, all the more powerful because it made apparently no effort to be so ; he was always cheerful with them, always at home with them. Such an address to the heart is' irresistible. A religion that can make a man so happy should be the religion ot every home ; so they all thought at the Parsonage Farm. But, " whom the gods love die young." The family at the farm were one morn- ing suddenly shocked by the information that their reverend and dear friend was taken ill ; and in less than one little week after that information brought gloom to the little circle, the mournful notes of the passing bell told them that he was dead. Grief — deep, heartfelt, unselfish grief, was tlie only feeling which took possession of that house, when first the death sound told them its sorrowful tale. Grief — deep, heartfelt, unselfish grief, for a time kept possession of every closet in the frail es- tablishment, unfeigned sorrow for the loss of one whose friendship and kindness had been a part of their social happi- ness so long; but there soon came another feeling upon the head of the house, who had such a family of children to provide for, and for the first time in his life the thought struck him that he had been putting thousands upon thousand? of pounds into this clay farm, to make it what he had made it, for which the laws of the country gave him do security, and that the agricultural structure, which for seventeen or eighteen years he had been building, was to him a " baseless fabric," and by a title which he could not dispute, the property of another. The will of the coming vicar might have been father to the thought of his tenant, for the funeral baked meats were barely consumed when a letter came to the farm informing its occupant that the Rev. Mr. would enter upon his Christian duties on the of , and that he should bring a tenant for the Parsonage Farm with him. The claims of the occupant were truthfully set forth to the new vicar ; he was sliown all that had been doue to it, all that had been spent on it. Surely the tenant should be allowed either to keep the farm or be allowed something for his improvements, lu a manner which could not be disputed it was proved that the farm had had £3,000 spent upon it by the tenant, that it was all there, none of it taken out, and tliat it was in fact £200 a year better than when he entered. All the better were the secret aud selfish exultations of the reverend respon- dent. " The Lord had need of it," aud as to paying for im- provements, he was sorry, very sorry, but — the claim, yes, the claim, had — had — h a d — no fonndatioii in laiv ! "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house ; thou shalt not covet tliy neighbour's wife, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is his." In an audible and clerical voice the new vicar real out that supplementary covenant to the original conveyance made by his Divine land- lord to the first tenant, on the following Sunday, to the con- gregation of P . Congregation of F looked at him aud thought of the "Parsonage Farm." But the new vicar did nothing but what was approved by the English laws. The law of England confiscated the property of the tenant, and not the vicar. Tlie right of him who laboured for it, and of him who wanted it, was taken from him and given to him who neither laboured for it nor wanted it, all for the lack of a Land Act, which lias since been demanded and obtained for Ireland. The blow was a severe one to the victim. He bore it like a man, " but he must also feel it like a man." He made no sign to the outer world, but he felt all the keener the bitings of the canker-worm that had been planted in his heart by the law's injustice ; and at the solicitations of his friends aud his medical adviser he lived in comparative re- tirement for a few years, when his spirits appeared to be restored, and he took another farm. I visited him again in his new home. It was much larger, much more showy, as a residence, than the one at F , but it seemed to want its fascinations. Its interior presented all tlie cleanly and win- ning attractions of the old one. It could not be otherwise under that little lady-like artist who presided over it, for she had been thoroughly educated by her governess to the social wants of the room, and by her mother to the substantial ones of the table. But with all this it did not seem so cosy and loveable as the old home at F . We sat and stood farther off each other than we used to do there. We smoked (the governor and I) and puffed questions at each other across the hearth as usual from our pipes, but we looked at the cloud for an answer instead of looking at each other. We went round the farm of a morning, as we used to do, and I saw that the old game of higli farming was still the pride of his heart, but we both seemed to labour under a painful reluctance to talk about it, aud it seems to me now as if that reluctance was the secret foreboding of a second misfortune looming in the distance, for in three years after that visit, and about five after the farm was taken, it was sold by auction, and he was removed again under a six months' notice. The tenant's improvements were sold with the farm as a matter of course, but, as a matter of law, the tenant touched no part of the money paid for them. I never saw my friend or any of his family after that second disturbance^ He took another farm a few miles dis- tant from it, but I never went to see him on it, and about three years ago I read in the local paper that he had hawjed himself. — Tales of my Tenanls (Whittaker and Co.). THE FAEMBR'S MAGAZINE. 311 THE VETERINARY ART AS APPLIED TO AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. At a general meeting of tlie Essex Agricultural Society held at Chelmsford, Mr.J.R.Vai/,ey,prcsident,iu the chair, The Secket.vky read tlie minutes of the last meeting, which contained two to the following effect : That Mr. Basil Sparrow having protested against the decision of the judges in classes 19, 20, and 31, those prizes having been awarded to Fandanguero, the thoroughbred stallion of the Rev. R. Westliorp, of Berner's Hall, Ongar, subject to the veterinary certificate of soundness : the veterinary inspector employed by the Society at the Halsted meeting. Professor Browne had certified the horse sound, and the decision of the judges was therefore confirmed. Tliat in class 2-1, for weigiit-carryiug hunters, a prize of £10 having been awarded to Beckford, the property of Major Barlow, of Haske- ton, Woodbridge, subject to the certificato of the inspector, and Professor Browne's esaraiuation being unsatisfactory, the award had been made to the reserved number, Mr. Barker, of Ingatestone. Touching these matters the secretary read a very voluminous correspondence. First of all Mr. Westhorp forwarded a certificate from Mr. Edward S. Shave, veterinary surgeon, Chelmsford, testifying that he had examined Fandanguero on June Sth, and pro- nounced him sound. Mr. Basil Sparrow wrote : " I have not altered my opinion with regard to the horse Fandanguero, and I still protest against the award. I was informed by a veteri- nary surgeon that he is a bad roarer, and that he suffered so much from laminitis that he was unable to stand for three weeks. My informant offered to bet me £10 that he is right. I shall keep my opinion of Professor Browne to myself." [Mr. Wood : That is a wise decision on his part.] A long letter from Major Barlow, under date June llth, began by inquiring on what ground Beckford was disqualified. If, as his groom supposed, it was from some fancied defect in its wind, he had to say that it was passed sound only a fortnight before by Mr. S. W. Leggett, a member of the Royal Veterinary College, of Wickhara Market. The horse was perfectly sound that morning, having been severely galloped in the presence of Mr. Phillips, the eminent Lon- don dealer and army horse contractor. The horse had been fed up for show, had been standing still for a week at the London exhibition, and had a slight cold upon him, quite sufficient to account for any sliglit " blowing" he might make in the show-yard at Halstead. He (the writer) claimed the right of forwarding a first-elass certificate as to soundness and of a right to the award. This was a serious and damaging matter, in the case of a prize horse like Beckford, which he must clear up at whatever cost, as his character was at stake. Major Barlow inclosed the certificate of Mr. F. Mavor, M.R.C.V.S., Grosvenor-square, London, who certified Beck- ford to be sound, and went on to say that he had to protest against Fandanguero, as it was a well-known fact that he was a bad roarer. He complained that this horse was not e.\- amined at Halsted, though his horse had been. Mr. Belcher said this was an incorrect statement on the part of Major Barlow, as he (Mr. Belcher) was one of the stewards, and saw Fandanguero examined. On the 17th Major Barlow again wrote saying he had seen Mr. Westhorp and challenged him to give a certificate of soundness in the case of Fandanguero, as he himself would do in the case of Beckford. He further stated that his horse had won a prize at the Suffolk show, where it had to pass both Mr. Varuell and Mr. Hunt, both of whose certificates he could get if needed. After further cor- respondence Mr. Emson wrote the following letter to Mr. Browne, the inspector, which the committee said was a capital letter, and if Mr. Browne had only replied to it in the same clear manner, his communication would have been of service : Halsted, July 15, 1873. Before the Halsted prizes are paid I take the opportunity of stating one or two facts ; also of asking for some particulars respecting the two horses that were brought before your notice at the Halsted show. I refer to the thorough-bred prize stallion and the disqualified huuter, The owner of the latter protests against the disqualification, and asserts that he has since sent the animal to London for exa- mination ; that he was pronounced by a high veterinary au- thority to be sound ; that he has moreover since taken the prize at the Bury sliow, and was passed by the veterinary in- spectors in the ring — viz., by Messrs. Hunt and Varnell. With regard to the thorough-bred stallion, persons believing him to be a confirmed " roarer" press me with the inquiry as to what tests he was put to, and if they were fair and satis- factory, such as are employed in all cases of doubt. Tlie days of the show were so dreadfully wet that many persons inter- ested in the meeting had not tlie opportunity of seeing the horses in the ring. Therefore, if not incompatible with the discharge of your functions as our appointed veterinary in- spector, may I ask you kindly to favour me with some parti- culars respecting the above animals, and the grounds upon which you based your opinions in each case. Mr. Browne replied as follows : I am very desirous of giving you any information which you may wish for, but I fear I cannot consistently reopen ques- tions which were decided by the judges at the Halsted meet- ing. In the cases to which you refer I gave an opinion, at the request of the judges, and after considering all the circum- stances they arrived at conclusions which, as far as I can see, cannot be affected by opinions, professional or otherwise, sub- sequently expressed. I may venture to suggest that difference of opinion is not uncommon among professional men, and if the owner of an animal has a right to protest against the de- cision of the judges on the ground of an adverse veterinary opinion, or indeed on any other ground, it will be difficult to limit the discussions which will arise. — P.S. Mr. Hunt, who is acting here (the Royal show at Cardiff) with me, states that the hunter was not examined by Mr. Varnell or himself at Bury St. Edmund's. Mr. PiGOTT said Mr. Browne had evaded Mr. Emson's ques- tion entirely. Mr. Parker thought he had given sufficient answer. The ecision of the judges was given in connexion with his opinion upon the examination of the horses in question. Mr. BjVDUam : There is no doubt Beckford was suffering from a cold at the time of the show, but I am convinced he is perfectly sound, and you have the certificate of one of the best men in England to that effect. The Chaiejian could not see how they could reopen the question. Mr. PiGOTT : Surely a veterinary surgeon can say whether Fandanguero is a roarer or not. Mr. Parker : Not always. Mr. PiGOTT : But surely there are some particular symp- toms which can be spoken to — the grunt, for instance, whicli never comes from a cold ? Mr.CATCHPOOL: He might bea"blower,"and nota"roarer." Mr. PiGOTT : Can't we ask Professor Browne to re-examine both these horses? Mr. Parker : No ; I protest against the matter being re-opened. Jlr. Catciifool : We have positive evidence that the thoroughbred is sound, and we have only hearsay evidence that he is not ; that is a wide distinction. Mr. Wood : It is a painful matter which I hope will never arise again. Mr. Catciipool : It is a painful exposure of the veterinary art. It was then resolved, on the proposition of Mr. Parker, seconded by Mr. Belcher : "That the question of the awards in the cases of Fandanguero and Beckford, decided upon at the Halsted Show, after the careful examination by the So- ciety's veterinary inspector, cannot be re-opened " The committee then considered the question of the award for the yearling bull King John, exhibited by Mr. Thomas Cousins, Cressing, and bred by Mr. Huckle, Whitham. The award had been objected to on the ground of the pedigree not having been proved, Mr, Iluckle forwarded a statement 312 THE FARMEB'S MAGAZINE. from Mr, Upson in support of his claim to the award but Mr. PiGOTT said it was no proof of the continuous line of pedigree required, and they ought to call upon the exhibitor to pro- duce his herd book. It was explained that he was only a small farmer, and wonld not keep a herd book. Mr. Catciifool : The rule says he must be eligible for entrance into the herd book ; but it does not say that he must actually be entered there. Mr. PiGOTT : Well, then, if you permit Mr. Huckle and Mr. Upson to concoct pedigrees of this sort, you may say good-bye to your pure Sliortliorns. Ultimately it was pro- posed by Mr. Pigott, seconded by Mr. Wood, and carried. " That Mr. Huckle be requested to produce a book or record showing the birth of tlie animals referred to in his pedigree." A letter was read from the secretary of the Norfolk Society, stating that at their recent meeting, tlie Prince of Wales, who presided, threw out a suggeatiou for an Eastern Counties Asso- ciation. The writer said, " I am directed to inform you that the subject has been considered by our committee, and so far as they have at present considered it they are opposed to an amalgamation of the several county associations ; but they desire me to ascertain the views of the several committees of the Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, and Lincolnshire societies as to whether or not they are favourable to tlie formation of an Eastern Counties Association, each county association being continued, and the annual shows to take place in the several counties, except that in which the show of the proposed Eastern Counties Association is held" This latter part of the letter had to be read twice before the meaning could be properly understood. Mr. Parker, in plainer terms, illustrated the position thus : It is proposed that there should be, besides the several county societies, an Eastern Counties Amalgamated Association, and if the Amalgamated Society held its meeting in Essex in any particular year, the Essex Society would not hold its own county meeting separately during that year, but would merge it in the amalgamated show, and so in the case of other societies when the united show was held in their respective counties. Mr. Badham did not approve the suggestion. Notwith- standing that the Bath and West of England Society comprised so many counties the societies of the Eastern counties had better shows of cattle at their respective meetings than the Bath and West of England had at its exhibitions of all its united counties. As the letter from Norfolk had only just been received, it was resolved to acknowledge the receipt of it, and discuss the question at the next meeting. Nearly all the judges and several other persons wrote strong complaints about the shocking mismanagement of the railway service on the occasion of the show, hundreds of persons being kept waiting so long at Cliappel that those who had to go through London missed their trains, and had to pay hotel ex- penses in the city. l\Iajor Barlow, of Hasketon, also wrote that his stallions were boxed up at 6.30 a.m., and did not leave Haisted till 1.30 p.m., being kept all that time shunting about, and did not reach home till eight o'clock in the evening. His groom who had Beckford in charge was so disgusted thet he would not wait, but rode the horse all the 42 miles home by road. The writer thought some complaint ought really to be made to the railway authorities. THE LAMB DISEASE At a meeting of the Cornwall Chamber of Agriculture, held at St. Austell, Dr. Crisp, of Chelsea, delivered a lecture on the lamb disease. Mr. Jonathan Rashleigh, of Menabilly, in the chair. Dr. Crisp said his attention was first directed to the so- called lamb disease twenty years ago. His late brother, in Suffolk, had lost a great number of lambs from a disease that had not before been seen in that neighbourhood, and the symptoms were emaciation, great debility, cough, scour, and excessive thirst, many of the animals dying whilst in the act of drinking. A dead lamb was sent to him, and he discovered that the windpipe and bronchial tubes contained large quanti- ties of white thread-like worms. The others were examined, and all evidently died from the same cause. He had since had many opportunities of investigating the nature of the dis- ease, and ten years ago he obtained a prize of £30, which a Committee of Cornish agriculturists offered through the me- dium of the Bath and West of England Society for the best essay upon the disease. He had greatly added since to his stock of information, and he desired to pay a well-merited complement to the gentlemen of Cornwall who commenced this inquiry — so far as he knew, the first of the kind in rela- tion to sheep or cattle disease in England. During the last forty years rapid strides had been made in Cornwall in the management of stock of all kinds. The size of the holdings had some effect on the lamb disease, as small holders could take more care of their lambs. According to the last return which he saw, there were 82,220 occupiers in Cornwall, 4,608 of whom employed labourers, and 3,612 cultivated their own land. The small holder, however, had not the same opportu- nity of changing the pasture as the larger holder had. Small holders, by being able to look more after their lambs, observed their habits more closely, and could generally give the best information concerning their diseases. Since 1866 stock had increased in Cornwall from 30,000 to 48,769, the number to the hundred acres being sixty. This is a high average. In Devonshire it was 34, in Somersetshire 46, but in Rutland it was 79 ; in Kent and Berkshire it was 72. If the Govern- ment had done its duty, a commission would have been ap- pointed long since to investigate this formidable disease, and the money would not be ill-spent if a few hundreds were de- voted to the investigation of such an all-important question. The lecturer then explained, by means of diagrams, the various metamorphoses through which parasites passed ; he also pro- duced a large number which he bad from time to time taken from different animals, and expressed as his opinion that they were taken in by lambs whilst pasturing. The question might be asked how were tliey to get rid of the enormous mortality which arose from this disease ? He had recently communi- cated with a vast number of sheep growers in England, Ire- land, and Scotland, being anxious to ascertain whether during the last ten years, within which time he had carefully consi- dered the subject, any light had been thrown upon it, and he had in his possession a vast amount of correspondence in answer to his communications. There was one thing which amused him very much, and it was really a matter of great practical importance as regarded the cure of the disease. One gentleman who was a frequent correspondent of bis sent him a lamb which he had killed after having administered turpen- tine to it with a view to destroy worms. It became healthy and fat, and he had it killed, and he and his family partook of a portion of it, but it was so impregnated with turpentine that they were unable to eat it. Now, this was important, because it showed that no medicine which they gave by mouth would reach the worms directly, though indirectly if the sys- tem was impregnated with this vapour it might render the htbiiat of those worms so unpleasant that some of them, at any rate, were got rid of As to the locality, he had found that the counties in which the disease was most rife, and where tlie worms were most prevalent, were Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Devonshire, and some parts of Somersetshire, but he could not find up to the present time that it prevailed to any extent either in Scotland or Ire- land. One gentleman wrote to him from Ireland to say that they did not fold their sheep there, believing that folding had a great deal to do with the propagation of the disease. There were several other gentlemen who, singularly enough, had never seen worm in lamb, but had seen it in calf, and some of them might naturally ask— and it was a fair inference — how it THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 31J was that tlie calves Imd tliesR worms ami that tlipshrep did not get them, and so far as lie could make out the explauutiou was this, that tlie lamhs and the calves had seldom or ever been on the same ground at the same time. It was true that they were often together on the same ground during tiie winter mouths, but that was a matter of uo importance, because he believed that the worm was not taken in the winter mouths, but after weaning ; after the lamb had ceased to take its mother's milk, after it iiad begun to take vegetable food. lie believed that uo oue understood this matter so thoroughly as his friend Mr. Tucker, of Jlolennick, and he thought the agriculturists of Cornwall had reason to be much indebted to him for the great interest and trouble lie had taken to eradicate the disease. Mr. Tucker and he were agreed on a good many points, and they differed more about words than anything else. Mr. Tucker argued that the di.sease was not infectious or contagious, and in the ordinary sense of the terra that might be so, but at the same it was communicable. It was said some time ago, he believed in Plymouth, that the eggs entered into the animal and circulated through the blood, but that was utterly im- possible. As to the question of treatment, farmers generally laboured under the impression that medical treatment was of little or uo value, but he believed that it would be to their interest in this disease to call in intelligent aud practical veteri- nary practitioners more frequently than they did at present. It was true that they had not the power, directly, of expelling these parasites from the lungs, but they might, by means of noxious gases, such as chlorine, tarry, aud sulphurous vapours render their huhitat so untenable that a great many of them might be expelled. Aud it should be remembered especially that the parasites, like many others, were destined to remain in the body for a limited period only. In addition to this there were internal medicines, if carefully given and repeated at certain intervals, which would so affect the blood as to pro- duce the same effiect. The " leave-alon.; do nothing" system he utterly protested against, and he believed, from answers which lie had received from numerous correspondents, that much might be done by judicious and active treatmeut. Drench- ing the lambs once or twice a-week with linseed oil and spirits of turpentine soon after they were weaned was also a good prac- tice, and he would strongly advise all larmers in districts where the disease prevailed to adopt this pi-actice, more especially as these living worms were not the sole destroyers, for not unfrequeutly there was another species of strongylus, which at the same time occupied the digestive stomach. He likewise had faith in the use of a little chloride of lime made into a paste, put into a plate, and vitrol poured upon it, in properly regulated quantities, so as to get the chlorine gases, and further believed that a dessert spoonful of salts given twice a week, and dried, chopped wormwood given in tiie animal's food, would be very beneficial. He protested against 'he inactive system of leaving things alone to take their chance. If that system was to be adopted, science, indeed, must hold its head, and he should despair of seeing any great improve- ment in the treatment of the disease. Very much good might be done by feeding ana keeping the lambs well, and if they were then diseased, let their locality be changed. These were two most important points, and he also wished to impress upon them that putting lambs where old sheep had been was posi- tively destructive. In conclusion the lecturer said that parasites must be the cause and not the consequence. It was true that when a lamb got into a bad condition the parasites increased more quickly, but that did not alter the fact that they were already there. Mr. Atkins, surgeon, believed if lambs were separated and not kept too close it would be found that the disease would not occur. They should also be thoroughly well kept, and where there was any disease or suspicion of disease they should be drenched with turpentine. He believed it was thoroughly practicable to get rid of the disease, and that the noxious gases to which Dr. Crisp had referred would cure it. Mr. E. Tucker said he believed that numerous classes of amimals were liable to parasitic disease, and that the bodies of such animals were the natural seat for the nurture of the parasite during its transitory state, and might exist in con- siderable numbers without much derangement of the animal's health ; but from circumstances of locality or seasons favour- able for their production disease and death were common re- sults of excessive numbers. The bott worm in the stomach of the horse, and the larvce of the gadfly in the nasal cavities of ' the heads of slir-ep, were unqiiestionable proofs of this. Their domestic animals, their cattle, their fowls, their sheep, were all liable to certain parasitic diseases before they attained a certain age, but never alter. He had never seen chickens die of gapes after tiie down on their heads had changed to fea- thers, or cattle die of " hoose," or sheep of parasites, after they were twelve mouths old. He had found the seat of the disease in all the young animals he had named to be the respiratory organs, yet each animal had its distinct parasite, a distinct seat in those organs, and a marked difference in their effects. Some thirty years ago he was requested by Mr. Pol- lard, of Quethiock, to treat some calves of his that were diseased of " lioose." The farm, he was told, was a very un- healthy oue, and the cattle suffered and many died from the disease every year. He opened the lungs of a dead calf and explained the nature of the disease, and, in answer to his in- quiries, he was informed that the cattle were pastured in a field adjacent to the yard, where they were always reared for the convenience of being fed with milk. A small portion of the land was badly drained, and grew a few rushes and some long coarse grass, and he at once said that the disease was generated there. Since that time calves had not beeu pas- tured on tiiat piece of land, and the disease had never since made its appearance on the farm. Here was another case. He had two farmyards in which he reared fowls — one at Molennick, the other at Kilquite. Every chick reared at Molennick suffered from gapes, and great numbers died, whilst at Kilquite the disease was never known with chickens that were hatched and reared there ; but if hatched and kept a week or ten days at Molennick, and then put to Kilquite, they became diseased aud died, just the same as if they had been kept at Molennick. He could give similar illustrations in conuection with the lamb disease, and he had no doubt it had its origin in similar local causes, which he hoped science would explain and the disease be prevented ; but he also be- lieved that lamb suffered at the same age from parasites of a different class in their stomach and intestines, which added to their mortality. The Chairman : Dr. Crisp has said he believes that the animals take up the parasites from the soil, aud Mr. Tucker has noticed that iu certain fields lambs get the disease, but that when removed from those fields there is no appearance of it. Have any experiments been made to ascertain whether it is caused by certain manures that have been used in those fields ? Dr. Crisp said he believed there was no pasture or soil that specially favoured the production of the parasites, for he had found that they prevailed in strata of various kinds. As to the etfect of artificial manures, opinions were wide and diverse. Some thought they were injurious ; others that they were not. His own opinion was that it might have something to do with the increase of the parasites, but it was utterly impossible that it could have anything to do with their production. As to the statement of Mr. Tucker that they were only found in young animals, all he had to say was that he seldom examined an old bull or cow without finding some of these strongyli in the lungs. He had also seen many of them in old sheep, and therefore his friend, Mr. Tucker, must be wrong in supposing that they were peculiar to young animals. He quite agreed, however, that it was in young animals they were so fatal. Mr. Tucker said he believed in feeding lambs on artificial food as much as possible, and keeping them off pasture lands. They would then hear very little of the lamb disease. Dr. Crisp mentioned that, although the disease might not be infectious or contagious, it was communicable by reason of putting lambs into pasture where diseased sheep had already been. Mr. T. Olvee believed that it was only in previously diseased animals that the worms were fatal, and that healthy ones threw them off. He generally gave his lambs turpentine and salt this time of year, and thereby saved a great many. The disease was twenty years old in the North of Cornwall. He believed there was more to be done by prevention than cure. The disease prevailed more in rich land, where it was necessary to keep a heavy stock, farmers who stocked lightly scarcely ever suffered from the disease. The stock in Corn- wall was enormous. After a few remarks from Mr. Allanson, the discussion closed, aud Dr. Crisp was thanked for his lecture. 314 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. THE VETERINARY DEPARTMENT OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL OFFICE. REPORT FOR 1871. The powers conferred on the Lords of the Council by the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1869, have been exercised by their lordships during the year 1871, principally with re- gard to the improvement of those orders and regulations which relate to the prevention of the introduction of conta- gious and infectious diseases amongst animals from abroad, to the spread of such diseases in this country, and to the carry- ing out of those regulations which relate to the transit of animals by sea and land. On the 1st of January, 1871, there were 36 Orders of Council under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1869, in operation. A list of these Orders, with their short title, or the subject to which they relate, is given in the Appendix. During the year considerable changes have been made, and 27 new Orders have been issued by their lordships. It is proposed to give in detail the cir- cumstances under which their lordships decided to issue these Orders, except those which are of a local character, and for this purpose the Orders may be divided under three heads : 1. Foreign Orders, or those relating to the importation into this country of foreign animals, &c. 3. General Orders, or those relating to Great Britain generally. 3. Local Orders, or those relating to particular places. EoEEiGN Orders. — The first Order of Council issued in 1871, relating to the importation of foreign animals into this country, is that of the 9th of March, 1871 (No. 321), and relates to France and Belgium. The regulations of the fourth schedule to the Act of 1869 were applied to cattle brought from Belgium, by The Contagious Diseases (Animals) Order of August, 1869 (No. 258), and the same regulations had been applied to cattle brousht from France, by an Order of the 9th of September, 1870 (No. 304.), and by an Order of the 20th of Septeiuber, 1870 (No.305), these regulations had also been made to apply to sheep and goats brought from France, In conse- quence of the continued prevalence of cattle plague in both these countries, their lordships considered it necessary alto- gether to prohibit the landing in this country of cattle brought from either of them, and of cattle, sheep, or goats having been on board any vessel with such cattle. This prohibition is con- tained in the Order of the 9th of March, 1871, which also prohibits the landing of fresh meat and hides, fat, hoofs, horns, manure, and hay from those countries. This Order and those above referred to have been revoked, but similar regulations are continued by the Order of the 8th of December, 1871 (No. 340). The next Order which bears upon foreign importation is that of the 31st of March, 1871 (INfo. 322), the effect of which is to transfer the inspectors at the ports and the re- sponsibility of the inspection of foreign animals, &c., from the Customs to the Veterinary Department. This was the first step towards a reorganization of the inspection, and will be again referred to. The Order of the 20th of April, 1871 (No. 325), which comes next under this head, removes cattle brought from the Netherlands, and sheep and goats brought from Germany, from the operation of the regulations of the fourth schedule to the Act. Both these provisions are relaxations. As regards the Netherlands, it appeared that no case of cattle plague had occurred in that country for more than three year.s that the contagious or infectious diseases which then existed in the Netherlands also existed in this country, and, that a decree of the Dutch Government had come into operation on the 1st of January 1871, prohibit- ing the importation and transit from foreign countries of cattle, sheep, goats, fresh hides, fresh and salted meat, unmelted fat, manure, and other matters likely to introduce contagious or infectious diseases among animals. A communication was also received by this Department from the Consul-general, to the effect that the Minister of the Interior of the Netherlands would give due notice of any change being made in the decree above referred to. Under these circumstances their lordships decided that the regulations of the fourth schedule to the Act should uo longer apply to cattle coming from tlie Netherlands. Sheep and goats brought from Germany were relieved from the restrictions contained in the fourth schedule to the Act, and from the farther restrictions within the Port of London contained in the Order of the 20lh September, 1870 (No. 305), in consequence of the total cessation of cattle plague in that country. The Order of the 10th of June, 1871 (No. 827), allows cattle, and cattle, sheep, and goats brought with them, and also certain other articles, brought from Belgium, to be lauded in this country, by revoking the prohibition agaiust their landing contained in the Order of the 9tli of March, 1871 (No. 321). The same Order also relieves sheep and goats brought from Belgium from the regulations of the fourth schedule to the Act, and from the further restrictions in the Fort of London contained in the Order of the 28th of November, 1870 (No. 319). This Order was issued in consequence of the total cessation of cattle plague in Belgium. On the 24th of June, 1871, the second step was taken with regard to the reorgani- zation of the departmental inspection under the Act, by limit- ing the number of ports at which foreign cattle may be landed, This is limited to 30 by the Order of the above-mentioned date (No. 328), but the number has since been increased to 31 by the Order of the 8th of September, 1871 (No. 333). The Order of the 28th day of December, 1871 (No. 339), revokes part of two Orders relating to^France, which were at that time in force, the povisions of which are however continued with a slight modification in the Order of the same date (No. 340), which prohibits the lauding of cattle brought from Belgium or France, aud of cattle, sheep, or goats which have been on board a vessel at the same time as such cattle. It also pro- hibits the landing of manure or hay brought from Belgium or France, and places sheep and goats brought from those countries under the regulations of the fourth schedule to the Act. There is a provision which allows such sheep landed at Leith or Grantou to be moved under certain conditions to the Edinburgh Slaughter House. All such sheep are to be slaughtered within 10 days. This Order also provides for the inspection of meat, fat, hoofs, and horns coming from Belgium or France by not allowing them to be landed at any port other than those at which foreign cattle may be landed, nor to be removed therefrom without a certificate that they are not likely to introduce contagious or infectious disease. The Foreign Animals Order of 1871 (No. 342) was passed on the 20th of December, for the purpose of renewing in a consolidated and slightly modified form all those provisions of former Orders which relate specially to foreign animals. The principal provisions of this Order are the fol- lowing : 1. Foreign cattle generally, and cattle from nnschednled countriei. — Foreign cattle can only be landed at certain ports (31 in number).* They must be detained and inspected on landing. If any one of a cargo is found aflected with any con- tagious or infectious disease, such animal or the whole cargo may be detained and slaughtered, or otherwise dealt with, as the Privy Council direct. Healthy foreign cattle, if landed at places other than those defined for the landing of cattle from scheduled countries, cease to be deemed foreign cattle after complying with certain conditions. 2. Cattle from scheduled countries. — Cattle brought from Russia, Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Turkey, Italy, and Greece, can only be landed at the following ports (21 in number) :Bristol, London, Dover, Hartlepool, Hull, Newcastle- upon-Tyne, Plymouth, North Shields, Shoreham, Southamp- ton, Granton, Leith, Glasgow, Middlesborough, Portsmouth, Grimsby, Dartmouth, Littleliarapton, Sunderland, Goole, Liverpool. These cattle must be landed at the parts of these ports defined by the Privy Council as landing-places for slaughter, and are subject to the regulations contained in the fourth schedule to the Act. All such cattle must be * The names of these Porta will toe fouiicl in tlae first »che- (iulo to the Order. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 315 slaughtered within ten days after being landed, exclusive of the day of landing. All such cattle must bo slaughtered at such landing-places, except for the supply of London and Edinburgh, and at ports where quarantine or re-shipment to another lauding place is allowed. Gexer.vl Orders. — The first Order issued in 1871, of this character, is that of the 16th of February relating to pleuro-pneumouia, which was passed in consequence of the representations made by several of the local authorities. 'T'hirty local authorities have applied for authority to slaughter cattle affected with pleuro-pneumonia since the passing of this Order, and several asked for power to prohibit the holding of fairs and markets ; but only one has received such authority. This Order was revoked by an Order of the 20th of December, 1871 (No. 343), but its provisions are continued, in a slightly modified form, in The Animals Order of 1871 (No. 3il). The Order of the 31st of March, 1871 (No. 323), revoked The Transit of Animals (Water) Order of May, 1870 (No. 301), which provided for a supply of water at certain railway stations in Great Britain. This provision is, however, con- tinued by an Order (No. 324) of the same date, which directs such water supply to be provided at additional stations, to- gether nimibering 547. The Order of the 5th August, 1871, relating to sheep-scab, was, like that relating to pleuro- pnemonia, suggested by applications from local authorities. A few local authorities have made regulations under this Order. On the 20th of December, 1871, were passed three general Orders of considerable importance, namely, The Animals Or- der of 1871 (No.|341), and The Foreign Animals Order of 1871 (No. 342), which contain, with a few exceptions, the whole of the general regulations under the Act now in operation in this country, and an Order (No. 343). revoking nearly all pre- vious Orders having a general application. An entire revision of the Orders was rendered necessary in consequence of the decision of the Lords of the Council to remove the restrictions on the movement of cattle within and out of the Metropoliss, on the opening of the Foreign Cattle Market at Deptford. These restrictions had been in operation since the time of the outbreak of cattle plague in this country, and had been found very beneficial in preventing the spread of contagious diseases, amongst animals from the Metropolis to the country districts. By means of these restrictions and the system of passes and licences established with them, this department could, if re- quired, at any time trace the movements of any particular animal, and thus take precautions for checking' the spread of any contagious or infectious disease. It was considered that these restrictions would have afforded considerable protection against the spread of cattle plague, should it again be intro- duced into London from abroad. They were, therefore, con- tinued so long as cattle from the countries to which the regu- lations of t\w. fourth schedule of the Act applied could be moved within the Metropolis. Such movement was prevented by revoking the Orders which allowed the removal of cattle from the defined parts of the Port of London. Local Orders. — The local orders relate to the definition of the parts of the ports in Great Britain as landing-places for the slaughter of cattle brought from countries mentioned in the second schedule to the Foreign Animals Order of 1871. Suggested Legislation. — During the year, besides nu- merous applications from the Chambers of Agriculture re- questmg that foreign cattle should only he landed for slaughter at the place of landing, several important applications for alteration or removal of existing restrictions have been received by tbeir lordships, but they have not been acceded to, and therefore do not appear in the before-mentioned orders. Among the more important applications may be mentioned those from home and abroad for the modification or removal of the restrictions upon the inland movement of German cattle, and from several counties in Great Britain for increased restrictions to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. Germany. — The applications from the German Government for the modification or removal of the restrictions on German cattle were urged on the plea that the cattle importation from Germany is still, in comparison with that of other countries, subject to an exceptional treatment, notwithstanding that tlie prohibition against the importation of Steppe or large grey cattle i>//o Germany now applies to the transmission of the cattle through that country, and propose the re- moval altogether of the special restrictions. From the repre- sentations made by the German Goyerninent, it appeared to their lordships that any cattle, other than those of the Steppe or large grey cattle breed, can be imported into Germany, and Germany was practically placed in the same position as those countries from which it could import cattle ; namely, Russia, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Turkey, Italy, Belgium, and Greece, in all of which, except Greece, cattle plague has existed during the present year. Similar restrictions were therefore placed upon its trade. These restrictions applied also to the Netherlands up to the 28th of April, 1871, andwere only then removed because that country had been for some years free from cattle plague, and its Government liad absolutely prohibited the importation into it of any cattle from any other country. That the prohibition of the importation into Ger- many of Steppe or large grey cattle only is no security against the introduction of cattle plague into that country, and that the regulations there are not sufficient to prevent its spread, arc proved by the facts that the outbreak of cattle plague in East Prussia, which occurred in 1869, was due to Polish cat- tle, and that the disease had spread to places far distant from each other before the Government was even aware of its ex- istence. Wien this outbreak of disease became known to the German Government, the traffic in cattle was interdicted ; but not soon enough to prevent the transmission of cattle to this country, after the disease broke out. Thus a number of cattle from the district where cattle plague existed were actually im- ported into this country, but it fortunately happened that they were not infected, or England might again have suffered from rinderpest. Their lordships refused to grant the application, as it would appear that to admit German cattle under the same regulations as those which apply to the Netherlands would practically amount to admitting all European cattle, except the Stepjje or large grey cattle, on these terms, and taking in- to consideration the greater facilities for transit, would place England, as regards our foreign cattle trade, in a worse position than it was in 1865, when cattle plague was intro- duced here. The application of the consumers of the North of England, representing, according to their statement, a population exceeding three millions, was to the following effect : That German cattle may be forwarded for immediate slaughter to the inland towns of Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cheshire, from the ports of Hull, Goole, Grimsby, Hartlepool, and Middlesborough, for the following, among other reasons. 1st. That the slaughter of German cattle at the port of landing is no longer necessary, seeing that the cattle plague is now well under- stood by our veterinary inspectors, that extreme measures are taken in Germany to at once isolate infected districts, and that the cattle plague is and has been for years unknown at our ports. 2udly. That it is unjust to the large industrial towns of Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cheshire, to permit London to enjoy a monopoly of the German cattle trade, and the large supply of animal food arising therefrom ; and that such a monopoly acts as a tax upon the food of the people in these districts by unnecessarily enhancing its cost. 3rdly. It is alleged also that the Government, by continuing their restric- tions upon German cattle, stand between the people and a fuller and cheaper supply of food, and that Holland gives us little in bulk or quantity compared with that which awaits us in other countries. It was afterwards represented that the proposal contained in the above-mentioned petitions for the removal of German fat cattle inland would not be sufficient, but that the restrictions should be altogether removed for the purpose of introducing store stock. The objections to the re- moval of these restrictions altogether have already been shown. Not only would cattle plague be probably introduced, but it is equally probable that, as in the case of the outbreak in East Prussia, the disease would be distributed over a large tract of country before it was recognised or could be stamped out. We should thus probably have a repetition to a limited extent of our losses in 1865-6, and be subject constantly to the danger of a re-introduction of the disease. It appeared to their lordships that the proposed removal inland under the present regulations in Germany would be attended with a similar risk of the in- troduction of the disease, and risk of its spread. This applica- tion was, therefore, refused. Cattle Supply and Price of Meat. — The two pro- posals for the relaxation of the restrictions on German cattle have arisen from two sources whose interests are widely opposed to each other — namely : the ^;ro- (litcer, who hopes to get a greater profit by the change, and the CQnwntr, \vho hopes to get his meat supply at a lower X 2 316 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. price, but it appears improbable that the hopes of either cau be realised if the extra cost of transit inland be added to the cost of production. Both interests might, however, ^ain if an increased import took place, provided that the larger produc- tion could be obtained at a reduced cost. Cattle, however, appear to belong to that class of commodity which, although it can be multiplied to an almost indefinite extent, yet only a limited quantity can be produced at a given cost. If a greater quantity of cattle is wanted it must be produced at a greater cost. The wholesale cattle trade, like all others, obeys the laws of demand and supply, and so long as the price in this country gives as good a profit on the cost of production as elsewhere, the supply will at all times be kept equal to the demand by foreign importation. The demand, however, must steadily in- crease as population increases, and the quantity of meat con- sumed among this population must also increase as wages rise ; it follows, therefore, that the wholesale price of cattle must be a gradually increasing one. This will be found to be the case if we extend our inquiries over long periods ; but the disturb- ing inilueuces are so numerous, that the rule rarely applies to three years consecutively. The principal disturbing inilueuces affecting the demand for cattle are : a. Distress among the working classes, and reduction in wages; b. increased import of dead meat — reducing the demand for live cattle, c. Local changes of population — reducing or increasing the demand for meat. d. Commercial prosperity and increase of wages ; e. reduced import of dead meat — increasing the demand for live cattle. The disturbing influences affecting the supply are—/. Want of food for feeding cattle — increasing supply of inferior meat on account of forced sale. (j. Want of cattle for feeding — reducing supply of superior meat. Remembering that increased demand or reduced supply is attended with increased price, and reduced demand or increased supply with reduced price, and also, on account of the large proportion of the cost of produc- tion which the item of transit forms, that these effects may be produced loccdly, and tiiat the price of cattle follows the same rule, and has the same disturbing influences in those coun- tries from which we obtain our foreign supply, it is not difficult to understand the causes which have operated to produce the exceptionally high price of beef during the latter part of 1870. The year 1868 was one in which, from want of rain until the latter part of the year, there was a partial failure only of the supply of food for cattle, and, therefore, the effect was not much felt, and the mean price of beef for the year was lower than that of the preceding year. The import of foreign cattle during 1868 was small, and the per-centage of thera in the market low, notwithstanding that the highest price for beef rose to 9d. in the latter part of the year. In 1869 the mean price of beef rose upwards of a halfpenny a pound, and the supply of foreign cattle in the market rose to upwards of 51 per cent. In 1870, both the grass and root crops failed, not only in this country, but on parts of the con- tinent from which we get our supplies, the result being forced sale of stock for the butcher, keeping down tiie mean price of beef below that of 1869, but raising the highest price of beef to QJd. and the highest quarterly average to 9d., in De- cember last. Notwithstanding this high price, our foreign import was less than that of the preceding year, and the per- centage in the market was reduced to a little over 40 per cent. In the year 1871 the crops have been plentiful, but the cattle for feeding scarce in this country ; the home supply has there- fore been reduced, and the prices have ranged higher than in 1870, the mean price of beef for the year being ^\(!i. The scarcity \pi cattle did not appear to apply to our foreign producers, and, therefore, our import increased considerably, but the proportion going to the Metropolitan Market is only slightly increased. During the year we have imported up- wards of 45,000 more cattle thau we did in 1870. This country appears to have bcRn able to do without Irish cattle until 1759, and without a foreign supply up to the year 1842, when the prohibition on their importation was rescinded, and a duty of 10s. to 20s. per head was substituted, which was only removed in June, 1846. The trade increased from 45,043 head in 1846, to 283,271 in 1865, and this is the largest num- ber imported into the United Kingdom in any one year.* Germany (including Schleswig-Holstein) and the Netherlands have for many years supplied us with by far the largest portion * The large importation in this year is probably principally (lue to the cattle plague in this country and in Holland in the latter part of the year. of ouf foreign cattle. During the year 1865, Germany supplied us with upwards of 31, and Holland upwards of 48 per cent, of our total foreign importation. In 1866, the importation from Holland was prohibited, and it was not until December 1867 that this prohibition was altogether removed, Germany al- though never prohibited from sending cattle, was placed under exceptionally severe restrictions from September 1870 until April 1871. Notwithstanding these disadvantages, and also the fact that the Netherlands suffered severely during 1866-7 from cattle plague, these two countries during the five years ending December 1870, supplied us with 65 per cent, of our foreign cattle, of which Germany sent us 40 per cent, and Holland 25 percent. During the year 1871, however Holland furnished 43 per cent, of our supply and Germany only 31 per cent. As regards cattle, the Netherlands is a producing coun- try and Germany, like Great Britain, is an importing one. The Netherlands has prohibited importation of cattle since the 1st of January 1871, but nevertheless was able, during the first five months of the year 1871, to send us 21,430 head, and during the same period to send to Germany 15,740 head, whilst Germany only supplied us with 15,052 during the same period. It may be assumed, therefore, that Germany can only send us cattle by importing thera. If Germany obtains its supply from the Netherlands, it could scarcely compete with that country in our markets ; if elsewhere, it would probably be from the countries on its eastern frontier, at a great risk of the introduction of cattle plague. Apart from the risk of the introduction of disease which, as has already been shown, would be entailed by such a course, and which, by the losses occasioned, would probably have the effect of raising prices, it will appear that increased import to this country is influenced by other circumstances than the restrictions here, and that, so far as our experience goes, it would appear that any increase in the amount of foreign import of cattle arises from an excess of price in our market over that which can be obtained in the continental markets. Price of Jleaf. — The price of meat, or rather the dis- covery of the law which governs it, is a difficult subject of inquiry, but has probably been rendered more so by mixing up the retail and wholesale prices, as no direct connection has been shown to exist between the two. It is, therefore, proposed to limit the present consideration to the wholesale prices ; but it may be here stated that there appear to be four circum- stances affectiug the retail which do not affect the wholesale price of beef, namely : (a.) The iutroductron of the element of feehng in the shape of like or dislike, (i.) The disregard generally of the principle of buying in the cheapest market. (e.) The demand for special, or what are considered best joints, which in London entails an addition to their cost of production , not only on account of the limited supply, but also on account of the double carriage upon the infe- rior joints, as these appear to be consumed to a larger ex- tent in the country, (d.) The profit required by the middle- men through whom the beef passes to the retail butcher. Disregarding the retail price of beef, and bearing in mind the circumstances which have already been stated to be disturbing influences upon the demand for beef, and therefore upon its price, it would appear that any increased supply of cattle must be produced at an increased cost, and that therefore we cannot expect to get an increased import from Germany unless we are prepared to pay an increased price for it. An increased supply of cattle and a reduction in the price of beef may possibly be obtained by one of the three following means : a. Increased Siijj/ili/ from Abroad. — The only way in which an increased supply of foreign cattle can be ob- tained at a reduced price is by reducing the total cost of their production to us. The total cost of production as regards foreign cattle in this country is made up of the cost of production at the place where the cattle are produced, the cost of transit to this country, and the profit re- quired in a rather hazardous trade. The cost of production abroad, being composed principally of labour and rent, must necessarily be a gradually increasing item, so long as we get our foreign supplies from the neighbouring countries of Eu- rope, and there is very little hope that this item will be re- duced. Nor can we hope to be able to reduce the cost of transit to this country from tiiose ports whence we derive our supply, at least so far as London is concerned. Cattle are now brought to London from Holland at considerably less THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 317 tliau half the price of the transit of them by railway from Scotland. So far as regards our foreign supply, therefore, it appears that we can scarcely hope to reduce the total cost of production of cattle from those countries from which we at present obtain our supplies. If we wish to increase our fo- reign supplies, without an increase of price, we must endea- vour either to get additional supplies from those countries which have uot, as yet, sent us all they can produce, such as Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Spain, and Portugal, or to go for a further supply to countries where the cost of production is less, and endeavour, by reducing the cost of transit and the risk of lossi'S to a minimum, to reduce the total cost of pro- duction, less profit, to an amount which at the market prices will leave a fair margin for such profit. b. — Increased Home Supply. — So far as regards England, it is scarcely probable that an increased supply can be produced except at an increased cost, as, if this had been the case, prices would probably have remained such as would have en- tirely stopped our foreign importation, and also that which takes place from Ireland. That the dilference of price which brings our foreign import is very small is shown by the facts which have already been adverted to, and this is corroborated by the evidence given before the Select Committee on the Metropolitan Poreign CaUle Market Bill, by the then Chair- man of the Metropolitan Cattle Market, that a difference of from 5s. to lOs. per head would have the effect of keeping fo- reign animals out of London altogether. England, however, IS totally unable to supply its own consumption of cattle, and absolutely pays to get a supply from Scotland considerably more for the transit of these animals than is paid for the transit of animals produced on the Continent. If the cost of transit from or the cost of production in Scotland could be re- duced, or if a larger number of cattle could be produced in Scotland at the same price, then Scotland might furnish us with the supply required to reduce the price of meat. Ireland, how- ever, appears able to produce cattle at a moderate cost, and the transit expenses to this country are small. The further devel- opment of the production of cattle in Ireland would therefore probably meet our wants. That thetotalcostof production to this country of Irish cattle is considerably less than that of foreign cattle is shown by the fact that, during the four years ending December, 1869, we received 1,800,088 head ot cattle from Ireland, whilst we only had 764',322 head from all foreign countries, and that the trade can be increased is shown by the absolute increase which has already taken place in the import- ation into this country from Ireland, and also by the increase in the cattle population of that country, and in the land under cultivation for green crops, grass, and clover. c. Importation of Beef. — There is another means by which it is possible that the price of our beef may be kept down, and an increased supply obtained without, however, increasing our import of cattle, and this is by the larger importation of beef in a fresh, preserved, or salted state. Eor some years there has been a considerable import into this country of dead meat ; the amount in 1869, ac- cording to the Customs report, being upwards of 25,000 tons, of which nearly haff was tjcef. This large import of i3eef came in a year when the import of live cattle had increased upwards of 60 per cent, over that of the previous year, and would pro- bably represent nearly 50,000 head of cattle. Should any pro- cess be discovered by which beef could be sent from Australia or other distant place where it is produced at a low price, and reach this country in such a state as to be a substitute forfreshly- kiUed beef, it would go far to supply our wants and prevent the inevitable increase of price resulting from increased de- mand for a commodity which can only be produced here in greater quantity in an increased cost. FooT-AXD-MoUTii Disease. — Before entering upon the restrictions proposed for preventing the introduction and spread of foot-and-mouth disease, it seems advisable to give a short account of the origin and history of the disease in this country, and of the present outbreak. Whether it was or was not first imported into this country in 1839, or had a sponta- neous origin about that time, or had existed here long before that date, remains to be proved, but there appears to be no doubt that it existed in London in August 1839, three years before the prohibition on the importation of foreign cattle was removed, and that before the end of the year it existed in most parts of England and some parts of Scotland. During ISiO and 1841 Great Britain suffered to a most serious extent from it. The malady was more malignant at that lime tlian it has ever since been. In 1812 and 1813, and the early part of 1811, notwithstanding that the prohibition on the import of foreign cattle was removed in July, 1812, the foot-and-raoutii disease was not so prevalent. In the latter part of 1815, however, it again spread very widely, but, notwithstanding tiiat in March, 1846 the duty on foreign stock was removed, from that year until the end of 1851 the disease gradually de- clined, although our cattle import increased from 16,833 in 1815 to 86,520 in 1851. In 1852 there appears to have been an outbraak of this disease fully as extensive as the present one, yet the increase in our foreign import in this year was nearly 23 per cent, less than that of the year preceding. From 1853 to 1860 the disease only existed to a slight extent, and in these years our foregn supply of cattle had fallen off. Erom 1861 to 1865 the disease was widely spread, but less so than in many former years, although our import was gradually increasing and our greatest import occurred in 1865. During the time of the cattle-plague very few cases occurred, probably on account of the severe restrictions on the movement of cattle. In 1869 it again increased, and this increase has been continued in 187C and 1871. Although, therefore, there ap- peat^s to have been, in certain years, some connexion between the increase of foot-and-mouth disease and an increase of im- portation of foreign animals, yet the facts that the disease was prevalent throughout the country years before such animals were allowed to be imported, that the admission of foreign stock in 1812 was not attended vvith an increase in the num- ber of outbreaks, and that increased import does not seem to be invariably followed by an increase in the disease, seem to indicate that this connexion is accidental and uot that of cause and effect. Nor does it appear that any of our later outbreaks can be traced to foreign animals. The disease has not ceased to exist in this country since 1839, therefore it is much more reasonable to suppose that some general causes, such as those which are atmospheric or climatic influences, or those inducing greater movement of animals, have caused the disease, already existent, to spread, rather than that the comparatively small number of foreign cattle imported under severe restrictions, and generally for immediate slaughter, should, time after time, have introduced it. It has been asserted that the extent of the present outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has been caused by the removal of the restrictions formerly placed upon the move- ment of cattle from the Netherlands, but it does not appear that any distinct confirmation of the statements can be arrived at, nor have many cases been reported in which it is alleged that the disease was directly communicated by these cattle. That there was an undoubted increase of the disease last year soon after Dutch cattle were admitted free is certain, but it remains to be proved that the importation of these cattle had any connexion with this increase. Several cases of supposed infection from these cattle have been inquired into, not only as regards outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, but also of pleuro-pneuraonia, but the evidence supporting this view has always broken down. It is quite possible that some of the outbreaks of the foot-and-mounth disease in this country have been due to Netherlands cattle, but highly im- probable that hiamj of them have had such an origin. At the time these cattle were allowed to be moved inland there were at least fitty counties in Great Britain in which the disease existed, in most of which free movement of cattle which had been herded with diseased ones was allowed. This appears to be confirmed by the fact that during the year 1S71 no case of foot- and-mouth disease orpleuro-pneumonia occurred in the parishes of either Harwich or Dovercourt. These parishes contain an area of upwards of 3,000 acres, within which area are many farms and dairies. At Harwich more Dutch cattle have been landed since the restrictions were removed than at any other port in Great Britain, except London. The cowkeepers at Harwich and Dovercourt are in the habit of filling up any vacancies in their dairies with Dutch cows, and there is scarcely a farmer in Dovercourt parish who has not taken Dutch cattle in to keep. Notwithstanding this, these parishes enjoy an excep- tional freedom from contagious or infectious diseases amongst their stock. From all the evidence which has been obtained it does not appear to be proved that the foot-and-mouth disease generally, or the present outbreak in particular, can be traced to a foreign origin. That foot-and-mouth disease is readily produced by contagion has repeatedly been proved ; indeed, so readily is it communicated in this way, uot only by 318 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. animals but by man or any substances which have been in contact with diseased animals, that it is an extremely difficult matter to prevent its spread, and many instances of outbreak have occurred in which it has been found impossible to trace the means by which it could have been communicated. An instance of this kind occurred at Caldy Island where the disease has appeared, but the gentleman who has reported on the matter has been unable to account for it. In tliis case, however, an outbreak of the disease occurred at Tenby, on the 29th of September, 1871, and the outbreak on Caldy Island on the 4th of October, and although it is stated that there had been no importation of any animal whatever into the island, it is also stated that a small boat goes over from Tenby occa- sionally with foot passengers wliich would be cjuite sutficient to account for the outbreak. It is quite possible that the disease has rarely of late years been produced in any other way than by contagion, although we have not in some cases been able to trace it. A reference to the history of the disease will show that it existed in this country three years before tlie prohibition against the importation of foreign animals was removed, and tliat the prevalence or diminution of the disease has not, in the great number of instances, followed the in- crease or decrease of importation. Tliat many of the out- breaks in the present visitation of foot-and-mouth disease have been due to Irish cattle cannot be doubted. One of the In- spectors of this Department has on three diiferent occasions lately visited Bristol market, and on each visit one or more Irish cattle affected with foot-and-mouth disease were seized by the inspector of the local authority, and this in a market in which there are generally thousands of cattle which are dis- tributed to all parts of the country. This means of distribut- ing the disease is doubtless a fruitful one, and will continue to be so as long as purchasers can be found in markets for cattle which are either affected with the disease or liave been lierded with others so allected. A much larger number of cattle are imported from Ireland tliau from all foreign coun- tries, and they are allowed to land at most of our ports, and are not subject to the same regular inspection and detention on lauding as that to which foreign cattle are subject. The present prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease may also be accounted for by its spread from the centres "in which this disease existed in this country before it attained its present prevalence, or all these suggested causes may have operated together in producing it. Restrictions for Preventing the Introduction AND Spread of Foot-and-Mouth Disease.— Before the last outbreak of cattle plague, the animals of this country liad been for many years periodically affected with foot-and-mouth disease, and the outbreak in 1852 has been pronounced by competent authority to have been as extensive as tlie present one, whilst the outbreak in 1840-41 was more malignant than it Jms ever since been. Notwithstanding this, the farmers of Great Britain do not appear to have attached much import- ance to the disease, nor to have wished that any stringent re- gulations should be enacted for its suppression, as will be seen from the following statement of the result of an attempt made in 1864 to place this disease under the same regulations as some of the other more important contagious or infectious diseases affecting animals. At the beginning of March, 1864, the Cattle Diseases Prevention Bill and the Cattle, &c., Im- portation Bill were referred to a Select Committee, who, after examining a large number of witnesses representing all the varied interests, and continuing their sittings until the end of June, reported that they " have considered tlie said Bills and have taken evidence thereOn, and have gone through the Cattle Diseases Prevention Bill and made amendments there- imto." lu this Bill, when referred to the above Committee, foot-and-mouth disease was included in the schedule of con- tagious or infectious diseases. In the Bill, as amended by the Committee, foot-and-mouth disease does not appear. Tlie decision arrived at by the Committee is fully borne out by the general evidence taken before them, and is thoroughly sup- ported by what we may fairly look upon as the representatives of the farming interests not only in this country but also in Scotland. Mr. Maxwell, who was examined before them, re- presenting not only the Highland Agricultural Society, but also the general feeling in Scotland on tiie matter, stated that there was a decided objection to the regulations proposed by the Bills with regard to foot-and-mouth disease, as being not only unnecessary but impracticable. Mr. Congreve, the then chairman of the Central Farmers' Club, who was also examined, and who may be taken to represent the farming interest in England, stated that there is a decided objection among far- mers and graziers to placing severe restrictions on animals suffering from foot-and-mouth disease, that immense loss and injury would be inflicted thereby, whilst the price of meat would be largely enhanced, and that the great objection to the proposed Cattle Diseases Bill was with regard to foot-and- mouth disease. That in 1867 this feeling still continued is shown by the circumstance that in that year the Lord Presi- dent presented to the House of Lords the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill, and that in this Bill, which was referred to a Select Committee, the clauses which gave power to the Privy Council to include any disease under the term contagious or infectious disease, and to inspectors the power of entry in any contagious or infectious disease, were taken out of the Bill as amended, and also out of the Act as passed. In the Act which passed in 1869 a similar limit to the power of entry of Inspectors was continued, and thus it appears that up to that date the tendency had always been to limit the restrictions upon and interference with animals affected with this disease. That the intention of Parliament was to place foot-and-mouth disease under less stringent regulations than the other con- tagious or infectious diseases amongst animals named in the Act is shown by the omission of tlie power of entry above re- ferred to, and also by the special provision in section 57 of the Act, which allows the Privy Council to alter the regula- tions with regard to the movement of animals affected with this disease, but not those affected with cattle plague, pleuro- pneumonia, sheep-pox, or glanders, and the wisdom of not applying the severe restrictive measures which were imposed during cattle plague, to check the spread of a disease like foot- and-mouth disease will, it is thought, be shown under the fol- lowing heading. After carefully considering these matters the Lords of the Council came to the conclusion that the pro- visions of the Act which prohibit the movement of affected animals, and provide for general disinfection, and the powers conferred on local authorities for regulating the movement of animals herded with those affected, and for particular disinfec- tion in this disease, if effectually carried out and backed by the farmers and graziers, would be sufficient to check the spread of this disease. The general objection made to the present restrictions by the Chambers of Agriculture and the local authorities is that they are not sufficiently stringent, and that it is necessary that further action should be taken. The demand that the Privy Council should take extreme measures in order to check the foot-and-mouth disease is one of very recent origin, and has probably arisen from the representations which have appeared in the public press, containing statements that this disease was a most serious one, and in results nearly as bad as rinderpest. That this is not the case is shown by the following statement, but that its spread and the losses occasioned thereby are very serious cannot be doubted. Since the passing of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1869, up to the end of 1871, we have received information of 93,162 outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, in which 1 ,344,625 ani- mals were attacked. Of these only 1.136 per cent, died, .327 per cent, were killed, and 98.537 per cent, recovered. The percentage of deaths as indicated by these returns is very low, but even this is said to be much higher than it should be, on account of the want of proper treatment. Contrast this with cattle plague, in which the cattle killed were, in its last visita- tion, upwards of 36 per cent, of those attacked, the deaths amounted to nearly 49 per cent., and only 15 per cent, were recovered for our use. It does not appear, however, that any- thing short of stopping all markets, fairs, exhibitions, and sales of animals, and putting severe restrictions on their movement, would eradicate this disease even for a time. To do this effectually would also necessitate the appointment of qualified veterinary surgeons in each district, would entail considerable expense, and would afford no security against future outbreaks. Their lordships were of opinion that these stringent measures, although submitted to for the purpose of stamping out cattle plague, would not be borne in a disease which is so rarely fatal as foot-and-mouth disease. Some farmers, indeed, do not appear to believe that this disease is spread by contagion, or if so, do not consider it of suflicient importance to take the simplest precautions against its introduction and spread. The objections which appeared to apply to placing additional re- strictions on the home trade apply equally to the Irish and to THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 319 the foreign trade ; and tlie proposal to slaughter all foreign cattle at tlic landing places has tlic additional objection that, by reducing the price which the cattle would fetch, it is more than pvobable that such course would have the eil'cct of check- ing the importation of the comparatively healthy foreign cattle which have formed upwards of 72 per cent, of our total import. The objections to quarantine, except where advantage may be taken of the deteutiou for the purpose of fattening the auimal, appear to be the expense aud the interference witli trade, both which items would tend to increase the cost of production aud therefore the price of it. The tendency of tliis would be to stop our foreign importation, as it has been stated that a difference in price of from os. to 10s. per head, would be sufficient to stop all the foreign cattle from coming to London. Since 18(36 to the present time a quarantine ground for foreign animals has been open at Southampton, but during the whole of this period very few animals have been quarantined there. It is not, therefore, probable that advan- tage would be taken of this process for the introduction of cattle unless it were made a regulation for all foreign cattle. It is doubtful whether either ot these applications have been finally disposed of. Contagious Diseases amongst Home Animals during THE Year 1871. — Cattle plague has not reappeared in this country since September, 1807, notwithstanding that it existed in France, Belgium, and Germany in 1870-71, and several outbreaks in the former country occurred within 30 miles of our shores. Pleuro-pneumonia has appeared during the year in 68 counties of Great Britain on 1,755 farms or premises. Including 73i cases of this disease said to have been produced by inoculation, 5,869 cattle were attacked, of which 2,207 were killed, 1,339 died, 2,333 recovered. There remained, from the year 1870, 133, and at the end of 1871, 12 1 head of cattle suffering from the disease. Foot-and-mouth disease has been very prevalent during the year, no less than 52,16i fresh outbreaks having been reported to this department, in which 691,505 animals were attacked. Of these 2,051 were killed, 5,853 died, and 633,081 recovered. These do not represent the total animals which have suffered from this disease, as some of the local authorities furnished the department with very imperfect returns, and others de- clined to furnish them at all. Consequently any comparison between the years 1871 and 1870 would be valueless. Such numerous complaints were made of the serious inconvenience and expense of making these returns and the comparative use- lessness of them, that their lordships decided that from the end of the year no further returns sliould be required from the local authorities ; and the necessary alterations to effect this were made in the Ortler of the 20tli of December, which came into operation on the 1st of January, 1872. No eases of sheep-pox have occurred amongst our home stock during the year, nor indeed have there been any eases in home stock since the passing of The Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1869. Tliis is a great improvement upon former years, in which considerable loss was entailed by this disease. In 184'7 this disease was introduced into this country by foreign sheep, and spread to our home flocks in various parts of the country, causing great loss and continuing at one place or another until 1850. Another outbreak occurred in 1862, and continued for five mouths. In 1865 it visited a farm in Sussex, and in January, 1866, one in Northamptonshire, but was in both in- stances checked by the vigorous measures taken. In 1860 it also appeared at two different places in Essex, and in six places in Chesfiire. All these outbreaks were doubtless due to the introduction of disease from abroad. In those cases which occurred after the establishment of the Veterinary Depart- ment, they were carefully inquired into, and the proper mea- sures at once taken, to check the spread of the disease. The beneficial effect of the restrictions of the Privy Council with regard io the importation of foreign animals, and of the care- ful inspection at our ports ordered by their lordships, is shown by the fact that, notwithstanding that in 1868 nine vessels infected with sheep-pox brought 8,519 foreign sheep to this country, not a single ease of that disease occurred during that period in our home stock. Up to the passing of The Conta- gious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1869, it was necessary that Orders of Council should be passed on the occasion of an out- break of this disease ; but by that Act the machinery was made self-acting, not only as regards cattle plague, but also with regard to sheep-pos, aud thus the delay and expense of an immediate inquiry by an iuspector of this department, and of passing special Orders, has not been rc(iuircd. In each of the years 1869, 1870, and 1871, this disease was once intro- duced by foreign sheep, but our home stock has been free from it. Sheep-scab appeared during the year in 05 counties of Great Britain. There were 58,089 sheep attacked, of which 385 were killed, 779 died, and 39,638 recovered. The returns relating to this disease are not satisfactory, and it ap- pears to be almost impossible that they can be made so. The disease, however, is certainly capable of being easily cliecked, and it rests with the local authorities to take the necessary action. Glanders, so far as our returns indicate, does not ap- pear to be a disease so extensively distributed as some of the other contagious diseases of animals. In 1871 it only ap- peared in 31 counties of Great Britain, in which 201 horses were attacked, which number, added to 21 remaining diseased on the olst of December, 1870, gives 228 cases of the disease. Of these 203 were killed, 10 died, 5 recovered, and 10 re- mained diseased at the end of the year. Reports have been received of the existence in this country of other diseases said to be contagious or infectious, but none of them have been, as yet, so declared by the Lords of the Council. Contagious Diseases amongst Anim.vls in Foreign Countries. — Cattle plague has been more extensively dis- tributed over the continent of Europe during the years 1870- 71 than for many preceding years, and has approached so near to our shores that it might at any moment have been in- troduced. Their lordships, by promptly prohibiting the im- portation of cattle and ordering the slaughter at the port of entry of sheep brought from Belgium, France, and Germany, so long as cattle plague existed in those countries, pre- vented its introduction aud spread by animals from those countries, and fortunately this disease was not introduced into this country by any indirect means. A reference to the Ap- pendix will show the wide distribution of this disease during the year. It does not appear from our consular reports that pleuro-pneumonia existed in any other country than the Ne- therlands in 1871, although the return of one of our inspectors certifies that one case was imported from Germany, and an- other from Australia. Foot-and-mouth disease has, during the year, been widely distributed not only in this country but also abroad. It has existed during the year in Denmark, Italy, Portugal, Russia, South America, Spain, Turkey, in Europe and the United States, as well as in this country, and has given us considerable trouble at the ports, no less than 581 cattle and 66 sheep affected with this disease having been slaugh- tered at the lauding places. Only one pro\iuce of Germany, namely Pomerania, is reported to have been visited with sheep-pox during the year. Our inspector, however, detected it in a cargo brought from Hamburg. Sheep-scab was only reported to have existed in the same districts in Pomerauia, and at Girgenti in lialy, where it attacked goats. Cases, how- ever, were imported into this country from Bremen, Bremer- hafeu, and Hamburg, as well as from Belgium, India, and New Zealand. Glanders existed in Germany iu the same dis- tricts, but no case of this disease was imported into this country. Inspection. — The inspection which takes place under The Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1869, may be divided into four branches, namely : a. Local inspection, b. Inspec- tion at ports, c. Departmental inspection, d. Inspection connected with animals in transit. a. Local Inspection. — Local Inspectors are appointed by the local authorities, and it is on these Inspectors depend the discovery of contagious or infectious disease amongst animals in Great Britain, and the prevention of its spread. This de- partment is dependent upon them for nearly all its information regarding outbreaks of disease, and ample provision has been made in the Act for these purposes, as it provides that every local authority shall at all times keep appointed at least one Inspector. Under this provision about 1,300 Inspectors were during the past year in office. These Inspectors are constantly iu direct communication with this department, but the depart- ment has no control over them, except to direct their removal in ease of incompetency, misconduct, or neglect. The Act also provides that they shall make such reports to the Privy Council as the Privy Council may from time to time require. This provision has, however, never been enforced to a greater extent than that necessary to obtain returns connected with contagious or infectious disease. 320 THE FARMER'S MAGA^liJili h. Iiispccliuii al Paris. — The inspectioii of the foreign animals which come to ports of this country is for the purpose of preventing the introduction of contagious or infectious dis- eases from abroad. The importance of this branch of inspec- tion cannot be too highly estimated, but its value as a pro- tection depends on the more or less ellicieut manner in vifhich it is performed ; the amount of danger of the introduction of disease being reduced in almost direct ratio to the amount of Isnowledge and care brought to bear upon its detection. This danger lias not during the past year been an imaginary one, for cattle plague has existed during that time in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, and Turkey, and tiie movement of cattle which took place during the war, for the supply of the armies engaged, tended to in- crease its spread. Not only was cattle plague prevalent abroad, but also other contagious or infectious diseases amongst animals ; thus sheep-pox existed in Germany ; pleuro-pueu- monia in Holland, Germany, and Italy ; foot-and-mouth dis- ease in Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, and Italy ; and either off these or other diseases supposed to be of a contagious or infectious nature existed in other parts of tlie continent of Europe, in Asia, Africa, and America, particulars of which will be found under the heading Contagious Diseases amongst Animals in Foreign Countries. During the financial year 1869-70 the Inspectors employed at ports in Great Britain, numbering nearly 100, were under the control of the Customs, who paid them by fees when their services were required, and only employed them for the inspection of foreign animals. c. Departmental Inspection. — There were two Inspectors at- tached to the department in 1871, whose duties are : To ex- amine into and report upon any contagious or infectious diseases occurring amongst animals in any part of Great Britain, or upon any other diseases concerning the nature of which there may be any doubt, and to carry out any experimental or other inves- tigations which may be considered advisable relating to these diseases : To examine into the Consular lleports relating to diseases amongst animals in foreign countries, and to report as to their nature : To advise generally as to the precautions w Inch should be adopted for the purpose of preventing the in- troduction of contagious or infectious disease from abroad, or its spread when it exists in this country. These duties gene- rally occupy the whole of the time of the two Inspectors attached to the department. When not so occupied, one or the other of them is employed in the inspection connected with animals in transit. d. Inspection connected with Animals in Transit. — During the passing of The Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill a very strong feeling was expressed in both Houses in favour of legislation for the prevention of cruelty to animals, and more especially in the case of those which were necessarily brought long distances alive either by sea or land. The result was the insertion in the Bill of certain clauses entrusting large powers to the Privy Council, with a view to their legislating on this matter, in order to remedy the evils which are very generally admitted to exist. The Bill received the Royal Assent on the 9th of August, 1869, and on the following day, namely, the 10th of August, the Lord President appointed a Committee to consider the powers entrusted to the Privy Council, and how these powers should be exercised. In consequence of the recommendations of this Committee the Lords of the Council have on various occasions passed Orders containing provisions relating to the transit of animals botli by sea and railway, the cleansing and disinfecting of vessels, railway trucks, and other places, the shipping, un- shipping, and watering cattle at ports, and the provision of water at railway stations. The carrying out of these and other Orders really rests with the local authority, but it was soon found necessary for Inspectors attached to the depart- ment occasionally to visit all the ports and railways in Great Britain to ascertain whether the local authorities carry out the duties and powers conferred upon them. In previous years no arrangements were made for this, except so far as the two Inspectors of this office could spare time to attend to the matter, but it was found impossible that they could attend to their routine duties, and also to those which should be per- formed in connection with animals in transit. The inspec- tion, therefore, which should have taken place for the purpose of preventing the spread of contagious or infectious disease amongst animals in transit, and for protecting them from cruelty, was, until 1871, almost entirely neglected, and thus the powers given by Parliament to the Privy Council, although exercised with great promptitude by their lordships, were almost inoperative for their want of means for ascertaining whether their lordships' orders were carried out or not. Though the supply of animals to Great Britain from Ireland exceeds that brought from abroad, and the deficiencies in the arrangements in the vessels used for their transit were specially pointed out by the Committee in their Report, and the Order above re- ferred to applies as well to Irish as to foreign vessels, yet, up to 1871, no arrangements whatever had been made for the inspection connected therewith, nor do the Customs Authori- ties now take cognizance of the arrivals of these vessels at our ports. On a careful examination into the subject, it appeared to the Lords of the Council that the responsibility of the inspection at the ports rested with the department of the Council OtHce having charge of these matters, and that it would be advisable that the Veterinary Department should be directly in communication with the Inspectors, instead of, as heretofore, indirectly through the Customs. Their lordships also considered that the greater number of these officers should be attached to the Department, so that their services, when not required at tlie ports, might be utilized for the other purposes connected with inspection which had hitherto been neglected. Having obtained the sanction of the Treasury to this arrangement in March, 1871, their lordships immediately commenced a re-organization of the system, and during the year reduced the number of ports at which foreign cattle could be landed, the number of Inspectors employed, and engaged the greater number of them at fixed salaries, with their whole time at the disposal of the department, paying, by fees, a few of them stationed at those ports at which the importation of foreign animals is small. By this means their lordships were enabled, without additional cost, to combine the inspection at ports with the other inspection required under the Act and Orders. This system has hitherto worked very well. Alexander Whliams. Vcterinarij Department., Wth July, 1872, PROFESSIONAL PROPHECIES. An ever favourite strategy in the art of war has been the employment of some means by which the attention of the enemy may be directed to one point while an entry is made at another. It is much after this fashion that the enemy would seem to have been dealing of late with English cattle and cattle breeders. Ever and anon an alarm, frequently enough a false one, has been raised as to a ease of foot-and-mouth or pleuro-pneumonia haying been discovered on the Thames, and how this is sailing straight up to London. More rigid in- spection, more foreign markets, and more slaughter are at once insisted on, as foot-and-mouth disease has really been seen on board a foreign vessel. And in the meanwhile foot- and-mouth disease has been systematically pouring in upon us from another quarter, of which nobody takes any heed. By this time, however, there is not a man in his senses but who has come to see that the present spread of foot-and-mouth disease is due far more to beasts shipped from Ireland than to animals sent into London. In fact, attention has been directed to one point, and the attack has been made in another. JVIore recent and more serious examples only serve to show how idle it is to consider the Metropolis and the Thames as the very centre and feeder of all kinds of coa- 'i'HE FARMER'S MAaAZlNE. S2l lagion. Within the last tew weeks llie Rinderpest has re- appeared, or has been snspccted amongst some eight or nine cargoes of foreign cattle close oil' our shores, while the great majority of these cases were not near London, but in the North — at Lcith, Hartlepool, Ncwcastle-on- Tyne, and at Hull. And now the cattle plague has fairly broken out again, but with no pretext whatever for turn- ing to town as the source of supply. At this time there are no connecting links to show how the plague readied to Pocklington on the Yorkshire Wolds ; although the actual facts would of themselves promise to furnish the thread of the story. The owner of the diseased animals is a dealer who a few weeks since bought some beasts from Hull and others at Bridlington Quay, while after he got them home he found some of these to be ailing. This is one chapter of the story which ends at Yapham and begins at Hull. A few v/eeks since, at just about the time required it will be observed, a cargo of diseased stock was condemned off Hull, and the carcases sent adrift in two lighters, which, how^ever, did not sink as had been intended. "With, then, these ill-fated vessels drift- ing about, let us turn to a map of Yorkshire, where we see in a moment how facile is the communication by sea between the port of Hull and the quay at Bridling- ton. It is well known that some of the carcases, as with the Scotch cargo, were landed on the Yorkshire coast ; and if, we say, any more tangible links be not forthcoming the history of the Pocklington outbreak must surely be in a degree accounted for. Had the Hull beasts been thoroughly disposed of, by burning, burying, or sinking, the probabilities are that the country would still be free from so fearful a visitation. In saying so much, it must be understood that we are speaking in direct opposition to the authorities of the Profession. In Tlie Veter'mariaa for September the leading article, clearly the composition of one of the editors, goes dead against any " danger resulting from the recent importation of plague-infected cattle." It ridicules, moreover, " any grave apprehension " as to any- thing which may follow from any of the carcases, or por- tions of them, being washed on the coast : " Setting aside the effects of sea-water in neutralising the virus, a half-decomposed ox is not likely to be allowed to remain long enough above ground to do any harm ; and as to the communication of the poison by the agency of the at- mosphere, after having seen animals standing for months within less than a furlong of the dead and dying of cattle-plague, without being affected, we are not likely to become converts to the atmospheric theory of infection." This rerds very like en- couragement, or at least as a defence for the carelessness of the Hull executive. Even further, there is a self-complacency here, which assumes too much and denies too little. The chances are that the half- decomposed plague-struck ox will be found by a labourer or other landsman going to or from his work, who naturally enough will closely examine his prize with a view to its worth, and then possibly pass on. If then, the sea-water has not neutralized the virus — a point upon which The Veteriiiariaii is manifestly not quite certain — we see in a moment how the contagion may be carried from Hull to the Wolds. The example which follows goesin reality tolittle morethanproving a negative : "Two years ago, when cattle plague was raging at Landermann, the authorities on one occasion found themselves with something like seven hundred carcases of cattle on their hands, with no means of burying them. Under these awkward circumstances, they hit upon the expedient of packing them in two old vessels, sending these out five and twenty leagues to sea and scuttling them. The ships did, it seems, what the lighters at Hull refused to do, sink ; yet, notwithstanding the success of the scuttling and the distance From shore, some thirty of the carcases were washed up and stranded ; but we were not told that any fresh outbreaks of cattle plague occurred in the places where the dead cattle were thrown ashore." An official report of the Pocklington outbreak should of course be drawn up, and in this paper it is very necessary that the danger or non-danger arising from washed-up carcases be plainly spoken to. The Veterinarian, as we have shown, holds to the opinion of there being little to fear from such a course ; but, like most professional " opinions," this is so continually hedged that it is diiff- cult to interpret the writer's actual intention. Home- grazed beasts carry rinderpest forty miles inward, from the coast whereon they were bought and sold at a market in almost neighbourly communication with a port from which cargoes of diseased carcases vvere simply sent adrift. The proof here rests so far with those who hold an ox to be washed clean in sea water. " The cattle-plague is now well understood by our Veteri- nary Inspectors," and " cattle plague has been for years unknown at our ports -." so says Mr. Williams in his Privy Council Report, as issued in August. " The escape we have had is a narrow one, for security depended not only on the quick detection of the disease, and the destruction of infecting material as centred in animals themselves, but in the disinfection, or otherwise dealing with matters, things, and persons, so as to prevent the maferies morbi being carried to our cattle. After the experience we have had of the value of the present system of inspection, we may hone that the country will be somewhat less excited when the new cargo of plague-stricken animals arrives up- on our coast." So says The Veterinarian in its leader for September, and already have both these self-satisfactory proclamations broken down. The cattle-plague is again known at om- ports, and we have not escaped. The country has thus too good cause to feel excited, despite detection, destruction, and disinfection. Let the Report show if the use of all such agencies has been thoroughly observed. The " memorandum" which we give is in reality of little or no moment ; while the new Orders, with the suspicion of contagion still lurking about, were of course imperative. OUTBREAK OF CATTLE-PLAGUE IN YORKSHIRE. On Thursday, Sept. 5, the following placard was circulated throughout the East Riding of Yorkshire : Notice. — A certain field in the township of Yapham being infected with the Cattle Plague, a circle of one mile from the said field is proscribed, and no cattle or other animals are to be taken out or brought within the said district. No person is to pass within the said radius, and the foot- path across the field is stopped for the present. All dogs will bs destroyed. The police have strict orders to enforce the foregoing regulations. By Order. George Cordukes, Superintendent, E.R.C. Sept. 5th, 1873. The rinderpest has thus penetrated forty miles inland, and has made its appearance on a farm occupied by Mr. Ber- ryman, Yapham, Pocklington, situate at the southern foot of the Wolds, and the centre of a famous agricultural dis- trict. Yapham is an outlying township in the parish, con- taining some capital grazing land, and Mr. Berryman is an ex- tensive cattle dealer, who also occupies several farms, that at Yapham being his own property. A week or so since a beast in a herd of 23 was taken ill and died. Subsequently another fell ill, and on Monday Mr. Jepson, V.S., cattle inspector for the district, was called in, when lie declared the ease suspicious, and met Mr. Berryman in the pasture on Tuesday morning. Mr. Jepson then declared the case rinderpest, and ordered an infected animal to be killed, a posl-iuoriem examination of v/hich, conducted by himself and Mr. Douthwaite, inspectoi; 322 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. of cattle for the East Riding, was made. On the same day Mr. Jepson brouglit Mr. C. A. Darley, cliairman of the petty sessions at Pockliugton, to inspect the cattle, and he called a meeting of the local authorities that day, consisting of himself, the Hon. Admiral Duncombe, and other magistrates. These authorities communicated immediately with the Privy Council, who sent down tlieir inspector, Mr. Wilkinson, of Newcastle. On his arrival on Wednesday he found six animals dead, ex- clusive of the one tliat had been killed by Mr. J epsou for exa- mination, and he declared the disease to be without doubt rinderpest. Several of the cattle then affected have since died, there being, up to Thursday, seven fatal cases and one killed. The remaining animals in the herd, 14 in number, have been slaughtered, and the bodies buried in pits covered with quick- lime. The footpaths have been stopped, and disinfectants used in all the gateways ; and a cordon of police has been estab- lished round the infected circle. Great energy has been displayed by the police to have the disease stamped out. The cattle were bought three weeks ago by Mr. Berryman at Hnnnianby, near Piley ; the 33 head costing £337. They were grazed by Mr. Wise, of Sewerby Grange, and sold by him to Sir. Woodcock, of Bridlington Quay, who disposed of them in turn, by auction, to Mr. Berriman. After the cattle were sold by Mr. Wise to Mr. Woodcock they were driven to Beverley and Driffield, and then to Hnnmanby, and on beiug sold here they were again, notwithstanding the hot weather, driven to Yapham. Two weeks, however, are said to have elapsed between IMr. Wise selling the beasts and their being bought at Hunmanby, and three weeks more before any illness developed itself. By other reports it appears that on the 12th August, Mr. Taylor, of Sewerby Cottage, Bridling- ton, bought three steers at Hull, and these were sold at Hun- manby on the 19th ult. along with other animals. It is be- lieved Mr. Berryman," of Yapham, was the purchaser of these steers, and as two other gentlemen bought beasts at the same time aud place, which are now in excellent health, it is thought probable the Hull animals have conveyed the rinderpest to the other beasts in Mr. Berryman's possession. The Privy Council Office has published the following memo- randum : It appears, as far as the Privy Council are informed, that Mr. Berriman, the owner of the cattle, bought them at Hun- manby market on the 19th or 20th August, aud took them by road to his farm at Yapham, near Pockliugton, where they arrived on Wednesday, the 38th August. Soon after their arrival some of the iierd were found to have the foot-and- mouth disease, and vrere treated accordingly. On Wednesday, the 2Stli, one of these animals was found to be dying, and others were seriously ill, but cattle plague does not appear to have been detected till Tuesday, Sept. 3. Therefore, although the local authority took all the necessary steps for slaughter and isolation immediately upon the discovery of the disease, there is every reason to believe that it existed for at least a week without any steps being taken to prevent the infection spreading. It appears that one of the dead animals was found lying in a running stream, a fact which, without doubt, increases the danger. By the Contagious Diseases (Ani- mals) Act ot 1869, the declaration of an inspector that cattle plague exists, causes the place where the disease is found to be an infected place. Thereupon the local authorities are to slaughter all animals affected with cattle plague. They are also empowered to do the same with cattle that have been in contact or herded with any animal affected with cattle plague. In the outbreak near Pockliugton, the local authorities as soon as they received information, lost no time in exercising the powers entrusted to them. They at once caused all the animals in the infected herd to be slaughtered, and declared the farm at Yapham to be an infected place, together with a circuit of one mile from the field in which the infected cattle were. Other powers were by the same x\ct reserved to the Privy Council, viz., the prohibiting or regulating the movement of animals, and the prohibiting or regulating the holding of markets, iairs, exhibitions, or sales of animals. The Lords of the Council, on Saturday evening, passed an order prohibiting the holding of markets, fairs, &c., in the East Riding of Yorkshire, and in the city of York, except under licence of the Privy Council ; and also restricted all movement of cattle in that district, except by licence, the licence for movement from place to place containing, among other stringent provisions, a declaration that the cattle to be moved have not, for twenty-eight days previously, been in contact with any animal affected with cattle plague. Their lordships in the same order gave power to all local authorities for prohibiting fairs, markets, &c., in their respective districts ; also for prohibiting wholly all movement of cattle into their district ; and the power of applying similar provisions to those to be enforced in the East Riding of Yorkshire. A supplement to the Gaidle of Friday last contains an Order of the Privy Council respecting " the appearance of the rinderpest in the East Riding of Yorkshire, and for the better preventing the spread of the disease in Great Britain." The order took effect from yesterday, and will continue in force until the 1st of December next. By it the holding of all markets, fairs, exhibitions, or sales of cattle within the city of York and within the East Riding of Yorkshire, and all the boroughs therein, is prohibited, except under licence of the Privy Council. Chief amongst the provisions of the order are the following : Cattle shall not be moved within the city of York and tlie East Riding except by licence. A local authority may make certain regulation to prevent the move- ment of cattle, and the holding of fairs and markets. Any person exposing cattle for sale in contravention of the order, and the seller and purchaser thereof, shall be deemed guilty of an offence against the order. Cattle exposed for sale in a market, or at a sale, the holding whereof for the sale of cattle for immediate slaughter is licensed by the Privy Council, may be kept alive for a period of six days after such exposure, and no longer. In cases where the Privy Council or the local autho- rity have made a regulation prohibiting the movement of cattle into or within any district, except by licence, cattle may be moved in accordance with the following provisions, viz. : No cattle within the district shall be moved on a highway between sunset and sunrise during this month of September, or between the hours of 6 p.m. aud 6 a.m. in the mouths of October and November next ; but nothing in the article shall restrict the movement of cattle within the limits of any city or town. The licences for the movement of cattle shall be of three kinds, viz., a Movement Licence (for general movement), a Market Li- cence (for exposure for sale), and a Removal Licence (for re- moval from the market) to be called a " Market Pass." No cattle shall be moved out of the district in which they are ex- cept with a licence of the local authority. No licence shall be necessary for movement within the district for a distance not exceeding 500 yards from lands to other lands in the same occupation. Cattle may be moved to a market or sale with a Market Licence or Pass, but not otherwise. THE POTATO PA.NIC.— Many of the rumours current as to the extent of the blight are either untrue or altogether ex- aggerated. I have taken some pains to obtain accurate in- formation as to the effect the blight is likely this season to have upon the yield, and the accompanying extracts from com- munications to hand may be accepted as reliable. From county Donegal : "About Kilmacrenan, Creeslough, and Fal- carragh the potato disease does not appear to be nearly so virulent as last year." County Down : " In this county the failure of the potato crop is only partial. If seasonable wea- ther continue the yield will be both profitable and abundant." County Tyrone : " The reports concerning the blight are greatly exaggerated. Except in low-lying soils the tubers are not so much diseased as at the same time last year. The re- cent dry harvest weather has had the effect of stemming the ravages of the blight." County Derry : " No more healthy tubers have been dug than those raised this season for several years. The weight of the crop generally will be deficient, because the weather set in with tropical heat as it was coming to maturity ; but the quality could not be better." County Antrim : " There is every prospect of a fair average crop, and the appearances of disease are not such as to cause any uneasi- ness." In consequence of the failure of the flax crop last and previous years a much larger breadth of land has been planted with potatoes this year ; and as it was impossible in all cases to obtain good seed indifferent samples were used, and this in some degree accounts for the disease having shown itself in many districts upon a larger scale than last year. The early- planted potatoes have all along proved a well-flavoured esculent, singularly free from disease, and procurable at a moderate cost, —Correspondent of The Skiiidard THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 323 TENANT-RIGHT. At a lueeliiig of tlic Ross Branch of the Herefordshire Chamber of Agriculture, Mr. Bradstock in the chair, The Chairji.\jj opened the business by reading the fol- lowing resolution, which he said, had been agreed to by the Chamber : That the produce of the soil would be greatly increased if the free application of capital and science in its cultivation was legally secured, in order that the out-going tenant may receive compensation for unexhausted improvements. That leases provide a certainty of tenure, which is essential for the full development of the resources of the soil, but no lease should be of shorter duration than seven years. Wlien no lease exists, twelve montlis' notice to quit should be the minimum legal notice. That covenants which define a rotary or any other system of cropping, and that provide or regulate the sale of particular farm produce, are frequently inapplicable, and as they restrict the energies of the farmer tliey should be rendered illegal. That the landlord should be secured against loss from bad farming, or the exhaustion of the land from injudicious cropping, dilapidation of fences, occupation roads, neglect of underground drains and water courses, as may cause a loss on reletting the farm. That all matters in dispute shall be settled by arbitration, and the amount recoverable in one of her Majesty's Courts of Law, and not by distraint as for rent. If, continued the Chairman, it should be the pleasure of the meeting to concur in that resolution, he hoped that some two gentlemen would move and second its adoption. He would have waited a few minutes longer before offering any obser- vations on the resokition if he thought there was any chance of resident landowners in the district coming in and taking part in the discussion ; but he was afraid, in consequence of their absence from the last meeting, they entertained very faint hopes of the success of the chamber. He had noticed in re- ports which he had read that in other counties landowners had come forward and given great assistance in forming Chambers of agriculture ; and he did not see any particular reason why the same support should be withheld here, especially as it was very well kuown that the tenant-farmers througiiout the country had given their decided and disinterested support to the endeavours which had been made to direct the attention of Parliament to the incidences of local taxation, which he must say for himself he believed to be almost a landlord's question. It tlierefore appeared to him surprising that any one should be alarmed at the little difficulty there would be in giving compensation to farmers for unexhausted improvements, especially as it appeared rather doubtful as to who would be rendered liable to make the compensation, for he noticed in the resolution drawn up by the Business Committee of the Central Chamber that it was suggested that compensa- tion should be made by the landlord or tenant. He had also noticed in speeches which he had seen reported that there seemed to be^ather a diiEculty ; many speakers, according to the terms of the resolution, speaking as if the tenant should be the party to make the compensation. Putting all those things together, it amounted to this — that unless tenant farmers were united, while the landlord element in the Central Chamber and in the local chambers would redress the griev- ances of out-going tenants, they would estalilish greater ones upon their successors. He could not conceive anything more unjust than to require an out-going tenant to pay compensa- tion, when, in nineteen cases out of twenty, he would have to pay for improvement to the landlord amounting to 4s. or 5s. an acre, which would in effect be paying 30 or 25 per cent, on hif own money. There was also some difference of opinion as to whether compensation should be made legal by agreement, by custom, or by legislation. He (Mr. B.) was of opinion that there would be no great objection to its being entered into by agreement by the owner of large hereditary property, where, as from time immemorial, son would be allowed to succeed father from generation to generation without re- arrangement to any great extent. Compensation would, therefore, be a matter of little importance to such persons ; but he really thought there would be some diiliculty as to heavily-encumbered estates. In other cases, where estates were bought for in^yestraent with a view to obtain a high rate of in- terest— and which was often very much enhanced— tenant's advantages were taken in wherever opportunity offered. He thought, therefore, the easiest way of attaining the object they had in view was by the whole of the Chambers of Agriculture in the kingdom, with a view of Parliament passing a measure that would regulate and make equitable and more uniform arrangements between landlord and tenant, to endea- vour to get rid of and make quite obsolete much of those ancient rehcs of feudalism, which they knew were hoarded up amidst the dust and cobwebs of lawyers' offices, and copied into new leases whenever a change of tenancy miglit occur. They knew very well that there were restrictions in most of the leases and agreements existing, not only in their own dis- trict but throughout the kingdom ; and he supposed that most of them knew very well that those restrictions injured them in the successful pursuit of their occupations. Moreover, those restrictions were unjust to the community at large, inasmuch as they certainly limited the production of the necessaries of life which went into the consumption of the people. They were unjust, moreover, because they closed up many sources of employment in the cultivation of the land, which would greatly increase the demand for and the value of laljour. These were some of the facts of their ease, and he wouW earnestly and most respectfully commend them to the calm considera- tion of every landowner — more especially would he commend them to the consideration of landowners who, in conjunction with clergymen, had of late, at various meetings and by con- troversy in the newspapers, spoken and written as with a fire- brand, kindling a spirit of distrust and animosity among la- bourers and employers in every branch of native industry. It would, in his opinion, be more worthy of those persons to be- come the harbingers of peace and goodwill by breaking asunder the iron yoke of oppression which many had forged and fettered upon the necks of their tenantry, and which had hindered them from discharging more liberally the obligations which they might have been thought to owe to tiieir poorer neighbours. That would be more worthy of them than giving the influence of their position to assist revengeful and un- scrupulous revellers in hurling unjust reproaches and malignant attacks upon tenant-farmers. He beheved there would be no great objection by the landed proprietors of this country to a tenant-right bill founded upon something like the principles of the resolution wbich he had read. He did not believe it would be olijected to by tlie landed proprietors, many of whom desired to boast, and could truly boast, of seeing around them a happy and prosperous tenantry and a contented and well- employed peasantry ; and who, moreover, could truly boast of doing all they could to give pleasure to the husbandman's toil and make the earth yield its increase in rich abundance, affording to every artizan throughout the kingdom the bless- ings of plenty. Mr. J. Bennett proposed that the resolution which the chairman had read be adopted by the Chamber. He thought it would be very beneficial to all farmers if they could have something of this kind carried out. At present there were a great many tenant farmers in the position of not knowing whether they would have any recompense or not at the end of their tenancy ; but lie thought that tenant-farmers ought to know what they had to look forward to, Mr. Marfell seconded the resolution. Mr. C. Kearsey, in supporting the resolution, held it to be very desirable that tenant-farmers should know in what posi- tion they would stand, as out-going tenants, in reference to unexhausted improvements, and be compensated for those im- provements. He was only a yearly tenant, and what he had put in the laud he should leave there if he were to quit the farm. And there were a great many in the same position* He thought they ought to go back two or three years for m THfi FARMER'S MAGAZINE. artificial manures, guauo and bones, but not for superphos- pbate, for tliat, in liis opinion, was but a flash in the pan ; also for feeding stuffs for sheep and pigs. If they could get a better understanding as to these matters he was sure that farms would be kept in a better plight than they had been for the last tiiree or four years. If he were going to take a farm he should like to pay the landlord more for one which had had something put into it rather than pay a lower rate for a farm which had been worked out, and wiiich would take five or six years to get into proper condition. Mr. DuCKiiAM said there was one part of the resolution which differed from any which liadbeen proposed at any of the previous meetings of the Chambers, and upon which nothing liad been said before — that was the rotary system of cropping. They knew very well that they might plant their seeds, and that, according to the stereotyped system set forth, in the case of a failure they were restricted as to the succeeding crop. If the clover crop failed, they could not plant peas or vetches, as tliat would be out of the ordinary course ; but they could plant turnips, which were too frequently grown and were not remu- nerative to the occupier. Last year many clover crops failed, not Irom want of skill, but from natural causes ; and were the energies of the tenant-farmer not restricted, peas would very probably have been planted. That would have been beneficial to the country at large — to the consumer as well as to the pro- ducer. Freedom of action, he maintained, should be given to every man in business, whatever it might be. He did not think that the present class of tenant-farmers in this country, with the skill and intelligence which they showed should be treated as a set of baihfl's ; for when a system was laid down from which they could not deviate, it placed them simply in the position of bailiffs, their capital, skill, intelligence, and scientific knowledge being com- pletely shut up by such agreements as he had alluded to. He knew many a hard case — some had come to his knowledge recently — where a tenant, with a hope that lie might be allowed that freedom of action which should belong to every man, had invested his capital, but where by restrictions the produce of the soil had been shut up and not sent to market. Such conduct, he thought, was calculated to make them go to Parliament and with a strong voice ask for equitable Tenant-Right, and that more freedom ol action should be secured to the occupier of the soil of the country. As to the latter part of the resolution, the committee felt that it should be introduced as a security to landlords against loss from bad farming, the exhaustion of land by injudicious crop- ping, the dilapidation of fences, and so on. He hoped they were sufficient men of business to feel that whatever was done should be done equitably. They could not expect to have one-sided legislation, but that the whole thing should be placed on a sound basis — that while tenant farmers looked for freedom of action to themselves, injury should not be done to those whom they rented under. As regaided the conditiou that all matters of dispute should be settled by arbitration, in order to avoid the expenses of law-suits — which would of course be ruinous to one party, and perhaps not very convenient to the other — all would agree in it. He would only add his belief that the more attention the landed proprietors of the kingdom gave to the subjects which had been introduced by Mr. Brad- stock, the better it would be for them and their successors. The Chairman said his opinion was that compensation should be given by the landlord under certain conditions. In tile case of a tenant takiug to a farm without any increased rental, the compensation should, he thought, be paid to the tenant ; but in the case of additional rent being charged upou entering, or at any time during tenancy, then the com- pensation should be paid by the landlord. On a farm which he had formerly occupied he was, upou being about to leave it, told that, as he had improved the cultivation of the soil, if he could get a farmer with good capital he would be accepted. The consequence was that he was enabled to get £300 from the incoming tenant. He had no'sy the satisfaction of holding under a lease, in which his landlady undertook to pay a certain proportion of the cost of manures for the last three years, and also to take to the offgoing crop. Some persons might, therefore, feel surprised to find him there upou such a question, as he had little to complain of. Mr. J. Bennett : We should have the conditions clearly defined in the agreement, so that we should know what we ought to do. The secretary again read the resolution, and it was put by the chairman, and unanimously adopted. TENANT-RIGHT FOR SCOTLAND. At the recent meeting of the Scotch Chamber of Agriculture in Perth, Mr. Goodlet, Bolshan, said : I rise to move the adoption by the meeting of the directors' report. The evils of the land-tenancy laws have been so well exposed by Mr. M'Neel Caird in his masterly pamphlet, which lias been widely circulated among the members, that it would be a waste of your time for me to enlarge upon them. That these laws are, in the words of the first resolution, detrimental to good husbandry, and injurious to the interests of both laud- lords and tenants and the welfare of the general public, cannot be denied. Laws that throw every conceivable obstacle ia the way of the application of capital to the development of the re- sources of the soil, and that operate in so many baneful ways against the interests of the occupier, without in any (not to say commensurate) degree benefiting the landlord, cannot fail to act injuriously on the agriculture of the country ; and there are not wanting indications, visible to all who have eyes to see, that a great deal of the land in this country is little better than half cultivated, and upon much of it the produce might be doubled with sufficient capital and skill employed in the cul- tivation. It is a very extraordinary fact that, in a country where capital can be raised for all sorts of speculative purposes, even for schemes at the uttermost ends of the earth, it cannot be attracted to the cultivation of our own soil, upon which the substantial prosperity of the country, if iu a sound state, ought assuredly to rest. One would suppose from the splendid exhibitions of stock at our national and even many of our local shows, that agriculture was in a flourishing condition, and to a superficial observer such may seem to be the case ; but these exhibitions, splendid as they are in some respect, afford no satisfactory evidence that it is so. I ques- tion if even one per cent, of the great body of tenant-occupiers are exhibitors at these shows or take any deep interest in them. They may help to cover over and to throw into shade the evils under which the energies of the farmer are in a great measure thwarted and paralysed ; but I am certain that, until the land-tenancy laws are put upon a sound footing, the agriculture of this country will never attain to that perfection which it is capable of, nor the land be made to yield anything like the amount of produce it is capable of doing. These laws can only be put on an equitable footing by the Legislature, for I believe it is not in the power of many landlords, even were they so disposed, efficiently to meet the re- quirements of modern agriculture, or remedy the evils of which we complain. Prom one-half to three-fourths of the land of Scotland is held under entail, the owners of which have not power to grant leases for a longer period than nineteen or twenty-oue years at most. They have no security for any money they might be willing to expend on the improvement of their estates, unless by going through a host of legal forms in the Court of Session, the very expense of which is of itself enough to deter them from it ; and if they should borrow money from any of the Lands Improvement Companies, the period for repayment is so limited that the burden, instead of being spread over a lengthened period of years, has mostly to be borne by the occupying tenant at a per-centage out of all pro- portion to his interest in the improvements, not to mention the heavy bills of lawyers involved in the operation. Nay, so hampered are the owners of entailed estates that they cannot even give off a site for a church or a school without the sanc- tion of the Court of Session, so thoroughly are they by tins law placed under the coddling care of law and lawyers. I was much struck the other day, in reading the evidence of the head of an eminent legal firm in Edinburgh before the Game-law THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 325 Committee, to see it stated by tluit gentleman that the rental of the estates under the management of his firm amounted to about half a million. Nothing in my opinion could more clearly show the lamentable plight into which tlu; lauded pro- perty of this country has fallen aud the tremendous grip the lawyers have at length obtained ov^r it. The Marquis of Huutly, in speaking from the chair at an agricultural society's diuner last week, alluding to the anomalous position of en- tailed proprietors, is reported to have said : " We are life- renters, most of us that are entailed proprietors, and it is very hard that in some way the law of the country makes a man spend his money wheu it does not give him any adequate return," by which I understand his lordship to mean, that, being but a life-renter on his estate, he had no adequate induce- ment to lay out his money in its improvement ; and he went on to say (not very logically, however) that the country sus- tains " a grievous loss by many of the landlords being absen- tees, and leaving a great deal of their business to be done through their factors." No doubt there is a truth in this ; but, to use an expression of his lordship's, I would say " some- tliiug lies deeper," and that something is the law of entail under which he and others hold their estates, and which, by making them the ostensible but not the real owners, deprives them of the power they ought to possess ; and while it so remains, his well-meant advice to landlords and tenants to meet and be frank with one another, although followed, would go but little way to cure the evils he is, I firmly believe, honestly desirous to see redressed. In support of the second resolution, I wish to show that the ordinary nineteen years' lease, as now framed, affords no adequate security to the tenant for the capital invested by him iu the improvement and cultivation of the farm, and that a system of Tenant- Right is essential for his security, if farming is to advance, or even not to retrograde amongst us. About the beginning of last century the farming of Scotland was at a very low ebb, and it was then as difficult to get tenants for farms as it is now to get farms for tenants. Loudon, in his " Encyclopaedia of Agriculture" (1835), speakingof that period, says, "Improve- ments began to be made soon after the Union, especially by some gentlemen of East Lothian, and by the efforts of the Agricultural Society established iu 1723. It was (he adds) found beneficial to grant long leases, which were found greatly to increase the skill and industry of the tenants, by rendering them secure of enjoying the benefits of their improvements. The success (he goes on to say) which accompanied the in- troduction of long leases, served to convince almost the whole landlords of Scotland that the surest way of extending im- provements was to give the tenantry an interest in their ac- complishment, and proprietors in general were so sensible of the benefit of tliat tenure that few of them refused to grant it." Cockburn, of Ormiston, was among the first to grant these long leases, and his example was soon followed by many pro- prietors in all parts of Scotland. The Ormiston leases were for 38 years, rene^'able every 19 years on payment of an addi- tional year's rent ; others were granted for two nineteens and a lifetime, without tlie power of renewal. I hold in my hand a lease granted to my great-grandfather in 1758 of a small place near Kirriemuir for 97 years, the conditions of wliich are few and simple, but among them was oue which would not now be admitted into a modern lease, namely, that he should have the power to remove the buildings erected by him or be paid value for them at the expiry of the lease. He was also entitled to half the value of any trees he might plant. Such leases were then not uncommon in Forfarshire. On the Panmure estates the old life-renters are only now dying out, aud a few here and there still exist throughout the country. Here, then, we see that leases granted in the first half of the last century did afford the requisite security to the tenant for his improvements. By degrees, however, and towards the end of the century, the lease came to be shortened in its duration to 19 or 21 years, and also made more strin- gent in its clauses. Sir John Sinclair, in his account of the husbandry of Scotland (1814), gives an account of the lease then commonly adopted, in which many of the clauses now iu the modern lease are to be found. He complains of the cove- nants in leases being in general too complicated and too nu- merous. Such restrictions, he says, are great impediments to improvement. No person, he held, should frame a lease but one who thoroughly understood the business of farming. In East Lothian itself he calculated that a year's rent on an ave- rage was lost in the course of every lease by the injudicious manner in which leases were drawn up, and he did not doubt but that the rest of the kingdom laboured under the same dis- advantage. If such was the case when Sir John wrote his book, how much more is it so now, when our leases are almost all framed by professional lawyers, whose ignorance for tiie most part of practical agriculture leads them to build up clause upon clause, protective, as they suppose, of the interests of tiieir clients, but which are too often prejudicial to their true interests, and are always subversive of that confidence which should ever subsist between landlord and tenant ; and so the lease, which at one time was a protection to the tenant, has in theselast days become to him atrap andasnare, and that througli the numerous reservations, obligations, restrictions, and pro- visions, cropping clauses, penal clauses, and other bindings and obligings with which it bristles at all points, and by which the powers of the tenant are so circumscribed and hedged in that his freedom of action is well nigh gone, and the lease itself fashioned into an instrument by means of which the greatest injustice and oppression may, at the will of the landlord, be inflicted upon Jiim. Now, it is in some measure to obviate this state of things, and, if possible, to raise practical agriculture out of the slougli into which it has fallen, that a revision and reform of the land-laws have become a necessity ; and in order, moreover, to afl'ord security to the tenant for the capital necessarily invested by him in the cultivation of the soil aud in effecting such improvements as in the progress of agriculture fall to be executed by him, that Tenant-Right iu the terms of the resolution I am speaking to is demanded. Lincolnshire is perhaps the only county in Eng- land in which Tenant-Right has obtained an established foot- ing. If you will allow mp, I should like to shoy how it came to be introduced into that county, and of what benefit it has been to all connected with land iu Loncolnshire, although the tenants there are without leases — their holdings being from year to year. I cannot bring out this better than by reading to you one or two extracts from Shaw and Corbet's digest of the evidence taken before a Committee of tlie House of Com- mons appointed to inquire into the agricultural customs of England and Wales in 1848, commonly known as Mr. Pusey's Committee. But before doing so, 1 may mention that Lincoln- shire, with the exception of tlie low-lying rich grazing lands originally reclaimed from the sea by extensive embankments, consists for the most part of what are called fens, wolds or chalk hills, peat, and heath lands, naturally inferior soils, and held, before improvements, at very low rents. About the year 1812, the Lincolnshire farmers made the discovery that, by chalking the wolds and claying the fens and peat lands, found underlying the surface soil, it worked like a charm in improv- ing its fertility, and from that time down to 1826, when other parts of the kingdom were suffering from the wide-spread ruin iuflicted by tlie fall of prices at the close of the French war, the Lincolnshire farmers were by their improvements prosper- ing in an unheard-of degree. Their prosperity did not long escape the eye of their landlords, and towards the end of this period rents began to be raised, in some instances even doubled. It was then the farmers stood out for what they called protec- tion, and, as you will see from what I am going to read to you, succeeded in establishing the custom of Tenant-Right, which now, I may say, universally prevails in that county ; but only there, for in other parts of England it has been but partially introduced, aud in some parts not at all. Indeed, had it not been for the ruin which overtook the farming in- terest in general at that time, it is questionable ii the Lincoln- shire farmers would have been able to secure for themselves those protecting covenants which led to the introduction of Tenant-Right. Loudon, describing the period, says — " Since the peace of 1815, agriculture had sustained a severe shock from the fall f^f prices. In this shock many hundreds of farmers lost all their capital, and were obliged to become operatives to others ; while some, more fortunate, contrived to retain as much of the wreck of their property as enabled them to emigrate to other countries. The replies sent to the Cir- cular of the Board of Agriculture regarding the agricultural state of the kingdom in February, March, and April, 1819, furnished a body of evidence which cannot be controverted, and exhibit a picture of widely-spread ruin among the agricul- tual classes and of distress among all that immediately depend upon them to which there is probably no parallel." Yet it was during this period of agricultural distress that the im- 326 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. provements effected by the Lincolnshire tenants in chalking and liming, and by their extensive use of extra feeding staffs and manures, enabled their landlords to exact from them in- creased rents, and themselves to secure, as a condition of com- pliance, those protective covenants vi'hich have been the means of advancing the agriculture of that county far above that of any other part of England, or even of Scotland. Mr. Goodlet here read extracts of evidence before Mr. Pusey's Committee, and continued: T(!ou see, from this evidence, that Tenant- Eight had not obtained a footing in Lincolusliire for many years after the improvements commenced, and that a hard fight had to be made for it before it became general ; but we can easily see how it was brought about. Landlords, seeing the farmers prospering by their improvements, and the land rapidly increasing in letting value, insisted on raising the rents, but the farmers would only agree to this on getting covenants to protect them. They did not ask for a lease of years, but only " Tenant-Right" if ejected from their holdings. Mr. Hessel- tiue's evidence is most interesting and instructive on this point ; his rent was doubled in 1836, but then he secured the protective covenants. This is exactly what is wanted under any circumstances, whether holding from year to year or under a nineteen years' lease. Where cake and extra feeding stuffs are largely used, and where the lands aie deeply cultivated and maintained in high condition by rich manuring, and where buildings or other permanent improvements necessary for the profitable and economical occupation of the farm have to be executed by the tenant at his own cost, he can have uo security for the heavy expenditure thereby occasioned unless by a re- cognised system of Tenant-Right or by covenant. And when it is seen how much Lincolnshire has profited by the system of Tenant-Right, which the peculiar nature of their soil and the circumstances in which they stood enabled the farmers there to obtain ; and that it has not only been of benefit to them but also to their landlords, is it too much to expect that a system which has been found to work so well should receive the sanc- tion of the Legislature and be established as a legal right throughout the kingdom ? THE GEOLOGIST IN SUSSEX. At the meeting of the British Association at Brighton, M*"- James Howell read the following paper, " On the Super- cretaceous Formation in the neighbourhood of Brighton." The late excavations made for the purpose of draining the town of Brighton having revealed a few facts in connection with the beds overlying the clialk, I take the present opportu- nity of bringing them before this meeting, trusting they may elicit discussion and be the means thereby of casting a mite or two of knowledge into tlie national treasury. The geo- logical formations upon which the town of Brighton stands, though often considered to be but one (the cretaceous), are, nevertheless, six in number. We have — I.— Chalk, with tlints, upon the crests of the hills and their abrupt descents. II — Plastic clay, lower eocene, constituting Furze-hill. III. — Temple field deposit, formed of the wrecks of the eocene and chalk strata. In the Montpellier district, sloping down the western hill towards the tertiary outlyer at Furze- hill and Hove levels. IV. — Post pliocene, Brighton cliff formation, Coombe rock or elephant bed, chiefly east Brighton, especially the cliffs at Black Rock, also the base of the slit in the Brighton valley. V. — Post pliocene, brick earth, resting on Coombe rock or sand, western Brighton and Hove. VI. — Recent. Silt of the Brighton valley. The cretaceous formation has been so ably explored and so graphically described by Dr. Mantell and others, that we at once pass to an interesting outlyer of the tertiary, which denu- dation has left us. The late and deeply-lamented Sir Roderick Murchison, to whom seological science owes so much, in his paper on " The Flint Drift of the South East of England," mentions a visit he paid to Furze-hill in 1850, when an excava- tion had been made for the purpose of obtaining the clay for brickmaking, exposing a section of some twenty feet in thick- ness, consisting of mottled plastic clay, with courses of black bituminous earth, in parts a lignite, containing yellow decom- posing iron-pyrites, which give origin to a mineral water of the same acrid taste as that of Alum Bay, in the Isle of Wight, and tliere is little doubt that the adjacent saline chalybeate of Wick owes its chief properties to the same stratum. Sir Roderick, however, failed to discover shells in this deposit. Many years prior to Sir Roderick's visit, excavations in this neighbourhood revealed a thick bed of lignite similar to the Suiturbrand, so plentifully strewn upon the Brighton Beach, when its cliffs were exposed to the action of tiic sea, and which, like the lignite of the Wealden sands, raised in the minds of the inhabitants bright prospects that coal would eventually be discovered. A deeper excavation was made in the year 1851, which the late Mr. Montague Phillips carefully examined, and he tells us that " Furze Hill, so far as I have been able to explore it, consists of distinct layers of marl and clay. The upper surface is composed in some parts of a shell marl, of marine shells very much commiuuted j a bed of reddish clay then succeeds ; this is followed by a bed of stiff white clay from three to four feet thick ; this white clay then gradually be- comes blue and black, assuming the appearance of shale ; im- mediately below this is a bed of lignite four feet in thickness, which I have traced from south to north, 1,370 feet. It like- wise extends from east to west under the whole hill, it dips to- wards the south-west, and no doubt is connected, or was for- merly connected, with the similar beds at Newhaven and Bognor. Below the lignite the clays, blue and white, occur again. In 1851 I found a few faint impressions of dicotyle- donous trees, and have this Christmas been fortunate enough to discover a cluster of fossil fruits of an unknown species. It was a kind of nut intermediate between the walnut and the Brazil nut. The Furze-hill deposit crops out where the Lovers' Walk commences on the way to Preston. Here a new road having been cut tlirough the strata, I was fortunate enough to discover a thin layer of alurainate, the sub-sulphate of alumina, the only known locality of which hitherto has been the cliffs at Newhaven. In addition to this mineral, I have discovered numerous large crystals of selenite or sulphate of lime in the clay of Furze-hill. All these facts put together prove beyond a doubt that Fnrze-hilll belongs to tlie plastic clay formation." Since Mr. Phillips communicated the result of his investigations to Mrs. Merrifield's "Natural History of Brighton," little or nothing has been done towards the exami- nation of these beds. Should, however, the eastern portion of the bill become a building site, a thorough knowledge of those interesting strata will be the result. The soil upon the South- downs is generally but a few inches thick, yet from the fact that there are patches of rich loam several feet in thickness inter- spersed with a few tertiary pebbles upon Seaford heights. Castle Hill, Newhaven, Chanctonbury, Cissbury, and many other places, besides grey wethers or Druid sandstones, scattered, over the surface in every direction, we are reasonably led to conclude that sub-aerial and aqueous action have stripped these grand old hills of the rich tertiary clays that once reposed upon them. The next deposit, fine sections of which were exposed in the excavations made in the Temple Field or Montpelier district in the summer of 1870 will sufficiently prove this fact. Temple Field Deposit. — The Temple Field, named from the Temple School standing upon this site, was during my first recollections arable land with a hedge at its eastern extremity running parallel with a path leading over the hill, and through Lovers' Walk to Preston. Within this field lay some fine boulders of Druid sandstone, and which, with others then lying in a field nearer the Old Church, now form the base of the Victoria fountain upon the Steyne. In our strolls over the Downs we behold immense blocks of these water-worn stones lying about in every direction upon their crests by the hill- sides and in the valleys, as landmarks in the fields and by the roadside. Many of them consist of sand, and are almost identical with some of the Wealden sandstones. Others are a conglomerate of pebbles, angular flintsj indurated clays, saud, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 32? and iroir, the latter being the cementing power. These relics of the oldest tertiary world were venerated from time imme- morial by our ancestors, who, " from their sacred character," says Mantel], " used them as landmarks to denote the bounda- ries of their towns and villages, to commemorate the site of their battles, to perpetuate the memories of their chiefs, and for altars on which to sacrifice to their gods." Stonehenge, that time-puzzle to the archreologists, is chielly constructed of them. Probably some idea of these stones being tlie relics of a past world might liave struck the rude forefathers of our race, and caused thcni to regard them as holy. Or did the Greek tradition, of the human race springing from drift stones after the flood, form the belief of the Pabeolithic people ? Be that as it may, this is quite certain, tliat there was a faint light glimmering througli the mist of ages, a dreamy remembrance of the last world's Flood among the primitive inhabitants of the earth, which they recorded, and have handed down even to our times. Tlie universality of this idea is sufficient proof that man was in existence previous to the eartli's last great physical change, and these traditions are corroborated by the discovery of his remains in the drift and in caverns of the earth, in con- junction with the bones of the mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, the cave lion, hyena, and bear. When man first trod the sur- face of the present world covered with stones, he formed some into circular temples or used tliem as altars, or pillows for his head, and converted others into implements of offence and and defence, or for domestic use. Need we wonder then that our ancestors of tlie pre-historic period regarded stones witli awe and wonder ? The water-worn conglomerates scattered everywhere aljout the Downs, whence came they ? Let us see. At tlie base of the tertiary strata at Newliaven, with one bed intervening between it and the chalk, of which more anon, lies a hard conglomerate of the thickness of a foot, consisting of shattered flints, pebbles, and sand, strongly impregnated with iron, and at the opposite end of the bay, at the commence- ment of the chalk cliffs at Seaford, lying under a thick bed of sand, belonging to the Woolwich series the same conglomerate attains a thickness of four feet. Probably the formation of this curious deposit took place in a sliallow sea upon the creta- ceous strata, covered with shattered flints, mingled with pebbles and sand, and clay and iron-stone, the latter cementing the heterogeneous mass into the hard conglomerate known as breccia or pudding stone, at the period when the cretaceous strata were gradually sinking beneath the sea to receive the sands and clays of the lower eocene. Something akin to this came under my observation last summer, near Bembridge Point, Isle of AVight, where water charged with carbonate of iron oozing out of the eocene cliff, capped by a Pleistocene deposit, flowed seaward over a sparse beach, resting upon sand, which, in one or two places, it had welded together into a conglomerate or pudding stone, evidently increasing in size day by day, and which I watched with intense interest. Now having seen this curious conglomerate scattered over the sur- face of the Downs, and lying ?';* *;7« at the base of the ter- tiaries at Seaford and Newhaven, let us turn our attention to the Temple Pield, now covered with handsome edifices, viz., Denmark-terrace, St. Michael's-place, Powis-road, Victoria- road, Clifton-liill, part of Clifton-road, Moutpellier-crescent, and Vernon-terrace. The same deposit can also be traced on through Cobden-road to Stanford-road, Prestonville, the latter being the site mentioned by Mr. Montague Phillips, when he says " the Furze-hill deposit crops out where the Lovers' Walk commences, on the way to Preston." Thus it will at once be perceived that the Temple Field lies at the eastern extremity of the Hampshire or eocene basin, extending from Dorsetshire to Brighton, Church-hill forming its eastern rira, whose summit, with few exceptions, together with its southern and eastern declivities, consist of chalk with flints ; while the Temple Field deposit extends down its western and northern slopes, and in some places penetrates to its usual depths IG^ feet on the crests of the hill in the form of a wedge with its apex down- wards, into the very core of the chalk, giving one the idea that the latter had been scooped out, and this deposit washed into the hollow. These wedge-formed hollows in the chalk were met with during the excavations in several places, the most noted being at the intersection of Powis-villas and Powis-grove- roads, and on the crests of the Western Hill immediately oppo- site the site where the Black Mill stood, another was met with in excavating the foundation for the tower of All Saints' Churcbi which proved a very costly affairi Now upon this verge of the Hampshire Basin a geologist might expect to find the wrecks of the lower eocene strata, and in the Hove level below it their rich loams converted into brick-earth, succeeded by sand reposing upon chalk, and such have our investigations proved to be the fact. The various members of this deposit vary considerably in diiferent places as regards thickness. The following section was displayed at the bottom of Clifton-iiill, near its junction with Montpellier-road, also in the latter road imraediataly opposite No. 4, Vernon-terrace, the principal members being clay in the latter and breccia in the former. L— Road 2 to 3 feet. II. — Rich brown, dark grey or ochraceous loam, shivered flints, and seams of land 3 feet. III. — Clay or brick-earth 4< to 6 feet, IV. — Breccia and ironstone, with clay, chalk, rubble, rotten flints, sub-sulphate and hydrate of alumina, succeeded by ochraceous loam contain- ing brecciated masses of indurated clays, gypsum and flints spangled with crystals of selenite, curious stone formation, with a metallic ring con- taining dark seams of selenite, somewhat resem- bling veined marble and ferruginous chalk-rubble 7 to 8 feet, V. — Chalk with flints, the upper portion iron-stained, from 3 to 4 feet, A few remarks upon the various members of this deposit may not be considered irrrelevant. (1) The soil is very superficial, having been removed to form the road, which is constructed up- on artificial layers of chalk, which have a curious appearance, lying as they do above instead of under the loam, the latter reaching in some places to the depth 'of several feet. It is generally of either a chocolate or ochraceous colour, but in Montpelier-crescent assumes that of a dark grey, containing im- mense quantities of shivered flints. At first siglit I thought I bad hit upon a manufactory for flint implements, but closer observation convinced me that neither Neolithic man nor Flint Jack, but Nature was their fashioner; but when or how are beyond my comprehension. Here and there in this deposit, but more especially in Clifton-road, the workmen discovered thin seams of silver sand, specimens of which are preserved in our town Museum. Tliis sand, a remnant of the eocene, had probably been bleached by water percolating through it charged with acids derived from the vegetable soil. Both the chocolate and butf-coloured loam contain rotten granules resembling chalk, which on being subject to atmospheric action crumble into a fine ochraceous powder. Is it, in fact, a variety of brick-earth that has lost its hydrogen ? Iron, without doubt, has played an important part in its formation. The vegetable soil and decomposing iron pyrites form sulphuric acid, which, percolating into the chalk, converts it into gypsum. May not, therefore, this deposit in many places be a gypseous marl, which, coming in contact with the atmosphere, imbibes carbonic acid, which drives out the gypsum, and reconverts it into its original substance ? When digging the foundation of the Congregational Church at the corner of Clifton and Dyke- roads, the workmen laid bare a fine section of this deposit, and the clialk beneath it. Lying in the loam was a brecciated mass of ironstone, and a rich vegetable soil above it, whilst immediately beneath it was a vein of what ap])eared to be hydrate of alumina descending through the hard clialk to the very base of tlie foundation, and probably beyond it, but though the' eye could not detect the difference, chemical analysis might prove the substance to be Hme, for it looked as if a stream of water, percolating through the soil and ironstone, had deprived tlie chalk of its carbonic acid. Tliere are specimens of this water-work everywhere tliroughont the deposit, leaving relics of its progress down into the very core of the chalk. (3) Clay or brick-earth of a reddish brown colour, and extremely plastic, mixed with minute granules of chalk and flint. According to the esteemed President of this Section, Mr. Godwin-Austen, brick-earth owes its origin to sub-aerial action, its most usual character being that of the wasli of a terrestrial surface under a far greater amount of annual rainfall than we have at present. It is a curious fact that this deposit should be several feet in thickness down the western slope of the hill, but scarcely anywhere down the eastern slope, into the Brighton valley, where Cooinbe rock takes its place. Whether this Temple Field clay, however, is a real brick-earth, I have my doubts. 1 imagine it to be a ranch older formation than that lying in the Hove Level, I extracted several lumps in its plastic state bss THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. lying at the deptli of teu feet beueatli the sUrface, rolling them into balls, and which, having lost their hydrogen, are now scarcely distinguishable from the lower portion of the superin- cumbent loam. (4) This is a confused mass of chalk-rubble, clay, ironstone, breccia, sub-sulphate and hydrate of alumina, rotten flints, gypsum, brecciated masses of indurated clay and flints spangled with crystals of selenite, ferruginous chalk- rubble, with beds of ochraceous loam, descending in wedge-like hollows of the chalk, &c. At the bottom of Clifton-hill, near its junction with IMontpellier-road, the breccia lay in immense quantities. Some idea of this may be realized from the fact that from Montpellier-road to St. Michael's-place the breccia extracted from excavations two feet six inches in width lay piled up like a wall to the height of five feet. Much of it seemed to have undergone intense chemical action, so as scarcely to be distinguished from " slag." This occurred in masses weighing several hundred-weight dug up at a depth of 15 feet from the surface. The breccia was composed of angu- lar and rolled flints, indurated clay and sand, cemented by iron, and resembling in character the stratum lying i/i si/i/ at Sea- ford. The whole of it was purely a conglomerate, for not a single sandstone was found in this locality throughout the excavations. This breccia or pudding stone, the remnants of the foundation of the eocene, is by many confounded with the grey wethers or Druid sandstone, possibly derived from the Wealden strata, probably from the Bagshot sands. Tiie iron- stone containing a large percentage of that useful metal was scattered confusedly everywhere about the deposit except at the north-east extremity of Moutpellier-crescent where the, excava- tions reached 28 feet, for here, at the depth of 11 feet, occurred a vein of ironstone from 10 to 13 inches thick, of which I procured specimens, as I consider it to be playing a most im- portant part in the decomposition of the Brighton chalk. SUB-SULPHATE AND HYDRATE OF ALUMINA. — Half a century has passed by since Mantell discovered among some gravel lying on a wharf at Lewes a curious mineral, and one which was a stranger to him. The gravel in which he found it was brought from Newhaven. A few months afterwards, as Mr. Webster was rambling along the Sussex-coast, be collected a specimen of this mineral at Newhaven, which, upon being analysed by Dr. Wolaston, was found to consist of alumina, in combination with sulphuric acid, and a small proportion of silex, lime, and oxide of iron." By many it is called Websterite, deriving its name, like America, from the second, and not from tlie first discoverer. It occurs in the last tertiary layer in Newhaven cliff, viz., ochraceous clay associated with gypsum, resting upon the chalk, the superincumbent bel being breccia impregnated with iron. Up to 1851, Newhaven and Halle, in Prussia, were the only localities in which it had been dis- covered, in which year, as previously stated, Mr. Montague Phillips found a thin seam of it in relics of eocene strata on the site of Stanford Villa, Prestonville. From this period to 1870 it was discovered in two or three localties in France, and was considered of tare occurrence. But the fact is that if people would only open their eyes and look for it, they would find it plentifully distributed about the chalk districts wherever clay, pyrites, or ironstone are superimposed upon the cretaceous strata. As Mantell luppened to find it at the base of the lower tertiary, he very naturally concluded it to be a member of that .series, but in many cases it is found not even associated with a single member of those strata, deeply imbedded in the very core of the chalk. In the summer of 1870 I received a visit from a friend, Mr. Spencer G. Perceval, who held in his hand a piece of this snow-white mineral with which I had been familiar from the days of my boyhood, though ignorant of its real nature. This specimen he had obtained from an excavation opposite No.4, Vernon-terrace, made for the purpose of draining the town. Becoming interested in Mr. Perceval's glowing description of the curious deposit there found, and which I had noticed described and named as the Temple Field deposit in the Brif/hton Herald some months previously, when tons of breccia had been dug up in sinking the foundations of the houses in St. Michael's-place, I immediately accompanied him to the spot, descended the excavations, and walked along the tunnel some hundreds of yards, minutely examining the won- drous deposit around us. Promiscuously blended in dire con- fusion were slag and ironstone, breccia and gypsum, broken flints and masses of alurainite, as if the glacial plough had rooted them up and the glacial-crusher passed over them, for the very foundations of the tertiary world were turned topsy- I turvy, and mingled with the wrecks of the uppermost bed of the chalk. There were ditterent varieties of aluminite in the deposit, milk-white and very friable, straw-coloured, hard, soft, heavy, and light, and one pretty specimen picked out of the clay in Clifton-road with a si raw-coloured coating, having the appearance of allophane. Horizontal seams of the white variety had penetrated through the flints, which, when touched, crumbled into fragments. A beautiful compact variety was found in Clifton-road, having the appearance of old ivory, in the centre of which was what appeared to be a dark shining flint. That scientific enchanter, manganese, had no doubt been trying his glamoury to produce this deception. But the most singular specimen of this mineral was found almost upon the surface of the chalk about one foot beneath the road in Powis- villas, being moulded like the trunk of a tree, the bark or coat- ing resembling lignite. Mr. Perceval, in his article " On the occurrence of Websterite at Brighton," thus describes it : " The general appearance of the mineral was highly suggestive of a vegetable origin. Pieces with the rind attached, and having a fibory structure, much resembled portions in a gigantic cocoa- nut. Two specimens were obtained from the same place, which have been secured for the Brighton Museum, which were mistaken for tlie stems of fossil trees, being in the form of a trunk, and described by Mr. J. Howell, of Brighton, as ' six inches in diameter, the bark changed into lignite, and medullary rays diverging from the centre. The substance on the exterior of the specimens, which so much resembled lignite, has been examined by Dr. Flight, of the British Museum, and has been found to consist of manganese with a certain proportion of cobalt." The specimens alluded to were portions broken from what had every appearance of being the fossilized trunk of a small tree, several leet in length ! That scientific conjuror man- ganese mystified and deceived mc, as it has once done since, in delineating foliage upon a Wealden sandstone. Vegetation and crystallization have a closer relationship than many of us deem. Sub-sulphate of alumina is not, as it is supposed to be, a scarce mineral. In the railway-cutting leading to Hove it may be seen in every direction lying immediately below ironstone, embedded in clay resting upon chalk, and so throughout tlie chalk in and around Brighton. Some of it may be older than the London clay, yet, like everything issuing from Natuie's wonderful laboratory, its formation has been going on from that ancient period up to the present time, impressing upon us this reflection. What has been " is now, and ever shall be." Did we not know tiiat Science has only just begun to use her eyes, we might wonder why so comparatively common a mineral had not been discovered centuries ago. But the fact is, man sees but does not observe ; and here is a proof of it. The late Mr. Montague Phillips and myself have often conversed together by the chalk pit upon the incline leading into Goldstone Bottom, and yet that very pit contained cart-loads of this mineral ; and it was only twelve months since that my atten- tion was airected to it by a pupil, who knew the substance from seeing it lying on my mantel-shelf, telling me there were im- mense masses of it in this very chalk pit. A description of this discovery written by me appeared in the Brighton Herald, June 20th, 1871 : " Upon visiting this spot, I found it, as usual, associated with iron and clay. Rain-water, charged with sulpliuric acid and iron, has percolated through these beds, staining the chalk, and thereby revealing its sinuous courses througli it. The massive variety of Websterite, or more probably hydrate of alumina, is enveloped and intersected by these sinuous streams, but seldom the stem-like variety. An immense mass of the former bulges out of the chalk stratum, and measures vertically 6ft. Cin., and horizontally at the base 7ft. This is traversed in every direction by veins of a soot-like substance, probably manganese, decomposed by sub-aerial action. Over these lies a friable layer of yellow chalk, under- going the process of formation into gypsum, and which, on the application of sulphuric acid, Jslightly effervesces. Resting upon this is a mass of ironstone and iron clay oxydized to its very core, and this is overlaid by chalk-rubble and [vegetable mould. The stem-like variety, beautiful specimens of which are preserved in our Museum, and whose coating of manga- nese and cobalt so much resembles bark, is well represented in this pit. Some of these might be mistaken for petrified trees ! They average from 2g to eight inches in diameter, and are of circular, oval, or irregular form. One, 2ft. Sin. long and llin. broad, resembles a rudder, with two bands of iron- clay running across it, and lies vertically in the chalk." Every THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 329 variety of the miueral was represented in this pit, and more especially the tree-like variety. Most of tiiis lay in the very heart of the chalk. One small specimen I extracted trom its matrix, in which it lay as in a mould, the chalk revealing no sign of decomposition. Many of these specimens showed uo signs of the presence of either clay or percolations ol water charged with acids in tlieir vicinity. Being thus isolated from these substances, the question is. How were they formed ? lu the same stale of isolation, deep down into the chalk, and ruu- ning parallel with it, were veius of alumiuite and clay, and the problem to solve is, How gut the clay there ? Perhaps by a process quite as simple as the apple got into the dumpling which so puzzled scientific royalty ! In flints there is a small percentage of clay and iron. J3oes sulphuric acid, formed from vegetable matter in the soil or decomposing iron pyrites, per- colating through the chalk, transform this clay into sub- sulphate and hydrate of alumina, or is there enough clay in the chalk itself to form these substances ? If so, the process would account for the shattered coudition of the flints. Probably what Mr. Morris mentions in his notice of AUophane, may also apply to these flints. That, having been crushed, the alumiuite receniented them. When aluminite is imbedded in clay, chemistry clearly reveals its origin ; bnt when, on the other hand, it lies isolated in the chalk where there are uo faults or fissures to account for its presence, then its formation is a difficult problem to solve. Since this was written the alumina alluded to in the Goldstoue Bottom chalk-pit has been removed, and the pit now displays a fine section of the creta- ceous strata. Iron Ore, Chalk, and Gypsum. — Much of the iron ore throughout this deposit is in a state of decomposition very friable, and of a cindery appearance. Some of the heaviest masses of tliis ore are punctured with holes tilled with a fine ochraceous powder, probably an oxide of iron, which gives to the whole heterogenous mass its ferruginous appearance, and plays the most important part in the decom- position of the chalk strata. In every locality where this pe- culiar Temple Field deposit lies, the fissures or holes in the chalk seem to have been caused by the decomposition of the chalk itself, water charged with acids and carbonate of iron being the prime agents of the disease. The same idea seems also to have occurred to Mr. Perceval, when he says, "The deposit of Websterite is about three feet wide at its junction with the overlying ferruginous mass, narrowing as it descends, apparently occupying a fissure in the chalk, which has at some time been filled with clay, or has been formed by some decomposing action on the chalk." To me not a single hole had the appearance of having been scooped out and then filled with clay, but in every case was the result of the latter pro- cess. One of these holes was met with in digging the foun- dations of All Saints' Church, and proved a very costly affair. Nor do I believe after all the money spent upon it that the foundation is secure. So long as the agents of this chalk disease are present above the chalk, the disease will gradually eat into its core, and render any building rest- ng upon it unstable. It is like cancer in the human system, for which, if not wholly rooted out, there is no cure. But in another respect it is a blessing, metamorphosing as it does the barren chalk into a fertilising soil, and thus giving to the inhabitants of the Downs what they so ardently long for, a few trees with their grateful shadow. Wherever this deposit presents itself, there trees take root and flourish, as in the Moiitpellier district, and the copse on the Uyke-road, &c. One of the largest holes in the chalk filled with this deposit was cut through in Montpellier-road, opposite the north-east extremity of the Crescent. Eleven feet beneath the surface lay the vein of ironstone already alluded to in an ochraceous mould, light and dry as the finest dust, probably an oxide of iron, which descended in the form of a wedge to the bottom of the excavations 26 feet, and no doubt much deeper. Within it lay several masses of curious formation having the appearance of blocks of chalk converted by chemical action into a stone containing iron gypsum, and dark green crystals of seleuite in horizontal seams, giving to it the resemblance of veined marble. One large mass contained three casts of Inoceramus shells, showing that the substance must have originally been chalk. This specimen I strongly recom- mended to be preserved in the town Museum, and for that purpose saw it conveyed into the Ehgineer's office ; but I have been unable to find it since, and fear it was either lost or broken in its transit from the office to the Pavilion. The dark-grey colour aud the dark seams of seleuite may be owing to the presence of bitumen, an organic substance, re- vealing, says Bischofl', another fact in the wonderful labora- tory of Nature. The roots of the trees in the garden of Moutpellicr-cresceut had ramified the loam in every direction ; but not one of them had penetrated into the chalk. Much of the ferruginous breccia had a cindery appearauce. Other specimens resembled honeycomb, suggesting the idea of water charged with acids, dripping upon aud eating into it. The cores of other specimens of gypsum or indurated clay with crystals of seleuite seemed eaten out, probably by this water action. Crystals of calcite filled the interior in some of the ironstone breccia, while limonite was plentifully represented throughout the whole deposit. Some specimens seem to have undergone intense chemical action, as if the substance of which they were composed had bubbled up, and the gas es- caped, leaving innumerable orifices upon the surface coated with a coaly substance, or tinged of a yellow green and violet hue, the unbroken bubbles being botryoidal. Pretty silver- like crystals adorned the smooth surface of the flints, some- times assuming the frosted appearance seen upon our window- panes. Other specimens sparkled as if diamond-dust had been scattered over them. Some of the crystals were fiat and broad, some needle-shaped, others filled the interstices of the gypsum and indurated clay with cobweb forms. Feeruginou.s Tabulated Flint.— At the junction of Clifton and Dyke roads were found masses of ferruginous flint, flat and coated with a covering of chalk, giving one the idea of a stream of silica and iron becoming solidified at the bottom of the cretaceous sea. It had every appearance of a silicate of iron. Chemical analysis proves that silica is soluble in water, and that it has an affinity fur organic substances into whose composition it enters. That the process is a simple one there is little doubt, but in these tabulated masses I was unable to detect any organisms to attract and precipitate the silica held in solution by the water. What hidden cause effected this end ? Did the infusoria create these tabulated ferruginons masses of silica r' The presence of silica in bog iron ore, and the incombustible organic structure of the very small cor- puscles which form the surrounding ochre, make it, as Ehren- burg remarks, " very probable that here also an organic rela- tion by infusorial formation comes into play, so that these animalcules after their death form a nucleus towards which the dissolved iron immediately around is attracted." Specimens of this yellow deposit were examined microscopically by Mr. Wonfor,Hon. Sec. to the Brighton and Sussex Natural History Society, who could discover no trace of Gaillonella, or the least signs of any organisms. There are many facts which prove the solubility of silica in water. Reeds and rushes thrive luxuriantly in ditches plentifully supplied with fresh streams of water. If silica is only soluble at a very high temperature, how is it derived by the stalks of corn and grasses from the flinty soil of our Downs ? Nature has a more simple process in her wondrous laboratory to effect this than we have. Liebig tells us that, after the destruction of a hayrick by lightning in a meadow between Manheim and Heidelberg, there was found upon the spot where it stood a glassy mass, consisting of a silicate of potash. "If (says Bischoff') the silica, instead of being introduced into hay or straw, were deposited as a quartz layer, it would in 78,705 years acquire a thickness of one foot, and the formation of the most enormous quartz layers may be accounted for in this way." Thermal springs are not the only source whence silex comes. There is a simpler method than this, and which questioning Nature will only reveal. Gypsum : its origin. — These excavations through the Temple Field clearly reveal one fact, viz., that the heteroge- neous mass there confusedly mingled was derived from the beds of plastic clay, once in situ in that locality. And not only there, but upon the highest summits of our Downs, where the loam lies still several feet in thickness. The denudation of the older eocene, whose strata form this depoisit, must have been by the waves of the sea, the tumultuous rush of mighty waters, or the glacial plough, for the breccia which lay upon the chalk in compact beds several feet in thickness has been torn up, hurled over the surface of the Downs, or roughly mingled with the soil, loam, clay, and chalk-rubble, as wit- nessed in the formation we have feebly attempted to describe. The ruin is so complete, or the deposit is of such chemical origin, that not a single fossil has been found imbedded in it. 330 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Even the lignite of tlie plastic clay has entirely disappeared, unless traces of it are still visible in the coaly variety of the indurated clay, breccia, and gypsum. Mention has been made that the curiously-formed substance, having a metallic ring, bore distinct impressions of shells of the cretaceous epoch. How then was the chalk, for challj it must have been, con- verted into gypsum ? What is the origin of gypsum and crys- tals of selenite, chalk being a carbonate and gypsum a sulphate of lime ? As infiltrations of carbonate of lime convert sand into sandstones, and chalk corals and shells into limestones, so will infiltrations of sulphuric acid convert chalk into gypsum. Wherever water, then, percolates, liolding sulphate of lime in ■ solution, there must be gypsum ; and should the water eva- porate, leaving a gas, sulphuretted hydrogen, then, wherever that gas penetrates, be it in clay or sand, in breccia, gypsum, shells, or flints, there will be crystals of selenite. Bischoff, in his "Elements of Chemical and Physical Geology," says : "The formation of gypsum from limestone in the neighbourhood of exhalations of sulphuretted hydrogen is a very common phe- nomenon. Breislak brings forward many examples of such a formation from sulphur springs. In 1823 Cornelli found very curious crystals of gypsum and sulphur iu the crater of Vesu- vius, originating from the fumaroles. Dumas has shown that even the most minute traces of sulphuretted hydrogen convert limestone into gypsum. He found no free acid in the fumaroles of Tuscany, and yet the carbonate of lime in their neighbour- hood was rapidly converted into gypsum, which could only be owing to a minute quantity of srQphuretted hydrogen in these vapours. He observed a similar phenomenon in the sulphur baths at Aix. The limestone walls of the saloons and bath- rooms blister and become covered with crystals of gypsum." Need we wonder, after this, at the production of sub- sulphate and hydrate of alumina, gypsum, and crystals of selenite, iu the Temple Field deposit? Nature works by simple laws, and the results are truly wonderful. A great portion of the soil owes its origin to decomposed vegetable and animal organisms and iron pyrites. In this soil, therefore, is sulphuric acid, which is conveyed by rain-water down to the clay, ironstone, and chalk, through which it percolates and metamorphoses from clay into sub-sulphate and hydrate of alumina, and from carbonate of lime to sulpliate of lime, or gypsum and crystals of selenite. In the clay and chalk-rubble lie breccia and iron- stone, spangled by the union of sulphuric acid and lime with crystals of every variety, form, and colour. Such are the cha- racteristics, and such is the origin of this Temple Field deposit, lying from 160 to 325 feet above the mean tide level of the sea, which rises and falls upon this coast 30 feet. THE OLD AND NEW STYLE "Well Oldsort, what do youthink of thismovement amongst the labourers ?" asked his landlord one day of a West- Midland farmer. " I don't know what to think, t don't," answered Oldsort. " How many men do you employ ?" " Why, four regular. But I'll tell you what ; I ;and that Edward Sharpe there, can do as much work in a day as I and all those other three, Tom Careless, Jack Shirk, and William Slow." " flow's that ?" " Why, you see, if I tell Sharpe to do a thing, it's done well and quickly, and I need never think about it again. But if I tell any of the others, I've almost got to do it myself, or it will be done wrong." " And what are thid the dairy classes comprised several creditable animals. There was a small collection of farm implements, and attached were a poultry show, and a competition in butter, eggs, and wool. Mr. Geo. Pearson, Raskelfe, and T. and G. Barrow, of Huby, were respectively first in butter and eggs. For wool Mr. Thos. Gateuby, of Helperby, carrid away the prizes. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES. — Hunters : T. Hutchinson, senr., Catterick ; W. Stephenson, Cottingham ; L. Hodgson, Highthorn. Coaching and Agricultural: J. Woffinden, Norton; H. Foxton, Welburn. Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs : H. Ambler, Halifax ; D. Peacock, Knaresborough. Poultry : T. Jolly, York. Butter : W. Humphrey, York. Imple- ments AND Roots : J. Raimes, Acaster ; E. Appleyard, Wistow. CATTLE. SHORTHORNS Yearling bull. — First prize, J. Priestman, Shipton; second, J. and T. Coates, Peep o' Day. Bull calf under 13 months.— First prize. Sir G. 0. Womb- well, Newburgh Park ; second, G. Robson, The Shires. Cow of any age, in calf or milk. — First prize, T. H. Hutchinson, Catterick ; second, J. Binnington, Sheriff Hut- ton, Two-year-old heifer. — First prize, J. Stephenson, Whel- drake ; second, J. H.Graves, Sutton-on-the-Forest. Yearling heifer. — First prize, T. H. Hutchinson ; second, , SirG.O. Wombwell. Heifer calf under 13 months old.— First prize, T. H. Hutchinson ; second. Rev. W. Prest, Ampleforth College. Cow for dairy purposes, any breed. — First prize, R. Garbutt, Ampleforth; second, J. H. Graves. Cow, the property of a cottager whose rent does not exceed £10.— Prize, G. Pearson, Baskelf. Fat beast, any breed. — First prize, J. Coates, Easingwold ; second, T. RadclifTe, Yearsley. Cow or heifer for breeding purposes. — Prize, M. Hutchin- son, Catterick. Extra Stock.— Prize, F. H. Cholmeley, Brandsby Hall. HORSES. hunters. Mare with foal at foot.— First prize, G. J . Robinson, Thirsk ; second, W. Hornby, Newburgh. Mare or gelding of any age. — First prize, D. and R. Batty, Myton ; second, W. H. Woodward, Husthwaite. Mare or gelding, five years old and upwards. — First prize, R. Bruuton, Marton ; second, W. H. Woodward, Providence- hill. Mare cr gelding, four years old. — First prize, J, H. Graves, Sutton Forest ; second, T. Hare, The Lund. Fencers of any age. — First prize, T. Wells, Kirkligton; second, F. H. Cholmeley, Brandsby Hall. Three-year-old gelding. — First prize, T. Mills, Huby ; second, G. Robson, The Shires. Three-year-old filly. — First prize, W. Clarke, Asenby ; second, J. and T. Coates, Peep o' Day. Two-year-old filly. — First prize, W. Clarke ; second, T. Ward, Huby. Yearling ' gelding. — First prize, R. Manfield, Thirkleby; second, J. and T. Coates. Yearling filly. — First prize, R. Garbutt, Ampleforth ; second, M, Eglin, Sutton Forest. coacheks. Mare with foal at foot.— First prize, L. Manfield, Thirkleby; second, F. S. Strangeways, Alne Hall. Three-year-old gelding. — First prize, J. Binnington, Sheriff- Hutton ; second, H. Pettinger, Holly Grove. Three-year-old filly. — First prize, I. Scarth, WestRownton ; second, H. Pettinger. Two-year-old gelding. — First prize, J. Wood, Bedale ; second, T. Plummer, Birdforth. Yearling gelding. — First prize, H. Pettinger ; second, L. Manfield, Thirkleby. Y'earling filly. — First prize, M. Gatenby, Helperby ; second, J. Burton, Kirkby Knowle. roadsters. Mare with foal at foot.— First prize, G. Shields, Easingwold ; second, H. Pettinger. Three-year-old gelding or filly. — First prize, J. Jackson, Close House ; second, J. Brotherton, Myton. Two-year-old gelding or filly. — First prize, J. Crossley, Knaresbro' ; second, J. Blenkhorn, Thirsk. Yearling gelding or filly. — First prize, L. Manfield; second, W. Pipes, Tholthorpe. HACKNEYS. Mare and gelding of any age. — First prize, J. Bowman, Elvington ; second, I. Scarth, West Rounton. Lady's mare or gelding of any age. — First prize, T. Apple- ton, Thirsk ; second, E. Coverdale, Kirby Moorside. FOR agricultural PURPOSES. Mare with foal at foot.— First prize, J. Pinkney, Thirsk ; second, H. Pettinger, Holly Grove. Three-year-old gelding or filly. — First prize, G. Robson, The Shires ; second, H. Pettinger. Two-year-old gelding or filly. — First prize, J. Chapman, Wliixley ; second, W. Gowland, Linton-on-Ouse. Yearling gelding or filly. — First and second prizes, J. Chap- man. / Mare or gelding of any age, which has been regularly worked during the season. — First prize, A. Milnthorpe, Tol- lerton ; second, W. H. Manfield, Thirkleby. Pair of horses of either sex, which have been regularly worked during the season. — First prize, C. Tindale, Shipton ; second, W. H. Manfield. Pony not exceeding 14 hands. — First prize, J. Pinkney, Bagby Grange ; second, R. Tarbottom, Cawton. extra STOCK. Pony and foal. — Prize, T. Dowthwaite, Easingwold. Agricultural colt. — Prize, G. W. Appleyard, Augram Hall. Two-year-old colt. — Prize, G. Shields, Easingwold. SHEEP. Ram of any age, pure Leicester. — First and second prizes, T. H. Hutchinson, Catterick. Shearling ram, pure Leicester. — First and second prizes, T. H. Hutchinson. Ram of any age, not qualified to compete as a Leicester. — First prize, R. D. Batty, Throstle Nest ; second, J. and T. Ceates, Peep o' Day. Shearling ram, not qualified to compete as a Leicester.— First prize, C. Sergeant, Hunsingore; second, C. and W. Dovener, Ripou. Pen of five ewes. — First prize, T. H. Hutchinson ; second, C. and W. Dovener. Pen of five shearling giramers. — First prize, T. H. Hutchin- son ; second, R. Tarbottom, Cawton, Gilliug. Pen of five gimmer lambs. — First prize, J. Greaves, Clother- holme ; second, J. Stephenson, Wheldrake. Pen of five wether lambs. — First prize, J. Stephenson ; second, J . and T. Coates. Tup lamb. — First and second prizes, J. Greaves, Extra stock.— First prize, H. Lawson, Sutton ; second, J. Cundall, Copt Hewick, PIGS. Boar, large or middle breed, upwards of 13 months old. — First prize, G. Sedgwick, York ; second, F. H. Dyke, Acomb. Sow, large or middle breed, upwards of IG months old. — First prize. Rev. W. Prest, Ampleforth College ; second, J. Hodgson, Raskelfe. Boar, large or middle breed, under 13 months old.— -Prize, G. Sedgwick. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, S48 Sow, large or middle breed, under 16 months old. — Pirat prize, W. Meskew, Easingwold ; second, J. Smith, Acomb, Grange. Sow, small breed, any age. — First prize, G. Sedgwick ; second, R. Jones, Wigginton. Boar, small breed, any age. — First prize, W. Gill, The Lund ; second, G. Sedgwick. Three store pigs of same litter. — Prize, W. Holmes, York. Pig, the property of a cottager who rents a cottage at not more than £6 rent. — First and second prizes, J. Eden, Thirsk. Extra stock — Prize, H. Haworth, Easingwold. LYTHAM AND KIRKHAM AGRICUL- TURAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT LYTHAM. The show of horses was the best the Society has ever had, the agricultural classes being uncommonly good. Cattle were not so good a show as on previous years, owing to the foot- and-mouth disease being extensively prevalent in the district. The exhibition of sheep was good, and there were plenty of pigs. Poultry was only a fair show. JUDGES. — Light Hoeses: Major Simpson Ballard, Cow- bridge; J. Irving, Shap Abbey. Heavy Horses: R. J. Robinson, Manchester ; W. Longton, Rain- hill. Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs: G. Drewry, Holker ; T. Dodd, Wakefield. The following is a list of the principal prizes : HORSES, Pair of horses for agricultural purposes, T. H. Miller, Sin- gleton. Brood mare for agricultural purposes, L. Wilding, Woodhal Hall. Three-year-old gelding or filly for agricultural purposes, R. C. Richards, Clifton . Two-year-old gelding or filly for agricultural purposes, R. C. Richards. Yearling gelding or filly for agricultural purposes, R. Thompson, Mythop Lodge. Colt or fiHy foal for agricultural purposes, T. Cartmel, Clifton. Brood mare for hunting purposes, T. H. Miller. Brood mare for harness purposes, W. Taylor, Fairfield. Gelding or mare for hunting purposes, T, H. Miller. Gelding or mare for harness purposes, — Billington, Myres- cough. Gelding or fillies for hunting purposes, W- Dodgsou, Plump- ton Hall. CATTLE Bull above two and under three years old, J. T. Clifton. Bull under two years old, T. Rigby, Carletou Lodge. Bull-calf, R. Thompson. Cow in calf or milk, Rev. L. C. Wood, Singleton. Heifer under three years old, J. Thompson, Elswick. Heifer not exceedingtwo years old, R. Singleton, Wren Green. Heifer-calf, W. Rawcliffe, Turnover Hall. Three cows in calf or in milk, J. Saul, Woodplumbton. Three heifers two years old, J. Tunstall. Three heifer-calves, R. Singleton. Cottagers' Cows : W. Smith, Westby ; J. Gillet, Westby ; R. Fisher, Ribby. SILVEE CHALLENGE CUPS. Shorthorned male animal, R. Thompson. Shorthorned female animal. Rev. L. C. Wood. SHEEP. Leicester or longwoolled ram, any age, T. L. Birley. Shearling Leicester, J. Milner, Myrescough. Leicester or any other longwoolled ram-lamb, T, L. Birley, Kirkham. Southdown, W. Dodgsou. Shearling Southdown, T. L. Birley. Southdown or short woolled ram lamb, W. Dodgson. Pen of three longwoolled ewes, any breed, J. Milner. Pen of three shortwoolled ewes, any breed, T. L. Birley. Longwoolled gimmer lambs, Hon. J. B. Ogilvy, Westby. Shortwoolled gimmer lambs, W. Dodgsou, PIGS. Boar, large breed, T. Waring, Calforth. Boar, small breed, A. Leigh, Lea. Sow, large breed, J. Hall, Frickleton. Cottagers' pigs, A. Parker, Bryniug. LEOMINSTER AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, The show was better than had been anticipated, as, until quite recently, there was a doubt as to its being held, owing to the great extent to which the foot-and-mouth disease has prevailed in the district. Amongst the bulls were Mr. P. Tur- ner's Provost, Mr. HiU's Stout, and Mr. Edwards' Arkwright ; but the district was, under the circumstances, only partially represented. The show of sheep was very small; in fact, scarcely worthy of the name of a show, and pigs were few and far between. Of horses, the old grey mare belonging to Mr. Towers, of Ludlow, with a foal by Jack of Newbury, was to the fore, as she has previously been in similar competitions in good classes. The two-year-old cart-colt class was a good one, ajd the prize-winner, a colt shown by Mr. John Price, of the Court House, Pembridge, was sold to Mr. Allen, the dealer, for £65. Mr. Meredith, of Wharton, also showed a very good brood cart-mare and foal. In the cob class there was nothing demanding notice beyond the prize-winner, a powerful, weight-carrying, cream-colour, belonging to Mr. Barling, of Hereford. A few implements, some in motion, were exhibited by Mr. Preece, of Leominster. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES.— Stock : Mr. W. Evans, Llandowlas, Usk, and Mr. F. Evans, Bredwardine. Horses : Major Ileywood, Ocle Court, and Mr. E. Hughes, Lady Court. HEREFORD CATTLE. Bull of any age, cow and offspring. — First prize, £5 5s., P. Turner, The Leen, Pembridge ; second, £2 2s., R. Hill, Orleton, Ludlow. Commended : S. Goode, Irvington, Bury. Pair of steers, calved since the 1st of March, 1870. — Prize, £5 5s., R. Hill. Pair of heifers, calved since the 1st of March, 1870. — Prize, £5 5s., H. N. Edwards, Broadward, Leominster. Highly commended : Mrs. Edwards, Wintercott, Leominster. Pair of steers, calved since the 1st of March, 1871. — Prize, £5 5s., G. Yeld, Twyford, Eardisland. Four best heifers, calved since the 1st of March, 1871. — Prize, £5 5s., P. Turner. Highly commended : G. Yeld ; H. N. Edwards. Bull, calved since the 1st of March, 1871 — First prize, ^•5 5s., H. N. Edwards ; second, £3 3s., G] Yeld ; third, £1 Is., J. Price, Court House, Pembridge. Fat cow or heifer of any breed which has been in the pos- session of the exhibitor from the 1st of May last. — Prize, £5 5s., R. Hill. Highly commended : P. Turner. Pair of fat steers of any breed which has been in the pos- session of the exhibitor from the 1st of May last. — Prize, £5 5s., J. Meredith, Wharton Court. Four breeding cows or heifers in calf, or having had calves within six months preceding the day of show, and having been in the possession of the exhibitor at least ten months previously. — First prize, £5, J. Rawlings, Stoke, near Ten- bury ; second, £3, J. Holloway, Dryhouse, Kingsland. Ten yearlings, bred by and the property of the exhi- bitor, who shall show that number if his rear amounts to so many, or shall show his whole rear if they amount to less than ten, calved between the 1st of March and the 31st of December, 1871, with the exception of bulls. — Prize, £5, S. Goode, Ivington Bury. Four steers, calved since the 1st of March, 1871, bred by and the property of the exhibitor. — Prize, £5, T. J. Car- wardiue, Stocton Bury. Highly commended : W. Minton, Stoke Prior. Four heifers, calved since the 1st of March, 1871, bred by and the property of the exhibitor. — Prize, S, Goode. There were also prizes awarded for sheep, pigs, and horses. r>M THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. RICHMONDSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. The amount of money given in prizes by the Society ex- ceeded that of any former occasion, and the silver cups were more costly. The entries in many classes showed an increase on those of previous years. Cattle 88, sheep 108, horses 233, pigs 21, poultry 78, dairy produce 18, roots 59, implements 15i. Foremost amongst the entries for the best Shorthorn bull stood Royal M'indsor, who did not fail to credit Mr. Outhwaite with the prize, although he was closely opposed by George Peabody, a red and white, belonging to the Eurl of Zetland. Tlie herd prize was one of the principal features of the show, and brought together representatives of the herds of Colonel Towneley, the Earl of Zetland, Mr. J. Outhwaite,Mr. G. Atkinson, and JMr. T. H. Hutchinson. The twenty-five guinea cup was awarded to Colonel Towneley. The ten-guinea cup for second to Mr. Outhwaite, and the third to the Earl of Zetland. In the sheep classes Mr. T. H. Hutchinson was unapproached, as he carried off the first and second prizes in every class in which he entered. There was a creditable display of poultry, and the various samples of dairy produce were good. Tiie following officiated as judges : Cattle — H. T. Peacock, Mount Vale, York ; T. Stamper, Highfield House, Oswaldkirk, York. Long-wool and cross-breed sheep — W. Hodgson, Kirk- bridge, Darlington ; R. Metcalfe, Scar Top, Bishopdale. Hunters, roadsters, and special prizes — W. Young, Norwood House, Beverley ; A. L. Maynard, Newton Hall, Durham. Coaching and agricultural horses — W. Robinson, Hutton Hall, Darlington ; R. Wade, Little Burdon, Darlington. Im- plements, cheese, and roots — T. P. Outhwaite, Goldsljorough ; J. Trotter, Thornton Stewart. At the dinner in the evening, the president, Mr. C. Cradock, of Hartforth Hall, occupied the chair, and Mr, Outhwaite the vice-chair. PRIZE-LIST. SHORTHORNS. Bull, two years old or upwards. — First prize, J. Outhwaite, Catterick ; second. Earl of Zetland, Richmond. Bull not exceeding two years old. — First prize. Colonel Towneley, Burnley ; second, T. Frank, Whitby. Bull-calf. — First prize, J. Outhwaite ; second, T. fl. Hut- chinson, Catterick, Cow or heifer in calf or milk, three years old or upwards. — First prize, J. Outhwaite; second. Colonel Towneley. Heifer, two years old, in calf or milk. — First prize. Colonel Towneley ; second. Earl of Zetland. Yearling heifer. — First and second prizes. Colonel Towneley. Heifer calf. — First prize, J. Outhwaite ; second, T. Frank. Cow in calf or milk, for dairy purposes, not being eligible to be entered in Herd-Book. — First prize, J . Barker, Rich- mond ; second, L. Allen, Richmond. Two-year-old heifer, not being eligible to be entered in the Herd-Book. — First prize, H. Walton, jun., Coalsgarth ; se- cond, J. Barker, High Wathcote. Yearling heifer, not being eligible to be entered in the Herd-Book. — First prize, J. Watson, Belleisle; second, A. Young, Richmond. Cow in calf or milk, for dairy purposes, the property of a cottager whose annual rents collectively do not exceed i'15. — First prize, J . Wright, EUerton-on-Swale ; second, E. Fletcher, jun., Richmond. Pair of two-year-old bullocks. — First prize, S. Rowlandson, Newton Morrell ; second, J. Outhwaite. THE HERD PRIZE. Six cows or heifers and oue bull of the Shorthorn breed, lonnfide the property of the exhibitor. — First prize, Colonel Towneley , second, J. Outhwaite ; third. Earl of Zetland. SHEEP. Leicester ram, two-shear or upwards. — First and second prizes, T. H. Hutchinson. Shearling Leicester ram. — First and second prizes, T. H. Hutchinson. Leicester tup lamb. — First and second prizes, T. H. Hut- chinson. Three Leicester ewes, each having reared a lamb this sea- son.— First and second prizes, T. H. Hutchinson- Three-shearling Leicester gimmers. — First and second prizes, T. H. Hutchinson. Long vvoolled rani, not being Leicester, two shear or up- wards.— First prize, J. Husband, Sedbury ; second, W. Raw, Masham. Long-wooUed shearling ram, not being Leicester. — First prize, Messrs. Trotter, Thornton Stewart; .second, John Styan, Leyburn. Long-woolled tup ram, not being Leicester. — First prize, W. Swale, Bedale ; second, J. Husband. Three long-woolled ewes, not being Leicester, each having reared a lamb tiiis season. — First prize, W. Raw; second, Messrs. Trotter. Three shearling long-woolled gimmers, not being Leicesters. — First prize, Messrs. Trotter ; second, R. Harrison, Richmond. Ram, two-shear or upwards, not being Leicester, for cross- ing with blackfaced ewes. — First prize, J. Styan ; second, J. C. Slater, Catterick. Shearling ram, not being Leicester, for crossing with black- faced ewes. — First prize, J. Styan ; second, Messrs. Trotter. Tup lamb, not being Leicester. — First prize, H. Walton and Son, Low Gingerfield ; second, T. Wills and Son, Bedale. Three ewes, each having reared a lamb this season, for breeding rams for crossing with blackfaced ewes. — First prize, II. Walton and Son ; second, T. Willis and Son. Three shearling gimmers, for breeding rams for crossing with blacklaced ewes. — First and second prizes, T. Willis and Son. Three ewes, each having reared a lamb this season, first cross from a blackfaced ewe. — First and second prizes, H. Walton and Son. Three shearling gimmers, first cross from a blackfaced ewe. — First prize, J. Cundale, Itipon ; second, H. Walton and Son. Five gimmer lambs, first cross from a blackfaeed ewe. — First and second prizes, L. Wilkinson, Downholme. Five twice-crossed gimmer or wether lambs, from a black- faced ewe. — W. Pybus, Riciimond. PIGS. Boar of any age, large breed. — First prize, J. Pennock, Catterick ; second, II. Allison, Thornton Watlass. Sow of any age, small breed. — First prize, D. Sanderson, Richmond ; second, J. Dent, Gilling Pig belonging to a cottager, whose rental does not exceed £C, and does not keep a cow. — First prize, W. Gregory, Gil- ling ; second, T. Bolland, Richmond. Extra Stock. — Prize, D. Sanderson. HORSES. HUNTERS. Brood mare, with foal at foot or stinted. — First prize, R. Emmerson, Darlington ; second, W. C. Rockliffe, Hull. Three years old gelding. — First prize, B. Harrison, Rich- mond ; second, W. Clark, Darlington. Three years old filly. — First prize, B. Emmerson ; second, J. Wilson, Richmond. Two years old gelding or filly. — First prize, J. and G. Leng, Darlington ; second, C. Cradock, Richmond. Yearling gelding or filly, — First prize, L. Manfield, Tliirsk ; second, J. Calvert, Scorton. Colt foal to be shown with dam. — First prize, R. Emmer- son ; second, W. C. Rockliffe. Filly foal to be shown with dam. — First prize, R. Emmer- son ; second. Miss J. Stainton, Bedale. ROADSTERS. Brood mare, with foal at foot or stinted. — First prize, R. Williamson, Sunny Bank, Ripon ; second, R. Emmerson. Three years old colt or filly. — First prize, R. Stirk, Bellerby ; second, T. Bradley, Darlington. Two years old colt or filly. — First prize, J. A. Smith, Cat- terick ; second, W. Clark, Killerby. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 845 Yearling colt or filly. — First prize, J. F. Todd, Arrathorne ; second, J. C. Slater, Catterick. Colt or filly foal, to be shown with dam. — First prize, C. Cradock ; second, J. M. Tattison, Leyburn. SPECIAL PRIZES. Four years old hunting gelding or filly, to be ridden on the ground. — First prize, J. B. Booth, Catterick ; second, C. G. Tate, Richmond. Five years old or upwards hunting gelding or mare, by a thoroughbred horse, to be ridden on the ground.— First prize, 11. B. Slartou, Middlesborough ; second, J. B. Bootii. Horse or mare of any age. — First prize, L. B. Morris, Cas- tle.ton ; second, T. Peacock, Harmby. Four years old mare or gelding. — First prize, J. Hall, Piersebridge ; second, E. Hall, Barton. Roadster, gelding, or mare, not more than 1-t hands, and not less than four years old. — First prize, T. Clarksou, Leeds ; second, J. J. Leeming, Pickering. Pony, gelding, or mare of any age, and not e.'cceeding 14 hands high. — First prize, W. Howe, Darlington ; second, Sir T. C. Constable, Bart., North Ferriby. COACHING HORSES. Brood raare, with a foal at foot or stinted. — First prize, M. Robinson, Glass House, Hauxwell ; second, 11. Watson, Maltby House, Stockton. Three years old gelding or filly. — First prize, W. Hebdcn, Low Hall, Scotton, Richmond ; second, 11. Rider, Redmire, Wensleydale. Two years old gelding or filly. — First prize, J. Wood, West Tanfield, Bedale ; second, J. and G. Leng. Yearling colt or filly. — First prize, L. Ma n field ; second, Messrs. Stirk, Barden Lane, Bedale. Colt foal. — First prize, T. Cuthbert, Newton-le-Willows : second, G. Meynell, Patrick Brompton. Filly foal. — First prize, H. Jackson, Kirkby Fleetham ; se- cond, M. Robinson. AGRICULTURAL HORSES. Brood mare, witii foal at foot or stinted. — First prize, R. Watson ; second, G. Atkinson, Stocksfield. Three years old gelding or filly. — First and second [.rizos, Messrs. Trotter. Two years old gelding or filly. — First prize, R. Bell, Ijayton Fields, Caldwell ; second, W. F. Home, Moulton, Richmond. Yearling gelding or filly. — First prize, R. Tweedie, Cat- terick ; second, J. Hedley, Scortou Grange. Colt or filly foal, to be shown with dam. — First prize, D. Wilson, Darlington ; second, J. Blenkiron, Northallerton. Pair of agricultural horses of either sex, to be shown in plough harness, tiie property of exhibitor. — First prize, T. II. Hutciiinson ; second, G. Linton, Bedale. Donkey. — First prize. Rev. J. C. Wliarton, Richmond ; se- cond, T. Markham, Richmond. THE AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS, IRELAND, 1872. OFFICIAL REPORT. To Uis Excellency John Poyntz, Earl Spencer, K.G., &c., &c., Lord Lieutenant-General and General Governor of Ireland. May it please your Excellency, I had the honour of submitting, on the 3nd ultimo, a Return of the acreage under Flax in 1871 and 1872, with the number of Scutching Mills iu 1871, and on the 5th ultimo, an Abstract of the number and value of Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs, by Provinces and for all Ireland, in 1871 and 187^, with the Increase or Decrease in the latter year. I now beg to submit the annual General Abstracts, which give, as usual, by Counties and Provinces, the total area under each descrip- tion of crop ; also the total number of Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs. The Emigration from Ireland, during the first sereu months of the same years, is also given. The collection of the Agricultural Statistics, which commenced on the 1st of June, occupied about two months. The Enumerators, of whom nearly 3,800 were employed, were selected from the Royal Irish Constabulary and Metropolitan Police, and dis- charged this duty with their usual ellicicucy. The various holdings, which amount in all to about 600,000, were visited by them, and the names of the several parties from whom the particulars of Tillage and Live Stock for each holding were obtained, are stated in the Returns, with a view to further inquiry in any case, should it be deemed necessary. Your Excellency is aware that the information given to the Enume- rators is altogether voluntary ; and 1 feel assured it will afford pleasure to your Excellency to learn, as, I beg to say, it is most gratifying to me to have it in my power to state, that so far as I am informed by the Superintendents of Districts, the Returns have been collected without diiliculty— a fact most highly creditable to the good feeling and intelligence of all ranks and classes connected with land in this country. The Abstracts have been carefully compiled from summaries made by the Enumerators for their respective districts, and may probably differ iu some degree from the revised figures which will be hereafter published ; but I do not anticipate that any change of importance will become necessary. Acres. The total acreage under all Crops thia year ^yas 5,486,522 Ditto in 1871 (revised numbers) 5,021,437 Showing a decrease in the extent under Crops in 1872 of 131,915 The Crops which increased in extent this year are — Acres. Acres, Cebeals Beans and Peas 869 1 Turnips 19,429n Mangel and Beet Root . 2,999 Cabbage 6,387 L 30.149 Carrots, Parsnips, and other Green Crops 1,334; Total Increase on the foregoing Crops ... 31,018 The Crops which decreased in acreage in 1872 are — Acres. Acres. i Wheat 16,262-) g^Hey::::::::;;:::::::::::::::":o85 34,230 Bere and Rye l,560j ^ ^„„rc „ CPotatoes 66,632") 07099 Flax 34,667 Meadow and Clover 29,114 Total Decrease on the foregoing Crops 166,933 Making a net Decrease in the area under all Crops of 134,915 It appears from the foregoing summaries that, compared with 1871, wheat shows a decrease of 16,202 acres, oats of 14.,3L3 acres, barley of 2,085 acres, and bere and rye of 1,560 acres, potatoes of 66,032 acres, vetches and rape, 1,290 acres, flax, 34,667 acies, and meadow and clover 29,114' acres. In beans and peas there is an increase of 869 acres, turnips 19,429 acres, mangel and heet root 2,999 acres, cabbage 6,387 acres, carrots, parsnips, and other green crops 1,331 acres. AnsiBACt OP Ceeeal Chops. Wheat Oats Barley Bere and Rye .... Beauji and I'caa . 1871. Acres. 241,451 l,63(i,136 220,979 11,656 10,913 Total 2.124,034 2,090,673 1372. Acres. 228,189 1,621,813 218,894 9.995 11,782 Increase Decrease in 1872. in 1872. Acres. Acres. — 16,262 — 14,323 — 2,085 — 1,560 869 — — 33,301 346 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Abstract of Geeen Oeops. f 1871. 1872. Increase in 1872. \ Decrease in 1872. Acres. 1,058,434 327,035 31,921 33,008 29,869 31,422 Acres. 991,802 346,464 34,920 39,395 31,203 30,132 Acres, 19,429 2,999 6,387 1,334 Acres. 66,632 MangelWurzel & ■) Beet Root ) - Carrots, Pars-"! nips, and other > Green Crops... J Vetches and Rape 1,290 Total 1,511,689 1,473,916 _ 37,773 Geiteeal Summaey of Ceeeal and Gbeen Ceops, c&c. Decrease in 1872. Acres. Acres. Cereal Crops 33,361 ■) ra ma Flax 34,667 S ^^'^^^ Green Crops 37,773 i «« 007 Meadow and Clover 29,114 ) *'^'"^' Total Decrease in the extent of Land under Crops inl872 134,915 The extent under Crops, Grass, Fallow, Woods, and Planta- tions, and Bog and Waste i/noccujned, in 1871 and 1873, is given by Provinces in the following table — _, 05 CO "3 »» 0 S CO ?? CO S5 S B < ■* lO lO •* s ■a r-y-~^ r-^^ ^~— > ^-^-\ /~^-v % 2 3 SS CDl^ >1 0 CO 05 C« 8)0 ^ (M Is 0 ^ a rt < CO_CO__ t> H M t^co (N 0 00 CO CO t^ 0 0 ^ a S 05r-( f^ ■" <1 00 CO CO ■* to COCO 1 Hi i 00 00 CD 05 0 05 CO CO o« ?, ^^ CO 0 ss ■*o COlO < l>CO cot- t-T-*" (Ni-H ss rH-* >o >o t^UJ N 05 1^5 CO rt a) r^ < ■* lO coco NlM 0 0 .§ 1 00 i-l 00 rH '0 S rt 0 m 2 0 < CO ao__ Tji t> CO_5 g,s. w ^ 0 05 00 t>I>. CD-*( CO f-(f-C i-H r1 .-11-1 US "O i-l(M M W M v^v^ ^-v^ V-v^ v^^ v^^ * 0 P4 1 3 M m H H 1-9 P W 0} fc> 0 0 '3 1 The acreage under the head of " Bog and Waste loiocctipied,'* had not any Live Stock on it at the period of the enumeration. The area under the several Crops in each year from 18G8 to 1872 inclusive, was as under— ■* N -.^i <-> 10 CO •^ 05 h?p. .^N CD__ N 05 *"* t>. ^ ■>,^ in ^ m § o 0 o 0 r-i •.^ 05 10 0-1 01 ua 00 C CO $S ^^ u; C 'S ■^ 0^ r-T r- 00 /~^-\ ■a : fl : m 1 . 05 O 1 it •go as i C4 0 i 0 -a 0 a i arley ere and R eans and otatoes... abbage... arrets, P other Gre 1 a 1 0 fq m pq fL, B ;^ 0 0 > t^ It appears from the following Table that the Returns of Live Stock for 1872 when compared with 1871 show an increase in the number of Horses of 2,650 ; of Cattle 80,781 ; and of Sheep 38,682 ; and a decrease of Pigs amounting to 336,037. t The following are the numbers of Live Stock for each year from 1862 to 1873, inclusive— Years. Number of Horses. Number of Cattle. Number of Sheep. Nunaber of Pigs. 1862 602,894 579,978 662,158 548,339 535,799 524,180 624,703 528,201 532,657 538,095 540,745 3,254,890 3,144,231 3,262,294 3,497,548 3,746,157 3,707,803 3,646,796 3,733,675 3,799,912 3,976,372 4,057,153 3,466,132 3,308,204 3,366,941 3,694,356 4,274,282 4,835,519 4,901,496 4,651,195 4,336,884 4,233,435 4,262,117 1,154,324 1,067,458 1863 T864 1,058,480 1,305,953 1,497,274 1865 1866 1867 1,235,191 869,578 1868 1869 1,082,224 1870 1,461,215 1871 1,621,423 1872 1,385,386 Dififncein numbrs. between 1871 and 1872 Increase. 2,650 Increase, 80,781 Increase. 28,682 Decrease. 236,037 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 347 The total estimated value of Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs this year is £37,117,517, being an increase of £382,781 when compared with 1871, as appears by the following table— aB ►5-3=" to Oi* a f^ »£ - "^ M EH OQ O £ 3 ^ « 0 > i5 £ 31,224,687 30,050,671 30.728,910 32,817,007 35,209,715 35,157,219 34,380,416 34,963,590 35,657,775 36,834,736 37,117,517 i £ 1,442,905 1,334,322 1,323,100 1,632,441 1,871,593 1,543,989 1,086,972 1,352,780 1,826,519 2,026,779 1,731,733 if 11 1 £ 3,801,745 3,639,024 3,703,635 4,063,792 4,701,710 5,319,071 5,391,646 5,116,314 4,770,572 4,656,779 4,688,329 - 00 05 0 I-H (M ^CDCD CDCDCD COCDt>. t>.t>. 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 GO 00 00 .gs : ■D ri i d p : Q Scutching Mills. — The numher of Mills for scutching Flax in each province in 1871, was: In Ulster, 1,391; Leinster, 40 ; Munster, 35 ; Connaught, 33 — making in all 1,499. Emigration. — In the first sevew months of 1871 tlie Returns of Emigrants from the several ports of Ireland show that 49,155 persons left this country. The number for the same period in 1873 was 54,995, being an increase of 5,840 persons during this year. Labourers' Dwellings. — It is scarcely possible, both on social and sanitary grounds, to exaggerate the importance of improving the dwellings of tlie labouring classes ; the Legisla- ture has enabled the Treasury to grant loans for this most desirable object througli the medium of the Board of Public Works, Dublin. According to the Census of 1861, the num- ber of fourth-class houses in Ireland, each of which had but one room for the entire family of every age and sex, was 89,374, and in these were living nearly half a million of persons. Weeds. — Although great improvement in the breeds and value of every description of J arm Stock has taken place in Ireland since 1841 — when the collection of these Statistics commenced — it must be admitted that a corresponding im- provement has not taken place in tillage and cultivation. At the present moment this is but too apparent on farms generally. On several occasions I felt ii my duty to call attention to the great injury arising from the unchecked growth of weeds which is, unhappily, permitted in almost every part of the country, and also on the sides of roads, railways, and canals. At the recent annual meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society in Belfast, the noble President, Lord Lurgan, K.P., referred to '' the necessity of acting on the suggestion thrown out in the Report of the Registrar-General for 1856, in relation to the extirpation of weeds. They did a deal of mischief, and he thought they should carry out the sentence which the old Scotch law pronounced, declaring anyone to be a traitor who poisoned ttie Qiieen^s tandivith weeds." I again beg to repeat my respectful acknowledgments to the landed proprietors, tenant farmers, the clergy of all denomina- tions in Ireland, and to the public press, for a continuance of the generous and valuable assistance which I have now for more than twenty years experienced in connection with these Statistics, I have the honour to be, Your Excellency's very faithful servant, General Register Office, William Donnelly, Charlemont House, Dublin, Registrar-General. 4th September, 1873. WIRRAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. The entries of horses numbered 146 ; four donkeys were entered for the special prizes offered by the Birkenhead branch of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ; the entries of cattle were 80, of sheep 73, of pigs 20, of fowls, geese and turkeys 174, of pigeons 163, of dogs 232. In the agricultural produce, the show was bare indeed. There was one specimen of new wheat shown by Mr. W. R. Gray, of Thurstastou, as acting executor for the late Mr. Henan, of Dawpool ; and two specimens of barley by Mr. Blythe B. Brown, of Manor-house Farm, Barnston. There were some excellent mangolds on a stand in the flower-show tent, but the turnips adjoining them, considering the amount of moisture that has prevailed this summer, were aptly des- cribed by a rustic as " no great shakes." Tlie show of agri- cultural implements was a mere pretence, Messrs. Lewis and Co., of the Salopian Ironworks, Shrewsbury, being the only firm tliat put in an appearance. In some departments, how- ever, the show was strong. The horses throughout were a good class, and the entries were numerous. In regard to cattle, it was evident tiiat the struggle which has been going on for some years in the governing councils of the Society had affected the show, but whether prejudicially or not is a moot point. It has long been a complaint by the small tenant-farmers of the hundred of Wirral that a competition specially intended for their encouragement and advancement was thrown open to all comers, and that the best prizes at the Society's annual show were invariably swept off by exhibitors from beyond the Society's district. But considering the re- luctance which many entertain, in the prevalence of foot-and- mouth disease, to send their healthy stock into a public show- yard, the collection must be pronounced on the whole good, and some individual beasts excellent. There was a decided falling off, owing to the same causes, in the general entries of sheep, but the special prizes to exhibitors within the hundred had the effect of drawing out some new names among the home competitors. The pigs were not over numerous, but of a good sort. Judges were: Horses (hunters and roadsters), the Hon. Colonel Cholmondeley, Abbott's Moss, Nantwich ; W. Lort, The Cotteridge, King's Norton : W. Cropper, Horn- castle. Horses (agricultural) : J. Dale, Liverpool ; W. Webster, Old Stone House, Litherland ; J. Monk, Seacombe, Birkenhead. Cattle : — Morton, Skelmergh Hall, Kendal ; — Pickering, Poulton ; — Bayne, Pensby. Sheep : J. Fer- gusson, George-street, Birkenhead ; — Shepherd, Eaton Farm, Chester. Pigs: J. Hiudson, Liverpool. Poultry and pigeons : W. Tegetmeir, Finchley. The prize list has nothing beyond a local interest. THE CATTLE PLAGUE. — The magistrates for the liberty of Peterborough have held a special meeting for the purpose of considering an application made by many farmers and cattle dealers in the neighbourhood, that the bench would close all fairs and markets in the liberty, and would also use their influence witli the magistrates of the adjoining county of Huntingdon and other local authorities, to induce them to take similar precautions. The bench unanimously decided to close all markets in the liberty for sale of cattle from the 16th September instant until the 28th day of Octo- ber next, and also to prohibit the movement of all cattle into and within the liberty without a licence. Lord Kesteven said several of the Huntingdonshire magistrates had expressed their intention to adopt similar precautions and to close the large annual fair for cattle known as Peterborougli Bridge Fair, so not after the stand-still policy of The Times with its social, political, and hero-worship traditions, but by treat- ing the thing strictly as a matter of business. a 2 348 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. HUNTINGDONSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT RAMSEY. On tlie whole the exhibition was a fair average one, and notwithstanding the ravages of foot-and-moutli disease in the neighbourliood, there were good entries of cattle and sheep. Tlie number of liorses entered was 88, against 83 last year. TJie Hunter cup of £25, in class 7 produced a competition of 1 1 animals, and was awarded to Mr. C. C. Hayward, Southill, Beds. Mr. A. W. Marshall's £10 cup for tiie best mare and foal for hunting purposes produced a show of 8 animals, and the prize was given to ]\lr. Wooll, of Hartford, for a black mare and foal. The number of entries for breeding and store stock was 45 against 33 of last year, showing an increase of S. The President offered a cup of 20 guineas for the best cow in class 4, which was easily taken by Mr. Looker, Wyton. A silver cup for the best animal in any class, which was awarded to Mr. How, of Broughton ; Mr. J. Whittorae, of Ramsey, taking tlie first prize in class 9 for a red steer three-years-old. In sheep there was also an increase in the number of entries, 51 against 45 last year. Mr. T. Gunnell, of Milton, secured first prizes in classes 1 to G inclusive, and the £10 cups for a pen each of ewes and lambs. Mr. Street, of Harrowden, showed some Downs in class 11, which took first premium. The show of pigs was on a par with that of last year. There was a fallingoifin the poultry classes, the entries being 139 against 163 last year, PRIZE LIST. . JUDGES.— Horses: J. Nix, Chatteris; W. Sisman, Buck- worth; J. Martin, Wainfleet ; and J. Manning, Orlingbury. Cattle and Roots: C. Howard, Biddenham ; and W. Little, Littleport. Sheep and Pigs: J. H. Caswell, Laughton, Falkingham ; and II. Sworder, Orwell Manor, Roystou. HORSES. Stallions for agricultural purposes. — First prize, £15, R. H. Ekins, Wennington ; second, £7, J. Flinthara, Somersham. Cart mares and foals. — First prize, £10 cup, I. Jones, Wimblington, Isle of Ely ; second, £3, T. Gunnell, Milton, Cambs. Cart mares, not over sii years old, without foals. — Prize, £4, E. Vawser, Holme. Two-year-old cart geldings.— First prize, £4, H. Vawser, March ; second, £2, T. and S. Fyson, VVarboys. Two-year-old cart fillies.— First prize, £4, H. Purser, Wil- lington Manor, Beds ; second, R. H. Ekins. Best animal in two preceding classes. — £o cup, H. Vawser. Cart foals. — Prize, £2 2s., — . Jones, Wimblington. Mares or geldings, above four and under five years old, for hunting purposes. — First prize, £25 cup, C. C. Hayward, Southill, Beds. Highly commended : S. Pashler, Molesworth. Mares or geldings, five years old and upwards. — £10 cup, C. C. Hayward. Hunting mares and foals. — £10 cup, — . Wooll, Hartford. Roadster mares or geldings, above five years old, over 14 and not exceeding 15 hands 3 inches. — £5 cup, T. Golden, Benwick. Ponies, not exceeding 13 hands.— Prize, £2 2s, C. Whit- tome, jun., Doddington. Jumper.— £5 cup, C. C. Hayward. SHORTHORNS. Bulls, not under two years old.— First prize, £8, J. How, Broughton ; second, £4, B. Brown, Huntingdon. Bulls under two years old.— First prize, £6, J. How ■ second, £3, G. Brown, Pidley Heath. Cows, in milk or in calf.— First prize, £5, J. How ; second, x,i, J. How. Cows adapted for dairy purposes, not eligible to be entered in the Herd Book. — Cup, value 20 gs., and first prize, £5, Looker, Wyton Manor ; second, £3, B. How, Broughton. Heifers, over two and under three years old. — Prize, £4, J. How. Heifers, under two years old. — First prize, £3, J. How ; second, £1 lOs., J. How. Highly commended : C. Daintree, Fenton. Steers, over two and under three years old. — Prize, £5, C. Daintree ; second, £2 10s., C. Daintree. Steers, under two years old. — Prize, £3, C. Daintree. Pair of steers, of any age or breed, not being pure-bred Shorthorns. — First prize, £4, J. Wliittome, Ramsey ; second, £2, G. E. Daintree, Fenton. Best animal in foregoing classes. — Cup, value 20 gs., J. How. SHEEP. LONGWOOLS. Shearling wethers. — First prize, £4, T. Gunnell, Milton, Cambs ; second £2, — . Wooll. Shearling ewes. — First prize, £4, T. Gunnell ; second, £2, — . Wooll. Ewes that liave suckled lambs to the 1st of Juue. — First prize, £4, T. Gunnell ; second, £2, — . Wooll. Wetber-lambs. — First prize, £4, T. Gunnell ; second, £3, J. T. Roseblade, Hilton. Ewe-lambs. — Prize, £4, T. Gunnell. Tup-lambs. — Prize, £4, T. Gunnell. SnORT-WOOLLED OR MIXED BREED. Shearling wethers. — First prize, £4, F. Street, Harrowden ; second, j62, F. Street. Shearling ewes. — Prize, £4, F. Street. Ewes that have suckled Iambs to the 1st of Juue. — Prize, £4, Battcock, Hemingford Abbots. Wether-lambs.— First prize, £4, F. Street ; second, £2, F. Street. Ewe-lambs.— First prize, £4, F. Street ; second, £2, Batt- cock. Best pen of ewes. — £10 cup, T. Gunnell. Best pen of lambs. — £10 cup, T. Gunnell. Best ram. — £5 cup, — . Wooll. PIGS. Boars of the large breed. — First prize, £3, Looker ; second, £1 10s., G. E. Daintree. Boars of the small breed. — First prize, £3, S- Deacon, Pole- brook ; second, £1 10s., G. E. Daintree. Breeding or suckling sows of the large breed. — First prize, £3, J. Flintham, Somerham ; second, £1 10s., T. W. Watsou. St. Ives Hill. Breeding or suckling sows of the small breed.— Prize, £3, Earl of Carysfort, Elton Hall. Three yelts, over six and under twelve montlis old. — First prize, £3, Looker ; second, £1 lOs., J. Clifton, Houghton Hill. Best animal exhibited in the foregoing classes. — £5 cup, Earl of Carysfort. POULTRY. To the exhibitor obtaining the greatest number of prizes in the poultry classes, a £5 cup to — . Yardley of Birmingham. ROOTS. 20 Globe Mangels.— Cup, value £5 5s., T. Ekins, Warboys. 20 Long Mangels — Cup, value £5 5s., — . Looker. 20 Carrots. — Cup, value £5 5s., R. H. Ekins, Weninglon. 30 Kolil Rabi.— Cup, value £6 Ss., — , Cranfield, Bnckdeu. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 349 THE HALIFAX AND CALDER VALE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT HALIFAX. The show of cattle exliibited by farmers was especi- ally good. This class of animals was more numerous liian usual, whilst there was an absence of the animals belonging to gentlemen wlio have in previous years been large exhibitors at this siiow ; and hence the gentleman's class was not so well represented as on some former occasions. The number of bulls was not so large as we have seen. There was a good show of pigs, but very few sheep. Tiie greatest interest was manifested in the exhibition of horses, of which there was a very large show. The whole class of draught horses was good, and marked a great improvement during the past few years. Tlie roadsters, for which this show used to be famous, were not in such great force as has been the case on previous occasions. There was a numer- ous display of ponies and cobs ; and the hunters were of a very good quality. Of eggs and butter there was a good display, tiiere being more competition in this class than has been the case for some years. The show of vegetables was also very good, especially in turnips and mangolds, for whicli the wea- ther has been very favourable. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES. — Cattle and Sueep : J. Kuowles, Welherby ; S. Watkinsou, Highgate House, Gargrave. Horses (hunting and roadsters): T. 11. Colton, Eagle Hall, Newark; T. Scott, Grantley Hall, fiipon. Horses (coachiug and draught) : J. Kirby, Burton Fie'ds, Stamford Bridge ; J. Crawshaw, Ebor Mount, Huddersfield. Wool: J. lliley, Woodtide, Hipperholme ; B. Foster, White Shaw, Hen- holme. Pigs and Hoots : H. Ambler, Watkinson Hall, Halifax ; G. Hutchinson, Prospect House, York. Imfle- ments and Butter : J. F. Crowther, Kuowl Grove, Mir- field ; W. Gomersall, Otterburn, Skipton. CATILE. (Open to the United Kingdom). Shorthorn bull, two years old or aged. — Silver Cup, W. Til- lotsou, Barnsley ; second prize, J. llowley, jun., Norton Priory. Highly commended : T. Eiley, Ewood Hall. One-year-old bull. — First and second prizes, H. Fawcett, Leeds. Commended : A. S. Shaw, Back Hall, Southowrara. Bull-calf. — Prize, H. Crossley. Alderuey or Guernsey bull. — First prize, T. lliley, Ewood Hall ; second, E. Akroyd, M.P. Shorthorn cow, three years old and aged. — Silver Cup, H. Crossley ; second prize, J. U. Armytage, Bradford. Highly commended : T. Hird, Skipton. Shorthorn cow, two years old and aged. — First and second prizes, H. Crossley. Shorthorn cow, one year old and aged. — First prize, T. Hird ; second, H. Fawcett. Wye calf. — First prize, T. Riley ; second, H. Crossley. Commended : T. Riley. Alderney or Jersey cow. — First prize, F. Lamsden, Halifax ; second, M. L. Magner, Hipperholme. Commended : E. Ak- royd, M.P. Guernsey cow. — Prize, J. Bancroft, Ovenden Wood. Ayrshire cow. — First prize, J. Gieenwood, High Road Well; second and commended, T. Riley. Dairy cow. — First prize, H. Crossley ; second, T. Hird. Commended : T. Marchant, Light cliile. Other breeds. — First prize, T. Riley (Dun Scott) ; second, T. Riley (Angus and Shorthorn). (Open to Farmers only). Shorthorn bull. — Silver Cup, R. Law, Todmordeu ; second, J. lUingworth, Thornton. Commended: 11. Greenwood, My- Iholraroyd. Bull-calf. — First prize, J. Crossley ; second, J. Crabtree, Kirklees Park. Shorthorn cow, three years old or aged. — F'irst prize, J. Coales, llartishead Moor ; second, J. Bancroft. Highly com- mended : W. Redman, Crimsworth. Two-year-old cow. — First prize, J. Crossley ; second, J. Coates. Higlily commtndcd : J. S. Wright, Shaw Booth. Commended : T. Robertshaw, lllingworth. One-year-old cow. — First prize, J. Bancroft; second, W. Sutclill'e, Mytholmroyd. Highly commended : J. Greenwood, Highroadwell. \\'ye calf. — First prize, J. Wright, Warley ; second, T. Robertshaw. Dairy cow. — Silver Cup, J. Bancroft ; second, S. Murga- troyd, Roebucks. Highly commended : S. Murgatroyd. Com- mended : J. Robinson, Vicar's Park. HORSES. (Open to the United Kingdom). Hunter. — Silver Cup, value 10 guineas, J. I'earon, Cork- ickle, Whitehaven ; second prize, H. Jevvison, Raisthorp, York. Highly commended : W. Armslrcug, Kendal. Leaper above 14| hands. — Silver Cup (10 guineas), T. E. Ingle, Knottingley ; second, 0. Sanderson, Womersley Grange; third, 11. Johnson, Spofforlh. Leaper under 14-^ hands. — Silver Cup and whip, E. S. Bcut, Manchester ; second prize, C. W. Eastwood, Greelland ; third, J. Oakley, Carlton-place, Halifax. Roadster stallion. — Silver Cup, J. Smith, Skipton ; second, J. Gill, Silsden. Yearliug roadster. — First prize, AV. Tattersfield and Sous, Heckmondwike ; second, J. lloldsworth. Willow field. Two-year-old roadster. — First prize, J. Crossley, Manor Heath ; second, J. Wilde, Holme-on-Spalding. 'J'hrce-year-old roadster. — First prize, S. Watkinson, Gar- grave ; second, A. B. Foster, Norlhowram Hall. Four-year-old and aged roadster. — First prize and Silver Cup, T. Clarkson, Leeds ; second, R. Mitchell, Bowling Park ; third, J. Maude, Leeds. Mare or gelding for saddle or harness. — Silver Cup, A. B. Foster. Roadster mare and foal. — First prize, J. Wilde ; second, W. Sugden, Rastrick. Highly commended : Rev. R. C. Willord, Lindley ; J. F\ Crowlher, Mirfield ; A. Greenwood, Rough, Stansfield. Draught staUion. — Silver Cup, J. Forshaw, Burley-iu- Wharfedale; second prize, J. Edmondson, Exlwistle. Yearling draught colt or lilly. — First prize, M. Toder, West Burton, near Lincoln ; second, I. Firth and Sous, llalilax. Two-year-old draught colt or filly. — First prize, Ogdcn and Lumb, ilythohuroyd ; second, H. Greenwood, Calverley. Three-year-old draught colt or filly. — First prize, G. Dibb ; second, J. Akroyd and Son, Halifax. Four-year-old or aged draught mare or gelding. — Silver Cup, C. W. Brierley, Middleton; second, J. Smith, Wharf Mills, Huddersfield. Draught mare or gelding, not exceeding 16^ hands, the pro- perty of a Halifax tradesman or fanner.— Silver Cup, R, Midgley, Netherton Mills; second, H. Tonge, Willow House. Highly commended: J. Evans, Forrest Villas. Pair of Draught horses.— First prize, C. W. Brierley; second, J. Maude, West Vale. Draught mare and foal. — Prize, J. Singleton, Coley Walks Farm. Carriage Inrse. — Silver Cup, E. Charlesworth, Bradford ; second prize, J. W. Kenyon, Shepley. Lady's pad. — Silver Cup, H. Crossley; second prize, ¥. C. Matthews, Driffield. Mounted cob. — Silver Cup, U. Crossley ; second prize, E. Charlesworth ; third, J. F, Crowther. liighly commended : T. Gaukroger, Clarendon Place, Halifax. Mare or gelding for harness. — Silver Cup, H. Crossley ; second prize, C. Mills, Bradford. Pony not exceeding 13^ hands. — Silver Cup, C. For.'iylh, Halifax ; second prize, J. Anderton, Northgate, Halifax. 350 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Mounted pony above 12 and not exceeding 13^ hands, — First prize, C. Forsyth ; second, J. Maude ; third, G. Hood, Bowden. Mounted pony not exceeding 12 hands. ^First prize, F. Mozey, Leeds ; second, T. Wood, Range Bank, Halifax. Highly commended : W. F. Fox, Dewsbury. SHEEP. Ram of any age or breed. — Prize, M. Lamb, Otley. Pen of three Leicester ewes. — First prize, M. Lamb ; second, H. Crossley. WOOL. Two ileeces Northumberland long-wool. — I'irst prize, D. Parker and Co., Halifax ; second, F. Sutcliffe, Halifax. Com- mended : T. Marchant and Co., Halifax. Two fleeces Northumberland wether wool. — First prize, D. Parker and Co. ; second, Anderson Brothers, Halifax. Com- mended : T. Marchant and Co. Two fleeces Irish wether wool. — First prize, W. Appleyard and Son, Halifax ; second, L. Walker, Halifax. Two fleeces Midland Counties hogg wool. — First prize, C. Willey, Bradford ; second, Stansfield and Co., Halifax. Two fleeces Midland Counties wether wool.^First prize, Stansfield and Co. , second, Whitaker and Broadbent, Halifax. Commended: J. Holdsworth, Halifax. Two fleeces South Country hogg wool, — First prize, W. Appleyard and Son ; second, J. Holdsworth. Commended : Anderson Brothers. Two fleeces South Country wether wool. — First and second prizes, J. Holdsworth. PIGS. Boar, large breed. — First prize, P. Eden, Salford ; second, C. R. N. Beswicke-Royds^ Littleborough. Boar middle breed. — First prize, J. E. Fox, Great Horton ; second, C. R. N. Beswick-Royds. Boar small breed. — First prize, P. Eden ; second, C. R. N. Beswick-Royds. Black boar. — First prize, T. Gaukroger, Halifax ; second, C. R, N. Beswick-Royds. Highly commended: H. Crossley, Watkinson Hall. Black boar, under six months old. — First and second prizes, P. Eden. Highly commended : G. Spenceley, Hahfax. Sow and litter — First prize, P. Eden ; second, H. Crossley. Sow, large breed. — First prize, P. Eden ; second, W. Firth, Shipley Moor Colliery. fe Sow, middle breed. — First and second prizes, W. Parker, Bradford. Highly commended : P. Eden. Sow, small breed. — First prize, C. R, N. Beswicke-Royds ; second, P. Eden. Black sow. — First prize, C. R. N. Beswicke-Royds ; second, M. Walton, Halifax. Highly commended : T. Gaukroger. Gilt, under six months — First prize, T. Gaukroger ; second, H. Crossley. Black gilt, under six months. — First and second prizes, M. Walton. Store pig, small breed. — First prize, F. Bramfitt, Leeds ; second, W. Jackson, Halifax. Highly commended: C. F. Hallas, Huddersfield. Store pig, black breed. — First prize, M. Walton ; second, T. Gaukroger. Commended : J. Priestley, Bowling. Pig above six months (open to working men within the parish of Halifax). — Silver Cup, S. S. Jackson, Halifax; second, G. Womersley, Hipperholme. Commended : C. G. Barber, Lightcliffe ; and S. Fawtiirop, Hipperholme. Gilt under six months. — Silver Cup, J. Richardson, Hali- fax ; second, W. Dawson, Coley. Highly commended : W. Dewhirst, Hipperholme. Commended : J. Richardson. Boar, middle breed, open only to first prize pigs. — Cup, C. R. N. Beswicke-Royds. Sow, middle breed, open only to prize sows.— Silver Cup, W, Parker. Black boar, open only to prize pigs. — Silver Cup, T. Gauk- roger. ROOTS. Turnips. — First and second prizes, W. Driver, Grove-house, Southowram. Commended : Crossley. Mangel wurzel. — First prize, F. R.Rawson, Thorp ; second, J. Carter, Lightclifi"e. Kohl-rabi. — First prize, F. E. Rawson ; second, H. Cross- ley. Commended : T. Riley, Ewocd-hall. BUTTER. First prize, E. Akroyd, M.P., Bank Field ; second, T. Mar- chant, Lightcliffe. IMPLEMENTS. Plough. — Prize, J. Robinson, Leeds, Pair of harrows. — First and second, prizes, J. Robinson. Haymaker. — First prize, J. Robinson ; second, T. and F, Roper, Halifax. Haycutter. — First prize, J, Robinson ; second, T. and F, Roper, Turnip cutter. — First and second prizes, J. Robinson. Washing machine. — Firstprize, J. M. Rimmington and Co. Newcastle-on-Tyne ; second. Thorough Washing Machine Co., Burnley. ^HE STAFFORDSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT STAFFORD. The prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease, together Mvith. an absurd rule here tried for the first, and, as it is to be hoped, for the last time, conduced to a miserably poor show in the very capitol of the county. The entries in most of the classes were small, and many of these were not sent. LTnder the new regulation, Mr. Bradburn was not permitted to exhibit his Cardiff stock, and there was scarcely an animal of any repute in a show which in six classes barely reached in all to twenty Shorthorns ! In fact, amongst the cattle there was just one creditable class of dairy cows shown in pairs, and one very good fat cow from Wednesfield. The Leicesters or other long- woolled sheep seldom exceeded two competitors in each class, and the sheep shown were wofuUy inferior ; while there were eight entries of Shropshire old sheep, and about a dozen shearlings, Mrs. Beach having the best of it. There was a small exhibition of pigs, occasionally with no competition whatever, Mr. Mathew Walker having it all his own w ay with large, small, and Berk- shires. That beautiful Clydesdale, Young Lofty, took the first prize for cart stallions, an exception being made with Cardiff horses ; and Mr. Stubbs, of Burston, won with a capital brown cob. The extra stock, into which the Cardiff animals were admitted to show for medals, num- bered in all one Shropshire sheep, a couple of Alderneys, a couple of Shorthorns, and half-a-dozen nondescript horses. There was, however, a very fine show of judges and stewards, those'who had previously appeared at Cardiff being fortunately not excluded. PRIZE-LIST. JUDGES.— SnoRTHORNS and Fat Cattle : R. J. Newton, Campsfield, Woodstock ; G. H. Sanday, Holme Pierpoint, Nottingham. Shropshire Sheep and Pigs : T. Horley, The Fosse, Leamington ; T. Mansell, Ercall Park, Shrews- bury. Dairy Cows and Leicester Sheep : F. Spencer, Claybrook, Lutterworth ; E. Little, Lanhill, Chippenham. Agricultural Horses: H. Lowe, Comberford; W. Wright, Hollington, Longford. Hunting Horses, Hacks, AND Cobs : C. Randell, Chadbury, Evesham ; J. Boote, Weston Hall, Crewe. Cheese in Yard and Butter : H. Smith, Clifton ; Mr. Pakeman, Derby. Cheese in Cheeseroom : H. E. Eraberliu, Leicester ; C. Mills, Wol- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 351 verhampton. Implement Trials: J. J. Rowley, Row- thorne; R. Craven, Uttoxeter. Implements in Yard AND Corn and Roots : G. B. Keeling, Hampton House ; J. Brewster, Baldeiton Hall. Poultry: E. Hewitt Sparkbrook. SHORTHORNS. Bulls.— First prize, £10, and Society's silver medal, T. Nash, Featherstone ; second, £5, O. Bennion, Cresswell, Staf- ford. Yearling bulls.— First prize, £10, and Society's silver medal, T. Nash ; second, £5, F. Stanier-Broade, Betley Hall, Crewe. Bull-calf.— First prize, £5, A. Robotham, Drayton Bassett ; second, £2 10s., O. Bennion. Cows.— First prize, £6, T. Nash ; second, £4, W. Brad- burne, WednesfielC. Highly commended : Rev. J. K. Dunne, Creswell, Cheadle. In-calf heifers in pairs.— First prize, £6, O. Bennion ; se- cond, £4', C. Hopper, Stafford. Heifers in pairs.— First prize, £5, A. Robotham; second, £3, C. Stubbs, Preston Hill, Penkridge. DAIRY CATTLE. Bulls. — First prize, £10, and Society's silver medal, G. Bagnall, Draycot ; second, £5, G. Swift, Hanchurch. Cows in pairs. — First prize, £10, and second, £5, T. C. Smith, Birdsgrove, Ashborne. In-calf heifers in pairs. — First prize, £5, T. Nash ; second, £3, Mrs. H. M. Peake, Lammascote, Stafford. Heifers in pairs. — Prize, £4-, M. Walker, Stockley Park, Anslow. FAT CATTLE. First prize, silver cup, value £10, W. Bradbura (Moss Rose) ; second, £5, J. Tyrer, Tixall Hall. Highly com- mended : W. Bradburn (Miss Chesterfield). SHEEP. LEICESTERS OR OTHER LONGWOOLS. Ram. — First prize, £5, and second, £3, R. Johnson, Upper- field, Wirksworth. Shearling ram. — First prize, £5, second, £3, and Society's silver medal, R. Johnson. Ram-lamb. — First prize, £3, and second, £2, R. Johnson. Breeding ewes. — First prize, £3, R . Johnson ; second, £2, A. Bryer, Quarndon, Derbysliire. Shearling ewes. — First prize, £3, R. Johnson ; second, 62, A. Bryer. Ewe-lambs. — Prize, £2, A. Bryer. SHROPSHIRES. Ram. — First prize, £5, S. Beach, The Hattons, Brewood ; second, £3, W. Marsou, Butterhill, Stafford. Shearling ram. — First prize, £5, and Society's silver medal, S. Beach ; second, £3, C. Byrd, Littywood, Stafford. Ram-lamb. — First prize, £3, C. Byrd ; second, £2, R. Wjatt, Acton Hill, Stafford. Highly commended: W. Stubbs, Stockton. Commended : M. Cotton, Green Fields, Bradley. Breeding ewes. — First prize, £5, R. Wyattj second, £3, C. Smith, Kirk Langley, Derbyshire. Shearling ewes. — First prize, £5, C. Timmis, Brickhouse, Stafford ; second, £3, S. Beach. Ewe-lambs.— First prize, £3, C. Byrd; second, £2, R. Wyatt. Commended : W. Grindley, Weeping Cross. PIGS. Boar of a iarge breed. — First prize, £3, and Society's silver medal, H. Tomlinson, Blithford; second, £2, M. Walker. Commended : M. Walker. Breeding sow of a large breed. — First prize, £3, M. Walker ; second, £2, H. Robson, Penkridge. Boar of a small breed. — First prize, £3, and Society's silver medal, M. Walker ; second, £2, F. W. Meynell, Coxbench Hall, Derby. Breeding sow of a small breed. — Prize, £3, M. Walker. Boar of the Berkshire breed. — First prize, £3, and Society's silver medal, M. Walker; second, £2, R. Wyatt. Highly commended : Dr. Hewson, Coton Hill, Stafford. Breeding Berkshire sow. — First prize, £3, and second, £2, Dr. Hewson. Pen of not less than three pigs, large breed, — First prize, ^£3, and second, £2, M. Walker. Pen of not less tlian three pigs, small breed.— First prize, £3, and second, £2, M. Walker. Pen of not less than three pigs, Berkshire breed.— First prize, £3, the Earl of Shrewsbury ; second, £2, M. Walker. HORSES. FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES. Entire horses (open to the United Kingdom). — First prize, £25, and silver medal, H. Tomlinson (Young Lofty) ; second, £15, Yeomans Brothers, Penny more Hay, Wolverhampton (Pride of England). Highly commended : J . Perkin, Manstey Farm, Penkridge (Young Prince). Mare and foal. — First prize, £10, H. Tomlinson ; second, £6, F. Wood, Castle Farm, Stafford. Highly commended : J. Birch, Pearse Hay, Penkridge. Two-year-old gelding or filly. — First prize, £6, J. Hawks- worth, Barton Fields, Derby ; second, £4, J. Birch. Yearling gelding or filly, — Prize, £6, Stonetrough Colliery Company, Lawton. HUNTERS. Weight carriers. — First prize, £20, J. Cooper, The Hollies, Newcastle ; second, £10, H. A. Cotton, Alstone. Light-weight carriers.— First prize, £20, E. H. Martin, Bar Hill House, Madeley ; second, £10, G. Swift, Hanchurch, Newcastle. Horses of not less value than 70 guineas— First prize, £15, E. H. Martin ; second, £10, C. Stubbs. Mare with a foal for hunting. — First prize, £6, Stonetrough Colliery Company : second, £4, T. James, Shushions Manor, Church Eaton. Hackney mare or gelding, not exceeding 15 hands 2 inches, four years old or upwards. — First prize, £10, E. H.Martin; second, £5, G. J. Mitchell, Newton Mount, Burton. Cob, mare, or gelding, not exceeding 14 hands 2 inches. — First prize, £6, J. Stubbs, Burstou, Stone ; second, £4, G. J. Mitchell. Extra Stock. — Silver medal, J. Darlington, New Build- ings, Stafford (dark brown gelding) ; silver medal, the Earl of Shrewsbury, Ingestre Hall, Stafford (colt). CHEESE AND BUTTER. Thick cheese.— First prize, £6, T. Simon, Temhill, Market Drayton ; second, £4, W. H. S. Kynnersley, Brook House, Uttoxeter ; third, £3, G. C. Brayford, Yarlet, Stafford ; fourth, £2, T. Ashcroft Walford, Eccleshall. Thin cheese. — First prize, £6, W. Smith, Rangemoor Farm, Burton ; second, £4, T. C. Smith, Birdsgrove, Aslibourn : third, £3, S. Birchnall, Catton, Burton ; fourth, £2, W. T. Carrington, Hollington, Uttoxeter. Highly commended : J. Hawksworth. Commended: M. Walker; T. Pakeman, Top Moor, Uttoxeter. Dairy of cheese. — First prize, £10, T. C. Smith ; second, £5, J. Carrington, Croxden Abbey, Uttoxeter. Highly com- mended : J. Hawksworth, S. Burchnall, W. H. S. Kynnersley. Commended : M. Walker ; S. Woodward, Etwall, Derby. Butter.— First prize, £3, E. Sharratt, jun., Longdon, Ruge- ley ; second, £2, W. Aston, Seisdon, Wolverhampton ; third, £1, S. Woodward. CORN AND ROOTS. Mangolds. — Long red : prize, £3, W. T. Carrington. Globe : prize, £2, W. T. Carrington. Swede turnips.— Prize, £2, W. T. Carrington. Ox cabbage.— Prize, W. T. Carrington. Collection of roots.— Prize, £3, W. T. Carrington. Late potatoes (any variety).— Prize, £2, F. Shaw, Norton Moss, Stone. ■\yiieat. — ■V^^lite: first prize, £2, J. Greatorex, Stretton Barton ; second, £1, R. H. Masfen, Pendeford, Wolverhamp- ton. Red: firstprize,£2, J. Greatorex; second, £1, R. H.Mas- fen. Talavera : first prize, £2, J. Greatorex ; second, £1, R. H. Masfen. Barley. — Prize, £2, J. Greatorex. Oats. — First prize, £2, J. Greatorex; second, £1, W. Shaw, Cold Norton, Stone. IMPLEMENTS. Forder and Co., Wolverhampton, for landaus and other vehicles, medal. Underbill, Newport, Salop, for superiority of collection, £2. Hathaway, Chippenham, medal, for churn. 352 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Perkins, Yoxall, £1, for a plough, steel-breasted. Corbett, Shrewsbury, medal for a combined blowing, winnowing, and dressing machine ; £1 for a double plough ; 10s. for a single plougli ; and 10s. for a clover drill. Massey, Stafford, medal, for a vertical boiler engine. For collection of laundry imple- ments, Bell and Co., London, £1. G. Ball, North Kilworth, llugby , collection of carts and waggons, medal. Addison & Sons, StaffoVd, B. B. plough, 10s. ; £1 for collection of implements. Bate, Compton Mill, Wolverhampton, medal for corn mill, lludge and Griffith, Stafford, medal for Corbett's grinding mill, 10s, for a plough fitted with Corbett's revolving harrow, and £2 for collection. Lea, medal for his models of crossing gates, fog signals, and safety mantelet for rifle shooting. Inman, of Manchester, for rustic garden-houses, seats, £1. Mellard's Trent Foundry (Limited), £2 for collection. Bam- ford and Son, 10s. for double-chamber cheese press, and £2 for collection. Southwell and Co., Rugeley, £1 for a grist mill, £1 for a chaff engine, and medal for collection. Ball and Son, Rothwell, 10s. for a plough with Lewis's revolving harrow, £1 for a plough, and medal for a double plough, Lewis and Co., Shrewsbury, modal for a two-horse mower. Bradford and Co., Manchester, £1 for laundry machines and other implements. DURHAM AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT DURHAM. Tlie show was the best ever seen in the county of Durham for Shorthorns and horses. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES.— Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs : J. Wood, Harewood Hill, Darlington ; M. Stephenson, Fourstones ; W. Bartho- lomew, Waddlington Heath, Lincoln. Field and Hauness Houses : P. Baldersby, Thirsk ; J. Smith, Humberton, Borobridge; W. W. Hawdon, Walkerfield, Staindrop. Agricultural Horses : W. Potts, Park House, Ponte- land ; B. Spraggon, Nafferton, Stocksficld-on-Tyne ; J. Outhwaite, Bainesse, Catterick. Implements: G. Strat- ton, Clyde House, Ferryhill ; J. Parrington, Brancepeth ; G. Atkinson, Sealiam Harbour, SHORTHORNS. A silver cup of 10 guineas, for the best four Shorthorns, G. Atkinson, Hall Farm, Seaham, Bulls, any age. — First prize, £10 and silver cup, J. Outh- waite, Bainesse, Catterick (Royal Windsor) ; second, £5, W^. Linton, Sheriff Hutton, York (Lord Irwin). Highly com- mended : J. Vickers, Mown Meadows, Crook (Lorenza Villa), Bulls,undertwoyears. — First prize, £10, Lady Pigot,Branches Park, Newmarket (Rapid) ; second, £5, W. Linton (Leeman). Cows in calf or milk, having liad a calf within the last twelve months. — First prize, £8, J. Outhwaite (Vivandiere) ; second, £4, G. Atkinson (St. Crispin). Highly commended : T. H. Hutchinson, Manor House, Catterick (Dairy Maid). Commended: W. H. Raine, Morton Tinmouth (Fern Frond). Heifers in calf, two years old. — Krst prize, £6, H. Smith, Esli Hall, Durham (Countess) ; second, £3, C. Charlewood, Padworth, Reading (Matchless). Commended: Lady Pigot (Victoria Victrix). Heifers, one year old — First prize, £4, T. H. Hutchinson (Lady Louisa) ; second, £2, Lady Pigot (Scintilla). Bull-calves, under 12 months old — Prize, £3, T, H. Hut- chinson (King Cole). Heifer-calves, under 12 months old. — First prize, £3, Lady Pigot (Rose of "Wytham) ; second, £1, T. H. Hutchinson (Lady Play fair). Commended; T. H. Hutchinson (Pretty Maid). Bulls, under three years old. — First prize, £5, G. Atkinson (White Duke) ; second, £2, R. Laycock, Lintz Hall, Burnop- field (Surz). Cows iu calf or milk, having had a calf within the last 12 months. — First prize, £3, G. Atkinson (Bracelet) ; second, £1, W. H. Raine (Rosalind). Heifers in calf, two years old. — Prize, £3, G. Atkinson (Red Ruby). SHEEP. LEICESTER OR LONG-WOOLLED. Rams, any age. — First prize, £5, and second, £2, T. H. Hutchinson. Shearling rams. — First prize, £5, and second, £2, T. H. Hutchinson. Pen of five ewes, having reared lambs this year. — First prize, £3, and second, £2, T. H. Hutchinson. Pen of shearling gimmers. — First prize, £3, T. II. Hut- chinson ; second, £2, F. Tidyman, Wolviston, West Hartle- pool. PIGS. Boars, large breed. — First prize, £3, R. E. Duckering and Son, Kirton Lindsey ; second, £1, W. Lister, Armley, Leeds. Boars, small breed. — F'irst prize, £3, W. Lister ; second, £1, R. E. Duckering and Son. Sows, large breed. — First prize, £2, R. E. Duckering and Son ; second, £1, — . Davidson, Constautine, Crook. Sows, small breed — First prize, £2, W. Wilson, Aimley, Crook ; second, £1, R. E. Duckering and Son. Pigs, the property of a cottager.— Prize, £1, J. Taylor, White House, Easington. HORSES. Leaping. — First prize, £10 and silver cup, H. Johnson, Railway Hotel, Spofforth (Annie) ; second, £5, D. and R. Battye, Myton Old Hall, Helperby, Borobridge (Diplomatist) ; third, £2, H. Watson, Hilton Grange (Rose of Raby). Hunters. — First prize, £10, and silver cup, value £10, W. f Armstrong, Wattsfield, Kendal (The Banker) ; second, £5, H. Jewison, Raisthorpe, York (Landmark). Mares for breeding hunters. — First prize, silver cup, value £10, B. Spraggon, Nafferton, Stocksfield-on-Tyne (Jess); second, £5, H. Watson, Newbiggen, Filey (Lady Decanter) ; third, R. Emmcrson, Over Dinsdale (Topsy). Colts for the field, three years old. — First prize, £4, W. Clark, Killerby, Darlington ; second, £1, M. and T. Brunton, Howe Hills, Aycliffe, Darlington (Governor), Fillies for the field, three years old. — First prize, £4, T. Sutton, Middleton-one-Row, Darlington ; second, £1, J. Har- rison, Glaisdale, AVhitby (Miss Patty). Colts for the field, two years old. — First prize, £3, T. and •* G. Knowles, Windy Hill, Yarm (Bobby) ; second, £1, M. Kearney, The Ford, Lanchester (Cavalier). Fillies for the field, two years old. — First prize, £2, E. Hall, Ricknall Grange, Aycliffe, Darlington (Nancy) ; second, £1, M. and T. Brunton (Jenny Walker). Yearling colts for the field. — Prize, £2, W, Johnson, New- biggin, Sadberge, Darlington. Yearling fillies for the field.— First prize, £2, R. and P. Hopps (Flying Omid) ; second, £1, H. Robson, Western Hill. Harness mares. — First prize, cnp and £3, R. Watson, Maltby House, Stockton ; second, £2, L. Manfield, Thirkleby Barugh, Thirsk (Blossom). Colts for harness, three years old — First prize, £4, G. Ro- binson, Martou Farm, Middlesborough (Franky) ; second, £1, R. Crowe, Low Raisby, Kelloe (Bondholder). Fillies for harness, three years old. — First prize, £4, I. Scarth, Mount Pleasant, West Rounton, Northallerton (Lady Hawthorn) ; second, £1, Earl Vane, Seaham Hall (Negress). Colts for harness, two years old — First prize, i^3, J. Harrison, Polham, Darlington (Prince Bismarck) ; second, £1, J. Leng, Houghton-le-Side, Heighington (Sir David). Fillies for harness, three years old. — First prize, £3, R. Thompson, Low Hills, Easington (Mary); second, £1, I. Scarth (Black Bess). Yearling colts for harness. — First prize, £2, L. Manfield ; second, £1, M. Tinkler, Bishop Middleham. YearHug fillies for harness. — Prize, £2, Mrs. White, County Hotel, Durham (Lady Sarah). Foals for the saddle.— First prize, £2 and sweepstakes of THE FARMER'S JMAGAZINE. 363 5s. pacli, 11. Watson, Newbiggiu ; second, 10s-, B. Spraggon. Foals for harness. — First prize, sweepstakes and £'2, — . Knaggs, llardwick House Farm, Thorp Road, Stockton-on- Tees ; second, 10s., L. Manfield (Cain). Cart foals. — First prize, sweepstakes and £3, B.. Lnycock, Liutz Hall, Burnopfield, by Wellington ; second, I. Bewick, Middle Brunton, Newcastle (Honest Tom). Commended : M. Stevenson (Esh). AGRICLUTURAL HORSES. Cart mares. — First prize, cup and £5, G. Atkinson (Dinah) ; second, £3, J. Laws, Eachwick lied House, Dalton (Bet). Cart colts, three years old.— First prize, £4-, The Earl of DurJiam, Bowes House, Durham (Roger) ; second, £1, W. Hynd, Low Butterby (Tom). Cart fillies, three years old.— Prize, £i, T. Burdus, jun., Coalpits, Hexham (Blossom). Cart colts, two years old.— First prize, £3, G. Liddell, Chil- ton. Ferryliill; second, £1, W.Richardson, Willington Old Hall (Tom). Commended : Earl Vane (Major). Cart fillies, two years old.— First prize, ^£3, M. T. Clark, riltington llalgarth ; second, £1, G. T-irnbuU, Twizell Hall, Chcster-le-Streut (Sally). Commended: U. Laycock, Liutz Hall, Burnopfield. Yearling cart colts.— Prize, £3, M. Wardell, North Pastures Farm, South Shields (Jack). Yearling cart fillies.— First prize, £3, T. Laidler, Wittoa Gilbert (Duchesse) ; second, £1, T. Liidler (Damsel). Pair of draught horses. — First prize, silver cup and £5, L. Wood, Hetton Hall (Billy) ; second, £3, Earl Vane (Boxer). Commended: N. Stonehouse and Sons (Victor and Bruce). Roadsters. — First prize, silver cup, I. Scarth (Charlie) ; second, £3, T. Clarkson, Melbourne Street, Leeds (Flora). Ladies' hackneys. — First prize, silver cup, D. Dale, West Lodge, Darlington (Greatheart) ; second, £5, C. Pease, Green- croft, Darlington (Jessie). Ponies, mare or gelding, not exceeding 14; hands high.— First prize, £5, J. B. Dale, West Lodge, Darlington (Ral)y) ; second, £2, W. Howe, Bondgatc, Darlington (Polly). Ponies, not exceeding 13 hands high. — First prize, £3 and cup, L. Wood (The Baron) ; second, £1, Earl Vane (Prince). ROYAL AND CENTRAL BUCKS AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. MEETING AT AYLESBURY. Utterly discouatenaacing tlic suicidal regulation of the Staffordshire Society, there were a number of animals in the entry at Aylesbury which had previously appeared at Cardift', and with sundry Royal winners also successful here. The show, indeed, was pretty generally good ; with Messrs. George Garnc aud Muniford exhibiting some ! highly-bred Shorthorns, the Messrs. Denchfield some of ] their useful dairy cows, and Mr. Senior giving a variety to the scene with his handsome Devons. | Then, amongst the sheep were Lord Chesham's Shrop- shires, but with a far stronger display of Oxfordshire Downs from the flocks of ilr. Treadwell, Mr. Longland, Mr. F. Street, Mr. Stilgoe, and others ; while Mr. Biggs, Mr. R. Fowler, and ^Nlr. Treadwell sent in some of their well-known Berkshire pigs. Still, the strong feature of the meeting was the horse show, which the judges, both tried hands here, declared to be the best ever seen in Aylesbury. The hunters vrcre especially excellent, but Mr. Lepper maintained his lead, and won with an own brother to the famous prize stallion Dalesman, who by the way, has again changed hands, ha\'ing just been purchased of Lord Spencer by Mr. Henry Chaplin for the use of his Lincolnshire tenants. There is no stopping Mr. Lepper, who is a farmer as well as a V. S. ; but surely it was scarcely the Baron's intention that his cup should be won year after year by Lord Norreys' racing yearlings ? As it seems to us the competition in this class should be confined to stock bred by bond fide farmers in the country over which the stag- hounds hunt. Considering that they rear ducks in their best bedrooms and geese in their front parlours at Ayles- bury, there was of course a capital show of all sorts of poultry ; as from what occurred at the dinner it would appear that the very people have taken to crowing and cackling at anything or anybody who pleases or displeases them. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES. — Ploughing and Pigs : J. Tompkins, Ivinghoe ; C. Hedges, Eaton Bray. Horses : J. Bulford, Hordley, Woodstock; J. K. Elliott, Heathencote, Towcester. Cattle : J. Faulkner, Dadford, Buckingham ; T. Bates, Eaton Green, Luton. Siieef : J. Terry, Puilowes, Ayles- bury ; J. Bryan, South Lee, Witney. Butter: H. Pybus, jun.. Metropolitan Meat Market, London. Root Crops : E. Denchfield, Burston, Aylesbury ; R. Fowler, Broughtou, Aylesbury. Roots in tue Yard : C. Elliott, Hulcot, Aylesbury ; T. W. Morris, Bedgrove, Aylesbury. Poultry : Rev. G. F. Hodson, North Petherton, Bridgewater, HORSES. roR agricultural purposes. Geldings, three years old and upwards. — First prize, £5 5s., E. H. Baylis, Hogston ; second, £3, W. Cox, Denhani. Geldings, under three years.— First prize, £5 5s., T. S. Sutton, Thame; second, £2, Mary White, Pollicott. Com- mended : J. Hughes, Whaddon Hill. Mares, over three years old.— First prize, £5 5s., F. Street, Harrowden House; second, £3, E. M. M. Lucas. Highly commended : E. Terry, Q.uarrendou. Mare and foal (the foal to be dropped in 1873).— First prize, £5 5s., J. and E. Denchfield ; second, £3, J. Treadwell, Winchcndon. Commended : W. Cooper, Winchendon. Mares under three years.— First prize, £5 53., W. Flowers, Beachendou ; second, £3, J. and E. Denchfield, Burston. Yearling cart colt or filly.— Prize, £10 10s., J. Hughes. Commended : W. and J. Rose, Eythrope. RIDING HORSES. Horses or mares, for hunting purposes. — First prize, £7 7s., G. A. Lepper, Aylesbury (Brother to Dalesman) ; second, £3 38., G. Lepper. Nag geldings or mares, for riding and general purposes.— First prize, £5 5s., E. Terry ; second, £3, G. A. Lepper. For the best hunter, horse or mare (jumping to be a point of merit).— First prize, £21, A. R. Uowland, Thame ; second, Lord Norreys, Tetsworth. Commended : G. A. Lepoer. Sucking colt or filly— Prize, £10 10s., J. Elliott, Weudover Dean. A silver cup for the bes yearling colt, Lord Norreys, Tetsworth. CATTLE. Bulls, any breed, two years old and upwards. — First prize, £5 5s., G. Game, Churchill, Heath ; second, J. A. Mumford, Chiltou (Caballer). Bulls under two years.— First prize, £5 53., J. A. Mumford (Notley) ; second, £3, J. and E. Denchfield, Burston (Sir Lauucelot). Cows in-milk or in-calf. — First prize, £5 5s., G. Game ; second, £3, J. and E. Denchfield. Highly commended : T. L. Senior, Broughton House. Three cows in-milk or in-calf. — First prize, ^£10 10s., J. and E. Denchfield; second, £5 5s., J. and E. Denchfield. Highly commended : J. A. Mumford. Heifers in-milk or in-calf, under three and over two years old. — First prize, £5 5s., T. L. Senior (First Fruit) ; second, £3, G. Gurne. Highly commended : T. L. Senior (Lady E.lith). 354 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Heifers (in pairs) under two years old.— First prize, £5 5s., G. Underwood, Little Gaddesden (Sweet Briar) ; second, £3, J. A. Mumford (Damask Hose). Fat cows. — First prize, £5 5s., G. Game; second, £3, T. L. Senior. Fat oxen (any breed) under three years and six months old. — Prize, i'5 bs., T, L, Senior. SHEEP. Rams, any breed. — First prize, £5 5s., F. Street, Harrow- den House, near Bedford ; second, £3 2s., J. Treadwell, Winchendon. Highly commended : J. Treadwell. Com- mended : J. Wheeler and Son, Long Compton. Five (store) ewe-lambs for breeding purposes. — First prize, £5 5s., G. Underwood; second, £3, E. Freeman, Chilton. Highly commended : E. Freeman. Five fat ewes, any breed or age. — First prize, £5 5s,, Lord Chesham, Latimer; second, £2, J. Treadwell. Five fat wethers. — First prize, £5 5s., Lord Chesham ; second, £3, N. Stilgoe, Adderbury Grounds, Banbury. Five ewes of any breed, intended for breeding purposes. — First prize, £5 5s., J. Treadwell ; second, £3, 11. Fowlei*. Commended : G. Underwood. Five Shropshire ewes, intended for breeding purposes. — First prize, £5 Ss., R. Fowler ; second, £3, Lord Chesham. Five theaves (any breed) intended for breeding purposes. — First prize, £5 5s., J. Longland, Grendon ; second, £3, Lord Chesham. Highly commended : F. Street. PIGS. Boars, any breed. — First prize, £3 3s., J. Biggs, Cub- lington ; second, J. Wheeler and Sons. Highly commended : J. Wheeler and Sons. Sows (any breed) either in-pig or with litter. — First prize, £5 5s., 11. Fowler ; second, £3, J . Treadwell. Highly com- mended : J. Biggs. Commended : E. C. Clarke, Haddenham. Three fat pigs. — First prize, £3 3s., W. Cooper. Winchen- don ; second, £3, J. Biggs. Highly commended : E. M. M. Lucas, Rowsham. Commended : J. Wheeler and Sons. ROOTS. Crop of not less than two acres of mangold wurtzels, four acres of swedes, and two acres of kohl rabi or turnips, the whole of the roots on the farm to be taken into consideration. — Prize, a silver cup, value £10 10s., E. M. M. Lucas, Row- tham. Crop of not less than six acres, the whole of the swedes on the farm to be taken into consideration (for tenant-farmers only within twelve miles of Aylesbury). — Prize, a silver cup, value £10 10s., J. Procter, Ivinghoe Aston, Tring. Best collection of roots, not less than three kinds, twelve roots of each. — Prize, a silver cup, value £5 5s., E. M. M. Lucas. Twenty-five mangolds, taken from a piece of not less than two acres — First prize, £3, E. M. M. Lucas ; second, £1, G. Humphreys, Owlswick. Highly commended : E. M. M. Lucas_ THE IRISH NATIONAL HORSE AND SHEEP SHOW IN DUBLIN. It is nine years since the Annual Irish Horse Shows were inaugurated, in consequence of the acknowledged deterioration of Irish bred horses ; since that time these shows, which are supported by special subscriptions and receipts, have progressed rapidly in the improvement and value of sporting horses, but not so much in carriage or agricultural horses. The first show was held in 1861<, when there were exhibited 370 1865, there was no show 1866, the exhibits were 303 1867, in connection vnth the Royal in Stephen's-green .. 258 1868, „ 366 1869, 453 1870, _ 493 1871, in connection with the Royal in Bell's-bridKe ... 599 1873, : 578 The show for this year was held, as usual, in the Agri- cultural Halls and premises of the Royal Dublin Society, on Tuesday last, and was open for the three following days. The centre of the spacious courtyard was fenced in for the adjudications, and a ring outside that was set apart for the ride and leaping-bars, and surrounding the ride the spectators' stands were erected. Notwithstanding that every available space was made the most of, the pre- mises are too cramped for the growing wants of such an exhibition, for after the permanent covered halls were filled up the arrangements became disconnected, and the numbers did not follow in consecutive order, so that it became extremely difficult to find several classes and sections, and it is a matter of absolute necessity to provide more extensive premises, and several rings for adjudica- tion. Having but one ring, protracted the judgments to the second and part of the third day, so that a perfect list of prizes was unattainable till Thursday evening ; but with so numerous a staff of officers appointed, better arrangements should be expected ; and more than that, the selection of judges was not such as to give general satisfaction. Numerous objections have been lodged. The general character of the show was excellent, and the improvement in the young stock, particularly in the two-year-old colts and fillies, very remarkable ; but in the classes for weight-carrying hunters, good ones were rare, and were not a good representation of the Irish hunter, as many were not brought forward for some reason or other that is not quite apparent. The thoroughbred mares for the greater part were the redeeming feature of the show, and the foals at foot very promising, and amongst the numerous entries of cobs and ponies there were many capital performers. The entry for thoroughbred stallions, calculated to per- petuate the breed and produce weight-carrying hunters, numbered eleven. David Keys, Lagaturu, county Mayo, was placed first, for Lothario, bred by Baron Rothchild. This horse, now nine years old, has been four years in the possession of Mr. Keys, whom he carries with ease though seventeen stone weight. W. St. George, Headford House, Galway, came in second for Solon, bred by his father, by West Australian out of a Birdcatcher mare. P. O'Connor, Dublin, got a commend for Multum-in-Parvo (late Frost) by Weatherbit, out of a Birdcatcher mare. Artillery, now nineteen years old, the first-prize horse at this show in 1866, was shown in this class, looking as fine and clean-legged as ever, but unnoticed. Of thoroughbred stallions suited to get carriage-horses, there were seven. James Doyle, Ballincarrow, county Sligo, takes the first place for Pantaloon, by Small- hopes. Charles L. Ellison, Loughglynn, Roscommon, was put second for the well-known English-bred horse The Hadji, by Faugh-a-Ballagh, out of Athol Brose, who was shown but not placed last year. Thos. Phibbs, Heathfield, county Sligo, had a commend for The Jew, by Barabbas. Of thoroughbred sires, calculated to get hacks or harness horses, there were but three. Edward Saunders, Ballin- derry.park, Tipperary, got the only prize awarded for a nameless horse by Birdlime, the judges passing over the other two. In the class for weight-carrying hunters equal to not less than 14 stone, there were 76 entries for four prizes. The first went to Captain P. H. M'Dermot, Dondermot, Bellymo, for Nolens Volens, by Small Hopes ; second, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 355 Major Wellingtou Boud, North Circular-road, Dublin, for Conrad, by Arthur ; the third, to Richard Walsh, Kings- wood, Saggard, for Review, by Artillery ; the fourth, to Earl of ShauuQU, Castlemartyr, Cork, for a chesnut horse, breeder and pedigree unknown. In the class for hunters not less than five years old, and equal to from 12^ to 14 stone, there were 73 enti'ies. Thomas Turbett, Dundrum, county Dublin, was put first for Sir Robert, by Kossuth ; George F. Murphy, Dunsany, second for Dunlncc, by Planet ; P. Taaife, Castleplunket, third for Damascus, by Steel Boy ; and J. P. Hope, Kill, Kildare, fourth for Piltou, by Paletot. There were several capital geldings and mares in this class. Of hunters equal to from 11 to 12| stoue, and not less than five years old, there were 53 exhibited. This was a really good class. Wm. Forbes, Callender-house, Fal- kii'k, N.B., took the lead with a bay horse by Rapid Rhone ; R. C. Cosby, Stradbally-hall, Queen's County, second for Skylark, Irish bred, by Newminster, out of Polly Hopkins; James M'Leavy, Dublin, third, for Robin- son Crusoe, by Croosedan. The citizen £100 cup for the best horse for tenant farmers whose holdings do not exceed in value £500 per annum, was awarded on the last day to P. Bredy, Dum- boyne, IMeath. In the four-year-old colt class, equal to 13^ stone and upwards, there were 32 entries. Henry Eyre Linde, Eyre- field-lodge, Kildare, came in first for a grey geldingby Rapid Rhone ; Hon. E. Preston, Gormanstown Castle, second, for a bay by Eidolon ; Robert Ely, Elysium, Tipperary, third, for a chesnut by the Druid ; Hon. E. Preston, fourth, for a chesnut by Eidolon ; P. Brady, Dunboyne, fifth, for a dark bay by Matchmaker ; and Wm. Maher, Galtrim, sixth, for Sir Roger, by Blarney. In the four-year-old class for fillies, equal to 13^ stone and upwards, which was also a good class, there were four- teen entries. The Rev. Fredk. Fitzpatrick, Cloone Mohill, was first for a chesnutjby Marquis, out of Pauline. Michael Flood, Clondalkin, second, for Miss George by Master George. P. J. Kearney, Clonmellon, third, for a filly by Rapid Rhone. Thos. B. Apjohn, Pallas House, Limerick, for a chesnut by Zouave, and John Hely Hutchinson, Sea- field, Co. Dublin, had a commendation for a brown mare by The Marquis. The four-year-old colts, equal from 11 to 13^ stone, thirty-seven entries, was a very superior class. The prizes were awarded in the order named : J. Bar- ter, Drumcarra, Macroom ; J. M. Plunket, Ballybrophy, Borris-in-Ossory ; and Lord Clanmorris, Cregclare, Gal- way. Benjamin Fayle, Parsonstown, was commended. For four-year-old fillies, equal to from 11 to 13^ stone, eighteen entries, Samuel R. Cruess, Lacka, Shinrone, first ; Edward Flood, The Cottage, Kells, second ; and W. Stawell Garnett, Williamstown, Kells, third. The three-year-old colts numbered twenty-two. The prizes were awarded in the following order : S. N. Roberts, Barfield, Galway ; Thos. N. Levins, Bellewstown, for iEolus; Lord Clanmorris, Cregclare, Galway, for Ab- doolah. Wray Palliser, Tramore, Waterford, for The Claimant, S. N. Roberts, and ;^John Wardell, Miltown, Dublin, were commended. Three-year-old fillies numbered fourteen. The prizes were awarded in the following order : Edward Murphy, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin; James Trim, Newcastle, Co. Wicklow ; James Butler, Bellybar House, Carlow; and J. A. Revell, Newcastle House, Co. Wicklow. Of two-year-old colts there were fifteen entered. The prizes were awarded in the following order : Thos. Scott, Barnfield, Mayo, for Connaught Star by Lothario, the first prize thoroughbred stallion; Colonel Hon. J. C. Westenra, for Latitat, second, and J. T. Dillon, R. M. Killeshadra, Cavan, third. The two-year-old fillies numbered 8, an excellent class Richard Colli;y, Killucan, first ; D. P. Joint, Dunboyne, second ; Richard Coffey, third ; and Simon Shell, fourth prizes. Colonel Tottenham, Woodstock, Wicklow, and Allan Pollok, Lismany, Ballinasloc, were respectively commended. There were 32 ladies' and park horses, amongst which there were several very good. Possibly the judges got tired ; but at all events they did not go to much trouble in selecting the prize animals. They were as follows : Miss M. Mildon, Merrion Square, first for Con ; C. W. Thompson, llolywoodrath, Dublin, second, for Puss; and Francis Fawcett, Belleck, Fermanagh, third, for Fairy Fern. The classes for weight-carrying cobs and roadsters were excellent ; that not exceeding 15.1 hands, and able to carry 15 stoue and upwards, numbered 14, in which R. Flynn, Tulsk, came in first, for Mr. Butt ; P. P. TaafTe, second, for Fairy King ; and L. Byrne, King's Dragoon Guards, third, for Prince. The class from 14 to 15 hands, calculated to carry 13 to 15 stone, numbered 10. P. TaafFe, Castleplunket, got first for Rotten Row ; W. L. Byrne, R. M. Moynalty, second ; and Wm. O'Meara, Parsonstown, third prizes. The class from 14 to 15 hands to carry under 13 stone, numbered 18. The Earl of Shannon, Castlemartyr, Cork, takes first ; Leopold Cust, Cordangan Manor, Tipperary, second ; and John Gough, Kilberry, Co. Meath, third prizes. In the class for harness horses or mares bred in Ireland there were fourteen entries — Arthur Bushe, Elgin-road, Dublin, first, and Major W. R. Ormsby Gore, M.P., Derryearn, Dromod, second. Colonel Kane Bunbury, Moyle, Carlow, was highly commended. Of ponies from 12 to 14 hands there were thirty. Wm. Scott, Eden Quay, Dublin, takes first ; R. Conway Dobbs Ellis, Omagh, Tyrone, second ; and Dermot Cole, Kinnegad, third. Colonel Hon. Mr. Forbes, Curragh Camp ; Major Brereton, New Abbey, KUcullen ; and Wm, Auchinleck Dane, Enniskillen were highly commended. In the class for ponies under 12 hands there were twelve entries. The prizes are, first. Major Brereton ; second, J. A. FarreU, D. L. Moynalty ; third, Rd. War- burton, Portarlington. J. A. Farrell got an H. C, and E. V. Ferguson, Killiney, got a commended. The thoroughbred mare class was a remarkably good one. Sir Percy Nugent, Donore, Mullingar, took the first prize for Rivulet, by the fine old horse Artillery, out of Crystal by Crosier. Simon Shiel, Ballyshannon, second for Barbara, bred by the late Marquis of Waterford, by Barbarian, out of Ariadne. The third went to M. Betagh, Lohunda Park, co. Dublin, for Niagara by Colonist (son of Melbourn), and her dam (sister to St. Laurence) by Dr. O'Toole, and the fourth to C. W. Wise, Rochestown, Cahir, Tipperary, for Flounce by Brian Boroihme ; now twenty years old, and with a colt at foot by Lord Ronald. Mr. Betagh, the winner of the third prize, got a commend for Coterie, bred by his Excellency Earl Spencer, by Cotherstone, out of Lady Betty. In the class for mares suited to produce weight-carry- ing hunters, there were twenty-five entries. The prizes were as follows : First, to J. S. Winter, Agher, Enfield, for Finette ; second, to Geo. N. Purdon, Lisnabin ; third, to B. J. Fitzpatrick, Newlands, Naas, for Hester; and the fourth, to R. G. Cosby, Stradbally Hall, for Mrs. Briggs. Wm. Kennedy, Brannoxtown, Kildare, and Wm. Girdwood, Old Park, Belfast, received II. C.'s — the first for Cruiskeen, the latter for Dinah. In the agricultuaal classes there were but 31 of all sizes and ages; many of them very fine and powerful animals. Of aged stallions there were 8. The first prize and the Royal Agricultural Society's £50 cup was ob6 TdE FARMERS MAGtAZINfi. awarded to Jolin M'Court, Wtst Cam House, Duleck, for Billy-lhc-Bean, by Hercules, by a Repealer dam ; the second, to Riclul. Good, Aherlow, County Cork, for Boxer, a SuflPolk Punch, bred by T. Capon's Executors, Denning Hall, Suffolk ; the third, to S. R. Kerr, Rath- moyle, Eelinderry, for Lanark, a Clydesdale, bred by Sir Wm. Stirling. Five stallions under four years old, composed the next class. The first prize went to Thomas O'Malley, for Orphan, which stood in the same position last year ; the second to Lord Crofton, j\Iote Park, Roscommon, for Lord Clyde, an imported Clydesdale, and the third to Edwd. M'Cormick, for Brian Boroihme. In the class for fillies under five years old there were 6 entries. S. R. Kerr takes the first prize for Fanny, under two years old, by Lanark (the third-prize stallion in the aged class), out of Bell, the dam of Lanark, and T. O'Malley takes the second for Lally, a Clydesdale filly. The brood mares numbered 7. S. Rait Kerr took the first place for Bell, the dam of both his prize filly and her sire Lanark, and the second place went to L. McCourt for a brown mare by Sir William Wallace, and an H. C. was awarded to Christopher Carslan, St. Duloughs, for Miss Clyde. Of draught horses there were but two good Clydes- dales, belonging to the Messrs. Arthur Guiness, Son, and Co., which deservedly got both prizes. In the class for draught mares there were also but two, the Messrs. Guiness, Son, and Co., taking the first place for Catherine, a seven-year-old Clydesdale ; the second went to J. \. Farrell, D. L. Moyualty, for Hampton, a Herefordshire-bred mare from Hampton Court. The show of rams was very creditable, numbering in the aggregate 78. In the shearling Leicester class there were 10. Thos. INIarris, The Chase, Dice, an old exhi- bitor at Irish shows, took first place with the ram that occupied this position at the Belfast Royal J\lcet- ing ; Wm. Owen, Blesinton, Co. W' icklow, who is an old and successful breeder of pure Leiccsters, being put second and third, and Wm. 5leade, Bally Martle,^ Co. Cork, getting a commend for a very good and highly-bred ram. In the aged section there were eight ; Mr. Owen taking first and third places, and Mr. Marris the second. In the Border Leicester class there were 12 shearlings, in which Lord de Vesci, Abbeybix, who breeds exclusively from prime animals selected from Lord Polworth's flock, took the first and second prizes and a high commend for all he exhibited. Mr. Franks Westfield, Mountreth, taking the third place for a very serviceable ram. There were but four aged rams of this breed exhibited ; the first place was given to "Wm. Young, Brockley Park, Strad- bally, the second and a commend to R. Owen Belmont, Rathdowney, for two rams bred by the late Loftus Bland, of Blandsfort, a first-class breeder of this sort of sheep. The Lincolns were chiefly represented by Caleb Going, who took all the prizes in the shearling and the second in the aged sections, the first in the latter going to John Bell Irving, Whitehill, Lockerbie, N.B., the breeding of which is very doubtful. The Roscommon class commanded universal attention from their great size, condition, symmetry, and superior quality of wool. Richard Coftey, Newcastle, Killucan, Westmeath, who has been breeding this class of sheep from selected animals for some years, takes the first prize in shearlings and the late Mr. Jury's £20 cup ; Captain Blood Smith, Fedamore, Limerick, stands second ; John Dennis, Ballygall House, Fingles, third ; and Thomas Iloberts, Strokestown, fourth. In aged rams, there were nine fine animals. Mr. Coffey is again the winner of the first, and commended for a magniliceut ram weighing thirty-two stone; and (Japtaiu Blood Smith the second prize. The shortwool class was confined to the Shropshire Downs, in which C. W. Hamilton, Hamwood, was, as usual, the largest exhibitor, and took all the money prizes in both the shearling and aged sections, Mr. Marris taking a commendation in the shearling, and Mr. Peake another in the aged sections. The Judges were : Classes 1, 3, 3, 22, and 23.— Major Barlow, Haskctou, Woodbridge; M..J. Moorehead, M.D., TuUamore ; Mervyu Archdall, M.P. Classes 4, 5, and 6. — Henry Thomson, Newry ; Henry Briscoe, Tinvane, Carrick-on-Suir ; Burton R. P. Persse, Moyode Castle, Atheury. Classes 7, 8, 9, and 10 (inclusive).— Hon. W. A.rbuthnot, HattoD, Montrose, N. B. ; David Beatty, Borodale, Eunis- corthy ; Captain Gubbins, Castle Troy, Limerick. Classes 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 ^inclusive). — Captain Ber- nard, Foreuaughts, Naas ; Colonel Hillier, Constabulary depot ; William Maxwell, Cruise Rath, Cloghranhuddart. Classes 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21.— Major Borrowcs, Gilltown, Newbridge; Charles Hodson, The Bays, Atlilone; II. Mervyn Richardson, Rossfad, Ballycassidy. Classes 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29.— Alfred Darker, Barn Eiil, Clonsilla; Hon. Hugh Massy, Elm Park, Clarina ; G. A. Stephens, Blackhall-place. Special Prizes. — Major Borrowes, Gilltown, Newbridge ; Stovin Warburton, Elphin. Jumping Prizes. — Sir C. E. Kennedy, Bart., Johns- town, Rathcoole; Burton R. P. Persse, Moyode Castle, Athenry; Leonard Morrogh, 5, Great Denmark Street; S. A. Reynell, Arclierstown, Killucan ; Baron de Robeck, Gowran Grange, Naaa ; Captain G. Warburton Drought, Cargins, Tulsk ; Sir John Power, Bart., Kilfane,Thoraastown. SHEEP JUDGES.— Leicesters: T. Harris, Stonejline, Brownesgrovc, Birmingham; 11. Reynell, jnn., Kiilynon, Kil- lucan ; L. 'Ihunder, Kingston Lodge, Nat'an. BoPvUER Leicesters and Lincolns : G. Atkinson, Hall Farm, Sea- ham ; J. Simson, Cloona Castle, Hollymount ; G. N. Purdon, Lisnabin, Killucan. Roscommon : C. L. Ellison, Lougliglyn, Castlerea ; S. Garnett, Summerseat, Clonee ; R. Glancy, Willsgrove, Ballintubbcr. Shropshire : J. Woods, Clep- stonc Park, Mansfield ; N- M. Archdall, Crochnaerieve, Bal- liuamallard ; R. Clialoner, J.P. THE ECCENTRICITIES OF SHORTHORN JUDGES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MARK LANE EXPRESS. Silt, — The subjoined table showing how " doctors differ " as to the relative merits of the Shorthorn cows of this season appears to me to be rather curious, especially where the same judges, as in the case of Mr. Atymer at Dorchester and Cardiff, and i\Ir. Drury at Cardiff and Newcastle, entirely alter their own decisions. Truly yours, R. Stratton. Dnffryn, near Newport, Mon. Aug. 27- Dorchester : Plower Girl, 1st, Princess Alexandra, 2nd, Nelly, 0. Cardiff : Primrose, 1st, Nelly, 2nd, Princess Alexandra, 3rd, Flower Girl, 0, Coraline, 0. Newca.stle : Coraline, 1st ; Primrose, 0. Gloucestershire : Flower Girl, 1st, Princess Alexandra, 2nd, Coraline, 0. Yorkshire : Coraline, 1st, Concert, 2nd, Flower Girl, 3rd. Lincolnshire : Princess Alexandra beat Concert. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 357 SALE OF MR. T. BRACBWELL'S HERD OP SHORTHORNS, At lllBCUESTER, NEAR PrESTON, ON FRIDAY, AuGUST 30. By Mr. Joun Thornton. About seven years ago Mr. Bracewell gave up the close coufineuieut of town life, and occupied the small farm attached to the ?arsonafe;e iu that ancient sleepy little village ou the banks of the Kibble, called Ilibohester, midway between Preston on the one hand, and Whalley Abbey and Clitheroe on the other. A few of the fields are only fair pasture, the larger portion of the farm lying on the hill-top, and poor rushy grass it is, with ijot an acre of arable on the entire holding. Hay, and a little artilicial in winter, was the only keep for the dairy cows, and the few Shorthorns he bought from Mr. R. S. Bruere, at Braithwaite, " t'other side o' the fell." Maid of Honour, from the Hon. G. E. Liscelle's herd, a descend- ant of Mr. Torr's Moonbeam tribe ; White Rose, of Towne- ley blood ; and Theo, granddaughter of Mr. WethereU's Cozy (some time in the Holker herd) from Dr. Dickinson's and Mr. Kennedy's sales at Ulverstou, were the only public investments. Water Cress came a little 30 gs. calf from Knowlmere.aud Mr. Bruere supplied him with a couple of bulls from the Garnet and Vesper tribes, abounding with Warlaby blood. From Mr. Carr the final purchase was made of another calf, but of a dif- ferent sex and five times more costly than the Knowlmere purchase. This was Sir Windsor Broughton (27507), a bull Mr. Bracewell has since continued to use, two-thirds of the herd being by him. The stock, possessing great dairy as well as feeding properties, soon came to the knowledge of the Fylde farmers, who took the bull- calves at paying prices. One purchaser bought a cow. Rose Adelina, and she passing into the hands of Mr. Saul, became a noted prize winner in the district, so much so that Mr. Saul came for another one, and got Rose of Ashton, who promises to be equally successful. Finding, however, the place was un- suited for rearing good Shorthorns, Mr. Bracewell called in Mr. Thornton's services. The sale was advertised in the press, and iu the showyard by a bull-calf, Windsor's Knight, an extraordinary specimen of development and perfection. He won first prizes at five local shows in good competition, but for fear of infection with the pre- vailing epidemic the calf was withheld from the Royal North Lancashire Meeting last week at the county town, Mr. Bracewell might well regret the loss of probable honour and prestige ; for on his return two or three Leicester sheep were lame, and one of the best cows. How, why, or wherefore, it was impossible to tell. No stock had been changed on the farm for monlhs, neither were the show men allowed to go there, and scarcely a stranger came by, so isolated and airy is the spot. By the end of the week the well-known smack was heard and seen, and on Saturday night the stock declared infected. Too late to postpone the sale, the company was allowed to come forward and see the cattle under the worst circumstances. Special conditions were drawn up, and the animals were to be kept at Mr. Brace- well's sole risk, until the veterinary certificate of health could be forwarded. The sale proceeded with the most successful results, doubling in many cases the expected averages of the most sanguine and interested. Lot 1, Water Cress, the Knowlmere calf, after single biddings, finally fell to Mr. Haslam, Gilnor House, for 90 gs. Lot 10, her daughter by Mr. Bruere's Sir David, a broad I'onnd-ribbed massive cow, went to the same buyer at 215 gs., but the heifer-calf from Lot 10 finally fell to Mr. Rose, of Norfolk, at 110 gs. The Rose tribe from Mr. Bruere's were also in great request. Many of them were eitraordinary milkers, and both there and lame. Rose of Clitheroe, by Mr. Booth's Sutler, one of the best cows of this tribe, was bought by Mr. J. B. Booth for Lady Pigot, at G3 gs. ; he also secured her yearling heifer at 46 gs., but her two-year-old, a splendid heifer, the first produce of Sir Windsor Broughton, went to Mr. Haslam at 150 gs. Mr. J. Thorn, of Chorley, got several of this most useful tribe, and Mr. J. G. Grove also t;ikes one into Ireland. Lot 5, Lady Barmpton Rose, of Towneley descent, a stylish cow of fine quality but thin, was pur- chased by Mr. Cameron for Mr. Robinson, of Burton-on- Trent, at 115 gs., and Mr. Rose secured her heifer-calf. Mr. Cameron also got Consolation, the Cozy cow, a very massive beast, at 85 gs., and Dr. Crauke bought her promising heifer-calf at 45 gs. Maid Molly, the Aylesby bred cow, was the first aft'ected, and although very neat and elegant, and a splendid breeder, was both lame and out of condition. The biddings were plentiful all around the ring until Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Chrisp settled down in tens and fives, until the latter got her at 225 gs. for Mr. A. H. Browne, of Aclington, owner of the fii-st-prize cow at Carditf. Mr. Kennedy, however, bought a beautiful heifer in Moss Rose at 130 gs., and Mr. Thom got Rose- blush, her own sister, and the best heifer at the Clitheroe show for 90 gs. Sir Windsor Broughton was the attractive lot. Breeders were present for him from Ireland, Aberdeen, Isle of Man, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Cambridge, and North- umberland. The bull was running out in a paddock, low iu condition, and slightly lame ; neither was he handsome withal, though he possessed several good points, and left his own excellencies and those of the pure fountain of his blood — the Warlaby Bliss tribe — in his progeny. Great was the competition. Ireland was iu beyond 200, so too was Cambridgeshire, and Yorkshire nigh unto the death; hut the bull, although bought by Mr. W. Burnyeat, of Whitehaven, goes to Mr. Lace's herd on the Isle of Man. Maid Molly's handsome little bull-calf at 80 gs. (Mr. Kennedy), and one or two other lots closed the business at the Parsonage. The company then adjourned to the " White Bull," both as the sign and in the ilesh, at Ribchester village. Lot 27, Windsor's Knight, the prize calf, having been kept at Clitheroe, had not been near the farm, so he was kept back and sold in the village to the no small astonishment of the inhabitants. The bull was brought out, his performances stated, and 50 gs. the first bid. He gradually rose to 100, and Mr. Robertson, of Whitehaven, kept well in till 200 was reached, when Mr. T. H. Hutchinson came out, and Mr. J. Thom and Mr. C. W. Wilson, until 285 came from Mr. Thom, and Mr. Wilson's " 300 gs." sent him to Kendal amid the cheers of the company. Two or three extra lots were sold, including a bull of Mr. Jemson's from Lot 1, at 81 gs. (Mr. Robertson), and Mr. Midgley's prize calf, I.X.L., was bought by Mr. W. Ray for 58 gs. This brought the sale to a conclusion with certainly, under the circum- stances, one of the most remarkable averages of the year. Subjoined are the prices : Cows AND HEirERS. Water Cress, roan, calved July 15, 1865 ; by Abbot of Knowl- mere (19183).— Mr. J. P. Haslam, 90 gs. Roseraarv, red and wliite, calved December 3, 1866 ; by Sir George Windsor (2514.1).— Mr. J. Thorn, 36 gs. Rose of Clitlieroe, roan, calved February 26, 1867 ; by The Sutler (23061).— Lady Pigot, 63 rs. Diamond Hose, red and white, calved December li, 1867 ; by Sir David (25135).— Mr. J. Thom, 11 gs. Lady Barmtou Rose, roan, calved February 26, 1868 ; by Sir David (25135).— Mr. T. Robinson, 115 gs. Maid Molly, roan, calved April 20, 1868 ; by Royal Booth (23772).— Mr. A. H. Browne, 235 gs. 358 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. Rose Eloom, red, calved August 25, 1868 ; by Ued Granite (24914).— Mr. J. G. Grove, 53 gs. Mary's Rose, red and little white, calved September 23, 1868 ; by Sir David (25135) — Mr. J. Thorn, 45 gs. Water Wave, red and white, calved December 27, 1868 ; by Sir David (25135).— Mr. J. P. Haslam, 215 gs. Consolation, roan, calved April 25, 1869; by Sir David (25135).— Mr. T. Robinson, 85 gs. Christmas Rose, roan, calved December 25, 1869 ; by Sir Windsor Broughton (27507).— Mr. J. P. Haslam, 150 gs. Belle Flora, red and white, calved January 5, 1870 ; by Sir Windsor Broughton (27507)— Mr. J. Thom, 81 gs. Moss Rose, red aad little white, calved January 29, 1870 ; by Sir Windsor Broughton (27507).— Mr. Kennedy, 130 gs.^ Rose of the Vale, roan, calved December 31, 1870 ; by Sir Windsor Broughton (27507) — Lady Pigot, 46 gs. Rose Blush, roan, calved March 7, 1871 ; by Sir Windsor Broughton (27507).— Mr. J. Thom, 90 gs. Village Rose, red and white, calved March 25, 1871 ; by Sir Windsor Broughton (27507).— Mr. J. Robertson, 40 gs. Scarlet Plower 3rd, roan, calved May 21, 1871 ; by Sir Wind- sor Broughton (27507).— Mr. J. Thom, 30 gs. Sweetbrier, roan, calved Juue 4, 1871 ; by Sir Windsor Broughton (27507).— Mr. J. G. Grove, 20 gs. Lady Lily Barmpton, white, calved November 5, 1871 ; by Sir Windsor Broughton (27507).— Mr. T. Rose, 40 gs. Clara, roan,' calved April 24, 1872; by Sir Windsor Brough- ton (27507).— Dr. Cranke, 45 gs. Water Nymph, red white, calved May 24, 1872 ; by Sir Wind- sor Broughton (27507).— Mr. T. Rose, 110 gs. Rose Blossom, roan, calved May 26, 1872 ; by Sir Windsor Broughton (27507).— Mr. M. Kennedy, 40 gs. Rose of Summer, red and white, calved June 6, 1872 ; by Sir Windsor Broughton (27507).— Mr. J. Thom, 30 gs. Bulls. Sir Windsor Broughton (27507), loan, calved February 20, 1868 ; by Prince of the Realm (22G27).— Mr. Burnyeat, 305 gs. Gardener, roan, calved May 31, 1871 ; by Sir Windsor Brough- ton (27507).— Mr. Knowles, 20 gs. Windsor's Kuight, white, calved August 25, 1871 ; by Sir Windsor Broughton (37507).— Mr. C. W. Wilson, 300 gs. Windsor's Prince, red and white, calved April 22, 1872 ; by Sir Windsor Broughton (27507).— Mr. T. Warne, 17 gs. Knight of the Parsonage, roan, calved May 28, 1872 ; by Sir Windsor Broughton (27507).— Mr. J. Todd, 41 gs. Knight of the Roses, red and little white, calved July 1, 1872 ; by Sir Windsor Broughton (27507). — Mr. J. Arabin, 21 gs. Knight of Windsor, roan, calved June 28, 1872; by Sir Windsor Broughton (27507).— Mr. Kennedy, 80 gs. Tlie Kuight, roan, calved July 20, 1872; by Sir Windsor Broughton (37507).— Mr. McNeale, 8 gs. Summary. £ s. d. £ s. d. 23 cows averaged 83 1 9 1,911 0 0 8 bulls „ 103 19 0 831 12 0 31 head 88 9 5 £2,743 12 0 SALE OP LORD DUNMORE'S SHORT- HORNS, At Dunmore, Stirling, on Thursday, Sept. 5. By Mr, John Thornton. Few men could have dared^to fix for the dispersion of his superfluous stock a date within the very first week of the partridge season. However, the time has come aud gone, and shown that after all his Lordship of Dunmore was not ill-advised. For ourselves we growled fearfully, we must confess, at having to toil Northwards ere we eveu had tasted of the..long-anticipated sport. Still it had to be done, and there was no use repining. It was very sad ^to see along the line across the Lothiaus so much corn yet uncut aud unhoused, but iufimtely..more sad* deuing yet between Edinburgh and Stirling to see wide fields of grain quite beaten flat and growing through. How ever the rent for that land shall be found off the produce this year it is difficult to understand. But from the Larbert Station, where a branch line turns off for Dunmore, such was the state of the tillage that we de- voutly registered a vow that, come whence the persuasiou might, we at least should never engage a bailiff from " the laud o' cakes." Such forests of thistles, so thick a sprinkling of deadly-ripe docks, such green stuff being mown and reaped with the oats that the stooks looked rather like bundles of vetches than ripened corn ! After being driven nearly mad by the self-possessed half- cunning, half-stupid, demeanour of a pestilent lad, whose trap was the only one to be got at the station, and who might certainly have sat to Walter Scott for the character of the turnkey, Donald, in his novel of Rob-Roy, in about an hour and a-half we have managed to cover about five miles, when the villainous cultivation began to show signs of improvement, and then suddenly we came upon park palings enclosing some most luxurient heather in full flower, and interspersed with young Scotch fir. Here commenced Lord Dunmore's private domain, as we were informed, aud amidst that bright bloom lurked many a noble black cock. We had not gone far up the drive when we met a party of sportsmen and keepers striding to the scene of slaughter. It was a noble avenue we had entered, with fern and heather and lordly Scotch fir upon either side. How it reminded one of the scene (again in Rob-Roy) where the Macgregor disposed his black cattle and followers for the night, and where the rencontre occurred in which Rashleigh Osbal- distone received his death wound. Nor did that High- land hero of the long arms aud yellow hair ever mulct the Southron of " black-mail," heavier than did his Lordship of Dunmore. The only difference was that the Macgregor's victim paid through the nose, whereas the Earl's victim's bled pleasantly, and of their own sweet will. Upon our arrival — it was the day before the sale — we got, having no guide, amongst a herd of very sweet cattle, so low and lengthy, and exhibiting in a strong degree the high bearing of the noble Duchess strain. Being unticketed these obviously were not the animals for sale, and so we harked back in the direction of tho house where another lot of cattle was to be seen reposing ou the long grass, and a small company engaged in their inspection. The first lot then we had invaded were his Lordship's reserve, aud right excellent judgment beyond a doubt he had exerted in the selection, an idea which occurred to others than ourselves, seeing that that very night Mr. Brassey offered his noble host no less than fifteen thousand pounds for the choice of twenty, au offer which was " declined with thanks." Having inspected the lot for sale, and of which it is not invidious to re- mark that they were to look at, as a rule, quite ordinary cattle, having no common type, and belonging to a variety of families, we proceeded on a walk across the park quite over our shoes in water, and which brought us to a very cleverly fitted up wooden building, where great roaring bulla were confined within merely deal boards and bars. " Ah ! my friend," one could not help reflecting as we got upon a step to look over and con- template the beautiful proportions of the 2nd Duke of Collingham, " it is just as well you don't know your strength." It made one shudder to think what the con- sequence might be were one only of those infuriated neighbours to annihilate his enclosure. Since Mr. Rich's sale this grand bull has much improved. His girth has expanded, and he has thickened all over. The aristocratic style of his bearing he could not well im- prove, How grafldly they display themselves, these THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 369 Ducliess bulls, with tlieir refiued small heads, tlic proud arch of their crested uecks, their broad lleshy baclcs, aud stylish loug quarters ! Ou so low a leg too arc they, aud 80 deep iu their fall of bosom. No wonder the artist auctioneer so long siuce lost his heart to them ! Having got thus to the farm-buildiugs, we should have been glad to have viewed his lordship's travelling steamer ; but we could not ascertain where it was to be fouud. Our time to catch the return train to Edinburgh, moreover, was limited. Wherever the implement might have been, as we did not see it, there was just one con- clusion that we came to, aud that was that it must assuredly require galoches or snow-shoes to ti'avel with any comfort across the everlasting peat-bog of which the estate seems to be made up. Blessings, however, long and thorough, upon the heads of such young noblemen as the Earl of Dunmore, who so grandly devote their time, energy, aud wealth to the development of agricultm-e ! To this, at the sale luncheon, the chairman. Sir William Stirling Maxwell, made touching allusion. The family had always been distinguished for good deeds, and this spirit showed yet no indication of paling ; aud it was, we doubt not, the general appreciation the company enter- tained of his generous, earnest labours to develope in Scotland, as he himself told us in his speech he tried to do, the beneficial practice for which Lord Leicester's name shall ever be held in honom*, that was a main cause of his obtaining so extraordinary au average for his bovine drafts, for incomparably superior we must repeat to those sold are those he retains as the nucleus of a new herd. So superior, indeed, that there was very generally ex- pressed a doubt of the wisdom which had allowed the two lots to range iu such close proximity, provoking thereby superfluous and dangerous comparison. The morning of the sale commenced, as we conclude most mornings do in Scotland, with heavy wet. It gradually cleared however, and towards luncheon time, when the cattle were driven to be tied up, the sun came actually out. An excellent repast, and the customary toasts having been got through, the large company hastened to take their seats in a small miniature amphitheatre, the auctioneer having a superb enclosure to himself. Well, what will be the average ? No one dared to predict. One hundred and thirty, think you ? Aye, more than that ; but not (sotto voce) so great as they anticipate. I fear his lordship will be disappointed. Such was the pretty general tenour of the current remarks, as one after another down the line where they were tied each animal was inspected or handled. How greatly were the wisest mistaken we must proceed now to record. We are seated round the ring. Enter cow No. 1, a very stylish, cylindrical, rich-coated, long-quartered animal, having her shoulder-points beautifully packed, a striking, thoughtful head, and a most amiable temper, if we are to judge from the gentle demeanour with which, although evidently incommoded, if not hurt, she suffered the hard thumping treatment whereby her large-grown son sought his aliment at her udder. A somewhat slow breeder, she had been bought at Mr. Foster's sale for 190 gs. There were plenty of people in for her ; but Mr. Larking's first bid of 100 stumped a number. She went to Mr. Sartoris for 115 gs. Lot 2, a common- looking cow, but long-quartered, and having an excellent calf beside her, was bought by Lord Bective for 40 gs. Lot 3, a narrow-backed and rather leggy animal, but with an excellent rib and a great character for milk. Lord Chesham, 100 gs. His lordship also bought lot 4, the dam of Lord Eglintoun, a fleshy, thick cow, standing up well, and exhibiting a deep square dewlap, for only 50 gs. (she cost 84 at Mr. Saunders' sale). Her cheapness was owing to her having been an uncertain breeder of late. Lot 5, a sweet; long cow, walked like a thoroughbred, aad a great milker, shoulder beautifully packed. 150 gS. first bid, and 5, and 5, until she stood at 230, when, as if aware of the unworthy treatment to which she was subjected, such a deprecatory look did she assume, turned as she was and close to her breeder, Mr. Bowly, that w« suppose his tender heart could not stand it. Something happened anyhow, for away she went again, and was knocked down to Mr. Larking, of Sussex, for 260 gs., the exact price for which she had been purchased at the Siddington sale. Next came ou the scene such a sweet- fronted cow ! lovely and excellent iu the highest degree from horn to hip, when she began to fail, having a thin flank and a cushioned quarter. She cost 160 gs. at Mr. Charles Howard's sale, aud went now to Sir W. Stirling Maxwell for 175 gs. Lot 7, a good specimen of Bates upon Knightley, which cost 140 gs. at Mr. Saunders', went for 62 only to Mr. Thompson. Lot 8 was withdrawn. Lot 9, a grand, stylish, but small cow, as, standing in a sort of " attention" attitude, she looked all conscious of her value. 100—110—150—160—400—415—450—500—530 iu as many seconds, aud she became the property of Mr. Brassey. Lot 10, thick-fleshed, bought at Mr. Holland's for 44 gs., went to Mr. Morris for 100 gs. Lot 11, a stylish light ioan with a flat horn. Lord Fitzhardinge for 200 gs. Lot 12, quite the Knightly stamp, but a doubtful breeder, which cost 150, went now to Mr. Thompson for 53 gs. Lot 13, of mild pedigree, but the only cow ottered during the day with any pretensions to the showyard, went to Mr. H. Fawcett for 100 gs. Lot 14, square-built cow, small, 360 gs. to Mr. Brassey. Lot 15, an ordinary animal, cost 40 gs. at Mr. Holland's, fetched 61 gs. from Mr. Coleman. Lot 16, cost 50 at Col. Kingscote's, sold to Mr. Gow at 105 gs. Lot 17, Siddington VII., went, as she deserved, t(3 Lord Bective for 500 gs. Lot 18, of a common draljby colour, Mr. Singleton, 50 gs. Lot 19, a very difi"erent animal, having good head and horn, aud an excellent calf, to the same geutleman for 71 gs., calf 36 gs. Lot 20, fair ordinary cow. Lord Cawdor at 70 gs. ; calf 30 gs.. Rev. P. Graham. Lot 21, Mr. Coleman, 61 gs. Lot 22, a light roan, a long cow, very toppy, with spring- ing rib, a short flat horn, splendid through the heart, but in low condition, having been worked hard. Lord Bec- tive, 805 gs. Lot 23, 90 gs., Mr. Whitman, Boston, America. Lot 24, thorough-bred looking, Mr. Gow, 150 gs. Lot 25 withdrawn, owing to an accident. Lot 26, a thick rich-coated cow, bought at Holker for 90 gs., brought the same sum from Mr. Singleton. Lot 27, a good thorough-bred looking cow, 265 gs.. Lord Fitz- hardinge, cost 120 at Mr. Saunders'. Lot 28, 65 gs., Mr. Philips. The threatening clouds had begun to burst when the next. Lot 29, came upon the scene, a good shaped cow having plenty of hair, and above all a fa- shionable pedigree ; first ofi'er 500 (the sum for which she had been originally bought), 600 — "700, and the glass runs," and the rain began to run too, down the um- bi'ella points of one's neighbour's umbrella on to one's unhappy legs. " Do take your umbrella down, there's a good fellow, I can't see the cow ;" but a glance he got, and out blurted £730, but it was of little good, and then the rain came down in torrents, and we were thankful to get rid of her to Lord Bective for 805 gs. Lot 30 — after the storm a calm — Mr. Coleman, 58 gs. Defiant of the soak, and with proud neck right conscious of her impor- tance, in advanced Lot 31, to be knocked down to Lord Feversham for 275 gs. The next. Lot 32 (greatly wanted, as the auctioneer observed), " Sunshine," Mr. Drum- mond, 81 gs. Lot 33, mossy-coated, a nice cow. Major Stapylton, 55 gs. And now came grand objects of competition for their pedigree's sake, for although of a fair useful type there was no remarkable fea- ture about them beyond their being well-ribbed and thick-fleshed, Lot 34, Lord Bective, 450 gs. Lot 35, 360 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Lord Bective, 535 gs. Lot 36, Mr. Davies, 1,010 gs. Lot 37 withdrawn. Lot 38, mossy coated, tliick-fleshed, to the Duke of Devonshire, for 375 gs. Lot 39, Lord Chesham, 71 gs. Lot 40 ("the purest Oxford in the kingdom "), Mr. Davies, 1,200 gs. Lot 41, Rev. Mr. Graham, 270 gs. Lot 42, Lord Chesham, 60 gs. Lot 43, Rev. R. B. Kennard, 50 gs. Then began the sale of the calves, which (taken together) were undoubtedly an indifferent lot as regarded looks. Ilis Lordship explained that his herd had suffered much from foot-and-month, which had swept off a number and possibly damaged the rest. Lot 44, Mr. Colman, 62 gs. For Lot 45, notwith- standing the Marquis of Carrabas cross, there was strong competition. It was a wealthy looking, long-quartered calf, and was bought by Mr. Angerstein for 860 gs., last bidder Lord Bective. Lot 46, Lord Chesham, 50 gs. Lot 47, a very nice, broad-backed, deep -chested calf, full of substance and quality, Mr. Augerstein, 100 gs. Lot 48, Rev. Mr. Kennard, 40 gs. Lot 49, Mr. F. Gow, 110 gs. Lot 50, Mr. Angersteiu,170g8. Lot 51, Mr. Colman, 51 gs. And now the bulls came upon the scene, with First Baron Oxford V., a good, deep, upstanding animal, of much promise, taken to Holker at 400 es, by Mr. Drewry. Lot 53, a peculiarly marked animal, throwing back in his colour to 4th Duke of Oxford, Mr. J. Colman, 80 gs. Lot 54, a stylish good calf, E. J. Colman, 255 gs. Lot 55, Lord Roslin, 61 gs. Lot 56, Col. Bruce, 63 gs. Lot 57 (out of lot 1), and having a delicious touch, fetched 92 gs., Mr. Thom])son, of Kendal. So ended this most remarkable sale, greatly to the satisfaction of all present, who were generally pervaded by the hope that at least his Lordship might not lose by his spirited efforts to advance the Shorthorn cause. Staggered undoubtedly were many as the grand total mounted quick under the breech-loading regularity with which Lord Bective fired his telling, "and fives." "Five hundred," in the shrill tones of Lord Fitzhardinge, once made the whole ring's heart jump just as his hunting cheer by the cover side does. Overtopping Mr. Thornton, and grave looking, as when he is nerving himself for a five-foot wall, Mr. Bowly evidently wondered listening, and looked as though his countenance could never again relax to playful wink or genial smile. The duels occasionally were fearful to behold, and in a great measure the audience stood up to watch as the fight grew hottest. " Oh ! for one hour's use !" There were doubtless many besides ourselves who inwardly murmured of that gentleman's bank-balance. To hear hundreds, thousands, pitched as cooly as shillings into the ring in hurried com- petition ' for a coo' was, to say the least, startling ! 800 guineas ! Only fancy, how many ordinary household bills that would cover ! Is it madness ? is it lunacy ? will it pay again? were questions we asked ourself in quick succession ; and the conclusion that we came to was simply this — that for the favoured few who already own deeply of the " blue blood" of the " bovine aristo- cracy," it is a safe and most profitable game. Even more, gentlemen, too, who, having abundant means and a taste for country pursuits, desire to own a Shorthorn herd, cannot do better than buy, at whatever cost, the best specimens of j)urest lineage. They are sure to have a good return. Like costly diamonds of note they will gradually come into the possession of a happy few, and, like diamonds, they will improve rather than de- preciate in value. The springs of pure blood must be maintained, and fortunate are those who can afford the cost, considering how every mountain side now exhibits in the improved character of their browsing herds the increasing pros- perity, not only of the small yeoman holder, but of the country at large. If he is to be esteemed as a public benefactor who has made to grow two blades of grass where one only formerly grew, a fortiori arc they to be admired and applauded who so nobly stake their thou- sands, not only to swell the food supply for our increasing population, but to keep in the eye of the foreigner England, as she deserves, and by her climate and insular position was undoubtedly intended to be, the finest breeding station in the world. Amongst those who attended the sale were the Earl of Leicester, the Earl of Feversham, the Earl of Rosslyn, the Earl of Cawdor, the Earl of Kellie, Lord Skelmers- dale. Lord Fitzhardinge, Lord Bective, Sir William Stir- ling-Maxwell, Bart. ; Sir Robert Meuzies, Bart. ; the Hon. Waldegrave Leslie, the Hon. Charles Erskine, the Hon. Henry Bourke, Colonel Nigel Kingscote, C.B. ; Mr. Williamson of Lawers, Captain Balfour of Balbirnie, Captain Belhune of Blebo, Professor Wilson, Edinburgh ; Provost Christie, Stirling ; Rev. Mr. Staniforth, Rev. Mr. Cave Browne, Rev. Mr. Kennard, Dorset; the Rev. Mr. Graham, Lancashire ; Mr. Edmonston, Edinburgh ; Mr. AV. Thomson, Edinburgh ; ex-Provost Murric, Stir- ling ; Mr. John Tennant, St. Rollox ; Mr. Thomson, Kendal; Mr. Booth; Mr. Davies, Thorubury, Gloucester- shire ; Mr. Denholm, Carbery Mains ; Mr. David Curror, S.S.C, Edinburgh ; Mr. Chandos, Pole Gell ; Mr. Young, Keir Mains ; Mr. Andrew Mitchell, Alloa; Mr. M'Lareu, Mill Hill Farm, Inchture ; Mr. James Moir, banker, Alloa ; Mr. E. P. Angerstein, Kent ; Mr. Robt. Mowbray, Cambus ; Mr. R. P. Newton, Kerse, Falkirk ; Mr. R. France, Airthly Lodge ; Mr. Robert Campbell, Procu- rator-Fiscal, Stirling ; Mr. Sartoris, Northamptonshire ; Rev. W. Holt Beevor, Herefordshire ; Mr. Larking, Sussex ; Mr. Thomson, Penrith ; Mr. Morris, Lancashire ; Mr. Henry Fawcett, Leeds; Mr. J. E. Coleman, Stoke- park, Buckinghamshire ; Mr. Gow, Cambo, Northumber- land ; Mr. Singleton, Yorkshire; Mr. Kelloe, Gloucester- shire ; Mr. AVitman, Boston ; Mr. Phillips, Staffordshire ; Mr. Drummond, Black Ruthven, Perth; Major Stapylton, Yorkshire. Mr. Brassey, M.P., Mr. Bowly, Mr. Aylmer, Mr. J. P. Foster, Mr. Drewry, Mr. C. i. Barnes, Mr. Smith (Sydney), Mr. McConnell (Australia), Mr. Garfitt, Mr. R. E. Oliver, Mr. Stiles Rich. At the luncheon. Sir William Stirling-Maxwell, the Chairman, said it was no small thing to be able to say — as he could say of the noble Lord — that he pos- sessed at that moment the most select herd in Scotland. It was the largest herd, he believed, with the single ex- ception of the one belonging to Mr. Cruickshank, in Aberdeenshire ; but that herd had been growing to its present size for upwards of a quarter of a century, while the herd of Lord Duamore came into existence in 1868. It was no small credit to the noble Lord— it was no small achievement — to have assembled in so short a time so many valuable specimens of the bovine aristocracy. He was sure he only expressed the sentiments of those present when he said that they ought to congratulate the noble Lord on the spirit and energy he had displayed, and the skill and judgment with which he had selected the valuable stock. He might say a great deal about the noble Lord's stock were he not precluded by time pres- sing, and were he not checked by the presence of the noble Lord himself. His Lordship came of a stock which had long been distinguished in Scotland, and the name he bore would in his hands lose nothing of its lustre. His family had for many generations been always forward in every good work. His more immediate predecessors, who were known to many present, had always taken the lead in everything which was for the public advantage. During the noble Lord's minority their place was most admirably filled by his noble and excellent mother, and since his noble friend had been in possession of his estates, he had made it his business not only to enjoy the prerogatives but to fulfil the duties of his station. THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 361 Lord DuNiroRE said the efforts he had made for the progress of agriculture iu that county and on his own estate had been very small ; hut he had had very great advantage in marrying into the best farming county in the world, and a great many " wrinkles" he had picked there had been carried out on this estate. With regard to the Shorthorns, he could only say that when he began, he thought the best thing he could do was to get the best blood, and he endeavoured always to get it. With regard to the cattle, there they were, and there was Dot the slightest reserve of a single penny on them. Had it not been for the foot-and-mouth disease he would have had a larger display ; but he had lost seventeen calves from that disease. Perhaps that might be a guide as to future legislation on the subject. Although these were valuable animals, it came as hard on other people who had not the means to buy such valuable animals. Rethought it was necessary that the Government of the country should take some measures to stop the foot-and-mouth disease. It was amongst their sheep, and unless some- thing was done it would in a short time be as common as foot-rot. Sir William Stirling-Maxwell had done a great deal more for the good of the country than he (Lord Dun- more) had done. He had not only produced good Short- horns but excellent Clydesdale horses, and he only wished that there were more proprietors who would follow the example of breeding fine cattle and fine horses, and having annual sales like Sir William Stirling-Maxwell. COWS AND HEIFERS. Princess, red, calved December 24, 18G1 ; by May Duke (13320), dam Surmise by Duke of Gloucester (11382).— Mr. P. Sartoris, 115 gs. Cleopatra VL, roan, calved August 10, 1861 ; bv 9th Duke of Oxford (17738), dam Cleopatra 4th by Duke* of Bucking- ham (14428).— Mr. E. J. Coleman, 40 gs. Lady Thorudale, roan, calved April 11, 1863 ; by 3rd Duke of Thorndale (17749), dam Sensible by Hendon (14688).— Lord Chesham, 100 gs. Lady Elvira, roan, calved June 6, 1863 ; by Lord Oxford (20214), dam Countess Emma by Heir-at-Law (13005).— Lord Chesham, 50 gs. Siddington I., red and white, calved April 24, 1864; by 4th Duke of Oxford (11387), dam Kirklevington 7th by Earl of Derby (10177)— Mr. J. W. Larking, 2G0 gs. Fawsley IV,, red, calved March 4, 1865 ; by 4th Grand Duke (19874), dam A.rchduehess of Cambridge by Archduke 2nd (15588).— Sir W. S. Maxwell, 175 gs. Pleda's Farewell, roan, calved March 20, 1865 ; by 9th Grand Duke (19879), dam Fleda by Grey Friar (9172).— Mr. H. Thompson, 62 gs. Lany Geneva, roan, calved Julv 25, 1865 ; by Duke of Geneva (19614), dam flosette by Marmaduke (14897).— Not offered. Bright Eyes II., red, calved August 1, 1865 ; by Royal Butter- fly 3rd (18754), dam Bonny by Oxford Duke (15036).— Mr. H. Brassey, Kent, 530 gs. Princess Alexandra, rich roan, calved February 26, 1866 ; by Lord Jersey (20185), dam Wee Witch by Duke of Cam- bridge (12742).— Mr. J. Grant Morris, 100 gs. Musical IX., roan, calved July 21, 1866 ; by 7th Duke of York (17754), dam Songstress by Mountaineer (14966). — Lord Fitzhardinge, 200 gs. Fawsey Hose (late Fawsley Mc'Intosh), red, calved July 20, 1867 ; by Baron Oxford (23375), dam Fawsley 4th by 4th Grand Duke (19874).— Mr. H. Thompson, 53 gs. Royal Dora, white, calved December 20, 1867 ; by Royal Cambridge (25009), dam Turk's Darling by Royal Turk (16875).— Mr. H. Fawcett, 105 gs. Lady Bright Eyes I., roan, calved August 24, 1868 ; by Gene- ral Napier (24023), dam Briglit Eyes 2nd by Royal Butter- fly 3rd (18754).— Mr. H. Brassey, 360 gs. Baroness Oxford, roan, calved February 16, 1868 ; by Baron Oxford 2nd (23376), dam California 8th by 2nd Duke of Thorndale (17748).— Mr. E. J. Colemau, Bucks, 61 gs. Ursula XXX., roan, calved September 1, 1868 ; by 2nd Duke of Collinghara (23730), dam Ursula 21st by 7th Duke of York (17751.).— Mr. T. Gow, Northumberland, 105 gs. Siddington VII., Hfjht roan, calved October 9, 1868; by 7th Duke of York (17754), dam Siddingtou 3rd by 7th Duke of York (17754).— Earl of Bective, 500 gs. Viscountess Tlioruciale, roan, calved November 1, 1868 ; by 12th Duke of Thorndale (26020), dam Sultana 5th by Ber- rington Grand Duke (21274).— Mr. J. Singleton, Yorks, 50 gs. Lady Winifred, red, calved November 14, 1868 ; by Grand Seigneur (28782), dam Cleopatra by 3rd Duke of Thorn- dale (17749).— Mr. J. Singleton, 71 gs. Her red B. C. by 2ud Duke of Collingham. — Mr. Allen, 36 gs. Severn Lass, red aud wliite, calved December 30, 1888 ; by 2nd Earl of Walton (19672), dam Duchess of Slimbridge by Chaffcutter (12572).— Earl of Cawdor, 70 gs. Her red B C bv Baron Oxford V. — Rev. P. Graham, 30 gs. Violet v., roan, calved April 14, 1869 ; by 6th Earl of Walton (26078), dam Violet by 7th Duke of York (17754).— Mr. E. J. Coleman, Bucks, 61 gs. Lady Thorndale Bates II., roan, calved October 26, 1869 ; by 4th Duke of Thorndale (17750), dam Lady Bates 3rd by 4th Duke of Oxford (113S7).— Earl of Bective, 805 gs. Princess Cleopatra, roan, calved November 25, 1869 ; by General Napier (24023), dam Cleopatra 10th by Lord Oxford (20214).— Mr. Aug. Whitman, U. S. A., 90 gs. Lady Bird VI., roan, calved March 11, 1870 ; by 3rd Duke of Geneva (23753), dam Lady Bird 5th by 4th Grand Duke (19874).— Mr. T. Gow, 150 gs. Lady Emma, red, calved March 16, 1870; by Wild Boy (25447), dam Lady Elvira by Lord Oxford (20214).— Not offered. Lady Jocelyn, roan, calved Mav 17, 1870 ; by Grand Duke 10th (21848), dam Elvira 10th by Richard (16834).— Mr. J. Singleton, 90 gs. Wild Eyes Duchess II., red and white, calved March 16, 1870 ; by Earl of Eglinton (23832), dam Wild Eyes Duchess by Ninth Grand Duke (19879).— Lord Fitzhardinge, 265 gs. Melody, red, calved March 10, 1870 ; by 2nd Duke of Col- lingham (23730), dam Musical 9th by 7th Duke of York (17754).— Mr. J. W. Philips, Staffordshire, 65 gs. Cherry Princess, roan, calved April 2, 1870 ; by General Napier (24023), dam Cherry Duchess 8th by 3rd Grand Duke (16182).— Earl of Bective, 805 gs. Henrietta XVII., roan, calved April II, 1870; by 3rd Duke of Clarence (23727), dam Henrietta 9th by Duke of Wharf- dale (19648).— Mr. E. J. Coleman, 58 gs. Lany Bright Eyes II., red, calved May 27, 1870; by General Napier (24023), dam Bright Eyes 2ud by Royal Butterfly 3rd (18754).— Lord Feversiiam, 275 gs. Sunshine, red, calved March 30, 1870 ; by 2nd Duke of Col- lingham (23730), dam 2nd Rone of Oxford by 4th Duke of Oxford (11387).— Mr. J- Drummond, 81 gs. Grand Duchess of Athole, red, calved June 6, 1870 ; by 2ud Duke of Collinghara (23730), dam Grand Duchess of Wales by 11th Grand Duke (21849).— Major Stapylton, 255 gs. Marchioness II., roan, calved June 21, 1870 ; by 2nd Duke of Collingham (23730), dam Kirklevington 12th by 4th Duke of Oxford (11387).— Earl of Bective, 455 gs. Marchioness III., roan, calved July 21. 1870 ; by Duke of Colliugbara (23730), dam Siddington 1st by 4th Duke of Oxford (11387).— Earl of Bective, 535 gs. Marchioness of Oxford, roan, calved January 21, 1871 ; by Fourth Duke of Geneva, dam 8th Maid of Oxford by 2ud Duke of Geneva (23752).— Mr, R. Pavin Davies, Glouces- tershire, 1,010 gs. ., -,^ , „ Sunbeam, roan, calved March 10, 1871; by 2ud Duke of Collingham (23730), dam 2nd Rose of Oxford by 4th Duke of Oxford (11387).— Not offered. Lady Bright Eyes HI., roan, calved May 12, 1871 ; by 7th Duke of York (17754), dam Bright Eyes 2nd by Royal Butterfly 3rd (18754).— Duke of Devonshire, 375 gs. Seliua VI., roan, calved May 28, 1871 ; by 2nd Duke of Col- linghara (23730), dam Seliua 5th by Grand Duke of Lan- caster (19883). — Lord Chesham, 71 gs. Oxford Duchess, red and white, calved July 2, 1871 ; by 6lh Duke of Geneva, dam 11th Lady of Oxford by Baron of Oxford (23371).— Mr. R. Pavin Davies, 1,200 gs. Marchioness V., red and white, calved Juue 3, 1871 ; by 2nd A A 362 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Duke of CoUingham (23730), dam Siddington 1st by 4tli Duke of Oxford (11387).— Rev. P. Graham, 370 gs. Guinevere, red, calved August 2, 1871 ; by 2nd Duke of Col- lingham (23730), dam Lady Geneva by Duke of Geneva (19614).— Lord Cheshara, 60 gs. Cygnet, red, calved November 15, 1871 ; by 2nd Duke of Collingliam (23730), dam Baroness Oxford by Baron Oxford 2nd (23376).— Eev. R. B. Kennard, Dorset, 50 gs. Minstrel, roan, calved January 23, 1872; by 2nd Duke of Collingham (23730), dam Musical 9th by 7th Duke of York (17754).— Mr. E. J. Coleman, 62 gs. Marchioness of Oxford XL, red and white, calved February 6, 1872 ; by 6th Duke of Geneva, dam 8th Maid of Oxford by 2nd Duke of Geneva (23752) — Mr. W. Angerstein, 860 gs. Lady JuHa, red and white, calved March 20, 1872 ; by 2nd Duke of Collingham (23730), dam Lady Thorndale by 3rd Duke of Thorndale (17749).— Lord Chesham, 51 gs. Lady Constance, roan, calved March 20, 1872 ; by Baron Oxford 5th (27958), dam Princess Cleopatra by General Napier (24023).— Mr. W. Angerstein, 100 gs. Lady Anne, red, calved April 13, 1872 ; by 2ud Duke of Col- lingham (23730), dam Selina 5th by Grand Duke of Lan- caster (19883).— Rev. R. B. Kennard, 40 gs. Lady Mary, roan, calved April 6, 1872; by Baron Oxford 5th (27958), dam Lady Bird 6th by 3rd Duke of Geneva (23753).— Mr. T. Gow, 110 gs. Lady Margaret, roan, calved May 21, 1872 ; by 2nd Duke of Collingham (23730), dam Cleopatra 6th by 9th Duke of Oxford (17738):— Mr. E. J. Coleman, 170 gs. Lady Mildred, roan, calved May 31, 1872 ; by Baron Oxford 5th (27958), dam Viscountess Thorndale by 12th Duke of Thorndale (26020).— Mr. E. J. Colemau, 51 gs. BULLS. Baron Oxford V. (27958), red and white, calved February 2, 1870; by 2nd Duke of Claro (21576), dam Lady Oxford 5th by 3rd Duke of Thorndale (17749).— Duke of Devon- shire, 400 gs. Marquis IT., red and white, twin, calved May 22, 1871 ; by 2nd Duke of Collingham (23730), dam Kirklevington 12th by 4th Duke of Oxford (11387).— Mr. T. Gow, 80 gs. Marquis III., roan, calved July 13, 1871 ; by 2nd Duke of Collingham (23730), dam Siddington 7th by 7th Duke of York (17754).— Mr. E. J. Colemau, 255 gs. Knightley Honour (28991), red, calved October 2, 1870 ; by Grand Duke of Lightburne (26290), dam Fawsley 4th by 4th Grand Duke (19874).— Lord Rosslyn, 61 gs. General Trochu, roan, calved February 21, 1871 ; by Edgar (19680), dam Fleda's Farewell by 9th Grand Duke (19879). -^ol. H. Bruce, 63 gs. Prince of Perth, red, calved November 19, 1871 ; by 2nd Duke of Collingham (23730), dam Princess by May Duke (13320).— Mr. W. Thompson, 92 gs. SUMMAUT. Average. 48 Cows £252 10 0 6 Bulls 166 8 6 Total. £13,120 3 998 11 54 a£242 18 9 £13,118 14 0 SALE OF MESSRS. HARWARD'S AND DOWNING'S HERDS OF SHORTHORNS, At WinterfolDj Kidderminster, Sept. 18, 1872. By Mr. H. Strafford. These herds of Shorthorns had a separate existence and treatment, but were one, inasmuch as the bulls, Thii'd Duke of Claro and Eighth Duke of Geneva, were con- cerned. Mr. Harvvard's stock was raised at Winterfold, a place both naturally and artificially adapted for well- bred cattle. The rich grass-land, the excellence of the arable soil, the capacious dimensions of the buildings, combined with judicious management, all blended in the end to produce good cattle and sheep— for a splendid flock of Shropshire Downs was also scattered about the farm. From the appearance of Mr. Downing's Short- horns, it seemed that Nature had not been so liberal iu assisting judgment. Turner's HiU, it was said, being within a mile or two of Dudley, in the black country. Be that, however, as it may, Mr. Downing has been the purchaser of many a good lot at the ring-side during the past ten years. The herds were started originally with purchases from Mr. Rich, of Didmarton, and at Mr. Maynard's sale. Mr. Harward bought his first cow. Clear Star, of the Wild Eyes strain, for 50 gs., and how this family has in a few years increased in value remains to be seen. The most successful investment was buying up nearly the whole of Mr. C. W, Harvey's herd at Walton-on-the-Hill, including the Lallys, Kirk- levingtons, and Wild Eyes families. Third Duke of Wharfdale was hired from Captain Gunter, and Fifth Duke of Wharfdale bought as a calf for 500 gs. Third Duke of Claro was a similar purchase, and with these bulls the herd was fairly launched on the " Bates and no surrender" principle. In 1868, the first draft sale was made. Forty-nine head were sold, including the bull Charleston (21400), of the Lally tribe, for an average of £31 5s. The year before, however, Mr. Downing bought the American imported cow Fifth Maid of Ox- ford for 200 gs., and she produced four calves, three of which were bulls. Negotiations were afterwards made for the purchase of the young bull Eighth Duke of Geneva, from Mr. Sheldon in America, and he came to this country in 1869 with 800 gs. and expenses on his head. Last year another draft sale was made, almost as disappointing in its results as the previous one. Two or three fashion- ably bred Kirklevingtons pulled up the average to £54 15s. for 50 head. Two Oxford bulls were reserved at 100 gs. each, and the eleven remaining made but £30 average ; consequently the cream of both herds were left, and last spring it was announced that the declining health of Mr. Downing would lead to the dispersion of the herds which had been gathered together with so much care and cost. It was thought by a few that the Dun- more sale, preceding that at Winterfold, would have a tendency to damp the business ; but on the contrary, the fillip given to the trade by that great and successful sale only made other purchasers more keen to buy ; so that there was not only a large attendance last Wednesday, but men who had come from all parts determined to have something. The old story of many going empty away was duly fulfilled ; but the others of course had to pay for those they bought. Breakfast, in earnest, was laid at eleven o'clock, and the company going to Rome had to do as Rome did ; tea and coffee took the place of sherry and champagne. Soda water, potash water, lemonade, or ginger-beer sounded like a novelty to the ear of a Shorthorn man, but countless bottles were emptied, and a private sherry flask as well. Of eatables there was no lack. The cows were throughout a good lot, and when shown in the park looked even better than they did in the ring. Without catalogue, the striking lots were the short pedi- gree Cambrias and the Lady Worcesters, a branch of the Wild Eyes strain through Mr. Maynard, whose Red Duke and Marton Duke gave a strength and substance to the tribe that was not observable in the same family with- out these crosses. The capital prices made by this family — £350 average for nine, against £250 for six of the purer tribe — is a step iu favour of superior animals with a little fresh blood going higher than the purer specimens of the same kind. The Lallys, though of remarkably pure pedigree and great favourites of their owners, were of a smaller build and hghter character than the Worcesters ; but they of course commanded a high price, being of the pure Bates blood, as bull breeders they are not equal to the Wor- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 363 cesters, the young calf of this line fetching 170 gs., against 1 55 gs. for the yearling Lally bull. Business commenced punctually at twelve o'clock. Mr. Stratford spoke with much regret of the dispersion of the herds, and remarked that such a collection of Bates' animals had not been before the public for many years. May Fly, the first lot, was hardly in a breeding state, and lot 2 was withdrawn. Surmise 3rd, a massive good plain-coloured cow, made the first good price, and lot 4 was dead. Then came Clear Star, one of the best cows in the herd, of large size, with a great barrel, somewhat thin in the crops, but with the unmistakable Bates neck and style, and darkish up-turned horns. Messrs. Drewry", Foster, and More, were dangerous opponents all through Ihe sale, and they ran this cow up to 205 gs., when Mr. Thornton got her at 210 gs. Wild Eyes 24th was certainly not a handsome beast, and common-looking both in her colour and quarters, still she made a high price, being just due to calve. Lot 9, an even fine cow, rather- short of hair, went reasonably enough. Lot 10 was rather doubtful as a breeder. Lot 11, Kirklevington 17th, was also a very useful cow, with big hips and good ribs ; this tribe, however, did not come out so remai'k- ably well, Mr. Harward having sold his portion of it last year. The Fifth Maid of Oxford created much com- petition. A large fine cow, rather up in her back, but looking well in the ring, brought out a rattling 500 gs. from Mr. Leney. Mr. Bland for Mr. Angerstein, and Lord Bective, were both against Mr. Geo. Moore, whose 900 gs. secured her for Whitehall, due to calve, and a heifer-calf will at once repay what may seem a large outlay. So much doubt arising about Wild Eyes 29th Mr. Harward came forward and offered to guarantee her as a breeder, and should she fail to produce a live calf the cow was to be sent back and the money returned. This same guarantee was given on lot 27, sold for 405 gs., and lot 29 265 gs. Mr. Strafford's com- mission for Col. Morris of New York was well executed on the Cambrias, and two or three other beautiful young animals. Indeed, the excellence of the two-year-old and yearling heifers was the talk of the company ; they were mostly beautiful roans or reds, full of hair and in that state of condition called by the outside public " fat." When in the ring they showed that remarkable elevation of neck and head, that nervous high-bred appearance which seems to sink the back down, that is so admired and so conspicuous in the highest-bred Bates cattle. The biddings accordingly for the younger ones were very brisk, the best specimens going exceedingly high. Lady Worcester 9th and Lally 15th were two of the finest spe- cimens ; the latter, a lovely roan and very full of hair, went finally to the Duke of Devonshire for 500 gs. The two Duke bulls were the great attraction, and very wisely the Eigth Duke of Geneva was brought iu first. This bull, in the very prime of his life and vigour, came out only as Bates' bulls can, with imposing grandeur of head and crest. He is not large, and he might be a trifle better in his hind quarters, and rounder in his barrel. He is evidently a capital sire, as doubtless at the pre- sent day one of the finest bulls in the country, and as the auctioneer remarked, nearest to Mr. Bates of anything in the world. "Who says a thousand ?" was answered by 900 from Lord Bective ; the biddings then were brisk between the triumvirate from Cumberland and Mr. Leney from Kent, at 1,550 gs. The glass had nearly gone, when Lord Bective's sudden 1,600 gs. created a dispute. Mr. Leney quickly covered it with 50 gs., and got the bull for his large and first-class herd in Kent at 1,650 gs. Third Duke of Claro, although white, had the same high- bred character as the Eighth Duke of Geneva, but an ad- vance of age by three years. In the opinion of several he was equally as fine a bull, and of the stamp of Seventh Duke of York, who was the sire both of his sire and dam. He was put in at 400 gs., and Lord Fitzhardinge and Mr. Graham both were in till 600 ; but Mr. Angerstein got him at an advance of 20 gs. The other bulls sold well, though in no proportion to their dams. Mr. Blundell got a very good young biUl in Earl of Straf- ford at 1 55 gs. ; and Major Fanning takes Wild Eyes Lad, somewhat deficient in girth, to Australia at 170 gs. Mr. Pulley went in boldly for Lord Claro 2nd, of the Worcester tribe, which goes into Herefordshire for 170 gs. The other calves made fair prices, and soon after four this extraordinary sale was concluded. Taking the 56 cows, heifers, and calves, and the 11 bulls and buU-calves which were catalogued, numbered, and brought into the ring separately, we find a total of £15,458 2s. This includes the three guaranteed animals which realised £876 10s., and taking them as well as the calves into the average, deducting the three animals with- drawn, we have an average of £241 10s. Sd. for 64 head. A good deal of controversy arose as to the result of this sale and the recent one at Dunmore. Both were extra- ordinary successes, but inasmuch as the Dunmore was only the outside portion, the more valuable and better animals being retained for the continuance of the herd, as at Holker last year, so the Winterfold sale was the cream of the two herds, after two drafts had been sold off at considerably lower prices, and certainly in lower priced times. The sum of 1,650 gs. is the utmost that has been reached, as yet, for a Shorthorn, and these high figures so remunerative to the breeder, must certainly encourage Shorthorn breeding in general and Bates' blood in particular. Subjoined are the prices : — COWS AND HEIFEKS. May Fly, roan, calved February 14, 1859 ; by Duke of Mos- cow (14.-447), out of Constance by Selim (6454) .--Mr. BennioD, 41 gs. Surmise 3rd, red and white, calved January 31, 1861 ; by May Duke (13320), out of Surmise by Duke of Glo'ster (11382).— Mr. Robinson, 125 gs. Clear Star, red, calved May 14, 1862; by Marton Duke (22307), out of Bright Star by Red Duke (18676)— Mr. Thornton, 210 gs. Wild Eyes 24th, red and white, calved August 30, 1862 ; by 4th Duke of Oxford (11387), out of Wild Eyes 22nd by Wild Duke (19148).— Mr. Crabb, 180 gs. Lady Oxford, red and white, calved August 3, 1863 ; by Im- perial Oxford (18084), out of Lady Glo'ster by Harry of Glo'ster (14674).— Mr. Christy, 31 gs. Sidonia, roan, calved September 22, 1863 ; by John o'Gaunt (16322), out of Siddons by Grand Sultan (16189).— Mr. Bowly, 42 gs. Cleopatra 9tli, rich roan, calved November 15, 1863 ; by Lord Oxford (20214), out of Cleopatra 4th by Duke of Buck- ingham (14428).— Mr. Coleman, 78 gs. Lally 5th, roan, calved March 9, 1865 ; by Duke of Wetherby (17753), out of LaUy 2nd by Malachite (18313).— Mr. Foster, 85 gs. Kirklevington 17th, red, calved July 31, 1865 ; by Lord Lally (22161), out of Kirklevington 10th by Delhi (15865).— Mr. Larking, 240 gs. Fifth Maid of Oxford, roan, calved August 30, 1865 ; by 7th Duke of Airdrie (23718), out of Oxford 20th by Marquis of Carrabas (11789).— Mr. G. Moore, 900 gs. Ketura 3rd, rich roan, calved March 22, 1866 ; by 7th Duke of York (17754), out of Ketura 2nd by Archduke (17316). — Mr. Perry, 47 gs. Lady Worcester 2nd, red, calved June 16, 1866 ; by Charleston (21400), out of Clear Star by Marton Duke (22307)— Mr. Barton, 310 gs. Oxford Donna, red and white, calved August 14, 1866 ; by Didmarton Duke (21546), out of Lady Oxford by Imperial Oxford (18084).— Mr. Moore, 40 gs. Lally 7th, red, calved September 30, 1866 ; by 3rd Lord Ox- ford (22200), out of Lally 2nd by Malachite (18313).— Mr. Larking, 305 gs. Ursula 33rd, white, calved October 35, 1866 ; by 7th Duke of A A 2 564 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. York (17754), out of Duchess of Glo'ster by Duke of Glo'ster (11382) —Mr. Mcintosh, 50 gs. Cambria 3rd, red, calved November 19, 1866 ; by Charleston (21400), out of Cambria by Cupid (14359).— Col. Morris, 85 gs. Wild Eyes 29th, roan, calved June 4, 1867; got by Earl of Glo'ster (21G44), out of Wild Eyes 23rd by Wild Duke (19148).— Mr. Barber, 160 gs. Wild Eyes 30tb, roan, calved November 8, 1867 ; by 7th Duke of York (17754), out of WM Eyes 24th by 4th Duke of Oxford (11387).— Mr. Angerstein, 200 gs. Lally 8th, roan, calved November 12, 1867 ; by 7th Duke of York (17754), out of Lally 3rd by 4th Duke of Oxford (11387).— Mr. Angerstein, 600 g». Lally 9th, roan, calved November 22, 1867 ; by 7th Duke of York (17754), out of Lally 2nd by Malachite (18313).— Mr. Fawcett, 300 gs. Lady Worcester 3rd, roan, calved December 1, 1867 ; by 3rd Duke of Wharfdale (21619), out of Clear Star by Marton Duke (22307).— Mr. Ashburner, 505 gs. Cambria 4th, roan, calved March 6, 1868 ; by 2nd Duke of Wetherby (21618), out of Cambria by Cupid (14359).— Col. Morris, 90 gs. Kirklevington 21st, roan, calved April 30, 1868 ; by 4th Duke of Thorudale (17750), out of Kirklevington 16th by Duke of Wetherby (17753).— Mr. Bowly, 210 gs. Lally 10th, roan, calved June 22, 1868; by 5th Lord Wild Eyes (26702), out of Lally 5th by Duke of Wetherby (17753).— Lord Skelmersdale, 405 gs. Lady Dudly 6th, roan, calved September 17, 1868 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Soprano by Fitzroy (16058). —Mr. J. Webb, 51 gs. Lady Waterloo, white, calved December 7, 1868 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Waterloo Cherry by Cherry Duke 4th (17552).— Mr. F. Leuey, 265 gs. Clara Novello 4th, roan, calved December 11, 1868 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Clara Novello 2nd by Charleston (21400).— Mr. Kennard, 85 gs. Lady Dudley 7th, roan, calved February 11, 1869 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Lady Dudley by 3rd Duke of Lancaster (19624).— Mr. Christy, 81 gs. Lady Worcester 5th, roan, calved March 30, 1869 ; got by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Lady Worcester 2nd by Charleston (21400).— Mr. Barton, 510 gs. Tacita 3rd, roan, calved May 19, 1869 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Surmise 3rd by May Duke (13320).— Col. Morris. 260 gs. Lally 13tli, roan, calved July 10, 1869; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Lallv 3rd by 4th Duke of Oxford (11387). —Mr. Sheldon, 620 gs. Lady Blanche 2nd, roan, calved October 28, 1869 ; by 3rd Duke of Clairo (23729), out of Cherry Blanche by Cherry Duke 4th (17552).— Mr. Thornton, 120 gs. Lady AVorcester 6th, roan, calved December 20, 1869 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Clear Star by Marton Duke (22307).— Mr. Larking, 360 gs. Duchess Blanche, roan, calved March 15, 1870 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of May Fly bv Duke of Moscow (14447).— Mr. Garfit, 205 gs. Lady Worcester 7th, white, calved April 17, 1870; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Lady Worcester by Charles- ton (21400).— Mr. Garfit, 215 gs. Cambria 5th, roan, calved August 17, 1870 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Cambria 2nd by Emperor (19693).— Col. Morris, 95 gs. Cambria 6th, roan, calved March 24, 1871 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Cambria by Cupid (14359).— Col. Morris, 200 gs. Lally 11th, roan, calved April 16, 1871; by 8th Duke of Geneva (28390), out of Lally 10th by 5th Lord Wild Eves (26762) .—Lord Skelmersdale, 305 gs. Cambria 7tb, white, calved April 15, 18?1 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Cambria 3rd by Charleston (21400). — Mr. Kennard, 72 gs. Wild Eyes Lassie, roan, calved July 3, 1871 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23739), out of Wild Eyes 24th by 4th Duke of 0.x- ford (11387).— Mr. Foster, 420 gs. Lady Blanche 3rd, roan, calved July 10, 1871 ; bv 8th Duke of Geneva (28390), out of Cherry Blanche 2ud'hy Charles- ton (21400>.— Col. Morris, 205 gs. Lady Worcester 9th, roan, calved August 19, 1871 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Lady Worcester 3nd by Charleston (21400).— Mr. Thornton, 420 gs. Cambria 8th, roan, calved September 8, 1871 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Cambria 2nd by Emperor (19693). — Lord Penrhyn, 66 gs. Lady Dudley 10th, roan, calved August 26, 1871 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Soprano by Fitzroy (16058). Mr. J. Webb, 40 gs. Tacita 6th, roan, calved September 10, 1871 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Surmise 3rd by May Duke (13320). —Mr. Foster, 200 gs. Joan of Arc 2nd, white, calved February 10, 1872 ; by 3rd Ddke of Claro (23729), out of Joan of Arc by Cupid (14359).— Mr. Brown, 40 gs. Cambria 9th, white, calved March 5, 1872 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Cambria 4th by 2nd Duke of We- therby (21618).— Lord Peurhyn, 60 gs. Kirklevington 25th, roan, calved June 9, 1872 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Kirklevington 17th by Lord Lally (22161).— Mr. Brogdeu, 220 gs. Cambria 10th, white, calved Jane 8, 1872; by 8th Duke of Geneva (38390), out of Cambria 3rd by Charleston (21400). — Mr. Hancock, 41 gs. Lady Wild Eyes, red and white, calved July 6, 1872; by 8th Duke of Geneva (28390), out of Wild Eyes 24th by 4th Duke of Oxford (11387).— Mr. Brogden, 260 gs. Lady Worcester 10th, red and white, calved July 18, 1872 ; by 8th Duke of Geneva (28390), out of Lady Worcester 2nd by Charleston (21400).— Mr. G. Moore, 240 gs. Lally 15th, roan, calved July 19, 1872 ; by 8th Duke of Ge- neva (28390), out of Lally 8th by 7th Duke of York 17754). — Duke of Devonshire, 500 gs. Lally 16th. white, calved September 9, 1872 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Lally 9th by 7th Duke of York (17754).— Mr. Moore, 204 gs. BULLS. Third Duke of Claro (23729), white, calved May 30, 1866 ; by 2nd Duke of Wharfdale (19649), out of Duchess 87th by 7th Duke of York (17754).— Mr. Angerstein, 620 gs. Eighth Duke of Geneva (28390), roan, calved November 24, 1868 ; by Baron of Oxford (23371), out of 3rd Duchess of Thorndale by Duke of Glo'ster (11382).— Mr. F. Leney, 1,650 gs. Earl of Strafford, white, calved June 22, 1871 ; by 8th Duke of Geneva (28390), out of Lally 8th by 7th Duke of York (17754).— Mr. Blundell, 155 gs. Wild Eyes Lad, roan, calved September 7, 1871 ; by 8tli Duke of Geneva (28390), out of Wild Eyes 30th by 7th Duke of York (17754).— Major Fanning, 170 gs. May Duke 2nd, white, calved February 7, 1872 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729). out of May Fly by Duke of Moscovr (14447).)— Mr. Webb, 30 gs. Lord Claro 2nd, rich roan, calved March 2, 1872 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Clear Star by Marton Duke (22307).— Mr. Pulley, 170 gs. Earl of Fowls, roan, calved April 30, 1872 ; by 8th Duke of Geneva (28390), out of Cambria by Cupid (14359).— Mr, Jones, 71 gs. Owen Glendwr, red roan, calved December 20, 1871 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Sidonia by John O'Gauut (16322).— Mr. Woodward, 40 gs. Gay Boy, roan, calved January 3, 1872 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Oxford Donna by Didmarton Duke (21546).— Earl Beaucharap, 60 gs. Wild Eyes Duke, white, calved August 18, 1872; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Wild Eyes 30th by 7th Dnke of York (17754).— Duke of Manchester, 40 gs. Tacitus 2nd, roan, calved September 6, 1872 ; by 3rd Duke of Claro (23729), out of Surmise 3rd by May Duke (13330). Mr. Fowler, 51 gs. Summary. £ s. d. £ s. 52 cows and heifers averaged 237 7 7 12,343 16 9 bulls „ 346 0 8 3,114 6 61 head „ 253 7 0 £15,458 2 T^E FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 365 MR. G. M. SEXTON'S STOCK SALE, AT WHERSTEAD, SUFFOLK. Mr. Sexton, who carries on a business as auctioneer, is relinquisliing two out of three farms at Wlierstead — Bourne Hall, f nd the Park Farm — which he has held with his brother, Mr. Henry Sexton, who is removing to Thorington Hall Farm, in the same parish, and lience the sale. There were 22 Suffolk liorses, a bay hunting gelding, a harness cob, two Norway ponies, 40 liead of Short-horn cattle, 200 sheep, and 150 boars and sows. The sale was conducted by Mr. Henry Grimwade, commencing with the pigs. The purciiases by Mr. Uindsou were understocd to be on commission for the American and foreign markets. Subjoined are the names of the buyers, with the prices given : Black Sows.— Turner, 16gs. ; Hindson, 0|gs. ; Hindsou, 15gs. ; Everett, ] 3gs. ; Rose, 6^gs. ; J. Mudd, 5^gs. ; Hope, 6^g8. ; Hindson, 15gs. ; Walker, 6gs. ; Hose, lOgs. ; Knights, 7igs. ; Everett, 7igs.; Knights, IHgs. ; Rose, 6gs. ; Royds, 17gs. ; H. Biddell, 7igs. ; Rose, l^^gs., 16gs., 16gs. ; Harding, 17gs., 14gs., 12igs. ; Everett, 8^gs. ; Hope, 15^gs. ; Mutton, 15|gs. ; Waites, 92gs. ; Mersey, 7gs. ; Jillings, 5jgs. ; AVaites, 7 gs. ; Hope, lO^gs. ; Jillings, 4jgs. ; Packard, 7igs. ; Jil- lings, 4^gs., 6|gs. ; Fielding, 7igs. ; Everett, 6gs. ; Cobbold, 6|gs. ; Garrett, Ggs. ; Everett, 8^gs. ; Jillings, 5gs.; Everett, 9gs. ; R. Garrett, 6^gs. ; Waites, 8gs. ; Lord Rendleshara, S^^gs. ; Jillings, 4^gs. ; Waites, 6g3. ; G. Fiske, &^gs., 7gs. ; J. Forder, 4gs. ; W. Grimwade, 4|^gs. ; Bigsby, 7gs. ; Moore, 5gs. ; Jillings, 4gs. ; Sir W. Jones, 5g6. Black Bo.^rs. — Lord Bendlesham, 12^gs. ; Rose, 134gs. ; Kersey, 7gs. ; H. Biddell, 6^gs. ; Bigsby, 7gs. ; Hope, 9gs. ; Hindson, IS^gs. ; Grimwade, 8gs. ; R.Garrett, 7gs. ; Haw- kins, 9gs. ; Robinson, 7igs. ; Walker, 5^gs. ; Everett, 8gs. ; Knights, 9gs. ; Bigsby, 5^gs. ; B. King, 4|gs. ; Everett, 7gs. ; Bloorafield, 4^gs. ; Sewell, 9gs. ; Harding, 7gs. ; Boggis, 6gs. ; Cobbo!d, Ggs.; Packard, 7gs. ; Schotield, 5|gs. ; Daniels, Sjgs. ; Jillings, 42gs. ; Marshall, 4Jgs. ; Everett, 6gs. ; Brook, 4gs. ; Nuun, 5|g3. ; Sir W. Jones, 5gs. White Sows.— M. Biddell, 8gs. ; Scott, S^gs. ; H. Biddell, 6'i-gs. ; S. Wolton, Gigs. ; Pettitt, 4|gs. ; Walker, 5gs. ; Hind- son, 16gs., 14^gs. ; Bigsby, Sjgs. ; Jillings, 4Jgs. ; Walker, 6g8. ; Waterman, ogs. ; Biddell, lOgs. ; Lord Rendleshara, 5gs. ; Dodd, S^gs. ; S. Wolton, lOgs. ; F. Waller, 4^gs. ; Reynolds, 3^gs. ; Jillings, 4gs. ; Everett, 4Jgs. ; Page, 6Jgs. ; Walker, 5gs. ; Dodd, 6gs. ; Rowland, 3^gs. ; Semon, 24gs. ; Biddell, 8gs. ; Cobbold, 4igs. ; Hare, 4gs. ; M. Biddell, 5gs. White Boars.— S. Wolton, 23Jgs. ; Scott, 7igs. ; Wal- ford, ogs. ; Davis, 5gs. ; Jillings, 4jgs. ; Fairweather, 5gs. ; Everett, 4gs. ; Dodd, S^gs. ; Hustler, 3^-gs.; M. Biddell, 4gs. ; Winnell, 4|gs. ; Hustler, 4gs. ; Scott, 5|gs. ; J. Grout, 4igs.; Pettitt, 4gs. ; B. B. H. Rodwell, 4gs. ; G. D. Badham, 17gs. ; Kerry, 4|gs. ; Walker, 4^gs. ; Page, 2^gs. 14 Berkshire sows and a few boars of the same breed sold at from Ggs.Jto 8gs. for sows with pigs or in-pig, and 5gs. to 7gs. for the boars ; the cows averaged from 20gs. to 27gs. each ; the sheep from 70s. to 80s. each ; and the black-faced crcnes 50s. 6d. The horses from Bourne Hall were seven in number, and sold at from 45gs. to 61gs. Mr. R. Garrett wns the purchaser of a mare for 65gs. From the Park Farm there were about twenty, including a hunting gelding and some cobs. The top price here was 80gs., given by Mr. R. Garrett, for Bragg, a mare iu foal. A gelding was purchased by Mr. Currage for C5gs., and another went to him for 59g3. Diamond, a mare with foal at foot, was sold, without the foal, to Mr. H. Biddell for 47gs., and the foal to Mr. Ind for 22^g8. One yearling gelding went, at 33^gs., to Mr. God- dard, and a filly to Mr. Pettitt for 48gs. Mr. Pettitt also bought two other yearling fillies at 35gs. each, and one sold to Mr. Cockerell for 27gs., and another to Mr. S. Wolton for 25gs. A bay gelding, described as a 12-stone hunter, by Caliban, five years old, was bought by Mr. J. Grout for oOgs. The total amount was about £3,375 ; tlie pigs reaHsing £1,168 10s.; the horses, £1,088 17s.; and the cattle, £746 lis. MR. ALLEN'S SHORTHORNS.— This sale, which had been postponed from August 27 on accouut of foot- and-mouth disease, took place on Sept. 19 th at Thur- maston, Leicester. The catalogue comprised the larger portion of the herd, which was quite of a dairying character,several of the animals being of short pedi- gree. The Biugley llall sale of sheep took a good many- farmers and others to Birmingham, and the attend- ance was not strong. The cattle had regained their condition, but one or two were still lame, and having so recently gone through the disease this no doubt caused some hesitation among the buyers. The prices ranged f:r cows and heifers from 30 to 40 gs. Lot 'J Japonica, of the Knightlcy blood, going for 45 gs., and Garland for 41 gs. Lot 24 ^linetta was bought by the Rev. J. Swarbrick for 46 gs., and he also gave 30 gs. for Fawsley Queen 2Qd. The calves sold well. The bull Duke of Waterloo was reserved at 100 gs., and Captain Blithe, a handsome red calf, fetched 51 gs. (H. Smith). The sum total of thfi sale amounted to £1,435 7s., being an average of £27 12s. for 52 head. There was but a slight demand for the Leicester sheep. Mr. Thornton was the auctioneer. SHEEP SALES AND RAM LETTINGS. SHROPSHIRES. — Messrs. Lythall and Clarke held their fifth sale in the Smithfield, Shrewsbury, last monh, when they disposed of about eighty rams and a hundred ewes. The sale, on the whole, was very satisfactory, any sheep of more than usual excellence making high prices. Mr. W. O. Foster sent fifteen rams, the first of which (being his Royal Show sheep), after a brisk corapetiou, realised 55 guineas, to Mr. Groves, of Brompton, the remainder making from 8 to 10 gs. each. Mr. W. Picken's eight shearlings by a ram of Mrs. Beach's made from 5 to 6^ gs. Fifteen from the Coalbrook- dale Iron Co., which were low in condition, and rather small- made, from 4rV to 65- gs. Mr. J. Pulley sent fifteen shearlings. These were big, long sheep, with good heads and true colour, and had they been in higher condition, would no doubt have made very hi?h prices. As it was they ranged from G to 15 gs. Mr. Tanner's seven realised from 5j to 18 gs., and twenty Oxfordshire Down rams, from Mr. John Bryan, of Southleigh, were disposed of principally to Irish gentlemen at from 7i to 13 gs. Mr. W. O. Foster's ewes made from 65s. to 100s., and those of the Coalbrookdale Iron Company from SHROPSHIRE RAMS.— Mr. Baker's, of Moor Barns, Warwickshire, were sold by Messrs. Lythall and Clarke, on Wednesday last. The sale of 36 rams averaged £17 133. Gd. ; and for 55 ewes and theaves, 101s. LINCOLNSHIRE RAM SALES.— On Thursday the Biscathorpe fioek was brought to the hammer- For above a hundred years the Riokham rams have been let, and this being the first opportunity oifered to home-breeders of purchasing from such an old-established and valuable flock a large company of rara-breeders and wool-growers assembled from all parts of the country. The prices realised were above the average, and the competition was very brisk to secure some of the shearlings. Sixty-eight shearlings sold for 1,772 guineas, being an average of £27 7s. 2jd. ; sixteen two- shear sheep sold for 357 gs., being an average of £23 8s. GJd. each ; thirty-six three-shear and upwards realised 793^- gs., averaging £23 2s. lO^d. each. The 120 sheep were knocked down for £3,068 12s. 6d., giving a general average of £25 lis. 6d. Great sympathy was expressed for Mr. Kirkham, and great regret at his probable retirement from ram-breeding, he being under notice to quit the Biscathorpe farm or pay a much larger rent. For a hundred years there has been a pro- gressive and enterprising attempt to secure and perpetuate for the old Hagnaby and Biscathorpe flock every excellency. THE PANTON RAMS.— Lot 5, a shearling, was let to Mr. C. Ward at 31 guineas. Mr. E. J. Davy secured Lot 10 at 24 guineas ; Lot 13, a shearling was knocked down to Mr. Hesseltine at 50 guineas ; and Mr. C. Minta became the pur- chaser of Lot 17 at 32 guineas. A two-shear was secured by Mr. Marshall, Branston, at 35 guineas. The fifty-two shear- lings realised £718 14s. 6d., being an average of £13 16s. 5d. each, and the eight older sheep made £131 53., an average of £16 8s. lid. The sixty rams thus produced £842 I9s. 6J. the average being £li 3s, 4d, 366 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. THE AYLESBY MANOR RA.MS.— The pure-bred Lei- cester flock of sheep has for between eighty and ninety years been at Aylesby Manor, the late Mr. Skipworth being the founder. The unfortunately now too prevalent foot-and-mouth disease has not passed this flock scatheless ; two prime animals, one of them costing 117 guineas, selected from the premier flock in the British Empire, fell victims to its insidious march ; these, however, did not represent and include the total ravages by that disastrous epidemic. The flock generally has survived the attack, and on Wednesday a clean bill of health was presented. The sheep were let, as usual, privately, and in these lettings most of the slieep breeding centres of the British Empire were represented. The average of the entire letting was 16 guineas per head. In addition to wliicli some animals were sold out and out for the British Colonies and South America, the latter country being represented by Mr. Evans, a gentleman who was formerly an agricultural pupil with the late Mr. T. Brooks, of Croxby, near Caistor. SALE OF THE OVVERSBY RAMS, BY MR. CAL- THROP. — Few places in North Lincolnshire present greater attraction to the outside world, as well as agriculturists, than Owersby ; and the name of Davy is mucli valued. The eighty-eight animals were disposed of at an average of £14 7s. 9^(1. each shearling. There was a supplementary lot of sheep sold afterwards, Mr. John Greetham of Stainton-le-Vale being the principal purchaser. THE ANNUAL SALE OF LAMBS AT CARNWATH. — There would be fully 3,000 head sold, consisting principally of crosses and blackfaced ewe and wether lambs. The stock — which, with the exception of one or two lots, belonged to Mr. J ohn Lind, Carnwath — was in excellent condition. Mr. Buist, Edinburgh, officiated as auctioneer. Cross lambs maintained with difficulty the cur- rencies of Lanark Lamb Market ; while black ewe and wed- der lambs would be back from Is. to 23. The stiffness in the present case is attributed to the late harvest and tlie prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease in the Carnwath district. SIR WILLIAM THROCKMORTON'S SOUTHDOWNS. — At the sale of Southdown sheep and Berkshire pigs, the property of Sir N. W. Throckmorton, of Buckland, the busi- ness opened with ewes, when the following prices were given : Five full-mouthed ewes, £16 5s., Baly ; live, £20, Colman ; five, £18 2s. 6d., Lord Sondes ; five, £19 7s. 6d., Colman ; ten, £40, Lord Sondes ; ten, £37 10s., Baly ; five 2-tooth ewes, £20, Druce ; five, £16 5s., Biel ; five, £21 5s., Lord Sondes ; five, £19 7s. 6d., Lord Radnor ; ten, £40, Baly ; ten, £31 5s., Biel — total £299 7s. 6d., at an average for ewes 74s. lOd. Southdown rams : Six-tooth ram, hired at £21, Heasman ; hired at £15 15s., Lord Sondes ; hired at £73 10s., Colman; 4-tooth ram, sold at £31 10s., Heasman ; hired at £10 10s., Fox; sold at £17 17s., Fox; hired at £17 17s., Lord Sondes ; sold at £10 10s., Heasman ; shearling ram, sold at £10 10s., Fox ; sold at £11 lis., Lord Bathurst; sold at £34 13s., Fox ; sold at ae28 7s., Lord Bathurst; hired at £8 8s., Emery ; sold at £7 7s., Biel ; sold at £11 lis.. Lord Bathurst ; sold at £7 17s. 6d., Biel— total of rams £318 13s. 6d., an average (of rams let £24 6s. 6d., and sold £17 3s. 4d. The highest price paid for pigs was £11 Os. 6d., given for a yonng boar by Mr. Campbell ; and the prices for pigs ranged from £1 5s. to £7 each. Mr. Strafford officiated. MR. CHARLES BYRD'S SHROPSHIRE SALE AT LITTYv\'^OOD. — The weather proved extremely unfavourable' and drove the company to shelter during the latter part of the proceedings, when low prices ruled. Mr. A. Tanner secured Hampton Hero for the season at 70 guineas. Fifty guineas for the hire of number 5 was paid by Mr. Mansell, who-took No. 6 also at 10 guineas. Mr. E. Crane bought an aged ram, used last year by Mr. Coxon at 14 guineas, and Mr. Coson gave 17 for No. 7 shearling. No. 8 fell to Mr. Kinghorn, for Rev. G. Inge, at 31 guineas ; and the others ranged from 18 down to 5 guineas, averaging nearly 14 guineas each. The ewes were only moderate, and ranged from 59s. to 72s. averaging about 66s. Mr. Preece conducted the sale. MR. BRADBURNE'S SHROPSHIRES.— At Pipe Place. Lichfield, by Mr. Preece, on Friday, the rams averaged 12 guineas each. The first prize yearling ewes at Cardiff realised 19^ guineas, and those highly commended at the same show were sold at 11^ guineas per head. The 80 other ewes averaged 85s. each Every lot was disposed THE ULCEBY GRANGE RAMS.— The annual show and saleof the rams bred by Mr. Turner, of Ulceby Grange, took place on Monday. Mr. Turner's flocks this year, like those of his neighbours, have not escaped the devastating visitation of the foot-and-mouth disease, and as a consequence the 56 shearlings shown were not so big and forward as usual. The average was £11, but some of the rams realised high figures. Patent was bought by Mr. Nicholson, of Sturton Grange, Leeds, for £34. The same breeder gave £36 for President. Pilot was knocked down to Lord Charlemont for £20 ; Lot 13 was sold for £17, Mr. Turner of Harpswell being the pur- chaser, who took also Planet for £16. Lot 21 was bought by Mr. Raven, of Limber, for £17. Several sheep were sold at sums varying from £10 to £16. THE HUTTOFT RAMS.— Mr. St. P. Robinson's annual ram show was held upon his new premises. The whole lot of 59 were let at the average price of £13 17s. Id. One sheep was let for £57, and several others at from £20 to £26 each. The total amount for which the sheep were let was £817 10s. SALE OF MR. HENRY HIPKIN'S T\T:STDEAN FLOCK. — This sale was conducted on Tuesday by Messrs. Wyatt and Son, who brought to the hammer 420 ewes, and 10 rams, the lambs being bought in. Unfortunately the flock has the foot-and-mouth disease ; but all purchases will be kept till they have recovered, and this did not materially affect the sale. The yearling ewes averaged about 62s. each, while the two-year-olds sold for quite three or four shillings in advance of this, and tlie three-year-olds, and full-mouthed at about 64s. The highest price for rams was 8^ gs. SALE OF THE STAMFORD LEICESTER RAMS.— On Wednesday an auction of Leicester rams was held at Stamford , near Alnwick, the property of Mr. J. C. Bolam, late of Low Trewitt. As the sale advanced the prices grew better, the result being £747 15s. for 69 shearling rams, oran average of £10 16s. 8-^-d. At the close, 85 Leicester fat Dinmonts sold from 56s. to 60s. ; 50 Cheviot wethers sold from 46s. to 49s. ; 50 fat ewes brought from 56s. to 59s. THE ASHBY-DE-LA-LAUNDE LINCOLNS.— Messrs. Law offered and let 60 shearling rams, 20 two-shear sheep, 13 three-shear, and 7 four-shear, being 100 sheep, which were sold for £1,441 2s. 6d., producing an average of £14 8s. 2jd. Mr. R. Howard, of Temple Bruer, gave 32 gs. for Lot 10 ; Lot 19 let for 23 gs.; Lot 44 for 21 gs.; and Lot 50 was let to Mr. M. Smith, of Branston Fen, for 35 gs. Mr. Lister, of Coleby, hired a shearling for 40 gs. Of the two-shear sheep Mr. T. Cartwright, of Dunstan, took Lot 68 for 55 gs., and Mr. Needham, of Huttoft, Lot 75 for 28 gs. Of the three- shear sheep Mr. R. Dudding, of Panton, took Lot 83 ; Mr. J, Kirkham, of Audleby, hired Lot 84. PETERBOROUGH RAM FAIR.— On Saturday week the demand for Lincoln sheep was greater than the supply. The best lot of shearlings were shown by Mr. Casswell, of Poiuton, and fifty realised over £23 per head. The highest price made in the fair was 60 gs. for Lot No. 20, penned by Mr. Casswell, and purchased for Mr. Marshall, of Barnston. Lot No. 10 was bought by Mr. Clark, of Scopwick, for 45 guineas. Shearlings were shown by Mr. J. R. Kirkham, of Audleby Villa, Caistor ; Mr. Dean of Dowsby, Mr. J. H. Casswell of Loughton, Mr. Robert Wright of Nocton Heath, and Mr. John Pears, Mere, Lincoln. The average of the fair was computed to be X'14 3s. 9d., and buyers for the colonial and foreign markets were numerous. MR. WATER'S SOUTHDOWNS.— By Messrs. Southerden and Morris, the well-known auctioneers of Hailsham and Lewes, at Motcombe, Eastbourne. — The full-mouthed ewes numbered 150, and varied in price from £8 8s. to £3, the highest price being given for Mr. W. Taylor, of Thorn House. The average price for this class was about £3 15s. per head. For the six-tooth the highest price given was £5 per head, and the lowest £3 6s. Mr. Rigden, of Hove, became the purchaser of the highest-priced lot, giving £25 for a pen of five. Of the four-tootli 140 of this class were offered, Mr. Eigden, of Hove, taking five at £6 6s. per head, the prices decreasing to £3 2s. each. For the two-tooth, numbering 190, the highest price attained throughout the day was reached when Lot 47 appeared, Mr. W. Taylor being the purchaser at 8| guineas. This pen was the flower of the flock. The lowest price given in this class was 63s. each. For rams the highest price was 21 guineas. Another ram was knocked down for 19 guineas, and the other twelve sold averaged about 8 guineas a-piece. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 367 THE TATHWELL RAMS.— These were a lot of pro- mising shearlings, and the prices realised were satisfactory, the average of the nineteen sold being £8 9s. 8d. Mr. Cox gave 14 gs., the higliest price. THE 11A.BIS OF Mil. CHAS. CLARKE, OE SCOP- WICK, were sold by auction by Mr. Briggs. Tlie bidding was spirited, and good prices were made, the flock of Mr. Clarke being well known and having occupied a high position for many years. SALE OF THE FLADBURY HERD OF SHORTHORNS. —This large herd has been kept principally for dairy purposes, and although well-bred animals and good bulls were bought, principally of the Knightley blood, there were no pretensions • to fancy prices. Nevertheless, the stock sold well, iu conse- quence of Mr. Webb giving up the farm, and there was plenty of competition for tlie cows, which mostly had young calves with them, and were reduced in condition. They ranged from 30 gs. to 40 gs. each, and were bought mostly to remain in Worcestershire and Herefordshire. A few were purchased to go into Sussex. Mr. Webb had won some prizes in the dairy classes at the county shows, and a pair of prize cows at Stour- bridge went to Mr. B. II. Allen for 74 gs. Bella, a well- known local prize heifer, a doubtful breeder, made 63 gs. The calves sold remarkably well, a bull-calf fetchiug 35 gs., and others 20 gs. to 30 gs. each, several of them being of short pedigree. The sura total of the sale was over 2,000 gs., and the 79 head averaged £27 5s. BORDER UNION SALE AT KELSO.— Nearly 2,000 sheep, the marjority of which belonged to the Border Leices- ters, were submitted at four rings erected in various parts of the park. Prices were not so good in the forenoon as in the afternoon. The quality of the rams submitted for competition was very superior — much finer than ever previously observed. A rumour got afloat early in the forenoon th at the Irish ports were closed against cattle and sheep, and this had the eflfeet of making those that had commissions for Ireland, and also buyers from that country, rather timorous. The Merioun flock (Lord Polwarth's), as in former years, again took first place in the sales, the enormous price of £170 being got for one Leicester ram, and which was par- chased by the Marquis of Tweeddale. Mr. Smith, Whitting- ham Mains, purchased the next at £140 ; the Duke of Buc- cleuch the next at £100 ; Mr. Laing, Wark, the next at £85 ; Mr. Bell, Linton, the next at £39 ; and Mr. Sirason, Blainslie, the nest at £37. Miss Stark's best ram was bought for £80. Mr. Hope, Fenton Barns, sold his highest at £63. JEVINGTON.— Mrs. W. M. Filder being about to leave the farm, the flock, above 1,200 Southdowns, was brought to the hammer last Thursday, by Messrs. Southerden and Morris, of Lewes and Hailsham. 220 full-mouthed ewes were offered, three guineas being the highest price given, and fifty-one shillings the lowest. The total for the 220 amounted to £608 17s. 6d. Six-tooth ewes, 210 animals offered, fetched £633 10s., 60| shillings each. Four-tooth ewes, by rams bred by Messrs. Eraary, of Hurston came next, Mr. Robert Paxton offering £3 for the first five. These nltimately reached seventy-shillings, at which price, the highest of the day, they were bought by Mr. Head- ley. The lowest of these fetched sixty-five shillings, and 180 brought £612 5s., sixty-eight shillings each. The first ram, a full-mouthed, £5 5s. ; the second and third were sis-tooth, £3 3s. and £8 8s. They were all of the same breed as that first sold. Nos. 4, 5, 6, and 7 went as follows : Four for £9 19s. 6d. ; five £6 6s. ; six £6 6s. ; and seven £7 7s. Besides the sheep there were also sold four pairs of working oxen for the following figures respectively per pair : £53, £44, £50, and £51. Two pairs of rant steers brought £57 per pair. CASTLE- DOUGLAS RAM SALE.— MR. WALLET'S.— There was a large attendance of purchasers. Quality of rams decidedly superior to last year. Number exposed, 320 — 124 Yorkshire rams from J. T. Robinson, Sickly Palace, York- shire, averaged £7 10s., highest price £15 5s, ; 17 from Mr. Shennan, Balig, average £4 16s. 4d., highest, £9 5s. Mr. Corrie, South Park, had 5 — average £3 12s. 6d. ; 54 from Mr. M'Turk, Craude, Leicestershire, averaged £5 12s. 8d. ; highest price, £10 10s. ; 60 from Mr. J. B. Irving, averaged £7 5s. 8d. ; highest, £18 10s. ; 51 from Logan Mains, Stran- raer, averaged nearly £6, highest price £13 5s. THE SUTTON MADDOCK SHROPSHIRES.— Messrs. Lythall and Clarke disposed of thirty-two rams and ninety ewes. The former ranged 5^ to 40 gs., averaging £13 9s. 6d. The latter from 67s. 6d. to 120s., giving the fair average of 96s. 6d. The principal buyers were the Earl of EUesmere, Lord Wil- loughby de Broke, Sir Henry Harnage, Bart., Messrs. W. O. Foster, Nock, Yates, Preece, E. Lythall, Cope, Rostron, and Brewster. HAMPSHIRE DOWNS.— At the Manor Farm, Gorton, on Monday last, the flock included 600 ewes and 600 chilver and wether lambs. Prices for ewes ranged from 73s. to 61s., full-mouthed ewes 71s. to 65s., six-teeth ewes 57s. to 44s., chilver lambs 54s. to 45s., wether fambs 54s. to 44s. Average for full-mouthed ewes £3 6s. lOd., for six-teeth ewes, £3 Is., chilver lambs £2 8s., wether lambs £3 9s. 6d. SOUTH WILLINGHAM RAM SHOW — The biddings were somewhat rapid, and showed a great improvement on last year. The average was a trifle over £10. LINCOLN RAM SALES.— There were fewer than usual, some of the flocks being down with foot-and-mouth disease. Messrs. Richardson and Tateson sold, for Mr. C. Lister, of Coleby, 9 shearlings, which averaged £9 3s. 2d. each ; also 6 ram-lambs, which averaged 55s. 6d. each, and 26 wether lambs, the property of Mr. Barratt, Upton, made from 51s. to 53s. each. At the same auction were offered 4 rams for Mr. E. Howard, Nocton, which averaged £7 15s. each. Messrs. Law p.nd Son offered 28 shearlings, the property of Mr. Wright, Nocton. Mr. Ealand gave ^628 7s. for one, and Mr. Wass, £24 3s. The whole averaged £10 14s. per head. Messrs. Briggs submitted 13 rams from the flock of Mr. W. F. Marshall, Branston. Mr. T. C Marshall bought one for 28 guineas, and Mr. Lamb and Mr. Mackinder each one for 21 guineas. Mr. E. Howard, Noctou, gave 26 guineas for a two-shear, and Mr. Marriott 24 guineas for a three-shear. The 13 averaged £17 15s. 4d. per head. Mr. Walker, Dunholrae, offered, through Messrs. Briggs, 6 shearlings, which sold at from 5| to 9 guineas a head. ENFORD.— The sale of the flock of the late R. K. Kilrainster, was held at Enford Farm. The sheep, about 2,500 in number, realised good prices. Full-mouthed ewes averaged as high as 62s. per head, six-teeth 66s., four-teeth 70s, two-teeth 68s. Chilver lambs averaged 45s., and wether lambs 48s. 6d. per head. The total amount of the sale was £7,254 8s. The highest price reahsed was for a lot of two- tooth ewes, 85s. per head. SALES OF RAMS IN CORNWALL. — At the Truro cattle market, Mr. John Tremain sold eight Cotswold rams from the stock of Mr. Henwood, Lower St. Columb, which went at from £9 5s. to £1 4 5s. Mr. Brewer offered a lot of Leicester rams from the stock of Mr. John Mason ; a few were sold at from £6 to £7 each. The others were afterwards sold by private contract, at from £9 to £10 each. Those from Mr. W. Whitford's stock, of St. Erme, were all sold, averaging £7 each ; from Mr. T. Olver's, Philleigh, a lot of Shropshire Downs, at from £5 to £11, all sold ; from Mr. George Mason's, Kenwyn, a lot of 25 Leicester ewes, averaging £3 43. ; and Mr. J. Fault's Leicester rams averaging £6, and 20 ewes £3 3s. Mr. Corfield sold 18 Leicester rams from Mr. Anthony Michell's, Cubert, averaging £5 5s. SHROPSHIRES AT BRICK HOUSE, STAFFORD.— Mr. C. Timmis' Shropshire sale took place on Tuesday. The owner had determined not to let three of the best, and after these sheep, several were passed through the ring without an offer. About two-thirds of the rams were sold at from 13 gs. to 5^ gs. each. There was a good trade for the ewes all through, the average being about 68s. per head. Messrs. Lythall and Clarke conducted the sale. MR. MAY'S SHROPSHIRES.— The sale at Elford, on Monday last, was more extensive than usual, in consequence of Mr. May having determined to discontinue ram-breeding. Nearly 400 sheep were included in the catalogue. The forty- two rams ranged from 5 to 22 gs., the ram-lambs from 3 to 13 gs., the ewes from 673. 6d. to 115s., over 100s. per head being paid for several pens, and the ewe lambs realised from 50s. to 100s. each. Messrs. Lythall and Clarke conducted the sale. SHROPSHIRE SHEEP.— The autumn sale by Mr. W. G. Preece at Shrewsbury was on Monday and Tuesday last. The catalogue comprised about 250 rams and 1,600 ewes. The rams were, as usual, sold the first day and the ewes the next. The prevalence of the foot-and-mouth disease, and the order of the Privy Council issued on Saturday prohibiting the im- portation of cattle and sheep from England into Ireland, had 368 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. a depressing tendency on the sale, and tended materially to lower prices. Mr. Edward's four rams averaged 9 guineas each. The Rev. C. P. Peters, one ram 7 guineas. Mr. John Evans's nine rams averaged 12 guineas each. Mr. Crane, Shrawardine, 20 rams averaged 13 guineas. Mr. T. Horton's, No. 1, let at 37 guineas, 20 others averaging 10 guineas. Messrs. Fenn and Harding's No. 1 went to Lord Penrhyn at 30 guineas ; No. 2 to Mr. J. B. Jones at 35 guineas : No. 8 sold to Mr. Heighway at 21 guineas, the other 13 rams an average of about 12 guineas. The Hon. C. Kenyon's shear- lings averaged nearly 12 guineas. Mr. Williams, Dryton, 10 rams, average 9 guineas. Mrs. Wadlow's 9 guineas. Mr. T. liorley's two-shear ram 20 guineas. Lord Chesham's 11 rams ranged from 12 to 32 guineas. Colonel Dyott's, Free- ford, No. 1 was sold to Mr. Harding at 15 guineas. No. i to Mr. T. Mansell at 25 guineas ; eight others averaged 10 guineas. 13 rams from Mr. Bostock, Stafford, averaged 12 guineas. Mr. W. G. Foster, No. 1 to Mr. T. Williams at 33 guineas, No. 3 to Mr. Jarvis at 18 guineas, Nos. 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 averaged nearly 10 guineas. No. 6 to Mr. Oswald at 12 guineas, No. 9 to Mr. G. T. Forester at 27 guineas. Mr. C. Byrd's, No. 1 went to Mr. Sydney Davies for 33 guineas, No, 3 to Mr. John Pickering at 20 guineas, No. 4 to Lord Raglan at 17 guineas, No. 7 to Mr. G. Groves at 12 guineas. Mr. Thomas Baschurch No. 1 went to Mr. Cartwright at 15 guineas, and 13 others averaged 9 guineas each Mr. A. Man- sell's 13 rams averaged 8 guineas ; and Messrs. T. and G. Crane's 13 rams averaged nearly 9 guineas. Over 1,600 ewes were sold. Messrs. Bowen and Jones, 100 ewes, averaged 90s. each ; Messrs. Fenn and Harding, 50 ewes, 75s. ; Mr. M. Williams, 40, 75s. ; Lord Chesiiara, 100, 92s. 6d. ; Mr. W. 0. Foster, 30, 80s. ; Mr. J. Fowler, 35, 72s. 6d. ; Mr. R. Jones, 80, 80s. : Mrs. Frank, 40, 77s. 6d. ; Mr. Pickering, 30, 90s. ; Mr. G. Horton, 30, 85s. ; Mrs. Wadlow, 30, 77s. 6d. ; Mr. Brewster, 30, 70s.; Mr. Nevett, 60, 67s. 6d.; Mr. Andrews, 30, 87s. 6d. ; Mr. T. Jones, 40, 70s. , Mrs. Smith, 50, 70s. ; Mr. J. Preece, 40, 72s. 6d. ; Mr. Bridgman, 30, 75s. ; Messrs. Crane, Peters, Horton, Forester, Payne, Law- rence, lustone, Morris, S, Jones, Norton, Dayus, Minton, Everall, Myott, John Lee, Butler, and Norris sent altogether about 500 ewes, which averaged over 759. each. Of Mr. Wyatt's show ewes one pen was sold to Mr. Peake, Ireland, at I2O3. each, and the other to Mr. Farmer, at 115s. each. Mr. M. Williams, Dryton, five shorn ewes were sold at 87s. each to Mr. Crewe. MR. C. N. KEELTNG'S SHROPSHIRE FLOCK.— This sale took place at the Yew Tree Farm on Friday, under the conduct of Mr. Preece, when capital prices were made. A pen of five shearling ewes were knocked down to Mr. Masfen at 24 guineas each ; and the shearling ewes realized in all £853 2s. 6d., the ewe lambs £540 4s. 6d., the shearling rams ^723 9s., the two-shear rams (four lots) £123 18s., the ram lambs £570 2s. The highest prices for shearling rams, 40 gs. each, were given by Mr. Randell and Colonel Bridgford, and Lord Strathmore gave 44 gs. for a two-shear. Another pen of shearling ewes made 15 gs. each to Mr. H. Green ; a figure also reached by five stock ewes. The flock appears to have been very widely distributed. THE CiDEBY LIN COLNS.— This sale occurred rather later in the season than usual. The highest lots went to Mr. Hesseltine 47 gs., Mr. J. W. Parker 38 gs., Mr. D. G. Briggs 31 gs., Capt. Higgins 21 gs., Mr. Hesseltine 25 gs,, Mr. Williams 25 gs., Mr. M. Munday 21 gs., Mr. lies 22 gs., Mr. Waddingham 35 gs., Mr. Hesseltine 33 gs., Mr. D. G. Briggs 20 gs., Mr. Foster 20 gs., Mr. R. Walker 34 gs., Mr. S. Coats 30 gs., Mr. Waddingham 30^ gs. The average was a very good one. THE POINTON RAMS.— Mr, T. Trotter, of Lincoln, secured a sheep with size, wool, symmetry, and mutton for ^£63. Another was sold to Mr. C. Clarke, of Scopwick, for £48 6s. Mr. Fowler, of Barrow, purchased one for £35 14s. Alto- gether fifty shearlings were sold, very high prices being ob- tained. THE WEST WILLOUGHBY RAMS.— Sixty rams from this flock were sold by Mr. Wood. UnUke many other flocks, that of Mr. Rudkin has escaped the foot-aud-mouth disease, and the rams shown were, consequently, up to, if not above, the average of former years. The forty-eight shearlings realised 630 gs., or an average of £13 lis. 3d. The twelve two-shears made 154^ gs., being an average of £13 10s. 4^d. The total amount realised was 774^ gs., or an average, for the sixty sheep, of £13 lis. For No. 11 30^ gs. was reached, at which sum Mr. Lee, of New Zealand, became the purchaser. THE KINGSTON SOUTHDOWNS. — On Wednesday last Mr. Drawbridge submitted, by direction ot the executor* of the late Mr. John Hodson, of Kingston, Lewes, the whole of the Southdown flock of 1,659 ewes and ewe lambs, and 14 rams. Full mouthed ewes : Of which there were 32 lots of 16 and one of 17 ; the largest purchaser was Mr. Pearson, of Erringham, who secured no less that 19 lots at 59s., 58s., 57s., 56s., and 55s. Most of his purchases were at 57s. Two-tooth ewes were very widely distributed. There were four lots of five, 30 lots of 10, and one lot of 11. Mr, Cane, Berwick, bought at 80s. Mr. Carew Gibson three lots at 78s., and one at 75s. Mr. R. Verrall at 72s. and 63s, Mr. C. Water at 66s. (two lots) and 64s. Mr. Kent at 63s, Mr. Pearson at 63s. (two lots). Mr. Turner, Chyngton, at 69s. Messrs. Brown at 63s. (three lots). Mr. Ditch at 63s. (two lots) and 55s. Mr. Blaker at 96s. (two lots), 66s., and 63s. Mr. Botting, Westmeston, at 63s. and 60s. (three lots). Mr. Ellis at 69s. and 63s. Mr. Keene at 66s. Mr. Nicholson at 63s. (two lots). Mr. Lade at 65s. Mr. Hare at 66s., and Mr. Dumbreli at 63s. Four-tooth ewes : Of this class there were four lots of five, 27 lots of 10, and one lot of 15. Mr, Carew Gibson gave the highest price, 96s., and also bought at 73s. and 72s. (two lots). Six-tooth ewes : There were of this age four lots of five and 26 lots of 10. Mr. Cane, Berwick, gave the highest price, 84s. Stock ewe lambs: There were 15 lots of 10, nine of 20, and one of 24. Mr. Cane gave 50s., 44s., 42s. (two lots), and 40s. Mr. Blaker bought at 50s. Mr. Hare at 46s. and 40s. (three lots). Messrs. Brown gave 42s., 40s. and 38s. Mr. Ellis 42s. Captain Hillman 42s. Mr. Botting 34s. Mr. Homewood 38s. and 36s. Mr. Elliott, Beeding Court, 36s., 35s., 34s., and 33s. (two lots), and Mr. Drawbridge 32s. and 28s. Rams : Full-mouth, Mr. Ellis, £3 10s. ; six-tooth, £14 14s. Mr. T. Brown, £6 10s. Mr. Matthews, £7 10s. Mr. T. Brown, £6 10s. 6d. Four-tooth, Mr. G. Kent, £5 5s. Mr. G. Hodson, £8 8s. Mr. Tribe, £6 6s. Two-tooth, Mr. T. Brown, £3 10s. Mr. Patteson, £3 13s. 6d. Mr. Brook, £3 3s. Mr. Poole, £3. Mr. Patte- son, £3. Mr. Isted, £3 7s. 6d. THE BASINGBOLRNE RAMS.— Mr. Clarke Hales, Manor Farm, offered his twenty-five rams for sale by auction at the annual fair at Northampton for the fifteenth time. The highest price realised was 22 gs., several made over £20, and the whole averaged £16 each. Some were for Australia. NORTHAMPTON SALES.— Mr. W. J . Peirce sold twenty- four Cotswold shearling rams, the property of Mr, John Wheeler, Long Comptou, at an average of £10 7s. 9^d. each. Mr. Peirce also sold twenty-three long-woolled shearling rams, the property of Mr. W. Wiggins, of Draughton, at an average of £7 Os. 8d. per sheep. Mr. John Shaw disposed of four lots of rams of as many distinct breeds — Oxford Down shearling rams, Shropshire Downs, Leicester and Lincoln rams. Twenty-five shearling rams from the Grendon flock, the property of Mr. James Longland, made an ave- rage of £11 6s. 6d., the highest price being £23 2s. 14 Shropshire Down rams, the property of Mr. R. E. Oliver, Sholebroke, averaged £9 2s., the highest price being £13 13s. Eight shearling Leicester rams, the property of Mr. F. Spencer, reahsed an average of £6 6s. Messrs. Acock and Hanks, of Cold Aston and Stow-on-the-Wold, disposed of two lots of Cotswold lams. The first lot consisted of 16 shearhogs, the property of Mr, W. Lane, Broadfield Farm, Northleach, at an average of £14 1 2s. ; the second lot con- sisted of 12 shear-hogs, the property of Mr. John Game, Lechlade, at an average of £10 13s. 3d, Messrs. Lawrence and Carter, of Bourne, sold 10 loug-woolled shearling rams, the property of Mr. Tom Casswell, of Pointon, at an average of £11 lis. ; 15 loug-woolled rams for Mr. Rudkin averaged £7 17s. 6d. Mr. Algernon Hack sold 33 rams at an average of £11 lis. 20 Lincoln shearling rams, bred by Mrs. Mil- lington, of Ashgrove Farm, realised an average of £7 Is. 6d, SALE OF LORD FALMOUTH'S STOCK AT TRE- GOTHNAN. — There was an attendance of between three hundred and four hundred farmers and butchers. Before coming to the sheep, five hundred fleeces of washed wool were put up for sale, the produce of about two hundred hoggs and three hundred ewes. The wool was started at Is. 6d. per lb., but it was shortly knocked down at Is. 7id., to Messrs. Nan- THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 369 carrow and Son. The sheep opcucd with the ewes, of which there were tw^enty-tliree pens of five each. Tlie first six pens were young ones, and the rest aged. The first lot was knoclied down at 84s. each to Mr, llichard Rosewarne, Nanspusker. Lot 4 fetched 88s. eacli, Capt. Smith being the buyer. The re- maining pens averaged about 76s. a head, the higliest being 81s., and the lowest 57s. Tlie next lot were thirty ewe-larabs, which sold at from £-2 17s. to £2 a liead. Thirty wether- lambs fetched from 50s. to £3 a head, and thirty fat wethers fetched from £t 4s. to £3 23. each. The first ram — a yearling, which gained first prize at the Royal Cornwall Agricul- tural Show at Bodmin, by Mr. Yates' No. 6 — was started at £5, but rapidly went up to £9 5s., at which price it was knocked down to Mr. Carew. Lot 13 fetched a similar price ; and lot 6, by Mr. Yates' No. 2, fetched £9, as did also lot 16. There were altogether sixteen entries, the average price being about £7 10s. each. Some North Devon cows were afterwards sold, some with calf by the side. Treasure, bred by Mr. Tre- mayne, of Heligan, fetched £31 ; and the heifer calf, £10 15s. May Day was sold to Mr. Thomson for £37 5s. ; and Pearl to Mr. John Magor for £31 5s. Trickmadame was bought by Mr. Manning, of Exeter, for £35 5s. Mr. Edward Simmons bought Eyebright for £23 10s. Elaine was started at £13, and the biddings ran up to £35, at which price it was knocked down to Mr. Manning. One or two otliers fetched about 20 gs. each. A more important lot were the bulls. Cinnamon — who gained the first prize at the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association Show at Truro last year, the first at the Royal Agricultural Show, Wolverhampton, a month afterwards, in the yearling bull class, the second prize at Bodmin, and the third at the Royal Agricultural Show at Cardiflf this year — was now brought to the hammer, but he was sold at the low price of £50 to Jlr. John Thomas, Redruth. Jolly Boy, which gained a fourth prize at Bodmin, was bought by Mr. Manning for £28 10s. Gipsy King, a third prize at Bodmin, and highly com- mended at the Royal Agricultural Show at Cardiff, was sold to Mr. Cleave, Wadebridge, for £35. A yearling bull, highly com- mended at Bodmin, was sold for £20. Four or five other yearling bulls were also sold at prices ranging from £16 to £13, a number of heifers, some Jersey and cross-bred cattle, and a few pigs were also sold. SCOTCH SHEEP SALES. CHEVIOT RAMS.— The biennial sale of rams bred by Mr. Carruthers, Kirkhill, and Mr. Johnstone, Capplegill, took place at Beattock. Both lots were superior in quality and condition to those at the previous sale in 1870. The bidding for the best animals was brisk, and prices generally were deemed satisfactory. The total proceeds of the sale of Kirk- hill rams was £399 15s., and the average of 47, £8 10s. Id. Mr. Johnstone's rams, 75 in all, were next offered. The total proceeds of the Capplegill rams was ^£652 123., the average of the 75 being £8 14s. ; and the proceeds of both sales, £1,052 7s. DUMFRIES. — The annual sale of loug-woolled rams, bred by Mr. John Bell Irving, took place at Stewart's Auction Mart. Sixty shearling rams were offered ; the prices high, ranging from £5 5s. to £30, the latter sum being obtained for the ram which won the first prize as a shearling at the Kelso show, which was purchased for Mr. Ingoldby, Yorkshire. No. 17 sold at £17 to Mr. Jardine, of Castle Milk, M.P. ; No. 22 was purchased for the Duke of Buccleuch, at £14 15s. ; and Nos. 33 and 43 were also bought for his Grace, at £16 and £13 10s. The average of the sixty was £8 6s. 6d., and the total proceeds £399 10s. A lot of Yorkshire rams, be- longing to Mr. C. Thompson, Aysgarth, were then offered, and brought prices ranging from £2 12s. 6d. to £12. No. 10 sold at £12 to Mr. Hope, Margreig ; and No. 30 also brought £12, the purchuser being Mr. Paterson Wood, of Kirkmichael. The average was £6 9s., and the proceeds £396 2s. 6d. HALF-BRED EWES AT SWAN'S MART, ST. BOS- AVELLS.— There were in all 4,300 half and three-parts bred ewes, 65 Leicester ewes, 1,200 three-quarters-bred gim- mers, 22 Leicester gimmers, 79 Cheviot giraraers, 650 Cheviot ewes, 1,150 feeding sheep, and 3,000 lambs — Clieviots, half and three-parts bred and greyfaced. The sale began at three o'clock with half and three-parts bred ewes, which sold at about the prices of last year, and in some exceptional cases Is. above the prices of the previous year. Leicester ewes were about the average of last year. Ginimcrs were quite the turn above the prices of the previous year, and in some instances, according to quality, were from 5s. to 12s. more a head. Mr. Davidson, Melrose, also held a great sale of draft ewes and lambs at St. Boswells. The number brought forward was large. In the beginning of the sale prices were rather languid, but during the course of the day sales improved. Good lambs were sold at a slight reduction from previous markets ; but secondary were considerably below. With regards to draft ewes, they, in almost every case, were about the same prices as the previous year, while in some of the best lots they were considered a little liigher. LOTHIAN RAM SOCIETY— ANNUAL SHOW AND SALE. — Despite the weather, the attendance of purchasers was numerous, and compared favourably with previous sales. The sale on this occasion was confined to Cheviots and black- faced tups, neither half-breds, Southdowns, nor Shropshires being represented, as was the case last year. The greater proportion of the pens were filled with blackfaced tups, but it was for Cheviots that there was the most demand. At the com- mencement the sale was somewhat dull, but about one o'clock, when the Cheviots were introduced, purchasers rallied, and a number of high prices were obtained. The next highest figure to that got for the prize Cheviot was for a tup of the same breed belonging to Mr. Welsh, Ericstane. Its price was £42. Mr. Welsh bought a Cheviot at 31 gs. from Mr. John- ston, Archbank. The highest average for Cheviots — £12 15s. '.8d. — was got for the lot belonging to Mr. Moffott, Kinleith ; last year the highest average was £9 9s. The highest average for blackfaced this year was £9 14s., obtained by Mr. Archibald, Overshiels : on the previous occasion it was £12. PEEBLES RAM SALE.— Mr. Cairns held his annual ram sale at Peebles on Tuesday, when there were brought forward 90 Leicesters and 80 Cheviots. There was a very large attendance of purchasers from all quarters ; the de:nand was good, and prices ruled very high. Walston Cheviot lot : highest price, £3 ; lowest, £3 ; average, £3 lOs. Cheviots from Mr. Gibson, Bold : highest, £13 ; lowest, £6 ; average, £10. Tlie Woodliouse lot averaged £3. 50 Leicesters from Mr. Mills, Horsburgh Castle : highest, £17 10s. ; lowest, £7 ; average £10 10s. Mr. Gracie, Happrew (Leicesters) : highest, £6 ; lowest, £4 5s. ; average, £5 5s. Lot from Mr. Wilson, Darnhall, averaged £6. Leicesters from Mr. Ainslie, Soon- hope : highest, £8 ; lowest, £5 10s. ; average, £7- Cheviots from Mr. Lindsay, Whitehope : highest, £3 12s. ; lowest, £2 ; average, £3 5s. Lot of Cheviots from Caberston : highest, £9 10s. ; lowest, £3 10s. ; average, £6, Lot from Ladyurd : highest, £3 10s. ; lowest, £3 ; average, £2 5s. Lot of black- faced from Mr. Tait, Lee : highest, £3 5s. ; lowest, £3 10s. ; average, £2 15s. A lot of Cheviots from Mr. Penderleith, Nether Horsburgh, averaged £2 2s. ; and blackfaced tups from Mr. Dods, Dalwick Mill, averaged £3. At Mr. Cairns' weekly sale on the same day there were sold 290 fat sheep, 4 fat cattle, 1 calf, 1 pig, and 500 store lambs. The attendance of buyers was large, and the demand was good at previous prices. PERTH. — At the annual sale and competition of Leicester and black-faced rams, in connection with the live-stock sales conducted by Messrs. M' Donald and Eraser, Perth, in the former Mr. M'Donald officiated as auctioneer, in the latter Mr. Fraser. Messrs. M'Donald and Eraser offered a number of prizes for Leicester and blackfaced rams, for which there was a good competition, taking into account the district in which it was held. For Leicester rams, Mr. Ferguson, Kin- nochtry, gained the silver cup with a shearhng ram. In black- faced tups there was a very fair show. Mr. Guild, Monzie, ob- tained first and second prizes. The judges for Leicesters were — Messrs. Taylor, Orchard, Alloa ; G.Buist, Ormiston,Newburgh ; Smith, Balmain, Fettercairn. For blackfaced — Messrs. Came- ron, Garrows ; John Forbes, Fossaway ; and Wliyte, Spott Kirriemuir. At the sale, as indicated already, there were two auction marls. The best class of rams sold well, and prices for these were up from £1 10s. to £3 a head, as compared with those obtained at the same sale last year. There was a little difference in the value of secoud-class lots. For the prize Leicestsr ram £40 was paid by Mr. Geekie, Baldowrie. The second was also bought by that gentleman for £13, and the third by Mr. Robertson, Henhill, for £15 10s. The first-prize blackfaced ram was sold to Mr. Anderson, Findowie, for £9 j 370 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. the second was bought by Mr. Ralston, Glamis, at £8 10s. Altogether the sale was a successful one, the total proceeds amounting to upwards of £4,000. HAIVICK SHEEP FAIR was largely attended. On the first day the half-bred, three parts-bred, and blackfaced Leicester crosses were brought forward, and tlie sale started with the three-parts-bred. At the opening of the sale it was apparent that the effect produced by the check given to the upward tendency of prices at Melrose Fair was not dissipated, and purchasers were not inclined to give the extreme rates going a fortnight ago ; while the circumstance of murrain being so prevalent deterred in a great measure dealers from going into large transactions. The sale during the forenoon was rather languid, but a revival took place in the afternoon, and prices advanced considerably, half-bred ewe lambs for breeding purposes being in great request. Although three- parts-bred lambs were down from 2s. to 43. from the extreme prices with which the season began, still the prices obtained were in most cases from 2s. to 5s., and even the length of 8s. 6d. in advance upon those of the same date last year. Three- parts-bred lambs sold from 36s. to 40s. 6d., seconds 27s. to 34s. 9d., top half-bred ewe lambs 30s. to 42s. 6d. Top half- bred wether lambs 30s. to 35s. 6d., seconds 25s. to 29s., blackfaced Leicester crosses 21s. to 26s. On the second day the Cheviot lambs were exposed, the sale starting with the Thorlieshope lot of Cheviot wethers, wliich sold at 27s. 6d. Tiie other lots of Cheviot wethers, which sold fetched from 18s. to 30s., the latter price being obtained for the Sinton Parkhead lot. The Cheviot ewe lambs realised prices far be- yond anything known, the tops selling from 28s. to 36s. 6d., and the seconds from 18s. to 32s., the highest price being given for the Overkirkhope lot. Glengelt seconds sold at 32s., Thorlieshope 28s. 3d., Hartwoodmyres 31s. 6d., and others from 18s. to 27s. A few lots of blackfaced Cheviot crosses sold from 15s. 6d. to 10s. 6d. A lot of wethers brought 53s. 6d., and a lot of Cheviot gimmers 41s. There were sold on the two days 4,033 three-parts-bred lambs, 12,108 half-bred lambs, 7,219 Cheviot wether lambs, 6,270 Cheviot ewe lambs, 1,643 blackfaced crosses, and 177 sheep — in all 31,450 head. The proceeds would approach £50,000. Messrs. Oliver and Son were the auctioneers. SALE OF THE CLYDESDALE STALLION, PRINCE OF WALES.— Mr. lliddell has sold this horse to an Aus- tralian gentleman, the price being stated at £1,500 ; the highest price ever given for a Clydesdale. The Prince of Wales has not been purchased for the purpose of exportation to the colonies, but with the intention of being retained in Scotland, the purchaser having presented the horse to his brother, a well-known agriculturist in the West of Scotland, who is one of the most successful breeders and exhibitors of Clydesdale horses. The Prince of Wales was bred by Mr. J. Fleming, of Knockdon, out of a famous mare, Darling. The stock of the Prince of Wales have this season been most successful as prize-takers in the counties of Dumbarton, Ayr, Renfrew, and Lanark. They were exhibited in thirty-nine classes, and were awarded 32 first prizes, 11 seconds, 3 thirds , 4 fourths, and 4 commendations — in all, 54 honours. Prince of Wales was placed first at the recent show of the Highland Society at Kelso. — North British Agriculturist. THE REAPER TRIALS AT BRAMPTON.— The judges were Mr. M'Kinnell, of Dumfries, Mr. Dods, Alnwick, Hex- ham, and Mr. Little, of Fauld, Longtowu. 43 machines were entered for competition. These were divided into three classes, but the main interest centred in the self-delivery reapers. The judges had selected five of the machines for a further and more extended trial. Towards the conclusion it was evident that the first prize lay between the " Interna- tional " reaper of Messrs. Howard, of Bedford, and the Ame- rican machine invented by Messrs. Kirby, of Auburn, New York State. The final test was cutting a tangled and twisted crop, which the Howard "International" machine accom- plished without difficulty, but the American Kirby choked up. The first prize was therefore awarded to Messrs. J. and 1\ Howard, Bedford, and the second to the Kirby machine. Messrs. Brigham, of Berwick-on-Tweed, were highly com ■ mended, and Mr. Bickertou, also of Berwick-on-Tweed, com- mended. "PURE" SHORTHORNS. Sir, — Whether a Shorthorn is or is not the more valuable for being what is now called " pure" is a matter of opinion, and I have no wish to intrude mine. But whether a Shorthorn is or is not " pure" Bates or Booth blood is a matter of fact, and others besides the remark- able correspondent of The Times, who signs himself " S. B. Thakur," think accuracy in stating facts an important object for public speakers and writers to keep in view. Accordingly I ask to be allowed to correct a mis-state- ment, as I believe, which appears in two reports of Lord Dunmore's astonishing sale — your own and a con- temporary's. Your report says lot 40, Oxford Duchess, is "the purest Oxford in England," and The Field states the heifer to be " without a stain in her Bates pedigree." Taking the last statement first. Her grandam is by Sixth Duke of Thorndale, who was by Third Duke of Tliorndale, who was by Grand Turk, who was by a son of the late Mr. Richard IJooth's Young Rachel. This cer- tainly amounts to " a stain" of Booth in a Bates' pedi- gree. Then, as to your own correspondent's assertion. There is, or was very recently, a cow in the Duke of Devonshire's noble Bates' herd called Grand Duchess of Oxford the Sixth, in whose pedigree not even such a remote cross as I have pointed out can be found. She therefore is entitled to claim the description of " the purest Oxford in England." "A trifle" yon may say; but nothing is trifling which helps to establish truth. It may interest some of your readers to point out that the same Third Duke of Thorndale mentioned above begat Lady Oxford Fifth, the prima donna once at Havering Park, and now at Holkar, whose sons at Holkar, at Towneley, at Dunmore, and in other herds have shown themselves, in spite of " the stain in their Bates' pedigree," to be the most stylish getters of the day. People have a right to their own fancies ; but all must submit to the one fact. Sub-Inspector. SIGNS OF THE TIMES.— The Bureau of Agricul- ture, Yokohama, has just given, through its representatives now in England, a permanent order for The Mark Lane Express axiAThe Farmers' Magazine tobesent out to Japan. THE FOOD QUESTION AND TENANT-RIGHT. — At a meeting in Leeds, the Mayor in the chair, the following resolutions were proposed and carried unanimously in a very large meeting : " That, in the opinion of this meeting, the unjust and unnecessary restrictions imposed by the Government upon the im- portation of healthy foreign cattle is one of the chief causes of the high price of meat, which restrictions very considerably benefit the landowners and farmers, and press heavily on the industial classes of this country — and " That in the opinion of this meeting it is the duty of the Government to provide by legislation sufficient pro- tection to the tenent-farmers of this country for all in- vestments made by them out of their own capital, with the view of increasing the supply of food for the people ; and also to introduce and promote measures for securing the proper cultivation of waste lands and the abolition of the obnoxious Game-laws." Mr. Leathley, in speaking to the second resolution, said they must expect no help from the landlords in obtaining better security for the farmer's capital. FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE AMONGST HOUNDS, — Some of Lord Radnor's whelps have had the disease. In one suffering from it, the mouth is a mass of sores, and the belly and inside the thighs covered with boils. The feet peel in some cases ; the huntsman in all his long experience never saw anything of the kind until this summer. It has only attacked one litter. I attributed it to the bitch, when suck- ling, foraging at night, and getting hold of a sheep's carcase which was affected, and thus poisoning her milk. THE FAEMIOR'S MAGAZINE. 371 THE SHORTHORN PEDIGREE CASE. [The following has been forwarded to us by Mr. Harward, acting on the part of the Committee, for publication.] REPORT AS TO A HEIFER BELONGING TO MR. ATHERTON, CALLED WILD FLOWER OXFORD 2.\D. Mr. Thomas Atherton, of Chapel House, Speke, near Liverpool, was one of the judges of the Northern Coun- ties Agricultural Society's Show held in the month of September, 1870. At that show two heifers were ex- hibited, one of which got by Belvidcre, dam Princess Helena, gained the iirst prize, and the other named The Blanche Rose, got by General Napier, dam Blanche Kate, gained the second prize ; and immediately after the show Mr. Atherton bought these two heifers. The latter. The Blanche Rose, was exhibited by Mr. W. Ashburner, and had been bought by him from Mr. Cheney, by whom she was bred. Mr. Atherton's purchase of The Blanche Rose from Mr. Ashburner was by way of exchange for a heifer which was valued by Mr. Ashburner at 60 guineas, and The Blanche Rose may therefore fairly be assumed to have been of at least that value. Mr. Atherton had no certificate of pedigree with this heifer. It was taken to his farm about the 19th of September, 1870. On the I4th November, 1870, Mr. Atherton sold to Mr. R. P. Davies a heifer which he represented as being of the Wild Eyes tribe, and with which he gave a written certificate of pedigree, as follows : " Wild Flower Oxford 2nd, roan, calved 6th February, 1870 ; got by 13th Duke of Oxford (21604), dam Wild Flower Duchess 2ud by Lord Oxford 2nd (20215), g. dam Wild Flower 2nd by General Can- robert (12926)." This heifer remained in the possession of Mr. R. P. Davies until April 1873, when it was sold by him (with the pedigrte which Mr, Atherton had given) to the above-mentioned Mr. Ashburner, the same gentleman who in September, 1870, sold The Blanche Rose to Mr. Atherton. When the heifer arrived at Mr. Ashburuer's house, he recognised it as The Blanche Rose which he had himself sold to Mr. Atherton in September, 1870. His recognition being confirmed by his wife, his brother, and a friend, he refused to complete his purchase. Mr. R. P. Davies' agent and Mr. Ashburner wrote to Mr. Atherton for further information on this matter, and received no answer. They then called upon him person- ally, when he expressed his readiness to swear that the pedigree he had given with The Wild Eyes heifer was true, and that he had bred both that heifer and her dam ; but, after some conversation, he took back the heifer in dis- pute, and another which he had sold to Mr. Davies, and he gave other cattle in exchange for them. These facts became known to various Shorthorn breeders, and they thought that it was not right that the matter should rest without further investigation, and a meeting of the prin- cipal Shorthorn breeders was called to consider the case. Before the meeting was held, Mr. Cheney's agent, who had charge of Mr. Cheney's herd, and bred The Blanche Rose, went to Mr. Atherton's farm at Speke to see the heifer in dispute. This gentleman saw Mr. Atherton, and was shown his stock, and, on asking to see the pedi- gree of the heifer called Wild Flower Oxford 2nd, he was taken by Mr. Atherton into the house, and shown the pedigree in Mr. Atherton's herd-book, which pedigree corresponded with that above set forth. This gentleman then asked the price of the heifer, and Mr. Atherton named 160 guineas, saying that he (Mr. Atherton) would vouch for her pedigree. The name of Mr. William Ash- burner was then mentioned to Mr. Atherton, and at first he maintained that, though Mr. Ashburner had shown some nice-looking things at a show, he had had no Blanches ; but, when pressed, he admitted that he had himself bought a Blanche from him, and when asked where that Blanche was, he replied, " I have not got her now. A man bought her, and I think she went to Southampton or somewhere or other." The meeting was duly held on the 27th day of July, 1872, and the above facts having been stated, Mr. Cheney's agent assured the meeting that the heifer which Mr. Atherton described as Wild Flower Oxford 2nd was the Blanche Rose which he himself bred. The matter having been considered, the meeting resolved that further investigation should be made, and they appointed a Committee for this purpose. The Committee met and appointed IMr. Harward to act as Honorary Secretary, and authorized him to go to Liver- pool to see ]Mr. Atherton on the subject. He did so ; but not being able to see Mr. Atherton, he left for him a letter, of which the following is a copy : Winierfold, Kidderminster, 21th July, 1872. Sir, — Information was given, aboiit a fortnight ago, to some leading Shorthorn breeders that a short time .since you sold to a Mr. Davies or his agent a heifer which you represented to be a Wild Eyes, and that subsequently you repeated this statement to other Shorthorn breeders, and added that the heifer was bred by you. At the same time, information was given to the same gentlemen that the heifer you thus represented to be a Wild Eyes was not a Wild Eyes but a Blanche, and that the animal was not bred by you. These facts having been laid before the Earl of Dunmore, Lord Skelmersdale, Lord Penrhyn, and Colonel Kingscote, it appeared to them that this state of facts affected not merely the particular individual who dealt w^ith you, but all persons interested in the breed of Shorthorns, and they thought that without reference to the transactions which had taken place between you and the purchaser after the above sale, and to the effect of those transactions as between yourself and the purchaser, the matter required the most careful consideration in the interest of the public, and they accordingly convened a meeting of Shorthorn breeders, which was numerously attended; and a Committee, comprising the noblemen and gentlemen by whom the meeting was convened, was formed, to inquire carefully into the merits of the case, and to consider whether any and what further proceedings should be taken in reference to it. This Committee held a meeting in London, and instructed me to bring these facts under your notice, and to invite you to make some communication to them on the subject, either personally or in writing, and my object in now addressing you is to invite you to do so accordingly. The Committee will meet again in London on Tuesday next, and they would like to know by that day whether you wish to respond to their invitation, and in that case they will arrange to give you some early opportunity of making your communica- tion. I am instructed to say that a short account has been drawn up of the facts communicated to the Com- mittee, and that that statement now in my possession shall be read over to you if you desire it, and you may if you please take extracts from it with a view to the com- munication which you are invited to make. Should it not be convenient for you to do this to-day the statement will be at my office in Stourbridge the whole of Monday next, and the like oppoi'tunities now ofi'ered in relation to it shall be afforded to you or to any gentleman authorized by you on calling there at any time duriug that day. In case of ray absence you will please inquire for my partner, Mr. Shepherd, who will carry out these arrangements. The Committee reserve to themselves full liberty to take any proceedings they may think proper, and to deal ia any way with any statement which you may lay before them. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Mr. Atherton. John Harward. 372 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. A letter, of which the following is a copy, was received in reply : Victoria Hotel, Douglas, Isle of Man, July iWi, 1872. Dear Sir, — I have this day received yours, and am prepared to take oath that I bred the Wild Eyes heifer mentioned in yours ; but I am sorry to say that she took what we call staggers in the head, and was obliged to be killed. I also wish to state that she was a Wild Eyes. I stall be here a few days, as I am judge at the Isle of Man Show on Wednesday next. Yours obedient, Thomas Atherton. John Harward, Esq., Winter/old, Kidderminster. In reply was sent a letter, of which the following is a copy: Winterfold, Kidderminster, \st August, 1872. Sir, — I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated the 30th ulto., and shall be much obliged to you if you will kindly let me know whether you propose to make any, and, if so, what further communication to the Committee in reference to my letter to you of the 27th ulto. If I am correct in assuming from your letter that the heifer in question is dead, I would impress upon you the importance of having the skin and horns preserved, as they would form an important feature in any further investigation. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Mr. Thomas Atherton, John Harward. Chapel House, Speke, near Liverpool. No further reply having been received from Mr. Ather- ton, the Committee met and instructed their Seci'etary to communicate further with Mr. Atherton, and he accord- ingly sent him a letter, of which the following is a copy : Stourbridge, August 2^dth, 1872. Sir, — In continuation of my letters to you of the 27th of July last and of the 1st inst., I am directed by the Committee therein mentioned to inform you that after considering the facts of the case, and that serious contra- dictions are involved in it, which in the interest of the public should be carefully investigated, they have resolved to invite you and the opposing parties to attend a meet- ing of the Committee, to be held by them for the purpose of investigating and determining the question in dispute. That question is this, Whether or not the heifer which you sold to Mr. Davies as Wild Flower Oxford 2nd ou the 14th of November, 1870, and as to which you gave a written pedigree was the identical heifer which Mr. Ash- burner sold to you as The Blanche Rose in September, 1870, and which was bred by Mr. Cheney? Several parties have represented to Mr. Davies that the heifer which you thus sold him was The Blanche Rose, while you yourself deny this, and allege that the heifer you sold was truly described in the pedigree you gave, and that you yourself bred her. The Committee wish at the meet- ing so proposed to be holden to hear all that can be alleged by yourself and your witnesses on the one side, and by Mr. Davies and his witnesses on the other side on this point, and then to form an opinion thereon upon the evidence produced, and to communicate that opinion to both the parties and to all the Shorthorn breeders by whom the Committee were appointed. In the conduct of this investigation, the Committee feel that a serious re- sponsibility devolves upon them, and they will approach the subject without prejudice or bias, as though they wei'e jurors solemnly sworn to do justice between the parties according to the weight of the evidence produced. The Committee propose to hold a meeting for the above pur- pose, at a place and on a day that may be convenient to all parties, and they suggest the North Western Hotel, Liverpool, as the place, and one or other of the following days — viz., the 21st, 23rd, 24th, or 2othdays of Septem- ber next as the time for the meeting. The Committee will be glad to hear from you whether you are willing to attend a meeting to be called for the above purposes, and to submit the matter to their investigation in the manner proposed. If so, they will be glad also to know whether the above place and which of the above days will be con- venient to you. If you are not willing to attend a meet- ing such as has been suggested they will be glad to hear from you to that effect ; and in any event they wish to hear from you, through me, with a definite reply to this proposal on or before the 7th day of September next. If anything should happen, on the one side, or the other, to prevent or unreasonably delay a full and satisfactory in- vestigation of this matter in the way proposed, the Com- mittee will take such other proceedings in the case as they may consider necessary for the information of Shorthorn breeders and the public. I am, sir, yours obediently, Mr. Thomas Atherton, John Harward. Chapel House, Speke, near Liverpool. N^o reply has been received to this last letter, and the Committee now think it their duty to communicate these facts to Shorthorn breeders and others interested in pro- moting the breed of Shorthorn cattle, in order that each gentleman may, if he pleases, investigate this matter fur- ther, and draw proper conclusions therefrom. Some public proceedings which have taken place since these in- quiries were begun have confirmed the Committee in the conviction that questions of pedigree of this kind deserve and should receive at the hands of all Shorthorn breeders the most careful investigation which the circumstances of each case admit of. Dunmore. Skelmersdale, Penrhyn. N. Kingscote. 86, Brooke Street, London, W., \Wv Sept , 1872. THE HULL LINSEED CAKE TRADE.— At a meeting of the seed-crushers and others, held at the ofiSces of the Chamber of Commerce, on Wednesday, Mr. H. H. Ayre in the chair, Mr. W. Chambers, seed crusher, proposed. That the proceeding of the Committee appointed by the general meeting of August 17th last, and the resolutions passed by thera, be and are liereby confirmed. This having been seconded by Mr. S. G. Kidd, seed crusher, was carried unani- mously. The resolutions referred to were as follow : That an association of Hull seed-crushers and others interested in the cake trade be formed, to be called " The Hull Pure Linseed Cake Association." That the members of this Association bind tnemselves to sell no cakes under the name of Linseed Cakes except Pure Linseed Cakes. That it is desirabie that such cakes as are made from a compound of linseed and other materials shall be henceforth quoted as " Corapo Linseed Cakes." That this Association shall from time to time take such steps as may be necessary for the protection of the trade against adulteration or any other irregularities. That an analytical chemist be appointed to the Association, and that the members of the Association shall have the privilege of obtaining analyses from him at a reduced charge. That a general meeting of the trade be called, to be held at the offices of the H uU Chamber of Commerce, for Wednesday, September the IStli, to report progress; and in the meantime a copy of these resolutions be printed and sent to the seed- crushers and others interested, coupled with an invitation to join the Association. WASTE METERIALS.— It is intended to have a de- partment at the Vienna Exhibition next year, illustrative of the utilization of waste products since 1851 ; and Mr. E. L. Simmons has undertaken the formation of a collection, to be shown in the British section. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 373 THE FRENCH PEASANT FARMERS' SEED-FUND. Mr. Furley, who is engaged iu tUstributing the small ha- lance, has addressed the following letter to the President : 9, Rue Neiive, Versailles, Aug. 15. Dear Lord Vernon, — I have just returned from a tour through Lorraine, Luxembourg, and the Ardennes. During tlie last two years I have so frequently written to you about the waste and destruction occasioned by the late war, that it is a great satisfaction to me uow to be able to tell you liow rapidly this country is assuming its wonted appearance — though in some places evidences of the campaign are still painfully conspicuous, and to assure you of the generally good results obtained from the labours of tlie committee of which your lordship is the president. I passed hurriedly through Lorraine. The once gay town of Wetz, now in the hands of the conqueror, and from which more than 20,000 of tlie French inhabitants have gone, is too sad a subject to dwell upon. I visited Luxembourg in order personally to thank those persons who at the outbreak of the war rendered me so much willing assistance ; then Thionville, and afterwards came on to Sedan- There, notwithstanding the foreign occu- pation— and the inhabitants themselves admit that the three or four thousand Bavarians who now form the garrison behave admirably well — everybody was looking cheerful. A return of fine weather and tlie promise of abundant crops have made people more or least forget their troubles. I spent a day in the neiglibourhood of the town. I crossed the now celebrated battlefield, and at Douzy had a long conversation with the cure and those persons with whom I lodged during the fort- night that succeeded the battle. All declared the crops to be ^ry fine, and far beyond the average, and they said that ten "ays of sunshine would be of incalculable value to France. I also called ou M. Missot, the cure of Bazeilles, who has shown so much energy on behalf of his unfortunate pa- rishioners, and whose appeals on their behalf have been re- sponded to from all parts of Europe and America. The vil- lage, which was utterly destroyed, is rapidly rising again from the ruins, and its present appearance indicates that its former prosperity will again return to it. I was struck by a sign over one of the best of the well-built stone houses in the principal street ; French vitality is well expressed by the words printed in large characters on the front of this inn, v»hich is decidedly su- perior to its unfortunate predecessor, dux Ruines des Bazeilles. Often during the day my thoughts wandered from the cheerful scenes before me to that memorable time, not quite two years ago, when on fields from which every vestige of verdure and fertility had been trodden out of the soil, I stood among the dead and tlie dying. Now golden corn and patches of green crops stretch as far as the eye can see, but here and there a white wooden cross with a faded wreath suspended to it is visible over the waving ears of grain. In most cases where bodies had been buried separately they have been removed to a cemetery or collected in larger graves, on some of which the insciiptions are painful in their simplicity. Close to La Moncelle is a wooden cross, on which are the words " Many Bavarian Warriors ( r/e/^ 5rt//7>c^e A>!>y- BRITISH SEEDS. Mustard, per bush., brown 14s.tol68., white 6s. Od. to lOs. Canary, per qr new 5l8. 56s.. ..old 62s. 65s. Cloversd., fine red and dark purple68s.72s.,com. 46s. 66s. Coriander, per cwt 22s. 23s. Tares, winter, new, per bushel 6s. Od. 5s. 6d. Trefoil, old and low les. to20s new fine 22s. 24s. Ryegrass, per qr 21s. 25s. Linseed, per qr.... sowing 66&. to 68s., crushing 60s. 623. Linseed Cakes, per ton £11 68. to £11 lOs. Rapeseed, per qr 628. 65s. Rape Cake, per ton £6 6s. Od. to £6 lOs. Od. FOREIGN SEEDS. Coriander, per cwt 23s. to 24s. Cloverseed, red 44s.to 50s white 688. 708. Hempseed, small 36s. to 40s. per qr Dutch 45s. 46s. Trefoil 16s. 18s. Ryegrass, per qr 24s. 26s. Linseed, per qr... .Baltic 68s. to 62s. ...Bombay 643. 65s. Linseed Cakes, per ton £10 ISs. to £11 6s. Rape Cake, per ton £6 6s. to £6 10s. Rapeseed, Dutch 60s. 628. Carraway ,, new 33s. 34s. HOP MARKET. BOROUGH MoNDAT.Sept. 28.— During the past week the supply of new hops has been rather more tliaii equal to the demand, and prices in consequence are slightly easier. The choicest and most coloury hops attract greatest attention, the yellower sorts being for the present neglected. Our letters from the Plantations state that there is a great falling off in colour, and that large quantities will, of necessity, be brown. The Continental markets exhibit no change. Mid and East Kent £9 Weald of Kent 7 Sussex 6 Farnham and country 0 Yeaklings. Mid and East Kent £7 Weald of Kent 5 Sussex 5 WORCESTER ANNUAL HOP AND CATTLE FAIR- — Thursday : The great annual hop, cheese, and stock fair has been held here to-day. Owing to the prevalence in this and the adjoining counties of the foot-and-mouth disease, there was a comparatively small supply of both cattle and sheep in the fair (only 3,000 of the latter), and prices were well sustained. There was a good demand as usual at this fair for rams, which ranged in value from £5 to £20 each, but anything worth hav- ing fetched £7 to £10. Cotswold and Shropshire were the breeds most in request, and very few good animals went back unsold. Ewes averaged £3 3s. each. Good horses very dear, but " screws" were to be had at every price. Fat beef fetched 8d. to 9d., and mutton 9d. to lO^^d. per lb. Stores rather 9 ... 7 ... 6 ... 0 ... ... £10 10 8 8 7 10 ... 10 0 7 ... 2 ... 3 ... ... £8 8 6 6 6 0 dearer. The cheese fair, which formerly was an important one, has dwindled to nothing owing to the practice latterly prevalent of factors buying at the dairies. The hop fair was well attended by merchants and factors from London, Bir- mingham, Liverpool, Manchester, and Yorkshire. There were about 300 pockets of new Worcester hops, and of this number about 220 had passed the scale at the close of the market. Prices ranged from 95s. to 115s. per cwt. There were the offers made, but the planters were generally unwilling to accept them, and no great deal of business was done. The yield of this district is estimated at £12,000 old duty. Pick- ing is going on favourably, the weather having been excellent up to-day, and the sample is remarkably choice. POTATO MARKETS. " BOROUGH AND SPITALFIELDS. LONDON, Monday, Sept. 23.— There were limited supplies of potatoes on sale, and with a steady demand very full prices were realised. Kent Regents 6s. Od. to 73- 6d. per cwt. Essex and other Regents 5s. 6d. to 7s. 6d. ,, „ Rocks... 5s. 6d. to 6s. Od. „ PRICES of BUTTER, CHEESE, HAMS, &c BUTTER, per cwt. : s. s. -— — Dorset 128 to 130 Friesland 112 114 Jersey 84 "" Fbesh, per doz. ... 12 BACON, per cwt : Wiltshire, green... 76 Irish, green, f.o.b. 76 15 CHEESE, per cwt. : Cheshire 64 to 80 Dble. Glouc, new 60 70 Cheddar 68 72 American 56 68 HAMS: York 108 116 Cumberland 108 112 Irish 102 112 NORTHAMPTON CHEESE FAIR, (Thursday last).— Only a comparatively small quantity of cheese is now sold at the fair, and the whole stock brought into the market on Thursday could be placed in a very limited space on the south side of the square. Business was not very brisk, and there was very little really good cheese on the ground. Cheeses were to be bought at the rate of (id. per lb., but they were, of course, only poor in quality. Very fair cheese could be bought at l^a. and 8d. per lb., suitable for ordinary family consump- tion ; and some of the rarer and better cheeses fetched as much as lUd. per lb. GLASGOW CHEESE MARKET, (Wednesday last.) — There was a small supply of Cheese forward, for which there was a moderate inquiry, at the full prices of last week. Cheddars 56s. to fi5s. per cwt., Dunlops 53s. to 62s. ENGLISH WOOL MARKET. LONDON, Monday, September 23.— In the English Wool market the business doing has been only moderate, owing to the attention bestowed upon the public sales now in progress. Prices, however, are well maintained. CUBBENT PbICKS OF ENGLISH WOOt. Fleeces— Southdown hoggs per lb Half-bred ditto , Kent fleeces , Southdown ewes and wethers ... „ Leicester ditto „ SoEis— Clothing, picklock „ Prime „ Choice , Super „ Combing, wether mat ,, Picklock ,, Common ..„ ,, Hog matching , Picklock matching „ Super ditto ,, 1 1 1 1 1 11 d. B. d. 9^tol lOi m 1 10 2 0 1 m 7i 6 7i 6 1 11 1 8 7i MANURES. Guano, Peruvian £12 10 0to£13 15 0 Cloverseed, N.A.... 0 0 0 to£0 0 0 Llnsd.Bomby,p.qr.3 4 6 Linseed Cake, per ton— Amer.,thm, bgs.lu 0 0 Cotsd.Cake.deoor. 7 10 0 Rapeseed.Guzerat 3 10 5 0 Niger 2 7 0 Nitr.of Soda, p.ct.O 14 0 0 14 6 10 5 O.German Kainit 2 5 0 0 00 7 15 0 Tallow, 1st P.Y.C. 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0| „ super.Norths 2 4 0 0 0 0 SAMUEL DOWNBS and CO., General Brokers, No. 7, The Albany, Liverpool, Prentioe'sCerealManurefor Corn Crops _._.„..„.„.„.. ..per ton £8 0 0 Mangold Manui'e „ _.„...._.._.„._._._._ 800 Prentice'.s Turnip Manure _.__ 6 10 6 Prentice's Supei'phosphate of liime ,, 0 0 0 Agricultural Chemical Works, Stowmsrket Suffolk. Printed by Rogerson and Tnxford, 265, Strand, London, W.C. THB MARK LANE EXPRESS AND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL IS THB LARGEST AND THE LEADING FARMER'S AND GRAZIER'S NEWSPAPER. PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY EVENING, IN TIME FOR POST. Office of Publication and for Advertisements, 265, Strand, London. May be had of all Booksellers and Newsmen throughout the Kingdom, price Sevenpence, or ;gl lOs. 4d. per annum. IMPORTANT TO FLOCKMASTERS. THOMAS BIGG, Agricultural and Veterinary Chemist, by Appointment to his late Royal Highness The Prince Consort, K.G., Leicester House, Great Dover Street, Borough, London, begs to call the attention of Farmers and Graziers to his valuable SHEEP and LAMB DIPPING COMPOSITIONj vs-hicli requires no Boiling, and may be used with Warm or Cold Water, for effectually destroying the Tick, Lice, and all other insects injm-ious to the Flock, preventing the alarmmg attacks of Fly and Shab, and cleansing and purifying the Skin, thereby greatly im- proving the "Wool, both in quantity and quality, and highly Oontributing to the general health of the animal. Prepared only by Thomas Bigg, Chemist, &c., at his Manu- factory as above, and sold as follows, although any other quantity may be had, if required : — 4 lb. for 20 sheep, price, jar included £0 2 0 61b. 30 „ „ , 0 3 0 81b, 40 „ „ , 0 4 0 101b. 60 „ „ „ 0 6 0 20 lb. 100 „ „ (Cask and measure 0 10 0 30 lb. 150 „ „ included) 0 15 0 401b. : 200 „ „ „ 10 0 601b. 250 „ ., „ 13 6 601b. 300 „ „ „ 17 6 801b. 400 ,. „ „ 1 17 6 1001b. 600 „ „ „ 2 5 0 Should any Flockmaster prefer boiling the Composition, it TvUl be equally effective. MOST IMPORTANT CERTIFICATE. From Mr. Hesepath, the celebrated Analytical Chemist :— Bristol Laboratory, Old Park, January 18th, 1861. Sir, — I have submitted your Sheep Dipping Composition to analysis, and find that the ingredients are vrell blended, and the mixture neutral. If it is used according to the directions given, I feel satisfied, that while it effectually destroys vennin, it will not injure the hair roots (or "yolk ") in the skin, the fleece, or the carcase. I think it deserves the numerous testimonials published, I am, Sii', yours respectfully, William Heeapaih, Sen., F.O.S., &c., &c., To Mr. Thomas Bigg Professor of Chemistry. Leicester House, Great Dover-street, Borough, London. Ho would also especially call attention to his SPECIFIC, or LOTION, for the SCAB or SHAB, which wiU be found a certain remedy for eradicating that loathsome and ruinous disorder in Sheep, and which may be safely used in all cUmates, and at all seasons of the year, and to all descriptions of sheep, even ewes in lamb. Price FIVE SHILLINGS per gallon — sufl&cient on an average for thii-ty Sheep (according to the virulence of the disease) ; also in wine quart bottles. Is. 3d. each. IMPORTANT TESTIMONIAL. " Scoulton, near Hingham, Norfolk, April 16th, 1855. "Dear Sir, — In answer to yours of the 4th Inst., which would have been replied to before this had I been at home, I have much pleasiu-e in bearing testimony to the efficacy of yoiir invalual3le ' Specific for the cure of Scab in Sheep.' The 600 sheep were all dressed iu August last with 84 gallons of the • NoN-poisoNors Specific,' that was so highly recom- mended at the Lincoln Show, and by their own dresser, the best attention being paid to the flock oy my shepherd after dressing according to instructions left ; but notwithstanding the Scab continued getting worse. Being determined to have the Scab cured if possible, I wrote to you for a supply of your Specific, which I received the following day ; and although the weather was most severe in February during the dressing, your fSpECiFic proved itself an invaluable remedy, for in three weeks the Sheep were quite cured ; and I am happy to say the young lambs are doing remaricably well at present. In conclusion, I beheve it to be the safest and best remedy now in use. " I remain, dear Sir, "For JOHN TINGET, Esq., " To Mr. Thomas Bigg. ' "B. RENNEY. K^ Flockmasters would be well to beware of such pre- parations as " Non-poisonous Compositions :" it is only necessary to appeal to their good common sense and judg- ment to be thoroughly convinced that no "Non-poisonous" article can poison or destroy insect vermin, particularly such as the Tick, Lice, and Scab Parasites— creatures so tenacious of Ufc. Such advertised preparations must be wholly useless, or they are not what they are represented to be. DIPPING APPARATUS £14, £5, £4, & £3. LONDON AND COUNTY BANKING COMPANY. ESTABLISHED 1836. SUBSCRIBED CAPITAL... £2,500,000, in 50,000 SHARES of £50 EACH. PAID-UP CAPITAL... £1,000,000 RESERVE FUND... £500,000. WILLIAM NICOL, Esq. A. HODGSON PHILLPOTTS, Esq. JAMES DUNCAN THOMSON, Esq. FREDERICK YOULE, Esq. DIRECTORS. NATHANIEL ALEXANDER, Esq. I FREDERICK HARRISON, Esq. T. TYRINGHAM BERNARD, Esq. WM. CHAMPION JONES, Esq. THOMAS STOCK COWIB, Esq. I E. HARBORD LUSHINGTON, Esq, FREDERICK FRANCIS, Esq. I JAMES MORLEY, Esq. TRUSTEES. F, FRANCIS, Esq. | F. HARRISON, Esq. | W, CHAMPION JONES, Esq. AUDITORS. WILLIAM JARDINE, Esq. \ WILLIAM NORMAN, Esq. | RICHARD H. SWAINE, Esq. General Manager— WILLIAM McKEWAN, Esq. CHIEF INSPECTOR. INSPECTORS OF BRANCHES. CHIEF ACCOUNTANT, W. J. NORFOLK, Esq. H. J. LEMON, Esq., and C. SHERRING, Esq. JAMES GRAY, Esq. Solicitors— Messrs. STEVENS, WILKINSON, & HARRIES. HEAD OFFICE, 31, LOMBARD STREET. Manager—WHITBREAD TOMSON, Esq. | Assistant Manager— WILLIAM HOWARD, Esq. THE LONDON AND COUNTY BANK opens— DRAWINQ ACCOUNTS with Commercial Houses and Private Individuals, either upon the plan usually adopted by Other Bankers, or by charging a smaU Commission to those persona to whom it may not be convenient to sustain an ngreed Permanent Balance. „ ,, , , ,, . , , ^ , DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS.— Deposit Receipts are issued for sums of Money placed upon these Accounts, and Interest la allowed for such periods and at such rates as may be agreed upon, reference being had to the state of the Money Market. CIRCULAR NOTES AND LETTERS OF CREDIT are issued, payable in the principal Cities and Towns of tho Con- tinent, in Austi-alia, Canada, India, and China, tho United States, and elsewhere. The Agency of Foreign and Country Banks is undertaken. The PuBCHASE and Sale of Government and other Stocks, of English or Foreign Shares effected, and Dividekds, Annuities, &c., received for Customers of the Bank. Great facilities are also afforded to the Customers of the Bank for the receipt of Money from the Towns where the Oom- pany has Branches. The Officers of the Bank are bound not to disclose the transactions of any of its Customers. By Order of the Directors, WM. MoKBWAN, General Manager. THE ROYAL FARMERS' INSURANCE COMPANY, j 3, NORFOLK STREET, STRAND, LONDON, W.C. ^ CAPITAL. — Persons insured by this Company have tlie security of an extensive and wealthy proprietary as well as an ample Capital always applicable to the payment of claims without delay. LIFE DEPARTMENT. — BONUS. — Insurers of the participating class wUl be entitled to four-fifths of the profits. ASSIGrNMENTS. — The Company grant Policies payable to the Registered Holders, whereby much expense and incouveuience are prevented. Stamp Duty paid by the Ofiioe. FIRE DEPARTMENT, - 1st Class — Not Hazardous Is. 6d. per Cent. 2nd Class — Hazardous 2s. 6d. „ 3rd Class — Doubly Hazardous 4s. 6d. „ BUILDINGS ^^^ MERCANTILE Property of every description in Public or Private Warehouses. — Distillers, Steam Engines, Goods in Boats or Canals, Ships in Port or Harbour, &c. &c., are Insured in this Office at moderate rates. SPECIAL RISKS.— At such rates as may be considered reasonable. FARMING STOCK. — 5s. per cent., with liberty to use a Steam Thrashing Machine without extra charge. Nearly FIVE MILLIONS Insured in this Office. SEVEN YEARS' INSURANCES may be effected on payment of Six Years' Premium only. JiIQ-HTNING and GAS. — Losses by Fire occasioned by Lightning, and Losses by Explosion of Gas when used for Lighting Buildings vnM be allowed for. RENT. — ^The Loss on Rent while Buildings remain untenantable through fire may be provided against. HAIL DEPARTMENT.— (Crops and Glass.) Policies to protect parties from Loss by the destruction of Growing Crops or Glass, by Hail, are ^[ranted on Moderate Terms. LOSSES. — Prompt and liberal settlement. AGENTS WANTED. Apply to JOHN REDDISH, Esq., Secretary and Actuary. •t No. 5, Vol. XLIL] NOVEMBER, 1873. [Third Series. FARMER'S MAGAZINE, AND MONTHLY JOURNAL 07 THE AaEICULTUEAL INTEREST. TO THB FARMERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. ,J.? i' LONDON : PUBLISHED BYROGERSON AND TUXFORD, 265, STRAl PBICB TWO SHILLINGS. EOGEESON AND TtTXFOED,] [PRINTERS, 265, STRAND. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. NOVEMBER, 1872. CONTENTS. Plate I.— A "EOYAL" BERKSHIEE BOAR, Plate II.— *'A COLD LOOK-OUT." PAGB Description of Plates ••..... 377 Labourers' Wages and Landlords' Duties ..... 378 Lord Derby on Agriculture in 1871 and 1872. .... 379 The Game-laws Blue Book ....... 380 The Local Taxation Cry ....... 381 Turnip Culture. — By the Northern Farmer ..... 382 Herefordshire Agricultural Society: Meeting at Hereford , , . 384 Mr. Lawes and the Wheat Crop ...... 388 Tenant-Right . ...... 389, 393, 423, 461 The Llanboidy Agricultural Show ...... 392 Tenant-Right in Scotland ...,.,. 394 Agricultural Improvement and Tenant-Right . . . . , 396 A Forbidden Subject ........ 397 Northamptonshire Agricultural Society : Meeting at Weedon . . 398 The Derbyshire Agricultural Society : Meeting at Derby . . . 401 The Warwickshire Agricultural Society : Meeting at Warwick . . 404 The Manchester and Liverpool Agricultural Society: Meeting at Bolton . 405 Herts Agricultural Society . ...... 408 Pekrith Agricultural Society ...... 409 Essex Agricultural Society ...,,,. 410 The Manchester and Liverpool Agricultural Socibty . . 411 Trial of Reaping Machines ...,.,, 411 The Bakewell Club Show ....... 412 Smithfield Club . . . . , , . , 412 The Dutch Agricultural Society : Meeting at the Hague . . . 413 Ixworth Farmers* Club : Sheep against Bullocks .... 416 Cheshire Agricultural Society: Meeting at Chester . . . 4l8 Loughborough Agricultural Association ..... 419 The Tenure of Land and Tenant-Right ..... 420 The Game Question in Scotland ...... 424 The Lancashire Farmers' Club Lord : Derby's Address . . . 429 Ludlow Agricultural Society ...... 431 Maidstone Farmers' Club : The Harvesting and Cleaning of Seed . . 432 Lavenham Farmers' Club : The Sewage Qubetion .... 434 The Land Question ........ 437 Haddington Farmers' Club : The Potato Failure .... 441 The Notts Chamber of Agriculture ...... 442 Horace Greeley's Agricultural Experiences ..... 443 The Cultivation and Use of Indian Corn ..... 446 After-Dinner Table-Talk ....... 448 Sale of the Harlowbury Herd of Shorthorns .... 453 Sale of Mr. R. Blackwell's Shorthorn Herd .... 453 Sale of the late Mr. Caddy's Shorthorns ..... 455 Sale of Mr. Brockbank's Herd of Shorthorns .... 456 Sale of Mr. Wm. Bradburne's Shorthorns ..... 457 Sheep Sales and Lettings ....... 458 Yorkshire Agricultural Society ...... 461 Shorthorns without Pedigree ...... 462 A Cattle Sale Case ........ 462 Hexham Farmers' Club ....... 463 Artificial Manures Analysis Case ...... 467 Review of the Corn Trade ....... 471 Market Currbnciss, Imperial Averages, &c. ..... 472 ^ •"1. ' •r^ ' I) ' iHW('«i«li(llii(«« I (ii i( ( I THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. NOVEMBER, 1872. PLATE I. A "ROYAL" BERKSHIEE BOAR. THE PROPERTY OF JIR. HEBER HUilFREY, OF KINGSTONE, SHRIVENHA3I. This boar, No. 380ji, and uow knowa as Sir Dor- chester Cardiff, was bred by Mr. Humfrey, and far- rowed on June 15th, 1871. He is by Leamington out of Idstonia by Rainbow, her dam Winchester. Leamington was second prize at the Warwickshire show at Leamington in 1870 ; reserve number at the Royal show at Oxford in 1870 ; first prize at the Glouces- tershire show at Cheltenham in 1871 ; and first prize at the Warwickshire show at Rugby in 1871. Leamington was by Souse Genteel, first prize at the Hants and Berks show at Reading in 1866 ; first prize at the Gloucestershire show at Cheltenham in 1867 ; and second prize at the Hants and Berks show at Win- chester in 1868. Idstonia, a sow of the same litter with the first-prize pair of young sows at the Bath and Westof England show at Southampton in 1869, was by Rainbow, who was also sire of Royal Oak, first prize at the Royal show at Ox- ford with sow and litter, and a winner of six other prizes. Winchester was first prize at the Hants and Berks show at Winchester in 1868 ; and afterwards sold to Mr. Cooper, of Limerick, as whose property she won several prizes in Ireland. This boar, Sir Dorchester, took the first prize and the Duke of Marlborough's extra prize, at the Oxfordshire show at Thame in May of this year ; the first prize for young boars at the Bath and West of England show at Dorchester in June, when we wrote of him as "the most promising pig in the show ;" was quite overlooked, as we stated at the time, at the Hants and Berks show at Windsor ; and took the first prize in the old boar class at the Royal show at ^Cardiff in July. On his return, however, from South Wales, and after going through the hardships of a lengthened quarantine, he lost his position at the later shows from want of condition, so essential a point in a show pig. Mr. Heber Humfrey 's stock traces back to 1855 to a favourite boar eighteen years old, descended from blood considered a generation before that time as some of the purest Berkshire in existence. This was crossed with a pair of sows purchased of a neighbour, but known to be direct from the late Mr. John King Tombs' stock. In 1863 a young boar was purchased of Mr. Tombs called New Policy, which afterwards took second prize at the Bath and West of England show at Bristol in 1864. This re-cross into the Langford blood, after six or eight years, has been backed by the occasional intro- duction of pure strains from other breeders. Since 1861 Mr. Humfrey has taken over eighty prizes, while his breed is represented in most of the colonies and many foreign countries. Two sows pur- chased from him at Wolverhampton, T»plash and Sweet Seventeen, took first and second prizes of over 300 dollars, at the Great Annual Exposition of the Illinois Swine Breeders Association at Chicago in Sept., 1871. Other prizes have been awarded to the stock in Canada and the United States, PLATE II. COLD LOOK-OUT. Where in a wide unbroken maze Is lost each long familiar phase, And wearily there meets the gaze A cold look-out. A whitened sepulchre of sport, A winding-sheet that signs le riiorte. Or really something of the sort. A cold look-out. But to the fox high holiday. His Chi-istmas-tide, his hour of play. Monarch of uU he crai survey, A cold look-out. Old SuRiE.s.i For bunny's burrowed up at home No more Dame Partlett cares to roam. And cackling geese can find no foam, A cold look-out. But those who live, to live must eat. And reynard some fat larder cheat. Or there's a blank when next we meet, A cold look-out. Look out, ye keepers, great and small, A sharp look-out, ye henwives all. Or foxy on your fowl will fall — That's your look-out ! B B [VuL. LXXII.— No. 878 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZmS. LABOUREES' WAGES AND LANDLOEDS' DUTIES, It is noticeable how little " sensation" an outbreak of rinderpest has created in the country. It is by no means, as might have been expected, the engrossing subject at our agricultui'al meetings. Beyond a passing word as to care, caution, and the duty of the Government, little is said, and the company passes on to the consideration of apparently a far more interesting question. In the flow of Table-Talk which week after week now runs through our columns the condition of the labourer continually comes to the surface, and this difficulty is gradually but certainly assuming a new complexion. The labourer's case is no longer a mere matter for master and man to adjust, but it has been found necessary to look down a little deeper. There are certain contingencies beyond the actual amount of wages which go to make a good and re- spectable workman, as the very first of such- essentials is a decent "handy" home. And for some years past on many of the large landed properties a systematic effort has been made in precisely the opposite direction. The aim has been not to identify the man with the place, but to let him understand that when the day's work is done the sooner he clears off the better. Nothing could naturally for all sorts of reasons be worse than this line of policy. A long dreary walk to and from his work takes something of " the steel" out of a man ; he is not so fresh as he should be when he gets to it, and he is fit for nothing when he gets back again. Tired out, the bit of ground, even if he have it, is uncared for, while palpably the fur- ther he lives away from him the less sympathy has the servant with his master. And yet, not so very long since, it was thought a very clever thing by smart agents and even " distinguished agriculturists" to clear them out in this way. But a marked revulsion has come at last, not the in- stance of the farmers only or of the landlords, but even at the call of the labourers themselves. The men are not merely asking for more money. In an address just issued under the signature of Mr. Strange, the originator of the movement in Herefordshire, the very opening runs thus : " This is not altogether a matter of wages — the means of improvement we formerly pointed out, and to which we would now more urgently call your attention, are these. On the part of the landlord, good cottages held direct of him (with the exception of stockmen and waggoners under due notice), and with sufficient water supply ; allotments of land where the gardens are not amply sufficient ; and for ;iien who have shown thrift by saving money, the opportunity of keeping a cow." Here, surely, is the cue for the farmers to take up, and so pass the word on to the landlords. As Mr. Strange says, " it is not altogether a matter of wages," as Mr. Strange, no doubt, knows as vi ell as we do that some of the most ex- travagant and improvident men are artizans and mechanics in the receipt of high wages. But only trace these men home to the wretched suburbs or back streets, to the two or three slovenly ill-placed worse built rooms which it is scarcely possible to keep clean and neat, so that no wonder the attempt is given up in despair, and more money comes to mean more dissipation elsewhere. At the Bishop of Gloucester's conference on Saturday last the men present went, again, for better houses and larger allotments. Some of the landowners would appear to think that sufficient has already been done in this direction, and at Weedon Sir Rainald Knightley drew a comparison in favour of the farm labourer in this wise : " In the rural districts, especially on the property of that most maligned class the country gen- tlemen, the labourer is generally able to obtain a tidy "and respectable cottage, and very likely a piece of land at- tached to it, at merely a nominal (rent. He attached the greatest possible importance to the labourer having » comfortable home, and he believed labouring men did too." This doctrine is sound enough, but too much is built from too narrow a basis, as we gravely question whether the labourer can " generally" obtain " a respectable cottage with a piece of land attached to it." However, on the veiy same day the chairman of another agricultural dinner in a neighbouring county, I\Ir. Bolton King, at "Warwick, said: "He had heard that it had been said by several persons that the landowners and farmers provided very bad cottages for their labourers. There never was a more unjust or a more untrue charge made. If they would only look through the larger and middle-sized landed estates they would find that the cottages of the agricultural labourer were in a good state of repair, and so fitted as to promote decency. During the last few years much money had been spent by the owners on the labourers' cottages — not for profit, because no man whose property consisted of labourers' cottages got more than one per cent, for his money, but because they felt it necessary to do so to promote the comfort of their labourers." Again, our own experience about the country leads us to an op- posite conclusion, as that these opportunities for labourers to make homes are not so available as they should be. It may, though, be better that these statements should be confirmed or coiTCcted by the farmers over whom these two landowners were presiding. At Weedon, then, Mr. R. Doig, following Sir Rainald Knightley, was, " as a tenant-farmer of thirty-five years' standing, of opinion that every landlord was in duty bound to provide proper cottage accommodation for the labourers engaged in tilling his land ; and it was as necessary as it was to build barns and other accommodation for the occupation of his land. He could produce instances of labourers travelling three or four miles to and from their work daily ; and was that a right thing to allow ?" And at Warwick Mr. T. Horley said : " Any one who had an intimate knowledge of the subject knew and must acknowledge the great want of ac- commodation for labourers on a large portion of the land of this country. In some places labourers could not get a cottage within three, four, or even five miles of their work, and this was a great tax on the employer as well as the employed. A man could not, after walking that dis- tance, do that service which it was important should be done if wages must rise as they had been doing for the last few years. He did not think the farmers of England would be afraid to face the labour difficulty if the landlords would provide them with accommodation for the labourers, or enable them to provide it. He knew himself of thou- sands of acres in this county where the labourers had to reside a long way from their employment." This is put in a very business-like way. If more wages must be paid there should be more work in a man, but this cannot be if he is to wear himself out in travelling to and fro. With the aspect the labour question is now assuming it is very evident that an incoming tenant should give as much attention to the cottages on or about the farm as he does to the boxes and home buildings ; while it will be ulti- mately to the landlord's best interests to meet him here. Sir Rainald Knightley says all the rents received for his cottages are spent again in keeping up the repairs, and but a few days since we walked through that model village in Chatsworth Park, which of course has never paid for the outlay. We do not go so far as this, but however little a landlord may receive from his cottage property he must not regard the difference as money lost but look for the return in other ways. There is, in his own immediate in- terests, an imperative necessity for his doing so, as the alternative of much higher wages will in the end adjust itself to lower rents. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 379 LORD DERBY ON AGRICULTURE IN 1871 AND 1872, A comparison between the address delivered by Loi'd Derby at Liverpool last year and that at Preston last week will serve to show how rapidly one particular principle is developing in the minds of thinking men. In 1871 Lord Derby said "^Yhat is wanted from the landlord is much less that he should put a large amount of capital of his own on to the soil — though of course that is desirable — than that we should offer no obstacle to its being put on by the tenant. Security is the first requisite, and I hold that any tenant good enough to be kept permanently on the land ought to have a lease if he wants one." It will be noticed that Lord Derby adheres here to the old formula as to there being no security without a lease. He never once refers to the other phase of the question, as he is careful to make no mention of Teuant-Right and rmexhausted improvement. This is or was in 1871 ; while in 1872, after again speaking to the conditions of a lease, his Lordship goes on to say, " in the case of a yearly tenant the claim to compensation for unexhausted improvements is certainly stronger, and if, in cases of that kind, grievances arise, as I have read in the news- papers, I think tne question of legal protection is a very fair one to raise." And, again, " speaking as a landlord, I am not in the least afraid of bond fide claims on the ground of improvement." Of course, as everybody knows who has at all studied the subject, the great im- pediment so far to the advance of Tenant-Right has been oifered by the landowners, who have shown themselves afraid of recognising bona fide claims for unexhausted improvement, and who have done their worst to debar the occupiers from legal protection. In doing so, they have pretty generally been driven to the alternative which only a year since Lord Derby altogether affected, as he still speaks as if leases were the rule and yearly tenancies the exception. Whereas, precisely the contrary is the fact. Between twenty and thirty years since, when the Farmers' Club took up and was continually dis- cussing the nature and merits of the Lincolnshire custom, The Times newspaper started a travelling Commission, with, as it would almost seem, the main object of stifling the Tenant-Right cry. No man could farm well without a lease was the ready chorus to every letter in The Times; the Lothians were farmed on leases — and so on. We shall, however, be bold to say that from that time the call for leases has been dying out, and the principle of compensa- tion coming more and more into fashion. It could, indeed, of a necessity be scarcely otherwise, but that as one falls the other should rise ; and the Fenton-Barns case has done something to dispel even the Commissioner's rever- ence for the Lothians lease. Lord Derby says any good man should have a lease if he wants one ; but the truth is that a vast majority of good men do not affect such a system of tenure — one by no means perfect of itself — and we must speak to things as we find them. The mistake with Lord Derby is that, instead of taking a comprehen- sive view of his subject, he is apt to draw too much from himself : " For my own part, I would much rather sacri- fice game altogether than quarrel with my tenants ; but I have certainly not found that objection to it within moderate limits which is often talked about." Now, well as this reads by way of an individual example, it is when closely examined, little more than the utterance of a truism. The tenants, at least, do not talk about the game when kept " within moderate hmits," but only when it is immoderately preserved, a distinction which makes all the difference. Again, Lord Derby " cannot call to mind that OB the estates with which I am connected any de- mand for additional security has ever been addressed to me." Very possibly not, but even if Lord Derby's estates were much worse managed than there are known to be, there might still be the same reticence on the part of the tenants. Many a man who feels his insecurity dare not, in the present very sensitive relations betwen owner and occupier, ask to be placed in a better position ; but although he may not move singly he will do so with others in a body. Lord Derby must not estimate the need for Tenant-Right by his own experiences as a land-owner, but by the strength of the cry as it now comes from all parts of the country. Even Lord Derby's partial adhesion must carry great weight, for it is evident in every word he utters how he has mastered his subject. Thus in Ireland the abuse or excess was that " the tenant did most of the work of permanent improvement, buildings included ;" whereas "in this country all works of that kind are landlords' works, and the Irish claim does not arise," or, " if they be un- dertaken by the tenant there should bo a definite agree- ment." Nothing can be sounder than this, as we have ever maintained that such permanent operations as drain- ing and building should ffuly be undertaken on special agreement. The aim, however, occasionally is to carefully confound the permanent with the temporary, until we arrive at some such prodigious result as this — that the tenant shall be paid for his unexhausted improvements if he holds an agreement to that effect ! The resolution now going about the country fi-om the Central Chamber of Agriculture altogether shirks the tenant's chief interest in Tenant-Right, that is the claim for temporary improvements, and speaks to nothing but the permanent, made with the landlord's consent. Nothing, as a consequence, can be more unsatisfactory than some of the discussions which have followed on this text word ; while The Fortnightly Review, in a lengthy paper, declares that " the impotent resolution sbrought forward by the Central Chamber of Agriculture deserve nothing but the contempt of all thorough reformers." These, or this as put at Crewe, would seem to be liot so much impotent as absurdly imperfect ; and of course so thoroughly earnest a man as Mr. Latham could not suffer such a proposal to pass without a rider, which goes to make the Cheshire manifesto the strongest yet pub- lished. There is altogether a haziness about the Central Chamber's resolution which leaves one in doubt as to whether temporary improvements, that is the actual business of the farm, should ever be recognized ! Lord Derby is perhaps still stronger on the labour than the land question. His sound practical turn of mind enables him to estimate at its true value the utter idleness of Mr. Speaker's co-operation scheme ; while, no doubt, he points to a weak place in farm management, when he protests against the practice of paying a really good just the same wages as a bad workman. And landlord, tenant, and labourer would look to be tolerably well agreed on this point, for that which Lord Derby said at Preston Mr. Charles Howard said some years since at the Farmers' Club, and at one of the earlier movements amongst the labourers Mr. Howard's opinions as to discriminatiug between the in- dustrious and skilful and the lazy and indifl:erent were quoted in approval by Mr. Strange, the secretary of the Shropshire Society. On the allotment system Lord Derby is not quite so clear, as he almost infers that this had broken down, Of course the bit of ground cannot B B 2 380 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. be of much use, but rather an incumbrance on a man who has to walk any distance to it after his day's work is over. The main value of the allotment we take it is when the land is found close to some rural village or hamlet, and mapped out into small gardens for the vil- lagers' use. When a labourer lives in a remote cottage on the farm the case is altered, as no difficulty should be here made in giving him a garden as part and parcel of his house. THE GAME-LAWS BLUE BOOK. It is no secret that the members of the Game-laws Committee grew weary of their work before the Session was over, that rumour declared the chairman was about to resign, and so forth. Nevertheless, they recommend in a report of four lines by way of preface to the evidence just issued, " that the committee be re-appointed at the commencement of next Session to continue the inquiry." A glance through this terrible jumble of a Blue Book will serve readily enough to show how the business gra- dually became so irksome and so uninviting. The con- duct of the inquiry was framed on no system whatever. Mr. Sewell Read and Sir James Elphinstone were examined on the same day ; the opening sittings were essentially English, and the closing meetings essentially Scotch. The English phase of the question was fairly but still barely opened by Mr. Read and Mr. Mann, and then abandoned. The wrongs of the farmer, the injury caused by ground game, and the practical remedies proposed even- tually gave way to the rights of deer forests and the opinions thereon of such authorities as Sir James Elphin- stone and Lord Airlie. To have properly carried out the comprehensive character of the proceedings a witness or two should have been summoned from India and a few more from Australia, when the sport of the jungle and the forest might have been nicely associated to the great edification and proportionate delight of men like Mr. Dent and Mr. Read, who are probably anxious that something may really come of the Commission. And yet, overlaid as the thing has been by Scotch pre- judices and even personalities, it is curious to see how thoroughly so far the English farmers agree in their pro- posals for reform with the more reasonable of the Scotch landlords. Mr. Sewell Read, speaking for himself and his fellows, as they nearly all back him here, would give the tenant a right to, or at least a joint-right to kill the hares and rabbits ; and at a meeting held only the other day in Aberdeen of a body of Scotch landlords for the purpose of receiving the report of the committee appointed at the annual stated general meeting of the commissioners on 1st May, 1871, to confer with tenant-farmers on the game question, the main recommendation in the said re- port for divers causes, duly stated iu our last number, ran thus : " The remedy which your committee would suggest is to give tenant-faimers power to protect themselves on their respective agricultural farms ; and your committee recommend that while the proprietors reserve to them- selves their right to kill game, hares, and rabbits on their estates, they should give to their tenants power, by them- selves or others, to kill hares and rabbits on theii respec- tive farms." Of course this was resisted, and something like " a row royal" the consequence, in which naturally Sir James Elphinstone and his evidence came to the fore. Some of the more tangible reasons given, however, for not adopting the report are so remarkable, that it might pos- sibly have been better, on the Dr. Fell principle, to have given no reasons whatever. Thus, in the words of the amendment, "as the whole subject of the Game-laws is under consideration by the Select Committee of the House of Commons, any further action by the county is, under present circumstances, unnecessary and inexpedient." "VVhereas, if the conference between the owners and occu- piers in Aberdeenshire was ever intended to lead to any result, it was surely that the two classes should endeavour to settle their differences without the intervention of the legislature. This, on the face of it, is merely shirking the subject ; nor does the chairman. Lord Kintore, who in the outset attempted to in- fluence the meeting by the expression of his own individual opinion, do much better : " If tenants suf- fered from grievances, they were, he thought, bound to re- present them to their landlords, and the landlords were bound to take cognizance of them and endeavour to re- dress them, instead of bringing them up at a meeting like that." Why, heaven and airth ! as Sam Slick says, does not Lord Kintore see that bringing up the grievances at a meeting " like that" was precisely the business of the meeting? and cannot Jjord Kintore gather from the re- port that the existence of such grievances and the fact of their not being taken coguizance of was the actual origin of "a meeting like that." Still, on his own estates, " since the 3rd August, 1866, his tenants were at liberty on their own farms to shoot the rabbits and hares, upon the distinct understanding that they did so them- selves or by their deputies only." Very good ; but on the other hand, close upon four thousand tenants in Aberdeen- shire state that their crops are continually damaged ; and so let Lord Kintore now make a companion inquiry as to how many of the neighbouring Lairds give a similar per- mission to their tenantry, and as to where any cognizance is taken of the damage done. The evidence given in the House of Commons and the evidence given in Aberdeenshire point as directly to the remedy required— -^^^ fiares and rabbits must go — not ne- cessarily swept altogether off the face of the earth, but kept down in a way which no keeper and probably no man but a farmer would do. Lord Clarendon said at Watford last week : " It was my fortune, not many years ago, to deliver many speeches on the game question in Warwickshire, when I had the honour to stand for that county. Now, Warwickshire is essentially an agricul- tural county, and I was told that when in speaking of rabbits I said that rabbits should be the property of the tenant, I was propounding a revolutionary theory. But I don't see that I was wrong, and it is still my opinion that rabbits ought to be the property of the tenant. There is no such nimble an animal to avoid a gun as a rabbit. I have seen fearful ravages caused by rabbits 1 In Lanarkshire, which is a great game-preserviug county, I asked a relative of mine a question on the subject, and when I said, Surely the farmers ought to have enormous compensation for the damages they sustain, the reply was, We do not pay enormous compensation, for our farms are underlet." Here we have England and Scotland together again over this matter of ground game, and again let my Lord Kintore pursue his inquiries. If farms are underlet ill Lanarkshire — that is if the most be not made of them — from the ravages of rabbits and hares, Lord Kintore will see in a moment that the question becomes yet more dis- tinctly a national business. The destruction of rabbits is certainly no longer a re- volutionary theory, although we do not advance quite so much by means of what Lord Kintore calls " representa- tion" as might be desirable. But very recently a case occurred iu the eastern counties where a son thre>y up THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 381 bis father's farm in consequence of certain amended con- ditions in the agreement, whereby the tenant was denied the i)o\ver to destroy either the rabbits or rats, bnt the keepers would kindly see that this was done ! Here is a field for " representation" and no mistake ! when the rat takes his place amongst the sacred animals, and a fellow in a velveteen jacket has the right to come loafing about your homestead on the pretence of looking after the vermin — either to kill or preserve according to the ruling of the market. In another quarter a landlord hopelessly in the bauds of money-lending lawyers, still tells the ealen-up occupiers that if they do not like their farms they can give them up, and he will bold them himself. Lord Derby would seem to have commended this prac- tice in his speech at Preston, when he " did not hesitate to say that in many, perhaps in most, parts of the country game-preserving has been carried a great deal too far. If a man wants to carry it on to the extent that some landowners do, let him take what land he requires into his own hands and bear the expense and the loss himself." Such a suggestion is on the face of it an ab- surdity, as Lord Derby must see. As a rule the heavy preservers are thoroughly selfish, and even if they could take to game-preserving fanns on a large scale it is alto- gether against the national welfare that they should be encouraged to do so. As Lord Derby intimates, the simple truth is that a large majority of the game preservers are as great offenders as ever, and nothing short of the interference of the legislature in the direction intimated will really correct the evil. And yet only look to the bolstering up of such a state of things by such a paper as The Saturday Review : " It may possibly diminish the energy of agitators to be told that the in- habitants of large towns are very fond of rabbits. There is a demand for rabbits as regular as the demand for beef or mutton, and a good authority stated to the Com- mittee that the rabbit is the favourite delicacy of the work- ing-man of London for his Sunday dinner." And in the very same article the writer says, "there is a good deal of nonsense talked about the necessity of preserving and enlarging deer forests ;" and again, " it is probably true that venison is not more nourishing than mutton, and that for one hundred head of deer a forest would yield five hundred or more sheep." Fancy any one com- mitting himself in print in this fashion ! If venison is not more noui'ishing than mutton are rabbits more nourishing than mutton ? If in place of so many deer you could keep so many sheep, does the man not know that for so many hares and rabbits you could keep so many sheep ? If not, let him look up Mr. Pusey's statistics. In the words of this famous reviewer " there is a good deal of nonsense talked about the necessity of preserving deer," and by his own showing there is a deal more outrageous nonsense talked about the necessity of preserving rabbits. THE LOCAL TAXATION CRY. Seldom have the farmers had so little to say for them- selves as during the autumn opportunity now so rapidly fading away. It would certainly have been possible to have extended our Table-Talk to almost any length, but even then there would have been but little room" for the agriculturist himself. It has been the old story of the chairman, the clergy, the town and county members, his worship the mayor, and so forth ; with but a word or two left at the fag-end of the sitting for a judge, a steward, or an exhibitor, when half the company has gone home, and the other half tired out. A few'years since the people about the vice-chair at the other end of the room really seemed to be getting the chance of an innings, but the honourable gentlemen at the high table have dispelled the last faint hope of a hearing from such a quarter. However much or little he may say in the House your county member has now a terrible flow of words to the mouth so soon as he feels himself at home again. And of late he has waxed more than usually eloquent, with quite a round of subjects to play at touch- and-go with. There is the labour question, to begin with, upon which he has some good advice to offer his " friends," with possibly a word or two of warning to his own class. Then he glances coyly enough at Texant-Right, while he speaks still more tenderly as to any threatened modification of the Game-laws. After all, as he puts it, if men only behave properly by each other why should the legislature be called on to interfere in the adjustment of their agreements ? which is a very self- evident proposition, as it is only when men do not be- have properly by each other that the law must interpose. If men were never robbed of their property by other men's hares and rabbits, or if men were never denied the right to their own, of course there would be no necessity for either making or amending laws ; but unfortunately nature is not quite perfect, and whether a man suffer from the depredations of his fellows or from vermin it is equally clear that the legislature should provide for his protection. Honourable gentlemen are not commonly emphatic here ; but there is one topic over which they fairly rise to the occasion. This, of course, is the great agricul- tural question, in carrying out which they must be thoroughly united. There must be no Party spirit evinced ; they must all pull together ; there must be no running wide from the scent, for this is a landlord's question, and a farmer's question, and a townsman's ques- tion, aud everybody else's question, and above all the great agricultural question of the day. And, certainly, the more they talk about it the more involved does the whole business become. Very early in the season the land authority of T/ie Saturday Review kicked the hare out of her form again after this fashion : " The scheme on which Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Goschen are bent is peculiarly distinguished by its exclusively political charac- ter and motive. The tenant-farmers whom they propose to bribe by the offer of gratuitous relief have never com- plained, and could not have complained, of abiding by the contracts which they have voluntarily made. An increase of rates during the term of a tenancy of course imposes an additional burden on the occupier ; but the possibility of an imposition of new rates ought to have entered into his calculation." We say in direct contra- diction to this, as indeed we have often shown, that the tenant-farmers have complained, and have asked for half- rating, from Northumberland right down to Sir Massey Lopes' own door in Devonshire. Nay, at just about the very time The Saturday Review was saying so much with all its customary confidence, the especial organ of the Local Taxation committee had to find insertion for the fol- lowing straight-forward letter from a Lincolnshire farmer : " I think the tenant-farmers of England will not endorse the sentiments of a Huntingdonshire farmer, that a pro- vision ' ill any Act of Parliament,' dividing the rates 382 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. between laudlord and tenant, is a delusion and a snare. I feel deeply grateful to Mr. Corrance for a similar clause in the first Cattle Plague Act, and I never heard of any tenant-farmers in Lincolnshire who failed to obtain their legal rights under that measure. T, along with many of my brother farmers in this county, only wish Mr. Cor- rance had been supported in carrying out such a provision in the Public Health Bill. I feel convinced that no thorough revision of local taxation will take place so long as landlords are enabled by Act of Parliament to put the whole expeuse of new rates upon their tenants, instead of bearing a moiety of the burden upon their own shoulders." Let us, however, having satisfied the reviewer, so far follow out his argument : " The possibility of an imposi- tion of new rates ought to have entered into the occu- pier's calculation " when taking the farm." Was there ever such an absurdity as the mere supposition that a landlord or his agent would treat for a moment with a man in this way ; that is, for a lower rent on the ground that new rates might be imposed ? The greater probability is that after Sir Massey Lopes' glorious triumph, a lise in rents might be suggested on the showing that the taxes were about to be reduced. But this, after all, is only one view of the subject. At Hounslow theother day,Loi'd George Hamilton, M. P., said, "Last year a proposition was made that the landlord should pay one-half the rates, and it was said that such a measure wovxld give great relief to the tenants. He was decidedly of opinion that the landlord ought to pay a proper proportion of the rates, but whether they were paid by the laudlord or the tenant, the taxation would ultimately fall on the tenant, and the proposition was an utter snare and a delusion." It is only to be hoped that his Lordship was correctly reported, as there is a fresh- ness of thought here that is quite charming. " LTlti- mately all the taxes fall on the tenant," and this makes it a farmer's question and no mistake ; although so far there has been au immense mistake, as people calling them- selves political economists have contended that ultimately all taxation must fall on the landlord. But this, it seems, is a snare and a delusion. Nevertheless, at Bar- nard Castle, in the very same week, another honourable gentlemen, Mr. Pease, said "they were told, and no doubt very truly, that all taxation on laud had come out of the pockets of the landlord ultimately, but it was a long time befoi'e that ultimately came on to the tenant-farmers. One or two recent enactments had come very hardly upon tenant-farmers. He knew cases where alterations in the poor-law assessment had led to farmers being raised from 4d. to 6d. in the pound in the rates." Surely in the face of this half-rating is not quite a delusion aud a snare, but the very thing to afford the farmer some relief when altera- tions in the interim raise his rates from 4d. to 6d. The Saturday Review sn.ji, "Although the proposed change in the law of rating will not affect the income of the great landowners, it will have the advantage of inflicting upon them serious inconvenience, and in some instances it will disturb their friendly relations with their tenants. Their less fortunate neighbours will suffer in pocket as well as in political influence. The small landowner who has struggled to retain a scanty inheritance, or who has invested in the purchase of two or three farms his profes- sional or commercial savings, is comparatively at the mercy of the tenant-farmer, who knows that the owner would be ruined if the land were thrown on his hands." This is very touching, but it is happily a picture drawn solely from the imagination. No man who has had the sense to invest his hard-earned savings in two or three farms ever need fear the possibility of these being thrown on his hands. A house in a town will remain unoccupied for a year or two, but so soon as there is a farm, large or small, to let there are plenty of people ready to take it on almost any terms, and we speak here to a fact but too well known. As Sir llaiuald Knightley puts it, although he means to put it the other way, " the farmer knows if he gives the farm up there are twenty other men ready to take it ;" while the honourable Baronet maintains that " only when the landlord extracts every farthing he can, and takes all the rack-rent he can, does local taxation become a landlord's question." But this rather opens another phase in the relations between landlord and tenant, namely, to what extent the cultivated lands of the kingdom are under-let ? Another authority, Mr. Genge Andrews, has declared, on the contrary, that so soon as you take off £180 in rates, 'of course he shall put it on in rent. Of course he will, as a re-adjustment of local taxation must mean mainly to the farmers a re-adjustment of rents. TURNIP CULTURE. By THE Northern Farmer. The land properly vvorked up, thoroughly cleansed, and in every way in good style for drilling, the farmer who has kept his horses employed at every suitable opportunity during the winter in carting dung to the headlands or other position convenient to the green crop break, will now reap the full advantage of his provident industry. He is able to make the most of every favourable oppor- tunity afforded by the weather, compressing the work of three days into one, and, if extensive, he can by the con- centration of both manual and horse power, which the proximity of the manure permits, carry on the various processes simultaneously ; the duug is covered as soon as spread, the seed sown alter au hour or two's di-ying, aud thus by the retention of the moisture an early and vigorous braird is secured. With the immensely altered state of the labour market, and consequent seriously- ncreased expenditure on the part of the agriculturist, the quality of the manure used has become a matter worthy of his earnest consideration, apart altogether from its effect on the soil. Mere quantity, by the extra labour un- avoidable in its collection and application, is now bought much too dear, unless the fertilizing element is largely present ; composts or any bulky mixture other than pui-e farmyard dung must therefore be used with extreme cau- tion, as, if extensively depended on, the cost of production may possibly far outrun the beneficial results obtained from the crop with which it is used. The labour of col- lecting material for a large compost heap, and giving the various turnings necessary to secure equalization of its constituents, is so herculean, that in the altered state of agriculture with regard to expenditure for labour it be- comes a question of grave import whether compost ordinarily so called is reaUy worth the trouble which its collection, management, and application unavoidably in- volves. Certainly the day is past for drawing any mate- rial to the manure or compost heap, which does not largely consist of decomposing vegetable matter. Poor earth from headlands or old banks, together with peat or THE FARMER'S MAGAZlJNii;. 383 bog-§tutl', slioulJ thei'd'ore be tliscariled as fertilizers by every farmer who makes the slightest prclensioa to skil- ful or economical management. A comparatively slight dressing of ilimg, made under well-fed cattle, will show infiuitely better results than can be obtaiued by the appli- cation of earthy composts, even although the latter may be laid on in fourfold quantity. When land is naturally good, aud has been farmed for a lengthened period on a generous system of husbandry, there is no difficulty in growing a heavy crop of turnips, a moderate dressing of any of the couceutrated manures now so extensively ma- nufactured being quite sufficient to achieve success. Such farms being, however, the exception rather than the rule, the majority of those who follow agriculture are compelled to be ever on the alert in procuring material which will either directly or indirectly tend to iucreise the manure heap. Assuming that most men admit the necessity of using dung only, and avoiding altogether, if at all pos- sible, lowering its quality by mixing earthy matter with it, the influence of which is chiefly felt by the increased amount of labour which it entails, it becomes a question most interesting in its import how the necessary supply is to be kept up. Taking a thoroughly practical view of the matter, there is only one way of securing a succes- sional supply of home-made manure, and that is by con- tinually keeping a heavy stock of animals to the acreage, and feeding abundantly, not only with those crops which provide house-food for every season of the year, but also by using cake, corn, and meal tc as great an extent as the cun-ent receipts of the farm will reasonably justify. Soil of even very inferior natural fertility can be vastly in- creased in its manure-producing capabilities in the course of a very few years by a liberal investment of capital in the purchase of manures and exti'aneous foods, so much so as to render it as nearly as possible self-supporting when regularly persisted iu for a number of years. When desirable to procure bulky manure outside the farm, the only available source open to the agriculturist is the town or city nearest to him, or from others which, although too distant to draw manure by road, can yet be economically obtained by water or rail, to a position locally convenient. Wheii real anxiety is felt to supplement the home supply of manure from this source, it is astonishing how many obstacles are conquered which at first sight appeared in- surmountable. To procure an article which the zealous agriculturist looks upon as invaluable, time, money, and distance become in his estimation matters of but secondary importance, experience and observation having both taught him to look more to future results than to present trouble and expense, and possessing suflicient force of character to carry out their teachings in his every-day management he lays out large sums, and takes an immense amount of trouble iu carrying out laborious operations which it will take years to repay, but which, if neglected, would keep him in a state of chronic poverty and unovoidable misery during the whole of his tenancy. How frequently do we see a farm which for years had the reputation of being a dry, bare, and poor piece of land, on which there was no feeding for stock worthy of the name until June, be- come noted in the district for its productive powers when it happens to change occupants, the new tenant being a man of energy, and possessed of the necessary capital to carry out his views in improving the soil. By the spring of the third year of his occupation he will be able to cut soiling for house-feeding, in the shape of tares, clover, and ryegrass, in the last week of April where hitherto it had never been attempted till the same time in May, the crop at the same time being fourfold what it previously had been. Although turnips can be successfully grown on good loam without farmyard or other bulky manure, yet on poor, stubborn soils, destitute of decaying vegetable matter, it becomes absolutely necessary to use some kind of dung in lesser or greater quantity, according to the facility afforded by the situation in manufacturing or pro- curing it. The fertilising property of this species of manure as directly applicable to the growth of the plants is bv no means its only recommendation, its mechanical effect on the soil, by keeping it open for the admission and permeation of the air, being almost of equal import- ance for the first crop, besides being distinguishable for years iu the vastly increased friability of the soil over those portions, it may be, of the same field where the dressing was unavoidably omitted. On almost any land, however rich naturally, or however well manured with dung, it pays to use a portion of artificial manure to aid in quickly developing the plants during the earlier stages of their growth, and forcing them beyond the reach of the fly. If this in the average of seasons is found to be necessary on laud in good condition, surely it is much more so on poor soils which possess no quickening powers of their own, and the feeble plant must iu consequence maintain a precarious existence until, after much strug- gling, it can catch the dung. While thus held, if the season is even ordinarily dry, every morsel of vegetation becomes an easy prey to the destructive turnip fly, the heart being completely eaten out of the plants, in which case the sowing is lost, aud the field must be re-seeded. Some years ago, when Peruvian guano containing a large percentage of ammonia was easily had, a very slight dressing was an admirable aid in accelerating growth, and securing a successful start for the turnip crop. Latterly, apart from the exorbitant rate now charged for it, farmers are becoming shy of using this manure in any quantity, aud prefer those phosphatic manures, which although not so quick in their action are yet more certain in assisting the plant in the successive stages of its growth until the process is com- pleted. Even with such a portable article as artificial manure the labour question makes itself felt, as instead of mixing it with some other substance before strewing it along the drills, it is now mostly applied pure, the only preparation being to reduce it to a state of extreme commi- uutipn. Mixed with pure vegetable mould, finely screened, guano gave excellent results, the mould itself being of great assistance as a fertilizer ; but of late years labour in most districts has become so valuable as to cause farmers to grudge the time consumed in its collection and preparation. In a series of experiments last season I found that a mixture of several manures produced the best results, both in top-dressing for corn and green crop ; U cwts. guano, I2- cwts. superphosphate, and 3 cwts. kainit, costing 45s. an acre, gave the heaviest crops, and in the case of ley oats, the latter seemed to have acted most beneficially in destroying the wireworm, the plot to which it was applied remaining perfectly fresh and vigorous, while the remainder of the field, consisting of 21 acres, sufi'ered very severely from the destructive ravages of this pest. It is bad husbandry to sow turnips on rough badly prepared land, and however great may be the exigencies of the season, suflicient time should be taken to give the necessary preparation, any time thus lost being far more than made up by the superior ex- cellence of the crop. Should the season turn out dry and otherwise unfavourable to the plant, there is very con- siderable danger that the crop may be altogether lost, the unreduced clods keeping the soil too open, permitting the escape of moisture, aud admitting light and au- m such quantity as to materially retard vegetation. For bringing the surface to fine tilth there is no better im- plement on medium land than the Cambridge roller, used between each ploughing or grubbing. By its action no clod is permitted to be turned under, and as it cuts as well as presses the soil the surface is brought to the de- 384 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. sired condition without further trouble. If the weather is dry at the period of sowing, the Cambridge roller makes an admirable finish by passing it over the drills a few hours after being sown ; its weight gives some degree of firmness to the soil, and enables it to resist the exhaustive evaporation which proves so especially injurious at the period of germination. Omitting the roller altogether, and giving the small turnip seeds no pressure to enable them to catch the soil quickly, and in dry seasons retain the moisture, appears so un- reasonable that it is surprising the system has not long ago become obsolete. Overseeding with the view of in some measure counteracting the mischief done by the fly is a mistake in most cases, as even if the year is in its character favourable for its development, thick- seeding will have but little effect in protecting the crop ; while on the other hand, when the seed is thickly sown, and comes on unchecked, the plants are so thick as to cause a large amount of trouble and extra labour in thinning them out, besides having the plants weak and spindly, instead of thick, fleshy, and vigorous, which they invariably are when thinly sown. Three pounds of seed is abundance if the land is in anything like condition, and if help at thinning time is scarce there will be no danger of injury however growthy the weather, even if the ope- ration should be unavoidably protracted. If weeds begin to show themselves it saves much after- labour to side-hoe the drills soon after the plants are so well over-ground as to be distinctly seen from end to end of the rows. Apart from the check given to weeds, and the large amount of future labour which is thereby saved, this hoeing is of great benefit to the crop by breaking the crust and permitting the abstraction of nutritive gases from the atmosphere. In practice this is easily discerned, the newly-stirred soil being ia early morning quite moist, while the drills on which the crust still remains unstirred is perfectly dry. The impetus given to the growth of the young and tender plants can hardly be overlooked by the most unobservant, as they grow with astonishing rapidity if the weather is at all' favourable. Of all the crops grown by the modern farmer none repay careful attention and diligent culture so liberally as the turnip, continual stirring with horse and hand-hoes during the growing period being able to nurse plants which had in the beginning of the season the appearance of total failure into such healthful vigour as to turn out by the end of October a most successful and profitable crop. When all the preliminary operations of turnip culture have been properly performed, and the seed sown of moderate thickness — say not more than three pounds tc the statute acre — the thinning process, instead of being the most tedious and troublesome business in connection with the growth of turnips, becomes the most easy and pleasant task of the whole season. The conditions being favourable the entire crop can be thinned in the most perfect manner with the hoe without the slightest diffi- culty or danger of pushing out the plants. The speedy way in which a band of trained workers get over a large extent of surface is extraordinary to those who have not previously witnessed the singling of turnips in this man- ner, the daily task of each person being from a half to three quarters of an acre. If from thick sowing the plants are weak and spindly, it is a very safe method to gap the lines with the hoe to the required distance, and single out the bunches with the hand. This is a favourite method with growers in nearly every district, and has much to recommend it, being both speedy and safe. One hoeing, and a stroke of the drill -grubber after the thinning, generally concludes the season's culture, the plants covering so rapidly as to prevent further inter- ference, unless at imminent risk of crushing the plants, and so doing more harm than good. Turuip culture has the great merit of enriching rather than impoverishing the soil, as, through its abundant foliage, it is enabled to draw much of its nourishment from the atmosphere, the long tap-root at the same time aiding the bulb in a very great degree by the moisture which it absorbs from the subsoil. The ameliorating effect of the fine tilth neces- sary to ensure success in turnip-growing, depth of work- ing, and thorough cleansing from weeds, is felt through all the succeeding corn and grass crops of the ro- tation. trfiE HEREFORDSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT HEREFORD. The " second thoughts" of the management here would go to strengthen the old adage. It appeared to the com- mittee some time since that for divers reasons it would be advisable not to hold any meeting this season ; and, as we hear, it was resolved according. An energetic member, however, Mr. Tomblings, who takes the liberty to think for himself, was of a contrary opinion, and it being found that the general body of subscribers mainly went with him, a reconsideration of the matter led to the wishes of the majority being adopted. And it was well that such second thoughts were acted on as the show, more especially of the native cattle, was a really good, and altogether encouraging manifesto. Moreover, at no meeting of the year have we found so few empty stalls or numbers skipped, so that any fears of foot-and-mouth disease ruining the entry were happily unfounded. Still, the stock show was not now confined to Herefords, but, also at the instance of Mr. Tomblings, red, roan, and white Shorthorns, with a speckled Ayrshire or so, gave a cer- tain variety to the scene, if these rather followed the lead than disputed the dominion of the reds with white faces. Again, a walk through the fair, that is through the main streets of the city, where smart steers " elbowed" you at every turn, told how here, too, the Hereford held his supremacy. There was only now and then a stray Shorthorn to be seen, and no shadowing of that black cloud w hich last year fell upon the place, A handsome mottle would still occasionally relieve the monotony of the pale-faces, of which there was a moderate supply of beasts, mostly well " started," with the plenty of keep about, and hard, as the Shire graziers said, to buy. As to the quality, rumour declared that a feeder had twenty or thirty steers waiting Christmas at home, which he was ready to show agamst the pick of the two days fair for any amount of money. There is, though, a somewhat strong line drawn between the business of showing and that of selling. The chances are, indeed, that our War- wickshire grazier,' or yon far-away dealer will never see the show at all. He candidly admits as much as he starts off in search of his herdsman, and we stroll on to the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 385 market, for this day only no market wliatcvcr but a grand exliibition, making out our Hue tlirou2;li " a nicish lot of young tilings," or fairly headed by a beast, who unwit- tingly stops the way iu deep contemplation of a printshop window. Mying stationers skirt the entrances with complete catalogues, as they will iu a day or two the portals of the Dragon with correct cards, for it is quite a gala week iu these parts. There is racing at Gloucester on Tuesday and Wednesday, a fair and a show and an auction at Hereford ou the same days, and more racing at Hereford on Thursday and Friday ; while the programme of spoit iu either city is plentifully studded with Farmers' Plates and Hunters' Stakes, so that our Shire grazier, if he has a fancy, as most likely he has, for horses as well as steers, may make his time out pleasantly enough. The very waiters and bar belles, as they get a glimpse of the blue bird's-eye, ai'e manifestly in doubt as to whether you are intent on Bucolics or Olympics, and so proceed to inquire if you shall want your bed for a night or a week ? But, even if we did come down iu company with Tom Oliver and a bang-tailed four-year-old, there must be no possible mistake as to our going to the cattle show, which opens moderately enough with only two entries iu the bull, cow, and calf class. Mr. Philip Turner's win- ning family, however, is worthy of its place. The Provost beiug a well-known prize bull, only second to his sire at Carditf, while if not in years he was otherwise well mated with the dowager Dorcas, a wonderfully good fresh cow at her age, of over ten years. This trio also won at Ludlow last week, but with Mr. Roberts, of Pemb ridge, now taking second with some younger things, the two- year-old Long Tom having a very nice kindly touch. But family parties of any sort would seem to be more and more difficult to get together, and no question the strength of this autumn gathering is coming to centre very much on the show of yearling bulls, of which there were just thirty entered, with numerous com- mendations and high commendations appended to the actual award. The class, moreover, was one of unusual interest, as the best things of the year came together to try further conclusions. Thus, Mr. Edwards' Arkwright was the best calf at the Bath and West of England meeting at Dorchester, Avhere he beat Mr. Fenn's Cop Hall ; Arkwright was first again at Gloucester, where he again beat Cop Hall, and first at Ludlow in the week previous to this, with Cop Hall still second. On the other side Cop Hall was first, and very highly spoken of by the judges at the Royal show at Cardift' — where, how- ever Arkwright was not entered — and first here at the home show in Hereford, where Arkwright was only highly commended. But the contradictory ruling of judges in 1872, whether of Shorthorns, horses, or Here- fords, has been something really extraordinary to follow and study. On first seeing the two together, however, without knowing what they were, standing as they did out of their places at Dorchester, we gave the preference to Mr. Fenn's calf, as we do still, notwithstanding his being virtually in a minority of three to one. Ark- wright has capital square quarters, but is terribly light in his girth, and has a mean drooping forehand, while he sadly lacks scale and growth, however good his quality. In fact, at precisely the same age the other altogether overshadows him. Cop Hall's weak place being where his rival is so strong, as the young Severus stands, and finishes badly behind. He has otherwise a fine outline, and is a deep, growing bull, of lots of promise alike to the hand and the eye. Mr. Tudge's Regulus, getting very stylish, the second here, was also second at Cardiff, as sundry commendations were also brought on from one meeting to the other ; but then one of the judges was himself a winner at Cardiff, Mr. Powell, of Eglwyswnyd, the prize farm ot the year. Arkwright was kept clear of a prize by Mr. dive's admirable calf, rather over- weighted in ago, and the other exhibitors noticed and unnoticed included Mrs. Edwards, of Wiutercott ; Mr. Rawlings, of Stoke ; Mr. Hill, of Orletou ; JMr. Tudge, jun. ; ]Mr. Tanner, of Frodesley ; Mr. Harding, of Bicton ; Mr. Price, of Pembridge ; Mr. Gibbons ; Mr, Taylor, of Showle ; Mr. Evans, of Swanstone ; Mr. Nott ; Mr. Bailey ; and i\Ir. Rogers, of the Grove, whose five entries were all commended, while Mr. Arkwright's single entry was the only animal of the thirty not sent. A very good class, as the judges might have said officially, instead of appending so many individual com- mendations, some of which were scarcely merited, such for instance as the bene mark put against Waxy Boy's number, a plain, common-looking beast. Nevertheless, when people came to talk of the best bull in the yard they did not dwell for a moment over the yearlings, but turned rather to the next class of two-year- olds, where Mrs. Edwards won with Winter-de-Cote, the best yearling of last autumn, and so far unbeaten ; though he has never ventured far from home, his only trials having been at Leominster and Hereford. He is a straight, deep, heavy-flcshed bull, high bred in appearance, but with a good masculine stamp about his head and iu his general character. The class was a superior one to that at Cardiff, and Winter-de-Cote, if he goes on, threatens to be the best bull of his year. The second best from Showle is a great, heavy, forward young bull, rather hard iu his touch ; and again there was a deal of merit in the class, which ran up to a dozen — by no means numerically a bad entry, all things considered. With Provost out of the way. Bachelor and Stout occupied the same positions as at Cardiff, the Stonebrook bull showing none the worse for having been pulled down a bit iu the interim ; and a won- derfully bloodlike animal he is, as few ever showed more breeding, if not quite perfect in places. Stout came havd^to the hand; and Sir John, a lucky bull at times, was, as we have always contended, never good enough to win iu good company. Lady Milton, a Royal cow, who rather lacks style, was far away the best of an otherwise very moderate lot of breeding cows — a very faint reflection of the Cardiff class — and Lady Oxford was still more indisputably the best heifer. When she won as a calf at the Royal Oxford show in 1870, we thus wrote of the Swanstone entry : " It is a question if the best of all the heifers were not Mr. Evans' calf, which wins decidedly enough in a nevertheless admirable baby show : she is so straight, so clean, and so handsome." And Lady Oxford is still straight, clean, and handsome, having admir- ably preserved her fine points, although greatly furnished and well on in calf. At Wolverhampton last year she was only highly commended when shown out of all form ; while a taint of foot-and-mouth disease in the herd pre- vented her appearance at Cardiff, where she must have won, as many were ready to maintain that she should have taken the champion prize as the best of her breed at Hereford. It is but a few weeks since we suggested that gentlemen who undertake to appraise dairy stock at the Royal Society's meetings should take a lesson at Derby, where they show milking cows in really milking condition, and these authorities might take another such a lesson at Hereford. " For the best lot of breeding cows or heifers" Sir. John Rawlings wins with seven cows in calf or with calves which, we hear, have been first and first all about the country, though they look as if they had been driven straight out of the Stoke grazing grounds ; and Mr. Tudge is second for six cows and heifers ; and Mr. Robinson is highly commended for seven cows, not one of which is under five years old ; and Mr. Evans, of Swanstone, is 'sm THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. commeuded, according to his acreage, for five cows, the senior of which is twelve years and a-half, another nine, and a third eight years old ! Mr. Dew shows six cows, Mr. Gibbous sends another half-dozen, and Mr. Tudge wins in another class with six beautiful matchy bloodlike heifers, which have nothing beyond their actual merits to recommend them. Mr. Fenn's quartette are better done by, but then they are only second, as mere condition is not regarded as the first essential of excellence. The pairs of heifers in either class were of no great mark ; the Stone- brooke yearlings being both by Severus ; while Mr. Mor- ris' two-year-olds showed great growth and Mr. Ai"k- wright's more style. There were but two entries of young steers, Mr. Hill winning with a nice straight sorty couple ; and the best fat cow is a three-year-old heifer, long, low, and neat, which goes onto Islington in the prime of her youth ; while the other, all wrong and gaudy in her quarters, Mr. Turner will send to Birmingham. The best ox or steer, in his stall at least, looked far away to be Mr. Dew's ox, ])ut second ; Mr. Arkwright's best steer having a delicate washy appearance, and being in no way so handsome as the other, and we shall see to their places if ever they meet again. There were three entries in all in the three new classes of Shorthorns, and had the selection rested with the Here- ford men they could scarcely have taken three plainer ani- mals than the Shorthorn bulls brought out to do battle against their own breed. It is, in fact, only to be re- gretted that the champion prize for the best of all was not thrown open instead of with some timidity being con- fined to the native cattle. So far there is nothing to fear from the innovation, although had not Mr. Beevorjust sold out, it is probable that something of a better stamp might have been sent in from Pencraig. The other sorts included one very pretty Ayrshire, and the Hereford cattle show still virtually ends with the show of Hereford cattle. Indeed we might altogether stop here for the entries of sheep, and pigs are so few as to be quite beneath notice ; nor is there yet that improvement in the horse classes which had been expected. The one thorough-bred stallion is a very sweet bloodlike horse, " of more worth," as somebody remarked, "than all the county members," and who was close upon beating that lucky lump of horseflesh Laughing Stock, when they met at Stourbridge soon after Cardiff. The Mallard honestly earned all they could give him here ; while of the others, old Mermaid and her two-year-old "colt by Kemptown were about the best ; another Kemptown being the first prize three-year-old iu a class made up of common things or more bloodlike weeds. The prize cart mare looks of just the active sturdy stamp for the country, and the judges commended the whole class of cart stallions ; a general compliment which we do not believe woi^ld have been extended to such a lot of animals at any other show in the kingdom.. We know well enough from our own experience that over- zealous stewards will prompt judges to commend every- thing they can, but this sort of thing is reaching to a positive absurdity at Hereford. The best of the entry was no question the winner, a three-year-old of some qua- lity, with action and a comparatively clean leg ; as many of the others were smothered with bad hair riglit up the cannon, where it looked to be of neither ornament nor use. Late in the day quite a sensation was created by the arrival of Major Peploe's Islington cup horse, accompanied by another from the same stable ; but as they were both carefully hooded and sheeted, and never, so far as we saw, stripped,"^the presence of these mighty hunters, served to do little more than endanger the lives of Her Majesty's subjects. For some time they were bustled up and down the narrow avenues, until at length a gentleman, who found himself on the off side of a led horse and at the heels of a cart stallion, loudly protested how it must be " a marcy if some- body ain't killed!" In truth, the part of the market taken in is miserably inadequate to the requirements of the show, as was manifest when all the winning Here- fords were brought out again in competition for the champion prize. Instead of parading round in a ring, and so making the most of themselves, they were huddled together in a corner thicker than the steers in the fair, and where it would have been almost impossible to have arrived at a decision had not the judges already some knowledge of the animals. As it was, they called iu Mr. Wigmore, and the prize, after some little form of further examination, was awarded to Bachelor, mainly on the argument that a male is of more value iu the herd than a female. As a show animal, however, on the day public opinion went the rather for Lady Oxford, as, with room to exhibit herself, and chal- lenge point for point, we believe tliat she would have won. Under the circumstances, it was either a foregone con- clusion, or at best, but a lame "comparison." Then, the catalogue is wofully incomplete. Some short time since, if we remember aright, Mr. Arkwright stated that the Hereford breeders were growing very indifferent as to registering their stock in T/ie Herd Book ; but surely it would be well to give tjie name of every pure-bred animal which has a name with the entry ? and yet the most successful beasts here, like Mr. Fenn's yearling and old bull, were altogether undistinguished. An available reference is always of value by way of certificate either at home or abroad ; and neither in showing nor describing their stock do the Hereford breeders do themselves justice on their home ground. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES. — Hekefokd Cattle : W. L. Powell, Egwyilysne- wydd, Taibacli, and C. H. Hincksman, The Poles, Ludlow. Shorthorns, Sheep, Pigs, and Implements : T, Morris, Maisemore, Gloucester, and J. Wigraore, BoUitree, Ross. Horses : Captain Uelme, Woolhope Court, and J. Ilaynes, Llanwrothal, Ross. Cider and Perry: H. C. Beddoe, Hereford, and J. Bosley, Lyde. HEREFORDS. Bull, cow, and offspring. — First prize, £10, P. Turner, Leen, Pembridge (Provost, Dorcas, and President) ; second, £7, T. Roberts, Lawton Bury, Pembridge (Long Tom, Lady, and calf). Bull, calved on or after 1st July, 1871. — First prize, £10, ']\ Fenn, Stonebrook House, Ludlow (Cophall) ; second, £5, W. Tudge, Adfortou, Leiutwardine (Regulus) ; third, £2, Rev. A. Clive, Whitfield, Hereford. Highly commended and re- serve : H. N. Edwards, Broadward, Leominster (Arkwright). Highly commeuded : T. Fenn, Stonebrook House, Ludlow (King Severus) ; W. Taylor, Showle Court, Ledbury; B. Rogers, The Grove, Stauuton-ou- Arrow (Waxy Boy). Com- mended : R. Tanner, Frodesley, Dorrington, Salop (Fanciful) ; J . Price, Court House, Pembridge ; H. Gibbons, Hampton Bishop, Hereford (Gaiety) ; B. Rogers (Bismark, The Baronet, Glendower 3rd, and Patentee 2nd). Bull, calved on or after 1st July, 1870. — First prize, £5, Sarah Edwards, Wintercott, Leominster (Winter de Cote) ; second, £3, W. Taylor. Highly commended : J. Harding, Bicton, Shrewsbury. Commended : G. Child, AVeston, Pem- bridge ; H. N. Edwards (Albert) ; W. Tudge (Vespasian) ; R. Tanner (Frodesley the 3rd) ; H. Gibbons (Gift 2nd). Bull, calved previous to 1st July, 1870. — First prize, £5, and 10 gs. Cup for best Hereford, T. Fenn, and J. Harding (Bachelor) ; second, £3, R. Hill, Orleton Court, Ludlow (Stout). Highly commended: H.N.Edwards (Sir John). Commended : J. Walker, Westfield House, Holmer. Lot of beasts, of the same sex, bred by the exhibitor, a tenant farmer, and above one year and under two years and sis months old, in proportion to the quantity of land that he occupies. — First prize, £5, W. Tudge (6 heifers) ; second, £3, T. Fenn (4 heifers). Highly commended: R. Tanner (5 heifers). THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 38^ Pair of heifers, calved ou or after 1st July, 1871. — First prize, £5, T. Feuu ; second, £3, P. Turner (Ruby and Ex- quisite). Highly commended : T. Turner (Amy and Satellite). Commended : J. Morris, Madley, Hereford. Pair of lieifers, calved on or after 1st July, 1S70. — Pirst prize, £5, J. I\[orris ; second, £3, J. H. Arkwriglit, Hampton Court. Highly commended : J. H. Arkwright. Commended : Hev. A. Clive. Pair of steers, calved on or after 1st "July, 1870. — First prize, £5, R. Hill, Orleton Court, Ludlovr ; second, £3, J. Price, Court House, Pembridge. Lot of breeding cows or heifers, not under three years old, that have had a calf within six months, or shall be in calf at the time of showing. — First prize, £10, J. Rawlings, Stoke (7 cows in calf and with calves) ; second, £5, W. Tudge (6 cows and heifers). Highly commended and reserve ; S. Robinson, Lynhales, Kington (7 cows). Commended : IL R.Evans ]un , Swanstoue (5 cows). Fat cow or heifer. — First prize, £5, P. Turner, Leen (Plain); second, £3, P. Turner. Fat ox or steer. — First prize, £5, J. H. Arkwright, Hamp- ton Court ; second, £3, W. Dew, Kiveruoll, Hereford. Breeding cow in calf or in milk. — Prize, £5, R. Tanner, Frodesley (Lady Milton). Highly commended and reserved : J. H. Arkwright. Heifer in calf or in milk. — Prize, £5, H. R. Evans, jun., Swanstone (Lady Oxford). Highly commended : H.J.Bailey, Rosedale, Tenbury, (Rosa Lee). SHORTHORNS. Bull, cow, and offspring.— First prize, £10, O. Viveash, Berwick Bassett, Swindon (Marathon, Beauty and calf) ; se- cond, £5, J. Pulley, Lower Eaton, Hereford (Cherry, Venus, and calf). Bull, calved on or after 1st July, 1871.— Prize, £10, J. Pulley (Butterfly Charley). Pair of cows in milk for dairy purposes of any breed. — Prize, £5, J. H. Arkwright (Ayrshire). SHEEP. Twenty Shropshire Down or short-woolled breeding ewes, under three years and eight months old, and not having more than six teeth fully grown ; that ,have suckled lambs to 1st June, 187~.— Prize, 6, R. Tanner, I'rodesley, Salop (^Shrop- shire). Twenty long-wooUed breeding ewes, under three years and eight months old, and not having more tlian six teeth fully grown ; that have suckled lambs to 1st June, 1873. — Prize, £5, W. Yeomans, Stretton Court, Hereford (Cotswold). Five yearling wethers, long wool. — Prize, £5, John Wheeler and Sous, Long Compton, Shipton-on-Stour (Cotswold). Five ewes, long wool. — Prize, £5, T. Jowitt, The Old Weir, Hereford (Cotswold). Five wetliers, short wool. — Prize, £5, A. Clive, Whitfield, Herefor (Southdown) ; 3nd, T. Davies, Burlton Court, Here- ford ; (Shrrpshir). Five ewes, short wool. — Prize, £5, Jos. Pulley, Lower Eaton, Hereford (Shropshire). Highly commended: R. Tan- ner (Shropshire). PIGS. Boar pig, exceeding nine months old, of the black breed. — Prize, £3, Wheeler and Sons, Long Compton, Shipton-on- Stour. Boar pig, exceeding nine months old, of the large white breed. — Prize, £3, Wheeler and Sons. Breeding sow, in or with pigs, of the large white breed. — Prize, £3, Lieutenant-Colonel Feilden, Dulas Court, Hereford. Highly commended : Wheeler and Sous. Pen of three fat pigs, not exceeding fifteen niontlis old, no restriction as to breed; — Prize, £3, WHieeler and Sons. Highly commended : Lieutenant-Colonel F"eilden. HORSES. StaUion best calculated to produce good hunters. — Prize, £10, M. Biddulph, Ledbury (The Mallard). Cart stallion.— Prize, £10, S. M. Day, Hollanton, Holm Lacy. The class commended. Three-year-old colt, gelding, or filly, suitable for hunting purposes, bred by a tenant-farmer, resident in the county of Hereford.— Prize, £10, Rev. "W. G. Lyall, Castle Froome, Bromyard. Special prize, £5, W, Child, Westonbury, Pem- bridge. Two-year-old colt, gelding, or filly, calculated to make a weight-carrying hunter. — First prize, £5, S. Smith, Wood- manton, Hereford ; second, £3, R. Tanner. Nag mare with foal at foot. — Prize, Jbo, S. Smith, Woodmanton, Hereford (Mermaid). Cart mare wi'.h foal at foot. — Prize, £5, H. R. Evans, jun., Swanstone, Leominster. CIDER AND PERRY. Dozen of cider, made by the exhibitor, and from fruit grown on land in the exhibitor's occupation. — First prize, £3 10s., M. Biddulph, Ledbury; second, £1, W. Taylor, Showle Court. Dozen of perry, made by the exhibitor, and from fruit grown on land in the exhibitor's occupation. — First prize, £'2 10s., W. H. Apperley, Withiugton ; second, £1, W. Taylor, Showle Court. EXTRA STOCK. Yearling bull.— £1, T. Fenn. Heifer.— 10s., T. Fenn. Bull— 10s., C. Nott, Wigmore (Velveteen). Bull-calf.— 10s., J. Harding, Bicton. Shorthorn bull-calf.— 10s., J. Pulley, Eaton (Lord Claro 2nd.) Shropshire ram. — 5s., R. Tanner. Essex boar. — 5s., Wheeler and Sous. "White boar. — 5s., H. J. Bailey, Rosedale, Tenbury (King Lear 2nd). Berkshire sow. — 5s., S. Robinson, Lynhales, Kington. Boar. — 5s., S. Robinson. SALE OF STOCK IN THE SHOW- YARD. Mr. Alfred Edward's catalogue comprised nearly 80 entries of Hereford stock bulls, hreediug cows, and heifers. A young bull. Promised Land, belonging to Mr. Price, of the Court House, Pembridge, was purchased by Mr. Meredith, Baily- uewydd, Rhayader, for 30 guineas. Mr. F. J.Tudge's Vespasian (1870), R. Allies, Bishop's Froome, 41 guineas; Ciucinnatus (1871), Mr. Pearce, 46 guineas ; Regulus (1871), the second prize at the Royal and at Hereford shows, J. T. Parkes, Luc- ton, 75 guineas. S. Goode's, Ivington Bury, Albert (1871), H. James, 37 guineas. W. Tudge, Coston Hall : Hiawatha (1871), Dr. Smith, 29 guineas ; King Severus (1871), Mr. Watkins, Vronlace, 37 guineas ; The Vicar (1871), Mr. Woottou, Peukridge, 35 guineas ; Clodhopper (1871), Mrs. Prescott, 29 guineas; Miss Stanway (1870), E. J. Morris, Stanley Pontlarge, 20^ guineas, and Battenhall Maid (1873), 23t guideas. J. Rawlings, Stoke, Tenburv : Beauty (1866), Mr. Harding, Ludlow, 30i- guineas : The'Twin (1868), Mr. Preece, 35 guineas ; Blossom (1868), Mr. Trew, Brecon, 23^ guineas; Curley (1867), Mr. Preece, 28 guineas; the bull-ealf of Sister to Baronet, R. Meredith, Cowarne, 23 guineas. Yearling bulls : Trade Mark, Mr. Preece, 29 guineas ; Herd- ley, Mr. Davis, Cross Green, Shrewsbury, 24 guineas ; Turpin, Mr. Gibbs, Munsley, 35 guineas. T. Rogers, Caxall: Zoca (187ij, Mr. James, 46 guineas. R. Hill, Orleton: Stout (1868), second to Bachelor in the aged bull class at Hereford meeting, Mr. Oldaker, The Valletts, Whitfield, 50 guineas ; Grateful (1871), Mr. Knight, Walton, Rad- norshire, 20 guineas ; Coeur de Lion (1871), Mr. Dawe, 23 guineas. Sirs. Edwards, Wintercott : Warrior (1871), for Lord Bateman, 40 guineas. B. Rogers, The Grove : Patentee (1871), Mrs. 11. Shentou, Brimfield, 45 guineas ; The Baronet (1871), F. Galliers, Upper Derndale, Canon Piou, 33 guineas ; Glendower (1871), R. Hill, Orleton, 34 guineas. C. Fenn, The AA'iUows, Ludlow : Crahstock (1871), Mr. Armitage, Dadnor, Ross, 15 guineas. F. Ward, Fairtree, Ledbury: Bull-calf by Wonder, E. Morgan, Clyro, 18|^ guineas. Among the animals which were bought in were H. N. Edwards's yearling bull Arkwright at 57 guineas, and his two-year-old heifer Cherry at 37 guineas ; S. Goode's Albert (1866), at 35 guineas; W. Tudge's Duchess of Bedford (1870), at 30 guineas; J. Rawlings's The Gem (1867), at 30 guineas, and his Sir Roger (1871), at 29 guineas ; A. Rogers's yearling bulls Skewbald and Letton, at 39 guineas each; G. Child's (Westonbury) Enterprise, at 30 guineas; R. Tanner's two- year-old bull Frodesley 3rd, at 44 guineas, and his yearling bulls Fanciful and Old Court 3rd at 58 and 33 guineas respec- tively; R. Hill's Midland Star (1871), at 28 guineas; B. Rogers's yearling buUs Bismarck 3nd and Waxy Boy, at 50 and 51 guineas; J. Harding's ditto Lord Battenhall, at 30 guineas ; P. Turner's ditto Tarquin and Solon, at 34 and 33 guineas; J. Walker's (Holmer) Vainhope, bred by the late Mr. Monkhouse, of The Stow, at 48 guineas, and his cow Duchess 3rd, at 29 guineas ; yearling bull, Burlton, the pro- perty of Mr. Davies, of Boulton Court, at 34 guineas. A few lots were withdrawn. 388 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. MR. LA WES AND THE WHEAT CROP. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MARIC LANE EXPRESS. Sir, — lu Mr. Lawes' letter of this year, giving an ac- count of liis agricultural experiments, I see there are some returns relative to the results obtained by the application of different manures, so entirely out of keeping vi'ith re- cognized principles, practical experience, and ascertained facts, that I venture to ask leave to point them out in your columns. For twenty years I have looked for- ward to, and read, these annual reports with some in- terest, but I have long thought them futile as illustrating any particular principle or practice, or in leading to the adoption of any new operation in agriculture. I have al- ways, however, thought them honest, and never until this year apt to mislead. Farmers who live by their business well know that vo- latile manures — which all artificial manures are, more or less — are comparatively ineft'ective and profitless in sea- sons of excessive drought like 1868, or of excessive rains like the ))ast ; and yet Mr. Lawes in both these years places the produce of wheat from artificials above that from dung. The following are his statistics : WHEAT. Dung, Artificials. 4 ■Sag 3^ ■o" a- r-l lO 0- O 00 efl 05 r-( r-H r-H -a ^ OC cc cc lO r-H 'cS 00 C- ^ IT cc o H ert «= cr .* CO O 05 P .-H r— i-H i-H n3 ^ JC CM CC c t- " > m cr. o c CC CO lO t-H r-t t/2 "^ s^ w cr CN r-H r-H -a '" (M ^ c iT CO a M «: r— IC c !>• « O etj M r-< ,_ OC t~ ' — ' . — ' ^ c. »; « S £ -B p, " o- « nW ^ ^ & T( f^ & c* M « O m "^ .9 V aJ '3 r-H Hit) -W cc cr. c<: CD =« « a c; — CS n oi o o ^ § «« "o = a. 0 i^ 1 OS h c s p ' 1 i o r—i 1— 1 « cc ■* ir The next case I am authorised by the agent for the estate to name is that of a tenant farmer in Lincolnshire, occupying over 1,000 acres of land, and he states that last spring he applied to separate parts of a field of 100 acres of wheat guano, nitrate of soda, and superphosphate of lime, in competition with dung and no dressing whatever, and at harvest time he carefully exa- mined the crop, and could not distinguish any difference between that which had been dressed and that which had not. So much for artificial dressings in wet seasons. As to their non-efi^ect in droughty seasons, Mr. Lawes him- self, in a circular in my possession, says, in substance, of THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 289 18G8 : " It has militated agaiust artificial manures, and lessened their consumption." And no wonder, for few who purchased them, as I did, could see where they went. Dung, on the contrary, is never out of place in any season, and remains in the soil until consumed by the plants. It, and it alone, produces perfect development in plants, and can compete successfully with virgin soils. Anyone who can manufacture it as they do other mixtures will have discovered the Philosopher's Stone, and may rely on a demand as certain as it would be unlimited. If nothing liad failed farmers this year more than honest dung, it would not, as I take it to be for many of them, one of the most disastrous years that have occurred in my time, and we should not be so near the brink of dear bread as well as dear beef and mutton. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Thos. C. Scott. 19, Kind's Arms-yard, Moorgate-street, Se'jpt 28. TENANT-RIGHT. At the meeting of the Cheshire Chamber of Agriculture last week at Crewe, Lord Egerton of Tatton in the chair, Mr. R. Dtjtton read the following paper : My lord, allow me to alter the title of my subject. Instead of " Unexhausted Improvements" I prefer saying " Improve- ments from which the tenant-farmer has not received a pro- portionate benefit." All improvements are more of less permanent, and it would be manifestly unfair to ask the land- owner to compensate for improvements for which the tenant may have been amply repaid. The subject has for years en- gaged my attention, but it is so mixed up with other questions relating to land that I find it difficult to stale my views without touching on other questions, some of which have already been discussed at this Chamber. The subject has two sides, and to treat it justly both should be viewed in conjunction — the tenant's side and the landlord's. Most frequently the former is principally referred to, and the latter thrown into the shade. When this broad view is taken and the balance struck the result may be right, but I am quite sure it will not be what is some- times expected. The owner and occupier of land have both duties and obligations due to society at large, and a right statement of these is necessary as the first step in considering this question. I am quite wilUng to concede to the owner of the soil all the rights of ownership which the State recognises in reference to aU class of property that may be placed upon it. Individual interests aud inclinations must never stand in the way of the public good. If I am right in this view, it seems to me that the general public have a deep interest in this question. The supply of food for our ever increasing popula- tion is becoming so serious that not only a sense of public duty but a consideration of our own interest should lead all of us to consider the ownership and occupation of land with less selfish views than we have hitherto done. The application both of capital and skill to the cultivation of the soil is every year becoming more necessary, and the tenant looks, and most properly so, for due protection for such capital and skill, and to be guarded against those cases which do sometimes occur, arising from his farm passing into other hands, or some per- sonal disagreement between himself and his landlord, or, what is perhaps the commonest source, his farm becoming stocked with animals of which he is not the owner, and for whose keep he receives not the slightest return. The landlord has a right to be protected against a system of cultivation which is most profitable for a time, but which ultimately leaves the land considerably impoverished ; and likewise from the conse- quences which result from the unforseen events of liuman life. What is called " the custom of the country" goes a good way in some of our English counties ; but as these customs vary very much in different districts, and we have no custom in Cheshire but what is ratlier against the tenant-farmer than in his favour, it is most important to put the whole question on a more satisfactory basis. I have sometimes thought it would be desirable to have a short Act of Parliament giving the tenant-farmer a right to compensation under certain circum- stances, but at the same time giving the owner a legal claim against the tenant for bad cultivation or neglect of duty ; the question as between owaer and occupier to be settled by arbitration. I know there are difBculties in framing such an enactment, but I don't think they are insurmountable. Having no such law, what is the next best way of dealing with the subject ? I observe, first, that the landowner, though reserving to himself the game and rabbits, ought not (except under such stringent restrictions as may be necessary to pro- tect the interests of his tenants) to let the game to another, who may stock the farm and consume the produce raised by the skill and capital of the farmer without the sliglitest com- pensation. If wild animals are to be kept by the tenant- farmer beyond what every farmer would most willingly do to meet the reasonable wishes of his landlord, I am sure there is not a memher of this Chamber but will agree with me when I say that the tenant is entitled to the fullest compensation for the loss he sustains. I may be told that this is beside the subject of my paper. I don't think it is, as I know no greater hindrance to successful cultivation than the loss sustained by undue multiplication of ground game. I observe, secondly, that the cultivator of the soil should be permitted to put all the produce of his farm to that purpose which will be most re- munerative to himself. The old practice of requiring all the hay, straw, and root crops, except a small quantity of potatoes, to be consumed on the premises, is not only a great loss to the farmer but contrary to the interests of tlie public. The great risks connected with farming arising from unfavourable sea- sons, the prevalence of disease amongst cattle, and the scarcity, and advancing price of labour, all combine to enforce tjie old maxim, thrt " it is most unwise to have all our eggs in one basket." I observe, thirdly, that every agreement under which land is held should contain provision for compensation. I am sorry to say many farms are let without any agreement, or one of no legal value. Many agreements are signed by tenants who never intend to keep them ; and when pressure is brought to bear upon them, complain of being very ill-used. It cannot be too strongly stated that whoever undertakes to observe certain covenants, as an honest man is bound to keep thera or take the consequences ; and if he will spend his capital without protection, he has no more right to complain of the consequences tlian the man who lends money on bad security. The following clause, which is introduced in many agreements, is a great improvement, and very largely meets what is at pre- sent a just cause of comi>laint : " If during the tenancy any permanent improvement be made by the tenant either in draining, bone dust applied to the pasture land, eradication of old fences and planting new ones, filling up pits, and any other improvement, for which the tenant may obtain a certificate from his landlord or agent (which certificate shall specify the cost of such improvements), compensation shall be made after the following scale : Draining (if done to the satisfaction of the owner), one-tenth less than the original cost for every year the tenancy continues after the work is done ; eradicating old fences and planting new ones, after the same scale ; filling up unnecessary pits, the same ; bone dust applied to pasture land (and subsequently neither ploughed nor mown) at the rate of 10 cwt. per statute acre, one-eighth less than the original cost for each year the tenancy continues after its ap- plication ; oil-cake used during the last year of the tenaney, for which vouchers shall be produced, one-tliird less than the original cost, all hay and straw left on the premises to be taken by the incoming tenant at two-thirds its market value ; all clover or grass seeds (not pastured except by sheep) to be paid for by the incoming tenant according to their value, such value to be settled by arbitration." Having thus stated what seems to me just and fair compensation to the tenant, allow me before closing a few words in reference to the claims of the landowner. We all know the usual covenants as to good husbandry, repairs of house and building, keeping up fences, gates, and stiles, cleaning out ditches, &c. The landlord's claim for compensation in case of these being neglected is as just as the tenant's, and claims made by the latter should be subject to set-off established by the former ; the claim of the landowner to be settled by arbitration. Before closing my paper, a word or two on the proper tribunal before which points in dispute that cannot be settled by arbitration should be brought. I see no practical difficulty to having in each county agricultural courts of conciliation, composed of an equal number of landowners and tenant-farmers. The practical difticulty exists in fixing by whom these parties should be nominated. If we are not prepared for this, I see no difficulty in chambers of agriculture, through their council, appointing a small committee composed as above, who might act as arbi- 390 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. trators in matters of dispute between owners and occupiers when both are members of tlie Chamber. And in the ease of any others who might solicit their assistance, such a tribunal would be far bettei than the ordinary tribunals before which such cases are generally taken. I have thus given you my thoughts on a subject of very great importance, and if in the discussion that follows a more satisfactory solution should be propounded, no one in the room will be better pleased than myself. Before closing, allow me to refer to an objection which may be started to the compensation claims I have named ; that they might impose upon the owner of the land liabilities that would in many cases be very difficult to meet. The amount of such claims would have to be paid by the in- coming tenant, inasmuch as he would be the person deriving the benefit. But it may be urged that the payment would seriously absorb the capital of the tenant. If this would have the tendency to diminisn the competition for farms, 1 am inclined to tliiuk it would be no loss to agriculturists generally. In some agreements the claim is limited to a year's rent, in others to three-fourths of that amount. Some may be sur- prised tliat I have made no reference to farm leases as forming a basis for compensation. The reasou is that, in ray opinion, leases for long terms are only desirable in special cases, and even then clauses such as I have referred to are necessary to protect both landlord and tenant, unless it is mutually under- stood that the tenant shall have an opportunity to undo at the close all the good he has done at the commencement, which, I am sorry to say, is not uufrequently the case. In some in- stances that have come under my observation the claim to compensation is only allowed if the tenant receives notice from his landlord ; it will be perceived I propose to give it when- ever the tenancy closes by either party giving the notice. I have a case present to my mine now where circumstances render it desirable to the tenant to close his agreement ; and he is holding on, because if he gives notice his claim is forfeited, and the result is likely to be advantageous to neither side. But the most serious inconvenience is when the tenant is removed by death, leaving no one qualified to succeed him. I ought to apologise for the time I have taken, as in my opinion the shorter these papers are the better, as they are intended rather to break the ground and open the way for discussion by suggesting topics than to follow out into detail what may be necessary to render any scheme complete. The Chairman was glad to hear the subject brought forward in such a way, taking what might be called the tenant's point of view, for although, as Mr. Button said, there were two sides to it, the interests of landlord and tenant were identical. The subject was not a novel one to him (Lord Egerton), for upwards of a quarter of a century ago he sat on a committee of the House of Commons, presided over by liis friend Mr. Pusey, who had under con- sideration the agricultural customs of different counties. It fell to his (Lord Egerton' s) lot to bring forward two successive sessions a bill for the compensation of tenants for unexhausted improvements, but they were unfortunately not able to persuade the House to agree to it. It was rather singular that the principal opposition came from the Lincolnsliire farmers, led by his right hon. friend Mr. Nesbit Hamilton, the ground of the opposition being that in that county it was the custom to give compensation for unexhausted improvements ; while the other part of the opposition came from the Sussex farmers, among whom it was customary for the incoming tenant to pay the outgoing tenant two years' rent. Consequently, between two stools they fell to the ground, it being considered by the opposition that law would over-ride custom. When he was managing his father's estate he found that when the leases came towards a termination the land was in bad condition, and it ended in his having to buy up several farms in order to pre- serve them from being perfectly ruined. He agreed that where there were no leases compensation for improvements from wliich the tenant-farmers had not received benefit sliould be given. But there would be great difficulty in introducing a law for that purpose. If such a law were passed, as they could not provide against every emergency, they must leave it as elastic as possible, and courts of arbitration constituted out of chambers of agriculture or kindred associations should decide when disputes arose. In the present day, particularly in that county, where they were in the neighbourhood of large manu- facturing towns, special covenants were very inconvenient. It was very unadvisable to tie down tenants by covenants to keep their hay and straw when they could take it to a good market and bring back manure. They had heard all sorts of panaceas for providing sufficient food for the people, and small farms had been suggested. On the other hand they were told that large capital was required, and the consequence of that was that they must have large farms. For himself he should be sorry to see a system introduced of breaking-up small farms and making large ones. Of one thing he was certain, that un- less they created and maintained good feeling between landlord and tenant, any laws which they might pass would have little effect in promoting the general good of the country and the supplying of food for the people. With respect to any legal enactment, he for one should be happy to give his assistance in carrying through any measure which he thought would be of practical benefit, but if any bill of that kind was to succeed it must be of an elastic nature. Mr. G. Willis said, as they had heard something on the side of the landlords, and there was an evident backwardness on the part of the tenant-farmers to come forward, he would venture to make one or two remarks. The land question, in its varied aspects, w S. Burchnall, Catton ; second, C. R. ColvUle. Commended : J. Rose ; T. S. Radford ; J. Greatorex. Cheese of not less than 1 cwt., made in 1872 (competed for only by those persons, who, being members of the Derbyshire Agricultural Society, shall not have made any cheese on the Sunday after the 13th of June, 1872).— Prize, T. S. Radford Thulston. BU1TER. Milk butter (not less than six pounds) made by the exhibi- tor.— First prize, A. M. Munday, Shipley ;' second, J. Raynor, Markeaton. Highly commended : J. Smith, Radbourue. Com- mended : D. Shaw, Cropper. Milk butter (not less than sis pounds) made by the daughter of a member. — First prize, J. Greatorex ; second, T. Hancock, Dale Abbey. WOOL. Three fleeces of long wool. — Prize, R. Johnson, Kirk Ireton, Three fleeces of short wool. — Prize. J . Rose, The Ash. GRAIN. Sample of red wheat. — First prize, S. Robinson ; second, J. Greatorex. Samples of white wheat. — First and second prizes, J . Grea- torex. Sample of barley. — Prixe, J. Greatorex. Sample of oats. — First and second prizes, J. Greatorex. SMITHS. For the best shoeing smith. — First prize, £3 3s., J. Wood, Ripley ; second, J, Thompson, Atherstone ; third, G. Hunt, Kedleston. IMPLEMENTS. Collection. — First prize, Haywood and Co., Derby ; second, Piatcliff'e and Co., Derby. Special mention : G. Murray, El- vaston, for pick and plough model. Silver Medals to — G. Murray, for an improved pick and plough model; J. and G. Haywood, for a chaff-cutter, with reversing gear ; Ratcliffe, for a chain liquid manure pump. Highly commended : H. Steer, Sandiacre, for agricultural cart. 404 THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. THE WARWICKSHIEE AGEICULTUEAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT WARWICK. la tlie cattle classes a large proportion of the entries were absent, the common cause being the prevalence of Foot-and-mouth disease. Mr. Bradburne was the most successful exhibiter of Shorthorns, with his bull White Satin, and his cow Coraline. The other prizes for bulls were taken by Mr. G. C. Greenway, with a Bingley Hall purchase from Mr. Mace's herd, Mr. E. Lythall, Mr. Umbers, and Mr. Davies. The Earl of Warwick took a second with a cow from Mr. How, also purchased at Bingley Hall Spring Show ; and a first for a pair of cows for dairy purposes. Mr. W. T. Wakefield had a walk over in the two-year-old heifer class, and Mr, Robotham's pair of yearlings being here shown singly stood first and second. The Longhorns are not proof against Foot-and-mouth disease, so that Mr. Chapman's stock was absent ; and Mr. Godfrey's bull seemed but a skeleton of what he was. The Leicester sheep consisted of about half-a-dozen good rams, from Messrs. Turner, Marris, and F. Spencer. The Cotswolds of Messrs. Wheeler were very moderate, and the Shi-opshires less numerous than expected, through the absence of Mr. Baker's and Sir. German's pens ; while Mrs. Beach won in both classes for rams open to all England, with Mr. E. Lythall second in each case, and first in a class confined to the county. Lord Chesham was a large exhibitor, but only secured first with his well-known pen of shearling ewes, Mr. Tidy being second. The Berkshire pigs were the most numerous class, and pretty good, Mr. Humfrey sending the best pens. Several pens of pigs were dis- qualified. There was a large and good show of horses. Ml'. Wynn's cart stallion being well known here, and the thoroughbred horse, old Neville, perhaps still better. In the class for hunters there were many good animals. The geldings and fillies adapted for hunting purposes made up another clever class. Taken altogether the horse show was one of the best held in connection with this Society, and quite the feature of the meeting. The show of im- plements was small. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES.— Cattle : C. Randall, Chadbury, Evesham; T. Harris, Stoney Lane, Redditch. Agricultural Horses : R. J. Newton, Carapsfield, Woodstock ; S. Spencer, Snares- ton, Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Hunting Horses, Hacks, &c. : V. B. Watts, Meleombe Hoisey, Dorchester; C. Garfitt, Winsford, Northleach. Sheep and Pigs : R. H. Masfen, Pendeford ; C. Clarke, Scopwich, Lincoln. Cheese : — . Jacks, Leamington. CATTLE. SHORTHORNS. Bull above three years old. — Prize, £10, W. Bradburn, Wednesfield (White Satin). Bull over twenty months, and under three years old. — First prize, £10, E. Umbers, jun., Wappenbury ; second, £5, E. Davies, Hatton. Bull over ten and under twenty months old. — First prize, £8, G. C. Greenway, Ashorne Hill ; second, £4, E. LythaU, Radford. Cow in milk above three years old. — First prize, £6, W. Bradburn (Coroline) ; second, £3, the Earl of Warwick, War- wick Castle. Heifer under three years old, in milk or in calf. — Prize, £6, J. Wakefield, Fletchampstead Hall (Gipsy Queeu). Heifer under two years old. — First prize, £6, A. Robotham, Oak Farm, Drayton Bassett (Miss Bloomer) ; second, £3, A. Robotham (Lady Isabel). LONGHORNS. Bull.— Prize, £5, J. Godfrey, Wigstou Parva (Earl of Upton). Cow or heifer in milk.— First prize, £5, J. Godfrey ; second, T. R. Phillips, Eastern Green. roR dairy purposes. Pair of cows in milk, which have been used for the last two months. — First prize, £10, The Earl of Warwick ; second, £5, W. Bradburn (Red Rose and Ammonia). SHEEP. LEICESTERS. Shearling ram. — First prize, G. Turner, jun., Tborpelands, Northampton ; second, T. Marris, The Chace, Ulceby. Two-shear ram. — First prize, F. Spencer, Claybrooke ; se- cond, T. Marris. Pen of five shearling ewes. — Prize, T. Marris. OTHER long-wools. Shearling ram. — First and second prizes, T. W. D. Harris, Wootton, Northampton. Pen of five shearling ewes. — First prize, T. W. D- Harris ; second, H. Hawkes, Hunscote. cotswolds. Two-shear ram. — Prize, J. Wheeler and Sons, Long Comp- tOD. SHROPSHIRES. Shearling ram. — First prize, J. H. Bradburne, Pipe Place, Litchfield ; second, E. Lythall. Ttvo-shear ram. — First prize, Sarah Beach, The Hattons, Breewood ; second, E. Lythall. Pen of five shearling ewes. — First prize. Lord Chesham, Latimer ; second, W. Tidy, Middleton. Short-woolled tup, being the property of (although not bred by) a member, and to be used this season in the county. — Prize, £2, E. Lythall. HORSES. AGRICULTURAL HORSES. Stallion.- Prize, £20, W. Wynn, Cranhill Leys, Grafton, Mare with a foal at her foot. — First prize, W. Russell, Shuck- burgh ; second, C. Borton, Temple Balsall. Gelding under three years old. — Prize, C. Burton. Filly under three years old. — Prize, S. Davis, Woolashill, Persliore. Cart gelding above four ye.ars old, that has been regularly worked. — Prize, G. T. Smith, Caldecote. Cart mare above four years old, that has been regularly worked. — Prize, £5, S. Davis. HUNTERS. StalHon best adapted for hunting purposes. — Prize, £15, W. Gulliver, SwalclifFe Farm (Neville). Hunter that has been ridden in the past season with the Warwickshire, Atherstone, Pytchley, Bicester, Quorn, Lord Coventry, Heythrop, and Cotswold hounds. — First prize, £15, C. A. Pratt, Shenton, Nuneaton ; second, £5, E. Knott, Fenny Compton. Hunter four years old and upwards (to be jumped on the ground). — First prize, £15, E. Bodington, Kenilworth (Sea Gull) ; second, £5, E. Knott. Four years old gelding or filly adapted for hunting-purposes, the property of a tenant farmer, farming not less than 100 acres of land, and residing within the limits of the Warwick- shire and Nortli Warwickshire Hunts, and to have been in his possession not less than twelve months. — Prize, T. Hodges, Binton. Half-bred two-year-old colt or filly, the property of, and bred by a member. — Prize, J. Gibbs, Wootton Wawen. Mare best calculated to breed hunters, with a foal at her foot, the property of a person whose chief income is derived from the occupation of a rented farm, and who is a member of the society. — Prize, E. Knott. Weight-carrier, equal to not less than 15 stone, that has THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 405 been regularly hunted during the past season with either the Warwickshire, North Warwickshire, Atherstone, Pytchley, or Bicester hounds. — Prize, silver cup, value £10, W. Mann, Brockharapton (Garaeboy). HACKNEYS AND PONIES. Hackney exceeding 15 hands high. — Prize, W. T. Stanley, Leamington. Hackney not exceeding 15 hands high. — Prize, Miss Har- rison, Eastland House, licamington. Pony above thirteen and not exceeding fourteen hands high. — J. Cookes, Snitterfield. Pony above twelve and not exceeding thirteen hands high, — Prize, W. Walker, Hillmorton Paddocks. PIGS. Boar pig, of the large breed (except Berkshire), under eighteen months old. — First prize, Wheeler and Sons ; se- cond, R. E. Duckering and Sons, Northorpe. Boar pig, of the large breed (except [Berkshire), above eighteen months old. — First prize, R. E, Duckering ; second, F. Spencer, Claybrook. Boar pig, of the small breed, under eighteen months old. — First and second prizes, R. E. Duckering and Sons. Boar pig, of the small breed, above eighteen months old. — First prize, R. E. Duckering ; second, J. Wheeler and Sons. Boar pig. of the Berkshire breed, under eighteen months old. — Prize, J. Wheeler and Sons. Boar pig, of the Berkshire breed, above eighteen months old. — First prize, H. Humfrey, Kingstone Farm, Shrivenham; second, J. Wheeler and Sons. Breeding sow, suckling pigs of her own farrow and in milk at the time of show, of the large breed (except Berkshire). — First and second prizes, J. Hicken. Breeding sow of the small breed, suckling pigs of her own farrow, and in milk at the time of show. — Prize, J. Wheeler and Sons. Berkshire sow, suckling pigs of her own farrow, and in milk at the time of show- — First and second prizes, H. Hum- frey. Three breeding pigs, of one farrow of 1873, of large breed. — Prize, J. Wheeler and Sons. Three breeding pigs, of one farrow of 1873, of small breed. Prize, J. Wheeler and Sons. Three breeding pigs, of one farrow of 1873, of Berkshire breed. — Prize, H. G. Bally, Swindon. Sow of any breed, suckling pigs of her own farrow, and in milk at the time of show, — Prize, J. Hicken. EXTRA STOCK. Cattle— The Earl of Warwick (Shorthorn heifer), highly commended. Horses — G. T. Smith, Caldecote (half-bred), commended. Pigs — J. Dugdale, Wroxhall Abbey (three white Yorksliire), highly commended ; J. Wheeler and Sons (Berk- shire sow and Berkshire boar), highly commended ; ditto (small Essex boar), commended, CHEESE. Three cheeses, not less than 701bs. each, the property of the exhibitor, a member, and made from his own dairy in 1873, £5, and a medal to the dairymaid. — G. Gibbons, Tunley Farm, Bath. Three cheeses, not exceeding 501bs. each, the property of the exhibitor, a member, and made from his own dairy in 1873, £5, and a medal to the dairymaid. — Mr. Walker, Stockley Park, Auslow, Burton-on-Trent, THE MANCHESTER AND LIVERPOOL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT BOLTON, Foot-and-mouth disease had manifested itself in the course of last week on a farm adjoining the showground, and it was feared that this circumstance would militate to some extent against the suciess of the show. Exhibitors, however, appear to have had every confidence in the precautions used, and very few, if any, cattle which had been entered were withdrawn. The number of cattle contrasted unfavourably with the display last year, the numbers being 119 at Bolton, as compared with 197 at Liverpool. The falling off was noticeable in almost every class ; and the number of entries was disappointingly small. Only five all aged Shorthorn bulls were entered. Irrespective of number, however, the entry must be regarded as exception- ally good ; as it included the two famous Yorkshire bulls, Mr. Outhwaite's Royal Windsor, and Mr. Linton's Lord Irwin, which stood in the position of first and second at Cardiff, and at every show of consequence held this year. To the surprise of everybody, however, a formidable competitor to these ani- mals was found in a roan, wliich hitherto has not travelled beyond its native county. This young bull, aged only two years and three months, being ten months younger than its next youthful competitor, at once challenged the attention of the judges. The two animals shown by the Rev. Walter Sneyd, Keel Hall, Newcastle, and Mr. Peter Martin, Chorley, having been summarily put aside, Mr. Linton's bull. Lord Ir- win, which stood second at Cardiff against a numerous entry, was set aside for the third place. The judges, Mr. Joseph Cul- shaw, Towneley, and Mr. Benjamin Baxter, Skipton, had then apparently a dilticult task to decide which of the two bulls left before them should obtain the first prize. The merits of the two beasts, the age of Mr. Musgrove's bull being taken into account, were nearly equal. The two bulls were repeatedly walked round the ring, and examined from top to toe, being altogether about three quarters of an hour under inspection. Eventually the judges disagreed, and called in an arbiter, Mr. Thomas Dodds, Wakefield, who, however, declined to act upon his own responsibility, and, with the consent of the judges, obtained the aid of Mr. Jobu Wood, Harewood Hill, Darling- ton, and Mr, R. H. Ma^fen, of Peadeford, Wolverhampton, who were the judges in the sheep classes. The result of the conjoint deliberation of the two was to place Mr. Outhwaite's bull first. Mr. Musgrove's, which took the second place, being only two years and three months old, and litUe more than qualified in its class, shows grand forequarters and immense thickness round the heart, has a fine level back, and is mellow to touch, and altogether is characterised by fine style and quality. The calling in of the sheep judges gave great dissa- tisfaction, and it was considered that if Mr. Dodds declined the responsibilities of umpire he should have retired altogether, aud so have left the ofiice open to some other person. Mr. Musgrove at once gave in a written protest to the council, in which he refused to submit to the award of tlie three umpires. The question was postponed until Friday, and the judges were requested not to award the extra prize of a silver cup, valued at £30, offered for the best bull in any class. In the meantime Mr. Morton, of Skelmergh Hall, near Kendal, an extensive breeder of Shorthorns, was telegraphed for, and the council, being of opinion that there was some force in the protest, re- quested him to act solely as judge for the extra prize, but de- cided that the award of £18 which had been given to the owner of Royal Windsor should remain undisturbed. Mr. Morton complied with the request of the council, and proceeded on Fri- day to test tlie merits of the four bulls entered for competition. Considerable interest was manifested in the judging, and it is a long time since such a searching and critical test was made at any agricultural show. Ultimately he decided in favour of Royal Lancaster, and that animal, therefore, must now be con- sidered the champion bull of England. The majority of those who saw the animals in the ring were of opinion that Mr. Musgrove's bull is worth much more than either of his competitors. Many bets were laid upon the result outside the ring. The next classes presented no ditliculty. Although there were five entries in the class of one-year-old Shorthorns, only one bull was shown, Mr. Linton's Leeman, which stood first at Cardifl', and was the undisputed owner of the first prize here. In the class of bull-calves two of the three entries were exhibited which took prizes as follows; 1st, Baron Holker, 406 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. a roan calf of good promise, showu by Mr. Edgar Musgrove ; and 2nd, the Rev. Walter Sneyd's red and white. Superb, in the class of aged cows there was only one exhibitor out of three entries, viz., Vivandiere, a well known cow, shown by Mr. J. Outhwaite. There was a better entry in the class of heifers above two and under three years old, eight competitors enter- ing the ring. Eventuallj first honours went to Lady Ann, the notorious double pedigree heifer ; and in the class of heifer- calves Mr. Statter was also successful with Ilosalbina. The entries of other breeds than Shorthorns were disappointingly small. In the class of Ayrshire cows Mr. T. Statter was the undisputed winner. The class of Channel cattle afforded a better contest ; Mr. Statter being again awarded first honours. Tliere was a good show of black Welsh cows, and all the prizes were awarded. In three other open classes no cattle were shown. Shorthorns asserted their superiority to any other breed in the class_ of bulls above two and under four years old, in which there were eight entries. The first prize was awarded to Mr. C. W. Brierley, Rhodes House, Middleton, for his Prince Charlie. In the class of bulls above one and under two years-old was shown an animal of good style, The Young Panton Squire, the property of Mr. James Goolden, Clay House Hall, Altrincham. A number of local prizes for tenant- farmers in the Bolton Union were offered, which were awarded as follows: Three dairy cows, 1st, V.Rothwell; 2nd, O.Johnson, Lever Edge Farm, Great Lever. Pairs of dairy cows : 1st, R. Dickinsou.Poot o' th' Brook, Great Lever ; 2nd, Peter Johnson. Single dairy cow : 1st, Peter Johnson ; 2nd, R. Dickinson. In another competition, which was extended to any residents in the Bolton Union, the competition was only nominal. Two extra prizes were awarded to Mr. Brierley in the tenants' classes, the first being a£l silver cup, or a prize worth £20, for the two- year-old Shorthorn Prince Charlie, and a silver cup, or a prize worth £10, for the best cow shown. Mr. Statter was awarded a silver cup, or a prize worth £10, for the white heifer Lady Graceful, which carried off the first prize in the class of year- ling heifers. The liorse classes included such well-known " ring-leaders " as Laughing Stock, the best of a bad class of hunter stallions ; Young Merry-legs, who won in a short show of roadsters ; and Honest Tom, who, of course, beat tlie chesnut Young Champion in the agricultural section, where throughout the entries were very few — but three or four to a class. There were some clever hackneys, with Mr. Harvey Bayly's Hilda in front, and a sprinkling of ponies. Amongst the brood mares for hunting purposes the competition was close ; and the heavy-weight hunter class brought out Borderer, Romeo, Joe Bennett, and Patch ; Romeo, more of a brougham horse than a hunter, being put above Borderer amongst the welters ; while Erl King figured as the best 12-stone horse, but there was nothing "particular" against him. Indeed, here as throughout, the Bolton meeting was not by any means up to an average. Sheep were in tolerably good force, the Shropshire Downs more especially . Most of the prizes in this class went to Mrs. Beach and Mr. Coson. The pigs, as might be expected, in a district made famous by Mr. Peter Eden, were well represented. In the first of the cheese classes, those above 40lbs. weight each, there were ten entries, of which seven were by Cheshire makers. The first prize was awarded to Mr. G. Prescott, Hulgrave, Middlewich, for four very fine samples of coloured cheese, weighing little short of sis score each. They ap- peared to be about eight weeks old. The flavour was excel- lent, and no one disputed that they fully entitled the maker to bear away not only the award for this class, but the champion prize, which was accordingly given hira. The second prize was awarded to Mr. George Willis, of Beech House, Darnhall, Wiusford ; the four cheeses he showed being about 701bs. each, and also coloured. Mr. Bulner, or Tattenhall, was an exlu- biter, but failed to get anything , and the same has to be said of Mr. Gibbons, of Bath, Mr. John Davies, of "Waverton, and others. In the second class there were eight entries, and the chief prize was borne away by Mr. "W. Moreton, of Acton Hill, Northwich, who was also an exhibitor in the first-class. The cheeses he showed were of darkish red colour, and as much like bitter American as anything we ever tasted. The second prize was taken by Mr. Prescott, for a fine sam- ple of uncoloured, which really seemed as if it could not be rivalled. Mr. Balmer exhibited a lot which were too heavy to remain m the competition, and Mr. Gibbons also entered in this class. There was a spirited competition in fresh butter, the plan of giving half the prize to the dairymaid of the suc- cessful exhibitor, evidently causing a rivalry amongst those useful members of the community. The first prize was taken by the dairymaid to Mr. Harrison, of Aughton ; the second by the dairymaid to the Rev. A. Wright, of Malpas. The imple- ments and machinery embraced no less than 112 stands. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES : Horned Cattle : J. Culshaw, Townley ; B. Baxter, Skipton. Cakt-hokses: J. H. Wood, Hum- berston, Lincolnshire ; T. Gibbons, Burnfoot, Long- town. Light Horses: G. Clay, Wem, Salop; W. S. Atkinson, Leeds; W. Porster, jun., Burradon. Sheep: J. Wood, Harewood-hill, Darlington ; R. H. Masfen, Pen- deford, Wolverhampton. PiGS : T. Dodds, Wakefield ; R. H. Watson, Wigton. Cheese and Butter : C, Griffiths, Northwich ; J . Jennison, Manchester. Grain and Roots : J. Hornby, MinshuU, Middlewich; G. Halsall, Halewood, Implements: M. Scott, Tranmere ; Mr. Smith, Whitchurch, Salop ; Mr. Whalley, Bold, Warrington ; Mr. Scotson, Aig- burth, Liverpool. CATTLE. shorthorns. Bull above two and under four years old. — First prize, J. Outhwaite, Bainesse, Catterick ; second, E. Musgrove, Augh- ton, Ormskirk. Bull above one but under two years old. — Prize, W. Linton, Sheriff Hutton, York. Bull-calf above sis but under twelve mouths old. — First prize, E. Musgrove ; second, Rev. Walter Sneyd, Keele Hall, Newcastle. Cow above three years old, in milk or in calf. — Prize, J. Outhwaite. Heifer above two but under three years old. — First prize, T. Statter, jun., Stand Hall ; second, J. P. Haslam, Gilnow House, Bolton. Heil'er-calf above six but under twelve months old. — First prize, T. Statter, jun. ; second. Rev. W. Sneyd. Special prize for best of all the Shorthorns, E. Musgrove. other breeds. Ayrshire cow or heifer above two years old, in milk or m calf. — First and second prizes, T. Statter, jun. ; third, T. Rigby, Darnhall Mill Farm. French or Channel Islands cow or heifer above two years old, in milk or in calf. — First prize, T. Statter, jun.; second and third, A. Rigg, Little Woolton, Liverpool. Welsh cow or heifer above two years old, in milk or in calf. — First and second prizes, R. Humphreys, Beddgelert, Car- narvonshire ; third, G. Jones, Mold. French or Channel Islands buU, of any age, — Prize, A. Welsh bull, of any age. — Prize, R. Humphreys. Cow or heifer above two years old, in any of the foregoing classes. — Extra prize. Silver Cup or £10, J. Outhwaite (cow). Heifer or heifer-calf, under two years old, in any of the foregoing classes. — Extra prize. Silver Cup or £10, T. Statter, jun. (heifer-calf). Bulls above two years old and under four, any breed, for tenant farmers resident in the Society's district only. — First prize, C. W. Brierley, Rhodes House, Middleton ; second, T. Statter, jun. ; third, W. Tillotson, Marsden Hall, Nelson, near Burnley. Bull above one but under two years old. — First prize, J, Goolden, Hale, Altrincham ; second, C. W. Brierley ; third, H. Neild, Worsley. BuU-calf above sis but ixnder twelve months old. — First prize, R. Thompson, Mythrop Lodge, Blackpool ; second, C. W. Brierley ; third, H. Neild. Cow for dairy purposes, in milk or in calf. — First prize, T. Statter, jun.; second, H. Neild; third, J. Cheetham, Yew Tree Farm, Norbury. Pair of cows for dairy purposes, in milk or in calf. — First prize, T. Statter, jun.; second, A. Wardle, Bury; third, J. Kenwright, Tarbock, Prescot. Pair of heifers, above two but under three years old. — First prize, C. W. Brierley ; second, T. Statter, jun. ; third, H. Neild. Single heifer, above two but under three years old.— First THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 407 prize, J. Goolden; second, T. Statter, jun. ; third, C. W. Brierley. Pair of htifers, above one but under two years old. — First prize, C. W. Brierley; second, J. Goolden ; third, N. Roth- well, Oreat Leaver, Bolton. Single heifer, above one but under two years old. — First prize, T. Statter, jun. ; second, J, P. Haslani ; third, S. Ash- ton, Manor Farm, Timperley. Pair of heifer-calves, of exhibitor's own rearing, under months old. — First prize, C. W. Brierley ; second, H. Neild ; third, T. Statter, jun. Lot of three dairy cows, in milk or in calf, for tenant far- mers resident in the Bolton union only. — Local prizes — First prize, N. Rothwell ; second, P. Johnson, Lever Edge Farm, Great Lever. Pair of dairy cows, in milk or iu calf. — First prize, P. Johnson ; second, E,. Dickenson. Single dairy cow, in milk or in calf. — First prize, P. John- son ; second, R. Dickenson. Lot of three dairy cows iu milk or in calf, for residents in the Bolton union. — Prize, P. Johnson. Bull above two years old. — First prize, S. Crewther, Hard- ham Fold, Great Lever, Bolton-le-Moors ; second, J. P. Has- 1am, Bolton. Bull in classes 18, 19, 30, and 34. — Extra prize. Silver Cup or £20, C. W. Brierley. Cow 01 heifer, above two years old, iu any of the foregoing classes. — Extra prize, Silver Cup or £10, C. W. Brierley. Heifer or heifer-calf, under two years old, in any of the foregoing classes. — Extra prize. Silver Cnp or £10, T. Statter, jun, HORSES. Stallion, thorough-bred, for weight-carrying hunters. — First prize, J. Moffatt, Kirkliugton Park, Carlisle ; second, A. Lmid, Darcy Lever, Old Hall, Bolton. Stallion, for carriage or road purposes. — F'irst prize, J. Gill, Silsden, near Leeds; second, Lund and Redmayne, Castle Hotel Yard, Preston. Stallion, for draught purposes. — First prize, the Fylde Cart Horse Improvement Company, Poulton-le-Fylde ; second, T. Statter, jun. Stallion colt, draught breed, foaled in 1870. — First prize, F. T. Bryan, Hunterstone, Leicester; second, T. Statter, jun. Stallion colt, draught breed, foaled in 1871. — Prize, T. Stat- ter, jun. Draught mare or gelding, above four years old. — I'irst and second prizes, C. W. Brierley. Three-year-old gelding or filly, cart breed. — First prize, J . Wright, Tarleton Holmes, Preston ; second, T, Statter, jun. Two-year-old gelding or fiUy, cart breed. — First prize, T, Statter, jun. ; second, J. Wright, One-year-old gelding or tiUy, cart breed. — Prize, R. Hunt, Much Hoole, Preston. Three-year-old gelding or filly, half-bred. — Prize, T. Pear- son, Lostock Grange, Leyland, Preston. Two-year-old gelding or filly, half-bred. — First prize, T. H. Miller, Singleton, Poultou-le-Fylde ; second, W, Clegg, Fair- hurst, Goosnargh, Preston. One-year-old gelding or filly, half-bred. — First prize, T, H. Miller; second, J. R. De Trafford, Croston Hall, Presten. Brood mare, for hunters. — First prize, S, Kirby, Manches- ter ; second, T. H. MiUer. Brougham gelding, above four years old. — First prize, T. Gidlow, Heaton, near Bolton; second, P. Nightingale, AYors- ley. Roadster mare or gelding, above l-i hands 2 inches. — First prize, W. flargreaves, Darley Hall, Farnworth ; second, T. H. D. Bayly, Edwiustowe House, OUerton, Notts. Cob mare or gelding, above 13 hands 2 inches and under 14 hands 2 inches. — First prize, G. aud T. Quentin, Woodleigh, Cheltenham; second, J. Wright, St. Helens. Pony mare or gelding, above 12 hands 2 inches and under 13 hands 2 inches. — First prize, W. S. Gladstone, Liverpool ; second, T. Statter, juu. Pony mare or gelding, under 12 hands 2 inches. — First prize, J. C. Rogerson, Manchester ; second, T. Statter, jun. Hunter mare or gelding, up to 14< stone. — First prize, B. Goodall, Altrincham ; second, J. P. Cross, Mortfield ; third, J. Bredin, Liverpool. Hunter mare or gelding, the property of any past or present member or secretary of the Aspull or Holcombe Hunt, and which has been hunted in the preceding season. — First prize J. P. Cross; second, S. Hollins, Astley Bridge. Brood mare, for draught purposes. — First and second prizes T. Statter, jun. ; third, J. W. Holt, Wood Road, Bury. Pair of draught horses, mares or geldings. — First prize, C. W. Brierley ; second, Statter, jun. Pair of agricultural horses, mares or geldings, — First prize, P. Johnson; second, H. Neild. Three-year-old gelding or filly, cart breed. — First prize, W. Birch, Aintree ; second, C. H. Wolff, Hale, Altrincham. Two-year-old gelding or filly, cart breed. — First prize, T. Statter, jun,, second, J, Waterworth, North Ashton, near Wigan. One-year-old gelding or filly, cart breed, — First prize, H. Neild ; second, J. W, Holt. SHEEP. LEICESTERS,* Shearling ram. — First aud second prizes, T, H. Hutchinson, Manor House, Catterick, Ram of any other age. — First and second prizes, T. H. Hutchinson, Rpin lamb. — First and second prizes, T. H. Hutchinson. Three shearling ewes. — First and second prices, T. H. Hutchinson. Three ewes of any age, having reared lambs this year. — First aud second prizes, T. H. Hutchinson. Three ewe lambs. — First and second prizes, T. H. Hutchin- son. SHROPSHIRE DO'WNS. Shearling rara. — First prize, Sarah Beech, The Hattons, Brewood, Staffordshire ; second, W. German, Measham Lodge, Atherstone. Rara of any other age. — First prize, Sarah Beech ; second, Lord Wenlock, Escrick, York. Ram-lamb. — First prize, AV. Baker, Moor Barns, Ather- stone ; second, Sarah Beech. Three shearling ewes. — First prize, J. Coxon, Freeford Farm, Lichfield ; second, Sarah Beech. Three ewes of an" age, having reared lambs this year.— First prize, W. Baker; second, Sarah Beech. Three ewe lambs, — First prize, Sarah Beech ; second, J. Coxon. CHEVIOTS. Three shearling ewes.— First and second prizes, T. Rigby, Daruhall. ANT OTHER BREED OR CROSS BREED. Shearling ram. — Prize, T. Rigby. Ram of any other age. — Prize, H. Neild, Three shearling ewes, — Prize, J , Gill, Howden Park, Sils- den, Leeds. Three ewes of an age, having reared lambs this year. — First and second prizes, T, Rigby, Five tup lambs, shown as extra stock,— Medal, T. Rigliy. PIGS, Boar of large white breed, above one year old. — First prize, P. Eden, Cross Lane, Salford ; second, M. Walker, Stockley Park, Onslow ; third, R. E. Duckering, Northorpe, Kirton Lindsey. Breeding sow, large white breed, above one year old. — First prize, P. Eden ; second, R. E. Duckering. Boar, large white breed, under one year old. — First prize, R. E. Duckering ; second, M. Walker ; third, J. Kenyon, T3righton-street, Red Bank, Manchester. Pair of sows, white breed, under one year old — First prize, P, Eden ; second, C. R. N. Beswicke-Royds, Pyke House, Littleborough ; third, R. E. Duckering. Boar, small white breed, above one year old. — First prize, P. Eden; second, C, R. N. Beswicke-Royds; third, R, E. Duckering, Breeding sow, small white breed, above one year old. — First and second prizes, C. R. N. Beswicke-Royds ; third, P. Eden, Boar, small white breed, under one year old. — First prize, R, E. Duckering ; second, A. Rigg, Little Woolton, Liver- pool ; third, P. Eden, Pair of sows, white breed, under one year old. — Fir«t prize, P.Eden; second, C. R. N. Beswicke-Royds; third, E. R, Duckering. Boar, middle breed, above one year old.—First prize, C. R. 408 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. N. Beswicke-Royds ; second, J. E. Fox, Mansion House, Great Horton, Bradford. Extra prizes : P. Eden, and C. Morris, Holmleigli, Grassendale, Aigburth. Breeding sow, middle breed, above one year old. — First prize, P. Eden ; second, W. Parker, Golden Lion Hotel, Brad- ford ; third, P. Eden. Boar, middle breed, under one year old. — First prize, P. Eden ; second, J. Bullock, Bradford ; third, R. E. Duckering. Pair of sows, middle breed, under one year old. — First prize, R. E. Duckering ; second, W. Lancaster, Halifax ; third, P. Eden. Boar, Berkshire breed, above one year old. — First prize, T. Radcliffe, Cheswell Grange, Salop ; second. Lord Wenlock ; third, S. Church, Bolton-le-Moors. Breeding sow, Berkshire breed, above one year old. — First prize, G. Morris ; second, J. Garnett, The Grange, Bolton ; third, R. E. Duckering. Litter of nine Berkshire pigs, extra stock. — Medal, C. Morris. Boar, improved Essex, above one year old. — First prize, C. R. N. Beswicke-Royds ; second, R. E. Duckering ; third, M. Walton, Halifax. Breeding sow, improved Essex, above one year old. — First prize, C. R. N. Beswicke-Royds ; second, M. Walton ; third, A. R. Rigg. Nine store pigs, extra stock. — Medal, M. Walton. Boar, under one year old (local prizes for residents in the Boltou union only). — First and second prizes, H. Speakraan, Bolton. Breeding sow, any age. — First prize, W. Atkinson, Bolton ; second and third, T. Nuttall, Farnworth. Boar, under one year old. — Prize, M. A. Piatt, Stag's Head Inn, Runworth, Bolton. Breeding sow, any age. — First prize, W. Sutcliffe, Horth View, Tonge, Bolton ; second, E. Cannon, Greenhill Deane, Bolton. GRAIN AND ROOTS. GROWN Bt EXHIBITORS IN 1873. Wlute wheat, not less than two bushels. — First prize, T. Hodson, Edleston Farm, Nantwich ; second, T. Rigby, Darn- hall Mill Farm, Cheshire. Yellow or red wheat, not less than two bushels. — First prize, T. Rigby ; second, R. Halsall, Halewood, Liverpool. Any variety of white oats. — First prize, F. Lythall, Ban- bury ; second, J. Southern, Culchet. Any variety of yellow oats, not less than two bushels. — First prize, R. Halsall ; second, H. Neild. Black oats, not less than two bushels. — First prize, H. Neild ; second, R. Halsall. Any variety of barley, not less than two bushels. — First prize, J. K. Fowler, Prebendal Farm ; second, J. Greatorex, Stretton, Burton-on-Trent. Any variety of beans, not less than two bushels. — First prize, J. K. Fowler; second, F.Lythal, Spittal Farm, Ban- bury. Six roots of Sweedish turnips of any kind. — First prize, W. Birch, Aintree ; second, J- Southern. Six roots of any other kind of turnips. — First prize, J. Greatorex ; second, H. Neild. Six roots of long red mangel wurzel. — First prize, J. J. Maiden, Biggleswade, Beds ; second, J. K. Fowler. Sis roots yellow mangel wurzel. — Prize, J. K. Fowler. Six roots of any kind ef globe mangel wurzel. — First prize, J. K. Fowler ; second, J. J. Maiden. Two Scotch cabbages. — Prize, J. Southern. Samples of twenty round potatoes, kind to be stated on entry — First prize, H. Simcock, Barton Moss, Patricroft ; second, J. K. Fowler. Samples of twenty flat potatoes, kind to be stated on entry. — First prize, J. Southern ; second, J. K. Fowler. Collection of farm produce of any kind, the boni Me, growth or manufacture of exhibitor. — First prize, J. Southern ; second, H. Simcock. Medal for extra stock, Mrs. W. Patter- son, Dundee. CHEESE. Lot of four cheeses, about 401b. weight each. — First prize, G. Prescott, Hulgrave, Middiewich ; second, G. Willis, Beech House, Darnhall, Winsford> Lot of four cheeses, under 401b. weight each. — First prize, W. Moreton, Acton Hill, Nortliwich ; second, G. Prescott. Best lot in the exhibition, irrespective of weight. — Prize, G. Prescott. FRESH BUTTER. Six half-pounds, production of exhibitor's own dairy. — First prize, T. Harrison, High House, Aughton, Ormskirk ; second. Rev. A. Wright, Tilston Rectory, Malpas; third, H. Neild, Worsley ; fourth, R. Taylor, Barkhill Farm, Aspull. SEEDS. Stands of farm and garden seeds, grain, and roots. — Prize Messrs. Carter, Dnnnett, and Beale, London. IMPLEMENTS. Agricultural machinery, in motion, best arranged, £4 and silver medal. — Picksley, Sims, and Co. (Limited), Leigh ; second, Warburton, Preston. Collections of farm implements and tools. — 1st, Follows and Bate, Manchester ; 2nd, J. S. Warburton. Articles of domestic use, best assorted. — 1st, Follows and Bate, Manchester. Articles in slate, best assorted. — 1st, Belcher, Gee, and Co., Gloucester ; 2ud, L. Ford, Gloucester. Stand of carts, waggons, and drays. — £3 and silver medal. — H. Bracewell, Burnley. Stand of carriages, whitechapels. — C. S. Windover, London. Assortment of stable and cow-house fittings. — Musgrave Brothers, Belfast. Waggon for farming purposes. — H. Bracewell, Burnley. Horse cart, for general farm purposes. — D. Grundy, Farn- worth. One-horse cart for general farm purposes. — Warburton Preston. J. Howarth, Farnworth, silver medal for ventilators. Taylor and Wilson, Accrington, silver medal for washing machines. Hornsby and Sons, Grantham, silver medal for agricultural im- plements. Morton and Co., Liverpool, silver medal for self-locking bar- iron fencing. Lewis and Co., Shrewsbury, highly commended for agricultu- ral implements. Marsden, Leeds, a silver medal for Blake's stone-breaker and ore-crushing machine. Richmonds, Colne, highly commended for double-tankard carriage. The Singer Sewing Machine Company, gold medal. Sugden, Market-street, Bolton, silver medal for sewing ma- chine, and silver medal and £5 for tailoring machine. Whewell, Deansgate, Bolton, highly commended for sewing machine. Hancock, Dudley, highly commended for bread machine. Silvester, London, highly commended for American pocket scale. Pearson, Liverpool, silver medal for linseed cake. Entwistle, Bark-street, Bolton, silver medal for harness. Slack and Brownlow, Manchester, silver medal for filters. Walkden, Newport-street, Bolton, silver medal for stand of carts and removal waggons. T. W. Inwood, St. Alban's, silver medal for carriages. Farr, Pagefields, Wigan, highly commended for carriages. HERTS AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.— The prizes for root crops are awarded as under : £20 to the tenant-farmer, renting not less than 150 acres arable land, for best and cleanest root crop, not less than one-sixth of his arable land, offered by Lord Dacre to Mr. J. C. Allen. ^10 to the tenant- farmer, renting 150 acres arable land, for next best and cleanest general root crop, same conditions, nflfered by the Society, Mr. Frederick Allwood ; highly commended, Mr. George Underwood. For the prize of £10, best roots, 80 to 150 acres of arable land, and £5 for second best crop ; there were no competitors for either. £5 to tenant-farmer, of not less than 80 acres arable land, for best four acres of mangold wurzel ; if more than four acres grown, the whole crop to be shown ; olTered by the Society, Mr. J. Ransome. £5 to tenant- farmer, not less than 80 acres arable land, for the best four acres kohl rabi; if more than four acres grown the whole crop to be shown ; offered by Messrs, Sharpie* and Co., Mr. W. Hain worth 1 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 409 PENRITH AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. This was a surprisingly good show, when the conditiou of the district ia regard to the prevalent murrain is considered. The Shorthorns were equal to those of any other county show this year ; and thougii Edgar and Ignoramus are no longer here, the stock as a whole were quite worthy of the localiiy. In most shows, even in the best times, the weak point is the bulls, but on this occasion this could not be said. I'lag of Britain, a capit.al animal, first in his class, won Mr. Musgrave^s cup. The two year prize bull is also good ; and Laurestina was first among a fine lot of cows. But no animal on the ground exceeded in promise Mr. J. C. Toppin's yearling heifer, bred by Mr. Unthank, which was first in iis class, and also got the silver cup for the best female on the ground. The cart horses were a large entry, and were in quality fair throughout, except in the class of mares in foal, which were mediocre. Messrs. Bowstead and Lamb's brown mare, third at Cardiff, was first for mares with foal at foot. Colonel Rigg, Mr. Kitchen (of Thomas Close), Mr. Pattinsoii Young, and Mr. Routledge (of Berrier) got first prizes in the heavy horse department. In the saddle and harness classes the entries were good throughout, and the merit conspicuous, especially among the young horses. Mr. Lawrence Harrison won the hackney prize ; while Sir H. Vane's premium for the best three-year-old gelding or filly called out a capital and numerous competition. The prize went to Mr. Isaac Bain- bridge, of Rigg Dyke, for a bay gelding by Kingfisher ; and Mr. Irving, of Sliap Abbey, was commended. Mr. Tiiompson's , premium for the best cob was also well contested ; and the sweepstakes for the best hunter was won by Mr. Fearon's Romeo, next to him being the Naworth Baby. The sheep * were a good class, and there was a large exhibition of im- plements. PRIZE LIS'l. JUDGES. — Shorthorns and Pigs: J. Culshaw, Towne- ley Park, Burnley; T. Willis, Caperby, Yorkshire. Sheep : H. Bortou, Barton House, Malton ; J. Hutchin- son, Manor House, Catterick. Hunting and Harness Horses : J. Blackstock, Hayton Castle ; J. Booth, Kil- lerby Hall, Catterick. Agricultural Horses : A. Dal- zell, Stainburn Hall; B. Spraggon, Nafferton. Black- TACED Mountain Sheep : W. Bownass, Middleton Hall, ^ Kirkby Lonsdale ; T. Birkbeck, Shap Fells. Butter : C. Atkinson, Pooley Bridge ; J. Shields, Kirkbythore. SHORTHORNS. Bull. — First prize, J. C. Boustead, llackthorpe HaU ; se- cond, R. Taylor, Crosby Lodge. Commended : Messrs. Cook- son and Strickland, Low Abbey. Bull, above two and under three years. — First prize. Sir G. Musgrave, Bart., Eden Hall ; second, John Bousfield, Soulby. Commended : Sir G. Musgrave. Bull, above one and under two years. — First prize, J. C. Toppin ; second, A. McDougall, Penrith. Commended: J. Nicholson, Kirkbythore Hall. Cow. — First prize, J. Lamb, Burrell Green; second, J. Hutchinson, Brougham Castle. Highly commended : Sir G. Musgrave. Commended : J. Nicholson. Heifer, above three and not exceeding four years. — First prize, J. Faider, WinskiU ; second, J. C. Boustead. Com- mended : J. C. Toppin. Two-year-old heifer. — First prize, R. Thompson, Ingle- wood Bank ; second. Sir G. Musgrave. One-year-old heifer. — First prize, J. C. Toppin ; second, J. Richardson, Culgaith. Commended: James Close, Liugstubs. Three dairy cows of any breed, in calf or milk. — First prize, James Close ; second, J. Nicholson, Kirkbythore Hall. Commended : H. Newby Eraser, Hay CIifp. Pair of two-year old bullocks. — Prize, R. Thompson, In- glewood Bank. Pair of yearling bullocks. — Prize, J. C. Toppin. Bull-calf under twelve months (Sweepstakes). — First prize, H. Tliompson, Maiden Hill ; second, R. G. Pears, Pearith. Heifer-calf under twelve months (Sweepstakes). — First prize, J. Lamb, Burrell Green ; second, James Close, Lingstubs. Bull-calf under six months (Sweepstakes). — First prize, J . C. Toppin ; second, G. Smith, Tlie Luham. Heiler-calf under six months (Sweepstakes). — Prize, J. C. Toppin. Best Shorthorn bull in the yard. — Silver cup, Mr. Bow- stead (Flag of Britain). Commended : J. C. Toppin and Sir George Musgrave. Best Shorthorn cow or heifer on the ground. — Silver cup, J. C. Toppin. Commended, in two cases : J. Lamb. HORSES. CART-HORSES. Brood mare, with foal at foot. — First prize, Messrs. Bow- stead and Lamb ; second, Colonel Rigg, Crossrigg Hall. Commended: J. Nicholson, Kirbythore Hall. Brood mare, to have produce the ensuing season. — First prize, T. Kitching, Thomas Close ; second, H. Sayer, Close House. Commended : J. Deuuisou, Penrith Station. Two-year-old gelding or filly. — First prize, W. Routledge, Berrier ; second, Mrs. Relph. Commended : W. Hethering- ton, Penrith. One-year-old gelding or filly. — First prize. Colonel Rigg ; second, J. Robinson, Askham. Commended : T. Kitching. Pair of draught horses (Sweepstakes). — First prize, P. Young, Scaws ; second. Colonel Rigg. Commended : J. Relph, Fog Close. Three-year-old gelding (Sweepstakes). — First prize. Colonel Rigg ; second, G. Waugh, Greeuagh Crag. Foal (Sweepstakes). — First prize, J. Sarjeaut, LowtherLow Moor ; second, Messrs. Bowstead and Lamb. Mare or gelding of any age (Sweepstakes). — First prize, Messrs. Bowstead and Lamb ; ^econd, J. Relph. harness HORSES. Brood mare with foal at foot. — First prize, T. Kitching ; second, T. Little, Lazonby. Commended : Admiral Eliott, Appleby Castle. Two-year-old gelding. — First prize, T. Little ; second, W. R. Mounsey,Lowther. Commended; J. Robiuson,AskhamHall. Two-year-old filly. — First prize, J, H. Cumpston, Barton Hall; second, G. Smith. Commended: G. Donaldson, Baldhow. One-year-old gelding. — First prize, J. C. Bowstead, Hack- thorpe Hall ; second, Colonel Rigg. Commended : Colonel Brougham, Laithes. One-year-old filly. — First prize, T. Little; second, T. Sowerby, Unthank. hunting HORSES. Brood mare, with foal at foot. — First prize, Admiral Eliott; second, H. Sayer, Close House. Commeuded : J, C. Bowstead. Brood mare, to have produce the ensuing season. — First prize, J. Nicholson ; second, J. Bell, Scale Hill. Commeuded : J. Betham, Towcett. Two-year-old gelding. — First prize, L. Harrison, Penrith ; second, A. Johnstone, Catterlen. Commended: Colonel Brougham. Two-year-old filly. — First prize, J. H. Cumpston, Barton Hall ; second, Messrs. Cookson and Strickland, Low Abbey. One-year-old gelding. — First prize, J. Pattiuson, High Dyke ; second, J. Dent, Edenhall Grange. One-year-old filly. — First prize, W. Bowman, Askham ; second, J. Spencer, Murrah Hall. Commended: J. C. Bow- stead. Three-year-old gelding or filly, by a thoroughbred liorsR. — Prize, I. Bainbridge, Rigg Dyke. Commended: J. Irving, Shap Abbey. Cob. — First prize, R. Pattiuson, Penrith ; second, the Earl of Lonsdale. Commended: W. S. Fulton, Appleby. Hackney, rising four years old or upwards (Sweepstakes). 410 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. Pirst prize, L. Harrison, Penrith ; second, W. Warwick, Hutton End. Pony, not exceeding 13^ hands, nor less than three years old (Sweepstakes). — Pirst prize, J. Birket, Broomrigg ; se- cond, the Hon. C. Lowther, Lowther Castle. Highly com- mended : J. Lowthian, Winder Hall. Commended : J. Hullock, Brigham Bank. Foal by a thoroughbred horse (Sweepstakes). — Prize, T. Kitching. Commended : J. C. Bowstead. Hunter, to go over on the show ground four hurdles three times round (Sweepstakes). — First prize, J.Fearon, White- haven ; second, J. G. Grey, Naworth. Commended : J . Fearon. Jumping. — First prize, Mr. Simmons (Smuggler Bob) ; se- cond, Mr. Bowstead. SHEEP. LEICESTERS. Challenge cup, value 5 guineas, for ram of any age. — First prize, R. Thompson, Inglewood Bank ; second, J. B. Dixon, Templesowerby. Tup, being an approved stock-getter. — First and second prizes, J. Bell, Scale Hill, Commended : J. Hogarth, Julian Bower. One-shear tup. — First and second prizes, and commended, J. BeU. Pen of three ewes — First prize, J. Bell ; second, W- Sis- son, Templesowerby. Commended : J. Hogarth. Pen of three giramer sliearlings. — First and second prizes, J. Bell. Commended : J. Hogarth. Tup lamb (Sweepstakes). — Prize, W. Sissons. BOEDER LEICESTERS. Tup — First prize. Colonel Rigg; second, H. N- Fraser, Hay Close. One-shear tup. — First prize, J. Pickering, Ranbeck ; se- cond, J. Hogarth. Commended : Colonel Rigg- Pen of three ewes. — First and second prizes, H- N- Fraser. Commended : Colonel Rigg. Pen of three gimmer shearlings. — First prize, H. N. Fraser ; second, J. Thom, Kirbythore. Commended : Colonel Tup lamb (Sweepstakes) — Prize, J. Thom. Commended : H. N. Fraser. Pair of gimmer lambs (Sweepstakes) — Prize, H. N. Fraser. Commended : Colonel Rigg. LONGWOOLS. Tup— First prize, J. and W. Savage, Hanging Bank ; second, J- Hogarth. Commended : Messrs. Cookson and Strickland, Low Abbey. One-.shear tup. — First and second prizes, Messrs. Cookson and Strickland. Commended : Colonel Rigg. Pen of three ewes — Prize, J- Hogarth. Pen of three gimmer shearlings. — First prize, J, and W. Savage; second, J, Hogarth. DOWNS, Tup, more than one-shear. — First prize, J. Hogarth ; se- cond, E. N. Fraser. Pen of three ewes — First prize, T. Todd, Newbiggeu ; se- cond, J. Hogarth. Commended : T- Todd. Tup lamb (Sweepstakes) — Prize, T. Todd. Pair of gimmer lambs (Sweepstakes) — Prize, T- Todd. BLACKFACED MOUNTAIN SHEEP. Tup. — First prize, M. Towers, Swindale ; second, J. Dargue, Bow Hall. Commended : J- Shepherd, Ousby. shearling tup. — First prize, C. Armstrong, Alston ; second, M. Towers- Commended : J. Shepherd. Pen of three ewes. — First prize, C. Armstrong ; second, G. Carruthers, Gale Hall. Commended : H. Sayer, Close House. Pen of three gimmer shearlings. — Second prize, H. Sayer. Blackfaced tup lamb (Sweepstakes). — Prize, C. Armstrong. Commended : G. Carruthers. Pair of blackfaced gimmer lambs. — Prize, C. Armstrong. PIGS. Boar. — First prize, J. Collin, Penrith; second, and com- mended, J. Pattinson. Breeding sow. — First prize, M. Robinson, Wetheriggs ; second, and commended, J. Collin. Fat pig, under 18 months old, being the bona fide property of an agricultural labourer or cottager, working for wages.— First and second prizes, W. Martin, Penrith. Commended i J. Peacock, jun., Edenhall. BUTTER. Firkin.— First prize, Mrs. Brunskill, Riggindale ; second, Mrs. Green, Motherby. Commended: Mrs. Lancaster, Catterlen Hall. Basket, containing 10 pounds.— First prize, Mrs. Milli- cat.Johnby; second, Mrs- Green. Commended: Mrs. Brunskill. ESSEX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. At a meeting of the committee held at Chelmsford, Mr. J. R. Vaizey in the chair, a question arose with reference to the second prize for yearling Shorthorn bulls at the Halstead Show. The prize was awarded to Mr. Thos. Cousins, but at the last committee-meeting Mr. Pigott contended that Mr. Cousins' bull was disqualified on account of want of pedigree, and it was then agreed that a satisfactory pedigree be pro- duced before the prize-money was paid. Letters were now read from Mr. Huckle and Mr. Upson, in which the former set forth at full length the pedigree of the animal, but Mr. Pigott having compared the dates given with Coct/es" Herd Book, it was shown that they were incorrect. It was agreed that the prize be withheld, and that it be given to Mr. John Hutley's bull, which had been " reserved and highly com- mended," on condition that a satisfactory pedigree be shown. The next business was to consider the case of Mr. Isaac Rist, of Tattingstone, whose horse took the Walden town-prize, subject to travelling conditions ; he having sold the horse without reference to his obligation to travel in 1873. The secretary said seeing it stated in the papers that Mr. Rist had sold his horse, he wrote to him on the subject, and received a reply, stating that he had sold it to Sir Shafto Adair for 250 guineas. He then again wrote to Mr. Rist, informing him that the horse ought not to have been sold without the ob- ligation resting upon it being conveyed to Sir Shafto Adair, and to that letter he had received no reply. This was the second time Mr. Rist had evaded the conditions connected with tliis prize, and he had, therefore, thought it ought to be brought before the committee, or nothing practical would come of the competition. The prize has been withheld. Mr. C. P. Wood moved tliat Mr. Rist be not allowed to compete at any future shows. A letter had been received from that gentleman, in which he made use of the objection- able observation that the town of Walden was sufficiently re- warded by liaving a look at the animal. He would move that, as Mr. Rist had on two occasions violated the conditions he had bound liimself to observe, the secretary be instructed to receive no more entries in future from that gentleman. Mr. WniTLOCK said he was prepared to second the proposi- tion, but he should like a little more time to be given, to see if the arrangement might not be carried out. The Chairman said it was possible the conditions might yet be fulfilled, and perhaps, therefore, it would be better to wait. Mr. R. Christy did not see that there was anything for them to discuss. If Mr. Rist claimed the money, then would be the time to consider the matter; but if a gentleman found it to be to his interest to forfeit the prize-money, they had nothing to do with it. He had always said that the travelling- prizes would not answer, and this case showed that they could not get a good horse to travel for £25. Mr. Wood withdrew his motion, and of coarse the matter dropped. The letter read at the last meeting from the secretary to the Norfolk Society, with reference to the Prince of Wales's sug- gestion to amalgamate the Eastern Counties Associations, then came on for consideration. It was agreed that Mr. Emson be instructed to write to the secretary of the Norfolk Society informing him that the com- mittee were unanimous against the proposed alteration. The next business was to consider if any, and what, steps shall be taken with a view to memorialize the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society to hold their show of 1874 in the county of Essex. Mr Pigott said it was no use the Society taking it up till some town had moved in the matter, and the subject dropped. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 411 MANCHESTER AND LIVERPOOL AGRI« CULTURAL SOCIETY. At the trial of implements, at Newton Hall Farm, Newton Bridge station, tlie principal feature was the competition of potato diggers, for which the Society offered a prize of £20, it being stipulated tliat in this and in all other classes, if the implements did not possess " some meritorious improvement over any of the same class before exhibited," the judges should have power to with- hold the prizes, or some portion of them. For potato-diggers, there were eight competitors. Law, Duncan, and Co., of Shet- tleston, Glasgow, exhibiting two implements, and the following one each : Coleman and Morton, Chelmsford ; Corbett and Sons, Wellington ; Halsall, Eccleston ; Lewis, Sandbach ; Higson, Salford ; and Hunter, of Maybole, Ayrshire. For the best ridge plough for making two drills at once, for a prize of £10, there were two entries, but only one competition: Harkes, of Knutsford. There had been ten entries of imple- ments for ploughing or otherwise preparing land for sowing wheat or other grain by one operation, and the following com- peted : Corbett and Sons (two implements), Halsall, Lewis, and Higson. In the trial, Higson, who was working one of Howard's ploughs, finding that his entry was not working sa- tisfactorily, withdrewfrom the trial. The others continued to the closeofthe competition, and some excellent work was performed, the implements of the winners — Corbett and Sons ; and Lewis, of Sandbach, who had adapted his invention to one of Ran- some and Sims' ploughs — receiving much commendation. The implement exhibited by Halsall, of Eccleston, was of novel con- struction ; three " fingers" cutting into the furrows on a very •imple principle. The implement was not, however, so com- plete in its operation as the others. A prize of £5 was offered for the best drag-harrow most useful as a cultivator, and there were three competitiors. All were present, but Coleman and Morton showed a cultivator which the judges did not think answered the description of a drag-harrow, and it was conse- quently thrown out of the description. The other exhibitors were Harkes and Higson. Two entries had been made of potato planters, the Society offering a premium of £5 in this de- partment. Coultas, of Grantham, was the only exhibitor, his implement opening the ridges by means of a pair of ridging ploughs, and dropping the potatoes from small huckets or cups attached to an endless chain, placed on three pulleys, fixed at the points of a triangle. At the same time, the'implement distributes any required quantity of artificial manure, and covers the potatoes at one operation, without injuring the sets. Coultas was also the only exhibitor in the class of " imple- ments for distributing guano and other artificial manures broadcast or on the surface." The prize offered was £5, and there had been two entries. Coultas' implement was stated to be capable of distributing from 1^ cwt. per acre to 10 cwt. It consists of a revolving barrel for delivering the manure, which is first put into a hopper and then fed into the barrel by a cross action stirrer, which can be so regulated as to deli- ver any quantity. The judges had power to give prizes to the amount of £20 to any " new or improved implements for cul- tivation of land, or that are useful in agriculture." There was only one exhibitor in this department — Parkes, of Northwich, who showed an implement, combining a double-furrow plough and a subsoil plough. The following is a list of the awards : Judges. — Mr. Scotson, of Aigburth ; Mr. Walley, of Bold ; Mr. Scott, of Tranmere ; and Mr. J. T. Smith, of Whitchurch. Potato digger. — Prize £5, and Society's silver medal, Cor- bett and Sons, Wellington (combined ridge and potato raising plough). Highly commended : Law, Duncan and Co., of Glasgow. Ridge plough, for making two drills at once. — Prize, £5, D. Harkes, Knutsford. Implement which prepares land for sowing wheat or other grain at one operation. — First prize, £5, Corbett and Sons ; extra prize, £3, G. Lewis, Sandbach. Highly commended : J. Halsall, Eccleston. Potato-planter. — Prize, £5, J. Coultas, Grantham. Implement for distributing manure. — Prize £5, J. Coultas. The judges made no award in the department where £20 was placed at their disposal] for premiums for [special im- provements. TRIAL OF REAPING MACHINES. A competition of reaping machines, under the auspices of the Royal Northern Agricultural Society, has just taken place on the farm of Waterton, Ellon. The competition was an open one for aU machines, including those set aside for trial at the recent show of the Society at Aberdeen. There were- eight entries of the one-horse manual delivery machine, hut only six appeared for trial. Eight two-horse manual delivery machines started, and five self-delivery machines. The judges were — Messrs. J. W. Barclay, Auchlossan ; W. S. Marr, Uppermill ; R. Salmond, Nether Balfour, Durris ; R. Mac- donald, factor, Cluny Castle ; J. Gray, consulting engineer, Aberdeen ; R. Copland, Mill of Ardlethen ; and J. Cochrane, Little Haddo ; and the following is their report : Before stating their opinion on the various reaping- machines, the judges have to express their regret that the corn, and more particulary the state of the land on which the reapers were tried, were both very unsuitable for the fair trial of the machines. Much of the corn was laid and twisted, and the soil was, from the recent rains, too soft for the proper working of the machine. On account of the wet spring, the ground had not been rolled, and besides loose stones on the surface, there were many earth-fast boulders, which, unfortunately, led to the breakage of one of the machines towards the close of the day. The judges think it right to state that the breakage was not due to any defective construction, but to the fact of its having been brought " dead up" against an earth-fast stone. The judges have had very great difficulty in deciding between the various reapers which have been exhibited, and they may state generally that the whole of them performed satisfactory work, and that the purchaser of any one of the implements exhi- bited may be satisfied that he has got a reasonably good ma- chine. The judges report with very lively satisfaction that, notwithstanding the state of the corn being as described, the self-delivering reapers perform better and more satisfactory work than those delivering the sheaves by hand. They have no hesitation in saying that the performance of the self-deli- vering machines on the corn, laid and twisted as it was, might be characterised as good fair work, and better than if executed with the scythe, which, considering the state of the corn and the land, the judges consider very high praise. One-Horse Manual Delivery Reapers : Six reapers were entered in compe- tition, each cutting about 4| feet wide. The judges are not prepared to discriminate between the quality of the work per- formed by the several machines. Their mechanism varies in certain points, the relative advantages of which could only be determined by a protracted trial. The prices vary from £12 10s. to £20, and the judges award to the machine exhibited by Mr. Jas. Gregory, Westoe, South Shields, the silver medal, in respect of the cheapness of its cost, £12 10s. Two-horse Manual De- livery Machines : The prices of these machines vary from £21 to £25 10s., and they cut from 4?J to 5 feet wide. The judges had very great difficulty in discriminating amongst the nine reapers exhibited in this class, and concluded to award the first prize to two machines manufactured by Messrs. Picksley, Sims, and Co.. price £24 15s. The machine of these makers, exhibited by Messrs. B. Reid and Co., is 5 feet wide, and was considered to perform rather better work than the other, which was exhibited by Mr. James Purse, Mintlaw, due pro- bably to a somewhat different arrangement of the forewheel. The second prize is awarded to the machine manufactured by Hornshy and Son, Granthan, exhibited by Messrs. Murray and Co., Banff. The judges were unable to decide between the machines exhibited by Brigham and Co., Berwick-on-Tweed, and Lillie and Elder, Berwick-on-lweed, which they report equal. The price of each of these machine is £24 15s. Self- delivering Reapers : The judges have great pleasure in congra- tulating both the makers and farmeis on the perfection attained in the manufacture and work of these machines. The work they performed to-day was decidedly superior to that done by the hand-delivery machines, whilst, in addition, the labour of one hand was saved. There is a further facility peculiar to the self-delivering machine, viz., that it discharges the sheaf well clear of the standing corn, so that the horses can make a second turn ; indeed, cut down the whole field without the necessity of binding and stooking. The judges award the first prize to the Hornsby machine, exhibited by Messrs. Murray and Co., Banff, price £34 IDs. The second prize is awarded D D 2 412 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. to a machine manufactured by Samuelson and Co., and exhi- bited by B. Reid and Co., price £31 10s., and the third prize to Picksley, Sims, and Co. 'a machine, price £30. The work performed by tlie two machines was nearly equal, but, on the whole, the judges prefer the former. After the conclusion of the competition of the reapers, the judges examined the working of a hand-thrashing machine, manufactured by Messrs. Murray and Co., Banff, which was recommended for trial at tlie Society's Summer Show. The working of the machine was so satisfactory, and recommended itself as likely to be of large service on crofts and small farms, thftt the judges recommend it for the Society's medal. (Signed) J. W. Barclay, Convener of the Judging Committee. THE BAKEWELL CLUB SHOW. The entries were more numerous than on any previ- 0U3 occasion, especially of hunters. In the cattle classes there were upwards of 90 entries, but owing to the prevalence of the foot-and-mouth disease in the district, some of the animals which had been entered did not appear. The heifers, stirks, and milking cows were of merit, especially the heifers, the whole of one class being very highly commended. G. Loraas, of Stodhart Farm, was the only ex- hibitor in the class of Shorthorn bulls, of two years old, and tlie first prize was awarded to him. Prizes for yearling bulls were taken by J. Gibbs, Ball Cross ; C. E. Briggs, Harting- ton ; and Messrs. Eurness, of Birchill Farm. J. Kirklan, Stanedge Grange ; G. Sampson, Eriden Earm ; and T. Wilton, of Heathcote, obtained) prizes for the best in-calf Shorthorn cows, combining in the greatest degree milking and grazing qualities. For dairy cows a first and third prize were given to J. Kirkham, and the second to G. Lomas. The other suc- cessful competitors in the cattle classes were Messrs. L. and G. Eurness, who gained five prizes ; — Harrison, Chatsworth Hotel (4) ; J. Kirkham (4) ; G. Sampson ; — Potter, Hart- hill Moor ; I. Bagshaw, Green Cowden ; F. Potter, Harthill Moor; J. Banks, Cotes Field; T. Walton, Heathcote; M. Clay, Bakewell ; P. Furniss, jun., Ash- ford; G. Haddock, Bakewell ; W. Hodkin, Bakewell; T. Noton, Bakewell; W. Noton, Bakewell; and J. Oliver, Ash- ford. There was a very numerous show of sheep, particularly of rams, and prizes were taken by J. Brown, of Shardlow ; R. Gould, Pilsbury Grange ; R. Johnson ; R. Lee, Kniveton ; B. Buxton, Aldwark ; R. Johnson, Upperfield ; W. Buxton, Bakewell ; F. Robinson, Newtou Grange ; W. Greaves, Bakewell; and G. Wallwin, Ashford. The show of pigs was rather small. M. Walker, of Stock- ley Park, was a large exhibitor, and gained two first prizes, and one second. C. B. Speight gained several prizes, and the other successful exhibitors were R. Ingleby, of Baslow, and W. Noton, of Bakewell. There was a good entry of horses, the number exhibited being far in excess of former years, and most of them were in good condition. The cob classes were particularly worthy of mention. Mr. Gould took first, J. R. Cooper, of Newton Leys, second, and F. Potter third prize given by — Poll-Gell for draught mare and foal, lu the two. year olds, W. Rogers, of Linecar House, was first, R. Furniss second, and B. Swatfield third. J. Cooper was also first, F. Potter second, and J. Evans third in the yearlings. In tlie brood mares for breeding huuters or hacks, for which the President also offered prizes, W. Greaves carried off" first and second honours, whilst W. Rowland, of Middleton-by-Youl- greave, was third. T. W. Wager, of Glutton Grange, took first place for two-year nags, S.- Griudy second, and G. Smith, Burton Moor, third. In yearlings, W. Greaves was first aud third, and W. Hodken, of Beeley, second. The pony class was very full, and the prizes were thus bestowed : R. Arm- strong, Mansfield, first; J. Thornhill, Great Longstone, second ; and G. Needwood, third. Miss M'Counell was highly commended, and J. Archer aud G. Taylor commended. The prizes for ponies not exceeding 13 hands high, were given to J. Cotes, The Rufford, first; C. Levett, Rowsley, second ; — Greaves, third. J. Archer took first, J. Wallwin second, and G. Smith third prize for pairs of plough horses, the rest being commended. The hunters stood in the following order : T. H. Smith, of Ashborne, first and third ; T. W. Smith, The Edge, second. In the four-year-olds T. W. Wager was first and second. The cheese, butter, wool, and poultry were placed in the Town Hall. There was a capital show of cheese — in fact, the largest and best which has ever been witnessed at Bakewell. The quality was very even, and the judge had very great diffi- culty in awarding the prizes. In six of the contributions there was not the difference in quality of Is. a cwt. Prizes were taken by C. E. Briggs, of Biggin, W. Greaves, of Bakewell, J. Hodgkinson, of Haddon Grove, and Messrs. Furniss, of Birchill ; W. Potter and F. Potter, of Harthill Moor were highly commended. There was a good show of rich butter, the first prize for which was taken by J. Heathcote, of Carsing- tou, and the second by Messrs. Furniss. There was a larger show of poultry than that of last year. There was a moderate show of wool, and prizes were awarded to Messrs. Furniss and W. Greaves. There was very little competition in roots. Judges. — Cattle and Sheep : T. Dickens, Mansfield ; J. Faulkner, Bretby Park. Horses : J. Glover, Newark ; H. C. Johnson, Calow. Poultry: T. P. Wood, Chester- field. CuEESE : S. W. Cox, Derby. Btitter : J. Ken- yon, Grindleford Bridge. Wool : J . H. Willey ; W. Addy. SMITHFIELD CLUB. A Council Meeting was held ou the 27th Sept., pre- sent : Lord Tredegar, president, in the chair ; Mr. Duckham, Mr. Leeds, Mr. Farthing, Mr. Newtou, Mr. Fookes, Mr. Sanday, Mr. Giblett, Mr. Senior, Mr. B. T, Gibbs, Mr. Horley, and Mr. Webb. The Minutes of the last Council Meeting were read and confirmed. The following special regulations in connection with the forthcoming Show were unanimously agreed to : 1st. That no animal (cattle, sheep, or pig) exhibited at any other Show within one month previous to the 6tli December, 1872, be allowed to be exhibited at the Smithfield Club's Show this year. 2nd. That each exhibitor be required to certify that any animal to be sent by him for exhibition at the Smithfield Club's Show this year has not been and will not be shown at any other exhibition within one month previous to December 6th, 1872. 3rd. That all animals undergo a veterinary examination previous to being admitted at the doors of the Agricultural Hall, and that suitable covering be constructed over the outer yard to enable this to be properly carried out. 4ith. That the exhibitor shall send with each animal a certi- ficate that it has not been for 14 days' previous to its leaving home for the Smithfield Club's Show in contact with any animal suffering from contagious or infectious disease. 5th. That all animals (cattle, sheep, or pigs) coming by railway to the Smithfield Club's Show be sent in horse-boxes, or in private conveyances. A communication from Professor Simonds was read, resigning the office of Veterinary Inspector to the Club, in consequence of his appointment as Principal of the Royal Veterinary College, and it was decided to fill up the office at the next Council Meeting iu November. The following gentlemen were elected members of the Club : Lord Walsingham, Merton Hall, Thetford ; Dick lladclyffe, 129, High Holborn ; George Street, Maulden, Ampthill, Beds ; Richard Badcock, Abingdon, Berks ; E. de Mornay, Cold Harbour, Wallingford ; Richard H. Harris Earnhill, Forres, N.B. ; T. Moir Clark, 56, Vir- ginia-street, Aberdeen ; Alfred de Mornay, Cold Harbour, Wallingford; Mr. Smith, jun., Hooperu, Exeter; and D. Green, East Doiiyland, Colchester. The Council decided that the Implement Stewards at the forthcoming Show be requested to prevent the cutting of chaff, &c., in the exhibition, and that notice of the same he sent to each exhibitor. A vote of thanks was given to the President for his conduct in the chair. THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 413 THE DUTCH AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT THE HAGUE. HoUaiul is not an agricultural country, yet there are few peoples who till the soil with greater industry, or, all things considered, who luauage to get more from it. In 1847 the Dutch did what more exclusively agricultural, people, and some who are much less so, have done — they established an Agricultural Society. Ten years ago this Society celebrated its fifteenth anniversary at the Hague, and since then it has visited all the more important towns in the northern and southern provinces, and this year comes back to the largest village in the world, to hold one of the largest shows it has yet had, as its twenty -fifth anniversary. Dutch agricirlture is, we should say, a pur- suit under difficulties. How land can be drained when the greater part of it is only a few feet above the level of the sea, is a mystery ; but Dutchmen are proverbially patient, and so the traveller sees every available corner of the flat little kiugdom under some kind of cultivation, and generally in a very high state of cultivation too, only the result is not what we in England should consider very successful agriculture. The Dutch Society opened its twenty-fifth anniversary exhibition on Saturday week. The King of Holland was to have assisted at the celebration, but did not ; and the gates were opened without ceremony of any kind, except the payment of the exiguous entrance fee. The place in * which the show is held is a large square park or pasture of about twenty-five acres. It is bordered on one side by a fine double avenue which leads to the Palace, and on the others by belts of thriving young elms. The bottom is, like so much of Holland, only a few feet above the level of the water in the surrounding dikes — that is, when the weather is moderately dry. When it rains as it did late in the afternoon of Saturday week, and had done on the two previous days, it is scarcely correct to say that it is above the level of the water at all. The grass was of luxuriant growth, and those who did not wade about * in the sabots which the natives wear ought to have been provided with water-boots or at least with india-rubber goloshes, or better than all with an iron constitution and an indiiference to the discomfort of wading through long wet grass or standing in pools of water ankle-deep. In short, the English exhibitors and visitors declared that they had not had such an experience since the Royal Agricultural Society of England encamped somewhere in the Black Country. The natives did not seem to heed the discomforts or fear the dangers of the ground, and while the rain held off on Saturday, they streamed into the show- yard in fair numbers, though in no proportion to the large population of the place. There are those who declare that our English agricul- tural societies pay too much attention to the breeding of stock, which is, they say, only a sort of attendant or hand- maid upon agriculture proper. Such critics should have visited this little Hague show, for few prizes were offered for stock and no stock was to be seen except at intervals. The premiums offered for themore agriculturalportionof the show are for ploughs, for light or heavy land ; for double- furrow ploughs, for Comstock's rotary plough, for harrows, forlightand heavy land; and other kinds of cultivators, corn and seed drills, horse hoes, field rollers, reaping machines, mowine; machines, haymakers, horse-rakes, steam engines, thrashing machines, horse- gears, winnowers, dressing and screening machines, grinding miUs, chaff-cutters, root- pulpers, oat mills, linseed-crushers, cake-breakers, churns and cheese machinery, cooking apparatus for cattle food, flax machinery, carts for liquid manure and weighing machines, both for grain and cattle. There are also prizes for diving apparatus, diving in so water-logged a country being possibly considered an agricultural operation. The people who complain of the share which agricultural implements begin to occupy at such shows as this, had better not go the Hague, for three sides of the large square enclosure in which the exhibition was held, were occupied by implements and machinery. Messrs. Peignat and Co., and Messrs. Laudre and Glinderman, of Amsterdam, had each enormoirs collections from English makers ; and other Dutch exhibitors' stocks were similarly made up. Besides these, a few English makers were present from the eastern counties, with collections of their own : notably Messrs. E. R. and F. Turner, and Messrs. "Weetman, of Ipswich, and Messrs. "Woods, Cocksedge, and Warner, of Stowmarket. These are the only English firms that were directly represented, but Messrs. Peignat's stock contained the double-furrow and others of Eansomes' ploughs, which have been entered for the trials. Mr. James Edward Ransome was present on Friday week at the attempt which was made at Loosduinen and at Cocq to try the ploughs and cultivators. Messrs. Hornsby's " Champion," as also their "Anglo-American"; Corbett's, of Shrewsbury, "Defiance"; and other English makers appeared in this competition. Corbett's " Champion Excelsior" was entered for the com- petition on light land. The competition in harrows was also divided into light and heavy land harrows. The chain-harrow prize was competed for by jNIessrs. Howard, both for single and double horse, and Mr. Hunt, of Leicester, and Mr. Corbett, of Shrewsbury, also entered for this competition. The light-land competition should have been held at Loosduinen, and that for the heavy land was arranged to take place at Cocq. Hither, there- fore, tons of implements were transported on Thursday by canal boats, and the owners and agents attended to their no small inconvenience; but the trials had after all to be abandoned in consequence of the rain, and the ploughs and other implements returned to the field. The judges announced to the exhibitors their intention of awarding the prizes on the mechanical merits of the im- plements as they appeared on inspection in the show- yard. The prizes for the implements on the stands have fallen pretty equally amongst the English makers ; indeed, there were only a comparatively few agricultural implements of native manufacture in the exhibition. On the fourth side of the square was a large covered space, in which was exhibited a miscellaneous collection of articles, some of which are not very closely connected with agri- culture. There was in this place, however, a good collection of grain, some of which was of a superior character. Some horse beans were shown, of capital growth and in splendid condition, but the wheat was generally thin and in poor condition. A few samples of bright, handsome barley, a large number of oats, and many samples of rye made up a display of grain which must have tempted many an English farmer to stop and compare notes with that which he had left at home. In this department was a show of roots. The mangolds were large, but dreadfully coarse. 414 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. They were shown without the tops, and a good thing too, to judge from the look of the stumps from which they had been removed. The field would hardly have been large enough to have held the roots with the tops, if we may judge by after appearances. The root ends of the man- golds were fangy and ugly in nearly every case, and the long description was almost invariably bent, as if the root had run down to a soil which it found to be unsuitable and had turned to avoid it. The horticultural schemes and contrivances shown in this department were very interest- ing, especially the specimens of grafts exhibited in various stages of growth. Garden furniture was very abundant, and as Holland is a country abounding with oziei's, wicker-work was naturally very prominent, and some of it very ingenious. Amongst the fancy articles were garden chairs, tables, and seats of all kinds in bamboo work. The artist had even constructed a sideboard in bamboo, which had a very pretty appearance. The Hague has been full of visitors of every kind and degree, but the peasantry have been decidedly predominant during the past week. I'armers and their wives have filled the streets, the avenues of the show-ground, and the seats at the various tables d'hote in the town. The comical-looking metal head gear, affected so largely by the peasant women of the country districts of Holland, have been as common to the eye as the paving-stones in the streets. The weather has been very trying to all con- cerned, and the show-ground has not improved under the copious rains and heavy traffic of the past week. The English implement makers have been very successful, and no wonder, seeing that their goods were nearly exclusively shown even by the Dutch exhibitors. Messrs. Marshall and Sons, of Gainsborough — exhibiting through Messrs. Laudre and Glinderman, of Amsterdam — took the first prize for an eight-horse power portable steam-engine; first also for a three-horse ; first for a steam thrashing machine; besides one or two other prizes. Messrs. Howard, Bedford — exhibiting through Messrs. Boeke and Huidekoper, of Groningeu — took the first prize for a heavy land plough, and first also for an " H. H." hay- maker. Messrs. Garrett, also through Messrs. Boeke and Huidekoper, took the first horse-hoe prize. Messrs. Ransomes took a long list of prizes, chiefly through M. Peiguat and Co. ; amongst which were the first prize for a light-land plough and an extra medal for the same im- plement ; first for their double-furrow plough, and first for their " Royal Prize" horse-rake. The "Widow Massee and Zoon, of Goes, had a large number of Smyth's drills, and one of them, fitted with Cambridge's box, took the prize as the best drill for linseed. Messrs. Hunt and Pickering took a prize for their chain harrows, exhibited by Messrs. Laudre and Glinder- man. Messrs. Coleman, Morton, and Co.'s liquid manure cart, through the same firm, also got the first prize. The cleanest sweep of prizes by an English maker was. however, made by Mr. Corbett, of Shrewsbury, whose implements were the leading feature of Laudr^ and Glinderman's large collection. Amongst the prizes were a second for the " Defiance" double-furrow plough, and an extra prize for the reaper-knife holder, an implement which evidently puzzled the Dutch visitors very much. Some of them might be seen, " spectacles on nose," peering at it from all points, as if they would gladly have looked through the very metal of which it was com- posed. The " Eclipse" winnower not only took the first prize, but was honoured by a special examination by the King of the Netherlands, when his Majesty visited the show on Monday. The elevator and weighing machine, by which this winnower and dressing machine is supplemented, especially attracted his Majesty's atten- tion. The elevator picks up the corn from the tail of the machine, and delivers it into the sack which is spread open upon the weighing machine. As soon as the proper weight for four bushels, or any other measurement of wheat, has fallen into the sack, the turn of the scale closes the hopper, and there is the sack of corn ready for market. The scheme may not be equal in merit, as an adaptation of means to ends, with the application of steam to the propulsion of vessels upon the sea or cars and ploughs upon land, but it is a very useful contrivance nevertheless, and so said his Majesty William Til. of the Netherlands, who spent some time in examining it. A portable grinding mill for horse-power, a land roller and horse hoe, were also amongst the articles of Mr. Corbett's manufacture, to which the judges awarded prizes. Messrs. Hornsby's reaping machine ; Samuelson's self- raker ; and the American machine " Buckeye" carried off the prizes for reapers. The latter implement was also successful as a one- horse mowing machine, not- withstanding the Yankee horror of a one-horse affair. Messrs. Burgess and Key's two-horse mower, exhi- bited by Messrs. Boeke and Huidekoper, of Groningeu ; Brigham's two-horse mower, exhibited by Vorbeijtel and Co., of Bergem-op-Zoom, were the winners of the 2-horse mower prizes. Chaff-cutters were exhibited in all their bewildering variety ; and, as if to make another distinction where there was difference enough already, the committee had also offered prizes for what they chose to call a " hay-cutter." Richmond and Chandler (No. 64) took the first prize for chaff-cutters for power, being followed, in the second and third place by Messrs. Ashby, Jeffery, and Luke, of Stamford, and Bentall, of Heybridge. A machine by the latter firm also took the first prize with a C. D. C. cutter. Mellard's turnip-cutter took the first prize. This machine has a triple action, and the judges preferred it to the double- action machines of other makers who were in the com- petition. Prizes were offered for dairy machines and implements, and most of those shown were of Dutch design and construction, and looked as if they were in- ventions not more recent in date than the time of William the Silent. Prom the appearance of the show ground we rather suspect that the Dutchman objectsto new inventions, simply on the ground that he has not heard of them be- fore, and he likes such implements as his grandfather used. There were specimens of Eastwood's churn on LaudrS and Glinderman's stand, and some of the atmospheric churns were shown by Boeke and Huidekoper. Some of the Dutch churns were suited to large dairies, and if "all's well that ends well" they are above criticism, for the Dutch butter, as met with in Holland, is simply perfect, and is always exactly alike. They were, however, very awkwardly constructed, and exhibited in their working parts all a Dutchman's characteristic disregard of friction. One large churn was constructed to work with a lever communicating with a crank and also a treadle, when a simple hand crank would have done equally as well. This was a large affair, equal to the working of ten or a dozen gallons of cream, and there was a rather formidable- looking arrangement in the place of a fly-wheel to supple- ment the reciprocating motions by which the machine was worked. This was an iron arm, about four feet in length, flnishing at each end with a heavy knob, an axis at the centre communicated with the cranks of the hand lever and treadle, and of course no one has any business to put his or her head in the way of the knobs, when they are swinging rapidly round in the dairy. It is possible that this arrangement is cheaper than the more elegant and safe fly-wheel, and certainly it is Dutch. The judges gave it a prize, and it is said that the churn itself is a very good one. It works with two plungers in two separate barrels in tubs, and one of them may be cleared while the other is at work, or only one may be worked. Two English cheese-presses of Southwell's, one THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. dlJ for a single aiul oue for two cheeses, were in the prize list ; and the same firui got a prize oll'ered for the best eheesc-makiup; apparatus. Thermometers were entered with the agricultural implements — and why should they not, when farming depends so much upon the weather ? — and there were a few very useful instruments exhibited. I'or the prizes for haymaking, or drying apparatus for use iu wet weather, the entries did not lill, and in a pastoral country like Holland and oue of the wettest of European climates, no one has apparently thought it worth his while to attempt to dry hay by artificial means ! There were only three exhibitors, directly exhibiting their own goods, from England, and these were Messrs. "Woods, Cocksedge, and Warner, of Stow- raarket ; E. E. and F. Turner, and John Weetman, of Ipswich. All of these were successful, and the Com- mittee of the Society appeared to be highly gratified to find that their show could attract people from other countries. Messrs. Turners obtained prizes for oilcake breakers, linseed crushers, and a threshing machine. A portable engine on their stand was disqualified for com- petition, because it had not, in compliance with the Dutch law and the rules of the Dutch Agricultural Society, a cock between the pump and the boiler. Messrs. Woods, Cocksedge, and Co. got prizes for horse-gears, for turnip cutters, for linseed crushers, cake breakers, and for a root pulper. Mr. Weetman exhibited a vertical steam-engine, which obtained a prize ; and also a horse-rake and weed extirpator combined, with a contrivance added for putting on a seed-box. A sheep rack was on this exhibitor's stand, of simple make, and also obtained a pi'ize. This and the horse-rake were bought by the Society for the lottery, with which the whole affair ended. Speaking in general terms, the show, as far as agricultural implements went, might as well have been held in England. The Dutchman is slow to move, and does not go upon modern principles when he does act. The few machines of Dutch make exhibited an utter disregard of the fact that friction means loss of power. Probably the Dutchmen think that friction is inevitable, and that as their fathers before them had to overcome it they have no right to evade the bur- den. In one case the judges gave a prize to the old peg- drum thrashing machine — the specimen was of Dutch make — which is about as wasteful of power as anything could be well made. In another case we came upon a copy of an English grinding mill with a wheel added to reduce the motion. The reduction was only equal to a few teeth in each revolution, and must have been far more than compensated by the increased friction of the extra wheel. Another characteristic of the few implements which were of Dutch make was that useless strength which is apt to degenerate into clumsiness. If iron main- tains its present high price, the Dutch will have to obtain strength with less metal than some of their implements ex- hibited at this show. Wherever strength is needed, there they obtain it by sheer weight of metal, and strengthening ribs, as flanges appear not to have suggested themselves to the Dutch inventor's minds. The prizes offered by the Society were only small, and that we suspect is one reason why there were not more goods of native make and invention in the show. The Dutch are thrifty to a fault, and won't go far out of their way without- a chance of being directly paid. On Monday there was a show of about 150 horses, for a few hours only. They were tethered in two lines in the centre of the ground, and all the arrangements were of the most simple — not to say primitive — character. A few stakes driven into the soft puggy earth, and a cord run from one to the other, with a light rail over hsad for the number and the prize card, was all that was done. The ground round about was slightly hollow in places, and water stood iu the low parts to the depth of two or three inches. Some of the peasants who came to see the horses wore wooden shoes, and had decidedly the best of it, too. The horses were a rough-looking lot, and cer- ta'inly could not be accused of having been got up for show. They might have been taken from the plough or cart only a few minutes before appearing in the show- field. There was scarcely a stallion amongst the heavy- draught horses that would have stood a chance in an English show-yard. They were most of them leggy and coarse-looking, with a strong infusion of the Friesland blood. The country is not favourable to the development of the powers of draught animals, as the land is light, hills are unknown, and the roads are paved, till everything runs upon them as upon a tramway. The winner of the four- year-old prize was a nice-looking dark chesnut, the property of M. J. Dingemans, of Gorinchem, aud the secretary of a Society for the improvement of horses. He was the best horse in the show-yard, and it is to be hoped therefore that the Society of which Mr. Dingemans is the secretary is doing something towards improving the breed. After the stallions there was little worthy of notice. The light horses were yet more leggy than those intended for heavy work. Some nice-looking chesnuts w^ere shown in pairs, matched with all a Dutch- man's love for accuracy ; but they were not presented in what we should consider show order, and their shaggy legs and unkempt manes were hardly creditable to every- day grooming. Those shown in harness were got up in some cases with a grand display of coloured harness ; but they were for the most part awkwardly driven. Dutch drivers are fairly skilful ; but they make no attempt at style, and lounge and loll upon the box, and snap their whips, and flourish theatrically about iu anything but what we in England should call a business-like style. Their horses are badly under control,aud there was scarcely a case in which a start was effected without a man to lead off, and even then the man had generally as much as he could do. The riding of the Dutch grooms, aud even of some of the owners, is even worse than the driving. Their seat is loose and uneasy, their arms are flying about, and their trousers generally are knee high. Many of the horses were for sale, and the highest price marked in the cata- logue was 2,000 guilders, or about £166 sterling. This was for an East Prussian horse exhibited by M. J. N. Blauw, of the Hague. The King of the Netherlands visited the show ground on Monday and inspected the horses. His Majesty's carriage was drawn by four fine bays, which were better in every way than anything in the field. On Wednesday there was a show of neat stock, arranged in a manner very similar to the horses, not even excepting the pools of waters. Rain had fallen more of less — gene- rally more — every day and night since the show opened, and the consequence was that the neighbourhood of the stock was more sloppy than it had been while the horses stood on the same spot. The bulk of the neat stock came from North Holland, and were the large framed and somewhat loosely made Dutch cattle with which our markets for foreign cattle have made us all familiar. Some of the bulls were of great size. The fatal " te koop," for sale, and the figures appended showed pretty nearly the destination of even the best of these animals. There were one or two specimens of English Shorthorns, or crosses of the same breed, in the show, and M. A. H. Van Wickevoort Crommelin, of Berkenrode, exhibited some fair animals. Most of the breeding stock was in very poor condition, and even the largest and best were mean in the hind quarters and flat sided ; but some of the fat stock had a very respectable amount of meat on them. A large black bull exhibited by Mr. P. Vromestijn, of Leyderdorf, got the first prize as a three-year-old. lie was an animal of great depth on the shoulders, and, on the whole, a nice, level beast. Here aud there in the 416 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. show was a huge-framed, ugly-looking Friesland beast, in wretched condition ; but the Dutch pastures will, in some cases, put such auimals in good condition very quickly, and they are large euough to lay on any amount of meat. The fat oxen were the best pai"t of the show, and some of them would, we have no doubt, cut into the excellent beef one meets with in all parts of Holland. One of the prize animals was bought for £52 for the lottery, with which the show is to end, and another was marked up at about £80 for sale. They were animals of enormous depth and girth, and the eighty-pounder was the " biggest thing out," as the Yankees would say. It was a game of the playful Dutchmen to get one on each side of this monster, and endeavour to catch each other's eye across his back. Only moderately tall men could succeed in this. The cows of this North Holland breed are said to be splendid milkei's, and there was a nice show of them. They are narrow on the loins, and flat in the ribs ; but are a useful kind of animal, and the fine butter they make everywhere in Holland ought to be allowed to cloak a number of sins against good form. There were 126 entries of cattle, and they remained till about four o'clock ia the afternoon, when the exhibition yard was closed for the day. The Queen of the Netherlancls drove up and down the lines of the cattle on her visit to the ground on Wednesday, and one or two of the prize animals were led out for her Majesty's examination, the carriage being thrown open in order to give a better chance of seeing them. On Friday there was a show of sheep and pigs, which was managed in much the same manner. The Dutch tables d'hote are at half-past four o'clock, and great must be the attraction to keep the Hollanders away from the table. The show-ground has emptied each day almost at once at four o'clock, only a few unfortunates, who it is to be presumed had no table d'hote to attract them, linger- ing on the ground after that hour. The show has been managed by a committee, and English visitors and exhi- bitors are warm in their praises of those gentlemen. The secretary was M. P. F. L. Waldedt, of Loosduinen, near the Hague ; and the president, Mr. Van der Boon Mesch, of Leiden. Mr. Crommelin, a member of the committee, has also been in constant attendance, and no want of an English exhibitor has been left unsupplied, and no rea- sonable request of an English visitor unattended to by the authorities. IXWORTH FARMERS' CLUB SHEEP AGAINST BULLOCKS. At the last meeting, Mr. E. Greene, M.P., the President of the Club, in the chair, Mr. FisoN read the foUovving paper : I wish to inculcate by practice ray views respectiDg the subject to be brought before our meetings. Sliort papers are calculated, as a rule, to be the most useful, as tliey leave more time for discussion. I will, therefore, briefly continue the subject of my former paper. Good fartniug is not so dependent on grazing bullocks as is supposed. Sheep may be successfully substituted on lauds thought to be unsuitable to thera. For proof I refer you to my results, and to the following quotation from tlie Field of April 6th : " We are satisfied if tlie grass on strong lands were properly cared for, ewes might be wintered successfully. It miglit uot be prudeut to keep them over the year. We have tried ewes on very poor clay, and had very good luck. A cross of Cheviot and Leicester put to a Shropshire tup have produced a double crop of lambs, i.e., two to each ewe, and it is possible to get all off fat by August. The ewes live on grass laud and get a small quantity of pulp, chaif, and a little artificial food. sVe are satisfied that much miglit be done in this direction, and that the present state of grass lands on clays, uudriiined, uufed, and over-run with weeds is a disgrace to the intelligent farmer. If it were fairly dry, treated with artificial manure, good grasses would take the place of rushes, and stock soon show the improvement of the pasture." It is unnecessary for me to detain you by describing how I maintain 30 score of half-bred Leicester ewes on under 300 acres of land which requires draining. Surely with the present de- ficiency of sheep, if my practices will bear comparison with your ledgers, my results must be of some importauce to my neighbours, and the public generally. I therefore place be- fore you the past two years' sales, from October 11th, 1870, to September 18th, 1871. My £ s. d. Livestock, including 537 lambs, realised 1,314 17 0 Wool 104 0 0 Wheat, 60 acres 789 0 0 Barley, 85 acres 80119 0 Oats after tares fed off 24 10 0 Seeds 115 16 Q Peas, 16 acres, consumed 103 coombs 103 0 0 £3,253 3 0 Contrary to general opinion early dun peas are with me a rehable and favourite crop. I get them off, and generally get a very useful crop of turnips or mustard, manuring liberally and sowing early, wheat following. Excepting those thrashed in 1870 they have fully averaged ten coombs per acre. Here let me have a rap at the abominable Game-laws. We farmers say — I suppose from a wish to propitiate our landlords — that winged game do no harm. Of 16 acres, eight were so much injured by partridges and p'geons that the result was con- sidered to be uot more than three to four coombs, but the other eight acres uninjured by birds brcught up the average to about seven coombs. Both plots were on favourable land, and re- markably good plants. This,} remember, on a farm not be- longing to a game landlord. I say nothing — you all know about our losses by rats, sparrows, which have free run in con- sequence of the destruction of predatory birds, and the weasel tribe by gamekeepers. My receipts from September 18th, 1871, to present date are : £ s. d. Live stock, including 580 lambs, all cleared off by 6th of June 1,153 10 0 Wool 174 17 0 70 acres of wheat 894 3 0 70 „ barley 731 17 0 5 „ mazagan beans, 77 coombs at 17s. (consumed) 65 9 0 6 „ sainfoin 38 16 0 10 „ peas, 130 coombs (consumed) 130 0 0 £3,178 12 0 This season my stock, in addition to the ordinary feed on the farm, and about ten weeks' keep at 4s. 6d. per score, have consumed 8^ tons of American cake and 80 coombs of peas. My annual outlay for artificial manures is about three tons of guano and IJ^ tons nitrate. I conclude, expressing my best hopes for the progress and practical woricing of our Club to you each, quoting from a song in the Tempest : Earth's increase and foison plenty ; Barns and gamers never empty ; Vines with clustering bunches growing ; Plants with goodly burden bowing. Spring come to you, at the farthest. In the very end of harvest ; Scarcity and want shall shun you — Ceres' blessing so is on you. The President said that it seemed, from the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 417 figures which had been given, that there were 580 lambs, which might be put down at £1,0M, and Mr. Fison had laid out over and above what the farm pro- duced—£180, and that left a balance of £864-. There- fore, in the gross there was £860 to tlie credit of the farm of 280 acres. Now the point to be considered was, what would be the result il the land was farmed upon any other principle ? It sliould be remembered that Mr. Fison could farm his land just as he pleased, and that the same quantity of corn could be produced by manuring the land with manure made by other animals. The real point for consideration was this — Was the system which Mr. I'ison follovted, of keeping sheep instead of other animals to convert straw into manure, more profitable than keeping bullocks ? Could the sum of £86i be made on a farm like Mr. f'ison's in some other way ? Mr. M.vNFiELi) said Mr. Fison had given a large gross re- turn for 280 acres of land, but there was one important point he had omitted, viz., how much he expended in order to get the return, for a gross return might be a satisfactory one or an unsatislactory one, and if the £3,200 Mr. Fison had given cost him £3,300 to produce it, it would not be considered satisfactory ; and, therefore, before the gentlemen present were able to judge whether Mr. Fison's return was a good or a bad one, it would be necessary to know what the cost of pro- ducing: it was. The question was, what profit was left ? As to the question of sheep versus bullocks, which was the one for discussion, some would recommend sheep because those animals were now fetching an unprecedently high price ; but if the question had been asked two or three years ago, he doubted whether tiie answer would have been the same. Though sheep were now for a time very high, he tiiought tiiey, as farmers, would not do quite right always to adopt the same plan, because the losses were at times quite in proportion to the present proiits. He thought they ought to keep both sheep and bullocks, and not throw the latter over altogether for the sake of the former. He thought that their best plan was to rear their own stock and keep it throughout until it was fit to leave the premises, and also to buy young animals, and eventually fatten them and sell them at as good a price as possible. The production of meat just at the present junc- ture was a matter of considerable importance. Meat was con- stantly becoming dearer, and he was quite of opinion that it must remain dear, considering the deficiency there was in the number of animals. One generation of sheep had, so to speak, entirely passed away. For his own part, he should not know where to find a good lot of sheep at two years old. Mutton was now killed so young, and the supply was, in consequence, very short. In considering this question, the disease from which stock suffered was a matter tliat ought not to be lost sight of. If anything could be done to get rid of the foot-and- mouth and other diseases, he, for one, should be very thank- ful. In Huntingdon the market had been stopped in conse- quence of the prevalency of the cattle disease, and at Peter- borough also. Mr. Manfield said he should like the opinion of some gentlemen present as to the best breeds to keep, both of cattle and sheep. With reference to the question of game, he was quite of opinion that a good deal of the mischief com- plained of was done by pigeons. Mr. Harrison : The pigeons will have to share it with the partridges. Mr. Manfield : They may share it, but the pigeons will have to take the large share. The President : What number of partridges on a farm would be considered large ? Would one partridge an acre ? I never shot it yet. Mr. Harrison : Yon are rather a bad shot I have heard, sir. The President : When I have been out with my friends we have never shot more than one partridge an acre, and I do not see that one partridge can do much harm on an acre of land. No doubt pigeons are very destructive, for they will come down in a flock and do a good deal of injury in a short time.'^ Mr. Fison said it was part and parcel of the same question, for gamekeepers would not allow people to go after the pigeons. That was not, however, the question more immediately under consideration. Mr. Fison then went on to express his opinion that the stoppage of markets would be a great boon to farmers ; or if there were rigid orders from the Board above that the market-places should be regularly disinfected it would have a iiiost wliolesome effect in decreasing the diseases. Mr. GAyroRD said, as he was not intimately acquainted with the management of stock on heavy land, he could not dispute the figures which had been given, or offer any decided opinion on the subject under consideration. He, however, quite concurred in Mr. Manfield's observation, that it was not wise to entirely discard one system of farming because another happened, from a combination of circumstances, to pay particu- larly well, because farmers were subject to a variety of contingen- cies, and they often found that what paid remarkably well one year did not pay the next. Oue farmer also might do remarkably well with sheep and another with bullocks, and there were so many ways by which the business might be affected, in buying and selling out and in other ways, that farmers ought certainly to have two strings to their bow. On light lands, where there was an opportunity of doing it, they ought to make their farms self-supporting in all respects — by that he meant they should rear aud bring up their stock so that they have not any great outlay at any one time. With regard to keeping bullocks, at one period of his experience, during the cattle-plague, he might have said they lost him much more than they gained. But he learned the lesson not to buy in big bullocks. He began to buy and breed calves, and he thought he might say the bullocks had paid well, because they had grown into money at com- paratively little expense. He could not understand how straw was to be effectually made into manure by sheep. This was a very important consideration, because it cost no more ^to cart out and spread good manure than it did ordinary. If Mr. Fison could make such a return as he had stated with sheep, and make good manure, he was fortunate, and his course of procedure was one that ought to be well considered. Mr. Fison, in his paper, had touched upon the Game-laws, and he thought that gentleman had not exercised his usual discernment in comparing pigeons with game. Mr. Fisou was not in a game country, but he was in a wood country, and must feel the effects of pigeons more than of game. He (Mr. Gayford) was not there for the purpose of arguing the question, or of trying to please his landlord, but he must say he was rather surprised that his friend Mr. Fison should have laid himself so open to criticism. Nor did he (Mr. Gayford) wish to stand up in defence of the Game-laws, though he should be sorry to see thera done away. Referring again to the subject under con- sideration, Mr. Gayford said he thought they should know more about the expenses of Mr. Fison's sheep at the outset. He feared that the providing for and attending to these sheep involved a vast amount of labour, much more so than a farm stocked with bullocks. Mr. Fison said he questioned whether continually pulping for bullocks did not take as much time as doing it for sheep. He pulped continuously with horse-power, excepting when the steamer was at work, and tliat of course was used. In answer to questions, Mr. Fison added that his system entailed extra labour in the lambing season. He said also that his sheep as a rule consumed the whole of his barley-straw. Mr. Gayford : The bullocks would consume a great part of that without its being cut at all. Mr. Harrison said he should not advocate over-stocking a farm either with beasts or sheep, but he should be inclined to have a fair proportion of each, rather than to separate them, and only keep either sheep or bullocks. He had some con- versation on the subject at Botesdale the other day with his friend Mr. Henry Wells, auctioneer, than whom there was not a more respectable or thoroughly practical man in the country, and it was well known that gentleman had carried off several prizes for superior farming. He (Mr. Harrison) inquired of him how his sheep had done this year. Mr. Wells replied that he had had no losses this year, because he had not kept any sheep. Mr. Wells had, singularly enough, given up keep- ing sheep this year, confining his attention to bullocks. Mr. Fison thought Mr. Wells was to blame for so doing. Mr. Harrison said Mr. Wells's land was much stronger than Mr. Fison's, and Mr. Wells had expressed his opinion that he could grow more without sheep (having bullocks) than he could with them. There was no doubt but that that gentleman was making a large return with beasts, and was getting a good lot of manure. Twenty score sheep would amount to about £1,300 or £1,400, but he (Mr. Harrison) was of opinion that a number of bullocks worth the amount would make more and better manure than the sheep. In the course of further remarks, Mr. Harrison said his gross returns were far in excess of Mr. Fison's, but he doubted, however, whether he got so much profit. 418 THE FABMER'S MAGAZINE. Mr. FisoN : Then you must be a very bad manager. Mr. Harbison : A very bad manager, I am quite' ready to admit. Mr. FisoN said that many of his agricultiiral friends had a most extraordinary way of keeping their accounts. In looking over the accounts of a friend of his, he actually saw a charge made for a set of drawing-room chairs. Items of tliis kind ought not, of course, to appear in these accounts. Many of his friends he knew put down their housekeeping expenses be- fore they declared what the farm profits were. They ought to put down only the expenses of the farm, market expenses, what was paid for corn, stock, &c. ; and also tlie money they took, and when i per cent, had been charged for the capital, then the residue was the .profit. Hang all about drawing-room chairs. He supposed that if a £50 piano was purchased for their daughters, that would also go down. The PiiESiDEiNT said the paper which had been read intro- duced to their notice a heavy-land farm of a certain size, and the question raised was, was it more profitable to yard a certain number of sheep treading the straw down into manure during the winter, or whether it would be more profitable to keep bullocks. Let them consider the different items connected with these sheep. From what he had been able to gather, the wool from the sheep fetched £l,04:i, and from this was to be deducted the cost ot the cake £100, peas i'80, £85 for loss of ewes to make up the flock. Mr. FisoN : That is not enough. The President : You lost I believe about one to the score. How many sheep do you draft as crones ? Mr. FisoN : That is uncertain. This year we drafted about forty. The President : It would cost about £65 to replace the flock. These figures made about £320, which deducted from tlie £1,04'4' left £724. Then there was the difference of labour upon these sheep as compared with bullocks. Mr. FisoN : The difference is very little. The President : £724< was the net these sheep realised, and, of course bar the artificial food, they had been supported from the farm. There was, however, another point to consider, and that was the cost of the sheep when off the farm during the summer months. Mr. FisoN : They cost me about £60 a-year. The President said that left £664 to deal with, and he asked Mr. Fison how many acres of pasture he had on his 280 acre farm. Mr. Fison : From 20 to 25 acres. The Chairman said he believed farmers in grazing a bullock were generally satisfied if the animal left his manure profit. Tiiat being so, there was no money in a direct form left to put into the bank. Then there were the 25 acres of pasture— what would be the most profitable to do with that ? Would they grow hay or graze their bullock, or what would be done with it ? There was the balance of £664 to go against what the pastures and layers would produce, and it would also be necessary to consider whether if bullocks were bought in the corn crop would be proportionately better. Coming next to the foot-and-mouth disease, the President expressed his opinion that if the markets were to be shut up now they must be shut up sine die, and he much feared that the evil would be greater than the benefit. The farmers would then be placed entirely in the hands of dealers. During the cattle plague the dealers made large fortunes out of the farmers, for they brought beasts over, and the farmers had to take them at almost any price the dealers choose to olfer them at. He contended that the foot-and-mouth disease was so hurtful to farmers because the animals were much neglected. It was an epidemic, and would soon pass away, and if the markets were closed the re- medy would, as he said, be worse than the disease. Alluding to the question of breed, he said we had got such a breed of sheep as he never before saw. When he rode about the country it annoyed him to see them. He passed a lot the other day on the way to Bury market, and he asked himself the question, " Who on earth could have gone to the trouble to have bred such wretches as these, which would eat as mucli as the well-bred ones ?" The majority of the sheep of the pre- sent day were not half-breds — there was hardly a man who had got a half-bred bred as it should be. The riglit foun- dation for half-bred ewes was a Down ewe from a Hampshire Down ; but farmers now bred them out of the black-faced Norfolk, and the ewe thus produced was crossed with a half- bred tup. That might perhaps do the first time, but from that they went on crossing, and then what breed did they get P In his opinion a man who had a half-bred flock, with the difli- culty there was in getting half-bred ewes, should keep a cer- tain number of Hampshire Down ewes, and take the ewe lambs from them to make up his flock. But in breeding there might be a great deal done with the wretches that were now to be seen by the proper selection of the tup. He had as mauy as four different kinds of ewes in his flock, and he bred his lambs all right. He selected his ewes, and put his tups in accordingly. If he had a light-faced ewe, he secured the greyest-faced half-bred tup he could find, but he fouud that tlie Oxford Down sheep had got him a better-faced lamb out of a half-bred ewe than any tup he ever got. If they per- sisted in breeding sheep as they now did, the animals might sell as lambs, but he pitied the man who had got to graze them. With reference to cattle, many farmers kept cows, which they called Suffolks, but which were very little bigger than a good sized rabbit ; instead of keeping a good Shorthorn, or of crossing the Suffolks with the Shorthorn. He did not believe a Shorthorn cow was a greater consumer than the Suffolk, but with a calf from a Shorthorn there was something to graze, and something to sell, but the wretched animals to be seen about were a aisgrace to the county and the people who kept them. Mr. Fison said he and others bred animals to sell, and they found that the lambs they bred sold the best, and were said by the dealers and others to be just the kind they required. Mr. Gatford expressed himself in favour of good Suffolk cows, and stated as i lis opinion that the Suffolks altogether paid better than the Shorthorns. Mr. Maneield said it must not he understood that £664 was the net profit of sheep of 280 acres of land. There were deductions to be made. First, the lambs were now much above the average price ; and, secondly, a great deal more money had to be spent for manual and horse labour. The President said the sum he had named was not of course the net profit, for from this had to be taken extra ex- penses which farming in that particular way cost. At a later stage of the proceedings Mr. Greene said he did not wish to say anything against good Suffolk cows, which were valuable animals, but he intended his remarks to apply to the necessity of attending to the proper breed of the animals. Votes of thanks to Mr. Fison and to the President brought the meeting to a close. CHESHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT CHESTER. The exhibition was held on the Roodee. The entries were not much abort of 600, and the prizes competed for amounted to £660, this being inclusive of the sum of £268 offered by the local committee. As was the case last year, when the show was held at Northwich, the success of the exhibition was limited by the prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease, from which Chester cannot, unfortunately, claim exemption. Mr. John Barker, Rushton, who was a close competitor with the prize winner in aged bulls last year, was now the bearer of first honours in this class. The silver cup offered for the best bull in the yard, irrespective of age or breed, was awarded to the second in the class for aged bulls, Hudibras, owned by Mr. E. Richardson, Alfraham Hall. James Goolden, Hale, Altrin- cham, was the first prize winner in yearling bulls, Mr. S. Davies, Eardswick Hall, being second ; and in bull calves, William Brown, Handley, Chester, was a prize-taker without competition. The dairy cows were not a good collection, and the entries were small. Mr. R. Nicholson, jun.,Blacon Point, THE FARMBE'S MAGAZINE. 419 Chester, was first iu pairs for dairy cows ; Mr. 0. P. Forrest, Little Leigh, in dairy cows in railk ; Mr. W. Sheffield, Tatten- hall, iu pairs of lieifers ; Mr. James Goolden, Hale, in pairs of stirks and pairs of heifer calves ; and Mr. George Moulton, Clotton Hoofield, iu labourers' stirks. In tlie competition for prizes offered by the local committee, Mrs. Elixabcth Beccroft, Upton, had the best lot of dairy cows. Mr. John Roberts had the best lot of two-year-old heifers and of yearling heifers, and the best pair of fat cows. Mr. H. Nicholson, jun., took first prizes for fat bullocks, and an Alderney and Guernsey cow. Mr. T. Wheelliouse, Guilden, Sutton Hall, showed the best yearling bull. The show excelled in horses, especially those for agricultural work. Mr. R. Nicholson, jun., had the best pair of liorses for agricultural purposes, and the Stonetrough Colliery Company the best mare. Mr. Thomas Parton, Chorlton, was second in the first-mentioned of these classes, and Mr. T. Lowe, liaudley, in the latter. Mr. T. Littler, who was first in stallions last year, was eclipsed by Mr. W. Whit- low, Preston Brook, with Lord Lome, and his stallion True Briton followed as second on the prize list. Mr. T. Parker, Aldford. Chester, and Mr. Richard Hughes, Buubury, were respectively first and second in thoroughbred stallions. Mr. John Smith, Abbotts Heys, Chester, was first, and Mr. H. Hewitt, Chester, second, iii roadster mares or geldings. Mr. John Roberts, Well House, Saltney, and the Stonetrough Colliery Co., were winners with brood mares for agricultural purposes, with foals ; aud in two-year-old geldings or fiillies for agricultural purposes, Mr. J Hornby, Minshull Vernon, and Mr. T. Balmer, Chester, were successful. In yearlings, Mr. James Maddock, Chester, took the two first prizes. There was a fine competition in brood mares for hunters, and three- year-old hunting colts, for premiums offered by the Marquis of Westminster. These were won respectively by Mr. Joel Dean, Bebington, and Mr. Ambrose Dixon, Chester, The Marquis of Westminster was the successful competitor in hunters, and the first prize-taker in leapers ; the second in this latter class being Mr. Nathaniel Cooke, Birkenhead. Mr. T. F. Mad- docli was first and the Marquis of Westminster second in cobs. In the competition for the local committee's prizes, tlie first prizes were taken as follow : Three-year-old gelding, Mr. J. T. Jackson, Chester ; dray liorse, Marquis of Westminster ; gelding in harness. Col. Baker, Chester ; pony in harness, E. Evans, Chester; two-year-old filly, suitable for hunting, Mr. G. Bratherton. Sandbach ; yearling gelding, Robert Salmon, Waverton. The most successful exhibitor in long-wooled sheep was Mr. T. Richardson, Sandbach ; and in short wools, Mr. T. Johnson, Frodsham. There was a good though small show of pigs, the first prize-takers being Mr. T. F. Jackson, Tattenhall, Mr. J. Eardley, Malpas, and Mr. A. C. Lockwood in the large breed ; and Mr. Joel Dean, Bebington, in the small breed. There was, as usual in Chester, a good compe- tition in cheese. A silver cup, value £5, was given to Mr. 'J'. Balmer, Chester, for the best dairy of cheese in the yard, irre- spective of size and colour. The same exhibitor obtained the first prize for a dairy of cheese weighing 501bs. each. Mr. Geo. Prescott, Minshull Vernon, won the second prize, and for a dairy of new cheeses, between 20 and 501bs. weight each, Mr. T. Booth, Tarporley, took the first, and Mr. W. Moreton, Acton, the second prize. The Marquis ot Cholmondeley and Mr. J . ToUemache each gave a prize for cheese " not made on the Sabbath day," and these premiums were awarded to Mr. Hugh Huges, Aldford, and Mr. S. Willis, Tarporley. The best cultivated farm was adjudged to be that of Mr. J. Barker, Rushton, Tarporley. In this competition there were only five entries. The local committee's principal prizes for cheese were taken by Mr. John Davies, Chester, and Mr. Joseph Jones, Chester. The inducements held out by the local com- mittee also brought out a very good show of poultry. The judges were : Cheese and butter, Mr. Pedley, Crewe ; Roger Bate, Ash Hill, Tarporley. Stock : Mr. Atherton, Speke, Liverpool ; Mr. Bell, Bodibyddan, Rhyl. Pigs : Mr. P. Eden, Salford ; W. Gamon, Chester. Sheep and wool : Mr. Man- sell, Wellington, Salop ; Mr. Allen, Eccleshall. Horses : Mr. Bromley, Lancaster ; Mr. Roxburgh, Caerllo, Llanrwst, Hunters aud hacks : Lord Combermere. Vegetables and farm produce : Mr. T. Tinckett, Rushton. LOUGHBOKOUGH AGRICULTITKAL ASSOCIATION. According to Mr. John Bennett, one of the judges, there were some good horses at the show, and some very inferior. As a breeder for forty years, he bred none but thorough-bred, they being the only animals able to carry fifteeen-stone men across country. He should like this principle to predominate in the county. Mr. Bland, of Gaddesby, as one of the judges of cattle, after being here for five or six years, had seen the best cattle to-day ever seen in Loughborough. The prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease prevented the appearance of many animals that would otherwise have been sent. Some of the roots were unusually fine, PRIZE-LIST, JUDGES. — Cattle : Mr. Chapman, Upton, Nuneaton ; Mr, Bland, Gaddesby, Leicester. Sheep and Pigs : Mr. Good- win, Langar, Elton, Notts ; F. Spencer, Claybrooke, Lutter- worth. Horses : Mr. Thacker, Amberstone Grange, Derby ; J. Bennet, Husbands Bosworth Grange, Rugby. Corn : J. T. Jackson, Loughborough. Vegetables and Roots : Mr. Smith, Loughborough ; Mr, Hickling, Lough- borough. CATTLE, Dairy cow, that has had a calf previous to the 1st July, 1873. — First prize, W. P. Herrick, Beaumanor Park ; second, — Cumberland, Charley. Highly commended : W, P. Her- rick. In-calf heifer, under three years of age. — First prize, R. Lacey, Hoton ; second, F. Keightley, Thorpe. Highly com- mended : — Loseby, Burton. Pair of yearling heifers. — First prize, W. P, Herrick ; se- cond, J. Tyler, Loughborough. Highly commended : W, P, Herrick. Bull, over ten months, and not exceeding two years of age, —Prize, W. P. Herrick, Bull, over two years of age, that has served cows this season within the limits of this association. — Prize, — Smalley, Bishop Meadow, Cow, which has had a calf since January 1, 1873, the pro- perty of a cottager wholly engaged in agriculture. — First and second prize, H. Brooks, Burton Wolds. SHEEP, Five long-woolled ewes. — First and second prize, — Allen, Thurmaston ; third, — Redshaw, Five long-woolled theaves. — First and second prize, W. P. Herrick ; third, G. Chapman, Quorndon. Five long-woolled ewe lambs. — First and second prize, G. Chapman ; third, T. B. Bosworth, Dishley. Ram, used by a member of his own flock, — Prize, G, Chap- man. Five theaves of the short-woolled breed. — First prize, C, Ashton, Mapplewell j second, H. Barrowcliffe, The Parks. PIGS. Boar, — ^Prize, W. P, Herrick, Sow for breeding purposes. — Prize, M. WoodrofFe, Stanford. Commended: J, T. Bolesworth, Quorndon. Gilt, under twelve months. — Prize, M, Woodroffe. HORSES. Hunter, — First prize, J. Nixon, Rempstone ; second, W. P. Hubbersty, Wirksworth. Hunter, above four years of age.— First prize, M. Lewis, Nottingham ; second, M. H. Lees, Birstall. Commended : T. B. Bosworth, Dishley. Four-year-old hunter. — Prize, T. Cross, Melton Mowbray. Gelding or mare of the hackney kind, not thoroughbred.— First prize, G. Payne, Leicester ; second, — Humphreys, Woodhouse. Brood mare of the hackney or hunting kind, with a foal at her foot. — Prize, W. H. Cuffling, Lockington. Gelding or filly of the hackney or hunting kind, under three years old. — First prize, C. Ashton ; second, J. Thompson, Kings Newton, Mare and foal of the draught kind. — First prize, W. Gill, 420 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Burton-on-Wolds ; second, J. Marsh, Woodthorpe. Cora- mended : W. Bryans, Six Hills. Gelding or filly of the cart kind, under three years old.— Prize, H. Spencev, Loughborough. Gelding or filly of the cart kind, under two years old. — Prize, J. Tyler. Entire cart-horse. — Prize, H. Spencer. CORN. One bushel of red wheat. — Prize, R. Lacey. One bushel of white wheat. — ^Prize, R. Lacey. One bushel of barley. — Prize, R. Lacey. One bushel of beans. — Prize, — Claridge, The Parks. VEGETABLES AND ROOTS. Ten ox cabbage. — Prize, J. Tyler. Ten globe mangold wurtzel. — Prize, J. H. Renals. Highly commended : W. P. Herrick. Commended : — Darker, Quorudon. Ten Swedish turnips, — Prize, C. Keightley, Knightthorpe Lodge. Ten long white or red mangold wurtzel. — Prize, — Smith. Ten ox cabbage. — Pirst prize, — Dobell ; second, — Pick- worth, Ten long mangold wurtzel. — First and second prize, G. Heafford. Highly commended : — Dobell, Commended : J. Morris. Ten globe mangold wurtzel. — First prize, — Dobell ; se- cond, — Claridge. Commended : — Dobell. Ten Swedish turnips. — First prize, J. Tyler; second, G. Heafford. Ten common turnips. — First prize, J. Tyler; second, H. Barrowchff. Commended : J. Darker. Ten carrots. — First prize, Colonel Packe ; second, — Pick- worth. Gallon of potatoes. — First prize, G. Heafford ; second, and highly commended, — Pickworth. Commended : J. Tyler. Four gallons of potatoes for farming purposes. — Prize, — Dobell. Highly commended : — Pickworth. Four gallons of potatoes for garden purposes. — Prize, — Pickworth. Highly commended : J. Tyler. THE TENURE OF LAND AND TENANT-RIGHT. A meeting of the Devon Central Chamber of Agriculture, adjourned from the previous week in consequence of the small attendance at the regular quarterly meeting, was held at the Newton Towuhall, for the purpose of hearing from Mr. H. H. Watson,of Darlington, a paper on " Compensation for unex- hausted improvements, and the general conditions of the tenure of farms." Mr. Elias Ford was in the chair, but the attendance again was exceedingly meagre. Mr. Watson said : Soon after the formation of the Devon Central Chamber of Agriculture, the question of leases and the tenure of farms was introduced by our friend Mr. Ford, and, in the course of the discussion, I stated that it was, in my opinion, the most important that could be brought before chambers of agriculture. That opinion has been strengthened by what has taken place since then. I allude to the increasing demand and the inadequate supply of the necessaries of life which come from the soil of this country. The impression seems to be gaining ground that the productive powers of the land in this country have not hitherto received that encourage- ment which is necessary in order to meet the wants of our in- creasing population. It is highly satisfactory to find the Central Chamber of Agriculture in London taking up this question, and to find that influential landowners are willing to take part in the discussion, with a view to removing the obstacles to a more generous and liberal system of cultivation which, if followed, must necessarily lead to increased production. There has been considerable objection shown at the local chambers by some landowners to entertaining the question at all. It seems to be thought by these latter that the discussion of such a question by tenant-farmers must necessarily be in a spirit of antagonism to landowners. I myself, as a tenant- farmer, disclaim any feeling of the sort, and am only desirous that the question shall be discussed on the broad basis of what is best for the whole community — the landowners, the farmers, the labourers, and the consuming public generally. It is surely not required that I should here enter upon an elaborate argu- ment to show the desirability of increasing the supply of the food of the people. It is also unnecessary that I should occupy your time by endeavouring to show that good farming is more productive and more profitable than bad. But what we want to find out is whether the general conditions of the letting of farms, as at present in use, are best calculated to improve cul- vation or otherwise. We have often been told that this is a question between landlord and tenant simply, and that the public have no right to interfere ; but the pressure of high prices upon people of limited incomes, and upon all that large number of persons who are neither owners nor occupiers of land, is causing the latter to give a great deal of attention to the subject. I must say I rejoice that the Central Chamber have recommended the discussion of it. It is surely far better that the landowners and farmers should be able to agree upon such a, change in the general conditions of farming as shall, by removing the objectionable restrictions as to cropping, and by a system of compensation for unexhausted improvements, lead towards increased production, than that the Legislature should be called upon to interfere after an angry agitation by the people of the towns. It is surely unwise for the land- owners to drive the farmers to the conclusion that they will only get fair play by the help of the townspeople. That the landowner, in letting his land, should be protected against deterioration by bad farming, is nothing but fair ; but I submit the laying down a rigid course of cropping and manuring is not the best way of doing this. The seasons vary, and the soils and situations vary, and no rigid course can be applied in all cases. It seems to me that the farmer, as a rule, ought to be allowed to use his judgment and experience in the cropping and manuring of his farm, and, by way of security to the landlord, I believe that the provision contained in the first of the resolutions at present before the Central Chamber would be found sufficient, viz. : " That the landlord should be paid by the outgoing tenant for dilapidations and deteriora- tions," the amount to be determined by valuation. The whole of the first resolution submitted to the Council of the Central Chamber stands as follows : " That this Council considers it necessary for the proper security of capital engaged in husbandry that in the absence of a lease or agreement to the contrary, the out-going tenant should be entitled to compensation from the landlord or incoming-tenant for the unexhausted value of his improvements, subject to the previous consent of the owner in the case of buildings, drainage, reclamation, and other im- provements of a permanent character ; and that, at the same time, the landlord should be paid by such outgoing tenant for dilapidations and deteriorations — amounts respectively due to be determined by arbitration." I feel confident that the general adoption of the principle contained in this resolution would give a great stimulus to the employment of more capital and more energy in the cultivation of the land. To use the words of a friend of mine, " What wouldn't a man do in the way of improvements on his farm if he only felt secure that the owner could not take possession of such improvements be- fore he had got a fair return ?" An influential Member of Parliament for an agricultural district — Mr. Clare Sewell Read — dwells very strongly on the ill effects arising from so large a portion of the farmer's capital being quite at the mercy of the landlord. The experience of the past with regard to capital does not justify us in expecting a liberal outlay under such cir- cumstances, and it is in this direction we must look for the cause of the imperfect and unprofitable state of cultivation which we must admit is to he seen in many parts of the country. The restrictions and conditions as to cropping and cultivation which are to be found in agreements in general use appear to a disinterested person to be framed with a view to limit the productive powers of the soil rather than to stimulate and increase them. It is surely unwise, in the face of the THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 421 present demand, to confine a farmer to one-third of his arable land for his corn crop. It has been shown by careful and con- tinuous experiment that upon some soils wheat may be grown year after year for thirty years, and grown at a profit without injury to the land, the crops throughout being equal at least to the average of the country, and the last crop as good as the first. I refer to such soils as are not favourable to the growth of green crops, and it is probable that our lieavy clay lands could be more economically cultivated upon his system than upon a system which requires a great outlay of labour in break- ing up from ley and preparing for wheat. It is also diflicultto understand why farmers are not to grow two grain crops in succession. Experience has shown in numberless instances that barley grown after wheat produces better samples for malting pur, oses than when grown after green crops. Agaiu, why is a farmer not to grow potatoes, except to the extent of about one acre in eighty P Is this because the produce is carried off tlie farm ? The inadequate supply of the necessaries of life is causing tlie consumers to ask why there is not more produce brought into the market ; and also liow they are to be fed if the produce of the land is not to be carried off the farms ? Equivalents in the shape of manure are easily procurable, and I repeat that these restrictions are unwise, and are injurious to the community without corresponding benefit to the land- owner. I have been informed that these restrictions are in- serted as a protection to the landowner, and so long as the tenant pursues an even course — whatever that may mean — will not necessarily be enforced. I can scarcely conceive a more humiliating position for an intelligent farmer to be placed in than to have signed conditions, with the understanding that the penalties will not be enforced so long as he conducts him- self generally to the satisfaction of the landlord or his agents. If, after having signed conditions like these, he is indiscreet enough to have any conscience of his own in social or political or religious matters, he is in constant danger of the penalties, and a six months' notice to quit his farm, without compensa- tion for any improvements he may have made. And this I fear is the position of a majority of farmers. The injustice of such a state of things is so great, that I believe it is only necessary for landowners to give their unbiassed attention, to it instead of trusting to lawyers and stewards, in order to its being redressed. I look upon these two latter classes as being mainly instru- mental in preserving the objectionable features generally to be found in present leases. The lawyer, having in view tlic pro- tection of the landowner's interest — an object quite right in itself — sets about preparing a very abstruse and elaborate docu- ment, which has to be paid for in proportion to its length, which often requires a legal training to understand, and which bristles with restrictions calculated to prevent whatever energy and ingenuity and skill the farmer may possess from being applied to the farm. The protection of the owner's interest may be secured by a simple clause giving him the power to reeovei from the tenant, on his quitting the farm, such a sura as compensation for injury to the farm as shall be awarded by impartial valuers, in the same way as he recovers his rent. Such a clause I should be willing to agree to and to see en- forced ; for I consider that the man who on quitting his farm leaves it in a worse state in point of fertility and general culti- vation than when he enterd upon it, commits an injustice to- wards the owner, and should be held responsible for so doing. This clause, and one recognising the right of the tenant to all improvements made by him, and to all unexhausted manures, would comprise nearly all that is requisite in order to give free scope to the application of more capital to the land. Tlie penalties for breaking up old pasture or meadow land, and for cutting down timber, sliould of course be so severe as to be equivalent to a prohibition. With regard to the other class mentioned, viz., the stewards and agents, I believe there are many of them who have used tlieir influence in the way of removing some of the objectionable conditions I have referred to, with the best results ; but it is to be feared that these are exceptional cases. As a rule, the obnoxious features of the system continue in force, and some stewards appear to enjoy the power it gives them to worry and bully a tenant, and are sometimes found capable of acts of intimidation, and coercion, and petty tyranny, which a landowner with the instincts of an English gentleman would shrink from. In introducing this subject, I have taken the ground that it is necessary, in order to improve tlie cultivation and increase the produce of the Jaad, that the farmer should be entitled to compensation for his improvements. Keeping this object in view, it is also necessary that he should be compensated for any excessive damage done to his crops by game and rabbits. Experience is a sharp teacher in these matters, but a casual observer can hardly fail to see that there are few things more discouraging to a farmer, or which have a more depressing effect upon his energies, tlian to see the crops he is endeavouring to raise destroyed day by day by vermin which he has no right to touch. The injury done by rabbits, which are incessantly nibbling away at the crops from the time of their appearance above the surface up to the time of ripening, is greater than is generally known. Mr. C. S. Head, whom I again quote, as being a man of practical experience as well as of great intelli- gence, and who cannot be suspected of any hostility to the landed interest, estimates the injury done by rabbits on culti- vated farms to amount to the value of one sheep for every four rabbits. At the present price of mutton the rabbit must be a costly animal to rear on such farms. With regard to pheasants and partridges, the case is different. The latter may, I believe, be set down as doing more good than harm. Pheasants also, if treated naturally as wild birds, are not objectionable ; but it is when these are artificially increased, forced as it were, that they begin to cost more than they are worth. When we take into consideration the cost of purchased food, of gamekeepers, watchers, &c., I can easily believe that the estimate of £1 a- head which we have often heard, is not excessive, extravagant though it may appear. I am informed that gamekeepers find that rabbits boiled, or converted into maggots, furnish excellent food for pheasants ; but, if this be so, it must be a very expen- sivefood, according to Mr. Head's estimate of the cost of rabbit's flesh. I would suggest, as a matter of economy, they should in- vest in a fevv tins of Australian mutton for them. I will not stop here to inquire if the whole cost of rearing phej.sants upon this system is borne by the owner, or whether a portion does not fall upon the farmer and upon the general public. There are some landowners who appear to have solved the problem how to have a fair head of game on their estates without incurring this great expenditure. After having tried the old way, viz., by gamekeepers, some of whom place weasels and stoats, crows, and magpies, poachers and farmers all in the same category, and look upon them as their natural enemies — after having tried this plan, and found the result unsatisfactory, a landowner holding a first-rate position in this county determined to try the plan of trusting the tenants of his farms to look after the game, with the understanding that there was to be fair shooting found on the estate for himself and his friends. The tenants were glad to comply with these conditions, and I believe that neither the landlord nor his friends have ever regretted the change. His table has been well supplied with game, his friends find fair and satisfactory shooting on the estate, and the farmers take care to prevent the rabbits from doing excessive damage. We have often heard at agricultural meet- ings in former days that confidence in the landlord is a better thing than any lease or other security. It occurs to me that a little confidence in the tenant in these matters would not work badly. Farmers in general are not averse to fair sport and recreation for those \» bo have leisure for it, more especially such sport as may be shared without hindrance by all who can find time for it. Hunting is far more popular than shoot- ing, for the reason that it is less exclusive in its character, and affords amusement to a larger number of all classes ; and I consider it a gratifying sight to witness, as we sometimes do, hundreds of people, unable to afford to keep a horse, yet heartily enjoying the sight of the foxhounds drawing a cover and finding a fox ; whilst the injury done by riding across fields in the winter is very slight compared with the injury done by four-footed animals bred for the purpose of shooting. Tiiere is no amount of money compensation to the tenant which will fully meet the justice of the case. Amongst the things that reconcile the farmer to the absence of that variety of social intercourse which is to be found in towns is the plea- sure which he feels in watching the progress of his crops to- wards maturity. The attacks of the numerous insect tribes, and the blights, whether caused by these (as shown to us by the late talented and lamented Mr. Kirwan), or by atmospheric influences ; the recovery, either wholly or partially from these attacks; and the gradual ripening andgatheringofthe crop, form a never-ceasing subject of interest to the farmer. Many years' experience of meeting my brother farmers at markets has made me familiar with the fact that the most intelligent and active- 422 THE FARMEK'S MAGAZINE. minded amongst us are fond of pointing to those of our crops which are better than our neiglibours ; and who that attends agricultural meetings has not witnessed the gratification that a man displays when he is announced as the winner of the first prize for mangold or turnips, or for the best samples of barley ? In all this there is, perhaps, a touch of vanity, but it is pardon- able, as it shows the interest and the just pride a man takes in doing his part towards the fulfilment of the ancient promise that " the land shall give forth her increase." But what be- comes of all this feeling in the case of a mun who goes out to sow or to plant his crop with the fore-knowledge that it will not be allowed to come to maturity ; that he will never see it ripen ; that he will not reap where he has sowed ; but that it will be eaten and trodden down by hares and rab- bits P He may get from the owner the estimated value of the crops destroyed — there are many cases in game preserving districts where this compensation has amounted to a sum equal to the full rent of the farm, and sometimes even more — but this is a poor equivalent. Even supposing the rabbits and hares to be sent to market, it is still but a poor equivalent for the bread, and beef, and mutton, wliich cultivated land ought to, and would, produce. The whole system of the excessive and unnatural preservation of these animals, with its conse- sequences, wears a bad aspect, and it would be wonderful if it did not cause excitement and agitation in the public mind. But I am not claiming for the tenant-farmer that he is more trustworthy than another man. I look upon tenant-farmers as a class possessing about the same amount of selfishness and narrow-mindedness as is to be found amongst other classes ■—neither more nor less. But I would have no trusting or mistrusting in the matter of cultivation. The landlord, in letting his farm, should take the same security for its being returned to him in fair condition as he takes for his rent. The second resolution before the Chamber in London refers to the schedule of allowances to be framed for the guidance of arbitrators in the different districts. I do not anticipate much difficulty in this matter when once the principle is conceded, and will not, therefore, dwell upon it now. The third reso- lution deals with the question of the six months' notice, and I need not dwell upon this further than to say that six months is a very short time for a man to get out of one farm and into another, and that the power it gives to the landlord may be, and often is, used very tyrannically. I am unable to see the objection to substituting twelve months for six, unless it be that it will take away a portion of this power. Upon the whole I believe that the resolutions before the Central Cham- ber are such as will fairly meet the case. The prime object is to increase the produce of the land and the readiest mode of doing so appears to be the removal of the restrictions which tend to prevent the application of more capital to the cultiva- tion of the land ; and I appeal to the tenant farmers now that the action of the Central Chamber in London gives them the opportunity to unite in an effort to obtain possession of their farms upon conditions which will give them security for the investment of more capital. I appeal to them to do this, not in their own interest simply, not in any spirit of hostility to the owners, for it must tend to their benefit also as well as to the labourer and the consumer. The advantage to the labourer would be of a two-fold character. It would increase the demand for his labour and the amount of his wages, and would tend to increase the supply and lessen the cost of his food. Any improvement in his condition arising in this way would be better thau anything to be expected from the well- meant, but, as I think, misdirected efforts of such as the Rev. Canon Gifdlestone. I have never doubted the sincerity of his desire to benefit the labourer, but if he and such as he would give their powerful aid towards such an improvement in the general conditions of farming as would lead to increased em- ployment for the labourer, instead of his seeking it elsewhere, they would be doing more good to the community. One of the worst signs of our times is the decrease of the country population and the rapid increase of the towns. Something surely may be done in the direction I have indicated to arrest tliis tendency. With such an increase in his wages as would enable him to pay the rent of a better house and a larger gar- den, and purchase a little more bread and meat, the labourer in the country may lead a healthier and a happier life than his fellow labourer in the town, and landowners and farmers would share in the benefit. I repeat that I appeal to the farmers, not in their own interests simply — for those who seek their own advantage in a narrow and exclusive spirit are often found to defeat their own object and to miss the mark they aim at. But if I am in error in attributing our short-comings in the matter of producing food from the land to the want of security for the farmers capital ; then, I say, let us endeavour to find out whence our failure arises. The fact lies clearly before us that the produce of the land is not keeping pace with the requirements of the people. Practical and experienced men are convinced that more produce can be raised with greater profit to the producer than is done at present. Let us try to find out what hinders this. There is abundance of capital in the country seeking for safe investment. Enormous amounts of English capital find their way to foreign countries whilst our soil is able to yield a good return for more capital sunk in it. Let us, I repeat, try to find out what is the cause of this Do not let us clothe ourselves with the idea that because we can point to a considerable improvement in cultivation during the last quarter of a century that we may now " rest and be thankful." There is no resting place, no limit so long as it can be made to pay, and the purchasers of agricultural produce seem bent upon placing that beyond a doubt. I appeal to landowners to come to our chambers, and if the views I have placed before you are erroneous, to show where the error lies. I feel that the matter will not be allowed to rest where it is, the question of local taxation is being forced upon the atten- tion of the Legislature by those who believe that the laud is unfairly burdened. But the Legislature in dealing with it will not forget that they represent also that large section of the community which, rightly or wrongly, believe that the land enjoys exemptions and privileges which fully compensate for the so-called burdens, and believe also that with the present high prices these burdens do not fall wholly upon the owners and occupiers of land, but in part at least on the consumer. I appeal therefore to landowners not to think only of their own security and their own privileges, but to try and settle some of these questions without the help of the Legislature. A mutual effort by owners and occupiers made in the interest of the pub- lic as well as in their own, can hardly fail to work some good. But it must not be made in any narrow spirit of self interest; lor whilst I wouldn't give much for the man who did not in 'a general way remember No. I, still I never hear the saying "Every man for himself and God for us all" without thinking that it would be wiser and more commendable for each and all of us to endeavour to some extent to realise the idea embodied in that other saying, which is, " Every one for each other and God for us all." Mr. G. Stooke said, in his opinion, Mr. Watson had left untouched a very important point, namely, as to what mea- sures should be adopted to secure the in-coming as well as the out-going te!iants against imposition. In his little experience he had known not a few men who had suffered considerably, in consequence of the misrepresentations made to them by their departing predecessors of the value of the farms they were about to take ; and whilst he agreed that out-going tenants should be remunerated for improvements made by them of which they had not derived the full benefit, he thought there ought also to be adopted some system by which satisfactory vouchers should be given to a party desirous of taking a farm of the accuracy of the representations made as to its value. This question he believed well merited the at- tention of the Central Cliamber; and would have to be settled whenever the method of remunerating out-going tenants should be decided. The Rev. Preb. Hawker, as a holder of glebe lands, rented of him by a tenant, to whom he had not the power of granting a lease, had felt so strongly the injustice the man might be subjected to by being turned out of his holding by a successor to the living, without any compensation for the improvements he had effected, that he had given him the power to claim of him (the speaker) and those who came after him, as far as that was possible, compensation for any improvements upon the glebe lands. He thought that this would be the best policy of all clergy holding glebes. Such a small attend- ance as there was that day was simply ridiculous. He regretted that landowners as well as farmers did not attend the meetings of that chamber, which were calculated to be of as great ser- vice to the one«as the other. Mr. J. D. Oldrieve thought the paper dealt rather harshly with land-agents, as apart from lawyers — agents who, as a rule, did know something about farming and the duties of THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 423 heir position. The mischief occurred when lawyers who knew nothing whatever about farming were entrusted with the management of estates, and drew up leases in a form in use perhaps two hundred years ago, which often bound the farmer down to all kinds of impossible things. Mr. W. SowTON thought the greatest difTiculty they had to meet was the superabundance of farmers. When a farmer wished to take the lease of a farm, a long list of conditions was presented to him, and if lie objected to submit to them many others willing to do so could be found. Landlords, as a rule, listened too much to what their agents had to say, and seemed to regard their tenantry with mistrust, and imposed restrictions which were unfair. He thought if more latitude were allowed the farmer in the cultivation of his land he would till so as to make the best use of it. As to the lawyers, he didn't think much of them. Their conduct in adhering to the form of lease in vogue 150 years ago and more he considered most ridiculous. AH that should be remodelled, and the far- mer of the present day should be provided with a lease suit- able to his circumstances. That which was right and fair should be done ; but this was impossible in the case of those who were teuants-at-will, and who could at any time be turned out at a six months' notice, without any compensation, how- ever high the state of cultivation in which their farms might be. Tlie restrictions generally laid down preventing a farmer from selling liay and straw off his farm he believed to be very harsh, as it prevented men taking that kind of produce to the best market. He contemned the charge made against the members of that Chamber that they were acting in antagonism to the landlords. • The Chairman took exception to the rather uncompromis- ing manner in which land-agents had been dealt with in the paper, and alleged thas there were among the land-stewards of this county men who understood well good farming when they saw it, and acted as if they understood; and unless a man possessed that knowledge he was certainly not fitted to hold that position. He had seen in the public prints some time previously an account of a meeting of an agent with his employer and with his employer's tenantry, when not a single complaint against his administration could be advanced on either the one side or the other. That was the sort of man to occupy such a position. With all deference to the lawyers, he did not know of any class of men less calculated to dis- charge such duties, and they were the very last he should be inclined to ask to draw up a lease for the tenant-farmer. What had been said as to the text of the leases frequently drawn up in the present day being identical with those under which farms were held 150 years ago, was to a very great extent true ; and it was well known that if a lease prepared 50 years ago was to be compared with one drawn up in the present day there would be scarcely any difference in them. This could not be right. If a simple form of lease could be pre- pared, a great deal of the ground of complaint would be removed. As to adhering to the terms of a lease as at present drawn up for three months together, it was simply an impossi- bility for the tenant to do it. It was an evil he should be very glad to see remedied by some means or the other, and a farmer should be placed in a position to stick to a lease the terms of which he undertook to fulfil. In the Rev. Preben- dary Hawker's expression of regret that there were no landed proprietors present he concurred most cordially. He knew there was a feeling abroad that that Chamber sought to get up a bad feeling between landlord and tenant. The contrary was the case, and the supporters of it believed tliat if the landowners would only consent to meet their tenants there to discuss questions fairly and properly, a great deal now com- plained of would soon be removed, and the result would be beneficial to both parties and to the community at large. In reference to the notice to quit, he was of opinion that a great many of the hardships now endured would not have to be sub- mitted to if the length of notice were twelve instead of six months. Mr. Whitewat, in defence of the lawyers, laid the blame of preparing bad leases on the shoulders of the agents, under whose instructions they acted. Mr. Watson replied to those who had taken part in tlie discussion on hispaper, and the meeting separated, after a vote of thanks had been accorded to the chairman. TENANT .RIGHT. The following is a corrected copy of the paper read by Mr. J. R. Evans at Newbury : Before entering upon the subject which we are met to discuss to-day, allow me to say that I had quite hoped it would have been introduced by a gentleman who has had far greater expe- rience in the matter than I can lay claim to. If you remember we were to have had a paper on Middle Class Education at our May meeting, but just at the last moment the gentleman who had been expected to give us that paper wrote to say that he was unable to do so. Our eliairman then thought tliat as the Central Chamber took this question of Ifnexluiusted Improve- ments at their June meetinsr it would be better for us to pass some resolution upon it. However, there had not been suf- ficient notice to get such an important question properly dis- cussed, and so the matter was allowed to stand over, and it ap- pears that the Central Chamber has pursued much the same course ; wishing to obtain the opinions of all the provincial Chambers on the subject, and I believe it will come first on their list at the meeting in November. Failing then the gen- tleman before referred to, I will do my best to bring the sub- ject before you, though I fear I shall accomplish the task most inadequately. Well then, gentlemen, with regard to this question of Compensation for Unexhausted Improvements, I think it is one which is very much misunderstood by numbers of persons who imagine that directly this term or that of " Tenant-Right" (which is considered still more objectionable by many) is made use of, that tenant-farmers wish to encroach upon the rights of the owners of property, and to obtain that which would be prejudicial to the landlords' interests. We well know, however, that this is far from the real case, and that were the custom of an equitable scale of compensation established it would be greatly conducive to the increased value of the landlord's property by promoting a very much larger outlay of capital on the land, while it would at the same time add to the tenant's security, and justify him in the outlay of that capital which he certainly is not warranted in making, in most instances, under the present system of tenure. In passing I must, I suppose, just notice the Irish Land Bill, and say that English farmers would never dream of anything of the sort. For a tenant to want compensation on quitting solely from the (act that he happens to hold land, appears to me perfectly pre- posterous, and would prove eventually to be most injurious to the interests of tenant-farmers. But what we want is only that such a custom should be established that the tenant should be repaid for that outlay of capital and skill which he has made, from which his successor and not himself will reap the benefit. Leases .- To enter more into detail. I consider a lease of say twenty-one years far better than a yearly tenancy, as this will give much greater liberty of cultivation than an agreement from year to year. The landlord is more particular in his choice of a tenant in the case of a lease, and should then give him perfect freedom in cultivation to say, within the last four years of its expiration, when the farm should be brought into such a course as may be necessary from the custom of the dis- trict ; instance Lord Leicester's lease, which (though many may object to some clauses as being unnecessary and vexatious) is decidedly much more liberal than most, and a step in the right direction. With regard to leaving the tenant unfettered during the currency of the lease by the absurd and harassing cropping clauses which one so often finds in leases, I would say that clean cultivation is much more necessary than any fixed rota- tion of crops. I think Mr. Lawes' experiments at Rotham- sted quite prove this, and that as long as the land is free from weeds, and fairly good crops are grown, the fee-simple cannot be injured by any system of cropping ; of course the requisite manure, whether artificial or otherwise, must be used, A scale 424 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZmE. of compensation should then apply at the end of the lease, pre- cisely as it should in a year-to-year tenancy ; this would pro- mote good farming up to the termination of the lease, and a favourable entry for the tenant's successor. Yearly Tenancy : Where a yearly tenancy is customary I think there should cer- tainly not be less than a year's notice, instead of six months', to expire at the date of entry. In tliis case there is the more necessity for a custom of compensation to be established. I will now give an outline of the points on which I think sucli a system of compensation should be brought to bear : First, draining ; second, grubbing hedge rows, &c. ; third, clialking ; fourth, cake or corn consumed by stock ; fiftli, artificial manure used for roots or green crops which are fed off on the land. I also think the point of the clean cultivation, or otherwise, of the farm should be considered ; hut this, I know, would be very difficult to carry out. Draininy ; I consider that much the best way (where such a course can be carried out) is for the whole laud requiring draining on an estate to be done as nearly at one time as possible, either by the landlord himself or by one of those companies which now carry out draining in such a first-rate manner, charging the tenant a percentage on the outlay. This would obviate all claim for compensation, and is far better than the tenant doing the drainage entirely, or than — as is customary in this district — the landlord finding pipes and the tenant putting them in. In the first case, the proper outfalls for all the land can be made without regard to only one particular farm or field, and the tenant gets the henefit at once, as the draining is done rapidly and he only has to give a yearly rent lor it, instead of paying down a considerable sum at the commencement ; in the otlier the draining is done comparatively slowly, and in many cases occupies from half to three-quarters of the term before all the land requiring draining is finished. However, in many in- stances, a tenant fiuds that his land is absolutely worthless to cultivate without draining, and thus rather than leave it un. done he is obliged to do it either wholly or partially himself. Unless, then, the tenant afiervvards enjoys the benefit of the drainage a sufficient number of years to repay him for his out- lay, I think you will agree with me the full cost should be allowed to him, unless such part as may be agreed on for each year of occupation since the draining has been done. Grub- liny : Now that steam cultivation is becoming more general each year, it is absolutely necessary that many of the hedge- rows and belts of wood, old pollards, &c., should be removed from our ploughed fields, and that crooked, winding hedges should be replaced by straight ones for the economical use of the steam-horse ; where this, as is generally the case, is done by the tenant, the cost should be allowed for in a similar way to that of draining. Chalkiny : I think here I shall have a more nearly unanimous agreement than on almost any point. As soon as you have drained you must chalk, but this involves a heavy outlay of from £3 to £5 per acre, and our friend Mr. Weaver tells us it will benefit the land for at least twenty years, so I say that a scale of compensation should apply ac- cording to the time tlie chalking has been done. I must here remark that these three processes are likely to cost more every year from the rise in labour, which will be a still greater drawback to improvements under the present system. Qi/,-e and Corn : As the consumption of cake and corn so immensely increases the value of manure, whether made in the farmyard or by green crops fed off on the land, a propor- tion of the cost should be paid for that used during the last two years of tenancy, except that consumed by working horses. ^irfijicial Manures: A proportion of the cost should be allowed for all used for roots or green crops which have been fed off on the land during the last two years 'of tenancy. As to grassland, I believe bones are the only artificial manure for which allowance should be made, and I do not think that will much affect this district. Some consideration, also, should be given on quitting, for fruit trees planted in orchards, or elsewhere. I do not include buildings, as these should always be put up by the landlord, or where this is not the case, there should be a special agree- ment respecting them. This is merely a rough outline of what I consider to be meant by compensation for unexhausted improvements, Tenant-Right, or whatever other term may be applied to the matter under consideration. I think now, if ever, it behoves us to discuss and riglitly express what we want on such a subject as this. You can scarcely take up a newspaper without sseing that nearly everyone thinks he understands the farmer's business much better than the far- mer does himself. There are large meetings on the one hand, whicli wish to add some fifty per cent, to our wages account, without at all understanding the circumstances in which the labourer is at present placed, or the total amount which he re- ceives in the twelvemonth ; and on the other hand there are meetings to protest against the price of food, and exclaiming especially that the cost of meat is extortionate. Uur flocks and herds are overrun by disease, which we quite believe to be preventable, if water-side slaughter and efficient quarantine be |)roperly carried out. Tlie prices of coal and of iron, both articles so essential to the farmer of the present day, have risen fifty per cent, in the course of the past twelve months. If, then, I say, under all these circumstances, we are ever to enjoy our friend Mr. Mechi's millennium of agriculture, when the tenant's capital will be from £20 to £25 per acre, in order to get the largest per centage of profits, I am sure you will all agree with me we must have some sort of compensation for un- exhausted improvements. The following resolutions were adopted: "That this Chamber is of opinion that for the interests of landlord, tenant, and labourer, it is necessary that a custom of compensation for unexhausted improvements should be ge- nerally adopted throughout England." — "That a committee be appointed to decide on the system and scale of compensa- tion most adapted to this district." A committee was there- upon formed. THE GAME QUESTION IN SCOTLAND. A meeting of the Commissioners of Supply of Aberdeenshire was held in the New Court House, Aberdeen, on Sept. 24, " for the purpose of receiving the report of the committee appointed at the annual stated general meeting of the Com- missioners on 1st May, 1871, to confer with tenant-farmers on the game question." There was a large attendance of the Commissioners, the Earl of Kintore in the chair. The report of the committee and their recommendations are as follows : 1. That it be recommended to the Commissioners of Supply that thanks be given to Sheriff Comrie Thomson for his kind- ness in undertaking to act as chairman of the Conference and of the Joint Sub-Committee ; as also, for the admirable way in which he acted as chairman, and partieularly for the way in which he has, with the assistance of Mr. Fraser, the assessor, tabulated the returns, and made the tables as complete as the materials at their disposal would permit. 3. That it is to be regretted that little more than one-half in number of the proprietors, representing little more than one- third in value of the land of the county, returned the schedules issued to them with answers to the queries. 3. That your committee have, as before explained, not seen any of the returns made by tenant-farmers, except in so far as tabulated by the Sheriff and Mr. Fraser, and are unable to re- port the districts in which it is said that no damage is done to crops by game and other wild animals, and those districts in which it is said damage has been done , and in particular they have been unable to make inquiry into the causes why damage does still exist in some of those cases where the tenants have permission to kill iiarcs and rabbits. 4_ — That 3,817 tenants have stated that their crops are damaged by game or other wild animals ; that 3,20i of these have stated that injury has been done by hares or rabbits and by hares and rabbits ; that 2,267 tenants have estimated their annual loss at £19,906 14s., but your committee have not the means of ascertaining in what way the estimate has been made THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 425 up, and some additioual difliculty has arisen from the mixing up iu the inquiry of damages done by wild animals other than game, and by obscurity iu the strict meaning of the word " game" as distinguished from other wild animals. At the 'same time, your committee cannot shut tlieir eyes to the fact that there is to some extent just cause for complaint ot damage done yearly to tenant-farmers' crops by game, including- rabbits ; and they recommend that steps should be taken, or arrangements made by, or between, landlords and tenants for removing or mitigating this evil. 5. That iu the opinion of your committee, payment to a tenant for actual damage done to his turnips, grain, or grass, might not in many cases be a sullicient remedy, as in addition to personal annoyance the indirect loss might be lar greater than the value of tiie crop destroyed. 6. Tliattlie remedy which your committee would suggest is to give tenant-farmers power to protect themselves on their respective agricultural farms ; and your committee recommend that while tlie proprietors reserve to themselves their right to kill game, hates, and rabbits on their estates, they should give to their tenants power, by themselves or others, to kill hares and rabbits on their respective farms. 7. And in order that tenants in the neighbourhood of covers may be more eiTectually protected, your committee recommend to proprietors to keep down the destructive animals iu these covers, and, wherever practicable, to use wire fences in protect- ing the tenants' crops. 8. And lastly, your committee earnestly but respectfully urge upon proprietors the expediency of giving a fair trial to the above recommeudations, so as to remove all just cause of complaint, and thus to assist in maintaining the friendly rela- tions which have hitherto existed between them and the tenant- farmers. John Gokdon, Convener. We, the undersigned members of your conimiltee, while concurring generally in the narrative of the proceedings of the conference and committees, cannot assent to certain of the resolutions contained in the report, and that for the following reasons : I. — The returns by the tenant-farmers as to the amount of damage to their crops " by game and otlier v\ild animals" being practically without vouchers, and no opportunity having been given of testing their accuracy, afford no sufficient ground ou which to base any suggestion or recommendation. II. — The estimates of the damage done by " game" properly so called, being mixed up in tlie returns with damage by " other wild animals," it is impossible to separate the one from the other. III. — The returns afford no information as to the principle on which the amount of damage has been estimated. IV. — The whole subject of the Game-laws being at present under consideration by a Committee of the House of Commons, any action by the county is inexpedient until the result of that inquiry shall be made known. Alexr. Forbes Irvine. William Leslie. C. E. Dalrymple. W. Ross King. Mr. Gordon (Parkliill) the convener of the committee, stated that the resolution he intended to propose was : " That tliis meeting adopt the resolutions agreed to by the committee appointed on the 1st May, 1871." Mr. Leslie (Warthill) slated tliat he intended to move as an amendment : " That, seeing that the returns by tenant- farmers are practically unsupported by evidence of any kind ; that the question of damage to crops by game j)ruperly so called is mixed up with the damage inflicted by other wild animals ; that no information is afforded as to the principle on which the estimated loss is based ; and seeing, moreover, that the whole subject of the Game-laws is under consideration by the Select Committee of the House of Commons, any further action by the county is under present circumstances, in the opinion of this meeting, unnecessary and inexpedient." The Chairman then said that, for reasons which they all knew, he had purposely avoided mixing himself up with the game conference, and had been a silent but not au uuobserving spectator of what had been going on. He was sure they would give Mr. Gordon of Parkhill his due meed of praise for the motive that prompted him to bring this subject before the county, and for the very onerous position which he toIuu- tarily took upon himself. But Mr. Gordon would excuse him for saying that he had always been of opinion that this sub- ject should liave been brought before the attention of the county. No doubt they (the landlords), legally speaking, were in the wrong iu not being there when the subject was first mooted, but considering the circumstance that at the time of the year when the committee was appointed they were in the south, it was too much to expect them to come back post-haste at that period of the year and take a part in the county meeting. The meeting took place, and by the Commissioners of Supply who assembled the Landlords' Committee was convened. No doubt they had acted to the best of their power, but because of the mistake of bringing such a subject forward at a spring meeting, they had not — politics quite apart — such representative men upon the committee as the Duke of Richmond, Lord Aberdeen, Sir James Elphinstone, and Sir Archibald Grant. He said so because what had taken place had given some ground for the implication that they, as the landlords of the county, took no interest as a body in a subject which vitally and personally concerned them. But the committee having met and drawn up a report, he suggested whether it would not be better for them, one and all, to come to this conclusion, seeing the pecu- liar circumstances in which they were placed, and the keen feeling? entertained by both landlords and tenants, that, whilst they thaukeil the committee and Sheriff Thomson for the trouble they had taken in the matter, they dissolve the committee and respectfully dispense with its recommendations — but still with not the slightest wish that this subject should remain where it was. If tenants suffered from grievances, they were, he thought, bound to represent them to their land- lords, and the landlords were bound to take cognizance of them and endeavour to redress them, instead of bringing them up at a meeting like that. He thought that it would be well at least to let a little time elapse before taking any action, that the strong feelings on both sides might have time to sub- side, and in the meantime for landlords to meet with the tenants on their own property and endeavour to come to such agreements as would remove all just ground for complaint on either side, and would show to Parliament that the county of Aberdeen did not regard the question as one which could not be settled without legislative interference. There was a day when the county of Aberdeen rose and stamped out the cattle plague ; might not a day arise when it would stamp out this game grievance and implant in the minds of the tenantry confidence in their landlords, and in the landlords that kindly and generous regard to the interests of the tenants which the tenants had a right to expect at the hands of their landlords? He spoke only of himself. They would excuse him making a personal remark. He envied no man's tenantry and no man's game when he spoke of himself and his tenantry. As between him and his tenantry, he was happy to say that game griev- ances they had none, and were not likely to have. The re- commendation of the committee was coincided in by his honourable friend the member for the Western Division of Aberdeenshire, who came and asked them to give the tenants an unrestricted right to kill hares and rabbits. Ilis honour- able friend was entitled to hold his opinion as to the propriety of this being granted to the tenant- farmers, but he (the Chairman) was not prepared at this stage of the proceedings to consider that. He did not think they were in a position properly to consider the matter. The un- fortunate way in which landlords and tenants had been pitted together rendered it very difficult for any of them to think calmly and speak quietly upon such a topic as that. But while he said this, it must not for a moment be thought that he did not sympatliise with the tenantry of the country. God forbid that that should be the case, for he thought tlie land- lords were more dependent upon their tenants than their tenants were upon them. He might be wrong, but, holding such a view as that, he had had the greater pleasure in knowing that since the 3rd August, 1866, each of liis tenants were at liberty on their own farms to shoot the rabbits and hares, upon the distinct understanding that they did so themselves or by tlieir deputies only. Game grievance, indeed ! Talk about the abolition of the Game-laws ! He told the tenants what this would come to. It would lead to the abolition of them- selves, and to the abolition of landlords in the interests of the public and the poacher. Were they to meet there and listen to sucli a cry as that? God forbid that that cry should ever go forth. God grant that through their kindly help and through E E 426 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. their cordial co-operation each landlord might take such steps as would satisfy both himself on the one hand and his tenants on the other, and not spread a game-question grievance broad- cast over the county, but convene his own tenantry and see to it, that the interests of his tenant were first looked to, then his own interests, and then the interests of his shooting friends that come down and visited him in the autumn. He believed this was a question in which they had to give and take. As a landlord he did not wish to concede everything ; but he might tell them what was the undercurrent of thought that was run- ning in the minds of many of the tenantry. It was not that they should not be pleased to see the landlord with his party of friends having fair sport when he should wish it. If they would not be pleased to see the landlords having this he would not sympathise with them. But he had a sympathy with them when tliey saw estates — he named none — brought to such a pass that they had to have their annual battue, and they knew what sort of preservation of game led in the end to the battue. It was, he believed, the secret of many of the tenants' fears and alarms. Tliere was a great cry for the interference of Parliament with the Game-laws ! He thought they would have to wait a long time before tliey got a game bill passed then. Let them take the initiative step in the way he had proposed, and not take it for granted that because they let the tenants take an inch they would take an ell. He believed that there were black sheep amongst the tenants as amongst every other class, but he did not think they should take for granted tiiat what the black sheep would do the tenantry as a body would do. He thought they might easily come to a decision with their tenantry that would be for the interest of aU concerned. Mr. Gordon (Parkhill) said that, not withstanding the remarks that had fallen from Lord Kintore, he was as satisfied in his own mind as to the propriety of having invited that game conference, and having dona it at the time he did, as it was possible for a man to be. He h&d been a member of that body for a longer period of time than most men there, having been a commissioner since 1848, and he was satisfied that they had never had a meeting at which the issues of their proceedings were pregnant so much with good or evil as they were that day. He trusted that before they came to any decision they would consider well what might be the issues of it. The report before them was a report approved of by every member of the committee, with the exception of the four dis- sentients mentioned in it. He believed he was entitled to say that, for although there were two or three members of the committee who attended only a few, and one who attended none of the meetings, at the close of the proceediugs a narra- tive of them was drawn up and sent to each member, inviting him to make criticisms upon it, and with the exception of the four persons he had spoken of, there were no dissentients. That tliey should have had criticisms both of their proceed- ings while these lasted, and of their report, was only to be expected in this age of criticisms. It was, they should re- member, much easier to be a critic of the actions of others than to act for themselves in the same circumstances. He thought that had been proved by some of the adverse criti- cisms they had seen in the public prints, sometimes anony- mously and sometimes not ; for he did not think if they had added the writers of these criticisms to their committee they would have added much to the wisdom of it. Some of these were honest criticisms, no doubt, but they were founded upon a want of apprehension of the purpose of their conference. They had been found fault with because the critics said they were gathered toi^ether to settle the question of the Game- laws, and to settle the meat question of the nation. They had never contemplated any such thing. They had no power to alter the land laws, or to settle the meat question. They met as a committee of the proprietors of Aberdeenshire to confer with a committee of the tenants of the county agree- ably to the resolution passed at the meeting in May 1871, to remove, if possible, all just cause of grievance existing be- tween the landlords and tenants ; and when they undertook that they undertook a work which tiie landlords and tenants of the county were competent to do, and which it was their duty to do. They did not take upon themselves the absurd task of legislating for the nation at large. If they succeeded in what they undertook they would succeed in a good work, and he trusted that day's proceedings would prove it. At various cattle shows and dinners that took place last autumn various gentlemen of the county expressed their opinion upon their proceedings, some of these opinions being friendly and some adverse to them. He would not refer to any of these, but he felt bound to refer to some remarks made by the honourable member for Portsmouth, Sir James Elphinstone, who, he thought, had not shown the best taste in speaking in the way he did of the committee who represented him as a commissioner, and who were met in friendly intercourse with tenantry of the county to settle this question on his behalf. In his evidence before the Committee of the House of Commons, Sir James Elphinstone stated that the Conference Committee of Aberdeen proceeded to take up statistics, and had appointed the Sheriff- Substitute and the Superintendent of PoHce as part of the machinery, as to which he doubted very much whether it was constitutional for a judicial officer to investigate claims which might come before him in another capacity. When he (Mr. Gordon) wrote to Sir James Elphinstone about this, the latter found fault with the newspaper reporters for reporting it, and stated that if he (Mr. Gordon) wanted it stated right, he might come up to London himself and do it. It was an offence of no small character for him to go and give evidence unasked of this kind, and when asked to correct what was not the fact to tell him to come up and do it himself. Did Sir James Elphinstone think he had no better way of spending his time and his money than journeying up to London to correct his mis-statements (Order). It was with the greatest difficulty that he could speak calmly of such conduct. Sir Archibald Grant rose to order, and asked that Mr. Gordon would confine himself to the question. Mr. Francis Edmond thought the fewer personalities that were indulged in the better would it be for the progress of the business for which they were assembled. The CiiAiRMAN, though he believed Mr. Gordon did not intend to be personal, hoped he would pass to tlie discussion of the question. Sir Archibaid Grant thought it an unhappy moment for the county when they took up such a subject as county business. Mr. Farquharson called attention to the fact that Mr. Gor- don had possession of the house. Mr. Gordon said they had hadsome war amongstthe Commis- sioners of Supply. That was no proof that they had not been engaged in a good work. It had been the never-failing ac- companiment of being engaged in a good work. Mr. Gordon then proceeded to examine tlie reasons of dissent to the reso- lutions come to by the committee stated by the dissentients. They stated that, while concurring generally in the nar- rative of the proceedings of the conference and committees, they could not assent to certain of the resolutions con- tained in the report for the following reasons : " First, The returns by the tenant-farmer as to the amount of damage to to their crops ' by game and other wild animals' being practi- cally without vouchers, and no opportunity having been given of testing their accuracy, they afford no sufficient grounds on which to base any suggestion or recommendation." He hoped the Commissioners would not endorse that sentiment. If the returns sent in were practically without vouchers, he asked, what was the cause ? It was certainly no fault of the county or the sheriff, or Mr. Eraser, who tabulated the returns. It was simply and solely the Commissioners of Supply who were to blame. If the Commissioners of Supply had themselves answered the papers that were sent to them, and made it clear to their tenants that they would be glad if they did so too, there was no doubt they might have had vouchers to lay be- fore the world. The second reason for their dissent they stated to be, that " the estimates of the damage done by ' game,' properly so called, being mixed up in the returns with damage by ' other wild animals,' it is impossible to separate the one from the other." He thought that was no reason for doing nothing : he thought it was the best reason for doing that which the committee asked them to do. The best way to find out what damage was attributable to the hares and rabbits was to give the farmers power to destroy the hares and rabbits. The third reason of dissent was, that " the returns afford no information as to the principle on which the amount of damage had been estimated." He did not pretend to be a statistician, but he found that 2,367 had estimated their annual loss, and that the total amount of that estimated annual loss was £19,906 lis. — much under £10 each. If these tenants were large tenants, it was certainly an answer to the THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 427 statements they had often hpard made that these returns were exaggerated ; if they were crofters and poor people, it was a serious thing for the landlords, and they sliould consider well before tliey refused them the moderate relief which they asked. It had been said that the damage was very trifling — it was only 1 per cent, upon the whole income of the county. What a false way that was of calculating ! If a man having dealings with oue huudered men wronged one of them to the extent of £100, was he to spread it over the hundred and say he had only injured tliem £1 each ? As it was true that the strength of a chain was just the strength of the weakest link in it, the proper way to judge of the justness of a custom was to judge it by the worst esses which came under it. That being the case, they might be thankful that the damage was assessed so low and that tliey were let oft' so cheap. If they did right they would be freed from all responsibility as to the conse- quences, but if they did wrong they would be responsible for the cousequenees of their proceedings. (A Voice ; " Ques- tion.") The last reason of dissent was stated to be that " the whole circumstances of the Game-laws being at present under consideration by a committee of the House of Commons, any action by the county is inexpedient until the result of that inquiry shall be made known." Parliament could no more do the work which the committee had been invited to do than the committee could do the work of Parliameat, Their endeavour had been to remove all just cause of grievance and introduce a better state of feeling than existed before. The action of Parliament was compulsory, and compulsory action could never introduce a better state of feeling ; on the contrary, it would make the state of feeling worse. Another reason why he ob- jected to the action of Parliament was the immoral platform on which they would place themselves by agreeing to the fourth reason stated. It had been confessed by almost all that tliere was a grievance. Why, then, not redress it ? Why wait until Parliament did it ? They must notice that the dissen- tients did not object to the action proposed by the majority of the committee and propose some other action. They said that any action was inexpedient. Why, then, were they appointed as a committee ? That Parliament was going to consider the question was as well known on the 1st of May, 1871, as it was now, and if they were to do nothing, why had they been asked to do anything ? Why did the dissentients act upon the com- mittee if that was the reason nothing should be done. He did not want to be uncharitable, but the only explanation that he could understand was this, that when they appointed the com- mittee they thought they could do nothing, and they wanted to get the credit of desiring to do something without doing anything, and that they had now found the committee to be much cleverer than they imagined it would be. He had been told that this proposal of holding a conference with the tenant- farmers was a very amiable one, but not a very shrewd or strong-minded one. He could only say that if want of con- fidence in the wisdom and sense of propriety of the gentlemen of the committee be shrewdness, it was a shrewdness he did not desire. He called upon them to remember the times in which we live, when so-called Liberal opinions that were not always liberal were widely extending, when power was passing into the hands of the people, and changes were taking place which threatened to culminate in a despotism such as the world had not seen before. What were they doing to meet this ? Nothing at all, but their apathy and indifferentism were helping it on. Eeformation delayed was revolution be- gun. Here was a grievance by their own acknowledgment. Every proposal to amend it had failed to succeed. The tenants did not want liberty to go to law and get damages from them. They simply wanted leave peacefully and quietly to carry on their business. If they granted this to their tenants, they would lose nothing but gain much. He asked^them to act in a manly spirit, and not to go to Parliament to do that for them which they could do for themselves. He thought the other classes of tlie community had good reason to complain of them taking up the time and money of the country with settling these game matters. Let them be men with some heart. They were dealing with men who were connected with them by the closest ties, with men who had the same feelings as they had, and who had been dealt with in a way that they would not like to be dealt with. The tide of fortune might turn and place the landlords in the position of the tenants and the tenants in the position of the landlords. Let them con- sider also their children. They, the landlords of the present day, had succeeded to an inheritance of peace and good-will. Do not let them hand down to their children a heritage of ill- will. If they agreed to do what the committee proposed they would do a gracious thing. They could not do it at a better time than the present, seeing the difficulty that surrounded the tenantry owing to the bad harvest. He had felt proud when Mr. Gladstone had said in that city that the county of Aber- deen had done what Government had been unable to do — get rid of the cattle plague. That was done in the first instance by the tenantry — (A Voice : " No, no") — the landlords only playing a second part. It would be a noble thing in the county to settle this question as they settled that. Let them set an example to the country in this respect also. If any good was to come from it they must do it heartily. Mr. Gordon concluded by moving tlie motion that they should adopt the resolutions agreed to by the committee. Lord HuNTLY rose with some diffidence to second Mr. Gordon's motion, on account of his being one of the youngest Commissioners of Supply. The noble chairman seemed to think that the matter should not have been introduced when it was, eighteen months ago ; and that the circumstances ac- counted for the absence of certain names from the committee. It was of no use at this stage to find fault with the origina- tion of the proceedings. They had now a report before them , and had at present only to deal with it. He could only say for himself that he was not nominated by Mr. Gordon, but, along with another gentleman, was added to the committee at his own request. Others noblemen and gentlemen could have been on the committee in the same way, he was sure, if they had desired. The returns tabulated showed the breadth of the feeling on this subject. Throughout the county about four- fifths of the tenant-farmers state that their crops are damaged by game. He believed every one of the returns and the esti- mates of the damage was signed by the tenant ; and these sig- natures were all carefully verified with the valuation of the county by Mr. Eraser, the compiler, before the figures were tabulated. That was sufficient proof, to his mind, of the genuineness of the returns. He regretted the disparaging view Sir James Elphinstone took of this conference, which, despite what had been said to the contrary, he believed was a friendly conference. It was not necessary to lay much stress on how the damages mentioned in the returns were estimated. It was very natural that when a tenant saw his crops being destroyed by game, he should lay on the estimate ot the damages rather thick — but the main point accomplished by those returns was, that on the broad general principle there was damage sustained ; and that fact had not been questioned by those who quibbled about the amount set down anent this loss. Sir Archd. Grant (excitedly) — Just one word. Can you have game without damage ? Lord HuNTLY : I believe you cannot have many hares and rabbits without damage to crops, and it it for this reason that we want to give the farmers the right with us to kill these animals. Supposing a landlord were to fence his rabbits into his covers, he believed in a few years these animals would be found so destructive even to the young plantations that the landlord would be glad to get the assistance of the tenant to exterminate them. The tenants, or the great bulk of them, have said that permission to kill hares and rabbits would satisfy them, and he thought this concession should be made. It was a favourite sport among the landlords generally to have a shot at a hare, but that amusement would not be materially impaired by the step proposed. He was confident the tenants would not attempt to kill the hares to any extent, except when they were in very large numbers. The right to kill the ground game would make the farmers more careful of the winged game. Aberdeenshire was blessed with as highly educated, inteUigeut, hard-working tenant-farmers as were to be found in Great Britain. They have to contend with a poor soil, and a horrible climate, and what they have done, notwithstanding these drawbacks, ought to make the landlords feel for them. If the landlords of Aberdeenshire conceded to the tenants what the committee's report proposed, they would be doing a good action, which they should never have cause to regret. Sir James Elphinstone, M.P., obtained leave to make an explanation in reference to the attacks made on him by previous speakers. He said he had been a Commissioner of Supply in Aberdeenshire since 1826, and he never saw the county of Aberdeen in such a fix as at present. Had he beea E E 2 428 THE FAEAIER'S MAGAZINE. present at the meeting at which the investigation was moved for, lie should have thrown his whole weight in against it. The mover in the matter communicated with the conveners of other Scotch counties, but they declined to join in any such unauthorised investigation. Referring to what Mr. Gordon said about his attack on the Sherilf-Substitute in his Game-law evidence, Sir James said he begged to assure the worthy Sheriff (Comrie Thompson) that he had no intention of attaching any blame to him, nor hurting his feelings ; that tlie talents and good conduct of the SheritT eminently fitted him for occupying the high position he held in the county, was indisputable ; but he thought a little more experience would have shown both the Sheriff and Major Ross, who holds an offi- cial position in the county, that it might have been better not to have taken the part they did in this matter. In reply to Mr. Gordon's charge regarding his correspondence with him, the hon. baronet said Sir. Gordon wished hira to give a distinct contradiction to evidence he carefully considered, and this he declined to do. Sherilf Comeie Thoiipsox expressed himself as rather surprised that Sir James Elphinstone allowed it to be put on the records of the House of Commons' Committee as his opinion that in discharging the duties of chairman of this Conference, he was acting unconstitutionally. But happily for him. Sir James did not make a general, but a special state- ment, not a mere opinion but a fact, which was that he (the Sheriff) investigated claims which would come before him in another capacity. This was Sir James's specific statement, and he begged to say, in the most distinct terms, that this was incorrect in point of fact. He investigated no claim in con- nection with the Conference, and had not an opportunity of doing so. Sir James was therefore entirely mistaken in point of fact. Sir jAiixs Elphi>"Stoxz said he adhered to his evidence, including the reference to Sheriff Thompson, and he did so because of one of the resolutions of the committee of the Conference on the 2nd of August last, which accorded a special vote of thanks to the Sheriff for the admirable mnnner in which, with the assistance of Mr. Fraser, he tabulated the returns. He could not draw a strong distinction between these remarks and the terms of his statement. Lord HcNTLY : How could Sir James have based his state- ment on that resolution, which was not drawn up for some time after the hon. Baronet had given the evidence in question ? Sir James Elphixstoxe : I quoted the terms of that re- solution in proof of my statement. Sir James, proceeding, denied that the tenants of Aberdeenshire, as a body, go in with this movement. It was simply the cry of a small noisy clique. It was an agitation got up for a particular purpose. He was sorry some kind-hearted friends ' of his — among others, Mr. Gordon, of Parkhill — fell into the trap. When it was re- solved to keep the returns private, it deprived them of any value they might have otherwise had. It was the general opinion in the House of Commons that the game grievance before the Select Committee had most wretchedly broken down. A great game preserver, a friend of his, in the lobby of the House ot Commons said the other night, " Well, after all, those Aberdeenshire men are excellent fellows. They have practically settled the game question for the next generation." He had no desire to preserve rabbits. On the contrary, he would give any one £500 to-day wlio would take the rabbits off his estate, and give him a guarantee he would never see a rabbit again on it. Mr. GoRDOx, of Parkhill : Give it to your tenants. Mr. Leslik (Warthill) said he could have wished the committee had been content with placing before the county a mere narrative of their proceedings. This would have contri- buted very much to the result which 'Mr. Gordon had in view. Every gentleman would have put his own construction upon it, would have taken the statistical tables for what they were worth, and they would have been spared the discussion of a question on which great variety of opinion existed. The re- port would have enabled gentlemen to adopt whatever course they thought fit on their own properties. But coupled as it was with resolutions and suggestions and recommendations which, in his opinion, had no foundation in any evidence taken or anything done fay the committee, they were compelled to take notice of it. He thought that the gentlemen who in May, 1871, acquiesced in the nomination of the committee, had'a J'Sht to expect that the ordinary recognized rules of public business should be observed — that the inquiry should be free and open, und every attempt made to obtain reliable informa- tion upon a question upon which people thought so differently, and which affected the material interests of the county. Whe- ther this expectation had been realized by the narrative of the report before them was not for him to determine. It was to him very evident that the twenty-one gentlemen who repre- sented the farmers were selected and not elected. A vast ma- jority of these gentlemen held what he might be excused for calling extreme opinions. It behoved them, therefore, to be very cautious in any course which they might be called to acquiesce in. Mr. Gordon had complained that the returns had not been much more numerous than they were. It was in consequence of the secrecy adopted in connection with them that they were not much fuller. He had often heard tiiis course justified, because, if they had not promised to keep the seliedules secret, they would not have had the returns. That was easily answered by asking, now they had got them, what was the use of them ? He moved the amendment he had read at the outset of the discussion. Colonel Eraser (Castle Fraser) seconded the amendment. The course that was proposed to be pursued in the amend- ment was the wisest and most advantageous for the county. He was sure, from the conflicting opinions he had heard ex- pressed that day, that that course would be productive of good, and tend to avoid evU. Sir Archibald Gra>'t said he had taken no notice of this committee. He had given in no returns, for to have sent in re- turns would have been to send them in to a secret sitting of the inquisition. The committee had never represented Aberdeen- shire, so far as the lairds were concerned. He entirely dis- sented from its proceedings, and had he been present when it was proposed to form the committee he should have objected strongly to it. Colonel IxNES (Learney) said he shared Lord Kiutore's opinion tliat the committee had undertaken a rather big job. The best means of investigating this matter would have been a Royal Commission. The committee could not get the informa- tion such a Commission would have obtained, so they had to take the answers sent to their queries for what they were worth, ^'otwithstauding all the remarks that had been made upon the returns, he affirmed that it was the only possible means of getting the evidence at all. They took the precaution that the returns should be authenticated by the signatures of the farmers who sent them in. He did not go along with Mr. Gordon in thinking that whatever result the meeting came to it would have a great and important effect on the future. He did not think it very malerid whether they arrived at one conclusion or the other. But he felt confident of this, that whatever conclusion they came to, the consideration they had given to the question would have the most important results. Dr. Robertson (Hopewell) said that instead of being pro- ductive of the good that was expected of it the conference would be productive of much mischief. It had not tended to a kindlier feeUng between the proprietor and his tenants, but in his opinion it had had the reverse of this result. He ob- jected strongly to the report, and he took that opportunity of strongly protesting against its going forth to the world sanctioned by the unanimous voice of the Commissioners of supply of Aberdeenshire. Colonel RAiiSAy (Barra) said that Mr. Gordon had been long a non-resident proprietor, and had gathered his information about the matter with which he had been dealing from news- papers rather than from personal intercourse with his tenantry. He (Colonel Ramsay) agreed with the previous speaker in pro- testing against the action of the committee. He hoped the woula-be philanthropists who had been conferring with the tenant-farmers saw their way to pay the expenses they had in- curred, as there was no county fund available for tbe purpose. Mr. FoRUYCE, M.P., intended to support 'Mi. Gordon's mo- tion, on the ground that it was justified by the evidence which they had before them, and was based on the spirit of compro- mise, which was very much needed in questions arising between landlord and tenant. He did not expect the present House of Commons would provide a practical remedy, and he supposed nobody did believe it. He would not believe it until he could see it, that the landlords of Aberdeenshire would treat the te- nantry otherwise than in the manner proposed by Mr. Gordon, which he had great pleasure in supporting. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 429 Mr. HuTCHEON, chief magistrate of Turriff, defended the mode iu wliich tlie farmers' committee was elected. Captain SiiEPUERD (Kirkville), proposed a middle course, to the effect that the report be received and laid upon the table ; that the committee be now dissolved ; that it be recom- mended to landlords, while reserving their own riglit to shoot, to give permission to the farmers to kill hares and rabbits on their respective farms ; and tliat it is inexpedient to proceed further in this county till the result of the Tarliamentary in- quiry is made known. This motion was not seconded. The meeting then divided, with the following result : For tlie motion — Colonel Innes ; Mr. Edmond, of Kings- wells ; Mr. Gordon, of Parkhill ; Mr. Ferguson, of Kinmundy ; Mr. Fordyce, M.P. ; Sir John F. Clark, of Tillypronie ; Cap- tain Tayler, of Inchgarth ; Lord Provost beslie : Mr. Yeats, of Aquharney ; Mr. Hutcheon, of Turriff ; Mr. P. Cooper, Aberdeen ; the Marquis of Huntly ; Colonel Farquharson, of Invercauld ; Mr. Rust, of Auchincleck ; Mr. Fordyce, of Culsh ; Mr. fameson, of Rosebank ; Bailie Urquhart — 17. For the amendment — Mr. Russell, of Aden ; Dr. Robertson, of Hopewell ; Mr. Cumine, of Rathva ; Mr. Irvine, of Drum ; Colonel Paton ; Mr. Forbes Gordon, of Royne ; Mr. Gordon Young, of Eilon ; Colonel Ramsay, of Barra ; Mr. Gordon, of Esslemont ; Colonel Ross, King of Tertowie ; Mr. Dalryraple, of Kinneliar; Colonel Fergusoo, of Pitfour; Mr. Gordon, of Cluny ; Mr. Davidson, of Inchmarle ; Provost Alexander, Peterhead ; Mr. Arbuthnot, of Invernettie ; Mr. Alexander, yr., of SpringhiU ; Mr. Andrew Boyd, of Peterhead ; Mr. Leslie, of Warthill ; Mr. Forbes Mi'tchell, of Tliainsh ; Sir Archibald Grant, Sir J. D. Elphinstone, Mr. Gordon, of Manar ; Mr. Grant, of Druminnon ; Major Turner, Mr. Far- quharson, of Haughton ; Colonel Fraser, of Castle Eraser ; Mr. Cruickshanks, Comisty ; Sir W. Forbes, of Craigievar ; Colonel Forbes Leslie, of Rothie ; Sir Alexander Anderson ; Colonel Leith Hay. of Rannes ; Mr. Gordon, of Ward House ; Mr. John Reid, advocate (for Sir Ales. Bannerman) : Provost Anuaud, Inverurie ; Mr. M'Kenzie, of Kin^ail ; Mr. Lyall Grant, of Kinesfurd ; Captain Charles Leith Hay, Lord Lind- say ; Mr. Walker, of Richmond ; Mr. Lumsden, of Belhelvie ; Mr. Gordon, of !N'ewton — 43. The following declined to vote : Mr. Humphrey, Sheriff Thomson, Colonel Forbes of Easter Kinmundy, the Earl of Kintore, Mr. Davidson of Desswood, Captain Shepherd of Kirkville. A few had left before division. The meeting lasted nearly four hours. THE LANCASHIRE FARMERS' CLUB. LORD DERBY"'S ADDRESS. At th& opening meeting at Preston, Lord Derbv, the chair- man, delivered a lengthy address, in which he said : Are we not a little hasty in speaking as if a great per- manent rise in the cost of English labour has taken or was taking place ? It may be so ; but we know this — that an ex- ceptional development of trade and manufactures has created an exceptional demand for hands ; that such periods of sud- denly enhanced prosperity seldom go on long witliout a check, and that it is by no means proved tliat when that check occurs (and some people think it is not far off even now) the demand for labour may not subside to very nearly its former level. We cannot generalise safely from the experience of a year or two. It is not four years since many people, sensible people as well as kind-hearted people, were crying out for State help to send out of the country the surplus labour for which we could find no use at home. When I notice the change since 1S6S, I am compelled to ask what there is to prevent the ebb from succeeding to the flow — what should hinder the pendulum from swinging back again to its old posiiion ? I shall not easily believe in this social revolution until I see one of two things — eitherthat the number of yearly emigrants from these islands equals, or approaches, the natural yearly increase of population ; or that the working class here use the same means as the French peasantry habitually do, to avoid being burdened with more mouths than they can find food for. The last of these two conditions is so utterly impro- bable, considering the ideas and feelings of our people, that I may safely put it aside : and as to tlie first, I am not aware that there has been any perceptible decrease as yet in the rate at which our population grows. Kobody can feel unkindly to those poor fellows who are only doing the best they know to better themselves — but I suspect tliat in the majority of cases they have miscalculated their strength, and will not do themselves much good. In these parts, our troubles of that kind are fewer, though we may have had our share. For many years past the competition of the towns has raised wages to a higher level here than in the South ; the condition of the labourer is better to begin with, and though there may be some temporary difficulty to contend with, I don't think the farmers in Lancashire need fear any permanent scarcity of hands. But, even if that scarcity were to continue, and to increase, that would be nn reason for giving in. It has been pointed out by a very competent authonty upon such subjects, that of all countries, England supplies to the world the cheapest manufactured goods, and of all countries England pays the highest for the labour that supplies them. It is a question to a great extent of using mechanical means ; we are only beginning, comparatively speaking, to do that in farming, and it is impossible to foretell what economies and what improvements may be possible in that direction. Meanwhile it isundoubtedly desirableto do what wereasonably can to keep our labourers with us. I wouldnever discourage any young fellow from emigrating if his mind was really set upon it, and if he had an idea of what was before liim ; indeed, I have very often helped men to go ; but unless English labourers are a good deal stupider than I take them to be, they will find out that emigration is a lottery ; that the emigrants mostly have a rough time to go throuiih, and, per- haps, it may strike them that the people who are crying most loudly to them to take themselves out of the country are not working for their interest — are very little concerned, indeed, whether they live or starve when once across the sea, but are simply trying to get them out of the way that there may be higher wages for those who stop behind. As to migration from one county to another — especially from the south of England to the north — that is a process whicli will go on of itself, and does not require to be artificially stimulated. The tendency of wages is necessarily towards equality within a limited area. But it is obvious that a movement of that kind cuts two ways — it tends to raise wages in one district, it tends to lower them, or to prevent them rising, in another. Well, what are we to do for them at home ? One of the favourite schemes of the day is to turn them into farmers ; or rather into fractions of a farmer, by adopting what is called the plan of co-operative association, and giving the soil to be cultivated by the actual workers upon it. Now there can be no tolerable farming without capital; a body of labourers clearly have not got capital of their onu, and as they have no available security to offer, I don't see where they are to get it. I am aware that instances have occurred wliere benevolent landowners have themselves advanced the sum required — but that is charity, and not business. In the first place, it is clear that land- owners as a body would not be able to take that course. In the nest place, even if they had the money, it would be a very speculative investment ; and, besides that, farm- ing with capital of which every shilling is borrowed is not, for the occupier, a safe and satisfactory process. Moreover, there is another consideration which philanthropists are apt to forget. It is very well, and it is very just, to argue that men never work so hard as when they have a direct personal in- terest in the result. That is excellent doctrine for prosperous times, or where there is a reserve to fall back upon. But farmers have losses as well as gains, bad years as weU as good 430 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. years, and inasmuch as labourers must live, and as they have nothing laid by, it seems as if whenever crops were exception- ally bad, or prices exceptionally low, the experiments of rural co-operation run great risk of breaking down. Still, I don't say that it should not be tried ; or that in some form it may not ultimately answer, only with our present experience I should ad- vise no one to put more mouey into it than he can afford conveniently to lose. But why should not the question be practically tested ? There are plenty of estates in the market, the trading co-operative associations of this country are very numerous, they have a good deal of money made, and their supporters are entliusiastically zealous in the cause. A very little experience is better than a great deal of talk ; let them try a few farms, and see whether they can work them to advantage on their principle. If they succeed, nobody will grudge them their success ; if they fail, we are only where we were. There is a modified form of co-operation, which con- sists ill paying labourers proportionately to tlie profits made on the farm, and some plan of that kind has lately been recom- mended to us by very high Parliamentary authority. I think, however, that it is liable to a good deal of difficulty. In the first place, it is not always easy for the farmer to know exactly what his profits on the year's business are, and still less easy for him to prove it, as he would be bound to do, to the satisfaction of his men. In the next place, it does not seem to be founded on any principle of jus- tice that I can understand that a ploughman or a carter's earnings should depend on tlie state of the crops or of the markets. No doubt he would be willing enough to receive a bonus in good years, but lie would not at all like a correspond- ing deduction from his earnings in bad years. And yet it is not easy to see how you can have one without the other. A partnership where the gains are divided among all the partners, and the losses fall entirely on one, is a very one-sided concern. Of course if all that is meant is that wages are to be raised, when the employers can afford it, these objections don't apply ; but that is quite a different thing from making wages vary according to a fixed rule, with profits. While on this ques- tion I would recommend it to your consideration whether it is not both just and politic to distinguish more than is usually done between individual labourers as regards the rate at which they are paid. One man's work is worth half as much again as that of another ; it is a discourage- ment to the really good worker not to have that differ- ence racognised ; and, looking at it in another point of view, by valuing each man's labour separately you encourage the spirit of individual energy and ambition, rather than of combination and collective action. The strong and energetic will not feel, under such a system, that, in order to rise them- selves, they must drag after them the dead weight ot those who heve neither strength nor energy. And as they lead the rest, when you satisfy them you go a long way towards satis- fying all. Every generation has its favourite ideas — co-opera- tion is the universal medicine of the present day. Eive-and- twenty years ago the theory used to be that if you could only give to every labourer an allotment on which he could grow produce, either for sale or tor his own use, you would have made a great step towards improving his condition. I think there was reason and sense in that view, though more stress may have been laid upon it than it would fairly bear. There is no doubt that to hold a bit of land in that way attaches a man to the soil, and that it is, so to speak, a savings bank for his labour. On the other hand, it is argued with force that if the allotment is far off from the house, and if it exceed a very moderate size, the labourer is drawn olf from his regular work to attend to it, and, being divided between two employments, neither does as well for himself nor for his employer as he otherwise would. It is a fair matter for discussion, and I hope we may have some light thrown upon it. That every cottage should be in good repair, and should have a garden attached to it, are rules which I need not stop to enforce upon you. Another subject much talked of in the south is whether labourers' cottages should be held direct from the landlord, or leased by him to the farmer who holds the adjoin- ing land. I hold for my own part, as a general rule, subject to exception in the case of large and distant farms, the land- owner liad better not allow the control of them to pass out of his own hands. On the other hand, he may reasonably make it a condition that those whom he houses at a very unremune- rative rent should be actually and habitually workers on his estate. He is not bound to provide cheap cottages for the mechanics of the neighbouring districts, unless he profits by their labour. It is enough if he provides them, or the associa- tions which act for them, with facilities for building on their own account. Those whom, according to our customs, he is bound to house must be those who work for hi in or his tenantry ; and if they cease to fulfil that condition, they cannot complain of being rephced by others who will. Piece-work, or pay- ment by results, is a valuable stimulus to exertion where it can be introduced. It is open to one objection, that the quality of the work done is apt to suffer, in cases where faulty work cannot be detected by inspection. Still the principle is sound, because it gives the worker an interest in his occupa- tion, and creates rivalry. Where men are paid by time only, it is an unpopular thing among them for one to do more than the rest. Exceptional energy is discouraged, and men reason- ably ask, " AVliy sliould I work harder than my neighbour, since the profits will go into my employer's pocket and not into mine ?" I don't hesitate to say that in many, perhaps in most, parts of the country, game preserving has been carried a great deal too far. If a man wants to carry it on to the ex- tent that some landowners do, let him take what land he re- quires into his own hands, and bear the expense and the loss himself. But when we come to speak of legislation, I think that if I were a farmer I would think twice before I asked for the repeal of the Game-laws, first, because a change of that kind in the law would naturally lead to a general re- valuation of farms ; and farms in England are habitually let at a lower rate than they would fetch if competed for in open market. But, secondly, and perhaps this is the more im- partant reason, because in a country like this you never can have, yon never will have, a stringent and effective law of tres- pass. The public would neither consent to its being passed, nor allow it to be enforced if it were passed. And in the case of a Lancashire farmer, who lives in a populous district with many large towns near him, and lots of idle lads about, I sus- pect he would find that tlie liability to have his hedges broken and his fields trampled by every set of young fellows who took it in their heads to see if they could find a partridge or a hare on his ground, would be a good deal worse than any occasional damage to crops to which he is now exposed. Against mis- chief of that kind he would have no practical remedy, or none which would not cost him more in law than he could possibly get back as damages. That is a part of the question that has not been much noticed, and I think it deserves attention. Va- rious phins have been put forward for giving the game — ground game at least — to the tenant instead of the landlord. But aU of them that I have seen are open to this objection, that if the landlord and tenant are to contract freely for the letting of farms, it is impossible for the law to prevent the landlord from reserving the right of shooting ; and if, as some people contend, such a reservation is to be made illegal, then you are landed in this absurdity, that the tenant who may shoot on his own account may also let the shooting to any human being whom he pleases to select, with the single ex- ception of his own landlord. On the whole I think the matter will be found a very awkward one to deal with by law, and what I should wish to see — what I hope to see — is, that by moderation on both sides the necessity for any large legis- lative measure may be averted. I am convinced that if land- owners and their friends would be content with the kind of sport which satisfied their grandfathers, or even their fathers, up to thirty or forty years ago, there would be very little con- troversy about it. There are two other matters which we may have to discuss, the question of leases, and the question of compensation to tenants for unexhausted improvements. Now, as to leases, I will tell you exactly what I think. I hold that any improving tenant who wants a lease of I-i or 21 years may fairly be allowed to have one ; and I am not in favour of clogging leases with more than a few simple conditions. But then the bargain must not be all on one side. If the landowner consents to put his farm out of his own control for a term of years, he must be free morally, as be is free legally, to renew the contract or not at the end of the term, as he thinks best. Probably he will think it best, but he has a right to his option. I lay stress on that, because I have seen in the papers cases where it was made a matter of great complaint that the holder of such a lease was not allowed to renew it, the proprietor of the soil having made other arrangements. I confess I cannot THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 431 see the justice of those complaints. Where leases are resorted to, the relation bet\yeen owner and occupier becomes one of contract ; and neither can fairly claim as a matter of right anything beyond what is iu the contract. As to claims for unexhausted improvements, in some cases — as, for instance, wiiere artificial manures have been used — I apprehend that these claims are regulated by a local custom which is well un- i derstood. Where a tenant has a lease, they generally will, and to my mind they always should, be matters of arrangement ^ between him and the landlord. It is not the landowner's | interest to have his farm run out during the last four years of j the lease, and it is not the tenant's interest to run it out, if he can either secure the value of what he has put in or a renewal of his tenancy. They are both gainers by comiugto an agree- i raent, and I do not see that either fresh legislation or the iu- terventiou of any third party is necessary. In the case of a ' yearly tenant the claim is certainly stronger, and if in cases of that kind grievances arise, as I have read in the newspapers, I think the question of legal protection is a very fair one to raise. But I speak with no great conftdence, for in my ex- perience no dispute has ever arisen on these points. In Ireland it used to be pleaded with truth that the tenant did most of the work of permanent improvement on the estate — buildings included — and that, therefore, he had a right to the value of them on leaving. But in this country, at least in Lancashire, all works of that kind are landlords' works, and the Irish claim does not arise. The obvious remedy for grievances or misunderstandings on this question of improvements is, that before they are undertaken by the tenant in each instance, there should be a definite agree- ment whether they are to be paid for or not, and how their value is to be estimated. Speaking as a landowner, I am not in the least afraid of hond fide claims on the ground of im- provement. Vague and unsound notions get swept away, and we come to see clearly what others have a right to expect from us, and what we are entitled to claim in return. LUDLOW AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. The entries in the cattle classes were fairly numerous, but sheep were less largely represented, and both would have ap- peared iu greater force but for tlie prevalence of foot-and- mouth disease in the district. There was a falling off too in the horses. The most valuable prize in the whole list — the sweepstakes for the best stock bull of any breed — only had two entries, the one a Hereford shown by Mr. H. N. Edwards, of Broadward, and a Shorthorn exhibited by Mr. John Valen- tine. The result was that, it being a primary condition that at least five bulls should be shown, the 20 sovs. which in that case would be added to the sweepstakes were not given. Mr. Edwards, as showing the best bull in the class, received, there- fore, only the stakes. In the bull, cow, and offspring class, there were a couple of good lots shown respectively by Mr. Philip Turner and Mr. Richard Tanner. The class for the best yearling bull met with more competition ; the honours were carried off by Arkwright, already a prize-taker at the Bath and West of England and Gloucester ; while Mr. Fenn's iloyal calf was again second. In the classes for steers — in pairs and in fours yearling steers, heifers, breeding cows and fat cows, there was a goodly number of entries, all more or less distinguished by merit. The pigs were good. The horse classes were chiefly nag mares with foal at foot and nag geld- ings and mares. Eor the rest the horse department comprised half-a-dozen cart mares, and something under a dozen cart geldings and fillies. PRIZE LIST, JUDGES. — Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs : Mr- James, Map. powder, Dorset ; Mr. Bennion, CrassweU, Stafford ; and Mr. J. Taylor, of Stansbach. Horses : Mr. N. G. Price, Llancillo Hall, Pandy. CATTLE, A sweepstakes of two sovs. each, with twenty sovs. added, for the best stock bull, of any breed ; open to all England. — Prize, H. N. Edwards, Broadward. Bull, cow, and offspring, the offspring to be under twelve months old. — Prize, £5, P. Turner, The Leen. Yearling bull. — First prize, £5, H. N. Edwards ; second, £2 10s., T. Feun, Downton ; third, R. Tanner, Frodesley. Four two-year- old steers. — First prize, £5, J. E. Farmer ; second, £3 10s., T. Farmer. Pair of two-year-old steers. — First prize, £5, T. Rogers, Coxall ; second, £2 10s., R,. Hill, Orleton, Four two-year-old heifers. — First prize, £5, T. Rogers ; second, £3 10s. W. Tudge, Adforton. Pair of two-year-old heifers. — Prize, £5, T. Fenn, Yearling steers. — Prize, £5, T. Farmer. Yearling heifers. — .First prize, £5, P. Turner ; second, £2 10s., T. Rogers. Breeding cows or heifers, with calves, or to be certified to calve before 1st of January, 1873. — First prize, £5, J, Raw- lings, Stoke; second, £2 10s., W. Tudge, Fat cow or fat heifer. — First prize, £5, T. Rogers ; second, £2 10s., P. Turner. SHEEP, Yearling ram (open to all England). — First aud second prizes, £5 and £2 10s., R. Tanner. Ram more than two years old, bred by, or that has been used for the previous year, by a member of this society. — First prize, £5, R. Tanner ; second, £2 iOs., J. Rawlings. Ram lamb. — Prize, £5, R. Tanner. Pen of ten breeding ewes, two years old aud upwards, bred by the exhibitor, and to have produced and reared a lamb up to the 2nd May, 1872.— Prize, £5, R. Tanner. Pen of ten yearling ewes. — First prize, £5, Mrs. J. Hand, Wigley ; second, £2 10s., T. Fenn. Pen of six fat yearling wethers. — Prize, £5, Mrs. J. Hand. Pen of ten wether lambs. — First prize, £5, Mrs. J. Hand ; second, £2 IOs., F. Bach. Pen of ten ewe lambs. — First prize, £5, T. Fenn ; second £2 IOs., Mrs. J. Hand. PIGS. Boar under two years old. — First and second prize, £2 and £1, J. Wheeler aud Sons. Breedinsr sow. — First and second prizes, £2 and £1, J, Wheeler and Sons. Cottager's pig, which shall have been the property and in the possession of the exhibitor at least three months. — First prize, £3, J. Price ; second, £2, J. Smout ; third, £1, Mary Worthen. HORSES. Nag mare and foal at foot, or the same breed, that has been the property and in the possession of the exhibitor at least six months. — First and second prizes, £5 and £2 IOs., T, Griffiths. Cart mare for agricultural purposes, and foal at foot, of the same breed, that has been the property and in the possession the exhibitor at least sis months. — First prize, £5, T. Fanner ; second, £2 IOs., E. Bach. Nag gelding or mare, for a hunter and the road, under five years old, that has been the property and in the possession of the exhibitor at least twelve months. — First prize, £5, T. Rogers ; second, £2 IOs., J. Pound. Two-year-old cart gelding or filly, for agricultural purposes, to be bred by the exhibitor, or to have beeu in his possession six mouths. — First prize, £5, S. Amies ; second, £3 IOs., Mrs. M. Galliers. EXTRA STOCK. 30s., R. S. Edwards (30 ewes) ; 20s., T. Griffiths (two mares with foals) ; IOs., Wheeler and Son (pig and pen of pigs) ; IOs., R. Shiriey (bull) ; IOs., R. Tanner (five ram lambs) ; IOs., H. G. Reynolds (cow in calf) ; IOs., J. Rawlings (cart My), IMPLEMENTS, Best assortment of agricultural implements, to be shown by subscribers. — Prize £5, J. S. Vince, Ludlow, 432 THE FARMEB'S MAGAZINE. MAIDSTONE FARMERS' CLUB, THE HARVESTING AND CLEANING OE SEED. At a meeting held at the Star Hotel, Maidstone, Mr. T. Bridgland, juu., in the chair, the attendance was rather small. It had been announced that Professor Buckman would deliver a lecture on " The results of seven years' prac- tical farming by a man of science," but the chairman ex- plained tliat the Professor, having been taken ill, was unable to attend. However, he hadsent a paper on " The harvesting and cleaning of seed," and the secretary would read it. Mr. H. Argles read as follows: I propose devoting tliis paper to an examination of the more practical points concerning, the preparation of seed for the mar- ket, in which it is purposed to give an account of the varied re- sults of the analyses of seeds of almost every chss of crop. Itmust be understood at the outset that these remarks will have refer- ence to the prepiraiion of crop seeds for the seed market, and not of corn and grain as food, two matters to be kept distinct because the growths for the one purpose will oifer very different considerations from those of the other. Crop seeds may, for our present purpose, be very conveniently divided as follows : Table I. — Classijicatioii of Crop Seeds. 1. Cereal grasses, corn or grain seeds, wheat, barley, rye oats, &c. 2. Fodder grasses, as rye grasses, timothy grass, &c. 3. Clovers, sometimes termed " artificial grass," &c. Often in mixed state called " seeds." 4. Bulboid rooted crops, turnips, &c. ; tap rooted crops, carrots, &c. (with this may be included cabbages). 5. Economic plants, as flax, hemp, &c. 1. Cereal Grasses.— These, when destined for seed, should be selected on account of the evenness of the crop, and true- ness to variety, as each variety of corn, of whatever kind, will present great differences as to periods of ripening and quantity and quality of the crop to be derived from it, according to the differences of soil it may have to contend with. Oats are sel- dom true to sort, for, as I have shown by experiment, these are derivative plants, and are very readily acted upon by different cir- cumstances—the differences of geology in a single field, as one part of clay and another part sand — my result in a crop of corn widely differing in specific gravity, a fact tested by the weight per bushel, and in the one there may be elements of declension to wild conditions, and in the other a further departure from the wild original. Hence, therefore, to mix these two samples in crop seed tends much to that unevenness which one some- times observes, both as regards the time of ripening and the resultant grain, and wliich is sure to be prejudicial to the quantity as well as quality of the crop, as, it the one waits until tlie whole be ripe, the early ripened examples shed their best and heaviest grain. If cut before the later ones are ripened there will be a mixture of much light grain, and hence a deficiency of weight per bushel. Of course, in harvesting grain for seed, care must be taken that it shall not heat in the rick, as " mow burnt" grain is uneven in its powers of germi- nation according to the amount of heat to which it has been subjected; and though it is astonishing how much grain may sometimes be heated and yet germinate, neverthless it will mostly be found that under the most favourable conditions samples of this kind will result in a sickly crop, and great de- ficiency both in quantity and qualify, and its specific gravity will be much lessened. In grain seed we have seldom much to complain of as regards weed admixture, as seeds of weeds are mostly smaller and lighter than those of any kind of grain, and consequently separated in winnowing. However, we oc- casionally meet with " dirty" grain seed. A sample of wheat submitted to my examination not long since, had as many as a thousand seeds in a bushel of the Raniowiilns arvensis (corn crowfoot), a weed of a most pernicious description, very com- mon to poor clay lands, and those in the midland counties of England— on the Lias clays especially— called " hunger weed." Another of a similar form is not unfrequent in grain seed, namely Cptor/Iossum officinale, a weed which affects limestone, but as it 13 one of biennial habit its presence argues such very careless and dirty farming that one would be fully justified in refusing to purchase seed at all from such a source. 2. Fodder Grasses. — The seeds|of these are so small and weedy, and artificial pasture is so little attended to, that seeds of these are indeed the commonest source of weed reproduc- tion ; and from want of attention to pure seeds, this rotation usually provides enough weeding for employment in every snc- seeding crop. The following table will, at the outset of this question, put the matter in a clearer light, and more especially when tiie results be contrasted with those derived from an examination of good seed of this class : Table II. — Result of Bolanical Analyses of different Grass Seeds, calculated for pints by measure. Seed samples. Canary grass Peremiial rye grass ... Do Do. (Pacey's) Italian rye grass Do. imported (A.) Do. do. (B.) Do. with liop trefoil ") and Broad clover r mixed (Seeds) } Yellow oak-like grass (Acena Jli vescena) ... Meadow foxtail {Alo- peciirt(s pratensis) J Cock-foot {Dacfylis\ fflomerata) J Hard fescue {Festuca 1 diinm^cula) Ji Oak-like grass (.4rr-~) heitathcrum avena- > cetim) J Sheeps fescue {Fes-') tuca ovina) J Mixed gra.sses (A.) .... Do. do. (B.) .... ke^ 520 800 3200 1200 3200 70iOi 1600 5G0 1320 9200 4600 800 2620 3S40 8i00 Remarks on principal contents, &c. ith lop, JIolcus lanatus, &c. Lop (Bromus mollis), &c. Field madder, sandworts, &c. f Lop, soft grass, and creep- (. ing ranunculus. Lop, soft grass, &c, f Lop, herardin, ranunculus, ( plantain, &c. Mostly a species of rush. Slender foxtail, lop, &c. < IIolcus lanatus, Arrhenathe- \ rum, nearly half weeds. Lop, holcus, &o. Mostly lop. Medick, &c. Plantain, &c. Ranunculus, holcus, &c. From this table we see how it is that farmers are such careful cultivators of weeds as, on the supposition that all the weeds in a sample might germinate, these of themselves wonld be sufficient to occupy the soil, and the old adage that " 111 weeds grow apace" is often too well exemplified, the weeds getting on much better than the intended crop. And as in " seeds" they themselves are left to propagate, the following table will well enough illustrate another proverb, alas ! equally true, namely " One year's seeding Seven years' weeding." Table III. — Result of calculation of the reproductive powers of some of our common weed^. Black mustard 8000 Charlock | 4000 4500 6000 2040 40650 45000 19000 6500 2940 Shepherd's purse .... Fool's parsley Dens de lion Stinking chamomili . Mayweed Sow thistle Groundsell Corncockle Common dock Red poppy 13000 50000 Remarks, I Common about farms. f An agrarian weed. Everywhere too frequent. > About manure heaps, whence i it gets to turnip fields, 1 An agrarian, mostly with ) garden culture. In vetches, corn, &c. fin fields, meadows, and by- (. road sides. On .sandy soils. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 4s; From tins table we see tlie enormous fecundity of our common weeds, so that allowing weeds to seed in any crop furnishes work to get rid of tliera for many succeeding years. It re- mains now to account for the circumstance of such bad sam- ples of seeds as those mentioned in Table 11. ever getting into liie market at all, and if we at present confine our attention to grasses, it will be found as a law that dirty patches usually yield a better profit by bei:ig seeded, than clean ones ; and also that seeding them is more prolitable than using them for fod- der purposes. Weed seeds weigh as much, if not more, than grass seeds, and of the weed grasses tlie most common one, the Bromiis mollis (soft brome or lop) is much larger and heavier than the seed of the rye grass, witli which it is so constant. In as far as yield of fodder is concerned, when weeds are present, the nutritive matter of the crop is dimin- ished, and the bulk of the whole lessened, but it is almost a law that when the leafage is kept under the seeding powers become greater, and hence dirty patclies of " seeds"' pay better fur seeding than for any other purpose, and such samples find a ready market on account of their supposed cheapness ; for the growth of good and perfect samples entails additional ex- pense, which must be paid for. If farmers sufficiently con- sulted their own interest they would most carefully avoid the clieap and dirty seeds of all kinds, for though cheaper now they have ultimately to make up for it, not only in the de- ficiency of crop, but in the everlasting after-expenses to get rid of those weeds they themselves have planted. The difficulty of getting grass seeds perfectly fine must be admitted by all ; still, if farmers make up their minds to get them so, and will pay a little additional first cost, the matter is simple enough, and even if they are not able to analyse seeds with the requi- site amount of care, I should contend that the subject of pure seeds is as important as that of pure guano, and consequently that each agricultural society should have an officer attached, whose duty should be that of analysing seeds, and advising upon botanical matters, than which surely nothing can be more important, seeing that agriculture has so much to do with plants, each form, of which is subject to such com- plicated laws, and the result presenting all shades of quality, which requires an educated eye to determine. The following table shows us that tolerably pure seeds arc attainable in the market if demanded ; it is the result of an examination of five samples : Table IV. — Result of Analyses of Bye Grass Seeds received from " J. i\" Note.— This Table will be found to introduce a new ele- ment in the estimation of the qualities of seed samples — namely, that of specific gravitj^, a subject I hope more fully to illustrate in a future paper. Seed Samples. ■3^ ' PI N ^ '3 1 . Home-grown Italian ! rye-grass, one year' off, Lombardy seed, 18 to 191bs. per bush. 2. Imported Itahan rye-grass, cleaned and re-cleaned, 171bs. per bush 3. Pacey's perennial rye-grass, 281bs. per bush 4. Pacey's pereimial rye-grass, 301bs. per bush 5. Pacey's perennial rye-grass, 321b8. per bush 360 384 960 160 120 320 Remarks. A very fine sample — a little injured by insects, or it would have been heavier. B.y no means a bad sample, as compared with other foreign seeds. A very fine sample, and tolerably pure. The weeds were Plan- tago and Banuncidus — a remarkably fine sam- ple. Plantain, Eananeulus, Scabiosa, &c. A fine sample of seed of the gra.ss, but much injured by the presence of weeds. This table was made up from examination of 2oz. packets of seed, and the weights of small quantities come so near that of the bushel weight, that we must see clearly that estimation of bulk can be as readily made out from small samples as in any other produce. 3. Clovers. — The facts just insisted upon apply with still greater force to seeds of our agricultural Papilionacece, as these are so much smaller, and both in size and colour so nearly approach many forms of weed seeds, that the un- educated vision is not sufficient to detect the mischief, but that it should be done will be deemed a matter of no small importance, after perusing the table I now append, which is the result of an examination of several packets of clover seeds from different seedsmen. Table V. — Resull of Analyses of Cloversecds. Seed Samples. Alsike clover Cow-grass clover , Broad clover White Dutch clover - 7600 Remarks. Grasses, UmbelliferEB Polygonaeea. Plantain and UmbelliferiB and _ Umbellifera^, Polygonaeea, ' Creeping Crowfoot, &.C. 6100 12000 10-tO 7840 84001 , 39440 j Plantain and small weeds. 26560 Sandworts, Ranunculus, Poly- gonaeea. 70400 Plantain, Polygonaeea, and I Caryphyllacefe. Now, if we take up the inquiry as to the number of weed seeds we may thus sow to an acre of ground, and then reduce them again to the quantity per yard, we shall see at a glance that it will be enough of weeds to cover the ground, and as these weed seeds are paid for, and from their being the plants natural to the soil, will readily grow without any, even the slightest care, but still more so with a prepared soil, it is no matter for wonder that we so often see a patch which should be clover, a mass of plantain and other weed plants of no feed- ing value occupying the soil, and fattening themselves at the expense of the food which, in the shape of manure, was destined for the growth of the intended crop. Mr. Stonham said that Professor Buckraan had shown them by careful analysis that seeds of all kinds were subject to have a gre.at many weed seeds mixed with them. Now, he had no doubt that there were peculiar geological formations that were better constituted for the growth of certain kinds of plants than others, and therefore it seemed clear to him that if they wished to get a pure sample of seed, they should go to that very geological formation which in particular suited the growth of the description of seed they required, and which perhaps grew that seed in detriment to anything else which might spring up underneath, and which they did not require. For instance, he had known lots of people go to the table lands for their seed wheat, probably not because they got the finest sample fronr there, but rather because they got the cleanest sample. He thought it was a very good practice — and a practice that he had pursued himself — not to trust any- body for seed. He had never purchased any seed or seed- corn of any description and used it without re-cleaning it, and he was quite sure he was amply repaid for doing so. They might go into a market and see what appeared to be a very pure sample of corn ; but if they looked at it through a microscope, the rubbish they would then see in it would surprise them. And, as a rule, people would not pay for clean seed, and there- fore it was that tliey got these adulterations, which were very unsatisfactory. It was very unsatisfactory to a farmer if he were always cleaning his farm, and would not allow a weed to be seen, and then when he had sown something up should come a lot of weeds. Besides, if they sowed clean and good seed, they did not require such a large quantity. For instance, he would take cloverseed. His practice was to buy as good a sample as he could find, and then clean it. AUhough he thus got a less quantity of seed for his money, yet he did not require to drill in so much, and in the end he got on better than by buying a doubtful seed. Before sitting down he wished to point out a new mangold wurtzel which Sutton's people had sent out this year. It was supposed to be hardier, its specific gravity heavier, and its nutritive value greater than anything in the line which had hitherto been put into the 434 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. market. It had yellow flesh, alid was of the globe shape. He (Mr. Stonliam) was delighted with it, and if he were a bullock he would eat no other than that, Mr. Kemp wished to remind them of a recent Act of Par- liament for punishing people for introducing spurious articles into the seed market, and he thought that if they would take advantage of the hints that had just been thrown out to them, and act upon them, and also give effect to this new Act of Parliament by prosecuting offenders, a better state of things would be brought about. Mr. J. Barling said that the new Act of Parliament would doubtless protect anyone who wished to put the law in action against deliberate adulteration ; but if he understood Professor Uuckman's paper rightly, there was no charge of adulteration in it. The description of seed of which the professor spoke, although not pure, was not adulterated, and his paper would probably have been of more value if he had added to his table the soil or geological feature of the country, or ground, or farm from which the various samples of which he spoke were taken, because there was no doubt, as Mr. Stonham had re- marked, that some soils would develope some plants better than others, and would also develope some weeds better than others. In allusion to the dishonesty of sellers, he did feel that all the fault did not lie with the sellers, because if a buyer would deliberately beat down a person who was honestly asking a fair price for a fair article, he was a participator in the evil of impure seed. He was quite sure where there was adulteration and low price that tlie buyer ought to have a little of the blame. No doubt that in the adulteration of seeds as well as everything else, the degradation of quality was brought about to meet the buyer's price. They well knew there were dealers in seed of whom they would buy with much greater confidence than others ; but they also knew that these sellers were not the cheaper sellers of seed, although they were really the cheaper as they found in the results. He hoped that some day Professor Buckman would favour the Club with the details of the weeds peculiar to the geological features of the county. The professor would have a wide field for his labour, for the geological formation of the county was most varied. He believed that the elevation of what Mr. Stonham had called the table land was the cause of the absence of cer- tain weeds, and not merely the geological formation. He be- lieved that elevation had a good deal to do with the growth of certain weeds. Mr. A. Chittenden said he could not believe that the samples which were offered in the ordinary way contained anything like the number of weed seeds represented in the table Professor Buckman had furnished. Their best way out of the difficulty seemed to be — and he thought they were aU gradually taking that course — was to go to certain dealers in seed and growers in seed of recognised reputation, and who sold an article of guaranteed quality. After giving an in- stance in which a well-known farmer having been asked by a seed firm nearly double the current price in the market for some trefoil seed, and having submitted the expensive seed to an examination, he came to the conclusion that it was better and cheaper for him to purchase that than the cheaper seed. The Chairman said that, with the permission of the Club, he would direct their secretary to write to Professor Buckman, expressing their regret at his illness, and his consequent absence from among them that evening, and hoping that he would come as soon as convenient, and lecture to them as he had promised, and also to thank the professor for the paper he had sent them. Professor Braziee (Aberdeen) said they were always buy- ing superphosphates, but did they contain the ingredients they wanted for all their plants P He thought not. Coming to hops his opinion was that the farmer too often neglected the ingredients needed there. The investigation as to what was most essential for the growth of hops was made many years ago, and he thought that if it were made over again other conclusions would be arrived at. A French chemist had lately made a very careful analysis of the hop plant, and he had brought out that potash was a very necessary thing for them. He should be glad to see if a sprinkling of potash would not be of more service than a sprinkling of the manure now in use. The best potash came from Germany, and it would be more expensive. Mr. Chinnock, who has resided in Canada, said there were a vast number of young fellows in this country whose means were completely iuadequate to keep their position here, and compete with others, and his opinion was that they might do well in Canada. He thought they would agree with him in this remark, when he told them that iu his province, the pro- vince of which Quebec was the capital, they could grow a fair quantity of hops, and cut two tons of grass per acre, and that all the root crops have a special aptitude to grow, and that they could buy clear land at from £2 to &i per acre, and all within ten days of Liverpool. Surely this was sufficient to convince many that they could do a great deal better there than here. Canada had also the recommendation of being our own colony, whereas if they went to the United States they would be in a foreign country. LAVENHAM FARMERS' CLUB THE SEWAGE QUESTION. At a recent meeting, Mr. Wm. Biddell in the chair, Mr. WiGGiN read the following paper : The subject of town sewage in its economical application to agriculture, which I have the honour of intro- ducing for discussion this evening, needs no apology at my hands. It is of national importance, and is begin- ning so to be recognised. It is necessary to enter briefly into the subject of the relation of sewage to the health of town populations, and of the urgent necessity to do something in settlement of the question which is now forcing itself upon the attention of the authorities of all our large towns. In its present magnitude, it is of but recent rise. The difficulty has been chiefly caused by the boasted civilisation of modern times. Formerly the drainage of our towns was a surface one, the open gutters in our streets carrying off the rain as it fell into the nearest river, the small quantity of organic matter being oxidised and rendered innocuous by the fullest exposure to the atmosphere. The fsecal matter proper, together with the vegetable refuse and ashes, were received into covered middens or dust-bins, kept preserved from the rain, and periodically carried away by farmers' waggons, thus furnishing the land with a valuable manure. This state of things, which had existed from time immemorial, and under which men had never been troubled with the sewage question, has of late years been upset. I cannot tell you the name of the inventor of the water-closet. I trust it will ever remain in obscurity, as to his genius the country is indebted for the cause of the sanitary muddle of the present day. Before his time, a gracious Providence having freely given us pure water for all uses, had also taught us the natural outlet for any ex- cess of it was in the nearest river. Man had also taken care to preserve his fjecal matter and refuse in as small a bulk as possible, that it should be as little possible nuisance to him, and sufficiently valuable to the agriculturist to induce him to remove it speedily. The introduction of the water-closet upset all these arrangements, which had worked well for centuries by mixing these two, so valuable when separate, into that worthless puddle which is now rapidly contaminating our water supplies, and changing our pellucid rivers into offensive, dirty streams. To such an extent is this evil now acknow- ledged, that whereas a few years since one of the Health of Towns' Acts ordered that in all places where it was adopted a water-closet should be affixed to every cottage, it is the fashion now to revert to the old dry covered privy, and no cottages are now allowed to be built in Rochdale, Manchester, Notting- ham, and several other places without an arrangement whereby they are kept dry, and so that they can be cleansed at stated periods. The earth-closet system of the Rev, Mr, Moule is THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 435 oue tliat has proved very successful, and is another step in the right direction. I have but little doubt that in a few years we shall find still more perfect appliances in vogue, and greater facilities afforded in new buildings for the removal of tlie soil. Time will not allow me to enter into minute details of the various schemes by which in many places it was endeavoured to remedy this state of things. At fust, simple subsidence and irrigating the low meadows of the neighbourhood with the watery part was tried, as at Leith, but as tlie nuisance from the smell was only diminished by enlarging its area, it was soon found other means must be used. Many eminent men, both chemists ai.d engineers, have invented plans, none of wliich can be called successful. Their object hitherto has been to facilitate the rapidity of deposit of the insoluble matter. This has been done in nearly all instances by the addition of lime, alumina, charcoal, and various earthy matters. Tlie results in no instance have continued to be equal to the sanguine views of the inventors, and it may safely be asserted the addition of the precipitants has reduced the manurial value to the lowest point, whilst the effluent water has in no case been pure. A process that has been elaborately ejperi- mented upon, and may be taken as a type of the majority, is the one called the ABC, said to be so named from the initial letters of its three principal constituents — alum, blood, and clay. It is now in process of trial at Leeds, Leamington, Hastings, Crossness, and other places. By the courtesy of the directors of the ABC Company, I have been furnished with samples of the effluent water and manures manufactured by them at several of these places, which I have the pleasure of submitting to your notice. The money value put upon them by the Company is much higher than that of Dr. Voelcker, who has published an elaborate series of experiaients on the value of the ABC manures to tlie farmers. He estimates its worth as being from 14s. to 18s. per ton. It is, therefore, prac- tically useless to them except on the spot. A ton of this so- called native guano he estimates as barely equal to a ton of farm- yard manure. Dr. Voelcker has also published an elaborate report upon the value of the earth-closet manure. He arrives at con- clusions different to the prospectus of the discoverer, and rather unfavourable to its agricultural value, considering that after three times drying, it only contains ammonia and phos- phates equal to 6s. Zlil. per ton more than dry mould. I am much inclined to believe his estimate must have been taken under unfavourable circumstances. I can easily conceive, unless the ammonia were fixed in the drying processes, the full quantity would not be estimated. Besides this there can be no doubt that both the phosphates and the nitrogenous matter \fould be in the best form for the plant assimilation. It must also be taken into account that a dry system can be adopted anywhere, and be in reach of every farmer, whereas any system of ordinary sewage treatment can only be done in large towns, the carriage from which is an important item to contend with, and may be sufficiently costly to bar its use. The latest addition to our knowledge in this direction has been the report of the Committee of tlie British Association for the Advancement of Science, made at Brighton during the last month. Four years ago the Association made a grant of £10 to investigate the subject. The next year £50 were voted, which was supplemented by grants from various cor- porate bodies to the value of £1,530. The Committee begin by reporting their funds as exhausted, although the end of their labours was not reached. After touching upon the system of filtration througli charcoal of the Messrs. Weare, the effluent water of which is described as dilute sewage, they note General Scott's plan of making a cement from sewage matter and its precipitants by burning them together, thus getting rid of the manurial element quickly, but to the nation at a costly waste. The effluent water here again is said to be diluted sewage. Wiiitthead's process is more fully descanted on and reported favourably. It consists essentially of the pre- cipitation of the sewage by successive additions of mixed phos- phate of lime, milk of lime. The process is rapid, the sus- pended matter as well as much of the organic nitrogen being precipitated. Of course the precipitate containing so much phosphate would be valuable, and if it contains, as asserted, 3 per cent, of ammonia, it is still more so. Here again the effluent water is not pure. In the discussion which followed, one learned professor described the report as valueless, and disputed the calculations of the Committee. Another de- clared they had done nothing, and that no practical result had been given such as would be of any value to the country. It appears that the cost of the phosphates before employment is about £i per ton, and the increase in value after having been made into manure is not more than 10s. In all their reports much stress has been laid upon sewage irrigation, and doubt- less over the extremely limited area over which it is prac- ticable its application will be attended with excellent results. Mr. Hope, whose farm at Homford promises to become a rival to the famed one at Tiptree, states he has grown 80 tons of rye-grass per acre, and will soon obtain 100 tons, being able to keep four cows per acre : whereas in the best parts of Cheshire it required two acres at the least to keep one. Pro- fessor Corfield asserted that of the whole nitrogen escaping with the warer 40 per cent, went off with the crop, 10 per cent, was lost in the drainage, and the remaining 60 per cent, was left in the soil, furnishing food to the plants after the sewage-water was discontinued. Should this statement prove correct, it suificiently indicates the vast importance of sewage irrigation, whilst it shows the great national loss we yearly sustain by allowing even the effluent water of these systems to pollute our rivers. From what I have said I think it will be evident to every farmer that no system of treating town sewage at present known will make it yje/" *e of economical value to him. The best that can be said in its favour is that it may be a good base to which to add ammonia and phos- phates from cheaper sources. There can be no doubt that the really valuable constituents of town sewage are held in solu- tuion not suspension, and that these are lost to the community- It is much to be regretted that so enormous a waste should be going on at our doors. I trust before many years the com- bined talent of the chemist and engineer may discover some means of getting over the difficulty which modern fashion has created. Wiien the chemist has discovered some precipitant for the valuable fertilising matter, the engineer will doubtless soon arrange for its collection and treatment. We shall then be in a position to return to the land the greater part of the nitrogenous matter and phosphates received from it in our food, and now, alas, wasted. We shall have no necessity then to scour the world over to discover cheap phosphate deposits, but by returning to the soil what we have taken from it, we shall, with the assistance of the atmosphere, be able to restore to our fields that admirable fertilising power bestowed upon them by the Almighty in the beginning. Mr. Wiggin re- marked that he would show the gentlemen present the state of the effluent waters from Hastings and Leeds, sent by the Secretary of the ABC. Company. After an interesting se- ries of tests, he remarked that the water from these two places was, in reality, but diluted sewage, and, in his opinion, it con- tained the great majority of salts, valuable to agriculturists for fertilising purposes. He thought they would be wrong in in- vesting in the various companies which were started, until some much more improved system had been discovered. Mr. Wiggin also referred to the opinion expressed by Mr. Bailey Denton in his report to the Ipswich Local Board of Health as to the best means of sewering the tovm of Ipswich, which opinion carried out that which he (Mr. Wiggin) had ex- pressed. Mr. Bailey Denton in his report said : " That al- though such companies might relieve the borough for a time of certain difficulties and trouble in dealing with the sewage, there really is no ground for believing that the solid compost they make will be sold at a profit after the novelty of using it has passed away, failing which, the works would inevitably be thrown on the hands of your Board ; that the manufacture of manure at the sewer's mouth may become a local nuisance ; and the clarified water, after the solid matter is taken from it, contains more fertilising material than the extracted solid matter, and as this liquid would pass into the river its value would he lost." This statement was supported by the following letter from Mr. Bircham, of Chosely, near Lynn : — " Dear sir, referring to your favour of the 10th of November, addressed to me on this subject, I beg to say that after a second trial of this (so-called) manure, under circumstances exceptionably favourable to its success, if it really possessed any fertilising properties at all, my first impressions, as expressed in my let- ter in the Arjricultural Economist of November, 1871, are fully confirmed. I find the stuff absolutely worthless, and the crops to which I have applied it now growing on my farm bear ample testimony to this, as anyone is at perfect liberty to see. Yours truly, W. B. Bircham." In concluston, Mr. Wig- gins expressed a hope that his friends present would exercise a 436 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. good deal of tliougUt before they were led away by the flaming prospectuses which were often presented. A short time since, when the money market was Hush, several companies were formed for the supply of sewage, and the shares of some got np from 1 to 35 per cent, premium. He felt quite sure that the gentlemen who bought shares at 35 kept tliem, for the sharpers who started tlie shares at the Stock Exchange never intended to do so. Mr. Lewis expressed \m belief that the introduction of water-closets had brought about tlie evil which was now so severely felt. There could be no doubt but that the old system, that of common privies, was the best one provided air was freely admitted, and that the buildings were not too close to dwelling-houses. As to the irrigation process, that might be of some value in connection with large towns, but for small towns, instead of being a good it was an evil, in fact a great nuisance. Mr. WiGGiN called atteutiou to the system pursued in Paris and argued tliat the mixture of water destroyed the frecal matter, and he pointed out that what ought to be done, was to economise the fpe?al matter and return it to the land. In Rochdale a system was adopted whereby the privy matters, were collected in tubs, and a most valuable manure was secured because no water was mixed with it, and it sold very readily. He (Mr. Wiggin) decidedly objected to tlie fluid, but at the- same time all the valuable part of the material went away with the fluid. He had had the testing of many hundreds of sam- ples of water from Iftswich and other places, and he could assure the gentlemen present that there was a great deal more contamination from sewage in drinking-water than many peo- ple could imagine. It li ad in fact got to that state that, in his opinion, it would be one of the principal things that Govern- ment would have properly to interfere about. The closets, were so constructed as to admit of the manurial stutT entering the soil, thereby contaminating the wells of the neighbour- hood, and this of course was a very serious matter. He had a sample of water sent from a village near Ipswich, and he found it exceedingly bad from this cause. Mr. Wiggin also directed attention to the village of Teriing. Mr. Baker thought Mr. Wiggin had done good service to agriculturists in treating the subject under consideration in the manner he liad done. It had been fairly stated that there were difBculties connected with the sewage question which the ablest chemists of the day had been unable to solve, but he could not help thinking that there might be some system adopted by which the best portions of manure, the fpccal matter, &c., arising from large towns might be separated. It appeared to him that it was only necessary to put the manurial matter into channels which would convey it into large tanks. To do this would only require a certain control over every householder. Tanks could be made say for every 2,000 of the inhabitants ; there it could undergo a process by which it could be removed and put on to the land, and thus prevent the contamination of the rivers, which was felt to be snch an evil in various towns. Of course it would be perfectly useless to collect a large quantity of merely watery stuff, but it seemed to him that there miglit be two cliannels, or some other plan adopted for keeping that which was valuable from that which was of no value. With reference to the irrigation system he considered that that was one which would soon defeat itself. He believed it would eventually be found a far greater nuisance than it could possibly be a benefit. The crops that followed the application of that system were comparatively of little or no value. The grasses, forced as they were by this system., were not anytiiing like equal to that which was grown from good manure or other natural appliances to the crops. Mr. AViGGiN said tiiat the whole tendency of his obser- vations had been that nothing would be done until the two were separated. We were gradually coming back to that idea. The system pursued at Rochdale, Manchester, and other places were essentially a carrying out of the old plan. He was quite of opinion that the water used for domestic pur- poses should be kept perfectly distinct, and if that were done the fa3cal matter would be valuable. It was the mixture of the water-closet stuff which caused the evil so justly com- plained of in large towns. The fact was, it was modern civilisation that made us shirk the real cause of all the evil, which was the water-closet system. If he were the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Ayrton, or one of the great men in power, he would put a heavy licence upon all water-closets, a tax so heavy that the removal of the contents of them should be paid for by it and not by the general public who did not use water-closets. The water-closet system was a great curse and nuisance, established merely to save the olfactory nerves of a comparatively few sensitive individuals. Mr. Baker thought if the tank plan he had named were adopted, something might be done to separate the solid from the liquid at the fountain head. Mr. Hitchcock remarked that the matter for their con- sideration as agriculturists was not a particular system as suited to a particular town, so mucli as whether a manure could be bouglit .which was of value for the land. Many elaborate and costly schemes were planned, but why not revert to the old system of privies, and have a privy to every house ? He was recently at a place of about the size of Ipswich, with 45,000 inhabitants, and in going along the streets, he saw what appeared to him at first a fire engine, with hose and everything complete. A closer inspection, however, showed him that it was a steam pump then in the act of pumping the contents of a privy into a large iron tank. There was no smell at all a little distance off, but when lie got near the house, be found there was a slight smell. When the iron tank was filled, the engine marclied off with it to a farm. This seemed to him an admirable plan. There was only the contents of the privy in the tank. It came up in a solid form by the force pump, and was conveyed along large tubes into the tank, and carried away. Nothing could be more simple than that. In this particular town there could be no other way of getting rid of the contents of the privies half so good as this. The river there in the summer time was a very small one, and, therefore, if the sewage had been allowed to run into it, it would have become a most intolerable nuisance. The town he alluded to was Urfurt in Germany. The system was worked at the expense of the municipality, who had a system by which every place was emptied and cleared away at proper times. It certainly seemed to him that the manure obtained in this way contained fertilising powers which it did not when dealt with in the manner it was in many large towns in Eng- land. A good deal had been said of late on tlie subject of irrigation, but what was the use of irrigation grounds to agriculturists ? What they wanted was to buy manure in aa good and profitable a form as they could get it. It was not tlie business of agriculturists to suggest elaborate schemes for the deahng with the manure of towns, so much as it was to buy it at a reasonable price, after it was collected in a proper form. Mr. Barkway advocated the erection of tanks on the pre- mises of a good depth, and having them cleared out at stated periods. He adopted this system himself, not thinking it right to allow anything of the kind to run away from his pre- mises. It was much too valuable for that. He believed that if people generally were to try and adapt themselves to this principle we should hear nothing about refuse matters pol- luting rivers. Eor his own part, he could not understand why the public generally should be called upou to contribute to- wards expensive schemes simply because fastidious people would not do that wliich was so absolutely necessary. Those who had a good piece of land lost a great deal by allowing the refuse produce of a household to escape from the premises ; and he could not help thinking that the most productive part of it was the urine. If it was taken care of it would be found of even more value to the crops than the fteces, because in the f;cces most of its good properties passed away, and that which was left was comparatively valueless. Tlie tank he erected on his premises was about 1-i feet in depth. Mr. Hustler said that all appeared perfectly agreed as to the desirability of keeping the liquid and the solid matter separate, and when this difiiculty was solved it would be a remedy for the evils of which the inhabitants of large towns now complained so much. Tliat they as farmers had loug felt tlie necessity of this being done was evident from the care that had been taken to prevent too much water getting with the farmyard manure, it being felt that the manure lost much of its value by water washing through it. He had seen Mr. Mechi's system, and was of opinion that the question of expense alone was quite suflicient to put it on one side as im- practicable in its general application. In order to properly manure land with liquid manure it was necessary that there should be an enormous quantity, and the question of expense therefore became a very serious one. In conclusion, Mr. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 437 Hustler characterised the ucw-fashioned watercloset as a perfect nuisance. The Chairman said there was no doubt but that all the sewage sclieiues of the present day were failures more or less, i'or his own part he was a great advocate for earth as against water. He had tried it, and was perfectly satisfied with the result. There was great dilficulty in substituting earth for water in old towns, but if a town were to be rebuiltit would not be difficult to keep it in a proper and cleanly state by means of earth -closets. However, hewasratlierincliuedtobelieve that more of theevilswhich were felt were attributed to waterclosels than was just. He feared that a good deal oithe mischief emanated from the back kitchens, a good deal of ofFeusive aud injurious matter going into the sewers, so much so that if even the watercloset stuff were kept out, the sewers would be nearly as objectionable. In the kit- chens of farm houses there was always the swill pail to receive that which would otherwise pollute tlie sewers, but in towns there was no such a receptacle, aud all of course went into the sewers. He must confess that his agricultural respect for the earth-closet was greatly diminished on reading the analysis made by Dr. Voelcker of tlie contents of some of these closets. He (Mr. Biddell) felt that Dr. Voelcker must have made a inis- tiike, and that the figures he gave did not represent a fair test. We might very well imagine that a clear water was pure, but the tests which Mr. Wiggin had made showed abundantly that tliat was not so, that there was valuable matter held in solution as well as mechanically floating in it. But his (tiie Chairman's) notions of the qualities of liquids had been very much sliaken by tlie almost universal failure of the old liquid manure tanks, whicli were built when there was such a rage for liquid manure. Where they now existed they were invariably found overgrown with nettles and the pump entirely out of order. There was no respect entertained for these tauks in the present day. The experiment was tried by many, years ago, but did not bring forth the results anticipated. As to the system of irrigation, it had been said that the quantity of laud set apart for the pur- pose was too small. A-t Bury it was said to be just the re- verse— that enough was not made for the land. Much had been said in regard to the waterclosels, but his opinion was that if the inhabitants of say a whole street were to try the experiment of substituting earth for water, the material would be cleared away and found to more than pay the cost. Doubtless the fanners would be exceedingly glad to keep these people well supplied with dry earth, and take away the used earth ; but that vi'ould not of course get rid of the kitchen refuse, which was calculated to do so much of the injury. With reference to the old-fashioned privies, he confessed he could not say much in favour of them. He thought that as a rule the cesspools were not sufficiently low in the soil. When too_ near the surface, there was danger from fermentation, aud gases being given off in the most hateful and hurtful form; whereas, if the well was well covered up, there was not that danger. If the old system of privies was to be re- established, tills fact must be kept prominently iu view. He feared that people had indulged in the luxury of waterclosets too long for them to be induct d to give them up very readily. The great difficulty that had to be contended with was the dilution of the town sewage. If the townspeople continued to mix ten tons of 'that which fanners could get for notiiing with about a quarter of a ton of that whicii, if separate, would be good, he could see great difficulty in farmers remov- ing the stuff. Mr. Wiggin, in reply, said they all agreed in the main with what he had advanced. It was only in the matter of detail in which they had to some extent gone away from the record. All the evil arose from tlie mixture of two valuable articles, which made a great bulk when mixed, and until the cause was removed it was, of course, quite impossible to deal with the effect. He spoke iu favour of the system pursued at Erfurt, as described by Mr. Hitchcock, adding that it approached closer to his (Mr. Wiggin's) idea than any system he had heard of yet, and he should certainly take the opportunity of making further in- quiries respecting it. What was wanted was some system whereby the towns could be purified, and then, undoubtedly, agriculturists could be furnished witli a material which would grow an increased quantity of corn. It was merely a moving backwards and forwards of the material. Meat aud corn were obtained from the land, and furnished to people living in towns, enabling them to subsist ; and the refuse matter from towns, properly dealt with, should be returned to the land, enabling agriculturists to produce these articles ad itijlnilum. But what was done in the present state of things ? From false notions of delicacy we allowed that which was valuable to run waste, polluting the rivers and streams, and we im- ported at great cost, phosphates, &c., in the shape of guano, whereas, under proper treatment, these necessaries could be restored to the land without cost to tlie country, for that which was carried away was absolute loss. It behoved each of us to do our utmost to remedy this state of things. After referring to other points which had been raised in the course of the discussion, Mr. Wiggin, in conclusion, remarked tha^, the Ipswich people had a great fear before tbem, knowing that at Norwich the sewage works had cost about £100,000, aud was, to all intents and purposes, a failure. Ipswich might be called upon to spend £50,000 or £60,000 under the orders of the Government, aud there was no reason why that should not be a failure too, seeing that there was no real success iu the matter at present. He questioned very much whether the system adopted on the plans of distinguished engineers would be found of any purpose whatever. The proceedings closed with a vote of thankcto Mr. Wiggin. THE LAND QUESTION. At the Social Science Congress, at Plymouth, Lord Na- pier and Ettrick, President of the Association, said. With the Education Acts for England and Scotland, and the Public Health Act before us, we cannot doubt that an impulse has been given to educational and sanitary work which must be progressive, and happily this progress will be conducted in the main with the concurrence and as- sistance of every party and class iu the nation, however much parties and classes may still differ about forms and means. In both departments the ground is cleared and the basis of the edifice is laid. Under tliese circumstances, in my humble judgment, the question which beyond all others deserves our sustained and dispassionate consideration and action is the question of real property viewed iu its political and social aspects. On this suliject the opinion of the country is less matured, and tlie deliberations of the Association, the writings which it may prompt, and the discussions which it may raise, can be of vital use in leading the public mind to just, moderate, and acceptable conclusions. The distribution of property is the feature iu our laws and customs which presents the greatest apparent hardship, which arouses the keenest sense of injustice, which affords the readiest materials for misrepresentation, and which discovers the most dangerous inconsistency between our political institutions and our social condition. In endeavour- ing to place the question before you in its simplest outlines, I shall be unavoidably involved in the utterance of opinions which to many are conimou]ilaces, aud in the repetition of facts which to most are notorious. But it is not indifferent that this should be done. Mere reiteration is a powerful agent in the creation of prevailing beliefs, and public convic- tions can no more be formed by one argument than a horse- shoe can be forged with one blow. With reference to real property let it then never be forgotten for one moment that Great Britain stands apart and alone in the civilized world._ In otber respects our institutions, compared with those of foreign countries, exhibit that sort of divergence which may be likened to the various elements of colour in a diversified but not inharmonious pattern. In regard to property, there is a contrast which arrests and offends the eye. Permit me to present once more in a few rapid strokes the familiar features of the case. In Great Britain real property is transferred and trasmitted under laws, customs, and influences which all 438 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. combine with irresistible, increasing power to produce con- solidation. Primogeniture, entail, traditional predilections, the exigencies of fashion and recreation, the accumulation of capital are working incessantly together to promote great ag- gregations of laud in the hands of a few. The statistics of landed property have not yet been verified with any accuracy, but it would be hazardous to estimate the number of estates above the dimensions of a garden or a paddock at more than 100,000 in a country which numbers more thau 26,000,000 of inhabitants, and there are hut few counteracting agencies at work to mitigate the perilous progression towards monopoly. It may be broadly asserted that in no country does so large a proportion of the population live in lodgings as in Great Britain, or in separate habitations as tenants at will ; in no country do so many live on the laud of others without a lease or with a terminable tenure ; in no country are the preroga- tives and delights of property vested in such a restricted number. The proportion of those who possess to those who possess notliing is probably smaller in some parts of England at this time than it ever was in any settled com- munity, except in some of the republics of antiquity, where the business of mechanical industry was delegated to slaves. Prance, Germany, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, the United States, the British Colonies, all the countries wliich count for some- thing in the world, which propagate ideas, or offer examples, or present points for comparison, which fascinate by their past or which possess the promise of an expansive future, all have committed acts or adopted principles and measures which con- duct them on a path directly opposed to that on which the destinies of England are still impelled. In France political confiscation founded, and the compulsory partition of land on succession has accelerated, the division of property to such an extent that the number of estates is almost equal to the number of families engaged in agricultural pursuits. In Germany a revolution of the same nature, though not of the same magnitude, has been effected in a more regular manner. The benefits of landed property have been imparted progres- sively to a numerous and prosperous class of cultivators by the abolition of feudal superiorities, by the restriction of entails and special destinations of land, by the deliberate division of estates between the landlord and the occupier on a basis, if not always equitable to the former, at least patriotic in its motives and happy in its results, and by the operation of rules of suc- cession reproducing in some instances the primitive laws of the country, and in others adopting, with various modifica- tions, the maxims of the French code. The principles of partible succession in a temperate form, the confiscation and sale of church lands, and in some degree the forcible dismem- berment of feudal estates, alleged to be subject to communal rights, have been the agencies by which Italy has moved in harmony in this matter with the other Continental States. Partly owing to the fact that the repartition of property is most common in the least productive districts, and partly owing to the vicious or exacting systems of tenancy practised in the more favoured provinces, it would appear that the rural population of the Italian kingdom have felt neither the bene- fits attached to a small or a great proprietary. The original laws of Russia promoted the division of the property of the land in the limits of a privileged order, and the usages of the country fostered a communistic method of repartition and culture in the portion of the soil appropriated to the village community which was held to labour, attached to the glebe, and subject to the personal authority of the lord. The writings of Mr. Michell and of other economists have made us acquainted with the history and character of that memo- rable instrument by which the Emperor of Russia has endea- voured to fulfil a vast and complex task, to liberate the Russian serf class from the personal authority of the noblemen, to invest them with property in the soil, to indemnify the land- lord for the prejudice caused to his material interests, and to give stability to population, production, and the revenue of tlie State, by perpetuating the bonds and obligations of the village as a unit of rural life. Twelve years have now elapsed since I had tlie good fortune to be a witness at St. Petersburg of the promulgation of the Act of Emancipation and Endow- ment, and, notwithstanding the disenchantments which are ever ready to follow in the track of philanthropy, the scene still remains the greatest recollection of my life, an impres- sion that can never be repeated and can never be forgotten. There was for ouce no formal ceremonial of court or camp. In the Cathedral of St. Isaac, from the sacred lips of the metropolitan to a rude and humble multitude hushed in breathless expectation, the imperial message came which car- ried hberty to all and land to all who would work to earn it. Enslaved and disinherited the crowd went in, a few simple words were uttered by an aged priest, the people melted quietly away into the wintry air, transformed, it seemed, as far as laws could alter men ; no one shouted, no one spoke, but they lingered in the shadow of the church as if unwilling to depart from a spot where so bright a promise had descended. That moment gave a legal and lasting interest in the land of Russia to 50,000,000 of its inhabtants ; directly to some, in- directly and inferentially to others. That the gift has been deeply marred by the conditions there is little doubt. The Act of Emancipation is not exempt from the infirmities which belong in other countries to the best effort's of legislation. It reflects the errors of its authors, the necessities of govern- ment, the prepossessions of the nation and the time. Immersed in ignorance, subject to the prescriptions of a venerable su- perstition, encompassed by the hardships of nature and the seduction of a predominant vice, the mass of the Russian people will emerge laboriously from the second thraldom of the village and the State, but the path on which they have been placed must inevitably conduct them to the full exercise of individual liberty, and the full enjoyment of individual pro- perty. In Switzerland, the land has long been the inheritance of the people. The testamentary freedom of the proprietor is limited by positive prescriptions of law differing in the several cantons. The custom of the country, and the cha- racter of the political institutions, favour an equal division in most. The United States, and all the communities founded by English enterprise in various quarters of the globe, have adopted the principles of free testamentary power and equal division in case of intestacy. The policy of Government in those countries is to stimulate immigration ; to fill and till the national domain ; to afford to labour with all possible ex- pedition its best reward in the shape of land ; to reconcile the wildest exercise of equal political rights with public order, by giv- ing to every citizen something that he will value and something that he can lose. In India, where England has assumed such a weighty charge in guarding the welfare and directing the destinies of mankind, no attempt has ever been made to pro- pagate or accredit the principles of the English law of inheri- tance, and no tendency is now discovered to reproduce the fea- tures of our social condition, of which that law is the power- ful associate. It would be easy, but it would be idle, to multiply examples from the legislation or the usage of foreign or dependent nations to prove with what strength and unanimity the disposition runs to impart the benefits of real property to the greatest number. I would ask you, then, whether it is possible that the policy of England can long follow a different or contrary direction ? Is it possible that England, which has taken so large a part in the formation of the political and economical institutions and doctrines of other States, can exclude from her own social system the reaction and reciprocal influence exerted by those States in a matter of such engrossing interest ? No reflecting xnind surely can admit that such partial isolation can endure in the midst of general communion. The contagion of foreign example aloue would be unavoidable and irresistible. It would, however, be in the last degree imprudent and erroneous to place the expediency of social innovation chiefly on the ground of necessity. An al- teration of the laws affecting real property, a movement towards its repartition and diffusion must be advocated from motives of philanthropy and policy, and happily this is not diflicult. It will not be disputed that property is an important element in civilization and public order. The acquisition and preser- vation of real and personal property of material objects ministering to the wants and the enjoyments of life constitute the gratification of a natural instinct, and may be the source of many useful virtues. The possession by the poor of domestic furniture and of live stock alone inspires habits of carefulness, frugality, industry, and forethought. The position of a labouring family inhabiting a furnished lodging would be in every moral and social respect below the position of a similar family occupying an independent dwelling with their own furniture, their cow, their poultry, their pig, their garden, and their grazing ground, even without any lease or security of tenure. If to the possession of perishable and transitory objects you add that of property of a more durable nature, THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 439 sucli as land and houses, you must surely iuteusify all the good iuiluences to which I have referred. Tlie possession of the soil aud the habitation ought, when associated with some culture aud elevation of mind, to carry with it patriotism or devotion to the State; loyalty or attachment to the repre- sentative of sovereign power ; independence, self respect, res- pect for the rights of others. It should nourish and prolong the exercise of mutual duties aud affections in the family, and sweeten life with many salutary recreations and pleasures. If such are the benefits which should naturally be attached to the possession of property, especially in a community endowed witii political franchises and having access to tlie advantages of education, how deep must be our concern, and how legiti- mate our anxieties in witnessing the disabilities which a great proportion of our countrymen suffer in tliis respect, and how earnest should be our endeavours to help them to the enjoy- ment of property in its different forms by every means con- sistent with peace, with justice, with existing rights, and with the exercise of those qualities of self-denial and self-reliance without which no substantial welfare can be founded in that numerous class of society of which labour is the inevitable portion ! We must all recognise the want, we must all admit the duty. Unhappily, in searching for the means of action, it becomes at once apparent that there are many difficulties in the way which have not operated with the same force in other countries, in which tlie question has been already solved, or which are altogether peculiar to our condition. Among these impediments the following may be noted as the most conspicu- ous : The extinction of all positive or traditional claims to a participation in tlie land-rights of the proprietor on the part of the occupiers aud cultivators, leaving nothing but rights under contract where such exist. The high value of land produced by the abundance of capital derived from the profits of manufactures and trades. The im- mense amount of capital invested by tlie land- lord in Great Britain, in farm-buildings and permanent im- provements, in connection with the existing groups or areas of cultivation. The large amount of capital required for the cul- tivation of land and the maintenance of stock in a country where scientific culture is firmly established, and where that culture alone can raise production in any degree to a level with the requirements of the whole people, already so insuffi- ciently supplied. The power which the proprietors of land, and those who share their interests and convictions, possess, and justly possess, in the Legislature and Government of the country. Bearing in mind these exceptional features in the social and political condition of our country, let us proceed to a consideration of the expedients which have been proposed or might be suggested for the correction of the evils and dan- gers attached to the excessive concentration of real property, with tlie view of ascertaining what can be adopted for present action, and what should be definitively or temporarily laid aside. After making a liberal recognition of what the proprietors of land have done in the way of sanitary and moralising work in this country, the truth is written far and wide upon the face of the land that much more lies undone. The reports of the Commission appointed to inquire into the employment of chil- dren, young persons and women, in agriculture, are the true mirror of the condition of the labouring classes de- pending on the land. There we can see how the labourer lives, what he learns, how he works and struggles, sometimes starves, and mostly ends — not in the kindly shadow of the hall, not on the pleasant verge of the garden, the park, or the home farm, but over the common surface of the soil, out of sight and paitly out of mind. Nothing is disclosed in stronger colours in those reports than this, that the dwellings of the rural population urgently demand a very general reconstruc- tion. It would be hazardous to assert in the face of those statements that more than two-thirds of the existing habita- tions are satisfactory or susceptible of improvement aud en- largement. The last census report for Scotland tells the same story and supplies some statistical details. One-third of the population live in tenements comprising one room only, an- other third live in houses with two rooms ; one-eighth only possess dwellings with three rooms. There is little distinction between the scale of lodging for the industrial and for the agricultural classes. As far as rooms are concerned, dwellers in towns are provided in the same way ^ as dwellers in the country. A comparison of the reports concerning England with those concerning Scotland lead me to believe that with reference to house room the two peoples are now much alike. If a minimum of one-third of the agricultural homes of Great Britain require to be rebuilt, you have something like a measure of our great necessity on the rural side. It is a matter of building seven hundred thou- sand cottages at a cost of seventy million sterling. In re- garding the work that lies before us, two things strike me as certain. The work cannot be done in any considerable mea- sure by the labourers, and it must be barren of all direct re- muneration to the landlord. The agricultural reports are decidedly adverse to the old-fashioned freehold cottage. Give the labourer a patch of soil for himself or let him take it ; he will raise a hovel which will too often become a scene of over-crowding dilapidation, slovenliness, aud every sanitary abuse. Build the labourer a substantial and wholesome habi- tation on a garden and fixture allotment, and let him become the proprietor of the place by a course of industry and self- denial, there is a prospect that it will be kept with decency and pride. The man cannot make the house, the house will make the man. I have seen various projects and estimates to prove that cottage building may become a good investment, but reason and experience convince me to the contrary, as far as the landlord is concerned. The rural population are not too few for their work. ,The,y are in some places too numerous. We do not want more men and additional cottages, but better men and better cottages. The proprietor cannot gain by mul tiplying the dwellings of the poor, except at the cost of an- other proprietor ; and at the best the rent will soareely do more than cover the repairs. As a rule, the landlord can only, create good dwellings as substitutes for bad ones. Nor can he charge a higher rent for a good dwelhng than he does for a bad one The labourer is highly rented; sometimes rack-rented already. A new house will usually be found more expensive than an old one. It requires more fire and more furniture. The rents now paid should in many cases be reduced, if the labourer is to be settled in a more spacious and better divided dwelling, and if he is at the same time to withdraw his children from field lubour and pay for their elementary education. Indi- rectly, I concede that the landlord may obtain some compen- sation for his outlay. The reconstruction of cottages, when pursued on a comprehensive plan, will be accompanied by redistribution ; [the habitation of a labourer will be placed advisedly ; he will be fixed nearer his work ; the labour sup- ply will be rendered more covenient and more regular ; the hours of labour may be better assorted ; and the strength of the labourer will be economised for remunerative exertion. The general improvement which may thus be effected in the working capacity of a farm may give it some increased value in the market. On the whole, how- ever, the reconstruction of cottages by the landlord, with a due regard to moral and sanitary requirements, will be a work of love and pride, not a work of profit. Rural cottages fall into two groups : those which are associated with the current cultivation of the farm, and are destined to be habitations of farm-servants ; and those which are intended to be the dwell- ings of unattached working men employed on roads, public works, agricultural improvements, or in handicrafts and trades. The first class must be built by the landlord, and must remain his property. The second class need not neces- sarily be built by the landlord, and might, in my humble judgment, even when the landlord undertakes the first outlay, be subsequently couverted into labourers' freeholds with manifest advantage. In the reports recently submitted to Parliment on the operation of building societies, I do not find to what extent they have spread to purely rural districts. I conceive, however, that it would be much in the interest of proprietors of land to encourage the introduction of these agencies by becoming shareholders ; by recommending them to the labouring classes ; and by providing them with freehold sites on beneficial terms, with careful provisions, however, as to the quality of the structures to be erected. The landlord would thus be eventually reheved of the obligation to keep up superannuated and unremuuerative buildings ; the labourer would pay iiis rent with the hope of becoming a proprietor ; the right of suffrage would be exercised with more inde- pendence and reflection ; the child would be attached to the parent by a prospect of succession ; and a home and a fireside would be substituted for a bed in the workhouse at the end of the perspective. The intelligence and conscience of the country having been aroused in this question, I think that we 440 THE FAEMBR'S MAGAZINE. possess powerful guarantees for the reform of those social evils whicii are connected with the habitations of the rural poor, and even for the creation hereafter, under better auspices, of an order of labouring men liolding a share of real pro- perty ; but as in all classes there are individuals who are not accessible to the instigations of lionour and duty, it may be desirable to examine the question of State interference. The question is a delicate one, and I would rather refer it to your consideration than hazard opinions myself. Speaking, however, in a suggestive spirit, I consider that great results may be ex- pected from inspections and reports. These shonld be fre- quent, particular, and personal. The oflicial indication of in- dividual neglects, which in the present state of the law would be invidious and cruel, would become, under other circum- stances, legitimate, and it would be in most cases ir- resistible. The sanitary authorities of the rural districts should be invested with the most ample prerogatives for the regulation of the character of the habitations within their Jurisdiction. Tliey should have absolute power to declare any building unfit for luunan habitation on the report of the Government inspectors and to order it to bo closed or removed after reasonable warning. No new building should be erected until the site and the plan had been sub- mitted to tlie sanitary authoriliis for a time, so that objections miglit be tal hen not full grown, and iu the late-planted crops the roots were very small and nearly all diseased. There were a few untainted, princi- pally of small size, but he feared much that all that were dis- eased would go to pulp. However, the land must be cleared for the following crop, and the soouer it was done the better. Any tubers that were untainted should be kept from those that were unsound, and stored in small quantities, while the others should be sent at once to tbe starch-mill, if they were fit for that purpose. Comparing the grain crops of the two years, that of 1845 was a full average and all well secured, so that it tided the farmers in a great measure over the severe loss su tiered on that occasion. But tlie present had been the most deplorable season he had ever known, and the conse- quences could as yet scarcely be realised, but they must be disastrous. The potato crop lost— the grain crop irretrievably damaged— all this was very sad, for at one time the prospects and hopes of the farmers had run high. There had appeared to he plenty for man and beast, but all was now changed. It was a case where Hope withering flies, and mercy sighs farewell. Mr. Hope (Fentonbarus) was sorry to say he most cordially agreed with what Mr. Doughs baa said regarding the crop of tbe year 1872, which went beyond anything in his experience. He had a very faint recollection of 1816, and he remembered the great relief with wliich he had eaten the bread baked ofthe crop of 1817. But he did not think that eveu 1816 had been so bad as the present year, because at that time the quantity of potatoes grown was small compared with the quantity which the farmers had found it so profitable to grow for so many years past. They should be tliankful, however, that they had something in hand from former seasons, derived chiefly from the potatoes, but if they had a recurrence of such disasters, they might perhaps lose more than they had made. However, he hoped for better times. Regarding the takiug up of the crop, he did not think he had seen any implements— potato- diggers— that were quite up to the mark, taking them all in all ; and be thought tiie crop could be lifted better and more cheaply by means of pronged ploughs. In a year like this, they should be particularly careful iu having the pits as narrow as possible. If they were made three feet wide it would be much more secure than the ordinary width of the pits. It was only after the great disaster of 1845 that potatoes began to be grown to any extent iu Scotland. At that time he had only eight acres under potatoes, which was not one-tenth of what he had been in the habit of growing since then. He recol- lected quite well taking up his potatoes and carefully sepa- rating the diseased from the sound ones, putting the latter back again, but on looking at them afterwards they had all gone together. The " gatherings," however, which had been put away and allowed to lie, turned out to be very little ditferent from what they had been when lifted up. Therefore, he thought it of importance never to touch potatoes till they came tobe used, because, if tliey were heated a second time, disease was sure to make its appearance. He greatly doubted whether this year they would have a crop worth troubling themselves very much about. So far as he was concerned, he expected that out of the one-half he might get enough for seed, and out of tbe other half about a ton per acre ; but lie meant to take tlieni up as carefully as he could, lor the pur- pose of securing as much setd as possible for next year, P F 442 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. THE NOTTS. CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. At the quarterly meeting in Nottingham, Mr. Colling- ■ffOOD proposed : " That this meeting present a memorial to the local autliority under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, requesting them to exert the power given to them to shut up all store fairs and markets in this county for six weeks at least, in face of the irruption of rinderpest into adjoining counties, and that fat cattle be only allowed to come to market under a licence to be given by a magistrate or superintendent of police acting for the district from which the cattle came." Mr. Gilbert moved as an amendment : " That the time has not arrived for stopping the markets and fairs, and that this Chamber has sufficient confidence in the local authority to leave the matter in their hands." Mr. Beardall seconded the motion. On the amendment being put, ten voted for it and the same number against it. The original resolution was also put, when ten voted for and ten against. Mr. Muster, the chairman, on being appealed to for his casting vote, said as a member of the local authority to whom the proposed memorial would have to have been presented, he must decline to vote. Both the resolutions and the amendment, therefore, fell to the ground. Mr. Storer moved : " That the local authority be requested to memorialise the Privy Council to increase the amount for which compensation may be given for each animal slaughtered for rinderpest up to a value of £30, instead of £20, as on the last occasion." Mr. J. Parr seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr. Storer said that as Government had announced their intention to take up Local Taxation next Session it would per- haps be as well to wait and see what they proposed to do. He thought he might safely say, liowever, that the agricultural community were not to be taken with the bait Mr. Goschen had held out of dividing local taxation between the owner and the occupier. He did not think agriculturists or the landed interest generally would be satisfied with such a proposal, which would be mere evasion by which the moneyed classes would not pay their fair share of taxation, and would also make the question a bone of contention between owner and occupier, whereas they desired to see all descriptions of pro- perty paying towards local taxation, and to cause those de- scriptions of property which now contributed nothing to pay a fair share. The matter then dropped. Mr. Hemsley (Shelton) said he was sorry to see by the report of a recent meeting of the Chamber that opinions were expressed to tlie effect that because farmers were so well off in this county it was not necessary to discuss the question of Un- e.xhausted Improvements. He regretted that such a feeling should have emanated from the Ciiamber, because it was well- known the counties of Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire stood the best in England on this particular point, and for that rea- son, there was no county better able to express an opinion for the guidance of the county on this very important subject, for he considered it really the most important subject before the agricultural community, excepting the cattle plague. The questions relating to unexhausted improvements had grown gradually into practice, and though the system of this county might not be perfect it approached nearer to perfection than any other in the country. He thought if they looked fairly at it they would see that unless the question of compensation for unexhausted improvements was settled on a proper basis throughout the county they must really expect a land law which none of them hoped to see in this country. It was all very well for them to say that they were well off in this county, but lie ventured to think that that was not the pur- pose for which chambers of agriculture were established. They were established to discuss all questions of interest to the agriculturists of this country, and he thought it would have been better to have gone thoroughly into it rather than take it by piecemeal, as by doing so they might have laid down a course of action for other chambers to follow. He con- sidered that a good deal might be said upon this subject, and he desired to point out particularly that there was a limit to which they could go in the employment of capital in agri- culture. But whilst they were jostled on the one side by their friends in towns as to the employment of more capital in agri- culture, and jeered by the Government on the other he would ask whether the investment of capital in agriculture had ever received that encouragement from the Government of this country which had been extended to trade and commerce ? Had the agriculture of this limited island been fostered and encouraged as trade had ? Their acres were limited, and their shares could not be extended, and he contended that under those circumstances more encouragement was due to the British agriculturist. He might mention one or two sub- jects to illustrate his meaning, and first there was the im- portation of foreign disease among cattle. They had had almost unlimited free trade in foreign diseases, and agriculture had suffered great losses by the introduction of foreign dis- eases into this country. He thought they had a right to com- plain on that head therefore. He would also ask whether the Government had given any encouragement as to the removal of the abominable duty on malt, and whether with regard to this new project of local taxation they were to be jeered at by hangers-on of the Government that if they expected to get rid of their present heavy taxation they would be wonderfully deceived. A member of the House of Commons said the other day that if the auriculturists thought of getting rid of any part of the burden laid on their shoulders they would be de- ceived, because nothing would be done to militate against the trade of the country. After one or two further observations, he said he regretted this subject had not been thoroughly discussed. The Chairman said the question was brought on at Mans- field, but was not discussed owing to the limited attendance. Mr. Hemsley said he did not wish to make a motion without going fully into the question. Mr. CoLTON believed the matter, of unexhausted improve- ment was really one of Tenant-Right. As the Tenant-Right in Notts, was in a very satisfactory state they could not im- prove it by discussing it. Those counties in which the Tenant- Right was bad should discuss the matter. Mr. Beardall said as the farmers in this county were satisfied, he did not see why they should call for any legislation. Mr. Gilbert said it was a question between landlords and tenants on some matters, but on others it was not. There were a number of matters which the farmer left without getting the slightest compensation . The question was — and he wrote upon the subject to Mr. Barrow many years ago — whether they could get a system adopted whereby they could get compensated for unexhausted improvement which did not come under tenant-right. Mr. CoLTON said there were few cases where a man would lay out capital to any amount without entering into some agreement with his landlord. Mr. J. Parr thought there ought to be some broad prin- ciple laid down. Tenants who had private means of their own would take a pride in getting their farms into good order if they knew that their repairs and alterations would be allowed, and it would be to their own interest, their landlord's interest, and their country's interest to do so. ]\[r. Beardall said the questions of permanent improve- ments were not questions for the tenant, who had to do with the cultivation of the soil. Mr. Allsebrook (Wollaton) supported the view taken by Mr. Hemsley, that the question might be discussed with ad- vantage. A resolution on the subject would come with a better grace from a county M'hich had no interest in the matter. Tiiey were discussing a matter which affected the whole coun- try and not one county in particular. No doubt these subjects were often arranged between landlord and tenant, but not always, he thought, to the satisfactiou of all parties, and as they all hoped to avoid a land law, they should endeavour to secure a settlement of these difliculties on a footing which would be satisfactory and beneficial to the whole country. The Chairman thought the discussion had done good rather than harm, because it had shown how satisfied the Notts, farmers were. Mr, Hejisley : I hope the subject will not be lost si^ht of, THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 443 HORACE GREELEY'S AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCES. (The following history has been compiled here and there from IFhat I Know of Farming.) I came to New York when not quite of age, with a good constitution, a fair comraon-school education, good health, Sifood habits, and a pretty fair trade (tliat of printer). I think my outfit for a campaign against adverse fortune was decidedly better than the average ; yet ten long years elapsed before it was settled that I could remain here and make any decided headway. Meantime, I drank no liquors, used no tobacco, at- tended no balls or other expensive entertainments, worked liard and long whenever I could find work to do, lost less than a month altogether by sickness, and did very little in the way of lielpiiig others. I judge that quite as many did worse than I as did better ; and that, of the young lawyers and doctors who try to establish themselves here in their professions, quite as many earu less as earn more than their bare board during the first ten years of their struggle. John Jacob Astor, near the close of a long, diligent, prosperous career, wherein he amassed a large fortune, is said to have remarked that, if he were to begin life again, and had to choose between making his first tliousand dollars with nothing to start on, or with that thou- sand making all that he had actually accumulated, he would deem the latter the easier task. Depend upon it, young men, it is and must be hard work to earn honestly your first thousand dollars. The burglar, the forger, the blackleg (whether he play with cards, with dice, or with stocks), may seem to have a quick and easy way of making a thousand dollars ; but whoever makes that sum honestly, with nothing but his own capacities and energies as capital, does a very good five-year's work, and may deem himself fortunate if he finishes it so soon. I have known men do better, even at farm- ing. I recollect one who, with no capital but a good wife and four or five hundred dollars, bought (near Boston) a farm of two hundred mainly rough acres, for 2,500 dollars, and paid for it out of its products within the next five years, during which he had nearly doubled its value. I lost sight of him then ; but I have not a doubt that, if he lived fifteen years longer and Jiad no very bad luck, he was worth, as the net result of twenty years' effort, at least 100,000 dols. But this man would rise at four o'clock of a winter morriing, harness his span of horses and hitch them to his large market-waggon (loaded over-night), drive ten miles into Boston, unload and load back again, be home at fair breakfast-time, and, hastily swallowing his meal, be fresh as a daisy for his day's work, in which he would lead his hired men, keeping them clear of the least danger of falling asleep. Such men are rare, but they still exist, proving scarcely anything impossible to an indomi- table will. I would not advise anyone to work so unmerci- fully ; I seek only to enforce the truth that great achievements are within the reach of whoever will pay their price. An energetic farmer bought, some twenty-five years ago, a large grazing farm in Northern Vermont, consisting of some 150 acres, and costing him about 3,000 dols. He had a small stock of cattle, which was all his land would carry ; but he re- solved to increase that stock by at least ten per cent, per annum, and to so improve his land by cultivation, fertilizing, clover, &c., thaf it would amply carry that increase. Fifteen years later he sold out farm and stock for 45,000 dols., and migrated to the West 1 did not understand that he was a specially hard worker, but only a good manager, who kept his eyes wide open, let nothing go to waste, and steadily devoted his energies and means to the improvement of his stock and his farm. When my father was over sixty years old, and had lived some twenty years in Erie County, Pennsylvania, he said to me : "I have several times removed, and always toward the West ; I shall never remove again ; but, were I to do so, it would be towatd the East. Experience has taught me that the advantages of every section are counterbalanced by disadvan- tages, and that, where any crop is easily produced, there it sells low, and sometimes it cannot be sold at all. I shall live and die right here ; but, were I to remove again, it would iiot be toward the West." This is but one side of a truth, and I give it for whatever it may be worth. Had my father plunged into the primitive forest in his twenty-fifth rather than his forty-fifth year, he would doubtless have become more recon- ciled to pioneer life than he ever did. I would advise no one over forty years of age to undertake, with scanty means, to dig a farm out of the dense forest, where great trees must be cut down and cut up, rolled into log-heaps, and burned to ashes where they grew. When I was ten years old, my father took a job of clearing off the mainly fallen and partially rotten timber — largely white pine and black ash — from fifty acres of level and then swampy land ; and he and his two boys gave most of the two ensuing years (1821-2) to the rngged task. When it was finished, I — a boy of twelve years — could have taken just such a tract of half-burned primitive forest as that was when we took hold of it, and cleared it by an expenditure of seventy to eighty per cent, of the labour we actually bestowed upon that. I had learned, in clearing this, how to economize labour in any future undertaking of the kind ; and so everyone learns by experience who steadily observes and reflects. He must have been a very good farmer at the start, or a very poor one after- ward, who cannot grow a thousand bushels of grain much cheaper at thirty years of age than he could at twenty. To every young man who has had no farming experience, or very little, yet who means to make farming his vocation, I say. Hire out for the coming year to the very bfest farmer who will give yon anything like the value of your labour. Descended from several generations of timber-cutters (for my paternal an- cestors came to America in 1640), and myself engaged for three years in land-clearing, I realise that trees exist for use rather than for ornament, and have no more scruple as to cutting timber in a forest than as to cutting grass in a .meadow. Utility is the reason and end of all vegetable growth, of a hickory's no less than a cornstalk's. I have always considered " Woodman, spare that tree," just about the most mawkish bit of badly-versified prose in our language, and never could guess how it should touch the sensibilities of anyone. We have pretty well outgrown the folly of letting every apple-tree bear such fruit as it will ; though in the orchard of my father's little farm at Amherst, N. H., whereon I was born, no tree had ever been grafted when I bade adieu to it in 1820 ; and I presume none has been to this day. My farm is in the township of Newcastle, Westchester County, N. Y"., 35 miles from our City Hall, and a little eastward of the hamlet known as Chappaqua, called into existence by a station on the Harlem railroad. It embraces the south-easterly half of the marsh which the rail- road here traverses from south to north — ray part measuring some fifteen acres, with five acres more of slightly elevated dry land between it and the foot of the rather rugged hill which rises thence on the east and on the south, and on which I now own some fifty acres, lying wholly eastward of my low land, and in good part covered with forest. Of this, I bought more than half in 1853, and the residue from time to time in bits as I could afford it. The average cost was between 130 dols. and 140 dols. per acre ; one small and poor old cottage being the only building I found on the tract, which consisted of the ragged edges of two adjacent farms, between the western por- tions of which mine is now interposed, while they still adjoin each other beyond the north and south road, half-a-mile from the railroad, on which their buildings are located and which forms my eastern boundary. My stony, gravelly upland mainly slopes to the west ; but two acres on my east line incline to- ward the road which bounds me in that direction, while two more on my south-east corner descend to the little brook which, entering at that corner, keeps irregularly near my south line, until it emerges, swelled by a smaller runnel that enters my lowland from the north and traverses it to meet and pass oif with the larger brooklet aforesaid. I have done some draining, to no great purpose, on the more level portions of my upland ; but my lowland has challenged my best efforts in this line, and I shall here explain them, for the encouragement and possible guidance of novices in draining. Let me speak first of my difficulties. This marsh or bog consisted, when I first 444 THE FARMER'S MAGAZL^sE. grappled with it, of some thirty acres, whereof I theu owned less than a third. To drain it to advantage one person should own it all, or the different owners should co-operate ; but I had to go it alone, with no other aid than a freely-accorded privilege of straightening as well as deepening the brook which wound its way through the dryer meadow just below nie, form- ing here the boundary of two adjacent farms. I spent 100 dols. on this job, which is still imperfect ; but the first decidedfall in the stream occurs nearly a mile below me ; and you tire easily of doing at your own cost work which benefits several others as much as yourself. My drainage will never be perfect till this brook, with that far larger one in which it is merged sixty rods below me, shall liave been sunk three or four feet, at a further expense of at least 500 dollars. This bog or swamp, when T first bought into it, was mainly dedicated to the use of frogs, muskrats, and snapping-turtles. A few small water-elms and soft maples grew upon it, with swamp alder partly fringing the viestern base of the hill east of it, where the rocks which had through thousands of years rolled from the hill, thickly covered the surface, with springs bubbling up around and among them. Decaying stumps and embedded fragments of trees argued that timber formerly covered this marsh as well as the encircling hills. A tall, dense growth of blackberry briers, thoroughwort, and all manner of marsh- weeds and grasses, covered the centre of the swamp each sum- mer ; but my original portion of it, being too wet for these, was mainly addicted to hassocks or tussocks of wiry, worthless grass ; their matted roots rising in hard bunches a few inches above the soft, bare, encircling mud. The bog ranged in depth from a few inches to five or six feet, aud was composed of black, peaty, vegetable mould, diversified by occasional streaks of clay or sand, all resting on a substratum of hard coarse gravel, out of which two or three springs bubbled up, in addition to the half-a-dozen which poured in from the east, and a tiny rivulet which (except in a very dry hot time) added the tribute of three or four more, which sprang from the base of a higher shelf of the hill near the middle of what is now my farm. Add to these that the brook which brawled and foamed down my hill-side near my south line as aforesaid, bad brought along an immensity of pebbles and gravel of which it had mainly formed my five acres of dryer lowland, had thus built up a pretty swale, whereon it had the bad habit of filling up one channel and then cutting another, more devious and eccentric, if possible, tliau any of its predecessors — and you have some idea of the obstacles I encountered and resolved to overcome. One of my first substantial improvements was the cutting of a straight channel for this current and, by walling it with large stones, compelling the brook to respect necessary limitations. It was not my fault that some of those stones were set nearly upright, so as to veneer the brook rather than thoroughly constrain it ; hence some of the stones, undermined by strong currents, were pitched forward into the brook by high spring freshets, so as to require resetting more carefully. This was a mistake, but not one of my blunders. These, the natural results of inexperience and haste, were very grave. Not only had 1 no real experience in draining when I began but I could hire no foreman who knew much more of it than I did. I ought to have begun by securing an ample and sure fall where the water left my land, and next cut down the brooklet or open ditch into which I intended to drain to the lowest practicable point — so low, at least, that no drain run- ning into it should ever be troubled with backwater. Nothing can be more useless than a drain in which water stagnates, choking it with mud. Then I should have bought hundreds of Hemlock or other cheap boards, slit them to a widtli of four or five inches, and, having opened the needed drains, laid these in the bottom and the tile thereupon, taking care to Ireak joint, by covering the meeting ends of two boards with the middle of a tile. Laying tile in the soft mud of a bog, with nothing beneath to prevent their sinking, is simply throw- ing away labour and money. I cannot wonder that tile drain- ing seems to many a humbug, seeing that so many tiles are laid so that they can never do any good. Having, by successive purchases, become owner of fully lialf of this swamp, and by repeated blunders discovered that making stone drains in a bog, while it is a capital mode of getting rid of the stone, is no way at all to dry the soil, I closed my series of experiments two years since by carefully relaying my generally useless tile on good strips of board, sinking them just as deep as 1 could t'prsnade tlie water to r^m of^' frrely, and instead of allowing thera to discharge into a brooklet or open ditch, connecting each with a covered main of four to six-inch tile ; these mains discharging into the running brook which drains all my farm and three or four of those above it just where it runs swiftly off from my land. If a thaw or heavy rain swells the brook (as it sometimes will) so that it rises above my outlet afore- said, the strong current formed by the concentration of the clear contents of so many drains will not allow the muddy water of the brook to back into it so many as three feet at most ; and any mud or sediment that may be deposited there will be swept out clean whenever the brook shall have fallen to the draiuF.ge level. For this and similar excellent devices I am indebted to the capital engineering and tiiorough execu- tion of Messrs. Chickering and Gall, whose work ou my place has seldom required mending, and never called for recon- struction. I judge that there are not many tracts more diflicult to drain than mine was, considering all the circum- stances, except those which are frequently flowed by tides or the waters of some lake or river. Had I owned the entire swamp, or had there been a fall in the brook juot below me, had I had any prior experience in draining, or had others equally interested co-operated in the good work, my task would have been comparatively light. As it was, I made mistakes which increased the cost and postponed the success of my efforts ; but this is at length complete. I had seven acres of Indiancorn, one of corn fodder, two of oats, and seven or eii;ht acres of grass, on my lowland in 1869 ; and, though the spring months were quite rainy, and the latter part of summer, rather dry, my crops were all good. I did not see better in West- chester County ; and I shall be quite content with as good hereafter. Of my seven hundred bushels of corn (ears) I judge that two-thirds would be accounted fit for seed anywhere ; my grass was cut twice, and yielded one large crop and another heavier than the average first crop throughout our state. My drainage will ', require some care henceforth, but the fifteen acres I have reclaimed from utter uselessness and obstructions are decidedly the best part of my farm. Uplands may be ex- hausted, these never can be. The experience of another season (1870) of protracted drouth has fully justified my most i sanguine expectations. I had this year four acres of corn, and as many of oats, on my swamp, with the residue ingiass ; and they were all good. 1 estimate my first hay-crop at over two and a-half tons per acre, while the rowen or aftermath barely exceeded half a ton per acre, because of the severity of the drouth, which began in July and lasted till October. My oats were good, but not remarkably so ; and I had 810 bushels of sound ripe corn from four acres of drained swamp and two and a-half of upland. I estimate my upland corn at seventy (shelled) bushels, and ray lowland at fifty-five (shelled) bushels per acre. Others, doubtless, had more, despite the unpro- pitious season ; but my crop was a fair one, and I am content , with it. My npland corn was heavily manured ; my lowland but moderately. There are many to tell you how much I lose by my farming ; I only say that, as yet, no one else has lost a farthing by it, and I do not complain. I had sped across Europe to Venice, and noted with interest the admirable, effective irrigation of the great plain of Lorabardy, before I could call any land my own. I saw there a region perhaps thirty miles wide by one hundred and fifty along the east bank of the Po, rising very gently thence to the foot of the Austrian Alps, which Providence seems to have specially adapted to be improved by irrigation. The torrents of melted snow which in Spring leap and feora adown the southern face of the Alps, bring- ing with them the finer particlesof soil, are suddenly arrested and form lakes (Garda, Maggiore, Como, etc.) just as they emerge upon the plain. These lakes, slowly rising, often overflow their banks, with those of the small rivers that bear their waters westward to the Po ; and this overflow was a natural source of abiding fertility. To dam these outlets, and thus control their currents, was a very simple and obvious device of long ago, and was probably begun by a very few individuals (if by more than one) whose success excited emulation, until the present extensive and costly system of irrigating dams and canals was gradually developed. Wiien I traversed Lorabardy in July, 1851, the beds of streams naturally as large as the Pemigewasset, Battenkill, Canada Creek, or Humboldt, were utterly dry ; the wster which would naturally have flowed tlierein being wholly transferred to an irrigating canal (or to canals) often two or three miles distant. The reservoirs thus created were filled in spring, when the streams were fullest anfl THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 445 their water richest, and gradually drawn upon throughout the later growing season to cover the carefully-levelled and graded fields on cither side to llie depth of an inch or two at a time. If any failed to be soon absorbed by the soil, it was drawn off as here siiperlliions, and added to the current employed to moisten and fertilize the field next below it ; and so field after field was refreshed and enriched, to the husbandman's satis- faction and profit. It may be that the rich glades of Englisli Lancashire bear heavier average crops ; but those of Lombardy are rarely excelled on the globe. Wiiy should not our Atlantic slope have its Lombardy? Utah, Nevada, and California, exhibit raw, crude suggestions of such a system ; but why should the irrigation of the New World be confined to regions where it is indispensable, when that of the Old is not ? I know no good reason whatever for leaving an American field unirrigated where water to flow it at will can be had at moder- ate cost. When I first bought land (1853) I fully purposed to provide for irrigating my nearly level acres at will, and I con- structed two dams across my upland stream with that view ; but they were so badly planned, that they went off in the flood caused by a tremendous rain the next spring ; and, though I rebuilt one ol them, I submitted to a miscalculation wliieh provided for taking the water, by means of a syphon, out of the pond at the top and over the bank that rose fifteen or twenty feet above the surface of the water. Of course air would work into the pipe after it had carried a stream unex- ceptionably for two or three days, and then the water would run no longer. Had I taken it from the bottom of my pond through my dam, it would have run for ever (or so long as there was w \ier covering its inlet in the pond) ; but bad engin- eering flung me, and I have never since had the heart (or the means) to revise and correct its errors. My nest attempt was on a much humbler scale, and I engineered it myself. Toward the north end of my farm, the hill-side which rises east of my lowland is broken by a swale or terrace, which gives me three or four acres of tolerably level upland, along the upper edge of which five or six springs, which never wholly fail, burst from the rocks abov3 and unite to form a petty runnel, which dries up in very hot or dry weather, but which usually pre- served a tiny stream to be lost in the swamp below. North of the gnlly cut down the lower hill-side by this streamlet, the hill-side of some three acres is quite steep, stilijpartially wooded and wholly devoted to pasturage. Making a petty dam across this runnel at the top of the lower acclivity, I turned the stream aside, so that it should henceforth run along the crest of this lower hill, falling off gradually so as to secure a free current, and losing its contents at intervals through variable depressions in its lower bank. Dam and artificial water-course together cost me 00 dols., which was about twice what it should have been. That rude and petty contrivance has now been ten years in operation, and may have cost 5 dols. per annum for oversight and repairs. Its effect has been to double the grass grown on the two acres it constantly irrigates, for which I paid 280 dols., or more than thrice the cost of my irrigation. But more: my hill-side, while it was well-grassed in spring, always gave out the first dry or hot week ; so that when I most needed feed, it afforded none ; its herbage being parched up and dead, and thus remaining till refreshed by generous rains. I judge, therefore, that my irrigation has more than doubled the product of those two acres, and that these are likely to lose nothing in yield or value so long as that petty irrigating ditch shall be maintained. I know this is small business. But suppose each of the hundred thousand New- England farms, whereof five to ten acres might be thus irri- gated at a cost not exceeding |100 dols. per farm, had been similarly prepared to fiow those acres last spring and early summer, with an average increase tlierefrora of barely one ton of hay (or its equivalent in pasturage) per acre. The 500,000 tons of hay thus realized would have saved 200,000 head of cattle from being sent to the butcher while too thin for good beef, while everyone of them was required for further use, and will have to be replaced at a heavy cost. Shall not these things be considered ? Shall not all who can do so at moderate cost resolve to test on their own farms the advantages and benefits that may be secured by irrigation ? I took a run through Virginia last summer, not far from the 1st of August. That State was then suffering intensely from drouth, as she con- tinued to do for some weeks thereafter. 1 am quite sure that I saw on her thirsty plains and hillsides not less than three hundred thomsand acres planted with Indiancorn, whereof the average product could not exceed ten bushels per acre, while most of it would fall far below that yield, and there were thou- sands of acres that would not produce one sound ear ! Every- one deplored the failure, correctly attributing it to the prevail- ing drouth. And yet I passed hundreds if net thousands of places where a very moderate outlay would have sufficed to dam a stream or brooklet issuing from between two spurs of the Blue Ridge, or the Alleghenies, so that a refreshing current of the copious and fertilizing floods of winter and spring, warmed by the fervid suns of June and July, could have been led over broad fields lying below, so as to vanquish drouth and insure generous harvests. Nay, I feel confident that I could in many places have constructed rude works in a week, after that drouth began to be felt, that would have saved and made the corn on at least a portion of the planted acres through which the now shrunken brooks danced and laughed idly down to the larger streams in the wider and equally thirsty valleys. Of course I know this would have been imperfect irrigation— a mere stop-gap — that the cold spring-water of a parched sum- mer cannot fertilize as the hill-wash of winter and spring, if thriftily garnered and warmed through and through for sultry weeks, would do ; yet I believe that very many farmers might even then have secured partial crops by such irrigation as was still possible had they, even at the eleventh hour, done their best to retrieve the errors of the past. I first farmed for my- self in 1815 on a plat of ei£ht acres, in what was then the open country skirting the East Biver nearly abreast the lower point of BlackwelFs Island, near Fiftieth-street, on a litile in- dentation of the shore known as Turtle Bay. None of the Avenues east of Third was then opened above Thirtieth-street ; and the neighbourhood, though now perforated by streets and covered with houses, was as rural and secluded as heart could wish. One fine spring morning a neighbour called and offered to plough for 5 dols. ray acre of tillage not cut up by rows ot' box and other wood, and 1 told him to go ahead. 1 came home next evening just as he was finishing the job, which I contem- plated most ruefully. His plough was a pocket edition ; his team a single horse ; his furrows at most five inches deep. I paid him, but told him plainly that I would rather have given the money for nothing. He insisted that he had ploughed for rae as he ploughed for others all around me. " I will tell you," I rejoined, " exactly how this will work. Throughout the spring and early summer we shall have frequent rains and moderate heat : thus far, my crops will do well. But then will come hot weeks, with little or no rain ; and they will dry up this shallow soil and everything planted thereon." The result signally justified my prediction. We had frequent rains and cloudy mild weather till the 1st of July, when the clouds vanished, the sun came out intensely hut, and we had scarcely a sprinkle till the 1st of September, by which time my corn and potatoes had about given up the ghost. Like the seed which fell on stony ground in the Parable of the Sower, that which I bad planted had withered away because " there was no root ;" and my prospect for a harvest was utterly blighted, where, with twelve inches of loose, fertile, well-pulverized earth at their roots, my crops would have been at least respectable. When I became once more a farmer in a small way on my present place, I had not forgotten the lesson, and I tried to have ploughed deeply and thoroughly so much land a 1 had ploughed at all. My first summer here (1853) was a very dry one, and crops failed in consequence around n*", and all over the country ; yet mine were at least fair, and I 'v s largely in- debted for them to relatively deep ploughing. 1 "^•>"° since suffered from frost (on my low land), from the rotting of seed in the ground, from the ravages of insects, etc. ; but never by drouth , and I am entirely confident that deep ploughing has done rae excellent service. My only trouble has been to get it done, for there are apt to be reasons (haste, lateness in the sea- son, etc.) for ploughing shallowy for " just this time," with full intent to do; henceforth better. I have two bits of warm gravelly hiU'-side, which bountifully yield corn, wheat and oats, but which are addicted to washing. I presume one of these bits, at the south-east corner of my farm, has been ploughed and planted not less than one hundred times, and that at least half the fertilizers applied to it have been washed into the brook, and hence into the Hudson. To say that 1,000 dols. have thus been squandered on that patch of ground would be to keep far within the truth. And, along with the fertilizer.^ a large portion of the finer and better elements of the original soil have thus been swept into the brook, and so lavished upon the 446 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. waters of our bay. But since I had tliose lots thoroughly subsoiled, all the water that falls upon them when in tillage sinks into the soil, and remains there until drained away by filtration or evaporation ; and I never saw a particle of soil washed from either save once, when a thaw of one or two inches on the surface, leaving the ground solidly frozen beneath, being quickly followed by pouring rain, washed away a few bushels of the loosened and sodden surface, proving that the law by virtue of which these fields were formerly denuded while in cultivation is still active, and that deep ploughing is an effective and all but unfailing antidote for the evil it tends to incite. I have used guano frequently, and, though it has generally made its mark, I never yet felt sure that it returned me a profit over its cost. Phosphates have done better, especially where applied to corn in the hill, either at the time of planting or later ; yet my strong impression is that flour of bone, applied broadcast and freely, especially when wheat or oats are sown on a field that is to be laid down to grass, pays better and more surely than anything else I order from the city, Gypsum, and possibly Oyster-Shell Lime excepted. My experience can be no safe guide for others, since it is not proved that the anterior condition and needs of their soils are pre- cisely like those of mine. Ten or twelve years ago I bought a pound or more of locust- seed rather late in the spring, scalded it by plunging for a moment the little cotton bag which held it into a pot of boiling water, and letting the seed steep and steam in the bag till nest morning, when the seed was planted in rows in a newly broken bit of poor old pasture land. This was a mistake ; I should have given that seed the richest avail- able spot in my garden, to say nothing of plantiug it as early as April 20th. My locusts came up slowly and grew feebly that year, not to speak of the many seeds that did not sprout at all. Still many came up and survived, and my place is this day the richer for them. My upland has a gravelly rocky soil, not natural to grass, and had been pastured to death for at least a century before I bought it; yet it has yielded me an average of not less than 2 J tons to the acre for the last sixteen years, and will not yield less while I am allowed to farm it. My lowland (bog when I bought it) is bound henceforth to yield more ; but, while imperfectly or not at all drained, it was ofcouisea poor reliance — yielding bounteously in spots, in others little or nothing. In nothing else is shiftless, slovenly farming so apt to betray itself as in the culture of grass. Fifty years ago I judge that the greater part of the hay made in New-England was cut from ;sour boggy land, that was devoted to grass simply because nothing else could be done with it. I have helped to carry the crop off on poles from considerable tracts on which oxen could not venture without miring. It were superfluous to add that no well-bred animal would eat such stuff, unless the choice were between it and absolute starvation. Ill my boyhood I hoed Indiancorn diligently for weeks at a time, drawing the earth from between the rows up about the stalks to a depth of three or four inches ; thus forming hills which the West has since taught me to be of no use, but rather a detriment embarrassing the efl'orts of the growing hungry plants to throw out their roots extensively in every direction, and subjecting them to needless injury from drouth. I am thoroughly convinced that corn, properly planted, will, like wheat and all other grains, root itself just deep enough in the ground, and that to keep down all weeds and leave the surface of the cornfield open, mellow and perfectly flat, is the best as well as the cheapest way to cultivate corn. I have built some stone walls — at first, not very well ; but for the last ten years my rule has been : Very little fence on a farm, but that little of a kind that asks no forbearance of the wildest bull that ever wore a horn. The last wall T built cost me at least 5 dols. per rod ; and it is worth the money. Beginning by ploughing its bed and turning the two furrows together, so as to raise the ground a foot and make a shallow ditch on either side, I built a wall thereon which will outlast my younger child. Au ordinary wall dividing a wood on the north from an open field of sunny gravelly loam on the south, would have been partly thrown down and wholly twisted out of shape in a few years by the thawing of the earth under its sunny side, while it re- mained firm as a rock on the north ; but the ground is always dry under my entire wall ; so nothing freezes tiiere, and there is consequently nothing to thaw and let down my wall. I shall be sorely disappointed if that wall does not outlast my memory, and be known as a thorough barrier to roving cattle long after the name of its origirial owner shall have been forgotten. I must have attended not less than fifty State or County Fairs for the exhibition (mainly) of Agricultural Machines and Pro- ducts. From all tliese, I should have learned something, and presume I did ; but 1 cannot now say what. Henee, I con- clude that these fairs are not what they might and should be. In other words, they should be improved. [ have been having much ploughing done this fall in ray orchards, for what I pre- sume to be the good of the trees ; on my drained swamp, be- cause it is not yet fully subdued and sweetened, and I judge that the winter's freezing and thawing will aid to bring it into condition. And then my swamp lies so low and absolutely flat that the thaws and rains of spring render ploughing it in season for oats, or any other crop that requires early seeding, a matter of doubt and difficulty. All the land I now cultivate, or seek to cultivate, has already been well ploughed more than once ; no stump or stone impedes progress in the tracts I have ploughed this fall ; yet a good plough, drawn by two strong yoke of oxen, rarely breaks up half an acre per day ; and I estimate two acres per week about what has been averaged, at a cost of 18 dols. for the ploughman and driver ; ofl;se.tting the oxen's labour against the work done by tiie men at the barn and elsewhere apart from plougiiing. In other words, I am confident that ray ploughing has cost me from first to last at least 10 dols. per acre, and would have cost still more if it had been done as thoroughly as it ought. I am quite aware that this is high — that sandy soils and dry loams are ploughed much cheaper ; and that farmers who plough well (with whom I do not rank tliose who scratch the earth to a depth of four or five inches) do it at a much lower rate. Still, I estimate the average cost in this country of ploughing land twelve inches deep at 5 dols. per acre ; and I am confident tha t it does not cost one cent. less. THE CULTIVATION AND USE OF INDIAN CORN. Maize (ZeaJ, or Indian corn, is a tropical, or at least a southern plant, though we have no positive knowledge in regard to its original habitat, as we are not aware of its ever being found in a wild state. It is the only one of the culti- vated grains that is of American origin. It was found in its present condition, in the possession of many Indian tribes, at the earliest period of their discovery by Europeans, and according to their traditions had been cultivated by them for unknown ages. Its value was soon recognised by the disco- verers, and it has now become an important crop in climates suitable for it in all quarters of the world. As an article of food for man and beast (but especially the latter), it holds a pre-eminent rank, and perhaps the loss that would be sus- tained by the entire failure of this crop, on this continent, would scarce be exceeded by that of any other crop. Though generally believed to be an American plant, it has been alleged to have been known before the discovery of America. In Chambers' Encyclopredia, article Maize, is the following state- ment : " A representation of the plant found in an ancient Chinese book in the Royal library in Paris, and the alleged discovery of some grains of it in the cellars of ancient houses in Athens, have led some to suppose that it is a native also of the East, and has from a very early period been cultivated there, and even that it is the " corn" of scripture ; although on this supposition, it is not easy to account for the subsequent neglect of it until after the discovery of America, since which the spread of its cultivation in the Old World has taken place with a rapidity such as might be ex- pected from its great productiveness and other valuable quali- ties." Columbus himself brought it to Spain about the year 1520. Probably, hke the potato and tobacco, it is a native of America, though it is now in general cultivation in the South THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 447 of Europe, aud supplies a principal part of the food of the inhabitants of many countries of Asia aud Africa. It is by far the most productive of all the cereals, iu the most favour- able situations yielding an increase of eight hundred for one, whilst an increase of three hundred aud titty to four hundred for one is common where irrigation is practised, and even without this tlie yield is large. There is hardly any crop respecting which farmers differ as widely as they do in the management of ludiau corn. They diller about the season of the year when the ground ought to be ploughed for it ; in the depth it ought to be ploughed ; about the time of planting ; about the manner, whether hills or drills ; about the distance apart that the plants ought to be left ; about whether the seed ought to be soaked or planted dry ; about the after- culture of the corn, some using only the hoe, some the hoe and cultivator, otiiers the shovel or some other plough ; some hill up the plants well, others keeping the ground as level as possible. They differ also about the time and mode of har- vesting. What has been written about the history, culture, and value of maize would lill volumes. Some farmers (though few, if any, in Canada do so) grow this for their principal crop, the crop upon which they place most dependence; others grow it rather as a fallow crop, and look for the profit to be derived from the following crops, rather than any direct profit that is got from the corn itself. It is to this latter class that the writer belongs. From being near the nortiieru limit where corn can be grown with success, and probably also from peas being a more favourite crop with ou( farmers, Indian corn has never been very largely grown in Ontario ; probably its growth might be profitably increased. Though it is certainly a cereal, it can be grown and managed in the same manner as a root or fallow crop. The ground can be manured, and cleaned with this crop, and if properly attended to, it will leave the ground in good condition for a crop of spring wheat, barley, or oats. It might well occupy the place with us that tiie horse bean does iu British agricul- ture, and be principally used for the same purpose — the feed- V ing and fattening of stock. When well secured, the stalks from an acre of good corn, are nearly as valuable as an acre of hay. It is a crop that requires a great amount of labour, but what valuable crop does not require labour? The condi- tions most favourable to the growth of corn, are a deep, rich, and rather light soil, with a hot aud moderately moist atmos- phere ; with these it grows the largest, best, and most profitable crops. Still it will grow on almost any soil, from the lightest sand to the heaviest clay, among granite rocks, and on the richest bottoms. In preparing land for Indian corn, prepare as for a rojt crop. Plough stubble ground in the fall, and if you have it to spare, give the land a good coat of manure, and plough it well under, water furrowing if necessary, so that as little water as possible m:iy lie on the ground during winter or spring. On the opening of the spring, as soon as the ground has become sutficiently dry, and time can be found to do the work, thoroiiglily cross-plough and harrow it ; should the land now prove fine, mellow, and pretty clean, no further preparation will be required ; but as fine tilth is es- sential, should the land be rough or cloddy, it should be made fine by repeated rolling, harrowing, aud cultivatiug ; and should it be weedy, another ploughing before planting may be necessary, and will be amply repaid by the more rapid growth of tiie young corn plants, and the greater care of the after cultivation of the ground. The ground may te either marked out and planted iu hills, in straight lines each way, or it may be sown in drills. For a number of years past, after the ground has got all the preparation needed, I have been in the habit of drilling tlie ground in good deep drills, fully three feet wide, putting in them a good coating of barnyard ma- nure. No matter though the land has been manured in the fall, it can hardly be made too rich for corn — it is a gross feeder — spreading it well in the bottom of the drills, and co- vering it up as soon as possible with a good heavy furrow. I then plant the corn, with a planter, on the top of the drill, taking car« to roll the drills well down, so that they are very little above the natural level of the ground This plan I have found to answer very well, thougli in a very dry time tlie corn will sometimes be a little longer in coming up. In planting with the drill I use a one-horse roller, sufficiently long to cover two drills, the one we are planting, and the last one we have planted ; thus pressing down the manure well, breaking all the clods, and leaving the whole fine and smooth. Should the roller not be heavy enough to make the drill as level as it seems desirable at first, I roll thein a second time, after planting, as 1 think it essential that they are well rolled down, weighing down the roller with some heavy article. The drill used is set to drop the corn nearly three feet apart, to drop from four to six grains in a hill, and to cover from one to two inches deep. If the weather is moist, shallow ; if dry, we cover a little deeper. If pumpkins are wanted, they are planted afterwards. As soon as the corn is fairly above the ground, I give it atop-dressing of plasterer ashes, or plaster and ashes mixed, running at the same time the cultivator be- tweea the rows, as close to the young plants as possible, thus killing the young weeds that may be coming up ; I then go over with the hand, killing the weeds between the hills. If the cultivating has been properly done, this can be done very rapidly, as there will be only a very narrow strip left to hoe. This past season my farm-hands hoed an acre a day the first time over. This process has to be repeated once, twice, or more times, as may be required to keep the weeds down, and the grouud mellow, thinning out the plants to three or four in a hill, at the second hoeiug. If time can be spared, the corn will grow all the better if run through with the cultivator once a week, until it becomes too large to work among. It is of great importance to keep the weeds from growing at all, but if they have got possession of the land they should be destroyed at all hazards, as every weed robs the ground of moisture ; they are constantly absorbing from the soil water through their roots, and evaporating it through their leaves into the atmos- phere. The weeds in many a field of potatoes (or cjrn) evapo- rate during ourhot July weather 500 gallons of waterper day per acre. I have sometimes set up corn with the plough, and then hilled with the hoe, but never saw any benefit Irora it, and think it best left level or very slightly hilled. When the land is mellow and clean I do not think hilling any benefit to the crop of corn. In harvesting corn we like to cut it up by the ground as soon as we can aftei the corn is fairly glazed. When cut rather early the corn will be fully as good, aud the fodder much better, than if it is left till it is struck with frost. After cutting bind it in sheaves and set it up in shocks to cure, then draw to the barn, and husk when wanted or when convenient. As the fodder when thus got is valuable, care has to be taken so that it may not heat or mould, as it is very apt to do. It should be spread thin on barn poles, or set up around the floor, or in lofts or sheds ; or if it has to be stacked up outside, set up three poles and build around them, then cover the top with some straw — the poles to thoroughly ventilate, and the straw to prevent the rain from getting in. The late Judge Buet, the first editor of the Albany CuHivafor, was a great advo- cate for the growing of Indian corn. He used to say that it was as indispensable to a Yankee as the potato to an Irishman, or the oat to a Scotchman ; that there was no crop more bene- ficial to the farmer than Indian corn ; that it was the meat, meadow, and manure crop of the farm ; that it was con- vertible into human food in more forms than any other grain, and that its value in fattening domestic animals was not exceeded by any other product of the farm. The method that he recommended for growing Indian corn was to take clover lea, cover it well with long manure from the barnyard, say twenty loads to the acre, well spread, well and neatly ploughed under just bclore planting, well harrowed lengthwise of the furrow, but not tear up the sod (the roller might precede the harrow with advantage), to plant about three feet by two-and-a-half feet apart, to apply double the quantity of seed that was wanted to stand, to be thinned out to three or four plants when hoeing, that it should be slightly hilled up, that it should not be ploughed among when growing, as that broke its roots, but that the harrow and cultivator should be used instead, that it should be cut up by the ground as soon as the grain became glazed, or hard on the outside. He estimated the expense ot ploughing, har- rowing, planting, two hoeings, harvesting, aud rent, for an acre of corn, at about sixteen dollars per acre. Of the various special manures tried on corn, besides plaster, I have found, bone dust, applied at the time of planting, the most beneficial. I have tried superphosphate of lime, but doubted if the in- crease of the crop repaid the cost. One experiment tried last season will not be repeated ; when sowing turnip ground with salt and plaster mixed, having some left, I thought I would try some of it on the corn that was growing close by ; so top- dressed two drills, and omitted two over a part of the field , 448 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Oh cominfj to hoe the corn a raoniing or two after, I found the drills I had sown the mixture on looked just as if they had been struck with frost, some of the largest liills withered to tlie ground, and tliough they did somewhat recover, the drills thus dressed looked much behind tiie others all the rest of the season. The uses of Indian are very numerous ; when very jouug we are told "the small young stalks of thickly sown crops are cut over by the Mexicans as an article for (he dessert, and almost every one relishes green corn in its season. Then tliere are various preparations of the grain, such as johnnycake, hominy, mush, samp, succatasli,pop corn, &c. ; and now it is largely used as a substitute for arrowroot, known in Britain as Oswego flour, and as corn starch. The use of the Indian corn plant for soiling cattle has long been known and recommended ; a writer in the Cultivafor of 1834?, says that he had frequently adopted the expedient of sovv'ing it for soiling, and also for winter fodder, when pasturage and meadow threatened to fail. It is now used largely for this purpose, and no plant answers better, or gives more feed to the acre than it does when properly manured and managed. Corn was at one time greatly recommended for making sugar, and many experiments were tried with it in the United States, but it evidently did not prove profitable, as for many years we have heard nothing of corn-stalk-sugar. This by the way was no new use for this plant, as Prescott, in his history of the con- quest of Mexico, after noticing several of the most important articles of their husbandry, says that the great staple of the country, as indeed of the American continent, was maize or Indian corn, which grew freely along the valleys, and up the steep sides of the Cordilleras to the high level of the table-land. The Aztecs were as curious in its prepa- ration, and as well instructed in its manifold uses as the most expert New England housewife. Its gigantic stalks, in these equinoctial regions, afford a saccharine matter not found to the same extent in northern latitudes, and supplied the natives with siir/ar little inferior to the cane it- self; which was not introduced among them till after the con- quest in 1519. Indian corn is also largely used or abused, for distilling all over North America, and in South America it appears to have been made into Chico or maize beer at a very remote period — it was a common drink of the Indians long before the Spanish conquest. It was commonly made in a similar manner to ordinary beer. The liquor is said to be of a dark yellow colour with an agreeable slightly bitter acid taste ; it is in universal demand on the west coast of South America, and is consumed in vast quantities by the Mountain Indians ; scarcely a single hut in the interior is without its jar of these favourite liquors. Besides the use made of Indian corn as food and drink for man in its various preparations, it is largely used for feeding cattle and stock of all kind. In the western States, cattle and pigs are turned into the corn fields and there latten for the market, thus saving all harvest- ing. With us it is used for feeding pigs, either whole or ground into meal, and also for feeding cattle when fattening during winter. It is excellent for feeding to milk cows during winter and spring, and is sometimes fed to horses ; indeed all kinds of stock on a farm, horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry will readily eat and seem fond of Indian corn. We hear of corn being sometimes used for fuel in the West, where wood and coal are scarce and dear and corn is cheap. In Illinois and other parts they used the corn cobs chiefly for summer fuel, when kept dry they make a useful fuel and ready summer fire, and are no bad substitute at that season for wood or coal. There are many varieties of Indian corn known, of which the most prominent are those distinguished by colour, as wliite, red, or brown and yellow ; those that have different numbers of rows on the ear, as the 8, 10, 12, to 2i-rowed kinds ; those that differ in taste, as the sweet and common kinds ; and those that have some peculiarities in their kernels, as our common kind — the horse- tooth, gourd-seed, the rice-corn, &c., &c. There is no doubt that this plant can be much improved by selection and cultiva- tion, and that varieties may be multiplied to almost any extent by judicious selection of kinds, and crossing by caref\il impreg- nation. Almost every corn-grower has his favourite kind ; I have never found any kind do better here than the common eight-rowed yellow corn. Though corn is a tropical or sub- tropical plant, yet it is capahle of being acclimated in almost any region up to almost the 50th degree of latitude on this continent, and is adapted in some of its varieties to almost any part of the country. Being a short-lived annual it will suc- ceed wherever the heat of summer is intense and of sufficient duration, whatever may be the cold of winter. Tlie corn crop must have been of immense benefit to the early settlers of this country. It succeeds well on new-cleared laud; it requires little cultivation there ; it gives a large increase for the seed planted ; it requires a short season to mature, and could be used for food before it came to maturity. It is no wonder that this was a favourite crop ; even yet there is said to be more land devoted to the production of Indian corn in the United States than to any other grain ; and on the whole earth, Schow states that rice, maize, and wheat are the most extensively cultivated grains, and that rice supports the greatest number of the human race, but that maize has the greatest range of temperature. The quantities of Indian corn grown in North America alone are immense. The total produce of this grain in the United States by the census of 18-1.0 was returned at 377,581,875 ; by that of 1850. at 592,071,101; and by that of 18G0, at 838,792,740; and no doubt the census of 1870 shows a large increase. By the United States census of 1860, the average of the whole United States was 35 busiiels per acre ; the highest average of any State was 45 bushels per acre (Minnesota), and tlie lowest (Delaware) was 20 bushels per acre. In Upper Canada, by a census of 1817, the number of bushels of Indian corn was returned at 1,137,555, an average of about 21 per acre ; in 1850 it was given at 1,688,850 bushels, at an average of 23|- bushels per acre; and by the census of 1861, there were raised 2,256,290 bushels, at about the average of 28j bushels per acre. In this county (Northumberland) the number of bushels of Indian corn in 1861 was returned 64,118, being an average of 27 bushels per acre ; and in this township (Hamilton) there were returned 11,726 bushels, an average of 285 bushels per acre. — W. R., in The Weeldy Globe. AFTER-DINNER TABLE TALK. At Derby Lord George Manners, M-P., said it was not improbable that the magistrates would be called upon to exercise their powers with reference to the cattle plague, which had re-appeared in the country. He was of opinion, and had been for years, that the only safe way of preventing a recurrence of this outbreak was by the prohibition of the im- portation of live cattle altogether. He believed he was the first man who publicly advocated that policy ; that was in 1863, three years before the last outbreak of cattle plague, and although he would be the last man to attempt to institute any undue interference with the trade of the country, yet he was in favour of the policy he had referred to, for if the cattle plague and the foot-and-mouth disease were imported they were the cause of raising the prices of meat, and of diminish- ing the amount for consumption more than the amount of meat imported acted in a contrary direction. But if importa- tion of cattle v/as prohibited, there was no reason why tliere should not be an equal or a larger quantity of dead meat brought to this country. For several years past the average yearly importation of dead meat into London from Aberdeen- shire had amounted to between 25,000 and 30,000 tons, and if that amount of wholesome meat could be slaughtered and sent a distance of COO miles, what was there to prevent any amount of meat being sent into our ports from Ostend, Dun- kirk, and other places. He believed if the importation of cattle was prevented that within two years they would have such a regular stream of foreign meat flowing into our ports as they little dreamt of. Again he asked if any one could estimate the loss which had occurred in the last ten years from the apprehension of this disease, and how many people it deterred from breeding cattle. Mr. J. BROAUiiur.ST said, a great deal had been said about the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 449 cheese factories being amateur farming, carried on at the ex- pense of an association. Some assistance luul certainly been rendered at the commenccut of the undertaking, but that state ot things no lon;:;cr existed, as the cheese luctories were now as self-supporting- as any farm in the county. In order for them to judge for themselves, they should visit the factories. A short time since he savv a large room filled entirely with factory cheese, and although his own opinion might be worth- less, he heard the factor who bought it say he expected to find some improveiucnt this year, but he did not imagine that there Mould be so great an improvement as was then to be seen. He also stated that it was worth 10s. per cwt. more thau home-made cheese, lie was sure the farmers of Derbyshire were far too intelligent not to test the truth of this great, and to them, most important statement, and it was in order to call the attention of the farmers present to the necessity of seeing what had been done at the factories that he had made those few remarks. TheDuke of Rutland, tire chairman, congratulated his hearers on the excellent show. He was sorry (o say that he was not himself a practical far ner, but he had had the pleasure of walking through the show ground, and seeing tiie many ex- cellent animals, and especially tlie hunters. But he could not help reflecting on a fact which he heard alluded to on all sides, viz., that there would have been a larger show but for the prevalence of the foot-and-mouth disease, and the preval- ence of this disease also reminded them of the dread they were at present living under of the introduction of the cattle plague. This county was essentially a grazing county, and therefore, they, as farmers here, were more particularly interested in all that alTected the well-being and health of their cattle, than perhaps the farmers of any other county in England. His noble brother (Lord George Manners) had already alluded to the importation of foreign cattle, to the importation of the cattle plague, and to the possible importation of the foot-and- mouth disease. Now, there had been certain meetings in various parts of England — and he was sorry to say that there had been meetings not only of gentlemen, but also of ladies — where very strong language had been used against " the sel- fishness " and " the hardness of heart" of those who would restrain the importation of foreign cattle. They had said that for their selfish ends, and for putting money into their pockets, advocates of this restriction wished to diminish the food of the people. This was a very grave charge, and he would quote some figures to attempt to prove its fallacy. The figures were the result of a calculation by a Mr. Thompson, residing near York — a gentleman who wrote in the Royal Ar/ricullurnl Journal, volume 8, part 1st, and No. 15, and who in an article went fully into the question of the management of grass-land, and into the quantity of foreign beasts that had been imported, as well as into the quantity of home-bred animals. Mr. Thompson stated that the year of the largest importation was the year 1871, when there were im- ported 248,911 cattle, 916,797 sheep, and 85,622 pigs; and the whole quantity of beasts in the country was 9,317,789, of sheep 31,416,829, and of pigs 4,136,908 ; showing that our own cat- tle bore the proportion of 2.17 per cent, of the total importation of sheep, 1.89 per cent, of pigs, and 1.82 percent, of the total importation, during the year that the imports were tlie greatest, and therefore, if by prohibiting the importation of foreign cat- tle, and by prohibiting the importation aud the spread of foot- and-mouth disease, they could save two percent, of their own cattle, they would save as much as the total imports of cattle. But the cattle that were imported were almost all i-laughtered immediately, and became meat, whilst the home stock re- mained for breeding purposes, and was not slaughtered. What was the eifect with regard to the meat ? In 1871 (the year of the greatest importation) the total imports were 81,578 tousof meat, whereas the total of the home supply of meat that was brought to the butcher and sold by him was 1,266,478 tons, and the proportion of home supply was thus 87 per cent., the imported was 5 per cent., and the slaughtered meat imported was 6 per cent, of this total. The population of the country in- creased at the rate of about 252,463 per annum. There were thus that number of additional mouths to fill every year. The average consumption of meat per head per year was about 7 stones. In 1871 the supply from all sources was greater than in the year 1870 by 82,279 tons, or at the rate of 52 stones for each individual. That showed that the increase of meat had been much greater than the increase of population ; yet at the same time the price of meat had greatly risen, showing that the qnantity consumed by each individual had greatly increased, and also betokening the prosperity of the country. What it was necessary to do then was to find meat not only for that large increase of population, but also for their in- creasing demands. Aud he believed that they who reared cattle in the grazing districts were quite able to find the amount of meat. Mr. Thompson said that there were 22,000,000 of acres in England, Scotland, and Ireland under grass, and that these 22,000,000, though in many cases excep- tionally well farmed, are capable of the very greatest possible improvement. He mentioned this country as one where there was some of the best grass land that might be greatly improved ; and his experience, after making various experiments, was that the manure that he found the best for the farm was a mi.xture of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash. None of these taken separately would make good grass, but combined they would produce all that is required. Mr. Bright had referred to the landed in- terest in a very unfair manner, and he was anxious to take that opportunity of olfering his opinion in opposition to Mr. Bright's, promising that no word would fall from \\m\ having either a party or a political tinge, or calculated to cause the slightest offence to his friends around him. Mr. Bright, in having a testimonial presented to him, might have been expected to have spoken with kindly feeling, but on that occa- sion he said that the sunshine and the storm fell equally upon the just and upon the unjust — alluding in tlie latter case to those who had supported protection to active industry some 30 years ago, and he said lliey had supported a wicked monopoly. He (the chairman) was not going to enter into the question of Protection and of Free-trade, but he did say that after that number of years, when the dust and the smoke of the battle had cleared away, and the sun and the storm shone through the clearer and serener atmosphere, the day had arrived when these accusations should not have been made. Boldly and frankly he affirmed that there were men who had supported protection of native industry, as patriotic as Mr. Bright him- self, and he would mention one who alas had been removed from amongst them many years. Lord George Bentiuck, who was actuated by as pure, by as high, by as noble, by as con- scientious, and by as patriotic emotions and principles as those which actuated any statesman who had ever adorned the Legis- lature. When a neighbouring country — our nearest neigh- bour— was recovering from a great defeat, and had chosen a leading statesman under the wisdom of whose guidance she was returning, if not to Protection, at all events to fiscal duties ; and whilst America — the beau ideal of Mr. Bright — had not relaxed one iota in her worship of Protection duties, he should have thought that common decency would have made Mr. Bright silent upon such a . topic at such a time. He, however, hoped that Mr. Bright would soon be restored to his previous vigour, and, for- getting the battles of the past, would enter again into the fel- lowship and friendship of those who were willing to be his friends. They were all aware that Sir Massey Lopes had car- ried a resolution in the House of Commons by a majority of one hundred in favour of taking the burden of local taxation from real property. There were some hints that it would be taken off the owner and put upon the occupier. He hoped that no shuffling of the cards iu this manner would be per- mitted. They all knew that in a few years there would be an increase of the rent, and the burden would remain just the same as at present. What was wanted was that the burden should be taken off, and he hoped that next year they would be met in a fair and an equitable spirit. The other question to which he wished to allude had been referred to by his noble brother — the labour question. This was a question of vital importance to them all. Happily, in this county, they hardly knew what it was, for their agricultural labourers were well paid, and there had therefore been no strike, but iu other counties the labourers had formed themselves into unions and had been addressed by persons from a distance who kuew nothing of their habits and their requirements, and who had endeavoured to raise, and had raised, he was sorry to say, in many cases, an ill-feeling between the employers and the em- ployed. He hoped that that feeling might not extend. He ielt that the labourer in many counties had not had that amount of wages that he ought to have received, and he had felt tkis for years, but he hoped that the evil would now be remedied, and that it would be remedied with a kindly and 450 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. good feeling. He hoped above all that employers would not consider the labourer a mere machine, to whom they were to give the least possible wages that he would take, and from whom they were to get the greatest possible amount of work. Nothing could be so unfortunate to the labourer, nothing he was sure could be so painful and so disagreeable to the em- ployers themselves. He hoped that mutual good feeling would long exist between the employer and employed, and that if those who may have joined the TJnion, those who had been led away by agitators, but who had seen their folly, aiid had returned to their work, would in the coming winter — which he feared might be one of great trial to the labourer, with meat at such a high price, and fuel so expensive — it would be remembered that they had been led away, and that they would only be regarded with those feelings of kindness that had hitherto been shown to them, and tliat everything would be done to alleviate their sufferings. If it was sickness he hoped the employers would do what they could to help the suffering labourer, and that if the men were out of work they would do what they could to find them employment, and he was sure that in the end they would be saved many causes of un- pleasantness by taking that kind and proper course. Mr. RowLAJVD Smith said that at tiie present time farming was a matter of considerable diflicuUy. Whichever way they turned they seemed to meet with fresh grievances. There was, for instance, the foot-and-mouth disease, which was a great evil, and did not confine itself to cattle alone, but attacked niucli smaller animals ; again there was the potato disease, and a threatened outbreak of the cattle plague. He cordially agreed with the remarks of the noble chairman upon that point, being of opinion that if live cattle were to be imported they would have to be slaughtered immediately after they were lauded. I'armers had \*hat might be termed the standard grievance of rates. He was told with regard to that question that there was a very general feeling amongst farmers that they ought to be represented in the management^.,of the distri- bution of money which was collected in the shape of rates. He would be glad if they were, but he did not believe that such a course would be the means of decreasing the amount to be collected. The way to ease the rates was to extend the basis on which they were levied, and he was of opinion that the proposition of Sir Massey Lopes, which had been subraittea to Parliament during the past session, was a most proper and just one. Tins motion, as they might remember, was to lay upon the Consolidated Fund all the expenses of the administra- tion of justice, half the expenses of the police, and half the expenditure connected with pauper lunatics. To his mind the most pleasant incident in all the last session of Parliament was the very large majority (100) which Sir Massey Lopes obtained in favour of his motion, and after that expression of opinion on the part of the House of Commons, lie thought it would not be long before some legislative enactment came into force upon the subject. Mr. J. G. Crompton, referriug to the vast increase of population, and to the increasing importance of the food ques- tion, pointed out how necessary was capital for supplying the food, and for making more numerous the products of the land. They could not expect gentlemen to embark their capital in carnal and fluctuating tenures. Whether it was by Tenant- Right, or by a liberal grauting of leases that this capital was to be invoked, and to be entreated to come into important branches of trade, he thought there was one mode by which an increased amount of capital might be devoted to the soil of this country. It had been stated by Mr. Broadhurst that Derbyshire was a dairy district, and that it was to its cheese-making powers that we must all look. In the year 1870 the cheese of the Derby- shire cheese factories realised 10s. a cwt. above the average of the county at large. He did not say that the cheese was better, but it was a fact that the product of the factories ranged from 10s. to 12s. a cwt. above the average of other cheese in the county. In the following year at both the factories there was a similarly gratifying result. That at once brought capital to the land. Any society producing 200 tons of cheese would thus accumulate a sum of money equivalent to ^2,000, which would go into the pockets of the tenant-farmers who made the cheese ; therefore he maintained that here was a ready process, proved by experience to be sound, for increas- ing the capital of the farmer. From these 13 dairies every cow whose milk was sent to the factories in 1871 had realised £13 7s., to which must be added ^3 for the milk during the closing of the factory, and this made £16 7s. which was earned for each owner of a cow whose milk had been sent to the fac- tories. He did not hesitate to say that in all probability the result would be more than doubled during the present year. Mr. G. M. Dixon, expressed a belief that many farms in Derbyshire would be more remunerative if the owners turned their attention to feeding instead of dairying. At Bradford, Mr. roRSTER,M,P.,didnot wonder that workmen of all classes were everywhere agitating for an increase of wages and a decrease of the hours of work. These questions were brought before us upon a greater scale than upon other na- tions because we produced more than we did formerly. There were more labourers, larger profits made, and he was con- vinced that there was not more bitterness between classes but less ; not as much hatred as formerly but less, and a better understanding between master and man — more sympathy be- tween employer and employed. There was no country in which profits had been so large as in this for the last two or three years. There were many labourers who said that we would never get on in England till we put our workmen in a condition to get as high wages, compared with the hours of labour, as the French and Germans. But he believed that wages were higher iu this country than either of the others compared with the hours the men had to work, and there was no country in the world in which the hours of labour were so short. With regard to wages, in the agricultural districts it must be admitted that the farmers were not in so good a posi- tion to grant their labourers an advance of wages as some other employers, and although wages were lower in the agri- cultural districts than in the manufacturing ones, a farmer had also greater losses to sustain than others. There was another class — the landlords — connected with this matter. By education and position, and being generally in easy circum- stances, they were able to, and he trusted would, mediate be- tween both parties, and assist them in the settlement of their differences. Some of them were doing it at this moment in a way which ought to excite the admiration of all. He thought it would be one of their first duties in Parliament to take into account the obstacles which prevented some landlords from doing their duty by the amendment of the land laws. At Highclere, Lord Carnarvon, the chairman, said it seemed to him there was no class less understood in the coun- try than the labourers." He was generally painted in the most extravagant character, and if the subject was not a serious one he should say it was almost ludicrous. Those present were familiar with the English labourer, and he would ask what really was the condition of the English labourer ? He thought if they would be fair they would admit that his condition, looking back upon the past, was in some few respects less good, but in other respects was much better than it formerly used to be. It was less good, he apprehended, in these points : he had probably less ground for his own purposes than he formerly had ; the commons in a great measure had been en- closed ; and whilst there had been with every other class in the country a large rise in wages there had not been a propor- tionate rise in the wages of the agricultural labourer ; and lastly, he thought the poor-law, so far from assisting the la- bourer, had in some respects tended to aggravate the difficul- ties of his position, but on the other hand the cottages gene- rally were better than they were. Greater attention was paid to the garden, and sanitary arrangements and articles of comfort were now within the reach of the labourer which were entirely out of his reach before. The law of settlement, again, was far easier than it used to be, and there was this further advantage, that the services of the good workman were universally recog- nised and appreciated. Therefore it was that he objected to outside agitators who knew nothing of the matter interfering to attempt to accomplish an object which could better be done without them. As an old Scottish nobleman said 300 years ago of the famous battle of Pinkie in Scotland, when the Eng- lish party desired to place on Scotland the union of that coun- try with England — "I like the match well enough, but dislike the mode of wooing." But it would be said that they were objecting to what was the right of all men in England — namely, the power of combination. He did not think there was one person there who was so unreasonable as to object to combination ; but as a famous character in the French revolu- tion said of liberty, so it might be said of political combina- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 451 tiou, tliat many crimes and oflfeuces were perpetrated in its name. There were two sorts of combination ; there was legitimate fair combination of a class for a legitimate object, emanating from self, to wliich no one could object, and there was combination which was fictitious and factious, and which proceeded from outside agitation, to which he strongly ob- jected. A great deal had been said and written with regard to the English farmer during the last six months wliich was calculated to move both one's contempt and indignation. People seemed to forget entirely what the nature of liis em- ployment was, that it differed in a great degree from almost all those industrial occupations which had made this country so prosperous. Many forgot how largely the element of climate and weather affected his occupation and the results of it, and therefore they talked what appeared to him to be nonsense when they attempted to apply all those principles which were com- mon and necessary to the merchant to the trade of the farmer. Still more was this the case when they considered the highly complicated nature ot modern agriculture, by which everything, so to speak, turned upon the proper nse of machinery at the proper time. When the whole profits of a year or half-year might be imperilled by bringing the work of a farm to a stand- still, let them picture to themselves a trade's union standing by and interfering in order to throw the whole work of the farm out of gear, and then they would see the impossibility of en- tering into comparisons with manufacturing businesses. Therefore he considered trades' unions were a bitter enemy to the farmer, and that they would strike a fatal and deadly blow against English agriculture. Now a word to landlords. They were, he knew, in the habit of coming in (or a good deal of abuse, sometimes, perhaps, with justice, and sometimes with a good deal of unfairness. They were blamed very often for the state of cottages, although tliose cottages often belonged not to [the landlords but to speculators who built them for the purpose of making a profit by tliem. They were sometimes favoured with what he called fabulous remedies. They were told that 700,000 cottages, which were to cost £70,000,000, were required, but where the money was come from, and what was to be tlie return for it, he did not know. He considered the legislature had given the landlords extremely little help, and notwithstanding this he believed tliere was an earnest wish on the part of the landlords to do all they could in the way of improving the dwellings. He did not believe, as a rule, that the cottages paid any return, or if they did it did not exceed one and a-half per cent. They were let as a rule to the tenants out of a kindly feeling, and with the earnest desire to improve the social and material condition of those who resided upon the property. But if the trades' unions had their way, if these political theorists wlio declared that mere money pay- ment was the only point which existed between employer and employed, tlien it would be clear to every one that the rent of the cottages must inevitably be raised. The labourer would find out that his professed friends were in reality his hidden enemies. He believed there was an earnest desire on the part of the farmers and all concerned to meet this question in a fair spirit, and .during the winier he advised them to give their serious attention to it. This question, be it remembered, was only a part of the greater question which was coming upon them, and it was one which could not be satisfactorily settled by mere cash payments. There was the question of privileges, which he firmly disliked very much. It was not so simple a matter as it looked to outsiders, and it was one which the la- bourer, as a rule, preferred to a mere cash payment. He be- lieved the more the labourer understood the question the clearer would he see that there were two sides to the question. He was satisfied of this, that there would be greater facilities for the migration of the labourer from place to place, but at the same time there would be a great and larger introduction of machinery into agricultural pursuits, and with that there would always occur a diminution in the number of hands ne- cessary to work a farm. These were changes which the events of the future would inevitably bring witli them. They might be compatible with both parties, but they could not be resisted or avoided. If the labourers desired to go to the North of England they would do so, and would probably be able to earn higher wages, because in the manufacturing dis- tricts the profits might in some cases be reckoned at fifty per cent., while in the South of England the farmer was content with his five, six, seven, or ten per cent. And then arose the question, was it policy for the farmer to hold out inducements to the labourer which would prevent his leaving ? The land- lord could help in the matter of cottages and gardens. He might see that they were adapted and sufficient for the popu- lation. He might also see that there was a due appropriation of allotment ground for those who desired it, and that a suf- ficient number of small holdings existed to admit of the thrifty improving their position. The establishment of friendly socie- ties was another point which would be closely watched ; and further, he advocated the system of piece-work wherever it could be applied, believing it to be sound in principle. Lastly, there was the principle, which had found little favour as yet, but which he believed to be not only in the abstract sound, but which, under certain limitations, might be successfully ap- plied— he alluded to the proposition of the Speaker of the House of Commons to pay to the men a certain interest upon the profits of the farm. He considered this was a principle which deserved consideration, because it was sound in itself. They were now in a state of transition, and they must prepare for changes ; but he believed there were sure and certain ways of meeting those changes without inconvenience to existing interests. There was the motto of an old London company which he remembered, to the effect that by harmony small for- tunes were built up, and that by discord the greatest fortunes were ruined. ' At Loughborough, Archdeacon Fearon said : There was a question as important as that of wages,viz.,that of the cottages. He thought it very desirable that the labourers should be weU housed, and that tiiey should be as near their work as possible. Some years ago a raid was made, as it were, on labourers' cot- tages, and numbers were pulled down throughout England ; he was sorry to think for some time for the very unworthy reason of shoving the poor-rates all upon somebody else, when those who did it ought themselves to have sustained them. He re- membered speaking to a man not long ago, and the man told hira he had six or seven children, and his work was three miles off. It occurred to hira that wherever the work was the men ought to have been attended to there. They took a great deal out of a man when they got him to walk several miles to his work. If a man had a comfortable and happy home it was the greatest happiness in life, and he should like to see the humblest man live happy in his home. If this was the case he thought all outside troubles would be better eneouutered, and if there was comfort and cleanliness at home he would be able to rise above other evils that came from outside. At Over, Mr. J. Aston had been one of the judges of cheese. The class was a rather small one but very good, and they ex- perienced some difficulty in awarding the prizes to the first and second, and if it had been allowed by the committee, they would have awarded a third prize to the competitor whose cheese they highly commended. The cheese in the second class was not so good as the other. The samples of butter shown were upon the whole exceedingly good, especially the two to which prizes were awarded ; and he might say to those who had been unsuccessful, " Persevere : you may succeed at another meeting." There was a bright as well as a dark side : successes as well as reverses in husbandry. Numbers in Cheshire, as well as in other counties, could testify to the truth of this assertion. Some persons could never make fine cheese, and after struggling on for years at last gave up the occupation and turned to some more remunerative employment. But al- though cheese makers might have difficulties to content with, he considered that if the observations he was about to make were attended to the results would be satisfactory. First, the cattle should be fed well ; secondly, the milk should be put in airy places during hot weather, and be free at all times from unpleasant smell ; thirdly, the vessels should be sweet and clean ; fourthly, the rennet should be applied to the milk at the proper temperature, according to the state of the weather and the con- dition of the milk ; fifthly, the curd should be handled in a careful and skilful manner; lastly, the proper quantity of salt should be applied ; and if, after complying with these conditions, any one failed to make good cheese, rest assured there was something wrong somewhere, and they should not rest satisfied till the cause had been found out. Salt was of little or no use unless the state of the curd was duly consi- dered and thoroughly understood at the time it v/as applied. Cheese was either under or over cured, which greatly lessened its value, in some instances as much as 30s. per cwt. While it was well to guard against extremes, it was better, in his opinion, 452 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. to over salt flie curd than to under salt it. He was strongly inclined to think that a great deal of tiie cheese imported Iroin America was greatly lessened in value for want of more salt. True, it was very rich, but when exposed to the air the colour soon fasted, the flavour became strong, it rapidly decomposed, and in some instances was scarcely fit for consumption. The Americans about six or eight years ago made sure about driving the English cliesse-makers <5ut of the market, but they liad not done so, and, in his opinion, never would, for the best descrip- tions of English cheese were still worth 12s. to l-is. per cwt. more than the best American. He had no desire to undervalue the rapid progress which the Americans liad made, in cheese- making for a number of years past. He believed there was no nation on the face of the earth that had effected greater im- provements in dairying in a given time than the Americans, among them some of the best scientific cheese-makers, who had given to the world a great deal of valuable information ; but of all their advances and experiments, the conclusion arrived at was that more depended on the management and skill of the maker than on fallowing out any prescribed mode ; and it was the case everywhere that nine-tenths of the best cheese were made by rule of thumb, and by parties who had no idea of re- ducing cheese-making to a science. While rapid progress had been made in some industries, in cheese-making they could not do better, in his opinion, than follow in the footsteps of their forefathers ; and if they did so they might rest satisfied '. they would establish the wide-spread fame of their staple commodity. He had been trying for a number of years to make improvements in his dairy, and had met with small success — in fact, some persons had told him it was better fifteen or sixteen years ago than it was now. The mode was more rapid, but tiie cheese did not keep fine iu flavour so long. He had, however, succeeded in reducing his dairy labour, and that was a step in the right direction when servants were scarce and wages high. Mr. Marshall, in res- ponding to the toast of " The strangers," at the Tarporley dinner, spoke of the successes and reverses of exhibitors in various show-yards, and appeared to think that they were very unaccountable. He instanced Prescott taking the first prize at the Bolton show and Balmer being unsuccessful, while at the county show Balmer took first prize and Prescott second, and he (Mr. Aston) was first in the local show. At Tarporley, however, one who had been unsuccessful up to that time came forward and beat both Balmer and himself. One or two rea- sons might be assigned for these apparent discrepancies. The judges at Chester no doubt differed from those at Bolton, as to what constituted a first-class dairy, for a description of cheese held in high estimation in the Manchester markets and the North of England, was not so highly appreciated in London and the western counties of England. Another perhaps more substantial reason was that the cheese varied exceedingly iu value ; even those of the same dairy varying from 5s. to 10s. per cwt. No doubt the cheese which Mr. Balmer exhibited at Belton were not so good as those which he showed at Chester, for at his request he (Mr. Aston) cut some in each lot iu the show yard ; and in his opinion those exhibited at the county show were worth at least 5s. per cwt. more than those which were exhibited in the local society. A wish had been ex- pressed in a local paper that the merits of the factories should be discussed, but all he would say on that was that they should publish their results, so that those not now making fine dairies could determine whether they could do better by sending their milk to the factories. At Penrith, Mr. Jacob Wilson said he liad been very much surprised at the show of Shorthorns. He had heard the valu- able remarks of Mr. Hodgson and others on the subject of cattle disease, Ijut they knew that there was a great difference of opinion on that subject. That day, for instance, they had several opinions expressed, all emanating from self-interest. Mr. J. C. BoTJSTE.M) and others : " No, no !" with cries of " Quite true !" and laughter. Mr. Wilson said, with all deference to his friend Mr. Boustead, he must adhere to what he said. Mr. Boustead : No. Mr. Wilson continued : Well, he assumed that every man had a reason for what he said or did. His friend Mr. Bou- stead told him he had sold a lot of bullocks— that he had sold them all out. And why ? Because he was afraid of getting the disease. Mr. Hodgson had given them a very pertinent fact when he mentioned tlie increase of disease after Carlisle Eair, though no doubt the original source of the foot-and- mouth disease was Ireland. He told them so at the dinner of the Irish Society in Dublin, and they replied that they got it from England first. He did not contradict the statement, but he knew where the disease was now ; and so convinced are the Royal Agricultural Society of the fact, that they now had a commission going through Ireland, to try to get the root of the matter. It was a very difticult matter to watch the ex- port of cattle from Ireland, and Professor Fergusson told him the inspectors were so wretchedly paid that detectives had to watch tliem to prevent them being bought over by the Irish drovers. There could he no doubt as to the truth of Mr. Hodgson's observation, that the moving of cattle about dis- seminated the disease ; and it was a fact that there was never less foot-and-mouth disease in the country than during the period of the cattle plague restrictions. He hoped, therefore, that the Cumberland farmers would forget that, because this was autumn time, and they had a lot of young bullocks to sell, they must liave them moved in spite of everything. Let them think of the general safety first. No doubt there was much truth in what Mr. Hodgson said about the effect of the influx ofgoldontlie price of meat; but we had not yet got over the rinderpest. Many farmers, who had gone largely into the cattle trade before that had given it up, when they saw the havoc the plsgue wrought, and in the belief that cattle were more liable than any other stock to disease. That, he be- lieved, had much to do with the present dearness. Who got the price lie did not know. He was a large grazier, and he knew he did not get the increase of price. Perhaps the breeders got it, and he hoped they did ; but the feeders did not. They were proud of their cattle in Cumberland, and they had a riglit to be, after what they had shown in the Royal and other great yards ; and he trusted Sir Tatton Sykes would not be a solitary instance of men coming into Cumberland to buy cattle. At Watford, the Earl of Clakendon, the Chairman, said emigration, politico-economically speaking, is all very well to carry off the superfluous population and check its too rapid growth ; but when such numbers of strikes iu a variety of trades take place, it must necessarily, unless an advance is made, create such a gap in the population that many trades, especially farmers who require liands for everyday work, may almost shut up shop. And wliat is the feeling of the agricul- tural labourer ? He sees on all sides signs of universal pros- perity— that the wealth of the country has increased and is in- creasing— and that he ought to have higher wages to keep the wolf from the door, looking at the high price of meat and the enormous cost of coal. Of course this cuts both ways. This leads me to make one remark on the practical question of farming, and that is that it is absolutely necessary for the farmer to have capital at the outset of his career to enable him to go on prosperously, and by many charitable acts benefit his labourers and increase the prosperity of the country. It is not my intention to allude to any other subject, but I can- not help alluding to the question of game. It was my fortune, not many years ago, to deliver many speeches on that subject in Warwickshire, when 1 had the honour to stand for that county. Now, Warwickshire is essentially an agricultural county, and I was told that when in speaking of rabbits I said that rabbits should be the property of the tenant, I was pro- pounding a revolutionary theory. But I don't see that I was wrong, and it is still my opinion that rabbits ought to be the property of the tenant. There is no such nimble an animal to avoid a gun as a rabbit. I have seen fearful ravages caused by rabbits. In Lanarkshire, which is a ereat game-preserving county, 1 asked a relative of mine a question on the subject, and when I said surely the farmers ought to have enormous compensation for the damages they sustain, the reply was, we do not pay enormous compensation, for our farms are underlet. Hertfordshire is not a game-preserving county, and I would advise the tenants in the spring, when the crops are green, to go to the landlord and point out the damage that is occurring, and not wait until the crop is fully grown, and when, perhaps owing to bad tillage or some fault in the land, the crop may prove indifferent. THE FARMl'lR'S MAGAZINE. 453 SALE OF THE HAllLOWBURY HERD OF SHORTHORNS, On Tuesday, Sept. 24, 1873. Br Mr. Thornton. Scarcely three months have passed away since the death of Mr. Chas. Barnard, of llarlowbury, Essex, and his executors, promptly fiiltilling his intended purpose to dis- pose, this autumn, of his large herd, brought it to the ham- mer on Tuesday last. He succeeded to his inheritance many years ago, and continued the jSIanor Farm at Har- low, which had been in his ancestors' possession, under the North family, for more than 150 years ; indeed some time since, when that lengthened period had elapsed, a silver cup was presented to him by Col. North, at a din- ner, as a testimony of the good will existiug between the families of landlord and tenant for a century and a half. The old lease nsed, it was said, to specify that three male animals had to be kept on the farm, and this doubtless led Mr. Barnard, in the dawning days of improving stock, to better his dairy cows by a few pedigree Short- horns. The late Mr. Bramston and Mr. Colvin were the earliest to improve the stock of their county, and they had no more zealous follower than Mr. Barnard, who not only bought up their occasionally drafted speci- mens, but followed their example by at times exhibiting a few of his best specimens at the county shows. His idea was that a cow might be fatted to be worth £40 to the butcher. He was, it should also be mentioned, a large mill-owner and corn-factor — consequently a man ought not, he considered, to invest much more than that sum in a young breeding animal. Sober maxims and surff commercial investments they might be, but they were not the kind from which a herd of first-class cattle or sheep could be produced, though they doubtless led to an immense improvement of the general stock, both on the farm and in the surrounding neighbourhood. With ad- vancing years and increased experience, the old breeders' maxim of '• the best to the best" and " get out of the worst" began to have some weight with him, and after breeding for more than fifteen years from principally local animals, he launched out at Captain Oliver's sale, where he gave eighty odd guineas for a Bates bull, and followed it up with some cows of the Sonsie and Spencer tribes at Mr. Charles Howard's sale. The dairy was always uppermost in his mind, as a large contract with a London firm ne- cessitated the filling of the milk-cans night and moruing. Consequently the herd was a large one, comprising more than forty cows, the greater number being pedigree Short- horns, and with the heifers and calves the catalogue con- tained only one short of eighty head. The day broke gloomily, and before breakfast hour was past the rain began to come steadily down and continued until the afternoon. The cattle looked to disadvantage in the wet fields, but as a lot they seemed a very useful though not a very level collection. In the house, where they were gathered a little before noon, they showed to better ad- vantage, the broad backs of several coming well out, as well as the capacious udders of the others. Scarcely a dozen people were there to see them ; the mid-day trains, however, brought scores from Kent, Essex, Norfolk, Cam- bridge, Herts, and Beds. About one hundred and seventy sat down under a marquee to a comfortable and bountiful spread of cold viands, good beer and sherry. The memory of Mr. Barnard was drunk in silence, and the sale commenced with the old cows, soon after one o'clock. For the best and most blooming lots satisfactory prices were realised. A few of the animals had been summei'ed at an off farm, and were brought up thinner in condition than the rest, ner were they such good specimens. The calves were a nice lot all through, being generally very hairy, and well roaned in colour ; there was even more competition for them than for any other part of the herd. Several of the lots were of the Spencer blood, descended through No. 54 and 55 at the Chilton Sale, with recent crosses of Bates' sires. For these animals the competi- tion was evidently keener than for the others, though the best-looking cows sold well. The following are the principal prices : Lot 1, Rosy Morn, 33 gs., J. Press- land; 2, Young Princess, 35 g., T. Allen; 3, Clara Thorn- dale (own sister to Lady Thorndale, sold at Dunmore, for 100 gs.), a plain-coloured useful cow, 49 gs., G. Day ; 4, Lady Sophia Spencer, ill, 20 gs., Postle ; 5, Spring, 42 gs., C. Tabor ; 6, Echo, a broad good cow, 44 gs., T. Rose; 8, Sunshine and bull-calf, 56 gs., Goddard ; 9, Young Silkworm, newly calved, 27 gs., Allen ; 10, Joan, a fine square cow, 35 gs., Pressland ; 13, Lady Oxford, 36 gs., Allen ; 15, Lady Butterfly, 41 gs., Hartopp ; 16, Patty Thorndale, 84 gs.. Tippler; IS, Dot and roan bull-calf, oOi gs., J. Christie; 19, Daisy, bought of Mr. Howard, of the Sonsie tribe, 62 gs., C. H. Cock ; 20, Petty Rose, a fine large red cow, of Mr. Christy's breed, was purchased by hinr for 60 gs. ; 21, Lady Fragrant, a highly commended cow, and one of the best animals sold, elicited sharp biddings, and finally went to Mr. Cock for 93 gs., the highest price realised. Lot 23, Pearl, 41 gs., T. Allen ; 25. Genevieve, 47 gs., C. Hall ; 26, Lady Sonsie Spencer, 34 gs., Sturgeon and Sons ; 28, Golden Butterfly, a prize winner as a heifer at the Essex Show, 48 gs., J. Christy; 29, Spicy and calf, 48 gs., H. Store ; 31, Thorndale Sugar-Plum, a prize heifer but not breeding, 42 gs., J. Brown ; 37, Lightburne Spencer, 38 gs., G. Underwood ; 38, Strawberry, a prize winner as a calf, and a very good animal, 52 gs., G. J. Day; 42, Dagmar's Daughter, 27 gs.. Major Fanning ; Lots 44, Violet, and 46, Picotee, a pair of commended heifers at the county Show, 41 gs. each, both purchased by Mr. S. Gossey, Norfolk; Lot 54, Elaine, 27 gs., C. Booth; 55, Queen of the Roses, 32 gs., G. Underwood ; 57, Lady Seymour, a hairy pretty calf, 30 gs., C. Stubbs ; 61, Patty Liverpool, 20 gs., C. Booth. Bulls: Lot 63, Duke of Liverpool, three years old, bought of Captain Oliver, although an excellent stock getter, was of a wicked temper, and being led out in blinkers had doubtless an effect on his price, which at 50 gs. (G. Bland, Coleby), was very reasonable. The young buUs generally sold well. Lot 66, a roan yearling, 57 gs., G. J, Day ; 67, Lord Lovel, was reserved at 50 gs. for the use of the farm ; 68, Third Duke of Claro, a prize calf at the county Show, 61 gs., P. Brown ; 72, Comus, 31 gs., D. Denne ; 77, Saucy, 25 gs , W. Barnard. The sum total of the sale amounted to £2,673 16s. 6d. for 79 head, which gives an average of £33 17s. for the entire herd. This sum was said to have generally exceeded the anticipations of the chiefly interested parties, amongst whom Mr. John K. Barnard succeeds his father at the farm. SALE OF MR. R. BLACKWELLS' SHORTHORN HERD, At Tansley, Matlock, on Thursday, Sept. 26, 1872 By Mr. J. Thornton. Tansley lies high and dry about two miles from romantic Matlock on the Mansfield road, and about three hundred feet above the Derwent. Many a " local" remembers, ten years ago, the common on which Mr. Blackwell's house and buildings now stand. Sheep and high farming, com- bined with skill and good management, have by degrees im- proved the waste land, to the credit of Mr. Blackwell the 454 THE FAEMEK'S MAGAZINE. beauty of the surrounding neighbourhood, and to the delight of the permanent residents and cold water fanciers at Smedley's. "When Mr. Blackwell took to farming im- provements, he gradually retired from the milling business to which he had, like a dutiful son, succeeded his father, and seven years ago he bought a good young bull. Winter- bourne, of the Stratton blood. Dairy cows — and the neigh- bourhood boasts some really fine specimens of this class of stock — grew less one by one as a good dairying Shorthorn took their place. One or two came from Mr. Sheldon, of Brailes, a few more out of his own district, and at the Wicken sale he paid a good price for Jupiter (24228), a bull with two Duchess crosses on the J. tribe. A better animal few men, it was said, need wish to have : he was of a deep red, a grand, fine-looking, level bull, and he left stock as good as himself, while he won two or three times at the county show. A cruel judge bowled him out at the Leicestershire meeting, and the heart out of Mr. Black- well as well, for he increased the bull's weight and sent him to the neighbouring block, where his carcase of beef was the talk of the village. When the late Mr. Stratton had his large sale at Broad Hiuton, Mr. Blackwell was rather an extensive buyer, aud picked out most of the best lots ; consequently the Stratton blood abounded iu the catalogue. They were considered by a large number of the spectators present to be quite the best things in the sale. Of course opinions differed as to this, for those animals bred by the late Mr. Fawkes, which Mr. Blackwell " begged" at Farnley a few years ago, came out singularly well, and indeed made the best prices. Still, as we wrote of the West of England show, Mr. Stratton's blood is coming to the fore, and we believe that this is the first public sale, away from head-quarters, where they have been brought out in any number ; the public appreciation is best estimated by the £58 10s. average which the fifteen — five of which were small bull-calves — realised. It should be mentioned, however, that four out of the five calves were by the Booth bull. Knight of Knowlmere, a well-known sire, late the property of Mr. Jonathan Peel. Mr. Blackwell bought this celebrated animal at beef-price, last year, at Whitewell. With judicious reducing, he has been a very fortunate purchase, for the seven calves by him averaged £56 each : indeed, it seemed a pity, as the auctioneer remarked at the commencement of the sale, that the herd was sold at the present time, for the calves had every appearance of becoming first-class animals, and another crop or two would have given the herd quite a character. Mr. Blackwell, however, reserved the right of a 300 gs. bid on Knight of Knowlmere, which was not advanced upon, though several breeders were anxious to hire the buU. Baron Stackhouse, a young bull bred by Mr. Carr, was also offered at the sale, for the purpose of realising a partnership ; but two of the four owners bought up the other shares, and the bull was put iu at 250 gs., which was likewise not covered, so he remains now the property of Mr. E. Wortley and Mr. Woodroff'e. The Rev. J. Storer sent four animals, and their excellence gave quite a help to the sale ; one of them, lot 3, Booth Duchess, a very fine cow, was sent more as a specimen of a large tribe, the Booth on the Blanche or Sockburn blood, which Mr. Storer is now cultivating at Hellidon. Her price, at 120 gs., is some evidence of the public esti- mation of the cross, considering also that the cow is nine years old, and has had seven calves. She was full of calf to Knight of Knowlmere, and though seven months gone, still in milk. Lots 18, 23, and 44 (a bull calf), were allot the Studley Anna tribe ; lot 18, Anna 5th, rather small, had calved early, but was very symmetrical ; she was cheap at 105 gs., and Mr. J. Thorn, we heard, refused 20 gs. profit on his purchase. Anna 6th, though plainer in colour but larger in size, gave every promise of pecoming a firat-class ftnimal, Mr, Rose gave 190 ga. for her — apparently not very dear at the price. The bull-calf was also very promising, being remarkably good behind his shoulders. He goes to Mr. Allan at 61 gs. Thus the four animals of Mr. Storer's averaged within a trifle of £130 a-piece. Mr. H. Chandos Pole-Gell presided at the luncheon, where most of the leading Derbyshire breeders were present. The sale began happily under the auspices of tine weather, for the day previous the rain came down in torrents. The cattle were thinner in condition than many expected ; but Mr. Blackwell accounted for it by the con- finement of his stock to the Tausley Farm, some of his land at Darley Dale being surrounded with foot-and-mouth disease, and, as he said, he thought it better to show them in their natural form than run the risk of getting them infected, if he made them fatter upon richer grass land. The biddings, all through the sale, were good. The first lot. Bagatelle, a fine old fresh-looking cow of Mr. Fawkes' breeding, on the Booth Medora tribe, went up to 48 gs. (Mr. Gell) ; and lot 2, Emerald, of the Stratton blood, and quite the old type of Shorthorn — panier a-la-mode — made 53 gs. from Mr. Pears, a Lincolnshire farmer. Mr. Fox, of Cheshire, purchased three or four of the handsomest lots, including Lizzie, also of the Stratton strain, at 125 gs., and Medora 1st, a daughter of Lord Cobham, at 205 gs., the top price of the sale. The other purchasers were Mr. Thom, lot 22, Lioness 1st, 135 gs.; lot 21, Lotty, 80 gs. ; and 32, Camelia, at 64 gs. Mr. J. J. Wilkinson, of Cheshire, also got several very useful animals, and purchased the bull lot 40, Derbyshire Hero, a son of Bolivar and Stratton's Emerald, quite like a prize-winner, at 130 gs. The two or three animals of the Angus blood were not looking in good order. Lot 11, Crocus, very full of hair, went to Mr. Rose for 73 gs. ; but her heifer. Soldier's Daughter, never got over the foot-and-mouth disease when a calf, and came out look- ing very bad, as did also her calf. Lot 41, Bannerman, a red yearling bull of the Gwynue blood, of Mr. Gell's, could not be brought forward on account of the disease, and is therefore still on sale. The Derbyshire farmers seemed astonished both at the stock and success of the sale, which exceeded the anticipations of Mr. Blackwell and his friends by something like £15 a-head. The cows averaged, including Mr. Storer's, £70 10s., and the bulls £52, or a general average of £67 for 42 head. Taking place in a country so well adapted for Shorthorns, and where they are, so to speak, comparatively but little known, the sale will doubtless cause much talk in the neighbourhood, and lead to a little more beef being engrafted on the capital dairy cows, which abound hereabouts. Still the dairy cows of Derbyshire, as we intimated in our report of the recent Derby show, are too good to be altogether " im- proved" out of their present true and honest character as milkers. COWS AND HEIFERS. Bagatelle, Mr. H. C. Pole Gell, Derby, 48 gs. Emerald, Mr. T. Pears, Lincoln, 53 gs. Booth Duchess, Mr. J. J. Wilkinson, Cheshire, 120 gs. Blue Cap, Mr, J. W. Philips, 41 gs. Matchless, Mr. T. Pears, 48 gs. Rachel, Mr. Gregory, 39 gs. Priar's Balsam, Mr. M. T. Hopkinson, 50 gs. Blush, Mr. J. J. Wilkinson, 55 gs. Ludy Leoine, Mr. G. Fox, Cheshire, 75 gs. Crocus, Mr. T. Rose, Norfolk, 73 gs. Lizzie, Mr. G. Fox, 125 gs. Water Maid 2nd, Mr. J. J. Wilkinson, 40 gs. Emerald 3rd, Mr. M. T. Hopkinson, 54 gs. Ruth 4th. Rev. W. Sneyd, 47 gs. Soldier's Daughter.'^Mr. W. S. WoodrofFe, 26 gs. Aoua 5th, Mr, J. Thom, 105 gs. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 455 Diadem 3iid, Mr. E. Jeffs, Canada, 51 gs. Medora 1st, Mr. G. Fox, 205 gs. Lotty, Mr. J. Thorn, Chorley, SO gs. Lioness 1st, Mr. J. Thom, 135 gs. Anna 6th, Mr. T. Rose, 190 gs. Medora 2nd, Mr. J. W. Philips, 100 gs. Alice Grey, Rev. W. Sneyd, 45 gs. Bloom, Mr. T. Robinson, 38 gs. Rosetta, Mr. W. Cok, 26 gs. Flora, Mr. J. J. Wilkinson, 40 gs. Lioness 2nd, Mr. G. Fox, 34 gs. Ruth 5th, Mr. M. T. Hopkinson, 18 gs. Water Maid 3rd, Mr. H. Wale, 18 gs. Camelia, Mr. J. Thom, 64gs. Medora 3rd, Mr. J. W. Pluiips, 170 gs. Diadem 3rd, Mr. H. Wale, 27 gs. Ruth 5th, Mr. T. Robinson, 22 gs. Rosebud, Mr. E. H. Garton, 20 gs. BULLS. Derbyshire Hero, Mr. J. J. Wilkinson, 130 gs. Eclipse, Mr. J. Vickers, 17 gs. Earl of Studley, Mr. J. Allan, 61 gs. Lord Derby, Mr. W. Wilson, 31 gs. Knight of Lothian, Mr. T. W. Cadraan, 45 gs. Knight of Derby, Mr. T. Adwick, 48 gs. Knight of the Derwent, Mr. E. H. Garton, 32 gs. Knight of the Peak, Mr. W. Cox, 34 gs. Summary. £ s. d. £ a. 34 cows averaged 70 6 9 2,396 2 8 bulls „ 52 4 9 417 18 42 head „ 67 0 0 £2,814 0 SALE OF THE LATE MR. CADDY'S SHORTHORNS, At Rougholm-in-Eskdale, Cumberland, on Wednesday, October 9, 1872. By Mr. Thornton. Mr. Caddy takes rank with the earliest improvers of the Shorthorn breed in his county. Farming about two miles from the coast nearly a thousand acres of marsh land and mountain top, his residence, appropriately named Rougholm — (a snug and comfortable dwelling-place not- withstanding)— stands above the Esk,and directly opposite the woody banks and castle towers of ancient Muucaster. Part of the home farm runs over a small mountain ridge into a valley beyond, no great distance from sombre Blackcomb. The Herdwick sheep, of which he kept about a thousand, range over the granite blocks and live as they may. There, too, the heifers have to seek a living, grazing the scanty bite as they go over the mountain side. A handful of hay helps them to brave the storms and wintry blasts that gather force from the Irish Sea, and blow up the valley a perfect hurricane. Well might he require hardihood and constitution among his kine in such a climate. Perseverance and judgment, backed by experience, helped him in his selection, and great were the struggles with local influence and fashionable blood. One of the original cows bought in 1829 — the year of the great Chilton sale — was bred from Mr. Burrow's stock of Carleton Hall, and there was a remarkably good, rich roan, hairy heifer-calf of this tribe, of seven generations, which went to Mr. Brooksbank, of Rotherham, at 37 gs. Purchases from the Carleton Hall sale brought in the old Gilliver tribe, which has ramified into three families, the Elizas, the Ediths, and the Lady Melbournes. The strength of the herd was in the Roseberry tribe, which came from Lowther in 1844, and more specially in the Gwynne's, from the Blencow sale in 1849, where Young Dowager Gwynae, lineal descendant of Robert CoUing's Princess, was bought for 20 gs. Lowther blood filled the veins of the earlier bulls, and Bachelor (5770) is said to have been one of the best, both in looks and as a sire, that was used during a quarter of a century. Blencow (9969), of the Troutbeck Strawberry line, andLablache (11656), from Mr. Ambler's, full of Lord Ducie's blood, came in about the time of the Gwynne accession, and they were followed by Flying Dutchman (10235) from Holker, with a strong dash of Knightley blood, and Duke of York (14461) from Messrs. Patterson, with a strong infusion of Bates. Improvement in the stock not being to his mind, Mr. Caddy turned again to the old Bachelor blood, and bred a little from Mr. Shaw's Exquisite (14524), of the Mautalini strain, and his neighbour Mr. Brocklebank's Garibaldi (19820), a sou of Heir- at-Law, and bred from Killerby blood. Finally he purchased a Booth bull for himself, and got Knight of Destinglar (18158) from Captain Spencer's sale ; and the offspring of this bull were said not to have done growing even into their sixth and seventh years. This bull was followed by the Rev. J. Storer's Sir Windsor (22927), of the Studley Anna tribe, a bull of remarkable handle and fine hair. Meantime, Mr. Hodgson, his neighbour, got Mr. Hormau's Baron Wild Eyes (19290) by Mr. Booth's Duke of Buckingham, out of a Wild Eyes Gaiuford cow, and one or two cows were sent to him ; indeed, lot 3 of the sale. Wild Eyes Gwynne, a very grand animal, was by this sire. Waterloo Cherry, combining the Booth with a little Bates and Cherry blood, came from Mr. Torr's large herd at Aylesby in 1869. The following year Mr. Caddy's declining health gave way, and he expired in the autumn. His son Henry, who was nearly of age, came into the farm and manage- ment of the stock. Continuing his father's system, which had been strengthened with the results of the last decade, he purchased a very promising young bull Sultan at Mr. Pawlett's sale, who has since been used with the heifers. Finding, however, the difficulty of keeping a very large herd on, it was resolved to dispose of the larger portion of it, and Wednesday last was the day fixed, when most of the local shows were over. The continuous wet had gone against the cattle both at Rougholm and elsewhere, consequently they weie shown only in natural store order; as, indeed, it would have been to the seller's interest had the heifers been fresher. The young calves wei'e remarkably good, and sold at capital prices. The trains arriving at noon, scarcely a hundred people were present before that hour, and it was noticed among those present how very, very few breeders were there. Whitehaven supplied the majority, and some came up from Ulverston, and another lot from Aspatria, with one or two from Yorkshire and Leicestershire. By one o'clock the local company gathered in great force, and 400 took luncheon. The ring, with the aged seated inside, was thronged without. While luncheon was being finished, the bulls, Waterloo Cherry and Sultan were walked round. The first, a very fine large roan animal, is long and low, a little harsh in his hair, but with feed might become a leading show bull. Sultan, of splendid quality and fine flesh, is also roan, and slightly disfigured by his horns inclining backward. The conditions were attentively listened to, and also Mr. Thorutou's remarks on the stock. The biddings were lively for the first cow, a Gwynne of Duke of York, showing much style for an aged cow. The Roseberrys, although large good cattle, had hardly so much character as the Gwynnes, still Mr. Brooksbank got a fine cow in lot 2 at 41 gs. Wild Eyes Gwynne, whose name was disputed, out of a Knight of Dislington cow, was a large massive beast, and she goes into the South of England at 115 gs. Mr. Thom selected some very useful cows of sweet character aud good milking properties, for the herd eX" 466 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. celled in this degree, though it was sadly bothered with sore legs, the cows on one part of the farm being always more or less affected in this manner. Dainty Gwynne was a very short-legged nice animal ; but perhaps the pick of the family was Rose Anne Gwynne (which Mr. l?obert Jefferson got at 83 gs.), and Khoda Gwynne, lot 13, with her two heifers, each with four crosses of Booth blood on Young Dowager Gwynne. Mr. Thora got the dam cheap at 90 gs. and the yearling heifer at 130 gs., whilst her own sister, a beautiful roan hairy calf, was bought by jNIr. Crowdson, also at 130 gs. Lot 20, Silky Gwynne, was also a nice cow, and went to Mr. Allen at 110 gs. She was a grand-daughter of old Sally Gwynne, a cow that was never ill, bred thirteen calves, and died from an accident in her eighteenth year. Indeed, lon- gevity prevailed throughout the stock, and not one animal had been lost of lung affection for many years. Health, vigour, and strong constitution were the objects souglit in breeding, with good milking properties. Delicacy Mr. Caddy would not have at any price, and yearly he fed ten or a dozen heifers, which, vvlien fat, lie was sorely tempted by farmers to sell at 35 or 40 gs. but which went to the bntclier at £25, as he considered them weeds and unfit for breeding. The bull-calves were readily sougiit by the farmers, and 25 to 50 gs. were his prices. X few years ago four of his heifers were pur- chased by Mr. Atherton at 45 gs. each, and from one cow, Polly Gwynne, were descended Air. lletheriiigton's, Mr. Foster's, and the late Earl of Aylesford's Gwynnes, which realised over 2,000 gs. in ten years. On several occasions he was almost persuaded to adopt a more fashionable system of breeding ; but previous experience had taught liim too practical a lesson to be easily for- gotten, and be quietly persevered in his own course. Some few present did not fail to remark the greater value that might have been obtained for the herd had he adopted the pure Bates line ; but what por^sibly lie might have gained in piice, he now had in number, and so strong a constitutioued herd, that the stock might be taken any- where in the kingdom and thrive. Moreover, he had quoted from the statistics and particulars that he was always so fond of gleaning, that at the Bleucow sale in 1859 Mr. Troutbeck offered 26 Gwynues, nearly half of which were bred from the cross of Young Benedict, a sou of Mr. Booth's Benedict, and from them came the highest prices, and an average of nearly £80, against £60 for those without the cross. The 15 females of the family now sold averaged £87 12s. 9d., against £84 10s. for the 21 sold at Biddenham in 1870. Mr. Robert Jefferson occupied the chair at the lunch, and spoke in warm terms of his late friend. With about twenty head retained of the old stock, and stimulated by the success and encou- raging results of the good and even sale, the son has a loug and, it is hoped, a bright career before him. Summary. 41 cows averaged £58 6s. 9d £2,391 18s. 15 bulls „ £33 19s. Od 509 5s. 56 £51 16s. Id £2,901 8s. SALE OF MR. BROCKBANK'S HERD OF SHORTHORNS, At Burgh-by-Sands, near Carlisle, on Friday, October 11. By Mr. Thornton. The " clerk of the weather " must have been in good humour on Friday, for it was quite an exceptional day in being bright .and fine, whereas the day previously was as stormy and wet as any this unusually damp season. Coming late and going early seems as fashionable in Cumberland as elsewhere, for Mr. Brockbank had but few visitors till the midday trains arrived, when large numbers came up and partook of a bountiful lunch under total abstinence principles. Burgh House, where Mr. Brockbank formerly resided, on anundefined tenure, was not far from the Hill Farm ; and he could do a little farming in the morning and transact his business in Carlisle later in the day. But, alas ! he bad to make way for the landlord's relative, and part of his grass land went as well, so that which had been a source both of relaxation and pleasure became now a weekly and almost irksome duty, so much so that he resolved being outstocked as well, to give up his herd of Shorthorns. The early knowledge which he gained of the breed at the dispersion of the Lowther herd was fostered and increased by his friends the Willises, of Carperby, from whom he purchased two or three females and a bull. Mr. Ambler's ^ale also supplied two or three lots, but he was unfortunate with his earlier investments, for they were unfruitful, and became so heavy in condition that he sold them ; one of them altcrwards, when turned ont with a young bull, however, became a breeder, much to his dissatisfaction. Mr. Ambler's Miss Nicety, the first lot in the catalogue, bred from Mi-. ]\Iaynard's stock, with a Booth foundation, and of the same line as the Duke of Devonshire's Cozy, produced heifers which repeated the same process until the family mustered more than a dozen. Some short pedigreed animals, but massive useful cattle, came from Mr. Syme's of Annan : and from Mr. Hetherington's sale, he got both a Wild Eyes and a Duchess Nancy cow. Nor did he fail in support for his neighbours, for at Killhow and at Brayton he was also a purchaser. The Farnley investments were likewise lucky purchases ; two or three of the cows were by Lord Cob- ham, whilst one of them produced by that sire the young bull jNIarquis of Cobham, who was extensively used, after Alfred Fitz-Clarence from ilr. Willis' had been in service. Fifth Duke of Oxford, of the Duchess Nancy tribe, and Warden from Mr. Willis's stock were both bred and used at Burgli. But at Nunwick in 1870 he made a good bargain in Earl of Eglinton, a son of Tenth Grand Duke, who left a fine lot of hairy calves and year- lings, which averaged about 23 gs. Notwithstanding the continual soaking that the country had undergone, the cows were kept running out with the calves at their sides, and the heifers fared the same way, though some of them had doubtless, by their blooming eoudition, tasted more fattening food. The prices they made told accordingly. Some of the cows went very reasonably. Notably old Lot 1, a cow of great sweetness and character, and also full of calf, INIr. Allen got at 33 gs. ; as also Lot 3, Bessie, from Brayton, descended from Mason Hopper's stock, a really good cow in calf, at42gs. ; she had a remarkably short-legged white heifer-calf sucking, by Earl of Eglinton, which likewise went to Mr. Allen at 26 guineas. One of the finest looking cows in the sale was lot 4, Wild Eyes 22nd, a tall good animal. She had a large yearling heifer in the sale and a bull-calf. Put up at 50, she rose rapidly to 100 gs., when Mr. Thom and Mr. Fox opposed each other, until the latter got her at 160 gs. Mr. Thom, of Kirbythore, got the heifer at 120 gs., and the bull-calf, a nice red one, made only 26 gs. Lot 8, Bessie Bell, bred by Mr. Foster, was a favourite cow of many people ; she calved the night previously a little roan heifer- calf, which her breeder bought at 15 gs., while the cow went cheap enough to Mr. Coleman at 77 gs. Mr. Coleman also got lot 11, Marchioness 2nd, of Fawkes blood, infinitely the best cow in the sale, at 50 gs. This low price arose because some donbt was expressed of her being in-calf; Mr. Brockbank THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 457 however oflereJ to guaninlce lier a breeder. Marchioness 3rd, a plainer cow, went very cheap to Mr. Allen at 30 gs., and Mr. Coleman got another cow of the Fawkes blood half-gone in calf at 47 gs. The younger cows sold well, as also did several of the heifers. Mr. W. Thomp- son gave 50 gs. for a red daughter of Bessie Bell, and Fourth Duchess of Oxford, of the Duchess Nancy tribe, although so ambitiously named, reached but 70 gs. (G. Fox). The Warden heifers were very good, with thick red coats, and Mr. R. Jefferson was remarked to have got the best in Dame Warden at 38 gs. Earl of Egliuton having somewhat injured himself, was withdrawn ; two or three of the bull-calves were rich in colour and full of coat. Tlie best of these were lot 52, Marquis of Eglintou, which went to j\Ir. Dowson at 30 gs., and lot 56, Earl of Cobham {^Ir. T. Richardson) 31 gs. The sum total of the sale was £2,043 Gs., or an average of £37 3s. for 55 head Bold. Summary. 47 Cows averaged.... £39 8 2 £1,852 4 0 8 Bulls „ .... 23 17 9 191 2 0 55 head „ .... 37 3 0 £2,043 6 0 SALE OF MR. WM. BRADBURN'S SHORTHORNS, At Wednesfield, Wolvekhampton, on Friday, October 18. BY MR. JOHN THORNTON. The preface to the catalogue stated that the herd was iirst started from the well-known stock of the late Mr. Joshua Price, of Featherstoue, the prize heifer Honey Flower (granddam of Miss Chesterfield) being purchased in 18G0 ; this heifer by the bull Sultan (15355), who was second at the Chester Royal, and full of Milcote blood, was lineally descended from June Flower, bred by Mr. Torr, a great-granddaughter of Strawberry, bought by Mr. J. G' Dixon at Robert Colling's sale, 1820. There were also descendants of Flora, a prize heifer (granddam of Nitrogen' ancestress of Ammonia), whose pedigree traced to Mr Manning's stock at Rothersthorpe, as well as other ani- mals from Mr. Price's herd. Purchases were also made from Mr. Charles Stubbs' stock (Coralline being one of them), and some others were bought at the Earl of Dartmouth's and Mr. Harward's sale at Winterfold, 1871. The bulls had been Wednesficld (30281), half-brother to Miss Chesterfield, and the prize winner White Satin (27800), who, bred by Mr. Swingler, was descended from Mr. Torr's stock through his sire, and from the late Mr. Chapman's prize strains of Whitwell, Oakham, through his dam. Mr. Bradburn had been faithful to the almost dying wish of his friend Joshua Price in continuing the reputation of the Featherstoue Shorthorns in the Cannock, Rugeley, and Staffordshire shows, and he further extended it by bringing them forward at not only the Royal, but at the Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland, and nearly every other county exhibition. And similar too was the Wednesfield herd bred, for, besides the half-dozen prize things, Mr. Bradburn kept al^out a score of short pedigree useful dairy cattle ; so the charge was in truth literally fulfilled for a dozen years or more, until the decline of life and anxiety of business compelled the successor to give up some part of his business. The land at Wednesfield ac- cordingly is to be set, and the first thing was to dispose of the herd before the showyard honours waned, and the cold and chilly November blast set in. The place is ill-fitted for a herd ; the murky clouds drop their blackened particles, the coarse, green grass assumes a sickly ashy hue, and rare are the days when the sun's piercing rays can gleam through the darkened air, and give light and life to vegetation and animal creation. Even the building''' are of the red shaky porous brick, such as the miners' thirty years' cottages are made of; and as Wednesfield House must have been a farm long before the stress of the mining operations were in force, they could not boast of much comfort. Yet, nevertheless, some of as finely fed auinuils as the country has seen for some time walked therefrom, to beat in distant Northumberland the Cardifl:' prize-winner. Exercise and air (such as it was) was the secret of his training — Ah I and of how many more ? but he lacked the snug old gorse sheds from which Joshua Price sent out his Alma, his Flora, and his Princess. Adjoining the buikliugs, capable of holding perhaps a dozen at the outside, were nice little paddocks or pas- tures, in which on their return from the shows the prize- winners roamed at pleasure, but knew too well where to return for food. Fifty head, with accommodation for a score, necessitated out-keeping, and several of the animals calved on the coal-pit banks, hence the nomenclature. The consequence of this was those reared at home were brought out in beautiful condition, whilst some few of the otliers from a distance, heavy milkers, were in a poor state. They acted nevertheless as splendid sets off to those in show-yard trim. At the luncheon there was a bottle of champagne to a man. The business was all over before four o'clock, amounting to a total of £1,841 14s., of which the cows averaged nearly 40 and the bulls 30 guineas, or a general average of £36 2s. per 51 head. COWS AND HEIFERS. Ilinda 3nd, by Lord Derby (18233).— Earl of Sefton, 31 gs. Miss Chesterfield, by Fitz-Turk (19763}.--Mr. H. Fawcett, 80 gs. Dairymaid 5th, by Prince of Featherstoue (29652).— Mr. Woolf, 26 gs. Meadow Bute, by Volunteer (30337).— Earl of Sefton, 29 gs. Juno 3rd, by Thorudale's Grand Duke (20976).— Mr. E. Wortley, 40 gs. Delight of Patsliull, by Coloael Dan (31445).— Mr. T. R. Parry, 33 gs. Miss Valentine, by lluntsmau (219G4).— Earlof Sefton, 55 gs. Virginia 2nd, by Charleston (31400).— Mr. J. Webb, 40 gs. Oxley Maid, by Duke of Manchester (17733).— Mr. A. S. Hill, M.P., 48 gs. Ellen, by Leo (34330).— Mr. T. Nash, 37 gs. Red Rose, by Royal Butterfly 15th (30723).— Mr. H. Faw- cett, 110 jTS. Beautiful, by Wednesfield (30381).— Mr. F. Bird, 38 gs. Coralline, by Lord Lyon (34417).— Mr. S, Brown, 145 gs. Princess 4th, by Wednesfield (30281).— Mr. W. H. Kitson, 30 gs. Ammonia, by Lord Cliarles (36624).— Mr. J. Bickford, 90 gs. Snowball 4th, by Wednesfield (30381).— Mr. J. Webb, 34 gs. Snowball 3nd, by Wednesfield (30381).— Mr. J. Webb, 34 gs. Princess 5th, by Wcduesfield (30381).— Mr. H. Wale, 37 gs. Matcliless, by Wednesday (30381).— Mr. J. C. Major, 36 gs. Suowball 5tli,by Wednesfield (30281).— Mr. S. Stubbs, 30 gs. Lust, by Wednc'^tield (30381) —Mr. J. Bickford, 22 gs. Snowdrop 3rd, by Wednesfield (30381).— Mr. F. Bird, 26 gs. Lily 3rd, by White Satin (3780U).— Mr. T. R. Parry, 19 gs. Lily 4th, by White Satin (37800).— Mr. E. H. llorsley, 15 gs. Beautiful 3nd, by Wednesfield (30381).— Mr. J. Webb, 35 gs. Lust 3nd, by Wednesfield (30381).— Mr. E. H. Horsley, 34 gs. Princess 6th, by Wednesfield (30381).— Mr. W. II. Kitson, 19 gs. Co.ilpit Lass, by Charles Edward (25743).— Mr. S. Brown, 37 gs. Miss Lea, by Wednesfield (30381).— Mr. H. Wale, 16 gs. ]\liss Field, by Wednesfield (30381).— Mr. C. Stanley, 13 gs. Miss Boot, by Wednesfield (30281).— Mr. T. R. Parry, 16 gs. Miss Last, by Wednesfield (30381).— Mr. S. Hudson, 16 gs. Oxley Lass, by Woodhouse. — Mr. U. Wale, 15 gs, Christine, by Wliite Satin (378UU).— Mr. S. Brown, 60 gs. Louisa, by Wednesfield (30381).— Mr. VV. Yates, 10 gs. Princess 7tb, by Wednesfield (30281).— Mr. H. Wale, 31 gs. Medea, by White Satin (37800).— Mr. W. Yates, 15 gs. Folly, by Woodhouse.— Mr. J. C. Smith, 51 e». u a 45J THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. Cowslip 2nd, by Wednesdfield (30281).— Mr. Downing, 13 gs. Juno 5tli, by Wednesfield (30281).— Mr. W. Yates, 15 gs. BULLS. White Satin (27800), by Donald Bane (26698),— Mr. G. Britt, 45 gs. Lord Preston, by Charles Bdward (25743).— Mr. G Mann. 23 gs. White Velvet, by White Satin (27800).— Mr. J, Porter, 33 gs. Prince of Wales, by Charles Edward (25743).— Mr. J. Roberts, 47 gs. Surly, by White Satin (27800).— Mr. O. Bennion, 40 gs. Phosphate, by White Satin (27800).— Mr. J. Lawrence, 50 gs. Lord Lush, by Wednesfield (30281).— Earl of Sefton, 21 gs. White Satin 2nd, by White Satin (27800).— Mr. J. Bickford, 20 gs. Lord Fringe, by Wednesfield (30281).— Mr. S. Hudson, 14 gs. Lord Bilbrook, by Woodhouse.— Mr. O. Bennion, 14 gs. Banksman, by Lord Hawkesworth.- Earl of Sefton, 21 gs. SUMMARY. Average. Total. 40 Cows £37 8 8 ... £1,497 6 0 11 BuUs 31 6 2 ... 344 8 0 51 ^36 2 3 £1,841 14 0 SHEEP SALES AND LETTINGS. LEWES GREAT SHEEP PAIR.— There did not appear to be any great demand for the best pens of lambs. Ewes and tegs in fair condition and middling lambs were principally sought for, and of these a pretty fair clearance was effected, but altogether the number sent home unsold must have been considerable. Ewes may be quoted it from 46s. to 66s., wethers at from 50s. to 72s., and lambs from 26s. to 48s. The higliest price for wethers of which we heard was given for a splendid 100 from Mr. H. J. Cooper, of Firle, who sold early at 72s. For ewes the highest figure, so far as we could ascertain, was achieved by Mr. W. P. Gorringe, of Kingston- by-Sea, who disposed ol a hundred at 65s. 6d. Mr. John Sasby, of Northease, refused 48s. at an early period. Of cross-bred lambs, Mr. Pox, of Westhoathly, made as high as 49s. The highest figure quoted to us for Southdown lambs was 45s. for 100, sent by Mr. W. P. Gorriuge ; close upon him was Mr. Paige, of Ringmer, wlio made 4is. 6d. The show of rams was extensive ; among those whose blood was represented were Mr. Carew-Gibson, of Sandgate, Pulborough, who sold a consider- able number at from 7 to 15 guineas, aud ram-lambs at from 4 to 7 guineas ; Messrs. Emery, who let aud sold at prices ranging as high as 19 guineas ; Mr. Hugli Gorringe, Kingston- by-Sea, who sold several at from 10 to 15 guineas ; Mr. Ashby, of Eastdean ; Mr. Hart, of Beddingham ; Mr. Verrall, of Palmer ; Mr. Hampton, of Applesham ; the Earl of Chi- chester, and others, most of whom did business at remunerative figures. Owing to the prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease Messrs. Stock, of Lewes, and Knight, of Brighton, veterinary officers appointed by the local authority, inspected every pen of sheep brought into the fair, aud also all stock, and reported everything free from disease. The following table shows the numbers and tJie range of prices for sheep aud lambs for the last thirty years : Numbers. Sheep. 1840... 1850... 1855... 1859... 1860... 1861... 1862... 1863... 1864... 1865... 1866... 1867... 1868... 1869... 1870... 1871... 1872,,, 30,000 28,000 30,000 28,000 30,000 30,000 28,000 21-,000 24,000 16,500 23,000 29,000 36,000 34,000 29,000 21,000 24,000 24 to 42 20 to 35 25 to 42 32 to 50 30 to 40 31 to 45 31 to 45 27 to 47 30 to 42 35 to 52 30 to 58 32 to 48 20 to 41 24 to 48 27 to 46 35 to 66 40 to 72 Lambs. 17 to 26 15 to 25 15 to 25 21 to 30 14 to 30 19 to 31 19 to 31 24 to 36 17 to 32 23 to 40 28 to 40 18 to 34 14 to 26 18 to 30 16 to 31 25 to 46 26 to 48 THE BINGLEY HALL SHROPSHIRE SALE.— This was the largest sale ever held in Birmingham, when Messrs. Lythall and Clarke's catalogue included upwards of 200 rams, and nearly 1,000 ewes. Mr. E. Lythall's lot came first, and averaged over 15 guineas each. The three prize winners at Warwick made 36, 30, and 15 guineas re- spectively ; the latter being let. The rams of Mr. Yates went at from 6 to 18 guineas each ; Mr. Nock let one at 25 gs. ; the remainder at 26, 15, 13, down to 8 guineas. Lord Wil- longhby de Broke's rams went at from 7 to 10 guineas ; the average, including let sheep, being 8 guineas. Mrs. Beach's rams made from 12 to 34 guineas ; the sold sheep, several averaging between £20 and £21 ; and the let ones 15 guineas each. Mr. Pilgrim's sheep sold at a fraction under £10 each ; which figure was nearly doubled for the next lot, the property of Mr. H. J. Sheldon. Lord Wenlock's rams sold at from 7 to 22 guineas, averaging just 12 guineas ; one being let in addition. Lord Sudeley's first sheep, two-shear, fell to Mr. Gibbon, at 23 guineas ; the residue of this lot selling at 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 guineas each, aud making over 10 gs. average. Mr. C. Stubbs' animals sold at from 10 to 14 gs. each. Mr. Clare's rams went one at 21 guineas, and the others at from 7 to 11 guineas. Mr. Pulley's rams went at prices ruling from 11 to 17 guineas. For the ewes there was a de- mand. Mr. Yates's 75 went at from 70s. to 115s., four pens making 100s. and upwards. Mr. Nock's reached 160s., at which price Mr. Pirmstone secured the best pen. Lord Wil- loughby de Broke's averaged 60s. ; Mrs. Beach's 122s. 6d. ; Mr. E. Lythall's 72s. ; and Mr. S. C. Pilgrim's from 75s. to 100s., averaging 87s. Mr, Sheldon's made the same average. Lord Wenlock's made from 90s. to 125s. ; Mr. Lort's 70s. to 72s. 6d. ; Mr. Glover's 663. to 75s. ; Messrs. Tolefree's an average of 84s. 6d. each ; Mr. Clare's averaged 89s. ; Mr. Tidy's made 100s. ; Mr. Jenkins's made from 70s. to 75s. ; Mr. S. Ashton's from 67s. 6d. to 72s. 6d. ; Mr. Eadall's 62s. to 66s. ; Mr. N. Dodd's 643. to 67s. ; and Mr. King's 69s. to 73s. MR. COMPTON'S HAMPSHIRE DOWNS.— For a pen often Down four-teeth ewes tl\e price of 106s. was given by Mr. Fowler, of Ridge, this being one of the highest prices, it not indeed the very highest price, obtained this season. The Hampshire Down two-teeth ewes brought 793. ; ten ditto were purchased by Mr. Attwater for 67s. ; several tens of ditto brought 80s., 78s., 77s., 76s., 75s. ; several tens of four-teeth ewes brought 84s., 81s., 76s., 7*3., and 71s. The highest price obtained for six-teeth ewes was 79s., the next prices being 76s., 743., 73a., 723., 71s., and 70s. The highest figure reached for chilver lambs was 97s. for a pen of ten, the nearest prices to this being 58s., 56s., 51s., 49s., 48s., aud 47s. A pair of Hampshire Down rara-lambs brought 130s., a second pair 115s., and a third pair 105s.; one ram brought 85s., another S4s., and another 73s. The following high averages were obtained : Two-testh ewes 71s. 4d. per head, one lot fetching 97s. ; four-teeth ewes 71s. 6d., one lot fetching 106s. ; six- teeth ewes 68s., one lot fetching 79s. The pedigreed Short- horned cows had a fair sale, bringing per head respectively 42, 36, 28, 22, 18, and a roan bull-calf 36 guineas ; a Short- horn heifer-calf brought £22. SHROPSHIRE SALE AT SHREWSBURY.— Messrs. Lythall and Clarke held their sixth sale in the Smithfield Shrewsbury, when fifteen rams from Messrs. Morris were sold at 5 to 8 guineas each ; sixteen from Mr. D. R. Davies, at similar figures ; and ten from Mr. Tanner, at from 7^ to 26 guineas, three being let at 13, 12, and 8| guineas, with a reservation that two of them shall be shown at Ludlow on the 7th proximo. Mr. R. 0. Leycester sent a dozen sheep, a five-shear, bred by Mr. D. R. Davies, made 15 guineas ; the second, 19 guineas ; and the others from 13 guineas downwards. Mr. T. Nock's six made from 10 to 17 guineas ; and the last lot of rams, Mr. E. Lythall's, went at from 9 to 20 guineas. A lot of ram-lambs of Mr. Mort's averaged 4 guineas, one making £6. The ewes of Messrs. Morris and Mr, Tanner were bought up at high figures ; the first lot ranging from 67s. 6d. to 91s., and the second 70s. to 75s. Mr. Nock's made 733. each ; Mr. Child's 64s. ; and a pen of Mr. R. O. Leycester's 125s. each. Amongst the pur- chasers were Lord Combermere, Lord Hill, Sir John Chetwode, Messrs. Boden, Groves, and Charlton. MR. BROOK'S SOUTHDOWNS AND SUSSEX STOCK. —The sales were as follows ; Top price for two-tooth South- THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. 459 down ewes 76s., to Mr. J. Pitcher ; for the four-tooth ewes 85s., to Mr. V. Elam ; for six-tooth 62s., to Col. Lane ; for fnll-mouthed ewes 39s., to Mr. Gorringe ; a six-tooth ram bred by Mr. W. Ashhy, of Eastdeau, made 16 guineas, to Mr. B. Waters. For pigs Mr. J. Ticknor gave tlie highest price> £6 lOs. — The sale of the Sussex herd took place on Thursday, The average price realised by the cows was 23 guineas per head, and of two-year-old heifers 29 guineas ; the calves real- ised an average of 12^ guineas. The highest price given for a cow was 26| guineas, for a heifer 40 guineas, and a calf 17 guineas. "Charley," a pure-bred Sussex yearling bull, of the Gillhopc herd, fetched 43 guineas. Sussex oxen (12|^ pairs), realised high prices, averaging 38 guineas per head. Mr. J. Pitcher gave the highest price, 82 guineas, for a pair. A dozen working horses were also sold. SALE OF MR. HUMPHREY'S SOUTHDOWNS.— This flock was disposed of at auction by ChaUen and Son, of Storrington. The rams did not command a high price, owing to the lateness of the sale, which was unavoidably postponed. The six-tooth ewes for several pens realised over 100s., some as high as 125s. The four-tooth brough as high as 126s. ; the two-tooth almost equally good prices. The stock lambs from 43s. to 5Gs., the rams from 5 to 21 guineas, and ram-lambs from 3 to 21 guineas. Mr. G. C. Carew-Gibson was the purchaser of some of the choicest pens of ewes, as well as the highest priced rams. Lord Sondes secured the best ram-lamb. THE SHROPSHIRE SALE AT COPPENHALL.— Of the 29 rams offered a two-shear made 19 guineas; and another of the same age, IS guineas. The shearlings ranged from 30 guineas to 5| guineas. The average was about 11 guineas. Some little indication of foot-and-mouth disease having mani- fested itself amongst the ewes, it was deemed expedient that they should not be brought into contact with the rams. Upon the first lot entering the ring, it was stated that they would be sold conditionally on being passed by the inspector, and the prices, consequently, ruled low, viz., from 60s. to 81s. per heed, averaging 72s. 6d. THE LICHFIELD SHROPSHIRE SALE.— Upwards of eighty rams and 1,000 stock ewes were offered ; several lots being kept back from foot-and-mouth disease. Rams of good pedigree sold at from 10 to 20 guineas each, and ewes met purchasers at 70s. to 80s. per head ; the average of the whole lot being a trifle under 70s. per head. Those of Colonel Dyott, Colonel Lane, Messrs. Landor, Lowe, Holland, Brawn, Peake, Mills, and German were much sought after. WEST-COUNTRY LINCOLNS.— At Mr. Cardell's Lin- coln lara sale, at Truro, the prices ranged from £8 5s. to £15. The highest price sheep clipped 241b. of wool on the 6th of April, and was purchased by Mr. Drakes, of Warbstow, near Launceston. THE CORTON FLOCK.— This flock, consisting of upwards of 1,200 ewes aud lambs, with a few rams, the property of Mr. Henry Hole, was brought to the hammer on Monday. The prices for ewes ranged from 733. to 61s. ; the full-mouthed making 71s. to 65s. ; the six-teeths from 57s. to 44s. ; chilver lambs from 54s. to 45s. ; wethers 4'9s. to 50s. The average of the entire flock being as follows : Full-mouthed ewes £3 6s. lOd. ; six teeth ewes £3 Is. ; chilve^ lambs £2 8s. ; wether lambs £2 9s. 6d. HAWICK TUP FAIR.— At this old-established and im- portant market for the sale of Cheviot and Leicester rams, a considerable number of rams were shown in the private pens, but as a whole, they were inferior in quality and were chiefly sold to butchers. The chief attraction of tlie fair was the Cheviots. A finer lot of animals has seldom been shown, and great interest was taken in the competition for the highest prime lots. The prices were on the whole equal to last year's market. Mr. Borthwick, of Georgefield, paid £56 for one of the Hyndhope rams. For the Leicester rams the biddings were rather heavy. ALYTH RAM AND GIMMER SALE.— Mr. Scotts', of Burnside, annual sale of rams and gimmers took place, on Monday, on the estate of Burnside, about two miles west of Alyth. The average was £6 lOs. per head, and the highest price £10. The ewes sold from £55 to £70 per head. SHROPSHIRE SHEEP. — The last great sale took place on Tuesday at the Mart, Sbrewbury, when about 100 rams and 650 ewes were sold by auction by W. G. Preece. The rams made tolerably good prices, ALDERNEYS.— Mr. W. G. Preece had a sale at the Ravem on Saturday, the cattle being imported by Mr. P. H Fowler. The animals were all of pure breed, and in good- condition. They averaged about 25 guineas each. SHEEP SALE AT CRAIGN'ESTON.— There was a large concourse of purchasers, including several from a distance. The sale commenced about one o'clock, and 2,339 sheep and lambs were disposed of in little more than two hours, after which 40 queys were sold. There jvas a brisk competition, the stock having obtained a high reputation, and, speaking generally, being in first-class condition, a considerable pro- portion of the older sheep being quite fit for the fat market. Prices, in sympathy with the reaction so unmistakably mani- ested at Thursday's Lockerbie, were considerably down on- fecent currencies, but were nearly if not fully equal, all over, ro those obtained at last year's sale. In point of fact they must ttill be considered high, the feeling being universal that sheep sre by far too dear. The following is the result of the sale of aheep and lambs : 250 half-bred lambs £898 5s., 307 black- saced ewe lambs 292 7s. 6d., 180 Cheviot gimmers £340 10s., flOO Cheviot ewes £190, 140 ditto milled £250, 320 black ewes £431 10s., 20 cheviot eild ewes £49 10s. ; 20 black- facod eild ewes £39 10s., 602 blackfaced wethers £1,315 14s. 6d.— Total number, 2,339; £3,807 7s. At last year's sale 997 lambs and 1,304 sheep— in all 2,301— realized £3,742. AtFriday's sale 756 lambsand 1,382 sheep bronght£3,807 Is. RAM SALES AT GLOUCESTER BARTON FAIR.— Mr. J. Villar sold 170 rams and ram-lambs from the folds of Messrs. Hardy, Browne, Cole, W. Jones, J. Brookes, W. Peachey, A. Edmonds, and J. Game, at prices ranging from 5^ to 16 guineas, the average being £6 16s. Mr. Villar also sold Oxford Down sheep from the flocks of Messrs. C. Hobbs, F. Gillett, and G. Wallis, at from 5^ to 16 guineas, and also ram-lambs from the same flocks at an average of 4 guineas. Eight Shropshire sheep from the flock of Lord Sudeley were sold at an average of £6 3s. Mr. G. H. Minett sold 12 pure- bred Sussex Downs for Colonel Kingscote at an average of £4 14s. 6d., aud 7 Cotswold shearhoggs for Mr. G. R. J. Nickols, at £7 15s. 6d. Messrs. Moore aud Hill sold 14 rams for Mr. E. Fowler, of Aston Farm, at an average of £8 14s. 5d. : seven for Mr. Blackwell at an average of £7 7s. ; six from Messrs. Fowler at an average of £8 5s. ; eight trom Mr. H. Howell at an average of £7 15s. ; six Irom Mr. T. Butt aver- aging £6 9s. 6d. ; ten from the Royal Agricultural College at an average of £9 4a. Id. ; and ram-lambs sold by them at from 70s. to £5 17s. 6d. Messrs. Acock and Hanks sold eight rams from the flock of Mr. Humphris at £6 ; and nine from the flock of Mr. J. Walker at £11 17s. RAM SALE IN PENRITH.— One of the most important ram sale that has taken place in Cumberland, this season, was held at the Penrith Auction Mart, on Tuesday last. Mr. Joseph Bell, of Scale Hill, the noted breeder of pure Leicester Sheep, realized for his shearling tups aud two-shear from £4 15s. to £10 ; Col. Rigg, of Crossrigg Hall, £5 10s. to £7 5s. ; Mr. John Davidson, of Greengill, £5 15s. ; Mr. Savage, of Hanging Bank, Bolton, £4 to £7 ; Mr. J. B. Dixon, of Templesowerby, £3 5s. to £7 ; Mr. Teasdale, Hunsonby, £6 to ^7 ; Mr. T. Varty, Stagstones, £2 7s. 6d. to £5 ; Mr. W. Sisson, Temple- sowerby, £3 to £5 ; Mr. G. Dobson, Williamsgill, £3 to £4 5s. ; Mr. W. Hullock, of Brigham Bank, £2 5s. to £2 12s. 6d. ; Mr. T. Nelson, Great Salkeld, £1 17s. to £3 2s. 6d. ; Mr. Jabez Crosby, Kirkbythore, £5 15s. to £8 ; and Messrs. Cookson and Strickland, Low Abbey, £5- 5s. to £6 15s. For his border Leicester tup lambs Mr. Thorn, of Kirkbythore, realized from £2 to £6 ; Mr. Richard Harrison, of Newbiggin,.forhis Leices- ter shearlings, Leicester tup lambs, and O.-iford Down shear- lings, £3 7s. 6d. ; andMessis. J. and J.Fenton, of Frenchfield, for six Oxford Down tup Iambs, £2 to £2 9s„ In all there were 150 rams passed through the ring, and the average prices for which ranged from as low as £1 17s. to as liigh as £10. This was the first of a series of sales of the kind intended to be held during the present season. THE TIXALL FLOCK OF SHROPSHIRES. — The Shropshire sheep and other stock of Mr. Warner, of Tixall, who is declining farming, took place at Stafford on Monday. The sheep numbered upwards of 500, and satisfactory prices were obtained. Some fetched £5 12s. 6d. per head, and the remainder sold at an average of £4 each. The pedigree dairy stock ralised good prices, about 30 guineas each being given. ALNmCK LEICESTER RAM SALE, Oct. 1.— To-day G G 2 460 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. being tlie October Fair, Messrs. Donkiu aud Son held their annual sale of rams in the market-place. The sale might be termed a dull oue, owing no doubt to the numbers offered being in excess of the demand. Several lots were purchased by the agent of the Earl of Durham, and some of the best tups offered were bought for exportation to Australia. BERWICK AUCTION MART, Sept. 30. — Messrs. Donkin have had a good supply of stock. Pat cattle 33, fat sheep 630, draught ewes 120, tups 6. The demand was good for prime quality, whilst for half-finished beef there was a slow sale, fluctuating between £16 and £3i 5s. for small steers and heifers. I3est beef 10s. 6d. per stone, mutton 9^d. per ib. Shearlings ranged between 52s. and 7l8., ewes from oOs. to 68s., half-bred draught ewes 50s. to 59s., rams £4 10s. to £5 15s. HEXHAM ANNUAL RAM SALE.— Mr. Wm. Cook held his third annual sale of rams on Tuesday last, when he had a large entry of rams and other breeding sheep to offer for unreserved public sale — viz., Leicester rams, tup lambs, shearling gimmers, and gimmer lambs, also a few blackfaced rams and tup lambs. The attendance of purchasers and others was very large, the mart being crowded. The highest prices were obtained by Messrs. Dinning, of Nilstone Ridge, who sold 23 Leicester rams, one of which fetched £15 15s., the average price being £7 is. 7d. MORPETH AUCTION MART, Sept. 30.— There has been an excellent sale here to-day. Beef realized from 10s. to 10s. 3d. per stone; mutton, 9d. to lOd. ; lamb, 9d. to Qld. ROTHBURY AUCTION MART, Sept. 30.— To-day, Messrs. Donkin held a special sale of 1,000 mule lambs from Fallowlees and Redpath. Trade was considerably heavier, and although every lot was sold, a decline of fully 2s. per head took place upon late rates. Fallowlees wethers made from 22s. 6d. to 25s. 6d. ; Redpath wethers from 21s. 6d. to 23s. 6d. ; Fallow- lees ewes, 21s. to 22s. 6d. ; Redpath ewes, 22s. to 22s. 9d. SALE OF EWES AND LAMBS AT BRAMPTON.— A large sale of Cheviot and black-faced ewes and three-parts- bred lambs took place by auction at Brampton on Wednesday last. The greater portion of the ewes were the annual drafts from the pastoral farms of Tarnhouse and Geltsdale, in the im- mediate neighbourhood, and had not been used for breeding half-bred or cross lambs. The following averages were made : 200 Geltside Cheviots, £1 16s. 9d. ; 299 Tarnhouse Cheviots, £112s. lid.; 100 Geltside black-faced, £1 13s.; 60 Tarn- house black-faced, £1 7s. 6d. ; 200 Cheviot ewes from Askerton only brought an average of £1 5s. 9d. 120 three-parts-bred lambs, bred by Mr. Taylor, of Lowhouses, sold at an average of £1 17s. lOd. 28 black-faced ewes, belonging to Mr. Sutton, obtained an average of £1 2s. 7d. SALE OF MR. MARSHALL'S STOCK AT BOLNEY. — Tliere was as large an assemblage of stock as on the occa- sion of the sale of the herd of pure-bred Susses, Alderney, and other stock belonging to Mr. Marshall. The sale com- menced with the Sussex cows, of which there were 15. Mush- room, dam Maiden, sire Marmaduke, 7 years old, was bought by Mr. Broad for 21? guineas ; Dairymaid, dam Dorres, sire Marmaduke, 7 years, 28| guineas, Mr. Wood ; Mistletoe, dam Christmas, sire Mr. Botting's Blidsuramer, 6 years, 4G guineas, Mr. Smith; Rarity, dam Rosebud, sire Mid- summer, 6 years, 35 guineas, Mr. Campion ; Berry, 5 years, dam Beauty, sire Midsummer, 5 years, 53 guineas, Mr. Potter ; Trusty, dam Thrush, sire Midsummer, 5 years, 35 guineas, Mr. Brown ; Waxey, dam Welcome, sire Midsummer, 5 years, 4:2 guineas, Mr. Turvill ; Vanity, dam Violet, sire Midsummer, 5 years, 26 guineas, Mr. Paris ; Maize, dam Maiden, sire Em- peror, afterwards Young Westmeston, bred by Mr. Martin, 4 years, 32 guineas, Mr. Turvill ; Greek, dam Greek, sire the same, 4 years, 23j guineas, Mr. Neame ; Dash, dam Greek, sire Shermanbury, bred by Mr. Martin, 3 years, 39 guineas ; Queen, dam Queen, sire Shermanbury, 3 years, 31^ guineas, Mr. Brook ; Whitebait, dam Welcome, sire the same, 3 years, 40 guineas, Mr. Neve ; Burrell, dam Berry, sire A. Noakes' bull, 3 years, 51 guineas, Mr. Campion ; Damsel, dam Dotte, same sire, 3 years, 33 guineas, Mr. Turvill ; the whole 15 realising £567, being an average of nearly £38. The year- lings from these cows fetched : Steer from Mushroom, by Sir William, a bull bred by the late Mr. Botting, of Westmeston, 114 guineas, sold to Mr. Harwood ; steer from Dairymaid same bull, 19^ guineas, Mr. Smith ; bull-calf from Mistletoe, same bull, 35 guineas, Hon. H, Brand ; heifer from Rarity, 15 guineas, Mr. Campion; heifer from Berry, 26 guineas, Mr. Potter ; bull-calf from Waxey, 29 guineas, Mr. Paris ; steer-calf from Vanity, 13 guineas, Mr. Brook; steer-calf from Maze, 17 guineas, Mr. Turvill ; steer-calf from Greek, 16 guineas, Mr. Turvill ; heifer from Fairmaid, ditto, 20 guineas, Mr. Neame. The whole of these calves were by the same bull, and averaged a trifle over £21. Eight two-year-old heifers realised 250 guineas, being an average of £33 16s. No. 7, with calf by side, fetched 45 guineas; No. 4, 40 guineas; No. 6, 32 guineas ; No. 1, 35 guineas ; No. 2 and 8, 25 guineas; No. 5, 28 guineas; and No. 4, 20 guineas. There were also eight yearlings and weauyears sold as under. A yearling, by Whitebait, 22 guineas ; a one-year, by Greek, 32 guineas ; by Diamond, 30 guineas ; by Fanny, 33 guineas ; and by Mistletoe, 29 guineas ; a yearling, by Damsel, 21 guineas ; one-year, by Maize, .32 guineas ; and by Fanny, 30 guineas, making a total of 215 guineas, and an average of a trifle over £28 5s. Four pair of yearling steers fetched 53, 45, 44, and 39 guineas ; a pair of weanyears 31 guineas ; and three ditto 49 guineas. The Sussex bull, Westham, two years, dam Fanny, sire Priesthawes, was bought by Mr. Woodroffe for 33 guineas, and Khedive, two years, dam Fairmaid, sire Young Westmeston, was also sold to Mr. Davey for 32 guineas, making the total amount of the 56 pure Susses included in the sale £1,608 12s. The dairy consisted of 13 Alderney cows, that realised in all £265. The Alderney bull. The Count, bred by Mr. G. A. Fuller, of the Rookery, Dorking, Surrey, 30 guineas, Mr. Dumbrell. There was also a sale of mixed-bred yearlings and steers. ABBOTSTONE STOCK SALE.— The sale of stock of Mr. T. H. Redman, who is quitting, took place on the 25th iust. The highest price for two-tootli ewes was 68s. ; there being no four-tooth ewes, the six-tooth ewes were next brought into the ring, and reached as high as 8O3., 78s., 72s., 70s., 68s. ; the full-mouthed ewes then followed, and were disposed of at 69s., 67s., 66s., &c., per head. The ewe-lambs fetciied 59s. Tiie competition for the wether lambs was not brisk, the highest price being 57s. The horses went as high as 78 gs., 75 gs., 73 gs., 60 gs., 44 gs. SALE OP STOCK AT GORDON CASTLE.— The annual sale of stock belonging to His Grace the Duke of Richmond took place at the home farm on Thursday. Eleven handsome bull-calves were knocked out at satisfactory prices, the average being rather over £39. Seven cows and nine heifers were brought forward after the bulls had been disposed of, on the whole at good prices. The sheep consisted of 100 Leicester ewes and gimmers, and 50 Leicester rams, the former being put up in lots of five, and the latter singly ; in many cases high prices were given. The tups averaged about £3 18s., and the rams about £6 17s. On Friday Messrs. Pye and Sunderland brought under the hammer a draft of Hereford cattle and other stock from the home-farm at Dulas Court, the property of Colonel Feilden. The sheep crosses realised fair prices, the averages being for wether lambs 49s., ewe 50s., draft ewes 53s. J)er head. The pigs also realised good but not fancy prices. Of the cattle 40|^ guineas was given for Truth the Second for Sir J. Bailey ; Broad- guage, a young bull, went to Mr. George, of Felton, for 80 guineas, and also a heifer. Mirth the Second, for 19 guineas ; Chieftain Hope fell to the bid of Mr. E.J.Lewis for 33 j guineas, and her bull-calf went to Mr. Davies, of Wormbridge, for lOJ guineas ; T. L. Brewer, of Newport, gave 38 guineas for Truth, and her bull-calf realised 25 guineas. Mr. A. Doyle was a large purchaser, and Messrs. Grundy, Berrow, and others were buyers of the fat animals. The bull Dulas reached the sum of 100 guineas ; but it is doubtful whether he was actually sold. SALE OP THE DUKE OP BUCCLEUCH'S STOCK. — At the seventh annual sale, on Drumlanrig Home Farm, twenty Galloway bullocks, three years old, were sold in pairs at prices varying from £33 to £38 each — the average being £34 4s. 6d. Six Galloway heifers, two years old, were sold from £19 to £30 5s. — average, £19 10s. Ten cross heifers were next sold, at prices ranging from £17 10s. to £20 10s. — average, £19. Two fat Ayrshire three-year-old heifers sold at £18 15s. each. Pourteen Ayrshire heifers, to calve in October or November, ranged from £14 10s. to £20 63. — average, £16 18s. 9d. Mr. Dunn, Cumberland, bought three at £20 5s., £21, and £16 10s. Twenty-five Ayrshire heifers, to calve in May, 1873, were sold in pairs, and fetched from £10 2s. 6d.to THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 461 £13 15s.— average, £11 lis. 8(1. Seven calves brought £7 15s., being an average of £1 ~s. Id. each. Tweuty-five fat pigs sold in couples, at from £4; 2s. to £7 7s. eacli — the aver- age being £5 3s. lid. 370 cast Clieviot ewes sold in twen- ties, and realized 27s. to 41s. 'Jd. each ; averaging 36s. each. Last year's average of 220 was fully 39s. Twenty-flve fat eild ewes were sold in lots of five, and realized from 43s. 6d. to 54s. 9d. each — average £2 9s. is. Fifty-three Cheviot gira- rnres were sold — 21 to Mr. Hyslop, Barr, Keir, at 25s. eacli ; 21 to Mr. Austin, Newbridge, at 25s. ; 6 to Mr. J. Kellock, Thornhill, at 22s. ; and 5 to Mr. Kellock at 18s. 3d. The twelve half-bred lambs which took the first and second prices at the Tliorhill show were sold to Mr. Brown, Ellerslie, at 45s. 6d. and 51s. eacli. Forty black-faced wethers were disposed of in lots of five at from 2Gs. to 43s. 6d. each — average nearly 36s. 167 Cheviot ewe lambs were quickly disposed of at prices varying from 12s. to 16s. 6d. each — average 15s. 9d. Total of sale; Cattle, £1,107 5s.; swine, £129 18s.; sheep, £1,001 15s. 6d. Total, £2,539 18s. 6d. MR. HEWER'S HEREFORDS.— Mr. Hewer, of Vern, Harden, being about to leave the estate, Mr. W. G.Preece, of Shrewsbury, brought under the hammer the whole of his stock, consisting of 45 bulls, cows, and heifers. The first lot offered was Gipsy Girl, an 1863 cow, by Severn, which fetched 55 guineas. Lofty, by Lord Lincoln, and Rosy, by Avenger, the one an 1867 and the other an 1868 cow, were knocked down at 50 guineas each ; the latter's bull calf, by My Lord, fetching 42 guineas. A yearling heifer. Lady Emily, by My Lord, went for 40 guineas. Among the bulls. Lord Lincoln (calved 1863), sold for 62 guineas ; Above All (1867), for 55 guineas; and Archduke, a calf just over 12 mouths old, 63 guineas. Some of the other male animals realised good prices. SALE OF SUFFOLK STOCK AT GEDGRAVE, BY MR. R. BOND, THE PROPERTY OF MRS. CRISP.— The highest pi ice was for Venus, a three-year-old Sufl'ulk filly, which Lieut.-Col. F. M. Wilson bought for 100 gs. Mr. J. Grout bought a five-year-old bay riding gelding for 88 gs. On the second day the stock and sheep were sold, the cows averaging £18 10s. each, the highest price being £25, and the 77 head of store beasts averaging £15 lOs. The highest price given for t'ro shear grey-faced ewes was 73s. 6d., Mr. E. C. Moor being the purchaser, and the average was 70s., whilst dark-faced down two-shear ewes averaged 63s. A black Suffolk sow made 12^^ gs., and other pigs 12 gs., 11 gs., and 10 gs. each. MR. W. PLAYNE'S SHORTHORNS were sold at Long- fords, Miuchinharaptou, Gloucestershire, by Moore and Hill. Twentv-niue Shorthorns averaged £32 8s. Id. each, and a total of' £939 14s. 6J. ABERDEEN.— At Mr. John Duncan's sale on Saturday, supplies were large, consisting of 113 fat cattle, 250 sheep and lambs, 43 pigs, and 6 horses and ponies. Trade good for the best description of cattle, at from 78s. to 80s. per cwt. Mid- dling sorts were rather difficult to sell, in consequence of the large number of secondary quality coming in. Mutton, top, 8d. to9jd. per lb., secondary, middling, and inferior 6|d. to l^il. ; pork, 5s. 3d. to 7s. per stone. A large number of the best class of slots selling from £25 to £30 10s. a-head 1 smaller sorts £16 to £24 10s., queys £14 10s. to £20, and up to £26 10s., cows £8 lOs. to £18, and up to £25, six bulls £22 10s. to £33. The best class of hoggs 57s. to 65s., smaller sorts 35s. to 52s. 6d., large pigs 80s. to 145s., small 20s. to 50s. There was the usual large attendance of buyers, and a clearance effected. HADDINGTON.— On Monday botli sheep and cattle were in good demand, at the following quotations : Beef 12s. to 13s. 6d. per Dutch stone ; mutton 8|d. to 9f d. per lb. The best class of cattle sold from £20 to £27 17s. 6d., secondary £16 to £19 10s. A milch cow at £12 ; half-bred dinmonts 52s. to 643. ; greyfaced do. 46s. to 53s. ; half'-brd ewes, 50s. to 62s. 8d., Cheviot 34s. to 58s., blackfaced 25s. to 48s., lambs 16s. 9d. to 3Ss. MR. WELSTED'S SHORTHORNS, AT BALLY- WALTER, CASTLETOWNROCHE, CORK, BY MARSH AND SON. — Thirteen well-bred young bulls were sold at the following prices : Cherry Prince, Lord Lismore, 40 gs. ; Lord Mayor, Professor Baldwin, per Glasnevin School, 46 gs. ; Crown Diamonds, Lord Lismore, 40 gs. ; Emerald Prince, J. Beecher, 37 gs. ; General Grey, Mrs. Hungerford, 35 gs. ; Red Prince, Lord Lismore, 52 gs. ; Prince Frederick, Lord Doneraile, 38 gs. ; Sir Walter, Mr. Beun, 29 gs. ; Prince of the May, Mr. Litchfield, 26 gs. ; Trumpeter, Mr. Hewson, 28 gs. ; Royal Oak, Mr. Ahern, 17 gs. ; Prince Oswald, Capt, C. Croker, 16 gs. ; Golden Fisher, G. Hewson, 24 gs. SALE OF MR. P. EDEN'S PIGS.— By Mr. Dodds, of Wakefield. There were 87 lots, some of which, iiowever, were absent. Many of the animals were prize-takers at Royal shows. The highest price was for Young Giantess, a sow of the large breed, littered in May, 1871, 34 guineas having been realised for her, to Mr. Lockwood, Chester. 15, 16, and 19 guineas were made for others, and from 8 to 12 and 13 was a common price. The amount received for the whole lot was over £500. Among the principal buyers were Mr. Statter, Manchester ; Mr. Lockwood ; Earl of Lonsdale ; Mr. Gibbon, Carlisle ; Messrs. Duekering ; Mr. Ford, Staffordshire ; Earl of Balcarres; Major Stapyltou, Mytou Hall; the Earl of Zetland ; and Mr. Bowstead, Penrith. We would call especial attention, in the way of exam- ple, to a movement on the part of the Lincolushire Agri- culttiral Society, which has just subscribed £100 towards the expenses of the Royal Agricnltural Society, incurred in defending the late action at Leeds. The steps since taken by " The Trade" itself serve to show how much good must result from such an inquiry, and we would suggest that every Agricultural Society in the kingdom should subscribe accoi'ding to its means. YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.— At the Council on Thursday in York, the Earl of Feversham in the chair, there was a very numerous attendance. The Secretary, Mr. T. Parrington, reported on the income and expenditure of tiie year. Some formal votes of thanks were passed. It was decided that in future the Society's show shall be held in the three Parliamentary divisions of the West Ridiug, instead of in the Northern and Southern divisions as heretofore. The Council then heard the report of the Analytical Chemist of the Society (Mr. Thomas Fairley, of Leeds), for the quarter ending Sept. 30, 1872. This stated that during the past quar- ter a smaller number of analyses had been received than iu the two previous quarters (in the first quarter there being eleven, and in the second eighteen). Considering the season this was no doubt to be expected. The analyses received had been — Linseed cakes, 2 ; limestones, 2 ; aud waters, 3 ; or a total of 7. The linseed cakes were two additional samples connected with the late trial, previous samples of which he had already described in his report of March last. The limestones were analysed for drinking purposes, and the waters as to quality and fitness for ordinary domestic use. The protest of Mr. EUeringfon, of Beverley, against the award of the judges in class 37 was entertained, and Wildmau, exhibited by Mr. Armstrong, was disqualified for the third prize. It was de- cided that Honeycomb, objected to by Mr. Isles, was entitled to the prize in class 57. The Council tlien heard the objec- tion of Mr. H. Jewison, of Raisthorpe, to Newsmonger, in class 63, and decided that the objection was not valid. [Nothing appears to have been done as to amending the con- ditions of entry as to pedigree.] TENANT-RIGHT.— At a meeting of the Cheshire Cham- ber of Agriculture at Crewe on Tuesday, the Hon. W. Egerton moved: That this Chamber considers it necessary for the proper security of capital engaged in husbandry that an out- going tenant should be entitled to compensation from the landlord or the incoming tenant for improvements he has made with the previous consent of the owner, and from which he has received no proportionate benefit, with respect to drain- age and other improvements of a permanent character ; aud that the landlord should be paid by tlie outgoing tenant for dilapidations and deteriorations caused by the neglect of the tenant ; the amounts respectively due to be determined by valuation. Mr. Latham moved, as a rider to the resolution : And that where no contract or agreement exists, the amount payable on either side should be capable of being enforced by arbitration. Lord De Tabley seconded the resolution and the rider, which were carried without dissent. THE PRICE OF CART-HORSES. — At a sale of farming stock and implements belonging to the late BIr. G. W. UUett, of the Manor House, Whaplode, several of the cart- horses made nearly £60 each. 462 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. SHORTHORNS WITHOUT PEDIGREE, It will be seen from an extract whicli we subjoin, that, as we expected, tlie Americans are taking up the question of Shorthorn pedigrees, more par- ticularly in respect to " the looseness of practice and dis- regard of the value of thorough breeding," which will admit of an animal being exhibited as a pure Shorthorn without the conllrmation of a pedigree being attached to the entry. As we pointed out immediately after the last meeting, it is simply monstrous that a Society like the All-Yorkshire should countenance so suicidal a state of thing. In fact the whole business of entry requires a deal closer looking into, as we hear that an exhibitor of horses now declines to give anything but his name and address, and so sends what he pleases. The confusion, or something worse, which would gradually come of such " a system" is surely sufficiently manifest. With reference to the Cardiff case, Mr. Statter explains : "Being much engaged at the time my cattle went to Cardiff, I was uuable to superintend them myself, and it was not until I was in the showyard on Monday morning that I discovered Lady Ann had been sent instead of Lady Dodona. I wrote to the Secretary and explained the mistake, hoping that explanation had been satisfactory and required no further comment. I am fully aware it was carelessness, and I justly deserve to forfeit the prize. I cannot see how this circumstance can have been looked upon as intentional, when only a few days before Lady Ann was exhibited at Doncaster, where her age was stated, and where she took first prize." Admitted that the description of Lady Ann is correct, how still stands the pedigree of Lady Dodona, which is given in full, al- though her breeder is unknown? It is of course of equal importance to have reliable pedigrees for breeding stock as for show animals. In a recent issue we briefly called attention to the case of Mr. Charlvvood's tliree-year-old heifer "Matchless," to which, al- tliough without pedigree, was awarded a prize at tiie Yorkshire (England) show over pure-bred Shorthorns. Sucli an award betrayed a looseness of practice and a disregard of the value of thorough breeding, entirely imespected from inteUigent judges riglrt in the home of this noted breed of cattle. Of all the breeders in the world the EugUsh are the last who can afford to lower the standard or weaken the prestige of Sliort- horn pedigrees. We Yankees, who are given to sliort cuts and are not much wedded to sublunary things merely because they may claim an existence from " time immemorial," might be excused for want of respect for geneological trees pertaining to either the human family or brute creation — in fact we do not take kindly to heraldry anyhow — but for a John Bull, and es- pecially the Sliorthorn John Bull, to permit pedigree to be lightly valued or passed over entirely in a Shorthorn show- ring, is a clear case oisca/i. mag. Aud, as if the outrage we mentioned before were not enough, Tlie Marh Lane Express of 26th ult. comes to us with tlie notice of two or three others equally worthy of remark, by Americans purchasing Shorthorns in England, and who would avoid any but those of the genuine blood. Wliile we in America are splitting hairs over the descendants of " Mrs. Motte," tlie " Importation of '17," and the " Matchem Cow," some of our British cousins, it seems, are inchned to devote themselves to " thoughtful selection" rather than to an adherence to unbroken family lines of des- cent. The Express refers to these other instances of departure from the hitherto accepted rules of competition. — Prairie Farmer. HEXHAM FARMERS' CLUB.— The following subjects have been selected for discussion : Oct. 8, The Transit of Cattle by Land and Water, in relation to Disease ; introduced by Mr G. Hedley. Dec. 10, Our Home Food Supplies ; Mr. J. W. Wilkinson. Jan. 14, 1873, Impediments to Agricul- tural Progress ; Mr. C. G. Grev. Feb. 11, Manures ; Mr. J. Spiers. March 11, Sheep Dips ; Mr. R. Hall, V.S. April 8, Parliamentary Measures bearing on Agricultural Interests. A CATTLE-SALE CASE. At the Perth Sheriff's Court a case of some importance to farmers aud cattle-dealers has been decided by Sheriff Barclay The pursuers are Messrs. Macdonald and Eraser, Perth Auc- tion Mart, and the defender, James Christie, miller. Hunting- tower. The following is the interlocutor, which sufficiently explains the case : Tiie defender admits purchase of the cow labelled, at the pursuers' mart, on the 17th of May last, at £20 12s. 6d. It is proved that the owner of said cow was William Liddel, cattle-dealer, Denny. The said cow was re- moved and taken possession of by the defender without pay- ment of the price. The pursuers remitted to the said William Liddel, on the day after said sale the proceeds of the sale of a number of cattle, including the price of the said cow pur- chased by the defender. The defender avers that the cow was sold and purchased as a milk-cow, and was diseased at, aud prior to the date of sale, in consequence of which she died on 37th May in the defender's possession, of which intimation was made by the defender to the pursuers on the same day. Tlie pursuers rest their title to sue solely on certain terms and conditions of sale, but of which conditious the defender denies all knowledge. Conditious of sale were exhibited in the inner apartment of the pursuers' mart or sale-rooms ; but the clause on which the pursuers chiefly, if not solely, found their title was within the last year added to the original print, and it is not proved that the defender was made aware or was in the knowledge of said conditions, either in the original or amended shape. The clauses on which the pursuers found and pled their title to sue are the following : 1st, the clause, part of which was recently introduced into the print, and which is as follows: "All purchases must be paid for in cash promptly on demand to the auctioneers, and before being re- moved, aud shall not be taken delivery of without an order from tlie clerk ; and the lots will be at the sole risk of the re- spective buyers on being knocked down, but shall be held as not transferred to them until settled for, and if taken away in contravention of these conditions the auctioneers shall have power to bring back the same brevi manii. In the event of the auctioneers giving delivery of any lot without payment of the price, tlicy shall be entitled to recover full payment from the buyer by action of law at their own instance, and no de- fence against such action will be competent on the ground of any defect, actual or alleged, of the lots sold, or of the same being disconforra to special description or warranty, or other- wise, the buyer having no claim against the auctioneers, but only against the owner or consigner of the lot." 2nd. The otber cause is as follows : " Consignments are at the owners' risk until sold. The proceeds shall be paid the day after the sale, but the auctioueers reserve power, should they consider it necessary, to retain in their bands for a reasonable time the price of any lots sold, without being in any way personaliy liable to the purchaser or consigner, and in the event of any lot not being settled for and taken delivery of by the buyer, the auctioneer shall be entitled to return the lot to the con- signer instead of paying him the purchase-price." Finds, un- der these facts and circumstances, the pursuers have no title to sue this action in tlieir own name, aud thereby deprive the de- fender of his right to set up such defences as would be com- pletely pled were the action at the instance of the owner of said cow, or with his concurrence and consent ; therefore sus- tains the plea of no title, dismisses the action, reserving any action brought with proper instance, and the defences there- against. Finds the pursuers liable in expenses, allows an ac- count thereof to be lodged, and remits the same to the auditor to tax, and decerns. — (Signed) Hugh Barclay. THE LATE BIRMINGHAM HORSE SHOW.— A pro- test having been received against Gem of the Peak, winner in Class I., as a thoroughbred stalliou, the same was referred by the stewards, under the regulations, to Captain Machell, who has decided that the horse was not qualified to compete. The prizes, tlierefore, go to the next horses in order of merit — viz., first, Mr. W. S. Cartwright's Thornapple ; second, Mr. T, J. Merrick's Stockade. The Council passed the following resolution : " That, considering the unusual success of the Horse Show for 1872, and the exertions of the secretary (Mr. J. B. Lythall) in association therewith, the further sum of 20 guineas be awarded to him for this year." THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 463 THE HEXHAM FARMER S' CLUB. CATTLE DISEASES AND TRANSIT. At the first meeting of the season Mr. Geobge Hedley read the following paper : — As the prosperity and education of a people increase so does the demand for butchers' meat aud other eatables, which twenty-five years ago would have been called luxuries. Such has been the case in Great Britain. An excellent authority, many years president of this club, a few years before his death said that the butcher's cart might be seen twice a week at every man's door, aud it was fresh within his remembrance when the larders and the pantries of the middle and lower classes were only replenished twice a year at most, and that in the shape of beasts, commonly called marts, killed for the former, and quarters of beef supplied to the latter ; these were cured and hung up the same as bacon is now, and constituted a bare supply all the year round. At that period foot-and-mouth disease was scarcely if at all heard of, and the best meat could be obtained for 4d.and 5d. per lb. ; now it is upwards of twice that price, and oar flocks and herds are periodically decimated by violent maladies, some of which we may at any rate attribute to importation (rora abroad. Many writers are inclined to ascribe the advance in price to increased population, and the very much greater taste for flesh commodities. This is only in part true, because as the demand has increased so has the capabilities of the laud in improved culture to afford a supply ; so also', has increased the intelligence of the British farmer in choosing the best flesh producing animals. Besides, the im- portations from abroad have multiplied to a great extent, in cattle, I believe, as much as 14| times ; and in sheep, lO^ times, since 18i5 — the year before imposts were removed. In that year our importations were 16,833 cattle aud 86,520 sheep ; while in 1871 the numbers were respectively 247,426 and 917,077, besides about 86,000 swine. The numbers of our home-bred stock iu the United Kingdom have likewise grown greater with the advance of years, for while in 1841 we had about 7,000,000 of cattle and 27,000,000 sheep, in 1871 our quantities were 9,346,216 cattle and 31,403,500 sheep. These supplies were to serve a population of 27,036,450 in 1841, aud 31,817,108 iu 1871= Hence, it will be observed that while the population and its desires for flesh meat increased, so did the supplies both at home and from abroad ; therefore, we must look for something more than greater numbers of people and altered tastes to account for the exorbitantly high prices ob- tained for all kinds of butchers' meat. There are three things in recent years to account for this, viz., the visitation of rin- derpest 1865-6, the prevalence of dry weather in '68 and '70, and the continual ravages of foot-and-mouth disease from then up to the present time, and which is more dreadful and devas- tating now than iu any period of its history. We have ob- viously, then, had a great depletion to contend against since 1865, and it is only a fair and natural inference to draw, that if we could secure the health of our animals, we should in a year or two, with a bountiful supply of fodder, have meat down to a much lower price — even, I think, as low as 7d. per lb. We have had very rapid fluctuations in the prices of cattle be- fore ; I may instance one which many gentlemen present will re- member. In the winter of 1846, 1 think it was, the price of the best beef, sinking offal, was 4s. 6d. per stone ; in the sum- raer of 1847 it was 10s., or rather more than double. By rinderpest, in 1865-6, we lost 254,000 cattle. In 1868 and 1870 many thousands of Cheviot lambs were slaughtered from off the hills, and sent to London and elsewhere for want of grass and turnips to feed them upon. These would weigh only about five pounds per qr., and which if kept over, as they generally were, would have made fifteen pounds per qr., and three times as much food for the people. Besides cattle were nearly all killed before they were hall fat. In 1872, before the year is out, the losses from foot-and-mouth disease will be much greater than those sustained by rinderpest in 1865-6, and quite as great as those of the scorching and excruciating summer of '68 or '70, from want of pasturage. How then can this terrible malady be put a stop to ? is a question which natu- rally springs to every one's lips. Before Christmas, probably, three-quarters of all the animals in the kingdom will have suffered, cattle to the extent of £2 10s. per head, and sheep to the extent of lOs. Yet, notwithstanding this sad state of things. Her Majesty's Privy Council are quite incapable of evolving measures for its extirpation. The magistracy of the various counties went iu conclave, with members of farmers' clubs and chambers of commerce to boot, with no better result than the show of jealousy of each other, and men in high places, such as Mr. Clare Sewell Read and Professor Simonds, exhibit such ignorance in the matter that the one says cattle sufl'er only to the extent of £1 a head from murrain, and the other, in dealing with a cargo of animals afl'ected with rinder- pest, thought he was effectually disposing of their disem- bowelled carcases in the bottom of the oceau by scuttliugacouple of lighters, with the beasts fastened down by iron bands, forget- ting, chemist though he was, that gas is stronger than iron, and especially sowhengeneratedinthestomachofanox. I'armersand dealers have no medicinal remedy for the complaint, and are glad to escape to market, making the matter worse astliey go along. It is not improbable hut that the magistrates think tiiey are hampered by the Privy Council ; but have they considered the subject thoroughly before making their representations ? I am very much inclined to think, from what I know, that if any measures could be suggested capable of grappling with the complaint, the Privy Council would not only be glad to adopt them, but would be very thankful to the source from whence ihey emanated. Perhaps it is too much to hope that we, in our little discussion to-day, shall be able to find the philosopher's stone in this case ; but, at any rate, it is only due to our patriotism to make some efforts for that purpose, and, it we cannot hit the real remedy, should we manage to evolve some hints that will lead to it, our labours will certainly not have been in vain. It is not clear that we had any foot-and-mouth disease in this country before 1839, and then it was not ascertained whether it was of foreign origin or not ; at any rate, a few cases of it occurred iu London at that time. In 1840 and 1841, Great Britain suffered to a serious extent by it. Up to 1844 it gradually decreased. In 1845 it was bad again, then became gradually less until 1851, notwithstanding that duty was removed from cattle in 1846, and importations in- creased from 16,833 in 1845, to 86,520 in 1851. From 1853 to 1860 very little disease existed ; and it has fluctuated up to the present year, when it is worse than ever it has been before ; but it does not appear that it was greatest when we had the largest importation, nor smallest when we had the least. It has been said by Mr. Waller, of the Home Cattle Defence Association, that the present outbreak it very much in- debted to Dutch cattle for the extent of its spread ; but the Government report asserts that this is extremely improbabje, as not a single case of disease appeared at Harwich in 1871, the place, excepting London, where the largest number of cattle from the Netherlands was disembarked. As this country has never been wholly exempt from the disease since its introduction, it is much more reasonable to suppose that it is generated by atmospheric influences, by the freer movement of home-bred stock, and by the uncleanliness of vessels plying from Ireland to tliis country, than to reintroduction by the few animals from abroad that are allowed to come into English markets and fairs. The multiplication of trysts, markets, and marts, seem to me to be the cardinal means of generat- ing and spreading disease. Each becomes a centre, from whence contagion radiates, and flocks and herds are from one year's end to the other upon the roads. The great railway system inaugurated in England within the last 35 years has been the means of this. People can travel long distances from home within the hour, and places of sale are being made at a convenient distance from all the chief stations on the lines. This is neither good for man nor cattle, for apart from being the chief means of spreading disease, stock does not get rested in its pastures as it used to do long ago, and much flesh is wasted by harassing it from one market to another. Besides, a shoal of little semi-dealers have come thus into being, and although they do not make money beyond a few shiUings, yet they are the means of stimulat- ing a perpetual trade in the country, and a continual travelling of stock by rail and road to and from their pastures. I do not know whether the grazier also has caught the 464 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. fevered contagiou of haste pervading the coraraercial spirit ol this' age or not, but he seems to me to have forgotten that it is liis business to be ])atient, and wait ; that he is, as it were, the minister of the seasons, and that he should not hurry his cattle thus, and endeavour to feed three times a year wlien once or twice at the most would fay him far better. There is seldom anything got for a short keep ; it is long before stock throws off the fatigue of travelling, and it should never be sold until it is just prime fat, and worth the best price per stone. One prime fat animal kept twelve months will invariably pay more money than two kept each six months and sold lialt'-fat ; and then the grazier is lessening his chance of disease, and is only once upon the road when he would be twice. Thirty-five years ago, when supplies of stock were only obtainable at home or at chartered fairs, disease was scarcely heard of ; and the reason is obvious — animals were only changed twice a year, viz., in the spring, and again in the latter part of autumn; and at each time many of them ■were bred by people selling them, and coming direct from their folds and fields. Now you can scarcely get stock without it lias been exhibited at three or four markets, or run through the fiery furnace of an auction ring. Probably if it is Irish stock it has travelled forty or fifty miles in Ireland, stood a tryst or fair, then carried in an infected vessel across the Channel, walked ten or twenty miles in England, and stood two or three trysts or fairs here ; while some of the animals have had the eyes knocked nearly out of their heads by igno- rant and brutal drovers, and are fully predisposed to take any contagiou that may come across their path. It never seems to enter the thoughts of some men that cattle have senses and minds of their own, and are susceptible of feeling, kindness, and gentleness as well as higher animals. A great many dealers have an understanding with their drovers at fairs that they shall cudgel tlie cattle round and round to make them look larger, while the buyer is made to believe by' the words of the seller that he is averse to any such treatment. Cattle of all kinds are easier turned by a small touch on the head with a stick than a great bat, and it would be well if our magistrates would take notice of such of those who do not understand this, or understanding it, fail to put it into practice. We have seen that it is to the management and movement of our own home-bred stock that we are to trust fortlie ameliora- tion of disease and the cheapness of food more than to that of those coming from abroad. Let us then endeavour to achieve that object. The first thing, in my opinion, is to lessen the centres of infection, and to do that, I should be inclined to adopt a suggestion made by Mr. Jacob Wilson at a late meet- ing in Newcastle, to close all fairs and markets during the autumn for store stock. I should then pray the Legislature iu future to put a veto upon all trysts and small weekly markets, and cliarter every stance where the exliibition of store stock is to be held. We scarcely ever heard of disease when there were fewer fairs and places of sale, and people would be no worse supplied if they were compelled to attend two or three large shows within the year instead of twenty smaller ones, thereby causing them loss of time and neglect of their farms. Four fairs at Stagshawbank, two at Hexham, three at New- castle, two at Morpeth, three at Stamfordham,three at Alnwick, two Wooler, one at VVhitsuubank, two at Belford, two at Pen- nymuir, one at St. Ninians, and t«o at Rothbury, would be quite ample to supply farmers in the east and north of the country with all the stock they would require, if made at proper seasons of the year. At the present time there are at tliose few places about 120 markets during the year. besides private sales in fields at certain points, and auction marts at every town and village. How can our stock be healthy when it is never off the road ? Then comes the question, what is to be done with the peripatetic dealer, who has been known to drive his herd of diseased animals twenty miles, under the cloud of night, spreading contagion and dis- eiise wherever he went ? I suggested some time ago that a licence should be imposed upon all salesmen and people who dealt in cattle. I have had this mentioned to me several times since, and I find that it is the belief of very practical men — men well able to judge of this particular matter— tliat that would be a fair preventive to men engaged in traffic which re- quires a patriotic feeling and high coneientiousness, instead of unscrupulous scheming and a readiness to runthe blockade for a little proUt under any circumstances and at any time. I should be the last to interfere with the desires of any one in that capacity, but there is no doubt but the profits of cattle dealers are very small, and especially of that class I allude to, and their energies would be much better remunerated in another field of labour. The intention, as you will see, is to confine the trade — I think the most important trade ia the kingdom — to fewer and more respectable hands. I rode on horseback last week from the district of Kidland, near the Cheviots, to Cambo, a distance of thirty miles, over the moors and close by the drove road from Scotland, and I found the sheep and cattle on almost every farm affeeted by the com- plaint. This will tell you how easy farmers, dealers, and drovers are in their conscience, as the disease could never have got into those distant hills, far from rail and highway, without a diseased drove or droves had been sent right through. We have arrived by what I shall presume to call a process of reasoning, at a point which tells us that the increase of dis- ease is owing to an increase in the number of fairs and au increase in the number of dealers. It will tlierefore be the duty of tlie Legislature to reduce the number of both. Tiiere is after that the question of carriage by water and by rail to consider, and the medicinal treatment of animrls affected at the present time. I am informed by Mr. Wilkin- son, wlio lately made a survey of all the ports whereat stock is landed, that there is scarcely one around tlie coast that is constructed with any regard to sanitary principles. He instanced Barrow-in-Purness, where all animals landed from Ireland are put into a large uncovered yard, fuLy half a foot thick with mud, and where they must stay for several hours, waiting for the train to bring them to an English market. It is well known that the excreta left there will retain the seeds of infection for several days ; and it is the opinion of Mr. Wilkinson that all the receptacles for cattle on the coast and at the railway stations should be covered in, well paved in the bottom, and capable of being sluiced out with water before any fresh cargoes are put in. Witli regard to railway wag- gons, all tlie woodwork as high as the animals can reach with their mouths should be covered with hot lime, as nothing will convey the disease quicker than the efiluvium from the breath, and the pus from the ulcers that are always to be found upon the palate, tongue, and nostrils of stock alTeeted. It has been said tliat sheep may have the disease, and no blushes upon the mouth appear. As far as I have been able to judge, this is a mistake, though I have often found the spots so small that they were difficult to see with the naked eye, but if the nail of your finger is rubbed briskly across the gums within the teeth, the skin at once gives vpay, and shows a tenderness whicli does not exist in animals only affected with foot-rot. In previous years we have very little record of cattle taking the complaint from sheep, and sheep from cat- tle, and in the dry summer of 1870, I had a flock of sheep depastured among two successive lots of diseased cattle, and never one of Ihera became affected by the complaint. It is evident that wet weather is more favourable to the development of the disease than dry, and especially for animals of ditferent species taking it from others. In 1868 and 1870 it was not known among sheep ; now the bulk of the flocks of the kingdom have been affected, and it has even attacked hares and rabbits, dogs and swine, and in some instances children. I was told the other day that a family of children at Mill Shields, on the Derwent, who had been using the milk of cows affected with murrain, showed all the symptoms of the disease, by having sore feet and hands and blushed mouths. There is no doubt that the milk from such beasts is not good for human food ; for apart from its power to affect children, it has the faculty of killing all the calves that partake of it, scarcely one escaping. The pig is the most infectious of all animals, and nearly everything will take it from him. He ought, therefore, to be narrowly watched, for there is little doubt that he has often been the agent to bring it from Ireland, and leave it behind him wherever he went. I have often seen pigs in markets suffering in a dreadful manner ; and such will probably be the case so long as we have policemen appointed as inspectors, wlio have not had any chance of knowing the symptoms of the disease. We ought to have, I think, fully qualified veterinary surgeons for this purpose. But why do farmers not adopt medicinal remedies as soon as the first symptoms o f the attack appears ? I quite believe that it is amenable to treatment. Only last week I was stay- ing with Mr. George Bolam, at Alwinton. He had an ox THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE- 465 wliicli took the disease on the Sunday, lie gave it lialf a pound of salts and a tablespoonfiil of saltpptre at once, and dressed its feet with tar and vitriol, and it \vas, to my observance, much better on the Thursday. Tiiere arc several other cases that I could quote. All alfected animals should at once be taken out from amougst tiic healtliy ones, kept perfectly clean, and treated medicinally. Dirt is the great friend of disease, and all places holding sick cattle should bo thoroughly cleansed and disin- fected before others are put in. With sheep it is a most effectual plan of treatment to drive them through some of the arsenical sheep dips which we know of as soon as it appears. Tliis can be done by sinking a long trough against a wall, filling it with the liquid, and forcing them through it by plac- ing hurdles to hinder them from going auotlier patli. I think we have now touched upon nearly all the points that will aid our project this day ; there is one, however, which we have probably not said enough about, aud that is the transit of stock tiirough infected districts. Instead of driving it in such districts, I should advocate its being sent by rail from the nearest station. All tlie drove roads that I have seen are in a great measure lined witli the complaint ; and if stock were sent by rail there would be much less danger in its either giving or coutracting the malady. With this precaution in the transition of the healthy animals — with medicinal treatment to those that are ill — with the fairs and markets closed for the present, and reduced in number for the future— with a complete [renewal of all receptacles for stock at docks aud wharfs — witli a better system of inspection, aud the impost of a strong licence upon all salesmen and dealers in cattle — 1 am sanguine enough to believe that we should soon have natural health restored to our flocks and herds ; and that we should hear no more the clamorous complaints of the people of Eugland of the price of this important and staple article of daily food. jMr. Mattitew Sjiith said the subject was one of great im- portance to the farmers of this country. The foot-and-mouth disease was spreading, not in one particular county but in every county in England. It was a matter which required great con- sideration, and he trusted that it would be taken up by the Club. With respect to the treatment of diseased cattle, he had had some experience himself; some years ago he had twenty milch cows aifeetel with the foot-and-mouth disease. lie kept tliera strictly clean, and by means of attention and careful nursing he did not lose a single animal. Some farmers neglected the cattle entirely when affected with this disease ; they turned them into the field, but the animals' mouths were so sore that they could not eat anything. They were well aware of the unsatisfactory condition of the ports at which cattle from Ireland were landed in this country ; they were in a filty state, and no care was taken to keep them clean and disinfected, so that if the cattle left Ireland in a healthy state they must eventually get the disease. It was the duty of every- one interested in this matter to petition the Government to see that these landing places for cattle were kept perfectly clean and properly disinfected. If some means were not promptly taken to check the disease it would spread more and more throughout the country. Even if cattle recovered from the disease they were much deteriorated in value, and it took many more weeks before they could be got ready for market. He saw several farmers present who had had the disease on their farms, who could no doubt tell them which was the most beneficial way of treating it. Mr. GooBMCK said that with a great deal in Mr. Hedley's paper he entirely agreed, but he thought Mr. Hedley was wrong in fixing upon 1839 as tlie year in which the foot-and- mouth disease first made its appearance in this country, be- cause he remembered having to do witli it in 1S33. It was a disease no one could account for, and many people who had it on their farms were at a loss to tell how it got there. Mr. Smith partly attributed it to dirt, and recommended byres and other places being washed and kept clean, but nine-tenths of them got it in their own clean fields, where there was no dirt, and yet the cattle took it. One of the authorities quoted by Mr. Hedley stated that cattle through being affected with this disease only lost £1 a-head. A friend of his in Yorkshire got the disease on his farm, and two cows near calving took it. Both the calves died, and instead of the loss to the farmer being only £1 a-head, he estimated that he would sustain a loss upon each beast of £15. Mr. Hedley stated that nearly all the calves died, and he believed such was the fact. He begged to propose a vote of.thauks to Mr. Hedley fur the able aud in- teresting paper with which he iiad favoured them. Mr. T110JIA.S KowELL seconded the vote of thanks to Mr. Hedley. The Secretary, Mr. Wra. Trotter, remarked that there was but one point which Mr. Hedley had not very promi- nently touched upon, and that was the carriage of cattle by water from Ireland to this country. In reading newspaper accounts of it, he felt much disgusted with the manner in which the cattle were described to be treated, how the poor animals were liuddled into a hole, ventilation was not at- tended to, and in a rough passage the animals suffered consi- derably. He quite expected that Mr. Hedley, with his expe- rience, having crossed the ^Channel many times, would have enlightened them on that subject, and pointed out some remedy. When cattle suffered in their passage across, their vitality was reduced in consequence, and they were much more likely to take any disease that was going than they would if they were in a nice healthy condition when disembarked. The newspapers stated that they had to stand for several hours after leaving the vessel, exposed to all kinds of weather, and frequently foot-and-mouth disease followed. In all probability the ground on which they stood was impregnated with disease, and they must catch it at once. Mr. Hedley had a fiery word at their auction marts Mr. Geo. Hedley (intcrruping) : No, no ; I said cattle had to pass through the fiery ring of an auction mart. Tlie Secretary, resuming, said he thought auction marts were very useful places when they had a kw cattle and sheep to dispose of, because they always got full value for them without any higgling or haggling with a purchaser — the bar- gain was struck at a blow. The auction mart was a private enterprise, and the possessor was much more likely to pay greater attention to it, and to keep it more thoroughly clean and disinfected than those persons who had charge of public markets. He purchased some lambs at Newcastle and took them home, aud after some ten days the disease broke out among them, and the rest of his cattle got it. A farmer whom he knew sent some cattle to Neweastle to a commission agent ; they were returned home and got foot-and-mouth disease, and were not sold till some sis months afterwards. They were sold with less profit tiian the farmer would have got if he had sold them when they were first sent away, because, as the farmer said, they were twice lean, and he had them twice to make fat. It seemed very plain to him that the regular fat market was one of the nurseries where the disease was kept ahve and propagated, and if fat markets, such as that at New- castle, were kept in better condition, it would be one great step in reducing the amount of loot-and-raouth disease that was in the country. As to fairs and trysts, and large salesmen and dealers and small salesmen aud dealers, he could only remark that they lived in a free country, and, to a great extent, he believed in free trade — he might say he believed in free trade in everything. He was not sure but having fairs on fresh ground — where there had not been a fair for twelve months — was much better than having them on the same place a dozen times in the year. The question as to small salesmen he thought had no bearing on the subject ; if rising young men thought it was a good thing to buy two or three beasts and a score or two of sheep, it was a hard case if they could not be allowed to do so without first having obtained a licence. He was much obliged to Mr. Hedley for the remarks he had made regarding the cruel treatment which cattle re- ceived that were exposed in our public markets. It was really shameful the way the animals were knocked about by the drovers at fairs and markets. Mr. Christopher Grey was of opinion that much of the spread of the disease was attributable to the carelessness of farmers, and also to the way in which unprincipled farmers and dealers acted. He could cite one or two instances to con- firm what he stated. He knew one farmer who had the mur- rain amongst his cattle at a time when the Privy Council gave the local authorities the same powers as they had now, and when there were inspectors to whom cases of outbreak of disease were to be reported. At any rate, he thought it was the duty of this farmer to have acquainted his nearest neigh- bour of the fact, seeing that there was only a rail fence between their fields. The neighbour had cattle in the adjoining field, and }'et this farmer never told him that such a thing as mur- rain prevailed on the other side of the fence. Certainly he 466 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. considered it was the duty of that farmer, as a neighhourly act, to have acquainted his neighbour, and not have allowed the disease to spread to another farm. Another case occurred not many miles from where he lived. A farmer bought a quantity of sheep, took them home and put tliem amoug the rest of his cattle, and the disease broke ont amongst them. Another person, a cattle dealer, went past his place witli a drove of cattle which were known to be alTected with the disease, and a few days afteswards the disease broke out on tliree or four different farms in the. district through which the lierd of cattle passed. The party knew the cattle had tlie disease ; an inspector ; looked at them, but how he passed them he could not tell, for another party who saw them while the inspector was looking at them saw three or four of them had the disease. He thouglit a great deal of the spread of this troublesome disease w.is owing to their own careless- ness, and also to the unprincipled action of other parties, who wanted the affected cattle out of their own hands and away to the market. Mr. Dryden said that so far as his experience went, it was affected cattle passing from one place to another that spread the disease. The matter ought to be properly looked into, and means should be adopted to see that all steamboats and railway trucks which conveyed cattle were kept clean and properly disinfected, for if these were kept in proper order there was little fear of the disease. At first he thought it had arisen through overcrowding, and the filthy state in which the trucks and steamboats were commonly kept. He thought the state of the atmosphere this summer had helped to spread the disease. Had it been a dry summer, they would not have had so much of this disease. By the misty, dull weather which had prevailed, the disease had been scattered here and there over the country, and thus, independent of direct con- tagion, it wss spread. If all cattle trucks and steamboats and other means of carrying cattle were kept properly clean, and overcrowding prevented, he believed that nine-tenths of the disease would be prevented. He had had thousands of cattle through his hands this year, but he had had very little to do with the disease. He had had a few diseased animals, and he did not believe that many of the cattle would die if they were nursed and proper care taken of them. He did not believe in medicine so much as in carefillly nursing them and giving them suitable food. Those he had had, however, had a mild type of the disease. In liis opinion, the first thing that was to be done was to keep the cattle trucks, steamboats, &c., as clean as possible. With many of the things mentioned by Mr. Hedley for the prevention of the disease he entirely agreed. As to licences for cattle salesmen, he might say he had no objection to paying for a licence, and any young man of spirit and enterprise, who was fitted for the work, would not object to pay for such a licence. It took a man of wide experience to make a good cattle salesman and dealer. With regard to having fewer markets and fairs, he thought it would be a good thing, not only for the prevention of disease, but for farmers themselves in various ways. Prices would not vary so much, and in every respect it would be an improvement, if there were not so many markets and fairs for cattle. As for auction marts, he would put them in the same category as fairs — there should not be so many of them. Mr. Ralph Hedley (Cheviot) ^interrupting : I am afraid Mr. Hedley and Mr. Dryden wisli to create a monopoly throughout the country. Mr. Dni'DEN : I think it would be better if there were fewer fairs. Mr. Ralph Hedley observed that, although there were many useful points in the paper, it did not show the origin of the disease, nor did it point out any special mode by which it might be checked, except that of the granting of licences, and thus creating a monoply to large dealers and preventing free dealing. They might say that there should be licences for dealers who attended butter markets. He believed that auction marts had been the means of parties in the country arriving at a more correct value of their stock than ever be- fore ; when large dealers went to them and persuaded them that such and such stock was only worth a certain price, and very likely these parties had only two lots of stock to sell in the season, in spring and autumn, and did not know the value of stock, but had confidence in these gentlemen representing the state of trade, he believed the auction mart was the only way by which a man got to knovr the full value of his stock. He did not believe these marts propagated the disease. He was quite certain they did not ; and in his opinion the disease was spread by healthy animals coming in direct contact with affected ones. He had taken two or three affected cattle out of a field, and the disease had not spread over the farm, nor to his neighbour's farm. He had done that on no fewer than four occasions, and he agreed with Mr. Grey that much of the spread of the disease was owing to the carelessness of farmers themselves. It was not caused by the small dealers nor the auctioneers, but rather from their own carelessness. He held it to be the duty of every farmer, as soon as it appeared among his stock, to isolate the diseased animals as much as possible, and take every precaution against its spread- ing, and also to apprise his neighbour of it as soon as it broke out. Mr. A. Cowing remarked that he was quite of Mr. Dry- dens opinion, that the disease could be carried about by the atmosphere, as it had broken out among stock bred on the place, and quite apart from any animals being moved about. Mr. 11. Hedley -. Hares will take it. Mr. Cowing : There were not any diseased cattle on the same side of the river for miles. The Chairman said he well remembered the time of the cattle plague, when the fairs were stopped in this country ; particularly was that the case with the transit of cattle — no diseased cattle were moved at all, and at that time they got nearly rid of the foot-and-mouth disease. It only required caution on the part of farmers and dealers to stamp the dis- ease out. If tlieir fairs were stopped this autumn, the disease would be greatly reduced, and during the winter months might be stamped out. He quite agreed tliat there were too many trysts ; cattle were never rested at liome, beiug continu- ally moved about by some of those small dealers He quite agreed with Mr. Hedley that the trade should be put into the hands of more respectable dealers, who should take out licences like the horse dealers. Not more than a fortnight ago a dealer bought some Irish cattle at Carlisle, which he brought to Corbridge station, where they were taken off in the middle of the night. The dealer lost some of the animals on the road, and next morning he sent two boys to take two cattle out of his field, thinking they were his, while his cattle had been wan- dering on the road all night. Several dealers, when in his neigh boui hood, had been in the habit of letting the cattle go slowly on the road, with one person in front and one behind, in order, he supposed, to bait them. With cattle travelling past their farms in this manner, how could they expect to be free. from disease, especially as the policeman never once thought of looking after these cattle, and obliging the drovers to drive right on. The Irish cattle were subjected to much cruel treatment in their transit from Ireland to this country, by which they were reduced in stamina, and could not with- stand the disease. They were often exposed for hours to the cold, and then trucked and sent considerable distances without food. He had heard that cattle landed in the North of Eng- land had been sent into Norfolk without food or water. If any one was brought] up for cruelty to animals it should be those dealers who did these things. They also knew how shamefully cattle were treated at fairs and markets ; the drovers used them unmercifully, and, as Mr. Hedley said, they knocked them about to make them look better. He had many a time requested the drovers to let the cattle stand quietly. If any- thing could be done to stop the fairs and trysts, and to stamp out the disease during this autumn and winter, it would be of great benefit to the country. The vote of thanks to Mr. Hedley, for his paper, was then put and carried. Mr. George Hedley, in replying on the discussion said he might safely reiterate that the first appearance of foot-and- mouth disease in this country was in 1839. He thought Mr. Goodrick would give way on that point when he told him that he got his information from the blue books of the Crown. Mr. Goodrick admitted that he was in error, and that the year 1839 was the correct date. Mr. Hedley agreed with the observations of Mr. Goodrick as to the severity of the disease upon milch cows. The in- stance tiiat gentleman gave was a very apt one, and it was probably on account of the great severity with which it affected milch cows that brought the average of the damage they sus- tained to such a large amount. With regard to Mr, Trotter's THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 467 remarks, he had no douht but that he was a patriotic mau, and wished to move forward in the direction which he thought was best for the welfare of mankind, ihougli he had tliis to say re- specting his objections, that instead of taking up tlie cardinal points of the subject, those points most likely to remove the disease and bring about a radical change in the health of their cattle in future, he simply touched upon a few details which had little bearing on the matter. lie was sorry he took ex- ception to two things which were meant to benefit the farmers of this country, namely, fewer fairs and trysts, and licences for cattle salesmen and dealers. lie might couple with Mr. Trotter's opinion that expressed by his friend, Mr. Ralph Hedley, who spoke from a point of view, he was afraid, of affecting his own calling, lie had a dream that he was more patriotic. If any man could show him by good rea- soning that if they reduced the centres of infection they would not reduce also the spread of infection he should be glad to give way to him. It would be against all the laws of logic he had ever heard expounded. He had been ac- cused of wishing to give a monopoly of trade to large sales- men and dealers ; he was glad to say such a thing never entered his mind ; his sole idea was how to get rid of this dreadful complaint and to keep the health of their flocks and herds good in the future if possible. He thought Mr. Trotter and Mr. Ralph Hedley jumped at conclusions rather rapidly when they assumed that the imposition of licences upon deal- ers would affect the matter from a dealer's point of view. The fact was there were far too many small dealers, many of whom drove cattle about under the cloud of night, as Mr. Lee had .shown, and their cattle got into farmer's fields and spread di- sease wherever they went. These small dealers were only gaining a few shillings, and although they were making a small gain, they were losing much valuable meat to the coun- try by driving cattle continually about. They had less disease when they had fewer fairs, and farmers only attended markets a few times in the year for the purposes of buying stock. If the number of centres of disease were reduced there would be less spread of it. Eiom the remarks of Mr. Christopher Grey, he inferred that he agreed with a reduction in the number of fairs and also in the number of dealers if possible, as he said in his speech that unscrupulous farmers and cattle dealers were the means of spreading the disease by driving affected flocks and herds through the country. He was glad to find such an experienced and practical person as Mr. Dryden fall into a like way of thinking as himself. Although he was one of the first men in the country he would have consulted in getting up this paper, he regretted to say that he had not had an op portunity of speaking to him until that day in the Newcastle cattle market, after his paper was of course written, and it was a curious fact that he had taken this view of the case. He was sure both could live, their famihes were not so great, if all the people turned dealers, and if every town and village in the country had an auction mart. He thought it was a mistake if people had the idea that an auction mart was the best place to sell either fat stock or lean, except it was a deplenishing sale of a farm. As they all knew, every animal went through the same ring, and if there was any infection left in the ring the animals following must get it; Foot-and-mouth disease was a most subtle and infectious one, and was communicated in a manner that. some- times surprised them, so slight and slender seemed to have been the means. Tlien, again, there was more competition iu markets like those of Newcastle, Liverpool, and London than at auction marts. He agreed with what had been said by Mr. Trotter regarding the management of steamboats, also of wharves and other places where cattle are landed. Ue also agreed that if possible something should be done to prevent the cruel treatment to which cattle were subjected at fairs and markets. He thought the best thing they could do was to pass some resolutions on the subject, and forward them to some quarter where they would be put into circulation and operation. Mr. Smith then proposed " That this meeting views with great alarm the violent and universal spread of cattle diseases throughout the kingdom." Mr. Dryden seconded the resolution. Mr. Dryden moved " That this meeting is of opinion that the chief causes of the origin and spread of cattle diseases are the imperfect management of transit, the rough and cruel treatment during land and water carriage, the unsuitable con- dition of railway trucks and wharves, and the luultiplicatiou of fairs and markets throughout the kingdom." Mr. W. F. Catciieside seconded the motion. Both these resolutions were agreed to. Mr. Taylor then moved the following resolution, which was seconded by Mr. Pickering : " That the spread of disease would be materially checked if a licence was imposed upon all cattle salesmen and dealers, the same as in the case of horse dealers and auctioneers." The Secretary. Mr. Trotter, opposed the resolution, as he thought the Club was going out of its proper sphere in interfering with such matters. He might remark, although he did it with considerable diflidence, that such a resolution coming from a cattle salesman — Mr. Iledley having prepared it — he did not care however respectable the gentleman might be, threw a shadow of suspicion into people's minds that it partook of what was vulgarly called " the shop." He held that it was wrong to compel men to have licences to buy cattle, and moved that the resolution be not accepted. Mr. Ralph Hedley said that this resolution, though not moved by Mr. George Hedley, was moved by another gentle- man at his dictation, and he (the speaker) considered that it was not called for. They should not trammel themselves with licences which in a short time they would be glad to get rid of. He seconded Mr. Trotter's amendment. Mr. Smith supported the motion, which was opposed by Mr. W. F. Catchzside, who, while agreeing that they should do their utmost to stop the spread of the disease, thought licences did not effect it in any particular point of view. After some little further discussion, the propositions were put to the meeting, when three voted for the amendment and: three for the motion. The Chairman gave his casting vote in favour of the motion, which was declared carried, and the meeting terminated. ARTIFICIAL MANURES ANALYSIS CASE. CIRENCESTER COUNTY COURT. Joseph Ashby Faedon v. Thomas Little. Claim ^£13 for manure. — Mr. Jeynes, of Gloucester, appeared for the plain- tiff, and Mr. Hampton for the defendant. Mr. Jeynes, in opening the case, said the plaintiff was a manure manufacturer living at Droitwich, and the defendant was a farmer at Norcote, near Cirencester. They claimed for two tons of manure sold by an agent, Mr. Mace, to the defend- ant some time in May in last year, at £6 10s. per ton. He would inform his Honour that the plaintiff made three quali- ties of manure ; the first quality was sold at £7 per ton, the second quality at £6 10s., and the third quality at £6. The defendant bought the second quality. The manure was sent away on the 12th of May, and on the 2nd of June plaintiff received a letter from defendant, in which he stated that he had sent a sample of the manure to Professor Church for analysation, and enclosed a copy of the result of the analysis. He said that in justice to farmers purchasing manure, this should be published in all the agricultural papers, which course he intended to adopt. Plaintiff replied in a letter of June 8th, stating that they sold this manure as a special manure for swedes, and not as superphosphate ; that although very great care was taken in mixing the ingredients, it was impossible to ensure that in such a small quantity as was taken for the analysis they should exist in proper proportions ; and that if defendant would give the manure a trial with any other at the same price, plaintiff was not afraid of the result. Defendant did not reply to this letter, and on the 14th June the plaintiff again wrote him. The substance of the letter was that as the defendant had used such strong language in his first letter, and in order to show that it was quite possible that the ingredients might be imperfectly mixed, he enclosed an extract referring to a case in which the Royal Agricultural Society of England had adopted the course defendant had hinted at, namely, pub- lishing the analysis of a manure in a newspaper, and had to 468 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. apologise and pay costs. The defenilant took no notice of that either. He had not said he would not pay for the manure, and the next letter received from the defendant was in reply to an application for the money. Defendant said lie was surprised at an application for the whole of the money, when the plain- tiff knew the manure was of little value, lie stated that he had used 10 cwt., and that 30 cwt. was left which he did not intend to use, and that he would submit to another analysis to determine what he should pay. Mr. Jeynes urged the point of its being a special manure, and not sold as a superphosphate. The defendant liad never offered to return the manure, nor refused to pay for it till the money had been applied for twelve months after, and therefore he could not conceive what defence Mr. Hampton was going to make. He then called the son of the plaintiff. Joseph Asiiby Faedon, examined by Mr. Jeynes, then deposed that his father had been in business for 18 years at Droitwich. In May in last year they sold to defendant through an agent two tons of manure. The Judge said he should like to liear something of the cir- cumstances of the sale. Mr. Jeynes said the agent was not present, but read the order from the agent to plaintiff. Examination of witness continued. — The manure was sold as a special mixture for swedes. The manure was forwarded to the defendant, and the first intimation they had of it was by the letter of the 2ud of June that had been read. [The letter referred to and the other letters read were put in, except the last written by defendant.] Mr. Jeynes said he should take exception at once, as it had been proved that the goods had been delivered and never re- turned or paid for. The 'plaintiff was not present at the analysis, nor liad he received any notice to attend at any test. The Judge : You have had notice that the defendant had had a sample analysed, and found it to be worthless ; and if you wanted to analyse the manure you could have done so. Mr. Jeynes : We were no party to the analysis, and we have had no opportunity afforded to us since of examining the manure. The Judge: You would have been perfectly justified in testing the analysis. Mr. Jeynes : Defendant did not return the manure or refuse to pay for it. We asked him to give it a lair trial. The Judge : This letter is a pretty strong intimation that he did not intend to pay for it. [His Honour read an extract ■ from the first letter put in, in which defendant said that he should publish the result of the analysis as a caution to farmers buying manure.] Mr. Jeynes : But we deny that the analysis is correct, and allege therefcre that it is inadmissible. Examination of witness continued. — Plaintiffs opinion of the analysis was that it was incorrect, on the ground that the quan- tity of soluble superphosphate, which was a valuable ingredient in turnip manures, was very much under-rated. The quantity of soluble superphosphate it was stated to contain in the analy- sis was 2'31 percent. His Honour : What is the amount you state it to contain P Witness would rather not answer the question, but would do so if pressed by his Honour. His Honour did not press the question.' Examination continued. — Plaintiff did not sell the manure as superphosphate, but as a special manure, calculated to promote the growth of turnips or swedes. Mr. Church's assertion that the manure contained a great quantity of sand was not correct. There v?as no burnt earth in it, but it contained soot. He did not know whether Mr. Church might be de- ceived by the presence of soot and call it burnt earth. It was possible that in the process of mixing the manure some in- gredients might exist in large projortions in the small quantity analysed. They could not rely upon analysis as a test of mixed manures. Tliere was no guarantee given in this case. They had been selling this manure for about 20 years, in very large quantities in this and other neighbourhoods. They had never received any complaint before. Not only had they never had any complaints but had received orders a second time. They had heard no results of the 10 cwt. which defendant had used. It was a fact that if the manure was exposed it would go back, and the soluble phosphate would be reduced. Cross-examined by Mr. Hampton. — Witness had had no experience in chemical matters, nor was he a practical chemist. He had not been educated in chemical matters. He swore that there was no sand put into the manure by them ; whether there might not be some in the superphosphate 'of liflie that they bought he could not tell. Burnt earth could not get into the manure. They did put common salt in the manure to the extent of 7 per cent. Half a ton of the manure would be a proper test if used properly, as manure should be used. If kept in the dry for a week the manure would not lose much in its quality. They liad not sold much of this manure in this neighbourhood, but more in Oxfordshire. They sold some to Mr. Butt, a farmer near Cirencester, and he did complain when the account was sent in ; they threatened him with liti- gation before he would pay for the manure. Witness declined to state the quantity of soluble matter in it unless pressed by the Judge. Witness' father received Professor Church's analy- sis within a fortnight of the manure being sent off. They had not, as suggested by defendant, made any test of the manure. A great many persons had expressed themselves satisfied with the manure. Mr. Hampton asked that the letter from defendant, propos- ing another trial of the m^ure, should be put in. It was put in accordingly. Cross-examination continued. — It would not be genefally ^ understood that a swede manure was a superphosphate. Ag- riculturists would not necessarily receive it as such. Ke-examined by Mr. Jeynes. — There was no sand in any of the ingredients. Mr. Jeynes produced testimonials from various farmers in praise of the manure, and asked to be allowed to put them in. Mr. Hampton objected. Mr. Jeynes : Tlien I must ask for an adjournment to pro- duce the parties. Mr. Hampton said rather than go to the additional expense of an adjournment, or raise technical objections, he would sub- mit to the letters being put in. Plaintiff's foreman, William Stockley, was called, and swore to the signatures of the testimonials as being written in his presence. Mr. Jeynes then read the letters, which were from five ! gentlemen all from the neighbourliood of Shipton. Having purchased small quantities of the £6 10s. manure, they each professed themselves satisfied, and said they should order some more. William Stockley, cross-examined by Mr. Hampton, said he went round specially at the request of Mr. Pardon to get these testimonials. He was foreman to Mr. Pardon. Mr. Jeynes said if the case were adjourned he could bring the parlies who wrote the testimonials. Mr. Hampton was quite willing tiiat the case should be adjourned. His Honour to Mr. Hampton : It would be more satis- factory, as you would have an opportunity of cross-examining them, but I think you had better proceed. This concluded the case of the plaintiff. Mr. Hampton said they based their defence on the quality of the manure purchased. The quality of the manure was such that by merely seeing it while being drilled, Mr. Little concluded that it was of little value, and sent a sample to Pro- fessor Church to be analysed, and upon the result of that analysis he proposed to rest his case. 10 cwt. of the manure had been used, and Mr. Little found that he had spent labour on that which would produce nothing. He would not make any further remark, but would at once call the defendant. Mr. Thomas Little, examined by Mr. Hampton, then de- posed that he was a farmer. In 1871 he farmed largely, about 800 acres, situated at Driffield. He purchased this manure from the agent, Mr. Mace. He intended it to drill in with swedes. He did not buy it specially as swede manure, but thought it was good and could be used for anything else. It was used to drill in with swedes. The agent recommended it as being good manure for the purpose. He received the manure on the 15th of May, 1871, and used it about the 23rd. The manure was being used with swedes, and when he saw it, thinking that it was of very little value, he stopped the driUiug, and said he would have it analysed. He had a bottle full taken from the bulk and sent to Professor Church (bottle pro- duced with some of the manure still in it). He believed that the bottle he sent was the same as the one produced. He sent a copy of the analysis to Mr. Pardon. He used 10 cwt. of the manure, and the result of it was that the crop was not half so THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 469 good as in tlie adjoiuing laud. The laud ou wliicli the manure was put had also been treated with farm-yard manure, while the landatljoiuing haduo uuuiure at all, and yet the uumauured laud produced twice as good a crop as the doubly manured. His opinion of the aotiou of the manure was that it destroyed vegetation. Tlie manure was stored iu the cart-house before it was used, lie never used this manure before. Cross-examined by Mr. Jeynes. — He bought the manure of Mr. Mace as he recommended it. He expected a good manure lor £G lUs. He had paid £7, and for valuable manure he had paid £S, but never more than that. The mauure was put iu tile cart-house, no other was put with it. He sent two samples to Professor Church, one from the plaintiff, and the other from another maker. He paid £6 10s. per ton also for the other sample. He did not take the samples himself, his son took them, but he was satisfied that they were taken right. His land generally grew a good crop. Mr. Jeyues : Is earth from your land worth £1 a ton ? WiTiNESS : Hardly that, perhaps, but it is worth as much as the manure. By His Ho^ouK. — Witnessed used 10 cwt. of the manure. Cross-examination continued. — He did not send to the plaintiff when his crop came to perfection because he had sent quite enough. The plaintiff did write him a letter asking him for a fair trial, and he did give it a trial, and found it was of no use. He did not write aud tell the plaintiff the result of his crop, as he did not think it necessary. The Judge said Mr. Fardou had applied for a trial in his letter of June 8th. Mr. Jei'nes, to the defendant, said they had written him a letter asking for a trial, and ielt confident that they should obtain a good result, and until they received his last com- munieatitu stating the manure to be useless, they took it for granted that the result was satisfactory. His Honour said that in manufacturing manure it was obvious that all the parts might not be completely mixed — that was clear. •■ Cross-examination continued. — He did not send the result to the plaintitf, but had told Mr. Mace, the agent, about it several times in the market. He used 2 cwt. to the acre, the same quantity as he did of the other manure. Re-examined by Mr. Hampton. — It was generally expected when they bought swede manure that they were buying super- phosphate. He did not get any reply to his letter proposing a second analysis. Mr. Mace, the agent, advised him not to pay for the manure. A good manure must be well mixed. If it was not mixed properly it was the fault of the maker. The Judge said that an unsupported analysis would not constitute a sufficient test. Geokge Moss, a lad, was next called, and in examination by Mr. Hampton, deposed that he was a labourer in the employ of Mr. Little. He was iu his employ in the month of May, 1871. He remembered the manure being taken up through the village to the cart-house. He knew it was the manure be- cause of the labels on the bags. The Judge : Can you read ? Witness -. No, sir. Examination continued. — He remembered young Mr. Little placing manure in the bottle produced, and taking it to be analysed. Cross-examined by Mr. Jeynes. — He saw the manure in the cart-house. The carter took it there. There was a ticket on the bags. He could not read the tickets. Some of the boys at work about got the tickets off, and some of the bags got the strings off. The boys upset the bags iu the cart-house, and spilt some of the manure, but it was put iu again. The cart-house had not a wood or stone floor, but a mould floor. If the manure were picked up again some of the dirt might be picked up with it. The bag that was upset was the one the sample was taken out of. Re-examined by Mr. Hampton. — The floor was common mould, and did not contain burnt earth or sand. By His Honour. — Witness told the boys to leave it alone, but they would not. Professor Church was then called. Mr. Jeytnes protested against any further evidence, isasmuch as it had been proved by one of the witnesses for the defence that it was not the actual thing delivered that Mr. Church had analysed. The Judge said that the delivery had cerlaiuly not been proved in the clearest manner possible. Mr. Hampton said unfortunately Mr. Little, junior, was in Ireland, and he had intended to be home purposely for this case, but either the boat or train had failed and lie had not put iu an appearance. If necessary, tiiey could adjourn the case for his attendance. Professor A. U. CnuRcii, M.A.,T.C.S.,Cousuhiug Chemist to the Cirencester Chamber of Agriculture, was then examined by Mr. Hampton, and deposed that he had been Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Agricultural College for the last nine years. He had made some liuudreds of analyses of manure. In the mouth of May last year he received a sample of manure from defendant's son, as a fair sample. He put a label on the bottle containing the sample at once. He analysed the con- tents. A turnip or root manure was considered to be a super- phosphate. He had analysed scores and always fouud them to be essentially superphosphates. He should expect to find 26 per cent, of soluble phosphate in a manure. One of his analyses of Proctor's manures had yielded 28 per cent. The manure he received from defendant contained 2.31 per cent, bone earth rendered soluble. It contained 5.03 of insoluble phosphate of lime, 19 per cent, of sand, insoluble or useless matter, iG. 82 of common salt, which should not be bought as superpliosphate manure, as it could be obtained so cheaply that farmers purchased it themselves. It contained about the usual proportions of water, 17.33, and of ammonia and other valuable substances it contained .372, or little over one third of a part in a hundred. After deducting from the worth of the manure the cost of distribution, which would lessen its value by one-half, it might be worth from Ss. to 9s. per ton. His Honour : Then for sale the manure would be worth almost 9s. per ton ? Witness : Yes, after taking away the cost of distribution, which is a very serious thing iu the case of so weak a manure. The following was the Professor's analysis of the manure : Fardoii^s Special Manure for Swedes and Turnips. Water 17.33 ^Organic matter 16.31 Siliceous and insoluble matter 19.00 f Monocalcio phospliate 1.74 Insoluble phosphate of lime 5.03 Sulphate of hme 12.92 Common salt 16.82 Oxide of iron, alkaline salts, &c 10.86 100.00 * Containing nitrogen equal to .372 per cent, of ammonia, t Ectual to bone-earth made soluble, 2.31 per cent. Examination continued. — He examined the manure several times, and always obtained the same result, aud it had been shown to the students as a sample of worthless manure. Ad- vanced students had analysed the mauure and obtained the same result. His Honour : Do you know Mr. Little's farm ? "Witness : I do not, but I know that the soil contains a good deal of lime. Examination continued. — There was a very slight smell to the manure. He did not attacii much importance to the smell as indicative of the gooduess of a manure. He relied upon the analysis. Mauure manufacturers must know that if manures were not well-mixed they were of no use — if the nitro- genous substances were separated from the phosphatic sub- stances it produced a spotty appearance ou the vegetation. No length of keeping would introduce into manure substances which were not mixed with it. Mr. Jeynes : If it was turned inside a cart-house, would that alter it ? Witness : It would have got a little drier, and consequently I should have got a little more phosphatic matter out of it. Cross-examined by Mr. Jeynes. — As to the value of the manure he had stated, and it was calculated in analyses that each one per cent, of bone earth rendered soluble was wofth four shillings. Mr. Jeynes : What quantity did you take for your ana- lysis ? Witness : About 6oz., and from that I made my analysis. Mr. Jeynes : Would a shilling cover the quantity that you used for your different tests ? 470 THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. Witness : Yes, probably. Mr. Jeynes : Would it be possible to get, in such a small quantity as that, each ingredient to exist in proper propor- tions ? Witness : Yes, because a manure manufacturer who knows his business would mix it up well, and analyses known to be correct are always made on such samples. Mr. Jeines : Do you think you could mis it it up so nicely ? Witness : I know I could. Mr. Jeynes : EverythiDg would mix together and exist in proper proportions ? Witness : Certainly, Mr. Jeynes : You have given evidence in a court of law ; has any chemist ever differed from you in his result ? Witness : Never, except within a per cent, for the limits of experimental error. Mr. Jeynes : Ion had another sample from Mr. Little P AViTNESS : Yes, the day after I received the sample in ques- ion, and there could be no mistake between the two. By his Honour. — Witness had never analysed any of de- fendant's manure before that he was aware of. Ilehad not ana- lysed manure for Mr. Butt. He had not seen the crop pro- duced by the manure. He should have liked to have done so. Witness had heard that defendant had applied the manure to five acres of land previously treated with farm-yard manure, and that the crop produced was much worse than in an ad- joining field where there had been no manure, and was sur- prised at tlie results. But salt would on this soil produce very bad effects, and when a manure was used one-fifth of the weight of which was common salt it could be accounted for. Salt was occasionally injurious in this neighbourhood and might counterbalance the effects of the farm-yard manure by killing the young plants. Cross-examined by Mr. Jeynes. — Salt is not applicable in this soil, but in some places it was purchased by the farmers separately. If farmers purchased a manure they ought to have no salt for this land. In some neighbourhoods salt might be good as a manure. Mr. J. Butt was next examined by Mr. Hampton, and de- posed that he was a farmer, farming 370 acres of land. In the month of May, 1871, he purchased two tons of super- phosphate for swedes and turnips of the plaintiff. The ma- nure was similar to that contained in the bottle produced, and he gave £6 10s. a ton for it. He used all his, putting it by the side of some laud on which lie used some of Lawes' ma- nure at £5 10s., and there was about the difference between the two as one would expect where manure had been used and where none had been used. He declined to pay for it, and told Mr. Mace about it, who said he could not help it. He had since paid for it, as the plaintiff had threatened pro- ceedings against him. He had not seen Mr. Little's crop. Cross-examined by Mr. Jeynes. — He received his manure the same day as Mr. Little received his. He compared the manure with that sent by Messrs. Lawes. He found about seven days after drilling, when the first lot came up, that the manure sent by the plaintiff was bad. He thought it was good because Mr. Mace recommended it. About a fortnight after tliat he found that the crop did not grow up. He did not send to Mr. Fardeu because he thought he only had to do with Mr. Mace. About two months after, lie saw Mr. Mace, and told him about it. There was a disease called the " fly " which affected the turnips and destroyed them, but the fiy did not affect his. He complained to Mr. Mace about the crop, because he thonght as he had bought the manure of him it was with him that he had to do. He had never exhibited at the shows. He had asked Mr. Mace to come and look at his crop, which he did about this time last year. By his HoNOUK. — Mr. Mace advised witness not to pay for the manure. Cross-examination continued. — Mr. Mace told witness that he had used some of the manure himself, and he could recom- mend it. He did not know whether he used it still. He did not know how much he had used. This was the second year that Mr. Mace had been on his present farm ; and witness did not know whether he had used it this year or not. He should think Mr. Mace would not have recommended the manure if he had not thought it was good. Mr. Samuel Bryant deposed, on examination by Mr. Hampton, that in May, 1871, he was farm bailiff to the de- fendant, but now he was farming on his own account. He remembered the plaintiff's manure being brought home. It was placed in the cart-house in tlie dry. It was used about the 23rd of May. They used 10 cwt. on five acres. The drilling was stopped because Mr. Little thought it was no good, and he said he should have it analysed. The five acres did not yield half a crop. That land had had farmyard manure upon it, and just over the hedge where there had been no manure there was twice as good a crop. Cross-examined by Mr. Jeynes. — The land adjoining had no manure the previous year. The crop was decidedly no better, but was considered not quite so good. Tliere were no bricks in the cart house. No bricks, burnt earth, salt, or sand, was ever put there. He did not see the bags untied till out in the field. He did not see the sample taken out. By the Judge. — I know nothing of the bags being upset. Mr. Little : I do not think they were upset. Mr. Hampton was just asking for a verdict for the de- fendant when Mr. Little, Jun., arrived in court, and was im- mediately sworn. Mr. Lewis Davis Little, being examined by Mr. Hamp- ton, deposed that he was son of the defendant. He remem- bered the manure being brought home. He remembered that the drilling was stopped because a quantity of burnt brick was discovered in the water drill. He took a sample to Pro- fessor Church on the following day. He also gave evidence as to the state of the crop. Cross-examined by Mr. Jeynes. — He knew the cart-house. It had an earth floor. There were no brick-bats there. The floor was perfectly dry. He never saw bricks in the cart- liouse. They had never stored any bricks in the cart-house, nor had they carried bricks in their carts. They had never burnt any earth for manure. They put all their carts in the house sometimes. There were no bags upset to his knowledge. By Mr. Hampton. — The cart-house had a firm floor. By the Judge. — He took the sample from one bag. By Mr. Jeynes. — From the centre of the bag standing in the middle. On being reminded that the latter stated that the sam- ple was taken from three bags, he said he thought on second consideration that the sample was taken from three bags. B yMr. Jeynes. — The boy did not tell him that the bags had been upset. The bags were tied up, and he untied them for the first time. The Judge : I cannot place any reliance on Moss's evi- dence. Cross-examined. — The bags were sewn up, and I borrowed the boy's knife to cut the string. There were no labels on the bags. His Honour, in summing up, said if there had not been something to corroborate the analysis, and the defendant had trusted to that alone to carry liis case, then he must have said the defence was not made out ; but under the circum- stances he was bound to say that tlie defendant had, in his opinion, made out his case. If the defendant had trusted to the analysis of so small a quantity, points might have been raised as to the completeness of the mixture, or the fairness of the sample ; but the fact of half a ton of this manure being used on five acres, and the same five acres having also been treated with farm-yard manure, coupled with the fact that an adjoining field had produced a better crop with no manure, was in itself a conclusive proof that the manure was not fit for the purpose for which it was sold, and for which it was made. Professor Church's analysis might be very satisfactory as far as the small quantity he analysed went, but beyond this the evidence of the defendant's witnesses had made out their case. It would, perhaps, have been more satisfactory if the defendant had given notice to the plaintiff to come and see the crop, or if the plaintiff had adopted the suggestion made to him, and had the manure again analysed. Mr. Jeynes : I will submit to a nonsuit and have no ver- dict at all. His Honour : Very well, but I hope if the ease is tried again it will be before a jury. — From The Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard. IRIS. — This famous prize-horse "righted" himself at the Abergavenny Horse Show, where he took the first prize in what appears to have been a very good class of hunters up to 15 stone. " He was ridden by Mr. Goodwin, and showed himself to be very clever," THE FAEMBR'S MAGAZINE. 471 REVIEW OF THE CORN TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. Though the sulkiness of September was rapidly followed by intense frost, the month of October as to temperature has been more mild and seasonable ; but wet weather has generally ruled, followed up by floods in the low-lying places, with much local damage, while it has put a stop to potato digging and wheat planting, light and hilly soils excepted. Nor has this been the only evil endured by farmers, whose wheat, mostly injured by sprouting, has been so much further damaged iu condition, that sales have been extremely difficult even at 2s. or 3s. per qr. less money, while the demand for seed has kept up the value of every sample fit for this purpose, and so thrown consumption upon useful and dry sorts of foreign, that in spite of the rise in discount, its value has suffered but little, though business has not been speculative, but merely fi'om hand to mouth. Indeed, the state of the money market in Loudon may lessen the disposition to make consignments to England, lest a panic should set in, and bring on commercial disasters. The four weeks' sales of the past month, however, pretty well indicate our deficiency this year, being 290,595 qrs., against 421,023 qrs. last year, or a weekly falling off of 32,532 qrs., say about one-third of the whole ; and as consumption will increase, not only from the approaching winter, but the loss of a great part of the potato crop, so the increased demand for foreign will be too evident to importers and holders to induce them much to give way, whatever be the future of the money market. Paris has rather given way in flour, but not for wheat, and the majority of the country markets of France were either firm or rather dearer. Belgium in some places has noted easier rates, and so have a few of the German markets, being influenced by the late accounts from London. New York too has declined Is. per qr. But these fluctuations always occur at high rates like the present, especially when the money market is uneasy. As we have now a fair stock in granary, dulness may prevail this side Christmas ; but should the winter be severe, the probability is anything previously lost will be fully recovered ; but with open weather it may last till spring, when stocks will be get- ting low, and the extent of our deficiency be better ascer- tained. One thing is certain, that there has been no specixlative spirit to force up prices unnaturally, neither is it likely with discount so high, and there must be a constant demand for good foreign all through the season ; and as iu all foreign ports old stores were very limited, however the next harvest may turn out, Europe seems likely to be pretty well cleared out by that time. The following rates were recently quoted at the several places named : White wheat at Paris 56s. 6d., red 54s., white at Bordeaux 54s., red wheat in Belgium 59s. to 61s., white Zealand at Rotterdam 70s., Guelders at Amsterdam 63s. 6d., best wheat at Zurich 63s., fine red at Hambro' 61s., cost, freight, and insurance ; at Stettin 55s., free on board; best high-mixed at Dantzic 68s., cost, freight, and insurance, at Konigsburg the same ; red at Peters- burg 55s. 6d., Ghirka at Odessa 41s. to 45s., hard at Taganroc 47s., soft at Algiers 50s., in Spain white sorts at Arevalo 48s., white at San Francisco 59s., cost, freight, and insm'ance ; red spring at New York 52s. per 4801bs., heavy red at Copenhagen 63s., cost, freight, and insurance; at Rostock 64s., cost, freight, and insurance. The first Monday in Mark Lane (which commenced on 30th September) opened on a moderate supply of English wheat ; but there was plenty of foreigu. The show of samples from the near counties during the morning was limited, consisting chiefly of white sorts more or less sprouted. This want of quality made a slow trade, at barely the previous currency, millers buying but very sparingly. Fine samples of foreign obtained very full prices, while red sorts, Russian and American, of good quality, brought quite former prices. "With few cargoes off the coast values were firm. The general aspect of the trade in the country throughout the week was that of great firmness, the finest sorts from scarcity being occa- sionally dearer ; but there were a few exceptions, both Lynn and Stockton noting a decline of Is. per qr. Liverpool, though firm on Tuesday, was down Id. to 2d. per cental on Friday for inferior sorts. The Scotch mar- kets were unaltered. Edinburgh was steady, and Glas- gow in calm. At Dublin both native and foreign wheat was quite as dear as during the previous week. On the second Monday the home-supply of wheat was moderate, and the foreign arrivals rather less, though still abundant. There was but a limited show of fresh samples from Essex and Kent during the morning. The average quality being poor was dull, without any nomiual change, but with a good demand for all qualities fit for seed, at very full prices. The foreign trade generally ex- hibited firmness, red American and good Russian being Is. per qr.|dearer. Floating cargoes maintained their value, but \*ithout briskness. The country trade during the week exhibited very little change ; but the scarcity of fine qualities kept up their value everywhere, while inferior being below miller's wants, were in favour of buyers. Liverpool gave way 2d. per cental on Tuesday, and there was a further decline on Friday of Id. to 2d. per cental. American wheat being plentiful at Glasgow, was down 6d. per boll, but fine Saxonska at Edinburgh was Is. higher. Foreign wheat at Dublin was unaltered in value, but Irish b eing of inferior qiiality, was dull, and in favour buyers. On the third Monday there was rather less of home- growth in the returns, but this was more than made up in the large foreign arrivals. The show of samples on the Essex and Kentish stands was more ample than pre- viously exhibited, but this was caused by overleft samples being included in it. The general quality was so inferior that factors would gladly have cleared out at Is. to 2s. below previous currency, but this they could not do, but few millers being willing to purchase. At the same time a most active demand was experienced for seed, every sample of this quality bringing very high prices. The foreign trade had, however, lost its buoyancy, the leading sorts, Russian and American, being generally quoted Is. lower. Cargoes afloat were the turn cheaper to sell freely. Great heaviness ruled this week in the country, the want of quality being much felt as in London, and though some reports noted no change, the average decline was Is. per qr. Liverpool was 3d. down per cental on Tuesday, and another Id. was lost on Friday. At Edinburgh fine qua- lities were without change, but inferior were Is. down, and at Glasgow this was the state of trade in all qualities. Wheat, both native and foreign, at Dublin, was 3d. to 6d. per barrel in favour of buyers. On the fourth Monday the native supply was moderate, the foreign supply, though less than of late, still ample, including fair quantities from Spain and France. The fresh samples exhibited from the near counties during the morning were not numerous, but from the damp and rainy weather they were about the worst since harvest. It was no use to press them, but factors would very gladly have made a clearance at 23. reduction, but at the close of the market they mostly remained unsold, while fiae 472 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. samples were wauteJ, aud brought fully tlie previous cur- rency. The foi-eign trade was very calm, partly owing to the rise iu discount, but good qualities were not to be had at less money except occasionally out of ship, to pre- vent demurrage. Cargoes afloat were cheaper to sell. This was a dull week in the country, the damp throwing most samples into bad condition ; for fine qualities little diffei-ence was noted. Several places were down Is. per qr., as Lynn, Rotherham, Newcastle, Uppingham, Market Harbro', &c., while some markets were Is. to 2s. lower, as Louth, Market Rasen, St. Ives, and Leeds. Edin- burgh was Is. to 2s. cheaper for inferior wheat, and Dublin 3d to 6d. down per barrel for foreign. The imports into London for four weeks were 29,805 qrs. English wheat aud 171,700 qrs. foreign, against 40,990 qrs. English aud 199,203 qrs. foreign for the same period last year. The imports into the United Kingdom for four weeks ending October 12th, were 4,427,425 ewts. wheat and 442,616 cvvts. flour, against 3,940,843 cwts. wheat and 241,207 cwts. flour last year. The London exports have been 5,639 qrs. The averages opened at 59s. Id. and closed at 58s. 9d. The general averages commenced at 58s. 9d. and ended at 58s, 3d. On the first Monday millers raised the price of town flour from 54s. to 57s., aud there has been a dull trade with very little change since, aud to sell country soits freely it was necessary to accept about Is. per sack less at the close of the month, 43s. being scarcely obtainable for Norfolks ; white extra prime Orleans American barrels were worth about 35s. per barrel. The imports from France have not been generally liked, being wanting in strength. The arrivals into London for four weeks were, iu country sorts 86,838 sacks, and in foreign 15,284 sacks 18,403 barrels, against 89,251 sacks English and 6,377 sacks 27,801 barrels foreign for the same time in 1871. Maize has fluctuated during the month, having first risen about Is. per qr., and subsequently this advance was lost with free arrivals, leaving the value of fresh American at 29s. per qr. ; white Galatz to 33s. per qr. The imports in four weeks were 64,467 qrs., against 11,309 qrs. in 1871. The barley trade has varied little, values rather in- creasing till the fourth Monday, especially for Fi-ench and the higher qualities of foreign ; but the market then be- came dull for all sorts, even English, the fine Saale and other sorts of foreign coming into competition with it. The best malting, however, is yet high — say about 49s. to 50s. ; French about 35s. to 36s., and grinding 27s. to 30s. The imports into London for four weeks were 6,852 qrs. English and 61,799 qrs. foreign, against 4,630 qrs. English and 50,331 qrs. foreign for the same time last year. The malt trade has been steady through the month, the upward tendency being rather checked at the close. The oat trade after evincing considerable firmness for the first fortnight on heavier arrival, became dull and has lost about Is. per qr. in value. 40 lbs. Russian were held at 21s. 6d. to 22s. Sweden of same weight 23s. In- ferior Russian and other sorts in proportion. The London imports for four weeks have been as follows : In English qualities 4,463 qrs., foreign 211,301 qrs.; against 3^074 qrs. English, 75 qrs. Scotch, 204,504 qrs. in 1871. In beans no great demand has been experienced ; but for the first fortnight, with light arrivals, prices .tended upwards; but at the close, with considerable foreign receipts, business became dull, and to have forced sales, either of English or foreign, rather less money must have been taken. Present prices of Mazagaus 84s., harrows 36s. to 37s., pigeon to 40s. per qr. Old being scarce, were worth Is. to 2s. more. Egyptian 33s. The month's imports into London were 4,100'of native growth, 8,240 qrs. foreign, against 4,506 qrs. English, 16,604 qrs. foreign for the same period in 1871. In hog peas there has been very little difl'ercnce of value ; the supplies being moderate, prices tended up- ward. But white sorts have continued in favour, and improved Is. beyond the rise of last month, fair Canadian boilers being held at 43s., English duns 35s., maples 42s., such being scarce. The imports into London for four weeks were 2,907 qrs. English, 5,821 qrs. foreign, against 2,120 qrs. English, 900 qrs. foreign last year. The future value of white sorts will depend on the character of the coming winter, but there seems more probability of an advance than material decline. Linseed, with moderate arrivals, has scarcely varied in price through the entire mouth, but since the cold wea- ther there has been a better demand both for seed and cake. The London imports for four weeks were 34,183 qrs. against 31,407 qrs. in 1871. The value of cloverseed has been hardening from a be- lief in a great deficiency in the English crop, but few samples of which have appeared, and these have been held at high rates. German and French seed has been firm also, and holders mostly asking beyond the views of dealers, who seem little disposed to anticipate the season. Fine trefoil and canary liavc been firm. Tares still a slow sale, though oifering at 4s. 6d. per bushel. CURRENT PRICES OF BRITISH GRAIN AND FLOUR IN MARK LANE. ShUlings per Quarter. WHEAT, Esses& Kent, white old 58 to 67, uew 50 58, flue 68 ,, red... ,, 69 62, „ 50 58, „ 63 Norfolk, Linclnsh., and Yorksh., red, old... 57 63 BARLEY 31 to 35 Chevalier, new 41 48 Grinding 27 31 DistiUing 33 37 MALT,pale66 75 brown... 55 60 RYE 36 38 OATS, English, feed 21 to 26 Potato 27 33 Scotch,feed 00 00 Potato 00 00 Irish.feed, white 18 21 Fine 22 24 Ditto, black 18 21 Potato 26 31 BEANS, Mazagan ...31 33 Ticks 31 33 Harrow 33 35 Pigeon 36 45 PEAS, white, boilera.37 40 Maple 37 to 406rey,new 32 35 FLOUR, per sack of ZSOlbs., best town households.., 60 57 Best country households 43 47 Norfolk and Siiflolk 40 42 FOREIGN GRAIN. Shillings per Quarter. WHEAT, Dantzic, mixed 60 to 65 extra 67 to 71 Konigsberg 60 65 extra 61 70 Rostock 61 64 old — 71 Silesian.red 53 62 white.... 64 67 Pomera.,Meckberg.,and Uckermrk. ...red 61 63 Russian, hard, 47 to 51 St.Petersburgand Riga... 55 60 Danish and Holstein, red 60 63 American 58 61 Chilian, white 67... Californian 65 ... Australian 61 66 BARLEY, grinding 25 to 3 1. . . .distilling and malting 31 35 OATS, Dutch, brewing and Polands 19 to 21 feed 16 19 Danish and Swedish, feed 20 to 21....Stralsund... 20 22 Canada 19 to21, Riga 19 to 21, Ai-ch.l9 to21, P'sbg, 20 23 TARES, Spring, per qr small 35 36 large — 41 B B AN S.Priesland and Holstein 34 36 Konigsberg 32 to 31.. .Egyptian 31 32 PEAS, feeding and maple.. .32 37.. .fine boilers 38 42 INDIAN CORN, white 31 31. ..yellow 27 29 FLOUR, per sack, French..00 00.. .Spanish, p. sack 00 00 American, per brl 25 28. ..extra and dble. 30 34 FOREIGN GRAIN ENTERED FOR HOME CON- SUMPTION DUEIA'G THE WEEK ENDING OCT. 25. Wheat cwts. 121360 I Peas cwts. 3261 Barley , 79785 Maize „ 42643 Oats „ 201471 Flour „ 21734 Beans , 14262 | AVERAGE S Foe the Six Weeks ENDtNa Sept. 14. 1872 Sept. 21, 1872 Sept. 28, 1872 , Oct. 5, 1872 Oct. 12, 1872 Oct. 19, 1872 Aggregate of the above..., The same period in 1871.... Wheat. d. Barley. Oats. 8. d. s. d. 35 10 23 5 37 9 23 6 39 6 22 9 40 1 22 4 41 9 23 2 42 11 23 3 39 7 22 11 35 11 23 7 Printed by Rogersou and Tuxford, 265, Strand, London, WiC. JAMES GIBBS ANB COMPANY. VITRIOL AND MANURE WORKS, NEAR VICTORIA DOCKS, LONDON. OFFICES -16, MARK LANE, E.C. SOLE MANUFACTUEERS OF THE PATENT AMMONIA-FIXED GUANO, Guaranteed to be made from tlie finest quality of Government Guano, as imported. Has produced equally as good results as the unfixed Guano, and is 30s. per ton clieaper. Kecommended for all crops for wliieh Guano is used, and is founJ superior to it for Potatoes, Mangold, Beet Root, &c. In districts where the rain-fall is above an average, we recommend it for Turnips. It is not only cheaper, but also much more efiective than Nitrate of Soda, as Top Dressing, and its effects are more lasting, as may be seen by the after Crops. Patent Ammoniated Phosphate. Dissolved Bones, Superphosphate of Lime. Bone Manure for Turnips. Blood Manure for Roots. Blood Manure for Corn. Special Manures for Manajold, Barley, Grass, and Potatoes. JAMES GIBBS & COMPANY have turned their attention specially to the manufacture of these Manm-es, which contain all the elements necessary to promote the growth of Potato and Turnip crops. The results have given universal satisfaction, and prove the Manures to be the cheapest yet sold. The " condition" of the above is made a matter of special care. They are aU sifted before delivery, to ensure their being fit for the dry or water-drill. Twenty.fifth Edition. WARREN'S FARMERS' ACCOUNT BOOK. Price — Folio, for large farms, 8s. ; Quarto, for small farms and for schools where youths are trained for Agricultural Pursuits, 63. Also, Folio, with pages for a weekly instead of a daily account of labour, 7b.. ROYSTON: JOHN WARREN. LONDON : Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. ; Whittaker and Co. ; Longman and Co. ; Ridgway, IMPORTANT TO FLOCKMASTERS. THOMAS BIGG, Agricultural and Veterinary Chemist, by Appomtment to his late Royal Highness The Prince Consort, K.G., Leicester House, Great Dover Street, Borough, London, begs to caU the attention of Farmers and Graziers to his valuable SHEEP and LAMB DIPPING COMPOSITION, which requires no Boiling, and may be used with Warm or Cold Water, for effectually destroying the Tick, Lice, and aU other insects injurious to the Flock, preventing the alarmmg attacks of Ply and Shab, and cleansing and purifying the Skin, thereby greatly im- proving the Wool, both in quaaitity and quality, and highly Contributing to the general health of the animal. Prepared only by Thomas Bigg, Chemist, &c., at his Manu- factory as above, and sold as tollows, although any othtr quantity may be had, if required :— 4 lb. for 20 sheep, price, jar included £0 61b. 30 81b. 40 10 lb. 60 201b. 100 301b. 160 401b.- 200 601b. 260 601b. •SOO 80 1b. 400 LOO lb. 600 (Caak and measure included) 0 10 0 15 1 0 1 3 1 7 1 17 2 6 Should any Flockmaster prefer boiling the Composition, it will be equally effective. MOST IMPORTANT CERTIFICATE. From Mr. Hekbpath, the celebrated Analytical Chemist :— Bristol Laboratory, Old Park, January 18th, 1861. Sir, — I have submitted your Sheep Dipping Composition to analysis, and find that the ingredients are well blended, and the mixture neutral. If it is used according to the directions given, I feel satisfied, that while it effectuaily destroys vermia, it will not injure the hair roots (or "yolk ") in the skin, the fleece, or the carcase. I think it deserves the numerous testimonials published. I am. Sir, yours respectfully, William Hbeapaih, Sen., F.C.8., &c., &c., To Mr. Thomas Bigg Professor of Chemistry, LeiceBter House, Great Dover-street, Borough, London. He would also especially call attention to his SPECIFIC, or LOTION, for the SCAB or SHAB, which wiU be found a certain remedy for eradicating that loathsome and ruinous disorder in Sheep, and which may be safely used in all climates, and at all seasons of the year, and to all descriptions of sheep, even ewes in lamb. Price FIVE SHILLINGS per gallon — sufficient on an average for thirty Sheep (according to the virulence of the disease) j also in wine quart bottles, IMPORTANT TESTIMONIAL. " Scoulton, near Hingham, Norfolk, April 16th, 1855. "Dear Sir, — In answer to yours ot the 4th iost., which would have been repUed to before this had I been at home, I have much pleasure in bearing testimony to the efficacy of your tavaluable ' Specific for the cure of Scab in Sheep.' The 600 sheep were all dressed in August last with 84 gallons of the ' NoN-POisoNOTJS Specific,' that was so highly recom- mended at the Lincoln Show, and by their own dresser, the best attention being paid to the flock oy my shepherd after dressing according to instructions left ; but notwithstanding the Scab continued getting worse. Being determined to have the Scab cured if possible, I wrote to you for a supply of your Specific, which I received the following day ; and although the weather was most severe in February during the dressing, your Specific proved itself an invaluable remedy, for in three weeks the Sheep were quite cureil ; and I am happy to say the youag lambs are doing remariiably well at present. In conclusion, I believe it to be the safest and best remedy now in use. " I remain, dear Sir, " For JOHN TINGET, Esq., " To Mr. Thomas Bigg. ' "R. RENNET. 1^" Flockmasters would be well to beware of such pre- parations as " Non-poisonoua Compositions :" it is only necessary to appeal to their good common sense and judg- ment to be thoroughly convinced that no "Non-poisonous" article can poison or destroy insect vermin, particularly such as the Tick, Lice, and Scab Parasites— creatures so tenacious of life. Such advertised preparations must be wholly useless, or they are not what they are represented to be. DIPPING APPARATUS «14, £5, £4, & £9, LONDON AND COUNTY BANKING COMPANY. ESTABLISHED 1836. SUBSCEEBED CAPITAL... £2,500,000, in 50,000 SHARES of £50 EACH. PAID-UP CAPITAL... £1,000,000 RESERVE FUKD... £500,000. NATHANIEL ALEXANDER, Esq. T. TYRINGHAM BERNARD, Esq. THOMAS STOCK COWIE, Esq. rREDERTCK FRANCIS, Esq. WILLIAM NICOL, Esq. A. HODGSON PHILLPOTTS, Esq. JAMES DUNCAN THOMSON, Esq. EREDERICK YOULE, Esq. DIRECTORS. FREDERICK HARRISON, Esq. WM. CHAMPION JONES, Esq. E. HARBORD LUSHINGTON, Esq. JAMES MORLEY, Esq. TRUSTEES. F. FRANCIS, Esq. | F. HARRISON, Esq. | W. CHAMPION JONES, Esq. AUDITORS. WILLIAM JARDINE, Esq. I WILLIAM NORMAN, Esq. | RICHARD H. SWAINE, Esq. General Managee— WILLIAM McKEWAN, Esq. CHIEF INSPECTOR. INSPECTORS OP BRANCHES. CHIEF AOOOUNTANT. W. J. NORFOLK, Esq. H. J. LEMON, Esq., and C. SHERRING, Esq. JAMES GRAY, Esq. Solicitous— Messrs. STEVENS, WILKINSON, & HARRIES. HEAD OFFICE, 21, LOMBARD STREET. Managee— WHITBREAD TOMSON, Esq. I Assistant Majjagee—WILLIAM HOWARD, Esq. THE LONDON AND COUNTY BANK opens— DRAWING ACCOUNTS with Commercial Houses and Private IndivldualB, either upon the plan usually adopted by other Bankers, or by charging a small Commission to those persona to whom it may not be convenient to sustain an agreed DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS.— Deposit Receipts are issued for sums of Money placed upon these Accounts, and Interest is allowed for such periods and at such rates as may be agreed upon, reference being had to the state of the Money Market. CIRCULAR NOTES AND LETTERS OF CRBDIT are issued, payable in the principal Cities and Towns of tha Con- tinent, in AustraUa, Canada, India, and China, the United States, and elsewhere. The Agency of Foreign and Country Banks is undertaken. The PimcHASB and Sale of Government and other Stocks, of English or Foreign Sharei effected, and Ditidhms, AirNtiiTiBS, &c., received for Customers of the Bank. Great facilities are also afforded to the Customers of the Bank for the receipt of Money from the Towns where the Oom- pamy has Branches. The Officers of the Bank are bound not to diaolose the transactions of any of its Customers. By Order of the Directors, WM. MoKEWAN, General Manager. THE ROYAL FARMERS' INSURANCE COMPANY, 3, NORFOLK STREET, STRAND, LONDON, W.C. CAPITAL. — Persons insured by tliis Company have the security of an extensive and wealthy proprietary as well as an ample Capital always applicable to the payment of claims without delay. LIFE DEPARTMENT. — BONUS. — Insurers of the participating class will be entitled to four-fifths of the profits. ASSIGNIHENTS. — ^The Company grant Policies payable to the Registered Holders, whereby much •xpenso and inconvenience are prevented. Stamp Duty paid by the Office. FIRE DEPARTMENT,- 1st Class — ^Not Hazardous ... Is. 6d. per Cent. 2nd Class — Hazardous 28. 6d. „ 3rd Class — Doubly Hazardous 4s. 6d. „ BTTILDINGS and MERCANTILE Property of every description in Public or Private Warehouses.— Distillers, Steam Engines, Goods in Boats or Canals, Ships in Port or Harbour, &c. &c., are Insured in this Office at moderate rates. SPECIAL RISES. — ^At such rates as may be considered reasonable. PARMINO STOCK. — Ss. per cent., with liberty to use a Steam Thrashing Machine without extra charge. Nearly FIVE MILLIONS Insured in this Office. SEVEN YEARS' INSURANCES may be effected on payment of Six Years' Premium only. LIGHTNING- and GAS. — Losses by Fire occasioned by Lightning, and Losses by Explosion of Gas when used for Lighting Buildings will be allowed for. RENT,— The Loss on Eent while Buildings remain untenantable through fire may be provided against. HAIL DEPARTMENT.— (Ceops and Glass.) Policies to protect parties from Loss by the destruction of Growing Crops or Glass, by Hail, are granted on Moderate Terms. LOSSES. — Prompt and liberal settlement. AGENTS WANTED. Apply to JOHN REDDISH, Esq., Secretary and Actuary. r. 'C i 1 1 1 No. G Vot,. XLIL] DECEMBER, 1872. [THiHD^SEr.m. i FARMER'S MAGAZINE, ] AND 1 i : 1 ?aonthly journal 1 i 1 1 j 1 THE AdRICULTUEAL INTEREST. ■ ] J IBeliuatetr TO THE 1 1 FARMERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. i I 1 LONDON : i i ! PUBLISHED BYROGERSON AND TUXFORB, 265, STRAND. PRICB TWO SHILLINGS. j- — R0GBR80N AND TUXFORD,] [PRINTERS, 266, STRAND. — THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. DECEMBER, 1873. CONTENTS. Plate I.— AERONIAN. Plate II.-NO FALSE ALARM. PAGE Description of Plates ....... 473 The Farmers' Club. — Freedom in Cultivation and Security of Capital . 474 Public Opinion and the Central Chamber of Agriculture . . . 484 Tenant-Right " by Law" ....... 485 The Agriculture of Syria . . , . . . . 486 Our Commercial " Relations". ...... 487 Tenant-Right. . . . . . . 488, 489, 493, 559 Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution. . . 495, 534, 550, 561 Land Tenure ......... 496 Supposed Poisoning of Pigs by Convolvulus ..... 497 Chalk .......... 498 The Texas Cattle Fever ....... 500 Boroughbridge Agricultural Association : Farm Labour . . . 501 Athy Farmers' Club: An "Irish Lease" ..... 504 The Leinster Lease ........ 507 Ayrshire Farmers' Club : Harvest Expenses ..... 508 WiNFRiTH Farmers' Club . . , . . . .511 Essex Chamber of Agriculture : The Militia— Land Tenure . . . 513 East Suffolk Chamber of Agriculture ..... 519 The Cornwall Chamber of Agriculture : Education of F.\rmers . . 521 The Central Chamber of Agriculture ..... 523 Royal Agricultural Society of England ..... 530 Shorthorn History ........ 535 Bath and West of England Society, and Southern Counties Association . 535 Smithfield Club . . , , . . . . 536 The Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland . . . 536 Ayrshire Agricultural Association : The Great Cheese Fair and Dairy Pro- duce Show ......... 537 After-Dinner Table-Talk ....... 538 The Cultivated and Uncultivated Lands of England . . .541 The Last New Cure for the Cattle Plague ..... 543 An Effectual Cure for Cattle Disease . . . . .543 Sheep-breeding ........ 514 Sack Demurrage ...*.*.... 547 A Chapier on Carrots . . . . . . . 548 The Horse Disease in America ...... 549 The Inequality of Local Taxation ...... 549 BOTLEY AND SoUTH HaNTS FaRMERs' ClUB . . . . .551 Limerick Farmers' Club ....... 555 Highway Management ....... 557 Land Tenure Reform. . , * • [ .' . . 559 Stud Company «...!... 560 Carter and Co.'s Root Show . .* . * * . . . 561 Royal Berks Root Show . . , ' . . . 56'2 Crystal Palace Poultry Show ...... 563 Sale of Mr. John Hewer's Herefords ..... 564 Review of the Corn Trade ....... 565 Review of the Cattle Trade. .'!.*.. 567 Makkbt Cubrbnqibs, Imperial Averages, &c. . . ', . . 568 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. DECEMBER, 1872. PLATE I. AERONIAN; A CASTLE-MARTIN HULL, THE PROPERTY OF MR. WALTER JENKINS, OF GLANWERN, TALSARN, CARDIGAN. This bull, Lred by Mr. Thomas Jones, of Weruligos, AVhitland, Carmarthenshire, was by a black, shaggy- coated bull from Pembrokeshire, out of Jolly, a black cow, her dam Beauty, both in Mr. Jones' herd. In 1869, as a yearling, Aeronian took the second prize at Llanboidy. In 1870, as a two-year-old, he took the first prize for black bulls of any age again at Llanboidy in September ; in the week following he took the first prize at Carmar- then United Show of the three counties — Cardigan, Car- marthen, and Pembroke — in an any-aged class of black bulls. In September, 1871, as a three-year-old, he took the first prize at Lampeter. In 1872, when 4 years 4 mouths 2 weeks and 6 days old he took the first prize at the Koyal Agricultural Society's meeting at Cardiff, and in the following September, at Llanboidy, the champion prize of £20 for black bulls, open to South Wales. Of the black cattle we thus wrote in our report of the Cardiff Show : " In the mixed classes of Welsh breeds, including black Castle-Martins and red and black IMcnt- gomeryshire, the competition was very limited, and the quality very moderate. After all we have heard of late of the famous black cattle of South Wales, of how well they do, and of the high prices they make, we should be inclined to consider that their advocates did not do justice to the breed at Cardiff. The bulls are lengthy, slack-framed animals, with some individuality of charac- ter, but thin in their touch and gaunt in their frames, and if our memory serve us, we have seen a better show at Carmarthen, as there may be again for the local champion prize in the coming autumn. Still, Mr. Jenkins' best old bull is a prize specimen of the Castle- Martins, and has been winning about the country for the last season or two." The Judges thus report in the new number of the Society's Journal : " We are of opinion that the cattle of these breeds were an attractive feature of the show, and we were much pleased with the uni- formity of character they displayed, more especially those callei Castle-Martin. Nearly every animal to which we awarded a prize possessed great merit, and well deserved its distinguished position. Many of them have well- shaped heads and horns, with prominent eyes, soft hair, and thick mellow skins, indicating a superb quality of beef and good feeding qualities. They are also short- legged, having hardy constitutions, and a peculiar adapta- tion to the country they occupy. Some, only a few, had sour heads, small eyes, hard hair and skins." A gentleman from the neighbourhood of Pembroke says further : " It is commonly said that our Blacks are derived from the same original stock as the Sussex, Devon, and Hereford cattle. As with other middle horned varieties, the quality of their milk is excellent ; but, unlike some of them, the quantity is abundant. They are hardy, but slow in coming to maturity ; good doers out of doors during winter as two-year-olds, and coming fast when turned into good pastures the following summer ; hence their popularity with graziers, and the great trade through dealers or middle-men, who take them from Wales to Barnet and other large fairs. A curly coat is liked, and the usual points of good loin, hide, well-set tail, &c., are thought much of. The horu is not attended to quite so assiduously as formerly ; in fact, the breed does not now receive half the consideration it had twenty years ago, probably, as you suggest, because the Shorthorn and Hereford cattle suit the rich farmer better. Crossing is carried on without any system whatever. Calves are re- served for bulls, regardless of every sound reason, except, perhaps, the probability of their dying through weakness if subjected to the usual Eastern operation, and the best heifers are, as a rule, sold fat to the butchers. We are now trying to get up a little enthusiasm in the matter, and the agricultural societies have subscribed between them £50 towards some champion prices for bulls, to be competed for at Carmarthen next September. A Herd- Book is also in contemplation, to include not only Castle- Martin, but also Anglesea Blacks, a rather heavier variety of the same breed." PLATE 11. NO FALSE ALARM. " Give us in any part of the world — in the eastern counties of our own country, in France, or amid the hills of Scotland, where the tarns lie like oases among the hills — some far-off solitary pool or marshy lake, clear water only in the centre, reeds and rushes thickly bristling vownd—there might we not hope to see flappers plentiful as frogs, duck, teal, widgeon — who knows ? — wild geese and swans, from our crouching station ; and there might we not again, amidst the ducking, and diving, and gob- bling, and bustle of a first arrival, do execution as of yore ?" So wrote Craven, in his Recreations, al- though he admits that wildfowl shooting " reads like H H 474 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. anything but sport. There is certainly no accounting for taste, especially the taste that takes its pleasure in the mud on the Hampshire coast, or navigates the bay of Tees in a yacht which resembles nothing so much as a pig-trough. Some men would imagine crawling on all- fours, through a wilderness of sludge, only fit for a Nor- folk Islander ; some think it capital fun, and follow it on the 'oozes,' as the scavengers' continents are called." If the shades of Hawker and Carleton should happen to cross each other in Elysium, they would scarcely promise to agree. THE FARMERS' CLUB. FREEDOM IN CULTIVATION AND SECURITY OF CAPITAL. The first meeting of the Club after the autumnal recess was held oa Monday evening, November 4, in Salisbury-square, and was very well attended. The chair was taken by the President of the year, Mr. H. Cheffins. The subject fixed for considera- tion to be introduced by Mr. T. Horley, jun.. The I'osse, Lea- mington, was "Freedom in Cultivation and Security of Capital." The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said : Gentle- men, allow me to express the great pleasure which I feel in meeting you at our first meeting for the session of the Club now Commencing. Some of ray predecessors have at meetings cor- responding with the present congratulated the members on the results of the harvest which were anticipated at the last meeting. All I sliall do is to congratulate those who have had pretty good crops without much trouble in getting them in, and who haee not had any cattle-plague. As regards the subject about to be introduced by Mr. Horley, I wish to state that the com- mittee have this day agreed to appoint a sub-committee to meet Mr. James Howard and Mr. Sewell Read on the subject of Mr. Howard's promised Bill relating to Tenant-Right, the object being tliat the opinions and feelings of this Club may have something like an authoritative expression through that measure. In conclusion the chairman read a letter just re- ceived by the secretary (Mr. H. Corbet) from Sir T. D. Acland, M.P., expressing great regret that he was unable to attend that meeting, thehon. baronet adding that he should look forward to The Mark Lane Express report witli much interest (cheers)- Mr. Horley then read the following paper : — A feeling of my utter inability to do justice to the subject set down for discussion this evening, and the fear that I have been unable to devote to its con- sideration the serious attention it requires, has caused me to almost regret having undertaken it/ The subject occupying our attention, if not instrumental in the establishment of the Club, very soon became a prominent feature; and from the all-absorbing interest witli which it filled the agricultural mind so far back as 1846, when it became apparent the days of Pro- tection were numbered, one would have been led to expect that the desired end would have long since been attained ; but althougli the influpnee brought to bear on the public mind has caused it to advance considerably, it can never become universal or be- neficial to the occupiers of land generally until security for the capital invested by the tenant in the occupation and improvement of the sod is legally secured to him. I trust tlie remarks on this subject to-night will assist in bringing about this much-desired end— freedom of cultivation and security for capital. In re- viewing the discussions that have taken place by the Club from its commencement in connection with the subject either di- rectly or indirectly, we may safely call it the pioneer. And although we cannot claim either to having brought it before our legislators, or that any recognised system of security or freedom has become general, yet considerable progress has been made • and Its not being further advanced only shows the indefatigable and persevering energy requisite to give to the British tenant- farmer security for his capital and to release him from the trammels and antiquated rules laid down for the cultivation of the soil in ages goue by, when our country was thinly popu- lated, little or no attention paid to the arts and sciences in con- nection with eitlier agriculture or manufactures, and when the commerce of the country was in its infancy. When we look back to the early days of the Club, when this matter was ably introduced by Messrs. Shaw, Baker, Fisher Hobbs, and others, and during almost each succeeding season by some of its leading members — and I would here call attention to the paper read at the May meeting in 1870 by our worthy Secre- tary, which gives a concise history of what the Club has done from its commencement, and claims for the British tenant- fat mer, justice, and fair play — we must conclude that we have a great incubus upon us which it is very difficult to remove ; but I believe the time is come when more decisive steps must be taken if the tenant-farmer is to hold his own in the race with his fellow-men. The high price of provisions, and I may say the scarcity of meat throughout the country, is setting peo- ple to think of these matters who never thought of them before, and to inquire if everything is done in a country like this to produce all that can be produced from our own soil. The ques- tion must be answered, and I think all practical men will give but one reply to this inquiry, namely, that the produce of our land may be very materially increased if all the resources of the soil are developed by the science, skill, and capital that IS, in but few instances, brought to bear upon agriculture. Although the benefit derived from these discussions has not been so direct as could be wished, I think this Club may fairly congratulate itself in being the leader of this great work, and by consistently advocating sound principles, has in no small degree influenced public opinion on the subject, and which is now so freely and generally expressed throughout the length and breadth of the laud, that the British tenant-farmer is not placed in that position of security which is needful either for his own benefit or for the good of the community at large. During the last twelve months scarcely a paper could be picked up without containing some allusion to the subject, whether the meetings at which tiiey were made were held on matters con- nected with agriculture or not. The experience and the changes which each year, each day I may say, brings must cause the most prejudiced to admit that a change is necessary, and after many years of thouglit and study I feel thoroughly convinced it is absolutely neces- sary that compensation for unexhausted improvements should be universal and compulsory, whether land be held under lease or yearly tenancy, and such freedom of culti- vation allowed as to enable the tenant to make the best of the land he occupies ; and until these conditions are brought about, little progress will be made in increasing our produce of food for the people. The large quantity of land that is in the hands of trustees, corporations, and tenants for life, &c., would alone render legislation necessary ; and this would give a feel- ing of security for capital hitherto unknown to the great bulk of British farmers, and until security is obtained we shall never see the soil of England produce that amount of food for the people which they may fairly expect from it. It is generally admitted that there is nothing so grateful as land ; but how few men depart from the beaten track and invest a large amount of capital in raising the value of another person's land, without having either to pay for the improvements themselves or let others reap the benefit ! The fact cannot be disputed that the interest of the tenant in the soil is at pre- sent such that he would not be justified, unless under excep- tional circumstances, in maintaining the maximum fertility of the soil. The altered circumstances of the times in which we live will not allow agriculture to be an exception to the laws which govern other great interests ; the large amount of capital necessary for the thorough cultivation and occupation of the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 47^ soil is more than double what it used to he, for it is no un- comiuou occurrence for as much capital to be invested now in the machinery and dead stock upon a farm, as was considered sufficient to occupy the same a few years ago ; and all who have paid attention to the matter will, I think, concur in the opinion that steam, science, and mechanics will occupy a still more prominent part in agriculture than they liave hitherto done. These circumstances combined, necessitate not only more security for invested capital and compensation for unex- hausted improvements, but greater liberty of action generally, to allow the occupier to make the best return he can from his occupation ; and so long as good crops are grown and a heavy stock of sheep and cattle is maintained upon the farm, land- lords need have no fears for their estates nor inquire into the details. Agriculture is associated with every station and occupation of life, and has ever been uppermost in the minds of the first authors, historians, politicians, economists, scien- tific writers and others. Swift tells us that " the first cause of a kingdom thriving is the fruitfulness of the soil to produce the necessaries aud conveniences of life." Adam Smith says, " Whatever increases the fertility of land in producing food enhances not only the value of the land upon which the im- provement is made, but contributes likewise to increase that of many other lands, by creating a new demand for their pro- duce. That abundance of food, of which in consequence of the improvement of land many people have the disposal be- yond wliat they themselves consume, is the great cause for the demand for the precious metals, and other conveniences and luxuries. Food not only constitutes the greater part of the riches of tlie world, but it is the abundance of food which gives the principal part of their value to many other sorts of riches." Liebig says, " Every step in advance made by agri- culture serves to alleviate the sufferings and troubles of man- kind. Improvements in agriculture constitute the only solid foundation for further progress in all other branches of know- ledge ; but observation and refl.ectiou are the fundamental conditions of all progress in natural science ; and agricul- ture presents in this respect ample room for discoveries." If these remarks be true, is it not then a national duty to do all we can for the development of our agriculture, and leave no stone unturned that will tend to increase the home pro- duction of food ? Can it therefore be believed, according to an article in T/ie Times, taken from our Board of Trade Returns, that a system which requires ^60,000,000 worth of corn, beef, mutton, &c. imported annually into this little island as food for the people is satisfactory ; and is not this reason sufficient for iuc[uiry ? Can anything be done to re- medy it? Does our land produce all that is capable of doing? Is tiiat security given which will cause capital to flow to the cultivation of the soil, and leave the occupiers that freedom of action necessary to allow them to make the greatest return from the land ? I fear these questions must generally be answered in the negative. An able article on this subject, to which I will call your attention, appeared in T/ie A(;ricidli'ant-Right, let him at once take the only step now needed to secure it. Let him ask openly and firmly the sup- port of his representatives for the principle of the Tenant- RiGHT Bill, and let the farmers' Priends be known and num- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 479 bered by tliis questiou, perhaps the greatest, and certainly the most directly affecting the tenaut-farraers' interest. It would be impossible and lar too wearisome to dilate upon all or even the leadiuj? discussions that have taken place during the last year, but if anyone present had not read them I would refer to the paper read by Mr. Caird before the Scottish Cliamber of Agriculture, to one read by Mr. Latham in Cheshire, by Mr. Ruston in Lincolnshire, and to tlie report of an influential meeting in Gloucestershire, where it was unanimously agreed that the tenant-farmer's position at present was not such as to induce or render it prudent for him to invest more capital in the cultivation and improvement of his land. These are a few only of the meetings at which this important subject has been discussed, and a careful study of the reports will teach many useful lessons in reference to it. It has truly been said that Societies, Clubs, Chambers, &c., are not tlie mainspring to agricultural improvement, but it is the giving ample security for capital. They may through their discussions give greater publicity to these matters, they may make known the merits and demerits of certain systems ; but the only way to bring into full operation this inllueuce is to give absolute security for the capital which in this country one man spends upon another man's land. Capital would then flow to the soil from the te- nantry, estates would be improved, and no one would benefit so much from their increased value as the landlord. It is vain to clog the intelligence and enterprise of the nation ; but all who endeavour to remove useless (and what should be ob- solete) customs and restrictions, particularly those in high position who have so much in their power, will be looked upon through liTe as great benefactors, and by posterity as leading stars whose light will be long ere it grows dim. The know- ledge of the superior and advanced state of agriculture in the only portion of the kingdom where security to tenants' capital is general by a custom almost more binding than law, and the good understanding so often talked of is perhaps stronger than any- where in England, should tend to remove the doubt so often expressed as to the desirability of this system becoming uni- versal. I think all who will give this subject the fair and im- partial consideration it deserves musfconclude that owners, oc- cupiers, and the public at large would all he benefited to an enormous extent, and the ties between the different classes ma- terially strengthened. My experience has led me to the con- clusion that tenants are seldom disturbed for had farming ; much oftener the entcrprisinrj man who steps out of the ordi- nary course. Many of us know instances where land has con- tinued for years to go from bad to worse under the stringent cultivation clauses we are told are so necessary to protect the landlord, and that the tenant has been looked after almost with the care of a foster parent. The power landlords have of inflicting penalties for any departure from covenants while the occupier has no chance of reimbursement, except by special agreement, is a serious drawback to agriculture, prevents the em- ployment of capital, and restricts the energy and industry of the occupiers of the soil. What has been done in Ireland in connec- tion with this matter has been in the opinion of many too sweep- ing, and appears in some instances to lead to enormous claims being made for compensation for disturbance ; but we must not ignore the price that has been paid for land under the new laws. It has been well said tliat the British farmer neither desires nor requires Tea'ai^t-IIigiit to the extent it has been carried in the sister-isle, although he is quite as deserving of it, and will continue his just claims until he has that liberty of action and free cultivation whicb will allow him to produce the most he can from the soil in the sliape of food for the people, and such security for his capital tliat will enable him to obtain what he may have spent upon his farm and not had due time to recoup himself for. We are not here to-night for the purpose of advocating any changes that will tend to sever the various interests conned ed with the land ; for I feel sure that the changes I advocate will, by placing the tenant-farmer in a just position, tend materially to strengtlieu the ties that should bind together landlord and occupier, and will, when carried out, remove a great injustice, and be very beneficial to the country at large : it wiU tend to assimilate and simplify the many varied customs and agreements to which the tenancy of land is now subject, and cause a large increase of food for the nation and security for capital invested in the cultivation of the soil, which I feel sure this Club will continue its endea- vours to obtain, I will conclude by requesting those who take part in the discussion this evening to ask themselves one question : " Is it desirable to produce all we can at home for the sustenance of our increasing population, and keep as many people as we can here, or to send the sinews of the nation abroad, and leave the remainder to depend largely on a foreign supply of food?" No one would more regret than myself any measure being advocated that would in the slightest degree interfere with the rights of property, but I firmly believe that greater freedom of cultivation and legalised security for capi- tal invested in the improvement and occupation of land would tend more than anything else to cement and give a more genuine feeling of confidence between all classes interested in it. I feel that I have written more than I intended, and I fear I may have wearied you with tiie subject, but as I proceeded I found it possessed so many branches that it was impossible to prune it, and I now leave it with you for discussion. Mr. H. Neild (Manchester) said he would venture to aOirm that the sentiments contained in Mr. Horley's able paper were a refiex of the farming mind of England. The question had been discussed in almost every county within the last three months, and everywhere it was agreed that the backward state of their productions in comparison with the requirements of the coun- try, and he would add with reasonable expectations, was owing to a lack of confidence as regarded capital invested in the soil. The fact that such a paper as that just read was called for was a melancholy illustration of the manner in which the most im- portant staple industry of the country had been, and continued to be, encumbered and fettered, and it was high time that a change was made. He was one of those who would approach that subject with care. He thought there should be no inter- ference with that good understanding between the owner and the occupier, which was the key-note of agricultural progress ; and he believed that if that good relationship to winch he al- luded were prevented by legal clogs and imprdiraents, legislation would do more harm than good. On that question the country farmers looked to the London Farmers' Club to point out some line of action which would bring the farming mind to bear powerfully on the House of Commons. There was no time for delay ; the question had been discussed enough, and what was now wanted was action. There was one omission in the paper which struck him very much. In connection with the want of freedom he could not help feeling surprised that the Malt-tax should have been con- tinued so long (Cries of "Oh, oh"). There was more in the Malt-tax question than some gentlemen seemed disposed to admit. They would find that tax repealed by the manufacturing interests of the country (Cries of "Never"). He would not pursue that question, as it seemed distasteful ; but be would remark that he had in his pocket a letter from a gentleman of very large territorial influence, who said he was prepared to advocate the rights of fanners in Parliament, but that farmers themselves did not seem to be agreed as to what was desirable. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., said the subject was most important at all times, but particularly at that juncture. It came under two distinct heads, and he was very glad that those two heads had been coupled together. They ought to go hand in hand, and not to be disconnected. He would accept the challenge thrown out by Mr. Horley, and say at once that he infinitely preferred safety to freedom (Hear, hear) . When he heard it said at agricultural meetings that what the tenant-farmer wanted was scope for his ability rather than security for his property, he entirely dissented from that. He would say, " Be just before you are generous, and d')n't put the cart before the horse, as some people are trying to do" (Hear, hear). It must be remembered that whatever good chemistry had yet done to agriculture, was something like the advantage of civilisation to the Red Indian. Civilisation had taught the "noble sa- vage"— and by that term he did not mean the right hon. member for the Tower Hamlets (laughter), but the real savage — the use of alcoholic drinks ; and chemistry had taught the farmer not merely the use but also the abuse of ammoniacal manures, and that was what some persons meant by freedom of cultivation (laughter). However desirable freedom of culti- vation might be on certain kinds of heavy lands, he believed that entire freedom on light lands, freedom given alike to the poor and the rich tenant-fanner, the capable and the incapable, would be one of the greatest afflictions that there could possibly befall agriculture (Hear, hear). In the case of the great and noble lease of the Earl of Leicester — for great and noble it was as a whole, though it was injured in some degree by some insignificant and stupid clauses — exception had been taken to the power which the landlord had reserved to himself of re- quiring the tenant at any time to put the land under the four- 480 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. course rotation, lie (Mr. Read) niaintainedthat where there was a lease of tweuty-one years, a landlord who gave up that most important reservation would be almost mad. What an easy thing it would be for anybody who had a light-land farm to beggar it in two years ! If the occupier were allowed to do as he pleased and to sell off the whole of the produce in the last years of his tenancy, he (Mr. Read) would be very sorry indeed to be the man who stepped into that tenant's shoes (Hear, hear). Therefore, lie said, free- dom of cultivation had two sides, and in a Club like that they must not ignore the existence of the landlord. But then, on the other hand, when he came to speak of compensation for unexhausted improvements he could not for the life of him understand w hat could be said against it. If freedom of cul- tivation were granted, the farmer ought to iiave security as well, otherwise he would be tempted by every possible means to beggar the farm. Let hira have security, and then the farmer might have freedom as well ; for they might rely upon it that in nine cases out of ten freedom would not be abused. This idea of freedom of cultivation had long pervaded the minds of a great many people, and he for one was very glad that when prizes had been offered by the Royal Agricultural Society for the best cultivated farms in certain counties, they were awarded not to those who had cropped in the wildest fiishion, but to those who had as a rule adliered to the good old system of cultivation. He knew tliat the awards were at the time severely criticised, but he ventured to say that any one who had had experience iu farming light land well knew that if a man departed from the good old system of the rotation of crops he might in the end beggar himself. He was very sorry indeed to learn, from the letter which had been read, that Sir Thomas Dyke Acland would not he present that even- ing, for he would have liked exceedingly to hear his opinion on that subject. Sir Thomas was a clever man, he was a liighly gifted man, and no one could doubt that he as a landlord earnestly strove to do his duty. For thirty years, ^ he told them, he had been thinking what the tenant's right to compensation should be, and he said he had at last arrived at the conclusion— that it was quite possible that under a system of compensation for unexhausted improvements, if a man had got a farm cheap for a long lease on account of its condition, at the end ol the time the land would be revalued, and the landlord be called upon to make good to the tenant the whole difference between the increased value of (he farm and its value at the commence- ment. Let them at once disabuse Sir Thomas Acland's mind, and the minds of a whole host of persons of much less im- portance, of such a notion as that (cheers). What they main- tained was merely that a man ought to be paid for his unex- hausted improvements. He held that in the case of all yearly tenancies, that should be made imperative by Act of Parlia- ment, and that no landlord should be allowed to contract him- self out of the Act unless he gave a long substantial lease — a lease of not less tlian 21 years. The Irish Land Act had now been in operation for some time, and what was the result as regarded that point ? Why that wherever the landlord had the power of contracting himself out of the Act he invariably made use of it (Hear, hear). Moreover, in all the fresh- drawn Irish leases which he had seen— and copies of some had been sent to him within the last two or three weeks- there was a stipulation by which the landlord might contract himself out of the Act. Therefore he contended that in any legislation which might take place on that subject they must guard themselves in the case of yearly agreements — and he hoped that very soon there would be nothing less than a twelve- mouths' notice to quite— against allowing landlords to con- tract themselves out of liability for compensation on account of unexhausted improvements. In conclusion the hon. member said he believed that the absence of a right to compensation on the part of tenants had often been made an excuse as well as the cause for bad farming. The Rev. E. Smytiiies (Hathern Rectory, Loughborough) said he thought there was far more need of the farmer's hands being untied with regard to his mode of cultivation than of his obtaining compensation for unexhausted improvements. As regarded the latter, they wanted something like a definition of what, were " unexhausted improvements." Who should say what was exhausted and what was not ? That did not seem to him to he a matter for Legislative enactment. The question might be left for two valuers to settle ; but there would always be great difference of opinion between the man who had in- vested his capital and the man who was called upon to pay for it. He could not help thinking that in the discussion of such a question there might be something detrimental to agricul- tural interests. It rather implied that if a man had made im- provements he must be about to leave his farm — that the im- provements which he had effected must be submitted to a valuation ; whereas they should, in his opinion, look to a state of things in which there would be the greatest security of tenure, and the man who had invested his capital in the culti- vation of the soil would not be disturbed because the landlord wished, as was supposed, to take a paltry advantage of what he had done. He could not help thinking that there was one person who was not represented at that meeting, and who might benefit by that discussion : he meant the family lawyer. He had no hesitation in saying that nine-tenths of the difficul- ties which farmers experienced in cultivating the land arose from the musty old forms of the family lawyer (laughter, and Hear, hear). The landlord was, perhaps, an enlightened and intelligent man, a member of the Farmers' Club (laughter), a man who associated on friendly terms with his tenants and took an interest in all that concerned their welfare. But he could not let a single farm without seeing his family lawyer. When he made a suggestion to him with regard to the terms on which a farm was to be let, the lawyer replied : " Oh, that is quite unusual, it was never heard of." At last the landlord said : "Well, just draw up the lease somehow ;" and the result was that the lawyer drew the lease in his own way, and put in all the old covenants which had existed for a hundrel years, many of which were now entirely obsolete, and ought to be for ever abo- lished (Hear). He was not speaking of an imaginary case, but of what frequently occurred. He had known instances in which a landlord, being desirous of acting in accordance with the spirit of the age with regard to the letting of his land, had suggested that certain old covenants which hampered and hin- dered good farming should not be introduced, and when he urged ills objections he was met by the lawyer saying : " Well then, sir, you must manage it yourself, I can do nothing iu it." He had known that to occur ; and he thought that if they could pass a resolution which would have the effect of improving the family lawyer off the face of the earth they would be doing a vast deal of good (great laughter). If land- lords and tenants could only agree together as to what was requisite the object would be accomplished. As regarded the question of tenure he might remark that he knew an instance in which the same family from father to son had occupied the same farm, under the same landlords, from father to son ever since the Conquest. He knew other cases in which tenants had farmed very badly, and in which, though the land was left in a very dilapidated and deteriorated state, the owner was unable to obtain a penny of compensation. While, therefore, they advocated the tenant's view let them not forget that there was another side to the question, and not omit to take into account the interest of the landlord. He hoped that on that subject the Farmers' Club would prove itself equal to the occasion, and be able to hold its own on what was essentially a farmers' question. Mr. Clement Cable (Gloucester) said there were one or two things in Mr. Horley's paper in which he did not entirely concur. He (Mr. Cadle) thought that every year a tenant who was farming under a yearly agreement might be regarded as an outgoing tenant as well as incoming tenant, provided he were not under notice. Therefore, if a man farming in the usual way found it to his interest to have his land in the highest possible state of cultivation, the circumstancs would not be altered in the event of another man succeeding him. He thought they looked at that question rather too much as a tenants' ques- tion. He regarded it as a landlords' question as well, and viewed in the broadest hght, it was in reality more a land- lords' than a tenants' question ; for one effect of the present system was, that when a landlord naturally wanted a farm to look the best, that is, when a fresh tenant was applying for it, it looked at Its worst. When a tenant knew that he was going to leave he naturally got out of the land all that he could ; the consequence was that the landlord had it on his hands iu a bad when he wanted it in its best state. He quite agreed with Mr. Read that the question of compensation was of greater importance than that of freedom of cultivation, because freedom of cultivation could only apply to heavy soils, and on light lands people could not be allowed to farm just as they pleased, for tjie land could be run out in a quarter the time heavy soils could, and it was in fact on this class of soils THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. •i81 tliat the greatest necessity existed for compensation, as was proved by a comparison of the agreements in force on light and heavy laud districts. Mr. G. M. Allender (Bayswater) wished to mention something which might " point a moral" if it did not " adorn alale," and was in harmony with what fell from Mr. Smy- thies respecting; the family lawyer. A few years ago he held some laud under agreement containing a clause which he did not like. He told his landlord that he should throw up the land because there was a stupid clause of which he did not approve. Tiie landlord replied, " Oh, don't pay any attention to that, it was taken from a stupid old law-book, and will have no effect." Unfortunately he took the landlord's word, think- ing that he was a gentleman (laughter), and went on with his cultivation ; but tlie result was that he had to pay three or four tiiousand pounds (laughter). Mr. T. B. DRI^•Cr (Claxby, Spilsby) did not think any legislation could be as effectual as the owner and occupier en- tering into an agreement which would be suitable to the in- terests of both (dear, hear). As regarded freedom of cultiva- tion, it was often found that men had taken more land than they had capital to cultivate profitably. Freedom of cultiva- tion'raight suit such persons very well. If a man of that kind were fortunate enough to hire a farm in good condition, and sold his turnips, his hay, his straw, and everything that he could grow, freedom of cultivation might suit him very well ; liut they should bear in mind that the landlord's capital was at stake as well as the tenant's, and that he wanted security no less than occupiers. Then as regarded another class of tenants, men who had suflicient capital and ability to stock farms, men who stocked farms in a suitable manner as re- garded the character of the land, and whose capital was em- ployed in a profitable manner both for themselves and the land- lord, he would ask what security could be better than that of a good agreement. Supposing an outgoing tenant were allowed half his last year's cake, provided he had used the same amount for the last three or four years, and supposing he were allowed the cost of the last year's artificial manures on the same condition, there would, he thought, be justice in such an srrangement. On the other hand he iield that when a farm had been beggared and impoverished the landlord had as much right to compensation as any tenant could have. Mr. 11. H. BLvsrE^ (Pendeford, Wolverhampton) said Mr. Dring maintained that all farmers wanted was a good agree- ment. So said he ; but where was it to be found ? (Hear, hear.) Mr. Dring was a Lincolnshire man, living on his own estate, and surrounded by men who occupied land under agree- ments which gave them good security. He entirely agreed with Mr. Cadle that that was more a landlords' than a tenants' question, inasmuch that the landlord would receive greater benefit than the tenant from a proper change in the condition of cultivation. Mr. Smythies and Mr. Bead had expressed ■views of a rather opposite character on that subject. His ex- perience was that when a question of that kind was discussed men rode a number of hobby-horses, and thus created great difficulty in arriving at any conclusion, and he believed it was partly owing to that cause that that question had not received the attention from the Legislature which, on account of its con- nection with the food of tiie country, it manifestly deserved. Under existing circumstances no landlord had a right to ex- pect that his land would be cultivated in a satisfactory manner. It was contrary to human nature that a man who knew that he was about to leave his farm in two or three years, and would have no compensation when he quitted it, would culti- vate land as he would do under other circumstances. Mr. Smythies seemed to suppose that if a man farmed well he would never be turned out. Experience did not justify that view. Moreover, life was uncertain, and a large number of landlords were very averse to having widows for their tenants. In his own locality death removed, in 1871, a farmer who had invested a large amount of capital in the land which he occupied. Last Lady-day the widow was called upon to give up the farm ; and with it she gave up, without a corresponding compensation, a great deal of capital, which her husband, relying on the faith of his landlord, had expended on the farm. He asked whether it was not a matter of justice that a liberal compensation should be given in a case of that kind. Mr. Bead alluded to the objections to freedom of cultivation. Now there were many ways of viewing that point. If he were a strong-land farmer, he would go to the agent and tell him that he had so many thousands which he was willing to invest in the land on certain conditions us regarded cultivatiuu, and if the agent were a practical man and not one of those old-fashioned London lawyers who it was so desirable to bring into that Club (laughter), they would no doubt be able to come to an agreement. He knew that injury was sometimes done to light laud, but he could wish that his friend and neighbour Mr. Bass were there to discuss with them that point, as he would be able to tell them that brewers were obliged to go out of England for the finer kinds of barley, because it was impossible to obtain sufficient under a strict adherence to the four-course system of cropping. He should be very sorry to take a one-sided view of that question, or to join others in espousing the cause of tenant-farmers without due consideration for the interests of landlords, believing that a due consideration for the interests of both would most conduce to a satisfactory set- tlement of the question (Hear, hear). Mr. Jajies Howard, M.P., said they had heard a great deal that evening about two classes, the landlords and the tenants ; but he would remind the meeting that there was a third party thatwas interested in the settlement of that branch of theland question,heraeantthe public ; some might saytherewas a fourth, namely, the labourers, though perhaps the labourers camp fairly under the head of the general public. Some per- sons might say, '" What have the public to do with the ques- tion of Tenant-Bight, it being entirely a question between landlord and tenant ?" He replied that the public had a great deal to do with the question. The people had a right to go be- fore the Legislature and say, "AVeare the consumers of the produce of the fields ;we are the consumers of the flocks and herds of this kingdom ; we are from 35 to 30 millions strong, and the landlords of this country are only 30,00U, and per- haps, so far as this question is concerned, not more than one- third even of that number." He said that the people had a right to go before the Legislature and demand that laws which checked the devolopraent of the resources of the limited soil of this kingdom shouldberemoved(tiear,hear). They had further aright to demand the enactment of laws which by eucourag- ing the embarkation of capital and the employment of labour in the culivation of the soil would feed them more abundantly. That question was a growing one, it grew from month to month, and Iro-n week to week, and he thought the farmers of England would act unwisely if they consented to conditions such as those which had been proposed by certain Chambers of Agriculture and certain public speakers (Hear, hear). He had read lately in the papers of great circulation a proposal that in the absence of an agreement or a lease a tenant should be entitled to compensation for unexhausted improvements, or for improvements made with the consent of the landlord. Now every one who took up the papers read by the working classes would see that they were beginning to feel how that question affected their interests ; and when it became one of the leading questions of the day they would not consent to any half-measures. Such phrases as he referred to would be to them an unmeaning jargon. He maintained that, after the Legislature had passed, as he hoped it would do, a new law on the question of TeNjVNT- BiGHT, it would be intolerable that any landlord who, through ignorance, or stupidity, or grasping, or throuEfh being un- principled, or from any other cause, was opposed to improve- ment, should be in a position to say that he would not drain the broad acres, full of stagnant water, of which he was the reputed owner, or admit any claim for unexhausted improvemen's to a tenant who would drain them. He fully agreed with Mr. Bead that any law which was was passed must be so worded that no landlord would be able to contract himself out of it. Let it not be supposed, how- ever, that he would be any party to the victimising of the landed interest of this country (Hear, hear). He believed that no class would be so much benefited by a well-considered law of Tenant-Bight as the landlords tlieraselves (Hear, hear). So far from wishing to do anything to damage the interests of the landed proprietors, he was in favour of giving them greater security than they now possessed against any deterioration or dilapidation of their estates (Hear, hear), and he thought that object might be accomplished. At present the law was one-sided in that respect, and therefore unjust. The landlord could sue a tenant for dilapidation and deterioration ; but the tenant had no corresponding advantage. With such a Court of Arbitration as Mr. Horley had suggested in his capital paper, the landlord would be far more secure than he was under the present system, because in cases of dilapidation and 482 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. deterioration he would have a far simpler aud less expensive remedy. He (Mr. J. Howard) was clearly convinced that it would be no use troubliug the Legislature with the question of TEjf Am-RiGiiT if the conditions to be accepted by the tenant would still leave a landlord who was ignorant, or stupid, or grasping, or unprincipled in the same position as he was at present (Hear, hear). He felt certain that if the conditions which had been recently recommended by some Chambers of Agriculture were accepted by farmers there would be no improvement. He would remind the meeting that any law which might be passed for the amendment of Tenant- Bight in England was not wanted for such good and en- lightened landlords as the Earl of Leicester and the Duke of Bedford, and others of this type for such a law would never affect those who seldom changed atenant andnever evicted a good one, but for that class of landlords which he had just referred to. Mr. Pell, M.P., said, although that e]uestion was to be dis- cussed by the Chamber of Agriculture on tlie following day, he would make a clean breast of it before the Farmers' Club. He thoroughly concurred in the regret expressed by Mr. Horley the other day before the Warwickshire Chamber of Agriculture, that landlords did not manifest a more lively in- terest in that question, by being present where it was discussed. A good deal had been said that evening about security for the tenant-farmer, but very little about security for the landlord. As a boy he used often to hear an old proverb, which was still true, that " One year's seed is seven years' vi'eed ;" and unless the Farmers' Club proposed to secure the land from injury, arising from freedom in the cultivation of the soil, what was suggested was not likely to prove acceptable to the country. Not wishing to deal in mere generalities on that question, he would at once proceed to remark, that wherever they found the poorest land, they would also find the most liberal covenants. If they went into that part of Norfolk where liberal leases prevailed, or if they went into Lincolnshire, where there was a very advantageous custom, they would find the land poorish ; and it was very natural that that should be the case. There was, however, no land in England so good that it could not be improved by cultivation, and he believed that one object of the Farmers' Club was to secure opportunities for the improvement even of good land. Now, how was that to be done? It might be done in two ways, by means of leases and by means of TeNjVNT-Right. With regard to leases, lie was quite sure that there were plenty of practical men in that room who knew that leases could not be granted for a longer term than the grantor had an interest in the land, and that at once reduced the number of landlords in England who were able to grant leases to a very small minority. On that point there could be no dispute. Then, with regard to custom-right, that could only be established by the prevalence for a long term of years of a particular custom which both landlord and tenant had thus recognised as sound and proper. Men might fairly say, ",We cannot wait 20 or 30 years for the establishment of a custom," and he did not wish to do so. Some protection, however, must be given, and he was sure no good farmer would wish to deny protection to the landlord or his children when it was determined to make alterations which would promote improved cultivation of the land. How was that to be given ? Let them follow the old lines ; let them see what had been done with respect to cottage buildings, drainage, and so on, objects which were quite as important as tillage, and for which landowners were now enabled by various Acts of Parliametj.t to charge their estates as permanent improvements. Was it not desirable that in the case of entailed estates, estates which were settled by marriage, and estates which were subject to heavy mortgages, a farmer should be enabled to go to the osten- sible owner and say, " Here is an opportunity for my spending my capital with advantage to the owner, with advantage to the public, and with advantage to the labourer," and that the per- son applied to should be enabled to treat with such an appli- cant ? In such cases the representative of the estate should he enabled to agree as to what was the best kind of cultivation for the district; let some such persons as the Enclosure Com- missioners be empowered to register the agreement, and let it become an abtablished custom endorsed, as it would be, by the commmon sense of farmers. Thatwas, he believed, the only way in which legislation could be usefully brought to bear on the matter. They had had a good deal of talk that evening with regard to the family lawyer. It was all very well to in- veigh against that individual, but whenever there was a, marriage settlement to be drawn or a difficult question to be settled, or any money to be borrowed, recourse was had to the family lawyer. It would be of no use for farmers to attempt to run counter to the law, what they should aim at was to endea- vour to reconcile the law as far as possible with the interests of agriculture and the spirit of the age. Mr. S. Sidney observed that the complaint had been made that while a good deal had been said that evening about the interest of the farmer, very little had been heard about that of the landlord. That was not surprising, seeing that the farmer had only just found his voice, and the landlord had been doing as he pleased for hundreds of years. In his opinion landlords, with the assistance of the family lawyer of whom they liad heard so much, were very well able to take care of themselves (Hear, hear). As regarded the revolutionary paper which had been read that evening, he should go away with a great deal of doubt in his mind as to whether the principles which it contained were accepted or not by that Club. Very few farmers had spoken, and some of those who had spoken had done so with " bated breath." He called the paper revolutionary. For what did Mr. Horley propose ? In the first place he proposed that landlords, instead ol being allowed to do what they liked with their own, should be compelled to make a certain agreement with their tenants ; secondly, he proposed to introduce into this country a revolutionary system with regard to encumbered estates, so that persons who appeared to be the owners but were not in reality, would be obliged to relin- quish the management in favour of some one who would make a better use of tlie land ; and thirdly, he proposed that gentle- men who could now keep as much game as they pleased should be in some way restrained in that respect. If that were not revolutionary change he did not know what would be. Having been a member of that Club for more than twenty years, he must say that when he joined he never thought that he should live to see such things spoken there (laughter). He had not supposed that he would ever live to hear farmers contend- ing that they should have proper security of tenure or com- pensation for unexhausted improvements ; that a man who was over head and ears in debt should not be allowed to pre- vent the improvement of the land, or that landlords ought not to be allowed to keep as many hares and rabbits as they pleased at the expense of their tenants. But it was not by saying such things that the evils in question would be put down ; nor was it by sending such county members as had been sent to Parliament. The sort of county member wlio had been sent hitherto was one who promised most solemnly to oppose wit'a all his miglit what was quite inevitable, and to support with all his might what was quite impossible (laughter) . He thought that gentlemen who took farms without having proper security were not entitled to much pity, as they generally knew how to take care of themselves what would be their position ; but the public outside, who had been pointedly re- ferred to by Mr. Howard, were in a different position. It was natural for gentlemen who possessed power not to like to part with it, but the great body of the people would insist on the land being well farmed, and would not allow a large por- tion of the country to be left uncultivated in order that certain people might have mischievous power and amusements. So long as farmers encouraged landlords in their present course by voting for people who came before them with clap-trap declara- tions, promising to oppose that which it was quite impossible to prevent, they would never get any security. There was their friend Mr. Clare Sewell Read, of whom he might say very safely that they were all proud of him as a farmers' representa- tive in the House of Commons (cheers). With his fine presence, with his fine voice, and his happy and humorous way of putting things, Mr. Read was a most effective speaker, but he was bound in the fetters of country prejudices. He might apply to him the words which Goldsmith applied to that great man Edmund Burke — Here lies our good Sewell, his genius is such We scarcely can blame him or praise him too much ; Who, born for the universe, narrowed his mind, And to party gave up what was meant for mankind. In fact 'twas Ids fate, unemployed or in place, sir. To eat mutton cold and cut blocks with a razor. — (great laughter). Mr. T. Brown (Marham, Downham, Norfolk) said he concurred with Mr. James Howard that the public were deeply interested in this important question. He did not THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 483 accord with Mr. Howard ia his estimate of tlie numher of landowners, and he was pained by the tone of Mr. Howard's remarks ; tl\ey would lead one to infer that Mr. Howard thought the interests of the public were antagonistic to those of the landowners, but in the latter portion of his remarks he expressed the opinion that landowners would be benefited bj a fair system of compensation for unexhausted improvements, thereby showing tliat the interests of the landowners and the public were identical (Hear, hear). He was surprised to hear the llev. Mr. Sniytlues taunt the author of the able paper which had been read, and subsequent speakers, with begging the question, by implying that tenant-farmers had to quit their occupations. Did that gentleman never read the advertise- ments of sales, and did he not know that they were all liable to have to leave tlieir farms ? (Hear, hear). He quite agreed with Mr. Read tliat compensation for unexhausted improvements miglit be termed the horse, and freedom of cultivation the cart, but he wislied to see them go together, and he was sorry Mr. Read should deprecate freedom of cultivation. With respect to Lord Leicester's lease, lie considered it quite right that under a lease of that kind the owner sliould have a right to interfere when the tenant was mismanaging the farm ; but he also thought that a reason should be given tor such interference, and that the question should be left to two competent persons called in for tbe purpose, instead of being decided by an arbi- trary exercise of power on the part of the landlord (Hear, hear). He also agreed with Mr. Read that landlords should not be able to contract themselves out of an Act of Parlia- ment for securing compensation for unexhausted improve- ments, but, dillering from Mr. Read, 'thought compensation necessary under a lease as well as under a yearly tenancy. Mr. J. How'.VRU, M.P., disclaimed any such feeling attri- buted to him by Mr. Brown. He was not aware that his tone was at all offensive to the landed interest (Hear, hear), and certainly he never meant anything of the kind. He had simply stated the naked facts. The Rev. E. Smythiks also disclaimed any intention to taunt Mr. Ilorley, he merely said that in the discussion which was going on it seemed to be implied that every farmer would leave at the end of his term . Mr. C. M. Caxdecott (Holbrook Grange, Rugby) had understood Mr. Brown to refer to that view of the matter. Sir G. JE^•KI^'so^f, M.P., said, as a landlord, lie had no wish to shirk the responsibility of expressing the opinions which he entertained on tliat question. Mr. Howard had advocated legis- lation on the ground that some landlords were so stupid or obstinate that they ought to be restrained from exercising the powers which they now possessed. He agreed in that so far as the necessity existed, but that principle must be extended, and it must be recollected that the restrictions whicU were now ap- plicable to cultivation were more applicable in the cases of bad tenants than of good ones. When they came to the question of legislation they ought to remember tliat if legislation was to be efficacious or to bear any good fruit it must not be one- sided. If it could be shown that legislation would make the tenant - farmer more free in his cultivation than he was at present ; if it could be shown that legislation would smooth over difficulties which existed in different locali- ties, and that a system of valuation might be established which would operate fairly alike as regarded the incoming tenant, the outgoing tenant, and the landlord, then, in God's name, let there be legislation ; but in his experience in his own county (Glouccstersliire) he had never known an instance in which an incoming tenant and an outgoing tenant had not succeeded in settling the question of compensation for unex- hausted improvements, by calling in valuers. That was the custom in his county, and, he believed, in a great many others ; but if it could be shown that it was not the custom in some counties, and that legislation was necessary to provide better security for the tenant-farmer, then he said let there be legisla- tion, and he would be found ready in his place in Parliament to support it. He deprecated, however, any hasty legislation on that subject. They must first find men agreed with regard to the amount of unexhausted improvements in manure and feeding stuffs. One man would tell them that the effect of bone manure would last for one or two years, and another that it would last for seven years, and the same difference of opinion prevailed on many other points as to the value of manures, &c., and any attempts to legislate before men were agreed on such points w^ould only make " confusion worse confounded." He was quite satisfied that by providing security for the tenant-farmer they would at the same time promote the interest of the landlord. He had always held that their interests were entirely identical, and that what was good for the one was good for the other. Mr. CiiAKLES HowAEi) (Beds) said that they had heard a great deal that night about the family lawyer. In his opinion that person was exceedingly well represented by two speakers, who appeared to wish things to remain as they were a hundred years ago. He protested — and he believed that in doing so he was expressing the feeling of many gentlemen present — against that going forth as the feeling of the Farmers' Club. He re- gretted that those gentlemen did not reserve their opinions till the following day, as they were much more consonant to the views expressed in Chambers of Agriculture, by gentlemen who were satisfied with the farming of England as it stood and who were opposed to all improvement. He had risen without any preparation to make that protest, and he re- peated that he hoped it would not be supposed that the gentle- men to whom he alluded expressed the feelings of the tenant- farmers of this country (Hear, hear). Mr. HoRLEY then replied. He observed, with regard to the remarks of Mr. Neild, that his wish was to confine himself particularly to the subject of that evening. Mr. Read said he preierred security to freedom. He quite agreed with Mr. Read that they ought to go together, but he could not think that any system whicli clogged enterprise and intelligence, and under which the land could not be half cultivated, should be maintained. No one would wish to withhold the power of obtaining compensation from the landlord for any exhaustion that might take place. Mr. Smythies should recollect that every one might have to leave a farm at some time, and no one could tell when it might happen. That gentleman spoke of the necessity of doing away with what ought to he obsolete customs and covenants. As regarded buildings, &c., the matter should be one of arrangement ; but there were many things with respect to which it ought not to be necessary to obtain the consent of the landlord. Mr. Cadle alluded to the neces- sity of high farming. He (Mr. Horley) thought that high farming would generally prove more beneficial to landlords than to tenants, and he hoped it would not be supposed that the interests of landlords would not always receive the consi- deration they deserved at the hands of that Club. Mr. Bring alluded to certain agreements, but he should recollect that those agreements were not common in England generally, though they were so in the district where he lived. The keeping of a large amount of stock invoked the employment of a large amount of capital, and it ought not to be disturbed at a short notice. Tlie remark of Mr. Masfen showed the interests which landlords have in upholding to the higliest extent the cultivation of the land to tbe end of the tenancy. Freedom would make landlords and agents more careful in the selection of tenants (Hear, hear). i\Ir. Howard touched on a very important point connected with that discussion. The interest of the public would, they might rely upon it, becom e stronger every day, and the sooner the question was settled satisfactorily the better (Hear, hear). That there was in some cases deterioration and dilapidation no one would deny, and the landlords' interest ought, of course, to be protected. Mr. PbU said that some of tiie best estates were the worse farmed. He (Mr. Horley) believed that the power of granting leases was ranch more extensively possessed tiian was gene- rally thought. He could not follow Mr. Sidney through all his criticisms ; but on one point he quite agreed with him, namely, that farmers wanted more direct representation in Parliament, and he would add, in Counties also. He was very much surprised to hear from Sir George Jenkinson that com- pensation for unexhausted improvements was so common already (laughter). In conclusion, Mr. Horley disclaimed any wish for legislation in favour of one class at the expense of another, observing that he would be the last person in the world to advocate anything of that kind (Hear, hear). On the motion of Mr. T. Congreve, a vote of thanks was then given to Mr. Horley for his paper, and a similar com- plement was paid to the chairman. At a meeting of the Committee on Monday, a special com- mittee of the following members was appointed to consider and report on Mr. James Howard's Tenant-Right BiU, which, " backed" by Mr. Sewell Read, will be introduced early in next Session: The Chairman, Mr. H. Cheflins (Essex), Mr. C. Howard (Beds), Mr. T. Horley (Warwickshire), Mr. R, Leeds 484 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. (Norfolk), Mr. E. Little (Wilts), Mr. R. J. Newton (Oxou), Mr. G. Smythies (Herefordshire), Mr. J. Thompson (Glouces- tershire), Mr. H. Trethewy (Beds), with Mr. J. Howard, M.P., and Mr. C. S. Head, M.P. At the same meeting Mr. C. S. Read gave the necessary notice that at the next meeting of the Committee he should move that a subscription of £30 be forwarded by the Club to the Royal Agricultural Society of England towards the pay- ment of the expenses incurred at the Leeds Cake Trial, and in expression of approval of the course taken by the Society. Mr. John Thompson, of Badminton, has been elected Chairman of the Farmers' Club for 1873. PUBLIC OPINION AND THE CENTRAL CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. It has ever and anon beeu a duty for some time past to call attention to the professions and practices of the Cen- tral Chamber of Agriculture, and to show how a curious lack of administrative ability, a pitiful trick of asking for money, and a constant habit of shirking or "putting out" its work, have been amongst the more prominent features of this organization. On the part of the farmers it has been further necessary to point out how the thing has gradually grown into a mere cat's-paw of the land- lords, where the actual interests of Agriculture are inter- preted after the reading of certain members of a certain class. Tlie Mark Lane Express long stood alone here. It was only "fault-finding" — "prejudice" — "a mis- take on the part of the management," and so forth ; and at this moment there is scarcely an independent Agricul- tural journal in the kingdom but has come to see the matter in the same light. For some weeks past BelVs Weekly Messenger has devoted column on column of its pages to the exposure of a job, said to be attempted under cover of the Central Chamber. Again and again has The Agricultural Gazette dwelt on the very palpable fact that the chief care of the Chamber is the landlord, to the neglect of every other call : " We have more than once pointed out that the Chamber of Agriculture has hitherto been less trustworthy than the old Farmers' Club as the mouth- piece of the tenant-farmer" — " already we observe a sig- nificant distinction between the Chamber and the Club which is quite in keeping with all we have ever said of the difference between the two." This was published a week since, and on Wednesday last, speaking of the Central Chamber's business for to-morrow, Tlie North British Agriculturist says : " The resolutions appear to us of a most puerile character, and calculated to mislead the tenant-farmers of England. If we are right in this no countenance should be given to them ;" and The Fort- nightly Review, in an article which Colonel Brise re- ferred to in Essex, on Tuesday, as "an able paper," characterizes the resolutions of the Central Chamber as "beneath contempt." We have maintained over and over again that the Central Chamber has shirked its work ; that it lost its first great opportunity, and passed over the diseases of cattle when before Parliament to another Association. We have maintained that it lost its best opportunity when there was a surplus, and has thoroughly shelved the Malt-tax ; and we have shown how it has been chiefly active in begging for money to get the taxes oft' the laud. At the meeting of the Suffolk Chamber of Agriculture, on Tuesday last, Mr. H. Biddell asked why, " when they had a Central Chamber of Agriculture, it should depute one part of its labour to the Home Cattle Defence Association, another to the Local Taxation Committee, a third, such as the repeal of the Malt-tax, to another Association." There was, we read, some /(;/'^/«/;ji;/rtw*(? at this ; and Mr. Everett " regretted that the Central Chamber remitted its work in this matter ;" and Mr. Corrance said " the Central Chamber had not done the work which had been done by another Association ;" a remarkable statement, which does not go far to help a lame dog over a style. Thus we learn from Mr. Biddell, who is a pretty regular attendant at the Central meetings, how there is one association to look after the Diseases of Stock, another to see to the revision of Local Taxation ; and a third to repeal the Malt-tax ; but what in the world then has the Central Chamber of Agriculture to do beyond, of course, attempting "to mislead the farmers" with its resolutions on Tenant-Right, which are " beneath contempt" ? Mr. Goode in Bell's Weekly Messenger endea. vours in some degree to answer such a question by narrating at great length how some members of the Council and other officials have, " with a view to a profit, a private enterprise" of their own to attend to, which is hung on to the Central Chamber. This, how- evei, does not appear to have been a very original notion, as certainly not altogether without precedent, for Dr. Hyde Clarke writes in this wise: "I did have a fight with the Anthropological Society about the y(?i^/wy of the Anthropological lie vie lo, and that they attempted to expel me. The result was a committee of inquiry, and the retirement of several hundred members. I regret, with reference to publications, I have no copies. The chief matter was published in the Athenceum." But Mr. Goode is, it is said, a disappointed man ; that is, so far as we can see, he altogether refused to have anything to do with " the Organ," though his contributions were specially solicited. It is only fair, however, to say that in this amusing correspondence, as fostered by our contemporary, the secretary of the Central Chamber reminds another of his adversaries that " Chambers of Agriculture are doing some earnest work upon Tenant-Right, Game, Cattle Disease, and Local Taxation." There is some nice discrimi- nation here ; as we have been ever ready to show how much good may be done by the local Chambers which act for themselves. But what earnest work is the Central Chamber doing over Cattle Disease, Local Taxation, Game, and the Malt-tax ? According to Mr. Biddell, none whatever. Like the show footman, the Central Chamber puts its work out while it disports itself in Salisbury-square. This brings us to another point. The exigencies of commerce occasionally require that a gentleman who may expect answers in postage stamps or marketable commo- dities should have his letters directed say, to Nainher One, of course, Utopia Terrace, Innubibus Buildings. On inquiries, however, it often happens that A, B. C. don't live there, " he don't have no rooms here," but " he comes sometimes, or he sends for his letters, or we sends them to him," his own address being " round the corner." Now, this may be all very well or all very ill for a gentleman of limited means and limited companies ; but is it worthy of imitation by a great national body like the Central Chamber of Agriculture ? And yet every letter or paper is addressed from the Central Chamber of Agriculture, Salisbury Hotel, Salisbury Square, London, where the Central Chamber, like A. B. C, " never had no rooms," and nothing more than a re- ceiving box, while A. B. C. took his " away in a bag." And yet the Council by continuing this address compel their officials to lead off every communication they may have to send out with a sham and deception. THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. 48f Says au Essex farmer " like Mr. Good, I am dissatis- fied with the constitution of the Central Chamber ;" and we might easily multiply opinions of this kind, for there is the taint of suspicion about the whole thing, even to the payment of some of the second-class fares ; audit only requires the adoption of those do-nothing resolutions to bring matters to a climax. According to resolution (rt) : " The outgoing tenant should be entitled to com- pensation from the landlord or incoming tenant for the unexhausted value of his improvements — s-abject to pre- vious consent of the owner in the case of buildings, drain- age, reclamation, and other improvements of a permanent character." Should, mark you, while by the law of the laud — Victoria 14 and 15, " Buildings and machinery erected by a tenant, with the comment of his landlord, become the property of the tenant at the expiration of the lease, and he may remove them, subject to the first offer of them being made to the landlord." But this is too much. We can picture the tenant-farmer with his legs apart, and his eyes wide open (at last) exclaiming after the manner of Dominie Sampson, " Prodigious 1 These fellows are going too fast, they'll bring on a re- volution !" In the annals of Agriculture there is proba- bably no precedent for a proceeding which so thoroughly stultifies itself. TENANT-EIGHT "BY LAW." Some few of the local Chambers of Agriculture occupy just at present a rather absurd and humiliating position. They took the Central Chamber's Tenant-Right resolutions for " gospel," as the old huntsman said when he heard the sporting parson's Tally-ho ! Amiable people in the country were prone accordingly to adopt the paper sent out as the proper thing to do. The West Riding Cham- ber dutifully confirmed the resolutions of the Central Chamber; the Cheshire Chamber was on the point of doing so, but for the resolute interference of Mr. Latham, who saved the credit of the county by a rider. The Gloucestershire Chamber followed in echo of the orders sent forth, and the Herefordshire Chamber accepted these without material alteration ; while Mr. Watson, the lead- ing authority at the Central Devon Chamber was thoroughly satisfied with the resolutions of the London Central Chamber. Was he ! He stands at this moment as probably the only man in the coun- try who would dare to say so much. The reso- lutions of the Central Chamber, as scattered abroad in June last, could never have been intended to mean any- thing whatever; for at the November meeting they were treated — and there is no other phrase for it — with ineffable contempt. Scarcely anyone ever spoke to them, as they were seen to shirk the vital question, and at most to uphold mere truisms — claims already recognised by thelegis- lature, or rights which would ever depend upon the vigi- lance of the tenant himself, who could not enforce them unless he had an understanding to that effect with his landlord. What can be the object of obtaining the opinions of the local Chambers in this way ? Naturally, as one would suppose, that they might be arranged in a clear report lor presentation at the central meeting. Nothing of the kind appears to have been done, as little or nothing is ever reported on here but local taxation ; and so the unfortunate locals who have committed themselves, or the other Chambers which have gone for a stronger line, are dropped in the coolest possible style after being so pointedly invited to take the question up. It is true their representatives could join in the discussion, which on Tuesday was almost entirely devoted to the composi- tion of another resolution, in which entitled by laio is at length admitted. It would, however, surely be better for the future that the country Chambers be left to put their own opinions into form. The excellent paper read by Mr. Horley at the Farmers' Club on the previous evening will speak for itself, as if anything it was only too comprehensive and exhaustive. But there can be no question that the general discussion which followed was unworthy of the opening address, and as Mr. Charles Howard energetically pro- tested, some of the speeches delivered must not be identi- fied with the Club, but should have l)een the rather re- served, as one honourable gentleman appeared desirous of doing, for the Chamber meeting. There they would have figured consistently enough side by side with the worthy man who " doubted if the subject was ripe for legisla- tion" I and his fellow who " could not understand how there could be any unrecovered capital at the end of fifty years" ! If a man be farming thoroughly there must always be unrecovered capital, or unexhausted capital, in the soil. The Farmers' Club did not pass any resolution, but it took a far more efficient course of action. This was the appoint- ment of a special committee to consider and report on the Bill about to be introduced by Mr. James Howard and Mr. Sewell Head. j\Iany years since the Farmers' Club did precisely the same thing over Mr. Pusey's Tenant- Right Bill, examining and speaking to every clause. The committee will be found to consist of a nicely balanced number of farmers and land-agents ; and any clear straight -forward report from such a body must necessarily be of far inore value than any round-about "hedg- ing" manifesto like that the Chamber of Agriculture at length adopted. The Bill will really have something at the back of it. Salisbury Square was by no means crowded with mem- bers of Parliament on Tuesday morning. The landlord interest was represented by Sir John Pakington, Sir Michael Beach, Sir George Jenkinson, Sir Massey Lopes, and Mr. Pell, and there does not appear to have been any- thing very determined in the front they offered. Mr. Sewell Read, as usual, represented the farmers, and Mr. W. Fowler the public interest ; but there was none of that jostling of honourable gentlemen one against the other, as when a local taxation debate is on the card. The chief opponents of Mr. Pusey's Bill alike in the House and in Committee were the country gentlemen, and they will be so still. It would he absurd to attempt to gloss over' a fact which is but too palpable, and we warn the friends of the measure of that they may expect to encounter. The country, the public of all other classes is ripe for legislation ; but unless the public's members are looked up, the question will be shelved again for many a long day. The resolution of the Central Cham- ber declares that the farmers' capital must be secured by law ; and, if the Chamber be iu earnest, if it really means what it says, let a letter be sent to every member of Parliament who is also a member of any Chamber directly asking if he will give his support to this principle when it comes before the House? If the Central Cham- ber— "established to look to matters before Parliament" — cannot take this step, then its resolution is an empty sound. If any example be required it has just been offered by the Scottish Chamber of Agriculture, when the members resolved " to press the subject of land tenure on their Parliamentary representatives." 486 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, THE AGRICULTURE OF SYRIA, One of the most fertile and densely peopled countries was Syria, before the Mohammedan conquest, but now it has become a parched and uncultivated soil, with scarcely any population, except in the territoiy of the Druses and the Maronites. At the time of the Romans the number, ex- tent, and splendour of its cities were not equalled in any other part of that empire ; and although dwarfed in size and crumbling to decay, Jerusalem and Damascus have still remained from the commencement of the history of the human race to the ])resent day. The prospect of a revival lies in the better government of the Turks under the in- fluence of European opinions, the protection of the resi- dent Consuls, the construction of the Euphrates Valley railway to the East, and the consequent healthy flow of traffic that must pass where byegone associations can never fail to create a powerful attraction. The peculiar physical features of the country, combining within a comparatively small limit low lands, plateaux, mountains, and valleys, presenting every variety of climate, from the almost tropical temperature of the coast line, to the tem- perate clime of the table lands, admirably adapt it for the cultivation of most of the products of the earth. Its natural productions should be enormous ; but the political and administrative state of the land has so far militated against any serious development of what constitutes in Syria the sole source from which the prosperity of the people springs. The produce of the rich vast plains, such as those of Hamah, Hauran, Belca, and Samaria, little more than suffice at present, under favourable circumstauces, for the support of the scanty inhabitants. Large tracts of great fertility lie waste and depopulated, but presenting every- where traces of former prosperity. Agricultural know- ledge is everywhere in a backward state. The old Roman plough, drawn by bullocks is employed, while the rest of the tiller's implements owe their origin to still re- moter ages. The " feddan" or admeasurement of land in Syria, is of various dimensions. It is popularly held to be that quantity capable of being ploughed by a pair of oxen throughout the year. It varies in extent, according to the fertility of the soil, and the nature of the land. In hilly districts, where the soil is light, an average pair of oxen may keep under cultivation from 3 G to 40 acres ; Avhile, in the plains, from 28 to 3G acres is the ordinary size. The quantity of seed sown varies also according to the nature of the ground, and its richness, averaging from 25 to GO kilog per feddan. The seed is sown broadcast. The majority of portions of land are 1 feddan only. The next most numerous are 2^, and few are found of more than G or 7. The yield per feddan may be calculated at a very rough estimate at about 200 bushels of wheat, 50 of barley, 75 of millet, and 40 of sesame. The propor- tion in which the cultivated lands are devoted to the various kinds of crops differ according to the locality ; in the fertile districts of Acre and Nablous the proportion devoted in a five years' average was for wheat 40 per cent., barley 9, millet 7, sesame 13, and the remainder of the cropping was made up of cotton, pulse, tobacco, water-melons, vines, fig-trees, and olive-trees. Crops are classed under two heads, viz., the summer and winter crop. The summer yield consists of millet, Indian corn, to- bacco, cotton, and sesame ; and the winter of wheat, bar- ley, lentils, beans, chick peas, and vegetables. Rotation of crops is confined to the change in alternate years of the species of produce cultivated : thus, the land which this year is devoted to cotton will next year be planted with wheat, and so on. Manure is not used, and indeed is seldom obtainable, save in pastoral districts, where, however, the unsettled state of the coimtry reduces cul- tivation to narrow limits. Rain seldom falls from the end of April till the beginning of October, and clouds are rare. The whole country is thus parched : vegeta- tion, except where streams of water flow, is extinguished, and the air during the long summer day becomes so hot and dry as to render out -door occupations dangerous. The autumnal rains commence about the latter end of October or the beginning of November. January and February are the coldest months ; but frost is seldom seen, and the cold is not severe. In ordinary years, Syria produces enough from the fertile plains of the Hauran, Bekeia, Homs, Hamah, Da- mascus, Gaza, &c., for her own consumption, besides leaving a small surplus for exportation. In 1870, however, the excessive drought ruined the crops, and necessitated im- portation to provide for local wants. One of the conse- quences of the bad harvest oi that year, was to curtail the breadth of sowing for 1871, by reason of the high price of seed. In the interior, where the cost of transport in a country without roads enormously enhances the price of grain, wheat rose to an equivalent of 104s. per qr., en- tailing great misery upon the peasantry. Large quanti- ties were distributed by the government for seed purposes against its return at harvest-time, but a considerable por- tion was consumed for food, which made a serious diminu- tion in the area sown. For this reason, and also that of unpropitious weather, the wheat crop of 1871 fell gene- rally short of the average. In December last, when hope was nearly exhausted, and a recurrence of the misery of previous years seemed inevitable, copious rains fell, far surpassing the ordinary average. An abundant harvest throughout the laud might therefore be looked for, with its concomitant blessings of cheap food and increased prosperity generally. Since the out- break of the murrain in Egypt a few years since, that country has drawn largely upon Syria for animal food, and the exportation of cattle has been greatly developed. Apart from the large numbers of bullocks, sheep, and goats which are driven down from Eastern Asia Minor to the Syrian ports for shipment to Egypt, and which form part of the cargo of nearly every downward-bound steamer, the Bedouin tribes have lately opened their eyes to the source of profit presented to them by the Egyptian market, and are devoting themselves to the rearing of cattle, sheep, horses, and mules. The rich pasturages of the border lands frequented by them, and especially the district lying between Damascus and Jerusalem, offer peculiar advantages to such enterprise. The difficulties encountered by industry and agriculture, leaving aside the exceptional circumstances of the last two or three years, are very great. In Syria, as in other parts of Asiatic Turkey, especially in Asia Minor, the conscription exercises its exhausting eftects chiefly on the agricultural element, denuding some of the rural dis- tricts to such an extent that there are hardly hands enough left to till the soil under cultivation. The facili- ties which the venality of subordinate officials offer for the evasion of the dreaded service to those who are liable to be drawn are largely availed of by the effeminate and apparently well-conditioned dwellers of the towns, while the young and robust peasant, the sinew of the country, unable, out of his miserable earnings, either to pay the commutation fee or satisfy the avarice of the recruiting officer, is carried ofi'. Such is the aversion entertained to service in the regular army, that ruinous sacrifices are made to pay the exemption fee. The value of the grow- ing crops is forestalled, often at 50 per cent, loss, or THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 487 money borrowed from the usurer at equally exorbitant rates. Many flourisliing villages have thus been brought to ruin in a single year ; and when it is considered that the conscription takes place annually, the amount of suffering to the peasant and injury to the country cannot be estimated too largely. In face, too, of the system of taxation, vexations, and abuses to which the cultivator is exposed, no capital is laid out in agricultural enterprise. The obligation to pay fixed tithes upon his produce, whether the yield is good or bad, taxation unfairly assessed, and illegal exactions of all who possess authority over him, from the tithe-gatherer and tax-collector to the rural police, to say nothing of the usurer, from whose clutches he is seldom free— all these circumstances combine to prevent his I'eaping beyond a miserable pittance for his toil. Ages of misrule and oppression have stamped upon the mind of the Syrian fellah the belief that change in anything that concerns him must be resisted, as it can only conceal some covert scheme for adding to the ex- actions already wrung out of him. This deep-rooted be- lief will ever militate most strongly against any regenera- tive schemes that may be proposed by those who have the interest of the country at heart, and will take years to eradicate even under the most favourable circumstances. What is imperatively called for is, the establishment of an institution of the nature of an agricultural bank, which would make advances to the peasantry at moderate rates of interest, and so rescue them from the extortion and rapacity of the usurer. Such an establishment would not fail to be remunerative to the capitalist, while it would prove of the greatest benefit both to agriculture and to the revenues of the country. In spite of these obstacles it is surprising that agricul- ture has nevertheless extended, and commercial trans- actions have increased, with every probability of more wealth than might at first glance be presumed to exist. The capabilities of Syria for agriculture and manufactures are very great, and were fiscal exactions checked and re- gulated, could the peasant get proper protection in his labour, and were the aptitude which the country and its people for the development of industry fairly called into action, the whole face of affairs would soon be changed. OUR COMMERCIAL "RELATIONS." Brevity may or may not be still the soul of wit, but it is certainly the soul of business. People speak through telegrams and write letters on post-cards^ The practical philosophy of Dotheboy's Hall is a lesson now taught in all our schools. Mr. Stanley is simply told to go and find Livingstone, and he goes and finds him ; the histories of our great battles are written on the field, and the winner of the Derby is known in Calcutta before the race is run. Sharp and smart is the very adage of the age. The com- plete letter- writer is simply a nuisance, and the Grandi- sonian style as obsolete as old Homer's rolling epithets. It is vulgar to "present your compliments;" aud the worthy man who would wind up his epistle by stating that whatever might happen he had yet the happiness to feel that he had the honour to be your most obedient humble servant might be locked up in a lunatic asylum forthwith, if he were only worth the trouble aud expense. Even officials who pen long despatches are apt to be re- garded as humbugs, and we are coming again to the Veiii, vidi, vici of Cresar, Nelson's " Gazette of his own," or the strictly commercial communication of the old admiral who never got beyond his " items" of so many ships taken, as " named in margin." How changed, indeed, is the tone of our commercial relations and transactions ! It was the boast of the good old citizen that for forty yeai's he never slept out of sight of St. Paul's excepting on the night of his marriage when he went to Margate ; whereas his son runs over to Spain to judge for himself of the vintage, or has taken a trip to Ame- rica with a view to extending their connexion in New York. He will make and break two or three fortunes against his father's savings, will wire an order to buy up all the chicory in the world, and take the wool clip of a colony. The house's traveller drove his tandem on a three months' tour through the West of England, and drank his bottle of port in peace every day of his life ; the more modern " bagman" is at Birmingham on Tuesday, in Manchester on Wednesday, at Liverpool on Friday, and back again by Saturday. He sleeps in the Express, dines in the refresh- ment-room, and writes his letters, at so much a word, on the little desk by the station-window. People now-a-days " play at" flying carrier-pigeons, just as they drive fast coaches " for fun," utterly eclipsed as all such means of communication are for the purposes of actual business. The extra labours of foreign post might threaten to becom a tradition, for you may deal and deal again with half the world between breakfast and dinner. The following are copies of telegrams of Monday last : Received Oct. 21, 7.15 p.m. Dated Adelaide, Oct. 21, 9.12 a;m. "From the Mayor of Adelaide, South Aus- tralia, to the Lord Mayor of London, via Falmouth : The Mayor of Adelaide congratulates the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of Loudon on the opening of telegraphic communication between Australia and Great Britain, and trusts the communications so auspiciously begun may still further cement those feelings of loyality and attachment to her Majesty's throne and person which characterises the whole of the Australian provinces of the British Empire. God save the Queen." — "Oct. 21. From the Lord Mayor of London to the Mayor of Adelaide, via Falmouth : The Lord Mayor of London is much gratified by the reception of the telegram from the Mayor of Ade- laide, and fully reciprocates the very kind expressions in his most agreeable communication." The importance of such a fact as is here embodied on the minutes of the Court of Aldermen can hardly be over-rated, the more especially when considering its effects on commerce of all kinds. We have long commanded or reciprocated the intelligence of other distant countries, and men now come home from India for one month's holi- days. But Australia hitherto has been comparatively uutangible, and we have received our news as we do her meats, only when careluUy potted. Now, however, we shall hear in a day of any great gold discovery, of any mortality on the sheep runs, of the growth of the wheat, and the quality of the vines. In return, the colonial grower wiU hear, as certainly and as quickly as we our- selves can ascertain, of aU we shall want and what he should send. And here, naturally, is the moral of the whole business ; as the more intelligence or the more directly it travels the more will cheaper States be encou- raged to enter into competition with the old country. It was just about this time last year, if we remember aright, that Mr. Mechi recommended the English farmer to break up his grass lands and go in for growing wheat ; and during this past autumn one of those agricultural authori- ties who, like the sea-serpent, periodically unwinds him- 488 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. self to appear iu The Times, was suffered to say emphati- cally, " Depend upon it ! a decreasing English wheat crop will not always be met by cheap foreign supplies." Against this it must be remembered that wheat is yet grown year after year on virgin soils, with scarcely any attempt at cultivation, but so long as it will yield and so long as we want it a crop will be taken. It is, again, quite impossible to say to what extent cultivation might be improved or fresh lands brought into use so soon as wheat was reported to be at a certain price iu England. And these reports are now almost instantaneous. Our own corn trade article is sent all over the country, we had almost said all over the world, so soon as a copy is off the press, and before perhaps a paper is posted. And the in- evitable result is that wheat when it has reached to a cer- tain price cannot remain at a certain price. So surely as we exhaust the resources of France or the continents of Europe and America, as surely shall we be " met by other foreign supplies." It will be time for the home producer to consider whether these can be brought in at dear or cheap rates, although one great effect must be on his own prices. Of course cargoes from Australia will be slow of delivery, and competition cannot be so direct as with other countries, but nevertheless nothing will tend so much to establish a trade as the command of continual and ready advices of the terms upon which it can be con- ducted. Melbourne, October 27 : Ireadsiuffs are advancwg. TENANT-RIGHT. At a meeting of the Devon and Cornwall Cliamber of Agriculture at Tavistock, the subject was " Compensa- tion for Unexhausted Improvements," introduced by Mr. Clark, barrister of the Western Circuit. The chair was taken by Mr. G. W. Soltau. Mr. Clark explained that the question before them was whether there should be legislative interference in the matter of compensation for unexhausted improvements. In his opinion without legislative interference verj little would be done. In the two counties of Devon and Cornwall no custom existed on this matter, and unless tliere was a provision in tlie lease of tenancy the tenant would now have no means of ob- taining a return for the capital he had laid out. Undoubtedly custom did prevail in some counties — for instance, Lincoln- shire— where tlie custom had the power of law, and had been enforced. Tenant-right in Lincolnshire undoubtedly worked well. He knew well that tenant-right in England was not the same as it was iu Ireland, nor did it make the same de- mands in this country as it did in Ireland. What was de- manded in England was that the tenant should receive com- pensation for his unexhausted improvements — m fact, se- curity for his capital. Legislation was necessary to secure this where there was no provision to the effect or no custom prevailing. It took a long time for custom to ripen^so as to be- come law. All that he asked of that meeting was to affirm tlie principle. Matters of detail would come after, and be ar- ranged to suit the various localities. Sir Massey Lopes did not hesitate to say unreservedly that there was an injustice in the present state of things. There was good policy and good reason in tenants having some compensation for any unexhausted improvements in the land. If they could not establish a custom let them try what legislation could do. But he was not going to commit him- self to legislative enactment before he knew what it was likely to be. He thought the matter could be settled by a sim-de contract between landlord and tenant. He was not fond of having the Legislature stepping iu on every cpiestion. Mr. Pratt strongly approved of leases to tenants, and con- demned the practice of not giving compensation, the result of that pernicious system being to cause farmers during the last part of their term to keep their land down to half producing power. Mr. HoRSWELL moved — That it is the opinion of this meet- ing, with the view to encourage the full use of tenants' capital in the occupation of land, which is so essential to the proper development of the same, that the outgoing tenant should be entitled by a legislative enactment to compensation from the landlord or incoming tenant for the value of his unspent ma- nures and improvements, such value to be ascertained by valua- tion in the usual way. The motion having been seconded by Mr. Sparrow, Mr. Perry pointed out the difficulties which would attend the definition of the word improvements, and Mr. Spry in- sisted upon the necessity of something being done to prevent estates being neglected during the last years of a term. Mr. Hejvry Lopes, M.P., said there were many different modes for getting the compensation. It might be done by means of a lease, but that would only affect leaseholders. It migiit be done by custom, which had the same force as an Act of Parliament, but it was necessary iu order to make that custom good evidence that it should have existed from time im- memorial. It might be that landlords and tenants could meet and agree upon a reasonable custom and have it confirmed by Parliament, but that custom could only be binding on those who agreed to it. Sir Massey Lopes said it could not be permitted that ten- ants should make permanent improvements on an estate with- out the landlord's consent, and then call on the landlord to pay for such improvements. Mr. IIoRSWELL accepted Mr. Lopes's definition of the word " improvements" for which the tenant was entitled to compen- sation, and this being embodied with the motion, it was unani- mously carried. Votes of thanks to Mr. Clark and to the Chairman closed the proceedings. At a meeting of the Shropshire Chamber of Agriculture, at Shrewsbury, Mr. Bowen Jones who was in the chair, moved the following resolution, seconded by Sir Baldwin Leighton : " That this Cliamber considers it necessary for the proper security of the tenant's capital in husbandry that the outgoing tenant should be entitled by legislative enactment to compen- sation from the landlord or incoming tenant for the value of his unexhausted improvements, such value to be ascertained by valuation in the usual way ; also, that the landlord should be entitled to compensation from out-going tenants for dilapi- dations and deteriorations, the amount to be determined by valuation." Mr. Bather moved an amendment against legislative enactment, which was seconded by Mr. Jasper More. The original resolution was carried by a large majority, only ten voting for the amendment. Mr. Thomas Horton proposed, and Mr. Mansell seconded, the following resolution, which was carried unanimously : "That a committee, com- posed of an equal number of landowners or land-agents and of tenant-tarmers, be selected to consider the conditions of the tenure of laud in this county, and to report upon the same to a future meeting ; also to olfer suggestions as to the amounts of allowances that an off-going tenant should be entitled to, and the deteriorations that a landowner should be enabled to establish in the case of deficient husbandry." [We are com- pelled to reserve our report.] At a meeting of the Herefordshire Cliamber of Agricul- ture, the resolutions sent out by the Central Chamber were unanimously adopted, the words " or incoming tenant" being omitted in the first. THE SCOTTISH CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE.— At a meeting in Aberdeen, the following resolutions were passed : 1. That the meeting approve of the action of the Chamber of Agriculture in discussing and calling attention to tiie Land Tenancy laws. 3. That in the opinion of the members of this county the Chamber ought to resolve on the measures which altered circumstances uow make imperative in the interests of proprietors, tenants, and the public generally, and press these measures on their Parliamentary representa- tives. ANOTHER MODEL AGREEMENT.— A preliminary meeting was called in Norwich, to make arrangements for preparing another agreement, when Lord Leicester will again confer with the agriculturists of the county, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 489 TENANT-RIGHT. At the meeting of the Gloucester Chamher of Agriculture Mr. C. Cadle read the following paper : Perhaps the most popular error conncctecl with this subject is tlie notiou that Tenants' Right means Landlords' Wrong, while it is nothing of tlie sort. Tenants' llightis an unfortu- nate word to hpve been used in connection with the subject — Corapensatiou for Unexhausted Improvements is far better, the meaning being the same ; and I will endeavour to sliow that it is not a question affecting the tenant so mucli as it alfects the landlord. Without it the tenant, whetlier ho has a lease or an agreement, naturally tries to get all he can out of the land before he leaves ; and the result is, that of all times when the landlord wants his iarm to look the best (that is, when he has to let it to afresh tenant) he, under existing circumstances generally has it looking its worst. The landlord wants to have the land farmed well up to the last, it is therefore undoubtedly to bis interest to sanction compensation for unexhausted im- provement, especially as it costs him nothing — for, practically, tlie incoming tenant pays for it — and my experience tells me that it is only for want of explanation that landlords do not generally adopt it. Every one with whom I have gone into the subject has readily agreed to it, and I have adopted my agreement lor several estates and have found the system work very well. It is admitted and carried out to a greater or less extent in more than half the agreements now made, and would be in more were it not for the carelessness of tenants when taking their farms, many of whom will sign anything that is laid before them, and others, for tlie sake of saving a guinea or 80, will not take the agreement in draft to consult some solicitor or friend who understands the subject. It is well known that the better the crops grown on the land the more the land is enabled to grow, from the accumulation of vege- table matter in tha soil, the rick-yard, and in the fold-yards. This accumulation takes place something after the rate of compound interest : suppose, for instance, we take one field on a farm where the system is what is known as the four-course — the tenant is induced to lay out £3 per acre extra on his turnip crop and consumes £3 per acre in corn, he gets the value of his money in extra meat and corn, and knows it pays him; but at the end of the rotation he has had to consume probably six tons of roots, one of barley straw, one of clovfer, and one ton of wheatstraw,allextra through the expenditure of the £6. Then in the second rotation, he not only consumes the increased crop ^ from a second outlay of £6, but he has the increased crop from the manure produced from extra outlay on first rotation, the manure from which was at least worth £3, so the £G and £3 is equal to £9 in the second rotation. The same thing goes on for the third rotation, when it is probably £18; of this £13, the tenant's share is only £6 even if compensated in full ac- cording to any acknowledged system at present used, and this leaves £7 for landlord's share for simply inducing the tenant to spend his money by giving him security, and for which he himself pays nothing. Take as an example where a good far- mer has had a farm for fifteen or twenty years, look at the in- creased ricks and stock kept from the same land ; and this is an important item that tells on reletting, and I have little doubt the landlord's share from the exertions of a good farmer is something like £10 per acre in 20 years in having a good tenant over a bad one, and this after the tenant is fully compen- sated for his share, and this irrespective of the gradual appar- ent increase in the value of land, or rather the reduction in the value of money. That it is to the landlord's advantage I think I have sufticieutly shown, for he has his farm to let at the ex- piration of any tenancy, looking its best instead of its worst. But besides this tliere is another most important consideration for the landlord — if any system of compensation is carried out there will also be pains and penalties for bad farming ; and if a tenant farms a field or farm badly, he will have to com- pensate the landlord for the damage done thereby. It is to the tenant's advantage, because he knowsthat if he farms his land well he will be compensated for any unexhausted improve- ments, and it saves him the trouble and unpleasant busi- ness of recoupina; himself when he if going to leave, besides the inducement it gives him to farm his land in the most pay- ing way, viz,, by high farming; for we all know that if you ,want to keep your land clean and in a good state, it is best ' done by heavy crops ; nothing in fact cleans it so effectually as a laid crop of corn on the arable land, and feeding fat fuU- growu animals on the pasture land, with plenty of corn and cake, is the surest way to improve this. The incoming tenant has apparently the worst of it, for he not only pays an increased rent according to the increased capabilities of the land, but also pays the outgoing tenant for the unexhausted portion of the improvements ; but even here, strange as it may seem, I contend it is to his advantage, because he goes into the farm aud it is ready for him to go on realising a profit at once, while if he takes to the farm out of condition, he is often four or five years in getting it right before he gets a return, ll'or although it is one of the objections that the incomer h.as so much to pay on enteriug. and thus it cripples the young farmer to have to pay £2 or £3 per acre to the outgoing tenant, it is a very poor argument, for he must have a capital of £S or £10 per acre ; and if he does not pay the outgoer, he has to spend probably double the money in getting the land into a similar profitable state ; therefore it matters little whether he pays down his £3 per acre on entering, or has to spend it in the first two years, and the valuers take care he has value for his money, if they understand their business, aud do their duty. To the community at large I need scarcely say it is au advantage, for apart fmin the fact that it is to their interest for as much to be grown on the land as possible, this beiug a country that has to go to foreign ports for a large portion of its food, the more there is grown at liome the less money goes out of the country for its purchase. And I am sure with a good system of compensation the produce of the country will annu- ally increase. It is, therefore, so much to the interest of every class to have this carried out, that I do not see how Par- liament can well refuse it. The only argument that can be brought against it is — that letting land is a private bargain and that it should be provided for by agree- ment ; but it is for this very reason we ask the aid of Parhament to alter the law. Were it not that under existing circumstances everything attached to the free- hold becomes part and parcel of that freehold, the necessity would not so much arise, but when we know that this is so, and that to farm profitably and to make the most of the land, the farmer has at least £3 per acre sunk in the land in the shape of manure from corn and artificials, and may profitably have £5, it is impossible that Parliament may do otherwise tiiau grant it, if they wish to retain the high character they possess for dealing out justice. It is very un- fortunate that the Irish Land Bill has been such a mistake there. A man rents landlandclairascompensation|for giving it up, and in some instances the worse he has done it, the more ex- horbitants his demand. We here ask for nothing of the sort, we simply want to correct a great national evil, viz., to amend a system by which one tenant reduces the land to as near poverty as he possibly can, and the next tenant has four or five years' labour to get it back to its profitable state, while if recognised by law, they have simply to call in two valuers, or their umpire, and all this trouble aud loss is obviated by the one writing out a cheque and handing it over to the other, as is so successfully done in Lincolnshire, and where, by its aid, farming has attained its highest state of proficiency. With regard to the details of the system, I believe it is the opinion of this Chamber that we should not go into this, but simply ask for a recognition of the principle by law, and leave the car- rying out to valuers. But before finishing the subject there is one point 1 will just mention, viz., that the compensation is wanted more especially for the smaller improvements ; those of a more permanent character, such as buildings, draining, &c., should be done by the landlord, and if not are mostly a matter of arrangement ; but the unexhausted value from consumption of cake or corn, use of artificial manure, &c., are on many estates left to chance, and in the uncertainty the outgoing tenant does not use them, as before shown. A Court of Ar- bitration, with a number of appointed valuers under them iu each county, could well judge of every case that was likely to arise. Sir George Jenkinson, M.P., the chairman, having read I I 490 THE FAEMER'S MAaAZINE, the circular resolutions from the Central Chamber, said these resolutions seemed to him to be framed entirely in the spirit of the paper read by Mr. Cadle, and with every word of which he entirely agreed, as he did also with the resolutions before them which had been submitted by the Central Cham- ber of Agriculture. As to the amendment which had been proposed by Mr. Long, he (Sir George) certainly could not see any differenca between the spirit of that and the spirit of the resolutions which were proposed, except that one was con- tained in four lines and the others in three paragraphs. With that one exception he could not see any difference between the amendment and tbe resolutions. The remark which he wished to make on the subject was that, judging from his own know- ledge and experience in this county, he believed that what they were now advocating — with the exception that twelve montlis' notice to quit instead of six months' was proposed — was what really prevailed in the country. Speaking from his own knowledge, too, he could only say that he had never known a tenant about to leave a farm but who had called in a valuer, and if he and the landlord could not agree, an umpire also, and they had decided what compensation should be given for all unexhausted improvements which he liad made to the land. With regard to what Mr. Cadle had said upon provid- ing buildings and draining, there might be some exception, and it would be far better for the landlord to undertake improve- ments of such a permanent character, which he might do without burdening his own pocket by obtaining Government allowances or help from private companies. And it would be just as easy for the owner of an estate in entail by these means to make improvements of such a permanent character ; and if he did not lie neglected to discharge his proper duties as a landlord, and acted unfairly to his tenant. If a landlord chose to let a farm out of proper condition (as was often done in Scotland), and the tenant on that account chose to take it at a reduced rent, say for 31 years, and lay out his money in im- proving it, that might answer very well, and was simply a matter between two men. But he did not think that was a plan often adopted in this country, and he thought it impos- sible to lay down one fixed rule which should apply to the whole of England because custom varied so in the different counties. Even in this county there was very little outlay to be provided for by tenants, except it might be in the matter of feeding-stuffs and manures ; a very different state of things to what existed in large corn-growing countries and even in Scot- land. And if, as he supposed, it was the custom for the outgoing and incoming tenants to adjust the claims which the former made, and which the latter ought to pay, then it seemed to him (Sir George) that all was done which was ad- vocated in these resolutions. At the same time, if they thought a legislative enactment was required to make that custom law, then he would gladly do all he could to assist in passing a measure for that purpose. He quite agreed with Mr. Cadle that the measure ought not to be one based upon what was generally called the wrongs of tenants, but that it should be simply one which should enforce compensation for unexhausted improvements. But care must be taken to guard against passing such a measure for Eugland as had been passed for Ireland. That, in his opinion, was a wholesale measure of what he called robbery, whereby many a tenant received hun- dreds of pounds, not only for work never done, but for leaving the farm in a most disgraceful state. That was a measure of the greatest injustice, and could not possibly work well, because not properly based. Of course he agreed that every tenant who laid out his money in making permanent improve- ments to his farm should be compensated ; but the system of paying the tenant a certain amount for what was called dis- turbance he thought was a bad one and could not possibly work well. Disturbance in most cases simply meant that the landlord put out the tenant who was farming his land badly and put in one who could do it better ; and a measure based on such principles as made the landlord pay the tenant in such a case as that, was an unjust one, and one of which any legis- lature ought to be ashamed. He hoped that nothing of that sort would ever be admitted in England. If it was, he believed that the first persons injured would be the tenants themselves. Good tenants ought always to be encouraged in any outlay which they made for improvements, and in case of their leav- ing should be compensated for such outlay ; but he held that the landlord ought to retain the power to turn out a bad tenant without giving him any compensation whatever. A bad tenant might leave the land a mass of filth, and in such a case as that surely no one would advocate his being paid for what was commonly called disturbance ; merely turning out a bad tenant, and putting a good one in his place. Mr. D. Long entirely agreed with Sir George and with Mr. Cadle in the principles they advocated. But Sir George was in error in saying that compensation for unexhausted improve- ments was recognised by valuers in this county. Valuers al- ways recognised improvements which had been made during the previous twelve months ; but unless they found an agree- ment to the contrary, they never went back further. He thought if this matter was recognised by the Legislature valuers would very soon act, and act fairly upon it ; but the question must be legislated upon on its general principles, without entering into detail, because in legislating for what would suit one county, they would not be legislating upon what would suit another. That was the reason why he pro- posed his amendment, in opposition to clauses a and h, as he thought they went too much into detail. It was not now exactly as it first stood ; but he had been induced by Sir Michael Hicks-Beach to alter it, in the hope that in some way or other the Legislature would recognise its principles. And if he moved any resolution at all that would be it. Mr. Cadle had truly said tiiat such an enactment would have the effect of encouraging the production of home-grown food, and any- thing which did that they ought to support. Mr. Long then moved the following amendment : " That this Chamber con- siders it necessary for the proper security of tenants' capital engaged in husbandry (as well as for the encouragement of the production of the greatest amount of home-grown food), that the outgoing tenant should be entitled by legislative enact- ment to compensation from the landlord or incoming tenant for the value of his unexhausted improvements, such value to be ascertained in the usual way." The Chairman said this amendment did not provide any basis for the guidance of arbitrators, or any compensation to the landlord in case of dilapidations. Mr. Long said the Government could only recognize it in that general manner without going into its details. With re- gard to the clause which provided that twelve months' notice to quit should be given instead of six, he thought everybody would agree to that ; he only proposed his amendment in op- position to the first two clauses. Mr. WoODWAiiD said he could not quite agree with the twelve months' notice to quit. Law was not wanted for good landlords and tenants, but for bad ones, and his opinion was that a six months' notice to quit was quite sufficient. Valuers could ascertain what improvements had been made to the land, and what money had been expended during sis montlis much better than they could by going back twelve. The CiiairMjUM said the resolutions did not propose to make that a law by legislative enactment ; the Council had simply expressed it as its own opinion. In the case of sis months' notice the valuers would doubtless have much less to do ; but the question of notice to quit would be much better left to agreement between landlord and tenant. The enact- ment proposed was for the purpose of giving the tenant se- curity for unexhausted improvements ; but he (Sir George) believed that practically the tenant usually received compensa- tion for all the money which he put into the land. That brought them to a matter which had been very little touched upon — tlie question of leases. He believed that, under such an enactment as was proposed, a tenant would be much better off than under a lease. Certainly he would be in this county, though perhaps he would not in counties where an enormous amount of capital was put upon the land, or in Scotland where the system of twenty-one years' leases prevailed. A farmer renting under a yearly tenancy would be far better off than under a lease in many cases which might be mentioned. Take, for instance, the agricultural strikes. If a tenant had a farm under a lease, and the strikes had put him to a very great in- convenience, as tliey had many farmers, and new charges were in addition saddled upon the land, he might find it to his inte- rest to give up the farm ; but holding it under a lease, he could not do so. He could not go to the landlord and say, " This farm has turned out very bad, and I want you to take it off my hands ;" but he must keep it on, and continue to pay the increased charges in the shape of local taxation, and put up with all the rest of the difficulties which met him. But in the case of a man who held his farm on a yearly tenancy, under such conditions as were proposed, when he found himself getting into difficulties of such a nature he could THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 491 say to himself, " lu the face of all these burdens it doesn't do for me to carry on my farm, and I shall give it up." He was not bound by law to keep the farm on, and knowing that he would get compensation for all unexhausted improvements, he in his (Sir George's) opinion was much better off than he would be under a lease. Of course it was a matter of opinion, and he merely expressed his own opinion upon it. Mr. Long said he meant the principles of compensation to apply in all cases, whether in cases of leases or of yearly or half-yearly tenancies. Mr. W. Lawrence said he disagreed very much with Mr. Woodward's opinion that a six months' notice to quit was pre- ferable to twelve. He (Mr. Lawrence) should prefer two years to twelve months. The Chairman suggested that Mr. Long should add to his amendment a provision that the landlord should be com- pensated for any dilapidations on the farm. Mr. Long : No ; I object to tliat, because valuers already recognize any dilapidations on a farm, and there is nothing which enforces a recognition of unexhausted improvements. The Chairman : But I think if that were added it would make the thing more complete. Mr. Long : No ; I say that all we want is a recognition by the Legislature of the value of unexhausted improvements. Mr. Woodward: But what objection would there be to making such an addition ? Mr. Long : It is unnecessary, because the principle is already recognized by law. Mr. Woodward : But is it recognized to a sufficent extent ? Mr. Long : Yes ; it is. The Chairman said he did not think it was generally re- cognized, and he did not know of any legislative enactment which enforced it, though individual valuers might act upon it. Mr. Chance said he had known actions brought against tenants for compensation for dilapidations, and decided upon evidence such as Mr. Long indicated, and the " custom of the country." Captain de Winton : But supposing a tenant takes a farm in good condition, and after a lapse of ten or twelve years, finding his lease running out, he allows it to get into a bad condition, how are you to value the deterioration of the value of that farm ? Mr. PiiiDAY : The valuers must decide upon the statements made. Captain de Winton : But suppose the landlord says it was in a good condition at the time the tenant took it, and the tenant say it was not ? It seemed to be the general opinion that only the state- ments of the landlord and the tenant could be decided upon in such a case as that. The Chairman said that if the custom of allowing land- lords compensation for dilapidations existed to any extent, it could not do any harm to make it^compulsory. Mr. Long : I should not like to append it to my resolu- tion. The Chairman then read an 'extract from a discussion which had taken place at the Cheshire Chamber of Agricul- ture some time since, when a resolution was adopted affirming the principle that an out-going tenant should be legally entitled to compensation for unexhausted improvements which had been made with the consent of his landlord, and the land- lord to be compensated for dilapidations through the neglect of his tenant. Captain de Winton said he thought no more important qustion could be debated by Chambers of Agriculture than that they were now discussing. He thought, too, that all would agree with him that as a rule farms were not cultivated to anything like the extent they ought to be, either in the production of meat or corn, because sufficient capital was not invested in the land. But the fact was there was so little encouragement to the farmer or the landlord to invest his capital. Supposing, for instance, that he chose to invest £?/) upon twenty acres of land by increasing its productive powers and jiutting up good buildings upon it. What was the result ? The land was worth so much more, so there must bemnr^li more income tax to pay, more to pay as a poor-rate, and su i ii, and yet the land was producing much more corn or much mure meat for the benefit of the people. Instead of mulcting the investor with increased charges, he thought he ought to be encouraged to continue his improvements. Mr. WiTcoMB : But it is the capital which you have to put into the land upon which the extra charges arise. Captain de Winton said that was true, but mulcting a man in heavier charges when he had invested his money to im. prove the land certainly was not encouraging him to invest it. Mr. Long : In going into this matter I rather think you are touching the question of local taxation instead of unex- hausted improvements. Captain de Winton : There are so many questions you may go into when you begin upon this. Mr. S. Friday : It is the capital invested in the land which is charged. If you invest your money in the land, there is no more harm in charging you with heavier rates than there would be me, supposing I was a manufacturer and extended my business by means of ray capital. Captain de Winton : Except that I do more good by in- vesting my capital in the laud than I should by any other means. With regard to compensation for unexhausted im- provements, it must be recognised by every one that if a land- lord took advantage of the outlay of his tenant, and did not remuuerate him at the expiration of his tenancy, it was not going too far in characterising that as nothing but a robbery. It was a question which required a great deal of consideration, and in saying anything upon it he only desired to encourage an increased investment of capital in the land, which would not only prove a benefit to the investor, but would also be a great national good. In the face of the increasing population of this country, they ought to do all they could to show to the people that they were doing their duty, and making use of the land, not only for their individual benefit, but also for the general good of the country. Anything which had that ten- dency they certainly ought to encourage. But in case of legislative enactment on the question under discussion, would it not be rather a difficult thing for vfluers to decide of what unexhausted improvements in certain cases really consisted ? For instance, they might use a great quantity of bone, or guano, as manure ; who was to tell, in case of valuation, what that manure was really worth P Some were of opinion that manure was not worth anything after the first year of its being used. A Member : Good guano is. Captain de Winton : Yes, even with guano ; except in cases where it is applied to roots, and the roots are fed off, when of course the land is improved. Continuing, Captain de Winton said that in this country we never could grow any- thing like sutficient corn for home consumption ; but it was likely that much more meat might be produced if the neces- sary steps were taken for that purpose. And after draining, without which manuring the land was simply a waste of money and time, he looked upon it as most important that sheep should be fed upon the land, thereby not only improving it permanently, but benefiting the people by producing a larger supply of meat. Captain de Winton alluded to the varying value of manures, and their effect upon the land, and said that he should object to any compensation for unexhausted im- provements unless a proper scale was laid down to which he could agree. The Chairman said that the question of value ot manures was a most difficult one to deal with. Some people said that manures were only of use for one year, while others main- tained that they improved the land for a much longer time. How, then, were they going to deal with that by legislative enactments ? Mr. W. Laurence said they could not possibly go into the question of detail ; the question must be dealt with on its general principles. He knew from bis own experience that bone manure was extremely valuable, and he was acquainted with a field which had been partly manured with bone 29 years ago, and even now the superior quality of the laud in those parts could easily be seen. At the same time he knew some land on which bone manure had been placed which had not received the slightest benefit. So that if a scale of com- pensation were drawn up it might be made to act very un- justly ; a tenant might lay out £100 in manuring his farm, and then when he left it not receive one hundred pence. Government must be asked to legislate for compensation to the tenant for what money he had properly spent, and not what had been spent improperly. The Chairman thought they could not do better than ex- press their approbation of the principles laid down in the re- solutions from the Central Council. He should be sorry to I I 2 492 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. see Mr. Long's resolution go forth, unless the rights of land- lords were recognised as well as the rights of tenants. Mr. Long : Then perhaps you will put my resolution first. I should not like to attach such a principle to it. After a short conversation between several members as to the values of manures. The Chairman said he believed that if a tenant had spent a sum of money for manures for his farm, and was turned out at a six months' notice, he would, if he chose to go to law, be sure to get damages awarded him. Mr. Long ; Suppose a tenant were to put eight hundred- weight of bone to an acre ; that would improve the land year by year. If I, as a valuer, went upon that farm to make a valuation, under the existing state of things, unless there was an agreement to the contrary, I could not include the value of that manure, if put on the laud more than twelve months before, and the tenant would not get anything for it. Mr. PfliDAY : And that has often been the case in this country. Capt. DE WiNTON, as an illustration of the value of bone manure, said that when he first; entered upon his estate he found one part of a very poor field covered with rich clover, and he never could solve the mystery until one day in digging he came upon a number of horse-bones, and afterwards found that a dog-kennel had once occupied that very spot. That, however, was seventy or eighty years ago, and the extraordi- nary richness of the soil in that particular part at once con- vinced him of the value of bone as a permanent manure. The Chairman said he thought the difficulty of drawing up schedules of allowances might be met by each county drawing up a schedule suitable for itself. Capt. BE WiNTON expressed himself in favour of this, as it would give valuers a data to go upon. The Chairman : And the man who takes the farm would know what he had to do. Mr. T. Morris : But cannot all this be done much better by actual agreement between the landlord and tenant than by legislation P In my experience I have always found such to be the case, and I don't see that we want legislative interference at all. A conversation then ensued upon the customs in Hereford- shire of making compensation, some of the members saying that unless in cases of agreement the tenant was never com- pensated for his improvements, and others alleging that they were. Capt. DE WiNTON sketched out a system of compensating for unexhausted improvements which he said he thought might be made to act very well. This was to the effect that a tenant on taking a farm should agree to expend a certain sum of money in improvements which should extend over a series of, perhaps, thirty years. This should be divided into six periods of five years each. If a tenant was obliged to leave, say at the end of five years, be would receive from the landlord twenty-five thirtieths of the money he had expended and so on in proportion to the time he had occupied the farm. If he kept the farm on during the whole of the thirty years, then he would be supposed to have rocouped himself for the money he had expended. Another long conversation ensued, after which, Mr. DoRiNGTON said he did not think tlie state of the law was sufficiently understood that the landlord had a right to compensation for dilapidations ; but even in that case he thought the landlord ought to have a remedy for obtaining this compensation without any law proceedings' whatever. There was an Act passed in 1850 by which if a tenant put up build- ings upon a farm he might either remove them or the landlord might buy them ; but it seemed to him that as the building materials were worth little in comparison to the expense of erecting the building that Act did not anything like settle the question. Something more than that was certainly wanted. And then in compensating tenants there were very great diffi- culties to be met. Valuers, he thought, in many instances did not pay sufficient attention to the state of the crop, and relied a little too much, sometimes, upon statements made to them. He knew a case in which some valuers had made a valuation as to some seeds which it was said had been put into a piece of land, and yet when he (Mr. Dorington) walked over the land some time afterwards not a vestige of a seed was to be. seen. But he thought legislative enactment was necessary to protect the tenant and the landlord, aud then he thought they might trust to the good feeling which existed between both to its being properly carried out. Mr. Friday said that in dry seasons it was often the case that seeds did not come up at all ; and valuers in such a case would only charge for the value of the seeds aud the labour of putting them in. And he thought it only riglit that if a tenant was compelled to put the seeds in the ground that he should be paid for them when he left. The Chairman : Compelled by whom ? Mr. Friday : By the agreement. The Chairman : Then, according to tliat, if a bad season arrives, and a tenant is going to leave, the in-coming tenant has to lose the money, aud not the out-going one ? Mr. Friday: Certainly. If the out-going tenant knows he is going to leave he would rather not sow his seeds, but, as he is compelled to, it is nothing but right that he should be paid for them. Mr. Butt said he thought Mr. Friday was quite right about seeds not always coming up in dry weather. He (Mr. Butt) had had a field which contained fifteen acres, and which was sown twice with turnip seed. He left the farm aud was paid for that seed, aud some time afterwards the succeeding tenant told him that only one turnip had come up, which he tliought so remarkable that he had a photograph of the field taken with the one turnip shown in it. A long conversational discussion ensued upon the resolu- tions proposed. Captain DE Winton said that last June the Chamber decided that legislative interference an this subject was not necessary, and questioned whether the Chamber ought now to over-rule the decision. He proposed the resolution which was passed in June last to the effect that legislative interference on this subject was not necessary. This was seconded by Mr. Thomas Morris. Mr. Chance urged that the resolutions passed last June did not prevent the members from now showing by a contrary vote that the Chamber had advanced in its opinion ; aud he pointed out that the resolutions of the Central Chamber de- preciated legislative interference, while that of Mr. Long was based on the necessity of legal protection to the tenant. Mr. Long's resolution, as given above, was proposed and seconded ; and the following resolution was proposed by Mr. Chance and seconded by Mr. Dorington : " That the above resolution (Mr. Long's), aud any legislation which may take place thereon, shall be subject to previous consent of the owner with respect to drainage, reclamation, and other improvements of a permanent character ; and that at the same time the land- lord should be paid by such out-going tenant for dilapidations and deteriorations, the amounts respectively due to be deter- mined by valuation." The resolutions were then put to the meeting. To Captain de Wiutou's resolution three voted ; for Mr. Long's resolu- tion 14, and 1 against; for the additional resolution l-i also TENANT-RIGHT.— At a meeting of the West Riding Chamber of Agriculture at Wakefield, Mr. Lipscombe moved that the resolutions of the Central Chamber be adopted. Mr. Cooper (Woolley) seconded. Mr. Burton (Wakefield) thought it was ridiculous to talk about a tenant making permanent improvements without the consent of the landlord. Mr. Norwood moved as an amendment on the first resolution " that no further legislation is required as affecting the position of the outgoing tenant and his landlord with re- gard to permanent improvements." Mr. Kaye (Bretton) seconded this. Five voted for the amendment, and the reso lution was carried. The second resolution, that respecting the tillage, was put and carried with acclamation. The third and last resolution, referring to the twelve months' notice to quit, VTfts carried in a formal manner. THE FAEMER'S MAGAZIISE. 493 TENANT- EIGHT, At the (juarterly meeting of the Devoushiro Chamber of Agri- culture, held in Exeter, Mr. J. 11. Keimaway, M.P., presided. The Chairman said there was no regular agenda for to-day, but tiicy had received from the Central Chamber a sc- ries of resolutions which it was proposed to submit to their Council in November next. Thege resolutions related to com- pensation for unexhausted improvements, security for tenants' capital, security to the landlord against the value of his farm being depreciated, ike, aud they had been sent to all the Cham- bers in the country with a view to obtain an expression of pub- lic opinion. There is no doubt that the tenant-farmer should have security for what he has invested in the land so that he may be able to farm up to the last day of his term just as he did at the beginning. It is felt that that is what is necessary to do justice to the productive powers of this country on which so great demands are now being made by our increasing popula- tion, aud l)y a population, too, tiiat by the increase of wealth is more and more able to purchase the produce of the soil, and therefore to raise the demand and price. A cjuestion was raised by Sir T. D. Acland as to what form and by whose authority this was brought before the Chamber. The reply was by the order of the Council of this Chamber. The first resolution to be proposed at the Central Council is — " That this Council considers it necessary for the proper se- curity of capital engaged in husbandry that in the absence of a lease or agreement to the contrary, the outgoing tenant should be entitled to compensation from the landlord or incoming tenant for tlie unexhausted value of his improvements — subject to previous consent of the owner in the case of buildings, drainage, reclamation and other improvements of a permanent character ; and that, at the same time, the landlord should be paid by such outgoing tenant for dilapidations and deteriora- tions, the amounts respectively due to be determined by valua- tion." Rev. W. H. Kabslake believed that a great deal had been made of a few instances of ill-feeling between landlord and tenant. He should be sorry to say there were no cases in which hardship was inflicted on a tenant by a landowner, but it was seldom that great injustice could be traced either to the one party or the other. lie thought in this matter much must depend on the custom of the country ; in the absence of a lease the right thing between landlord and tenant must be de- cided by custom. But they were now living in a transition period. When he was a young man the custom was for a tenant to leave an estate in as deplorable condition as he could. There was a fourteen years' lease, and the tenant in the first five years was occupied in repairing damages ; then he farmed pretty well for the next five years, and for the remainder of the terra he was engaged in taking out all he put in. A worse system for either tenant or landlord there could not be. But he hoped the time had passed away for that sort of thing. It was quite for the interest of the landlord, if he would look ahead a little, to make as fair a bargain for the outgoing tenant as it was for the tenant himself. The six months' notice should no longer exist, for it cut both parties. The first thing iu all these matters must be a really good and honest understanding between landlords and tenants. The great dan- ger of hardship was where property was constantly changing hands, and there was also a difficulty in the letting of church property, as the present holder could not bind his successor. The habits of society and general feeling were too strong for any injustice to be done. In the case of permanent improve- ments there should be a fair guarantee to the tenant. Touch- ing valuation, that was very good in theory, but in actual prac- tice it was not so good as it appeared on first sight. The appointment of an umpire was an especial difficulty, and on this point had come up the only dispute he personally had ever had with a tenant. If valuations between landlord and tenant were to be the fashion of the day, he trusted that valuers would educate themselves up to the high calling and the part they had to exercise. As to agents, they had a very difficult part to perform, and he found that an estate was best managed when the owner was himself conversant with the management. He should like to hear the opiniona on this question of those who were both owners and occupiers. The principle of the first resolution was good, and though he should be sorry to pledge himself to the whole of it, he would move that this Chamber express their pleasure at hearing that this subject was to be discussed by the Central Chamber, although at present it feared that there might be some practical diffi- culty in devising a system of valuation. Mr. W. WirpELi, thought the absence of tenant-farmers due to the fact that the cases were few and far between in which any interference was necessary in this neghbourhood. The landlords about here generally did their duty, and he hoped the farmers did theirs also. As to the resolution, he had but one observation, and that was on the last sentence — that the amounts respectively due should be determined by valuation. He was between 70 and 80 years of age, aud he had always found that the umpire was a great difficulty, and he wondered that the London Chamber had said nothing about this. The umpire should be one not appointed by either party, but by some tribunal that did not yet exist. He had thought of the Quarter Sessions, but then that might be rather one-sided. Still he hoped tlie time was uot far distant when such a tribunal would come into existence. He hoped to see the day when Financial Boards would be established, and as that would embrace both landlords and practical farmers, he trusted that would be a satisfactory tribunal. He seconded the proposition. Mr. HoLLEY reminded the Chamber that they were touch- ing on one of the most sacred and important rights relative to the property of the country. It was proposed to have a Board of Arbitrators to disturb the private rights of vested in- terests. Security of this property had always been considered the most important right next to security of life. These arbi- trators were to value improvements. In estimating the im- proved value of a farm there were matters to be taken into consideration, yet there was no man yet born who could grasp it. A considerable improvement would arise from the natural fertility of the farm ; in valuing improvements you must define what was due to natural causes, und what to extraordinary ad- ditions. He had been fifty years in farming, and he couldn't define it, and he did not believe a Board of Arbitrators could. As to compensation for unexhausted manure, that would be a difficult question to settle, as no one could say what had been put in the ground — neither quality nor quantity. He had been told by a merchant that he sold two tons of manure to a man, who was afterwards able to sell five tons and undersell the party from whom he bought the two tons. Merchants had also been asked for larger bills than were due. They must draw their own inference from this. He thought there were no disputes between good landlords and tenants, and protested against the Legislature interfering between private rights of two individuals. He dreaded this, and nothing would do more to injure the tenants than to obtain the interference of the Legislature in this matter. As to valuations, he had a horror of them. The interferences proposed by the London Chamber were ridiculous and absurd. What did lawyers know about farming, or many of the Peers or Commoners in these lladical times? The Radical members of the towns knew very well about trade, but what did they understand of farming ? As a proof, he alluded to the proposition that the farmers should take the labourers into partnership — absurd. And he wished to know why the landed interest required leading-strings more than tradesmen? A shopkeeper worked up a good trade aud increased the value of his premises. Now he was able to protect himself. If com- petition was a reason for the interference of the Legislature with farmers, surely they should also interfere with tradesmen. The best thing they could do would be to leave landowners and tenants alone, or else novices being brought in would only make matters worse. He thought Mr. Karslake had hardly given sufficient weight to the difference between customs. He thought it would be a good thing if a system of custom were established ; when there was no agreement it was true custom directed the law, but custom was undefined throughout the country. To the establishment of a good system of custom 494 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. landowners and tenants should give their attention. The six months' notice was too short, and in case of yearly tenancy a man should have two or three years' notice beforehand. But it was only under long leases that the land would really he made to produce its fruits. He proposed an amendment that legislative interference was unnecessary in reference to im- provements and unexhausted manure. Mr. IJpcoTT thought the question of great importance. The time had arrived when the tenant-farmer would have to meet the labour question, and the landowner should put a tenant in as independent a position as possible, and not en- cumber him with unnecessary restrictions. The Chairman ruled that Mr. Holley's motion was not in order as an amendment. Sir T. D. ACLAKD thought it was hardly logical for the Chamber to express an opinion about unexhausted manures when that was _not mentioned in the resolution under consi- deration. Mr. G. Turner did not view the Central Chamber resolu- tion with the alarm some appeared to. The object now was to make the land produce as much as possible, and if a tenant spent £1,000 in manure on a farm, it was hard if he could be turned out at six mouths' notice. If he had a short lease — seven years — he was three or four years in putting in manure, and an equal number taking it out, so that in the end the farm was in a state inferior to the condition it was in at the beginning of the term. Unless something was done, the country and every one else would be injured. If they got some legislative enactment that would always keep the land at its best fertiliz- ing power and give security to the tenant, they would be doing soraetliing for the benefit of the country generally. Mr. W. E. Coleridge, whilst agreeing with Mr. Karslake's remarks, tliought they should before entering fully on the matter, wait for the decisions come to by the Central Chamber. The landowners had nothing to fear from inquiry. Sir T. D. AcLAND said considering the part he had taken in this matter during the last 30 years, it would be hardly re- spectful of him to sit still and say nothing. He confessed that he had felt amusement at some of what he had heard, ahhough it was undoubtedly a very important subject. He liad had some difficulty in gatliering what they really were discussing. He had come up specially from Cornwall to hear this discussion and he must confess he had felt disappointment at the proceed- ings of to-day. He had on previous occasions said that if the Chamber was determined to go in earnest into the great questions of tenure of land, the interest of capital, &c., and practical far- mers who were engaged in agriculture were willingto come here, he should always be pleased to come and take his humble part in enabling them to come to sound conclusions. By the action of Providence he had lately come to a position which, however, in ordinary course of things he could not expect to continue to occupy for any very long time ; he alluded to his position of a landlord. And he must say that it had struck him that with the exception of a discussion on the metric system, and two or three other matters of that kind, the whole of the business of this Chamber had been in the interest of tlie owners of land and houses. The one question that had seemed to occupy their atten- tion was tlie pressure — as tliey viewed it — on landed and house property. There had been very little discussion purely in the interest of agriculture— (A Voice : Mr. Daw's lecture). Yes, there was Mr. Daw's lecture, and he was glad he had heard that, and should like to hear more from that gentleman. But he repeated that the general discussions here had been confined to the interests of landlords, and very little had been done in the interest of the tenant-farmer. Now lie (Sir Thomas) was one of that cruelly oppressed class— the land- owners, one of those victims of monstrous, intolerable, and increclitable injustice. Now he belonged to the parish of Broadclist ; he had a large farm, and was perhaps the largest farmer here. But speaking as a landlord, he was one ol that terribly oppressed class who so felt the 2s. in the £— or, to speak more correctly, 2s. IJd.— that was deducted from their rents for the benefit of the sufi'ering sick poor, for the country administration, and for the care of the roads. He felt deeply indebted to the Chamber of Agriculture for the great zeal they had shown in tbe interest of the poor oppressed landlords. When he saw that a question affecting the tenant-farmers was coming on, he thought it his duty to put off a very important engagement and to put in an appearance here. But now he liardly found any tenant-farmers present. Why was this P ihe tenant-farmers had been very kind indeed to the I landlords, and had been petitioning Parliament to take the burden of local taxation off the rents. And now when their own interests were concerned he of course presumed they would be here. But they were not, nor were the landlords here in large numbers to show their gratitude for what their tenants had done and to lend them a hand. Personally he came here to listen as a member of Parliament to the wishes of the tenant-farmers of Devonshire on these questions, so that when they were discussed in Parliament he might be able to represent their views. He was deeply disappointed at finding that they were not here. He wished to point out a little of tlie difficulty of the position in which the Chamber was now placed. There was an entire absence of precision here. They could not make out from the paper whether they were called on to discuss a legislative question or the duties of land- lords. Rev. W. H. Karslake said they were called on to discuss a question that was to be put before the Central Chamber in London. Sir T. D. AcLAi^TD, resuming, said it was impossible to gather from the paper before them whether ,what was aimed at was an alteration of the law by Parliament or an alteration of the practices of landlords in dealing with their tenants. It was, therefore, a very difficult matter to grasp a subject put before them in this way. In the circular they talked about unex- hausted improvements. He understood unexhausted manures, but he could not understand what was here meant by unex- hausted improvements. No one had attempted to explain what was meant, and whether they were met here as agriculturists, as farmers, as landowners, or us surveyors, they certainly ought to have a distinct understanding of what they were talking about. Mr. Holley, who was a practical man, told them that some improve- ments were due to extraordinary outlay. Well, that was very intelligible. But he told them also that they were due to the natural operation of the soil. What does that mean ? The natural operation of the soil produces improvements P He knew what was meant by the gradual rise in tlie value of land — and he was afraid a good many tenants knew more than they liked about that — but that was not due to any distinct nature of the soil but to commercial enterprise, to the increased demand for land, and to the fact that whilst the wealth of the country increased, the land was limited in quantity. The number of young men who were willing to get farms and to settle down at almost any price, tended to raise the value of land. But was that increased value of land to be paid back again, or to be paid to the land- lord by the incoming tenant ? Was this gradual rise in the price of land to be purchased back again by the landlord when his tenant's lease had expired and another man was coming in ? Was the incoming tenant or the landlord to pay for that growth in the value of land which the outgoing tenant had nothing whatever to do with ? This was a very difficult and intricate question, and he had a very great deal too much respect for those he saw around him, for their intelligence and honesty, to suppose that they meant that , when an estate was let, and the commercial value of the land rose, that that was by valuation to be put into the pocket of the outgoing tenant. But a great many clap-trap speakers did mean this, and if these kind of ideas were taken up by Chambers of Agriculture, the greatest injury would be done the tenant- farmers, for landlords would be frightened, and an alarm would be raised for fear that this increased price of land would have to be purchased back by their sons or grand- sons. In dealing with this matter they should say what should or should not be done, for the passing of vague resolutions would do no good whatever. After having worked at this subject for a large number of years, he had come to the conclusion that it was not a thing to be talked about in clap-trap speeches, but a thing to which a man must sit down and work hard. He did not wish to say much about the Irish Land Law BiU which had been passed by Parliament. [Mr. Daw : The less the better.] Stop, now. There had been a bill passed about the land in one part of the United Kingdom, and there may be further bills about land for other parts of the Kingdom, and it is not altogether well to forget these discussions. Now, in all these discussions they could not help seeing that the question of the rent of the land was a very vital matter in considering the nature of improve- ments. Consider this question. A man let a farm fifty years ago at a rent which might possibly then have been the full THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 495 value of the farm. The farm might have been wet, or alto- gether in a backward state. There might be another farm of the same quality alongside it. In the one case the landlord does a great deal in putting up buildings, draining, &c., and in the other he does nothing. Are you going to pass one resolution, and apply the same principle to both these cases? New, say a third farm was let fifty years ago at 15s. an acre, and, in the judgment of practical men, it may now be worth 20s. or 25s. One man has raised his rent gradually at three or four successive lettings, whilst another man has not rasied his rent. You find a great improvement in both these farms. Are you going to deal with both these farms on one principle, and going to form the same rule for dealing with improvements in both places ? Are you going to value the man in and value him out, and then say the difference between the value of the farm at the beginning of the term and its value at the end is to be handed over to the outgoing tenant, though it may be foul and thoroughly racked out by bad farming ? They could not pass these resolutions without details. He did not come here to gain popularity by talking about Tenant-Right, for he had been working about it all his life, and had nothing to gain. But his earnest desire was to help the tenant-farmers, and he wanted to help them to come to a suitable settlement. His words and his intentions on this matter might be misconstrued. But he had been working hard during the last three years to draw up a practical form of agreement on which they could work, and if any one else tried to do the same they would agree with him that it was a difficult matter. He began it during the life of his late good father, who was good enough to allow him to try and get the relations between him and his tenants on a more definite foot- ing, in order that the tenants' capital might be placed under something like security. It was a difficult matter, but lie hoped he had succeeded, and that he had some good results on the matter, with the assistance of lawyers and some most able land surveyors. He was not, however, going to enter into competition with Lord Leicester and advertise his lease for public discussion. He did not regret that this matter was to be discussed by the Central Chamber of Agriculture and the Farmers' Club, and he thought the latter likely to arrive at quite as good resolutions as the former. The more this matter was discussed the better, but they must not think they were going to assist Parliament much by passing vague reso- lutions. It was an extremely difficult question, and he thought it very Hkely that Parliament would be called on to legislate. Believing that, he should be very careful not to commit him- self in any way, because he thought it the duty of members of Parliament to wait until they saw what the country really wanted, and heard the discussions on the matter before coming to a definite opinion. He did not think that they were really called on to consider the matter to- day because the resolutions in the circular had not been passed by any meeting, they did not know whether any one had resolved upon them, but all they did know was that there were three or four complicated propositions sent down to them to give an opinion on. He should decline to give any opinion on them. Mr. Norrish had put a practical question before the meeting — whether the law of the laud should con- tinue which enabled a landlord to give a six months' notice. In the form of lease he had alluded to he had left a blank for the number of months, because there were circumstancer un- der which even twelve months might be a short notice, and a noble lord of this county always gave two years. Some people thought that this notice was required, but the matter entirely depended on the kind of land that was concerned. He only wished to add that more encouragement should be given to letting small holdings to labouring men. He wished there were a greater number who let land to poor men — not only that there were quarter and half acre allotments, but he wished there were tenants of three or four acres, so that the men might keep a cow (No, no). It was all very well to say " no, no," Let them have a discussion about it. Tiiey might depend upon at that there was a growing feeling in the country that the poor man ought to have more opportunities of occupying land. Mr. Daw tliouglit that the abstract resolutions brought here could never be of any good, and it would take years of labour to draw up any sound scheme for regulating tenants' improve- ments, A committee was appointed by the Bath and West of England Society, and after sitting week by week for nine months they found an insurmountable difficulty in dealing with the sub- ject, and gave it up as a bad job. There had been a great deal of talk lately about burdens on land, and though there were one or two items put on by tiie Legislature, yet lie failed to see that there was a very great pressure put en the lauded interest— and any one looking back on his farm for 40 years would not, he thought, find that the taxation was greater now than it was 40 years ago. He thought the country was already over- legislated, and he particularly thought this when these im- provements were mentioned. As to notices, he thought there should be none less than two years, Toucliing cows, if it was proposed to give a cow to every labourers' son, there was only one-fourth of the number of the cows in the country that would be required for the purpose. Sir T, D, AcLiVZ^D said he wished to add that the Bath and West of England Committee was composed partly of tenant- farmers, and to their honour be it said that they resolved that no tenant-farmer should be entitled to compensation unless he left his farm clean, and if it was not clean, a deduction was to be made from the compensation given him. The Chairman said although this meeting was not a very large one, yet aU classes were fairly represented. As to the matter discussed in the Chamber, they had endeavoured to come to right conclusions on such things as the public health, highway districts, education, the condition ot the labourer, parish constables, and numerous other things, and to-day they brought up the question of Tenant-Right, He had much plea- sure in putting the motion, and it was carried unanimously, Mr. Holley'.'j amendment was about to be put as a resolu- tion, when Sir T. D, Acland pointed out that the effect of it would be to say that everything was satisfactory. He supposed that was not meant. Mr, HoLLET witiidrew his proposition. On the motion of Mr, NoRRisii, it was agreed that the sis months'' notice was opposed to good farming, the adequate cultivation of the soil, and the true interests of agriculture. The Chamber then adjourned. ROYAL AGRICULTURAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. At the dinner of the Bedfordshire Agricultural Society, after the ploughing match, Mr, John Rogers, the new secretary of the Society, in the after part of the evening, said there was a toast which on these occasions had been unaccountably forgotten, and which deserved to be brought forward, he meant The Agricultural Benevolent lustitutiou. He thought the young people ought to be reminded that there is such an in- stitution in existence, although the fact was that it is increas- ing every year and rendering benefits to many candidates, so that it was deserving of support. In each district there were no doubt gentlemen who would volunteer to receive subscrip- tions. Mr, George Street, the chairman, said : With regard to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, referred to by Mr, Rogers, the Messrs. Howard had taken a very great interest in it, and had got a number of members to join, but the money when forwarded to the secretary was not immedi- ately acknowledged, and the voting papers were not always sent down. That was his own personal experience. During the last year lie had sent to the Messrs, Howard five guineas to qualify him to become a life member of the Society, but although that amount was sent up immediately the receipt was not returned. If that was the only instance he should have passed it over, but he wrote to the secretary stating that as he had sent the money with a special object he requested that it should be returned, and the result was that he had got the money back. This was a very important matter, and as the Society was one which they all desired to support he thought the secretary ought to do his duty. He deeply re- gretted that the thing was not properly managed, Mr, R. B, Stafford said that he endorsed a good deal of what Mr, G. Street had said. His late fatiier had been deeply interested in a ease from the neighbourhood of St. Neots, and several gentlemen there informed him that they had nowhere to pay their money. Under these circumstances he (the speaker) received their subscriptions and got them their voting papers, and this showed that there ought to be some one appointed in each district to receive subscriptions. He men- 496 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. tioned tliis in order to bear out what Mr. George Street had said, that there was grest neglect in the atfairs of the society. If the matter were taken up properly there was not a farmer wlio would not subscribe, ilc thouglit they sliould one and all do all they could to obtain subscriptious. The Chairman thought that tlic feeling of the agricul- turists generally was either that the Society should do its duty or cease to exist. The fault lay entirely with the general olTice, and unless they did their duty they could not expect the work to prosper. Mr. F. Street urged the desirability of having the Society made better known to the agriculturists. Mr. IlociERS said that as the Society was conducted on the voluntary principle no secretaries were appointed in the various districts unless persons offered themselves voluntarily through the interest they felt in the work. — The Bedford Times. LAND TENURE. The following report has been drawn up by the Land Tenure Committee of the Staffordshire Chamber of Agri- culture: Your committee, having fully considered the ques- tion of laud tenure, has arrived at the conclusion that, in order to ensure the best possible cultivation of the soil, it is necessary to afford greater security to the tenant farmer than at present exists for the capital invested in its cultivation. Your committee is therefore of opinion that it is desirable to provide by law as regards agricultural tenancies, to finally de- termine the amount due either to landlord for depreciation of property by default of tenant, or to tenant for unexhausted im- provements, and that, except when otherwise expressly stipu- lated by contract between the parties, all difference between landlord and tenant on the expiration of a tenancy shall be re- ferred to arbitration, either by public arbitrators or in manner recommended in the following agreement : Your committee strongly recommends the annexed luemorandum of agreement for general adoption in the district for the following reasons : Believing that the one object, compensation to the tenant, is entirely consistent with the other, protection to the landlord, the committee has endeavoured to put the principle above enunciated into a definite and practical shape by drawing up a form of agreement which would leave tenants as unrestricted as practicable, make it their interest to farm well to the cud of their tenancies, and so entail no loss upon the landlord or the next tenant. There is very little that is new in the pro- visions of this proposed form of agreement, although some of them are not generally adopted, viz., as to termination of tenancy-^1'2 months notice to be given instead of the usual six, except when executors of tenants are concerned. No re- strictions as to cropping during the continuance of the tenancy, hut only as to the state of farm on leaving. Keservation of feathered game only. Compensation to tenants for unex- hausted value of purchased food and manures used during the last years of tenancy, and for leaving land clean. The object of the committee has been to secure to tenants a return for their expenditure, liberty to cultivate the land and dispose of their crops in the way that will pay them best, under such con- ditions as will prevent deterioration of their farms, and the removal of the objection to game preserving. Believing that the adoption of such an agreemout would promote the interests of landlords and tenants, as well as that kindly feeling which should always exist between them, the committee venture to submit it to the consideration of the members of the Stafford- shire Cham*jer of Agriculture. A memorandum of agreement is appended. The Earl of liARROWBi: moved the adoption of the re- port. There were two great divisions of opinion in regard to the best means of giving better security to the tenant-farmer than at present existed ; some being in favour of leases, while others thought that an agreement for a lease, but with a shorter power of determination and with provisions for com- pensation to the tenant, were preferable. He thought the Chamber generally agreed that the latter plan was the best, and it seemed to him that there was this great defect in the system of leases for years, that there was a temptation to a great breach of continuity, as towards the end of a certain time the tenant's interest in the farm was materially affected. Another principle of the agreement was that there should be no restrictions as to cropping during the continuance of the tenancy, but only as to the state of the farm when the tenant left. He thought they were all agreed upon this, that there should be greater elbow-room given to farmers, and that the leading strings which formerly rather fettered than guided them were no longer necessary. Then they came to the preservation of fea- thered game only, and they all knew that the question of game generally was a very difficult matter. He himself was no sportsman or strict game preserver, but he did not see how they were to get rid of the evils attending the over-preservation of game except by interfering with the liberty of contract, or telling the tenant that he might let his game to any one but his landlord. He thought it would be a very harsh things to say that the land- lord, the real owner, was the only person who was not to have the enjoyment of sport. He did not see any just mode of dealing with the question, except good sense and arbitration — although he admitted that in this case arbitration was not so easily apjilicable as in others, where it was resorted to at the end of a tenancy ; for though arbitration during the continuance of a tenancy might settle tlie particular point at issue, it would not settle the state of feeling between landlord and tenant. Compensation for unexhausted improvements and the value of artificial food and manures purchased during the last year of the tenancy were all very properly to be left to arbitration. It seemed to him that one of the most valuable novelties in the agreement was the encouragement given to a tenant to leave the land clean by paying him rather over than under the amount he had expended in cleaning it, for one pound ex- pended in preventing land getting foul was worth two spent in cleaning it afterwards. In conclusion the noble Earl said the general principle of the agreement was that all differences be- tween landlord and tenant should be settled, not by an appeal to law, but by arbitration, except when otherwise expressly stipulated. Mr. T. C. Smith seconded the motion. Colonel Dyott, M.P., as to the vexed question of game, saw his way very clearly through it, and he had always thought that there was no particular relation between landlord and tenant which was so capable of an easy solution. If game did damage to a tenant's crops, let him goto the landlord and say, " I must have compensation or this game must be des- troyed." [A Tenant Farmer : " If a tenant did this he would soon get notice to leave." Cries of " Hear, hear."] He himself never had any difficulty with the game question. At the same time he entirely disapproved a landlord letting the shooting to strangers, and he thought that this practice was a practical grievance which ought to be put down (Hear, hear). As to rabbits, the tenant ought to have leave to destroy thera. all the year round in any way he chose, for they were animals which never grew to be worth a ahilliug until they had done at least two shillings' worth of harm. The report of the committee was adopted, subject to certain verbal alterations. The memorandum of agreement was then discussed, and one important alteration was made re- lating to game, which was altered so as to give the tenant the power to take hares from the 1st of November till the 1st of March. At the meeting of the Cirencester Chamber of Agri- culture the subject for discussion was Land Tenure, the opening address being delivered by Mr. T. S. Bazley, after a somewhat tedious fashion. He did not agree with the system of large farms, and believed that if this country was called upon to pass from her course of unparalleled prosperity, and experience the internal trouble of France, the massof the people would not be found so loyal as if they possessed some interest in the land. On the Continent small holdings were encouraged, and facilities made for their acquirement. No man should hold an immense quantity of land unless he did as much good for the country as the score of yoeiuen he might displace. The present system of transfer was cumbrous, diffi- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 497 cult, aud expensive, and the laws of piiiuogcnituro and entail caused tlie greatest of evils. The completion of tiie Govern- ment survey would facilitate tlie transfer of laud, and he saw no reason wliy the title to a lield should not bo as brief as that to a railway share. If they were inclined to be observant, it could be seen that troublesome times might be before them. The labour cjuestion, with its strikes aud demands, was highly interesting. With republieauisin openly avowed, and the Inter- national Society au accomplished fact, he asked where, in tlieir time of action, would all these dissatisfied classes turn save to the land; and what would there be to oppose them? Ju- dicious reforms in land tenure might now provide for such possible emergencies. — The Ilev. T. Maurice, Mr. G. F. New- march, Mr. T. Arkell, Mr. E. Bowly, and others, took part in a brief discussion, expressing as many different opinions upon tlie points brought under notice ; and tliere being no chance of coining to a decision upon any resolution, the subject was ad- journed for further discussion at the next meeting. At a special meeting of the Warwickshire Chamber of Agri- culture, at Warwick, the business was to discuss a report on Land Tenure, wiiicli has already appeared in our columns. The first clause, which expressed au opinion that much greater liberty of action in llie cultivation of the land should be extended to the tenant, was unanimously adopted without discussion. The second clause dealt with arbitration, and recommended tjiat arbitrators should be ap- pointed at the commencement of every tenancy, aud that any vacancy tliat occurred should be immediately filled up. Mr. M. Phillips did not know how it could be carried out, and Mr. Caldicott thought (he clause had better be omitted, but it was carried by a considerable majority. The next clause, which recomraeuded that farm tenancies should be subject to at least twelve months' notice to quit, was unanimously approved ; but tlie fourth, as to the most desirable time for entering upon a a farm, gave rise to some discussion. On being put to the vote, tliere was a majority of five in favour of Lady-day. Permanent improvements by the landlord were dealt with in the fifth clause, which recommended that, before any permanent improvements upon whicli the tenant was to pay the landlord interest were made, the works and their cost should be specified in writing, and accepted by the landlord and tenant, and the interest should not commence until the quarter day after the completion of the work. This clause WHS adopted ; and also the sixth, recommending that a tenant should have the right to remove any building, structure, or fixture belonging to liim, which the landlord declined to pur- chase, upon the termination of his tenancy, upon his making good all damage. Tlie seventh clause, also adopted, was to the effect that rick, staddle, and fixtures paid for by the tenant on entering, or added with the consent of his landlord during his occupation, should be taken by the landlord at a valuation when the tenant quitted the farm. A resolution from the llenley-in-Arden branch chamber was submitted, to the effect that, the premises having first been put in tenable repair, the tenant should uphold and leave them in the same state, on being allowed materials by the landlord ; but that all roofs, bearings, aud main timbers should be repaired by the land- lord, and all hauling of materials borue by the tenant. It was decided to adopt the first portion of the Ilenley-iu-Arden re- solution, omitting all after the word " landlord." Unexhausted improvements, dealt with in the 9th clause of the report, gave rise to discussion, not as to the principle that an outgoing tenant ought to be compensated for unexhausted improvements, but as to the mode in whicli it should be estimated. The fol- lowing resolution was finally adopted : "We recommend that, at the termination of the tenancy, a tenant should be paid for unexhausted improvements. Schedule A is appended, indi- cating some of the improvements for which payment should be made." The items in the schedule included guano, bones, superphosphate, ground bones, bone dust, lime, claying and marling, night soil, and town manure, applied to dilferent kinds of laud ; oil cake, cotton cake, and linseed ; corn pur- chased, hay, straw, grass seeds sown on fallow, grass seeds one year old and upwards in excess of a quarter part of the arable land ; tillage laud left clean and in condition for a crop in excess of two-thirds of the arable land ; haulage of materials for new buildings and drain pipes; drainage, labour, and materials, and the same for quickset fences ; but labour only for stocking aud levelling fences and fiUing-up pits. The schedule, which was made out to extend over nine years, was left blank, tiie necessary information for fixing the amount of compensation not at present being in the possession of the committee or the chamber. The ne.xt clause in the report, whicli simply recommended the adoption of a clearly-defined system of vouchers for proving the quantity aud (quality of all articles for which compensation was claimed, was formally approved of by the chamber. The exhaustion of a farm by bad management, and what course should be adopted under such circumstances, occupiedthe remaining three clauses in the report. The first, accompanied by a schedule for indicating exhaustion of the farm value, and recommending that the land- lord should be paid by the tenant at the termination of the tenancy, according to this scale, for all exhaustions and all articles there specified removed from the premises, gave rise to some discussion. Here, too, the converse of compeusating a tenant for unexhausted improvements was conceded, but it was urged that the schedule appended to this clause would not have been adopted by the committee had it not been expected that the schedule re- lating to compensation for unexhausted improvements would have been agreed to by the Chamber. After a variety of courses had been suggested, the clause was adopted, with the addition that the landlord should be compensated, at the end of a tenancy, according to the scale in the schedule, when finally completed and approved of at a subsequent special meeting of the Chamber. The next clause was adopted. It expressed an opinion thut all amounts owing for exhaustion or improve- ment of a farm, and all valuations, should be settled between landlord and outgoing tenant, and that all matters relating to a new tenancy should be arranged by the landlord and incom- ing tenant. The final clause dealt with the question of the liability of a tenant to quit for bad farming ; but it was with- drawn, a general fear being expressed that it would be liable to be misunderstood. The schedule indicating the amount to be charged tojofr-going tenants for produce sold off the farm ex- tended over three years, and embraced hay, clover, trifolium, straw, vetches, turnips, swedes, mangolds, kohl rabi, carrots, potatoes, cabbages, flax ; but, like the schedule relating to un- exhausted improvements, the proposed charges for each de- scription of produce sold off the land were left blank. SUPPOSED POISONING OF PIGS BY CONVOLVULUS. That pretty member of the vegetable kingdom, the wild con- volvulus (commonly called " laplove"), which, when it exten- sively prevails, is such a pest to the gardeners, appears to have caused the death of several pigs, the property of Mr. J. Ilel- laby, of Ilogshill, near Tamworth ; and as such a case of poi- soning is to me quite new, I send you a short history of it, flunking that it may be interesting to the readers of T/ie J'c/e- n/iiiriaii. My attention was first called to the animals on the lOtli of August, when I received a message from Mr. Ilellaby, asking me to come at once to see some pigs that were dying in a peculiar way. On my arrival I found that six pigs, out of a lot of twenty, three months old, had died since the pre- vious evening. I should state that Mr. Hellaby is a large farmer, keeping a number of cows for cheeseniaking, and that the pigs in question were fed principally on the " whey," aud consequently did not, as a rule, get any green food. This cir- cumstance will probably account for their having eaten the convolvulus, because generally animals appear to have a great objection to it. Without knowing that the pigs had had any- thing to eat besides a little barley meal mixed with " whey," I proceeded to make a post-morlcm examination of one of the last which had died, and on opening the abdomen I found a considerable quantity of serous effusion existing in the cavity ; the intestines were empty, with the exception of a very little liquid and gaseous matter, but the stomach, to my surprise, was fuU. On opening this organ I found that it contained a large quantity of green food of a very peculiar character and very badly masticated. There were a few petechial spots on the villous coat of the stomach ; but all the other viscera, both of the abdomen and thorax, were perfectly healthy. I also made A post-mortem examination of three other pigs, which entirely corresponded with the first, excepting in the amount of eflu- sion into the abdominal cavity. The question then arose, What was the green food contained in the stomach ? After many inquiries I found that on the 8th instant two men had been digging up potatoes in the garden, the tops of which 498 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, were covered with and made a perfect mat by the turning of the " laplove" around them, and that these potato-tops, with the " laplove," were in the evening thrown into the pig-sty containing the pigs in question. The animals not being ac- customed to green food had, notwithstanding their natural aversion to the convolvulus, eaten it, as I found pieces of the stems from sis to eight inches long in the stomach. The only symptoms said to be exhibited, and these did not show them- selves long before deatli, were refusal of food, hanging down the head, a sleepy or drowsy appearance, and, in one or two cases, attempts at vomiting. To the remaining fifteen pigs I administered Pulv. Jalapte 1 drachms each, in their food, but on the 11th instant I found on my visit that four others had died, kiyosl-mortem examination of one which had just died was made, the result of which was the same, excepting that a little of the green food had passed into the duodenum ; and on examining the brain, which 1 had not done in tlie previous cases, 1 found this organ highly congested. On the 12th inst. 1 again saw the animals, and was pleased to find that the medicine had acted, and that the remaining eleven were appa- rently all doing well. It would be interesting to know if there are any previous records of cases of poisoning by the common convolvulus ; and if it is known, what effect the plant has on the animal economy. The general appearances in this case would lead to the supposition that it possesses narcotic principles. — Mr. H. Oliver, V.S., in The Veterinarian. CHALK. At one of the sittings of the British Association, Dr. Cakpenter, tlie President, said : Some of my friends were good enough to express to me their disappointment that I had not said anything in my address with regard to my own researches — researches in which for the last four years I have been engaged in the investigation of the physical condition of the deep sea. The reason I avoided it was simply because I have had other occasions of saying out all that I had to say upon this subject, and 1 did not think it was quite the thing for the British Association to cook up as it were an old dinner and serve it again before them. On the other hand I had certain things wliich it had been in ray mind for many years to say out, and which I wished for an opportunity of saying out, and I have had since 1 delivered that address the very great satisfaction of believing that what I said on that occa- sion struck a keynote that will give rise to a good deal of d is- cussion, and that may have a favourable influence upon the course of thought hereafter. If I have succeeded in doing that in any way, it was the highest object that I liad. But in addressing you to-night 1 am going to bring before you some matters in which 1 have myself been investigator. Thougli I shall have to speak of myself, it will be in connection with two most valuable colleagues — Professor Wyvil Thomson, who is about to take charge of the magnificent circumnaviga- tion scientific exploration which our Government is now about to send out, and my friend Mr. G. Jefferys, who has also given valuable assistance in these researches. You all know what chalk is. I need not tell you Brighton men what chalk is, that is to say, I need not tell you what it looks like, but I shall have to tell you what it is. If I were to say to you, " Do you know what chalk is ?" " Oh, of course we do ! Don't you suppose we know a piece of chalk when we see it ?" But then 1 think I can tell you a little about this chalk. In the first place where do you see it ? You see it forming clifi's on your coast ; you find it forming downs in your interior ; you find it wherever there is a little removal of the surface grass ; you find plenty of chalk-pits in various parts of the ridges of your downs. Where there is an exposure of the cliff, you will see, if you observe, that there are certain indi- cations of what we call stratification, that is, that there are regular strata or layers one above another. And these are separated more or less distinctly from each other. Sometimes by distinct lines, and sometimes by lines of flint for example, but you will not see them always horizontal : sometimes they are incHned, and sometimes vertical, but they were all horizontal ones. These are the lines which intimate the suc- cessive depositions that took place at the bottom of the deep sea ; for there is no question now but that the whole of the chalk formation of this part of England (which you see at Dover and Polkstone higher than in this neighbourhood, and at AUum Bay and the Needles) were once at the bottom of the sea. Some of these layers were horizontal, and some of them tilting up ; but it would carry us too far if I were to lead you to consider the causes for this tilting up. I want you to understand that these layers of chalk one above another indicate their successive ages. What position does this chalk occupy with regard to the other strata, to the great series of stratified rock which geologists tell you of. It is a compara- tively new formation (that is comparatively). The general series of stratified rocks were first studied in England, as it happens, by a most fortunate thing for science that, in Great Britain, we have a sort of comprehensive pocket edition of the great series of stratified rocks. Beginning in Scotland and Cumberland and North Wales we have the oldest of these rocks ; then, in the middle of Wales, we have those rocks called the Silurian system by Sir lloderick Murchison. In the Midland counties and the West of England, in Shropshire and Devonshire, we have the Devonian in the Silurian, all of them inclined, all of them shelving towards the east. And then you have that great and most important formation, the carboniferous limestone, under which the coal-basin lies. Then comes the end of the series : all these lie more or less regularly on one another ; and then again we find animal forms passing from one another. This series we call the Palaeozoic, which is a Greek compound meaning ancient life. We come to the end of that 1o a great break ; and I wish you to under- stand that the break occurs in this country, in America, and in every part of the continent of Europe. But it does not follow that it occurs everywhere else; but we find an appa- rent great break in the series being marked by this in the next strata, where we find animals at all. The fossils of the- new red sandstone are rather scanty, but there is the begin- ning of a new set of types. It generally lies unconformably with two difi'erent degrees of slope, and that makes great changes between the mountain limestone and the magnesian limestone. We do not use the term primary now for the old period, because that apphes to a still older sect ; but the se- condary is a term still in use, and we sometimes call it tlie Mesoozoic, or middle-life period. Then we have the lias ; the formation of the middle counties, and Dorsetshire and Bristol. There is a band of lias crossing the middle of England. Then we have the oolite, which gives us our Bath stone and Port- land stone. Then we come to the greensand and the chalk. The chalk is the last of that strata. There is this very beau- tiful type of life, the Pantacherus. Mr. Willett has a beau- tiful specimen in his collection, which I am happy to hear will henceforth belong to Brighton. It passes up from the lias into the chalk. Then there is a similar great break to tliat at the end of the Palfeozoic series before what are called the tertiary. These deposits generally lie unconformably upon the chalk, and the types of life are mostly new. They cannot be traced distinctly from the chalk. There seems to have been a dying out of the auimals of the chalk, and we begin with a new set of the animals of the tertiary strata. It is very curious that both London and Paris are situated upon the great bases of chalk of a subsequent formation, some of them fresh water and some of them local deposit. Now the clay in our own area in the neighbourhood of London — that stiff clay which lies immediately over the chalk — is the local representative in that area of a very different formation in the South of Europe, namely, that great limestone which makes hills and even mountains in some places, and which runs along both the South of Europe and the North of Africa, and into India. The London clay was formed where clay was plentiful. There were no means of determining whether it is nummulitic, but we know it is of the same period, because we find in itnummulites representing the great nummulitic series. It will be seen, on examining a specimen of nummuhtic lime- stone, that it is a chambered shell, and divided into an immense number of partitions. It is of this nummulitic limestone that the pyramids of Egypt are built. I had the pleasure of visit- ing the pyramids last autumn, and brought home a beautiful THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 499 specimen of this limestone. I will now just give a general sketch of the position of the chalk. It is the highest of the se- condary series, and it is usually considered that there is a great gap between the chalk and tertiary formations. Every geolo- gist who is interested in the progress of modern science knows that, more and more, as we examine it carefully and minutely, there are in this formation great gaps, but if we find a gap here, there is a continuity there. A gap is caused by the formation being covered by sea: it remains here forages, and, therefore, when it sinks, a fresh deposit takes place, but this deposit represents altogether different conditions. But then, during that period, deposits take place elsewhere. In Russia there are immense areas covered with new red sand- stone. I speak under correction, becasue I do not profess to be a geologist, but merely a zoologist, when I say this, but I believe large areas in Russia have never been under water since the old red sandstone deposits. Supposing they were to sink a fresh deposit it would cause an enormous gap. Now, you see it is entirely a question as to whether a particular area has been above the sea or not, and I believe all the modern geologists are now coming to the conclusion that if there is an interruption in one place there is a continuity in another. • Only two days ago I had the pleasure of a conversation with one of the most distinguished French geologists upon this very point, and I said, " It is ray opinion that if there is an interruption here there is a continuity there." He said, " I am entirely in ac- cordance with you," and he came to the conclusion that where the interruption seems the greatest it is bridged over by what we have found, or what we shall hereafter find in some other part. I will give you an illustration. This is not a proved fact yet, but it will show you the kind of knowledge that we may get. I dare say many of you have heard with great regret that the health of Professor Huxley broke down at the beginning of the present year. He was obliged to go to Egypt to recruit it, and he went up the Nile a great deal farther tliau I did. I asked him, " Did you follow up the curious nummulitic limestone ?" " Yes," he said, " and as far as I could see, it rested conformably upon the chalk." Now in the South of Europe and here, the London clay does not lie conformably on the chalk, nor does the nummulitic limestone of the South of Europe generally. Now we come back to the question, What is chalk? Chalk is an aggrega- tion of either very minute shells or the remains of very mi- nute shells, which we call globigerinse. Hundreds of them would only weigh a grain. What is the nature of the animal P It is a little lump, or rather a series of lumps of jelly, with no mouth, no stomach, no nothing, except that it can send out long threads, the minuteness of which is something hardly conceivable to you. They are not the ten-thousandth of an inch in diameter. They go out in clusters. They ditfuse themselves through the water, lay hold of particles still mi- nuter than- themselves, and they draw these particles back. There is a continuous restless movement. I have sometimes described these as a sort of animated spider's web. It is al- ways sending out, and some of these threads and other threads are being drawn into it, and in this manner, without any dis- tinct mouth or stomach, the nutritant particles are coi\stantly being drawn in, and in this way the animal is supplied. Now, when I tell you that this is the greatest and most extensive — no doubt of it, there is a greater quantity of this life at pre- sent existing than of all other kinds of life put together — you will see what an important part they play in nature. The whole bottom of the Atlantic, except wliere cold currents come down, is covered with these animals and masses of de- cayed and broken shells. There is so much in the Atlantic, that I cannot pretend to form an idea of how much there can be, when I tell you that in dredging the Atlantic at one mile in depth we brought up nearly half-a-ton at one time, and at three miles' depth we brought up one-and-a-half hundred- weight, besides our three miles of line and a heavy dredge. T shall give you a little liistory of this remarkable inquiry. Some years ago my friend Professor Williamson, of Man- chester, had an opportunity of examining some mud brought up from the Levant, and he found by the aid of the micro- scope that there were a large number of these organisms there. These all belong to the same general group, and are called amnifera, which means many-holed ; and as these shells are filled with small holes, you will see that this name is applicable to them. Tiiese holes are pores (as you see in the diagrams). All these shells are composed of carbonate of lime ; and now you see why geologists believed that lime, which is found in limestone rocks at one time or another, formed parts of this animal, which has the power to draw lime from the water, and then pour it out again in the form of shells. Here we have this mass of chalk, which has all formed part of these globegerinoe, which have drawn into themselves the lime from the sea-water, and exuded it from their shells, just as shrimps or lobsters and oysters. All these have lime. Oysters form layer after layer. Tlie lobster forms a new shell. Some of you know what are called " crabs' eyes" in the stomach, which are little accumulations of lime stored up against the time when the erab wants to make a new shell. Then these disappear from the stomach, I give you this illustration to show you how lime passes from sea-water into shells. We have long known that chalk was made up of this, and deposited in the deep sea. There are certain minute particles which I won't speak of, because we do not know the meaning of them ; but we find certain other curious particles which will ailord geologists study for a good while, and these we find in our chalk mud. Owing to my not having made the request sufficiently early, I am afraid I shall not be able to open this case ; but I have here two lumps which are the dried mud which we brought up from the bottom of the Atlantic, and not one of you would know these from pieces of chalk, except that they are a little greyer and they have a little more sand. But the important point is that those coprolites in our chalk are precisely the same as those which are found in the old chalk itself. There is there- fore a precise correspondence between the mud which we have brought up from one mile and two and three miles from the bed of the Atlantic and the whole of those cliffs. Now as to animal life. We have found a great number of types most distinctly characteristic of the cretaceous period. The most remarkable we met with — it was a great prize — was a wonder- ful sponge, of which I have a drawing. Now I will just men- tion to you the fact, as I think it may interest you, that I have been knocking about the North Sea making some deep- sea explorations. Our first vessel was not suited for our pur- pose : it w as built, perhaps, in the year One. It was a most antiquated steamer, being the first that was built for her Ma- jesty's service in the year 1825. We had very rough weather, and for several days we were knocking about, doing a little work now and then. But one day we had a most successful dredge, and I rather glory in it because it was done on a Sunday. I glory in it because it was a study of one of the most important and most wonderful of the works of Nature and of the works of the Creator. After several days of knock- ing about we had a fine Sunday. I said to the captain that I was very unwilling to work the men on a Sunday, but that we must not miss the opportunity, for it was a good and a holy work to do. I say a reward was given us. The discovery of this was, to all scientific men, one of the most remarkable that has been made. Many of you have seen the wonderful and beautiful works of Mr. Gould, the ornithologist, who went to Australia, and expended £8,000 in his visit and in the pro- duction of his work; and when he saw this specimen he said, " Dr, Carpenter, I envy you. If I only found such an interest- ing specimen, it would have been a reward to me for all my toil and expense." You may suppose, therefore, if this excites such an interest among those who are not of my own line of inquiry that it must have created feelings of intense pride in my breast. This specimen is of great interest in itself, and it is one of a type of skeleton. The skeleton of the ordinary sponge is horny, and is useful because it has no flint in its composition. It has needles in it which will run into your hands, but in this particular type of sponge the skeleton is composed of flint. Now, the great interest of this is that it is a new specimen of a most remarkable group of sponges, This sponge represents the whole type of chalk fossils. Pro- fessor Huxley one day came to my house to see it ; he knelt down at the table to look at it, and, turning to his wife, said, " Now, do not speak ; this surpasses the love of woman." Last Saturday I was on Lewes Downs, on Mount Harry, and I was asked to saj a few words about the chalk, I just ad- verted to this, and my friend Mr. Crosskey, a very able geo- logist, who was born and brought up at Lewes, at once said, " Why, the whole of this hiU is full of ventriclites. I have got them over and over again 'in the chalk in this hill." Now, I think you will understand what a point of extreme interest this was to us. Here we found the type of the old ventric- lites, which was supposed to be extinct, still going on in the 600 THK FARMER'S MAGAZIJ^E. deep sua, and not only tlie sponge, but a great number of other animals; and the more we have examined tliem the more curiously they correspond to the old chalk ibrras. One of the last we got was a most singular specimen of the urcliiu tribe. You know the globular form of the common sea egg, but this most singular specimen, instead of being like a box shell, vvas like chain mail, a number of separate pieces, all flexible ; and it flattened itself out wheu laid on the hand, and I said to my friend, Mr. Wyvil Thomson, wlio is a little heavy sterned, " This loolss as if you had sat upon it." One or two imperfect specimens had previousJy been found, and may be s een in tlie ]3ritish Museum, but here we had the animal actu- ally existing at the present time. I will not descant further upon this, but will just go, in the last place, to the general question of what this means. Now, the credit of the sug- gestion is entirely due to Mr. Wyvil Thomson — but it devolved upon me to publish it, as I was the reporter of the expedition, and I entirely fathered it — that really there has been no cessa- tion in the production of chalk from the old cretaceous period to the present time. Perhaps the form in which we put it out was open to a little exception. We said that we might be considered to be still living in the cretaceous epoch. Very eminent men, such as the late Sir Roderick Murchison and Sir Charles Lyell, have taken exception to that statement, and perhaps not unreasonably, but it all depends upon what you mean by the words " cretaceous epoch." Sir Charles Lyell says the meaning of the words is that period which was ter- minated by the disappearance of a great number of types of animal life that you do not find in that chalk. Where, he asks, are the chambered cephalopods, where are the fishes that were characteristic of the old chalk P Do you find any other? The shells of the nautilus type, the animals of the cuttle-fish kind ? Well, we hide our diminished heads and say. Cer- tainly we do not find them, but still we think that the evidence favours the actual continuity, that there has never been a break or cessatiou, and the ground we go upon is this, that during the whole of the tertiary period there is no evidence in this north-western portion of Europe, nor is there any evidence on the other side on the corresponding latitude that the bed of the Atlantic has ever gone up more than about 2,000 feet. Now, what is 2,000 feet to 15,000 feet P Why it only leaves you 13,000 feet instead of 15,000 feet. We find tertiary shells from 1,500 feet to 2,000 feet on Welsh mountains and else- where. There is evidence that the land has been lifted up 2,000 feet, or near it, in the tertiary period, but there is no evidence that it has been lifted more, and, if not, the bed of the Atlantic must have been the bed of the Atlantic from the time of the commencement of the formation of the tertiary strata. We have every reason, therefore, to believe that our raoderu chalk formation goes back to tlie commencement of the formation of the tertiary strata. Now, may not we go a little farther P Mr. Darwin taught us first that there are great areas in the Pacific ocean at the present time of elevation and of subsidence ; that there are parts where by the condition of the coral we can surely assert that the bed of the ocean is slowly, slowly sinking down, and that there are other parts in which we can as surely say that the bed of the ocean is as gradually rising. Very well : now I apply that doctrine to this formation of chalk. 1 believe that at the time when the area of Europe and Britain, aud what was formerly chalk lying at the bottom of the deep sea that then occupied a great part of Europe, had been formed, wlien the elevation gradually lifted it up above the sea, the bed of the Atlantic was going down, and that the chalk animals migrated from what was then the old chalk sea of Europe into the new chalk sea of the Atlantic ; that certain species that would bear the migra- tion went along, and others that would not bear it did not go, and died out. But now, then, comes my friend, Mr. Prest- wich, the late President of the Geological Society, who, in his presidential address to that Society last year, adopts that view, and gives us the rationale, and a most beautiful rationale I think you will consider it. Mr. Prestwich, on other grounds, quite irrespective of any hypothesis of ours, believes that the old chalk sea of central Europe was a warm sea, that it did not communicate with the Polar Sea. lie believes that at the end of the chalk period a communication was opened between the Polar Sea and the sea of central Europe ; that that let in a great quantity of Polar water ; that the temperature of the old chalk sea was considerably reduced ; and that the reduc- tion of temperature killed off fishes and these higher molluscs, but left us those lower forms wliich could survive the reduction of temperature. I think you will say this is one of the most beautiful of geological speculations (it is no more than a speculation) ever put before the world. In the green sand, which is all silex composed of silicious minerals, you find these little particles. Professor Aaronberg, who is one of the greatest microscopic discoverers, has shown that the green- sand which occurs in the geologic period contains abundant internal casts of Amersifera, and I can assign to each one of those on the diagrams to one or other of the order named by Professor Aaronberg. I do not say that they were all formed in that way, but their is evidence that they were of amorphous life of that period. What we now know to be chalk once, does not retain its present condition as chalk. In the cliffs of the Giant's Causeway in Ireland, you will find what we know to be chalk by the series of its strata, vie, we find converted into white crystallised marble, and this marble was once ani- mal life, as chalk was ; and we know it was so by the course of iuterpretation which geologists are accustomed to employ. There we find great masses of carboniferous limestoue which forms the bed on which the coal measures are deposited ; and there we also find coral reefs, and other beds which geologists, like Phillips, linve concluded to be deep-sea beds. I believe it will prove that these beds were formed like chalk and con- verted to the condition they at present are by the subsequent process of metamorphosis. I must now speak of the newest of the limestone formations — the lowest stratified series now known as the Laurentian, and which is abundantly developed in all the countries of Europe. In this series there has been found to be serpentine limestone, composed of layers of lime and serpentine. Professors Lovvman and Davidson have been enabled to decide that these serpentine layers are of organic structure like that of the internal casts found in the green- sand. Sir Iloderick Murchison had been enabled to make out that the Laurentian series in Canada is 90,000 feet thick, and the azoaic is at the bottom of that, and just you think what that 90,000 feet represents. Now you will see, ladies and gentlemen, that we naturalists and geologists do not let astro- nomers have it all their own way. You hear about the im- mense lapse of ages that must have existed before we got the light of Sirius, and that if Sirius were extinguished now it might be some millions or billions of years before we should see it again. I believe that these inquiries carry us far to the geological time backwards, as the inquiries of the astronomers carry them back in distance and time in their way. There is something romantic in this. You know it has been said that reason carries us where imagination scarcely dares to follow. The spectroscope is the greatest romance, aud goes beyond all the beyonds, if I may use the expression. But I think those matters wliicli have been placed before you to-night are not altogether behind them iu interest, and that they will have your thoughtful consideration. THE TEXAS CATTLE FEVER. I wish to call the attention of the cattle-feeders of this valley to the following cases of the so-called " Texas fever." I am convinced that I have found the cause. Whether I am right, remains to be seen. I had 200 Texas cattle put on pasture about the last of June. They were shipped August 20. They had 400 acres, consisting of 160 acres blue grass, the balance in timothy. A short time after they left water got scarce with the native stock, horses, and mules. The foreman thought there would be no danger in driving this stock to a pond in the pasture mentioned, as there had not been a sick animal on the farm. But in a very few days a fine Durham cow died, then another and another, with several more very sick. I was sent for in great haste, and on arrival found a fine bull down. He was cold all over, and I could not detect the pulse. He was discharging matter from his mouth which, looked like the dregs of a coffee boiler, mixed with portions of the cud, mucus, &c. I had no maguif'yiug glass at hand to detect really what it was. His tongue was all nearly black. There were small spots of inflammation all over the buccal membrane, as far as visible. I at once gave him one pound of Epsom salts and one ounce of sulphate of iron, dissolved in a pitcher of water. He took it very kindly. In two hours his tongue began to clean, and in six hours at least one inch of it was cleaned. I gave the medicine at one p.m., and in the morning he drank freely and began to eat. His urine was copious and normal : his dung, from being black aud very hard, was nearly normal. By uoon he went THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 501 out to pasture, and at two o'clock lie was chewing liis ciul. The balance of the stock got plenty of salt and some green corn, which operated aa physic. Now for the horses. They went to the same pond. The grown horses had ticks from their breasts to half-way up their thighs ; the one and two- year-olds, lialf-way up their sides ; and the foals, up to their ears. The ticks seemed to scatter from centres, where hun- dreds of very small ones were clustered together, and very much resembled a cluster of bees when about to hive. There were thousands of them on tlie larger horses. To get them off, we drove the horses into the barnyard, and then took case knives and scraped the larger ones olf. The blood ran in streams from some of the horses. The working teams did not have one on that day : but the next morning, after being driven through the yard, they had hundreds up the legs and the inside of the thighs. I then examined the milch cows and the calves that were driven through the yard, and found tiiera covered in the same manner as the horses. Hundreds of them, that were difficult to see with the naked eye, had attained their full size and were dropping off in the short space of fourteen or fifteen hours. My opinion is this : The Texas cattle deposited the ticks, and the native cattle got tliem by eating ragweeds and other plants that the Texas cattle rejected ; and they attached themselves to the mucous membrane all the way down the throat, causing so great an irritation and fever as to produce death. I was not able to examine any of them in time ; but the man who skinned and opened them said there were red patches very muck like the places where the bunches of living ticks were on the horses. I think also that the large horses got them on their breasts, the yearlings a little higher, and the foals up to their ears, which would be about the tops of the ragweeds, when driven to water. I examined nearly one hundred horses in the ad- joining pastures, and did not find a single tick. These same cattle stopped one night on the way from the farm to be shipped, and the result was the death of fourteen fine cattle. These Texas cattle came by the way of the Nation, and are said to have got the ticks there. Two other pastures on an- other farm have 130 Texas and 170 natives respectively. They have broken the fence several times by fighting since the 1st of July, but so far no signs of sickness. 1 hear of Texas fever in several localities ; but I very much|doubt it, as we have had an epizootic asthenic hemaiiireu among the milch cows of this city, which must not be confounded with the Texas fever. And as every disease the pig dies of is called cholera, everything that cattle die of is called Texas fever. The only similarity in the diseases is that both produce death in a short time. Fully five hundred cows have died from the disease I mentioned before. My object in giving the salts is to open the manyplus where the food becomes impacted, and the iron to kill all internal parasites as quick as possible. I wish, if any man should lose stock by following Texas cattle, that he would make an immediate examination, and let the country know the facts. It is held by a great many farmers out west that some Texas cattle will not cause sickness, while otliers do. In severe cases I would repeat the dose in ten or twelve hours, and a reduced dose in twenty-four or thirty hours, or until the bowels act freely. The treatment should be prompt. A. man to hold the patient by the nose and horn, and a boy to hold the left cheek like a pouch, and a large bottle are all that is necessary. If it could be had, lager beer, warmed, would be an excellent vehicle to give it in. In the absence of the iron (vvhicii every farmer should keep), sul- phuric acid will be very good to give with the salts. The contents of the neck and ilrst stomach, with their mucous membrane, should be carefully washed, when the tick ques- tion can be settled. — James IIakkness, of Missouri, in American Comitry Gentleman. BOROUGHBRIDGE AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. FARM LABOUR. At the annual meeting Sir G. O. WombweU, Bart., was elected President of the Society for the ensuing year, and Mr. T. Scott reappointed Vice-president and Secretary, After dinner, the Rev. R. D. Owen, of Boroughbridge, read the following paper on Earm Labour, its Relations between Employer and Employed : On this subject there is one leading feature which has been, is, and for a time possibly may be of much general import- ance, and certainly calls for careful consideration on the part of those who are employers of labour. And I am very grieved that such is the fact, since in my judgment strikes have caused great misery to many families, and much damage to the prosperity of the country at large. Strikes are to the front — how best can the blow be averted ? One object of this paper is to urge that the evils will be less as identity of interest is appreciated, and kindliness of feeling maintained between the employers and employed. I take not landlords into present consideration, not from any disrespect to the class, but because I hold the cry, " If landlords lower rents, labourers will have more wages, and the work is done, there will be all content," to be fallacious, if not unreasonable and unjust. Many landowners farm their own land. Rents are easy on the large estates. The highest-reuted lands are those which are held by small proprietors merely as an in- vestment. And the return for investment in land at the most is 3^- or 4 per cent. To what do we owe the present fact of strikes ? Some will answer, " To the development of natural events fostered by legislation ;" others, " To the spouting of those who, disliking manual labour, but possessed by the evil spirit of a tluent tongue, live if not fatten on their pay as de- legates, and cherish discontent among others, that their pay- masters, the strike unions, may be flush of funds." There is the tall-talking but numerically small organization. The In- ternational Society, for the complete emancipation of the working man — a society which already is as a house divided against itself, one-half endeavouring to subvert by revolution all existing dynasties, the others very simple if quite honest in its proposed endeavour to establish what is called a demo- cracy of freodom, whereby the race of masters is to be abo- lished by all men being made serfs. A Commune elected by the people is to be subservient to the people, and in the con- trol of the people, through the government of the Commune, is to be all the land and all the capital of the world — /. e., each apportioned district is to have its commune, and in that district all arc to be equal and free, no one to be individually possessed of either a pound of capital or a yard of laud. To my mind, dark is the future of that country in which the minds of the great mass are imbued with this false, imprac- ticable communistic scheme. At present, amongst ourselves —I. e., in England — the directly-urged claim is for a higher wage, or, again, for a division of the profits earned. But in the many speeches of the many delegates of the many strike unions there is continually cropping up the indirect advancement of the communistic scheme. But for one origin of strikes we may, I think, ascend from the depths of the International Society, and its affiliated branches, to more stern matter of fact. I do not think that, as a nation, we are over impressed by a spirit of godliness, nor over burdened by the scruples of honesty. We possibly are " too clever by half." Of some strikers it has been said that they have cut their own throats by their own sharpness, and some I fear are now feeling the smart of their self-inflicted wound ; but, however this may be, I am of opinion that in one degree we, as a nation, arc sufl'ering because of our nation's wealth. The trade of our country has so increased that where twenty years ago a manufacturer employed ten artisans, he now employs twenty, and where forty years ago there was one master, there are now twenty. Each master wants more as- sistants as his trade increases. Two or more masters are after one man. The supply of labour has not been equal to the demand. In our manufacturing towns this has been most experienced, and; he result has been, as the census returns show, a migration from the country villages to the manufac- turing towns ; and in return for our agricultural labourers we receive from the unions of the skilled artisans of the town the example and the fact of strikes. And in the common course 502 THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. of things it was naturally to be expected that, since strikes have been for so long so frequent and apparently so successful amongst the skilled artisans, the agricultural labourer should think the time was come for him to strike a little on his own account, and, in some instances, very possibly circumstances fully justified the combinations formed. Moreover, the fact stands that as money becomes cheaper, each article of produce is enhanced in price. Each of these named causes has its im- portance in strikes, and each one should he considered by the employer in his relations with employed. A fair day's work deserves a fair day's wage ; wages should be proportioned to the real profits earned. The commnnistic theory is a most taking one to the poor man's mind ; he needs to have the fallacy explained to him. As we are prosperous we should mpart, not as the miser, hoard, nor as the rich man, simply spend on self. The interests of individuals, or of a class, suffer when by them consideration of others is ignored. When we hear of farm labourers striking for wages just as the corn is ready for harvest, or, again, of the employer letting out his work at starvation prices, the adage comes to our mind, "It is the coward who strikes a man when he is down," and we are more than even satisfied that there can be no prosperity or happiness, or content, where employers or employed watch for and take advantage of the other's weakness, or necessities, or distress. For right being and right doing, the real identity of interest between employers and employed must be practically acknowledged by both sides. Of neither capital nor labour can it be said that either is independent of the otlier. There must be hand work, as there must be head work, but for happy success there must be both the true working Christian heart, and we must not be content to merely accept these positions according to the rule of political economy, or, still more, ac- cording to the requirements of Divine rule. What is accepted in theory must be evidenced in practice. The time present and the day coming (not possibly so very distant) require such practice, if, as a people, we would have content. In a nation's commercial prosperity there is a continually recurring flow and ebb. With us, as many think, the tide has already passed its height Notwithstanding the six or seven millions of surplus in imperial revenue, there is at present in the commercial world much mistrust and fear. With depression comes priva- tion ; and privation means in the present day more suffering than in the days of old- What in our fathers' days were con- sidered luxuries, liave by use become necessaries, and to ex- perience loss of them would be inconvenient to say the least. To all, especially to those who, as the more educated, are able to take a wider, broader view of events, and to forecast, while the actual present is alone before the less informed in mind, I say, " Bear and forbear." If the supply of labour does not at the present equal the demand, we should remember that the tables are ever turning. The tendency of mankind is to in- crease beyond the demand for labour. But, on higher grounds, I say, " Bear and forbear." And I believe that forbearance on the part of the employers will be well repaid. In the minds of the great mass of our labourers there is a strong sense of what is kind and just and true and good. And though much time — too long a time as I think — has been taken to open the the workmen's eyes to the selfishness of the wandering spouters, yet I think the day of such agitators is waning ; Hodge will connect his payment to the strike union with the maintenauce of mere political agitators. He will fail to understand how he can be at once translated into elysium, if only he will send his children to a secular, rate-sup- ported school ; but it will dawn upon him that much of the speeches he listens to savour greatly of mere political agi- tation, and is proposed to more further the supposed in- terests of a sect or party than of himself, his wife, and child. If it will not pay to be an itinerant spouting delegate we sliall have more spirit of content in the country — there will be fewer strikes. Moreover, I expect experience will prove that strikes don't pay. Money wealth is the excess of income over expenditure. Tliere can be little satisfaction to the striker when he finds that his gained increase of wage is more than sunk in the increase of his cost in cottage rent, clothing, food, and coals. I strongly hope that ere long the day will return when questions of labour and wages shall be settled between each master and his men without the interference of intruders ; but, for such settle- ment, there must, between employar and employed, be cultivated and maintained a confidence and trust that either will only do to the other that which is just and true and right. I would urge identity of interest between employer and employed, not such scheme as that proposed by Mr. Speaker Brand, a scheme which for many reasons I hold to be impracticable ; but I urge the old scheme of the golden rule — " each to the other being honest, kind, and true." Servants have been idle, dishonest, and ungrateful. Masters have been grinding, hard-hearted oppressors, who have considered and treated tlieir labourers as mere machines. But all servants have not been, nor are they bad. All masters have not been, nor are they tyrants. Surely in old England it cannot yet be required that all relations between employers and employed shall be those of mere commercial enterprise, each getting out of the other the utmost possible, without a care or thought be yond the wages for work or work for wages. To the agricul- tural labourer I would say do not ungratefully forget the many assistances in kind and in kindness that you and yours have for so long and so regularly received from your employer and his family. Do not be unniiudful that often in the winter months work has been as it were made for you that you might not be without your wage. All is not gold that glitters. Higher wages in mere cash-payment does not always represent a real money gain, and to the employers I would say continue, nay, increase, if you may, your consideration for tliose whose labour you employ. On this principle I would base the chief point of this paper. At the same time there are many details which demand a notice, though now I can only briefly give the heads of some. As far as may be possible, let there be for each labourer a comfortable cottage, a garden, a pig, and a cow. I believe that by such allotment and provision there will be created in the labourer a personal interest in that farm wliicli he helps to cultivate, that his sobriety and industry will be in- creased, and, consequently, the interests of the employer en- hanced. I would strongly urge, let there be no more clearing of an estate of cottages, no more compulsion of a three or four miles' journey for the labourer ere his day's work begins and at its close. And I would ask of you, as employers of farm labour, whether the general interests would not be furthered by the very j'oung men being in your households as yearly servants, rather than as labourers by the week. Such young men of the present day may be untutored, undisciplined, some- what independent, and more than somewhat of a nuisance in your establishment ; but as they will be benefited by your kind, though strict watchfulness and care, shall not you and other employers be afterwards benefited by the better quality of labour wliich such discipline will effect ? And if it be that young men of the period are untutored and untrained, have you not a remedy in your hands for the future by caring that the children of your labourers are well-trained lads in well-con- ducted schools ? Of more piece-work in labour and of payment by results, I presume not to speak. The one strong point I would urge on employers and employed is Be you to others kind and true, As you'd have others be to you. Mr. Dent, M.P., said : From his friend Mr. Owen they had heard a good deal about strikes, but he thought that he ought to have been rather more measured in his remarks on this point than he had been. They must all remember that strikes were the only weapon that working men and labourers had to use, to gsin for themselves their legitimate rights, so as to be paid a fair amount of remuneration for their labour. So long as men kept within the due bounds of the law, they were jus- tified in obtaining the best price they could for f heir work, wliich was their only marketable commodity. A strike with regard to rural affairs was a far more serious thiug than a stnk in manufacturing industry, because the farmer is so de- pendent upon the weather and other circumstances. The state of the season is so important upon a farm that he might say a strike was an interference not only with the farmer's work, but also witli God's work and the food of man. Tliere weie three classes particularly concerned in the cultivativa- tion of the soil, namely, the landowner, the tenant-farmer, and the agricultural labourer. First, as to the landlord. He should endeavour to provide for the labourers upon a farm pro- per cottage accommodation, and see. that they were comforta- bly housed. One cause of the neglect of this necesssary ac- commodation arose from the evils of tlie old poor law, which in various districts of England discouraged the building of cottages; and, although great improvements were taking place, the state of things was still very deplorable. The providing of necessary cottage accommodation was a source of much anxiety, tiouble, and expense to many landlords. He had his own THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 503 views upon the subject, and he must say in his opinion the difficulties under which a large class of landlords had to labour were attributable to the present system of the land laws. Many landowners had not the want of will but the ■want of means wherewith to provide cottage accommodation for the advantage of the labourers upon their estates. He considered that in some cases cottages should be built upon the farms rather than in the villages, and, although he thought that as a rule it was better for tb.e labourer to be directly under the control of the landowner than under the farmer, yet it might be desirable for the farmer to have cottages for his horsemen, shepherds, and others. Where a certain number of cottages were erected upon a farm, the tenant should be re- sponsible for the rent, and should be bound to let the cottages at a fair and reasonable amount. At this day between the farmer and his men there was a much wider gulf than there was in the days of our fathers and graYidfathers, who culti- vated a more friendly spirit and more intimate relations and acquaintance than was now the case, a better understanding between the one from whom the work was required, and the other who paid for its performance. Labourers now said that the farmers had become a more luxurious class, and that the distance between them had increased in proportion. He did not think that this was altogether true. It was certain that every class in society had of late years cultivated more luxu- rious and different habits of living. The farmer was not now nearly so intimate with his servants and labourers as he was in the generations past, and the labourer, too, had risen con- siderably in the social scale. During a recent visit to Lin- colnshire, he had visited the cottages of several agricultural labourers, and he was pleased to find in their dweUings signs of comfort and even of refinement ; for there were not only many little articles of ornament, but also pictures of a supe- rior class hung on the walls, very superior to those which were to be found 30 or 30 years ago. He trusted that no spirit of retaliation would be manifested towards the agricultural labourer during the coming winter, for, be it remembered, his was the last class to strike for higher wages. Let it not be said that as butchers' meat was dearer, and that as coals had considerably risen in price, the labourer must justly suffer, when the pinching days of winter come, for the conduct he had pursued in the summer in seeking for higher wages. It would be, in his judgment, exceedingly unwise for the farmers thus to treat their labourers. He would suggest whether yearly engagements might not be capable of con- ferring advantages on farmers and on labourers, as these would enable them to compel their servants to work for them for twelve months, and not subject them to having demands made upon them for increased wages at particular times of the year, while the labourer would have the cer- tainty of work throughout the year. The best farmed lands in Northumberland were managed under this system. In the north it was customary for a farmer to allow each of his labourers to run a cow upon his farm, 'and sometimes a shep- herd was allowed to keep one or two ewes along wdth his mas- ter's flock. This was constantly done in Northumberland, Roxburghshire, and other counties in Scotland, and it was a system which brought the servant into more intimate fellow- ship with his master, and made him feel a greater interest in the management of the farm. Let the farmers encourage their servants in this way, and it would tend to their own advantage. In the next place, he considered that every labourer should have bis pig for the winter. Great faars were entertained on the labour question, but there was no necessity for alarm, as it was a question which would ultimately settle itself. Farm labourers would go to the manufacturing towns, Leeds, Bradford, and elsawhere, where tliey could procure higher wages, 23s. or 24s. per week, but then house rent was dearer, other things cost more money, there were no gardens for them, and they were not so assisted in towns as they were in villages. Let farmers, theu, give every reasonable encourage- ment to their servants to remain with them, rather than give them any cause to depart for the manufacturing districts. He believed, fairly and honestly, that the Yorkshire farmers were inclined to do so. He should like to see more yearly engage- ments of servants, who should be well-housed and comfortable, have a pig-sty, and when possible a cow at grass in addition, This was the case very frequently on the farms of Sir G. O. Wombwell, Bart., the newly-elected president of the society. As far as task-work and piece-work were concerned, it was a system that required the farmers to be fully conversant with tlie nature of the work and its labour value. He was satisfied that the plan was a very good one, and it tended to increase the labourer's pride and estimate of himself, and gave him a better knowledge of what he was capable of doing. The labour question he believed would come to a right settlement at the last, and let them do all in their power to hasten that settlement. Mr. LoFTiiousE said that there was a very small supply of young labourers, nine villages out of ten having old labourers. Young men ought to be encouraged, and paid proportionately according to the value of their work, 'and thus keep ^tliem from going into the manufacturing districts. Mr. Scott, the vice-chairman, thought that the great in- terest taken by the landed proprietors in tlie education ques- tion was sullicient evidence that they sympathised with the labourers, as new schools were built for their children by voluntary subscriptions. He thought also that there was a desire, both on the part of landowners as well as the occupiers, that the labourers should be furnished witli proper cottage accommodation. He approved of having cottages for agricul- tural labourers provided direct from the landlord ; but as to yearly engagements he thought that, as a rule, they were almost impracticable. He was in favour of piece-work, as the labourer was then paid according to the amount of work he performed. This system was prohibited by trades unions, they enforcing uniformity of wages ; but he had always found that men earned more by piece-work, and they liked it better. Tiie present generation of farmers did not work so much phy- sically and mix with their men as formerly, but they had more head work, and they had to study the best modes of cultiva- tion. He considered that it would be desirable if farmers joined a little more with the labourers at their social gather- ings and on other social occasions, as it would be productive of good. As a rule men under 30 were not skilled labourers, a man from 40 to 60 being able to do all kinds of work better than a labourer of 30. Mr. Bennett said that the relations between landlords, tenants, and labourers had been interfered with and disturbed through the officious interference of Alderman Carter, M.P., and men of his stamp, who had done more harm than any other class in unsettling the labourer and rendering him dis- contented. Like the vice-chairman, he preferred older to younger men, they beiug the best skilled labourers. Mr. Green considered that uniformity of wages was a fallacy. From the experience' he had gained by men working in his brickyard last spring, he found that the men earning the highest wages were the cheapest. One man might be dear at 2s. 6d. per day, whilst another was cheap at 5s. They must not be dictated to by trades unions, but pay a man the proper amount due to him for his labour. IMr. Harland remarked that something was said by Mr. Owen about a fair day's work for a fair day's pay. He be- lieved that would satisfy all parties, but of late there had been a disposition evinced contrary to this, because agitators had told workmen that they would be more prosperous if they combined to work short time. He did not think that the nation could afford that loss of labour. At any rate, agricul- ture could not, because there were only a limited number of days in each year which could be devoted to the various descriptions of work. It appeared to him if ten men did the work of nine, ten families would have to compete for nine families' bread. At a recent meeting in Leeds, a pubHc man (Alderman Carter, M.P.) said the restrictions on the importa- tion of foreign cattle were upheld solely for the benefit of the agriculturist. Subsequent events had proved the fallacy of that opinion. He would have passed by the remark of the lion, member if he had but told his audience that he was one of the colliery proprietors who had lately raised the price of coal so high that it was not only a direct tax on every cot- tager but on every poor woman who prepared her tea. Coals were now so dear that the poor could scarcely obtain them. Mr. Calder was in favour of ample cottage accommodation for labourers upon estates, and also of a pigsty for every man, as well as a cow at grass, for the system worked remarkably well in the north. Yearly engagements, too, answered in every respect. Mr. Warwick said that there was a difficulty in hiring men by the year, and when they were obtained in this way farmers were often annoyed with them, and only too ready to get rid of them before the year's end. He approved of piece- work in principle, but he had found it not to answer, because 604 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. men hurried through tlieir work ia order to get it done in the shortest time, and their hihour was executed in a slovenly manner. Mr. Gaunt referred to the scarcity of skilled labourers, as tlie best men left the rural districts. When the present old labourers died away, who was to take their places? Mr. Jacob Smith, the chairman, had a good opinion of yearly engagements, and he was in favour of piece-work if he could only get it done, but the men, as a rule, disliked the system. ATHY FAEMERS' CLUB. AN " IRISH LEASE." At the monthly meeting for October, Mr. Robert Anderson in the chair, Mr. Reeves said at this very moment, 1 am very sorry to say, there is a " yearly le.ase" waiting for me to sign. There are eighteen clauses in it, and how is it to be expected of me to understand all those ? That is all I can tell you about it. Rev. Mr. Bagot : I never heard of a " yearly lease." Mr. Reeves : That is tlie heading of it. Would it be right to bring such a matter as that before the Club ? Mr. Bagot -. Certainly. Mr. Reeves -. I imagine I have certain rights to certain improvements, but people tell me if I sign this lease I confis- cate my own rights. Mr. Low : As a Farmers' Club, we have a right to discuss any question between landlord and tenant, or any question that comes up which concerns agriculture. Mr. Reeves : It would do more good to discuss a matter of this kind than to be holding the thing in abeyance for a time. Chairman : I must remark that any man whose holding is under £50 valuation cannot sign away his Tenant-Right under the act ; but I believe any man over ^£50 valuation can, if he chooses, sign away his rights. Mr. Reeves : There is uot a doubt about this lease. The driver told me he had an agreement for me to sigu, and he had iifty-six others. Of course, a person holding a town park can have no claim whatever under the Land Act. Mr. Robertson : I had an opportunity of reading a copy of the lease Mr. Reeves refers to. There are two clauses in it which deprive the tenant of seeking for compensation under the Land Act. Tliere is another clause in it tliat the tenant is to be compelled to pay the whole of the county cess, notwith- standing the provisions of the Land Act. Mr. Bagot : We are in a different position now to what we were when the laud question was first started here. The land question was a political question, but that being got rid of, we are not in the same position at all now. The question Mr. Reeves has started is neither a political nor a religious question. At the time the land question was started it was fairly a political question. Mr. Low : It was before Parliament. Mr. Bagot : We are not in the same difficulty now. Mr. Low : Every question which bears on agricultural in- terests comes fairly before us. Mr. Bagot : I would like to have Mr. Ilamiltou here to defend the clauses of that lease. Mr. Low : If it is Mr. Hamilton Mr. Reeves refers to, I am sure he would be only too anxious to meet the farmers of the district at the Club, and if there is anything wrong to set it right. Mr. Robertson : Will you give notice for this day month that you will bring forward this matter ? I would uot like to take Mr. Hamilton behind his back. Mr. Reeves : I will not. I would uot like to put myself in such a position. There is not a doubt about it. It has got publicity enough in this neighbourhood, audit might be better to discuss it now quietly than to have it brought forward at a " sorer time." Mr. Low : It is far better to discuss it in a friendly manner. Mr. Bagot : Why not have the lease here P Mr. Low : My impression is that Mr. Hamilton or the Duke of Leinster want nothing but what is fair between man and man. I think if you give a notice of a fair friendly dis- cussion he might banish from the lease tliose unfair clauses. I arasure he will be most anxious to meet the wishes of the farmers. Mr. Reeves : There is not a man on earth I owe more to than his Grace the Duke of Leinster. Mr. Robertson : There is no family in the land stands higher than the Leinster family, and it would be a gi^eat pity if anything was done by meaus of such a lease as that to alter the feeling with which his grace is regarded by his tenantry. I will tell yon the two clauses I would object to if I were a ten- ant on the Duke of Leinster's estate ; the clause depriving the tenant of any right under the Land Act to claim compen- sation for improvement, and then forcing liim, in defiance of the Land Act, to pay the whole of the county rate. Mr. Low : About these improvements. Tliere are two or three ways of looking at the point. Picture yourself a land- lord and if your tenant goes to make what he considers an im- provement, but which you would consider an injury to the estate, I don't think you would be wrong in objecting to such an improvement as that. An improvement ought to be sanctioned first by the landlord, aud should be of advantage to the land and the incoming tenant. The improvement that is sanctioned by the landlord or the agent the landlord ought to pay for. Mr. Reeves : i'or improvements before the passing of the act the landlord might, with some justice, object to, but since the passing of the act the tenant has a right to compensation for his improvements. Mr. Low: Yes,if the tenant is removed or the rent raised. Mr. Reeves : Precisely. Mr. Low thought where it was the practice of a farmer to keep his land in good order, and by his capital, energy, and skill improve the soil, there could be no greater hardship than that he should be compelled to pay 10s. an acre more for it. Nothing stops the progress of the country more than that. They might suppose, for instance, a man had a poor farm ati£l an acre, and by the expenditure of as much capital as would purchase the fee-simple of it, as well as by his industry and skill, made it worth 10s. an acre more, it certainly was a great hardship to increase his rent by that 10s. an acre. The Chairman considered the Land Act clearly pointed out what were the improvements for which compensation might fairly be claimed — improvements such as added to the letting value of the farm. He did not see why application should be made either for the landlord's or the agent's consent to make such an improvement as that. Mr. Low thought they would have no country if they had no aristocracy ; and he thought while the tenant should get what he was justly entitled to, the landlord should have some profit from the increased value of land. Mr. Robertson did not quite believe in Mr. Low's idea; but that was beside the question. He could mention the case of a farm in the locality which twenty-eight years ago was a barren heath. It was only partly cultivated, and the greater portion of it grew nothing but furze, heath, and weeds. That farm had been improved to a high pitch of excellence. The soil was made to grow crops by the tenant's outlay of his capital and labour ; and he understood that tenant was going to be taxed on his improvements to the extent of eight shillings an acre. Now, that was an injustice. Mr. Low : Tliat is what I have been stating. Mr. Robertson : Why should such a man as that be pre- vented in his lease from claiming compensation for any future improvement? Mr. Low: I would like to see the landlords get fair play. Twenty years ago the landlord could live cheaper in every way than he can now. lie has to jiay more to his servants, and to keep up his establishment. Aud is the landlord to have no advantage from the increased prices the farmer obtains for the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 505 J)ro(luce of Iiis land ? Sheep and cattle sre dearer ; barley, wheat, and corn are dearer ; the farmer gets the advantage of these liigh prices. The landlord has to pay dearer for his mutton aud for everything required to keep up his establish- ment. Is he to get no share of the profits as well as the tenant ? Mr. KoBERTSON : All these reasons may be urged on the part of the tenant, who has, in addition, to pay a higher scale for labour. Mr. Bagot : You are leaving out of sight the most import- ant point. A man to ha a farmer now requires twice as much capital as he required some years ago, and he lias to undergo twice the risk. A man takiug a farm some years ago with £1,000 capital could not do so now with less than £2,000. Mr. Low: But when the landlord has to pay lOd. to lid. per lb. for mutton. Mr. Bagot : And so have the farmers. Mr. Low : But they are the growers, the producers. Mr. Bagot : If I kill a sheep produced on my farm, that sheep is exactly worth to me as much as I would have to pay the butcher for it. Mr. Low : The landlord has a large establishment to keep up, aud is he not to get any benefit from the rise of value in land ? Mr. Bagot : I am not going to say that, or that the land is to stand still. The question here is, will the tenant be allowed nothing for his improvements P Mr. Low : Not to allow hira anythiug for his improve- ments is, no doubt, a great hardship. Take one man having a farm at one side of a hedge, at fifteen shillings an acre, and he is a lazy, idle fellow, who does nothing to improve the soil. There is another man at the other side of the hedge, and by his money, energy, and skill makes his land produce good crops ; and because he does that is he to be charged thirty shillings an acre ? There is the hardship. Mr. EoBERTSON : And what we condemn. CuAiRMAN : What the tenant wants is the protection of the Land Act ; and it can be left to arbitration what is an im- provement. Then if the landlord and tenant don't come to good terms, the tenant should not be deprived of his privilege and power to sell his interest either to the landlord or any one who offers him the highest price. Therefore, I think it is right and just for us to stand out and not allow ourselves to be " bargained" out of it for nothing. Besides, by this lease a man can't take out a gun to shoot rabbits. Mr. Robertson : The lease allows the tenant to trap, net, or snare, but not to shoot tliera. Mr. Low : If I understand the game law right, no one can prosecute unless the tenant gives his sanction to the prosecu- tion. Mr. Bagot : The game on his farm belongs to the tenant. Mr. Robertson ; I am not sure but this lease is an effort to thwart the tenant. I, for my part, if I were a tenant to his Grace the Duke of Leinster, would certainly object to sign it. The Land Act is a state guarantee to the tenant for cer- tain improvements, for which he must be paid or compensated if he is removed. This lease sets aside that state guarantee. It says to the tenant, " You shall not have the benefit of this act, so far as getting compensation for improvement is con- cerned." Mr. Low : I would not expect his grace to object to com- pensate for improvement sanctioned by himself or his agent. But what one man might consider improvements, another man might think was anything but an improvement. Chairman : You have a court of arbitration to settle that. Mr. Bagot : There is the law for the tenant : why should that law be set aside? Mr. Robertson again asked Mr. Reeves would he give notice to have the question discussed at the next meeting; bat Mr. Reeves declined to do so. Mr. Low : Would it not be sufficient to state it would be noticed at our next meeting ? Mr. Robertson : My impression is that this discussion will be quite enough. Very likely it will have the desired effect. We are ready as a club to take up any question affecting the farmers of the district. By this lease either side can terminate the lease by six months' notice. Mr. Low : No one would sign that. Chairman : A good many have signed it. Mr. Bagot : As regards the Duke of Leinster and the next two generations of his grace's family, no one need be afraid in- justice or anything unkind will be done by them ; but the fear is that the yearly lease might be adopted by otiiers. Mr. Reeves : There would be more about it if another than the Duke of Leinster brought it forward. His grace's tenants would sign anything he asked them. Mr. Bagot : If we liad a copy of this lease to-day we could pass a resolution, and send it to the Duke of Leinster. Call- ing a meeting especially to discuss it might look like an agi- tation. A copy of tlie lease was here produced. Mr. I3agot tiien read the lease, which contained the usual covenants with regard to mines, fishing, &c., and these were followed by the following clauses, to which exception was taken, 6. That the lessee, his executors, administrators, or assigns, for one year from to , and so on from year to year until tliis demise shall be determined, at the end of the first year or any subsequent year by either party giving to the other six calendar months' previous notice in writing. The tenth clause prohibited the erection of any unsuitable building — a point which, the Club thought, should be settled by arbitra- tion. The 18th and following clauses were as follow : Pro- vided always, and these presents are upon this express condi- tion, that if and whenever any part of the said several rents shall be iu arrear for 21 days, whether the same shall have been legally demanded or not, or if and whenever the said lessee, his executors, administrators, or assigns, or any of them shall sell, assign, alien, sublet, or otherwise dispose of or let in con-acre the said lands of the premises, or any part thereof, or in any manner part with the possession of the same, or any pait thereof, without such consent in writing as aforesaid, or bequeath the same by will to more than one person, or in any manner divide, or attempt to divide, the same among his or lier children, or next of kin, or other person, or be adjudged bankrupt, or become an insolvent debtor or debtors within the meaning of any act of parliament, or shall be taken in exe- cutioo, or any proceeding shall be taken to sell the same, or any part thereof, by any creditor of the lessee, his executors, administrators, or assigns, or if and whenever there shall be any breach of any of the covenants hereinbefore contained by the said lessee, his executors, administrators, or assigns ; then the said lessor, his heirs or assigns, may enter upon any part of the said premises in the name of the whole, and thereupon this demise shall absolutely determine. Provided always, and that as hereby expressly agreed to, the said lessee, his execu- tors, administrators, or assigns, on quitting the holding hereby demised, shall not make any claim for compensation under any of the clauses or provisions of the Landlord and Tenant (Ireland) Act, 1870, in respect of any money or money's worth paid or given by him or them on coming into said holding. And it is further agreed that the said lessee, his executors, administrators, or assigns, will, during this demise, duly pay the entire of the grand jury cess to be assessed in respect of the said demise or any part thereof, and shall not be at liberty to make any deduction in relation thereto out of the said rents under the provision of the Landlord and Tenant (Ireland) Act, 1870, or otherwise howsoever. Provided always, that it shall and may be lawful to and for the said lessee, his executors, administrators, or assigns, to kill rabbits which may be found on said hereby demised premises by means of nets, traps, and digging out, but such leave and licence shall not extend to shooting of same. Mr. Reeves : Who could learn all that ? Mr, Bagot repeated the provision in the lease against mak- ing any claim for any money or money's worth paid on coming into possession. Mr. Low : That only refers to any " fine" you might have given on entering possession. It is not to be reclaimed. Chairman : The tenant is otherwise excluded from the benefits of the Land Act. Mr. Robertson -. You are prevented from building. Mr. Bagot : " Not to erect any unsuitable building." Mr. Robertson : Who is to be judge of what is an unsuitable building ? Mr. Bagot : There is no piovision here for arbitration. Mr. Low : There ouglit to be provision for arbitration be- tween landlord and tenant, Mr. Reeves : If a man of wealth out of this town got posses- sion of my place, and built a little palace on it, that should not be acknowledged as a suitable building. Mr. Low : The proper way is to have an understanding be. tween the landlord and tenant before improvements are made ; K K 506 THE FAEMBR'S MAGAZINE. then if there is any difference let there be reference to a court of arbitration. Mr, Bagot : That is a very strong clause ; if a tenant is twenty-one days in arrear with his rent he is to be put out. Mr. Low : That is surely not to he acted upon. Mr. RoBERrsoN : It is there. Mr. Bagot : When an agreement of this kind is to be signed, a man should look into it. As I said before, for the next two generations after his grace the tenants need not be afraid. But other landlords might take and copy the Leinster agree- inent. Men we know nothing about might take it up. That twenty-one days' provision is a great hardship. Mr, Waipole : Except by the Duke of Leinster's tenants, it would not be listened to in any other county. Mr. Bagot said another objectionable clause was the six months' notice. Mr. RoBEttTSoN asked was it a lease at all or not. Mr. Bagot said it was headed " This Indenture" to hold for one year, and so on from year to yeai, till determined. Mr. Low : It is a yearly lease. Mr. Robertson : It attempts to evade the Land Act, which defends the tenant at will. Mr. Bagot : I heard some one a while ago say something about £50 valuation. If the holding is over £50 valuation, this lease is in accordance with the Act. Mr. Robertson : But to men under £50, or tenunts at will, the Land Act, I thought, was a lease. Mr. Bagot : If that be so, what I heard stated, if the holding is valued under £60, this would not be listened to in a law court. It is waste paper. Mr. Low : I agree with you. Mr. Reeves : But when it is over £50 it is not waste paper. Mr. Bagot : If the act distinctly states when the holding is valued over £50 an agreement like this may be made, the inference is, no such agreement can be enforced when the value is under £50. Mr. Low : My impression is, it was written with the view of preventing litigation ; but if what was put by Mr. Reeves and Mr. Robertson be correct, it will only lead to litigation. Mr. Bagot : My idea v/ould be, as a farmers' club, we ought to submit this to a lawyer and ask his opiuion. Then conld publish the case and the opinion. Mr. Robertson : Would we be justified in going that length ? Mr. Low : If we would not be justified in going that length, we are not justified in going into it all. I would be for laying it before an eminent counsel, and have his opiuion. Mr, Bagot : Mr. Hamilton may be right in point of law. Mr. Walfole : He can't compel the tenants to sign it. Mr. Bagot : We are not lawyers ; we don't know. Mr. Robertson : See, in two clauses it distinctly sets aside the Land Act. If it is acted upon it will debar any farmer from selling his interest if he wishes to quit Ids farm. If I were his tenant, and wanted to get £500 for my interest, I want to know who will give it when it is expressly provided the tenant shall not sell his interest. Chairman : And it excludes a man's heirs or his friends in case of a tenant failing. A man's creditors are entirely ex- cluded from taking any benefit out of the tenant's interest in the farm. Mr. Bagot : Then the landlord may walk in. Chairman : I suffered from signing such covenants as those in Scotland. Mr. Robertson : It is just coming up to the Scotch system. And see the position of the Scotch tenants under the failure of crops and high rents. The Chairman said he would take the voice of the meeting whether they should lay the case before counsel. Mr. Robertson did not think they ought to do so at the present stage. Mr. Bagot suggested they should appoint a committee to confer with Mr. Hamilton. Mr. Reeves asked would the meeting tliink well of having no names mentioned as yet in the matter ? Mr. Low said he did not know at first that the Duke of Leinster was referred to, but he would stick to anything that had been said. He did not think that any farmer-who farmed the Duke of Leinster's land fairly need ever be afraid of being dealt harshly with. Still, those clauses surprised him very much, coming from such a quarter, It would be a bad prece- dent for other landlords who do not carry the same goo3 name. As the matter had been discussed, he was for taking counsel's opinion. Mr. Wa-LPOLE ; If a tenant signed it, he would he bound by it. Chairman : That is my experience of similar documents. Mr. Bagot said no man should bind himself to such penal- ties unless he was prepared to have them enforced. Mr. Reeves would not give any man the benefit of the act who " scourged" the land by bad farming, such as taking two white crops in succession. Mr. Bagot : Mr. Lawes told us for 20 years he took white crops in succession, and by doing so the tenant wiU only injure himself, not his landlord. Mr. Robertson : I would not object to the clause about cropping. There are other parties entitled to consideration in this matter besides the landlord and tenant. The general public are interested, and have a right to see the land of the country put to a proper use. Mr. Bagot : No one can object to that. Mr. Low : I would, on this ground— I don't believe the landlord has a right to dictate to the farmer what he is to do with the land at all under a certain lease. The farmer has a right to do what he likes with the land until five or seven years of the lease remains. Then the landlord has a right to see himself protected, and his laud fairly manured, and sown with grass seeds. It is altogether wrong of the landlord to say, " You are not going to do this or that without my ap- proving of it." We all know that seasons change, and that prices vary. Wheat is dear one year, barley is dear the next, and corn the next. The farmer may wish to manure one field this year, and take two white crops off it in succession, and so on with another field. The farmer sows what he thinks will be of most benefit to him each year ; but when the termination of his lease is coming round, he should be compelled to have his farm in a proper manner before he leaves it. I object altogether to the landlord binding a man to do this and that exactly as he may fancy. Mr. Reeves again asked would it not be weU to leave out all names P Mr. Low : In the discussion to-day everything has been carried out in a fair manner. I am not a bit afraid that the Duke of Leinster will not meet his tenants fairly. And if these penal clauses have cropped up, it may have been that they were overlooked. It would be a very great hardship if other landlords took advantage of this lease. I am sure the tenants of his grace who sign it will be as well treated as if they had not signed it. But, at the same time, if there is anything in it which prevents tenants obtaining the benefit of the Land Act, it is a great misfortune. Mr. Robertson : The best protection a landlord can have is Tenaut-Right. If a tenant has Tenant-Right, he has a direct interest to keep his farm in tip-top condition. This lease goes quite contrary to that. Mr. Low : If a tenant sinks a great deal of capital in ma- nuring his land at the commencement of his tenancy, and it pleased Providence soon to remove him, and his heirs come forward and say to the landlord, " This farm has been put into a good state of cultivation ; I will be very glad to be compen- sated for the improvements, and give up." If the landlord can say, •' Oh, no ; your predecessor signed an agreement that his heirs were to have no benefit from his improvements," that is very harsh. I may be wrong in ray view of the clause, but if I am right, it is a very absurd, harsh clause. If a man is to be deprived from any benefit of improving, it will stop im- provements. Mr. Robertson : It is most objectionable trying to set aside the Land Act ; and if that can be set aside, there is no security at all. In whatever way the Land Act is intended to benefit the farmer, he should get the full benefit of that Act. Mr. Walrole : The law will give it. Mr. Low : Not if he signs it away. Mr. Walpole : No independent tenant will do anything so absurd. Mr. Reeves : The Duke of Leinster has been so good a landlord, the tenants would sign anything for him. Mr. Walpole : No other county in Ireland would enter- tain it. Mr. Reeves : And his grace has always allowed tenants to sell their interest. The following resolution was then unanimously adopted— THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 507 Resolved : That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to his Grace the Duke of Leiuster, and Mr. Hamilton, his agent. Resolved : That tliis club liaviug, as they believe, discussed the provisions of the proposed indenture between his Grace the Duke of Leinster and his yearly tenants in a fair and liberal spirit, most respectfully call his grace's attentiou to the penal clauses, Nos. 6, 10, and 17, contained in this indenture. No member of the club is afraid that his grace or his heirs would think of enforcing these clauses, but they fear this indenture may be adopted by other landlords in whom they have not the same confidence. The Club also hold that the tenant is en- titled to all the benefits of the Landlord and Tenant (Ireland) Act, 1870 ; buii tliey regret (hat the 18th and 19th clauses of this indenture attempt to contravene the provisions of the Act. THE LEINSTER LEASE. The following is a copy of the lease which the tenants on the Duke of Leinster's estate, whose valuation is £50 or up- wards, have been asked to sign : Clause 1. — This indenture, made the day of , one thousand eight hundred and , between the Most Noble Augustus Frederick Duke of Leiuster, in Ireland, here- inafter called the lessor, of the one part, and of (3) hereinafter called the lessee, of the other part, witnesseth that, in consideration of the reuts hereinafter reserved, and of the covenants by the lessee hereinafter contained, the lessor doth hereby (3) demise unto the lessee, his executors, adminis- trators, and assigns, all that part of the lands of , situate in the barony of and county of , con- taining acres roods and perches, statute measure, equivalent to acres roods and perches, late Irish plantation measure, or thereabouts, now or lately in the occupation of , with the dwelling- house, farm buildings, and appurtenances thereto belonging or usually enjoyed therewith. 4. Except all mines, minerals, coals, quarries of marble, slate, limestone, or other stone, gravel, sand, and brick-earth, and all waters and watercourses, turf, turbary, and bogs, and all timber and other trees, woods, plantations, underwoods and bog timber, whicli during this demise shall be in or upon the said premises, and reserving to the lessor, his heirs and assigns, and all persons authorised by him or them, liberty of ingress, egress, and regress, with or without horses, carts, carriages, and all other necessary things, into and upon and from the said premises, for all reasonable purposes, and particularly to dig, search for, and work such mines, minerals, coals, quarries, gravel, sand and brick-earth as afore said, and to take and carry away the same and the pro- duce thereof, and also to cleanse, turn and divert such waters and watercourses, and to alter and divert roads, and to fell, lop, pruue, cut down, root up and saw all or any of the timber and other trees, woods, plantations, underwoods, and bog timber aforesaid, and to take and carry away the same, and also to plant all sorts of trees on the several banks, hedge- rows, borders, or waste places of the said premises, and to view the condition thereof, and to bring materials thereon, and repair or renew the same, making to the lessee, his executors, administrators, or assigns, reasonable compensation for all damage occasioned by the exercise of the liberties hereinbe- fore reserved, and also reserving to the said lessor, his heirs and assigns, and all persons authorised by him or them, the exclusive right of shooting, sporting, fishing, and preserving game, hares, rabbits, wildfowl, andfish, upon or on the said pre- mises. 5. To hold to the lessee, his executors, administrators, and assigns, for one year from the day of last, and so on from year to year, until this demise shall be deter- mined at the end of the first or any subsequent year, by either party giving to the other six calendar months' previous notice in writing. 6. Yielding and paying therefore, during this demise, the yearly rent of by equal half-yearly pny- ments, on the day of and day of in every year, the first half-yearlj payment to be made on the day of one thousand eight hundred and , and the said yearly rent to be paid clear of .1 deductions whatsoever, save the landlord's proportion of poor's rate. 7. And also jielding and paying the additional yearly rent of for every statute acre (and so in proportion for any less quantity) of the arable land which shall be over- cropped or used contrary to the course of husbandry herein- after mentioned, the said additional yearly rents respectively to be paid and to be recoverable at the times and in the manner at and in which the said rent first hereinbefore reserved is iierein made payable and recoverable, and the first half-yearly payraentof the said several additional yearly rents respectively to be made on such of the said half-yearly days of payment as shall first happen after such over-cropping, or using as afore- said, and to continue during this demise, and all the said several rents to be paid clear of all deductions, save as afore- said. 8. And the said lessee doth hereby for himself, his heirs, executors, and administrators, covenant with the said lessor, his heirs and assigns, that the said lessee, his executors, administrators or assigns, will pay the said reserved yearly rent of and also the said penal rents, in case the same shall become payable at the times and in the manner herein- before appointed for payment thereof, clear of all deductions save as aforesaid. 9. And also that the said lessee, his execu- tors, administrators, or assigns, will not alien, underlet, assign, or otherwise dispose of the said premises, or any part thereof, or in any manner part v/ith tlie possession of the same, or any part thereof, for the whole of the interest hereby created, or any part thereof, or let the same, or any part thereof, in conacre, without the consent in writing of the said lessor, his heirs or assigns, or bequeath the same by will to more than one person, or divide the same in any manner among his or theii- children, or next-of-kin, or other persons. 10. And also that the said lessee, his executors, administrators, or assigns, will not build or erect, or cause to be built or erected, any dwelling-house, offices, or any other building whatever, on the said premises, or any part thereof, which shall or may be un- suitable to the said premises, or the due occupation thereof. 11. And also that the said lessee, his executors, administrators, and assigns, will, during this demise, cultivate and manage the said lauds in a good and husbandlike manner, according to the true intent and meaning of these presents, and of the covenants, clauses, conditions, and agreements herein contained. 13. And also will during this demise, at his and their expense, well and sufficiently repair, maintain, scour, cleanse, and keep in good repair and condition the said dwelling-house and all other the edifices and buildings on the said premises, and all bridges, gates, palings, rails, and fences, watercourses, dykes, drains, ditches, and appurtenances to the same premises be- longing, and any new buildings which may be erected thereon, when, where, and as often as occasion shall require, and whether particularly required by notice or not, and will, at the end or sooner determination of this demise, yield and deliver up the said premises, and every part thereof, unto the said lessor, his heirs or assigns, in like good repair and condition. 13. And also will permit the said lessor, his heirs or assigns, and his or their agents, servants, and workmen, at any reason- able time or times during this demise to enter into and upon the said premises, or any part thereof, to view the condition of the same, and of all defects, decays, or want of repairs. 14, And also that the said lessee, his executors, administrators or assigns, will not during this demise plough, turn up, or con- vert into tillage any part of the meadow or pasture lands spe- cified in the schedule hereto as not to be so converted into til- lage. 15. And also that the said lessee, his executors, ad- ministrators, or assigns, will not at any time sow or take off from the said premises, or any part thereof, two cereal or other crops ripening their seeds, without an intervening green crop, properly manured, sown in tlie spring of the following year, except with the consent in writing of the said lessor, his heirs or assigns. 16. And also that the said lessee, his executors, administrators, and assigns, will duriug this demise spend, use, spread, and employ, iu a good husband-Hke man- ner, all dung, muck, manure, and compost in and upon the said premises, for the improvement thereof, that shall or may be made or raised on the said premises, and leave all the soil, dung, muck, manure, and compost not spent on the said pre- mises at the end or sooner determination of this demise, for the use of the said lessor, his heirs and assigns, he or they pay- ing or allowing reasonable compensation for the same. 17. Provided always, and these presents are, upon tiiis express condition, that if and whenever any part of the said several rents shall be in arrear for tweuty-one days, whether the same shall have been legally demanded or not, or if and whenever the said lessee, his executors, administrators, or assigns, or any of them, shall sell, assign, alien, sublet, or otherwise dispose of, or let in conacre the said lands and premises, or any part thereof, or in any manner part with the possession of the same, or any part thereof, without such consent in writing as afore- said, or bequeath the same by will to more than one person, or ia T' T- O 506 THE FABMEE'S MAGAZELsE. "J divide or •tsrmptto divide tliesuaeuBanglus or tbei r ir Bext of Ida, or other petsms, or be :' :r become KB iaadTOitdditcr or debbMca, . :' any act of Fuliaaieat, or shall com- rir cTrditon, or if and vbeDcrer the aaid ', sluJl be takea in exeeatioa, or en to sdl the same, or any |ait - ' '■'see, his executors, admmis- 1 erer there shall be a breach ':re contained by the said - issigns, then the said rr npon any part of -. .. ^le, and therenpcn this IS. Provided always and """? ?sid !«s?t, his execators, ' -im for compea- .:s (exeept im- h^ "rssor, his Tct oader i Tenant : _:>ed of faruier agreal . ton, and aas!^; cBtiiear theC to make any dri nderthepnn.: Act, 1870, or that it shall ar cscenton, adn. - ■ay be imud : ■etc, ferrets, a: ikaUnot exteri fte. In eases lease is thes^u^ daMe 18, vhk- iscxpressfy azr^ miaistntors, cr At MJipil^ shall ' aay of the eL ^ (Ireland) AeL 1 paid or ^^ Tlefo"; T^^ Ldnste: ' Llob : Me. Bagot, nionthly the lat nnder vLich Ids grace lets the farms on his estate ntiil the Athy Fanners' Club bsd received an answer from bis Grace to some reaoladons pa^ed at their meeting. His Grace caii- ■ot take any notice of these resolntions, as he do» not considn that tenants on oiia- estates have anvthing to say to the contracts which he enters into with his tenantry. These agreanents were drawn up at his Grace's desire, by some of the most eminent lawyers in Doblin, and with the express viev of being in erMi eonformtiiy with the provisions of the new Innd Act ; and I most say that I was macb snrpiised that \ tenant for whom his Grace had done so much should have beoi ihitjb^ to put before the public such misstatements as were made at the Atbv Farmer»' Club. The proper course for yon, in my opinion, would have been to have taken some comp^ent lawyer's opinion as to whether there was any point in the agreement sent to yon inconsistent with the provisions of the Triah Land Act ; and if such point was found, it should have been represented either to his Grace or to me by some of his oicK tenantry. I am alwavs ready to give any information I can to any of his Grace's tenants : and as you have written to me on the subject, I will now refer to the several points yon object to. Clause 6 refers merely to the payment of the rent, so I suppose that 2^0. 5 is that which this resolution •^'ers to ; and the six months' notice to quit is exactly what is been customary from time immemorial, and is recognited ; ew Act. Xo. 10 can be objected to only by a tenant : es, in direct opposition to the Act, to erect a building c :: :'.? rreriiics. No. 17 has b^n in substance, in - 1 hitherto made on the estate. It : issed at the Club that >'os. IS and :" '.'re Act. A simple question : . -li h?ive satisfied your mind _ ^ ■_ isd tenant may in future . iie any coutract they please as to payment of - is obvious from a perusal of the Act. As to - - *enant holding under £50 valuation is rasation provided by the Act : but as to _ : ^ :rth paid or given by a tenant on coming .uiuiiig, IlO claim for compensation was ever recog- his Grace's estate, and the clause referred to is quite - '- the Land Act. Where the holding is orer £50 lontraci embodied in clause IS of that form is I ihould recommend you to compare bis Grace's fimt of the Scotch and English leases, and 1 this one very liberal, and with no restric- • — ; ^^ ^ .:.._-:. I .loingtbe best he can with the land. And 1 think the fair thing for any tenant to do is, to state exactly vkici of the covenants it is his deliberate wish to violate. The new land Act renders it expedient that ecery agreement ahooU be in a fiorm of a Uate, and as his grace has taken pains to have the one he offers to his tenantry drawn in exact aeeordamce with the provisions of the Land Act, those who wish to continue in occupation of farms under his Grace will \ ; required to hold with it." A largeniunber of the tenantry hare, it is said, refused to ^^ thekase. AYBSHIBE FABMEES' HAETtST EXPENSES. CLUB. At the diner heU in Ayr, Mr. W. Eeii, Citne, Preddent of the CInh, in Oe dttir. The Skcbxxuct read a letter bam. Mr. Hope of Fenton- t harM^ eipn-aaiag Us tikanki to the Chh ior the res"igkt get some stout young women to Undwdlenoagh; b«t,asara]ei, aumi.a had not the str»gth to bind a good wheat^eaf as tight as it ought to be. As to hooding, he had at first srt one man to do that ; but he eom^ained that the others did not stook the sheaves right, and they retorted that they could hood as wdl as him." He allowed them to try it, and they cade a very good job of it, Alilxmgh there had been few seasons so wet as this, still ia early dntiieta there were in all years heavy thunder-raiBS, which wetted the stuff and cansed it to s^oat. Bat if it was hooded this danger woold be amided. He had lost a littk this season. The hood-dieaTes woe greatly injured, and sometimes the sheaf at the side of the stook. He Uxk these all oat, and thrashed one half of this bjured staff at once; the other half he stacked in a long thin stack, with the heads all oat. Afiex a week of dry weather, he ib«uid that tiie good dry wheat was not injured, while the growiag wheat was mach dried. Ia tbat way he got it betta sqMuated and cfcaaed, and haviagit so well separated he got a good price for it. He bdiered it was a great advanta^ in wet sfasoas, when the wheat was not allof equal length. A sqaaie4ieaded shea^ where the heads were all closely packed tog^her, was &r more i^ to sprout than when the stalks woe of difo'at k^&s. Mr. Whtt£ (East Raws) said he coald scaiwy ke^ a correct account of his expense in the harrest, thoe was so much broken dme. When it was dry, and tiie groand woald carry a machine, he cut with the amdiine ; when it woald not, be ased the scythe ; and when they eodd aot cat wi& either the scythe or the madtine, they had to ase the hook It was all oats. He could only give a gaess at the f. tptwiw. They genoally had six women lilting and tying, aad two men stooking. He would hare preferred eieht or aine to lUk, six cooldscarcdy ke^ amaduaeprafcriy 5Qiag,aBdwhalBf)e 5io THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. time was lost with tlie machine involved a greater expense in cutting. He considered the work was both best and cheapest done when both machine and workers were kept constantly going. Wliat he let to be cut with the hook was at 243. per acre, to set ia the stook ; and he estimated that the cutting cost him fully 10s. per acre all over. Mr. Young (Kilhenzie) said the usual thing in his district was to have six women lifting and three men binding and stooking, besides a man tilting and a boy driving. Some, however, had four women and four men, and in cutting wheat perhaps the latter mode was the best, as it gave the men more time to stook properly. He generally employed eleven hands to each machine, but when the crop was heavy he had put on three additional, and found it no loss. The expense with him ran about 7s. per acre. Some oats which had been laid as flat as if a roller had passed over them, had however cost him as much as 26s. or 27s. per acre. Like Mr. Whyte, he had to work all ways. There was one disadvantage in cutting with the hook, particularly when the stuff was wet, and that was that it was more apt to sprout, from so many handfuls being put into the middle of the sheaf. His opinion was that the scythe was the best, and the machine came next. Mr. Brown, he thought, had shown more wisdom than most of them, in having his wheat hooded. He suspected the farmers of Ayr- shire would this year have got snch a lesson that it would be four or five years before they would forget it. One reason, he thought, why hooding was so little done, was that not one man in four or five could do it properly. Mr. Bkown said when the sheaves were properly put up and inclined towards each other, there was not much difficulty in hooding. The men he had were Irishmen whom he had never had before, and when he once let them see the way, they made a very good job of it, Mr, Young (Kilhenzie) said the sheaves that sprouted worst with him were those that were neatest and squarest-topped. The slieaves that were very uneven did not suffer to the extent of one-tenth of the others, Mr. Gemmell (Wyllieland) said his experience had been entirely with oats, which were a very heavy crop, and fully a half of it was cut with the hook, owing to the stuff being so laid and twisted. About one half of his crop he let at 24s. per imperial acre, to be cut and laid on the strap, and he paid a man Ss. a day to come from Kilmarnock and tie it. That portion, therefore, cost him about 30s. per imperial acre. The stuff was well cut, and no stalks were left on tlie ground. The only fault he had was that the sheaves were made too big, considering that the corn had been very wet ; but he got the man to " geit" the sheaves, and they dried quite well. The crop was damaged a little by being too ripe, but not by sprouting. The other portion of the crop, which was not laid so bad, they cut with the scythe and machine, at an expense a great deal less than the other portion, but the exact amount of which he could not state. There was another portion that he let by the thraive, to obviate the objection he had to the making of too big sheaves. He agreed to pay 7d. per thraive, or ^(^ . per stook, and lie got a good job, which would cost him at the rate of about 21s. per acre. He could not estimate tlie cost of the portion cut by his own farm servants, Mr, Bone (East Sanquhar) said there was one thing with regard to the wheat crop that would force itself on their at- tention if they had many wet seasons, and that was the neces- sity of growing two or three different kinds of wheat together, some of it taller and others shorter. He had seen this season where two different kinds were thus grown togetber, that there was no sprouting, even when it was not hooded. He believea with Mr. Brown that the worst thing for sprouting was a square headed sheaf ; and that to have different lengths would be of advantage in any season, but especially in a wet one. The late harvest was the most expensive one he ever had ; he be- lieved the cutting would cost him double the amount men- tioned by Mr, Wallace and Mr, Cuuninghame, particularly the oats. In the oats he had eight women and four men in one part of it, besides two men straightening up the face of the uncut stuff. In another portion where the crop was heavier, he had three additional hands, and he found them hard enough wrought. Though the expense was very conside- rable, he believed it would have taken other two hands to make the work as good as it was in ordinary seasons, the oats being so tangled. He believed that many of them, from the expe- rience ot the last two or three fine seasons, had given up the practice of hooding. The result had been a very disastrous loss both to themselves and the country. Mr. Tiios. M'Creatii (Alexandria) said the subject was not one he had much experience of ; but it occurred to him that two or three rather important questions had been raised in the course of the discussion. For instance, it was admitted that the neglect of hooding had entailed great loss ; but the question came to be whether, taking a number of years to- gether, the additional expense of hooding regularly in seasons when it might not be required, would not swallow up any saving that might be effected by it in a bad year. Mr. Wallace said he believed that hooding was an advan- tage in any season ; for when once hooded they could let the grain stand in the field as long as they liked, and carry it at their convenience, and they would generally find the protected sheaves of a better colour. There was a portion that he had hooded this season that he expected to be able to make good seed wheat of. Another thing was that if everybody got into the habit of doing it, it would be far better and easier done. The difficulty with him was that in changing hands he had to teach them every year. Now, if it was a general custom they would not have tliat difficulty to contend with. One advan- tage of it in all seasons was that hooded stooks were far less likely to be overturned by storms, and the trouble and expense of setting up again would thus be avoided. Mr. Young (Highfield) said another advantage of hooding that had not been referred to was that the stuff was ready for carting at any time, as for instance on a dewy morning or immediately after rain. Mr. M'Creath said another important matter was the ques- tion of expense. The general opinion was that the expense of harvesting this year was a great deal more than in ordinary years. Mr, Gemmell had stated that some portions of his crop had cost him 30s. per acre for harvesting. This was very start- ling. Why, sometimes an acre of oats was not worth much more than that. A very important question had also been started with regard to the mixture of wheat in sowing. That was a matter that should be very seriously considered. Mr. Cunninghame said he had practised the sowing of different kinds of wheat, but he could not say that it had made much difference this year. The Chairman said they usually looked for pure samples of wheat for sowing, Mr. Bone said undoubtedly what they did use should be pure samples of the different kinds. Mr. Howie (Law, Dreghorn) said he should have hked that some of the gentlemen wlto had spoken so confidently of hood- ing as a remedy, had told them what good hooding would do when the wheat was sprouting before it was cut. He hap- pened to have some of that kind, and his neighbours had a good deal also. It was spring sown ; and they found on thrashing that it was worse than the thing that had sprouted in the sheaf. It was mostly woolly-eared, and there was also some red-eared, which was not so bad. He thought it was a great mistake to sow so much woolly-eared wheat in this coun- try. He himself sowed mostly oats, as he did not altogether believe in wheat, especially in connection with dairy farming. He also had some mashlum this year — that was a mixture of beans and corn. In estimating the cost of cutting, he only took the time spent at the work, and made no accoimt of wet days. He employed six, seven, or eight women to lift and bind, one man to stook, a young man to drive, and he generally tilted himself. Altogether he calculated tliat it cost him 6s. per acre, without reckoning anything for himself. The diffe- rence in the estimates of expense that had been given viould probably be accounted for in some measure by whether or not they had dry footing for their horses working the machines. The first two days with him the ground was dry and hard, and he cut 12 imperial acres. Other two days, when the ground was wet, he only cut 5 imperial acres — much time being lost by the choking of the machine and the wetness of the ground. He contrived to cut all his crop with the machine, excepting one half day. Of the different kinds of cutting he would place the scythe last of all. He opened up with the scythe a day or two before commencing with the machine ; but he now thought it a mistake, unless they could get their sheaves laid safely up against a hedge ; but if they had to lay them on the ground they got wet and sprouted, and became useless. He did not agree with Mr. Brown about working on wet days. He had a good number of wet days, and at last getting impa- tient, he did cut one wet day, but he repented it afterwards j THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 511 for though he macle the slieaves as small as possible, after it had got nearly a fortnight of the best weather during harvest, the stuff was as wet as when it was put up, and he had to open it all out again. He was satisfied that wet cutting was not a good thing. Mr, BoxE (Auchencloigh) said, like Mr. Howie, he would not approve of wet cutting at all. In his district they were pretty .well sheltered with woods, and wet-cut stuff was always very difficult to manage. With reference to what Mr. Howie had said about opening up with the sythe, it had come to be a question in his district whether they ought to open up with tlie scythe at all, or whether it would not be better to put the horses and machine through it at first. It was the opinion of many that it would cause less loss, and do the work tidier. Mr. Howie said a neighbour of his had tried that plan this season. He put the machine along the side of the field, and told the driver to keep the horses as near the edge as possible. He also instructed the men to watch the wheels well. The thing was done to his satisfaction, and then they turned back on what had been left. He told him he would waste less time in future in opening up with the scythe. Mr. Bone said three bouts of the machine would open up sufficiently. Mr. YotiNG .(Kilhenzie) was apprehensive that in a wet season the horses' feet would trample a good deal of stuff into the ground, and spoil a considerable portion of it. Mr. Bone said that where there was a good bottom of grass there was little fear of that. He did not think the loss would be as great as with the scythe. The Chairman had not kept a very correct account of the expense of his harvesting, but he believed it would be much about the same as that of Mr. Cunninghame and Mr. Wal- lace— somewhere about 6s. per acre. When his wheat was cut he had sis women and three men attending the machine. The women tied, with occasional assistance from the men, and the three men stooked the stuff and hooded it all. His system of hooding was somewhat different from the ordinary method. The stooks were put up in nine sheaves — four sheaves in a square, then other four; and the ninth sheaf, tied very close by the bottom, was turned down over the tops of the others, just like a small rickle. When well done it stood remarkably well, required no tying, and could scarcely be blown down. There was very little damage to his wheat protected in this way. A few heads of tiie covering sheaf and of the sheaf on the side most sheltered might be destroyed, but the rest was all sound- For oats he had an additional pair of hands. He had two boys raking up the straggled heads. He did not agree with the remarks that had been made about the rake. He thought it was a waste to keep women at 3s. a day gathering up straws. In his experience the harvest work was being better done every year. Notwithstanding the heavy crops they were now raising, it was astonishing to see how well they were taken off. Tlie oats he put up in four sheaves, with a few straws tied round the top of it. It " winned" very quickly in this way. A great matter was to have small sheaves, and not too tightly tied. ]\Ir. Wallace thought it was a waste of time and straw to tie straw round the oat stooks. He would be almost in- clined to go for hooding oats also. Mr. Young (Highficld) did not think there was much waste of time in hooding. His opinion was that two men were quite able both to stook and hood. He approved very much of Mr. Keid's method of hooding. Mr. Cunninghame said Mr. Gemmell had referred to the plan of " geiting." This was setting up single sheaves, opened out at the bottom like an umbrella. His belief was that a " geited" sheaf would not sprout, even when the growing corn was sprouting. He had proved this last harvest. The water got all down through it, and did not lodge in the grain. Nor did he think a " geited" sheaf would be easily blown down. Another subject announced for discussion at this meeting, viz., " The preparing and manuring of land," was postponed to a future meeting. WINFRITH FARMERS' C L tJ B At the opening meeting of the winter session, Mr. J. Bates, president, in the chair, the subject for consideration was, "The best mode of disposing of the Straw on the Farm." Mr. W. Longman read the following paper : The subject which I am engaged to present to your notice is one which is of great importance to the practical farmer, for no other circumstance, perhaps, has so much influence on his profits as a judicious mode of consuming the straw of the farm. The straw contains the material of the dung-heap ; it has value also as fodder, as a fodder where cattle are penned in yards. To consume straw alone is a kind of management which has no advocate among good practical agriculturists of the present day ; yet it is a practice we sometimes still see pursued." We hope such practice to be nearly extinct I think an inquiry into the value of straw as food and manure cannot fail to con- vince every reasonable man that this practice is in every way unprofitable. As to other various ways of consuming straw, it depends more or less on the kind ot farm, and consequently on the quantity of winter food which it is profitable to grow, than on the intrinsic value of the straw itself, which of the various methods it is best to pursue. It is a practice in some counties where there are occupiers of strong land farms, and they cannot conveniently raise root crops or provide hay for winter food, to tread down as much as possible of the straw with cattle fed on green food in the summer. I should recom- mend, where there are badly-constructed yards, and where the water is not carried from the buildings by means of spouting, that a portion of the straw which is not required for feeding purposes may be carried on the two years' lay on our hill farms, where there are not a sufficient number of cattle kept to consume it in the yards. It is most essential that yards should be well sheltered, not only for preserving the manure, but also for the well-doing of the cattle that are fed in them, for I be- lieve it is a great mistake in allowing cattle to be too much exposed to the cold winds in winter. In many instances the two-year-old sheep are fed with clovers, in which instance the straw would soon become rotten and mis with the soil ; but where there is a larger number of cattle to be fed, the food given them produces no profit to the farmer unless they either grow in size, lay on fat, or produce milk, and manure is of no value unless it repairs the fertility of which the corn crops ex- haust the soil. We know very well that if the whole produce is carried off, the land is quickly exhausted of its fertility ; but if the whole produce is left in the soil, as when crops are ploughed in, the fertility of the land is greatly augmented. Then we know that if the corn of the crop be taken away and all else returned to the land, yet the soil will lose in fertile nower. But if the whole crop be consumed by cattle feeding on the ground the land improves, though not in the same degree as when the crop is wholly ploughed into the ground. On the average of good fair land, if one crop be consumed with cattle and the whole of the manure of that and the straw of the succeeding com crops be returned to the soil, the land will be maintained in a state of equable fertility. Straw varies much in its feeding qualities, and I do not think anything satisfactory can be gathered respecting the nutritive properties of straw from the experience of merely practical fanners. Its value depends of course on the quantity and nature of the digestible matter which it contains, and this can only be ascer- tained by well-conducted experiments, guided by science. There is a table published in one of the numbers of the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, which shows the comparative value of the different articles of cattle food ; I have only taken a few notes that apply more immediately to our subject. Hay is adopted as the staudaid, and the table shows how much of other kinds of food is equal to 100 lb. of hay. According to this table it takes 4431b. of rye-straw, 374 of wheat, 195 of oats, 159 of vetch, 153 of peas, 140 of beans to be equal to 100 lb. of hay. Therefore we see that the straw of different crops varies considerably in its nutritive properties, showing 612 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. we should only use those kiuds which would keep cattle in a thriving condition. In some seasons these are of equal value with hay, but I liave not had sufficient experience in cutting chaff for bullocks to know whether or not the various kinds of straw used for fodder should be cut. I have no doubt the coarser kinds should, as they contain much that is needful for a growing beast, and they should be consumed as fodder. 15ut the straw of white crops (though iu some seasons it is much better than in others) is never so rich in soluble substances as to make cattle grow. It is impossible to get from the straw of white crops enough nourishment to maintain cattle in health and vigour, much less in a state of profitable growth. We give our cattle food in order that we may increase their value, and whatever food we give without producing some return, either in increased size or fatness, or iu milk, is entirely wasted. Tbere is thus a necessity for mixing with the straw some food of a more nutritious kiud if we would reap a profit from the stock that consume it. Tiiis it is the practice of all good farmers to do. Its value as an article of food is abso- lutely notliing of itself, for cattle living ou it vtill not yield any return. The question is whether we can extract from it a profitable diet by mixing it with other substances, and whether it does not lose more in value as manure than we gain by con- suming it as fodder. If we mix it with a large quantity of nutritious articles, the woody fibre of the straw will not be digested. It will pass away in excrements, and tiie animal will be supported wlioUy by the better food and the soluble part of the straw. It is useless, therefore, to give straw to feeding beasts. It must be used with a sparing quantity of other and better food, and consumed by growing cattle. In this way there is no doubt that it may be consumed as fodder at a profit. If we look on the other hand to the value of the straw in the manure-heap, we shall see the same necessity of mixing it with other food, if the manure is to be capable of repairing the waste which corn crops occasion. Nothing can come out of straw but what is in it, and as it contains but little nitrogen, the dung-heap made from cattle feeding wholly on straw, would be comparatively of no value. It must be clearly wrong, unless we preserve the urine in tanks, to use straw as fodder which can be used as litter for animals feeding on good and rich provender ; but if we consume the whole of the straw as fodder and collect the manure of the cattle in tanks, we have precisely the same ingredients in the liquid manure as we should have had in the solid dung-heap, except only that portion of soluble matter which has been extracted from the straw by cattle. The question, therefore, as to the use of urine in tanks, is whether the value of the straw as food is enough to repay the expense of collecting the urine in this manner. Instead of our common method of wetting the litter with it, there are other reasons given for preferring the plan of tanks. It has been thought the ammonia produced by the decay of the urine is dissipated in the dung-heap, and preserved by means of tanks ; but it seems doubtful whether the dung-hoap, well- managed, does not preserve the ammonia as well as the other plan. Sprengel shows that unless a large quantity of water is added to the urine in tanks the ammonia is partly wasted, and he gives reason to believe that, in the mixed mass of vegetable and animal substances contained in the dung-heap, the vege- table matter in decaying forms an acid humic, which is capable of fixing the ammonia formed by the animal substances. Dr. Voelcker tells us that it is much more by the wa.shiug of rain- water than by the escape of the gaseous products of fermenta- tion that manure suffers loss, and that no better plan exists of applying dung to the land than spreading it over the surface as soon as made, whether it be ploughed in or not. When freshly-made it contains but little matter capable of losing by exposure or by washing, but this loss becomes possible and actual as it rots in heap together. I should recommend yards to be cleaned as often as possible, for I believe dung carried on land when fresh-made to do much more good than after it has been allowed to accumulate in large quantities. Mr. Randall said if ever there was a season when it was of importance to know what to do with the straw it was the present. He would first observe that he had been in the habit for several years past of growing mangold, and of putting a certain quantity back to feed the dairy cows iu the bartons, and he found the practice answer exceedingly well. The beasts were brought into much better condition than without it. He thought if the feed of beasts were confined entirely to straw, it would be a mistake, as they would be thereby kept in a poor condition in the spring, and the manure made from them was of little value. This year he was in the game position as he dared say many of his friends were ; he had a quantity of corn, and the consequence was the straw was of no value at all, and he was sorry to say the corn was not much better. Then came a point to which he had given great consideration — • what to do with the straw. He had crme to the determina- tion to thrash out the straw, and keep sheep, carrying away the surplus swedes which he could afford to take off the land, for he was pleased to say he liad a decent crop this year. If he used the straw to be trodden in by the sheep, he should be turning the straw into the best manure possible. He had adopted this resolution for the reason that tlie straw for feed- ing purposes was of no good at all. His friend Mr. Cooper, of Wliitcorabe, had been in the habit for years past of taking in beasts to keep. His system was to charge nothing for straw to those who sent their beasts to him, but to insist on 4 lb. of cake daily for each bullock. He (Mr. Randall) thought that was a wise and judicious method for getting rid of the straw. He did not clearly hear some of Mr. Longman's observations as to carrying out the straw upon the lay ground ; it was certainly not a bad system. If tbey had a quantity of straw lying about it sometimes auswcreda good purpose. He had seen some »rery good crops raised from straw being scattered on the ground, and the sheep turned upon it in the fold. So far as possible they should turn the straw into manure by means of the still fold, but it was preferable to do it iu the yard. Mr. J. Sly quite agreed with Mr. ^Randall's observations witli reference to consuming the straw. He had always found a use for his straw, and never had any wasted or put about. It was always consumed by the cattle, but without giving them some feed with it, it was of little value. He never allowed the cows to go into the yard without having mangold, swedes, or cake all the time they were there. Occasionally he turned them out to grass, and when they came back they brought something to the straw, which was thus made useful. It re- quired them to be very particular in preserving their straw ; it was quite as important to know the right way to preserve straw as it was to know the proper mode of securing hay. It must not lie about in the wet, for if the wet penetrated it there was a loss of ammonia, and consequently a loss of the profit they would get from the straw as manure. If he had any straw he made it into a rick, and thought as much of it as he did of the best hay. He always found that straw, if preserved well, was doubly as valuable as if it laid about. If things were takea care of in their infancy when the sap was in them they always turned to use. He tied his oats in sheaves without thrashing them, and cut them up into chaff which he gave to the horses and dairy cows when required, and he found the manure was doubly as good as if they were fed on straw alone. If anyone had seen the farm he occupied twenty years ago, and looked at it now, they would observe some improvement in it. The soil before he acted in the way he had mentioned was very stubbly, and clung together when it was turned up. After using the manure and preserved straw the soil, when turned up, cracked abroad like mould, and there was no trouble in dress- ing the farm ; whereas, when he first took it, he was obliged to have the horses over it three or four times, and the furrows were made over and over again. He had to thank his mill for some of the benefit, for he kept 100 pigs, which consumed a large quantity of straw ; but he never used any for them unless what the cows had laid upon. He had been rewarded by what he had done, and he hoped his landlord would also be rewarded hereafter. The land was much better than when he entered on it, and having been so long on it, he deserved to live still longer and improve it more. He had made it better, and at the end of his days he hoped his landlord would reap benefit from it. He advised them all to take care of the straw as much as they did of the hay. As to root crops, they grew plenty of them by using artificial manure with farm manure, and the former was not half so beneficial without manure made from straw. Mr. Randall inquired if Mr. Sly gave his horses any fixed quantity of oats. Mr. Sly supposed about a bushel per week ; as to the straw, he never measured it, but there was none wasted. The Chairman said whatever straw they grew must be taken out of the land, and it was of consequence to know the best mode of returning it, so that it should be available for the next crop. Mr. Sly had observed that it was as important to preserve straw as it was hay, as they had to fall back on straw to a certain extent as food for stock j and although, perhaps, it THE FARMER'S MAGAZINB. 513 did not form the most falteniug nourishment, it would keep them alive. It was very easy in tlicsc days of cotton and lin- seed cake to supply the fattening properties in which straw was deficient. lie believed a large portion of the expense incurred in producing this additional fattening principle was returned in the shape of the additional value of the manure derived from straw. He was sorry to say that in this part of the country there was not sufficieut appreciation of the value of straw. He himself — and lie ventured to say lie was not the only one — had seen tlie straw lying about year by year of no value at all, and possibly it was thrown away. This might be obviated hy early care. As soon alter the straw was taken from under thatch to be thrashed, the sooner it was put again under cover the better. It would be consolidated and kept dry, for doubt- less it contained a certain amount of nutritious matter, and the more it was wetted the more of this was lost. Therefore, in his opinion it was an object sufficiently .worthy of their earnest care to secure it from air and rain. In these days of artificial feeding he was certain it was not to their benefit to neglect the advantages of what is produced upon the land in the shape of straw. They ought to consider how they could augment its advantages by mixing it with those condiments so easily attained in food, and increasing the value of the manure which is the residuum. On this consideration, therefore, the point was of so much interest, and so deserving their attention. He thought they should be thankful to Mr Longman for bringing the subject forward, and also to those gentlemen who had afforded them the benefit of their experience in the utilisation of straw on their farms, and for showing how the most valuable use might be made of the straw which is allowed to lie about in a neglected manner in many places. No doubt straw in its crude state possessed a certain value, as Mr. Longman had remarked, if only trodden in. It was of great use as a raw material, but he thought there was a certain amount of nutritious material in the straw which might be taken out by the stock, and by supplying phosphates in the shape of artificial food, they would not only replace it in the form of manure, but they would take out a large amount of nutriment by adding to it cake and those oily substances wliicli assist digestion of the straw, and render it still more nutritious as food and more valuable as manure in the end. Mr. Longman wished to answer one remark made by Mr. Randall. He said that the surplus straw should be put into the sheep-fold. He (Mr. Longman) thought tiie plan a very good one, but where he recommended the application of straw to clover lays was upon farms that did not keep a large amount of cattle. But in eases where a considerable number were kept, it might be trodden in with advantage. The Presidei^t wished to add sometliiug to what lie had previously said. A remark had been made on the different circumstances of those who occupy dairy farms, and those who farm purely corn land. The dairy farmer had many advan- tages for disposing of his surplus straw which others liad not, and thence came the " tua; of war." He might be allowed to quote what Mr. Randall said with respect to Mr. Cooper, whose plan was by no means a bad one, as lie got his straw consumed with a certain amount of cake. The cake made an excellent equivalent for the quantity of straw consumed. It was possible a man might not always be able to find customers for his straw. But if Mr. Cooper found the system answer tiiere was no reason why it should not succeed in otiier cases. He agreed with Mr. Randall that where it could be done with cattle it could be done with sheep. If they could increase the value of the straw by feeding it and treading it in and thus obtaining ammonia, it was certainly preferable to throwing it on the land unconsuraed and unused. Mr. BoococK talked about all sorts of things but the use of straw, and votes of thanks were passed to Mr, Longman and the Chairman, ESSEX CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. THE MILITIA— LA.ND TENURE. At a general meeting, Mr. J. Round, M-P., in the chair, Mr. YouNGMAN asked whether any reply had been received from the magistrates to the memorial presented from the Chamber to ascertain their opinion as to the value of highway hoards ? Mr. Bentall answered that the memorial had been pre- sented, but he had received no reply. The Chairman said that at the last Quarter Session he moved that the memorial be received — he did not move that it he adoptc'I — and Col. Brise seconded it, hut the proposition was negatived. Mr. James Pertwee then read a paper on The de- sirability of the Militia being called up at a more con- venient time of the year. He said : I feel that I have ap- proached an important subject, and the more I have given it consideration so much the more its importance has been made manifest to me. I am quite sure that the neces- sity for a change in the time hitherto appointed by the Secretary of >State for calling out the militia for their training is so palpable to every employer of labour, that it is a fit sub- ject for discussion by a Chamber of Agriculture. Now, the subject is of considerable importance to three classes of the community ; as it affects and seriously interferes with the farmer and employer of labour ; it aflFects the labourers them- selves ; and last, though not least, it affects the public at large. I will, therefore, endeavour to divide the question before us briefly into three parts. In the first place it will not be diffi- cult to show how it interferes with the labour upon the farm at one of the most critical times of the year ; for, gentlemen, we know, as farmers, that upon the spring of the year mainly de- pends the future harvest ; and wliile we, of course, acknowledge the hand of Providence in everything, still experience teaches us that much is done by cultivation, and that he who is content to depend upon the clouds and the sunshine will probably reap notliing but weeds. Then I contend that if anything can be done to assist nature in producing the crop the greater part of it is to be done in the spring — that is, before the month of May is out, just at the present time of calling out tlie militia. If therefore the Secretary of State could he convinced of the desi- rability of appointing a more convenient season for training the militia we should liave the labour and services of these men — for the greater part of them in the regiments in this county are agricultural labourers — at the time when they are most required upon the land. Let us, then, glance at the loss to the employer. Suppose each man would hoe 13 acres in the month he is on militia duty, by removing 1,000 men you leave unhoed 12,000 acres of wheat. Presuming, then, that half are from towns, we have tliis result — taking GO, 000 as agricul- tural labourers — that 720,000 acres of corn are unhoed. And surely we are entitled to some consideration in the matter, when the whole flood of the speeches of M.P.'s and other gen- tlemen at agricultural gatherings have been turned upon the labourer, and when the hinges of the agricultural and commer- cial interests are creaking and groaning under the weight of an unreasonable demand of very high wages for a very little work. I will not, however, go any further with the question of labour, because it might afford a topic for discussion at some future meeting of the Chamber, but will proceed with the se- cond part of my subject. The rank and file of the militia are for the most part composed of young single men who do not get permanent employment, but live as best they can during the greater part of the winter ; and when work upon the land is slack some of them find employment with thrashing-machines and occasional odd jobs, and some, I am afraid, by poaching, &c., or perhaps 'something worse. Whence, then, comes the good of the hue and cry after education andjbetter housing of the poor, if we neglect to do the best we can for them when young ? Is it not better to teach the boy to be honest and to respect his character than to punish the man for dishonesty ? These young men must suffer to a considerable extent, because they lose the advantages of good earnings, and when every one of them could find employment at the higliest rate of wages, as most of the hoeing and weeding are done by piece-work, and the days are long ; besides which, by being called out when 514 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. work is scarce, they would get at least a month's provisions when they might be hard up. I estimate the loss to each man at least £1 lor the month. By such arrangement both the em- ployer and employed would be benefited, and the force would not get into disrepute as it is likely to do to some extent if the men continue to be drawn from employment as hitherto. I might very well say that the force has already felt the griev- ance, fori am informed that it is 20,000 less than in 1871. I shall be most likely met with the argument that although no alteration has been made in the time for calling out tlie militia from its first formation, it would appear somewhat strange that we had not found out the grievance until now ; but it is well known that the expenses of the occupation of land having so much increased of late, and appear to be continually moving in the same direction, that we must endeavour to look se- riously iuto the matter, and see when and where we may lay out our money to any advantage. 1 wish to have it understood that I am not raismg the question because I entertain a dis- like to soldiers of tlie militia or any other of the forces, for I have been in the volunteers myself; and it is my opinion that every man ought to be trained as a soldier : it teaches him to obey command, it teaches him respect to superiors, and it teaches him to defend his country. I now come to the third and last part of my subject — that is, as to how far and in what way the public are interested in the matter. If, therefore, it is to be shown that the daily bread or meat of the pubHc is in any small way affected, increased, or diminished by the time of calling up the militia, our time will not have been wasted. Many of you have read what Swift said in his " Gulliver's Travels ;" he gave it for his opinion that " whoever could make two ears of corn or two blades of grass grow where only one grew beiore would deserve better of mankind, and do a more essential ser- vice to his country than the whole race of politicians put toge- ther." How, then, is this to be done, if done at all, without the aid of labour, in addition to favourable weather ? If we cannot have the advantage of the labourer at the proper time, tlie spring work gets behind, and the whole of the machinery of farming is thrown out of gear ; and, again, the root crops suffer, which must necessarily affect the meat of the public. Surely this is worthy of some consideration by us all. i have endeavoured to condense my ideas upon the subject as much as possible, in order to give time for the next very important dis- cussion upon the paper, which is one of great interest. I thank you for the attention you have given to me. One class of the community is still left untouched, that is the officers of the militia regiments ; although not a large body of men, they are an inlliieutial and important one. What shall we say to Ihem ? We will ask them to give us some good and valid reason for not interfering with their arrangements, faihng which I am of opinion that they should be prepared to make some sacrifice for a public good, which I hope to have succeeded in showing would result from some early month — about February or March — being appointed for drill. I conclude by proposing " That the chairman be requested to present a petition from this Chamber to the Secretary of State for War, praying that he will take iuto consideration the advisability of appointing a more convenient month for calling out the mihtia." In answer to a question Mr. Pertwee fixed March as a more suitable month. Mr. T, S. Western said he had no objection to that propo- sition, and thought it very harmless in its way. The Lord- Lieutenant was asked to ascertain the time least inconvenient to the county of the six summer months. The answer was sent to the Secretary of State, and it was generally lound that about the end or middle of April was the most convenient. That was a time when the militia were called out all over Eng- land, and he presumed, generally speaking, it was thought the best time of the year for the farmer. He mentioned tliat they were only on duty 28 days each year, and it would be the ob- ject of the Government perhaps to have them in training on the long days to give them as much drilling as possible. He tliought they ouglit to name in that statement some time and get opinion as to that time. Mr. Hemi'son, as a practical farmer, considered labour was in quite as great demand, and even more so, in March than in April. If they had a dry March they wanted all the hands they could get. Mr. W. M. TuFNELL said if that resolution was to stand there should be some discussion upon it, and some conclusion arrived at on the part of the meeting, because if that resolu- tion was to have effect with the authorities it should receive the unanimous voice of the Chamber. They must expect that that would not be an isolated representation, but would be fol- lowed or accompanied by others throughout England. He thought they were bound to come to some decision as to what time they considered the most convenient to call out the militia. Two opinions had at present been given. Of course they must expect the authorities would not be able to take exclusively one view or other. Tliey would say they would be very glad to hear what in their opinion was the time when labour could be most easily dispensed with, but they must bear in mind the exigencies of the service, and the time when the military operations could be best carried out. Mr. Beown said the most suitable time to the farmer would be February. He quite thought with Mr. Hempson that March was one of the most important months of the year. Mr. Pertwee said he should have suggested February, but he did not like to go so far. It was suggested any month between October and March. They should be called up in one of the four short months. Mr. Joseph Smith said he generally held a different opinion to other people, and perhaps he did on that subject. He looked upon the militia movement as an unmitigated evil from begin- ning to end. It was injurious to the morals of the men, inju- rious to the farmers, who could not spare the men, and he thought it was injurious to the ratepayers, who had the re- sponsibility of caring for the wives and children of the men while away. They left the training worse men than when they went up, and were a nuisance when they came home, de- moralising their fellow-workmen. That was the result of ob- servation he had been able to make during 20 years. He be- lieved it altogether opposite to the spirit of the New Testa- ment, which they professed to uphold. Mr. Bkanwhite quite agreed that the month of March was inconvenient for calling out the militia, but they must leave the time very much in the hands of the Secretary of State for War. The long days and fine weather might be pre- ferred for their training, but if they wanted to train a man to make a soldier, and accustom him to hardships, the winter months would serve the purpose. The men seldom commenced duties until seven in the morning, and left off at five in the evening, and a short day would suffice for that. With Mr. Smith he did consider that the militia tended to demoralise their agricultural labourers. And if the Government did not support this force so much, but extended a little more favour to the volunteer forces, he thought it would benefit the country in every respect. Most of them connected with boards of guardians had perhaps received a singular circular asking the boards to petition Parliament to amend an act relating to their agricultural parishes. The section to which he referred freed every soldier from the responsibility of illegitimate chil- dren, or of his wife and children, and they could not recover a debt from a soldier beyond a cereain sum. The militia and even the volunteers might be brought into this categoiy, for if an officer attached to his forces a militia or volunteer regiment they could then enjoy the same immunities. It was hard that the ratepayers should have to support the families of the men while in training, which was often the case. At the next meet- ing he would bring forward that subject, and petition Parlia- ment to have it altered. In conclusion he said that either of the four winter months would be far more preferable for the training of the militia. Mr. Webb proposed an amendment to the effect that they be called out between the months of October and March. Mr. BKAJiWHiTE seconded this. Col. Bkise said he would not occupy the time of the meet- ing in answering Mr. Smith, for it was known he took a very extreme view of that question, as he did against standing armies and military men of any kind. What had been said by Mr. Branwhite deserved some consideration. First, he said the militia was demoralising to the agricultural community. He (Col. Brise) did not mean to say the militiamen, as a class, were superior to any men in the same position of life, but he did say that Mr. Branwhite's argument would have been much more true if uttered fifteen or twenty years ago. For upwards of twenty years he had commanded a militia regiment in that county, and he had seen — and every one had seen — a most visible improvement in the condition and habits of the militiamen. He contended they were very much improved, and although there might be excep- tions, the great majority were most respectable men, and re- spectable members of the community. The system of the THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 515 militia had nothing iu it to demoralise a man, and if any were demoralised tliey were demoralised before joining the regiment. Referring to tlie remark of Mr. Banwhite as to the expense entailed on the ratepayers, the gallant colonel said that expense was quite unnecessary and not required. The pay of a militia- man averaged 15s. per week, and he could see no reason why they should not be able to maintain their families as well as when tliey were at home. He quite agreed with Mr. Pertwee's resolution, and he should be very glad if the Government would have them out earlier. He had always endeavoured to ascertain the feelings of the people as to the best time, and he recommended to the Lord-Lieutenant that it should be earlier, but the interests of the Government, and the interests of the State, and the interests of the agriculturists were at variance, and they must have the men out on the longest days. They would not call them out in October, November, or the short months, and they said the only time was the sis summer months, and they said they wanted to know which month was the most convenient to them. They had great difficulty in preventing many regiments being called out in hay time and harvest. As far as he (could gather no time was more suitable in the agricultural districts in those six months than April. If it was the wish that the resolution should be car- ried, he should be most happy to support it. It would always be his desire to stand up for the agricultural interest, and do what he could for the ratepayers, and he would do what he could to have the militia trained at the most convenient season to tliem. The Eev. F. A. S. Fane asked whether a militiaman re- ceived 14s. or 15s. per week in hard cash, or how much was available for his wife and family ? Col. Bktse : A good deal of it, but he said he did not know how much. Mr. Fane said as the cost of the wives and families too often fell on the boards of guardians they wished to ascertain how much they could spare to keep their wives and families at home. Colonel Brise mentioned one case in which a man, when spoken to by him, offered to send home 7s. or 8s. per week. Mr. Fane : We have no power to make them pay that. Colonel Brise : You con recover a kan. Mr. Welsh withdrew his amendment, and Mr. Pertwee's resolution was put in the following form : " That the chair- man be requested to present a petition from this Chamber to the Secretary of State for War, praying that he will take into consideration the advisability of calling out the militia on one of the four winter mouths," which was carried. Mr. HiLLiAED read the following paper on Land Tenure: It occurred to me wliile listening to the able discussion upon the free transfer of land which took place in this Chamber in the spring of this year, that the question of the tenure of land was full of interest and of great importance in the present day ; and moreover, as it is a questiion now engaging much public attention, I thought it should be considered by this Chamber, and having so expressed myself to a member of your aouncil, I am before yon to-day to open the discussion with a short paper on the Tenure of Land. I certainly did not thus expect to be taken at my word, and I venture therefore to ask your kind indulgence. I do not propose to go back to the early history of the tenure of land; to the age of feudalism, when the nobles and proprietors formed one part of the com- munity and the retainers and dependants the other portion ; which latter existed only on the charity or will of the higher grade and were merely the slaves of the lord ; but rather to confine myself to the question as it affects us iu the present day. In treating of this question, I wish to say at the outset that I entirely deprecate any movement which would tend in any degree to mihtate against the position of the landlord as owner of the soil, or curtail those privileges, rights, and advantages which now justly attach to his position as such. I look upon the resident landed gentry, when alive to their privileges and duties, as an immense power for good in tliis country, and I should be the last person to advocate any movement that would lessen their true and legitimate influence. I tliink it right to say this much because there has been in some quarters a dis- position to endeavour to set class against class, and a desire to insist upon the rights of one irrespective of those of the other —a line of action I hold to be altogether reprehensible, for if there be one thing imperative in the consideration of this question it is that it should be divested of all class interest, and approached in a fair, unbiassed spirit, seeking to arrive at such a conclusion as shall be fair, equitable, and satisfactory to both landlord and tenant. We have, then, the landowner in possession of the land, and which ho is either unable or un- willing to cultivate himself, and we have the tenant who is willing to occupy and use such land, and by the application of skill and capital to become the manufacturer of food for the community, and the question for our consideration is, under what terms and conditions such a relationship can most satis- factorily exist. Land is for the most part held under lease, or yearly agreement, or from year to year without an agreement. There can be no doubt in the present day that successful farm- ing is becoming more and more a question of the judicious application of sufficient capital to the soil, and the old calcu- lations as to the necessary amount of capital per acre are much below the mark, and when we call to mind the amount of capital employed in agriculture we may reahze the magnitude of the question, and the importance and desirability of arriving at some conclusion as to what is the best tenure for all parties interested. I propose first to consider yearly tenancies, either with or without agreement. It is contended by some that a yearly tenancy is the best arrangement for the landlord, and, with compensation clauses, not against the tenant. Some of the apparent advantages of a yearly tenancy to a landlord I presume may be taken to be the following : 1st. A bad tenant can be easily got rid of. 2nd. Should the owner desire to sell his land he can more readily do so with possession. 3rd. It is contended that under a yearly agreement a landlord retains more control over liis tenantry generally, whether for political, social, or local influence. It must be admitted that there is some truth in the first two propositions. In answer to the first I would say, don't accept a bad tenant, be more particular as to the class of man you take, for after all it is the man of character and capital that is wanted, and having secured such a tenant there will be no desire to get rid of him. 2ndly. An owner contemplating an early sale would not be disposed to let his land; and brdly, I cannot believe that a landlord's influence at all depends upon the terms of the holdings of his tenants ; but to be an influence worth having, it must be based upon a much sounder foundation than yearly agreements — namely, the respect which worth of character only can com- mand. As to the advantages to a tenant of a yearly tenancy, I confess I cannot enumerate them, except there may be one, and that is he can give a landlord notice to quit, and so get out of a bad farm ; but of the disadvantages I know something, and by way of illustration I would put the following case of a yearly tenant who is farming under an agreement which entitles him to compensation for unexhausted improvements upon quitting. He took his farm out of condition, he has drained it, kept a large quantity of stock upon it, consumed cake and corn upon it, and by good management, coupled with a large outlay of capital, has brought it into a first-rate state of cultivation. A misunderstanding arises between the land- ord and himself and he receives notice to quit. Will any one contend that under any ordinary system of compensation he can fairly be recouped for his outlay ? Will any one assert that any valuer can obtain for him any adequate compensation. I believe it to be impossible, and so the tenant vacates his farm leaving his capital in the land to benefit the landlord, who will get an increase of rent, and also the succeeding tenant, who will reap the fruit of his predecessor's good farming. A yearly tenant has no security, and therefore has no inducement to employ his capital in an undertaking from which he may at any time be expelled without any adequate remedy, and I have never yet met with a scale of compensation that can fully meet the case of a yearly tenant compelled to leave a farm which he has been cultivating highly. Having briefly considered yearly tenancies I proceed to the question of leases. Some of the advantages of a lease to a landlord I be- lieve to be the following : He secures a tenant for a term of years, and so is relieved from the annoyance and trou- ble of frequent changes; he also secures, or he can or should secure, men of character and capital who are willing to invest money in his property; he can bargain under his lease that his land shall be well culti- vated and the buildings and premises properly repaired, and his estate consequently improved. It saves the landlord from finding the capital for the necessary cultivation and improve- ment of the land ; and generally ensures an increased rental at the end of the term ; and it contributes to the establish- ment of a good understanding with his tenantry. The advantages of a lease to a tenant is first of all security, au 316 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. assurance that lie will have a cliance of getting some return for the capital and skill he has invested in the property of another. It enables him to secure a business and a home for years, and to form those associations in connection therewith which are ever dear to Ene^lishmen. It induces him to take an active interest in local affairs, and so begets an interest in and attachment to the neighbourhood where he resides. It secures liim from undue and unfair interference on the part of the landlord or agent, and it 8-ives him a freedom and inde- pendence which lie cannot enjoy under any other kind of tenure. Such briefly are some of the advantages of leases. I am quite aware that upon some of the heriditary estates of England leases are unknown, and that upon them tenants have lived in the same farms for generations, and a good un- derstanding has always prevailed, greatly to the honour of tiie owners, but such cases are exceptional. There are noble- men of the present day, such as Lord Lichfield and the Earl of Leicester, who have recognised the right of their tenantry to have security for their captital, and have done a great ser- vice to the tenant-farmers of England, in not only advocating leases, but in giving much time and thought to the form of leases they have prepared. Sir John Pakiugton, addressing the Worcester Chamber of Agriculture, not long since upon the subject of the tenure of land, said what the faimers wanted was security, and the honourable baronet expressed in the word security exactly what the tenant-farmers require. And I ask, how can that security be given but by the granting of leases ? You may tell me that in dealing with gentlemen a yearly tenant is quite safe. He may be so as long as no difference arises. But should the man who finds the capital, the energy, and skill to improve the property of another be in such a position ? Is he not fairly entitled to sav, " Give me some assurance that I may have the time and opportunity to repay myself for the outlay I am going to make." I assume you have gathered before this that I am the advocate of leases, and as I shall conclude with a resolution to that effect, I perhaps ought before I conclude to say a few words upon tiie subject of leases generally ; but before doing so I desire to say there are cer- tain exceptional cases where it would not be desirable to grant leases. I allude to parks and other lands, which immediately surround a mansion; for obvious reasons an owner would pre- fer that such lauds should be held from year to year. I am the advocate of leases because you cannot give tenants such security as they are entitled to have in any other way. If it be admitted, and I do not think the proposition can be dis- puted, that the basis of successful farming is the judicious ap- plication of capital to the laud, then I contend, if you expect men of character, with money, to invest it in the soil, that soil being the property of others, you must hold out to them some reasonable hope that they shall enjoy for a certain time the possession of the laud, and give them the opportunity of obtaining in the end a fair return for their outlay. First, then, as to the term. I think this should not be less than 14 years, perhaps 21 years would be better, and for this reason, that a tenant with such a term would have a reasonable time to re- coup himself for the outlay of capital made at the commence- ment of the occupation, and with such a length of terra there would be no necessity to import into the lease compensation covenants for unexhausted improvements. I confess I see some difficulty in establishing a right to compensation for unexhausted improvements under a lease, and therefore I ad- vocate the longer term. But I am strongly of opinion that where only short leases or yearly agreements prevail, there should be liberal compensation clauses for improvements ; not that I think they will meet the question, but they would be some guarantee to the tenant that he would get some allow- ance upon a forced' quitting of his occupation. lu letting farms we are met every day with tliis observation : " Give me a good long lease and 1 don't mind draining this field or making that road, or putting up a new shed, or other improve- ment." And it appears to me to be in accordance with com- mon sense to offer a man good security before you ask him to part with his money. I am further the advocate of liberal covenants, that a tenant should be allowed to farm in accord- ance with good husbandry during the lease, except in the last four years of the terra, when the four-course system should be enforced. There should be a clause to entitle the landlord at any time during the term to the right of going on and seeing as to the due cultivation of the farm, with a right of compel- ling a reference to arbitration if the farm be not properly used, giving the arbitrator power to put an end to the tenancy upon sufficient grounds, and in liis discretion, with damages. The tenant would have liberty of action and the landlord would be protected ; and with the farm managed on the four-course shift during the four last years of the term it would be left in a proper condition for re-letting. Here let me repeat that which I liave slightly alluded to before — namely, that the selection of the tenant is the most important question after all. Your lease or your agreement will be but a poor security against a bad man. Secure men of character and capital, and, having got them, deal with them liberally. With such men you need not fear if you find your land drained, and with plenty of well-fed stock upon it you need not consult the covenants of the lease. A tenant cannot damage a landlord without himself suffering loss ; and if due care be exercised in the selection of the tenants no landlord need withold a lease. There is one question in connection with this subject that I desire to draw especial attention to, and that is the negotiation for re-hiring of farms under lease. I think it would be most desirable to entertain the question of the re-hiring of a farm under lease much earlier than it is now the practice to do. I think it should be entertained four years before the expiration of the term, for the plan of putting it off until the last year is altogether bad. Of course with a bad tenant the question of re-hiring would not arise, but with a good tenant it wouIq be most desirable to agree for another term, and it would obviate the careless niggardly management that often occurs towards the cud of a lease ; and which a tenant in many cases is forced to adopt because he does not know whether he shall continue the occjpation at the end of his present lease. It would be no obstacle to the landowners ob- taining an increase of rent if circumstances warranted it, and it would, I think, in a great measure prevent the present sys- tem of a tenant taking all out of the land before the expiration of the lease for fear he should not have the farm again. As to whether such an engagement could be incorporated into a lease for the sake of security to the tenant I am not prepared to say. I throw out this suggestion, as I venture to think it not an impossible way of providing against a difficulty. The question of game must of necessity be considered in settling the terms of a lease, but as this question has been debated in this Chamber I will only make a passing allusion to it. I hold that a proprietor has an undoubted right to retain the sporting over his own property ; but then if he will keep a large head of game to be destructive to the tenant's crops I think he must adopt one of two alternatives — either grant a very liberal compensation clause for game damages, or release his tenant, and farm the land himself. It is the unfair, im- moderate preservation of game for haitves that tenants object to, and not without reason ; but where only a fair head of winged game is preserved (the tenants having the right to destroy rabbits) I have scarcely ever found any difficulty. There are many other considerations bearing upon this impor- tant suljject which might be noticed, but as this short paper is intended only as introductory to the discussion, I do not pro- pose to take up the time of the Chamber any longer. Indeed I have already, I fear, taken up too much time in opening the question for discussion to-day. I have only to apologise to you for the very imperfect way in which I have done so : indeed they are only a few thoughts jotted down in the midst of pressing business occupations. I have further to thank you for the patience with which you have listened to me. In con- clusion, I would say briefly I advocate the letting of land upon lease, because I believe leases are advantageous both to the landlord and tenant; — they are the best means of securing to the landowners the best class of tenants, men of character and capital, and so improving their estates ; and I believe tiiey are the only means whereby the tenants can obtain real security for the capital and skill they invest in the occupation of land. I beg to move the following resolution : — ' That in the opinion of this Chamber it is desirable that laud should generally be let upon lease." Mr. Pertwee seconded this. Mr. Hempson said Mr. Hilliard had left out one thing. They would agree with him that if the public were to be fed — if more corn and more meat was to be produced, it must be done by lease. A man felt afraid to invest his capital under the present state of tenancies. After referring to the present unsatisfactory conditions of tenancy, he said tliey were subject to disadvantages not experienced in commercial and other matters. As a rule valuers of land knew nothing of THE FAilMER'3 MAGAZINE. )17 the nature of tlic soil, whereas when raeu valued for other trades tliey knew their hiisiness. Mr. W. E. Bear said Mr. Billiard by his resolution had placed them rather in a diflicnlty. They must have compensa- tion for unexhausted improvements, whicli Mr. llilliard did not seem to entertain at all in his paper. Wlien he came there he did not suppose the resolution would contain everything he could agree to, but it did not go far enough. He drew up tiie following amendment : " That in order to secure to tenant-farmers tlieir property invested in the estates of their landlords, and to encourage them increasingly to develop the resources of the soil to the benefit of landlords, farmers and consumers alike, it was necessary that notwith- standing any contract or agreement to the contrary the out- going tenant should be entitled by law to compensation from tlie landlord for the uue.\hausted value of all improvements effected by him during his tenancy, and that on the other hand he sliould be liable for any deterioration caused by his misman- agement or neglect ; and this Chamber further desires to suggest that, in order to preclude a possible point of dispute the word ' improvement' shall be defined to mean anything whicli increases, and ' deterioration' anything which diminishes the letting of a farm." If Mr. Hilliard would consent it might be put as a rider to his resolution, as something further than leases was wanted. Leases had been tried for generations, and found to be wanting. [Mr. Bear was about to read some arguments, but tliis being questioned by Col. Brise, the chair- man ruled that, unless in introducing a subject, all arguments must be orally advanced.] Mr. Bear continued that Mr. Hilliard thought leases would be quite sufficient to indemnify tenant-farmers for all expenditure. The system was very well as far as it went, but lie argued that unless supported by a provision for compensation it failed. A man generally took a farm, perhaps for twenty or fourteen years, in a poor condition. The first four years was spent in getting it in good condition, and during the last four years he exhausted the soil of what he put on it. So in that fourteen years the laud was pro- ducing more than half the time much below what it might be under the most favourable circumstances. He had never met with any compensation sufiicient to pay a tenant for the im- provement made. What they wanted was to have a scale of compensation fixed by law for improvements made. He argued that a long lease would not meet the case, and they could not always get a renewal of a lease four years before, and therefore, as John Patten recommended, they wanted com- pensation. Mr. HiLLiAKD declined to accept Mr. Bear's proposition as a rider. Compensation for unexhausted improvements was no part of what he was asked to consider. What he dealt with was the tenure of land. He had provided for unexhaustion of the soil by the hiring four years before, and if they were farm- ing well they would liave no difficulty in thus hiring. Mr. Bear intimated that the Central Camber would consider the question of compensation at their next meeting, and if they did not send them a resolution that day they would not know the opinion of the Essex Chamber. If Mr. Hilliard would not admit that as a rider to his resolution he slionld submit it as an amendment, believing it even more important than the question of leases. Mr. YouNGMAN asked whether they could not vote upon Mr. Hilliard's resolution, and then have a resolution of Mr. Bear's afterwards, but the chairman ruled that it could only be put as an amendment, as notice must be given of an original proposition. Mr. Squier seconded Mr. Bear's amendment. Mr. Hart thought if Mr. Hilliard could get them such a lease as he advised it would be settled at once, but he was afraid they could not get all those rights as tenants. After speaking of legal compensation, known in other counties as Tenant-llight, he said the question was, what were they to do when they could not get such a lease as Mr. Hilliard recom- mended P The word " security" comprehended it all. The commercial man must have security, but under the system of leases they were denied it in Essex. He advised that leases should be supplemented by what worked so remarkably well in other counties — Tenant-Right, by which they could recover for improvements effected on the farm. Mentioning that the bulk of the county was composed of heavy clay, he said the cultivator did not think of getting more out of the soil than by mere surface draining. Near the large towns, where the 8oil was more highly cultivated, the old custom was really working into a sort of Tenant-llight. Under the present system, as a man went in a farm so he must come out, or if he left it in a belter state of cultivation he lost the benefit of it. He held that if they could establish that system of Tenant- Right so far as unexhausted capital was concerned it would be of great benefit. At present, the first four years they were engaged putting on the land and the last four in exhausting it. The circumstances of the time did not allow that they could keep the soil in an improved state. Under their usual lease tenants did not make that improvement that tliey would wish to make as occupiers. The question was whether they could get the necessary security for unexhausted improvements in auj other way than by compensation. Speaking of the grant- ing long leases, he thought the owners of the soil would have a reluctance to part for so many years with their land, and he thought it would be well to incorporate in the lease a condition by which the owner and cultivator could mutually agree to a two year's notice to terminate an agreement, and in the long run it would act very beneficial to them. Mr. Pasu objected to the remarks of Mr. Bear that the question of compensation should been considered by Mr. Hilliard iii his paper. Mr. Hilliard kept with great closeness to his subject on the tenure of land, and the brevity and clear- ness with which he gave them his opinion as to the best form of tenancy was entitled to the greatest consideration, for from his extensive practice and his knowledge of the farmer's busi- ness he had great opportunities of judging. Mr. Pash then referred to the position a tenant would be placad in if a farm which he held should be sold and if no arrangement could be come to between the purchaser and the tenant. lie took the case of a man about to liire premises that needed a great deal of capital laid out on them, and argued that a landlord should iiot let premises in a tumble-down condition unless he gave the tenant a lease to recoup him for any money laid out. That was the plan he thought should be adopted in farming. They ought all to be in favour of leases, but as to compensation it rested entirely between the person hiring and the person let- ting. It would be an infringement upon a man's property that he should be obliged to let liis farm subject to Tenant-Right. It would be very bad for a landlord to pay what might be im- provements on a tenant leaving, but which he did not want at all. Mr. Smith said Mr. Hilliard recommended a lease which all would be glad to get and farm upon. It was very good as a recommendatiou,but was impossible to be carried out. They could not get a renewal of lease four years before it terminated. Therefore unless there was some system of compensation he felt that that subject would he rather imperfectly handled. In the interest of the tenant-farmer the tenant should be paid for any permanent improvement either in the shape of increased charge of rent or in the permanent value of the premises. Land had wonderfully improved during the last 30 years, which, he contended, was almost wholly due to the energy and intelligence of the tenant-farmer and not to the owner. They ought to look at it rather more from a tenant's point of view. He continued that landlords and tenants should feel that they rowed in the same boat, and it should be the interests of land- lords to secure good tenants, and not to interfere with them in the way they often did. He did not think the subject would be thoroughly handled unless something like a rider was put to the present proposition of Mr. Hilliard's, to the effect that the tenant should be repaid for what permanent improvements he had made at the termination of his lease. He also spoke of the system of high farming the first few years, and the plan of exhaustion at the latter part of the lease, and urged that this should be guarded against by the tenant feeling that he would have a claim on the money he had ex- pended. Mr. Barnard did not see that they should expect com- pensation. If they bought bullocks they would not expect compensation if they went down with the foot-and-mouth dis- ease. He argued that when tenants had the offer of a farm they thought it a favour, they were afraid to speak their minds, seemed as though they must accept the offer, no matter on what condition, and so they made bargains. They did not go about it in a business way, and he did not believe compensa- tion would make any difference. Mr. HoLTON asked whether if they laid out some thousands of pounds on acres of land were they to receive nothing of what they had laid out. He referred to hocseholders who were paid for an increase ia the value of the premises they 518 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. occupied, and why should not the same consideration be awarded to holders of land P Saying he did not believe alto- gether in voluntary acts, he thought if some fixed system was arrived at it would be better for them. Mr. R^ELSH asked if yearly tenants could not be paid for improvements, and if so were not long leases unnecessary. He preferred a yearly tenancy if they got a good landlord. [Cries of " If, if."] He and his father and grandfather before him farmed on a yearly tenancy. Mr. YouNGMAN felt somewhat the difficulties of Mr. Bear. He did not wish to say one word against the proposition, but they wanted to go a little further. They would have to get compensation. They were told they were freemen, and might make any bargain they liked. Of course they might, but he held that inducement was for the tenant to expend his capital on the land, and with an ordinary lease he had no power of getting it back. A man had no more right to the money of a tenant there than if he put his hand in his pocket. There were landlords who would grant compensation. A compensa- tion clause was wanted to protect the men against landlords, who would injure the tenants and injure the country, and they wanted the greatest amount of protection possible. The coun- try wanted everything that could be produced. With a tho- rough compensatiou clause more than half the farms of the country would produce more than they now did. There were specimens of good farming in the country, but a man would be a fool to farm as Mr. Mechi did if he were to farm without a provision for compensation. How was the country to be fairly treated if the land was to be held under the old feudal system? — under conditions which limited its production, while at the same time the tenant stood at great expense. How was it possible for agriculturists to go on contentedly ? The tenants wanted protection. They had been cautioned against setting class against class, and he hoped they would take care to do nothing of that kind. There was nothing in the shape of setting landlord against tenant. A reasonable com- pensation clause would be of advantage as much to the land- lord as to the tenant, and also to the country in meat and corn. The country could never have the full benefit from the land without such a clause. Of course they had liberty to a certain extent, but how little liberty they had as a class to use their own common sense in hiring. They had heard much about liberty, but it was a mockery without that liberty was estab- lished at the fountain head. So long as there was such a mo- nopoly of land no leases or regulations would be found suffi- cient. They must have a legislative protection. He did not mean to say anything against landlords. The country wanted all they could produce, but the tenant was not in a position to do that, finding he could not recoup himself towards the close of his lease. Farmers farmed up for tlie first period and down the last of their term of lease, and damaged the land perhaps irre- trievably for the next tenant and for the country ; and lie thought that a good reason for a compensation clause, by which no landlord would be the worse and the country would be the better. Mr. J. S. Gardiner thought if they had compensation added to the lease they would have nothing to object to. He M'as quite satisfied that the compensation added to the lease was quite necessary, Cases occurred before their eyes day after day of estates being sold, yearly tenants existed upon these large estates, and they had to quit on six months' notice, the tenants were turned adrift, leaving perhaps the bulk of their capital behind. They wanted legislation to prevent that system of robbery, for he maintained it was a system of robbery. After reminding them that he once introduced the question of Tenant- Right to the Chamber, on which a resolution was passed una- nimously, he said there must be some enactment to give the tenant a claim against the landlord for any funds he might have spent in the improvement of his farm. A farmer might put money on the soil, knock down fences, and bring waste ground into cultivation, and yet he had no claim to compensa- tion. It was all very well to say that they had opportunities of making a bargain, but the tenant was taken at a disadvan- tage ; he was not on an equal footing, and so not in a position to demand just and equal right. He urged that unless they had a compensation clause the owner had the opportunity to say, " If you don't like to take it on these conditions some one else will." That enabled him to carry a lease highly objec- tionable. M. TuFNELX would have been more satisfied if a clause re- garding compensatiou had beea added to the resolution, He thought Mr. Hilliard gave a very good reason for not making any mention of compensation at present, because he had given some consideration to the subject, but had not been able to make up his mind as to how it should be arranged. Mr. Tuf- neU thought the question should now be left for future discus- sion, for it was much better that their resolution should be confined to what Mr. Hilliard had mentioned. A lease was desirable, and they had had a very interesting discussion, but he thought the proposition was sufficiently far to advance on the present question, although there was much to be said to the observations of Mr. Bear and others upon the question of giving security, and he thought it a good suggestion for future discussion. Regarding Mr. Welsh's question as to compensa- tion to yearly tenants, he (Mr. Tufnell) thought it impossible to ensure such compensation to a yearly tenant. Speaking of of the general system of leases for 21 years, he said landlord and tenant might be on perfect good terms, but in that long time lives might pass away, and others intervene and make it inconvenient that they should continue together. He agreed that the present system of leases was unsatisfactory, and they wanted something by which the whole system might be ar- ranged on a satisfactory footing. He agreed with Mr. Smith that tenants had employed their abilities in improving the soil in the face of difficulties and disadvantages, but the landlords might be credited to some extent with doing their duty in the matter. He accounted for the improved value of land by the general prosperity of the country, whereby people had made money, and when a man had money he had a natural desire to get land. It was attributable to the increase of the number of men with money. Col. Brise said they all wished landlords would come up to the principles recommended by Mr. Hilliard, and if they did they would hear no more of that subject and nothing 'further of any compensation for the improvement, but because they were intolerant and independent ^landlords that question of Tenant-Right had arisen. They were not there to discuss that question to-day. He was most anxious to hear what Mr. Bear had to say, as he knew he had written an able article on that question in the Fortuifjhily Review. Mr. Bear talked of vitiating an agreement between landlord and tenant in pro- posing to override any private agreement. So far he should disagree with him. He agreed that compensation should be given, but advised the institution of local courts of arbitration for the county to which tenants could refer on leaving their occupations. Mr. Smitu explained that he had no intention of making any remarks offensive to landlords, but the land had increased in value from 30 to 40 per cent, largely through the industry and intelligence of the tenants. Mr. Bear denied that he wished to set landlords against tenants. What he advocated was as much for landlord as tenant, and they would have seen that had he been allowed to read his paper. He contended they left out the essential part of the question if they left out compensation. The Chairman said with regard to the militiamen, some of the men had 20s. to SOs. to take at the end of the training, besides their weekly pay. With regard to the question of land tenure, he advised that Mr. Bear should submit his sub- ject of compensation for discussion at the next meeting. Mr. Hilliard having replied, Mr. Bear, at the request of the members, withdrew his amendment, and promised to bring it forward at the next meeting, and Mr. HiUiard's resolution was then carried. THE FARM LABOURERS' MOVEMENT. — A great scheme is in preparation by some friends of the agricultural labourer, who despair of any really satisfactory settlement of the land question in England, by which immediate practical and most attractive facilities will be provided for the emigra- tion of at least half a million of the cream of our agricultural labouring population, A band of labourers left Leamington this week for New Zealand, and another batch is ready for Queensland, making between 200 and 300 who have emigrated from this town during the last few months. — The Labourers^ Union Chronicle. A FARMERS' UNION.— The Kentish farmers are esta- blishing a County Farmers' Union, for the purpose of " taking combined action in self defence, and to protect any non- union labourers from intimidation." This step has been taken in consequence of " the threatening aspect presented by the Agricultural Labourers' Union." THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE, 519 EAST SUFFOLK CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE, At a meeting at Ipswich, the President, Col. Tomline, M.P., in the chair, Mr. W. S. Grijiwade proposed that a grant of £5 be made from their funds to the Home Cattle Defence Association. Mr. CoRE^vxcE seconded the motion, and said that he knew Mr. Waller very well, and was also able to speak to the good which the Association had done. lie could not, however, un- derstand why the Association had not passed away with the cattle plague. If continued it had, no doubt, some very useful work before it. Mr. H. BiDDELL said he also could not understand why the Home Cattle Defence Association had not ceased when the Chamber of Agriculture was formed. The Chamber was the proper Cattle Defence Association. If it was to depute one portion of its labours to a Local Taxation Committee, another to the Malt-tax Committee, and a third to a Cattle Defence Asssociation, what reason had it for its existence ? His be- lief was that if Mr. Waller threw his energies, so well directed, into the work in connection with the Chamber of Agriculture the benefit must be much greater. However, he had no doubt that Mr. Grimwade had thought the matter out very carefully, and although £5 notes did not roll in so fast but that the Chamber could find use for them, he (Mr. Biddell) should not offer a decided objection to the proposal. Mr. CoRRANCE said the Central Chamber of Agriculture had not done this particular kind of work. The Secretary, Mr. Everett, said he thought it a pity the Central Chamber of Agriculture should remit work of this kind to other special organisations, but there was no doubt that a Home Cattle Plague Defence Association was very much needed. The motion was then put, and carried by five votes to four, many members declining to vote. The nest subject was Tenant-Right, and the resolutions that had been sent from the Central Chamber were read. Mr. George Josselyn directed the attention of the Chamber to the latter clause of the first resolution with refer- ence to buildings, drainage, and other improvements. There was a Statute, 14 and 15 Yic, by which tenants erecting buildings or machinery, with the consent of the landlords, at the expiration of their tenancy, the same became their pro- perty, subject to the first offer of them being made to the landlord. He thought the Chamber, in discussing a matter of this sort, would like to be aware of this fact. Mr. Herma:>j Biddell said he feared it might be some time before any one would move these resolutions as a whole. There was one point to which he wished to draw tlie attention of his brother tenant-farmers, and that was whether they -nere ■willing to make themselves liable to pay their landlords for the depreciation and dilapidation of their premises. That was an item which would be rather heavy whenever a change of tenancy took place. He had mentioned the matter at the Central Chamber in London, and he felt that they did not see the full force of all they were asking for. It might be the case that a tenant who was going out might have been neglected by his valuer when he took possession, and the valuer for the incoming tenant would say, " I don't care how you came in ; you subjected yourself to pay for deterioration and dilapidation." He apprehended that valuations under these circumstances would be very heavy. They saw how this worked in the case of the clergy who had to pay heavy sums for repairs. A glebe barn might not have been repaired for 40 years and only fit to be pulled down, yet the clergjman going out of possession had to repair it, whatever the cost. Farmers would put themselves by these resolutions in some such posi- tion as that. Mr. W. GuRDON said he thought an easy agreement might be prepared so as to enable the tenant to recover the value of aU unexhausted improvements. His own lease might be thought a peculiar one ; it was simply a four-years' agreement with a four-years' notice. A tenant under that could, after receiving notice, have four years to work out all that he had put into the land. In Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire the customs were certainly extraordinary, and amounted to a heavy mortgage on the land. In Nottinghamslure, in cases of a lease, the outgoing tenaut, suppose he went out at Michaelmas, was entitled to the wheat crop in the following year. In Suf- folk, the crop of wheat was not taken, but they had to pay for a crop of turnips whether there was any or not. They paid for ploughing, &c., but they had no guarantee that there was a crop. Mr. Gurdon also insisted upon the necessity of making clean farming a cardinal if not tlie only point to be secured by agreements between landlord and tenant. He had had to pay £100 in three years for drawing docks from land on a farm of 200 acres that had been neglected. He advocated the drain- age being done by the landlords, and hinted that it might be rather difficult to value the artificial manures, if they were like some which they had heard of recently from Hull. Mr. W. S. Grijiwade said it seemed to him to be import- ant and highly desirable that something more definite than these resolutions should be drawm out. He expressed a deci- ded preference for lilr. Long's amendment. When he took his farm 30 years ago, he could not get a lease, but he took care to obtain a covenant giving him the right to claim com- pensation for unexhausted improvements. This again was rather a difficult point ; it was not easy to say what were un- exhausted improvements. He liad referred to old leases under the Marquis of Cornwallis which were in force in Suffolk from 50 to 70 years ago, and found in them covenants for un- exhausted improvements. Amongst other things defined were claying and under-draining, which had been done within four years of the end of the term. Mr. Grimwade recommended that along with a covenant giving compensation for unexhausted improvements there should be a defining clause, as, otherw^ise, there might be great difficulties. Lord Mahon, M.P., about the actual line to be drawn with reference to permanent improvements, would not say much, because his (Lord Mahon's) experience of Suffolk was very restricted. He had, however, had some experience with regard to Lincolnshire, and he took part in the discussion at the Central Chamber when the resolutions just read were agreed to. He preferred the first resolution to the second, because, in the first place, he did not think we wanted any Legislative interference on the subject. There was legisla- tion about too many things ; and he thought, as Mr. Grimwade had said, that any man who had got his wits about him could make an agreement to his ow^n advantage. If a man saw that it was not likely to be a favourable agreement to him he was not at all obhged to enter into it. He would not bind himself to anything, because he did not know what Mr. Howard intended to bring forward. At the present time, however, he did not think legislation was required on the subject. It was impossible, in his opinion, to draw a limit which would be apphcable to every county. Farming in Devon and Cornwall was very different to Suffolk. Lincoln and Yorkshire again differed considerably, and it would be ex- tremely difficult to draw up a schedule of what were and wliat were not improvements, and the scale wMch was to be fixed to pay for those improvements. But at the same time he thought most strongly that compensation was required for those un- exhausted improvements, and he believed that it was the custom in this county that it should be so. Of course it was for the interest of the landlord, if there was a lease, to see that in the last four years the farm was not allowed to run out, but it could not be expected that the tenant would keep the farm unless he was sure that at the end of the lease he would receive compensation for im- provements which were not exhausted. He thought the advantage of meeting there and discussing the case was that the landlords eyes would be opened to the necessity of making provision for these agreements. Another reason for preferring the first to the second resolution was that he preferred twelve to six months' notice, which was not mentioned in the second resolution. He considered Mr. Gurdon's lease an excellent one. A four years' lease with four years' notice would undoubtedly meet the many difficulties which had now to be contended with. He also preferred the first resolution because although he was not wholly in favour of compensa- tion for tlie dilapidations and deteriorations being paid to the landlord, still he thought that the Lincolnshire custom of making the tenant liable should be maintained, and there was nothing of that kind in the second resolution, His lordship 520 THE FARMER'S MAGAZIInE. then quoted the Lincolnshire custom as to the heading points : He understood that the Laud Bill which Mr. Gladstone would introduce would make leases compulsory. He did not know that they were particularly wished for, but had often heard it said that confidence in a landlord was better than a lease. He hoped these two points would be brought out, first, tli.it the custom of the country was not uniform ; secondly, that a pro- per distinction for permanent improvements ouglit to be made clear. He thought these two points were practicable and ought to be discussed. Mr. R. L. Everett said there was a great deal of grum- bling by the tenant farmers at the sense of the insecurity which they felt for their capitaL Draining and buildings and the things mentioned in the first resolution appenred to liira to heloug to a large extent to the landlord, if the landlord was only willing to lay out the money. It would not be right for the tenant to make those improvements and afterwards charge the landlord with them. If the landlord did not tliink proper to grant a lease, the tenant would be unwise to make improve- ments of that permanent character, and if he made them sub- ject to the weak interest he had in them, he had no right to ask tliat the law should protect him in such a proceeding. If the landlord did that which was best, granted a lease, tiie tenant would use the best of his judgment and would only lay out as much money as he could get back in his term. But it was not right by law to attempt to put the landlord in the tenant's power. As to smaller improvements, such as arose from the skilful tillage, fattening cattle, putting on manure, &c., it was admitted that the tenant had a right for compen- sation in those matters, and valuers did take them into ac- count in some small degree. They did not take them fully into account, but it appeared to him that it would not be wise to ask for any law relating to this matter, because it was so difficult to assure to the incoming tenant that he would get that for which he would be charged. They could have no security that they were honestly dealt with in paying for manure or cake or corn, but any incoming tenant would be glad to pay if he could be sure that he would be honestly dealt with, inas- much as the money would be paid for the improvement of the land. Still he deprecated allowing tilings to remain as they are ; but thought the best thing would be to lengthen the legal notice to quit from six to eighteen months. Mr. Everett proposed the following resolution: " That there is urgent need for such alteration in the law as shall (in the absence of spe- cial contract) make 18 months instead of six the legal notice to quit the occupation of agricultural land." Viscount Mahon seconded the resolution. Mr. F. S. CoRRANCE, M.P., said the subject had often been discussed before, but there was a certain speciality which had been introduced in tiie resolutions. There were certain abstract propositions, which were more or less open to useful and prac- tical comment. They implied more than appeared on the face of tliem. Did they mean that members of Parliament were therebj requested to give legislative eifect to those resolutions? This was a serious question, because there were several points in the resolutions which were novel. He thought the tenant ought not to be allowed to make improvements at his own ex- pense without the knowledge of the landlord in the first in- stance, and subsequently without his consent. It was per- fectly practicable that the Legislature should attempt to carry this out. It was done already in the Irish Bill, in reference to which some objections just raised were applied. Those ob- jections had been swept away by the assumption that the tenant's good will was worth a certain amount, and that a valuer would go over the farm and see how much improvement had been done in the last four years, and whether anything was due to the tenant or not. The sweeping enactment they passed then made this Tenant-Right worth so many years' rent. Now they had to consider whether they would consent to a bill with sucii a clause as that (" No, no"). Then there were those points which referred to the protection of leases, which he believed were almost universal (" No, no"). They were, he thought, in his own neighbourhood. There might he exceptional cases, in which the landlord reserved the right of letting from year to year. This matter was pointed out in the discussion on the Irish Land Bill, and, with regard to England, if the relations between the landlord and tenant remained in the present unsatisfactory state, there might be an enactment similar to the Irish Land Bill. The landlord and tenant were the proper persons to do all this themselves. Why should they not take the hint ? Why were they so blind to what was coming upon them so fast. Atten- tion liad frequently been called to it, but they said, " AVe are satisfied to remain as we are." But that was neither here nor there ; circumstances of injustice would arise, and amiable and pliilanthropical gentlemen would be ready to come forward to relieve the aggrieved class. He thought the result would be a partizan measure, and made to have some distinct political effect. The result would be that the Legislature would do more than either landlord or tenant would require, and he would therefore advise them not to sanction, by any resolution such as those read, any legislative interference between the landlord and tenant class. They might justly express their re- gret that under the terms of the contract the interests of the tenant were not cared for sufficiently, and they might express a hope that the landlords would take this more seriously into account, but beyond that they had a definite objection to any Land Bill of the Irish class. He had voted for the third clause of the Irish Bill, which was to give compensa- tion to the tenant for unexhausted improvements. On what ground did he do that ? He found a class there, a class which was totally different to anything else, he found neglect on the part of the landlord, and utter helpless dependence on the part of the tenants. But who would dare to say with regard to English tenants that such was the case? There were limitations introduced in that Bill on account of the inferior class, who could be hardly called farmers at all, but if we attempted to pass such a Bill to-morrow for England, it would fall to the ground. He warned tliem to be- ware of legislative enactments of this class. They were edged tools and they cut deep. Tiie Attorney-General, at Exeter, said, " Now it is certain that the laws relating to land-transfer, the law of mortmain, and the law of entail, will all come in due time to be considered ; and the practical effect of the pre- sent state of these laws on the condition of the peasantry must have a most important bearing on the decision of these great questions." He could only deeply regret that a man like Sir John Coleridge should have thus appealed to feelings which were unworthy of a demagogue. It was a proof of what bad associations could produce. He was prepared to endorse the resolutions sent by the Central Chamber with the distinct understanding that they were not to he the basis of legislative enactments. Mr. H. BiDDELL said there appeared to him to be one or two different points to be considered in relation to the ques- tion. First, if they were to have a legislative enactment, it must be one act for the whole kingdom. But was there any one who would agree that the one act would suit all parts of England P [" Certainly not."] They could not have as many acts as there were counties in England ; and what was the use of their agreeing that such and such things should be paid for if the valuers would not agree to give effect to their resolutions ? The valuers in various parts of England would not give effect to rules which were not enforced by legal enactment. The Ulster Tenant-Right was the nearest approach to a law, and had nearly assumed the force of law, but that was the growth of centuries. They could not hope to start something new, and to have equal respect paid to it, for thirty or forty different counties in England. When he was in London, in the discussion at the Central Chamber, he heard it stated that the tenant of an entailed estate, if the life-owner died in June, and the successor came into possession immediately, he could cause every tenant to leave at Michaelmas following. Not only that, but, if he died in September, he could force every tenant 10 quit in six weeks. He would very much like to hear the opinion of some members of the Chamber on that point. Mr. W. GtiRDON said he did not see how the tenant could be made to leave in six weeks. Mr. BiDDELL : By law. Mr. GuRDON : There is no dispute about the law of tenancy from year to year. Mr. BiDDELL asked Mr. Garden to contradict the state- ment. Mr. GuEDON said, in the course of discusssion on this point, that the speaker might allude to the custom of some district. Mr. BiDDELL said that Mr. Corrance had given his consent to a clause to be inserted in the Irish Land Bill for compensa- tion to be given to tenants for unexhausted improvements, whatever they might be, for an indefinite number of years. But Mr. Corrance and Mr. Read both advocated a condition that the improvements were to have been made with the con- THE PAHMllR'S MAGAZME. 521 tent of the landlorJ. Wlicu the Bill was jjasseJ, liowcvcr, that condition was tikcu ou1. lie hoped they would have none of the exceptional legislation which had been applied to the Irish Church. (Mr. Everett : " Oh, tiuestion.") Irish land legislation was retrospective, and transferred the jproperty of the landlord in one year to the tenant in the next. Was that not the case P Mr. CoKRANCE : No it was not the case, Mr. BiDDELL : In the one case, if the tenant had notice to quit the property would have passed to the landlord ; but after they passed the Bill, the same property became the property of the tenant. Mr. CouR.vNCE r No doubt. Mr. BiDDELL repeated that he hoped there would be no legislation of that sort for England. Mr. Newson Garrett said that many of the leases now in use were of such a character that he was not at all surprised to hear some gentlemen say that they did not want leases. He should be verry sorry to advocate the granting of leases such as he had seen, for they were a disgrace to both parties. Legislative enactments could only be staved off by the land- lords coming forward and producing sound, good leases, and meeting the tenants in a liberal spirit in the matter of unex- hausted improvements. He was not wrapped up in legislative enactments. To a certain extent it was derogatory that it should be necessary for the State to step in between a man and his landlord. They might depend upon it that unless some- thing should be done to meet the view of the tenants, the Government would do something, and that almost immediately. He believed the tanants would, as a body, prefer to be without legislative enactments. The damage done by game should also be provided for in any lease or agreement. It was not to be expected, as the matter at present stood, that an occupier could be expected to put his money into the soil to remain at the mercy of one man, The President said he had observed for some time past that legislative interference meant litigation. There were a certain class of men called draughtsmen, who wrote Acts of Parliament, who were not acquainted with the English lan- guage, and wrote it in such an indefinite and bad manner, that the judges had complained of it. If they did not take care to have any law which was passed clearly defined and clearly written so that every man could understand it, they would perhaps find that the most profitable harvests would be those of the lawyer and not of the farmer. To that he would add one prophecy with reference to what had been said by Mr. Corrance as to the speech of the Attorney-General, which he (the President) had not read, who seemed to have taken up with professional politicians what was'called the land question. If he might make a prophecy, it would be that the land ques- tion would end in the land taxation question. Many Cham- bers and many men now talked of the land question as a thing on which they were not interested, and they could be philan- thropical at other people's expense, but they would find an earnest and serious attempt on the part of all classes of agri- culturists to discuss, to settle, and decide on principles of jus- tice the taxation which now rested upon the land. Mr. Everett's resolution was then carried by 13 votes to 1. On the proposition of Mr. Everett, it was agreed to with- draw the second and third resolutions. The question of local taxation which was upon the agenda paper was referred to another meeting. Mr. H. BiDDELL said there was one matter which he hoped soon to see brought under the notice of the Chamber, and that was the decision of the magistrates for the Samford Hundred, in reference to a charge brought by Mr. Cooper, of Bentley, against some gleaners. It had there been held that if a farmer allowed one paity to glean in his field, he could not refuse others, but must throw the field open. This was a matter which greatly interested farmers, and should be pro- perly discussed. THE CORNWALL CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. EDUCATION OF EAEMERS. At the meeting at Truro Mr. Tucker gave a lecture on tlie education of farmers, in which he said : There never was a time when the necessity for education was so generally acknowledged as it was at the present mo- ment, and we were now engaged in endeavouring to carry out a national system of education. Education, to be worthy the name, must be based and rooted in religion. He had no sympathy with the attempts made in some quarters to create a divorce between the two. He had, however, to deal with technical education. By this he understood instruction in the principles of the arts of life. Technical instruction stopped when the three Rs broke off. As the Bishop had said, tech- nical knowledge should be di'-ected to that which lies at the bottom of our daily labour. Our artisans at one time distanced those of other countries, but they were now being distanced themselves by the artisans on the Continent. In many cases the manufacturers and mechanics at home did simply what they were told, and exercised their intelligence as little as pos- sible. He wished to draw attention specially to the impor- tance of educating the young farmers, by whom farming would have to be carried on in the generations to come. There were some countries where farmers had small holdings, something more on the scale of gardens than farms, where great fertility was attained to ; but for the best cattle and sheep, and for the best and most improved husbandry, Europe, Asia and America must yield to England, but they must take care that the teachers did not become the taught. They must keep the practice of agriculture abreast of the spirit of the age. They must seek the highest perfection, and the result would be that millions a year would be spent in this country that now go abroad for food for the people. This was only to be attained by giving the young farmers a better education. The bulk of farming at present was conducted simply by the guidance of experience. For those who could have no other guide in days gone by the lessons had to be learnt, but it was somewhat different now. We should not be satisfied by knowing that a thing is so, we should inquire how it is, and science would reveal the cause. As Carlyle said, experience was the best schoolmaster, but it exacted great school wages. In early days it was of little consequence whether the farmer knew the meaning of such a word as dynamometer, but now, with reap- ing and mowing machines, thrashing machines, and all the new and varied machinery applied to farming, it was neces- sary, if he would compete witli his neighbour, that he should know upon what principles these pieces of mechanism had been constructed. The argument was similar as to the cattle. Formerly they were remarkable for bone, but now there was an immense amount of capital invested in the breeding and keeping of stock, and it was, therefore, essential that the young farmer should have some knowledge of the breed of ani- mals and the localities best suited for them. These were matters of technical education, with which every farmer should be acqainted. He next urged the importance of a knowledge of chemical science. He did not for a moment undervalue practical training and the value of experience, nor did he mean to say that technical education of itself was sufficient to make a man a farmer. Before a man was fitted to manage a farm he must have a personal acquaintance with the details of farm work ; but as most other businesses required and the nation required an examination of a man's fitness to be its servant, so should a man taking a farm have a fitness for the work. It was quite right that the landlord should see that ths farmer possessed sufficient means for the proper cultivation of the soil ; but these means being secured, the possession of practical skill should be re- garded as absolutely essential. Having these, the farmer should be hampered as little as possible in the management of his farm. The public good, however, seemed to be little regarded in this matter, and the nation cared nothing apparently about the waste in its resources, by not placing the cultivation of the soil into the hands of those best qualified to carry it on. By the practical application of chemical science to agriculture L L 622 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. he understood the bringing to bear upon cultivation or treat- ment of the soil a knowledge of the natural laws which regu- late the condition of the elements of the soil and their relations one to another, the object being to increase the productiveness of the land, making it more remunerative. This, of course, included a knowledge and a fitting application of natural and artificial manures for the amelioration of the soil, and it also comprised a knowledge of those beneficial and unchanging laws by which aU material things were governed, commonly called the laws of Nature. There was no such thing as chance or luck. They might, however, mitigate the effects of the un- toward season, and take more advantage of the propitious weather than they did at present. A farmer should know the various cliaracteristics of the soil which he cultivated, and the means whereby its productiveness might be best promoted and sustained. Those who had had an estate for a number of years had pretty well solved the problem for themselves by costly experience, but if a young farmer were so educated that he could see at once the nature of the soil of each field, and what treatment each required for the growth of certain plants, an immense advantage would be gamed. It was quite possible, with a knowledge of chemistry, to make the same soil grow the same crop for a long series of years, but he was not in- clined to turn his back upon rotation. Their forefathers laid down the principle of allowing the land to lay fallow between the crops. They believed that the land required rest. There could be no doubt that in a certain sense they were right. The soil required time to absorb those gases from the air necessary to enable it to supply that which had been extracted from it by the crop. Some soils had a greater inherent at. traction for these gases than others, and hence they were ever, lastingly richer and more productive soils. Farming was much too little studied. Some farmers would use lime, and others would not use a bushel. What they wanted to know was the kind of manure to use, and then the quantity. They could not, for instance, get good straw without silica, and so they might give manure where it was of no service. Manures had the double action of stimulating and feeding, and commonly both. Laud may become so stimulated as to be injured. Over stimulation was followed by reaction, the soil having made an effort beyond its strength. This might arise from the nature of the manures employed, or from the quantity. In either case they had a double loss. He spoke of the waste in the farmyard, owing to a want of knowledge of chemistry. Another difference between the present day and the past was that less of the produce of the farm was returned to it than formerly. The food was sent to the towns and the towns sent their sewage into the rivers and the sea. The nation could not afford this. The sewage of towns, rightly dealt with, might become a mine of wealth. He also urged the importance of a knowledge of geology, and mechanics amongst farmers, and he said there need be no diificultyin making these parts of the education in the common schools. Tlie education must be brought home to the doors of the farmers, and it must be made cheap. He had suggested several years ago an association of tenant-farmers, for the purpose of promoting this technical education, and he thought that would be much more practical than the ordinary agri- cultural societies. He had also offered prizes for the best essay on agricultural chemistry. This was one of those ob- jects that would benefit all concerned, and the money expended by landowners upon it would do as much good as subsoiling, or farm buildings, or making better communications. The better the farmer the better the farm, and the better must it be for the whole community. Science had done much for other persuits, but agriculture remained in practice pretty much where it was. Why should tliis be so? God had devised laws which, if they knew them, would do as much good for agriculture as other laws had done for other pursuits. They should try to find out those laws, and if they asked God to give them His aid He would not fail them, as He had not failed their brethren in other pursuits. Mr. J. r. H. Peter said a discussion on education was very desirable in Cornwall, for there appeared to liim to exist too much indifference on the subject among all classes. This arose, he believed, from the peculiar circumstances of the county, circumstances which gave it the character of being a very clever one Miners occupied a great part of the county, and they naturally exercised their minds more fre- quently and more earnestly than agriculturists, and were generally a sharper race. Agriculturists living with raiaera naturally became sharper than agriculturists living by them- selves, and so they had the reputation of a clever county, or a cunning county. Sometimes cunning was but an imperfect instrument — come-by-chance knowledge, often useless, and often injurious, Cornishmen had too often been made to rely solely upon their natural abilities and to treat some- what with contempt school learning as only impeding the action of their cunning, Devon, on the contrary, had con- fided much more to regular and scientific education, and the consequence had been that she had sent out in the world a number of men distinguished at the universities, at the bar, and in Parliament, and he did not think that at present any public Cornishman was to be compared with them. They had been told that agriculture was a science, and that it depended greatly upon .other sciences. It contained a great number of truths, each one of which used by fair education and common sense might direct men in nu- merous difficulties in agricultural pursuits. As Mr. Tucker has truly said, experience took a great time, time in which a man might acquire an income. Before mastering the princi- ples of any science some previous education was required, some training of the memory, of the reasoning, imagination, and in- vention, and a considerable interest in the science was also re- quired, and for that reason he did not think agricultural science could be taught to very young boys. He had read some very valuable books on agriculture, which he thought if read through by boys of 15 years of age would do a great deal of good. There was an excellent half-crown book called " The Gardeners' and the Farmers' Reason Why," and he did not see why some book like that should not be taught in the common schools in the country, nor why examinations on agricultural subjects should not make part of middle-class ex- aminations. One of the largest fortunes ever made by farming was by a scientific man. Education should teach a farmer something more than mere agriculture. He should be taught some kindred subjects. Political economy would be of the utmost importance to the farmer. That science would teach him the cause of the prosperity and the poverty of a nation, the causes of high and low prices, the commercial signs of the times, and when he might expect high or low prices, when to buy and when to sell. Political economy would teach the farmer never to take an estate and make a great outlay upon it without a lease or some written agreement, and it ought also to make him ashamed to ask for compensation if he made such a blunder. A good artizan calculated his materials, and what he could complete a contract for, and kept himself safe. There was another matter on which political economy would teach them something, and that was with reference to the Game-laws. It would put an end entirely to preserves ; it would teach men the great cost of the preserves to the land- lords and to the tenants and to the country. He did not think that educated men, knowing that cost, would find very much satisfaction in the kitchen-maid amusements, or the un- skilled amusement of killing day after day beautiful fowls. Education gauged at once the business and the amusement of a country. The days of dog-fighting, cock-fighting, badger- baiting, and bull-fighting had vanished before education, and so would shortly pass away the days of pheasant-baiting and farmer-baiting. Mr. Allajjson said that Professors Wilson and Liebig had said that to analyse soils with the view of ascertaining what constituents were wanted for crops was a perfect absurdity. Mr. Martyn suggested, in tlie form of inquiry, that farmers might get all necessary information on such subjects by apply- ing to professed analytical chemists, and this much cheaper than by the expenditure of time and monev in learning chemis- try. Colonel Trematne had not the slightest doubt that a know- ledge of chemistry would be of great use, but what they wanted to find out was how to bring that knowledge to the young farmer without exclusion of less special instruction. Mr. Daubuz said perfection in chemical science could he attained only by life-long study ; but he did not see why, as he had understood Mr. Tucker to suggest, the rudiments might not be included in the general education of young farmers. The Rev. G. L. Church spoke of the important distinction between education and instruction, and he urged that the ob- ject, especially of early education, should be to teach the boy to think. Special instruction might then be added, and he THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 523 thought that some of the rudiments of chemistry ought to be taught to young farmers. The Rev. R. Vautier believed it was 'really necessary that farmers should have some knowledge of chemistry, but he de- sired to know how it should be taught — whatiier in schools, or agricultural colleges, or at centres formed in the county, where classes might be established and lectures given. This last plan might, perhaps, be the most practical,^ Colonel Tkemayne said perhaps the only way in which they could attain the teaching of agricultural chemistry to young farmers would be by persuading the governing bodies of schools to include it in their course of instruction. After that this aud similar Societies might engage competent per- sons to deliver lectures, and young men might have work giyea them to take home. THE CENTRAL CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. A Council Meeting of the Central Chamber of Agriculture was held on November 5, at the Salisbury Hotel. The chair was taken at 11 o'clock, by Mr. E. Heneage. After the usual preliminary business had been disposed of, Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., moved the following resolution : "That the thanks of this Council be given to the Royal Agricultural Society for the course it has taken in the action of Kidd ?'. the Royal Agricultural Society." The hon. mem- ber said he should like that acknowledgment to be accom- panied by a donation of say £10, toward the expenses incurred by the Society. The money spent in defending the action was well spent, and the farmers of England ought to feel deeply obliged to the Society for the course which it it had taken. As one of the representatives of the farming interest he had great pleasure in moving that resolution. The Chaerman observed that the Council had no funds out of which to make such a donation as had just been sug- gested, and after the raatter had been fully considered in com- mittee it was thought best that the various agricultural societies of England should be left to testify their appreciation of the conduct of the Royal Agricultural Society. Mr. T. HoRLEY, in seconding the resolution, said, that a great deal of good had arisen from the action of the Royal Agricultural Society was apparent from the meetings which had recently taken place among the largest manufacturers of linseed ; adding that it would now be the fault of the farmers themselves if they were not sufficientty careful in the selection of the article. The resolution was carried. Sir M. Lopes M.F., then presented and read the annual report of the Local Taxation Committee. The Local Taxation Committee, in presenting their Annual Report, are ahle to review with considerable satisfaction the success of then- eflforts in the past session. The growth of the Committee in numbers and in influence has been steady and continuous. The question of Local Taxation Reform has been placed by the Committee prominently before Parliament and the country. Urban and Rural Ratepayers are on all sides admitting their common interest in the matter, and it is at length generally acknowledged that the Committee have rightly ignored all class or party feeling in dealing with this subiect. The policy recommended by the Committee, and embodied in the motion recently submitted by their chairman to the House of Commons, has proved successful in obtaining for Local Taxation Reform the foremost place in thelegislative programme of next session, while the energy with which the ratepayers' grievance has been iirged has at last drawn from the Premier a definite pledge that a complete and com- prehensive measure on this subject will bo submitted by tho Government. Their proposals the Committee now anxiously await, and they are glad to remember that the House of Com- mons, whose duty it ^vill be to consider the measure, stands already pledged to the expediency of redress, and has so em- phatically endorsed the principle contended for, that the cost of discharging national duties should no longer be charged solely upon a single description of property. Reviewing the work of the Committee during the past session, the first sub- ject with which it became their duty to deal was the action of the Treasury in arbitrarily disallowing portions of the costs of ciiminal prosecutions. Charges from which county and borough ratepayers were expressly relieved by the action of Parliament twenty-five years ago were thus, by the conduct of the Treasury officials, in part re-imposed. Circulars call- ing attention to this matter, together with returns showing the amounts thus disallowed, were forwarded by the Com- mittee to clerks of the peace in counties and town clerks in boroughs, aud many Courts of Quarter Sessions petitioned Parliament for redress. Legal action had been taken on this ciuestion by the magistrates of Lancashire, and in this they were joined by those of Kent and of the West Riding of Yorkshire. The judges of the Court of Queen's Bench, however, decided hat they were unable to compel the Treasury officials (who had pleaded the technical defence of prerogative, that as the ser- vants of the crown they were not amenable to the court) to refund the sums in question. The Lord Chief Justice, with the unanimous concurrence of the bench, still declared the action of tho Treasury to be unjustifiable, and while stigma- tising it as "monstrous" and "anomalous," intimated that Parliament alone could afford a remedy. To Parliament therefore tho Committee appealed. On the 15th of March last the chairman moved a resolution declaring the necessity of putting an end to the present anomalous practice, and of providing the funds required solely from moneys appropriated by Parliament. This motion received cordial approval from all sides of the House, and the Government were left without any defence except on the part of their own official representa- tives. The attitude of defiance assumed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on this question at the close of the previous session was therefore abandoned, and the Home Secretary tii'st offered to remedy tho matter in connection with the Public Prosecutors Bill. This was shown .to bo neither an effectual nor a ready means of settlement, and Mr. Winter- botham, the under secretary, thereupon intimated that other meansof redress were also under consideration. Finally, on Mr. Baxter having formally undertaken on the part of the Treasury to deal effectually and at once with the grievance, the motion was not pressed to a division. The Committee very much regret to state that up to this time the Govern- ment have evaded fulfilment of this promise. At a late period of the session, when it was manifestly impossible to discuss the matter, a number of amendments, professing to redress the grievance complained of, were introduced by the Home Secretary in the Public Prosecutors Bill. These amendments to a great extent altered the character of this measure and afforded no com- plete or general remedy, but by involving this simple ques- tion with the much larger one of instituting an entirely new series of officials and a new system of prosecution, they se- cured the impracticability of deaUng with either question in. the short remainder of the session. When challenged by the Chairman of the Committee for this course of action, Mr. Bruce could only offer a renewed pledge of prompt action next year, and promise elasticity and consideration in the working meanwhile of the present system. Tho Committee will therefore feel it their duty to see that the earliest atten- tion of the Government is claimed to their repeated pledges on this subject, unless a satisfactory solution of the c[uestion involved is oflfered by the general measure of Local Taxation Reform to be introduced. Soon after the session opened the Committee were gratified by the announcement of the Go- vernment that they had abandoned theii- proposals of the year before, for throwing on ratepayers the cost of providing storehouses and barracks for the militia, and that they were at length prepared to recognise the imperial character of these charges— removing the existing and all future liabiUtiea of counties in these respects to tho exchequer, and defraying the proposed new expenditure from national som-ces. The Committee have already acknowledged the satisfactory man- ner in which Mr. Cardwell proposed to carry out this trans- fer; and they congratulate ratepayers on the efi'ect of their arguments in convincing public opinion on this question, and on their consequent relief from the threatened imposition of no small portion of the three and a-half millions now required for the national defence. The Committee have to report also the success of their renewed opposition to the proposition of placing on the rates the cost of election expenses. Notwith- standing the support lent by the Government to this proposal of Mr. Fawcett, it was negatived by a majority of 92 in a House of 435 members. The debates which arose on this question were remarkable for the general expression of the reluctance of ratepayers to admit any new charge till their grievances were redressed— and for the emphatic endorse- ment of the views of the Committee Idrawn from the leader of the opposition. Mr. Disraeli, claiming undoubted prece- dence for ratal reform over new rating proposals, used these words : "I heard with alarm from the Govemmentthat they are favourable to defraying the charges from the rates ; I think tho time has come when it ought to be made clearly ap- parent to any Government that may exist in this country that no increase of the rates can be tolerated so long ^aa the L L 2 624 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. area of taxation from ■which Uiosc rates arc drawn is limited as it is at present. If we cannot solve that naost perplexing problem of increasing the area we must leave the rates alone ; but whatever the pm-pose, or whatever the amoimt, I am convinced the wisest pohcy of the ratepayers of the country is to resist any increase of the rates, however slight and however plausible the pretext, until Government make up their minds to encounter a difficulty which may be most per- plexing to any member who comes forwai-d with any pro- posal to increase them." As on former occasions, a very large part of the Committee's duties consisted in watching the introduction of new measures, in opposing those which proposed to increase the existing burden of the rates, and m amending others where injurious to ratepayers. The list of the measures thus dealt with, and the result of the action taken by the Committee and their friends, is as follows • 1. The Fires Bill (mth drawn). 2. The Justices' Clerks' Salaries Bill (dropped). 3. The Clerks of the Peace and Justices' Clerks' Salaries, &c.. Bill (withdrawn). 4. The Municipal Corporations (Borough Funds) Bill (sent to Select Committee, remodelled and passed). 5. The Prison Ministers Bill (withdrawn). 6. The Steam Boilers' Explosion Bill (dropped). 7. The Intoxicating Liquors (Licensing) Bill '(amended and passed). 8. The Registration of Borough Voters Bill (defeated). 9. The Juries Bill (withdrawn). 10. The Registration of Births and Deaths Bill (withdrawn). 11. The Public Health in Rural Places Bill (withdrawn) 12. The PubUc Health and Local Government Bill (with- drawn). 13. The Public Health BiUl (remodelled and passed). The opposition of the Committee was directed in the case ot the Fires Bill to the proposal contained in it to throw on the rates the cost of inquiries into the origin of tires and the expense in certain cases of special officers charged with the duty of investigation. Amendments with regard to these particulars were proposed by Mr. Clare Read and Mr. Pell (both members of the Committee), and the mea- sure was withdrawn by its promoter. The Justices' Clerks and Clerks of the Peace, &c., Bills were opposed in so far as they tended to increase the liability of ratepayers in respect of the salaries of these officials. The first of these measures was met by a resolution to this effect, pro- posed by Sir M. H. Beach (a member of the Committee), and both measures were finally abandoned. The Municipal Cor- porations (Borough Funds) Bill resembled the measure suc- cessfully opposed in the preceding session. It was objected to since It proposed to burden ratepayers, without option on their part, with the cost of promotmg or opposing such schemes or objects as their governing bodies might think •.. s.,- ^^otion of Lord Mahon (a member of the Com- mittee) this measure was remitted to a Select Committee and there shorn of some objectionable features— and it was only passed into law after having been further amended by the exertions of Mr. PeU, Sir M. Beach, and others, so as to reserve to the ratepayers themselves full discretion in each particular case as to the propriety of bm-dcning themselves tor the objects contemplated by the Bill. The Prison Minis- ters Bill was also a reproduction of one defeated last "year It proposed to permit the Home Secretary, in opposition to theopimonofthe local authorities, to appoint prison nS T,rnfP«^J1^ I? ''^^^^ according to the various persuasions professed by the prisoners m any gaol ; and yet it proposed ln.«lr.V''^^'■11fl°"^^^'^ ministers Ihould be charged on the HnnU nf T A^^^°"Sl^ t^is measure succeeded in pissing the r7.= !, ffi °'''J''' ^'^'^^ ^ reduction in the amount of the sala- ries, sufficient opposition was accorded to it in the Lower House to secure its withchawal. The Steam Boilers' Explo- Bion Bill proposed to place Ihe expense of inquiries into oc- currences of this nature by coroners on the' rates-^^t w as Z ohfp'r?' '^"'l^^r^' to object to any such legislation whore ihe object was to benefit the entire community This measure E^ln''i'n'?-'^^n'^°PP"'\ ^^ ''' promoter. Ve lSS^^ House of ffii^. mtroduced by the Government into the ^aff nf non«t.w contained a proposal to create a separate ffin«P nf ?r®[^^^?^ ""? public-house inspectors" at the ex- hlr nffif 0°"^^ '^?'^^- ^^■'' ^^^^^^^ of Salisbury (a mem- the ,?nii.« Committee) pointed out that an extention of the pohce force so provided for would directly violate motion' nrtv,«° r^^'^ the House of Commons^ on the Sr ved J^^ Chan-man of the Committee, had just struck 'out of f^^ proposition was on a division struck out of the measure by the Peers. The Rea-is- l^^inZ"'"''^^ ^"^'"-^ 2^11 ^^« another measmewfth- citerrnrfrl^f previous session. The opposition which it ex- Sst^h« ^.'"^ °'' fh" ?^^^ °f ^^^ Committee was directed against the proposal to burden ratepayers with the cost of to lecu^e'the aL^'r'T' .'^SiBtr^-^-^y,^^ fortunately ab^e Bin ^^i^'^^'^^'^^'^'l '■ejection of the measure. The Juries TheatteS T.^'^^T ""*°™^ °' our present jui^system xne attention 9f the Committee was called, however to it^ Scted w^h'tL""' °' '''^'^"'^ °° *^^ rates'lxpen es i^onnected with the summomng ofjuries-a matter which forms fctrictly a part of the adniiuiatralion of justice. The Bill, alter examination by a select committee, was withdrawn by the Government. The Registration of Births and Deaths Bill contained provisions adding to the cost of Registration, which is now unfairly borne by ratepayers alone. This ne- cessitated an opposition by the Committee, which resulted in the withdrawal of the measure by the Government, by whom it was promoted. The Public Health in Rural Places Bill dealt with .matters of administrative detail, some of which were eventually incorporated in the measure which passed into law, and it was therefore itself withdi-awn. The public Health and Local Government Bill was that of Sir Charles Adderley, to which the Committee before directed attention. They deemed it much more valuable and complete, as a consolidating measm-e, than the Bill originally introduced by the Government, while they could not withhold their opinion of its centralising tendency and the increase of local burdens which it would entail. On these grounds they are glad that its with- drawal, and the reduction of the scope of the Government measure, has postponed such large questions as a complete consolidation of sanitary law and a reform of our system of local government, until the incidence of Local Taxation has been satisfactorily revised. The chaos which our numerous ineffective and confUcting health laws produced, and the feeling of semi-panic which prevailed last session throughout the country on this question, provoked a powerful demand both in and out of Parhament for some more general and consistent sanitary legislation than had hitherto existed. The strength of this demand, the concurrence of all political parties in its propriety, and the undeniable importance of the subject, overpowered the strongly expressed opinion of the Committee that a reform of Local Taxation ought in jus- tice to precede any increase of such taxation. The efforts of the Committee therefore could only be directed to the limita- tion of the measure to the most urgently required reforms, and the supply of the primary want of a uniform system of samtary authorities. In this, and in mitigating the pressure on ratepayers inseparable from a measure of this nature, Uiey have been completely successful. The PubUc Health Bill as originally introduced, besides constituting the new- authorities, contained provisions enforcing a large number of new duties relating to such matters as the purity of rivers and wells, the supply of water and gas, the provision of dis- pensaries, hospital accommodation and medicines to non- paupers, and the suppression of various nuisances, while it embodied also many stringent clauses which tended to reduce or supercede the control of local authorities over the neces- sary expenditure. At the same time ]\Ir. Stansfield, although repeatedly questioned, declined to state the intentions of the Government as to granting aid to localities from Imperial sources towards the largely increased expense to which the Bill proposed to render them liable. It became therefore the duty ot the Chairman of the Committee to give notice of a resolution declaring that it was unadvisable to proceed with the measure imtU satisfactory information on this point were i'^^n^^V "■'^ Government, unwilling to risk the defeat of then- Bill then undertook to reduce and remodel it— abandoning most of the objectionable clauses and those imposiu"- new duties, and limiting then- proposals to the constitution of au- thorities throughout the country charged with the adminis- tration of existing sanitary powers. On going into Com- mittee on the Bill thus amended the Charman proposed the following motion: "That, while fully admitting the urgent necessity for sanitary legislation, this House is of opiSion that the power proposed by this Bill to be given to the central authority over local expenditure should be accompanied by some provision for contributions from Imperial resources in aid ot burdens which, being imposed for the benefit of the community at large, ought not to be charged on one descrip- tion of property only." Notice was given also of amend- ments to cari-y these proposals into effect by charging on the Treasury haU the salaries of the new officials required as medical officers and nuisance inspectors, and providing for loans tor samtary works being granted, at a rate not exceed- ing 34 per cent., by the Public Works' Loans Commissioners ihese propositions were accepted by Mr. Stansfield. This concession on the part of the Government appears to the ^o™™;*'*?^ especially valuable as establishing the principle of the habihty ot the whole nation, instead of a section only ot Its property, for outlay incurred on behalf of the entire community The proper course to be pursued in dealing with this Bill occasioned much anxious consideration to the Committee. They are however confident that they have justified the responsibility incurred in opposing new sanitary powers by obtaming financial facilities which -svill greatly aid the efficient working of the new authorities, wlSle the restriction of the present measure to the provision of an unit orni local administration will pave the way to the enact- ment 01 a complete and comprehensive code of health laws as soon as the prelimmary readjustment of the basis of tax- ation IS satisfactorily settled. The forms of the House of Commons prevent Members of Parliament introducing (as private members) Bills deaUng with public money. The representatives of the Committee in the House are unable THF- FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 625 thereforo tu briut; in any measures roliGving; Iho rates by coutrihutions from the Impcriiil Kevcmio. Tlioy have, how- ever, been able to take au initial stop last session to facilitate the general revision promised by the Government, and to throw consideral)lo light on the fiscal position of the local taxpayer. In introducing the Local Taxation Accounts Bill tlio aim of the Committee was to jn-ovido for the annual production (previous to the period at which the Imperial Budget is usuaUy discussed) of a complete and accurate statement of local finance for the preceding year. The value of such a statement is generally admitted, and the want of it is demonstrated by the extreme difficulty of ascertaining fronx existing returns with any ac- curacy the present local taxes and local expenditure. It would enable ratepayers to contrast their rapidly increasing burdens which the much vaunted remissions of imperial taxation, and place prominently before legislators how the cost of much new legislation was being provided — a matter which is too often forgotten when the expense has once been charged on the unchronicied chaos of ratal taxes. Very con- siderable dilficulty was met with by the Committee in fram- ing this measure owing to the present anomalous and defec- tive state of the law with reference to the varying periods at which local authorities close their accounts, the mode in which they are audited, the form m which they are kept, and the returns made annually by the authorities of theii' tran- sactions. On the 1st July Mr. Pell, who had devoted much time and trouble to the preparation of the Bill, was however able to introduce the measure, which was also endorsed by the Chahman, Mr. Clare Read, Mr. Rowland Winn, and Lord Mahon. The Bill, which was drafted at the expense of the Local Taxation Committee, was favoTirably entertained by the Government authorities. It attempted to provide for uni- formity of system and proper returns by local authorities, and required the Local Government Board to furnish Parlia- ment annually with a comprehensive statement of Local Receipts and Expenditure — in a form which clearly discrimi- nated the various sources of local revenue, and classified the diverse objects for which expenditure was incurred. It was found, however, impracticable, in the then position of public business, to pass this Bill into law. The Committee hope to be supported in their intention to re-introduce it early next session, unless the Grovernment in their promised scheme should deal also with the question at the same time. The complete success of the resolution moved by the chairman of the Committee on the 16th of April, must be regarded as the chief event of the session of 1873. His motion was in these terms : " That it is expedient to remedy the injustice of im- posing taxation for national objects on one description of pro- perty only, and therefore that no legislation with reference to local taxation will be satisfactory wliich does not provide, either in whole or in part, for the relief of occupiers and owners in counties and boroughs from charges imposed on ratepayers for the administration of justice, police, and lunatics, the expenditure for such purposes being almost entirely independent of local contiol." It will be observed that there was here involved, first, a clear assertion of the principle so long contended for by the Committee — of the common obligation of all persons and property to contribute towards national duties ; and, second, a distinct intimation of the utter inadequacy of any remedial proposal which did not at least embrace the relief of ratepayers from the present weight of such essentially national expenses as arc involved in the administration of justice, the maintenance of a police force, and the treatment of lunacy. The chairman's resolu- tion was seconded by Col. Amcotts (a member of the Com- mittee), who, speaking from the opposite of the House, de- monstrated that entire absence ot party feeling which has always characterised the action of the Committee. The motion was opposed by Su- Thomas Ackland, who met it by a very peculiar amendment, the opening sentences of which seemed to echo — though ambiguouslj' — the primary proposi- tion of the resolution, but which ended by oS'ering as a tangi- ble remedy only a distribution of rates between ovniers and occupiers ; while he recommended this course mainly on the score of the increased facility which might thus be given to new legislation for sanitary and other local objects. To this amendment the Government lent their powerful support, Mr. Stansfeld and Mr. Goschen strenuously resisting the Chair- man's resolution. In the course of the debate which ensued the fallacies advanced by those who offered only a pretended remedy which would leave immovable property saddled as before, with exceptional taxes for the common good, were fully exposed ; while the very moderate , just, and practi- cable character of the Chairman's proposal was made evident On a division therefore the real friends of the ratepayer, triumphed over Sir Thomas Acland and the Government by a majority of 100. For this crushing defeat of the opponents of Local 'Taxation Reform, the Committee have to thank the intrinsic justice of their own cause, the ready aid which they received from chambers of agriculture, from the Metropolitan Poor Rate League, and ratepayers geup' ily (in town and country, and, last but not least, the p^ il .support afforded them by no less than 301 mom''' i' Parliament, re- presenting all classes of con/ les, and profess- ing all shades of political opinion. The immedi- ate consequences of this victory were of very considerable value. The House of Commons has for- mally declared the practice of imposing taxation for national purposes on a single description of property to be unjust ; it has admitted the expediency of redress ; it has endorsed the principle that Slate aid must be proportioned to State con- trol ; and it has definitely acknowledged that an indisputable claim is imposed on the Treasury in the discharge of at least three cUstinctively national duties. Besides this, public attention has been aroused to an extent in no other way possible, and the policy of postponement hitherto success- fully practised on this question by the Ministry rendered impossible. The Committee trust, therefore, that their po- licy wiU receive general approval, and that they will con- tinue to have the united support of ratepayers in the mode- rate, prudent, and practical line of action indicated by their past efforts. Government now stands committed to a tho- rough investigation of the broad field of this large and important question, and to a general revision of local and imperial burdens. If this inquiry be thoroughly and impartially conducted, the Committee are sanguine enough to believe that tho reasonable demands hitherto made embody but a small modicum of justice, and that real property (lauds and houses) will be found to be justly entitled to a still larger proportion of relief than they have hitherto claimed. Before the close of the session Mr. Gladstone sketched the outlines of the promised comprehensive mea- sure of relief in these terms : " In the measure which they would bring in tho Government would look particularly to the lollowing points : First, to the introduction of the repre- sentative principle into local institutions where that prin- ciple did not already obtain ; secondly, to equality and jus- tice as between landlords and occupiers ; thirdlv, to equa- lity AS BETWEEN THE VAKIOUS CLASSES OF THE COMMUNITT IW RESPECT TO THE AGGREGATE CONTRIBUTION MADE TO THE PUBLIC BURDENS ; fourthly, to the general economy of public administration, so that no charges should be imposed which might bo avoided or reduced ; and lastly, and most of all, the Government would yield to none in their anxiety not only not to weaken, but, if possible, to strengthen those in- valuable principles of local self-government and control which were among the main securities of tho institutions of the country." The Committee find it difficult to form any very definite opinion as to what proposals may be veiled under these words. The importance of the two last-mentioned considerations will be questioned by no one. The third point contains, however, the whole pith and essence of the programme, and on its satisfactory solution depends the settlement of the whole question. The first and second points, though m themselves important, relate to minor questions of detail which in no degree affect tho special grievance complained of, or afford any remedy for excep- tional taxation. The proposal to institute representative coimty financial boards is not improbably pomted at by the first-mentioned consideration, and tho project of dividing the paj-mont of ratesbetween owners and occupiers by the second. County financial boards, as an administrative reform, will have tho cordial support of the Committee, but the minute portion of county rates not now State-controlled amply shows that, however beneficial in itself, this proposal could in no sense be accepted as forming any part of that " relief" which ParUament has just decided to be due to the rate- payer. The proposition to divide tho rates is another matter quite subsidiary to the main issue, which might be fittingly discussed on its own merits, but which can never be re- garded as any "remedy" whatever for the common griev- ance of occupiers and owners alike of lands and houses. A full report of the important debate on the Chairman's motion with an analysis of the division list and extracts from the Opinions of the Press, was reprinted and largely circulated by the Committee, copies being sent into every parish in England, as weU as to the mayors of municipal boroughs, chairmen of boards of guardians, &c. In London the Metropolitan Poor Rate League assisted in distributing copies, and several local chambers of agriculture, especially the Lincolnshire Chamber, still further extended the circula- tion by obtaining copies at cost price and eflfecting a still larger distribution— the number sent out in all being nearly 18,000 copies. The growth of urban associations with similar aims to their own has been welcomed by the Committee. The Metropolitan Poor Rate League has continued growing in in- flnence, and now embraces 23 of the 39 London parishes in its organisation. The petitions promoted by this bodj^ and the influence brought to bear by its members on their Parliamen- tary representatives have greatly aided the cause of Local Taxation reform in the House of Commons. Various meetings of the League have been held throughoat the metropohs, and eUcited a ready response from householders as to the burdens under which they suffer, in common with rural ratepayers. The recent action of tho Home Secretary in attempting to force by legal action the magistrates of Norwich into erecting a new lunatic asylum, which local feeling and knowledge pronounces altogether unnecessary, besides presenting an apt illustration of tho way in which rat€-raised funds are at tho 526 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. present momeut controlled by state ofScials, has roused a very Btroner feeling in that locality. Norwich has taken the lead in forming a new organisation among provincial municioalities, which will, the Committee trust, greatly aid their efforts in the coming session, since the object of this movement is iden- tical with their own. Leicester and other important towns are also now forming Ratepayers' Defence Associations under the pressure of rapidly-increasing Local Taxation. The Committee has received support from several new quarters during the past session. General concurrence in their views has been expressed in Scotland, and various petitions in favour of their chairman's motion were presented from Scotch counties. Their hands have been strengthened also by the expression of opinion throughout England in Chambers of Agriculture and other meetings. Then- secretary has been able to attend and address successful gatherings of ratepayers called under the auspices of the Hnngerford, Hampshire, and West Kent Chambers. At the recent meeting of the Social Science Congress at Plymouth, Local Taxation Reform was selected as a subject of special interest for discussion, and the Becretary read an exhaustive paper on the question. In the discussion which followed the views therein expressed were very generally endorsed, and the paper has been subsequently reprinted, and circulated by the Committee. In concluding their General Report the Committee have to express their thanks for the support which up to this time they have re- ceived, and they gi-atefully acknowledge the many votes of thanks with which they have been honoured for their exertions in the past. In the futiu-e they will continue to direct their efforts to the circulation of information among ratepayers on the question at issue, and will continue to rouse pubhc opinion on the grievances resulting from our present ratal system wherever opportunity offers. In Parlianent they will main- tain a watchful criticism over measm-es which entail increased rates, and resist the imposition of further unjust burdens. In this course of action they feel that they can hope most effectively to further the interests of ratepayers. In view, however, of the great questions to be submitted to Parliament next year it will be their earnest endeavour to maintain the position they have won, and secure if they can a comprehen- sive settlement which shall be just and equitable to the rate- payers, and therefore truly pohtic and advantageous for the fv^™^ welfare. To enable them, however, to continue their efforts, they must have the most cordial co-operation of aU ratepayers, and a firmly united support. Then- position can only be maintained in its present strength by a steady pressure for redi'ess on the part of evei-yone interested in this ^eat social question, and they can only advance the cause they have m hand by feeling that they enjoy the confidence ot ratepayers generaUy, and that their pohcy is unanimously endorsed by those who have entrusted them with the task of labouring for Local Taxation Reform. If owners and occu- piers of real properties (lands and houses) unite, their combined mfluence must be powerful, and therefore be effective ; but if they aUow their interests to be divorced, and that will be doubtless the pohcy of their opponents, their case will be much prejudiced. The Committee feel deeply the responsi- bility they assume in dealing with so grave and intricate a subject as that before them. They are convinced, however, that they have never claimed aught that has not been both practicable and just, and they have therefore every confidence m their cause if only their efforts are heartily seconded throughout the kmgdom. They have to return renewed thanks for the exertions of individuals and Chambers of Agri- culture m furnishing them with the essential sinews of war, i hey need hardly, however, remind thehr supporters that more extended operations, such as may be rendered necessary by the events of next session, will demand, if they are to be succossfiUly conducted, much larger resources than have ever yet been at then- disposal. Should this aid be accorded to them, the Committee will feel able to resume their part in the struggle which is now fairly commenced, and will do their best to free the production of food and the provision of shelter from the exceptional burdens imposed by a system of taxation alike anomalous, impolitic, and unjust.— Massby Lopes, Chan-man. Sir J. Pakington, M.P., in moving that the report be received and adopted, remarked that he abstained from making any remarks on the subject, because another important question was fixed for discussion. The motion having been seconded by Mr. Neild, Mr. D. Long expressed his deep regret at the passing of the bamtary Reform Bill. Whetlier or not tlieir representatives m Parhament opposed that measure with sufficient energy he would not say, but It ought to be impressed upon them that they should not allow any further burden to be placed on the rate-payers if tliey could possibly help it, untU the basis for levying local taxes had been reformed. The Report was then adopted. rl^^n^^^Iu^^ observed that the next business of the «,ZTl °? ^ ^^^^^^ ^^* ^°" consider and resolve upon the suDject of compensation for unexhausted improyements." Those who were present at the meeting in June would re- member, perhaps, in what position the matter was then left. A'\^hen the adjournment of the debate was carried, on the mo- tion of Mr. Biddell, the following resolution, prepared by the Business Committee, and proposed by Mr. Masfen, was before the meeting : " That this Council considers it neces- sary for the proper security of capital engaged in husbandry that, in the absence of a lease or agreement to the contrary, the outgoing tenant should be entitled to compensation from the landlord or incoming tenant for the unexhausted value of his improvements — subject to previous consent of the owner in case of buildings, drainage, reclamation, and other improve- ments of a permanent cliaracter ; and that, at the same time, the landlord should be paid by such outgoing tenant for dilapi- dations and detoriations, the amounts respectively due to be determined by valuation." Upon that motion the following amendment was moved by Mr. Long, and seconded by Mr. Read : " That this Council considers it necessary for the proper security of tenants' capital engaged in husbandry, that, except when otherwise provided by agreement, the outgoing tenant should be entitled by legislative enactment to com- pensation from the landlord or incoming tenant for the value of his unexhausted improvements, such value to_be ascertained by valuation in the usual way." Mr. Long said he must ask permission to withdraw his amendment, and to substitute for it the following : " That this Chamber considers it necessary for the proper security of tenants' capital engaged in husbandry, as well as for the encouragement of the production of the greatest amount of liome-grown food, that the outgoing tenant should be en- titled by legislative enactment at the expiration of his tenancy to compensation from the landlord or incoming tenant for the value of his unexhausted improvements," The first amendment having been withdrawn^with the^con- sent of the meeting, Mr. Long proposed that which he desired to substitute, and it was seconded by Mr. W. Lawrence. Mr. Biddell (Suffolk) said at the meeting in June he de- precated their coming to any decision on the question then, and he thought that what had occurrad in some of the Cham- bers since justified that view. The Business Committee were still by no means unanimous as to what course was best, and seemed in fact to think that it would be better not to have any legislative interierence at all for the present. The Suffolk Chamber of Agriculture at its meeting last week took a simi- lar view ; but they were unanimous in thinking that six months' notice to quit was not sufficient, but that the notice ought to be extended to twelve months, eighteen months, or two years, and he believed it was the general feeling of the farmers of England that some alteration ought to be made in that respect. The question of compensation was beset with difficulties, as he thought Ihey had all found out, in conse- quence of the different customs which existed in different parts of the country, and he hoped that legislation would be con- fined to cases in which no lease or agreement was in force. Sir G. Jenkinson, M.P., observed that since the last meet- ing Mr. Long had expressed his concurrence in his opinion that it would be a fatal blot in any resolutions which might be adopted if the interests of landlords as well as those of tenants were not provided for. Landlords had, indeed, power to sue in a court of law in cases of dOapidation ; but they naturally shrank from the obloquy of sueing, and they ought like tenants to have the advantage of arbitration. The Chairman being about to put the amendment. Sir J. Pakington, M.P., remarked on the undesirableness of the meeting being called upon to vote on an amendment which it had not seen or heard till a few minutes before, Mr. W. Baker (Surrey Chamber) expressed doubt whether the question was yet ripe for legislation ("Oh, oh"). In these days there was great danger of having too much legisla- tion, and he thought that before any bill was introduced re- lating to unexhausted improvements, there ought to be a definite understanding as to what such improvements were Chambers of Agriculture now occupied an important position in the country, and let them take care not to do anything rashly. Some discussion here took place with regard to the question of order, several gentlemen contending that Mr. Long was not entitled to submit his amendment at that stage of the meeting, and the result was that, with Mr. Long's consent, the amend- ment was withdrawn for the present. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 527 Mr. Caurington Smith then proposed the next amend- ment on the agenda paper, viz., " That it is desirable to intro- duce into Parliament a bill entitled ' Landlord and Tenants' Property Bill,' such bill to enact that on the expiration of a tenancy the landlord may claim, under an arbitration award, tlie amount due to him for dilapidation by default of tenant, or the tenant may claim in like manner for unexhausted im- provements resulting from his occupation." The question was, should or should they not have legislation ? and he un- liesitatingly gave his voice for it. Two objections were urged against it — that it would be iu some measure an attack on property, and that it would interfere with freedom of contract ; but both seemed '.o him groundless. He thought there would be no attack on property, but simply a recognition of a new kind of property, which would tend to the investment of ad- ditional capital in the soil ; while as regarded freedom of con- tract, all that (vas desired was that tenants should, as respected unexhausted improvements, be placed in ajsimilar position to that now occupied by landlords in reference to dilapidations. It would be of no use for the tenant-farmers to approach the House of Commons as a class unless they had the landlords at tlieir side. United they would be powerful, divided they would be weak, Mr. T. Neville (Staffordshire Chamber), in seconding the resolution, said, believing that it was impossible to establish a definite custom for all parts of the country, he thought legis- lation was required which would have the effect of enabling the landlord and the tenant to appeal to arbitrators to decide what was due to each. He thought it desirable that the arbitrators should be appointed by some public body, instead of their being left to the old system under which each party appointed an arbitrator, who did not look to the justice of the case, but cared only for success, the result often being simply that the man of the greatest ability carried the day. Mr. T. Brown (Norfolk Chamber) thought that too mucli stress had been laid on the words " freedom of contract." Some gentlemen had spoken on that point, as if a revolution were threatened by interference with freedom of contract ; but surely the Council were not going to be frightened by such a bug- bear as that. The Legislature had already interfered with such freedom in various cases, for instance, by the Licensing Act it prevented a man from contracting for the supply of a pint of beer at all hours (laughter). Assuming that at present landlord and tenant had equal contracting powers, if it could be shown that they contracted to the injury of the nation, then the State had not only a right, but was bound in duty to inter- fere. He was at a loss to conceive why a landowner should object to an equitable system of compensation for un- exhausted improvements, it being notorious that for one appli- cation for a farm when it was in bad condition there were ten when it was in good condition. The system of compensation had long been in operation in Lincolnshire, and he had yet to learn that there were more frequent changes of occupation, or a smaller number of applicants for a farm, or that land in proportion to value let for less money, in that county than where no such custom prevailed. It was said that the con- templated change would, by necessitating the use of a larger amount of capital, render it more difficult for young men to obtain farms. He demurred to that opinion, believing that it took less capital to manage a farm which was in good heart than to bring one into that condition. He also held that what was now proposed would be beneficial to the labourer, by tending to continuous employment, and to the community in general, by tending to increased production, Por these reasons he thought the State was bound to make the adoption of such a system as prevailed in Lincolnshire imperative throughout the kingdom, Mr, T. DucKHAM (Herefordshire Chamber) expressed his surprise that a practical man like Mr, Biddell should oppose legislation. All they wanted to do then was to lay down the broad principle that, as the landlord had security with regard to dilapidations, the tenant should have security with regard to any improvements which he might make by expenditure out of his own capital. At present, when a six-months' notice to quit was given, or the tenant died, the capital invested in the soil had to be left there to benefit some one else, and the time was come when something should be done to remedy that state of things. He did not agree with the gentleman who thought the question was not ripe for legislation. He could not conceire where he had been living (laughter). la his opinion there was evidence in all directions that both the agricultural mind and the mind of the public generally were fully prepared for a change- What was proposed was not at all antagonistic to the in- terests of landlords : the interests involved were mutual. It must be the interest of the landlord to have his estate im- proved by good farming, no less than it was that of the tenant to have security for his capital, or that of the country gene- rally to have the land made as productive as possible. Mr. Hicks (Cambridgeshire) supported the original reso- lution. As a landowner, he was strongly in favour of the tenant being recouped at the expiration of his tenancy, provided it were a yearly hiring; but he protested against any interference with freedom of contract, which lay at the root of all confidence in matters of busi- ness in this country. Let everybody be free to do what he liked ; and if they trusted to the law of the land, let it be just. As regarded the term "unexhausted improvements," he believed that what was meant was " unrecovered capital," In using the words " unexhausted improvements," they would be speaking of what it would be found impossible to esti- mate, A Member : It means improvements resulting from the tenant's occupation, Mr. Hicks : Yes, but the question arose how long he had occupied. A man might have entered on a farm when he was very young, held it for 50 years, and made it a very good farm, and would anyone tell him that in such a case there could be- any unrecovered capital at the end of 50 years (" Yes") — that is, from the mere tillage of the laud ("Yes, decidedly) ?" Those who said that, must know very little about the value of money (laughter). He believed that the difference in money value between a 99 years' lease and the fee simple was little or nothing ; and he maintained that the capital laid out during an occupa- tion of 50 years must have been recovered long before the end of that time. The amendment opened a door which he would recommend the Council to avoid, Mr, T, HORLEY (Warwickshire Chamber) wished to state his reasons for supporting the amendment, in preference to the original resolution. He thought that if they were to have any legislative enactment on that subject, as he felt that they must, to give landlords and tenants power to contract them- selves out of the Act would be to make it perfectly useless. They had tried how far they could go in the right direction by the way of custom, and the result was not satisfactory. The increase of population could not fail to have some weight in any legislation. They did not wish for any exceptional legislation ; what they wanted being a general measure which would recognise their rights and at the same time be beneficial to the country at large. No one who was conversant with agriculture could deny that a large portion of the land of tiiis country suffered in condition from the want of security for the capital of the tenant, and unless that defect were remedied, the nation could not expect any improvement. The condition of the labourers had for some time past excited very strong feelings in the pubhc mind. What could be more prejudicial to the labourer than the fact that during the closing period of a lease or a tenancy, a large portion of the previous farm labour was done away with He felt more strongly every day of his life that legislation was indispensable. Mr. J. RussoN (Worcestershire) thought there was no necessary opposition between the amendment and the original resolution, the former merely pointing to the manner in which the object was to be aimed at. Mr. BoWEN Jones (Herefordshire) said, [one gentleman having asked what unexhausted improvements were, he wished to say that in his opinion they were what was left in the soil, having come out of the tenant's own capital at the expiratioa of the tenancy — that which he had not derived a full return for, and the value of which was left for his successor. He could not conceive how the principle of compen- sation for that could be considered unjust to the landlord, A gentleman had just asked how it was possible that a man who had occupied a farm for 50 years should have any unrecovered capital left in the soil. He would ask him in reply whether, if an outgoing tenant under such circumstances had spent £1,000 on bone-dust and oilcake during the last year of his tenancy there might not be some unrecovered capital left if he received a six months' notice to quit. That question had now been before the public for at least four-and- twenty years, and, considering the present state of agriculture 528 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ill raauy eounlifs, it seemed to liim absolutely necessary lliat soraetliing should now be done. He thought the amendment went too much into detail, and agreed with Sir George Jenkin- son that the rights of the landlords in cases of dilapidation should be recognised, the remedy of arbitration being neces- sary for them as well as for tenants ; but, if they did not take up that question of compensation and carry it out, other people would take it out of their hands. Mr. Jabez TuiiiVER (Peterborough) denied that there was any antagonism in that case between the interests of tenants and those of landlords. As the owner of a small estate in Lin- colnshire he had, in his own interest as well as that of the tenant, acted en the principle of a good Tenant-Right. Sir M. H. Beach, M.P., asked how this compensa- tion was to be secured, whether by the custom of • the county, as in Lincolnshire, or by agreement, as was the practice in many parts of England. He could as- sure them that there were more instances than they were aware of in which every possible compensation for unex hausted improvements was secured to the tenant by agreement. Still there were other cases in which no custom of the county or agreement existed, and the question was whether in those cases compensation should be enforced by law. For himself he admitted that it ought, and he was quite willing, either in the Chamber or elsewhere, to support a bill for that purpose. It was necessary, however, that they should look the difficul- ties of the matter in the face. It had been suggested that the Lincolnshire system might be made imperative tliroughout England, but whoever considered the subject for one moment must see that that was impossible. Besides, it would occur to everyone that that which was an improvement in Lincoln- shire might be anything but an improvement in Hereford or Northumberland. The conditions of soil and climate might vary ; manures beneficial to one soil might be absolutely mischievous to another ; and the course of farming that was right and proper in one part of England might be entirely wrong in another. The variety was so great that it would be necessary, if anything was to be done by law, that something or other should first be done with the view, if possible, of consolidating all these customs. Another resolution suggested by the Business Committee was that through this Council and Associated Chamber the allowances adapted to the different districts should be defined, and schedules prepared in accord- ance therewith ; and certainly some such operation as that was a necessary preliminary to legislation. Consequently the adoption of Mr. Uarrington Smith's amendment was to put the cart before the horse. Supposing an act were passed in the very words of the motion ; remembering that it would have to be interpreted by lawyers, who would take care to squabble over every word, would it be in any degree an effectual mea- sure unless it was clearly understood in every district through- out England what were unexhausted improvements, what di- lapidations, and otlier things of that kind ? He apprehended that the purport of the term " unexhaused improvements" was by no means certain ; but they were all agreed that some- thing must be done by law. It would greatly simplify the matter, therefore, if they introduced the words " by law" in the original motion. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., said he could not think of adopting tlie suggestion of Mr. Hicks, that he should substitute " un- recovered capital" for " unexhausted improvements." It might be that unrecovercd capital represented no improvement at all, that being in fact very often the case ; whereas, if the words " unexhausted improvements" were used, supposing there was no improvement nothing would have to be paid. No one could doubt that at present landlords did appropriate to themselves what belonged to the tenant. They might talk themselves hoarse on that subject, but they would never get a custom throughout England, unless they had some legislative enactment to back them (Hear, hear). He would be perfectly contented then with rhe passing of a resolution afSrming the principle that there should be adetfuate security for unex- hausted improvements. Whatever bill might be passed, details must be left to be worked out by practical men, according to the wants of diflferent localities. Mr. Storr (Notts) said the Chamber which he represented, and, he believed, he was authorised in making a similar state- ment with regard to the Northamptonshire Chamber, considered that the object might be attatued without legislation(Cries of '■ No, no"). They all knew wliat legislation had done for the land in Ireland. It had put tenants in a prosperous condi- tion ; but what about the landlords ? Where there not many cases in which the tenant had obtained almost the fee simple of the land, under the name of compensation, and was that au inducement to them to proceed in that direction ? No doubt there were many cases in which sufficient allowance was not made to the outgoing tenant for oilcake and other things of that kind ; but he believed that in the counties of Notting- liamshire and Lincohishire, farmers were perfectly satisfied with the Tenant-Rights which they had at present, and if they were more extended, that would, he thought, amply satisfy everyone. As to arbitration, the establishment of a court of arbitration by law would create endless litigation. If a bill were introduced in Parliament, it would, perhaps, go much fur- ther than any of them desired. Mr. WiLBRAHAM Egerton (Cheshire) thought the amend- ment went too far, and that it was undesirable for the Cham- ber to pledge itself to any distinct measure on the subject. lu the Cheshire Chamber the resolution suggested by the Busi- ness Committee had been accepted, with the addition of the words : " That the amount payable on either side should be capable of being legally enforced by arbitration." That met all cases where agreements did not already provide compensa- tion for unexhausted improvements, which, however, was done on many estates in his county. I\rr. Fisher (Northamptonshire) said it appeared that the view of the Chamber which he represented was not the popular view, that Chamber having passed a resolution to the eflfect that what should be arrived at was the extension of custom under the authority or through the influence of Cham- bers of Agriculture. As regarded the slow growth of custom, the moment you established it there it was. He had heard the remark that it would take twenty years to estab- lish a custom ; but he replied that the moment it was initiated the tenant had the benefit of it, and its not having existed for twenty years was of no consequence, except as that it might weigh with a jury in an action for compensation. When a custom was accepted by landlord and tenant, practically it was as good as if it had been established for a long period. Sir J. Pakingtojj observed that the main object of the Chamber was to establish a principle, and what was that prin- ciple ? He held that it was most desirable for the landowner, the occupier, and the public that, in these days of improved farming, the farmer should be enabled to lay out his capital with due and fair security to himself; and he believed that any owner who resisted this principle was blind to his own interests. It was just ; it was sound ; it was politic Then came the question whether or not it was desirable that they should go to the legislature to establish this principle ; and so far as he could form an opinion, after a good deal of reading and reflection, he for one had no objec- tion to do so ; but his idea was that they ought to go to the legislature merely to ask that this should be established as the genera] law of the land on the subject, and it seemed to him that if the legislature assented to that course a very great step would have been gained. Then he came again to that which really seemed to be the main question at issue before the Chamber, and which was most likely to lead to a difference of opinion — namely, was it desirable that legislation should be so shaped as to destroy all independence and power of agree- ment between landlord and tenant P Upon this he did not mean to express a decided opinion, for he regarded the matter as so important to understand that every prudent man should hold himself free to be guided by whatever he might hereafter hear ; but, according to his present impression, they ought to be cautious how they destroyed the power of independent ac- tion between landlord and tenant. It would be a serious thing to step in between any two classes of her Majesty's sub- jects, and say that freedom of contract, so far as they were concerned, should be swept away ; and they might depend upon it that they would have gained much if they could get it laid down as the law of the land that henceforth, in the ab- sence of special agreement to the contrary, there should be this power to recover the value of unexhausted improvements. But they should not embarrass themselves with details. Let that branch of the subject be left to future consideration ; but it was an important question whether they should advise such a great change as by law doing away with freedom of contract. At present he owned he could not see his way to such a change ; and, under these circumstances, while assenting to the general principle, he should vote against Mr. Smith's amendment, and in favour of the original resolution, modified THE FAllMER'S MAGAZINE. 6:9 by Ihe introductiun of tlic words " by law," as Sir M. Beach had suggested. Mr. W. Fowler, M.P., preferred tlic amendment to the original motion. Granting that it was essential to the life of a nation that contract should be free, there were nevertheless cases in which another principle might be laid down, and this was one of them. What they ought to do was to assert the definite principle that security should be given where there was a real improvement. In opposition to this iiad arisen the fear that if they took away the power to contract themselves out of such a law some awful result would follow ; but no one had yet explained to him what that evil consequence would be, and that being tbe case, and believing that the law as pro- posed to be altered would be a great improvement, he did not see why it should not be binding upon everybody, and that none should be allowed to contract themselves out of it. The difficulties when they came to deal with details were no doubt extremely great. On the other hand, any act of parliament would certainly break down if it were full of details. What was wanted was an alteration of the common law, making it clear that the tenant should have certain rights under certain circumstances, and these circumstances must be put into such words, if they were to be found, as lawyers would not be able to squabble over. Some high authorities had said that where Tenant-Right custom existed farming was not so good as where it did not exist ; and that opinion was expressed by Mr. Caird in his book on the "Agriculture of England in 1851." [A Voice : " Tliat was more than twenty years ago ; he would tell a very difTerent story now."] What Mr. Caird's opinion now was he did not know ; but he did not agree with him in that which he had referred to, and in this he was confirmed by the observation of M. Lavaley, who said that in Belgium, where custom was universal, it was a proverb with the peasant that the higher the valuation the better for the incoming tenant, because he entered upon a farra^that was^in^^good con- bition. The Rev. Mr. Perry said he would vote for the amendment if the mover would consent to omit the title of the Bill. Sir G. Jeukinson, M P., as a landlord, objected to the amendment, and preferred the original resolution, with the alteration suggested by Sir M. Beach. They were all tolera- bly well agreed upon the principle that some legislative enact- ment was required to make the tenant safe in laying out his capital for the improvement of the land. At the same time the details by which that was to be carried out were so difficult that it was impossible at that moment to arrive at a conclusion respecting them. He would impress upon them, then, that whereas there were persons — no matter what their reasons or their ultimate objects — who were anxious to sow dissension between landlord and occupier, the Chamber should let it go forth to the pubhc that their opinions and views were unani- mous as to the principle to be established, while they were not yet sufficiently matured in their conclusions as to the details by which the principle was to be carried out. Mr. Lipscomb (West Riding) said the Chamber which he represented, thought that care should be taken to distinguish between the fixed capital of the landlord and the floating capita] of the tenant. As agent for a large entailed estate he protested against expensive works being executed without proper supervision. He had known thousands of pounds to be expended on what was useless. (A voice : " Then they were not improvements," and Hear, hear). Ijet them not take a class- view of that matcer. The Chamber which he represented considered that it would be premature to legislate as to what was to be allowed for the floating capital employed in tillage until they had settled among themselves what the allowances ought to be. Mr. YoLLAND (West Yorkshire) said his Chamber felt that the question was surrounded with difficulties. Mr. C. Smith having, as the mover of the amendment, with- drawn the title of the Bill, in accordance with a suggestion previously made. The Chairman then put the amendment with that omis- sion, and it was lost, the numbers being 17 for, and 29 against. Mr. T. JAsKELL (Wilts), having declined to accede to a sug- gestion that he would withdraw an amendment of which he had given notice in favour of one of Mr. Read's, moved the following: (1.) " That this Council considers it necessary for the security of capital engaged in husbandry that the outgoing tenant shall be entitled to compensation for the unexhausted improvements executed by him in buildings, drainage, flooding, road-making, and 'suciilike improvements, from the landlord, the landlord himself or by his agent having refused to execute such works ; the valuers to take into consideration the time the tenant has derived benefit therefrom, the stability or other- wise of the erections, and their suitability to the use of the farm, and also any dilapidations and deteriorations through neglect, allowiuR fair wear and tear through lapse of time." (2). " That, in the absence of a two yearu' notice to quit a farm held on a yearly tenancy, or in the absence of two years' notice that a lease of a farm will not be renewed, the outgo- ing tenant shall be entitled, in addition to the customary acts of husbnndry, compensation for unexhausted tillages and manures ; such tillages and manures being confined to oilcake, corn, and seeds consumed by cattle, slieep, and pigs, and guano and other artificial manures used in raising roat and otlier spending crops during the last two years of the tenancy, and that marling, liming, chalking, boning pastures, and appli- cations of a more lasting ciiaracter be confined to what have been expended the last four years of the tenancy." This amendment having been seconded by Mr. Pennington, of Swin- don, was put and lost. Mr. Read, M. P., moved the following amendment : "That this Council considers it necessary for the proper security of capital engaged in husbandry that, in the absence of a lease or agreennant making equivalent provision, the outgoing tenant should be entitled by law to compensation for the unexhausted value of his improvements, while, at the same time, the land- lord should be paid for dilapidations and deterioration beyond fair wear and tear." Mr. Lipscomb having seconded this amendment, Mr. W. Fowler M.P., objected to the words "making equivalent provision," as being vague and indefinite, observing that such words could not be used in an act of Parliament. Mr. Read expressed his willingness to alter the wording. Sir J. Pakington, M.P., urged the importance of unani- mity, and hoped that the amendment would be so altered as to secure that. Mr. Read said, having been asked what he meant by " im- provements," he begged to refer for explanation to the words of the Irish Land Act, which said that an improvement must be " suitable to the holding, and increase its letting value" (Hear, hear). After some discussion, Mr. Read consented to submit the amendment, with the consent of the seconder, in the following modified form : " That this Council considers it necessary, for the proper security of capital engaged in husbandry, that when such security is not given by lease or agreement the outgoing tenant should be entitled by law to compensation for tlie un- exhausted value of his improvements, while, at the same time, the landlord should be paid for dilapidations and deteriorations caused by default of the tenant." Mr. WiiiTTAKER said he must oppose it, because it tended entirely to destroy the right of private contract. Mr. MuNTZ expressed his entire approval of the amendment as amended. The question they had to decide was, did they intend tenant-farmers to have security or not. If they did intend that, let them not put in a resolution words to the effect that an agreement should be allowed to prevent it. The Chairman, after remarking that he was opposed to the amendment in its original form, but that he thought Mr. Read had met the objections in a fair spirit, put the amend- ment, and it was carried unanimously. Mr. Read, M.P., alluding to other amendments of his on the paper, said that after that decision he did not care about Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5, and would confine himself to moving No. 6, the last of the series. Sir M. Beach objected to the withdrawal of the second re- solution, which affected, he said, the rights of landlords, and deprecated its rejection. After some discussion with regard to the precise wording of it, the second amendment was ultimately proposed by Mr. Read iu the following amended form : " That such compensa- tion should be paid by the landlord for buildings, drainage, reclamation, and other works of a permanent character exe- cuted with his consent, after making proper allowance for fair wear and tear ; and that buildings and fixtures erected without the consent of the landlord should be removable by the outgoing tenant, the same making good any damage to the estate." 630 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. This amendment was then seconded by Sir M. Beach, M.P., and agreed to, but with some dissentients. On the motion of Sir G. Jenkijvson, M.P., seconded by Mr. T. H. Pearce (Worcestershire) the following rider was added to tlie amendment : " That such compensation shall be subject to the previous consent of the owner in the case of buildings, drainage, reclamations, and other improvements of a permanent character." Mr. Pell, M.P., proposed as an additional rider the follow- ing : " Under the same inspection as now exists in the case of settled estates." This was seconded by Mr. LiPSCOMB, and on being put from the chair was negatived. On the motion of Mr. Read, M.P., seconded by Sir Massy Lopes, M.P., the following amendment, being the last of Mr. Read's series, was then carried unanimously : " That this Council considers absolutely necessary a change in the law of tenancy, so that in all yearly holdings, the letting and hiring of agricultural land, as well on entailed and ecclesiastical as on other estates, shall be subject to at least twelve months' notice to quit — cases of insolvency excepted." On the motion of Sir M. Beach, M.P., it was resolved: " That a Special General Meeting of Members of the Central Chamber be held after the Annual Meeting on Wednesday, December 11th, to consider the operation of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, and to determine what action should be taken thereupon." A vote of thanks was given to the Chairman, and the meeting separated. ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. Monthly Council, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 1872. — Present : Earl Cathcart, President, ia the chair ; Lord Chesham, Lord Kesteven, Lord Tredegar, Lord Vernon, the Hon. Wilbraham Egerton, M.P. ; Sir Massey Lopes, Bart., M.P. ; Sir Watkia W. Wynn, Bart., M.P. ; Mr. Booth, Mr. Bowly, Mr. Cantrell, Mr. Davies, Mr. Dent, M.P. ; Mr. Druce, Mr. Brandi-eth Gibbs, Mr. Hol- land, Mr. Wren Hoskyns, M.P. ; Mr. Hornsby, Mr. Bowen Jones, Colonel Kingscote, M.P, ; Mr. Leeds, Mr. Mcintosh, Mr. Masfen, Mr. Milward, Mr. Paine, Mr. Randell, Mr. Ransome, Mr. Ridley, M.P. : Mr. Stone, Mr. Shuttleworth, Mr. Torr, Mr. Jabez Turner, Mr. Wakefield, Mr. Webb, Mr. Welby, M.P. ; Mr, Wells, M.P. ; Mr. John Wells, Mr. Jacob Wikon, Professor Simonds, and Dr. Voelcker. The Duke of Bedford, Woburn Abbey ; the Earl of Craven, AshdownPark, Shrivenham; Lord Skelmersdale, Lathom House, Ormskirk : and Mr. R. Milward, Thur- garton Priory, Southwell, were elected Governoas of the Society. The following new members were elected :— Archer T., jun., Dunston, Gateshead. Atkinson W., Burneside Hall, Kendal, Baker Frederick, Manor Parm, Prindsbury, Rochester. Bassett Francis, M.P., The Heath, Leighton Buzzard. Beckett Joseph, Belvedere, Whitchurch, Salop. Bradley Edward, Cowbridge. Braithwaite- Wilson C, W., Plumtree-hall, Mibthorpe, Bridson J., Ridgway, Belle Isle, Windermere. Catling, Captain R. C, Needham Hall, Wisbeach. Claridge William, 51, Brook Street, W. Collard Charles, Little Barton, Canterbury. Cropper James, Ellergreen, Kendal. Curling Edwin H., Brookland, Whitstable. Day John, Chilham, Canterbury. De Salis, Rev. H.J., Portnall Park, Staines, Elgar Frederick, St. Margaret's, Rochester. Fane, Colonel F., Fulbeck Hall, Grantham. Fenton, David Henry, 70, Strickland Gate, Kendal, France-Hay hurst. Major C, H., Bostock Hall, Middlewich. Gordon, Admiral G. T., lugledon, St. Michael's, Ashford. Griffin J. W., Towersey Manor, Thame. Handley W., Green Head, Milnthorpe. Harris Alfred, Limefield, Kirkby Lonsdale. Harrison Thomas J., Singleton Park, Kendal. Harvey W. F., Thruxted, Chartham, Canterbury. Hudson Charlie, Kinsham, Tewkesbury. Hughes Frederick, Wallfield, Reigate. Johnson Henry, Kendal. Key William, Casterton Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale. Laycock William, Woodville, Keighley. Lefroy Charles J. M., Itchell Manor, Crondall, Farnham, Metcalfe Anthony, Ravenstonedale, Tebay. Morton John, Skelsmergh Hall, Kendal. Mullius Isaac, Alvington, Lydney, Neame Charles, Copton, Faversham. Pentelow John, Rounds, Thrapstou, Philips, Captain Edwin, Rhual, Mold. Poole CudworthH., Marbury Hall, Whitchurch, Salop. Puckridge A. F., Higham Court, Woodford. Punchard F.,Underley, Kirkby Lonsdale. Pye Henry, St. Mary's Hall, Rochester. Randall John, Stroud. Reeves William, Chittenden, Staplehurst, Robinson John, Wingham, Sandwich, Sankey R. J., South Hill, Ashford. SchoUick J. S., Fortescue, Australia. Scott John, Wouldham, Rochester. Stavert William, Helsingtou Laiths, Kendal. Talbot John G., M.P., Falconlmrst, Edenbridge. Taylor Richard, New House, Keudal, Vivian H. Hussey, M.P., Park Wern, Swansea. Walker Adam, Denmark House, Kendal, Williamson B., Canal Ironworks, Kendal. Wilson G. E., Dallam Tower, Milnthorpe, Wilson E. Hagworthingham, Spilsby. Wilson John, 2, Albion Place, Northampton. Wilson Thomas, Cunswick Hall, Kendal. Wilson T., Newby, The Landing, Ulverston, Winn Mary Ann, Uppingham. Winn William Fothergill, Bowerbank, Penrith. Yeates G. H. B,, Brettargh Holt, Blilnthorpe, Finances, — Colonel Kingscote, M.P., presented the report, from which it appeared that the Secretary's re- ceipts during the past three months had been duly exa- mined by the committee, and by Messrs. Quilter, Ball and Co., the Society's accountants, and found correct. The balance in the hands of the bankers on October 31 was £999 8s. 8d., and £2,000 at deposit. The quarterly statement of subscriptions and arrears to September 30, and the quarterly cash account, were laid on the table. The arrears then amounted to £1,343. The committee recommended that 16 members in arrear of their sub- scriptions be removed from the list of members. The committee also recommended that Lord Bridport's name be substituted for that of the late Colonel Challoner as one of the trustees in whose name the Society's property is invested ; and that the distinction between the separate funds possessed by the Society be thus removed. — This report was adopted. Journal. — Mr. J, Dent Dent, M.P., reported that the President had offered a prize of £100 for the best essay " On the Potato Disease and its Prevention." They recommended that the prize be accepted with thanks, that the competing essays be sent in, subject to the rules of the Society, on or before May 1, 1873, and that adver- tisements giving notice of the prize be inserted in the French and German scientific journals as well as in the usual English newspapers. All essays to be written in English or accompanied by an English translation. They also reported that the issue of the Journal had been de- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 531 layed, and its bulk, and consequent cost considerably in- creased by the publication of the report of the trial of Kidd versus the Royal Agricultural Society, as ordered by a special Council in August. A paper by Dr. Voelcker on the substances used in the adulteration of oilcakes, and the report of the engineer judges on portable engines had, in consequence, been postponed until the February num- ber. The committee had examined and passed accounts amounting to £723 15s. 9d. in connection with the pre- sent Journal, and one of £19 for woodcuts for the Feb- ruary number. They recommended that an application made by Messrs. Marshall for six electrotypes of their thrashing machine, as delineated in the report of the trials of implements, be granted. The judges of plans for labourers' cottages exhibited at Cardiff, having advised the publication of a design by " Rustic," and Mr. Iline, Patent Brickworks, Worcester, the author of it, having placed it at the disposal of the Society, Mr. Hunt, the Society's surveyor, had offered to prepare elevations and specifications for the same. The Committee therefore recommended that Mr. Hunt's offer should be accepted with thanks, and that Mr. Hine be paid £7 10s., the sum he asked, for his designs, and that the plans, elevations, and specifications be published in this Journal, A letter having been read from the Societe Centrale d' Agriculture de Belgique, requesting the Royal Agricul- tural Society to supply their Society with periodical in- formation as to the state of the crops and of prices in Great Britain, the Committee recommended that an an- swer be sent, stating that this Society has no special means of obtaining such information. The President laid before the Committee a letter from M. Drouyn de Lhuys, President of the Societe des Agri- culteurs de France, asking for information as to the tenant-right, and customs of compensation for unexhausted improvements existing in different districts in England. The Committee recommended that a copy of the evidence taken by Mr. Pusey's Committee of the House of Com- mons in 1848, and of Mr. C. Cadle's paper in the Journal of 1868 on " Agricultural Customs and Covenants," be forwarded to M. Drouyn de Lhuys, with an intimation that the Society does not possess any more accurate in- formation on the subject. The forms of specifications for the implement catalogue having been referred to this Committee, they recom- mended that in future catalogues the compulsory insertion of the name of the inventor or improver be omitted, and that the Society only require the name of the implement, the name and address of its manufacturer, and the lowest selling price, as exhibited ; and that any further descrip- tion, which will be optional, shall not exceed six lines of printed matter, to be charged for at the rate of three shillings per line. — This report was adopted. Chemical.— Mr. W. Wells, M.P. (chairman), reported that, since the meeting of the Council in July, the trial of Kidd V. the Royal Agricultural Society had taken place at Leeds. The trial was held before Mr. Justice Blackburn and a special jury, and lasted for three days. The jury deliberated for five hours, and ultimately gave a verdict for £10 10s. against the Society, which will carry costs. A verbatim report of the proceedings had been inserted in the Journal; and the action that had been taken by the seed-crushers in HuU had led the Committee to believe that the trial, although unfortunate in a pecu- niary point of view, had been of considerable value to the agricultural interest. To illustrate this, they appended extracts from a letter addressed by the secretary of the Hull Pure Linseed Cake Association to the Leeds Mer- cury, dated Sept. 25, 1872; " Our Association is not formed for the purpose of binding the crusher^to sell only pure linseed cake, but for preventing him selling as pure liuseed cake that which is not ; and it will be prepared to take strong measures against any one doing so. " The Association, however, requires those making compo- site cakes to sell them as such, and not as linseed cakes." Under the present circumstances, the committee, pro- fiting by the experience they have gained, and while feeling the necessity of the utmost vigilance iu preparing their quarterly reports, and also of having due regard to the law as laid down by the judge in his summing up at the late trial, expressed a hope that the Council would authorise the continued publication of them ; and they therefore begged to lay before the Council the quarterly report, which, in accordance with the resolution passed at the last meeting of the Council, had been hitherto with- held. This report having been adopted, it was'moved by Mr. WeUs, M.P., seconded by Lord Tredegar, and carried unanimously : That the deferred quarterly report be sent to the agricultural newspapers for publication. Quarterly Report of the Chemical Committee. — 1. Mr. Henry McLaren, of Offerton Hall, Sunderland, has sent two samples of compound cake (Nos. 1 and 3 in the following analysis), which had been supplied instead of the pure liuseed cake ordered. In each Dr. Voelcker found but little linseed, and, apparently, a large propor- tion of hard olive kernels, locust meal, cotton cake, and starchy matter. The hard woody shell of the olive kernels was too coarsely ground to be useful for feeding purposes. Another sample sent by Mr. McLaren, and sold to him at £11 10s., was a pure linseed cake (No. 2), and appears to be cheaper at that price thau the com- pound cake No. 1 would be at £8 8s. ; or No. 3, if sold at £9 9s., yet the actual prices paid were £16 a ton for No. 1, and, he believes, £10 10s. for No. 3. Composition of Two Samples of Mixed or Compound Cakes, sent by Mr. H. McLaren, Offerton Hall, Sunderland : No. 1. No. 3. Moisture Oil ^Albuminous compounds (iiesh-forming matters) 10.76 8.60 19.69 33.99 18.84 8.12 11.58 9.96 22.12 Mucilage, sugar, and digestible fibre... Woody fibre (cellulose) , **Miueral matter (ash) 32.22 15.16 8.96 100.00 100.00 ^Containing nitrogen '''*Containing sand 3.15 3.24. 3.54, 3.40 No information has been received as to the names of the parties from whom the cakes were purchased. 2. Mr. Stephen H. Allen, of Eastover, Andover, has sent a sample of artificial guano, sold at £3 10s. per ton. The following are the results of the analysis of the sample: Composition of a Sample of Artificial Guano, sent by Mr. Stephen H. Allen, Eastover, near Andover. Moisture 17.57 *Organic matter 17.84, Phosphoric acid ... .., ... ... ... .12 Equal to phosphate of lime , [.26] Oxide of iron and alumina .., ... ... 7.66 Carbonate and sulphate of lime ... ... ... 15.31 Alkaline salts and magnesia (chiefly common salt) 5.64, Insoluble siliceous matter (sand) ... , 35.86 100.00 ^Containing nitrogen ,., ,,, ... ... .83 Equal to ammonia ... ... ... ... .99 This so-called guano contains merely traces of phos- phate of lime, and consists of a mixture of some nitro- genous organic refuse matter, with a preponderating pro- portion of sand and other useless earthy matters. Its 632 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. strong smell is clue to boue oil, wliicli has no value whatever as a manure; and although sold at £3 lOs., this guano is scarcely worth 15s. per tou. The committee believe they Lave already noticed this worthless compound in previous quarterly reports, but abstain from referring to it by name on the present occasion, as there appears to be some little doubt as to its identity. 3. The next case is one of nitrate of soda, a sample of which was sent by Mr. Alfred de Mornay, Cold Harbour, Wallingford, who states that he bought it of Messrs. Erederiek Edgington and Co., as standard nitrate, at £17 per ton. 100 parts of this nitrate of soda contained : Moisture ... 3.93 Choride of sodium (common salt) ... ... 22.73 Sulphate of lime and magnesia 30 Insoluble matter 14 Pure nitrate of soda ... 72.85 100.00 Genuine commercial nitrate of soda contains from 94 to 95 per cent, of pure nitrate of soda, and from li to 4 per cent, of common salt. 4. A sample of adulterated guano was sent to the laboratory by Mr. Edward Knight, Smallrise, Sandon, Stone, Staffordshire, and found to contain in 100 parts : Moisture 13.57 *Organic matter iJ5.71 Phosphate of lime, iron, and alumina 18 .49 Sulphate of lime 11.16 Alkaline salts 7.01 lusoluble siliceous matter 24.06 100.00 *Containing nitrogen 5.76 Et^ual to ammonia 6.99 This guano, it will be seen, yields only 7 per cent, of ammonia, and is adulterated with a considerable amount of sand and gypsum. In reply to a letter of inquiry for particulars respecting the price of this guano, name of seller, &c., the following note was received : Smallrise, Sandon, Stone, May 30, 1873. Sir, — I am in receipt of yours of the 22nd inst., with ana- lysis of guano, and in reply to your inquiry as to whom it was purchased from, and the price, I beg to say that, as 1 did not purchase it as genuine Peruvian guano, I do not think it will be necessary to provide you with the names, &c. I am, sir, your faithful servant. Dr. Augustus Voelcker, London. Edward Knight. 5. The last case is one of bone-meal, a sample of which was sent by Mr. Robert Rawlinson, Graythwaite, Ulver- ston. Mr. Rawlinson writes to Dr. Voelcker : I should much like an analysis of the sample I sent you but I doubt if I am entitled to it by the rules of the R.A.S.E. as the circumstances of the case are somewliat peculiar. The bone-meal was not directly bought by me, but by a tenant, who is bound by his lease to expend a certain sura annually in either bone or lime. By obtaining your opinion I protect myself, and could come down on the tenant if I wished, but my inclination is to protect him. I should be gratified by your advice how further to act in the matter, and any further inlormation I can get I will willingly supply. 1 may add that in letting a farm this year I have taken a liigher rent, and bound myself to expend a certain amount in bones or lime, so that I avoid the difficutly which now occurs. Yours faithfully, Robert Rawlinson. The following are the results obtained in the analysis of this bone-meal : Composition of a Sample of Bone-meal, sent by Mr. Robert Rawlinson, Graythwaite, Diversion. Sold at £9 2s. Gd. per ton. Moisture ... ... 19.72 *Organic matter " ... ... ... ... 32.91 Phosphate of lime (bone phosphate) ... 26.82 Sulphate of lime (gypsum) ... ... ... 6.99 Sulphate of soda (glauber salt) ... ... 9.24 Chloride of sodium (common salt) ... ... 2.60 Insoluble siliceous matter ... ... ... 1.72 100.00 *Containing nitrogen... ... ... ... 3.05 Equal to ammonia ... ... ... ... 3.70 Genuine bone-meal seldom contains more than 10 to 12 per cent, of moisture, and yields from 45 to 48 per cent, of bone-phosphate, and from 4 to 4^ per cent, of ammonia. The sample sent by Mr. Robert Rawlinson, it will be seen, contains not quite 27 per cent, of bone-phos- phate, and is contaminated with sulphate of lime and glauber salt, which substances do not occur in genuine bone-meal. It is moreover mixed with some organic refuse matter, and is not worth more than £6 6s. to £6 IDs. per ton. In a subsequent letter Mr. Rawlinson writes : " In reply to yours of the 32nd instant, I be^ to state that I intend to get redress for my tenant at my own expense, as this country is over-run with agents of manure manufacturers ; and the farms being small, and the tenants men of very small capi- tal, they are consequently at the mercy of dealers." This bone-meal was sold to Mr. Rawlinson's tenant by a local agent of a large Liverpool firm, who state that they have imported as much as 10,000 tons from America, that they gave no guarantee further than that it is the meal it is represented to be. The Secretary then read a communication from the Secretary of the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, en- closing a copy of the following resolutions passed by the Council of that body at a meeting held at Lincoln on Friday, October 11, 1872. (1). Resolved unanimously, on the motion of W. E. Welby, Esq., M.P., seconded by Mr. Charles Clarke (of Scopwick) — " That this Society, in recognition of the continued efforts of the Royal Agricultural Society of England to prevent adul- terations of feeding stuffs and manures, do offer to the Council of the said Society a contribution towards the expenses incurred by them in defending the action of Kidd versus The Royal Agricultural Society of England at the recent assizes at Leeds." (2). Resolved unanimously, on the motion of Edward Heueage, Esq., seconded by Mr. Richard Robinson " That upon the recommendation of the Finance Committee the sum of £100 be offered as such contribution." (3). Ordered that the secretary forthwith communicate such offer to the Secretary of the Royal Agricultural Society. Lord Kesteven explained that the Lincolnshire Agricul- tural Society, of which he was chairman at the time when the foregoing resolutions were passed, comprised nearly 2,000 members, that its Council consisted of the picked men of one of the foremost agricultural counties in Eng- land, and that they were a very active agricultural body. The members of the Society had derived so much benefit from the action of the Royal Agricultural Society in pub- lishing the quarterly reports of the Chemical Committee, that they desired to express their sympathy with the Royal Agricultural Society in reference to the result of the Leeds trial. They knew no other way of showing this sympathy than by contributing to the expenses of the action ; and he hoped that the Council of the Royal Society would re- ceive the contribution of the Lincolnshire Society in the spirit in which it was offered. ]\Ir. W. E. Welby, M.P., as the author of the first re- solution on the subject, wished the Council to understand that not only was the vote unanimous on the part of the THE FARMER'S MAGAZB.E. 533 Council of llie Liucolushire Sociely, but that it was ex- tremely j)opular anioniist the general body of the inenibers. Lord Cathcart, as President of the Royal Agricultural Society, expressed his gratification at the sympathy of so important a body as the Liucolushire Society with the course which had been pursued by the Royal. The vote of a sum of money was a tangible proof of the sentiments of the Lincolnshire Society, but otherwise he did not attach so much importance to the money itself as to the spirit which prompted its offer. He only wished that closer relations could be established between this Society and the local atj;ricultural societies of the kingdom. A question having been raised as to the propriety of the Royal Agricultural Society accepting a grant of money from any other society towards paying f)r the conse- quences of their own action, it was settled in the affirma- tive on the grounds that the object of the society was a national one, and that the Lincolnshire Society was desirous of contributing towards the expenses which had attended it. It was therefore proposed by Mr. Torr, seconded by Mr. Bowly, and carried unanimously : — " That the Royal Agricultural Society return their sincere thanks to the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society for their generous sympathy in offering £100 towards the expenses of the late trial at Leeds, which they accept, and request the President of the Society to express this feeling to the Presi- dent of the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society." General Hull. — Sir Watkin W. Wynn, Bart, (chairman), reported that the Committee had examined and approved of the plan of the railway sidings to the Hull showyard, and also that they had examined the pro- posed plan of the drainage of the showyard. They re- commended that the question of drainage be referred to Mr. Randell, and that he be asked to confer with the local authorities on the subject. They also recommended that the Secretary be authorised to sign and seal the agreement with the Mayor and Town-Clerk of Hull, as amended. The report was adopted, and the amended agreement was signed in the presence of the Council. Implement. — Mr. T. C. Booth reported that the Committee recommended that implement prizes be offered at the Hull meeting to the amount of £365 ; and that the rules and regulations as printed be adopted, with one exception. This report was adopted. Showyard Contracts. — Mr. Randell (chairman) re- ported the following recommendations of the Committee : 1. That No. 41 of the regulations referring to implement sheds be altered so as to stand thus : " No screen or exhibiter's offices in their stands must adjoin the main alley, nor exceed 20 feet in length. 2. That the horse-boxes in future have overhanging eaves. 3. That two telegraphs instead of one be provided, and that the numbers be provided on both sides of the boards. 4. That forty-eight hurdles be provided for the use of the stock judges. 5. That Mr. Hunt be requested to consider in what way the lavatories and cloak-rooms, &c., may be arranged more satisfactorily than heretofore. 6. That Mr. Hunt should prepare plans for the grand stand at the horse-ring previous to the next meeting of the Council. This report was adopted. Education.— Mr. E. Holland (chairman) gave notice that at the December meeting of the Council the com- mittee would apply for a renewal of the education grant of £200 for the ensuing year, and that they will then be prepared with their scheme of examination for the approval of the Council. — This report was adopted. Selection. — The report of this committee having been received, it was moved by Mr. J. Dent Dent, M.P., seconded by Mr. W. Wells, M.P., and carried unani- mously, that Mr. Milward, of Thurgarton Priory, Notts, be elected a trustee, in the room of the late Colonel Challoner. Botanical. — Mr. W. E. Welby, M.P., reported that the committee had received the following report from the Consulting Botanist, Mr. Carruthers, P. U.S. Potato Disease. — From the general interest awakened by the alarming extent of the Potato disease, and from the matter bemg specially brought before me by Lord Cathcart, I have been preparing a plain account of the history and nature of this disease, which I propose, ou the approval of the committee, to insert in the next Journal of tlie Society, illustrating it with several wood-cuts, and adding some hints as to the direction iu which remedies may probably be obtained. Dodder on Swede Turnips. — My attention was called by Mr. Brandreth Gibbs to a field of Swede Turnips attacked by the Trefoil Dodder. I visited the field, which is near Dunstable ou the Braudreth estate, and from Mr. Scroggs, the farmer, I ascertained that, two years before, the field had produced a good crop of Trefoil, which was here and there affected by Dodder. Mr. Scroggs cut down the Clover, leaving the diseased plants to die on the ground, and then ploughed them into the soil. No indication of the parasite appeared in the Wheat crop of last year; but it now appears on the tur- nips, the seed having been brought to the surface. As our native Dodders attack plants of different and widely removed natural orders, and as I have found one species finding support even on grasses, it is most important .that this pest of our Clover crops should be prevented from laying hold on our other crops. An impression is abroad that Trefoil Dodder (being an exotic) does not ripen its seed in England. This is a mistake. I obtained ripe seeds from plants on a Trefoil crop in a field near that where the turnips were growing. Every care must be taken to obtain clean Trefoil seed, and wherever the Dodder appeals, the plants ought to be destroyed by fire. Plants prom Cordoba. — A large case of cereals and some seeds of other plants, sent by the Government of the Argentine Republic, through the British Government, to the Royal Agricultural Society, was submitted to me for examina- tion. They consist of 25 specimens of Wheat and 34 speci- mens of Barley, which were grown in separate plots of an experimental field near to and in connection with the national exhibition held at Cordoba in 1870. The seeds belong to species of Cereus, Convolvulus, Phaseolus, Cassia, Ageratum, Bignonia, &c., plants which are of no economical value. Some of them, which would be ornamental in the gardens, have already been introduced. — This report was adopted. Live Stock Protest Committee. — Mr. Milward (chairman) reported that with reference to the outstand- ing protests against animals exhibited at the Cardiff meeting, the committee are of opinion : — (1.) That the animals exhibited as belonging to the Mont- gomeryshire breed were eligible to compete for the prizes offered for Welsh cattle including the Castle Martin breeds), the Montgomeryshire having long been known as a distinct breed in their native district. (3.) The committee had inquired into the protest against Mr. Robert Rendle's Guernsey heifer (No. 651), and, as he admits having substituted a purchased heifer for one which he had entered, but which died before the show, the committee recommended that Mr. Rendle be not allowed to compete in future for the prizes offered by the Society at any of its meetings. (3.) The committee had examined into the circumstances and correspondence attending the entry No. 417 made by Mr. T. Staffer, jun., in class 40 at the Cardiff meeting, and had read the explanation which he sent in his own absence. They were unanimously of opinion that the entry was made in violation of the rules of the Society, and they therefore recom- mended that Mr. Statter be not allowed to compete in future for the prizes offered by the Society at any of its meetings. (4.) With reference to an alleged irregularity in an entry in the pig classes, the committee recommended that the Secretary be instructed to make further inquiries into the matter. — This report was adopted. Vienna Exhibition Committee. — Mr. R. C. Ran- some reported that information had been received from Her Majesty's Commissioners that the space applied for 534 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. by them for the exhibitors of agricultural machinery had, upon their urgent representations, beea granted without curtailment, and that they are making the necessary pre- parations for the allotment of this space. The committee continued to be impressed with the importance of the exhibition, and the favourable opportunity it presents for cultivating useful relations with other national agricul- tural societies. They suggested the desirability of arrang- ing for a report on the exhibition, and for an efficient representative of England on the International Jury for agricultural machinery. An application had been re- ceived from Messrs. Carter proposing to send a collection of seeds, and asking for the aid of the Society in doing 80. The committee regi-etted that they could not recom- mend any individual application of this nature ; but they felt that a combined effort of this kind on the part of the trade might claim the support of the Society. The com- mittee had requested the Secretary to ascertain fi-om Messrs. Eastons and Anderson the practicability and cost of preparing an interesting series of diagrams of the testing apparatus employed by the Society, with a view to the exhibition of such diagrams in the name of the Society. The committee hoped on a future occasion to recommend some definite plan for the attainment of the objects which they now indicated. — This report was adopted. The Secretary presented an abstract report on the trade in animals, and its influence on the spread of foot- and-mouth and other contagious or infectious diseases. On the motion of Mr. Dent, M.P., this report was ordered to be printed, and circulated amongst the mem- bers of the Council for their private use, and for their individual consideration. Copies were also ordered to be forwarded to the Vice-President of the Privy Council, and the secretaries of the Veterinary Departments of the Privy Councils for Great Britain and Ireland, with a letter stating that the report was under the consideration of the Council. It was then referred to the Cattle Plague Committee (consisting of the whole Council), who were ordered to report to the Council in December. The date of the commencement of the Hull meeting was fixed for Monday, July 14, 1873 ; and the meeting was arranged to continue dui'ing that and the four fol- lowing days, closing on Friday, July 18. The trials of implements were ordered to commence on Monday morn- ing, July 7, at nine o'clock. Several letters were read in reference to foot-and- mouth disease, and to the cottage competition at Car- diff, and the Secretary was instructed to return suitable replies. The list of the General Hull Committee was partially revised. On the motion of Mr. R. C. Ransome, the Secretary •was instructed to print the report of the engineer judges on the trials of portable engines at Cardiif, as soon as possible, and to issue it to exhibitors who may apply for it at a charge of Is. per copy. The Council adjourned until "Wednesday, December 11, at noon, and the half-yearly meeting was fixed for Thurs- day, December 12, at noon. KELSO FARMERS' CLUB.— At the monthly meeting Mr. Piirves, Lintonburnfoot, in the chair, Mr. Scott, Spylaw, opened a discussion on " Whether is it more profitable for the farmer to let liis eora by the acre or to cut it by days' wages?" He thought the prices which had this year been paid for cutting corn by tlie acre were out of all proportion to what had been given to those working by the day, and he was of opinion that it would be much cheaper to hire reapers by the day than to pay such wages. The other speakers agreed with Mr. Scott that the prices which had beeu paid for cutting by the piece were too high, but several of them thought that where corn was let at a reasonable price, it was of advantage to get it cut iu that way. THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. At a meeting of the Council, at the office, 55, Charing Cross, on Tuesday, November 5th, there were preseut : Mr. C. S. Cantrell (Bucks) in the chair, Mr. F. Battcock (Hunts), Mr. J. Collins (London), Mr. A. Garrett (London), Mr. Donald Nicoll (London), Mr. T. Scott (London), Mr. C. Shaw (London) ; Mr. W. Vivian (Lon- don), and the secretary, Mr. C. Shaw, jun. Attention was called to the following extract from a report of the Bedfordshire Agricultural Society's dinner, as originally given in The Bedford Times, and subsequently in The Mark Lane Hxjpress : Mr. John Rogers, the new secretary of the Bedfordshire Society, in the after-part of the evening, said there was a toast which on these occasions had been unaccountably for- gotten, and which deserved to be brought forward, he meant The Agricultural Benevolent Institution. He thought the young people ought to be reminded that there is such an in- stitution iu existence, although the fact was that it is increase ing every year and rendering benefits to many candidates, so that it was deserving of support. In eacli district there were, no doubt, gentlemen who would volunteer to receive subscrip- tions. Mr. George Street, the chairman, said : With regard to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, referred to by Mr. Rogers, the Messrs. Howard had taken a very great in- terest in it, and had got a number of members to join, but the money when forwarded to the secretary was not immediately acknowledged, and the voting-papers were not always sent down. That was his own personal experience. During the last year he had sent to the Messrs. Howard five guineas, to qualify him to become a life-member of the Society, but although that amount was sent up immediately the receipt was not returned. If that was the only instance he should have passed it over, but he wrote to the secretary stating that as he had sent the money with a special object he requested that it should be returned, and the result was that he had got the money back. This was a very important matter, and as the Society was one which they all desired to support he thought the secretary ought to do his duty. He deeply re- gretted that the thing was not properly managed. Mr. R. B. Staeeord said that he endorsed a good deal of what Mr. G. Street had said. His late father had been deeply interested in a case from the neighbourhood of St. Neots, and several gentlemen there informed him that they had nowhere to pay their money. Under these circumstances he (the speaker) received their subscriptions and got them their voting- papers, and this showed that there ought to be some one ap- pointed in each district to receive subscriptions. He mentioned this iu order to bear out wliat Mr. George Street had said, that there was great neglect in the affairs of the Society. If the matter were taken up properly there was not a farmer who would not subscribe. He thought they should one and aU do all they could to obtain subscriptions. The Chairman thought that the feeling of the agricul- turists generally was either that the Society should do its duty or cease to exist. The fault lay entirely with the general office, and unless they did their duty they could not expect the work to prosper. Mr. F. Street urged the desirability of having the Society made better known to the agriculturists. Mr. Rogers said that as the Society was conducted on the voluntary principle no secretaries were appointed iu the various districts unless persons offered themselves voluntarily through the interest they felt in the work. Mr. Scott moved that a Committee of three members of the Council be appointed to investigate the matter, and report thereon ; but his motion was not seconded. The Secretary then read a letter which he proposed to send to the papers, and after some alterations had been made, this course was adopted ; Mr. Scott, however, dis- senting. THE FABMER'S MAGAZINE. 535 The following is a copy of the letter which has been forwarded to us for insertion : Sir, — I would not reply to the strictures contained in a notice of a meeting of the Bedfordshire Agricultural Society reported in your paper of the 2l3t ult., until I had an opportunity of taking the opinion of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution upon the propriety of entering into an explanatory justi- fication. In answer to Mr. Street's observations, I am in a position to state that the money-donation referred to by that gentleman was received at this ofSce on the 30th May, and the acknowledg- ment forwarded to Messrs. Howard, the Society's Local Secretaries, on the 1st June. This would have been done earlier, but under that date no fewer than 300 pay- ments are entered in the day-book, which, with other matters of pressing importance, rendered it quite impos- sible that all receipts should have been despatched by re- turn of post. Mr. Street also complains that his voting - paper did not duly come to hand, and upon his request, and as a necessary consequence of an omission which it is by no means certain was mine, his donation was re- turned to him ; and here I would beg to remark that, with over 10,000 voting-papers to send out, it is possible that an omission should sometimes occur, as is alleged in this particular instance. I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant, C. BousFiELD Shaw. On the motion of Mr. Donald Nicoll, the following resolution was also carried against Mr. Scott, the only dissentient : " The Council having had read to them the report published in The Mark Lane Express of the 21st ult. affecting the conduct of their Secretary, and having fully investigated the circumstances, desire to record upon the minutes of the Society their opinion that the charge therein made is incorrect and unjustifiable." Mr. Scott asked why Mr. Street's case had not been reported to the Council in the first instance? And, further, as to where the money had been obtained to repay Mr. Street the £5 5s. which had been paid in to the funds of the Society ? The Secretary, in explanation, stated that he had paid back the amount from his own pocket, and then deducted this from the aggregate amount of subsequen subscriptions. It will be seen that at the instance of Mr. Donald Nicoll the Council of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, have passed a resolution in which they desire to express their opinion that the report published in The Mark Lane Express on the business of the Institution is "incorrect and unjustifiable." This report, as we stated when we gave it, was taken from The Bedford Times, and we have necessarily to pass the point on. Does The Bedford Times permit the Council of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution to record, its opinion that the reports of The Bedford Tunes are incorrect and unjustifiable? But, further still, as Messrs. George Street and R. B. Stafford have never, we believe, denied the correctness of the reports as regards the speeches we gave from our Bedford contem- porary, are these gentlemen prepared to submit to the charge made by Messrs. Nicoll and Co. that what they said on the business of the Benevolent Institution was incorrect and unjustifiable? Instead of meeting the Bedfordshire farmers with a clumsy impertinence, which of course can only imperil the subscription list, Mr. Street was the rather deserving of a vote of thanks for showing the Council how the business of the office is con- ducted, however admirable and perfect the system may be. Still, the thing may require a little further looking into ; for when we see how the hapless Mr. Scott was over- whelmed, and by whom the Press and the agriculturists are reprimanded for presuming to say anything about their own Institution, one is irresistibly reminded of another famous manifesto, which was issued as a caution to the country by the Three Tailors of Tooley-street.— il/«r^ Lane Express. SHOETHORN HISTORY. The Reverend John Storer, of Hellidon, is engaged in writing a History of the Shorthorn— a breed of cattle certainly neither unhonoured nor unsung, considering that we have already Mr. Carr's History of Killerby, Studley, and Warlaby, as published originally in this Paper, and, per contra, Mr. Bell's History of Improved Shorthorns and the Kirklevington herd; while the late Mr. Dixon told from time to time the history of every Shorthorn herd in England, also through the columns of The Marie Lane Express. However, the Shorthorn scandals now flying about will furnish some further material, and enable Mr. Storer to point a moral to the present day. BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND SOCIETY, AND SOUTHERN COUNTIES ASSOOIATON. The Council meeting was held at (he White Lion Hotel, Bristol, on Tuesday, Mr. R. T. Bremridge, V.P., in the chair. There were also present, Messrs. Allen, M.P., Boscawen, Best. Best (Captain), C. Bush, R. H. Bush, A. P. Milton Druce, P. W. Dymond, C. Edwards, M. Parrant, H. Pookes, J. Gray, H. P. Jones, J. E. Knollys, J. P. Lennard, H. A. P. Luttrell, H. G. Moysey, R. Neville, T. Phillpotts, J. Quartly, J. C. Moore Stevens, R. Trood, H. Williams, H. Spackman (Superintendent), and J. Goodwin, Secretary and Editor. The Plymouth Meeting was fixed to commence on Wliit- Monday, the 2nd of June, 1873. The prize sheets for stock and poultry, and the regulations for implements, &c., were brought up and confirmed, and ordered to be printed and cir- culated through the medium of the Society's Journal, which will very shortly be in the hands of members. The Devon County Agricultural Association in the year 1873 will hold no meeting. The Journal Committee was enlarged by the addition of Mr. Moysey and Mr. Knollys to its members. Mr. Henry Badcock, of Taunton, the Society's Treasurer, was appointed an ex officio member of the Council. Mr. Charles Dyke Ackland, of Sprydoncote, Exeter, and Mr. W. R. Crabbe, of Heavitree, were elected members of the Council, in the place of Mr. Hussey, deceased, and Mr. Froude, who has retired ; and Mr. C. A. W. Troyte, of Huntsham, Court, Bampton, was appointed a Steward of Arrangements. A proposal by the Plymouth Horse and Dog Show Com- mittee to hold an exhibition in combination with the Society's meeting in June next was dechned, as contrary to the practice of the Society. New Members. — The following new members were elected : Colonel Loyd Lindsay, M.P., Lockinge Park ; Mr. T. Dyke, Ashton Lodge, Bristol ; Mr. J. W. Shettle, Bradford Parm, Wimborne; the Rev. R. B. Kennard, Marnbull Rectory, Blandford ; Mr. W. Smith, Sunden House, Chiton ; Mr. P. C. Simpson, Derwent Lodge, Dartmouth. THE EXODQS.— Three hundred labourers, the first party of the great peasant exodus just organising, have arrived at Plymouth on their way to Queensland. — Standard, LANDMARK.— Mr. H. Jewison has sold this well-known prize horse to Colonel Castillingo, for the King of Italy. Early in the season it was certainly announced that Landmark had been sold to Mr. Hall, of the Holderness, for 500 gs. 536 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. SMITHFIELD CLUB. At a meeting of the Council, held at the Agricultural Hall, Wednesday, November 6th, 1872— Present: Lord Tredegar, President, in the Chair ; the Marquis of Exeter, Vice-President; Messrs. J. D. Allen, T. C. Booth, Thomas Duckham, Walter Farthing, William Eookes, John Giblett, Thomas Horley, Richard Ilornsby, Robert Leeds, E. W. Moore, R. J. Newton, William Sanday, T. L. Senior, William Torr, H. Trethewy, J. S. Turner, Henry Webb, Jacob Wilson, and Brandreth Gibbs, Hou. Secretary. The minutes of the last Council Meeting were read and confirmed. The Hon. Secretary was authorized to take any steps that may be necessary relative to holding the coming Show. A Committee was appointed to make the usual regula- tions as to disinfecting cattle conveyances, &c. A communication from Pi'ofessor Simouds having been read, stating that his election as principal of the Royal Veterinary College would prevent his continuing to be the Veterinary Inspector of the Club, it was resolved that a vote of thanks be passed to Professor Simouds for the services he has rendered the Club, and that he be elected Honorary Veterinary Inspector. It was resolved that Professor Browne be elected the Veterinary Inspector to the Club ; that the fee be 40 guineas, on the understanding that either he or a duly- qualified veterinary surgeon appointed by him be in at- tendance day and night, from Thursday morning, Decem- ber 5th, up to Saturday night, December 7th, to inspect every animal previous to its admission into the Show, and that the animals be duly examined during the other days they remain in the yard ; and that an assistant or assist- ants be in attendance both by night and day, to assist the Veterinary Inspector from December 5th, and to remain at the Hall day and night, until the close of the Show. The judges were appointed for live stock, and also for the Earl of Powis's prize for the instruments for slaughtering animals by dividing the spinal cord. The house-list of eight names, to be recommended to the General Meeting for election in place of the eight members of Council who retire by rotation, was prepared in accordance with the bye-laws. A notice of motion to be brought before the General Meeting to alter the bye-laws in reference to the prepara- tion of the house-list was considered, and the Council resolved to report their recommendation that the pro- posed alteration should not be made. It was I'csolved that the following rule must be adhered to : " That all animals (cattle, sheep, or pigs) coming by railway to the Smithfield Club's Sbow be sent in horse- boxes or in private conveyances. Letters were laid before the meeting, and the replies to be given were determined upon. Authority was given for the Champion and other Cups to be ordered on the usual conditions. The following were duly elected members of the Club : G. E. Wythes, Little Copt Hall, Epping. Joseph Stanford, Hasted Mills, Edenbridge. William Hew Dunn, Standen Manor, Hungerford. Charles Le Neve, Sustead, Hanworth, Norwich. William How, Tottiugton, Watton, Norfolk. Sir J. R. Bailey, Bart., Glanusk Park, Crickhowell. R. E. Duckering, Northorpe, Kirton Lindsay, Lincoln. W. T. Cos, Spondon Hall, Derby. R. H. Chapman, Uptou, Nuneaton, James Bruce, Burnside, Fochabers. Penstoue Aaron Pike, Mitton, Tewkesbury. John A. Smith, Bradford Peverell, Dorchester. James Killick, Broom Farm, West Dean, Chichester. H. D. Adamson, Balquher, near Alford, Aberdeen. The thanks of the meeting were voted to the President for his conduct in the Chair. THE HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND. The first monthly meeting of the directors for the season was held on Wednesday, November 6, at 3, George IV. Bridge, Edinburgh. Present : Sir A. Hope, Bart. ; Sir George H. Scott Douglas, Bart. ; Dr. Anderson ; Mr. Leslie Melville Cartwright ; Mr. Curror ; Mr. Harvey, Wittingham Mains ; Mr. Hog, Newliston ; Mr. Hunter, Thurston ; Mr. Irvine, Drum ; Mr. Kenneth Mackenzie, C.A. ; Mr. Mitchell, Alloa ; Mr. Muuro, Fairuington ; Mr. Newton, Linnbank ; Captain Tod, Howden ; Mr. Thomas Coutts Trotter, Edin- burgh ; Mr. Walker, Bowland ; Mr. Wightman Courance ; Professor Wilson ; and Mr. Young, Cleish. Mr. Trotter in the chair. The following transferences of premiums awarded at the Perth show in July, 1871, were reported. Two-year-old Shorthorn heifers : The heifer Forlorn Hope, belonging to Lord Kinnaird, which carried off the third prize, having failed to produce a calf within nine months after the show, in terms of the general regulations, the premium has been transferred to Mr. Baillie, Dochfour, for his commended heifer Wood- bine. Two-year-old polled Angus or Aberdeen heifers : The heifer Rosa Bonheur, belonging to Mr. Brown, Westertown, Fochabers, which gained the third prize, not having produced a calf, the premium has been transferred to Sir George Mac- pherson Grant, for his heifer Fasluon, which stood fourth. Two-year-old Galloway heifers : The heifers Lalla Rookh, the property of Mr. Biggar, Chapellon, and Marion, belonging to Mr. Cunningham, Tarbreocli, which won the first and second prizes, having failed to produce calves, the premiums have been transferred to Mr. Cunningham, Tarbreoch, for his heifer Nelly, next in order, and to the Duke of Buccleuch for his heifer Juventa. Mares in foal : The mares belonging to Mr, Drew, Merry ton, which were second and fourth, and to Mr, Buchanan, Whitehouse, which was third, having failed to pro- duce foals, the premiums have been forfeited. The following report by Mr. Munro, Fairuington, was read : I have now to send you the result of the trial of the reapers recommended by the judges at the Kelso show, which was carried out by the local committee, on the farm of Spylaw on Tuesday last. The field operated on bore a fair crop of barley, partly laid, but being all one way and little under- growth of grass, there was nothing to prevent the machines making good work, cutting in one direction. The only ma- chine of the three tliat we considered worthy of getting a medal was that of Messrs. Haughtou and Thompson, Carlisle ; it made good work, seemed well constructed ; and the method of raising or lowering the points of the finger-bar very simple and efficient. The following is the draught indicated by the dynamometer and the width cut by the different machines : Draught in Width Cut, cwts. Feet. Inches. Hanghton and Thompson 1^ 4 4 Lawson and Son 1^ 3 4 Bickerton and Son 2^ 4 8 The Board agreed to award the silver medal to Messrs, Houghton and Thompson for their reaper, as recommended by the committee appointed to cond uct the trial. THE FAEMBR'S MAGAZINE. 637 It was remitted to the committee on general sliows to fis tlie premiums aud adjust the regulations for the show to be held at Stirling in 1S73. llequisitious addressed to tlie directors to hold the general show at Inverness in 1871 for the district comprising the counties of Inverness, Nairn , Elgin, Orkney, Caithness, Suther- land, Ross, and Cromarty were submitted. Tiie directors resolved to recommend the next general meeting to comply with the prayer of the requisitions, and it was remitted to the general sliow committee to prejiare the classes of stock for which premiums should be offered. A correspondence between Dr. Alexander Williams and the Secretary on catHe disease was reported, and various Orders in Council sent by the Privy Council were laid on the table. The subject of the curriculum in connection with the grant- ing of veterinary certificates having been remitted by the ast general meeting of the Society to the directors, and by them referred to the committee in charge of the veterinary depart- ment, tliat committee held a meeting on the 17tli July, when it was resolved that the examination of students who com- mence tlieir professional studies at a veterinary college for the first time in or after November, 1873, should be conducted as follows: 1. There shall be two examinations yearly — one in April, the other in Ju'y. 3. Candidates will be allowed to present themselves for examination in anatomy, chemistry, and materia medica nine months after the commencement of their professional studies at a veterinary college recognised by Government. 3. Candidates who have passed the first exa- mination, and wiio have attended at least two winter sessions and one summer session at a veterinary college shall be allowed to come up for the second or final exaraiuatiou, which shall embrace histology, physiology, botany, cattle pathology, horse pathology, and clinical medicine. 4. Candidates in entering their names for the final examinations mui,t produce certifi- cates that they have attended a course of at least three ses- sions at a veterinary college recognised by Government, and also produce certificates from the professor of each subject required by the curriculum. 5. Candidates failing to pass any of tlie examinations slisU be required to attend a veterinary college one session before being allowed to present themselves for re-examination. The committee further reported that as botany at present is not compulsory for certificate, special prizes should be awarded to those candidates who pass the most satisfactory examination in that branch in 1873. The Board approved of the suggestions by the committee. A list of the reports received in competition for premiums offered in 1873 was submitted, and it was remitted to the com- mittee to read and report on tlie merits of the different papers, as well as to revise the list for next year. Forfeiture of I'remiums. — The mares belonging to Mr. Sim, Ardullie; Mr. Mackessack, Earnside ; and Mr. Jlendrie, Castle Heather, which carried the prizes at ti\e local competi- tion heU at Inverness in August, 1871, were declared forfeited — none of the animals having produced foals in accordance with the regulations. The returns of the various competitions held in 1872, and applications for 1873, were referred to the committee on local shows for consideration aud report. AYRSHIRE AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. THE GREAT CHEESE FAIR AND DAIIIY-PIIODUCE SHOW. The eighteenth annual exhibition of dairy produce held under the auspices of the Ayrshire Agricultural Association took place in the Corn Exchange, Kilmarnock. Conjoined with the exhibition was a cheese fair, at which 355 tons of cheese were exposed for sale. The show was instituted for the purpose of promoting the manufacture of cheese and butter of the best and most approved description, so far as public taste and standard of excellence are concerned, these being, in re- gard to cheese, purity oi flavour, mellowness, and richness in taste, closeness of texture witliout toughness, and power to keep. Twenty years ago nothing but what is known as Dun- lop clieese was manufactured in Ayrshire, but the demand for cheese made on the Cheddar principle having increased, and that article commanding a better produce in the market than the Dunlop, it became the interest of farmers in the west and soutii-west, which is par excellence the dairy district of Scot- land, to adopt the Cheddar system. A spirit of enterprise was shown by the farmers of Ayrshire, Galloway, and Kirk- cudbright, not generally attributable to agriculturists. Dairy- men and dairymaids from Somersetshire and Wilts were en- gaged to instruct the farmers of the west, with their wives and daughters, in the art of Cheddar cheese-making, and so far have they profited by their instructions that now the dairy produce of Scotland can compare with that from the most favoured districts in England. As an illustration of the ad- vantage of this reform in the system of cheese-making in Scot- land, it may be stated that a dairy farmer in Ayrshire an- nounced that since he had adopted the Cheddar principle in in his dairy six years ago, he had realised £1,000 more than he would have done under the old Dunlop method. Of course the increased prosperity of the tenants will naturally be shared in by the landlords, so that the introduction of the Cheddar system into Scotland may be said to have been a national benefit. The encouragement to the business afforded by the Ayrshire Agricultural Association has contri- buted in no small degree to this desirable result ; aud the shows where the produce of the farms are submitted to the crucial test of public opinion have year by year been growing in di- mensions aud importance. In the different classes of cheese there were no fewer than 464 entries yesterday, which, taken togetiier, would weigh about 380 tons, of the value of nearly £37,000. The exhibits would represent at the least 5,000 tons of cheese in the various dairies of the competing farmers, and the value of that enormous amount of stuff would be about £350,000. The interest in such an important exhibition ex- tends beyond the range to which the competition is couftaed, and factors from all parts of Scotland and England attend for the purpose of making purchases. Highly successful as the show and fair are, it is alleged that they would be more so were they held a month or so earlier in the season. Dealers have by the end of October filled up their stocks for the most part, and if the show and fair took place, say in the beginning of Septem- ber, better and quicker sales might be efl'ected, the more espe- cially as factors arejgradually abandoning the speculative sys- tem of purchasing the whole produce of a farm, or the " kame,' before the cheese is actually made. The suggestion made by the English judges and some of the principal dealers, that a special cheese exchange should be erected in Kilmarnock, is also worthy of consideration. The diversion of a larger sum of money as premiums for first-class " ton lots" of cheese from one dairy has also been urged ; and for this reason that it is the interest of the cheese makers, cheese factors, and the public at large that the superiority of make should be general, and not cofined to two, four, or six cheeses out of a " kame." The district from which contributions were made to the show of yesterday embraced Ayrshire, Gal- way, Kirkcudbright, Dumfries, Renfrew, and die Upper Ward of Lanarkshire, and the various exhibits were arranged tastefully, amid a profuse array of ferns, palms, and ornamental plants, in the hall of the corn exchange and the butter market. The weather was, unfortunately, wet aud disagreeable, but the exhibition was visited by several thousands of interested far- mers and dairymaids and a fair number of the general public. Speaking generally, the quality of the cheese was good, much of it wast first-class, aud very little of it of an inferior de- scription. As the judges remarked, the progress towards per- fection in the art of clieesemaking was marked ; and any inferiority in some of the classes might be accounted for by the wet untoward season. There were no fewer than 114 entries for the premiums offered for sweet-milk cheese made according to any method, and although the judges had seen in this section finer cheese in previous years, tlie quality of the prize lots was undoubted. Curiously enough, the first three prizes were carried off by the same gentleman — Mr. John Currie, Kirkoch, Kirkcudbrightshire — although the three lots were made on three different farms under as many different mana- M M 538 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. gers. It may be here stated that the Stewartry farmers have once more taken all the leading prizes— Ayrshire having only come to the front last year for the first time — and that the most successful exhibitor is Mr. John Carrie, who took the first prize in the sweepstakes open to all comers. Tlie cheese in this class was super-excellent, and could have met fairly anything which could be produced in Cheshire, Somerset- shire, or Wilts. The flavour and texture of the prize lots were all that could be desired. The quality of the exhibitions in Class II. — sweet-milk cheese made according to the Cheddar method —was very good, although not superior to that of former years. This was, as expected by the exhibitors themselves, on account of the damp summer and autumn. Of uncoloured cheese, made according to any method, there were 53 entries, and these were, on the whole, fair ; and althougli the quality was somewhat mixed, there were not so many inferior lots as in previous years. The first prize lot, shown by Mr. James Hannay, was very superior for its mellow flavour and firm- ness. There was a decided improvement, compared with former efforts, in the uncoloured loaf cheeses, and the honours jjCre, as has always been the case, went to the south country makers. The " any method" class, open to Ayrshire only, is not equal to former years, and even pairs were irregular, and barring the prize lots there was difficulty in getting an extra fine cheese. It may here be remarked that in all classes of cheese the tastes of the Scotch judges, and therefore of the Scotch public, are assimilating to the English, who like a more mealy cheese than was thought desirable north of the Tweed for years. Regarding the pure Dunlop cheese tabled, it may be stated that the flavour was fine, although generally a little high. There was a decided improvement over former years' exhibits in the imitation Wiltshire and Stilton cheese, and not a single inferior cheese could be picked out of this class. A marked excellence was the regularity of size and shape. Among the thirty-eight " ton lots" there were many splendid samples. The excellence was indeed almost general. With few exceptions the samples of fresh, cured, and pow- dered butter were superior in quality in the open classes ; while those confined to the county of Ayr were scarcely so good — some of the lots of cured butter being too salt, while the powdered seemed too fresh. AFTER-DINNER TABLE TALK. At Blofield, Norfolk, Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., said there are two classes of legislation that are running riot, and that ought to be guarded against. The first of these is that class of legis- lation which interferes most materially with the rights, liber- ties, and independence of the subject. We have, for instance, in the constituencies of this great country a few timid and corrupt voters, and in consequence of those timid and corrupt voters the whole of the constituencies of this great kingdom have been deprived of what they regarded as their birthright — namely, the right of open voting. Then there may be one drunken man in a parish, and in order to keep him straight there is imposed by the Licensing Bill upon the liberties aud enjoyment of ninety-nine sober men what they consider to be a vexatious grievance. Because some people make an impro- per use of fire-arms, Mr. Lowe, a year or two ago, taxed every farmer who did not happen to be his own crow-boy, aud be- cause there are some people who make wholesale slaughter of little birds, we have this year passed a bill inflicting pains and penalties for a most trifling description of offence. If we go on for the next ten years manufacturing misdemeanours in the way we have done since I have been in Parliament, I am sure that one-half of the community will be employed in taking the other half into custody. But there is another class of legislation which is getting popular, and that is a class of legislation which endeavours to take from the parents of children, from relatives, and from individuals the duties which they themselves ought to discharge. I refer especially to the Education Act, to the Public Health Act, passed this year, and to the way in which our poor-law is administered in this country. In my own dis- trict, to my great astonishment, this quarter, notwithstanding all the employment and the high wages that prevail, I found that rates that usually were fivepence in the pound in one hundred, and sixpence in the pound in another, are now seven- pence in the pound in the first, and ninepence in the pound in the second. This all results from the way in which the officials in London insist upon the administration of tbe poor- law by the Guardians. I will give an illustration of this. In our Union we were ordered to build vagrant wards at the workhouse. They have been built, and were made, as we thought, sweet and clean and nice, when down came another order that we were to warm the wards also ! Even our chair- man, who is a Cabinet Minister, said that he could not stand tliis, so we shall not warm the wards until we are made to do so. There are tyrannies of all sorts. In olden times there was the tyranny of the Crown, then came the tyranny of the nobles, and in these latter days we have the tyranny of " King Mob ;" but I believe that we have a greater tyranny in store for us, and that is the tyranny of Government officials. I be- lieve that this country is now in reahty ruled to a degree that very few people dream of by Government offieials. An Act of Parliament is never passed without making some fresh power above— some great board with its inspectors, commissioners, and doctors — and now we are going to be invaded by a whole army of sanitary engineers. If we do not take care the whole of the independence of the country will pass into the hands of some large central board in London, so that we shall be worse off, as far as regards our local government, than ever were the people of Prance. I will just refer for a moment to the Wild Birds' Bill. When it was first introduced into Parliament it was a harmless and, perhaps, a proper bill. It sought to pro- tect the wildfowl during the breeding season, and, as they are an article of food, I think it is just as weU they should have a certain amount of protection. But you would hardly believe that one morning, about two o'clock, when there were only about forty members in the House, including the Speaker, a resolution was passed to the effect that this protection should apply to every bird that flies, aud that consequently, from the 15th of March to the 1st of August, unless the Court of Quar- ter Sessions willed it otherwise, no bird of any sort or descrip- tion should be killed. We could not stand that. Although there are a lot of philosophic, humane gentlemen in the House of Commons who would send everybody to prison who do not agree with them, yet we managed to get this bill into com- mittee, where we improved it. But even now there are scheduled in the bill no fewer than 79 birds called by all sorts of funny names that I never heard before, so that it comes to this — that if a school-boy happens to throw a stone at a hedge sparrow and kills it, or'traps a cock robin, between the 15th of March and the 1st of August, he has a chance of being sent to prison. Now, if that is not legislating with a ven- geance, and making the laws ridiculous, I do not know what is, and I can only say that I should be glad indeed if the House of Commons were shut for twelve months. That would do us a good deal of good, because, as we are a law-observing people, if you have laws of this description they will either become a dead letterjon the statute book — and nothing is worse than hav- ing a law that nobody thinks of obeying — or they will be ad- ministered in a manner that will make them intolerable. You are aware that I have been a member of the Game-laws Com- mittee. That is bad enough, but I have also been something worse, and that is a witness. When a man goes for the first time to have his tooth drawn, he sits down in the dentist's chair with a great deal of courage, but when he goes a second time he " funks" it amazingly. Now, I have been in the wit- ness box of the House of Commons a good many times, but, instead of liking it better, I " funk" it more and more every time. I have given evidence on the Game-laws that has been severely criticised both by my friends and my foes. I don't suppose that all of you have read it, and, therefore, I will tell you my opinion about game. It is what it always has been, and what I hope it always will be. Nothing shall ever in- duce me to go in for a total abolition of the Game-laws. If we pass a bill for the protection of the cock-robin it would be the height of absurdity to take protection from pheasants and THE FAHMER'S MAGAZINE. 539 partridges — that winged game wliich affords such a quantity of sport, and is at the same time good food, and does com- paratively little or no injury. But what I desire, as a farmer, is that ground game should be kept in moderation. One more subject, and only one. Probably some of you may remember that last year, when I mooted the question of the Contgious Diseases (Animals) Act in the House of Commons, I said it was time we should have a committee to inquire into its ac- tion, but the Government were kind enough to allow the House to be counted out ; why they did so I don't know, but perhaps they did not like the subject, or, possibly, because they might have had an adverse division. But I am happy to say that Mr. Eorster now sees the necessity of having an inquiry into the subject, and has promised me a committee next year. But I want to know whether you practical farmers do not think that the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act has been a per- fect failure in this district. Colonel Black yesterday reported to the Quarter Sessions that the Act was a total lailure — that it imposed an immense amount of labour upon the police with- out doing any good that he was aware of. Mr. T. Beevor, the chairman of the Committee, fully endorsed that view. The operations of the Act, as far as regards pleuro-pneumonia and foot-and-mouth disease, certainly inflict upon owners of stock an immense amount of injury, and to all appearances to do no good whatever. We have now in this county an amount of foot-and-mouth disease such as we never had before. I find that during the last twelve month we have had in this county no fewer than 1,061 cases of pleuro-pneumonia, of which 734 have been reported during the last three months. We have also had during the last tweve months no fewer than 191,000 cases of foot-and-mouth disease, 131,000 of which occurred during the past three months. Therefore we seem to be get- ting from bad to worse. Let us hope the tide is turning, not from any preventive action of this Act of Parliament, but from natural causes. Only think of 191,000 cases of foot-and- mouth disease ! What a loss that is to the country ! Take it at only 10s. a head — for of course there are a great number of sheep — and it gives a total loss of £95,000 in the first instance to owners of stock, and in the second place, to the consumers. Yet some people say that the Act is no sort of hardship or oppression to the owners of stock ! Some of you, however, must have found that it is so. How curions and perverse is the Act with regard to pleuro-pneumonia ! You may take a bullock in the last stage of disease and walk him to the nearest slaughter-house ; but bullocks that have been herded with the unfortunate animal, that are perishing in a marsh, and that may be perfectly sound, cannot according to the strict letter of the law be moved. Then take the case of foot-and-mouth disease. Mr. Veterinary-Surgeon Smith, when he sees going upon the hill two or three cattle afi'ected with it, immediately stops and removes them, but he cannot detain the remainder. Is there any Act so stupid as this ? It really disseminates the disease, and does nothing that I can see towards preventing it, except that it imposes certain fines and penalties upon a few unfortunate owners of stock. With a law like this those who have to administer it really do not know what to do. Now and then a man is brought up and convicted in a very heavy penalty — and for what ? We find that one gentleman who had not given notice that his cattle were suff'ering from foot-and-mouth disease was fined £51, that another for not giving notice respecting two diseased bullocks was fined £15, that another for not returning seventy- eight sheep that were diseased was fined £26, and that another who neglected to give notice of six affected cattle was fined £30. A man in North Norfolk who had a large flock that were starving moved them for some distance along the road, as he was almost bound to do, and was fined £40. It is all very well for gentlemen at the Quarter Sessions — as a noble lord did yesterday — to say that if you do not enforce the Act rigorously, you cannot expect it to do any good. But the cases I have quoted show excessive severity. It would be much better to inflict a nominal fine for an offence which, after all, if it is an offence, is so slight a one that it might al- most be passed over, because when notice is given to the police, the policeman teUs the inspector, and there it ends, for no further action is taken. Instead of that, in ray opinion, the man who has disease upon his farm ought to give notice of it to his neighbours, who are the people most interested. If there had been a clause passed, as I suggested, pro- viding that a man should tell his neighbours, and not the policeman or inspector, it would have done a great deal of good. I will not go into the question of the outbreak of the cattle-plague, which has taken place in Yorkshire, beyond observing that it seems strange to me, after the Government had, as it were, perfected all their arrangements at the ports for the landing of foreign stock, there should be no means of getting rid of diseased carcases. It is rather curious, but a fortnight before this outbreak of cattle-plague, Mr. Forster, in answer to me iu the House of Commons, said that he would issue an order that no carcases whatever should be thrown into the sea within three miles of the shore, or any tidal river or stream. And, yet, what has occurred P The very moment a lot of infected cattle arrive at Hull, Newcastle, or Leith, they are thrown into the sea, and washed ashore in all parts of the country. Happily there has been no outbreak of cattle-plague in Norfolk ; but we have not to thank the authorities for it, for all along the north coast of Norfolk the carcases of stricken animals have been thrown up by the sea and waslied ashore. I therefore think that you will agree with me that the time has arrived when we want at least an inquiry into the action of this Act of Parliament, and also as to whether the whole of our legislation, as far as regaads our cattle, cannot be improved and modified. Sir R. J. Buxton, M.P., should like to see every farm pro- vided with a sufficient number of cottages in which the la- bourers could be housed. He did not mean to suggest that every landlord could afford to do this all at once, but this reform could be carried out gradually. Every man employed on a farm ought to be lodged on that farm, for, as their common sense must tell them, it was a great waste of power to compel a man to tramp along a road three or four miles to and from his work : therefore, he repeated that it was the duty of the landlord to provide accommodation upon his farm for every la- bourer employed there. Sir E. H. K. Lacon, M.P., said a measure of law-reform would be introduced. He held that one important reform urgently needed was the simplification of the law relating to the transfer of land, so as to make it much less expensive than it was. At present a man who bought a small cottage had to pay the lawyers just as much as another who bought £10,000 worth of property. This was not as it should be. Property ought to be transferred from one to another at the smallest possible cost. Mr. E. Gilbert was quite sure that there was not a single employer present who would object at any time to put out any kind of work that could possibly be put out by piece ; nor would he object to pay for the work thus done by the labourer, whether he earned 12s., ISs., or £1 a week. Eor himself, as a large employer, he would just as soon pay a man a pound a week if a man did the work required of him as he would 15s. a week. Mr. GiLLETT advised them to put out as much work as pos- sible by piece. Observing last year that a near neighbour got up his stacks so much quicker than he did, and observing that he was doing the same this year, he inquired the reason. He found that his neighbour's men were paid for carting by the acre and not by the day, and he adopted the same plan with the rest of the work he had to do. He was certain that the consequence was that ten men did more than fifteen under the old plan, and by it the men earned 4s. 6d. a day. He gave them 2s. 6d. an acre (five men), and the rakers and drivers he found himself. When he carted by the day he had a difficulty in getting the drivers to the stack, but, when carting by the piece, they were always there and carried half as big a load again, so that there was not so much driving. The stacks were up half as quick again. Mr. Neve had been very much surprised to see such little harm done by ground-game in the district. It must be a very great satisfaction to the tenants on that estate that they were not overrun with such vermin as rabbits. He always thought that rabbits were a disgrace to any good estate like that, for no farmer could keep his fences clean. At Wareham, Mr. Gerard Sturt, M.P., the chairman, said : I think it is dangerous that politics should be allowed at these meetings, for fear of agricultural associations being turned into political debating clubs. But what I like is this, that the rule should exist that at these meetings politics should not be permitted ; but then I like to break the rule myself, and talk just as much as I choose. There is one question, which is not become law, and in whi^^h I took a great interest, J(T Tvr 2 540 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. one which seemed to have stirred up a certaiu number of electors of the county of Dorset. It is the question of local taxation. This is a very serious subject, one wliich the Government have promised to take up. Until they do so, and tell us vi'hat they are going to do, it would be wasting time and it is needless on my part to enlarge on that subject. We passed the Ballot Bill. Well, although for myself, as far as I am concerned, it has passed both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, my opinion is not changed — I think it an un-English, sneaking thing ; and, as long as I am an Englisliman, I shall still maintain my humble opinion. I must talk a little about the work that goes on upstairs. I have been on the committee this year — I never missed, I think, but one sitting — on a subject that is also interesting to some of you. It affects the interests of landlords, but I am never the least afraid, and always speak out my mind on any subject, for I think that is much the best thing — there is nothing like straightforward speaking out. I have been on a committee on the Game-laws, and I have no hesitation in saying that the grievances of tlie Game-laws come mostly from Scotland. I have no hesitation in saying that many of the witnesses in that part of the kingdom who gave their evidence have a great deal to complain of. Whenever a set of gentlemen have a grievance I always try to place myself in their position. I fancied myself a tenant-farmer, and if I were one I should wish to have pride in my farm, aud like very much that any gentleman driving by it should say, " Halloa, here's Mr. Gerard Start's farm ; he knows what he is about ; what capital crops he has !" I have come to this conclusion and deter- mination, that it is impossible for a man to farm, and do credit to his farm, where game is over-preserved; and I will 9fty that if it were not for a half-dozen potentates, as I may call them, in Scotland — 1 must not mention names — who over- preserve game, and do things of which they ought to be ashamed, I have no hesitation in saying we should have had no agitation whatever respecting the Game-laws. Now, so much for that committee ; I dare not say any more about it. But there is one more point concerning the Game-laws on which I will say a word, and which the English tenant-farmer would like to see remedied. In ninety-nine cases out of a hundred the tenant-farmer would be pleased for his landlord to come and have a fair day's shooting ; but he does not like being eaten up by ground game. And what is worse, and he does not like, and if I were a tenant-farmer I could not stand it, is this — that if a landlord wishes to live abroad anywhere, or suppose he happens to be in Short-street (I dare say you have all heard of that), and goes away, he lets his place and the shooting to a stranger. What would be my own feelings if I were a tenant-farmer, and saw Mr. This or my Lord That came down and preserved rabbits, shot them, and as in many cases sent them up to London to be sold ? That would be an outrageous state of affairs, and one demanding the interference of Parliament. Now, there has been another thing said to me since I entered this town : " Take care what you say ; be careful wliat you are about ; take care what you say on the labour question." Now, I totally and entirely differ from those gentlemen. I am going to take care ; but here I shall speak out my mind as your representative, and as a landlord. I say were I not to do so, if 1 shirked the question, blinked it, and passed it over, I should not be worthy of being your re- presentative, and I should be ashamed to be a landlord. Now, I have a few words to say on the labour question ; I have several words to say to the labourer, and I wish there were present the heads of the Milborne party. Milborne seems to be the most mischievous place in the county of Dorset, for wherever agitation goes on, it always springs from Milborne— it is almost as bad in that way as the Shaftesbury agricultural dinner is for politics, I should like to say some words to the labourer, a few words to the tenant-farmer, and a great many to the landlord. Now, as I said before, I always place myself in the position of the aggrieved party, or the party considering themselves aggrieved. I will commence with the labourer, and I ask myself ought we to be astonished, °"glit we to be angry, oug'ht we in any way to be annoyed that the Dorset labourer should have come forward and ask for an increase of wages ? I say decidedly not. Just look what happens. I don't know whether you keep your eyes open but I do, and I see in the various villages in my neigh- bouriiood, Witchampton, Long Crichel, Monkton, and Gus- saee, boys with penny papers going about. Well, you cannot suppose that those papers are not rehd ; aud people see full well that the wages of the mechanic and artisan in different towns have been raised very considerably, that the wages of the mason, the carpenter, the blacksmith have been advanced, and bDth they and you know very well that even the wages of servants have been increased 40 per cent. They know the science now applied to agriculture. Your implements, are they not changed ? Whoever heard twenty years ago of steam ploughs and a long list of other modern appliances which I have not at my fingers' ends, but which no doubt you have at yours. Since that time all these questions have sprung up, and it is known you require skilled labour. Therefore I am not at all surprised the labourers require their wages raised, and I will say more — that the condition of the peasantry throughout the South of England requires considerable amelioration. Well now, gentlemen, having said this in fa- vour of the labourer — I wish very much the discontented heads of the labouring population were here present, for I am sure I am their friend, and I believe they would listen to me — I would also say there is such a thing in this world as " Give and take." And if the labourers think they are going to have it all their own way, of course they are very much mistaken. I should like to ask the labourer two or three questions, and if he takes in one of those penny papers and reads my speech, I hope he will answer them to himself. First of all I should like to ask him, " Who now is your real friend ?" The farmer, the landlord, or the itinerant dema- gogue who comes down from London with no other purpose and no other aim but to foment quarrels and sow dissensions between employer and employed, and who, when he has done so, thinks he has done a very clever thing and goes away, leaving the poor man in the lurch ! I wish to tell you an anecdote. It occurred this morning, so I have come warm from it. It concerns these itinerant demagogues and mischief- makers. There always have been in this country, and per- haps always will be, a certain set of men who seem to live with no other object than to set class against class, and be as mischievous as they possibly can be, merely for the sake of gaining what I call a most unenviable notoriety. After I came away from home this morning I called to a labouring man — I wish to be accurate, his name is Joe ! — and [ said to him, " Joe, have any of these men been down in this part of the country ?" The man replied, " Yes, they have." Then I observed, " Well, just tell me all they said." He answered, " Well, sir, from what I can pick up they do abuse the tenant-farmers ; they tell us they are our natural enemies, that they never paid us half they said they did, and that it was their great ambition and aim, to crush, ruin, and have us entirely under their thumb." Then I asked, " Did they say anything about the landlords ?" He replied, " Oh yes ; they told us the landlords were not much hetter, because they do back up the farmers." This is a correct state- ment of all that took place. " Did they say any mors ?" I asked. " Yes," he said, " a little more." " What was it ?" I inquired. " They abused the parish doctor and the club doctor, for they said we were deceived aud taken in by them ; that when an old man sent for them, the first time he did not come, the second time he did not come, and the third time he did come and found him dead, but did not care whether he had gone up or down. As for the young man, if one sent for the doctor he gave 'era a hap'orth a salt in a pint of water, and charged half-a-crown for it." I don't believe Joe told me a word of untruth ; I beheve him. You can go and see him yourselves if you like. I asked him another question, which is very important — "Did the labourers believe it?" and he replied " Yes ; 1 think they believed every word said to them." This is a serious matter. You are educated ; they are not. I say the seeds of dissension and mischief sown by these itinerant damagogues cannot be told by me or any one in this room. Why if I went about and did one-half the mischief I certainly should not sleep for a fortnight. Now I have a little more to say to the labourer which he must bear in mind, and to ask him another question. I should like to ask whether it is not true that the farmers of this country as a rule have been paying you during winter for wet days as well as fine ? I would ask him — Is it not equally true that the tenant-farmers as a rule throughout tiiis country employ old men as well as young men ? I would ask him — Is it not also a fact that the farmers of' this country very often pay men aged 67 or 68 the same wages as men of 24 or 25, merely out of charity? This labour question must be looked at on all sides : it requires a certain amount of tact and conciliation ; and I believe that if 'I'HE FARMER'S MAGAZINE]. 641 landlords, farmers, and labourers would only do as I tell them to-night the question would be settled upon a satisfactory and durable basis. Having said so much for the labourer and against the labourer, I come to the tenant-farmer. Now, I am not going to presume to dictate to the farmers of tliis county what they are to give their labourers, whether lis., 123., or 13s., or anything else per week ; but 1 say it is the bounden duty of farmers to give a fair week's wages for a fair week's work. I say that it ic also the bounden duty of the farmers of this county — and I hope for goodness sake they will listen to this my advice ! — to do away once and for ever with tliose per- quisites, whatever their shape, and to give the labouring men so much money every Saturday, and let it be said to him, ' There's your wages and your money." While you do other- wise, I don't care if you give 8s. in money and 12s. in perqui- sites, you will never get any credit for the 13s. in perquisites ; and the men will go away and tell everybody, and I shall liear about it all over London, that the Dorset farmers only give their labourers 8s. per week. Now, if the farmers will allow me, I will entreat them, as my lion, friend Mr. Weld said, to be kind and conciliatory to their labourers, as I am sure they have been, and if they come forward and respectfully and quietly ask for an increase of wages I believe it will be granted to them. But, as I have said before, and I believe it, this ques- tion of labour is a landlord's question. I protest against gentle- men walking about the country interfering in this matter — let farmers and labourers settle it ; but I repeat, it is a landlord's question, and it is their duty to take it up and look matters in the face and see if they can bring about an amelioration. I believe they can. Gentlemen have said to me, " Why is this a landlord's question?" I have answered them — Because if this goes on all the farmers will leave their farms and 1 shall have to lower my rents. And I don't like it — that is the truth of the matter. Unless the labour question is settled farms will fall into hand, and the landlords will be the sufferers in the end, although not for a year or two. If this question is settled it must be to a great extent by the landlords. I have not told you what I am going to do yet. I intend to set the lead in this county in doing my duty as a landlord, and I hope that in a few years there will not be a tenant-farmer on my estate who will not be able to snap his fingers and say, " 1 am com- fortable with regard to my labourers and everything else." I will now tell you another anecdote about somebody else — not Joe this time. When I was in London the other day, and as I was driving to Euston-square station, who should I see there at nine o'clock in the morning but Mr. Gladstone. I said to myself, " Here's an opportunity," for I am like the busy bee, improving each shining hour ! " I'll say nothing, but get into a railway carriage with Mr. Gladstone, and have a nice little chat." I did so, and we rode together from Euston-square to Ilugby, he and I alone. I would here observe that a pleasanter journey I never experienced during the whole of my natural life. Although he knows I am a Conservative, and vote against him whenever I have the opportunity, anything more pleasant, agreeable, or affable, or such a fund of information as that man holds in his head, I have never come across in my life before. After being in the carriage a little time I said to myself, " I will run him a trial on this labour question." I said to ham, " Now, Mr. Gladstone, do tell me what I am to do about this question of labour, for I am going down to Wareham, and for the life of me I don't know what to say except wliat I think myself." He drew back a little bit, but said, " Well, I cannot exactly tell you what to say, but I think it is a question of supply and demand, and in a few years it will settle itself." "But," he added, "I have an intimate friend" — and as it is very much to his credit I don't see auy harm in mentioning iiis name — Mr. Tollemache. " He told me," proceeded Mr. Gladstone, " that a few years ago, when he came into his pro- perty in Suffolk, he found a miserable state of affairs, the la- bourers all at war with the tenant-farmers ; whenever harvest arrived the labourers tried to make themselves as unpleasant and disagreeable as they could be. But what did Mr. Tolle- mache do ? He set to work at once building cottages, so that all his tenants had a sufficient number of cottages to supply the demands of the various farms, and he gave the labourers allotments. Well, he told me that he had been there since, and should not have known the place again ; instead of there being dissension and discord there is now nothing but harmony one with another." Therefore I say this question is for the land- lords. Although it may not be pleasant to thein, and although some of them say they are not able to afford it, it is the bounden duty of the landlords throughout this country to build the re- quired number of cottages on the various farms. Indeed, I myself have gone so far that at a farm of mine at Forston, I have ordered four cottages to be built, and I shall call them " Gladstone-row." Now I am going to say something not at all palateable to the farmers — I cannot help it. We all have our crochets, and I have mine. I know it is a very unpopular thing to say, but I am going to bring it out all the same. I like to have the cottages in my own possession — it is a crochet, and you must not be hard upon me. If I build cottages I like to have them in my own possession ; but this I may say to those who will occupy my cottages which I am going to build — and how delighted ray tenants will be when they read my speech ! — " You may have this cottage and allotment of me, hut I consider it a sine qua non and part of the bargain that jou work on the farm where you are." If I make that stipulation, and as a crochet I like to have my cottages in my own hands, I do not think the tenants have anything to com- plain of. Now I think I have summed up pretty well my ideas on the labour question. I have spoken honestly, straight- forwardly, and openly, and I may have said some things not palatable to the labourer, one or two things not agreeable to the tenant, and several extremely disagreeable to the landlord. But all that I have spoken has been candidly and boldly, because I believe in my conscience that the advice I have given is upon the principle of equity, right, and justice ; and I am convinced that if the landlords, farmers, and la- Dourers would only read my speech, and take my advice, we shall be a compact, united, and firm body, able to resist all attacks, whether from members of Parliament like Mr. Auberon Herbert, or from itinerant demagogues like Mr. Arch. THE CULTIVATED AND UNCULTIVATED LANDS OF ENGLAND. (From Sir John Sinclair's Address to It is not difficult, even on such data as have been already obtained, to make calculations sufficiently accurate for every useful purpose respecting the probable advantages to be ex- pected from the improvement of the kingdom in regard to income, capital, and population ; and perhaps a short state- ment of such advantages may awaken more the public atten- tion, and be more satisfactory to the generality of the people than long disquisitions. He had, therefore, embraced the earliest opportunity of throwing together some ideas upon the subject for his own private satisfaction, and for the considera- tion of the Board and of the public. Of the different reports given in to the Board, that from the county of Cambridge is by far the most minute, the surveyor having with great labour gone from parish to parish, and in general having obtained sufficient information in regard to stock, produce, and popula- tion. At the conclusion of his report he recapitulates the in- crease of rent which may be expected by improving the culti- the Board of Agriculture, July, 1794.) vation of 319,300 acres in that county, of which the following is an abstract : No. of Acres. Description of the Land. 150,000. .Waste and unimproved I fen 133,000. . Open and common I field arable land ... 19,800. . Inferior pasture 7,500. . Of Upland common... 8,000. .Of fen common 2,000. .|0f ^ yearly meadow land Increased Rent per Acre IQ 10 0 0 8 0 0 9 7 0 11 0 0 10 0 0 8 6 319,300. .1 At an average about 9s. per acre. £146,362 10 0 Total Increase. £75,000 0 0 53,800 0 0 9,487 10 0 4,125 0 0 4,000 0 0 850 0 0 542 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. That it seemed to him impossible to contend that these rents are exorbitant, or beyond what any tenant would be willing to pay for the advantage of having his land drained, enclosed, and put in a state of improvement. Tliis seems, therefore, a fair foundation on which the following calculations may be built : That the above increased rent, it is evident, can only arise from increased produce, or decreased expenses, but prin- cipally from the former ; and it is not unreasonable to say that the tenant ought to have of increased produce alone thrice the increased rent, or, in the county of Cambridge, de- ducting smaller sums, £438,000 per annum. That to prove this is a low calculation, it is sufficient to remark that, stating the additional produce of 319,300 acres at £438,000 is only at the rate of about £1 73. per acre, which surely cannot be called too high an estimate. That in order to judge what addition this would make to the national capital, the increased produce ought to be multiplied by 30 ; hence the total value, at 30 years' purchase, would amount to £13,140,000. That in the view of additional population the result is equally satis- factory. According to tlie common calculation, £10 at an average is sufficient for every human being, men, women, and children included ; consequently, £438,000 of additional pro- duce would furnish subsistence to 43,800 additional inhabit- ants. The general result, in regard to Cambridgeshire, is tjien as follows : Number of acres to be improved 319,000 Addition of rent, at the average of about Qs. per acre £146,263 Additional produce, at £1 7s. per acre 438,000 Additional to the national capital at 30 years' purchase of the produce 13,140,000 Probable increase of population 43,800 souls. That for the purpose of calculating the extent to which im- provements may be carried iu the kingdom at large, it is necessary to state that, according to the computation of the celebrated Dr. Ealley, Cambridgeshire is a 70th part of England and Wales ; consequently, the above results are to be multiplied by 70, in order to ascertain the improvable value nd population of the southern part of the United Kingdom. The result of that calculation would be as follows : Number of acres to be improved 22,351,000 Addition of rent, at the average of about 9s. per acre £10,057,950 Additional produce, at £1 7s. per acre 30,173,850 Addition to the national capital at 30 years' purchase of the produce 905,215,500 Probable increase of population .... 3,017,385 souls. That of the number of acres to be improved — namely, 22,351,000 — one-half probably consists of waste lands, and the other half of common fields and lands under defective cultivation ; and that great as would be the benefit to be de- rived from the improvement of the former, it was the latter from which the greatest expectations of solid advantage were to be entertained. That doubtless there would be some, who, unaccustomed to such calculations, or perhaps from despond- ency of temper, might be mclined to question them. They may probably say that one district is too small a foundation, on which to build so great a superstructure : that Cambridge- shire has an unusual proportion of wastes and common fields, and consequently cannot furnish fair data for such a calcula- tion, &c., &c. To this it may be sufficient to answer, that in such cases minute exactness is not to be looked for. That to be able to form some general idea of the nature and extent of public improvement, is a great step gained. That Irom every information which the Board of Agriculture has as yet been able to procure, there are at least twenty-two millions of acres, partly waste, and partly already in cultivation, which may be made to yield an additional produce of £1 7s. per acre. That the above calculations are confined to South Britain ; and that one-sixth more, at least, might have been added for North Britain, had. there been any wish to make exaggerated estimates : and that as much of the additional produce will consist of wool, hides, and other raw materials, which will employ many hands, and the value of which will be trebled by being manufactured, it is impossible that the above statement can do justice to the additional wealth and population of the country, resulting from a general improve- ment of the soil ; more especially, when the improvement of the live stock in the kingdom is taken into consideration, from which so much additional advantage may be expected. An- other objection may be urged, is, that no deduction is made on account of the expense of these improvements. That is un- doubtedly a circumstance to be attended to by those private individuals, by whom those improvements are to be made. But in a national account, that is not an object for consi- deration. The public pays for none of these improvements ; though John employs Thomas to survey a waste, to inclose a common field, to build a new house for a farmer, or to raise new plantations, the public, so far from losing, gains by the expenditure. The money thus laid out might have lain dormant in the coffers of a banker, might have been wasted on foreign luxuries, might have been employed in manufacturing articles for foreign markets which were never paid for, or might have been destined for the cultivation of distant territories, with all the risk of being taken from us by an enemy, or declaring themselves independent. How dif- ferent is the resHlt when our money is laid out at home, and employed in a manner in every possible point of view so pe- culiarly beneficial. The improvements of our own land cannot be taken from us. They require no additional troops to de- fend them, nor fortresses to be reared for their protection. But if any person should incline to consider the money ex- pended iu carrying on the amelioration of our own soil as so much national loss, let him state the expense at the sum of £4 per acre, which is certainly sufficiently high (for the first crops, after any field is improved, are in general so luxuriant as to repay all necessary expenses), and even then ample inducements for improving wiU still remain. The expense of improving 23,351,000 acres, at 7 jgog aqa, qoo £4 per acre, would amount to ) ' ' Interest thereof at five per cent... 4,470,200 These sums are to be deducted from £905,215,500 of addi- tional national capita], and £30,173,850 of additional national income. That here it was impossible not to advert to the as- tonishing difference between expending eighty-nine millions in improvements at home, or in foreign conquest. After the expenditure ol that sum in war, it would be accounted a most fortunate means of reimbursement, if we could secure any territory, by a commercial intercourse with which, five rail- lions per annum could be gained ; whilst, at the same time, it would be necessary to pay at least five millions of additional taxes. But if that money were laid out at home, or rather, if private individuals were encouraged to expend a part of their wealth and capital in the internal improvement of the country, instead of new taxes being necessary, the old ones would become lighter and more easily paid, and instead of dragging five miOions per annum, at an enormous distance, and consequently with much risk and expense, thirty millions would be produced within our own domain, and always at our command. That these were truths which had been often vaguely talked of, and consequently made little impression, but which were now likely to be probed to the bottom, and esta- blished beyond a doubt. He should conclude with remarking, that, with such a prospect of public prosperity resulting from the labours of the Board, he was persuaded every member of it would persevere with alacrity and zeal, in completing the great undertaking in which they were engaged ; the effect of which would be felt and remembered whilst any vestige of civillisation, of useful industry, or of pohtical happiness could be traced in Europe. The following is an abstract of the agricultural state of Warwickshire (known to be one of the best cultivated counties in England) as reported to the Board of Agriculture. Acres. Land in tillage : Wheat, 25,700; fallow, 15,000 ;"\ turnips and vetches, 15,000 ; barley, oats, f -.r. j-on beans, &c.. 41,500 ; tillage lands grazed, 45,000 T ' ditto in grass and mown for hay, 13,330. Total J Gardens 4,000 ; meadows, 83,000 : woods, canals, 7 i on nnn J • ' J, 'nnn > > > > ' t lc56,000 and rivers, 5,000 ) ' Roads supposed to be 10,470 Open fields 57,000; pasture and feeding lands,') 317 qaq 150,000; wastelands, 110,000 618,000 On the supposition that only £1 7s. could be obtained frdm 317,000 acres of improvable land, and 10». of additional THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 543 produce from 154,530 acres under tillage, which might cer- [ Eugland and Wales, the total additional produce of the tainly he expected from aholishiug fallows, &c., the result I southern part of the kingdom would on that supposition bs would he £505,315, and as Warwickshire is a 60th part of | £30,312,900 per annum. THE LAST NEW CURE FOR THE CATTLE PLAGUE. TO TUE EDITOR OF THE MAKK LANE EXPRESS. Sir, — I have observed in Tlie Pall Mall Gazelle a proposal to treat animals affected with the cattle plague with Turkish baths, and several other plans for treating this disease have been suggested elsewhere. Now it is useless to discuss any mode of treating the cattle plague, because every animal affected is, according to the Order of the Privy Couucil, to be immediately slaughtered. The Committee appointed by Government, alter many experi- ments, came to the conclusion that though very active remedial treatment appeared in some few cases to arrest the disease, yet the contagion during the process of cure spread so rapidly, that for one animal that was saved by the treatment twenty were sacrificed by catching the disease. The extensive morbid changes 'shown by the examination of animals which have died from the cattle plague, and which arc so well depicted in the Government I'eport, prove that in most cases very little benefit could be derived from any treatment. The foot-and-mouth disease, though as infectious as the cattle plague, is fortunately much more amenable to treatment, and the question of treating it is much more worthy of attention. The experience of Mr. Cheney, of Gaddeshy Hall, Leicester, and other large cattle owners, has shown that, by isolating the affected animals and ren- dering the discharge from their nostrils and feet harmless by carbolic acid, the foot-and-mouth disease can be as effectually stamped out as the cattle plague has been by the immediate destruction of the animals affected with it. The greater part of our principal farms are provided with outhouses to which the affected animal could be driven ; but where it would be necessary to provide shelter for the isolated animals, it could be given at a very trifling expense. At a corner of the field the hedges would protect the animal from the north and east winds : the fixing of a pole for the attachment of the [wire re- quired to confine the animal, the use of a rick-cloth to keep off the rain, and the straw for the litter would involve such a trifling expenditure that the landlord would, in the case of a poor tenant, willingly defray it ; or the neigh- bouring farmers, for the sake of preserving their own stock, would subscribe to keep a field adjoining their own farms free from an infection, which the wind, stray dogs, or birds might convey to them. Humanity, as well as self-interest, will dictate to farmers the necessity of shel- tering animals affected with inflammation of the air pas- sages from inclement weather, and of supplying them with food, when, from the disease in their feet, every step they take in search of it is attended with pain. As the winter comes on the herbage will be too scanty to receive much of the contagious discharge from the animals affected with the foot-and-mouth disease ; many animals will be kept under shelter, and at a low temperature the contagious principle of this and (other infectious diseases is much less active : we may consequently reasonably expect some abatement [of the disease. Farmers may therefore be unwilling to adopt the measures required to stamp it out and prevent its return. They should remember that this year, though many farms have been attacked, the disease has often been so slight as to require but little attention, and only on a few farms have there been any very serious losses. As summer returns, [however, the disease may, like many other epidemics have done, including the cattle plague, return in an aggravated form, aud severe cases may be the rule, light cases the exception. This consi- deration should convince farmers of the necessity of stamping out the disease now while there arc compara- tively but few farms attacked. Farmers are naturally anxious, before attempting to stamp out the foot-and-mouth disease, to obtain some se- curity against its re-importation, and they would, I be- lieve, find little difficulty in obtaining the assistance of Government for effecting this object. The Marquis of Ripon is about to submit to the consideration of the Privy Council my suggestion for enforcing, by penalties, the adoption of what they now merely recommendj(paragrai)h 19) as to the isolation of affected animals, and extending the necessity of medical treatment to all contagious diseases, in place of limiting it to the sheep-scab disease (paragraph 29). I shall also suggest that the re-introduction of this and other contagious cattle diseases could be prevented by dividing the cattle when imported into two classes — (1) those intended to be killed, which should not be moved from the place of disembarkation ; and (2) those intended for removal either for fattening or breeding purposes, which should be washed, thoroughly disinfected, and kept under surveillance for a week before removal. There would be no difficulty in Government immediately car- rying out this plan for preventing the introduction of diseased animals among our flock and herds. Portable cattle-houses affording all that could be required for this jmrpose can be obtained in any quantity, and they could be affixed at a very trifling expense at all the ports used for the importation of cattle. The captains of the vessels used for the conveyance of cattle should be re- quired to have a sufficient knowledge of veterinary surgery to enable them to reject diseased animals. It is only, however, by these proposals receiving the almost unanimous support of the Agricultural Societies that I can hope to see them adopted by Government. Your obedient servant, Henry Reece, M.R.C.S. 168, Ficcadilly, Nov. 9. [We subjoin the letter referred to.] AN EFFECTUAL CURE FOR CATTLE DISEASE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE PALL MALL GAZETTE. Sir, — The ,'alarming inroads of cattle disease throughout the kingdom cannot but cause serious apprehension in the minds of all thoughtful persons, both as regards the diminution of our live stock, and the unhealthy condition of the animals that are left, upon which the country depends for its future supply. As there exists, however, a means of cure, which, if adopted, would not only stamp out disease but prevent future outbreaks, I trust you will permit me, through the medium of your columns, to advocate the simple and inexpensive remedy of the Turkish or hot-air bath as the most effectual means of cure that has yet been tried. The expense involved need not be, "more than £3, and both in pleuro-pneumonia and rinder- pest it has proved a safe and satisfactory remedy. The cures of pleuro-pneumonia in Lord Kinnaird's bath for cattle at Mill-hill ten years ago were so remarkable that it seems fiicom- prehensible why such an invaluable remedy has not been more extensively made known and adopted. Equally successful re- sults in the treatment of various diseases have been obtained in Dr. Barter's bath for cattle at Blarney, Co. Cork, and in 544 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Mr. Scriveii's bath ia the North of Irelaad. Valuable iuforma- tion as to the treatment of diseased cattle is given in a pam- phlet published by Mr. Scriven, entitled " Four Years' Expe- rience of the Turkish Bath on an Irish Farm," which ought to be in the hands ot every cattle proprietor in the United King- dom. When tlie rinderpest was raging in the Ukraine during the Crimean War, a farmer there made trial of a vapour bath of the simplest kind for his cattle, which he states " was of such eminent service, that out of 600 head of cattle he lost but six per cent." The same means of cure lies within tlie reach of every farmer who owns a cow-slied, and the necessary direc- tions for carrying it out are to be found in a sixpenny pam- phlet entitled " Collected Fly-sheets on the Turkisii Bath," to be had of Mr. Wangh, secretary to the Turkish Bath Company The Hammam, 76, Jermyn-street, London, of whom Mr. Scriven's pamphlet may also be procured. No time should be lost in the matter, and I would therefore urge all persons in- terested in this subject — so important in its elTects upon the food supply of our entire population — to procure at once the pamphlets alluded to, and to utilize without delay the clear and practical directions contained in them for the employment of radiating heat as a means of cure for disease of various kinds, and likewise as the most effectual of preventive measures that can be adopted. Hoping tiiat these suggestions may be of use to the public, I am, sir, yours obediently, A. M. November 6. SHEEP- [Breeding, In treating of the branch of sheep liusbandry that comes under this head, I must necessarily discuss points and princi- ples that are applicable to the rearing of all farm stock. I must draw some of my facts from the experience of cattle breeders ; and, necessarily, a considerable part of ray paper xuust be deductions from facts, and thus fairly be considered as theoretical ; and so far as my opinions may be fairly classed among the things that have never been established beyond all doubt by actual trials, I shall offer them with becoming diffi- dence, and with a full knowledge that many able thinkers en- tertain different opinions in regard to the leading principles that should govern the breeder of domestic animals, and I shall welcome any one into this important field of inquiry, whether he may agree with me or not, if he will only add the least amount of light where there is so much darkness that it is desirable to dispel. The most important difference of opinion among breeders is in regard to the degree of consan- guinity that is admissible between the animals that are to be paired together. From time beyond which neither tradition or history con be traced, among most nations there has existed an opinion that near relatives should not marry ; and the notion IS nearly universal that the children of cousins are apt to be imbecile in body and mind. Facts are constantly quoted to sustain this opinion, and so facts in abundance are produced to show that these defects of body or mind are no more common to the children of cousins than to the children of parents having no blood relationship ; and so confident are the parties that deny the injurious results following the marriage of cou- sinsthat we see such marriages very frequently, and especially in what are sometimes called the higher walks of society. Per- haps it would be better to say that tlie more effete classes, by the luxuries that wealth has given a few generations, have lost that vigour of constitution necessary to a perfect reproduction of their species. So, from all that has been said and written on tiiis point, it would now be very difficult to say what is and what is not established in regard to the facts. Some physiolo- gists have attempted to dispose of this conflict of facts by say- ing that the qualities of parents do not descend to their offspring in equal degrees, as would be indicated by a mathe- matical statement of a pedigree. They say that brothers ef the full blood often are so unlike in all their structures, both of body and mind, that no one unacquainted with their origin would suspect from their appearances that the least relation- ship existed, and that first-cousins, who, mathematically esti- mated, have one-half of their blood ahke, may in fact have inherited from the different lines from which they have des- cended organisms very unlike each other. In tlie case of brothers, one may resemble the family of the common mother, and the other of the father. Cousins that have inherited constitutions from such of their parents as were not by blood related in the least, such reasoners say, may be properly mar- ried, as really they are not constitutionally related at all. This is theory, but it is a theory founded upon a vast array of facts, that to many men make proof as strong as Holy Writ. So deeply is tliis opinion founded, even in the common mind, that the term " takes back" has come into general use to express the idea that men and tlie lower animals often resemble the grandparent or great-grandparent more than they do their own immediate progenitors. Now, in cases where one brother " takes back" to one grandfather, and the other brother to another, they may not resemble each other at all, as measured by the eye of a stranger. But the children of these brothers may in turn so " take back" that the daughter of the one may resemble the same ancestor that the son of the other resembles. When this happens these reasoners say that such parties should not be mated. Admitting this theory to be well founded, it follows that the lireeder of domestic animals should possess a very exact knowledge of the animals he is handling, and that he should have in his mind a very well-settled plan of operations, and a standard of excellence toward which he is aiming. He should know the whole history of his breed, or family, of animals, and what it was before any systematic plan of improvement had in any respect changed it from the con- dition in which it originally existed, and a knowledge of all the changes that have been made during the time in which improvement has been going on. Breeding " in-and-iui" as the mingling of the blood of animals nearly related is termed, has been resorted to by all the great improvers of domestic animals. They were forced to this, because, having procured the best animals of their kind, they were obliged to breed their posterity together, or breed them with inferior animals. The well recognized law that within certein limits " like produces like," requires that the standard toward which the breeder is aiming should never be lost sight of, and uniformity (not crossing of things unlike each other, except as changes to correct defects are desired) being constantly aimed at, there is no option, and the breeder must keep within the family, and this is but breeding " in-and-in," more or less. BakeweU in England, and Hammond of Vermont, bred their sheep in the closest manner. I believe Mr. Hammond did not pay the least regard to the relationship of the animals he paired together. The origin of the famous " improved" Shorthorn Durham cattle gives us instances of the most extreme breeding of this kind of which we have any knowledge. The results, so far as I have been able to learn them, of this close-breeding, all teach one and the same lesson, and that is, that persistence in breeding in-and-in can only be successful in the most skilful hands. A single case or two will, perhaps, do well enough in anybody's hands, but, by-and-by, in-and-in breeding ruins every lierd tliat is not in able hands. An authority says on this point : " Inter-treeding in such close relations is a nice — possibly a hazardous — thing, and can only be practiced by experienced men, who are good physiologists, have a just ap- preciation of both the good and indifferent qualities which their cattle possess, and the knowledge how to couple them together to produce favourable results." By in-and-in breeding we concentrate the blood, and avoid, in the progeny, the tendency to " strike back" in anything but a uniform manner, by lessening the number of the ancestors. This idea is ex- pressed very clearly in any essay of Mr. T. S. Humrickhouse, of Coshocton, Ohio, who says : " If there be any advantages arising from having placed in the line of the direct ancestry, near and remote, a great number of approved individuals, both male and female, it follows that there must be far greater ad- vantages arising from having the same one individual — if he be of marked superiority — placed the greatest possible number of times Then, under the operation of the principle of atavism (ancestral excellence or peculiarity), the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 545 chances that the rescmbhince of such uneqiiallcil ancestor will be obtained must he iu the ratio of the number of times he occurs in the ascending lines." If these views arc correct, we see how ruinous to a (lock one diseased animal will prove if his use is continued. A perfectly sound constitution, free from any taint of disease to be transmitted, is absolutely required if the blood is to be concentrated by in-and-in breeding. What is to be done by the llock-master when lie has discovered some transmissible disease appearing in his flock P He must at once resort to outside blood that will counteract this injurious tendency. Fortunately, in the Merino sheep, there is no dilfi- culty in fluding pure blood, on various soils and in various climates, that has been subjected to such a vast variety of treatment, that though once belonging to the same stock, con- stitutional tendencies liave become so unlike that the means are within reach of such breeders as are themselves qualilied to select the proper animals to correct any wrong tendencies that they may have discovered in their flocks. Skill on the part of the breeder is required, and, having knowledge of what he wants, he is able to find it. But if he have not that know- ledge, who can help him? The objection sometimes made to breeding from animals nearly related, founded on the law given to the Jews to regulate their practices among themselves, will have little weight if we but consider that though these laws may have had some foundation in physical considerations, they were evidently founded more on the proximity of tlie relation- ship by affinity than by consanguinity. Their principal object evidently was to preserve the purity of the family circle. The marriages of men and women can never be governed by pure scientific principles, and man is something more than an animal, and something more than mere body is to be produced in his case. On the other hand, domestic animals are to a very considerable extent, as they now exist, artilicial and of man's creation ; bred, fed, killed, for his profit, as to him ap- pears good. To sum this matter up : Improvers of breeds of sheep, as well as other domestic animals, will be forced more or less to breed in-and-in. These improvers should furnish the stock rarae for the great mass of flock-owners, because they can furnish better rams than unskilled flock-owners can breed ; and, making the improvement of sluep their businc's, they can raise the stock rams at less cost than can common flock- owners, and rams thus produced will greatly improve the common flocks into which they may be introduced. Thus the comparatively unskilled man finds that by drawing his stock rams from better flocks than his own, he is constantly improving his flock, and he is doing this at less cost, and with greater lapidity, than he can in any other way. The breeder of rams may have an animal that, because he is a little, and only a little, better than any man else can show, is for this reason nearly priceless to use in a flock that approaclies this paragon in excellence, while he would not be worth, to the owner of an ordinary flock, very much more than his brother, that comes a little short of him in some point of excellence. So it does not follow because breeders of rams for others to use are willing to pay each other large sums for very choice animals, and are fully justified in so doing, that the owners of common flocks should pay for second-rate rams very large prices. There are in any business only a few men who are masters — the great body are followers. Only now and then will a breeder of stock rams be so successful as to make the business very much more profitable than keeping an ordinary but improving flock. The few that do succeed, and make a mark, do the public much more good than they do themselves, however richtheirreward. IntheolderStatesthere will for a long time be many advantages for improvement that will ensue to the keepers of small flocks of choice sheep, that will not be pos- sessed by flock-owners of the new States, and I think that for a long *ime to come the owners of large flocks in the far West will find it for their advantage to look to the East for their stock rams. I believe that vast quantities of clothing wool are to be produced, in a not very remote future, west of the Mis- sissippi, and that this wool is to owe its best qualities to the rams that are bred near the Atlantic Ocean. All improvers of domestic animals, I believe, are sticklers for what is called pedigree, which is simply proof of unbroken descent in all the quarterings from some admitted pure stock. This is a very general definition, and does not cover all the ground that is in the mind of a breeder. lie will require a history of the par- ticular line through which any individual has descended, so that purity of blood is not all that is held of value in a pedi- gree. It is the one thing that must belong to all pedigrees of thoroughbred animals, but much more than this is required to make an animal bring the highest price. This point is well shown in tlie market prices of the improved Shorthorn Durham cattle. There are thousands of animals whose pedigrees can be as perfectly traced to the common ancestry as can be that of the Duchess family — that, just because they are not of that particular family, sell for hundreds of dollars, while could they but show that they were sufliciently strong in this most- esteemed Durham blood, would bring thousands. This may appear absurd and unreasonable to persons who have not con- sidered the whole subject, but the men who make these dis- tinctions, and prove their sincerity by paying their money, say that the Duchess family has for so long a time produced the very best of animals, as determined by trials in England and here, without anything like the ordinary percentage of second- rate ones, that their progeny are certain to be first-rate, or so nearly so that their value is really as great as the market price indicates. The advocates of in-and-in breeding constantly cite this family as the best of proof that by close breeding this great excellence is obtained — and certainly no person who knows the history of this family of Durhams will pay their market value unless he is a firm believw in the closest breed- ing. The Duchess family has been bred so closely that it may be said, with almost literal truth, that the nearest relations have been mated without any hesitation on that account, as long as their ability to procreate continued — breeding a bull to his own sisters and daughters, and grand-daughters, and so down. The fact is undisputed that the bulls of this Duchess family produce the most marked improvement upon other families of the Durhams, and in this fact lies a large part of their selling value. This ability to make their mark is believed to be due to the fact of their having descended from the close breeding I have stated. Individuality has been intensified, and however the progeny may " take back," it can hardly fail to resemble and inherit the good qualities of the family as it now exists. The owners of thoroughbred females that are not of this particular family pay largely for Duke bulls, as the intensity of their blood is supposed to be able to prevail over the blood of families less closely bred in-and-in. Owners of ordinary, or so-called native cattle, have not the same reasons for paying a very high price for a Duke bull, as any well-bred Shorthorn Durham bull will have strength of blood to prevail over the mongrels and cross-bred cattle. This opinion that the Duke bulls make more impression than ordinary full-bred animals has a parallel in the rams that have been bred by some of the principal improvers of sheep. They have beeu close in-and-in breeders, and the rams thus produced have made great improvement on the flocks with wliich they have mingled. Though the ewes were equally full blood of their breed, yet these close-bred rams have, in very many cases that have come under my observation, stamped themselves, so far as form of body and weight and value of fleece is concerned, in a most marked manner. While I say this in regard to the males of these close-bred flocks, I must say that, so far as I have been able to get at the facts, the females of these flocks have not proved to be of especial value as breeders in the hands of persons who have introduced them into their flocks. We have no herd-book, or flock-book, in which to record the pedigrees of our sheep, as have the cattle-men for their stock; so it has come to pass that the name of the breeder has had to take the place of a recorded pedigree among the sheep-men. A breeder of Durhams does not particularly inquire as to who has bred any particular animal ; but, rather, he looks over the herd-book, and carefully studies the pedigree there recorded ; while it very often happens that the selling value of a good- looking ram — that has not been tried as a stock-getter— de- pends very much on who bred him. Is not this an unconscious testimony in favour of in-and-in breeding ? Useful as pedigree is in determining the value of an animal as a stock-getter, there is yet something wanting until he has been tried and his quali- ties proved. Some animals have a greater power of trans- mitting their own qualities than others, even of the same breeding, and this fact can only be ascertained by actual trial. — Atavism (from the Latin afavvs, ancestor) : " The recur- rence of any disease or peculiarity of an ancestor, after it has been intermitted for one generation or more ; also, the recur- rence of the original type of a species in the progeny of its varieties." I have given this definition of Webster of a new word, that the scientific men use, to convey nearly the same idea that the less learned express by the words " take back." This definition takes for granted that organisms are not in- 646 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. herited in mathematical proportions from ancestors. Prof. James Law, of Cornell University, says that this " Atavism, reversion, or breeding hack, is another and troublesome cause of variation. Its operation is seen every day around us. A child resembles not its own parents, but its grandparents, great-grandparents, or more remote ancestors, alike in form, features and habits. The Galloway, Suffolk and Angus cattle, which have been black and hornless for a hundred or a hundred- and-fifty years, occasionally produce a brown or white calf which grows horns ;" and he goes on in his lecture, on the principles of breeding domestic animals, delivered before the New York State Agricultural Society, to give many instances of this atavism, which go to show that, "though such re- version will sometimes occur without any apparent cause, it is more frequently induced by some change in the conditions of life ;" and that animals allowed to run wild are inclined to re- vert to their original type, and that violent crossing between two races of strongly fixed types also tends to reversion, and he gives several cases to prove this. The sum of the whole of tliis matter is this : An old and pure breed of animals has a fixed type that it nearly always preserves among its own members ; though sometimes an animal will appear that shows some uncommon points, that is only to be ac- counted for on the principle of atavism, that reach away back to the founders of the breed ; but the older the breed is, the stronger the blood, and the less frequently these cases of variation occur; and that breeding in- and-in aids in intensifying the blood, and lessens the chances of this reversion to old and forgotten ancestors. So it appears that a pedigree that reaches back many centu- ries, and in which there has been much close breeding, gives assurance not only of uniformity of type in the future, but guarantees the ability to rapidly change into its own likeness any less ancient branch of its own race of animals with which its blood may be mingled. Having stated these advantages of in-and-in breeding, I feel called upon to warn my readers against rushing too fast into these deep waters, for there are perils to be encountered even here, and none but the most skilled navigators fail sooner or later in being stranded on the rocks. In my own experience in breeding sheep, I have never followed the in-and-in line of breeding quite to the breakers, but with Durham cattle I have continued so to breed until sterility was the result, and I was obliged to resort to com- parative plebeian blood to get calves. With cattle, I have seen rheumatism and scrofula follow close breeding that was, in my judgment, intensified by it. It is manifest that when- ever any disease that can become constitutional and hereditary appears, the animal that is the subject of it must no longer be mated with its near of kin, for the same taint, though it may not yet have revealed itself, probably lies dormant in the other members of the family. At once new blood though it may be considered, for ordinary use, of a lower grade, must be introduced. " Mr. Bates, so celebrated in connection with his strain of Shorthorns, says that to breed in and from a bad stock is ruin and devastation ; yet, that the practice may be safely followed within certain limits, when the parents so related are descended from first-class animals" (Prof. Law). And this distinguished improver of Shorthorns, after having from ISO-i to 1831, twenty-seven years, bred entirely within his own herd, was forced to go out of it, and buy Belvedere from another herd, but of the same^original blood (" American cattle," page 208) ; and Belvidere not only stopped the down- ward course of Mr. Bates' herd, but carried its fame to the highest point. By adopting the wise policy of Mr. Bates, •'by introducing at intervals blood of the same breed, but of a different baanch of the same family, which has been bred apart for several generations, and, if possible, on other soil and exposure, we can secure all the good of close breeding, and at the same time avoid its dangers." — (Prof. Law.) In the management of flocks of sheep some of the most noted breeders have kept distinct families that crosses within the same blood might be had at home. Jonas Webb, the well- known improver of the Southdowns, " found it needful to keep five different families to draw upon, thus retaining the requisite distance of relationship between the sexes" (Prof. Law). The famous Silesian sheep of Mr. Chamberlain originated from 100 Infantado ewes, purchased in Spain in 1811, by Ferdinand Fischer, who at the same time purchased four rams from the Negretti flock, and never mixed with these sheep any other blood, nor any other flock, but they have been crossed within the families. " There mode is to number )by notches in the ear) every sheep,; and give the same number to all her increase ; an exact record is kept in books, and thus Mr. Fischer (a sou of the first owner) is enabled to give the pedigree of every sheep he owns, running back to 1811" (Randall's Practical Shepherd, p. 39). So Mr. Fischer has 100 families, every member of which is fully recorded in books, that Mr. Chamberlain saw, and that he has told me filled many shelves. In this way the breeder has availed himself of the advantages of in-and-in, as well as cross-breeding, among 100 families, all within the same breed, and all of equally pure blood. From what 1 have said in regard to the successful breeding, not only of sheep, but other domestic animals, I think it must be plain that vast knowledge and uncommon natural gifts of judging are necessary to success, and we cannot wonder at the respect that the great improvers have had shown to them by the highest ranks in England, and we think the Queen did herself honour, when on a show-ground she asked a noted breeder of Devon cattle to instruct her as to his views of the points to be aimed at. Having pointed out some of the advantages and dangers of in-and-in breeding, I wisii to close by stating the only case that occurs to me, in which there is nothing but plain sailing, and where the novice may fearlessly venture : In the South- West and West, and perhaps elsewhere, there are many large flocks of what are called native sheep, whose wool is so thin and poor that the animal is of but little value except as furnishing the foundation of grade flocks, which, though not as good as full blood Merinos, are still of great value. On these ewes Merino rams may be put, and the same rams put to their progeny, daughters, grand-daughters, great-grand-daughters, and so on as long as they live. The only condition requisite is, that the ram should be of the best quality, and be a getter of good stock, and I should prefer to have his pedigree show that he was from a family closely bred in-and-in, till his blood had become greatly intensified, without having ap- proached or shown any signs of disease or degeneration in the flock. A ram from a flock that for many generations had been handled after the plan of Mr. Fischer should have constitution enough to make a great impression on mongrel blood, and I am satisfied, from what I have seen of breeding sheep, that such a ram might be safely used in such a flock and among his own descendants there, as long as he may live, and I believe that under parallel circumstances a Duke bull may be used in the same manner. Having procured half-bloods, and three-quarters, and seven-eighths, and higher grades still by the use of the same male, never commit the folly of breeding these grades together, but continually resort to the flock or herd toward which you viish to breed for sites, and always procure full-blooded animals. And in selecting them aim to resort to such sources as have not only produced the individual you want, but that have produced many mlore like him. Skill in selecting, so as to cure defects, will at a 1 stages of breeding be important, and that skill can only come from experience. Books may aid, but practical knowledge must be had, to enable the student to duly understand what may be written by the most skilled flock-master. If I have written so as to aid the beginner in acquiring practical knowledge on this difficult branch of sheep husbandry, then have I accom- plished all that I hoped for when I commenced. — The Honour- able George Geddes in The New York Tribune. TENANT-RIGHT AND THE CHAMBER OF AGRI- CULTURE.— Compensation for unexhausted improvements, then, is obviously a national question, and therefore should not be left to the tenant-farmers alone to agitate. The far- mers, as victims of the closest monopoly that exists amongst us, are about the least independent class in the country. In- deed, the very injustice under which they suffer renders them timid in their efforts to remove it. Those of them especially who farm under a yearly tenancy, and who are liable at any time to a six months' notice to quit, are, naturally enough, afraid to make or support any proposals that will offend their landlords. The better they have been farming the more they would lose if suddenly ejected from their holdings ; for the ex- isting state of the law would allow their landlords to confiscate the whole of the property that they had invested in permanent improvements. It is no wonder, then, that in the landlord- ridden Chambers of Agriculture the tenant-farmers are afraid to speak their minds, and that the resolutions passed on a question like the important one now under discussion are likely to be representative rather of their fears than of their wishes, —The Rcaminer. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 547 SACK DEMURRAGE. At a meeting at Peterborough, Mr. C. Robekts, the chairman, said he would try not to be long in laying before them the objects of the meeting, objects which he thought were pretty well known to all present, to try and arrange a fresh system for the hiring of sacks. Under the present system a farmer when hiring sacks at a station was obliged to sign a certain form handed to him, by which he became the original hirer, and being filled and put on trucks they were consigned by him to the order of his buyer at a given station. The buyer in turn sells the grain to some one else, it is ordered to seme distant station, and perhaps tran- shipped again. There were frequently a great many move- ments and orders in their business in which profits were made by 2d. or 3d. Their difficulties began when the grain was delivered to the miller. He took the corn away in the sacks in which it was sent, not making himself responsible for the sacks, but delaying their return as his feelings might prompt him, or until the requirements of his business might leave him at liberty to return them. It was very likely that they would remain thus for some days, and then Thomas the wag- goner would toss them down into the station, and all trace of their whereabouts would be lost. After a length of time, in some cases years, the farmer or merchant, as the case might be, would receive a bill for demurrage extending over that period, when, for all he knew, the sacks had been returned. Thus the farmer's or merchant's trouble was not always over when he had the money in his breeches pocket. This demur- rage might be charged for a month or two, or a year or two, or even three or four or five years. (Laughter, and a voice, " Or sis years"). To give them a practical illustration, he stated that on the llth of September he received a bill of this kind, dated 1868, for 33 sacks sent to a certain station (he would mention no names), lUG weeks' hire being charged, to- gether with 2s. Gd.lor the sacks ; the little bill he was called upon to pay amounting in all to £11 8s. 3d. That was a fair representation of the case, and to those who experienced such treatment it was no laughing matter, let this difficulty did not exist on the North-Eastern Railway. He had as many as 70,000 sacks supplied to him during the present week by this company, and never yet had any application for sack demur- rage, and should not in the present instance. He never heard that the North-Eastern Railway Company had complained that they did not get their money under their present arrange- ments ; and, on the contrary, he believed they got on better. He wished it to be generally recognized that the interests of the sack contractors and railway companies were cot antago- nistic, and that the merchants and farmers did not ask them to lessen their charges, but to charge for demurrage those who incurred it, and he believed if this was done is would lessen the troubles both of the railway companies and the sack con- tractors. To give an instance of the trouble, he said he had received a bill of 5s. for demurrage which he disputed, and nine letters had already been written on the subject. Even in the end, when he was proved to be right or wrong, there would certainly be, as they said in Lincolnshire when a man chpped his pig, " there was a great cry for little wool." He could not for a moment believe but that the companies represented were desirous to better a state of things like that. If under the sys- tem which was proposed that demurrage had been properly in- curred, it would have been paid for at the time, and there would have been an end of the transaction ; and he believed that under the present system such was the trouble devolving upon railway clerks and agents, that the companies expended five times the amount of money in salaries they need do in finding out these questions of demurrage ; and he therefore said, without fear of contradiction, that it was to the common interest of all to put an end to this state of things. Being agreed as to the desira- bility of a change, the next thing to decide was what was prac- ticable. He believed Mr. Hill and others in the room would bear him out, when he said that on the Great Eastern Railway there was rarely or never any dispute about demurrage. It might be said in reply that this was because they did not allow their sacks to go on other lines. This might be so, but at any rate a dispute was never met with for demur- rage on their line. He would give one more instance. Many present sent large quantities of corn to London, yet he did not know a single case of disputed demurrage, but when any was really incurred they paid it cheerfully. With regard to the North Eastern, the reason given to the Great Eastern did not apply, for their sacks frequently came to Peterborough, Not- tingham, and numerous other places off the company's line ; tens of thousands of sacks, he believed, went from that line to Nottingham, and cases to prove what he said were as plentiful as blackberries. Then if this system was possible with the North Eastern Railway, it was possible with the others ; he therefore asked them to co-operate, and put an end to a state of things which proved so very unde- sirable. It was for this purpose the representatives of the different railway companies had been asked to attend, and he was very much obliged to them for their attendance ; it showed a disposition to consider the question properly. He did not believ; what had been said that the sack contractors had no other person legally liable but the first hirer. The question would arise as to what would be done after the passing of the resolution, for he might say that by the aid of the proxies en- trusted to him, if he agreed with the resolution, and all the other gentlemen in the room were against it, he would be enabled to carry it by an overwhelming majority. They re- minded him of the old proxies of the House of Lords in days gone by. It was, however, all very well taking the horse to the water, but you can't make him drink. They might pass the resolution, but what next? That " what next" depended upon the gentlemen representing the railway companies. He did not wish to say one word that was offensive, but advice had been taken, and he had been informed that in such cases as he had quoted the original hirers were not legally liable, and he believed that if he was put into court for the £1 1 18s. 3d., that he could fall back on the railway companies and make a fair case against them, for ever allowing the sacks in question to go out of their station, to which they were consigned, which they had no right to do without his authority. The Chairman eoncluded by commending the plan adopted by the North Eastern Railway, quoting the 5th condition under which the company let sacks as follows : " Every person receiving grain in the company's sacks is to be subject to these regulations, and will be required to sign an acknowledgment that the sacks are so received before they are removed from the station ; and in case of refusal to sign such acknowledgment, the delivery of the grain shall be deemed complete on such refusal, without its being necessary for the company to tender the same." The result of this was, he said, that demurrage was never charged to him on the North Eastern Railway. Similar arrangements by other companies would be most desirable, and would, he was sure, result in the benefit of all parties concerned. The first resolution was put in the following amended form : " That the farmers (or other persons fetching empty sacks from the stations) should be responsible for the sacks till re- turned (full or empty) to the station from whence they fetched them, and then their responsibility should be at an end, upon paying any charges incurred up to the time the grain is trans- ferred, and the person to whom it is transferred accepts such transfer ; and in case the expenses incurred by the farmer or hirer are not paid prior to the forwarding order being acted upon, the railway company to charge the expenses forward on the grain, the railway company giving the merchant or person to whom consigned an advice of the charges incurred." The resolution was carried with only one dissentient ; and the Chairman stated that in addition to the large majority he had proxies to the number of 256. The following resolution was also carried : " That with the termination of the farmer's, or original hirer's responsibility all charges for the hire and demurrage of sacks, whether in transit or in warehouse, should be treated in every respect, and collected in the same manner, as carriage." Mr. Cole (Nottingham) proposed the third resolution, as follows : " That the full sacks on no account leave the different railway companies' stations without the person fetching them away makes himself clearly and distinctly liable for the safe 548 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. return oftlie sacks, and for all demurrage charges that may be incurred." Mr. E. Roberts seconded the motion, which was supported by Mr. Hampson, of Wisbeach, and carried unanimously- Mr. JouN Ashley (G.N.R.) expressed himself willing to meet the secretary, or any number of gentlemen, to consult a3 to the best means of carrying out the resolutions. The other railway managers and sack contractors having promised co-operation for carrying out the resolutions, the meeting separated with a vote of thanks to the chairman. A CHAPTER ON CARROTS. Whilst capital and labour are each asserting their right to reigu supreme in agriculture, it is refreshing to think that in the end it must come to be like lovers' quarrels, or those of man and wife — made up. A little while, and the capitalist and labourer must go hand in hand, notwithstand- ing past hostilities, for the rich man will neither dig nor beg, and the poor man must either do one or the other, and he must eventually put his shoulder to his friend's wheel, for the rich man who employs lahourers is deci- dedly their friend, whether they acknowledge it or not. Now the carrot crop, like most of our best paying crops, requires a great deal of labour in its production, and where labour is either scarce or dear, strikes im- pending or factions rife, carrots cannot be cultivated with advantage to the grower. The carrot, like all other plants, has a scientific name {Daucus carofa), but it would look pedantic to speak of such a plant botanically. It is a British weed, growing freely on the thin soil in Devon, on the red sandstone; and is rather troublesome in the pasture, and by no means healthy as an herb, being umbelliferous. The wild carrot in its general appearance has little in common with the cultivated carrot ; it is properly a biennial, growing to maturity in one summer, and ripening its seed in the following summer, although it will frequently run to seed the same year it has been sown. The culture of carrots for seed has been carried on for many years in this neighbourhood. Altringham, only a short ride from Manchester, has been famous for that variety of carrot which bears its name. A great deal of the soil in that locality is light and friable, and easily worked to any depth, and by road, by rail, as well as by canal are excellent means for getting manure, so that the land is really well farmed ; for where the plough alone would not be able to till deep enough, the spade has to supplement it, for nothing less than seed growing or market gardening could cover the cost of deep tillage, sowing, cleaning, and saving the crops. I have named Altriughani as avowedly the head-quarters of this valuable root, in order to show the kind of soil suitable to the pro- fitable culture of the carrot. Once for all let me state that, unless you trench or dig deep for carrots, you need not dig at all, but try some other crop. I have had to increase the depth of soil by laying one-half of it on the top of the other half, the land being first loosened by the plough and put in order with the pointed shovel. A piece of laud foul with thistles, nettles, and other weeds was bought by a gentleman near Nottingham, and he had to get it trenched deep, in order to get it clean, and having a charitable turn, he gave the job to a poor man, and what with the trenching, dressing, cropping, and weeding, it took the workman all his time to keep pace with the sea- son, the weeds, and the thinning ; and by the time the weeds were got under, the crop was getting fit for market, and had to be got up and sold, and the same man that conducted the culture of the crop was now commercial traveller or salesman and cashier, and as he wheeled the produce to market, he might be truly styled carrier as wi'll There was no supervision, he did just as seemed good to him, receiving his weekly wages, and handing in his receipts, when it transpired that with the one year's crop of carrots the owner had realised the whole sum paid for the fee simple of the land. Carrots in the seed-leaf are weakly, weedy objects, utterly unable to hold their own against the annual weeds that are always overtopping them, and some growers sow a little mustard seed along with the carrot seed, to mark the line where people are to look for the young carrots ; others clean the land, and get it to a fine tilth, but do not sow the carrots, but wait till the seedling weeds get a start, and then set the horse- hoe to work, and after this clearance sow the carrots. This is stealing a march upon the weeds, and was, I believe, the invention of Charles Lawrence, Esq., of Cirencester. In many gardens as well as farms the car- rot crop is always worm-eaten. In gardens, peat and sand are generally a remedy where they can be had in abundance ; but in farms thus situated, it is better not to cultivate this root extensively. I am not speaking now of the large white Belgian carrot, but of the long red Altringham, and that for a particular purpose, with which white carrots are entirely unconnected. When red carrots are given to cows inmilking condition, theyimprovethemilk, the butter, and the cheese. The Scottish housewife grates the red carrot, and puts it into a linen bag along with the cream into the churn , and the butter acquires a rich yellow colour ; but when cows are supplied with plenty of red carrots to eat, this colouring process is not wanted, for that which first gave rise to the use of annatto in colouring cheese was the rich yellow colour of high-class cheese ; for the milk and cream of Guernsey cows are frequently coloured too highly, and have to be mixed with those of other breeds. No crop is more impatient than carrots are of rank manure ; it should never be used until it has un- dergone disinfection and decay with a previous crop. Parties who astonish us with carrots of extroardinary size, usually grow them in deep soil, by making a hole with a crowbar, 2 feet deep and 3 or 4 inches wide, filling this hole up with finely-sifted peat, sand, and leaf-mould, and sowing two or three seeds over each hole. The carrots thus treated grow very large and quite straight, fit for exhi- bition. The silky coats of certain carriage horses where the proprietors are horse proud, are chiefly maintained by a due proportion of carrots ; and as all horses eat carrots with avidity, it tells plainly how much their craving after carrots may be necessary to improve their condition. I would only add in conclusion that carrots require to be kept very cool and dry, for being a native plant the smallest rise of temperature will start the roots agrowing. A deep dry cellar or shaded outhouse keeps them best, embedded in dry peat or dry sand. Anyone may see what a native plant can live in, and even flower in, when we see the groundsel growing and flowering in a hedge-bank, as if it could hold on its way to ripen seeds when all but in an icicle; and the same may be said of chickweed, as if a kind Providence had reserved such for the birds of the air that have no other barns. Alexanber Forsyth. i), Idinyton-sqaare, Salford, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 549 THE HORSE DISEASE IN AMERICA. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MARK LANE EXPRESS. Sir, — Should you thiuk the enclosed of sufficient iu- interest to your numerous readers, I shall be glad if you will insert it in your next issue. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Isaac Seaman, M.ll.C.V.S. Priori/, S. If'alden, Nov. 14. Epihippic,* a disease now prevalent amongst horses in New York and other American cities, and which appears identical with a disease affecting horses in England, called enfluenza, belongs to the fever class of diseases peculiar for its disposition to assume the typhoid character ; limited to few localities, but some years, especially during autumn and spring months, more widely spread, indeed it may be said not a year has passed without an outbreak of the malady of more or less virulence amongst horses, not only in the stables of our crowded cities, but also in some of our provincial districts. Newly purchased fat horses from the country and taken to London have been the more frequent victims. The liver is the principal seat of mischief in one patient, the stomach and bowels in a second, whilst the bronchial tubes, lungs, pleura, and pericardium of a third are alfected, and frequently a fourth complication in the form of acute joint rheumatism. During the years 1841-2 influenza prevailed extensively in different parts of the county of Norfolk, and with such virulence in consequence of the nature of the malady not being understood, the greater majority of cases termi- nated fatally. A horse master who is so unfortunate as to employ a farrier or veterinary surgeon who from igno- rance of the true nature of the disease, but treating it as ordinary inflammation, bleeds, and administers purgative and sedative medicines, will have reason to deplore the * Ejnhijjpic, Greek, JS/jt, upon; a.ni. hijipQS,& horse. probable fatal results of such treatment. Although years back the disease was not understood, and wrongly treated, I hope now better results are obtained through the ad- vanced state of veterinary science. Prostration of the vital powers of the horse quickly follows the invasion of the malady : the head hangs drooping down, and as though worn out by fatigue the animal will rest one leg after the other in quick succession ; the breathing is hurried, the eyelids half-closed, tears flow down the cheeks, the ears and legs are cold, or it may be three are cold, the remaining one moderately warm. The pulse are weak and quick, varying from 60 to 100 per minute, the throat is sore, there is a cough accompanied by a painful grunt, which is more audible when the patient is turned round in its loose-box or stall. Membranes in- side the eyelids and nostrils are reddened, there is also a tinge of yellow upon them. In the treatment of influenza, warmth, good nursing, and appropriate medicines are now substituted for the fatal depletive system of the illiterate charlatan with most successful results. "With the timely and judicious use of the preparations of potass the (chlorate is the most effectual), the preparations of ammonia, including the acetate, sesquicarbonate, and aromatic spirit of ammonia, the potassio-tartarate of soda, and an occasional dose of chloroform, administered in glycerine when the grunt appears more painful and the horse restless ; the legs bandaged with flannel, body clothed with warm rugs, a dry loose-box well bedded with straw, hay-tea and oatmeal gruel, well boiled, frequently offered ; and when the eyelids are less red and the legs begin to swell, a pint of port wine twice daily, and, the most essential of all, a kind and attentive nurse — there needs no alarm for the safety of the suffering beast though the blood may have acquired a typhoid condition THE INEQUALITY OF LOCAL TAXATION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MARK LANE EXPRESS. Sir, — In your paper of Monday last, 11th instant, at- tention is very properly called to the greater interest shown at the Central Chamber of Agriculture to the sub- ject of local taxation than to many others more nearly affecting tenant-farmers ; if, indeed, i/igy have anything but rather an opposite interest to that of the party of which Sir Massey Lopes is the diligent Coryphaeus, or shortly, the landlords ; because, whatever is taken off the rates will be added to the rent. And as the money for the purposes now charged on the poor-rate must be drawn elsewhere, it is evident that the tenant-farmer will have to bear his share of the taxation substituted for the rates as well as to pay his landlord a rent increased by the sum now paid to the overseer. Even Mr. Genge An- drews admitted, in his evidence before a committee of the House of Commons, that if £90 a year were taken off his rates he should obtain so much more rent. But there is another branch of taxation which our friends the tenant-farmers have not discussed at their Chambers of Agriculture, though doubtless by having given a portion of Mr. Gladstone's words in your report of the Local Taxation Committee at the Central Chamber on Nov. 5th in capitals, it has not escaped your vigilant eye. They are as follows : " To equality as between the va- rious classes of the community in respect to their aggre- gate contribution made to the public burden." Among the contributions made to the State is a duty on succession by death. In The Times of Monday, Major Paget, M.P. for Somerset, is reported to have said that an estate worth £100,000 would probably be divided into about ten farms, each of which would take £2,000 to stock it. If, then, this can be taken as a fair representative case, let us see what the State claims from the £20,000 of tenants' capital, and what from the £100,000 landlords' capital invested in land under the head of succession. Assuming the landlord to inherit such an estate at the age of say 44, on the death of his father, and that 2\ is an average per centage for such in- vestment, as given by the Speaker, we shall find that the owner in fee of the land worth £100,000 will be a con- tributor of £350 for succession duty, to be paid in four years by equal half-yearly instalments after the successor has been in possession for twelve months. The value is taken as an annuity of £2,500, worth, avoiding fractions, fourteen years' purchase, giving a total of £35,000, on which the duty at 1 per cent, is £350. The ten tenant- farmers, with stock worth each £2,000, would have to pay, on succeeding to their fathers intestate, £950 — viz., 550 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. each administration of £2,000, £75 and £20 legacy duty, i. e., at the rate of nearly £5 per cent. The landlord's tax being only at something like between six and seven shillhigs per cent. Taking into consideration that the administration duty must be paid at once, the difference between the taxation of landlord and tenant may be roughly approximated at shillings for the former, and pounds for the latter. Now is it not seriously due to tenant-farmers to ask Sir Massey Lopes and Company to agitate for equaliza- tion in this matter of succession duties ? When and where have they noticed this anomaly when advocating a re- adjustment of taxation on a principle of equality ? Perhaps some of your agricultural readers will take this question up. It is noted in your columns of the Central Chamber of Agriculture's report (see Supplement, page 2, col. 1) that " at the recent meeting of the Social Science Congress, at Plymouth, the secretary read an exhaustive paper on the question." In a report of that meeting. Captain Craigie said that some had considered poor-rates as a kind of rent-charge, but as they were not of a fixed amount they could not be so called. Now tithe rent-charge is of a variable amount, for in 1866 it was something over 97 per cent., and in 1861 rather over 112 per cent., a fluctua- tion of about 15 per cent, in five years. It is evident, therefore, that if the subject was exhaustively treated it was not in the particular above noted correctly treated. It is further to be remarked that the property so favoured as to be taxed nearly as shillings compared with pounds enjoys a priority of collection under the law of distress, and ft-eedom from loss by bankruptcy, &c., whereas the tenant-farmer's representatives must run the risk of the millers' and butchers' failures, with payment only to be compelled through the ordinary course of an action at law. The Legislature two or three years ago abolished the preference of specialty debts over those by simple con- tract ; another step in the same direction will abolish the landlord's preference for rent. This would reduce the com- petition now existing for farms, and render a good tenant of substance more likely to be taken at a "live and let live" rent than one not known to be solvent, or solvent it may be ovAjsofar as iopag the landlord's preferential claim. I have intruded too much, I fear, on your space. The subject of taxation is shortly to be discussed in Parlia- ment, consequent on an agitation commenced by landlords ostensibly opposing inequality. If they sincerely and honestly desire a thorough equality and not merely a transfer of their burden, inherited or uncharged to them if purchasers, to the shoulders of the community, the above are a few items beyond those hitherto discussed at the Central and other Chambers of Agriculture, which will commend themselves to the general attention of the public, and of tenant-farmers in particular. If probate and administration with legacy duty were added to real estate, and all chai'ged as on small sums, say £2,000, now attaching to personalty, remoulding the latter on all amounts in conformity thereto, with the special extra tax of say 10 per cent, on entails, the income- tax and the malt-duty might be repealed. Your humble servant, Common Sense. ORMSKIRK AND SOUTHPORT AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.— At the annual meeting Mr. Walter Smith, ex- mayor of Southport, presided, and there was a large attendance. The following rule was added at the suggestion of the presi- dent : Tliat all parties entering stock or other matters at any show of the society shall be required to state a price at which they will sell the same in their entry. That no alteration shall be allowed in this after the entry is made, and in case the same are claimed, the exhibitor be obhged to sell less a deduction from the price of sale of ten per cent., which shall be given to the funds of the society. THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL BENEVOLENT INSITUTION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MARK LANE EXPRESS. Sir, — It will be evident that the ground of my com- plaint in reference to the management of the Royal Agri- cultural Benevolent Institution was that the voting papers were not always sent. I regret that I did state that when my donation was sent no acknowledgment was received from the secretary ; but I at once added (my attention having been called to the mistake I had made) that I meant to have said " no voting papers were received," The receipt of course I held from Messrs. Howard, and I required no other. I then said that I understood others had complained, and I thought that if the secretary could not perform the daties of his office he should either get the necessary assistance or those in authority should appoint some one who could. I may add that all who spoke upon the subject (except my brother) stated that they agreed with the remarks I had made. The facts of the case are these : My brother interested himself on be- half of a candidate whom I knew and wished to support. On the 25th of May I paid a donation of £5 5s. through Messrs. Howard. After waiting a considerable time, I told Mr. Reynolds, to whom I had paid the money, that I had received no voting papers. He replied that it was then too late, aud that there had been several similar complaints. I wrote to the secretary on the I8th of June, and, after waiting about ten days, received the en- closed reply. I declined the proposal, and the money was returned to me. What would be thought of the secretaries of the Royal Agricultural Society, Smithfield, or Birmingham, if intending exhibitors were coolly told that they might enter a double number next year, as " the press of business" had prevented the despatch of the forms of certificates ? I am, sir, yours very truly, George Street. Maulden Ampthill, Beds, November 13. [Mr. Street encloses the letter to which he refers.] Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, 55, Charing Cross, S.W., 27th June, 1873. Sir, — I have to apologise to you for this very tardy reply to your letter of the 18th instant, but the press of work consequent upon the late election has prevented my doing so earlier. It is a source of great regret to me that the omission of which you complain should have occurred, and I am un- able to account for it except in the multitude of names and addresses I have to deal with at a more than ordina- rily busy time. If, howevei", the arrangement should be satisfactory to you, it will give me much pleasure to credit you with an extra vote next year. I remain, sir, your obedient servant, C. Bousfield Shaw, G. Street, Esq. Secretary. " JNIr. Shaw's letter appears to be all that was required. The minute was unnecessary, and indeed is not strictly justifiable." So says The Gardeners' Chronicle in giving the secretary's letter and Mr. Donald NicoU's minute as agreed to by a majority at the last Council meeting of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution. In our opinion the minute is not merelyj unnecessary or not justifiable, but scarcely comprehensible. Some of the Council who agreed to it must have known that com- plaints of the kind had for some time been made from Bedfordshire ; as Mr. James Howard, M.P., reported these to Mr. Shaw, sen., the father of the secretary, a short time since, requesting him to look into the matter ; and attention was called to it at the October meeting — although not by Mr. Shaw, sen, — when the question was very THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 551 cavalierly disposed of. Surely, however, whea these com- plaints assumed so direct a form as they did at the Bed- fordshire Society's dinner it was a duty ou the part of an Agricultural Journal to give the management an oppor- tunity for reply and explanation; while we studiously refrained from adding any comment whatever of our own to the speeches we quoted. When people speak out, dilliculties can be generally cleared up, as it is only when they conspire and plot in secret that they eventually bring themselves to utter grief. BOTLEY AND SOUTH HANTS FARMEES' CLUB. At a meeting held at Botley, Mr. William Warner, the president, read the following paper ou " The incidence of local taxation with reference to the occupiers of lauds and houses :" The question of local taxation was one which has engaged the attention of Parliament, Chambers of Agriculture, Far- mers' Clubs, and I may say the general public for some years. It has long been felt a grievance by the owners and occupiers of lands and houses that the rates for local purposes were levied only on what is called real property, and that personal and other property paid no local taxation whatever. In 1868 Sir Massey Lopes brought forward the subject in the House of Commons, and after pointing out the unfairness of the tax, and how heavily it presses on owners and occupiers of real pro- perty, he moved the following resolution : " That inasmuch as the local charges on real property liave of late years much increased, and are continually increasing, it is neither just nor politic that all these burdens should be levied ex- clusively from this description of property." This led to some discussion, and though many did not concur in all the arguments of Sir Massey Lopes, it was generally ad- mitted there was au irregularity and unfairness in the rates for local taxation, which required revision. Since that time there had been a general agitation in the country on the subject, and in April last Sir Massey Lopes, after an elaborate statement of the incidence of local taxation, moved the following resolution : " That it is expedient to remedy the injustice of imposing taxation for national objects on one description of property only, and therefore no legislation with reference to local taxation will be satisfactory which docs not provide either in whole or in part for relief of occupiers and owners in counties and boroughs from charges imposed on ratepayers for the administration of justice, police, and lunatics, the expenditure for such purposes, being almost entirely inde- pendent of local control." This resolution was carried by a large majority, the result of which is that tlie Government have promised to bring forward this next session a comprehen- sive scheme of local taxation ; and as it is ot importance the subject should be well ventilated, I consider it a very proper subject for discussion by members of this club. In the tirst place it is desirable to know what is local taxation, and for what purpose it is levied. Local taxation originally was called a poor-rate, and levied solely for tlie relief of those poor who, from old age and sickness, were unable to provide for them- selves. Since that time rates levied ostensibly for the relief of the poor have been applied to other purposes as well, and consequently it has taken the name of local taxation. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth an Act was passed by which all people, according to their ability, were bound to contribute to the relief of the poor, land at that time being the only rateable property of the country. It has been considered by many that the poor-rates are a fixed burden on land, and, whatever may be the amount of property in the country, it is exempt from the poor-rates altogether. This appears to me contrary to reason and justice. Now, I consider the poor-rates as much a national and imperial charge as the property and income tax, wherein every one is rated according to his means, whatever those means and property may be. The poor-rates are for a national object — viz., for the relief of the poor and distressed, and the nation, as a people, are in duty bound, both legally and morally, to contribute to that relief in proportion to their ability. In confirmation of this " The report of the Lords' Committee on parochial assessment in 1850" set forth that the relief of the poor is a national object, towards which every description of property ought to contribute, and that the Act of the 43rd of Elizabeth contemplated such contribution, according to the ability of every inhabitant- Again, Sir George C. Lewis (no mean authority) said, in his evidence before the same Lords' Com- mittee : " With regard to the general policy of imposing a local rate exclusively on one class of property, I am quite pre- pared to admit that unless it can be shown that there is some special reason in favour of a local tax, limited to real property, it is more fair and equitable to defray the expenditure out of a national tax, which should comprehend all species of property." Again the Lord Advocate, in speaking ou this subject, says : " A remarkable amount of contusion and error exists in the minds of many people with respect to the character — in a legal and politico-economical view — of what are usually called bur- dens on land. People speak in a vague sort of way of land being inherited or sold and bought subject to its burdens, and when it is proposed to remit or modify any of them the pro- posal is not unfrequently spoken of as an attempt to benefit the landlords at the expense of the rest of the nation — as a pro- posal to enrich them unduly by making them a present of so much rational property — to increase the value of their posses- sions by relieving them of a burden subject to which tliey acquired them, and in respect of which they paid a less price for them than they would otherwise have done. But a very little consideration will, in my opinion, suffice to dissipate these views by showing how fallacious they are. Indeed, it seems plain that such reasoning, if valid, would be an impediment to any reform in the taxation of property with a view to equality and fairness of incidence. The true view of the matter is that although property is undoubtedly bought, subject to the exist- ing taxes, it is not considered that these are necessarily per- manent. On the contrary, they are regarded as liable not only to increase or diminution, but to every possible modification, and even total repeal. The purchaser takes his chance of change, whether for better or worse. He must, on the one hand, submit to any amount of new taxes which the Legisla- ture may impose on his property ; but, on the other, he is, I venture to think, clearly entitled to the benefit of any repeal of a tax which existed at the date of his purchase, without having it said that he is unduly benefited by being relieved of a burden subject to which he purchased his property. In short, I ven- ture to submit, as a sound proposition, that any tax on land which is brought into question ought to be dealt with by con- tinuing, modifying, or repeahng it, according to its own merits as a just, expedient, and politic tax, and without reference to the fact that it is a burden subject to which the land has been bought and sold, which is or was true of every tax, however impolitic, or even iniquitous, that exists or has existed since land was the subject of commerce. Indeed, any other view would manifestly lead to a dead-lock, and the perpetuity of every tax subject to which a lauded property had once been sold. For the reasoning would always hold that the tax had as a burden been considered and allowed for in the price, and that the remission of it would be a gift to the purchaser (or his successor) of what had never been paid for. Nor, I ven- ture to think, is there anything in the argument that the fruit or produce of an established tax on land is the property in per- petuity of the nation, and that the remission of it is a gift by the nation to the proprietors of land. The nation is no further interested than tliis — that all property, whether real or per- sonal, shall be subject to such taxes, whether new or old, as the Legislature may see fit to impose upon it for national purposes; and it is not doubtful that all property is held subject to this condition." To show the present unfairness of the tax I will quote Lord Brougham. He said " that a large minufacturer, deriving £10,000 or £12,000 a-year from his business, contributes no more than many a strugghng farmer, though the one frequently augments the number of paupers, while the tendency of the occupation of the latter was to their decrease." In fact, a man may, after making a large fortune by the employment of labour, for some reason or another close his manufactory, thereby throwing the whole of that labour on the parish, he merely paying rates on the house he occupies, and the remainder of his large property escaping local taxation altogether. In the minds of many there seems to be a mis- conception of what is in reality real property. Some say that lands and buildings only are real property, and that money in 552 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. the funds and elsewhere is not real property. Now, really, I cannot distinguish tlie difference. For example, I will take two persons — A and B. I will suppose A has land worth £20,0U0, and 13 has £30,000 in the funds, each has a value £20,000. There must be something real in it in both cases. If in laud it is a reality, and if in the funds it is reality as well. I only know if anyone were to leave me ^£20,000 in the fuuds I should look upon it as a reality, and as real property. I will suppose A wishes to sell his land, and B buys it with his £20,000, would not the £20,000 he received from B be real, or a reality to him P Of course it would. Land and money are both articles of commerce, changing hands every day, and what applies to one does to the other. It has been argued by some that if all property from which an in- come is derived is brouaht witliiu the area of local taxation, it will have the effect of just handing over so many thousands or millions of money to the ovvners of land and liouse pro- perty. This is a very erroneous idea. If all property were assessed for local taxation on the same principle as tlie pro- perty and income tax it would have the effect of so enlarging the area of taxation as to bring into the net not only owners of personal property, but also owners of real property, who do not at present pay any local taxation on the income they de- rive from their land and houses, the tenants and occupiers being, as I contend, the only parties who pay the rates. This, perhaps, is contrary to the generally received opinion, viz., that whatever rates are paid by the tenant are, in fact, allowed to him by his landlord in his rent ; or, if his landlord paid the rates, he would have to pay more rent. Now, I will endeavour to show that the rates do not come out of the landlords' pockets. When an estate is for sale it is valued at so many years' purchase, according to the clear rent paid to the landlord, without any deductions for rates and taxes, which, being paid by the tenant, are not taken into con- sideration in the sale. Tiie landlord is no loser by the rates and taxes, as, by not paying them, he gets his clear interest for his money, in the same manner and on the same principle that another party gets his three per cent, in the funds ; and if he chooses to sell his estate again, he can get the full value of what he paid for it, aud often more, witiiout having paid any local rates on it. There is no difference between the land- holder and the fundholder in this respect. It is only a question of choice ot investment of capital, each receiving a certain income iree of all local taxation whatever. We all know that if a tenant leaves a farm or a house with rates unpaid the law cannot compel the landlord to pay them. If a liouse is un- occupied no rates are paid, though there is still the house and the landlord left. If a farm is thrown out of cultivation by the landlord, and allowed to run waste so as to become unpro- ductive, tliere are no rates paid, though there is still the land and the landlord left. In unenclosed waste lands there are DO rates, though tliere is the land and the owuer of the land ; but when the land is enclosed aud let to a tenant he, by the employment of his capital, makes it productive, and then he is rated on his capital, and not the laud- lord- To strengthen my argument I will read what the Lord Advocate says : " Llis lordship is equally strong against the notion which we have all frequently heard, to the effect that every tax upon land, or measured by the value of land, is in the result wholly paid by the landlord, although one-half should by law be payable by his tenant. The argument is that the tenant's legal share of the tax, if he is left to pay it, is always taken into account in fixing the rent, and that con- sequently the landlord must either contract to relieve him of it — i. €., to pay it for him — or be content to accent of exactly so much less rent, so that in the one way or the other he, the landlord, always in effect pays it. It is perhaps presumptu- ous to challenge as manifestly iallacious an argument which one has heard seriously stated aud maintained by very intelli- gent men. But such, nevertheless, is my opinion of it. The result of it, if sound, is that you cannot possibly tax the occu- pier of land in respect of his occupation ; aud as the argument IS equally applicable to houses, the importance of it, measured by its extent, is very great indeed. Tlie fallacy of it will ap- pear if you only consider that the same result exactly would follow from a landlord's agreement to pay any other part or the whole of the tenant's expenses on account of his occupa- tion and cultivation of the farm — the cost of seed and labour, for example, or the tax of his income arising from the profits of the farm. The expenses and burdens incident to the te- nancy of a farm do not cease to be of that character because he may bargain with his landlord to relieve him of certain of them, on the footing of paying a higher rent." And he adds : " The argument which I am now attempting to refute will, I think, appear very extravagant when considered with reference to its application to houses in towns ; for it implies that the occupiers of houses in towns really pay no taxes in respect of their occupation. The true view, in my judgment, clearly is, not that a lower rent is paid when the tenant is left to pay his share of the taxes, but that a higher rent is paid when the landlord agrees to relieve him, just as a lower is paid when he agrees to relieve the landlord of his share. In either case the value of the relief is paid by the party relieved to the party relieving him. Being persuaded that the argument which I have stated is sound, I must venture to express a hope that landlords' and tenants' taxes will not be confounded, but will always be regarded as quite distinct, and as falling ou quite different parties." It is very evident that the Lord Ad- vocate considers there should be a tax paid by the landlord as well as by the tenant, separate and distinct from and inde- pendent of each other. The landlord paying on his income derives as owner of the laud, and the tenant paying on his income derives as occupier of the laud. To show what the feelings of the landlords are as to the bearings of local taxa- tion, I will read you what passed in the House of Commons in April last, when the subject of local taxation was discussed : " Sir Thomas Acland said he must be permitted to explain that the year before last he should have proposed that the education rate be divided between the landlords and tenants, but for an assurance from the Vice-President of the Council that such a proposal would endanger the passing of the Edu- cation Bill. It was no fault of his, therefore, that the pay- ment of the rate was laid on the tenant-farmer : it was, in his opinion, a burning shame that the rate should be so im- posed." Now, who in the House of Commons would have opposed the resolution that the rate should be so divided ? It could not be the tenant-farmers in the House, as, with a few exceptions, they are not represented. I leave you to form your own conclusions. It is very evident from this who now do and who will have to pay all present and all future charges under the name of local taxation, unless we have a change in the manner of levying such tax. I am afraid, gen- tlemen, you will be tired with this part of the subject ; but, having long felt that there has been an irregularity and un- fairness in the assessments for local taxation, not only in the exemptions of personal but also of real property from rating, ray object has been to put my views before you as clearly as I can, strengthened also by the opinions of others viho, having studied the subject, from their greater knowledge, are more coupetent to form a correct conclusion than myself. It is evident that we shall have an alteration in the law, and my object in bringing forward the subject is not to advocate that the burden may be shifted from one party to the other, but that it should be equally distributed according to the strength of the back to bear it. It has been said by some that it is not right that funded property should be taxed, as when it w as first lent some hundreds of years ago to the Government it,was with an understanding it should not be subject to taxa- tion. It might have been right to have made such an agree- ment at the time : it was lent under peculiar circumstances, and obtained with great difficulty. Whatever may have bem agreed on at that time is not binding now, as no Government can make laws which, like those of the Medes and Persians, are to be unchangeable: if so, we should never have any alteration, however necessary it may be. We find Acts of Parliament altering and changing laws every day ; and if the Government of the country thinks it just and proper to tax property, whatever it may be, they have the power and right to do so. If there was no law by which the poor could claim relief, and they were left to private charity, would not the owners of personal and other property feel bound to come for- ward, as good citizens, and give of their abundance to their poorer brethren, without reference to the property they own ? If so, why should they object to do that with law, which they would feel they are morally bound to do without law ? I consider that in all taxation, whether local or otherwise, every person ought to be taxed according to his means, from what- ever source they may arise. It is only in accordance with the divine law which says, " To whomsoever much is given of him much will be required ;" and it should be the duty of all governments, in making laws, to be guided by that precept a.s much as possible. I believe, gentlemen, it is admitted by all THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. that some change is retiuired iu the assessment of local taxa- tion, and it is for you to consider what that change should be, so that the rates should be levied equally and fairly upon all classes. Sir Massey Lopes's proposition is that the whole charges for admiuistration of justice, and half the charga for police and lunatics, hitherto paid from local taxation, should he transferred to imperial taxation — that is, the Consolidated Fund. Now this, though an improvement on the present law, does not go far enough : it is merely transferring the payment of a certain sura for certain purposes from the poor- rates to the Consolidated Tund, and will be only a relief of l^d. or 2d. in the pound to the occupier. It does not aifect the question of the liability of property to local taxation which at present escapes, and therefore cannot be satisfactory to the occupiers. If this is the only relief we are to obtain, we shall still be subject to new charges. "We already have, or shall have, the education rate in almost every parish, we shall have the sanitary and other rates, all of which will fall exclusively on the tenants, and unless there is a full and comprehensive revision, and en- largement, of the area of local taxation, the tenants will be no better, and perhaps worse olf than before, as they will be still liable to any new taxes that may be imposed. Some people say that we should have a national rate, and that all payments should be made from the imperial fund, and not from one description of property alone. This plan is adopted in Sweden, where a rate is levied on each taxpayer, in propor- tion to the property or income tax he pays to tlie State. One argument used against a national rate is, that it would do away with local self-government. I will read you wliat Mr. Genge Andrews (who has taken great interest in the subject of local taxation) says on the subject : " He believes the last ditch in which their opponents endeavoured to entrench them- selves was local self-government," and if there was one fallacy greater than another it was that of the so-called local self- government. I will ask you who are present who are guar- dians if you could limit any demand made upon you for the relief of the poor, or any of the duties you are called upon to perform by the Central Board in London. All the power they had was to say whether a poor man should have 2s. and a loaf or 2s. 6d. and a loaf. That was the extent of their local self- government. Then, if they came to another part of the ex- penditure of local taxation tbey found that 84 per cent, of the expenditure by the magistrates was simply payments which they were obliged to make under tiie laws, and over which they had no control. What was the use of saying we were to pay a tax of 16 per cent, for the privilege he had mentioned of deciding whether a pauper's pay stiould be 2s. 6d. or 2s.? They knew if there was one great despot in this country it was the President of the Poor-law Board. He not only sent out his own orders, but he sent out his agents, and the Board of Guardians were obliged to do what those agents directed them to do. It was said by some that an alteration would not be a benefit to the tenant-farmer, as, if the rates are paid by the landlord, he would charge an increased rent. The Duke of Rutland, in a speech made at Derby, 18th Sept. last (copied from The Baily Telegraph), says : " With regard to local taxa- tion, there has been a cry to shift the burdens from the oc- cupiers to the owners ; but he would remind the farmers that it would be a mere shuffling of the cards, for their rents would be raised if that were attempted." Now, the Duke of Rutland is quite wrong in his conclusion. There is no shuffling of the cards in the tenant's endeavouring to get a revision of the Poor-rates, whereby each may pay his fair proportion. The tenant does not want to shelve the rates. What he wants is that he should be only called upon to pay what is fair and just, according to his income. I do not think any landlord would take any advantage accruing to the tenant in charge, as that tenant would be assessed as well as himself ; and, if he did do so, the tenant would be in a ranch better position, as he would then know what he had to pay. But, under the present system, he does not know, as every fresh charge on the land is paid by the tenant ; and he cannot go to the landlord and ask him to allow it, in consequence, out of his rent. In fact, a tenant's rates may be increased 30 or 40 per cent, during a lease. I hope the tenants will not be deterred from any fear of what the landlords will do. They are only asking for what is just and equitable, and I am quite sure that the landlords, as a whole, when they come to consider the question in all its bearings, will not, because their tenants are endeavouring to place themselves in a fair position, talie any unfair advantage. Gentlemen, I have endeavoured to give you my views on the bearings of local taxation. I believe if there is a fair revision of the tax it will lead to a greater employment of capital and labour by the tenant, as he will then know that whatever im- provement he may make on his farm he will be fairly assessed, which is not the case at present. He will not only by his in- creased outlay benefit himself, but the improvement of his land will eventually benefit his landlord, and, by the employment of more labour, it will be a benefit to the industry of the country. With these remarks, gentlemen, I leave the subject in your hands, trusting it will have an ample discussion, and that you will come to a right decision in the matter. I beg to move the following resolution : " Inasmuch as the present operation of local taxation presses unfairly on tiie occupiers of land and houses, it is the opinion of this Club that there should be sucii a revision of local taxation, whereby every description of property should contribute its fair proportion." Mr. Blundell seconded the resolution. There was no matter in which they were more interested than local taxation, for when they came to look at it it really was a question of a war of opinion between the wealthy and the middle classes, and he called upon the latter to come forward and protect themselves against the war now raging against them by the rich, and to say to the Government — be it what it might, Liberal or Conservative — that they would no longer have the taxes heaped higher and higher and piled up upon the shoulders of the occupiers of laud and houses. They had all seen how the original standard of rating had been departed from, and that all sorts of taxes had been piled upon the shoulders of those who paid rates for land and houses. He asked. Why should this be ? Was there anything special why the occupiers of land and houses should be thus treated? He said there was not. Suppose he went into a place with a gen- tleman who had £10,000 in land or houses in the city of London, and a man came into the place and put down a bag of sovereigns to that amount. He wanted to know who was the best off? He maintained it was the man who had the houses and the landed property who had to bear all the weight — the brunt of education — and next would come the sanitary laws. He said there was no reason why the 10,000 sovereigns should not pay a tax as well as the land and houses. He (Mr. Blundell) could do more with 10,000 sovereigns than he could with land or houses to that amount. And he wouhl tell them why. Six years ago he bouglit a property for a gentle- man, but he only lived just long enough to get the transfer completed. He wished to know whether there would be such a hampering and difficulty with the sovereigns as there was with land P The man who had the lO.OuO sovereigns would have what was his own, and should therefore bear his fair share of locel taxation. Then look at the effect of it. It was not many years ago that they saw labourers' cottages pulled down in all directions in order that the owners of them might not have to pay the rates. Now, what had been the result of that? They found that in some rural districts there was a paucity of labourers' cottages, and the day was fast coming when, if they wanted labour on the land, they would have to build thousands of labourers' cottages, and that would cost a deal of outlay. He asked an owner of property the other day to build some cottages on an estate, but he declined, and said " As long as I keep my money in my pocket 1 do not pay any local taxation, but if I spend it in erecting labourers' cottages they will be taxed directly they are up." Every pound that was laid out in land paid rates, but while a man had it in his pocket local taxation did not touch it at all. When they came to consider the enormous mass of property that did not pay any taxation whatever it was really alarming. He told them, in a paper he read a year or two ago at that Club, the amount of that which escaped local taxation was estimated at 1,228 millions. And yet this should be fairly and fully charged. Tliis did not include the rentals of land or houses and other things he had not considered, and he thought if they took the total amount of income which escaped local taxation in this country they might put it at 2,000 millions of money. And then there would be the enlarged area ot taxation, to which their president had wisely alluded in his paper. It was di£B- cult to compute the difference it would make to the payers of the local taxes. He had been told that they were only seeking to benefit the land and their own interests. He replied that tbey were not. He said that all property in the country, whether it was real or in sovereigns, should and ought to bear a fair share of local taxation. There was the man who rolled N N 55 i THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. in his carriage, who was rich and enjoyed his otitim cum dig- nitafe — was he not interested in the social life of society as much as they were ? Why should he wish to pay nothing, and leave the burdens to press all on one class? He asked what right the Government liad to impose a tax on one class for the police, education, and other purposes, when those thinjfs were not for their special benefit alone P It was not for the benefit of the middle class entirely, but for all, and therefore all sliould pay. They would find that by enlarging the area of taxation people who now objected to pay would not contribute much more than they did now. With regard to the controlling of the expenses he thought the Government could turn out a scheme which they could put before them, and he could say they would have too much good sense to spend the money where it was not wanted. The great thing for them (tlie taxpayers) was to see it was fairly collected, and for the reasons he had stated he should have much pleasure in se- condins the resolution of the president when he moved its adoption 6ir KiCHARD Glass had not given the question much con- sideration lately, but it seemed to him it wanted some mode of application for collecting the tax. It was clear that cer- tain funds had to be collected, and it had always struck him that it was hard to tax the land when so many other things went untaxed. They must go back to Mr. Disraeli's point, which was for indirect taxation, and that all things should be charged to one fund. But this had been objected to. If all was paid out of the consolidated fund, and all property was to be taxed, it would then be made a very simple matter of indeed. However, it was a large and difficult one to deal with, but he thought it was a question which would have to he de- cided sooner or later. He believed the proposal contained in Mr. Disraeli's budget which was overthrown, was a very good one, but it required a great deal of consideration and ventila- tion, and it appeared to him that nothing would do but a sweeping measure to do away with that against which there were so many complaints at the present time. He spent a great deal of his time in France, where they had one tax. All the money went into one source, it was paid from thence, and there was but one rate and one collection. There was no doubt any alteration iu the tax would lead to individual grievances, and these would continue as long as taxes existed. One pay- ment and one collection would, in his opinion, tend to do away Willi the grievance that existed more than anything else. With regard to the tenure of land and the paying of the rates that 'JUS a bargain which was made with the landlord on taking it. In his opinion the land question would not be set at rest, because when the rates came to be lessened the landlord would say that he wanted more rent. Any difference that was made would fall upon the laud, and the landlord would see that he got more in his rent to make up for what he had to p:iy m rates. The Chairman denied that the landlord paid the rates, and said according to Sir Richard Glass's argument the owner of the land, where he had been getting £120 before, would be charging £130, and he would ask if that did not show that the tenant paid the rates ? Sir Richard Glass thought it would be a great thing if they could get the rates more equally distributed all over the country. People who had large incomes should help to keep the poor and pay the rates in small parishes, and where the occupiers of the soil had to pay the greater part of the rates, not from any fault of their own, but from the circumstauces in whieli they were placed. This could be seen in some places, for lie knew that in the West of England the rates had been as high as 12s. 6d. in the pound, and the tenants and occu- piers of land had to pay them. They could not shut their eyes to the fact that this was a great injustice. He thought there should be some fund in aid to meet such a thing. Mr. Carey objected to the term real property being applied to funded property. The funds were a debt, and how they could be looked upon as real property he could not understand. It would be iniquitous to do so. The great point to be decided was iiow tlie tax sliould fall. He believed tliat.'property should be equally taxed, and that one description sliould not be' charged more than another. And a question was as to whether the landlord or tiie te nant paid the taxes. There seemed to be a ditfereneeofopiniononthesubject, but he agreed with those Who said It was the landlord who paid the rates. Mr. VV. C. Spooner would suppose that two farmers took a larra each of the same value, and they would put the value of the land at 30s, per acre. Then there came an alteration in the law, and the occupier in the one case paid all the rates himself, and in the other the landlord. Did they think the landlord would pay the rates without charging it on the rent ? If the rates were 10s. more that amount additional would be charged on the land. But in tlie other case, where the land- lord did not pay the rates and left it to the tenant to do so, if he gave him a lease for fourteen or tvveuty-one years, and when half of that lease was expired certain additional charges were made, such as the education rate, he would undoubtedly have to pay the increased charges till his lease expired. He did not think Mr. Warner would dispute that proposition. A great question had been raised that the land should not bear such a large proportion of the taxation as it did at present, and it had been proposed that in future the rates should be divided between the landlord and tenant. That was taken up by Sir T. D. Acland, who was a good friend to the agricul- turist, but who brought it forward as an amendment on a subject with which it had nothing whatever to do, and it was looked upon as a " blind" in order to defeat the proposal of Sir Massey Lopes. Sir T. D. Acland used some very strong argu- ments in order to get it carried, but he would say if there was one man in the House of Commons who came out of it tho- roughly convinced that he had made a mistake it was Sir T. D. Acland. He had no business whatever to bring forward the amendment as against Sir Massey Lopes's motion, which had been read by the chairman. If they would take the advice he (Mr. Spooner) had to give them, it would be to be content if they could get what the lion, baronet had proposed. They were sitting there as practical men, and it was not for them to go into vast theories, but to seek to accomplish that which they were most likely to obtain. When they spoke of landed and house property the money invested in houses was ot greater value than that invested in land, and therefore those who owned and rented this property were more interested in personal than they were in real property. They might, by doing what was proposed, lead to an increase in the income tax, whicli would be sure to raise the opposition of the representatives of boroughs and other places in the House of Commons, for if there was any tax which ought to be medified or done away with alto- gether it was the income tax. The poor rate was an established charge, and should be paid by all means, but it they sought to put an additional poor rate on the owners and occupiers of houses in the shape of an addition to the income tax they would find they would have a ten-fold majority against them. He was opposed to increasing the rates as much as any man and, more than that, he said not one tittle should be added to fhem for education, police, or sanitary objects, which were im- perial purposes alone. They should not attempt to disturb the old poor rate, which had been established since the time of Queen Elizabeth, for they were told that the poor belonged to the land ; it was the labour of the poor that rendered land valuable, and it was right that the land should be the poor man's security agaiust indigence and old age. Let them rather do what they could to support the reasonable motion of Sir Massey Lopes. He did trust they would bring their own com- mon sense to bear on the matter, and not be led away by any delusive theories, but support the proposition the baronet had brought forward ; and, while he could not agree to all the proposals contained in the paper read by their worthy presi- dent, he should have no objection to support his resolution. He thought that any vague proposition to rate the funds which only yielded three per cent., or property which was here to- day and gone to-morrow — to attempt to put any local rate upon this would be vain and futile. Mr. Warner considered that all money was real property, but this was only a legal term, which, whether it was right or wrong, was a point which was not worth argument. With regard to the division of the rates between landlord and tenant he thought what the Duke of Rutland had said was perfectly true. They should be satisfied with the present arrangement, and not invite any of those disturbing causes which would come in and destroy that good feeling which now existed so harmoniously. On this point he would say " Let well alone," instead of making alterations which would lead to no benefit. Mr. James Withers quite coincided with the chairman The question of local taxation was most unjust now, and they should not cease to move in the matter until they had got it altered. He thought the rates were paid by the occupiers of the land, and not by the owners, and mentioned a case that had occurred in his own parish in order to shovr tnat this was THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 55.^ so. With regard to what Mr. Spooner had said tlie very fact of a thing being established so long ago as 300 years proved that it was not applicable to the age in which they now lived. It was a question which affected both landlords and tenant- farmers ; they could both assist each other, and he would say let them be determineu not to rest until they had secured for themselves what was fair and just in the shape of local taxa- tion. Mr. C. HoLDAWAY said it was important that they should distinguish between local and imperial taxation. The poor rate was a local tax. But things had been placed upon it which never ought to have been put there at all. Since the time of Elizabeth land had been bought and sold with the poor rate on it, but certain other charges had crept in — such as the education rate and other things, and now would come the expenses of the sanitary authority — these were things which should not be paid out of local taxation, and therefore he thought personal property ought to be made to pay a fair share of what had taken place since their own time. Such things as education should be paid for imperially, for it was very hard that a man should have to pay for the education of his own children, and also towards that of the children of those who were as well off as he was himself. He quite agreed with Sir Ricliard Glass — that there should be only one tax. That would be something like indirect taxation, |and if that was carried he would make Sir Richard the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and then he believed they would have the work carried out. He (Mr. Holdaway) could not consider that the rates were all paid by the tenant, for they might make an agreement, and each would take care of himself. Mr. John Gater thought the tenant-farmer should be careful as to how he moved in this matter, because he might find out in the long run that he had more to pay than he did now if he threw the taxes more upon incomes. The Rev. J. M. Lee thought the question before them was not as to whether the landlord or the tenant paid the rates, but if there was any portion of property which ought to pay, and at present escaped. It seemed to him wrong that things which were for the general benefit should be paid for by local taxation instead of imperially, and he did not see why that should be so. He tlierefore went in with the views ex- pressed by their worthy president — that personal property should pay as well as real property. He supposed he was the only one present who had the felicity and happiness of paying both ways, for he was assessed on the tithe-rent Charge and his income as well. Dr. Orsborn agreed with what had been said by many speakers, and if there was a thing which rested more heavily on one class tlian it did on anotlier, and which was felt to be a real grievance, then they should endeaxour to get it removed as soon as possible. He thought a little reflection would soon siiow that the tenant paid the rates, for in these days of com- petition the landlord had the advantage over him. He could not submit to the opinion expressed by Mr. Spooner, for if they were to adopt it they would remain in the same state as they had always been. There was an injustice with regard to this local taxation, and it ought to be remedied. Mr. Barford quite agreed with one argument that had been advanced — and it was that it made very little difference who paid the rates, the landlord or the tenant. The bone of con- tention appeared to be that they were not equally divided, but pressed on one class alone. The Chairman still contended the tenant paid the rates. He thought both landlord and tenant should pay them. With regard to the poor rate, it was charged on the land, and the landlord never paid it while he had a tenant. Mr. Spooner wislied them to support the proposal of Sir Massey Lopes, which was that the cost of the administration of justice, the police, and lunatics should be paid by the country, and not out of the local rates, which would involve two millions ; but his object was that all kinds of property should pay its fair share. Mr. Holdaway had said that they should settle the payment of the rates with the landlords, who would take care of themselves, and he thought he knew enough of Mr. Gater to say that he was one who would take care of himself. And then the proposal of Sir Massey Lopes would not affect the liability of propertv to taxation. They might get the proposal he had advocated, but the taxation would go on just the same as at present. What he (the chairman) contended for was that all property, whether real or personal, should be justly and fairly rated. He proposed " That, inasmuch as by the present operation of local taxation it presses unfairly on the occupiers of lands and houses, it is the opinion of this club that there should be such a revision of local taxation whereby every description of property should contribute its fair proportion." Mr. Blundell seconded the resolution, which was agreed to unanimously. A vote of thanks was given to the chairman. LIMERICK FARMERS' CLUB THE SUPPLY Of COAL, At the half-yearly dinner, Mr. Jonathan Bruce (Miltown Castle) in the chair, Mr. W. P. Maunsell read the following paper on The Coal Famine in Connection with Agriculture : Although the coal famine is strictly more a general than an agricultural subject, yet it is one in which all connected with agriculture have so deep an interest that I thought it would be of public benefit to have it ventilated, and to liear the various suggestions which may be brought forward for its remedy. The coal famine affects agriculture in various ways, absolutely and relatively. The first and most injurious effect is in raising the price of fuel on the labouring population ; next, the increase of price on all farming implements and ma- chinery; and lastly, the efi'ects which strikes and diminished wages and diminished production of money will have on the price of butter, corn, and farm produce of all kinds. And this will open up one of the greatest questions of political economy — the relations between capital and labour; and I think it can easily be shown that no class can combine for the selfish object of raising wages merely for their own benefit without injuring all the rest of the working population, and, finally, themselves ; for, as wages rise beyond a certain limit, the cost of all articles rise in proportion, and the increased wages purchase less than the lesser ones did, and this will react upon the farming classes in this way, that when any article of necessity, such as coal, costs, as now, double what it did formerly, the price of butter and farm produce must decline, as the entire population will have less to spend on it, and the labourers on strike must deny themselves it entirely. The first question, then, which presents itself is to consider the increased price of fuel as it is, and as, I fear, it will always in some degree be, and what steps can be taken to counteract it ; and this brings me to the first and most important part of the subject — economy in the use of fuel. At the present moment, of the millions of tons of coal burnt in manufactories, steam- boats, ranges, open fireplaces, and fixed boilers, often one-half, and sometimes three-fourths, is absolutely wasted and lost. This applies more especially to domestic use, a very large and increasing one, in which it can be easiest shown. Fire, as we all know, radiates heat equally in all directions. A fire placed in the centre of a room gives equal heat at the north, south, east, and west. Now, our habit in the United King- dom, where fuel has always been abundant, is to place the fire in the wall of one side of the room, so that, if in the north wall, all the people south of it get one-fourth of the heat N N 2 656 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. and the other three-fourths go iuto the wall — to the north, oast, and west, or up the chimney. In town houses, which are built in a row, the waste is less, as each house warms his neighbour's in a degree. I have known a press in a town house up against a wall, with a fireplace outside in the next house, where the clothes were actually hot ; but if we call the owners A and B — if, then, A did not warm his own clothes, but B's by his waste, and if A's was a corner house and had no one to warm him, of course he was a loser. But in a country house or a labourer's cottage, where the flues abut on an outside wall, as is often the case, the loss is absolute to everyone. Now, with regard to manufactories, all thick, black smoke, which is only gas and carbon in an unconsumed state, is absolute waste, and destruction to the buUdings, gardens, trees, and grass around. Again, in all those mauu- ifactories where great heat is necessary, such as glass-blowing, annealing, &c., a great part of the heat is converted into an involuntary Turkish bstli for the workmen. It is evident that this heat could be utilised in some way. I would be the first to allow that the manufacturers know their own business best, did I not know that, as a rule, they set themselves against all improvement when efforts were made to abate the smoke nuisance ; and from what I saw done by Doctor Barter, at Blarney, wlien he built the first Turkish bath in Western Europe, his first bath used to burn so much fuel that in a public establishment it would cost about five shillings a-head to make it pay, and step by step he reduced it, until he could give as much heat with a quarter as before with a ton of coal. This may seem outside our subject, but in reality it is not. The less coal that there is consumed, the cheaper it will be, and all manufactured articles of iron necessary to the farmer will be cheapened ; while the more it is wasted, the more he will have to pay for all these manufactured articles, and the less the consuming public will have to pay for his butter, meat, and farm produce. Waste is one of the great faults of our country; it has descended to us from a period when the common necessaries of life were abundant, and the population small, and not accus- tomed to those luxuries which all classes now liave come to re- gard as necessaries. I will now turn to that part of the subject which touches ourselves as far as we are manufacturers of meat and butter, and I would again draw the attention of the farming pubhc to the great waste tliat occurs in fixed stone boilers, if there are any such still left in the country. Nearly ten years ago I brought this subject before the public in a letter to the newspapers, in which I stated that where a dairy of thirty cows cost about £20 a-year for fuel in burning turf in a fixed boiler, the same work could be done at £5 a year by burning slack in a portable iron boiler. In this room, at the first dinner of this club, the late Mr. John Boucher, of Frankfort, stated publicly, and it is now published in one of our pamphlets, that by means of tliat letter, and the information I liad given him, he had saved £15 a year. At that time a 30-gallon iron boiler cost £5, and now so much are they used, that in spite of the rise in iron, one of the same size can be procured at Mr. Boyd's, in Wilham-street, in this city, for £i, with cover, flue, and' all complete. I mention the name, because Mr. Boyd has them now cheaper than any other house in the city. The next thing I would draw attention to is the general waste of fuel in ranges and open fire-places of all sorts, and how it can be checked without discomfort and injury to health. I have re- marked witli astonishment that in all letters and discussions on this subject the invariable rule has been to select one or two ways of burning fuel, prove them both bad, and then intro- duce the writer's own hobby, which generally was quite im- practicable. The general course has been to condemn open fire-places as wasteful, close stoves as unwholesome, and then to start some idea by means of which fuel can be economised in the open fire-place or range, losing sight of the obvious and natural medium between both— the open stove. I have been studying the subject lately, and I can assert that it is perfectly possible 10 combine a fire-place which shall give all the heat of the stove and all the comfort and health of the open fire-place, and at a price not dearer than the usual register grate for the gentlemau's house, and for about twenty or thirty sbQlings for the labourer's cottage. Messrs. Smith and Wellstood have pa- tented an open stove grate which appears to me nearly to com- Dine all the requisite requirements of a grate to supersede the wasteful grate in modern use. It consists of a cast-iron front, with an elhpticsl niche in it, which takes the place of and much wssmbleB aa ordinary register grate without the bars or fire- place. In this niche fits a stove, which projects ouly sis inches into the room, and which can be made closed or open at pleasure, and which regulates the consumption of fuel to an ounce without slacking the fire, and which presents to the eye all the appearance of an open ordinary fire-place, and at the same time radiates through the room all the heat of a stove. The price of one of these complete is about £3 10s. or £4 ; that is about the price of an ordinary register grate suitable for a large dining-room or library. I need scarcely mention the American cooking stoves, which are now coming into common use, which will do for about a quarter of the expense all the cooking now performed by the expensive fixed ranges ; the comparative cost price being £10 or £15 for the American cooking range to £25 or £30 for the fixed range. I do not know whether there is a stove yet invented specially for labourers' cottages which would combine cheap- ness, strength, economy of fuel, and a sight of the fire, which I hold to be essential for comfort and health ; but I should think there would be no difficulty did the de- mand for such exist. There is one of them called tlie " Pioneer," of Smith and Wellstood's, evidently intended for emigrants, which fulfils most of the conditions. It is a long, strong, narrow, iron range, with an oven, and a circular hole on the top for boiling. It could be thrown open, and show the fire, and, except for the novelty, would, I think, be belter than the wretched fireplace on the floor, which neither cooks well or gives out heat, and wastes such a quantity of fuel. This burns either wood, turf, or coal, and is as strong as a farm boiler. There are several other of these cooking stoves, whose only fault is that they are too delicately constructed for the rough use of a labourer's cottage ; and I have no doubt but if the demand existed, they could make for about twenty or thirty shillings an open range that would bake, roast, and boil, and show an open fire. I have had a small, common stove, costing twenty-five shillings, in my own ofiice for the last year, and have found the greatest economy and comfort ; but I was obliged to give up a closed one, as I found it gave me a head- ache. I have now, gentlemen, brought before you briefly all the practical details which I could bring together on so short a notice. I will now briefly dwell on the other parts of the subject, which ought to engage the attention of all thinking men who are anxious for the welfare of the country and of the working population. These are — Irish coal, utilising peat fuel, and the mischief that must ensue from this new system of universal strikes, and the battle between capital and labour. With regard to Irish coal — in spite of the flattering accounts which are now published with regard to the Irish coal-fields — anyone acquainted with the geology of Ireland must come to the conclusion that except during the present famine prices they cannot be relied upon with any certainty. The geological facts are these : Ireland, at some remote geological period, perhaps millions of years ago, did possess rich deposits of coal stored up under the ground as in England ; but, unfortunately, during some of the upheavals, the coal has been swept away, and nothing left but what are called " the lower coal mea- sures," which underlie where the true coal exists. Now, in many parts of Ireland we have the coal measures — that is, sandstones, slaty shales ; these all exist in the county Clare, all about Kilkee ; but, unfortunately, the coal has all been swept away, and the shales on which it is always found only remain. The county Limerick, as we all know, has in abund- ance the mountain limestone with its innumerable fossils ; but this also is part of the lower coal measures, and again the upper or true coal measures have been swept away. The little coal that is sometimes found is impure, and so full of sulphur as to be of little use, and where any true beds of coal exist they are in very thin seams, so as scarcely to pay (except at an exorbitant price) the expenses of working them. I think then that, unless the present famine price lasts in England, that we may take it for granted that we cannot rely very much on Irish coal, except as a temporary expedient. The same may in a degree be said of the " utilisation of peat fuel," which will, I hope, confer a temporary, if not a lasting benefit on Ireland. There has been a commission lately sent to in- quire iuto the manufacture of this in the other parts of Europe, and we may hope that, by means of expelling the water out of our turf by hydraulic pressure, and rendering it hard and heavy like coal, we will not ouly give for a time an increase of fuel at a more moderate rate, but also bring, when the peat is exhausted, a quantity of land into cultivation which is now waste. There k another important view in THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 557 which this presents itself to rae, but as it is not connected with agriculture I will not dwell on it — which is, that as fuel for manufacturing purposes becomes dear in Eng- land, it holds out a prospect of competition in a country like Ireland, where there is numerous water-power, which would be quite as useful as power produced by coal, except in the manufacture of iron. In Scotland the entire river Tweed is covered with woollen mills, worked by water, which produce the cloth which we all are so fond of, which now has taken the name of the river "Tweed." And now I wish heartily that the most important side of this question could be brought before every poor labouring and working man in Ireland who will suffer from tlie want of fuel this winter — that the dear price of it, and almost every other article of common use, has been principally brouglit about by the unnatural contest between capital and labour, which has resulted in sttikes, and the rise in fuel, and every manufac- tured article in which fuel is used. I wish that our working classes could be taught some of the simple elements of "political economy," and they would find it a much more profitable article than " poliitcal agitation." One simple rule is this, that whenever wages are raised beyond a sum at which the capitalist and manufacturer can make a certain profit for his risk, skill, and capital, that the manufacturer must cease to exist and the labourers be thrown out of employment. I can quote a remarkable example of this in the Thames shipbuilding trade. Some years ago this employed hundreds of people, and gave food to thousands ; but as the wages could not be quite as high as the artizans required, they struck for higher. The consequence was the manufactory had to be given up ; the distress of the east end of London resuhed, and the greater part of the artizans and their families had to emigrate, and the entire of the iron ship- building trade has been transferred from London to Greenock and Glasgow. Ttie fable of " The Body and its Members" is just as applicable at the present day as when it was spoken some two thousand years ago. All the members of the body declared that the belly was a capitalist and an aristocrat ; that it did uo work, and got all the profit. The arms said that they worked to get food for it, the legs walked and ran for it, the head thought for it, the mouth chewed for it, but it alone did nothing. Consequently they all struck work and remained idle ; but the consequence was they shared the fate which they intended for it. When the belly got no food, the arms, legs, &c., all alike starved and died for want of nourishment, which used to be sent back to them in an imperceptible stream by the much abused belly. The fable is still true of our own day. The belly is the capitalist, who seems to get everything and do no- tiiing ; all the other limbs work for him ; but he sends out in the shape of wages the life-blood of the community — the stream which equally nourishes and supports all. Now, all this applies to us farmers and landlords ; if wages rise beyond the sum at which a profit can be made, so as to pay tho farmer for his trouble, risk, and outlay, that system of farming which employs most labour must, of necessity, be giten vf, and grazing supersede tillage, until the price of corn and bie^d ris^s so enormously that the labourer can buy much less with the large than he did with the small wages. I am decidedly in favour of good wages, if the labourer will give for it good work ; but the great misfortune attending the present strikes, which has caused in a great degree the coal famine, is that the labourers object to work more than a few hours a day, and will not draw more than a certain quantity of coal to tlie pit'* mouth, in consequence of which everyone, rich and poor, ia Ireland must submit this winter to coal at famine prices. I have no doubt that there is a good deal to be saiJ on the other side, and that strikes have only been resorted to as a wild act of justice to obtain necessary redress ; but in all cases 1 think thev are to be deplored ; and I sincerely hope that in Ireland we may never resort to such a suicidal process to settle our differences ; and I sincerely hope that the present evil may be turned to some good, and may draw the attention of the rich to the improvement in the dwellings of the labouring classes^ and the poor generally. It is one of the great problems of the day how, without degrading the poor by giving them charity, we may put them in the way of being independent and comfortable. It is here that I think the capitalist should come forward. It would be perfectly possible to house and warm the labouring classes infinitely better than they are, while the capital so employed would return 5 per cent. If the present coal famine tends to this, only to check the waste in coal, it will, instead of a misfortune, be one of the greatest blessings that ever came. Mr. Casw'ell stated that in England the coal miners were now trying to get coal at a great depth below the lower coal measures, and that if this was the case there might be avail- able coal in Ireland. HIGHWAY MANAGEMENT. At the first meeting of the season of the Ledbury Chamber of Agriculture, the Rev. E. Higgins in the chair, Mr. Bal- lard read the following paper. A large proportion of the real property of the country is occupied by tenants who hire the use of it from year to year. The value of real property is increased by improved roads and other means of transit. The owners are the parties principally benefited by such improve- ments, the tenant receiving advantage only so long as his tenancy lasts. This being so, it must be unjust to make a tenant bear the expense of any improvement lasting longer than his tenancy. A Highway Board is principally composed of tenants. In the Ledbury district, for instance, where there are twenty-two elected waywardens, only two of them are owners, the remaining twenty being tenants. Their interest requiring good roads only so long as their tenancy lasts ; con- sequently, the cost of all improvements of a durable or per- manent character is naturally and fairly avoided. With such a system great and lasting improvements of a durable or per- manent character are not hkely to be effected. The managers of the roads should be the owners of the property in the dis- trict which the roads intersect. The owners should bear the expense of repairs and improvements, when, as a matter of course, rents accordingly would be agreed upon between land- lord and tenant. The tenants by this change would, as they should, pay increased rents, and the injustice of forcing them to find capital for improvements lasting longer than their tenancy would not exist. Moreover, a Board constituted of the proprietors of property would be likely to effect extensive and permanent improvements that under the present system can never be expected. Money may be borrowed for improve- ments of roads, provided the money so borrowed be repaid in twenty years. Though this arrangement lessens the hardship on tlie tenant, by relieving him of the evil of finding all the money at once, yet still the tenant has to provide all capital and interest for all improvements as well as for repairs. The present practice of charging the expense of roads to the parish they are in is good and just, because the highways are gene- rally for local use, and each parish has the power of checking unnecessary outlay, and has a direct interest in the practice of economy. Some persons propose that the cost of the road« should be borne by a district rate — that is, that the contribu- tions of all the parishes in a district should be put to one fund, and that the repairs of the roads of each parish should be paid for out of such funds. With such a system a waywarden would see far less reason for curtailing expenditure in his parish, and would rather advocate greater outlay and improve- ments entailing expenditure, knowing that only a small pro- portion of the cost would fall on his parish. Of course there would be a jealous ecrutiny by those waywardens not interested 668 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. in any proposed improvement or additional outlay benefiting a particular parish or property ; and opposition would arise that would prevent improvements that would probably be car- ried out if the cost were borne by the parish, which would re- ceive the main advantage of such improvements. This would arise from the fact that the parish roads are principally for the use of those whose property they intersect ; that the residents on the sides of the road are those who use it most, and that others residing at a distance make scarcely any use of such road. To satisfy oneself on this point, we who live in the country need only consider how little we use the roads of our adjoining parishes, and as to those roads in parishes eight or ten miles away why we might almost spend a lifetime with- out using them, and how little one is interested as to their state whether good or bad ! On well considering this matter, it will be evident that the right way is, as at present, for each parish to pay for the repairs and improvements of its own roads. The only deviation from this rule should be in the case of turnpike roads that have been turned over to the parishes ; such roads generally lead from town to town, and are not for such a strictly local use as the parish roads, and therefore the cost of such is more fairly charged on the whole district. It may be urged in favour of the present system of occu|iiers paying for the roads, that tenants are required only to keep the roads in repair. If this were so there would be no reason to complain that they were required to expend their capital for the benefit of others, but it is evident that more is required than merely to keep tlie roads in repair. The roads are improved, and since the introduction of the highway districts the increased expenditure in endeavouring to improve the roads has been, and still is, very great. The work is of that description that it would be almost impossible to keep a correct account of tlie proportion of the expenditure for re- pairs from that paid for improvements. Even if it were pos- sible to do only so much to a road as would keep it in the same state without improvement, no one would consider it desirable, and any expenditure for more than this the tenants cannot be fairly called upon to provide for. No one interested in the improvement of tiie country, no owners of real property, should be satisfied with the highways as they are at present ; very great improvements are necessary, and might be carried out profitably if the increased value such improvements would afford to property be taken into account. To go on in the present way of business is very costly. The lines of roads or lanes should, in many instances, be altered. In hilly countries their surfaces are in many places far below the level of the land on their sides. They are generally the old tracts leading from farm to farm, or from field to field, and have for ages been patched up with a little stone, sparingly laid on from time to time, to keep them passable, no proper formation for a bed of stone ever having been made, and no provision for drainage. In deep and narrow parts drainage would be very difficult and expensive, and the cost of keeping such parts in repair is very great. It would be more economical to give up attempting to make good roads in many of these deeply- excavated parts, and make new roads high and dry. With a clay soil such as is general in Herefordshire, a thick bed of bottom stone is necessary, or in wet weather the wheels of heavy carriages press the thin layer of stone down, and it mixes with the soil. The under bed of stone need not be of the hardest and most expensive kind broken as is necessary for the surface ; but in the present way of repairing, the costly broken stone is laid on ttie roads where in some parts there is very little except the clay subsoil, and if ever a sufficient depth of stone is obtained by these occasional coatings, it wUl be done at great and unnecessary cost. The Chairman thought the whole gist of Mr. Ballard's paper was that the whole of the rates should be paid by the landlords, and that the burden of maintaining the roads should be thrown upon them. What Mr. Ballard had sketched out he thought would be most expensive, and at the same time unfair. He thought it would never answer to throw the rates upon the landlords, and to allow the waywardens to have the handhng of the money. Mr. Ballard : I think you did not quite understand me. I said the landlords should take care of the roads, and not the tenants. The Chairman : Then by that you would do away with the local government ? Mr, Ballard: Yes, and allow the landlords to look after 'he roads. The Chairman : Then in this district, for instance, two of three persons would have the management. I don't think that system could ever be adopted. Besides, if the landlord had to repair the roads, he would have to raise the rents of the tenants — in proportion to the outlay in the improvements. Mr. Ballard : The landlords would have the benefit and the use of the roads, and the advantage of their being in good repair. The Chairman : But carts don't cut the roads so much as waggons, and it is farmers who use them most with their waggons, and it is only fair that they should contribute to their being kept in good repair for the time being. Tenants used them most, and they do not frequently change, and there- fore they should maintain the roads. If a tenant hauls four or five tons over the roads-, it certainly cuts them up a great deal more than light carts or carriages. The question you (Mr. Ballard) have brought forward is a very extensive one, and I entirely disagree with it ; you will excuse me for saying so. Farmers certainly have the use of the roads the most, and they certainly should have the handling of the money for keeping them in repair ; it will never do for the landlords to have the handling of the money for the improvements of the roads. I think it a large question, which we can hardly deal with here. Who is first of all to pay for the making of the roads ? I cannot agree with you in the principle that the landlords can do it. I am very much in favour of a district rate. Although we do not go twenty miles off with our wag- gons, we certainly traverse our own immediate districts a great deal, and if we had a district rate we should not have so many accounts to keep, and I think we could manage the roads better. With respect to making the roads, I know Mr. Bal- lard knows how to make a road better than I do, but I cannot agree with him as to the paying for it, as it is very expensive. Mr. Ballard: I understood this Chamber was constituted for discussing any subject, whether political, agricultural, or olherwise; and to express our opinion as to the desirability of changing the law. I understood it was so ; if it is not, I am quite out of order. The Chairman : I don't mean to say you are out of order ; but I think it is such a large question that it is not in our power to grapple with it. Mr. Ballard : That is the very reason why I should stick to it the closer. The Chairman : I am entirely opposed to you. I don't think it would work well at all. I think it is entirely contrary to the whole system which has been adopted for centuries, and I don't think it is possible to entertain a system of that sort with the hope of getting the roads into a thorough state of repair. Mr. Ballard : You will never get good roads under the present system. A general conversation ensued as to the practical way of forming the foundation of a road, and the cost of making one which would render it substantial. The Chairman said Telford's system was undoubtedly the best ; but he could not understand where the money was to come from to make roads upon that principle. He was sure they were much cheaper to keep in good order afterwards than under the present system. Mr. Ballard urged that that point would rest entirely with the proprietors if they had the control of the roads. If they improved the approaches, they would certainly increase the value of their farms: The Chairman could not see that they would improve the roads by doing away with the local governments. Mr. Ballard said he did not expect that the new road would be at once accepted by all parties. But no doubt it would find its way into the newspapers, and then people would have an opportunity of considering the question, and then they would be better able to discuss it at a future meeting if it were brought forward. The Chairmajs proposed that the Chamber receive the paper. SALE OF THE KEIR SHORTHORNS.— The annual sale of Shorthorns and Leicesters, and horses, belonging to Sir William Stirling-Maxwell, Bart,, was held at Keir farm. The highest price paid was 51 gs. for Roan Butterfly, a heifer of tlie Butterfly blood. The Clydesdales realised prices con- siderably above market value. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 559 TENANT-RIGHT. At a general meetinfj of the Northamptonshire Chamber of Agriculture at Wellingborough, Mr. Pulver in the chair, the following report was read by the secretary, Mr. T. J. Adkins : Your committee have given their best consideration to the subject of compensation for unexhausted improvements, with a view of reporting to you how far, in their opinion, further security to tenants is required, and in what direction it appears to them discussion may lead to the provision of a remedy. As the several cliambers of agriculture throughout the country are now discussing this subject, and the circum- stances of different districts, as well as the customs which have grown out of those circumstances, vary materially, your committee do not think it desirable to tra-vel beyond their own county in their consideration of this matter, as, at the meeting of the Central Chamber, the representatives of the dilferent chambers will doubtless bring forward the fullest in- formation respecting the custom of their own districts. Your committee believe that it is very exceptional to let farms on lease in this county, and that although there are many farms let on yearly agreements, some with a scliedule or allowance for unexhausted improvements, and others which refer such claims to the custom of the country, a vast number of farms are held under annual tenancies, subject, as to entering and leaving, to what is called the custom of the country. With regard to leases and agreements, with schedules as before men- tioned, your committee consider that such cases are excluded by special contract from their consideration, although a sche- dule of allowances, recommended by this Chamber, may pro- bably be inserted in the future in documents of this character. It remains, therefore, only to see what the custom is, and how far it metes out fair and equal justice between landlord and tenant. The custom of Northamptonshire is very simple, and tolerably uniform, except towards the boundaries of the county, where the customs of adjoining counties have partially crept in. This applies to the Lincolnshire and Buckingham- shire sides of the county, where a heavier or more liberal Tenant-Right to a small extent exists ; but although the Lei- cestershire custom gives compensation in cases of unexhausted oilcake and draining, the river Welland, which divides the counties, seems to have stopped the flow of liberality in our direction. All that custom (which from long usage and habit constitutes a legal claim) now gives in Northampton- shire is payment for acts of husbandry, or work done, such as ploughing, sowing, scuffling, &c., unless it is proved that a tenant entered in a different way. Your committee feel that so limited a scale of allowances may, and no doubt often does, act unfairly in cases of an improving tenant leaving his farm under circumstances which could not be foreseen, and, in cases where they are foreseen, leads to the impoverishment of farms during the latter part of a tenancy. Your committee deprecate in a county like this, which is of more than average natural fer- tility, any heavy or complicated system of allowances as being unnecessary, and disadvantageous to tenantry from its locking up capital. They, however, believe that a fair and moderate scale of allowance would be advantageous both to landlord and tenant, and, beyond that, to the community at large, as tending to the prevention of that exhaustion of farms which is now a source of incalculable loss. With these views, your committee have drawn up the subjoined schedule of allow- ances for the consideration of the Chamber. They do not consider it desirable to resort to any Parliamentary means of enforcing such claims, but would rather see, through the in- fluence of the Chamber of Agriculture, such schedules, appli- cable to different parts of the country, take the place, and, by common consent, become as binding as existing customs now are. Schedule. — Oilcake : One-half of the sum expended during the last year of tenancy, and one-sixth of that of the preceding year to be allowed ; the outlay upon which the allowance is to be made not to exceed £1 per acre on tlie arable land. Artificial manures — bones : Quarter of the sum expended to be allowed yearly for four years. Lime; One- seventh to be allowed yearly for seven years. Guano and other artificial manures : One-half of the aiuount expended on the root crop during the last year of tenancy to be allowed. Draining : If done by the tenant, with the consent or under tlie supervision of the landlord, which consent or supervision shall be considered to have been granted or exercised if the tenant has given written notice to the landlord of his intention to drain, compensation shall be as follows : If done entirely by the tenant, one-eighth to be allowed yearly for eiglit yeiirs ; and where the landlord finds the tiles, one-fourth to be allowed yearly for four years. In no case is carriage to be included. Ploughings, sowings, scufflings, &c., to be allowed for with existing customs. After some slight discussion, the report was adopted. LAND TENURE REFORM. A meeting has been held at Leamington under the auspices of the Land Tenure Reform Association, when there was a very large attendance. Dr. Slack presided. The Hon. E. Lyulph Stajnley said the Association was started rather more than two years ago in London, with the end in view of promoting improvements in land tenure, and the laws relating to it. He attributed the present poor con- dition of the agricultural labourer to the unwise laws relating to land tenure. The Association claimed for the benefit of tlie State the interception, by taxation, of the future unearned in- crease in the rent of land (so far as the same could be ascer- tained) which was continually taking place, without any effort or outlay by the proprietors, merely through the growth of popuhion and wealth, reserving to owners tlie option of relinquishing their property to the State at the market value which it might have acquired at the time when the principle might be adopted by the Legislature. The value of land might be increased at any time by the thrift and industry of the person who occupied it, and he maintained that the increase ought not to go into the pockets of the pro- prietors, who had done nothing to cause it, but it should be taken by the State, and applied for the general good in the diminishing of taxation. This principle had been adopted in India, and had worked admirably. He strongly condemned the laws of primogeniture and en- tail, and argued that the same law should be made to apply alike to the landed proprietor and the personal property of the man of business. He pointed out that the land was not liable to probate duty or succession duty. This was most unfair, and ought not to be longer tolerated. One great object of the Association was to promote a policy of encouragemant to co-operative agriculture, through the pur- chase by tlie State from time to time of estates which are in the market, and the letting of them, under proper regulations, to such co-operative associations as afford sufficient evidence of spontaneity and promise of efficiency. It was very desirable that greater facilities should be given for the adoption of co- operation in rural districts. The Association wished to pro- 56U THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. mote the acquisition of land, to be let to small cultivators ou conditions which, wliile providing for the proper cultivation of tlie land, should secure to the cultivator a durable interest in it. It would he left to the discretion of the labourers as to wlietlier they should work together in threes or fours on a piece of land, or separately. If three men co-operated the Association would be glad to see them do so, if it resulted more to their advantage than working separately. The great object of the Association was to place the labourers in such a position as that they should not be entirely dependent on weekly wages. The ninth article of the Association stated, " That while it is expedifnt to bring a large portion of the present waste lands under cultivation for the purposes and on the principles laid down in the preceding articles, it is desirable that the less fertile portions, especially those which are within reach of populous districts, should be retained in a state of wild natural beauty for the general eujoyment of the community, and en- couragement in all classes of healthful rural tastes, and of the higher order of pleasure ; also in order to leave to future generations the decisions of their ultimate uses." There was a great deal of waste land in this country wliich might be culti- vated with advantage, and thus the value of the country might be increased, whilst the inhabitants would be rendered more comfortable and happy. There were, on the other baud, spots which, from their historic interest, ought to be preserved (Hear, hear — A Voice: "There is some waste land kept for rabbits to feed on"). The question of the condition of the agricultural labourer did not come strictly in the programme of the Association, but they were deeply interested in his con- dition. Some people said they had included too many things in the programme. They had not said anything about Tenant-Right in the programme, but they felt that they must have it. As to the relation between the farmer and the labourer, did they suppose that the farmers would not be able to pay much higher wages if they had some kind of security for the capital they invested in their land, or if so much ol their land was not taken up in feeding game ? The Associa- tion wanted to make the farmers as independent as other men were ; and they wanted them to learn that cheap labour was not always good labour. There were one or two things which would do more, perhaps, to improve the condition of the labourer than an increase of money-wages. He might have an allotment, or, if they liked, enough ground to enable him to keep a cow. He urged the importance of self-help on the part of labourers. Before they thought of having a cow, they must have sufBcient money to buy one. He did not suppose that, if all the farmers of Warwickshire offered a cow, and sufficient land to keep it upon, to all their labourers, more than one in 100, or, he might say, 500, would be able to find £10 or £15 to make a start with. In conclusion, he moved, " THiat the rights of landed proprietors, which, being the creation of law, can only be sustained as means to the general good, are so interpreted in existing legislation that this object is greatly sacrificed to the wealth and importance of a class ; and that the law of landed tenure, and the practice of Parliament with respect to the land, require such alterations as may bring them back to their legitimate purpose." Mr. Cremer seconded the proposition. He enlarged on the following reasons why he thought the present system of land tenure needed reform : 1. The existing system produced high rents and low wages ; 2. It generated luxury and extra- vagance on thtf part of landowners — squalor and wretched- ness on the pait of land tillers ; 3. The system had been the means of keeping out of the means of cultivation millions of acres of land, and devoting millions more to the breeding of game instead of to producing food for the people ; 4'. The system had been the means of imperfect cultivation from the desire of landlords to maintain their political power and from a want of knowledge and capital on their part. The Rev. F. S. Attenborougii proposed the following resolution : " That this meeting pledges its hearty support to the Land Tenure Reform Association in its efforts to secure a settlement of the Land Question in tlie interests of the people." He dwelt at some length on the following three clauses of the Society's programme, of which he expressed his hearty ap- proval: "1. To remove all legal and fiscal impediments to the transfer of land. 2. To secure the abolition of the law of primogeniture. 3. To restrict witliin the narrowest limits the power of tying up land." Mr. H. Taylor, Secretary of the National Agricultural Labourers' Union, seconded the proposition. The resolutions were carried. A S TUD CO MPANY. Certainly never did the agency of a Company promise better, as a means for the public good, than that recently established in Lancashire. There is so much example in that which has already been accomplished, the project so far has been so legitimate a success, that I am in- duced to give here a glance at its origin and object. From the official note-book of the Company, as kindly placed at my dis- posal, it appears that the efforts of the Royal North Lanca- shire Agricultural Society, and the Lytham and Kirkham Agricultural Society, to induce good thorough-bred horses to come into the district of the Fyide by offering a premium of £50, not having produced a satisfactory result, it was thought expedient by those who felt an interest in the subject, to ask the landowners and other gentlemen in the neiglibourhood to combine in raising a sum of not less than £500, in shares of £25 each, for the purchase of a really good thorough-bred sire. The Key. L. C. Wood accordingly brought tlie suljject before the notice of the principal landowners, and the following gen- tlemen at once consented to aid the proposed scheme by taking shares, viz., Lord Derby, 4 shares ; Colonel Clifton, 4; Mr. J. H. Miller, 4 ; Mr. T. Townley Parker, 1 ; Mr. C. Addison Birley, 1 , Mr. Leyland Birley, 1 ; Captain Jameson, 1 ; Mr. T. T. Langton Birley, 1 ; Hon. D. B. Ogilvy, 1. This was termed the Fylde Horse Breeding Company, and in due course, as will be seen from the following further minutes, the one led on to the launch of another, distinguished as the Fyide Cart- Horse Breeding Improvement Company : In the year 1868 a Company was formed for the purpose of improving the breed ot horses in the Fylde, and vnth this view the thorough-bred horse Cart'incpr was purchased from the Earl of Zetland. After three years' experience, tlie promoters of that sclieme have every reason to be satisfied with the lesult of their efforts ; and they consider that the numerous premiums won at the various agricultural meetings during the last two years by the young stock got by Carbineer, bear the best testimony to the progress that is being gradually made in this class of stock throughout the district. This success leads the promoters of that scheme to think it desirable that their operations should be further extended, and that the means placed witliin the reach of the agriculturists of the neighbourhood for improving all classes of stock should be completed by the introduction of a first-class cart-horse. With this view it is proposed to form another Company, to be called " The Fylde Ca/i-HoTse Breed- ing Improvement Company," and that it be managed upon the same principle as the former one. That the capital of the said Company shall consist of £600, to be raised in shares of £25 each. The Rev. L. C. Wood having brought the subject before the various landowners, the following toijk shares, viz. : Lord Derby, 4 shares ; Mr. J. T. Clifton, 4 ; Mr. T. H. Miller, 4 ; Mr. W. P. Miller, 4 ; Lord Bective, 3 ; Mr. T. T. Parker, 1 ; Mr. T. Langton Birley, 1 ; Mr. C. Birley, 1 ; Mr. C. A. Birley, 1 ; Mr. A. L. Birley, 1 ; Mr. Hutton Birley, 1 ; Mr. Spencer Leese, 1. The thorough-bred horse Carbineer was purchased of Lord Zetland for £400 in 1860, the year in which he won the Society's £100 at Manchester ; and Honest Tom of Mr. W. Welcher for £500. The selection and manage- ment of these two stallions have been entrusted to a com- mittee, consisting of Mr. T. Townley Parker, Mr. T. Horrocks Miller, and the Rev. L. C. Wood ; and the horses stand at Singleton, near Poulton-le-Fylde, in the centre of the Fylde THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 561 district. Since liis purchase. Carbineer's stock have been winning at many of the great shows throughout the country, and at a recent meeting in Lancashire his foals of this year beat an equal number of those by Sincerity in a match ; while Honest Tom's six years' successive victories are as well backed on the prize list. So far, then, the Company's capital has been judiciously invested ; and although Lord Derby and the other gentlemen who have taken shares may not have looked to much direct return therefrom, there will be a profit in many ways. — Royal AgncuUural Society s Journal. THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. [The following letter from Mr. Howard, M.P., which we publish by request, was read by Mr. Thomas Scott, at the last meeting of the Council, who, nevertheless, pro- ceeded with their very rennrkable resolution :] My Dear Sir, — Your letter was the first intimation I had heard or seen of what took place at the Bedfordshire ploughing match. I havejust referred to the paper ; both Mr. Street and Mr. Staffotd are influential good men. I have heard our chief clerk, who manages the aiFairs of the R. A. B. I., complain over and over again of the want of method and attention, and he has wished me seve- ral times lo throw up the honorary secretaryship, remark- ing that people were so frequently under the impression that we were to blame for mistakes and inattention. In writing to Mr. Shaw, sen., upon another subject, some time ago, I embraced the opportunity of telling him what had come to my knowledge, and asked him to look into the matter. I am satisfied the business is not well done, but I did not like to move in the matter, as I opposed the election of Mr. Shaw, jun., and my motives might have been mis- understood. I am afraid I cannot attend on Tuesday. I am yours very truly, T. C. Scott, Esq. James Howard. You are at liberty to read the enclosed at the meeting. Clapham Park, near Bedford, Nov. 2. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MARK LANE EXPRESS, Sir, — In your report of the Council meeting of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, I find a speech I made at the Bedfordshire Agricultural Society's dinner is referred to, in which I complained of the management of that Institution, and that the Council passed the following resolution : " The Council having fully investigated the circumstances, desire to record on the minutes of the Society their opinion that the charge therein made is incorrect and unjustifiable." The report of my speech copied from The Bedford Times is j)erfectly correct, and I am prepared at any time to substai'ilate all I said. I am fully sensible of the value of this noble Institution, and I should wish to see its usefulness greatly extended. This would be effected by every market in the kingdom being attended by an honorary secretary. In this neigh- bourhood the Messrs. Howards have from the com- mencement very kindly undertaken the duties of honorary secretaries, and have served-4he Institution well ; but with their extensive business engagements it is not to be supposed that they can devote more time than they have already done. My business takes me throughout a large portion of Bedfordshire, and brings me in contact with the leading agriculturists, and if the Council should see fit, I shall be very pleased to become an honorary secre- tary and act in conjunction with the Messrs. Howards. I know full well the great good the Institution has already accomplished, and it will aflford me much satisfaction to do all in my power to further its objects. In conclusion, I would observe that Mr. Scott deserves the thanks of every member of the Institution, for the part he took in the discussion at the Council meeting, and I trust good will result from it. I am, sir, your obedient servant, R. Barri; STArroRD. St. Mary's, Bedford, Nov. 21. CARTER AND CO.'S ROOT SHOW, AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE. The entries were so large that wider space than that which could possibly be made available in Holborn was necessary. Judges.— Mr. J. Brebner, Royal Noifolk Farm, Windsor. Mr. Higgs, Caversham Park Farm, Reading. Carter's Imperial swede (24 roots). — First prize, J. Jack- man; second, J. Farthing; third, H. Cooper; fourth, J. Lutley. Highly commended : J. Simmonds ; H. Hemsley ; D. Tully, bailiif to Lord Durham ; Mr. Tuff, bailiff to Lord Warwick ; J. B. Stedman, W. Goodson, R. C. Strelley, J. Butler. Commended : W. Beale, H. Holland, W. Knight. Purple-top swede, any variety (24 roots). — First prize, W. Rose ; second, J. Cox ; third, P. Fowler. Highly com- mended : S. London. Pomeranian or other White Globe turnip (16 roots) .—First prize, R. Tanner; second, G. Smith. Devonshire or other Greystone turnip (16 roots). — First prize, G. Gosling; second, W. Rose. Highly commended: R. T. Soffe, G Smith. Commended : W. S. Heyward. Lincolnshire or other Red-topped turnip (16 roots). — First prize, J. Jackraan ; second, W. Beale. Highly commended : J. Tatchell, bailiff to Mr. J. N. King. Imperial Green or other Green-topped turnip (16 roots) — First prize, W. Coote ; second-. The Hon. A. Melville. Highly commended : R. Blackwell, T. Higgins. New Purple-top Mammoth turnip (16 roots). — First prize, W. M. Gibbs ; second, W. Knight. Highly commended : J. Tatchell, bailiff to Mr. J. N. King; J. Hutt. Green or Purple-top Scotch or Yellow turnip (16 roots).— First prize, W. Baker ; second, J. Simpson. Mammoth or other Long Red mangel (6 roots). — First prize, J. L. Ensor ; second, F. Fryer ; third, Hepburn and Sons. Highly commended : W. Beale, C. W. Hilliard. Commended : W. Kent, J. New, S. Robinson. Elvethara or other Long Yellow mangel (6 roots). — First prize, Hepburn and Sons ; second, J. L. Ensor. Highly com- mended : H. R. Sexton. Warden or other Yellow Globe mangel (6 roots). — First prize, J. L. Ensor ; second, T. Beamish ; third, J. Butler. Highly commended : Hilder and Sous, W. Brooks. Com- mended : F. Prior, J. Cridland, C. J. Furnival. Improved or other Red Globe mangel (6 roots). — First 562 THE FARMBE'S MAGAZINE. prize, H. R. Sexton ; second, S. London. Highly com- mended, Hepburn and Sons, J. L. Ensor. Intermediate Prize mangel (6 roots). — First prize, Hepburn and Sods ; second, J. L. Ensor. Highly commended : E. Williams, S. Robinson, J. Cridland. Commended : P. Eowler, W. Lee, W. C. Saunders. The Finest single Root of mangel, any variety. — Prize, J. L. Eusor. Higlily commended : Hepburn and Sons, S. 33eamish, R. T. Sotfe. White Belgian carrot (18 roots). — First prize, Captain Walter ; secoml. Rev. F. T. Harris. Yellow Belgian carrot (18 roots). — First prize, Rev. F. T. Harris ; second, J. Simpson. Red carrot, any variety (18 roots). — First 'prize, J. L. En- sor ; second, Captain Walter. Imperial or other Green kohl rabi (12 roots). — First prize, J. C. Merrick ; second, C. Cooper. Highly com- mended : Captain Walter, T. Beamish. Mammoth or other Purple kohl rabi (12 roots). — First prize. Captain Walter ; second, J. Simpson. Prize Nursery or other sugar beet (18 roots). — First prize, S. Kidner ; second, J. L. Ensor. The Finest Ox cabbage. — Prize, S. Robinson. Highly commended: S. Kidner, G. W. Hilliard, J. L. Ensor. Special Prize — Carter's New Yellow Tankard-shaped mangel. — Hepburn and Sous. THE ROYAL BERKS ROOT SHOW- This exhibition of agricultural roots by Messrs. Sutton and Sons, was held at Reading. JUDGES.— Roots : Messrs. Long (Binfield), Wilkius (Mor- timer), JenkinDavies (Englefield). Vegetables: Messrs. Bell (gardener to the Duke of Wellington), Higgs (gardener to Miss Crawshay), and Tegg (gardener to Mr. J. Walter, M.P.). Suttou'sChampion Swede (S^roots). — Firstprize,asilvercup, £1010s.,W.BulleD,Wayford,Crewkerne;second,£5 5s., Strange and Son, Aldermaston ; tiiird, £3 3s., Professor J. Buckinan, Bradlord Abbas, Slierborne ; fourth, £2 2s., J. Garraway, llus- combe. Highly commended : Her Majesty the Queen, JNor- folk Farm ; J. C. Brown, Corby House, Suffolk. Commended: W. H. Tooraer, Twyford ; Her Majesty, Bushey Park. 60 entries. Sutton's Mammoth Long Red Mangel (12 roots). — First prize, £3 3s., Marquis of Ailesbury, Savernake, Marlborough second, £1 lis. 6d., J. Cave, Rickmansworth, Herts; third 15s., Hon. Mis. Hay, Clyffe Hall, Devizes. Highly com mended : Marquis of Ailesbury ; Hepburn and Sou, Dartlbrd G. Baylis, Gayton Farm, Ross. Commended : H. Allsopp, Hindlip Court, Worcester ; W. Looker, Clendwarton, King's Lynn. 42 entries. Long Yellow Mangel (12 roots).— First prize, £2 2s., J. Cave ; second, £1 Is., Marquis of Ailesbury. Commended : H. Collins, Wipley Farm, Guildford. Sutton's Berks Prize Yellow Globe Mangel (12 roots). — First prize, £3 3s., J. Cave ; second, £1 lis. 6d., Marquis of Ailesbury ; third, 15s., Hon. Mrs. Hay. Highly commended : Hepburn and Son. Commended : H. Allsopp ; W. Looker, jun. 40 entries. Yellow Intermediate Mangel (12 roots). — First prize, £3 3s., Marquis of Ailesbury ; second, £1 lis. 6d., J. Cave ; third, 15s., Hepburn and Son. Highly commended : J. Mor- ten, Rickmansworth. Commended : J. Blyth, Woolharapton House , J. Simonds, Newlauds, Reading ; G. Baylis, Gayton Farm, Ross. 36 entries. Sutton's New Golden Tankard Mangel (12 roots).— First prize, £2 2s., Marquis of Ailesbury ; second, £1 Is., W. M. Tagg, Charney Wick, Wantage. Extra prize for quality : J. Cave. Highly commended : Hepburn and Son ; G. Baylis. Commended : Earlswood Asylum, Redhill. 40 entries. Red Globe Mangel (6 roots).— First prize, £1 Is., J. Cave ; second, J. B. Monk, Coley. Highly commended : C. West, Pangbourne. White Globe Turnip (12 roots).- First prize, £1 Is., R. Allfrey, Wokefield Park ; second, 15s., W. Shackel, Basildon ; third, 10s. 6d., J. Cave; fourth, 5s., H. Goddard, Easthamp- stead.' Highly commended : Mr. Holloway, Beech Hill ; R. Webb, Beenham ; W. Merry, Shinfield. Commended : Mar- quis of Ailesbury. 16 entries. Sutton's Purple-top Mammoth Turnip (12 roots).— First prize, £1 Is., J. Bullord, Thordley, Woodstock; second, 10s. 6d., J. Cave ; third, 5s., G. Baylis. Commended : Sir Chas. Russell, Swallowfield ; R. Webb. Grey Stone Turnip (12 roots).— First prize, £1 Is., J. Bul- ford ; second, 10s. 6d., J. Cave ; third, 5s., H. Frampton, Vfttership, Newbury. Highly commended : W. H. Toomer. Commended : Lord Calthorpe, Winchfield ; G. Butler, Bram- ley. 13 entries. Sutton's Red Paragon Turnip (12 roots). — First prize, £1 Is., J. Cave; second, 10s. 6d., H. Frampton ; third, 5s., R. Webb. Highly commended : W. Ilsley, Sherborne St. John, Basingstoke. Commended : W. Wyeth, Bramshill. 10 en- tries. Sutton's Yellow Hybrid, or any other Tfellow-fleshed Turnip (12 roots). — First prize, 10s. 6d., J. Cave ; second, 5s., Mar- quis of Ailesbury. Commended : R. Webb ; G. Baylis. Tankard Turnip, any variety (12 roots). — First prize, lOs. 6d:, J. Cave ; second, 5s., Marquis of Ailesbury. Commended : R. Webb. Sutton's Imperial Green Globe Turnip (12 roots). — First prize, £1 Is., J. Bulford, Woodstock ; second, 15s., J. Cave ; third, 10s. 6d., W. Bullen ; fourth, 5s., Captain Cobham, Shinfield. Highly commended : E. Humlrey, Heywood Farm, Maidenhead. Commended : H. Codd, Benham Lodge ; W. J. Strange. 23 entries. Sutton's Improved Green Kohl Rabi (12 roots). — First prize, £1 Is., J. Cave; second, 10s. 6d., J. Merrick ; third, 5s., W. Strange and Sons. Higlily commended : Virgo and Son, Wonersh, Guildford ; Her Majesty the Queen, Bushey Park. 20 entries. Sutton's Improved Purple Kohl Rabi (12 roots). — First prize, £1 Is. ; second, 10s. 6d. ; third, 5s. — The judges aid not consider them sufficiently good, consequently no prize was awarded, Sutton's Improved Sugar Beet (12 roots). — First prize, £1 Is., J. Cave ; second, 10s. 6d., R. Webb. Drumhead Cabbage (3 specimens). — First prize, £1 Is., S. Robinson, Shaw House, Melbourne ; second, 10s. 6d., G. W. Hildyard, Hanwell, Middlesex ; third, 5s., 0. Hatton, Chinner. 9 entries. White Carrot (12 roots).— First prize, 7s. 6d., W. Virgo and Son ; second, 5s., O. Hatton. Highly commended : Sir P. Hunter, Bart., Mortimer. Commendett : W. M. Tagg. 9 entries. Sutton's Improved Reading Onion (12 specimens). — First prize 10s. 6d., W. Merry, Shinfield ; second, 53., J. Cave ; third, 3s. 6d., Colonel Goodlake, Deuham, Uxbridge. Highly commended : T. Gilves, Grove, Wantage. 26 entries. Sutton's Red-skinned Flourball Potato (24 tubers). — First prize, 10s. 6d., H. T. Moore ; second, 5s., T. Giles. 13 en- tries. Seedling Kidney Potato (24 tubers). — Prize, 10s. 6d., Mr. Betteridge, Cannon Hill, Chipping Norton. Seedling Round Potato (24 tubers). — Prize, lOs. 6d., J. Betteridge. Collection of Vegetables consisting of not less than six varieties (three specimens of each variety). — First prize, £2 2s., Mr. Tegg, gardener to Mr. J. Walter, M.P. ; second, £1 Is., Mr. Hunt, gardener to Dr. Wells ; third, iOs. 6d., Mr. Read, gardener to F. Wilder. Highly commended : Mr. Russell, gardener to Sir C. Russell, Bart. Commended : T. Giles. 12 entries. Collection of Potatoes, to comprize not less than three Kidney and three Round varieties, six specimens of each. — ^First THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 663 prize, £1 Is., P. lIcKinlay ; second, 10s. 6d., Sir C. Russell. Highly commended : F. Wilder, Purley Hall. Commended : Dr. Wells, Reading; Hon. Mrs. Hay; T. Giles. 16 en- tries. A silver Cup, given by Messrs. Morris and Griffin for the beat Collection of Roots, consisting of six Swedes, six Long Red Mangels, and six Yellow Globe Mangels grown from seeds supplied by Sutton and Sons, and witli Morris aud Griffin's manures, value £5 5a., J. Cave. Highly commended : W. M. Tagg. CRYSTAL PALACE POULTRY SHOW. The largest poultry show ever seen at the Crystal Palace was held duriag the past week. The place of honour was given to the Dorking, and every variety of the breed was exhibited in coloured, vvliite, silver gray, and cuckoo, and, as well as grown birds, pullets and cockerels. The next cla^is was an exceedingly large one, of Cochins. These, with the Brahmas, made a very fine show, some being of a monstrous size, and of a variety of colours, cinnamon being the common colour of the Cochins, though the partridge colour was well represented. The dark and lijfht Brahmas were plentiful, and strong birds. Tlie Spanish, the lloudans, the Creve-cocurs, the Hamburg's, and the many varieties of the game, bantam, and Polish, were all creditable. JUDGES. — Dorkings, Cochins, Spanish, Prench, Ducks, Geese, and Turkeys : Captain Heaton and Mr. Hewitt. — Braiimas: Mr. Teebay. — Game: Mr. J. H. Smith. — Ham- burgh, Polish, Malays, Variety and Selling Classes : Mr. Martin. DORKINGS,— Coloured.— Cock : Pirst prize, J. Martin. Hen : First and Cup, Rev. J. G. A. Baker. Cockerel: first. Cup, Mrs. Arkwright. Pullet : Pirst, Mrs. Arkwriglit. Sil- ver Grey.— Cock : First, Pwev. T. E. Cato. Hen : First and Cup, 0. E. Cresswell. Cockerel : First, F. Cheeseraan. Pul- let: First, P. H.Jones. Blue or Cuckoo. — First, H.Allen. White. — First and Cup, J. Choyce. Ajmy Variety. — First, Mrs. E. Wheatley. COCHINS.— BUFF.-Cock : First and Cup, W. A. Taylor. Hen : First, W. A. Taylor. Cockerel : First, W. A. Taylor. Pullet : First and Cup, W. A.. Taylor. P.vrtridge. — Cock : First, T. Stretch. Hen : First, G. Lamb. Cockerel : First, E. Tudman. Pullet : First and Cup, J. N. C. Pope. White. — Cock : First and Cup, Mrs. A. Williamson. Hen : First, G. H. Proctor. Cockerel : First and Cup, Whitehead and Beachey. Pullet : First and Cup, R. S. S. AVoodgate. Any Variety (limited). — First, Mrs. A. Williamson. BRAHMAS.- Dark.— Cock : First, T. F. AnsdeU. Hen : First, T. F. AnsdeU. Cockerel : First and Cup, L. Wright. Pullet : First and Cup, Mrs. Arkwright. Limited Class : First and Cup, T. F. AnsdeU. Light.— Cock : First, W. T. Storer. Hen: First, M. Leno. Cockerel: First and Cup, H. M. May- nard. PuUet : First, H. Chawner, jun. Limited Class : First, M. Leno. SPANISH.— Cock : First and Cup, Mrs. AUsopp. Hen : First, E. Jackson. Cockerel : First and Cup, Miss E. Brown. Pullet: First, H. Bro^n. HOUDANS.— Cock : First, R. B. Wood. Hen : First, R. B. Wood. Cockerel : First and Cup, E. Wingfield-Stratford. Pullet : First and Cup, B. Heald. CREVECOURS.— Cock : First, W. Dring. Hen: First, R. B. Wood. Cockerel : First and Cup, R. B. Wood. Pul- let : First and Cup, R. B. Wood. HAMBURGHS.— Golden-Spangled.— Cock : First,Duke of Sutherland. Hen : First, W. A. Hyde. Silver-Spangled. ■^Cock : First, J. Fielding. Hen : First and Cup, Ashton aud Booth. Golden-Pencilled. — Cock: First, H. and A. Gill, Hen : First, H. Beklon. Silver-Pencilled. — Cock: First and Cup, H. Beldon. Hen : First, Duke of Sutherland. Black : First, H. Beldon. GAME.— Black-Red.— Cock : First and Cup, S. Matthew. Cockerel : First, G. BagnaU. Hen or PuUet : First, S. Mat- thew. Brown-red. — Cock : First and Cup, T. Mason. Cockerel: First, C. W. Brierley. Hen or Pallet: First and Cup, S. Matthew. DuciWiNG. — Cock : First and Cup, C. Chaloner. Cockerel : I'irst, J. Douglas, Hen or Pullet : First, J. Douglas. Pile.— Cock : First, C. W. Brierley. Hen : First, J. Bressington. Hennies, Tassels, or Mufes. — First and Cup, J. Harris. POLISH. — Golden-Spangled. — Cock : First, A. Crutten- den. Hen : First, H. Beldon. Silver-Spangled. — Cock : First and Cup, G C. Adkins. Hen : First, G. C. Adkins. Any other Variety. — Cock : First, P. TJnsworth. Hen : First, T. Dean. MALAY.— First, Rev. A. G. Brooke. SILKIES.— First :ind Cup, R. S. S. Woodgate. ANY OTHER VARIETY.— First, N. Cook. SELLING CLASS.— Dorkings, Brahmas, and Cochins. — Cock : First, Lady Gwydyr, Hen : First, E. Leech. Cock and Hen : First, E. Leech. Any other Variety. — Cock : First, W. K. Patrick. Hen: First, H. Brown. Cock and Hen : First, Rev. W. Serjeantson. DUCKS. — Aylesbury. — First, J. K. F'owler. Rouen. — First, F. Cheeseman. Black. — First and Cup, G. S. Sainsbury. GEESE.— First, J. K. Fowler. TURKEYS.— Cock : First, F. LythaU. Hen : First, F. LythaU. DEAD POULTRY.— Fowls.— First, H. Dowsett. Notwithstanding that to Birmingham is due the credit of having fairly established the science of poultry breed- ing, there is no question but that birds can never show to so great an advantage as in the w'ide, lofty thoroughfares of the Crystal Palace. Almost everywhere else everybody is crowded. In the tented field of an agricultural So- ciety, or through the narrow avenues of Bingley Hall, the work of inspection is really hard labour. There is a fluffy, " fleay" feeling about such exhibitions from which you escape with something like a sigh of relief. But at Sydenham during the past week there was nothing what- ever of this kind, although there were between three and four thousand entries to dispose of, and a numerous com- pany of visitors to accommodate. And people really were accommodated, as there was plenty of room and light, and no unseemly crush around even the first-prize game- cock or the very best Dorking. It was the fashion a few years since for certain mole- eyed philosophers to be contiuuaUy complaining of the little attention the farmer gave to poultry. Why did we import so many eggs instead of hatching these ourselves ? Why did we not make a regular trade out of spring chickens and fat capons ? and so forth. All this was pre- cisely after the fashion in which the agriculturist is asked why he does not take all the sewage of towns ? And why he does not grow greater crops by such a means ? and so on. The reply of course in either case would be the same — it doesn't pay. A man with a holding of any extent has something better to do thau giving his mind to cocks and hens, nor would his wife in this age devote her days and nights to so interesting a pursuit. In plain fact there is, as the Americans would say, something of "small potatoes" about such a business. There is an amateui' tone, a dilettanti air about the thing, whether the first prize go to Lady A. of some Baronial Hall in the Shires, or to Mr. B. of Prospect Place, Peckham. 564 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Almost inevitably there must have been some improve- ment effected in the common run of barndoor fowl ; but we question whether the best bird to take his chance about a homestead is even now brought into sufficient prominence. There were 230 pens of Dorkings, 224 of Cochins, and 410 of Brahmas ; and here, perhaps, from an agricultural point of view, the strength of the show centred. Not that theJDorking is quite a farmer's fancy, as he is difficult to rear, while some of the large foreign birds just now so much in favour would threaten to eat as much as a pointer, though, on the other hand, they would not from their ungainly appearance and uncouth movements promise to be good foragers. Mr. Tegetmeier, however, goes for them in this way : " Half-a-dozen Brahma hens, either of a dark or light variety, large and short-legged, may be run with a good short-legged Dork- ing cock ; the chickens will be found exceedingly hardy, and, if well-fed, will grow rapidly." Thus, as with cattle, a first- cross is the thiug to go for, but very high feeding would tell terribly on the profits ; and there were prize pens at the Palace which, like prize steers at Islington, must have cost a deal of money in their preparation. The query with us is whether a moderately- sized bird who had shifted more or less for himself would not answer better on a farm than one of lai'ger proportions, who re- quires to have his meals "reg'lar." Of course we speak to poultry as a merely incidental business, rather than as any very leading feature in the pursuits of agriculture. Again, from the tricks which are continually played in trimming and plucking birds, it would seem that the judges look more to plumage and colour than to shape and symmetry. In the game classes more especially some of the prizes were lanky, weak birds, standing so badly on their legs as to scarcely realise the character of the bold, defiant game-cock ; while inscrutable must be the test of merit with the Cochins, unless they be put in the scale and taken by weight forthwith. We once saw a Cochin China sold for 100 guineas, and if the catalogue can be trusted the same preposterous prices still prevail. But we never see 40 guineas or 50 guineas appended to any entry without calling to mind the man who rode a good-looking screw into a fair. " "What is the price of your horse, sir ?" asked a dealer. " Two hundred," was the owner's answer. " I'll have him," said the other ; and " All right" said the owner again, " 'tis a deal." " But I mean two hundred sJiilUnc/s," said the buyer. " So do I," said the seller ; " take your horse, sir !" In the same way the hundreds and fifties and sixties for Brahmas and Cochins should surely be interpreted. We were not present on the opening day ; but from all we hear the people should be roped off while the judges are at work. There can be no good follow from at- tempting to judge poultry in public, and at Birmingham exhibitors and others are carefully excluded from this wing of the Hall until the awards have been made. Alsitors could not of course be kept out of the Crystal Palace ; but they might be kept off until the classes had been appraised. JOURNAT- OF THE FARMERS' CLUB, SALISBURY- SQUARE. — We do not know if this pamphlet, which every month reports the meeting of the Farmers' Club, and is dis- tributed to the members, is in any proper sense a pubUcation. It is a great pity if it is not, for there is a great deal of most useful agricultural writing contained in it ; and although it Teaches the hands of a very large and influential agricultural constituency, it is to be desired that it were still more widely read. Many years ago we suggested to the Secretary of the Club the policy of selecting and re-editing some of the papers of which this journal has been the vehicle. Avery useful and honourable conDection, which has now been maintained for many years, might be most serviceably signalised by the occa- sional issue of a volume thus prepared, and it would serve to make known to a wider public how much ability and intelli- gence is now brought to bear on the discussion of agricultural subjects. — The Gardeners' Chronich'. SALE OF MR. JOHN HEWER'S HEREFORDS. By Mu. W. G. Preece, of Shkewsbury, at the Vern House, Marden, Hereford. This remainder consisted of 30 cows, heifers, and calves, and 15 stock bulls. For a period of 70 years Mr. Hewer has been engaged in developing and improving the qualities wliich existed in the herd of his ancestors, who founded a tribe upon whose blood has been based the success of many herds. Mr. Hewer has bred, let, and sold a greater number of Hereford bulls than any other breeder in England. The whole herd was disposed of, as Mr. Hewer has sold his estate and is retiring from business. The following is a list of the prices and purchasers : COWS, HEIFERS, AIsD CALVES. Gipsey Girl and calf, Mr. Lewis, 55 gs. Giantess Snd, Mr. W. Dawes, 36 gs. Lily, Mr. J. Preece, 29 gs. Her heifer calf, Mr. Hardman, 18 gs. Delight 2nd, Mr. Bridgman, 43 gs. Her bull calf, Mr. Bridgman, 28 gs. Rosebud, Mr. Hardman, 29 gs. Her heifer calf, Mr. Bridgraau, 10 gs. Fancy, Mr. Jones, 38 gs. Her heifer calf, Mr. Hardman, 20 gs. Lofty 3rd, Mr. Wjndhain, 50 gs. Her bull calf, Mr. Lewis, 23 gs. Lady Harriette, Mr. Wyndham, 29 gs. Her heifer calf, Mr. Hill, 18 gs. Rosy, Mr. Hardman, 50 gs. Her bull calf, Mr. J. Hickman, 42 gs. Gipsy Queen, Mr. Wyndhara, 29 gs. Her heifer calf, Mr. Hickman, 10 gs. Spot, Mr. J. Preece, 23 gs. Her bull calf, Mr. Hughes, 16 gs. Snowdrop, Mr. Mytton, 27 gs. Her heifer calf, Mr. Hill, 22 gs. Fairy Queen, two years, Mr. Wyndham, 25 gs. Gaudy, two years, Mr. Baldwin, 30 gs. Rachel, one year, Mr. Wyndham, 21 gs. Lady, one year, Mr. R. Hickman, 20 gs. Sylph, one year, Mr. Sparkman, 25 gs. Lady Emily, one year, Mr. Lewis, 40 gs. Lovely 2nd, one year, Mr. Evans, 31 gs. Leah, one year, Mr. J. Preece, 31 gs. BULLS. My Lord, Mr. Jones, 35 gs. Lord Lincoln, Mr. Peren, 62 gs. Silver King, Mr. Burrows, 39 gs. Able Boy, Mr. Hardman, 4i gs. Above All, Mr. Britton, 55 gs, Jacob, Mr. Downes, 45 gs. Peter (a twin), Mr. Davis, 44 gs, Paul (a twin), Mr. Jones, 32 gs. Golden Pippin, Mr. W. Dawes, 26 gs. Ackermau, Mr. Williams, 30 gs. Manfred, one year, Mr. Dodson, 25 gs. Fairy King, one year, Mr. Yeomans, 24 gs. Sir Roger, one year, Mr. Jones, 31 gs. Lord Marden, one year, Mr. Beaman, 36 gs, A.rch Duke, one year, Mr. Burrows, 63 gs. Total amount of sale £1,529. 17s SALE OF MR. HENRY HIGGINS' HEREFORDS.— On Tuesday last Messrs. Pye and Sunderland sold by auction, at Woolaston Grange, Gloucestershire, the Hereford herd of Mr, Henry Higgins, who is leaving. The attendance was large. The cows, 27 or 28 in number, were purchased by Messrs. T. St. Brewer, Danygraig ; Wyndham, Brockhampton ; Moore, Monksbury ; Adams ; IJurgwin, Weston ; Davies, Mickle- thwaite, Gough, Minsterworth, and A. Dowle, at sums ranging from 20 gs. to 25 gs., the foUowing going higher : Miss Chance, 35 gs., and Olive, 29 gs., Mr. Wyndham ; Beauty, 33 gs., Mr. Moore; and Fairy, 39 gs., Mr. Brewer. The two- year-old heifers went at from 20 to 40 gs., Mr. Wyndham being a considerable purchaser at 25, 30, and 40 gs. each. Mr. Haywood purchased the whole of the produce of Empress, out of Thingehill, bred by the late Mr. William Racster, out of Old Hampton. The heifer, calves, steers, and dairy cows went at fair prices. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 565 REVIEW OF THE CORN TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. We have but a doleful report to make of the weather during the progress of November. Its maia and damag- ing characteristic has been the continuance of rain and damp, to such an extent as to completely delay the long arrears of work inwheat-plantiug, and it has given the farmer no chance to turn out a dry sample to meet ex- penses when discount has risen to an exorbitant rate. Local storms too, of great violence, have raged in the north and round the coast of the British Isles, reaching to Denmark and Northern Germany, and doing much mis- chief to shipping in many islands in the Baltic, and the whole line of coast, swamping villages, destroying cattle, and moving the soil of one locality to another by the violence of the waters. Luckily for Germany the autumnal planting of wheat was well over ; but it is not so in France, though more advanced than here, and Italy had suffered previously by inundations more than any other part of Europe. All this is a bad beginning of the new season, and unless there be some- thing redeeming in the state of the weather as spring comes on, we shall find out the effects of such visitations. The money market also has been as unsettled as the wea- ther fluctuating from G to 9 per cent, though better supplies of gold and returning confidence seem likely to lower the rate of discount. The commotion, however, in its diversified forms, has not been able to shake the wheat trade. Badly as the English supplies have come to hand, if not fit for the mill they have been taken for other pur- poses, and foreign qualities have been gradually hardening, from the conviction that eventually a large consumptive demand will set in, and enhance values. Holders, there- fore, for a month past have been indifferent to the appear- ance of these markets and a limited inquiry, knowing that there is more than meets the eye in the weekly con- sumption, the reported sales for four weeks again showing a large deficiency, there being only 200,193 qrs., against 286,012 qrs. for the same period last year ; and as much of what has been sold was for starch-making and distilla- tion, such adiversion from legitimate use, when there are no English potatoes to fall back upon, must eventually make itself felt. France too, that was to do so much for us, hardly meets the wants of its own millers on several markets, and prices have risen both in Paris and else- where from Is. to 2s. per qr. Belgium and Holland have been firm for all good samples. Russia has kept steady, and its south-eastern ports have pretty well done their season's work, and America has advanced Is. 8d. per qr. from the lowest, with the certainty that her northern canals will soon be closed. We shall be left then for the winter to our granary stocks, which are not heavy, and arrivals from California, Chili, Australia, Spain, and France ; and it is by no means certain that they will fur- nish any superfluities or even adequate supplies. If things be so. Spring and March winds will both improve qualities and prices. The following rates were recently paid at the places named : White wheat at Paris 58s. 6d., red 56s. ; red in Belgium, 59s. ; Zealand at Rotterdam, 63s. ; Polish Odessa at Amsterdam, 60s. ; red at Hambro 60s. 6d. ; at Petersburg 55s. ; high mixed new at Danzic, coast, freight, and insurance, 66s. ; old, up to 70s., coast, freight, and insurance ; wheat at Berlin, 55 s. ; at Cologne, 58s, 6d. ; at Mariauopoli, 45s, 9d. ; white at Oaliforoia, 59s., cost, freight, and insurance. Spring red at New York, 52s. per 480 lbs. The first Monday commenced on a small supply of English wheat, but there was a large arrival of foreign. The show of fresh samples during the morning on the Esses and Kentish stands was limited, and the quality generally so bad as to be unfit for millers' use. Any fine samples offered went off readily at fully previous rates, but inferior lots were left unsold. The foreign trade was moderate, but all really dry and useful parcels were fully as dear ."s on the previous Monday. Coast cargoes were firm, especially those that were fine. With changeable and mostly wet weather in the country the markets, mo- derately supplied, were steady. The quality generally offered was too poor for any rise, and the quantity ap- pearing was too limited for a decline ; so prices mostly were about the same. The Liverpool market on Tuesday was firm, but on Friday there was a decline of Id. to 2d. per cental. Wheat at Edinburgh was only firm for fine qualities. The Glasgow trade was in calm. Irish wheat at Dublin was a slow sale, and foreign rather in favour of buyers. On the second Monday there was a smaller supply of English wheat, and only half the pre- vious quantity of foreign. The show of fresh par- cels on the Essex and Kentish stands was small, and there were no signs of improvement in the quality. Mil- lers for the most part passed it by, but everything suit- able to their purpose went off freely at previous quota- tions. The demand for foreign being strictly of a con- sumptive character was limited, but there was no giving way in prices. Cargoes off the coast found buyers at pre- vious quotations. With the weather very wet and rough the country markets were not likely to be dearer, as there could be no improvement in the samples ; the general reports, therefore, noted great quietness, but without any positive reduction on previous rates. Liverpool on Tues- day was down 2d. per cental, and on Friday business was dull. At Edinburgh no alteration was noted in the value of wheat. At Glasgow business was dull, and 6d. per boll in favour of buyers. Irish wheat at Dublin, from scarcity, was fully as dear ; but foreign, being more plea- tiful, was a shade lower. On the third Monday there was again but a short sup- ply of home-grown wheat, but the foreign arrivals were good. The small show on the Essex and Kentish stands exhibited no improvement ia condition or quality, but rather the reverse ; it was therefore again neglected by millers, who only took what few samples of fine that were procurable at the previous rates. The foreign trade evinced increased firmness, prices in America being dearer, and holders of that quality, as well as of fine Saxonska, were generally asking more money, but this checked busi- ness. Cargoes off the coast, without being in active request, fully maintained their previous values. The continuance of damp weather this week lessened the supplies at the country markets, but the quality was too poor for any general advance ; fine samples, how- ever in some localities obtained rather more money. Liverpool, firm on Tuesday, was Id. dearer per cental on Friday. The wheat trade at Edinburgh was quiet. At Glasgow there was a fair business at fully the previous 566 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. rates. Though Dublin was dull for native wheat, foreign was rather clearer. Oq the fourth Monday there was a short supply of English wheat, but plenty of foreign, nearly one-third being from Montreal, and 4,500 qrs. from France. The number of fresh samples on the Essex and Kentish stands was limited, but apparently increased by several overleft samples, which could not be cleared in the previous week. Scarcely a sample was fit for millers' use, but any really fine and dry were a ready sale, at the previous quotations. Considerably more business was done in foreign, at fully the previous currency. The imports into London for four weeks were 18,883 qrs. English wheat, and 127,890 qrs. foreign ; against 22,557 qrs. English, and 202,314 qrs. foreign in 1871. The imports into the kingdom for four weeks ending 16th November, were 4,625,864 ewts. wheat, 551,536 cwt. flour; against 3,905,180 cwt. wheat, 260,189 cwts., flour last year. The month's exports from London were 2,783 qrs. wheat. The London averages commenced at 57s., and closed at 57s. lid. per qr. The general aver- ages opened at 57s. lid., and ended at 56s. 8d. per qr. The flour trade has scarcely varied through the month, and there has been no change in the top price of town- made. Country sorts, after such an unfortunate season, show considerable variety, and there is much inferior very difiBcult to sell, while the better marks have been placed freely on fully former terms. Good foreign has also found a limited demand for barrels at 32s., and kiln-dried at 36s. The imports into London for four weeks were 82,537 sacks country-made, 22,174 sacks foreign, and 22,157 barrels ; against 81,273 sacks English, 7,617 sack 8,449 barrels foreign, for the same time last year. Though the supply of maize has been moderate during the month, there has been no advance, fair American mixed being still procurable at 29s. 6d. per qr., but round sorts have advanced for chicken food, and are worth 31s. to 32s. A great quantity of this grain having arrived in bad condition, it has been materially against the sale. The four weeks' supply in London have been 20,887 qrs., against41,335 qrs. in 1871. The barley trade has increased in importance with the advance of the season and large foreign supplies. Malt- ing sorts have lately been a slow sale, and inferior de- scriptions for grinding have declined 6d. to Is. per qr. The French samples are only of secondary quality, both Dew and old, but very fine lots have come from Ham- burg worth 503. per qr. Fair grinding could be had at 27s. to 28s. per qr. The imports into London for four weeks were 12,769 qrs. British and 102,174 qrs. foreign; against 12,813 qrs. British and 58,847 qrs. foreign, in 1871. The malt trade gave way Is. per qr. on the first Mon- day, but since then there has been no change worthy of note, and the market, though it closed calm, was firm for fine sorts. This month's imports of foreign oats did not equal its predecessor, and prices have therefore improved Is. per qr., with a steady trade, though, as the weather at the end of the month became mild, there was less confidence in prices, as the Baltic may yet remain open long enough for free shipments to be made. The severe storms lately experienced there have, however, done damage to ship- ping, and less may arrive than expected, when we should not be at all surprised to see some advance on present rates. 40Ibs. Swedes are worth about 23s. 6d. per qr., 381bs. 22s. 6d., and lower sorts in proportion, as well as Russian qualities. The imports iato London for four weeks were 3,915 qrs. English, 1,250 qrs. Irish, 151,544 qrs. foreign, against 1,570 qrs. English, 147,407 qrs. foreign in 1871. Beans have scarcely varied through the month. At its opening, with cold weather, the tendency was upwards ; but eventually the trade slackened, and the sale of new English was certainly against sellers, 33s. for ticks and mazagans being difficult to obtain. Egyptian were worth 32s., French and Syrian 35s. to 36s. The imports into London for the month were 3,672 qrs. Euglish, 12,235 qrs. foi'eign, against 4,541 qrs. English, 9,762 qrs. foreign for the same time in 1871. Peas, which ruled firm through the cold weather, lost their buoyancy as the mild temperature returned ; hut boilers of good quality have been saleable at fully 42s., duns at 35s., grey the same. All depends on the winter whether white sorts will be dearer, stocks being short — if severe, it would send up values. The imports into London for four weeks were 8,174 qrs. English, 6,817 qrs. foreign, against 6,668 qrs. English, 8,504 qrs. foreign in 1871. The imports of linseed have lately increased ; hut there has been no effect produced on prices. Thei'e being but little in store, they have been well maintained, fine East Indian being worth 67s., other good sorts 60s. Cakes have experienced a fair demand, being wanted for cattle. The seed trade has lately been on a small scale. Prices were rising in the belief of a poor crop of English red Cloverseed, till the advance brought a pause on the part of dealers, who were unwilling to go further in anticipat- ing the season. But lately so little really strong purple quality has appeared, that improved rates have been paid for small picked lots of French, which has lately been ad- vancing in Paris. White seed has also hardened in value ; but tares remain neglected. The corn trade of the past month has certainly assumed a firmer aspect. The scarcity of fine samples of wheat has been more and more confirmed, and whilst inferior sorts have been irregular in value, fine dry samples, of both English and foreign growth, have commanded extreme quotations. Doubt- less throughout the season full rates will continue to be paid for good qualities, but it is an open question whether the quo- tations will rule so high as has been anticipated in some quarters. There is no doubt that there will be a greater dis- parity between the highest and lowest quotations than is usual, owing to the acknowledged inferior quality of the grain ; but although there is every prospect of fine samples being disposed of at very full rates, we question whether there will be such an important permanent advance established as some expect. Since the 1st of September we have imported about 12,500,000 cwts. of wheat, being about half a million cwts. in excess of last year, whilst we have exported only aoout 83,000 cwts., against about 1,210,000 cwts., so that there has been a net in- crease in the grain wealth of the country of about one and a- half million cwts. over the corresponding period last year. At the same time there is a large quantity of wheat on passage* The actual number of cargoes afloat is about 370, against 392 at the corresponding period last year. But it must be borne in mind that steam shipping has in a great measure usurped the place of sailing vessels, and although the number of vessels afloat may be less than at this time last year, the actual quantity of grain carried, owing to the heavier tonnage em- ployed, is in excess of that period. We are advised that the Port of Taganrog is closed, and an effectual shutting up of the Black Sea and Baltic Ports until the Spring may be daily expected ; but we may still look for good supplies from America. The late depletion of stocks at New York, caused by the liberal exports, has been remedied, aud a thorough replenishment may be expected before the closing of canal navigation by ice ; whilst the limited amount of tonnage offering alone precludes an extensive export from California. We have now approached that period in the trade where quietness becomes the ruling characteristic, and as there has been an absence of speculation, the demand being mostly of a hand-to-mouth description, we need not look for any extensive transactions between this and Christmas, unless the position of affairs is materially altered. But fine wheats will undoubt- edly continue to command extreme currencies, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 567 As regards spring corn, fine malting barley has been in healthy request, and has been readily disposed of at improving prices; but for grinding and distilling sorts the demand has been inactive, and less money has been occasionally accepted. Oats, on tlie other hand, have been firm, in consequence of the prospect of a curiaihnent of our Russian receipts, and prices have been well sustained. M.iizehas experienced a good con- sumptive inquiry, but owing to the enormous supplies, prices have not improved. Beans and peas have been dull, and occa- sionally lower. The following table shows the average weekly import of grain into the United Kingdom, since Sept. 1st of the current and past years. 1872. 1871. cwts. cwts. Wheat 1,131,115 1,095,751 Barley 310,276 242,252 Oats 227,525 ISg.-iSO Peas 33,4.39 13,582 Beans 53,786 88,018 Indian corn 58,533 516,671 Flour 116,306 76,069 Annexed is a table showing the average prices of grain realised since September Ist of the current and four previous years: Wheat. Barley. Oats. Years. s. d. s. d. s. d. 1868 53 5 45 5^ 26 llf 1869 48 Oi 37 Of 24 3| 1870 47 3 36 6 22 8 1871 56 7i 36 4 23 8| 1872 58 3f 40 7f 22 U The progress made by farmers in field labours has been very moderate. The extraordinary quantity of rain that has fallen has so tlioroughly saturated the soil, that heavy lands have not been worked without the greatest difficulty. Conse- quently, sowing operations are in a very backward state, and tiiat great desideratum, a dry seedbed, has been so far lost. In fact, a worse seed-time than we have had has not been ex- perienced for some years, and it is a bad augury for the result of the future harvest. The potato disease has caused serious losses, and it is not improbable tliat it may become still more general. Fine samples of home growth are very scarce, and are making as much as £10 per ton ; but there are large sup- plies of foreign offering, at from 70s. to 85s. per ton. The root crop in Scotland is very poor, and in Norfolk, although the yield is stated to be good, the quality is indifferent. REYIEW OF THE CATTLE TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. The fluctuations in prices during the past month have not been important, a decline of about 2d. per 81bs. having taken place in the value of both beasts and sheep. The total sup- plies of stock which have come to hand have been about an average, although the number exhibited at the Metropolitan Market has not been so large as on former occasions, as about 8,000 Tonning beasts and say 7,000 sheep have been obtained at Deptford. The foreign stock offered at the Metro- politan Market has been unimportant, both as regards number and quality, and the prices realised for such have been irre gular. We have also received upwards of 3,700 head from Ireland, of which about 3,000 have been old cows ; conse- quently the actual weight of meat on sale has not been so large . as would appear from a cursory glance at the figures. From our own grazing districts a fair number has been received, but the quality has been barely as good as we should have ex- pected, considering the heavy hay crop. Middling breeds have predominated. The Scotch season has commenced, but so far the arrivals have not been large. A good show is ex- pected for the Christmas market, but the arrivals during the early part of next year are not expected to come well to hand. The weather in the North has been so very bad that the stock that has been out to grass has failed to improve materially in condition, and it is thought that a future of high prices is be- fore us. Roots in Scotland are yielding badly. The best Scots have occasionally made 6s., but 5s. 8d. per 81bs. has since been accepted. As regards sheep, a fair supply lias been on offer, includinpf a good show of Dutch. The trade has been alternately steady and depressed, but the price for the best Downs and half-breds has not exceeded 63. 8d. per 81bs. Prime small Calves have been in request, and have realised full prices. Inferior breeds have been dull. The piff trade has been inactive. The total imports of foreign stock into London last month have been as follows : Head. Beasts 4,226 Sheep 35,112 Calves 2,289 Pigs 204 Comparison of Imports. Nov. Beasts. Sheep. Calves. Pigs. 1871 12,846 56,299 1,857 2 812 1870 14,906 43,830 2,177 2 463 1869 9,964 32,091 1,713 2,208 1868 9,391 18,162 598 353 1867 10,761 33,202 618 2 069 1866 13,278 38,389 1,290 1187 1865 16,254 52,517 2,526 7 770 1864 17,137 34,792 2,970 3*947 1863 11,020 30,447 1,770 2 202 1862 6,839 28,577 1,659 '633 1861 5,295 27,833 946 1241 I860 6,961 22,723 1,604 828 1859 5,927 21,907 997 159 1858 4,786 18,258 1,174 156 The arrivals of beasts from our own grazing districts, as well as from Scotland and Ireland, thus compare with the three previous years : Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov 1869. 1870. 1871. 1872. from Lincolnshire, Leicester- shire, & Northamptonshire... 9,550 5,250 9,150 8,750 Other parts of England, in- cluding Norfolk & Suffolk ... 2,048 1,450 2,100 3,430 Scotland 158 1,020 79 240 Ireland 2,312 620 600 3,730 The annexed figures show the total supplies of stock exhibited and disposed of at the Metropolitan Market during the month : Beasts 18,620 Head." Sheep 77,590 Calves 1,995 Kgs 856 Comparison of Supplies. Nov. Beasts. Sheep. Calves. Pigs. 1871 25,100 108,930 2,017 72O 1870 15,570 96,920 2,232 1670 1869 21,390 77,990 1,604 615 1868 19,349 98,390 1,048 1404 1867 24,080 109,960 1,016 2'350 1866 24,660 95,800 1,190 3090 1865 36,820 167,230 2,858 2'811 1864 33,600 114,300 2,587 2900 1863 27,704 99,130 2,156 3'l70 1862 30,129 110,020 2,313 3172 1861 26,590 109,370 1,370 3430 I860 25,400 103,600 2,112 2920 1859 26,492 120,840 1.299 2800 1868 24,856 114,643 1,43? 2^970 568 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. Beasts have sold at from 3s. lOd. to 5s. lOd. ; sheep, 4s. 2d. to 7s. ; calves, 5s. to 6s. ; and pigs at from 3s. 8d. to 5s. per 81bs., sinking the offal. CoMPAJiisoN OF Pmcrs. Nov., 1868. s. d. s. d. Beef from.. 3 4 to 5 4 Mutton 2 10 to 5 6 Veal 2 6 to 5 6 Pork 3 4 to 4 6 Nov., 1870. s. d. s. d. Beef from.. 3 4 to 6 0 Mutton 3 4 to 6 2 Veal 3 6 to 5 10 Pork 4 4 to 6 2 Nov., 1869. s. d. 8. d 3 4 to 5 10 2 6 to 5 10 4 Oto6 2 4 4 to 6 0 Nov., 1871. s. d. s. d 3 10 to 5 10 4 4 to 6 8 3 8 to 5 8 3 6 to 4 8 d. s. d. 9^tol 104 ENGLISH WOOL MARKET. LONDON, Monday, November 25.— The public sales of colonial wool are progressing with steadiness. Biddings for all descriptions are animated, and Australian sorts are Id. to 2d. per lb. higher. Cape are unaltered in value. In English wool transactions have not been large, but there has been con- siderable steadiness apparent, and full prices have been ob- tained. OUEEENT PbICES OF ENGLISH WOOL, Fleeces— Southdown hoggs per lb, Half-bred ditto Kent fleeces „ Southdown ewes and wethers ,„ „ Leicester ditto „ SoETS— Clothing, picklock „ Prime „ Choice Super „ Combing, vrether mat , Picklock , Common ,, Hog matching ,, Picklock matching ,, Super ditto ,, lOi 11 7 4 3 2 1 104 1 74 1 6 1 114 1 74 1 6 IMPERIAL AVERAGES For the week ended November 16, 1872. Wheat 48,071J qrs. 66s. 8d. Barley 62,872i „ 41s. lid. Oats 4,407J ,, 23s. 8d. COMPARATIVE AVERAGES. WHEAT. BARLEY. OATS. Years. Qrs. s. d. Qrs. s. d. Qrs. s. d. 1868... 66,613 J ... 51 6 74,8871 ... 47 3 4,646 . 28 4 1869... 67,506 ... 46 8 72,221| ... 38 8 4,0771 ... 23 6 1870... 73,662 ... 49 10 85,699i ... 36 8 4,6484... 23 11 1871... 64,0541 ... 65 11 87.436f ... 36 9 4,1494 ... 23 0 1872...48,071i ... 66 8 62,872| ... 41 11 4,407 J ... 23 3 AVERAGE S Foe the Six Weeks ENDINa Oct. 12. lS7i Oct. 19, 1872 Oct. 26. 1872 Nov. 2, 1872 Nov. 9, 1872 Nov. 16, 1872 Aggregate of the above.... The same period in 1871.... Wheat, s. d. 63 9 68 8 67 11 57 4 9 Bai'ley. 1 8. d. 1 41 9 43 11 43 10 44 1 43 3 41 11 42 11 37 0 Oats. d. FLUCTUATIONS in the AVERAGE PRICE of WHEAT- Pbicb. Oct. 12. Oct. 19. Oct. 26. Nov. 2. Nov. 9. Nov. 16. 68s. 9d. ... 68s. 8d. ... »• ... L ... 67s.lld. """^^ 67s. 4d. . L "."1 66s. 9d. — — ^ 663. 8d. ... ... •• — — LONDON AVERAGES. Wheat 3297 qrs. 67s. lid. Barley 1712 „ 41s. lOd. Oats , — ,j ^a. (J, CURRENT PRICES OF BRITISH GRAIN AND FLOUR IN MARK LANE. Shillings per Quarter. WHBAT,Bssex& Kent, white old 58 to 67, new 50 68. fine -66 „ ,, red .. ,, 69 62, „ 60 58, ,, ' Norfolk, Linclnsh., and York8h.,red,old 57 BARLEY 31 to 35 Chevalier, new 41 Grinding 27 30 DistUling 33 MALT, pale 66 75 brown .. 55 RYE 36 0ATS,EngUsh,feed21 to26 Potato 27 Scotch, feed 00 00 Potato 00 Iri8h,feed, white 18 21 Pine 22 Ditto, black 18 21 Potato 26 BEANS, Mazagan ...31 Harrow 33 PEAS, white, boilers. 37 00 Potato 21 Pine... 21 Potato, 33 Ticks 31 35 Pigeon 36 40 Maple 37 to 406rey.new 32 FLOUR, per sack of 2801b8.,best town households ., 50 Best country households 43 Norfolk and Biififolk 40 FOREIGN GRAIN. Shillings per Quarter. WHEAT, Dantzic, mixed 60 to 65 extra 67 to 71 Konigsberg 60 65 extra 64 70 Rostock 61 61 old — 71 Sile8ian,red 69 62 white.... 64 67 Pomera.,Meckb6rg.,and Uckernirk....red 61 63 Russian, hard, 47 to 51 St.Petersburgand Riga... 65 60 Danish and Holstein, red 60 63 American 68 61 Chilian, white 67... Califomian 65 ... Australian 61 66 BARLEY, grinding 25 to 30.... distilling and malting 31 OATS, Dutch, brewing and Polands 19 to 21 feed 16 Danish and Swedish, feed 20 to 23....Stral8und... 20 Canada 19 to 21, Riga 19 to 22, Arch. 19 to 22, P'sbg. 20 TARES, Spring, per qr small 35 36 large — BEANS, Friesland and Holstein 34 Konigsberg 32 Do 31.. .Egyptian 81 PEAS, feeding and maple.. .32 37. ..fine boilers 38 INDIAN CORN, white.. ....32 31.. .yellow 28 FLOUR, per sack. French..00 American, per brl 25 00. ..Spanish, p. sack 00 28.. .extra and dble. 30 BRITISH SEEDS. Mustard, per bush., brown 12s.tol6s.. white .. 78. to 10s. Canary, per qr new 66s. 58s. ...old 64s. 55s. Cloversd., fine red and dark purple74s.92s.,com. 563. 66s. Coriander, per cwt 243. 25s. Tares, vrinter, new, per bushel 48. 6d. 4s. 9d. Trefoil, old and low 16s. to 20s new fijie 22s. 24s. Ryegrass, per qr 22s. SOs. Linseed, per qr.... sowing 66&. to 688., crushing 60s. 638. Linseed Cakes, per ton J611 10s. to £11 168. Rapeseed, per qr 64s. 66s. Rape Cake, per ton £6 63. Od. to £6 10s. Od. FOREIGN SEEDS. Coriander, per cwt 24s. to 25s. Cloverseed, red 50s.to 68s white 70s. 75s. Hempseed, small 40s. to 42s. per qr Dutch 45s. 468. Trefoil 16s. ISs. Ryegrass, per qr 28s. 343. Linseed, per qr.... Baltic 583. to 63s. ...Bombay 65s. 6Ss. Linseed Cakes, per ton .-. £10 15s. to £11 I63. Rape Cake, per ton £6 6s. to £6 lOs. Rapeseed, Dutch 62s. 638. Carraway ,. new 33s. 343. PRICES of BUTTER, BUTTER, per cwt. : s. s. Dorset 140 to 148 Friesland 120 134 Jersey 108 120 Eng. FBESH.perdoz. 16 18 BACON, per cwt : Wiltshire, green... 66 70 Irish, green, f.o.b. 61 72 CHEESE, HAMS, &c. CHEESE, per cwt. : s. s* Cheshire 58 to 80 Dble. Glouc, new eo 76 Cheddar 74 88 American 60 70 HAMS: York — — Cumberland 110 116 Irish 91 112 BARK AND TANNING MATERIALS. LONDON, Satubdat, Nov. 23. £ B. £ 8.1 £ B. £ s. Cork Tree, Barbary..„. 6 Oto7 0 Do. Sardinian „. 9 0 10 0 ». 13 OtoU 0 Valonia, Smyrna ........ 15 0 19 0 „. 0 0 0 0 Do. Camata _. 0 0 0 0 „. B 0 5 10 Do. Morea _. 14 0 17 10 „. 6 0 5 10 Gambier in bales 26 0 27 0 „. B 5 5 15 Ditto, cubes, pressed. 28 0 28 10 „. 5 IB 6 10 Ditto, cubes, free 29 10 30 0 „ 0 0 0 0 Outoh, best Pegu 21 0 23 0 „. 8 10 9 IP Divi Divl _. 12 0 16 0 _ 8 10 10 ItMyrabolans _ 10 0 17 0 7 5 8 OlSuraach, Sicily „ 20 0 21 0 London Ooppioe Dutch, per ton Hambro' „, Antwerp Tree Do. Coppice „., French „.„ mimosa Chopped _.„ Do. Ground „._.„ Do. Lonir _._ Printed by Rogersonand,Tuxford,265, Strand,London,W.C' JAMES GIBBS ANB COMPANY. VITRIOL AND MANTIRE WORKS, NEAR VICTORIA DOCKS, LONDON. OFFICES-16, MARK LANE, E.C. SOLE MANUFAOTUEERS OF THE PATENT AMMONIA-FIXED GUANO, Guai-auteed lo be iiiac'le from the finest quality of Goverumeut Guano, as imported. Has produced equally HS good results as the unfixed Guano, and is 30s. per ton cheaper. Eecommended for all crops for which Guano is used and is found superior to it for Potatoes, Mangold, Beet Root, &c. In districts where the rain-fall ia above an average, we recommend it for Turnips. It is not only cheaper, but also much more eftectivc than Nitrate of Soda° as Top Dressing, and its efiects are more lasting, as may be seen by the after Crops. Patent Ammoniated Phosphate. Dissolved Bones. Superphosphate of Lime. Bone Manure for Turnips. Blood Manure for Roots. Blood Manure for Corn. Special Manures for Mane^old, Barley, Grass, and Potatoes. JAJIES GIBBS & COMPANY have turned their attention specially to the manufacture of these MauurcSj which contain all the elements necessary to promote the growth of Potato and Turnip crops. The results have givea universal satisfaction, and prove the Manures to be the cheapest yet sold. The " condition" of the above is made a matter of special care. They are all sifted before deliveiy, to ensurs their being fit for the diy or water-drill. rnHOMAS BIGG, Agricultural and Yeteriuavy _L Chemist, by Appointment to Ms late Royal HighBCSS The Prince Consort, K.G., Leicester House, Great Dover Street, Borough, London, begs to call the attention of Farmers and Graziers to his valuable SHEEP and LAMB DIPPING COMPOSITION, which requires no Boiling, and may be used with Warm or Cold "Water, for efTectually ' destroying the Tick, Lice, and all other insects injm-ious to the Flock, preventing the alarmmg attacks of Fly and Shab, ■vnd cleansing and purifying the Skin, thereby greatly im- : iroving the Wool, both in ciuantity and quality, and highly i ontributing to the general health of the animal. -Prepared only by Thomas Bigg, Chemist,,&c., at his Manu- ictory as above, and sold as follows, although any other ' quantity may be had, if required : — 4 lb. for 20 sheep, price, jar included £0 2 0 6 1b. 30 „ „ „ 0 3 0 81b. 40 „ „ ,, 0 4 0 101b. 50 ,, ,, „ 0 5 0 20 lb. 100 „ „ (Cask and measuj-s 0 10 0 30 lb. 160 „ „ included) 0 15 0 40 lb. 200 ,, „ „ 10 0 50 lb. 250 „ ., ,, ... 13 6 601b. 300 „ „ „ 17 6 801b. 400 ,. „ ,, ■ 1 17 6 1001b. 600 „ „ „ 2 5 0 Should any Flockmaster prefer boiling the Composition, it Tvill toe equally effective. MOST IMPORTANT CERTIFICATE. Prom Mr. Herepath, the celebrated Analytical Chemist :— Bristol Laboratory, Old Park, January 18th, 1861. Sir.— I have submitted your Sheep Dipping Composition to r analysis, and find that the ingredients are well blended, and the mixture neutral. If it is used according to the directions given, I feel satisfied, that while it effectually destroys vermin, Jt win not iajure the hair roots (or " yolk ") in the skin, the fleece, or the carcase. I think it deserves the numerous testimonials pubUshed. I am, Sii-, yours respectfully, m ir ™ William Heeapaih, Sen., F.O.S., &c., &c,, . To Mr. Thomas Bigg Professor of Chemistry, Leicester House, Great Dover-street, Borough, London. He would also especially call attention to his SFECIFIO, or LOTION, for the SCAB or SHAB, which will be foimd a certain remedy for eradicating that loathsome and ruinous disorder in Sheep, and which may be safely used in all climates, and at all seasons of the year, and to all descriptions of sheep, even ewes in lamb. Price FIVE SHILLINGS per gallon — sufficient on an average for thu-ty Sheep (according to the virulence of the disease) ; also in wine quart bottles, IMPORTANT TESTIMONIAL. " Scoulton, near Hingham, Norfolk, April 16th, 1855. "Dear Sir, — In answer to yours of the 4th inst., which would have been rephed to before this had I been at home, I have much pk^sure in bearing testimony to the efficacy of your invaluable * Specific for the cure of Scab in Sheep.' The 600 sheep vi^ere all dressed in August last with 84 gallons of the 'NoN-poisoNOL's Specific,' that was so highly recom- mended at the Lincoln Show, and by their own dresser, tho best attention being paid to the flock oy my shepherd after dressing according to instructions left ; but notwithstanding the Scab contiuued getting worse. Being determined to have the Scab cm-ed if possible, I wi-ote to you for a supply of your Specific, which I received the follovyiiig day; and although the weather was most severe in February during the dressing, your (Specific proved itself an invahiable remedy, for in three weeks the Sheep were quite cured ; and I am happy to say the young lambs are doing remarkably well at present. In conclusion, I believe it to be the siiiest and best remedy now in use. " I remain, dear Sir, "For JOHN TINGET, Esq., " To Mr. Thomas Bigg. ' "R. RENNEY. esr Plockmasters would be well to beware of such pre- parations as " Non-pcisonous Compositions:" it is only necessary to appeal to their good common sense and judg- ment to be thoroughly convinced that no " Non-poisonous " article can poison or destroy insect vermin, particularly such as the Tick, Lice, and Scab Parasites— creatiu-es so tenacious of life. Such advertised preparations must be wholly useless, or they are not what thoy are represented to be. Dipping apparatus £ii, £5, £4,, & £3, LONDON AND COUNTY BANKING COMPANY. ESTABLISHED 1836. SUBSCRIBED CAPITAL... £2,500,000. in 50,000 SHAEES of £50 EACH. PAID-UP CAPITAL... £1,000,000 RESERVE FUND... £500,000. ■ NATHANIEL ALEXANDER, Esq. T. TYRINGHAM BERNARD, Esq. THOMAS STOCK COWIE, Esq. FREDERICK FRANCIS, Esq. WILLIAM NICOL, Esq. A. HODGSON PHILLPOTTS, Esq. JAMES DUNCAN THOMSON, Esq. FREDERICK YOULE, Esq. DIRECTORS. FREDERICK HARRISON, Esq. WM. CHAMPION JONES, Esq. E. HARBORD LUSHINGTON, Esq JAMES MORLEY, Esq. TRUSTEES. F. FRANCIS, Esq. | F. HARRISON, Esq. | W. CHAMPION JONES, Esq. AUDITORS. WILLIAM JARDINE, Esq. | WILLLiM NORMAN, Esq. | RICHARD H. SWAINE, Esq Genekai. Manager— WILLIAM McKEWAN, Esq. CHIEF INSPECTOR, INSPECTORS OF BRANCHES. CHIEF ACCOUNTANT. W. J. NORFOLK, Esq. H. J. LEMON, Esq., aud C. SHERRING, Esq. JAMES GRAY, Esq. Solicitors— Messrs. STEVENS, WILKINSON, & HARRIES. HEAD OFFICE, 21, LOMBARD STREET. Manager— WHITBREAD TOMSON, Esq. | Assistant Manager— WILLIAM HOWARD, Esq. THE LONDON AND COUNTY BANK opens— DRAWING ACCOUNTS with Commercial Houses and Private Individuals, either upon the plan usually adopted by other Bankers, or by charging a small Commission to those persons to whom it may not be convenient to sustain an agreed Permanent Balance. DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS.— Deposit Receipts are issued for sums of Money placed upon these Accounts, and Interest is allowed for .such pori ids aud at such rates as may be agreed upon, reference being had to the state of the Money Market. CIRCULAR NOTES AND LETTERS OP CREDIT are issued, payable in the principal Cities and Towns of the Con- tinent, in Australia, Canada, India, and China, the United States, and elsewhere. The Agency of Foreign aud Countiy Banks is undertaken. The Pdrchasb and Sale of Government and other Stocks, of English or Foreign Shares eflfected, and Dividjjhbs, Annuities, &c., received for Customers of the Bank. Great facihties are also afforded to the Customers of the Bank for the receipt of Money from the Towns where the Com- pany has Branches. The Officers of the Bank are bound not to disclose the transactions of any of its Customers. By Order of the Directors, WM. MoKEWAN, General Manager. THE ROYAL FARMERS' INSURANCE COMPANY, 3, NORFOLK STREET, STRAND, LONDON, W.C. CAPITAL. — Persons insured by this Company have tlie security of an extensive and wealthy proprietary as well as an ample Capital always applicable to the payment of claims without delay. LIFE DEPABiTHENT. — BONUS.— Iiisurers of the participating class will be entitled to four-fifths of the profits. ASSIG'N'MEN'rS. — The Company grant Policies payable to the Registered Holders, whereby much expense and inconvenience are prevented. Stamp Duty paid by the Office. FIRE DEPARTMENT, - 1st Class — Not Hazardous Is. 6d. per Cent. 2nd Class — Hazardous ... 2s. 6d. „ 3rd Class — Doubly Hazardous 4s. 6d. „ BUILDING'S and MERCANTILE Property of every description in Public or Private Warehouses. — Distillers, Steam Engines, Goods in Boats or Canals, Ships in Port or Harbour, &c. &c., are Insured in this Office at moderate rates. SPECIAL RISKS. — At such rates as may be considered reasonable. FARMING STOCK.— Ss. per cent., with liberty to use a Steam Thrashing Machine without extra charge. Nearly FIVE MILLIONS Insured in this Office. SEVEN YEARS' INSURANCES may be effected on payment of Six Years' Premium only. LIGHTNIITG and GAS. — Losses by Fire occasioned by Lightning, and Losses by Explosion of Gas when used for Lighting Buildings will be allowed for. RENT. — The Loss on Rent while Buildings remain untenantable through fire may be provided against. HAIL DEPARTMENT.— (Chops and Glass.) Policies to protect parties from Loss by the destruction of Growing Crops or Glass, by Hail, are e;ranted on Moderate Terms. \_ LOSSES,— Prompt and liberal settlement. AGENTS WANTED. Apply to JOHN REDDISH, Esq., Secretary and Actuary. ^K^.