MASSACHUSETTS STATE COLLEGE GOODELL LIBRARY T >-.j^ 3, ■■' 153 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. without giving much weight or authority to the proposals . he broached or the alterations he suggested. Uuder such circumstances it is said the measure does not go farenough; but in almost any other hands it would not have gone at ^11. Exercising something of an iron rule, the •more particularly with his own party, Mr. Disraeli has persevered, and already is liis work bearing fruit. Even in jMr. Pusey's time, although he had the pages of the Ja/tnial under his control, the question of Tenant-Right never found much favour in Hanover Sfjuare, where the Council table has been pretty generally surrounded by landlords aud landlords' men, by no means inclined to identify themselves with their editor's new allies at The iFarmers' Club. la fact, the golden rule at the Royal Agricultural Society long was, if it be not so still, that nothing about farming should get into Parliament. But ■even the direct influence of the Aiiricultural Holdings Act has come already to be icknowledged by this national body. On Friday evening a system of compensation for •jnexhausted material became the law of the land ; and •on the Wednesday previous, at the Council meeting in Hanover Square, Mr. Randell gave notice that he would raove in November, " That while under any circumstances it would be of the greatest importance to the members of •the Society to prove by a series of experiments made under every variety of soil and climate how far the accuracy of "* the estimated value of manure obtained by the con- ■ sumption of ditferent articles of food,' as given by Mr. Xawes in his valuable contribution to the last number of stbe Journal of the Society, is coniirmed by practical results. it becomes more especially important now that corn- pan sation to out-going tenants for the unexhausted value of purchased food will become universal. That it be referred to the Chemical Committee to consider in what way experiments may be conducted by practical farmers in ditferent districts to demonstrate by this union of Practice with Science the actual manure-value of the kinds of food most extensively purchased — say the first four articles is Mr. Lawes' table, with any others the Coininiltee may select. The feeding value of each being also I'euorded." That compensation for unexhausted value will be- come universal is speaking out, but at the same time is speaking the truth. The Agricultural Holdings Act is not compulsory in law, although, with Mr. Randell, we shall assume that it will be very much so in actual effect. And further, we have this terrible Tenant- Right, coupled with the precepts and practice of Mr. Lawes, a gentleman who habitually delies the four-course system, and grows his wheats and barleys for twenty or thirty years together. As we said in the outset, the legal recognition of Tenant-Riglit opens up a new era in the history of Agriculture, as we have already one of the slowest bodies so far to move in this direction now the first to take action. The Farmers' Friends and the extreme Radicals, alike ignorant of the object to be attained, have been willing to ahow the Premier little credit for his measure ; but we believe there is much good in it, and that it will effect far more good than just at this present moment is anticipated. THE SHOW WEEK OF THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. There is a threat of the Royal Agricultural Society's 'jaieeting in Birmingham next year being made the subject of a dangerous experiment ; as all radical changes in the conduct of established institutions must be more or less hazardous. So far, up to this present time, the Royal show is no iq^uestion a thorough success, as not only the largest but in every sense the best of its kind, commend- able alike for its management and its quality. Of late, however, there has been a disposition on the part of the Council not so much to meet -the necessary reforms urged by the outside members as to volunteer changes from within, Drop osed, as it would seem, simply for the sake of change. Thus, early in the year, came the recom- mendation of a Committee to run counter to Mr. .iFawcett, and to put the catalogue complete into the hands of the judges — a aieasure especially advocated by !Mr. Milward aud Mr. Thomas Booth, although luckily, as .-it subsequently happeced for one of these, the idea was -acGutedby the country, and by noce more than by men .who are in the habit of acting judge.8. Still, the thing .'has been tried en again in the North, probably at the ..instance of some of those who were defeated in Hanover- -square, with the vei-y practical commentary of a judge at .the show declining to be hampered in this way, but at • once patting the catalogue aside, and taking the numbers *of th€ animals onoe more as his only mark and guide. The country, it is clear, will not submit to be primed •after this fashion, a means to an end which had better :*till be left to the horse-show or sale at. Islington. However, Mr. Milward, for cue, cannot stop here, and ae-eordingly at the Council meeting in November he v/ill :niove, " That in future the country meeting shall cova.- lUfinoe on Wednesday instead of Monday, for this reason, :.at!iocgst ethers, that Saturday aud Monday, which are :geiiei-al!j kciidajs in large towns, -would beskilling days." Ta the face of this, it may be well to go back to the shil- ling days in some of the large towns which the Society has already visited, such as Leeds and Manchester ; at Leeds the crush on the shilling days was so great that Mr. Brandreth Gibbs and the stewards were in some alarm as to whether their arrangements would equal the demand, and there was another bumper take at Man- chester. On the other hand, a week's holiday would have failed to disturb the serenity of Bedford, and the rain had much to answer for at Taunton ; although here possibly centres the head and front of Mr. Milward's movement. Had the show in the West commenced in the middle of the week previous to that in which it was held, taking the four days of one week and the Monday in the other, the Council would have very cleverly avoided the downfall which wept over the shilling days. But, unfortunately, in so capricious a climate as ours we cannot, as a rule, reckon even in July on the Saturdays and Mondays being invariably fine, and the bad weather falling to those who pay the higher fees. Moreover, we are inclined to think that all the large towns, as they certainly will in Birmingham, would make special holiday for the occasion ; nor do we see that the change would be of any proportionate advantage to the exhibitors, a class whose interests should be carefully considered. The stock would still have to submit to a Sunday out, at the wrong end of tLe week, as they would have less time to trav^el on to the next show due, and people would not easily fall in v/ith an altei'ation, which, as we have said, would be an experiment, the advantage of which has yet to be proved. If it be adopted the Smithfield Club must of course fall in, say by opening on Tuesday and closing rath«r earlier on the Saturday, when the people would have the opportunity of devoting at least one of their holidays to the stalls and galleries. THE FARMEK'S MAGAZINE. 157 THE DIVIDED UNION. For some time there has been strife in the camp of the National Agricultural Labourers' Union, until these dissensions have culminated in a split into two distinct auJ hostile parties, the members of which abuse each other as they ouce abused the " brutal farmers" and the " landlord robbers." Anew Union, which "knows not Joseph," has been started, having for its president a venerable gentleman, whose age has not diminished his cntliusiasm or increased his discretion. This new body is represented by the old organ, the Labourers' Un/oii. C/fonic/e ; whilst a fresh advocate, called the English Liibonrer, has been started to uphold the claims of the old Union. These papers are nearly filled, week after week, with columns of mutual abuse. One side says to the labourer, " Codling 's your friend, not Short," and the other, " Short 'syoar frieud, not Codling ;" so that between the two he is fairly puzzled. Messrs. Arch, Henry Taylor, and Howard Evans say to him, " Those who are endeavouring to divide the Union are your foes;" whilst, on the other hand, Messrs. Vincent, Lake, and Ward assure him that he has been shamefully robbed and bamboozled by the officials of the old Union, and that the new institution is mnch safer, more economical, and offers far more advantages. One side accuses the other of wholesale jobbery and misappropriation of funds, and the other replies by denial and recrimination. The programme of the new Union is ambitiona, and its objects are extensive. Its title is " The National Farm Labourers' Union," and its head- quarters are at Leamington. Its chief object is to provide land for the labourers, either as owners or tenants ; but the more common objects of trade unions also form part of the programme. The weekly subscription of members is to be twopence, of which one penny is to go to the Land Fund, one half- penny to the Lock-out Fund, and the remaining halfpenny for management. But the promoters hope that neither the lock-out or administrative funds will absorb the penny devoted to these purposes, and they anticipate there will generally be a surplus in each case, which will be added to the Land Fund. For every twopence paid the labourer will receive a penny land-ticket, but his investments are not limited to this minimum sum. He may purchase land-tickets to the value of twopence, fourpeoce, or six- pence. These tickets will be transferable, like postage stamps, and will represent to the holder so much value in land purchased. As soon as a member has accumulated tickets to the value of one pound, he will receive a share tu that amount bearing interest at tive percent., if profits will allow. He will also be entitled to ballot for the oc- cujjation of land purchased by the Committee in his county or district. The Committee will purchase land in different counties, as their means allow, and as opportunities ( f purchasing to advantage occur. They will also hire land to re-let in small portions to labourers, at a profit rental. The rents of land purchased, and the profits of land hired by the Union will, constitute the fund from which interest is to be paid to shareholders. The promoters ex- pect, as promoters are woat to do, there will be " large surplus profits ;" in which case the Committee will have power to increase the rate of interest up to ten per cent., thus doubling the value of the shares ! They trust that in five years "at least one-third of the agricultural labourers of England will, through the aid of this Union, be occupiers of an acre of land." This, they think, will raise the condi- tion of the class, and give assurance of genei'ally good wages. Strikes as well as lock-outs are deprecated, and will be avoided as far as possible. When a dispute be- tween masters and men arises in any district, and tlie Committee think that the men are iu the right, they will ''at once put the labourers, its labourers, on Union land, at good wages, and so terminate the dispute." But the object of the Union will be " to cherish and maintain good feeling and fair dealing between employer and employed." The promoters of this scheme estimate that, if they get 100,000 members, they will in three years have at their disposal 8,510 acres of land, and the way in which so satisfactory a result is arrived at is thus put. It is as- sumed that the 100,000 members will pay, on the average, threepence per week, which, it is staled, will give for Management Fund, £10,800 ; for Lock-out Fund, £10,800; for Land Fund, £12,300. The Land Fund, at the very liberally computed average of £05 per acre, will purchase 650 acres of land, which, let at an average rental of £4 per acre, would bring in a yearly sum of £3,600. This would pay the dividend of five per cent, on the Land Fund, and leave a balance. But it is esti- mated that at least one half of the Lock-out and Manage- ment Funds will be available for adding to the Laud Fund, thus making in round numbers an addition of £10,000 to it, from which it is expected the returns would be another £500 a year. It is further taken as probable that 2,000 acres of land might be hired and relet at a profit of fifteen shillings per acre, or £1,500, which, by add ng to the £500 just referred to, appears by some new process of arithmetic to amount to £2,500, or " enough to pay an additional five per cent, ou all land shares, making ten per cent, in all, and so to double (sic) the value of all land subscriptions, and to leave in hand a property of £10,000 over and above the £42,000 for which land tickets were held." On the above assumption it is estimated that iu three years the following results would be attained : £ Acres. The Land Fund would amount to 126,000 or 1,950 Half the Lock-out Fund to 16,200 or 280 Half the Management Fund to 16,200 or 280 Land hired, 2,000 acres yearly 6,000 Total laud in occupation of farm labourers... 8,510 " Thus," to quote the summing-up of this tremendous scheme, " three years of the New Land Union would find every member holding iu his own possession twice the value of his subscriptions, by receiving 10 per cent, on his land shares, while the Union would possess over and above the 1,950 acres which these shares purchased, an estate of 560 acres, and it would be placing 8,510 acres in the occupation of agricultural labourers!!!" Well may the writer of this address fire olf his notes of admiration at the wonderful results— on paper— of his brilliant financing. And all for threepenee — weekly ! Can the labourers hesitate to take advantage of so splendid an openiuG; ? Ten per cent interest on money invested in landed security is an unheard-of rate in this country ; but it is just possible that it may occur to them that, after all, these immense profits are all iu some way to come out of the labourers. The landowners are to be paid with lavish liberality for their land, and there must of course be some expense for management, however economical the leaders may be. The figures scarcely merit sei ! lus criticism ; but, letting that pass, it is obvious that it is out ¥58 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. -of the exertiou3 of those who are to hold the land that these large sums of money are to be obtained. In short, those who take the land will have to pay 10 per cent, on the iavestnients of all who hold land-tickets, beyond an exor- bitant rent. It would, of course, be useless to suggest diUiculties to people of such extremely sanguine tempera- ment as the promoters of the new union^ Least of all ■will it avail to question whether, when peasant occupiers or owners came to be so numerous as to include a third of the present labourers, they would find land pay at a rental -of £l, with tithes, rates, and taxes to be added. The ' friends of peasant proprietorship never will see that where the few can live, and even do well, the mauy would starve. Peasant-farmers in this country, as a rule, only do well when they go out of the ordinary course of farmiug — as, for instance, to market-gardening or poultry-keeping. But the demand for vegetables, poultry, and eggs at re- munerative prices is limited, and a third of the labourers competing with each other in these and other ways would soou overstock the markets, and then it is not unlikely that they would do what to members of a union so readily suggests itself — strike for lower rents. INOCULATION FOR At a meeting of the AgricuKural Society of New South IVales the fellowing paper was read by Mr. Donald Carap- bell: When I first began to inoculate on this river (the Richmond), we obtained the virus from the lungs, and although we were very careful in trying to get virus in the best stage we possibly '.eould, we suffered mauy great losses on account of, the animals sulfering from the sweUing of tails and body. After continuing inoculnting for two years some of my neighbours, as well as myself, began to imagine tliat the cure was as fatal as the disease ; but after I began to inoculate witli virus from the chest I found Httle or no losses. I should say 1 per cent, would cover all. Still, I did not feel satisfied in my own mind that the chest virus was as eifectual as that taken from the lungs, until I saw our neighbours' cattle on every side, which .lad not been inoculated, dying in numbers, while our cattle, which had been inoculated, were in good health and doing well liiere should be great care to get what we call " chest virus," as the beast should be taken in the proper stage, and taken as ■ quietly as possible, and not allowed to run or knock itself aljout before being killed. The best plan is to shoot the beast through the forehead and bleed well from the neck, when it should be placed on its back, aud ail the offal carefully removed. There is ,i thin skin dividing the paunch from the lungs an- the heart, which, when opened, in many instances discloses a great quantity of fluid substances, which some people might by apt to take for chest virus, but which is of no '.ise for inoculat- ing purposes, being too fluid and too weak. But if the beast has been fat, the lungs will have something covering them in the form of a honeycomb, which contains very good virus There is also a skin covering the heart in the shape of a pocket which often contains the very best of virus, and from which frequently one or two bottles of virus can be obtained. Virus • should be the colour of sherry, or rather, an amber colour. I would never use virus squeezed from the lungs if I could obtain chest virus. I have kept a small phial of chest virus f'U- six weeks preserved in glycerine, and inoculated over half of the milkers' calves with this preserved virus, and the other •half with fresh vims. I watched them carefully, aud I found the pjeserved virus had equally the same eflfect as the fresh virus, only that with the former 1 used the needle and worsted, -as Ithoi-ght it might not be so strong in its effects as the fresh virus. I never used anything but the lance, or the knife, as it is more commonly called, when I am inoculating with fresh chest ■ virus, thoiigh if the weather were cold it would be desirable to use tlu; needle and worsted. I would always prefer fresh to -preserved vivas when obtainable, but I should always keep some preserved in glycerine, for fear of not having any when required. When obtainable, it can generally be got in larger cuautities than can be used while it keeps good, so that a sto'-e qan be provided for future n^. Before 1 proved the goodness of the preserved virus, I-often had to throw away considerable • quantities. Usually virus will not keep good for more than tliree days ; but putting as much in a small bottle as would be. used in a day, corking the bottles air-tight, and placing them in a bucket of cold water under a shady tree, or lowering the bucket into a well, is the best method of keeping the virus good m liet weather. I ce-ver knew a beast affected with pleuro in ' the proper stage for giving good virus that could be driven for half a Bfiile, though it might straggle a short distance in its own direction. A beast that would give the proper virus is easily detected without driving it about ; and the quicker an animal IS talen the better will be the virus. In conclusion, I ^horoaghly believe in inoculation, and I think it is a great pity *aat all stock-owners are not induced or compelled to inoculate, PLEURO-PNEUMONIA. for I am sure that the country will never get rid of pleuro- pneumonia until inoculation is made compulsory. The Chairman and several other members of the Council expressed themselves favourable to inoculation as a remedy for pleuro-pneumouia. . Mr. Graham Mitchell, M.R.C.V.S., of Victoria, writes to the Chief Inspectorof Stock thus : I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 27th inst., requesting me to furnish you with such complete information as may be necessary for persons who are desirous of inoculating their cattle for pleuro- pneumonia, and have much pleasure m complying with your request. Contagious pleuro-pneuraonia of cattle may be popularly defined a blood disease of fever peculiar to horned cattle, communicated by contagion, does not develop spontane- ously, and was introduced into Victoria by imported stock from England ; terminates by exudation and deposit of the fibrino- albuminous portions of the blood into the interlobular lung and surrounding tissues, proving fatal by destroying more or less the structure and functions of these vital organs. Medical treatment is useless, and the disease can only be successfully eradicated by the adoption of stringeut preventive measures — early isolation of suspected animals, destroying aud burning the carcases of diseased ones, and inoculating all animals expose, to contagion. Animals once attacked are liable to relapse acting as centres of contagion, and perpetuating the disease. General Symjilums. — Infected animals separate from the herd, feed sparingly, ruminate irregularly, with the heads held low, necks stretched out, backs arched, breathing short and quick, show a disinclination to move, cough and grunt on being driven, fl:uiks tucked up, haggard appearance, &c. lloic to Obfaiii Inoculating Lymph. — Having selected an animal suffering from pleuro, slaughter in the usual way ; the carcase being properly bled, open the chest, and if the disease has reached the proper stage (second stage), the lymph will be lound round the con- solid:iti*d lung, frequently inclosed in cells, like a honey-comb of coagulated fibrine. Lymph may also occasionally be obtained from the substance of the lung, in that portion only of a salmon colour. The proper inoculating lymph is recognised by being of a sherry-wine-colour ; it coagulates on cooling into a trans- parent jelly, has no offensive smell, and has a sticky feel when rubbed between the finger and thumb. Mistakes are frequently made by using the watery effusion or serum found in the cliest and substance of the lung, and the efficacy of inoculation is frequently condemned in consequence. Such mistakes must therefore be carefully avoided, as the success of the operation depends upon using the proper lymph, which should be strained belore beiug used, and a supply for future use placed in small phials, and preserved by adding an eighth part of pure gly- cerine, and kept in a cool place or underground. How to JiiQCulate. — A number of small speying needles, with white worsted thread, and a wide-mouthed pLi;il containing the lymph, into which the thread is dipped as required, should be held in readiness by an assistant. The animals having been secured in bails or crush, the end of the tail should be turned up and held slack, so tiiat when the animal moves it will not be jerked out of the operator's hand. The hair of the brush or bulb (on the mside portion, where the skin is thin) should be laid on each side so as to expose the skin. Holding the tail in the left hand, between the fiueer aud thumb, a needle and saturated thread should be passed along the skiu to about oue inch in extent downwards towards the end of the tail. (The right hand should be protected by a sail-malet's palm.) A portion of the thread may be left in the wound, to ensure retention of the lymph. The needle should not penetrate deeper than the skin. If any of the tails subsequently swell, the parts should be freely slit open. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. IS^ THE BIDEFORD FARMERS' CLUB. THE INCOMING TENANT. The following paper was read hy Mr. J. Fletcher, agent to the ilou. Mark Kolle, at a receut meeting of the chib. Great agitHtionhas prevailed in tiiis couutry for some years in lavour of the interests of tlie out-going tenant. It has not alone heen confined to agriculturists but statesmen, econoinists. and philosophers have joined in the cry, until rarliaineut can no longer resist tlie demand for legislaiion in this direction. Tliere is every prospect of the Agricultural Holdings Bill be- coming law in a very short period, and we have yet to learn tliat tlie measure will confer the benefits, and be productive of the results, which its framers design. The creation of Tenant- Kiglit marks an important era in agriculture, and it seems impossible at this moment to foresee theconseqxeuces that will follow its adoption. There are statesmen and agriculturists who view the measure as a direct interference with private interests, and there are others who hold thiit it is the duty of tiie Legislature to define the terms upon which land shall from henceforth be let. No doubt the whole thing is an experiment, and it must affect the relations that have hitherto existed between landlord and tenant. Up to this time the arguments have been directed chiefly to tlie outgoing tenant, whilst some voices have been raised in support of the landlord's interests. Nothing appears to have been said on hehalf of the incoming tenant. One cannot but be struck with t!ie indiffer- ence (amounting almost to ignorance) with which his interests have been treated, not only by Parliament, but also by Cham- bers of Agriculture. Surely there are represeu'a'ives of both places who are well aware of the doubtful value which at present attaches to many matters for which an incoming tenant will from henceforth become responsible. The only nieluber who touched upon tlie question in the first discussion uu the Government measure was Sir W. Barttelot, who is reported to liave said that, " the incoming ten:int luul hardly been mentioned during the debate, and that he ot all others was ! the person who ought to have the most serious consideration ! of the House." This is a weighty charge to bring against ! I'arliament, and one we should have thought sufficiently urgent to lead to immediate inquiry. No one rose to relute | if, nor was any explanation asked for* and 1 verily believe the [ thing is not more understood in the House of Commons than it is by the public at large. The tenant-farmer is the only man who does or should know what will result from legisla- ; ting upon unexhausted improvements, and lie of all others is most interested in securing an equitable arrangement at the termination of a tenancy, and should watch with jealousy the wording of every clause in a Bill for this object. It is my firm belief some of the provisions in the Act now before the House are in advance of the knowledge we possess of many of the subjects it deals with, and tliat di-satisfactiou and litigation must spring from its enactments. Holding these views, I embrace the opportunity aflorded me by your association to invite discussion upon the incoming tenant's liabilities. In recognising the claims of a farmer at the ter- mination of his tenincy,you must ensure their being substantial and honest ere deciding who is to discharge them. It is all very well to say the landlord shall do so, and he may do so ; but that the incoming tenant will eventually have to pay the bill, no one acquainted with the letting of land will deny. A very great authority, in addressing the Laveuham Farmers' Club, is reported to liave said that, "mistakenly associating great wealth with landlordism, opinions are pretty strongly expressed that the landlord ought to pay for this or that, for- getting that practically it is a matter which more concerns the incoming tenant, for all laud-agents of average sagacity first protect their employers by informing the would-be hirer of a farm that he must pay by valuation for all the claims the out- poer is entitled to make." Assuming that the Act now before Parliament be passed, we may take it for granted that its provisions will become the basis of all future arrangements in letting laud, notwithstanding the outcry against the 4i!th clause. These provisions we find described in three classes. Passing over the first class, which treats of improvements needing the landlord's sanction before they can be executed, we come to those in the second class, which a tenant can pcr- 40 acres seeds. 40 „ second year's seeds. 40 „ roots. 22 17 6 10 16 0 7 0 4 0 0 0 27 9 6 2 0 0 24 0 0- form upon giving his landlord seven days' notice. They comprise boning of pasture land with undissolved bones, chalking of land, clay burning, claying, liming, and marling of land. These improvements are to extend over seven years. Finally, in class 3 we find a tenant is to be entitled to com- pensation up to the end of two years for applica'ion to land of purchased, artificial, or other manure ; consumption on the holding by cattle, sheep, and pigs, of cake or other feeding stuff not produced on the holding. With some few restric- tions, these are the matters the outgoing tenant will be entitled to be paid fo'. and the man vA\o has to pay the hill will find it bis interest to discover the money value of them. The liMbility we have, I think, traced to the incoming tenant : let us see liow it would affect him in the event of iiis entering upon a farm in this county, subject to the provisions I have just now read to you. Assumed Vahntion upon a Farm of 200 Acres, let subject to the Previsions of the Agricultural Holdings Bill, at Lady Day, 1875, cultivated in the folVowing Proportions : 40 acres wheat. 40 „ Lent corn, part with seeds. 10 acres limed, 4 tons per acre, at 15s. per ton in 1873, allowing improvement seven years 6 acres of mangels : 3 cwt. guano at 123. per cwt. whole cost 4 cwt. superphosphate, at 63. per cwt. whole cost 6 acres of mangels ia previous year, | cost 14 acres of swedes : 6 cwt. dissolved bones, at 13s. whole cost 14 acres of swedes in previous year, ^ cost 20 acres of common turnips : 4 cwt. superphosphate at 63. whole cost 20 acres of commoa turnips in previous years, cost 25 acres of seeds at 15s. (seed bill) Cak". to 20 fat oxen, 5 tons at £1 1 per ton (s cake bill) Cake to 20 fat osen, 5 tons at £11 per ton, pre vious year (+ bill) Cake to 80 fat sheep, at 8s. per head (h cake bill) Cake to 80 fat sUeep, at 8s. per head, previous year (5 bill) ... Meal to 10 pigs, 74 cwt., at 12s. per cwt (5 meal bill) Meal to 10 pigs previous year {I bill) 10 tons of hay, 5 market price ... 15 tons of straw, f market price ... Taking down liedges, &.C. ..» Disregarding the items in this account of hay and straw, it; will be seen that the sum of £323 13a., or more tliau five- sevenths of the whole amount, is charged for matters which have not hitherto been generally included in a valuation. This increase is not, in my opiaion^the most important feature in the account — 22s. per acre is by no means a heavy valna- tioa. It is- the ealeuLition for manures and feeding-stuffs 1 think unsatisfactory ; also there is a looseness in the classifi- cation of the improvements in ^fe third class which oi)ens the door to deception, and must cause infinite trouble hereafter. As the words now stand, an outgoing tenant might claim to be paid for the veriest rubbish in the shape of purehased manures and feeding-stuffs. My valuation I am aware differs in many respects from the practice of some of your local valuers, but aiy desire has been to make the calculations in strict conformity with the Aet before Parliament. The matter we are now upon may appear small in itself, but with the farming interest of this kingdom it is of vital consequence, and who dare say that claims for compensation may not grow up under the Act we are discussing, precisely as they have done under the Landlord and Tenant (Ireland) \ct, 1&70 ? . 8 0 . 18 15- 0 0- 27 10 0 ' 13 15 ) 16 0 0 0 3 . 8 0 "1 0 .' 21 5 . 5 12 . 30 0 . 30 0 . 7 10 0 6. 0 0 0 £2S3 13 0 160 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. According to tlie agricuKural returns for the year lS7i, the totnl number of acres under mangels, swedes, and turnips in Great Britain was 2,4'55,950. Now, supposing an arerage of 2 cwt. of artificial manure per acre was applied upon that area, and that we compute its value at 8s. per cwt., we get iC 1,904,700. Going back auotlier year, we find the figures much the same, and we should, under the allowances in the Act, be entitled to one-tliird of this sum for that year, or £2,619,080 for the whole period, being the value of this article now in the soil. If, from the same report, we take one-third tlie number of cattle, sheep, and pigs in England, Wales, and Scolhind, in the same year, it would give us 2,041,830 cattle, 10,104,61'7 sheep, and 807,611 pigs, and consider them as the proportion of cattle, sheep, and pigs which have received purchased artificial food at the rate of SOs. a head for each ox, 33. a head for eacli sheep, and 5s. a head for each pig, it gives us the enormous total of £4,275,112 paid for these commodi- ties by the British farmer in the last year. Now taking the unexhausted value of these artificial manures and purchased feeding-stuffs according to the rules laid down by Parliament, the whole of the £2,619,680 charged against the manures, and two-thirds the cost of artificial food used in the last two years, making together the sum of £5,469,755, would literally he the amount of the present occupier's unexhausted interests in these things, and, therefore, the sum of the incoming tenant's liabililies for them. These calculations must be accepted for what they are worth. I do not claim accuracy or the figures of the Statistical Department of the Board of Trade, from which they are made ; even if they be larger than i< really the fact, tlie subject will appear of suflicient magni- t ule to demand not only the earnest consideration of Parlia- ment, but also strict inquiry from yourselves. I have as yet Sfioken of but two subjects which must be treated on the exchange of tenancies. They are perhaps the most important because they will be the more general — viz., the employment of purchased manures and foods. There are other matters to he dealt with which may be considered as shrouded in un- certainty. I mean the application of bones, lime, chalk, clay, marl, and sand. Much diversity of opinion, as I shall be able to show, prevails in regard to the value of applying these commodities to land ; any good effect which they may have is ruled by climate, season, soil, and mechanical treatment. Where the rainfall is excessive, or the atmosphere humid, the process of decay aiid consequent dissolution of the parts would be more rapid than in drier situations, hence causing earlier exhaustion of the substance employed. The adoption of them out of season may be an error, and rf nder their effect nuga- tory. Tiieir contact with soils, and the result which follows, become obvious in proportion to the existence of certain pro- perties in the soils, in some cases producing good, in others no benefit is discernible, and the previous cultivation of the land and process of applying these articles has much to do with after-results. What says Mr. Lawes, of ilothairsted, the greatest authority we have upon the manurial results of every kind of substance? In his pamphlet on " Unexhausted Manures," speaking of compensation for them, he says, " Much must depend on the description of tiie manure em- ployed, the character of the soil to whicii it has been applied, the characters of the climate or of particular seasons, and the kinds of crop which have been grown since the application." Further on lie dwells on the importance of carefully consider- ing the peculiar properties and probable duration of effect of difl'erpnt manures, if we could hope to arrive at anything like a fair estimate of the money value of the unexhausted residue they leave in the soil under various circumstances, and in rel'ernng to estimates by him of the value of the unexhausted residue of various manures Mr. Lawes cautiously adds : " The amounts might be materially affected, according to the cleanli- ness or foulness of the land, the lightness or heaviness of the soil, the dryness and wetness of the locality or of particular seasons, and the difference between tlie purchasing price of the food or manure aud iis actual and relative value." Take another authority on these matters, Professor Wrightson, of tlie Royal Agricultural College, in Gloucesterseire, who has conducted a series of experiments, not only on tiie College Farm, but also, through the co-operation of gentlemen and farmers, upon some eight other farms in the district around Cirencester. In his paper, which appears in the Journal of the Society of Aits for April last, he asserts, after quoting several cases in point, that not only manure, but the Und and climate, Baust be taken into account, aud that Lis experinienta have shown liiat in the Cirencester district the cha- racter of tlie land, and its agricultural condition, exert a very positive effect upon the increase, from the use of any manure whatever. Feeling that this meeting might like to know the actual results of some of the Professor's labours, I huve extracted from his Table of Experiments upon Swedes, in the year 1874, the following examples : Dressings per Acre. Mineral superphos- phate, 3 cwt Mineral superphos- phate, 3 cwt., and nitrate of soda, 1 cwt Mineral superphos- phate, 3 cwt. ; dissolved guano. 2 cwt., drilled together Mineral superphos- phate, 3 cwt. ; dissolved guano, 2 cwt., sown broadcast sepa- rately Jlineral superphos- phate, 3 cwt. ; nitrate of soda, 1 cwt; organu' matter, \ cw^ ; potash salts, \ cwt Patent bone super- phosphate, 3 cwt. Rev. T. Maurice, Hares Hall. T. cwt. lb. 9 11 78 7 11 102 a 3 24 Mr. Arkell, Dean Farm. T. cwt. lb. 12 16 48 15 8 34 11 17 96 17 614 16 38 11 38 9 1 Mr. Stevens, Ranbury. T. cwt. lb 9 15 60 5 11 67 10 13 91 6 6 7 5 60 Mr. Hawkins, T. cwt. lb. 12 7 98 to 15 70 10 17 76 12 17 16 7 6 48 12 18 24 I happen to know the locahty intimately from whicli these particulars are derived, and am not aware of any perceptible variety of soil that has been experimentalised upon, although some of the farms are from 15 to 20 miles apart, and I am, therefore, at a loss to account for the great difference in the yield in the cases given in the table. I should weary you were I to quote the diversity of results that follow the use and application of purchased artificial foods and manures. As far as T am able to trace, the- whole thing is wrapped in mystery. The mysterious part of the business commences directly an ar- tifieiul manure is buried in the soil and the last attoin of ar- tificial food disappears down the gullet of an animal. What follows, a higher Power than man alone can say with cer- tainty. In most cases, undoubtedly, manurial benefit is to be traced to the use of these things ; but have we sufiScient evi- dence so show the money value of it ? I think not, aud that is why 1 am anxious to invite discussion upon the matter amongst those who are certain to be affected by coming legislation. In doing so, I do not wish to be understood as opposed to a measure for securing Tenant-Right — far from it. So far back as the year 1870 I took up the ques- tion of compensating tenant-farmers for unexhausted improve- ments ; and in a paper I read to the Monmouthshire Chamber of Agriculture I defined these things as " investments whicij took various fo>ms, their effects being unequal in duration, and the cost of employing them as differing more or less ac- cording to circurastaHCfs." If this description in marked by caution, it is because I knew of no authority to sanction my saying the results were positive, nor am I aware of any facts since to define or prove the precise value to be assigned to unexhausted improvements. From information I now propose to lay before you, I think you will see that my doubts are shared by others. It is a summary of the replies I have re- ceived from some of the first agricultural authorities in the kingaom to six questions which I addressed to every county. YoD will be struck with the diverse notions which prevail re- lative to the several subjects. QUE.STION No. 1. — Is lime or chalk applied to land in your county ? If it is, what proportion is used to the acre, and do you consider its good effect (in all cases) lasts tor any number of years P BxiLiES. — Cheshire. — Yes, 40 to 70 cwt- per acre. Con- sidered to have a beneficial effect for three years. Devonshire (South). — Yes ; from 4 to 7 tons, on grass chiffly. It lasts at least 7 years. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 161 Devoushire (E;ts') — Yes. Four to five liogslie-ids on grass land liave ellect I'ur teu jears ; oa a bare wet fallow it has no effect. Glaiuorgansliire. — Yes; three tons. Never seeu any effect. Kent.— Yes. On the Weald clay 80 to 100 bush. Its effect lasts 6 or 7 years. Norfolk. — Chalk and marl are used. Their effect lasts from 8 to 13 years, rerabrokeshire. — Yes ; from 5 to 10 tons. Its effect is always good, and lasts 7 years, Staffordshire.— Yes ; 4 to 8 tons on pasture. Effects are visible 5 to 20 years. Suffolk.— Yes ; 40 bush, to the acre. Effects last for two or three crops. Warwick. — Yes ; from 2 to 3 tons. Beneficial if applied at intervals of 13 or 14 years. Seven Counties. — Yes. Five counties. — No. Question No. 2. — Are you of opinion that artificial ma- nures iu all cases confer benefit to soils ; and does the con- sumption of corn and cake do so likewise ? Replies. — Bedfordshire.— Certainly, when of good quality and suitable to the soil. Cheshire. — Yes, if varied and applied of description to suit tiie nature of the land. Devonshire (East). — Certainly not: nitrate grows too much straw, which incomer has to take to. Essex. — Certainly if the proper kind of artificial manure is used, suitable to the nature of the soil. Kent. — Not in all cases, as applieii by men ignorant of the chemical constituints and requirements of soils. Lancashire. — Certainly not ; 1 have seen repeated dressings of guano injure laud. On some lauds boues have no good effect. Norfolk. — Generally genuine manure applied to root and corn crops answers. To grass the result is uncertain. Artificial food also, unless the expenditure is excessive in a wet season. Ditto. — I believe superphosphate is an exhauster of the soils, and have doubts as to the lasting iffeuts of guano. Consumption of corn and cake does good to soils, but I question the propriety of incoming tenants pacing for their use. Sliropshire. — To a very limited extent. Eight Counties. — Yes. One County. — No. One County. — Doubtful. Question No. 3 — Are you aware that the operations of (1) subsoiling, (2) applying j-inch bones, (1) dressing with clay or sand, increases the fertility of laud for any number of years ? Replies. — Denbighshire. — Applying ^-inch bones has a very permanent effect. Ought to be spread over from 7 to 10 years. Devon (South).— Yes ; 5 to 10 years. Kent. — Subsoiling on the green>and in the Weald improves the laud for four or five years. Lancashire. — Subsoiling on strong land is beneficial, if judiciously done in dry weatlier. Half-inch boues ap- plied to pasture lauds 20 years ago ; the effect is still good. Norfolk. — Deep cultivation answers admirably ou heavy soils. Bones are of little use on pasture, but excellent on arable. Warwicksliire. — Laud is permanently benefited by boues — say from 8 to 10 cwt. per acre. Four t'ounties. — Yes. Two Counties. — No. Question No. 4. — Do you consider the value of the seve- ral matters before mentioned suftieiently established to make it compulsery upon an incoming tenant to pay lor them. Replies. — Thirteen Counties. — Yes. Five Counties. — No. Four Counties. — Doubtful. Question No. 6. — In your opinion are public valuers qua- lified and armed with enouiih fact to entitle lliein to our entire confidence in assessing the aumj to be paid for unexhausted improvements? Replies.— Norfolk.— I shonld have perfect ro-ifidence it» Norfolk valuers where, under agreements, piiinenls are made. Staffordshire.— Where well acquainted with the particular* of the district and armed with informatiou. Four Counties. — Yes. Nine Counties. — No. Nine Counties. — Doubtfuf. Question No. 6.— Is there not cause to fear that in tlia event of Tcnant-Ilight becoming compulsory demands will be made upon the incoming tenant for matters of a doubtful and hitherto unascertained value ? Reflies.- Bedfordshire.— At first they will, until raluers be- come trusted. Devon (East).— If the Agricultural Holdings 1^11 passes, there is too much left to opinion oiv the one hand. Essex. — I do not agree with the proposed fi.nality iu the Agricultural Holdings Dill. Doubtful claims will, iu> doubt, be made, which valuers must disallow. Herefordshire. — A good system of arbitration will correcli this. Kent.— The demands should be defined in tlie bill making Tenaut-Right compulsory. Lancashire. — AH claims should be made each year. Norfolk. — No, taking into consideration tlte experience of Lincolustiire. Shropshire.- Certainly, unless properly guaranteed. Staffordshire. — Possibly, but competent valuers will bs called in on such points. Thirteen Counties. — Yes. One County. — No. Seven Counties. — Doubtful. If any of the inquiries I have asked should appear to re- flect upon our public valuers, I trust that no gentleman in this room will consider it aa personal to himself. 1 desire to fix no rpsponsibility upon them, but am inclined to say that the ignorance which prevails with regard to the manurial value, both of artificial food and nianurp, arises from the very- small knowledge the world possesses about these matters ; and'. until absolute experiment, aided by science, affords proot and furnishes a basis upon which calculations can be made, that it is unrighteous to frame laws making payment for them com- pulsory. The absence of this proof never appears to have entered the minds of statesmen or agriculturists ; but one idea seems to have pervaded their councils — viz., compensate the out going tenant. For what ? I ask. For the several matters under classes 3 and 3 iu the bill referred to ? Why, you have only the shallowest evidence of their value, as the report* I have just read go far to prove. Theanicle lime, it is shown, is applied regardless of quantity (I might add, and conse- quences), from 3 to 10 ton per acre being used, its effect lasti> from three to twenty years ; in one instance no result is obser from the use of it. Artificial manures and feeding stuffs » not more satisfactorily spoken of ; great stress is laid on th ?« quality and suitableness to soih, and doubt is expressed as to their enduring effeats. Subsoiling, half-inch bonin;g, aad claying do not appear to be much practised, and but little in- formation is obtainable about them. In the face of all this, many of my correspondents are satisfied that the valueof these articles is sulficiently established for them to be assessed to an incoming tenant ; but the majority of them declare they do not consider public valuers are competent, or armed with sofikieni) fact, to deal with them. A general feeling would seem to prevail that advantage will betaken of a Tenaut-Right scheme- to obtain payment from the incomer for things of a doabtful value, and that our valuers need to be educated up to the Lin- colushire standard to resist them. There reiaains yet to be noticed the outward and visible improvements to land, the fruit of foil, industry, and patience of the occupier, producing more permanent results than artificials in any form, but in no respect encouraged by Tenant-Kight. The security offered by well-tilled; land free from weedsisto be preferred to a foul surface liossd wit li nitrates or dissolved bones, and if this fact was more generally recognised I have no hesitation in saying tliat Lord Derby's- prophecy that the produce of the kingdom might be doubled, would approach realisation. Make a toui of afew miWaround. (his town, take notes of the number of half-cuhivatedacresv and of those covered with rushes and gorse ; if it is not nearly aO per cent, of the whole I shall be surprised. Does anyone Ui TllE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. niran to tell me tint Teuant-Riglit alone isguiug to regenerate tliebe profitless acres. Jlas not the want of capital niiicli to do with it, and are you not making the redemption of these lands more distant by impo-.iug a heavy tax upon an incoming tenant for matters ot a doubtfnl value. It is not clear to me that many good men will not be kept out of the field by a too stringent Tenant-Ilight. The small capitalist who hopes to arrive at the top of the ladder by the sweat of his brow will be defeased, and he of all others is the man to take hold of these neglected lands, and put a new face upon them. Be cautious in imposing liabilities on an incoming tenant, let the value of a claim be clearly established before demanding payment, mete out compensation with justice, let the man who brings his liolding to a high state of fertility by sheer labour feel that his exertions shall be rewarded. An old adage says, " An ill liusbandman is he who is forced to buy that which his farm ! might produce ;" and, no doubt, the better your tillasre, the | fipnrier your surface, the great r will be your crop. Ey way '. of illustration, I will relate the case of a llomaa citizen, who, ! imou the'coraplamt of his neighbours, was indicted and brought before one of the rulers for having nsed sorceries, charms, and witchcraft, whereby he had gaihered from a little piece of gr )und a far larger bulk than they had from muuli grra*er possessions. When called upon for his defence, " My nv sters," quoth the citizen of Home, " behold, these are the sorceries, ciianns, and all the enchant'nents that I use," pointing to his daughter, a lass lusty and strong and big of bone, yea, and well fed and as well clad, his draught oxen full and fair, and withal his tools, plough-iroiis, coulters, strong and tough spades. " I mi^ht besides," quotii he, " allege my own travel and toil, the early rising and late sitting up, the careful watching and the painful sweats which I daily endure ; but I am not able to represent these to your views, nor to hring them hither with me into this assembly." This Roman was acquitted, and we have a lesson from which we may learn that success in agri- c ilture proceeds as much or more from the labour aud skill of the husbandman as it does from the artificial applications bought to the soil by him. It lias been ray endeavour to impress you with the consequences which will follow the esta- blishment of Tenant- Right. 1 have taken for my basis, as you are aware, the Agricultural Holdings liill now under discussion in the House, because I do not apprehend the carving and gilding that may be practised upon it there will greatly alter the spirit of the measure. The country seems b( lit upon pas'?- ing a Tenant-Right Bill without much stimulating from tlie tenant-farmer, and there is a recklessness about the whole proceeding which betokens a want of knowledge with those who originated the question. I shall be much disappointed if I have not induced the majority of my hearers to feel and acknowledge that there is a very ^reat deal to be learnt on the subjeLit of unexhausted improvements. Before justice can be doue to tlie incorain;j tenant, a severe task must be mastered by both farmers and valuers. The actual benefit which soils derive from artidcials, whether applied directly in the shape of cliemical substances, or iudirectly through the carcase of an animal, has to be ascertained. The duration of these things in the respective localities in which they are employed must be discovered, and last, hut not least, the mouey value of the unexhausted residue they leave in the soil under various circumstances required to be ascertained. Now, how is this to bi achieved? I would submit, by practice and observation. You have heard how various are the results which follow the use of artificial manures and food in different localities, and must perceive how it influences their value. From this time it seems to me every neighbourhood must provide for a series of experiments in its centre with all sorts of manures and foods ; the information which must naturally follow such a step will be of infinite value to agriculturists, and the founda- t on on which valuers will make their calculation in the several counties. Unless some scheme of this kind be introduced, I do not see how you will overcome the mystery which now shrouds the whole matter. I would not confine these experi- ments to the tests I have mentioned, but would have all artificial manures and feeding stuffs analysed and certified before exhibiting them for sale. VS'^ith the risk of bringing upon myself the indignation ot the vendors of these things, I have no hesitation in declaring that a large amount of spurious material is annually sold to the fanners. You cannot wonder at it. Tne manufacturer is perfectly conscious of the con- sumer's Ignorance of the commodity he is preparing for the market, aud mixes his article accordingly. I have touched briefly upon this business, because it is in such close relation to the " liabilities of the incoming tenant," and, in the words of IM"-. Lawes, I " leave the further discussion of this complicated and difficult subject to those whom it may most concern." THE AGEICULTURAL STATISTICS OF INDIA. [A Paper read at the Society of Arts by Mr. Cleme:nts R. Markaam, C.B.] Agriculture is the main resource on which India relies for the supply of her wants, and the branch of administration dealing with it is the most important that can occupy official attention. Through it statesmen may be furnished with kn'>wledge which vjfill enable them to improve the condition of tlie people, to increase their means of subsistence, to avert famines, to add to the wealth of the country, and to adjust taxation. And it is because this knowledge is not marshalled aud classified with suiHcient accuracy, aud brought to bear upon current questions, tliat disasters and mistakes have occurred, and that the progress of the country iu moral and material prosperity is checked aud retarded. It is the want of accurate knowledge of facts, aud most assuredly not the want of capacity to deal with them when known, that is the evil to be grappled with. Expenditures of millions to avert famnes, barrenness from rek efflorescence, water-logged villages, and all other evils connected with the British admi- nistration of India, are due to want of knowledge ; and the consideration of the ways and means through which accurate knowledge may be brought to bear on the consideration of administrative questions is the first step to tlie adoption of a sounder system of record, and to the eventual introduction of efficient measures for securing the desired results. It is, how- ever, essential to a right understanding of the matter, that we should bear iu raiad the habits and policy of the agricultural communities in India, aud consider, as tlie basis of all future measures, the machiuery for the collection of agricultural statistics which !i:is existed among them from time immemorial, in a more or less efficient form. Systems which fiiay be adapted for one country and one htate of society are often not suited for others. Information that is needed by one Government may be useless to another ; and any dutiii/iaira attempts at uniformity are strongly to be deprecated The first and leading rule sliould be to use the machinery which is adapted to the habits of the people, and to improve existing methods, rather than to attempt the enforcement of uniformity or the introduction of theoretical improvements. ' The record of agricultural statistics is coeval with civilised government, and assuredly such excellence as has ever been attained iu administration for Die good of a people has been due to the action of rulers, founded on more or less accurate knowledge. In Peru, under the Incas, the happiness and material comfort of the people were more compbtely secured than in any other country the history of which is recorded ; and in Peru agri- cultural statistics formed the basis of all the measures of the Government. So exactly were the resources of every district known, and so complete were the arrangements for supplying one district with the superRuities of others, that not only were famines rendered impossible, but the regular system of exchanges secured a degree of comfort for the people through- out the empire such as is unknown in these days. A know- ledge of the crops, and of all other products, was obtained by means of a village system entailing exact measurement. It was almost effaced in later times, but the attention of Peruviad statesmen is now aroused to the perfection of the Incarial system, and to the necessity for exact statistical records as a means of good government. The statistical volumes that are in preparation in Peru, one of which is actually published, are based on correct principles of record and classification, and are very far superior to anything of the kind that liiib yet TilE FARMER'S MAGA^INS. l63 appeared in ludiu- I have allmlcd to Ihe facts relating to a country almost at the antipodes of India, because it seems desirable to point out that the importance of agricultiiral statistics is not confined to any region, and tlidt results have be n secured by tliem in former days such as are certainly not equalled in our time. Yet the machinery was analogous, and we may, therefore, conclude that like results must be sought through that machinery, and not by substituting any other. In the East, although the demand for agricultural knowledge has beeu more entirely due to fiscal considerations than in Peru, the necessity for it has from time immemorial been as strongly !elt, and its acquisition lias been souglit by similar means. Unliappily, the records of the past are lost or incomplete; still, in distantages, we can discern the fact that agricultural statistics were the basis of good government. When tltey were neglected, mistakes, arbitrary exactions, and consequent poverty and misery, were the consequences. Attention to tiiem was synonymous witii an age of prosperity and happiuess. In Persia, the king whose memory is most Ttivered, and wliose reign is ever referred to as the happiest and best, was Nourslieivan ; and it was Noursheivan who, carrying out the intention of his predecessor Kobad, first esta- blished a revenue survey, and a system of measuring and classing the lands. In India all prosperity and happiness is a cribed to the reigu of Akbar ; and the work of the great king's favourite minister proves that a very elaborate system of recording statistics were in force. The " Aye'a Akbori" f.iplains the rules for measuring the fields, for classing the soils, and for ascertaining the weight and value of the crops. The institutions in India, such as the village communities, vphich grew out of the necessities of the people, and have existed from time immemorial, and others involving special tenures of land, whicli have now been introduced by former governments, are now an integral part of British rule ; and it is through the machinery supplied by native institutions that our knowledge of the condition and wants of the cultivators must be obtained. The welfare, and even the existence, of the people depend on tlie correctness of this knowledge, and on tlie xay it is used ; so that tlie importance of agricultural statistics cannot be over-pstimated. When we find the culti- vators well otf in one district, depressed by poverty and want in another, or on the verije of starvation iu a third, we may feel suie that these differences are, to a great extent, due to want of exact knowledge on the part of the rulers. The in- equalities are roughly shown by comparing the average amount of land revenue per head of the population, which varies in difi'ereut parts of India. In Bombay it is 3s. 4d. ; in the North-West Provinces, 2s. 5d. ; in the Punjab, 2s ; in Madras, 2s. 6d. ; and in Bengal and Assam, Is. l^d. If we select a village in any part of India, and examine carefully iuto its interior economy, the wants of its inhabitants, its immemorial institutions, the system of agriculture that prevails, and the machinery for collecting information relating to it for fiscal and other purposes, we shall have a rough, but a sufficiently good notion of the material from which the items of information must be brought together and compared, so as to form a serviceable body of sound knowledge. Por such a village is one unit in our calculations, and its combination with other units enables us to supply the facts which adrainis- trators need. In the Bombay Presidency, the means exist for sucii an examination in perhaps a more complete, and cer- tainly in a more accessible form than in other parts of India. For iu the Mahratta country the village system, which during centuries of misrule was the only centre of stability and the only repository of civil rights, is still maintained, and each village has more than once been the object of minute statistical inquiry. Fifty years ago a typical village iu the .Deccan was Belected by Mr. Coats for examination, and the particulars relating to it are applicable to other iNIahratta villages. Twenty years afterwards the settlement necessitated a similar investigation of every villige, when Mr. Gooddive reported upon the village communities ; and there has been a third such investigation, connected with the new settlement, quite recently. Here, then, we have the bases f')r statistical inquiries, in a knowledge of the condition of agriculture and of the agricultural population, at three distinct periods. It is, unhappily, very necessary to insist that the object of statistics is not to fill ru'ed table with figures, but to secure the well- being of an aggregate of units, by obtaining an accurate and scientific knowledge of the wants of each, and of tlis means tor supplying such wants. The unit is the village cultivator j and if we would really understand (lie use of Indian agri- cultural statistics, we must begin with some acquaintance witii the agriculturist. In the Bombay Presidency we recognise him as a lean man, with prominent muscles, and small hands and feet, with eyes full and black, cheek-bones high, and teeth stained with betel, clothed in a lonyoti, or rag between liis legs, and another round his liead. with a black woollen cloth, or enmli, in cold weather. He is frugal, and not improvident ; better informed than most European labourers, and devoted to his children, but cunning and false. Ke forms one in a popu- lation of about 600 to 1,000, wliich cultivates some 4,000 acres, and lives in a village surrounded by a mud wall, w ith two gates. The 150 to 200 houses are of sun-dried bricks, with terraced roofs, and there are open porticoes along their fronts, but the few small dark interior rooms have no windows. The two or three temples will be of hewn stone. The furniture of a cultivator's house consists of a copper boiler and a few other copper vessels, about twenty earthen pots, to hold stores of grain and other food, a large wooden dish for kneading dough, a flat stone and rolling-pin for powdering spices, two iron lamps, and two beds laced with rope. The whole will not cost muck more than forty shillings. But his agricultural imple- ments and bullocks are his most valuable possessions. The plough, consisting of beam-head, and handle, but having no share, and leaving a mere scratch, is made of babool wood {Acdcia AraLic(i),anA only cost a few rupees. The cart is a rude frame on two solid wooden wheels, and there are also a harrow witii wooden teeth, and a drill plough. A pair of good oxen is indispensable, and the well-to-do have two pairs. All these matters are of moment in calculating the coat of culti- vation. Tlie arable land consists of jirai/at, the crops from which depend on rains, irrigated land, and ba^mjat or garden lands, where fruit trees and vegetables are carefully cultivated, and often snrronnded by a hedge of the blistering milk busli {Eiipkorhia Tiuncalli), The hiimhi, or cultivator, has two crops to attend to during the year ; the Ihririf, which he sows in June and July, and reaps in October and November ; and the rahi, which he sows in the latter months, and reaps in January or February. For the kharif he sows hajuri, or spiked millet, the chief food of tlie people, in rows, with a drill- plough, mixed with ioor and mnlhic, two pulses. Jtnnari, or great millet, rabi, and some other smaller millet, are also kharif crops. The rahi crops are wheat and grain ; and a variety of seeds are often mixed in the same field, which is one obstacle to correct statistics. The land is only ploughed once in two years, and the depth of a span is considered sufficient, the cultivator working from six in the morning until eleven, and again from three until sunset. All laud, whether ploughed or not, is subjected to the drag hoe, first lengthways and then across, which loosens the surface and destroys weedi. This operation is repeated three or four times at intervals of eight days. AVhen harvest begins, a level spot is chosen for a thrashing-floor, and made dry and hard. A pole five feet high is stuck iu the middle, the grains are stacked round the floor, and the women break uti' the ears and throw them in. Six or eight bullocks are then tied to each other, and to the post, and driven round to tread out the grain ; and the winnowing is done by a man standing on a high stool, and submitting the grain and chaff to the wind from a basket. The cultivator requires but little food. It consists of cakes made of reillet flour, with water and salt, baked on a plate of iron ; greens, pods, or fruits cut in pieces, boiled and mixed with salt, pepper, or turmeric, and then fried in oil ; and porridge of coarsely, ground jairuri and salt. His wife brings him his dinner at noon, and the two other meals are taken on setting out and returning to and from the fields. The working-day toils are interspersed with pilgrimages to temples, and holidays, such as the lloli, or full moon in April, which lasts five days, when many games are played ; the JJushara in October, the Decali twenty days afterwards, and the feast in honour of the bullocks in October, when the poor beasts are painted, dressed up, and fed with sugar, and their masters prostrate and worship them. The olfice bearers of tiie village, in- cluding all the artificers, form an institution which lias undergone no alteration from time immemorial, and they also enter into calculations connected with the statistics of an agricultural village. The jnilel, or head of the village, lias freehold land or special rights, and the kul/carni, or account- ant, also receives remuneration iu various ways. These two officers supply the niacliinery in every village for collecting statistical details. The Barra Balltjola cousistb of twelve 164 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE hereditary office-bearers, including the /nitel and kulkarn't, who receive certain fees or remuneration i'roiu the village in ex- change tor professional services. Thus the sutar, or carpenter, the lohar, or smith, the chamliar, or shoemaker, are paid by each villager, and they mend all implements for agricultural purposes, the owners finding the materials. Some of the office-bearers have a right to a certain number of rows in the crops, and all the fees form items in the statistical calcula- tions. Such are the circumstances which surround our culti- vator in the Deccan, and for the most part throughout India — he who forms a unit in the vast aggregate of similar nnits which are the source of the wealth and the revenue of British India, and whose welfare is the ultimate object of agricultural Btatistics. The proper statistical unit is, therefore, the extent of land which one of these living units can plough with two bullocks ; and this area, in the Bombay Presidency, is called a ' number." It is the smallest extent of land that can be ploughed and tilled by the cultivator or bread-winner, so as to serve for the support of his family. If an accurate record can be kept of each of these " numbers," as regards the nature of the soil and other circumstances, the crop and its yield, and the items which compose the cost of cultivation, the aggre- gate of these particulars fot all the "numbers" forming: a village, and all the villages forming a district, will furnish the materials required by the statistician. Tlie three essential bases of statistics are — space, which is the abstract of all rela- tions of co-existenee ; number, which is the abstract of all rela- tions of comparison ; and time, which is the abstract of all relations of sequence. Now, the first basis, namely, area or space, is supplied by the survey for fi.scal purposes. Number is derived Irom the periodical census, and is the relation be- tween the bread-winner and his crop, or between the aggregate of bread-winners and the aggregate of crops. Time, the third basis, is obtained through the periodical surveys ; and the comparison between prices of all articles and services ■wliich form the items of the cot-t of cultivation supply, and the means of examining the relations of sequence. In the Bombay survey, the " numbers," or fields of a village, varying iu size from what a pair of bullocks can plough to double that quantity, are carefully measured, with the necessary checks to insure accuracy, lands held on ditferent tenures being measured separately, and ditferent kinds of cub ure, such as wet, dry, and garden, being treated as separate " numbers." The checks are taken by a European assistant, and the errors of native measures are not allowed to exceed 2 per cent. All the original records are kept in the vernacular language. After the "numbers" or fields composing a village are measured, there is a process of classification for purpo«es of assessment, which also supplies essential information iu the preparation of agricultural statistics. The fields are classified, according to the productive capability of the soil, in three distinct orders, black, brown or yellow, and gravelly. These are again gauged according to their depth, on which depends their ability to imbibe and retain moisture. Then the presence ot deterio- rating ingredients, technically called " faults " — cJioonkud, a mixture of nodules of limestone ; waha, a mixture of sand ; poiiioivat, sloping surface ; heswuf, want of cohesion among particles of soil ; kivud, a mixture more or less impervious to wa^er; doopiai, liability to be swept over by running water ; fOj)uhclaiket, Croeketford, Dumfries ; third, N. lliddell ; fourth, P. Crawford, Druragoyack, Strathblane ; fifth, 11. Brewster, Branchal. Entire colts, foaled after 1st January, 1871. — First prize, L. Drew, Merryton, Hamilton ; second, J. M. Martin, Aucliendennan Farm, Balloch ; third, W. M 'Master, Challoch, Glenluce ; fourth, D. lliddell ; filth, J. Thomson, Crocket- ford. . Mares (with foal at foot), foaled before 1st January, 1872. —First prize, L. Drew (Mary) ; second, A. Buchanan, Garscadden Mains, New Kilpatrick ; and R. Stark, Summer- ford, Camelon, Falkirk; third, J. N. Fleming, of Knockdon, Mayhole ; fourth, A. Smith, Stevenson Mains, Haddington. Mares (in foal), foaled before 1st January, 1873.— First prize, J. Gardner, Boghead Farm Paisley (Jess) ; second, J. Sutor, Collie, Orton, Fochabers; third, J. Clarke, Spindle- liowe, Uddingstou ; fourth, A. Lang, Garneyland, Paisley ; fifth, J. Murdoch, Hilton, Bishopshriggs. Fillies foaled after 1st January, 1873. — First prize, L. Drew ; second, W. H. Hardie, Borrowstoun Mains, Linlitli- gow ; third, J. McNab, Glenochil, Menstrie ; fourth, J. Wat- son, Earnock, Hamilton ; fifth, W. J. IloulJsworth, Coltness House, Wishaw. Fillies foaled after 1st January, 1873. — First prize, R. Frederick, Drumflower, Glenluce (Young Mary) ; second, W. Pollock, Low Mains, East Kilbride; third, J. N. Fleming ; fourth, D. Riddell; fifth, 11. Murdoch, Hallside, Newton, Cambuslang. Fillies foaled after 1st January, 1874. — First prize, R. Weir, Brownliill, Carnworth ; second, J. Cunningham ; third, A. Buchanan, Garscaddan Mains, New Kilpatrick; fourth, W. B. Craig, Bishopbriggs; fifth, J. Anderson, Smithstown, Croy, Kilsytli. Draught geldings, foaled before 1st, January 1873. — First prize, R. Stark (Marquis) ; second, A. Aitkenhead, Shaw Moss, Pollockshaws ; third, J. Walker, East Ann-street, Glas- gow ; fourth, 11. Stark. Draught geldings, foaled after 1st Jauusry, 1873. — First prize, W. Colquhoun, Kilmahew, Cardross (Siniler) ; second, J. Wilson, Old Mill, New Cumnock; third, J. Harvey, Toward Farm, Greeaock. Mares or geldings, not exceeding fifteen hands high, for milk carts of heavy draught. — First prize, A. Bulloch, Milli- kio. East Kilpatrick (Tam) ; second, J. Hamilton, GO, Kirk- street, Gallon, Glasgow ; third, R. Cowan, Sauchenhall, Kirk- intilloch. Mares or geldings, not exceeding l-l^ bands high, for milk carts of light draught. — J. Fleming, Woodside, Ilutlierglen (Dickie), Hunters and roadsters (first prize mares at former shows, esbibited for Medium Gold Medal).— J. Stewart, Heathfield, Irvine (Miss Kelly), Brood mares, with foal at foot, suitable f jr field, foaled before Ist Januiry, 1871. — First prize, J. Molfatt, Kirkliu- ton Park, Carlisle (Lady I-yne) ; second, J. llouldsworth, Coltness, Wishaw ; tiiird, J. C. Wakefield, Eastwood Park, Thornlicbank ; fourth, H. Taylor, Kaimshill, Kilmarnock. Yeld marcs or gelding.f, suitable for field, light weight, foaled before 1st Jan., 1S71. — First prize, D. K'lipen, Busl)y, Glasgow (Kilbride); second, G.Jardin.Hillside.lll, Douglas- street, Glasgow; third, Lieut.- Colonel D. C. II. Carrick Buchanan, Drumpellicr ; fourth, W. C. Branford, Veterinary College, Clyde-street, Edinburgh. Yeld mares or geldings, suitable for field, heavy weight, foaled before 1st Jan., 1871. — First prize, J. Hendrie, IMaryyillc 83, Regent-street, Glasgow (Bridegroom) ; second, G. Jardine ; third, T. M'Dougal, Eskvale, Penicuik; fourth, A. F. Wil- liamson, Standingstones, Dyce, Aberdeen. Fillies or geldings, suitable for field, foaled after 1st Jan. 1871. — P'irst prize, W. Bartholomew, AucbtertocI Distillery' Kirkcaldy (Rufiis): second, Lieut.-Col, Buchanan ; third, Cai)l> Lyon, ll.N., Kirkmichael, Dumfries; fourth, G. Williamson. Balkailhcy, St. Andrews. , I'illies or geldings suitablp. for field, foaled after 1st Jan., 1873. — First prize, J. Moffat, Kirklinton Park, Cai lisle ; second, A. Lang, Garneyland, Paisley ; third, D. Davidson, Tulloch ; fourth, J. S. Alston, Stuckbriggs, Lessraahagow. Stallions, mares or geldings, for leaping. — First prize, G. W. Richardson, Junior Club, Glasgow; second, J. Fleming, Falkirk ; third, D. Kippen. Mares or geldings, suitable for carriage, foaled before 1st January, 1873. — First prize, A. J. II. Somerville, Greenbank, Bothwell (Prince); second, J\ Jefi'erson Sterl, Weary Hall, Southfiereld, Abbey Town, Carlisle; third, A. Arrot, IS, Blythswood-square, Glasgow ; fourth, A. Duncan, Herbert- shire Castle, Denny. Marcs or geldings, suitable as roadsters, — First prize, Lieut.- Col. Buchanan ; seeond, L. Drew ; third, D. Kippen ; fourth, J. W. JMorison, Falfield House, Cupar Fife. Mares or geldings, suitable as hackneys or roadsters, be- tween Hand 15 hands high.— First prize, A. Duncan (Zeplia) ; second, J. C. Wakefield, Eastwood Park ; third, H. N. Eraser, Hay Close, Penrith; fourth, R. M'ludoe, Merkins, Alexau- dria. Extra horses. — Commended : J. Bunten, 13, St. Vincent- street, Glasgow; J. M. Marten, Aucliendennan Farm, Balloch ; A. B. Sandmane, Huutingtowerfield, Perth. Ponies, first-prize stallions at former shows, exhibited for Medium Gold Medal. — Miss A. Norton, llannoch Lodge, Pitlochrie (Little Benjamin). Highland stallions, 11| hands high and under.— First prize, J. M. Martin, Auchendennan Farm (Joe) ; second and third, Hon. Lady Menzies. Highland mares or geldings, between 13 and 14^ hands high.— First prize, D. A. Macrae, Fernaig, Stron Ferry, mare (Mhari Og). _ Mares or geldings, between 13 and li hands high. — First prize, J. Bell, Cleddens House, Bisliopbrigg (Daisy) ; second, J. Meikle, Nether Mains, Kilwinning; tiiird, T. Wyse, Royal Hotel, Falkirk ; fourth, J . Relph, Souchernby, Ilesket, Newmarket. Mares and geldings, between 13 and 13 hands high. — First prize, J. M. Martin ; second, J. Syme, Millbank, Eaiuburgh ; third. Sir M. R. Shaw Stewart. Mares or geldings, 13 hands and nuder. — First prizF, J. M'Knight, Plann, Kilmarnock (Billy) ; second, (i. Ure, Wheatlands, Denny; third J. M. Martin ; fourth, D. M'Fur- lane, Langloan, Coatbridge. SHEEP. CHEVIOTS. Tups above one shear.— First prize, J. Biyden, Kinnelhead, Motfatt ; second, J. A. Johnsou, Archbank, Molfatt; third, T. Welsh, Ericstane, Mott'att. Dinmont or shearling tups.— First prize. J. A. Johnstone; second, T. Welsh ; third, J. Archiliald. Pens of five ewes, above one siiear. — Pens of lambs shown with ewes. — First prize, J. Brydon ; second, J. Archibald. Blackfaced tups, above one shear.— First prize J. Arcliibald, Overshields, Stow ; second, T. Aitken, Listou3hields,Balerno ; third, J. Craig, South Halls, Stralhaven. Dinmont or shearling tups.-Prizes, first, second, and third, J. Gieenshields, West Town, Lesmahagow. o 2 1/4 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Pens of five ewes, abovR one Blienr.— Pens of lambs sliown with ewes.— First prize, J. Arcliibnld, ; second, J. and J. Moffat, Gateside, Sanquhar ; third, J. Hamilton, Lesmalia- gow. Pens of five shearlinK ewes or gimmers. — Pirst prize, J. Archibald; second, D. Pojer, Knowieliead, Campsie; third, J. Hamilton. BORDER LEICESTERS. Tupa, above one shear. — i'irst prize, T. Forster,jun.,Elling- ham ; second, A. Smith, Castleraains, Gitford ; third, R. ■Tweedie, The Purest, Catterick. Dinmont or shearling tups.— First prize, J. Clark, Oldham- stocks afains ; second, J. Melviu, Bonnington ; third. Mar- quis of Tweedale. Pens of five ewes, above one shear —First prize, Rev. R, "W. BosiUKiuet, Rock, Alnwick; second, 11. N. JVaser, Hay Close, Penrith ; third, J. Nisbet, Lambden, Greenlaw. Pens of five sliearliuj; ewes or gimmers. — First prize, J. •Clark; second, R. Tweedie ; third, J. Hill, Carlowrie. LEICESTERS. Tups of any age.— First prize, T. H. Hutchinson, Manor House, Cattenck ; second, ttiird, and foutth, E. Sutherland, i'annachie House, Fochabers. Pive ewes of any age, or gimmers.— Prize, E. Sutherland. COTSWOLDS. Tups of any age.— First, second, and third prize, J. Gibson Woolmot. Pens of five ewes of any age, or gimmers.— First and second, •prizes, J. Gibson. LI^■C0LN9. _ Tups of any a;je.— First, second, and third prizes, J. B. Irving, White Hill, Lockerbie ; fourth. T. Wilkin. Tinwald Downs, Dumfries. Pens of five ewes, of any age, or gimmers. — First and third prizes, J. Bell; second and fourth T. Wilkin. SIIROPSHIKES. Tups of any age— First, second, and fourth prizes, Lord Cliesham, Bucks ; third, J. Gibson. Pens of five ewes or gimmers, of any age. — First prize, Lord Chesham ; second, J. Gibson ; third, Eurl of Strathmore : fourth, Lord Polwarth. EXTRA SECTIONS. Pens of five Cheviot wedders, not above four shear. — Prize, C. Alexander, Easter Kiiowe, Stobo. Peas of five blackfaced wedders, not above four shear. — First prize, C. Macpherson Campbell, Ballimore, Tighnabruaich ; second, W. Todd, Glenree, Lamlash. Pens of five 'half-bred hoggs, not above one shear.— First prize, J. Cunningham, Tarbreoch, Dalbeattie; second and third, J. Kerr, Flatts of Cargen, Dumfries. Pens of five wedder lioggs, of any cross, not above one shear. —First prize, E. Sutherland ; second, Lord Polwarth. PIGS. Boars, large breed.— First prize. Earl of Ellesmere, Worsley Hall, Manchester; seconi, J. Dove, Hambrook House, Ham- brook, Biistol; Third, R. E. Duckeriug. Northorpe, Xirton Lindsey. Sows, large breed.— First prize. Earl of Ellesmere; second, J. Dove ; third, R. E. Diickering. •Pens of three pigs, not above eight months old, large breed. — rPrize, R. E. Duckering. Boars, Berkshire breed.— First prize, J. Dove ; second, W. Macdonald, Woodlands, Perth ; third, J. Moir and Son, Garth- dee, Aberdeen. Sows, Berkshire breed.— First prize, R. E. Duckering ; second, J. Duve ; third, W. Macdonald. Pens of thrfe piss, not above eight months old, Berkshire breed. — Prize, J. Moir and Son. Boars, small breed.— First prize, Earl of Ellesmere ; second J. Dove ; tiurd, J. Muir and Son. Sows, small breed.- First and third prizes. Earl of Elles- mere ; second, J. Moir and Son. Pen of three pig.^ not above eight months old, small breed. —First prize. Earl of Ellesmere ; second, J. Moir and Son. DAHxY PRODUCE. BUTTER. Cured.— First prize, A. Gilmour, Crosshil', East Kilbride, ff.o"'!', ,f- Liihgow, Drumsfali, East Kiiuride.; third, W, iieid, Calderside, Blantyre. Powdered. — First pr'ze, J. Huteheson, Nctlierhonse, 0!d Monkland ; second, D. M'Farlan,e BuUmuddy, Bishopbriggs ; third, D. M'Laren, Jliddleton, Milngavie. Fresh. — First prize, A. Gilraour; second, W. Pollock, Kajeton, Milngavie ; third, D. M'Laren. CHEESE. Cheddar variety.— First prize, A. M'Master, Glenhead House, Stranraer; second, J. M'Master, Currochturie, Kirk- maiden ; third, W. M'Master, Challoch, Gleuluce. Dunlop variety. — First prize, J. Shearer, Flolra Farm, Stoneliouse ; second, A. Gemmell, Caplaw, Neilbon ; third, J. White, Nether Craigands, Linwood, Paisley. Sweet milk cheese, any other variety. — First prize, A. Picken, Glassoch, Fenwick; second, Mrs. W. Dickie, Girthil, Dairy, Ayrshire ; third, J. Spen, Low Ardwell, Stranraer. 1MP.LE-MENT AWARDS. SILVER MEDALS. Aveling find Porter, Rochester, Kent, for agricultural locomotive improvement, RoUands and Co., London, E.C., for American horse hay- rake. ivlacLellan, Trongate, Glasgow, for M'Keau's rock-drilling machines. Robey and Co , Lincoln, for new patent horizontal engines. Marshall, Sons, and Ce., Gainsborough, for self-feeding thrashing niacliines. Seholefield, Leeds, for serai dry brick machines. Richmond and Chandler, Salfortl, Manchester, for chafT cutter new gearing. Bennet and Co., Hope- street, Glasgow, for Brotherhood's three-cylinder engine. Angus, Parkhead, Glasgow, for improved farm carts. MEDIUM SILVER MEDALS. Harrison, MGregor, and "Co., Albion Foundry, Leigh, Manchester, for combined mower and reaper. Head, Wrightsou, and Co., Teesdale Iron Works, Stockton- on-Tees, for h.and hoists, &c. Lincoln and Co., John-street, Glagow, for steam trap in- vented by Robinson. Murray and Co., Banff Foundry, for adjus'able turnip- sower fur sloping ground. Pickering, Stockton-on-Tees, for patent st-am pump. Barr, Anderston, Glasgow, for water-pressure engines for small power. Korthern Agricultural Implement and Foundry Company, Inverness, for zig-zag harrows, Richardson, Carlisle, for combined corn and grass seed dressing machines. MINOR SILVER MED.VLS. Morton and Co. (Limi ed), Naylor-street, Liverpool, for collection of fiences, field gates, &c. Doug'as, Cowan, and Co., Glasgow, for general collectioa of agricultural implements. Gibson and Son, Bainfield Iron Works, Fountaiubridge, Edinburgh, for collection. Picksley, Sims, and Co., Lee, Lancashire, for general col- lection of agricultural implements. Pringle, Edinburgh and Kelso, for general collectioa. Smith and Simons, Howard-street, Glasgow, for general collection. Leadbetler, Gordon-street, Glasgow, for portable fire-engines and manual pumps. Bickerton and So:is, Berwick-on-Tweed, for oollectiou. Brown and Son, FergusUe Fire Clay > Works, Paisley, for collection. Brown and Sons, Dunse, for collection. Cathcart, Ayr and Glasgow, for collection. Cassells and Son, Newton Mearns, for thrashing machine. Doe, Errol, for general collection. Drummond, Cumnock, for thrashing machine. Fleming and Co., Argyle- street, Glasgow, for general col- lection. Gray and Co., Uddington, for collection, Haughtou and Thompson, Carlisle, for collection, Howorth, Bolton, for collection. Hume, Buchanan-street, Glasgow, for collection Hunter, Maybole, for collection. Jack and Sons, Maybole, for collection, Kemp, Murray, and Nicholson, Stirling, for collection. THE FARMETl'S MAGAZINE. r, JrCartupy and Co., CiioinocV, for t'lrasliirvg machines. M:iin Hiid Co., ]'orl-DiMidas, Glasgow, for collection. ririe Hiiil Co., Kiuiniindy, ^berdeensliire, for collection. PolUick, Blaijctiline, for barrow wlicel of iron. Iieid arid Co., Aberdeen, for collection. Selltr Hnd Son, Hunth', for coUection. Slierilfand Co., of Dunbar, for collection. Wallace and Son.s, Graham-square, Glasgow, for collection. RECOMME^PI':D FOR TRIAL. Pevvar, Dundee, potato planting macliine. i'arkcr, Stranraer, drill and raauure distributor. Ord and M-uldison, Darlingfon, for KMdmoo's pitent Wccd cradicator. Wood, AVorsliip-strcct, London, E.C., for scU'-dchvery reapers. Wood, Upper Thames-street, London, for controlable t>clf- r ike reaper. The Local Committee on Implements have, in accordance with the r^gnliUions, selected tlie wliolc of tlie turnip inacbines- for trial. Tke ethibitors are liickirton and Sons, lierwick- on-Tweed ; Dickie, Girvan ; Due, Krrol ; Hunter, Maj bole j and Pirie and Co., Kinmundy, Abcrdccashire, THE SHROPSHIRE AND WEST MIDLAND SOCIETY. MEETING AT SHREWSBURY. This show, wliich opened on Thursday, was very buc- rcssful, althottgh the interest was chiefly local ; still, in the Hereford eattle, Shropshire sheep, and pig classes, there were many animals which have made their mark elsewhere. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES. — Ac.Eicin.TVRAL HoR.sES : D. Ashcroft, Ilaighton, I'reston ; 11. Lowe, Coniberford, Tamworth. TnoROiiOH- iiREB lIuRSKS : Col. Cholraondeley, Abbot's Moss, Nortli- wicli ; ,1. K. Bennett, Bosworth Grange, Rugby. Short- HORXs and Dairy Cows : G. Game, Churchill Heath, Chipping Norton ; E, Little, Lanhill,Chippenlmm. Here- ruRDS : Warren Evans, Llandowlais, Newport, Monmouth- shire: H. llaywooJ, IMakemere, Hereford. StiEEP : J. Coxon, Freeford Farm, Lichfield ; T. Horley, jun.. Fosse) liBamiugton. I'IGS : J. Meire, Abbotsfield, Shrewsbury ; T. Morris, Spring Bank, Welshpool. Butter and Cheese : J. Valentine, Ludlow. Wool : A. Butcher, Kidderminster ; H. Dibb, Bradford. I>i?leme?;ts ; R. T. 'Smith, engineer, Whitchurch. HORSES. Cart stallion of any ags. — first prize, M. Williams, Uryton, "Wroxeter ; second, A. Price, Bagley Hall, EUesmere. Cart stallion, not exceeding three years old. — First prize, J. Jones, Yockleton ; second, S. Davis, Woolashill, Pershore. Cart mare and foal. — First prize, E. Bach, Longville, Craven Arras ; second, A. Darby, Little Ness, Baschurch. Special prize: J. Leighton, Ironbridge. Commended: J. Downes, Llandjsilio, near Llauymynech. Cart gelding or mare, foaled in 1873. — First prize, E.Green, Bank F'arm, Pool Quay ; second, S. Davies, Wollashill, Per- shore. Highly commended : S. Jones, Lea Cross. The class commended. Cart gelding or mare, foaled in 1873. — First prize, J. Whitaker, Hampton Hall, Wortheu ; second, J. Whilaker. Pair of waggon horses, the property of a tenant-farmer. — First prize, J. Green, Walcot, Baschurch ; second, T. Huxley, Preston Brockhurst. Highly commended : C. Winafield, Ons'ow, Salop. Commended: T. Green, Knockin, Westfelton. Thoroughbred stallion. — First prize, E. Fottlkes, Beatrice- street, Oswestry; second, M. Hulton-Harrop, Pulverbatch. Highly commended : A. P. Lloyd, Shawbury, Shrewsbury. Brood mare and foal, for hunting purposes. — First prize, J. Hill, Felhampton-court, Church Stretton ; second, W. M. Severne, ThenforJ-house, Banbury. Highly commended : J. Pinkney, Dryton, Wroxeter ; B. Bithell, Lees-farm, West- felton. Commended : J. I'rankliu, High-street, Wera. Mare or gelding, for hunting purposes, foaled in 1871. — First prize, R. B. Oswell, Tlielrocke, Ruyton-of-the-eleven- Towns ; second, T. Jones, Red Lion, Shrewsbury. Highly commended: II. M. Hornby, Hanley-house, Shrewsbury. Commended : J. Jones, Robertsford, Salop. Mare or gelding, for hunting purposes, foaled in 1873. — First prize, W. Lawrence, Cautlop, Salop ; second, J. Crane, Calcott, Salop. Highly commended : J. Bowen Jones, Ensdou House, Salop. Commended : R. B. Oswell. Mare or gelding, for hunting purposes, foaled in 1873. — First prize, H. Smith, Ilarnage, Salop ; second, 11. J. Bailey, Rosedale, Tcnbury. Commended : A. t'. Lloyd, Shuwbury, Shrewsbury, Cob, hack, or ro&dster, rot exceeding 15 hands— First' prize, J, Hill, Felhampton Court, Church Stretton ; secoml, Sir C. F. Smythe, Bart., Acton Burneil. Highly coniinended : J. H. Robinson, 59, Mardol-quay, Shrewsbury. Commended: F. Bach, Onibury, Craven Arms. Pony, not exceeding 13 hands. — Fir.st prize, W. Aduns, Radbrook, Shrewsbury; second, J. LoxJale, Kingslird, Shrewsbury. Commeuded : T. U. Lowe, Mardol-quay, Slirewsbury. CATTLE. SHORTHORNS. Bull not under two years old on Jaau-iry 1st, 1875, — First prize, T.Morris, Spring-bank, Welshpool; second and cup, T. Williams, Albrigbtlee, BAlilefield, Silop. Bull above one year and not exceeding t^^o years on January 1st, 1875. — First prize, J. and R. Joaes, Ahlerton and llilley, Salop; second, A. Robotham, Oak-farn', Drajton Bassett, Tamworth. Bull not exceeding twelve months old on JmuRry 1st, 1875.— First prize, E. Meredith, Redoall, West Felton ; second, A. Rohotham. Highly commended and reserved: W. Sherratton, Broom-house, EUesmere. Commended : T. Hur- ley. Preston Brockhurst. Cjw, iu milk or in calf, having produced a calf with'a twelve months. — First prize, A. Robotham; second and cup, W. Nevett, Yorton. liighly commended and reserved : A. Piobo'ham. Pair of heifers, in milk or in calf, not exceeding twelve months old on January 1st, 1875. — First prize, W. Yates, Grindle-house, Shifnal ; second, W- Nevett. Pair of heifers nut exceiding two years old on J.inuary It, 1875. — First prize, S L. 11 orlon. Park-house, Snifual ; second, H. O. \\ ilson. Church Stretton. Pair of heifers not exceeding twelve months old on January 1st, 1875.— First prize, A. Robolham; secfind, G. T. Phillips, Sheriff Hales Minor, Newport. Highly com- mended ; G. Jukes, Beslovv, Wroxeter. IIEREEOKDS. Bull not under'two years old on January 1st, 1875. — First- prize, J. Richards, Green Hall, Llanfjllin; second, R. Dixon, Abbotts Be'.tou. Bull not exceeding two years old on January 1st, 1875. — First and special prize for best bull, T. Bliduleton, Chin, Salop ; second, P. Turner, The Leen, Pembridge. Com.- mended : J. Iniens, Westbury, Sulop. Bull not exeeeiliug twelve months ol) on January 1st, 1875. — First prize, P. Turner; second, E. Liudop, V\ ilstone. Church S retton. Cow, iu milk or in calf, having produced a calf within twelve months. — First and thriC special prizes, T. Rogers, Coxall, Buckuell ; second, R. Tanner, Frodesley, Dorrington. Highly commended : J. Hill, lelhainptoucuurt, Church Stretton. Commended : R. L. Burton, Lougner Hall, Shrewsbury. Pair of heifers, in milk or in calf, not exceeding tliree Jf ar, old on January Ist, 1875. — First prize, P. lurncr; second, J. Crane, Benthal, Salop. Best pair of heifers, not exceeding two j-ears old on January 1st, 1875. — First prize, P. Turner ; second, John Harding, The Greenhouse, Bridgn (Crown Prince). Commended: II.VanNotten Pole, VVaterinoor House Cirencester (General). Cow or heifer in calf or in milk.— First prize, J. R. Ray- mond-Barker Spotless) ; second, ,E. M. Williams, Bibury Court (Rose). Reserved number : J. R. Raymond-Barker (Lemonade). Commended : C. Lawrence, the Querns, Ciren- cester (Mouse and Beauty), BREEDING SHEEP. LONG WOOLS. Shearling ram.— Prize, D; C. Holborow, Scrubbetl's Farm, Cirencester. Highly commended : R. Swanwick, R.A., Col- lege Farm, Cirencester. Ram of any age. — First prize, P,. Swanwick : second, R. Swanwick. Highly commended : 11. Swanwick. Five yearling ewes. — First prize, R. Swanwick ; second, H. E. Raynbird, Basingstoke. SIIORTWOOLS. Shearling ram.— First prize. Sir W. Throckmorton, Bart., Faringdon ; second, Sir W. Throckmoriou. Highly com- mended : C. Chapman, Fi-ocester Court. Ram ofanyage.— First prize. Sir W.Throckmorton; second, H. S. Waller, Farmington. Five yearling ewes.— First prize. Sir W. Throckmorton ; second, H. S. Waller. SHROPSHIRES. Shearling ram.— First prize, J. Pulley, Lower Eaton, Here- ford ; second, J. Pulley. Highly commended : J. Pulley. Pi,am of any age.— First prize, W. Baker, Moor Barns, Hatherstone ; second, T. I'enn, Stonebrook House, Ludlow. Commended : J. Pulley. Five yearling ewes.— First prize, J. Pulley; second, W. Baker, Commended : J. II. Eiwes. PIGS. Berkshire boar under a year o'd.— First prize, II. Hum- phrey, Shrivenham ; second, J. Dove, llarabrook. Com- mended and reserved number : W. Hewer, Sevenharapton, Commended : A. Stewart, Gloucester. Boar of any breed under a year old. — Prize, J. Dove. Berkshire sow under a year old.— First prize, W. Hewer ;. second, W. Hewer. Highly commended and reserve number : R. Swanwick. Commended : A. Stewart. Sow of any breed under a year old.— Prize, J. Dove. Berkshire boar over a year old.— First prize, W. Hewer ; second, A. Stewart. Highly commended and reserved number : II. Humphrey. Boar of any breed over a year old.— First prize, J. Dove ; second, J. Dove. Berkshire sow.— Fiist prize, A. Stewart ; second,«l. Hum- phrey. Commended and reserve : H. Humphrey. Sow of any breed.— First prize, J. Dove ; second, J. Dove. Reserve: J. Raymond-Barker, Fairford Park. Three sow i)igs of the same litter under nine months old. — First prize, A. Stewart ; second. H. Humphrey. Highly commended : J. Dove and W. Hewer. Sow and pigs.— First prize, II. Humphrey; second, A, Stewart. Reserved: H. Humphrey. 178 THE FARMjSE'S MAGAZINE. TJORSiES. CMIT HORSES. Stallion.' — First prize, Messrs. yeoma:i!», Wolvprharaptou ; so :oacl, S. Davis, Woolasliill. Reserved : W. Wynn, Strat- ford-ouAvoii. Mare and foal. — I'irst prize, S. D-ivis; second, G. Nichols, L'liig Ashton, Bristol. Reserved : Lieut.-Col, Loyd Lindsay. Gelding or filly under three y?ars old. — First prize, S. Da is; second, J. Clarke, Cricklade. Reserve: E. Parsons, (Joates, Cirencester. HUNTERS AND ROADSTERS. Stillion for getting hunters or hacks. — First prize, W. West, Cirencester ; second, II. Brovvu, Monkton, near Swin- don. Reserved : Cul. R. Ricliardson-Garduer, M.P., Cowley Manor, Cheltenham. Iliiater of any age. — First prize, E. St. Pierre Clisplin, Lailv)roiigh Park, \Votton-under-E'lse ; second, E. Ernest Lowly, tlie Lodge, Siddington. Highly commended : C. Allen, Cirencester; C. Allen (3); T. 11. Ashton, Temple Langlierne, Worcester; T. 11, Ashton ("2). Reserved: W. R. llolman, Cheltenham. Hunter uuder five years old. — Second prize, G. Edmonds, Eastleacii. Reserved: J. Ratcliffe, Jackharrov Farm, Cirencester. Hack, erinal to 16 stone, not exceeding 15 hands. — First prize, J. Barton, Kemhlc; second, W. Edniouds, Soutlirop. Reserved : Mr. Masters, the Abbey, Cirencester, Hack, equal to 12 stone, not e.xceeding 15 hands. — First prize. Captain Waller, Preston ; second, W, F. Croome, North Cerney House. Reserved : Nevil Cusa, Arapney Crucis. Pony above 12 and not exceeding It hands. — First prize, Mids C. C. Ireland, Cheltenham ; second, T, H. Ashton. Pony not exceeding 12 hands. — First prize, F, J. Morse, Woodmancote, Cirencester ; second, C, A. Jacobs, Clifton. Reserved : E. Ernest Bowly. , CHEESE. Thick cheese, 1 cwt. — First prize, S. M. Harding, Almonds- bnry, .Bristol ; second, S. M. Harding. Reserve : J. Smith, Nupdown Farm, Thornbury, Gloucestershire. Double cheese, 1 cwt. — First prize, T. and 11. Wilkins, Nethercote Farm, Bourton-on-tlie-Water ; second, S. M. Harding. Reserve : G, Harris, Court House Farm, Lower Cam, Dursley, t Thin clieese, 1 cwi. — First prize, 0. Harris; second, A. Neale, Peddiugtou, Berkeley. CLECKHEATON AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. Horses generally form the chief feature, and this year there was an cscelleut entry, uuinbei'iug 203 as against 2U1 last year. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES.— Cattle: J. Knowles, Wakefield; G, Robson, Easingwold. Horses : W. II. Gaunt, Kirk Hammertou ; T. Scott, Ripoii ; J. E. Scriven, Aberford ; J. Kirkby, Stam- ford Bridge, Pigs : P. Eden, Sallbrd ; M. Walton, Hali- fax, Butter : Mrs. Gomersall, Iluusworth. CATTLE. Shorthorn hull, over tvro years old. — First prize, C. W. Brierley, Middletou; second, J. H. Rockelt, Snaith Hall. Shorthorn bull, under two years. — First prize, A. and R. Mann. Thornbill; second, J. Saville, Birstal. Bull calf, under twelve months and over live months. — Prize, J. H. Rockett, Selby. Sliorllioru cow, in calf or milk. — First prize, II. Fawcett, Leeds ; second, J. Rowley, Doneaster. Cow for dairy purposes. — First and second prize, J. Y. Crowther, Mirfield. Two-year-old heifer. — First prize, J. II. Rockett ; second, A. and 11. Mann. One-year-old hei'"er. — First prize, J. H. Rockett ; second, H. Fawcett. Heifer calf, under twelve months. — First prize, B, Fletcher, Yeadon ; second, H. Fawcett. Alderney or Guernsey cow in calf or milk. — First priz.e, J, Wliite, Wliilby ; second, A. llall, Cleckheaton. Two cows for dairy purposes. — First prize, J. F. Crowther ; second, J. Uindell, Leeds. PIGS, Boar, middle breed, any age. — First prize, I. Graham, Leeds ; second, T. Hannan, Leeds. Boar, small breed, any age, — First prize, W, R, Bowditch, W.ikeliiU ; secoiid, J. Hallas, Huddersfield. Store pig, middle breed, any age. — First prize, J, Hallas . second, K. I'latt, Brigliouse, Store pig, siuall breed, any age. — Prize, J. Hallas. Store p'g, for feeding, under twelve months old. — First prize, R. Minikin. Bradlord ; second, J. Hallas, Breeding sow, middle breed, any age. — First prize, T. Holmes, Keighley ; second, W. Rushworth, Idle. Sow and litter, under eight weeks old. — First prize, G. Armitagc, Huddersfield ; second, L. Tiiornton, Huddersfield. Store jiig, middle breed. --First prize, J. Copperthwaite, Cleckiieatou ; second, S. Drake, Scholes. Store pig, any breed, — F'irst prize, J. Copperthwaite ; second, 5. Drake. HORSES. One-year-old draught colt or filly. — First and second prize, J. F. Crowther. One-year-old draught colt or filly. — First prize, J. M, Stott, Brighcuse ; second, E. Fearnsides, Netliertou Hall. Two-year-old roadster gelding or filly, — First prize, B. Roberlshaw, Great Goraersal ; second, S. F. Wriggles worth, Gumersal. Two-year-old draught gelding or filly. — First prize, E. Haley, AUerton ; second, W. Charlesvvorth, Netherton, Three-year-old draught geldiug or filly. — First prize, T. W. Waterhouse, Apperley Bridge j second, Clayton and Speight, Gildersorae. Three-year-old roadster gelding or filly, — First prize, \V Sadler, Leeds ; second, 11. Fawcett. Agricultural brood mare and foal. — First prize, G. Sm'th, Middlestowu ; second, lleckmondwike Manulactunug Co, Roadster mare and foal. — First prize, T. F. Firlh, lleck- mondwike ; second, J. M. Stott. Agricultural horse or mare, not to exceed IG hands. — First prize, R. Crawshaw, lleckmondwike ; second, J. P. Crowther, Mirfield, Draught horse or mare. — First prize, R, Crawshaw ; second, C, W, Brierley, Middleton, Carriage horse or mare, — First prize, Mrs. J. Crossley, Halifax; second, T, E, Morrell, Rotherham. Pair of draught horses. — First prize, R, Crawshaw, Heck- mondwike ; second, J, F. Crowtiier. Pony under 13^ hands, mare or gelding. — First prize, S. Scarborough, Halifax ; second, J, G. Hey, Cleckheaton. Cob 141 hands iiigh or under, — First prize, T. Mitchell, Bowling Park ; second, R. Y Glodhill, Bradford. Lady's pad. — Fir.st prize, J. Ackroyd, Harrogate ; second, E. Ctiarlesworth, Bradford. Best groomed draught horse, and gears kept in the best ccndition. — First prize, W. Atkinson and Son, Cleckheaton ; second, lleckmondwike Manufacturing Company. Roadster 15^ hands or uuder. — First prize, A. Mitchell ; second, E. Charlesworth. Mare or gelding exceeding 14 hands, to be snown in harness and trap. — First prize, T. Slat ter, Manchester; second, Mrs. J. Crossley. Mare or gelding not exceeding 14 hands, to be shown in harness and trap. — First prize, T. Mitchell, Bradford; second, R.Y. Gledhill. Blood stallion.— First prize, J. H. Wright, North Rigton ; second, W. Sugden, Brigliouse, Roadster stallion. — First prize, E. Clarkson, Silsden ; second, E. Taylor, Braniham. Diiaught stallion. — First and second prize, J. 1'. CrowtliBC, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 17D CORK AGEICULTURAL SOCIETY. The summer show was held on 'Wednesday in the Ct rn Market, and, taken as a whole, probably the most successful exhibition this Society has had since its for- mation, llaviug come to an arrangement with the Com- mittee of the Cork and South of Ireland dog show, to hold both meetings at the same time end place, with an equal division of the receipts, tlie promoters of the Agri- cultural Society have not the slightest reason to suppose they inade anything else but an excellent and highly profitable bargain. Favoured with a day of great brilliancy, one oi the finest of the season, the County and City of Cork poured in to see an exhibition which, amougst its other attractions, numbered no less than 450 dogs of every size and breed, froin the tiniest lady's pet to the formidable mastiff and Newfoundland. During the fashionable hours the crush at the gates was immense, and such was the anxiety of the fair visitors to get in to such a novel exhibition, that even with three entrances, it was impossible to take the money fast enough to clear the crowd. People from a distance who were unfortunate enough to have to leave early to catch a train, could only get out by special favour of a money taker, who might for a few moments stop his duty to favour tlieir exit. The exhibition of Shorthorns was decidedly the weak part of an otherwise good show, the entries in some of the sections consisting solely of the prize animals. lu the aged class for bulls there were but two entries, the first place being taken by Mr. McDonnell, of Water-park, Cerrigaline, with his bull Prince of the Blood, bred by Mr. Downey, of Fermoy, an animal possessed of great substance, and, at the same time, rare quality. Although having served a dairy of over seventy cows, he was in very nice condition, and looked active and spirited enough to last for an indefinite number of years, liy the bulk of the farmers present this animal was considered the finest Shorthorn in the yard. In the two-year-old section, which consisted of four entries, Mr. IMarmaduke C. Cramer, Kathraore Kinsale, took the first prize with his well-known bull. Double Crown, bred by Wm.T. Crosbie, of Ardfort Abbey, Tralee, an animal with a grand nxiddle and deep thighs, his only fault being a somewhat coarse shoulder, lie was in superb condition, presenting not the slightest appearance of having been at all harassed with the duties devolving on him during the past summer. The second prize in this class went to Mr. Valentine Mairis Rosemouut, Farren, for his bull May Boy, an animal of faultless quality, but singularly small and unshapely. Sir George C. Colthurst took first prize with the greatest ease in the yearling class, with Victor, a level, nice animal, beautifully brought out, and a credit to his breeder, Mr. II. L. Barton Straffan. This bull also took the Fifty- guinea Challenge Cup. The second prize in this class was taken by Mr. Wm. G ood Farren with a rather promising bull, bred by Mr. Crosbie, of Ardfort, taking also the Tenant-farmers' Challenge Cup. In section four, devoted to bull-calves, six animals were shown, all by famed breeders — Mr. Frank's, VVestfield, Jlouutrath, aud Mr. Massey, of Mount Massej', Macroom, dividing the honours. A few good animals in the class of Sbort- horued cows in milk were shown, most of them, however, being rather out of condition ; Mr. Gumbletou, Glena- tore, Carryglass, taking first place with a useful cow. Lady of the Valley, and Mr. C. Cramer second with a rather sweet, though not large cow. Maid of Orwell. lu the remaining sections there was nothing worthy of special remark, with the exception of that lor yearling heifers ; Caplaia Cosby, ijtradbally Hall, Queen's County, taking the first prize with a splendidly brought out animal of rare breediug and beauty. This animal was a great centre of attraction. There was no competition further than the two animals which gained first and second prizes, the latter being taken by i\lr. Arthur J. Campbell, Fermoy, for a very nice heifer, but wonder- fully plain in the vicinity of her magnificent rival. Tbo Ayrshire sections call for no particular comment, and indeed were scarcely worthy of notice, as this breed was but indilferently represented, both as to numbers and quality. The Shorthorn being now the breed par cj-'cellefice of the South of Ireland, it is quite time that the prizes for Ayrshire cattle were swept from the pre • mium sheet. The dairy cows, shown in lots of three, of any breed or cross breed, made up a most inviting section, probably one of the most useful and interesting to practi- cal men in the whole yard, as two tests were to be apj)lied — viz., the milking quality by actual measurement in pre- sence of the judges, and suitability for feeding pur- poses when done with the dairy. Those shown were mostly all half or three-quarter bred Shorthorns, and were with but few exceptions splendid specimens of the modern milch cow. The prizes went to Messrs. M'Donnell Carrigaline, Ahem Blarney, and Michael Furrest Blarney in the order here given. In the classes for the sheep the sections were but moderately filled, yet each was represented by first-class animals, some of the Downs being trimmed in a style not unworthy of the great master of the art — John Day. The entries for horses amounted for all classes to 108, aud as regards live stock was far and away the strongest leature of the show, la stallions scarcely any new horse appeared, and the prizes were as nearly as possible awarded to the same who won at the spring show, Mr. Power Kosskeen, Mallow, leading with Beauvaleiu the thoroughbred section, and Mr. Walter Irvine taking both the first and second prizes, as well as the Meade Garde Challenge Cup, value fifty sovereigns, with his horses Billy's the Boy and Young Champion in the section for cart stallions. In no class for horses waa there so much improvement discernible as in that for young draught horses, an improvement solely attributable to the Clydesdale blood so largely used in crossing during the past few years. In the brood mare class for pro- ducing weight-carrying hunters, some useful animals were shown, and some very clever animals in competition for Lord Doneraile's and the President's prizes. In im- plements and ma3hiuery every firm in the city exhibited, rendering this department a most interesting one alike to the farmer and those who visited the show as a mere sight. Although there was very little really new, yet the engines aud other machinery in motion were so beautifully got up, the work on the thrashing machines bo vrell finished, and the whole so well arranged for the safety aud comfort of visitors that this part of the show almost rivalled the attractions of the adjacent dog show. The principal exhibitors were Messrs. Mackenzie and Sous Limited), Smith Brothers, Ilartlaud, and O'Douuell. MR. CHARLES HOWARD'S OXFORD DOWN RAMS, AT BiDDEJJHAM, BEDrOKD, ON FlUDAY, JULY 30. — This was a most satisfactory sale, the sixty sheep otfered aver«giag.£17 2s. 6d. The higliest price, 5G gs., was given liy Mr. K. Fliipps, of Northamiiton, and other rams were pur- chased for Russia, Poland, Denmark, Germany, Holland, and Belgium. ISO THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. MALTON AND APPLETON AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. The tliirJ annual eliow of the amalgamated ^lalton aud Appleton Agricultural Societies was held on Tuesday at Appletou-le-Street, near Malton. The show of the Society was last year at Malton ; and independently of the fact that Malton seems to be the raoer popular, the approach of the Yorkshire show at DrifTield would no doubt deter some of the exhibitors from appearing on Tuesday. The entries in the various classes were : Horses 289, sheep 33, cattle 32, pigs 32— total 385. Tlieexeellcnt turn-out of horses was without doubt the feature of the show. Horses for agricultural purposes were very largely represented. A number of fine animals were shown in the class " pair of agricultural horses." The first place was taken by two blacks, belonging to Mr. W. Smith, High Mowthorpe. The hunters were the finest .show on the ground, and the class for four-year-olds espe- cially good. Eventually the first prize of £13, given by the President, was awarded to First Commissioner, a bay, belonging to Mr. R. Metcalfe, Malton, with Mr. C. Rose, of Norton, second. The show of cattle was very limited, and little can be said for the quality of the stock. The class of heifers between one and two years old was th,e best. The show of sheep aud pigs was good, and equal to any of the previous exhibition. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES. — Hunters and Hacks : — Eorster, Burradon, Morpeth; J. Hall, Sedgfteld, Durham; — Gauat, Old Thorneville, Kirkhararaertoa. CoACiimo and Agricul- tural : J. Crowtlier, Mirfield ; E. Godfrey, Thealby, Brigg; — Kirby, Burton Fields. Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs -. J. Kirby, Skirpenbeck ; W. Brown, Hohne-on Spalding-Moor ; J.Outhwaite, Bainesse. HORSES. Hunting colt foal. — First prize, G. Lovel, Norton ; second, T. Cattle, South Holme. Hunting filly foal, — First prize, R. Hicks, Cawton ; second, 1). W. Robertson, Pickering. Coaching colt or filly foal. — First prize, G. Hopper, Yed- mandale, Ayton ; second, F. Coulson, Castle Howard. Roadster colt or filly foal.— First prize, T. G. Mallory, Great Habton ; second, S. Campion, Thorpebasset. Agricultural colt or filly foal. — First prize, J. and C. Sollitt, Menuithorpe ; second, J. Smith, Riseborough. Yearling coaching gelding or filly. — First prize, J.Wood, Pari House, Gilling ; second, T. Stamper, Highfield. Yearling roadster gelding or filly. — First prize, W. and C Harrison, Bossall; second, J. Richardson, Pickering Marishes Yearling agricultural gelding or filly. — First aud second prizes, F. C. Lett, Howsham. Two-year-old hunting gelding. — First prize, W. Muzgen, South Holme ; second, J. Welburn, Scackleton. Two-year-old hunting filly. — First prize, J. Simpson, Win- tringhara ; second, W. Muzeen. Two-year-old coaching gelding or filly. — First prize, Hon. C. Buncombe, Nawton ; second, J. Wood. Roadster gelding or filly. — First prize, J. F. Fearby, Lep- pington ; second, W. and C. Harrison. Two-year-old agricultural gelding or filly. — First and second prizes, W. Smith, High Mowthorpe. Three-year-old hunting gelding. — Prize, J. Simpson, Wintringliam. Three-year-old hunting filly. — First prize, S. B. Robson, Ganton ; second, W. Muzeen. Three-year-old coaching gelding or filly. — First prize, R. Milner, Ryton ; second, J. Miles, West Heslerton. Three-year-old agricultural gelding or filly. — First prize, H. Lawson, Sutton-ou-Forest ; second, T. Stamper, Highfield. Brood mare, with foal at foot, for hunting purposes. — First prize, IL Watson, Filey ; second, D. W. Robertson, Pickering. Brood mare, with foal at foot, for agricultural purposes, — First prize, J. Rouke, Farliugton ; stcoud, W, S. GoftOD, Wlurram Percy. Brood mare, with foal at foot, for coaching purposes. — First priz ■, F. Coulson, Castle Howard ; second, G. Hopper, Ayton. Brood mare, with foal at foot, for roadster purposes. — First prize, T. G. Mallory, Great Habton ; second, S. Campion, Thorpebasset. Pony, not exceeding 14 hands. — First prize, E. Binniugton, North Dalton Wold ; second, iM. Welburn, Fylingdales. Pony, not esceedius 12 hands. — First prize, F. Newton, Norton ; second, Sir C. Strickland, Eildenley. Four-year-old hunting gelding or filly. — First prize, R. Metcalfe, Malton ; second, C. Rose, Norton. Five-year-old hunting gelding or filly, to jump hurdles to the satisfaction of the judges. — First prize, R. Barker, Malton ; second, H. Jewison, llaistborpe. Yearling hunting gelding or filly. — First prize, J. P. Crompton, Burton Agnes ; second, W. Muzeen, South Holme. Lady's hack. — First prize (piece of plate), J. Welbun., Scackleton ; second, R. Barker, Malton. Gentleman's hack. — First prize (cup). Sir G. Wonibwell, Newburgh Park ; second, J. Snarry, Malton. Pair of agricultural horses, mares or geldings, regularly worked by a tenant-farmer, having been used exclusively for farming purposes. — First prize, W. Smith, High Mowthorpe; second, A. Wilson, Swinton. Foal, colt or filly, by Black Douglas. — First prize, J, Honlden, Langton ; second, W. Weatherhill, North Grimstou. Foal, colt or filly, by Blooming Heather or Wellington.— First prize, T. Bradshaw, Amotherby ; second, J. Shaw, Stockindale. Foal, colt or filly, by George Osbaldeston. — First prize, F. Coulson, Castle Howard ; second, G. Lovel, Norton. Foal, colt or filly, by Little John. — First prize, T. Robson, Marishes; second, A. Wilson, Swinton. CATTLE. Bull, over one and under two years old. — First prize, W. and C. Harrison, Bossall ; second, G. Oliver, Old Maltcn. Bull, under twelve months old. — W. Smith, High Mow- tliorpe; second, T. Stamper, Highfield. Cow, in calf or in milk. — First prize, T. Stamper ; second, J. Key, Musley Bank. Heifer, over two and under three years old. — W. Smith ; second, W. Scoby, Barugh. Heifer, over one and under two years old. — First prize, G. Scoby, Nawton ; second, T. Stamper. Heifer, under twelve months old. — First prize, J. Snarry, Sledmere ; second, 11. Garbutt, Araplefortli. Fat bullock, any age or breed, within a radius often miles of Appletonle Street. — First prize, J. Key; second, F. Coates, Little Habton. Bull, of any age. — First prizs, W. Snith; second, F. Coulson. SHEEP. Aged ram. — First prize, T. Sadler ; second, W. Coverdale, Nawton. Shearling ram. — First and second prizes, W. Coverdale. Pen of five gimmer shearlings. — First prize, J. Key, Musley Bauk ; second, W. S. Lovel, Kuapton. Pen of five gimmer lambs. — First prize, Mrs. Webster, Allerston Marishes ; second, R Tarbotton, Cawton. Pen of five wether lambs. — First prize, F. Coates, Little Habton ; second, Mrs. Webster. Extra stock.— First prize, W. Coulson, Gatherley ; second, J. Key. Pen of five ewes that have suckled lambs up to July 1st. — First prize, W, S. Lovel ; second, R. Tarbotton. PIGS. Sow, middle breed. — First prize, W. Boyes, Sliugsby ; second, J. Graham, Leeds. Boar, middle breed. — First prize, J. Graham ; second, G. Sedgwick, York. Sow, small breed. — First prize, T. Nicholson, York ; second, J. Graham. Boar, small breed. — First prize, G. Sedgwick ; second, T. Nesficld, Norton. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 181 Tliree store pigs. — Firat aud second prizes, T. Cattle, Sjuth Holme. C'ottyger's pig, rent under X12 per annum. — First prize, J. Bradlt-y, Swiutou Gatehouse ; second, W. Horner, Norton. SHEEP SALES AND LETTINGS. MR. NEWTON'S JlAMPSHIllE KAMS at Doo- BEAN.— The average of tlie 17 lambs let was £20 2s. 8d., the highest price was 7igs., another 50 gs., and a tliird 45 gs. 83 rani-lambs were then sold, and produced an average of £12 I'Js. lOJ., the average of the 40 being £1 5 18s. 8d. IVu lambs were bonglit by J\Ir. Tanner, M;irlborough--viz., at 26 gs, 20 gs., I'Jigs., 19 gs., 17i gs., 17 gs., IG^ gs., 14-.^ gs., aud 14 gs. Tiie average of the lUO raiu-lambs let and sold was £14 3s. 9d. Eight two-tooth and four-tooth rams were then let and sold at lower priees. MR. BUSUBY'S SOUTHDOWNS AT RUSTING- TON, BY MR. TUORNTON.— The first two lots were wether lambs, bought by Mr. Gates, Steyniiig, at 52s., and Mr. Hazeldine, of Godstone, at 4Ss. The other slieep sold as follows : E've lambs 45s. to 47s., three pens of ten ; breeding ewes 50-i. to 63s., ten pens of five ; ram lambs for letting, 8gs. aud lOgs. (two). Rams for sale : AVanderer, 4 years old, lO^gs., to Mr. Hampton of Applesham. Mr. Stapley, of Aunuigton, bought a two-year old ram at 6gs. Of the sliearlitigs offered (19), Mr. R. Hare (Steyuing), bought one at 20gs. and another 12g3. The others realised I rom 8gs, to 13g3. Tiie ram lambs (34) sold at from 8gs. to 172KS- MR. BUDU'S UAMPSllIRES, AT HATCHWARREN, BY MR. J. HARRIS. — The six two teeth sheep averaged £2t 6s. 6d., the single four-tooth made £42 ; and the 154 lambs averaged £11 Ss., the average of the whole being £12 Is. 6d. MR. AYLMER'S LONG WOOLS AT WEST DERE- HAM. — The lambs fetched £813 15s., or an average of £8 2s. 9d. Altogether, the shearlings realised £1,231, or an average of £15 17s. 7d. For two or three of the lots there was some brisk competition, the premier price being 40 guineas, given by Mr. Byrne, of New Zealand, who also purchased one at 33 guineas. Mr. Lane, of Gloucester, had one knocked down to liim for 30 guineas, the like sum being paid for another by Mr. Pickerall of America, Lord Dudley becoming a hirer at 25j guineas. The highest price obtaiiird for a two shear was 14j guineas, Mr. J. Aylmer being the liirer, and with an average of £10 Is. 6d. the sum realised for the ten ottered was £100 15s. The total proceeds amounted toi'2,145 10s. MR. GEORGE TURNER'S LEICESTER RAMS AT THORPELANDS, NORTHAMPTON, by LrinALL and Clarke. — The highest price obtained was for a shearling which started at 15 guineas, was quickly run up at 5 guineas a bid, and finally knocked down to Jlr. Wilkins, to be sent to New Zealand, for the large sum of 120 guineas. The lowest price was 8 guineas, given in several instances. The aggregate amount of the 34 lots was £616 6s. 6d., the average price being £18 2s. 6|d. Shearling rams to let: Lot 1, 15 guineas, Mr. Pulver, Broughton. Lot 3, 21 guineas, first prize at Croydon and third at R.A.S., Taunton, Mr. Potter, Yellowford, Thorneaton, Devonshire. Lot 3, not let. Lot 5, 21 guineas, Mr. T. Harris, Stouy-lane, Bromsgrove. Lot 6, SJ- guineas, Mr. Pell, Billing. Lot 7, H^ guineas, Mr. I'ulver. Lot 8, 8 guineas, Mr. Stone, Durston. Lot 9, S^ guineas, Mr. Campion. Lot 10, 8 guineas, Mr. Pell. Two- siiear rams to be let: Lot 11, 34 guineas. Mi. Earl, Barton. Lot 12, 26 gs., first prize a- R.A.S. at Bedford, first at Bristol, first aud Challenge Cup at the Royal Irish in 1874, first and Cliampion Prize at Croydon in 1875, second at Grimsby, Mr. Painter, Burghley. Lot 13, 13 guineas, second prize as a shearling at R.A.S. at Bedford, and first at Grantham, Mr. Hopkins, Moulton. Lot 14, 20 guineas, first prize at Leices- ter, 1874, Mr. Walrasley, Yorkshire. Three-shear ram to be let: Lot 15, 20 guineas, second prize at R.A.S. at Bedford, first at Grantham, second at SheOield in 1874, second at Croydon, and third at R.A.S. at Taunton, Mr. Eirl. Sliear- ling rams sold: Lot 4, 120 guineas, second prize at Taunton R.A.S., Mr. Wilkin, New Zealand. Lot 16, 23 guineas, second prize at Croydon, Mr. Bradshaw, Wakerley. Lot 17, 28 guineas, Mr, Brydon, Australia. Lot IS, 3i guineas, Mr. Nelson, Cumberland. Lot 19, 9^ guineas, Mr. Mann, Seawby, Lot 20, 12 euineas, Mr. Potter. Lot 21, 11 guineas, Mr. liichiugs, Wolverton. Lot 22, 8 guineas, Mr. Shaw, Fradby. Lot 23, 27 guineas Mr. Brydon. Lot 24, 9 guineas, Mr. Mann. Lot 25, 8 guineas, Mr. Lewin, Brington. Lot 26, 8 guineas, Mr. Sanders, lledgford. Lot 27, 9 guineas, Mr. Nelson. Lot 28, 8^ guineas, Mr. Pliipps, Towcester. Two- shear rams for sale : Lot 29, 9 guineas, Mr. Stone. Lot 30, 10 guinens, !Mr. llawkes, Ecton. Three-shear rams for sale : Lot 31, 8 guineas, Mr. Barton, Bargley. Lot 32, 10 guineas, ]\Ir. Dexter, Seckington, Tarawortii. Lot 33, 9^ guineas, third prize at R.A.S. E. at Hull, Mr. Lewis. Lot 3t, 11 gui- neas, Mr. Berry, Stoke Golding. Lot 35, 10^ guineas, Mr. Walker, Moulton Lodge. OXFORD HAM FAIR.— Thirteen Cotswold ram lambs, bred by and the property of Mr. W. H. GiUett, of Southleigh, averaged £6 8s., the highest price realised being 10 guineas, and the lowest 4- guineas. Eight Cotswold shearling rams, the property of Mr. S. Smith, of Somerton, sold at an average of £13 ISs 6d., the highest price obtained being 24^ guineas, and the lowest 8| guineas. Six Cotsvm)Id ram lambs, the property ol Mr. H. Akers, of Black Bourton, near Bampton, fetched an average of £4 14s. Cd. Tlie best price realised was 5 J guineas, and the lowest 4 guineas. Messrs. T. and S. G. Giliett, of Kilkenny, Brize-Norton, had nine Cotswold shearling rams, vv'hich fetched from 11^ to 7i guineas, ave- raging £9 6s. 6d. Five rams, belonojug to ]N[r. E. Morley, of Brize-Norton, averaged £6 10s. Tiie highest sum realised was 7 1 guineas, and the lowest 5-^- guineas. SALE OF Mr. G. M. SEXTON'S PIGS, at Wiierstead, IrswiciJ, ox Friday, July 30, by Mr. Grijiwade.— Black sows were first taken, and the first lot offeied was Lady Love, in pig, the sow which took first honours at the Royal and Norfolk shows, and second at Stowmarket and Croydon ; she quickly went up to 20 guineas, and at 21 guineas was sold to Mr. Lang, of Mancombe, Heubury, Bristol. The highest price for a black sow was, singularly enough, made by the sow placed second to Lady Love at Taunton and Fakenhara^ and first at the Essex show. She ran up to 25 guineas, the purchaser being Mr. Steward, of Rice Hall, Akeuham. Mr. Steward bought another prize-winner, a young eiglit months sow, for 14 guineas, and Mr. II. Biddell secured one at 12 guineas. Other lots were knocked down to Mr. Keeble (Stutton), Mr. Codling (Lincolnshire), Mr. J. Smith (Liver- pool), Mr. Westoby (Sudburv), Mr. Hicks (Felsteau), jMr. II. Spurling, Mr. S. Wolton, Mr. D. Smith (for the Duke of Hamilton), Mr. Durham, Mr. Ruthven (Longfield, near Liver- pool), Mr. F.H. Everett (Sudbourne), Mr.T. Pettitt (Friston), Mr. II. Palmer (Bramford), Mr. Risin?, Mr. J. A. Hempsoii, Mr. Clay den (EUough Hall, Beccles), Mr. F. Grimwade (Had- leigh). The black boars came next, commencing with a rather uoted two-year-old boar. Holy Friar, the winner of several prizes, which went at 16 guineas to Mr. Lang. Galopin, a young boar, which was first both at Stowmarket and Taunton, also fell to Mr. Lang. Other boars were secured by Mr. II. Biddell, Mr. S. AVolton, the Earl of Portsmouth, tlie Duke of Hamilton, Mr. Codling, Messrs. W. Everett and Son (ilut- ford Bridge), Mr. Mutton (Brighton), the Countess of Ayles- ford, Capt. Hammond, Mr. W. Gurdon (Brantham Court), Mr. Steward. The whites followed, but tlie biddings were not nearly so brisk as for the blacks. Pure Small, a sow which was first in the Sufi'olk aud Essex shows aud secoivd at the [Royal, made 20^ guineas, and a Croydon prize-winner made 17 guineas. The others went at 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 guineas. Kenealy, the son of Disturbance and grandson of Bombast, the auctioner said was the best white boar in England, but the top bid was 25 guineas, the purchaser being Lord Morton. Other prices made were not large. Amongst the buyers of white pigs were, besides Lord Morton, Mr. J. Taylor (I'urwell, Ilitchin), Rev. H. L. Maud (Assingtou), Mr. J. Bryant, Lord Stafford, Mr. G.H. Spooner, Mr. Fisher(Market Ilarborough), Mr. B. Allen, Mr. G. Goldsmith (Sapiston), Mr. M. Biddell, ISh. Dodd (for Mr. J, Berncrs), Mr. II. Garrett. The pigs as a whole realised £1,070, the average working out a trifle over £9 apiece. Black sows sold best, averaging 10 guineas apiece. Black boars averaged 9j guineas; white sows, 8 guineas ; aud white boars, 7 guineas each. 182 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. THE EAST LOTHIAN AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. STBA.M CULTIVATION. At the monthly meeting at Haddington, Mr. Wyllie Bolton in the chair, Mr. Stein (Broorahousf) said he did uot expect to be called upon to open the discussion, for he took up this question of steam cultivation two or three years ago pretty much as a hobby, and naturally he had become interested as an owner of steam tackle. He left it to others to speak of its advantages, and said he would refer to some of the difficulties standing in Ids way as an owner of steam tackle. In many cases the gates of fields were too small to admit the engines and imple- ments, much valuable time being wasted in consequence, and he suggested that this subject should be kept iu view when- ever opportunity occurred. Another serious obstacle was the sraallness of some of the fields, and the crooked fences, which put olT an enormous ^eal of time. Farmers were aware how much time was put off with common horse ploughs when ihey were in short cuts ; but with steam the difliculty vras still greater. Landfast stones also formed an obstacle, and he suggested that those who employed steam power should either remove the earthfast stones vt'hen they were discovered, or mark the place, so that the boulders might be taken out before the steam plough went over the land again. There was no doubt that the question ultimately came to be at what cost laud could he cultivated by steam ; and, for his own part, he said that if they took away the risks of breaking 58. or 10s. worth of shares, or £20 or £30 worth of machinery, and leav- ing a man idle for a week, they left a margin on the price of the work. It was no uucoraraon thing to get a rope of the value of £50 or £G0 broken by a stone which might easily have been removed, and, for fear of such breakages, the tackle was often made to do far less work than it was capable of accomplishing. Mr. IloBEETSON (New Mains) said : Is steam cultivation in its present advanced state to be brought to bear upon agricul- ture with advantage ? Upon this I think there can be but one opinion. There will upon this as upon every new improve- ment introduced be diversities of opinion, all of which may in the estimation of one or other appear tenable and worthy of consideration. I will endeavour to draw your attention to some practical results that had come under my own observa- tion Expense of cultivating an imperial acre : Horse labour ploughing an acre, 153. ; hiring at present rates by the acre. 16s. 8d. ; baby engines by the acre, 9s. 8d. ; large engines by the acre, 9s. 3d. You will perceive the large engines do the workclieapest. You will naturally ask me to show you how I arrive at these figures. I will eudeavour to show yon. In horses an imperial acre per day on an average is a fair day's work ; I tlierefore take a man and a pair of horses at lbs. ; present rate of hiring by the acre, 128. ; to this add coals per acre, Ss. 7d. ; water and attendance per acre, Is. Id. — 16s. 8d. Two lar^e engines and five ploughs will turn 8j acres per day. Cost: Two tons of coals at ITs., £1 lis. ; two enginemen, one steeringman, 4s. 6d., IBs. 6d. ; one assistant, 4s. ; horse and man in attendance with water, Ts. 6d. ; tear-and-wear of machinery, &c., Ss. 6d. per acre, 2l8. lOd. — total, £4 Os. lOd. ; equal, per acre, to 93. 3d. Baby engines, with four-furrow ploughs, will turn seven acres per day. Cost: One-and-half tons coals, 253. 6d. ; two enginemen, one steersman, at 4s. 6d. per day, 13s. 6d. ; one assistant, 4s. ; horse and man in attendance with water, 7s. Gd. ; tear-and-wtar of machinery, Ss. 6d. per acre ; seven acres, 17s. 6d. — total, £3 8s. ; equal, per acre, to 9s. 8d. You will perceive by these details how 1 have arrived at the cost per acre ; how far I am correct, however, is for your consideration. Should your views, however, nearly agree with mine these statements will show the great advan- tage of steam in one's own possession as compared with hiring it. You will naturally enough, however, say in hiring by the day, I have no outlay for machinery ; this I admit, but I meet that by allowing the tackle to go 200 days in a year, ploughing six acres per day, which, at 2s. 6d. an acre, will leave a balance for outlay and keeping machinery in order of £150 per annum, and even admitting you to put 28. 6d. more on this head to each acre would double this amount to £300. Even with that balance, we should have laud plouglied with large class for lis. 9d., and with the small engines for I2s. 2d., while Unf hiring cost 168. 8d., and horses lbs. I have no hesitation iu saying.from what I have seen of the baby engines in operation,, they are every way the most snitable for individual farmers. I may state, I along with others, this week, had an opportu- nity of seeing two of these engines at work in this county, and I am sure I speak the sentiments of Mr. Smitli (Seveuson Mains), Mr. Skirving (Luffnes.-) and ]Mr. Tweedie (Coateit), when I say they did their work adiriratjly, while iu the cost price there is a saving like £500 ; the l-irge class of engines costing £1,700, and the smnll £1,200. They have also thi» advantage, from their mode of construction they can be turned into traction engines very simply, and, being lesi in size, can be turned in less space, and are in every way capa- ble of driving thrashing machinery, ihus doing away with the expense of another engine for that purpose, which so far saves- outlay. My impression is by having command of these engines on a farm of six pair of horses you could dispense with three pairs, which would be a saving of something like £300 a year. You will observe when I make this calculation 1 only do away with the horses, not the men — the raeu being required for carrying on the operations with the steam tackle. I may state that besides land being cultivated cheaper by steam than liorse labour it is done more effectually. I by no means con- sider ploughing beyond 8 or 9 inches any benefit, but the reverse ; beyond that depth I would racoraraend grubbing ta the depth of 18 inches, if posible, as I consider that mode of cultivating more beneficial than too deep ploughing. By steam you can break the pan or crust to a deptii which cannot prac- tically be done by horse labour, thus allowing the water, when a. heavy rainfall, to penetrate more easily into the soil,and allowing the plants in case of very dry weather to shoot dowu their roots for moisture, which cannot be done through tliis hard underlaid strata. I am of opinion the day is not far distant when steam cultivation will take the front rank in our. agricultural progression ; that the change we have near in prospect we cannot at present see with that expansion of view we ere long will be enabled to do. There is also another advantage in steam power, if idle it requires no feeding as is the case with horses; also, more work can be overtaken in a limited time. One objection to steam tackle is the pressure of the power-wheel consolidating the subsoil to some extent,, which I consider injurious on tenacious subsoils. This I pointed out to Mr. Greig, the energetic representative o-f Eowler and Co., the other day. I also sta'ed I thought by fixing a grubber tooth behind the wheel before the plough fills in the furrow, one on each side, with a lever ta put out or in at pleasure, would relieve the pressedsoil, in passing through it. Also another obstacle in steam ploughing for a time, before being taken out, is land boulders^ which should, as far as possible, be taken out, as in the pre- sence of these, speed has been reduced, besides the great risk of breakage which often occurs through this cause — a great advan- tage. Harrowing with steam power as compared to horses is the great speed that can be attained with safety, thus causing the land to fall by the harrows much more freely, and the treading of the horses' feet is avoided, which is a great cons'- deration, especially in autumn, when putting in wheat seed. There is another thing 1 should like to see introduced in steam cultivation — viz., the attaching of Crosskill rolling, which I would consider quite practicable and of immense benefit. Mr. Smith, factor (Whiftingham) asked Mr. Robertsott whether his statement about dispensing with three pairs of horses on a farm of six pairs, by the use of these engines, was merely hypothetical, or was he aware of its being carried out practically by any farmer in this county or any other county f If a farmer could reduce his horse supply to the extent men- tioned, and overtake his work in spring, harvest and other parts of the year seasonably, it was a really important consideration ; but what they had to consider was what had been done, and not what any one supposed might be accomplished. Mr. Robertson said there had as yet been none of the baby engines and sets employed by a farmer iu the county ; THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 18' tut hif pxperience led liim to believe that the saving he had rererred to could be accomplished. Mr. Harvey (Whittinghara Mains) did not think the horse supply could be reduced by one-half in that county by tlie aid of steam power. Steam rultivation was a very pood tbiug in its way, but waa well it adapted for seed furrow P [A member: "Oh! yes."] lie believed highly in &team cullivation on strong land, and he believed the steam engine of moderate power and moderate price would yet be (he pioneer of agri- culture in Scotland. They could not expect to do everything about the farm by steam ; but it would be a great matter for a farmer to have it at bis command. Some years ago double- furrow ploughs were all the rage ; but he would like to know liow many of them were now in use. Wliile he did not believe that the number of horses could be reduced by one-half, he thought the occupants of strong clay farms were helpless individuals without the adjunct of steam. Mr. Jenkixson (Kidlaw) thouglit Mr. Stein might have included level fields among the requisites for successtul culti- vation. On hilly and steep land such as his, a great deal of ills steam power was no advantage. The ploughing by steam of one field of 25 acres last year cost him £18. It would have been cheaper with horses. It cost him IBs. 6d. per acre for the bare ploughing, not including coal or driving water, and 18s. to grub and harrow, and that did not include the ploughing up ol the head rigs. Mr. I'aton (Standiugstaup) remarked that a great deal could be said both for and against steam power. On heavy clay lands it was a great advantage, and will be more exten- sively used there than it has been, but upon light lands farmers could plough quite as efficiently and cheaper with horses than with steam. What had given a great impetus to the use of steam ou the farm was the great rise in the price of horses in recent years. If they could buy horses at £30 or £40, as they could have done several years ago, they would have heard less word about steam at the present time. He had employed steam onco or twice, but he could not altogether say success- fully. If they could get it in dry weather in autumn, it was very good, but with the general condition of the land in the short winter day steam cultivation often did more harm than good. One fault of steam was that it often went too deep, and took up a poor subsoil. Ou lightish land crops, as a rule, had been better after horse cultivation than after steam plough- ing. Tlien, unless they had coals quite at hand, there was a great deal of horse labour iu keeping coals and water to the engines. In spring if they employ steam power and have not horse power enough to harrow or crush down the newly- cultivated land, much moisture escaped, and in such a dry county as theirs a braird was then not easily got. His men complained of the land being more difficult to plough after being worked by steam than before. He thought that strange and scarcely possible, but he tried the plougli himself and found that it was so. Tne reduction of the horse supply to the extent of three pairs ia every six did not appear to bun to be practicable. On a farm of that size three pairs would not accomplish the cutting and leading in harvest. There were many things about the farm which one would like to do with horses and could not manage with steam. Unless the cost to begin with was reduced to nearly one-half, or unless two or three farmers could arrange for a set between them, lie did not see that the smaller farmers would invest extensively in steam tackle for general use ou their holdings. Moreover, a skilled engineer would have to be employed with every set. It would be a great advantage, no doubt, for occupants of clay farms to have good engines of their own, but it was principally to companies that farmers generally must look for what steam cultivation they required. He was not sanguine of the num- ber of horses being very largely reduced by the aid of steam on the ordinary East Lothian form. Mr. Smith (Stevenson Mains) was one of the committee who examined the work done by what was termed " the baby engines'' the other day at Elvingstone, aud he was not with- out a little experience of steam-ploughing, grubbing, ic. In this county his experience had rather been against the present mode of steam cultivation. The engines aud whole tackle he liad found to be too cumbrous, and not very suitable for the ordinary work of a farm ; but ou visiting the muachiues at Elvingstone, on Tuesday, he was agreeably surprised to fiud that the " baby engines" worked so well. They might not be perfect, he did not believe they were, but they were a very considerable step in the right direction. They did the plough- ing and cultivating remarkably well, and, they were, at the same time, light on the head rigs, very handy aud suitable for traction engines. He thought they would be the means of reducing tlie number of horses on the farm, for he was con- vinced tliey would yet be made to lead out the manure, go to the station, and do a deal of traction work for which they liad hitherto always employed horses. He should like, however, to see those " baby engines" more fully tried ; but they cer- tainly appeared to him to come nearer what was wanted than what be had previously seen. So favourably was he iiupressed with their utility that had he been entering such a farm as Mor- ham Mains instead of going out of it, and if he got proper arrangements made with the landlord as to the drainage of the soil, he would get one of tliose new sets r&lher than eiuploy so many horses as he required. Mr. Robertson remarked that, with the " baby engine" set, all the ploughing on a six pair of horse farm would be done by steam, leaving the three pairs of liorses to do the cartages. Then, in harvest, the engines could be made to work the reapers, and the grain could be stacked in the fields, and, with the horses free from ploughing iu^mter, it could be carted to the barn as required. ^m Mr. Paton : It is not a good plan to stack grain in the fields. Mr. Robertson : If it turned out for our advantage to do 80, I have no doubt we would suit ourselves to the circum- stances. I have known barley gain lib. iu weight by being stacked iu the field over what was brought to the stack- yard. Mr. DURIE (Barneyranins) said in certain circumsfances steam cultivation was a good thing. The engines which had hitherto been used, however, were not suitable for single farms. It would be very desirable if they could get a handy engine, so that they might be able to make the use of the machinery pay. But as yet he did not think they had been able to cultivate as cheaply by steam as by harsea. It was only in as emergency that they had hitherto been able to employ steam profitably. Last season he had cultivated by steam, and the turnips were just as good on the end rigs and parts damaged by the steam tackle, aud afterwards worked by horses, as were steam was used. In a field of potatoes he knew no dilference iu favour of the steam cultivation. What they wanted was a cheaper and more manageable tackle which a farmer could use for himself. He was in favour of a system worked by an engine at one end, with an anchor at the opposite end. Mr. Stein, in reply, said far.mers had done themselves, in some cases, injury by grubbing too deep with steam power. Grubbing in winter was very dangerous, and so, to some extent also, was grubbing in spring. He did not consider Mr. Robert- sou's figures very accurate. The CIIAIRM.V.N said he thought it was the general opinion of the Club that on heavy land, when steam power could be hired at a moderate price, it was better to take it, and have their land well wrought up, than to be behind with their labour. He had employed steam several times, not upon liglit land, but upon the worst ground that he had ; and he was sure that if any one present had had as much dirty land in his possession as he had some years ago, he would have been glad to see steam put upon it, for it was beyond the power of horses. But though he farmed about 800 acres, he could not see that it would be to his advantdge to get a set of steam taL-kle to himself, as much of his land was not suited for such cultivation and much of it did not require it. He took it to be the opinion of the Club, that when a farmer had a stitf field, or anything more than ordinary, it was of advantage for him to get steam tackle to tear it up aud put in into working condition. The discussion here closed. THE FARMERS' CLUB AT ROTHAMSTED.— Some members of the Committee, with Dr. Voelcker, the chairman of the Club, at their head, paid a visit to llothainsted ou Thursday, where the parly was received by Mr. Lawes and Dr. Gilbert. A loug day was spent ou the farm iu going through the several experiments made iu the growth of grasses, wheats, aud barley, the tour of inspection ending at the laboratory, where Ur. Gilbert explained how the results arrived at had been preserved for the last thirty years. Amongst those who subsequently partook of Mr. Lawes' hos- pitality were members of the Club from Herefordshire, Wor, cestershire, Somersetshire, Sussex, Bedfordsiiire, Lincolnshire Caoibridgeihire, Oxfordshire, aud Middlesex, 184. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. A FARMERS' CLUB REPORT. The following report to tlie renrith Farmers' Club was read at the last annual meeting : Before our successors are appointed, it is our duty and pleasure to present our report of the transactions and state of the club during our year of office, and we trust it will not contrast unfavourably with previous reports. Although our general meetings may not have been so frequent as on some former years, we trust they have been satislactory. We have made our best endeavours to induce gentlemen of talent to address or read papers of interest to you, which you appeared to appreciate. The first meeting for business was in May last, when you appointed your officers and did us the honour to nominate us as your committee ; and the next in June, when you listened to an interesting and amusing paper on Agriculture at Home and Abroad, from the Bev. J. Wilson. Having, from personal observatioB^oted how we might learn, even from the " heathen ChWI," with whose careful preparation and application of manure, and our own frequent inattention and neglect in that respect, he made " odorous comparison." At the same meeting your treasurer, Mr. Sweeten, produced his balance-sheet, signed by the auditors, showing a balance in your favour of £'i3 6s. 8d., exclusive of arrears. Owing to the constant engtgement of members during the busy time of summer, no meetings took place till after harvest, when one was called to take into consideration a communication from the Central Chamber of Agriculture, on the subject of Road Legislation and Reorganisation of the Road System, and to prepare answers to certain questions on the subject, to which the Central Chamber requested replies and the opinion of this club. As miglit have been expected, there was great diversity of opinion, and considerable discussion took place. Mr. Olipliant I'ergusson, taking the same view as the Central Chamber, moved a resolution iu favour of a re-organisation of our road system, which was eventually negatived by an ameudment of Mr. Jameson's " That this meeting, not having sufficient information on the subject, declines at present to answer tiie questions that have been so obscurely put." On February 2ud the " Rating Bill of lS7-i" was introduced for the consideration of tlie club by Mr. Tyson, who read an able and carefully prepared paper, explanatory of the bill, on which the members present (as ratepayers) were well qualified to give their opinions, which tliey did to such an extent as to necessitate an adjournment till the 16th for further discussion, which ended without any recolution being proposed. On the 2ith of March, being Penrith I'air day, a special meeting was called to suit the convenience of Mr. Hedley, of Newcastle, whom W8 induced to visit us, and iavour the club with a most interesting and valuable paper on the Breeding and Judging of Shorthorn Cattle as an Art. Taking the bull by the horns, he touched upon all the points of excellency, even to the tail- end, and suggested the appointment of one thoroughly quali- fied and trained judge only to give his decision at cattle shows. Mr. Hedley produced an ingenious table of points, as an aid and guide to a correct opinion, concluding with a short poetical description of a perfect animal. No reference being made to Irish bulls, as nearly all the members who made any remarks concurred with Mr. Hedley, there was not much discussion ; but this paper was so much appreciated that it was resolved " That, with the consent of Mr. Hedley, this paper be printed at the expense of tlie club for distribution amongst the mem- bers." In April Mr. Thorn, not feeling satisfied with the Agricultural Holdings Bill, joined issue with the Duke of Richmond, and very appropriately called the consideration of the club to a subject in which tenant-farmers must feel a deep interest. Mr. Thom in his speech opposed the bill on most of the clauses ; and Mr. Jamieson, taking an opposite view, re- plied in an eloquent and telling speech in favour of it. As many of the members wished to give their opinions, an ad- journment to that day week was agreed to, when the discussion was resumed, and, after some furtlier expression of opinion, a resolution was moved and almost unanimously agreed to, "That in the opinion of this club the 'provisions of the Agri- cultural Holdings Bill are of a fair and equitable nature, as between landlord aud tenant." Such, gentlemen, have been the occasions when you have been summoned by card ; and at those meftings other subjects of business, besides those m tioned above, have been brought forward for your considera- tion, one being a proposition from the gentlemen of the news-room for the use of our club-room, when not required by ourselves. Having discussed the proposition at tiie meeting in October, you gave your consent to the joint occupancy, leaving the terms and other arrangements to us, your commit- tee. At a conference with tiie news-room committee such terms were proposed and accepted as we trusted would be mutually satisfactory, and at a subsequent general meeting you contirmed that arrangement, by which our rent is materi- ally reduced, and the comfort and convenience of the members of the club not interfered with ; and we hope the gentlemen of tlie news-room will also feel satisfied. It being thought desirable to have a horse fair in Penrith on the 21st of February, the day afttr Wigton Fair, it was proposed by Mr. Mounsey, at one of our recent meetings, and unani- mously resolved, " That the Penrith Local Board of Health be requested to take the necessary steps for the purpose." From our experience of the courtesy of the Board of Health on many previous occasions in acceding to the wishes and sug- gestions of this club, we may confidently hope that your recommendation will be carried out. Our connection with the Central Chamber of Agriculture is still intimately main- tained, and all their transactions duly communicated to this club' Your attention is called to such as may require your consideration, and your support and co-operation solicited. Our county representatives have shown their usual kindness and attention in forwarding to us such bills introduced into Parliament as we might apply for, or they considered would be of interest to farmers, or we might wish to discuss, and have shown their willingness to present aud support any petitions we might think proper to send. We are at present in corre- spondence with several eminent chemists, with a view to secure the services of one of them to undertake the analysis of manures, oilcakes, and feeding stuffs, at a reduced rate to members of the club. .The muster-roll of our members is still kept up to its complement by the addition of recruits (seven- teen having joined our ranks this last year), who will lill the places of those we lose by removal to a distance, some unfortu- nately to that bourne from which we cannot expect their return. A large majority of our new members being tenant- farmers, and good 'uns, we may confidently say that the club still maintains its preslige, notwithstanding the sneers from seceding members that our meetings are composed of " local magnates," one or two loquacious members, who take too large a share in the discussions, and but of half-a-dozeu tenant-farmers. At an early meeting your treasurer will lay his balance-sheet before you, and you have the "sweetening " assurance that the balance in your favour will be somewhat larger than last year, especially when the arrears flow iu, of which, uo doubt, he will give liints. We think, gentlemen, you must admit that the club is as flourishing as ever. We have no lack of support, and only regret that many of our members residing at a distance can so rarely aVviil themselves of the advantages of our club-room, and join in our debates; and we may congratulate you on the good feeling and geniality that always has been, still is, and we trust ever will be, characteristic of this club — never in- dulging, like the Tipperary Farmers' Club, iu a " discussion wid sticks," but showing our good-ftllowship at this, the crowning meeting of the year. As previous reports have finished with a bit of doggerel, we will follow the precedent, and conclude ours with wishing — Your lands well till'd, Your barns well tilled With ample store of hay and corn, And good increase of fleece and horn ; Your nags in condition, coats shiny as silk. And your fai'ms like that land whence flowed houey aud luilk. May landlords and tenants together agree. To avoid litigation and save lawyers' fee, And, acLing with honour and truth and good-will, Aljstainiug from greed. They never will need Agricultural Holdings or Tcuant-Right Bill. THE FARMEll'S MAGAZINE. ISf THE GROWTH OF BARLEY AT EOTHAMPSTEAD. Two or tlirce weeks since a noLleraan found, amongst the other duties of his station, that he was expected to lake the chair at the dinner of an Agricultural Society ; when, instead of getting through "as well as he could," he detertuiued to educate himself for the oflice. He accordingly went dowu to Kothanisted, and hccame forthwith an advanced agriculturist : "so important did these experiments appear to him, that his lirst impression was that it was desirahle for every proprietor, or, at least, some large pro])rietors ia different parts of the country, to have experimental farms of this kind." And Loid Elcho went on to tell his friends in East Lothian of all he saw, and the inferences which he drew "from what he observed at Rothamsted, where thrce-and-twenty crops of barley had by scientific agriculture been grown in succession, the average of the whole being six quarters to the English acre, the last as much as the first. It naturally struck one when science, chemistry and agriculture, could do these things, and this stride had been made in these years, it was the duty of those conversant with dealings in land to look very narrowly into this question, and not simply accept the time-honoured system of lawyer-drawn leases." Two or three essential points are at once raised here ; it is evident enough that we do not grow as much barley as we require, and, again, that were we to do so, we should in the majority of cases only do this in defiance of certain covenants or the general tenor of an agreement. The first lesson taught at Ilothamsted is that farmers must no longer be content with " the time-honoured system of lawyer-drawn leases." Everything you see there and we have seen it all during the last few days, goes to show that a thorough revolution is taking place in the art of agriculture, and that time-honoured systems can no longer be respected. A.t a meeting in Norfolk during this summer one of the judges, replying, as it were, to Lord Leicester, said, " though he found no fault with his lordship for throwing to the winds all sorts of restrictions which existed in his leases, he nevertheless felt convinced that the majority of West Norfolk farmers would still adhere to the four-course system. It might be that he was prejudiced in favour of that system, having practised it for more than thirty-six years ; but he had yet to learn what improvement could be made upon the light barley- growing soils of West Norfolk." It is more particularly to the growth of barley that the Ilothamsted experi- ments are just now directed, as nothing struck the deputa- tion from the Farmers' Club which went down the other day so much as the success vi'ilh which barley, alike for yield and quality, can be grown year after year. This was, indeed, but in apt illustration of that which Mr. Lawes had been saying at the Club earlier in the season, when he went to show how, " upon my land, which partakes much more of the character of a wheat than of a barley soil, crops of barley, good in both quantity and quahty, may be grown for many years in succession. I must leave it for you to decide whether your own soils are suitable for the trial, and to what extent it may be desirable and profitable to follow such a course in practice. I jiropose to show — first, that by the aid of artificial manures good crops of barley may be grown with pn fit upon heavy land, and much more frequently than accord- ing to our adopted systems of rotation; secondly, that on such laud it is more advantageous to grow barley after another corn crop by means of artificial manures than after roots consumed on the land. The soil upon which my experiments have been carried on is a heavy loam with a clay subsoil, resting upon chalk, at a depth of from 8 to 12 feet. It is not artificially drained. Before com- mencing the continuous growth of barley, it had grown the following crops : 1847, Swedish turnips, with dung and superphosphate — the roots carted off; 1848, barley unmanured ; 18413, clover ; 1850, wheat ; 1851, barley, manured with ammonia-salts. The first experimental barley crop was in 1852, and the land has been under barley ever since. Thus, in 27 years there have been grown one crop of clover, one of wheat, and 25 of barley, the last 23 of which have been under career! experiment.' The story of Rothamsted has been told over and over again, through the pages of the Royal Agricultural Society's Journal, and other more scientific publications, as well as in the Agricultural Press, by way of periodical visits and controversial communications. That, however, which we would more directly dwell on here is the value, as its value is, of course, dependent on its success, of the barley " experiment." For season after season, with arti- ficial manure, and without manure, has the same descrip- tion of crop been grown, fine in sample and prolific in yield, as this it is of all others that we chiefly require. When we call out for wheat the world is always ready to send in the supplies; but no other country hut our own can grow the barleys which the brewer loves. Why, then, should we not make it our care to grow more of them ? Because, forsooth, the four-course system inter- feres, or the lawyer-drawn lease interferes, or some other obsolete custom interferes, which possibly had its uses before artificial manures were applied, or science had lent a hand to practice, or we had got out of the groove of going thus far and no further. We go not so much with Mr. Keary in his protection of the light barley-growing soils of Norfolk, as with Mr. Smith, of Steventon Mains, who thinks the time has come when " restrictive laws should be abolished, and tenant-farmers who have large capital laid out on the land should have this more protected than at present." THE AGRICULTURE OF THE EAST. The discussions which we have heard lately upon the affairs of Turkey, apart from nolitical reasons for the maintenance of the power of the Sultan at Constanti- nople, possess an interest for Englishmen from the very large proportion of the national debt held in this country, and the tottering condition of Turkish finances. The sudden rise of Mehemet All in Egypt, and the conquest of Syria by his son Ibrahim Pasha, will be in the remem- brance of many, and how the affairs of Western Europe were well-nigh embroiled by our own action in restoring that country to its former owner, the Sultan. The state of Syria at the present day, compared with what it might have been under Egyptian rule, does not furnish a very flattering comment upon the sagacity of English states- men, since the decay which pervades every part of the Turkish Empire reigns unchecked in this classic land of Scripture. The feeling of insecurity that attaches to an incom- 18'3 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. petent government, causes the plains, where the soil ia fertile, to remain uncultivated ; whilst the mountains are tilled with astonishing industry, for there the inhabitants are inaccessible to the tax-gatherer of the State. No greater condemnation of the Turkish rule in these parts can be found than tbe description given by one of our representatives, the Vice-Consul at Beyrout, who recently made a tour, for the purpose of studying the agriculture of Northern and Central Syria, a portion of the country not often visited by travellers. The rich plains which lie adjacent to the Lebanon, sufBcient, if properly cultivated, to sustain a large population, possess a few miserable villages and hamlets as its sole signs of inhabitants. The compara- tive comfort which marks the villages of the neighbouring hills is here wanting, while the dwellers are no less remarkable for the absence ot that independent bearing, and moral and physical sturdiness, w^hich characterises their more favoured brethren of the mountain a few miles olY. Were the condition of things to be changed, so as to permit a portion of that industry, which is now employed in extracting from the barren soil a few ears of corn, to be transferred to these rich alluvial plains, the face of things would soon be changed, with profit alike to all concerned. The secret of this is to be found in the greater security for life and property enjoyed by the inhabitants of the mountains over those of the plains. The same anomaly everywhere attracted notice. The prosperous condition of the mountain villages, with their mulberry, fig, and olive gardens, and their patches of vegetables, formed a marked contrast with that of the few villages of the plains, whose food consisted mainly of dourra, or Indian corn- meal, and the produce of their goats and cows. With the former, the scanty soil needed constant labour and attention to draw from it the necessary subsistence ; while in the latter, fertile, stoneless soil lay around in abundance. And thus, among the rocky ranges of the Ansariych mountains, and of those near Antioch, every patch of soil was carefully cultivated ; and it was a common sight to see the Arab fellah laboriously ploughing, with his puny donkey or bullock, a strip of land, so studded with immense boulders as to oblige him to change the direction of his plough every two or three yards ; while a short distance below him stretched uninhabited plains of great fertility. Where the foreign clement has been introduced, as in the case of the German colonies of Haiffa and Java, examples of prosperity are given to the natives, which cannot fail to be productive of much good. It is to be regretted, however, that a sense of the benefits derivable from the like attempts to people the vast waste lands, and thus adding to the resources of the imperial treasury, does not seem to have been sufEoient to oveicome the feeling of jealousy with which similar attempts appear to be regarded, and the deterrent effects of which are but too palpable in cases where Europeans or wealthy native Christians seek to employ their capital in landed enter- prise in this country. One fact in connection with these colonies and their agricultural pursuits is worthy of note — namely, that the implements of husbandry of Euro- pean make are found to be unsuited to the country, and they have consequently given place to the rude native implement which is found more adapted to the require- ments of the land and the conditions of the climate. The question of the suitability of European modes of agricul- ture to these Eastern lands has long been a contested point with those few Eui'opeans engaged in farming in Turkey. Evidence would seem so far to give the verdict in favour of the latter. The heavy plough and grubber are far too cumbrous and unwieldy for the Syrian oxen, animals of small size and endurance; on the other band, the native plough — which costs about five shillings when new, and acts like a one-tined grubber — strikes deeper into the soil, but docs not so effectually turn it over, aad is thus better adapted to a system of agriculture, the chief aim of which is to preserve the little moisture derived from the smallraiufall by exposing the soil aslittlo as possible. Harrows, thrashing, and reaping machines would, no doubt, answer on level lands, but one insuper- able objection to the introduction of these and other useful implements for the saving of labour exists in the almost total absence of large farmers in Syria. Operations arc chiefly conducted by peasants of small holdings, whose means are of the scantiest, while the lack of education and intelligence among them would prevent their becoming general. The present condition of the proprietors in the plain of Beyrout and in Mount Lebanon, generally, is one of great indebtedness, and with small hopes of extrication, partly owing to bad harvests, but not unconnected with their extraordinary passion for the acquisition of lauded estate. For instance, a landowner who becomes possessed of a few piastres, instead of using it to the improvement of his land, will buy more, and often mortgage the whole, paying a high interest, out of all proportion to what the property will return, and lay out the proceeds in more land. Bad harvests occur, the demands of the money-lender be- come pressing, and the proprietor soon becomes involved, and sinks deeper and deeper year by year. It is a great pity also that the Imperial Government cannot give atten- tion and some encouragement to agriculture, and permit a small portion of the revenue of the vilayet to be properly expended in that direction. Large tracts of fertile land lie barren for want of moisture, which might be secured by the erection or restoration, at a small cost, of the aqueducts and dams, the vestiges of which are still to be seen, showing the industry and intelligence of past ages. In Syria, water alone is needed to change the desert into a smiling paradise of vegetation ; but at the present time the precious fluid is allowed to run to waste, and little thought is given to its preservation or employment ia works of irrigation. The discovery of many of the Biblical sites has been made by the Palestine Exploration Society, who, in conjunction with a society formed in the United States for a kindred purpose, are preparing a map that will correspond to our own Ordnance survey. The former Society has already sur- veyed an area that reaches the amountof 4,430 square miles, leaving about 1,500 miles still to be tilled in. The funds for this object are wholly supplied by voluntary contributions, without State aid, and the committee can now with reasonable confidence promise that a complete and ex- haustive map of the whole of Western Palestine — which is their portion of the work — ^ni including nine-tenths of the scenes of the Bible narrative, will be brought to England in the autumu of 1876, and given to the world about a year later. SALE OF TFIE DUMBLETON HALL ESTATE.— This estate, well known as havin;^ long been in the possession of the late Mr, EJward Holland, who made it a motlel of higli cultivation, was offered for sale at the Mart, Tokenhouee- yard, Loudon, by Messrs. BRadel, the oilier day. The nttend- auce was numerous. Tiie first hid was £100,000, which was run up to £175,000. Tiie biddings afterwards were confined to two parties, aud the estate was eventually knocked down at the sura of £1S5,G00, which, with £3,000 for timber and underwood, in:ide the total purchase money £193,0U0. The property was sold to the liev. S Ketllewell aud Mr. Jameii Statilea, trustees of the late Mr. Samutl Eyres. THE FARMEK'S MAGAZINE. 187 THE YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT DRIFFIELD. The great Yorkshire meeting, held at Driffield last week will take rank with the best of its shows, both as regards lie collection of animals and the admirably arranged yard ; n fact, there was little to hud fault with, as the slicddiug and stabling were all that could be wished, while there was a good stand, and rings at a nice distance from each other, one for the riding horses and the other for the agricultural and coaching classes, as well as the Short- horns. Thus the visitors had an opportunity of seeing the horses and cattle out during the judging, at least on the lirst day, but on the Wednesday the crowd was so thick that many had to be content with the sight of the head of a horse in the agricultural ring. Much has been written about the size of a show-ring; but this, after all, is like a diuing-tablc, and depends on the number of people expected. The judging of the Sliorlhorus in the horse-ring was a novelty, and so was giving the judges a catalogue with full particulars instead of the numbers only, as of yore. Many, and very many, object to this as unfair, and one judge of sheep told us that he put the catalogue into his pocket. Numbers only are decidedly the fairest, especially when a war rages between the partisans of Booth and Bates equal to that of the Red and White Roses. Then there are those who go quite as strong pro and con. for certain strains of blood in horses ; as above all, it is unfair to the little man or beginner, when competing with a great or known breeder, and we fear, in many cases, when the catalogue is supplied, a Bombastes bull will stand but a poor chance with an Artaxominus. He's but a general, damsel, I'm a king : Oh, sir ! that makes it quite another thing. While others object to it with the cry of " Save me from my friends, who always give it against me as a point of honour, because I am tlieir friend." Then why not stick to the numbers only ? If there is not some good reason given for supplying the catalogue, we really hope some enterprising or blundering secretary will stick a few of the Booth pedigrees on to the Bates animals, and vice versa, and so with Stockwell and Vedette, just for the fun of the thing. The horses were the strongest part of the show, but the eighty pounds, in three prizes, brought but three professors for gettmg weight-carrying hunters into the ring, one being Weather Star by Weatherbit, noticed at Alexandra Park and Taunton, in the reports of those meetings ; while Zekiel by Brown Bread, out of Prince's ^lixture by Jlalcolm, got more than his due, as he is a very poor one to look at. Vulcan, the winner, is a bright bay by Thunderbolt, out of Alarum by Alarm, and a horse of nice symmetry and breed, with his hocks well-placed, but a little too much weight at his shoulder points. The thoroughbred stallions, which shall have served, or will serve, mares in the county of York, for a fee not exceeding £5 5s., came out much stronger, the thirteen making a very fair class, comprising Plough Boy by Van Galen, out of Village Maid by Stockwell ; Dear Tom by Fan- dango, dam by Sleight of Hand ; Worlton by the Minner, out of Beatrice by Voltigeur ; Laughing Stock by Stock- well, out of Gaiety by Touchstone ; Marlborough by Mousley, out of Miss Livingstone by Flying Dutchman ; Landmark by Cathedral, out of Miss Agnes by Irish Birdeatcher; a three-year-old by Temptation, out of Peg Fife by Siiowden Duuhill ; Field Marshall by Rataplan, out of Go-ahead by Melbourne ; Cape Flyaway by Flying Dutchman, out of Canczou ; Loiterer by Stockwelf, out of Ennui by Bay Middleton; Robin Rover by Nottingham, out of Fly by Tago ; Invcresk by Lambton, out of a marc by Arthur Weileslcy, her dam Polly by Ivatau ; and Cassock by Cathedral, out of F'irst Fruits by General Williams. The best of these was Field Marshall, a nicely-made horse throughout, with breed and power, and though by Rataplan, free from lumber. lie is a pony by the side of such horses as Citadel and Angelus, but then he is a little big one, as the saying is, and likely to do the country more service than greater heroes. Dear Tom is very compact and powerful, with hunting cha- racter, if a little deficient in quality ; still, we think he ought to have had second place. Then Loiterer, barring his ankles, is a hardy looking horse of fair form, and better made throughout than his half-brother Laughing Stock, which is not saying much for him. However, Laughing Stock was started as a prize horse by Mr. Cooksou, when the Royal show was last held at New- castle, and as Mr. Cooksou is well-known as a successful breeder of thoroughbred stock, this, with the horse's pump-handle action, has gained him many admirers and many prizes. As a warning to any follow-my-leader judge, we may add that we heard Mr, Cooksou say aloud to some one we were standing by at the ring side, that it was not his doing placing Landmark before Field Marshal, and that he did not go for big ones. Landmark is a handsome flat catcher, with grand trotting action, and a fine forehand, but he falls oil' behind the saddle, is high on the leg, and weak and stilty in his thiglis and hocks, at least for a hunting sire, Mr, Garfitt, one of the bench, did not turn up till noon, and, as Messrs. Cooksou and Walker could not agree on a verdict, Mr, Milvvard, of Thurgarton, was at first called in, but he gave way to Mr. C. Fitz- william, otherwise Field ^Marshal would have been first. The business was fearfully slow, as the judges did not go to work properly or fairly for lookers-on, as, instead of allowing all the horses to walk round the ring till they had sorted the corn from the chalF, or picked out what they considered the best, they had the whole lot, after going once or so round the ring, drawn up in the centre to go through a wearisome standstill business of an unpardonable duration. Cape Flyaway, from the same stable as Loiterer, and the same age, eighteen years old, has lots of good about him ; and Ploughby, Cassock, and Robin Rover were useful country nags, though the great Marlborough looked more like coaching. Inveresk was rather leggy, and the Temptation eolt had nothing tempting about him, nor had Whorlton, with a still', half- bred look. There was an entry of thirty-eight roadster stallions, and a great many of them in the ring — some of all sorts, though we failed to pick out a real downright New York or Yorkshire trotter amoug them equal to Fireaway, Merrylcgs, the one-eyed Landseer, or a very neat hay, whose name at the moment we cannot recall ; but he was well known, as he had that peculiar cuckoo-like noise coming from the sheath when going. Nor were there any that, for neatness, size, and .action, equalled All Fours, of merry-going celebrity, nor if Norfolk Hero, of Taunton fame, although the class was a hundred to one better than the Royal. Still this estimate is not carried out by the verdict, as the third at Alexandra Park and Royal show this year takes the second place, and is an animal that we do not like. The first, Orlando, is a very ilourishing 188 THE FAEMjSR'S MAG'AZnTB, mover, tuJ the tliird; Lanseer, a neat black and a goer. That nice old stager, Mr. Bourdass' Denmark, was looking very freeh ; and we thought we caught a glimpse of Mr. Vary's Young' Fireaway, which carried everything ■before him last year ; but of this we are not i-ertain, although we are sure of Prickwillow, a regular chip and unmistakable likeness of the beefy-shouhlered hamme'-ing Polly of Sledmere, a mare that we have still watched •with pleasure going over the grass at «ome of the capital local shov.'s held at DriSield, with a little Miss Major up, delight depicted in their countenances, and as loving as the immortal Thompson and his departed ' Chunee. May they never, never part, at the expense of a broken heart. We have not time to describe the lot; and, though Prickwillow is not a pet of oiirs, -we preftr the Alexandra Park decision to the Driffield, which put him first and Perseverance third ; and, as a solace to the •vanquished, we say. Fear not, but try again; as, after all, it is but a matter of opinion. But let those who differ about such weighty matters always greet one another hereafter Vv-ith a smile of some sort when they meet, even if it should remind one of a supper of buttermilk and aorrel sauce. The sixteen hunting brood-mares, with not much to find fault in any of them, made a first-rate class, with some very nice mares in the lot, saying nothing of the well-known Snowilake and the Ladies Derwent and .Decanter, which have all been at the head of the poll in their turn, as Lady Derwent beat Lady Decanter at Shef- tleld, and Snowtiake beat'Lady Derwent at Malton, we •think ; while the pretty little Lioness beats old Go-ahead ■ again, as she did at Sheffield. But Go-ahead has been • overlooked before, as at Thirsk, years ago, when a mare called Sjijjpers won, but which afterwards we saw over- looked, and Go-ahead gettiug]the place, though one leading ijudge was in office at both places. And we are bold •enough to say that had he a catalogue with the full par- ticulars given instead of the numbers only, the mistake would not have occurred, and that he would have stuck to Slippers as the tailor's spouse did to scissors in a memorable dispute. It would take a column to give the prizes we have seen won by Lady Derwent, and her owner holds the Holdei'ness Hunt Cup, value 100 guineas, won in an entry of 61 horses at Beverley, when six years old, beating, among them, Mr. Hall's Doctor, a hunter all over, that would have given Lady Derwent the stomach-ache in no time had she tried to follow liim across country — a cup that will no doubt be handed down from generation to generation till the llornbys of ■the future believe that their ancestor possessed the best hunter in all Yorkshire, instead of a petted, fed-up, sleek-coated, show-going beauty by Codrington out of — the catalogue sayeth not, but most probably a coacher of the Venus stamp — as handsome a mare - of her kind as any in the yard, Alas ! we thought this a sickener for the Master of the Holderness, •but we find him in again for the salver; and we think Ashplant a tough-wearing, good-looking hunter, and Leotai'd, Leicestershire all over, to be worth any of the other three ; still he is again doomed to mourn his sad fate as the secretary hoists the figure 3, and all is over. 'Mr. Jewison winning with a compact matchy trio, iHad the Holderness horses had three Georges up that •could show a nag like o^ld George, who rode Mr. Jewison's .dhesnut, they might have done better ; at any rate they ■could not have done worse. Two of Mr. Mayfield's were decent looking ; but a six-year-old, by Cardshai-per, had no ribs. There were seven hunting yearliugs, the winner being of fair forni^ and the second a big one, rather high on the leg, by the hollow-backed Cathedral, ■which, though a getter of racehorses, stood no chance as a hunter sire in the ring. The winner in a small class of tvvo-jear-old hunting geldings is a deep, plain-headed one, but a mover, and by Bay President, dam by 'General Williams, who was a great favourite and show goer some years back ; but he always reminded us of a horse with bis body slung as it were between his legs. The two-year-old hunting fillies, like the yearlings, were seven, the winner turning up in Triunr[ih, and a vei*y fiue- grown, good-topped, blood-like one, rather light of timber and back at knee, with small second thighs : she is by Theobald, a priee taker at the Driffield local shows, and a great favourite with the breeders ; the second being another good-looking one, bat with a thick forehand, out of Lady Derwent, by the bloodlike but hollow-backed Lozenge, another prize-taker in York- shire. Mr. Sharp's Snowdrop, by Theobald, was promising, with good thighs and hocks, well under for jumping. In a not grand class of three-year-old geldings, the now well-known prize-taker and champion of all the hunters at the Bath and West of Fmgland and Alexandra Park this year, Glengyle, who has taken up his abode at the Manor Farm, Catterick, was first, with Wiltoa Lad, a useful powerful chesnut, second, and a neat bay and a goer, by Baron Cavendish, third. Mr, Hutchinson, the owner of Glengyle, is also the owner of the Jester, a taker of nearly a thousand pounds in prize-money, who went round the ring in style. King Charming, who beat him at Taunton, not making his appearance to fight the battle over for the fourth time, as The Jester beat the King at Sheffield and Alexandra Park ; but it was reported that his Majesty was suffering from a bilious attack, muscular rheumatism, or malingering. The Colonel is deep in his rib, but did not move well ; and Barmstone, by Theobald, a very hunting-like horse, and nicely handled by his owner, gained second honours. Moslem, a nice bloodlike hunter (by General Hesse, a favourite stallion once in Northamptonshire, and a really nice horse, but not let down to his elbow enough by an inch) has much improved, and went and looked like a gentleman, so that we scarcely knew him, although we remember his four-year-old career well, when he went hog-backed through the country, with his breeder up, and even in that style contrived to carry off the second four-year-old hunter prize in London. Flotmauby is another deep, neat, bloodlike nag, and not unknown to the show-ring ; as Mr. Stephenson's W^hitelegs, Mr. Rouse's The Knout, Mr. Harrison's Queen Bess, Mr. Johnstone's chesnut by Orpheus, and Mr. Key's bay by Nottingham, attracted our eye. Many round the ring thought it was any odds on May Queen, a winner at Sheffield last year, and at Taunton this, in the three-year-olds ; and the same opinion pre- vailed as to Talisman iu the four-year-olds, which was verified, though Heir Apparent, to the eye, provided he was sound, should have had at the least second place, as nothing looked more like hunting, and we are quite cer- tain nothing on the ground went better, as the way he gathered himself together and struck out with his limbs would have delighted the first oax'sraan of the Thames, a Master of the Horse, or a champion of the P.R. Wild Monarch, the second-prize horse, was deficient in form, and did not move kindly ; and the nameless third-prize horse won in a trot, as he was not galloped. Mr. Booth's weight-carrier, Beckford, has fiued since he won at Alex- andra Park, and was much fancied by a commissioner from the Duke of Hamilton. Mr. Carrick's Young Palmerston, by Picador, Mr. Ellerby's Jerry, Major J. Graham's Lowlander, and Mr. Barker's Malton, looked more like business than any others of the thirteen ; as Mr. Watson's Crown Prince, by Walkington, out of Lady Decanter, had very bad shoulders, while Mr. Newton's was common-looking, and Mr. Swann's Norman, by King Caradoc, had not good fore-legs. The decisions over the four-year-old hunting mai'es created a little astonishment. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 1S9 as the prije inai-e, Suubeam, the neatest of hunters to look at, though, aa we have always said, with rather too much kuee action in her gallop, played sesond to Miiiny, a leggy steeple-chasing-looking brown, by King Caradoc, with slovenly action ; while Mr. Goodlilfc's Lady Mai-y, by Tom Tit, out of Evangeline by Lambtoa, of nice form and a sweet goer, was not noticed. Mr. Lett's Attrac- tion, Mr. JJudgett's Princess Caradoc, Mr. Lancaster's chusuut by Grand Master, and some others, were in the class. The verdict in the five-year-old geldings or mares, with twelve in, was Alexandra Park reversed, with Lead- ing Article, a deep, rather short, and leggy horse, dividing them. The King of Diamonds, a prize horse with a big head, was also in the class, with Cashier and several more. The placing the Earl, a slack-backed old gentleman's horse, and apparently as slow as a coach, and Spellahoe, with his head out and heels straggling behind him in his gallop, before Tiie Banker and Marshal M'AIahon, was another surprise, at least to the general public. Joe Bennett, who appeared very shaky on his fore- legs, Mr. Jewison's Porest King, Mr. Preston's ches- nut, Mr. Wilson's Carlton, were in the class, and some others ; but Mr. Musgrave'a Honeycomb was not sent. Nelly was no doubt the best looking one in a small class of roadster brood mares, but we think Mr. Ilor- rocks Miller's handsome mare, Mabel Grey, ought to have had some of the money. The entry in the weight- carrying hacks ran only to three, a total which is easily accounted for, as Sir George Wombwell's Enterprise was the bogey that kept others away ; but a capital class of hackneys up to 12 stone made amends for the short comings of their heavier brethren. Enterprise is by Volturno, a good-looking horse, who goes very wide behind, and has weak hocks ; still he seems a favourite in Yorkshire, and is getting good stock. The judging of the agricultural and coaching classes did not com- mence until the Wednesday, as the ring was occupied by the Shorthorn judges on the Tuesday, and, as we have said before, the gathering round was so thick, that we were obliged to resort to the entrance and exit for a peep at the horses. The coaching stallions were a cajKtal class of eighteen, with some nice-sized active horses, and a great improvement on the heavy shows of some years back, as it is quite evident there has been a demand for more blood, every one now-a-days wishing to go ahead. The pick of the eighteen were Candidate, Risby, Favourite, Cyrus, and Emperor. Venus, novv nineteen years old, looks almost as fresh and beautiful as she did seven years ago, when walking over for a tenner at Wetherby ; but the prize-money has increased wonderfully since then, though the entry is much the same ; and Venus, unrobed like the goddess of old, enters the arena, but, [with all her charms, she has to play second to the buxom and more youthful Bonny, an Etty-like beauty ; white t'ould mare is as ethereal or free from coarseness as a nymph by Frost. Wasp is a very deep, nice-framed mare, and ]Mr. Wood's twenty- year-old by Venture full of character. The young classes were also well represented, though the two-year-old geldings and (illlies were few; but the three- year-olds made amends, as they were first-rate. The thirteen agricultural stallions made a grand show, and prizes went, as usual, to the heaviest, while the active, nice-sized black Yorkshire cart-horse and five or six really neat animals in the brood-mare class were passed by the judges. Simon Pure and Hero are both very grand horses, the first being second at Alexandra Park this year, to Young Champion, who evidently sufl'ers from foot-and-mouth, as he swallows more than his poor feet can bear ; and as it was painful to see the once good mover go hobbling up and down the ring he was very properly put on one side. That lively goer, with the comical countenance, Yonng Honest Tom, more of a cart horse than either of his victors, was third ; and Lord Ellcs- mere's Prince of the Isle, Lord Leconfiell's Royal Oak, Mr. Coxou's two Clydesdales, Marquis and Bismarck, with three or four blacks and browns, made up the lot. Robinhood, again, a two-year-old colt, is more like a dray horse ; Compact Tom being quite big enough for agricultural purposes. There were four nice two-year- olds, two heavy and two light, with a good class of three- year-olds; while in the pairs of draught horses, with £20, £10, and £5, Mr. Freshney's Drayman and Honest Tom, who have carried all before them this year, were unopposed. When travelling, your hand is continually in and out of your pocket, and thankful are we, though happy is the man who has his pocket full, that we have not to fork out for the travelling expenses, for such a family as that of Mr. Sharp, of Ketterius, consisting of two Julias, a nameless young gentleman, a lady, and a nurse. Families increase, thongh this year the Shorthorn families are the same in number as they were at Sheffield, the Broughtou circle being the only one exhibited at both meetings. Mr. Linton was first on the list, but not last, though Mr. Strattou was last and first with his handsome trio — Mabel, five years old ; Miriam, two years old ; and Maiden, one year old. The Sheriff Hntton lot were Fragrance and her famous son Sir Arthur Ingram, with Sheriff Huttou Rose, twins by Serjeant Major, the sire of Sir Arthur Ingram, Irwin Rose by Lord Irwin, and Monthly Rose by Serjeant Mnjor. The third were three good-looking cattle from Stand Hall — Rosa, Robin Rose, and Oxford Rose ; and the fourth. Sir John Law- son's Clara, by Fitz Clarance, out of Cicily by Baron War- laby, a grand broad backed old cow, full of character; while her nicely-made daughter Merry Lass, by Merry Monarch, was not a bit the cut of her dam, but Snowdrop is a modern edition of the old dame ; and Sir Julius Benedict, by Royal Benedict, a smart, lengthy, even-promising calf, as Royal Merriment by Royal Benedict, is a pretty little chip o'f the old block.' Sir John and Mr. Statter took extra prizes, very judiciously added to the class-. The unsuccessful, though by no means disgraced, were Mr. Sharp and Mr. Lawrence, of Thornhill, Forres. Mr. Statter was unopposed in the Shorthorn families of a bull, cow, and their produce, with Oxford Cheerboy, Lady Graceful, and Lady Beautiful. The Shorthorn bulla of any age above three years are out, and some one sighs and says, " Ah, John ought to have kept him at home; look at his hollow flank," but, still. Royal Windsor won, with Duke Aosta and Robert Stephenson second and third. The others were Leeman, Knight of the Vale, Wydale, and Osberton ; the absentees Telemachus and Lord Irwin. The verdict on the bulls above two was an echo of the Royal— Rosario, Rapid Rhone, and Baron Irwin, but the Baron cannot be con- tent with such an estimate, and is about to emigrate to South America. Baron Sledmere and Windsor Crovva were the unsuccessful, and British Baron and Telemachus VI. absentees. The grand lines of the Duke of Cham- burgh were conspicuous among the bulls above one aud not exceeding two, though Pioneer and Royal Irwin were , there, and with Baron Bruuow from Farnley Hall, Viscount Thorndale from Pocklington, Sweet Pea from Osberton Hall, Sockburn from Duncombe Park, and Oxford Don from Wharram, made a good class. Count Towneley, a promising bull-calf, of nice form, headed fourteen others. Vivandiure, Blooming Bride, Rosebud the 4th, Lady Playfnl, and Mr. Snarry's Princess III., were the competitors in the Shorthorn cow class. Vivandiiire was first, of course ; but it is still a matter of grave doubt whether Blooming Bride should have taken precedence of the Royal Lady Playful. Tbeu the three prizes fortUree heifers do not give satisfaction, as p 2 •190 THE FARMER'S MAGAZmE. Rose of Lincoln beats' Laily Alicia and Orange Chips ; Init when Winsome once more corrects the placing of ZvezJa there are cheers. If these ever-varyiRg verdirts iiiil ill teaching the public anything about Shorthorns, they at leaot give people a 'hint to judge for themselves, and to be thai>k!'ul for the gloriotis privilege of trial by -jury and its glorions tincertainty. Win- some beat, further, beyond those placed, Moorish Captive, Lady Beaumont VL, Florentine, Oneida, and Lady Jeaunette ; Imperious Queen, a v/inner at Don- caster, beat Mabel Kuth, who made her first appear- ance, and Lady Dauby, a prize-taker in the North, as well as Victoria Triumpha and four others. Sir John Lawson and Mr. Statfccr, with some nice dairy cows, were unsuccessful exhibitors. In the Alderney, Jersey, or Guernsey breed Mr. Brown had it all to him- self, being first and second, as well as the owner of the other three. "When sheep meet sheep then comes the tug of war ; and there was a capital show of Leicesters and Lincolns, -both in the shearling and aged rams, the old sheep being considered the best by the judges. In an entry of thirty, •five shearling Leicesters the second Royal was first, and the Crst the reserve number only. In the aged rams the Catterick flock held their own as at the Royal. The other rams were from the the flocks of Messrs. Marris, Brown, Sadler, Turner, Creswell, Coverdale, Simpson, Borton, Coulson, Kendall, and Leake. Mr. Cartwright and his Royal shearling held their own in an entry of seventeen Lincolus, and got a second with a big plain sheep which had not been before exhibited. Mr. Budding's ilock was represented, but his Royal sheep was not in the lot. Amongst the aged rams Mr. Marshall's three-shear, the second Royal, was first, and Mr. Hack's flock not re- ])resented ; while Mr. Byrou was first in gimmers, as at Taunton. The other exhibitors were Messrs. Wright, Clarke, Johnson, Pears and Heseltine. There was an excellent show of pigs, from the sties of Lord EUesmere, Messrs. Dove, Howard, Sedgwick, Duckering, Garbutt, Hatton, Harrison, and others. For further particulars see the prize list subjoined. The implement exhibitors included Robey and Co., Lincoln ; the Beverley Iron and Waggon Company ; Claytou and Shuttlevs'orth, Huston, Proctor, and Co., and Foster aud Co,, all of L'ncoln ; Garbutt ; Seamer, Scarbro'; Marshall, Sons, aud Co., Gainsbro' ; Richard Horusby aud Sons, Grantham ; Ransomes, Sims, and Head, Ipswich ; Barford and Perkins, Peterborough ; Hydes and WigfuU, Shefiield, Alton, Drifiield ; Fowler and Co., Leeds ; Scholefield, Leeds ; Good, CoUiugham, Menzies, Hull ; Sawney and Co., Beverley ; Marsden, ■Fisken and Co., Leeds ; Harrison, Lincoln ; Bushell, .York ; -Cooke, Lincoln ; Coleman and Jlorton, Chelms- ford ; Coultas, Grantham ; Rainforth aud Son, Lincoln ; iPicksley, Sims, and Co., Leigh ; Merkin, Market ■Weightou ; Hall, Skipsea, Lowethorpe ; Dale, Bridling- ton ; Foley, Driffield ; Foster, Pocklington ; Crosskill and Sons, IJeverleyj Kearsley, Ripon ; Mattison, Leeming Bar, Bedale ; Pickei'ing, Driffield ; Wray, Leeming Bar ; Sherwood, Bedale; Bamlett, Thirsk; Ord and Maddison, Darlington ; Hill and Co., Pavement, York ; Smith, ?Foston, Hull ; Walker, HuU ; Day, Son, and Hewitt, ;Saker-street, London; Piakney, Driffield; Matthews, Son, aud Co., Driffield; The Farmers' Company, Barton- on-Humber; Ayres and Chambers, Hull; Richardson and Co., York ; the Driffield and East Riding Linseed Cake Ccmpanv ; McKay, King-street, York ; Shields and Stainsby, Hull; Winkley and Co., Hull; Hall aud Wood, Full ; Vy. E. Pickerng ; Tigar's Manure Works, Grovehill, Beverley ; Beckwith, Watlass, Bedale ; Sonley and Son, Kirbymoorside, North Yorkshire; Hague, York ; AS'all.'s, Bgvcrkj. PRIZE List. JUDGES.— Cattle: W. Sanday, Radcliffp-oti-Trcnt, Not- tiugl'.ara ; G. Ashburuer, Low Hall, Broughton-iu-b'uraess ; the Rev. L. C. Wood, Singleton, Kirkham. Sheep : S, Jefferson, Preston Howes, Whitehaveu; J Lynn, Slroxton, Grantliani ; II. Woods, Merton, Thetford, Norfolk. Pigs : W. Goodrick, Ddston, Corbridge-on-Tyne; W. Stead, Ovvler- ton, Shefiield ; R. Woods, Osberton, Worksop. Horses — HuMTERS and Roadsters : J. Cookson, Neasliam, Dar- lington ; G. Walker, Eigby, Brigg, Lincolnshire ; C. Garfitt, AVhitegate, Nortlig^ite, Cheshire. Horses — Coaching and Agricultural : W. Wood, Ilabrougli, Ulceby, Lincoln ; J. S. Stowell, Faverdale, Darlington ; E. Godfrey, Thealby, Brigg. IIOUJJDS : The Rev. J. RusspII, Duunington, Barnstaple ; Sir Reginald Graham, ; J. Hill, Brompton. SnoEmG Smiths: B. Cartkdge, Shef- field ; T. riews, Stockton-on-Tees. HORSES. Thoroughbred stallions for getting weight-carrying liunter.-i. — First prize, £50, W. Lefevre, Hook House, Ilowden (Vul- can) ; second, £20, Col. J. Simpson Ballard, The VcrUnds, Cowbridge (Weather Star) ; third, £10, W.Bass, Wires Wall, Whitchurch, Salop (Zekiel). Thoroughbred stallions for getting huriters, which sb;.illhave served mares in the couaty of York during the season of 1875, at a fee not exceeding five guineas each ; or which will serve mares in the couaty of York during tiie season of 18 76, at a similar lee. First prize, £50, W. and J. Hudson, Brig- ham, Drifiield (Landmark) ; second, £20, J. Bowes, Slreathuu Ca.slle, Darlington (Field Marshal) ; third, £10, R. Uutton, 74, Gloucester-place, Portmau-scpiare, London (Laughing Stock). Roadster stallions.— First prize, £20, P.Kirbv, North Duf- field, Selby (Orlando) ; second, £10, T. Statter, Stand Hail, Manchester (Perseverance) ; third, £5, P. Trifilt, Alleithorpe Hull, Pocklington (Lanseer). Reserve: W. Laverack, North Cave, Brough, East Yorkshire (Matchless). Three yesrs old hunting geldings. — First prize, £20, T. H. Hutchinson, Manor House, Catterick (Gleugyle) ; second, £10, J. Sedraau, Wilton, Pickering (Wilton Lad) ; third, £5, G. Lancaster, Morton Grange, Northallerton. Three year old hunting fillies. — First prize, £20, S. B. Robson, Windle Beck, Gantoa York (Golden Horn) ; second, £10, B. B. and T. B. Jackson, Thearne llaU (Treasure) ; third, £5, T. H. Hutchinson (Mny Queen). Four year old hunting geldinas. — First prize, £30, J. M. Tatter^all Musgrave, Beverley (Talisman); second, £10, K. Hall, Barton, Darlington (Wild Monarch) ; third, £5, T. Ellerby, Whitwell, York. Four year old hunting mares. — First prize, .£30, R. Wyse, Auburn-hill, Malton (ilinny) ; second, £10, W.Armstrong, Fairfield, Kendal (Sunbeam); third, £5,11. Svvann, Askhaiu Hall, York. Five year old hunting geldings or mares. — First prize, £30, R. Toynbee, Atherstoa House, Lincoln (Valdarno) ; second, .£10, H. Jewiston, Raisthorpe, York (Leading Article) ; third, £5, R. Barker, Malton (Liveipool), Coaching stallions. — First prize, £20, J. Sherburn, High Cattou, York (Young Candidite); second, £10, G. Burton, Thorpe, Willoughby, Selby (Risby) ; third, £5, C. Knaggs, Norton, Stockton-on-Tees (Favourite). Agricultural stallions, three years old and upwards. — First prize, £30 ; R. Marshall, K'-yinghain, Hdl (Simon Pure) ; second, £20, J. For.shavv, Blyth, Worksop, Lincolnshire ( Eero) ; third, £10, J. F. Crowther, Knowl Grove, Mirfield Young Honest Tom), Entire agricultural colts, foaled in 1873. — First prize, £15, F. T. Turner, Armthorpe, Doacaster (Rjbin Hood) ; second, i'5, R. Barrett, Hessle Common, HuU (Master of Arts). Hunting brood mares and foals. — First prize, .£30, H. Watson, Newbegiu, Filey (Lady Decanter) ; second, £20, E- Hornby, Flotmanby, Ganton, Y'ork (Lady Derwent) ; third, £10, G. J. Leighton, Osgodby, Scarbro' (Snowtlake) ; fourth, £5, B. Hornby, Flotmanby Osgodby, Ganton, York (Lioness).. Coaching brood mares and foals. — First prize, £25, J. Reader, Beacon Farm, Holme, I'ork (Bonny) ; second, £10, F. Coulson, Castle Howard (Venus) : third, £5, J. Thompson, White Moor, Selby (Wasp). Roadster brood mares and foals. — First prize, £20, A. Kirby, High Grange, Market Weighton (Nelly) ; second, £10, T. (i. TEE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. igf ttalhry, Great llnbton, ricknint; (Miss Miutiic); third, £5, F. Cook, TliixRudalu, York (l<'l;iiiipIoii). Agricultural brood mares aiult'oals. — First prize, £30, E. II. Griffin, Manor House, Soutli Diiflield ; second, £-0, Earl of Ellesraere ; tliird, £10, T. Siatter (Jet) ; fourth, .£5, S. Tiioinpson, Skipwortli, Selby (Diareiond). Two year old Hgriculturai ffcldings or fillies. — First prize £12, Enrl of Ellesmere ; second, <£7, J. i\Iarllcct, Hull ; third £3, J. Leonard. Three year old agricultural geldings or fillies. — First prize, £15, W. Braniley, Amcotl'a Villa, Doncastcr (The (ie.neral) ; second, £10, 11. Lee, Tudhoe, Mooihouse, Spennyraoor, Ferry, lull (Clyde) ; third, £5, C. Beart, Stow Bardolpli, Dowuham Market, Norfolk (Lioue.'^s). I'airs of draught horses of any age or sex. — First prize, £20, II. Freshney, Oriinoldby, Loutii. Two year old coacliiug geldings. — First prize, £10, W. Burton, E;tstoft Hall, Goole ; second, £5, J. Long, ffheldrake, York. Two year old coaching fillies. — First prize, £7, G. Wads- worlii, Lixton, Howdon ; second, £3, J. A, Beetham, West llarsley, Nortliallerton (Cleveland Lass). Three year old coaching; geldings. — First prize, J. Johnson, Brigbam, Hull (GoUlfinder) ; second, £10, J.Johnson (Feeiiing Toin) ; third, £5, W. W. Kirby, Hanging Grirastou, Stamioid Bridge. Three year sold coaching fillies. — First prize, £10, E. Robin- son, NafTertoii, Hull (Temptation); second, £5, G. J. Sigsworth, Slilton lluuse. Helinsley (Darling). Match pairs of carriage horses, not less than than fifteen kinds high. — First prize, £20, T Statter; second, £10, G. Holmes, Beverl y. Matcli pairs of ponies, not exceeding fifteen hands high.— First prize, £15, G. Holmes ; second, £5, T. H. Miller, Sin- gleton Park, Foultou-le-Fylde, Lancashire. Horses or mares in single harness. — First prize, ^£15, T. Statter (Speculation) , second, £5, C. AV. Anderson, Kirk llamraertou Hall, Yoik (Glitters). Ponies in single harness, not exceeding fourteen and a half hands hi^h. — First prize, £10, 1'. Matthews, St. Helen's-square, York (Tommy Dodd) ; second, £5, W. L. Watson, Mjtongate, Hull (Fairy). Hackney or roadster, from four to tight years old, and equal to carry fifteen stone. — First prize, £25, Sir G. 0. Wombwell, Bart., Newburgh Park, Easingwold (Enterprise) ; second, £10, A. lU'liinson, 63, Wright-street, Hull (Remlet). Yearling bunting geldings or fillies. — First prize, £10, J. P. Crompton, Thornholnie, Burton Agnes, Hull ; second, £5, E. lloniby. Two year old hunting gelding. — First prize, £15, W. Young, Beverley ; second, £5, Major A. II. Harding, Beeston, Leeds (Young Exchequer). Two year old Imnt'ng fillies.— First prize, £15, B. B, and T. B. Jackson, Tbearne Hall (Triumph) ; second, £5, E. Hornby (Maid of Derwent). Hunters, six years old and unwards, and qualified to carry fifteen stone witli boudns.— First prize, £30, W. Mundev, Wragby, Brigg (The Earl); second, £10, B. Hornby (Spel- 1 ihoe) ; third, £5, VV. Armstrong, Fairfield Villa, Kendal (The Banker). Hunters, six years old and upwards, and qualified to carry twelve stone with hounds. — First prize, £25, T. H. ilntcbin- son, Jtauor House, Catteritk (Jester) ; second, ±'10, J. Wood- cock,Tiblliorpe House, Driffield (Barmstoue) ; third, £5, F. P. Newton, Norton, Malton (Colonel). Tliree hunters, of any age, which have heen in the possession of the exhibitor since January 1st, 1S75, and have been regu- larly hunted during the last season. — Prize, a silver salver, II. Jewison, llaiselhorpe, York (Claristowu, Mountain Buck, Ttrrington). Hackney or roadster, from four to eight years old, and equal to carry twelve stone. — First prize, £15, E. Charlcsworth, llorley Villa, Bradford (Lady Derweut) ; second, £5, 1\ C. Matthews, Driflield (Ozone). Ponies, not less liiau twelve and a half, and not exceeding fourteen and a half hands high. — First prize, £10, T. J\Iit- chell, Bowling Park, Bradford (Bo^co) ; second, £5, E, Bin- iiinston. North Dalton Wold, Hull (Alice). Ponies suitable for children, not exceeding twelve and a half hands iiigli, to be ridden by boys uudfir fifteen years of age. — First prize, €10, A. H. Tnrner-Neweomen, Kirkloatham Hall, Redcar (Jet) ; second, £5, l\liss Mabel VVomlrvell, TSTewburgh-' Park, Easingwold (Blackie) ; tliirfl,' £2,Mis8 Ncwtou, Norton,, Malton (Tom Thumb). SHORTHORNS. Families of Shorthorns, to consist of cow of any age, anff two or more of her descendants.— First prize, £50, J. Strattoi:, Alton ]'rior.s Marlborough (cow, and three of her produce : Mabel, Miriam, Maiden, calf) ; second, £25, W. Linton, Shcnft llutton, York (cow, son, three daughters, and two grand d;.u'bters: Fragrance, Sir Arthur Ingram, Sheriff Huttou Rose, Irwin Rose, Monthly Rose) ; Wiinl, T. Statter, Stand Hall, Manchester (cow, and two of her produce : Kosa, Robin's Rose, Oxford's Rose) ; fourth. Sir John Lawson Bart . Borough Hall, Cattcriek (cow, son, two daughters, and grauA daughters: Clara, Merry Lass, Saowdiop, Sir Julius-Eeneaict,. Reyal Merriment). j .i • Families of Shorihorns consisting- of bull, cow, and tlieir produce.— First priz--, .£30, T. Stitter (Oxford Chesrhoy, Lady Graceful, and Lady Beautiful). Shorthorn bulls ot any age above three years old.— tirst prize, £25, John Otithwaite, Bainesse, Cattenck (Royal Windsor) ; second, £10, A. H. Browne, Doxford, Chathill (Duke of A.ostay; third, £5, Slessrs. D'lddiug, I'tinton Huase, , Wragby, Lincolnshire (Robert Stephenson). Shorthorn bulls aliove two and not exceeding three years old.— First, £20, A. H. Browne (Rosario) ; second, £10 Lady Pigot, West Hall, Surrey (Rai)id Riione) ; third, £5, Earl of EUcsmcre, Worsley Hall, Manchester (Baron Irwin). Shorthorn bulls, above one and not exceeding two years old.— First prize, £35, J. Outhwaite (Duke of Chamburgh) ; sBCond, £10, A.H.Browne (Pioueei) , third, £5, W. LiutOR (Royal Irwin). Shorthorn buU-ailve^ above five and not exceding twelve months old.— First prize, £15, J. Snarry, IMarramatts, SI- d- mere, York (Count Towneley) ; second, £10, W. Linton (bir Hugo Irwin) ; third, £5, R. E. Oliver, Siiolebroke Lodge, Towcester (Silver Duke). Shorthorn cows of any age ahoTe three years old, in calt or milk.— First prize, £25, J. Out;hwaite (Vivandiere) ; second, £10, Messrs. Dudding (Blooming Bride) ; third, £o, T. H. Hutchinson (Lady Plajful). Shorthorn heifers, not exceeding- three years old.- first prize, i'20, Lady Pigot (Rose of Lin.-oln) ; second, £10, J . H. Hutchinson (Lady Alicia) ; third, £5, R. E. Olive-:-- (Orange Chips). . Shorthorn heifers not exceeding two years old — iirst prize, £20, G. Fox, Ilanfield, Wimslow, Manchester (Win-ome XVi.) ; second, £10, Lady Pigot (Zvezda) ; third, £o,J. Outhwaite (Miss Fox). Shorthorn heifer-calves, about five and not esceeuinsr twelve months old.— First prize, £15, Lady P'got (Imperious Q'ieen)i second, £10. J. R. Singleton, GivendaLe, Pock ungton (Mabel . Ruth) ; third, £5, J. Outhwaite (Lady Dauby). DAir.^ CATTLE. Cows for dairy purposes.— First prize, £10, G. K. Ilarland, Sowber Hill, Northallerton (Dairyisaid) ; second, £5, L. Robinson, Nafferton, Hull (Lady Fanny). Cows of the Alderney, Jerse-/, or Gueruvey breed, lu calf or milk.— First prize, £10, J. Brown, Rossington Hall, Bawtry (Smirk) : second, £5, J. Brown (Taglia). SHEEf. LEICESTEES;- Shearling rams.— First prize, £20, G, Tiirne-f, jun., Thorpe- lauds, Northamjiton ; second, £10, J. Borton, Manor House, Barton-le-Strcef, Malton ; third, £5 V\'. B.-own, Higbgite House, Holme, Yorkshiie. Aged rams.- First prize, £15, T. H. Hufcbmson ; second, £7, T. H. Hutchinson ; third, £3, G Turner, jun. Shearling ^^immers.— First prize, £15, G. Turner, jun.; second, £7, W'. ]5rown, Highgate House, Holme, York; tbird, £3, J. Borton, Manor House, Barton-lo-street, Maltcn. LIKCOLXS. Shearling rams.— First prize, £1&, T. Cartwright, Dnnstan Pillar, Lincoln ; second, £7, T. Cartwright ; third, £3, J. Pears, Mere, Lincoln. , „ ,, , ,, ,, Aged rams.— llrst prize, £10, W. F. Marshall, Branston,. Lincoln ; second, £5, R. Jolin-on, Westborough, Grantham. Shearling gimmers.— First prize, £10, J. Byron, Kirkhy Green, Sleaford; second, £5, R. Wright, Noctou Heath, Li&- cohi. 192 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. BOPDER LEICESTERS. Shearling Rams. — First prize, £15, K. Tweddie, The Forest, Cattcrick ; second, £7, R. Tweddie. Aged rams. — First prize, £10, R. Tweddie ; becond, £5 T. Foster, jun., EUingliam. Gimmers. — First prize, £10, R. Tweddie ; second, £5, R. Tweddie. SHEEP OF ANY DOWN BREED. Shearling rams. — First prize, £15, W. Biker, Moor Barns, Atlierstone, Warwickshire ; second, £7, T. Harris, The Chase, Ulceby ; third, £3, T. Marris, Aged ram. — First prize, £10, W. Baker ; second, £5, S. C. Pilgrim, The Outwoods, Hinckley, Leicestershire (Ambition). Shearling giiflmers. — First prize, ^10, W. Baker ; second, £5, S. C, Pilgrim. MOUNTAIN. Rams of any age. — First prize, £10, J. Pickup, Newclmrch, Manchester ; second, £5, J. Medd, Bransdale, Kirbyraoorside. Shearling gimmers. — First prize, £5, G.Dewhur8t,Rawten- stall, Manchester ; second, W. Rudsdale, Danby Lodge, Yarm. EXTRA PRIZE. Shearling wethers of any long-wool breed. — first prize, £10, J. P. Clark, North Ferriby, Brough,East Yorkshire: second, £5, J. P. Clark. PIGS. TWELVE MONTHS OLD AND UPWARDS, Boars of large breed. — First prize, £5, Earl of Ellesmere; second, £2, J. Dove, Hambrook House, Hambrook, Bristol. Sows of large breed in pig or milk. — First prize, £5, Earl of Ellesmere ; second, £3, J. Garbutt, jun., South Cave, Brough, E ist Yorkshire (Primrose III). Boars of small breed. — First prize, £5, Earl of Ellesmere ; s?cond, £2, R. E. Duckering, Northorpe, Kirton Lindsey. Sows of small breed in pig or milk. — First prize, £5, R. E. Duckering ; second, £2, Earl of Ellesmere. Boars, black or Berkshire breed, — First prize, £5, J. Dove second, £2, J. Dove. Sows, black or Berkshire breed, in'pig or milk. — First prize, £5, R. E. Duckering ; second, £2, J. Garbutt (Indian Lass). 13oar of any breed, not qualified to compete in classes 2§, 30, and 32. — First prize, £5, Earl of Ellesmere j second, £2, Earl of Ellesmere. Sow;* of any breed, not qualified to compete in classes 29, 31, ?Mld 33.— First prize, £5, W. Hatton, Addingham, Leeds ; second, £3, Earl of Ellesmere. NOT EXCEEDINCr TWELVE MONTHS OLD. Boars of the large breed, under twelve montlis old. — First prize, £5, R. E. Duckering ; second, £2, R. E. Duckering. Sows of the large breed. — First prize, £5, J. Garbutt, jun. ; second, £2, Earl of Ellesmere. Boars of small breed. — First prize, £5, Earl of Ellesmere ; second, £2, Earl of Ellesmere. Sows of small breed. — First prize, £5, Earl of Ellesmere ; second, £3, Earl of Ellesmere. Boars of black or Berkshire breed. — First prize, £5, R. E. Duckering ; second, £2, R. E. Duckering. Sows of black or Berkshire breed. — First prize, £5, R. E. Duckering ; second, £2, J. Dove. Boar of any breed, not qualified to compete in classes 36, 38, and 40.— First prize, £5, W. Hatton ; second, £2, Messrs. Waite and Dobson, tipper Wortley, Leeds. Sow of any breed, not qualified to compete in classes 37,39, and il. — First prize, £5, E. Harrison, Woodhouse Moor, Leeds ; second, £2, Earl of Ellesmere. Pens of three breeding sows of any breed. — First prize, £5, Earl of Ellesmere; second, £2, William Kay, 16, Chancery, street. Bank Top, Darlington. HOUNDS. Unentered ho«nd. — First prize, the Brocklesby; second, the Bramham Moor. Two couples of entered hounds.— First prize, the Qaorn- second, the Bramham Moor. Stallion hound. — Prize, the Quorn. Unentered hound, pupped since Ist December, 1873.— First prize, the Brocklesby ; second, the York and Ainsty. Two couples of entered hounds. — First prize, the Bramham Moor ; second, the Brocklesby. Brood bitch, having reared Ji litter since the 1st December, 1874.— Prize, the Burton. SHOEING SMITHS First prize, £5, J. Burton, Koyal Artillery, Sheffield ; second £3, J. Yorke, Malton; third, £2, Farrier- Sergeant Naylor, Barracks, York. Commended : C. Dixon, Garton, Driifield ; W. Humble, Cottingham, Hull ; J. Bousfield, Welton, Brough. At the annual meeting of the Council deputations were in- troduced from Bradford and Skipton. Col. GuNTER, of Wetherby, proposed that Skipton be taken for the next year's show of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. The hon. Geo. Lascelles, of Sion Hill, Northallerton, seconded the proposition. Mr. Clayton said that, as a Bradford man, he hoped the meeting would decide in favour of that town. Earl Cathcart seconded the motion, stating that he was perfectly satisfied that whatever the Bradford men undertook they would carry out. To use an American phrase, he knew of no such " go-a- head " people in the kingdom. Tliere was in the neighbour- hood a population of above 200,000, and the local authorities would take care that the Yorkshire Society was amply provi- ded for. Further, there was the consideration which neither the Royal and Yorkshire Society could afford to forget — the splendid shilling. A great deal had been said iu favour of Skipton, and it was admitted that they had excellent travelling facilities. On being pnt to the meeting only three hands were held up in favour of Bradford, and Skipton was declared carried by a large majority. WARWICKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT LEAMINGTON. The cattle were chiefly Shorthorns. The best aged bull was Earl of Waterloo Sad, from Mr. Cheney's herd, exhibited by Mr. T. H. Bland ; while his son General Rupee won in the calf class, beating the Royal winner Hudibras, Iu the second class for bulls Mr. Sharp's two-year-old won. In a large class of cows. Moss Rose, BOW again with Mr. W. Bradburn, was shown with a calf by her side, said to be calved on the 1st of May last, and consequently she was awarded the premier position, many preferring JMr. Sharp's red cow, put second. The two-year-old and yearliug heifer classes brought out nothing particularly striking, the best being Lord Beau- champ's Ladybird 3rd and Mr. Viveash's yearling Numidia. Lord Beauchamp, as on many former occa- sions, obtained the principal prize for cattle for dairy purposes with well-bred Shoiihorus, the whole of the oWier six entries in the class ueiug also of this breed or nearly allied to it. The best Longhora bull was shown by Mr. Tomlinson, from the neighbourhood of Derby ; but the cow and heifer prizes remained in the county, to the credit of Messrs. J. H. Burbery and T. Satchwell. The sheep were mainly Shropshires, the exhibitors of other breeds, with the exception of the class for fat sheep, hailing from outside the county. Mr. G. Turner, jun,, took live prizes with a like number of entries for Leices- ters ; Mrs. Goodwin every first prize for Cotswolds, with Mr. II. E. Kaynbird and Mr. Wheeler's sheep second. Mr. H. J. Hopkins, the only exhibitor of other Long-woolled sheep, walked over with a big nondescript shearling, apparently a combination of Lincoln, Cotswold, and Leicester — a mixture affected by many Northamptonshire ilockmasters. The Shropshire sheep classes introduced two new names as ram-breeders in the persons of Mr. George Graham and Captain Townseud. Mr. Graham :HE FARMER'S MAGAZIXB; 19J won tile first' prize and c«p witli a shearling; of his own breeding possessing much of the character of Lord Cheshani's sheep, from whose flock on the aire's side this ram is hred. Captain Towiisend was second, and also showed two useful aged rams purchased from the Latimer flock, which both obtained notice. A solitary pen of shearling ewes, of good character, but in ordinary store condition, sent by Mr. T. S. Minion, secured the priae ; whilst Mr. F. Street met with no antagonist iu the Oxford Down classes; and he also took the cup for the best five fat sheep of any breed, his most formidable opponent being Mr. II. Stilgoe. There were thirty-one pens of pigs to compete for twenty-t\vo prizes in thirteen classes ; but as most of these amounted to no more than £2 the limited entry is not to be wondered at. Mr. Ilicken, Mr. Duckcring, Mr. Wheeler, and Mr, Jacob Dove won iu the whites, and Mr. Heber llumfrey and Mr. John Spencer with Berkshires. The show of horses was large, several prizes of £49, £20, £15, and £10 being calculated to stimulate competition. Messrs. Yeo- inans brought their entire cart-horse Pride of England direct from Cirencester, where he was first, to achieve a like victory here, Mr. Wycn being second with a name- sake and descendant of his noted A 1. Thunderer, by Thunderbolt, bred by Colonel Barlow, and now standing at Mr. A. Over's stables at Rugby, was the best hunting sire, the other horse. Young Omar Pasha, being better adapted forgetting roadsters; and there were some good hunters and hacks. PRIZ^E LIST. JUDGES.— Cattle: T.Morris, Maisemore, Gloucester ; R. Doig, Lillingstone, Buckingham. Sheef and Pigs: W. Power, Brancote ; R. Game, Aldsworth, Northleach. Hunting Horses, Hacks, and Ponies: V. B. Watts, Melcombe Horsey, Dorchester; J. M. K. Elliott, Ileatheu- cote, Towcester. Agricultural Horses : l(. J. New- ton, Campsfield, Woodstock ; W, Baker, Moor Barns, Aliierstoue. Ijiplements: E.Wortlcy,Ridlington, Upping- ham. Cheese and Butter : — Jacks, Leamington. SHORTHORNS. J)ull, above three years old.— Prize, £10, T. 11. Bland, Market Harborongh. Bull, over twenty months and under three years old. — First prize, £19, J. J. Siiarp, Broughton, Kettering; second, £5, T. Harris, Bromsgrove. Bull, over ten and under twenty months old. — First prize, £10, T. H. Bland, Dingley ; second, £5, O. Viveash, Tewkes- bury. Cow in milk, above three years old. — First priz.e, £8, W. Bradbiiru, Wednesficld ; second, £1-, J. J. Sharp, Broughton. lieiffr, under three years old, in milk or in calf. — First prize, £8, Earl Beauchamp, Madresfield Court ; second, £4, J. J. Sharp. Heifer, under two years old. — First prize, £8, O. Viveash ; second, £4, A. T. Matthews, Church llarborougli. LONGHORNS. Bull. — Prize, £5, T. Tomlinson, Southwood, Derby. Cow or heifer iu milk. — First prize, £5, J. H. Burbery, Kenilworth ; second, £3, T. Satchwell, Kuowle. Cattle adapted for dairy purposes. — Pair *of cows in milk, which have been used in tlie exhibitor's dairy for the last two seasons. — First prize, £10, Earl Beauchamp ; second, £5, W. B. Gibbons, Ettiugton, Fat steer Iroin the grass. — Prize, a silver cup of the value of five guineas, W. Fairbrother, Burton Dassett. SHEEP. leicesteks. Shearling ram. — First prize, £G, and second, £3, G.Turner, Thorpelaud, Northampton. Two-shear ram. — First prize, €6, and second, £3, G. Turner. Pen of five shearling ewes. — Prize, dSo, G. Turner. cotswolus. Shearling ram. — First prize, £5, Mrs. Godwin, Deddington; second, £3, 11. E. Raynbird, Basingstoke. Two-shear ram. — First prize, £5, iMrs. Godwin ; second, £'6, executors of the late J. Whcekr, Long Couipton. Pen of five shearling ewes.— First ^rize, £S, Mrs. Godwin; second, £2, 11. Ei Raynbird. OTHER LOHG'WOOLLl'.D SUET P. Shearling ran*;— First prize, i;5, H. J. Hopkins, Moulton Grange Farm, Northampton. SHROPSHIRE SHBEF.' Shearling ram. — First prize, £«, and extra prize. G. Graham ; second, .€3, H. Townchend, Caldecote IPdi. Higli'y com- mended: II. J. Sheldon, Brr.iies House. Commended: — Tbwushend and F. Lythall, Offchurch. Two-shear ram. — First prize, £6, and second, £3,11. Tovvnshend. Pen of five shearling ewes.— First prize, £5, T. S. Minton, Goodrest, OTHEK SIIORT-WOOLLED SHEEF; Shearling ram. — First prize, &5, and second, £3, F. Street, Harrowilen House, Bedford. Pen of five shearling ewes. — First prize, £5, F. Street. Pen of five fat sheep. — Prize, a silver cup, value five Riiineas, F. Street. Commended: II. Stilgoe, Lower Clopton, and J. Baldwin, Luddington. HORSES.- ASKICULTURAL. Stallion which hud been used in the county in 1875. — First prize, £15, Messrs. Yeomans, Pennymore Hay, Wolstauton ; second, £10, W. Wyiin, Stratford-on-Avon ; third £5, T. Russell, Lower Shuckburg. Mare, with foal at foot.— First prize, £10, T. J. Johnson, Willoughby ; second, £5, Mrs. Bullock, Newubam, Henley-in-> Arden, Gelding under three years old.— Prize, £5, R. Timms, Branstone. Fdly under three years old. — Prize, £5, F. Tomlinson, Southwood, Tickuell, Dei by. Gelding under four years old. — Prize, £S, J. Canning, Sherborne. Filly under fouryears old.— Prize, £5, S.Davis, WoolashiU, Pershore. Cart gelding above (oiir years old that has been regularly worked. — Prize, £0, E. Humphries, Pershore. Cart mare, above four years old, that has been regularly' worked. — Prize, £5, VV. Butler, Warwick. Pair of Ei^ricultural draught horses that hare been regularly worked up to the time of the show, the property of a tenant- farmer residing in the county. — Prize, £10, T. Russell. Highly commended: G. Cook, Grove Field. Commended: II. Stilgoe and J. Canning, Sherborne. Pair of draught horses or mares. — First prize, a cup, or specie U the value of £20, F. Lythall, Offchurch ; tecoud, £10, J.Dugdale, Wroxall Abbey. HUNTERS. Stallion adapted for hunting purposes^ which has been used in the county in 1875 — Prize, £15, Av Over, Rugby. Only one other competitor. Hunter that has been ridden in the past season with tlie Warwickshire, North Warwickshire, Atherstone, Pjtcbley, Bicester, Quorn, Lord Coventry's, lieythrop, and North- Cotswold liounds. — First prize, £15, P. Tborne, 5, Waterloo- place, Leamington ; second, £5, J.Cooper, Overstone, North- ampton. Hunter, foar years old and upwards (to be jumped on the ground). — First prize, £15, W. S. Cooper, llillmorton ; second, £5, J. Ilicken, Dunchurch. Commended: J. F. Liebert, 5, York Terrace, Leamington. Heavy weight-carrying hunter, up to 15 stone ; open to all England. — First pri/.e, a cup, or specie to the value of £10, II. Ford, 7, Russell-street, Leamington ; second, £10, H. Sanders, Brampton-hill, Northampton. Comraeuded : W. Whitehead, Woolaston, Wellingborough. Hunter, otherviise than a weight-carrier, up to 13 stone. — First prize (a cup or specie to- the value of £4-0), P. Kench, Milverton ; second, £10, R. Wliifehouse, 28, Lower Parade, Leamington. Highly commended r J. Steedman, Meriden. Commended : T- 11. Asheton, Temple Laugherue, AVorcester. Weight-carrier, ecpial to not less than 15 stone, the property of a Warwickshire tenant-farmer, that has been regularly, hunted during the past season with either the Warwickshire North Warwickshire, Atherstone, Pytchley, or Bicester hounds.- Prize, £10, E. Knott, Fenny Compton. Four-year-old gelding or filly adapted for hunting purposes, the properly of a tenaut-laimcr laruiiug not less than lOU 194 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. acres of liinil, and residing within the limits of the Warwick- shire and North Warwicls'iirc lluuts, ana to have been iu liis] possession, not less than twelve mouths. — Prize, £10, H. W. Pratr, Owliugton, Kingston. Commended and reserved : S. Gale, Lcaudesert. Hunter which has been hunted during the last season with cither the Warwickshire or North Warwickshire hounds, the property of and riddea by a tenant-farmer. — Prize, £5 G. Smith, Ailston. Commended and reserved: J. Tiinma, Evenlode Grounds, Moroton-in-tlie Marsh. , liall'-bred two-year-old colt or filly, the property of and bred by a member. — Prize, £3, J. Gil)bs, Cutler's Tarm. Com- mended : C. M. Hamer, Snitterfield. HACKNEYS AIMD PO^'IES. Hackney exceeding 15 hands higli. — Prize, £10, F. Fabling, Wormleighton. Commended : W. Smith, Bull's Head, Warwick. Hackney not exceeding 15 hands high, — Prize, £10, G. W. Sanders, Woollaston, Wellinborough. Commended : K. lliibbins, Kenil worth. Pony above 13 and not exceeding 14 hands high. — Prize, £b. W. Tyler, 28, Frederick-street, Birmingham. Highly commended: W.T.Cooper. Commended: T.H. Ashton. Pony above 12 and not exceeding 13 hands high. — Prize, £5, W. Tyler. Highly commended : P. P. Goodchild, Glen Parna Grange, Leicester. Commended : C. A. Jacobs, Clifton, Bristol. PIGS. Boar pig of the large breed (except Berkshire), under 18 months. — First prize, £3, R. E. Uuckering, Kirton Lindsey ; second, £3, J, Hicken, Dunchurch. Higlily commended : Executors of Mr. J. Wheeler, Long Corajitou. Boar pig of the large breed (except Berkshire), above 18 months old. — First prize, £3, 11. E. Duckcriug ; second, £3, J. Dove, Bristol. Highly commended : T. S. Minton, Good- rcst. Boar pig- of the small breed, under 18 months old. — First prize, £3, Expcutois of J. "Wheeler ; second, £3, J. Dove. Boar iiig of the small breed, above 18 months old. — First prize, £3, J. Dovo; second, £3, 11. E. Duckering, North- ope. Boar pig of the Berkshire breed, under 18 months old. — First prize, £3, 11. llurafrey, Kingstonc ; second, £2, J. Spencer, Villicr'a Hill. Highly commended: II. Humfrcy, K'ngatone Farm, Shrivcnham. Boar pig of the Berkshire breed, above 18 months old. — First jjrize, ^3, II. llumfrey ; second, £3, R. E. Duckering. Breeding sow, suckling pigs of her own farrow, and in milk at the time of show, of the large breed (i^xeept Berkshire).— First prize, £3, tlie Executors of J. Wheeler. No other entry. Berkshire sow, suckling pigs of her own farrow, and in railk at the time of show. — First prize, £3, H. Hamfrey^ Kingstonc Farm, Shrivenham; second, £2, Executors of J. Wiieeler. Breeding pigs of one farrow of 1875 of large breed. — Prize, £3, J. Hicken, Dunchurch. No other entry. Breeliiig pigs of one farrow of 1875 of small breed. — First prize £2, Executors of J. Wheeler. Breeding pigs of oue farrow of 1875 of Berkshire breed.— First prize, £3, J. C. Greenway, Ashborne Hill. Highly commeaded : II. llumfrey. CHEESE Cheeses, not less than 70ibs. each, the property of the ex- hibitor, a member, and made of his own dairy in 1875, £5, and a medal to the dairymaid, J. T. Ralln, Little Preston, Farthinghoe ; not exceeding SUlbs. each, the properly of the exhibitor, a member, and made from liis own dairy in 1875, £5, and a medal to the dairymaid. — First prize, J. T, Ralls. Highly commended : W. W. Scriven, Dunchurch ; J. Criggs, Arburv; and J. Mead, Wileombe. Commended: J. Briggs. BUT TEH. olb. of butter, the property of the exhibitor, and made from his own dairy in 1S75. — First prize, £3, T. S. Minton, Ooodrest ; second, £1, and U medal to the dairymaid, F. F. Wells, Wistr.u-under-Watberley. Highly commended: J. Hicken, Duaciiurch ; H. Stilgoe, Lower Cloptou ; W. W. Scriven, Dunchiuch ; and the Executors of the late J. Wheeler. IMPLEMENTS. JCG, W, Glover and Son?, Warwick, for a geutral assort- ment; £1, Tasker und Sons, Andover, for drum guard to thrashing machine ; £1, for patent stacking machine ; £3, W* Peters, Carr's-lane, Birmingham, for collection of implements ; £5, G. Bull, North Kilworth, Rugby, for horse rakes sud collection of ploughs and scuJlles. TIIE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY'S CART-HORSE, AND SHEEP SHOW. — The agricultural liorses were not as good as they ought to be. The Royal Agricultural Society's Cup was awarded to Messrs. Moouey's two-year horse Eclipse ; but we consider tliat Mr. Mongey's five-year-old horse Surprise, which got first i)rize in the aged class, had a better claim to it. Mr. Boniford and Mr. David Licdsny showed useful, well-bred stallions of the Clydesdale breed. Mr. Romford's two-year-old filly, which got the prize in her class, has great substance and power. Mr. llnnnan's Clydesdale mare is of a very useful descrijitiuu, and is well bred, which is a point of some importance where there are so many mongrel mares ranked under the head of agricultural horses. It is to be regretted that more encouragement is not given to the difCtjrent classes of agricultural liorses by the Society. The Pvoyal Agricultural Society's Cup is, no doubt, something ; but the other prizes are not sufficient to induce owners of really first-class horses to undertake the trouble, risk, and expense of sending their horses to Dublin. Masinissa was still the best thoro^ighbred stallion. Beginning with Leicester rams, there were six entries in the shearling class. Jlr. Sey- mour Mowbray, who took first and second prize in this class last year, met with equally good fortune on this occasion. Mr. Mowbray's rams have good fore-flanks, and are well-bred, compact si cep. Mr. Meade took the third prize with a neat, nice-fleslud, useful ram ; and a ram from Mr. Owen's flock was highly commended. In the aged section, Mr. Meade came in first with a three-shear ram, which possessed much sub- stance, qiuility, and style. Mr. Owen's ram of the same ago was second. This ram has a very good shoulder and back, beautiful quality of llesli, and good wool. Another ram from the Blesinton flock was highly com- mended. Lord de Vcsci, who last year carried off all the prizes with rams of the Border Leicester breed in the shearling section, was this year winner of the first and third prizrs in the section, with two very stylish animals. Mr. Thomas Robertson, Narraghmore, who does not often exhibit his Border Leicesters, took the second prize in the shearling section. Mr. R ibertson's ram has a long and deep frame, good back, loins, and quarters, with mutton to the hocks, and a full fore-flank. Mr. Co^by had a compact, good-fleshed sheep highly commended. In the section of aged rams Lord de Vesci got first prize witli a ram bred by himself, and possessing size and style. At the last show a ram belonging to his lordship was also first in this section. Mr. Cosby got the second prize with a ram bred by Lord de Vesci. Last year Mr. Going was the only exhibitor of Lincoln rams, but this year he met with new, and, as it proved, formidable com- petitors in Messrs. Davidson and Watson, whose rams took the first prize in the sheavling class and first in the aged class ; the ram wliich took the latter prize being the sire of their prize shearling ram. Those sheep are thick, heavy-fieshed animals. They are from the produce of ewes im))orted from Lincolnshire by Messrs. W. S. and E. Purdon for Killough- ram. Mr. Going's rams, bred by Mr. Charles Clarke, Scop- wick, Lincolnshire, got the second prize in both sectious. Tiiey are, of course, well-bred sheep, aud have both size and qualify. The Roscommon breed was very fairly represented. The first prize m the section of shearling rams was awarded to Mr. Thomas Roberts for a ram entered under the name of Cavour. This ram has a good head, a compact, well put toge- ther frame, a capital back, and wool to tiie hocks. The Jury Challenge Cup, as a matter of course, was awarded to Mr. Roberts for this ram, being the second time he has held it, although not in consecutive years. Mr. Richard Flynn, who held the cup last year,came in for the second prize, leaving the third to another ram belonging to Mr. Roberts, which, like his cup ram, belongs to liis well-known X tribe. In the aged class, Mr. B. Hanuon took the first prize with a good backed aud lieavy w oolled ram. Mr. Haiinau is a new exhibitor, liav- iiig only of late turned liis atteuliou to bretdiug Roscommon iheep, aud he hat made a i^ood btgiuuing, which, indeed, he THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 105 tndld not avoid doing, as lie has got for liis manap^pr Mr. E. Gannon, wlio was long known as the trainer of Mr. Richard Coftys |)ri/.e lloscoiniuons. Mr. Thomas Roberts got the second I)riz(! in tiic section witli a r«m bred by Mr. Cuffy, but going hack to his own X blood. This ram has great ribs and good (inarlers, quality, and style. Anothf r ram belonging to Mr. Roberts was highly commended, a sinii'ar lionour being awarded to a rara exhibited by JMr.M. J. Balfe. Major Li. Smythe had no sheep entered this year. We are sorry to learn that he lias been in delicate health for some time past, which has prevented him from devoting as much attention as usual to his flock, from whence came the cup rams of 187"2 and 1873. The short- wooUed breeds were entirely confined to Shropshires. In the shearling section Mr. Naper took first and second prizes, liis first prize ram lias a wide breast, v/ell si)tung rib, good back .and haunch, liis second ram is a shade longer than the first, and is b(^ttcr covered over tiie top of the head, and is alto- gether a very stylish sheep, lie was shown last week at Slirewsbury, where he was highly commended. Mr. Orosby got the third prize with a compact, but not large ram, bred by himself, and got by Mrs. licach's Belfast Royal Show prize ram. A nice Bhee|i, but ratlier open in the lleece, belonging to Mr. Naper, was highly commended. In the class of aged rams Mr. Cosby took tlie first prize with a two-shear sheep, bred by Mr. Naper. This rara was first in his section last year at the WexI'ord Royal Show, and first also at the Royal Dublin Ram Show, lie did not show in good form, having recently suffered from an attack of foot-and-mouth disease. BIr. Seymour Mowbray took the second prize with a thick, lengthy ram. The judges entered a note in their book con- dcraning the manner in which some of the rams in this class had been shown. Tliat note, however, did not refer to any of the animals to which prizes were awarded. Mr. C. W. Hamilton was prevented from showing, owing to a slight out- break of foot-and-mouth disease in his flock. Jlr. Ilamillon had seven raras entered, and we were glad to learn that matters have so mucli improved since last week that there is every probability that tliere is every probability that tlie Ilamwood rams will be all right for the Royal show at Dcrry. —T/ie Irish Farmers^ Qazdle, THE EOYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. Mo>'TnLY Council: Wednesday, Aug. 4, 1875. — Present: Sir Watkia W. Wynii, Burt., M.P., Vice- rrcsideut, ia the chair ; Mr. Cantrell, Mr. Diuce, Mr. Hornsby, Mr. Leeds, Mr. Martin, Mr. Pain, Mr. Sunday, and Mr. Whitehead. liis Royal Highness Prince Christian, K.G., was elected a governor of the Society. The following mnmbers were elected : Acland, Charles T. Uyke, Sprydoucote, Exeter. Addison, John, lloduell, Soutliam, Warwickshire. Anderson, Joseph Chapman, Avenue l''arni, Long Suttou. Andrews, William, NobolJ, Shrewsbury. Bassett, Richard K., Whitley Abbey L'arm, Coventry. BIyth, Thomas P., The Fields, Southam, VVarvvick shire. Bond, James Henry, Ueathfield, Tauiitin. Cantley, Rev. Joshua, Thorney Abbey, Peterborough. Cartwright, Siduey, The l.easows, Wolverlnmptou. Chambers, John Edmund F., Mansfield Woodhouse, Mansfield. Clay, J. S|iender, Ford Manor, Lingfield, East Grinstead. England, John, Cliard, Somerset. Estcourt, George B., M.P., Newntou House, Tetbury, Wilts. Fison, Samuel, llornirgsea, Cambridge. Eloat, John Cliarles, Maldou, Essex. Foster, William, Westward Park, Wigton. Gilbert, Thomas Denny, Cantley, Burlingham, Norwich. Grose, Wesley Richard, Pen pout, Wadebridgc, Cornwall. Grove, Julia, E. C, Zeals House, Bath. Horton, Enoch, New Oxley Farm, Wolverhampton. Huxley, Clement, Fordhall, Market Drayton. Ingham, T. II., Skipton, Yorkshire. Malcolm, Louisa, Beechwood, Lyndhurst, Hampshire. Mundy, Edward Miller, Shipley, Derby. _ Newell, Evan, Jjscuau Hall, Tovvyn, Merioneth. Newton, William, Dogdean, Salisbury. Kiddock, John, Yallam Park, Penola, South Australia, llobins, William S., Dunsley Hall, Stourbridge. WaldroD, Clement, Cardiff. Wat.'on, iVederiek, Lynwood, March. Wedgwood, Alfred E , Holly House, Breadenheath, Salop. Finance. — The report was presented by the Secre- tary, on belialf of Colonel Kiugscote, from which it appeared that the Secretary's receipts during the jiast nioiilh had been examined by the Committee, and by Messrs. Qnilter, Ball, and Co., the Society's accountants, and were found correct. The balance in the hands of the bankers on July 31 was £5,210 123. 5d., the sum of £1,500 romaining on deposit. Bills to the amount of £8,498 were presented for payment, and the Committee recommended that £3,000 of the Society's funds he sold out for that purpose. This re])urt was adoided. GtNEKAL Taunton. — ilr. llurusby reported that the Committee had e:sa,mined the accouuti' arisiu;' out of the Taunton meeting, and recommended that they he pai>l. This report was adopted. General Birmingham. — Mr. Hornsby reported the recommendation of the Committee that the Secretary bo authorised to meet the Town Clerk of Birmingham with a view to the settlement of the terms of the agreement witli the Society. This report was adopted. Suowyard Contracts. — Mr. Hornsby reported that the surveyor's report had been received, and that the Committee recommended the payment of £1,000 to the contractor as the fourth instalment on account of the showyard and other works at Taunton, leaving a balance of £2'J3 Gs. yd., which will become due in November. They also recommended the payment of the surveyor's account, amounting to £198 7s. 3d. This report was adopted. Veterinary. — Mr. Whitehead reported that the Committee moved for a grant of £23 (notice of which motion had been given at the last Monthly Council) for the purpose of testing a system of alleged cure for pleuro- pneumonia. The Committee had considered a letter from the clerk to the committee of the Brown Institution, in which it was stated that that Committee would under- take to carry out the veterinary objeets of the Society, and suggesting a conference with the Veterinary Com- mittee with a view to an arrangement being arrived at for that purpose. The Committee recommended that this proposal be adopted, and that the Committee of the Brown Institution be asked to draw up in detail a draft of their scheme, so that it may be circulated ninongst the members of both committees, for their consideration prior to their meeting, which was fixed for November 2iid. The Committee had received Professor Simoud's half- yearly report to Midsummer on the health of the animals of the farm, which they recommended should be published in the nest number of the Juurna . This report was adopted, and the grant of £25 was agreed to. Mr. Whitehead, senior steward, presented a report in reference to a protest against the awards of the judges of implements — viz , Messrs. Ilaughton and Thompson's protest against the award of a first prize to jNIessrs. Nicholson's horse-rake. The stewards recommended that the Secretary he instructed to inform Messrs. Ilaughton and Thompson that the award of the judges is final. — This report was adopted. A complaint from Mr. W. A. Fell as to the manner in which his one-horse mowing machine had been tried was also reported upon, and the Council declined to cuter into the (juestipu. 196 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. A letter was read from Messrs. J. and F. Howard, complaiuing that the ring which had been provided for the exhibition of their automatic machinery had not been properly fitted up, and the Secretary was instructed to inquire in what way the Society had failed to comply with the terms of its agreement with Messrs. Howard. On the motion of Mr. Cantrell, seconded by Mr. Druce, the Secretary was authorised to sign and seal an agreement with the Mayor and Town-clerk of Birmingham. A letter was read from M. Drouyn de Lhuys on the recent trials of reaping machines conducted by the Societe des Agricnlteurs de France. A request from M. Decauville for permission to publish a translation of Mr. Roberts's paper on Steam Cultiva- tion, which appeared in No. 19 of the Second Series of the Society's Journal, was granted. On the motion of Mr. Whitehead, seconded by Mr. Pain, the suggestions made at the general meeting of members in the Taunton showyard were referred to the Stock Prizes Committee. Mr. Mil ward gave notice that at the November Council he will move, " That in future the country meeting shall commence on Wednesday instead of Mon- day, for this reason, amongst others, that Saturday and Monday, which are generally holidays in large towns, would be shilling days. Mr. Kandell gave notice that he will move in November, " That while under any circumstances it would be of the greatest importance to the members of the Society to prove by a series of experiments made under every variety of soil and climate how far the ac- curacy of ' the estimated value of mauure obtained by the consumption of different articles of food,' as given by Mr. Lawes in his valuable contribution to the last Number of the Journal of the Society, is confirmed by practical' results, it becomes more especially important now that compensation to outgoing tenants for unexhausted value of purchased food will become universal. That it be referred to the Chemical Committee to consider in what way experiments may be conducted by practical farmers in different districts to demonstrate by this union of 'practice with science' the actual manure-value of the kinds of food most extensively purchased — say the first four articles in Mr. Lawes' table, with any others the Committee may select, the feeding value of each beiug «lso recorded. That as these experiments must extend over a period of at least five years, and will involve con- siderable expenditure, it will be desirable after 1876 to susnend for that period the trials of standard implements, affording meanwhile every encouragement to the inven- tion of new implements or the improvement of others by public trials of such as appear to the engiueers of the Society to possess sufficient merit to entitle them thereto." The usual holiday having been granted to the secretary and clerks, the Council adjourned over the recess until Wednesday, November 3rd. SHORTHORN SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. A Meeting of the Council of this Society was held at the Society's Rooms, Hanover-square, on Tuesday, the 3rd instant. President, Lord Penrhyn, in the chair, Lord Skelmersdale, Colonel Kingscote, C.B., M.P., and Mr. H. W. Beauford. The minutes of the Council meeting held at Taunton on July 12th were read and confirmed. The following new members were elected : Alexauder A. J., Woodburn, Kentucky. Brownlow, Earl, Belton House, Grantham. Dalzell, Anthony, Stainburn, Workington. Evans, Humphrey, Woodburn, Kentucky, MasoD, Charles, Dishforth, Thirsk. Nicholson, W. J., Willoughton Grange, Kirton in Liudsey. Owen, F. Barton Grove, Hungerford. PauU, James W., Knott Oak, Ilminster. Pliipps, P., M.P., CoUingtree, Northampton. I'hipps, R. Spencer, Parade, Northampton. Roberts, Joseph, Lower Clopton, Chipping Campden Senhouse, Huuphrey P., Nether Hall, Maryport, Cumberland. Slattery, Denis F., Cooluagour, Uungarvan. Turbervill, Major, Ewenny Abbey, Bridgend. Wilson, Christopher W., High Park, Kendal. Editing Committee. — Colonel Kingscote reported that the Committee recommended that the references in the case of pedigrees of cows in the Herd Book be limited to such references as will be sufficient to trace the pedi- grees. That a list of the members of the Society be published at the end of the forthcoming volume of the Herd Book ; and that the index of bulls be omitted, the entries in the Herd Book being in alphabetical order. That a complete set of the Herd Books be bound for the use of the secretary. That applications having been received from Mr. Outhwaite, Mr. Jamieson, and others, asking for the insertion of bulls with only four crosses in the Herd Book, notwithstanding the rule of the Society to the contrary, and it having been represented that much hardshii^ will arise if such bulls be excluded, inasmuch as the breeder* used them whilst Mr. Strafford's rule was in operation, and before the Society's rule was adopted, in the expecta- tion that they would be entered as theretofore, the Com- mittee recommended that in all such cases the bulls be accepted for entry in the forthcoming volume, but that they be given in a special list, and that this exception to the Society's rule shall not apply in any future volume. That 1,500 copies of vol. xsi. be printed, and that any volumes of the Herd Book which may be out of print be reprinted from time to time, as the finances of the Society will admit. The question of duplicate names had been considered, and the Committee recommended that the same be adjourned until after the publication of the forthcoming volume of the Herd Book. The Committee also recommend that descriptions in the Herd Book as to colour be confined to white, roan, red, and red-and-white, all sub-varieties of these colour* being omitted. This report was received and adopted. General Purposes Committee. — Lord Skelmers- dale reported that the Committee had again had under their careful consideration the draft of ihe proposed bye- laws and regulations, and also the suggestions made thereon by members of the Council, several of which the Com- mittee had agreed to ; and they now recommended that the bye-laws be adopted by the Council. That the Committee had read and considered an agree- ment with the secretary for his services to the Society, and they recommended it to the Council for adoption. That the Committee had examined and passed the secretary's petty cash account for the months of June and July, and also his receipts for entries for the same period. That the Committee had received the treasurer's report, and had examined the bank book, the balance iu the hands of the Society's bankers beiug £689 18s. lid. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 197 That the Committee rccommenJed that cheques he drawn for accounts to the amount of £53 2s. 8d., and that the salaries of the secretary and porter be paid when due. The Committee reported that Mr. Strafford had handed over to the Society 2,000 of the back vols, of the Herd Book, with the exception of about GO vols., which would shortly bo delivered. The Committee recommended that the Society's furni- ture, &c., be insured for £200, and the stock of unsold vols, of the Herd Book for £2,000. The Committee also recommended that Colonel Kings- cote be a member of the General Purposes Committee. This report was received and adopted. The draft of the proposed bye-laws was then considered, and unanimously adopted. The report of the Committee appointed by the Council to investigate and report upon a dispute between Mr. E. J. Coleman and Lord Beetivc, referred to the Society for arbitrament, was laid before the meeting and adopted. Thereupon the following resolution was proposed from the chair, and carried unanimously : "That the Council receive and adopt tlie rrport of the Coraniittee appointed to report npon the dispute between Mr. Coleman and Lord Bective, and the Council arc of opinion and award that Mr. Coleman lias no claim against Lord Bective in respect of this dispute so referred to tlie Society, and that the secretary communicate to the parties tliis award " Mr. Beauford gave notice that at the next meeting of the Council he should move, " That the Council enter into an arrangement with Mr. Thornton, in reference to his Qicarterly Circular, and continue the publication of the same." Leave of absence having been granted to the secretary, the Council adjourned over the autumn recess until Tuesday, November 2. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. SUEEP BREEDING. At a meeting of the Agricultural Society of New South Wales, the Hon. G. II. Cox in the chair, Mr. John Smith, of L'aiiarth, Batlmrst, read the following paper : The subject of slieep breeding, though already fully dis- cussed, can never be considered exhausted whilst wool con- tinut-s to be the life-blood of the colony. Annual discussions cannot but effect some good. In presuming to come before the Society with such crude ideas as my experience has sug- gested, I cannot but feel sensible ot the disadvantageous position I take up, following the able essays of tlie Hon. G. II. Cox, than whom no colonist is better entitled to speak authoritatively on matters eoDnectcd with sheep breeding. But, to use a figure of the la*e Sir Robert Peel, it is by the friction of ideas that liglit is emitted. If sheep farmers can be induced to give the colony the benefit of their experience, the young men now goiug into the bush may avoid some mistakes in laying tlie baseineut of tiieir fortunes. I propose to compare notes witli some English writers as to the origin of the best flocks, and the effects of climate, pasturage, and soil on the wool ; to record my own experience in this country ; and then briefly to examine our land laws as to the effects operating ou the production of this staple article of the colony. I assume that the object of the sheep farmer is the cash returns from his flock, and not exclusively the price per lb. of his wool. I start, then, with the maxim of Lord Somerville, that " The breed of sheep which, on any given quantity of land, will carry for a continuance the most wooias well as flesh, and both ot the higliest quality, is the breed to be preferred." How this result is to be secured in the dif- ferent climates and on the different pastures of our extensive sheep walk, is the present subject of inquiry. Whether or not the progenitors of the Merino were introduced into Spain from Northern Africa, I shall not now stop to inquire ; but whether the colour was white or black is a matter of more interest, as showing to what extent judicious selection may be carried. It is said by a modern writer on this valuable animal, that the sheep is a child of cultivation. It may be bred and managed so as to become almost all that the agricul- turist and manufacturer could wish it to be ; and if habitually neglected and abused, every good quality will gradually dis- appear. The Spanish Merino, from which our flocks descend, is thus described by Mr. Youatt : " The legs are long, yet small in the bone ; the breast and the back are narrow, and the sides are somewhat flat ; the fore shoulders are heavy, and too much of their weight is carried on the coarser parts. The horns of the male are comparatively large, curved, and with more or less of a spiral form ; the head is large, but the forehead rather low. A few of the femalesare horned, but gene- rally speaking they are without horns. Both male and female have a peculiar coarse and unsightly growth of hair ou the fore- head and cheeks ; the other part of the face has a pleasing and characteristic velvet appearance. Under the throat there is a singular looseness of skin, which gives tlicm a remarkable axspearance of throatiueas or hollowness iu the neck. The pile, when pressed upon, is hard and unyielding ; it is so from the thickaess with which it grows on the pelt, aiid the abund- ance of the yolk, detaining all the dirt and gravel wliich fall on it ; but when examined, the fibre exceeds^n fineness, and iu the number of serrations and curves, that which any other sheep in the world produces. The average weight of the fleece in Spain is eight pounds from the ram and five from the ewe. The staple differs in length in dif- ferent provinces. When fat, these sheep will weigh from twelve to sixteen pounds per quarter. The excellency of the Merinoes consists in the unexampled fineness and felting property of their wool, and in the weight of it yielded by each individual sheep ; the closeness of that wool, and the luxu- riance of the yolk, which enable them to support extremes of cold and wet quite as well as any other breed ; tlie easiness, with which they adapt themselves to every change of cUraate, and thrive and retain, with common care, all their fineness of wool under a burning tropical sun, and in the frozen regions of the north." And Lord Somerville observes: " The second property to be noted in this sheep is a tendency to throatiuess, a pendulous skin under the throat, which is generally deemed a bad property in this country, and the very reverse in Spain, where it is much esteemed because it is supposed to denote a tendency both to wool and to a heavy fleece." Tlie Spanish Merino was introduced into England by George III., in the year 1 791 ; but it was not till 1804 that the first public sale of the progeny took place. At that sale the raras averaged £19 14-s., and the ewes £8 15s. 6d. each. In 1808 the raras averaged £33 10s., and the ewes £23 12s. 6d ; and at the sale held two years afterwards thirty-three rams realised £1,920, thus averaging £58 each ; and seventy ewes averaged £37 lUs. per head. One ram fetched 173 guineas, and another 13i. One ewe was knocked down at 72 guineas, another at 70. This sale was followed by the establishment of the " Merino Society," with Sir Joseph Banks as president, and fifty-four vice-presidents — patronage enough ; but with all this flourish of trumpets the crosses with the English coarse-woolled sheep proved a signal failure. The cross was too wide, and the Merino was abandoned. Mr. Ellraan, in his examination be- fore the House of Lords, said : " He had abandoned the Meri- noes from the difficulty he had in selhng them in a lean state. The graziers did not like them. He bad tried to fatten them himself, but found he could fatten three Southdowns where he could one Merino." And Mr. Coke, in his address to the Merino Society, says : " I feel it my duty to state my latest opinion of the effects of the cross of a part of my Southdown flock with Merino tups, and I wish it could be more favourable. From the further trial which I have made, I must candidly confess that I have reason to believe that, however oue cross may answer, a further progress will not prove advantageous to the breeder." But had the English graziers proceeded by selection of the best progeny, instead of crossing with Euglish sheep, they would have witnessed the full effect of the English meadow-laud ou the Mcriuo fleece as well as carcase. The 19S THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. Englisli farmer, liovvevcr, was breeding for nmUon, and not for wool. What ( ilferent results attended the introduction of the Merino slieep in'o Germany I need not dwell on ; but in Ger- many the perfection of the fleece, and not the supply of mutton, was tlie object aimed at. That object was secured because it was steadily pursued, and with unwavering devotion. The Australian Merinos come principally through Germany, and not direct from pure Spanish flocks ; hence the tendency, being the progeny of a cross, to individual instances of degeneracy to the parent stock of the German side, which are described as being " small, with long neck and legs, and the head, belly, and legs devoid uf wool." Now, if these inferior animals are not c-irefully culled out of the breeding flocks they will be found to increase in number. There is a tendency in all ani- mals to return to the original type, if man is idle. I quite agree with Sir. Cox that we possess in tliis colony sheep far superior to anything we can import from Europe — the natural result of judicious selection, exercised over flocks bred under the most favourable circumstances of climate, soil, and pas- turage. Tlie undulating western slopes of the great dividing range should turn out tlie Merino sheep in perfection. The superior softness and elasticity so attractive in the Australian fleece is, doubtless, the combined effect of climate, pasturage, and forest trees. The mildness of the winter admits of the proper nourishment of the wool without artificial feeding, and the general dryness of the climate is favourable to the reten- tion of yolk ; while the forest trees afford shelter in winter and shade in summer, thus modifying the action of the elements on the fleece. In Germany the sheep are so much confined in sheds, in order to preserve the fleece, that the muscular deve- lopment is checked, the size of the animal diminished, and his constitution weakened. The proi^euy will be delicate. By free and moderate exercise in the open air, with such pasturage as will keep up his condition in winter and summer, and shel- tered by the forest trees from extremes of heat and cold, you will have an animal symmetrical in figure, with a constitution adapted to the country, and bearing a fleece of superior excel- lence. That unsightly loose skin exhibited by the imported Negretti, so troublesome to the shearer, will have been filled out, and instead of the German you will have the Australian Merino. The German flocks are honsed in winter, and, indeed, in summer alto duriug rain. The fleece is tliiis preserved to the very tip, and it is to this protection from rain that is to be attributed the superior softness of the German over the Spanish wool. A British manufacturer (Mr. Jowitt), in his evidence before the House of Lords, says : " I began with the Spanish wool ; I then changed to the German, on account of its superior iinality-^proviug better and making a softer cloth. I was also able to spin it to a greater length — the very qualities in which the English wool is deficient." This uniform softness and elasticity of the fibre is only to be secured by keeping the slieep sheltered from heavy rains ; but we have not yet attained that stage in sheep farming. The sheep farmer, however, should see that his slieep are adapted to his run ; that is, he should keep such slieep only as will hold their condition in winter, and not attempt to keep large-framed sheep on mountainous or inferior country. Sheep that cannot be kept in condition will never pay. Nor should ewes out of condition be ever bred from ; the'oll'spring will be delicate and wanting in constitution, from deficiency of nourishment. But poor sheep produce the finest wool ; and this has often deceived the purchaser of stud stock. The skin contracting from the loss of flesh, the fibres of the wool are drawn more closely together, the action of the air is excluded, and a thicker, softer, pile is produced. Every sheep farmer must liave noticed the effect on the wool of the sheep removed from a poor country to rich pasturage. On this point Dr. farry states : "The fineness of a sheep's fleece of a given breed is, within certain limits, inversely as its fatness. A slieep which is fat has usually comparatively coarse wool ; and one which is lean, either from want of food or disease, has the finest wool." Another writer (Mr. Youatt) says : " Pasture lias a far greater influence than climate on the fineness of the fleece. The staple of the wool, like every other part of the sheep, must increase in length or in bulk when the animal has a superabundance of nutriment ; and, on the other hand, the secretion which forms the wool must decrease, like every other, wlien suiEcient nourishment is not afforded." Nor must the effect of soils on wool be disregarded. Those graziers who have removed their flocks from the tablelands of this colony to the plains and sand-ridges of the Darling have been astonished at the change effected in the fleece, which .'ould hardly be accounted for by climate alone. An English writer observes : " There is no doubt that soil has much iufluence in producing harshness of the pile. A chalky soil notoriously de- teriorates the softness of the wool. Minute particles of the chalk, being necessarily brought into contact with the fleece, have a corrosive effect on the fibre, hardening and rendering it less pliable." And Bakewell, states in his work : " In the northern parts of Derbyshire the mineral strata are so abruptly broken that two adjoining farms, separated by a small brook, would not unfrequently be found, the one on limestone and the other on silicious grit or sandstone. The difference of the wool on those two farms, and from the same breed of sheep, and particularly with regard to its soft- ness, is so distinctly marked, and so well known, that the farmer would obtain Is. or Is. 6d. per tod more for his wool when grown upon the latter soil." When sheep were first taken to Queensland the effect on the fleece was very marked. The wool was harsh and dry to the touch, and liglit in weight, and would only sell in London at a reduced price ; but in sub- sequent years these very qualities enhanced its value. The manufacturers had discovered tiiat the absorption of oil, from this very dryness, had so far increased the weiglit as to balance the waste from scouring ; so that Queensland wool of the same degree of fineness was worth more per pound than that of New South Wales. Tliis deficiency in yolk on the arid parched downs of Queensland, where there is not a tree to afford shade, is doubtless to be attributed to the action of a vertical sun on the skin, tliongh it is quite possible tiie fine sand taken up by the wool may have its share in the work. Nature supplies oil for the wool, but not in sufficient quantity to cope with a vertical sun and dust together. On the burning plains of the North-west it would be worth while to consider the expediency of erecting camping sheds for the flocks. A few rough posts erected, with a flat roof, formed by boughs and underwood thrown across, would afford shade during the heat of the day, and would be amply paid for by the fleece. If it is true that wool becomes hair within the tropics, the graziers in Northern Iliverina and Queensland must be cau- tious in breeding " in and in" — every generation will be a step nearer hair. The ewe flocks should be carefully culled every year, and those exhibiting tropical proclivities, or liglit fleeces, rejected for breeding purposes, and fattened off ; and then, by introducing rams of the best blood from colder dis- tricts the retrograde tendency will be retarded, and a fair clotiiing fleece maintained. But I am not qiiite^sure that, by a careful selection for atud purposes of those animals, bo'h male and female, that do not succumb to the climate, but continue to carry a good fleece, you will not, even without the intro- duction of fresh blood, maintain a flock that will yield tlie best return the run is capable of. The sheep will become acclimatised, but the effect of the climate must be watched. To attempt to grow combing wool in those warm regions would be to maintain a conflict against nature. Ivims possess- ing the greatest possible density of fleece, and black with yolk, should alone be used — the yolk preserving the fibre from the action of the sun. I believe the Negretti to be the best sheep for such warm districts. But whilst I would not attempt to grow combing wool in Northern Riverina, I think, where the climate and pasturage are suitable, a fine combing wool siiould be cultivated, as being in shortest supply : such wool, for in- stance as Mudgee produces, can only be grown within a limited area, and must always command proportionate prices. It would, of course, be folly to attempt to gro.v combing wool in districts where the sbe-p cannot be kept in condition in winter, as well as on the parched plains of the interior. Wool to stand the action of the comb must be nourished all the year round. If the animal is allowed to fall off in condition, either in winter or stiminer, the wool will snap with the slightest tension at the part of the fibre then growing when the nourishment failed. In fact, if the sheep is allowed to get very poor, it will probably cast its wool alto- gether should the improvement in condition be sudden. In using the terms " clothing" and " combing," I must not be understood advising a departure from the Merino sheep. Two graziers starting with sheep from the same flock, one to grow combing, and the other clothing wool, each selecting for breeding such individuals as exhibit in the greatest degree the qualities required — in the course of a few generations each flock will ha^e bent to the will of its owner. My experience teaches me that sheep form no exception to the golden rule that " Like produces like." On this theory tiie author 1 have already THE FAUMER'S MAGAZINE. 199 quoted says: " Every one wlio has attended to tlie breo.ling of d(jiiipsti<; animals must liave exjipricnced tliat, by caipful selection of those from which he breeds, and with a clear hiid defined conception of tlie object he intends to eflVcf, he may procure a progeny in which thit ohjcct will be accoin- plished. In the new Leicester breed of sheep, a practical proof of this may be seen in th« flocks of Mr. Buckley and Mr. Burj^ess. Both of these flocks luive been purely bred from the original stock of Mr. B-ikewell, and yet the difference betweui the siiecp possessed by these two gentlemen is so Kreat that they have the apppearance of being quite dilferent varieties, one o-sner having aimed at attaining merits of one description, and the other having aimed at attaining merits of a different nature." And again : " On this principle of selec- tion the breeder will continue to proceed. The good qualities of his sheep, transmitted from one generation to another, are no longer accidental circumstances — they have become a part and portion of the breed, and may be calculated on with the greatest degree of certainty. Tiiey constitute the practical illustration of the term ' blood.' No animals will else- where tJirive so well, or improve so rapidly, as on the pastures on which tliey and their forefathers have, generation after generation, be^n accustomed to wander." And, on intro- ducing fresh blood, the author says, " He must select a ram from a soil and kind of food not dissimilar to his own, althougli at a distance perhaps as great as convenience will permit, with points as much resembling his o\»n sheep as may be." Thus is illustrated that axiom with regard to all our domesticated animals — selection, with judicious and cautious admixture, is the true secret of forming aad improving a breed. Nor must any slieep-farmer, however perfect his lluck, relax in liis watchful supervision of his maiden ewes : before putting his rams in they must be carefully called. There will be some to reject — individuals exhibiting the characteristics of the original stock from which they sprung, but these individuals will become fewer with every generation. Mr. Youatt says : " The errors to be avoided are — too long continued and obstinate adherence to one breed -, and, on the other hand, and even more daiigerous, violent crosses, in which there is little similarity between the soil, the pasture, or the points and qualities of the animals that are brought together." The most conspicuous instance of success in forming a new type, by the process of selection, is, perhaps, that of Mr. Bakewell, with tlie New Leicester. Tills handsome animal is a purely artificial sheep, made up by judicious selection and rich meadow lands, and, perhaps, gives the best returns to a given quantity of food of any animal on British pasturage. But, hand the New Lei- cester over to the Australian slieplierd and his dog, and what will he become in two or three generations ? Just what his ancestors were. Nature again adapts itself to circumstances : that food wl\ich, with rest, supplied fat, will now be requiren to supply bone and muscle to enable the animal to travel from feed to water, and to run from the shepherd's dog. So, also, the Rambouillet. This sheep is a splendid specimen of what care, good feeding, and intelligeiit selex;tion will effect ; but can this fine figure be upheld on the arid plains of this coun- tiy? Theclieckto the sale of rams is the best reply. Much remains to be done in this country with sheep; but the animal must be adapted to the nature of the run on which they are depastured, and such only kept as will hold their condition all the year round. It would be waste of resources to attempt to keep the Rambouillet or the Leicester on poor or mountain- ous country. Small sheep might be kept in fair condition where larger animals would starve. The grazier must again exercise his judgment in creating, by selection, a type adapted to its pasturage, breeding only from such as keep in condition and produce wool. By breed- ing from very poor sheep, each succeeding genera- tion will get weaker in constitution, ard at last will probably die off, a prey to worms or other debilitating diseases. The depression in the wool trade, a few years ago, drove some squatters into the error of massing their sheep, pell-mell, in large paddocks, old and young together. This was a great mistake. Breeding sheep must be kept properly classeil, or the increase will rapidly deteriotate, and, after two or three generations, will be as wild as the kangaroo. I must not be understood as speaking against the paddocking, but against the want of classification, involving indiscriminate breeding from old and young, good and bad. Paddocks should not be so large as to render classification impracticaWe. If sheep will not pay for care and attention, they will cer- tainly pay less without these essentials. The squitter, whoso object is to sell and clear out, will go in lor numbers ; but tlie man who wants to derive an income from his flue! s must attend to their domestication and improvement. The Hon. G. IL Cox, in the first valuable paper, referred to the immense loss sustained by the colony from the inferiority of the bulk of the sheep extending into the interior. Tiiis is maidly to be attributed to our land laws : the squatter, not being allowed to purchase a pastoral homestead, breeds up for numbers, with tl'.e view of stocking his run, and then going into the market, in the hope, too often ilhisive, of clearing out with a fortune. AVith this object in view he breeds from every ewe that has four legs, whether she carries wool or not, and that as long as she lives ; and the ramsused will be such as can be procured at the lowest figure. The result is such as Mr. Cos so well describes — a large portion of the sheep will scarcely pay for shearing. But if the owner of the sheep could also feel himself owner of any considerable portion of his run, his system of sheep-farming would very different. It is not too much to say that of the twenty mil- lions of sheep in New South Wales, one-half should be fattened off and replaced by wool-producing animals. Of course this is a work of time ; but estimating the improvement at ninepenco per fleece, on ten millions of sheep, we have a clear gain to the colony of £375,000 per year. If there is one article above all other productions deserving the fostering care of Govern- ment, that article is wool — one of the most valuable articles of commerce, of great value to this colony, of immeasurable value to England. This is eminently a wool-producing country. Prepared by nature for pastoral occupation, and every animal that would imperil the life of the shepherd carefully shut out, our advance in material wealth stands without parallel in the history of British colonisation ; yet the producers of this wealth and prosperity seem to be a proscribed class scarcely entitled to the protection of the law. free selectors are allowed to take possession of their improvements, under the value of forty pounds, without compensation ! And what are the sins of the squatter, that his sheep-stations and re:iervoirs should be thus confiscated? Whom has he tres- passed on, save the Kangaroo ? He has driven back the kangaroo, and occupied his grazing ground by sheep. lie has extinguished the bush-fires, and converted the grass into wool. He supplies the entire population with wholesome beef and mutton, at a low price, and the British manufacturer with a raw material that gives employment to thousands, thus en- riching both the colony and the mother country. It was wool that built our cities, that brought ships into our ports. It was the squatters who led the way across the Blue Moun- tains, who encountered the spears of the aborigines, and planted the germs of that ever-increasing source of wealth which has raised the Australias from the miserable penal settlement of Botany Bay to the front rank of British pos- sessions, I will now briefly give my owm experience in sheep- breeding, and in doing so will endeavour to keep as clear as possible of egotism. I commenced sheep-farmmg with the finest-woolled sheep I could procure. In the year 1818 I selected from the Australian Agricultural Company's flock, at Stroud, twelve of their finest-woolled rams; and I have since, on two occasions, imported pure Negrettis. I have also tried, but to a limited extent, the Itambouillet. I found the progeny of pure Saxon-merino rams delicate in winter, requiring warm country — those from Sturgeon's pure Spanish flock had better constitutions. For the last twenty years I have been endea- vouring, by selection, to combine length of staple and fineness of fibre with weight of fleece and weight of carcase. At the first wool show held in this city, in 1803, at Mr. Mort's stores, I exhibited six rams, fleeces in the grease, under the motto, " Genus factum," averaging lllbs. 7oz. per fleece. On that occasion I received the following letter from the principal wool broker: "Sydney, 18th January, 1862. — Dear sir, — I think it only justice to your Genus Factum wool to say that, although prevented from being classed for the Commissioners' medal, from its want of fineness, there can be no doubt but that it is one of the most profitable wools exhibited ; and, by carefully following up the track you are now on, you will undoubtedly attain to what every one is looking for — namely, weight of fleece, combined with fineness of staple." At the exhibition held by this Society in 1870 I sent in eight rams' fleeces in the grease (in the con-competitive clas.s), aveiaging I21bs. 13uz.; and thirty ewes' fleeces (competi. 200 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. live class), the average weight of which was Qlbs. 2Joz., as publialied in the list of exhibits. In 1872 I exhibited six rams' fleeces, giviug the average of thirteen pounds, less one ounoe : and tliis wool, I may mention, received 130 points for fineness, beating Mr. Fisher's prize wool by 20 points. At that time the Garaboola wool was selling in London at from 15d. to 18d. per lb. in grease. In the March sales of last year Si bales realised 15d. per lb. And as to the value of the carcase : On the Hth of May last I sent 700 wethers to the Sydney market, which sold at from 15s. 9d. to 16s. Id., reported by Messrs. Sullivan and Simpson, in The Sydney Morning Herald, as " much admired and the best flock we ever saw in lloraebush ;" by Harrison, Jones, and Devlin, as " a few very choice Merinos from the paddocks of Mr. J. Smith, averaging 701bs. ;" and by G. M. Pitt and Son, as " 70 Merinos, bred and fattened by Mr. Smith. These sheep were the best ever offered at the Horaebush yard, and made from 15s. 9d. to ICs. Id., being the top figures of the year by over 2s. a head. We quote 561b. wethers, at 13s." On the 2nd September I had another lot of 750 wethers at Homebush, sold by G. M. Pitt and Son, at ISs. These sheep were all fattened on the natural grasses, and notion lucerne, as stated by Messrs. Sullivan and Simpson. I have now given the weight of fleece, with price per pound and value of carcase, of the Gamboola flocks — thecp that have never been crossed by any coarse-woolled breed tohatever. The value of the wool, I regret to say, has been very much depreciated within the last few years, by the presence of clover-burr ; nor shall we see the Australian Merino in perfction till he is kept within fences, allowed to drink the morning dew, and to choose his own bed at night. The grass seeds too, are very destructive to the sheep, as well as injurious to the wool, and grass seeds can only be controlled by fencing ; but there are difficulties in the way of fencing Crown lands familiar to every grazier, which very much impede sheep farming. The succulent indigenous grasses are disappearing as the country becomes occupied, succeeded by the pernicious seed-bearing grass. In disposing of the lands on the banks of the western water-courses, I would suggest the expediency of reserving sheep roads leading from the table lands to the Darling River, in order to admit of migrations, as in Spain, as well as to facilitate the passage of fat stock to the markets. The more uniform the climate and supply of food, the better will the strength and elasticity of the fleece be preserved, I must not close this paper without paying a tribute to the Mudgee breeders. These gentlemen have done much for themselves by their attention to their flocks ; — they have done more for the interests of New South Wales. By the high perfection to which they have brought their fleeces, they have drawn the attention of the whole manufac- turing world to our staple product, and thus enhanced the value ol all our wool, and imparted a. prestige to our productions which this Society is wisely disseminating tliroughout Europe and America, and thus carrying out one of the great objects of the institution. Note. — On the 25th of November last Messrs. Mort audCo. sold 100 bales wool, marked L.N.S. over Gamboola (tny son's brand) at 12^ d. ; and on the 20th of January instant, 50 bales marked E.A.S. over Narroogal also from the Gamboola sheep (E. A. Smith's brand) at I24-J. per lb. in grease, topping the market. A vote of thanks was given to Mr. Smith for his paper, the discussion of it being postponed. LOCAL TAXATION. At the quarterly meeting of the Notts Chamber of Agrieul- ture, lield in Nottingham, Mr. GouBEii, of Baldertou, said : I am quite aware that the subject for discussion at our meeting to-day is not one of a novel or enchanting character, but nevertheless it is one of such acknowledged importance that it cannot much longer be trifled with, either by the present or any other Government. The very magnitude of the question appears to have been a kind of bugbear both to the late and the present Government. The late Government surveyed the outworks, collected a mass of statistics, and made several abortive attempts to deal with the question ; but, to use the words of the late President of the Local Government Board, they only touched the fringe thereof, and that with a very feeble hand. The present Government seemed to have inherited the same kind of timidity ; instead of entering upon the task and con- fronting the diiiiculty, they decided to give the nation a sort of quietus in the shape of a few hundred thousands for the partial support of lunatics and a further addition to the grant given in aid of the police rate. It is not necessary nor is it my intention to go into a long and detailed argument to prove what is now admitted on all hands, both in and out of Parliament, that is that the local ratepayer is not only exces- sively but most unjustly burdened. The greatest financial authority of modern times has said that taxation is an evil, but if so it is unfortunately one from which it will be in vain to hope or pray for a full deliverance, but evil, like many other things, has its degrees. An evil may be on the wane, which in any case is a hopeful sign, or an evil may be stationary, and therefore not giving much cause for alarm, or an evil may be a growing one, which is one of its worst phases. This latter phase will, unfortunately, apply to the whole question of local taxation. There can be no doubt but that the old parochial system was open to great abuses, and some alteration was imperatively necessary, both for the better appropriation of the iunds of the ratepayer and also as a check upon pauperism ; but, unfortunately, at the time of the passing of the present Poor-law the altered position of the country from the days of Queen Elizabeth was not taken into consideration. At that time a sort of half-starved, half- developed agriculture formed nearly the whole of the wealth which this country could boast ; her commercial, mining, manufacturing, and other gigantic interests, were then scarcely in their bud. la those days it was the law that everyone should contribute to the relief of the poor according to his ability. This principle, excellent in itself, has been departed from, both as to the spirit and the letter. We have no means of ascertaining the income of the country at that time ; but no doubt it has increased at the least ten-fold. But the enor- mous amount now expended, for so-called local objects, is still drawn from a very limited area, the wealth of the country considered. Thirty-two millions annually, or thereabouts, are expended on local objects, the amount being drawn from an assessment of one hundred and thirty millions, the whole income of the country being nearly eight hundred millions. ,We are aware of the difliculty of assessing personal property ; its movable character presents almost insurmountable difli- culties, we therefore entertain but little hope of relief in that direction, but a great portion of the local expenditure of the present day is of national obligation, and should be de- frayed by the Imperial Exchequer. I believe the Poor-law to be wise and good, but Boards of Guardians have failed to a great extent so to interpret the law as to make it effective, either from a feeling of sympathy or by calculations of a mis- taken character as to in or out-door relief, the latter having been most indiscriminately given. By such a course of mal- administration one great object contemplated, the suppression of pauperism, has been defeated, the rates have been un- necessarily increased, and the law itself brought into disrepute. This aystem of indiscriminate our-relief has also had a most demoralising effect upon the poor them- selves. It has been destructive to a remarkable degree ot that tliriit, frugality, and economy so essential to a position of independence, so that although we have good grounds upon which to go to the Legislature for reform and for a diminution of our local burdens, it is at the same time quite clear there is room for reform and retrenchment nearer home, and our Boards of Guardians will do well to set about reforming themselves. There are kw people who begrudge contributing to the relief of the destitute poor, but it is against the very costly machinery by which the law is carried.out that the bitterest complaints are'directed ; and, in my opinion, these complaints are well founded, and we have already referred to the difficulty of laying personal property under a contribution to local rates. How to do this in a direct manner is a problem difficult of solution. To ray mind there is only one way of getting over this difficulty, and one it THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 201 is whicli llie altered cirramstauces of the country will fully justify. It is that the legislature should recognise the obliga- tion to defray out of tlie Imperial Treasury the very costly machinery by which the provisions of the Poor-law are carried out. Tiiis burden has been created at tlie instance of the national will, and has been most unjustly charged to the local rates. If the country will insist upon such expensive machinery, it is but just the whole wealth of the country should j)ay for it. We would deal in the same manner with the adiriiuistratiou of justice, the maintenance of lunatics, police, &.C. It is unreasonable that these charges, wliich are certainly of national obligation, should be charged upon the ilocal rate, and that a small moiety of the property of the ■country should be compelled to bear alone burdens which are truly national in their character and obligation. I have just a word as to the relief given to local rates by the Government during last session. As far as my own parish is concerned during the five years last passed, for every shilling the Legis- lature has given us with one hand they have taken away one pound witli the other. He concluded by moving the follow- ing resolution : "That this Chamber regrets that during tlie |)resent session her Majesty's Government has made no attempt to deal with the important subj*',ct of local taxation." Mr. IIemsley seconded the proposition, and said he wished to take advantage of the 12th rule to introduce a friend uot resident in the county to speak at a discussional meeting. (Hear, hear). He was sure the Chamber would not object to such a course, especially when he mentioned the name of Mr. Jabez Turner, who was so well known in the Central Ellesmere. Commended : J. I'rescott, Preston. Breeding sow of large white breed, above one year. — First .vprize. Earl of Ellesmere ; second, Earl of Ellcamere. Higlily • Commended : J Dove, II;-vrabrook. Boar ]>ig of large white breed, under one year. — Prize, 11. Elakey, Preston. Pair of sow pigs of large white breed, under one year. — First prize, J. Dove ; second, Earl of Ellesmere. Boar of small white breed, above one year. — First prize, Earl of Ellesmere ; second. Earl of Ellesmere. Highly com- mended : J. Dove. Commended: Earl of Ellesmere Breeding sow of small white breed, above one year. — First prize, Earl of Ellesmere ; second, Earl of Ellesmere ; cup. Earl of Ellesmere. C. iiooth, Catterick ; N. I^lilne, Melrose ; and R. Calder, Ldroi«,i^.U. i'lGS- T. Gibbons, Carlisle ; T. C. Booth, Northallerton ; and G. Barber, Titlingtou, Ah.wick. SuEruF.nps' Doss : As for sheep. Wool: J. AV. llumljle,Nevvcastle-ou-lyne. AGiiuiULTUUAL iMrLEML.NTs : J. Ailclii'son, Alnwick ; W . Dodd,R.itcheugh, lUnwick ; aud W. Tait, Aluwick. CATTLE. SIIORTIIOKJMS. Bull above three and under seven years old.— First prize,. £20 A H Browne, Doxford Hall, ChathiU (Duke of Aosla):; second, £1U, the executors of the late Mr. G. Angus, Brooui- 1,Y, Stocksl'ield (Ben Brace); third, £5, Sir J. Swinburne, Bart., Capheaton, Newcastle (Duke of Mounces). HigVY comniVndeil : Earl of TankerviUe, Chillinghm Castle. Alnwick (Red Cross Knight). ,, tt j. Bull above two aud under three years old.— Tirst prize. £15, A. H. Browne (Rosario) ; second, £(), V/ and U; Walton, Appletree Shields, Langley Mills (Squire Marshall) ; third, £;5, Lady Figot, West Hall, By fte^t, Surrey (Rapid Rhone). Highly commended: W. and R. Morley, Sweet- wells Stanhope (British Baron). ,, TJ- . • PIK Bull above one and under iwo years old.— i^irst pnae, i-is, A H. Browne (Pioneer) ; second, £6, J. Oulhwaite, bainesse, Catterick (Duke of Chamburgb) ; third, £3, Duke of North- umberland, Alnwick Castle (Good Templar). Highly com- mended : M. Stephenson, Fourstones, Hexham (Second Fart ofDerwent). . f,., n i Bull-calt under twelve months old.— First prize, k^, J Hike of Northumberland (Snowstorm); second £2 (Gay Loy). Ui.')ily commended: Duke of Northumberland (Monarch). Family, consisting of cow of any age, and two or more ot her offspring.-First prize, £20, and silver cup, value £io' Lady Figot (Lucky Star, Zvesda, and Sidus) ; second, £10 J. Sharp, Broughtou, Ketleriug (Julia IX., Julia M., and,' roan civlt). Highly commended : Executors of the late Mi% G. Angus (Daisy, Daisy 2nd, Daisy 3rd, Daisy -ill,) Com- mended : J. Wilson, Woodhorn Manor,. Morpeth (Bloom, Woodljine, Blooming Ciueen, aud Blooming Fri-ijess) Cow.— Fir.^t prize, £15, T. H. Hutchinson, Manor House, Catterick (Lady Playful) ;, second, £6, Duke of Northumher- land. (Bracelet) ; third, £3, A. H. Browne (Primrose). Highly commended : Sir W. C. Trevelyau, Bart., Walimgton, New- castle (Storm Queen), andT. H. Hutuhmson (Dairy Girl). Heifer above two and under three years old.— First prize, £10 T H. Hutchinson (Lady Alicia) ; scscud, £o, Lady Pi^io't (Rose of Lincoln). Highly commended : A. H Rrow.ic, (Primula) ; J. Tweedie, Deuchrie, Prestonkirk, Dunbar (Ived, 'lulip). , „. , . „„ Heifer above one and und»r two years old.— .Pirst prize, i,!-. Lady Pigot (Moorish Captive) ; second .€3 Sir W C. Arm- strong C.B., Rothbury (3rd Oxford's Welfare). Highly commended: Lady Pigot (Imperious Queen) ; J OuthwaUe- i Catterick (Miss Fox and Lady Beaumont btli). Com, mended : Lady Pigot (Flatterer) ; Sir M. W Ridley, Lart. I Blai'don (Miss Ruby) ; Sir W. C. Trevelyau, Bart., W alling- Iton (Acomb J); Sir T. C. Constable, Bart. Brougb I (Florentia Oneida) ; Sir W. G. Armstrong. C.B. (oth Ina- 1 cessof Oxford) ; J.Twcedie,Prestonkirk, N.B lGr:'.udClierry, land Rose of Eden); R. Harrctt, ^Kirkwhelpiugton (Lady Wharld-ile iud) ; •!, .1. Shani, Btoughtou (.lasper). 208 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Heifer-calf uuder twelve months old. — First prize, ^3, Sir W. C. Trevelyan, Eart, (Damson Srd) ; second, #2, Duke of Northumberland (Maid of Windsor). Highly commended : Sir T. C. Constable, Eart., Brough (Princess Victoria Oueida. CIIAXNEL ISLES. Cow or heifer any age. — First prize, £6, Sir M. W. Ridley, Bart.; second, £3, Sir J.lMarjoribanks, Bart., Coldstream. AYRSIIIRES. Cow or heifer any age. — First prize, £6, Sir M. W. Ridley, Bart.: second, £3, Earl of Taukerville j third, £1, J.Graham, Paisley. SHEEP. BORDER LEICESTERS. Ram, any age. — First prize, £10, T. Jforster, jun., Elling- ham, Clialhill ; second, £5, ditto. Highly commended : Marquis of Londonderry, Seaham Hall,Seaham Harbour. Shearling ram. — First prize, £15, J. Melvin, Eonuington, Wilkicston, N.B. ; second, £8, J.Clark, Oldhamstocks Mains, Cockburnspath ; third, £3, llev. R. W. Eosauquet, Rock, Alnwick. Highly commended : T. Forstcr, jun., Eliingham. Conmiended : J. Clarke, O.dhamstocks Mains, Cockburnspath. Pen of iive ewes. — First prize, £5,_Kev. R. VV. Bosanquet. Pen of five giramers. — First prize, £o and cup, J. Clarke ; second, £3, R. Tweedie, tlie Forest, Catterick, Commended : R. Tweedie. CHEVIOTS. Rnra, any age above two shear. — First prize, £6, A. Snaith, Budlees, Rochester, Wooler ; second, fii, T. Elliot, llindhope, jL'dburgh, Highly commended : T. Elliot. Two-shear ram. — First prize, £6, A. Snaith ; second, £4, T.Elliot. Commended: J. Robsou, Byrness, Rochester. Shearling ram. — First prize, £6, J. Robson ; second, £i,T. Elliot. Highly commended : T. Elliot. Pen of live ewes. — First prize, £4?, J. Robson ; second, £2, T. Elliot. Highly commended : T. Elliot. Pen of five gimmers. — First prize, £i, J. Robsou ; second, £i, T. Elliot. Highly commeucled : T. Elliot. BLACK-FACED MOU?iTAIN. Ram, any age above two-shear. — F'irst prize, £6, J. McCrackeUj Blackball, Kirkwelpington ; second, £i, W. C larlton, EUeishope, Allendale. Highly commended : T. E liot. Two-shear ram. — First prize, £4, T. Elliot ; second, £2, J. McCrackeu. Pen of five ewes or gimmers. — First prize, £i, J. McCrackeu ; second, £2, J. McCracken. ANY OTHER DISTINCT BREED. Ram, any age. — First prize, £5, J. Gibsjn, Woolmet, Da keith. Highly commended : J. Gibson. Pen of five ewes or gimmers. — First prize, £5, J. Gibson. Extra Stock. — High.'y commended ; Rev. R. W. Eosen- fiuct, R'vCk Alnwick. HORSES. AGRICULTURAL. Brood mare, with foal at foot. — First prize, £10, A. Cowing, Higli Morley, Haydon Bridge (Tibbie) ; second, £5, T. E. Howie, Kjloe Cottage, Eeal (Mary). Comnipuded : Executors of the late G. Angus, Eroomlcy, Stocksfleld (Darling). Brood mare in foal. — First prize, £10, and a silver cup value £15, for the best in classes 2G and 27, aud the property of an exliibitor resident in the county of Nortliumberlaud only, Messrs. Hill, North Charlton, Chathill ; second, £5, Messrs. Hill. Commended: J. La3Cock, Low Gosforth, Newcastle. Three-year-old gelding or filly.— First prize, £10, B. Sprag- Kou, Nafferton, Stocksfield (Prince) ; second £5, R. Pye, Burnt House, North Shields (Prince.) Highly commended: J. Thompson, Eaillic Kuowe, Kelso (Damsel). Commended; Mossrs. Snowball, Hedley Grange, Siocksfield (Meg). Two-year-old gelding or filly. — First prize, £S, J. and T. Suott, Field House, Acklingtou ; second, £-i, J. Dinning, Belford. Highly commended; J. Robertson, Rock Moor House, Aluwick. Yearling colt, gelding or filly. — First prize, £8, J. Graham, Parcelstown, Loiigtown (Baron Lonsdale) ; second, £4, Messrs. Hill, North Ch.irllon, Cliiithill. Higliiy commended: J. Lunisdfn, Mousen, Bilford. Pair ot mares or geldings, any age. — First prize, a silver c ip, value £10, R. Stark, Surnmerford, Cimdou, Falkirk ^Duke and Marquis) ; second, £4, J. Chrisp,Rugley, Aluwick. Highly commended: Lord A. Cecil, OrcharJmains, Inner- leithen, N.B. (Kate and Belle). rOR THE FIELD. Brood mare with foal at foot or in foal. — First prize, a silver cup, value £25, and £10, H. Watson, Newbegin, Filey (Lady Decanter) ; second, £5, J. Chrisp ; third, £2, M. Wilkinson, North Kilvingion, Thirsk (Smiling Beauty). Commended : L. C. Chrisp, Hawk bill, Alnwick (The Favourite). Three-year-old geldings. — First prize, £5, J. D. Belford ; second, £3, G. Chisholm, Chillingham Newton, Alnwick (Rue Bargain). Highly commended : Duke of Northumberland. Commended : J. Davison, jun., Tritlington Hall, Morpeth (Shareholder). Three-year-old filly for the field. — First prize, £5, J. Buston, Bustou, Lesbury ; second, £3, J. D. Ogilvie, MardoD, Corn- hill. Commended: L. C. Chrisp. Two-year-old gelding for the field. — First prize, £5, J. Davison, jun., Tritlington Hall, Morpeth ; second, £3, L. C. Chrisp. Commended : Earl Percy, M.P., Alnviick Castle, Two-year-old filly for the field. — First prize, £5, J. E. Friar, Grindou Ridge, Norham ; second, £3, J. T. WintoD, The Cottage, AVooler. Yearling colt or gelding for the field. — First prize, £5, L. C. Chrisp. Yearling filly for the fiald. — First prize, £5, J. Rickerby, Wall Head, Carlisle ; second, £3, Earl Percy, M.P. Com- mended : Duke of Northumberland. Hunter of any age, confined to the counties of North- umberland and Durham. — First prize, a silver cup value 25 guineas, J. W. Annett, Ulgham, Morpeth (The Arrow) ; second, £5, Ft. Clark, Beamish Park, Chester-le-Street (Bessemer). Highly commended; R. Dand, Huxley Hall, Acklingtou (Daylight). Commended : J. M. Faroll, Eighton Cottage, Gateshead (The Rajah). Hunter, five and under ten years old, to carry not less than fifteen stones with hounds. — First prize, a silver cup value £25, and one half of a sweepstakes of 10s. each, G. Riddell, Corshope, Edinburgh (Monarch) ; second, £5, W. Turnbull, Horton, Belford. Highly commended : H. Jewison, Rais- thorpe, Y'^ork (Charleston). Hunter, five and under ten years old, to carry not less than twelve stone with hounds. — First prize, a silver cup value £25, C. G. Rayne, Lipwood, Haydan Bridge (Sunset) ; second, £5, W. Turnbull, Horton, Belford. Highly com- mended : J . Blencowe Cookson, Meldon Park, Morpeth (The Old Boy). Horse or raare four years old. — First prize, a silver cup value ,£25, J. M. Tattersall, Musgrave, Beverley, Yorkshire (Talisman) ; second, £5, T. Wilson, Sliotley Hall, Shotley Bridge (lloneycomb). Highly commended : R. Dand, Hauxley Hall, Ackliugton (Daybreak). Horse or mare of any age, not exceeding 15 hands 2 inches high, aud equal to carry fourteen stone. — F'irst prize, a silver cup, value £20, Sir G. Wombwell, Bart., Newburg, Easing- wold (Enterprise) ; second, £5 and a sweepstakes of 5s. each, C. J. Cunningham, Tlie Tofts, Morebattle, Kelso (Zampa). Highly commended : C. Earroby, Dishforth, Thirsk (Qui Vive). Horse or mare of any age, not exceeding fourteen hands, two inches high. — First prize, a silver cup, value £20, J. W. Pease, Hutton Hall, Guisbro' (Daudy) ; second, a sweep- stakes of 5s. eacli and £5, T. B. Graham, Cow Stand Farm, Sunderland (Nimrod). Highly commended : A. J, R. Borth- wick, Flintby, Maryport (Fanny). PONIES. Horse or mare of any age, not exceeding thirteen hands three inches high. — First prize, a silver cup, value £15 and a sweepstakes of 5s. each, A. E. Eurdon, Hartford House, Hartford Bridge (.ludy) ; second, £4, E. Eurdon, Sprite ; third, £2, J.S. E. Fair, Overwelis, Jedburgh (Barney). Cora- mended, W. Thompson, Waterside House, Alnwick (Topsy). Horse or raare of any age, not exceeding twelve hands high. — First prize, a silver cup, value £10, J. W. Pease, Hutton Hall, Guisbro'; second, £4, R. Wallis, Old Ridley, Stocks- fiild (Donald) ; third, £2, L. C. Chrisp, Hawkhill, Alnwick (Brownie). Highly commended : R. Deuchar, Broomhaugh House, Riding ]\lill (Toby). THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 20F- fAiiraACE iioiisjs. fforse or marc, three or lour years oM. — li'ir^t pri/,t», £10, J. I'lirvis, Spotsiuaius, Kelso; second, £5, W. Jobsoii, New- tou Barns, Cluitl'iill (Sir George). Highly comnicudud -. M. Pavison, Lojg IJauk, Aluvvick. riGS. Boar of the large white breed, any age. — i'irst prize, £S, J. Dove, Bristol ; second, £2, Messrs. Howard, Bedlord (Uuke). Highly coramendtd ; J. Dove. Boar of the sm:ill wliite breed, any age. — First prize, £j, 11. E. Duckering, Northorpc ; second, £2, VV. llatlou, Leeds (Yuung i'rince). J5i ar of the Berkahire breed, any age. — First prize, £5, J. Dove ; second, £3, 11. E. Dnckeriug. tiow of t le large wliite breed, any age. — First prize, £5, J. Dove; second, £2. R. K. Duckerin^. Commended: J. Taylor, Ire'iy (Young Betty) Sow of tlie small white breed, any age. — First prize, £5, Diickering; second, £2, J. Dove. Sow of the Berkshire breed, any age. — First prize, £5-, R. E. Duckcring; second, £2,T. Wilson, Sbotley Bridge. Highly commended: J. Dove. Sow of a breed not eligible for the preceding classes, any Rge. — first prize, £5, W. llatton, Leeds (Grand Duchess) ; second, £2, J. Dove, Highly commended: il. A. Nicholson, Cockeraiouth (Susu) ; W. liattou, Leeds (Old Duchess). Pen of three sow pigs of the large breed, any colour, under siiteeu weeks old, — rrize, £2,11. E. Duckering. Ten of three sow pigs of tlie small l/reed, any colour, under sixteen weeks old. — i'rize, ±'2, Eirl of Tankerville. SHEPHERDS' DOGS. Rough-liaired dog of any age.— First prize, £0, G. Fair- bairu, Lidykirk, Norham (Cheviot) ; second, £3, J. Rutlier- iord, Serainwood, Rothbury (Tom); third, £1, J. Smitli, I'rendwick, Alnwick (Tync). Highly coiiimeuded : N. Bc- veridgp, Elwick, BelCord (Blake). Rough-liaired bitch of any age.— First prize, £3, and silver cup,, value £5, A. Scott, Byrness, Rochester ; second, £2, 11. Thompson, Wood .Market, Kelso ; third, £1, W. Brown, Lady- kirk, iXorham. Highly coiameiidcd : M. Wright, Charlton, Behingham. Smooth-haired dog or bitch. — First-prize, £3, 11. Bolton,, Newstead, Cliathill (Inlaid) ; second, £2, John Shorthose, Hartford Bridge, Cramlingtun (Meg) ; third, £1, J. GuUau, Eursdou East Forest, Morpeth (Veiil). ExTKA Stock.— Pnze, J. Wil-oa,' Woodhom Manor (Buzz). WOOL. F'.ve fleeces of Border Leieester wool. — First prize, £3, J^. Henderson, vOornhill ; second, £1 J . Henderson. Five fleeces of half-bred wool. — First prize, £2; G-i A". Thompson, Reaveley, Alnwick ; second, £1, G-. A.TlionipsoEi Five fleeces of Chsviot wool. — First prize, £2, T. lilliolt,, Ilintlhope, Jedburgh ; second, £1, T. Elliott. Five fleeces of black-faced wool. — First prize, £3, IL Hodgson-llunlley, Carham Hall; second, £1, T. BrovAU, Aluham, Alnwick. WORCESTERSHIEE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY: MEETING AT WORCESTER. la the cattle cle],-iartmGtit th-e Shorthorns, of ivhich, notwithstaudiiig a large pcr-ceutage of abseutses, caused probably by the prevalence O'f foot-aud-uiouth disease ia the Midland districts, about sixty were upon the ground, constituted the most proiuiaeat feature. The balls ex- ceeding two years old, of which ten put in an appear- ance, were agaiu headed by the Marquis of Exeter's Tcterau Telemachus, which won the cup, value £2S, for the best bull, aud the Toddingtou Challenge Cnp, value fifty guineas, for the best S-horthoru, imde or female, of any age. The second prize was awarded to Mr. 11. Strattou's Protector. With bulls above one and under two years old, Mr. Joseph Stratton was tirst witb his roan, and the Marquis of Exeter sccoiul, wilbasonof Teleuiachus. The first place among cows in milk or in calf was assigned to Mr. Joseph Stratton ; aud the second to the Marqnis of Exeter, for Moll Gwynne. In a small class of two-year-old heifers in milk, Mr. Joseph Stratton was first, aud Earl Beauchamp second. The yearling heifers were, numerically, the strongest of the division. Here the Marquis of Exeter occupied the premier posi- tion with a granddaughter of Telemachus, which also bore away the palm for the cup for the best cow or heifer in the exhibition. The second prize was won by (^ueen of Ithaca, the pyopei-ty of Mr. Thomas Kirgsley, of Tring, Herts, and the third by the Marquis of Exeter with Te'cmacina. The Ilerefords were in a minority, the entries uunibering only about one-third those of the Shorthorns. Of seven bulls exceeding tv\'o years old only three came into the arena ; but two of these were already distinguished— namely, Tredegar and Winter de Cote ; and Tredegar won. Of the bulls above one and under two years old, two were sent by Mr. Wm. Taylor, who carried off the first and third prizes. In a small class of cows, Mr. Thomas Fern, Ludlow, was first with Lady Stanton. The heifers were few; Mr. John Har- ding, Bvidgnorth, and Mr. J. Fountain, llip^ile, taking the honours for the two-year-olds, and Mr. Evans auu Mrs. Edwards for yearlings. The sheep were only moderate, but the Shropshires- were fairly represented. Mrs. Smith was first, and Mr. W. F. Firmstone second, for ewes ; the prises for theavea- going to Mr. Joseph Pulley and Mr. Firmstone. Among the shearling rams, which were the strongest cla&s, J\lr. Joseph Pulley took the lead with one, which ran a Cots- wold, sent from Cirencester, a very close run for the cnp.. The Oxford Downs v^ere indifferent; and the South- df^wus numbered only four enti'ies, all by Mr. II. S. Waller, of Farmington, Northleaeh, to whom four prizes- — three first and one second — were awarded. The long- woolled classes consisted of Lincolns and Cotswolds-, the prizes for ewes being gained by Mr. T. W. D. Harris, Wootton, and those for theaves and rams by Mr. Swau- wiek and Mr. Kaynbird, Basingstoke. The pigs were au. excellent collection, nearly every entry iu the classes for boars and sows of the small breeds being uanisd in the prize list. The most sui-cessfnl exhibitors are Duekerings, the Executors of Messrs. Wheeler aud Sons, Mrs. Hewer, Mr. Dove, i\Ir. Fowler, and Mr. Swanwick. The collection of horses of all kinds- was extensive. The first prize for stallions of any age, suitable for agri- cultural purposes, was awarded to Mr. Wynn's Nou- p reil, and the second to Messrs. Yeomans for Pride of E gland, which was first at Leamington last week ; the het of agricultural stallions under thref*- years old being Mr. Slejihen Davis's General. The tliorouglibred stallion- prize, open to all England, was agaiu won by Citadel ; and that for thoroughbred stallions which have beeii. regularly on service in the county during 1875; or certified to be so in 1870, by Statesman, who occupied a similar position at Dudley last year. The best of the five-year-old hunters equal to 15 stone was Mr. W. Smith's Mayo ; the best hunter equal to 12 stoue, Mr. Goodli!l"b Lady Mary ; and the best five-year-old hunter without condition as to weight, the Earl of Coveutiy'a Siiuou Pure. 210 THE FARMER'S MAGAZmE. r 11 1 Z E LIST. JUDGES.— Cattle: S. llic.li, re.amall EeMtli, Worcester; J. Newton, Carapsfudcl, Woodstock; H. lluywood, Blake- jiierc, Hereford. SiiEfr aimd Figs: J. Coxon, Freeford, LiclifieM ; C. llobbs, Maisejihainptoii, Cricklade ; J. Smitli, llenley-iu-Ardcn, Agricultukal lloRSES : H. Ridgeley, Sleveton, Ludlow ; 11. Lowe, Combcrford, Tamwortli. Hunters and others : T. Colo, Thirsk ; J. H. U. Bailey, Edwinstowc, Ollerioi), Notts. iMriEMENTS : M. Savidge, Sarsdea, Cliijipiug Norton ; J. J. JJitvis, Orimley, Wor- cester. CATTLE. SHORTHORNS. Bull, above two years old — First prize, £10, Marquis of Exeter, Burghley Park, Stamford (Telcmaclius) ; second, £5, 11. Strattou, The DulTryn, Newport (Protector). Highly corameaded ; Marrpiis of Exeter (Telemachus Gtli). Com- ineuded : T. 11. Bland, Market liurboro' (Earl of Water- loo 3nd). Bull, over two years old, the property of a tenant farmer resident in Worcestershire. — Eirst prize, £8, T. M. Hopkins, Lower Wick, Worcester ; second, £4?, H. Pike, Milton, Tewkes- bury (Lord Worcester). lliill, above one and under two years old. — Eirst prize, £10, J. Strattou, Alton Priors, Marlborough ; second, £5, Marquis of Exeter (I'elemachus Uth). Bull, above one and under two years old, the property of a tenant farmer resident in Worccstcrsiiire. — Eirst prize, £8, T. Harris, Stouey-lane, Broinsi,'rove ; second, £t, O, Viveash, Streushara, Tewkesbury (Iludibras). Cow, iu^ milk cr iu calf. — Eirst prize, £8, J. Stralton ; second, £1', Marquis of Exeter (Moll Gwynne). lliglily commended: J. J. Sharp, Brouglituii Ketttring (L'rize Bud). Commended : Earl Beaucbamp, Madreslield Court, Malvern (Lady Adair); B. St. John Ackers, Priukuash, Paiuswick (Queen of the Georgians). Cow, in milk or in calf, the property of a teuaut farmer re- silient iu Worcestershire. — First prize, £(», T. Harris ; second, £1', W. Woodward, llurdwick Buuk, Tewkesbury. Two years old heifer, iu milk or in calf. — Eirst prize, £8, J. Stratton ; secoud, £!•, Eurl Beauehamp (Ladybird i3rd). Heifer, two years old, iu milk or in calf, tiie property of a fcnaut farmer resident in Worcestershire. — Prize, £6, J. Cooper, Powick, Worcester. Icarliug heifer.— Eirst prize, £G, Marquis of Exeter (Queen of Ithaca) ; second, £-4, T. Kingsley, Boar's Croft, Tring, Herts (Serai)hiua 6tli) ; third, £3, Marquis of Exeter (Tele- macian). Highly commended : R. Strattou (Queen Bess) ; O. Viveasli (iSfumidia). SPECIIL PHIZES. Best pure-bred Shortlioru, male or female, of auy age. — Prize, Toddington Challeugc Cup, value 50 guineas, Marquis of Exeter's bull (Telemaclius). Best bull iu the Shorthorn classes. — Prize, £25 (Tele- machus). Best bull in the Shorthorn classes, the property of a tenant farmer in Woiceslershire. — Prize, £10, T. M. Hopkins's bull. Best cow or lieifcr iu the Sliorlhorn classes, the property of a tenant farmer in Worcestershire. — Prize, £10, T. llarris's cow. Best cow or heifer in the cattle classes. — Prize, silver cup, value £10, Marquis of Exeter's yearling lieifer (Queen of Ithaca). uerefords. Best animal in Hereford classes. — Prize, £20, No. 79, Mr. Taylor's bull (Tredegar). Bull above two years old. — First prize, £10, W. Taylor, Sliowle Court, Ledbury (Tredegar) ; secoud, £5, S. Edwards, Wiutercott, Leominster (Winter-de-Cote). Highly com- mended : W. Evans, Llandowlas, Usk, Monmouth (Von Moltkc 2ud). Bulls above one and under two years old. — First prize, £10, W. Taylor (The Big Boy) ; second, £5, W. Evans (Alphonso) : third, £3, W. Taylor. Cow."!, iu milk or iu calf. — First prize, £S, T. Feun, Stone- brook House, Ludlow; second, £!•, S. Edwards (Myrtle 3rd). Two years old heil'er, in milk or iu calf. — F'lrst prize, £8, .). Harding, The (jrecnhouse, Bridgnorth; second, £1, J. F. Hall, Hippie, Tcwkcbbiiry , third, £2, J. Piosaer, Honeybourue, Broadwav. ' Yearling heifer. — First prize, £6, W. Evans (Von Moltke 2nd); second, £4, S. Edwards (Mable) ; third, £3, W. Taylor. Pair of dairy cows, iu milk, any breed. — First prize, £8, T. Kingsley, Boar's Croft, Tring, Herts (Lady Kuightley and Old Seraphiua) ; second, £4-, Earl Beauehamp. HOUSES. Stallion cart horse for agricultural purposes. — First prize, £25, W. Wynn, llyon-hill, Stratford-ou-Avon (Nonpareil); second, £15, Messrs. Yeomans, Peunymore Hay, Four Ashes, Wolverhampton (Pride of England). Higlily commended : S. Davis, Woolashill, Pershore. Commended : J. F. Buckle, Throckmorton, Pershore. I Stallion cart colt for agricultural purposes, not exceeding three years old. — First prize, £10, S. Davis ; second, £5, E. Tomlinson, SouthwoodjTicknall, Derby. Commended; S. Davis. Cart gelding or mare, three years old or upwards, which has been regularly worked. — First prize, £5, E. Humphries, Per- shore ; second, £3, S. Davis. Highly commended : W. S. 1'. Hughes, Nortbwick Hall, Worcester. Commended ; 11. AUsopp, M.P., liindlip Hall. Cart or agricultural mare and foal. — First prize, £5, S. Davis ; second, G, Groves, Whittiugton, Worcester. Cart filly or geldiu?, two years old. — F'irst prize, £5, F, Tomlinson ; second, <£3, G. Groves. Highly commended ; S. Davis. Thoroughbred stallion (open to all England).— ^First prize, £50, T. Gee, Dewhurst Lodge, Wadhurst, Kent (Citadel). Higlily commended : A. Over, Rugby (Thunderer). Thoroughbred stallion. — First prize, £20, T. Fiades Walker, M.P., Studley Castle, Warwickshire (Statesman). Hunter, above five years old, equal to 15 stone weight. — Eirst prize, £25, W. Smith, Queen-hill, Upton-on-Severn (Mayo) ; second, £10, W. Whitehead, Wollaston, Welling- borough. Highly commended : 1'. Ames, llawford Lodge, Worcester (Philosopher). Hunter, equal to 12 stone weight. — First prize, £20, J. Goodliff, George Hotel, Huntingdon (Lady Mary) ; second, £10, 11. Milward, Thurgarton Priory, Southwell (Kraerald). Highly commended : T. 11. Ashton, Temple Laughcrue, Worcester (The Slinger). Commended : J. Garme, Churchill Heath, Chipping Norton. Hunter, up to 13 stone, regularly ridden with the Worcestershire or Lord Coventry's hounds, the property of ;i teuiiut-farmer or tradesman iu Worcestershire. — Prize, £10, T. H. Ashton (The Sliuger). Hunter, the property of a tenant-farmer resident iu Worcestershire, equal to 15 stone weight. — Prize, £\0, W. Smith (Mayo). Hunting mare or gelding, under five years old. — First prize, £10, Earl of Coventry, Croome Court, Severn Stoke (Simon Pure) ; secoud, £5,11. 11. Griffin, llartlebury, Kidderminster. Weight-carrying cob, uot exceeding 15 hands. — Prize, £10, D. W. Barker, Mayfield House, Claines. Hack, nut exceeding 15 hands. — Prize, £5 5s., G. Carless, Walnut House, Worcester. Pony under 14 hands. — First prize, £5, T. H. Ashton (Oui Oui) ; second, £3, W. Sugdeu Armitage, The Field, Hampton Bishop, Hereford (Don Carlos). Brood mare fur producing huuters. — First prize, £10, G.B. Jones, Eight Oaks, Castlemoiton. Commended : J. llodgetts, Wyre, I'ershore; Earl of Coventry (La Mundite) ; H. T. Bailey, llosedalc, Tenbury. Mare, calculated to breed hunters, the property of a tenant- farmer in Worcestershire, with her i'oal at foot, or certified to be in foal, got by a thoroughbred horse. — Prize, £10, G. B.Jones. Highly commeuded : J. Hodgetts; R. li. Goddaid, Tibberton, Droitwich (Venus). SHEEP. Best animal in the sheep classes. — A silver cup, value £C>, 11. Swauwiek, R.A., College Farm, Cirencester (Cotswold ram). SHROrSlIIRES. I'ive breeding ewes, having had lambs in 1875, and suckled them up to June 1st. — First prize, £5, 11. Smith, New House, Sutton Maddock, Shifnal ; second, £3, W. F. Firmstoue, Churchill Court, Kidderminster; third, H. T. Williams, AUes- borougli, Pershore. Five theaves. — F'irst prize, £5, J. Pulley, Lower Eiton, Hereford ; secoud, £3, W. V. Firmstoue ; third, £3, T. Eadt» Walker, M.P., Studky Castle, Warvvickshire. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 211 Shearling ram.— First pri/,c, £5, J. rulley; second, £3, II. Smitli ; tliird, ti, J. i'uliey. Highly commended : J. I'ulley ; G. Graliam, Yurdley, Birmingham. Ham of any age. — First prize, £5, C. llaudell, Chadbury, Evesham ; second, £3, 11. Smith ; third, £2, W. F. Tirm- stoue. l!'i¥e theaves. — Prize, £!•, W. T. Horniblow, Ripple, Tewkesbury. Shearling ram. — First prize, £5,W. T. Horniblow ; second, £3, 11. Bailey, llosedale, Tenhury. Kam ol'auy age. — I'rize, £5, W. T. Horniblow. SOUTH AND IIAMrSIIIRE DOWNS. Five breeding ewes, liaving Iiad lambs in 1875, and suckled tliem up to June 1st. — First prize, £1, 11. S. Waller, Farming- ton, Nortii Leach; second, £3, 11. S. Waller, Shearing ram. — I'rize, £1, II. S. Waller. Ham of any age. — i'rize, i'4, 11. S. Waller. LONG-WOOLS. Five breeding ewes, having had lambs in 1875, and suckled them up to June 1st. — First prize, £5, T. W. D. Harris, Wootton, Northampton ; second, £3, T. W.D. Harris. Highly commended : W. George, Kodmarton, Cirencester. Five theaves. — First prize, £5, R. Swanwick ; second, £3, II. E. Raynbird, Basingstoke. Shearling ram. — First prize, £5, R. Swanwick ; second, .£3, R. Swanwick. Commended: R. Swanwick ; ll.E. Ravu- bird. Ram of any age. — First prize, £5, R. Swanwick ; second, £•2, R. Swanwick. Highly cummendcd : J. Wheeler and Sous' executors, Lung L'umptou, Shipston-ou-Stour. FIGS. Boar pig of large breed.— First prize, £5, R. E. Duckering, Nortiiorpe, Kirtou Lindsey; second, £3, J. Hove, Hambrook, Gloucestershire. Highly commended : J. Wheeler and Sous* executors. Breeding sow of large breed. — First prize, £5, R. E. Duck- ering; second, £3, J. Dove. Highly commended : J. Dove. Two iiilta of large breed. — I'irst prize, £5, R. E. Duck- ering ; second, £3, J. Dove. Boar pig ol small breed. — First prize, £5, R. E. Duckering ; second, £3, J. Wlicekr and Sous' executors. Highly com- mended : J . Dove. Breeding sow of small breed. — First prize, £5, J. Whcolcr and Sons' executors ; second, £3, R. E. Duckering. Highly commended: J. Dove. Commended: Major G. H. Cazalet, Brausfurd Court, Worcester, Two hilts of small breed. — First prize, £5, J. Wheeler and Sons' executors; second, £!•, J. Wheeler and Sous' executors. Highly corameuded : J. Dove. Boar pig of the Berkshire breed. — First prize, £5, Mary Hewer, Sevenhampton, lligliwortli ; second, £3, II. Humfrey, Kingston F'arm, Shriveaham. Highly commended : J. Spencer, Villiers Hill, Keuilworth. Commended : H. Humfrey ; R. Swanwick. Breeding sow of the Berkshire breed. — First prize, £5, R. Fowler, Aylesbury ; second, J. Spcucer. Highly commended : H. Humfrey ; J. Dove. Two hills of the Berkshire breed. — First prize, £7, R. Swanwick ; second, £3, Mary Hewer. Ili;ihly com nendcd ; 11. Humfrey ; R. 11. Carter, I'he Hill, Wolverley ; B. St. John Ackers, I'rinknash i'ark ; Richard F'uwlcr, Ayieaburv ; Mary Hewer, lii^hworth ; and J. Wheeler and Sous' executors. THE PENRITH FARMER'S A BRACE OF TAXES. CLUB. At the last meeting, Mr. William Hcskett, of Plumpton Ilall, in the chair, Mr. Bakker read his paper as follows : — The title of the paper tliat 1 am about to read before yo'i to-day is, "A Brace of Taxes — (he Laud Tax and the Malt Tax." There may be those amongst you who will consider them a brace of sinners, and others that will take an opposite view ; but, without expressing in this paper my own opinions upon them, I will bring them before you for approbation or reprobation, as the majority of the club may incline. Questions of taxation are not generally looked upon as being ot a very exhilarating or enchanting character, and, if iniquitous or unjust, they are probably still less so when we are paying them. You will therefore excuse me if I endeavour to treat this subject in a way that may perhaps convey a little information to some without being tiresome to any. Having thus, as it were, struck the key-note, 1 will now proceed to the performance ; but, to keep up the musical simile for a moment, I will endeavour to coufiuc myself to the middle lines of the score, without going into the extremes ; but, if I should here and there introduce a sharp or two that may seem to have a political or party significance, it will only be to illustrate principles, though I have no doubt the party opposite will think me a flat for doing so. But, if 1 cannot produce perfect harmony, 1 will endea- vour, at least on this occasion, not to produce any grave discord. The land tax is not what may, perhaps, be termed a blazing question, but it is, nevertheless, a question that carries with it a considerable amount of injustice and inequality, and, more perhaps than any minor tax still existing, gives rise to acrimonious language and discussions amongst certain poli- ticians. To enable me to form a just conception of it, I shall necessarily have to dip a little into the history of it, but 1 will promise to do so as briefly as possible, else you may think me a greater sinner than the tax. The first record of it is under the Saxon kings, but we need not go so far back as that. It will, however, be necessary to examine it from the Norman era. lu the nineteenth, year of the reign of AVilliam the Conqueror — a name 1 believe this club has heard before — the country was just recovering from a great fright, occasioned by the t hreatened invasion of the Danes. To devise means whereby to obviate the recurrence of siicJi alarms tlie king cauacd his nobles to be assembled iu council, and the Domesday book was ordersd to be compiled, and, when completed, the nobility were again assen.bled at Old Sarum, in Wiltshire, and the king, by his fiat, rendered conditional the tenure of lanil — that is, the holders of it were to find armed retainers, pay suit and service, and do sundry other things commensurate to the quality and value of what they held. Tliese conditions, according to one set of political thinkers, were strictly in tlie nature of rent; but, as time rolled on, they began to be looked upon in the light of intolerable nuisances ; and, such opinions gather- ing strength with age, matured at length into a deadly struggle between the aristocracy and the sovereign power, which, iu the end, cost Charles the F'irst his head and James the Second his throne. For the purpose of resisting Charles the First when he was attempting by unconstitutioual means to raise a revenue, landlords of all grades rose up against hiui, and when successful they placed themselves at the liead of affairs, and procteded to authorise the discontinuance of the laud tax and their own contributions to the exchequer from the land ; but in lieu thereof they placed an excise duty on beer, cider, perry, and such liquors, but they magnanimously exempted from this impost their own home-brewed beer. The full effects of this step upon the common people and upon the mercantile and trading classes can only be estimated when we consider what was the way of life of our ancestors in those days. AVe have it on the authority of Lord Chief Justice F'ortescue, in Henry the Sixth's time, that they never drank any water except by way of penance — and I am afraid there are still a good many who delight to walk in ancient ways — but, as tea, coffee, cocoa, chccolate, and such things were then entirely unkuown iu this country, beer was the almost uni- versal drink of the peeplc, therefore the excise duty fell with a crushing weight upon such as were not land- owners, for by these steps they had constituted themselves land-owners, instead of beius merely land-holders as before, and for tlie space of twenty-eight or thirty years thereafter the land remained entirely free from this tax; but ia the year 169:2, iu the time of William and Mary, money being urgently needed to prose- cute a vigorous war with I'rauce, the land tax was re imposed in the form iu which it has existed down to our times ; but the great peculiarity uf it is that it continues to be levied upou an assessment or vahiatiou of property made iu the year lcil)7- 1 have gouc into this outline of iU hist(>ry to _shuw 212 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. J ou the grounds upon which certaiu politicians, and even pro- luinent members of the late Goverumeiit, always meet wirli niinatory and threatening language any demand that is made in the House of Commons for relief of the burdens that affect land, one set of politicians seeing ia these circumstances no- thing but wrong carried out under The good old rule, the simple plan, That those should take who have the power, And those should keep who can^ another set take exactly opposite views; but into these argu- ments we ni ed not enter ; but on the grounds of public poliiiy it is not always well to deal with such circumstances as attend this tax in a way that they may speedily fall into the limbo of forgotten things, and in a minor tax, such as the laud tax, it would be well if it were placed upon a lair and equiteibh basis, which is very far from being the case at present, for it is ex- tremely uutair and unequal in its incidence, and the least consiUeration will show any one that the valuation of 1G97 is entirely unsuitable to the present time, for much land that was tlien unoccupied and uncultivated, and therefore not rated to tlie tax, may liave since then become extremely valuable, and yet be escaping this tax altogether; whilst, on the other hand, owing to its rise in value, the tax may at present be the merest fraction in the pound, whilst ou the land that in 1G97 was highly cultivated, but whicii may nut since have increased much iu value, the laud tax may be, and no doubt is, a very consider- able impost, although it does not produce a very large sum to the Excliequer. i'rora a Pailiamentaiy return made in 1836, ii seems lliat in that year, on the then rateable value of Bed- fordshire, the tax was '2^. Id. in tiie pound ; in Surrey, Is. Id. ; iu Durham, 3jd. ; in Lancashire, 1 jd. ; in Scotland, gjd. ; Ireland being, as you are aware, euiirely Irte of this tax. At the present time this tax bristles with the gravest inequalities and auomdlies. liut, nut to take up your time, 1 will content myself with giving two examples. Lanc.isbire last ye-^.r, on a valuation of lands and tenements under schedule A of iu'ome- tax of £;18,32i,t>S3, paid the same land tax as Herefordshire, ou a valuation of £931,537 ; tlie latter thus paying about twenty times as heavily as the former. Cumberland, on a valuation of £1,129,019, paid about the same as Westmore- land, on a valuation of £416,812 ; the latter thus paying about three times as lieavily as the former. But some of you may think these diacrepaneies arise from the land tax having been redeemed in a greuter degree in tliose counties paying the It sser rate ; but that does not appear to be the case altogether, though 1 am not prepared to say tiiat it does nut in a degree cause some of the difference, for I have not at hand any statistical information as to what has been paid by different counties under I'itl's Laud Tax liedemptiou Act of 1796 ; but during the 79 years that Act has existtd there has been paid altogether about £18,133,900, that being the capitalised sum ou the annual amount oi the tax that has been redeemed at twenty years' purchase, the terms of the Act, the dgures being taken from the Government statistical abstracts down to last year ; so that up to tills date somewhat less than half the land was subjected to land tax by the assessment of 1697 has been redeemeii. The total annual value of the laud then assessed, which was the whole of the land then enclosed or then cultivated, was £9,S93,1'30 ; but last year the assessments under schedule A of income tax, which is the area upon which this tax ought to be spread, if levied at all, was £148,914,230 ; and deducting from this the £9,893,430 that is still paying or has been re- deemed, there is an auuual value of properly that U e^capillg this tax at present of cloce upon £14U,0U0,0U0. Into the vexed question of whether this is a tax that ouglil to be extended and increased, as is contended by some, or dune away with alto- gether,! am not in tliis paper going to enter or expressan opinion ; but it is manifest that the owners of land that are still paying this tax, or who have redeemed their land from it, have a griev- ance, as compared with those whose laud is not paying its due proportion. Audit will be a favourable opportunity when the question of local taxation comes up, as it must do shortly, to endeavour to have tliis very ill-understood question dealt with and rectified. In oiscussiug such questions as this some one invariably asks what remedy is proposed ? Should any cue do so on this occasion, my answer by aniitipation will be, I only undertook to bring this sinner before yon, not to pass sentence upon him ; but no duubt the matter is tajiable of easy adjustment; but some of jou may perhaps think that tlie best way .to,iuiprove this tax would be by the Amtru.au plau — that is, off the face of creation altogether ; and really having in view the numerous boards and dilfereut local authorities^ of one kind or another, all causing money to be expended, much of whicli must come from the laud, I can hardly say there is not some reason for that view, for school boards, Poor-law boards, sanitary, local government, clerk of the peace, rating, and goodness knows how many other boards, are coming, like a plague of grasshoppers, or the Colorado beetle, a specimen of whicii figures so conspicuously on the mantel-shelf, to eat up every green thing on the land ; yet we are frequently told in Parliament that land does not pay its fair share of taxation ! The land tax has been many times and oft before the House of Commons, but it has always been shelved on some pretext or other ; but probably the real reason that has prevented its being dealt with was akin to, if not indentical with, that which pre- vented my Lord Dundreary's dog from wagging his tail — "be- cause the tail was stronger than the dog." The Malt-tax is, in the opinion of many, a sinner of anotlier type. It sins against all the canons of economic science, and for that has- been condemned by nearly every public man of eminence that has appeared during this century — except perhaps Sir Wilfrid Lawson. I am not going into the liistory of this tax, but I- will give you the opinions of a few eninent men, who have condemned it, ard endeavoured to deal with it, but so far inef- fectually. In 1833 Sir William Ingleby succeeded, in Parlia- ment, in carrying a motion reducing the tax to 10s. per quarter ;. but the government of Lord Althorpe a few days later, by mixing the question up with a window duties bill, succeeded in- getting the tax reinstated at 20s. 8d., at which rate it has re- mained ever since, except for a short time during the Crimean war. Iu 1852 Mr. Disraeli, as Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed' to reduce the duty to 10s. per quarter, but he was deleated m his Budget and the Government retired. A Noifolk Chamber of agriculture about this time condemned it in these words : " Because it is a tax that is bad in principle — is a tax ou an article in the first stage of manufaciure — injurious in opera- tion ; because it offers a premium to the adulteration of beer, and because it prevents the free use of malt for cattle and sheep, enhances the prices of linseed and cotton-cakes, and other feeding-stuffs that are mostly of foreign production, and thereby increases to the consumers the cost of beef and muiton." In 1864 Mr. Gladstone, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, having, no doubt, in his mind the example of Mr. Disraeli, and not iu his Budget, proposed to deal with it on the ground that it would be a betrayal of trust to the country, but he subsequently proposed and carried his malt for breeding cattle bill, a remarkable instance of the ask-for-bread-and- give-them-a-stone principle. In the debates upon it, Mr- Cubden said the duty ought to be extinguished by degrees, as no Government could put on another tax in place of it ; but he thought it ought to wait until the sugar duties were gone; now they are gone, and we wait for the tax to do likewise, Iu 1865 Mr. Caird, a great authority in these maiters, urged upon the Government the great importance to agriculture of having this tax repealed. Sir Eitzroy Kelly said, in reply, that the Government would remove it if a like amouut was added to the Income-tax. Why did they not take him at liis word? Mr. Bentinck, another great authority on all matters,, said in debate that the tax ought to be abolished ; and wlieu there was a really good and strong Government tliey ought to re-impose the paper duties instead. Now would be a favour- able time for him to endeavour to persuade his fi lends to try that experiment. In 1866 Mr. Disraeli, again Chancellor of the Exchequer, but careful this time, like the Scotch shepherd, not to fall twice over the same stone, did not pioposc in his Budget to deal with it, but, on being asked by his own sup- porters, said he could not do without the money, and if they insisted he must resort to direct taxation for a substitute, the consequences of which to the Conservative side of the House, said he, " I leave with them to consider ;" they considered, and he heard nothing more on the sub- ject from them. A great many other authorities have expressed like opinions, but tliese ought to he enough to satisfy most of you that this tax is a sinner; but as he last jeir produced £7,763,617 to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, you may be quite sure that he will look upon him in a very different light indeed ; but as he is very fertile in sinking-fund schemes, some of which seem like fussing up a florin to see if it will not come down hall'-a-crovvn, perhaps he may devise some plan to reduce the malt-tax, if ihose iutcresled iu getliug it reduced only make loud tuuu^h an outcry, fos THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 21C Jieople in these days wlio seek If gishilion must of necessity adojit tiie tactics of Oliver Twist — ask for a great deal, take wliat they can get, aud tlicn ask fur more. These two taxes are now before you, gentlemen, and it remains with you to discuss them or not, as you think proper. If you come to a conclusion upon them, no doubt your views will have weight, and will at all events help to form public opinion, which in this progressive age is likely in the future to play a much more important part than it has done in the past, for the advancing intelligence of the people and the spread of educa- tion will cause all questions to be examined on their merits. A good deal has been said lately ahout discussing such ques- tions as these iu I'arraers' Clubs, in tlie first instance, but, in my liumble opinion, it is a step in the right direction, for tiie farmers of this country are as intelligent a hody of men as any iu the community, and it is a mi-take to tliiuk that with their increased aud increasing intelligence they will not take part jn discussing public questions affecting their interests. No doubt in the past they have been content, in a great measure, to let others speak for them, but the days of that thraldom are past ; the power of the CInindos clause in the lleform Act of 1S32 — which, iu a great degree made the politics of a district the politics of the owners of the land in it — is gone by fur ever. They have a perfect right, if they think lit, to examine and discuss any question, whether of local or of imperial policy, from their point of view, and it is an error to assume that these views v\ill necessarily be antagonistic to those of their landlords. They are quite as able to uuderstand that the good of their landlords is, to a great extent, the good of them- selves, as some landlords are to understand that the good of their tenants is for their owh good ; for who ever heard of a landlord being benefited by a needy tenantry in a state of poverty ? There is a mutual relationship between them that is not and need not be autagouistic ; hut in the future both will be free agents, and bath are indisputably entitled to look at public quebtions from their own point of view, and it is a relict of the feudal times to which I have been referring to think otlierwise. However, in many districts they are rapidly awakening to their true interests and true position in these matters, and their coming forward to take part in discussions on public questions is like the inarch of a new army upon a lield of battle ; and the way they are treated and met by either of tiie contending parties may eventiuiUy change tlie whole condition of the fight. Therei'uie that party will act wisely that endeavours to attach, aud not detach, so powerful an auxiliary force. Mr. C. Thompson asked Mr. Barker why he alluded to Sir Wilfrid Lawson ? He understood that Sir AVilfrid Lawson was a large landowner; and it was very interesting to hira to find that he had such a very strong opiuion upon the question. He wished to know from Mr. Barker what were the precise views of Sir Wilfrid iu regard to tlie malt tax. Mr. BaiuvEII : I cannot give you Sir Wilfrid's rtords on the subject. In general terms, I may state my belief that Sir Wilfrid's opiuion is that if the malt tax were abolished alto- gether, it would make beer too plentiful. Mr. Jameson : It helps his own property tax. Mr BarkeFv said he merely expressed an opinion. Mr. IIoGAKTii asked if it was usual for readers of papers to be catechi,>ed iu the way tliat Mr. Thompson was catechising Mr. Barker? When a paper was read, it seemed to hira that the best plan would be for each or any member to state his opinion about it, and then let ever) body farm their own con- clusions respecting it. His own opinion was that the paper was really a common-seuse paper ; but, when people tallied ahout tlie land tax being partial — some people paying land tax and others not doing so — they were travelling a little out of their course, inasmuch as no one was supposed to lireak the law under which the tax is imposed; ueither could any person himself make a law which would exempt him from the pro- vision of the existing Act. I'eople who paid the land tax were discharging a duty which their laud owed to the State. Mr. Hogarth went ou to show that the laud tax was part of the Imperial revenue. It was necessary for the Governmeut of tlie country ; aud, like all other ta.xcs, if it was abolished by another Act, a substitute would have to be found which would lay additional burthius upon other classes; in fact, there would have to be a new tax in lieu of the one. now exist- ing. There ore the statistics that Mr. Barker or any one else could briug forward would have no weight as regarded the uccesbity of the lui, which was of a peculiar character, aud had long been imposed upon the land. Speaking of the malt tax, he said it was liis decided opinion that barley, the product of the land, from which they had to make their rents, ought never to liave been taxed. He believed it was not impossible to make malt from wheat ; and invention had so far suc- ceeded that spirits were being made from potatoes. Why, then, should barley, a particular kind of grain, be taxed, when other descriptions of produce, applied to a similar purpose, e.-caped altogether. There had been many attempts made to settle this grievance ; but no Govarament, whetiier Liberal or Conservative, had ever really touched the matter at issue, simply because they wanted to shelve the thing and get rid of a difficulty. It was at one time proposed to reduce the malt tax to 7s. ; hut that was only an effort to stem tlie torrent which was hearing down upon the I'rime Minister of the day ; but it seemed that torrents were only like thunder showers — tliey only rolled for a time, and then passed away and are forgotten. No doubt the Government required money to carry on the affairs of tiie country. He was willing to con- cede tliat ; and, if the land was to be taxed for that purpose, he hoped the imposition wou'd be laid on iu such a way that it would not be too grievously felt by those who bore the heat and burthen of the day. Mr. C. TiioMrsoN, revertinjj to the subject to vrhich lie had previously alluded, said Sir AVilfred Lawson had considerable interest iu tlie cultivation of the land ; and, therefore, it might he supposed he would liave independent views on the malt-tax question. It was his object to elicit those views, so that as much light as possible might be thrown upon the whole m; tter. However, passing from that he must say that he had received a good deal of information from the two papers read by 3Ir. Barker, especially with regard to the land tax. Mr. Barker had referred to the early imposition of those taxes in a very interesting way, and his remarks were calculated to incite a good deal of thoughtfuluess. ft'henever the question came to be dealt witli in Parliament difficulties would have to be met. Tlie origin of the laud tax would have to be gone into ; and that and other matters the Government didn't like to t ekle. It did seem to him amazing how our legislators overlooked questions of great national importance, because of the dilHculty of dealing with them. The laud tax was one of those questions that would have to be dealt with sooner or later, and he thanked Mr. Barker for having brought it before the club. When they came to the origin of the imposition they found that this was a tax laid upon the land for the protection of the State. After referring to the circumstances under which the tax was imposed, and remarking upon the inequality of the tax, he said they had as much ri|^lit to look for ttie Legislature increasing the revenue from that source as from any other source wfiatever. That would be the course of legislation by-and-by. He could not see why there shou'd be a restricted ownership of land in this country, unless there was an equiva- lent. Why, he asked, should the laud not be as free as the air we breathe? We could not exclude anybody who was born in this country ; we could i ot say "you have no business here." They had business here, and no one could deprive them of their right. It was his individual opinion, and he had never given utterance to it before hearing Mr. Barker's paper, that the time would come when the people of this country would demand that the whole revenue of the State would have to be derived from the land. Mr. Hogarth : What humbug ! Mr. John Nicholson said he fancied the chairman could recollect the time when he went with him to Battersea I'ark after a discussion on the malt tax, and when they both con- demned the Penrith Farmers' Club because they didn't want the malt tax repealed. They were both of opinion that tlie renritli Farmers' Club had come to a conclusion that was contrary to the opinions of the farmers in the district. He had been an advocate for the repeal of the malt tax ever since it was first discussed. Mr. Nicholson, iu the course of a lengthy speech, touched upon the Corn Law controversy and the Bill of Sir Ilobert Teel, which in 18 iG abolished the Corn Laws in I']ngland. He also alluded to the effect of that men- sure which in some way at least, resulted iu the return of a Whig Ministry, under Lord John Ilussell. He added that under the law which abolished a tax levied upon foreign corn the foreigner was allowed to bring his barley into Eng- land to be made into malt, ou paying tlic same duty as English holders; but if it went back I'L'ain to be sold abroad the duty was returned .to the owner. Iu tlie 214 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. latter case the foreigner paid nothing towards the maintenance of our Ooverument; and tiiat was a fact which he ventured to say many gentlemen knew nothing about. Mr. Nicholson created mucii amuseiueat by asserting that the foreigners who had this privilege in England could drink twice as much beer as we could. He proceeded to argue that the malt tax was a tax upon industry, and by a number of statistics showed Itow it alTected the growers' interest. He had just heard un obser- vation from Mr. Thompson, of Morland, wliieli was very much opposed to his feelings ; and he was certain if Mr. Thompson fairly considered the subject, that observation would be very much against his own feelings. He had just told them that tlie land would have all taxes to pay. Well, he believed it liad nearly all to pay now. Mr. Thompson must be aware that there was a very large amount of capital in this country employed in various ways and yielding vast profits, which was not taxed to a tithe of the amount that was laid upon the land. Mr. Nicholson concluded by saying that he would like to see the malt tax repealed : and aa an equivalent was needed, he would say put the tax upon the heer and not upon the barley. INIr. Jameson said the hnd-tas was kid on in 1693, It was a tax at so much in the pound on the yearly value of the land ; but it was quite an exceptional tax, laid on for the purpose of helping the Government to carry on the war with IVance, and among other taxes laid on along with it, was the only one which hid reached down to our times. The idea of anything like a uniform property tax was too much for the ingenuity of that age, which was so much short of the wcnderful civilisation of our present period. The laud tax affected the kingdom at the time in a most partial and unequal manner. In some of the southern couutiis, where patriotism ran high, the tax was iieavy, but in many, particularly in Cumberland and Westmorland, and he believed in the north generally, the landowners got off very easily. It was stated that in Cumberlaud the opposition to it was so strong that one of tlie county members produced a pair of dogs in tlie House of Commons to show how the yeomen and farmers had to work. The upshot was that the land tax fell very lightly on those two counties, and of course it had remained unaltered until the present day. It was also to be observed that 70 or 80 years ago, the Government had got it into their heads to redeem the tax altogether, and not allow such an anomalous piece of legislation to exist, and they therefore gave an option to all landowners to redeem it by paying a lump sum down, and so get rid of it. He believed nearly one-half of the land tux of the kingdom liad been redeemed. To lay on another tax was now impossible, for if it is attempted what is to become of those who have redeemed it out of their own pockets ? Such a question as that, wiiich was a pure question of taxation, ougtit not to be introduced into the club. The discussion of such a political question was for the House of Commons and not for a farmers' club. The malt tax, too, was a very old tax, and from it the Government raised a good deal of money — 7j millions, annually. On whom, he asked, did tliat burthen fall chiefly, and how was it to be replaced ? He believed there were thousands upon tiiousands of well-to- do people, who never paid a farthing towards it, Mr. Hogarth : That is because they never drink beer. Mr. Jameson : If they do, the quantity is so very small that it is not worth notice. Those who heir this tax are the tliirsty, droughty many, who earn their living by the sweat of tiieir brow. The tax was paid chiefly by the poor. Sir Wilfrid Lawson had said that the poor drink far more beer than they ought to do, and that if you repeal the Malt-tax you would make beer more plentiful. No Government dared come forward and say, " VVe will tax tiiis beer because the poor drink it." He didn't wnut to see the poor damaged in mind and character, and he didn't want to see the Malt-tax repealed, because nobody knew to what extent beer would be drunk. Mr. Jameson proceeded to slow that malt could not be used profitably for feeding, and then asked. Where would the substitute fall ? It must be a property tax. It might not fall very heavily on persons in the active pursuits of life, in the commercial, trading, and other industries, where fresli capital was being made from day to day. But what was to be said of that large class who live upon narrow and limited incomes, and have no means of recouping themselves by advancing prices as dealers jn commodities can do, for the higher properly tax they would have to pay. It would be cruel and unjust to weigh them down by a htavy property tax. One gentleman had said just now, " Why not lay all faxes npOQ' the laud, which belongs to the country ?" " Wliy," Mr. Jame- son asked, " let that question be mixed up with it at all i'" He was inclined to think that there was something hidden behind- such expressions. In fact, he thought there was a kind oi incipient communism lurking in the minds of some men, who- knew little about what they were talking, and cared nothing for the rights of others so long as it did not interfere witli their own. Why, he asked, is land not to be protected as well as any other property ? These communists will say, when a person buys land, " There is a hidden condition- lying underneath, that all laud really belongs to the State, and that the owner lias only such an interest in it as the state may, in its wisdom, allow ; that if the land is not dealt with as meets the advanced ideas of a progressive age, it ought to be taken from the owners, and put under state government." Where, he asked, was the justice or wisdom of such a nation ? While the other propertied classes of the community are safe in their various trading, commercial, and manufacturing pursuits, and indus- tries comprising money investments, shares in railways,, shipping, mining, and all sorts of speculative undertakings, ami hedged round by the strength and security of the law, why whk the ownersliip of laud to be raaie an exception of, and by overburdened taxation rendered of next to no value, to suit the ideas of a selfish and self-conceited race, who will exclaim to- the sufferers — " You may go to the workhouse, and be thrown- desolate upon the world. We are men of progress ; men of fine ideas ; men who are mounted on the top of civilisation, giving a tone and spiritlto the age. We will teach you what you are. VVe are the rulers and not you." That, he said, was the meaning of these communists, who owned little, if anything ;. but made it their business to interfere vrith the just rights of others. Mr. Jameson concluded by referring at some length to the history of the Laud-tax, maintaining that it was first imposed in 1692. Mr. Nicholson said Mr. Jameson had been speaking upon a subject (the malt-tax) of which he was sure he had but very little experience. Mr. TiiOM said he had listened with delight to the paper which Mr. Barker had just read to (he club. He thought it was a paper which would very much interest the Penrith Far- mer's Club, He (Mr. Thom) was not very well acquiinted with tlie history of the land-tax. It seemed to him tliat Mr. Jamefou had made a gross mistake when he said that the land-tax was first imposed in 1692, because it was first imposed about the time of the Norman Conquest upon all land that was then in cultivation ; but since then the value of cultivated land had increased by something like an annual value of £U8,000,000. When the land tax was first laid on, the owners paid ujion an annual value of about £9,000,000, and that was- at the time of the Norman Conquest. In. his opinion, there- fore, the holders of the land ought to pay upon the increased value of the land since that time. The State had lost the taxation due upon the £140,000,000 of income. He quite agreed with Mr. Thompson that the land did not pay the amount of taxation that it ought to pay, as was clearly shown by Mr. Barker's paper; and in his opinion the Penrith Farmers' Club, and every other club in tlie kingdom, ought to take up the question. They had heard a great deal from his friend Mr. Jameson at different times, to the effect that John Stuart Mill was a political robber. He should like to- ask him what kind of robbers he calls the great landlords ? John Stuart Mill had done no harm at all ; but according to Mr. Barker the landowners were robbing the country of taxation on £140,000 of income. Mr. HoGAKTU : What stuff you talk, Mr, Jameson: It is all stuff, nonsense, and a complete fable. Mr, TiiOM : It is not stuff, or a fable either ; but a positive fact. If the land was valued at £9,000,000 at the time of the Norraau Conquest, and it is now valued at £148,000,000, and the land was paying no more than it did then, wasn't that a robbery? He would ask his friend Mr. Hogarth if he called that staff? Mr. Thom instanced the case ol a clergy- man who had charge of a chapel of ease, in ainother part of the county, which belonged to the Dean and Chapter. Three- hundred years ago the clergyman was paid a shilling a d.iy for bis services; and at that lime it was a fair return ; but now the living had increased to £920 a year, and the Deaa and THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 21i CliaptiT pocketed tlml snm, and paid the clergyman his sliiling' a dav. iMr. jAJtES Atkinson said hia remarks vvomIJ tend to conliriii tlie views oi' Mr. Jameson. He was ol' opinion tlmt if the malt tax was removed it would be of no benefit to tiie farmer, and he spoke as a farmer and a commercial man. Jle was convinced tiiat Ihff maltster or the brewer would get the greatest prulU, after all. lie spoke on the qnestiau as a dis- interested person, havinf; no feeling one way or the other. If the malt lax were abolished he bad no doubt many larmers would attempt to fatten their cattle upon malt. Having had some experience in the use of malt in cattle feedin;;, he could state jiositively that malt had no good feeding properties. A few years ago he bad fii'ty bushels stored lor feeding purjjosps, and both mileh cows aud cattle to be fed off were selected for the experiment. His experience on that occasion was tliat malt was not equal to the usual feeding stuffs. It Imd the elfect of scouring the cattle and preventing them from thriving. He iiad also tried it mixed with oats, aud tlie conclusion be came to was that malt, for feeding purposes, would never become beupficiai to agriculturists. Then, with regard to the land tax. As Mr. Jameson had said, it was a tax that never •could be t;iken off. lie showed that other property besides land had increased in value. The quantify of laud could not be increased, though it appeared that a good deal had been brought under cultivation since the laul tax was first imposed. Land was originally taxed for a particular object; aud at a Bubspquent period an Act was passed to enable landowners to redeem the tax. As Mr. Jaaieson bad clearly shown, it would be unjust to ei|UHlise another land tax, rendering it im[)erative that those wiio had and those who bad not redeemed the tax should pay tl;e same amount of land tax to the State. He did not see liow 2\lv. Thompson had come to the conclusion that the land must bear all the burden. Mr. Jakez CiiosiJif also approved of the paper, and, in the course of some observations, said he was not oue of those who objected to men belonging to other occupations than farming taking part in the discussions of thai club. He was always glad to see those gentlemen come forward. Farmers were benefited by having their interests discussed by others ; and be would always use his inlluence in obtaining a liearing for all members. If the removal of the malt tax would tend to tlie manufacture of more drink, bo would say keep it on. Those who got the least drink fared the best. A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting. CARMARTHENSHIRE FARMERS' CLUB. TIIE USE OF GORSE. At the quarterly meeting, Mr. R. R. Carver, Wenallt, in llie chair, i)r. Hopkins read a paper on the advantages of furze or gorse. Dr. Hopkins said : At tiie request of many members of this club I h;ive consented to introduce to your notice the subject of a valuable addition to green crops, nearly all of which have been submitted repeatedly to your cocsideratioii, although it is not altogether unknown to you in this part of the country, being indigenous to Wales, aud like most indi- genous plants, has been by many treated as being a trouble- some weed. Nothing, gentlemen, has been sent by God without purpose, but the reverse, as in mineralogy. We have placed side by side, within reasonable distance of each other, the lime, iron mine, and coal, so that by the ingenuity, indus- try, aud enterprise of man that most valuable of all metals — iron — is produced from these minerals. So with the farmers occupying the higher and poorer lands of this country. Provi- deuce has not left them wholly unprovided for in the wintry season of their lives, and has afforded them a hardy, vigorous, and healthy food for their stock, so as to enable them to com- pete in the production and maintenance of their stock, when the sunshine of summer and plenty has departed, with those living in lower and more favoured positions, and even to those in certain seasons a valuable crop such as I am about to des- cribe would make tliera and their stock independent of nearly all the casualties that usually befal them. Our suhject, to- ■day, gentlemen, is the gorse, furze, or whin, U/e.i: europciis of Linuajus, a well-known shrvb, and found wild nearly every- where in the country, except wet places. It is fond of light and dry soils, and hilly situations here, aud in the warmer or more temperate parts of Europe, but not in Sweden or in Russia or Folautl, north of Cracow and Casen. It has been known as a nourishing food for cattle, horses, and sheep for a long time, and has been sown in many parts of England for tliat purpose, as well as for shelter and fences tor game coverts, but its utility has been over-looked and almost ne- glected as a valuable green crop, in consequence hitherto of its taking too much time and labour to make it a profitable crop. Like the history of nearly all the transactions of farming, the treatment of the furze has passed through from the most rude inventions from time to time to tlie present time, to make it available for the food of the animals it is so eminently suited for. The earliest of these appliances was the pounding of the furze by means ot a hammer of wood, covered with short chisels or knives, resembling somewhat the nails placed in a labourer's boot. The next attempt was the erection of water wheels that drove a number of pins of iron so near to each other in passing as to crush it with a fev? revolutions into a pulp. Tills plan, like the foregoing, was found to ht slow, and therefore iuellicieut. The last attempt was made by the Ute Mr. Spooner, M.P., of Birmingham, who essayed to crusli the furze with two huge rolling stones similar to the njills used years ago for crushing apples in the making of cider. Mr. Chambers, of Llanelly, formerly had one of tliose mills, which I saw in motion, but I feel sure that it did not succeed to his satisfaction, otherwise it would have been continued. I myself went to about £400 expense in the erection of a water wheel of about 10-liorse power, first to crush the furze with a mill supplied with steel teetli rotating in a corkscrew fashion, which had not the desired effect in the shape of despatch, and, moreover, I found that through being crushed it heated in a single night, so that the animals were no longer fond of it. I then proceeded to study how tin se inconveniences could be avoided, and at last I found that with a one or two-horse power chaff-cutter I could cut ten times as much in the time occupied by the crushing machine of about six horse-power, and besides, it did not ferment or beat but very little when kept in bulk. My nextoljject then was to cut it for cows aud sheep of half the size used for horses, which was easily affected by doubling the rotation of the fly-vvlieel to the feeding rollers adapted to the usual length, so that all the little prickles were nearly destroyed, and it could be taken in the hand like sawdust, and was greedily eaten by cows and sheep. The latter would be in the mountainous districts half decimated every winter in lying out were it not for the food aud shelter this plant affords. JMy plan of feeding horses attd ponies with it has been to give them as much as they will eat, and this will do for slow or farm work ; but common sense will tell you, or any practical farmer, that furze does not contain every element necessary for really bard work, but with a feed of oats once or twice a day by itself, a horse can do any reasonable amount of work without losing flesh, which is, I presume, all that is desired. In any case it keeps him in health with a bright coat and is an antidote for broken wind and grease. The culture of this plant is very easy, and known, I think, to you all ; however, poor hungry dry soils wiiich would not be worth half a- crown an acre can be made fopay oOs. to £10, for a continuance, by sowing the furze seed with your barley or oats, at the rate of lolbs. to 20lbs. of seed to the acre, and treated when sown as you do clover. They must be cut iieitninUtj ; otherwise, if you take the advice ot writers of no experience, you will by mowing them every year, as advised by them, soon destroy the plants. The first year after cutting, the shoots are about nine inches in length, but in the second year they advance to from three to four feet, which is a great advantage to the grower, and the crop on that spot will continue unimpaired. All manures are injurious to furze except lime, which is its best fertiliser. The shale taken from the bowels of the earth in the neighbourhood of coal seams grow furze witii amazing fuccess, as is seen on nearly all the coal lips ol tliis country. I have m THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. not lrid time io find out the exict ciupe, biit think it is owiuK to the cnrbon contained in that refuse, which is the basis of all vegetation. Cows fed upon furze in winter give nearly as much railk and butter as in summer, the latter being a delightful colour and a beautiful flavour. The plant or shrub of which I have been treating may strictly be termed a fodder plant, aud can be fairly placed Ijy its produce and hulk at the he;id of all green crops. It costs least of all in production. It will per acre feed a greater quantity of stock. It contains a greater per centage of animal food than even carrots, man- golds, or, turnips, and without any doubt wliatevcr, will con- tinue the supply longer than any other of these green crops without the trouble and expense of replanting and cultivating- auew, which in this country is so difficult and costly. Tlie conclusions from the researches of Saussure, Mulder, and Herman, on the way in which vegetation is maintained, are certainly at variance with thrse held ]fy Professor Leibig, Boussingault, and Payen. Boussingault holds tliat plants receive a large amount of nutriment from the air ; but also receive no inconsiderable amount of organic material directly from the soil. He believes the process of fallowing has chiefly the advantage of destroying weeds ; that the system of rotations of crops does not depend on the injurious action of tlie excrements of plants, since Braconnet's experiments prove that such excrements are not produced, hut it rather depends on the alteration of such plants as only extract nutrition from the soil like grarainse, and of such as take much nutriment from the air like the leguminosoe class of which furze is a close ally, and whose debris or stubble ploughed under is itself a good manure. According to Leibig's opinion assimilation of carbon from catbouic acid forms a krge proportion of the organic matter of plants, but not wholly due to this cause. Tlie nitrogen is in this instance of the furze obtained from the ammonia in the air as well as some from the soil. I shall now conclude the observations I have made upon the culture and use of furze, with the hope that the mistakes that others and myself have made with regard to its use will be of some benefit to you. It is almost an axiom that all of un benefit more in future by oui failures than by our successes. In journeying the road of experience every traveller meets with a variety of disappoint- men's and mishaps before he arrives at the desired end. Mr. Lewis (Gurry) was convinced that the subject of furze was one of very considerable importance to them, and he felt obliged to Dr. Hopkins for the exhaustive manner in which lie had treated it. It was really an article of fodder very much neglected in this country, and particularly in the highlands, where it would be most valuable, because hilly soils will grow a grand crop of gorse, and it would, he was positive answer even in the vale of Towy if properly cultivated. One 01 two remarks which Dr. Hopkins made he feU that he could not agree with. It was that when oats were given along with gorse to horses, the horses try to throw away the gorse to catch hold of the oats. lie believed, on the contrary, that the horse will take the gorse, and that he will take gorse sometimes when he will not take oats. Of course he only put this for- ward as his own opinion founded on his individual experience in the matter. Again, he certainly did not agree with crush- ing the gorse, an operation which he believed drives away very much of the sap ; he would merely cut it, and cut it as small as possible, and then all horses and cattle wonld be anxious to get at it. He knew a case last season where a n-ian had plenty of gorse on his farm, and the farmer did very well with it for feeding instead of paying £9 a-ton for hay. He thus kept his stock in good order. He knew that case well, for it happened under his own eyes in the parish of Llaudyssilio, in this county, on the side of the Black Moun- tain. By the proper cultivation of gorse, some lands not otherwise worth half-a-crown an acre, where it would grow, might be made to produce a crop worth £10. Therefore, he regretted very much that there were not many farmers from the hilly country present to hear Dr. Hopkins's very able and instructive paper. He hoped the farmers would undertake to improve their machinery in order to reduce gorse to that proper state in which horses and cattle would enjoy it Mr. W.T. Phillips said he had only one objection to make against the views so well put forward. Although it would seem much better to let the gorse remain uueut for two years, yet he found that in two years it always attained too much woody fibre to make it good as fodder. Mr, U. Prosseu (Tygwyn) said that hefoi nd that after two years' growth it was a nice crop, but if yon cut it the first year you do away with the crop altogether. Mr. Jajies (Carreg Cennen) said that, after listening to the excellent remarks of Dr. Hopkins and Mr. Lewis, no one could doubt that furze would answer very well in the hilly parts of the country, especially on land where the soil was very shallow and would produce nothing else.. As to good land iu the vale of Towy, he had great doubts about the advisability of introducing it as a feeding crop, and thought they could there employ the laud better. He had heard of it bringing £10 an acre, but if that were so he tiiought some good land here pro- duced crops of still greater value. It it were confined to the highlands where hay was very short, he had no doubt it would be one of the most profitable crops for fodder purposes. i\Ir. S. Bright (Carmarthen) said it was an admitted fact that they could grow furze, and there appeared to be a ques- tion about cutting it small enough. He thouglit that at this stage of the world they ought to be, and in fact were, good enough mechanicians to cut it as small as they liked. They could cut it to the 1000th, 100th, or 10th part of an inch, just as they pleased, and if cattle could eat it at all they could eat it at that length. The cattle would then find it nutritious, but if not cut fine enough — if they ofl'ered the cattle stumps of a tree to eat — the food would be, to say the least, indigestible. Dr. IIorKiNS : Don't fear for that ; the cattle are very dis- criminating. They will take care to eat nothing that is not fine enough. Mr. H. Thomas said he grew some furze on Tyllwydd farm, and, as Mr. Prosser could say, the crop was most prosperous. The two crops were each worth ,£21 a-year. (Mr. Prosser : They were six feet high.) He had now left them behind on the {'arm, and could not say how they fared. Mr. Phillips (Blaenamtir) said he had been growing furze for some years, and had found it better not to trust to it entirely, but to mix it with feeding different from what Dr. Hopkins had mentioned. He mixed it with chaff, straw, and sometimes corn. With regard to a furze crop making Ian i worth £10 an acre, he very much doubted it. He shouldii>'; like to ky down much of his land iu furze; only a sinal quantity, and to mix this with straw. Mr. Thomas (Cilarddu) said he gave furze to more animals than the horse. He always fed six horses ou it during the winter with a little wheaten straw mixed. The horses went tlirough their work capitally, while tliey weie tVd on this mix- ture, and got one feed of corn every day. He thought the best farmers in Carmarthenshire should take more to furze He was obliged to Dr. Hopkins for his able remarks, aud trusted all farmers would study tiie paper earefully when it was printed. Mr. Rees (Djfflyn, Llandovery) said that for the four or five years he had furze, it afforded his sheep excellent shelter in the winter, and held a good many foxes which destroyed the rabbits. But from the instructive paper Dr. Hopkins had read, he had no doubt it was a good crop for the hill country. Indeed, a tenant of iiis own, living on the hills, assured liim that he gave no oats to liis horses last winter, but fed them on gorse, which he cut at two years old ; and that these horses worked well and were in good condition. He could not speak from personal experience of this crop. The Chairman said he had a farm some years ago on which he weal into the gorse trade con amore. He thought he might as well make his fortune at once. He sent to tlie best firm he could think of for plenty of gorse seed, for which he was charged 2s. per lb. He had the land well cleaned, and sowed his crop, but as to the value his experience made him disagree with Dr. Hopkins. He had sown a beautiful crop, and determined to keep it uncut until the next year. Soon the foxes came in numbers and made their holes there. Soon after the foxes came Mr. Powell, of ilaesgwynne, who at first salute exclaimed, " Hallo, Carver, old boy ! well, I am glad to see you have got up capital cover at last." He (JMr. Carver) replied with some hesitation, that he had not thought of that ; that this was fodder he had sown for his cattle. " Stufl'!" said Mr. Powell, " a magnificent cover, that it is." Then came Captain Philipps, of Cwmgwili, with " Well, is it possible? You are turned sportsman. Carver, after all. How good of you !" His (Chairman'^) experience in the furze line did not extend much beyond that period, and he could not therefore speak with authority on the aubject. THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 217 'Sir. R. JjT.oyd Jones proposed a vote of thanks to Dr. IlDpkit's, wliicli was carrieil Willi appliiusc. i)r. lloi'KlNs said lie fed forty horses during v\ iiitoron furze and oals mixed. IJe found beyond all doubt that unless you put bars across the niiins^er, the animals would spend the whcde time in tossing; up the furze to look for llie oats. J>ut, as he told them before, furze was not everytliin;; ; if yon put £10 an aere. Well, very near Llandllo furze happeni'd to be set at JjiUan acre. In this, as in all other assertions, he (Dr. Hopkins) bad kept under rather than over the mark — ronsider- ably under it. When one got up to lecture on a subject like tliis, it would not do to make fiinciful and random as\ertions ; it was hiolish in .such a case to i)racti5e "ihrowinjj the hatcliet," as the Americans called it. lie thanked them for in iinother infrrediint thi! horses will have it, but lei theiii have the patient heariii;^ and consideralioii they had given the furze inl Ubiliim, and it will keep them as clean and as brijjht subject. as a mole. Oue gentleman doubted that furze was worth THE PRIZE SYSTEM. A vitjorons rOTort is being made to induce tlie Royal Actri- cultural Society to abandon the system of practically testing the merits of machinery sent to the annual shows of the society for exiiibition. It; is argued in defence of this movement that the trials are very expensive, that they do no real good, and that they are in themselves eminently unsatisfactory. These points are urged by men of very great experience, some of them members of council, others members of the society. They, therefore, deserve cons^ideration. If trials of implements and machinery are abandoned, the society will at once assume a new position. It will take ditferent ground from any which for very many years it has filled ; and a change of such impor- tance cannot fail to exert a powerful influence for good or evil on the future of what is in some sense a national institution. Let us endeavour clearly and impartially to arrive at some definite conception of the value of the arguments on which the movement against the societies annual trials is urged. The first argument that the trials are extremely costly we need say very little about. If the society possess an income sulii- cient to pay for them, tlicy ought to be paid for cheerfully, provided it can be demonstrated that they are worth the money. If, on the oilier hand, it is really a fact that the society cannot aflbrd the expense, then tiie trials mast he given up however uscfl they may be. No argument is required to prove that the aliaudonment is expedient. In such a case we should not have a question of expediency, but one of necessity to deal witli, and it would need but one answer. Whether the society be or be not short of fands we are not in a position to say. Their receipts and expenditure are dealt with by competent men ; and we have no doubt that the council, secretary, and treasurer, will administer the funds placed at llieir disposal judiciously, la short the argument that the society cannot ailord to spend money on ni-chinery and imple- ment trials we regard as one with which we have little or nothing to do, and we shall not furtiicr refer to it. The second argument, that the trials do no real good, is totally different in character, and it is well to consider the theory on which it is bnsed. It is urged that the natural progress of trade and the spirit of competition are quite suflicient to de- velope and bring to the highest possible perfection any class of agricultural machinery ; and it is denied that the award of prizes by the society has given any stimulus whatever to the progress of agricultural engineering. That, in a word, and to use an example, the portable engine would be just as good as it now is, if makers of such engines never had a chance of entering into competition under the auspices of the Royal Agricultural Society. This is a very sweeping assertion, and it is unfortunately oue which it is almost impossible to prove or disprove. We cannot say what would have happened if certain events which actually did take place had never occurred. But the argument is not wholly baflfling. It is practicable to form an opinion as to its merits, and that opinion must be, we thiuk, in favour of the assump- tion that competitive tests of portable engines really did do a great deal to render thera the very perfect machines they are. The men who now urge that such tests were of little or no value in the sense of a stimulus to improve the portable engine, include in their ranks numbers of persons who have themselves taken prize after prize ; men who have used every available resource of talent and capital to produce the most economical engine that it was possible to make. The compet- ing engines were "racers." In very few instances have they been built witli any intention of selling them. To dispose of them at a profit would be impossible. Is it reasonable to suppose that any ordinary trade competition would have induced firms like Clayton and Shuttleworth, the Ri^ading Ironworks Coiiijiany, IMessrs. 'I'uxford, to spend large sums on engines which could not be looked upon as ordinary trade products ? We think it is not reasonable to suppose any such thing. Racers were built solely io wintlie Royal Agricultural Society's medals and prizes ; and to the society the world is indebted for jiortable engines which will give an elfective horse-power for 2-8 lb. of coal per hour. Some persons do not dispute our opinion on this point, we believe, hut they argue that, having got " racers," we have really got nothing ; tliat racers are, in a word, a delusion and a snare ; and that the winning of prizes by such engines operated unjustly and to the injury of men who, posses- ing neither the time nor capital required to produce racers, were still comfctcut to build better engines than the ordinary commercial engines construc- ted by racing firms. To this argument we take unqualified sxception. Even if it were true — which it is not — that a racer was unfit for actual service, we should still have the fact to deal with, and get over if possible, that an enormous amount of information must be acquired by any thoughtful, competent man who sets about producing a racer. He must jierforce study all the points that constitute perfection ; and we have only to look around us to see that those firms who have com- peted witli more or less success at past trials build to this day the best portable engines tliat can be had. The Royal Agricultural Society did beyond question deve- lope the portable engine. It may be possible tluit had the Society never existed or never given prizes the portable engine would have lost nothing. But such a theory does not admit of baling proved, and. we think, we have shown that as a theory it is inconsistent with the actions of those who propound it. What holds good of the portable engine holds good of many other machines and implements — not quite to the same extent, however, for reasons which we shall refer to presently. The great body of purchasers of machincy really know very little about the merits of what they purchase in the first instance. They go to makers of established reputation, and there was and is no quicker way of reaching the public than by taking a Royal Agricultural Sociffy's prize. Whether the prize is or is not rightly awarded is quite an another question. The practical fact, as it stauls, is that hundreds of agricultural implement makers are willing year after year to exert them- selves to the utmost in the hope of obtaining a place in the annual competitions held under the auspices of the Society. The money to be won is a mere nothing. The medals are worth intrinsically but a few shillings. English and American engineers are too shrewd to play a game in which the stakes are so exceedingly high for nothing but barren honour. The fact is that, rightly or wrongly — we believe rightly — a Royal Agricultural Society's prize is indirectly of very great com- mercial value. This is the reason why dozens of competiors entered the lists this year at Taunton, as they did last year at Bedford, or the year before at Hull ; and it is difficult to believe that any other stimulus could have existed which could so foster improvement as the system of publicly testing machi- nery and awarding prizes to that which did best. We are at a loss to see indeed how any spirit of competition could unaided, have produced any great improvement in agri- cultural machinery. Purchaseis have no good opportunities of knowing what implement is best. They may compare notes now and then as to the quantity of coal burned by their engines, as to the work of a reaping machine, &c., S:c., but they can arrive at no definite conclusions on the subject so long as the implement does its work fairly well. Some time since a Scotcli firm advertised and urged it as a good 218 THE FArvMER'S MAGAZINE, point, that lliey sold tlie lipaviost portable engine in the fradn. The engines worked very well, but they were not econo- mical. A practical test under the auspices of the Royal Agri- cultural Society would have quickly placed the public in a position to understand exactly what were the merits and demerits of such a machine. Agriculturists have neither the time nor the opportunity to test machinery for themselves, and so long as the purchaser is unable to single out for himself the best from the fairly good, nothing is gained by making any- lliing better than fairly good, and for this reason competition alone, and unaided by the cfl'orts of the Royal Agricultural Society, would not have given us the perfect machines which agricultural engineers now make. We come now to the third argument against the trials with which we are dealing — namely, that they are unsatisfactory. We confess that we fear there is a great deal to be said in favour of this argument. If it can once he demonstrated that the results obtained in the trial yard or the field are fallacious, then the utility of the system is compromised, and those who, like ourselves, rejoice to see tlie society prosperous, must not shut their eyes to errors, mistakes, or abuses. We will go so far as to say that some very radical changes are essential in the system on which trials are conducted, and we are pleased to find that 1S76 will bring with it changes which are at least in the right direction. As regards portable engine tests, we have nothing to say except that they are carried out under the auspices of the consulting engineers of the society with a care and accuracy which leave nothing to be desired. The trials are of such a nature that they admit of being managed with precision. But this is very far from being the case with trials of field im- plements, and it is in the system of conducting these experi- m^^nts that changes are required. Tiiis is not the time nor the place to deal with the question fully ; one or two points we may glance at incidentally. In the first place, no com- petitor should be permitted to send in more than a single im- plement for trial in each class. The immediate result would be tliat the labours of the judges would be wonderfully simplified, and time would be permitted to carry out the trials properly, which is notoriously not the case now. In the second place, it should be impossible for a single firm to take all the prizes. If but one reaper or plough, for example, were sent for competition, that reaper or plough, could take only one award. In the third place, trials of implemeuta should be conducted at suitable seasons of the year. To put a lot of ploughs into a ley which has been baked by a burning sun for half a summer is absurd. Ploughs would not be used by a farmer at all under such conditions ; and it would be quite possible for a very indifferent implement indeed to beat one very much its superior under such adverse circumstances. A hatcUet will do work impossible to a rnzor, but the hatchet is not, as a consequence, an eligible shaving instrument. Again, it is absurd to put reaping machines into a field of upstanding stiff green rye, to learn from the work done in it how ff.r a reaping machine will serve a farmer's purpose during a harvest. An admirable and somewhat ludicrous instance of the defect in the society's arrangements to which we refer was supplied at Bedford last year. The society offered a prize for machines to thin turnips. The machines were sent in dozens, and not a single turnip was to be found in the fields set apart for trying this special class of implements. So far as we are aware, there is no reason whatever that the trials should be carried out synchronously with the holding of the annual show. Wise councils have prevailed this year, and the tests of reaping machines next year will be postponed until there is really corn to cut worth the name. Our own opinions on the subject may be very briefly stated. We believe that the arguments of what we may term the opposition are not, taken altogether, without weight ; but we fail to find that any argument has yet been adduced suflicientty powerful to induce us to think that the Royal Agricultural Society should abandon tlie system of testing machinery. We hold, however, that the progress of events and the remarkable development of certain classes of machinery have rendered a system of trial which was excellent some years ago in some respects obsolete, and that important changes in the method of conducting future trials are imperatively demanded. These changes should take the direction of reducing not the number of competitors, but the number of machines or implements sent in for competition ; and the practice of carrying out the trials during the week preceding the opening of the showyard may be given up with manifest advantage iu certain respects. We believe, further- more, that the Royal Agricultural Society has done a great deal to improve agricultural inaehiiiery ; and we feel certain that much useful work remains to be done by the society, and that will be done if care is taken to render its policy consistent with the progress of the age. — The Enf/incer. BATH, AND WEST OP ENGLAND, AND SOUTHERN COUNTIES SOCIETY. The Council meeting was held at the Grand Iloteh Bristol, under the presidency of Mr. J. C. Moore-, Stevens ; there were also present Messrs. Jonathan Gray, C. T. Acland, J. D. Allen, H. Badcock, J. C. Bet, J. T. Boscawen, 0. Bush, R. II. Bush, R. R. M.Daw, A. F. M. Uruce, T. Dyke, F. W. Dymond, C. Edwards, 11. Fookes, W. R. Gilbert, C. Gordon, J. Uallett, J. D. Hancock, II. j\I. Iloldsworth, J. Farnaby Lenaard, H. A. F. Luttrell, II. St. John Maule, H. Mayo, J. Murch, S. P. Newbcry, G. S. Poole, and J. Goodwin, Secretary and Editor, CRfjYDON Meeting. — Mr. Herbert Williams, as chairman of the Finance Committee, brought up a statement of the receipts at the recent annual meeting, and received the sanction of the Council for the payment of prizes and other claims to the amount of £G,0.J9. The several proposals having been seconded were carried unanimously. It transpired in the course of the proceedings that although a loss of several hundred pounds was incurred by the Croydon Meeting, the Society will not have occasion to draw on its funded capital. To the Implement Regulations Committee, Capt. Best was added; to the Judges Selection Committee, Sir. II. Mayo, Messrs. H. M. Iloldsworth, and C. T. D. Acland were nominated stewards of the yard ; Messrs. R. Neville and C. A. W. Troyte, Stewards of Implements (yard) ; Messrs. Knollys, Jones, and Hyke, Stewards of Implements (fiehl); Messrs. H. Fookes, T. Dackham, A Grenf'ell, and Col. Lennard, Stewards of Stock ; Col. Luttrell and Mr.C. Gordon, Stewards ol Horses ; Messrs. R. 11. Bush and C. Edwards. Stewards of Poultry; the lion, and Rev. J. T. Boscawen Steward of Horticulture ; IMr. Jcmatlian Gray, Steward of Music ; Colonel Luttrell, and Messrs. Grenfell and Maule, Committee of the Mess ; Mr. H. St. Jolin Blaule, Steward of Refreshments ; Mr. J. Gray, Jlr. Knollys, and Mr. jMoysey, Stewards of Plant ; and Colonel Luttreil, Mr. R. Neville, Mr. C. A. W. Trnyte, Mr. Arthur Grenfell, and Captain Best, Stewards of Arrangements. llEiiErORU Meeti^jg — With a view to the adequate en- couragement of Channel Islands cattle at the Hereford I\Ieet- ing, 1S76, an addition of £100 was made to tlie amount granted for stock at the Bristol Jleetiug, thus raising it in the aggregate to £1,800. The amount allowed to stewards of poultry was increased to £225, with a view to offering the additional inducement of cups for pigeons. To the depart- ment of horticulture £130 was allotted. The contract of Messrs. Fry and Sou, of Bath, for the erection of the Society's shedding was renewed for a term of two years. Acting upon the principle that the Society never offers prizes for competition excepting in its own showyard, and under its own immediate direction and management, a sug- gestion that the Council should give a cup for competition at the Frorae Cheese and Butter Show was reluctantly negatived. The following new members were elected : T. Wilce, Iley- tfsbury ; B. Scobell, Kingwell, High-Littleton ; G. Fox, Wilmslow, Cheshire ; Rev. II. A. Daniel, Stockland, Bridg- water ; Colonel Calvert ; and Captain Ilathway, Clifton. SAI.E OF TiIR. MIDDLEWITCH'S CROPS.— This sale took place on the farm at Blunsden, near Swindon, 550 acres being submitted, of which 350 acres were wheat Rivett cone wheat fetched £11 las. per acre ; oats, £11 79- Gd. per acre ; winter beans, £10 per acre, and over £5,000 was realised. THE FAllMEll'S MAGAZiJSE. 219 THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. MEETING IN LONDONDEllRY. A v^ricly of reasons have been ofTercJ for ttie unmistak- able failure of the iiirelin!< this year of the National Agricultural Society of Ireland, but none of much weiirht. In most sections it was a short show, the iaiplciueut- Jiiakers givinj; it but little countenance, as on no ))revious occasion have so few firms been represented. Then, in the 8iwk classes, the other breeds — such as Herefords, Devons, and Kerries — ^ran up to but small entries, as fiequently with no competition; while the merits of the Sliorthorns depended in a great dej>t prize, J. L, Naper, Louslicrew, Oldcastle, County Meath ; second, i. L. Napex ; third, J. L. Naper. Hum of any o'her age.— first prize, C. T. M'Causland ; spcoud, J. Pealce, Mullaghmore, Monaglian (Clioice), Highly commended: J. Feake (Prince). Commended: J. Feak« (Stamina) ; A. H. Smith Barry. Five shearling ewes (limited for competition to tenant- f.irriiers whose poor-law valuation is under £100 per annum). — Firi,t prize, J. I'eike ; second, A. H. Smith Barry. IVn of live ewes which have reared lambs fer not less than six weeks in 1S75. — No entry. -Five shearling ewes. — No -evArj. PIGS. COLOUltJiU BREEB. _ "Boar under eighteen months old.— First prire, J. Dove, Jlamlirook House, GloBcestershire ; second, D. Gleuii, ■Kilfentian, Waterside, Londonderry (Hopeful). Highly commended: D. Glenn. Boar over eighteen months and under thirty-six months old.— First prize, R. p. Maxwell, Fianehrougue, Hownpatrick ^Conqueror) ; second, D Glenn (Prince Patrick). Breeding sow under eighteen months old. — First prize, D. -Glenn (Sally) ; second, J. Jlolloy, Mountjoy-street, Dublin. Breeding sow over eighteen months old. — First prize, D. Glenn ; second G. Craig, Mfigilligan (Sally). Highly com- •inended : D. Glenn, Sow and litter of not less than six weeks, under five months ■ old.— Prize, D. Gleen. Three breeding pigs of the same litter, above four and aot exceeding eight months old.— Prize, D. Glenn. ■WHITE BREED. Boar under eighteen months old.— First prize, J. Molloy, Mountjoy-street, Dublin ; second, J. L. Napier, Loughcrew, county Meath. Boar over eighteen months and under tliirty-sis months old. —First prize, the Earl of Wicklow, Shelton AbWy, Arklow, county Wicklow (Snowdrop 2ud) ; second, G. Hanson, Mac- leary, Drumcroon, Coleraine. Breeding sow under eighteen months old. — First prize, J. Molloy ; second, J. Dove. Breeding sow over eighteen months old. — First prize, J. Dove ; second, A. Traill, M.D., F.T.C.D., Ballylough House, Bushmills. Sow and litter of not less than six pigs, under five months old. — No entry. Three breeding pigs of the same litter, above four and not exceeding eight months old. (Limited for competition to tenant-farmers whose poor-law valuation is over £50 and ■ under £100 per annum). — First prize, J. Molloy ; second, J. Molloy. Breeding sow over six and under eighteen raontlis old. — -First prize, F. and W. Smith, Ballemont, Coleraine ; second, J. M'Elroy, Rossdownie, Watersid*, Londonderry (Maud). Breeding sow over eighteen months, in pig or with a litter ■under five months old — First prize, J. M'Elroy (Kate)^ second, J. M'Elroy (Sally). Highly commended : F. and W. Smith. Breeding sow. (Limited for competition to tenant-farmers ■whose poor-law valuation is undei £50 per annum).— J^irst prize, D. Glenn, Kilfennan, Waterside, Derry ; second, R. A. Macdonald, Ballyarnett, Londonderrv (Quadroon). DAIRY PRODUCE. Firkin of butter, of not less than Galbs. weight.— First •prize, R. Hall, Upper TuUy, Drumagore ; second, J. M'Elroy; third, D. Hall, TuUy, Waterside, Londonderry. Cool of butter, not less than 301bs. weight. — First prize, R. Hall; second, J. M'Elroy. Cool of butter.— First prize, T. C. M'Elroy, Staidarran, Londonderry.; second, D. Hall ; thi^d, R. Hall. FLAX. Bundle, not less than I41bs. weight, of mill-scutched flax.— First prize, J. M'Nutt, Burnfoot, Derry ; second, L. Love. Bundle, not less than 141bs. weight, of hand-scutched flax. — First prize, J. Hemphill, Wheatfield, Myroe, Londonderry ; second, R. L. Porter, Cooley House, Bready, Strabaue. Six hanks of hand-spun jam. — No entry. THE IRISH S0CIET1"S PRIZTj. Set of cotta^'e lurnitnre, suitable for a labourer's cottage.—" A cup, value £5, W. Peyton, Ballynashallog, Derry. Highly cauiMieud. d : C. Smith Inch, St. Colurab's- court, Loudon- derry. CEREALS. Collection. — A medal, value £5, W. and 11. M. GouldiDg, Duislin and Cork. HORSES. The Croker Challenge Cnp, value 50 sovs , for Ihorongh- br d stallion. — T. Lindsay, Killyleagh, county Down (Masa- nissii). Thorough-bred stallion. — First prize, T. Lindsay (Masa- nissa) ; second, A. Boyle, Bridge Hill, Newtoffnljmaviidy (Dux). AGRICULTURAL STALLIONS. St;illion of any breed. — First prize and Society's cup, I, Martin, Ballyhenry, Newtownliraavady (Agricola) ; second, W. Co)le, Killybane, Eglinton, Londonderry (Comet). Com. mended: D. Doisaghey, Killylane, Newtownlimavady (Con- queror). Agricultural brood mares in foal, or having produced a foal in I87i or 1873. — First prize, II. M. Richardson, Rossfad, Ballycassidy (Jane) ; secoHd, and Irish Society's second cup, W. and P. Barry M'Learn, Foley-street, Derry. Commended : C, T. M'Causland, Drenagh, Newtownlimavady (Jessy). Mares calculated to produce weight-carrying hunters, in foal, or having produced foals in 1871 or 1875. — Not sufficient merit in class for first prize ; second, A. Major, Queen-street, Londonderry (Lndy Maude)- Agricultural lillies foaled in 1871. — First prize, B. Hannan, Riverstown, Killuoan (Sally). Agricultural fillies foaled iu 1S7"2. — First priee, S. Foster, Ballinacross, Londonderry (Kate) ; second, A. Major (Lady Maude). M'^eight-carrying hunters, not less than five years old, fit to carry 11 stone and upwards. — First prize, D. Watt, Rich- mond, Londonderry (Rangoon) ; second, W. Hamilton A.sii, Gortin House, Aghadovvey, county Londonderry (Oscar). HuRtera not less than five years old, fit to carry 12 stone 7Ui8. to H stone. — First prize, J. Cooke, Boomhall, London- derry (Duchess) ; second, A. Smyth, Drumahoe, Londonderry (Harlequin). At the banquet, his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant said: In no period has the well-being of the country been more ai)parent ihan at the present moment. As an agricul- turist, I tliink we have great reason to congratulate ourselves upon the favourable season with which Ireland has been blest. In England, the fanners are loud iu their eomplaluts of the rains, and the cold and uugenial weather tkey have experienced and they look forward to the prospect of deficient crops and an unsatisfactory harvest. We, ou the other hand, have had a genial season, favourable weather, and a desirable absen«e of the inconvenient rains with which we know oar Irish climate is unnecessarily liberal. I believe in all parts of our country the crops are in a fiourishing condition, and everywhere there are indications wliich give reason to kope for an excellent harvest. And now, as regards the show of to-day, we must all agree that although il was not very large in quantity, it was good in quality. Mr. Browne's bull did great honour to your show, for it has carried off prizes in England and Scot- land ; and we must take off our hats to L'ady Pigot's beautiful cow and two heifers. I am elad to be able to congratulate local exhibitors in the Ayrshire and Hereford classes, and in swine, which were particularly good. There were some ex- cellent lots of sheep, such as those shown by Mr. Napier and others. The tenant-farmer classes were exceedingly creditable, and highly to be commended. I think we have sufficient evidence to show there lias been no retrogression in the field of agriculture, or iu tbe way of general improvement — a hope for which is substantially expressed in that part of the toast — " Prosperity to Ireland." W'hen upon this subject, I may be allowed to touch briefly on some other of the resources of the country, and other sources of weaWi as they exist in our day. Now I think one of the most important is the condition and the position of the agricultural labouring classes, as compared with former years. I believe that the under- paid condition of the Irish agricultural labourer3,and the poverty THE PARMER'S MAGAZINE. 221 of those abnvc ttiem, were tlip cansR of a depression which weighed upon the preater part of Irehind, .nnd not only retarded the advancement of agriculture, but closed'avennes which might ntford employment to the pcoide, and be a source of wealth to liie niprcanlilc community. I am liappy to say we see a great deal of this depression removed. We see agricultural labourers receiving a fair day'.s wages, and nieclianics and artizan.s in a position to look with satisfaction to the com- parative remuneration in this country and Knglaud. My lords and gentlemen, there is one matter in connection with landed property to which I wish to refer. Now, who has not felt the great improvement in the labourer's condition, in the increased dilliculty in fiuding labour, and the higiily-increased price of it ? And I must freely say that great and inconve- nient as has been the expense which caused it, yet I hail it with satisfaction as a salutary sign of civilisation and advancing progress. And I wish that I could also see an advancement in the direction of providing suitable dwellings for the agri- cultural labourers, more especially those depending upon the tenants of small and moderate-sized farms, where the labourera' accommodation is not on a par with the wages they receive. It is the increase of wealth in this country daring the past twenty-five years that has caused this salutary change ; nnd if we look to the returns of the Poor-law and the emigra- tion returns, and compare them with the returns ol twenty-five years ago, we S'Pe the great improvement in the condition of the labouring classes. Uy the Poor-bnv returns of this year, in the month of June there were 1,453 able-bodied paupers, and the total amount receiving poor relief was 75,000. And if we turn to the year 1850 we find, by the oilicial returns, 300,000 put down for the corresponding period in that year. Emigration has decreased iu tliis year of 1875 by 14,000 persons under the year 1374, tl\e total num- ber of emigrants for the half - year ending June, 1875, being 31,000, as compared with 45,000 in tlie corresponding period iu 1874. And if we compare these figures with those ot two-and-twenty years ago, if we go back to the years 1S52 and 1853, we find the average in those years amounted to 100,000. AVe can, therefore, by com- paring these figures, sec hovv great has been the decrease that lias taken place in the tide ol emigration. I think we have just grounds for believing that the condition of the labouring classes is not only progressing, but tliat it is at present in a fairly satisfactory state ; and we have at least reason to hope that the greatly increased wealth of the last twenty-five years, which has produced this salutary change, may be further increased. The retHrns, with regard to our wealth, show that the total of deposits in Government of India stock, in Irish savings' banks, and in trustee banks, amount in this year of 1875 to more than sixty-eiglit millions of pounds, being an increase of nearly one million over the amount at the corre- sponding period of last year, and an increase of ten millions over the amount at tlie corresponding period in 1865. Wo find that the deposits in Irish joint stock trustee banks amounted in June, 1875, to nearly thirty-two millions, show- ing an increase of two millions over the amount lodged in the month of June, 1874. I won't weary you by going into the balances at the Irish banks, further than to remark on one notable fact, which shows an increase on the savings in Ireland in 181-0. The whole amount of bank deposits and cash balances in Irish banks then amounted to only six millions, and in the present jear they amount to some Ihirty- two millions. I would not be doing justice to the inhabitants of this locality where we liave met to day, if I did not allude to the creditable way they have kept pace with the mercantile and commercial improvements of tlie time. We find, from olhcial returns, that while the valuation of this town has in- creased sixteen per cent, within the last ten years, and the population fourteen per cent., that the tonnage of the port has increased in a still more remarkable manner, nie tonnage, in 1840 being only 85,000, increased iu the year 1805 to 200,000 tons, and in the present year it has increased to 000,000 tons, showing a gross increase of 400,000 tons within the last ten years. With regard to the amount of laud under crops, there is very little variety or change from last year. The increase in one department is met by the decrease in anotlier. There is this year about 65,000 acres under crops. The ob- servation I have made about the crop may be also applied to the stock — a little advance on last year, yet there is very little change, the incrsase in one branch of stock being balanced by the decrease in another- There is only one crop which I regret to see has not much decreased in Ireland — that is, the crop of weeds. I am constrained to say that our Northern farmers seem not a whit behind their other countrymen in the cultivation of that crop, and they seem to take care of the growth of that obnoxious ragweed or benweed. 1 remember being asked on one occasion by a gentleman, in sober earnest- ness, wliat whs the yellow crop that covered the fields in Ire- land P I confess I was uuabli- to convince him or myself tliat it was grown for nu ornani'nt to the country, or to benefit the. farmer. There is one other satis'actory element to wliicii f wish to refer — I allude to the diminution of crime in this country. I find in the return of agrarian outrages and all otlier offoncos reported by the constabulary, a consi- derable diminution, amounting to nearly one-third in agra- rian outrages, ami a fair proportion in other ofl'ences. It may be quite possible that tliis is due, in some nipasure, to that repression which is, unfortunately, now necessary in some parts of tlie country, but it is satisfactory at all events that, whether from repression or better feeling, crime in this country has greatly diminished. And while on this subject I may say, though perhaps it is hardly within my province here, that the absence from disturbances which characterised the great O'Connell procession lately in Dublin was clear proof of good conduct and restraint on the part of the people. Whether such demonstrations are desirable is another question — the fact is none the less satisfactory that it was conducted with good .humour, and an entire absence of anything like a breach of the peace, and was characterised throughoat by general good order on the part of the people. My lords and gentlemen in a brief summary I have given you an idea of the commercial and agricultural state of Ireland. I have endeavoured to ex- aggerate nothing, to colour nothing, but to confine myself to what in reality were the facts with res^ard to the state of Ire- land. We can see in this province — in this part of Ireland — and throughout the whole of Ulster the advantages that arise to the loyal and industrial people, who, as a rule, are upholders of the law and the Imperial constitution. We see the advan- tages that arise, and the security from such a settled state of society, in the advent and emiiloymeut of foreign and external capital, and the great manufacturing interests which add such wealth to the Province of Ulster, aud we must regret the more that iu many parts of Ireland, capital— that most timid of all travellers — even capital locked up in Irish deposits, absolutely refuses to trust itself. And let me say, that 1 believe there are many parts of Iieland, outside of Ulster, where capital might be as profitably and as safely employed as in any part of Ulster. But, in this case, the sins of the few recoil on the heads of the many, and a large portion of Ireland remains to this day a sealed book to the capitalist, who would not scruple to squander millions on Honduras loans, Paraguayan bonds, and other speculations in South America. AGRICULTURAL REPORT. EAST ESSEX. [original.] The thrashiner machine has been at work in this district on two or three farms, v* ith very unsatisfactory results. A very fine-looking field of whe.it, thirteen acres in extent, yielded only eight sacks |)er acie— a poor return from good heavy land, and from two and a-half good waggon loads of sheaves. But this is only what all close observers expected. The ears of wheat were so defeclive that it was certain the yield would be short. Of course, there will be many worse crops than the one referred to, that being much beyond an average one, as far as straw goes, even for this gnod corn-growing district. I expect to hear of six, and even of four, packs per acre from light crops of straw. The hirleys arc badly laid and twisted, and the quality is verv much injured. It is very hard and slow work to literally chop them up with the scythe, especially «here they are tied down to the ground by that pestilent bell. bine which is 30 prevalent this year. :\lost of the wheat i's cut, but little carted, farmers being more anxious to get their bulky crops of hurley up whilst the weather is dry.— Aug. 20. R 2 222 THE FARMER'S MAfiAZINE. THE BIRMINGHAM HORSE SHOW IX BINGLEY HALL. TJDGES.— K. G. F. Howard, 'IVmple Brucr, Lir.con ; E. I'adilison, liiglcby Liiiiiilii. Tlioroughbrpd stallions. — First prize, £25, T. Gee, Dew- 'fiiirst Lodt;", Wrtdluirst, Ki-ul (Citadel); sieoud, £1'J, A. U^er, Husbj' (TiiunaiT). Jlimtprs, encppdins 15^ liands liitcb, eijual tn 15 atone, tivp vicars old and upwards. — First prize, i.'Mj, W. Ariistronsr, •Fnirfipld, Kendal (Tlie Unnker) ; second, £10, J. Goodlitf, Huntingdon (Marshal M'lMalion) ; third, £6, C C, Uajvvard, Soutliill, liigtcleswade, ( Paramour) . Himters, exceeding 15^ liand.s lii^Vi, without condition as to ■weight, five years old a d upwards. — First prise, £3(), R. B-irker, Ma'ltou, Yorkshire (Liverpool) ; sccjiid, £10, .1. fGilman, juu., Lancaster-streft, liirnnufihani (Master Willian^) ; third, £5, Captain Gregg, Newbuld Elmii, Leaaiinglon {OKfard). Hunters, not exceeding 15^ hands high. — First prize, £20, E.. Milvvard, Thurgariou Priory, Southwell, Notts (Emera'd) ; second, £10, 11. A- Clark, Prospect House, Aspatria, Carlisle ristol (Wild Beuuly) ; secoud,£5, P. lloruaby, Grantham (Landlord). Lidies' hacks, not exceeding 15 hands h'gb. — First prize, £15, S. Kirby, Ci'y terrace. City-road, Mancliester (Streamlet) ; second, £5, G. Tuarine, Bradt'urd-street, 13iriuingham (Worcester). HARNESS HOUSES. Harness horses, 15 linuds 2 inches, and upwards. — First prize, iMr. S at'er ; seiond, ]Mr. Carapain (Madcap). Highly commendeil : Mr. Mewburn (Rattler); Mr, Dawson (King Lud) ; and ^Ir. Sparri w (Eu.piess). Harness horses, 14 bands 3 inches, but under 15 hands 2 inches. — F'lrst prize, Sir. Gerring (Charley) ; second, Mr. Stailer. Harness cobs, above 14, but under 14 liands 3 inches. — First prize, Mr. Low (Maritana) ; second. Miss Harrison (^Injnr). Highly commended : Mr. Statter ; aud Mr. Tees- dale (Wykeliain). P:urs of hariipss hor es, 14 hands and upwards. — First prize. Miss Mofl'at (King of Spades and King of Clubs) ; second, Mr. Statter. Highly cunmended: Miss Harrisou (Major and Jlari|uis). Commended: Major Barlow. Taudems, 14 bauds. — First priz^, Mr. Stutter ; second, Mr. Tnarnie. THE POOR-LAW CONFERENCE AT CARLISLE. The fourth annual Conference of Poor-Law and Sanitary Authorities of the Northern Counties, comprising ttie couuties of Cumberland, V\estniore!aud, Nortluimherland, and Durham, whs held iu tlie Countv Hotel, Cirli le. Mr. Cropper, of Elle.rgieeu, High Sheriff of Westmoreland, was called upon to preside. Tiie Chajrm\n, in opening the proceediuis, said the manner iu which the present Government bad turned their attention to the special subjects discussed at these Couferenc.-s iwas a great encouragement. We now saw that various local -siihjftcts had gradually assumed imporlauce which many of tlieiu bad long wished might be attained. Tliis year they had keen introduced into Parliament three most importaat mea- sures,.relating to Rivers Pollution, Local Govenimeut, aud the EtfUleinent ol the Poor. The suhject of Local Taxation had also Jjeea glanced at, and it, like others, would come up again n luture sessioiis. It was therefore of importance that meet- ings like the present -should during the recess discuss these subjects, because our .aenators, like ourselves, obtain a great '0 points out of three there dwelt upon hail been conceded ; namely, the Government now paid one-half the cost of the pHuper lunatics, and they had raised their allowance to the police from one-quarter to oue-balf of tiie total cost. Ol course it was iraporti.nt that tliose who had the management of those funds should bear in ii'iiid that the funds, though they did not come from the ratepayers of the union, came indirectly from the taxpayers at large, and it would be a real misfortune if the (act tliat the funds w^re not raised directly from the local ratepayers should lead local authorities into bivi>h exiienditure. He hoped that the Go- vernment would some day make a grant in aid of the mainte- nance of in-door paupers, and so offer an inducement to ijuardiaus to confine relief more and more to the bouse a!one. We were, perhaps, not yet ready to apply that principle to its lull extent ; but there were few men wlio had spent their time at boards of guardians who were not coming to the conelusioa that bi fore long it would be necessary to apply t!ie workhouse test universally. The Ch.mrman, sneaking on the subject of friendly socie- ties, said lie left we were on the eve ot a laiger system of friendly society wjrk ihau any tiling yet contemplated. He THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 2'^5 dill not lliiiik the proafW* lia/y. nncprtain Rys'em could go on liiucli ioiijitr ; itiid lie lliouglit it (I'liKi ic .>iiil.^ to su|jcr.Mede the powerful socie ies now in existence, bui it would impair til- good spirit which the various societ es evoked iu those connected with thr-iii. His desire tint there Kliuuid he an olhcjal audit went only to this extent— th t a comp -tent man ^llould report to the members whether tlieir soc ely was in a solvent state, leaving them, if it was not solvent, to t^ke the proper sti ps lor making it so, either by increasing then luu- Iributious or by lessening the allowance. V\e might Iriist li.e workiug men to do what was proper when once they knew tlie state ol their alfaiis. The Government bill wou.d be of great service, but he hoped provision would be made lo* a tlioreugh aud'.t. Mr. CuiJ.KY urged that if there was a Go>pr.itiiPnt audit and certilic.ile of the soundness ol a s-ocittv, the Government w lu'd be responsible for its soundness. Tliiis the prin iple ot a natiinal friendly society was conceded. Dr. St.Mi'Sjiv : By no means. If 1 call in au auditor to l)ok into niy books, siuel) he is not resi.ou.^ible lor paying my debts. The CliAIKM.vN expressed satisfaction that one n.iUter u ged at a lorn er Conlerriice had now been toucided by the Givernnient, namelj, that a substantial allow;.uce p^r head was granted Iroiu the Consolidated l'"uud towards the support of lunatics lu asylums. Th it grant had led to many lunatics, hitherto kept in poor houses, being sent to as) inns; and that was a great benelit, because the superior treatment in an asjlum was mucli more conducive to eaily recovery than the treatment, in a workhouse. j\lr. BiuGE asktd what was the cost per head of luuatics iu Cumberland. The LiiAiKNAN : 9s. lid. per wei^k. Mr. BiGUE: In Noi tliumberlaud it is 12s. 6d. The Goveruuieut allow nice is is. per head. Blr. Johnson (Castlesteads) said the Committpe Mm igement of the CumbTland and WestniorlHiid Asylum liad found a considerable increase of [laupers since this uraut liaa been made by the Government; so much so, the Com- mittee had had to consider the quettion of increasing the acoommodat'on at Garlands Asylum. .Mmy weak-minded paupers had been sent to the as\luni who had Idnnerly been kept very well in the union worlyluin at no greater, if not at less, exp •u^e than in the workhouse, the chief inducnnenf to kteping Ihfin iu the unions was removed. It had been sui;ges"ed '.hat these harm- less, we.ik-miiided jiersons should be ke t in a separate esta- blishment, under a medical < llicer ; as tiie cost ot their maintenance would be much less iu a .-eparate place than if they were sent, as now, to our lu.iatic a.--ylums. Mr. FoRSTER said that in Carlisle Union there hnd been a large increase in the luuatics ; but whether it had arisen from the alteratiou of the law or Irom the habits of the people, he did not knnvv. Mr. Mason snid that in the Ea t Ward of West'iiorlaud the G.;veinment allowuice had m no manner aflVcted the course of the Board. 11", thought tlie increase arose largely from their having no couuty lunatic asjluin. Dr. SiMisoN, embodying what s^'Pitied to he the general feeling, moved that if it should be found nectssary to increase the lunatic asylums, owing to the fact tlial iniliecilcs and idiots, lorniirly maiutuiiiLd lu wuikhouses or al home, are now sent to lunatic afiylums, separate accommodation ghoT5l3 be provided for patients not dangerous to others. Mr. Johnson seconded the motion. A Guardian from Sunderland believed the increase of lunatics was in the ordinary course. Mr. Allison : It is the opiuioii of the superintendent of the Cuinberlaud Asylum that the increase has arisen trora the sending cf this class of harmless lunatics. Dr. Si.vit'soN said the idea found general support that if was desirable to send these liarmlesa paupers to some kmd <.f joint establishment ; but it might be premature to come to a \ote ujion it, and therefore he would withdraw his motion. Mr. JoiiN.soN said it had been suggested to the Cumber- land Committee that it would be the mo«t economical way of dealing with harmless lunatics by keeping them in r separat? eatahlishment. The subjict then dropped, and the vote of thanks to the Secretary was carried. Dr. ."^iMfSO.N read a paper on the law of settlement, iu which he said: And now, having calb d your attention ou the one hand to the causes why it was found necessary in the r: gn of Charles to give parish ollicers authority to procuie ;;ie removal from their parish of those not setih d tliercin,. and desirable ever since to retain that power should a person oecoiiie chargeable ; an I ou the other hand to the seriou* iiiconveuieace, the hardship, and the expen>e which have arisen from the exercise of that authoritv,. 1 venture to say, that before hastily deciding to abolish the laws of setllemcn;; and removal, as tlie shortest and speediest way out of the dil- ficultv, we should carefully consider whether the ciuses, if not undir the same, under si me other form, have ceased to exist, aud if not, whether the ev Is that have arisen admit of rmiedy. I. Have the causes ceased to exi>t ? It is not likely w- fliall find them exactly iu the same form as they showi d themselves in the reign of the ''Merry Monarch," aud are- dcacribed in the preamble of the stalate to which I have previously referred, parishes ftegh rting to provide suflicient "sticks" for the relief of the puoT, aud pauters waudeiitig. In m one parish to others where the " stocks" were mool; abuudant and the conditions of relief most favourable to them. J5nt we should have the same principle at work, one union admiuiatering relief under more stringent eoud.tions, and thus bringing some pressure to bear upon pauprrs to find a residence be)ond their boundaries; p?.upers pie'erriug to reside in unions where the out-door ri Let wis more comiuou or nioie liberal, or the discipline of the woikhouse less strict. Il we could secure peifVct uuiforuiity in all unions as r gards the proportion of out. door to in-door relief", the amount of piiisiou all Wrd orof work reipiired, and the discipline en- forced in the woikhouse, theie might be no temptatiou trr change from one H ion to another; but tint we must not ^j expt-ct, Uit tveii if we had a nilional poor-rate; aud if lu an\ uiion there came before the gu.iidians two or three iustaiites, when U was known to or tveu suspected by the guarniaiis that paupers had come from auo'her uuiou, of their own uhoice, to their union, under the impression that they would he more Lberally dealt with, they would uncoiisciou harden their hearts, and give auother turn to the screw, ai , every paiijier in the union \\ould feel the effects; and it tin;, had a .-u-piclou that a little pressure was brought to bear in ueighhonriug unions to induce paupers to cross the bord. line, would the) not enter with spirit, adopt the same tac i and sirive to retaliate; and the paupers, as iu the tillle^ old, would sutler from the contention. I do not say the evils, would, or eveu c luld be as great as in the time of Charles II.,, but 1 cou-eud that the germs still remain, aud their possible growth should be provided against. There are, haweverv other wajs iu which the total abolition of the laws of Eettle- uieut and removal might give rise to serious iucouvenieiice. Take, (or ixample, the case of a strike in some neighbouring couuty or union, aud assume that the guardians of tliat uuiou determined to deal with the matter firmly, as well as discreetly, and gave those app'ying for relief the alternative of work or. want (and who couid blame tiiera?; might ihey not remove theiuselve, from the neighbourhood of their work, where no suitable work could be found for them, and demand from the guardians food aud shelttr? and would it not be obligatory u;on the an horities of that place where they were foun i destitute to reheve them? It is easy to say such a tiling i' unhkely ; It cannot be said il is impossible; aud 1 do thiuk ^uclt aiio=biLility sliuuld be guarded against. L'lbourers may 224 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. have a perfect liglit to comlime for the purpose of raising w;iges, aud refuse to work if their ejiiployers refuse to agree to their terms ; and they may be ijuite justified in receiving lielp from tlieir fellows to enable them to stand o^it, only when that help is voluntarily given ; but when they fall back upon their riglit to have relief when destitute, they place tiieinselves in a different position, and must expect to have the principle applied, for which there is high huthority, " that those wlio won't work shall not eat ;" and I for one sho\ild be sorry if any alteration or abolition of the laws of settlement and removal enabled them to escape from the application of that principle. Assuming, then, tliat the causes wliich induced the legislature to e«aet kws of settle- nieut aud removal are to some extent still existing, is it not possible so far to modify these laws as to remedy the evils and inconveniences that have arisen without abolishing them altogether ? In directing your attention to some features of the law of settlement I have endeavoured to show you that the main cause of tlie evils that have arisen has been the ilifliculty, the ever increasing difficulty, of acquiring an original settlement, and the consequent necessity of finding aud proving a derivative one. To remedy this, make it easy lor any one to acquire an original settlement. Abolish all the many conditions now required, and return to the original method — residence for a certain iixed time. When the first statute relating to removals was passed a residence of forty days was considered sufficient to confer ^ settlement. That time was found by experience to be too short, and it would be well to extend it somewhat. The.-e are naturally diirerencea of opinion as io what length of residence should be required, varying from a few mouths to live years. I hold a strong opinion myself that in no case should the time required «"xceed twelve months (I should prefer six months). The reasons why laws of settlement aud removal were needed are not stronger now than in the time of Charles II. ; and if we sullicieutly provide for the evils that did arise then, and may in a moditied form arise again, if the laws of settlement and removal were entirely abolished, I think every purpose would be answered, and that good aud sound rule observed— never by legii^Iatiou interfere with individuals further than is absolutely necessary for the good of society. 1 would suggest then — that, retaining most religiously the great principle o( tlie Poor-law, that wheresoever destitution arises there it should be relieved, without reference to settlement, and making the union the area of residence and settlement in- stead of tlie parish, the birth settlement should be left as it is, and be prbna facie the place of settlement, and that a certified copy of the entry of the birth in the register be yulllcicnt proof of the fact ; that a continued residence of six months in any uuion be sufficient to acquire an original settlement in that union ; that families follow the settlement of the head of the family until his death or their emancipa- tion ; that a widow retain her liubband's settlement (if he had one) until she acquires a settlement in her own right or by subsequent marriage ; that children be emancipated at the age of sixteen, whether residing with their parents or not ; that they retain the settlement their father had at that time or at his death, until they acquire an original settlement of their own ; and that this rule apply to both legitimate aud illegitimate children ; that the same status of irremovability attach to persons requiriiig relief oa account of accidents, sickness, not producing permanent disability, and widowhood, as does now, but the authorities of the union granting relief be empowered to recover the cost of such relief from the union in which such persons have a settlement ; that the law of removal should ai)ply to vagrants under certain specified conditions or continued residence and need of relief, though tliey may not have come to the union originally animo morandi. Mr. CuiLEY said there were serious difficulties in the way of totally abolishing the iaw of settlement, because in that case tliey oould have a diificulty in dealing with the valuntary mendicant class. He undtrstood Dr. Simpson to say that he would make the birth settlement give way to a residental settlement. Dr. SiJiPSON said of course the birth settlement was the /jrwM/Jnv^' settlement until another was acquired. But he would allow a residential settlement of six months to super- sede the birth settlement, aa any other acquired settlement now did. .Ur. CULLLI said it wab evidiu Di. Siinp--ou meant that the birlli settlement must give way to a settlement to be ac()uired afterwards. He (Mr. Culley) would suggest tiiere should be two bases of settlement — a setilemeut by birth, and a settle- ment acquired by residence, or, as it might be called, an in- dustrial settlement. Tlie great mischief now existing arose from derivative settlement.^ taking precedence of tiie birth settlement. Now, he would make the birth settlement the primary settlement, but he would allow a settlement acquired subsequently by residence. But he differed from Dr. Simp- son's proposal to allow the latter to be acquired by six months' residence. He would make the period five years, or three at least, 80 that there might be some proof of the man's hoiiafide endeivour to support iiimself in tlie place which was called on to maintain him. By this provision the vagrant class would be shut out. The children should have the settlement of their parents, until the age of emancipation, which he would fix at twenty-one, not at sixteen, as Dr. Simpson did. He would, however, reduce the period required for the statns of irremovability from twelve to six months. Mr. Gkimshaw (Sunderland) said that at a meeting of guardians it had been decided that, rather than incur the dangers of a total repeal of the law of settlement they would rather not agitate the question at all. The Chairma-N eaid there were 9,900 removals in the year 1868. Mr. Culley gave statistics of removals in four Northum- berland unions, and said that if from them they calculated tlie number tliroughout England last year, it would be abont ■i,200. lie did not think that, until they had one Poor-la-v system for the United Kingdom, they could satisfactorily alter the status of irremovability as between England on the one hand, aud Scotland and Ireland on tho other. He found tliere was a distinct inclination on the part of the Iri&h paupers to bring over their aged relatives, and to maintain them until they had acquired a status of irremovability ; and the guardians of many unions were strongly of opinion that if the status of irremovability were removed to one moutli, as some proposed, it should certainly not be applied to the Irish or Scotch. It was notorious also tliat the poor houses in Scot- land were inferior to the workhouses in England ; and such being the case, there was a temptation to the inmates of Scotch workhouses to come over to the more comfortable quarters in Carlisle or Berwick. Tiie Chairman said he was of opinion that it would bo well if all removals could be done away with ; but at present he would be content to concentrate their efforts to abolisls derivative settle ments, which formed the large majority. Jlany of these settlements were unconnected witli the p luper himself or herself, and were not acquired by any service ren- dered by him or her, but by service rendered by some ottier person in some other part of England, to which place the pauper had to be removed, because his or her lather or grandfather had been born oi had rendered service there. Mr. Alcock did not agree with Mr. Culley in his propos;il to reduce the status of irremovability. To reduce the period from twelve to six months wunld give rise to more evils than existed under the present system. He considered it would be a hardship if persons could not be removed io places where their friends and relatives resided, and not only a hardshi,p, bat it would be likely to make them confirmed paupers if tliey were to be kept in a place where they could not receive assistance from relatives or friends. He would make three years the period for acquiring a residential settlement, and he would keep the twelvemonths' status of irremovability. The Chairman : You would override all other settlements by three years' residence ? Mr. Alcock : Yes. Dr. SiMPSo?) said he went on the principle that in propor- tion as they made it easy to gain a settlement, in the same proportion would they induce tiie probability of removals. Children should derive their settlement from their parents until they attained one of their own. Mr. CuiLEY suggested as the basis of a resolution that the birth settlement should supersede all prior derivative settle- ments. The Hon. Secretary said he would take a simpler and bolder course aud abolish all settlements. The objections to that ptdicy were mainly of a speculative kind, such as that herds of Irish would come over and swaaip us ; but similar fears had turned out groundless wlieu uniou chargeabilily was ebtabhbhed. If we h^id a national rate, aud the guardians were THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 2S5 cOiiflmul to indoor relief, lie lirlieved il wnuld Ijo the best plan of all. It was manifestly unjust to impose any restrietion on « poor man takinj; his labour, which was his ciipital, totlie lest market lie could iind. liev. J. h\ 15iirGE pointed out a strong reason for the no?»- abolitiou of the law of setilemuit — viz , in regard to strikes. it was impossible now for a man on ttrike who refused work when it was offered liim to fall back on ibe rates for support ; but abolisii the law of settlement, and he would be iu a position to migrate to a ueiglibouring pansli, and there being destitute,, tw demand relief. Mr. R. A. Allison thought it would be well to pro-^eed on the lines laid down by Dr. Simpsoii'. No doubt it would be very simple to abolish the law of s-ettlement altogether ; but it Jiiight v;ork great hardshi}) in the case of towns like Liverpool, which had a large floating population of poor Irish. The most prut^cut course seemed to be to amend tbs present law, so as to obtain from it the greatest amount of benefit and the least of disadvantage to all concerned, lie thougiit, however, that six months was too short a period for [jfiviug a settlement. Dr. SlM?SON said he also was once ot opinion that the period should be longer, but he liad seen reason to alter it. lie urged that the feelings of the poor in the way of keeping tlieir fami- lies together slifMild not be disregarded ; and by giving them a etiance of acqii'iriag a settlement easily, reiuovala v\outd scarcely ever be called for. After some further discussion, The Secretary proposed to cut the Gordiau knot by totally abolishing removals, Mr. TiusTKAM (Durham}) seconded the proposal. Mr. AtkI'NSON (Winderwath) quite aureed «iih ihe Secre- tary, and sa'd he had been of that opinion for some tune. l)r. Simpson moved a general resolution, "That the 1 iws relating to the settlement of the poor in Engtaud and Wales require to be modified aud simplitied." That would pledge nobody to details. Mr. Alcock seconded the motion. Mr. Elliott (the secretary) as an amendment proposed that it was desirable to abolish the law of settlement entirely. Mr. Tkwtram seconded the amendment. Three votes were given for the amendment. All tlifl other" members voted for the motion, which was declared carried. The Chairman, in sailing on Mr. M- -ale Broviue suld one ram at £10 lOs. Mr. C. llobbs sold 3 J O.Kldrd.shire Down rams, which brough' au aver g- ol £13 2s. 6d., agains' £11 16s. last year. Mr. llandy's No 3 ws'? sold to Mr. Slatter, of Siratton, for 47 gs., and No. 22 Ir .m the same lot made 42 gs., and was bought by Mr. Brown, of Sivindon. Messrs. Acock and Hanks sold fur Messrs. T. and S. Gillett, of Kilkenny, 17 rams at an avera'.ie of £12 19s., against £7 Is. 5d. last year lor a like number, Mr. G, Hewer, of Nurtlileach, sold three rams at an average of £10 33. 2d., against £7 Is. last year. Mr. J. Gillett, of Langley, sold seven, aver.iging £7 8s. 3d., against £10 Iks. 8d. last year for 18 rams. Blr. Russell Sianwick, ot the College F'arm, let and sold 21 rams at tlie averaw of £10 lOs. j a similar average was realised last vear. Messrs. Acock and Hanks offered 11 rams from the fSock of Mr. R. Jacobs, of Bury Barns, and they averaged £9 6i. Id., against £9 9s. last year. Mr. C. I'lnne'l, of Westrell, had seven rams sold, averaging £10 193. Mr. Charles Gillett, of liibury, sold nine rams; average £6 ISs. Mr. J. I'edley, of Bihnry, sold 18 rams ; averags £14 93. 4d., last year's average hei''g £9 2s. 8d. for 20 rams. Blr. C. Barton, id' Fi'efield, sol I 33 rains at an average of £8 7s. Id., against £11 12>. 9*1. last year Air. J. Walker, of Compton Abdale, sold 12 shrep, averaging £9 12s. Od., against £9 Is. last year. Acock and ILinks a'so sold for Mr. W. H. i\)x, of BradwvU Grovp, some Oxfordshire Downs. The prices realised were not very startling, but they maintained a steady firmness tlironi;liont. Two of Mr. I'edley's sheep sold for 31 and 21 gs. respectiv ly, the buyers being Mr. Thomas, of Cowbridge, and Mr. Cooper, o* Dag- lingworth. One of Mr. Swanwick's sold for 21 gs. to Mr, Pripsiman, of Leigh. MR. MASFEN'S SHROrSHIRES, at Peni>eforu, bt ilR. Preece. — There was a steady trade througliont at fa-rly remunerative figures, ranging from 42gs, paid by Mr. Joseph Beach, to 8gs., several g iing at such figures as 21 gs. Mr. Coxon 25gs., Mrs. Booth 20,'s. (let), Mr Clare 38gs., Lord S'rathiuore 36gs., Mr. Horley 20gs., Mr. Coxon ofiu's. A two-shear was let to Mr. Foster at 31 guineas. The ewes ranged from 70s. to lOOs , averagiug nearly 90s. per head. MR. BENNET'S HAMPSHIRE DOWNS, at Ciiilmaek, BY Ewer and ^^in.stanley. — The following prices were realised : Mr. F. ^Moore, of Littlecot, 40gs. ; Mr. E D'.bbei, Bishopstone, 37g3, ; Mr. A. Budd, Q'lidhamptou, Overton, \l\'l%. ; Mr. Hoddinott, Sherborne, lU.^ss. ; Mr. R. C des, Middleton Farm, Warminster, lOj.'s. The aveiage of the jirices obtained at the letting was £18 2s. 6d. The prices for the rams and ram-lambs sold averaged from 42gs. to 4gs. The following purchases were inade : Mr. A. Budd, 42irs. ; Mr. T, Chapman Saunders, Watercombe, 18.;s. and IS.^gs. ; Mr, John Read, New Court, 13g3 ; Mr. W. Gay, AVhiie- parisli, 13g3. ; Mr. John Friend, Tarrant Hiuton, llgs. Mr. Webb, Wallop, llgs. ; iMr. Pinnegar, Coombe, 9 and 8jg3. ; Mr Walter Read, 9gs, The average on the whole, sale was lOsis. per head. MR. C. WATERS' HA:MPS[IIRE DOWNS, at Saliskuky, BY Mr. J. Waters. — Tiie average of the six letting lambs was £20 18s. 3d. Mr. Newton (Dogdean) securing lot 3 at fogs.; Mr. Carpenter (Burcombe) lot 5 at 25.;s. ; and Mr. Moore, (Littlecott) lot 4 at 17gs. The average of the 61 lambs sold was £10 2s., Mr. llayter (Woodyat 's) purchasing lot 25 at 21g3. and lot 70 at W^i'i. ; Mr. Coombes (13arford} lot 20 at ISigs. and lot 19 at llgs. Mr. Lunn (Wuitcburdi) lot 25 at 18gs. ; Mr. Warwick, lot 50 at 17gs. ; Mr. White (Charnage, near Mere), lot 30 at 16gs ,lot 16 at llirs., and lot 45 at \'i\%% ; Mr. G. Read (Charford), lot 55 at 16fis.' ; Mr. Blake (Chiltern. ), lot 60 at 50gs. ; the average of lambs let and sold being £11 Is. 7d. The two teeth rams were tlun let and sold at saiistiic- tory prices. MR. J. GIBLIN'S RAMS, atLitti.e Bardfield,by:\Ir. Franklin. — The sale co.-nnii need with the Cot^woliis. No. 28 fell to the bid of Mr. W. P. Chalk for £14 lOs., \o. 6 going to Mr. Johnson, of Tluirlow, for £13 10s. Aiii('n'.i tlie other purchasers was Mr. Al .ham, who took three at £10, £9 15s., and £7 5s. Three others went to Mr. 11. Free, at £9 10s., £7 5s., and £14 5s. Mr. James Welch took No. 4, at £10 iLis. Air. II Rjl'e secured two ; Mr. B and, ol Chicknev, six; Air. T. Clulk two, at £12 and £10; Air. L(.t"t, two, at £11 and £10 ; Air. G. Perry, three. Alto-ether 35 Cotswolds were disposed of, at au average oi £8 2s. lit. Next in order came the Osford D.iwns. The prices for the working shicp ranged IVoai £a I'Js. to £1 1 5s , tlie liigliest priced ouc goiu^ t j Air. 11. Free. Mr. T. Chalk took iv»o, at THE FARMERS MAGAZINE. 2n £i-2 und CIO; :\Ir. Lott, No. -JG, at £10; ftlr. A Ho'toii, of ('j)tli-v, one lit til; Mr. Sqiiipr s.cured live for £15 lO-i. ; Mr. G IVrry two, »t £7 10a. and £\) os. in tlii.s division 1!) wire 8olii, averH^rih}; £8 IGs. lid. each, btiiug the liigliest «vir,ige attained sincv hSO? MR. GKHMaN'S SIlRfiPSniKE^, at MK\sit.\M.— The fii'^t shearling, the winner of mRK KVVES, hvMk. ILmihi". — The £U0 e\»e lanihs made an average of 7'^s. (J.I., 'lie 220 tvio-teeth ewes lOfis. 2d , ilie ICU fuur-teptli ewis iJos. id., iJie 220 ^ix-tept)i ewes had Ofis. Id. MR. GE )RGE FLKrcUKllS CO PS WOLDS — Mr. Villar sold t'ir'y eight shearliLigs, aver.tgiiig £16 13s. 9jd., one MiakiuiT 71 guiii'-as. VVIXCIIKSTKK RA.\r SXLB.— Mr. Harris had a ram letling ani sale at 'lie Corn Exchange, when IH rams f-om the (1 .cks of Liiri Ashbnrton, Messrs. (x Rndd (CiiddesdRn ), Arnold (VVttsf.rneoii), J. and b\ Riy (Twylbrl), Burro ugli {(■cliru Sroke), Tra«k (Nortliinu'on), Wln'ear, Bmk (llaui- bed./n), Eastou (North Waitliani), and Warwick (Mirt>r Worth) ), weri! oll'ered, and of these 111 were sold, t!ie average being a. little over £6 each. Mr. Budd's ei^htefn averaged £'i bs., tlie highest prices being 13.^, 10, H\, and 7^ guinea'). Mp'-srs. At^nold imde 6j and 0 guineas. Me-srs. Ray averaged i'li 15s willi nineteen lambs, the highest being \0h uuineas (given three times), U, 8, and 7 guineas. Mr. Bnrrougli mide 13.%^, 8|, and 7.^ guineas ; and Mr. Warwick with twenty- nine lambs made la^, 11^, lOj, 'J^, aod 8^ guineas, liis flock averaging £7 3s. 6d. MR. G. WAf^MSLEY'S RAMS AT IIUDSTON.— The averag.- was about the same as last year. The lliglle^t price> £27, was given by SirTatton Sykes. Some of the rums, how- ever, only brought £(5 lOs. or £7. MESSRS. FISHES RAMS AT LECONFIELD.— Fifty shearlings, mostly, il not all, descendants id" a sheep from the late Mr. Torr, were disposed of at prices varying frura ^£16 to £5 5s. The total amount realised for the shearlings was abou' c£ltO, or sonietliiu^ under £9 a head. The first thirty let averaged £10 a he d, but the subsequent lots reduced the average. Some two-sheais were afterwards let at from £5 5s. ^ MR.BAULEiNCE'S EWES AT ISULBRIDGE.— Messrs. Eier and VV'inslanley t-old by auction, on Wednesday, the remainder of this flock. Some ol the limbs were too young to be sold at the las' sale, and it was these whicli were dis- posi d of on Wednesdav. Mr. Newton, for lot 4 guve £17 17s., and for lot 16, £11; Mr. E. Dihben, for |..t 13 gave £U) 5s. ; Mr. lloner, lit 10, £10 5s., and lot 31, £') : Mr. I'arson-, lot 1, £7 OS., and hit Si, £G 5>.; Mr. Head, lot 17. £ ; Mr. F. Moore, lot 25, £6 ; Mr. R. Brine, lot I'd, £5 10s. ; Mi. R gg, lot 5, £1 15s. ; Mr. Barnes, lot C, £4 15>. ; Mr. llirt, lot 22, £1; Mr. iloldsworth, lot 21, £t; &c. The average was £1 17s. 3d. per head. MR. DIBBEN'S HAMS AT SALISBURY, BY MESSRS. EWE LI AND WINSTAjN'LEY. — Theie were ten ram-lamhs to be let, wiiich realised tne following prices: No. l.forihe season, 10| gs. (Mr. fiueknP}); No. 2, dit'o, 8 Ks. (Mr. J. tlVrv) ; No. 3, to the 6th Septeinher, 13 jiS. (Mr. Brown) ; No. -i, lor the feasou, 9 gs. (Mi. W. Read) ; No. 5, to tlie 5th September, 29 gs. (Mr. Ivamj) ; No. G, for the season, 74 gs (Mr. Brown) ; No. 7, to the I'jtii September, lO.i -s. (Mr. W. Flower) ; No. 8, for the season, lO.V gs. (Mr. W. Flower) ; No. 9, for the season, 31 gs. (Mr, W. Hower) ; No. 10, to the lOlb of September, 15 gs. (Mr. W. Benuett) ; the average beinir about £15 per head. There were 7G ram lainljs to be sold. Tlie following prices were real se.d : 11 gs. (Mr. Trask), UJ es. (Jlr, E. Piuckney), 5 gs., 7 gs. (Mr. Sillence), 29 gs. (Mr. Read). 9^^ gs. (Mr. Keevil), 5^ gs., 8 gs. (Mr Silleuce), 10^ irs. (Mr. Lockyer), 26 gs. (Mr. Ivainv), 23 gs.a nd 20 gs. (Mr. Trask), 21 gs. (Mr. tJave), 20 gs. (Mr. V. Brown, 18 gs., Hi lUJ gs., and 9 gs. (Mr. himpkins), i7ig8. (Mr. T. J. iiaytei), 17 gs. (Mr. Utgiin.-), 15 ^». (Mr. Holds- worth, steward to the Earl of FembroKe), 11^ gs., 12| gs., and 91 gs. (Mr. A. Blake), 12.^ gs. (Mr. Harri>), 12^- gs. (Mr. Home), 1 1 -i gs. (Mr. Pincknej, Berwick). Tiie prices ranged from 29 gs. to 6^ gs. ; the average being £11. MR. M VNSELl/S, AT ERCALL.— i:p to the present year Mpssrs. .Mansell ha\e had a jouil sile of rams, selectrd Iroin both the Ercall I'ark and Adcott Hall liocks, but these have iiovv become sutiiciently ex'ensive to enable Mr. Mansell, sen. t'l tind mat ri.il lor one day's sale at Ercall, whilst his son takes Bingley Hall as the place for the d'spcjsal of the Adcott sheep. Owing to the entire lailnre of the root crop on the farm last winter, the sheep were backward in condition. Five were let forlhe season and ihirty-tbree sold ; the average for the whole being close on £17. Lord Chesbam purchased No. G, a R. A. Show sheep, at 90 gs. ; Mr. Stubbs securing No. 4 .,t 51 gs. • ana Colonel Line No. 20 at 40 gs. Others made 25, iO, and' 18 down to G gs. Lord Chesbam secured au old sheep at 20 gs. Purchases were also made by or on behalf of Lord Leigh, Mr. Berkeley, Mr. Nock, Mr. Biew,ler, Mr. Juckes, and Mr! Sledm.an. The ewes, only in ordin iry store order from the pasture, made from 100s. to G7s. Gd., averaging sliglitly uudi r 80s. per head. Lythall and Clarke, of Birmingham, conducted the siile. MR. COXON'S, AT FREEFORD.— Mr. Preeee submitted thirty shearlings and four older shi ep to competition. 'J'lie first shearling was of good size long, and level, and made 35 gs. for the season to Mr. Barwell, Ireland. No. 2 made 21 gs., to Mr. Garauer ; and No. 7, a well-formed sliparliug with a nice head, found favour with Jlr. German, at 40 gs. No. 8, a good wetiier. getter, jiiade 17 gs. ; aod the other shearlings ranged Irom that figure dowu to 6 gs. 'J"he first old sheep was Ranger, exhibited at Taunton, and ut-ed last year by Blr. German, wiio now purchased him at the high tigure of 100 gs. The ewes w re a good lot, free from black wool and with good skins, and made from 13 gs. each, which was paid for the show shearling ewes, downwards. BlNGLEY HALL. — A large proportion of the stock was bought for export to Canada ami Kentucky ; and several Iri-h and Scotch flockmasters also made selectious. Mr. E. Lythall'a filteen rams made from G to 20 gs. each, Mr. Nock's from 9 to 33 gs., two being let at 30 and 17 gs. respectively ; Lord Willoughby de 1 roke's averaged 13 gs., Mr. W. Yates's 7 to 14 gs., Lord Sudeby's 6 ffs., Mr. Sheldon's 7 to 16 gs., and Lord Weulock's about G gs. Mr. Pull\'a thiity ranged Irom 10 to 40 ga., and averaged close on 20 gs. each. Mr. 1'. ,J. Man- seL's rams made from 8 to 23 gs., three being let at 13, ]0,aud 25 gs. resp. ctivcly. Those of Mr. Picken made from 5^ to 6^ gs., Mr. llorley's 6 to 12 gs., Mr Long's 5 to 6 gs., Mr. Jowilt's 7 to 17 gs.. Lord Leigh's 5 to G gs., Mr'. Bostock's 5| to Gi gs., Mr. Manor's G to lOgs., Sir Robert Peel's 5 to 10 gs., Mr. Graham's 7 to 18 gs., Mr. R. O. Ley. cester's 4 to 6 gs., Mr. F. Lytball's 7 gs., Mr. Hubbert .sty's 5 to 6 gs., Mr. Grimwood Cooke's G to 10 gs. The ewes were for the most part low in coii..iliou. Mr. Yates's made from 60s. to 933. Gd., Lord WillouKhby de Broke's 50s. to 60s., Mr. F. Ljtball's 60s. to 70s , Mr. Sbeklou's 60-. to 75s-, 3Ir. Tolel free's about 60s., Mrs. Tolefree's 55s., Mr. T. J. Mansefl's Sis. to 112s. 6d., averagiui' neaily lOOs.; Mr. Cliattock's 52s. to 63-., Mr. Bickford's 50s. to 54s., Mr. B. Long's 58s. to 63s., i\lr. R. O. Liycpster's 70s., Mr. Grimwood Cooke's 100s. The sale was coudmted by Lyllmll and Clarke, of Birminiiham MR. G JNNELL'S RAMS.— Shearling rams : Messrs. Par- sons £5 lOs., 0..key £6, J. Graves £7 15s., Bo\ce£l5 Linton £28,Bo;,ce £10 10s., Cde £1'), Allen £11 and £13 Ills., Liutcn ±■11, Waters £12 lOs., Haw kins £9, Linton ^15, Hawkins £11 lOs., Linton £17, Allen £8 5s., Hawkins £9 10s., Linton £25, Hawkins £10, Boyoe £13 10s., Turuey £6, Luton £9 10s ' Wagstatf £liJ, Frobock £8 10s., Waters £8, Wagst iff" £9 10s!' Gnunell £7 10s., Allen £8, Piggott £8 10s., Haslop £8 5s ^ ■i'uruey £8 15s., Uak^ y £G 10s., Wilson £8 5s., Ciillum £6 15.S., Graiu £8, Haslop £G 5s,, Allen £8, Turney £8, Lintoa £10, Pliillips £8, Male £1) 5s., Hawkins £6, (Jakey £7, Scott £7 5s., O.k.ey £7, Hadop £5 10s., ai d £6, Papwotth £G, Linion £27 10s., Papwonh £6 5s., Biown £7 lUs., Ivatt, £5 10.-., Papwortb £7, Scott £5 15s., Adams £7 and £5 lOs., Bauyard £10 lOs., Waters £8 KJs. ©aes, five in each lot! Messrs. Street 69s. each, Biowu 88-., Street 66s., Rowley 88s., S'.reet 71s., Paul 73s., Street, 69s., Brown 70.s., AUea 73s., Paul 78s., Allen 73s., Baker 70s., Brown 71s.,' Baker 698., Living 64s., jjrown G7s., Allen 63s. MR. G. W. LANG DALE'S RAMS— Many of the rams are fioiu the flock of Mr. C. Clark, of Scopick, and every one was disposed of. The flock realised aliout £475 — an average of £9 lUs. per sheep. The highest price obtained was £20, which was given by Mr. E. Riley, 232 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. off Kipling Cotes, for lot 20. The same gentleman also bouglit lot 12 for £22 5s. ; £22 10s. was obtained for lot 5, and £21 lOs. for lot 9. The remaining prices wpre as follow: Lot 6, £21 10s., and lot 10, £12, Mr. Barker ; lot 11, £16 los., Mr. CrafTgy; lot 1G,£14. 10s., Mr. England ; lot 1, £10, and lot 25, f 11 5s., Mr. Baiuton ; lot 2, £10 10s., Mr. Jackson; lot 16, .£10, Mr. Hall ; lot 18, £10 lOs., Mr. Stephenson; lot 21, £11 lOs., Mr. Buttle ; and lot 24, £10, Mr. Giant. The upset price was, as usual, £a os. MR. ALLEN'S RAMS AT MARliSHALL.— There were 40 ram lambs brought into the ring, which were hired at prices ranging from £9 downwards, the average of the whole number being £4 10s. 9d. Fifty shear- ing rams were put up, and the highest fetched £26 (being hired for the Norwich Corporation farm), the average price for the lot being £8 10s. 9d, Four two-shears fetched about MR. H. ROBINSON'S RAMS AT CARNABY.— There were 67 animals brought into the ring, and everyone was let, realising a total sum of £745 10s. The 40 shearlings made an average of £11 13b. 4d., and the two shear i*9 17s. 7d. Several sheep fetched high prices. No. 53 was let to Mr. Doran, Kiiham, for £26 ; No. 14 to Mr. Tranmer, toston, for £20 ; No. 15 to Mr. Wright, Gransraoor, for £20 ; No. 1 to Mr. Cranswick,Tliornholme,for£18 ; No. 10 to Mr. Harrison, Grindall, for £18 ; No. 57 to Mr. Djran, Kilhtra, for £17 ; and No. 12 to Mr. Miluer, Middledale, for £18. CAFIAIN SMITH'S RAMS AT MARTON LODGE.— Fifty-five rams were put up, the first 20 to be l<-t, and the remainder to be sold. Of these 38 were disposed of, the 8'iearlings making .£6 lOs., and the two shear £7 10s. MR. STAMPER'S LEICESTliRS AT HIGHFIELD.— There were otfered a flock of 30 shearlings and 25 agfd sheep. The shearlings made an average of £8 5s. each, the liighest price paid bsing £16 10s., by Mr. Feetenby, Nunnington. Of the 25 shearlings offered, Mr. Johnson, of Brigham, Hull, took tlie highest priced, £15 58. ; and the lowest, £5 53., was taken by Mr. Cattley, of Stearsby. The average of the 25 aged sheep was £8. SALE OF SHROPSHIRE SHEEP, BY MR. TREECE.— The Siiropshire sheep breeders' forty-seventh annunl sale and show took place in the cattle market, Slirewsbury, on Thursday and Friday. The number of animils on the catalogue was as follows : Shearling rams 176, two-shear rams 11, tliree-shear rams 10, four-shear rams 3, stock rams 9 — among the latter being Carbuncle, Bruce, Young Ensdon, Fidelity, Lord Trede- gar, &c. The lots of Mr. Fowler, Mr. Edgar, Mr. Cotterell, Mr. R. Edwards, and Mr. Horton, fetched fair prices. A four- shear ram, sire Midlothian, belonging to Messrs. Fenn and Harding, 14 gs. Mr. Musgrove bought one for 25 gs. A shearling ram, sire Bruce, sire of dam Nobleman, fell to Mr. Harwood for 26 gs. Mr. Davies bought a shearling ram, sire Lord Wenlock, for 12 gs. Lord Cheahaui's two dozen, which included some very fine Shropshires, formed one of the princi- pal items in the sale. A shearling ram, sire Marquis of Bute, dam Newcastle.went to Lord Vernon for 85 gs.; do., dam Nocks second prize, to Mr. Graham, for 22 gs. ; ditto, dam Old Rad- ford, 17 gs., to Mr. Headford ; ditto, dam an Oxford, first prize, 16 gs., to Mr. Jones, Norton ; ditto, sire Mar.]uis of Bute, 20 gs., to Mr. Juckles ; ditto to Mr. Hartnpp for 14 gs. ; ditto to Mr. Smitii for GO gs. ; ditto, Mr. Riley, 70 gs. ; ditto, sire Lord Kingston, sire of dam Duke of Manchester, to Mr. Jowelt, 100 gs. ; ditto, sire Lord Kingston, sire of dam Oxford Hero, Mr. F. H. Smith, 01 gs.; ditto, sire No. 12, sire of dam Old Latimer, Mr. Pumphrey, 21 gs. ; ditto, sire No. 12, sire of dam Manselis, No. 8, to Mr. Richard Jones, 41 gs.; ditto, sire No. 12, sire of dam O.^ford Hero, to the Earl of Lismore, 20 gs. Mr. Crane had a grand lot as usual. One shearling was let to Mr. Masfen for 80 gs. Mr. Evans, of Uffiugton, hud 24 grand animals. Amongst the purchases were : Mr. Horton, Yardley,23 gs. ; Mr. Milner, 11 gs.; Mr. Wright, West Fel- ton, 18 gs. ; Mr. James, 9| gs. ; Mr. Oswell, 30 gs. ; Mr. Juson, 10 gs. ; Mr. Robert Ray, Market Drayton (let), 15 gs. ; Mr. S. Miller, 13 gs. ; Mr. Bach, IS gs., &c. Mr. Minton exhibited eight ; one, a son of Conservative, fell to Mr. Masou for 27 gs., and another to Capt. Williams for 28 gs. Mr. Bowen Jones had six animals. Mr. Wyatt purchased a three- shear, sire Cuicot, sire of dam Conservative, for 18 gs. ; Mr. Rogers for 14 gs., a shearling, siie Haughton Hero, sire of dam Turpin. Mr. C. R. Keeling, of Congreve, Stafford, had ten lots of sliearling rams. On Friday the sale commenced at eleven o'clock, and com- prised a collection of pure-hred ewes from the most celebrated flocks in the kingdom. Mr. Oane's 35 shearling ewes and stock ewes realised an average of SOs. ; Mr. Evans's (Urtington) 60 at 70s. to 105s ; Mr. T. Horton's (llarnas;e Grange, Salop) 25 at (J7s. ; Mr. M. Williams's (Drytoq) 25 at from 70s. to 10 gs. ; Mr. J. W. Minton's (Forton) 30 at 65s. and 120s. ; Mr, Andrews's (Nubold) 20 at 70s. ; Mr. W. Fowler's 20 at 70s. to 90s.; Mr, Bach's 35 .it 65s. to 85s.; 40 be- longing to Lord Willoughhy de Broke fetched 67s. 6d. ; Mr. Edwards's 15 sold at I'JSs. ; the 40 of Mr. Tiiomas's 85s. ; Mr. J. B. Jones's 50, 75s, ; Mr. R. Jones's 65 fetched 65s. and 104s. ; Mrs. Fraiiks's 55 sold at 75s. 6d. ; Mr. W. Jones's 20 at 60s. ; Mr. R. Fowler's 36 at 65s. ; Mr. G. Horton's 25 at 65s. and 95s.; Mr. P. Everall's 20 at 70s.; Mr. 11, Barber's 20 at 87s. 6d. and 105s. ; Messrs. H. and W. Brom- ley's 20 at 903. ; Mr. Adney's 15 at 55s. ; Mr. E. Dickin's 12 at 60s. ; Mr. Myott's 10 at 60s. ; Messrs. J. and G. Crane's 20 at 703.; Mr. C. G. Wiugfield's 15 at 70s.; Mr. Joseph Crane's 20 at 60s. and 75s. ; Mr. S. Groves's 20 at 65s. ; the representatives of tlie late Mr. W. B. Lloyd, 20 at 6O3. ; Mr. Lloyd's 20 at Cos. ; Mrs Iloult's 25 at 57s. 6d. ; Mr. ILles's 20 at 65^. ; IMr. R. L. Burton's 60 at 57s. Od. ; Major Lovett's 15 at 55s.; Messrs. C. anl J. Calcott's 20 at 60s.; Mr. S. Dickin's 10 at 57s. Od. Upwards of 2,000 slieep were dis- poned of, OXFORD RAM FAIR.— OXFORDSHIRE DOWNS.— Messrs. Franklin and Gale had a lot of rarn-lamhs to sell by auction at this fair on Wednesday last, from tlie flucks of Messrs. H. Gale, Parker, Alliu, Allin, and Franklin. Trade was good throughout, every lamb being sold, some of the most choice making as much as 20gs., 2^3 and 29gs. each. The following shows the result of the dift'ereiit sales : Mr. H. Gale's 70 lambs sold at prices ranging from 4 gs. to '2')\ gs., the average being £7 Is. Mr. Parker's 50 lambs made from 4 gs. to 29 gs., the average being £9 2s. 3J. Mr. P, Allin's 20 Iambs averaged £5 23. Mr. J. Allin's 20 lambs averaged £5 8s. 6d. 401am'is, bred by Messrs. W. T. and T. Franklin, were sought for at tiie average of £11 IGs., the prices ranging from 5^as. to 24 gs. MR. F. R. MOORE'S RAMS.— This sale and letting took place at Britford Fair, hy Mr. J. K. Rawlence. The average of the ten letting lambs was £11 6s. Oil., Mr. Newton securing lot 3 at 32 iruineas ; Mr. J. Read, lot 7 at 12 Kuineas ; Mr. Spackman, lot 8 at 11^ guineas; Mr. Andrews, lot 5 at 10^ guineas; Mr. Clie)ney, lot 2 nt 10 guineas ; and Mr. Coles, lot 1 at 9 guineas. The average of the forty-nine lambs sold was £11 6s. 8d. Tlie two two-teeth rams sold for 18 guineas and 14 guineas. OXFORD DOWNS AND COTS WOLDS BY MESSRS. PAX TON AND CASTLE.— -Air. J. Roberts' lot comprised 4IJ O.ifordsliire Down shearling rams, for wiiicli the highest price was 47 gs., and the lowest 8 gs., making an average if £15 9s. !Mr. H. Gale purchased an old sheep of this flock, which had been u.s^d three years, for 34 gs. Mr. C. Giilett, of Cote House, Bampton, Fariiigdon, had about a simi'ar number. The ram which fetched the highest price was | u - chased "ly IM. A. Brassey, the sum being 28 gs. The lowest price was 10 gs., and the average £16 his. 6d. Fifteen O.Klords ram-lambs, tlie property of the Earl of Jersey, realised fr. m 11 gs. to 4 gs., averaging £6 8s. 6d. Nineteen Cotswold rams, the property of Mr. C. G llett, of Lower lladdon, made from 1 1 gs. to 4 gs., being an average of £7 6s. Mr. S. Smith, of Somerton, had a lot of 18 Cotawolds, which sold at an average of £12 10s. Od., the highest piice being 16^ gs., and tie lowest 8^ g-i. A lot of 12Cotswolds, the properly of Messrs. T. and S. G. Giilett, of Kilkenny, averaged £11 5s. One fi-tcl el 21 gs., and the lowest price obtained was 8gs. Ten Oxford- shire Down shearling rams, from the flock of Mr. Davis, Sevenhampton, made an average of £11 15s. ; 12 Oxfordshi e Down shearling rams, bred by Mr. R. W. Ilolibs, Kelmscott, realised an average of £7 10s. 9d., and 10 rams offered ly Mr. W. G. llatton, of Lower Farm, Kingiton near Tetsworth, fetched an average of £6 3s. MR. CHAKLES CLARK'S LONGWOOLS AT SCOP- WICK. — Fifty shearling, and several older animals were penned for sale, and the buyers and prices were as follows : Mj. S Stonesby, two at 18 and 34 guineas respectively ; Mr. Allison four at 12^, 10, 7^, and 7 guineas. ; Mr. Hole, 8^ ; Mr Burtt, 18 ; Mr. T. Kirkhara, 12 ; Mr. T. Kirkhara, 52 ; Mr." Rawliason, 7^- and 15 ; Mr. Duvy, 75; Mr. C. Clarke, 60 and THE FARMETl'S MAGAZINE. 2n3 2-3 ; :\rr.Stpvpnsnn, 15, 16, 13, and 70 ; Mr. Holland, 48 and 2(J; Mr. Muckiiuler, 14.; Mr. I'epper, 14; Mr. Alien, 10, 6, Hnii?^; Mr. DiidilinK (Iknton), 10 and 47; Mr. IhuUling (Howell), 7; Mr. Towlp, two at 6 and three at 6i ; Mr. Wilsnn, 8; Mr. Rowniil, 18; Mr. Gilliort, 10, 14, and 12^; Mr. Green, f>i : Mr. Bourn, 7.^ ; 3Ir. 1'. Hl^nkney, 7^; Mr. Fox, 7i ; Mr. Godson, 8 ; Mr. MarllHi-t, 10' ; Mr. Rudgaid, II. One four-she'ir, Mr. Casswell, 30 ; one tiiree-sliear, Mr. J. Kirkhani, (U) : one two shear, Mr. Holland, 13; and on": two-shear, Mr. Allen. 'I'lie averajje realised was £17 149. (id. LAMBS AT HAWICK. — :\Iessr.i. Oliver and .Son coin- wencisl llK'ir second lamb sale for tiie seasou at Hawick on Tlinrtday. There waa an immense altendanee of farmers and hiiyers — it was perhaps tlie largest gathering ever seen here. Trices ruled high. The classes sold yesterday were lliree- parts and haH'-hreds, a few (tossps, and some other siieep. The lambs were generally up from the corresponding sale of last year Gs. to li's. ))er liead, and in .some in;n. It seems, however, much the same in other parts of Europe, and if so, as the season advances, there may be a new rally in prices for the farmers' help. In France it is very decidedly so. In Austria, Hungary, Poland, and some parts of Russia, the same complaints are made, and even in Germany there are rumours of deficiency in several localities ; while America, with an extended growth, tells the same tale. Of course, at the opening of the season, prices for a time will be unsettled ; but when we come more clearly to know what the deficiency may be, rates will be more settled. We do not, ourselves, apprehend they will, for the present, much vary from those now current. The following were the prices recently obtained at the several places named. The best white wheat at Paris 5 Is., Berdianski at Marseilles 50s. 8d., Ghirka 47s. lOd., Polish wheat at Antwerp 50s., wheat at Liege 53s. 6d., at Bruges SOs., at Verviers 53s., at Brussels Sis., old wheat at Maestricht 52s. 6d., new 503. ; wheat at Hamburg 52s. cost, freight, and insurance, at Berlin 4G3. at Cologne 51s., at Stettin 463., at ^lulhouse 533., at Breslau 453. ; soft wheat at Algiers 41s. Cd., at .Mayence 53s., at Pestli 473., at Danzic 53s., at New York red spring No. 1 4l3. Cd. per 4801bs. The first Monday of the month being a Bank-holiday, we commence with the first AVednesday as its substitute. After good foreign arrivals for the previous week, and but little of home-growth, this morning's supply of English was scanty, though plentiful from foreign parts. The weather being fine, the attendance was limited ; but English qualities were held at the rates of the previous iSIouday, with only a small demand. The plentifuluess 0? red foreign made holders willing to quit sain])le3 at the previous Wednesday's decline of Is. to 2s., per qr. but lower they would not go, so little business was done. White, however, having become scarce, factors obtained Is. above the quotations then paid. Cargoes afloat were held at 6d. to Is. more money. The wheatirade inthe conntry exhibited a material dlfl'er- ence in prices. Somewere without any change; some w«re Is. to 2s. lower; some again were 23. to 33. down, and St. Ives quoted a fall of 33. to 43. On the other hand, Louth was rather dearer, and Stockton noted a rise of Is. to 23. Liverpool was Id. to 2d. per cental higher ou Tuesday, with a further advance of 3d. to 6d, on Friday. At Edinburgh, as well as at Aberdeen, there was no change. Irish wheat at Dublin brought 25s. to 203. per barrel, and foreign was rather more in favour. On the second Monday there w'as a small supply of English wheat, with a good arrival of foreign. The show of fresh samples this morning was very limited, and the weather having become unsettled, prices were raised Is. to 23. A parcel of new Talavera appeared, of moderate quality, and brought 60s. ; the other samples were not satisfactory, and were not offered for sale. There was also a foreign trade of moderate extent, at the same ad- vance. Cargoes afloat brought full prices. The unsettled weather had its iullueuce also in the conntry ; there was a general advance of Is. to 2s., and in several cases the rise was 2s. to 3s. per qr. Liverpool on Tuesday was 6d. per cental dearer, but on Wednesday half this was lost. At Edinburgh there was a rise of 33. per qr. At Dublin Irish samples brought Is. to 23. more per barrel, and foreign 2s. to Ss. per barrel. On the third Monday there was a small supply of English wheat, but an unusually large arrival from abroad, say nearly 100,000 qrs., one-third of this being from America alone, with very large arrivals from Dantzic, Russia, and Australia. Though but little English was on show this morning, it included about 500 qrs. of new, of poor quality, which sold at 479. to 533. ; old sorts were down Is. to 2s. per qr., with only a slow sale. The foreign trade, by the bright weather and heavy arrivals, was almost at a stand-still, and to sell anything required a reduction of 23. to 33. per qr. Cargoes oil' the coast 234 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. were also 2^. down. The fine wcathor continuing till Thiiisdny night, the country markets a'll came lower, the reduction generally heing Is. to 2s., and in some cases 2s. to 3s. Liverpool was down 3d. to 4d. per cental on Tues- day. On Friday the market was rather lower for red wheat. Saturday's markets were mostly Is. to 2s. lower, and a few 3s. to 4s. Edinburgh was down 2s. to Ss. Aberdeen was unaltered, but Glasgow was 6d. to 9d. per boll cheaper for wheat. Irish wheat at Dublin bronglit Is. per barrel less money, and foreign Is. (id. per ban el. Ou the fourth Monday there was but a small supply of English wheat, but plenty of foreign, two-thirds of which were from America. There was very little old wheat on the stands this morning, and only a small quantity of new rather improved in juality, but still uot fine. With the finest weather continuing, prices were Is. to 2s. lower, with a dull trade. Foreign was also lower, white Is., and red qualities 2s,, without much doing. Eioat'ng cargoes were ulso i educed 2s. per qr. The arrivals into London for four weeks were 9,675 qrs. English, 2i9,017 qrs. foreign, against 10,076 qrs. English, 182,110 qrs. foreign, for the same period in 1874. The imports into the kingdom for the four weeks ending 14th Aug. were 4,484,997 cwts. wheat, 501,047 cwts. flour, against 3,828.039 cwt. wheat, 415.314 cwt. flour in 1874. The London averages opened at 52^. 2d., and closed at 54s. 4d. The general averages commenced at 47s. 5d., and closed at 51s. 9d. Flour, influenced by the decline in wheat, has been exceedingly dull, and in the last two jMondays was cer- tainly 2s. to 33. lower to sell, Norfolks not being a ready sale at 37s. Foreign qnalities were reduced 2s. per sack, and about Is. 6d. per barrel, the latter being ditlicult to place, at 28s. to 29s. per barrel. The London receipts for four week were 57,107 sacks English, 20,029 sacks 57,673 barrels foreign, against 41,809 sacks English, 5,248 sacks 28,079 barrels foreign for the same period iu 1874. The receipts of British Barley have been exceedingly small, but there have been good average arrivals from abroad, chiefly of grinding qualities. The malting trade being over the value of English and Scolch have been quite nominal, and foreign during the month has cfcclined fully Is. per qr., being worth about 20s. to 30s. for light to heavy grinding sorts. Our own crop this jear, though considered to be the largest crop of the season, is reported as very poor in quality, no business in it yet having transpired, aud, indeed, scarcely a sample shown. The imports into London for four weeks were 159 qrs. British, 58,050 qrs. foreign against 359 qrs. British, 19.178 qrs. foreign in 1874. The malt trade has been dull and drooping ali through the month, holders being more anxious to sell, especially since the fine weather. Of maize theie have been large arrivals, especially on the fourth week ; prices till then had been pretty steady, but they gave way fully Is. per qr., with great difficulty iu sales ; mixed American aud Danubiau were worth about 35s. per qr. The London receipts in four weeks were S7.3S0 qrs., against 123,034 qrs. for the same period in 1874. The su[)plies of English oats have been very short ; of Scotch only one small lot has appeared ; of Irish none ; but the foreign arrivals have been very free, and nearly three-fourths of them from Russia ; a portion of these latter, being undried, have been a heavy sale on the market, but fre-ih corn, wliether Russian, Swedish, or from other parts, has been easily placed all through tlie month, with very little difference of value, being, perhaps, about 0.1. per qr. lower; but inferior light qualities have quite given way Is. per qr. ; 381b. Russians were worth 2l3. Gd. on board ship, aud 401bs. 26s. 6d. per qr. ; 381bs. Swedish 25s., and 401bs. 273. Od., these latter wcrr a good sale. This crop is the best they have in France this year, though j)rices have but little giveu way, fine heavy corn iu Paris being worth 28s. 6d. per qr. The arrivals into London for the lour weeks were 641 qrs. English, 90 qrs. Sc tch, 326,460 qrs. foreign, against 677 qrs. English, 910 qrs. Scotch, 239,928 qrs. f'orcigu for the same period in 1874. Ths supplies of English beans have been moderate, but the foreign arrivals have been Kootl. Values have been unusually steady, though high, all the month, there having been a good countiy demand ; v\'liile maize and barley have been comparatively low. Egyptian beans are worth 40s. ; Italian, ot which there have been large receipts, 473. ; English Mazagans, 46s. ; Harrows, 60s. to 52s. ; and small as much as 56s. ; so that this is the dearest corn in the market ; but on receipt of new samples, if iu fair condition, we may expect lower rates. The imports into London in four weeks were 1,567 qrs. English 10,136 qrs. foreign, against 1,031 qrs. Englis*^, 12,875 qrs. foreign iu 1875. The supjdies of English peas have been small, but fair of foreign, though nearly all white, and mostly from Canada. Home-grown hog feed have nearly disapiieared, and the new, in small quantities, have been held at 45s. for duns, not certainly a fine sample, aud said to be a poor yield ; while good white foreign are freely offered at 43s., available for horse feed is not iu demand as boilers. The London receipts in four weeks have been 597 qrs. English, 6,503 qrs. foreign, agaiust 1,285 qrs. English, 9,491 qrs. foreign in 1874. The supplies of linseed having only been moderate and Rtocks low, prices had rather improved, and are likely to keep firm. During the rainy weather there was a disposition to to speculate in cloverseed, which, however, was checked by the smallness of stocks; but since it has become line there has been less inclination to invest, as one of the old proveibs is, "'A hot August always makes seed ;" but small holders keep to former values, aud cs))ecially for trefoil ; while wiiile mustard has been advancing, and good i-apeseed, bung scarce, has sold well. CORN IMPORTED AND EXPORTED For the week ending Aug. 14. Engl'd. Scotl'd. Ireland. [British. Cwts. 41 95 211 ill 20 163 i'53 j ... Foreign WTieat CwtB aic'sci 18'i521 3S8GtO 6-113 6 953 2w27tt( 3133 Cwts. 98251 8801 21911 6161 6i3i 31712 320J Cwts. 192.ilO 24178 135032 ... Cwt.«i. 612 Barley Oats 1-13 Rye Peas Beans... Indian Corn Buclswheat 69 Total 1801611 179171 3.:,1770 8:^4 Wheat Flour Barley Meal Oat Meal 133573 3 "io 19855 ... 14050 6 Rye Meal 95 Total Grand Total.. 133586 193S2U0 19855 199329 14050 365820 1 316 797 1 2008 100 921 FOREIGN GRAIN ENTERED FOR HOME CON- SUMPTION DURING THE WEEK ENDING AUGU.'^T 21. Wheat cwts. 336728 Barley „ 85967 Oats „ 2:i95i3 Beans ,, 1181 Peas cwts. 3178 MaiKe „ 188587 Flour , 54.99 Trinted by Watson aud Hazell, 265, Straud, London. LONDON AND COUNTY BANKING COMPANY. ESTABLISHED IN 1836, AND INCORPORATED IN 1874 UNDER "THE COMPANIES ACT, 1863." SUBSCRIBED CAPITAL.. .£3,760,000, in 75.000 SHARES of £50 EACH. PAID-UP CAPITAL ^'?2o'22ST- £1,425.790 INSTALMENT ON NEW SHARES !^'^'^^^-' RESERVE FUND .?,'22H £636 895 INSTALMENT OF PREMIUM ON NEW SHARES 111,895/ * "'"''' T. TYRINGHAM BETINARD, Esq. ROBT. ALEX. BROOKS, Esq. THOMAS STOCK COWIE, Esq. FREDERICK FRANCIS, Esq. Joint Geneual AIanageks- chief inspector. W. J. NORFOLK, Esq. DIRECTORS. FREDERICK HARRISON, Esq. 1 WILLIAM NICOL, Esq. VVM. CHAMPION JONES, Esq. A. HODGSON PHILLPOTTS, F.aq. E. HARBORD LUSHINGTON, Esq. WILLIAM HENRY STONE, Esq. JAMES MORLEY, Esq. I JAMES DUNCAN THOMSON, Esq. WILLIAM McKEWAN, Esq. and WHITBREAD TOMSON, Esq. CHIEF AC'OUNTANT. SECRETARY. JAMES GRAY, Esq. GEORGE GOUGH, Esq. HEAD OFFICE, 31, LOMBARD STREET. Manager— WHITBREAD TOMSON, Esq. | Assistant Manager— WILLIAM HOWARD, Esq. THE LONDON AND COUNTY BANK opens— DRAWING AOCOnNTS with Co;innercial Houses and Private Individuals, either upon the plan usually adopl« Joint General WHITBREAD TOMSON, S Managers. IMPORTANT TO FLOCKMASTERS. THOMAS BIGG, Agriciiltnral and Veterinary Chemist, by Appointment to his late Royal Highness The Prince Consort, K.G., Leicester Hcuse, Great Dover Street, Borough, London, begs to call the attention of Farmers and Graziers to his valuable SHEEP and LAMB DIPPING COMFOfclTION, which requires no Boiling, and may be used with Warm or Cold Water, for effectually destiojing the Tick, Lice, and all other insects injurious to the Flock, preventing the ahirmmg attacks of Fly and Sha.b, and cleansing and purifying the Skin, therebj' greatly im- proving the Wool, both in quantity and quality, antl highly Oontributing to the peneral health ol the animal. Prepared only by Thomas Bigg, Chemist, Ac, at his Manu- factory as al)0ve, and sold as lollows, although any other quantity may be had, if required : — lib. for 20 sheep, price, jar included £0 2 «lb. 30 8 1b. 40 101b, 50 ?01b. 100 301b. 150 401b. 200 601b. 250 601b. 800 801b. 400 1001b. £00 (Cask and measui-e inoluded) 0 3 0 4 0 6 0 10 0 15 1 0 1 3 1 7 1 17 2 5 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, 1881. 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. Heel satisfied, that while it elfectually destroj's vermin, ilwUl not mjure the hair roots (or " yolk ") in the skin, the fleece, or the carcase. I thmk it deserves the numerous* testimonials published. I am. Sir, yours respectfully, William Hkbapath, Sen., P.C.S., &c., &o„ To Mr. Thomas Bigg Professor of Chemistry. IjKQ^t^r Bouse, Great Dover-street Borough Loudoa. 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 descriptiona 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, near Hingham, Norfolk, April 16th, 1855. "Dear Sir, — In answer to yours ot the 4th inst., which 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 all di-essed in August last with 84 gallons of the 'NoN-poiBONons Specific,' that was so highly recom- mended at the Lincoln Show, and by theh* own dresser, th» best attention being paid to the flock oy my shepherd after dressing according to instructions left ; but notwithstanding the Scab continued gettmg 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 cm-eusly Hgreed to elect for the chairraanship for the ensuing ypHr, Mr. Tlionias llnrley — (cheers) — a gputleman who was w( 11 known to be a thoroughly practical farmer, and whose example in the upighbourhooJ m whicli he lived, had been attended witli tlic most beuelic'al results. A geutleuian, Oi.D Sj;kies, too, of great energy and public spirit, and one who, besides being an active member of the Royal Agricultural Society, had long manifested great interest in the welfare of the Farmers' Club (cheers). lie had great pleasure in making that announcement, and having done so he would now ask Mr. Lucas, who was the Chairman last yeir, to t.ike tho place which he then occupied. Mr. E. M. M. Luc,\.s having then succeeded to the chair, aud expressed his confidence that the introduction of the subject bv Dr. Voelcker would ))rove deeply interesticg. Dr. Voelcker proceeded to read the following paper : The members of the Central Farmers' Club, I trust, will not expect of me a paper on root-crojjs which treats syste- matically on the preparation of the land, the application of manure, mode and time of sowing, and subsequent raaunge- raent of the various root crops nsually grown in this couutry. There is hardly a single Farmers' Club in England, if at all occupied with agriuuUural discussions, at which subjpcta specially related to the practical management of root crops have not. Iieeu discu-^sed, more or less fully, by many able men, E E Vql. LXXVin.— IXy. C. S96 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. "iphose skill and experience as farmers entitle them to speak on practical matters with greater authority and benefit than a chemist, whose daily occupation and mental bias are formid- able obstacles in giving due prominence to purely practical details, in the observance of vi'hich success in cultivating root crops so largely depends. Disclaiming, therefore, at the out- set the intention to read a systematic paper on the manage- ment of roots, I desire to bring before you some points which it strikes me are not always kept in view by root growers, or ■upon which more precise and certain information has to be gained before we can duly appreciate the influence of soil, manure, and climate upon the quality and weight of the roots usually grown in England. The remarks which I shall have the pleasure to make I trust will present points of attack, and open the way to a useful discussion. The principal root crops grown in England are turnips {Brassica rapa), swedes {Bras- sica campcslris), mangolds {Beta viilgans), carrots {Daucus carota), and parsnips (Pasiiiiaca saiipa). There are numerous varieties of turnips, swedes, and mangolds, greatly differing in size, shape, and quality ; and, according to their real or sup- posed superiority and suitability to particular soils and dis- tricts, some kinds are held iu greater favour, and are more ex- tensively cultivated, in one locality than in another. The varieties of carrots and parsnips grown in England are less numerous than tlie tribe of turnips. In the selection of the particular kinds of roots, farmers, as a rule, are more frequently guided by chance and habit than by an experimental know- ledge of the true merits which characterise particular varieties. A useful discussion might be raised on the merits of diffe rent vfirieties of turnips, swedes, and mangolds, with special refer- ence to their feeding and keeping qualities, and their suita- hility for particular soils and climates. This subject embraces .1 very wide range of observations, and, treated in a compre- hensive and thoroughly practical manner, would not fail to engage the interest of an agricultural audience. Is is, how, ever, net my intention to enter upon so interesting a topic- which cannot be fully and profitably discussed this evening, for the subject set down on the card reminds me to confine ray remarks to points connected with the influence of soil, ma- nures, and climate upon root crops. Although sugar-beets are not much grown in the British Islands, I shall have to refer cpecially to that crop, inasmuch as its chemical history has been more carefully and intelligibly studied than that of any other root crop, and because, by these studies, a number of facts have been ascertained which are not only interesting and intrinsically valuable to the continental sugar beet grower, but also to the cultivator of root crops of every kind, and in every climate and country. All the varieties of roots usually grown by farmers are biennial plants. Such plants, I need hardly remind you, in the first year of their existence produce an abundance of leaves, chiefly from atmospheric food, and, through the medium of the leaves, elaborate the assimilated plant-food into sugar, pectine, albuminous, and other organic compounds, which are stored up gradually in the more or less matured root during the autumn or colder months of the first year. These food constituents, accumulated in the root, are expended again in the second year in the production of a flowering stalk and seed, with the ripening of which the life of biennial plants terminates. Besides atmospheric food — from which, indeed, the bulk of our root crops is de- rived— certain mineral matters are no less essential to their life and luxuriant development, for experience lias supplied abundant proof of the fact that without a sufficient supply of lime, potash, phosphoric acid, and other mineral cons'itoents, present in the ash of turnips, mangolds, &c., these crops do not thrive, and are liable to various diseases, such as fin^er-and- toe, and at the best produce but a scanty crop* The mineral, or ash-constituents of roots, are thus absolutely necessary to their healthy growth, and the full development and storage of food in the bulbs ; and, as the ash-constituents of plants can only be supplied either by the soil, or the manure that is put upon it, we recognise at once the import mt influence of the soil and manure upon the growth of roots. Before offering any remarks on the influence of the soil on the character of root crops, I would invite your attention to the following tables, representing the average composition of the ash, both of roots and leaves of the principal root crops : •qsB [BuiSuo ut piOB otnoqjuf) •8nuop[3 O Oi Ci CO Oi o lb ■* ci 00 0 0 c» ■* Aj lb ■noJt JO apixQ Oi CO 00 c 0 CO d CD 0 r^ r^ Al •V:IS8U°BJ\[ cc c^ CO io CM 0 <>J TjJ •^ C5 lb «5 •amiri t-cc C5 -* c; t~ Ai ci lb cb d lb •epos CO 0 -J< •+ t- t- t~ -^ 00 d d « r-H — ' ^ « •qsB^oj CO C3 a3 0 0 t~ 0 6c d a: t^d ^ 09 -* Tfi CO ■# sasA'iBUB JO sjaqrauN | ^'^^iJ^S"* t— O CO t~ C3 t~ A' t^ib 00 ^y^ CD <>l C» (M eb d t-t~db CO -# ■# CO CO t~d lb i~cJ» o o CQ 00 o CO Oi lO Gi CO t- rA lb A t>- 01 « c<) ej I— I j^co ■* t^t^ ^ % P fe The ashes of all the roots are, on the whole, of a similar character, but the range of variations in the ash-constituents is great, especially in the case of the leaves. The most con- stant and important ingredients in the ash of root crops are potash and phosphoric acid ; and lime also, it will be seen, enters largely, although in variable proportions, into the com- position of the ash of roots, whilst chlorine and soda appear to be most variable, and less essential, and more indifferent mineral constituents of root crops. The ash of the leaves differs uate- rially from that of the roots, the chief differences being observ- able in the much larger proportfon of lime and chloride of sodium in the leaves than in the roots, with a smaller proportion of potash and phosphoric acid. The quantity of plant-food removed from the soil by root crops is very large — much larger, indeed, than the amount of mineral matter which is taken from the soil by wheat, barley, and other cereal crops. Assuming the average crop of turnips to be 17 tons of roots, and the proportion of root to leaf 100:30; of swedes, It tons roots and proportion of root to leaf 100:15 ; mangolds, 22 tons roo's root to leaf 100:37; sugar-beet, 10 tons roots, root to leaf 100:25 ; carrots, 10 tons roots, root to leaf 100:iO ; the quau- tities of the different ash-constituents removed in the crop will be iu lbs. per acre about as follows ; THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 397 C< ■— I c< ■* ca CD ^ c- rH O t~ -* « CD r-t CD t~ c» o en in 8 were sound, and of a fair eize. There was anot' er plac , occupying only a few square yards, in tlie corner of the same sandy field, which presented a remarkable contrast to the rest of the turnip field. On this spot the roots were perfectly healthy, and of a good size, and it appeared that on this spot a dung-heap had been set up in previous years. The subsequent examination of samples of soils from those green spots of the turnip field showed that both contained a much larger proportion of lime and alkalies tl an the rest of the field where the turnips failed. We thus have presented to us here interesting practical illustrations of the intimate reUtion which subsists bet\veen the character and chemical composition of the land, and the root-produce gruwn upon it. Turnips affected by Anbury, I may observe in passing, I find are much richer in nitrogen and in mineral matters then sound roots, as will be seen byj) the following results, which I obtained in the analysis of a turnip attacked by this disorder. Composition of a. Turnip Attacked by Anbury. Water 8802 *Albuminou3 compounds 3*56 Sugar, pectine, and digestible fibre 3-67 Woody fibre 3-37 Mineral matter (ash) 148 10000 'Containing nitrogen. •57 On an average sound nutrition turnips contain about 91 per cent, of water, and not more than 1^ to IJ per cei't. of nitrogenous compounds, and much less than was tound in the diseased roots ; and it appears from these, and numerous other results to which I shall have to refer presently, that a high percentage of nitrogen and of ash in roots rather indicate immaturity, and by no means superior feeding quality^ Roots grown on peaty soils, it is well known, frequently are spongy, and of a low feeding quality. Peaty land often is greatly deficient in lime, and in that case the turnip-crop is liable to flnger-and-toe. Such is the character of two soils from Shropshire, which I analysed a great many years ago with the following results : Ko. 1 ... No. 2 ]\Ioistur« , 277 ... 4-03 Organic matter 2115 ... 37-92 Oxides of iron and alumina 5"15 ... 1-91 Carbonate of lime "SO ... "52 Magnesia and alkalies "88 ... •23 Insoluble siliceous matter -. 6925 ... 55 37 100 00 10000 On No. 1 white turnips grow well up to certain time, and then die off, and on No. 2 soil they suffer from fingeraud-toe. Here, then, we have some further examples, which sliow that the deficiency of lime and probably of other mineral matters in the soil and the excess of organic matter greatly affect the character of roots grown upon such land^ The preceding examples amply illustrate the intimate rela- tion which exists between the character of the root crops and the nature of the land upon which they are grown. Eefore speaking of the influence of various kinds of ma- nures upon roots, it appears to me desirable to a clear under- standing of the remarks which I shall have to make on fliis head, to refer, as briefly as possible, to the average composition THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 599 of the principal root crop?, and to consider the various con- ditious which regulate their nutritive value. « 0 O O CO »o CI n o ira o o C! t— 1 rH CO CO i^ l-^ o QO o a ^ o -£ a; = o — « o e- O 6^ ira lO o> o OJ t- f-H CO CO o o "^W s »ra lO f— 1 C5 lO iO o o O ft -2 o bj. g cwfq '^ 1— 1 oc 1 oa c< *"* o o rt ^ 'T3 . "p in lO .-1 o in ■# o o f5 M o. p OO r— 1 OO 1— 1 1 ira CJ '-^ o o s H « o o E: 3 n3 C2 r^ CI

t- o o S 2 & OO o ^ a I^ W '"' Sr= OQ 2' S in >-< M lO O o t- o a r— ( r—i 1 CO o< o < ^ 3 H o T3 fl a -S •V a ^-^ .J3 ^-' fco o lU M D "5 3 V -o o ^ «a a ^ s ^ CB ^1 1 -a 5 a cS 0 s 3 a The amount of dry feeding matter, it will be seen, is largest iu parsnips and smallest in white turnips. In the former we have as much as 18 per cent, of dry snhstancp, and in the latter only 8| per cent. If we arrange the different root-crops according to their percentage of water and dry substance we get the following order: 1, parsnips; 3, sugar-beets ; 3, carrots ; 4, mangolds ; 5, swedes ; 6, turnips. As regards the nutritive or feeding values of tliese different root-crops, I am inclined to place them in the same order, assigning the greatest value to parsnips and the least to turnips. The amount of solid matter in equally well-matured roots, it strkes me, may be fairly takea as the measure of their comparative feeding value. Well nwtured roots, it will be seen, contain a considerable amount of sugar. The largest proportion occurs in sugar- b.^ets, the smallest in turnips. Upon it tiie feeding value of roots greatly depends. Excepting parsnips, in which a ct-rtain proportion of sugar is replaced by starch — a constituent which serves the same ends in the animal economy — the percentage of sugar in roots affords a good means for judging of their comparative feeding values. Thus we have in : Sugar-beets 9.j per cent, of sugar on an average Carrots 6^ „ „ „ Mangolds... 5^^ ,, „ „ Swedes 5 „ „ „ Turnips ... 3 ,, „ „ The order, based upon the percentage of sugar, it will be noticed, coincides with that based upon the percentage of dry matter in roots. Whether we jud?e of the nutritive value of well ripened roots by either standard, the practical result is the same. 'Ihe proportion of sugar, as a rule, rises or falls >siih the percciitiige of water and dry matter in the roots. Starch occurs in considerable proportions in parsnips, and in small quantities in unrip'e mangolds, carrotn, and' swedes. With the maturity of tlie last-n'enlioned crops tlie starch disappears and becomes converted into sugar. The percentage of albuminous compounds and of ash constituents in different root crops on the whole do not vary in well- matured roots in the same degree as the percentage of sugar. The ease is different in immature roots. Such roots, according to their comparative state of maturity, exhibit a much greater range of variations in nitrogenous matter and ash. I find invariably the percentage of nitrogen and of ash much larger in roots at the earlier stages of their growth than at a later ; a high percentage of nitrogen and of mineral matter in roots, therefore, are no indications of their high feeding value, but- the reverse. Briefly stated, the nutritive value of different root crops depends largely upon their state of maturity, or ia other words upon the perccnta^^e of dry matter, and the propor. tion of sugar in the dry substance of the roots. Unripe turnips and mangolds not only are poor in sugar, and for this reason not 8o nutritious as well-matured roots, rich in sugar, but they also, coutain a number of org;inic acids, which, together with aa' excess of imperfectly elaborated nitrogenous substances, appear to be the cliief cause of the unwholesome properties of unripa- roots. If such roots are largely given to stock it is well known they produce scour, and otherwise disagree with the health of sheep or cattle. Of the organic acids present ia roots oxalic acid, a powerful vegetable poison, is the mos!>- important : it has been found in mangolds and sugar-beets, and probably occurs in all unripe root«. Oxalic acid occurs in mangold and lurnip leaves in stiil larger quantities than in their immature bulbs. Mehay found '22 per cent, of oxalic acid in sugai-beet, ""iS per cent, in the stalk of the same root, and as much as 1.86 per cent, in the leaves. The presence of so large a quantity of this poisonous acid in mangold and turnip tops explains the scouring effects whicli mangold tops produce when cattle are fed upon them in considerable quantities. lu passing, I may notice that the leaves of root crops contain much more nitrogen than the bulbous roots, and as turnip or mangold tops in regard to nutritive properties are not to be compared with the roots, wehave here positiveproof of the fact already pointed out that the feeding value of root crops is by no - means proportional to the nitrogen which they contain. That this is not mert-ly a tlieoretical proposition, is clearly shown by some direct feeding experiments which Mr. Lawes made in IS-tS, and fully described in a paper published in Vol. Vllf., Page 495, of the Jo"rnaloi the Royal Agricultural Society of England, with a view of testing practically the feeding value of four lots of white turnips, grown with different kinds of manures. Mr. Lawes determined the araonnt of dry organic matter which was consumed to produce 100 lbs. ot live weight in sheep fed upon white turnips from his experimental field. The following tabulated statement explains itself: Naturs gf Manuring. Dry substancs in the fresh turnips Ash in dry roots... Nitrogen in dry roots Mineral Manures only. 9.37 6.69 1.K6 Dry organic mnt- ter consumed to produce KHicwt. ol'live vveiiiUt...' lbs Minerals with .-Vmmoiiia 6.42 7.48 2.08 Minerals with Rapocake 7.78 8.21 2.36 lbs. 1321 11)S. 2371 Minerals Ammonia aii'i Rapo- cako. 7.88 8.92 3.20 The sheep. lost weight. 400 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. The turnips grown with minerals only (superpliosphate and alkalies) were over-ripe and pithy ; the second lot, which gave the best result, were fully ripe ; the third and fourth lots were unripe. The most unripe turnips, containing the highest per- centage of nitrogen and of ash, it will be seen gave the worst r 'Sult when employed as food. These interesting experiments btfikingly exempliily the influence of manures on the composition and feeding quality of turnips. Let us now examine a little more minutely the modifying influence of different kinds of manuring agents on root crops. Land highly manured with rich dung from the fattening boxes or stalls induces luxuriant and vigorous growth in root crops, and, as is well known, has a tendency to develop over-luxuriance in the tops. This is the case more particularly if the dung is derived from fattening beasts, liberally supplied with oilcake and artificial food rich in nitrogenous constituents. If the nutumn turns out fairly dry and warm, the roots in highly- manured land continue to grow vigorously, the bulbs swell to a large dimension; and if the weather in September and October continues warm and dry, a heavy weight and fairly ripe roots result from the liberal use of rich dung. But should the autumn he cold and wet, too liberal an application of good, well-rotten dung is apt to maintain the luxuriant tops in a vigorous, active growing condition, at a period of the year when the crop has to be taken up, and the result is an imma- ture root crop of a low feeding value. Although the bulbs may be of a good size, they turn out, when grown under such conditions, watery, deficient in sugar, and not nearly as nutri- tious as they would have been had a more moderate dressing o dung been put upon the land. The main cause of the immature condition and low feeding quality of mangolds grown with an excessive quantity of rich dung is the comparatively large amount of ammoniacal and nitrogenous constituents in the dung, for numerous field experiments liave shown that the peculiar tendency of ammonia salts, and of readily available nitrogenous substances is to induce luxuriant leaf develop- ment and vigorous prolonged growth, which results frequently, in our fickle climate, in a more or less immature condition of the roots. There is thus danger of over-manuring root crops ; and the desire to produce heavy crops of mangolds not ua- frequently leads practical men not to appreciate snfliciently this danger. It is quite true mangolds are very greedy feeders and no doubt some soils will swallow up almost any amount of dung ; but at the same time it has to be borne in mind that all laud is not alike, and that there are many naturally rich clay loams containing immense stores of plant-food, which requires only to be brought into play by good cultivation in order to become available to plants. I am much inclined to think that il is a mistake to manure soils of the latter description too liberally with dung, even for mangolds, and that in many,cases a more economical result, and certainly a better quality of mangolds, although not so heavy a crop, would be given, if, instead of all the enormous dressings of dung which are often applied to that crop, the land were manured in autumn with only half the quantity of dung, and the seed drilled in with 3 to 4 cwt. of superphosphate or dissolved bones which manures, as we shall see presently, have a tendency to produce early maturity in roots. We frequently hear of complaints that mangolds scour, or do not keep well. Com- plaints of this kind are only the expressions in other words for the immature condition of the roots, and in many cases the cause of this undesirable condition has to be sought in the exces- sive amount of ammor.iacal or nitrogenous constituents which are applied to the mangolds in the shape of heavy diessings- of dung. The same remarks apply with equal force to the ex- clusive and too abundant use of Peruvian guano, sulphate of am- monia, and nitrogenous manures in general. The special effect of all ammoniacal and nitrogenous manures in g. neral, as already stated, is to produce luxuriant leaf-development, to in- duce prolonged and vigorous growth, resulting in an immata e and watery condition of the bulbs. Luxuriantly-growing roots always coataia more water, as a rule, more nitrogen, and uiiuer.'il or ash-constituents, than less vigorous plants of 'he same age; and hence large roots, generally speakinfr, are far less nutritious than better- Jiatured roots, of a moderate size. For illustration of this fact I quote the following comparative analyses : • •* o 00 (^ .o £ -*l o CO to CO o CO M I-l CO ,—1 o to o o^ iz; CO l-H o ^ d rH o o c^ -* o o ^_^ o CO Ph . r~ ^ lo OO o CO o OJ o CO to d OJ CO f-H o o o r-< o OO l-H l-H lO >o «o -# « a o r>-t Em CO CO CO o CO CO c^ o 6 Tfl rH rH l-H o 00 O OO to *?• ;=H '"^ ^ 00 00 00 OO o to o o< o Ol t^ to t^ t- o •# ^ CI 6 00 o r-H C-J o o to o '—' '~' lO -o ^ lO to CO Ol CO o^ ca f—t l^ l.O 05 to o o t— t^ -o ^ 6 CO OO o r-i tN *"* o o cp CO lO ■^ a rS ^ s ° 3 .3 The sugar-beets which were grown in Suffolk, it will lie seen, were fully as rich in sugar as tlie Trench roots, aud in all THE FARMER'S MAGAZINH. 40f rM|ii»cts quife equal to them for the manufacture of sugar. Whilst the Lavenharn beets contained 11 per cent, of sugar and only 83 per cent, of water, the big Berkshire beets — one weigl:ing IGlhs., and the other l^.jlbs. — contained only 3.89 or 4 jicr cent, of sugar respectively, and in round numbers as much as 91^ per cent, of water. This high pcr-centage of water is accompanied by a larger amount of albuminous com- pounds and of mineral matter tlian the proportions in roots containing very much more solid feeding niatter. A large amount of albuminous matter and of ash indeed indicates immaturity and poverty in sugar, a condition characteristic of big, excessively-manured roots. Numerous examples m illustration of the dilTerence in the quality of large and small and moderate-sized roots will be found in my paper on the composition of sugar-beets, published in the Journal of the Koyal Agricultural Society some years ago. Whilst speaking of large and small roots, permit me to say a word or two upoa the childish practice of exhibiting monster roots at agricul- tural shows, and of giving prizes for such roots. Surely, by dint of manure and plenty of elbow-room, it is no great art or merit to grow monster turnips and mangolds. Such roots may deliglit or astonish women or children ; but what, it may well be asked, is the use of such productions ? and why should prizes he awarded to monster roots, which generally contain from 93 to 94 per cent, of water, and but little sugar, as the fol- lowing analysis of a big green barrel turnip will show ? In this roof, weighing 19ibs., I found : Water 9i-103 *Alhurainous compounds 'GIS Pectine, gum, and a little sugar 3'17l Crude fibre (pulp) 1-535 Mineral matter (ash) '576 100-000 * Containing nitrogen '098 The general influence of dung upon the weight of the produce and the quality of the roots is well known to practical men, and well illustrated in detail by the following expe'inients, which were brought under my notice in 1869. Three lots of sugar-beets, of four roots each, grown experimentally at Glas- nevin, near Dublin, on analysis, were found liy me to have the following composition : No. 1. No. 2. No. 3. Water 85-60 ... 85 59 ... 89-09 ♦Albuminous compounds 1-47 ... 1-66 ... 1-27 Crystallisable sugar ... 8-56 ... 787 ... 6-73 Pectine, &c -h^ ... "75 ... '45 Crude fibre (pulp) 287 ... 306 ... 2-48 Mineral matter (ash)... -96 ... 1-07 ... -98 100-00 100-00 100-00 * Containing nitrogen -236 ... -267 ... "204 The average weight of the three lots of roots was about the s-ime in each case, and amounted to about 21bs. per root. The beets marked No. 1 were sown in drills, ou the 13th to 15th of May, 21 inches apart, and 6 inches in tlie row ; no manure was applied, the previous crop (mangolds) having been manured at the rate of 25 tons per acre; estimated produce per acre, 13 tons 2 cwts. 3 qrs. No. 2, sown 11th and 12tli of May, in drills 27 inches apart, and 6 inches in the row ; farmyard manure was applied at the rate of 12 tons per acre ; previous crop, swedes ; estimated produce per acre, 19 tons 3 cvvt'^. 3 qrs. No. 3, sown on the 16th of May, in drills on the flat, 21 inches apart, and 6 inches in the row ; farmyard manure was applied at the rate of 25 tons per acre ; previous, crop oats, followed by rape as a stolen crop ; estimated produce 10 tons 5 cwts. 2 qrs. per acre. These experiments are in- teresting, as showing the prejudicial effect of the direct appli- ea'ioQ of farmyard manure to sugar-beets, especially if the crop is sown as late as were the roots in the Glasnevin experi- ments. Without manure, it will be noticed, the beets No. 1 yielded 8.56 per cent, of sugar, with a moderate dressing of farmyard manure ; No. 2 produced 7-87 per cent. ; and No. 3, with a full dressing of farmyard manure, 67-3 per cent, of sugar. P ruvian guano, sulphate of ammonia, dried blood, and ilcsh- refuse, and, 'generally speaking, all nitrogenous manures, either should not be used at all or only sparingly for roots on stiflish land and all soils which contain a good deal of clay, and are naturally cold and unfavourable to a vigorous and rapid growth. On the other hand raw, or better still dissolved Peruvian guano, is an excellent manure for root crops upon light laud, wliich, like most productive sandy soilsiand friable turnip loams, favours the quick and vigorous growth of roots, and is conducive to early maturity. On such soils the application of ammoniacal or nitrogenous manures pro- longs the period cf growth of roots and their assimilation of atmospheric food, and it is mainly for this reason that Peruvian guano r.nd w^ll-rotted dung are held in such high estimation by Scotch farmers for producing ths heavy crops of roots that are generally grown on the light lands in the West of Scotland. As a rule, the fields intended for roots, I believe, with most good farmers, are best dunged in the autumn. Ammoniacal manur3s, snch as guano and sulphate of ammonia, should he sown broadcast in autumn or early in spring, and not be drilled in with the seed, for all ammoniacal manures, contrary to the generally-received opinion, have a tendency rather to check than to promote the early growth of the yonn« plant, for which reason such manures should be well distributwl, and p^malrramated with a large body of soil, and not be placed into too close a proximity with the young turnips and mangold plants. I have made a good many field experi- ments ou this subject, and find that on mode-ately stiff soils rotten dung, Peruvian guano, and sulphate ol ammonia, and all nitrogenous manures, which later in the soason sustain a vigorous and luxuriant g.'owth, in a remarkable degree, retard the progress of turnip and mangold plants in their earliest stages of development. It is not on highly-manured land, but on naturally poor and unmanured sandy soils, that turnips come soonest to the hoe. I have noticed repeatedly that on recently-manured laud the fly destroys the young plants much more effectually than on soils dunged in autumn, and believe the explanation of this fact, which is well known to many farmers, is supplied in the circumstance that on the autumn-dnnged land the nitrogenous constituente of the dung get more thoroughly distributed iu the soil than is the cas& when the dung is put upon the land in spring, wheu the young turnip plants come into a more direct contact with the dung, in consequence of which the earliest growth of the young plants is retarded to an extent which gives the tir- nip iiy ample time to tlear off the plants. Nitrate of soda has the same general effect upon root crops as nitrogenous manures, but it appears to be more energetic in its action, and, ou the whole, to be a useful addi-iiou to bone manures, and to increase the produce in roots more considerably than salts of ammonia. Its effect is specially marked upon mangolds, and to my knowledge heavy crops of mangolds have beeu produced upon rather light land by 1| cwta. of nitrate of soda, 2 cwts. of common salt, sown broadcast, and 4 cwts. of dissolved bones diilled in with the seed. With regard to the use of salt as a manure for root crops, I would observe that salt checks over-luxuriance ia the tops, and prolongs the period of active growth. In con- sequence of this specific action it may be employed with benefit as an auxiliary manure for swedes and mangolds upon light land ; but, according to my experience, it docs no good, aud, in quantities larger than 3 cwt. per acre, rather uiminishes than increases the roct-produce upon heavy land. Potash salts, in some field txperiuients which I have tried in different parts of the country, have sh.own that potash has a decidedly bsneficial effect upon root crops on poor, sandy soils ; whilst on the majority of land, -dud notably upon clays or clay loams, or soils in a good agricultural condition, salts of potash do not increase the produce. The special effect of superphosphate, dissolved bones, and similar phosphatic manures, is to produce early maturity ; and hence phosphatic manures are employed in practice very largely, and with much benefit, by root growers. In free-growing light soils it is desirable either to use dissolved bones in addition to half a dressing of farmyard manure as a manure for roots, or to spread broadcast 2 or 3 cwt. of dissolved Peruvian guano and 2 cwt. of salt, or 2 of guano and 1 cwt. of nitrate of soda and 2 cwt. of common salt, and to drill with the seed 3 to 4 cwt. of dissolved bones. On the heavier description of soils it is preferable to use mineral superphosphate for roots, especially if the land has been dressed in autumn with a moderate quantity of dung. The addition of ammoniacal manures to superphosphate has a tendency to retard the maturity of the root crop, for which reasou mineral superphosphate, applied alone to the stiffer classes of soils, generally speaking has a better practical effect upon the pro- duce than dissolved bones or mixed ammoniacal and phof- phatic manures. On accouut of the valuable property of 4)2 THE FARMi^E'S MAGAZINE. leadily available phosphates to cause early maturity, neitl.er turnipa nor mangolds, nor, iudeed, any rcot crop, in iny jiulif- luon'^, should be grown without superphosphates, 3 or 4' cwt. of wliich per acre are best drilled iu at the time of sowiug. Thus much with regard to the special eOfects of the priu- cipal fertilising matters ui'on root crops. It will appear tint a knowledge of the rationale of action of the various manuring matters, and a due consideration of the variable character of soils, and the peculiarities of the prevaihng climate iu a dis- trict, will enable a root grower to compound for himself in the mo>t suitable manner, artiCcial manuring mixtures, cir to con- fine himself to the use of purely mineral snperphospates, and to re;ipthe benefit of his knowledge in the shape of heavy and sound root crops, at a more moderate expenditure than the farmer, who, in the selection of the manures lie ap] lies to his root crops, is not guided by a proper consideration of the principles involved in the economic application of manures, a!id who depends, in a greitt measure, upon the ncommeuda- tioas of the local manure merchants and agents, who, natui- •al!y enough, are loud in praising their special compounds. Thsre remains for our consideration one more fertiliser upon ■which you will, perhaps, expect me to say a few words. I refer to town sewage, which, as you are aware, has been applied with more or less beneficial etfeets to roots, especially to mangolds. Without doubt town sewage is a most useful f itiliscr for root crops, especially for mangolds, provided it be applied to the land at the right time and iu proper cjumtities. Town sewage may be employed with great advant;ge le- peatedly in large doses during the first two or three months of the growtii of the root crops. In dry springs especially, the liberal application of sewage cannot fail to be of the utmost utility to farmers who can command a supply of this luiuid fertiliser. It then encourages an early, luxuriant, and healthy development of leaves, by which sugar is afterwards elaborated from atmospheric food and stored up in the roots. Almost any quantity of town sewage may be applied to root crops during the first two months of their growth ; but subtfquently, and more especially when the bulbs have reached a cousidtr- »b'e size, sewage should be withheld, or otherwise the crop •will not properly ripen, and will he not wonh much for feeding purposes. It is important to bear iu mind tliat the more com- pletely the supply of soil-food is withheld during the late summer months, the more fully the roots will ripen, and the richer they will become in sugar in consequence. Town sewage as held in bad repute by not a few farmers, whose experience leads them to suspect that there is something or other in sewage prejudicial to the production of sound roots of good feeding qualities. I believe this is a mistake, for sewage con- tains nothing inimical to the healthy growth and develnpment of roots ; and the examination of mangolds and sugar-beets has shovn me that perfectly sound and nutritious roots can be grown with town sewage. At the same time I juiy state that some of the worst and least nutri'ious man- golds which have ever been analysed by me were grown with aewage ; and I have have therefore come to the conclusion that ill success with sewage as a manure for mangolds in most cases is due to its injudicious use, and not to any inherent bad qualities which it has been supposed to possess. My remarks on the dependence of root crops upon the character of the soil upon which ttiey are grown, and upon the composition of the various manures employed, liave already occnpied so much of the time tliat Ccin be devoted to t'le subject appointed for our evening's discussion, that little or no time is left at ray disposal to dwell upon the influence of the climate upon the quulity of root crops. I regret this the less, because under this head, with one exception, 1 have not any remarks to offer wliich are based on special and personal esperienco, and I hardly think it profitable to allude to yn-itters of common observation, with v/hich most agriculturists are familiar. The eiception to which I allude has reference tj the cultivation of t.he fugar-beet, not usually grown iu England. Doubts have been expressed as regards the suitability of the English climate to the production of beets BU'iiciontly rich in sugir to satisfy the demands of the manu- facturer of sugar. Having had a good deal of expericsce of beet-root culture, I have no hesitation in saying that our Enfrlisii climate on the whole is favourable to sugar-beet enlture. Our summers arc quite warm enough to ripeu siigar- beela sulticieutly, and to produce roots rich in sugar, in proof ef which I might quote numerous analyses of siiyar-btels, clearly showing that they can be grown of a's goott 3 (|uality, ia many parts of England, as on the (.'onlin.ut. ■ This crop does not require an excessive summer heat, iu order to come to per'ection. Indeed, sugar beets do not do nearly so well in Central France or Germany, nor in the South as in the North, where the tumnner temperature is much lower. It is not so much heat as a dry and unclouded sky during tlie autumnal months, which makes the sugar in the beet. A bright and dry Aui^ust seems to do more for sugar-beets than almost any other condition, however favourable it may be to the luxuriant growth of this crop. Sugar-beet culture, therefore, is not likely to succeed well in a great part of Ireland and Scotland, nor in the southern and south western counties of England, nor in localities in which the late summer and autumn are, as a rule, wet. On the other hand, the climate of the eastern and nortiiern counties, and of the east coa^t of Scotland, is by no means unfavourable to the cultiva- tion of sugar-beets, t,o that iu all districts wl.ere common mangokls do well sugar-beets may also be grown successluily. Mr. J. K. Fowler (The Trebendal Farm, Aylesbury) said he had listened with great attention to the excellent paper of Dr. Voelcker, and it appeared to him that a great portion of that paper was intendt d to convey to the farmers of England the necessity of paying far more attention to the cultivation of sugar-beet than to that of other roots. Having seen a good deal of the cultivatiou of sugar-beet in the eastern counties, he was so impressed with the advantage of it, that he determined to practice it himself. For the last three or four J ears he had grown sugar-beet in the neighbourhood of Aylesbury, but he had found that, measured hy preseut money value, it was notei]ual to the growth of mangolds or swedes. He thought that a great deal might be done for the more successful cultivation of beet after a few years' experience iu the matter. People generally were accustomed to grow the roots at a distance of from twenty-four to twenty-seven inches apart. Dr. Voelcker, while speaking of the actual value of tlic manure, and of the meat-producing qualities of various roots, had not alluded to the fact that a root crop was really a fallow crop, and tliat they had to consider, not merely the meat-producing qualities of a crop, but also the effect of the crop as part of the system of cleansing, and of preparing the land for the growth of cereals. The growth of roots twenty-seven inches apart allowed ample scope for proper cultivation, and on the rather deep alluvial soil of the Vale of Aylesbury he had found that a useful pr Jctice to adopt for the production of lirge roots. He had found that the white Silesiau sugar-beet could be grown less than twenty-four inches apart, and he had found 20 to 22 inches apart ample, and he could grovr from 16 to 20 tons per acre. There was great ditficclty in getting sugar-beet up from the soil, because it buried itself very deeply, much more dilKeulfy than there was in getting up mangold or swede. Ttie same remark applied to parsnips and to carrots. He had grown both of these, and he had found great difficulty in geiting them up on the rather close soil of his district. He mentioned these facts merely to shovr that practically they must keep in view the influence of roots as lertilisers for the fallows on their farms. He was rather surprised that Dr. Voelcker omitted to mention tlie growth of kohl-rabi. That was a moft valuable root, and he believed that many farmers in Huntingdonshire had abandoned the cultivation of swedes for that of kohl-r&bi. He had found that by the time his roots were carted home thf-y cost him from £12 to £14 an acre, and he would assume that he grew twenty tons per acre. lie had been informed by men who had studied the matter carefully, that you could not put roots down the throat of an animal so as to produce more than £9 an acre, and supposing these fifures to be correct, they clearly could not expect to get a very good return from the root cnp iu the first year. Let him mention one test of the value of roots. In throwing down a certa'u number in his farmyard he had found that pigs always went to the white Silesiau beet in preference to any other roots; their next favourite was the long red mangold, and af er tliat they would go to the swede, while ihe last thing they would go to was the white turnip. That was a practical illustration of the value of difi'erent kinds of roots for feeding pur- poses. When they studied Dr. Voelckcr's paper at hon.e, they would be able to go much more deeply iuto the subject than they could do while listening to it that evening, and he was sure they would all agree with him that their llianki were cmiu-jutly due to the Doctor lor the pa. us which THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 40' he litiJ devotf lUo ttic subjcu't. lie agreed with tliat gentle- liiiiu that it was quite useless tu grow roots to tlie si/.e to wliiuli tlicy lirtd been grown, merely to obtain prizes. Wliat- evi;r credit miglit be aue to Sarautlson, Gardiner, and others for their turuiij-cutters, it sliould be remembered tliat it was not easy to pitch such roots as he referred to into the machine ; and, iu his opinion, it wouUl be best to adopt a medium course, and not go in for sensational roots any mure than they went iu for sensational farming generally. Mr. L. A. CoussjiAKER (Westwood, Guildford) said, as an old practical farmer, and a successlul grower of roots, for about live-and-lhirty years, he wished to make a fe* obser- vations on that subject. His observations applied to a strong clay soil iu tlie South of England, and particularly to man- gold wurzel. He thought that the first object in growing roots should be to grow them with as little expense as possi- ble, and to produce as good a crop as possible, and when they had got a good crop they should feed it off, so as to produce the best results in the animals. With regard to the production of mangold, he entirely agreed with Dr. Voelcker about autumnal culiivation. IJe had found that, with a moderate quantity of long dung, say about 12 tons to the acre, carted on to wheat or barley stubble, and ploughed in early and as deeply as possible, they could go through the whole of the wiuler, and then if the ground were in a good state in the spring it might be scarified, and 2 cwt. of guano and 5 cwt. of salt might be advantageously deposited in the soil. He quite agreed with Dr. Voelcker that the manure ought not to come in contact with the seed ; but if it were well mixed with ths soil, harrowed dov.n, indue courte of time rolled down, nothing more need be done. He did not think they could have a more moderate manure for a crop of mangold wurzel than a dressing ol 12 tons of long dung in the autumn, and 2 cwt. of guano in the spring. He quite agreed that imm.tture roots were not proper tilings to feed upon. He thought that mangold wurzel ou^ht not to be usee, if it could possiiily be avoided, before Cliristinas. If they liad early turnips to begin witli, swedes to succeed them, and maug'jld wurzel afterwards, when it was of the quality that it ought to be, and swedes lu.d dete- riorated, they might hope fur satislactory results. He had, indeed, fed animals on mangold wurzel this year up to the juonth of September. Having a clay soil, he had a great difficulty iu keeping sheep in winter. He grew tares suc- ceeding mangold wurzel. He stored up a great portion of his mangiild crop in the field, and he fed the two together, and in the last summer he had fed and fatted sheep on tares and mangold without using any oilcake at all, until the mangold was gone. In the South of Eugland they could grow mangold ; it could not be grown in the North so well, wiiere farmers grew swedes and turnips of much superior quality to those which were grown in the south. Climate had a good deal to do with the sort of roots which must be grown. Then, as to the sort of mangold to be grown, there could be no doubt that the long red was the most productive. There was one sort which had been introduced this year, which had been highly prized, both for size and quality — he meant the ox heart. The two best qualities of mangold that he knew of, was what was called Sutton's " Golden Tankard," and the intermediate sort---, which were grown about 19 inches apart. He knew of no mangold which was equal to the " Golden Tankard;" there was as much difference between that and other sorts of mangold, as between a swede and a white-flesh turnip (Hear, hear). Mr. C. M. Caldecott (Ilolbrook Grange Rugby) said there were one or two points on which he had the misfortune to dis'gree with Dr. Voelcker. The Doctor said tliat mangold wurzel had more feeding qualities than swede turnips. Having been a feeder of beasts for about 16 years, towards the latter part of tiiat period he found that his swedes failed, and he was obliged to substitute for them mangold wurzel ; and he believed that mangold would not compare with swedes for feeding qualities. Again, he differed from what Dr. Voelcker said, with regard to sewage manure. He presumed t'lat what he referred to was not manure made from sewage, but sewage spread on the land, because they all knew by Eometlung more tlun hearsay, that manure made from sewage was liardly worth the trouble of carting from a distance. Dr. Voelcker said, that sewage applied to green crops was very useful for the first two mouth?. He (]\Ir. Caldecott) had for Uiauy years had oppcrtuuilicb of observing the clTccts of the use of se.-vage on land near Rugby. He liad seen it used on root crops for the first two months of their growth. In tli:.t CHse the siAvage utterly overwh. Inied the plant with weeds and the utmost amount of produce vias about 7 tons per acre after an enormous expenditure of labour. He believed that iho application of sewage after the plant had got on— say in July- would be most useful ; but if it were applied with the seed, it would, in nine cases out of ten, beat any farmer who tried to grow roots in that way. Mr. H. J. Little (Coldham Hall, Wisbech), said he thought that practical experience bore out the reraurk of Dr. Voelcker that au excessive application of farm-yard manure would deteriorate instead of advancing the growth of root crops. He wished, however, to speak parti, ularly about mangolds-. He was not at that moment a grower of turnipx. Last }e;ir he had apiece of land cultivated in the ordinary way. It was of a deep alluvial nature. It was a wlieaf stubble manured with farm-yard manure. In the autumu a was deeply ploughed for mangolds, which, according to the, usual custom of that part of the conn ry, was to be cnl i- vated in the spring. He ordered his foreman to apply 12 tons of farm-yard manure, and shortly afterwards he was mucli_ struck with the fact, tliat either through the carelessness of that man, or that of the man who actually spread the manure, at least 20 tons an acre were laid down. The land was drilled with mangolds in the ordinary course, and with a small quantity of artificial manure, cliiefly superphosphate, in tlie spring. The first crop of mangolds having been eaten olF by the wire-worm, the land was drilled again, on the Ikh of May, with long red mangold. The tops of these continu-d growing so vigorously until last week that it was almost impossi- ble to move among them. They were taken up, and a very fair crop w is the result ; but the crop was by no means greater thaii what he obtained on other parts of the farm, where about lialf tlie quantity of farm-yard manure used there was put in, and where there was an equal dressing of artific'al manure. The tops continued growing so vigorously as to prevent the roots from attaining any great size. As regards the analysis of diff"erent kinds of roots, he might observe that a very extra- ordinary experiment was reported in the-Ji/riciil'ural Gazelle of last year, by Mr. Lawes. It seemed, from the account given, that s^mie mangold-, taken from a f^rm in Ireland, con- tained exactly double the quantity of feeding materials that were contained in other mangolds grown on the same farm ; in other words, 40 tons of mangolas per acre being grown in one field, their feeding qualities did not exceed those of 20 tons pfr acre grown in anotlier. They must not, therel'orp, be too proud of growing e uormous crops of mangold, seeiuif that their neighbours on the other side of the hedge, with half their crops, might have much better feediug properties. There was another piactical {oiut to which he wished to allude. It was generally tlie case, he believed, with mangold growers, that they looked out for some field on their f'arcn wliich, being in high condition, they thought they cotild safi ly reckon on agood crop of roots. He believed it was not neces- sary to do that. He knew that on strong loams mangold might be grown for a number of consecutive years, or in alter- nation with grain crops. In a field on his own farm, which lay conveniently near the homestead, his predecessor and himself had grown alternate crops of mangolds and wheat for the last fourteen years without a break. This year the crop amounted to 36 tons an acre ; and as long as he could grow such crops iu alternation with fair crops of wheat, he would continue the practice (Hear,hear). As to the size of roots, although they might despise large roots because they contained a large pro- portion of water, they should remember that a large quantity of roots were very useful in " filling the belly " of animals, to use a homely phrase. Last year, in his own district, they grew only about 20 to 25 tons of mangolds an acre, but it was not unusual to average 35 to "iO tons an acre on good iarms. He could assure Dr. Voelcker that in that district, with their large quantities of straw to convert into manure in the yard-', he would willingly have exchanged his 20 tons an acre of the lS7i crop for 40 tons an acre, even if the latter contained no greater amount of nutriment in the aggre- gate. With regard to climate, it astonished farmers in the eastern or southern counties to fiud that in Scotland, in some parts of Wales, and in Ireland, ho less than 40 tons per acre of swedes could be grown, and that they possessed such fattening qualities as were not to be found in the roots in the distric's which he had just meutioned ; and 40 1 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. he would like to know how it was that sneh immense crops possessed .-uch very valii;ible feediag qualities. Mr. J. J. Mechi (Tipti-ee Hall, Kelveduu, Essex) said he was rnthtr an old mangold wurzsl grower, having grown it for thirty years, and always on one plan, corresponding with that described by Mr. Coussmaker. Late in the autumn he spread on the laud a heavy dressing of slied mmure taken from under animals that had been fed with Ciike and corn. That manure, not having been made into a dungheap, was first ploughed into the land witii three horses, followed by ploughing with four horses. He thought it was most material tliat the subsoiling should be done m that way. The land remiiined iu that condition until the spring. Late in March or early in April about 3 cwt. of Peruvian guano and 1^ cwt. of common salt were scarified in, and the seed drilled. This year he had obtained as much as 40 tons per acre of red mangolds, and about 30 tons of other sorts. He had grown as much as 43 tons per acre on stiff soil. He never attempted to grow thera on light laud. As to what Mr. Caldecott said about the relitive qualities of swedes and man- gol'l, he (Mr. Mechi) believed tliat he was decidedly wrong. Tliere was decisive evidence against this view, for early num- bers of the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society con- t lined an account of a long course of experiments oarefully car- ried out by the late Lord Spencer, which resulted in proving that the feeding properties of swedes are inferior to those of mangolds ; the former contained 90 per cent, of water, while the latter contained only 88. Of course, a good deal depended upon the mode of feeding mangolds ; for none of themselvrs could get tat while they were being purged. He agreed with Mr. fowler in what he said respecting kohl-rahi ; he had always grown it, and he believed it was one of the most important of roots (Hear, hear). Mr. 11. Trethewy (Silsoe, Amptliill) saia,like Mr. Fowler, he regretted that I'rofessor Voelcker did not enumerate kohl- rabi among the roots, for he considered it one of the most valuable roots that they had. The Professor mentioned a CAse in which there was a heap of gas lime placed in one part of a field, and a heap of manure in another, and in which the rjots were afterwards sown, and he said these were the only two pieces of the land where the roots were healthy. He (Mr. Trethewy) could quite understand the reason of that. He had seen instances in which, under a precisely similar state of things, kohl-rabi had produced a most healthy, luxuriant crop, and the swedes were full of finger-and-toe. Therefore, he did not think it was because of those deposits that such good effects were produced ; he thought that if the land had been treated in the ordinary course for kohl-rabi, different results would have followed. He had noticed a piece of land about one-half of which was sown with kohl-rabi, and the other half with swedes, the treatment being precisely the same, and the kohl-rabi yielded an excellent plant, while the swedes were eaten up with finger-and-toe. The fact was, he believed that, as was often the case as regarded clover, the land had become tired of swedes, while kohl-rabi being a new plant it flourished vigorously in consequence (Hear, hear). With regard to the influence of climates there could be no question better mangolds could be grown in the South of England than in Scotland, and that in Scotland farmers could grow much heavier crops, and a better quality of s'^'edes, than could be grown in the South. He had witnessed tliat for himself, and could bear testimony to it ; and he did not join with those who expressed surprise on the su'.iject, as, in his opinion, climate entirely accounted for it. The only exception which he ever met with to the rule was near Morecambe, in Lancashire, where farmers grew mangolds which were equal to almost any that were produced in the South of England. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P. : Is that by the sea ? Mr. H. Trethewy continued : \e3, it was by the sea. Dr. Voelcker attended to the storing of mangolds, and, if he under- stood liira aright, he attributed their keeping in some measure to their growth. He (Mr. Tretliewy) believed that their keep- ing depended very much on how they were stacked (Hear, hear), provided they were taken up under the same circum- stances. A great deal depended, in his opinion, upon whether the rows were laid east and west, or north and south. If they were laid east and west the action of ttie sun, after a severe night's frost, would tell upon the thatch, or whatever the cover- ing might be. If they were laid north and south they would not be subject to tlic same influences. They must all have noticed something of that kind in the case of thatched build'- iugs. If a thatched building ran east and west, the north side of the thatch would always stand longer than the south side, therefore they ought to follow the same rule with regard to the stacking of mangold wurzel, as in that of thatched build- ings, and if they did they were almost sure to derive benefit from it. With regard to the ieeding of mangolds, one speaker remarked that the value of the roots depended very much- upon the time at which they were consumed. He thought so too. He thought it would be almost a waste to consume mangolds now ; his cattle were eating mangolds at that moment produced last year. The value of it was certainly not as great as it was the year before. If they kept mangolds properly the waste would be very little, and the longer tht^y kepttlie roots, in reason, ihe better they were (Hear, hear). In the county in which he lived — Ijedi'ordshire — they had very frequently a good flush of grass. This kept their beasts going on very well till June or July. Then, perhaps, instead of the grass grow- ing to a perpetual verdure, as was the case in some of the more- favoured counties, it bs-gan to ripen and ruu to seed, unless they had a considerable rainfall, and thai was the time wlien the mangolds became valuable. With regard t3 the weight of some red roots, he could not help thinking that Mr. Powler had rather over-estimated it. He could never, himself, get up- to 40 tons an acre, and he fancied that those gentlemen,, who thought they had grown sncli excessive weights, did not always weigh Ihe roots themselves. [xV voice : " Perhaps your land is not so good as theirs "] (laughter). With respect to kohl-rabi, he thought it was one of the best roots they had. Allusion was then made to the common turnips, swedes, carrots, parsnips, and the rest ; and kohl-rabi possesses this ail van- tage, that, through sowing it at proper seasons, you miglit have it from September till March, and he ventured to assert his- belief that it would supply more keep per acre than turrips or mangolds, or any other roots. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., said : During the summer and autumn he had been over a very large extent of the land of England and Scotland, and his attention had been drawn to that part of the subject which Ur. Voelcker treated of last and least — he meant climate. Mr. Trethewy said he did not wonder at the difference between Scotland and Norfolk as regarded the production of swedes and mangold wurzel. He (Mr. Read) wondered very much, because, from some cause or other, lie found it more dillicult every year to grow a decent crop of swedes. Instead of immature ripe roots they had prematurely ripened roots (Hear, hear). Whether it was that the land was getting sick, and jtired of growing swedes, or whether otlier manures were required to regulate the growth, it was more difficult every year to produce a crop of swedes. He had heard, with a feeling of satisfaction, that Mr. Eowler expected to grow this year 20 or 25 tons of swedes per acre. They had wretched crops in Norfolk this season, and he did not believed the average of the county would exceed 10 tons. He had tried kohl-rabi, but after seven or eight years' experi- ence he was obliged to give it up. On the other hand, he contended that they were right in increasing tlieir growth of mangolds. Mr. Trethewy had fold them that they should not xise mangolds tillJuly. [Mr. Trethewy : " June or July."] He contended that they might use thera in October with great advantage. [Mr. Trethewy — "Last years' growth"]. No, this years' growth. He did not keep so much money at his banker's that he could afford to keep mangolds more than a twelve- month. He maintained that if they pulled mangolds up, for a fortnight or three weeks at this season of the year, before using them, they might then use it immediately. A friend of mine has been feeding his sheep with mangolds for the last six weeks, with the best results. He knew very well that keeping rendered the properties more valu- able ; but when he heard a gentleman explain, as Dr. Voelcker did, of the large quantity of water iu roots, he must remind him that in these days, when such a large quantity of dry provender was used, roots might be found very useful indeed, although they did contain a large quantity of liquid. Last year he made a very rude remark about a statement of Mr. Neild about his swedes. He understood him to say that tl'e average weight of a crop of swedes which he had grown was 40 tons per acre [Mr. Neild : " I grew 46 tons"]. Heuuderstood that the average quantity was 40 tons, and he said he questioned the statement. He was quite sure that if any gentleman was to go from the cast to the west of Eng'aud, and again into TEE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 4o: Scotland, he would be perfectly astounded at the difference in Hie growth of swedes. lie had met with more diseased roots, more yellow and white and blue leaves on the best piece of swedes that lie had, than he saw in the whole of Scotland. Tlic difference was perfectly mar- vellous. The Scotch had grown tiiruipa quite as long as they liad, and more successfully ; and tiiey did not vary the crops no much; and, therefore, the cause could not be merely tliat the land was tired of the swede, and he believed tliat it was en- tirely climate. They werealtogether getting out of the system of growing swedes in Norfolk. As regarded kohl-rabi and cabbage, althougli they yielded excellent crops, he thouglit Dr. Volecker was quite JListilied in not mentioning them, because they did not come under the head ot roots. What they hud chiefly to look to in the eastern counties, and in the south of England, as regarded roots, was the extension of tiie growth of mangold- wurzel. He was quite sure that it might be advantageously grown at smaller intervals than they had been accustomed to grow it. Mr. Fowler mentioned an interval of 27 inches, but he would recommend the adoption of smaller intervals, and there would be no difference in the matter if an 8-incli hoe were used to cut out the plants. The Rev. E. Smithies (Hathern Rectory, Loughborough) said a very interesting question bearing on climate has been raised by JMr. Little, namely, how it was that the land in the jMortii of England and Scotland grew such large crops of swede turnips as compared with the South. Between Carlisle and I'ort- patrick, a distance of about 100 miles, he saw recently not less than 10,000 acres ot swedes growing, and he never beheld more magnificent crops, lie enquired particularly into the manner in which they were grown. He had an opportuniiy of going over one large dairy fainn, the occupier of which dairied 2r2 cows, and was makiug what was culled Ayrshire Cheddar, and that man never grew less than 200 acres of swedes in the year. He saw the crop, and anything more beautiful tliere could not be. No manure was used there except artificial manure, and, indeed, he did not see how any other could be used, as the crops were grown on hills of considerable height. For 200 acres of swedes tlie occupier used last year artificial manure of the value of £1,180, being within a very small frac- tion of £6 per acre. Looking at the excellent feeding quality of those enormous crops of swedes, he began to think that that portion of the kiagdona enjoyed a climate and a range of temperature which we, perhaps, little suspected. Close alongside the fields of swedes he saw fuschias as large as small forest trees, aad magnolias growing, and other evidences of a climate which farmers m the South did not possess. At SiUoth, not far from Carlisle, it had been found that the mean te.mperature of the year was a trifle higher than that of Torquay. What was the explanation of that ? The Gulf-stream, he believed, and nothing else (Hear, hear), and unless they could introduce that stream into their rivers they could not have the climate wliich was necessary to enable them to grow such magnificent crops of swedes. As regards the mangold crops, there was now a little revulsion of feeling in the case of strong land. The most successful grower of mangold that he had ever known, a man who had won numerous prizes for large roots, and also for his yield per acre, had told him that year that he thought he should give up grow- ing mangold altogether. In a large portion of the midland coun- ties, if you grew mangold in such a season as this, you could not get half a crop of wheat after it ; and if you grew barley, it would be of very inferior quality. Nothing seemed to over- come the evil effect of drawing off a crop of mangold in such a season as the present : so long as he could get cotton-cake and straw, he would prefer to winter his beasts with them. As to sowing mangolds and swedes together, the result was like the fat kine eating up the lean kine. The mangolds were very small, and the cause of that appeared to he that the swedes like gluttons monopolised so much of the manurial value of what was put on the land. He had made up his mind not to grow mangold, except to a very limited extent, in future. Mr. 11. H. Masfen (Pendeford, Wolverhampton) agreed ■with preceding speakers that their warm thanks were due to Dr. Voelcktr for the very able manner in which he intro- duced the subject, he was much struck with the amount of nitrate of soda which he recommended to be used in addi- tion to other fertilisers in the growth of mangold. Mr. Smythicsmade a very perlinent remark with regard to what was taken from the laud by a heavy crop of mangold ; and it applied to all root crops; but it had oflin struck him that in discussions of that kind nitn who had grown a particular crop in speaking of it were apt to forget where tliMt cr(ip had gone to. If farmers obtained 40 tons of mangolds, it was very silly to suppose that the succeeding crop would not suffer. He had himself grown large crops of mangold, con- suming them in the most beneficial manner for the farm. He had arrived at the conclusion that the mangold crop was very exhaustive ; and it they grew an exhaustive crop, tliey must put something in the land for the succeeding crop, or tlie next har- vest must suffer. They all knew that the Ij-Ic of Anulesea was remarkable for the production of extraordinary vveiglits of roots, and it via.% generally found, when the cultivation was at all up to the standard, the roots were very good in particular districts. As Mr. Head had well remarked, the turnips in Norfolk were irregular, and often of a bad quality. In the North of England they were just the opposite, and he atliibn- ted that difference to the fact that in the eastern counties dry weather often prevailed for a long period, and was often succeeded by a considerable rainfall, and that tlie two things, not harmonising well together, resulted in an un- satisfactory crop. In Scotland, in Anglesea, and in Ireland farmers had very little of that difficulty to contend with ; they had a more uniform teaiperature, which was favourable to the growth of roots. They heard a great deal from Dr. Volecker about artificial manure, and very little about ths manure made at home. He would be glad to learn from him what crop he would recommend as best on which to use home- made manure, and what were the best kinds of manure for different kinds of crops — whetbiir it was the manure of horses, cattle, or pigs. He thought the Doctor might have given them some Very useful hints on that subject. As regarded the free use of nitrate of soda, he had generally found the succeeding crop unsatisfactory, Mr. T. HORLEY (The Fosse, Leamington) wished to make one or two remarks respecting the consumption of mangel wurzel early in the season, alluding first to the practice of farmers in a district near where he lived, where mtmgels had been grown almost exclusively for the last ten years. He referred to the neighbourhood ot Stratford-on-Avou, He had there found that farmers generally had given up growing swedes, and taken to growing mangels, which they began to consume as early as the month ot October. There could be no doubt that the consumption of mangels, and indeed of roots gene- rally, was very much on the increase. One grand mistake consisted in giving animals too much of that kind ;of food at the commencement. Many persons in that room might re- member the name of the late Mr. Adkins, who was one of the best farmers in his (Mr. Horley's) part of the country. Mr. Adkins told him that a sheep should never take at the com- mencement more tlian 71bs. or Slbs. of roots a day, and the neighbourhood of Stratford-on-Avon, in the vicinity of which Mr. Adkins lived, might challenge England to produce a better lot of stiearlings than were to be found there (Hear, hear). It was a great mistake to give any kind of roots too liberally, either to sheep or cattle, at an early period. With regard to the keeping of mangels, no doubt keeping improved the quality ; but farmers generally, like himself, had not such a large cash-balance at their bankers that they could afford to wait two years (laughter). He was very glad to find that the autumn cultivation of roots was so much increasing, because he had in his own district seen that plan followed for five-and-twenty years with great advantage. He was rather surprised to find that, amid all the progress now made in agriculture, IMr. Mechi still adhered to the system of using three horses for one furrow with one plough, and four with another to follow, when, if he had a steam plough, he might do all that was necessary with one operation (Hear, hear). He concurred in what Dr. Voelcker said respecting the use of superphosphates. His own practice was to apply about twelve loads per acre of farmyard manure as soon as possible after harvest, and to steam-plough the whole of the land. Two or three days before sowing he applied artificial manure — guano and superphosphate, or guano and nitrate of soda — whether it were for mangels or swedes ; and, occupying a strong land farm of about 900 acres in extent, he had never lost a crop of roots or missed obtaining mangels for fifteen or twenty years. He grew about tl.e same quantity of swedes as of mangels, hut the land was never touched after the steam-plough until he planted the 406 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. seed TliR innre the soil wns worked *he better was the effect on the plant. In the present season mangels wtre very variable in his district; there was, in I'art, a greater varintion than lie had ever seen before. As to the date of planting, he had always planted as s-^on as possible after the loth of March. Tliis year he planted one piece of land on the lith of March, and ano'her ou the second week in April, and the result was a diiTerence of more than ten tons an acre in favour of the early sowing. With regard to the planting of swedes along with mangels, he had thought that that practice was now almost extinct, because the result was that the swedes were so much more rapid in their early growth, that they smothered the mangels. When he first began to grow mangels, the usual practice was to put a few swedes in. If he wanted to grow a few swedes for a particular purpose, he then sowed half-an- acre or so, but he never put iu the seed with his general mangel crop, because that tended to smother it. The general growth of roots should, he thouglit, be as nniform as possible throughout the farm, and he believed that no operation on a farm required greater caution or cure than the growing of root crops (Hear, hear). Mr. F. SiiERBORN said there was one remark in the early part of Dr. Voelcker's valuable p»per which had remained un- noticed by previous speakers, and which struck him rather forcibly — viz., that " ruolcrops extracted from the soil a much larger amount of mineral substances than corn crops." (Dr. Voelcker assented). Now he had been hoping to see all restrictions on cropping gradually removed ; hitherto they had been in tlie direction ol corn crops, and farmers had been en- couraged to crow roots by every means possible, but what Dr. Voeliker had stated— and no one would doubi his authority — would, he feared, alarm landlords in a new direction ; be hoped, however, tlie latter would not take note of what had been sta ed, or interfere in any way whatever with the cultivation cl' rout crops. Dr. Voelcker : Grow as many as you like, but don't sell them off the land. Mr. H. jVeild (The Grange, Worsley, Manchester) was surprised at being told in effect, that evening, that cabbages were not a root crop. He really did not know what else to call them, and, with all deference to Mr. llead,he must say he thought they were becoming most important, while, for his own part,_he considered them the best crop on his farm. As for kohl-rabi, he was confident that it was one of the most valuable roots they could have, but when the farm was overrun with vermin (rabbits). Yes, that would have the lion's share of the crop ! He had hoped that Mr. Head would say something on a subject which was very interesting, not merely to farmers, but also to ratepayers gene- rally— he meant the useof town refuse or sewage, and the best mode of applying it for the feeding of plants He was not there to advertise a particular kind of manure, but he would say that there were important districts of Eughuid where the upb of the waste and refuse of large towns, and of dead animals and slaught( -liouse refuse were employed. One or two experiments whicli h' had made tended to sup- port the views of Dr. Voelcker, that, generally speaking, it was unwise to give a heavy dressing of farmyard manure. He would name a case of cultivation of mangolds, where he had substituted for three loads of farmyard manure, one of manu- factured town refuse. The results upon the crop was an increase of 71b. per each 10 yards in the drills in favour of the mixed manures. The largest grower of mangold that he had met with lived in the neighbourhood of Liverpool, and he had known that man bring to the scale oi tons per acre, wiiich was in a great degree produced with the aid of sewage from Liverpool. He was rather surprised to hear mangolds ap- plauded so much in comparison with swedes. As regardt d such crops, he had found that farmers, liaving burut their fingers at one end of the stick, had taken hold of the other ; they had jumped to conciusior.s, instead of being guided by care- fully continued practice. He regretted that Dr. Voelcker did not include in his elaborate paper any mention of potatoes. Notwithstanding what Cobbett said, that was a very important root. He himself grew 30 or 40 acres of potatoes, and there was no root the action of which told more upon tillage. The Chairman, in summing up the discussion, said lie quite concurred m the opinion tliat the paper of Dr. Voelcker was one of the most valuable papeis that had ever been read before the Club, and he was sure they would all agree with him that the discussion had been moot interesting (cheers). Dr. Voelcker, in replying, said he might have entered more fully into the question of differences of climate, but I'C could not iiave said anything with which every intelligent farmer was not, he believed, perfectly familiar. Every farmer, who was at all familiar with the subject, must be aware that a far better quality of swedes could be grown in the north than in the south, and that in the most parts of Scotland and especially nearer the west coast, no Scotch farmer would ever dream of growing mangolds. The swede requires a uniform temperature, and ripened quite late in the season, having come originally from Sweden, and it permanently required moisture. As regarded weight, he saw a short time ago, in Ayrshire, a crop of 40 tons to the acre, and 35 tons were commonly grown. In that part of Scotland it had been found profitable to use 10 cwt. of bone dust, 5 cwt. of Peruvian guano, and 5 cwt. of superphosphate per acre. The reason why he did not mention kohl-rabi was that he regarded it as a cabbage. On the motion of Mr. J. Bradshaw, seconded by Mr. Mechi, a vote of thanks was given to Dr. Voelcker for his paper, and thanks were afterwards voted to the chairman. THE WORKING OF THE PRIZE SYSTEM. In Ihe face of anolber attempt from Mr. Randell to get rid of the prize system by a side wind, nothing could testify stronger to the efficacy of the system than the reports of the stewards on the implement trials at Taun- ton, as given in the new Number of the Royal Agricultural Society's Journal. These reports serve to sbow not only how thoroughly the several classes of implements w'ere proved, but how necessary such a public examination still is to incite the energy and invention of the manufacturer. As we pointed out at the time of the meeting, and as Mr. Whitehead, the senior steward, now says officially, " the number of mowing machines which competed at Taunton was considerably greater that at Manchester or Plymouth ;" so that it is evident enough, Mr. Randell and his more or less open attacks notwithstanding, that the interest amongst the implement makers themselves in the prize system is not dying out ; the more especially when we fiad all the houses most famous for this kind of machinery represented iu the trial fields at Taunton : Ilonisby, Sarauelson, Walter Wood, Burgess and Key, llarriaou and JlcGrcg'jr, Kearslcy, and others. As to the authority of these trials, Mr. Ilemsley, an old judge himself, says in his valaable report, which speaks still further to the fact, that " the* Society was fortunate in securing the services of three experienced gentlemen as judges ia the mowing machine classes," as these were Colonel Grantham, Mr. John Hichen, and Mr. .1. W. Kimber ; while the senior steward was " struck with the energy, assiduity, and intelligence of the judges as a rule ; and at Taunton, during the trials of mowing- machines, it was refreshing to see how hard the three judges worked. No judges, moreover, from what class or in what way they might have been selected, could have displayed more impartiality, greater intelligence, or a more thorough practical knowledge." We put every faith in this testimony, as we would again refer to the reports supplied for its full confirmation ; while Mr. Hemsley upholds the practical value of the system as now conducted by demonstrating that but for these trials " farmers would be compelled to compare machinery in their own hands privately, with much iii- cuuvcnicucc and jierplcxity to themselves ; and it is THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 407 extremely Joubtful whether, if such a plan had been relied ou, this sretie'atiou would have witnessed anytliiiig like the prcseut degree of perl'ectioa in agrieultural machines ; any which get well through these severe tests aud examinations may be considered safe ones to buy." And yet The Times' reporter, having bi en duly primed, of course, wrote disparagingly of the im})lenient judges as " farmers more or less competent to form an opinion," as " liable to unconscious predilections," and so forth ; making, it will be seen, no distinct charge, but inferring au incapacity, which a man like ^'Ir. llemsley directly contradicts. A firm exhibiting at Taunton had the good or b.id taste, as may be, to reprint all this on the back of its trade cards ; but surely Mr. Whitehead, in mentioning the matter, should have published the name of the firm, which is very possibly — for we ourselves never saw that Janus-faced circular — prominently repre- sented on the new Agricultural Engineers' Association. Following on will be found a report of the first general meeting of this body, when, amongst other business, committees were appointed to main- tarn existing foreign customs' tariffs and regulations ■when favourable, and to obtain their amendment when otherwise — to look to the charges of railways, carriers, and Societies — aud to watch any proeeedings in Par- liament. One main point with the meeting however, was the establishment of a summer agricultural ex- hibition, annual or biennial, to be held by preference in Loudon, and " under the auspices of the Royal Agricultural Society." If this contemplated exhibition be one of stock and machinery, it must go far towards taking the annual show out of the Society's own hands ; or if it be an exhibition of implements only, to be held ly preference in London, there can be little promise of its success. lu the course of a week or two we shall have such an exhibition in London ; but in con- junction with a show of stock, when, day by day, not only will the stalls but the galleries be crowded ; whereas, as a meeting held for the display of machinery only, not a hundred visitors would travel to London to see it, and not as many more go up to Islington from the City or the West-end, the North or the South. Moreover, an implemeut exhibition " held by preference in London " would necessarily be an exhibition without trials, without premiums, and without interest — a mere mart without attraction to secure custom. This is the more palpable from the attention of the Council of Agricultural Engineers beiug about to be called to " the present system of trials of, and awards to, implements as imperfect and unsatisfactory;" whereas another Society of Agricultural Engineers, from which this would seem to have grown, went more directly to the issue some years since, on the plea that the time had arrived, from improvement having advanced so far, for the abolition of the prize system. And yet since then we have now manufactured, that which had looked like an impossibility, a prize one-borse mowing machine, and arrived at a variety of improvements in other ways. The Agricultural Engineers say " the trials are imperfect and unsatisfactory ;" the stewards at Taunton say the trials were thorough aud reliable ; and, so far at variance, the Council of the cue body is about to seek the countenance of the other. The Royal Agricultural Society publishes for the use of its members a Journal, uow again very ably conducted ; its members have also certain otiier small rights aud privileges; but its vitality centres on its summer show. Even more, despite the timidity of men like Mr. Randell and one or two others, who argue as if the Society's chief object were to save money rather than to spend it, this summer show still nourishes exceedingly ; and there is thus a noticeable peculiarity iu the proposal that it should give its countenance to another summer show, where, if stock be included, the opposition must be dirert, and where, if not from tiie very locality — say the Ilall at Islington — implemeut trials must be abandoned. AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERS' ASSOCIATION. The general mpclinfj of the members wns hoiutcd to take steps to maintain the existing foreign customs' tariffs and regulations wlieu favourable, and to obtain their amendment when otlier- vi'i'-e, on the occasion of the impending revisiou of our com- mercial treaties. That Mr. Barford, Mr. Morton, Mr. EJdison, Mr. Norfolk, and Mr. Hunt be a committee to inquire into the charges of railway companies and other carreers for the tr iiisport of ngri- cultural machinery, with a view to their equiiable adjnstineut, and the extension of the sjstem of throuj^h rates at home and abroad, and to report to the Council. Tliat, in the opini >n of this meeting, it is desirable that ari agricultural exhibition should be held annaally or biennially in one or other of the largest centres of populatioa during the summer months, by preference in Loudon, and under tiie auspices of the Fv-oyal Agricnifuril Society of England, and tliat the Council be requested to take such steps as they miy deem advisable to accomplish this object. A commiitee, consisting of Mr. Nicliolson, Mr. Float, 'Mv. Hunt, and Mr. Collison, was appointed to report to the Council what steps should be taken with a view to the reduc- tion of the charges made to exhibitors by the Royal and other Societies, aud to co-operate with the Council in regard thereto. That the present system of trials of and awards to imple- ments is imperfect and unsatisfactory, and that it is desir:ible that the subject should occupy the attention of the Council at an early date. That the Council be requested to watch any proceedings in Parliament relative to the Patent-laws. THE SHAFTESBURY SHOW.— Tliis annual show, on Wedne-'day, was very small, alihough two or three classes were tolerably well filled. This cause of this slackness of competition was that which has done similar injury for several years past — viz., the prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease. Barring one Shorthorn, all the cattle exhibited were Herefords. Mr. Eli Benjafield took first prizes for dairy cows and three-year-old heifers; Mr. A. Hi?cock, those for young heifers and young bull ; Mr. N. Benjafield showed the best bull of any age ; and Mr. W. Drew tO"k four second prizes. There were a few sheep, including some Down ewes and lambs belonging; to feir T. F. Grove, which were awarded first prizes. In tiie horse show the best hunter was adjudged to be a three-year-old owned by Mi. G. Gense, and the first prize for cart mare was won by Mr. J. D, Allen. THE EDUCATION SCHEME IN CHESHIRE.— At a meeting of the Cheshire Chamber of Agriculture at Crewe, on Saturday, the following resolution was carried unanimously : " That the committee appointed on the education of farmers' sons be empowered to arrange with the head-master and trustees of the Sandbach Grammar School to receive boys under this scheme after the Christmas vacation ; that tlie committee have conference with the head-master, draw up and issue a prospectus of the course of studies to be pursued at the school, and cause advertisements of the same, aud exact terms agreed upon, to be iuscrtcd in the papera." 408 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. THE OPENING OF THE WINTER SESSION. A prize root, like a prize ox, is often cnougli little more than a eostly excrescence ; cultivated for a dip, or as an advertisement at a far greater outlay than the individual return can ever liope to repay. " You may grow turnips on the top o' your head," as one of the old school put it, " if you only give 'em sile and dressing enough;" as when going for specimen plants the main requisites are " acres " of room, and " loads" of manure. This was one of the points at the Farmers' Club on Monday, where the discussion turned once again on the practical rather than the political element, which has naturally preponderated of late, and the talk, as one of the speakers put it, " reminded him of old times." Dr. Voelcker, the Chairman, spoke at length on the growth of root crops as influenced by soil, manure, and climate, in a paper which, never flagged, and created, moreover, a debate in every way worthy of the introducer. It was certainly throughout one of the best evenings wliich the Club has enjoyed for some time past, as it served to show how valuable these occasions may be made. Beyond, however, the uses of certain roots in certain quarters, how the soil and climate of the North may suit on, variety, and that of the South or the West anothere the moral which the Professor sought to inculcate was that any root to be of any service should not be forced beyond a medium size. A crop or piece of mangolds of uniform growth and weight may furnish a lesson for others, and thus be well worthy of official inspection, but the half-dozen leviathans paraded should have no better aim than to amuse the townspeople, who admire alike the proportions of a mammoth beast and a mammoth bulb. " Small mangolds approach sugar-beets in composition, ■whilst large sugar-beets are hardly better than common mangolds, and monster beets are even less nutritious than well-matured mangolds of fair average size. Monster roots, as is well known, are always very watery, poor in sugar, and almost useless for feeding purposes. The contrast in the quality of excessively big and moderate- sized roots is very striking." So decisively declares Dr. Voelcker, as there is much more to the same effect in his address against the danger of over manuring under the desire to produce heavy crops ; while the meeting went very much with him in this view. Mr. Fowler, the next speaker, said " it was quite useless to grow roots to the size which they had been grown merely to obtain prizes;" and there was a continual Hear, hear when anything against this abuse of fashion was advanced. It thus be- comes a question whether at the approaching exhibitions the judges should not be instructed to read over Dr. Voelcker's paper before proceeding with their duties, and so be prepared to prefer quality to size, and give the premiums to roots of substantial worth to the farmer. It is not so long since that we saw in a Gardening Magazine definite rules laid down for the guidance of judges of potatoes, carrots, and so forth, in order to prevent the possibility of their erring. They were simply to go by the scale and the tape — the one would tell thein of the heaviest, and the other of the largest growths; as seldom has a falser principle been put about, and we might almost go so far as to say the less a judge of roots has to do with weights and measures the better. In judging a horse, an ox, or a sheep we would not let a man of any experience befool himself in this way ; but leave the feet and inches, the stones and pounds, to the butchers, salesmen, and critics, whose wont it is to work with line and rule. At the Central Chamber of Agriculture on Tuesday the first business was the presentation of one of those reports from the Local Taxation Committee, which, according to a daily contemporary, Mr. Pell read — a very marvellous performance, if the honourable gentlemen ever succeeded in doing as much. Our impression was, the rather, that everybody might read such a report, as that nobody did, although we give our readers the like opportunity with the members of the Chamber. The more immediate matter, howevei-, before the Council was the diseases of stock, which was treated much as this matter now is by agricultural bodies — that is, to ward ofl' the foreign cattle, and establish the importation of the Irish ; and in this way, even up to interviewing Mr. Disraeli, will the farmers and their friends continue to shirk rather than to meet the difficulty. The most in- disputable evidence shows that infected animals are still habitually sent in from Ireland, as it is not of so much consequence how the disease has been engendered, as the fact of beasts being reeularly landed here in such a condition. In the face of such half-measures, by which it is idle to imagine that the thiug can ever be stayed, is it worth troubling ourselves about Foot-and-mouth or Plenro ? The truth is, as has been confessed before now, the graziers would prefer to encounter the risk of con- tamination to having their supplies of Irish stores cut off; for the Irish beast is daily improving into a kindly, quick- ripening animal, whose loss would be sorely felt wherever be has been used. Disguise it or ignore it as we may, the actual case is very much as Mr. Dent has just put it : " The custom of the farmers in this district is to purchase lean Irish stock at the fairs at York, Knaresborough, and Wetherby ; to keep them about nine or ten months, and then sell them fat from the pastures. I have at present under my eye two lots of these cattle, in number about 150. Half of them cost about £12 each, and have all suffered from the disease during the last three or four weeks, and are now nearly all right and looking briglit and well. If the owner had wished to sell them again while affected with the disease, he would undoubtedly have lost money ; but they are now not one penny the worse for the object for which he bought them, and I cannot see that he has sustained any pecuniary loss. The other lot were beasts of lower value, the price being about £9 each. They are smaller and in low condition, and, as I see them every day, several appear to suffer much from lameness ; but they are gradually recovering, and I expect that in a fortnight's time they will be all right again. Some will say the farmer has lost a fortnight's grass keep on each beast, and that the animals have received a check in their growth. At this time of year I do not think the fortnight's grass for each beast 'S of much value ; and I have frequently heard farmers say that the beasts picked up ground far faster than they lose it." In plain truth, the farmer cannot afford to lose his Irish stores ; and until Ire- land, the now hotbed of diseise, can be treated like other countries beyond our shores.deputations or Commissions — • save the mark I — can avail little or nothing. The meeting simply was not in earnest, as note the chief or only evidence offered here. Mr. Wilbraham Egerton, M.P., said of the third resolution, " it appeared nothing more nor less than a sham. He had not heard anything in support of the assertion that the contagious diseases of their animals arose from the importation of animals from foreign ports. He had very often heard it stated that they were caused by animals coming from Irish ports, and it would be far more effectual to apply restrictions in that case than in the other ; but that was impossible — the country would THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 409 T\ot stand it." IMr. Gardiner, from Essex, said *' if quarantine were esablished, lliose who scut store animals to this country would make a better selection. Irishmen, as well as foreigners, would then be careful to send only store animals that would bear the test of transit. He had himself suffered greatly in consequence of the non-establishment of quaran- tine, and through trucks not beiuc: properly cleansed. He bought seventy Irish bullocks, aud witliin seven days after they reached his farm they had foot-and-mouth disease. A quarantine of seven days' duration would have pre- ]n-Gvented that." Mr. Ackers, from the West of England, felt that " the first resolution would be of very little use unless the word ' foreign' were left out before ' imported.' In that part of the country the view taken was — and lie believed it was correct — that disease was, he would not say imported from Ireland, tbat being an open question, but generated in trucks and ships connected with that country, and they thou;jht they could trace the spread of foot-and-mouth disease in that way throughout tlie West, aud thence through the greater parts of the rest of England." And so on ; the Council looking and pulling dead against the stream. lie's but a foreigner, disease home-bred I bring— Oh, sir, that makes it qiiile another thhuj ! There was a day, and not a very distant one either, when in framing a notice of the proceedings of the Royal Agricultural Society the chief aim was, apparently, to say as little as possible; Mr. Jenkins has improved upon this, and the reports of the Council now tell us what the Council is really doing. There was a deal of business to get through on Wednesday, when Mr. Mihvard carried his motiou, without a dissentient, for the re-arrangement of the summer show-week, so as to catch the additional shillings of the half-holiday Saturday, and, what was once termed " the tailors' holiday," on the Monday. An en- deavour, however, to extend the meeting to another shilling day was promptly negatived, the exhibitors of horses already tiring of the long week's work ; though, as something of a boon, they will henceforth have the privi- lege of removing their nags for the night. Mr. Randall's proposal for the establishment of field trials was referred to the Chemical Committee ; but another attempt to get quit of the implement trials by a sidewind was promptly and properly rebuked. This custom of re-opening ques- tions already decided is, to say the least of it, iu very bad taste. ENGLISH SUBSERVIENCY AND SCOTCH INDEPENDENCE. A very suggestive contrast was spoken to at the annual meeting of the Scottish Chamber of Agriculture in Edinburgh. Mr. Harper, in opening the discussion, drew attention to the recent doings of Lord Daraley, and more particularly to those of the Cobham Hall tenantry : " If they had acted as sensible men they might have allowed their landlord and tenant to fight out their own battle, and at best remained passive, instead of giving their influence to the strong against the weak. What a painful position these tenants must now feel themselves in !" Aud then, " as illustrative of the comparative inde- pendence and position which the Scottish tenantry hold," Mr. Harper proceeds to the Fentou Barns eviction, when " What did the numerous tenantry on the same estate ? What did the tenantry on the other estates in East Lothian? What did the trading and manufacturing classes ? Aye, what did several landlords' factors ? " They did not fear to be " identified" with Mr. Hope ; they did not express their full confidence in the landlord ; they did not turn their backs on the weak to side with the strong, but they gathered together with a very diff'erent object, that of showing substautial sympathy to the out- going tenant. They presented him with his portrait, they gave a piece of plate to his wife, and other tokens of the father's worth to his children ; as, proud rather than shy of that they were doing, they crowded round him at a public dinner. The moral which a Scotch farmer deduces from these two cases is a very strong one ; let us take it in Mr. Harper's own words : " The tenant-farmers of England are yearly tenants and tenants-at-will, and those of Scot- land under nineteen years' lease. I wish you to mark the snbservieucr/ of the one to the independence of the other to their landlords, when both landlords, in the opinion at least of other classes, had committed a blunder and a wrong. Why is this ? Englishmen, as a class, are warm and generous in their feeliugs, and love fair play. lam firmly persuaded that their living so long under the system of yearly tenancy has driven all independence out of too many of them, aud has caused them to bow their minds and their wills OQ all social aud political questions. be they Whig or Tory, to those held by their landlords." The charge, we repeat, as conveyed in the point of the conirast, is a very strong one, and yet this is in a measure supported by what has occurred, or rather has not occurred, here in England over the English case. The trading and manufacturing classes living and trading under " the very nose" of Lord Darnley, have done all they could do to honour an independent gentleman by electing, now for a third time, Mr. Lake Mayor of Graves- end ; but, so far as we know, in suggestive contrast to the crowds who gathered about ]\Ir. Hope in Haddington, not a solitary tenant-farmer at any of the many recent meet- ings which have taken place in London and elsewhere has had a word to say on the Chalk eviction. Nay, we believe that The Mark Lane Express is the only English, a3 distinguished from any Scotch, Agricultural .lonrnal which has dwelt on the conduct of the Cobham Hall tenantry. The other tenant-farmers of England would appear to have passed the subserviency of these people over as a matter of course : they might have endangered their own yearly tenancies had they stood aloof, or done even less than that which they did do, while our contemporaries have been so generally satisfied with Lord Darnley's recantation, that they seem to have had no time to deal with his Lordship's tenantry. Certainly, putting this special and very isolated cause aside, the curious indi- ference with which two or three more recent county elections have been adjusted, would look to warrant the indictment that too many English tenants " bow their minds and their wills, on all social and political questions, be they Whig or Tory, to those held by their landlords." And Mr. Harper said so much anent a debate on Tenant-Right. Ten years since, or even less, Tenant- Right was a cry which, if not scouted, was but little un- derstood in Scotland, where farmers' politics mainly centred over the advocacy of long leases and the opposi- tion to the law of Hypothec. Tenant-Right, however, even here in England, has rarely been appreciated with- out the aid of a case in point ; and it was a case ia point which fairly woke up all Scotland to the im- portance of the subject. It was found, as we have 410 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. fontiiiueJ to say for the last fivc-and-twenty years, that evea the mnch-cderishcd lease was incomplete without the attacliiiieiit of coinpeiisatioa covenants, auJ. the martyrdom cf Mr. Hope served to convince not only his fillo'V farmers in Scotland, but to convert here in Ent^land, Mr. Caird, for many years the most power- ful opponent which the cause had to encounter. The fonsequence is that the Agricultural 11 )Idiags Act for Eii2;land is to be followed by a very similar bill for Siotland, in discussing the priiiciple of which in Edin- burgh the otlier day many of the speakers denounced the English measure as a failure. It is not our inten- tion in this place again to enter on the merits or demerits of the Act, but the very recognition of the principle by the legislature has already done more good than some were prepared to ever allow it. As Mr. Smith, of Balzordie, said, in opposing an adverse motion, " He objected to this, because it means to say that unless they could get a really good bill, such a bill as would thoroughly settle this question, indeed, a bill which was compulsory, they should have no bill," We are not aware that the Scotch farmers are more strongly represented in the House of Commons than the E'lglish fariners ; but we do know that in the Upper House some of the more prominent of those in opposition to the Cuke of Richmond's Bill Were Scotch peers of large possessions, and it might be as well, at leist in the outset, for the Scotch farmer to be content wiih what he can get, providing always that this does not shelve ttie agitation against the lasv of Hypothec. According to the Speaker of the H luse of Commons, a right honourable gentleman who by this time must have some tolerable experience of the subject, " the Act will induce landlords and tenants to come together to frame agreements upon a more liberal basis. According to ray own judgment the best agreement, both for landlord and tenant, is a long lease, with liberal covenants ; and that is far better than any scheme which Parliameut can devise. And if through the operation of the measure of last Session long leases, with liberal covenants, shall become the rule and not the exception. Parliament will have conferred a lasting benefit upon the agricultural interest." The Act, then, will make all fair and square ; for through its operation the English tenant will recover that independence which " has been driven out of him," and his subserviency will evaporate with his yearly tenancy. Be it noted that we are giving the Scotch reading of the English question. THE COB HAM HALL TENANTRY. Nothing could be more sudden and nothing more com- plete than the retractation of Lord Darnley. By the one post his lordship is endeavouring to maintain his posi- tion by arguments damaging only to himself, and by the next, within a very few hours, writing to Mr. Lake in regret that "he gave a notice to quit the farm," otfering " lo withdraw it," and hoping that the " friendly relation of landlord and tenant may be re-established." It is not difficult to recognise the motive power here. Had the correspondence not been published, Mr. Lake would have been turned out of his occupation, his brother tenants would have turned their backs on him, and a troop of horse would have been broken up ; as the result would have been regarded in certain quarters as a highly meri- torious proceeding. The lever here has been the Press. Half a century or so since The Biily Te'e- graph would have been indicted for libt.1, and its ediior or publisher fined and imprisoned ; whereas it now carries the world with it, and the owner of Cobham bows before public opinion. It is not for us to say there was any further interference, but in any case Loid Darnky has done all in his power to amend his mistake, and, so far as he is concerned, the matter may be forgiven and forgotten. Mr. Lake preserves his in- dependence, or, we may say, Ike true dignity of a man I thi'ougkout ; he hastens to thank Lord Darnley in as handsome terms as those expressed towards himself ; but, " particularly after the expressions made use of by all your lordship's agricultural tenants as to myself, my sense of honour and independence viill not allow me any longer to remain a tenant of the estate." And then, as to the said tenants, what can reinstate them with Englishmen ? Nothing, absolutely nothing. " They entirely disavow any wish to be identified with Mr. Lake ;" but would any British yeoman, with a particle of honest pride about him, wish to be identified with them ? The only dilficulty which Lord Darnley should have in letting Mr. Lake's farm would be the repugnance which any man of proper feeling must have in being in any way classified as one of the Cobham Hall tenantry — a byeword and a reproach for genel-atious to come. Were they to eat their words, as they will never have the grace to do, how far could they be trusted ? Just so long as a fat farm was not in the balance, or filthy lucre did not intervene between their miserable interests and their independent opinions. If that shame- less address, a copy of which should be posted in the market-place, was signed or even agreed to by all the Cob- ham tenantry, let the names, appended or authorised, be published forthwith, if only as an act of justice to the new- comer on the estate, and so serve to distinguish him from those already established there. If the chairman of the meeting will send us such a list, we shall be happy to make it known far and wide. " I hope you will not slacken your hand against those Cobham lickspittles," writes an eminent agriculturist, " who, I hope, are now heartily ashamed of themselves. It is such creatures as these who make arbitrary landlords, and render it necessary that there should be legislation between landlord and tenant." And the letter runs on thus: "lam sorry to see that good fellow Lake is not a member of our Central Farmers' Club ; but surely the committee should make him an honorary member." The country, we repeat, has for- given Lord Darnley,who has made all possible atonement ; but its indignation now centres wiih more resolution than ever on a small brotherhood of English farmers — prohp/edor! — who, disowned in their dirty work even by their landlord, may rest assured that they have earned the contempt of every man worthy of the name of a man. LORD DARNLEY AND MR. LAKE. Cobham Hall, Oct. 25. T)-Exu Sir, — I much regret thit the friendly rtla'ionsliip tlat has existed between us as landlord and tenant for 32 yea's should be interfered with by this matter of the Yeomanry. I liave explained to you now the whole fa''ts of the case, and you know me well enough to be assured that I am the very last man to interfere iu any way with the efficiency of any of the Queen's forces, especially the one regiment that I have had the command of for so many years. Whatever my fecliugs may have been as to yuur son serving under a particular Y'eomanry officer, I must admit that I was scarcely jusfificd in gi\ing you notice to quit your farm on that account. I regret that 1 gave that notice, and I now beg to withdraw it, and at the same time to express a hope tliat our friendly relation of landlord and tenant may be rc-cstablislipd on its former' footing. Believe me, yours very faithfully, Daknlet. W. Lake, Esq. Gravesend, Oct. 25. My Lokd, — I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your lordship's letter of ihis date. I accept with great satis- faction the assurance that you now feel you were not justified in giving me notice to quit my farm, ami your expression of rpgret at having done so ; liut while I sincerely thank your lordship for the just and genrrous impulse which has prompted you to offer the withdrawal of that notice, I cannot but feel that after what has recently taken place, and particularly after the expressions made use of by all your Icrdsldp's agricultmal tcnauts as to myself, my sense of lionour and independence will not allow me any longer to remain a tenant of the estate. I have tlie honour to I e, Your lordship's most obedient servant. To the Right Hon. the Earl of Darnley. AVilliaji Lake. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 411 FERTILISERS. J'O. 2. — BV THE NOHTIIERN FaUUEU. 'T'ho firsl ((ucsd'on which naturally arises with reference t.i faiiiijard manure is its proiluctioii, a matter of roinparaliv'cly little dilficiilty in moderate quantity when (ho nci^essary conditions are fnllilled, but almost an utter im[)ossibility, when attempted, as is too often done, with imperfect arrangements, or defective material. A heavy stock of auimals for the size of tlic farm, well ])rovi(led with food aud litter, is the great requisite for the manufacture of this valuable sub- stHuce, ill its purity so indispeusable for the recuperation of the soil, and without a regular supply of which it is vaiu to expect a profitable return for capital and labour. So absolutely necessary is the a[)p!icatioii of manure of good quality and abundant quantity, that at one time it was thought by many clever and distinguished practical mea that to make dung was the principal use of live stock on an arable farm, aud that the profit derivable from them could only be obtained in an indirect manner through the corn crojis, which could not be otherwise grown to yield a prolit. Although this opinion is not altogether obsolete, even amougst men well knowu to agriculture, it is fallacious, unless under extremely exceptional circum- stances, as well-bred quick-feeding cattle are now univer- sally diffuscil, that there is not the slightest difficulty in obtaining or breeding animals that will leave a profitable margin on their own account, over and above the value of the manure made by them while on the farm. Whatever the variety of stock kept for the purpose of enriching the soil, whether cattle or sheep, they must be abundantly fed, and the food of the richest and most succulent character ; otherwise their owner will fail in a great measure of the object lie has in view, and the manure made will be very materially deficient, both as to quantity and quality. There is not a better or moro familiar proof of the manure-producing power of cattle than that obtained by a coniparisou between the quantity made daring a winter's night by, say, a stall of fifty head of either well-fed dairy cows or fattening stock, and an adjoining stall containing an equal number fed so as to meet the grass in the ensuing spring in merely store condition. In the former case the groove behind the cattle is filled to overflowing with the richest dung, reqnii'ing a considerable portion of straw to be mixed with it before it can be removed ; while in the latter the straw used as bedding is hardly soiled, and will serve for several successive days, while the excretia of the animals is so dry as to be easily cleared away without the slightest admixture of the litter, if, from a desire to economise that article, it may be considered necessary to retain it. To clean out the first stall in the morning the services of a horse, cart, and man are required, and, at the same time, is no light task, while the second is quickly cleared by a boy with a wheelbarrow. "We thus find, at the outset, that an abundant food supply fur a heavy stock of cattle is the only source of home-made dung; mere numbers will not do it, if the food is limited, and to begin on a sound basis the farmer must so feed liis land as that it will produce heavy crops, aud give a large return to the acre. Here, again, the same rule applies, as extent of surface under a particular forage crop gives no return if the laud is only in middling heart, one acre properly prepared and highly mauuredtrebling its pro- duce; and the time at which it may be expected to come in for u-^e may he c ilculated on almost to a day. The glaring evil of half crops of those pliuts wliich are eiiiiply growu to supply food for the animals of the farm is that they can return no ehm^nt of fertility to the soil, their growth exhausting the fields on which they are raised, and on consumption the bulk is so small as to leave no surplus for the sustenance and production oC future crops. As an inevitable consequence the entire farm gets poorer aud poorer, and the farmer himself must follow suit. lu beginning a lease ou a new farm, impoverished land aud scarcity of bulky manures are generally the greatest dilTioulties the tenant-farmer has to encounter, and the way he sets about overcoming them, whether with energy and spirit, or ia a languid, free-and-easy manner, looking forward to the renovating influence of time and rest to bring the land into heart, will afford very clear indication of his future career, and the degree of prosperity he is likely to enjoy during his tenancy. As has been already noticed, bulky crops are only to be obtained by the liberal application of bulky manures, assisted by the phosphatic and ammoniac al fertilisers, which the man of capital has so largely at his command at the present day ; and when a man takes possession of a farm which has been worn out and poverty struck, self-interest compels him, if he is pushing and energetic, to look at once to other sources thau the farm itself for enriching substances, so as to lay, although at heavy cost, a firm foundation for an ultimate structure of commercial success. Clearly, then, it is a serious loss of both time aud money to attempt to take crops from poor land, destitute of all, or at any rate most of the constituents indispensable to the healthy progress of the plants ; of time, because a certain portion of a man's life has gone beyond recall without his having the slightest pe- cuniary advautage to show for it ; and of money, which means his working capital, a considerable part of it havin,^ been sj)ent irrecoverably in a profitless investment. Two courses are open to him in making arrangements for his first sujjply of manure, the first being the purchase, con- veyance, and application of large quantities of town dung ; and, second, the growth of crops which have for their im- mediate object the enrichment of the soil, and which, as in the case of roots, shall be eaten either partially oc wholly ou the ground, according to convenience or ncces- sity. ' A combination of both is eminently suitable, inas- much as it eft'ects a considerable saving in the heavy item of can iage at a time when, very possibly, the energies of the entire working statT of both men and horses are taxed to the utmost. The decision as to the use of town manure, in whole or in part, must necessarily be greatly iuflueuced by locality— -whether situated so conveniently to a towu or city as to be accessible by the carts direct from the farm, or if so remote as to render this impracticable for economic reasons, the neir neighbourhood of a railway station or siding, or the possibility of cheap water carriage, the manure being brought to a point both easily and quickly reached from the farm. The man who has been accus- tomed to the use of this fertilising material, and well knowing its great value in agriculture, has been yearly in the habit of supplementing the home-made article with a considerable quantity, does not, on removal to a new holding, readily allow his old habits to fall info dis- use, but immediately enters into arrangements for their continuance, if the difficulties of transit are not actually insuperable. Imputing nothing less than failure aud possible ejectment to its absence, he will, in the effort to bring it to his farm, overcome obstacles of the greatest magnitude to inexperienced eyes, aud will, as is often done, bring towu manure in enormous quantity to a farm which, F F ■41-2 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. during the previous occupancy, scarcely recciveiil a load. •If his acreage p:iU'ud8 to a couple of hundred, a man of -spirit will boldly contract with the corporation of a borough to take the whole of the manure made in their town throu^-hout the year, engagiu;}; to remove it daily, an agreement which uecessitales a specini staff being de- tailed for the express purpose, and causing them to work early and late. An enterprising man possessing such a contract for three or four years in succession will reclaim his laud from a state of poverty and exhaustion, and recoup himself for a heavy outlay quiclier, and with ■greater certainty, than by any other known means. To ensure economy in the carriage of such an immense bulk of material us is indicated by such a contract, the horses must be of good bone and substantial build, and f*.l liberally, so as to be able for a net weight of froni 30 to 35 cwt. when the ro ids are ordinarily level and well kept, and the journey not more than five miles. A horse regularly at this work will not be over-fed with a weekly allowa:ice of four bushels of oats, one and a quarter bushel of beans, and half a bushel of barley, the beans and barley being boiled with turnips and chaffed Lay, and mixed with a few handfuls of bran and a season- ing of salt, when drawa from the boiler, together with a nightly allowance of hay or bean-straw. One man will follow a pair of horses in single-horse carts, who must also be well fed and well paid, as being out at very early hours, and in every state of the weather. Soon sours a man, and disgusts him with the employment that makes such slavery a necessity unless he finds the terms and treatment liberal. To those farmers who are situated bcyoud carting distance the corporate bodies who manage this department of town business otfor special encon- xageinent, so as to enable them to participate in the benefits to be derived froni the plentiful application of street manure, generally making a reduction of from 20 to 25 per cent, when fifty trucks or over, of about seven .tons each, are ordered together. Railway companies also give great facilities for its transit to extensive and regular customers, carrying at special rates, often mar- vellously low, a boon for whiuh many men are particularlv giuteful, and are not slow to take advantage of; while, at the same time, it must be admitted that there are others equally favourably situated, and requiring it quite as urgently, who are very callous in the matter, and never order a single waggon. To clearly elucidate this part of the subject, and place it before the readers of this journal in a thoroughly practical form, I will now faithfully endeavour to mark out the course open to the man who lias the spirit to contract for the whole of the manure of a considerable town, and to continue it for a number of consecutive years. To the commiesioners or other governing body of a town, of from seven to eight thousand inhabitants, he will have to pay about .C365 a year for the privilege of removing the manure to his farm with his own horses and carts, after having been collected and placed in heaps by their servants. For this sum he will probably have something about eight tons of manure every working daj', or, say, 2,500 tons for the twelve months, the cost per ton being a trifle under Ss. Excessive competition may raise the average price per ton slightly, wliile its absence will, on the other hand, >end to lower it ; from 2a. G 1. to 3s. a ton, is, however, quite enough to pay for a heavy coutract of this kind. and the stulT ehould be of the best quality of its sort at that price. It will be seen at a glance that the acquisition of such an enormous amount of fertilising matter, altogether outside of what might be made ou the farm itself, places the farmer in a remarkably independent position with regard to his cropping arrangements, as, even at the very liberal allowance of fifty tons each, he faas biJk at his command to cover fifty acres. Forty tons, however, being an ample dressing for most crops, it follows that, even it he has fifty acres of white and green crops requiri[]g to be manured in one season, he has a large overplus to be used on pasture aud mea.dovv land. To save labour, whenever and wherever possible, this manure, being -short and easily distributed, should be spread on the land direct from the cart, without being thrown down in either large or small heaps, this being in general easily managed when it is to he phmglied under furrow, or used as a toi)-dressing, wet weather proving the most serious obstacle. Ley oats is a crop that is most cratefal for, and gives a good return for, a dreesing of about thirty tons of town duna; to the imperial acre, growing immense straw, while, at the same time, the head is l.'^rge, and the grain plump and round, and weighing well to the bushel. This crop is too often grown on poor leys without any mnnurial dressing whatever, and, unless the seasonisunusnallyfavouraMe, is generally as poor, as the preparation it received v. onhl indicate — soft, flaccid straw, unable to bear a shower, and a wretched half-fiiled head, with a light grain s{;arcely fit for any purpose, being about all the grower has for his trouble. Top-dressing oats makes an admirable prejjaration for the succeeding green crop, as the manure, over and above its fertilising pro- perty, operates on the soil in a very mar-ked degree as a mechanical agent, rendering it open and friable, and thus greatly les-ening the labour of preparing for the next crop, besides very materially increasing its power of atmospheric absorption. Beans do well on ley, with a dressing of from forty to fifty tons of town dung, growing strong, well-padded straw, bulking well on the barn-floor, and almost invariably turn out an extremely money- making crop. Tiie very large quantity of manure given to the beans will enable the land easdy to give a crop of oats the year following, vi'hich, without any preparation or expense but tiie labour of the horses aud the seed, will prove a croj) that no man need be ashamed of. Farmers who are extensive purchasers of town manure are generally large growers of potatoes, for which purpose it is well suited ; and although this is a crop that leaves nothing on the farm, in this case it is of no im- portance, the manurial element having been pro- cured without taxing the soil. In districts where potatoes, in the majority of seasons, bear well, and escape the disease, they are the mainstay of the pushing farmer who does not grudge the labour and ex penseof bringing large quantities of manure to his farm, as there is no crop, when successful, that can return him nearly so much money. A 10-ton crop to the acre touches on £40, as they seldom average much less than £i a ton, and from £25 to £28 an acre is a very usual price to get for them when in ground, the purchaser being at the expense of lifting, storing, and disposal. Such returns offer powerful inducement to farm well, a heavy expenditure being quickly returned with interest, and the laud is eminently well prepared for the growth of future crops. As previously noticed, when the cropping has been finished for the season, a portion of the grass and next year's uieadowing may be gone over, a mode of using town manure which gives very good results. The first leisure time after harvest this work maybe commenced, autumn or early winter application affording shelter to the roots of the grasses, while at the same time nourish- ing them, a theory abundantly proved by the intensely green colour which the pastures so treated immediately assume, and maintain throughout the winter and spring, however severe the weather. A noticeable feature on land thus top-dressed is the luxuriant crop of white clover which it carries the following summer, forming a most attractive sight even to those not specially interested in farming. With hay at present realising 1209. a ton ill the leading markets, and likely to be higher, those who THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 413 topilrrssed for tliis crop will fiiiil (hcinselves very well paiil for ilicir tro'ible. Twenty-live tons to the acre, of the shortest of the Jung, carefnlly sprcni), and further rcgnliiteJ by a stroke of the cluun-harrovv lengtluvays and across, makes a very i\ice dressing; and, if tlie land was laid down in good heart, two and a half tons to the acre, cut so fariy in (he year as to give ample time for the grawili, cuttiiifr, and saving of the second crop may be easily calculated on. The cost of the manure, iuchuling oirriaiie and application, would be nothing less than CG lOs. [jcr acre, at present prices ; the crop would realise £15 per acTo, leaving the respectable balance of £8 10^. for rent, labour of saving, and j.'crsouLil remuaerulion, and this entirely outside of the clovor cnp, which also is worlh a considerable sum, whether cut for soiling oi' made into hay. A farmer pursuing the course that lias now been described steadily and perseveringly for a luiui- ber of years finds hi.nsclf at length standing well with the world : he has no dilliculty in raising profitable crops, the soil being full of fertilising matter and has probably be- come in a great measure self-supporting, as to the supply of bulky manures ; his landlord respects him for his own sake, and the example he has siiowii to others; he has all the com'bils uecessary to his station in life which money can proline, and in every way he reaps the never-failing fruit of inielligeucc, energy, and well-di.-ected industry. POOR LAW AND LOCAL TAXATION. At a meeting of the York Cliiiinber of Agriculture, in Micklt':S mention of coal-mines raising the inference that it was the intention to rate other mines. Aud, again, " saleable underwoods" being specially mentioned, all otlier woods and timber were exempt from taxation. And so it remained until the Act of last year brought into ch.irge mines other than coal-mines, woods generally, and game. That Act, iiowever, hardly realises what v, as expected from it, in addini; to the rateable value of parishes, as tlie language of the clause only admits of woodland being rated as land in its original sla'e witliout improvement. But I must not detain you fnriher on this point. As to property which is liable to taxation by implication — the Courts held that property to be liable by implication should be local and visiljle and pro- ductive of a profit. Generally, whatever failed of either of these requisites was not rateable. Thus stock in-trade was local, visible, and profitable, and was therefore held liable, but by subsequent statutes was exempted ; household furni- ture and money in hand was local aud visible, but not prcfit- able, therefore not rateable ; and money ont at interest was visibe !ind profitable, but not locally within the jiarish, and thirefore not rateable. Such are the principles on which our taxahun for jioor-rates was founded, and so they have re- mained. Unlike the Property and Income-tax, they limit taxation for local purposes in the manner 1 have defined, and hence it is that the burden falls with special force on tho farmer who occupies so largely in this country that which is local arid visible and is assumed to be profitable. The exten- sion of Boards of lleallli to the rural districts must necessarily add further to the increase of local taxation, inasmuch as drainage works and the other means required to improve onr s.init o-y condition entail unavoidably considerable outlay, wl ic I can be met in the main by loans, but we all know that loans mean interest and repayment. I have before me a suminaiy of local taxation two years ago, from a Parliamentary paper. Tiic totd sum realised was about 25 millions, of whicli 7i miilioas was raised by loans and from Imperial taxation, F F 3 41i THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZINE. and the remaining 18 millions from local taxes. Local taxes in their economic aspect are broadly divisible iuto two classes : 1, non-remunerative taxes, and 2, bj remunfrative and im- provement taxes. The first of tliese include poor-rates, county and police rates, borough rates, &c. Tliesf mtke an agtiregaie of nearly 13 millions annually. The remunerative locil taxation iuclades highway rates, tovm improvement rates, lighting, watcbin?, and drainage rates, harbour and linhtbouse rates. Burial Board rates, and other charges, wbicli make in liie whole a total of 9^ millious levied annually by remune- rative local taxation. These are large fi.Mires, and they sbovv the magnitude of the question now under our udtice. From various causes these sums are being annually increased — in many of our large towns the nev.'ly-formed School Boards are adding greatly to the local burthens by school rates for build- ings and otlier outlays. It is not surprising that the ques- tion of local taxation has been forced upon the atti-ntion of Parliament and of her Majesty's Goveruuient. Something has alreiidy been dune by acci-ping, on the part of the Imperial revenue — to winch all classes, including the fundholder, the mortgagee, the bondholder, the proprieior of preference shares in puhhc coinpanies^are re(iuired to contribute, although they may escape the pressure of local taxation. The Government has conceded an increased ratio of the police expenses, they pay a moiety of the salaries of union medical oliieers and of the union schoolmasters and mistresses, and they now allow 4s. per head per week for each lunatic pauper confined in an asylum. This last item is equal to a grant of £700 per annum in relief of the local taxation in this York Union. These are concessions which are acceptable, but tliey are only a small instalment of what I conceive to be substantial justice. I would extend the aid from Imperial revenue still further — hut always reserving such a cheek on the local authority en- trusted with the administration of puolic money, that they should not with impunity incur extravagant outlay. If we are to have local government, we must have local taxation ; but this may be relieved in the mode I have indicated. For instance, if the Government would contribute towards the cost of in-maintenaace one shilling per head per week, this would be a relief to local taxation to tiie extent of £375,000 per annum, of which sum the proportion payble to the York Union would be equal to £1,350. There are various bodies to whom is entrusted the expenditure of local taxation. We have the Poor-law Guardians, the Highway Boards, the Municipalities, the Boards of Health, and the magistracy, be- sides many other bodies of minor importance. All these bo lies are the creation of popular election except the magistrates, who are appointed by the Crown, and there have been many efforts made from time to time to supersede their control of the ■county rates, and to place the expenditure in the hands of county boards. A.s yet these elfcu'ts have not been successful, bat I apprehend that some of tliose present to-day who are younger than myself may and will live to see the affairs appertaining to county rate expenditure placed under the ■control of the elected representatives of the ratepayers. I see no objection on principle to sncli a change ; but in prac- tice I do not anticipate any great reduction of expenditure or saving to the ratepayers to result tlierefrora. On the con- trary. Just turn to our Municipal Corporations. Since 1835, vi'heu the close corporation system was broken up, and our city and town councillors were chosen by popular election, the expenditure of our municipalities has gone on rapidly increasing — the borrowed money of some of our larger towns now being represented by millions. In our three Hidings I believe that the magistrates have kept a tight hand upon the expenditure, and that they have felt theii responsibility as much as if they had been elected by the ratepayers. I merely add these remarks — not that I object on principle of those who expend the taxes being subject to the control of public opinion — but because I would not have you believe that a transfer of the financial powers to county boards would elh ct any appreciable alleviation in cur local taxation. 2nd. Relief of the Poor : I will now take you to the next head of my paper. The administration of relief under the Poor-laws. My experience extends to the old Poor-laws, before the passing of the Act of the 4th and M\ VVm. IV. cap. 76. At that lime each parish, liowever limited in its area, relieved its own poor, through the hands of tlie overseers, subject, however, to the revision and orders of the magistrates, before jrhom over- seers were continually summoned by idle and discontented paupers. The ne,/ Poor-h^w introduced many beaeficial changes. The conttitution of Boards of Guardians was a great boon. It established corporate bodies through the lenKtIi and br?ailtli of llie 1.e who accept of the shelter of the union house should feel that in doing so they are insuring to them- selves comfoits of which their own squalid homes are destitute. The sick should have tlie best medical advice and at tendance— the young should be carefully tutored and generously fed — the feeble in mind should be alTorded every recreation likely to arouse tlieir dormant faculties — and all should be treated with kindness and consideration. Then no cruelty or injustice can be practised in freely using tlie workhouse; and I hold it as a false and mistaken charity in many cases to dole out miserable pittances to out- door paupers on which to exist in wretched- ness and privation. There is no disgrace in becoming the in- mate of a workhouse — the disgrace only exists when by improvi- dence, dissipation, and extravagance, a man fails to discharge the first duty he owes to society — to make provisions for his own household. Out-door relief in many cases may be given with prudence and propriety : sucli has been the practice in our union where circumstances justified that course; but to adopt generally the practice is perniciou to the poor and un- just to the ratepayers. My experience respecting the cliildren of improvident paupers is that they fare far better, both as regards the necessities of life and their moral and intellectual culture, when in the workhouse than they can do where out- door relief is given. True it is that by a recent Act of Par- liament the relieving oflicers a-e required to insist on the, children of paupers receiving out-door relief being sent to school ; but from what I have observed I believe that that law is frequently evaded bv falsehood or deception on the part of the parents. In the York Union several such cases have come to light, and thereupon the relief has been suspended ; but with THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 411 ;ill IliR vigilance whicli oitr pxcrllcrtt rclipvinironicers can exor- cise tliey lire sometiiiips dcupivfil and misled. Tiie inoderu idea of funning out [lauper cliildrpn 1 do not approve of; I believe tliat if jjenerally adopted it. would lead to tlie mio>( deplorable risiilts. 3rd. Settlement, and Jle apart Irom every other, but as a part of the working outof the same sound principle, and the rates should not be administered by the guardians as if they were administering charity, but should be u.sed as public money, not only to relieve present distress but as likely to cure pauperism. He was persuaded that the workhouse test sh.onld be more largely adopted thaa it had hitherto been, and he congratulated the York Union on the high position ir held in the estimation of the L'lcil Government Board. It might appear cheaper to allow persons a shilling a week outside rather than bring them into the work- house at a cost of 3s. or 4?. a head, but the out-door system gave opportunities for fraud and imposition. He was, there- fore, glad to see it reported that in the York Union there were only two out-door to one in door case. In reference to the valuing of property he thcuglit this should be levied on other tlian real property^ and that a person having an income ot £1,000 a year from tlie funds sliould be held as responsible for his proportion as he who piiid £I,tjOO a year for a farm. Tlieso were two ditferent descriptions of properly, but the principle on which the poor law was based was that, real property only should contribute. Commercial wealth should contribute m the same ratio as land was held to do. Mr. Nicholson expressed his entire concurrence in the views toulaiued in the paper, and wliile he noticed Chambers 416 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE of Commerce stiiriug in tlieir own interests lie tliouglit Gliambera of Agricullure had already Iwiu (Ioiiikidi uiu loug. He was of opiniou tliat tlie rating .'■liould he dislrib acd over the entire wealth of the natiou,aiid he couid not imagine why public lugliways, ■Bhich were open to the whule of ihc Queeu's subjects, should be kept up by the agriculturiit^ tliruugU whose psirisiies they went. He lield strong views in rcijr.rd to local taxation and treatment of the poor. The poor they knew and were told would always be iu the land, and he remembered liie time when farmers conferred a favour wiieu they employed a poor man, but now the poor man eout'erred a f^ivtur by his labour. Property was diiferent ia the days when tlie I'oor law •was established to what it was now, and the law wiiich pro- vided relief at that day could not be light at this time, lie very much feared that the present sjstem of administering the Poor-law tended to too great leniency with respect to out-door relief. His desire was that the poor should be well taicd for, hut this could not be done by giving ont-iloor relief, lie Relieved the day was fast approaching wheu the Poor-law would be done away wi'h altogether, but the first step to thst was to do away with out-duor relief. Mr. PosTEli. gave one or two instances illustrative of gross imposition in the reception of out-door relief by uon-residtiit paupers, in the York Union, but this class of cases the York guardians had succeeded in sweeping away. With reftard to local taxation, there was very great diiliculty in taking all classes of property into account, but a great deal niiglit be done in the way he had suggested iu obtaining coutributious from Government in aid of local taxnt'oa. ]Mr. KiLBY (Tadcaster) believed that it would be ijstfer both for the paupers themselves and for the country iu general if out-door relief was disdcmtinued, although in some cases it niight be hard on families who wished to keep tlicniselves respectable. JUr. Smith also thought it was an unwise [lau to give relief to persons living out of the parish. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Foster. THE PAbT AND FUTURE OF STEAM CULTIVATION. At the quarteily meeting of the Nottinghamshire Chamber of Agriculture, held at Retford, Lord Galway, MP., in tlie cliair. Mr.D. G.tiEG.ofthe firm of Messrs. Fowler and Co., of Leeds, read a pajier on the Past and Future of Steam Cultivation as lollows: From the title of my paper you might fairly presume that I intend toreadvoua long lecture. To exiianst the subject of any one of three heads would entail a long paper of itself; therefore my remarks must ueces'-arily bemueli circumscribed. You naturally might expect me to say some- thing about the mechanical part ot the ijuestion, but I shall not have time to do this, as my object is to t niiilTtike the heaviest operations o' ly. llis sliare of the work lius heen ull the s'ili" lielili, and (ii'iipriilly unsuitali'e land, and for lliis lie has prol.ably had to travel witli his tack e C"u>iderahl« distances — cirennistauces tending nutJirally to his di.ssdsantaife as compared with tiie private owner of machinery. To find the work wiiich tlic tackle is able to do witiiiu a small radius should he the great object of the owner of snch a set of machinery, and to get the greatrst possible amount of land cnltiva'ed by the tackle should be the policy of the farmer. This can oidy be done satisfactorily by contract entered into beforehand between owner and employer, by which the I'ormer will secure continuous enip'oymeut lor his t«ckle, and the tter undfTstand how many horses lie can confidently dispense with. This p^an, compared with the present, would lessen travelling on the roads, and, necessarily, the wear and tear — local men with local iutenst would be got to manage the taekl", and I feel sure that a set of steam cultivating machineyy worked under such an airangem-nl. as I sueuest wou'd be a great nipaus of lessening the expenditure. Were the cultiva- tion of the farm regularly and generally undertaken as iudi- ciited, the work could be done at much less cost, and viitJi much greater satisfaction to the farmer and the owner of the tackle. In speaking on this matter, I might state the ex- perienre of several well-kiiown gentlemen in Eiig'and who have been steam cultivating all their land for a series of years. 1 have, howe\er, only time to mention Mr. Prout, Sawbridge- worth, whose intelligence and energy have already met with a considerable measure of sucxtas, as 1 have no doubt you are all a«are. It is now lound that the operations at present being done on their laud can be accomplished with double the facility and at half the exieioiture of power which was necessary during the earlier years of tiieir steam culti\a'ion. liy the plan mguested above, another very important advantage is gained — that of the letting-out man being able to have all the ditiVreut implements which the farm r requires for his opera- tions, thereby enabling the farmer to reduce his working staff o!' horses; and uutil horse-work is re lucel to a minimum it is impossib'e to reduce the expenditure, to the greatest extent, or woik the land to the most advantage. The question ol the eificiency of stpam cultivation conipired with horse work is scarcely an open on°, as I think most agriculturists now-a- diys are convinced of the superiority of the work by steam. It must be quite clear to any practical mind that what can he done with a p'ough drawn by horses can be done with a plough drann by steam, but it does not follow that what can be done by a plough drawn by steam can be done by a phnigli drawn by horses. The speed of horses is liniit<'d, the speed of steam is unlimited. Tlie sjieed of an implement passing through the soil has a great effect on the nature of the cultivation, and in most cases a higli speed where admissible at all, is wliat is required to produce ftliicient work, and the farmer has at his command in the steam plough any speed which he tliiuks the nature of tlie work would require to produce the most elHcient tilth. The high speed of a cultivating implement is sometimes of the greatest advantage. The to-sing and mixing of the soil, which can only be done by a broad point or share running at high speed, is one of the most ess' ntial operations in connec- tion with the activity of the soil. It changes the relation of the jiarticles of the soil towards each otiier, producing new 'ch.emical etl'ects and heilthy action. I feel that this princi- ple of renovating the soil by proper mixture and disturbance, and that of increased a»ration, a'c only now beginning to be understood. The increased aeration ^hicli has been the result of steam cultivation in the past, has been |)roductive of great good in the case of heavy lau'l, by perfecting tlie. drainage, and raising the temperature. Many years ago the Marquis of Tweedilale carried out a jeries of experiments in connection with increased temperature, &c., by deep horse culivation, I have not seen any record of his experiments, but if such does exist, I have little doubt it would throw some liglit on this question. The Marquia's experiments in steam cultivation did not meet with that success which has characterised nearly all his other efforts in connection with agriculture ; and I be- lieve but the-- fact that only one operation is necessary for cleaning it, pro- vided it is worked in a proper manner. It should be vt'orked in autumn, when it is dry, and independently of animal power, and where this is done no operulions are necessary in spring, except a litile harrowing. The old-fashioned mechanical appliances for redncing it to a tilth arc very injurious. Nature itself i^ an important cultivator of land, and should be allovvod free and ample scope, and no mechanical means should he allowed to reduce its benefic al iuflaences. Were these sug- gestions practically observed, there would be no fear far good crops. To facilittte the drainage of this de-criptiou of land, I sliould recommend that it be stirred to a depth of say 2 feet 6 inches, so as to thoroughly shake itandlea\e open spaces for aeration, and for this operation an implement termed a " knifer" has been constructed. I have seen this implement worked with the greatest success, and to show tlie healthy condition in which the land was left, you could have ridden over the heaviest land, after the most severe rains, wi'hout the horse sinking. This would suit our chairmau for hunting. This operation (which 1 term kniliiig) has, iu muiy ius'ances, nearly doubled the value of clay soils, and 1 am totally at a loss to unders-tand v/hy it has not been more ex.tensively adopted. Although in the cultivation of all soils I am strongly in favour of deep stirring,,! do not advo.;ate this being done every year. I consider about once every live years is suilicieut, and even then it should only bn done for green crops. J?"or cereal crops, in my opinion, a mere scratching of the soil, at most two or three inches deep, is an amfily sullicient preparation ; the seeds being deposited on a solid bed, which has been the result of time. To effect such a preparation, it is essential no treading or uneven pressure of the subsoil should have taken place in previous years. The subsoil will then be in a condition which the cereal crops require, and in a proper state lor their healthy development. This also prevents any danger of root IVillan crops. In speaking, however, of the cultivation of li^Iil laud, there is one subject which require.s considerable thought —viz., over aeration. Much harm lias been done by sowing crops upon light soil when too loose. One of the chief arguments used by light-laud larmcrs is, , that the horses consolidate the hind. This, I venture to submit, is altogether wrong. The treading of horses eaa never effect a proper consolidation. Wh-re ncrssary, .1 would recoinmeiid the use of rollers, as much bellcr adapted to press the laud tvtuly. The propo cd leijislaliou iu. regard. 413 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. to land tenure, and old laws aCFecting the improvpinent of tiie hmd of our country, if successfully carried out, will no doubt tend much in the future to the general jiro^re-s of steam cultivation. The law as to the settlement of land, which permits and encourages the creation and perpetuation of life ownerships in lands must be modified or swept away altoeether. There must be no obstacle to the production from the land of the last blade of grass which it can grow. Tenant capital must be made secure, especially that part of it which may be employed through steam cultivation, or otlurwise in raising permanently the value of the land. In order that better facilities be given for the movement of steam cultivation and traction engines about the country, the present lluad Loco- inotive Acts will have to be considered. At present many of the roads and bridges are not unsuitable for this new traffic, but they are not fit for the mere ordinary trailic of the country. Local authorities and road Boards must be compelled to have b jtli roads and bridges put in proper and efficient repair. So iDug as the laws as to the settlement of land, previously re- ferred to, are in existence, as at present, it will be impossible to secure the hearty co-operation of proprietors generally in developing the latent resources of the soil, but were they done away with, there would be nothing to prevent the agricultural resources of our country being more than doubled, by means of increased capital and steam cultivation. If we conld dispense with half the horses in the country at the present time, which would be perfectly possible under the hearty co- operation of proprietors and tenants, we should be turning coals into corn, and making ourselves much more independent in rcgar:l to foreign supply. I3ut apart altogetlier from tliis national advantage, the interest to proprietors ot land ijenearlly in this country, and more especially to those whose land is of a stiff nature, is one which deserves every consiileration. Jidging from the experience which I have iiad during the last eighteen years — experience gatliered from every county in England — I feel certain I do not exaggerate the lact when I say that the stiff clays of England can be made to pro- duce twice as much as they are now doing, at half the e.xpenditure of money. lu order to accomtdish this, there are certain permanent improvements which will have to be made to enable steam tillage operations to be carried out on these lands witli that facility which will secure a minimum cost and maximum result. Whether these improvements are to be undertaken by proprietors or tenants is a mere matter of arrangement. Where tlie proprietor has capital to expend, and the disposition to expend it, it would be the best and sim- plest way for him to carry out these improvements. There ■would be no difficulty, however, in finding tenants ready and willing to embark in the undertaking ; but before they would do so they would require security for the invcbtment of their capital, which a title to compensation for unexhausted im- liiovemeuts in case of ejectment could alone properly give. Tiiese improvements would embrace making of roads, taking out fences, and squaring up fields, drainage, fertilisation of the land, and especially steam tillage, by which I mean the im- proved value of the land, brought about by the u>e of machi- nery purcbased with the tenants' capital. The tenant should he allowed to farm in any rotation — occupy land with any c ops lie may think proper — simply he should have entire f eeJom in connection with the cultivation. Considering that the landlord is at liberty to choose between a good and a bad tenant with capital and without — and that a tenant's capital invested in the land i.s, or should be, equal to one-third of the landlord's capital, it is only reasonable that a tenant should be put in this position. Foreign competition, even under pre- sent circumstances, need cause no alarm. 1 have travelled over most of the wheat-growing countries of the world, except California, but I have never yet seen a reason why an English firmer is not in a much better position than a foreign one. Eirst and foremost the carriage of the wheat to our country more than compensates for our higher rentals. Srcondly, the foreigner is at greater expense in transporting the wheat from nearly all cases he has to cultivate two acres to get the same liis farm to any railway or seaport coramunicat on. Thirdly, in quantity of wheat, which an English farmer obtnins from one. And fourthly, his labour is now much dearer than it was, and I can see that before long it will be quadrupled. The want of capital amongst proprietors and tenant-farmers for under- taking the reclamation and perfecting of the cultivation of the land of this country is a very serious one, but I am sure th;tt whcu the laws of the selilcmcut of land, and the arbi- trary restrictions now customary are removed, and wlien by the use of steam machinery farming becomes n>ore like a commercial enterprise, capital will flow to agriculture. In fact I see no reason why agriculture should not become a business the profits of which would be as secure as those of commerce or manufacture. Under these a'tered circumstances farms would become large, the best class of machinery would be employed for every operation, labour would be reduced to a minimum, efficiency and despatch increased to a maximum, and the pleasures and profits of farming combined would attract to it men of science and enterprise. In conclusion, I would especially draw your attention to the education re- quired, not only by our young farmers but also by the young labourers who are growing up. A very stupid notion is pre- valent that any person is fit for a farmer. Now in ray opinion there is no business under the sun which requires so much practical, sound judgn.ent in all its details. Therefore, I would strongly impress upon you that the education of the young farmer ought to be of the most varied description, lie should be trained to observe the various conditions of tlie soil, so as to conduct the operations which are expedient under the vary- ing circumstances ; he should be a good mechanic, and able to judge practically of wliere and why a thing fails, and have a lit. le judgment how to alter things to suit; and he glionld make liimself acquainted with the mechanical princiules in- volved in the working of agricultural machinery. With the present dilKculty and shortcoming in our labour market, and the prospect of that dllficulty becoming greater, it is highly esseutial that, to obtain the greatest amount of labour from those we emphiy, we should be thorousjhly competent our- selves to guide and instruct them. The farmer will ako have to learn in the future the efi"ect of this new system of cultivation on the different classes of soil of whicli his farm may be composed. The practice of farmers hitheito has been to tread in the beaten track of their forefathers— a track which has been arrived at by experience with the nu-ans aud appliances at their disposal. But there is no reason why they should remain in this position : altered circumstances and appl ances must change tlie whole course of their future. We have said that one of the drawbacks to the general intrnduc- tion of steam cultivation has been ths difficulty in getting a suffi- i«nt number of the various operations of the firm accom- plished by steam power, so as to make the farmer iudpppndent of horses. While many of the operations cannot be done at present by steam power, I feel sure that these will be lessened every day, and that where a farmer sets his niiud thoroughly to utilise his steam cultivating engines, he will find that those difficulties which now present themselves to his view in their apfdication will gradna.ly disa|'pear, and tliat before long his cart work will be added to the work to be under. aken by steam cultivating engines. The reaping of the crops by steam is a subject which the agricultural engineer must undertake, and when this is accomplished it will remove one of I he greatest obstacles at present existing to the displacement of horses on the farm. There can remain no doubt in any thoughtful mind that, as the old spinning-wheel and stage coach were super- seded by the infinitely superior agency of steam, so also will the past and present style of cultivation by animal powsr be triumphantly supericded by steam cultivating machinery. Mr. WalK-ER said on many points he could not agree with Mr. Greig. Steam cultivation might be carried on in some places with advantage, but not in all. In some it certainly would not answer — ol that lie was quite sure — :'nd as instances he would mention the Wolds of Yorkshire, where it would do harm instead of good. With regard to the farmer using steam power and do'ng away with his horses, he was quite sure it would not answer. If they adopted steam cultivation, lliey would have to put all the bridges in such a condition of strength as to carry the heavy engines and machiueiy, and that involved the question whether it was fair that the whole of such expense should be paid by the producer, or wlietln r a share of it should not fall on the consumer. Th.U was a question which ought to have been dealt with by the Prime Ministers of England. lie was quite sure the steam drag was successful, but steam ploughs were no good in that district, lie thouglitthat deep cultivation was a mistake ; for instance, sanfoin, he believed the deeper they cultivated it the worse it would be. If they put fiig-stones three inches under the soil, so that the roots could not get through, he believed it would would do better than unliivatiiig it two feet deep. T'here were, so many diliicullies in the way of u gcuenil use of stcim power THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 419 that lie (lid not tliink it would bo ndopted in this pjrneration nor in IIk^ generation to come. Tlio wheat root did not grow deep, and did nat require deep cuHivation,and the belter they lept the soil at the top the better it would be. But befo.e they could reake improvement in the cultivation of the soil iu Knj,'land they would have to make some alteration in the seasons. This year it was a fact that the best of his land had the worst crops upon it. Mr. ilKMsi.EY (Shelton), said however much he might agree with Mr. Walker on local taxation, he must oppose hisopinioa on tlie bteani plough on strong land — (Mr. Walker : No, no ; I think it can do a deal of good ou strong lane)— and on light soils too. He believed that animal power mur,t be superseded by steam, but Mr. Greig went a little too far. lie agreed that a serious obstacle against the general use of steam power was want of capital, for it was not every fanner who could draw £1,U00 from the bank to spend on his steam tackle. Farmers did not enter into the subject «ith auy degree of spirit, and there was also a prejudice against it which was greatly in- creased by failures such as had been alluded to by previous speakers. The rapid movement of the steam plougii, he con- sidered, bad a most iuiportant and beneficial clfecton the soil, and such as could not take place under the s'ow movement of tiie plough, lie had found that draining was by no means perfect until alter the laud had been subjected to deep cuUi- vation. These were facts, and he agreed with Mr. Greig that tiie land would produce double tlie crops and half the expense would be saved by steam cultivation. They knew that it was possible to grow swede turnips on the table, but not to the extent to pay. He was quite certain that the steam ])lough did not do half the good ou wet land as on land which was pioperly drained. Farmers do not educate themselves, and youiig farmers would not try to understand the engineer- ing, but it would have to form part of their education in time to come, and if they would piy as much attention to the steam siigine as they did to their horses they would be masters of it, and the engineer would not walk about " c )ck of the walk," as he now did. He could not help alluding to the immense, amount of labour and expense incurred iu bringing about steam cultivation, and to no man did the country o«c more thanks for that than to the late Mr. J. Fowler. Where others had failed he had succeeded. He then proceeded to say that men who were farming 3J0 or 300 acres of land required some cheaper means of steam cultivation. 5tr. Greig had pointed out that hiring was the clieapest and inovt likely way of meeting the difficulty, but if he had a contract for the steam plougliing of his land he would want it done just in the dry season, and in the succeeding months the man who contracted to do the work would have to go and seek work elsewhere. He agreed that the use of horses could be reduced, but not done away with to the extent Mr. Greig said. Horses must be emploved to do the lighter work on a farm, and steara power would not wholly cultivate the land in this country. lis could not agree that they must look almost entirely for hiring, but in saying that he knew Mr. Greig would soon ask him, if he found fault with what he had told them, why lie did not introduce something else. Well, he thought that what the farmers wanted was an engine of about 10-horse power, and machinery made to work with such an engine, which could also be used by him for other purposes on the farm when the ploughing was done. Farming could be carried on with far less capital than Mr. Greig seemed to believe. Then the law of entail. They knew that Mr. Greig came from beyond the Tweed, where they held strong opinions on that law, but speaking from experience he (the speaker) found there was greater security on entailed estates than on any others, and if he had lived in the Midland counties he would have thought the same, and would have found them tlie best-farmed. Knovv- ing Mr. Greig so well as he did, he did not mind driving at him. He would congratulate him ou his advanced ideas on steam cultivation, and he hoped the time was not far distant when steam cultivation would be the rule and not the excep- tion. Mr. George Naylor (CiUjy) was well aware of the pre- juiiice which existed against the system. IMr. Walker had spoken of the steam plough being useless on the Wolds of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. This was not correct- He had been in three or four counties and tested its results, and on the borders of Yorkshire he had a farm ou which some of the land was very poor, and they had been iu the haljit of cultivating about three inches deep, beiu^ afraid Ihut llu-y would bury the manure and get no crop by deeper cultivation, lie ordered them to go much deeper, for he was convinced that lliey could not go too deep, and the result was that laud grew such a cop of barl(7 the next year as they iiad never seen ou it previously, and it hid iniiu'ovcd ever since. He lelt inclined to cliallenge any scientific man to tell liix any oue thing opposed to de( p cultivation. (The GiiaIKMAN : What depth would yon go H) Mr. NaT]. OR: Fifteeen inches; not less. By turning over the soil that depth the action of the sun and the atmosphere did more good tiiat any manure. Some had the idea that by deep cultivation tlicy lost their top soil and their manure ; but that was not so. Barley would find it at that depth. He found the same result with turnips. Although at first they did not appear to do so well, yit at the finish tliey were better than others cultivated at the usual depth, seven inches. Where the sun and the atmosphere could go into it lliey cou d not cultivate too deep. Three ideas had always influenced liiiu with deep cultivation. First was how native or natural soil was made. Secondly, that which made the virgin soil at first can make future soil if exposed to the sua and atniosphere, but it will not do so if not exposed, because Providence will not do what Providence designs for man to do. Thirdly, it must be better for man to work in dicp soil than to farm on shallow soil, because by so doing he can have in time soil that will produce double that which will grow on shallow. Uis lordship said ho di I not believe in twitch. Now if his lordship would gather a quantify of twitch, he (the speaker) would bury it for him in auy part of his garden, and would guarantee it did not grow again. It was a mistake to call it a root ; it was a plant, and they could bury it as they could wheat or anything else of tlie kind. He knew tiiere were many who did not understand if, but the time would come when they would do so, and would try to uili?e this twitch as manure, and landlords would desire them to do so. He had tried it himself. He had ploughed dowu the t*itcli, and had found it benefit the laud a pound to thirty shillings per acre. Jlr. Greig said Mr. Walker's facts were extremely easy to overcome. He did not like anything doing except iu his own particular way. Steam power simply meant pulling, and Mr. Walker could liave his land ploughed oue inch, two inches, or two feet deep, as he thought best. If he (the speaker) could give him steam power to do the work at half the cost of animal labour, steam power should do, unless prejudice was against it. With reference to the strengthening of the bridges, he be- lieved tliat in this county the magistrates had given the neces- sary order to have the bridges made sufficiently strong. It was now being done. (Mr. Walker: Yes, at my expense). Mr. Walker had also said he could grow plauts with the routs on stones better than iu the subsoil. That might be so if the subsoil was bad and wanted curing. It could be cured by turning over, and made as good as the top soil. Mr. Walker had said the wheat roots were only two or three inches deep. In reply to that lie would say he had traced the root of wlieat seven feet, and he quite believed it would grow as deep as the plant was high if the laud was properly worked, and it did not meet with obstruction (" Quite right"). In reply to some remarks which had fallen from Mr. llemsley, he would say that the clay land of Eaglaud could be materially improved, and could be cultivated very easily indeed at the smallest ex- pense, for by keeping it open and letting the air get to it they would make it very productive for wheat. The law of entail was an obstacle in the way of progress in farming, because a nobleman or gentleman who had twelve children must feel that he was not acting honestly if he spent everything in the development and improvement of his estate, which would go to the eldest son. What was to become of the other eleven ? His experience was, that what would do here would not do there. If they had a very stiff subsoil it would require work- ing very differently to a light one. This was oue of the many things farmers required to educite themselves to under- stand. Mr, Walker explained that he did not mean to say tlie wheat root did not grow deep, but that it got its nourishment near the surface. Tlie CuA I B:\t\N said IMr. Greig had put the question very fairly to them, and an admirable discussion had been carried on, from which he had certainly learnt something. That they should all agree was not; to be expected. He should still sit easy in his saddle with the kuowledgc that steam cultivation would uot become uuiversal. He tiiuugUt it was best where 420 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. «ti'arn could be called in to assist wliere the laud was unusually heavy, aud not. use it exclusively. For liiinselC, he shuuid he sorry lo si e horses done away witli in cultivatiuf; the land. It VI an a grave doubl; ia his mind whether tliey liad not too few lll■r.^es already in the country. It war br^jke out, at tlie pre- spiit time tliey would f xj crit'uce considerable dilficulty in getting a sullicieut supply of horses for the troops. With rejjard to hjcal taxatjon, he tiiuught Mr. Walker should not }i:ive passed over tlie fact that the present Chancellor of the Exchequer bad done more than any Prime Minister before him to relieve the tax by giving a subsidy to the local rates. The l.av of LUlailj lie tiiought, was a very good thing. Tliey were aware that there were always settlements on tlie youugsr nieniljers of the family, and he could never see any oljjp.ciiuu to it, and as a proof be would ask tbnu to look at irance, where til'- laud was divided equally among the children, and was broken up into sinidl holijings. Thrre was moie boarding of money therr, but France could not stand comparioon wilU England in tlie cultivation of the soil, lie would move that the best tbauks of the Chamber of Agriculture be givtu to Mr. Greig for his valuable pajier. This was carried unanimously, and a vote of thanks to Lord, Galway brought the proceedings to a cloae. WARWICKSHIEE CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. At a special meeting in the Shire Hall, Warwick, Mr. T. Hurley, jun., in the chair, the tuhject of the contagious dis- eases of life stock and the steps which tlie Chamber sliould take to secure effectual legislation upon the suhject vras intro- duced by the Chairman, who said tbey could not too strongly insist on the necessity of tlie uniform and compulsory regula- t Oils. In one district orders were stringently enforced while in an af'joiuing one there whs great laxity aud carelessness. In one petty sessional division heavy penalties were inflicted, while iu anoi her fligraut offenders got off scot free. Wiiat- ever measures might be adopted, if their execution was o|itioual with local authorities, the desired effect would not be gained. Mr. FiNLA-Y Dun said the Government should, for the presfut at any rate, positively and distinctly forbid the im- portation of all fat cattle, sheep, and swine ; but the importa- tion of store stock, if it were subjected to a quarantine, and to a tborouith system of inspection before removal from the British ports at which it was landed, might be permitted. Ireland must for the time be included iu any restrictions made v'tli regard to foreign importations, as an immense amount of disease was propagated by droves of Irish cattle sent hither fioin Bristol and other places. It was necessary that tlirough- out the country there should be greater stringency and uni- formity in the movement of our home stock. It was important no cattle should be sold or even brought into a town and sl-iughtered unless accompanied by a special license. Such a course would involve trouble, but it would be minimised by having in each pari.sh, as there was during the cattle plague, an authorised person for granting such licenses. Fains and pma'ties of a uuil'orin and tolerable amount should follow proved infractions of orders. The following resolutions were adopted : That fat cattle, sheep, and swine from abroad should be slaughtered at the po'ts of debarkation. That cattle, sheep, and swine from the Coutiueut of Europe, as well as from Ireland, unless for im- mediate slaughter, shall be subjected to six diys' rjuarantinff and inspection before they are moved from the British ports at which they are lani'ed. That uniform and stringent measuri's should be applied throughout Great Britain and Ireland to stamp out foot-and-mouth diapase and i tiier foreign disea es. Neither cattle, sheip, nor swine should be moved from landing ports, farm premises, or pastures to markets, fairs, or puldic sales, without special license, given by duly appointed authorities. The next business was " to consider the working of the Elementary Education Act of 1870, of the Elementary Eiuca- tion Act of 1873, and of the Agricultural Children Act in llur.il Districts." The meeting appealed disinclined to cntir on a di'Cussiun of this subjict, and contented i'self witli passing, the following resolution, which was proposed by Loid Leij;li : — That, in the absence of School Boards, there is at present, no nmchiuery !or compel'ing the school attendance of children under the Elementary Education Anieudinent Act of 18/3 ; that the police, inspectors of nuisances, or tlie parochial fiuardians be empowered to compel the attendance of defaulters; that further encouragement hy grant should be given to night schools ; and that attendance at such schools should be equivii- lent to attendance at day schools in the case of children over ten years of age. The suhject of the constitution and area of local authorities was afterviards brought forward ; and, on the motion of Mr. Scriven, seconded by Mr. Hickiu, it was resolved : That in any reform of local government it will be desirable in every district to bring all poor-law, sanitary, and highway adminis- tration under oue authority, and to constitute in every county a Representative Provincial Boaid. Tiat in all election* of local authorities admiuistratiug rates, the voting qualifiCHtiou shall depend on the jiayment of rates by the electors, and that the scale of voting shall be that adopted in the Act 7 and B Vict., cap. 101. BANBURY CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. SUSFEIv'SION OE THE MEETING. At a meeting, Mr. E. Scriven in the chair, Mr. SjMMOJN.s, the secretary, slated that a short time ago a meeting was held to consider the desirability ot continuing the meetings of the chamber, as there was so liit'e interest takeu in the proceedings. Mr. AVestover gave notice that he would propose the following resolution : "That it is expedient til it the meetings of this chamber should be suspended until fuitlier notice." lie (Mr. Simmons) was asked to get the opinion of several of tlie members on the matter, and the general opinion was that they should give up ; but it was thought proper to give the members an opportunity of ex- pressing their opinion, so that that meeting had been called. He read a letter from Mr. D. Gardner, the collector, stating til it he had collected £26 is. 5d., and the commission on that sum was quite inadequate to the work he had performed. Mr. Gardner stated that tlie most frivolous excuses were given for iinn-ii.aymeut ot subscriptions. Some of those he called upon said they bad no change; others said they would call and pay; and others, again, said they would pay if their nei.ibbours paid. 3ir. Simmuus said they were iu a worse liuancial position than last year. It was very evident, frorn Mr. Gardner's letter, that the bulk of the members took no interest in the chamber. Mr. WKSTOVEit, in moving that it was expedient to .suspend the meetings of the chamber uutil further notice, said that he did so with considerable regret. He wished to draw a line between expedient aud prudent. Having heard the letter the secretary had read, every one would agree that it was ex- pedient to suspend the meetings; but be could not help feeling that it was not a prudent step to take. He did not think the step they were taking was a wise one; but it might be expedient, because of the lit'le interest that appeared to he taken in the work of the ciiamber by its members and the ratepayers g- nerally in the district. It certainly could not be a practi- cally wise step, when tliere was so much good work which the chamber might do, not only for agriculturists but for the rate- payers in general. It almost appeared to him that some of their members had been frightened out of their propriity by tlie .strong language which some persons thought proper lo use iu taking' upon theiusilves the criticism of the cunstitutioa THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 421 of C'liartibf rs of n^ricu'turp, and win fouud certain fmlts in tlie coublitution uf tlie>e clianibirs. Tliey seenied lo iaiply by tiieir remarks that the members wire buund to tHke ceitiuu ttejjs wliich were altoiictiipr beyond tbe fuuc- ti )n of tbe chamber; b-it be tbougl t if thiy did this, tbnt or any oilier organisation of occupiers of land would ti;nally fail. Now, lie never tlumglit that it was conteni- jilatcd iiy cliaiiihers of aj^riculture that they should dictate in any possible way in the matter of leases or covenants between o-ciipiers and landlords. It was never meant ;o come witbio the scope of chambers of agriculture. Tbe attendance at tbi-ir chamber bad lalleu off considerably, an! so little interest had been taken in tbe work, that he proposed the resolution to give the members an o])portunity of saying whether the cbainlier should be entirely dissolved or suspended I'or a time. If the litter course was adopted, the chamber mixbt be resusci- tated at some future time. Many of tbe members comjilained of the little good they liad effected by their deliberalioiu ; but whose fault was it — the fault of those who came there, or those who slaved away ? Those who held the opinion that cbmubers of agriculture had done no good were under a delu- sion, lie mu^t say that it seemed almost incompreheusible that they should cease their work at a time wheu they were producing some effect on public opinion. The importance and influence of chambers of agriculture had been recognised by I'rol'essor Fawelt and by The Times. Such a resolution as lie bud proposed bad become a necessity, because their deli- berations would uot carry weight unless they were backed up by more in number than those who hid alteudel the last b-v/ meeting, lie regretted the ncccsnity for tliis step, because Jivlijects of the liighest importaiice de'iianded tlieir nont serious aiti'ution. In the district wliere lie resided a very large tract of turnjiike-road vtas abont to lall upon tbe rale- payers. The road would require JttU a mile to repair it ; and lie asked wbctlnr it was wise to break up tlie cliamler wlaii such burdens as these were cast up:'n them? Mr. Stilgoe seconded tbe motion. The Skcuetaky asked how tln-y were to get the subscrip- tions ? There were £8U 5s. in arrear. Mr. Hadiand said he bad seen Mr. Thursby, and he hcpej tliey v\'ould not break up the cliaiuber, and suggcktcd tliry should have fewer meetings. The Chairman said at Warwick they did not muster more than at Banbury. The Srx'RETAUY : But the members here will Dot pay their subscriptions. Mr S. Bbrpidse: The attendance recently has not war- ranted our nieetins. Mr. V^'e8tover's resolution was carrif d. Tbe Secketaky said they bad enough money to pay their debts; but, they had been in tbe habit of sub^c^lbing to tlie Central Chamber and the Home Cattle Defence Association, and il they suspended tbe meetings, how were they to find money to subscribe to those associations? Colonel Noi;Tll : I'ay the Central Cbambfr this year, and say that the subscription will be stopptd fur a lime. rilE WORKING OF TUB EDUCATION ACTS IN THE RURAL DISTRICTS. A meeting of the Bucks Chamber of Agriculture was held at JNewport I'agupll, for the purpose of dis- cus"ing " The Working of the Education Acts in the Rural JJislricts," a sulject which Mr. Treadwdl undertook to inUouu;e. He was, however, prfvented from attending the meeting, but the paper he bad prepared was read by Captain I'urefoy i'itz-Gerald, the I'resiJent of the Chamber, as follows : I did uot consent to introduce this subject because of any jiirticular knowledge of my own upon it, but simply to assist in carrying on the business of this chamber. 1 purpose briefly to give you my own experience and opinions on the subject, simply to promote discussion. I will shortly touch upon the three Acts of I'arliameut under which we assist the education of the children in the rural districts, aud lor brevity will terra them the School Board Act, the Agricu'tural Children's Act, and the Paupers' Children Act. I will briefly first cousider the School Board Act. There cannot be any doubt but that in- creased means of education have been given the people, and largely acted upon in the rural dis'ric's. Voluntary efforts in almost every parish have quickly brought into action the re- quirements of the Legislature; but my experience tells me that where School Boards have been formed in ray OYi'n neighbourhood they are at present almost a blank, aud from what 1 hear they are likely to be very expensive and not very satisfacttry. Willi regard to the workiug of tbe Agricuhural Children's Act, in my own parish we have strictly adhered to it. In some of the adjoining parishes some boys have been sent to school, whilst others have been kept at; work. This should not be. I am of opinion when Acts of Parliament are pMSsed it is our duty to conlorm to them. If they are not satisfactory to the majority endeavour to get them altered ; but we farmers are bad agitators. There is no doubt but that the Agricultural Children's Act is unpopular both with farmers and labourers, but my impression is that this is a well meant Aet, aud that if we do not assist in carrying it out we shall get something a good deal worse. No doubt tbe weak point in it is that there is no power given to any jiarticular person to see that it is fulftUed, and we people in the rural district* are bad informers. ]\iy idea is that some person should be empowered to see that it is carried out, whether it be the sanitary inspector, relieving officer, police- man, or lactory inspector. After all, I don't think we shall find it greatly incouvenienee us wiien strictly applied, as the buys will be able to go to work with a certificate alter eleven years of age. Now 1 come to the Paupers' Children Act. In some cases this appears to work harshly, and in my mind should be allcrwJ lo work with the Agricultural Children's Act, whereas now they are quite at varianre; but experience tells me that it tends to work lo decrease pauperism, and should be strictly applied to all Boards of Guardians without eva>ion. As many of you are members of Boards of Guardians, doubtless with me, you have seen in many cases where this Act has' been slr'cily upheld that it has prevented people from becoming or coiitinuinff paupirs. 1 think reprs- seutalions should be made from our Boards of Guardians to the Government, pointing out where it does not work har- moniously with the Agridultural Chiidren's Aet. In con- clusii'U, let nie say that we ought strenuously, by every means in our powur, to oppose the compulsory establishment of Board Schools in every parish, and 1 think we ought to assist our voluntary system in preference, as being more likely to promote happiii»ss in our parialies, and also to give our cJiildren a more sound and butter religious education, without which, to my mind, no child can he properly taught his duty to God and his neighbour. The Cii.MiiM,\-N had not seen Mr. Treadwell's paper till a little before dinner, but be would just make a few remarks upon one or two little things which bad struck hini in reading it. He must first say tint they were indebted to Mr. Treadwsll for having brought the Education Act befoic them. The queslious Mr. Treadwell had laid before them that day were well worthy their consideration. There could be no doubt that the subject of education in these days of machinery was becoming a most important one, but they must not allow themselves to be carried away too far with tbe idea that every agricultural labourer's child is likely to become a Stephenson, or Peel, or Arkvvright, though no doubt in this district, if they had foxes and coverts enough, the latter name vrjuld be more popular, if possible, than it was. When they found that not many years ago one half-million of childrea were shown to be suhjected to an excess of physical toil and an amount of premature exertion ruinous to their health, and depriving them of the means of relaxation aud of education and mental improvement, the last disclosures of tbe final report of the Commissioners, when presented to Parliament, were the most painful demoustration that ever occupied the minds of the public, for they proved that tbe socia' evils tliat had longbeea supposed to exist only in manufacturing districts, existed even in a more aggravated form in connection with the culiivatioii of tbe soil. The system he referred to was, and he feared still continued to be, the organisation of rural industries calli d Bgruulfural gangs, and wliii h jirevailed exteiifivrly in Linculu- sbire, Hants, Cambridge, Norfolk, Suffolk, Notts, and iu a mori; limited degree in the counties of Uedfoid, Rulluud, aui 422 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. NorllKimpton. Nutliiiif; ninrc sliotking had ever been Ijro.ffilit to li^lit than the sufferings iiiciiieutal to tlie fiiiploy- iiiciit of young cliil.lren in certain kinds of agricultural labour. Ill liie rich districts of Norfolk, Ilauts, Cambridge, and »-sppc!.-illy Lincoln, farni-lituses, barns, and stables were built for tlie benefit of cattle, and other aunciiltural rrquire- jiients, but no thought was taken of the labouring man. He vould simply read a few extracts which would prove tliat it was the duly of all those connected with labour to do their ulm ist to assist the Government in carrying out niensures of amelioration. After quoting tlie words of Lord Leicester, who said when he looked round his house he felt like a man shunned by all his neiglibours, he read an extract from the (liiaticrli) Recieic, descriptive of the horrors of the agricultural gang system, and the demoralising cruelties which arose out of it. Mr. Cantrell and Mr. Coales both said those evils were unknown n this district. The Chairman said in Hampshire he feared there was some danger of its revival, for so great were the difficulties in tlie labour question that nvire than one or two of the leading iaruiers of the d strict were talking of letting their horses and Work to contractors, the result of wbioh would, in son.e measure, be a probable return to the gang system. That ein- pl .ycrs had to a certain extent lost the confidence of their in n, there was nut the slightest doubt, but ai the same time he did not think they would lose it altogether. Mr. Cantrell said he did not think they liad lost it. Tiie CllAllLMAN trusted they had not. With re'erence to sc'iool b .ards, no doubt in the large towns they might be very useful, but in the country parishes they did not answer at all. It seemed to him that the voluntary system, which had e.^isted for 80 many years, and under which the schools were managed by the clergyman of the parish, did very well, and was more sni;ed to the English people in the agricultural districts, than the unsectarian system which the Birmingham Jjeague was trying to force upon the nation, and the school boards origi- nated by Mr. Forster. He would, ho« ever, urge upon the tenant-farmers the duty of suppojrtiug the voluntary schools, in whicli they were well sustained by Government at the present moment. Mr. SiiASESHAFT said he very much regretted the absence of Mr. Treadwell, as, no doubt, had he been present they would have received a great deal of information from him on the subject referred to in his paper. Willi regard to the working of the Education Act in the agriculturaldistricts, he contended that thi.se acts ought to be fairly and firmly enfo'ced by some one in the nature of a public prosecutor. The proper man to do that was, however, some one in the shape of an in- spector of factories, and certainly not the police. He hoped tliey would be kept out of police supervision in scliool and edu- cation matters. He would urge too that they, both employers and parents, should look on the educaMon of children with a higher aim, as a ma'ter of duty rather than have it enforced upon them by inspectors, or police, or any other class of oHicials. They ought to take an interest iu tlie poor, and in their children, and should certainly insist upon the law being carried out, or else let it alone altogether. In some parishes where they got the Act, children were not employed under ten years of age, while iu others they were, and he asked why any distinction should be made? Throughout the whole couutry the cliildren ought to receive elementary education, and why should those of one parish or district receive it any more than those of another ? The law should be enforced by i specters thoroughly throughout the country. He believed in the parish where he lived no child was employed cither part time or wliole lime under ten years of age, and it was tlie opinion of himself and his neighbours that they should all receive, from ten to eleven, a good sound elementary education as a necessary to enable tbera to go out into the world and figlit the battle of life. WhUe ho made that contention, lie repeated, he hoped there would be no police interference with children under age or over age, and whether at school or at work, either directly or indirectly. At the same time the law ought to be generally enforced by proper inspectors, other than the police, throughout the kingdom, and if it was not the ratepayers were humbugged. Iu conclusion he again referred to the general duty of taking interest in the education of the c'lildren of the poor. Mr. Cahtuell said Mr. Treadwell had, iuhis p^iper, ex- preastJ a good deal in u few words. He (Mr. Cautrcli) was a strong advocate for education to a ccTlam ex'cnt. lie lived at Hitcliet, where a voluutary school was well attended to by the Vicar, who made it a hobby, and a great deal of good was done ; while at Langley Green tliere was a School Board which, be was told, had failed, and, therefore, his advice was, as far as possible, to do- without School lioards. To show the working of the latter he fnd, in the parish of Langley, been eiiiplojiiig a boy nojned William Haynes, who was rejiresented to him as twelve years of age, but who uow appeared to be under that age, and had in consequence beea dismissed by him at the end of harvest, as he did not wish to infringe the law. At the same time, from what he knew of the boy, he considered he had sufficient education for aK he wanted in life. After reading the correspondence which had passed between himself and the education authorities on the subject, Mr. Cantrell expressed bis concurrence in the opinion of King George the 111., that the three R's were sulficienb education for the children of the labouring classes, and until they had attained that amount of education their parents- ought to he compel'ed to send them to school. Eor his own part, he left school at fourteen, but he had made the best of his time since, and so might the agricultural labourers' children. The tact was, he believed in many cases, the object ol the School Board authorities was to keep them longer at school for the sake of the capitation grant. His opinion was that, educationally, they were going too far, and t'ough he agreed with agrcultural children being cou.pelhd to go to school till twelve, he thought in most cases that the education- they wou!d receive after that age would do them more harm than good. Mr. lloGERS considered edncafinn was progressing fast enough without the interference of Parliament, but as the law had been made they must obey it. Children had row every opportunity of going to school, and between voluntary aiid Board Scliuols the farmers themselves could not get their children any better educated ihan those of their l.bourers iiad the opportunity of being. One result of that was that now, if there was a situation vacant of £1 a week, there would be three or four hundred applications for it, while at the same time in London, Scotchmen and Germans, who would live upon half what Englishmen would, were filling all the vacancies. As to School Boards, he believed they had better do without them as far as possible. Referring to the advance of agricultural wages, and the increase of rates for educational and other purposes, he remarked that if the farmers could not make money they could not pay it, and they all knew land did not make mucli. The rule now, however, apjieared to be, uot (or men to do to others as they would others should do to them, so much as to do others, as others did tliem. The Chairman said they had had a very interesting little discussion, and he had listened to the remarks which had beea made by ilr. Shakesliaft, Mr. Cantrell, and Mr. Rogers with great ileasutc. lie quite agreed with Mr. Shakeshaft about the want of a public prosecutor. There could be no doubt about it. The subject would be discussed at the meeting of a diocesan body in llampshire, which had been originated by the late revered Bishop of Oxford, Dr. Wilberforce, and had been revived by the new Bishop of Winchester, l)r. Harold Browne, who «as a Buckinghamshire man. He had a notice of a discussion upon the subject at the Diocesan Conference at W nchester, and should certainly ofipose the principle of P'jliceraen going into labourers' houses for the purpose of en- forcing the Education Act. It was due to the rights of every Englishman, be he duke or be he labourer, that he should enjoy those privileges of freedom from such visitations, wliich always had existed and always ought to exist. Mr- Shake- shaft also rightly contended that tlieie should not be one law for one parish and another law for another parish, and that the Act should be administered tliroughout the country iu the same spirit. They should exert themselves while they had the prospect ol doing so to get the Elementary Education Act put into a better shape, and the voluntary system incorporated with the school boards. In his own neighbourliood in Hampshire he had a voluntary school on his own property, which was attended by twcn'y children, and a noble lord who owned the greater part of neighbouring land had insisted on setting up a board school. Tliat board school was two miles from ilie village, and the children still came to the vo'untary one, so that lie (Captain Eitz Gerald) had been called upon by Govern, meat to maintain the village school, while at the same tim-e he waj calkd upon to pay Is. Gd. rale to the board bchool, oa THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. -12:5 tile IflO anres of his own property in Ihn parish. lie thonj^ht school hoiniis in Ihe ruriil disiric's would lust for name, time, hill, ih;il thry woiihl not uliiinat.ply stiuid tlie tc^t of tlic fciilauce sheet, which was m>t forgoUeti hy the Liberal Guveru- ment. Now thoy wpre under a (^on<;ftrvalivo Oovprnmont \\<: tru^t'd tile I'jduCittion A-t's wonll l)i>. moililicl so us hetler lo meet the actual requirements of those districts. THE EDUCATION OF FARMERS' SONS. /Vt a general m'^eting of the Clieshire Chamber of A'^riciiUnre, in Knntifonl, to " reeoive proposals from th(^ tru-stpcs of the Saiidhaeli (Irammar St;hool of a siilieme for promoting the better edu Mtion of farmers' sons and of youths inlended to become fanners, and to rcsolvp. thereon," there WIS hut a limited attendance ; the Hon. Wilbrahain E^^erton LI.l'., in the chair. The Secretary, ^fr. TiroJtAS Rigby, read the following as ■cx]ilanafory of the position of the chamber with regard to the scheme mooted at the Miy freneral nieating : " Tne trustees of the Sandhaeh Grammar School olTer to co-operate with tlin Chesliire Chamber of Agriculture in providing a course of education in tlie elements of chemistry, botany, animal physioloey, land-surveying, &c., such as would prepare youths intending to become farmers to enter into competition lor the selolarahips of the Royal Agricultural Socieiy, upon the following terms : The head master will engage a properly- qualified teacher to give instruction in these sciences, and to provide board and give all the advantiges of education in the school, at £ to per annum, if twenty youths be sent to the institution for five years, at the instance of the chamber ; or if tlie chamber will undertake to piy ten guineas for any less number than twenty in attendance for the same space of time, the advantages named shall be placed at their service, "The council of the chamber accepts the proposition with thanks, and, with the view of ascertaining what support the chamber and the county would give the project, has addressed .1 circular embracing the proposition of the trustees to the principal landowners and farmers in the county ; and, in res- pect of the guarantee, in the event of twenty youths not being obtained, having promises amounting to nearly £100," now asks the opinion and resolution of the chamber as to the answer to be given to the trustees." The Secrel'ary also read over a list of those who had promised subscriiitions to the guarantee fund. Tlie CiiAiR.\r\x asked wliat answer had been received to the circulars to the agents of landowners ? Mr. TjVtiiam replied that nearly every one said tliat one or two boys miglit lie sent. The SECRErvRT said that no one had guaranteed a lad, exeept Mr. Carter. The Chairman said that that meeting was held specially to consider the proposition made by the head master of the Sandbaeh Grammar Scliool, and it was ho;iecI lliey would have been able to ascertain the feeling of the farmers in that neiglibourhood and of the chamber upon the subject. The head master liad made a proposal which seemed to be a very fair one, that he should take the scholars and prepare them to ptss the examination of the iloyal Agricultural Society ; or, if they did not wish to go so far as that, to teach them the elements of the different branches of education required ior high-class farming. He would take scholars at £iO a-year, provided that 30 boarders could be guaranteed for four years, or take a less number than thit upon payment of 10 guineas for each vacancy. Several gentlemen had put down their names towards a guarantee fund ; and what the chamber had to decide was whether they were in a position to accept the offer, and whether it was likely that 20 boarders or any number less than tliat would be sent to receive tlie special instruction that would be imparted in the school. When the subject was discussed last year at North wich there appeared to be a general feeling among farmers that such a school should be established, in order that farmers who had sons 15 or 1(3 years of age might secure for them a better education than could be obtained at the National scliools. He therefore trusted, tliough the attend- ance was not large, which he attributed to the fact that it vi-as a fine day, and farmers would ratlier be at work in ttie f.eld than attending a discussion on education, that tliere were those who were willing to avail themselves of the special advantages now offered. He would be glai to hear the remarks of any gontleinau, so tliat they might cDme to some resolution upon the sub ect. Mr. Latham, as one of tlie truslees of the Sandhach Grnm- mar School, iMr. VVilbraham being one also, said he should like to exp ain tlie circumstances of the case. They had a school with very good buildiiig-f and good ace iinmodation for boarders ; and the trust was unlike otiur trusis, as there was a good deal of money inves-ted, and a good deal more likely to come in, and with the help of t he Charity and Endowed S.-bools Commissioners there would be room for e.\pansiou if necessary. For, as time had gone on, the Sandbach School, which 10 or 13 years ago used to educate the sons of Liverpool and Jlan- chester merchants, had now got stranded liigli and dry, because the modern schools at Cheltenham, Malvern, L'^amiiigton, and other places, ollered more advantages than the smaller ones, the railways affording great facilities for taking boys out of tlie manufacturing districts. I3ut here were buildings absolutely doing nothing, and the question arose. Can we not utilise them, and confer a great boon upon Cheshire farmers? Tliere was already a head master, who took a few boarders at £60 a-year ; but those few would have to be got rid of and the scliool re- organised ; ana if they could get a young Oxford or Ca uliri'lga man, well up in vegetable physioh gy and other sul.jects that would be useful for farmers, that education wjiicli would be the very best for farmers' sous would also be suitable for the children in the parish, and, tluretore, they were anxious to benefit theaiselves as much as to benefit Chesliire farmers. Mr. Mad lock, the head master, proposed to make the experiment with 20 boys. Supposing they could not get 20 boys, and that they could not expect that, he said, " Pay me so much for the vacancies. I must engage a master to give lessons in special subjects, and the cost of his services to me will be as great as if there were 20 boys, and theicfure I should like to be gua- ranteed 10 guineas for each vacant place." If there were 19 l.oys, he would receive 10 guineas ; if 19, 20 guineas ; and if there was only one boy, the 10 guineis would have to be multiplied by 19. He (Mr. Latham) did not suppose the experiment would be anything like that. Some would come, and by the end of four years it would either fail or be a great success ; and the trustees were willing, if it succeeded, as he beliived it would, to put up additional buildings, and to accommodate quite as many boys as would come from the county of Chester. When lie had heard a doubt expressed, he said that he didn't believe that farmers' sons would come at first, but that another class would come — namely, the sons of those who, although farmers, are something else — the son of a miller who is a farmer, the son of a bone-merchant who is a farmer, and the sons of tradesmen meant to be farmers. Mr. Rigby met some one at the I'reston show who said he should be glad to send two boys, and there were now three or four boys the sons of Cheshire farmers boarding with the second master at £tO per annum, and would certainly be only too glad to coaie into the home of the head master at the same sum. He thought he had told them all, except this — that if the subscriptio ns were i.ot required for the guarantee fund they m'ght want them to estab- lish scholarships and exhibitions, as it would be a great tempta- tion, if a farmer liad a clever son, to allow him to remain at school if there was a chance of winning a scholarship worth £20 or £35 a year ; and if they could get the number of boys, and they had the moii^y in hand, the chamber might be asked to give an exhibition to be competed lor by the boys who had baen one year at school. That would be a great attr.actioii, and they would get as much money by asking lor subscriptions to that as they would in a'iking for subscriptions to a guarantee fund. Everybody knows tlut the course of iustrucuons, in elementary schools is too short, and farmers' sons, like those of mechanics, were too often taken away when they were beginning to learn, and too often forgot what they had learnt. If a boy could earn £'30 or £35 by liis own brains, iiis lather would not so much mind sparing him from looking after the cows and pigs for a time. Colonel Egertox Leigii : What would be the amount of the schokrsliips ? 424 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. iir. Latham : That would depend iipouthe number of boys yon have. Colonel Egerton Leisii : Wou'd you have cue, two, or three ? .Mr. Latham : 'Well, if you liad only ten boys, you could not liMve so iTi.^ny as if you liad twenty. The Chairman remarked that. I lie guarantee fund was only for four years, and then probably some scheme mijflit be ailopted for exhibitions, such as would tempt the farmers to «( nd thfir sons to scliool. Mr. TjATIiam said tliat if the Endowed Schools CoTimis- sioMprs saw tliat there was likely to be a good rniddle-class sehool cstnbl shed, they would do all they could to a«sist in carrying oat any scheme which might be ad)pted. Colonel EoERTuN TjEiGn put another question as t'^ what amount might be further expected irom the trust, and Mr. Latham said that there were mines belonging to tlie charity in respect to which an arbitration was pending, and it would depend upon the arbitrator whether the sum for the land, seven or eight acres, was a la^^ge or small one. Col. Egf-rton Leigh could see that they might not get llie s ns of larmers at first, but they would get them after- W.irds. Mr. Latham said tliej would be glad to take farmers' sons from anywhere. Col. Egertox Leigh said that fiiOa-year was a good deal for a farmer to p.iy (or one member of his family. Ot course in a country wiiere large farms were tlie rule, and not the exception, there would be no dilKculty. Lord Egerton said there whs always a difTieulty about making a beginning, but if they would only get a few peraous 1o send their sons, others, seeing the importance of putting scientific principles into practice, might be tempted to do so. If thev could secure ten or twelve boys only from farmers it would be a great thing ; and he thought if they got ten they winild be able to pay the guarantee; and every additional sum to the fund would put it in the power of the council to a]iply that to the endowment. He advised them, if ten farmers would put down their names to send their sons, to bciin at once, and so soon as the number of boys reached fifteen he would give a scholarship to be competed for of £25 a-year. He would venture to propo-e that so soon a? they were sure of ten farmers sending their doys to school for four years, and having now £100 a-year iu hand, they should try the experiment. If it failed, they would only have to say tliej were verv sorry that Cheshire fanners did not come up to the mark. But be could not lielp thinking that it would succeed, as people were liegiuning to see that to farm properly it wan necessary to liave a knowledge of the ua nre c^f soils and mauures, and that it was absolutely necessary that their children should have such information. Mr. C. Swetenham asked if the offer of his lordship was iu'ended to ^'pply to all boys who entered at first or not. Lord Fgerton : After tl:e boys have been at school a year there will be, I suppose, an examination, and then they would be entitled to compete for the scholarships — three or four, or whatever the council may decide. Mr. G. F. VVii.BRAHAM: Is it desirable to confine the school to farmers' sous? Would you extend it ? Lord Egrrton was iu favour of extending it. The Chairman: We only meet here to look after the interests of farmers, but if tradesmen choose to send their sous with the vowed intention of their becoming farmers so much the better. Otherwise, it is not inteuted for the benefit of tradesmen. Mr. G. F. WiLBRAHAM : Tradesmen or professional men miybt send their sons ? The Chairman : Not unless they intended them to become farmers. Mr. Latham said the school might be carried on at a loss, and then lie did not see how anyone not a farmer could send his son at a p:iyinent of £6U. Mr. C. Swetenham : tSut anyone iatenling his son to becime a farmer can send him at a payment of £10. Tlie Chairman : No doubt ; anyone can. Mr. Fair sai.l he was sure they were all very thankful for Lord Egertou's kind oifiir, and he thought that the contents of the circular which had been sent out to the agents had not been generally made known to the farmers. The Chairman said a circular was sent to the landowner and agent of every landowner, and he undertook to make it known to every farmer within Ids immediate control. There- fore, whether the fault liy with the one or the other, they did not know. The High SHERirr seconded Lord Egertou's proposition that if ten farmers would undertake to send their sums, the proposi- tion of the S'udbach Trustees be accepted. This was put and carried. M'-. W. Fair then moved that a copy of tlie proposal of the Trust es of tie Grammar School at S:indbacb, together with Lird Egertou's liberal oU'ei, be seut to every member of the Ciiaraber. This, together with publication in the news- papers, would lead to it being generally known, as he believed it liad not been before. Lord Egerton said he would add to it that a request should be made that each member would let the secretary know whether he could send a boy. Mr. C. Swetenham : llow long would you leave that open P The Chairman : Till the next meeting. Jlr. Latham : The head master should know as soon as he can. Mr. Fair said that the annual general meeting would bo held in November. Colonel Egerton Leigh asked Lord Egerton whether he would confine his offer to Cheshire boys, and received an answer in the iiflirmative. The Chairman thought there would be plenty of com- petitors from tlie county alone. Colonel Egerton Leish seconded the proposition. Lord Egerton remarking that the secretary should know at least six days before the annual meeting how many boy* might be expected. The proposition was put and carried, tlie Chairman re- marking that it would be useless to go ou unless the larmers could make up their miuds. THE HIGH PRICE OF BEEF. — At the dinner of the Ireby Agricultural Society, Mr. T. Gibbons, formerly of Barnfoot, referred to the present high prices of animal food. After tracing the history of agrienlinre from ISlO up to the present time, he said that all classes of the community had since the repeal of the Corn-laws advanced in the social scale, and the country had increased in wealth. He could recollect when no fat cattle were fed in this county, and in very few counties indeed. What was the reason of that? AVhy, there was i.o market for them. Pigs ahine were fattened, because we had the Newcas le market at hand. The first thing that gave an impetus to the feeding of cattle in this country was the introduction of steamboats; and since thru we had had railroads in all directicns. He had found fr jni experience that of those who had the best breed of animals those who gave them the best food were always the best paid. lie had seen animals sold for fat, every one of which would have carried ten stom- more beef had they got plenty of good food, and been kept to tlie proper time. That was one of the causes of scarcity. If they looked at the great Ballinasloe Fair they would see the great falling-otf, particularly in sheep, of whieli there was one-third fewer than last year, with a considerable rise in price, and the sRuie applied to cattle. Tliey were not going to get beef and niuttou at a low pripe, it seemed. Tney had been blessed with a good season — they had abundance of grass ; in tact, they had been favoured with an excellent season, and had been more highly favoured than any other parts of the country. They had had a genial summer, and no great rains or Hoods, such as they had suffered iu the midland counties. Iu wheat and other grain crops they had very formidable rivals to compete with in America ; and he believed that if the working classes did not get their bread at a low price, they would not get so high a price for their beef and mutton. He met a gentleman, the other day, who had been all through the old settled Siates of America, and he said there were thousands and thousands of acres out of cultivation. I'he land had been cultivated year after jear with grain crops until the vegetable matter was taken out of it, and it had tuirned out unproductive. They had a very fine cou.itry in California, but if they went on cultiva'ing wheat and other grain year aft r year it Would tire the laud out. If tenants iu this country only got proper eucouragi raent from landlords in draining and THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 4.25 laying' out caiiiial on (lip l.iiid, mucli good would encue ; for, as the l.it^ 1jOi\1 Derby one • observed at :iii asricultural meeting ill Liiicasliirp, there was no snfer bank lor a landlord's money tban tbe land. Mr. Gibbons next referred to a letter wriltcu by .Mr John Brli;lif, and observed that since the introduction of foreijfu cittle into liiis country, what with foot-'iud-mouth disease, lu!i|; disease, and liie riudnpest, tlie coii>u.ner iiad lost more vahie in Brilisii st'ck. tiian the foreign ma. ;e up. Tbeai fl'.ere were various other C'lUsbs for t'lC liij^b prices tliey were gi'tlin^. One groat thing was that, owing to the higher wages that the vvorfciiig elassi'« were obtaining gensra'ly througliout the kingdom, they could all'ord to buy auiiual food, particu- larly when other tilings were r\t. siicli a low obli. He ronid remeniljer when tiiere were lieavy duties on tea, suv'ar, and 30'|) . Now Mr. John Briglit ur^ed that tlie present lii-iii prices were caused by not biinging in more foreign cattle. ]5ut Mr. Jolin liright helped I iniseif to raise tiie price of beef and mutton, for he was an rarnest friend for the repeal of the Corn- laws and the advocate of a free breakfast-table, wliich eria!iil food. Willi regard to the jiigli wagi's, his opinio'i was it was no odds what lliey paid for labour so long as they got vahie for their money. It was no odds what the price might be, but if they paid more for labour than they got in value it was a mistake. PRODUCTS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. The following particulars have been compiled at the sugges - tion of the Local Commissioners for the I'liiladelphia Exhibition, with the view of furuisiiiug iufonnatiourespicting the character and position of the colony. TiiE Land. — The general character of the laud in South Australia, so far as it has been si tiled, is in a high detrree fa- vourable for advantageous settlement. It may be divided into tb'ee classes — the plains, which tor the most part ar:; at once available for the plouiih ; the hilly couutry, where more or less cleariusj is necessary to be done to fit it for cultivation; and scrub 1 inds, which in ^ome cases are of in'erior quality, but in o'hersare only kept from being cultivated owiutr to the expense and Uiliour that would be involv^d in removing the timber. A foiiith class might be added, consisting of comparatively level cuuiitry, sprinkled with slieaoak and other small timber, which can be removed at a comparatively sliffht cost. The land where the slieaoak grows is almost invariably found to produce good wheat crops. This is particularly the case on Yorke's Peninsula, where a large amount of settlement is at the present time takiuii phice. Notwithstanding the comparb,tivfi dryness of the climate the soil proves very produclive. Not only do Enslish fruits and cereals of all kinds grow to perfection, but riiany semi-tropical fruits and vegetables do equally well, the earth \ieMiug a bountiful return for a very moderate expendi- ture of labour. At the present time almost 90,000 square miles of land are occupied by settlers engaged in Pastoual Pursuits. — Tlie exports of wool during the year 1874-5 amounted to a declared value of f 1,994,190. In 1804 the amount was £849,125, showing an increase during the last de ade of more than a hundred ppr cent. The land in pastoral ccupation is for the most part held under lease from tlie Government, the payment required being from 2s. Gd. to £ 1 per square mile, and an annual assessment on the stock at the rate of 2d. to Gd. per head for sheep, and from Is. to Ss. for cattle. The pastoral lessees, more commonly caPed squatters, have been from the earliest days the pioneers of seitlement. The enterprising squatters, who are now among our wealthiest colonists, have gone out into the distant bush with one or two men, a year's stock of rations, a few horses for riding, and a few thousand, or perhaps only a few hundred sheep, and se- lecting some spot where water was obtainable they have had so many square miles surveyed for them, thus constituting what are known in the colony as their " runs." Generally speaking in thecoutse of a few years the owners have found themselves in a position of independence if not of wealth. At times the country, especially the Far North, has been visited by seasons of brought, when considerable loss has occurred, but the general progress has nevertheless been well maintained. la 1864 the number of shepp in the colony was 4,106,230. A very severe droug'it reduced the number in the following year to 3J millions, but 10 years afterwards tlie fiocks had again so increased that the former number was more than made up, and at the present time there are in South Australia 6,120,211 sheep and lambs. The increase in cattle has uot been so great, and considerable | numbers of fat stock are imported every \ear from the other Cfdonles. Our stock at present is of horses 93,123, of horned cattle 185,343. The sherp and cattle are almost entirely reared upon the native grasses and other herbage. Some ol the runs are naturally more fertile than others; liut there are few parts of the country where sheep do uot get a liv ng. Of late yearg the productiveness of the runs has been greatly increased by means of fenciusr. There aie now nearly 18,000,000 acres of enclosed land in the colony, the quantity having been aug- mented to the extent of 2,000,000 acres during the last ypiir In connection with pastoral pursuits a few words may be'said concerning iiorses and horseracing. Though South Australia may not occupy so prominent a position as some of the other colonies of the group in the matter of racing, she has done her fair share in breeiiing horses for the turf, some of the most suc- cessful animals in nunieious intercolonial contests having been reared here. We have a number of studs of con»ider;>i le extent, containing mares of very high breeding ; and amongst our racing stallions are some at least second to none in tie colonies in pedigree and appearance. Racing has not been carried on by South Australia for a considerable time with any great amount of energy, and breeding ot high-class horses have not therefore had the amount of encouragement that would otherwise have been accorded to them. The national spoit, liowever, seems to be reviving, and wciiave now a Jockey ('lub again full of life. We appear to have a better climate than any of tlie other colonies for horse breeding. The atmosphere is clear, dry, and light, and the horse therefore grows up with better lungs, and freer fiom unsoundness than in more humid climates. With a greater demand for blood stock which seems likely to spring up, especially in connection with the Indian trade. South Australia may take a very high position as a horse-breedins colony. Agiuculturf.. — The farmer follows in tlie wake of the squatter, gradually driving him back to the more distant bush. The lea?es of the runs are always made subject to a proviso that the land may be resumed by the Government for survey and sale to agriculturists. The provisions of the land law are framed with a view of facilitating agricultural settlement, a lengthened period being allowed for payment to the Govern- ment of the purchase money. Personal residence on the land is not insisted upon, but as a safeguard against speculative purchasers no one is allowed to take up more tban 640 acres ; and every person who buys laud has either to live on it him- self or to place a nixn-servant upon it, and to cultivate at least oue-ftfth of the area. The land is submitted for selection, a''tfr being surveyed, at the uniform price of £1 per acre ; and the person who wants a certain sec'-ion or sections has, on the day named, to lodge an application in the Crown Lands OITice, ac- companied by money amounting to one-tenth of tjie purciiase- money. If there is no other applicant for tlie same land he is declared the purchaser, and may go on it at once. If there are two or more applicants, then they are allowed to bid at auction among themselves to see who will give the h ghest price, and to the highest bidder the land is granted. The deposit of 10 per cent, is taken as rent for three years, so that the settler has no other payment to make for that period — a very advantageous provision for men of limited means. At the eud of three years the settler has to pay another 10 per cent., which is received as interest for the next three years. If at the eud of that lime he cannot complete the purchase, be can pay half the purchase-money and obtain further credit for the other half at the rate of 4 per cent, per annum interest. Improvements have to be made to the extent of 5s. per acre before the end oi the second ,\eir of occupation, to the extent of 7s. 6d. before the end of the third year, and to the extent of lOs. before the end of the fourth year. The improvements may consist of " erecting a dwel ing- house or farm buildinss, sinking wells, constructing water- tanks or reservoirs, puttinsup fcncLug, draining, and clearing or grubbing the said land." WnEAX-GROWix\G,— The system of wheat-growing ia 42 G THE FARMi*:R'S MAGAZINE. Sfiutli Australia is pxtremoly simple, and it itiiKht be whU if a little more skill and science were retiiiired to Tender farmiQut of land planted with vines is 5,051 acres, which produced last season 648,180 gallons of wine. The greater part of this is cnisumed in the colony, where a taste for the good and pure article is gradually but steadily growing. A moderate tride has been established with the neighbouring colouies aud New Caledonia, and one or two growers ship their prodncR regularly to England, where a remnneralive maikt! is obtained fvr them. O'lr wines have also secured prizes at the London, Paris, aud Vienna International I'^xliibitions. The value of the wine exported during the last year was £13,060. Spirit manufacture is also carried on to a considerable extent. Gakdexs A^■D Oncii.VRDS abound in the suburbs of Adelaide, and there is no time during the year when several kinds of fruit may not be obtained. The variety of climate, from the warm and at some times arid plains, to the sheltered and well-watered nooks and valleys in the I\Iount Lofty hills, epable not only vegetables to be placed on every man's table all the year round, but tlowers and fruits also. Tiie earliest of the spring fruits is the loquat, which ripens before the end of September. In October aid November a plentiful supply of strawberries and cherries introduces the sumner Iruit season, and they are closely followed by currants, raspberries, and other of the small fruit-;, which carry us on to Christmas time, when apricots aud figs, and siou after peaches and grapes, are ready to supply the market. Of grapes there is always great abundance, and these, with melons, apples, pears, and an im nense variety of other toothsome fruits, carry tiie supply on till the orange season, which begins about June and lasts until November. Tlie sultana, rau-soatel, and currant vines are common in the vineyards, and fruit is dried by some growers to the extent of several tons in a season, the produce being esteemed above the imported currants and raisins. The orangeries of the colony, although they require artificial watering, are productive and profitable, and some hundreds of thousands of oranges, including the esteemed Baliia or Navel orange, are produced every season, althougli many of the orangeries are still very young. The orange groves at the present time, as the trees are bending with their loads of golden fruit, present a rich and striking spectacle. OriiEii Products. — The olive thrives luxuriantly in South Austrahau soil. jNIiny of the best varieties were introduced soon after the colony was established, and for years small quantities of oil of very excellent quality have heen made. It is only during the last three or four years, however, that systematic attempts at its manufacture have been made. These attempts are owiu^ largelvr to the advocacy of the interest by Mr. Samuel Davenport. There are now several persons engaged in the business, and some thousands of gallons of olive oil will be made during the present season. The oil when made commands a ready sale at 10s. per gallon, being equal to the best ever imported. Sericulture, also owing very much to the advocacy ol the same gentleman, appears to have gained a fair footing. The most successful sericulturist is Jlr. ¥. Wiirm, of Unley, who last year secured a bonus that had been offered by the Government for the first SOOibs. of cocoons. Some of these, which were sent to Mar- seilles, have been pronounced by the firm of silk merchants to whom they were consigned, to be equal to any ever wound by tnem. The climate of South Australia appears to be admirably suited to the silkworm, while the mulberry trees required for its food grow rapidly and luxuriantly. The planting of mulberry trees is encouraged by the Government, who offer a bonus of £1 for every 100 trees. Flax has been grown to the extent of some hundreds of acres, and would have gone on extending in area, but that the authorities, acting under the Public Health Act, h.ave prohibited the operation of steep- ing at the mills, on account of the offensive and injurious smells occasioned. It is hoped that either an improved process will be discovered, or some other means devised, to enable what promises to be an important industry to be carried on. The colony has also been proved experimentally to he well adapted for the growth of many other products. On the authority of Dr. Sehomburgh, the energetic and pains- taking director of our Botanic Garden, the following are recommended to agriculturists -. Beet-root, for the purpose of sugar, as well as cattle fodder ; hops, which are indeed suc- cessfully and systematically grown in the South-Eastera District ; tobicco, which thrives with very little attention in the Botanic Gardens and in many other places, although it has not been systematically cultivated ; the castor oil plant (RioJ/iiis), which grows with the greatest freedom ; the sun- flower, winch is equally at home in our warm sunny plains ; mustard, rape, canaryseed, grain, lupin, maize, lenlib, chicory, osier, broom, millet, esparto grass, opium, cochineal, and many p'.ants used in distilling various perfumes. These have all been grown here, aud are therefore recommended not TUE FaPvMER'S magazine. 427 u))oii morn sp,-ciil,ilivi-, Eroiinds but ii]ir>n actual knowledgp of tlie suilHljilily ol the cliiuute lor their produeliou. 'ihc irrcHtc-st liiiidrauce, as in most other ma'ters, is tlie scarcity oflahoiir, which will always be more or less a dilliculiy to be eucouutercd. The list we hive thus giv(Mi must not be understood as ex- hausting the ag-riculfurnl and iiorticultural capabilities of the colony, as it cnly iucluiies ihose which are or may become important sources of wealih. We may add, therefore, that ahnost every description of garden plant and forest tree, from the violet and the oak of the cold Nur(k>rn climes to the ferns, cacti, and gorg^eous lluwerinj;- shrubs of si'ini-lropicul counlries, may be seen in tlie gardens in and aruuud the City of Adrlaide. Tub Noktiikrn Territory. — This extensive resiou, well Watered by the Victoria, Adelaide, and lloper llivers. Dr. Schoinbur;;h d jes not hesitate to pronounce vvell alapted to the production of sufiar and cutttjn, which he feels coniident will ill future become staple exports frain Tort Darwin. lu this conviction ha is fortilied by tlie result of experiments made in the territory itself. The soil consists to a very large extent of rich decomposed vegetable matter well suited for the purpose, but the want both of manual labour and of practical experience with the kind of cultivation needed has deterred our colonists from any systematic attempt in that direction. Tiie land laws affecting tiiat portion of South Australia are very liberal in their provisii^ns. All the country lauds after survey are open to be selected on credit at 7s. (id. per acre, a lease being granted for ten years at 6.1. p.'.r acre. Tue purchase miy be completed at any time after tlie laud has been taken up, provided certain reasonable conditions of occu- pation liave been complied with. Country land may also be purchased for eisli at 7s. fid. per acre. There is a provision by which, on application to tlie Commissioner of Crown Lar.ds, lie in'iy order a special siirv.'y of ll),()L)0 acres of land in any locality indicated, and tlie applicanf is thereupon entitled to purchase the same for £3,750. The pastoral lands of the Northern territory are to be obtained on leases of twenty-five years at the rental of CJ. per square mile for the first seven years, and 10s. a square mile fur the remainder of the term, vvitli the conditions that the nms are to be stocked within twelve mouths, or, by permission of the Government, eighteen months. Several extensive runs liave been taken up by South Australians under thes-e terms, and if a transcontinental railway should be constructed — a scheme whicli has many advocates, although it will probably be some years at least before, it is carried out — the country would soon be occupied for the wliole of tjie 2,000 miles between Adelaide and Port Uarwin. To encourage tradeand industry in the territory a bill is now passing through Parliament for turning Port Dar*in into a free port. Mining. — This colony is unquestionably ridi in mineral depo>its. The city of Adi^laide had scarcely been marked out when apron-isirig silver.lead vein was discovered on a hill- side at Glen Osmond, about four miles from the city. Opera- tions were carried on there for some years, but without any permanent success, Oiher mines of the same description have been worked in diifereut parts of the colony; but, aitbougb the ores have yielded 55 to 75 per cent, of leid, and from 55 to 65 ounces of ciiver to the ton, they h;ive been found very refractory iu the smelting furnace, and the mines are now abandoned. The principal mineral wealth of tlie co'ony has hitherto consisted in its copper deposits, whicii are very extensive in their rauge. Tlie oldest co|iper mine is the Kapunda, about fifty miles north of Adelaide, which gave rise to the town now known by that name. Tue Kipuiid:i mine was discovered in 1813, and although the ore had to be carted a distance of some s'xty miles, the yield was profitable from the very first. Machinery and smelting furnaces were sfieedily erected, and the mine still continues to be worked. The ores produced have included almost all the known varieties, and have averaged about 20 per ceut. of copper. About fif y miles north of Kapunda is the Burra Burra Mine, wiiich, for its richness, has obtained a wide celebrity. It was discovered iu 181. t, and has paid dividends annunting to £783,330. Its best days are now passed, but extensive new machinery has lately been erected for the purpose of quarrying and turning to account a quantity o' low-class ores that iu former times were liiroi^n aside. The most productive minersl pro. erties at present are the rich Moonta and Wallaroo Mine.*, which are situated a few miles apart, on Yorke's Peninsula, in close proximity tu a cdaveuieat seaport, Tlie)' we surrouudcd hy other properties, on which a ffood deal of capital and labour has been expended, but onlv in a few instances so far wHli profitable results. The Wallaioo has from tlie first befn the private property of Mr. W. W. Hughes and others, and no account of its earnings has lieeii made public; but in 1873 the proprietors paid to the Government a fine of £13,000 for the renewal of their leases, nor have other iudicitiins been wanting of the great value of the property. The Moont.j Mine, wliicli, like the Wallaroo Jiine, was discovered ujioii Mr. ilughes's sheep run in 1800-61, contains forty or fifty shafts, and jields a great variety of rich ores. The gr"y sulphides contain from 40 to 00 per cent, of copper, while the pyrites will average from 25 to 30 per cent. Both theso mines are connected with Port Wallaroo Viy a tramway. On the Moonta Mine about 1,400 men and boys are constantly employed, without reckoning wood-carters and many others who indirectly benefit by it. Indeed, the town of Moonta derives its exis-teuce and support almost entirely from thiii mine and one or two others. The Moonta has not only pai.l dividends amounting to £913,000, but has also met all tho expense of its extensive workings, machinery, and p'ant, not a shilling of capital having ever been subscribed by its foriu- nate shareholders. It still offers every prospect of yielding largely for many years to come. There is a large tract of country Ijing northward from the head of Spencer's Giil', which is known to be rich in minerals, particularly copper, but hitherto its distance from the seaboard and the exp>-nsf of cartage have prevented the development of many of its known mines. The Blinman and Yuduiarautana Mines liave, liovv- ever, been worked for some years by Kngliji companies, although the produce has to be carted to Port Augusta at a cost of about £10 a ton in the former case, and still more in the hitter, and the workings at the Yudanamutaua have been dis- continued in consequence. Tlie Sliding Hock Mine in tho same district is b-ing profitably worked, in spite of the distanro — nearly 200 miles — which the produce has to be carted. A. Bcherae which has long been proposed for the construction of a line of railway from Port Augusta into the heart of Xh'u ricii mineral country is likely this Session to be sanctioned bv tli« Legislature. When this work is completed there will, no doubt, be a large development of mineral industry throughout the district. Gold-mining in South Australia has not proved ;i very productive industry. The precious metal is found not only in the bed of the river Torreus, but in almost every pnrt of the colony, but so far it has generally bren in small and hardly payable quantities. The first profitable gold-workin:;s were discovered in 1853, at Echuuga, about 23 miles soulli- east of Adelaide, but although they gave employment to a few diggers for many years, their yield has always been small. More recently some fresh discovfries have been made Ht Barossa, about 35 miles norlli-east of Adelaide; and there have been otb.er finds, but none of any permaueut character, sphere are only a few men at present engaged in alluvial gold mining ; but one mine, the Lady Alice, at Barossa, is profit- ably worked for gold, having yielded rieh quartz, and h.rs recently paid £2,775 in dividends, while several others iti ilia neigbbourliood show a fair prospect of yielding a retoro for the capital invested. From the Waukaringa Distiict, in the North, some good returns of gold have been obtained, and capital is now being spent for the development of one or two supposed payable reefs iu that locality. Iron ores of grei.t richness and purity abound in many parts of the colony, an J only need capital to be turned to profitable account. Soma experiments iu this direction have been made, ami recent y i few tous of |)ig-iron were produced ; but want of skill on the, part of the workmen caused so much injury to the smidliiig ing furnace that the works had to be stopped. In additiou to th« minerals already raentioneii.the following have aho been found in more or less abundance in different parts of the colony — viz., silver, cinnabar, bismuth, tellurium, cobalt, aatim-my, arsenic, zinc, manganese, barytes, strontium, and sulpliur. The export of metals during the year eodeJ March 31, 1875 , was £721,480. Majjufactueks. — The mechanical industries of Adelait'e are necessarily limited, pnrtly owing to the high price of labour, and also because the population offers only a Umifml market for such articles as can b^ produced. Thus the small demand does not allow of the introduction of costly labour- saving appliances wliich are advan'ageously brought into use where manufactures are conducted on a mor<; extensive scale. Nevertheless a very large pronortion of the agricultural iuj.. a a 42S THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. plements are maae in tliR colony, including the whole of the reapers or "strippers" already relerred to. Single ploufjlis are iitipurted, hut most of the double-furrowed ploug;! is, which are now very largely used, are constructed in the colony, as also are all the winnowers and a great many of the luirrows, scarifiers, and inowing-machiaes. There are in all sixty manufactories of agricultural implements. Tiie iron and brass joundries are twenty-nine in number, and produce a consi- tlerabla quantity of machinery of high quality. One firm, Lesides turning oat an enormous number of tins for jams and meat-preserviiigj manufactures ovens, boilers, coot;iug-stoves, "iron bedsteads, Hiid a large variety of other conveniences for the honseiiukl, avA has recently added to its jirocesses the ))roduction of gaivatiissd iron. Coachraakjug is carried on extensively, the niin^ber of stich establishments at tlie present lime being thirty-two. They produce all kinds of vehicles, Irom the comnmn dray or waggon to the light and elegant Ijugiry, the commodious barouche, or the railway car. The carriages aud trucks for the Sovernmeut railways are made at the Governmeut workshops, where the locomotives are also repaired, but none of these have yet been constructed here, lioat-buildiug is carried on to a certain extent at Port Adpluide, aud there are several patent slips, upon which vessels visiting the port are able to get repairs elfected. Tanneries aud fell- niongeries, whicli hf!7e long been among the established industries of the co1cl-j, now number thirty--four, some of them employing a large complement of hands. Although there is an abundant supply of excellent buildiug-slon- around tiie metropolis, a large number of bricks are U'ed, there -lieing no less than sixty-six brick manufactories carrii d on in tiie suburbs of Hindmarsh and Brompton. Boiling- down aud meat-preserving establishments a year or two ago numbered fourteen ; but the demand for meat in the colony, togptlier with the high price of wool .ind the extensive stocking of new country, have tended to reduce the operations at these places to a minimum. Braiding-stone and ir.arble quarries abound in the hills surrounding the city, aud slates of good quality are found at Willuuga, about tliirly miles distant, whence lai-ge quantilies are shipped to Mel'oourne. There are twenty-six breweries, and tlie greater part of the general demand for beer is supplied by them well and economi-- cally. There are also 123 distilleries, most of them in connection witVi vineyards. There are eigli'y-iliree ftonr-^mills, working 277 pairs of stones ; in two of these cases water-power and in the rest steam-power is used. A considerable portion of the flour is exported. A woollen factory is in opention at llahndorf, and additional capital is being raised for the -purpose of CNtendiug its operations. The refining of salt obtained from lajiooas, and the manufacture of plaster of Paris is carried on by a company formed for those purposes. Beside tliose mentioned, there are various other manufactories ; boots and shoes, for instance, and other articles of clothing being largdy made up with the aid of machinery in the colony. Considerable attention Iws also been paid to working in the precious metals. The number of persons engnged in the oc- cupations above referred to may be put down at about 5,000. These do not include the several in lustrial pursuits, such as fruit-drjing, which do not strictly belong to manufac';;res, and which yearly aiford increasing employment to a lf>rge number of persons. Very valuable service in encouraging inihtstries of many kinds ha? been rendered by the Chamber of Manu- factures— an institution which fills in regard to them a like position to that which the Chamber cf Commerce occupies in resp"ct to coraineroial matters. ^ Tradi!; A?n) Comheuce.— The trade statistics of the pro- vince, to which in this article we wish to cull attention,- reveal in a marked degree the material progress which has been mads since the first settlers cSmred near ths shores of Holdfast Bay. Population cinsidered^ \re. do not snpposC any other part of the tvorld can show greater industrial results than South Australia ti-ith her small liaudful of peojde has been enabled to produce.- With a total of some 200,000 inhabitants, nearly one third of tvhora reside in the city aud st:hu'b's,.tbe area of land alienafcd from tiie Crown in over 4.,-'iOO,000 acres, or at the ri^'e of 22^ acres per head of the pop\'!atioa. Of tb^s (ully two seventhi k'-e uuder cultivation. 13eyond this, however,- 4^ millions of acres, purchased chieflj for agricultural and horticSltural Settlement, vast tracts of country are leased from the GoVera- liient for pa.-torai purst^its.- T weaty years ago these tr;'3ts •■epresente;! a!( are?* ol between 5,000 f.tid G-,000 sqiiare miles j 4^ the pi«seH^ Viwe tliey smo^ut ty >tb«tnt '^o^Ot-'O sauar" milesy or say 50,000,000 acres of land. But these fignfes, althong's tliey represent coiisi lerable material wealth on the part of those wlio own and who are settled upon the lauds, do not of themselves give any idea of the actual industry of the people. Tlie fact th'it the vearlv exports of the colony have advanced from £5,000 in " IS'S'S to over £i.,000,000 sterling, or 20,000, ()00 du'lirs, and tint t-lie imports approximate tea'ly to the same value, will enable strangers at a distance to gain some nolion of the development which lanst have taken place in the trade anel commerce of the province. An e-Kiminatiott of the statistics given liereafter will, however, make the pro-- gress which they mark st5ll more apparent. We commenced exporting the produce of the country as early as 1838, within two years after the foundation of the colony. The staple ex-- portsfor that yeai consisted of £770 worth of wool and£'l-,270 wortli of wli:ilebone aud oil. Pur the two succeeding years there was no variation except in regard to quantity. In ISil lead, timber, and shitcs were added. lu 18 12, butter, cheese, and tallow formed three fresh items in our staple produce, and in that year these articles were shipped to the value of £3,383. In 1843 there were added wheat and flour and other agricul^ tLMal produce, horticultural produce, copper ore and otlier minerals, and a (ew nia.nuf:votured articles. The great adapta- bility of the colony for the erowlh of whipat aad the increasing; production of wool, added to the discovery of rich deposits of copper ore, quickly marked these three articles as the leading staples of the province — ■& position they have ever since occupied, as will be .seen more clearly from an appended statistical table. In 1813 the exports- of wheat aud flour amounted to £i'">,032, and quinquecnial'y after tliat they stand as fullows: In 1848, £34.,815 ; in 1853, £208,-647 ; in 1858, £1.74,012; in 18G3, .-1^(198,994 ; in 1868, with a bad harvest, £554,585 ; and in 1873, £1,693,73'? — a rate of progress which for one pro Inct and for such a limited population may be legarded as remarkable.- Wool, too, has made almost equally giant strides. In 1813 it was exported to the valueof £45,569. aad at each recurring fifth year the progression was marked as follows : lu 1848, £98,583 ; in 1853, £236,020 j in 1858, £-120,833 • in 1863-, £715,935 ; in 1868, £1,305,280 ; and in 1873, £1,617,589. Copper and copper ore, wliich in 1843 were shipped from the colony to the smiU amount of £23, have made the following advances : In 1848 the shipments sto:)d at £310,387; in 1853, £176,347 j in 1858, £359,182 ; in 1863, £532,861 ; in 1863, .€-608,423 ; aud in 1873, £768,523. In addition to these three leading prodtwts, a fair export trade is carried on in wine, bran, pollard, li.iy, fruit, tailow, bon.is, hides, wax, honey, preserved meats, gold, bismuth, bark, gum, flax, &c. The gross amount of our staple exports for the 37 years extending from 1833 io 1S74 lias been £53,503,080 sterling, or 262,965,430 dollars — a creditable testimony to the productive- ness of the soil and the industry of the people, who in numbers have ranged horn. 5,000 in 1838 to 205,000 in 1874j Concurrently with the growth of our exports has heen the iucrei'se of our import trade, representing in the main the extent of our business relations with other countries. In 1838 the impo'ts stood at £158,583 ; in 1356 they had iucicised to £'1,330,529 •; and for 1874 they were returned at the large amount of ^3,973,455. The total imports for the whole terra embraced within tlie years 1838-1874 stand at £55,439,834 sterling, or 277,199,170 dols. Oar chief import f trade is carried ou with Great Britain; but more or less freqttent shipuents are received from the other colonies, from the Baltic, Singapore, China, India, Mauritius, and the United States^ In 1844. seventy ships from the' iparkets of the world arrived at Port Adelaide, representing a total tonnage of 9,530 tons ; in 1854 no less than 4/6 arrivals were reported, with a tonnage of J 1-6,660 tons ; in 1801. the figures stoid at 617' vessels, with a gross tonnage of 160,095 tons ; in 1873 tlie number of ships that visited tbe port were 799, with a tonnage of 265,437 tons.- In 1874 a dec'rease: is registered; owing to the light harvest, which consideralily alTected our report.^. In tha* yertr 379 ships arrived here, with a tonnage of 1,50,604 tons* Direct steam coi?:muuication has not yet been established be- tween Adelaiile ;'ud the United Kingdom.- other than by the! mail packets, but a line of 3,000-ton s'eamers? is now being bni!t, and the first c'f these will probably be despatched irt October next. There are two or tiiree line:? of fine clipper ships, ranging frora 800 to 1,500 tons register eitah, regaUrly ti«di*>g between Lcndea aud AdeKit^ey caany ef Iherv. bei-»i'crton, M.P. ; Sir Massey Lopes, Bart., M. P. -. SirA. K^Mac- donald, Bart.; Sir Watkiii W. Wyna, Bart., M.P. ; Mr. Aveling, Mr. Aylmer, Mr. Barnctt, Mr. Booth, Mr. B)wly,'"Mr. Cantrell, Mr. Dent, Mr. Bruce, Mr. Brand- reth Gibbs, ilr. llemslcy, Mr. Ilorley, Mr. Hornsby, Mr. Bowen Jones, Colonel Kingscote, JNI.P. ; Mr. Leeds, Mr. Mcintosh, Mr. Martin, Mr. Masfen, Mr. Mihvard, llr. Pole Gell, Mr. Randell, Mr. Russell, Mr. Sanday, Mr. Shuttleworth, Mr. Stratton, Major Turbervill, Mr. Jabez Turner, Mr.' Wakefield, Mr. W^lls, Mr. Jacob Wilson, Professor Siii'.ouJs, and Dr. Voelcker. The following were elected members : Allen, Richsrd, Ty-to-Maen, St. Mellon's, Cardiff. Amezaga, Camiln, iNladrid. Biker, Robert N. G., lleavitree, Exeter. ]'>eedle, Thoiriaf, Southwood, Tiverton, Devon. 3'>en1on, Philip, jun., Wakering Hall, Southend, Essex. Bkth, Henry A., 91, Portland Place, W. Blyth James, 2, Park Crescent, Portland I'lacc, W. iJoon, James, Uplyrae Factory, Axminster, Devon. ^■!rockiuan, Frederick, Beaolibarongli, Iljtbe, Kent. IJuibury, John, Wootton Grange, Kenilworth. Cope, Edward Garraway, 10, Pembroke Road, Clifton, Bristol. Davis, Peter, Dean Park, Tenbury. Davys, Richard Campbell, Nenaddfawr, Llandovery. Dixon, Cecil B., The Vmery, Shirley Warren, Southampton. Dynevor, Lord, Dynevor Castle, Llandilo. llellier, William Griffin, Wick St. Lawrence, Weston-super- Mare. Humphreys, Arthur Charles, Garthmyl, Montgoraerysliire. Lilley, William Samuel, Hardraead Manor, Newport Pagncll. Mason, Rush Prisbie, 5, Upper Thames-street, E.C. Owen, .\rthur John, Blessiugton, Wisklow. O^en, Frederick James, Barton Grove, lliiugerford. Richardson, John, Lincoln. Ilicharison, William, Limba ]Magna, TJlccljy. Rowland, William, Royal Oak Hotel, Welshpool. yandbach, Samuel Henry, Ilandley, Chester. Blattery, Denis, Coolnagour, Dungarvan, "Waterfofd. Smith, George, Pereday, Grovehurst, Tunbridgc Wellx. Snow, The Rev. George D'Ozly, Langtou Lodge, Blandford. S|jencer, Edward Stacey, Stanstcd, Essex. Npeucer, Richard Staccy, Brooklands, Birchanger, Bislioji's Stortford. ?5tandcriug, William Curlew, Lodge, Long Sutton. Trtverupr, Joseph William, Shelfurd House, Nuneaton. Thorp, Thomas, Little Gidding, Qundle. Workman, Joseph, Wotton-undcr-Ldge, Gloucestershire. Fix.vxcES.— Colonel Kingscote, M.V., presented the i-cport, from which it appeared that the Secretary's re- ttipts (luring the past three months had hem duly examinecl by the Committee, and by Messrs. Qnilter, Ball, and Co., the Society's accountants, and found correct. The balance iu the hands of the bankers on October 31 was £592 lis. 9d. 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 £1,001. The Committee re- commended that the Secretary be instructed to transfer the £1,500 on deposit to the current account. — I'his report was adopted. Journal. — Mr. J. D. Dent (chairman) reported that the autumn number of the Journal had been issued to the members of the Society. The Committee recoin mended that the thanks of the Council be given to jMr. Bowea Jones aud ^Ir. llcmsley for the reports furnished by them on the farm-prize competition aud the trials of imple- ments respectively; that a copy of the Jon.rnal be sent to the President of the Board of Trade calling his atten- tion to the paper on the Colorado Potato-beetle ; and that the usual bills connected with the publication of the Journal be paid. They also recommended that a list of the members be issued with the next number. An appli- cation had been received from the Italian Minister re- questing the Society to present certain back numbers of the Journal for the Italian Ministry: of Agriculture at Rome ; aud the Committee recommended that those back numbers, as well as future ones, be supplied to the Italian Minister.' Pivc entries had been made for the prizes oifered by the Birmingham Local Committee foi- farm.s over 200 acres in extent, and the judges would make their first inspection during the current month. For the prizes ofl'cred for smaller farms there was no competition. — This report was adopted. The following are the names aud addresses of the com- petitors : Adkin, John C.,Milcote, Stratford-on-Avon. Lane, John, Broom Court, Alce.ster. Simpson, Samuel M., The Grange, Stonolrigli, KpuiUvcrth, Stilgoc, Henry, Lower (Jlopton, Scdell, in reply, agreed to modify the werdli.g of his second resolution by making the first line read, "That it be referred to the Chemical Committee to con- sider whether, and in what way, experiments," &c. He iionsidercd that the Council had very much overrated the dilliculties of the subject, notwithstanding that Mr. Lawes held the same visvv. He gave the following sketch, of his idea of the iuannor ia r.hich the experiments should be carried out in the several districts of the kingdom upon a given quantity of laud in each, care being takott to have each experimental field of uniform quality : The S'eld to be divided iulo five plots, upon four of which, iu the first year, feeding slyfi's should he employed, of llic diilVicut kinds selected to be eaten with the root* grown on the land, and on the fifth no artificial food should be given. The relative feeding value would thus be ascertained the first year. Second year, on all plots birley to be grown, and weighed at harvest. Third year, on all plots clover to be grown, mown twice, and produce weighed. Fourth year, on all plots wheat to be grown, end weighed at harvest. He regarded it as a reflection upon the faimcrs of England to say that they could not carry out such a series of experiments, and he felt con v need that the results obtained would be a sufficient guide to valuers in estimating the unexhausted value of pur^'hascd feeding stuffsl Mr. Lawes' deductions, alihouih excessively valuable, and a good basis to start from, were not sufficient for the requirements of the agricultural public under the new Agricultural Holdings Act. The Earl of LiciuaELJJ thoroughly agreed with every word that had been said as to the importance of the question which Mr. Randell had brought betbre them, and now that the second resolution had been amended with that gentleman's consent, he hoped that the firist two- resolutions would be referred to the Chemical Committee. Lord Vernon added that, in his opiKion, it was im- possible to overrate the importance of the question, but at the same time it was equally true that to proceed with it would be a matter of great difficulty. Up to the present time England had produced only one Mr. Lawes, and it was probable that a man of similar power would be required to manage the proposed experimental plots in each district. No doubt Mr. Randell was right iu baying they could find reliable practical agriculturists iu each district ; but he feared that, although they w-ould be- reliable in every other sense, they would not be so iiv matters of science or scientific investigation. At the same time, he held that the Royal Agricultural Society, as the leading society of its kind, ought not to shrink from encountering a subject because it was surrounded with difficulties ; on the contrary, he was of opinion that the greater the difficulty attending the investigation of so highly important a matter, the more reason that this Society should endeavour to face it, as ths only one com- petent'to take that course. He should, therelcre, suppoit Mr. Randell. Mr. G. H. S.VND.iY urged that, even with the best- managed experiments, different results must be obtained on different soils and in different districts, and that, there- fore, the total result would leave them no wiser than they are now. Mr. iNlARTtN laid stress upon the enormous expense which such experiments must entail, and when he consi- dered the difference of seasons to be contended against, he felt that the result would be by no means adequate to the outlay. Then, as a practical man, he felt that they first had to ascertain what expenditure iu feeding stuffs would pay, and what would not pay. It was useless fur the Society to make cxpurimcits on rnanurial value of feeding stuffs unless it was first proved that the qnau- tities and kinds used would pay en the laud upon which they were .tested. Earl Cathcaut said that in all the sciences there were men who had asjiecial talent for experiment, while others, possessing equal knowledge, had not that faculty. He greatly feared that Mr. Randell's " reliable farmei's" would for the most part find out at the end of three years that they could net conduct experiments. He hoped, however, that the time was cosing when they would have isxperimental stations all over the eci'.utry, Mr, Randell's two first resolutions were then refcial class of Shorthorns to be judged by points at tlie Birmingham meeting, his Lordship offering to gua- rjiitec a sum in prizes to be offered in the class. On the niotiou of Colonel Kingscote, seconded by Mr. Ban- 3JKLI/, it was resolved to decline his Lordship's offer with thanks, as the establishment of sucli a class was not eousi- dered expedient. A letter was received from the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, enclosing a copy of the FVeuch law recently promulgated on the subject of Agricultural Edu- cation ; and a Kcport of the Chief Tuspector of Live Stock for the colony of Queensland for the year 1873, forwarded by the Secretary of Siate for the Colonics. A print of the Woburn Sheep-shearing in 1811 was presented by Messrs. Eastons and Anderson, and the Secretary was instructed to convey the thanks of the Council to the donors for their interesting gift. The next general meeting of members v>'as fixed for Thursday, December 9th, at noon ; and the Council ad- journed to Wednesday, December Sth, at noon. THl SHORTHORN SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. A meeting of tbe Council of this Society was held at the Society's Rooms, 12, Hanover Square, ou Tuesday, November 2ud. Present : Colonel Loyd Lindsay, M.P., in the chair J the Earl of Bective ; Colonel Kingscote, C.B., M.V. ; Mr. Ilu-h Aylmer, Mr. H. W. Beauford, Mr. T. C. Booth, Mr. D. M'latosh, Mr. H. Chandos Fole-Gell, Rev. T. Slaniforth, Rev. J. Storer, Mr. R. Strattou, Mr. G. Murton Tracy, and Mr. Jacob Wilson. The following new members were elected : lihiett, Rov. W, J , Holcombe, Lceston, Canterbury, New Z-^alaud. <'heleof Mau. Greensili, William, Hood Lane Farai, Longdon, Rugeley. Hed :e3, David, Yardley, Birmingliam. Holland, Robert, Norton-Hill, Runcorn, Chester. Sjulhaii, Thomas, Wittenhara, Abingdon, Berks. J'arkcr, Rowland, Moss End, Burton, Westmorland. • arkftr, William, Carleton llill, Fenrith. Sivagp, Sml Povvrll, Leys Farm, Wotton-under-Edge. iStreatur, S. R., East Cleveland, Olio. Thompson, Thomas Cliarles, Milton Hall, Carlisle. Tiudall, '.). \V., Aylesby Manor, Grimsby. T'j nibs. Job u", Lau-'furd, Lecblade, Gioucestershire. Torrance, George, S;sterpath, Duuse, Berwick. Editixg CoMMiTTEji:. — Mr. H. Chandos Pole-Gell reported that the Committee had had under their con- sideration the pedigrees of several imported animals sent lor entry in Vol. 21 of the Herd Book, the latest crosses of which are by American-bred buds not entered iu the English Herd Bool-, aud that the Committee were of opinion that these entries were ineligible until such crosses )iad been verified and entered ; that there were nearly 7,000 entries for the forthcoming volume of the Herd Book ; that the pedigrees of the bulls were nearly all iu type, aud that the raanuscri))t of the cows was ready for the printers. On the motion of jMr. II. Cliandos I'ole- Gell, this report was received and adopted. General Pui?rosEs Committee. — Mr. Jacob Wilson reported that the Committee had examined and passed the Secretary's petty cash account for the months of August, September and October, and also his receipts for entries, &c., for the same period. That the Committee luid received the Treasurer's Report, and had examined the bank book, and the amount standing to the credit of the Society was £1,018 2s. 7d. That the Committee recommended that cheques be drawn for accounts amount- ing to £84 Is. lOd. That the Committee had had under their consideration the solicitor's account for legal charges, &c., in connection with the formation of the Society, amounting to £413 I63., and they recommended that the same be paid. That the Committee had approved of an estimate for fitting up shelves aud pigeon-holes in the Secretary's ofTice amounting to £17 lOs., and they recom- mended that the same be accepted. That the Committee also recommend the purchase of a clock for the Council- room at a cost not exceeding £5, and of an iron safe at a cost not exceeding £15. The Committee reported that the Society's stock of Herd Books and furniture had been in- sured for £2,200. The Committee also reported that the Secretary had had an interview with the Society's auditors, who had r-ecommeuded a system similar to that in use by the Royal Agricultural Society of England for keeping the Society's accounts, and that the auditors propose to audit the accounts at the end of the financial year, December 31 next, and, after that date, monthly previous to the meetings of the CouQcil. This report was received and adopted. Ou the motion of the Rev. T. Staniforth, seconded by Mr. II. Chandos Pole-Gell, the agreement with the Secretary for his services to the Society was ordered to be sealed with the common seal of the Society. Mr. n. W. Beauford having expressed a wish that the resolution he had proposed to move iu reference to the Society's acquiring Mr. Thornton's (Quarterly Circular shonld be postponed until the Council meeting in Decem- ber, the consideration of the subject was adjourned until that meeting. An application having been received from the President of the American Shorthorn Association in reference to the desirability of a mutual vmderstanding and co-operation between the two Society's, with an interchange of publica- tions, &:c., Mr. T. C. Booth stated that as the objects of this Association were identical with those for which the English society was established, he would propose that the future publications of the Society be forwarded to the As- sociation as issued. This having been seconded by Mr. Jacob Wilson, was carried unanimously. Mr. Stratton having expressed his opinion that the Council should make some representations to tlie Privy Council as to the devastations of the foot-and-mouth disease throughout the country, gave notice that at the next meeting of the Council be should move a resolution in reference thereto. The next meeting of the Council was fixed for Tuesday, December 7, aud it was resolved that if accommodation could bo obtained, it should be held at the Agi'icultural ILill duriui; the show of the Smithfield Club, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 435 SMITHFIELD CLUB. A niccliiig of tlic Council was held at the Agricultural IIiillou November 3rd: present, Viscount Hridport, Vice- President, in the chair; the Earl of Fevcrsham, Vice- I'resident ; Messrs. H. Aylmcr, T. lirown, of Marhain, T. C. Booth, E. Bowly, J. Dmce, T. Duddiani, 11. Eookcs, W. Earthing, J. Giblett, W. Heath, C. Howard, .7. Howard, T. Horley) jui-, 1^- Leeds, K. J. Newton, C S. Read, M.P., J. S'trallon, J. Thompson, 11. Woods, J. Wilson, and B. T. Brandreth Gibbs, Hon. Sec. The minutes of the last Council meeting were read and confirmed. The hoa. secretary was authorised to lake the usual steps necessary for holding the Show. The committee was appointed as heretofore to make tlie necessary arrangements as to the disinfecting, &c., the conveyances to be used iu taking live stock to the Show. The Council then proceeded to prepare the House-list of sixteen names, from which the members generally will elpct eight, to replace those who retire by rotation, and are not eligible for re-election uutil after the expiration of one year. Three scrutineers were appointed to examine the voting pa|)ers for the new members of Council previous to the general meeting in December. Tiie Show-yard committee appointed at the Council in Pebruary last to confer with the Agricultural Hall Com- ])any on the subject of future arrangements for holding the annual Shows, reported the substance of the several conferences held with the authorities of the Hall Com- pany, and obtained leave to sit again and make a further report on the subject. The hon. secretary reported his correspondence vrith the secretary of the Agricultural Hall Company on the sid)ject of the admission of ladies to the Show during the judging when accompanied by members of the Club ; and it was decided that the member's ticket of admission shall, up to 2 o'clock, also admit one lady accompanying such member entitled to entrance. The thanks of the Council were voted to the Agricul- tural Hall Company for this concession. Th»hon. secretary announced the death, since the last Council meeting, of Lord Tredegar, a Vice-President of the Club. The following new members were elected : Wra. Wood, Ifleld Court, Crawley, Sussex; E. L. Morris, Stowmarket ; Rev. Thomas Staniforth, Storrs, Windermere; Chns. Ed. Forster, W^estgate House, Driffield ; Earl of Egmont, Cowdray Park, Midhurst ; W. Holies Fryer, Lytchett Minster, Poole ; C. J. Andrewes, Reading Iron Works, Reading ; James Braby, JNlaybanks, Rudgwick, Horsham ; Henry Kelsey, Old House, Crowhurst, Surrey ; Henry H. Morley, Hall Place, Tonbridge ; Benj. Painter, Cuw Close Farm, Burley-on-the-llill, Oakham ; Albert Bras- sey, M.P., Heythrop Park, Chipping Marton ; Andrew Mitchell, Walk House, Alloa, N.B. ; ^enry Denton, Wolverhampton ; W. Hesseltine, Beaumont Cote, Barton- on-Humber; Bowen Jones, Eusdon House, Siirevvsbury ; W. Mitchell, Whitlingham Hall, Trowse, Norwich. In future an additional list of the members of the Club is to be sent to the members of Council with the notice of the November meeting, in order to facilitate the selec- tion of the sixteen names to be placed on the voting papers. Several letters were read, and replies ordered to be given. The North British Agriculturist newspaper was ordered to h>; added to the list of journals in which the Club's advertisements are to be inserted. The thanks of the meeting were voted to Lord BriJ port for his conduct iu the chair. The Council then adjourned to the December meeting. THE HIGHLAND SOCIETY. The first monthly meeting of the directors for the season was lield on Wednes'lay, Novembers, in No. 3, George IV. Bridge, Edinburg'i, Mr. S iiall Keir, of Kiiidro^an, iu tlie chair. Chemical Dh'artmemt. — The lolluwiog letter was read : Ilatldiiigton, :iSlh June, 1S75. Sir, — 1 regretted not getting wn opponuuity of expressing at tlie meeting of the society, held on tiie Kith, my ideas as to the appointing of a clieraibt. I am satisfied, in order to give entire confidence, and I liave the approval of the raeinbf rs of tlie society, especially farmers, we mubt have a chemist devoting his whole time to the work of tlie society. A young man of ability and a master of h's Drofession could be obtained for £400 to £500 per year, with the e.Kpectat ion of an increase. To raise this sum, I would liave each parcel of manure and seeds wished to be analysed by members sent to your olfici, along witli the fee fixed by the dinctors, which ought to be a small one, in order to induce far.ners to have all their purchases tested, and the chemist, after recording the result, send a copy thereof to the member who has duly remitted tlie fees. A certain number ot pupils should be t iken into the laboratory at a fixed fee, also to be paid into your ollice. A sepirate account to ba kept for all fees received, out of which fund tlie salary of the chemist will he. paid, I feel certain in a very short time this fund will be able to meet salaries and expense of laboratory without en- croaching upon the funds of the society. The pupils would assist (under the direction of the chemist) in preparinar the tests, but it must be his duty personally to weigli the dilferent component parts of the samples seut to be aialysed. llegard- iiig the experiment il farm — beroro establishing the same 1 would advise that a small deputation, comjiosed of directors and practical agriculturists, ought to visit one or two of the like establishments in Germany. I have visited some of tlie.'-e myself, and been much delighted with the arrangenients and with the amount of information imparted to the students attending at eacn of the stations. The station I was most pleased with was that in the neighbourhood of Greifswald, iu conupction with the university there. The farm is a large one — I think about 1,000 acre?, with about 100 acres devoted to experiments in testing dilferent plants and grain with differiut kinds of manures. I could send you a copy of reports (iu German) I brought with me last year. Greifswald is near Stettin, and can be got at in a short time and at little expense. I shall be glad to give you any further inforn:atiou in my power. May I ask the favour of jour placing this letter before your directors, and I shall be glad to know what has been done. — I remain, your most obedieut servant, David llOUGnEAD. The secretary was instructed to inform Mr. Roughead that his letter would be taken into consideration in the report to be brought up in the general meeting. Louu Calthgrpe's Scheme. — The resolution passed !.t ast general meeting referring it to the directors to consider the jiropriety of granting a sum of £100 for tive years to the fund proposed to be raised by Lord Calthorpe for improving and maintaining a proper supply of horses in Scotland, was brought before the meeting, when, after some discussion, tiie secretary was instructed to obtain further inforniatiou on the subject before the next meeting of tlie board. AiiKifui.TUKAL KxrKiUMEiNTAL STATIo^'S. — The motion by Colonel Iiinrs, of Lciirncy, on thi^ aubject at the general 436 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. meet'na; in June hst was nnJcr tlic consideriition of the meet* iiig, and after some discussion the sec rt t try was instructed to obtain information in regard to the agricultural experimental stations formed in Aberdeenshire and other counties in the north. Agricultural Education. — Bm-saries. — The Secretary stated that the examinations for the society's bursaries Itad been fixed to be held on Tuesday, the Kslh current, but that only one canrlidate had offeied himself for examination. — Commitlee. — The following were named as a standing acting committee of the Council, in terms of the new bye-hsus: The Lord Justice-General, the Professor of Aericulture, th« Pro- fessor of Botany, the Professor of Chemistry, jMr. Hope of Piordlands, Mr."Mylue, Niddrie Mnias, and"Mr. Hunter, of Thurston ; three a quorum, Lord Justice-General convener. OltDNAA'CE Survey.— The Secretary reported that, pursuant to the instructions from the last general meeting, a deputation from the society waited upon Lord Henry Lennox, M.l'., the First Commissioner of Works, at the House of Commons, for the purpose of presenting a metnorial and asking for a Government grant to complete the unfinished .mrvey of Scot- land. After the reading of t!ie memorial, the First Com- missioner said the subject of the memorial would have his best attention. The following letter from the secretary to the commissioners of Her Majesty's Works was then read : "H.M. Ollice of Works, kc, S.W., 2nd July, 1875.— Sir,— I am directed by the flfrst Commissioners c f her ]\Iajesty's Works, &c., to ae(piaint you, on behalf of the Highland and Agricul- tural Society of Scotland, that his lordship has duly considered tlie memorial which was presented to him by a deputation from the society on the 32nd ult in regard to the survey of Scotland. I am to state that the First Commissioner fully recognises the advantages which would be derived from the replotting on the 1-2,51)0 scale of such of tlie coun- ties of Scotland as have been surveyed on the C-inch scale lonly. I am, however, to remind you that the survey of the rounties of York and Lancaster is in a precisely similar posi- tion, and that, in the face of the -Dressing demands upon him from all parts of the kingdom which have not yet been sur- veyed, it seems to the first Commissioner impracticable to ■comply with the request of the memoria'isls. The cost of re- plotting the counties in Scotland referred to, containing an area of 3,230 square miles, is estimated at £3], 680; and, for the reasons already stated, the First Commissioner would not feel justified in appropriating to that object at present any portion of the ordinary grant for the surveys of the United Kingdom. The Lord's Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury are averse to sanctioning any special addition to the vote for the purpose in question, inasmuch as Yorkshire acd Lancashire, containing an area of 7,828 square miles, have an equally strong claim to be repbttcd ; and their Jordships could hardly consent to an addition to the vote in respect of Scotland without making a corresponding, or even still larger, addition in respect of the greater area included in the two English counties. Under these circumstances, the First Commissioner regrets |tliat he is unable to depart from the decision arrived at in the matter by his predecessor. He desires me, however, to invite tlie attention of the Highland Society to the fact already stated, that the survey of Scotland is conducted in no exceptional manner. It is being carried on under precisely the same orders and regulations as Uie survey of the other parts of Cireat Britain, and there has been no interruption to the publication of the plans of Scotland. I am ,sir, your obedient servant, A. B. Mitford, Secretary. Veterinary Detaetment. — The Secretary r ported that the preliminary examination of students for the society's veterinary certificate took place on the 13th and 14th July, when 32 students entered their names for examii'.ation — namely, 13 from the Edinburgh Veterinary College, IG fror^t the New Veterinary College, Edinburttli, and 3 from the Glasgow Veterinary C'olleg-e, and that 16 had obtained the certificate. Inverness SnoVr, IB?*. — Tro-rem-OM (ffJhKay Heifers. —The first and second prrmi'Ams, awarded respectively to the Dukeof Buccleuch for Nerio, and Mr. CV.niiinghnm,Tabreooh, for Mary II., have been forfeited, the animals having failed to produce calves within the specified time. Ths first premium has been transferred to Mr. Cunningham, Tarbreoch, for Bridesmaid, which stood third. Mi/rcs in Foal: The first a\ul second premiums, awarded respectively to Mr. Murdock, Hallside, for Magijie, aud to Mr. Leitch, luchbtcUy, fyr Queen, has been forfeited, the animals not iiaving proved in foal. The first premium has been transferred to Mr. Mont- gomery, Boreland, for Nanny, and the second to Mr. Hendrie, Castle Heather, for Dandy. Glasgow Show, 1S75. — Awards. — The directors approved of the awards at the late show at Glasgow, and the chairman was authorised to sign orders for the money premiums, which the secretary was instructed to issue along with the medals as early as convenient. l\'r«rjc Yard. — A letter was read from the Forage Committee (Messrs. David Cross and Thomas Scoti) reporting that they frequently visited- the forage yard during the show, and found an ample supply of the various articles, all of most excellent quality ; and that the dtliverits were made as fast as applicants appeared, ; nd all going on without the slightest confusion or complaint. A communi- cation was also read from Sir William Forbes, ot Craigievar, Bart., stating he thought some special notice should be taken, and made public, of the admirable manner in which the forage yard was supplied by Mr. Buchanan, 391, Pailiamentary-road, Glasgow, during the show. Sir William added that liaving taken special not ce of it, and having done so for several years, he never saw better food, and there was not a single instance of compliint as to the arrangements. Tiirtiip- Thitnilug Mc^clitnes .—'Yi\t following report of the Ijoeal Com- mittee v/as read: — " In accordance wilh the resolution of the Lo'.al Committee adopted ia Glasgow, a trial of the turnip- thinning macliines: exhibited at Glasgow took place on Friday, the 6th instant, on the Home Farm of Crait-ie, near Ayr. Four raachinrs were tried, namely. No. 1,I3I', exhibited by Messrs. R. Bickerton and Sons, Berwick-on-Twcd ; No, 1,211., exhibited by Mr. John Dickie, Girvan ; No. 1572, exhibited by Mr. Thomns Hunter, Ma\bole; and No. 1573, also exhibited by ilr. Hunter. Two other implement-makers were unable to have their machines on the ground at the time. The turnips were sown after the removal of a crop of early potatoes, and the soil was like a piece of garden ground. It offered, perhaps, too little resistance to the action of the machines. The machines wore tried first on a field where the crop was going past the best stage for singling, and afterwards in a field where the plants were scarcely ready for the hoes. In our opinion Mi". Hunter's machine. No. 1,573, made the best work, aud his other ra.acliine came next to it. We do not think, however, that they sliould be placed first and seconJj as they are substantially the same. The one has slower action than the other, and on that account it worked better on the liiiht soil at Craigie. We would place Mr. Hunter first, and Mr. Dickie second. There was no great difference in the quality of the work done by the two machines ; but any difference was in 3Ir. Hunter's favour, and he has a further advantage in the cheaper machine. We cannot speak very strongly as to the utility of the machines. They may be use- ful for sending over drills at an early stage of the growth, at times when turnips are coming away rapidly and hands are scarce. The turnips would then be less susceptible of injury from delay in thinning. Bnt the advantage to be gained by using the machines when the crop is ready for singling waa uot very obvious at the trial. Ja5IES Drennan. John Young. Ayr, August Gtli, 1875." John Murray. Self-Delivery Reaptrs. — The following report was read. We beg to report th.at we tried this day a self-delivery reaper, exhibited at the Glasgow Show by Walter A. Wood, .36, Wor- ship-street, London, stand No. 67, article No. 767. The reaper was tried in a field of wheat belonging to Mr. Gibson, Woolmet. It was a fair crop, and well fitted to test the machine, which, in cur opinion, did its work exceedingly well. The principal improvements in this machine are that the rakes are under the control of the driver ; it is a very simple arrangement, and not likely to get out of order, being a cord attached to a lever at the driver's foot ; it then passes round a small pulley, and the other end of ihe cord being attached to another lever at the side of the upright shaft of the machine ; from tlie end of this 'ever a wire passes up in a groove cut in the upright shaft and fixed to anoth.er lever on the top of the machine, which acts when required ou the rakes as they go round, thereby enabling the driver to make 'he sheaves small or large at -.vill. There is another improvement in the fixing of the knife, which is done by the use of a spring rod and keeper, avoiding the use of screen bolts, which are very apt to he overhauled. In other respects the machine is the same as was exhibited aud tried, ut Stirling in lS7oi The draught oC THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 4C7 Uils niacblne as tested liy tlie dynamometer, was 2.\ cwt. The reaper exhibited liy William Anson Wood, 5, Upper Tli^mca- slrect, Loudon, stand No. 08, article No. 773, was tried on the '27tli and iS\\\ of An^-ust, on a field of wheat bcloni,'ing to Mr. iJrydeu Rl.mteitU, l,JI)erton Tower Mains; but after being in operation a tew minutes both days, it broke down. lie got i the opportunity of another trial at Woolmet on the 31st, but lie could uot get auoUier maeiiine forward in time. John GinsoN, Wonlmet, Dalkeith. Jamks D. J'akk, Engineer. Edinhnrjih, 31st Auj^ust, 1875. The board awarded a silver medal to ?ilr. Walter A. W'ood. MANURE Dl:^, and the promoters of the measure conse- (piently abandoned their intention in this matter. Several measures introduced by the Government this session affected more or loss beneficially tho details of local finance and administration. Among' tb.ose which claimed the support of the Committee were: (1) Tho Local Authorities Loans Bill (passed) ; (2) The Public Works Loans Acts Amendment Bill (passed); (3) The Police Expenses Bill (passed); (1) Tho Poor Law Amendment Bill (withdrawn). (1) Tho first of these measures embodied tho Chancellor of tho Excheipter'a proposals for improving and regulating the modes of borrowing by local authorities. As originally introduced the bill contamed valuable reforms in tho audit of local accounts. Tho Committee regret tho modification which these ultimately underwent in deference to the objections of municipal authorities. They cannot, however, doubt that considerable advantages will accruo to ratepayers generally from tho facilities now provided for placing the creation of local debt on a clear and intelligililo footing, from the provision, even optionally, of an official examination and sanction to the regularity of the loans made, as well as from the new modes of borrowing, and the larger market afforded to local borrowers, with the probable consequence of a reduced rate of interest on local debt properly incurred. Tho bill may, they trust, prove useful also in facilitating a more consistent and accurate system of general returns, and as a step towards that thorough and independent audit so eminently desirable as a guarantee for the due expenditure of the increasingly large amounts of borrowed moneys with which local autho- rities have now to deal. (2) The consolidation and amend- ment of the Acts relating to loans for pabUc works, and to the Commissioners appointed to regulate their issue, was effected by two bills introduced by the Government m the present session. Tht-se, after attentive consideration by a Select Committee of the House of Commons, were embodied in the mfasure finally passed by the Public AVorks Loan Acts Amendment Bill. Various useful financial reforms are effected by this meastrre, which has made pro\-ision for bringing under direct parliamentary review tho annual reriuirements of localities borrowing from public sources. An occasion has thus been afforded, and securities given, for that annual local budget for which the Committee have pressed from the very commence- ment of the ac-itation of this question. The pas- sage of these bills through the House of Commons was disputed by Mr. Fawcett, in a resolution condemnatory of the insufficient and disappointing character of the legisation of the Government on local finance dming the present session. The Committee would have regretted to see measures which, notwithstanding their inadequacy, were yet of themselves useful, rejected on this general ground. They cannot, however, but view as very valuable the discus- sion to which this opposition gave rise. It afforded an occasion to reveal to the Government the dissatisfaction prevailmg on both sides of the House with the small amount of progress made this year with the question of local taxation reform, and the impatience and disajipointment with which a suspen- sion of their last year's policy would, if persisted in, be viewed by ratepayers throughout the country. The debate permitted the chairman of the Committee forcibly to call the attention of her Majesty's Ministers to the necessity of more vigorous action, while it was remarkable for the very general adhesion given to the mode of relief by Imperial subventions, and to the acceptance by former opponents of the very arguments against the present unfair incidence of looal rates so often" used by local taxation reformers. (3) The Police Expen.ses Bill simply continued the measm-e of last session untU the 1st September, 1876. The Treasury were thus enabled to contribute one-half instead of one- quarter of the cost of the pay and clothing of the police for the present year— a pr.'portion which still leaves three-fifths of the entiro expenditure on local i-esources. This bill fixes n" definite limit to the grant, and makes no change in the relations subsisting between the Government and the PoUce generally. The Committee cannot but hope, however, that the growing sense of the loss of efficiency and waste of money involved in maintaiiung 225 separate forces of Police will, ere long, lead to a general consideration of Police organisation, and to the ultimate transfer to the State of the whole force. The gain thus to be secured extends not only to the lai'gely increased protection that a consolidated Police would afiord, but to the vast advantages to be derived in point of discipline and efficiency by a proper and homo- geneous system of recruiung and promotion, and a fitting basis for superannuation funds, the difficulty of establ shing which, in our present subdivided forces, has this session engaged the attention of a Select Committee of the House of Columons. (4.) The Poor Law Amendment Bill was ii.tro- duced too late to admit of its passing into lavr during the Session. Dealing with a variety of points of administrative detail, the chief intcrcot of the Committee attached to the 440 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. provisions it coiiJainefl for that rectiflcation of local boun- dai-ies and consolidation of local arsas, which had already been considered by a Select Committee in 1S73. It proposed the consolidation with adjoining districts, by provisional oi-der, of parishes manifesl'ly too mhiute in %'aluc and ]ioi)ula- lion for purposes of local government. It provided also for the re-arrangement of scattered frag-ments of parishes in the surrounding- areas — a matter of some importance, as there are some l,29i cases of such divided parishes in England. This bill would have bestowed also on the Local Govern- ment Board a power of dissolving Poor Law Unions, which could not fail to prove useful in fa'ilitatins- the creation of fixture countj authorities, since, as Mr. Sclater-Booth showed, it would help to harmonise union with county boundaries. Vroposals for abolishing the exemption from rating enjoyed by corporate property under the 3 and 4 Vic, c. 48, and exceptionally in the Metropolis by the Inns of Court and Charterhouse, were emljodied in this measure, which con- tained o nianj' useful provisions that the Committee trus* it willbe re-introduccd and proceeded with early in the forth- coming session. The Report of the Select Committee on Turnpike Acts Continuance once more forciljly calls the attention of Parliament to the hardships and anomalies involved in the present system of turnpike extinction. The Committee hope that early general legislation on highway questions may thereTore be expected. The .itteation of the Committee has been directed, as hereto- fore, to the improvement and extension of the retiu-ns now- available resfjecting local finance. The Annual Abstract of Local Taxation Returns issued by the Government, and com- piled partly from returns under the general Aet of 18 iO, and jmrtly from separate official statements, appeared soon after the Committee's last annual report. Coming down to no later date than 1872-3, this abstract shows a steady increase both in local rates, which are returned at £18,5(tO,000, and in local debt, which it placed at £72,000,000. This official return is still capable of amendment in various directions, both in its arrangement and in its details ; while the total of Govern- ment subventions is improperly swollen by including pay- ments to the voluntary managers of industrial and reforma- tory schools, and to ordinary civil servants of the Government Buch as Poor-law auditors. The defective information given t-especting local indebtechiess v/as remedied by a later special Be)-ies of retitrns, which illustrate its rajnd growth. The aggregate now returned (including £::!, 000,000 of School Board Loans), jilaces the liabilities of local authorities at over (C83,000,u00, while the Chancellor of the Exohciiuer, in his Budget speech, estimated them at a still higher figiU'e. Returns for 1872-73 have also been obtained by the Chah'man Of the Committee. These more carefully aimiyso the sources of local revenaes and the distribution of local expenditure ; tmd the committee have thought )t well to append to this feport a short abstract of the data thus obtained. Similar tab ular sf atements for the succeeding year have been ordered, but have not yet appeared. Special returns also exhibiting the anomalies and extravagance of our prison system, and ihe unfairly rate-borne cost of criminal prosecutions, coroners, &c.,have also been moved for and ordered, as well as statistics showing the irregular and uneconomic distribution of our isolated and scattered forces of Police. Pm-ther statements with rcl'erence to the ni-imber and character of our varied local governments and the salaries of their separate officials have been applied for, but not as yet sanctioned by the Government. The Committee cannot quit the subject of official returns without expressing their regret that the publi- cation of so important a document as the Report of the Local Government Board has this year been so long delayed. They observe, however, that it contains, among much valuable information, an official attempt to distinguish, for thefi^st time, the various purposes of lOBol expenditure in a summary which would have been still mol'O useful had it accounted for the whole, in»tead of only a portion, of School Board outlay, and had not the contribution out of nictropolitan local management rates on this account been altogether overlooked. A similar omission occurs in the table given of "reraitnerative and non-remunerative local taxation, a classi- fication which the Committee caimot admit to be projierly made when rates for vaccmation, registration, and educa- tion are included in tho former class along \^ith those levied for mere local coDvenienee, while poor and police rates, as -well as munieipftl tolls, rents, and dues, are placed in tho latter catt.'goryi The Committee cannot overlook the iu- ereased attention which has recently been excited in the local Administration of the English Poor-law. Apart from the wide e joial imiJortp;nce of restricting tho growth of pauperism and encorirftgii'g individual independence, local ratepayers must yiew.with concern the very large sums le\-ied upon thpm and distributed in the sha])e of out-door relief. The, efforts now- being made by conspicuous examples of good administration, by inculcating on boards of guardians a^lo?er adherence to ihe principles laid down by the Poor-law Commission of 18S3 3-1, and by applications to Parliament for increased Safeguards against a lavish expenditure of relief; all deserve the attention and support of local-taxation reformers. The Ckairmau of the Committee has, therefore, moved for further returns illustrating the errors fiiid oxct^ssCs of the llr'sellt system. "Whether the jiroposal — noticed in their hist Ainuial Rejiort, and urged in many independent (|itarters — of ob- taining a sidisidy in aid of the cost of the in-door poor, and thus utilising an Imperial grant as a stinuilus to good ad- ministration, ultimately commands ])nblic favour or not, tl o C>es dealing with the question in a very diiferent manner from that which had been customary in the " leading Journal." The week before a great number of animals were sent to Harwich, with a view to their being scattered throughout the country; but disease having appeared amongst them, they were found to be in the wrong place, and it was a serious 'luestion for consumers whetlier such disappointment'; should be risked in future. He hoped the public w-juld be led to see that the agricultnrista were not advancing tiicir own interests alone, but those of consumers also, in seeking to have the foreign trade put ou such a footing that the value of animals would not be seriously diniinishtd inimedin.tely alter they had reached thjif shores. It should not be forgotten that fully 9U per cent, of the animals imported vrere in a fit state for the butcher. Mr. Garuijnt'R {, Essex} said it seemed an absurd thing to slaughter an nnimal which had no flesh on its bones. In the easteru countieSj and particularly in Essex, farmers were dependent for their supply of stock for feeding purposes on persons outside the district. He did not believe any county iu the kingdom had suffered more than Essex from imported disease; but how on earth were they to be protected against it unless some kind ol quarantine were established ? If timfe were done, those who sent stnre animals to this country would make a better selection. Irishmen, as well as foreigners: would then be carelul to send only store animals that would bear the test of transit. He had himself suffered greatly iri 442 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. consecjUPuro of flie non-csfrtbiisliment of quarantine, aud tliioiigli trucks not beinff properly cleau^ed. lie bought seventy liisli bullocks, aud vvitliia st-veu diys after lliey reached his firm they had foot-and-mouth disease. A quarautine of sevpn days' duration would have prevented that. Mr. Herbert Little said it s.'emed to him that they were piitiinft the cart before tlie horse in phicing the second resolu- tion where it was. The Governmi'nt, when urgeil to propose leijjishition, niig-ht fairly reply that liiey were "not t^kiutf all tiiii steps that they ought to do for the repression of disease in their own country ; and until tliey showed themselves more anxious to c'ear themselves from the pest o*" foot-aud-moutli diseasH, which was now spread over England, Scotland, and Irehuid, it seemed absurd to talk about tiie slaughtering of foreign ani.-nals at tlie port of lauding. He concluded by proposing to leave out tlie words iu the first resolution, "or placing under (|narau!inp." Mr. Treadwell could not admit that it would be impossible to establish qunrantine fur foreign stock. He had thought thtt tlie word " impossible" was banished from the English dictionary. It was of no use to adopt any other measures until tiiey had stopped the importation of fresh disease from abroad. Mr. Ackers sail, as a representative of the "West of Eng- land, he feit t,h;it tlie fir^t resolution would he of very little use unless the word " foreign" were left out before "imported." In that part of the country the view taken — and he believed it was correct — was that disease was, lie would not SMy imported from Ireland, that being au open question, but generated in trucks and ships connected wiih that country ; and they thougiit they could trace the spread of foot-aud- moutli disease in that way throughout the West, aud t!;ence throiigh the greater parts of the rest of England. He would propose, as au amendment, tliat the word "foreign" should be omitted from the first resolution. Mr. D. Long said he would second the amendment. The Chairman said he must first take the sense of the meeting witli regard to the question of quarantine. Mr. Hicics (Uambridgeshire), in seconding Mr. Little's amendment, said that vAieu he was at the meeting of the Business Committee on the previous evening he was iu (avour of quarantine, but wliat he had siuce heard had convinced him that it viould be useless. On the amendment being put to the meeting, the numbers were, for the amendment 15, against it 23. Mr. Ackers then moved the omission of the word " foreign," and this was seconded by Mr. D. Lokg. Mr. C. S. Head, M.l'., ojiposed the amendment. Ireland couid not, he s;iid,be treated, with reference to that matter, separately from the rest of the United Kingdom. It was all very well for gentlemen from the West ol England to say that they suffered especially from importation ; but farmers in the east suffered more, because the amount of importation was greater. They hnd in Norfolk oO.OUO head of Irish stock. They should endeavour to get rid of the system which now prevailed of having one law for Ireland and another for England and Scotland. He must protest against tlie doctrine of tlie gentleman from, the West of England, that foot-and- mouth disease might be gv.ne-ated by the liardshipsof transit. If they once adopted that doctrine, there woiiid be an end of all restrictions v»hatever ; but it was asjainst all evidence and all experience. When cattle used to walk all the way from the Ilighlnnds of Scotland to Norfolk, there was no disease. He would undertake to carry a mouthful of hay from a beast that was infected for a distance of 200 miles, and convey the disease with it. They might subject animals to any sort of privation and hardship they pleased, and if disease were not otherwise imported it would not be introduced in that way. Mr. T. DucKllA.M said he believed it was utterly impossible for disease to be generated dnriusf the transit of animals if the seeds of it did not exist previously. Mr. Ackers disclaimed any wish to stop the importation of animals from Ireland. lis admitted that he might have been wrong in using the word "generated," hut all who were con- versant with sanitary matters generally knew that a tendency to disease miglit be developed by tiie want of proper arrange- ments. The Chairman said he could not consistently with his sense of duty submit the amendment without first express- ing an earnest hope that it would not be cairied. He agreed eal.rel}' witli what fell from Mr. Head on tliut subject. It would be u-eIiS3 to ask for legislation in the sense of exeluil- ing the importation of cattle from Ireland. Tiiey might as well ask the Government to bring in a metsure at tiie begin- ning of the next session for the establishment of Home Rule iu Irelaad (Laughter). On a show of hands, there were 4 for the omission of " foreign," and 28 a^iaiust it. The first resolution was then adopted unanimously without any alttration. Oil tlie second resolution, " Establishment throuuhout Great Britain and Irrbuid of a more complete organisation for repressing outbreaks of contagion," Mr. C. S. Head, JI.l'., moved to insert " and uniform " before "organisation." Mr. T. JJucKiiAM seconded the amendment, and with this insertion the resolution was passed unanimously. Mr. Caldecott proposed to add to the resolution the words "and an etl'ectual peaaUv for offences," ad ling that the present maximum penalty of £20 tor an infringement of the law was utterly msuliicient, conviction not lollowiug in one case in a hundred, and that he would like to see a power of imiirisoumeut without the option of a fins. Tins proposal fell to the ground for want of a seconder. The third resolution was adopted without any amendment, afer which the whole of the resolutions were agreed to unanimously in the form in which they were origimlly pro- posed from the chair, with the exception of the insertion in- tended to secure uniformity adopted on the motion of ilr Read. The Chairman expressed his satisfaction at the calm and temperite wanner in which the subject had b"en discussed, anil his earnest hope tliat the resolutions wou'.d receive the careful consideration of her Majesty's Government. It was then determined that a deputation should be ap- pointed to wait upon the Premier on the su'ject, and the de[iutation was afterwards nominated, with power to make additions. Tuesday, the 7lh of December, was fixed luion as the day on which Mr. Disraeli should be asked lo receive the deputation. Professor Bund moved "That it be an instruction to the deputation to ask the Government to issue a Royal Com- mission to inquire into the meat supply of tlie country, and the best measures to he taken for its iucrease." lie said Mr. Ilowaid had objected that, practically, that would be asking the Government to shelve the question. He denied that that was the case. It was clear from the discussion which had taken place that day that the Council were by no means agreed as to the best means of dealing with the disease. Two hon. sen- tlcmen who had served on a Parliamentary Committee differed altogether from practical agriculturists, and some gentlt-mea had gone so far as to advocate the exelusion of Irish stock from the English market. (" No, no.") At all events, the object in view being the increase of the meat supply, it was clear that there could be no legislation for that purposa with- out a full knowledge of the facts. Mr. II. Neild, in seconding the motion, observed thfit the discussion which had just taken place showed tlut tiiere was great di\ersity of opini'U among practical niru. IMr. Pell, MP'., thought that the addition which Professor Bund had proposed would embarrass the Council and be likely to delay any solution of the question. It would be a "fence" behind which any Government Wi uld be too ready to run. Nor was it at all clear to him that what was proposed was at all pertinent to the question at issue. He did not exactly see the connection between the importation of diseases ana the cost of meat. The cost of meat was due as much to waste as to any other cause, and the Comtnission would have to examine a number of witnesses from the kitchens and the areas and a number of Lou vivaii/s among the citizens of London (laughter). He did not think a Commission could give farmers any better inducemeut,to produce meat than was alforded by the presfut prices (Hear). They all knew very well that the more meat they could produce with a small outlay the better it would pay them ; and to talk to them on tlie subject was like preaching a sermon to men who did not w■^ut it. IV'- sons who were satisfied with the groiit truths of the Bible did not wish to hear them amplified in an imperfect manner from the pulpit (laughter). It was perfectly clear to him that the time of a Commission woull be wasted in the consideration of that question, and the proposed inquiry would only afford au opportunity for delay to a Guvermueut which was not aIto« THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 443 {t^tlipr unconscious of (lie ailvaiilajn of having sulitorfuges (laufclitei). A's an lionest Tory mIio sat below the gHMj^w:>y, iie wouhl rerommend Professor Bund not to press his proposal. Mr. Jjii'scc.MJiE s:iiil, as one who expressed his readiness to second I'rolcssor JJiind's proposal when it was first made, he hc,!i-ed now to state that he had Ijeon converted liy the argii- iiieiiis of Mr. I'ell. Believing that thai proposal would load to deliy he could no lonjjer support it. Mr. ('. S. ]ii;ai>, M.V., said, having had the honourto ferve on tlie Citile I'lague C^oinnuttee, and also on two or three I'ailiami-nlary Coiniiiittces on that suhject, lie would venture to say tliat if the reconirneudations of thos-e bodies liad been acted upon, the evils which they liad had so much cause to deplore would not have arisen. If J'arliainent had adopted the reconiinendation of the last Coninnttee of tiie llonse of Commons that whatever was done in England and Scotland should also he done in Ireland, they would, he felt confijent, not have had such a continued outbreak of pleuro-pneunionia. The CiiAlKM.YN, alluding to the remarks of ^Ir. Lipscornbe, said he must congratulate Mr, IVil on having achieved a triumph which some of the most di^tinguished speakers seldom chfaimd that of an open acknowledge nent of conversion {laughter). The ijuesiion was then put, and the result was the rejection of tlie motion by 30 to 4. The next business on the agenda being to consider " the working of the Elementary Edn(ation Act of 1870, of (he Kleraeniary Elucation Act of 18/3, and of the Agricultural Children's Act in Rural Districts," The Chairman observed that it was impossible for tlie Council to discuss such an important question on that occa- sion. [The meeting had already sat between two and three lionr-i.] jVIr. Pell, M.P., said he wished to make a few remarks on the working of the Agricultural Children's Act. lie .n/linitted that that Act had failed to bring children in the rural di^tricts to school in the manner that it was hoped it would do ; but that ha-d now been dis- covered in several counties, and the evil was now being remedied, lu the county of Leicesti r, where he believed the magistrates moved first on the, (luestion, an instruction had been given to the county police to caution offenders against tbe Act, and if they continued olh nding to prosecute them. lu the county of Surrey it was found by the police some time ago that 190 children were employed in contravention of the Act. The magistrates assembled in Quarter Sessions having taken np tiie matter, it was thought necessary to give thirtefn cautions, but in no case had a summons to be taken out. A similar course had been pursued in Northamptonshire, lluntjrgdoushire, and Cambridgeshire. lu A"ortlia.'ii])toushire it was determined the other day, on liis own motion, ihat the police should caution any offender against the Act, and that if no notice were taken of the caution the name of the olfender should be sent to the chief coustable, that he might prosecute if he thought fit. He believed that there would be very few prosecutions under the Act, but that ou the other liand tlie opinions which had lieen expressed about theinsulli- cieiiey of the Act aud the dilfioulty of enforcing it, were not justitied by facts. He must take credit for its not having been disobeyed in the parish where he lived, while he was nwaie tliul in some surrounding districts it had been violated. His object in rising was not to raise a discussion on the sub- ject", but to iuform the Council what had been done in four or (ivB important counties in order that others might follow the example which had been thus set. They should, ou the one liand, do all they possibly could to prevent anything like direct compulsion by means of School Boards, and on the other should do everything in their ' power to give effect to the intentions of the Legislature. 'I'he CiiAiRjiAN expressed a hope tliat the semarks of Mr. Perl would stimulate tlie maj^istrates of other counties to imitate the example of tlio counties which he had men tioned. Mr. Hicks (Cambridgeshire) said the chief constable of that county, Admiral Davis, informed the masistrafes there a iillie while ago that he was opp-ised to having an) thing to do with the Act, but that after full cousideraiiou he proposed to f.,ke upon himself the duty of carrying out its objects, and tli'jf he did not anticipate any d;liieiilty in the m:ittei'. The further coujideralion of the subject was then post- poned , The next business on the agenda being the consii'eration of "(he Constitution and Areas of Local Autiiorities," Tiie CiiAiKMAN observed that at that hour it was in possible to enter usefully into a discussion on such an important sub- ject, but that Capt. Craigie would, in accordance with notice, introduce i', aud the foundation would thus be laid for future consideration. Cajit. Ckaigie commenced by reading the resolution of which he had siven notice, which was as follows: "'ihat, in any refbriu of lucil government, it will be desirable in every district to bring all Poor law, s;initiry, and hij;hway adminis- tration under one authority, and to constitute in every county a representative provincial board." After observing that that rcscdutiou broached a very large sulijcct, namely, local go^ernm. nt, be said he felt that, in dealing with such a sub- ject, they must proceed tentatively. A reform of local govern- ment had been advocated there from t! e first, and the question of couu'y tiaaucial boards had been a prominent one before chambers of agriculture generally. He did not think the establishment of such boards would tend much to dimii isli the county rates, about SO per cent, of which was expended by tbe magistrates under obligations resting upon Acts of Parlia- ment ; biit he considered such hoards essential to secure the representation of all who were concerned. England, he went on to say, had been subdivided for four main purposes. These purposes he described at considerable length, referring succes- sively to muuicipaliiirs, the Poor-law system, the highway systen, aud sanitary districts, and pointing out the com- plications, conflicts, and other evils arising from the existing state of things. Speaking generally, he thought the great object should be to concentrate tbe development of principles and to localise the management of details, and he believed that there would be found the solution of the question of the reform of local government. If they were to have any kind of concentration, it should not be one that would place everything in th« hands of one administrative office in the Metropolis. With a system of subdivided cen- tralisation, they might have all the advantages without any of the disadvantages of arbitrary rule. . Mr. Pell, M.P., deprecated any dealing with sucli a subject in a perfunctory manner, and suggested that Capt- Craigie's elaborate address should he submitted, with his own revisions, to the Local Taxation Committee, with a view to arrangements being made for a full consideration of the subject at a future meeting of the Council. Alter a few remarks from the CnAlKJiAN, in which be ex- pressed his satisfaetio.1 that Captain Craigie had not advo- cated the transfer of the local functions of the magistrates to county financial boards, tU; suggestiou of Mr. Pell was under- stood to be assented to ; and the proceedings then terminated with a vote of thauks to Lord Hampton for presiding. GPaNDTNG ROCKS AT THE GUANO BED, AND SELLING THE SAND EOR A FERTILISER.— j\Ir. A. D. Phillips, one of ihe officers of the Ilichborough Grange, in Newport, Bucks county, was commissioned by his grange, a few weeks ago, to purchase twenty tons of Peruvian guano f^or the use of its members. Mr. Phillips came to Philadelphia, and ordered the guano through a commission house, who bought it direct from llobson, Ilornado, and Co., the agents of the Peruvian Government in New York. The guano reached Mr. Phillips in the original packages, not having been opened or handled by the commission house. In Newport it was bought by the grangers, Mr. Phillips keeping only a few bags for his own use. When he opened the bags, and heg!\u to sjire.id it over liis laud, he noticed that it was lumpy, and apparently contained sand and gravel. So he measured out a half-pound, aud washed it carefully. The guano dissolves in water, but in the bottom of the pan was a heavy sediment, which, when separated and dried, proved to be coarse brov n sand and fine gravel. This sediment was sent to the agency of tiie New Jersey State Grange, at 103 Arch-street, and on a drugK'si's scales it weighed one and a-half ounces, or 15 per cent of tlie guano, for which the grange paid 55 doll.irs a ton The sediment is, of course, useless as a manure, being just such sand as any firmer can find on his land ; and in the same ratio, purchasers of a ton of gmno at 55 dollars pay 20 dollars f ir lirown sand and gravel. The capta'n of a schooner running from this port to the Peruvian islands for guano wrote to a H H 4t4 THE FAKMifiR'S MAGAZINE. friend a sliort thtifi agn, lint when lie reaelind tlie islands he was afraid to load his vessel, the adulteration being so great that he feared he could not get enough for the guano to pay for transportation. "'A stone-breakirhaJ beeoputup ne;\rtlie guano beds, he said, and it was evident for what purpose the sand was used. lie sailed to another island, fifty miles away, and there he found the adulteration even worse ; so he came home without any load. "A few years ago," said an old faruier to our reporter, " we could not sow more tlrin 200 pounds of guano to the acre, for ii would make the grain so heavy and tiiiek that it would break and tangle. But now a mau can £0\v half a ton to the acrCj and he dou'c get a much better crop than if he didu'i sow any at all. It's all owing to the adulteration. I buuu'ht a hundred and iifteeu dollars' worth of gnano last year, and it didn't do me a hundred and fifteen cents worth of good. Tins year it seems to be worse tlian ever, and I think it's getting poorer every year. L\st year they clmr;;ed eiglity dollars a Ion in gold lor it. Tiiis spring they made a great fuss about reducing tlie price, and now »e buy it fur fifty-five dollars a ton in currency. But it has been reduced in quality ten times as much as in price. We farmers lose not only wliat we pay for the wortliless ^and, but we lose the value of the cops that we would raise if we used good fertilisers." — The Pkiladel^hia Times, THE SCOTTISH CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. THE AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS BILL TOR SCOTIAND. The annual meeting of the Scottish Chamber of Agriculture was held on Nov. 10, in the Waterloo Hotel, Edinburgh — the retiring president, Mr. Cunninghaui, Chapeltown, Ardros- san, in the chair. Mr. Joseph Harper, Snawdon, was elected president of the Chamber in room of Mr. Cunniuj^ham, and Messrs. Robprt Riddel, Hundalee, and Melvin, Bonnington, were appointed vice-presidents. The new directors appointed were : Blessrs. David Dun, Kilconquhar ; James Cochrane, Little Haddo ; A. E. Macknight, advocate ; W. Goodlct, Bolshan ; W. Smith, West Drums. Mr. Curror was re-elected. The PRESID■£^'T, before leaving the chair, said : The business during the past year, though it may not bulk very largely before the public, has been very important to the farmers of the ground, and consequently to the community, for the two interests cannot be dissociated. Early in the year a depu- tation waited on the Government, and pressed upon it our views on the English Agricnltural bill, and the views so urged by the deputation were confirmed at our Perth meeting. These were pressed again on the Government hy members whom the common sense and common honesty of our views enlisted ia our ranks ; and though tlie bill passed does not contain so many of the amendments we urged as we should have liked, sotiie admission of sounder principles than it started with has been made even on it. The Scotch bill comes np for considera- tion at this meeting, and I am sure it will meet withthat care- ful and sensible consideration which its importance to onr trade demands. I wil not anticipate the discussion further than to say that the bill will not meet the approval of the farmer, nor the r?quireraents of the country, if the principles of the Perth resolutions are not substantially admitted into the measure. Other matters have bfcn under onr consideration, also serionsly affecting our trade. We have been agitating for the abolition of the Law of Entail — a law which is both thoroughly unsound in principle and injurious in operation in this country, alike to the entailed pioprietors themselves, to their tenants, and to the community at large. Commerce is the common iDterest of niMukind, but commerce in land under the fetters of strict entail is impossible. It is a natural obli- gation laid on every parent to provide for his ciiildren — but the law of entail in this country fetters the exercise of that natural obligation. A life interest in land necessarily leads the liferenter to extract the last shillinjr he can out of it during liis time, so that he may discharge his natural obligation to his ■widow and children to the utmost of his ability ; but this fetters a 11 permanent improvement of the land, discourages all outlays of money by tenants, and deprives the community of the return which the land would give if improved, and in this way on many of the smaller entailed estates, you have poor crops, poor cattle, dilapidation, decay, poverty-stricken homesteads, as the natural outcome of the syst-m. The liberty of the sub- ject is one of the glories of this country, but where is it when land left free has been tied up in the fetters of strict entail on unborn generations scourging all — land occupants and the community at large ? The system is essentially irrational and wrong, and not capable of real improvement or amelioration, and so far as this country is concerned ought to be abolished, both root and branch. In the abolition many heirs of entail DOW in possession will be found, from their own experience, the keenest supporters. The agricultural bills have distracted to so'ne extent our attention from this question ; but we have not overlooked it, and I coniDiend it to- the vigorous mind of my successor as one calling for instant scfion. During the past y ear the efforts of the abolitionists of the law of hypothec have not met with tint success which might have been expected. The subject seems not to be sufliciently known on the other side of the border; but I venture to predict that a knowledge of it will reach our friends in the south, and when it does, tne country will throw off that burdeu which has been too long borne by the 1 ind of this country. Efforts should also be made to exclude important cattle diseases. In my humble opinion little can be expected from the present system ; and hence that effort should he made in the direction of getting a special department of Government formed to be specinUy charged wilii agriculture and agricultural imports and exports into this country. Tlie importance of the business of such a department demands that, and that the members of it should be men of broad views, acquainted with our trade. I will not advert further to other matters that we have before us. I thank you cordially for the honour yon conferred on me in appointing me to tliis chair, for the support invariably given me by the directors, for the kind intercourse I have enjoyed among our members ; and with an expression of a hearty desire for the success of this Chamber, 1 make way for my successor, with a hope that liis terra of office will be more profitable to our trade, and his enjoyments in office not less tlian have fallen to me. One word more. I confess I have been a little disap- pointed at the want of interest in some counties in this organi- sation. The good it has done in spreading sound inforraHlion on all subjects bearing on agriculture has been great, and while we may not reap the full crop of benefits the Ciiainber has grown, we will leave a good inheritance of permanent improve- ments to those who come after ns. I would, in parting witii you as your chairman, urge upon the farmers in all parts of our country to join us in this Chamber, and aid us in pro- moting the weal of the trade which they are engaged iu. The chair was then taken by Mr. Hakper. Reports of counties committees : Ayr. — Agricultural Holdings Bill : Unanimously of opinion that no Agricultur.il Holdings Bill for Scotlnnd will be either beneficial to the public or satisfactory to the farmers which does not enable the latter to have a legil claim against his proprietor for all unexhausted improvements aud manures which vvill add to the value of the land. And, on the other hand, when a tenant throngh his bad larmiug deteriorates the value of the land, liis landlord to have a legal claim against him for all such deterioration. Further, that the bill passed for Englnnd will be found in practice to be of little or no use, as neither landlord nor tenant can claim a sinsle penny from each other, unless they choose to give it, eitiier P'U'ly by giving notice being entitled to contract himself out of the bilL Ayrshire. — Pigeon Case : The meeting agrees to bring the case of the Queen r. Bryson before the Chamber, in the hope of getting assistance towards the defender's expenses. Caithness. — Animal Contatrious Diseases -. Having con- sidered the Contasious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1SG9, and the Orders of Council from time to time issued and enforced for preventing the spread of these diseases, and seeing that hitherto the means employed have proved ineffectual for the purpose, recommend the Cliamber to memorialise the Govern- ment to take steps to prevent the introduction to Great Britain and Ireland of foreign contagious diseases, by pro- hibiting the importation of foreign store cattle altogether, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 445 D«d ir/ikin^ provision for llie slaughtering of all foreign fat calllc at jiorls ol dcliurkiitioii. Ei)iNi!UKOH.— Ajiiicultiuiil Iloldings Bill: AH iniprovr- nicii's niiiUe by tciiiiiits' capilal, iuoreasinj? tlie letting value of the suliject, should be valued, Hiid their true value at the end of the lease to the holding paid lor. The measure should 1)B io:niiu'sor>, and embrace leases current when it passes into law. Al.o'ilion of aijricuUural hypothec of the law of entail fchiiuld hi* ur^ed in I'arli iiuent. I'OKiAii.— A;irieultural Iloldings Bill: Recommend that the aticiition of the Chamber be carefully directed at ensuing ninetiiig to bill as now introduci'd, the meeting being of o, iniou that in its present shape it would not be an accept- able niea'inie. Law of llypotliec: Tlie meeting recommend tlie Cl\amb'-r to petition Parliament for abolition of the law. Jj'iiE. — Agricultural lloldiuKS Bill : Approve generally of tic principle of the bill, but press the amendmeuts pointed out at the meeting at Berth on 'Jth July last on the hill for E Iff land. KiNc.vuuTNE. — Agricultural Iloldings Bill: Unanimously of opiuiou that bill should be compulsory, and should include all permanent improvements which add to the letting value of an agricultural holding. That tlie value of necessary new buildings should be declared at the termination of a lease; instead of being reckoned exhausted at the teruiiuation of a specific number of years. Tliat well executed drains should be held unexhausted for twenty years: lime, 13 years; drill bones, 10 years ; dissolved bones, 5 years ; guano, 3 years. The pr.. visions to apply to all existing leases directly the bill is passed into law. UoxBiiUGii. — Agricultural Holdings Bill: The committee are unanimously of opinion that the present Agricultural iloldings (Scotland) Bill is ineffr-ctive and unsatisfactory on account of its permissive nature, and is not calculated to meet the refjuireraeuts of teuaut-farnrers, or give them suffi- cient security for large capital invested in land ; that im- provements of the fir.vt-class ought to be held to last thirty years, one thirtieth of the outlay to be deducted every year ; that improvements of second-class ouglit to be held as lasting twelve years, one-twelfth to be deducted each year ; that im- provements of the third-class ought to be held as lastiug four years, one-fourth being deducted every year ; tliat the bill be altered in accordance with the compulsory principle ; and Hiat in every instance the decision sf the arbiters be held as final. Sklkirk. — Foot-and-Mouth Disease : In reference to this disease it was aereed to recorameud that foreign cattle be slaughtered at the port of debarkation ; that Irish cattle be caretully inspected and reported healthy before leaving their grazing homesteads, and that it is necessary to enforce better regulations with regard to the comfort of animals in transit by ship or railway. The Secretary read the following letter, which he had received from Sir Robert Anstruther, M.P. : Balcaskie, Nov. 5th, 1S75. — My dear sir, I think it very desirable that some .action should be taken dnring this recess to make the Govern- ment awiire that those wlio are interested in the development of agriculture in Scotland will not be satisfied with a bill fratuf d upon the lines of the English Act, such as that printed and circulated by the Government at the close of list session. I li;r\e already intimated my intention of moving the addition of compulsory clauses to any bill introduced by the Govern- ment that may not contain them, but a private member is so little able to make head against a Government that it is most desirable that steps should be taken to make the opinion of the country distinctly known upon the subject. A nicetiug of the Scottish Chamber of Agriculture might do much in this respect, but lest this should savour too much of a pro- fessional agitation, I think it would be well if a public meeting were organised, under the auspices and with the assist'iiice of the Chamber, at which resolutions could be passed of a character likely to influence the Government, and by means of which it might be made apparent that landlords arc ccjnally interested with their tenants in procuring a measure from Government which shall be of real practical value. Should it be thought desirable to arrange for such a meeting, I think that all the Scotch members of Par- liament should be invited to attend, irrespective of politics, us well as other leadiuR gentlemen who have rercntly lield seats, or wiio have shown tliemselves inter- ested iu the development of the L*ud Question. I shall be glad to liear from you, with any of your valuable practical sug'.'estions upon this matter. — I ani,&c., 1). Cnrror, Esq. KoBZllX A^'SXRUTIIER. Iilr. IIakimck, opening the discussion, said : Gentlemen, tiic subject which you are now asked to consider is the A;:rioul- tuial lloldiags Bill for Scotland, which is now drafted, and which nii.uy of you I daresay, have read. You are aware that when we last met at Perth the Agricultural iloldings Bill for England occupied our attention. I regret to say that only one of die several amendments we proposed as improvement to that measure was adopted by l^arliament — v;,:., that when a tenant erected any buildings on his farm at his own expense, the land- lord, on the tenant's leaving, should be obliged to take them over at a fair valuation by arbitors, or on his declining, to allow the tenant to remove the materials, making good all surface acreage. This, I think, is the most easily understood, and the most etiuitable clause in the whole bill. It isgeneral'y affirmed that Mr. Disraeli was chiefly instrumental in forcing this measure upon the Cabinet, as he had during his ferara- bulations delivered many sarcastic and bitter invectives against the Ministry then in power aboiit their blundering and plundering, lie had also pledged himself to the English far- mer to bring in a measure securing him Tenant-Right. If the bill as passed by the landocracy of the House of Commons be so, in the just and ordinary meaning, thefarmer of England will soon fiud out. In his gratitude I hope he will not forget his so-called especial friends. But in the peculiar circumstances in whi>h so many of the English farmers are placed by being merely yearly tenants, or tenants-at-\i ill, I do not wonder at their olt and strongly-expressed desire to have secured to them, by Act of Parliament, a Tenant-Right Bill. According to our Scotch notions, I do not well see how they can keep up their farin-bnildings or maintain their land in a high state of cultivation without tiiis. It is true they have a firm belief in the good faith and liberality of their landlords, in allowing them to remain in their farms at reasonable rents, and I must admit that experience fully justifies many of them in so believ- ing. But still experience also proves this can only be done by subordinating their own will and opinions on those social and political ciuestions on which good men in this country do differ, and on which all other classes do assert their right to think aud act for themselves. And instances do creep out frequently to prove this, and however painful and humiliating these cases are to the farmers of England, it is well they should do so, as they show to them by how slender a tenure they hold their farms. Only very recently a notable case has occurred. la corroboration of this I may here have no hesitation in alluding to it, as it has got into the public prints. Lord Darnley, who owns considerable estates in Kent, iu consequence of some quarrel with the otlier officers of a volunteer cavalry regiment, of which he was colonel, resigned. Ail the farmers on his estate who were connected with the regiment, in sympathy with their landlord, resigned too, but the son of one of them. Lord Darnley applied to the father by letter to u-ehis influence with his son to induce him to do so ; but he, fortunately, being of independent means, and having a mind and will of his own, declined to do so, and simply iu consequence of tliis, he peremptorily got notice to quit his farm at a period of the year peculiarly iucouvenient, and attendant with extra pecuniary loss. After some further correspondence, the tenant remaining firm, Lord Darniey, whether on cooler reflection, or moved by the influence of personal friends, or by the public indignation, withdrew his letter of eviction, and, to his honour and credit, expressed regret for what had occurred. But what had his tenants in the meantime done, and I beg you mark this? Tliey met, and inspired by whom it is not known, passed resolutions expressive of approval and sympathy with their landlord in this matter, and condemnatory of their friend and neighh(mr. It must occur to you and me, gentlemen, that if I hey had acted as sensible men, whatever their opinions were on the matter, they might have allowed their landlord and tenant to fight out their own battle, and at the best remain passive, instead of giving their influence to the strong against the weak. What a painful position these tenants must now feel themselves in ! Will they now follow in the wake of their noble landlord, and pass counter-resolutions expressive of regret for what they have done ? Ko w, higli-iiaudeU tiiongli some of our Scottish landlords may be, I am proud to say (or them that not one of them would have done this silly piece of tyranny ; and had any of tlieiu tried it against the very humblest of their lenauts, I am still more coiifi;?ent in saying H H 2 tifs THE FARMER'S MAGAZ-INB. that at the very Ip^st ihe. other ienrsnts on the estate would have kept out of the fray. Now, as illu.-trative of the com- parative independence and position which tlie Scotch tenantry hold in reference to the ailings of their landlords, I shall give you another case. A tenant-farmer in East Lothian, w ho was pre-e.iiineutnot only as a practical asrriculturist, bur also as an able writer and expounder on aijricultural sul)ject8, kn^wn not only in Scotland and England, but to many agricuiluiistts in liiauyotlier countnes, by whom lie was often visited, got notice 8t the end of his lease ih.at i'.e would not get a renewal in con- sequence of liis views on these very laiid and tenancy laws wtiich we are now considering, and also of his opinions on many social and political questions being different from tliose of his landlord He submitted to tlie iiievitable with calmness and dignity. But v^hat did the numerous tenantry on the same estate ? What did teuai.try on tlie other estates of East Lothian ? Wliat did the trading and otlier manufacturing classes? Aye, what did several landlords' factors? Why, -tiiey all felt that a great blunder had been committed, that a great wrong had been done to a highly estimable and intelligent man, who liad been born on the farm, and whose forefathers had lived on it, by a territorial magnate, who had only at a comparatively recent period come into possession through his wi'e, and whose predecessors held the same political opinions as the ejfcted tenant. What did all these parties dof For- getting fur a time some of the points from which they differed from tlieir neighbour and friends, they subscribed a sura la'-ge enough to present hiin with his portrait from a high-class artist, and a handsome piece of silver plate to his excellent ■wife, with substantial gifts to his eldest son and daughters, as proofs of the respect and esteem they held the husband and lather. Nay, more, they entertained him to a farewell dinner in the largest room in the largest hotel in Haddington, at which the eldest son of a large proprietor pre- sided, and, to the credit of Lord Elcho's manli- .'liness and independence be it said, he attended. IS'osv, I have bruught under your notice these two cases for a ■ special object — the marked dilTerence between the tenant- farmers of England, yearly tenants, and tenants-at-will, and tliose of Scntland nnder nineteen years' leases. I wish you to markthe subserviency of the one to the independence of theother to their landlords, wlirn both, in the opinion, at I'^ast, of other classes, had committed a blunder and wrong. Why is this? Englishmen, as a class, are warm and generous in their feelings, and love fair pliiy. I am firmly persuaded that their living so long under the system of yearly tenancy has driven all inde- pendence out of too many of them, and has caused them to bow their minds and their wills on all social and political questions, be they Whig or Tory, to tbos'i held by tlieir land- lords. And it is a great misfortune that many measures aifec'ing the '.true interest of Scotland have been marred and Iviudered in Parliament by the influences and votes of English county members, whose prrjiidices or ignorance has caused them to look at these purely Scottish questions as ultimati ly hearing on England, and not on Scotland. And now, gentle- men, I shall liriefiy draw your attention to two or three salient clauses in the Agricultural Holdings Bill for Scotland, leaving it to others to Seal with it more minutely if they so please. And the first point is this, that the bill, like the English one, is permissive, and not compulsory. If it be not made compulsory, if there be any good in it it will be useless, for its objpct is osteub.ibly to deal with an interest-ed class, and ail similar legislation li-is incontestibly proved to be inopera- tive, and for the simple reason that these interested classes liave, as a rule, refused to adopt it. Anotlur point to which .1 would draw your attention is, that whatevt-r compensatiou is itobe.given to farmers for unexhausted manures must be given Vlay arbiters under very distinct arbitrary and cumbrous regula- tions, so that the duties of an arbiter will be truly dilticult and not easily carried, even by educated and intelligent agricul- turists, even if these arbiters should by a bait's breadth go beyond the limits of the bill. An appeal is allowed to the Sheriff, and, if need be, to the Court of Session. The first point to be debated and decided by these courts will be — Have the arbiters kept within the limits assigned them? And another question 1 presume may arise is this, Are the various sums alluwed not excessive in one or more of the items? If this be decided, so then the whole proceedings may be quashed, ;and sent back to the arbiters to begin anew. Another point, too, for arbitration is, that the landlord has the power to make a-claim for depreciation of the farm. It is possible that the sura demanded may equal or exceed the sura claimed by tlie tfnant. Here is another point for arbitration, and for litiga- tion before the law courts, and I put it to the farmers of Scot- land to consider well — Whether the expense, irritation, an- noyance, and delay, probably attending all this process, is worthy the sum which is likely to he got, when all is seMhnl. Thre are other objections to this bill. Lut, giuitlemen, I tell you frankly I have no favour for nor faith in it. It is contrary to the whole instin ts, habits, and \«isliesof the Scottish farmer. The Government are here introducing a new and untried law of questionable good. And leaving uiitouchea those old tenancy laws which have been tried and found unquestiouibly bad, and which have been protested against by tenant-farmers and condemned by other classes in this country, why not abolish and amend these first, if they be statesmen or men of common-sense, or actuated hy a real desire for tlie tenant's good ? That a wrong is being done him now, and a remedy IS needed, the iiftroduction of this bill presupposes. Bat why not begin at the root and cause of the tenant farmer's wrongs and complaints? Why, I ask, not first legiskte on these, iinil give us this measure, which we have never asked for, and the ultimate efforts of wl;icli we do not foresee ? It occurs to ni'^ that the qtiestion as to its due settlement between landlord and tenant resembles much what htppened many years ago about the anti-slavery question. Many well meaning states- men and philanthropists of that day, dreading the bad effects of immediate emancipation on tlie owner and slave, wished to maintain slavery, but to frame rules and regulations by Act of Parliament for its mitigation^ so as to protect the poor negro from undue wrong and suffering. But a wiser and bolder and more honest class said — No. Eree the negro. Fiat juslUi/i, cceluin ritat. No man is entitled to traflSc in the sale of his fellow-man. be he white or black. Eree him, and then assist him to rise in his moral and intellectual state. But if in this world's history, and under the rul'ug of an all-wise but at times inscrntabie Providence, he is to succumb before the intel- ligence and energy of the white man, then let him become his hewer of wood and drawer of water— iiis servant if you like, but not his slave. In like manuer free the Scottish farmer first from the burden of those old tenancy laws under which he has long been weighed down, and which have not only beea great liindrances to him in the prosecution ofhis honest calling, but liave compelled him too often to pay rents and to sign conditions of lease ruinous to himself and to hig family, and injurious to others liaving business transactions with him ; and if in the course of time it should be found necessary to enter into arrangements for the purpose of aiding landlord or tenant in the erection or upholding of farm buildings, oi of maintaining the fertility of the farm until the close of the lease, let it be done by voluntary agreement, and not by Act of Parliament. In the meantime let us hold fast by our nine- teen years' lease, and view with suspicion and distrust any such proposals as are contained in what is called tlie Agricul- tural Holdings Bill for Scotland, more especially if, by the passing of this bill, it is understood no farther appeals are to be made in reference to the obnoxious laws I have reftrred to. Mr. GooDLET (Bolshau) said : I rise to move a resolution with reference to this bill which I trust will meet the approval of the Chamber, but before doing so I wish to say a few words to commend them to your acceptance. When the English bill was first introduced into the House of Lords by the Govern- ment it contained as its leading principle the following clause : " Wlien a tenant executes on his holding an iniprov>ment •adding to the letting value tiiereof, he shall be entitled to obtain on the determination of the tenancy compensation in respect of the improvement." This clause was strongly op- posed by the Duke of Argyll and other peers ; but the Duke of Richmond, who bad charge of the bill in its progress through the House, insisted on its being retained, and so satisfied was lie of its importance that he described it as the " key-note" of his measure No doubt the bill itself contained not a few jarring notes miserably out of tune with Iiis key note ; but the key note itself was all that could be wished, and it was hoped by not a few of us that the jarring notes might in its passage through the House of Commons be eliminated from the bill or at least broujiht info greater harmony with it. Im- perfectly as the principle of his Grace's bill was given effect to, it yet remained as the key note of his measure when it passed the Lords and was sent down to the Lower House; but the Commons, whom we have been taught to look upon as the representatives of the people and the guardians of their rights THE FARJiIER'S MAGAZINE. 4-47' (ioss iibcr.'il it woiil'l iippoMr tlinn the P;>crs t^iemselves') allowed tlic Guveriinieiit (wrlioiit even a (iiscussion on the second reading oi the principle «( llie bill as sent down to *lieii') to sub-titute for it what iMr. DisrafU was pleased to call a " principle giving conipenshtioii for unexliausted improvements iri/A macrihifrtf." W hat sort of a principle that may be it is nut easy to say, nor did lie very dearly explain, but if we may jiidfce from the bill itseK, it seems to mean srcunng to the occu- pier wliat is his by machinery, which, in i's working, contrives t) give the hon's sliare of it to tiie landlord, and at the same time enaliling the latter to liy bold of as much of the re- mainder as possible, by allowing claims for waste and breach of contract, vOiidi, but for the bill Mig'gesting them, would liardly enter into the mind of tlie most exact ng landlord to enforce, and then, perhaps securing to tlie unhappy occupiers by legal " machinery " which few of us, I bflieve, would care to e.iiploy in order to recover the lew driblets that might u timately be found due to him. Gentlemen, this is no exag- g rated statement, viewed practically, of the provision of the E 'ijli^h bill which our brethren in England were assured by Mr. Disraeli, from his own point of view, "would remove many causes of discontent and misunderstanding, which would i iiprove and increase those relations of confidence and amity which had so long an I so greatly to the advantage of the c luntry existed bi-tween the owner and occupier of the soil." A glowing picture, gentlemen, reminding one of the happy times wiien "the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;" but a picture, I may venture to say, which this bill with its m.'Hchinery will do less than nothing to realise. The Scotch Bill, as you all know, has been framed on the lines of the Engli-h one, and is almost Identical in its provisions with that bill whicli is now Itvv in England, and I trust, gentlemen, there is not a farmer an ongst us who would not rather dispense with the bill altogether than accept of it as a measure of relief from tho-^e grievances under which the agriculture of the country now 1 nguishes. When the Duke of lliclimond's bill for England first ma'le i's appearance, not a few farmers were so pleased With its lea^-ling principle, in which the tenant's right to cotn- pensation for unexhausted improvements, according to clause 6, were so fully recognised, tiiat they were willing, on that ground alone, to give it a favourable reception ; but this bill, with its machinery giving a right to compensation so limited in its endurance ami circumscribed in its range, as to render it extremely doubtful whtther under it the occupier would pocket more than a mere moiety of tlie compensation it pro- 1 es^es to secure, has nothing whatever to recommend it is OHr acceptance, but much to dissuade us fiotn it; and I trust tins Chamber, by our vote to-day, will reject the bill as aliogether unsaiisfactory, unless in its passage through rarlianif-nt it is 'O altered, that — like another famous bill of the same eminent statesman — it can be said of it, as Was said of that bill by the Duke of Buccleuch, one of his own supporters, that the only part of the original bill that re- mained was the word " wliereas ;" but as we have no reason to expect that tiiis bill will undergo such a ranic;.l change as the one referred to, or even such a change as will render it acceptable to the farmers of Scotland, I trust tliis Chamber will petition against it as a measure that will not alfoid that rebel to the occupiers of land in Scotland which they so much need, and to which in justice they are ei. titled. Eor my own jrirt, gentlemen, rather than have this bill, 1 would prefer a si nple enactment declaring that wherever erections or im- p ovemeuts made by an occupier at h;s own cost and for his oau convenience, for which no proviion h.as been made in the contract oi lea>e, si ad be rtmovaLle at the (xpiry of the leae, iindif tie condition, of course, that he maile good any damage the based premises may have sustained by his doing so. No doubt there are certain improvements, such as draining, deep cultivation, liming, and unexhausted manures, S.J incorporaed with the soil as to be iucapible of removal, but there would be no practible difficulty in ascertaining their value by a re'erence to arbiters in the same way as tlie valua- tions between outgoing and incoming tenants sre determined at present. A simple measure of this kind would, I am con- vinced, work far more eiftetually, and give the outgoing tenant all tliat in equity he has a right to denian.l, with far iess inter- ference with contract than is done by this clumsy and in- eiiuitable bill of the Government. Much has been said a.,'aiust our claims for unexhausted improvements beiig au iulerfercuce willi contract, aiid many of our laadloida are nervously afraid that, if allowed, it wcnld deprive them of the free control of their own estates. On this point I bclieva they are iifedhssly alarmed ; at the san:e time it has bren so much insisted on'by those in the nianagemeul of their estate* }>nd other interested parties, that they are not to be blamed if their fears should be unduly aroused on this point; Tins' Chamber, at all events, have no wish to interfere wiih trua- freedom of contract. On the contrary, we have frequently^ expressed our wish to avoid all such intcrfercn.-'e ; and it stands on record in our I'erth resolu'ious on t!ie English bill that little good was to be expected from such interference. Let- the Legislature abolish the law of h}pcthec, correct all those, false presumptions in law, and do away with other class privileges whicli operate to the disadvantage of the occupiers of the soil, and there would be ro necessity for such legisla- tion in their favour as is now called (or. As was well said- by Mr. M'N. C'aird, in proposing the I'erth resolutions: "The first step towards free contract was to put an end to all- laws of privilege- A landlord who clings to these while he- cries out for free contract does not come before the public with chan hands;" nor, I m;iy add, with any rigV.t to be listened to. 1 have now to move the following resolutions ; " That this bill is not only equitable but objectiouable, inasmuch as- it is based on no sound principle, but gives compensation for certain improvements and manures named in schedules to tlie exclusion of others not so named ; arbitrarily limits thrir endurance to periods within which, though not exiiausted, conprnsatiou for the same shall cease, while tha landloru's claints for waste, as well as tor any breach of contract by the tenant, are unlimited ; and that it otherwise injuriously arrests- and restrains the tenant in the exercise of tliose limited rights which the bill confers on him ; that any measure which fails, as this bill does, to give eiiVct to the principle of the J)uke of llichmond's bill as oii;;inally introductd, and by a compulsory-' measure to secure to the tenant iu a fair and equitable manner compensation for liia unexhausted improvements and manures, will not be acceptable to the farmers of Scotland; that this- Chamber, therefore; resolves o petition Tariiament agaiustilie. bill, remits to tlie directors to' watch its progress ihrougk . Parliament, and to take such steps as they see fii lor opposiuj;. tlie bill in all its stages, unless it is altertdin accordame witlu these resolutions, and to call another meeting of the Chamber if necessary to rousider any niuditicatiou or amendment the Government or rarliameiit may make upon it." Mr. KiuuELL (liuudalce), said : The question has frequently been asked. What could induce tlie Governmeut to launch an Agricultural Holdings Bill for Scotland ? Could it be with a . view to further tlie interests of agriculturists generally ;_ or ■ could it be with a view to redeem some indistinct pledges,. or a reward to the Scottish tenantry fur having given a better - support to the Conservative party than formerly at last elec- tion ? If the bill was meant to encourage and further the- interests of agriculturists, I do not hesitate tc-say that it will, fall far short in fulfiding the olijcct the promoters of it had ia- view. As it stands at present it must be (iuite inoperative. Those landlords who need it most will insert covenants evading . every obligation which the Act would seem to cast upon them.- Li any Agricultural Holdiuga Bill that will be of real benefit- to tho.ie individuals who cultivate other people's land compen-.- sation must be compulsory. The p?eseat bill being simply a permissive measure, thoo landlords who need it most wou'd be the last to saddle themselves with any obdgitions of a permis- sive character. Examples ate neither few nor far between, all tending to warrant the conclusion I liave arrived at Eor • instance, take the Feuton-barns case, take the Darnley case, - take tlie case of llaymountand Jlanorhill, which occurred the other day, where the increase of rent is somewhere between £1,300 and £1,4.00 a year, and by far the largest proportion of that rise was in coustquence of the late Mr. Wilson having at bis own expense brought up the fertility of these farms to an almost unprecedented stale. Of cimrse, as things go at present, this w.is all at his own risk, and no legal claim for any compensation lor unexhausted improvements. But all these cases, and many oil ers that 1 could point out, show the necessity of having the compulsory compensation principle introduced into any Agricultural Holdings Bill hefore it could possibly be of any benefit to agriculture iu general and tenant- - farmers in particulars. Therefore, 1 beg to secoud Mr.. Goodlel's resolution. Mr.S-Miiu(Bakordio), said he rose tomoveas anamcndnieut 4i3 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. tuat tliey do not petition against this liill, Init petition r.iilia- mciit in sucli terras as shall improve it. Mr. Godlcl had nien- tioiied that in the bill the claims of the lautUorJ were unlirai- t d. That was quite true, but it was also true that vi hen the English bill was introduced first the claim for vaste \v as tin- limited, but it was altered, and the landlord's title to compen gation restricted to four years' countRr claim, lie miglit fairly anticipate that the Government would alter the Scotch LIU in that direction as it had altered the English, He would propose that they should go into the bill, and if they came to a section that they disapproved of they could propose an amendment. He would recommend that the section in regard to waste be the same as in the English bill. He objected, first of all, to Mr. Godlel's motion, because it means to say that unless they could get a really good bill, such a bill as would thoroughly settle this Cjuestion ; indeed, a bill which was compulsory, they should have no bill. He objected to the motion, because this was a question of building up and not of knocking down. It was very different from liypothee. A stroke of the Parliamentary pen would abolish it, but that was not what they had to do ia this case. They had much to overcome on the part of the tenant as well as landlord, and they had people's habits to change. He submitted the sooner t'ley got begun to that the better. If they had no bill unless It be compulsory, it was sinijily throwing themselves out of CJurt, and they would not be heard. He was as stroug for a ompulsory bill as Mr. Godlet, but better a permissive bill than no bill at all. That being his opinion, he wou'd go into t!ie bill and propose such amendments as would, in his Ojjinion, improve it. lie would propose that improvements, such as buildings and fences, should be valued at the end of the lease, and not put under a schedule to last for 20 years or any number of years. He held it was the proper way to settle a practical question to value things at what they were worth. Tliis was done all over the country as far as fences were con- crned. These improvements were quite different from other improvements such as limeiug or boning. They could be seen and handle^, and it was quite simple to determine the value of tiiem theis as they were. In the Sth section manure was confounded wit ii feeding stuffs. He never heard of a pro- posal being made to any farmer that the incoming tenant or landlord should pay for the whole amount expended upon feeding stutfs. It was only the proportion, which was of value as manure — say one one-third or a half. He would propose that that section be made the same as the 0th section of the English Act. The next section to which he would call their attention was with regard to the landlord's compensation. Un- doubtedly, KS it stood, it was far better to have no bill than one with this section in it. It would be dangerous to the farmers. He would restrict the compensation to a counter claim against the tenant's claim, and the waste must have occurred within four years of the determination of the tenancy. With respect to the 2Sth section in regard to validity of award, he submitted tljat it sliould remain as it was, and the next section (29th) giving power to appeal to the sheriff should be withdrawn out of the Ijill altogether. He did not think land- lords should be in any way frightened at the appeal being withdrawn. The amount of compensation which this bill can give to a tenant was certaii.ly considerable, but the amount would corns to less than if settled by the arbiters all over the c uiitry. What happened when a tenant went into the farm? Tlfcre was a corn and a green crop for valuation, and generally a thrashing-mill and often a steam-engine. If tiiey took the average of these valuations all over tiie country they would come to £4< or £5 an acre on the whole farm. These valuations at the present time, by consent alike of landlord and tenant, were handed over to be determined by valuators without any appeal to the Sheriff. If a question of so much as £5 an acre was g'ven into the hands of valuators to determine as they saw fit, without any appe;^! to the law conrti!, why should the moderate compensation that was piven in this hill be B'.ibjecled to an appeal to the Sheriff, which was an appeal from practical men to a nan who knew nothing at all about the matter ? This appeal was no practical valua- tion at all. It was not for the benrfit of landlords or tenants, but for the benefit of the lawyers. '1 he latter part of the 33rd section says : " But where the landlord is not absolu'e owner for his own benefit, no instalment or interest shall be payable after tlie time when the improvement in respect whereof compensation is paid will, under this Ad, Lc deemed to he exhaustpd." He would propose that part of the section should be withdrawn, in so far as it applied to fences and buildings. They should have the same power as school boards to borrow money for fil'ty years for this, and for tatlle-siieds for thirty-five years. In regard to the S9th section, about the removing of buildings, he would propose that wiierevcr a tenant put up a building upon the land he should have power to remove it if the landlord did not propose to take it at a valuation. Certainly the tenant ought to be bound to make good any damage to tlie Inndloru's ground, so far as tlie foundations were concerned. The very idea of iliis hill was to give a tenant security for his property; and in what did a tenant injure the landlord by taking down his own ? It was nothing extreme to make a proposal of this kind. He thought they should confine the criiicisms on the bill to moderate things, because if they took an extreme position, such as that which Mr. Goodlet had proposed, it was simply putting them- selves out of court altogether. This bill, or whatever bill might take its place, concerned their trade, and they were deeply interested in it. They should, therefore, meet it in detail and not by any general resolution such as Mr. Goodlet's. He moved tiiat they do not petition against this bill, but that they petition Parliament to make such alterations as might make it a useful bill. Mr. Bethuse, of Blebo, said he supported Mr. Smith's motion. The introduction of this question was mucli ea;lier than some seemed to think. It was a man of Arthur Young's line of thought that saw we were in an extremely unsafe posi- tion in this country in regard to the rights of the oultivator of the soil. The origin of this bill must not be given to any one man or body of men, or any Government existing at the present time. He noticed that the Speaker of the House of Commons stated at an agricultural meeting in his neighbour- hool that he believed the landlords of England would go in for their bill, and that long leases and liberal c ivenants would be the rule and not the exception in England. He only trusted the Speaker was right in his statement. He had come to he of the opinion of the late John Stuart Mill, who was glad if he got a little of his own in this world, lie could not concieve that any gentleman who had ever agi ated for any reforms in this country, could expect to have the thing made right to his mind in a day, and he hoped the Chamber would support Mr. Smith's motion. He believed that neither the landlords nor the tenants were educated to that poiut to receive any compulsory measure at present. If they went in the face of this bill, it would seem as if they wanted nothing. There was no need for hurry. His im- pression was it would teke years before the question was worked into a proper and fair plan between landlords and tenants in this country. If the English bill had not beea optional it would not have had the ghost of a chance. Tiie landlord had very strong ihterests in the matter. In Ids ex- perience he had renewed perhaps a dozen lease?, and in four or five cases the leases were not renewed, and in the latter cases it Mas nothing but grief and sorrow. There was no man desired more of the kind of reform the chairman pointed out than he did. Mr. Sjiith (West Drum^) said he had ventured before now to put his views as explicitly and as intelligently before thera as he could. He, however, with much deference, would ask thera to consider, for a lew moments, the result ot the resolu- tions which had been moved by Mr. Goodlet and Mr. Smith. He was glad that the bill did not meet with unqualified con- demnation, and had he thought that Mr. Goodlet condemned the bill without any qualilication, lie should have in the earlier part of the day taken objection to the resolution. Mr. Goodlet, at the suggestion of others, had put in a word to vihich he took exception, lie should be glad indeed to have a bill rrcog:iising the great principle to nliich Mr. Befhuue had referred, but he tliought this bill contained the root of the matter. It contained the great truth which they sought, hut he was bound also to confess that it was followed by a fiction. The great truth wa« that they were to be entitled to com; en^atioa for improvements, but after that the fiction was that they were only entitled to compensation subject to the schedules of tlie bill, in short, the truth was announced, hut it was not carried out. It was not true that lime and bones weie ex- hausted in seven years. Durinjr a whole lease a farmer perhaps had laboured and expended money to improve the couiitiou of his laud, and on coming to the end of his lease he was to be ijchcdukd dowu to two years, Thev knew very THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 4i9 Wnll in regard to the, question of manures tlmt these were generally laid upon the green crop ground. Now according t.) that schedule they would have no lille to the application of the manures il tliey took a corn crop olF the land. Was there anything so absurd? lie ihougiit Mr. Smith had made a mistake iu asking them to do certain tliin::s about the bill, for tliit would involve a vote upon the dilVereut clauses. It would be impossible for the Chamber to enter into it. Tor that reason he thought it would be betti r that tlif y put their ideas into a general sliape in terms of Mr. Goodlei's resolution, pro- vided that they kept out the word compulsory, lie would deprecate voting upon the question. He thought the whole matter should be remitted to the directors. Mr. yuEriiEUi) (Cleghorny) remarked that ohjectiona had been taken to the word compulsory. All the reports from the counties committees tliat day almost unanimously looked upon its voluntary or permissive nature as rendering the bill useless. S:r llobert Anstruther's letter takes up tiie same ground that a mere permissive measure of this kind was, in fact, no better t lan nothir-g. What was a permissive bill? Why it was SJiiielluug that the landlord, if he chose to agree to, may ad )iir, and they might improve it by clauses, and he ini.;lit adopt those clauses or not. Uuless the landlord inclined, wliat signified the hill? It was no law; it was merely a bundle of suggestions whieli tliey could suggest j)r vately without a bill. It was no use p( tiliouing for this bill in its present shape unh'ss the clauses which Mr. Goodlet liad inserted be adopted. The fact was, by their feeble way of talking upon many of these questions, he thought they viere losing hold upon the couutry. At the commencement of the Ciiaiiiber ihey began with those questions which they thougiit; most uri^eut, and it was wonderful to see tlie unanimity of the coi.u ry upon them. Our members were increased in numbers v.Ty last. Tliey wi re not increasing so fast now. They went earnesily into two or three questions, and they iufiuenced Par- 1 anient to take thfiu up. They did not carry them, but when I'arliament gave theiu something like a go-by they left them olT for several years. They had hopped about and secured n)tliing, and this proposal before them now absolutely secured nothing suppose they had the bill to-morrow. Therefore be would support Mr. Goodlet's motion. Jlr. Hope said he woula be soriy if they sliould come to a division upon the subject. He quite agreed with wiiat had been said as to the value of the bill. It was a good hill, but b.'.fore that he had been aux'ous to have hypothec and otlier tilings put right. But this bi 1 had been olfered, and cou- tiined a very good statement as (o the privileges the tenants sliould have upon farms, thitt they should be p^iid for the im- provements they made ; but the misfortune was that they were not carried out. He would not reject the measure because it was not compulsory, but would take it and try to get it made compulsory alterwards. He thought it better in place of both p irties in tiie Chamber dividing upon the sulijeot, ju-t to refer It to the directors to try and get the alterations and improve- ments made upon it. He thought it would be a pity to vote upon the matter. Mr. Smith, Balzordie, said that he would agree to the mat- ter being remitted to the directors, on the understanding tbat they do not oppose the bill, simplv because it was a moderate bill. Mr. DuRiE said, if it was remitted they should let the directors understand that they would prefer a compulsory to a permissive measure. Mr. Macknight said he would agree to a remit to the directors on the understanding tliat tlie subject was put before tliem with the view simply of making up a report and then Eubmiltii/g it to a general meeting of the Chamber. Upon this suliject there had been great agitation for years, and whilst they had had a disciission in Perth upon the English bill, and tliey so tlioroughly condemned it, he did not think it W'juld be suitable or even consistent for this Chamber at once to adopt this Scotch measure, which was iu reality founded upon the lines of the Englisli measure. He was exceedingly dissatisfied with the bill. The mode of limiting the compen- sation in the bill was exceedingly wrong in principle, and whilst he did not enter into tlie question of compulsory or per- missive legislation, he would say that if he were to take a per- missive bill he would like a much better permissive bill than tlie one before ihem. lie thought they should remember that their position as a Chamber of Agriculture was to endeavour to enlighieu tlie couutry, the Parliament, and the Govcrumeut. He did not think they should take up the position of beggars, and be content with the smallest crumb. Tlicy should be the centre ol light upou agricultural matters to the wliole country. The tenaut-farmers ought to make their wants and wishes known to the Parliament, and if this Parliament would not listen to them, let them elect another Parliament that would listen. The country was labouiing and groaning under a grievance, and he was not the least satisfied with the iufinitiai- mal, wretched dose which had been administered by the Government. They bad Sir William Stirling-Maxwell saying that if they would only agree amongst themselves upon what they took their stand, it would have some force, Tliat was a very important declaration from him, and one wiiicli they should carefully consider. Let them take a high and firm standing upon the subject with the view of saying what tliey would take, and what tiiey would not have. Mr. RiDUELL did not approve of Mr. G)odlet withdrawing tlie word " compulsory," as he would be acting contrary to the views of his county committee. Mr. Shepherd did not see that wculd be the result if there was a remit to the directors. Mr. GoouLET thought it desirable that they should come t» an understanding, and let the molioa he liad tabled go to the directors, with the expression of opinion given by Mr. Smith and others, to receive their consideration and to bring up a report. He added the word " compulsory " to satisfy hia seconder and his friend Mr. Shepherd ; and did so because hia resolution, even without that word, must imply, if correctly read, that lie wanted it to be compulsory. He did not think it right to go in tlie approving way Mr. Smith did, and profess tliank'uiness when, on his going over the bill, there was not a clause of importance but what lie had objection to. He thought the principle of the schedule most absurd, and they should frankly tell the Government that uo bill which was not introduced on the original principle of the Duke of llich- mond's bill in clause 5 would be satis "actory to them. It was then agreed that the motion and amendment be remitted to the directors to consider and report. Cattle Disease.— Mr. Smith, WestDrums, said there were two of the county committees' reports which might be considered exceptional— namely, those referring to the spread of cattle dis- ease, and without referring that matter to the directors, he thougiit it might be sa'isfactory to the members in Caithness and Selkirk to have the voice of the Chamber in regard to the sub- ject. He would suggest that they approve of the recommenda- tion of the committee of Caithness, and resolve to memorialise Government accordingly. There was, however, an objection to the report, and which he wished to direct their attention to — namely, that the introduction of foreign store cattle should be stopped. He thought the Caithness people had forgotten that the country had gone a hmg way past attempting to stop free-trade. They misht have certain lestnctious, but to ap- proach the Council with such a recommendation was a thing, he thought, had not been properly cousidered. He would simply approve of a memorial being presented to the Privy Council recommending that their attention be immediately directed to the ever-increasing spread of disease amongst our flocks and herds, and that such means should be taken as they might deem necessary to stop the painful havoc wliich was- being mide amongst onr sheep and catUe. Mr. Hope, Bordlauds, thought they might add that the present rules were of no use. Mr. Clay, Kerchesters, said the Chamber was much indebted to Mr. Smith, and especially to Caithness and Selkirk mem- bers, for sending up a recommendation for grappling with this disease, which had in one way or another done damage to the farmer to an extent unknown. It had done damage to the general public by dimiuishing the produce of beef and mutton and raising their prices. They should press upon the Govern- ment to take this matter into their most serious consideration. W,th regard to those foreign cattle, he believed they had been first the means of bringing tliat disease into our country, and, with our railway system, of spreading it to the extent it had now reached. He would certainly second Mr. Smith's motion to press upon the Government to do something to stop the Jilr. DURIE (B.rrniemains) remarked a great deal had been spoken on this subject of murrain, but a certain thing had been assumed which had not been clearly proven. It was assumed that the murrain came from abroad. Now, when it was first noticed in this country there was uo foreiija cattle, an 450 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, what was the use of pRoplc assuininr tliat this disrase was brouglit by t'oreigu cattle, aud roaiing; lor protectioa from foreiga cattle. Instead of making restrictious, they should hriiiff as maay over as possible. Look at the prices they had to pay for leaa cattle ! Why should farmers try to keep back a supply of the very thing tliey wanted ? He maintained there was more murrain in Great Britain than on the Continent. Mr. Hope (Bordlands) said Mr. Purie was quite riijht in saying that murrain was in Scotland be''ore a single foreig'n Least was known to be in the country, lie thought it was in the year ISll. Mr. DuKiE : It was before ISil. Mr. Hope : lie recollected, at any rate, of being as'onished at Ending his cattle, sheep, and pigs suffering from the disease, the pigs giving him mora trouble tlian all the rest. He found ttie best plan was to let tlie disease alone. He was sorry to see the country presently in such a state with it. He found that when a beast was affected, and it put by itself, it did not spread. Mr. Smith (Balsordie) said he did not rise to enter into the general question, but to refer to a remark which would be ap- preciated iu high quarters — by Mr. John Bright — namely, that foreign cattle were not the cause of the spread of the disease. If foreign cattle could be introduced into this country safely, farmers had a direct interest in its being done. It was certainly not their interest to keep out foreign cattle. Mr. Macknight (EJiaburgh) said he thought the question of the utmost importance, not only to the farmers, but to the whole public of this country. Butcher meat hid now reached famine prices, and our supplies were extremely limited. Tliey knew what deplorable changes had been going on in the cmntry. Z\Lany sheep farms had been converted into deer forests. Tiie sheep were driven away, and consequently our home supplies were seriously lessened in that respect. Now t'.ie question came to be, What was the remedy for this deplorable state of things ? The Ciiamber of Agriculture, as lie understood the motion was, to go to the Privy Council to ask them to do what they thought was riglit. It appeared to him that they ought first as a Chamber of Agriculture to give their opinion as lo what was right, and ask them to follow, b.'cause tkey ought to kuow better than tliese members of Council. lie therefore ditl'ered entirely from the motion before the Chamber. He was delighted to hear ^Ir. Durie aad Mr. Hope say, what he believed was perfectly true, that these Acts of Parliament called the Contagious Acts, had been founded upon a simple falsehood — that murrain was brought into this country by foreign cattle. Tliey hid tlie evidence of the most experienced agricult\irists before them that day that that was not true. \Yhat could they expect from that false- hood? He took the liberty of giving his opinion, because he had thought on the subject. These Acts were productive of uothing but evil. Tiiey did not attain the object for which they were formed. The country was deprived of the necessary number of animals, which was a great injustice to the public as well as to the farmers. He did not wish to carry his view to an extreme point. If there were cattle proved to have arrived in a state of murrain or disease, they should not be allowed to euter the country, but be slaughtered at the port of debarkatioa. Mr. ALEXA^■DER, Bent of Halkerston, said he could bear out vi'hat Mr. Hope and Mr. Durie had said with regard to the disease not being of foreign origin. He, in 18i3, which lie thought was long before foreign cattle were imported, had a number of cattle and sheep affcced with it. Mr. Smith, West Drums, said that foreign cattle were in- • troduccd into this country in 1S13, a year before the disease broke out on Mr. Alexander's furm. Mr. Hope said ho did not approve of doing away with those laws because they had the Ciittle plague and pleuro-pneumonia stamped out by them, and these were as contagious as foot- and-mouth. Mr SiiEPHEE.!), Cleghorny, Bolshon, said they ni?ver heard of pleuropneumonia or murrain until the time of the import- ations, and he believed they had all come from abniad. Mr. GoODLET said the late Professor Dick would not allow it to be said that they had originated in this country, aud Pro- fessor Gamgee and other eminent veterinarians declared be- fore a Committee of Parliament that those diseases were all imported. Now they had a difference of opiniou upon a point Oil uliicli these geutiismeu were all agreed. The lirst thing to do was to ascertain exactly how it had been brou,'ht fo thi'a country. Spedking of Forfarshire, he believed at the present moment it was carried by infection to the cattle which they got from Ireland, and in that country they would be ill off for want of lean cattle. He was told by a dealer yesterday, coming from the North, who a*tendt!d the Porfar market ivgularly, that he saw a veterinarian inspecting the cattle, pick out the diseased ones, and refuse to forward them, and allowed the remainder to go on to other markets. Now, it was quite obvious that if two or three are affected with the disease that it went through the whole, and the idea of taking two or three and sending on the rest was simply to increase the evil. Irish cattle were generally pretty sound, but they were put into boats, aud then put into the cattle market of Glasgow, where disease was rampant. They fed upon the hay left by the fat cattle, which was sprinkled with their saliva. How was it, then, possible for these cattle not to cirry infection ? The disease never was in this country until it came by foreign cattle, and it was now going back from our own country. If tl ey were to have free trade — and it would be absurd to go against that principle — they must take care that they did not introduce this ruinous business — the disease. He bouglit a lot of clsan cattle, and one or two took the disease in a sliort time after, and the disease continued moie or less severe until it went over the whole of the cattle in the courts. He belitved it reduced the cattle nearly £1 a head, so that it was a very serious evil in a country — raising the price of butcher-meat. It wa-s a very absurd thing to introUuce ctttle from abroad when tliey only amcuuted to 9 per cent, of the wiiole catile cousuined, and while all the rest of our cattle — 91 per cent. — were so hurt by this imported disease. Mr. CLA.Y Slid it would be bad policy to iaterfere with free trade, and he thoaglit it would be suITieient if cattle, both home and foreign, were under much more severe regulations than hitherto. But he kne* it was a ditficiilt matter :o deal with. No later than a fortnight ago, in the Berwick market, he bought fi!ty cattle, and on Sundiy they were all d')wn with the murrain. If there had been strict regulations, lietliouglit he nor the country might have lost anything in the shape of beef. Mr. Smith (West Drums) said he was quite certain, so far as Poifdrshire was concerned, they had no such disease before foreign cattle were introduced. They lieard irom Mr. Alexander, Bent, that lie had no disease up to ISIS. Now foreijiu cattle were introduced iu 1813, ani the disease became prevalent both in Forfarshire and Kincardineshire. Mr. Hope and Mr. Durie might be right in regard to East Lothian, but a friend from that quarter says they were scarcely tpiite correct. He would suga:est an extension of the motion, namely, tliatthe regulations which they ask should not only be applicable to foreign stock but to Irish stock. So far as they iu the North were concerned, he believed the spread of the disease was mainly attributable to Irish stock. It was scarcely possible for Irish cattle to come into Porfarshire without carrying in- fecfiou. It was not iuteifereuce with free trade they wanted. Their object was to memorialise the Privy Council, sliowing them the necessity of most stringent measures. Mr. Durie said there was one thing they might rely upon. It was long before the year 1810 tliat this disease was noticed u this country. He moved that foreign cattle should be ex- amiusd at the ports, and if found suffering from foot-and- mouth disease, they should be detained, until they recovered, unless the owners preferred them to be killed, and home cattle affected should not be allov\cd to travel. If these rules were adopted aud carried out, it was as much as any Govern- ment could do. He had a lot of sheep affic'ed wi'.h the disease. They were never taken out of the field, and there were no cattl ' or sheep within half-a-mile of them. None of the cattle took the disease, and how could the G.'Vernment, prevent his sheep from being affected. The only tliiug the Government could do was to preveut removal. Tne number of beasts that was killed in the time of the ^iiiderpest was something enormous. There was no doubt some were bad, but he had beasts killed before liis own eyes which were as good beef as ever he ate. He had no sympathy witli those excessive regulations. Mr. Potts (Lewinshope, Selkirk) said in the time of the cattle plague in 1S06 very stringent measures were enforced, and after these regulations there was no word of disease, lie thought it would be desirable to return lliosc reguUlious \\hich were enforced ut that time. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 451 Tlie. CilAIUMAN said the suliject was attended with very gieat dilliculty, aud he had great sympathy witii not only the present but tiie I'ormcr Government in doing wliat they couhl to check the disease. He liad no hesitation m sa\iiig that the disease was both iufectious and contagious. How that was nohody knew. I'erhaps it uiigiit be better to rcler the matter to tlie dl rectors. ]\[r. Smith said he was willing to withdraw his motion, and refer tiie matter to the dir.-ctors. Mr. lUuDELL (liaudalce) said a great deal depended upon the transit of cattle, and the deterioration they sulTered during tiieir transit. There was auotlier viesr tiiey as prac- tical iarmcrs niiglit perhaps be able to turn to account, and tiiat was breeding their own cattle. He noticed that in Belgium and in other countries tlie breeding of cattle whs much better conducted than in this country, and the disease was less frequent there than here. He believed, from liis own experience and observation, that there was less disease amongst home-bred than purchased cat*le. The subject was referred to the directors. THE AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS ACT. At a meeting of the Kincardinesliire Farmers' Association, held at Stonehaven, the Cbairnian. Mr. John Rae (lldddo), read a paper on the Agricultural Holdings Bill. Additional interest had arisen on tlie subject, since tlie Association last met — first, because the Act had actually become law in Enjiland ; and, secondly, from it.s proliable extension to Scotland in the ensuing session of rarliament. There could be no two opinions regarding the necessity fcr such a measure. Very many lauded proprietors either could not or would not execute the necessary per- manent improvement?, or erect the necessary buildings to enable the tenant to farm the land in such a manner as to bring it up to a high state of productiveness. It was surely the barest justice in such circumstances that the tenant executing these improvements should be recompensed for them at the end of his lease. For want of such a measure the land was suhjrcted alternately to a course of (eediug and starving, according to the length of lease. Were a good bill passed into law, giving the improving tenant compensation, that state of matters, not only so detrimental to proprietors and the farming community, but to the interests of the whole population, would soon come to an end. Tl.e English bill just passed into law he regarded as good in many of its details, and specially valuable as a recognition of the principle of the improving tenant being entitled to compensation, as well as the responsibility of the deteriorating tenant to pay to his pro- prietor just compensation for such deterioration. The damning part of the Act was its permissive character. lu fact, he could cot characterise permissive legislation on such a subject in any other way than as a delusion and a sham. Landlords, knowing their responsibilities, would do tiieir tenants every justice, and afford them every encouragement without legislation at all. Proprietors who cared nothing for the interests of their tenantry or the nation at large, so that their own selfish ends were subserved, had merely to contract themselves ont of the provisions of the bill. He hoped that before Parliament met the farmers of Scotland would give no iincertftiu sound regarding that part of the bill. It was surely much better, and more dignified, to anticipate than to have to give way to popular clamour ; and if the Legislature would avoid the latter alternative, they would do well to consider the interests of the people generally, and not allow mere individual aggrandisement to come in competition with such imterests. A gr( at deal had been said about the sacred right of contract between landlord and tenant, and an immense deal of nonsense had been spoken about it. With a nume- rous section of legislators, the labourer had of late years become a sort of pet subject. No attention had been paid to the sacredness of contract between employers and employed, in regard to the hours of labour ; but the Legislature had stepped in and peremptorily sai 1 what the hours of labour should be. Specially had that been the case with the manu- facturiug interests of the country, and it had been carried to such an extent, that Britain was in danger of being driven out of the markets of the world. Where, then, was the necessity of all the talk about the interference with the sncreduess of contract P Land was a limited commodity in that country, vested in few bauds, and he could nut see why the Legislature should not interfere in a measure with the way a proprietor managed his property, with even more reason than they had interfered with the great manufacturiug industry of the country. A valuable land bill had been con- ceded to Ireland ; and should Scotland have a less measure of justice, because her sons wrought harder, and paid a much lii^her sum pjr head into the tuuds of the Excheiiuer ? He would be tar from advoculiug au\ thing cilrcme, such as fixity of tenure, or the forcible dividing of the large estates of our land ; and it was because such a state of things should be avoided that it was extremely desirable that the attention of the Legislature should be calkd to what was just and necessary to satisfy the pi oper expectations of the people, allay popular discontent, aud help to increase aud develop the resources of the country. Mr. Lahgie Mains (of I'laulkerton) had great pleasure ia being the first to rise after the remarkably uuiijue and excellent address they had listened to from the chair. His impression was that the whole subject had been there discussed in a candid and straight'brward manner. They were all prepared, he thought, to regard the ackBOwledgmput by the Government of the right of the tenant to compensation as a great triumph in itself. (Llear, hear, from Sir George BaKour.) They were not phased with the permissive character of the bill ; but he was very much pleased to notice in the newspapers the other day that Kr. Head — who was understood to be inspired by tliR Government on agricultural matters, or rather to be the inspirer of the Government on these matters — had said that if the landlords chose to contract themselves out of the obligations imposed upon them by the bill the Government would make it compulsory. In reference to the bill for Scotland, he (Mr. Largii ) would desiderate this, that if the measure were right and righteous — aud he was prepared to argue the matter with anybody that chose to take the opposite views — the sooner they had it the better. It was probably a personal matter with him. Uuder such a bill he would claim a little benefit whea his lease expired ; but if it were only to affect leases entered into after the passing of it his claira would amount to very little. Therefore, if the thing were just and right it could not be a day too early applied, aud it should likewise affect leases at present in existence. Landlords themselves, Mr. Largie imagined, would be benefited by such a measure. Tliey seemed to fear that it would entail a very considerable outlay ou their part when a lease expired. He thought there was no fear of that, as, if the measure were passed and acted upon, the land would be kept up to its utmost fertility. There were, of course, farmers whom it would be impossible to spur into activity; but these were the exceptions, not the rule. He believed the rule would be that every farmer would endeavour to keep up his land to the end of his lease, and the landlords would net the benefit of that from the new tenant. The matter, in fact, would be very much one between the outgoing and incoming tenant. Mr. Alexander Bent considered that the gist of the whole matter lay in the existence of some antiquated laws. They had, for instance, the Law of Entail and Primogeniture — which, he was glad to think, was bit by bit being got rid of, and which he hoped would ultimately be swept a.vay. There were the absurd Game-laws, and, worst of all. the Liw of Hypothec. If these were abolished, aud free trade in land established, he had no fear of the relations between landlord and tenant without an Agricultural Holdings B.U at all. He knew of cases where, under the present laws, the cruellest hardships had been inflicted on tenants for trifling infraclions of the most stringent leases, and the sooner they hud free trade in the land the better for all parties. Mr. Taylor (Cushuie) said the measure that had been passed was deficient in two points. He liimself made an addition to his house twenty-five years ago, and he was looking at it the other day, aud it was as good now as when first built. Had he iield his farm under a nineteen yetirs' lease he would I have had to give over the house to the hudlord without a 1 farthing of coiniiensation ; but, fortunately, lie held his farm i uudcc All improving lease begun ninety juui^ ago, aud wab re- 4:.: THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ));iiJ whafpvrr lie spent on prmsnent iraproveraents. The other point lie obji;cted to was that as to tlie time when boues bec.Hiiie exliaiutcd. lie mentioned that forty years ago his father liad put about a ton of bones mixed with ashes on a small piece of ground neir the steading ; and some time ajo lie examined it and could have tilled a bushel measure with the hoaes tiiat were laid dowu forty years ago, while the bill proposed that after seven years no corapeusation should be given. If the measure was not made imperative it was just a bit of advice, which the laudlords might take or not as they j)li a ed— it was not law, it was mere advice. Mr. Laugie thought that a very fair provision in the bill would be that at the end of a lease buildings should be valued, and that that valuation should be declared to be the price tliat was to be paid for them. Tliey could not fix a period when buildings could be considered exhausted, lie had erected buildings twelve years ago that were now as good as when built. lie liad never seeu his way very clear about the value of unexhausted manures, and was very much afraid that unless a siii:])ler mode of fixing compensation than that iu the Euglisii bill were adopted they would coulinually be getting into di-putes. Now, he appealed to the brother- farmers whether they liked disputes ? They did not like disputes with anybody. They did not like a dispute with the l.iird very specially ; and, speaking for the generality of his brethren, he might say that they would do everything whicli did not imply want of self-respect rather than do anythiug offensive to the laird. He tliought there were too many particulars in the English bill ; aud if it were left to half-a-dozeu competent men — siy mem- bers of the Chambers of Agriculture — they migiit be able to draw out a measure that would be satisfactory, and that would do far more than all the lawyers of the kiugdom, and, with all due respect to their guest, than all the Acts of Parliament would do. They would do justice to all parties, aud reduce tlie matter to such compass that there would be no fear of collusion or collision between tenants and proprietors. Mr. roRiiEST did not think the chairman's analogy between farmers and women and children was very complinieulary to the former. Farmers ought to be able to protect themselvfs without violating feeedora of contract, and he agreed with Mr. Alexander that what was required was to get rid of tlie bad laws that presently existed. It was ultimately agveed that the su'iject should be further considered by the Committee, and, it n^esssury, a special meeting called before the assembling of raiiiaiucut to discuss it. COUNTRY-SIDE POLITICS AT QUARTER SESSIONS. At the Michaelmas Quarter Sessions for the county of Cardi- gan, the cliainnan, ]Mr. C. M. Gkiffiths, said a matter on the agenda was a notice that, "It will be moved that the question of t'le future maintenance of the turnpike roa.ls in this county be taken into consideration at these sessions, and that a memorinl or ivso!ution,embodying tlie views of the Bencli,be communicated to the Local Government Board." This motion stood in the mine of Mr. LrwIs Fugh Pugh. It would be in the recol- lection of the court that instructions were given to the Clerk of the Peace to apply to the different clerks of unions and the different highway boards in the county, iu order to ascertain the feelings of the members respecting the question of the future maintenance of the turnpike roads and higliways. Several coramunications had been received, which lie proceeded tj read. In the first place, he read a letter from Mr. Barret Price Jordan, of Aberayron, representing the Aberavron District Roads Board, v/hichmet at Newcastle-Einlyn, stating 83 the opinion of that Board that tlie present system of toll- gates should be continued. The next comtnuuication was from the Aberystwith Uuion, enclosing the following rfsolutions adopted at a special meeting held on the 3rd October last, to consider the question : " (1) That the present system involving the separate maaagemeut under separate boards and oilicers of the turnpike roads and highways should be abolished. (2) That the union is the best area of manage- ment as regards both turnpike roads and highways. (3) That tlie highway boards for each union should consist of a certain proportion of ex-ojjlcio and elected guardians. (1.) Tliat it be at the option of every union to continue tlie luainteuance of turnpike gates as now. (5) That a sum equal or a charge bearing a certain proportion to tlie carriage tax in each union should be made over by Parliament for the repair of the roads in that union. (G) That the services of the Government inspector niider the South Wales Turnpike Act should be retained." llecoramendations had been re- ceived from a public meeting held at Lampeter on the Saturday previous, to the effect that turnpike gates should be abolished. Tlie Llandyssil District Highway Board were of opinion that the management of both the turnpike roads aud highways should he under one central control. The Cardigan Board of Guardians ex- pressed themserves as in favour of the retention of the existing system of maintenance, and the Cardigan District Highway Board held a precisely similar view (ten members voting in favour, and four e.r-ojficio guardians remaining neutral). The guardians of the Aberayron Union stated that in their opinion it was not desirable at present to abolish the turnpike-gates, and that if an Act was passed dealing with the question the Board suggested that no alteration would be satisfactory ■which did not guarantee the provision of a certain snm of money fur the maintenance of the roads. They were also in favour of placing the turnpike aud parish highways under one central management. The Chairman added that, having placed the Court in possession of the views of the bodies who had expressed their opinions on the suhjee'^, he would Call upon Mr. L. P. Pugh to introduce his motion. Mr. PuGii said lie might say in commencing that he' was very sorry, as he had stated at the last sessions, that it had not fallen to somebody who had more experience in the management of the roads of this county than he had, to make this motion. He should not have put the notion upon the paper at all had it not appeared to him that this question was of great interest to the ratepayers generally, and tlia; it was desirable that tliis court and other courts of quarter session should lay their views upon it before the Goveruraeat. With reference to the resolutions aud statements of opinion wliich iiad been read by the Chairraiu from different boards of guar- dians and district highway boards, the first thing that must strike everybody was that nufortunately they had been led away to consider that the only question was whether turnpike- gates should be continued and how turnpike-roads should be managed. But that was not at all the way iu which lie brought the question before the Court, and that did nut seem to be even the principal matter they had to consider, lie might be pardoned for stating briefly why the question ought to be brought before the Court at the present time. The South Wales Turnpike Act was passed for tlie purpose of taking up the old turnpike trusts, the provisions of which were chiefly concerned with the repayment of money which was borrowed for that purpose ; and afterwards it went on to make provision for the maintenance of the roads in the mean- time. But anyone reading that Act would perceive that it was made for a special purpose, and when that purpose was S3rved, and it could be fairly considered that that Act was come to an end, there arose the question how the roads should be maintained in future. Looking upon the Afct iu this way he thouglit that the best thing he could do at present was to state bis views in that Court, so as to elicit the opinion of tiie Bench. If they could arrive at two or three unanimous resolutions so much the better ; and then let them put aside those matters' upon which any great differences of opinion existed. Eor the purpose of eliciting the feelings of tiiis Court, the best way would be for him to take the resolutions passed by the Aberystwith Board of Guardians seriatim ; and then they would be able to ascertain what members of that Bench were in favour of those resolutions. If any number of the Bench could suggest any more convenient course he should be happy to adopt such. He would make one remark with regard to the pape's which had been read. The Llandyssil Board appeared to have considered the ques- tion very fairly ; and they would observe that in this case it was not merely an expression of opinion on the part of the guardians of the union, but of the mem' crs 'of the district highway board, who were more immediately conccrusd iu the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 453 maiiitiMmnre of turnpike roads. They gave no opinion as to wliat cliaiige should be made in the iiiaiuigempiit of tlie roads, but llionglu it would be desirable to liave tlie county and dis- trict roads uudcr oao and tlie same board ; and tliat was also the opinion of the Aberayron and Aberjstwitli unions. Tlie Cardif^an union did not appear to have considered llie qucstiou deeply, but merely the matter of the turnpiiie roads. Tiie first resolution that he brought before them was, " Tliat the present system involving separate mmajenu'ut under separate boards and officers of the turnpike roads and liigliwajs, should be abolished." lie tiioufjht tliey would be able to arrive at a unanimous conclusion on that point. They had now three difTereut kinds of roads — tlie turnpike roads, the highways, and tlie approaches to tlie bridges, which latter, althouijii small in extent separately, amounted to a very eonsideiable total in the gross area. He did not tliink anybody startiug afresh with regard to the management of the roads would question that tlie mauage- nieut would be better and more ecoiiotnical if they had one sit of ofiicers and one surveyor to supervise the wliole of these roads. As at present there were, as he had pointed out before, the county roacis boards, tiie district roads boards, the highway boards, and also the finance committees of the courts of quarter sessions wlio overlooked tlie expendiuire upon llie county bridges. All these dilfertnt systems ciused a very great expense. Tliey had dilferent surveyors, and different clerks, and tliey paid a number of men at small salaries. He did not tliink any one would doubt that if they paid one man a big salary, to do the work of a number of men at small salaries, they would get the work better done. Considering the communications received from the Aberayron Llandyssil, and Aberystwith authorities, it was evident there was some feeling in favour of that resolution ; and he did not anticipate much opposition to it that day. Passing to the question as to what was the best area of management, although tliey had a very excellent surveyor, who, he believed, did liis duty, and thougli they had a County Koads Board which had also given them very good roads during the wliole time in which the Board iiad been fiirmed ; still lie thought that it was apparent to everybody that it tliey placed all the roads in the county uuder tlie County Surveyor, he would not be able to properly overlook them. And he thought lie was also right iu saying that it would be impossible for them to liave a Board at Aberayron or any other part of the county, where the dif- ferent members who represented the parishes and unions could be expected, or would meet. If so, then it would be neces- sary to have a smaller district than the county. A great deal might be said against having the unions for separate districts, for a grent many unions ran into otlier counties. Ue did not auticipate that these unions would be re-arranged; and he had tlierefore taken the union as the area upon these two grounds. He did not wish, if possible, to recommend for creation auy new di.'trict, as there were two many districts aud divisions already. There were counties, parishes, unions, higliway districts, district roads, districts, and school board districts ; and a person living in any one of tliese disputable districts hardly knew where he was ; and therefore he did not think it right to create new districts if this could be possibly helped. He did not tliink the union district he proposed was too small. No one, he thought, would aJopt the parish as a district ; and if they left it out as too small and the county as too large, they could not do better than adopt the union area, though that was certainly not faultless. By adopting this area, tliey had the advantage of being able to get elected guardians, who were generally the picked men of the different parislies, meeting every fortnight, or at all i vents regularly, whatever the time might be ; and if they chose some out of tliat number in proportion to t'le number of properly elected guardians, it seemed to him that they would get the best board they could. It might be readi'y thought — though he did not express an opinion personally — that they raiglit get better men witli more time to devote to the work than guar- dians ; but, as he said before, it was undesirable to multiply districts ; and it was also undesirable if guardivius could do tlie work to have more elections in their parishes. Were the guardians to fake the mauageracnt of the roads, he had no doubt the turnpike roads would be as well maintained as at present, and the highways far better. In the Aberystwith Union at present there were four surveyors of highways, who received £50 salary each per annum. lie was satisfied if they kad one mau to do the work uow done by lour, it would be very much better and cheaper done ; and if the same man lia;l to take care of the turnpike roads and highways in that union lie liad no doubt lie would do it well, lie had now dealt with the resolutions, relating to the area and constitution of the Board respectively .Tiie fourth resolution raised the question to which most of the Bench liad directed tlieir attention — as to whether the turnpike gates should be mainfained. That opened considerable discussion, and at t'le Aberystwith ]5oard of Guardians they did not arrive at a unanimous conclusion, as to whether they shou'd be maintained or not ; but liicre was a general feeling that something must be paid by the towns, the arrangements as to which it was agreed should be left open for consideration by tlio unions or whatever boards were afterwards appointed for the management of the roads. The difiiculty with regard to the turnpike gates was to find something equivalent for them. He did not see his way, as he stated at the last ses- sions, to the abolition of the gates unless aa equivalent was found. It was proposed by his 5th resolution that Govern- ment should be asked to grant a sum equal to or bear- ing a certain proportion to the carriage fax. He thought a good deal might be said for this proposition. It did not go nearly so far as the resolution of the Aberayron Union — that if Government proposed to do away with turnpike-gates, no Act would be satisfactory that did not guarantee a liberal anuu'l grant of money towards maintaining the roads. In concluding, i\Ir. Pugli said he was sure he would becousultiug the wishes of the Bench by not detaining them longer on the subject, and he would content himself with staling that he strongly advocated the last resolution — that the services of the Government Inspector should be retained so tiiat for the future not only turnpike-roads luit also liigbways should be under his supervision. He moved that the resolutions adopted by the Aberystwith Board of Guardians, as previously read by the Cliairniau, be embodied in a memorial to the Local Govern- ment Board. Mr. F RYKR seconded the motion. Sir D. T. Lloyd said, as chairman of the Newcastle-Emlyn Union, he tliought it his duty to bring the matter belbre the guardians. In a Board attended almost solely by elected guardians, the members were very unwilling to attend to any business except such as particularly related to their union. The discussion therefore was very short aud a decided opinion was expressed that turnpike gates should be maintained, as they thought the discontinuance of the turnpike gates would add materially to the rates. They were very much indebted to Mr. I'ugh and Mr. Eryer for the trouble they had taken iu obtaining information upou this question. The abolition of the turnpike gates was a very serious question ; and he did not see how they could do withont the tolls. They now annually rccieved a revenue from tolls amounting to £4',+00. What was to be substituted for this ? lie asked. Mr. Fryer had alluded in a recent speech to the carriage-tax. They were at present in the dark as to the amount derived from the carriage-tax ; but a return might be moved for. He did not believe tiie carriage-tax in Cardiganshire would amount to more than £1,500 a year. Still, he thought the present system of main- taining the roads unnecessarily expensive, as they required different staffs, different clerks, and different surveyors. If they obtained a new Act of Parliament he tliought they might fairly impress upou the Government the necessity of placing the union highways and turnpike roads uuder one highway board. There were some disadvantages attending the union area, in regard to the outlying parishes ; but there were advan- tages, and he thought they might very well have a liighway board for each union, having a fair proportion of e.v officio guardians, with a competent surveyor. As they were aiming at legislation not only affecting Cardiganshire but the wbole of South Wales, he suggested that a consultation of the magis- trates of the six counties should take place. Mr. T. E. Lloyd, M.P. said : It appears to be the general impression on the part of the Bench that the existing system of turnpike and highway roads management has worked well in this county, as it seems to have done in South Wales at large. The Act of ISii under which the turnpikes exist is a good Acr, and lias done good service in South Wales ; and I thiuk the feeling of the Bench generally is that what has worked well had better be left alone. When I say that the Act of ISii has worked well, I do not say that the present system is not capa- ble of improvement. I was much struck with the proceedings of the Aberystwith Board of Guardians, aud I tliink that the 4 ■•4 THE FARMER'S MAGAZllTE. mg^estiou that was mauc tliere by Mr. Fugh aud otlirrs for llie aTualgamatiuu of the tvvoajstems of turnpikes aud liighways is certainly a very good one. But the area proposed, in my opiuion, is objectionable, for the reason that the area of tlie unions runs into other counUes. We liave instances that it dues 80 in Cardiganshire aud other counties. V.'e know very well that the debt upon our county roads is, or is about to be paid oil', while iu otlier counties a debt remains ; therefore there would be great difficulty in any union area. B.it you may a>k Die, If yoii object to the union area have you not some proposi- tion of your own to make ? Well, I should tiike the area ot the county and subdivide it into three parts — say, the northern, or Aberystwith district ; the central, or Aberayron district ; and the ^outllern. or Cardigan and Newcastle di^trict. I would also propose that three good surveyors he appointed, with proper fUlU under them. I believe that at present there are 11 dis- tricts in the county and probably the amount paid to the sur- veyors in each or those districts would cover the amount of the salaries of three good men to be appointed for the districts I liave suggested. As regards the aboliiion of the turnpike gates, my own opinion is decidedly that we ought to leave the question •IS it IS. I think the money obtained from the gates is a very great relief to the rati^payers. If the amount of tolls for this c unty — I take the figures from the report of the Aberystwith mHeting— was ^■3,428, £000 of which arises from wliat 1 may call pleasure-tralRo or commfrcial-traffic, that £600 viould be entirely thrown upoa the rates if tlie gates were abolished. I therefore move the following amendment to the proposition — " That iu the opinion of the Bench the system of management of the turnpike roads should be left as at present." Mr. L. B. I'UGII suggested that his resolutions should be • A.'9.\t with seriatim. Mr. Lloyd, he understood, did not oppose tlie first resolution. Mr. Jordan objected to the discussion proceeding, as Mr. Pugh suggested, on a point o! order. lie considered that it WIS necessary for the 13ench to decide whether the question should be taken into consideration, before they entered fully upon the discussion of it. Mr. T. H. Brenciiley moved a simple amendment to Mr. Pu.Lih's resolutions, " That matters remain as they are." Mr. Jor.DAN seconded the amendment. Mr. LiiOYD, M.P., immediately withdrew his amendment in favour of Mr. Brenchley's amendinont. Mr. Frykr said, if Mr. Brencbley's amendment was adopted, the only purpose served would be to defer the consideration of the r[uestion, as it would have to be di^cu6sed at some time, llelerring to the question itself, he said the whole condition of things had been altered by the introduction of railways. A great many higinvays were now more used than the turnpike roals. They must re arrange the turnpike roads and put up more gates if they maintained the preseut system. Mr. L. P. PUGii remarked that the Court had so far taken the mitter in hand, that he tliought it ought to be fully dis- cussed. He hoped the Bench would not listen to the proposal, especially seeing that they had obtained expressions of opinion trom boards of guardians, highway boards, aud others on the question. Mr. Jordan considered that the persons who ought to pay for the roads were those who used them ; and if they levied a general roads' rate for the county, they made people contri- bute who not using them, ought nut to be called on to do so. Captain Vaughan asked Mr. Brencliley to withdraw his amendiuent. Ue did not think tlie amendment respectful to the boards of guard ans and others who had discussed and given Opinious on the question. Mr. Brenculey : I am very sorry not to be able to listen to the requestor my friend. I think that the expression of feel- ing on the part of the guardians is principally in favour of the present conditions of things. The CiiATiiMAN, before putting the amendment, said, being responsible for having first opened the discussion on turnpike road", he wished to say a word or two. Some two or three sessions ago he pointed out that some legislation was required on the subject, aud that the oiiinion of the wlio'e county should be ascertained. They were assembled here to discuss the matt, r, and he hoped that the discussion viould be allowed to pri.;eetl, and the opinion of the Court taken, lie appealed to ti e mover and seconder of the amendment to withdraw it ; but iu vain. The CiiAiK.MAN then put the amcudmcut, which was lost by a majority of four, there Icing eleven iu its favour, and llfteen against. Col. Lewes said ho had an amendment to Mr. Pugh's reso- lutions to submit to tlie Court. It merely embraced his own views, for he had consulted no one on the subject, and he should be very glad if some gentleman present would afterwards second it. His amendment was : " Tliat the Court of Quarter Sessions for the county of Cardigan has found during a period of 40 years that the present system of maintaining the various roads iu the county under the provisions of the Acts of Parlia-- ment has worked satisfactorily. — That in a techuical point of view the provisions of the Act meet the requirement of the' time, and that at present no debt is owing, and the turnpika gates maintain the roads. — That the Court deprecated strongly any alteration that will add to the rates. — That as regards highways, a larger area for districts might be desirable, 't hav- ing been found that a surveyor can superintend at less co^t and the machinery be less expensive in large districts than in small ones, as at present constituted. — Tliat in the event of any alter- ation, the Court strongly recommends — first, that a central road as now constituted be combined on the district roads; second, an extension of area in the districts and a coutributiuu from trie state of one half the amount required for the main- tenance of the roads." He had been for 16 years a member of the County Roads Board, and he could bear testimony, as far as his knowledge went, to the admirable manner in which tiie roads i^ad been conducted. It had been stattd that this Act was passed at a time of great difficulty for a special purpose; but he pointed out that unda- it a very heavy debt liad been paid olf. He might also say that as the result of the Act tliey had now admirable turnpike roads, and although he could ii'it say .so much of the bye-roads, these were as good as were to be seen in England, lie denied the charge of extravagance which had been made against tlie boards. Undoubtedly the turnpike roads had cost more money than the highways, hut there were many reasons for that. The roads were in a perfect state of preservation at the present time, and of course would require hss in the future to keep iri repair. The composition ot the County Roads Boards prevented any extravagance, its raeri.be rs, who were large ratepayers, being interested in keep'ug the ex- penditure down. Under the circumstances, he could not con- ceive a better system of maintaining the roads than tlie present. The produce of the turnpike gates were sufficient for the niain- tenaucB of the turnpike roads. He believed Mr. Pugh did not deny that. Mr. L, P. Pugh : I am told by meralers of the County Roads Board that our tolls are yearly diminisliing. IMr. JoKDAj^ : They increased last year. The Treasurer : There was £300 increase last year. Colonel Lewes proceeded to point out certain obji ctions to the resolutions moved by Blr. Pugh. First, with regard 1o the union area, he referred to the same objections which had been urged by Mr. Lloyd, M.P. — namely, the extension of anions from one coimty into another, He should be willing to agree with Mr. I'ugh's third resolution relating to the con- stitution of the highway boards, provided the central board as now constituted should be continued. AVith regard to Mr. Pugh's fourtli resolution, he reminded the C ourt that an optiional act was always a failure; and lie was in favour of asking for a specified sum from Government, in preference to having the carriage-tax handed over. They all agreed on tiie utility of a Government inspector in his place ; but he for one should be directly ojiposed to having a Govtrnmeut iu-p^-ctor to overlook the exjienditiire of their private money, lie was opposed to the alolition of the turnpike-gates aud the rrmedy proposed by Mr. Pugh, and to any addition being made to the rates. It had been said that that addition would be very slight, if anything ; but he objected to throwing away the large sum of money they now obtained from the gates towards maintaining the roads. A calculation he had made of the uunilier of perss.Ds iu his union who used the turnpike-roads would show the injustice of the proposition. Taking it for granted that a man paying 5 guineas rental liad not got a cart or horse, he found that in his union out of 3,481 householders, those under five guineas rental numbered 2,585, showing the number of carts and horses to be only 896. Tliat showed the large proportion of the population who never wore the roads out with carts, &c. It was the wealthier classes who possessed vehicles, therefore wore out the roads, aud should be made to- ll ly. Mr. Pugh's proposal would simply take the burden lioiu the shoulders of the rich aud put it on those of the poor. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 4.).- He aprrred witli tlie leii^r rocrntly pulilished upon the ques- tion by Mr. J. U. ScmirlieM, M.P., and did uol see liow iliey ■could very well improve upon their present system. Il' altera- tions were lunde, liiey lost a very lar^e sum annuilly. ll had Ijten stated iu another pUce tiiat the gates at Abersytwilh annually made a tolal of £1,110, and llie other t;ates in the bounty £i,24-7; and that part of the receipts ol the Aberyst- witli jiates went towards t!ie maintenance, of the roads in other j'arts ol' the county. That was a mistake, and lie pointed oiu that, there bAtvx C3 mil-s of wcU-'ravelled roads to keep in repair in the upper district (out of a total county mileage of ■IjS), the balance vtas more likfly to be on the other side. Rclerriui^ to tiie state of tlie roads, he uaid that in the lower part of the county roads which were formerly imp issable and d tnger^jus to travel over were now in excellent order. If bad •roads were to be found, the remedy lay with the highway hoard of the district, who could order the nece-isary measures to taken to be put them iu orJer. AVith those remarks, he left his ameudraeut in their hands. llev. RiiYS Jones Li.oyu seconded the amendment. Sir T. D. Llo\d observed that he Hgreed with some of Col. Lewis's recommendations, altliough opposed to others. He was quite as muck opposed as Col. Lewis to the abolition of turnpike-gfites. Mr. L. F. i'UGii then briefly replied to the objections raised Against his resolutions. lie said it had been agreed a memorial sliould be presented ; the only question was, what form it should take. The resolutions he had proposed had been well before the public ; but Col. Lewis' series of resolutions had never been communicated to any one before. After some further remarks, the amendment and original jnjtiou were put to the vote, when seven voted for the former and twenty for the latter, which was accordingly Carried. Mr. L. r. PuGii then rose to move "That it is desirable that the Metropolitan Poor Acts of 1867 and 1870 with reference to indoor relief be extended to county unions, so as to make the mnintenauce of indoor paupers to the extent of 5d. per day a charge upon the county instead of upon the union." If any means could be devised to alter the present system without doing injustice to the paupers or the ratepayers, or to the dilfereut portions of the counties as between themselves, he thought that it would be exceedingly desirable that such scheme should be adopted. Since the passing of the Union Chargeability Act, the whole union indoor and outdoor relief had been charged on the unions, instead of being charged on separate parishes as before. In the Metropolis an experiment had been made, which he thought could be very advantageously extended to the country. By the Metropolitan I'oor Act passed in 1867, a common poor fund for the JMetropolis was esta- blished, it being enacted that this was to be raised by contri- butions from the different unions for the support of paupers in proportion to the rateable valuation. That fund was to be applied for certain purposes — the maintenance of lunatics, fever patients, medicines, salaries of certain otlicers, compen- sation to ditto, fees for registration of births and deatlis, fees for vaccination, maintenance of cliildren in certain schools, and relief expenses under certain j\[etropolitan Acts. In 1870 the same question of outdoor relief became pressing in the Metropolis. A short Act was passed, which enacted that the expense of maintaining the outdoor paupers should be paid out of tlie common union fund up to the rate of 5d, a day, being the minimum rate of maintenance. The Act provides that tlie Poor-law board shall certify tlie maximum number to be maintained in workhouses or asylums, that no repayment shall be made in respect of a larger number, to prevent any over-crowding iu the workhouses, that the amount to be repaid shall not exceed 5d. a day, and also tliat guardians in default of the Poor-law Board may omit these amounts (rom their precepts. It had been of great benefit to the Metropolis, and he could not see how they could doulit that it would confer an equal amount of benefit in the counties. Tlie machinery Would be very simple, because the rate, in the nature of a county late, to be called the comuioii poor fund, would thus be made upon the different unions. The indoor mainteuauce of those paupers, up to od. a day, would be paid out of that union fund ; and thus the unions would be able to give any amount they thought proper for the maintenance of the outdoor paupers. lie concluded by ol)serving that the indoor test was the only test in reality. Mr. Fkyek seconded the m;tion. Sir!). T. Lloyd said that, having heard opinions rxpress'il that the indoor test was appliid too severelv, he had written :i letter upim the snl ject of relief generally to the practical member for Norfolk, .>lr. Clare Heed, who enjoyed the confi- dence of both sides of tlie House, and who had forwarded hitn the following replv, with which he (the speaker) generally agreed: " 1-illi October, 1875. Dear Sir Thomas,— No donbt tiie Metropolitan sdienie has had a tendency to stop ou-diior relief; but as most of the workhuus s are full of aged and in- firm inmates, the scheme has not had full pl■^y, owing to tlin state of workhouse accon.modation. Until we have some- elected county auiluirity I don't see how we could adopt sucii a system in the rural districts, for I suppose we should not embrace a less area than a county to consolidate for the iiur- pose. The only oilier way of applying tlie scheme would be to recur to parish responsibility for out-relicf, and continue the comuiuu fund of the union for all indoor maintenance and workhouse charges. I am not prepared to advocate either of those plans, butl hty strike me as the only ones available lor the rural districts. 1 enclose a few figures, which will show you much better than I can state, the past and present proportions of out and in-rtlief in Londou. (Signed) Cl.vre SiiWEi.r, Reed." Major Lloyd rnn.Lir.s remarked that there were two unions in the county without workhou-es ; and therefore he thought it premature to raise the question. The CiiAiKMAN : The workhouses are in course of erection. Mr. PuHH : xVnd will be finished long befoic an Act is passed, I am afraid. The Chairman said the IMetropoIifan Poor Act, briefly, was passed for the purpose of equalising the burdens upon tlie ditferent parishes, so that wealthier parishes having a small number of paupers should bear part of the burdens of the poorer parishes with a large number of paupers. Indirei tly it had worked well, by encouraging guardians to give indoor rather than outdoor relief. The difficulty of the extension of the scheme to the country was this : Supposing it should be adopted in a rural county, if all the parishes were equal iu number of paupers and in point of means, there would cease to be any encouragement to guardians to give indoor instead of outdoor relief. Mr. Lloyd, M.P., did not see the applicability of these London Acts to a country district. In some cases, no dniibt, where the indoor test was closely applied, the workhouse would be full ; and in other cases, where it was lax, the house might be empty. Mr. Fkyer said it seemed clear that the operation of the Metropolitan Act liad had the effect of increasing the indoor and diminishing outdoor paupers in London; which was apparently ever the chief object of administrators of relief. This was the object of Mr. Pugh's proposal, «hich vtould exeicise a pressure upon the elected guardians, who were the persons most difiicult to deal with. The question of relief was one of the most ditlicult and pressing of the day. Looking at the heavy rates in this and other counties, he thought they would agree with him that any means calculated to liKhtea that burden would be of benefit to the community at large. The census of 1871 sliowed the rateable value of the county, that year, to be £191,4.23; and the amount of poor-rates levied £15,667, representing a rate of 4s. 9d. in the pound. He gave those figures to show the importance of this question to ratepayers. When discussing the turnpike-roads, they looked at a 2d. or 3d. rate as very large to saddle the rate- payers with, but, in regard to the relief question, thought liitle of a 4s. 6d. rate. Wherever there were comparatively many indoor poor^ poor-rates were light, and wherever there were few they were heavy. In Wales the nun.ber of mdoor poor was much below England, being 1-17 and 1-5 of the outdoor paupers respectively. Tliis state ot affairs in Wales was mainly due to the' mistaken feeling of humanity of uiany guardians in not properly euforciug the indoor trst. This must be overcome by pressure being brought to bear upon them, as proposed by Mr. Pugh. Mr. T. E. Lloyd, M.P., did not think the Act would be applicable here. Captain Parry was sorry to have to oppose ]Mr. Pugh on this question, but he did not think the Metropolitan Act at all applicable here. ]Mr. Bkexchley also spoke against the motioii. Mr. Pugh said be was satisfied his views were well I grounded. Almost every speaker hud agreed that they should 456 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. dispounfpnance irdiscriniinatp outdoor relief. Willi reference to Mr. C. Rppd, -M.r.'s li'tter, its |)iiuci))le was similar to tlie priuci|ile of Ills proposal, to put the burden of the indoor rrli;,f ill one class and Ihe outdoor relief in the other. After relVrriug to tlie oljectiou raised by tlie Cliairman, which, he thoiiicht, with all deference, involved a most lielplrFS fallacy, he concluded by f-ayin^ tliat, a distu'siou having takfn place, v\liicli would doubtless do a great deal of good, he would beg leave to withdraw his resolutious. NORFOLK CENTRAL COMMITTEE.- CATTLE DISEASE. The Norfolk Central Comraittee appointed by the Court of Quarter Sessions to transact tlie business arising out of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act and the Orders of the Privy Council, LelJ a meeting at the Sliire-hall, Norwich, Major I'pnriee presiding, for the purpose more particularly of con- sidering a series of resoluiions on the foot-and-mouth disease, printed and circulated among the members by Mr. Broom, of Moulton, who said the proposal of his resoUitions on the foot- and-mouth disease had been kindly undertaken by Mr. Gillett. Mr. 11. Gillett moved, accordingly: " That, in order to check the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, which is now un- happily of univei sal existence, it is desirable for all markets, fairs, cattle-trucks, steamboats, and infected premises to be cleansed and disinfected, and with the view of affording time to enable this to be done, this committee is of opinion that it is necessary to clofe for a period of six weeks all fairs and markets tliroufihout the United Kingdom, with ihe exception of those for the sate of fit stoclc to be iinmedioteti/ slaiightcred. [The words in italics were added in the course of the meeting on the suggestion of Mr. C. S. Read. M.P.] That throughout the United Kingdom there should be iu operation one uniform and compulsory law regulating the movement of cattle affected with disease, or of animals in contact witli diseased cattle, and that such law, after due publicity, should be rigorou>.ly en- forced. That all imported foreign cattle should be either slaughtered at tlie water-side, or subjected to an efficient quarantine. That this committee believes by the adoption of tiie above measures the foot-and-mouth- disease, which is now Cfiusing such an immense loss of meat and dairy produce, might be suppressed." Mr. R. R. Kidman seconded the adoption of the resolutions. I\lr. R. Ekglawd said that he was strongly of opinion that it would be useless to further restrict farmers in the movement of their cattle from field to field and farm to farm, unless stringent measures were taken to prevent the constant flow of disease into the country through every market and fair in the kingdom. If the Privy Council would give their sanction to the principles adopted in this county, and were to apply them generally, no doubt it would have considerable effect in re- ducing disease. Unless the Privy Council would sanction these stringent measures, unless the country was prepared to adopt them, in relerence to the importation of dis:'ase, he was against any further restrictions being put on the farmer, be- cause it was beginning at the wrong end — it was subjecting the larmer to a great deal of vexation without doing compara- tively any good. Mr. C. k5. Re\d, M. p., said the resolutions were very strong —stronger, lie believed, than any passed during the cattle plague — and he would suggest that tliey should insert a clause providing for keeping open of markets for the sale and imme- diate slaughter of (at stock, because it was impossible to sup- pose that London cou'd be fed if the supply of fat cattle into it was stopped. If he rememhered rightly, even during the time of the cattle plague, a great number of markets were kept open for the sale of fat stock, which were immediately slaughtered, or at any rate never left that town or market alive. He entirely agreed with Mr. England that if they were going to have these liarsli restrictions upon themselves they must insist upon having the disease kept out of the country. There was a large and growing feeling among a certain class of people, who wished to think so, that this was no contagious disease at all. Tliey fancied that if cattle were exposed to a certa.n amount of hard.ship, that if they were overdriven or slowed up in the hold of a vessel, they would be subjected to disease, allhougli no contagious virus lurked in the vessel or on the road at all. They fancied cattle could take this disease as easily as men caught a cold from standing in a draught, or corns from wearing tight shoes, or gout from drinking port wine. These ideas should not be allowed to get abroad with- out fanners entering a strong protest against tlicm. He saw I around him a number of practical farmers who must have had ' .'■ad experience of this disease, the breaking out of w Inch could not be accounted for, but lie never knew of a case that oc- curred spontaneously : disease had alnajs been iu the ueigli- bourliood, sud after the time of the cattle plague they knew it was brought on to Norwich-hill, and from lliere spread all round. Mr. Gillett said Mr. Read's suggestion about fat stock had been inadvertently overlooked, and, therefore, he inserted il in the first resolution in the clause as above given. Mr. Re.\d inquired whether the Central Committee had power to memorialise the Privy Council, and it was suggested that it w( uld be better to bring the subject under the notice of the Prime Minister. The Chairman said he had asked the Clerk of the Peace, and that gentleman was of opinion that, as the members of this Council were merely dehgatcs of the local antliority, the better course would be to send a memorial to the Quarter Sessions to be adopted by them, and signed by the Chairman. Mr. Read said when tliis Committee was appointed, the Court of Quarter Sessions gave into its hands all rights and privileges, \»ith the exception of the right to levy rates, and one of those rights and powers would surely he to memo- rialise the higher authorities. This hrought him to another point. If they were going to memorialise the Privy Council again, he hoped they would not be subjected to the kind of treatment they had received from Ireland. The Central Ch.iiuber of Agriculture seemed tired of Privy Councils, and he heard that the Central Committee of Norfolk were so too. The Central Chamber, therefore, resolved the other diy to have a deputation wait upon the Prime Minister, and it might save time and trouble if these resolutions were not sent to the Privy Council, but forwarded to Mr. Dsraeli. The farmers of Norfolk had been subjected to gross insults from the Privy Council authorities in Dublin. On two separate occasions the Court of Quarter Sessions of Norfolk had protested against the Orders now in force by which tliey in Great Britaia slaughtered cattle for pleuro-pneumonia, but which Orders were not extended to Ireland. The Privy Council in London, upon receiving the resolutions passed here, very properly sent them over to Dublin, and the Veterinary Department in Dublin sent to Norfolk a very clever veterinary surgeon, Mr. Wm. Chambers, w ho came to hira (Mr. Read), but was informed that he did not wish to say a word to him, but that Mr. Gilmaa had been instructed to give him every information, and that the inspectors would si o if him tlieir books. Mr. Cliambers went round to the major part of the inspectors, and having inspected their books made a temperate and fair report. He said there could be no doubt that outbreaks of pleuro-pneu- monia occurred among cattle recently imported from Ireland (that the disease was generated spontaneously no one believed but Professor Ferguson), and that there were more affected herds in Ireland than were reported to the Veterinary Depart- ment. Was not that probable? If cattle were seized and slaughtered and buried here without a single sixpence of com- pensation, as in Ireland, was it likely they would go and tell the whole world that they had pleuro-pneumonia among their stock ? Of course not. Therefore, until they gave compensa- tion in Ireland they would never know half tlie pleuro-pneu- monia there was in that country. The report of Mr. Chambers was asked for in the House of Commons by Mr. Barclay. The Veterinary Department of Dublin refused to give it unless it was supplemented by Professor Ferguson's report founded on the report of Mr, Chambers. Having no answer to make to tl'.e complaint from Norfolk, Professor Ferguson sat down to abuse them, not for receiving importations of diseased cattle, which was one way of spreading the disease, but for the manner in whicii they kept their stock. Professor Ferguson said tliey put them into boxes and into yards in the winter, that they stood there upon Uttered manure, and that treatment THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. Vj7 pave flipm (he disease. How dlil thpy winter the stock in I Ireland? Why, many were in tlie (i^ifn all throu^rli (he [ blessed winter exposed to the ruin and wind and cold, and llicy rested on the wcx ground. Was not that more likely to give them disease than leing placed in a ^- ell-strawed and sheltered yard where tiny were warm and dry ? Yet Trofessor Ferguson said: "As well niip;ht hnman heinf^s, imprisoned lor months together in cesspits or cesspools, or in reservoirs for the accumulation of tlieir faecal, urinal, and other secretions, standing or lyino; continuously on such accumulation of their own excrements, coustauily inhaling the jiestilential emanations from their own ordure, fre*h as well as htale, or in a state of fermentation or decomposition, he expected to continue or he in such a vigorous state of liealtli as not alone to resist diseases, hut also to increase in healthiness and llesh, as that it could reasonahly be exjiected that cattle, treated as they are iu Norfolk, no matter from whence they come, could invariably remaiu in a sound or healthy state ; not even the proverbial liardiness of Irish cattle can always successfully resist such disease-engendering or exciting influences." It required an Irishman to read that sentence — it was so long. The report continued — " It is much to he regretted that legislation based upon the recognised principles of sanitary science has not, as yet, in the interest of public welfare, extended to food-produ- •cing domesticated animals the same degree of sanitary protec- tion as is already enjoyed by the human population of Great Britain ; and I have the honour to most respectfully submit that, uuiil such is the case, it would be unreasonable to hope or trust that the occurrence of pleuro-pneunionia in Great Britain, particularly in the county of Norfolk, will be diminished to an ex'rerae minimnm. Was that a fair description ol the loose boxes and yards of the county of Norfolk? Did they not well know that when they were thoroughly littered they might take the most sensitive chemical paper, and it would not show the slightest trace of any noxious gas, and the only smell on entering the hox in the morning was from the breath and sweat of the oxen. He hoped the county of Norfolk was not going to be treated in that way again. He protested against that report as beiug ignorant and insolent, and nothing more nor less than a libel upon the farmers of Norfolk as to the way in which they kept their stock. Why, iu the report there was a cock-and-bull story that tlie manure made in these boxes was called " bullock pudding." Did they ever hear such a name ? How did these people come by it? Why, Mr. Warnes, of Triniingham, said the only way to fat bullocks when in boxes was to give them " linseed pudding." That was how they came by it. lie really was tired and ashamed of exposing this remarkable correspondence, but he said they had better now go to the fountain-head rather than again run the risk of having these inuendoes cast at them upon the way in which stock was managed in Norfolk. Then, with regard to the outbreaks in Norfolk, it was not when the bullocks were in the boxes that disease broke out, bnt rather in the autumn when farmers bought their stock, or in the summer when the cattle were on the marshes and had the chance of communi- cating the disease one to another. Finally, before he sat down, he thought a great many gentlemen must have seen Professor Ferguson's last minute, in which he said that when the foot-and-mouth difease hroke out among cattle in Ireland nearly fit for the butcher, the best way was to send those not diseased into the nearest market. Where did those cattle come to? Why, here! If that was the doctrine held in Ireland, was it not time that they, as the greatest winter grazing county in England, should protest against it, and say tiiat the same rules and regnlations, be tliey strict or be they lenient, should be applied to Ireland as were in force iu Great Britain ? jMr. R. T. GuRDo:^ observed that if the Clerk of the Peace was right, as he probably was, in the statement that any recommendation that might be made should not come from this Committee direct, but from the Quarter Sessions, he presumed the matter would be brought before the adjourned sessions on Thur;diy week. He had no doubt the Quarter Sessions wonld very willingly p?.ss and strongly support any , recommendations which this Committee might make; but he for one did not like their going down on their knees again to the Privy Council, and alter sending in a civil request to be snubbed. If there was any chance of their getting, lie would not say more courteous, but more satisfactory treatment from the Prime Minister, let them go to him by all means. Mr.IlFEVE (Snetterton) said that, although he never bouglit any stock at markets or fairs, yet his animals had suffered from pleuro-pneunionia. This lie attributed to the " pttti- fogfing fellows" who drove cattle along the road. The CilAlUMAN threw out for consideration whether tliey wonU not be strtngtbened in any course they took, wIk tiur they memorialised the Privy Council or communicated with Mr. Disraeli, if tliey could obtain the co-operation of other local authorities. Mr. GuKiiou and Mr. Hvde said that five or six Conrls of Quarter Sessions had already taken cognizance of the matter. Mr. W. L. Jex-13i..\ke said that by closing markets and fairs they would sacrifice a great deal of the capital of those persons who were making their bread by the buying of stock ; and what good, after all, would they do? They tried it for six weeks when they had the cat'le plague, bat they failed, for they were only free from disease for about six weeks or two montlis. [Several MEMBERS: "Eighteen months."] It would be just the same now. If they stopped the fairs and markets for six weeks, the disease would be just as bad again in six months' time (dissent;. Well, he could not help thinking so. He never allowed a head of stock to come on to his premises except what he bought as calves, and yet ho had not a single animal but what had the disease. How did they get it ? He could not help thinking it was in the air and nothing else. It was useless stopping the markets, and the only thing^gaiued by giving notice to the police was a know- ledge of the extent of the disease. He should certainly vote against any further restrictions. Mr. Read challenged the statement of Mr. Jex-Blake that they had tried the stoppage of the markets and had failed. They had tried it, and it had wonderfully succeeded. Although It was not tried as an experiment, but was a mere accident, the result was that for eighteen months they were free from disease. _ The Chairman said that in one respect Mr. Jex-Blake was right. The stoppage of the markets would be of only tem- porary avail unless they stopped the re-introduction of the disease. Mr. Jex-Bi.ae:e : I shall move a direct negative. Mr. Read : If it comes in the air, you ought to move a direct negative to all restrictions. The resolutions, on being put, were carried by nitieteea votes to three, the dissentients being Mr. Jex-Blake, Col. FitzRoy, and Mr. Robert Ives. It was then resolved to send the resolutions to the Court of Quarter Sessions as the local authority, and, if confirmed there, to forward them to the Prime Minister, a suggestion by Mr. Read beiug at the same time adopted, that they should be printed and sent to other local authorities throuzhoul Great Britain, with a request to them to aid in the endeavour to get a settlement of this very vexed question. THE CHANGE IN THE SHOW-DAYS OF Tlli ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.— The Council of this Society last week unanimously resolved to make what we think a rather doubtful experiment. They agreed to change the days of the show from Monday and four following days to Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Monday. The alteration, it apjiears, has been made on two grounds, neither of which, we think, holds water. Mr. Milward urged that by the new arrangement the animals need not be away from home inore than one Sunday. If that is such an important con- sideration, the great bulk of the animals need not have been more than one Sunday out hitherto. They get out of the yard on Friday afternoon, and if tliey have so far to go home that they cannot reach it before Sunday, they would not be in time for Wednesday's judging, ' to leave home on the Monday morning. That argument we hold to be groundless. More- over, every exhibitor knows that the cattle require at least twenty-four hours rest in the yard or in the vicinity, after undergoing a long railway journey, ere they can appear before judges at other than a disadvantage. Our preference of Mor- day as the opening day is du6 to the fact that Sunday imme- diatelv supervening, almost invariably ensured a full day's rest to the animals before their merits arc determined upon. In many caseo, if the animals do not start till Monday morn- iuET, they will not reach the yard until Tuesday a''ternoon, thus allowing only one night to rest, which is not sulEacut. The •i-5? THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. oilier nrgumeiit in fiivont of tlip, clianpje is that on Saturdaj's i>nil JMouilavs the workinjf chisses iu large towns are likely to turn out to the show more, Dumeronsly than on Thursday and Triilhy. Ou Saturday there is nil but certain to be a larger influx of working people than on any other day of the vvufk, but we are much mistaken if Monday's gate nettings will amnuut to much, licsides in the summer monlhs there are luill'-holidays in the middle of the week, and generally special liall'-holidays for the lloyal show eiflier on the "Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, alter twelve o'clock. In short, we do not think tlie cbauge «ill be a beneficial or popular one. — The North Biillsh Agncnlliirist. — [We protested against the cliange when iVlr. i\lilward gave notice of motion in August, as we then saul, " It may be well to refer to the shilling d lys in some uf the large towns which the Society has already vi.-ited, such as Leeds and Manchester. At Leeds the crush ou the shilling days was so great that Mr. Brandreth Gibbs and the stewards were in some alarm as to whether their arrangements would equal the demand ; and there was another buinpir take at Manchester. On the other hand, a week's holiaay would have failed to disturb the serenity of Bedford, and the rain had much to answer for at Taunton ; although here possibly centres the head and front of Mr. Milward's movement. Had the show iu the West commenced in the middle of the week previous to that in which it was held, taking the four days of one week and the Monday in the other, tiie Council would have very cleverly Voided the downfall which wept over the shilling days. But, unfortu- nately, in so capricious a climate as ours we cannot, as a rule, reckon even in July on the Saturdays and Mondays being iuvaiiably line, and the bad weather falling to those who pay the higher fees. Moreover, we are inclined to think that all the lari;e towns, as they certainly will in Birmingham, ■would make special holiday for the occasion ; nor do we see that the change would be of any proportionate advantage to the exhibitors, a class whose interests should he carefully con- sidered. The stock would still have to submit to a Sunday out, at the wrong end of the week, as they would have less time to travel on to the next show due, and people wonld not easily fall in with an altera'ion, which, as we have sjid, would be an experiment the advantage of wi)icli h.w yet to be proved."]— Editor M.L.E. KOHL-RABI. TO TIIE EDITOR OF TIIE MARK LANE EXPRESS. Sir, — I am sorry that the merits of kolil-rabi vvere not touched upoii by Dr. Voelcker in the practical paper read before a meeting of the London Farmers' Club last week. Although not belonging to the same order an J genera as a root proper according to the scientific acceptation of the term, practically it fuliils a similar purpose in the economy of the farm. Throughout a large area in the midland counties its cultivation is gradually extending, and it is held iu high estimation for its superior feeding properties. Besides other qualities, oue great advautage its cultivation affords is the division of the labour of the farm at a busy season. Kohl-rabi should be sown much earlier than the general swede crop. On all large fairas the labour-bill is now an important consideration. Once fairly rooted in the soil, it withstands the effects of continued drought much better than sv\edes, and when eaten on the laud by sheep the expenses of pulling up the crop or picking out the hulls, as iu the case of swedes or turnips, is saved, as the bulbs grow clear of the soil. I observe Dr. Voelcker mentions the injurious effects of common turnips when fed off whilst the tops and bulbs are in a green, succulent state. Practical farmers are fully aware of this, and obviate the evil by pulling up the turnijis and leaving them exposed to the weather for ten daj s or a fortnight before folding the sheep upon them. I have never known any ill effects follow this practice, and the sheep invariablj^ make better progress. Gilbert Murray. Elvastone Estate Offi ■ hange places at different shows, ac- cording to the views of the judges ap|)ointed, must therefore continue until those employed as judges see the error of their vvays, and learn how dissatisfied competitors frequently are with their decisions. Yours faithfully, Kinnaird. IL M. Jenkins, Esq., 12, Hanover-square, London, W. WHEAT FROM OATS.— Mr. Everett writes tosaythxt oat wheat is a stock of wheat transmutated from o its as fol- lows: Fricsland oats were planted in the spring of 18Gi^, cat down three times in the course of the year to prevent them flowering, and harvested in August of the lo'lowing year, producing a fine sample of red wheat, which stock I have grown ever since. It is a Nursery wheat, large ears, very stout in the straw, especially adapted for strong lands. It requires thin sowing and to be drilled wide. When growing it looks more like winter oats than wheat, the blade being different. THE FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE. — The Premier has declined to receive a deputation from the Central Cham- ber of Agriculture, which he refers to the Duke of Richmond, as Lord President of the Council ; and within the last month the Lords of the Council have intimated thai they do intend to legislate more stringently on fout-and mouth disease. THE EXPORTATION OF ENGLISH STOCK TO AMERICA. — Veterinary Department, Privy Council Office. — The Lords of the Council have received from the Secretary of State for Foreign Affair copy of a note from the United States Minister in this country, announcing that the importation of neat cattle and of the hides of neat cattle from the United Kingdom into the United States of America is prohibited until further order. — November 6, 1875. HEREFORDSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.— It was resolved, on Wednesday, not to hold any meeting in 187'>. in consequence of the visit of the Bath and AVest of England and Southeru Counties' Association. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 459 FERTILISERS. No. ni. — 15y THE NOUTIIERX FAiniER. To those fanners who, through remoteness of situation or (liiticulty of access, are coiniilettly deharrecl from jiar- ticipaliu^ in the benelicial results accruing from the boun- tiliil application of town manure, there is, as already noticc.i, another course open, by which, with a consiiler- ab!c expend, lure of capital, and enlightened aud vigoror.s nrinageuient, they may in a few years bring their land into a high slate of fertility, fully capable of bearing heavy and protitable crops, however poverty-stricken it may have been when they took possession. jModera science has placed within their reach a great variety of fertilising substances, commonly known by the general title of arti- ti'-ial manures, extremely portable, tasy of application with the smallest amount of labour, and which not only serve to nourish the plant from the moment of evolution, but, when specially prepared, coutinue to sustain it throughout every stage of its growth, until the period of final maturity. Jiy the use of these manures, wlicrever there is a possibility of the soil being so improved as to be able to rcf.ay the cost of reclamation, whether on the hitherto apparently barren moorland or almost inacccs- silile slope, previously considered utterly incapable of cultivation, it may and has been brought under the do- minion of the plough, aud principally by turni)) culture and sheep-farming: the origiuE^l and indigenous growth, <;otisisting of heath, broom, furze, and coarse grasses, has been extirpated, and its place successfully and profitably occupied by vvaviug aud often luxuriant crops of oats, barley, and the cultivated grasses. The farmer who has the opportunity of using large quantities of town manure has the advantage of being able to raise p:iying crops by the first application, besides having it left in an advanced stage of amelioration for the growth of future crops or for j)asture, aud thus, aUhough the labour of carriage and first cost of the manure has been considerable, his money is very quickly returned with interest. The process in the case of artilieial manure is qnite difl'erent, aud more round- about, as, when used by itself, it is chiefiy iu the growth of those crops which, on consumption by the animals of the farm, become a fruitful source of fertility, a supply of genuine manure being by this means provided, which, with care and attention, may year after year be percepti- bly increased, until the farm becomes self-supporting in the matter of bulky manure, as far as it is possible to make it. Although, when beginning with a farm lowered in stamina and destitute of maniirial resources, it is abso- lutely necessary to use artificial manure solely in growing turnips and other roots, yet it is as an auxiliary manure that it is most efiicacions and gives the best results, about half the ordinary allowance of dung and a mode- rate quantity of artificial manure being vastly better for the land, and quite as good for the present crop, as the largest amount of the latter which could reasonably be given. Iu general practice this is the best course to follow, a much greater breadth both of roots and cereals being annually grown than can be successfully managed under any other system, and the land is always kept fresh and in good heart. On its first introduction, and for a considerable numbcir of years afterwards, Peruvian gnano gave excellent, and sometimes even extraordinary residts, whether used as a top-dressiug on corn and grass, or for the growth of potatoes, turnips, and mangolds, either alone or in conjunction wiih farmyard or other dung. This was principally cue to the large per-centage of nitioge i which it contained at thit time acting as a stimulant, and setting free the latcut and hitherto undeveloped resources of the soil, the united action reudn-Ing available a large amoui t of plant-food, and tliereby inducing a vigorous and well- sustained growth. 'I'hat the natural resources of the soil assisted largely in bringing about the successful results obtained by the application of gnano has been abundantly, and often too surely proved by the sterility which in- variably follows wheu used continuously, unaided by bulky manure. However liberally applied, it utterly f lils to grow a serviceable crop on an exhausted soil, all attempts to do so tending only to poverty, as many farmers, who thought to keep up the fertility of their fields by the mere dusting of a few cwts. per acre, have found to their cost. Of late years the quality of Peruvian gnano has been very uncertain, and the price, considering the great falliug-olf even in the best samples of its most valuable constituents, simply exorbitant. As a source of ammonia it cannot well be done without, and to some extent both large aud small consumers are forced to use it, although latterly nitrate of soda is entering largely into couiinnption, and is much appreciated by many farmers as a substitute, as its action is very quick aud decided. Guano is seldom used by itself on any crop, most men preferring to mix with, or to purchase it mixed with, a certain proportion of phosphates, to correct its evanescent action, and assist the crop until matured. Thus there is phospho-guano and ammouiated superphos- phate, manufactured with the express intention of meeting the wishes of farmers in this matter, which while giving about a half more biJk for the money, are yet combiiied so thoroughly on correct chemical principles, as to actually beat the pure article on many soils, weight for weight, on any kind of crop. Applied to potatoes, for iustuuce, ammouiated super-phosphate gives surprising results, the haulm showing its effect a few days after it is laid on, and contniuing throughout the growing season to exhibit a most decided siijieriority in strength and vigour over any j)ortioa tf the field which may Lave be^'u left undressed, the tubers on lilting being fully equal, both in size and cpiau- lity, to the increase indicated by the extra luxuriance of the foliage. A mixture of guano, superphosphate, and ground bones, is about as good a preparation as can be used, as it is good for every purpose and every crop, the guano giving the start, which is most important in every case, inasmuch as it imparts vigour and succulence to the plants at a. very early period of their existence, and (hereby enables them, by strengthening the absorbents, to take up very quickly the soluble matter contained in the phosphates. With the turnip crop it is imperative to supply a certain amount of volatile manure, however heavy the dn-sfiug may otliciwise be, as it is a great safeguard in jireventiug iiijury from the fiy, in pushing the growth of the young plant rapidly forward, and gelliag it into the rough leaf before it has had time to accomplish its destruction by eating out the heart. The chemically-prepared bones, containing a large proportion of soluble phosphate, ate utilised in a great measuie by the root crop to which it is applied in the first instance : yet, when a first-class article is used, a residuum remains, which seusiblv benefits the succeeding corn crop. The presence of a cousiderable quantity of mechanically-prepared bones gives body to the laud, w bile Iheir decomposition, extend- ing over several years, adds fertility to the soil, aud per- ceptibly benefits each crop, by gradually restoring a portion of one of its most indispensable coustituents. Gieat differences of opinion exist as to the quantities I I ^60 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. of artificials to be giveu to the acre, either with or without dung, many men giving as much weight and money value with a heavy dressing of dung as others give when the artificial alone is used. A pushing and intelligent farmer is never tired of feeding his land, well knowing that as he puts in, so will he take out, and will give guano, bones, and superphosphate to the extent of lOSs. worth to the imperial acre, along with a full allowance of buliy manure, while others with the same quantity of dung would look upon 423. worth of the same mixture as extremely liberal farming. It is easy to imagine the .good corn crops, magnificent roots, and with dissolved bones will take the lead, showing sn intensity of greenness which renders them plainly distin- guishable from the other portions until the close of tl*e -growing season. When ready for the reaper, the straw will be found strong, erect, and healthy, quite overtopping the other, and clear and bright in colour — all qualities which betoken a sound and productive head, and a good outcome on the barn-floor. As a rule, farmers when pur- chasing phosphatic manures, prefer those which have an organic base, seeing no possibility of a mineral or inorganic substance of any kind possessing valuable manurial con- stituents however strongly the exactly opposite opinion splendid pastures which will be found on the farm where may be impressed on them by the merchant, manufacturer. such liberality is kept up for a dozen years, and the ease ■with which a heavy live-stock can be held over at all sea- sons, nothing i-equiring to be sold until fully ripened for the butcher, However poor a farm may be, GSs. worth of well chosen artificial manures is a very fine dressing to the acre, when ^ang is also given ; and where the latter is altogether withheld, the money value need not exceed 105s., that quantity giving as much food of the kind as the plants can assimilate, and something for future crops also. The addition of mechanically-reduced bones to all mixtures for the growth of roots is of im- mense importance to the pastures afterwards, as the grass is greatly sweetened, and a thick growth of white clover is induced ; and should it happen that a portion only of a field has been boned, it will be found that the cattle prefer it to other parts of the field, eating it quite bare. Pure dissolved bones is one of the best fertilisers available to the modern farmer, and although but of com- paratively recent introduction, has, purely by its genuine character and excellent results in the field on both roots and corn, established itself as a universal favourite. .Bones and acid only is a preparation that may be looked on as a kind of hybrid of, and taking middle place between, superphosphate and ground bones, its action not being quite so quick as the former, nor so extended as the latter. Its beneficial effect on the corn which immediately succeeds the root crop is remarkable, as may be easily proved by using it and superphosphate on every alternate twenty drills, more or less, according to fancy, either throughout the whole or part of a field under roots. .From the very first start, the corn on the squares dressed or practical chemist. Notwithstanding all objections to its use, it must be admitted that few working men can distinguish a mineral from a bone phosphate, the cellular or honeycomb appearance of a first-class mineral manure, when a lump is broken across, being so nearly identical with that of the most genuine organic origin as to mislead or puzzle the most experienced. "When a man is deter- mined to purchase a bone phosphate, and that only, h€ must depend iu a great measure on the respectability of the vendor, dealing only with men of character and posi- tion— a rule of conduct in this trade, above most others, of the greatest consequence to the man who is laying out hard-earned money. The most objectionable feature ia connection with a mineral phosphate pure and simple is the absence of ammonia, or at best the presence of the merest trace, as, if depended on as the principal fertiliser to a crop grown on a soil itself deficient in quickening or stimulating power, the plants by starting slowly may lose the season, and the crop become either a partial or total failure. With all artificial manures, the analysis of which shows an almost imperceptible per-centage of ammonia, it is a very safe thing for the farmer to manufacture an ammoniated phosphate for himself, if he does not wish to purchase it ready-made, which he can easily do by mixing with it a portion of Peruvian guano, thereby assisting the plant in its embryo state, the phosphates coming on as they gain strength and require more and stronger nourish- ment. Experiments with mineral manure of good quality," and containing a large amount of soluble phosphate, show , undeniably that the corn and grass are largely benefited by its application. LAW OF SETTLEMENT AND REMOVAL. At the Conference of Poor-law Guardians at Basingstoke, Mr. Morrison read the followinft paper : In thinking out a subject of this nature, which I now have tlie honour to submit for your consideration, it is curious to note how tiie mind is brought to contrast the practice of by- gone periods with those of modern days. It is not many years since when (as I have heard it often mentioned by professional nieu) at every quarter sessions appeal after appeal was fought between neighboring parishes (then not in unions as now) arising frequently upon qu=stions such as hiring, and service, and residence. Jealously watched, indeed, was every pauper then, there being no common fund, but the entire cost being defrayed by the respective parishes. The inhabitants in agricultural districts used, to meet iu solemn conclave at the old poor-liouse or vestry meeting, and every effurt and device was resorted to (when rehef was required) to pass the pauper home, as it was then designated. If there were the least chance of an appeal instructions were given to tlie parish lawyer, and the cou- seqiient proceedings and costs followed. So many such cases were in those days fought tha^ I have heard from my immediate predecessors in the practice which I now carry on that in a comparatively small parish like lleigate (as it was then) -appeals used to be entered at every quarter sessions or " entered and respited" by the ''score," and I can readily put my hand upon huge old t>undles of half-guinea motion papers on which the name of an emineat ex-Lord Chancellor (now living) is " endorsed" — to move and respite " half a guinea." And it is upon record that in a decision upon tlie knotty point whether an agricultural indoor servant, hired by the year, resided ia one parish or the other (where the boundary line dividing the respective parishes happened to go through the bed-room of the pauper) cost the losing parish, on the appeal, something approaching the sum of ^20U ! the court ultimately coming to the decision that the pauper resided and slept for forty days in the parish in which his head rested and not in the parish where his body lay. I think those who complain at the ex- pen-^es connected witli appeals had former! y some real ground. But all this is very much narrowed and altered now : appeals are, comparatively speaking, few, especially in country unions ; and before I conclude I shall have a suggestion or two to make upon the question ol how these expenses may he reduced. Prior, however, to doing this, let us take a retrospective glance (and it shall be merely a glance) at the Law of Settlement and Removal, that being the subject set down for discussion. Up to the 39th year of Elizabeth, the Poor-law was a va- grant law, hut in the 30th year of that reign there was an Act for the R lief of the Poor, another for vagrants, and a third for erecting liospitals and abiding houses for the poor, as they were called, and that distinction has been kept np ever since. The 't3rd of Elizabeth recognised the right of the poor iu a state of destitution to relief, and all the laws that refer to ettlements assume that a destitute person has a right to relief, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. i6l Imt 111 it tlie Sii\fe lias the ri>;Iit to control (he mode of giving it. A'though tliis Statute, 13 Elizalietli, cap 2, crn-ite'l the, system of parocliial relief, jet the Statute 13 aud It Charles 2, c. 12, was the first statute that fully recog'iised the existeucc of settlements hy birtli, pareutage, marriage, and renting a ti'u-ini'ut, and authorised tho warraut of removal, and subse- quent Acts (especially 3rd William and Mary, cap. 11) created 01 her heads of settlemeuc, such as payrueut of rates, Serving a parochial office, &c. (which latter iiead was a'lolislieJ, however, m 183 1), and the common Ihw of tie ImJ gave another liead — viz., "Estate." " For this reason," says Mr. Lunaley, " that as an owner of an estate could not be removed from it without a violation of the rights of property, he consequently became ' scflled/ in the parish wiiere it was situated." I need not iiere further refer to the settlement obtained by women on marriage, nor assert that children follow the settlement of the parents where it can be ascertained, but cou'.ent myself with observing that the loUowing are the heads of settlement as at present exist- ing— viz.: 1, Birth; 3, Parentage; 3, Marriage (as before observed) ; 4, Apprenticeship (except as relates to sea ser- vine) ; 5, Renting a tenement with payment of parochial rates, &o.; 6, Estate. Thus it will be seen that the whole of tiiese settlements are connected with a parochial residence for a teira (except the settlenie.Qt by birth), and my suggestions hereafter will be based somewhat upon this " status." 1 must iio<.v notice the statutes creating irremovability — viz , 9 and 10 Vic, cap. CG ; 21< and 35 Vic, cap. 55 ; 28 and 29 Vic, cap. 79, which enacted first, the five years residence, then three years, and, ultimately, one year, as a bar to re- moval subject to three provisos therein respectively contained. The poor are very a.pt to render this irremovability as con- ferrilig upon them a settle me id ; but it must be observed that it does not have such effect. It only prevents a warrant being issued for their removal unless they break their resi- dence ; but, as I shall presently submit, why should not this notion become the absolute law, and thus get rid of compli- cations arising from the questions in connection with deriva- tive settlements ? The hardship of the Act of Removal is, therefore, now pretty much limited ; but 1 do not mean to imply that cases of hardship do not ever arise, like the Bir- mingliara tailor's case; but, as Mr. Justice Lush therein observed, "Cases of harJs'dp will arise, however Acts of Varliaraent may be framed." The instance recorded by IMr. Luinley in his evidence taken by the select committee of the House of Commons in 18i7, of a man and his wife being removed five or six times before they found a settlement, is not now likely to occur. The present position of the law iTiay, therefore, be summed up as follows : The place of birth if: prima facie the place of settlement of a pauper ; but, as is Well known, this does not take effect where a subsequent set- tlement lias arisen under any of the heads I have enumerated, as he must, in fact, be rem ived to his last-acquired place of settlement; but if the pauper had not acquired a settlement in his own right, and the settlement of his father should be known, or, failing that, the settlement of his paternal ancestors, then either of these will supercede the pauper's " birth" set- tlement. Failing these, recourse must be had to the mother's settlement; but, notwithstanding, where by the statutes quoted there has been a residence in the parish of one year con- tinuously without relief, a warraut cannot be issued for the removal of such pauper at all. With this slight reference to the Law of Settlement .and Removal I will be content, and, as conciseness upon these occasions is much desired, will ^o at oucG to the real question to be discussed, and which, I apprehend, is — 1, Whether the Law of Settlement and Re- moval should remain as it is; or, 2, Whether it should be repealed ; or, 3, Whether it is capable of alteration, and, if 60, to what extent it should be amended. 1. With regard to the first, as to letting matters remain " as they were," 1 think I may safely say tiiat in this age of progress this is not desirable, and, thereto. e, I proceed to apply myself to the questions— Should the law in this respect be (1) repealed or (2) amended? 2. No doubt there would be but little troub'e in abolishing the Law of Settlement and consequent Removal altogether, but I must at the same tune ask those advocites of the repeal whether they are prepared for the inevitable consequences which must follow — viz., a nation"! settlement, which means a common fund through- out the country, wiUi a central board or some such orgaaisatiou, and thus the power of the guardians to control tho expenditure bo virtually extinguished ? I think this would be a retrograde movement, or step in the wrong direction. Self-government is now the order of the day. Look at our municipal institutions, highway boards, and new sani- tary boards, and 1 think the ratepayers would resist the injustice of any interference with their self-government and control of the expenditure of their poor-rates. I at once say (although, perhaps, I may be considered rather Conservative ill my notions) that I am not prepared for such a sweeping measure. It may seem an anomaly, but it is clear that the abolition of the Law of Settlement and Removal would not viriually do away with the " settlement," but would have a contrary effect — viz., to give to every pauper a *if//idence or labour. True, they should not be removed, nor are they if the relief be required temporarily or on accour t of sickness ; but when a man with his family is ««7«««c;///y a charge (and only after a shoit residence) on ratepayers who know but little of him or his antecedents, how in the nature of things can it be expected that such a hardship should remain unn dressed ? A considerable number of those removed by the Reigate Uuion were not of the hard-working, sober, and industrious poor, whose efforts to obtain the means of subsistence had been shat^ered by unforeseen circumstances, but of that class of persons against whom tiie penal statutes of Phihp and Mary, Elizabr-th, and James were directed, and for the dispersion (l be putting down) of whom in the county of Essex Lord lleuniker pays a high tribuie— I mean, vagrants. Kow, assuming that tiie laws were repealed, and these people, therefore, chargeable to some one union, would not the rate- payers soon discover the ua, which might often not be their real home ; showed the difficulties in the way of substituting an industrial settlement; and concluded by suggrstintt that the Law of Settlement had better be abrogated, which woulJ carry with it the abrogation of the power of removal, and leave men free to go where they would fur labour, iu accordance with the laws of supply and demand. The Right Hon. G. Sci.ater-Booth said : I desire to make what remarks I have to offer thus early because, assuming that a variety of arguments will be offered, I should not wish to pledge myself or the Government as to any course we may think proper to take. The question of removal, which has been so ably brought forward from two points of view, mixes itself up much with the ouestion of out-door relief. Of all the arguments which have been brought before me for the abolition of the Law of Removal none commends itself more to my mind than that if it were abolished yon would get rid of a most objectionable auomely — the administration of non-resident re- lief— and you would liave througl out the country a mire uniform system of sound principles in the administration of oul-door relief. This subject was brought forward by Mr. Lowndes at a conference which I attended Lst week at Shrews- bury, and I made there or.e or two remarks which, as they have been misreported, I will venture to repeat. This is a very favourable opportunity for gentlemen interested in these qu stions to come forward and discuss them — first, because the labour market is in a peculiarly satisfactory state ; and, secondly, because the mind ol the L 'gislature and of the loc.ii government bodies is directed very mneh to matters of this kind. At the present moment there are fewer paupers in the kingdom than there have been for the last eii;hteen yars, and tiiis reduction in the number of paupers is toierably uniform throughout the country. In only one county is there an in- crease as compared with last year, and that is in Monmouth- shire, arising from obvious reasons wiiicli wiJ occur to you ail. The average amount now raised for tlie reliif of the poor may be taken at Is. 4d. in the pound. Now, I think that this satisfactory state of things is owing in a gieat degree to the fact that there is an active demand for 1 ibour, and that wages are high ; but it is also attiibutable in no small degree to the reaction whicii has happily set in against the lax administration of out-door relief, which came to its culminating point seven THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 45' or ei^lit yfisrs ngo: TliP conscirnne of statosmen was sliocked by seeing llio extent to wliich that evil had pone ; ihe feelings of fhe ratpiwyer?, aroused in consequence nf tiie losses tliey sustained, were directed to tlie sime suhject ; itnd about tlie s^me period c onierences of fjor-law |rnArdiiiiis were established Irum which, I believe, those who attended tiiem departed feeling themselves more or h'ss plcilged to set to work to try Sfiul iir.prove tl-e condition of things. 1 reineniber, with satis- feciion, that it was my good fortune to preside at the first meeting of this particular association in IS'i 1. Simultaneously with tiiose elforts of the public the department over which I liave now the honour to preside issued an admirable circular to tlie inspectors of the different districts, stating the alarm and anxiety with which they viewed the excessive amount to which out-door relief liad risen, and desiring the inspectors to bring to the notice of the various boards of guardi:ins within their districts any suggestions which would have the effect of remedying that state of thinjs. All those causes combined have, I believe, produced in the country not only % greater knowledge of right principles in reference to this matter, hut also a determination to act upon those jirin- ciples. Now, the question vfhich liss been brought before us to-day — and I am glr.,d it has been treated from the two' opposite points of view — 'Mr. C. Morrison having indicated the views of those who do not desire tlie total abolition of the Law of Settlement, whilst Mr. Chute h-is advocated the ahro- gition of the law entirely — is a very important one, and I can assure the meeting it has been under my careful consideration for many months past. I took the opportunity iu the early part of last year to direct the attention of all the local government i'lspectors to the question, and 1 have received excellent re[ii)ris from them, setting forth their own opinions, and, in jna ly instances, the collected opinions of the guardians and their clerks. I will not conceal from you the fact that tiiere is a vast amount of opinion tending towards the abolitiort of the Law of Settlement. At the same time, let us remember that it is very easy to say that that law should be abolished, but that it is the duty of statesmen to consider to what extent tlie abolition of such a law would go, what kind of a change it w(iuld make in the condition of the people, and what other lateral results are to be anticipated. My friend. Lord Hen- niker, who made an exhaustive speech on this question in the H'luse of Lords not long ago, plumed himself on the fact that he did not touch the Irish and Scotch difliculty ; but any gen- tfeman who has considered the suhjeet at all must know that the Irish and Scotch difliculty makes all the ditfereace in the state of things. I do not say it is an insuperable dilHculty, but I do say that simple abolition without regard to that diffi- culty is impossible, and if regird be had to that dilfnulty it will lead you into very long and very comp'icited considera- tions. You would have to consider the peculiarities of the law both in Scotland and Ireland, and it will be impossible to abolish the Laws of Settlement iu England without entirely recastiuiT that of those two countries. From that point of view alone the question is a large and dilHcult one for a statesman to take in hand. It is generally considered that the practice of removal is observed to only a very small extent at the present time. That is so in many unions, hut 1 find, from a return which is in course of preparation — having been moved for by Lord llenniker — so far as that return at present goes ("xcluding twelve unions from which tbere are no returns, and some of which, as St. Pancras, Great Yarmouth, and Stoke- lipun-Treut are exceedingly important), that iu the year ending March, 1875, there were 4,605 paupers removed by order of justices, and 1,713 removed by consent. Therefore we may fairly assume, taking in'o account the unions which ) ave not yet sent in their returns, that not less than 8,000 perso s havj been affected by the law of removal during the year ending the 25tli March last. That, I venture to say, is a much greater number than most persons would have expected. It is exceedingly probable, indeed most likely, that out of that number tliere have been some hard cases. On the other hand, it must not be assumed that the whole 8,000 were hard cases, because if they hale.'s admirah'e: introduction to the reporis on I'oor-law 11 lief abroaii) : "Tiie- 4G4 THE FARMER'S MAGAZIITE. droad of poverty," sajs the Cunnt, "is diminished; and he who is half poor works less instead of more. Those wlio are young and capahle of labour are less econoraioal, elways liaviug; the poor-rales in view as a resource acTHinst want. Likewise n arriages are contract(d with much less forethonpht or cotsideiatioH as to consequences." In England the evil i f early improvident msrriages is one which has been laffjt'y fostered by a faulty administration of the Poor-law, and it is still a serious obstacle to the success of pn v'Jent socieii s. Mr. Doye, in ano'.lier p'ace, quotes Dr. Ulrik, one of the medical officers of Copenhagen, who says, " The iudiscrimiuate grant of medical help has had tlie notcrious effect of dif- couraging the development of sick clubs, and })ro fciilo of repressing the growth of provident habits, independence, and self-respect among the labouring classes." If time permitfrd much simi ar evidence might be quoted to show that the experience of other countries in the administration of poor rilief IS much the same as in England. Human nature, in fact, is pretty much the same everywhere. The easier tlie relief, the greater tlie improvidence, and the harder the task of establishing provident societies. It is a social law operating in every class, and not, therefore, to be deemed iu any special sense tlie opprobrium of any class. It people are sure of being helped they will often be kept from helping them- selves, and this remark holds good whether, ponr- relief comes, as in England, from public sources, or, as in Prance or Belgium, mainly from private sources. One remark, in passing, may be made upon the relief of the poor across the Clianoel. We are accustomed to hear much about the extreme thriftiness of the French poor. French peasants in the country and labou^rers in towns live and save upon what most Englishmen would think a miserable pittance. Some- times this extreme thriftiness is explained by the land system of France and by the prevalence of peasant holdings. But may it not he owing iu still larger measure to the fact that in France there is no Poor-law P Out of 37,000 communes in France only 13,000 possess b'lreaiix de hleiifa'isancc. Natu- rally, the 13,000 comprise the large centres of populdtiou ; but one-half of tiie population, scattered over two-thirds of the area of France, are without any regulated system of outdoor relieT, and are thrown upoutlieir own resources or upon casual inforinal relief, administered through hnrcanx de chiriie. About 5,00) communes appear to be without any charitabla organisation whatever. Another point noticed by Mr. Djylo in his introduction is " the very small am )unt of relief dis- tributed in individual cases" through the means of these insti- tutions. It is, he says, " a system of doles, just enough to pauperise without being enough to relieve," and he quotes from a French writer who says boldly that the poor would be no worse off without this most illusory relief. Mr. Hamilton estimates that the average of outdoor relief to each person not each head of family) in France is about 10s , and a simi- lar estimate mnde by a French gentleman in Boulo.ine gives a fraction more than 10s. as the average of relief per head given there. Tlius, though there will always be plenty of api licants for the smallest modicum of relief, the French poor can hardly trust to charity for substantial relief. I mention these facts because they seem to have a material bearing upon the ques'ion we are now considering. We have lately been told, on high authority, that the absence of a Poor-law has probably made revolution easy in France. Without discussing here the policy or impolicy of a Poor-law, it may, I think, be more easily shown that if the mass of the French labouring classes are thrifty and helpful, it is not so much because they are naturally more thrifty and helpful than the same class elsewhe'e, but because they are made so by the knowledge, transmitted from one generation to auother, that charity is precarious, and that, whatever their destitution, they must rely mafnly upon them- selves. On the other hand, what wonder if, among the English labouring class, improvidence has been encouraged and the progress of benelt societies is even in our owu time checked by the certaiuty of relief, and by the tradition, handed down for centuries, that the parish, alter all, is the best benefit club of the poor ? Is there, then, among us any considerable amount of preventable improvidence in the sense of winch we speak of preventable sickness and preventable mortality P Can we, in other words, directly or indirectly, through the adminis- tration of the Poor-law, or otherwise, lay stress upon the labouring class in this country to provide for sickness, death, and old age more generally than they now do, and to look lest to the parish .t" Dealing first with certain suggested indirect inducement:! to greater providence, I confess at once tliat lam unable to see any safe ground upon whicli tlie Local Guvcrn- nieiit Board can be asked to ignore, wholly or partially, the sick pay of members of provident societies, and authorise boards of guardians to distinguish between such members and oilier persons applying for relief. The gentlemen before me must be so familiar with the raiuutes issued by the Poor-law Board on this subject in ISiO, aud with the official letter written ou the same subject in 1S70, that it is unnecessary to repeat the lengthened arguments there adduced in support of this view. The Royal Commissioners upon Provident Societies, as you are aware, aftt r examining Mr. Stansfeld, Mr. Sotheron Estcourt, and many other gentlemen |of experi- ence upon the oflicial side of the question, and, hearing much evidence on the other side, adopted substantially the official view. It is, no doubt, to mmy persons, a disappoint- ment that the varying practice of Poor-law guardiins in the case of members of friendly societies cannot be reduced to one set lule of special favour to these members. But after can - fully reading the evidence, I cannot help coming to the coi - elusion that such favour, given by high official authority, wou'd be impolitic, and in the long run would not really tend to providence. The general practice, as you know, is for the guardians, in considering the resources of applicants who belong to friendly societies, to take into account one-half of the sick-pay. I think there is force in the objection that, under such a practice, as guardians cannot distinguish between the members of good and bad societies, they might thus be encouraging the worst kind of clubs — the dividing clubs, for example, which, almost avowedly, look to the rates for super- annuation allowances to the older men. Disguise it as you may, favour shown to the members of provident societies in the admiuistration of the Poor-law, is really, as the Royal Commissioners put it, " a system of State aid" to these mem- bers, and it is given "in a form which is open to the gravest objection, as it directly leads to the conclusion that poor relit f is the right of every one, and that destitution is not a neces- sary element in the claim to relief," "It should be remem- bered," the Commissioners add, " that the guardians have to deal simply with destitution, and have not to expend a chari- table fund ; aud the tendency of holding out such favours to members of friendly societies is to encourage men to insure for less than their real needs with a friendly society, and to count on poor relief to make up tlie sum required for their sup- port." There is a curious statement in the evidence on th s point showing that — in the Brixworth Union, I think — the firmness of the guardians in refusing to draw distinctions in favour of the members of provident societies soon led to an increased rate on contribution to their respective soci. ties by those members, so as to ensure themselves increased rates of sick and superannuation pay. "It cannot but be a mistake," the Commissioners continue, " to deceive people into supposing that they are not receiving r.^lief, when tliey are, iu point of fact, receiving it; ard to hold out as an inducement to them to join clubs a promise that they may thus become paupers on more favourable terms." On this point it is well to remember the evidence of Mr. Tidd Pratt before the Poor-liw Commi."^- sioners of 1840 — that provident societies were quite sensible of the frauds which would be committed if partial relief were allowed, aud had frequently adopted the rule, not only pro- viding that no member should belong to any other society at the same time, but also refusing any grant to members ii receipt of parochial relief. Another sugge-ted mode of indirect compulsion is that Poor law guardians should advance relief in sickness to non-members of friendly societies only by way of loan. Among agricultural labourers I fear that the loan system is impracticable, and would make life hopeless by the load of debt imposed upon persons thus relieved. In the towns, where higher wages are paid, and often improvidently spent, the same system might, perhaps, be tried with advantage, and the guardians seem to posses ample legal powers for tlie re- covery of any money thus advanced. Then comes the tog- gestion that out-door relief should be given to membeis of a friendly society, and absolutely refused to non-members. It may be sometimes possible iu this and other ways for jiuar- dians to show their appreciation of provident efforts and puuisli improvidence. But there is always the danger, already men- tioned, of being tempted gradually to draw distinctions at variance with the principle of poor relief, which ought not in strict justice to ignore sick-pay any more than other kinds of realised property. There is also tlie furllier question whether THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 46 .J you can all at once rigidly apply the workhouse test i \ tlie cases here iiidirnted. No doiiht tiio present lavish administration of out-door relief injures all provident societies. It is now cummon enougli in fome dis- tricts to find the union workhouse mainly an a-yluin for the aged and iulirm, and for children, while out-relief is given upon tiie E berfeld principle, without any of tiie Elber- feld guarantees f ir thorougli examination into such applica- tion. Yet tl'oi gli this suggests a rigid workhouse test, we cannot break a'l at once with okl traditions, even though they may be bad one . If we did so the labourers in rural districts would regard it a an act of retaliation for strikes or union a^i a'ion ; but, vvliat is of greater importance, public opinion would not sanction the adoption of any such hard-and-fast rule. I pass now, in tliis necessarily liasty summary, from m-tiiods of indirect to methods of direct compulsion. H'^re we may look with advantage to the prai'tice of some foreign nations. The Bavarian Poor-law of 1869 e.upowers tlie communal authorities to require workmen a id labourers to pay a regular contribution towards a sick fund, in return for which tlie contributors acquire a right to hospital assistance. By the same law large enpiojers of labour may be called upon by the Poor Relief C juncil to provide for assistance to their work-people in case of sickness, and sulIi employers may then establish in their manufactories a special sick fund, and require their work- people to contribute towards it. In Austria large employers are also required to create an assistance fund, or provident sjciety, to whicli the workmen must contribute, and it appears that in authorising joint-stock associations of an industrial c laracter one of the conditions is the establishment of pro- vident societies in connection with them. Throughout the wliole of Nortli Germany the artisans and a large proportion of tiie labouring classes lu towns are required, both by local and general laws, to subscribe to sick and death funds, and breaclies of tiie law are enforced bj fine, or, if need be, by imprison- ment. In considering the working of the Elberfeld system, which, as you know, is one of out-door relief, administered by a small army of well-drilled amateur visitors, we must not forget that poor relief is simplified and the duty of self-help is to this extent enforced by law upon the working classes there. In some parts of Germany even domestic servants are forced to subscribe to provident clubs, thongli agricultural labourers do not appear to be under this obligation. The masters are bound by liw to deduct the fortnightly subscriptions from the workmen's wages, and in some parts of Germany — Saxony and Prussa, for instance — are forced bylaw to subscribe to the workmen's clubs, to the amounts sometimes of one-half the workmen's subscriptions. I am quoting now from the evidence of Mr. Crowe, the District Consul General in Saxony, who is of opinion that these compulsory payments by masters and men do not a£f -ct wages. In England the system of compul- sory insurance is not entirely strange to us — for example, in the Indian Civil Service ; and, though workmen are not forced into provident societies by either general or local law, there are, as you know, certain companies and large employers who, as a condition of their service, require that tiieir work- people should subscribe to special sick and benefit e'ubs in connection with the works. Thus the South-Western Ilailway Company have a fiiendly society for sickness, deaths, and superannuation, with over 3,000 members, membership being compulsory upon all tiie company's workpeople in the traffic department. The railway company deduct sub^criptions fort- niglitiv from the wages of all weekly servants, and assist the funds by an annual contribution of £600, which more than covers management expenses. In this and in other cases you have the German system practically carried out without State intervention, the obvious result being that the workpeople are taught, and are, indeed, made, to help themselves without relying on the rates. I think that other employers, whether large or small, in town or in country, might do something in this way to develope self-respect among their servants and keep tliem off the parish in sickness and old age. We must not look for State intervention in this matter. But here, in this county, where you have a most successful county club, why should not employers, farmers, or others, say, especially wl en taking on a young hand — " I make it a condition of my service that you should subscribe to the County Provident Society, or some other sound club, and that you should authorise me to deduct your subscription from your wages." One diliiculty in the way of provident societies is the necessity of employing agents to collect members' subscriptions. The system of deduction from wages would reuder colleitora uiinpeessary. No doubt it is open to objection. The masters would not want to be troubled ; the men would object to any form of compulsion ; but here it would be compulsion voluntarily submitted to, imposed in the men's own interest, and leading to the discharge of an obvious duty. It is true that providence is equally the duty of other classes upon whom it cannot be enforced ; but we are now speaking of a class large numbers of whom, through tlie want of fore- thought and providence, fall to be suiiported under the Poor-law by the public contributions of their neighbours. Of course in this or any measures taken to keep men from the demoralisation of poor relief by means of benefit societies, we must trust chiefly to the growth of self-respect and a feeling of honourable iude|ieudcnce among the labouring class them- selves ; and for the develojiment of suth a feeling we must look to education. Education is a gradual and not an heroic remedy for pauperism and improvidence, but, though slow, I cannot help tliinkiug it the surest and safest remedy. Tim iloyal Commissioners upon Friendly Societies, in their ela- borate and most valuable report, speak of " the increasing dis- position of the labouring class to throw themselves upon the rates," and they add that a feeling of independence exis-ls north of the Trent, but to a very sligt extent among the labour- ing classes in the southern counties. I am aware that this statement is based upon answers to questions sent to boards of guardians, who speak with authority upon such a question. But I cannot help thinking that in the face of the diminishing pauperism mentioned to-day by ilr. Sclater-Booth, and in thu face of the vast and prai.veworthy efforts made by the working classes in their provident societies, the statement just quoted is too sweeping. Poor-law guardians must not speak lightly of the self-sacrifice shown in tiie estabhshment of friendly societies, vhi;h number five millions of members, and are said to save to the ratepayers £2,000,000 a year. Probably this "increi. sing disposition" to come upon the rates applies to a limited c'.ass, and a class already partially pauperised. For these persons there must, as your chairman has already said, be greater stringency in administering Poor-law relief. At present such persons take deliberate advantage of the prin- ciple of our Poor-law — that every n-^cessitous person is entitled to relief, whatever his improvidence, and however recklessly he may have neglected all opportuuies of saving. If it be t'^e duty of the State, as it is, even to relieve destitution so caused, the State, on the other hand, has an urdoubted nghl to protect society by imposing strict tests of destitution. The growth of friendly societies as a secure basis and the rise in wages now rendi r improvidence all the less excusable. A young labouring man just beginning life in the receipt of weekly wages must be exceptionally placed if he cannot, by moderate sacrifice and self-restraint, assure himself again^t sickness and provide a small superannuation allowance in old age. Such a man, at all events, should be warned by em- ployers and by his own class-leaders that he must not look forward to out-door relief.^ He must learn, too, that, as pro- vidence is a virtue, so virtue in rhis, as in other cases, must be its own rewards and that when he claims independence, and often properly claims i", in other social relations he must also show the honourable ludependeuce wliich regards State relief as a degradation. Now, is this a hard saying ? State relief to the poor is a somewhat loose term. Poor relief is, in fact (as our chairman has said), contributed by ratepayers, a large proportion of whom have, perhaps, worked harder, have been more frugal, temperate, and self-denying, and yet now are hardly less poor than the very paupers whom they help to support. The fact cannot be too strongly kept before the working classes themselves, and from this point of view severe scrutiny by the guardians, and care lest, in relieviiig destitu- tion, they should encourage piaperism, becomes an imperative duty. The future of provident societies is certain if ratepayers, rate receivers, and rate administrators can be impressed with tills view of the Poor-law, which, often as it has been urged, can hardly be urtced too frequently. Meuical Clubs. — Mr. Hemsted, medical ofScer (Whit- church), read the last paper, as follows : The subject I am about to introduce to your notice to-day is one so closely con- nected with pauperism, or rather lis deeline, that it cannot fail to be worthy of a short discussion at tliis meeting. It is entitled "Medical Clubs," and, in order to be discussed, it requires to be considered in its rclaliuu to the admiuistratioa 453 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. of Poor-law rcl'ef. It will be generally granted, I infor, tint in tlic- majority of iostaiices the first step towards pauperism Jias been, ami is, the obtaioing of medical relief; or, in other words, applying to the parish doctor, which leads to the tact of getting tlie name upon the parisli book or medical relief list ijf the doctor. It is a popular idea that the parish is bouud to tind a doctor for the poor ; and hence the doctor is claimed as a right by nearly all the labouring classes, without respect to ■wages or family. It may be worth inquiring how this s-tale of tilings has been brought into existence? and we may look at it under two heads — the Poor-law, and tlie Poor-law medic^il officers. 1. Tlie Poor-law provides for the medical attendance of the paupers or persons in receipt of parochial relief, and any destiluie person, or person in urgent necessity, to whom an order may be given by the Board of Guardians or otlier authority. The medical officer is paid in some instances, 1 bt'lieve, at a fixed rate per case, but more generally by a fixed salary witli certain extra fees. This latter plan, though d.-si- rable on many grounds, has, no doubt, led to the iuuiacrnni- nate giving of orders for the doctor when no other relief is applied for, and the parties cannot be considered to he destitute. In many instances the order has been given by an ofllcer between the board days, and no confirmation or refusal of the .same has been made by the board. There is no doubt that every a.pplication for medical relief should be broufjht before the guardians for their consideration. The order having been obtained the name is placed on the medical relief book of the doctor, and the person becomes, to all intents and purposes, a pauper, applies to the doctor for every member of his family in all trivial ailments, and thus the thin end of the wedge is got in for the obtaining of further relief. Again, we see anollier familar case in which a person applies for relief, and the cpirs- tion is asked, " Is he on the doctor's list?" Tiiis tends to the perpetual application to the doctor by a certain class of persons, who believe that it is necesi-ary always to be ou tlie doctor's hook to facilitate their obtaining other relief. 2. Tlie medical officers themselves have played a part ia the crea'iou of paupers — not intentionally, but from their almost universil Lindly feeling to a class of the community whom they have felt were not in a position to pay for their services, and they liave accepted tliem as a part of their charge without requiring the production of an order till their services liave bcj^ome claimed as a right, and the recipients liave abandoned all idea of making provision for tlieinselvi s. With this state of things in existence what is the remedy? 1 would say decidedly the encouragement of medical clubs, through wliich poor persons and labourers shall be able by the payment of a small sura to obtain for themselves and families that attendance which they need, witiiout losing the spirit of independence and self-maiuteiiauce which ou^ht to exist; and ■under the term medical clubs I would include all these societies which provide a doctor for their members. Not many years back only meu were considered eligible to these benefits, but I am glad to say that an improvement has taken place in many districts b> the admissiou of women and children, and thus j provident parents are able to make a provision for llieir vtlmlc? family without encouraging them to be dependent on the rate- payers, and so perpetuate a spirit of pauperism. 1 hold in my hand a scheme of a specially medical ehib, which I may add, h^sufs, and many of the most interesting phjsiologieul observations had beeu made and were still made npou the tissues of an animal recently killed. Having illustrated by a number of interesting expe- riments the action of muscles and tissues of animals after death, and exliibited a number of other physiolugical pheno- mena, Professor Gamgee, in conclusion, said he would take it for granted, after his exposition of a few of the discoveries wliicli had been made by moderL hysiologists, that his hearers would willingly admit thai hey were possessed of great interest. Some no doubt woula feel iucliued to ask at what cost of animal life and sulfering those results had been obtained, and some would urge thntthe discovery of a scientific fact at the expense of animal sulfering was not to be justified because inconsistent with the highest morality ; and not a few, taking up a move moderate position, would assert that the performance of those experiments only was justifiable of which the immediate results were to alleviate jiain or prolong the life of man. As a scientific man, and not merely a physio- logist, he naturally affirmed that the discovery of the truth and the secrets of animal organism was a very liigh object, worthy of pursuit, and absolutely needful to man in connection with those pliilosophical studies which had always been considered to afford the greatest play for the human faculties. If in- creased energy and the store of health laid up, as it were, for future use, and afterwards to be employed by hard-worked men for tlie public good, justified the fear, pain, and it might be lingering death agony of the hunted fox or wounded bird, surely we should be inconsistent if we denied the rij;ht of man to employ with thoughtfulness and consciousness the bodies of animals for the purpose of acquiring new truths which the experiments of the past had abundantly shown were certain sooner or later to prove of actual service to sulfer- ing liumauity. In point of fact, the pursuit of physiology was not necessarily associated with the iullictiou of pain. Actually there were feir experiments which could not be per- formed under circumstances of insensibility to pain, andthe>e few were in the sight of most men at any rate, justified by the knowledge which they imparted to man. He believed that as yet we could form but the most imperfect estimate of the services which medicine was destined to render. Ni^tional medicine must be not only interwoven with, but actually based upon a perfectly accurate knowledge of physiology, and for that reason he would argue very strongly iu favour of a continuance of that method of investigation by competent scientific men wliich had already yielded such good' fruits. Those who had tried to iiilluence the popular mind by the rccitcitiuu of the horrois of vivisection hid led to the imprc;:- 433 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. sloa tliat experi i.ents were frequently performed by large numbers oi persons oa i iag auiinals ; but as one convinced of its uti ity he regretted to say that unfor- tunately very few persous had within recent times devoted themselves to the study of experimental phy- siology in England. A reaction had, however, fortunately set in. Neither lie nor any other physiologist would pertorni a painful experiment from any but the most conscientious motives, and he would have the law step in to prevent many of the cruelties, or, at any rate, hardships, wiiich dumb creatures destined 'or our service were made to undergo ; and he would also place restrictions upon experiments upon animals which should prevent their being made by any but competent persons, and for other than the highest motivBS;- At the same time he would make an appeal that, for the sake of suffering humanity, no hindrance should be phiced in the way of tliose who devoti d themselves to the discovery of scientific truth. He was convinced that the report of the Commission on Vivisection, before which he was examined a few days ago, would he of a nature to thoroughly abolish all those fears and apprehensions which had arisen in the public mind, and tlie Commissioners would show that tlie statements- which had been mtide could not be borne out by fact. He believed that his continental brethren had been greatly maligned with regard to their investigations in experimental physiology. HOOT The roots were of coarse growa from seed supplied by tlie firm holding the show. Notwithstanding the recent attack on prize roots by Dr. Voelcker at the Farmers' Club, the entries were very strong at most of these meetings, where it is to be hoped mere size will for the future be put aside, and the judges' awards depend altogether upon quality and properties really of value to the farmer. These gatherings afford an agreeable opening for an interchange of compliments between the great seed merchants and their customers ; but to give p lint to such displays, there should be a Champion RjotShow, held say in London, under the direction of the S.nithfield Club, when the different firms should in each class be confined to a couple of their previous prize entries, aid the judges not have acted at any other show during tlie season. SUTTON'S ROYAL, At Reabing, on November 2 0. There were 820 entries. The exhibitors include Her Majesty the Queen, the Duke of Portland, the Duke of Sutherland, the Marquis of Ailesbury, the Marquis of Bristol, the Earl of Warwick, the Earl of Harrington, Lord Calthorpe, Lord Camoys, Lord A. Hill, the Hon. E. Caveudish, the Hon. and Rev. R. Meade, the Hon. Mrs. Hay, Admiral Sir G. N. Brooke Middleton, Bart., M.P., Sir D. Gooch, Bart., M.P., Sir H. W. Dashwood, Bart., Sir Paul Hunter, Bart., Sir John Rose, Bart., General Butler, Colonel Kingscote, V.C., M.P., Colonel Peel, Colonel Lane, Colonel Jones, Major Porter, Major Clifton, Major AUfrey, Professor Buckman, Messrs. H. Allsopp, M.P., E. Herraon, M.P., John Walter, M.P., W. Bolckow, M.P., and others. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES. — W. Briginshaw, her Majesty's Royal Bagshot Park Farm ; H. Scott Hayward, Frocester Court, Stone- house ; J. Wriglitsou, Eoyal Agricultural College, Ciren- cester; H. Simmons, Bearwood; — Daniels, Swyncombe ; — Lees, Wilderness, 'Whiteknight's. ROOTS BROWN WITHOUT SEWAGE CULTIVATION, Eighteen swedes. — First prize, 10 gs., H. Allsopp, M.P., Hindlip Court ; second, 5 gs., the Duke of Portland, Clipstone Park; third, 3 gs., W. D. Strange, Aldermaston ; fourth, 3 gs., T. C. Garth, Haines Hill ; fifth, 1 g., E. M. Major Lucas, llowshara. Three heaviest Champion swedes. — First prize, 3 gs., H. Allsopp, M.P. ; second, 1 g., A. H. Johnson, Gunnersbury ; third, IDs. 6d., J. Moore. Twelve Mammoth Long Red mangel. — First prize, 5 gs., G. Bishop, Baughurst; second, 3 gs.. Admiral Sir G. N. B. Mid- dleton, B irt. ; third, 2 gs. Easthampstead Union, Bracknell ; fourth, £1 10s., J. Fall, Burbage; fifth, £1, A. M. Robinson, Shirley Lodge, Milton. Tliree heaviest Mammoth Long Red mangels. — First prize, 3 gs.. Admiral Sir G. N. B. Jliddleton, Bart.; second, 2 gs., Hon. Mrs. Hay, Clyffe Hall; third, 1 g., A. Pocock, Stanford Park. snow s. Twelve Yellow Globe mangels. — First prize, 5 gs., Admiral Sir G. N. B. Middleton, Bart; second, 3 gs., G. Jenner ; third, 2 gs., R. W. Hall Dare, Rdnliam ; fourth, £1 10s., Sir J. Michel, Dewlish House, Dorchester; fifth, £1, G. Butler. Three heavieat Yellow Globe mangels. — First prize, 3 gs,,. Hon. Mrs. Hay; second, 2 gs., Sir P. Hunter, Bdrt., Mor- timer ; third, I'g., J. Fall. Twelve Yellow Intermediate mangels-. — First prize, 5 gs., Hon. Mrs. Hay ; second, 3 gs., J. Fall ; third, 2 gs., R. W. Hall Dare ; fourtli, £1 10s., Easthampstead Union ; fli'th, £1, R. B. Blyth. Twelve New Golden Tankard mangels. — First prize, 5 g<-.,, G. Jenner ; second, 3 gs., J. Messenger; third, 2 gs., W. L. Beale ; fourth, £1 10s., J. Fall ; filth, £1, J. Tagg. Three heaviest New Golden Tankard mangel. — First prize, 3 gs., Hon. Mrs. Hay ; second, 3 gs., W. L. Beale ; third, 1 g., J. Messenger, Twelve New Oxlieart Yellow Globe mangel. — First prize, 5 gs., Hon. Mrs. Hay ; second, 3 gs., Sir H. Dashwood, Bart. ;. third, 2 gi., G. Jenner; fourth, £1 10s., J. Messenger; fifth, £1, E. Bolitho, Penzance. Twelve mangels, any variety, not including those mentioned in previous classes. — First prize, 3 gs., J. Fall (Lonfc Yellow) ;, second, 2 gs., G. W. Hillyard ; third, 1 g., W, L. Beale. Twelve Imperial Green Globe turnips. — First prize, Ml 10s., J. Bullord, Hordley; second, £1, J. Fall; third, 15s., R. Webb, B^enham ; 4th, lOs., W. Bullen, Weyford. Twelve White Globe turnips. — First prize, £1 10.^;., W. L. Beale; second, £1, Mrs. Colclough, Tiutern Abbey ; third, 15s., J. Samp-on, Yeovil ; fourth, 10s., R. Webb. Twelve I'urple-top Mammoth turnips. — Firat prize, £1 lOs., J. Bulford; second, £1, J. Guy, Bowden; third, 15s., W. Sainsbury, Hunt's House, Lavington ; fourth, 10s., T. C. Garth. Twelve Greystone turnips. — First prize, £1 10s., Major Allfrey; second, £1, J. Barrett, Salford; third, 15s., J. Sampson; fourth, 10s., G. H Hillyard, Hanwell. Twelve red Paragon turnips. — First prize, £1 lOs., R. H. Betteridgft, Milton; second, £1, J. Sampson; third, 15s., R. Webb ; fourth, 10s., the Duke of Portland. Twelve Yellow-fleshed turnips, any round variety. — First prize, £1, T. L. M. Cartwright ; second, 15s., W. Harvey^ Frogmore Farm, Ashprington, Tutues ; third, 10s., W. L, Beale ; fourth, 5s., R. Webb. Twelve Tankard turnips, any variety. — First prize, £1, Sir P. Hunter ; second, 15s., J. Sampson ; third, 10s., Major AUfrey ; fourth, 5s., J. Barrett. Twelve Improved Green kohl rabi.— First prize, £1 10s , G. W. Hillyard ; second, £1, J. L. Ensor, Semer ; third, 15 », E. J. Tatham, Holbeach ; fourth, lOs., T. C. Garth. Six Improved Purple kohl rabi. — First prize, £1 Is., G. W. Hillyard ; second, 10s. 6d., G. Jenner. Three heaviest Drumhead cabb.ages. — First prize, 3 gs^ Earl of Harrington, Elvaston Castle; second, 2 gs., G. W. Hill- yard; third, 1 g.. Sir P. Hunter; fourth, 10s, 6d., Mr, Overton, Binficld. Twelve white carrots, any variety. — First prize, 1 g.. Marquis of Ailesbury ; second, 10s. 6d., Hon. Mrs. Hay ; third, 5s., M. Tagg. Twelve red carrots, any variety. — First prize, 1 g., The Duke of Portland; second, 10s. Gd., Hon. Mrs. Hay; third, 53. G. lUyment. THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 469 rillZKS rOR ROOTS CUOWN AVITU SEWAGE CULTIVATION ONLy. Twelve spncimens Mammoth Long Red mangel. — First prize, 5 gs., Warwick Sewage i'drin ; second, 3 gs., Uanbury SewHge Farm. Twelve specimens New O.^lieart Yellow Globe mangel. — First prize, 5 gs., Eton Sewage Farm ; second, 3 gs., Banbury Sewage Farm. Extra prize, twelve greea Kohl-rabi, Eton Sewage Farm. Twelve Gulden Tankard or Yellow Intermediate mangels. — Fiist prize, 5 gs., Banbury Sewage Farm ; second, 3 gs., Crntral London District School. There were commendalions iu several classes. VEGETABLES AND POTATOES. Collection of potatoes, twelve dishes of distinct kinds, twelve tubers to comprise a dish. — First prize, 5 gs., J. Walter, M.P., Bearwood ; second, 1 g., J. Baker. Kedskin Flourball potatoes.— First prize, £1, the Duke of Sutherland; second, 10s., E. G. Ashwell. Twenty-four hundredfold Fluke potatoes. — Fir.st prize, £1, J. Brown; second, 10s., Mr. Hawley ; third, Ss., J. Work nr. an. Collection of vegetables (twelve distinct kinds). — First prize, 5 gs., J. Walter, M.P. ; second, 1 gs., Blajor Thoyts. Extra Prize, 10s. 6d., F. Baker. Twelve Improved Reading onions. — First prize, £1, J. Baker; second, 15s., Reading Union; third, lOsi, G. W. Uillyard ; fourth, 5s., Hon. Mrs. Hay. Offered by Morris and Griffin, for twelve Purple-top swede ( ny varety), and twelve Globe or Intermediate mangels, grown with tlieir manure. — Prize, 5 gs., J. Field. Oifered by Mtssrs. Ohieudorff and Co., for twelve specimens ci" mangel wurzcl and twelve Champion swedes. — Prize, 5 gs., R. Webb. Offered by J. Gibbs and Co., for a collection of roots, con- sisting of nine Mamruoth Long Red mangels, nine Berkshirib Prize Globe or Yellow Intermediate mangels, and nine Champion swedes, grown with their manures. — Prize, 5 gs. Geo. Jenuer. Offered by Burnard, Lack, and Algar, for collection of riots, consisting of six Champion swedes, six iSIaramoth Long Red ni'ingels, and six Yellow Globe mangels, grown witii their manure. — Prize, 5 gs., 11. H. Farrer, Abiuger Hall. CARTER'S ROYAL, At Agricultural Hall, Islington, Nov. 18 and 19. There were about COO entries ; and amongst the ex- hibitors, beyond others mentioned in the prize list, II. M. the Queen, H. R. H. the Prince of Wales, H. R. H. Prince Christian, Lady Carbery, Captain Walters, Sir C. Lampson ; as well as the following sewage farms ; Romford, Warwick, Eton, Paris, Banbury, Wrex- ham, Crewe, West Derby, and Sutton. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES.— Swedes and Turnips: J. Brebner, her Ma- jesty's Norfolk Farm ; A. Blake, Heythrop Park Farm. Mangel, Koul-rabi, Carrots, Potatoes, and Onions : W, Briginshaw, her Majesty's Bagshot Park I'arm ; E. W. Booth, Trent Park Farm. E ghteen Roots of Hardy Swede.— First prize, £10 10s., W. Weevil; second, £5 5s., Mrs. Morten; third, £3 3s., Lord Warwick ; fourth, £2 2s., Sir C. Lampson ; fifth, £1 Is., J. E. Corkell. « Six Roots of largest and heaviest Hardy Swede. — First prize, £2 2s., Lord Warwick ; sfecond, £1 10s., G. Sharman j third, £1 Is., T. C. Garth. Eight Roots of Globe Mangel. — First prize, £5 5s., Mrs. Morten ; second, £3 38., Mr. Fereman ; third, £2 2s., T, Stevenson; fourth, £1 10s., Mr. Whitbourn ; fifth, £1, R. Cholraondeley. Three Roots of largest and heaviest G'obe Mangel.— First prize, £t 4s., Mrs. Morten ; second, £2 2s., Lord Warwick ; third, £1 Is., J. Taylor. Eight Roots of J\lammoth Long Red Mangel. — First prize, £5 5s., J. L. Ensor; second, £3 3s., Mrs. Morten ; third, £2 2s., Mr. Kent; fourth, £1 10s., Lord Warwick; fifth, £1, LaJy Carbery. Three Roots of largest and heaviest Long Red Mangel. — First prize, £4 4s., Mrs. Morten ; second, £2 2s., J. L. En-or; tliird, £1 Is., F. Pryer Eight Roots of Champion Intermediate Mangel. — First prize, £5 53., II. Cholmondeley ; second, £3 38., W. Kent; third, £3 2s., Lord Warwick; fourth, £1 lOs., J. Taylor; filth, £1, G. Kemp. Three Roots, largest and heaviest — First pnz", £3 3s , Mrs. Morten; second, £2 2s., J. Taylor; third, £1 Is., F. Pryer. Eight Roots of Yellow Tankard-shaped Mangel.— First prize, £3 3s., P. M'Kiulay ; second, £2 2s., Mrs. Morten ; tliird, £1 10s., J. L. Ensor. Eight Roots of Sandringhara Globe Mangel. — First prize, £3 3s., G. Kemp ; second, £2 2s., Mr. Barrett ; third, £1 10s., Lord Warwick. Eight Roots of Mangel, any variety. — First prize, £4 43. Mrs. Morten ; second, £3 3s., AV. Kent ; third, £2 2s., Lord Warwick. Twelve Roots of White Globe Turnips.— First prize, £3 2s., Mrs. Morten ; second, £1 10s., F. Hutt ; third, £1, Sir C. Lampson, Bart. Twelve Roots of Greystone Turnips. — First prize, £2 2$., Mr. Daintree ; second, £1 10s., T. E. Elgar. Twelve Roots of Red Lincolnshire or Paragon Turnips. — First prize, £2 2s., Mrs. Morten ; second, £1 10s., Mr. Barrett ; third, £1, Mr. Dean ; fourth, 10s., Mr. Jackman. Twelve Roots of Imperial Green Globe Turnips. — First prize, £2 2s., Mrs. Morten ; second, £1 10s., Mr. Barrett ; third, £1, R. R. Clayton ; fourth, 10s., W. Medcalf. Twelve Roots of Improved Purple-top Mammoth Turnips. — First prize, 12 2s„ Mrs. Morten ; second, £1 lOs., J. Hutt ; third, £1, T. E. Elgar ; fourth, 10s , Mr. Davis. Twelve Roots of Yellow-fleshed or Hybrid Turnip, any variety. — First and second prizes, £1 10s. and £1, Lord Warwick. Twelve Roots of Imperial Green Kohl Rabi.— First prize, £2 2s., M.-s. Morten ; second, £1 10s., J. L. Ensor ; third, 15s., Mr. How ; fourth, 7s. 6d., Mr. Smmders. Eight Roots of Mammoth Purple Kohl Rabi.— First prize, £1 10s., Mrs. Morten ; second, £1, E. Wilson. Eighteen Roots of White or Yellow Belgian Carrots. — First prize, £1 10s., 11. P. Truell ; second, 15s., Mr. Uarcourt ; third, 78. 6d., Lord Warwick. Eighteen Roots of Red Carrots, any variety.— First prize, £1 10s., H. P. Truell; second, ISs., Lord Warwick; third, 7s. 6d., Mr. Curtis. Collection of Potatoes, eighteen varieties. — First prize, £3 3s., P. M'Kinlay ; second, £2 23., R. Cholmondeley ; third, £1 Is., Right Hon. C. Nisbet-IIamiltou. Twenty Tubers of Improved Red Skin Flour Ball Potatoes. —First prize, £1 Is., J. F. Leith ; second, 10s. 6d., Mrs. Morten ; third, 6s., Mr. Osmau. Twenty Tubers of American Breadfruit Potato. — First prize, £1 Is., Mrs. Morten ; second, 10s. 6d., F. Pryer. Twelve Roots of Onions, Spring-sown, any variety. — First prize, £1 Is., Mrs. Morten ; second, lOs. 6d., R. Collins ; third, 53., J. F. Leith. Collection of Roots.— First prize, £5 5s., Lord Warwick ; second, £3 3s., Banbury Sewage Farm ; third, £2 2s., Eton Sewage Farm. Collection of Roots, open to the United Kingdom. — First prize, £5 5s., Mrs. Morten ; second, £3 Ss., J. Baker ; third, £2 2s., Lord Warwick. Twelve Roots of Hardy Swede and Mangel. — Prize, £5 5s., Mrs. Morten. WEBBS', At Wordsley, on November 19th. PRIZE LIST. Judges.— J. Brebner, Norfolk Farm, Windsor ; J. Checkettg Besford, Pershore ; J. Coxon, Freeford, Lichfield ; R. T lleatley, Eaton Grange, Market Drayton ; J. E. Stauier Uppington, Salop. roots. Twelve swedes.— First prize, 10 gs., J. Pritchard, Eudon. Twelve lieaviest swedes.— First prize, 5 gs., G. and J. Perry, Acton I'igott. 470 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Twelve Cjlonel Nm tli luangolJs. — First prize, 5 gs., Major Clic.liiioudfley, Condover. Twelve heuvieat ditto. — First prizp, 3 ss., T, M. Ilopkins, Wick. Twelve Clmmpioa Yellow Globe raaugolds. — Fiyst prize, 5 g8., G. and J. Perry. Twelve heaviest ditto — First prize, 2 gs., C. Tough, Eton- wick. Twelve JIammoth Long Red mangolds. — First prize, 5 gs., A. J. F'ord, Madelpy. Twelve iieaviest ditto. — First prize, 2 gs., F. Lythall, Off- church. Twelve Yrtllow luterraediute mangolds. — First prize, 3 gs., Earl of Warwick. Twelve Y''llow-(leslied Tankard mangolds. — First prize, 3 gs., Earl of Warwick. Twelve Imperial Green kohl-rabi. — First prize, 2 gs., G. and J. Perry. Twelve Sflec'ed Green Globe turnips. — First prize, 3 gs., J. Eurrows, Kiiigcombe. Twelve Improved Beef Heart turnips. — First prize, 3 gs., W. Choules, Badbury. Twelve Improved Grey Stone turnips. — Prize, 2 gs., E. Par- S )ns, Wheatliiil. Twelve Yellow Tankard turnips. — Pi ize, 2 gs., D. Eardley, Brand Farm. Twelve selected White Globe turnips. — Prize, 2 gs., W. Yates, Griudle. Twelve Purple-top Mammoth turnips. — Prize, 2 gs., G. German, Croxall Grange. Twelve carrots, while or yellow. — Prize, 1 g., Uake of Port- Imd, Clipstone Park. Twelve carrots, scarlet. — Prize, 1 s., Duke of Portland. Four Champiou cow cabbages. — Prize, 1 g., A. Parkes, The Hc.th. Twenty-four Red-skin Flour-ball potatoes. — Prize, 1 g., J. G. Bullock, Guarlford Court. Twenty-four Hundredfold Fluke potatoes. — Prize, 1 g,, T. Moxon, Easenliall. Twenty-four Paterscu's Victoria potatoes. — Prize, 1 g., J. Bradley and Co., Shut End. Twenty -four potatoes of any other variety. — Prize, 1 g., Lord AVmdsor, Ilewell Grange. Collection of potatoes. — Extra prize, 1 g.. Major Cholmon- deley, Condover. CERBALS. White wheat. — First prize, 1 g., J. Day, Pinvin. Sample bushel Kinver Chevalier barley. — First prize, 1 g, A.J. Ford.Madeley. Sample bushel Prolific Black Tartar oats. — First prize, 1 g., Marquis of Anglesey, Beau Desert. Sample bushel Challenge White oats. — First prize, 1 g., E. Davies, lluughtou. KOOT CROPS. Five acres of swedes. — A f-ilver cup or other plate, 10 g''., the Madeley Wood Colliery Company (.Manager, Mr. I. J. Fletcher), weight per acre, 31 tons 11 cwt. 1 qr. 20 lbs. ; second ditto, 5 gs., G. and J. Perry, Acton Pigott, weight per acre, 28 tons l-t cwt. 1 qr. ilbs. Special prize, 5 gs., Dr. Eardley, Brand Farm; weight per acre, 26 tons 13 cwt. 3 qrs. 211bs. Three acres of yellow Globe mangold. — Prize, 5 gs., R. Tanner, Frodeslt-y ; weight per acre, 36 tons 1 cwt. 1 qr. 20 lbs. Two acres of Long Red mangold. — Prize, 5 gs., G. and J. Perry ; weight per acre, 41 tons 5 cwt. 2 qrs. 24 lbs. KING'S, At Coggeshall, November 16. PRIZE LIST. Judges.— E. Catchpool, Peering Bury'; J. Moss Messing , and J. Baker, Stistt d. Champion Orange Glub-i wurzel. — Frst prize, silver cup value £5 5s., R. W. Hall D;we, Wennington ; second, £2 2s.,. J. Taylor, Soham, Cambridgesliire ; third, £1 Is., Rev. Canou Tarver, StisB*-d. Y'ellow Globe wurzel. — First prize, £2 2s., E, Wslford, Layer; second, £1 lO-s., Mr. Holton, Mount Bures ; third,- £1, Mr. Richardson, Terling. Long Red wurzel. — First prize, £1, B. and R. W. Dixon^ Wickliam ; second, 15s., E. Walford ; third, 10s., Mr. Harvey, Langenhoe. Long Yellow wurzel. — First prize, £1, S. Wi-ol, Layer ;. second, £2 10s., Messrs. Dixon, VVickham. Red Globe wurzel. — First prize, 15s., W. S. Goodchiklj Glemsford ; secund, 7s. 6d., Mr. Richardson. Intermediate wurzel. — First prize, £1, R. W. Hall Dare ; second, 10s., T. Yel.lham, Sfambourne. Heaviest wurzel. — Prize, £1 10s., E. Walford. Unrivalled swede. — Fir»t prize, £2 2s., O. S. Onley, Stisted ; second, £1 lOs , Mrs Uonywood, Marks Hall ; third, 15s., S. CourtHuld, Go field. Skirving swede. — First prize, £2, T. Speakraan, Faulk- boiirne ; second, £1, Mrs. Uonywood ; third, 10s. , G. Steward, Hitfham, Suffolk. ll.aviesr swede.— Prize, £1 Is., 0. S. Ou^ey, weight ISfilhs. White Globe turnip. — First prize, 15s., A. Fairhead, Nollev ; second, 7s. 6d., Sir J. T.Tyrrell, Borebam. Green Globe turnip.— First prize, los., G. Pettit, Mount Bures ; second, 7s. 6d., T. Speakman. Green kohl-rabi. — First prize, 10s., J. Smith, Pattiswick and Colne ; second, 7s. Gd., G. Steward. STOCK SALES. SALE OF MR. CRUIKSHANK'S YOUNG SHORTHORNS, At Sittyton, Aberdeen, or< October 2Sth. BULLS. Golden Treasure, red, calved September 19, 1874, by Royal Duke of Glo'ster. — Mr. Henderson, of Stemster, Caithness, 41 gs. Sugar Cane, red, calved October 10, 1874, by Ben Wyvis. — Mr. Cruickshank, Oldtown, Keitnall, 3S g.s. Sir Alexander, roin, calved October 24, 1&74, by Ben Wyvis. Mr. Mitchell, Drumderfit, Inverness, 41 gs. Invincible, roan, calved January 10, 1875, by Ben Nevis. — Mr. Ross, Wester Coull, Tarland, 30 gs. Sir Thomas, roan, calved January 10, by Master of Arts. — Mr. Low, Stratford-on-Avon, 54 gs. Royal Star, roan, calved January 28, by Bridesman. — Sir Archibald Grant, Bart , of Moiiymusk, 34 gs. The Arab, roan, calved Ftbruary 23, by Royal Duke of G!o'aicr. — Mr. Trotter, Gargustou, Inverness, 40 gs. Patriarch, red and white, calved March 13, bv Royal Duke or Glo'ster. — Col. Macdonf 11, Calcots, El^in, 33 gs. Patriot, white, caived March 4, by Masti^r of Arts. — Mr. Skinner, Cliapel-of Elrick, New Machar, 21 gs. Censor, roan, calved February 1, by Bridesman. — Right Hon. T. F. Kennedy, Dunure, Ajrsliire, 35 gs. Valiant, roan, calved March 10, by Ben Wyvis. — Mr. Largue, Itlaw, Alvab, 29 t:s. Counterfoil, roan, calved March 14, by Bridesman. — Mr. Sliand, Ordens, Banff, 46 gs. Confederate, roan, calved March 19, by Lord Lancaster. — Mr. Wilson, Baltluig, Chapel of Gariocb, 2" gs. Graphic, roan, calved March 26, by Viceroy. — Mr. Fiddes,. Minnes, Foveran, 26 gs. Barmpton, red, calved March 18, by Viceroy. — Mr. Patterson, Caifuhill, Keitlic.1 , 18 gs. Mussulman, red, calved Feb. 13, by Royal Duke of Gio';>ter.^ Mr. Pine, Wbitestones, M.icduff, 16 gs. Reward, roan, eahcd March 23, by Viceroy. — Mr. Gray> Dariahill, Bclhelvie, 30gs. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 471 Briti^li Prlncp, rod, calved March 11, by Rnyal DuVe of Glo'ster. — Mr. Tliumjon, Nuwseat of Diuubreck, Uduy, 35 (Ts. Perfectiou, 'roan, calved March 9, by Brides;uan. — Mr. Bpgg, LocluKiiHr Distillery, 90 gs. Recorder, roan, citlved March 26, by Viceroy. — Mr. Warrack, Nt-wdiill, Fiutray, 2(5 g^. Lord Mnyor, red and wtiite, calved March 28, by Viceroy. — Mr. Simpson, J I ill of Crimoud, 22 gs. Magazine, red, ciUed Apiil 5, by St. Vincent. — Mr. Alex. Jackson, Iliilbrae, Bourtie, 21 gs. Briisli Burner, roan, calved April 22, by Royal Duke of Glo'ster. — Mr. Garden, Ytbsie, 25 gs. Lrvity, roan, calvi-d April 9, by Bridesman. — Mr. Ross, Tulloc;b, MeldruMi, 31 gs. Red Cloak, red, calved May 22, by Red Gauiiilet.— Mr. Brand, Aucbinteen, Cruden, 19 f£s. Chorister, white, calved May 11, by Lord Lancaster. — Mr. Mitcliell, Filesbire, 23 gs. The tot il sum realised for the 2G bulls sold was £895 13s. ; at au average ol £31 93. SALE OF ME. WOOLLEY'S HEEEFORDS At Weston Court. By Edwards axd Weaver, The herd was founded by the late Mr. Woolley's father upwards of fifty years a^o. The cows and heifers were prin- cipally by Paragon, and t!ie bulls used in the herd were Wellington, Treasurer, Monkland, Cholstrey, Earl Derby 2nd, Wanderer, Horace, Paragon, and Theonore 2ud. Cows AiVD Hlifers.— Cjw, Mr. .J. Like, Mansell, 18 gs. her heiter calf, Mr. Jones, Downton,? gs. Cow, Mr. Edwards, Eardisley, 111 fs. ; her heifer calf, ilr. Wjlde, Church House, 5J gs. Cow, Mr. Wall, Bascburch, 31| gs. ; her heifer calf, Mr. Wail, Baschurch, lOj gs. Cow, Mr. Cole- batch, 19^ gs. ; her heifer calf, Mr. J. Price, Court House, 15 gs. Cow, Mr. T. Lewis, Woodhousp, 13 gs. ; her heifer calf, Mr. J. Norton, Lncton, fi gs. Cow, Mr. T. Lewis, Woodhou$e, 13i gs. ; her bull calf, Mr. J. Jones, 6^ gs. Cow, Mr. Wall, Baschurcli, 32 ss ; her bull cnlf, Mr. Wall, Baschurch. 17^ gs. Co>v, Mr. Wall, Baschurch, 17 gs.; her bull calf, Mr. J. Jones, 7 gs. Cow, Mr. Matty, Grove, 15 gs. ; her bull calf, Mr. Price, Coomb, 7 gs. Cow, Cap'ain Pike, The Green, 181 gs. ; her bull calf, Mr. Wylde, Cf.urch House, 7i gs. Cow, Mr. Bounds, Norton Canon, 13| gs. ; her bulf calf, Mr. Lloyd, 12gs. Cow, 23^ gs. ; her bull calf, 8.^ gs., Mr. Manwaring, Upcot. Cow, Mr. Malty, Grove, 17 gs. ; her bull calf, Mr. Wylde, Church House, 7 gs. Cow, Mr. Parkpr, S'oke Licey, 17 gs. ; her bull calf, Mr Shewell, New Radnor, 19 gs. Cow, Captain Pike, The Green, 18 gs. ; her bull calf, Mr. W. G. Preece, Shrews- bury, 6^ gs. Cow, 13 gs. ; her bull calf, 8| gs., Mr. T. Wall, Sherrington. Cow, Mr. Hope, Stocking, 11 gs. ; her bull c^lt, Mr. J. Coates, Eardislaud, liJ gs. Cow, Mr. J. Price, Court House, 28 gs. ; her bull calf, Mr. W. G. Preece, 6 gs. Cow, Mr. Manwaring, LTpcot, 13 gs. ; her bull calf, Mr. Manwaring, Upcot, 7 gs. Cow, Mr. Moore, 15 gs.; her heifer calf, Mr. Wylde, Church House, 8 gs. Cow, Mr. J. Gwilliam, Lyons- hall, 13 gs. ; her liei'er calf, Mr. J. Jones, Downton, 7i gs. Cow, Mr. Colebatch, 21 gs. ; her heifer calf, Mr. W". G. Preece, 5j gs. Cow, Mr. 11. B;iyless, Monniugton, 23 gs. ; Jier iieifer calf, JMr. Manwaring, Upcot, 6 gs. Cow, Mr. Colebatch, 17 gs. ; her heifer calf, Mr. Preece, Coonibe, 5 gs. Cow, Mr. Colebatch, 21. i- gs. ; her heifer calf, Mr. T. Rogers, Homme, 7.1- gs. Cow, Mr. R. Bayless, Monuington, 19| gs. ; her heifer calf, Mr. E. Jones. Downton, 7i ffs. Cow, Mr. T. Wall, Slierrington, 15 gs. ; her heifer calf, Mr. J, Price, Court House, 10^ gs. Cow, Mr. 11. Biy es^, ]Motinin'/ton, 19|^ gs. ; her Iieifer calf, Mr. Manwaring, Upcoi, 9 gs. Cow, Mr. Colebatch, 20 gs. ; her heifer calf, Mr. J. Jones, 7 gs. Coiv, Mr. James Smith, Biduey, 20^ gs. ; her Iieifer calf, Mr. Hope, Stockey, 5 gs. Cjw in cat", Mr. 11. Bull, Weobley, lli gs. Cow with heil'er calf, Mr. rarkes. Holm Lacey, IGj 'js. Milch cow in full milk, BIr. Davies, 9^ gs. Two YEARs-OLu lliiiiiCRS. — Two-years-old lieiler, in calf to a son of Paragon (3665), Mr. Davis, l-i gs. Ditto, Mr. Davis, ITi gs. Ditto, Mr. W. G. Preece, 12 gs. Ditto, Mr. Davis, 20 gs. Ditto, Mr. Parker, Stoke Larey, 16i gs. Ditto, Mr. I'ark-r, Stoke Licy, Hi gs. Ditto, Mr. Uiiglies, lojf gs. Diito, Mr. Hyde, Ritliu's Mill, 13i- gs. Ditto, Mr. Hyde, UilUn's TiMl, 15 gs. Ditto, Mr. W. G. Preece, 11 gs. Ditto, Mr. J. IVeece, Court Hou e, 15^ g^. Ditto, Mr. Shewell, New Radnor, 18^ gs. Ditto, Mr. Watkins, 13 gs. Ditto, Mr. J. Preece, 20 gs. Cross-bred ditto, Mr. J. Ab.^11, P..'mhridge, 13-^ gs. Yearling HiiirnRS. — Pairof year'ing heifers, Mr. Norton, Luctiin, 25 gs. Ditto, Mr. J. Price, 32 gs. Ditto Mr. Watkins, 26 gs. Ditto Mr. Lewis, Wood House, 24 gs. Dit'.o, Mr. W. G. Preece. 17 gs. Yearling Steers. — Pair of yearling steers, IMr. J. Hollo- way, Day House, 24' gs. Ditto, Mr. G. Bedford, Milton, 28 gs. Ditto, Mr. G. Child, Court of Noke, 21^ g,. Ditto, Mr. R. Farr, Hereford, 25*- gs. Ditto, Mr. Farr, 25.» gs. Ditto, Mr. G. Child, Court of Noke, 22 gs. Ditto, Mr. Morris, Byton, 24. gs. Ditto, Mr. W. G. Preece, 17^ gs. T\vo-YEAiis-oLi) Steers. — I'airof two-years-o'd steers, Mr, J. Cirwardine, Coek Croft, £16. Ditto. Mr. Bright, Leo- raiuster, £39 10s. Ditto, Mr. J. Carwardii.e, Cock Crott,£33 10s. Ditto, Mr. C. Hundley, Eardisland, £31 10s. Ditto, Mr. J. Carwardiue, Cock Croft, £12. Ditto, Mr. J. Carwardine, £42. Ditto, Mr. J. Carwardinc, £38. Ono ditto, T. Wall, Shrewsbury, £12. Hereford Stock Bull. — Mr. J. Price, Court House, 32 ga. SALE OF THE SHOETHORN HERDS,THB PROPERTY OP MR. THOS. ROBINSON, MR. H. J. ME AKIN, AND THE LATE MR. WILL0UGI113Y WOOD, At Burtox-on-Trent, on Tkiday, NovEiiBER 5th. BY MR THORNTON. COWS AND HEIFERS. Lady 3rd (Mr. Robinson's).— Mr. H. Wardle, 31 gs. Cleopatra (Mr. Meakiu';.).— Mr. P. Foster, 350 gs. ; her cow- calf, Mr. J. A. Munilord, 50 gs. Charming Maiden (Mr. iMeHkiuV).— Mr. W. German, 20 gs. Baroness 2nd (Mr. Meakiu's).— Mr. C. Arnold, 46 gs. Rosabella (Mr. Meakin's).— Mr. C. Arnold, 23 gs. Playmate 3rd (Mr. Robiuson's).— Mr. M. Walker, 39 gs. Duchess of Cumberland (Mr. Robmsou's). — Mr. E. Uolden, 70 gs. Consolation (Mr. Robinson's). — Mr. H. Wardle, 33 gs. Puritv (Mr. Rieakin'.s).— Mr. E. Holden, G8 gs. Emily (the late Mr. W. Wood's).— Mr. C. C. Giirner, 4G gs. Cowslip (Mr. Robinson's), — Mr. J. Sowerby, 30 gs. Daisy 3rd (Mr. Robinson'.-.) — Mr.R Blackwell, 26 gs. Duchess of Lancaster 7th (Mr. Robinson's) — Mr. W. German, 56 gs. Reine Marguerite 2nd (the late Mr. W. Wood's).— Mr. W. German, 43 gs. Lady Bates 11th (Mr. Robinson's)— Mr. F. Cartwright, 51 gs. Fifth Duchess of York (Mr. Robinsou's), Mr. E. Uolden, 45 gs. Rose of P,»ckington (Mr. Meakin's)— Mr. W^ H. Brown, SO gs.; her bul!-calf.— Mr. W. Thorpe, 10 gs. Bloom (Mr. Robinson's).— Mr. R. Blackwell, 38 gs. Rose of Darlington (Mr. Robinson's).— Mr. J. Sowerby, 43 gs. Duchess of Cumberland 2nd (Mr. Robinsou's). — Mr. J. Sowerby, 35 gs. Beauty of Battersea (Mr. Robinson's).— Mr. J Sowerby, 50 gs., Cleopatra 2iid (Mr. Meakin's).— Mr. R. Bleazard, 360 gs. Problem (Mr. Meakin's). — Mr. J. J. Canning, 48 gs. Eliza (the late BIr. W. Wood's) —Mr. R. Bates, 37 gs. Bella (Mr. Meakiu's).— Mr. W. German, 51 gs. Ruth 5tli (Mr. P>,ohinson's).— Mr. F. G.etton, 32 gs. Spangle (.Mr. Robinson'.-).- Mr. J. Hardy, 26 gs. Bull-calf.— Mr. B. Swaffield, 13 gs. Duchess of U.>iforii 9ih (Mr. Robinson'.-).— Mr. F. N. Smith, 45 gs. Bull-calf. — BIr. W. German, 4 gs. Lady Barmptou Rose 2nd (Mr. Robinson'.-).— Mr. J. Dicken- son, 60 gs. Enigma (Mr. Meakiu'.x).- Mr. F. Cartwright, 110 gs. Belladonna (Mr. Meakiu'.s). — Mr. S. Canning, 42 gs. Comely (Mr. Mcakiu't,).— Mr. T. Whiti.s;d.-., 23 gs. 472 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Bull calf.— Mr. T. Wliilesidfi, 3 g9. Buttercup 4th (Mr. Kobiusou's-). — Miss Crawfortl, 36 gs. riayraate 7tli (Mr. Hobiiison's).-— Mr. R. H. Creswell, 20 gs.; Her cow-calf. — Mr. J. M. Grundy., 6 gs. D;nsy 5th (Mr. Robinson's). — Mr. J. Sowerby, 19 gs. Lady L'ncoJn 2iid (Mr. Robinson's). — Mr. J. Hardy, 3o gs. Lady Violet (Mr. Meakiu'.s).— Mr. F. N. Smith, 61 gs. Beauty (Mr. Robinson's). — Mr. J. Sowerby, 36 gs. Charlotte (Mr. Cartwright).— Mr. E. Holilen, 43 ffs. Daisy 6th (Mr, Robinson's),— Mr. M. Walker, 33 gs. Baroness 3rd (Mr. Meakin's).— Mr. C. Arnold, 21 gs. Merrymaid (Mr. Robinson's). — Rev. H. O. Wilson, 35 gs. Lady Lincoln 3rd (Mr. Robinson's).— Mr. M. Walker, 30 gs. Duchess of Oxford 10th (Mr. Robinson's) — .Mr. F. Cartwright, 50 gs. Lady Viola (Mr. Meakiu's).— Mr. N. Thorpe, 21 gs. Carry (Mr. Robinsou's). — Mr. J. Sowerby, 14 gs. Duchess of Cumberland 4th (Mr. Robinson's). — Mr. M. Walker, 28 gs. Lidy 5th (Mr. Robinson's). — Rev. H. O. Wilson, 21 gs. Lady Elsie (the late Mr. W. Wood's).— I\Ir. R. Ratcliffe, 47 gs. Baroness 4th (Mr. Meakin's).- Mr. C. Arnold, 36 gs. Buttercup 5th (Mr. Robinson's).- Mr. II. Wardle, 12 gs. BULLS. Lord Oxford Snrmise (Mr. Cartwright's). — Mr. R. H. Wrightson, 85 gs. Cherry King (Mr. Robinson's). — Mr. M. Reynolds, 28 gs. Barmpton Duke (Mr. Robinson's). — Mr. R. H. Creswell, 18 gs. Cumberland (Mr. Meakiu's). — F. Row, for New Zealand, 13 gs. Charmer (Mr. Meakin's). — Mr. W. German, 12 gs. Viceroy (Mr. Meakin's). — Mr. E. Tinims, 11 gs. Senator (Mr. Meakin's). — Mr. J. Darling, 14 gs. Weathercock (Mr. Meakin's).— Mr. C. Stubbs, 20 gs. Knight of Needwood (Mr. Robinson's). — Mr. W. German, 10 gs. Baronet (Mr. Robinson's). — Mr. W. German, 20 es. Captain Waverley (Mr. Robinsou's). — Mr. S. Walker, 17 gs. Cumberland Lad (Mr. Robinson's). — Mr. J. Adams, 20 gs. David Livingstone (Mr. Robinson's). — Mr. S. Archer, 11 gs. Summary. £ s. d. £ s. d. 51 Cows averaged 50 14 0 2,891 14 0 13 BuUs „ 22 10 8 292 19 0 64 head 49 15 2 £3,184 13 0 £ s. d. 37 of Mr. T. Rohinson's 35 1 0 21 of Mr. H. J. Meakin's 74 18 0 4. of Mrs. W. Wood's 45 8 3 REVIEW OP THE CATTLE TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. There has been no feature of importance in the cattle trade during the past month. The demand has not been brisk, but the colder weatlier has introduced an element of strength to quotations, which in consequence have ruled very firm. Home deliveries of beasts have been about an average as regards number, but, as usual, the condition has been very various, and taken as a whole has been second rate. Thus far the Scotch arrivals have been short, but their appearance has afforded a marked contrast with the receipts from other quarters. Irish Leasts have been received in fair numbers, but of indifferent quality. As regards foreign, Tonning has contributed a good supply, but the arrivals from Spain and other quarters have been of less importance. There has throughout been a firm inquiry for the choicest breeds, which from their scarcity have reached full prices, the best Scots and crosses making 6s. 4d. 6 lbs. Oiher qualities have heen rather irregular in value, but have been steadier at the close than at the commencement of the mouth. With reference to sheep, the supplies offering have been again very short. Notwithstanding a liberal foreign import — 45,000 head — Euglish breeds have come sparingly to hand. The trade has been very firm throughout the month, although at times business has been far from brisk. The top price for the best Downs and half-breds has heen 73. 2d. to 7s. 4d. per 8 lbs., and other descriptions have realised proportionately remunerative rates, Calves have been in short supply and fair request, at full prices. Pigs have been steady. Tiie total imports of foreign stock into London last month have been as under : Beasts 11,929 Sheep 45,132 Calves 1,343 Pigs 700 Comparison of Imports. Nov. Beasts. Sheep. Calves. Pigs. 1874 14,155 44,843 1,217 1,324 1873 9,472 31-,733 1,924 2,563 1873 4,236 35,112 2,289 204 1871 12,846 56,299 1,857 2,812 1870 14,906 43,830 2,177 2,463 1869 9,961 33,091 1,713 2,208 1868 9,391 18,163 598 353 1867 10,761 33,203 618 2,069 1866 13,278 38,389 1,290 1,187 1865 16,254 52,517 2,536 7,770 186i 17,137 34,793 2,970 3,917 1863 11,020 30,417 1,770 2,203 1863 6,839 28,577 1,659 0-33 1861 5,295 27,833 946 l,2tL 1860 6,961 23,733 1,604 838 1859 5,937 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 pre- vious years : Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov. 1872. 1873. 1874. 1875. From Liacolnshire, Leicester- shire, and Northamptonshire 8,750 8,965 7,820 10,050 Other parts of England, includ- ing Norfolk, and Suffolk... 3,430 2,580 2,050 8,040 Scotland 210 125 858 247 Ireland 3,730 3,000 1,543 2,750 The following figures show the total supplies of stock exhibited and disposed of at the Metropolitan Cattle Market during the month : Beasts 27,040 Sheep 73,150 Calves 1,465 Pigs 430 CojiPARisoN OF Supplies. Nov. Beasts. Sheep. Calves. Pigs. 1871 24,700 94,870 2,040 250 1873 22,970 85,300 2,105 500 1872 18,630 77,590 1,995 856 1871 25,100 108,930 2,017 730 1870 15,570 96,930 2,233 1,670 1869 21,390 77,990 1,601 615 1868 19,291 98,390 1,018 1,401 1867 24,080 109,960 1,016 2,350 1866 24,660 95,800 1,190 3,090 1865 36,820 167,230 2,858 2,811 1864 33,600 114,300 2,587 2,9U0 1803 27,704 99,130 2,150 3,170 1863 30,139 110,030 .2,313 3,173 1861 26,590 109,370 1,370 3,430 1860 25,400 103,600 2,112 2,930 1859 26,493 120,840 1,299 2.800 1858 24,856 114,643 1,437 2,970 Beasts have sold at from 4s. to 6s. 4d., sheep 4s. 6d. to 7s. 4d., calves 4s. 6d. to 6s. Sd., and pigs 4s. 6d. to 5s. 8d. per 81bs. to sink the offal. Comparison of Prices. Nov., 1871. Nov., 1872. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Beasts from 3 10 to 5 10 3 10 to 5 10 Mutton 4 4to6 8 4 2 to 7 0 Veal 3 8 to 5 8 5 0 to 6 0 Pork 3 6 to 4 S 3 8 to 5 0 Nov., 1873. Nov., 1874. s. d. s. d. 8. d. s. d. Beef, from 4 4 to 6 6 4 6 to 6 2 Mutton 4 4 to 7 0 4 4 to 6 4 Veal 4 4to5 8 4 8 to 5 10 1%3 4 4 to 6 8 4 0to5 0 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 473 REVIEW OE THE CORN TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. Tn October we were anticipating a favourable seed-time, tbe work thin having partially coinnienocd ; but the mouth of November we are sure to remember as the period of great variations in the temperature, and truly disastrous in its storms and floods, both at sea and on the land. lu Somersetshire they estimate the rect nt fall at one thou- sand tons of water per acre; and wM'e the ground has thereby become woefully sodden, the surface-water has played havoc ia the rising of neighbouring rivers, which have overllowed their banks, not ouly to the detriment of 'field-labour, but with serious damage to the lives of both human beings and of catj,le. We must, therefore, give up the hope of muoli being done before Christmas; and spring wheat and barley seem destined to be the principal crops in the new year. Had our granaries been empty, such events would have had a marked iufluence on prices, and a ten shilling rise would have been pretty certain. But importers here or exporters in foreign ports have injudiciously sent unusual quantities to our coasts, till we have become positively short of room for the increased stores, and so bit their own tiagers by their haste. Yet Mr. Scott, as well as ourselves, quite believes in heavy necessities for the present season, he laying them at 12 million quarters, and we at 11|^ millions, and we tliink it quite possible he may be nearest the mark. A.s yet these pre- mature arrivals have kept pouring in at such a rate that our small markets of Euglish corn have not been able to ,prevent a further retrograde movement of Is. to 2s. per qr. ; but as the weather has recently changed to cold, the B.iltic may soon be permanently closed, and give a breathing time to the trade. Will the 11^ or 12 millions be forthcoming ? is the prominent question. We think they will ; but not unless better prices entice them, for we now are told that the two principal sources of our supply, Russia and America, are at fault, by reason of the last deficiency, and it will be a great thing if the gap they leave is filled up. Besides we are not alone in the back- wardness of our sowings, but it is so in France, Belgium, and some other places, and the influence of this fact is shown in hardening values there. The potato crop, too, has been an unsound one, and should severe weather come, very much of it is likely to rot away. Well-to-do farmers are not likely to overlook these things, or press their best samples for sale ; but the landlord's claim for rent will, no doubt, keep up moderate supplies as long as possible. The following were the rates recently quoted at tbe several places named : White wheat at Paris 51s., at Bordeaux 47s. ; Berdianski at Marseilles 47s. lOd. ; Polish wheat at Antwerp 47s. 6d., winter American 49s. ; old wheat at Liege 52s., new 483. ; new wheat at Maestricht 46s. ; red at Hambro, 44s., at Stettio i'iis. Gd., at Berlin 43s, 6d., at Cologne 45s., at Vienna 43s.; old wheat at Strasburgh, 52s., new 50s.; at Breslau, 3'.)s., at Petersburgh 42s. 2d. ; fine heavy wheat at Pesth 43s. ; find old at Dantzic, 57s. cost, freight, and insurance, new 53s. 6d, cost, fi'eight, and insurance ; No, 1 spring at New York, 40s. per iSOlbs. The first Monday in Mark Lane opened on a small supply of English wheat, but the foreign arrivals amounted to nearly 92,000 qrs., of which 60,000 qrs. were from Russia, and 12,000 from America, with fair contributions from other places. During the morning there was but a limited show of fresh samples from the near counties, a large proportion of which was in very poor order. Fine lots and such as were dry went off slowly, at about the previous currency, but such as were d:imp were difficult to place, even at reduced rates. The enormous arrival of foreign almost paralysed the trade ; and Sasonska quality being most abundant, its value gave way Is. per qr., while ia other sorts sales were quite checked. Cargoes off the coast, however, were unaltered in value. The heavy arrivals in London and its dull reports, did not make much change in the country, where trade was certainly quiet, though prices of dry samples scarcely underwent any change, Livepool declined Id,, each market making the week's reduction 2d, per cental, Leith and Edinburgh were Is. dearer, but the other Scotch market noted no change. Dublin was duU for wheat, with prices barely maintained. The second Monday opened on slightly improved sup- plies of English wheat, but the foreign, though ample, were not equal to half the previous week's arrival, Rus- sia and America again taking the lead as to quantity. The morning's show of fresh samples was moderate in quantity, without any improvement as respects condition; yet the scarcity of fine enabled factors t o place such at the previous prices, while the rest were of uncertain value, and scarcely saleable. The foreign trade remained very slow, but holders were indisposed to lower rates on such a heavy market, and very little business was done. With moderate arrivals ofl^ the coast, floating cargoes were not offered at less money. The weathercontinuing rough, though the country markets were not heavily supplied, prices were barely maintained, and several gave way Is, per qr,. Among these were Louth, Market Rasen, Spalding, &c. Liverpool again gave way 2d, per cental during the week. Glasgow noted a decline of Is., but Edinburgh and Aber- deen were unaltered, though dull native wheat at Dublin was much the same, and foreign rather cheaper to sell. On the third Monday the English supplies were re- duced, but the foreigu again amounted to 75,000 qrs. ; a large portion still from Russia and America, with a gene- rally good supply from very different countries. The fresh samples exhibited this morning from Essex and Kent weie still moderate, though this time there was a greater proportion in fair order; but even these, from the great abundance of foreign, were only placed, at the close of the market, at Is. decline, and it was impossible to make sales of foreign without a like reduction. There was very little demand for floating cargoes, but they were not offered lower. With the weather still wet, bad condi- tion was the ruling feature of the country markets, many giving way Is. per qr., and in a few cases the reduction was Is. to 23. ; but no decline this week was noted in Liverpool. Leith and Edinburgh gave way Is. ; but Glasgow and Aberdeen remainel as in the previous week. The Irish wheat trade at Dublin was again dull, foreign sorts more especially showing a tendency to decline. On the fourth Monday the supply of English wheat was scanty, but the foreign arrivals were heavy, Russian supplies being one-half, India and America figuring next, with Australia and the Baltic iu fair quantities. The show of fresh samples from Essex and Kent was short, and but little improved in condition ; still even the best samples with difficulty made the previous rates, while lower quali- ties were neglected. There being uo pressure to sell foreign, with Hae frosty weather, red sorts were rather 47t firmer, but to sell wliite some cr)iicc3slou was nccessa-y. The llualiiiij; trailc was also iaantivc. The arrivals into London for four wcelcs were 25,310 qr«. EuKlisli ami 276.650 qrs. foreign, against 2I,S'J2 qrs. Knt^lish and 102,479 qrs. foreign for the same time last - year. The exports in the month were only 51.? qrs. The! i.nports into the kintcdom for the four weeks ending 13;.h Nov. were 4,814,800 cwts wheat and 472,054 cwts. flour, against 3,721,031 cwt?. wheat and 492,368 cwts. flour last year. The London averages commenced at 49s. 4d., and closed at 47^. 6d. The general averages opened at 463. 8d., and closed at 47s. 8d. The flour trade, in sympathy with wheat, has been exceedingly dull, and prices have receded Is. to 23. for Norfolks made of old wheat, while those made of new have given so little satisfaction that nothing but low prices would sell them: old, with dililmlty, have realised 34s., but new have been selling at 31s., and even less. The foreign imports, too, have rather increased, and the same difterence obtains between barrels made of new and old wheat as ruled in the sales : fair extra state of old wheat has brought 253. to 26s., but new were not worth over 24s., unless something extra. The price of the best flour in Taris has fallen to 383. 7d., and this has also been the value in Belgium, but our town millers have not altered their rates, which all along have stood at 47s. per sack. The imports for four weeks were 81,569 sacks country make, 19,733 sacks, 34 803 barrels foreign, a.^ainst 84,621 sacks count.y, 5,069 sacks, 18,603 barrels foreign in 1874. The receipts of British barley have been gradually increasing, but the quality of the new has not been so fine as expected. Even the best sorts of English and Scotch have yielded in value Is. to 2s., bat secondary and inferior have been still more depressed, and quite irregular as to prices. The French, like our own crop, has very much lost colour; but grinding sorts, not being over abundant, and really cheaper than oats, have not tiiven way, and still readily bring 20^. to 27s. per qr. Without better quality in mailing descriptions, prices mny yet rather decline; but there seems little reason for any reduction in good foreign grinding. The imports into London for four weeks were 22,902 qrs. British, 49,005 qrs. foreign, against 10,458 qrs. British, 41,067 qrs. foreign for the same period in 1874. The malt trade has been dull through the month, and given way in price Is. to 23. per qr., more especially for secondary sorts, the new samples being serviceable though not handsome. There are yet fair stocks of old on hand, and this has made holders more anxious to sell. Of Indian corn the arrivals have been good, but the previous reduction in values has prevented a further fall, and the market closed with mm-h the same rates as those with which the mouth commenced — say 323. for flat American, and 33s. for round. The imports in four ■weeks were 47,805 qrs., against 3,891 qrs. last year. The oat trade has continued to fluctuate according to the arrivals : the first two markets gained Is., sixpence of which was lost on the third market and recovered on the fourth, making a gain for the month of Is. per qr. The Russian supplies have nearly ceased, and but little more old corn can now be expected, as the ports of Archangel and Petersburg are closed; but from Sweden there have recently been good supplies of new, v/hich have met a ready sale at full rates— say 24s. to 2Gs. 6d., old Russian being worth 233. to 27s. We think this grain will keep its" price all through the winter, excepting in occasional gluts. The arrivals in London were 4 815 qrs. Euslish,"376 qrs. Scotch, 040 qrs. Irish, 150,115 qrs. foreign, against 2,907 qrs. Euglish, 277 qrs. Scotch, 222 qrs. Irish, 159,849 qrs. foreign in 1874. 01 English beans the supply has been mobcrate, of THE farmi;r's magazine foreign plentiful. Yet the badness of the crop this ye.ir and a continual country demand have kept up values, and no change can be noted from our last report. Egyptian are still worth 423., and Miizagans and Italian 453. The imports into London for four weeks were 3,424 qrs. Enslish, 19,270 qrs. foreign, against 3,427 qrs. Euglish, 8,713 qrs. foreign in 1874. The English supply of peas has been better than that of beans, though these are also reported a bad crop ; the foreign arrivals, mostly white, have been moderate. Prices have been steady through the month; duns worth 43s. to 443., and white foreigu old 43s. The imports into London for four weeks were 4,292 qrs. English, 8,25 5 qrs. foreign, ap;aiust 3,442 qrs. Euglish, 14,900 qrs. foreign in 1874. Of linseed the supplies have been good, and chiefly from India, and values have improved Is. to 2s. Ar- rivals this month 47,689 qrs., against 10,523 qrs. last year. The cloverseed trade has hardly commenced yet, buyers not being inclined to operate freely till they know how America has fared in respect of the crop : but prices of Ereuch have rather improved, and trefoil has been firm. Spring tares have been improving in value, and are now worth 50s. to 52s. per qr. IMPERIAL AVERAGES For the week ending N(jv. 20, 1875. Wheat 40,2,S3| qra. 473. Od. Barley 78.SHi)S ^^ 3.^g_ 3^^ Data l,97sj ,, 253. 8d. LONDON AVERAGES. Wheat 2,151 qra. 47s. Od. Barley 331 „ 37s. 4d. Oats — ,, — 8. — d. COMPARATIVE AVERAGES. WHEAT. Tears. Qrs. s, d. 1871 ... 6S,6.52J ... 53 10 1872...16,0S4i ... 56 9 1873... 51,191^ ... 61 1 1874... 58,655 ... 43 5 1875... 40,2i3i ... 47 0 BABIiEY. Qr'i. 8. d. 95,62i| ... 36 8 72,67liJ ... 42 1 82,27Hi ... 41 5 93,147J ... 42 6 78,366| ... 38 3 OATS. Qrs. 8. d. 1,747J ... 23 8 3,8<34J ... 22 1 5,62ri ... 25 9 3,601 J ... 27 11 1,978| ... 25 8 AVERAGE S Fob t Oct. 1 Oct. 2i Oct. 3 Nov. I Nov. 1 Nov. 2 Aggregi The sair aa Six Wbbks BKDINa 5, 1873 Wheat. 9. d. 40 0 46 8 47 4 47 6 47 8 47 0 47 0 43 11 Barley. 36 10" 37 7 38 1 38 3 33 7 38 3 37 11 42 8 Oats. 8. C. 21 0 t, 1875 2i 4 ), 1875 .. >, 1875 . 21 6 24 5 i, 1875 .. 1, 1875... 25 9 2.5 8 ite Avg. of above, le period in 1874.... 24 9 27 9 ELUCTUATIONS in the AVEaAGE PRICE of WHEAT. Pbicb. Oct. 16. ... r Oct. 23. |( )ct. 30. Nov. 6. Nov. 13. Nov. "O. 47s. 8d. 478. ed. 473 4d. 47s. Od. 463. 8.1. 46s. Od. --- r J ... r ... r t --:— FOREIGN GRAIN ENTERED FOR HOME CON- SUMPTION DURING XnE WEEK ENDING NoV. 2?. Wheat cwts. 261092 Peas cwts. 4817 Barley., Oats Beans.. 47023 182093 307 Maize. Flour 18260 17939 Printed by IL\ZELL, Wi.TSO.\, ii: Yiney,305, Strand, Loudon. TO AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT MANUFACTURERS, ESTATE AGENTS, &c. C, H. MA Y, 18, GEAOECHUECH STREET, LONDON. ESTABLISHED 1846. APPOINTED AGENT TO THE ADMIRALTY, TRINITY HOUSE, &c., &c. ADVERTISEMENTS INSERTED IN ALL THE LONDON, PROVINCIAL, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL PAPERS, TO LAIN^DOWNERS, MUMERS, AND OTHERS. EVERY DESCRIPTION OF THE FINEST WINES AND SPIRITS SUPPLIED BY WESTON T. TUXEORD & CO., IMPORTERS, 48, FENCHURCH STREET, LONEON, E.C. ESTABLISHED 18i7. SAMPLES FORWARDED FREE OF CHARGE ON APPLICATION. LONDON AND COUNTY BANKING COMPANY. ESTABLISHED IN 1836, AND INCORPORATED IN 1871 UNDER "THE COMPANIES ACT, 1862." SUBSCRIBED CAPITAL. ..£3,750,000, in 75,000 SHARES of £50 EACH. PAID-UP CAPITAL 1.200,000 T ^, 40 n 700 INSTALMENT ON NEW SHARES 223,790 j" '^^'*-''''^" RESERVE FUND 525,000 "I 0^0*00!^ INSTALMENT OF PREMIUM ON NEW SHARES 111,895/ ^^'^^>^^^ T. TYRINGHAM BEENARD, Esq. ROBT. ALEX. BROOKS, Esq. THOMAS STOCK COWIE. Esq. rHEDERTCK FRANCIS, Esq. Joint Generai, Managers- CHIBF INSPECTOR. W. J. NORIOLK, Esq. DIRECTORS. I FREDERICK HARRISON, Esq. I WILLIAM NICOL, Esq. WM. CHAMPION JONES, Esq. I A. HODGSON PHILLPOTTS, Esq. E. HARBORD LUSHINGTON, Esq. 1 WILLIAM HENRY STONE. Esq. JAMES MORLEY, Esq. I JAMES DUNCAN THOMSON, Esq. ■'ft'ILLIAM McKEWAN, Esq. and WHITBREAD TOIMSON, Esq. CHIEF AOnOUNTANT. SECRETARY. JAMES GRAY, Esq. GEORGE GOUGH, Esq. HEAD OFFICE, 21, LOMBARD STREET. Manager— WHITBREAD TOMSON, Esq. | Assista:«t 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 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 ia ailowed for such periods and at such rates as mav be ajfreeil upon, reference being had to the state of the Jloney 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 PoBCHASB and Sale of Government and other Stocks, of English or Foreign Shares effected, and- DiviDEifBS, Ajf suiTiEs, &c , received for Customers of the Bank. Great faciUties are also afforded to the Customers of the Bank for the receipt of Money from the Towns where the Com- paay 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, ") Joint General WHITBREAD TOMSON, j Managers. IMPORTANT TO FLOCKMASTERS. T: I HOMA S BIG G, Agricultural and Veterinary X Chemist, by Appointment to his late Royal Highness The Prince Consort, K.G., Leicester House, 'Great Dover Street, Borough, Loudon, begs to call the attention of Farmers and Giaziers to his valuable SHEEP and LAIMB DIPPING COMPOSITION, which requires no Boiling, and way be nsed with Warm or Cold Water, for efiectually •Jeetroying the Tick, Lice, and all other insects injurious to the Flock, jjreventing the alanning attacks of Flj' and Shab, jind cleansing and purifying the Skin, thereby greatly im- proving the Wool, both in quantity and quality, and highly Contributing to the general health of the animal. Prepared only by Thomas Bigg, Chemist, &c., at his Manu- factory as ab(3ve, and sold as lollo\vs, although any other tjuantity mav be had, if required: — 1 lb. for 20 sheep, price, jar included £0 2 0 " ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Should any Plockmaster prefer boiling the Composition, it wiJi bo equally eflective. MOST IMPORTANT CERTIFICATE. From Mr. Hbeepath, the celebrated Analytical Chemist :— Bristol Laboratory, Old Park, January 18th, 1S6L Sir, — I have submitted your Sheep Dipping Composition to Baalysis, 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 eHectually destroys vermin, jlwill not injure the hair roots (or " yolk '') in the skin, the fleece, or the carcase. I think it deserves the numerous testimonials published. 1 am, Sir, yours respectfully, William Hjbbapaih, Sen., F.C.S., &o., &C., To Mr. Thomas Bigg Professor of Chemietry. i<«i«e;jier House, 6reat i/over-strtet liuroai^h LoudoB. 61b. 30 81b. 40 101b. 60 SO lb. 100 SO lb. 150 401b. 200 601b. 250 CO lb. 300 801b. 400 100 lb. 600 J J 0 3 >i 0 4 0 5 (Cask and measui-e included) 0 10 0 15 1 0 1 8 1 7 " 1 17 *| 2 6 He would also especially call attention to his SPECIFIC, or LOTION, for the SCAB or SHAB, which will be found a certain lemedy for eratlicating that loathsome and ruinous disorder in Sheep, and wljich may be safely u.^^ed 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 vinilence of the disease) ; also in wine quart bottles, IMPORTANT TESTI]\ION^AL. " Scoulton, near Hingham, Norfolk, April 16th, 1855. "Dear Sir, — In answer to yours ol the -ith inst., which would have been replied to before this had I been at home, I have nuich pleasure in bearing testimony to the ellicacy of your invaluable ' Specific for the cure of Scab in Sheep.' The 600 sheej) were all di-eesed in August last with 84 gallons of the ' Noir-i'oisoNous Specific,* that was so highly recom- mended at the Lincoln Show, and Ijy their own dresser, the best attention being yiaid 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 invah table remedy, for in three weeks the Sheep were quite cured ; and I am happj' to say the young lambs are doing remarkably well at present. In conclusion, I believe it to be the s:'.fest and best remedy now in use. " I remain, dear Sir, "For JOHN TINGEY, Esq., " To Mr. Thomas Bigg. ' "R, RENNET. 8^" Flockmasters would be well to beware of such pre- parations as " Nou-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 destroj' insect vermin, particularly such as the Tick, Lice, and Scab Parasites— creatures so tenacious of life. Such advertised preparations nuist be wholly useless, or they are not what they are represented to be. DIPPINQ ATI ARATUS £li, £3, £i, & £3, ■™'-.>C V t •"-T e^rrp No. 1, Vol. XLYIII.] JANUARY, 1876. [Third Series. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE AND MONTHLY JOURNAL 01 THE A(;ilICULTUIlAL INTEREST. TO THE FARMERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. LONDON : PUBLISHED BYROGERSON AND TUXFORD, 265, STRAND. PRICE TWO SHILLINGS. HAZELL, WATSON, 4 VINEY] [PRINTERS, 2«6, STRAND THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. CONTENTS. JANUARY, 1876. Plate.— A EOYAL SHROPSHIRE RAM: The Property of Lord Chksham, and the Best of his Class at Taunton. The Farmers' Club: The Treasures of the Air, the Soil, and the Subsoil The General Annual Meeting . The Annual Dinner .... Mr. C. S. Read's Resignation .... The Abuses of Fat Stock Feeding The Tredegar Agricultural Society : Meeting at Newport Leeds Smithfield Club Cattle Show . Edinburgh Christmas Fat Stock Show. Framlingham Farmers' Club : The Lamb Disease of 1875 The Ixworth Farmers' Club : Management of Sheep . Sale of Mr. R. H. Chapman's Two-year Longhorn Heifers Morayshire Farmers' Club : The Outgoing Tenant Stowmarket Farmers' Club : Pasture Lands . Botley and South Hants Farmers' Club : Steam Culture The Ayrshire Farmers' Club: The Rotation of Crops. The Yorkshirk Fat Stock Show Birmingham and Midland Counties Cattle Show, in Bingley Hall Bath and West of England Society and Southern Counties Association The Smithfield Club Show The Smithfield Club Annual Meeting The Royal Agricultural Society of England: Monthly Council Half-yearly General Meeting Shorthorn Society of Great Britain and Ireland Rutland Agricultural Society : Meeting at Oakham Chippenham Agricultural Association. Central Chamber op Agriculture . . The Royal Dublin Society : Fat Stock Show. The Importation of Foreign Cattle . The Lord President of the Council on Cattle Diseases The Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland East Aberdeenshire Election . The Difficulties of Modern Farming . The Testimonial to Mr. C. S. Read, M.P. Rbview of the Corn Trade During the Past Month Makket Currencies . , . . Page. 1 9 10 13 14 15 15 16 17 19 20 21 25 27 30 32 33 39 40 49 53 67 60 61 62 63 65 66 67 69 70 70 71 73 74 ^ ^ X THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. JANUARY, 1870, PLATE. A EOYAL SHROPSHIRE RAM. 'The Property of Lord Chesham and the best of his Class at Tauktoj?. THE FARMER S' CLUB. THE TREASURES OF THE AIR, THE SOIL, AND THE SUBSOIL. The concludiag meeting of the Farmers' Club, for the present year, was held last Monday eveuiiig, Dec. G, in Salisbury Square L)r. Voelcker ia the cliair ; when, notwithstaiiding very iucle- ment weather, there was a large attendance. The subject ap- pointed for consideration, on Ihe iutroduotion of Mr. J, J. Mechi, was "The Treasures of the Air, the Soil, and the Subsoil." The Chairman, in his introductory reraarlss, said the British farmer was always grateful to anyone who put him iu tlie way of making an honest penny (laughter). Their worthy friend, IMr. Mechi, was going to tell them that evening something about " ihe Treasures of the Air, the Soil, and the Subsoil," and he was quite sure that any h.ints which he pave the members of that Club as to how they might extract those treasures and convert them into increased produce, so as ultimately to aug(nent their balance at their bankers, would be thankfully received. He would not make a speech on that occasion, as he would have to speak at some lengtf on the following day at the annual dinner, at which he hoped to see a large attendance. Mr. Mechi then read the following paper : The Treasures of the Air, the Soil, and the Sub* SOIL — How can we best obtain them P Until 1820 (immortal Sir Humphry Davy, as Liebig called him) and 184-0 (illustrious I/iebig with a giant mind) agriculture, here or elsewhere, had no tlieory or scientific basis, but was a mere empirical or ex- perimental art: effects were ascertained, but causes vere un- known. By chance or experiment bones were found to fertilise land in Cheshire, but nobody knew why, while on other soils in other districts bones had no effect. Happily, chemical analysis and pliilosophic sagacity at last enlightened us. Liebig justly sajs, in his dedication to the British Association, of his "Chemis- Old Sr.RiES. try in its Application to Agriculture and Physiology :" " But it is not the mere practical utility of these truths which is of import- ance. Their influence upon mental culture is most beneficial ; and the new views acquired by the knowledge of them enable the mind to recognise in the phenomena of nature proofs of an infinite AVisdom, for the unfathomable profundity of which language has no expression." It is a significant omen of good to agriculture tliat the Committee of this Club ventured to elect for its chairman a man of profound agricultural science, thus indicating that the time has arrived for something, ia British agriculture, more than the mere practical man. Out chairman's great and scientific instructor, Liebig, says, iu his Modern Agriculture, published in 1859, p. 232," Agriculture is, of all industrial pursuits, the richest in f?cts and the poorest in their comprehension. Facts by the million cannot be be- queathed, but scientific principles, which are expressions for these facts, may be so, because they are immutable in their nature. Facts are like grains of sand which are moved by the wind, but principles are these same grains cemented into rocks. A fact simply tells us of its existance, but experience ought to inform ns wliy it exists." "Perfect agriculture is the true foundation of all trade and industry ; it is the foundation of the riches of States. But a rational system of agriculture can- not be formed without the application of scientific principles ; for such a system must be based on an exact acquaintance with the means of nutritioii of vegetables, and with the influence of soils, and action of manure upon them." (Liebig's " Chemistry in its Application to Agriculture and Physiology," p. 173.) I ventured to propose this subject because we are so fortunate as to have for our chairman one eminently capable of en- lightening us in the iaiportant and now acceptable and needful chemistry of agriculture. I do not believe that a farmer need be less a practical man because he knows, by science, the causes of all the effects produced on his farm. On the contrary 15 Vol. LXXIX.— No. 1. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. be Viecomes raore able and more successful in the management of his business. Before I became agricultural I had very little knowledge of chemistry, but I then desired lo knonfroore about it, and have devoted some time to the study of tlie works of those modern lights in agricultural chemistry wlio have con- ferred lasting benellts on mankind. We are passing from tiie time when book farming in agriculture was ridiculed and despised, and are now willing to believe tliat correct theory c in never be opposed to sound practice. I agree with Lieoig that theory should precede practice in agriculture, as it does in other arts and professions. We have good proof of this in the case of the students who have emerged from the Royal Agri- cultural College at Cirencester, and are now taking a f'lre- jnost place in the ranks of intelligent and progressive agricul- turists. IMost of us will agree that the art of producing human food mus' be the most necessary and important of all the arts. Any one v.-ho doubts this should go v/ithout a dinner for a week : conviction would speedily follow. The time is, there- fore, gradually approaching when " practice with science" will be raore generally accepted and adopted by the British farmer. It has been the motto on the title page of the Royal Agri- cultural Sojiety's Journal for the past 32 years. I feel sure, therefore, that you will excuse my making copious reference to the works of our most eminent and dependable agricultural chemists and pliilosophers, selecting such portions as bear directly upon our present subject. We are passing rapidly away from what were cilled " the good old times," when per- manent pasture was 20 to 1 of arable, and when nature did her own work almost unassisted by man. It has often surprised roe on examining the library of schools for farmers' sons that there was not to be found a single volume on agricultural practice or science. I s rongly commend to every intelligent agriculturist a study of these great works of Enron Liebig, especially the " Natural Laws of Husbandry," his last great ■work ; — 1. Chemistry in its Application to Agriculture and , Piijsiology. 2. Principles of Agricultural Chemistry. 8. Letters on Modern Agriculture. 4. The Natural Laws of Husbandry. 5. Familiar Letters on Chemistry. A perusal of tiiese will, I think, convince him, as it has me, that Liebig knew raore about practical agriculture than any farmer in csistence. We certainly as agriculturists owe a heavy debt of gr'-ititude to science, for Liebig, in hi.s " Modern Agriculture," says at p. 265,"Gnided by a careful study of the elpments of the food of plants, science in the year ISiO pointed out to tlie agriculturist guano as one of the most infallible means of rais- ing the produce of corn and flesh, and most urgently recom- mended its application. Before 1840 guano had never been used as manure on a European field. " The man of theory, who had predicted the effects of guano, had not seen the favourable results of its application, but the prediction of its utility had been simply based on the results of its chemical analysis, and was only a corollary deduced from the principle that it is indispensable to restore to the field, exhausted by the growth of corn, the mineral elements taken away in the crops. Science placed in the hands of the agriculturist the means of making phosphate of lime raore readily available for the nutri- tion of plants, by treatment with sulphuric acid." Liebig him- self was the discoverer or original adviser in both these cases, and out of his laboratory liave issued Way, Playfair, Voelcker, and many other eminent agricultural philosopliers. Our manure sellers have realised their fortunes by manures which are almost entirely mineral, and free from ammonia. I mean phosphate; of lime, thus affording the very strongest proof of the correctness of Liebig's great mineral theory. The Air AJfD the Soil.— Our loaves of bread and rounds of beef are dependent on an alliance between the elements of plant food in the air and in the soil, aided by suushine and water. If they were not brought together by some means there could be no food. Nature does this without the aid of man. Witness the enormous forests, the vast plains of ricii pasture, the varied and abundant fruits and other natural productions. But nature is just, for that which is grown upon the laud is restored to it by decay or by the animals and birds wiiich consume it. It is mm alone who robs and impoverishes the land, by neglecting, to return to it its incombustible elementa. Liebig says, truly at p. 229 of his "Modern Agriculture," "large towns, like bottomless pits, gradually swallow up the conditions of fenility of the greatest countries." What a rebuff to us for not utilising our sewage ! How ARE Plants Btjilt up or Pormed ?— We ought, &% ^agriculturists, to know tliitu so ae to be able to employ the right building material in the rij^ht places — T meaR in the subsoil as well as in the top soil; for we cannot manure the subsoil through the upper soil, for the latter iias the power to arrest much more of the elements of manure than we ever apply to it. Liebig's " Modern Agriculture," p. 25 says : " Plants contain combustible and incombustible elements. The latter, which compose the ash left by all parts of plants on combustion, consist, in the case of our cultivated plants essen- tially of phosphoric acid, potash, silicic and sulphuric acids, lime, magnesia, iron, and chloride of sodium. Tlieir eombu.stihle portion is derived from carbonic acid, water, and ammonia, which, as elements of food, are equally indispensable. By the vital process plants are formed from these materials, when the atmosphere and soil supply them at the same time in suit- able quantity and iu the proper proportions. The atmospheric elements do not nourish without the simultaneous action of the elements of the soil, and the latter are equally valueless without the former. The presence of both is always required for the growth of the plant. . . . An element of food is inetfectise if there be absent a single one of the other elements of food which are conditions of its activity." In Cheshire the one thing wanting was bone-earth (phosphate of hrae). Our owa bodies are foraied of the same elpmeuts as plants, an;i I have often caused merriment when I have said, in the presence of a goodly assemblage, like the present, of well-developed agricul- turists, that we are all gas and water, except a very snuU per- centage of earthy matter. If desiccated, 76 per cent, of our weight would go off as steam, and, if we were then burned, 20 per cent, more would go to the air as gases, leaviug only the small percentage of incombustible ash which we had consumed in our food, and which was indispensably necessary for our t'ormation. Without plenty of water the elements of our bodies, like the s-ip in plants, would not circulate. We can see, at the Kensington Museum, the details of our formation. Economical housewives would feel uncomfortable if aware that in every pouud of lean meat they get three-quarters of a pound of water. Meat is much dearer food than br^ad and cli-'cse, or than oatmeal and milk, and onr labourers well know this. In my mind's eye, I picture to myself the atmosphere filled with undeveloped forms of plants and animated creatures. We may safely para- phrase Shakespeare — substituting chemist for poet — who says, " The poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling; doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven, and as iraaginatioa (science) bodies forth the form of things unknown, the poet's (chemist's) pen turns them to sliape, and gives to airy nothing a local liabitation and a name." Professor Tyndall has en- lightened us or. the subject of solid matter in air ; and, as for its perpetual motion, we have only to examine a sunbeam in a d uk room or cellar. The bulk of every plant and livin? ob- ject IS derived from, and ultimately goes to, the air. Under- takers alwiys bore a hole in leaden coffins for the escape of gases, wliicii would otherwise bulge and burst the cotfin. A neighbour of mine died. The undertaker (ritlier green in the matter) omitted to make a hole in the leaden coffin, and was astonished at finding it forced out of shape, and a gurgling noise within. In his distress he applied to the clergy- man, vi'ho soon managed an escape for the inpent gases. The 120,000,000 tons of coals which we raise annually once came from the air as vegetation, and disappear in air by combus- tion, again to form vegetation, except in both cases the trifling percentage of incombustible ash which ever was, and ever will be, earthy and non-aerial. A city or a haystack disappears ia combustion, leaving only the earthy or non-aerial aslies. Well, then, if the air is so full of good and necessary things, how caa we best obtain them for our use and profit? How can we best get back from the atmosphere that enormous amount of carbonic acid and ammonia (plant food) given to it by decay, combustion, and by other sources? In well-drained and pro- perly-cultivated soils the air circulates freely, and the roots of plants obtain from the carbonic acid aud ammonia circulating within it a portion of their food by their roots, just as the leaves do from the carbonic acid and ammonia iu tlie atmos- phere. Liebig, in li's" Principles of Agricultural Chemistry," No. 7, p. 19, says, " The roots of plants in regard to the absorp- tion of their atmospheric food behave like the leaves — that is, they possess, like these, the powers of absorbing carbonic acid and ammonia, and of employing these, in tiieir organism, ia the same way as if the absorption had taken place through the leaves." Tillage and Heat. — Every f^irmer will admit the advan- tages of tillage of the top soil, but we never kear of the tillage THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. of tlie nndor or snbsoil, and that is why ihe subsoil is poor, dense, uriiif-raled, and unaltered. But draining and tlie stcntn plough are correcting this error. As a more perfect intcrmixer of the soil, I prefer the steam plough to the steam cultivator, but care must be taken n'..t to bury the cultivated soil under a mass of poor subsoil. The cultivator afterwards •crosses ihe ploughed hind. Some prefer ploughing to the surface the bad soil, and ihen, after *. time, ploughing it down again. 1 am Rrmly of opinion that the double plough — that is one undfr and following the other — is tlie safe and true principle. Tiins the subsoil and upper soil become gradually intermixed. Tliis has been my practice for 30 years. Liebig ia eloquent and impressive on the beivefits from tillage. The attraction by soil for the heated portion of the saa's rays is very great, as shown by the annexed table, and has a most im- portant iniluence on vegetation. The want of sunshine, and consequent low temperature, during the last three weeks of last July had a fatal effect on our crops. On a fallow the portion of the air in contact witli it becomes heated and ex- panded, and struzgles upwards through the superincumbent cooler ftir in visible wavy lines. During sunahiee oti a cool •day 1 have felt the heat from the suil through the thin soles of my b.)ots. The earth is from 05 degs. to 81 degs. warmer than air in the shade : JanHiry . February , March .... April .... May June July August ... . September October . November December lu perfectly fine weather. Mean Temperature of the Elevation of Tem- per atureby Sun's Earth's Air in K; ys, in degrees. Surface. Shade. degs. degs. 5il 2t-6 29-5 SG-3 430 43 2 995 io-a 52-9 1216 61-7 59-9 131-2 G7-3 639 139 8 75 2 64-6 li6-3 81-3 65-0 130-1 68 9 61-2 119-8 68-0 51-8 80-8 42-8 38 0 72.7 40-1 32-6 59-2 35-6 23-6 These tables are extracted from p. 411, vol. xvii., of the Hoyal Airieultural Society of Eiiiiland's Journal, Mr, Jamie- son's prize ess-iy, " On the Action of the Atmosphere on Newly-dwpened Soil." I recommend a perusal of the remain- ing tables, sliowing the increased temperature of the soil and subsoil, even to the depth of 4 feet, most important as affect- ing vegetation. Draining. — In land undrained, naturally or artificially, water stagnates, and air is excluded, so that we only get Water jilaats instead of land plants. A cork, stopping the hole in our flower po*-, would illustrate this statement. Liebig, in his " Natural Laws of Husbandry, p. 90, says, " A great many fields unsuited, by their constant humidity, for the cul- tiv?ition of cereal plants and the superior kinds of forage grasses, have been reclaimed by drainage and made fit to pro- duce food for man and beast. ... A patli is opened for the air to reach the deeper layers of the ground, and to exer- cise upon these the same beneficial influence as upon the surface soil. In winter the eartli, at a depth of 3 to 4 feet, is warmer than the external atmosphere ; hence the air coming up from the drain-pipes may contribute to keep the temperature of the arable surface higher than it would be without the current of air. The air in the drains is generally richei in carbonic acid than is the case with atmospheric air-" Sea. Air: its Favourable Effects on Men and Vegkt.vtion. — All around our c last farm crops prosper (wit- ness the Isle of Thanet), er^ppc'ally wheat and mangolds. In- landers, when there, imbibe he;'ltli, and so do our sailors, and well they may, for Liebig tells us in his valuable work, " Chemistry in its Relation to A'iriculture,"3rd edition, pp. SO and 81, touching the volatilisation of sea-water : " It is known also that in sea-storms leaves of pUnts, in the direction of the wind, are covered with crystals of salt, even at the distance of from twenty to thirty miles from the sea ; but it does not require a storm to cause the volatilisation of the salt, for the air hanging over the sea always contains enough of this sub- stance to render turbid a solution of nitrate of silver, and every breeze must carry it away. Now, a.s thousands of tons of sea- water annually evaporate into the atmosphere, a corresponding quantity of the salts dissolved ia it — viz., of common salt, of chloride of potassium, magnesia, and the remaining con- stituents of the s-a-watsr, will be conveyed by wind to the land. The volatilisation is a source of considerable loss in salt works." We know that in some coast districts trees can- not thrive, owing to the quantity of salt in the air, TiiEASuitES IN THE Am. — Liebig, " Modern Agriculture," p. 85 : " If all the carbonic acid and ammonia dispersed throughout the atmosphere were collected in one stratum around the earth, and possessed the same density as at tliB surface of the sea, the layer of carbonic acid would be a little more than eight feet high, and|that of the ammonia less than a quarter of an inch. Both are absorbed by plants, and the quantity of these gases in the atmosphere consequently diminishes. Were the whole surface of the earth a continuous meadow, from each hectare (2^ acres) of which five tons of hay was yearly reaped, these meadow-plants would, in 21 to 22 years, exiiaust the whole of the carbonic acid in the air, and the whole living creation would at the same time come to an end. The air would uo longer support phnts — that is, could no longer furnish them with an indispensable condition of life; but we kuow that careful provision is made for the coutinnous duration of organic life. Men and animals live on plants. AH organised beings have only a passing and comparatively short existence. Ia the vital processes of animals the food which nounshes them is transformed into its original form ; and the same change takes place with tlie bodies of iill animals and plants after death, and their combustible elements re- assume the form of carbonic acid and ammonia. Both of these substances are gaseous, and return to the atmospheric eea, to serve once more for the formation and development of a new generations." P. 87. — " The atmosphere is never at rest ; even in the absence of every breeze, it is in continual ascending and descen-iing motion. The food which it gives up to plants in one spot is immediately replaced from another — 'from ever-ftovving sources.' " And he reminds us that while in so:i-.p parts of our globe the air is cold, and vegetation at a standstill, in other parts the suu shines brilliantly on a luxurious mass of growing vegetation. Thus is the atmosphere forever and everywhere self-arranging aud equalising. Men and animals absorb oxygen from the atmosphere, and give off carbonic acid. Plants absorb carbonic acid, and give off oxygen — that which would be death to one gives life to the other. By a good .system of ventilation, which permits thn carbonic acid to escape, and allows of the entrance of fresh air to replace if, the health of ourselves and our animals within doors would be preserved. Sea Vegetation. — I may be asked, '= What has this to do with British farming?" I reply, stop the supplies of guano, all made from fisli, aud we should soon awaken to the interest we ought to feel in marine vegetation. But we are un- wittingly grateful, for we return to the sea, by our rivers, the food produced by the guano. What a financial mistake ! In the deep and wide ocean, where no aid of man is required there is an amount of vitality both of plants and living creatures, as great, or gre-iter than ou land. Liebig, in his " Eamili.ir Letters on Chemistry," No. SO, says, "Every one knows that in the immense, yet limited expanse of the ocean, whole worlds of plants and animals are mutually dependent upon, and successive to, each otlier. The animals obtain their conslitaent elements from the plants, and restore them to the writer in their original form, when they again serve as nourishment to a new generation of plants. The oxygen which marine animals withdraw in their respiration from the air, dis-iolved in sea water, is returned to the water by the vital processes of sea plants ; that air is richer in oxygen tli.an atmospheric air, containing 32 to 33 per cent., while the latter only contains 21 per cent. The oxygen now combines with the products of the putrefaction of dead animal bodies, changes their carbon into carbonic acid, their hydrogen into water, while their nitrogen assumes again the form of ammonia Thus we observe that in the ocean a circulation takes place without the addition or subtraction of any element, unlimited in duration, a'thougli limited iii extent, inasmuch as, in a con- fined space, the nourishment of plants exists in a limited B 2 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. qtisinlitj." "We well know that marme plants cannot derive a ftipply of humus fof their nourishment through tlieir roots. Lock at the great sea-tang, the, F/iciis gignnteons ; this plant, ace irding to Cook, reaches a height of 3G0 feet, and a single specimen, with its immense ramifications, nourishes thousands of marine animals, yet its root is a small body, no larger than the fist. What nourishment can this draw from a naked roc s npon the surface of which there is no perceptible cha'ge? It is quite obvious that these plants revjuire only a liol I — a fastening, to prevent a clmnge of place — as a counter- pois' to their specific gravity, whith is less than that of the •med ira in w'lich they float. -Tiiat medium pruvides the nece s plough-sole squeezing, our land will be better fertilised. I except from these renrarks blowing sands. Let me refer you o a prize essay and very able article on " Action of the At- mosphere upon Kewly-deepened Soil," by Mr. Thomas F. Jamieson, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, in the Roynl Agricultural Society's Journal, vol. svii., p. 407. At the end of tlie 66 pages of valuable matter, he concludes amusingly and wittily as follows : " Sir Joseph Paxton, for instance, advises ' that the surface of all strong land should be laid up in ridges during the winter, as the action of frost, by expanding the mois^ture in it, leaves it, when thawed, in a fine pulverised, friable, or loosened state, by which it is rendered fertile, and ready, immediately after levelling, in favourable weather, to receive the intended crop.' . . . Many other benefits, how- ever, than those of the frost will result. Are the oxygen, ammonia, carbonic acid, nothing? Let the agricultural mind, therefore, be of good cheer ; the atmo-phere is a force every- where present. Although his farm may be, like Justice Shal- low's ' barren, barren,' he has at least this consolation — ' Marry, good air.' " In short, it is an indisputable truth that unless by good tillage we marry the air with the earth, by allowing them to come together, there will be no fecundity. I mei.n by eartli not only the top soil, but the subsoil. No one ever did this so effectually as the late Rev. Samnel Smith, of Lois-Weedon, wliose crops were inspected by a deimtafion from this Club. I also inspected them. The air is full of water in the shape of steam (vapour), wliich is visi'ile as clouds at a certain temperature, and becomes water at th? den-point, so that, after the hottest day in summer, vegtta'ion is mois- tened with watery dewdrops, and we can sweep the condensed vapour, now water, from the tops of our painted gates. Where the land is kept loose and liiable between our root crops, the absorbed vapour, which contains ammonia, fertilises the soil as well as moistens it (see Way), and this explains wliy cul- tivating frequently for and between our roots is so beneficial. So it is with steam-ploughed and untrodden fallow. Liebig first discovered ammonia in the air by condensing from it the vapour or steam wliich contained it. The earth obtinins it in the same way by dew and rain. Steam or vapour of water is a great purifier, ps I have found it in ray great tank. The steam from a boiler burst into a line of ftictory privies, and thereby sweetened them, although qnite an opposite result was feared and expected. Curriers of raw and tainted skins, work- ing in a cloud of steam, are particularly heali by. Steam con- verted into rain fertilises our soil and subsoil where the land is drained. It displacps air, and is replaced by air. Food-collecting Plants and the Four-course Rota- tion.— The fallow, root, and green crops are especially fitted by their abundant foliage for abstracting the aerial treasures, while tlieir deeply-descending, powerful, and abundant roots appropriate the good things of the soil and subsoil. The ample cultivation of the soil, both before and during their growth, permits the earth also to abstract from the atmos- phere its fertilising elements. Well may the alternation of green and root crops with cereal crops be esteemed as good and improving agriculture. Liebig (" Modern Agriculture," p. 174) says: "A practical agriculturist (Ailbreolit Block) is reported to have siid, ' A farmer can afford to sell and perma- nently alienate only that portion of the produce of his farm which has been supplied by the atmosphere. A field from which nothing (meaning the minerals) is abstracted can only increase, not decrease, in productive power.' The axiom (says Liebig) thus enunciated is only a natural law. In the opiaioa of this truly experienced man, to whom future agriculture will surely raise a monument, is at once expres-ed the whole foundation and groundwork of rational farming, and all the knowledge that the science of nature can teach the practical farmer." Of course Block did not mean that the farmer should not sell his crops, but that if he did so he should take care to return to the soil all the mineral elements (about 3 to 4 per cent.) which the crops had abstracted from the earth, and which the air could not supply. Butter does not ex- haust a soil, for it contains no ashes, but cheese and milk are very exhaustive, and require replacement of minerals, such as bone earth (phosphate of lime), which has been a God-send to cow farmers and cheesemaking Chesliirfl. On the same principle, putting fat on full-grown animals does not im- poverish the soil, but rearing and selling lean stock requires a restitution of minerals (bone earth) by cike feeding. My friend, the late Mr. John Hudson, of Castleacre, was per- fectly aware of this practically, and on his naturally weak soil acted accordingly by. fattening full-grown animals. The modern system of feeding with cake, which is very rich in minerals, adds fertility to our soil, and releases us from the necessity of a fixed rotation ; but, except in very rare in- stances, recourse should be had to roots and broad-leaved green crops, which permit cultivation, and which collect from the air its fertilising elements. The rich black soils of Russia, which grow fine -wheat every year, have insufficient potash for beet- root, which can only be grown by manuring with farmyard manure every fourth year, thus supplying the needed potash. Chemical analysis explains this apparent anomaly. In ordi- nary farming the straw is returned to the soil, and as the gr^in carries off but a trifling quantity of potash, there is thus little loss of that mineral. But root crops are great appropriators of potash, as well as other minerals, and tlierefore ths sale of straw and root crops nsust greatly impoverish the soil. Beet- root growers should consider this. Some soils contain natu- rally much more potash thau others. Peruvian Guano. — Peruvian guano in very deficient ia potash and silicic acid, and is therefore in many instai.ces fer- tilising, in others exhausting, to grain crops, which, minus their straw, req'iire little potash, but much phosphates. It supplies the latter, and by its excess of ammonia renders available the THE FAEMEH'S MAGAZINE. stra-w inffrcdients in tlie soil, but being deficient in potash it is uusuitcd for potash plants, such as mangel, turnips, pota- toes, or other potash plants, when grown on soil deficient in alkalies. Good covered-yard manure from animals fed on roots, liay, and cake, will never eshnubt land, for it contains all the elements for any crop. 1 apply it for my root crops, ;ind where tliese are drawn olf use Peruvian ^-uiino and salt tor the f ubsequpuf corn crops. Phosphate of lime answers admirably for turnips, provided the soil contains potash ; but where the soil already contains enough pliospliates, addiugraore gives no return for the outlay. On one acre of mangel 5 cwt. of it, added to my ordinary manure, gave no increase of crop. It is prufitiible 10 leave a portion unmanured, to test results. The excess of ammonia in guano enables us to take oyt from the soil iis alkahes, so that selling sugar-beet off the farm must prove gradually exhausting, especially in nou-potash soils, unless amply supplied with straw manure. Liebig says, at p. 225 of his " Modern Agriculture,' 'the excrement of man contaius the full complement of mineral elements removed in grain and flesli ; but in guano there is wanting a certain quantity of potash to replace fully these ash constituents. Hence, on soils poor in potash (in lime and sandy soils) the action of guano after a certain time perceptibly diminishes. . . . The continuous use of guano exhausts even this land. . . . The following passage may be useful to sugar-beet and potato growers : Liebig, " Modern Agriculture," p. 2:25 — " In the average produce of 3 hectares of laud, the potato-grower sells aud takes aways from the soil the grain constituents of four wheat crops, aud upwards of oOOlbs. of potash iu addition. In the produce of 3 hectares of land, the beetroot-grower sells and takes a>.vay from the soil the grain constituents of four wheat crops, and 10 cwt. of potash besides. The single sugar factory at Waghlenseh supplies to commerce every year 200,0i.0.bs. of salts of potash, obtained from the residue of tlie molasses, and which were originally derived from the beet-root fields of Baden. ... In potato and beet-root fields, poor in alkaline elements, farmyard manure, which abounds in alkalies, answers better than guano." What ScIE^^cE Does. — Science explains and confirms successful practice, aud also warns us against unprofitable agricultural experiments and practice. It would also prevent or detect ranch fraud in manures and cake, could farmers be persuaded to consult the agricultural chemist. It should be, and is, a safe guide, where untrodden paths are many and intricate. Had Mr. Hemming had such a guide, he would not have attempted, and failed, to grow beans alter turnips drawn elT, tops and all, on a fie d poor in potash (see his Prize Essay iu Royal Agricultural Society's Journal, vol. xiii., p. 409). Science confirms and approves of the roiation of crops, such as the four-course shift, but it al'o explains why in certain highly farmed and rich soils more than one grain crop can be taken iu succession. It tells us that our broad- leaved plants obtain and condense from the atmosphere much ammonia, which is beneficial to the cereal crops. It also explains ho\v the powerful and numerous roots of bulbous plants search for aud bring up from the soil and subsoil food which cannot be obtained by the weak-rooted cereals. It also warns us that if these roots and clovers are not consumed on the farm the soil becomes more quickly exhausted, unless fertilised by extraneous means. Sugar-beet growers should consider this. Nitrate of sods, now so much used, acts favourably by dissolving aud diffusing phosphate of lime, where it is found abundantly in the soil and subsoil ; but too o'ten it only gives us a dark green colour, where the laud is d'ificient in phosphates. It is exhaustive iu its nature, where, unaccompanied by other manures. The action of these salts and also of common salt, is fully explained in Liebig's " Modern Agriculture," p. 661. Science renders unnecessary, and would prevent, thousands of costly and unsuccessful practices or experiments in agriculture. I, therefore, tender the following advice to my young farmirg friends : When you are calculating your probable requirement of capital on taking a farm, be pleased to put down in the list £30 to £50 for an agricultural library. If you are intelligent, and desirous to acquire knowledge of your business, it will be the most profitable part of your investment, especially the 30 odd volumes of the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, Davpy and Liebig's works, and several others, as specified in mv book, " IIow to Farm Profitably." The WnEAT-GROwiiVG Diificulty. -Chemical Analyse.s jlx Paulx. — This matter is so important that I strongly re- commend a perusal of the whole chapter viii. in Liebig's " Modern Agriculture." Chemical analysis can tell that we have in our soil the inorganic materials for 7i full wheat crops, but it remained for Liebig's sagacity to explain why that supply is insullicieiit to produce even one full wheat crop. Thispu/./led and perplexed Professor Way, who says in his paper, Royal Agri- cultural Society's Juiiriuil, vol. xiii., p. 1-1-2, alter giving a table of the mineral constituents c^TTlb.), of a crop ol 35 bushels of wheat and two tons of straw, "Ihc fact is that there is an almost unlimited supply of the mineral requisites of plants in soils, but that the great agricultural problem is to get at them to render them available ; and here again, it seems reasonable to suppose that abundant cultivation, which lets [in carbonic acid and ammonia to the soil, may, by that very act, be providing the potash and phosphate of lime which the former, and the silica whieh the latter, are endowed with the power of dissolving, and presenting to the roots of plants." The whole of Way's paper is most instructive. Liebig says, in " Modern Agri<-ulture," p. 113 : " If these three-fourths of an average crop do not yield to the agriculturist a sufficient excess of income over expenditure, if they merely cover his expenses, then the crop is no longer remunerative. He con- siders the field to be nov,^ exhausted for wheat crops, although it still contains T-^ times more food than an average crop yearly requires." And at p. 110 of the same work, he explains the matter fully by saying that " Each rootlet absorbs, accord- ing to its diameter, the food with which it comes in contact ou? its way downward." And as the wheat roots only come ia contact with one granule out of 100, the 99 are unavailed of, for he states that the mineral food elements are, as it were, painted on the outside of each granule, aud are unavailable to the plant, unless the rootlet touclu s it. The whole subject is very interesting and instructive, showing why we caa grow many crops of rye where a remunerative crop of wheat cannot be produced. It appears to me that Rivett bearded wheat has a much more power ul development of roots than the fine white wheats. This, I presume, is the reason why I can grow a fine crop of Rivett wheat after a crop of white wheat, on land which has been in clover. The wheat plant has a very feeble development of roots, and for this reason the soil suitable for its growth should be abundantly fertilised with its needful elements. Liebig says (" Modern Agriculture," p. 113), " Cliemical analysis has, with its rigorous methods, proved that of thousands of fields, there is scarcely one which contains more than 1 per cent, of the ash-constitueuts of plants — of clover for Instance — in a state available to the wants of plants." And then he gives details of a vast number of analyses. Half per cent , in a soil ten inches deep, would 1 e five tons of mineral food per acre, a very large quantity com- pared with the plant requirements of a single crop. Liebig, p. Ill : " According to our assumption, which probably hardly reaches the full amount really present, an acre mn^t contain from the surface downwards, in order to yield aa average crop of wheat, at least ■i,4001fa. of potash, and 2,200ib. of phosphoric acid." Liebig reckons an average crop of whent to be 29 bushels of grain (1,7611b.), and nearly two tons of straw (4,4101b.). This is a greater proportion of straw to graia than is grown in a fine season on good English farms. Liebig estimates the grain and straw together to contain only 220ll>. of mineral substances, or les-s than a thirtieth part of the phosphoric acid and potash present in the soil. So powerful is the attraction in the soil for the three most important elements of plant-food, potash, phosphate of lime, and ammonia, that an acre of pulverised land ten inches deep can withdraw from a solution 4,0001b. of potash and 2,0001b. of phosphate of magnesia and ammonia (" Liebig's Mod< rn Agri- culture," 33). Hr. Voelcker says, at p. 545, vol. xix.. Royal Agricultural Society's Journal, " It is true that stilT clays are not always very productive, but generally they contain within themselves all the elements of fertility, and it is only for want of proper cultivation that their productive powers are not fully developed. . . Whatever the agriculturists may think of the Lois-Weedon system of culture, the Rev, Mr. Smith certainty has the great merit of having shown, with indefatigable perseverance and zeal, that certain clay soils only require constant working in order to yield consecutive crops of wheat for a number of years." Liebig says, at p. S3 of the " Natural Laws of Husbandry," " The work performed by the plough may be compared to the masiication of f»od by those special organs with which Natr.re has endoTred a 'jmals. . . , It acts beneficially by prejiring the uisting nutri- 6 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE ment for the support of a future crop. . . . The ground must not be so adhesive as to prevent the spreading of the roots." Accepting Liebig's calculation that a full wheat crop o" 40 bushels can only take oue-hundredth part of the food pro- viled for it in the soil, we can readily comprelsend vfhy fur 34 years in succession, without manure, Mr. Lawes grew an average of 14) bushels of wheat per acre. No doubt he will c jntinue to do so for many years to come, perhaps at a slowly and gradually diminishing rate of production. In oar colonies, and the early colonised States of America, 50 to 80 years of continued wheat-growing have reduced the yield to a miQimum of a few bushels per acre. The growth and sale of root crops would have completed the work of exhaustion very much sooner. You all know the value of lime and elialk, and also of clay burning, as a means of rendering available plant- f )od in the soil, so that I need not detain you on these points. Where lime is cheap and abundant, its too frequent use has, in many cases, exhausted the soil. Nor need I dilate on the national folly of wasting our town sewage ; for that will be remedied some day by public common sense. Prout and Middleditcii's Earmtng. — Me-srs. Front and Middleditch's farming has so intimate a relation to the subject which we are now considering, that I venture to make some remarks upon it, first expressing my admiration and appreciation of the great public benefit which must accrue from such an extensive, judicious, and profitable iuvestraeut of capital, thus affording a much greater employment for human labour, and a greatly increased production of food. [Jnder-drainage and deep steam cultivation" have permitted thB free and fertilising circulation of air within the soil. la the case of Mr. Prout, the manuring (under the advice, I believe, of Dr. Voelcker) is with artificial manures, and is thus an illustration and verification of Liehig's gre.-.t mineral theory. No doubt the continued sale of straw will ultimately necessitate an application of potash. Judging from my own experience, I should prefer, instead of continual corn crops, a r tation ; for, by a variety of crops and animals, we not only avoid having too many eggs in one basket, but adapt our farming to the wants of the people as well as to the varying climatic conditions. Witness this year, when barley is a better and more profitable crop than wheat. Oats, too, are good. The work of the farm is better distributed by a rotation, and the land better fertilised Nor can I commend the manner of disposal of the crops, on the score of profit, and of other considerations. The purchasers must derive an intermediate profit which should belong to the farmer. The continuous corn cropping system deprives the laud and the farmers of the treasures of the air, especially the cosily ammonia. Liebig says (at p. 329, " Natural Laws of Husbandry"), "The fodder plants, which thrive without rich nitrogenous manure, collect from the ground and condense from the atmosphere, io the form of blood and flesh constituents, the ammonia which is supplied from these sources ; and the farmer, in ftedicg his horses, sheep, and cattle with the turnips, clover, &c., receives, in their solid and fluid excrements, the nitrogen of the fodder in the farm of ammonia, and products rich in nitrogen, and thus ho obtains a supply of nitrogenous manures or nitrogen, which he gives to his corn-fields. It is easy to see that tlie accumulation of nitrogenous food by farmyard manure in the uppermost layers of the ground, so very important for the perfect growth of cereal plants, must cliiefy depend upon the successful growth of fodder plants." With regard to manures, tiie cost of artificials is very considerable, and, according to Mr. Lawes', Dr. Voelcker's, and my own opinion, greater than that of manure made by fattening animals. The continuous fertility of the soil would undoubtedly be better preserved by the rotation of crops, but much capital would be required, and perhaps a more troublesome mode of management. Already I perceive by the published statements in the Royal Agricul- tural Society's Journal, Part I., 1875, that the same difficulty is experienced on these farms as to the continuous growth of white, glassy wheats, as I have observed on ray own farm when I attempted the too-frequent growth of that kind of wheat. Bivett wheat is, therefore, substituted. I find llivett does well after while wheat, and the late llev. Samuel Smiih, of Lois- Weedon, was obliged to substitute Rivett for other wheat, because it could be got to stand better. The silica or glassy coating of the white wheat is not, I presume, dissolved or eudered available in time for such successional crops. One his matter I recommend a study of Professor Way's paper in vwl. xiii., p. 137, of the iloyal Agricultural Society's jQuntul We can understand by that paper why salt is so beneficial to- wheat crops ; it renders both those and barley stiff in the straw. But while I comms nd the feediug of animals as the most prolitable mode of obtaining manure, it muht, in the case of cattle, not be in open, uncovered, and unpaved farmyards, which, in time to come, no landlord will permit on his estate. It is impossible to read Dr. Voelcker's able article on this sub- ject, in the Royal Agricultural Society's Jonrnal, vol. xvii., p. 191, without being convinced that the open and unpaved yard and uncoi^ered dung-htap practice is one that deprives the land of much valuable manure, and the farmer of much profit. That single volume (xvii.) contains several treasures for the intelligent young agriculturist. But I fear it is too often unreatl and even uncut ; for, said a farmer of 500 acres to me, " I always get the journal, but never read it." I thank our able secretary (Mr. Jenkins) for now having its leaves cut. In conclusion, apologising for this very long story, 1 now bid you> my brethren of the I'armers' Club, adieu — for a time — perhaps- for ever — for, in my 7itli year, I consider my agricultural career as virtually terminated. I shall therefore arrange with the Messrs. Routledge, of Broadway, Ludgate-liill, to puhlislt, cheaply, in ihree volume, under the title of " How to Parm Profitably," the records of my sayings and doings, extending over thirty years, and occupying over 1,4'00 closely- printed pages. My sole object in saying and doing this is to promote and stimulate agricultural improvement, wliich has ever been my earnest desire. Here let me thank those journalists who- have so kindly forwarded my views by inserting tliem in their papers. Many years have elapsed since 1 joined this Club. It has prospered, and will continue to do so; for it has gradually advanced from mere practice to science and theory, with which correct practice must always agree. Oace more 1 bid you all God speed. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P. : Mr. Chairman, I rise to make two or three remarks on Mr. Mechi's paper, which, as usual, like all that emanates from his pen, and generally from him, is very interesting. He has pressed yery persistently the mineral theory on Baron Liebig. lie tells us that the chemist and the theorist is a better farmer than tiie practical farmer , but I do not believe that any practical firmer has made more mistakes in agriculture than tliat great and glorious man, Liebig. If any- body has ever tried the mineral manure which he recommended, I am positive that he would never try it again, except with the idea of an experiment; because I remember, in mv young and ardent days, having a " go " at this wonderful mineral manure, and the result was most disastrous. I think that modern experiments in farming have really dissipated some of those wonderful theories which chemists have formed. What did Mr. Smith, of Lois Weedon, do ? He continued to grow wheat, not year after year certainly, but every alternate year, and produced very wonderful crops, removing the straw and applying no manure, simply by fallowing one portion of the land and bringing the mineral constituents of that land into a state in which tney can be made available for the wheat ; bnt, according to Liehig's theory, Mr. Smith ought to have grown no wheat at all. In the course of a few years it would have been exhausted, and he ought to have supplied the manure which contains those eoni^tltuents ; whereas I contend that in the clay lands of this eounlry we have a vast fund of mineral manure, and we need not think so much about it as the other portions of the manure. Mr. Mechi lias touched lightly on his favourite [scheme uf ma- nuring the subsoil, but he did not tell us liow we wereto do it. 1 contend that you do not want to manure the subsoil. Manure the upper soil, and it will certainly find its way down into any subsoil that is drained, whether naturally or artificially. My attention has been recently called to the chemical consti- tuents of water from underdraining on arable or pasture land. In all of these there cannot be any doubt that a certain portion of the volatile manures is washed away by the heavy rams ; and, after the enormous deluges of rain which we liave lately had, I am sure that in the spring you will find that some of the manure which you have applied to your wheat crop has gone into the next river rather than having been retained to fertilise your crops fir the following season. V\'liy, if the water goes through the soil and the subsoil to the depth of four feet, and this is found to contain certain mineral matter! which you desire to retain, surely in its passage tliiough the subsoil, if it is good for anything, a certain amount of manure will be retained there ; therefore our subsoils may be manured without actually applying manure to the subsoil. With regard THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, fo steam cultivation Ibclieve that Mr. Meclii does not steam- pkiKffli liis grouiul. Mr. JIecui: Yes, I do. Mr. Read ; But digs it. Mr. Mecui : I have steam ploughed 120 acres in the lust two years. Origiaally I began by digging. Mr. Head: Well, in June or July last, I saw the digger doing good work on liis grounds. So that he has not aban- doned it. The digger is tiie best inipleinent, for witli it you move tbe subsoil and turn up only a portion of it, thougii quite enougli for any tenantfarmer to niHuurc. If, as Mr. Mechi tells us, you should turn up tlie subsoil, you must be careful how jou do it. You nuut not do too much of it at once, but only a little of it at a time, and even tiiat little will, iu all probability, require a heavy dressing of manure before it wonlil produce good crops. One thing to which Mr. Mecbi called our attention was tliat we should not stop the supply of guano ; but I doubt whether that will not stop williout action on our part. I fear tl.at we shall soon ex- liaust ll-.e whole of the guano supply, that the best of it is already exhausted, and that the quality of the miserable stulF which we now receive is utterly unreliable. One cargo may be very good and the next exceedingly bad ; and, as the Peru- vian Government insist upon its being all sold at one price, I ■venture to say that the sale of guano will very much diminish ill this country, and that, therefore, practically, the supply will s'op. I do not think tiiat I need detain tbe meeting (uither. We. are much indebted to Mr. ^Rlecbi for giving us such valu- alile intormat'on as he has done to-night, and for making snch copious extracts from learned authors. He has saitl that when a \ouiig farmer begins business he had better devote £.50 to the purchase of an agricultural library. He also said that it would be the best investment possible if he were to purchase all the volumes of the lioyal A'jriciilinral Sockii/s Journal. Now, as in my younger days I was a contributor to a con- siderable extent to the Journal, I hope I may be excused for saying that if any body will give me a very small amount of money for mine, and I have them from the first, I shall be happy to sell them to any young farmer (Hear, hear, and laughter). Mr. T. C. Scott, of 19, King's Arms Yard, Moorgate-street, E.G., and Knaphill Farm, Surrey, rose and said it was gene- rally considered that one volunteer was worth two pressed men, and lie was afraid he stood in the latter unenviable capacity, as he had only risen in response to the chairman's third time of asking. Mr. Scott continued : They had had some very interesting practical remarks from Mr. Read in the way of comment on Mr. Mechi's paper. Some of those remarks, however, appeared to him to be founded in mistake — for instance, when he says that, in corn growing, all the constituents were taken from the soil and none from the atmosphere. In speaking of ]Mr. I'rout's suc- cessful corn growing, extending over 13 or l^ consecutive years, Mr. Mecbi did not, he believed, say that Mr. Front did not draw anything from the riches of the atmosphere (Hear, liear). The whole secret of Mr. Front's success was, on the contrary, that he did draw the main constituents of plants from the atmosphere in the shape of nitrogen and ammonia, and only restored to the soil, through artificial manures, the Bainerals which the atmosphere could not supply. Mr. C. S. Read, M.F., said he did not speak of Mr. Prout's system, but of the Lois Weedon system, under which no ma- nure was used. Mr. T. G. Scott continued : He had learned from science as well as from practical experience tliat the soil contained an almost inexhaustible quantity of mineral matter, and that plants took away an ascertained amount, and, therelbre, it appeared to him quite clear that if they restored that artificially they might go on growing corn crops or any other for ever. He be- lieved that abundant mineral substances existed iu almost all, except peat soils,' but then they required to be commuted and disintegrated, by stirring and exposure to the atmosphere, to render them fit for the immediate fond of plants. Mr. Fratt. of Yorkshire, Mr. Middleditch, of Wilts, and other perpetual corn growers, taught them the necessity of constantly stirring the soil to enable it to imbibe the manurial constitu- ents of the air, and to disintegrate the minerals in the soil itself. The disintegrated granite soils of Aberdeenshire were well known to produce roots that made more and better beef and Uiulton than iLusc i^rowu in the South of England, with the ai'dition of corn and cake. So mucli for llie mineral theory. Having always obtained his living from the practical cultivation of the land, he was more likely to eschew scientific theories than- applaud or adopt them ; but, by inductive reasoning, scicntnlc men have already found out for us many sound conclusions, which could only have been arrived at by the purely practical man by a long course of perhaps ruinous field experiments. In tbe practice of Mr. Front, what do you see ? Why, immediately after harvest and before the shocks of corn "are carted off the field, the steam plough rolling the land about to enable it to fertilize itself by the ab- sorption of ammonia from the atmosphere. Then, undtr tliH guidance of our scientific president, Prof. Voelcker, Mr. Front applies a dressing of mineral manure, and another little stimu- lant in spring ; and the result has been, for the last three years during wliich he had inspected the crops, that he (Mr. Scott) had been ready to challenge England for equal crops on from 100 to 400 acres grown in any other way ou similar soils, and this without producing an ounce of animal food or applying an ounce of animal manure. The system was not one that could be applied to the whole country, but it was one which should be considered dispassionately by all of us, with the view of seeing whether profit could or could not be derived from it on some particular farms (Hear, hear). From his schoolboy days he had bad the pleasure of visiting and inspecting Mr. Mechi's farm many times and at all seasons, and had seen many ex- cellent crops grown on the opposite principle, namely, that of heavy manuring. Now, although he had always consistently differed with Mr. Mechi ou many practical points, this bad never made any alteration in their friendship (cheers). 13ut at one time he had agreed so entirely with him in regard to cattle feeding and manure, that he had gone so far as to say in a letter iu llie Times, that if we were enabled and induced by a prohibitory duty to produce all the meat we consumed we could then grow all the corn we required. Having been tutored by a tenant-farmer, who never had fewer than from 140 to 250 head of cattle tied up, and having since then had many head of cattle fattened under his eye, he had found, as a rule, that the main compensation for the cost of their maintenance has been simply their manure, for the subsequent production of cereal and other crops. Even now, when animal food is at such an enormous and still rising price, he (Mr. Scott) questioned if their is much direct profit in making beef and mutton, unless the feeder rears his own stock. But whether cattle pay, or are indispensible as manure makers or not, the question is one that should be discussed and not scouted.' Whether it is better to produce manure by the maintenance of live-stock or to purchase it in the market, in the shajje of sulphate of ammonia, nitrate of soda, superphosphate of lime and other things, was partly a question of profit and partly one as to maintaining what may be called the normal fertility of tlio soil. It was, however, hardly worth while at present to dis- cuss that matter, because 90 per cent, of the farmers of England were in such a state of thraldom, or so tied down by ancient usages, that they could not do as they would, ucr avail themselves of the discoveries of science, until there was perfect freedom of action. Tlio.se who had the command of suflicient capital, and yet were not allowed full sv.ing lor tlieir talents and enterprise, could not be expected to show much in- terest in the development of the resources of the soil (Hear, hear). He well remembered hearing Professor Low, of the University of Eiiinburgh — a man who had written a book, designated the " Elements," but entitled to be cplledthe Bible of Agriculture— ridicule the pretensions of scien".-, espe- cially of cliemistry, and i>W ins pupils to rely solely i lU the beaten tracks of practical experience, and yet since liis day chemistry had specially become the handmaid of practical farming. Another remarkable Scotchman, however, an; '^cedent to Low, Lord Kames, a judge of tiie High Court of Justiciary as well a great agriculturist, took quite a different view of what science would do for us, and predicted that the time would arrive when farmers would be enabled to carry to the field, in their hats, sufficient manure for an acre, and he was subjected to the witty retort that when that time came farmers "would carry back their crops in tlieir waistcoat pockets " (laughter). He (Mr. Scott) was a great advocate for looking over the hedge, and seeing what the rent and tax paying farmers of England wero doing ; but their most successful operations may have costtlieia or their predecessors a lifetime of floundering experiments; whereas science enables us to arrive at conclusions by a shorter THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. cut. Witness the discovery by tlie almost proplietic geuius of Liebig of how to dissolve bones aud render them fit tor the ira- inediate food of plants — before which we were obiifjed to wait years for their decomposition and action, and waste the interest of onr capital besides. Geology, meteorology, and many other sciences have also aided, and continue to aid us in our business in the cultivation of the laud. These circumstances show the mastery that mind had already gained over iiiiittrr, and leave no man at liberty to dogmatize as to the future. Init it is only he who, from time to time, throws the plummet into the intel- lectual or scientific ocean, who can tell of the vast subterranean current that is flowing so silently but irresistibly along. Mr. H. Neild (The Granpe, Worsley, Manchester) said the discussion wliicn they had had that evening had taken them at such very high latitudes, that common-place people like himself might well feel a little dilSdent in rising to make any observations ; but he wished to say one or two words. It appeared to him tliat all tlie wonderful appliances of science in reference to the land of which they had heard required tlie greatest consideration from tliose wiio used them in conuection with the variations of soil and climate, which were spread over this country ; and they should all be guided, to a great extent, by the experience gained in their respective districts. He had been very much struck by what he might call the glib manner in which Mr. Mechi had spoken of the necessity of manuring for the potato crop. He understood tliat gentleman to say tliat a potato crop absorbed four times as much as a wheat crop, alluding especially to Cheshire. In that county, with which lie was well acquainted, they were accustomed to grow potatoes "aud wheat, wheat and potatoes, one after anotlier, year after year ; and tlie finest crops of wheat in Cheshire had been grown after potatoes. Mr. Meciii : With town manure. Mr. Neild ; Without any manure. Sometimes potatoes were followed by clover or seed ; and he believed that if Mr. Mechi were to see the crops he would confess they would com- pare favourably with some of the best results obtained in the South of England. lie (Mr. Neild) was delighted when the gentleman who preceded him pointed out how that discussion involved the question of freedom in farming. [\ Voice : " Question."] He believed he was speaking to tlie question. They came there for the sake of instruction, aud he must acknowledge that he was indebted to the discussions of that Club for a great deal of most valuable information. He could, indeed, wish that the report of those discussions were dis- seminated far more widely than they were among the farmers of England — though he believed that even without ttiat "the bread cast on the waters vould be found after many days." Those discussions had tauglit liim, among otiier things, that they should always bear in mind that differences of soil aud climate had a great deal to do with success in culti- vation ; and when they compared the soil of Cheshire with tliat of Norfolk they must feel that " wisdom was justified'' in the practice of such different counties. Mr. Meciii inquired how much town manure was used in the cultivation of potatoes in Cheshire.^ Mr. Neild said that Cheshire farmers used as much as 25 tons per acre. Mr. Clement Cadle (Gloucester) whenever he listened to Mr. Mechi, expected to hear a great deal that was valu- able ; but he n. k confess that on that occasion he felt rather disappointed, huv'ing hoped that he would enter a little more fully into the question of tlie benefits of cultivation. He liad no wish to criticise the paper, but there were one or two points on which he would have liked to hear more expla- nation. Mr. Mechi had told them that 70 per cent, of tlie meat they produced was water, and we know that from 80 ,to 90 per cent of our root crops is also water. Supposing that out of four tons of meat no less flian three tons consisted of water, and out of 20 tons of roots IG to 18 were water, it appeared to him that what they should do was to banish the mineral theory much more than they did, aud endeavour to ascertain how tliey could convert liquids and air into solids (Hear, hear). As regr.rdcd the scientific part of the question, it seemed to him that what they had to consider was whether the mineral theory was not more like the oil for the machinery, or the water Mr. Meciii had alluded to required for build- ing a house. lie (Jlr. Cadle) had long -tliought, and what he had heard that night still more conflrraed it, that we should look more upon a farm as a juachine for manufacturing food from air and water than we do. Thanks to Dr. Voelcker, he (Mr. Cadle) had a little knowledge of chemistry, and it was with great pleasure that he heard Mr. Lawes introduce there a subject kindred to that some years ago. On that occasion he showed, by means of tabular statements, tli;tt during twenty-five years lie had been enabled to produce on tlie same land an average of fourteen and a-half bushels of wheat per acre every year. That was just about half the quantity which was produced on the average throughout the kingdom by growing wheat every other year ; and the fact that the average of the kingdom was about 23 or 29 bushels per acre showed, he thought, the great advantage of growing wheat in this way, and thus saving seed and labour ; and it also showed that the rain, air, frost, and sunshine T?ereonly sufficient to change into plant-food what was required for this quantity of wheat. It seemed to him that the mineral theory also required consideration, from the fact that Mr. Lawes, while showing that the actual produce of his land was fourteen and a-half bushels per acre every year,, without any manure at all, he, by simply applyiu'/ a small quantity of nitrate of seda, permanently raises the produce to 25 bushels per acre, or at tlie rate of 73 per cent. Can any one believe implicitly in the mineral theory after this ? About 18 or 19 years ago he (Mr. Cadle) was a pupil of Dr. Voelcker. They all knew what a pleasant man the Doctor was — (laughter) — and lie recollected iiis sajing one day to a number of students, " Gentlemen, if you want to make your fortune, you have only to invent something to dissolve the silicic acid out of the sand, and you can apply everything else required, and grow whatever crop you plea e." Tliis iuvention has not yet taken place, and we are still dependent upon the rain, air, frost, and sunshine, and so the more we liorse-hoe and cultivate our laud the better crops we grow. He must repeat that, in his opinion, the great question for them to consider as farmers was how they might better convert water into solids by cultivation or otherwise (laughter). Mr. F. Tallamt (Easebourne Priory, Midhurst) said Mr. Mechi had told them in effect, that in order to make a successful farmer you must pass through Cirencester College, and buy £50 worth of books. He, on the contrary, thouglit that in the present aspect of affairs, the best education for a farmer was practical experience, and that a young man who meant to get his living by a farm should learn bow to draw a straight furrow, how to work drills, and how to use in a proper manner the various implements with which he liad to deal. They all knew that the labour question was one of the most difficult questions of the day, and without wishing to utter a word against the results of chemical experiments, he must say he was quite sure the most successful farmers of the present day were those who were most thoroughly acquainted with the nature and value of the operations they had to perform, and that young larmers would do well to imitate them, in that respect. The Chairman, in closing the discussion, said: Gentlemen I wish first to express the great pleasure I have felt in listen- ing to Mr. Mechi's paper. Mr. Mechi's remarks are always of great interest, because they are so suggestive, because they nuke people think and bestir themselves, aud give them some- thing to talk about. Anything whicli tends to destroy the lethargy which prevails in large portions of the agricultural community must be very useful. In this respect Mr. Mechi is certainly one of the best friends that English agriculturists have ever had, and I am extremely glad to hear that he is going to publish a collection of his writings on farming (cheers). There has been a good deal said this evening about the mineral theory ; and perhaps you will bear with me if I make a few remarks on that subject — (cheers) — a subject which has, I think, been very much misunderstood, and has been discussed in what I may call an agricultural party spirit. Now what is the truth as regards the mineral theory ? That tlieory is in itself perfectly correct. All that Liebig said is that in the case of certain crops certain ininfral mauures are essential to the bringing the crop to perfectiMU. Wi iiout a certain amount of lime, potash, phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid, and so on, you cannot, according to this theory, grow wheat to perfection, and the same may be said with regard lo other crops. This theory is entirely confirmed by the common experiences of farmers in every district. Try for a succession of years to grow a wheat crop on poor, light land, and yon will utterly fall, if jou make use of sulphate of ammonia, or nitrate of soda, and if the soil does not contain the mineral constituents which are necessary to bring the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. grain to perfeclion. I think, therefore, that Liebig rendered great service to agriculturists by pressing on their attention tlic fact that certain mineral substaticcs are as absolutely necessary for the growth of plants as air, water, and moisture. 13ut it is one thing to announce a theory and another to apply it (Hear, hear). Where Liehig failed was in tiie application of iiis tlieory ; and 1 am sure tliat if he had had the good fortune, whch 1 enjoyed for l^- years, to live in tlie niid-t of a purely agricultural district, having had during that period comparatively little intercourse with scientific men, and a great deal of intercourse with thoroughly practical, sound, iatelligent, and experienced agriculturists, he would not have made the mistake into nhicli S.e fell — the mistake of applying the theory through what 1 may call, in plain, homely languag-e, thick and tliin. AYe all know that liowevergood a theory may be, it cannot always be adopted to its full extent ; that it requires to be modified, according to varying circumstances and conditions, in order that it may be properly applied. We have a practical illustration of this in Mr. Prout's farm. I have visited that farm almost every year for several years, and have watched with the greatest interest the results which Mr. Prout has realised by his peculiar system of farming. In many of his fields he has grown wheat year after year, and if lie were to sell his land to-morrow it would fetch a considerably larger amount than he gave for it. So far from deteriorating he has really improved it by his system of cultivation ; or, far from any elements of fertility having been withdrawn from it, it has arrived at sucli a state of fertility, that he asked me not long ago whether he misht not cut down the bill for artificial manures and yet realise the same as he had done for years. Now, Mr. Prout does not go on the theory merely of applying mineral manures, he depends mainly upon nitrogenous matters. lie uses dissolved Peruvian guano for his lighter land,and nitrate of soda for his heavy land, and he is mainly dependant upon these for his nitrogenous matters in the growth of heavy crops of corn year after year. I have no doubt that if he should at any time find it desirable to alter his course of farming, and take to a course of ordinary cropping, he would be able to grow as heavy crops of roots, and as fine a crop of clover as any man in England. Indeed, I have seen as heavy crops of sainfoin and clover on his farm as you could find anywhere ; and he has told me that last year, wishing to supply a few cows, he grew as many as 60 tons per acre of mangolds on his wheat land, and that he also obtained £17 an acre for his clover. Tliat dees not look as if the land were exhausted. You will see, therefore, that the mineral theory is not applicable in Mr. Prout's practice. There are soils which have almost inexhaustible stores of mineral matters ; but, as Professor Way truly remarked, the difiiculty is to get at them (Hear, hear). The whole policy of farming has for its object to convert inexpensive elements of the soi!, air, and manure, into organic vegetable produce. Now, however you may effect this, whether it be by artificial manures, or by deeper ploughing, or by superior feeding, in every case you only realise a profit when you convert something of less value into something of greater value. In seeking to do this, we are dependent on the nature of the locality, the circumstances and conditions of the soil ; and I believe there could be ne greater mistake on the part of scientific men than to lay down fixed and definite rules. At the same time, I would not speak disparagingly of any of tlie experiineuts of scientific men, however much they may have been mistaken in their practical application. There is at the present time a move- ment in favour of inducing men to institute practical experi- ments. I must say that I do not expect that much practical goodwill arise from such experiments ; but yet I would be the last man to say a word against them, because 1 like to hear of some kind of experiments which tend to open the eyes of the understanding and the mind of agriculturists, and to rouse such people from their dormant condition. Nothing can be more hurtful than stagnant water in soil, and nothing can be more hurtful to the nrndcfany person, be he an agriculturist, or whatever may be his avocation in the world, than to be satisfied with the existing degree of advancement, and " rest and be thankful" (laughter). I hope that we shall never arrive at that state ; and, therefore, though I may differ from my friend Mr. Mfchi, I always hail with pleasure a paper from him, and I am sure the members of the Club who are present will heartily join in supporting the vote of thanks which 1 now move for the able paper with which he has favoured us this evening (cheers). Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., having seconded the motion, it was put and carried. Mr. Mecui, after returning thanks, alluding to the remarks made by Mr. Read respecting the Joiinuil of the Iloyal Agri- cultural Society, observed that it contained the essence of the results of the studies of hundreds of men who had devoted their lives to the improvement of agriculture, and that it was a treasure-house of instruction to those who perused it. On the motion of ^Ir. H. Cheffins, seconded by Mr. Mechi, a vote of thanks was given to the chairman, and this terminated the proceedings. THE GENERAL ANNUAL MEETING Tuesday, December 7, Dr. Voelcker ix the Chair. The following report from the Committee, with the balance- sheet, was received and adopted : During the past year seventy-six new members have joined the Club ; the annual subscriptions received are also slightly in excess of those on the previous balance-sheet, while the arrears have again been closely collected, and the cash at present available in the bank is larger than at the last audit. When it is borne in mind how long and how directly the question of English Tenant-Right has been associated with he proceedings of the Club, it has naturally followed that with a bill on the subject before Parliament, the business in the earlier part of the year turned to this measure. At the March nieeting Mr. James Howard read a paper on Freedom of Con- tract, in which the principle of Tenant-Right was advocated as one of the chief points. On the next day a deputation from the Club, introduced by Sir John St. Aubyn, M.P., had an interview with the Premier, when tlie right of the tenant to compensation for unexhausted improvement was urged, not only as a farmer's question, but as one of public interest. At the April meeting Mr. Henry Neild again referred to the matter in his address on Treedom in Farming ; and in May Mr. R. II. Masfen spoke directly to the Agricultural Holdings Bill, when the following resolutions were passed : That, in the opinion of the Earmers' Club, the Agricultural Holdings Bill, owing to its permissive character, is valuable only as a concession to tiie principle of Tenant-Right, the necessity of which was demonstrated by the Duke of Richmond in intro- ducing the bill, and admitted by the Premier in his reply to the deputation from the Club. It is therefore submitted that, in order to carry out the principle thus recognised, the Government should make the Act practically effective by striking out Clause 37, and otherwise amending the measure. This Club also desires to express its conviction that any legis- lation which only unsettles the existing relitious of landlords and tenants, which does not fix them in a secure and uniform basis, would be more likely to prove injurious than beneficial to the great body of tenants holding from year to year. The Act, however, stands as tlie first recognition of the principle by the Legislature, a step not without its weight, as already not without effect. In July a special meeliug of the Committee was called, at the instance of Mr. James Howard, to consider the proposed ameuduients offered in the House of 10 THE FARMER^S MAGAZINE. Commons to the bill, and' protests entered against a number of these iu a report wliich was circu'ated previous to the pass- ing ol che Act amongst the members of the Grovernmeat and of the House of Commons, At the February meeting Mr. Lawes read a paper on the more frecfuent Growth of Barley, and subsequently invited the Committee to inspect his experiments at Ruthampstead, where a siuiill party was hospitably received. The Committee has received the following commuuica- tion from the Directors of the Agricultural Hotel Company : *' At the last meeting of the sharehoHers of this Com- pany much dissatififactiou was expressed at the pressnt arrangement with the farmers' Club, and the general feel- ing was that the present terras were not only wholly inad- equate for the accommodation give\ but that the rooms now occupied by the Farmers' Club were greatly needed for the business of the hotel, and the shareholders there- fore cousideied tliat the agreement sliould terminate," Notice was accordingly issued by the Directors of t'rie CbmpanT? to the Committee of the Club to give up possession of Ihe^ rooms on March 2oth, 1876, in accordance with the terms of- the agreement. The Committee has, however, enf;;vged rooms- at the Caledonian Hotel, Adelphi-terrace, upon whicli it has been thought better to enter on the 1st of January, 1876. Mr. Thomas Horley, jun., of the Posse, Leamington, has- been elected Chairma/u of the Club for 1876. The following members of the Committee, who went out by rotation, were re-elected : J. Bradshaw ; W. T. Brown ; Alfred Crosskill ; F. L. Dashwood ; T. Hemsley ; T. Horley ; 11. Leeds ;. J.J. Mechi •, F. Sherborn ; G. Smjthies; W.Thonop- son ; J. Tyler ; J. Weall ; J. Wood. The Auditors, Messrs. T. Willson, N. Rix, and the Rev. G. Smjthies were re-elected, and a vote ot tliauks pissed to thenv for their services, which was acknowledged by Mr. Willson. The proceedings closed with a vote of t:ij.ali3 tj the- chairmaa. THE ANNUAL DINNER. The annual dinner look place on Tuesday, December 7th, when there was an unusually good attendance. Dr. Voelcker, the Chairman for the year, presided. Alter the u^nal loyal and patriotic toasts, 'J'lie CifAiRMAN proposed "Success to the Farmers' Club, and thanks to those gentlemen who have read papers during the past year." He said : Gentlemen, 1 rejoice to see so many of my friends here to-night, and allow me heartily to con- gratulate )0U on manifesting your continued interest in the wellare of the Farmers' Club. It would not be becoming in me to speak of the success which the Club has achieved. It h)s existed for a great many years, and any one wlio takes the trouble to look over the record of its proceedings will, I am Bure, agree with me that matters of very vital importance to agriculture have been discussed here, while there can be no doubt that in consequence ot the establisliment of this institu- tion they have been discussed in far wider circles elsewhere than they otherwise would heve been. On all questions of the greatest importance to the agricultural interest this Club has always taken the initiative, and the proceeJint;s of the Club during the last Parliameutary session afford an illustration of the fact that no question arises seriously affecting the agricul- tural interest which does not at once receive constant and close attention from some of the leading members of this institution. You can hardly need to be reminded of the Agricultural Hold- ings Bill, and the important papers which were read during the last session, and the important discussions which followed the reading. Gentlemen, I must confess that I feel somewhat like a fish out of water in talkiug to you in reference to the Agri- cultural Holdings Bill ; bat there is one aspect under whicli that bill especially presents itself for the consideration of scien- tific men like myself — I mean that which is connected with utMixhausted improvements. That is a very important question in connection with that bill ; but this is rather delicate ground to tread upon. It is one thing to speak of the theory of the manuring value of food consumed ; it is another thing to speak of the practical manurial value of the amount of cake or sub- stances of various kinds that has passed through an animal. The one does not necessarily coincide with the other. It does not follow, for instance, because you obtain iu linseed-cake a certain amount of ammonia in dung that that dung is worth £3 a ton as manure, or that because you find in cotton-cake .^I mean decorticated cotton-cake — twice as much ammonia as you do in what I have just mentioned therefore it must be worth £6 a ton as manure. I venture to say that no farmer would give £6 a ton for decorticated cotton-cake if he had to pay that amount for it in the shape of manure. I merely mention tiiis by way of illustration to show that the theoretical or calculated value does not practically coincide with the real value or the value which can be transported at once into the farmer's pocket (Hear, hear). Under this aspect the Agricul- tural Holdings Bill has a very important bearing upon farming matters. One paper which has been read during the past year related to a matter of very great importance : I allude to the paper on Freedom in Farming (Hear, hear). The longer I live the more deeply convinced I am that great progress in agri- c;i!ture is only consistent with perfect freedom (cheers). No amount of legislation, uo amoimt of rules binding a landlord to give certain compensation for what are called unexhaustetP improvements, will ever mtke up for the loss sustained by a truly intelligent tenant-farmer tlirough his not being allowed to do what is profitable to himself, and, as I believe, will in the long run prove conducive to tbe prosperity of the landlord (cheers). The interests of landlords and tenants are not divided :: what is for the permanent interest of the intelligent tenant is also for the lasting benefit of the landlord. But let the truth be confessed. Many landlords do not want improving tenants ; they want tenants who will do precisely what they are told to do, who will be satisfied with their lot in life, and never strive to improve tluir position. Many landlords object to any change in the system of farming on their estates. If I were a landlord I shoula not like a gentleman fanner who walked about in kid gloves or put his hands in his pocket. I should not like to have a tenant who would run through his patri- mony ; one who, having had a good fortune left to him, would very soon lose it. But it is a very different thing to have an intelligent tenant, who, besides having gentlemanly feelings, has intelligence and capital, and who has good sense and judg- ment enough to lead him to do what is best for hirasell', and what, in the long run, will tend to the improvement of the- estate. 1 consider the paper which was read this year OU' Freedom in Farming, and the discussion which followed it, very important. It is usual for the chairman at tlie annual dinner of this Club to take a brief review of all the papers on the- card for the current year ;. but I feel some little difficulty ia that respect, especially as I have to propose, together with " Success to the Farmers' Club," " Thanks to those gentle- men who have read papers during the past year." Having read a paper myself, I appear here in a double capacity, and I may appear to be proposing thanks to myself (laughter)>. I am sorry for the absence of one of the readers, Mr. Mechi^ an old fanner, a man of indomitable energy, unbounded good nature, and great intelligence, whose papers, if not all very practical, are all very suggestive (cheers). I say I am sorry that he is not here this evening. You all know that, if you WHUt to do any good, you must often put things in a strong: li;;ht, and must not weigh your words too nicely. There are people who bilance their words so exactly that nothing is- left. In order that an impression may be mado, we want men like Mr. Mechi, who will put things in a strong light, and give people something to talk about. Even Mr. Mechi's extra- vagances have done a great deal of good. It is not every man of business who is always ready to come forward as he is. Even his occasional extravagances have, I say, done good. Gentlemen, I hope this Club will continue to flourish ; 1 hope- that, wherever its quarters may be, whether at the Salisbury Hotel or at the Caledonian Hotel, or at some other place, it will always be prosperous. I regret that we shall have to leave this comfortable building. I thought the Club had a tenancy for life, and on the strength of that I built up my laboratory just opposite, in order that I might be uear the Club, and have as many opportunities as possible of seeing- ray friends from the country. Circumstances have, however, decided differently, and, after all, distances have been so much shortened practically by the Metropolitan District Railway, that it takes only about seven minutes to get from this ulucc to the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 11 Caledonian Ilofel, where we are to be quartered ia future. 1 hope tliat nothing will he wanted on the part of the mana^eraent to make our new quarters as comfortalile as tliey possibly can he made ; and although I regret the neces- sity for moving, yet I hope that, as tiiis is in tlie opinion of Bome a criiical period in the history of tiie Club, all its friends will rally round it, and pull together so heartily that the prosperity of the Club caunot be diminished (loud cheers). The toast was drunk with great cordiality. Mr. C. S. Read M.P.,on risiugto propose " The Chairman," said : "Wlieuever I have had the honour of addressing an assembly of farmers or of my constituents during the last two years, if any notice has been taken of what I said, some kind, compassionate, and friendly critic was sure to say tliat I must liave felt exceedingly uncomfortable. But I can assure you it may be that I am very dense, or ignorant, or stiipid, but, upon the whole, I have felt tolerably selt-satislied (cheers). I can assure you that on the present occasion I feel very jolly (renewed cheers). I believe that the teaant-faimers of, England are a reasonable body. They know what one man can do, and they know what one man is among a great multitude ; and although I have not perhaps been so active in speaking during the last twelve months, or two years I might say, still I can assure you that I liave done what I could (cheers). 1 believe that the farmers still trust me (renewed cheers). These reassuring cheers do my heart good. Wlien I took office under Governnieut I stipulated that I should have perfect freedom to speak on all agricultural matters ; and although 1 have not obtruded my opinions, I believe that I have given veut to them independently and fearlessly (loud cheers). I also said, gentlemen, that if I believed that the agri- cultural interest was neglected by any department of the Govern- ment,! would no longer continue a member of that Government (prolonged cheering). Well, I do believe that the interests of the stockowners of the country have been persistently ignored by the Veterinary Department of the Privy Council (Hear, hear). I say that in eorrow ; but I believe most truly that they have habilually neglected our interests ; and that being the case, I have to iulorin you that I am no longer the Secretary of the Local Gjvernraeut Board, and that I only hold office until my successor is announced. Having made tliat statement, prob'ably you wish me to proceed with ray toast ; but if you would bear with me for a little, I will only trespass upon you a few minutes, as I do not wish to be misunderstood in the statement I have made ; and although the story is long, I will endeavour, for your sakes and for my own, to make it as short as possible, and with your permission tell my own story. I have to take you back, then, to the year 1873, when you will remember that in the House of Commons I obtained a Committee to inquire into the working of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act of 1869. I had nothing to do with the uommation of that Committee. It was appointed by the whips or by the Government. That Committee was adverse to my views, and I was in a hope- less minority. We divided several times, and only one im- portant resolution was passed unanimously by the Committee. It was this — that whenever pleuro-pneumonia occurred among cattle they should be immediately slaughtered ; that compen- sation should be paid to the owner to the amount of three- fourths the value of the animal, and that whatever was done in Great Britain should be done throughout the United King- dom. IMr. Eorster, in a very great hurry, soon after the report of the Committee, issued an order applying slaughter to Great Britain, but saying nothing about compensation, and not ex- tending it to Ireland. It was fouud that some slight legislation was necessary in Ireland, in order to levy a rate for the pur- pose ; and I believe that it was Mr. Forstei's intention in the following year to remedy that evil. But we had a change of Government in the meantime ; and, during that memorable election, when there was not only a change of public opinion, but a change of Government I took upon myself to say that, if the agricultural interest were better represeuted in Parliament, I was perfectly sure that some of the errors and faults of the Veterinary Department would be remedied. Quarter Sessions protested against this order, which was enforced in England, and requested that it should be extended to Ireland. A depu- tation of the Central Chamber of Agriculture waited upon the Duke of Richmond, and Lord Hampton introduced the depu- tation, who were supported by many political friends of the Government. I went as one of the deputation, and spoke to the first resolution, which was that this order should be extended to Ireland or be rescinded. Eor doing that I was — I hardly know what to call it : I am not sure what !s the Parliamentary term to apply to it ; but I was censured by the Prime Minister, and I told him th'it if 1 was not at liberty to make those observations in public 1 should certainly not remain in the Goveruqient, and I then oll'ered him my resignation. At that time the Premier was very ill, and the Chan- ellor of the Exche [uer came to me in the kindest way in the world, "and said, "Don't leave us now: withdraw your letter," which I did with a great deal of pleasure, and I was promised that somethiug should be doue about Irish cattle. I waited, I protested, I entreated in vain. Our quarter sessions, in Norfolk, again memorialised the Privy Council ; and what did they do? They scut on the memorial to the Dublin Veterinary Department, and that department sent a veterinary surgeon to Norfolk, who made a sensible and mild report, in which he undoubtedly proved the truth of our comprint. My friend, Mr. Barclay, in Parliament, asked for the production of this report, and the Chief Secretary for Ireland would not give it, unless in addition to that was given a report by Professor Eergusson commenting on his own official report. The upshot of this report of Professor Fergusson w.aa this : lie said it was all fi^ dle-dee-dee to say that pleuro- pneumonia existed in Ireland ; that the truth was that the keeping of our cattle in Norfolk in loose boxes and well- littered straw-yards, without removing the manure but ouce or twice a year, was the cause of pleuro-pneumonia. At the meeting of our central committee in Norwich 1 thought it my duty to comment upon this most outrageous report. I called it ignorant ; I called it insulting ; aud 1 called it a libel on Norfolk farmers (cheers). I was asked whether the memorial which we were about to present to the quarter sessions should go to the Privy Council or to the Prime Minister; aud seeing that the Central Chamber of Agriculture were about to wait upon the Premier I thought it would save trouble to go to the fountain head at once, and I recommended that the memorial should be presented to the Premier. Por this I was again rebuffed by the Prime Minister. I once more tendered my resignation ; and this time I am happy to say that it has been very kindly, most courteously, and most generously accepted Now, gentlemen, I need not tell you that I have made a sacri- fice that I can ill afford (sympathetic cheers). The tenant- farmer whose principal income is derived from the occupation of some six or seven hundred acres of land knows very well that £1,500 a-year is an extremely conveDient addition to his income, and the man would be a fojl who did not value the honour and high position in which I was placed (Hear). I also liked my work at the olUce, and I am suHioiently egotis- tical to say that 1 was almost " up" to my work. I was oa the best terms possible with my right hon. fnend the President of the Local Government Board, and I had great respect for the staff— the hard working staff of that department. I admire the ability of my great political chief. I most cordially support and endorse the foreign, colonial, and domestic policy of 1 lie Government. Therefore I felt that it was the harder for me to make the sacrifice ; but not for one moment did I hesitate, and I am quite sure that I have done right, and that you will approve of what I have done (loud and protracted cheering) And now, gentlemen, having talked so much about mysell tha I had almost forgotten what I rose for, I have great' satisfaction in proposing the health of our excellent chairmaa (cheers). Twelve months ago I had a similar duty to perform, and I then ventured to say that the Club did honour to itself as well as to Dr. Voelcker by making him the chairman for this year. How he has performed his duties I leave you to judge. I am quite sure that I express the feeling of every member of this Club when I say that we feel deeply oblig. d to him for the paper which he read — a paper in which f e united in a remarkable manner science with practice. It is, indeed, the strong claim of Professor Voelcker upon farine s that he does not dogmatise from the laboratory on some extra- ordinary theories, but that he carries theory into general prac- tice, making science assist practice rather than altogether govern it. That is, in my opinion, the reason why science, as taught by him, confers such great benefit upon agriculture. In the speech which he has just delivered he intimated that we must not take for granted all that chemists tell us with regard to the value of unexhausted manures. I entirely agree with him on that point ; but it is satisfactory to know that although practice and science may appear to differ, yet when you leave minutiae aud come to general results, you fiud that they agree. Thus, with regard to the expcri Jieuts made by Mr. Lawcs, jou 12 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. find that the manurial value which he jiives and that which is given by practical men are alnaost exaotly the same. I beheve we are quite safe in the hands of Dr. Voelcker ; we look upon liim as our great guidiug chemist, and feel perfectly sure when he tries his experiments in the field he knows that whatever care may be taken in planting, and however well a crop may be watered, still results must be left to a higher Power. Gentle- men, I gave you the health of our excellent chairman, Dr. Voelcker, aud 1 am quite sure you will drink it with three times turee. The toast was then drunk with the honours suargested by Mr. Read, and three cheers were afterward^ given to the hon. gentle- man himself, for having maintained his indeppudence. The Ckaicm.vn, in returning thanks, said he was much gratified to find that the interests of the Club were not &up[ osed to have suffered durin? his presidency. Mr. Calpecott proposed," The Royal Agricultural Society o'' England, the Highland Society of Scotland, aud the Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland." He said he knew nothing of the Scotch and Irish Societies, except from hearsay, but, as an old member of the Agricultural Society of England, he could bear testimony to the powerful impetus wliicli it had given to the improvement of agriculture. He had witnessed that in his own experience, and he felt that a deep debt of gratitu'e was due to that Society. He had no doubt that the tvo other societies had also been very useful, and as they were a'l interested in the success of agriculture, he felt great pleasure in proposing tlie toast. Mr. Wise, in responding, said they all knew that the times were not as joyous as they could d^sire them to be for the tenant-farmers of this country. It I al been said that "hope is energy, and energy is life, and life ;s happiness ;" hut the hopes of the tenant-farmer had been recently damped in a great degree by the spread of dire diseases among his flocks and herds. In conclusion, Blr. Wise promised a cordial reception to all the visitors to Birmingham. Mr. John Thompson proposed "The Vice-Chairman," Mr. T. Horley, the Chaiiman for 1876. Whether that gen- tleman were acting on the Council of the Royal Agri- cultural Society, or the Council of the Smitlifield Club, or on the Committee of that Club, he always brought to bear on the discharge of his duties a large amount of sound practical sense, and did everything in his power for the advancement of agriculture. It was now some years since they had seen in the chair of that Club a ioiia fide practical fanner, and it appeared to him a very happy circumstance that such a man as Llr. Horley would succeed the most scientific and eiijinent agricultural chemist of the present age. It was a happy omen / that the most eminent scientific agriculturist should be ; followed by one of the most practical agriculturists (cheers). Iq that case science and practice were united in the truest sense. He did not stand there to flatter Jlr. Horley, but he was quite sure that the Committee could not have made a better selection for the office of President (cheers). The toast having been drunk with three times three, Mr. T. Horley said he felt very much obliged for the kind manner in which the toast had been proposed and received, and such a reception would strengthen his resolution to do all he could to promote the prosperity of the Club. This Club had long had very strong ties upon him, and those ties were certainly never more powerful than at the present moment. This Club is now an old institution, and one reason why its members had kept together was, that party differences and opinions had found no place in its proceedings (cheers). Even a handful of men who were united as they were need uot despair of being able to exercise a most useful influence ; and he was happy to see in the room some of those who were the founders of that institution. Now that he had axepted the responsible office of Chairman for the next year, he almost trembled at the thought of following in the footsteps of Dr. Voelcker ; but, having accepted it, he would perform the duties to the best of his ability ; and although this is considered by some a critical period in the history of the Club, because it had to remove to other quarters, upholding as it did principles which were dear to the hearts of all English farmers, he felt confident that it would long continue to be one of the leading agricultural institutions of the country (cheers). He would conclude by proposing "The Smithfield Club." This is tlie oldest institution of the kind in the kingdom, and he believed it was well worthy of support. He had carefully watched its progress for a great many years, and had been intimately con- nected with its management; and he was happy to say thaf,, whatever might have been the case some years ago, it was now conducted on the most intfUigent and the broadest principles, and he believed no other society in the kingdom had had such a good show of cattle as had been seen in this Metropolis for the last five or six years. There had been some criticism in many quarters as to the policy of excluding animals connected with other shows. He was quite sure notve regretted this rule more than those who had the management of the Smith- field Club; but they thought that they had done only what was necessary for the protection of men who sent valuable animals for exhibition. This Club has stood almost alone during the last few years, in having had no foot-and-mouth disease at its sho^vs, and he would appeal to the stockholders of England, as a body, whether they v.>ere not right in adopt- ing the course of which some persons had complained (Hear, hear), Mr. Newton, in responding, observed that the Smithfield- Club had been gradually, year a'ter year, spending an in- creased amount on prizes ; and in order to enable it to do that it ought to have a large addition to the number of its members. Mr. Harper proposed " The Committee of Management." ' They would, he remarked, all agree with him that for the success of that Club they were indebted in a great degree to the exertions of the Committee, and the satisfaction of the members of the Club generally was evinced by the fact that :<11 retiring members of the Committee had that day been re- elected. The Committee had an arduous task before them in connection with the removal, but he hoped that, notwith- standing that, the Club would be as successful next year as it had been this year. He had great pleiwure in coupling with the toast the name of Mr. Allender. After a cordial reception of the toast, Mr. Allender returned thanks. He said he had been called upon to do that in consequence of his being a member- of the llouse Committee, which had had to find a new home for the Club. A few months ago the General Committee received an unceremonious notice to quit the old quarters, lor a month after they thought they might possibly be able to make arrangements for remaining ; but before they could make any actual proposal with that view, the Salisbury Hotel Company intimated that there was no hope of such a result, and conse- quently they became, as it were, houseless wanderers (laugliter). The ijub-Coinmiitee which he h:id mentioned looked out in all directions, and the result was that an arrangement was entered into with the new management of the Caledonian Hotel, which viould probably secure for the Club not only as good accommo- dation as they had there, but even better. He asked the mem- bers to bear with them for a time while the new arrangement was being carried out, the task of the Committee being very arduous ; but he believed it would be found in the end that the- new rooms were more cheerful, and situated as they were near Chariug-cross, and in a very central position, more easily accessible than the present rooms (cheers). The Chairman said they all knew that the exertions of the Committee of Management withoat an active man and a good man of business in the oSice of secretary,. would be all in vain. He had, therefore, great pleasure in proposing the health of Mr. Henry Corbet (cheers). All he would say of' that gentleman was that he had always found him a good, active man of business, polite, ever ready to do an act of kindness to any member ot the Club, aud well up to his work, and zealously working to promote the success of that Club. He was sure they would all unite in heartily drinking the health of their esteemed Secretary. The toast was dnink with three times three. Mr. H. Corbet, after thanking the company for the manner in which they had druuk his health, said lie thought that if' they reflected on the proceedings of the past year they would see that they pointed in every way to the continued success of that Club. Eor the last thirty years, or even more, the Club had been fighting under all sorts of difficulties, and with all sorts of persons, the Tenant-Right question ; and during the last Session the Lords and Commous passed a measare which was altogether identified with the history of that Club. Tlie strongest thing ever done for agriculture was the Tenant- Right Act of last Session, and any gentleman who was familiar with the proceedings of the Earmers' Club must know that throughout it had worked that question more than any other body in the country, aud Ihut for a lung time it was the- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. i: ■only body tliat worlced it (clicPTs). He most say tlius mvioh for tlie prestnt Ooverumenl, tliat when tliey went before Mr. Disriieli, as tbe Prem'er, on tliut subject, lie promised to do all lie cmild ; and lie (.Mr. Corbetj would allirm, in opposition to coiitriiry opinions, tliat Mr. Disraeli bad kept his word. Tlie J'reniier bad carried a measure wliicb he believed no otlier man could haye carried ; be bad suc- ceeded in passing a bill wbicb some of tbe greatest landlords in tbis country bad already taken up ; and although no man could regret more tlian he (Mr. Corbet) did tbe ditference which bad arisen between the Government and Mr. Clare S.'.vvell Read, be felt bound to testify thus far ia their favour (cheers). He believed that if the Liberal Government had re- mained in ollicetliey would never have passed any measure at all. He would now dismiss that point aud proceed to another ■ — namely, the approaching removal of tbe Club from the Salisbury Hotel to the Caledonian Hotel. He might say, without presumption, that be was one of the discoverers of Salisbury Plain, and a very " plain" place it was /then they first came to it (laughter). It now appeared that the Hotel Company which they created had, like the monster of whom they had read, become too big for those who called it into existence, and bad almost threatened to eatlbem up (laughter), But be did not despair (Hear, hear). He thought they might do as well on the wilds of Ca'edonia as they had done on tbe plains of Salisbury (laughter). As to the manner iu wiiieli they Jiad been treated, he would say nothi.ig, thoufjb he held a strong opinion oil the point ; but as regarded tbe future, he tliought they had at least cause to feel hopeful. The members of the Club were under great obligations to the Uou^e Com- mittee which had recommended the removal to the Caledonian Hotel, and in particular to Mr. Allender. Of course that Committee did not expect any praise iu connection with their labours, which had been very arduous. If everything went right, they would not get any praise ; if anjlhing went wrong, they would perhaps get some abuse ; but he repeated that in his opinion they bad no cause for despair, and much cause for hope, for matters were anything hut " ship-shape " for years after they came into Salisbury-square ; while, looking to tbe general position of the Club, be was quite sure that it never stood so well before the country as it did at that moment (cheer.s). The concluding toast was " Tbe Visitors," which was re- sponded to by Mr, Pope from the United Slates. MR. C. S. READ'S RESIGNATION. Almost immediately on the accession of the Conserva- tive party to power, manifestations of disap])ointment and discontent were observable, although not from the quarter which might have been expected. The Liberals, appalled apparently by the result of the election, held their peace, or made but little sign from their place as the opposition element. The movement was the rather one of rebellion than of opposition. The country squires were offended, the agricultural interest was offended, although here might be assumed to centre the chief strength of the Ministry. No doubt the hopes of the farmers, more espe- cially, had been raised by the appointment of a farmer to a seat in the Government : the member for Norfolk would do this, and would look to that, and the grievances 80 long complained of would be speedily righted. The budget, however, of the new Chancellorof the Exchequer, at once dispelled such sanguine aspirations, as herein there was little promise of Local Taxation being adjusted forth- with, aud none whatever that the Malt-tax was about to be repealed. A somewhat furious expression of opinion followed, and Mr. Sewell Read came in for quite his fair or unfair, share of abuse ; as a meml)er of the Govern- ment, why had he not dealt more vigorously with the ■ abuses of taxation ? and why, above all things, had he not repealed the Malt-tax ? It was idle for Mr. Read to explain that he was not the Premier, but a subordinate ; or, further, that the farmers themselves were not agreed ^as to the policy of taking off the duty on malt. As he put it again at Diss, on Friday : " He might he asked how it came to pass that he did not make his stand upon something else — why he did not make a row about the Malt-tax, for instance ? He was sori'y to say that in the present Parliament, and in the present state of public opinion, it was no use to fight the battle of the Malt-tax. Was even the present meet- ing agreed about the ^lalt-tax ? Were the farmers thronghoiit the country in favour of the repeal of the jMalt-tax ? He feared that they were not. He believed that if the present Parliament was polled, more members would vote for the Malt-tax being doubled than for its being taken off." Since that outburst in 1874, the question has almost died out ; as any man possessed of common sense cannot fail to have seen that, under any Government, the repeal of the Malt-tax would be i-egarded as a boon about which the farmers, and more especially the county members, were not unanimous ; and Mr. Sevvcll Read's sins so far have been forgiven, if not quite forgotten. Then followed the renewed agitation over Tenant-Right and the introduction of another bill, which was opposed either directly or indirectly, and by none so systematically, as the sham Farmers' Friends, who sit oa the Ministerial benches. Why did not Mr. Read answer all these people? aud why, above all things, did he not make the measure compulsory ? Again we heard the taunt that he was muzzled ; but bearing with what he did, and knowing, as every sane man does, that no com- pulsory bill would ever have had a chance of passing, he did not deign to explain why be had not set the Thames on fire, or had not rivalled an honourable baronet in his attempts at perpetual motions. The explanation has come at last. !Much to the astonishment of those who heard him at the Farmers' Club the other evening, Mr. Read has repeatedly tendered his resignation of office, and this at length has been accepted ; the conduct of the Veterinary Department of the Privy Council ofiice rendering his retention of place incompatible with his own feelings and opiiiioHS : " On a deputation to the Duke of Richmond I spoke to a resolution which proposed that an Order as to the prevention of cattle disease should be exten led to Ireland or be rescinded. For doing that I was — I hardly know what to call it . I am not sure what is the Parliamentary term to apply to it, but I was censured by the Pi'iine Minister ; and I told him that if I was not at liberty to make those observations iu public I should certainly not remain iu the Government, and I then offered him my resignation." This was not accepted, but Mr. Read was promised that something should be done about Irish cattle. Nothing, however, was done ; and being further rebuffed by Mr. Disraeli, the resignation was again tendered and accepted. For soms years we have shown that it was absurd to pass regulations which did not extend to Ireland, the great source of disease ; but there has been little support given to any such extension of the Orders. Previously and during the past autumn have Chambers of Agriculture aud other special meetings passed resolutions against the introduction of foreign stock, but carefully omitted to deal with the Irish supi)lies ; as nobody has done so much harm in this way as the Hime Cattle Dafencc Asso- ciation, which has always shirked tbis matter, and suggested public expression accordingly. In fact, Mr. Read, sound and impressive as ever, has not been properly supported by his fellows, as the Govern nent mu-^ 'i?va 14 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Been. Tlie Privy Council, however, by its general indif- ference to the matter, has much to answer for, by ia- creasiug the difldculties of the Premier to an extent so far but little thought of. Since making the declaration he did at the Farmer's Club, Mr. Sewell Rfiad has stated further, at Diss, that " he did not believe his retirement would weakeu the Government," as this is altogether in accordance with the innate modesty of the jnau ; but we believe that his loss will seriously weaken the Government. Mr. Read does not represent a mere county ; Mr. Read does not represent a mere party ; but in his own especial province he is the representative of the country, and he carries his constituents with him. As the Farmer Member he has the farmers to a man once more at his back, as never was his popularity so great as at this moment. Some of his fellows in the House or in office who professed to be with him, but were becoming more and more jealous of his success, will probably not mourn his loss ; whereas from outside everybody is with him in his opinion of the Veterinary Department of the Privy Council Office as " utterly inefficient," and where " some radical change is necessary if anything is to be done to check the pro- gress of disease." The Admiralty and the Privy Council Offir-e threaten to be terrible stumbling blocks iu the way of the triumphant majority ; and more resignations will be required before Mr. Disraeli can regain for his Govern- ment the respect and confidence of the couutrv. Mr. Read showed at the Farmers' Club the cost at which a man of independent spirit has often enough to preserve his independence. But the sacrifice was appre- ciated, as the ringing cheers again and again testified ; and already a movement has been made to present him with some tangible recognition of the esteem ia which he is held. The best way for working this would have come before the Committee of the Farmer's Club at the meeting in January ; but, in the interim, a meeting has been called for Monday next in Salisbury-square. Testimonials are often sad rubbish ; but a testimonial to a tenant-farmer who has resigned an appoint- ment of £1,500 a-year, where he was alike efficient and popular, out of consideration for the interests of his brother farmers, is doubly armed. It does honour alike to him that takes and to him that gives. — Mark Lane Express of December 13. THE ABUSES OF FAT STOCK FEEDING. The show of the Smithfield Club is threatened with direct opposition. An advertisement has ah-eady appeared in some of the local journals, soliciting the co-operation of breeders and feeders in the establish- ment of another Christmas fat stock show to be held in or near London, at which no vexatious restric- tions as to the previous exliibition of animals will be tolerated. The locality, as we hear, has even been determined on, although one shudders at the very thought of a cattle show being celebrated in mid-wiuter — say such as that which we are now experiencing — on the bleak heights or in the moist valleys of Muswell. The proposal was taken up during the late Manchester meeting, and cattle disease was ripe in the Pomona Palace, as there were suspicious cases in Biugley Hall ; some entries having to be destroyed after their arrival in Birmingham, from Manchester or Oakham. As it seems to us, an unwholesomely over-pampered beast is a far more likely subject to develop disease of some kind from continual travel and excitement than a store one ; and yet, in the ordinary course of things, animals, after encountering contamination at probably all these three earlier exhibitions, would have come on to London, weary, jaded, and foot-sore, if not in a more decidedly dangerous condition. Dangerous, in fact, they must have been, from the company which they had been keeping of late. This movement, no doubt, traces back to the prize- mongers, who are disappointed at not having the oppor- tunity here or there of getting their money bank again. The business of buying fat cattle to keep on cannot of late have been a very remunerative trade, considering the prices for champion stock which are asked and given ; while it is one which should in every way be discouraged. An orer-due animal at a fat show is an absurdity, and it will be necessary for the council of the Club to strengthen the rule now in force against such a practice. A beast shown in extra stock can compete for the champion plate at any age, against others iu the classes of not more than four years and a-half old ; as some have been held over with this object, and no other. Beyond such an extra stock privilege being unfair to other exhibitors, it is mani- festly impolitic on more general grounds, as encouraging au artificial state of things which is artificial enough already. Let, then, no ox be exhibited at a Smithfield Club show at a greater aa:e than that specified in the classes, at least not for high honours ; and let the council permanently embody the condition in its rules, which now from time to time prohibits a beast shown about the country for a month or so previous to being brought to Islington. Despite the higher scale of premiums offered elsewhere, as with other commodities, the best and freshest of everything comes to London. It is now more than two years since we dwelt at some length on the enormous price to his feeder and the shameful loss to the public involved in the preparation of an over-ripe prize ox. As we then showed, such an animal at five years old would have consumed some £200 worth in the stalls, a sum upon which two or three good beasts might have been made ready for market ; while we went to quote from the instructions given by the Club to the judges how these authorities "are to keep strictly in view the object for which the Smithfield Club was originally instittited — viz., the suppli/ of the cattle mar- kets and other places with the cheapest and best rrfat." The italics are those of the Council. More recently some of our contemporaries have come to adopt our views as to this glaring abuse, and the necessity for its being put down with a strong hand. Anybody with money or credit can buy a beast already dis- tinguished amongst his fellows, the chief aim in doing so being to buy silver cups and gold medals, which carry with them little honour to the mau who neither bred nor fed the animal. Of course the prize system is something in fault here, as the overflow of fuuds has le 1 to an increase and multiplication of premiums which tend to nothing more than unseemly extravagance on the part of exhibitors. When one beast can take one or two hundred pounds' worth of prizes at a meeting, and then be reserved with the chance of doing as much or more in another year, there is scarcely any saying where this kind of thing will end. Early maturity implies an animal fit for the butcher at the earliest age, and not one which has been fed until he drags on an altogether artificial and in every way unprofitable existence. Tlie Devon has tired of all thiit's good, Tlie pampered Shorthorn loathes his food, Tlie Wnite-face wearies of his stnll, Of Islington and Bingley He.11. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 15 THE TREDEGAR AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT NEWPORT. The prevalence of foot-aud-mouth disease in the 'Country militated considerably against the success of the ■exhibition, as breeders and farmers were afraid to send tlieir stock to be exposed to the risk of contagion. Not- withstanding this unfortunate drawback, the show was a fiood one, and some animals of great merit were ex- hibited. The number of Cattle entered this year was llfi, against 143 in 1871, 141 in 1872, 130 in 1873, and 138 last year. The greatest falling oft", however, was observable in the sheep and pig classes. PRIZE LIST. •JUDGES.— Horned Stock, Sheep, Pigs, and Imple- MKNTS: T. Morris, Gloucester; T. S. Bradstock, Colrey Park, iloss ; W. Earthing, Stowey Court, Bridgwater. CATTLE. North Devon yearling bull. — Silver Cup, Mrs. M. Langdon, Tlittou Barton, North Molton, Devon (Duke of Flitton 12th) North Devon two-year-old heifer. — Silver Cup, Mrs Langdon (Actress 8th). North Devon bull, cow, and offspring. — Prize, 6 gs., Mrs. Langdon (Uuke of Flitton 8th and Graceful). Shorthorn yeirling bull. — Silver Cup, J. Stratton, Alton Priors, Marlborough (Royal James). Two-year-old Shorthorn heifer. — Silver Cup, J. Stratton (Miriam). Shorthorn bull-calf.— Silver Cup, R. Stratton, The Duffryn, Newport (Hampden). Heifer cnlf. — Silver Cup,R. Stratton (Icicle). Hereford yearling bull. — Silver Cup, T. Thomas, St. Hilary, Cowbridge. Tffo-year-old Hereford heifer. — Silver Cup, T. J. Car- wardine, S'ockton, Bury, Leoroinster (Helena). llerpford bull-calf. — Silver Cup, E. Lister, Cefn Ha, TJsk (May Duke). Hereford heifer-calf. — Silver Cup, H. R. Hall, Ashton House, Leominster (Constance). Yearling heifer. — Silver Cup, Lord Tredegar, Tredegar Park, Newport (Ladylove). Breeding cow, above three years old. — Prize, £10, J . H. Risdon, Washford, Taunton. Stock hull, above two years old. — Silver Cup, R. Stratton (Protector). Eat cow. — Silver Cup, R. Stratton (Nectarine Bud). Eat ox. — Silver Cup, R. Keene, i'ancraig, Caerleon. Pair of two-year-old Hereford steers. — Silver Cup, R. Keene. Pair of Shorthorn yearling steers. — Prize, 5 gs.. Lord Tredegar. Pair of Hereford yearling steers. — Prize, £5, R. Keene. Pair of Hereford two-year-old steers. — Prize, £10, R. Keene. Shorthorn yearling stock heifer. — First prize, £6, R. Stratton (Queen Bess) ; second, £1, W. Evans, Llandowlas, Usk, Hereford (Von Moltke 2ud). Hereford iu-calf heifer, uuder three years old. — First prize, £7, W. Evans, Llandowlas, Usk ; second, £3, W. Evans. Shorthorn cow in milk, or within three months of calving. — First prize, £10, T. Lewis, Park Farm, Llangibby, Moii. ; second, R. Strnttou (Passion Flower). Hereford bull, cow, and offspring. — First prize, £10, R. Stratton (Charles 1st) ; second, W. Harris, Lansoar, Caerleon, Newport. Male horned breeding animal, selected from any class in the yard. — A piece of plate, value 20 gs.,'R. Stratton (Proctor). Female horned breeding animal, selected from any class in the yard. — A piece of plate, value 20 gs, J. U. Kisdon, Wash- ford, Taunton. SHEEP. Ram lamb, Cotswold longwool. — Prize, silver cup, T. Thomas, St. Hilary, Cowbridge. Four shearling ewes, longwool. — Prize, £5, T. Thomas. Ram lamb, Shropshire Down shortwool. — Prize, silver cup, M. Rees, Clydach, Swansea. Four shearling ewes, Shropshire Down shortwool. — Prize, £5, M. Rees. Four black breeding ewes and one black ram of real Welsh mountain breed. — Prize, £6 Gs., P. James, Abercarue House, Abercarne, Newport. Four wether lambs, longwool. — Prize, £5, T. Thomas. Four ewe lambs, longwool. — Prize, £5, T. Thomas. Four yearling stock ewes, longwool. — First prize, £5, W. Jones, Pantrhiwgoch, Castleton, Cardiff ; second, T. Thomas, Four breeding ewes, longwool. — First prize, £5,T. Thomas ; second, W. Jones. PIGS. Fat pig, small black. — Prize, silver cup, executors of late J, Wheeler and Sons, Long Compton, Shipston-on-Stour. Boar. — Prize, silver cup, W. Yells, Knoyle Down, Hindoo, Berkshire. Boar and sow of any bre^d, nndera year old, white improved Berkshire. — Prize, silver cup, II. Workman, Castleton, Cardiff. Breeding: sow with litter of pi^s, small white. — Prize, £5, executors of John Wheeler and Suns. LEEDS SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE SHOW. The entries showed an increase over those of last year, but the fear of foot-and-mouth disease appears to have deterred many from sending their animals, and amongst the cattle there was a great number of empty stalls. With Shorthorn oxen the first prize was gained by iNlr. Robert Wortley, with the first of his class, at Birming- ham ; as to this animal was also awarded the cup for the test animal on the show ground, and of course the Inn- keepers' Cup for the best animal in the Shorthorn classes. Mr. J. J. Clark, of Welton-le-Wold, was the second at Birmingham, and the Earl of EUesmere third. With Shorthorn cows Mr. Hutchinson, of Catterick, was first with Dairy Girl, also first at Birmingham. Of Shorthorn heifers there was only one animal shown, by Mr. J. Reid, of Aberdeen, which was awarded a second prize, Mr. Stratton's Nectarine Bud not being sent on' although entered. In the two cross-bred and Irish classes were some good animals ; but here again some prominent breeders who had entered were absent. The ni'izes for the cross-bred cows or heifers were carried off by Mr. J. Bruce, Fochabers, whose animals were the only ones forward. In the Scotch classes there was also a number of vacant places. The tenant-farmers' classes included some good beasts, where for the best ox Mr. II. Wortley was again first with his Herel'ord, which was successful at Birmingham and other shows. Sheep were a fair show, and pigs also. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES.— Cattle : J. Bromet, Heslaugh ; J. KetUpwell, Milby ; J. Stead, Bishop Thornton. Sheep AJiD PitiS s R. Beckett, We'.waug ; W. Keywarth, Adel. IG THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. CATTLE. SHORTHOKNS. Ox of any ag;e. — First prize and ex-Mayor's Cup and Leeds Inukeepprs' Cup, R. Wortley, Suffield, Norfolk ; secord, J. J. Clark, Welton-le-Wold, Louth ; third, the Right Hon. the Earl of Ellesmere, Worsley HalL Cow, haviui; a liviug calf. — First prize, T. H. Hutchinson, Manor Housp, Catterick ; second, W. Hill, Wetherby ; third, lie Riie aid aiixniia or bloodlessness, which may have been pres' nt during life, is discovered, in some cases the appetite is depraved, and intense thirst, with colicky pains, iu «liicli tli« poor animal will madly drink the muddiest, dirtiest wnter. The treatment is divided between the prtveutive and curative; the preventive shall have our first consideration, and if gene- lally adopted would go far to put a stop to the great losses sustained by farmers. Only the other day, in a convrrshtion I had with u farmer whose flock 1 iiad treated successfully, [ ^as stiuck with llie lamentable ignorance obich prev;ii!s iu regard to this disease. lie told me lie had been losing bis lambs before adopting mj trealmciit at the rate ol two or .k.te C 13 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. a day, and meeting; with a neiglibour whose fl'ick was simi- larly aff.'c^eil, R(lvi-p(l him to adoi.t the sams means he tind tried suceebsfiillj, and was met by tliis reponse, " No; I sup- pose they must die ; my doctor (meai.ing his veterinary, but not a veterinary surgeon) says nothing cm be done for ti'u-in." Now, if any flockowner here preneut has j;ot such a notion in his head, I beg lie will get rid of it at once, and lie viill he rewarded by finding? that (unless in exceptionally agravitted ca.es), this disease is amenable to proper treatment. The preventive raeas-irrs I would suggest, are not to feed lambs on second-crop clover or old pastures, especially if they liave been previously gTnz.^.1 by old sheep. This applies more parti- cularly to wet and warm seasons, which experience proves to be more, favourable co the development of the ova of the worms which are the cause of this disease, and therefore it is bpci-s- sary in such seasons to be more cnreful where you place your lamhs, and also to note premonitory symptoms willi an interest begotten by our knowledge of the evils which must lollow. I am inclined to follojv the advice of one of our most eminent veterinary authorities, wlio says, Give a few doses of saline medicine, combined with vegetable tonics, stimulants, and turpentine, in the month of July or August, which will have the effect, if not of preventing the disease, at all events of moderating its severi'y, and rendering them l^ss liable to tape- worm or scour when put upon turnips. If the seasons are damp, select the driest pasture, giving them as much cliangp as possible, and supplement any deficiency of green by artificial lood. lathe curative process there is more difliculty, oa»ing to the distaste (and you must pardon me for sayinu it) that farmers have either for drenching or fumigating a flock, owing to the time and trouble necessarily expended on the process. But if this discussion is to be of any real practical value to the member of this club I must speak plainly, and impress upon you the neces^ity of ]irompt and energetic action in adopting the course which science and practical experience show us is the best, and not to procrastinate whilst every day is of i'nportauce, and the baneful efi'ect of the parasite is in rapid progress. _ Upon noticing the first symptoms of cough pecu- liar to this disease, let the whole flock have a dose of the me- dicine T have before mentioned, and] repeated frequently before the more difficult process of inhalation is attempted. Chln- rine gas, generated by pouring sulphuric acid upon chlorinated lime and water, seems to answer the purpose well; but in using this agent, care must be exercised tiiat it is only inhaled when mixed with air, or the lambs will be killed by ■wholesale. The sulphnrous fumigation is not so dangerous in linexperienced hands, and I prefer its use for this reason — it is easily produced by burning sulphur; that is, throwing flour of sulphur upon red-hot cinders, or igniting it in the most con- venient way. In either of the above processes of inhalation, the animals are to be confined in some building provided with means of ventilation, which can be opened or shut, so that upon the least appearance of distress amongst the lambs the 'fresh air may be admitted. When using chlorine gas, I have always kept iu the buildiag as long as I could bear it, and then left, taking tl;e apparatus used with me. I know one farmer who covers his barn-floor with freshly-slaked lime, and tlien bustles his slieep about amongst it, so tliat the air is filled with the minute particles of lime, some of which is inhaled, and said to be useful in putting a stop to the disease; but I need scarcely add, such a plan would be useless if the worms %vere in the intestinal canal. When by any of tliese modes of treatment the worms are de'itroyed or dislodged, the weakness ■which follows i« best treated by Btimulatins food, such as Tiiorley's, or any good cittle spice, mixed with crushed oats, pea or beau meal, linseed cake, &c.,or drenched with a mixture of sulphate of iron, gentian, and ginger, in proper doses. Change them at once from the keep upon which the disease was first taken, and ycu will find colewort most valuable at such a time. I believe it has been the custom to give far larger doses of medicine 'than the lambs, weakened by this disease, are able to bear, and I attribute the success I have met with this year to giving less than half the usual doses that even those best acquainted with this subject have adminis- tered, Mr. Pettit (Aldeburgb) said Tie Tiaa -the disease in his flock, and snttered severely. He had relieved the flock by treating tliem with Mr. Sutton's raediciup, and fnmigatipg them in the way indicated. He fumisrated about five ceore at a time, in a st^ible. lie loslnoae by fumigating. Tlie animals he lust were chi-fly Iambs. He found that a change of feed was ifood tor tliein, especially san'oin. Mr. Sutton : The best thing you could give them. The Chmkman : What had tliey had ? Mr. Pi.TTlT : Coleworts anU maiilen layer. The change of food is eertainlv a romaikaWy good thing. The symptom* were exactly as Mr. S itton d<'SCTJbes. Some discu sion took pJace as to whether the size of the flock had anything to do with the spread of the disease. Mr. GooDWYN said his impression was that it had, because generally t he smaller flock had more room than a larger one. Mr. Sutton, in reply to Mr. H. Glutton, said that the worm was llie same as affected calves. The Chairman said he liad a few questions to ask : Was the more frequent and general use of artificial manures likely to produce disease because of it* producing more luxuriant herbage? The opinion prevailed generally that it did, and it was worth knowing whether there was any grounds for it. Another question was, how long might tliese parasites be dangerous to animals following upon the herbage upon whieh diseased animals liad been? It was useful to know how sooa it would be safe to turn fresh animals upon pastures on which diseased ones had been. As to the separation of di^ease.i animitls, that of course was a good thiiiJ to be done iu all cases of disease, but ho-A- soon could they tell by the symptoms liow far were the worms developed befcre the animals would show it? Mr. Paul Re\t) asked wliether the animals being in a sta'e of debility would render them more likely to take the disea-e ? As to ariificial manures causing the roots to afl'ect the animals, lie quoted Professer Voelcker's lecture at the Central Farnic-s' Club of the previous week, in which it was stated tliat the great prize roots contained 90 per cent, of water. If th"y gave animals food in which there was 90 per cent, of water tliey could not expect all to go well. Mr. GooBWYN asked if tiie red rust, or the gossamer, or cobweb seen on the pastures, caused the disease in any way. Mr. Sutton saiil that tlie rust was undoubtedly injurious to animal life, as it was a fungus, and fungus in any form wag bad for auimal life, whether it was on musty hay which caused broken wind, or osts or cake. The cobweb on the pastures was not fully understood at present. As to the effect ot artificial manures on the roots, he thought of the farmers' clubs when reference was made to it, because he believed the clubs did go in for big roots, and did not care much for the constituents of them, whether they were saccharine matter or water. The roots whose growth was forced too fast by artificial manures held too much water and too little nitrogenous food, especially when the manure had been used in larger quantities than the soil required. Dr. Voelcker said it was perfectly childish of farmers to show big roots, which contained so much wa*pr, and to expect them to be good feeding stuff. As to the length of time that the worms would live on the grass, they would not live on the grass, hut they might exist there for sometime He did not think that debilitated lambs would take the disease unless they came in actual contact with the ova of the worms in some way or other. It was a disease which must be taken by direct contact. Mr. Sutton replied at length to various other questions, and was warmly applauded. The Chairman thanked Jlr. Sutton for the lecture. Mr. Sutton replied, and asked members of the club ta return the compliment by giving a lecture to the members of the Stowmarket Club. A LONGHORN SOCIETY.— A meeting of breeders was held in Biugley llall, on Monday, to consider the desirability of forming a Longhom Society, and establishing a herd-book for the breed. Mr. T. L. Prinsep, in the chair, moved, " That in coniequence of the ini r 'asing interest manifested in Long- horns, ami with the viev of securing this old-established breed its proper position amongst English cattle, this meeting is of opinion that it is desirable to form a Longhorn Society." This was seconded by Mr. Satchwell, and uiianimediiig Irom a', ewe of the black-fdCi-d Suffolk or Shropshire type, although they were very valuable indeed for certain farms, as ke would not breed from anything that was not pure-bred on one side or the other. L?t them start with a Lincoln or a C'otswold, and not go to a Slroi'shire or Norfolk. Now the Shropshire was a very capital ewe, luC some time ago it was made larger, being crossed frjm a Down ewe with a long-wool tup, and then they went back again to the Down. Therefuie it was not a pure-bred animal. If, iiowever, they crossed their sheep in the way he had pointed out, by judicious management they might get their hall-bred flock up : altnough, if ihey asked iiis opioioii, he would never breed from anything but the old cross. But they ccnld not all do this, and it was therefore satisfactory to find that tlifv could keep up their flock of half-bred sli?pp by having the best ewes and crossing them judiciously. Miili regard to the treatment of sheep, he saw that in tlie lecture he delivercil before on this sulject he went somewhat into detail, and he saw no reason now to depart from anylliing he thin said. There were certain farms on which it might not be practicable, but he was ia favour of ruiher earlier lambing than they usually had. It was sa-d that, with earlier I imbirig, feed would run scarce in Apr.l, Imt this might be met, directly harvest was over, by putting in a mixture of feed, such as coleseed, round turnips, and otln r things, so that they might have something to go ou with until tlie'r layers were fit. He had tried this on iiis own farm, when lis farmed about 400 acres of land, and he hid always found it practicable, alihough possibly it might nid be ou some ordinary light land farms. He never found a late laii b ' catch an early one. llavin? hid their lam'hs ^arly, his ojiiiiion was that tliey shou'd be put to feed as soon as ihey could do so. He was not an advocate for much artificial food, but he was in favour of a little ; and be tlitught if they gHve them some as soon as they could feed, they would find a £Itl note spent in that way would save them £50. He vias sure that when sharp weather set in, and in times of t'ouble and diflicnlty, they winild find it answer their purpose; as every pound of mutton tliey lost would be worth lod., and it would cost them Sd. more to put it on, making their 1 -ss altogell.er eighteenpence a pound ; and, looking at the ))r.ce of meat, it would thoroughly pay them to take care that no anincal lost any of its original Ikl. Prices of things were dilfeteut now to c 2 ^ THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. tvliat llipy were wlipn lie last read a paper to them on t]rs F.ul)j>ct, but his calculations then seemed to be that he took the iamtis to hf wurth 3-2s. a-piece on tiie 1st Aiigii>-t, and he ■would fpend 31. a week on artiticinl food for each lanih from thpt time nutil the 21st December, wliich would lie 20 weeks, inikinsr an expenditure of iis. a-lieari, and from the ~l-t December to the 21st February — nine weeks — he would spend Cd. per week per head, aivinij 43. fid. expended on eH.c'i lamb, or a total cost price of 41s. Gd. ahead. They might then reckon, taking tlie average of year.-", tl):it m the month of Eebrui^ry that lamb would be worth 50s. lie had seen a good many lambs in the month of March not worth so mucli as in the raontli of Tebruary ; but if lliose lambs had been kept well up to tiiat time, tiiey might have been worth a trood deal more. Another point was to Rtart with well-bred ewes. They all knew that had been, perhaps, one of the worst years tliey had experienced with regard to their ewe flockc, as in the spring of the ye:^r there was Iiardly any green food. Mr. Liigar had told liim that, in his flock, lis had li score out of 23 score with pairs of twins ; and he must say he was astonished at it. lie was theref'jre conviuced that keeping the beat ewp-laml>s, and keeping them well, was the b^st way to liave a flock of slieep. In con- chision lie remarked that he had been advocating the best way of developing a half-bred flock; but he did not runaway froTi his old views. There was no sheep, in his humble opiuion, equal to the cross from the long-wool to the pure- bred ewe ; but the dfitculty of geiting that cross was so great, that he liad confined his remarks to the best manner of keep- ing together a liaK-bred flock. Still he did not depart fmrn his old opinion, that t' e best cross was tliat froua the Cotswold to the Ilanipshire or Do*u ewe. Mr. Peto sa d he did not agree with Sir. Greene on one piiiit: it was far more dilticultto get a good half-bred animal than one that was pure-bred. lie was sure it required a great amount of study, and more than they gave credit for, to pro- (iacB the auiinal Mr. Liiaar had produced. He (Mr. Peto) had lor some time ftillen into Mr. Greene's views ; he had pro- cured his ewes from Hampshire, and his tups from the Cota- M'old Hills, and so far he was perfectly satisfied with the result. lie did not say tli3 CotswoMs were better than the Liucolns, but those two were tlie most profitable cross they could use. He thought, in the first instance, the Djwn slieep ■would produce a df al of mutton, and fat quickly, and produce a good deal of lean in the mutton too. The Lincoln did not (1 ) tliat, for it was nearly all fat. The C itswol ', therefore, ■was the most profitable to the commuuity as well as to the firmers themselves. He thought also they produced the most wool, lie believed they were iudebted to Mr. Greene for the Oxford Downs. The diificulty, however, when they liad got the stock, was to find the best kind of stock to cross them with ; but he thought they were a very profitahle anima]. Mr. Lu^car had called his attention to some which quite bore out that opinion. To bre^d a half-bred lamb, he did not think they could find a better cross than the Suuthdown or West- country sheep with the Cotswold tup. Mr. Lugar's were very good sheep, but there was certainly greater difficulty in keeping them than any they could produce. With regard to feeding, it was economy on the part of the breeder that the lambs ■when young slioul 1 liave some quantity of cake until it was thought advisable to increase tneir food for the purp-jse of making them fat. Mr. H. SxAXLtY must give preference to the hlack-'aced sheep. He had taken account of the produce of his fheep during the three years he had kept them, and he had always found his black-faced sheep produced considerably more than the half-bred. They were more proliftc, they were hardier sheep, and their produce always sold far better tlian the lialf- hreds. No doubt the uure-bred sheep required more time to mature than tlie half-Ved, but they generally found that they exceeded a great deal the price of t)ie half-bred animal. With reference to ewe-lambs, the pure-bred black-faced were worth 30o. ahead more than the half-bred lambs. As to feeding, Mr. Greene's remarks not only applied to sheep, but to every animal, whether a horse or anjthiug else : let it be kept well from the time of its birth. Mr. Matthew had two farms of about the same size ; one fsrm had 500 black-faced, and the other 500 lial'-bred sheep upon it, and b"lli flocks we-p mrunged in much the same way. He penerally made one shilli-igper head more ef the laubs from tiis black- .''aced fiock than the hall-bred lamli had fetched. He had at one time made J6100 more of h's WjoI from iTrs black -faced ewes tluu that from the hal -bred. There was nothing like a cio^s from a Liucolu to improve the quality of the vTo 4. J\Ir. tj. G Vil'ORD, jnn., sriid, though the plan of breeding hogg ts n.ig'it p-ty tenarkubly well on firms of good land, whe.e a m-^ii kept only hoggets, and give tliem the ferhip-, it would be best for them to sell th ir lambs every jear, and buy again about Michaelmas, as greit losses were often experienced by people who kept them through- out the summer. He should cettaiuly buy them later in the season. Mr. T. Goldsmith said the origin of Mr. Lugar's flock was a lot of black-laced ewes crossed with a Down tup. Tney should endeavour lo get g)od mutton, without too much 'a*;, and this he considered was the failing of the Lincoln aud Leicester breeds. Mr. Huudi.estox said the greater part of his flock were from a Down flock cr issed with a long-woo! tup. Mr. Sie'- man, his predecessor, h;»(l been breeding in-and-in, and when he \^lr. Hiiddlrtston) hegan he liought some Oxfordshire Dowa tups, which he got IVo n Mr. Overman. Nearly all Mr. Sted- man's ewes were from pure Down sheep. He Irid been keep- ing his lambs on sanfoin, with a li.tle cake, which several gentlemen said was very good keep. The President replied, remarking, amongst other things, that in his opinion tliey could do no better, if they wished to improve their flocks, than by judiciously crossing them with the best kind of tup. L-^t them get the breed to cross with their flock which will produce them the lamb to graze. A SulTolk ewe ,though a good animal hersell, was a beast to breed from. Let those who had the half-bred flocks take care to use such tups as the Oxford, Down, or Overman's, and not breed from a Su'folk ewe, which would produce a long- legged, unprofitable anirail. A vote of thanks was accorded to the President for his papsr. SALE OF MR. R. F. CHAPMAN'S TWO-YEAR LONGHORN HEIFERS, At Birmixgham, ox Monday, November 29. BY MR. J. B. LYTHALL. Princess of Wales.— INIr. Hall, Walton-on-Trent, 27 gs. Lady Sparkenhoe 17' li. — Lord Howe, 28 gs. Rowena. — Mr. Marsh, Hartington, 27^ gs. L^idy Hardendale 2nd.— Mr. Cox Spoudon, 21\ gs. Upton's Last Link. — Mr. Cox, 47 gs. Lady Up'on 77tli. — Lord liowe, 43 gs. Koliright's Rose. — Mr NewJegate, llarborough, 31 gs. Maid of the Marsh.— Mr. Marsh, 28 gs. Maiden ot Olden T.mes.- Lord Ho*e, 42 gs. Brindled Nancy. — Mr. Towueley Parker, 30 g». Lady Arden the 2ud. — The Duke of Buckingham, 3-t g3. The Welsh Rose. — Mr. Lancaster, Ashby, 31 gs. Mail of Bodeiwjddan.— Mr. Hall, 31 gs. 'ihe Croxall Daisy.- Mr. Hall, 30 gs. The Dishly Maiden.— Mr. Towueley Parker, 40 gs. THE FARMER'S MAGAZIi^E. 21- MORAYSHIRE FARMER'S CLUB, THE OUTGOLXG TENANT. Rn outgoing tenant is entitled to rec^ive Viilue by arbitratioa ol' first and second year's grass, filliiw', and dung, does ai\y, and, if any, what value remains iu the (arm for which the outgoing: tenant receives uo compensation ? I\lr. 'i OOL {Goulard Bank) said : Tiie answer to the question as to wiietiier, under the us.iih1 conditions of leases iu this connty, by virtue of which au oatgoing tenant is entitled to receive value by arbitration ot first and tecuud year's grass, fallow, and dung, any value remains in the farm, for which the outgoing tenant receives no compensation, seems to me tj deptnd very largely on the previous management of the fur.n. If little or no purchased manures or feeding stnlfs have been used, theu there will be little or uo value remaining, for which tlie outgoing teriant receives no compensaciou. If, on the contrary, the outgoing tenant has, up to the end of his lease, fanufd highly and expended a cousideralle amount annually on extraneous manurfs and feeding stuffs, then there will be a considerable value left, for which he will receive uo compeo- sation. This, I think, must be perfectly well known to any one vvlio has been fortunate enongh to enter a farm which had been left in high condition ; and perhaps still better known to one who has been unfortunate enough to euler a farm which hud been left by the preceding tenant in an exhausted condi- tion, and who has found out to his cost that it takes not only a large outlay on manures to bring such a farm up to the state of condition iu whicli it becomes profit- able, but also a considerable number of years to do it. The anplication of a lart;e amount of manure to land in low con- dition will give bulk of straw, but will not giveeither quantity I - - - I , . - or ciuality of grain in proportion. In short, in such a cas-e, it things depend on the circumslances of the particular Crise, ant receives no compensation. I have thus endeavoured to answer the ([lustion as to whether, under the usual con litious of lease* in this county, auy value remains in tlie larin for which tl.B outgoing tenant receives no compensation ; and ray answer uuhesi-atingly is — that if tiie outgoing tenant farms highly to the end of his lease, then there is a very considerable valufi left, for which he receives no compensation. And thus our system of leases, although admirable in many ways, is incom- plete, because a tenaut is almost compelled in self-defence to reduce the conditiop. of his land towards the end of his lease, sometimes no doubt to his owu loss, if he proceeds to do so too soon, or goes too far, and always to tlie loss of the incom- ing tenant, and consequently to the loss of the proprietor and cousumiag public. In short, gentlemen, this " see-saw svstem," as it has been happily applied by the piesnut Prime Minister, is a los-s to all the parties concerned. The nest part of li o question is the auiouut of the value left foT which the out- going tenant receives no compensation. To this question 1 think there can, from the nature of the subject, be uo general answer given applicable to all cases. Each individual case must staud on its own merits as much £0 as the value of any particular field of grass or corn or turnips. As well mighl;_ oue ask what is the value of a field of grass? Tiie answer, of course, would depend on many cocsicieratioiis— such as the appestrance presei.ted by the field, the abundar.ce or scarc'ty of plants, the quality of soil, the climate, &o., &o.— and so the answer to the latter part of the question seems to me to bo that the amount of value left, for which the outgoing teuai.t receives uo compansation, depeuds, and must ia tlie natuie ot takes tlie continued application of fertilizers for a consid r able number of years to produce full and remunerative crops. This is the result of my own experience, and I thiuk it will be found to be the universral testimony ot those who have been uiifoitunate enough to enter on the occup:ition of land in an exhausted condition. But to co.ne more to patticulars. If a farm has been kept up to the ead of the lea^e in high con- dition, then the out-going tenant will, to a certain extent, receive compensation in the value of his grass lor such con- dition, but not to the full extent, because h'! will receive cannot be determined by any fixed unvarying rule. Mr. MackessacK oi Ardgje, said this was a subject that they could merely touch iu its chief voiuf.-. Tlure were matters of much more impoitance to farmers regarding out- going tenants than unexhausted n anures ; he meant iu thu way of building, draining, and fencing. Wiluut fences an! proper buildings, a farmer could not go on, and he would rather give a farmer compeusatiou fur thete things, beciuse Iib meant to say that unexhausted manun s was a tiling impractic- able to get at, which could not be found out. lie knew tho merely the consuming valu« of the prass, and nothisg for the j farmers in Morayshire very well, and he was sati^fted tiiat unexhausted manure left iu the soil at the end of the grass j they were not such simpletons as to put anythi g into the land season. But there will, under these conditions, be unex- ! that they could not get value for. More than t. .at, he never hausted value left, must be patent to any oue who knows how I yet knew a m.m keep up his farm who was not well pa'd for it. much better a crop of wheat or oats ciu be grown after grass { lie had known many a man who had r, iiiei himself by well laid down than after grass badly laid down. Then as to exhausting his land, whereas if he had dune otlierwi>e and kept fiiUow. The outgoing tenaut is paid the rent of the fallow | liis land in good condition, be would hav.^ lieen well paid fur land, and the labour perlormed on it, and if he has been crop- j it. The man who kept his hud up to the hst got payment fjr ping liard and not mHUuring liberally, then tliere will be little i everything. or no value remaining, for which he receives no compensation. I Mr. Harris (Earnhill) said that it was a very great pi'y On the other hand, if he has continued to farm higlily, and has ' that ever the question was received by the Club, eitiier at t'r.i applied manures liberally to the preceding crops, the iucomiag ! or the previous meeting, becciusfl at a very hr.^'^ meeting held tenant will be able to grow larger green crops, and at less j shortly before the last general election, when there was a very expense, than he otherwise could do, and that by means of the j large number of proprietors piesent, h's friend Mr. \^ alki r unexhausted manures left in the laud by his predecesfor, for I (Altyre) was iu the chair, .lud read a most alile paper on the which he gets no compensation. As to duug left, the belter ! subject. On that occasion, under his persuasive eloquence, the dung is the outgoing tenant will get the more for it as a j backed up by the inlluentiai Oiduion of many large proprietors rule, and consequently there will be less likelihood of value remaining than in the previous cases, for whicli he will receive no compensation.- But even in this case, where considerable quantities of feeding stuffs have beeu used, I doubt if he generally gets as much as the additional value caused by the consumption of such feeding stuli's. Again, if the out- joins tenaut lays down liis barley crop well (among and fact^jrs present, they came to a decision I'pou thequestiou. With their permission, he would read thequestiou and the decision : (Question — " What is the opinion o: luvnibers- as to eompensitiou to be given by proprietors fur unexhausted improvements in agricultural subjects, especi-st value and the easiest realised that a man got ou entering a farm. If that were so,.then the ontgoing-tHn.int had a right to be compensated for it. It was a very ditficnlt thing to value the condition of a farm now to wliat it was nintteeu or twenty years ago ; but when the prin- ciple was allowed, on arriving at the value compensation would follow as a matter of course. He thought a vahiation for in- creased condition of the land should be allowid, at tlie same time that the landlord ought to have a clear claim for deteriora- tion— whether it was caused by extra cropping, or any other cause. There should be a clear line drawn betwetn the capital of the different parties. Mr. MURRO, Covesa, as a farmer of over thirty years' expe- rience m the county, begged to differ very materially from some of the previous speakers. He farmed a considerable quantity of land: when he got it it was in very had order, he had tried to put it in good order, and it was now yielding him very good crops, lie knew by experience that the more a farmer did by liis land, the more it did by him. Land was ex- ceedingly grateful, much more grateful than they were to one another. ["Oh!" and "Question."] Tiiat was the question. lie manured equally well as any of his noighfours, and his experience was that no man coukl find out the vnlue of the im- provements effected by manuring. Tlie former got the full value of the manure in his crop. Ii was just like a fellow faking a good beef steak and a glass of toddy — (laui^hter)— it had its effect, but did not leave so much as he thought. He had found that in thirty yyars' experience. He had found these manures would produce a crop for the time being, but where were they afterwards? Nowhere! (Laughter and cheers.) And no man of experience in going over the county of Moray would fail to find, as he had done, that the man who farmed his land well always did well. They had very good landlords, who did not let good tenaats away, and there was a great deal said about these unexhansted manures bo-h in his opinion. (Laughter and cheers.) He expressed it now most explicitly that, for one tenant wlio left a farm, there would he a dozen who would have to pay on the other side. That had been his experience, and he had observed it. He thought when any of them look a farm they took it to make the best of it tilt y could, and if they made their bargain and stuck to it, they did not need any legislation at all. Mr. Maclean of Wcsiadd said that of what he had heard of flie iliscussion tliere was a great deal with which he cf uld not aiM-ee. JMr. Harris had said tliS' .fufject !.h<.u!d not have been brought up there at all. He submitti d it himself to the committee of the Club. Mr. Harris heard it read at tlie meeting of the Club in Tebruary, and there was no word that it was in any way a subject \» hich should not be submi'ted. He wished to correct the statement, and to say that the com- mittee and liimself were within their d'V,r. In submitting the sulijpctto tlie Committee, he had utterly forgotten that a somewhat analogous subject had been mooted in tliat place two years ago. He was only reminded of the circumstance two or three weeks ago, when Mr. Macdoaald kindly sent liini a report of the proceedinss of thai; evening, and, strangely enough, that report brought to his mind that he had read ia some local or agricultural jonrual a commuitary on • he "i>- cussion of that night, which he thought was anything but complimentary to the Club. The writer, so far as lie re- memberi-d, said that the Club was venerable, not in tlie respect- ful sense of that term, but rather that the Club was venerable only in the sense of having become an old woman in her dotage, and that the only young vigorous Ijlood in her wiiole composition was that which then circulatel in the veins of their friend j\Ir. Yool, and which, he was happy to see, cir- culated there to that day with unexhausted speed. He was not present at that meeting in November 1S73, and although he had heard others express something to tlut ellVct, lie iiad never liimself seen anything that indicated any amount of de- crepitude or senility on the part of the old Club. Hath sr, at that moment it was, though venerable in point of year."/, youncj in action, and as unexhausted as the youngest of its admirers. He fully agreed with the whole of the gentlemen who had al- ready spoken, that the principle of compensation for unex- hausted improvements and unexhausted mannrea was the right of any tenant where they had been created by his skill and means. No doubt of that. At the same time, he thought some of the speakers had unduly magnified the present evil, and also greatly overrated the beneficial effects that would iiow from the remedial changes which Mr. Harris had indicated. It was evident that a measuie affecting the lelatious of proprie- tors and occn(iier8 of land in Scotland would be passed in the ensuing session of Parliament. That measure would neces- sarilv be one more or less of compromise, which would not be wholly acceptable to any party, but which would nevertheless be equitable, and more or less satisfactory to all moderate men. One thing alone was certain, that whatever else that measure- contaiued, it would fully recognise a liberal pniici;de of com- pensation. As to the practical adjustment of tl at compensa- tion, that was quite a different matter, on which those wlio were agreed that legislation was necessary ciltVred very v«dely amongst themselves. He had never known any scheme that was not open to serious objection. One man said he could trace the effects of his outlay on five or six successive- crops, and another thit it was lost on one crop. Oue raaa told them that the eflects of liming would be seen for tweniy to fifty years, and another, with just as muidi knowledge of the fact, that it would be exhausted in ten or twelve years. It' was impossible that a guide could be founJ just and fair to ail- concerned. If any ingenious member of the club could inveui an instrument capable at once of in'imating the n a'. urjl fer- tility and manurial condition of the farm, the fertilisometer or dynamometer would bauik the lawyers oi the large harvest of lititcation wliich would certainly follow from any legishiUon. It had been said that the tenant was virtually precluded from increasing the fertility of his land, or maintaining that increase to the end of his lease, because he has thru no claim lor the value of any manures remaining unexhausted in the land. It had also been said that were this disability swept away, capital would be attracted to the soil which was in the ineautime held aloof by reason of the insecurity of the investment ; and that if the security were rendered safe, more capital would be given to the land and production increased. There were both truth and exaggeration in these allegations. His remarks applied solely to the Laich of Moray, and he maintained that there was at that moment more capital wailing investment in tiie land than there vias room for, and that that capital was not deterred from seeking investment by any fear of se- curity. There were men possessed of adequate capital who vrould be glad to invest it in farms, nnfittired by a,. shadow of doubt as to its security. Lord Derby said a fsvf years ago that the application of capital would double jiroduc- lion, and that was probably true of some parts of England, of fi THE TAEMjSR'S MAGAZmU. ■vphich Lord Derty was sppaking, but not of this part of Scotland. They had lately been told, through the Sccttibh Cliamher of Agriculture, tliat all that was required to bring a farm into exct-llent order was heavy manuring, to the extent of even six or eight rents of the laud. Apply that principle to the Laich of Moray supposing the rent of land to be £2 au acre, and they spent eight years' rent on artificial mannres. They would have an expenditure of some £20 an acre, and he M'ould like to know where they would be by the end of a lease or half a lease if they followed that prescription. It might be followed on some laud in the vicinity of towns, from which turnips and potatoes were sold at £20 to MO per acre, but it would not be profitable on the average land of the c )unfy, where a storm in harvest might destroy their grain crop, as it liad done his tliis season to the extent of £3 au acre. Mr. Maclean also supposed the case of all the farmers in the room being in a position of having the fee simple of the land, and being willing to do tlieir utmost to produce the largest crops with a due consideration to profit. Would they try to raise eiglit or ten quarters wiiere they now only raise four or six? They would, no doubt, in time add to the amenity of the homestead, and to the general appearance of the county ; but in his opinion they would be regulated by t'la amount of rent paid to landlords, aud by nothing more. Capital could do almost everything, but not quite everything for the land. It could build, and drain, and manure, but it could not change the climate. Profitable production was very soon attained, and if they forced production by the application ol" manures, the issue would be loss and not gam. ' lie was f jr moderate husbandry as distinguished from high-pressure farming. Rev. Bkodie TrvNES said that between an outgoing tenant aid the landlord or incoming tenant, the question came to be, "What did you pay for when you went in, and what do you leave worth Yi\)ing for when you go out. IIow wete they to make a deteriorating tenant keep up his land to the endot the lease or pay for the falling- off? A lew years ago he took a firm and paid for the grass at valuation, some of which he cut ^^^ hay, and found it cost him 3s. 6d. per stone. Six years after he let the farm, and liis successor cut the same field of grass as he had done for hay. He bought the hay from his successor, and paid him for it double the amount that he received as valuation. AVhat became of the valuation there P lie would like that they would put in a word for discovering ■whetlier the outgoing tenant left anything in the land. A proprietor would be very glad to remunerate a good tenant by giving him his farm again, but as to remunerating him in luoncy for having the farm in good condition, he was unable to see it. Mr. Walker (Altyre) said the argument had been brought to Lear that, on tue death of an occupant, there was great loss and liardship. He was ready to endorse that opinion so far ; but that night he had heard two of the largest farmers in the countj , whose predecessors were cut off during the currency of lease, say that they had paid a great deal more than value under the valuations. I Captain Ciietwynd instanced a cise in Devonshire where a proprietor remunerated his tenants at the end of the lease for unexhausted manures. Mr. Cooper (Synie) spoke of the immense advantage to an incoming tenant following a man who had managed his laud well. That was especially the case on retentive so:ls. Considerable discussion took place as to whether Mr. Harris' motion should be put as the finding of the meeting, or whether the chairman should sum up the discussion and indicate the general result. Mr. Ross (Millhead) seconded Mr. Harris' resolution. Mr. Maclean moved that the chairman sum up, aud Mr. Walker seconi'ed the motion. On a show of hands being taken, 17 approved of the chair- man summing up, and seven were in favour of the adoption of the motion of Mr. Harris. Mr. Hakris then remarked that it appeared to be settled tliat it was informal for a member of tlie Club to propose a resolution for their acceptance, and proceeded to reply to some remarks that liad been made on what he said. It was a pity the Committee did not put in the question the words they meant, because by its terms buildings, drainage, and fencing were certainly admissiljje. The words referred ;to value left on the farm, and if they had meant value left in the soil, it was a pity they did not write flhat they did m«an. As to the matter of capital, it could easily be proved tbat its appli' cation enhanced the productivenfss of the farm. They saw a fine farm advertised, which had been so many years in the occupation of the proprietor, and what did that mean but that he had expended capital upon it knowing tlr-it it was secure- There was a measure before Parliament, and the fact was that it would be moulded by the opinions given by such Clubs as that. As to hi= not objecting to the question previously, if it had come up at last meeting he should have done so. Dr. Maclean admitted that he had forgotten that au analogous question had been previously discussed. So he stood upon his ground, and said the question was being discussed over and over again. Mr. YooL then, in reference to the remark by Mr. Mackessack that manures in the soils could not be valued, said that it was done every day. It had been done in Lincoln- shire since 1819 ; and what was done in Lineolu might surely be done in Moray. With reference to Mr. Walker's remarks about high valuation of grass, he said valuators were but mortal men, liable to error, bat that did not at all inter- fere with the principle involved. It had been remarked by Mr. Hunter that a tenant might allow a farm to deteriorate, and in that case he agreed with Mr. Hay, and recalled tliat six months before he had said that if the tenant were remu- nerated for what he left, the proprietor should be remunerated fur what the tenant took away. He was glad Mr. Maclean admitted the principle of compensation to be sound. There were, undoubtedly, difficulties in determining the amount of compensation, but there were dilficulties in everything, and they could be overcome. They hsd been so in Lincoln, as Captain Chetwynd had told them in Devon, and on the estate of Ocliterlyre, where the proprietor had introduced com- pensation clauses into his leases. The CiiAiKMAN summed up, and said lie had some diffi- culty in doing so from the turn which the discussion had taken, and the rather hazy views some had exprosed. The conclusion he had come to was that there was an equal number on either side. But, running through the whole debate, there was a Tery distinct feeling tliat, if there were any unexhausted manures left in the farm by the outgoing tenant he should most unquestionably be paid for them. That was best ex- pressed in the words of Mr. Maclean when he said that, where improvements had been created by skill and industry, they should be paid for. It miglit go forth as the decision ot the Club, by a very considerable preponderance of opinion of those present. If he might be allowed to express his own opinion, botii practically as a man of business aud as an owner ot land, he was exceedingly glad to find an opinion expressed round the table that, if a roan did not do something to leave the farm in a better state than he got it, he should not be entitled to any- thing. In other parts of Scotland it was not the rule that a person should be paid for either first or second year's grass when he left the farm. In the south of Scotland, where his own properly was, the incoming tenant simply paid for the grass seeds sown out with the crops. If they were to give compensation to tenants for unexhausted manures they must have avaluation of the farm when the tenant enters and wliea he leaves. AUniORITY.— The Freach press-laws weigh heavily upon papers that assail the Government: this is especially true of the provincial journals, whether they belong to small towns or large cities. In Paris an Opposition sheet may go great lengths; in the provinces the length to which it may go depends wholly u^on the caprice of the prefect, to whose caprice is superadded, under the state-of-siege system, that of the general commanding the district. Prefect and general, both these dignitaries can deal with newspapers much as it suits them. M. de Poiguferinaye and General de Fiamberge- Auvent were both gentlemen who, to use the popular ex- pression, did not like that mustard should be made to mount to their noses. Adepts in that particular kind of firmness which consists in bringing a foot down wheu a little finger will do, they ruled over their departments by a continuous series of ukases, abolishing this or that, or putting down somebody. It was the prefect's delight to shut up clubs, to close cai'es, under pretext that politics were talked there; to THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 2» iuferijict annu:\l villaje fairs, agricultural dinnors, or orplieonic emitests, because of Ihe " ebullition of popular ftcling to whieh these solemniiies miglit. give rise.;" aud every time he tiuis interfered with the business or amusements of the popu- laMons over whom lie ruled, M. de Poirfufermaye was wout to remind them that tliese are times when the principle of aullio- nly must be strenuously allirmed. One would have thought that the principle of authority was a scmething with a tangible form which there was danger of losing, and which it was ex- pedient to exhibit as frequently as possible, just as tliii priests of old used to exhibit the relies dei'ositrd in their churches to prove that they had not dishonestly made a«ay with them. The general, trumping the prefect's valiant lead, was for ever issuing ord^rs of' the day to bis troops, com- manding thein to draw their swords and ply them unsparinj^ly on civilian aggressors. — The CornhiU Ala^aiine for December. STOWMARKET FARMERS' CLUB. PASTURE LANDS. At tlie first discussion meeting for the season, the subject ■was, "How do we farm our Pasture Lands?" introduced by Mr. Thomas Woodward, of Old Newton. Mr. 11. J. Petti- ward in the chair. The PuEsiDEJiT, in introducing the lecturer, said that in lliis district tiiey had certainly attended more to the cultiva- tion of corn than to their pasture; they had not, in fact, given the pastures a fair share of attention, so they had not jielded to ihe farmer the profit of whicli they were capable. lie trusted they would hear that evening wliether there was any reason, even in this climate, why the pastures should not be as grateful for generous and judicious treatment as arable lands. What the pastures required was study and expf rirnent, and if only the same amount of experimeut was given to the pastures which had been given to the plough lands, they would most likely have been in a far more remunerative con- dition than now. Mr. WoODWAEP ventured to say that his subject was one which was well worthy of consideration, and winch would allord ample room for debate. He neither proposed to read a long paper, nor to touch upon what were called " wattr meadows," but would confine himself to upland permanent pastures. He asked, Are they not in most cases neglecteJ P How often do they receive a dressing of either artificial or farmyard manure ? Is it not frequently the practice to feed the cattle and sheep upon the meadows, and remove them either to the arable lauds to fold, or the yards to shelter, without any return of manure ? Are not rushes, thistles, coarse grass, or what we terra cushion grass, ant hills, &c., allowed to reraaiti, taking the place of nutritious grasses ? And is it not often ilie case that the same meadows are mown for hay ? In inviting attention to a better system of management of pastures, he said there were two great objects to be sought, to extirpate useless aud peruicious plants, aud to continue and multiply useful one. The first was accomplished by throughly under- draining such meadows as were too wet, by regularly weeding, by harrowing, rolling, removing ant-hills, aud by alternately feeding and mowing; the second, by manuring, folding with sheep, ana sowing in the spring the most nutritious grasses on places which iriglit be bare. He recommended thorough drain- ing, at a depth of from three to fonr feet, and at distances varying according to the subsoil. On most pastures a distance of twelve yards W'juld be found close enough, and on many soils four feet deep, and from fifteen to twenty yards apart would answer well. Draining enabled them to feed cattle aud sheep on the pistures when arable land was too wet; it imrroved tlie qua- lity of the grass, and extirpated rushes and sedges. Weetling i ni arrive. Having said that draining was the first step towards improvement, he thought manuring would take tlie second place. He anticipated a diversity of opinion as to the best time to manure. If tliey asked them- selves the question, he believed many would say, " We never manure, aud therefore how should we know the best time?" He would first take the pastures in hand from the 11th of October. He suggested that a liberal dressing of Peruvian guano and super-phosphate of lime — from two to three cwt. of the former, with about half the quantity of the latter per acre — should be sown the latter part of March or tlie beginning of April, on land to be mown for hay the next haysel. After the hay was taken off, let them manure with ten tons of good farmyard manure per acre. The rowen would soon overgrovv the manure, and yield in most seasons an abundance of rowen feed. On the portion intended for feed, tlie same dressing of farmyard manure, applied the latter part of January or begin- ning of February, would nurse up the young grass for early feeci. A thin, patchy, and worn condition of an old meadow might be renovated by sowing a mixture of white clover, aud any seed, rye grass collected from hay of good quality. In con- clusion, Mr. Woodward asked whether, considering tlie present high price of meat and dairy produce in comparison with the low and unreraunerative price of corn, it was not worth while to better farm upland pastures. Of course, there were many other ways of improving meadow lands, such as by liquid manure irrigation, folding with sheep, carefully spreading the droppings of cattle, S:c., which could not all be put in one evening's paper, but he hoped he had said sufficient to invite » good discussion. The President, in opening the discussion, observed that the labour bill was much less on pasture than on arable laud, which was of course a material consideration now-a-days. Another great feature was that one got a crop from it every year ; there was never a rest or a fallow ; but on the other hand, there were climates which were by no means suited to pasture farming, lie had heard it snid that about 30 inches of rain in the year were wanted to make pastures thoroughly productive. Of course, they must take the land and the climate as they had it, and try to ascertan what was best to be done with them. Mr. Woodward had suggested first of all draiuage, which ou most soils was no doubt very desirable. He had also made several suggestions with regard to manuring, a point which had hitherto be.eu very much neglected on pastures ; in fact, everthing had been taken ofT the pastures and put on the arable laud. He (the Chairman) would jike to bear soma 26 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. estimate as to the relative exhaus'ivenfss of a liay and corn crop. He imagined a crop of liny wiis uot much less exhaust- ing than a c-op of corn. Ot CDursi', in manuring tliey must consider what elements were neeiled to be supplied to the plants ; hut a manure which Mr. Woodward had not men- tioned was bone manure. Mr. J. S. CocKSEDGE asked whether the Cambridge ribbed roll or the flat roll was the better lor pa-tnres, and wliether a chain-harrow was better tha'u the old pointed harrow. Mr. WooDWAKD said he believeJ tl e more pastures were rolled tlie better, and preferred the Cambridge roll. As to the harrows, he believed iu harrowing in the s,iring, and the rougher the harrows the better ; but at the same tune he did uot advocate harroAiug on'y in the spring. ilr. CocKSEDGE said he had found that the Cambridge roll was considered the Lett. Mr. S. Page said he put muck on tlie pastures whenever lie could get it, and if lie had not got it on the fnrm he went into the town aud bought it. ile aUo put some damaged malt chives on the land, and he believed they did more good than bone manure or superphosphate. Guano was, he thought, the best artificial manure, for eitlier pasture or arable laud ; and he believed if a man did not drain his pastures, and farm them well, they would soon farm him, fortliey would uot grow anything. Mr. IIekry CiiosSE said he would spud every thistle as soon as it came up, and also n.irrated how he gut rid of bull's- eye daisies by manuring. He had not had much practical experience ot artificial manure, but he did not think lands in that neighbourhood required either bone manure or super- phosphate; there was enou;;h chalk already. As to seeds, he did not think it was much use sowing what was immaterial to the soil, and said he once sowed rye grass on a pasture, but alter a few years he lost sight ot it. Mr. S. W. Hunt said pasture farming was a rmbject which required a great deal of study, and considering the prices of meat and corn, he was sure it would pay to study it. He could uot call Suffolk farmers good pasture tanners, for riding about one sa* kuobweed, yellowrattle, thistles of various kinds, net'.les, docks, sheep's parsley, Ueabane, monutain flax, burdock, ragwort, and many otiier pernicious weeds. Unless these were eradicated they could not hope for a good return from their pastures. The first tiling to be done, with re- ference to hard land pastures was to luiderdrain them, in order to sweeten the soil, eradicate the weeds, and then manure. There would undoubtedly be a great difference of opinion as to manuring, but he advocated long muck in the spring. Some advocated manuring pastures alter the hay had been taken off, but he should recommend a horse rake to take it off again. He lesommended the making of a reserve of the scourings of ditches and the parings of banks.. He would harrow the pastures with a rougli harrow till he made them uearly as rough as a ploughed field ; then later on let the C'ambiidge roll be taken over them, which would produce little creases. Ten or twelve pounds of seed scattered broad- cast would fall into these creases ; and let it be covered up, with some of the mould of which they made a reserve, lie recommended for sowing the followi-jg grasses : Vernal green, meadow fescue, meadow foxtail, tall fescue, fine-leaved lescue, hard fescue, round cocksfoot, perenuinl rye grass, Timothy grass or cat's tail, smooth-stalked meadow grass, rough-stalked maiden grass, cow grass, alsike clover perennial, and clover and yellow trefoil. Above all things they must not forget the manure. Mr. S. Peck asked whether it would be wrong to harrow now. He believed in manuring the pasture, and also in drain- ing low lands. Mr. Crosse observed that sand or gravel was a capital thing on low-lying pastures, and some of the moulders' foundry saud would be good stuff. Mr. CocKSEDGE said he was pleased to hear that, for it accumulated rather fast, and iu future, if a use could be made for it, a small charge might be made, say 2d. a busliel. Mr. J. Farrow expressed an opinion that the mere rolling of pasture was of little or no use, whatever kind of roll was nsed. Rolling the land would not manure it, and he could not see what virtue it would impart to it. The subject under consideration was no doubt an important one, and the gentleman who had introduced it was enthusiastic on the point of deep draining ; but as far as his (Mr. i'arrow's) experience went, in cases where the pasture sufftred from an undue aiuuunt of moisture, a drain of 24 or 30 inches deep was all that was leqnlrfd.- He now referred to upland pasture « it h a clay subt-oil. He farmed a tenacious clay laud, and he would offer a challenge that any man might dig a hole 60 feet without any water lunning into it. Mr. Woodward : Fifty feet ? Mr. Farrow : Fifty leet if joulike ; but to be more reason- able, say 20 feet, and if water will not rise then, 1 should like to know of what use deep drainage is. Mr. Farrow proceeded to say that there was no douht that pastures suffered from in- sufficiency of manure ; but how was it possible to get the manure for tlie pastures ? For his own part, he required all his manure for tlie arable land, and a good deal mure than he could fiud. If there is as any manure to spare, it was no doubt the right policy to apply it to the first crop of griss. Mr S. Page said he should like the opinion of the members of the Club as to whether it was riglit to leave the aftergrass for the spring, or to feed it in the autumn. As to leaving the hay on the ground, he cited the instance of a gentleman wlio, aller cutting, left it, but he got no aftergrass, and there was uo feed beyond the old rubbish, and this the stock would not eat. Mr. Wll. Noble remarked that the most important psrt of farming was to farm the pastures well, as they were thereby producing something to improve the arable land. The first step towards improving the pasture land was, no doubt, drain* age. He had not done any deep draining, but he had seen great benefit resulting from it on other land, and w here there was springy land you could not go too deep. With regard to the manuring, he had tried ditfe'cut kinds — artficial, guano, nitrate of (oda, &c., and he must say, though interested in the sale of artificial manures, that lie never found anything so beneficinl as long muck well made. He considered the use of a gang of harrows at this season of the year, wheu sufficiently dry, was of benefit. Mr. KisTRijCK said he was much plagued with rushes, and he should be glad if any one could tell him how to get rid of them. Mr. S. Page : Bleed them. Mr. KiSTRUCK: You may bleed them, aud you may do what you like, but you can't get lid of them. I will give any man £10 who will show me how to clean my farm of rushes. Mr. Page said he I elieved there was nothing better than st free application of sand to the rushes. Mr. KiSTRUcK : But 1 cannot get the water away. Mr. Wakeling (Wetherden) observed that if you fed the young grass off you did not get so much grass as if you left the rough grass. The rough grass w.is uo doubt better for stock after there had been a good frost or two. He thought deep draining was the best way of getting rid of rushes ;, gravelling was also useful, and digging them up would check them very much. Mr. Farrow said he once saw a grass pasture coveted over ten inches deep with saud and gravel, and it was thought that that would be an effectual cure. Some tares were planted, and there was a splendid crop. After three or four years the rushes came up as thick as ever. Mr. Ebden thought that if yon persisted in cutting the rushes they would be much weakened, if they were not in the end totally destroyed. The reason thistles did not die when cut was because there were buds below where the scythe went. If they were cut an inch or two belovy the buds they would, he thought, die off. Sheep parsley was a very troublesome weed, especially where there were a number of trees, and he knew of uo method of getting rid of that weed except perhaps by digging them up. He had a piece of pasture covered with weeds of this kind, and he attempted to get rid of them by digging them up, and he as near as possible succeeded ; but after a time they came again. Witli respect to tlie exhaustion of land by grwss as compared with corn, he was of opinion that grass did not ex- haust the land like corn, because grass took something in froai above whicli went to the root of the plant for future growth. He considered the use of harrows very beneficiil, because the soil was loosened and the old grass threw out a fresh root. After some good rough harrowing there would be nothing so useful as a good smooth roll. Mr. Hewitt said he took it to be the general opinion of the Club that there was nothing like a good coat of muck for pas- tures, and the great difficulty with some appeared to be as to where it could be obtained. Folding bhccp on the pasture THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 27 would, lie believed, be fouud very beneficial if led witli root or cuke. Mr. Cross said ttie plan pursued by Mr. Howard, of Blakeuliuiu, used to be to tlirow raaugold ou to the pastures, but before doing 80 he put dowu a (luautity of liaulin, whicli prevealed tlie sheep from doiug much injury to the pabture, and it at the same time acted as a covering, which, in certain seasons, was bpiicficial to the grass. Mr. Woodward replied generally to the debate, and votes of tiianks to him and the chuirnian concluded the proceedings. BOTLEY AND SOUTH HANTS FARMERS' CLUB. STEAM CULTURE. At the November meeting:, Mr. W. Warner in the chair, Mr. John Trask, I\'orthinf;ton, Alresford, thought he owed something of an apulog-y to them in not doing as he promised last auUimu, which was to show what good was derived from the practice of steam cultivation. He was there now, liowever, to redeem that promise, and must ask them to forgive iiim for any dis- anpoiatmeut lie might have caused them to feel last year. He would now read what he had written. Mr. Trask then continued : There can, I think, be very little doubt but that, esppcially during the past two or three years, considerably increased aUention has b°en paid by frirmers, and by all thoughtful people having anything to do vvith the management of land, to the subject of steam cuitivritioii ; and as I myself, from several reasons, was led about two years ago to purchase a set of tackle for my own use, I was the more readi'y willing to accede to the request made that I should otl'er to the members of the Botley Farmers' Club my own views ou the Kubject. It will not be necessary for me to give a list of all tlie various systems to be met with, nor to give a list of prici s, for they are easily obtainable from our local agents, or through the catalogues of the respective makers. T'he prices vary lor single engine sets on the roundabout svstein from about £600 (Barford and P-,rkins) to about £1,200 (Messrs. Howard), whilst for double engine sets on the direct system tlie prices vary from the 6-liorse power tackle of Messrs. Fowler, costing about £1,100, to their cSO-borse power double set, costing about ,£3,000. It will, therefore, at once be seen how wide is the scape offered, and to how small or how large a cost it is possible for any intending purchaser to veuture. The last public trials were held under the auspices of the Royal Agricultural Society at Wolverhampton in 1871, when Messrs. Fowler carried nearly everything before them, and there is but little doubt that they have by far the lion's share of patronage as regards the manufacture of steam- ploughing machinery. The sets of tackle are known under two classes, as I have already hinted — viz., tlie roundabout and the direct. The first-named is, T suppose, the oldest that has come into extensive use, for Bordell's traction engine, travelling over the land and drawing the plough behind it, which 1 well remember seeing at the Royal Agricultural So/iety's Show at Salisbu y in 1857, was soon pronounced impracticable. There are roundabout sets, made by Messrs. Howard, Foi»ler, and Bnrford and Perkin-!, which latter is a professed improvement on Jlr. Smith's plan, so long known to the agricultural public as " the Woolston man." The mauuf.icturers of the direct system are iSIessrs. Fowler, of L^eds, and Aveliug and Porter, of Rochester, and their imple- m 'uts and prices, too, are almost identically the same. Tlie only recommendation the rouucJabout system can have is its cheapness, whilst the only drawback the double-engine system can have is the apparently large outlay necessary. The manual labour in the former system is now, by the use of Carapaiu's anchors, and others somewhat similar, reduced to about the same number of hands as is necessary with the direct system, so that tiie disad- vantage of being obliged to employ about six hands is now done away with. I have not seen at work the com- paratively new small set of direct tackle 6-horse power of Messrs. Fowler, hut the makers claim for it several important advantages over any other small set, and amongst thera are the lightness and adaptability of the engines for other pur- poses, and that the cost is about the same only as a complete roundabout set. 1 think the questions to be asked before em- barking in any system are something like the following: To what extent can 1 conveniently lessen my number of horses ou the farm ? How far is my occupation suited as regards depth and character of soil? and bow easy of access are coals and water? Good roads and tolerably square fences should also be taken into coiisite cm cultivation would, I think, be imperfect il no reference were made to those steam-cultivated farms of Mr. Prout, of Sawbridgeworth, and Mr. Middleditch, near Swindon, for it has been hardly possible to go through the pages of an agricultural paper during the summer months of the past year or two without meeting with some paragraph or leading article, telling us of the wonderful effects of steam cultivation on the farms alluded to ; and there is no doubt but that they are wonderful effects, and that they would be unattainable save by the mighty power of steam. It is, however,! think, very doubtful how tar it is wise to hold up such examples a,s if it were pos- sible worthy of being extensively followed. Stock-keeping is of far more importance than continued corn-growing, and at anything like the prices that now prevail is more profitable, and, so far as as I have found, the working of the land by steam is no liindrance to the keeping of a fair and even large head of stock on a farm. England is the granary of the world, and there is no doubt but that continental nations, as well as our Western cousins, are doing their utmost in tlieir fertile foreign soils, aided as they too are by the steam ploughs and cultivators of Fowler and Howard, to grow corn expressly for the English market, and for English gold. They can grow it far more cheaply than we can, and such being the case, with the knowledge that wheat-growing in England is not on an average a very paying game, and yearly getting more precarious, should it not rather (putting the labour question ou one side) be in- sisted on, that the plain, straightforward work of the English farmer should he, not to inordinately extend liis area of white- straw crops, but to breed and keep as full as possible an amount of stock. Having quoted largely from an article in the Farmer on Mr. Front's farm at Sawbridgeworth, he con- tinued : There is another instance of steam cultivation, or rather, perhaps, reclamation, standing perhaps almost alone — namely, that now being carried on by the Duke of Suther- land on his property at Lairg, in Sutherlandshire. Almost every conceivable form of work is here being carried out, at an annual outlay of £18,000. Several sets of Fowler's double tackle are here at work, doing almost every necessary operation, and, to quote the words of one of Fowler's men, using a strange lot of implements ; ploughing, grubbing, stone, tree, and root-clearing, are all done by one of Fowler's engines. Whatever results may in the end accrue to his Grace, tlirriT' can be no doubt but that through the experiments now being c irried on at Lairg, the Messrs. Fowler will obtain hints and will learn many things, which, but for his Grace, would not have been attempted. lu bringing these few remarks to a conclusion, I would ssy, in order to make steam cultivation- obtainable by the majority of farmers, the landlord must help. He must facilitate tlie making of roads, the straightening of fences, and the supply of water, for it is no doubt time that; the saying that you must not make a man do what a horse can do, ftnd you must not make a horss do what a s'eam engine can do, was fast getting nearer realisition. The higher price of manual labour, the very mucli higher price of horses, and the increasing difficulty of getting horses well c^red for by your carters, will make people use to as great an extent as possible steam-power, and it will o^ before long- an ordinary, everyday sight to see what the old northern farmer would rather die than see — viz., " A kiltie o' steam, Huzzin' an' maazin' the blessed fealds wi' the Devil's oun team." But let us hope that some congenial and propitious owner than that in- dicated by the Poet Laureate, may have the command of the team so long as any of us may have need or occasion to use it. I can only say that I took the troubls to travel many liimdred miles to look at tackle before I used it myself, and shall be very pleased to auswer any question any gentleman may wish to ask. Mr. J. C. Sutton, having taken great interest for many years past in steam cultivation, having been an agent from' the same year mentioned by Mr. Trask, when Mr. Boydeirs- engine was exhibited at Salisbury, and having been practically engaged ac Chester, where the prize was first awarded, and at many other Royal Agricultural Societies' trials of steam- plough tackle since that date up to the present time, he would venture to make a few remarks. He could not endorse all that Mr. Trask had stated as regarded the double engine system, knowing full well that it, like the roundabout tackle, had its advantages and disadvantages. Neither could he agree that any description of tackle was to be considered best for all circuniatancps, for what was good in one coun'y was not so in another, and what might suit one farm might not be tiie most desirable for tb.e adjoining one. Besidi s, the outlay for the double engine systrrm would prevent many farmers from purchasing, while the roundabout systems come within easier range of the greater number. He would remark here that Mr. Trask stated that the roundabout systems varied in cost from £(300 to £1,200, and he would just observe that; the best system with traction engine, self moving machines, and all appurtenances, made by Messrs. Howard, of Bedford, cost £750. These matters of outlay were of great consider- ation to the fanner, and he thought the single roundabout system the best, because one advantage it had over the double engine system was that they conld work their tackle from the road or the adjoining fields ra'her than traversing the fielis, and without any removal of the engine. He could point to a set of roundabout tackle, with small 8-horse power portable engine, that was doing a four-furrow plough and 4-wlieel pressure, at a cost of about is. 6J. per acre, aud other in- stances of a similar character. Mr, Trask might shrug his shoulders, bat he would say it was so, and those geutlemea could prove it who used the single-engine system. There was no doubt that steam cultivation had extended and would continue to extend in its use, aud that every farmer occupying. 300 to 400 acres of 1 .nd would possess one of his own. He was equally interested in any system, double or otherwise, aud, with the difficult question as regards wages and the high price of horses, he saw the great importance it day by day assumed. In conclusion he would read them some remarks from a letter written by a gentleman known to many in that room, published in the NoHh British .'If/ricnUiirist, " The farmer, however, who possesses his own engine has the ad- ditional advantage that he can do his work at the best time, and has not, as is so often the case, to wait his turn for the double sets. Having for fourteen years cultivated our own farms by steam, we are firmly of opinion that, for the tillage of the whole country, steam must become the motive power, and that on large or moderate-sized farms the farmer will, at no distant date, be very generally in possession of his own steam cultivating appliances." That is from the pen of a farmer who has been using steam cultivation for fifteen or sixteen years. Mr. Smith wished to know if is. Cd. per acre meant coal, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 23 ■■W5"ter, and lahonrP hpcsu^e if it did, it must mean that they mr.st hrtvR s'p.iiu cultivation. The f;reat olijeet was to got horses fitted t ) subsoil, and upon lijjlit soil liorses would do more fjoo'l, and lie would rather 8dopt this. Mr. J. Warneii: I'ressinic included P Mr. Smitu said lie had a presser but he had a great deal of laud llint did not require pres-siug. lie would rather have a Canitiridi>e roller than a 1 uid-^Tesser. lie was of opinion that it was belter to press land by harrowinsr, and take the horses over three or four times, actinjif in fresh directions. lie might be wron;^ and might see his error in time, but from what he had seen in Ins neighbjurhood, he could not change his opinion. The CiiATRjiAN : Do you mean your own land or every pjultiv„tor. The) ail knew th^t there were timid men in a^irituiture who were afraid to go into such an out'ay as steam-power entailed, hut in some cases tluy would be the gainers by reducing their horse power and getting steam- po.ver. This seemed to be the great point. Their cliairman now iiad 450 acres in arable cultivation, and it was a matter of quesition whether he shoiiU keep horses or displace some and adopt steam power. They all knew the caution of tiieir president, and the exact manner in which he calculated every- thing before he made a movement, and therefore lie hoped lie would set them an example on this sulj ct. Uefore contem- plating a change of such magnitude they must think it over; they mu4 have a change of leases, which would enable a man to take advantage of this, and be benefited by the new system of cultivation. And this led him on to thequesli m whether they should treat the land by ploughing, or suhsoiling, or scarifying, which should be carefully considered. They cuuld not have suhsoiling without observing a benefit, but he must also say they might do an immensity of mischief by plouijhiug deeply. He went over a farm on the south coast which had bi'Cii deep-ploughed, and he found it brought up weeds which had lain dormant for generations. Suhsoiling would not do this. Let them take land out of chalk. By deep ploughing they would bring up weeds, which required chalk, therefore they would entail extra expenses in chalking. Such a process would Iliad the land with weeds, and stille the crops upon the laud. Cultivating was a matter of great importance, and he thought, by either steam or horse power, to plough deep upon light soil was wrong. Let them subsoil by steam, if they liked. Mr. Trask had wisely stated that he qualified his observation on deep ploughing as depending upon the land being clean, but the land in the South was very far from clean, and it would take three or four ploughings to make it clean. If they did anything, 1-t them get rid of the couch. He was an advocate tor having upon all those farms — and their name was legion — which could not take to steam cultivation, a system of economising horse labour, and he advocated single-horse power labour, to have horses not less tlianl? hands, and these would do the work. Having referred to Mr. Prout's s'eara cultivation, he said that that led up to a question of vital im- portance— that of stock versus corn — which he would not then enter upon. Mr. Smith quite agreed with Mr. Trask as to deep ploughing in autumn. Couch would not live be'ow five or six inches : thus deep ploughing was certainly right in his opinion. He had grown good crops in the two years he had been here, and where he had seen a former furrow pljughed three inches he had ploughed it five inches. He did not mean to say they should altogether farm for stock, but every man was justified in farming for stock where he could get it. It appeared to him that some people wou'd grow root-crops, and not feed them off, and the question was if those roots might not do as much for the land as manure ? Butthen they did not keep stock for the community. The more stock they could keep the more corn they would grow, that was certain. Mr. Prout's system would not do for every person, because it would not feed the population. Mr. Tiios. Warner said it was all very well for a person with a large farm of 400 or 500 acres, where they could have engines which would work over hedges and ditches. He quite thought that deep ploughing in the autumn was pre- ferable to cultivating. It was no use to use the steam culti- vator without draining, because if they did their ground would be " poached," and they would get no horse to work upon it. He did not think the farmers considered about the community. The Chairman : The community do not consider about the farmer. Mr. T. AVarner, continuing, said there was a question as to whether stock or corn was the most advantageous in tiiat district, and he believed in five years out of seven they lost more from stock. Mr. Harris concurred in the idea that keeping sheep in winter was not preferable in this district. Mr. John Gater (West End) thought, whether double or single engines were best was the question to be discussed, and he was sorry to see it nipped in the bud. There were three thinu's be''ore them — horse power, single and double engines, and as soon as they could dispense with the horses it seemed to him tiiey coull not doubt the sinale engine was best, as it « on k! require a large tarin to use tils', doi'ile engine. Mr. Tra-k should have iolJ ihera whether the single would be less expensive tliaa the double. Ha would like to ask tho so THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. question wliether it would not be necessary to move (he eap-iae ia case the field was not square? Mr. Tkask : It would n')t m^ke any difference. Tlie ChaiRiVax said he would theu .suo;e8-t tliat they sliould propose a resolution shoAiug tli.it they were bouud to give up liO'sesand take up single or double steam tackle. Mr. Gater wished to know whether they were to hire men or superintend the tackle themselves? The Chairman said they must confine themselves to the advant^ges oi steam culture, and they had to enter into the merits of the double or single engine, or dse the di-icussion would never finish, lie had tried the single engine, and it answered well, indeed, aud lie had tried the double engine, but with less success, certainly at a very bad time, and liis observations would only apply to his heavy laud. It would not apply to light or to any land. He thought they should confine themselves to tlie question whether they should ha«e steam culture instead of horse culture. Ia reference to this, he should prefer the plough to steam culfvators or diggers. He should advise every one to plough the land iu-itead of cultivating i'. If they had a lot of cjuuli, t^vo or three horses aud furrows would get itulf the land. He should prefer slight scarifying, and then to plough dcp. He would suggest whetlier they should not have a resolution. Mr. Trask, iu reply, "-aid he did not wish to ''outend that tlie system ot whi;h lie liad s;iokeii would bn applicable to this ueighbourhood entirely, although iu a great pnrt it wimld. He then proposed the lollowing resolution: " Tliat it i.s the opinion of this club that s'eam cultivation, with the various improvements lati-ly introduced, and with Hie reservations expressed iu the paper read, is worthy of every encouragement and support." The proposition was carried unanimously, and the meeting terminated with votes of thanks to Mr. Trask and the chair- man. THE AYRSHIRE FARMERS' CLUB. THE ROTATION OF CROPS. At the first racetiDg of the season, Mr. Robert Wallace, Braelie-iti, in the ciuir, the subject for discussion was the rotations of cropping. Mr. W. Wallace, liraehead, son of the chairman read the fol'o ving paper ; The subject suggested for discussion to-dny is " The Rotations of Cropping." Of course it would be out of place for rae iu openiug up this subject to suggest or recommend any particular course of cropping, as what might be suitable for one district would be totally unsuitable for another. I shall therefore confine myself briefiy to a state- ment of the system pursued on the farms with which I am connee'ed, and then leave to the members of the club the eon- siieration of the question " Is it profitable to eitlier proprietor or tenant that there should be restricted rules for cropping enforced for tlie wliole or any part of a lease." My own ex- perience in farmiuir has of course been very short, and I would not venture to give it here were I not associated in farm management with one who has been much longer in the agricultural field. Oar rotation of cropping has been some- what varied of late, to suit such coutingencies as the rise and fall in the price of straw and manure, and the value of the produce most in demand. The object in view is to keep the jand iu a high state of cultivation, which never fails to prove most profitable to tenant and proprietor, and consequently to eonsuniers. The farms being situated near a town, where manure and fieldworkers are easily procured and where the cartage is siiort, we find it most profitable to follow the four course rotation which is generally adopted on farms in the immediate vicinity of Ayr— viz., 1st, oats; 2nd, green crop; 3rd, wheat or barley ; "ith, green bay or pasture. Wh^n town minure is plentiful, and straw commanding a good price, we sell all tlie produce off the land, and keep up its fertility by carrying back a liberal supply of solid manure. On certain eoils we find lint even the four course rotation has to be de- p-.trted from. Around the town of Ayr, there is a tract of land which will not carry wliite crop, but is somewhat suitable for grass and green crop, and with liberal manuring may be made remunerative ; but it would yield neither rent nor profit were the tenant restricted to the usual rotation laid down on leases. For this class of laud it is necessary to chalk out a special course of cropping, it being obvious that, if the tenant were restricted to the ordinary course laid down in leases, it would fee impossible to make the laud pay. This brings me to the question " Should a tenant be tied down to any pariiciilar course of cropping during the whole or any part cf iiis lease ?" Inexperienced as 1 am, I will not venture to give any very de- cided opinion on this subject, but will throw out a few ideas in connection with it which may tend to open up the subject, and elicit discussion on the part of the members. Of course there are two sides of the question. On the one hand ttiTe is tlie interest of the proprietor, who must see tliat his land is in no way deteriorated in value ; on the otlicr hand there is the interest of the tenant, who must see that he gets a lair return for his labour and capital expended. Itis true that theie are many tenants so blind to thsir own interests that they would ruin both themselves and their landlord. To guard against sacb cases it may be necessary to have certain restricli ms during the last three or four years ot tlie If ase which would previ-nt a grasping tenant Irom having more than a reasonable propor- tion of his land in white crop. When proprietor and tenant are both desirous of making a new agreement, the best me ins of keeping up the feitili'y of the soil, and, consecjupntly, securing the interests of the proprietor, maiuiainiug the tenints' profits, aud raising the most produce for the wants of our country, would be to renew leases three or four years before tiieir expiry. This early arrange- ment would be of va.st importance, as it would enable the tenant to go on with his approved rotation of crop- ping, which it would take him years to alter were he obliged, towards the close of his lease, to bring his practice into strict conformity with its te-ms. Were either party un- willing to renew the agreement, then the conditions at the end of tlie lease would still keep in force. There is a clause put in most leases, which I think should be sufiicient of itself to pro- tect all concerned, viz., the tenant is bound to cultivate the land according to the rules of good husbandry. Notiiing else wilt pay any one, aud when this rule is infringed, the sooner the tenant is separated from the land he occupies the better. Should, however, the question come up, "what are the rules ot good husbandry ? " it might be settled in the same way as questions of a similar nature by arbitration. There are many other points which I might take up, not bearing direct'y ou. this suhj^ct, but all more or less affected by it, such as Tenant- Right compensation clauses, &c., &(,■. I v\ill not, however, touch on these, as the oliject of my paper is to bring the sub- ject of rotation of cropping before the club, aud open tlie discussion upon it. The committee, I understand, in fixing ■ OE this subject for our cousideration, suggested that the dis- cussion should take the form of answ'ering two questions put to each member: 1. " What in your opinion is the best rotation of cropping for your farm and district ; " aud 3. " Should there be any restricted rule for cropping enforced during the whole or any part of a lease ? " 1 yyill therefore leive the members to answer these questions. Mr. R. M. CtiNNT^'GiiAM (Shields), said, with regard (o the questions which Mr. Wallace had suggested, should he answered by the members of the club, he might mention that on the farm, which he at present occupied the rotation practised, and which was customary on the estate, was t'le fiftii course, especially on the lighter land, and although he might be willing to alter it, the (act that there was just one break in each field prevented him doing so. He observed the district in which be farmed was very much affected with a certain kind of grass or weed, what whs sometimes locally known as gurcken or ccuch grass. On the light soils to which it seemed natural, they were very much troubled with it. Where the land had been laid down to grass, and they took an oat crop off it, this couch grass overrun the land very much. He had come to be of opinion that this grass seeded during the season the laud was in oats. The seeds lay THE FARMSR'G$ MAGAZINE. 31 •at n potisiilprnhlp dopth in tlift soil. Tlipy knew that, these Binxll seeds— like the nui-tiird seed — would keep Iresh and rx'i'nl lur yars, iiu'il 'Aic.s were turned up to near tlie surface, when hea' aud rain caused llieui to vegetate and fjrnw. Tliia vetd shed before tl\e oat crop was cut, and the seeds gettin<< down into the soil, were nourished ti\ere to sprinjj up anew, iind there was cansiderahlc diHi ulty in extirpating them. When lie had an opportuni'y— and he had noticed some of his neislibours wiio had belter opportunities— of departinfj from the usuhI rotation, and taking two green crops in suc- CHs.-ion, he fiund tliat wf.sthe only etfectual plan of getting tills weed eitirpa cd from tlie soil. Of course they might find t'lat proprietors, and those who had charge of the land for them, ol)jpeted to the taking of two green crops in succession ; but where this was not practicable, and where they were tied down in a lease, as was generally tlie case, it could only be done occasionhlly, or when opportunities were afforded. He tliouglit a lease was sufliciently restrictive when it provides that tlie laud should be farmed according to the rules of good liusli'jndry. This was quite enough to ensure the land being- well farmed, because most people siw it to be to their own interest to farm well, lie tliought that proprietors, or those who were acting for tliem, should do as the farmers en- deavoured to do when engaging their farm servants. They should pay more regard to the cha'acter and anilities of those wlh wiiom they eu'er into an engng'-ment for a farm. The uiiiCorniity in leases was quite absnrd, and not at all sni'.ed io t le many different kill Is of foil. Where the land was light or lir-avy, or wliere it was of that vaiiety to which ilr. Wallace had alluc'ed, wluch would not yield a white crop after a green crop, it was necessary to devise some other method to work «p the land, so as to make it jield crops which would not injure it. They found that if they did not cover the soil with a ciop ol some kind, nature was busy in putting on something that was neither beneficial to one part or another of the field. It was neither profitable to f'e landlord nor the tenant that tliere should be a strict aiiherence, lo a certain rotation of cropping. He observed it stated in a paper, read the other day by an East Lotliian farmer, in which lie took notice of those who had to draw out those leases, and iiad the oversight and management of estates, that it would add very much to the coaifort and advantage of bo h landlord and tenant, if thofe gentlemen were practical agncuhurisls, who knew how ti) advise between the two parties as to the management of land, and to arrange as to the suitable accommodation, aud all these things. He (i\Ir. Cunningham) quite agreed with that geu;.leman. Tiiere were individuals who had the charge and oversight of estates, who were not brou,£ht up to practical agriculture, aud it could not be expected that they were qualified to assist in matters between landlord aud tenant. The consequence of this was, that many tenants suffered. It would be most advantageous for agriculture if they bad men who were qualified to take a practicil view of any sugjeslion with regard to departing from the prescribed rules of cropping when made in the interests of good husbandry. It would make matters flow better; there would be more pleasure in working into one another's hands, when they knew they had to deal with parties who could sympathise With them in their labours. Mr. White, East Rose, Kilmarnock, said it was generally dairy farming that was followed in his district, aud the system was oue which they consider better adapted for growing gra?s, which was the principal crop with them. The rotation gene- rally followed was that, when the lea was broken up, two crops of oats were taken, then a crop of hay, and pasture again. Of green crop they liad a few turnips, potatoes, and cabbages, hut there was a field kept in the four-course shift for this purpose. A few years ago the land was mostly in green crop, but labour had become so dear that that system has generally been depsirted from. With regard to laying down a system of cropping in leases, he had a serious objection to it. He thought if a proprietor was fully satisfied of the honesty and ability of his tenant, he ought to give liberty to him to make the best of his land during the course of the lease, with tne exception, as Mr. Wallace had already hmted in his paper, the three or four last years of the lease, when there might be a specified rotation laid down. The tenant ought to have full control of the land when the landlord wis satisfied with the tenant and the rent. When a proprietor laid down a system tolling the tenant what he was to plough, and what he was otherwise to do, be thought there ought to be some guarantee with regard to produce. Uuless a certain amount of produce was guaranteed, he would be iucliued lo follow uo niau's directions in that way. Mr. EeR(Uiso.\, Auchenhie, said tliat, in Jiis district, there was not much green crop grown. They generally took two white crops, and the method they pursued was as follows : They top-dressed the hay crop with pirluips 3 cwt. honemeal or sufierphosphate in the end of March or beginning of April, and about the middle of April with 1^ cwt. of uitrate of soda. When the bay was all rtmoved,30 cwts. of dung were applied, wliitdi kept the land in good coudition for (our years in grass, and then the two white crops were taken. The green crops are confined to light small patches of land. He was some- thing of Mr. White's opinion, if a man was to pay rent, he ought to have his own way how to make it. Mr. MuKDOCH. llolehouse, said that the sixth shift rota- tion was most ctmmon in his neighbourhood. The leases were pretty strict, but as regards the carrying of them out the farmers had more liberty. He was of opinion that the rota- tion should be an opt-n question in the drawing out of leases, because the best farmer that ever lived would find it neces- sary to depart from the usual rotation. The sixth rotation he found generally bpst for his district — namely, a white crop, green crop, white crop, hay crop, and two years down iti pasture. They were a good distance from manures, and the two years' pasture helped to bring up the fertility of the foil. The only thing he would like to see would be a little more liberty to the tenant as to cropping, when good farming required it. Mr. Caldwell, Knocksheggle, Culfon, said it sometimes occurred to him that people who knew little or nothing about agric'lture, would come to the conclusion, when tliere were so many different opinions regarding whether the land should be green cropped, or whether it should be laid down to so many years pasture, that the farmers knew very little of their busi- ness. The fact was simply tiiat different soils required different rotations. The soil which he fanned, and had done so all his life, was neither the stiffest nor the lightest. It was under the seventh rotation, which was about the best for the district. He tried a number of years back, on one of his best fields, to allow it to lie for a number of years in pasture, when dairy produce came to be much higher. lie found that after three years it got worse and worse every year to the seventh. He found it better to lift it up, and put it under the ordinary rota- tion. He suspected in the Kilineny, Dunlop, and Stewarton districts, the longer grass lay it became the richer, but not so with them. They were not so near manure to enable them to green crop properly on the fourth shift. There had been during the last few years many different plans in agriculture tried. He recollected, about twenty-seven years ago, when one could scarcely take up a newspaper without seeing column after column regarding the great wonders that were going ou about Cunning Park and Myre Mill. There was liquid ma- nuring, with horses, and engine, and other appliances for con- veying it to the furthest part of the farm. The grass grew so long, so many inches in the acre was to feed so many cattle ; and the butter was so fresh that in the London market it gave Is. 6d. per lb. when it was selling at Is. and Is. 2d. Trom all this they were led to believe that a new era in agriculture was about to begin. After a few years' trial, however, the expense necessary to such a system was found so much that the pro- duce did not pay the interest on the land ; and so, lo and behold, the bubble burst. They must lust work away in the best aud most economical way possible, and follow that course which was best suited to their different localities. They must also look at the landlords' point of view, as it would not do to have no bindings at the latter end of the lease, because there were tenants who, by taking two or three more white crops at the close, would leave, the land in weeds and poverty. He quite agreed with the other speakers that there should be a special lotation for the last three or four years of the lease. Mr. Howie, Law Farm, said that he was not very sure of the rotation he followed. It was sometimes one thing and sometimes another. He found light land most advantageous for a green crop, and although he tried to do away with green cropping on his heavy land, he found it better to green crop all the land. He found it most advantageous to take two white cr)ps and then green crop, and sow down. He thought a clause regarding the last rotation was quite sufficient for any lease, and to ensure farming according to the rules of good husbandry, and it was pretty well uudcrslood what that meant. 32 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Tlie landlord »lio does not select liis tenants ought to be pleased with the kind of tenants he found out tliey were after- WHi'ds. If they louked for a servant they tried to find one with a character to their mind, and a landlord looking for a tenant should do tlie same. Mr. liEiD (Clune) said his farm consisted of light and heavy soil. The fiftli couiss was followed on the liglitsoil — namely, oats, green crop, wiiite crop, and two years in pasture. On the iieavy soil they had cut hay, oats, and greea crop. In the neiphhourhood of towns it was profitable to sell off a good pait of tlie produce of the farms, but those at a distance could not do that so vifll. lie was against many cla\ises as to cropping in a lea'^e, but 't was right that the landlord should be protected at the end of the lea-se. Mr. Young (Kiliieuzie) agreed very much with the general tone of what iiad been said. He had gathered from the dis- cussion tliat in most of the districts the rotation followed was fcenerally best adapted for that locality. In his immediate n-iglibourhood the system pursued was either the filth or sixth shift, he being on the lat'er shift, which he thought best adapied for his farm. This discussion, however, had gone a long way to show that they were against the landlord laying do«n a hard and fast line. Mr- Wiiite had mentioned that a considerable portion of his land was upon the sixth or seventh, and another portion on the fourth. That showed the impro- priety of laying down a rule that all the land should be farmed on the same system. He also agreed with the other speakers tiiat the landlord had a perfect right to say how the land was t" be farmed during the last three or four years of the lease. Where the farmer was to get compensation for improvement, or give compen'atiott to the landlord for detenoraiion of the farm, it would not be so necessary for the landlord to say liow the land was to be farmed, but until that was obtained it was quite right that the landlord should have something to say upon the point. Mr. Young (Iliglifleld) was in favour of a fixed rolaLiou near the end of the lease, but was against rules of cropping being laid down to apply to the whole of the lease. The Chairman concurred generally with the dififereot speakers, and referred to the importance of discussing sucli subjects. There might be some one detail useful to some of the members. He found that, ia going through different parts of England and Scotland, he got hints as to some mode which they were not in the habit of practising. He saw ia TAe Nurik Brilish Agricultimst some good remarks on the changes of cropping. The gentleman who writes made a change from the fourth to the ninth sliift. They might iu Scotland — although this was in England — see fit to carry out some of the details of that 8)stem. He was running his third lease on his farm, where there was only this restriction — he was bound to farm according to the rules of good husbandry, and not take two white crops in succession. If he had been restricted further in that land, he would not have remained in it. He remembered, when he was a young man, of hearing his father say that he never had Is. to rub against another of the arable part of the farm. Ia these days dairying was pro- fitable because feeding was cheap, and the markets were as good then as now, as far as selling of milk and cream was concerned. Had it not been for that his father could not have been OQ that farm. His (Mr. Wallace's) proprietor, Mr. Ballantyne, of Castle Hill, was very strict and particular as to his leases, still lie hid the good sense to see that this sort of land could not be managed un'.er the ordinary cropping in the district. Consequently he got him advised to change it, and although it was poor land he had been much the better of it. After a few other remarks from the chairman, Mr. Caldwell moved a vote of thanks to Mr, William Wallace for his paper, which was passed. The next discussion of the club will be on the Agricultural Holdings Act. THE YORKSHIRE FAT STOCK SHOW. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES. -Cattle: H. Peacock, Mount Vale, York; T. P. Oulhwaite, Guldsborough, Knaresborousih ; J. Kemp, Spring Bank, Hull. Sheep and Roots : G. ilobson. Shires House, Easingwold ; T. liobson, Crockey Hill, York. PiGS: G. Hutchinson, Prospect House, York; J. Kuowles, Middlestown, Wakefield. CATTLE. SHORTHORNS. Ox not exceeding four years old. — First prize, £10, the Earl of Zetland ; second, £5, the Earl of Z-tland ; third, &.1, Sir W. C. Trevelyan, Bart., Newcastle-on-Tyne. Highly commended: W, T. Wells, Hall farm, Lincolnshire. Ox not exceeding three years old. — First prize, £10, and President's Cup as best ox, W. Knapton, Hull ; second, £5, J. Laycock, Newcastle-on-Tyne; third, £3, G. J. Robinson, Maunby House, Tliirsk. Cow of any age.— First prize, £10, T. Willis, Manor House, Bedale ; second, £5, W. Hill, Wetherby ; third, £3, the Earl of Faversham, Duncombe Paik, Helmsley. Highly commended: Sir J. Swinburne, Bart., Newcastle-on-Tyne. Comiiiended: J. Upson, Essex. Heifer not exceeding four years old. — First prize, £10, and Corporation Plate as best cow or heifer, A. Pease, Darlington ; second, £5, J. RadclifTe, Easingwold ; third, £2, J. Bruce, Burnside, Fochabers, N.B. Commended : R. Danby, Manor House, York. CROSS-BREDS. Ox not exceeding four years old. — First prize, £8, and cup as best, J. Reid, Greystone, Alford, N.B. ; second, £4, T. Bland, Greystone, Tnllyoecsle, Alford, N.B. Commended: Sir W. C. Trevelyan, Bart., WaUington. Cow of any age, or heifer not exceeding four years old, — First prize, £8, J. Reid ; second, £4, J. Bruce. Highly com- mended : T. Bland. PARMER CLASSES. Shorthorn ox of any age. — Fir.st prize, £7, and Tradesmen'* Cup, J. 11. Slrpliensoa,'l>roiigh , cecand, £!•, T. RadclifTe, Y'earsley, Easingwold; third, £J, T. Harland, Holme on- Wolds, Hull. Highly commended: J. D. Gowland, Nua Mmkton. Commended: M. and W. Boville, Northallerton. Shorthorn cow of any age, or heifer not exceeding four years old. — First prize, i7, J. Cattley, Stearaby, Easingwold; second, £4, J. Kirby, Skirpenbeck. Ox of any other breed or cross. — First prize, £7, and cup, J.H.Stephenson; second, £4., M. and W. Boville; third, £3, T. Ilobson, Borouglibridge. Highly commended: W. W. Kirby, Stamford Bridge. Cow or heifer of any other breed or cross, the cow of any age, and the heifers not exceeding four years old. — Prize, £7, J. RadclifTe, Stearsby, Easingwold. SCOTCH BREEDS. Polled ox. — First prize, £7, ani Mr. Roger's sil'er challenge cup, value £30, T. Bland ; second, £1, J. Reid. Cjm.nended : \V. M'Combie, M.P., TiUyfour, Aberdeen. Polled cow or heifer. — Prize, £7, J- Reid. Highland ox. — First prize, £5, Sir J. Swinburne, Bart., Newcastle-on-Tyne ; second, £3, Lord Stourton, SLourton Park, Knaresborough. Horned Highland cow or heifer. — Prize, £5, T. Friusls, Skipton Bridge, Thirsk, Prize, £4-, J. Reid. EXTRA STOCK. SHEEP. Pen of three Leicester wethers. — First prize, £3, and second, £3, E. W. Usher, Water Wold, Pockiington. Pen of three South or other Down wethers, under 23 mouths old.— First priie, £3, and Mr. Peacock's piece of silver plate, value £5, and second, £1 10s., Earl of Z-tland. Pen of three horned Scotch or mountain wethers', of any age.— Prize, £3, R. Swauu, Askham Hall, York. Pen of three wethers, white-faced or Down cross, under 23 mouths old.— First prize, £3, the Earl of Zetland ; second, .£1 10s., 11. Daniel, Oulstou, Easingwold. Highly coin- mended : C. Hill, Wetherby. Pen of three wethers, of any Scotch or mountain cross, under23iucuthsold.— Firstpri7.e;.£3, J. D. Gowland; second, I^HE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 33 Si IDs., G. S. Thompson, IMoorlaiicls, York. Higlily com- meiiJed: 11. Beutley, lloltby, York. Best slieep of any sge and breed, not a ram. — Firtt prize, £-2, E. W. Usher; secoud, £1, tlie Earl of Zetland. Jlitflily commended: W. Beal, Suttoii-on-UerweBr,, York. Commended: W. Cuulson, Gaterley Farm, \^'^elburn, York. EXTllA STOCK. First prize, J. D. Govvlaud, VViJdington, Nun Moukton, York. PIGS. Pig, large breed, of any age. — Einst prize, £3, W. and J. Cooper, Hesliiigton, York ; second, £1, T. Strickland, Thirsk Junction; tliini, lOs., J. Blake, Wartliill, York. Pig, siii:\!l breed, exceeding twelve months old. — Fir^t prize, £3, second, £1, and third, 10s., S. Prudanies, Low Ou^PLfate, York. Highly coinmeuded : J. Lamb, lluntington-liue, York. Commended ; J. Blake. Pig, small breed, not exceeding twelve months old. — First prize, £3, J. Hail-is, Huddersfieid ; second, £1, and third, 10s., J. Mollett, Cattle Market, York. Highly commended : G. Linfoot, York. Commended: J. Leauion, York. Pig, middle breed, exceeding twelve months old. — First ;prize, £3, D. Kei^hley, Keighley ; second, £1, J. Loadm:in, tipper Helraslcy, Y''ork ; tliird, lOi., J. H-tllas, Uuddersfield. Highly commended : M, Trees, Darlington. Commended: J. erry, York. Pig, middle breed, not exceeding tw-slve months otd. — First prize, £3, J. Mollett, York ; seeond, £1, J. Miluer, York ; third, 10s., J. llallas, Hudderslield. Highly commended; J. Molleit, York. Pig of the black or Berkshire breed, any age. — First prize, £3, and cup.— H. D:«ley, Aldby Park, York; second, £1, C. Hill, Wetlierhy. Highly commended: H. Darley, York; commended : M. Trees, DarliiigtoB ; and W. Fall, York, For the best pen of tliree pork pigs, under twenty weeks old. — First prize, £3, J. Lamb, Hantington-laoe, Y'ork ; second, £1, T. Nicholson, Groves, York ; third, 10s., W. Bow- man, York. Commended: H. Sehofield, York. EXTRA STOCK. First and second prize^i, J. Sedgwick, 69, Pecley Grove- •treet, iork. BULLS. Shorthorn bull, between the age of six and fifteen months. —First prize, £10 lOs., W. Linfon, SheritF Button, York ; second, £1-, J. Singleton, Teresa Cottage, Pocklington ; third, £2,Loid Stourtou, Stourton Park, Knaresborougli. lliu'lily commended : W. Linton. Commended : S. M. Inge, Tlie Grange, Pocklington, rOOTS. Six specimens of long mangold wurzel, any variety. — FI''t prize, G. S. Thompson, Moorlands, York ; second, \V. Driflic ' i, West Huntington, York. Six specimens of Globe mangold wurzel, any variety. — Fir.t prize, Hon. E. Lascelles, Middlethorpe Manor, York"; second, J. Singleton, Teresa Cottage, Pocklington. Six specimens of swede turnips, any variety. — First prize, F. Harrison, Wilstrop Hall, York ; second, H. llichardsou, Flaxtcn Grange, York. Six specimens of common turnips, any variety. — First prize, F. Dickson, neelin:,'ton, York ; second, G. Harrison, Lea Firtld House. Garroway, Y'ork. Six specimens of cari-o's, white or red. — First prize, F. Thoinpbon, Pcppleton Hall, York; second, G. S. Thompson, Moorlands Y'ork, Twenty specimens of round potatoes. — R. Whitehead, llta- n^ton, York ; second, J. Miluer, Skirpenbeck, York. Twenty specimens of kidney potatoes. — First prize, J. Knowles, Middlestown Farm, Wakefield ; second, II. K. W. Hart, Dannington Lodge, Y'ork. Six specimens of ox cabbage. — First prize, J. M!lner, Skir- penbeck, York ; second, Henry Richardson, Fuixton Grange. BUTTER. Three rolls of butter, 1 lb. (16 oz.) each.— First prize, Mrs. Fishburn, Great Smeeton, Nortliallerton ; second. Miss Smith, Water FuUord, York; third, Mrs. Rob=on, D^ighton, York. Six half-pounds of print butter, Mrs. Stogdele, Copmin- thorpe, York ; second, Miss Jacques, Langwilh, Yoik ; third. Miss Smith. Fancy butter. — First prize, Mrs. Merrell, Burneston, Bedale ; second, Mrs. llobson ; third, Mrs. Fishburn. BIRMINGHAM AND MIDLAND COUNTIES CATTLE SHOW. IN BINGLEY HALL. The exclusive conditions still maintainsil by (lie Council of the Smithfisld Club are telling against the success of the local shows, as thit now beiua; held iu the Midlands is at most points one of the worst which we have seen for some seasons ia Birmingham. As we had already intimated, it was very short, and, as we can now state further, very bad. The very ex- ception, indeed, is borrowed from Islington, as far away the best beasts iu Bingley Hall are the Sliort- hora cup heifer, the Shorthorn cup ox, and the first prize Hereford ox, of the Smithfield Club show in 1874. This trio opposed each other for the chief pre- miums, and then, loj/go hitervaUo, came seconds, thirds, and sparse commendations. Over the first established breed, for instance, the judges quickly awarded the hundred pounds premium for the best of the breed, with- out caring to have out again the five firsts for any formal cotnparisou one with the other. Their choice, and every one went with them, was the ox shown by his breeder, Mr. Richard Hill, of Orleton, iu London last year, when he took the first prize in his class, and when, writing on the opening morning, we spoke of him as " long, low, and full of fine character ;" and as further, that he should have been first or second for the champion plate. He was purchased in the Agricul- tural Hall for 70 gs. by Mr. Robert Wortley, of Aylsham, in Norfolk, who has ripened ths ox into one pf the most magiificeat Herefords ever exhibited. Long and low, as we wrote of him into London, and still main. tainiug all his fine character, he is very heavily-fleshed, with a firm but kindly touch, aud an aaimal of extra- ordinary grandeur to meet; if not quite so shaprly about his quarters, he has more points in his favour than are oftea seen in a fat bullock at his age, five years off. lie was first, and the rest nowhere ; the second prize, a heavy ox, was so ill from a stoppage as well as sutfering from lameness, that he should have been removed ; and ia a class of five there was nothing further to look at. The first of the older steers, although fed by Mr. Heath, was so iudiffercat thit the other premiums awarded might have been withheld ; the younger steers were necessarily ratb.;r better, but the three or four cows all common enough ; while the first heifer, a speckled one, had some good about her, and no question was the next best of the breed. There were in all eight Devons exhibited, not ono of which was worthy of a first priz^. AVaea we call to m'nl what a picture a highly-bred Devon ox should be whea thoroughly prepared, and then turn to the best animal of this lot, a high, leggy beast, we may dismiss those behind him without another word. The Aylesbury ox which showed so well at Islington last season, where he stood in for the champion plate, was entered hero, but withdrawn in favour of the Smithfield Club, where he goes on again for another chance for the plate, as extra stock. This aniinol's age is roug.Iy put at just five years O'l THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. old, and the question is whether an ox at five years old is, according to the amended Club rules, eligible to com- pete for the champion plate ? With a view of checking the absurd abuse of keepiag mature beasts on for another season, no ox ia the classes proper is now allowed to be shown at over four years and a half old, but if an animal from the extra stock is allowed to compete for the chief prize at auy age the object of the amended rule is defeated. There were four or five Longhorn^, and when we bear in mind that they are here in the capital of their country, a Longhorn Herd Book looks like a forlorn hope for resuscitating a breed which, despite its quondam requte, is now dying away. The judges never dwelt over the Scotch cattle or crosses ■when it came to comparing the several sorts for champion honours, and there was nothing of auy remarkable merit amongst them, although some came South as frequent winners about home. The Martins were again first and second with their Polls; it was a near thing between the two Highlanders, although we go with the judges ; while in the older class of crosses Mr. Mathieson won with an ox whose size was his chief merit, and in the younger Sir "Walter Trcvelyan with a smart sliov.'y steer out, taking all after the Shorthorn, and far away the best of his class. The Jlartins showed a good fat cow against little competition, and their other cow in a class, all told, of two entries. At Manchester last week the judges pronounced a coarse, upstanding, vnlgar-lookiug animal, backed by a bad touch, to be the best ' Shorthorn iu the show, despite the presence of the Scotch cow, old Bella, and the cup heifer of the Smith- tield Club, Nectarine Bud ; and at Birmingham Lord Elks- mere's champion ox took no prize whatever, even in his class. But they do strange things at Manchester shows, and the awards made this season are simply beneath criticism. At Oakham on Thursday last the judges put out, without place or notice, the Smithfield Club cup ox of last Christmas, and made Mr. Pulver's steer the best of his class ; and at Birmingham the judges made the Smith- field Clud ox the first prize of his class, and Mr. Pulver's steer the third prize in his class ; but none of the judges at Oakham are recognised as Shorthorn authorities. The Smithfield (]lub ox, shown in London by his breeder, Mr. Bult, but another purchase by Mr. Norfolk Wortley, has not gone on in any vvay like the Hereford, and has lost much of his gay, blooming looks, though no question he was the second best to, the Hereford, steer or ox, had there still been such a premium. A plain, but big Lincolnshire beast was put second in the class, Mr. "VVortley showing another big one, in fact, tlie heaviest animal «f the brced,"a white, which hasalso been winning about thecouotry. Mr. Pulver's steer was beaten by a deep, thick beast from Clapton, Lord Gainsborough being second with a likely steei", which was also second in the younger class last season. There was still some nibbling at Mr. Pulver's steer to go on with, aud early in the day the price was not tempting, but the award would no doubt go to make a difference. He is a handsome small beast, tinisbing indifferently behind, but with style, as it is only fair to say he had beaten the Rowland Wood entry before to-day ; but we doubt the Kettering having scale enough to ever ripen into a cham- pion ox. jSlr. Cartnrighl's best young steer has plenty of promise, but we believe he did little at Manchester. There was numerically a strong entry of Shorthorn cows, mostly of a rough infecior sample, over which the Catterick Dairy Girl, with four calves to her credit, but now quite due here, had no difficulty in placing herself. The same return would serve more certainly over the heifers, where Nectarine Bud, though not much grown nor much fatter than at Bedford, was at once singled out as the best j the second having been shown at Oakham as a breeding animal — so small the difference 'twixt tweedledum and tweedledee — and the third a good long heifer bred and fed in the North. And then the judges went on to make Nectarine Bud the hundred pounds Shorthorn, the twenty-five pounds cup beast, as the best bred and fed by an exhibitor, and finally the winner of the Challenge Cup as the best animal in the Hall. Having disposed of Mr. Robert VVortley's Shorthorn over the award for the best Shorthorn, Nectarine Bud had ia reality nothing to beat for best of all but Mr. Robert Wortley's Hereford, as a critical public had long previously settled. There was, however, so far as we could gather, an outside majority in favour of the ox — au opinion with which we coincide, as almost the only case in which we differ with the judges. But the Hereford man, wishing to make things pleasant, gave way, aud the decision iu favour of the heifer was returned as " unani- mous," although seldom has there been more showing for a man standing out. As a grand specimen of a breed, as a grand specimen of a fat beast, for flesh, quality, and appearance, we must maintain that the Hereford ox was a better animal than the Shorthorn heifer. But the Shorthorn judge was a strong man, and the Hereford man willing to make himself agreeable, so that Mr. Farthing's casting v ote was hardly required — but it was all wrong for all that. The show of sheep was better than of cattle, but nowhere of remarkable excellence. The first and second pens of Leicesters both showed a deal of breediug, thi-s being Mr. Turner's opening effort in any entry of fat stock ; the few Lincolns were good ; the fewer Cots- wolds moderate, there being three entries and two exhi- bitors ; there were again but two exhibitors of Southdowns, the smart, true stamp of sheep shown from Elmham being much missed. Lord WaUiugham beat his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales twice over, the Morton flock taking the til st prize with the second-best pen; as the sheep placed second had far more the style and character of the Southdown than the bigger lot put above them, and surely style and breed should have its re- ward at a show of any description — for butcher or breeding. The Sandringham sheep are good iu their degree, but it takes time to establish a flock, and a Royal flock of all others must not make any sacrifice to mere size against pure type. There was a fair class of Shropshires, where Lord Chesham was beaten with his own weapons, Mr. Nock's pen being by a ram hired from Latimer, with ^Ir. Sheldon also showing a capital sample, and as we are inclined to think the best of the I hree prizes. Neither Mr. Nock's nor Lord Chesliam's entries were well sorted througliout, and his Lordship's pens Wrre certainly not so artistically turned out as they usually are : there should be a smarter lot going to London. The best old single wether was a plain sheep, with no very distinctive Shropshire character; and the next best, of more breed, not nicely balanced. Mr. Street showed far away the best Oxfords, with which he took first and second prizes, but the class was otherwise indifferent, and we expect to see much better at Islington. The Duke of Portland's Leicester and Southdown cross was the only one of much merit in the class ; and, as we have already inferred with some of our leading breeds like the Leicesters, Southdowns, Cotswolds, and Lincolns, the entries barely reached to competition. The pig show was very short, and as decidedly very bad, the white middle-breed, where Lord EUesmere won, being the best; and the Berkshires the worst, Mr. S'siith, of Ilenley-in-ArUen, never winning with so ill-sorted, indifferent a pen, and then only after the judges had divided as to the merits of the first and second. The judging here was soon over, and we rarely saw cattle THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. So judges arrive at reiults so quickly or more correctly. There is nothing like that first glance for a mau who roally knows what he is about. In an otherwise so well-tnanaged a meeting, we have again to protest against the numbers placed on the heads of the animals: these are written on small wisps alto- gether illegible, as often enough thrust away under the beast's head collar, and thus much of the enjoyment of public judg'ng is destroyed. Cannot somebody come to London and see how to do it ? Of corn there was a very limited display, not more than twenty-two entries being made for the eighteen prizes offered. Those of wheat were the most numerous, although the class for the Talavcra variety was altogether void. Of barley there were only two samples, and these not worth notice. Ihe quality of the oats was fair, and of the beans good, with the while peas very fine. The show of roots was not extensive. As a rule ■wiiere size was attained quality was lacking. This was especially the case with regard to swedes. Some good specimens of Globe and intermediate mangolds were shown ; but the long reds were coarse all through, with- out exceeding the average as to weight. The few turnips, of which there were only some ten or eleven collections were, on the whole, commendable. Kohl rabi were very good, and so were the Ox cabbage. The carrots were excep- tionally fine, which is accounted for by the fact that fonr out of the nine lots came from the Clipstone Park Farm of the Duke of Portland. The potatoes, however, constituted the feature of this departmput. A very considerable alteration had been made in the structure of the prize list by the introduction of classes for types, which include a large number of var eties. By tills arrangement many sorts which are offered as distinct in seedsmen's catalogues are fouud, upon the exhibition table, to be ident cal ; and growers will by- and-liye know what they are buying, instead of old variety under a new name. Last year 153 dishes was thought to be a good show; but on the present ociasiou there was an aggregate of 338, all note- worthy, and some of marked exi'elience. In the class for twelve varieties, six tubers of each, the competition was very strong. Amongst the exhibitors Messrs. Su'.ton, of Pleading, and Jlessrs. Carter, of Holborn, were prominent with their handsomely-arranged collections. JUDGES, Cattle. "Walter Farthing, Stowey Court, Bridgewater. John Thompson, Badminton, Cl;ippenhain. John S. Walker, Knightsvick, Worcester. SUEEP. Frederic Byrd, Kirk Styles, Dulfield, Derby. Charles llobbs, Maisey Hampton, Cricklade, John S. Jordan, North Dalton, HulL Pigs. John Dale, Spetchley, Worcester'. E. Little, Lanhill, Chippenham. Corn. Edward Davenport, Mill-street, Astoa-road, Birmingliain, Joseph Guest, Ashted, Birmingham, Roots. Henry Lowe, Comberford, Tamworth. Kichard Potter, Hawkeswell, Coleshill. Potatoes, W. Cox, Madresfield Court, Malvern, Samuel Evans, Arbury, Nuneaton. Edward Freer, 28, Digbeth, Birmingham. CATTLF. SILVER CUPS. For the best animal, of any breed or age, bred acd fed by the eihibitor. — Silver Cup, value £25, to Mr, Richard Stratton, The DufTryn, Newport, Monmouth (Veclarine Bud), For the best animal in the Show.— The Elkingtoa Challenge Cup, value 100 gs., (to be won two years suc- cessively, or any three years), by the same exhibitcr, to Mr, Richard Stratton (Nectarine Bud). IIERErORDS, For the best Hereford in any of the classes. — Prize of £1 Clipstone Park, Mausfield, Notts. Swedes, any Variety. First prize, £2, with £2 23. added by G. and J. Perry (Webb's Imperial). Secoud, £1, Charles Crisp, Sittles Farm, Alrewas, Lichfield (Webb's Imperial). COMMON TURNIPS (Tankard). First prize, £2, the Duke of Portland (Webb's). Second, £1, the Duke of Portland (Webb's) "White flesh (except Tankard). First prize, £2, Colonel North, M.P. (Grey Stoae )» Second, £1, Messrs. Cocks Brothers. 33 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE Yellow flesh (except Taukard). Pirst prize, £3, T. M. L. Cartwriglit, Melville House, Ladybank, Fife. Second, £1, T. M. L. Cartwriglit (yellow bullock). CARROTS (white Belgian). First prizp, £2, the Duke of Portlaud. Second, £1, the Duke of Portland. Any other Variety. First prize, £2, the Duke of Portland ( AUringham) . Second, £1, the Duke of Portlaud. OX CABBAGE. First prize, £2, Joseph Greatorex. Second, £1, Joseph Greatorex. POTATOES. For Collection of twelve specimens each of Ash-leaf Kidueys, Bresees Peerless, Dalmahoys, Flukes, Red Regents, Hundredfold Flukes, Patersou's Victoria, and Scotch Blue.— Prize, G. aud J. Perry, Acton Pigott, Condover, Salop. For Collection of six varieties, twelve specimens each, to include the new Hundredfold Fluke aud the Red-skinned Flour-ball. — Prize, £5 5s., Peter McKinlay, Woodbine House, Beckenham, Kent. For CollectioQ of eight varieties, twelve tubers of each, four of the varieties to be English aud the remaining four American, to include tbe new American Bread Fruit. — Prize, £5 5s., Peter McKiulay. Ash-leaf Kidney. First prize, £1, Duke of Portland. Second, 15s., Thomas P. Taylor, Lymm, "Warrington. Third, 10s., J. Betteridge, Acton' Nursery, Chipping Norton. Xapstone Kidneys. First prize, £1, Sir F. Smythe, Acton Purnell, near Shrewsbury. Second, 13s., Wm. Finlay, The Gardens, Wroxton Abbey, Banburv. Third, lOs., J. Betteridge. Rector of Woodstock. Prize, £1, Peter McKinlay. Regents or Dalmahoys. First prize, £1, T. L. M. Cartwright, Melrille House, Ladybank, Fife. Second, 15s., T. L. M. Cartwright. . Third, 10s., Duke of Portland. Patersou's Victoria. First prize, £1, T. P. Taylor. Second, 15s., T. P. Taylor. Third, 10s., Samuel C. Pilgrim, The Outwoots, Hinckley. Vermont Beauty or Brownell's Beauty. First prize, £1, Peter McKinlay. Second, lUs., J. Betteridge. Snowflake or other White skinned American Variety. First prize, £1, Peter McKinlay. Second, 10s., Cox Brothers, Monk's Hall, Gosberton, Spoiling. Other White-skinned Varieties. First prize, £1, Duke of Portland. Second, 10s., Duke of Portland. Other Coloured-skinned Varieties. First prize, £1, Sir F. Smythe. Second, 10s., Duke of Portland. Three Distinct Varieties. First prize, £1 10s., Duke of Portland. Second, £1, James Betteridge. Third, 10s., T. P. Taylor. Six Distinct Varieties. First prize, £1 10s., Duke of Portlaud, Second, £1, Duke of Portland. Third, 10s., Cox Brothers. Twelve Distinct Varieties. First prize, £3, aud extra prize of £5 53., to G. aud J, Perry. Second, £2, Peter McKiulay. Tfc.ird, £1, Duke of Portland. WEIGHTS. CATTLE. No. cwt. jrs.lbs. No. cws.qrs.lbs. 1 20 0 7 60 .... 19 2 2! 2 24 0 0 2 0 61 62 .... 16 3 4 3 18 .... 17 1 14 4 19 Q 12 63 . .. 16 0 25 5 21 0 9 64 .... 12 2 3 6 16 3 0 3 17 65 .... 15 3 11 7 17 66 .... 19 0 9 8 18 1 7 67 9 68 .... 13 0 3 10 18 0 0 68a .... 16 1 4 11 12 2 16 3 10 69 .... 11 0 3 12 13 70 13 11 2 25 71 .... 12 1 17 14 11 3 9 72 .... 17 0 17 15 15 3 2 0 0 3 0 73 74 .... 12 3 21 16 15 16 17 75 .... 16 0 9 18 16 1 21 76 .... 12 3 & 19 18 0 7 77 .... 12 1 4 20 19 0 6 78 .... 13 1 14 21 14 3 21 79 .... 11 3 14 22 14 2 10 1 10 0 14 80 81 82 . . 16 0 14 23 14 .... 19 3 4 23a 17 .... 17 2 14 24 S3 .... 15 1 14 25 3 4 0 7 84 85 26 18 23 ... 16 3 22 27 86 ... 14 2 5 28 23 1 14 87 ......... 29 25 3 7 88 ... 20 0 0 30 89 ... 18 0 15 31 20 1 10 90 ... 18 3 18 32 23 2 0 91 ... 18 0 14 33 92 34 18 2 7 93 ... 12 1 21 35 21 '.'.'.'.'. 18 3 10 1 23 91. ... 17 1 7 36 95 ... 14 2 5 37 96 ... 15 3 21 38 18 3 8 97 39 .... 98 ... 16 1 5 40 .... 20 1 14 99 . . . 41 100 ... 21 3 17 42 0 18 101 102 ... 19 0 18 43 .... 19 ... 21 2 3 44 ...'. 13 2 14 103 ... 19 2 6 45 103a. 104 . 24 2 21 46 ... 19 2 16 47 .... 16 .... 17 3 5 0 3 105 ... 19 0 10 48 106 49 107 50 108 109 ... 18 3 23 51 52 0 20 110 ... 18 3 0 53 .... 18 Ill ... 16 2 7 54 .... 17 .... 18 3 0 1 0 112 ... 17 0 18 55 113 ... 18 3 10 66 114 57 .... 18 1 14 115 ... 14 1 26 58 116 .. 14 0 0 59 .,,. 15 2 21 117 .. 17 2 0 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 39 118 5 SHEEP. 1 26 1 '"i-t .... 1 .... 7 3 5 119 5 5 5 6 .... 7 7 3 4 3 7 0 21 0 15 0 18 2 13 2 7 0 3 3 3 3 20 0 13 0 0 2 13 2 17 3 14 0 24 1 25 3 5 3 21 0 3 3 2 2 3 3 14 3 13 3 23 1 7 3 11 3 5 1 14 2 16 1 23 1 3 1 0 1 0 0 15 155 1 17 120 121 123 156 157 158 .... 8 .... 7 .... 6 0 21 0 2 2 7 123 124. 159 160 161 162 .... 7 .... 7 .... 6 6 2 8 1 21 125 7 2 7 12(i 8 2 14 127 12S 129 130 .... 7 .... 6 .... 7 5 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 .... 6 .... 6 .... 5 .... 6 .... 5 .... 5 .... 5 .... 6 .... 7 .... 6 .... 7 . . . . 7 3 0 2 23 3 23 3 20 131 5 2 0 132 5 2 0 133 4 1 16 134 5 2 21 135 6 2 20 136 5 0 16 137 5 0 22 138 . . 6 0 0 139 .... 6 6 175 2 0 3 110 176 177 178 '.'.'. 3 2 141 142 5 5 a 5 0 22 0 13 143 144 179 180 181 182 183 184 184a 183 : .... 2 .... 1 .... 1 .... 2 .... 2 .... 2 .... 2 . . 2 3 7 2 20 115 5 2 27 146 117 118 .... 5 .... 2 2 0 22 2 5 0 0 119 2 3 0 130 .... 2 .... 3 .... 2 .... 2 0 17 151 152 153 ....... 186 187 188 '.'.'.'. 2 .... 3 0 18 0 15 BATH AND WEST of ENGLAND SOCIETY, AXD SOUTHERN COUNTIES ASSOCIATION. At the monthly Council meeting, held at the Grand Hotel, Bristol, on Tuesday, the Earl of Ducie in the chair ; there were also present the Earl of Cork, Sir J. T. B. Duckworth, Messrs. H. G. Moysey, C. T. D. Acland, J. 1). Allen, Archer, II. Badcock, J. T. Boscawen, C. Bush, T. Duckli-fra, T. Dyke, P. W. Dymond, C. Edwards H. Fooks, Gilbert, ,T. Goring, J. D. Hancock, 11. P. Jones, J. W. King, J. E. KuoUy?, Luttrell, H. Mayo, J. Murch, R. NeviUe, G. Radmore, C. A. W. Troyte, R. Wippel), H. Spackinan (official superiuteudeut), and J. Goodwin (>ecretary and editor). The tender of Mr. Lewis, Northgate-street, Bath, for the . printing and sale of the Society's Catalogues for tlie term of live years, was accepted. It was determined that the railway circular latply issued as to the future charges for the conveyance of stock should ac- company the Stock Prize Sheet and Implement Regulations. Sir J. T. B. Duckworth, Bart., gave notice that at the January meeting he will move that the number of Council meetings be reduced. Mr. J. W. L. Ashe, formerly of Exeter, but now of Ken- eington, was appointed a member of the Arts Committee in the place of iMr. R. R. M. Daw, resigned. Foot AND-MouTii Dise.vse. — At the last meeting of Council the foUowing letter was read from tbe Rev. John Goring, of Wiston Park, Steyning, Sussex : " I am very desirous to call the attention of the Council, or at ail events to learn tlie proper way to do so, to the alarming prevalence of foot-aud-mouth disease, which is causing lieavy losses to farmers and to the community, and which threatens to do so far more seriously. The consideration of the possibilities of remedy or mitigation for tliis state of things would appear to me to fall most properly within the province of such a body as our Council, whetlicr by a committee specially ajipointed or otherwise. The transit of cattle in wa^s uauutural and injurious to them, appears to be, beyond doubt, the cause of this scourge; and tliat increased transit has arisen from the necessities of the country, and the clianges in tlie practice of feeding stock. Local cITorts have proved powerless to check the complaint, while nothing hut the application generally of systematic measure? can possibly eradicate it. 1 venture to think that our Council might (uirly be a^ked to take the ques- tion into its consideration, witli a view of pressing the urgency of the evil oo the attention of the Goverumen', even shoulj it not be able, as I should hope however it iniglit, to rccoin- mend the adoption of specific regulations." Tlie cunsideratioa of the above letter having been deferred until tiie present meet- ing, Mr. Goring, who was now present, proposed tlic following resolntiims: 1. That the Council of the Bath and West of England and Soutiiern Counties Association finding that fxcpptionally heavy losses haxe been inflicted on the country generally, and on the agricultural classes in particular during tiie past year, by the prevalcuce of foot-and mouth diseasp, is of opinion that the system now in force, based on the Act of ISGi;, and the Orders in Council, is inoperative to check tiiat complaint, partly through its own defects, and partly through the conflicting powers of the various local authorities. 2. That the Council, being apprehensive that the constitutional vigour of our cattle and sheep must suffer if tliey are con, tinuaily subjected to attacks of this complaint, desires to represent to Her Majesty's Privy Council tiie urgent need of their taking effectual steps to extirpate tlie complaint from the United Kingdom, aud prevent its re-entrance through our ports. With this view tliis Council desires to recommend iu the main the course suggested in the resolutions lately adopted by the Central Chamber of Agriculture. 4. That the Secre- tary be instructed to forward copies of ths a'love resolutions to- such members of tie Society as are members of Houses of Lord? and Commons, and to request their support in Pailia- ment of the views of the Council on this subject. The reso- lurions were seconded by Mr. T. Duckbain. Tlie President said he feared their difficulty in approaching the Privy C^juucil would arise from the fact of their not being in a position to recommend any particular course of action. Mr. Allen sup- ported the resolutions, and recommended the stoppage of Bri;tol and other markets to which the extension of the disease was attributable. Col. Luttrell said that in the county of Somerset at least 23 per cent, of the stock had been ali'e.vteil, but the virulence of the disase was now abating. Mr. Murch was of opinion that no good would result from the adoption of tlie course recommended, unless they were in a position to suggest some deliuite course of action. The Earl of Cork consilered it would be unworthy of a great Society to approach the Privy Council, without having it in their power to recommend some specified changes which they considered would prove advan- tageous to the cattle trade generally, and moved the previous question. This having been seconded by Colonel Luttrell, a division was taken, when 14 votes were given for the amend- ment and 5 for the original resolutions, which were accordingly lost. On the motion of Colonel Luttrell it was resolved that at the Hereford meeting members of the Society be admitted free to the st:ind at the horse-ring on producing their members' tickets. CLEVELAND AGRICULIURAL SOCIIilY.— A. show of thoroughbred horses was held at Gnisborough on Tuesdiy, when a prize of £200 was awarded to the winner, upon con- dition that he remained within the district bounded by Stokesley, Yarm, Guisborouiili, and Loftbonse, from the 1st March, 1876, to the 20tli July, 1876, inclusive. Eight were entered, and five were brought upon the show ground for exhibition, comprising — Moldavia, three years, owned by Mr. W. llubson, of Gftteshead ; luveresk, »i» years, belonging to Mr. W. Metcalfe, East Whilton ; Sacerdos, four years, owned by Mr. A. H. T. Newcomen, of Kirkleatham ; Sledmere, twelve years, belonging to Mr. R. Cowell, of Normanby ; and Merry Sunshine, a five-year-old bay, by Thoruiby, nut of Sunbeam, bred by Mr. Merry, and owned by Mr. W. T. Sharpe, of Baumber Park, Homcistle. The judges unani- mously awarded the first prize to Merry Sunshine, and highly commended the three-year-old Moldavia. The judges were: Mr. Joseph Harrison, of White House, Ormesby ; Mr. T. Garbutt, Yarm ; Mr. G. A. Gray, Millfield, Northumberland ; . Mr. A. L. Maynbard, Newton Hall, Durham ; and Mr. G. Holmes, Bar House, Beverley. This is the first ciperimeut o£ the kind tried in Cleveland, 40 THE FARMER'S MAGAZII^'E. THE SMITHTIELD CLUB SHOW. THE OPENING MORNING. The morning opened with anything hut ladies' weather, snow fallicg heavily during the earlier part of the day ; aad remote Islington was to many almost altogether inaccessible. As we stated some weeks since, the nu- juerical strength of the show is about on a par with that of last season, which was one of the shortest known for some years. The leading breeds run to about as many entries euch as those of 1874, there being some lack of compe- tition in the sheep classes, the chief accession in every way being amongst the cross-bred cattle and extra stock. Our own table stands thus, a number or two more or less : 18G8 1869 1370 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 Devons 40 31 eo 25 19 183 43 477 41 24 50 23 23 172 55 33 43 45 20 28 182 40 30 41 28 26 149 60 441 33 2b 48 21 24 167 5i, 426 46 33 65 33 16 188 49 486 33 23 32 32 54 177 47 398 31 liereforda 22 ^5horlhorus 33 Sussex 07 Scots and other breeds 70 Slieep 161 Pigs 46 TutaL entry 416: 474 392 [The other entries of cattle not enumerated were made up of other breeds, crosses and extra stock.] The Devons still offer a striking contrast at Islington to what they do in Birmingham ; there is a good, fair show, if certainly not equal to that of last year. Captain Taylor wins, as he did in Bingley Hall, both in the elder fcteer and ox classes, with two well-bred, well-fed beasts. In Devon heifers, another good class. Her Majesty and the Prince of Wales are separated on the prize list by -Jr. Turner, junior, who breeds his own Devons in the Shires ; and Mrs. Langdon shows the best cow in Lovely Queen, one of the late James Davy's breed, and, at nine years and a-half old, the dam of half-a-dozen calves. The Herefords are only good here and there — the best of them a six-year-old, or nearly so, fed by Mr. Heath, bred by jNIr. Philip Turner, and shown as extra stock, where he beats Mr. Senior's Devi n, a lother beast kept over fr jm last year, and not so good as he was. The Hereford, on the other hs'.nd, is a grand, ripe ox, and unquestionably one of the best in the Hall. In the classes proper there are only two Hereford cows, and both are indifferent ; again there are only two heifers in the class, of rather Letter type and quality. The steers are good in places, aad Mr. Groves wins with a smart young beast bred by Messrs. Heighway. This is the worst show of Shorthorns probably ever seen at Islington — that is, again, in the classes ; whereas iu the extra stock there are some eight cows and heifers standing side by side which make a show in themselves. Amongst these is Mr. Wright's c-ow, the best at Birming- ham last year, now grown into a '. 'ry coarse animal, as might he expected with only half a pe.^gree, and that only on one s-ide of her head. She is anoti jrof the over-due beasts, kept on only to be worsted, as she is but third in the diss, where the first is a charming, blood-like, level white cow, which, unfortunately, has never bred, c died Bride of Windsor, and exhibited by her breeder, the well-known Mr. Willis, from Bedale way. These cxSra 8to<;k cows were the feature of the show. In the Shorthorn classes Mr. Sowerby had a likely ox, -which, of course, was first, and Her Majesty a clever cow, which goj8 to the butcher with only cue calf to her credit. The second and third prizes, and occasionally the first, ara often won by exhibitors who have never made such a mark previ.jusly at a Smithfield show. In fact, the repute of the Shorthorns rests beyond their own proper section. There is a creditable entry of Sussex, but with nothing very extraordinary amongst them ; a few Norfolk Polls, where a prize or two was withheld ; and a capital brindled Highland 01, bred and fed by the Duke of Sutherland. The Scotch Polls were not remarkable, and Mr,. McCombie this season is doing nothing in the show-ring; but the few Welsh runts were of marked merit, and the- judges recommended the third beast in the entry as- worthy of a third prize. But then, Mr. Sewell Head i» half a Welshman himself. As we have intimated, there were some good crosses, vrhere Mr. Heath Harris won with a fourth cross from a Shorthorn, and Mr. Elliott with a nice level heil'er; and the extra, as we have already tated, included some of the host beasts in the i tall. The sensation of the sheep show was in the Southdown classes, where the Prince of Wales was again in force, this year with sheep in place of cattle. The Sandring- ham flock beat Lord Walsingham twice over fur the younger wethers and for fat ewes, although Merton took the cup for the best pen with quite a magnificent lot of old sheep. The Leicesters v^^ere a short but good show ; the Cotswolds but few, and bad ; and the Liacolns all of some excellence, as they usually are now. Lord Chesham regained his lead amongst the Shropshires ; and Messrs. Street and Druce maintained theirs with the Oxfords, of which the entry was, however^ inferior to last year. Never was there so poor a pig show, which the judges disposed of in little more than an hour. Mr. Homer's pen of w/iite Dorsets was the only really good one of that colour ; and Mr. McNiven's black Dorsetswere not only a long way before anything else in the short entry of blacks, but the cup pen of the day. The extra-stock pigs were very bad, and in some of the classes the entries did not extend beyond the two prizes. DURING THE WEEK. The prize-list given in our last number included nearly all the awards with, as the chief, the exception that over the £50 Plate for the best i>en of three sheep : this took a deal of doing, but ultimately, of course on a division being takeu, the return was made in favour of Mr. George Street's pen of shearling Oxfords, their chief opponents being Mr, Byron's Lincolns and Lord Walsing- ham's two-shear Southdowns. The decision appears to be well warranted, for a grander pen of sheep at their age, alike for breeding and feeding, has rarely been seen at Islington ; while they are beautifully matched, and throw back so thoroughly to the Biddenham flock that a judge, after it was over, might have reasonably ex- pected to find the entry in the catalogue standing in Mr. Charles Howard's name. We should have taken the Merton Downs for second, as the short-wool judges would have put them first ; but beautifully matured as they are, they lack the recommendation of early maturity ; and the popular feelinc certainly went with the decree which declared the superiority of the Oxfords. Lord Walsingham's pen, however, was, as stated in our last number, deservedly declared to be the best lot of Downs. Nevertheless, Mr. Woods, as a member of the Council, THE FAKMER'S MAGAZINE. 41 will move, at the next meeting, that the Champion prizes for sheep be discoutiniieJ. Necessarily, with so many men holding so many dill'erent opinions as the Long-wool Sliort-wool, and "other" judges called on at last to, work together, the result must always be something of a lottery, it' not a matter of simply numerical strength ; and the division on Monday amongst the nine was as close as live to four, but, as the award was a correct one for nil tliit, the threiilened motion would scarcely seem to be well-timed. ^Ve saiJ in our report of the Birmingham njeeting that it lakes time to establish a flock, hut the Priuje's, from the sample shown here, is establishing itself very rapidly ; and, as Lord Walsingham was now twice worsted by his Koyal neighbour, it may he worth his while to enter the lists again at his own county shows, ns his lordship's supremacy has now been so successfully disputed. It is not our intention here to go very elaborately through the classes, the more especially as we hold altogether to our report written on the day the show opened, and previous to the awards over chief honours bting arrived at. No breed of sheep is coming to show more evenly good than the Lincolns ; and none either at a breeding or a fat show, has for many years been so indifferently represented as the Cols wolds, although there was a pen or two here of more merit, Amongst the Shropshires Lord Cheshara, as we had expected, did better than in Birmingham, although he lost the cup ; while the chief subject for remark was the terribly short show of the breed. There were not so many pens exhibited as in the Midlands, and for eight premiums in four classes of Shropshires, but eight entries com- peted. Of Oxfords, again, the show was generally short, and, beyond the champiou pen and Mr. Druce's smart ewes, of no very noteworthy excellence. The Cheviots and Dorsets were but few ; and the new classes for lambs would look to be an iunovation scarcely justified. There was but one pen of Leicester lambs, one of Cotswold, tw'o of Lincoln, five of Southdowns, three of Hampshires, none of Shropshires, two of Oxfords, one of Dorsets, and five of Cross-breds. The West-country Downs were gene- rally in more numerical force than usual, with some exhibitors new to the Smithfleld Club amongst the entries, but the quality was not so good ; and the Leiceslers opened the list with a capital first-prize pen, uniting breed with size, good heads and necks, famous legs of mutton and firm in their touch, so that Mr. Turner, whose sheep were not very cleverly pre- pared, confessed himself fairly beaten. There was the nsual supply of Rents and other curiosities ; and Mr. John Overman regained his lead with his long and short- wool cross, but there was not much behind him. "We said in our last number that the show of Short- horns was very indifferent, only reserving Mr. Sowerby's 01 and the cows and heifers in the extra stock. Writing, as we did, before the final awards were made, we took no especial notice of Mr. Beaven's heifer, ultimately pro- nounced to be the best cow or heifer in the classes and the reserve Shorthorn ; but as these compliments were very generally regarded as not justified, but rather as egregious mistakes, vse see no reason to amend our pre- vious report. She is a common ish-louking beast, very faulty in places, and with little of the style of an improved Shorthorn ; as her reaching so high clearly implies the inferiority of those who finished behind her in the con- test for the best of the breed. Mr. Sowerby's ox has grown into a great useful butcher's beast, with also but little style about him, while last year ha was thought to be but a moderate second to Mr. Bull's champion ox, that, in a good year, could himself have had little claim to rank very forward. So that we have here, again, further proof of the quality of the Shorthorus as fat beasts ; during this show season ; Lady Pii^ot, one of the feflr I breeders of any note who exhibited, showing an old cow, j Victoria Spes, with two calves as her produce iti nine years, and in any other way doing little credit to Ward or the herd. The winner of the Champion prize camo fresh into the ring, it being certainly on every considera- tion a point in licr favour that she had never pre- viously been exhibited. As we have said, she is a well- bred, charming, blood-like, level cow, and no I'late has ever been awarded on a better showing. Like the L'rince'a Champion cow, she is a white, and. like her, goes to the sacrifice at Cremorne. Of the cross-bred and Mr. Wright's heifer, put second and third to her, we thus wrote when they came together last year inBingley Hall: " No question the Nocton Heath heifer is a valuable butcher's beast, carrying ])lenty of good meat, and being, indeed, fed to the highest possible pitch. She begins, too, with a kindly head but bad horn, and is wanting iu line feminine character, as there is a coarseness in her appearance which conveys the impression of her not being very highly bred. In fact, her pedigree, as given in the catalogue, only goes half-way, and that not very clearly — sire, a son of Loid Pantou (22204). Indeed, Mr. Statter's cross-bred gives one the idea of being the better bred Shorthorn of the two ; as a very true comely cow she is especially grand to meet, and if the two come together again we should take the cross for the jireference." And they have come together again, and the cross has the preference. The Sussex were a fair level lot, well maintaining their place as a breed; while amongst the Devous, the absurdity of keeping on over-due beasts reached, we should hope, its climax, when the best of the breed was, now at five years old, declared to be the ox which won the same premium at the last show at four years old, and may possibly be reserved to compete for it again ! The sooner the four years and a-half limit for oxen is extended to extra stock the better it will be for the repu- tation of the Smithfleld Club. As it is, the condition, being but partial, does not really reach the evil. The best of all the Herefords, a thoroughly good beast, will, at three years old, be reserved for the old class of oxen next year, although he has changed hands in the interim ; but, with all justice, this animal may asain compete for the premier prize ; as he was certainly here a long way the best of the white-faces in their classes, otherwise but a moderate entry. The Duke of Sutherland's brindled Highlander took the cup as the best of the Scots ; but for breed, symmetry, and wonderfully fine character, as a butcher's beast, moreover, long and deep, with the good beef especially where it is worth most, he should have been the best steer or ox in any of the classes. They certainly did keep him in the ring, but as the Devon and Hereford, and the Shorthorn and Cross benches had of course each a champion of their own, and there was only one Scotchman amongst the other trio, it necessarily fol- lowed that the Highlander was quickly out -voted, and the cup went, as usual, to a Shorthorn ; although, as a true specimen of the best beef, the Shorthorn was really nowhere by the side of the Loughorn. We do not go so far as Mr. Woods in his proposed motion for the abolition of these extra prizes, but the system, or rather want of system upon which they are adjudicated, requires looiiuj; into. The Shorthorns, save in the extra stock, were generally indifferent, and the Shorthorn ox which took the prize as the best male, and the Shorthorn htifer which took the prize as the best female, were neither entitled to anything, beyond the prizes that, for lack of creditable competition, they took in their classes. But the judges persevered gamely enough in maintaining their mistake over the Wiltshire heifer, and so put a climax to the thiug, the effect of which must surely leal to some 42 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. reform. No animal, however good, has now any chance agaiast anything called a Shorthorn. LIST OF JUDGES. CATTLE. Devons, Herefords, and Sussex. John Fortl, "Rushton, Blaudford, Dorsetshire. Thomas Pope, Horuingsham, Warminster. Henry Overman, Weasenham, Brandon, Norfolk. Shorthorns, and Cross or Mixed. Edmund T'Von, Hereford, Shorthom, SiissPX and Crossbred rl isfcshasb 'en limited to not exceed n.^ four years and six inonlh«. The [rizesiu the heifer and cow classp.s, ot the Devon, Hereford, SliortJiorii, Su>sex, .Scotch, and Cio->s-brtd cattle have been made uuilonn. Tnird prizes liave been added to the youn^ steer chisses of the Sussr.v bne ', au'i 50 THE FAEMEH'S MAGAZINE. ♦o all the Sec tell entile classes, and also to the Cross or Mixed- hred hei'"er chss. In-Extra Stock steers or oxen and heit'era or cows second prizes of £10 each have been added. The following classes have been discontinued, the competi- tion in past years not having been sufTicient to justify ttie prizes being renevifed : In cattle, Scotcli horned cattle, not Highland ; Scotili Polled cows, above four years old ; Irish ca'tle ; Welsh heifers o. cows. In sheep, the following liave baeu discoutimied : Crossbred Long-woolled sheep, also the li^ht-weight Sonthdown class — viz., wethers nOt exceeding 200 lbs. live weight. A separate class has been established for Cheviot wethers • of any age, with three prizes, and also classes for v/ether lambs, in the loilowiiig divisions ; Ist, Leicesters ; 2nd, Cotiwolds ; 3rd,LinC')lns ; 4 h, Southdowns ; 5th, Hflrapsliire ; 6th, Shrop- shire ; 7th, Oxf(.rdshire ; 8h, Cross-bred; 9th, Kentish, Hvlaud, Dorset, or any other pure breed not before specified. The wording of the conditions of the cups offered for the best animals in eacii of the different breeds of cattle has been amended, so as to more clearly define the intention of these prizes ; and the separate cup offered last year for the best beast under the heading of any other breed has been discon- ' tinned. These animuls now compete for the same cup as cross- bred cattle. The champion cup of £100 for the best benst in the show has been continued, and, in compliance with the suggestions made at the last general meeting. The £50 champion cup for the best pen of tiiree sheep in tiie show has bsen renewed. The regulations have been amended where it appeared necessary, and clauses inserted in the certificates to indemnify the Club from liability in case of any accident being caused by animals or machinery exhibited. Exhibitors have also been requested to observe certain regulations, which the Council hope will prevent any dishonest conduct on the part of any oftliemen sent to the show in charge of live stock, either by taking food belonging toother exhibitors or by their bringing from their homes a larger supply of food thin necessary for the animals during the time they are in the jard, in order that they might sell what remains when the animals leave. The Council deemed it right to take this course in the interest of the exhiliitors, and to prevent there being any in- ducement to dishonesty on the part of the man. The C^ uncil, alter again maturely considering the subject, came to the decision to continue for the present year the special rules hitherto in force preventing animals exhibited at any other -show within one month being sent to the Smiilifield Club Show. Also the rules requiring a certificate from the exhibitors that animals have not been for fourteen da)s pre- viously in contact with any animals suffering from contagious or infectious disease, and for the due veterinary examination of the animals previous to their admission. The Council has prepared the hou'se list of sk.teen members, from whom it recommends eight for election on the Council, to succeed those who retire by rotation. The scrutineer's report will be duly presented belore the close of the general meeting. The Council has again voted its thanks to the Vicar o( Islington for having arranged the usual Divine service for the herdsmen and shepherds in charge of the animals. The Council lays before the meeting the printed copies of the annual balance-sheet up to December 1st, duly audited, showing ba'ances in hand amounting to £2,005 12s. Of this, however, £304< 10s. belongs to life composition account, and will have ■to be inserted when the state of tiie Club's funds admits of this being done. Tlte Club has also to receive the £1,000 from the Agriculturnl Hall Company for this 3 ear's exliihitioa. Against these anionnts there will be the priees and oiier expenses connected with the present show. In order to meet the extra expenditure caused by the largely increased amount offered in prizes last year, the Council empowered tlie trustees to sell out £300 stock from the surplus annual income, which was invested some years back in the Three per Cent. Consid-f. The invested capital of the Club, therefore, now stands at Jg^fiS? 93. 9d. stock. Of this : £2,357 9s. 9d, belongs to the life cpmposition account, and £2,3U0 being the balance remaining of the surplus annual income. The total amount offered in prizes is as follows : Prizes, £2,110; cups, £750 ; medals, £123 ; rewards to feeders, £72 ; total, £3,055, bting less than in lb74hy £190. The Council, leeliiig that some portion of the marhinery department in the ILiU was superior to the other, and, there- fore, should be let at; a duly increased rent, the matter h-^s bad due attenti (U, and an additional rent of £12Q las. has thus been obtained this year. By these mean"!, and by tlm gradunl expenditure of some of the surplus, the Council hope j to be able to continue to offer a large amount in preraiunts, a course wliicii ha-^ been success'ul dnring the last two years in bringing togeher a satisfactory sImw of the best ani main •from different localities. As the arrangements for holding the show for 21 years at the Agricnl ural HhU will teruiinate in the year 1SS2, the Council considered it exped ent that aa nnderslandin/ lor the future should not be de'erred until too late a period, aud that, although seven years still r. raained un- expired, some basis of future agreement should be considered. A committee was therefore appointed, composed of thelollow- 'ing — viz., the I'residcnt, President-elect, the Marqu's of Exeter, Lord 15ridport, Mr. Charles Howard, Mr. Jacob Wilson, Mr. Newton, Mr. H. Overman, Mr. T. C. Booth, Mr. Ilorley, and the Hon. Secretary, to confer and consult with the authorities of the Agricultural Hall Company as to the future tenancy or «rrangeitient with them for holding the Smithfield Club Shows after the expiration of the preseat lease, aud to report. A separate Report from the Council will be laid before the meeting. The Council, with very great regret, has to announce the deaths, since the last general meeting, of L ird Kesteven, one of the VicePresid'-uts of the Club ; of Mr. Torr, one of the trusteea ; and of M-. John Besley, a member of Council, and a member of the Club since the year 1826. The vacancies thus caused have been filled np as follows: Lord Walsingham, vice L ird Kesteven; Mr. Ch tries Howard, I'ice Mr. Torr ; Mr. John Thompson (of Badminton), vice Mr. John Beasiey. The Council having retei-^fed intimation that it would be » great convenience to the members of the Club if a specia.1 privilege of admitting ladies accompanying them during the private view and judging could be arranged, represent itions were made to the Agricultural \\\\\ Company on tlie subject and the Council has had the satisfacti m of receiving the very handsome offer of the Agricultural Hall Ccnpany, that eacli member of the Club shall be able to introduce one lady accompanying such member, up to two o'clock oa Monday, without payment. The Council feel that the thanks of the Club are due to the Agricultural Hall Company, and it is hoped that this add'- tional privilege will tend to increase the number of members. In conclusion, wliile the Council have the satisfaction of congratuliting the members on the continued prosperity of the Club, and the generally superior quality of the animals exhibited at its shows, it would, however, draw attention to tlve desirability of the number of members of the Club being in- creased, which would thus enable the Council to offer pro- portionately a still larger amount than it is now enabled to distribute in prizes, and thus further extend the scope and usefnlness of the Club. The following balance-sheet was laid on the table : DETAIL STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT, from December Isf, lS7Ji, to December 1st, 187S, Showin^r the Cash received and paid, and the Balances brought forward from last year, and the Balances carried forward to next year. Receipts. Balance in hands of Banke-s, £. s, d. £ s, d. including life camposit'ous, £189, Decemljer ist, 187i 2,S93 19 6 Balance in hands of Hon. Secretary, December ist, 1871 9 14 \\ 2,603 13 7i ■Received since (by Bankers) — Half year's D vidend on £1,957 8s. 9d., 3 per t'erit. Uotsols, dueJanu.iry, 1875 .. 73 11 10 ■R alt-year's dividend on £4,657 9s. 9d., 3 per Geiiti. Consols, due July 1875 69 5 7 U3 0 5 By sale of £300 Stock Consols "at9J* 279 0 0 3 Annual Suljseriptions for year 1875 3 3 0 1 Annual Subscription for year 1)*76 110 4 4 0 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 51 i^G'cive 1 (by Hon. Secretary au J Assistant Sec rotary) — Of the Agricultural Hall Co. for Show, 1871 1,000 0 Life Compositions during the year 115 10 1 Annual Subscriptioa for l!*69 1 " ' 1 2 6 8 45 ■S73 25 1870. 1871 2 2 1872 6 5 18?3 8 8 1874 47 5 1875 2S6 13 1876 26 5 37S 0 0 Fines, Non-Exbibilion of Live Stock at Show, 1871 ■! 10 Extra Payments oa accouEt of Implement space, 1871 13 16 Paymcut for Implement Stands, 1875 1,830 rt >.' on -Members' Fees, Live Stock, 1875 184 16 'Cheque for a Prize, 1871, not yet presented fur payment 16 0 0 £6,572 16 -ei ExfEyniTUEB. Prizog Awarded at Show 1874 ^£2,185 0 0 Bilver Cups (taken in Plate, £360 ; taken in Money, £390) 710 0 0 Medals 12rf 8 0 Eeivards to Feeders of First Prize Atiimals 63 0 0 Stewards' Fees 80 0 0 Judges 147 0 0 Veterinary Inspectors and Assistants 42 0 0 Inspector of Implcraenfaalleries 8 8 0 Weighing Clerk and Supcrin'endeut. 5 16 Special Door-Keepers, &c 5 15 6 Inspector of Sanitary Certificates 2 2 0 3,122 8 0 Bills, Ac. : Printing ( Burnett — Balance) , Show, 1874 122 13 6 Stationery (Mason) 15 6 3 Advertising — Mark Lane Express.. 8 11 6 Bell's Messenger 8 11 6 Agricultural Gazette 6 6 0 Chamber of Agriculture Journal . 5 11 0 Field 9 11 » Farmer 6 2 6 Ridgway, Farmer's Almanac 2 16 0 Weighing Machine and Attendants (Hart and Co.) 8 17 « Agricultural Hall Co , Ingredients for Disinfecting Carts, Labour, and Inspector, &c., &c 30 3 11 Rosettes for Prize Animals 6 15 1 Placards (Paraman) 10 2 1 Diplomas, Feeders First Prize Ani- mals (Brooks and Co.) . 21 2 2 Cases fur Ditto (Bishop and Co.) ... 5 9 4 Carriageof Ditto (Sutton, Carrier!-) 4 10 P. O. Clerks and Postmen s Xmas Boxes 10 0 Assistant Secretary's and 2 Clerks' Lodgings and Expense^ 13 10 6 Bankers for two tjtami^ed Cheque Books, 187-S 10 0 Printing (Burnett, on account). Show, 1875 Assistant Secretary's Salary, 1 year up to Michaelmas, 1875 ClHrks' Time, as per time book, to Dec. 1st, 1875 Postage and Receipt Stamps during the voar (as per Postage Book), Dec.'lst, 1875 Bankers' Commission on Country Cheques, and Expenses on selling out Stock and Transfer to new Trustees Entry Fee Live Stock, 1874, returned. Animal net qualified 290 7 0 290 17 67 3 105 0 0 63 11 10 31 17 4i 3 18 3 2 2 0 Balanca at Bankers, including Life Compositions, £J04 10s. (Dec. 1st, 1875) 2,597 110 Balance in hands of Hon. Secretary, Dec. 1st, 1875 8 10 2 206 9 Ei 2,005 12 0 £rt,572 16 6i INVESTMENT ACCOUNT. 1875 : December Ist — Amount of Stock standing in Three per Cent. Consols in the names of tho Trustees £4,657 9 9 N.B.— This includes £2,300 Balance of surplus Annual Incomo, invested till wanted for current expenses. Examined and f jund coiTCCt. (Signed) Tnos. C. Boom. Walter FARTniifa. Dec. 3rd, 1375. Teos. Hoeley, Junr. On the motion of Mr. Geokge Stueet, seconded by Mr. J. D. Allen, the Report was adopted. Tiie Mvrctnis of Exeter said it was now liis duly to pro- pose the electi(ra of a President of the Club ■ for 1877- It would be useless for him to occupy their time with a lo ig speech, particularly as the nobleiran whoni he had the pie: s ire of noniinating was one whose name was well known to i v ry member of the Club. They all highly respected the late L 'rd VValsingham, who never failed to seud some of his beautiful sheep to the exhibition ; and he did not think he need doanv- thing further than propose as President-elect for 1877 tUa irobleraan who now bore that honoured name (cheers). Mr. FooKES said ne was very much pleased to second the motion. He did not think it would be possible to select a better man. The Cii.YiRMAN, in putting the motion, said he was sure it would have a unanimous and cordial approval. The motion was carried unanimously, amid cheers. Lord WalsIN&UAJi said : I beg to thank you, gentlemen, for tlie kind way in which you have assented to the proposal. I can assure you, however, tiiat it has taken me very much by Surprise. This is the first opportunity I have had of attending an annual meeting, and I had no more idea that 1 was to be proposed as President-elect than I had of the most impossibln thing iu the world. I can only say that it affords me great pleasure t<3 accept the office to which you have done me the iionour of electing me ; and I can assure you that I am dee( ly sensible of the very high compliment that you have been gooii enough to pay me, though I naturally feel that this is not owing to any claims ot my own — for I have none — to your consideration, but rather on account of those which liava descended to me through the name I have the lionour to bear (cheers). In endeavouring to the best of my ability to dis- charge the duties of the position in which I fiad myself placed, I shall always feel that my earliest recollections have been associated with competitions for prizes of the Smithfield Club, and the interest which has so naturally descended to me can never fail to be maintained in its full vigour. I thank you again, gentlemen, for the kindness with which you have re- ceived my name on this occasion (cheers). On the motion of Mr. Farthing, the Vice-Presidents vren tiien re-elected ; and on that of Mr. T. Hokley, Jan., the nama of Lord Tredegar was added to the list. On the motion of Mr. Moore, the trustees were re- appointed. Mr. T. Horley, in proposing the re-election of Mr. Brandreth Gibbs as Honorary Secretary, said he did sci wih the greater pleasure, because, since he was put on the Council and duiiug his stewardship, which would expire afti r the present meeting, he had seen very much of j\[r. Gibis, and really lie did nut know what the Club would do witln ut him (Hear, hear). Every one who had ever taken an active part in the management of the Club must have observed the gentlemanly, kindly, and etficient manner in which Mr. Gibbs performed his delicate functions; and all who wished suocpss to the Club must feel indebted to liim (ciie?rs). lie, then fore, begged to propose his re-elfctioa to the post of lion. Secre a y. Before sitting down, he wished to observe that he thought the present one was as suitable an occasion as they could have for doing sumething more than re-electing Mr. Gibbs and passing a formal vote of thauks to jiim. Tiiis year they liad had the honour of having for the President of the Club his llojal Highness the Prince of Wales, the tirst gentleman in the king- dom, and it would be a suitible recognition of Jlr. Gibbs's ser- vices, and a proper tliiig, to pass a special voteof tlianks to him for the interest he had taken in, and the services he bad rr ndered to, the Smithfield Club, as its Hotiorary S 'cretary, f -.r so m my years, to obtain liis Iliyal llighness's signature to it, and to pre- sent it to Mr. G.bbs (cheers). Having a-;cert:iined the feelingii of many gentlemen on the subject, not only the present slew rds, but also those who liad previously sc rved as stewards, and others E 2 ^2 THE FAEMSE'S MAGAZIN:B. who look a 3ee|i interest in tlie weifare of the Club, lie conlJ say that they concurred with iiira in the opinion that Mr. Oihh^, as the Honorary Secretary, liad done what tiiey cinld scarcely expect any man to do who might succeed him (Hear, hear) It was Mr. Giblib's eood fortune to possess an amiable temper and a courteous and atfable manner, and those were uit gifts which every man enjoyed. The Club was particularly fortu- nate in having retained his useful and vahiable services for so lon^ a time, and in being represented by so able and efficient an oflicf r (cheeis). Mr. n. OvEnMA.N had great pleasure in seconding the pro- posal. All who liad ac'ed either as members of tlie Council or as stewards of the shows would thoroughly endorse every- thing which Mr. llorley had said (Hear, hear). The Chairji.\n : Gentlemen, yor. have heard the proposi- tion of Mr. Hurley. I can only say that I fim sorry our f re- sident shou'd have selected this year for his visit to India ; otlipr.vise, I feel perfectly persna'led he would have been here to-day, and words from liiin would carry more weight with theiu than any of mine can do. But I hope you will take what I have to say as I wish it to ^e taken ; and with resard to the motion before us I have no hesitation in saying that I thoroughly agree with what has fallen from Mr. Horley and J'r. Overman, and I hope I shall see all your hands held up in favour of askin? Mr. G.bbs to continue his honorary secre- taryship, and that jou will concur in presenting him with an appropriate memento, signed by tlie Fresident for the current year. Unfnrtunately we cannot all sign that document, hut his Royal Higliness's signature will represent the whole Society (clieer.«). The motion was cirried araid loud clieers. Mr. Brandretii Gibes, who was received with loud cheers, said : Gentlemen, I do not usually occupy your time at these meetings by making speaches ; nor shall I do so on this occa- sion, because I am taken so niucli by surprise, that even if I wished to make a speech I should u terly fail. Allow me, iiow- ever, most sincerely and heartily to return you my best thank* not only for havinij re-elected rae to the ottioe of lIonor;iry Sec- retary for the thir y-second time, but for the handsome compli- ment you pr.:pose to p\y me in giving me a vote of thanks, to he •sit'ned hy H.H.H. tlie President of the Clnb. Be assured that when I have received it I shall treasure it highly. I shall often look back upon it as, a remembrance of former days, and I hope that it will always be preserved in my family, and be valued by them as a reminiscence of one wlio had gone before tJiem (cheers). The voting papers having been distributed, the Secretary announced that the following seven gentlemen liad been chosen ■ to fill the vacancies in the Council created by retirement by rotation : Mr. A. F. Milton Druce, Mr. T. Horley, jun., Mr. Robert Game, Mr. Joseph Shutileworth, Mr. Robert Charles Ransorae, Mr. John Ford, and Mr. Henry Tretlievvy. The scrutineers reported that for the eightli vacancy the votes were equal for Mr. R. Manfen, Mr. Henry Thuruall, Mr. John Greetham, and Mr. John Walter, M. P. Mr. GiBBS stated there was a bye-law to the effect that in the event ot an eciualiiy of votes the election should be decided by the meeting on a show of hands. A show of hands was thereupon taken, with the followinEr result: For Mr. Maslen, 11; Mr. 11. Thuruall, 21; Mr. John Greetham, 16 ; Mr. J. Walter, M.P., 7. The Cii.>lTRM.\.n then declared Mr. Thurnall duly elected, and that gentleman brie'fly returned thanks. Mr. James Howard suggested that the decision of the meeting should be taken as between Mr. Thurnall aul Mr. Greetham, the two gentlemen who had the highest numbers. The CuAIRilAJJ, addressing Mr. Howird, said: Mr. Howard, when you had been elected n erab ir for Bedford it was not for your constituents to sjiy that yot; were elected. They recorded their votes, the majority was announted, and you were declared ehcteil. Mr. Thuruall has a majority of votes in his favour, and by thai majority he has been e'ecteJ. Mr. Howard : It is net a parallel case, my lord (laughter). Mr. T. Horley then saiJ, as clia'rman of th.e Committee for making arrangements 'or llie future v,ith tlie Agricultural }I;ill Company, he had to present the following Report to ihe ij^ueral nieetiog : The (Council bpffs to report io the general meeting that'ft is of opinion that the teriiis named in tlie following r.-solulion of the (Vniicnltnral Hall Cnmpiny — viz.: " Resolved, that the Board, lnviin; reconsidered the matter, will recommend their slvirehohlers to agree to a new lease on the terms contained in the su^'nestions of Mr Horley's Committee — viz., to givii £1,250 per annum, and 100 guineas for cups, with a ne\ff lea-e for 21 years, to commence wiili the C .ttle S low of 1876 " — be acre led to, suhject to the following : 1st, that f.>r the ''otare the Agricn.tural tiall Company shall continue to do and execute all the various matters and things they have hiiheito done for the purposes of the Show, and the accom- modation of the Club; 2nd, that the new agreement shall set forth mire cl.'a^l/ tlian the existing one the rights of the Club and the res])onsibiliiies of the Hall Co'upany, in refer- ence to various details connected with the Show ; 3rd, that a satisfactory basis shall be arrangad, re'ative to the publication, &c., of the official catalogue, under the ontrol of the Club, and that the same form one the agreement; 4th, that the acquiescence of those who signed the existing agriieraent be obtained to its being cancelled; o:li, that the Cjmmittee shall recommend, au'l the Council priva'ely decide, by whom the new agreement shall be signed ; 6tb, that all the covenants in the new agreement shall be to the satisfaction of the Com- mittee and the C luh's solicitor, and be fiiial'y approved by the Council of the C'iu'j beiore it is signed ; 7t'h, that if, for any cause, the C'oujicil and the A ;ricultural Hall Company are not able to come to a new agreement, then tlie first agreeraeirt sliall continue in force until a general meeting or a specal general niee'iug o'' tlie Club shah have decided on the course to be pursued; St'i, in the event of the Agricultural 11 ill Company enlarging the premises, the Council of the Club trusts that an olfer of the increased space be made to the Smithfield Club, in order to extend the size of the Show. Mr, HoRLB\', after reading the foregoing repr>rt, in moving its adoption, said the Committee liad taken con-ider- able trouble, and go le very ranch into details, in con- nection with the propose 1 new arrangement with the Agricul- tural Hall Company. They of course endeavoured to secure the interes's of the Smilhfielil Cluh in the matter ; but he must say tliatthe Agviciltural Hall Company, through their Chairman and other leading members of the C impany, had from the first placed bei'ore them all the information that they could for their guidance, and had met them in a fair and honourable manner. The Committee were quite unanimous in recommending the adoption of tlie report now presented. It mia-ht be said tint seven years was along time — that being the period which would elapse before the expiration of the present lease — but it should be recollected that in the Metropolis property changed hinds much more frequently than it did in the country, and he was convinced that it was desirable tluit the proposed arrin^iem-nt should be at once entered into, that arransenent being of course subject to the approval of the shareholders of the Agrieultural Hall Company. It should be borne in mind that, during the seven years whicli had yet to run under the exisiiiis lease, they w'oulJ, under the new ar- rangement, rfcaive £2,-t.jO more from tlie Agricultural Hall Company than they coald under the present one (clieers). The motion having been seconled, Mr. J. Coleman a3')rton, Slougli, Bucks. Wrt'ker, Juse[di, The Poplars, Kijaresborougli. Yorkshire. Wt-tlierall, W ni. Sqiiirres. OS, Cannon Street, E.i'. Willi tins, Christopher, Glya Teg, Eh, Caruirt'. "VVojd, CoUiugwood, Liadsay, Freeltud, Budge of E in;, Perl h- shirp, N.B. W ight, William Parkinson, 3(3, Philliniore Gardens, Keu- siugtoa. PiNANC-s. — Colonel KiNGSCOTE, M.P., p-psented the r^-port, Irom which it appeared that the Steretary's receipts during the past month had been examined by llie Conmiitlte, and by Messrs. Quilter, Bal', and Co., the Societ)'s account- ants, and found correct. The balance in the hands of the bankers on November 30 was £691) 17s. 3d. Ihe Committee recommended that lourieen members who are in arrear of subscriptions, and are iiot recoverable, be struck out; and that the solicitors be instructed to write to several other members who are in arrear. That iVIr. Shuttleworth be added to the Committee, in the p'ace of Mr. Davies. The Com nittee had met nine times, and made nine reports. This report was adopted. JouiiN.VL.-^Mr. De>'t (Chairman) reported that the Com- mklte had met ei^jht liuics during ilio jear, and made liijiil reports to the Council. Tlfv had added Lord Spencer, K.G., to the Committee, in the place of Mr. Jacob U'ilson. They • recommended the Agricultural Holdings (Knvland) Act, 1S75, be published )u the next number of the Journal, with an - analysis and explanation; and that 7,000 lopii-s of future nutribi-rsof tiie /o/Mv/;?/ be published, instead ot the recently , incr(-as(d number of 0,750, in consequence of the continui'd addilion to the list of members of the Society. 'I bey a'so recomnifu 'ed that Messrs. Asliby, Jeffrey, and Luke be allowed ' to obtiiii, at their own expense, electrotypes ot the woodcuts iltustratiiiEr their lH}-making machines publish d m the List number of the Journal, This report was adopted. SrECTAL ClIAtlTER AND Byelaav3. — Mr. Wells (Clia'r- man) leported that the Committee submitted 1 1 theL'(;uiiiil ilie draft of the new byp-la.\s as finally revised, and reeoiMnendi-d that they be enacted the bye-laws of the Society. This report; lnviiig been received, it was" moved by Mr. Wells, seconded by Mr. Uent, and carried unanimously, " That the by -laws now submitted by the Committee bs enacted the bye-laws of the Society." Chemical. — Mr. Wells (Cliairman) reported that the Commiitee had received V>r. Voelcker's quar eriy report, . wliicb they had ordered to be printed for consideration at tlie Peb'uary meeting. They bad also received Dr Voekker's annual rep Tf, of which the following summary bad bceu pre- pared by ihs Chairman : D". Voelcker shows, in a tabulated summsry, that the number of samples of feeHing stuffs, manures, soil-, waters, &p., SI nt for analysis in 1S7") hy luenibers of tie Royal Aari- culiuial Societ", exceeded thai in 1874 by Gl, being 70i aa ajiaiiist G15. His paper, " On ttie Composit uu of Driukintr \Vater," appears to liave caused an uuusual number of sam|iies of water to have been sent, and among other instances o'' the injurious eff. Gis ot imiiure VAater, one is given, wliirrt the use of water coutaminaled by manure to the exlei.t ol iti con- tainiuu as much ammonia as average town sewage, r.-^sulted in tl;e death of a horse, a cow, and two beast- ; and another case shows the danger arising from water liecoining polluted by .soluble lead compounds in the neighbou^h ,od of lead ■ works. Dr. Voelcker next calls attention to a rns" n*" injury done ■ to a stock ofergotised gr.^s^. Mr. Garrett's, ol Cirletun Hall, SHxmundliaT, having lost several bullocks in the marsiies without being able to detect the cause, at leimth discovered iu the stomach and intestines of the list w hicli died sonn stalks of grass having Ibe appearance ofergotised seeds, wh.cli ■ Dr. Voelcker at once recognised as ergot. Tlie indigestibility of coarsely ground cotton seed husks is aga n pointed eut, and thu danger ot giving undecoriieated cake williout a sulttciency of succulent loud, such as roots, is dwelt on, and even decoiticated cake may with advantage be reduced to powder, and mixjed with Indian c ra or rice meal. Coltousted meal is sent tro:a America sonrti.ries, and d » mixture of one part of cottonseed n»eal, one o'' Lidi in corn, and two of barley meal, v«ould make a good feeding meal. llempseed-cake is not oftsn sokl as such, though it i-s known well cnougli to oilcake adulterators. About £S 8s. would be a fair price for it if of good qua'ity. A new description of cake is now made from the starchy and glutinous relnse of the Indian corn flour; but it cannot . be recominended for young growing animals. A gind tattening food can be bouglit in " Sorghain seed ;'* the analyses of two varieties of the seed are given. A new cake made from a Chinese oil bean is reportij on as coutnin- ing 6,j per cent, of oil, and a high percentage of llesli-formin^ matters. A new feeding stuff recommended for pigs, and called' Liehig's prepared meat-powder, is mentioneil. It consists of the refuse meat fibre in the manufacture of i/ebig's extract of meat, and is treated, after Buron Liebig's advie-, with phos- phate of potash. 54 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Forty-three samples of soil liave been sent to Dr. Voolcker for analysis, amougsttliem being sani[jle8 of the black Russian soils called Tcheruogern, and celebrated lor their great fertility. Dr. Voelcker is mating inquiries respecting the yield and productive powers of these soils, and hopes to publish the result of his investigations, in connection with practical information respecting their management. In the past season much injury has been caused in certain districts by anbury, fiuger-and-toe, and in the case of a sample of soil sent from Westmoreland the cause is traced to a de- ficiency of available potash and lime. With respect to artificial manures, Dr. Voelcker reports tliat^ofthe 50 samples of nitrate of soda sent for analysis in 1875 not one was found adulterated, and most were first-class samples, containing from 95 to 1)3 per cent, of nitrate of soda. Only four samples of potash salts were received. The quality of the samples of Teruvian guano sent was fully equal to that of those sent last year, yieMiug on an average over 12 per cent, of ammonia. The use of dissolved guauo seems increasing. All the samples sent were up to the gua- rantee, and in good condiiion. Dr. Voelcker points out that though mixtures of super- pl^osphate and nitrate of soda are used for cereal crops— and especially for barley— with advantage, the nitrate of soda is not retained in soils like aramoniacal salts or nitrogenous organic matter, and should, therefore, be applied in the spring, ■which makes it appear to him that Peruvian guano will con- tinue to be used upon laud, and for crops which are best manured iu autumn. Tlie use of nitrate of soda also is more suitable for fertile clays and heavy land, and in liglit soils there is great danger of loss of it by drainage in wet weather. As yet none of the new deposits of guano found in the South of Peru have been brought into the English market. Dr. Voelcker is afraid lest the quality of these guanos should be found to vary, and frauds ensue. lie suggests the con- tractors consigning all cargoes of guano too damp and lumpy to be used raw to the different factories, to be incorporated into one fairly uniform bulk. Dr. VoeVker calls attention to the worthlessness of phos- pliatic miufrals applied iu a powdered statp, and undecora- 1 osed by sulphuric acid, to the land, and he iustaucesthe case of Iledonda phosphate, the use of wliich in a finely powder.ed s-tate has been recommended to the public by interestpd per sous._ Another instance is given, where in 1873 a fertiliser in the ihape of phospiiate of alumina, imported from the Island of Alta Vela, was much pressed on the market, at £4 12s. Gd. per ton. Three instances are given of the great variations in the real money value, and the actual price at which artificial manures are sold : 1. Worth £4. 0 0 Sold for £7 10 0 3. „ 4 10 0 „ 7 5 0 3. » 9 5 0 „ 8 0 0 The papers contributed by Dr. Voelcker to the Journal in 1875 are : 1. Composition and Properties of Drinking Waters, and Water used for General Purposes. 2. Annual Chemical Report for 1874. 3. On the Composition of Phosphatic Minerals used for Agricultural Purposes. With respect to the resolutions proposed by Mr. Randell at the November Council Meeting, and referred to the Chemical Committee for consideration, the Committee reported that, recognising the very great importance of the question sub- mitted to ihem, they recommended the Council to extend the reference, so as to enable the Committee to obtain the opinion of practical and scientific witnesses as to how far tiie know- ledge we already possess of the fertilising properties of manures and feeding stuifs, especially the latter, can be relied upon as a basis of valuation to be made under the compensation clauses of the Agricultural Holdings Act ; and, in the event of those witnesses considering our present knowledge on these subjects insufficient, as to the expediency of making experiments with those objecla ia view. They further recommended that a I fura of £100 be placed at the d'sposal of the Committee for I any expenses attached to this preliminary invesiigation. The I Committee liad met tour times and made four repjrts during the year, and tliey recommended that Mr. Randell and M » Russell be added ta the Committee. The report was adopted. Botanical.— Mr. Whitehead (Chairman) reported that the Committee had met lour times and made four reports. Thfy recommended that Lord Eslington, M.f., Sir R. xMus- gravp, Mr. Frankish, and Mr. Russell be added to tlie Com- mittee, in the place of Sir W. E. Welhy,M.l'., Mr. Dent, Mr. Wren Hoskyns, and Mr. 'L'orr. The following repoct had been received from tlie Society's consulting botanist : The results of the experiments instituted by tlie Sjciety, in connection with the poiato competition of 187-i, have been digested and arranged, and published as a report in the recent number of the Society's Journal. A short paper placing before the members of the Society the observations of W.G. Smitli, Esq., F.L.S., on some points in the li story of the potato- fungus was also published in the Journal : " Throughout the year I have carried on an extensive corre- spondence with members of the Society and others in regard to tliese experiments and the nature of the disease which affects the potaito. The wliole suhject has received fresli attention, and a better direction in tlie public press, through the action of the Society. I have again supphed members wlio have applied to me with information regarding the general character, and especially tlie germinating povvers, oi thi-ir different crop seeds. My attention has been drawn by members of the Society to various diseases or injuries affecting their growing crops of wheat, oatf, turnips, and potatoes, which have been investigated and reported upon. These various injuries were either already known and described ; or the maleiials are yet too imperfect to permit of publication." This report was aidopted. House. — Colonel Kincscote, C.B., MP. (Chairman) re- parted that the Committee had rai't four times and made four reports; and that tlit-y re>30ininended that Viscount Bridport be added to the Coinm ttee. Tiiey also sanctioned tlie purchase of certain linen and blankets fur the use of the porter. This re^iort was adopted. Implements. — Mr. Hemsley reported that the Committee had met six times and mside six report^, and had added Mr. T. Aveling to the Committee in the place of Mr. Ransome. They recommended that the following conditions be added to those of the Birmingham prize-sheet — viz. : (1) The power of machines entered in Class 4 must not exceed 3i,000 foot- pounds per minute at or about 21 miles per hour; and (3) that a machine may be entered in two classes, if it can per- form the operations peculiar to both without adding or takiag away parts ; a distinct implement must, however, be entered for each class ; also (3) implements selected for trial must, after the show, be li.nued over to tiie consulting engineers of the Society, wiio will take charge of them until the date fixed upon for their removal to the trial tiel is. The Committee had arranged the points of merit to be awarded for perfection in various qualifications of the implements presented for trial in connection willi the Birmingham Meeting. This report was adopted after a conversation, in the course of which Mr. Aveling asked whether a steam reaping machine could com- pete, and was answered that it would be tried as a ne^v inven- tion, and Mr. Martin complained that implement makers on the Committee obtained an advautage over other competitors. On the latter point Mr. Booth stated that there could be no ad- vantage to them, as all the resolutions of the Committee were published imm diately ; and Lord Vernon added that great advantage had accrued to the Committee by the presence of the implement makers, but he nevertht less thought that they ought to be changed more frequently than hitherto. Education. — Mr. Dent reported that the Committee ha" met seven times, and made seven reports. It was also reported that 11 candidates had gained sufficient marks to quality them for the Society's junior scholarships ; of these, six are from the Surrey County School, three from Bedford County School, one from Devon County School, and one from Albert College, Glasuevin, THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 55 d d ^d School. Nanae. 0 a ia 11 1^ m ^1 S3 Pass Pass Pass Pass No. 75 No. 75 No. 10 No. 75 Surrey Richmond.W.H. 11-2 141 96 190 5« Surrey Nicholls, H 101 Hi 85 178 509- Surrey Plant, A. AV. ... 97 U2 7i 178 46» Bedlbra ... Stubbs, J 80 > 136 88 160 161 Devon Stoue, Tom 75 99 71 J 76 121 Surrey Uarmichael, J... 91 107 81 lU 420 GJasueviQ. Watson, Ji 100 112 52 155 119 Bedford ... Gardiner, W. .. 8S 1R6 46 109 409 Surrey Mills.Richiu-dE. 75 83 70 153 3S0 Surrey Barton, W E.... 116 7H (W lis 376 Bedford ... HipwcU, J, C... 75 111 IS 181 371 As only 10 scliolarsliips were o(Fered,.the lowest on the list is not eiititlfd to a sdiolirsliip. Tlie examiner m Ag^rieulture (Mr. J. C. Morton) reported t'lat he did not con>iJfr the pissers, as a wiiole, were so good a-i those whicli he reeeived on a similar occisioii last jear. El/en ihose winch stand higli on tne list and include many excflli-nt answers to my questions exhiiiit veiy remarkable iupqualities. The examiner la Chemistry (Dr. Voelcker) reported that tlie paper by W. Gardiner is very creditable to the caiiclidaie's knowledge of Elemen'ary Chtmistry, and (or pr^ cisiou of his an'iwers, and the following six papers by \V. H liichinoud, 11. Kicholis, J. Stubbs, A. W. Plant, J. C. Hipwell, a+iJ J. Watsdu, als) deserve conimeftdatioa ; they show that tHiemistry in well tanght in the scliools where the candidates receive their instruction. Altogether the papers show a marked iinprovp- jnent in comparison with those of the pseceding year's examination. The e.xaminer in Mechanics and Land Surveying (Prof. Twisden) reported that a consideable number of candidates had done very well in both paper-, and it may be added that those who have done well in one have done well in both. Tlieie were four candidates who did particular'y well in the paper of Mechanics and Natural Philosophy ; of these four were as neatly as possible equal ; but W. H. Kichraond was e'early first^ not only in regard to the orr class of his answers, but also in regard t ) their s'yie. i h ive only to add that the pait of the examica'dun which has fallen to my lot, has been most satisfactory. The Committee recommended in future that the superior limit of age be defined, and the Committee propose that tiie scholarships should be confined to boys between the ages of 14. and 18. They recommended that the thanks of the Council be given to Dr. Moore, Kev. J. Jowitt, M A., Rev. J. V. lloherts, Mr. John Bradshaw, and Mr. P. S. Fry, the Local Secret irie?,.and also tliat the thank» of the Council, and the usual Iioiwrarium, Ue fiorwarded to the examiners. The Committee recommended that the sciiolirships for the year ISTi be paid, upon the receipt by the. Secretary of the necessary certificates of attendance at scliool. Tiie Committee are of opinion that the step which has been taken in offering junior scholarships has met with very satis- factory support, and they moved lor a renewal of the grant. This report was adopted. VETERINA.KY. — The Hon. W. Egerton, M.P. (Chair- man), reported that with referei ce to the scholarship whicii the Committee suggested last mouth should be offered by the Council annually, for the pu^,il who should pass the best examination at the Koyal College of Veterinary Surgeons, they liad received letters from the Council of that College, and from the Principal of the Royal Veterinary College. Both letters contained suegestions for a conference between the V'eter nary Com- mittee of the Society and the governing bodies of those institutions. The Committee, therefore, recommended that an interview be arranged with the deputation ajipointed by tlie Koyal College of Veterinary Snnjeons for the purpose •, and that the Principal of the Ro\ al Veterinary College he informed tJixt the object of the Council in otfeiiug tnis acholar- ship is the general promotion of veterin-iry science, and not the benefit of any particular iusti u ion ; but that the Committee would be g'ad to receive any suggestion from the Governors of the Royal Vctrrinary College should they wish to make any, in order to carry out the object of the Society in establishing the scholarship. The Committee begged to move for the grant of a sum not exceeding £500 for the year 1870 (notice of which was ^iven last mnnttt) for general veterinary purposes aitd lor special. scientific inquiries into pleuro-pneumonia and lo( t-and-inoutii disease, to be carried out by Dr. Burdon Sanderson, the pro- fessor-superintendent of the Brown Institution. In reference to this subject, the Committee had received a conintunicaiion from the Committee of Management of the Brow n Institution sanctioning the undertaking of these inquiries by the pro'essor- superintendent of tiie institution, on the understanding that all the expenses of such inquiry (of which a separate a'Cuunt will be kept) shall be provided lor by sums placed by the Society from time to time at the disposal of tlie prolessor-siiperiiiteiidi nt, and 1 Itat tlie results of his investigations shall I e reported to t he Society. With a view further to promote the scientific study of animal pithology in the manner desired by the Society, the Committee of the Brown Institution will be prepared to allow the employment of the Veterinary Assistant of the Brown Institution from time to time (upon application to the pro fessor-superiutendent, and with liis sanction) as the Society's Inspector, on the terras hitherto pud under the agreement with the Royal Veterinary College. In the event of the Council making the grant now moved for by the Committee, they recommended that application should be made to the Privy "Council for such relaxation of the existing orders as will enable the officers of the Brown Insti- tution to carry out tlieir investigations into pleuro-pneuiuoniu, on behalf of the Society. The Committee iiad met eighth times. They recommended that Professor Burdon Sanderson and Mr. Duguid be added to the Committee, and that the Committee of Management of the Brown Iiistitutiou be invited to nominate two of their num- ber to serve on the Committee. This report was adopted, and the grant of £500 for the year 1876 was voted, on the niotinn of Mr. Egertou, seconded by IMr. Dent, after the following discusvion : Mr. Newdegme, M.P., stated that he liad attended the meeting of the Council by perntisbion, and had been charged with a mes.>ag,i from the Governors of the Royal V terinary College. Tliis message had been moved by Mr. "Wilkinson, the chief veterinary-surgeon of the army, and stconded by Colonel Somerset, and was in the following terais : " That the chairniati be requested to wail upon the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society, with a view of ascertainiiiL', apart Iroiu all questions as to the grant of £200 a-year, in the reception of the reports, whether it is the desire of the Council to terminate all connection between the Society and the governing body of the College." He wished to remind the Council tJiat he was the only stirvivor of those \\ho had originally negotiated the alliance between the College and the Society, and he feared that the real object of that alliance had been somewhat lost sight (if during recent years. It' object was to give the Sof'n-ty a footing in the government ol the principal vtterinary school in the country ; and although it appeared now that the Society thought they could guide the educuio i of veterinary surgeons through the examining board, the experience ot the Govi mors of the College le i,them 'o an opposite o, i i m. lie warned the Counc'l that it the Society separated itseU' from • the Colle^'e, then the College must substitute other inllue«ces which suiiersede those which the Society has hitherto exer- cised, lie dill not request any answer to his representation then, but he asked the Council seriously to consider whether they should finally relax, their hold over veterinary education. He was of opinion that the conaection between the governing bodies of the two institutions ought not to be severed, no- matter what misunder^tandings had arisen, for which the officers of the two institutions are responsible. The Hon. W. Egerton, M.P., as Chairman of the Veterinary Committee, stated that the Council would be glad to hear that the authorities of the College were desirous that the connection between the two instituiions should not be broken. The Committee had proposed to the Council a plan of scholarships or prizes, by means of which they hoped to conliuuc the count. cliou, for although it was proposed to lhrov» 55 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. llu'Sfi rrA'arJs open fo the st'udei.ls of all veterinary schools, yet, if the i'rolessors of the Eo^al Veterinary Cullege were the best educators, tlieir pupils would obtiin tlieSocif t>'s scholar- ships. In ihii way the connection vvoulJ stdl be kept up, u iliough it mijiht not be so close as hitiierto, and the Coni- initteehad not thouglit it rij;ht to proposethe restriction of the S jcie.ty's prizes to the students of one particular school. With Tcard to the other objects for the advancement" of veteriniry t rience, tlie Council had arrived at tiie opinion that they wiuld he better attained tlirough the Brown Institution, but their goad feeling t') the College would still remain. V sco\int Bkidpout observed tliat he had for msny years been a Governor of the lioyul Veterinary Collp.ce, and would have been inuch pleMsed if the connection beiween the two institutinns could have been preserved; but lie felt tliat the liiiie iiad p;isstd for lluir being re-uuited on the same ternvs as hitherto. Iftiie Siciety must now sever its connection with the College, it was because a more liberal spirit had not been Kbuwd at liie College to carry out those iuvestigat ons which tlifi Society considered of vitdl importance. lie thought, liow;vcr, it was very desirable that the Society should keeji up is conuect'on wi'h the College by ofSering the proposed scholarship to its students. Wr. De: t regretted very much that lie could not agree with tlie last n-mark which had fallen from Lord Bridport, as lie was quite in accord with him on other points. He held that their veterinary scholarship should be as open as those offered in agricultural education. The veterinary department of the fSociety had Dot for inany years been in a sa'isfactory condition, and the members had not received th.it information ■•"'\ assistance from their vt'erinary olRcers wiiich tliey had a rlj' t to expect. Very nceutly they had been told by the j-'iiLc'pal of the College that there was nothing more to be (liscoxeied in reference to important diseases, about which he liiraself considered they knew very little, and therefore he held t!nt the Society was bound to call iu the aid o.' men who lieli lui'-e e.Ktende 1 views. Mr. Newdegate, in reply, stated that he was not in the Council-room to justify tlie conduct of the officers of the Col- lege, but lie had come to express tlie hope that the connection between the two institutions might not be severed. The autlioritifs of the College thought it quite enough that they .slion'd be charged with the education of the piofession, and they fo.ind it no small task. Still, if the College could aid the iSociety, the Governors would be only too happy that its as- sistance sliould be s;iven ; but wliat he chielly wished to urge ■was that the Society would not relax its hold upon the prsc- ti 'al education of veterinary surgeons at the larg-st school of veterinary science in tlie kingdom. On the motion of the IVesiJeMt. Mr. Ncwdegate's message was referred to the Vete- rinary Committee. Srocic I'RizES.— Mr. MiLWAED (Chairman) reported that the Coaimittee liad met twice, and made two reports, and that they recommended the addition of Mr. Stratton, Mr. Ayliner, and Mr. I'ain. Tliey also recommended that the prizes for Shorthorns, IlprefurJs, and Devons at tlie Birmingham meeting he the same as those offtred at Bedford, with the foiirtli prize omitted, and the classes for Somerset and Dorset horned hiicep ; further, that condition IN'o. li (relating to the prepa- ration of theop for show by oiling and colouring) be omitted and that ICs be charged for the shedding for a vehicle sent with each entry in the classes No. 40 to 43, for harness horses to be exiiibittd with suitable veliicle. It was a'so recom- mended that iu the p'ze-sheet for 1878 the ages of all animals he calcu'ated from January 1 instead of July 1. Tliis report having bptu received, the following discussion arose: Mr. Jacob Wilson moved that (ourth prizes be offered in the sam^. Shorthorn classes as at Bedford, on the ground that 13 r.iiin,^ham, being in a very central position, a large exhi- liitiuu might reasonably be expected; but he was willing to iitld a proviso that the fourth prize should not be awarded iu Huy class unless a certain uumber of animals were exhib ted. Ttiis ))roposal ha ing been seconded by Mr. Horiey, it was supported by Mr. Rundell, viith the understanding that not less than teu animals must be exhibited to justify the award of a fourth prize. This suggestion having been accepted by Mr. Wilson and Mr. Horiey, the motion with that addition was carried unanimously. Mr. Stratton then moved the abolition of the rule in the Slock I'liiie-sliept, which rendered it necessary tliat each animal entered iu the Shorlhoiu classes should have lour crobscs of blood entered, or eligible to be en'ered, in the iTi rd B'oo^V lie interpreted this rule to mean that the auiinnls entered for' ■ x'ihi ion at the Society's shows must be eligible to be entered i 1 the Herd Bjok. In this matter the Socic'y must evidently,, in his op nion, run in couples with t'le Shorthorn Society or Lirrak Irom tliein altogether, and that Soc'ety had recently in- sisted upon an additional c o>s for bulls, lie asked why there shoiiLI b^ an exceptional regulation for Shorthorns, and why it should be deemed necessary that a process of book-keeping, should be gone through before an animal could be considered a Shoithorn. He could tee no reason for the rul», as he felt tl-.at the Royal Agricultural Society had uothlig to do wi'li pedigree. The conformity of the animal to the type of llie breed might be left to the judges Ju the case of Sliorlliorns as in the case of other breeds, and Shorthorn breeders do not want instruction as to v?hat animals they o"g'it to hay to- improve their herd. Under the present rule breeders who' have not entered in the Herd Book are deterred from exhi- biting for the next twentv years, imd this rule also prevents the formatiort of new families. It thus comes hard upon small firmers who cannot buy pedigree females at crack sale.s, althou/h they can buy good pedigree bulls at moderate prices. Mr. S'ratton then urged that this was the basis upon- which the old Shorthorn breeders acted, with the result of distributing 30,01)0 Short hora bn-'ls over the country ; and he- give an aceount of the manner in which his fither had pro- duced tlie Moss Rose tribe and other families which had seut? su''cps-tul animals into the showyard. Mr. RandiiLL seconded the motion. He had always felt that the rule would not stand the test of examination, aud lie could not see why such a restriction should be applied to one c'ass ol animals only. He also tliouslit there was no risk in allowing animals with short pedigrees to be exhibited, or of their winning prizes. C loiel KiNGSCoTE completely disagreed with Mr. Stratton and Mr. Randell, and thought tliat the las+ p'lrt of Mr. Strat- ton's speech ha-d completely answered the arguments contained in the first part. It was well known that the cross of Shorthorn npou many breeds, as, for instance, the Polled Scot, could, not in nieiny cases, after two or three crosses, be distinguished by external characters from a pure Shorthorn ; but such ani- mals were not safe to breed from. He felt that, if Mr. Strat- tou's motion were carri d, it would throw the Society back many years. The tendency at tlie present day was fur tl.e breeders of all races of cattle to establish Herdbooks, witii tlie view of being able to guarantee the purity of the breed of their animals ; and this Society had always endeavoured, by the conditions of its prize-sheet to uphold and to foster the main- tenance of purity of breed iu all clissesof animals exhibited at the country meetings. He tlierefor.j should support the maintenance of the rule as it stands at present. Mr. Booth suppoited Col. Kingscote. He urged that Shorthorn bulls were used all over the world tor the purpose of crossing other breeds, because it was an ascertained laot that the true Shorthorn iiad the faculty of stamping all otber breeds with its own character after a few crosses ; but -if tliere were any doubt as to the pedigree of animals they would not be purchased for the purpose, and a Royal priae winner had hitlierto been accepted as having a character. Mr. BowLY considered that the opiniort of Shorthorn breeders on this question ought to have proper weight, auil he was in a position to say that they were much opposed to any relaxation of the present rule, as it was not safe to breed from an animal vvilh even so few as four crosses of blood. After some further remarks from Mr. Jacob Wilson and the President, and a reply by Mr. Str.atton, the question was put (rom the chair, aud Mr, Strattoii's proposal was de- feated by 18 votes against 13. On the motion of Mr. Jacob Wilson, seconded by Mr Dent, the notice given by die Committee with reference to tlie Calculation of a;ies from January 1 instead of July 1 was referred back to the Committee for reconsideration. The Earl of Powis suggested that prizes should be offered for ponies used in mines; but after some discussion the pro- posal was negatived. Subject to the foregoing amendments the report of the Stock Prizes Committee was adopted. Mr. Dent gave notice that at the February (Council lie would move that at the Birmiughara Meeting the full cata- logue should be placed in the bauds of the judges. G£xMKAL BiKMiNGiiAM. — Vi:couut BKiproKi (.Chairmafl) THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 57 mpciili'd tint tlipCo iiniitfe rpco'iuiiciulecl tluit in tlie Country ]\UeiiMu; (Queries lor 1S77 it sliould Ini slipiiUled tlut l.mcl, n it exurfLiini; 60 ar.rcs of stiibble or lea, be provided, in case, it may be rpqiiircd lor llie tiiila ol implemeuts. This report w IS ado|it(!(l. Suowyaru Co:ly, '• Tliat Mr. 11. C. ilaii- sunie be elected a member of the Council, in the room of Cul. Wilson, M.P., deceased." A letter was read Iroin the Council of the Agricultural En^iueers' Association reguestin^ an interview witli the CoU'icil of t'le Society for the diicussion of certain matters, aud the Secretary, was instructed t-o reply that the Council would be prepared to have an interview with that body on the day of the February Council, at half-paat; 1 o'chick, and to request thul he should be furnished as soon as possible with a iioiice of the questions that they wished to di^cuss. Laiters were read Irora the Mayor and Town Clerk of Cir isle, cordially inviting the Society to hold the country meeting for 1877 in that locality. A letter was read from the Secretary to the Railway Clear- ing House in reference to the charge* wiiich in future will be made by railway conipauies in England and Wales, for the conveyance of slock aud agricultural implements to and Irom agricultural shows. A letter was read from Mr. T. Bowick, of Bedford, sug- gesting that in future stock should be judged by a jury of live, each member voting secretly. The report ot the Council to the general meeting of mem- bers v»as prepared. The usual Christmas holidays to tbe secretary and clerks were given, aud the Council adjourned to Wednesday, lebru- ary 2, 1876. At a Special Council Meeting held, in accordance with the bye-!aws, at the rising of the Montlily Couucil, tbe prize- sheets for stock and implements at tbe Birmiiigham Meeting were fmallv arranged. Tiie half-yearly eeneral meeting was held on Tlmtsdny, December 9, Lord Chesbam in tlie chair. Tlie Secretary, Mr. 11. M. JfNKiws, read the Ueport of tlie Council, as follows : The Council of the Piiyal Agricultural Society have to re- port that, during the year 1S75, the number of governors and members has been increased by the election of 34' governors and 672 members, and diminished by the death of 9 governors and liA: members, the resignation ot 113 raembzrs, aud the removal of 25 members by order of the Council. The Society uow consists of S3 lile governor.", 78 annual governors, 2,133 life members, 4,096 annual members, 11 honorary members, making a total of 6,1U1, and showing an increase of 533 members since tins time last jear. Tbe vacincy in the list of trustees caused by the death of Lord Tredegar, reported at the general meeting iu M ly, has been filled up by the election of the Eirl of Lichfield, while the representation of Monmouthshire on tbe Council has been again secured by the election o' JMr. llicharl Stral'on, of Tlie DulFryn, near Newport. The Couucil have also tilled un tlie vacancy caused by the regretted death of Lieut. -Col. Wils m, M.l'., by tbe election of Mr. Ilobcrt Charles Hansome, of Or- well Works, Ipswich. T'lie half-yearly slateiient of sccounis to the 3i)tli June, 1875, has been examined and approved by the Socie'y's auditors and accoiiiitaiits, and has been pub.islieil Cor Mie inlormation of the inenibers iu tbe lag \ number ol the Joiinnd. The funded capital has since then been reduced by the sum of £3,000 New Three per Cents., v»liieh have b eu sold out to meet the deiicieucy in the receipts at the Taunturi meeting. The funded property of tbe Sodety is now £18,11-2 7s. 8d. New Three per Cents., and the balance in the iiandsof the bankers on tbe Istinst. ,vas £Gy9 17s. 3d. Tne Taunton meeting was cb rae.teristic of tbe year 1S75, which will en- dure in the remembrance of farmers and tovviismeu alike as the period o) a RUC"ession of d.sastrous Hoods. The Society has naturally experienced a loss o' some inagnilnde ; but tliB important accession nude to the list of members during the, year has enabled tbe Council to meet the diiii-iei^cy of the receipts at Taunton without any larger drain upon the fumhd capital of the society than was entailed hy the Bedford meetiiiji; last J ear. It is also satis'actory to know that the visit of the Society to so distant a town in the West of Ivigland waa thoroughly appreciated. Indeed, judging from the exertions made by the authorities and inhabitants of the town to give tbe Socii ty a hearty wi Icome, aud from the numbers who visited the show-yard on the only fiue day of tbe week, there is ground for believing that, with a continuauce of fine wea- tlier, the Taunton meetint; would not have alTected the funds of the Society to any s-rious extent, while tbe amount of infor- mation which would have beeu disseminated would necessarily have beeu very largely increased. The trials of mowing machines at Taunton excited tbe greatest interest amongst tbe competitors and the public, and tbe prizes were competed for by a larger number of manufacturers, boh English and Ameri- can, than on any previous occasion. A descriptive and 11 nitrated report of the trills, for which the Society is iudel ted to Mr. lleins'ev, one of tbe stewards, has been published iu the last • uumber of the Journnl ; and the consulting engineers have, as usual, rendered it more curapreheusivtf aud valutble by eare- full\-c )m|l'ed tables showing tbe results of tbe trials from a mechanical point of view. The txhibition of live sto^k at Taunton was naturally not so extensive as that which is seeu when the country-meelin? is held in a more central locihty ; but it may be said that all the standard national bn-eUs were fairly represented, and that most of the prizes fell to well- known exhibitors. On the other hand, the competition for the prizes offered /or local bretds both of sheep and ponies, v^^as particularly small, the only exceptions being in the cla^ses tW Devon Long-wools. The nature of the competition for the prizes offered for the best-managed farms iu the county of Somerset has been already reported to the Society, which is much indebted to Mr. J. Bowen Jones, a member of the Council and one of the judges, for a report containing a very full aud interesting description of ibe farms to which tbe prizes were awarded, as well as notices of some of the others which competed. This report has also been publi^bed iu the last number of the Journal. Tbe prospects of the country m-^etingto be hell next year at Aston Park, Birmiutiham, are unusually encouraging. The local committee iia\e very liberally addid to the Soci ty's prize-sheet offers of prizes for agricultural horses, hunters hacks, and har- ness-horses, Loughorn fud dairy cattle, Shropshire sheep, wool, butter, and cheese, amounting in the aggregate to £1,010. These prizes, added to those offered by the Society, raise the total amount of the prizes for live stock to be c jmpeted for at Birmingham to the large sum of £4-,30o. Ih-. Birmingham local committee have also offered two prizes of £100 and £50 respectively for the best-managed farms in Warwickshire e.\- ceeding 200 acres in extrut, and prizes of £30 and £25 resppciivelv for the best-managed farms in the county not ex- ceeding 200 acres; and they have further placed asumof£c5 at the disposal of tbe judges for the recognition of special merit in any of the competing farms. The Couucil regret to say that, uotv^ith-tanding the liberality of these prizes, the entries tins year are restiicted to five in the large-farm class, there being no entries in the class fur farms not eic-eding 2U0 acres. The Council have resolved that the Birmin-ham 58 THE FARMiSR'S MAGAZINE. meeting slmll commence on WcdiiesJHy, July 19th, instead of Monday, as lieretol'ore. Tliey liave also re^o'ved that any ex- liibitor wishius to remove liis liorse for the eight be allowed to do so, on depositing £10 at the Secretary's otfice, and re- ceiving an official pass, the time of leavin/, and that of returnine next morning, to be inser ed thereon ; and, if the animal be not duly brought ba^k, the fura of £10 shall be for- feited to the Society for each show-day the animal is absent ; and the exhibitor shall also forfeit any prize awarded to him in any class at the Birmingham Stiow, and shall not f xhibit again at the Society's shows until the forleitsare paid. With regard to the ages of pigs entered in tlie classes for " three breeding fow-pigs of the same litter," which have hitherto been fisedat over four and not exceeding eight months old, the Council liave resolved tliat in future the limits of age shall be over three and not exceeding six months old. The regulation of the priz--sheet prohibitiog the preparation of sheep for show liy oiling and colouring has been cancelled. Tlie prizes for implements, offered for competition next year, are confined to reaping-machines and sheaf-binders. The competing iniple- nients will be tried at harvest-time, and probably in the county of Warwick, upon suitable crops which will be engaged for the purpose; and it is confidently expected that the interest attaching to these trials will rival tliat which was exhibited during the trials of mowing machines at Taunton. During the past half-ye^r the attention of the Council has betn much occupied by a revision of the Society's bye-laws ; and after prolonged consideration and re'peated recourse to legal authorities, they have adopted a revised code of bye-laws in con "ormity with the provisions of the charter, which (hey hope will tend to increase the interest of members in the Society, e, pecially in the exercie suggestions were framed ujion the conviction that the outbreaks are mainly brouitlit about by the movement of animals during the autumn, being from fair to fair, and so from fairs to farms, instead o'', as at other seasons, from farm to slanehfer-house. The scientific knowliedge of this disease and of pleuro-pneumonia appears to the Council so imperfect that they have'i bought it desirable to ln^titute further inqniriei as to their physiological character, in the hope thereby to guide their own members and the officials ol Government in carry- ing out both preventive and curative measures. The past Parlia- mentary Session has witnessed the passing of the Agricultural Holdings (England) Act, 1875 — a legi lative enactment of great im{X)rtance to English agriculture. The Council intend' to publish this Act in the next number of the Journal, with an analysis and explanation ; and has under its consideration, by what means rehable data can be obtained for the guidance of valuers under the Act, in reference to unexhausted imp ove- meiits of the third class. Twenty-two candidates, from iive- schools, were entered to compete for the Society's junior scholarships, and the examinations of the candidates were lield at the schools on November IRlli and 17th. The follow- ing scholarships ha>e been awarded, the names being given in- the order of merit: W. H. R'chmond,II. Nichols, A. W.. Plaut, Surrey County Sdiool ; J. S'uohs, Bedford County School ; T. Stone, Devon County School ; J. Carmichael,. Surrey Cuurity School ; J. Watson, Albert Institucion, Glasnevin ; W. Gardiner, Bedford CouiiJy School ; R. E. Mills, VV. E. Barton, Surrey County School. The Council are of opinion that the step which they took list year iu offering these junior scholarships lias already met with very satisfactory support; and lliey have accordingly renewed the graut for the year 187(3. Mr. Jas:p£R More, in moving th« adoption of the Report,, Said he wished to congratulate the meeting on the prospect of the Socetj's holding its show next year at Birminghara.. Living as lie did in a neighbouring district, he thought there was every probability of tl at shew proving one of the most snccess'ul exhibitions ever held, and he also lioped and believed that it would he one of th.<> most remunerative. He regretted to observe that the prizes offered by the Local. Committee at Birmingham for farms under 200 acres, had not produced competition. Had such prizes been offered in Shropshire or in any of the Welsh counties, they would, he believed, have been eagerly competed for. He was glad to find, from the concluding part of the Report, that the Council intended to publish in the next number of the Journal, aa analysis and explanation of the Agricultiwal Holdings Act, together with the Act itself. He thought the lime had arrived when every one concerned should be able to decide whether he would contract himself out of the Act or not ; and farmers- must be good lawyers as well as good men of business to understand the 60 clauses of which the Act was composed. Mr. J. K. Fowler, in seconding the motion, said allusion was made in the Report to tha spread of foot-and-mouth disease as if it occurred cliKfly in the autumn ; but farmers had' found in practice that the mnvemeut of cattle in the spring equally produced that evil. Indeed, he thought it was of even greater consequeiijce to the grazing districts. Tne autumnal movements of cattle were made chiefly for the purpose of tying them up during the winter months, and hence he thought a great deal more importance attached to their removal in the spring, and especially in May. For years many of them had been contending that the Government should adopt stringent measures in relation to that matter, that foreign animals intended for consurapticn should be slaughtered at the point of debarkation, and tl at there should be stringent regulations fer the quarantine of store stock. They must all now regret that one of the mo.st eminent men in the Government, and one who was w.e, the Ui)veriuiK',iit would nut peril ip!*, put tlifir shoulders to liie wheel ill rt-lerence to lliat matler ; and hence they shou'd, by disseniina'iii^ iufornuition, endeavour to convince the public that Ihe losses arising from that evil exceeded the whole value of the foreifiii iinportalions (Hear, hear). I'ariners had a clear ri^ht to demand to be defended a;;ainsl for. ijiii disease. As re- ({arded the Agricultural Ilo!din>;s Bill, he thought their best tiiauks were eniineuily Uue to the Government, »nd especially to the i'remier, for grappling with that great (iuesiiou,and carrying it to a successful issue ; and thonffh many persons regretted that it WHS not coinpalsory, lie believed that, founded as it was oa the principle for which many leading teuaut-fariners liad been battling lor many years — namely, that what was put ill 1 he soil should he the property of the tenant and not of the landlord — future generalious woul I regard that Act as more conducive to tlie extension of agricultural iraprovemeut than anything else which liad happened in their day. Sir J. 11. Waxw£LL said Ic was glad to be able to sfa'e that he had just ascertained that the increase in the number of members was 433 iustiad of only 419, the Report being in that respect slightly erroneous. With regard to the Taunton melt- ing, lie could hear personal testimony to the hearty reception given to members of the Society by the inhabitants of that town, and he thoaght they di-servtd such an acknowledgment. As an illustration of the spread of disease among cattle in this country, lie might observe that last autumn, while he was on a visit to ills friend Sir Wilfrid L'wson, the steward came into the room snd stated that a bull which that gentleman bought of Mr. Gei rge Moore for 1,200 guineas, only a few dnys before, had been suddenly seized with foot-and-moutli distase, and on going into the adjacent yard his host and him- self touud that fine animal suffering from that cause. That showed how the disease suddenly showed itself without any iio'ice. lie thought that in spite of all precautions tlie dis- ease would continue for some years, and that it would ulti- mately die out. Mr. Neville-Grenville, M.P., said he had freqnently thanked the conductors of the Journal for admirable articles which had appeared in it, but he was afraid that, although they took the precaution of having the leaves cut, it was not nearly as much read as it ought to be. If any of the gentle- men in that room had not read the recent article on " The Labour Bill of the Farm," they had better do so. That was a most admirable composition on the labour question. It showed that the farmers were the friends of the labourers, and he believed its wide circulation would do more good for the advaucement of the interests of labourers than Mr. Mitchell or any of the agitators on that subject. Dr. Crisp said he was glad to find that the old couiipction between that Society and the Veterinary College no longer existed. He was one ol the first to protest against that connection, and he believed that it was a good thing for veterinary science and for the public tiiat it had been dissolved. In a country like this, which depended so much upon cattle and other stcck, the Government ought, in his opinion, to do something towards establishing and support- ing a College tliat would be worthy of the nation. There could be no question as to the nature of foot-and-mouth disease, which had been thoroiighly investigated in France and Germany. The practical question was how it was to be arrested, and in his judgment that would be impossible so long as one rule existed in one parish and another in another in the same district. He did not agree with the last speaker that the disease would die out of itself, any more than lie be- lieved that scarlatina would die out. There could bo no doubt that for the last two years it had been introduced into this country to a large extent through the animals which were sent from Ireland. As regarded politics, which on former occa- sions he had been told he must not introduce, he believed tliat if the rule which excluded politics were abolished the number of members would largely increase, and the Society would then have greater influence with the Government. Mr. Moore believed that the difficulty of stopping the spread of foot-and-mouth disease had been greatly increased by the issuing from the Privy Council office of directions whicii had not been well considered, and it had occurred to him that if the official gentlemen in that department would only take the advice of practical men in different parts of the country, and deal with the evil as a whole instead of piecemeal, great benefit would result. His own impression was that thry wouM have a recurrence of the disease from time to liin>^ ; but on the otiier hand his experience had taught hiia tlint iiieasurps might be adopted which would lessen tlie severity of the attack when it came, and such measures could not be adopted without pre- vious consultation. Mr. Straiton wished to remark, in connection witlithe question of the alteration of the byr-'aws, that in his opinion the Society could not go on satisfactorily until there was a free and open selec'ijn of the members of the Council, and that could only be arrived at through the use of voting papers. He thought members of the Society should have a voice in the election of tlie Council, but it was not to be expected that any large pro. portion ol them would incur the i xpense of coming 1 1 London for the purpose of voting. Tie charter of th it S icietv was not like the laws of the Medes and Persians, and if it were inadequate to the necessities of the case, it should be altered. Ilis great complaint was that the Council did not now fMJrly represent the Society. Let him give an illustra'i'm of that. Not long ago he went with a deputation to the President of the Cnuncil. Having made some cbservations to his Grace on the foot-and-mouth disease, he was followed by Col. Kings- cote, a member of the Council of that Society, who strongly supported t he views he bad expressed, and told the Duke of Rich- mond that on the day before theCouucil of the Royal Agricul- tural Society passi d a resolution in favour of the establi-liint nt of more stdngent regulations. The Colonel was immediately ciughtup by the Duke, who said," I believe that resolution was passed by a majority of 12 to II." That showed the position of matters. Tnis question was one of great practical importancn to farmers, and yet action was quite barred by the Couucl itself. Col. Kingscote and he were completely knocked off their legs by thit reply of the Duke of Richmond. One fact which showed the serious importance of that question was that Mr. Clare Sewell Read, a man of whom all tenant-farmers were juitly proud, a man of the highest integrity and great ability, had just left the Government because the Veterinary Department of the Privy Council had obstinately and igno- raatly refused to listen to his advice on that suhj-ct. He must say he felt very much diss;tisfied with the action of the Council in reference to that question. The Chairma;v, in reply, said, as regarded the qnestion of the introduction of politics advocated by Dr. Crisp, he ad- mitted that there were a great many Fanners' Clubs in which poli'ics might be discussed ad lihilum; but that was not a political society, and he should be very sorry indeed to see it become one (cheers). They all liked to hear gentlemen make remarks relating to different breeds of stock and scientific modes of cultivating the land ; but he for one deprecated the introduction of politics (Hear, hear). On the previous day he was in that room from 12 till about 3 o'clock, three hours being occupied in discussion. He would appeal to Dr. Crisp as to how long the discussions of the Council would be likely to last if politics were introduced ? (Hear, hear.) The question had often been raised in the Council whether politics should be allowed; but any proposition in favour of that hid been almost unanimously kicked out (cheers). With regard to what Mr. Stratton had said about the election of members of the Council, he would observe that the members now retired by rotation, that at the election in May the scru- tineers had to report to the General Meeting whether or not the names submitted to it were approved, and that the election rested with those who attended the meeting. Any gentleman who desired, before the meeting was held, to put forward a particular name was at perfect liberty to send it in. The Report was then adopted. Thanks were voted to the auditors, and they were re-elected. The Chairman having then invited suggestions for the consideration of the Council, Mr. Fawcett directed attention to an alleged grievance of some exhibitors of pigs, the complaint being that the entries of particular animals had been ticketed as false entries. This was, it was stated, in the cases referred to, a libel calculated to' inflict great injury on the owners ; and Mr. Fawcett suggested that in future the judges of pigs should obtain professional assistance of the same kind as that which is afforded to the judges of horses before venturing to ticket an animal with the words, " Fake entry." The Chairma:^ said he believed that the abolition of the CO THE FAllMEirS MAGAZINE-. present rpgulatioiis on (hut sulij ct would lead to a large anion ut of deception. Mr. STfiATTON said that if it were in liis power to do so, lie would be glad to move the following lesulution : "That no revision of the rules of the Society will be satisfactory which does not give every member a chesp and simple mode of voting in the flection of the Council." The CUAIRJIAN ruled th^t such a resolution con'.d not be jut then, and at the same time intimated that it might be received with a view to its con»iieiatiou at the next meeting of the Couucii. Mr. STRATTo?f handed in his resolution, in accordance with the siigsestion {Turn the chair. Sir J. 11. JIaxwell proposed a vote of thanks to Lord Cheshain fur presiding. The best proof which his lord- ship could give of Ilia in'erest in the Society was to be lound in tl.e fact of his constant success as an exhi- bitor at its meetings. Such, indeed, was his lordship's success iu tlint capacity that one could hnrJly have been surprised had It been su;.'gested that during the year of his presidency h« should be excluded from the co'npetiiion (lauihtir).. The Rev. J. SroitEK secundi-d the resnlntion in very laud- atory terms, and it was theu cariied by acclamatiun. Lord CiiE.siiAM said he frit exceedingly obliged io' tlic ireetin? lor that vote, and they iniiht ley upon it that lie' would ahvajs do his best to promote the interests of agricul- ture. As regarded his su'cess as a competitor, he could assure them Ihit he did not vvibli to be always at llie top of the tree (laughter), lie lilsili(ina be p:iid (li'Pct. to the M'cietary, and hy Mm psid \o tlie credit of the Society at the London and WchI minster Bulk. Mr. U. !:tr.\iti)N ilien moved, pursuant to notice given at tlie last meeting of th.-. Counci', the, lollowing resolutions: 1. TliHt the prevrtlenoe of foot-and uiDuth disease is a rational calamity, i's elfert oil breeding stock being so disas- trous as to be tne cliief cause of the present high price of llient. 2. That tlie breeders of stock in the United Kingdom slioii'd be protected as far as possible from the importation of foreigri diseases, seeing that the losses incurred in the liome produce by such diseases greatly exceed the total value of the foreign caitle imported. 3. That stringent and uniform measures should be adnpted thriuijhont the United Kingdom for the suppression of in- fectious diseases, and severe penalties rigorously enforced for offences agaiiiit such measures. 4. That a copy of the foresoin? resclntions be forvyarded to the Lord President of tlin IVivy Council. He thought there conld be no doubt whatever that the pre- valence of the Coo.-and-mouth disease was a national ciUmity. The value of stock imported !innu;illy had been computt'd at £."5,000,1 )00, but he thought tliat no one would dispute with him that tiie loss to the country by this disease conld be esti- mated under £12,000,000. In his opinion the Government were bound to protect (armers as much as possible from the disea e, by the carrying out of stringent and uniform nieasu'es tlirongiidut the country, and that it should be comimlsory fnr vessels and trucks engaged in tb.e cattle traffic, to be thoroughly cleansed and disinfected after dischar^iing their cargoes. It was no wonder that foot-and-mouth disease existed whilst there was such dissiniilariy in tne measures adopted through- out tlie country 'or its prvivention. Mr. FonTii could speak feelingly in tbe matter, as he bad :Suffered much fioni the disease, and he was of opiuion that proper measures had never bcrn taken to eradicate it. It pos- sibly was a tpietiin wlLellier any measures would thorc.ivglily stani)) it out ; but tiie adop'ion of uni'onn measures, botii in Great B' itain and Ireland, woiill greatly tend to do so. He had known instances in his owu ueighbonrlioi.d of healthy animals having been driven througli roads on either side oX which there were animals affected with the disease, but wliicli the owners were proliibited Tom removing, and hence there was a great probahihty of these healthy animals becoming ia- fected, and the disease tlius carried to otlier distiirts. Col. KI^■GSCOTE agreed enti'ely with jMr. Stratton's reso- lutions, and hoped that they would carry some weiglil with them, coming from the Council, which represented a large body frreafly interested in the prevention of tlie d sease. Im- portation, in his opinion, was not only the cause of the foot- and-mouth disease, but the reason for its constant recurrence. In illustration of the existing regulations as to the disease, he stated that he had a road pasing througli his park, on either side of which was a wire fence, and his own stock, being alTec'ed by the disease, could not be removed ;"so th it there was nothing to prevent hcilthy animals afterwards going through this roid becomin? infected. The Earl of Dunmoee remarked on tbe filthy state of some boats enuaged in the cattle trade, lie knew of an instance where tbe aninui's when first shipped were, he believed, thoroughly bealtiiy ; but throngb over-crowding, and the dirty state of the vessel, which did not appear to have been cleansed for some considerable period, the cattle when disembarked were found more or less affected. This state of things, uo doubt, grtatly tended to help to spread the disease. Rev. J. Stori-.r tlnuight that if the resolutions did no other good, they would streugtheu ike bauds of their supporters in the press. It was re aired that a copy of them be forwarded to the Lord President of the Privy Council, in a letter to be signed I by \]\i chairman of the meeting. The resolutions were carried, nud the Council then adjourned ' until Tuesday, February 1, 1870. EUTLAND AGEICULTUEAL SOCIETY. MEETING AT OAKHAM. «Iq the class for Shorthorn oxen or steers there were eleven entrie?, and one of the unsuccessful competitors was the Smithfield Cup ox of last year. la the next class Mr. Robert Wortley, of Suffield, was first with a red - and - white Hereford, also first in London iu 1874. In the open class for cows of any breed or age the Scotchmen came down and made a clearance, the first prize going into Aberdeenshire, and the second to Balliiidalloch. The best heifer in the All- England class was Mr. Strattou's Nectarine Bud, the winner also of the silver medal and tbe extra prize of 30 80VS. as the best beast in all the fiit cattle classes. In •the class for tbe best steer not exceeding one year and nine months Lord Exeter showed one of Telcmachus' twins, which won. The breeding classes were not quite so good ; and the show of sheep was not equal to last year. Mr. Byron, of Kirkby Green, fariied off the medal with a four-year-old fat ewe, and also took the first prize for fat Lincoln wc;hers, a pen which won the premium as the best of all the fat sheep. Lord Lonsdale was, as usual, prominent among the Leiaesters, and Messrs. Close also largely exhibited. The Prince of Wales took the first prize for Shortwools, but Mr. Stieiit's pen, which was second, was by an error re- turned as first. The pigs were a larger show. In the open classes the name of Wheeler "stood first, and Carver second. In the horse department the competition was very good, the class for cart colts especially ; but the strongest parade was that of huuters, there being uo less than twenty-two entries. PRIZE LIST. 3 UDGES.— Cattle t R. J . Newton, Campsfield Farm, Oxford ; J. Colman, Park Nook, Di-rby ; E. Abraham, Barnet-by-le- Wold, Lincolnshire. Sheet : T- Woods, Osberton ; J. II. Casswell, Lauifhton ; S. Spencer, Snerestone. Horses : H. Chaplin, M.P. ; Col. Luttrell ; J. E. Bennett; — Plow- right, Manea ; — Thraves, Kirby Birkholme ; and 11. Adams, Pickworth. CATTLE. Oxen or steers exceeding three years and three months old (open). — First prize, £15, T. Pulver, Broughton, Kettering • second, £7, J. J. Ckrk, Weltou-le-Wold, Louth. Oxen or steers of any pure breed, or cross or mixed breed, not heinj; a pure-bred Shorthorn, exceeding three years and three months (ojien). — First prize, £15, 11. Wortley, Suliield, Aylshara ; third, £7, J.J. Colnun, M.P., Norwich. Fat steers of any breed, not exceeding three years and three months old (open). — First prize, £10, Mr. h. Cartwright, Drakelow, Burton on-Trent ; third, £5, J. S. Hack, Braunston. Cows of any breed or age (open). — First prize, £10, J. Ri-id, Greystone, Aberdeenshire ; second, £5, J. and G. Gordon Graitli, the Gleiilivat Distillery, Balliudalloch. Heifers of any breed, not exceeding four years old (open).^ First prize, £10, R. Stratton, Newport, Monmouthshire (Nec- tarine Bud) ; second, £j, R. Parker, North Creake, Norfolk. Steers not exc>>ediug two years and six months old. — First prize, £10, Eirl Spencer, Althorn-park, Northampton ; second, £5, R. Piuder, Whitwell, Oakham. Steers not exceeling one yar and nine months old. — First prize, £7, the Marquis of Exeter, Bnrgbley-park, Stamford ; aecoiid,£3, E. VVortley, Ri lliagton, Uppiaghaia. Fat be ists, shown as extra slock, above two years and sis months old. — Prize, £5, the Marquis of Exefer. The best fat beast, shown in the classes. — Silver medal and special prize of £'30, R Stratton (Nectarine Bud), 62 THE FARMER'S MAGAZtXE. For llie liest fat beast sliown, bred and fed wittiin the dis- trict of tlie Cottesmore liiinf.— I'rize, £15, E. Wortley, llid- dington, and £5 as the breeder. Cows above three years old, in milk or in calf. — Pirst prize, £10, U. Dainty, Br-Lnisthorpe, Stamford; second, £5, Marquis of Exeter. • Heifers above two and not pxceedin? three years old, in milk or in calf, bred within the district. — First prize, £7, Marquis of Exeter ; second, £5, Hon. and Rev. A. G. Stuart, Cottes- more. Heifers above one and not exceedinEC two years old, bred within the district. — First prize, £7, Marquis of Exeter; second, £t, C. Ciiapman, Brock Farm, Exton. Heifer calves above six months and not exceeding twelve Inontlis old. — First prize, £8, T. Swingler, Langham ; second, £2, Marquis of Exeter, iliglily commended : S. Stokes, Dud- linffton. Bulls not exceeding fifteen months old. — First prize, £10, T. Swinjiler ; second, .T. H. Casswel],Lnn^hton, Falkingliam. Cows ill mdk, Sc. — First prize, £5, J. Harris, Langhara ; second, £3, R. Fardell, Cold Overton. Eeifers under three years old. — First prize, £-i, J. Harris ; second, £3, J. Williamson, Langham. Hei'er calves above six and not exceedin? twelve months old. — First t)rize, £3, J. Harris; second, £1, W. Hackett, Eijieton. [The three last classes were confined to tenant- occupiers of nut more than 30 acres in the district.] Breeding beasts over two years old, in calf or in milk, shown as extra stock. — First prize, gold medal or 10 frs., C. Speed, Horn MdU, Exton ; second, T. Swingler. Hishly ciramended: T. H. Bland, Dingley Grange, Market Har- borou^ch. For the best beast shown in the breeding classes. — Prize, Mirquis of Exeter (Telemacbus). SHEEP. Three fat wether sheep of the Leicester b'eed, one year old (open). — First prize, silver cup or £10, B. Painter, Burley- on-the-Hill; second, £5, Lord Lonsdale. Three long-woolled fat wether sheep of the Lincoln breed, one year old (open). — First prize, £10, J. Byron, Kirkby- green, Sleaford ; second, £5, W. Grimes, Harmston, Lincoln. Three short-woolled fat wether sheep (open). — First prize, £10, H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, Sandnngham; second, £5, G, Street, Maulden, Araptill. Three cross-bred long and shnrt-woolled fat wether sheep one year old (open). — First prize, £10, Earl of Lonsdale ; secund, £5, C. Barge, Weedon. For the best pen of sheep in the above classes. — Prize, £5, J. Byron. Four long-woolled breeding ewes, bred within the district. — First prize, £5, Earl of Lonsdale ; second, £3, C. J. Bradshaw, Burley-on-the-Hill. Highly commended : T. Close, juu., Barnack. Four long-woolled theaves, bred and fed within the district. — First prize, £5, T. Close, juQ. ; second, £3, T. Close, sen., Barnack. Four long-woolled wether lambs, bred and fed within the district (ram lambs excepted). — First prize, £5, T. Close, sen. ; second, £3, Earl of Lonsdale. Four long-woolled ewe lamb«, bred and fed within the district. — First prize, £5, T. Close, jun ; second, £3, T. Close, sen. For the best pen of sheen in the four previous classses. — Prize, £5, Earl of Lonsdale.' For the best sheep shown as extra stock (open). — First prize, silver medal, value £5, J. Byron; second, S. E. Dean, J}owsby Hall, Falkingham. Highly commended : E. Howard, Nocton Rise, Lincoln. PIGS. Fat pigs under eighteen months old (open). — First prize, £5, Executors of the late J. Wheeler and Sons, Long Comptou; second, £3, Carver and Sons, Ingarsby. Fat pig under ten months old, not exceeding thirty stone live weight (open). — First prize, the Executors of J. Wheeler and Sons; second, £3, Carver and Sons. Fat pigs of any weight (occupiers of not less than thirty acres of land in the district). — First prize, £3, W. Martica , Exton; second, J. Harris, Laneham. HORSES. Cart mare.1, four years old and upirards. — First pnV.e, £5, W. Bradshaw, Harnngworth ; second, £3, W. Fabling, Burley. Cart fillies, nnder four years old, bred within llie district.-^ Fiist prize, £5, J. Snodin, Stonesby ; second, £ ?, [{..L. Brad- shave, Egleton. Commanded: T. Baines, Brook Priory. Cart horse, above four and under seven year* old. — First prize, £5, and secund, £3, Lord AveUud. Commended : R. Ward, lltrringMorlh. Cart colts, under four years old, bred within the district — First prize, £5, C. Tiptaft, Tinwell ; second, £3, J. Fowler, Exton Hall Farm. Coinniended : G. E. Forster, Uppingham, Tenant-farmers or tradesmen in the district, for inart-s adapted for breeding hunters, and in foal by a tlioroughbred horse.— First prize, £10, G. S. Smith, Stowe Farm, Stamford ; second, £5, G. Goodlifte, Belton. Commended: J. S. Hack, Brauustou. Ponies under seven years old, not exceeding: thirteen hinds high, — First prize, £3, and second, hunting-whip, F. Hawkes^ Belijravp, Leicester Hunting mares or geldings above fonr years old, in riding order (open) — First prize, £30, W. Staplee. Oxney, Peter- borough ; second, £10, J. Smeeton, Husbands Boswortli Lodge, Rugby. Farmers or tradesmen, for four-year-old hunting mares or geldings, in riding order, bred within the district. — First prize, £30, J. Hornsby, Grantham; second, £15, J. Hill, Ouudie. Highly commended ; J. Drage. For the best hunting mare or gelding in the two last classes, able to carry fifteen stone to hounds. — An extra prize of £10, J. Hornsby, Grantham. Farmers o- tradesmen, for three-year-old hunting mares or geldings bred within the district. — First prize, £10, J. H. Stokes, North Luffeuham; second, £5, J. Drage, Moulton Lodge. Ditto for riding mares or geldings under seven years old, not exceeding fifteen hands one inch liigh. — First price, £10, Major Bowman, Duddington ; second, £5, S. Stokes, Dni- dington. Mares or geblings for jumping. — First prize, £10, and second, £7, H. Custance, Manton ; third, £3, J. Hill, Oandle. CHIPPENHAM AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. PRIZE LIST. JUDGES.— G. Game, Churchill; C. Howard, Biddenhara ; J. Treadwell, Winchendon. CATTLE. Bull, cow, and offspring.^-First prize, R. Stratton, The Duffryn (Protector, &c.) ; second prize, -T. Smith, BynoU. Fat steers, above three years old. — First prize, R. Stratton ; second prize, W. Gosling, Coate, Swindon. Fat steers, under three years old. — First prize, W. Fox Beavan, Woodborongh ; second prize, R. Stratton. Highly , commended : H. Ferris, Manningford Bobun. Fat cows. — First prize, J. Smith ; second prize, O.'Viveash, Strensham, Tewkesbury. Milch cows. — First prize, R. Stratton ; second prize, O, Viveash. Highly commended : J. Goulter, Liitlfton Drew. Dairy cows, under four years old. — First prize, I. Cox, Whatley ; second prize, W. F. Beaven, Woodborough. Highly commended: R. Stratton. Commended: J. Goulter. Heifers, under 3G months old. — First prize, J. Stratton Alton Priors ; second prize, J. Goulter. Highly commended : T. Hewer, Inglesbam. Heifers, under 24^ months old.— First prize, and the Champion O. Viveash ; second prize, J. Smith. Highly commended : R. Stratton. Heifer-calves. — First prize, 0. Viveash ; second prize, W. Fox Beavan. Commended: R. Stratton ; J.Smith. Bull-calves. — Prize, C. llobbs, Maisey Hampton. Highly commended: 0. Viveash. Commended: — .Spencer, Clial- field. Bulls, under two years old. — Prize, J. Stratton. Highly commended : J. Stratton. SHEEP. Fat short-wool wethers. — Prize, E. Burbidge, South Wraxall. Short-wool breeding ewes. — Prize, W. Wnbb, Tbickwood, THE FARMER'S MAGAZI^'E. 63 CroRs1)rp(1 pwps. — First prizp, J. A.. Miles, Stanton ; second "prize, J. A. Bedford, JIarbhfielJ. Coinmeuded ; J. aud J. C. 'iVy, Marsiifleld. HORSES. Two-yoar-old cirt ReliUnof or filly. — Prize, J. Qoulter. Comniendi'd : 11. .1. SpHekinan, I'lroii^hfon GiITi)rd. M:iros and Ibiils. — Prize, W. Gliey, Littleton. Ilisflily •cnnimendcd : J. llibbard, Slantou. Commended: II. Iley- iiolds, Uaimtsey, ?TOS. Boars. — First prize, ,T. Iliiib:ird ; second prize, .T. llibbard. Preedinf? suvvs. — First prize, R. Spickman, Broughton GitTord ; second prize, G. Taylor, Corsliam. Higbly com- mended : J. llibb.ird. Two fat pi.rs, under twelve months old. — Prize, R. Spade- man, Ili({lily comiiiendpd : J. llibbard. One fat piir. — Prize, W. Spencer, Cbal field. Extra SrocK. — C(ininieni!ed : W. 11. Poynder, Ilarlham Park, for Souilidowus (twopi'us). CENTRAL CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. On Wednesday December 8, a Council meeting was held at the Salisbury Hold, Lord Hampton, President for 1875, •in the chair. The Chairman reminded the meeting that the question of the adopiimi of the report of tlie Local Taxation Committee, ipresented to tiie last meetinfj, was postponed till that day, and said that, if any one vvislied to comment upon it, lie would now be happy to hear him. On the motion of Capt. Craigie, the report was adopted. The Secretary then read the draft of tlie annual report of the proceedings of the Central Chamber. Mr. MuNTZ moved, "Tliatthis report, as read, be adopted," ■which was ajfreed to. The Chairman said he must call attention to the words Bt the conclusion of tlie report relating to the subject of an interview with the Premier reapeciing the contagious diseases of animals, llis lordship then read the words to which lie alluded, commencing, " Mr. Disrafli declined to accord an interview," and extending to the end of the report. That passage, his lordship continued, implied that, because the interview with the Uuke of Richmond was not satisfactory, therefore they should decline to go to hitn again. Well, if that were the opinion of the Council, it would of course be acted upon ; but his own opinion was that it would be much •belter to go to the Duke again. (Loud cries of " No, no," responded to by a " Yes.") He did not think it was quite fair to conclude, because the deputation some time ago was not met in a manner that was satisfactory to them, that another deputation on the same subject, not, perhaps, asking for the same tilings, would also not meet with a satisfactory reception. In the pajsage he had just quoted an appeal to Parliament was mentioned as an alternative course, in the event of a deputation not being sent to his grace. He could see no reason why both courses should not be adopted. In the «vent of the Council deciding to send a deputation to the Duke of Richmond, they would not thereby be precluded from asking some Member of the House of Commons to bring the subject before Parliament. The question uow to be decided was, whether they should give up the idea of sending a deputa- tion to the Government because the Prime Minister had taken what w.is certainly not an unusual or unnatural course — namely, the course of suggesting that they should go to the Lord ^'resident of the Council, with whose department the question of the regulations with regard to the contagious aise: ses of animals rested. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., suggested that the letter of Mr. Disraeli should be read belore the discussion was proceeded with. The secretary than read the following : 10, Do'.vning-street, Whitehall, 9ih November, 1875. Sir, — "Mr. Disrasli desires me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of t.le 3rd instant, reques'ing him to receive a deputation from tlie Central Chamber of Azriculture, for the purpose of submitting a memorial with reference to the Con- tagious Disiases (Animals) Act of 1869. In reply, I am to inform you that tlie subject is one which engaiies tlie unceasing attention of her Majesty's Gjvernment, and 1 am to suggest thit, should the Cnamber desire to express its views tiiereon, the best cour e will be for the Association to place itself in rosnmunication with tl e Lo-d President of the Couiici.l who has given much consideration to the question, and whose department is specially entrusted with its care. I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant, Algernon Turneh, Hon. Secretary of the Cenfril Chamber of AgricuHur?. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., said he rose, not to move a lesolii-, tion, but fiinply to ask a question, lie wished to learn from the secretary, who, no doubt, had a record on ihe subject what course the Council pursued on a previous occasion, when Mr. Gladstone, as Prime Minister, refused to receive a deputa- tion, and suggested that they should go again to the Privy Council. He wished to know whether they weut to the Privy Council or took any action at all. The Secretary said that on the occasion to which Mr. Read referred the Council declined to go to the Privy Council. There was some very sharp speaking he remembered, and ths Council, after a full discussion, considering that they had been decidedly rebuffed by Mr. Gladstone, declined to send a deputation to Mr. Porster, or to take any lurther action in the matter. Mr. Stratton said twice last session he wentbeforethe Lord President of tiie Council — first as part of a deputation from tiiat Chamber, and afterwards as a member of a deputation from Wiltshire Chamber and the chambers of neighbouring western counties, and he had a lively recollection of the way in which the Duke received tiiose deputations. On the first occasion his ffrace paid very little atieitlon to anything that was said to him ; he was making notes or reading during tlie greater part of the time the members of the deputation were speak- ing ; and when the second deputation went to iiira a fortnight after, he sreraed to be in total ignorance of the documents which hnd been handed to hiin at the previous interview, not knowing where they were or what were their contents. He, for one, should decline to form part of any deputation to the Duke of Richmond, and he hoped the Central Chamber would mark its sense of the treatment which it had received by altogether refusinz to go to hira again. The Chairman : Perhaps you will embody your views, Mr. Str itton, in a resolution, and then I can take the decision of the meeting. Mr. Stratton, in compliance witli his lorship's request, moved the following : " That this Chamber declines to send a deputation to the Lord President of the Council." Mr. Arkell, in seconding the resolution, said he was grieved at reading, in one of the morning papers of that day, of the resignation by Mr. Read of his oiBce in the Government. That was a pretty plain proof that Mr. Read, being a farmer himself and knowing the views of farmers respecting the diseases of cattle, was not satisfied with the course pursued by the Government. It was his (Mr. Arkell's) impression that there was something wrong between the Government and the farmers — that there was some power standing between the Go- vernment and the farmers which prevented the farmers from getting the remedy for which they had asked, notwithstanding that there was a Conservative Ministry in power with a strong majority. He thought the best course would be for farmers to do nothing, to take no step whatever with regard to cattle disease. The consumers would, perhaps, then cry out, and they would see wlielhertlnt wou'd produce any effect upon the Government (cheers). Farmers were told that they wanted protection under another name, and that idea seemeJ so burnt into the minds of consumers that they would not believe any- thing that farmers said on the subject. He would say let the whole thing go to the winds : the dearer meat became the better (laughter). Mr. Pell, M.P., said he should like to say a word on that S'lbjfct, because he had taken a very active part in relation to it in Parliament. He served on a Parliamentary Committee which arrived at a unanimous resolution in reference to the ct THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. rnHlc of Ireland. Tl is opinion on tlmt point liad never l/een sfiake.n ; and tliouj;li lie lind been a coiisis-tent supporter of the Government, lie must declare tliat, in liis opinion, tliey had not shown sound jnd.rnient, to say the least, in their treatment of tlint question. It was imp'issiljlrf tiiat that riue>ti(in couM be allovvi d to remain in its present unsatisfactory position. The Governmeat were not consistent. Either they were doins' wiiat was wrong with regard to that mischievous disease pleuro-pneumonii in England, or they Mere doing what was wr ing «ith regard to it in Ireland. Th-it was not a question o 1 which the Chamber could be apathetic. 13ut now came the quest ioa how they were to deal with it. Mr. Disraeli had tlioiiJ-ht fit, in tlie exercise of his judgment, wliich was no doubt superior to that of most people, to decline to receive a deputa'ion. Tlien came the question whether they should go to tlie Duke of llichmond. It appeared to iiiin that it would ubviously be a waste of time to do so. lie tlioiii;lit he liad good reasons for sajing tint. Tiiere was, in tliat room, an old friend of his, lately a distinguished member of the Govern- ment, tliDUih occupying a subordinate place, wlio had, to say the least, tested tlie feeling of theGov. inment on that question. li", WHS sorry, exceedingly sorry, for what had happened : he could wish that his friend's valuable services, clear head, and resolute, honest, and manly disposition were still in a Govern- ment olllce. They all knew that he would remain a firm adiierent of Wu party ; bat still it was an important fact that the Government had at that ciilicil time parted with him on the question of the treatment of Irish ca'tle. Wiis it likely, under the circumstances, that the Department which had the Duke of llichmond for its head would change its course in deference to a deput;ilioa from thai Chambdr ? lie thought no'". Pdrlia'ueiit would meet shortly; Mr. Rfad would no doubt bring the question before Parliament with great ability at the very earlie»t opportunity, and the Chamber would then liave an opportunity of seeing how the represeutalives of the farmers behaved on that question. He did U)t believe it was so much a question between Euglish counties and boroughs as it was a question between Ireland and England ; but sup- posing lie were mistaken, it the urban powers should beat thera they could not help it. Nothing could be more unstatesman- like than the maintenance of the present state of things, under wliich diseased cattle on one side of the water were killed, aud diseased cattle on tlie other were left to renew, revive, and continue a disorder which, if it coulinued, must be fatal to English sfoelc. Mr. Jabez Turner said he was a member of a deputation to the Duke of Richmond on that subject from the ll'iyal Agricultural Society. His grace received the deputation very politely and kindly, but put them off wiih a promise that the matte r should have the early consideration of the Government. They were requested by him not to give undue publicity to the fact of their having waited upon him, because that would lead to a request that he would riceive other deputations. Four or five days after a deputation of Iii^i cattle dealers, LiverpuOl butchers, and others was introduced to bis grace by one of the members for Liverpool. Tnat deputation was on the opposite Bide, and asked for the removal of the restrictions \\hich then existed, and by some means or other the speakers contrived to get their speeclies reported in the daily papers. Under those circumstances, and having regird to the jiresent s'a'e of affairs, he was decidedly opposed to the Chamber's sending another deputation to the Duke of Richmond, Further, if any deputation went to any department or minister of the Govern- ment they ought to be very careful about what they asked for. His own opinion with regard to quarantine had been rudely and extensively shaken during the last month. On the 29ili of October he bought eighteen beasts, aud sent them to his farm in Lincolnshire. On the 6th of November he removed liineteen beasts from that farm to another farm in Iliintinudon- sh're, a distance of fifty miles by rail. They were kept iu strict quarantine niitil the 23id of November. He then removed ten of those beasts to another farm, and phiced the rest in winter quarters. On the 27th foot-aud-muuth dise se broke out ou the farm to which the animals were removed, and two days after on that which tiipy had L ft.- Thus there having been seventeen dajs' carelul quarantine the disease manifested itself on the twentieth day. He ttionght, there- fore, that they should be very rareful as regarded the period of quarantine for which they asked. The pre^eut restricions operated most injuriously towards English fanners, and liecon- urrpd ia the opinion that rather iha« the present system should be continued it would be belter to have no restrictions at all. Mr. Trf.adwei.l believed that the grent mnjo'-ily of practical farmers would nut endorse the opinion of Mr. ruiiier that the heists which he mentioned had the seeds of disease iu them fur seve'.teen days (checs). The rilAIii.MAX thought it was desirable that they slinulj not be Led into a discussion on the value of quarantine. Tie question was whether they s'lould goto the Government, Mr. C. S. REi\.u, M.P., said he was as strong a party man as any on3 when it was necessary to be so, but he had never been a party man in tint Chamber, and he hoped the Chamber would not degenerate into a political club. If thfy would not go to the presiding genius of tlie Privy Council, Mr. Forster, he did not see how, as fair and reasonable men, they could go to the present heaiJ of the Council because he iiappened to lie a Conservative. He believed the resolutions passed on the sul'jcct last month was almost identical with those already pri - sented to the L ird President, and he put it to the meeting whether they had any reason to e.xpect a beter reception. A Member thought it was not desirable to go to the Duke on that subject. JMr. Stratto.\ : Nor on any suliject. The resolution was then put and carried, after which the Couucil adjourned till Tue.'d>t_v, the Stli of February. The Annual Meeting of the Central Chamber was then held. The annual report agreed to at the Council meeting having been presented. The Treasurer (Mr. T. Wdlson) read the balancp-sheet for the jear. It appeared that the receipts, together with tlie balance standing over from the preceding year, aniounted to £555 15s. Id., and that the disbursements left a balance ia hand of £56, against £60 at the end of thep'-evious year. The arrears of subscriptions of Chambers amounted to £63, and the arrears of members to £155. Mr. Willson said he was sorry to have to state that a large portion of the £155 was made up of arrears extending over several years, and that several mem- bers had never made any payment since they were eleeted. Ou the motion of Mr. AdIvINS, second-d bv IVlr. Henlet, the report was adopted ; after which, Mr. Willson was re- appointed treasurer, ai.d a vote of thanks was given to him for tlie labour and attention which he had devoted to the accounts. The meeting then proceeded to choose eight subscription members of the Council in lieu of the same number of retiring members, the result being the election of the following: j\lr. C.S. Head, MP., Mr. A. Pell, M.P., Capt. Craigie, Mr. D. Long, Mr. Jasper More, Mr. Storer, Jl.P., Mr, P. PJiippc, M.P., and Mr. Jabez Turner. Of these gentlemen, Mr. Storer, Mr. Pliipps, and Mr. Turner were new subscriptioa members. The Chairman then informed the meeting that Mr. Cor- rance. who at the last Council meeting gave notice of his intention to ii.ove on that occasion a resolution relating to local taxation, liad written to say that, in consequence of tho depth of the snow, he was unable to appear there that dny. Ilis lordship added that Mr. Nevilh-Grenviille had intimated that he shou'd propose an ainendmenf, and that he considered tint under the circumstances any gentleman present might propjse Mr. Corrance.'s resolution. Mr. Walker (Nottinghamshire) said he should be happy to propose the resolution which was to have been proposed by Mr. Corrance — viz. : " That the Council having early in the year recorded its dissatisfaction at the omission of all menliou of local ta'^aiiou from the Quef n's speech, this Chamber finds occasion now to express its lurther and more emphatic dissei.t from the course pursued by iier Majesty's Government during tlie past Session iu re'erence to this most important subject." About 3') years ago, he (Mr. Walker) coii,tended that the whole system of local taxation was wrong, an 1 pressed mOjt unlaiily on the spriugs of industry ; while, as r garded the poor-ra'e, he held tha' every man who was not a pauper should lonlri- bute according to his ability. At prrseut the poor-rate was a charfiC on producer*, aud though all men were consumers, all were not producsrs. Mr. RussoN, in seconding the resolution, re'errel to a recently passed reso'ution of IbeVVorcest'irshire Chamber, whieli he represented, expressing dissatisfaction anddisappointmdit at the conduiit of the Government, in reference to local taxation. That Ljiie-tion w;)«, he said, one not merely of |ioli''y but of justjje. iie vyas a Conservative, and as such had ti^.kiu au THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ■6}i JtcH»e part in parliamentary elections ; but lie considered that t!ie ConservHtiv? Government liad neglected their duty on that question nlmost as inucli as their predecessors, from whom no one (xpceted any relief of local taxation. Mr. Nevili.k-Grknvili.e, M.P., moved the followintr amt-ndmenl: ''That litr Mtijestv's Gnverniuent having recog:- uised the claims of raiejiayers, especially by relieving them in the raaintenaace of lunatics and police, this Chamber looks forward with confidence to Ministers again carelully dcalinf? with the jjeneral question of local, financial, and adininislrative reform." The hon. pentleman said he did not agree with the last speaker, that the Government had shown a complete furgeffulness of all the promises made by them when in opposi- tion. If they had dune so he would not '-ave scrupled to vote aaainst them ; but as they had on the first opportunity yielded some of the claims of the local taxation reforniTs, he thounht the passing of the resoluttou btlb.-e t! e meeting would be unhnndsome and uiigratefnl. (Grifh t)f '.Mo, no," and "Hear.") Would those who said * No" affirm that the Government had done notliiiig for I h- local taxation reformers? Wonlii they deny that they hid taken up two out of three of the points which tho>« retnrmers had urged 'apon them ? The GivernniPiit !•: ^ al- rrady dealt wiih the cost of the lunatics and of the police. Their action with regard to the administration of jusMce was .st 11 looming in the f'u^ure ; but that question involved a co'tiplelt reforiB of the whole system of local adn.inistratiun. He de- precated anything that would look like a vote of want of confidence in the Government. Tiiey had already got, if not the whole loaf, considerably more than half. (" No, no.") Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., in seconding the amendment, sa'd he regretted that Mr. Corrance was not there, as he bad con- stantly twitted him about the way in which his oflicial livery Sit d him, and he would like then to have a round with him. ■(l■^ughter}. He considered Mr. Corrance's resolution out of date, unjust, and also ungrateful. The last (ioverument did r«- tliing but impose new burdens, aud the very first time the pr;- sent one had an opportuuify they made a contribution towards the relief of local taxation. Some gentlemen present appenredto think that that contribution was not half a loaf ; a gentleman who sat near him said it was not evfu a crumb. At all events, it was a fair slice, and, like Oliver Twist, he was for asking for more, and would expect to receive it. There was no time in the last Session to reconsider thai difficult and intricate question. It was a biggish affair, involving, as it did, the reform of the whole system of administration as well a the relief of burdens. Mr. Gakdnf.r tbouuht that by pa»s'ng Mr. Corrance's resolution the C haniber would be aetiiig most ungenerously to varr 8 the present Government. Thi-ir whole course of action showfd that they meant to deal witli the subject in a bro-id and C'lniprehensive ceanner ; and, iu h's opinion, the Contieil should giv" them ere. lit for what they had done, and regard it as an iiulicalioD of what they would do in the future. Mr. Jasi'kr Mo^r. regretted lliat t'le aUvocates ,of local taxation re orm did not acct pt the offer n.aje by the latti Government, tbrouiih Mr. Goscben, to devote £1,200,000 to the relief of lucil burdens. They had not received nearly so much from the present Government, and no previous Government ever had such a chance of reducing the pressure of local taxa- tion. In oppositiou to the opinion of others, be believed that if Mr, Gladsioue bad not dissolved Parliainent in mch a hurry he would have bnuight in such a coinprehtnsive measure as thev all wished to see carried. Mr. W.li. Beach, M.P., regretted that there shosld be any discussion Willi regard to the coiL-p iralive meril.-* i/f Goveru- meu s. The present Government bad shown a dispo-ition to ileal with that qmstiou ; but, as Mr Read hail well remiudei them, the reform of local taxation necessirily inclui ed administrative reform, and they must be dealt witli at the same time, lie thought the amendment very fairly embodied the fieneral •eeling on tti^it subject. Mr. MtiNTZ dill not thii'k they had much to he thank''nl for as regarded either of the Governmen s that had been referred to. it was, he thought, desirable that local taxation reforintrs should express their ojiiniuus in a very dicided manner, if they wished to produce an iiiipiession on tlie Government. After a few words froru Mr. Walker in replv, the questioa was put 'roni the chair ; and the result v^as that the resulutiua was carried by 19 votes against 15. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., ta.d a- that was the last time that Lord Hampton would occ.'py the chair, he willed to |iropuse tliat ibey should ;ii\e birn -i warm and hearty vote of thanks for the able, courageous, aud inilepeudent manner in which he had presided, and k>v the courtesy which he had uniformly dis|:iayed towards the members (cheers). The m^'iion having been seconded by Mr. Russon, and carried by acclamation. Lord Hampton, in thanking the meeting for its vote, said he bad always emieavoiired to act fairly and impartially as chairfi an, and congratulated the Chareber that he was to be succeeded by a gentleman (Mr. W. B. Beach, M.P.) who wa» so fully competent to fulfil tin- duties of that ottice. The iteetiug then separated. THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY. FAT- STOCK SHOW. If any stranger had dropped into the Agricultural Hall of 'the Ro^al Dublin Society during the course of this week, he Mould have gone away not very favourably impressed with ■the capabilities of Ireland as a meat-producing country. The flbow very inadequately represented the resources of thecuntry ■ill ihnt resp.ct. The entries were few in number, and after the prize .stock had been selected, those left were geuer illy of an ordinary description, such as may be seen at any time in the Dublin caitle market, with a few so indilfereiit in point of •quality and breeding as to render it somewhat difficult to un- derstand the reason why their owners thought them fit for ■^'xh'tiition in a show of fat stock. There is no doubt that the jjrevaleiice of foot-and-mouth disease had much to do with the small show of stock at this time; and the unthrifty appeai'- ance of some of tlie animals exhibited afforded sntficient evi- dence that they had passed through the disease, and had nut recovered their bioom. These remarks apply also to the sheep ■classes, which were also poorly filled ; while eleven animals were all that could be raus-tered in the class of fat |iigs. The poultry formed the redeeming fe^-iture of the show, there being aot ouly a large supply, but also much merit in various sec'ions •of this department. The show of roots and oth -r kinds of iarm produce was scarcely an average ; while some of the I'cst lots were, unfortunately, (xcludi d from competition. The outside public did not appear to take umcb interest in the «how, and the atteudiuce wa^t chiefly confined to persons jJra»u thither hj busiaeau. Iu Ibis respect Dublin differs much from other places where shows of a similar nature are held at this season. Except to those who have a special in- terest in the matter, there is, perhaps not much to admire io fat bullocks ; but poultry and (.liaeuiis usually attract visitors, and the almost deserted slate of the gallerir's in which the fowl were eshibiied was disheartening. There were alto- gether 51 entrie.s of c-ittle. The first thri-e classes in the catalogue were made up of cattle which have been finished in the bouse. 0- thee the first section was two-year-old oxen, and in this sicli lU there were just two entries. Of oxeu over two years t^^ld there were eighi entries. Lord Headfon'a ox had been fed on soil, oilcake, hay, cabbage, Indian meal, and molasses; quantities not stated. The silver cup presented by Mr. Napi-r to the So'.'iety lor the b .st ox in the show was awarded to this animal. In the class of fat cows there wire four entries. M jor Birtou took both first and second prizes. The Section of two-year-old fat heifers was a blank ; but there were four entries iu thut of heifers oser two jears old, ai d that section included what we are inclined to regard as the cream of the show — namely, two Hereford heifers bei' nging to aud lirfld by Mr. R, S. Fetlnr-tjuh lugb, Ruckview. Taking them altOL'etlier, they might liave been exhibited with credit at any sho'* in the United Kingdon. In the Mr, Thomas St. George Pepper, Ballygarlh Custle, Meathl 66 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. These buUoclfs were solely grass-fed, without the aid of arti- ficial food or liuy, and their cuuuition te'^tified nlninly to the superior nature of their pasture. Mr. J. A. Faireirs pair of oxen, vvliich got the second prize, had been worked as ploiigii birllocki up to the 12tli of March. They were eight years old, :nid of immeuseslze. Tlie first prize fur a single ont-fe.i I'.eifer Wds awarded to a Shortiioru belonging to Mr. Richard Walsh, fe 1 on linseed-cake, bruised oats, atid boiled Indian ineal ; quantities not stated. Tlie silver cup presented by Mr. J. L. Naper for the bf-.>t cow or heifer in tlie show was awarded to Mr. R. Wulsii's lif'i'er. Five eutries made up the s-e::ti(in of long-woulled shearling wethers each pen coiit;^iuiiig thrse sheep. Mr. Naper's slie-irling Shropshire wethers, which got the first aud second prizes in their section, were very superior animala, well covered on the back, and mutton to the hocks. N.) aged short-f. (tolled wethers were exiiibited. Mr. C. W. -flamiiton took ,lhe iwo prizes ia ibe evte section wiili very stylish and well-fed ."iiecimens of his well-known flock. In ilie " all sort."." class, wliicli includes " sheep of any age or breed, not qua!ifl.''.d to compete in the foregoing classes," shown iu pens of three, there were some eutries which should have appeared ia other classes, and tlio>e were properly passed over. It is difficult to understand why an fxhibitor should enter a lot of sh> ep in one class and another lot of precisely the same desi;ri[;tion iu another class, as not being qualitiMd to compete in thai in which the otiiers are entered. We have seen this done bei'ore, and pnzes awarded to both ; but this irregularity was U')' s-mctioned by the stewards and judges at this time. The l;e-l pigs exhibited were the York and Cum- berland, bred and f:>d by trie Earl of Clourael and by Mr. J. L. Naper, and Mr. Reynrll's Berkshires. The Guardians of the North Dablin Union showed three pigs, a "cross between th? Irish and large Berkshire," about seventeen months old.— Abudged from The Irish, Farmers' Gazette. THE IMPORTATION OP POREIGN CATl'LE. A c'e utation from the London Trades' Council waited, by appointment, on the Right Hon. W. E. Forster, M.P., iu Eccleston-:-qiiar'-, for the purpose of obtaining in- formation on the causes contributuig to the enhanced pi'ice of meat, the restrictons of the Privy Council on foreign importa- tion, and geneiall\ to elicit his views and support on ilie subject of the cattle trade. Mr. Shipton proceeded to say that the depntMtion repre- sented betwem liity and sixty societies and ori;aiiisations, w i'h mauy thousand nienibers, who, being irri-atly irritated bytiie.se questions, had requested their Council to take the matter up, so ithat they might get iuformatiou on the restrictions imposed on the unportatioii of cattle. They could say positively that ' the present restrictions on the importation of foreign cattle with regard to the (oot-and-moutli disease wt-re entirely futile, and only raised the price of meatiu English markets, and gave opottunities to the home pn^ducer of increasing tiie price to the public. They wiaittd Mr. Forste' to help them in undcr- s'anding tlie law bearing upon these subjec's, after elici'ing wliicli, they ihouglit of evoking public opiuiou with t>ie view of getting thelaw alte-ed, ti:e restrictions removed, and prac- tieal suggestions made to the Government. They thought th Act, to which reference has been made. Now, I shall always look back with satist'Hct^on to the part I was able to take in assisting to pass that Actthroug'h Parliament. I was, indeed, very anxious that such a nie. sure should he brought in and carried to a successful issue. And I can assure you that those who are praciiciUy unacquainted with such matters know little of the labour, time, aud anxiety necessary to be devoted to such a measure beiore it is fit to be presented to the Lej,is- lature. AHusiun has been made to the number of amendments in the bill before it passed through the House ol Commons. 1 never was surprised that it was subjected to considerable amendmenta in the House of Commons; but I avow that I am proud that in the House of Lords — an assembly composed principally, it not entirely, of landlords — ^there should I'ave been such unanimi'y in favour of such a measure On both sides of the House of Lords only one feeling was shown, and that was a desire to make the bill as perfect as possible, though it was one not in the interests of the landlords, iiiu that in the tenantry of the country. I have said ibat it was not surpris- ing to me that amiuOmfUts should have been made in the House of Commons and for this reason — that tlie House of Commons is composed of members representing ail the different views and multifarious agricultural customs that prevail from Nor hninberland to the Land's End ; and, oi c:iurse, there is scarcely a member in it who does not think that on such a sub- ject he knows something whicli is not known to his neighbour^. Accordingly, there were pioposed amendments without end to the Agricultural Holdings Bill — some good and some bad. The Giivernmet accepted those which we believed would effect improvements >n the biil, but rejected those which, on the contrary, we regarded as bad. Ihe bill came back to the Hi,U8e of Lords amended — very much amended — from the shape in which it had left us; but its principle rem'iined the same, and therefore we are satisfied. The prieei;. e of the h'll was tills — to establish, and lor the first time, a presunuiuon of law in favour of the tenant. Tnat presmniptiou is now law, and what is its effect? That i: a tenant lays out immey on his holaing, and if he ceases to occupy tbai holding beiore he has recouped himself for the cost of real improvements effected by liim upon it, he is entitled to claim from his landlord cunipeusation for that improve- ment. To such compeusation he had no legal claim be ore the passing of the Agricultural Holdings Aet. Tliat is a great advance iu favour oi the teuaut, and I rejoiee at it. But it has been said to me, by some serionsl^' aud by otht-rs I hope not seriously, that I may be coutent, with the change, because all my property is let ou lease, and property so h-t is excepted from the operation of the Act, Now, in the first place, it is not true that all my property islet; on lease. I see h-re present some of my Irieiuls who hold from me by lease, aud some who have no lease, aud who prefer not to bold by lease. For my fiart I am in lavour of leases. I think they are good things, and I have asked those landlords who olijected to them what they were afraid of. A lease gives tlie landlord as well as the tenant security for a given number of years. " BiU," it may be objected," I should be afraid of getting a bad tenant." To that my rejoinder is, ' Dou't take a tenan' of whom you are afraid- Tbo-t is tlie first thing." There are bad tenants and there are bad hipdlords, though [ h 'lie both are ujually scarce in this par! of the country. Bui, if you liav;' a good tenant endeavour lo keep him, and the best way to keep him is to give him alea^e. If you do so, you give hiin additioual security lor the money belays out on the farm. This additional security is valuable to others as well as to him- self, because if he dies beiore the expiration of his lease, his widow and children will have a home while the lease lasts, lo say the least. Therefore,! siy, I am in favour of these leases, . iind for uiy part I am prepared to see the clause of the AcC which exempts land let on [ease expunged from the Statute Book, so lar as my personal interests are concerned. I am prepared, if my teuatits wish for it, that the whole of ray pro- perty shill be brought within the purview of the Act. This is ■ not the iilace to make agreements with uiy tenants ; but I should be ashamed o! nnself if I assisted to pass an Act through Varliaineut and was not willing to have it applied to every portion of ray property in the country. I now u une to the caltle diseases, aud 1 may at ouce say t^^at [ do uot p'O-- pose to address you on this subject as tlie Lord President of " the Counsil, under whose especial care all iii-t'ers- ooiHiected ■ with measures aaainst such diseases are now pl.ceu,' I'.'visl); to speak of it rather in my position of a inau eu^ag-id irv ihe^ a-^^riiuiltural business of this neighbourhood. ii aii-y one- should say to me that 1 regard the questiuu only- fforn the view ot a President ol the Council, I may, in reply,_ref»r to one or two facts to sbow that I have a slroii^ personal inlire.-.fc in the extinetion of cattle disease, whether the latter he loot- and month disease, pleuropneumonia, or that rinderpest wbi di, happily I hope, mav now be said to be almost extin- guislud iu this country. I find that in the month of July I had ufi fewer than 3,997 sheep, wliiclv were either down then ur iiad been down with the disease. Fortunately, the disease was nut of a bad type, for of that number of slierp I lust only, one priie ewe. Iliad 61 Scotch bullocks affected, and of 57 Alderney stuck, '22 niilch cows were atticked, and of my pisis, 80 failed to escape. I have said that I r.itber wished to address you as one who had praitical experience; but, of course, as Lord President of the Council, I have felt it luy duty to take an impartial vie* of the subject — t mean to look (in it as it atfects nut this or any other locality in particular, but as it affiCts the whole of the couutty. Happily, th-^ .-reat mas.s of the iuhabitanti oi this country arc now consumers of 68 THE PARMER'S MAGAZINE. meat; and,iQ dealing with cattle disease, the cimsniners must be considered as weil as the pruducers of meat. It is nitntal, 110 dou';C, thai in r<-!-ppct t'i a matter of this kind tliere should be great diversity of opiuiou ; and I think I may confidently state tliat, as regards tliis (juestion, there is only one single point on winch all parties are agreed, and that is that disea^e exists; but, when jou come to inquire as to their views as to the cause of the disease, or the means of checking it, you find the widest divergence of opinion. 1 am now spt-akiug ol the foot-aud-niouth di>ease, and not of pUuro-pneuinonia. M> hou. and gallant friend (Colonel Barllelot) ra'her mixed them up, but the two coin|jlaiuts are quite different in their progress and in their n-sults. Well, no^r, with regard to foot- ariJ-moutli disease, some persous will tell jou tliat tlie loss ciused by it may be estimated to amount to millions 8'erliug, while others assert that the less c.iiis(^d by it is so trifling as not to be appreciable. The former class of persons are in favour of the mo-,t stringent re-trictious. Nothing will satisfy them but such restric- tions as were in force at the time of the cattle playue ; while the latter class argue that there should be no restrictions whatever. There are other persons who huld tliat tlie dise.se is one of foreign importation, and that all animals brougiit intu this I ouutry should be slauglitered at the port of debarka- tion ; and others, again, declare that the dii-eise has appeared on farms where foreign cattJc never could have come. Then there are tliose who say that the disease comes from Ireland. I have heard it said that Ireland is the hotbed of the disease; but wlien I make inquiries in Ireland, I am ininrmed that there were never so few diseased animals the.ie as at present, and that there is very much more of the disease in this Ciiuntry. It is difficult to come to sound coucln>ions aind all tliose con- flicting opinions ; and it will not do to rush rashly at con- clusions which will increase the price oC meat and be felt by the consumers all over the country. Each party contends that this will be the effect of adopting the measures which they oppose. 1 am anxious that the difficulties of tlie question slioiild be known and appreciated, but, at the same time, I have no wish whatever to shirk the responsibility which attaelies to me as the head of the Privy Council Department of the Government. I can say that since the month of February, 187-t, when I was called to the office I now bold, the question has been constantly before me, and I liave given it my best attention, wiili the view of adopting a remedy, or the best means of alleviation. The subject has been before nie publicly and privately ; I liave received deputations of all kinds. Indeed, the matter is one to which I have given my most earnest and serious attention. I d) not know whether ftU those who are now present may recollect that a Conmittee of the [louse of Coniinous on this question of cattle disease Fat two years ago, be'ore the present Goveinmeut came into office. It was a Committee of great power, and it was pre- sided over by one of the best men ol business in the late Government — Mr. Forster. That committee came to the con- clusion that there should be no restriction whatever in respect of foot-and-mouth disease, lor that tlie loss from foot-and- raouth disease was not sulficient to warrant restrictions ; so that wlien 1 came into office there were no restrictions. I received deputa'ions from Somersetshire, Wiltshire, and, I think, Dorsetshire. They pointed out that the disease existed, and advocated measures for repressini; it; but I pointed out the difficulty tliere would be in carrying out their views, after the report which had been made to the House ol ComraonK, tliose views being in favour ol the reini posit ion of restrictions which had been taken off. I told them ttiat 1 could not do that ; but they brougtu loi.vard such cogent reasons for some 'action, that it appeared tn me, after giving the subject the best c msideration in my power, that the only way out of the difficulty was by an Ordci in Council enabling local autho- rities to reimpos ■ such restrictions as might appenr to tliem advisable in their own neighbourhoods. I felt »ure that local authorities would not be in favour of restriction unless it were absolutely necessary. I go into these details because it has been stated publicly that the Government have betrayed the trust reposed in them by the agricultural community, and have done nothing to alleviate the effects of the disease. Under the Order in Council, issued in June, 1874, the local autho- rities were enabled t.) put in force very strong powers. By Section 57 of the Act their inspectors, or any officer autho- rised by them, may seize affected animals that are exposed m a market, or fair, or other public place where horses or animals are eomaionly exposed for sale, or in stny sale- yard, whether public or private, or that are placed in & fair or other place adjacent to or connected with a market or lair; or where animals are commonly placed before expodure for sale, or that are beirg carried on a railway, or on a canal, river, or other inland navigation, or on a coasting vessel, or that are carneil, led, or driven on a highway or tlioroiigbfare ; and may remove them to some convenient and isolated place, and may keep them there lor such time as the local authority think expedient, and may recover the expenses ; and by Article 36 of the Order may proliioit or regulate their movement generally. By Article 36 of the Order they may make regulations to piohibit or regulate the movement out of premises iu which the disease has been found to eiist, or from any land or building contiguous thereto in the same occupa- tion, of animals that have been in contact with diseased animals, or in the same field, shed, or other premises. Tiiey may authorise the movement of diseased animals becoming atfrcled while exposed, &c., as in Section 57 of the Act is mentioned, by licence, either for slaughtering or lor feed- ing, or watering, &c. They may prohibit or regulate the movement on, to, from, and through commons and wastes They may prevent persons from allowing animals to be driven or to stray into enclosed fields or places without consent of the occupier. They may make regulations to prevent the spreading by means of dogs. They may prohibit or regulate tlie removal of hay, straw, dung, &c , that has been with an affected animal. They may order the cleans- ing and disinfection of places used by affected animals. They may ri quire places used for markets, fairs, exhibitions, or sales ot aui'iials, or lor the lairage ol animals, to be cleansed and disiniected at owner's expense. They may pr.diibitor regulate the removal of carcases of animals tliat have died of the di-ease, and make regulations to secure their burial. I think you will agree with me that those are very strong powers to be possessed by local authorities. I know a case in wliich a gen- tleman could not take his dogs out with him when he wanted them for sporting purposes because they had been kept in a place where there was a cow which had boen attacked with the foot-and-mouth disease. But in consequence of the represen- tations made to me that a considerable number of dis ased cattle were brought over from Ireland, I thought it would be desirable to have a better inspection of cattle vessels trading from that country ; and I determined that, in addition to the ordinary inspectors, there should be a travelling inspector, whose duty it should be to go about to inspect lairs, pens, and trucks, and cattle-carrying ships. Such an inspector was appointed, and what has been the result P I have instituted several prosecutions — some of them against great railway companies — for not carrying out, or rather for acting in con- travention of the provisions of the Act; and I am happy to say that in no instance in which I have instituted a prosecu- tiou have I failed iu obtaining a verdict, with costs. Oue of these prosecutions was against the Great Western, and another against the London and Worth- Western Company. The latter had to pay a penalty of upwards of £100, besides costs ; but I am told it is not ttie payment ot a money penally, but the being brought under tlie notice of the public for coulraventioa of the Act, which is felt by railway companies, and the exist- ence of this feeling will go far to secure an observance ol the provisions of the Statute. The advantages of those inspectiona are not to be measured even by all the results they may be expected to iiave in the case of the particular companies against which verdicts have been obtained. The etfect on other com- panies will prove most salutary in promoting the cleansing of trucks and pens. For instance, I advised the South- Western Company that if, within a given time, they did not comply with the requirements ot the Act, I should take proceedings; and in the case of that company and the London and Brighton Company the inspector found everything to be as he could have wished when he visited their premises a second time. Therefore, without ascribing too much to myself, I think that in this matter of additional inspection I adopted a very practi- cal mode of checking the progress of the disease. I doubt very much whether the country would stand whit are called " very severe restrictions," for though tli3 disease exists, and every- body wishes to get rid of it, the percentage of deaths is very small. There has been a proposal tliat wesbould stop tlie lairs and markets of the country ; but I confess th it the Lord Presi- dent wiio would attempt that must be a holder man than I can cl um to be. And if 1 were bold enoujh to attempt it, I think THE FARMKR'li MAGAZINE. ii9 my doing fo \vo\ild very muc'i detract from wlmtever opiuiou you may piitfruin ot my jjrattical kiiuwlt-d;;r. Again, I Waut to know whether, il you stopped all the fairs aud markets of the counlry, you would thereby stamp out the disease. You must reiueiiiber tliat when you get tliose atiiuials to the fiirs and markets you have them inspected ; but if you stop the fairs aud markets yuu are not goiug to stop all tlie selling and buying tbrougliout the couutry, and animals bought on the premises of owners may be driven away without inspection aud disseminate di-ease in ways which it would be difficult to delect. Anotlier suggested remedy is the sliughler of all i-npurted animals at the port of debarcatiou. Xothing easitr than that. All you require is a body of slaughterers at eich port to wliicii cattli' are brought; but I would ask tho^e who proprose tliis remedy, " Are you going to slaujiiler all the store animals which come from abroad as well as the fat ones?"' Il so, wliat are our graziers to do ? Nobody will get up and assert that we are not in some measure depending on foreign supplies for our stock of store animals. Therefore, I say tha' a proposition to slaughter at tne port of debarcatiou all animals comiug from abroad is one to prohibit the briu^iing into this country of auima's for grazing purposes. But there is another point, and one which much concerns the consumer. I shall uot bind myself to exact figures, but 1 am told that of all the annuals brought into London not more than one-half are for Loudon consumption. The remainder are sent to the inanulacturiug districts, whose productions form the staple trade of this couutry. I ask, then, would it be possible to slaughter the animals io LonCon, and send their meat to these districts F In warm weather it would be irapofsible, aud there- fore the proposition involves a very serious consideration lor large masses ol the population of this country. But there is a fact in conni ctiuu with the foot-and-mouth disease which, ;doin ; but compulsory slaughter is in force in this country, while compulsory slaughter is not iu force in Ireland. There are difficulties in the way of enforcing com- pul-ory slaughter iu Ireland, and this is not the first occasion on which I have said so, because I referred to these difficulties iu my place in Parliament, when replying to aquestiou on the subject put by Lord Kimberley ; but I by no means say that those difficulties aro insurmountable. I am not lorgetful of a sijiuii of my friend the late Mr. Brunei, that difficulties were made ouly to be surnuunled. I must, however, observe that the Orders iu Council applying to Ireland are not under my direction, and neither is the Irish Trivy Council. The Irish Orders aud the Irish Privy Council are under the Irish Govern- ment, aud there is this difficulty also, that in Ireland there is only one local authority — namely, the Government in Dubliu, while in England there are over 400 local authorities. In Ireland the persons who carry out the Act are not gentlemen selected for the duty in eonsequeuce cf their veterinary know- ledge, but policemen. The Irish policeman is the authority who gives the order for an animal to be slaughtered, aud the compensation for all animals slaughtered by order of the police- man comes, not out of a local, hut out of a general, rate. I hear from persons well acquainted with the couutry that no great injustice is done to those who contribuie to that rate, because someone in the neighbourhood woiilJ be sure to make discovery if animals were unduly or improperly slaughtered; but you will readily perceive that the waut of a local autho- rity gives rise to difficulties in Ireland which have not to be encountered iu cirrying out the Act in this counlry. There are difficulties in Ireland iu the way of dealing with compul- sory slaughter which do not exist in England ; but I quite auree with my lion, and gallant friend (Colonel Barltelot) that this is a state of things which ought uot to be allowed to con- tinue. I have been in communication with the Irish Goverc- raent on this and other points, and have been pointing out the anomaly which exists, in the hope that meaus may be found for surmounting what I think is a difficulty which ought to be dealt with. I have thought it; right to say so much on a subject wliich I know causes much anxiety in the country, and which, I can assure you, has never ceased to engage the atten- tion, not only of my own department, hut of aU my colleagues in the Government. THE HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND. The monthly meeting of the directors was held at George IV. Bridge, Edinburgh. Present — the Hou. G. R. Vernon ; Sir Thomas Buchan Hepburn, Bart. ; Sir George Macpherson Grant, Birt. ; Professor Balfour, Mr. Erskine, Mr. Gillon, Mr. Milne Home, Mr. Uowatson, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Irvine, Mr. Johnstone, Mr. Sinall Keir, Mr. Mackenzie, Mr. Kenneth Muckenzie, C. A.; Mr. Martin, Mr. Munro, Mr. Murray, Mr. Stevenson, Mr. Swinton, Captain Tod, Mr. Walker, Mr. Pettigrew Wilson, Professor Wilson — Mr. Small Keir in the chair. It was remitted to a committee — consisting of Sir Thomas Buchan Hepburn, Bart , convener; Mr. Pettigrew Wilson, of Polquhairn ; Mr. Swinton, Holyn Bank ; and Mr. Walker, of Bowland — to draw up a report for the consideration of the next meeting of the board with reference to the remit from the general meeting in June on the establishment of agri- cultural experimental stations. The Secretary, in submitting a statement of the funds at the close of the financial year on the 30th November, reported that the books and vouchers had of that date been placed in the hands of Mr. Kenneth Maczenzie, C. A., the Society's auditor. Tlie report by the committee on office-bearers for 187G was given in, aud the secret iry was instructed to communicate with the noblemen aud gentlemen suggested to fill the vacancies, which occur in January next, before publishing their names. The examination of candidates for the bursiries recently established by the Society was held on the 16th November, 70 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. wlien Mr. Aleiinder Sutherland, Public School, Gersny, Wattea, Golspie, passed for a bursary of £30. By tlie regula- tions Mr. Sutherland requires to take the classes in the Edinburgh University necessary to quality for the Society's certificate or diploma. The examiners were Professor Wilson, Professor Balfour, and Dr. William Stirling, of the Edinburj^h University. A.t tlie last meeting of the board it was remitted to the comojittee on general shows to consider and arrange the premiums to be offered next year at Aberdeen, Ths committee held its meeting on the 17th November. The list was approved, and will be submitted to a meeting of nif-mbers to be held iu Aberdeen on friuay, December 17th. The reports by the committees on dislrict shows and on cottages and gardens, detailing the awards at the various com- petitions held during J 875, and suggesting the districts for 1876, were submitted and approved. EAST ABERDEENSHIRE ELECTION. To the discredit of tie tenant-farmers of East Aberdeenshire Mr. George Hope has been defeated by a iTinjority of 345, and Lieuteoaut-General Sir Alexander Gordon has been sent to Parliament instead. We. say to the discredit of the tenant-farmers of that county, because at least two-thirds of the electors are tenant-farmers. What can be done for such men ? When they have the best possible opportunity they will not help themselves- There was Mr. Hope, the very man to represent their views in Parliament, and to join Mr. Read, although from the opposite side of the House, in removing the abuses which stand in the way of agricultural progress aiid prosperity ; yet they have rejected him, and have c'loseu iu his stead a gentleman who, tor aught we know, mjy be a very worthy represeutative of landlords, but who can hardly represent Scottish tenants as ^Ir. Ilojje would h ive represented them. And why ? As far as we can yet tell, because Scotch bigotry came in as a disturbing influence, and voters, who had only to consider which of the two candidates before them was the betterrepresentative of their political views, imagined that they were members of a Presbytery engaged in a trial of the orthodoxy of two candidates for the miuistry of their parish kirk. Mr. IIoj e, it appears, is not " sound" iu his tlieological Opinions — that is, he differs somewhat from the majority of Scotch Calvinists — and so they, with more zeal than logic, have rejected him as their Parliamentary represeuta- tive. Another reason given for the defeat we cannot place much stress upon. It is that the Liberals engaged no conveyances to take voters to the poll, whilst the Conservatives hired a great many. Now we know that huudreds of voters in every constituency will not take the least trouble to esercise the privilege of the franchise ; but farmers have their own conveyances, and cannot require hired carriages to take them to vote for the man of their choice. Then, as the I'armers constitute two- thirds of the voters, we cannot attribute Mr. Hope's failure to the want of hired conveyances, because if the farmers had been wise and courageous he would have had an easy victory without the votes of the poorer classes of electors who require to be driven to the poll. Mr. Hope, no doubt, made a great blunder when he promised to vote for the omission of the clause iu the Coronation Oath which biuds our Sovereigns to the profession and maiutea ance of the Protestant religion ; but, as that is not in the least likely to be a question of serious debate in Parlia- ment, the electors could have afforded to smile at this fad of their candidate's. We shall no doubt heir more in explanation of this defeat by-and-by. Perhaps it may turn out that land- lordism joined with bigotry in depriving the tenants of East Aberdeenshire of one of the best Members that an agricultural constituency has ever had the chance of electing. "We shall look to some other Scotch county to redeem the disgrace that has fallen upon East Aberdeen- shire, when an opportunity occurs ; but we do not the less feel a sense of humiliation in recording one more wretched blunder on the part of those whose interests we advocate and whose welfare we desire. THE DIFFICULTIES OF MODERN FARMING. It is all very well for farmers of land suitable to per- manent pasture to say, when they contemplate the present gloomy prospects of farming as a means of livelihood, " to grass we must go ;" but it must not be forgotten that on an immense area of land iu this country permanent pasture would hardly pay rent, tithes, and taxes, as at present levied. As a general rule permanent pasture pays only on a rich soil, on low-lying land, or in a moist climate. Now over a large pro])ortion of the land in England, including some of the best wheat-growing districts, not oneof these conditions will apply. It is true that good wheat-growing soils are rich in the constituents which produce the cereals, but in many instances they would never make rich pastures. Take the county of Essex for an instance. Some of the land in that county produces as much wheat per acre as is grown anywhere in the country ; but look at the pastures. It would probably be difficult to find an acre of meadow land in the county that could fatten a bullock. No doubt Essexmea farm their pastures very badly ; but there is some reason, if not excuse, for this. The heavy land will not bear stock for much more than half the year, and the climate of Essex is so dry that no dependence can be placed upon a crop of grass on the light soils. Grass on the clays might be greatly benefited by draining and heavj manuring, but in a dry summer there would never be s heavy cut. Land that would grow five or six quarters of wheat per acre would not yield half a ton of hay in a season like that of 1868 and two or three similar years of receut experience. In a wet year, when but little corn is produced on these heavy soils, the crop of grass may be bulky, but the quality is generally very inferior. It may be objected that the advice to lay down permanent pasture was never intended to apply to the Eastern Counties, and especially not to. Essex, and that farmers who can grow five or six quarters of wheat per acre can have no need to think of any change in their system of farming. In reply to this the heavy-land eastern farmer would say, in the first place, that be only grows good crops of corn in dry summers, and iu the second, that his expenses are uncommonly heavy, and their modern increase pi-oportiouately so. There is no one who is more tried than he is by the increase of the working expenses of farming, and if he cannot profitably lay his land dowa to grass, what is he to do ? His crops are not much, if any heavier than they were twenty years ago, and prices are lower ; whereas his expenses have enormously increased. He only got a fair living then, so he must THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 71 obtain somethiup; less tlian a fair one now. For thu last teu ju-ars at least, the average profits of corii-fariiiing have been exceedingly sina-ll, even vvliere there has not bceu actual loss, and ])ros])ects are blacker thau ever. Sueh land as we are reierring to is not suitable for stock breeding ou an extensive scale, and grazing, as a rnie, does not pay. To what quarter, then, should the tenant look for I'elief? The reply seems obvious — to his landlord. The land is worth less than it was to farm, and rents jshonld come down. Even under the most favourable conditions the couversiou of arable iand into permanent pasture ei'uld seldom bo rccomiiunded ou any other grunnd thau that of a reduction of expenses. 'I'he returns would almost invariably be much less, at any rate for many years to come, and for that time, at least, the rent •Bhould be reduced. A farmer would think he had done wonders if he succeeded in reducing his working expenses to the extent of a pound an acre over his whole farm ; but a very slight alteratiou in the cropping of his laud might result iu the reduction of his returns to more than that amount. There is another way of bringing down the expenses of farming that is far more likely to commend itself to the approval of the farmers of clay land than an attempt to grow grass under unfavourable conditions, and that is a return to the old system of b.ire fallows. Under that system not only is the cost of labour very much less, ■but there is less need to sj)end money in manures. But Lere, again, we get to siualler returns, and there is still the question whether the reduction in these would not be proportionately greater thau the decrease iu the working expenses. In short, a resort to old-fashioned farming, whether iu the form of grass-growing instead of c,' thr cause whicli he had so long and so faithfully served (cheers). Mr. 'i'. HoRLEY said he )iad very great pleasure in seconding the resolution. He believed tiiat movement would prove one of ti>e most popular movements ever set on foot in England in eonnrction with agriculture. From what he knew of the farmers of England, he felt sure that throughout the length and breadth of the land there would be manifested a cordial des re to express admiration of the public conduct of Mr Read, as exhibited for many years past; and lie earnestly lioped that they would be enabled to present him witli a testi- monial which would not only be intrinsically valuable, but ■valuable also on account of the great number of names asso- ciated with it, and as siiowing tliat he still enjoyed the con- fidence of the farmers of this country. The resolution was then adopted. Mr. T. CoNGREVE proposed that a committee should be at once formed for the purpose of carrying out the object of the meeting, and added that he was quite sure that the move- ment would be supported enthusiastically, and be carried to a most successful issue. Mr. Major-Lucas, in seconding the motion, said though nothing from him could add to the laurels which Mr. Read had already gained, be could not help bearing his humble testimony to the excellent and efficient manner in which that gentleman had always performed his Parliamentary duties, and remarked that he had retired from the Government honourably and gracefully (cheers). The motion having been put and carried, Mr. Wise (Warwickshire) moved that the gentlemen pre- sent should form the committee, and should have power to add to their number. He said he felt the highest admiration for Mr. Read, and for his noble and disinterested conduct in retiring from the Government, adding tliat justice required that, in reference to the conduct of the Government on the question at which he was at issue with them, they should not forget the maxim " A?fdi al/eram par/em." Dr. Adams (Suffolk), in seconding the motion, expressed Jiis admiration ot Mr. Read's honour and integrity as a poli- tician, and said his practical knowledge of agriculture was such as almost any farmer might envy. Mr. Hayward (also from 'Suffolk), in supporting the motion, said he considered Mr. Read a man of whom agri- culturists might all well be proud. In politics he differed from him entirely, but in that case they had nothing to do with politics — (Hear, hear) — and, highly respecting Mr. Read in other points ot view, he felt great pleasure in taking part in that movement (cheers). The motion was then agreed to. Mr. H. Cheffins, after saying that he had known Mr. Read for many years, and that he highly esteemed him in his public as well as his private capacity, moved that Mr. James Odams should be treasurer of the fund, and said he was sure that in his liands the duties of that office would be well discharged. Mr. H. Trethewy, in seconding the motion, observed that Mr. Odams was a gentleman who was so well-known to agriculturists that the bare mention of his name was quite sufficient in connection with such a proposal (Hear, hear). The motion having been adopted, Mr. J. Odams, in accepting the office of treasurer, ex- pressed his deep regret at the circumstances wliieb had in- duced Mr. Read to leave the Government, and his cordial concurrence in the object of the meeting. The Chairman explained that it had not been sought to place a noble lord or a large landed proprietor at the head of that movement, becau&e it was felt that it would be more pleasant and agreeable to Mr. Read for the movement to be inaugurated by his brother farmers. But at the same time he said it should be remembered that Mr. Read's efforts as a public man had not been confined to the promotion of the interests of tenant- farmers, but that the advancement and the general welfare of agriculture had been his ruling principle throughout his public career (Hear, hear). They all knew that he had rendered eminent se vices, not only in Parliament, but also at tmportant discussions at meefiings of the Chambers of Agri- culture in London and th provinces, and that he had told eome good plain truths when he was on the Counoi) of the Royal Agricultural Society ; am' those present who belonged to the Farmers' Club knew also how valuible were his con-- tributioiis on subjects connected wiih practical agriculture, and that not the least valuable were bis criticisms on the papers of others. It was on sucii grounds certainly, not on accourit of Mr. Read's political opinions (laughter), that he had thrown himself so thoroughly into that movement; be would merely add that, having watched his friend's course most narrowly, he could say of iiim that he had always been au Agriculturist first and a Conservative after (clieers). Mr. Grimmer (Norfolk) stid he had tnken upon bjmself the responsibility of convening a meeting in Norfolk in sup- port of that object. Having iiad the honour of nominating Mr. Read when he was first sent to Parliament as a Norlblk member, he had naturally watched his ^ub^equent conduct with great interest, and he was extremely gratified at the manner in which he had endeavoured to promote the interest* of agriculture. Dr. Adams said, having been present at the meeting in Norfolk just referred to, he wished to observe that those who took a leading part in it had no wish for iscdated action, their desire being that the testimonial should be of a national character. Mr, J. K. Fowler concurred in tin's view, and hoped that sub-committees would be formed in every county in England, and that the farmers of Scotland would also join in the movement. The Chairman also expressed an earnest hope that the movement would be general, and tliat Norfolk would not act alone, adding that Mr. Read ought not to be looked upon merely as a Norfolk man. It was then stated tliat letters expressing approval of the object had been received from Mr. A. Pell, M.P., Mr. Henry Corhet, Mr. J. A. Clarke, Mr. G. F. Muntz, Mr. C. M Cahiecott, Mr. Wakefield, Mr. E. Scriven, Mr. Finlay Dun, Mr. tt Rob- bins, and Mr. Ford, Warwickshire; Mr. Charles Howani, Biddenham, B<^di'ordshire ; BIr. W. D. Everington, Norfolk ; Mr. J. Bowen Jones and Mr. Nevet, Shropshire ; Mr. S. Beveridge, Oxfordshire ; Mr. R. H. MastVn, Staffordshire ; Mr. Bryan and Mr. Wortley, Rutlandshire ; Mr. Walter Farthing, Devonshire ; Mr. Whitaker Wilson, Mr. Joseph Wilson, Mr. Russon, and Mr. T. Boultbee, Worcestershire, and Mr. Stratton, "VVilishire, &c., the last-named gentleman having forwarded a ciieqne for £25. On the motion of Mr. T. HoRLEY, a cordial vote of thanks was given to Mr. James Howard forpr siding. Immediately after tlie terniination of this meeting a com- mittee meeting was held in furtherance of the object. CLARE SEWELL READ TESTIMONIAL FUND. TO THE EDITOR OT THE MARK LANE EXPRESS. Sir, — The committee of this fund, of which Mr. James Howard, of Clai)ham-])ark, Bedfordshire, is Chairman, and Mr. James Odams, of the Grange, Bishop Stortfoid, is Treasurer, have appointed myself as Honorary Secre- tary, and we have an ofBce at the Salisbury Hotel. The prospectus, together with coHectiug-cards, will be issued in a day or two ; and subscriptions received by the Chair- man, Treasurer, or the Honorary Secretary will be acknow- ledged by letter or by advertisement in the agricultural pipers. Collectors are being appointed in all the counties of England and in Wales, Scotland, and Ireland ; and it is believed that a sum of niotiey will be raised worthy of ihe agriculturists of the kingdom. May I notify through your columns that I shall be glad to receive prompt communications from gentlemen willing to collect subscriptions in their respective neigh- bourhcjods? It is proposed to complete the fund, if jiossible, by the end of January. I have the honour to be, your obedient servant, John Algernon Clarke, Hoo. Sec. Snlishwt/ Koftl, Fleel-streef, London, Dec. 2^ 1S75. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 73 REVIEW OE THE CORN TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. November closed with some snow and a wintry aspect, which was soon followed up with unusual severity, till we had fourteen degrees of frost and an unusual coveriug of snow throughout the couutry, which, coraiug at so early a perioj of the season, appeared like an earnest of the smart winters of former times ; but, after one week had passed, these formidable threatenings gave place to a thaw, which gradually became more decided, till the weather was thoroughly open, and the little, but sharp, winter seemed a thing of the past. We are glad to find no harm was done by the recent visit ; but as to the sowings in arrears, they seem indefinitely postponed, though we still hope for a better opportunity to get the seed-wheat into the ground. There will be less tempta- tion to plant barley in their stead, from the fact that its price has given way, from its generally stained and infe- rior quality. No chance has yet been presented for the revival of the wheat trade, though the general deliveries of home produce have been much below last year's, for imports 50 per cent, beyond it have taken place, and filled the London granaries almost to overflowiug, and the thaw has not been without its influence, with its damp, and the idea it suggested of further imports before we should be ready for them. Yet, on looking to our averages, the change in prices has been trivial, those of London only giving way 2s. per qr. in the four weeks, while the general averages only a decline of 5d. per qr. In fact, the rates are too low to make holders anxious, while money is so abundant and farmers show so little power to overcharge the markets. It is left, therefore, to time and ordinary consumption to do their gradual work and harden prices as the season advances. Two things are certain ; we have had a bad yield and autumnal seed-time, and should there be an unfavourable spring prices must advance, for we have no rif;ht to expect our imports will remain on the same scale. There is no superabundance either in Europe or America, but rather a deficiency, and the only country where it exists appears to be South Australia, where the power of export to all places is not expected to exceed one million quarters. With the approach of Christmas and return of mild weather, foreign markets have generally been in sym- pathy with our own, Odessa excepted, where confidence still exists for the future ; and when we consider the high price of meat and low rates for bread, it is evident that a rise of 10s. per qr. would not be enough to make it dear. The lollowing prices have been recently paid at the several places named : The best white wheat at Paris Sis. per qr., at Bordeaux 478. ; Berdianski at Marseilles 49s. 7d. ; top price at Bruges 46s.; at Liege the same ; at Verviers 48s. ; at Brussells 50s.; at Maestricht 47s.; wheat for March at Amsterdam 463. ; at Hambro', c. f. i., 5l8. ; old at Danzig, c. f. i., 58s., new 55s., c. f. i. ; red at Berlin 43s. 6d. ; at Cologne 44s. 6d.; at Petersburg 438. 3d. ; at Vienna 44s. ; at Stettin 43s. ; at Breslau 42s. ; Bessarahian at Odessa 44s. 2d., Polish the same, also Sandomirka ; at Adelaide 38s., at New York 38s. per 4801bs. The last Monday in November not being included in previous review, it becomes the first market of the pre- sent four weeks. The morning opened on short sU(jplies of English wheat, but with heavy arrivals of foreign — say 67,000 qrs., two-thirds of which were from America aud Kussia in about equal proportions, and a fair quantity from the Baltic. The weather having become more frosty the short morning's supply was in rather improved condition, and so made fully the previous rates ; but second-rate parcels were not in demand. The foreiiin trade evinced more activity, and some holders of red were able to obtain a slitcht advam^e on previous quotations, but it was grudgingly paid. With but few cargoes off the coast prices were unaltered. The country trade this week evinced more firmness from the improved condition of samples, and several places noted an improvement of Is. per qr., as Manchester, Newbury, aud Louth. Liverpool, though firmer on Tuesday, with a quiet trade, became dull on Friday. Though wheat at Edinburgh was rather against sellers, Glasgow noted increased firmness. At Dublin no change was noted. On the second Monday there was another short supply of home growth, while the foreign arrivals fell oft' fully two-thirds. But few fresh samples came from the near counties during the morning, the condition being but moderate. The short supply of fine lots went off at pre- vious Monday's rates, but inferior sorts were difficult to place. In foreign the business was limited, but holders fully maintained quotations. In floating cargoes there was no change Sharp frost having set in the country markets showed a hardening tendency, and some of them were again Is. per qr. dearer, though but few, and the business done was not extensive. Wheat on Tuesday at Liverpool brought previous prices, but on Friday it was Id. to 2d. per cental lower. Edinburg this week was Is. dearer, and Glasgow 6d. cheaper ; while at Aberdeen there was no change. The Dublin trade was steady, at previous prices. On the third Monday the English supply was moderate, and the foreign, compared with late imports, much re- duced. But few fresh samples appeared ou the Essex aud Keutish stands, and the condition was deteriorated by the thaw. Even picked lots went off with difficulty at former prices, and in some cases were rather cheaper, the re- mainder being of irregular value. The foreign trade also, notwithstanding the diminished arrivals, was exceedingly slowj^and somewhat lower, where sales were pressed. With many arrivals oft' the coast, buyers were hoping to buy at some decline. The dull reports from London and very mild damp weather being much against samples, the business in the country was slow, and prices tending downwards, several places noting a decline of Is. per qr., as Norwich, Halesworth, Great Yarmouth, Birmiugham, and Bristol. Liverpool, on Tuesday, was Id. to 2d. cheaper per cental, aud on Friday a like decline was reported. Edinburgh and Leith were without change, but Glasgow was down about Is. per qr. Dublin wa» dull ou Tuesday, and 6d. cheaper on Friday's market. On the fourth Monday the English supplies were moderate, while the foreign were considerably increased ; India importing most, and America the next largest quantity. The morning's supplies from Essex and Kent were very scanty, and the condition damaged by the damp mild weather, but there was too little on show for factors to lower the rates, though business was very slow, even in the best samples. The foreign trade seemed in suspense, no one pressing sales, and scarcely any buyers making inquiry. Cargoes afloat were unaltered. The arrivals in London tor four weeks were, in English wheat, 21,493 qrs., in foreign 154,106 qrs., against 28,501 qrs. English, 63,376 qrs., foreign for the same time last year. The imports into the kingdom for four weeks. 74 THE FARMiCR'S MAGAZINE, ending Dec. 11th were 4,334.023 cwts. wheat, 417,581 cwts. Flour, against 2,174,109 cwts. wheat, 390,719 cwts. flour in 1874. The Louduu exports for four weeks were 1,889 qrs. The London averaf^es commenced at 47s. 9J., and closed at 47s. 7d. The general averages opened at 47s., and finished at 46s. 7d. per qr. The flour trade during the mouth has been very dull, but prices have kept nominally at the former range, Norfolks made of old wheat still being held at 34s. per sack, and the higher grades in proportion, and town millers keeping the top price at 47s. ; while in Paris they have been selling their best marks at about 38s ; but we grant the flour there has much less strength than our own. As to American barrels it is the same as with our own samples — fine qualities, made of last year's wheat, being readily saleable at 26s., but inferior new were difii- cult to place at Is. to 2s. less. The late change to muggy mild weather has added to the difficulty of sales, none but the best being likely to keep in condition. The month's arrivals were, in country sorts, 87,090 sacks, in foreign 7,793 sacks 20,837 barrels, against 77,151 sacks country, 12,474 sacks 24,580 barrels foreign in 1874. With only moderate arrivals of British Barley, prices have all through the month been declining, most of the samples being discolored as compared with former years, so that secondary sorts have declined 2s. to 3s. per qr., aud have become quite of uncertain value, and in France rates have given way, but their best samples have become only worth 34s. free on board, and were difficult to place ; but anything really fine does not wait long for a customer, and grinding qualities, with moderate exports, have scarcely given way at all, being relatively cheaper than oats — say 25s. to 26s. per qr. for 50; bs. weight per bushel, while malting sorts keep inferior ; we do not expect they can rally. The imports intu London were 15,248 qrs. British, 39,127 qrs. foreign, against 3,112 qrs. British, 55,741 qrs. foreign in 1874. The malt trade, in sympathy with barley, has been languid, with prices somewhat easier, say 66s. for the best new, and 69s. for fine old ; with stocks increasing, and more anxiety to sell, we seem likely to be yet cheaper. Maize at the commencement of the month, from short supplies, advanced for two successive markets, but eventu- ally nearly lost as much, having round sorts worth 33s. to 34s., and flat 323. to 32s. 6d. It may be that the largeness of the new crop has thus pressed on prices, and prevented any advance on old, while grinding barley remained cheap. The London imports for the month were 14,728 qrs., against 15,856 qrs. for the same time last year. The oat trade has continued to fluctuate with the state of the weather and the supplies. At the beginning of the month, with sharp frost, though the arrivals were con- siderable, prices were moving upwards, say 6d. per qr. ; but on the third Monday, with a change to mild weather, and larger quantity on ofl'er, rates gave way 6d. on Russian qualities, and Is. on new Swedes. This reduction, how- ever, brought so many buyers to market that new sorts nearly recovered their position, 381bs. weight per bushel being worth 22s. 6d. to 23s., aud 401bs. 25s. ; and Russian sorts, though not dearer, kept their value pretty well, as but few more weie expected. The imports into London for four weeks were in English sorts 3,118 qrs., Scotch 669 qrs., Irish 25 qrs., foreign 255,737 qrs. against 1,568 qrs. Irish, 231,417 qrs. foreign last year. English Beans have been only in moderate supply, but foreign arrivals have been good ; yet this corn has been singularly firm, aud rather dearer, while everything else has been dull and declining. The chief reason seems to have been the extent of a country demand during the frost ; but now this has gone prices have been fairly maintained. Fine old small English are worth 54s. to 56s., Mazagans 463., fine Harrows 50s., Egyptian 43s., Italian 47s. Should cold weather return, as stocks are only moderate, prices may yet harden. The im- ports into London for the four weeks were in English 4,371 qrs., in foreign 13,535 qrs,, against 5,028 qrs. English, 1,825 qrs. foreign in 1874. As to peas, the crop of which was decidedly short and of inferior quality, the supplies have been less than those of beans, and consisted mostly of hog-feeding sorts, which were held high — say 42s. per qr., and the best white boilers to 45s. The frost did not last long enough to stimulate the demand for such, but as good Ganadiau have been offering at 42s. and 43s., they would of course come first into request, and may yet be wanted before winter is over, which would cause an advance. The im- ports into London for four weeks were 3,612 qrs. English, 14,076 qrs. foreign, against 3,380 qrs. English, 9,197 qrs. foreign for the same period last year. Linseed has been advancing, and obtained Is. more money, but lately unusual imports from India have about brought it to its for.mer level, though stocks having long been short the arrivals were wanted, and their temporary pressure must soon disappear. The imports into London were 63,294 qrs., against 14,581 qrs. iu 1874. The cloverseed trade has been steadily improving as to red sorts for some time, the foreign arrivals consisting chiefly of fine French and a little German, the value of which from the first quotations has been raised 10s. per cwt., with a firmness at the close, from the non- appeai'ance of English samples and unfavourable advices from America as to the crop, so that but little is now expected trom that quarter. Foreign spring tares have been advancing here and in Hambro', and though Christmas and mild weather have slackened the demand, we expect iu the spring they will be dear. LONDON AVERAGES. Wheat 2,333 qrs. 488. 7d. Barley 1,155 „ 378. 6d. Oats — „ —8. Od. COMPARATIVE AVERAGES. WHEAT. BARLEY. 1 OAT8. Tears. Qrs. 8. d. Qra. 8. d. Qrs. s. d. 1871.. 69,2U| . . 55 8 87,6231 .. 36 9 6,612^ ... 23 0 1872.. . 53,27rti . . 66 3 71,2778 . .. 41 2 5,759| .. 23 2 1873.. 56,610^ . . 61 7 88,744f .. 44 7 3,642i .. 26 3 1874.. . 66,315| , . 45 1 97,830f . .. 44 7 4,0761 .. 29 H 1875.. . 50,730 . . 4U 7 76,4671 . .. 35 4 4,580i .. 24 10 f LUCTUATIONS in the AVERAGE PRICE of WHEAT Pbicb. Nov. 13. Nov. 20. Nov. 27. Dec. 4. Dec. 11. ] 47s. 8d. ~~"n ... ... 47s, Od. ... *• *"*"~i **i ... 46s. 8d. ... ... ^ ^mm^^ ... 46s. 7d. ••. ... ... *- ... ^. 46s Id. ... ... ... *" FOREIGN GRAIN ENTERED FOR HOME CON- SUMPTION DURING THE WEEK. ENDINft DeC 18. Wheat cwts. 220136 Barley „ 23280 Oats , 224185 Beans 5296 Peas owts. 655^ Maize Flour 8203' ■^"?* Print«d by Hazill, Watsom, i Yij(1t,36S, Strnad, Loudon. THE EARMER'S MAGAZINE. VOLUME THE FORTY-EIGHTH. IHIRl) .«BRTEg, JULY TO DECEMBER, MDCCCLXXV, LONDON PtJBLISHED BY ROGEESON AND TUXFOED, 265, STRAND. MAY BE HAD BY ORDER THROUGH ALL BOOKSELLERS LONBON : PRINTKD BT HAZELL, WATSOK, & VINE!, 265, STRAND, INDEX. A. AgrifuUural Holdings Act, 1, 75, 77, 155, 269, 323, 44 "-52 Agricultu d Labourers' Union, 157 Agricultural Report, 221 Agricultural Societies : — Bath and West of England, 218, 268 Boroughbridge, 353 Cheshire, 243 Engineers', 407 Highland, 45, 86, 269, 435 New South Wales, 158, 197 Royal Agricultural Benevolent, 44, 68 Royal Agricultural of England, 41, 93, 156, 195, 429, 456 Royal Agricultuial of Ireland, 52, 97, 268, 288, 355 Shorthorn, 46, 90, 137, 196, 434 Autumnal Addresses, 239 B. Barley at Rothamstead, 185 Business of a Farmers' Club, 315 C. Capital and Labour, 284 Chambers of Agriculture : — Banbury, 420 Bucks, 421 Central, 47, 438 Cheshire, 423, Devonshire, 379 Essex, 352 Monmouthshire, 348 Notts, 200, 416 Scottish, 444 Shropshire, 367 Warwick, 420 West Riding, 363 York, 238,413 Condensed Milk, 330 Contagious Disease of Animals, 62 Co-operation, 340 Corn Trade Reviews, 73, 153, 233, 313, 393, 473 County Financial Boards, 367 D. Dairy Farming on Light Land ; by the Northern Farmer, 167, 337 Denbighshire Prize Farms, 375 E, Earl of Darnley and Mr. Lake, 3 J 8, 409 Education in the Rural Districts, 379, 431 Education of Farmers' Sons, 423 Elections and Farmers, 316 Embarkation or Debarkation, 335 English Subservience, 409 Essex Calves and Suffolk Cheeses, 322 Fairs, 69, 143, 147, 170, 391 Farmers' Clubs ; — Banff, 240 Bideford, 159 Blandford, 326 Carmarthenshire, 215 East Lothian, 82, 182, 349> Kincardineshire, 45 1 London, 395 Maidstone, 84 Midland, 91, 342 N. E. Somerset, 279 Penrith, 184, 211 Puslinch, Ontario, 385. Smithfield, 435 Farjiing at Home and Abroad : — Australia, 425 India, 1 62 Ireland, 170 Scotland, 91, 240 Somersetshire, 327 Sutherlandshire, 328 Turkey, 185 Farmers' Grievances, 228 Farm Horses, 326 Fertilisers; by the Northern Farmer, 337,411, 459 Foot-and-mouth Disease, 235, 336, 341, 348 Friendly Societies, 24, 324 G. Gorso as Food, 215 Grain Averages, 154, 474 Guano Adulteration, 443 H. Horse Breeding, 288, 363- Horse Shoes, 17 Imports of Wheat, 259 Inoculation, 158 n^DEX. Judging by Points, 458 Local Taxation, 200 L. m: KlaltTax, 3, 211 Management of the Bath and West of Englaud Show, 4 MsETiNGS OF THE HaLF-YEAR :— Alexandra Park, 5 Alnwick, 207 Belfast, 138 Birmirgiiam, 222 Brentwood, 110 Cirencetiter, 177 Cleckheat>n, 178 ' I Cork, 179 Croydon, 25-40 Ciistrin, Germany, 45 Derby, 291 Doncaster, 9S Driffield, 187 Dublin, 194- "^ Fakenham, 8 Frome, 347 Glasgow, 171 Grimsby, 139 Hereford, 144 Hertford, 108 Islington, 40, 51 Lancaster, 267 Leamington, 192 Leicester, 266 Leominster, 249 Londonderry, 219 Ladlow, 346 Milton, 180 Manchester, 466 Portsmouth, 13 Peterborongh, 106 Preston, 104 Ripon, 105 St. Ives, 294 Shaftesbury, 407 Shap, 264 Shifnal, 296 Shrewsbury, 175 Southport, 176 Stowmarket, 70 Taunton, 114-] 37 Thirsk, 102 Truro, 141 Tunbridge Wells, 356 Uttoxeter, 245 Wisbeach, 298 Woburn, 113 Worcester, 209 O. Opening of the "Winter Session, 408 P. Plums and Apples, 170 Politics at Quarter Session e, 452' Poor Law Admiuistration, 56, 222, 236>236, 317, 413, 460 Poultry Rearing, 257 Presentation to Mr Mechi, 227 Prize Farms, 243, 375 Prizes at the Shows, 217, 406 Prospects of Agriculture, 22 Q. Quarter Sessions, 452, 456 R. Romford Sewage Farm, 169 R lot Crops ; by Dr. Voelckar, 395 Root Shows : Messrs, Carter's, King's, Sutton's, and Webb's, 468-470 Rotation of Crop?, 82, 237 Rural Schools, 379-42-1 S. Sales — Miscellaneous :— • Bxmoors, 297 Hacks, 15 Herefords, 15 Leicesters, 230, 311 Lincolns, 310 Oxford Downs, 167, 230 Pigs, 181 Polled Cattle, 150, 389 Ponies, 15 Rims, 69, 179, 181, 230, SlO Shropshires, 230, 250, 309 Southdowns, 150, 311, 390 Sales of Shorthorns :— ' Ashholrae, 307 Aylesbury, 273 Ballywalter, 387 Barrow, 390 Bicton, 389 Bletchley, 391 Brailes, 307 Bromley Hall, 389 Burton-on-Trent, 471 Castle Eden, 391 Charlton Court, 305 Clapton, 388 Conishead, 304 Crook, 69 Duncombe Park, 170" Dunmore, 277 Holbeck, 387 Lathom, 301 Lower Eaton, 15 Oubliston, 387 Radford, 308 Ridlington, 390 Rathersthorpe, 390 Koxwell, 305 INDEX, Sandwith, 38G Scaleby Casble, 278 Sittyton, 470 Wiiteriiigbury, 149 Westou Court, 471 Westou Park, 90 Whitehall, Wigton, 302 Sewage Farms, 250, 263, 383 Sewage of Paris, 262 Sheep Breeding, 197 Siiorthorn IntelHgenee, 300 Shorthorns : their General Utility, 279 Steam Cultivation, 84, 182, 416 Table-talk, 357 Tenant-Right, 7(5, 159 Thoroughbreds at the Royal Show, 3 Tiptree, 148 V. Veterinary College Charter, 145 Veterinary Department of the Privy Council, 331, 342 Village Organisation, 370 W. Wheat from Oats, 458 Wheat Imports, 259 Wool Markets of the World, 15 THE EMBELLISHMENTS. Champion Shorthorn Prince Charley . Grand Duke of Kent 2nd , Tenants' Rights Prize Shorthorn Cows The Duke Page 1 75 155 236 315 395 TO AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT MANUFACTURERS, ESTATE AGENTS, &o. a H. MA Y, 18, GRAOEOHUECH STREET, LONDON. ESTABLISHED 1846. APPOINTED AGENT TO THE ADMIRALTY, TRINITY HOUSE, &c., Ac. ADVERTISEMENTS INSERTED IN ALL THE LONDON, PROVINCIAL, POREIGN, AND COLONIAL PAPERS. TO LANDOWNERS, TAHMERS, AND OTHERS. EVERY DESCRIPTION OF THE FINEST WINES AND SPIRITS SUPPLIED BY WESTON T. TFXFORD k CO., IMPORTERS, 48, FENCHURCH STREET, LONDON, E.G. ESTABLISHED 1847. SAMPLES FORWARDED FREE OF CHARGE ON APPLICATION. LONDON AND COUNTY BANKING COMPANY. ESTABLISHED IN 1836, AND INCORPORATED IN 1871 UNDER " THE COMPANIES ACT, 1862." SUBSCRIBED CAPITAL... £3,750,000, in 75,000 SHARES of £50 EACH. PAID-UP CAPITAL 1,200,0001 «, 40^^700 INSTALMENT ON NEW SHARES >223,790 J *^' '^"^ RESERVE FUND 525,000-1 ^^oi. qqk INSTALMENT OF PREMIUM ON NEW SHARES 111,895/ ^^-^^'^^^ T. TYRINGHAM BERNARD, Esq. ROBT. ALEX. BROOKS, Esq. THOMAS STOCK COWIE, Esq. FREDERTCK FRANCIS, Esq. Joint General Managees- CHIEF INSPECTOR. W. J. NOREOLK, Esq. DIRECTORS. FREDERICK HARRISON, Esq. 1 WILLIAM NTCOL, Esq. WM. CKAMPION JONES, Esq. | A. HODGSON PHILLPOTTS, FsQ. E. HARBORD LUSHINGTON, Esq. 1 WILLIAM HENRY STONE, Esq. . JAMES MORLEY, Esq. ' JAMES DUNCAN THOMSON, Esq. ■WILLIAM McKEWAN, Esq. and WHITEHEAD TOMSON, Esq. CHIEF ACCOUNTANT. SECRETARY. JAMES GRAY, Esq. GEORGE GOUGH, Esq. HEAD OFFICE, 21, LOMBARD STREET. Manasee— 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 etiier Bankers, or by chai'ging 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 ia allowed for such periods and at such rates as may be asfreeil upon, reference being had to the state of the Money Market. CIRCULAR NOTES AND LETTERS OP CRKDIT are issued, payable in the principal Cities and Towns of the Con- tenent, in Australia, Canada, India, and China, the United States, and elsewhere. The Agency of Foreign and Country Banks is undertaken. The PcBCHASB and Sale of Government and other Stocks, of English or Foreign Shares efFeoted, and Divibbhds, AwNuiTiBS, &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 Directors, WM. McKEWAN, ") Joint General WHITBREAD TOMSON, J Managers. 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 COMPOSITION, which requires no Boiling, and may be used with Warm or Cold Water, for effectually destiojiug the Tick, Lice, and all other inserts injurious to ttie Flock, preventing the alarmmg attacks of Fly and Shab, and cleansing and purifj'iDg the Skin, thereby greatly im- proving the Wool, both in quantity and qualitj', and highly Contributing to the general health of the animal. Prepai'ed only by Thomas Bigg, Chemist, &c., at his Manu- fiictory as above, and sold as lollows, although any other quantity may be had, if required: — 1 ib. for 20 sheep, price, jar included £0 61b. 30 8 1b. 40 101b. 60 201b. 100 801b. 150 40 1b. 200 60 1b. 250 60 1b. 300 601b. 400 100 lb. 600 (Cask 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. Heeepath, 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 effectually destroys vermin, itwill not injure the hair roots (or "yolk ") in the skin, the fleece, or the carcase. I thmk it deserves the numerous testimonials published. I am. Sir, yours respectfully, William Heeapath, Sen., F.C.S., &c., Ac, To Mr. Thomas Bigg Professor of Chemistry, itfioeatrer House, Qtxe&t i/orer-gtreet Boroue^h London. He would also especially call attention to his SPECIPIO, 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 thu-ty Sheep (according to the virulence of the disease) j also in wine quart bottles. Is. 3d. each. IMPORTANT TESTIMONIAL. " Scoulton, near Hinghnm, Norfolk, April 16th, 1855. "Dear Sir, — In answer to yours of the 4th inst., 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 invaluable ' Specific for the cureol' Scab in Sheep.' The 600 sheep were all dressed in August last with 84 gallons of the ' NoK-poisoNocs 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 instruoiions 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 Pebruai y during the dressing, your Specific jorovcd itself an invaluable remedy, for in three weeks the Sheep were quite cureil ; and I am happy to say the young lambs are doing remaricably well at present. In conclusion, I believe it to be the siiiest and best remedy now in use. " I remain, dear Sir, "For JOHN TINGEY, Esq., " To Mr. Thomas Bigg. ' " R. RENNBY. V^W Flockmasters would be well to beware of such pre- parations as " Non-pcisonoua Comjiositions :" it is only necessary to appeal to their gooc 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 Ufe. Such advertised preparations must be wholly useless, or they are not what they are represented to be. DIPPING API AKATUS Mi, £5, £i, & £3. ^r V axs^ <^ ; No. 2. Vol. XLVIIL] FEBRUARY, 1876. THE [Thibd Seeiis. FARMER'S MAGAZINE, AND MONTHLY JOURNAL or THE AGRICULTUEAL INTEREST. TO THE FARMERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. LONDON : PUBLISHED BYROGERSON AND TUXFORD, 265, STRAND. PRICK TWO SHILLINGS. HAZELL, WATSON, & VINKT] [PRINTERS, M6, STRAND THE FAEMEE'S MAGAZIE^E. CONTENTS. FEBRUARY, 187a Plat b.— MASTER EOBIN : A Royal Prize Devon Bull, The Property op Mb. Walter Farthing, of SrowaY Court, Bridgwater, Somerset. Benefit Societies The Relief of the Poor in Russia Large and Small Farms .... The Italian Iheoey of Relief of the Poor The Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. Notts Chamber of Agriculture : Annu.\l Meeting and Dinnej Meteorological Notes .... Dorchester Farmers' Club .... Fertilisers. — By the Northern Farmkr Hexham Farmers' Club : '1 he Agricultural Holdings Act The Norfolk Agbicclcural Association : Prize Essay on A Alfred J. Smith .... Teviotdale Farmers on the Util/sation of Town Sewage Professor Baldwin on Scientific Agriculture and Sootch Fie Pkeserved Foods, — By Dr. Crespi The Advantages of Changing Farm Se&ds North and South Couni ry Fahming Compared The Wheat Trade (Caru's Annual Report) Judging by Points "Prevention Better than Cure." Foot-and Diseases Amongst Cattle Lady Pigot as an Agriculturist and Shortho Contagious Diseases . The Agricultural Children Act The Farmers' Club Tithe Commutation — Septennial Average The Chilian International Exhibition Ths Past Year . . * . Landlords and the Agricultural Holdings Act Mr. C. S. Read, M.P. and the Ministry Fxtracts from Loud Leicester's Prize Fssay. The Agricultural Holdings Act The Preservation of Food by Freezing. Agricultural Education The Shorthorn Convention at Toronto Devon Longwools Pauperism and Charity . . . - North-Riding Tenant Farmers and Conservative Legislation Rkview of the Corn Trade During the Past Month liEvih;\v of the Cattle TxiADE During the Past Month Market Currencies .... Mouth and other Con RN Breeder No. II. ricultu D ExPE re. — By Patre- 75, 127 77 78 so 81 84 87 89 91 94 97 99 101 102 104 105 107 113 114 115 116 117 117 118 120 121 131 124 l2o 129, 139 133 143 144 145 U6 151 152 153 154 12 \ THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. FEBRUARY, 1S7G. PLATE, MASTER ROBIN: a Royal Prize Devon Bull. The Pkoperty or Me. "Walteii Farthing, ov Stovey Covet, Bridgwater, Somerset. BENEFIT SOCIETIES. The discussion which followed the reading of a psper oa Bsnelit Societies hy Mr. James Round, M.P., at the last meeting of the Essex Chamber of Agriculture, reported in our last number, turned chiefly upon the question of the establishment of a National Society, with firnds guaran- teed by Government, and under State control. The views of those who advocated the formation of such a society were summarised in the following resolution, moved as an amendment to a resolution proposed by the reader of the paper : " That a National Benefit Society be established under Government authority, whereby all may make pro- vision against old age or sickness, with a cer- tainty of enjoying what they make provision for ; thereby enabling the Poor-law to be more strictly enforced, and out-door relief to a great extent abolished." This amendment was carried ; but upon being afterwards put as a substantive resolution it was lost, owing to the fact that many of its supporters had left the room. Now we cannot suppose that many of those who 8ap])orted this amendment had sufllcieutly studied the subject with which it dealt, so as to havebecome acquainted with the objections and difficulties which stand in the way of the adoption of the proposed plan. These obstacles were briefly stated by Colonel Brise and Mr. Round, who re- ferred their hearers to the Fourth Report of the Friendly Societies' Commission, published in 1875, for a more complete statement of the arguments against the establishment of a National Society. It was upon this Report that the Friendly Societies Act passed last Session was chiefly based ; and those who are interested in the subject, and do not object to the hard labour of wading through a Blue-book of por- tentous dimensions, will find that it contains au immerse amount of valuable information. The objections to a National Society under the control of the Government are, however, very briefly given ; and a more complete statement of them must be looked for in the evidence given before the Commission. It will be seen that they Old Skries. are chiefly raised against the undertaking by Government of what is teruied the " ."ick business" of a benefit society and that the Commissioners expressed themselves strongly in favour of an extension of the system of Government life assurance and deferred annuities already established in connection with the Post-office, but, unfortunately, little known and used. It is said that if the Government undertook to administer sickness-relief to members of a National Society, it would be impossible to prevent im- position. It is further objected that the great object of fostering a spirit of independence amongst the people would be endaugered by removing all responsibility as to the provisions which they take for securing relief in sibk- nes3 by subscribing to societies of their own choosing. Lastly, the Commissioners urge that "' it would be diflicuit, if not impossible, at present to organise any system of Government sick assurance which would not carry with it something of the appearance of a relief system;" and they believe that, "while this would render it distasteful to many most deserving classes, it woukl rather tend to familiarise another class with the idea of looking to the State for support in time of need, and thui to break down the barrier of honourable pride which now deters many from claiming assistance from the poor- rates." Now it appears to us that only the first of the above objections to Government assurance for sickness-relief possesses any force, nor are we sure that even that is sufficient to outweigh the advantages of such a system. The difficulty of preventing shamming would, no doubt, be great, just as it is for the existing benefit societies. When it is said that the officers of district clubs dwell amongst and know the members, and are, therefore, in a better position for detecting imposition, it should not be forgotten that these officers are often on friendly terms with the members, or, if not intimate with them, are yet indisposed to be over-strict with neighbours. As for the larger associations, such as the Odd Fellows and the H Vol. LXXIX.— No. 2. 76 THE FAKMIOR'S MAGAZINE Foresters, fhcy are in much the same position with ie»pect to tbe detection of fraiul as the Gavernmeiit officials would be in if a National Society were established. There is no doubt that benefit societies are defraMJeJ to an immense extent by the " iaaiingeriui; " of unprin- cipled members. But in one respect we think that a Krtlional Society would be in a better posiiion for chcckiug this abuse than the private sjcielies now occupy. Many of the smaller clubs have no medical officers, and those that have them exercise hardly any control over their discretionary powers. But, uudcr a State institution, paid otncers would be appointed ; and it might be made a condition of accepting the post of medical officer that all jaaembers in receipt of sick-piy should be visited twice a week, and that an otHser should b; liable to a line For any flagrant case of neglect or of a certificate of iuability to work wrongly given. W th respect to the second ohiection of the Commis- sioners, above quoted, we entirely fail to see how it can make any difTerence to the feeling of independence in a man whether he assures against sickuess in a State society or in a private one, especially as in most of the existing clubs tuere are many honorary members, whose subscriptions are simply charitable coutributious. \. similar reply might be made to the third objection of the Commissioners. They have, however, on tlieir side the opinions of many gentlemen whose wide experience gives authority to their judgment — such as "Mr. StansfeLl, Mr. Srndamore, Mr. Sotheron-Eslcourt, Mr, E. RenJle, and Mr. W. Travcrs. On the other hand, the advocates of a Government Society have at least an equal array of high authorities in their favour. A memorial iu favour of the exten- s'ou of the Government annuity system, addressed to the Commissioners, was signed by the Arch- bishops of Canterbury and York, six bishops, seventeen peers, thirty-five members of Prtrliament, thirty-seven chairmen and eight deputy-chairmen of Boards of Guardians, fifty two justices of the peace, about ninety clergymen not included in previous categories atnd by other i^entlemen, and some ladies who take a great interest in public affairs and the welfare of the poorer classes. Such names as those of Lord Lyttel on, Lord Shaftesbury, Sir Baldwin Leighton, Sir Charles Trevelyan, Sir James llannen, Mr. Cowper-Temple, Mr. H. S. Tremenheere, Mr. Gathorn Mardy, Mr. Sclater Booth, Mr. Thomas ITughes, Mr. James Howard, Mr. Mundella, Mr. T. B. L. Baker, the Rev. Brooke Limbert, the Rev. J. Y. Stratton, the Rev. G. R. Portal, Miss Martincau, and Miss Emily Faithfull will alone be considered suf- ficient to give countenance to any new scheme. The memorial which they signed, after briefly setting forth the desirability of the plan advocated, expresses the opinion that the alleged diffifrultits relating to sickness-pay will 'fae found to have been exaggerated. Amongst the advan- tages of a National Society enumerated in the evidence given before the Commissioners are these : " The greatly- enlai'ged basis would give a more certain average. The disturbing influence of unhealthy trades and unhealthy neighbourhoods would be lesj felt. Members moving from one district to another would be able without iucon- venience to keep up their insurances." But by far the most important benefit of such a society would be its per- fect sicurity. There is nothing so discouraging to provi- dence on the part of the poor as the want of confidence in the security of the benefit clubs produced by the failure of so many of them in the past. No doubt the strict regulations to which registered societies ai'e now sub- jected will do a great deal to keep them in a souud financial position, but nothing can give adequate security to a large number of societies competing one Against the other. With the best of rules, any of them may be brought to grief by the falling-off of new membtrs, by iuefHcieut supei-'uiteudeuce or want of zeal on the part of the officers. Wlien it is seriously proposed by iu- fluential members of both Houses of Parliament, sup- ported by an increasing number of the outside public, that out-door relief siiall before long be put an end to, fhi necessity of providing perfect security, if possible, tor those who will thus be thrown uiioi their own resources is obvious. It is true that theie are some who say that it is best to leave people to take care of themselves, and to use their own discretion in the choice of a means of inveatraent for their savings; but, after iucuicatiiig the lesson of dependence upon the poor-rate for so many generations, it would be cruel to cast the poor suddenly adrift, and say, " Lojk out fur yourselves, or expe 't nothing but the workhouse." Those who advocate such a plan must be perfectly well aware that the poor do not; know how to take care of themselves in the selection of au insurance society, and also that if they make what at the time is considered a wise choice, their confidence may turn out to have been misplaced when the time comes for availing themselves of the benefit jf their providence. Nothing has been shown more clearly during the last few years than the fact that educated people and men of the world make the most absurd mistakes in the investment of their s vings ; and what, then, can we look for amongst ignordiit men totally unacquainted with commercial concerns, and not even able to understand a balance-sheet, still less a table of calculations as to reserved capital and liabilities ? The abolition of out-door relief — perhaps of our Poor- law system in its entirety — is only a question of time; and when the time comes, if the poor have not been prepared for it by having been offered the means of securely insuring themselves against destitution in sick- ness and old age, a vast and de])lorab!e amount of hardsliip will be inflicted, and a reaction will, in all probability, follow which will put off the effectual reform of our system of poor relief for another generation. We are of opinion, then, that the ])lan of a National Benefit Society, under Government authority, and cons'equently with a Slate guarantee, deserves a greater amount of cousideratiou than it has yet received. The difficulties which are opposed to it may be great, but we have not yet had sufBcent reasons brought before us to lead us to admit that they are insuperable. If the plan should be more generally dis- cussed, as we think it probably will be during the present year, more light may be thrown upon the subject, and public opinion may thus be able to pronounce decisively upon a question with respect to which our political and social doctors at present disagree. We venture to suggest that Farmers' Clubs, Chambers of Agriculture, aud Boards of Guardians can scarcely find a more useful aud inte- resting subject for their deliberations. STAFFORDSHIRE CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE.— The annual nieeung was held at Stafford, on the 15th iust , Mr. R. II. Masfen, the vice-president, in tlie cliair. I'he annml report of the committee lamented the small attendance of I members at rlie meetings hell daring tlie past year, at which v>ry iaiportant matters had been under discussion. The meiubera were urged to give more pergonal attention to the bu^ine-s of the Chamber, because "as long as those who pro- fess belief in the elBcie cy of such institutions eshihit indif- ference to their opeia-ions, it would be difficult to convince outsiders of t'le value of such an organisation." The finances of the Chamher were in a satisfactory condition, tliere being a balance of £107 5s. 9J. in the hands of tlie treasurer, and sibscriptions dae £i3 15s. The Chamber now consisted of 345 members. The Cliairmaa said persons who declined to como for svitfd and assist such associations as theirs with an ( TEE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. T7 annvnl piym^nt of 53. should not forijet the result of tlieir saltation on tiie question of local taxrition, whicli had resulted ill tlie G iveriimmt ss»isting tlie local rat -s to the extent of two millions aiiiiuiUy. lie, ref;retted that the aliondaiice was not so piKxl at the meetings as it ougiit to be. He was afraid t'^nant-l'.iriuers had not sul!it:ie,iit rouflJeiice in themselves. The Ciiairnian pioposed that Jlr, J. Brawn he president and Mr. W. T. C'ariiiKton vice-president. The proposition was carried. Tiie CnaTinan reft^rred to the Clare Sewell Head teslimonial and remarked that Mr. lledd's successor ia ollice was preheat at that meeting. He was sorry that Mr. Read should have found it ni cesnary to tender his resignation to the'.Government. He had no douht that tlie tcourxe which had visited the cattle during the p;i.st a\itumn ha 1 induced Mr. Read to put more pressure on Mr. Disraeli tlian he liked. He trusted that Mr. Salt would fc' 1 tliat, if pressure was necesB;\ry, he had an addi- tional weapon placed in his hands wliicii Mr. Read did not possess. Siilisoriptions of £1-3 and £10 were voted to thp Central Chambsr and the Local Taxation Committee, THE RELIEF OF THE POOR IN RUSSIA. In order to form any correct notion of the measures taken for the relief of the poor in IJiissia, it is necessary to consider, not only the character of the population, but its economical condition, compared with that of the lower classes of other countries. The empire in Europe is roughly estimated to nnmber seventy-two million persons, and between the inhabitants of the rural and urban districts there exists a marked difference. The population of the towns may be set down at eight and a-lialf millions, or, more correctly, at six, if one excepts those towns that have less than ten thousand persons, which are, in fact, nothing but large villages dignilied, for administrative purposes, by the name of " towns." A very large proportion in thechiel cities, more especially St. Pelersbuigh and jMoscow, have only a temporary domicile in them ; and these chiefly consist of peasants who have migrated from the coui.try, and who, having left their families there, repair to the towns in order to seek employment. Absolute pauperism among the peasants, who consti- tute the great bulk of the Russian population, is to a sreat extent obviated by the communal system of land tenure, the ease with whicli work can be obtained, and the great extent of unoccupied Crown land. The standard of com- fort is, however, exceed-ngly low, aad the inhabitants of country villages, who are able only to eke out a bare sub- oistence when the harvest is good, arc obliged to throw themselves on the charity of neighbouring districts. When the harvest fails the younger men of the villages are seut off to distances in order to find work, and a few become beggars on the high-road, and appeal to the charity of the more fortuuate in parts where the crops may not have suffered Over-population is another cause of destitution ; and in such cases the Government steps forward and, by offering uncultivated Crown lauds for colouisatiou, relieves the plethora, and restores the village to a normal condition. Prior to the emancipation of the serfs, the landlord was bound to feed them. Hesides this, from the year 1775 to 186A, there existed in the chief town of every jirovince a society for the relief of the poor, composed of representa- tives of the three classes of noble-!, townsmen, and villagers, and admiiiistering a funded capital which was originally suppliid fVom privategiftsaud Imperial subsidies, and from certain privileges conferred on them by the Government. They were thus enabled to build orphan aud lunatic asylums, hospitals, almshouses, and prisons. Most of them were erecttd in the provincial towns, for, curiously enough, the Russian peasant revolted against availing himself of the proceeds of public charity, preferring to live and die, under any circumstances, in his natal spot. lu 1804 a new sys*era of local government was intro- duced, and representative assemblies, called " zemstvos," composed of landowniers and holders of land under the communal institutions, were established. To them all funds and establishments for the relief of the poor were coulided ; and they were empowered to levy various taxes. They act quite independently of cue another, aud in accordance with local exigencies only. " It would be difficult," says Mr. Ford, in his contribution to these inquiries about the pauperism of other countries, " to state precisely what the result has been of the new system, or to enumerate the benelifs that have been derived by handing over to the ' zemstvos ' the charge of the poor of the country. Suffice it to say, that the different ' zemstvos' throughout Russia act quite independently one of the other, and consult only the best means of meeting local exigeucies. Within the last few years, thanks to that great social reform the emancipation of the serf, the geueral prosperity of the country is believed to have increased." The peasants in Russia flock periodically to the towns in search of employment, leaving their families in tha country, but rejoining them after a few months' residence in the towns. Certainly one-half of the population of St. Peterhurgh is recruited from the adjoining provinces, the amount of the floating population being principally de- termined by the state of the labour maiket. When the harvest is bad and provisions scarce iu the provinces, the peasants flock to St. Petersburgh , and so great is the de- raaud for hands that employment is generally found for them all. For the relief and classification of beggars a society exists, the members being for the most part nomi- nated by Government, and the institution is entirely under Government control. They investigate the cases of pel sons charged with begging by the police, and either send them b ;:ck to their communes, i-elieve them in alms- houses, or hand them over to the magistrates. The Go- vernment also partially controls the Grand Philanthropic Society, which is under the direction of the nietropolitaa of St.* Petersburgh. The members of the Council are selected from the great dignitaries of the empire, and the number of persons taking part in the working of the insti- tution amounts to 1,000. Branch Committees for the relief of the poor sit in seven towns. This Society sup- ports almshouses aud schools, and grants mediciues to trie poor. Of late years parochial charities have been estab- lished by voluntary agency to provide for cases which could not be met by the Imperial Society. These charities grant relief in money and kind, schooling, and maintenance in almshouses. The parishes are divided into districts, under the care of guardians, who visit and report on the cases of all applicants for relief to the working Com- mittees. These parochial societies appear to work inde- pendently of one another, aud depend entirely on private subscri|ition3. In Odessa the relief of the poor is left almost entirely to private charity ; but the muncipality have under their charge a hospit il for the insane, blind, and crippled, an orphanage, and an establishment for deserted children. In the Baltic provinces a general Poor-law exists only iu rural parishes, the inhabitants of each town being allowed to frame their own regulations for the relief of the poor. Every rural parish is bound to provide for the support and medical assistance of every [destitute person who has been resi - dent in the parish for fifteen years, and whose relations are h2 73 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. unable to maintain him. It must also provide for lunatics, but some assistance is given by the Provincial Goverumeut when the number of this class is excessive. In the town of I'iga unpaid officers are choson from time to time for the care and muinteaance of the poor. These officers are supplied with money to p:iy the paupers who receive regular relief; and may relieve cases of urgent uecessiiy, reporting the fact to the Central Committee. The ministers of the several churches also bring cases of desti- tution under the notice of the Committee. A tax for the relief of the poor is annually imposed by an alderman, who is charged with the duty, on all owners of property wilhia the city limits, and on all burghers. The meu- dicaucy of the country has decreased of late years, and no deaths from famine have been reported; but the presen system enables great numbers of people who are not ia want to share the relief meant for the destitute. Each community of taxpayers is bound to support its own poor, and the relations of paupers are liable for the expense of their maintenance. An Ecclesiastical Board also adminis- ters relief, principally to members of the Evangelical and Lutheran bodies, but not entirely excluding members of other denominations. The writer of the report remarks that free gifts to the poor have been found not to be beneficial, and recourse has, therefore, been had more and more to national means of support, such as improved dwellings, gifts of medi- cine, aud assistance in working. LARGE AND SMALL FARMS. The current number of the Fortii'ightlu Rfciew con- tains an interesting paper on " The Channel Islands and Land Tenure," from the pen of the Rev. F. Barham Ziucke, a writer who has previously published a valuable work on Switzerland. The article is a notable contribu- tion to the much-debated coutroversy on the comparative ad- vantages of the large and small- farm systems. Mr. Zincke has been spending a month in the Channel Islands, and during that time he has traversed them for the most part on foot, with a view to making observations upon and in- quiry into the condition, mode of life, and iudustry of the inhabitants. The result of his survey is a very favourable impression of the prosperity of these islanders, and of the farm system under which they live. He found hardly any pauperism, aud remarks upon the fact that a police-force was not required to keep the people in order, and to pro- tect property, although the lower requirements of labour are to a great extent supplied by enaigration from Ire- land, England, and France. These undoubted advantages, Mr. Ziucke thinks, are mainly attributable to the extensive distribution of property, and to the habits of order and oconomy thereby fostered. He says : " AVhere all may hope, and this cannot be unless the laud be accessible to all, industry and thrift will be general ; and they go along way towards preventing pauperism and diminishing crime, which is, in many cases, the direct result of here- 4itary hopeless poverty." We shall presently show tha^, in our opinion, Mr. Zincke attributes the exceptional pros- perity of these people too much to their system of land tenure, and too little to the great natural advantages of • their soil and climate, to the fact of the islands beiug a resort for holiday visitors and a dwelling-place for numbers of persons of independent property, aud to the constitu- tional thrift of the inhabitants. Mr. Zincke begins by comparing the Channel Islands with the Isle of Wight, which he thinks is somewhat similar in soil and climate. The area of the Channel Islands is 48,098 acres, and the population in 1871 was returned at 80,504. ; whilst the Isle of Wight, with an area of 86,810 acres, contained at the same period only GO, 219 persons. In comparing these figures, attention is called to the fact that a considerable portion of the laud in the islands is quite irreclaimable ; but we should suppose that at least an equal portion of the Isle of Wight is oc- cupied by the towns and other pleasure resorts. Mr. _Zincke, however, admits that mere density of population is no advantage, because it may restra.lion, thiir 'j:i-c;iI vve.illii, tiiid the iraproviJeiit mmuer in whioh their funds are IVrqunitly ajjijlitd, are vines whinh have for us the same elf els as those of Icfjal uhari y, if not worse. One of the citi' s in which Iher^ is the greatest iibuiidiMi^e of wretches who live upou ch^irity, is our future caijital." The thL'oiy iiere advaufed that I lie profession of public cliai-iiy is oue of the priueipal ciuses of pauper- ism, does not, Jiovvever, apfear to hold five sale of that manure in North America, were granted for the purpose of enabling the rompany to clear off their stocks rapidly, aud thus permit tbs Peruvian Goverument to Commence opeu sales of guano ; those cunjitiuus were, more- over, accor^led on account of the heavy advances made liy the c^)mpany to the Peruvian Government. I am to at obe- Uierit humble servant, T. V. Listeb,. The Secretary ot tlie Highland and Agr. cultural Society. The folio.ving nre the names of the noblemen and gentle- men to be proposed by the directors at the general nieeliuK ou the 19lb iust., to fill the vacai:c;es iu the list lor 187G : Vice- Presidents : Earl of Stratbmore; Earl o* Kiut.,re ; Earl ol Aberdeen ; Earl ot Fife. K.T. 0 dinary Directors: Sir John M ijoribanks, of Less, Bart. ; James Cochrane, Little Ilnddo, A'nerdeeD ; Robert CopJeai.d, Mill of Ardle^hen, Ellou ; Thora. s FirgusoD, Kinnrchtry, Conpar-Auf us ; Andrew Gil ou, Wallbousp ; Alexander Forbes Irvine, Diuin; James Townsend Oj.wald, Dnnuikier ; Adam Sm tli, Stevenson Mnin'^, Uaddinjjton. Extraordinary Din c ors : Toe Liucl Provost ol Aberdeen ; Sir Junes lloru Burnett, Barr., Leys; St John Ogilljy. Bart., Inverq h irity ; Sir William Forces, Bnrt., Ciaigievar; Sir James Dalryniide Horn Elphinstone, Bart., M.P., Home and Logic Elphinstone; Sir Tboaias Glid^toue, Btrt., Fa^^que ; Robert Willi^nn Duff, M.P., Fet- teresKO ; L eu'euHut Colonel George Ferguson, Pittour ; John Gordon, Cluny ; Lieuteuaut-Colunel William M'lnroy, The Burn. i\lr. IIowATsoN of Dornel gave notice, in accordance with his intiinaliou to last meeting of directors, aud in terms of the bye la^s, that lie would make the following motion at the general meeting on tb.e 19lh current; — "That the recom- mendation by the direc'ors in their report on the chemical dtpartment and agricultural educitKui to the xener;il meeting in January last relating to the discontinuance of the free issue of the Transactions to members be rescinded, and that the gratis issue to members ou application be coutinued." The Secri-:tary read the report of the committee, which narrated (I) what took place at loriner meetings ou tlii? sub- ject, iucludiug the re-:o!utiou by the general nipetitig ou the 21st January, 1871, approving of the pruceediugs, and autliorising the directors to take the necessary steps for selling the presmt properly ou George IV. Bridge, aud acquirii.g premises in the New To'A-u ; (2) that an offer had beeu mautj ot an house m G.orge-s'reet, which the committee were unanimously of op nion would be an eligible site for a hall lor f'e society, and recomraendiug the same to the directors foe their fav:)urable consideration. On the motion of Mr. Walker of Bowland, seconded by- Mr. Stewart of luglistou, the board approved of the report of the committee, and reunited to the general meeting to de- cide wl ether the proposed purchase shall lie made or uot, with au ex[ ression of opinion ou the part ol the directors that the site of the house m George-street is desirable, and the prica fair ; and that if the society's chambers are to be moved to a suitable position in the New Town, the expense of im'Jiing ihe change \,l inspector; (3) tliat tlie society might provide for the chemical analysis re(iuired for i-uch experiments by the employment of a salaried cluinist or otherwise ; and (i) that any funds available after providing for these objects might be offered as grants in aid of the working expenses of the several associated experimental stations. Under this head your Committee have to report that the plan suggested lias been published in the Society's Premium Book since 1S73, when the assistant chemist was appointed, whose chief duty was to be the inspector of agri- cull ural expcrim nts, conducted by a local committee of mem- bers who made application for them, and who were to receive assistance from the Society. No application, however, was ever made for assistance under this arrangement. In Mr. Macdonald's letter it was intimated that upwards of £000 had been subscribed towards the establishment and maintenance for three years of three agricultural experimental stations in the north-eas* of Aberdeenshire, and the hope of the Committee, on behalf of which Mr. Macdonald wrote, was expressed that a grant in aid of at least one-third of the snm subscribed would be given by the Society for three years, it not being considered necessary to make provisions in the meantime for continuing the experimental stations longer, as it was hoped the expediency of establishing such stations would be undertaken by Government. On this communica- tion your Committee feel that they cannot olfer an opinion until the ariaugements in regard to the apijointment of a chemist has been settled, as according to the proposed scheme the whole available funds of (he Society would be reijuired for conducting tlieirown experiments. Under this head your Committee need only remark that the association has fixed on five stations, and that before entering ou their experiments has appointed a committee to look out for a chemist to take charge of them. On the motion of Colonel In:s'ES, of Learney, the Board unanimously approved of the report, and resolved to re- comrtend the general meeting to authorise the directors to organise such experimental stations as they may find practi- cable with the funds at their disposal, and to contribute in aid of experimental stations established by local associations on such conditions as the directors may consider necessary, and for these purposes to appoint a properly-qualified chemist as au officer of the Society. The report of the meeting of members held at Aberdeen on the 17th of December, when the premium list and regulations for the general show to be held tbere this year were submitted and approved of, subject to the following suggestions for the consideration of the Board : (1), That instead of two premiums of £6 and £i and £5 and £2, there should be three of 8, £4 and £2, and £fi, £3, and £1 respectively, for cross oxen and heifers. (2), That fat stock should be disqualified, unless the breeders' names were given. (3), Thit there should be a pre- mium for leaping over hurdles, (t). That goats be admitted to the showyard. The Board agreed to (1) increase the pre- miums lor cross oxen and heifers, and to offer premianis for leaping as recommended. (3), That every endeavour should be made to obtain accurate information as to the breeders of all animals. (3), That it is quite in accordance with the rules to admit goats into the showyard as extra stock. The Board then took into consideration letters from Mr. Jenkins, secretary of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, as to the date of the show at Birmingham — which has been fixed to be held from the 19th to the 2ith of July, both inclusive — when, alter careful deliberation, the directors resolved to adhere to date fixed on for the Aberdeen show — namely, from the 25th to 28th of July, both inclusive — believing that any alteration to a later date would not be advisable. The Secretary reported that a meeting of members con- nected with the district was held in the Societj's hall, 3, Gerge IV. Bridge, on the 15th of December, when the classes of'S^tock as arranged by the directors were approved of, subject to the suggestion that there should be two sections for yeld mares or geldngs, suitable for field, foaled before January 1st, 1873 — one for heavy and one for light weights. The Board approved of the suggestion, and agreed to add a class for leaping. Various awards were made for reports lodged in competition, both in the agricultur-il and forestry departmcnta, and the names of the successful comjietitors will be announced at the general meeting. Sr-veral sulj«ct8 were deleted and new ones added to the list for 1876. On the motiim of Colonel Innes, of fjearney, the secretary was instructed again to communicate with the Science and Art Department in reference to the Society's memorial, datfd July 14, 1874, to the Lords of the Committee ofCouiil on Education praying that the science of agriculture shouhl be included in the list of subjects towards instruction in whictl aid is granted by the Science and Art Department. DEAD MEAT FROM AMERICA.— Considerable interest s being manifested in an experiment, which seems to be attended with success, fur the jireservation, in a fresh state, of meat during transit from New York to London. Several car- goes of beef so imported have been readily disposed of in the London market, and it is intimated that the traffic is to be developed as far as possible. Should a large and constant supply of American meat be thrown into the Metropolitan market, there is every likelihood tliat it will affect prices to some extent. The prices presently realised for the imported meat are equil to the quotations for secondary qualities. The imported meat does not dinctly compete with prima quality of beef, such as is fed and sent from the northern counties of Scotland. The success of the trade just com- menced with America is liable to be affected by many draw- bucks. It has been begun in the winter season, which is of course the most favourable period o' the year for the traffic. Home. killed meat, at this period of the >ear, without any specinl treatment, will keep lor a considerable number of days in a. marketable sti>te. The success of the experiment novv being made cannot be assured until it has been coudnct^d during the summer season. The practicability of the trade being continued depends, however, mainly upon the state of the markets. A rise of prices in America, an advance in the rate of freight, or a fall in the London marlet, would eojimlly prove an obstruction. The seat of enterprise is at New York, the consignments being made to an agent in the central meat market, London. The carcases at present being sent weigh 7ol)!bs to 8501bs. The cattle are mostly obtained from tha Western States of America, and are slaughtered at New York, Immediately after killing, the beef is chilled by beinu placed in a prepared cold room, and is sent on board the vessel next day. In the vessel, between decks, a huge room or box is fitted ; in this room a fan is worked by the same steanf power that propels the vessel. Tlie ice needed for cooling purposes is placed in an outer compartment, and matters are so arranged that a constant supply of cold, dry air, at a temperature of from 30 to 40 degs., circulates tlirou>;h the room, being again and again drawn off, and passed in fresh over the ice in the outer coinpartmput. The meat is carefully stitched iu canvas, and is iuing on hooks from the ceiling of the room. In ten days after being slaughtered, the meat reaches Liverpool, and on the next day it reaches London, being conveyed from Liver- pool to London in the ordinary meat trucks. As the room ia which the meat is kept on the voyage is not a fixture, the space is available for cargo during the return voyage. — Banjj'shire Journal. THE IMPORTATION OF FOREIGN CATTLE.— The London Trades Council have issued a circular to the trades societies, other organised bodies, and the public generally, in which they state that in accordance «ith a resolution passed a» a delegate meeting of the trades societies, calling upon the council to obtain the best information possible relaiing to the restrictions on the importation of foreign cattle and slieep, and how far they affected the present high price of meat, a sub- committee had been appointed to give the public such informa- tion from time to time as might be essential to create a sound opinion in the country regarding it. The committee had waited on several of the 1 irge dealers and butchers, and found a very strong opinion prevailing in favour of the restrictions on animals affected with rinderpest, lung disease, or sheep-pox being continued ; but the slaughtering of all cattle and sheep not affected with foot-and-mouth disease, merely because they had come in contact witli other animals so affected, was cou- 8t THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. de uae] as pr judicial to the supply to the English market, as Ih'-'r.viii^ tliB Irade into t!ie hamls of large capitnlihts, to tlie exrliisiiiii o' the siva'l oiii's, and as therr-hj uphold ug a iiioiio- po y vviiili th« piblic liavi! to pay tor heavily in tiie purchase oi iiieir meat. Ui thei-e s^ronnOs the couinittee asked th it the re.-.tr;ct'ons on fo I'-and-T.outh disease should be entiiely ai-.d !i!y lor rtraoviug sucli ris'ri -tious, aiid that a uieeling be held at Kxcter U;ill on the -i:d urux. to elicit the opiEioiis of tbe public on the ■> u I'ject. — Slandard. NOTTS CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. ANNUAL MEETING AND DINNER. On Snturdav, Jan. 22, the annual gi^neral meeting of tiie Notts Cham uM- ol Aiiiculuirr was lieid lu the To*u Hall, Notting- ham, Mr. Siorcr, M.F , in the chair. Tiie iiiinutes of ihe lasi meeting were read by the secretary (Mr. K. BroAiie), and passed. The Secretary tiieu reaJ the annual report, and the cash account, whii.h was cousiiiered satisfactory. Mr. Heivisley i:iul he begged to move ihat the report, as if wa-i reaJ, and the CA*h accuiiut, hi! adopted, and, totreliier with the list of iiieinbers, lie ptiited for cirtulstioii. He thou^ilit tlie rep-rt con'aiued a fair i-pilome of the proceediiigi of the C a nber iuring the last year, theiefire tliere was no need wliy it sh'iiild not be adopted entirely. He thought the tune hat q lite gone past wliea it was ueceessary to say a:i}thing about S!icl> institutions a-, cliainbers of agriculture. The i;nport.nce t.f these institutions had been brought to his mind l;y the great nn :iiier of references which had b-eu mide to them in both lIou»es of Prirlianieat. There wis hartily an iust^lu i)n in the country which hai been referred to so frequ^u 1) in the 1 ite session as thini'iers of a.^riciiturc. Ha did ni)t wish to go int.! any leughened remarks, but there vvas one point to which he wished to allude. Tiiey were not led away by political leel i"gs, but he to .k it tiiat the country party, as it w.is called, had always been more loyil to t!:e Coa-.ervative party thaa to the Liueral, and so they had mturally looked lor ^up.ort from the Couservali.e party more than from the Liberal. He thought if they just recollected for a moment h;w matters stood at the last election, undoubtedly there had taken place a gre.'.t change in the feeliug of the country, for to his raiud it was ihs great iiifliieuee of the couiitry coustiluencics that placed the Conservative Government in office with such a large in jority. Th.-y there''ore looked to the party for more support, and he must say, as far as his opinion went, he \v..s not satis.^ed with ttie action of the Government, or rather inaction. Allusion hid be^ made to the A'j;riciil!urdl Uuldiugs Bill. As far as he could see, they would have to wa'ch for some litile time uuiil tliey taw the working of the Act, but he tliouglit in the nieaniiaie thit it give better security to farners for their capital invested in their land. The report, he thought, rather careiuUy ailaded to the question of local taxation. These burdens bore upon them more and more heavily as tlif-y bec.ime in a Itss pro'^prrous couditiou. He did not think a proper interest in the.u had been sliown by ihe G-veruraent respecting the liighviays and great rosdso! thi» ciuntry. In ihe matter of the catMe diseases he did not feel satisfi^-d witli the inaction of the Government. lie would not enler into that, bin, he d;d think tlial they might have looked to the present Government lor a li t'e more attention to their iatere»t, as lorming the Country jiarty. The question of education was slight y louc'ied upon in the repjrt; now, that was a poiut he should just, like to allude to for one mommt. A great many who occupied a good position in hie were in favour of educat ug those not iu such a good posiii 'U. This was all very well, but he did not think that they were dealt w'.th fairly when they were called up )U to educate children in agricultural di.stricts for the re- quirements of service iu manufacturing districts and mercau- t le and Government service. He thought lliey were unfairly dealt with if a siandanl of education was placed so high as to suit the interest of tho e parties and not th.eir own. They were prepared to go as lar in a standird of education as would til lliose children for the higliest position in agricultural service, hut no further. He had known instances where the cost of children's education in pgricultural districts had run as higii as £5 per annum per head. In some small distr.cts they liad to build schools, and keep elUcient teaidiC'S to educate the chilJrca lip to a certain st.iadard. and t^^ -.' ♦:!■•-• '' ■■ ' the^e children were withdrawn as soon as they were ready to eiiter to.vn service. He vii^hed, for one, to in ike iiis protest again-t any advance in the stand.ird ol education for agrn-u- tui..l children which was in contemplation. He thuuilit tins was a most impoitant time for discussing their position in a pecuniary sense. He thought the cultivation ol tiie laud for lis owu profit hat* already htgun to wane. There were unmis- takable facts before their eyes of a practical nature, that sucli was about to take place if these piesent days were g-ing to re- main With them. Wnellur it was the duty of the Govirumeut to look a t^r one section ol ihe nation in preference to otiiers, perhaps he was not ahle to form an opinion, hut ceitaiulj he must lepeat, as belonging to a part of the comnuinity'wiiicli he again said were the .'Upport of the present Governmeut, that he was not s.ilisft.-d with the iuactiou of the present Go- Viirnment. He concluded by moving tne adoption of the re- port and cash account. Mr. Walker seconded the motion. Mr. GoDBtii, in supporting the motion, said he beli'-ved there Was some little inisunderitanJing as to the orfcanisatiou of chrirahers of agriculture. There were three clavn part, he could not but s.ty, and all the papers were agreed., tii.it it; -as a Very great mislortuue that Mr. Clurc Se.iell Head THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Iioi.ll have breu compelleii to leave ttie Govprmnpnt on a qiii'stioii on which lie was riii;lit, and ;>u which llif (loverninent was as siiivly wroii?. If was as necssiry both fur the iiitertsts of the farmers of this country and t lie coii'uiners of the country tliiit cattle disease should be suppressed as win any other qiiostion before it. Eie wislied to make one re naik with reufHid to the Agricultural Eduea ion Act. lie fully agreed with what liad faili-n from J[r. He iislry upon the 8U''ject, and he lumped that something niifiht be done as far as possibie to dimiiiisli the very great dillifuhirs which the Agi'icultural Educ ition Act threw in the way of trnint-farniprs. Tliose who were ac(inHint'.d with these \cti knew what a great deal of diiHculty liad beeu plnced by them ia the wsy of the eduoatiou of agri- Cultural clii dren. He did h ipe that the stand,.rJ of bucIi educa'ioa would not be extended, and that the system of having police supervision over the education of agricultural children — lu fact, raak'ng them public prosecutor.^ — would not be gpufrally confirmed. He was sorry to say that in several counties police were being so employed, and this was to be condemned, as it muct lead to a great deal of espionage, which must create a great deal of ill-feelinsT between farmers and labourers. He was glad to find that Mr. Disraeli bad voted in opposition to an fx'eiision of the standard. He hud also to thank Mr. Godber for the very handsome manner in which he Imd spoken of the teumt-larmer rneaibers of Parliament. Tliey had no wish to support the interests of teQant-fariubrs in opposition to those of any other class of the community, but tney would all agree tliat the great interests of a;;riculture should be supiiorted. lie regretted to sny that the interests of trade were m'lch more cunsidered in the present House o! Commons than those of agriculture ; hut if Ciianib-rs of Agri- culture were better supported, this would not be the case. He had just one mon- piint to refer to, and that was the Malt-tax. Si long as there were so many brpwcs, and those ruterested in lie li(|uor irallic, in the Hoitse of Co iimons as there were at resent, thsTe was not a chance cJf ilie M It-tax being even considered. As to the Agiicultural Holdings liiil, it was an experiment which would be lairly tried; it was certainly a permissive Act, as every tenant or landlord could exempt them- selves from its provisions if they so chose, lie had to ask t) em to pass the report. Tlie report was adopttd unanimously. Mr. ALLSEBiiOOKE moved "That this clia'nber dp>ire« to record its tiearty anp oval ol the coarse t^ken by Mr. Clare Scwell Head, M P., in withdrawing Iroiii the Cabinet, and to express its sympathy with biin in his uu'Uccesstul at'empts to persuade tiie Privy Council to take lea-onable and just measures to prevent the introduction and spread of conta- gious diseases among English cattle." In moving the reso- lution, he said that when Mr. Read liad found thit he could not serve the interests of agriculture in office as out of it, he look the manly course of resigning. He had been rebuked for what he bad done, but he upheld his independence, which vfas more to hira than the £1,500 a year which he received in ofiiiie, and he reniaiufd to this day whit he had been betore, their champion. They had believed in Mr. Head iu the past, and they believed in him yet ; they were his debtors, and he was worthy of all the admiration they couid give him. He begtfed to move the resolution he bad real. Mr. Beardall seconded the motion, expressing a hope tliat the various chambers of the country would support Mr. Kead. The Ch.^irman said he could testify to what Mr. Read had done iu the interests of agriculture, for he was one of a depu- tation to the Duke of Richmond, which deputation was one of the first subjects for whicli Mr. Read received censure. The speaker, in referring to what Mr. Rtad had shown in tlie matter of the spread of pleuro-pneunionia, taid he hoped to be able to lay betore the chamber statistics as to the state of that disease in this country. There was likely to be a testimonial got up by tlie country to Mr. Read, and he hoped the farmers of the county of Notts would subscribe to it. The motion was unanimously carried. The dinner took place at the Majpole Hotel. His Grace the Duke of St. Albans occupied the chair, supported by Mr. G. Storer, M.P. After the usual loyal toasts had been given, the noble Chairman proposed the toast of the evenini;. He said : Gentlemen, in rising to propose success to the Notts Ch.tmbcr ot Agriculture, I must congratulate you on the report of tlie council, wliidi will slioril) be in your haui^s. It will sliosv you that the work of the last year has included sev.-ral im- portant meetings, and the meinhers are on the inc:r.asr. At the suue time, 1 must remark that thiy iire only five bundle:, and 1 would i 1. press upon the agriculluri.Hs o' Nottiiii'ha.i;- shire to be unittd, in c.'ise of any great qu ation apprrt;»inii g to agriculture cornrug before Parliament aud the Govi-rnme i,t. I think tliat we may sa'eiy, ©i. this occ:isiou, consider wbbt li .s been the result of the last year, aud what we may usfluHy yr >- mote during the coniiiii; session. I am afraid tlmt many of t'i8 exjjectaiious which wen; formed lait jei:r by nn fr'piid ilr. Suirer have been disi|)puiiited ; I am a''riid that the Malt-'nx still presses heavily upon the country. I a.n atraid his wi»bes as regards local tixaiion liave not been rfali.«ed, while the Minister of Af^ricul'ure h*s still no place in tne Cabinet. Well, I think that a ereat many of thete things agriculturists mnde up their minds for, yet upon certain mat- ters such as local tax .tion [ believe the chambers of agricul- ture are united, and it will be well (or the chambers ot agricil- tnre as far as possible to represent the commerce of the dif- tVreut counties in that respect. I therefore hope t'at the members will use th^■ir best endeavours to briusf the m^itier before tin ir friends, and thatat ilie n^xt meeting we may »;'ll have to note an iricrfa-e:l nuniber of m inbrr-. A.t regards last, session, we have the Agricullur.d Holdings Hill. Ir, was, I need not say, introduced into the House of Lords by the Duke of Richmond, and the speech thai he made was to «ri assembly ot landowners, which was som^wllat, of an sipolojy for introducing it at all. There were many who disliked Iho bill being iutioducfd, and the Dake of Ricbmona's speech re'imi'ied us rather o! that story which is toid of the gnu cas-, when the invalid re'usfd to have it introduced into her roon,. She was told there was nothing in the gnu, hut the invalid replied, " Perhaps there may he no'hin.j in i*, hut it had bftter not lie ii:trolnc d at all." But the hill wunt to the Ho"se of Commons, and, as wss natiir.-iily su(ipi.sed, yrfi^t alliratioiis were made in it. I think we ii-.ay look upon it as ustful in this way, that commercial iransa. tions as rejiards the land have begun to attract the attention of Parliament and of the Government of the co'jutry at large. Then we have hsd before us lately anither and very important question — ih.t of the prfsent cattle, diseases — and we have heard a great denl of agitation ahoat tliR introlnclion of catUe from Ireland. I 'hink wn shall be almost grateful to the President of the C'luncil, the Dake of Ilich'iiond, if he is able to biing about changed relations as regards Irish cattle, which should he put upon the same footing as the Engli-h. I huve talked during the mouth I lately spent in Ireland with some of the most intri- liKent of the breeders o! cuttle in the South, and I I elieve it is their opinion that part or most of the disease might be easily remedied. I believe that the Eughsh farmers have no diseass from which Ireland does not suif r, but I believe they sulfrr for the want of enterj ri»e of the diff.-rent railway companies and steamboat companies. I believe it is the opinion of th« Irish larrners that a gre.at improvement would take place by having a jjood system of meat trains and meat boats, so that meat miv thit their own energies are the best founJation on which to sand. I felt pleasure tlie other daj, iu a ,sma!l society we have at 86 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Bestwood when tlie son of one of the large farmers had eutere 1 for the prize fur plou:;hinjr, and had obtained it over tlir agricultural labourers. His natue was Mr. Potter. I feel O'Tla n Ihrttit will be the best way for agriculturists (o succeed. Yft there are assislanocs which we noay rightly expect from Par- 1 a riput and her M .jt-sty's G ivernmeiit, and I think on that «cc<>uut we miiy all wish success to tlie Notts Chamber of Ajrioulture. I have to couple with this toa^t the nanne of !Mr. Storer, member for Souih Nottiu'^bamshire. ^Ve all kniw that lie has never spared his own convenience in doing the work of this Chamber, either in the Chamber or in his place in the House of Commons. Mr. Storer, M.P., in returninfj thinks, s^id he had first to thank his Gr^ce for the able manner in which he had proposed t i« toast of " Success to tlie Notts Chamber of Agriculture," mid for tbe kind manner in which lie had coupled his name with that toast. He was quite sure they all fell the debf they o*ed to his Grace for the manner iu which he liad always supported that Chamber. Connected as he was with tliat Cii -.nribpr, he was dihijhted to endorse several opinions which his Grace had given utterance to, more particularly ''n that one where he expressed his hope that all the farmers of this ciiintry wonld support chambers of agriculture. It was only b. tlitir indiviJual exertions that they could forward their i iferesta. They wouM all remember the fable of the bundle of sticks Individual exertion was of little use compared with t le collective exertion which would keep the bundle together, wbile the absence of a single stick would break it. Collected they had great influence : iso'ated tley had none. That was the ground oil wliicli he had always urged the support of inslitu- ti 'Hi of that nature, because he was convinced that their int'-rest lay iu liaving these coinbina'ion^ — not combinations fir any wroujj or improper purpose, but merely combinations to support iu a proper manner those institutions which they h d as owntrs of the soil and labourers upon the 8 1'l. He did not consider th-it that Chamber or those Clambers were elected for any one el-iss in parti- cular, but were for all, whether they were landowners, t na'it-farinera, or libourers. This was a point which that Cumber of Notlingbamsliire had stuck to from its very bet^in- ning. They only wished to protect their own interests, there- fore be need not only urge those who were present, but he would urge those who were absent, who could only hear his voice through the medium of the press, to a little more iictijn with regard to these chambers of agriculture. Already they were a great power in the land, but their influence would be ten tiiues greater if they were Bupported in the manner in which they ought to be. They bad certa-nly the intelligence of the country on their side, at^^ although the landowners of the country did not follow the example which his Grace bad set, he had no doubt they were with them iu heart, and had a feeling of interest in the ci use which tbey advocated. He only wished they could see more of them preeent at these meetings. They knew per- fectly well that the Legi^ilature of this country liad not of late years shown itself so inclined to support their various pro- posals as they could possibly have wished. His Grace had well saiJ, perhaps a little alluding to himself, that his expectations liad not been altogetlier realised. He did not profess to be iu the secrets of the Government of the day when he spoke last year. If he thought they should have hal more attention paid to local taxation, it was because the party now in power while out of it made great professions with regard to that subject, and when they came into office he did not think they would altogether run away from their theories. Yet, although he was disappointed as regarded tiiat question, he was not without hope that tlie Government would do ;oinething in that way in the next session — in fact, rumours were aire id. spreading about that that would be one of the subjects brought before the House in the ensuing session. He begged to remind his liearers that the Government did go a step in the right direction when they made a provision of a million and a half for the maintenance of the police and lunatics, which was more than any other Government had done. He was desired by the Central Chamber to take action with regard to certain proposals of the Minister of Agriculture, and they could not h.tve supposed that, on so short a notice, the Government would liave been so inclined to jump at tlieir theories at once. If anything could liave given rise to the opinion that the Goveruraent had not attended fully to their interests, it was ths manner in which the onestion of cat''" ''i""'«"' '■--' ^- > treated. With regard to Mr. Clare Sewell Re id, he had shown the highest honour in resigning bis office bee i use he could not agree with lii5collea<.'uei. He thought thai every agriculturist they met thought Mr. Clare Sevvell Read whs iu the right and the Government in the wrong. Why should there be restrictions put upon cattle imported into England, when ca'tle were sent through Ireland to England without supervision ? He certainly thought that such questions as the-e were questions which they, as chambers of agriculture, ought to consider. He should be very sorry to euaorse every act of the Government which he had the honour to support, bfcause he was aware that when they returned hira to Parlia- ment they did not expect hira to give a blind adhesion to every act of the Goverument. What he understood was that lie was to pay attention to their interests. Mauy objects had not been accomplished as he could have wished, especially might he mention tl'.e working of the Education Act as re- garded agriculturists. Certunly he could not think that the Agricultural Children's Act was one of unlimited blessing to the farmers of ths country. They knew tha^, to a great extent, it withdrew children from agricultural pursuit*. It was so framed that they knew many cases where very high taxes were paid in order that children should ht educated to a pitch which was iiarlly necessary (or them as pursuing agriculture, and which, instead of being a boon to them, was a Imrden to the taxpayer. The Act was on its trial now, and in sume places it was in contemplation to employ police to see that children went to school. This was a sysiem of espionaje, and tliev objected to espionage. A very liigli state of education w.HS desirable and rtquisite, but those who got the benefi'* uf it ought to pay for it. Tbey were educating these cliildreu not for the country but for the town. They were not edu- catiag them for agricultural pursuits, but in a manner to make ti'.em go as clerks aud into other pursiii's entirely foreign to agriculture. As to the Employers' and Workmen's Act, it might not be generally known at present, but it wou'd be soon known, tlint it was a very hard one on the agriculturists of this country, particularly as regard^-d domestic servants in husbandry. Supposing servants absconded now they could not take them belore a magistrate ; they were left a remedy which was no remedy at all, while the farmer remained bound to them in the same fines and imprisonment which lie was before. With regard to the Rating Act, a great omission bad been proved before the Marquis of Salisbury, the other day, on the Hat- field bench, where an appeal was shown against a rating of some timber land at 15s. per acre, which, under the new Act, could not he made to pay. The long and short of ihe Act v>as that it excluded llie whole of the timber as property trom rating, at which the I\larqu's of S.ilisbu'y certainly did not hide ins surprise. These were things which he (the speaker) tbouglit cal'ed for amendment, and which he hoped and trusted tiiey w ould be enabled to attend to, and now that Mr. Read was out of the ties and shackles of the Ministry, he might help them. As to the future questions which had been a luded to by his Grace, be would make no at'empt at a prophetic vision, as he had failed upon a previous occision. But there were a great many questions which ought to be brought up relating to agri- culture, and although he did not see yet that the M^lt-tax would be shortly repealed, yet he was convinced that it ought to be repealed, and that it was an unjust and immoderate tax. He hoped these chambers would continue to exist, if only to impress their views upon the Government of the day. Tney had little idea what weight forty or fifty of such chambers must bring to bear upon the Government of the day. E»ery piece of legislation that came before the House of Commons connected with agriculture or with the landed interest was systematically neglected ; trade and commerce were the only tilings thought of; aud he begged leave to think that that was an act of the deepest aud gravest impolicy, bectuse, if tlieir trade flourished without the basis of agriculture to support it, it flourished on a rotten and unsound basis. If they discarded agriculture, and lent all their legislation to trade, in the day of their calamity they would find out their mistake. He hoped and trusted that the day would be long distant wlien the trade and commerce of the country would flonrish at the expense of agriculture. Mr. GouBEK. proposed " The Health of his Grace the Duke of St. Albans," and iu doing so he said the noble duke had stood by them through good and evil report, and had never deserted them. Although he had sometimes advanced opinions '"hich perhaps were not in accordance with those of the THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 8T majority of the Cliamber, they could not but a'lmire the cnurii;;i- of the uohle duke for the wny iu which he brouglit forward and supported his own opinions. The iiiibie C11AIR1IA.N said, betore proceedinj; to reply, he liad to Lduillenge an observation whicii was made in tlie course of tlie able spf^ech iiiMde by Mr. Siorer. It would be r^illier a danffprons doctrine that they should ever c ill upon tlie towns to contribute to the education of the ai;ricnllural clii'drcn, because I buy must all see that if they called upon towns to con- tribute to the education of the a^jricul'ural children, towns niiubt call upon them (tlie agriculturists) to coutrihute to the educ.iiion ot the town childreu, and in that case they would have the wortt of it. Mr. Stoher, M.P., in rising to a point of explanation, said th it what he meant to say was th»t he did nut consider the Airiicultural Children's Act a proper one, as all descriptions of property should be^ir their fa'r sliare of burdens. Tiie noble CnilK!MA.N, in continuing, said lie felt certain, as regards the Agriruliural Chi dren's Ait, tiiat whatever might hi' its final result!, the farmer iu the long run would not look upon it with disfavour. With regard to his own iiealth, he must thank them most sincerely for the kind way in which it liad been responded to. Since he had held the presidency of th« »ociety he had done everything he could to support its usefulness. He was glad to And that IMr. 11 Idyard had con- sented to be their prrfsideut, and although he (the Duke of St. Albans) should ce^se to hold that honour, he should not cease to feel an interest in tlieir association. Of course it w-ts a difli ult ma'ter to propose the same toast every year, and in dealing with the many subjects counectfd with the Chamber it was diliicnltto avoid touching upon political sul'ject^. lie had on all occasions endeavoured to avoid politics in bis connection wiih the Association, and be felt certain from the liberality of Mr. Ilililyard tliat he would do the same. He fe't sure that in Mr. Hildyard the Chamber would have an cflii^er of greifc talent and tact ; and lie (the Duke of St. AlbauV) sincerely hoped that under Mr. llihlyaru's presidency the Ch rnber might prosper He had only, in concluding, to thank the members of the Chamber for the courtesy which bad been shown him during the time he had held office. He would also express his sense of satisfnction for the manner in whicli the council had performed their duties. He would also say one word for the secretary (Mr. Browne). On all occasions ha was most active and attentive in the discharge of his duties, and he also performed ihem well. He begged to return them his best thanks. The company shortly afterwards broke up. METEOROLOGICAL NOTES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MARK LANE EXPRESS. Sir, — It appears that at Moseley, near Birminghatr, tbe rainfall for the year 1873 was as follows — viz., in January 3 52 inches, February 1.40, March 0 76, April 1 33, May 282, June 3 61, July 6-97, August 208, September 3 64, October 696. November 3 52, December ]'41 — total, 3802 inches. In the six months ending 80tb November the depth of Moseley rainfall was 2G78 inches, being the greatest amount of rainfall there recorded in any six months consecutively. At Ashley Down Sta- tion, near Bristol, Mr. Denning recorded this year's rainfall to be 43148 inches, the annual average being 82 048 inches. The rainfall during 16 months, ending November, 1875, was 63221 inches, the average amount of this period being 44275 inches. Average daily fall of rain during this period, 0'086 inches. The mean daily excess on 518 days was 0'036 inches. The excess in 1875 was immense. Tlie amount for nine weeks, ending 7th October, 1874, was 13 521 inches, and for nine weeks, ending 20th November, 1875, 15942 inches. At the London Regent's Park Obiervatoiy, the January rainfall was 3'43 inches on 23 days, February 116 inches on 13 days, March 072 inches on 9 days, April 163 inches on 10 days. May 1 78 inches on 11 days, June 2 26 inches on 15 days, July 4 57 inches on 17 days, August 1 30 inches on 11 days, September 2 77 inches on 17 days, October 448 inches on 19 days, November 3 30 inches on 20 days, December 1'56 inches on 17 days ; that is, 2908 inches on 182 days. At Caraden-square, London, the rainfall in Noyember, 1874, was, on 15 days, 2 27 inches, being 0"20 inches below average ; in December, on eight days, it was 1'58 inches, being 008 inches above average ; in January, I873, rainfall there amounted to 3 32 inches, being above the average of the years 1860-65 byl'27 inches; February rainfall, on 16 days, 1-06 inches, below the said average by 016 inches ; March rainfall, on 11 days, 069 inches, belo\T aTerage by 139 inches ; April, 10 daySj 1'53 inches, above average 0'40 inches ; May, 13 days, 1'69 inches, belo«r average 079 inches; June, 15 days, 2 41 inches, above average 064 inches ; July, 17 days, 4'64 inches, above average 2 85 inches ; August, 12 days, 1 79 inches, below average 0'85 inches ; September, 15 days, 286 inches, above average 0 60 inches ; October, 18 days, 4"33 inches, above average 1'76 inches. AtFrant the 1875 rainfall was in excess, being 33 77 inches — viz., January 437 inches, February 134, March 1 21, April 110, May 1 66, June 245, July 5 52, Au^u.t 1 89, September 194, October 5 42, November 4 74, December 213 inches ; the mean average for 34 years hein^ 24 78 inches — thus, for the twelve respective months, 1 68, 1-58, 1-61, 1-73, 196, 1-83. 237, 2 40, 2 40, 2 67, 2 53, and 2"02 inches. The 1875 rainfall at Cuxhaven was 17-55 inches, at Stornoway 3888, Thurso 35-13, Wick 25 58, Aberdeen 34 57, Leith 23 96, Yarmouth 27 69, Ardrossan 39.87, Greencastle 3939, Donaghadee 33 67, Kingstown 3123, Ilolyliead 3r36, Valentia 51-46, Roche's Point, 52 96, Liverpool 30 44, Pembroke 41-95, North Shields 2588, Scarborough 3208, Nottingham 34-48, Portishead 4355, Plymouth 4215, Hurst Ca-tle 30 87, Dover 31-16, London 2733, Oxford 33 10, and Cambridge 27 08. From January to April, there was a general prevalence of dry weather, except over some of the midland counties of England. In July, October, and November, there was an excess of rainfall in England, producing heavy floods. The difference from the average rainfall was minus at Stornoway 3.72 inches, at Valentia 2.31, Pembroke 2 29, and at Yarmouth 2 12 inches ; but the excess of average rainfall amounted at Thurso, in Scotland, to 4 73 inches, Wick 11-46, Aber- deen 15-61, Leith 14-12, North Shields 10-62, Scir- borough 14 41, Nottingham 18 88, Greencastle 1005, Kingstown 1378, Holyhead 10 23, Liverpool 1382, Roche's Point 1606, Plymouth 1320, Dover 10 88, London 12-83, Oxford 15 83, Cambridge 15'67 inches. One inch of rain means a gallon of water over a surface of nearly two square feet, or a fall of 100 tons per acre. At Frant, Sussex, Mr. Allnatt noted the commencement of January calm and cold, with 19 degs. of frost. The temperature was in excess on 28 days, and the inonth'3 rainfall 269 inches above the average. Destructive gales submerged the lower lands of England. Much ozone was observed. The range of pressure was from 28-80 to 30 20 inches. The ultimate range of thermometer vras 18 7 degrees. In February much frost, and snow, with unusual cold, prevailed. Temperature below average on five days during the first week ; on 8lh east wind, much cold ; temperature on 8th, 9th, 10th, below avenge; on 12lh rain occurred, and temperature rose 9 degs., 68 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. frost disappcarod ; nn 20th snow was on the ground one iMch deeji ; on 23rd ttniperatiire 13 dcgs. below Ihe avtrase; dark and gloomy ou 26lli, 27-ili, and 28th; baronifter, 29 90 to 30 10 indies ; on 28ih nieau tempe- T^rinTu was (ieficieiit 9 dc^is. 3 miu. Azoue deficient. Kainfall, 0 24 inch below averatre. March whs notable for N.E. wind and frost ; low thermal condition"! ; snow 3 inches deep. Giles were ejpeiicnced on the 7ih, with temperature 9 de^s. above averhge ; much damage in the North of Enehind ; 16th, gale, doing mnch marine injury; from 11th to 24.th tetnperature below the mean. Winds easterly and seiui- polar. Rainfall deficient. April comrntnced with temperature 3 degs. above the average; from the Stli to the 16th it was below the average, rising from 17ih to 20ih ; on 22iid it fell 12 3 degs., being a range of 25 7 degs. in a few hours. Frcim the 1st to 30lh the temperature was above average on 16 ■days, and below it ou 14 days. Winds chiefly semi- equatorial and sensi-polar. The 21st was hot and rainy. Winds E.X.E. until the 25ih. Rain 0-63 inch below average. May was preternaturally hot at Frant. During the firt moiety of the month the mean temperature was above average, ex<-ept once. "A consecutive run of excessive thermal conditions seemed to extend daily from Ihe first to the 26th, inclusive, yielding a quotient of 13 degs. above the acknowledged mean averajie." Abrupt oscilla- tions occurred from the 21st to the 31st: five days were in excess and six days were deficient in temperature. The coldist night was th"at, of the 30:h-olst; on 30ih and 31>;t dininal means were 7'2 and 71 degs. below average. In North America summer weather oecuri-cu on the 20th, a'ter a cold and backward spring. At New York, ou the 23rd, the thermometer reached, in the shade, 77 degs. ; on the 24lh, 86 degs., a nimbus or lain-cloud on 17 days ; little ozone, and south winds frequent. Rainfall 033 inch below average. Jnne: In France many inundations; in England much thunder and litrhtni'ig. Rain at Frant on ten days; monthly full 2.45 inches. Winds equatorial ; gales on the 6th, 12ih, and 16th, with mnch thunder, &c., at Fraut. Range of atmospheric pressure 2915 to 29 85 inches. July: Mean temperature was in excess on 17 days; czone deficient. Calm and suuny from 21st to 31st ; much eleiuental perturbation prevailed, and electrical storms in Europe; from 1st to 20tli Frant rainfall was 522 inches, 3 inches in excess; from 13th to 20th, 2'55 inches ; at Dover 2 85 inches, and at Worthing 250 inches fell during the middle period of this month. Excessive rainfall in the East of England and North of Scotland; growing crops and human lives destroyed; low-lying lands submerged by the floods. Many Ihuuder- s.ornis and lightning deaths in Yorkshire, Suffolk, and elsewhere in England. Tliis mouth was remarkable for an excess of moisture almost beyond parallel in England. Auanst : Thunderstorms in England on the 7th, 9th, 10th, 12th, and 13th. At Enfield, ou the 10th, 2 75 inches of rain fell in one hour. Little ozoae, atmos- pherical pressure equable, and the range only half au inch ; from 6th to 31st, temperature in excess. Sc])tembcr was hot and sunny at Frant. and elsewhere ; night temperature 46 to 64 degs., morning temperature 53 to 69 degs., mid-day tein])eratnre 58 to 72 degs., aggregate mean monthly temperature 60 5 degs., being 3 9 degs., above average. Migratory birds departed early. Gale on the 13th and 26th in Englvud, Scotland, and Irelaiid. The mouth's rainfall, 0.46 inch below average. In Susses a hiro;e meteor was visible on the 14th, and aurora on the 17th. Floods and storms from the 15ih to the 30th of this month. October was squally and much rain prevailed ; on the 3rd day tempest, and squalls occurred on the lOih, 14fh» 21it, and 22nd days; Hoods on the 23id to the end. Month's rainfall, 5'42 inches, being 2'75 inches in excess. Ozone in excess on five days. Range of temperature, 28 75 inches to 32 inches. November: Temperature below average on 20 days. Much wind and rain during this month. On the 8th, temperature 86 degs. below averaire ; from 26th to 30th, temperature 10.5, 94, 97, 10'8, and 131 below average respectively; hard frost and show; on 19 days nimbus or rain-clouds prevailed, but the frost did not penetrate deeply, it being warmer several feet below the earth than on the surface. The December rainfall was recorded as follows — viz., »t CJuxhaven 0 76 inches on eight days, Storn- oway 4 53 on 26 days, Thurso 3 05 on 24 days, Wick 173 on 20 days, Nairn 1 72 on 20 days, Aberdeen 1 65 on 18 days, Le'ith 174 on 12 days. North Shields 145 on 18 days, I'ork 0 80 on 16 days, Scarborough 1 78 on 17 days, Nottingham 123 ou 18 days, Ardrossan 2 92 on 18 days, Greencastle 3 44 on 18 days, Douag- hadee 173 onl4da\s, Kinirstown 209 on 16 days, Holy- head 2 26 on 21 days, Liverpool 0 96 on 12 days, Valentia 330 on 19 days, Hoche's Point 3 85 on 16 days, Pembroke 3 25 on 11 days, Portishead 133 on 12 days, Plymouth 151 on 14 days. Hurst Castle I'lO ou 17 days, Dover 1 38 on 14 days, Oxford 0 81 on 11 days, Cam- bridge 0.65 on 15 days, Yarmouth 2.02 on 20 days, London December rainfall, 1"10 inches on 13 days. 'I'hese notes I hope may be found interesting and useful. Yours, faithfully, CHtiisTOPHER Cooke, Swaldije, Oxon, Jan. 12, 1876. P.S. — ilr. G. Symons, of 52, Camden-square, Londou (N.E.), requires meteorological observers. SPRING FLOWERS. — Some, interrsting observations on the floweriiiff of sprin;; plants were made at the tu'-etin^ (jf the Edinhargh Botanical Society a lew evenings aio tjy tlie Vice- Presiilent, Mr. Buchan, who, with a view of iliscovcring what lessons may be learned from tliebnddin?, leafing, and flo«ermgof p!an;s and trees, has collected much curious iiil'onaation on the su' jiC'. It appears from the result of noting the averMge dates o:' flowering of 33 species at the Rojal Botanical Garde is ('uring 26 \ ears tluit the six latest s|irings were — 18.55, when the flower- ing was 30 days la'er than tlip averaj;e ; 1870, when flowerinjj was 16 days ; 1853, U days ; 1856, 13 da>s ; 1857 and 18G5, each 12 days later. The five earliest springs were 1874, wh^n flowering was 23 days earlier than the average dale ; 1869, when it was 19 days; 1851,13 dajs; and 1853 and 18u6, each 11 days earlier. The two extremes show a difference between tl'e d^tes of flowering in diff-rent jears of 53 days. The lonjie.'-t deviations from the average were before the equinox. As to the relations which tiiese efl'ects have to teinperatare, it was found that the mean temperature of Edinburgh fell to its lowest on the lltli of January, when it was 34-S deg., and from this point it may be assumed that meteorological conditiorjs com- raerice which result in givin? vegftation a start. Another question of great, interest is the relation of the colour of flowers to their date of flowering. Taking 909 species of British fl ira, 2.57 were 'band to have whi'e fl )wers, 23S ye'.lovv, 114 red, 94 purple, 87 blue, the reraamder being green and other colours. Of the blue flowers 16 per cent, bloomed in Aprd; 14 per cent, of the white flowers bloomed in that rr.onili, but only 9 percent, of the reds, the yellows beinj; very close to the litter. It thus appeared that the hlues were fir ahead of the reds aud yellow?, the whites being intermediate, and the purples arid greens came in between trie blues and the reds. This indicates tlie existence of some general law which arranges the flowering of pi nts in tlie British flora according to the colours iu tho spfcttum. — Pall Mall Gazelle. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. DORCHESTER FARMERS' CLUB. Tie rrontily mpotinjr of llie nicmbprs of tliis Club w.-is licld at the Antelcipo Hotel, u.idcr tl'O pn siiicncy of -Mr. 11. Gi-nge. Mr. G. lioirier oc('U|)ied llio viip cUn\r, anil tliere were ii'so present Mr. Ha«kiu8, Mr. T. Cliick, Jlr. Oiiiley Siiundprs, Mr H. \\\ Hawkins, Mr. T. Svnies, Mr. 11. 'I'Hjlor, Mr. Troid, Mr. G. Keats, Mr. Lfiader, Mr. ¥. Sv!!ies, Mr. R. D.imen, Mr. C Samiders, nnd Mr. A.. Pope. Tvi'o iicv nir-iiiliers were propos d and accepted. The Chair- Man annouuced tli.it Mr. A. Fope luid kiiu'lv co'»sfiited to iiiti(;diice for discussion at llie Fehniary meeting t.'ie question of •'Tlie Agricultural Ho'dinfj.s Bill." The su'ject for tlie CDnsid-ra'ioii of the meetiiior was '■Nitr.-i'eof Soda," which WIS brimjflit forwmd by Blr. S, ootier, of Eliiisr, Southamp- ton, who treated it iu a most able, conipreheusive, and exhaus- tive man HIT. Mr. SrooNER said when their chairman asked him to intro- duce the present subject before the Club a thought struck him whether it could be made sufficiently interesting or exciting to call gentleni'-n together, or at auy ra^e to send them away p'ea rd with what they had hfard. He thought it was very diiuhtful, nirra'e of suda being an article which had been kti )«u and used by them for n.auy years, whether he cou'd say anything more upon the subject than was already known. That possib'y might be the case to a certain extent, but there were many erroneous ideas entfrtaiiipd wi;h regard not only to 'he fact of its composition, but also as to the resi'tsof trials of this salt. A short time ago — at any rate within the last few months — he had seen a circular from a Liverpool broker, in which it was stated a correspondent had been suc- cessful iu using tii'THte of soda, and that lie iuteoded to put 2j cwt. in iiis wheat crop during the autumn. Ti e hroker especially de-ired parties to comiuunioa'e with him, and say if tiny had ever done such a thing, and if so, with what remit. That showed there must be very great ignorance entertained on the suhj ct, for to apply such a hsrge quantity of extremely so'uble manure before the autumn rains showed so much "un- wisdom " that lie thought whatever information could be relied upon as to its use, should be broufcht I'orwar'l. Nitrate of soda had been known for the last 100 years, but liad not been used for agriculture until within the last 30 or 40, soon after, if not at the same time, as Peruvian guano; but there was this great difference — that the latter answered at once, and people were satislii'd with it, whereas the first cargo of nitrate of soda broMght into this country W4s returned because it coiild not be sold. A c:irgo the second time was thrown into the water in CJnsequence of the very iiigh duty imposed upon it : hut he believed the third time it was introduced it sold for £:35 a ton. After tills it was some little time before it made its way, and BO doubt the cause had been because people had applied it in- judiciously, and iu too large quantities. Nitrate of potash and sa'itpi tre had been known for a coa-iderably longer period, the latter being most exclusivrly confined to the manufacture of gunpowder. N trate of soda was now largely used for elie iiical purposes. Its production took place in a rainless district, and that was the reason why it was not present in many parts of the world. It was almost exclusively confined to the western coast of America, and near the tropic d regions. It was found in a rainless district, because it was so exceedinsfly Soluble that if it absorbad any rain it would be washed into the sea. The facts with ret'ard to these rainless districts were ■very cutiouo. People had lived on the coast of Peru for years who had not witnessed above ons shower in seven or eight years. That was the reason why gu-ino, particularly the o!d sorts from the Chinea Islam's, contained such a large quantity of ammonia, whilst in other plices, such as Patagonia and Ic;habop, the quality was washed out. Nitrate of so la was found iu kind of quarriss exuding from the soil; in tact the soil was im( regnaied with it to a vast extent. Its origin was invo'ved in much obscurity, but it was thought it formed the bottom of the s?a ; there was no doubt the land had been raised to a considerable extent, and that this nitrate of soda was once the salt at the bottom of the sea. Even that sup- position did rot get over tlie ditBculty in the matter, because, although nitrate of soda was found iu connection with salt, yet, like salt, it was soluble, and why it sho'ild take the form of nitrate of soda, salt being chloride of soda, it was dilTicnlt to understand. Whether it w^ig owin? to tho volca- noes which there existed he could not tell, but nitrate of soda, which WHS coniposcd of nitric acid and soda, Wfs found to a very great ex'ent. The production of this s:)!t was for the ;ri0st part contini'd to the ]irovince of Tarapara, in Pern, but principally to the Pampa of Taniarngai, lunning north and south a considerable distance, about seventy or eighty niih s, and being some twelve miles di-ta'it from the western shore. For many years after the s»lt was d scovered it was bro ght to the east on the btcks of mules, but as there were no good roads this was a very expensive process. The district where the salt was (band rose to 3,000 'pet above the sea, I'Ut tow-trds the east there were almost ihe lo'^liest mountains in the world —the Andes— rising from 17,000 to 20,000 feet above the sea level, and the cause of the dryness of the air where this salt was found was considered by some to be owing to the trade winds constantly shilling from east to west, and being then carried over the mountains the f ffect was to rob the air of its moisture. Some years ago, as he had said, there were nothing but mule-tracks by which to convey nitrate of soda to the coast, but since Mr.Pewsey had wiitten u^lon its value a railway h id been opened. There was a considerable trade now done in the article, but, like everything else in Peru, it had shown an un- fortunate tendency. He unhappily was a shnrebolder in the company, and, within the last werk or two, bad received in- formation that there were no dividends. The shareholders must, however, hope for the b?st. and as the soil was impreg- naced with nitrate of soda to a very l.irge extent iu a pure state there was no doubt its production would oulla t the find of guano. Nitrate of soda contained about 13 per cent of nitrogen. It was a curious fact that in the composition of nitric acid the veiy same jjases were formed as composed those of the atmosphere. The atmosphere was composed almost en- tirely of one-fifth of ox}gen and four-fifihs of nitrofjen. The latter, which was so valuable and powerful an agency in lood iu making flesh and muscle, served the purpose of uiluting the oxyaen. Oxygen hy itself would burn u;) the world unless it was diluted by nitroL'en. Nitrate of soda, as he had said, contained 13 per cent, of uitrog-en, which was equal to It) or 17 per cent, of ammonia, combining all the constituents of the best Peruvian guano, yet it was a curii.us fact that for some years the price of nitrate of soda was consiilerably more than that of Peruvian guano, hut now if the latter could be brought over of the same value and richness as the former it would command a higher price. Many successful experiments li^d been made with nitrate of soda, but it had often got into d.s- grace on account of peojile em|iloying it injudiciously, and had been considered to produce blight in corn. It was thought, because it was known to produce such great effects, the more that could be used the better, as it supplied almost everyti'in* which was wanted. That was a mistake ; it supidied only o'\e thing — nitrogen contained in nitric acid. It required great jiidgaient in its use, and was more successful upon uood well- manured land than upon poor land, where it was injudicious to apply it unless connected with other manures. As an in- stance of the most tucccssful use of nitrate of soda, Mr. Spoon'er said an f xperiniPiit was made upon a bir^re field of barley by Mr. Fewsey. The crop was sown in February, a'ld at a lime when things were yelbw with frost. He used 4'21b. of nitrate of soda with 8-ilh. of salt, ihe result being he bad 47 bushels of barley per acre, whilst in an iiiulressed piece of yround the yield was only 40 ; whilst a neighbour v»lio n^ed the best Peruvian guano received no benefit at all, but this w .s, peiliaps, owing to the seasc n beiug dry. Mr. Spooner quoted many statistics showing the value of uiirate of soda when judiciously applied, esjiecially to b:ir!ey, saying its use with other pho.^phates not only give extra q'lantity, but im, .roved quality. Discussion having been invited, Mr. Chapmaji Sauxprus said they were much obliged to Mr. Sjiooner for his lect'irp, because he was to a very great extent a scientific man, and by his knowledge and acquaintance with agiicultuie knew pretty well what he was talking about. He (.Mr. Saunders) thought nitrate of soda was a very useful article, but its effects depended much upon the soil to which it was applied, and also upon the seasons. Upon poor laud he thought something w&s required 90 THE FARME^l'S MAGAZINE. to go with it in Iha sliape of pliospliates either sohibia or otiierwise. Upon better land it iiiiglit be vised alone. He considered nitrate of sod* could be used with advantage at its present price. It differed, liowever, a great deal from Peruvian guano, as it contained nothing to support a crop, po tint it Was desirable upon certain lands to mix some kind of phos- phate with it to support and stimulate. Ilis opinion of nitrate of soda was that it answered better in a moderately wet season than in a dry peiiod. Mr. Damem asked Mr. Spooner what he thought of using a small quantity of stable dung with nitrate of soda upon poor soils ; whether nitrate of soda was cheaper than Peruvian guano, provided the latter could be had containing 14 per cent, of ammonia, at their relative prices, and further, what did Mr. Spooner tliink of the system pursued on a farm in Hampshire, whers corn was grown year after year with only nitrateof soda — what would betlie ultimate effect on the land ; wliether it would be deteriorated or not ? The VICE-CHAIRMAN had had very great pleasure in listen- ing to the interesting lecture Mr. Spooner had given. He thought tiipy had all been interested and learnt a great deal. It was undoubtedly necessary to keep land well manured to produce good results. It appeared to him tliere were four kinds of manure they were able to put upon their land. The first was that from the farmyard; secondly, that made from shf ep feeding on the land ; thirdly, artificial manures ; and fourthly, that derived from the subsoil by deep cultivation. Tlie farmyard manure, although the most useful of all, was too bulky, and therefore not fit to carry to the farther parts of a (arm. It wms very well for use near the homesteads, but if they calculated the value of their iiorse labour they would find it would cost them Is. or Is. Gd. a load for carrying the manure to the farther end of the farm, so he did not think tliat could be profitably employed. It was well known in light soils much could not be obtained from the subsoil, and then it was only of one quality, so that they were dependent in that respect upon artificial manures. He tiiought the beit was that produced from slieep, especially when they iiad been fed upon Cake and corn, but artificial manures, such as nitrate of soda and superphosphates, mifflit well be of use as a sort of rake in aid to other manures. The question resolved itself into one of pounds, sliillings, and pence, for if it was found 15s. expended in nitrate of soda would produce 20s. wortli of corn it would prol)ably just pay expense, but if it was found to produce a profit still larger, then of course there was a profit upon tlie transaction. At the present price of corn the use of much artificial manure was not desirable, but nevertheless upon some land they knew a very poor crop would be produced without its use. From experiments he had made he did not think a farmer could use a betttr manure than a mixture of nitrate of soda with some of the best phosphates which could be obtained. He, however, believed wliere there was aay material in the subsoil that was the cheapest manure which could be used. He believed 5s. per acre laid out in deep ploughing would be much niore useful in the next crop of corn than 203. laid out in artificial manures. He thought upon most heavy soils the cultivation was not deep enough. Ploughmen were satisfied by turning up a furrow of 3|^ inches deep, when the land ouglit to be ploughed to a depth of 8 inches. If it was ploughed like this once a year and thrown open to tlie influence of sun and frost, those natural workers, he believed, would produce better manure than could be put into the land in the shape of artificial productions. He iiad used nitrate of soda for many years, and was of opinion there was a small profit from it if used properly. He had used about five tons a year for the last two or three years, applying it to barley alter wheat mixed with some kind of superphosphate. Mr. T. CmcK asked if Mr. Spooner recommended the use of nitrate or soda upon thin chalky soils ? Mr. Hawkins wished to be told in plain English provided he manured a piece of land for wheat in the spring, and the plants grew up weakly, how much nitrate of soda ought to be put upon the land to put the crop in a proper condition to make another quarter per acre ? The Chairman said he had used nitrate of soda, but only to a small extent in conjunction with other manures. His usual dressing was fcwt. of soda, Jcwt. of bone superphosphate, and Icwt. of salt, which he had seen answer wall for wheat, but where he had sown manure in the spring but dressed it in for barley, oats, and peas, he had never seeu any good result* at all. Mr. Spooner briefly replied to the questions raised. With regird to Mr. Damen's first inquiry as to using a small quan- tity of farm manure with nitrate of soda, the lecturer said the principle was quite right. It was quite right to use dung where nitrate of soda was used, but not desirable to have both togftber. It was far bet'er to mis guano with dung than nitrate of soda. As to the relative prices of Peruvian guano which contained 14 per cent, of ammonia, as compared witli nitrate of soda, he should think the former would come to less money. Answering Mr. Damen's other question as to what the effect of growing corn year after year with only the aid of nitrate of soda, Mr. Spooner said that would do no harm as long as the minerals were supplied. The farm which Mr. Damen had in view was situate at the foot of a chalk hill, and the custom there had been to use a great part of the soil from the city. He attributed Mr. Genge's failure in the application of nitrate of soda to barley, peas, and oats to the fact lie had not selected a suitable time tor top dressing, as frost was very prejudicial to the application of manure. Speaking of deep ploughing, he said deep ploughing upon laud rich in minerals was of very great effect. Many years ago there was quite a flourish of trumpets, as it was thought deep ploughing was going to do everything. Mr. I'rout and Mr. Middlemarsli had exceedingly good crops it was said from this course, but as they sold tliem off at once no one knew what was obtained ; but acre for acre they were the largest users of artificial manures in England, which if their theory was right ought not to have been the case. The Chairman : Fifty shillings per acre over the whole farm. Mr. Spooner, in answer to Mr. Hawkins, recommended salt and phosphorus on lightly farmed soils for keeping the straw stiff", and in replying to Mr. Chick's questiur. as to whether he could recommend nitrate of soda upon poor clialk lands, said a moderate quantity, something like 4'21b. per acre, could not hurt any soil. Keplying to a question from Mr. Chiek, the lecturer said nitrate of soda forced too much green for potatoes, and in answering another put by the same gentle- man as to its effect upon grass lands, old pistures, and new grasses, Mr. Spooner observed the effect of nitrate of soda would be to stimulate the coarser grasses, but not to encourage the growth of clover. Rye grass was stimulated by its use, and if they used nitrate of soda with some other superphos- phates that encouraged both. A vote of thanks, proposed by the Chairman, and seconded by Mr. C. Saunders, was accordea to Mr. Spooner for hia able lecture. Nitrate of Soda. — In your report of the proceedings of ths Dorchester Farmers' Club in your last paper an error occurs which is of some little importance, and which perhaps you will kindly correct. The Chairman, relating his experience, said when he iiad used nitrate of soda with superphosphate and salt in the spring at the time of sowing barley or oats he could not discern the result, whilst the application of the same a month afterwards to the growing crop as a top-dressing was always success- ful. This he asked the lecturer to explain, which I did in my reply by saying I could readily understand the application in the first instance would be much less discernible, as it would be slower in its action and buried much deeper and applied in colder weather, whereas ia the latter case the appli- cation of a very soluble manure in warmer and probably showery weather was carried at once to the roots of the plants, which were at once fed and invigorated. In the one case the rootlets had to seek for the manure ; in the other the manure sought the plants, and very soon found thera. — W. C. Spooner, Ealing House, near Southampton, Jan. 15, 1876, — Dorset Chronicle, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 91 FERTILISERS. By The Northern FARMEa. {Conclusion.) As a fertiliser, quick in action, and productive of coa- siderabie results, at a miuimum of cxpeuditure of labour aud but moderate outlay for the article itself, nitrate Of soda takes a promiuent position amongst the best artiti -iais as a dressing for one crop, aud particularly ou light laud. Wheat responds almost immediately to its application, coming away with a rush, and speedily outstripping any portion of the field which may, for the sake of experiment, be left undressed. With this cereal the extra quantity of straw should in every case pay for the expense incurred by top-dressing, the very high rates ruling for straw of late years render- ing this comparatively easy of accomplishment; while the increased number of bushels to the acre grown by its aid constitute the farmers' profit on tlie outlay and trouble. It will almost invariably be found that, w'len nitrate of soda has been used with good effect, that the grain is less jilump, coarser in the skin, and lighter to the bushel, than it is when growing side by side on the same laud, prepared in every way the same ; but, undressed, even guano in its best days, when it easily averaged 17 per cent, of ammonia, and had necessarily an enor- mous forcing etfect, gave grain of a much finer quality — silkier in the skin, and heavier to the bushel. The rank growth caused by the application of a fertiliser so rich in nitrogenous matter as nitrate of soda would readily indi- cate to the observant farmer the propriety of checking its stimulative powers by mixing with a phosphatic manure, for which purpose nothing could be got better than dis- solved bones. While the former implants strength to the young plant, or, when laid on at a more advanced stage, as, for iustance, in spring or autumn sown wheat, quickly restoring the weather-beaten and struggling plants to the bright hue of healthy vigour, giving them strength to tiller out and cover the surface, and inducing a luxuriant growth of straw, the latter feeds the ear, increasing the yield of grain and most decidedly improving its quality The good effect of top-dressing corn crops is most clearly discernible when the land is in rather poor manurial con- dition, the crop being then susceptible of improvement; and, while responding to the quickening influence of the artificial manure, there is no danger of injury or loss from excessive luxuriance. In exact contrast with the root erops, which are benefited by a dressing of ammoniacal manure, however rich may be the land on which they are grown, or however great the quantity of bulky manure given, cereal crops require no assistance from top- dressiuis when grown on rich land, their applica- tiou nearly always resulting in positive loss by the great length and softness of the straw, causing the crop to lodse long before the period of maturity. On such soils the simple dressing of a few cwts. of common salt to the acre will often pay for itself over and over again, by improving the quality of the grain and imparting strength and stiff- ness to the straw, thereby enabling it to stand a great deal of trying weather without sustaining the slightest injury. As a source of ammonia, a8 previously noticed, nitrate of soda has of late years come very much into use in the growth of the various root crops, and, mixed with dissolved bones, or hone superphosphate, either by itself •r in conjunction with guano, has given highly satisfactory results. As a top-dressing for meadow and pasture land nitrate of soda has been long and popularly known, scarcely «ver failiug, when it has the right varieties of grass to act upon, to give a very large increase of fodder, whetlier eaten down by cattle or made into hay. When used for this purpose, however, it is open to the very serious objection of bein;^ exhaustive, the field scarcely recovering itself until either broken up in the ordinary rotation of the farm, or again dressed with a manure which will exercise a recuperative influence on the exhausted roots and coarse herbage by gradually yielding for the service of the plants the nourishment which it contains, bones either chemically or mechanically, reduced being a very familiar example of a manure which possesses this renovating influence. Asa top-dressing for pasture or meadow, town manure compares favourably with nitrate of soda, as, although the latter gives a heavy crop of hay, the after-griss is apt to be stubbly and innutritions, and the pastuVaaie, in consequence, considerably reduced in value. Although a fair covering of the former will cost double the money, it is cheaper and greatly more beneficial in th; end, as, with an equal crop of hay, tlie pasture which succeeds is vastly superior, and every acre which his had the benefit of such an application will be worth not less than twenty shillings per annum additional while it remains in grass. This result is obtained by the manure, through the process of natural decay, and the action of the atmosphere, becoming resolved into an exeeedinscly fine and fertile earth, a portion of which, being washed by every shower down to the roots of the zrasses, imparts streuiith, vigour of growth, aud sue u- lence to the herbage for a snccessioa of years. Whea broken up for corn, it still marks its presence by a friability in the newly turued-up furrow, and a weight of crop, both in straw and grain, altogether unattainable when the cultivator has omitted to top-dress, or confined himself to the use of easily-applied and quick-acting stimulants. Before passing from the subject of artificial • r concentrated manures, it may be interesting to trace the progress from the first start to the period of final maturity of a field of roots — say of mangolds— that has been properly worked and prepared for its reception, and highly manured with dung aud artificials, contrasting it with the crop growing on a field which has been treated with only ordinary care. The mangold, being a gross feeder olVemarkably sound growth, bears with impunity any amount of forcing, this feature of its character rendering it of the utmost importance in agriculture, as, with liberal treatment, an enormous weight of highly nutritive food ean be obtained from a comparatively circumscribed area. When there is the intention of permanently impi-oving the soil, as well as a desire to grow a heavy crop for the timebei 'g, it will pay to lay on 35 tons of well rotted dung to the imperial acre, with the adJitioa of 3 cwts. half- inch bones, 5 cwts. pure dissolved bones, and 3 cwts. Peruvian guano ; or, if preferred, nitrate of soda may be substituted for a portion of the latter, the whole coating a trifle uuder £6. With the preparation of the laud, and the dressing of bulky and portable manures, as above indi- cated, it may be fairly assumed that the plants will make a quick and even start, passing rapidly over the intermediate stages of growth, and becoming fit to thin at five weeks from the date of sowing. Spaced out to a distance of fi-om twelve to eighteeu|inches, according to the nature and capabilitv of the soil, the plants, finding abundant nourish- ment will speedily expaud under its forcing influence, the leaves becoming thick and juicy and shining with metallia «2 THE FARMEKS MAGAZINE. lustre, beading over into a half-circle with their own weight in les3 than a month after the operation of thinning has been completed. Grown on badly-prepared land, with but a moderate dressing of the different manures, this crop comes away very irregularly, many blanks — often, too, •of great extent — appearing in the drills, a failure invari- ably attributed to bad seed or a faulty machine, when very probably neither the one nor the other had anything to do Tfith the matter, but simply careless cultivation. The mangold-seed being enclosed in a hard dry husk, it will not vegetate unless surrounded with very fine, powdery earth, which is able to attract and retain moisture; and hence the numerous blanks which occur when the necessary ■conditions for success are unfulfilled. Badly nourished plants are long in coming to the hoe ; and, even when well advanced, the treatment they have received is easily -discernible by their spare habit and the leaves tucked u p tight together, not being. possessed of sufficient succulence to give them weight enough to spread out and fall over. The mangold being a plant that, under ordinarily favour- able circumstances as to soil and climate, gratefully responds to good cultivation, it naturally follows that lift- ing a poor crop is a very miserable and undesirable occu- pation for both man ana master, showingno return for the abour expended, and affording a truly wretched prospect for spring feeding. Turnips, in like manner, in nearly every instance owe their success to the first start, and, if this is weak or protracted, no after-eflfort the crop maybe ■enabled to make by the influence of favourable weather or autumnal or early winter growth, which in certain seasons amounts to something, can bring it beyond mediocrity. To effect a good start, therefore, an artificial fertiliser, rich in ammonia, becomes absolutely indispe^i- sable, however well the soil may have been otherwise treated. A crop which has been quickly forced beyond the reach of the fly, and got a good hold of the soil before .evaporation has taken place to such an excessive extent as to injuriously affect the well-doing of the plants, having every chance in in its favour of reaching a heavy weight to the acre. On land where turnips of all varieties are apt to decay:^ — and iu special seasons this is liable to happen on the very soundest turnip soils — the artificials are blamed at once as the cause of all such loss and injury, when, if, for experiments' sake, a number of drills had ■been left undressed, which should always be done, it would be found that the quantity of decayed bulbs bore the same proportion to the sound ones as in the drills that had received the artificials. The working of the soil and the period of sowing has much to do with the ulti- mate success of the crop and its freedom from premature decay, the latter varying so much, according to the nature of the soil, sub-soil, and locality, that it would be •utterly preposterous for any one, even after the experience of a life-time, to attempt laying down a hard-and-fast rule for the seed time of swedes, or any variety of turnips, which will be equally applicable to every locality. The Northern farmer must sow early iu May; possiblj% if he can manage it, in April. Otherwise, he risks the loss of half or more of his most valuable feeding crop — man- golds, with his climate being inadmissible. On the other hand, the Southern farmer, by sowing thus early, may find by the time of harvest, what was a few weeks before a highly-promising and luxuriant crop, covered with mildew, and by the first month of winter half er more of the bulbs destroyed by dry-rot. With his genial climate, and more particularly on light, friable, or brashy laud, the latter finds the month of June by far the safest time to sow his general crop. By the time the plants are up the days are on the turn, and, under the strengthening influence of a soil thoroughly warmed by the sun's rays and a copious deposition of dew, they make aapid pro- gress, and eooa get over the dangeroui period of their existence. In certain seasons he may even extend his sowings of swedes into the first week of July, and still have a presentable crop of the soundest bulbs. Land badly prepared, or worked when in an unfit state, is ex- tremely inimical to the success of this crop, and, besides causing an uncertain and exceedingly irregular bit of plants in the first instance, brings on dry rot, and nearly every disease to which it is subject, in the more advanced stages of its growth — finger-and-toe not excepted. It is highly necessary therefore to inquire very closely into every phase of culture and general treatment, when a crop has become either a partial or total failure from unsoundness of bulk, before making the sweeping asser- tion that it was caused by the application of too heavy a dose of artificial manure — a statement too often made without having the slightest s'ladow of foundation. The facility with which roots can be grown, when manured with artificial fertilisers only, on well-prepared,, though it may be, poor land, has conferred advantages of enormous value on the modern farmer, as it has secured to him the means of bringing the soil by which he must gain his living into high raanurial condition, and, what is of quite as much importance, of sustaining its fertility. By an eminently useful combination of root-culture on the one baud, and sheep-feeding on the other, a highly- intelligent system of fertilisation, which embraces every element of good husbandry, has become inaugurated, and become a permanent institution in every district, and nearly on all soils. By the extremely simple arrange- ment of eating off the crop where it grew, the animals being confined in a moderete sized space until all that grew on that part is consumed, the whole of the manure, both liquid and solid, which the crop is capable of con- verting, is returned in an exceedingly comminuted form and with the utmost regularity to the land, for the growth and sustenance of future crops of corn and grass. On soils favourably situated for the growth of roots, and when liberally treated with bone phosphates to aid the succeeding crops, the whole of the turnips need not be eaten on the ground, a successful crop frequently permitting, with no apparent injury, half of its balk to be drawn for consumption in the yard?, there to take its part in the manufacture of farmyard manure. To further assist in enriching the soil, and increasing the profit derivable from the sheep by hastening the fattening process, each animal may be supplied daily v^rith a portion of cake and corn, varying from a half to two pounds, according to their sire and condition and the quality of the article given, and as much sweet clover-hay as they will eat without waste. On all light land — uplands, and slopes — this mode of fertilising the soil forms the very perfection of modern husbandry, the soil being kept iu high manurial con- dition with the least possible expenditure of labour, even the consolidation effected by the treading of the animals being a mechanical operation of great value, proving highly beneficial to the barley crop which follows. Wherever carting is difficult or impossible this is the only course open to the farmer; and either as a breeder or feeder of sheep, or both combined, he is able, by judicious and intelligent management, to make a com- fortable and respectable living in, what would appear to the ordinary observer, the most unpromising situations. This article, however, is not written for the purpose of advocating sheep-farming either as the sole or leading source of fertilising the soil, but rather as a valuable aid to the general farmer in enabling him to get quickly over an impoverished farm, to annually assist and supplement the supply of farmyard manure, and thus permit him to grow, with a reasonable prospect of success, every acre of corn which his rotation allows. Roots are not the only .crops available for sheep-feeding, rape and tares being also THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 93 extremely useful fortius purpose; ami in some ways they afl'.jrd ecouoitiic faeilitiej to (lie cxieiisive stockowiier, wliich prove of very great value. S.)vvii ia the latter case, or traiislpauteil, as iji the ease of the former, when the eereal crops have been removed, they come in for use in spring, when the turnips are tiiiisheil, and are cleared off in ample time to give full justice to the turnips, thus only occupying the land when it would have been lying idle. If dung can be used for these crops so much the better; but, as a rich growth can be obtained by the ap- plication of a nitrogenous manure, such as nitrate of soda, these crops can themselves be used as agents for fertilising soil. Penned up in the same way as on the turnips, care being taken that they do not trample the luxuriant vegetation on which they are placed to feed, and 8up])lied with cake and corn as before, sheep do ad- mirably, |)utling on condition fast, and at the same time greatly enriching tlie laud. Again, sheep may be netted over grass-land, and, while paying for rent and labour by the improvement they make in their own condition and consequent values, they at the same time permanently improve the soil to an extent seldom equalled, and pro- bably not exceeded, by any knowu mode of fertilisation. The improvement is more substautial and lasting when carried out on a newly-laid-dowu field, the quick- growing succulent grasses giving a larger supply of food than pasture several years old, aud the soil underneath, being soft and porous from recent stirring, quickly absorbs the whole of the solid and liquid excretions. A hill-side field, uneven and difficult to work, a park or portion of a domain that has been turned up to undergo a process of renovation, or any field, however situated, that it is de- sirable to lay down permanently in good heart, can be enormously improved in its future grass-growing and stock-carrying capabilities by omitting the com crop, and eating off the first year's growth of the clovers and grasses, in exactly the same manner as is done with the turnips, by netting the sheep in successive squares, and giving a liberal allowance of cake and corn. If previously put out of lands in good heart, either vs'ith dung and bones, or by eating the turnips by sheep, the grass may, in ordinarily favourable seasons, be eaten over three times before the close of the year in which it was sown, easily paying, by the improvement of the sheep, all that could possibly be made by anything but an unusually fine corn crop, after seed and labour of all kinds has been deducted. In thus laying down land to grass with- out a white crop the mixture should include every variety of herbage and forage plants suited to the geological formation, so as to prove as far as possible acceptable to the animals, by affording a variety of palatable and nou- rishing food. There is no way rape can be sown to better advantage than by mixing a few pounds to the statute acre vrith the grasses and clovers, when laid down in this way, as the plants, having abundant room, spread out, and afford a large supply of food, in its nature evidently grateful and agreeable to the animals, as however rich may be the herbage, the rape plants ai-e the first stripped, the sheep nibbling at them as long as a leaf remains. The improvemeut in the manurial condition of the field thus treated will be so great as to be visible for many years, both as to the intensely green shade which the herbage retains throughout the whole year, the quality of the grasses, and the number of stock which it is able to su-itain. The leading fertilisers which are available to the farmer, as substitutes, in whole or in part, for farmyard manure in the field, and aiding its production in the yardf, by largely increasing the bulk of the material from which it is formed, having now been received, it just remains to briefly glance at its collection and manage- ment, as no farmer can, even with safety to his pecuniary interests, lose sight of it as his leading idea. To obtain the bulk of farmyard dung necessary to cover a considerable extent of surface, straw of the cereal aud leguminous crops must be used in the most liberal manner, no sub- stitute for this article having yet been, or is at all likely to be, devised which could satisfactorily take its place. Straw in the most admirable manner fulfils a double pur- pose, as it not only gives the animals a comfortable bed whan confined to the stalls, but at the same time, by its power as an absorbent, affords an excellent medium for taking up aud preserving in a portable form the whole of the solid ; and, if proper arrangements are made, the greater portion of the liquid excretion of the animals. Thus the growth of corn must go baud in band with the breeding, rearing, and feeding of live stock. Tha former cannot be sustained without the latter, as if this department is attempted t) be omitted or badly managed, cropping ceases to be profitable, the source of fertility being cut off. Siock-I'ariniug, without a proportionate breadth of corn to the number of animals kept, implies a scarcity of food and litter during the winter and spring, cold lying, discomfort, semi-starvation, and misery, wastes of condition — iu extreme cases to real emaciation — and the loss of half the next season's grass, before the condition cau be restored. Mere bulk, however, is not the only desir- able feature in the manufacture of farmyard dung, as, however necessary it may be to have it in the greatest possible quantity, the quality of the manure is the real test of its value as a fertiliser. On certain heavy clays, straw, decomposed by the treading of cattle, which have no choice of food but that afl"orded by the freshest and softest portions of the article which they are kept to break down, will often act so beneficially as to pay for the expense of application, and a moderate sum per ton for all that may have been thus eaten and trodden down, but the iuflueuce such dung exercises is purely mechanical, the texture of the soil being altered and rendered so porous and friable as to freely admit air, rain, and heat, but adding scarcely any element of fertility, or percep- tible amount of plant-food. Clearly, then, the quality of the manure, and its power of building up and nourishing a healthy organism to maturity, must altogether depend upon that of the food with which the animal ia supplied, time aud money being lost in holding poorly- fed stock, as they are equally incapable of returning a profit by an increase in their own value, or by the manure which they make. A plentiful sup- ply of juicy and nutritious food from early youtti, until the day of final disposal is therefore the only profitable course open to the owner of cattle, and the sole mode of treatment by which he can hope to secure farmyard manure of first-rate quality. Roots ia abundance, during six mouths of the year, is the first and most essential element in the collection of manure, its quality being euriched by a daily allowance to each animal of cake, corn, grains, or other artificial and highly concentrated food, the expenditure for which should by good management be in every case repaid by the in- creased value of the animals, the actual profit being in the superior value of the manure thus made and the greatly augmented productiveness of the laud which results from its application. Some practical men go so far as to say that clung is of scarcely any value as a fertiliser unless the animals have got a mixture of foods as here indicated. This, however, is carrying a good principle rather far, but it shows in no small degree the importance of using all such aids to fertility, when men who annually spend hundreds of, pounds on these substances place such a high value on the manure alone. No man, whose manage- ment is erratic iu regard to high feeding of either land or cattle, is capable of giving an opinion as to its merits ; no system of modern farming, requiring to be kept up with such laborious aud unflagging regularity as this, iw I2 r* THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. resources onlj becoming fully developed after several years' coutiuuance. About the fourth year it places its mark very decidedly on laud, crops, and cattle, the irn- proTerneut attr.cliiig; the atteution and provokina; the remarks of not only the residents in the neighbourhood, but the most casual passer-by. The land assumes aud .retains an intensely green colour when in grass, keeps more stock of all kinds, aud the individual animals grow to a larger size, and lay on condition quicker, and finish -b tter than before. The cereal crops grow much sounder a.-id healthier straw than heretofore, with a greatly enlarged, better tilled head and sounder grain, with a largely increased weight to the acre of marketable corn. Green crops also partake largely of the general improve- ment, showing it by the size of the bulbs and the im- .mensely increased bulk and weight obtainable from an ^cre. The improved condition of land liberally treated :for a cumber of years is sometimes illustrated by a re- actionary process, when a thoroughgoing man, by some unforeseen aud exceptional circumstance, happens to be succeeded in his occupancy by oue whose opinions are rather more moderate in degree. Such a man may. for the first couple of years, reap oue hundred bushels of oats to the imperial acre vifith no more trouble than he gets by turning the soil upside down, aud although a fair farmer may never again in the whole course of a lengthened tenancy touch sixty bushels to the same area. Although the first step in the right direction for the pro- tection of the farmer, and encouragement of an enlightened and liberal system of husbandry has now been taken, some extensions are still required before every section of British farmers can feel the beneficial influence of the action recently taken by the Legislature. It has been at all times a singularly anomalous and short-sighted policy on the part of the highest and most independent class in these realms, which compelled a man, when leaving his farm, to work out the last fraction's worth his lease per- mitted him so as to come by his own, fearing too often, with ample grounds for doing so, that whatever remamed of what was undeniably aud honestly his at the expiiation of his term, would, to use a very mild term, be forfeited. The effect of this peculiar system of mauagirg the landed property of Great Britain is instructively exemplified in the case, it may very easily be, of two adjoining farms, the tenant, on the oue hand, leaving hi? farm, and the other hfiving but recently taken possession. During the last years of his term the former spends literally nothing on fertilisers that are of a permanent character, simply contenting himself with the manure he makes in a mode- rate way on the farm. During the same period he turns up the last furrow which the restrictions of his covenants permit, leaving the land as poor as he dare make it ; and if he continues ou, which he can do by becoming the highest bidder, he has all his work to do over again, the land scarcely attaining in seven years the condition it was in five years before. A new tenant, if a pushing, energetic man, possessed of sufficient capital for the business he has undertaken, may always be known by his conduct and management. By the force of circumstances he is com- pelled to purchase dung when and wherever he can get it, drawing it home often at an enormous expenditure of labour, besides having his home arrangements so con- ducted as to assist as far as possible in the manufacture of this most valuable aud indispensable fertiliser. With plenty of money at command, he does eventually succeed in placing himself in a position to command a return ; but, if cash or credit fail him when only half way, he must be a good manager indeed if he ever succeeds in extricating himself. HEXHAM FARMERS' CLUB. THE AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS ACT. Mr. C. H. Meldon, M.P. for Kildare, read a paper •on this question. He interspersed his paper with many racy observations, takiug his text from the clauses of the English bill, and comparing them with tlie clauses of the Irish bill ; and he went so thoroughly into the matter that little time was left to discuss the question. Major Nicholson (pre- sident) occupied the chair. Mr. Meluon said ihe bill was based npou two principles, both of which had been adhered to in the statute as law. Tlie lirst war, that compensation for improvemeuts should be based on the increased lettiuff value of the holJings. Tlie next and most important was that the bill should be permissive iu its -character, and what is called " freedom of contract ' should not be interfered with. Now it is perfectly manifest that any •legislation based on this principle must necessarily fail in satisfying the claims of the tunaut-firmers in England, or in securing to them the capital which tbey invest in their holdings. The arguments used by persons in favour of what they call "freedom of contract" rest upon several grounds. In tiie first place they say that any infringement ou the riffhts of contract is wrong and repusn^^nt to thfi feelings of English- men, and that there mast always be perfect freedom of con- tract. This argument is equally absurd and opposed to the principle of legislation in this country. Lpgislation interferes •every day with this so-called "freedom of con'ract." It interferes with it by the operation of the Truck Acts, where employers d<>al with men aud women of full aje, who, perfectly free to contract as they like, are prevented paying wages except in money. It interferes where pawnbrokers are prevented taking interest excefit at a certain rate, aud, in my opinion, there is as much possibility of oppression of the poor in the office of a law agent as iu a pawnbroker's shop. It interferes when it makes void a, contract between a person of full age aud a money-lender, where contracts entered into with such persons when they are under age are songht to be set up under a new pro^nise. The law also interferes in the case of em- ployers of workpeople in factories and in mines ; it also inter- feres where landowners are compelled by law to give up their property for the purpose of making rail^^'ays and such other works ; in fact, the number of cases in which the law inter- feres with " freedom of contract" is too large to enumerate. In tlie case of the Irish L'md Act, vast majorities of English representatives aftirmed the principle over and over again that interference v\ith what they called " freedom of contract" is, when necessary, one of the fundamental principles of legisla- tion in these countries. Therefore I say that tliis argument put forward by the opponents of tiie interests of English tenaut-'armers is idle aud absurd. Besides, I cannot admit that there is any " freedom of contract" where oue party is in a position to dictate terms, and the other side is unable to defend himself from oppression and imposition. Take the case of a farmer holding fifty or sixty acres of land, held pro- bably by many generations of his family. He has a large family supported by him out of the profits of the farm. All the capital which he or his ancestors were possessed of has been sunk iu improving liis farm. The landlord serves him with notice to quit ; there is not any other farm in the neigh- bourhood which he can rent. Can any one seriously main- tain that in such a case as this there is anything like " freedom of contrict"? The landlord demands an exorbitant rent. If this is not paid, the poor tenant is driven on the world with all his family, without any means of support; the entire of the property sunk by him and his predecessors is confiscated to the landlord. Ih this not a case widch calls for the inter- ference of the Legislature ? But I am told, by the noble Duke who introduced the Agricultaral Holdings Bill, that legislation is not wanted for such cases as this. I am perfectly free to admit that a large farmer, about to negotiate for the first time THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ?5 with a landlord for tlie letting of a farm, may be perfectly Competent to box his owu corner, and to niter into a contracl witli lli^ liiiidlord, and, if possible, if lie is a Rood tenant, almost to dictate terms ; but let even a man of the class a:et into pos- session, let him outlay a hrge amount on bis hulJiiif; without any secuiity therefore, and if liis landlord should seek to demand an exorbitant rent (knowinj;^ tiial he luis the power of confiscating his tenant's propert\), can it be said that the landlord and tenant meet on equal terms, and that there is any real " freedom of contract" ? I maintain tliat the neces- sity for legislation does not exist in cases where landlord and tenant are on perfect equality, and where there really is freedom of contract. The law is not meant for good landlords, fro- tfclion to tenants is required against b^d and 'greedy landlords ; and it cannot for one moment be argued that such men as thise will voiuntariiy place themselves under restrictive legis- lation. The real protection is wanted for the small farmers. The men who cultivate their thirty or forty acres of laud are men who require the assistance ot the law much more llian ti ose large men wlio can conipete ou equal terms with the landlords. What is the meaning, may 1 ask, of the statement by the Duke of Richmond that the Agricultural Holdings Bill was not wanted for small meu ? If it is not so wanted, and if the persons for whose protection legislation is r^quiredcln deal with landlords independently of legislation, what was the meaning of introducing the bill with such a flourish of trumpets? His arguments carry wilh them their own refuta- tion, and nothing more than his speech is neces.«ary t3 prove that the real •inleulion of the Governraput in introducing this HI was merely to delude such of the tenant-farmers as at the last election thought fit to support the Government. But aiother point has been made, and it is one to which I wish to di'cct your especial attention. It has been said over and over H\<:m\ in both Houses of Parliament — and apparently vtitli 8 line force — that the majority of English tenant-farmers are in favour of this so-called " Ireedora ol contract." Mr. Rod- well (the member for Cambridgeshire), who, as 1 understand, was elected representative of the tenant-fanners, stated that t le tenant-farmers do not want or wish to interfere with tiiis principle. I believe, and I hope that my experience tliis day will confirm me in my belief, that any man who is of opinion that there is any necessity for legislation to give security to tiie tenant for the capital he has invested in the soil, must also be of opinion that any legislation to secure that end must be compulsory. 1 noted, at the time of the introduction of this bill into the House of Lords, that between tliirty and forty Chambers of A.griculture iu England passed lesolutions must strongly condemnatory to its permissive character. It appears jerf-ctly clear to my mind that wliere the Legislature admits tlie existence of a grievance, and suggests a remedy, it should also be prep;ired to enforce its suggestions. I do not consider it necessary to enter more fully into the arguments on this point, because I know full well that this question is more thorouglily understood by many here present, and has been alrea !y very fully discussed ; but I will pass on to show the state in which tlie bill was when it passed through the House of Commons. From the moment the bill left the House of Lords it was exposed to every possible attack frotn lamJlords iu the House oi Commons. Tne bill, as originally introduced and read in conjiuction with the speech of the Duke of Ilicli- mond, certainly appeared to lay doivn a general principle that tiie tenant was entitled to security for the capital he invested in improvements, and I must admit that, save so far as this principle was interfered with by the permissive clause, the bill leit the iluiise ot Lords unrestricted in its operation ; but from the moment it entered the House of Commons un'il it was read there a third time nothing was thou;{ht of by its promoters but to curtail and restrict its very feeble opera- tion. Wlivt tlie Government gave with one hand it instantly took back with the other. Every possible attempt to widen its operation or extend its utility was slifled by the overwhelming fone of a tyrant majority. A ))roposition to extend the period for improvements ol the second class from seven to ten years was rejected. An amendment, with the object of allowing compensation for improvements of the third class for two years. Was met by increasing the severity of the restriction, and by making the lamng of a crop of corn, potatoes, hay, seeds, or oUier exhausting crop a bar to obtaining compensation. I myself moved an amendment that compensation for impr.)ve- ments should be allowed, unless prohibited by notice from the landlord, or made in cuntraveutiou of contract instead of throwing npon tlie tenant to obtain consent of his landlord, in writing, to make a drain or a fence, or to lay down per- manent pasture, or to improve a road. Such a proposition, I need scarcely say, was met wit'i mos', vigorous opp< sition, and was unsuccessful. I will call ateiition now as succinctly as pissible to the provisions of the Irish Land Act, passed in the year 1870. Previous to the passing of that measure, the great grievance in Ireland was not so much that the tenant had no security for his capital invested in tiie soil, but tbftt the tenant farmers and peisuntry in Irehnd were being capri- ciously evicted to such an extent as to amount almost to exter- mination by tlie Jandlonls. Eor many yfars the landlords in Ireland bad been waging war against their tenants ; entire villages were tieiun destroyed ; large agricultural districts were being sjvept of the peasantry ot the entire land by the cap- ricious acts of landloMs. Tiila.ife firms, occupied by a host of cultivators of the soil, were being turned into large grdzing farms, intended for occupation either by landlords or by strangers broufjht into the countrv. Unless, therefore, the Let;is'iature was content to see the Irish peasantry almost ex- terminated, it became necessary to pass some protective measure ; aiui the plan adopted was to make provision for the payment by the landlord of a certain sum of money for ea^li capricious eviction. The fir.st section of the Act, therelore, provided for such compensation. By the 3rd section of the Act, any tenant disturncd by a landlord shall bs entitled, to conipeusation on the following scale : In CHses of holdings valued at an annual rent of £10 and under a sum not exeeeding seven years' rent. Above £10 and not exceeding £3J a sum not exceeding five years' rent. Above £30 and not exceeding £10 a sum not exceeding four years' rent. Above £10 and not exceeding £50 a sum not exceeding three years' rent. Above £50 and not exceeding £100 a sum not exceeding two years' rent. Above £100 a sum not exceeding one years' rent. And in no case more than £250, subject, however, to certain restriotious not necessary to reter to. This section also renders ab>olutely void, sufjject to certain limitations, all con- tracts made by a tenant to Ibrego his claim for disturbance. I have called attention to these provisions merely for the pur- pose of showing that the Legislature has already recognised the principle of interference witli the freedom of contract between landlord and tenant. The next portion of the Irish Land Act refers more particularly to the subject matter now before the meeting. It makes provisions for compensation to tenants in respect of i.nprovemeuts. Ou quitting his holding a teu'^ut under the Act is euti'led to compensation in respect of im. provements made by him or tiis predecessyrs in title — subject to certain limitations not necessary to refer to — the principle of such limitation bein^ to prevent tenants obtHiniug coinjien- sation lor improvements calculated to diminish the valueofthe landlord's estate, or prohinited in writing by him, or what the landlord himself undertakes to make. It is, however, pro- vided thit any contract between a landlord and a tenaut, where- by the tenant is prohibited from making such improvements as may be required for the suitable occupation of his holding and its due cultivation, shall be absolutely void. There is uo con- sent of any kind required troin the landlord to the inakiag of improvements, nor is it nece-sary to give or serve any notices wliatever. The principle of the Act is that the tenant shall not be prevented from the proper cultivation of his holding, and absolute indemnity is given him against 1 .33 by reasen of being turned out of his holJing while any of liis improvements remain unexhausted. Tlie Act also gives compensation for improvements which were made previous to the passing of the A.ct. It was not foaud necessary or desirable to set forth iu the Act of Parliament what was to be considered " improvements," so that a tenant can exerci>e his owu discretion as to the reclamation of waste lands, the use of mauures, the draining of his lands, and other mutters which be considers necessary or proper for tlie due cultivation of his holding, suhject to certain limitations. The presumption of law in respect of improvements is alwayn in favour ot the tf naut ; so that if it can be proved that land was drained, or that waste lands were reclaimed, or that any other improvement had been made, the tenant is entitled to the pre-Uiiiiilion that such improvements were made by him. The next section of the Act provides that, »t any liine the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. landlord or tenant can liave improvements registprtd, so that, tliereafier, at tlie terjiiiuatiou of the tenancy, iliere can be no dispute as to what improvements have been theretofore rande. Compensa'ion is also allowed in respect ol any p:iyrneut m;ida by a tenant or his predficpssors, in title vvitli the exprt-ssed or implied consent of the landlord, on account of his coming into the holding. Tiie amount of compensation to or paid to the tenant must be determined, either by a court of arbitra- tion (if liie parties can agree npon some), or else by the J idge of the Civil Bill Court. Tliis Act has now been upon iti trial since the year 1S70; and so fur us tlie cliuses :i fard- iug compensation for improvements are conc^-rned, it is working to the s ttisfactiou of every persun. Tne only failure there has been in the working of this portion of the Act, is in consequence of the clauses allowing tenants, whoss holdings are valued for £50, to contract themselves out of the operation of tiie Act, and the mode or manner in whicii the amount of the compensation is to be determined. Tiie result of giving the tenants power to contract themselves out of the operation of the Act has been to cause the lamllorda to insist, in the m'jority of cases, upon making tenants so contract. I need not go into details in this matter, but I will only mention that in the caunty vihich I have the honour to repreent the iiard- ship and injustice of this provision has been most severely felt. One of the largest landholders in ihe eointy has, 1 regret to say, been successful in forcing npon his tenants leases and agreements, dspriving them of trte benefit of the Lind Act. Wherevfr a letting is marie to a tenant npon that estate the value of whose holding exceeds £50 a year, such letting is made subject to an agreement tliat the L ind Act shall have no application. We have in Ireland experienced that even tiie best landlords think that it is right and lawful to deprive their tenants, where they possibly can, of what the Legislature, after mriture consideration, lias thought it necessary to im- pose. The result of this system has been that, practically epeakiog, the Irish Land Act is a failure, and I should have expected that the Legislature, when passing a Tenant-Right Bill for England, would have taken tiie advantage of the ex- perience of the working of the Irish Lmd Act, and would have remedied the most serious defect in this Act. The other defect to which I would direct your attention is the mode and manner of assessing compensation. No doubt there are pro- visions for referring disputes to arbitration, l)ut these un- fortunately have seldom been adopted by the landlords. They prefer going to a court of law, where, with the command of wealtii, they find they can best deal with their poor tenants, who cannot carry on litigation with the same advantage as their rich landlords. Another great evil of this system is that the judge of the civil bill court, not being (ir.tctical agricul- turists, are really totally incompetent to deal wiik these agricultural matters. The great divergence of opinion with these judges also renders the working of tlie Act much less beneficial than it would he if persons who understood the matters iu dispute between the parties were aopoiuled judges of what compensation should be allowed. I am glad to say that to a great extent this evil is remedied in tlie English Act. Is there any reason why the provisions ol the Irish Act, so far as regards compensation for improveniems, '':■ uld not be ex- tended to England, taking care, of course, lo remedy the defects which have appeared in the working oi Uic Irish Land Act, The Rev. Mr. Foley said that Mr. Dodds had been obliged to go away during Mr. Meldon's speech, but Mr. DudJs had expressed to him his opinion against the somewhat severe strictures of Mr. Meldon against the bill. Mr. Dodds thought the bill was not a sham, but; was in the rifjht direction. Mr. W. Trotter, the secretary, moved that the thanks of the Club should be given to Mr. Meldon. He thought the bill v\as useless in its present state, but that it was a great step gained in the recognition of a tenant to have a claim for com- pensation for unexhausted improvements. Mr. John Hope, Jun., seconded the motion. He said that we were going on at the rale of importing 20 millions worth of corn per annum whicli bethought was injnrious to tlie country, as we had to pay for it in cash. This state of things might be remedied if the land was better cultivated, but the land could not be better cultivated until farmers bad security for the capital invested in the soil. He could mention several instances in which farmers had left their capital be- hind them on leaving their farms. The Agricultural Hold- ings' Bill did not give farmers this security. It did no good to, tenants and no harm (o laudkrJs. II w s a milk-aud watt-r pie:e of legislation, and was practically useless. Mr. AIeldjN returned tbaukp, and said h^ cjuestion wag not a party qiiestinu, as both political parties iiad pledged tl emselves to recant 11 ght. Wr. liowELL thought the permissive nature of the measure male it a sham, and that it would prove an abortion. Laud- lords had the whip-band, and they could do as they liked. The measure would not be acted upon, and landlords were quite satisfied with things as they are, and they would manage to contract themselves out of the Act. Mr. Dryden concurred in what Mr. Meldon had said with the exception that the tenant should not make permanent im- provements without tlie consent of bis landlord. Mr. Meldon replied tbat the Irish Ld New Treatment of Cattle. — Let u* just look back twenty years, and see how we went on. The cattle in most cases were brought into open yards, exposed to all the inclemency of the winter months, with as much flesh on their bones as the pastures, without much assistance from cake, and the flies, allowed them to gain during the summer ; and they were expt cted to fatten on tlie few roots grown on the farm, very imperiettly prepared, and straw, or at best hay, with comparaively little cake or artificial food. The result was, they were a long time getting fit for the butcher, and the manure from lliem, after being rinsed by the winter's rain.i, was of little value. The wonder is tliat they ever did get fat. Of course there were men tweuty years back who were ia S8 THE FARMER'S MAGAZ^E. Rdvanre of their time, and whose stock was treated hetter tlian that of tlieir neighbours, bull am writing of the ?pnerality of fanners vrho kept stock in the Eastern counties. I look back now with wonder, and see how they were trca'ed. 'I'lie roots were cut, if cut at all, with a large knife fixed on a stool, and were cat into slices somewhat like rounds of bread, and if the cutting was not performed very carefully, all sorts of three- cornered pieces were presented to the beast. The oilcake was \ery likely broken with a hammer into pieces of a similar sliape, but mind, seldom more than four pounds of this was (.iven. Well, the end of this preparation of the food was, that the feeder often had recourse to his master with '" Please, sir, that there white lullock is choked," and sure enough the white bullock would be choked — he had one of tlie many ihree- cornered pieces of root fast in liis throat. But tever despair — the remedy was at hand : just on tlie beam was the choking- rope. I always thought it ought to be the uacboking-rope, but, as I remember, it was a very thick, stiff, big rope, nicely unravelled at the ends, and only wanted well greasing; and then the bullock's head and neck were pulled st'aight out, and fdown his throat went this rope. If the operation was skil- ully performed, the piece of root went with it into the stomach of the bullock, to be digested as best it cnuld ; the bullock lised, but he lived with a sore throat, which tnade hira dainty how he swallowed for dsiys after, and by the time he recovered the chances were he would have to go through the same pro- cess again. If he did get tlirough the swallowing part success- fully, the large pieces swallowed would most likely cause indi- gestion and wind ; when away vient the feeder with " Please, sir, that there red-and-white bullock is blown ;" then a pint and a-half of linseed oil was the remedy, and this was no help to the fattening process for the next few^ days. What with exposure to weather, choking, and blowing, the making a bullock fat was a very slowalfair. Now, thanks to Gardner's cutters, all sorts of pu'pers and miuctrs and cake-breakers, we hear very little of chok ug or blowing, and the ropes have dis- appeared from among the necessary articles of a farm home- itead. As to improvements, (ir^t of all we come to our breed of cattle — that is, the general run of cattle. The vast sums (spent by our gr.'at Shortiiorn breeders have not been all thrown away, and we find, to start with, that w^e can purchase an animal that will fatten, and one tliat has size, .'-hape, and m^ke to lay fat upon. We have found, too, that we are well repaid for the cost of housing our cattle Irom the varia- tions of "our fickle climate ; that we must keep tlicn in one uniform, comfortable he:.t ; and that they must, under no cir- cumstances, be allowed to stand still in the fattening process, either from weather or from want of proper food. In place of open yards, we have generally come to boxes or stalls, or, per- haps, even better, covered yards ; or, at any rate, we iiave good sheds ; and if a landlord lias provided good, wide sheds, many, and I among tlem, have found it an easy and inexpensive matter to divide such sheds into boxes, the posts supporting the plates of the shed acting also as posts for the rails or boarded divi. ions ; thus oue large ox, or two small ones, may be comfortably housed in every twelv« feet of sheddm.,'. Thus far we have improved in guarding against the rffects of the ■weather; have recognised the ueces'-ity of protecting our c ittle ; and tenants generally are doing their best to get their liudlords to help them in providing covered yards and stalls. Now we come to the feeding part of tlie subject, and here we have unloosed our purse-sirings : in room of the old slices of rout, sometimes only half grown and wholly frozen, care is novv taken that our roots should be ripe, well stored, well kept, and properly prepared for our beasts ; the old four-pound liu- seed-cake dose is now made into one of from seven to fourteen, and often to this an addition of meal is made. lam now giving my own beasts, although not large ones, fourteen pounds of cake and corn mixed, and many of my friends are giving older beasts fourteen pounds of cake, and a half-peck of meal ; this may be too much, but 1 think it depends on the relative price of cake and beef. Beef is now dear (January, 1S75), and I feel that the sooner the beef is made, the better chance I stand of making a good price ; moreover, I have already sold several, and am well satisfied ; in fact, [ am feeding my bessts no higher than I have done for the last five or six years. The in- troduction of cotton cake has helped us ; all experiments that I have seen bear testimony to its usefulness. I have one now be- fore me, where a lot of cattle fed with cotton cake alone were tried against a lot with linseed cake, another lot with bean meal, and a fourth lot with a mixture. The cotton cake comes well to the front, and is the only lot wlirre n;iiking beef pav* the grszier. C^'tton cake at, £6 per ton, and liuxced cake ht £13 per ton. I can understand this with manguhis, but ex- periments, if not carefully looked into, often nii4fad, and the case miiht perhaps be reversed with swedes Improvement in the Breeding and Management of Sheep. — If we have improved in the management of our cattle and the manure made from them, we have also devoted more at- tention to our sheep. We no longer see the long, thin, narrow sheep, of which the old horned Norfolk was a specimen, and which were supposed to travel any distance in a day, live on any herbage, however tcanty, and perhaps go on to any age without getting fact, or even fit to be killed. A great dif- ference is surely to be seen between the shoulders and legs of mutton of to-day and those of twenty years since. On a shoulder meat is to be found now, and the legs are well fli shed up to the little end, sound, plu-np, and nice, fit both to look at and to eat. We have crossed the Norfolk with the Southdown, and their produce according to their soils (or which they are intended ; again with the Lincoln, Leicester, and liatnpshire Down, till even our cro>s-bred animals are square, sightly creatures, capable of being made fat at comparatively short notice. We found that we required the travelling qu ilities less, and the dispos^tinu to fatten more ; and when -cttained, we did our best to devt-lop that disposition by greater attention, protecting our roots from the frost, cntting tin m, and adding to them a much larger allowance of corn and cake. Why, twenty years ago we made lambs, big ones j e'lians, but not over square and very poor, and were content to sell tliera at 30s. each in August, and the grazier, if he happeied to be a good one, was content to get rid of them at about twenty montlis old, and would think them a good lot of sheep if they wngiied from 18 to 30 pounds per quarter. Now, many men get their lam bs oat before they are twelve months old at a greater weight, I have sold my own in Ecbruary to a butcher by weight, and the lot of three liundred has averaged 31 pounds p' r quarter. We have gone with the times and put the steam on : instead of only roots, and perhaps lialf a pound of cike to finish them up with, we have gone to cake as soon as the lambs could eat, and increased the quantity to as much as they could bear, or per- haps even more. Be this as it may, many farmers have near'y doubled their produce of mutton, and if we receive no direct profit from this high feeding, we are enriching our soil, and our barley crop conies to our aid. In order to sscertain ho* much cake, &n., might be given per day, I selected 18 sheep, divided them into six lots, and put them upon trial. Af er at- tending to them myself for sixty days, I found that it is quite possible to teed too high, that cotton cake is of far greater value than generally supposed. I think we have sometimes made our sheep too lat and too big, : I have noticed that a medium-sized sheep, say 18 pounds per quarter, makes more money per pound tlian those larger ; and when selling a lot of shee|i, I have often been told tliey were too fat and too big. Gentlemen on heavy land have consider- ably helped to increase the supply of mutton. Their land drained, and with artificial manure at hand, they have been en- abled to grow more rools, and have consequently kept more sheep as well as more cattle, producing also more corn, pro- V id e d alivnys i\\?ii such stock are on the land in dry weather only. What adiiference between standing clay land when wet or w hen dry! one goes to the bad, and the other to the good Get the dust to blow well on heavy land from traniplio;; of sheep or cattle, and you may rest confident of a crop; but get the slush to fly, aud you are sure of but little straw. More atten- tion has also been paid to the flocks of ewes, and also to the management of our young sheep. Fiockmasters have come to know that they may, with care and judgment, almost ensure a crop of lambs. As they expect but a small crop of corn unless their land is previously supplied w^th suitable manure, so they likewise know that a small crop of lambs will be the result if their ewes are neglected and out of condition in the autumn ; the better they live tlieu in moderation, the greater the produce, and if through dry summers or other causes they are poor aud low, an allowance of artificial food in September is well spent to get them into a ihriring condition. The management of our young store sheep is also more liberal. More care and trouble liave been spent in tracing out the many diiferent causes of abortion and death. It is all very well for the shepherd to tell us morning after morning that his ewes are losing their kmbs, or that another hogtret has dropped; we find to our cost that the lambs are lost, and that we have TflE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ?9 dropped tlie money value of tlie liogjri ts ; but there is always a cau.-e, and iu niauy cases it can willi care and trouble be 1r .eed, and a rcmeily loiiuri. We are still biliiud in tliis : it is si ill a disgrace to liutli master and 8liP[)hi'rd tliat many a slieep dies without either of tliem knowing tlie actual cause ot death. Witli patience I have traci-d out tlie evil in many cases, but still lose uow and theu oue tliat puzzles us. We ougiit alniost to be sble, if necessary, to projluce a certifii-Hio ol tlie cause of dfalli of each individual sheep, and be sali:lii-d in our own mind that such eertilii:ate is true and correct. I have tried to do this, but must cmife'-s I h.ve not always suc- ceeded ; however, I have learnt out many a dauycr, »n I marked them down as quicksands to he avoided in the iliscrert and successful management of a flock, ******* TEVIOTDALE FARMERS ON THE UTILISATION OF TOWN SEWAGE. At the last meeting of tiie Teviotdale Farmers' Club, held in the Tower Hotel, Hawick, Mr. IIaudon read a paper on " The Irrigation of Land hy T'lwu Sewage, the Loss sustained to liie Cuinmunily at large, and the Lijuries suttered by the present JVlode of disposing of it, and geuer.idy to ci usider how the Sewage could be best and most protitably applied to the Laud." He shkI : 1 have under- taken to introduce this question, but the very short time 1 have had to obtaiu mforniation on the subj' ct, has convinced me of my inability to do justice to it, or even to point out the best-known means for the purification and utilisation of sewaae, with the s:ightest degree of confidence, so conrticting is all the iu'ormation I can obtain on the question. I'lrslly, however, 1 t us take it up in a sanitary point of view. It is clear, iiltogether apart Irom thnatened jirol.ibitions by the Board of Supervision or the lauded proprietors, that the streams of our district, should not be made, what at present they are, the common sewers of the towns on their banks, that all auimal lile iu their once-limpid waters should be destroyed, and, apart altogether from the question of the spread of disease, their use rendered unfit for man or beast. It is very justly said that the enterprise which affords the means of existence to our rapidly- increasing population is entitled to great consideration iu the adoption of any measures which are likely to interfere with it; bvit snrely, when we see how profiiabl'i the extraction of oil, &c., is fr-Jin what was. formerly one of tte sources of pollution, another stride m'ght be made by our municipal and manu- laeturing autliorities and firms, to perhaps bring profit to them- selves, and at least benefit the community at iarije. Medical authority seems to be dead against water-closets in dwelliug- honses, connected, as they generally are, to foul drains, as the origin of fever and diphtlieria ; but excrement is so much easier reaioved by means of water than by the ashes or dry earth «y!-tem, that I fear, although much more highly spoken of, they will hardly supplant the water-closet system, although the principle for utilisation is surely better not to dilute the substance with water, which it is so ditficult again to remove from it. l)r. Egeliug's description ol the pneumatic system is as follows : '• In a suitable part of the town a building is erected for the motive power tor couveyiug (literally for suck- ing towards it) all the UuchI matter Irom all the bouses, as to one common centre. This motive power is created by air- purap engines, making a vacuum in large tanks beneath the building itself. Tliese tanks stand by means of pipes in com- muuicai'.on with other sub-tanks or reservoirs placed under the street, at suitable places all over the t'jwn ; a'l so arranged that the vacuum in the central tanks can at will^be extended to any given street reservoir. Each of these streets teservoirs is the centre of a small drainage system of houses (100 to GOO houses, according to local circumstances), independent of all others, and the matter out of those houses is drawn into it by means of the vacuum created in the manner described, alter which the matter is at once despatched to the main bull ling by means of the same pipe that first conveyed the air." The advantages of the pneumatic system Dr. Egeling sums up as follows : " Sanitari/. — The excreta are, from the moment the closets are emptied to the momen: when the process is finished and they are converted into dry powder, absolutely deprived of all chance of doing harm, being locked up from first to last in air-tight vessels. The powder itself is harmless, because fermentation in a dry state is impossible. The water of the excreta has also become harmless, because, being driven out by evaporation and con- densed again (the vapour passes through an ordinary con- denser), it returns to the public streams as distilled, and consequently pure, water, and the gaseous products of the evaporation, perhaps still containing germs of diseases, are blown by the air-pump engine, w.th the rest of the air sucked up out of the tubes and pipes, into the fireplace of the boiler, and there aie completely burned. No matter, theefore, how- ever infectious the excreta tiiay hnve been, their power to work evil is stopped lor ever. Fmancial. — The value of the pro net 8 increased by its ten times greater transpnrtal-ili'y (tin P'lunds of refuse make one pound of pondre'te), and by ilie greater marke' -value of a manure nut requiring im- mediate consumption. The comhined efiVct is, according to dealers iu artificial manure who have been coiiMilled upon this point, a three times greater agricultural va'ur." Mr. Ilitddon continued : Then there is the precipitation of the sewage by cliemic;il action in tanks, advocated by Mr. Stevens, of Chirnaide. He says that h;s " patent is a very inexpensive one iu working, as it is carried out by tlie cheap' st m iterials, and all of value to the agriculturist. Wliere the works can be CMrried out by gravitation — that is to say, where >o pumping is required — tlie miintenAuce of plant becomes very small." Again, there ts the irrittation s'. stem, which, so far as I can judge, if a proper system of drainage is gone into, and enough land iu the neighbourhood of a town cin be go', so that the sewage can there be discharged by gravitation, is the best and simplest means of puri ying the sewage, and yielding a moderate amount ol return for capital. But in this case, as in all other system-', chemicals or other refuse of works, hurtful to vegetable life, must be purified he'bre bi iiig allowed to enter the sewage system. I have thus briefiy gone over the drainage system, and now come to what is of much importance to us as agriculturists, aud to the nation at large — viz., the great loss by the sewage being allowed to flow into our riv-rs without being used as a manure. The highe-it scientific authorities aver that, by a proper utilisation of the sewage of towns, a revenue of from 8s. to lOs. a head of the popufatioii can be derived. Surely this would amply repay municipal bodies the outlay incurred in such works. With all our boasted superiority, intellig-nce, enterprise, and mrichancal appliances, I fear we are much behind the ancients, or ev^u Uontineutal nations, in the utilisation of the va'uible consti- tuents of manures within our reach, and give to other countries the capital we might with great profit and advantage employ at home. I find that the import of foreign manures into the country is between three and four millions sterling. Now, with the increasing price of guano and its doubtful per- manent supply, does it not appear absolutely nece'isary that we should look to the resources at home, and so utilise iheiu that our capital may find profitable investment, and a great sanitary improvement result, that may be the means of banishing many of the diseases so pievalent among us, and promoting health aud comfort to our teeming population These crude remarks, gentlemen, I have brought before vouto draw attention to the subject ; and I am sure few higher or more important matters could occupy the attention of the Government than this, that so intimately concerns tlie life, comfort, and well-being of the whole community. Mr. NicnoL believed that the pneumatic principle, coupled with the ordinary system of drainigf, would be found to be the best, the only drawback being iisexpensiveness. He then explained its operation, but added that that alone would not drain any town, aud ultimatety irrigation would be found to be the most satisfactory method. He believed, how- ever, that down the Teviot they could not find any place so distant from the residences of landed proprietors as that no objeclion would be taken to them for deteriorating the a nenity of their properties. A clay soil was better than a travel one for utilising si'wage ; and where suitable laud coull be g"t, with deep drains and a proper distribution of them, the system of irrigating land with the sewage would, he believed, be found to be the best. Terhapa, too, liiere might be a dilKculty in 100 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. t'isposing o'" tlie crop thus raised in tlie irnmediite, aeigliboiir- lio 'd, as, if it had to be convened to a distance, this would be found to be an objection. Mr. HOBKIRK said : The profitable applicatioa of sewage to the land as a ferlilistr has engaged tlie attention of practical and scientiflc men tor many years. Tlie local circumstances cuunected with the point of view from which tiie subject has been looked at have doubtless luid considerable weijjlit in tiie formation of the opinions arrived at, and, as might have been expected, the conclusions are various. If any g'enfrJ prin- ciple can be said to be settled on the subject, it is tliat every case must be considered and determined by itself, and m con- nection with i!s own peculiar surrounding circu'iistauces. Tlie question, therefore, is. Can the sewage of Hawick be protit- ably applied to the laud? and by the word profitable it must be uiiderstood — Can it be so applied as to lessen tlie cost to the niuiiicipality of getting quit ol it? All are agreed that ordi- nary sewage contains a considerable quantity of manurial el'inents of great value. These, unfortunately, are mixed up with an enormous proportion of water, sand, and otlier sub- stances, which are of little value to the fanner; but, on the o'her hand, the water serves the purpo'^e of a carrying app ratus for conveying itsell and what it contains to the fields, and when advantage can be taken of the law of gravitntiou lor tbi-- purpose, and other circumstances are 'avourable, there is no doubt but th»t its application to the land will result in profit to all concerned. Oriliuary sewage, such as that pro- duc d in Hawick, contains on an average, it is said, about 7a g'ains of ammonii to the gallon, and as it has been estimated that the amount p'oduced per annum per head of the popiila- iun varies from 55 up to 100 tons, rainfall and other things onsideied, it is plain that the sewage of a town like Hawick ontnins a source ot manurial supply, the wa-te of which can only be justified where stern necessity forbids its utilisation. Mr. Hobkirk then went on to say that the town of Hawick w is going to spend a large amount of money for drainage. It was proposed to utilise se-vage by means of precipitation. It would be ft tered somewhat, and the water would then be re- turned to tlie river. But it must not be supposed ihit sewage would thus be wholly purified. He then referred to the works 0 rried on at the South Back of Canongate, Edinburgh, where s 'Wage was turned into manure by a series of tanks, and stdd for £1 a ton. He had got a ton of this by way of experiment, but with very little result. He considered that £1 worth of gunno would have rallied a better crop. He had no doubt t'lat an 18-incb earthenware pipe could convey the sewage of Hawick to Ashybank, Honey burn, and Eas'cote ; it could be u>ed to irrigate the meadows tiere, and raise as good crops as were raised round about Edinburgh. Mr. Hobkirk next referred to the West Meadows of Edinburgh, where a gentle- man he knew produced a great quantity of grass by means of town's sewage. No doubt the sewage would run perfectly well down to the places he bad indicated. He thought it Would be a very foolish step for the town of Hawick to have ail engine to pump and raise the sewage from tank to tank, for they would get a very insufficient result in the end. Mr. Amos, Earlside, agreed with a good deal that hadbeen said. If the sewage was worth, as had been said, fiora 8s. to lOs. a liead of the population per annum, that amounted to a very considerable sum of money. The great value of land irrigated about Edinburgh served to show that this method of utilising the sewage was worthy of consideration. He was astonished that the authorities of Hawick had not tiken the very highest advice on the subject the country could afford before going on with any scheme. Mr. Eraser thought the subject had been very well ex- hausted, and the opinions expressed did not appear to be at all coiillicting. He could only say this, as an old official of Hawick — 'hat the subject had in the past caused them great anxiety. When the Royal Commission appeared here, they thought all difficulties were at an eud; but the Royal Commis- sion, like all other commissions of tlie same kind, had far more red tape and money expended on them than anything else. The Royal Commission promised they would secure powers to take land for the purposes of irrigation. Their report was issued, yet they were just in the same position now as formerly. He did not see any reason why, with the enterprise they had among thera, lliey could not make the meadows in the district flourish like thc^e of Powderhall, bv the utilisation of sewage. ''\p, Cha-TRJIAN said they were very much indebted to Mr. A lor his valuable paper. He was in the habit of visit- ing H-irrowgate once a-year, and bad taken notice of their works, which were on the gravitation system. They took the solid matter out of the sewage, and grew a vast amount of grass wiib it. He did not ste why the sewage of Hawick siiould not be utilised in the same w<(y. Mr. Jas. Oliver said that die great difficulty in the case of Hawick was the want of I'-gislative powers to carry out sewage. The scheme the Council propounded at present seemed the only practical one, and shou'd therefore, he thought, be adopted. Although it would be an expensive one, tliey must not weigh tlie expense against the public health. Mr. Brown (Etiinburgh) said he had listened with pleasure to the remarks of the former speakers. He would only say that he had a decided preference for manufactured manures, and tl e less tiiey said about the other the better. Mr. Haddon, in reply to the various speakers, said he did not wish to have "Othello's oc.'upalion gone," in the case ot the nianure-mercbants. His view was to increase and ^ multiply the means of producing a home-made article, instead of going to the South Sea Islands for it. Mr. Hobkirk had kiuiily offered to give him all the assistance he could, an'', from his scientific turn of mind, he had no doubt he would wmply fulfil his pledge; and no v he must compliment Mr. Hobkirk on the exhibition he had made, for be had giv^n them a vait deal of imforniation. Still he could not agree with the idea of taking the sewage so far down as Ashybank and Uoney- bnrn, however great an advantage it might be to those farms, owing to the great cost of piping which would be entailed on the municipality. He believed that much less gr. uud would be sufficient for tlie purpose than Mr. Hobkirk supposed. He hoped they would get the six, eight, or ten acres of land le- quired near the town Irom the landed proprii-tors, whatever scheme they might adopt. He further went on to state that where the irrigation system hid been adopted the rate of mortality from diseases generally su)ipo^ed to be caused by sewage had rather decreased than increased. Mr. lladdon concluded by saying, if any observation that had been made at the Club helped in any way to facilitate the opera'ious of the Town Cnuncil in respect to the drainage scheme, it would afford him great pleasure. Tills closed the discussion. IMPORTANT DECISION CONCERNING DISEASED CATILE. — A question of considerable interest to graziers and dealers in cattle has just been decided in the County Court of Biiton, Linco'nsbiie, before the presiding judije (J. Stephen, Esq., LL.L) ) Mr. Stephenson, a pirson of propi r y and a large dealer in cattle in the county, sued Mr. Liversidge, a eentleman residing at Wiuterton, for the value of a beast which he had sold him on the 15th of June last. Mr. Mason, for the plaintiff, called several witnesses, chiefly graziers, to show that the contract had been duly entered into at a corn market on that date, and a veterin;iry surgeon who was in the habit of attending the cattle of Mr. Stephenson deposed to the fact of the animal having been without any illness, sate a slight attack of diarrhoea, during the two preceding years. Mr. Sberstonc, barrister, who specially attended for the detence, urgeil that tlie contract was void ab iiiifio, for that the animal had become ill, and was obliged to be slaughtered by the servants of Mr. Liversidge within a few days after the pur- chase, showing thereby that the animal was ill when the con- tract was made. The learned counsel further submitted that Mr. Stephenson had warranted the soundness of the animal ; secondly, that he had been guilty of deceit at common law in selling an animal which be knew to be ill ; and thirdly, that the snimal was suffering from pleuro-pnenmonia, and that the plaintitf had violated the 57tb section of the Contagious Diseases Act (Animal.'^), 189U, in sending a diseased animal to the defendant. Witnesses haying been called to substantiate tliese facts, the judge decided in favour of the defendant oa the second point raised by the defence, as he did not consider that the warranty had been proved, nor that the knowledge that the animal suffered from plenro-pneuraonia had been brought home to the plaintiff. This decision, which sho^s that the illness of au animal need not be one of those men- tioned in the Contagious Diseases Act in order to vitiate a con- tract for the sale of the same, has created great local excite- me«t amongst graziers and others concerned in cattle-dealing transactions. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 101 PROFESSOR BALDWIN ON SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE AND SCOTCH FIELD EXPERIMENTS. Professor Baldwin (of Glasnevin CoUpge, Ireland) in a coiitriliution to llie columus of Nalio'e, alter alliidiug to Mr. J. B. Lawea' expi^riiueuts, says: It is notoriod is a general favourite, especial y with men who lab ,ur h.ird. Unless they cm obtain plenty of li.:sh-formius fojd — m ■ it, however, though perhaps one of the best, is not the only nor is it the cheapest food of the kind — their health suffers, and the amount of work they are able to do rapidly diminishes. As soon, therefore, at it became evideiit, many years ago, that tne demand for meat was, in tliis country, increasing :ar mure r ipidly than the supply, aitempts were made to import auiin;il faod from those parts of ihe Continent sulliciently near for the jiurpo^e. It must have heeu felt that this was only a tempo- r.iry expedient, and could never ke^p pace with the demand T.iere was reas'.m to fear that, unless there was an immediate adJitiun to the home produce there would be a serious falling (jlT ia the health and strength of the working classes. So Ei'glishraen naturally turned thrir ejes to those fortunate parts of the world that abound in caitle, and began to devise plans lor importing food from the very ends of the earth. It was known that the colonies would gladly send some of their supeia'iundant meat in return for manufac'ured goods, and thai thus both the mother-couutry and the colonies would be gainers by the exchange. Could not something be done to render th? supply equal to the rapidly increasing home demand ? On a small scale the preserva'iun of food is as old as the iJeluge. In tropical climates the heat of the sun has long bienused to dry meat, and answers fairly well. Froissart, in liis famous " Chronicles," meiitions the stores of preserved food the King cf France prepaiet, in 1386, fur the mainte- nance of his troops during the proposed invasion of England —an invasion which never took place. In all parts of the world, for mtny centuries, fish has been salted and dried, and has thus been admirably preserved. After all, something mure was required than any plan already in use. It was evi- dent that foreign supplies of food to be of material service as articles of general consumption would have to be preserved in sach a manner that their flavour ^nd nutritive value sliuuld not be materially diminished. Fin iog that the health of their men gieatly suffered from the long-continued use of salt junk, the naval authorities of this country offered every encourage- ment to scientific men to supply the want that was beginning to be felt. The Arctic expeditions also acted use'ully in stimulating the labours of the persons who were working in this fi-ld of science. At first the object of preservers was not to supply the inhabitants of this country Mith meat and fruits, but to meet the demands of the navy and of the expeditious wliicii, in such large numbers, earlier in this century, set out for the polar regions. Great success was soon the reward, lor these purposes gool preserved foods began to be abun- dautl> supplied many years ago. To show the perfection eaiiy attained it is enough for me to mention that, in 1821, Messrs. Donkin and Gamble supplied tins of preserved raunon !o 'be exploring ship Fury. In the following jcar this vessel was lost iu Prince Regent's Inlet, and the ca les of meat «ere landed and left on the heach. In August, 1833, Sir John lioss found that tlie meat was as good and as fresh as ever. In a letter he wrote to Mr. Gamble, he mentioned that " the provisions were still in a perfect state of preservation,' aliliouih annually exposed to a temperature of 9;J" F. below and 80"^ F. above Zro." Sixteen years later Captain Sir James R iss, of t'le Investigator, stopped at the same pi ice. lie found that " the provisions were still in excellent condition, after havieg been upon the beach, exposed to the action of the sun and all kinds of Weather, for a period of nearly a quaner of a centur)." Probably meat that has been properly preserved would keep for a century, and would then be as good as the day the tins were sealed up. Indeed as long as the tins remained air-tight, so long would the meat be eatable and wholesome. It will be suffic'ent to men'ion that scores of patents have heeu worked iu this cjuntry and iu the colonies. Very few coir-parativoly have been dis inguished hy any special merit. Ol late, how- ever, there has been marked improvement, both as regards price and qudity. Some admirable methods are now iu ue, and the success o' one or two is wonderful and encouraging. There continu s a undant room for improvement, it is true, allh^unh some of the meat iiuporled from Australia it nearly as palataule as if freshly cooked. Tlie meat pi-eserver has to guard ag .iust tiirce sources of danger — the decomposition of this perishable fo id from the presence of moisture, or from access jf atmos- pheric air, or from exposure to a temperature ranging from 40" to 20 J ° F. Meat will not necessarily be injured i^ two only of these conditions are present. Successful attempts have breii made to preserve meat by keeping it dry, by keeping it cold, by shutting it oOF from atmospheric air. The lavourite aud perhaps best process, known from its inventor as Appert's, is to place the meat ia a t'n, the lid ol which is then soldered on, a pinhole being then left in it. The tin is next placed in a bath containing a mixliire of water and chloride of calcium, and the temperature ofthe ruixture is gradually r^iised 260'' P. While steam is freely coming out of the vent-hole the laiter is stopped with a drop of solder. As soon as the contents of the tin are cooked the latter is removed from the bath, and, after undergoing some finishing processes, is cent to England. The amount of meat received in this form is rapidly increasing. The valu3 of the meat imported in 1866 was only £320. Ia 1870 it was £201,000. It is probable that in the course of this year, 1876, it will considerably exceed £3,000,000. The iniportauce of the trade is rapidly becoming ijreater. It will nltitiiately be in this way that the Ea^jlish market will receive its chief supplies of foreign meat. The objections made to preserved meat are in the majority of cases the result of absurd prejudices, and ought to be banished from the mind of every intelligent person. The cattle used by the meat preservers are the finest and best, and would in this cuuntry be four or six times as valuable as in the colonies. The flavour of the tinned meat, moreover, is only slightly inferior to that of a fresh cooked English joint, while its nutritious value is not at all smaller. The difference in price is enough to make tlie U'e of preserved Australian mutton and beef very economical, and in modeiation the latter do not pall on the palate. Un. fortunately, the retail price is so rapidly rising that tlie advan- tages which imported had over English meat are considerably less than they were a few years ago. As a wholesome article of food aud a valuable addition to the national dietary there can be no doubt that the poorer classes, more particularly will be great gainers by the use of these clieap and admirably pre- served meats in place of fresh joints. The advantages of pre- serving such food as milk for ordinary home consumption are certaiuly not great. Unless it were ultimately found possible to import large quantities of condensed milk at such a price that it would be cheaper than that obtainable in this country in the fresh state, a very large trade could hardly be expected. This is not at present the c^se. Alraosk all descriptions of preserved lood, except meat and fruits, are THE FiiRMER'S MAGAZINE. 10. 'J (If-cidelly clp\rer llim t!.e fresh articles. Tlie preatpr cost of the toriiier is well sliown iu the ca^e of proseivrd milk. The c miposilicm of Hverag:e condensed iiiid that of Hveraire uew tuilk me placed side by side in the following; table. The percentage propuriious of tlie dilTcrtut coustitueuts of the two are as lullov>s : COJJDEI^SFD MILK. NEW MII,K. Caspine 17 3. Gt Bniter 13. 50 3. 55 SuK-ir 4-6. 4, 7 baits 2. 50 0. 81 Total solids 78. 0 Water 23. 0 100. 0 100. 0 Presprved milk is tlius seen to be about four times as rich in caseiiip, butler, and salts as new milk, but it contains ten times as much sujar. The last iu^redieut is in excess in conse- quence of one-third of its weight of sugar being added to the milk before it is condensed. Perliaps three times as much witer added to the milk will make a niixUire not greatly un- like new milk in strength and quality. Considering the retail price of the two, the former, ia spite of being four tunes as rich as the latter, cannot be recommended for general use on t e score of economy. For some culinary purposes in the kitclipus of the wealthy it is occasionally a great convenience. Vegetable substances, especially fruits, are always iu demand, as they are agreeable to the palate and very wholesome. Were it only poss-ible to import from warmer climates im- nie'ise quantities of npp, delicious fruit, at reasonable prices, what a boon it would be to this country ! It has long been the custom to preserve fruit in large quantities, and in various ways, for winter consumption. Many of the recipes used for that purpose are defective. Air must 'be expelled from the vessel iu which the preserved fruit is placed — more especially when little or no sugar is used — or it will not keep. When fruit has been well boiled with, abundance of sugar, as, for instance, three quarters of a pound or a pound to a pnund of fruit, tbejirs will keep iu a warm, dry cupboard, and only ueed to be covered with thick or gummed paper, iruit is unques- tionably the most wholesome of all foods, and certainly there is noue for which young and old have instinctively a greater craving. Unfortunately good fruit is in England extremely expensive and scarce. The Society of Arts, nearly seventy ye:*rs ago, awarded Mr. Saddington a prize for his admirable and ingenious recipe for preserving ripe fruit without sugar. The fruit is to be gathered just before it is ripe. It is then directly to be put into clean bottles ; the latter should be filled up to the neck with it. The bottles are next placed in a saucepan full of cold water. The temperature ot the water is gradually raised to 160 degs. I"., and is to be kept at this for half an hour. The bottles are, in the next place, taken out of the saucepan and filled with boiling water, and firmly corked. His very simple but beauti- ful process is then completed. In spite of its obvious merits it is practically ignored, and certainly comparatively (cw families practise it. The object of i\tr. Saddiugtou's recipe of applying heat to the fruit is not merely to expel the air in the bottle and in the fruit itself, but to coagulate the vegetable albumen in the latter. It is generally found advisable to add a little alum to the water which is to be poured into the bottles. Alum hardens the skin of the fruit, and thus renders it less likely that contact with boiling water will burst it. A good deal of fruit is prepared iu this way in the establishments of food pre- servers, but it ought to be in use in every better-class family as well. If care is taken to properly carry out the various steps — and surely they are easy enough — and if the bottles are suf- ficiently strong, no plan is more generally serviceable and successful. Another good way is to nearly fill bottles with fruit, gathered just before it is ri|)e, and then to pour in boil- ing syrup. The latter should rise to within an inch of the Cork. As soon as the syrup is added the boitle should be firmly corked ; the contents will generally keep for a year or more. Boiling water, without any addition except perhaps a little alum, is oceasionally used to preserve fruit. The other steps in the process are precisely the same as wlien boiling syrup is used. Hot water alone will preserve the firmer fruits, sucli as damsons and gooseberries, very well indeed for a few months. Large stone or earthenware jars, like those in which vinegar is ke^t, would answer very well for storiug away fruit preserved hy the addition of syrup or boiling vvaler. Still better, and probalily in the long run far cheaper, large tin bottles, holding three or 'bur quarts apiece, ciuld be made ; twenty or thirty of them, full of delicious, whol-sonie plums, gooseberries, and damsons, would be a treasure few sensible house-wives would despise. What we need even more tliau the importation of wholesome meat or good cheap fruit is to be aljle to grow, in our soutliern counties, abundance of frui'. It is scircely necessary to refer to the means adopted for the prpsei v.itiou for winter consumption of pea", vpget!\bles, and ulher succulent articles of food. They can with a little care, all be, preserved, aid are in some cases fully as pila'able as ihe fresh articles. As luxuries for tlie tables of the rich, the more expensive kinds ludd a de.-ervedly high place; but their co.st places them altogether out of the reacli of the poor. It is quite possib'e, no doubt, to import, froui countries where they are more plentiful or ciieaper tlun here, many kinds of pre- served vegetable substances, wliich have bi^eu prepared in such a way that they are nutricious, wholesome, and econo nical. Unfortunately, however, it can seldom be said that they iirtf palntiible\ or at least, their flavour is so much inferior to that ot the fresh article, that even the poor cannot be prevailed upon to them, while the rich do not hesitate to express thnir dislike of them. This is of course an insuperable, tlrawbaek to their general introduction into the national dietaries. No one, whatever his poverty, will take food, however ciuap it may be, which otfends his prejudices or is disagreeable to bis palate. As long as that continues the case, chea(i compressed vegetables will not be general favourites. Perhaps in this, as in other branches of the food-preservmg art, succtss will oue day reward those euterprisinji-, practical men, wlio have per- severed, in spite of many failures, in their attempts to find out cheaper and better ways of preserving vegetables and Iruits. Then preserved vegetables, as palatable as they are cheai) and nutritious, will come into common use. UnfortuiiHtely that time seems far distant. — The Sanitary Recieiv for January. EXPERIENCE WITH THE STEAM PLOUGH, so ^nv as my knowledge goes, may be ustful to those who are about to try it on the coutra;jt system. My practice is to steam ]ilougli first, and then steam cultivate crossways, which brings the clods to the surface, and allows the finer panicles to fall below. On our stiff yellow plastic clays, which are like bird-lime in winter and cast-iron in summer, these clods after steam ploughing in dry weather, are of very large s ze, often weighing from 20 to 50 lb. So they reu.ain, bard and dry, until the rains come. The water which they abs >rb expands them, and they split or tumble to pieces with a slight kick, all hough when dry a heavy hammer would scarcely aifect them. The main point is to h rrow or roll these clods before they get dry again, and then we have a nice crumbly surface. It is a mistake to put horses on tlipse rouih ploughed lands, at the risk of injuring them, until the raia has softened the sharp hard clods. Iu the meantime, every weed perishes by atmospheric exposure. L^st ye:ir I ploughed 6 inches deep, this year 8 inches, 1-ut these depths must not be compired with horse ploughing, for L venture to s^y very much more earth is removed and intermixed at these depths by the steam plough thm with the horse plough at the sanie depth, for, in dry weather, the irresistible steam plough, if it caunot penetrate a stubborn clod, lifts it bodily out of its bed in many instances to the depth of several inches, and rolls it over like a 4< lb. loaf. The powerful and rapid action of the steam plough, with its long and twisted breasts (nearly 5 feet long) breaks and intermixes the soil iu a very superior manner to the common plough. It would be very dangerous to use the steam plough on poor thin skinned lands which had never been cuUivated deeper than 3 or i inches, because the good top soil would be then buried under a mass of uuaired and, perhaps, injurious soil. In this case the steam culti- vator is preferable, because it breaks the subsoil, and leaves the top soil comparatively in its old position on the surface. Iu my case, having greatly deepened my staple by deep culti- vation and subsoiling during 30 years, I can take a liberty and not fear a moderate admixture of the inferior subsoil because, by drainage, the water from the surface has filtered through and improved the subsoil. A hole iu the great agri- cultural plant pot is as essential as iu the greenhouse pot. If 104 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. \nu doubt, put a cnrk in tlie IioIp of tlie ktter. TIip powe-- ful sfeam plnut;li (1 use Carej's li-horse power F^iwlpr's worknd at 1-30 lb. to the inoli) does the pioneer or hard work, which would otherwise strain and exliaust our hordes, and renders future cul'ivation comparatively ea^y. I paid £61 last year fir steam p'oughing, and in consequence saved pur chasing a £70 liorse, and kee[)iiig hira a year at a cost of about £50. Ou Sept. 10 tliis year I had 60 aeres of clean fallow afier crops, every w^ed perished, and my horses were free for other purposses. In fact n'y expenses for horse keep are very cousiiierably dirainislied. 0\ a little farm of 170 acres it is a convenient thing to be able to obtain the use of a pair of engines costing £3,000, which, if purchased on that farin, would alone invulve a capital of £11 10s. per a"re. Besides, with a singl.^ set of engines of one's own, there will occur hreakatres and delays most inconvenient, especially in a neighbourhood distant from an engineering establishment. All this proves to me that on a small or moderate fnrm, if we are to have the use of powerful engines such as are required on heavy soils, we should contr.ct with an iniiividual or company possessed of many sets of such engines, and they should be made aequain'et with our uniform periodical re- quirements. Breakages must be frequent in steam cultivating strong clays in dry weather. This question of breakages must be, to the owner of a siugle set, a serious danger and dillloul'y, affecting the gettinn in of his crop at the proper time, read ring it undesrable to depend ujion a single engine, unless with ready means for repairs. If we are to obtain for our land the full benefits of aeration (which science has tauijht us are very great, owing to the affinity of the gases for the soil), it must be by steam ploughing, which, unlike liorses, leaves the land open, light, and untrodden. — J. J. Mechi, Oct. THE ADVANTAGES OF CHANGING FARM SEEDS. Thoujh some of its members occasionally show a little cap- t' lusness on such matters as to whether an unsecondel motiou •hould be recorded; whether the 6 ime-laws should be pub- licly blamed f.ir increasing the wood pigeon nuisance ; or whether foot-aud-month disease is of foreign origin, it must be admitted that the East Lothian Agricultural Club have many ably conducted and very interesting discussions. As a rule, practical agricultural suhjects are best handled, but for many years the Club have very properly been in the liabit of going now and again beyond the rantje of merely practical questions. At last meeting a que.-tion was discussed of much interest to every practical fanner. It was " the advantages of a cliange of larm seeds." Not very long ago some queries were sent to us on this very question, and we have reason to know that a considerable number of farmers have more faith in a frequent but judicious change of seed than they had not very many years ago. The elucidation which the subject received at Haddington two weeks ago, therefore, cannot be regarded as untimely. No doubt tlie arguments in favour of or against a change of seed applicible to East Lothian may not have a similar bearing on other counties, because local and varying circumstances affect this as well as many other ques- tions ; but we know of no district in which the advantages arising from a regular and careful change of seed are nor, more or less porccjjtible. The substance of the discussion at Had- dington (and there was a wonderlul degree of unanimity), was tiiat wheat shou'd be changed pretty frequently, the cliange, if possible, being from an earlier and liner climate ; that barley should be occasionally clianged ; that oats sliould be very fre- quently changed from different soils and climates ; that pota- toes should be changed every two, or at most three years, the change being from a later and colder climate ; and that turnip seed should be got from well-developed trans- planted bulbs. Regarding potatoes, the chairman (Mr. Gaukrogar) said lie " plauted a few acres of the finest regents from the west district, which produced a good crop the first year. He took seed from these and planted again, and in his experience the second planting produced both better quality and a heavier crop than the first. When he took seed a third year from these, however, the crop was not of such good quality or so heavy." This view was substan- tially corroborated by the other speakers. In many parts of this country, especially the northern counties, potato seed is not nearly so systematically changed as this, or as it should. We know of some farms where the same seed has been planted nine or ten years in succession. To be sure, on these potato- growing is not very extensively carried on. But all growers aim at a good crop both as regards quantity and quality. The arguments therefore in favour of a change of seed in large potato-growing districts apply, tiiough in a less degree, to all parts of the country. Every potato-grower, whether to » large or small extent, should remember that he will be the gainer by the introduction of fresh seed every second or third year. Spraking of potatoes, Mr. S. D. Shirreff, Saltcoats, who is a very successful grower, said : " Change of seed at least every second year is absolutely necessary in order to grow a full crop. In this respect potatoes are quite tlie reverse of wheat, and should invariably be chaaged from a later and poorer to an earlier and richer district. I made three large experiments in order to test this in ISoO. There was £3 per acre dilferenoe, according to a dealer's estimate, between the crops grown from the seed from a better soil and district than my own, and the seed I had rom a poorer soil and later climate." lu reference to turnips, we formerly advised farmers to grow as much as possible of the necessary seed supply ou their own farms. We did so, and we repeat the advice, not so much on account of the cost, but bee luse such an arrangement would secure better and more reliable seed than in too many instances the farmers at present obtain. They could, by raising the seed themselves, not only have the bulbs transplanted, but cou d make a better selection of the roots than we fear is generally done. We do not mean to say that in every case the turnip seed should be produced on the farm. But a good deal more could be advan- tageouely produced under the farmer's own eye. When the seed has to be bought more care should be bestowed in sehctin?, though it cost a little more money, the finer samples, and in patronising merchants of the best reputation, who can give a guarantee that the seed has been grown trom transplanted bulbs, and is pure of its variety. We heartily agree with the following remarks made by Mr. Samuel D. Shirreff at Had- dington : "In regard to turnip seed, I do not think there is sufficient care and attention paid by farmers to the selection of the best varieties. It is a I'alse economy to erudge 4d. or even 6d. per lb. for seed which can be guaranteed to be grown from fully developed or transplanted bulbs." The best cliange of wheat seed to East Lothian, as a rule, is from the e^rlier counties in England. The East Lothian wheat, ou the oiher hand, is the most suitable change to the Morayshire farmers, for instance. The changing of barley from various soils and climates has its advantages, thongh many of these are not so appreciable as in the cases of wheat, oats, and potatoes. It is generally advisable to get seed oats from parts of the country where oats are necessarily one of the principal cereals, or perhaps the most extensive grown. Not that one cannot rely on the purity of many oat samples, produced in districts more extensively devoted to the growth of wheat and barley. It is well known that some of the finest and purest samples of oat seed emanate from the Lothians, but it is also true there are in such districts as these more mixed or impure samples of oats than are to be found in highei and later localities. The chances, therefore, of getting a genuine sample in districts peculiarly adapted to the growth of oats are greater than where other varieties of grain predominate. There are many parts of the country which benefit even more than East Lothian by a change of seed. Increased quantity and improved quality are not the only results of new seed. The crop frequently comes nearly a week earlier to the reaper. This may not be a very material consideration in a county favoured with such a fine climate as East Lothian, but it is a matter of great importance in late districts, wher« winter sometimes comes on before the fields can be cleared. To the occupants of farms in high districts a frequent introduc- tion of seed from earlier climates has thus much to recommend it, and ought to be more carefully attended to than has hitherto been the case. Mr. Shirreff informed the Haddington meeting that, in 1873, he had one quarter per acre more from barley seed brought from Wiltshire than he reaped from good Chevalier THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 105 sepd grown on liis own farm. Tliis is no isolated case, and sliould not be lost sight of, esppcially in these d:iys «heii it is of more importance thiin eviir tliat the maxiinuin proiliuie should he gathered from the soil. Not a fiw farms could be mentioned oq which the s*ine grain has been grown successfully fcir the better part of twenty years. This fact, however, scarcely affects the general (jiiestion of the advisability ot chang- ing seed, because the exceptional (arras usually contain various kinds of soil which afford a partial change for the seed. Besides it will be found that where tiie same graiu has been long and suc- cessfully ijrown on oneiioldinj, the tenant thereof geuerally lias a particular taste for the cultivation of line samples. In such circumstances more attention is bestowed on tlie preaervatioa of select varieties by changing the soil instead of tlie jmhI, by careful harvesting and superior dressing, than can ever be expected on tlie generality of farms. It is a safe practice to stick by a good thing so long as it sticks to you, especially if you do not see your way clearly to get a better. With gnin, just as with pure-bred live stock, one may work for a time within him.self if he has got very gool material. That is to say, he may go on growing fine grain of marked uniformity from his own seed, and producing excellent cattle and sheep Irom animals bred in his herd or flock. But this involves such a variety of soil and so great care, skill, and judgment, that only a few cau dj it with safety aud success. — Aorth Brilish Af/riciillarist. NORTH AND SOUTH COUNTRY FARMING COMPARED. A meeting of the members of Maidstone Farmers' Club was held at the Star Hotel, when Professor Wrightson delivered a lecture " Ou the Coutrast between North and South Conntry Farming." Mr. A. Chittenden, presi- dent of the club, occupied the chair ; Mr. 11. Sionham in the vice-chair, aud among the members present were Messrs. T. Chambers, C. Chambers, P. Ruttley, J. Hodgson, S. B. Ruttley, B. Bliukhorn, T. Ong'ey, L. Jarre!t, J. Fauchon, sen., E. Butcher, E. Beard, T. Reeves, R. Waterman, P. W. Day, G. Edmett, 11. Pine, J. R. Hammond, P. J. Harris, R. Troutbeck,.!. H. H;11s,A. T. KilUck, G. Blackeit, sen., &c. Professor Wkigiitson commenced his address by remarking that he felt a considerable amount of ditiidence in appearing as a lecturer before an audience composed of members of the Maidstone Farmers' Club, wiiich deserveilly enjoved so high a reputation throughout the country, and most of whom were well versed iu the details of agricultural practice. He also found froir a perusal of the newspapers, that they bad had before them men of the first rank in agricultural knowledge, including; such names as Professor Voelcker, Mr. Lawes, of Rothamstead, and others of nearly as great repute. He trusted, however, they would ext-rd their usual indulgence to liim while he endeavoured, as briefly and as clearly as he could, to call their attention to some points of contrast between the north and south system of farming. A great deal of agitation ' '(been going ou of late in the agricultural world, and the , if they took dung-fiiliug he found that the returns varied v ry much, some farmers stating the average amount of work done by each of their men as low as 15 tons and some as high as 30 iu a day. In pitching wleat in the harvest field he found that the average amount done was from 30 to 3(5 cart loads. Tliere a team of two horses and a ploughman wiih no diiver CO lid plough an acre in a day, but iu this county he found four horses to a plough was the rule, and two horses ibe exception. Iu a farm of 400 acres, partly arable and partly pasture, they usually bad nine horses, four ploughs, a shepherd, a cattleman, and an old man, with, in harvest, seven or eight women and three extra men. They required two horses and one man to every 50 acres of arable land, with a four-course shift, and an extxa man to every 100 acres, with the same number of women. Of course the cost of manual labour per acre depended upon the relative quantity of pasture and arable land. Some estimate their cost for labour as high as 40s. per acre ; but, taking the average it ran to about 30s. per acre, on many of the farms the expense on this head not being nioie than from 15s. to 25s. per acre. He should like to know how- it was that in Kent, with a four-horse team, they were not able to get over more than sis acres of harrowing a day, aud eight acres was considered a good day's work in coru-drilliug. Tnis was not half what was done in Northumberland, am in Scot- land they did from 12 to 15 acres a day. He believed that it was to the superior skip, energy, and strength of the north countrymen ove; the south, and the systematic supervision and marshalling of the labour that is the cause of the great difference in the cost of labour between the north and the south. Then the system of cropping in the north was diffrrent to what it was in the south, and much more simple. It was not at all an uncommon thing iu the north to grow from 20 to 30 tons of swedts per acre, but 20 tons in the south was con- sidered a large crop. There the land was ploughed deep aud the soil thoroughly mixed, and manuring was carried out to a very large extent, both stalile dung, guano, aud crushed bones being used very largely. The use of guano for swedes and turnips was a feature in north country farming ; aud he would recommend to southern farmers a more thorough cnliivalioa of root crops and more attention to these crops. Tneu as to live stock, the north farmers had made rapid strides in this matter, aud the improvements which had been effected of lata J 06 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ye:ir9 in tlie breed of t lie Sliortliorn li«d been brontflit about in tbe north. Tlie Limgliorns and Sussex breeds were scarcely ever seen in the northern counties, and the sheep which they bred were mostly Lf'icesters. In the south the pulperand the chaff-cutter were very generally used ; but in the nortli country they considered, in conseiiiience of the biah price of labour now-a-days, such a practice was not profitable, and they luid gone back to tlie old system of giving the cattle the roots whole, with hay and straw, sometimes with a little cake and corn. He could not help remarking that his observations had iiiipressed idm with the conviction that soutlieru fanners were very extravag int with their hay, and in this item a great deal of economy might take place, for there was scarcely a farm but they might see an enormous quantity of hay every year scittered about to waste. Tegs would fatten well without |it ; and, if tliey were to give them good straw, it would do equally well, and they might save their hay. Great value was attached to oat-s!raw in the north, and he thought in tbe substitution to a large extent of straw for hay very large saving might be effected. The lecturer then concluded, amid applause, by thanking th-e meeting for the attention which they had paid to his remarks, and for the cordial reception which they had given liim. The Chairman having invited remarks, Mr. STONHA.M said he thouijbt it would be found generally impracticable to apply to one country the practice of another ; and all such attempts had, according to his experience, generally resulted in miserable failures. The late Lord Rom- ney introduced a new kind of plough, which he thought might advantageously be used in place of tbe old Kentish plough ; but alter haviug been tried for some tim«, it was found not to answer, and it often had occurred within his own observation, tluit new-fashioned iinplemeuts which had been introduced, after a year or two's trial, were found rusting and rotting U'ld^r a hedge. The land in Kent was very difft^rent to that ill the north; and in Aberdeen'ihire, where be had been on a visit lately, it would be per ectly absurd to set four iiorses to p'ou^h laud which was of such a character that it acted like sandpaper, and always kept tbe iron of the ploughs clean. Here, however, the land was heavier, and of quite a different description, and tbe light two-horse ploughs were quite uiisuited for it. Then, as to root-growing, the clinjate was an insuper- able difficulty in the way of their growing turnips like they did in tlie north. He knew many farms in Kent where the gn atest care was bestowed upon root cultivation ; but intense heat came on, sonsetimes for a few days, and the roots were immediately driven into mildew, and presented a most miser- able appearance. He was so convinced of tbe futility of attempting to grow turnips in Kent that he intended to give up turnip-growing, and grow cabbages and mans;olds instead. With reference to women being employed in feeding cattle and that kind of thing, he thought that was going rather out of the way to get cheap labour, and he hoped in Kent they would be able to do without their help in the cattle-yard. In the north there was not the slightest doubt that the roots had much more fattening properties than those grown in the south, and while in Aberdeeosliire cattle became fat on roots alone ; by their use ia tbe south, with straw also, they were only able just to keep stock alive. Mr. Waterman thought, perhaps, the reason why Kentish farmers only did half the work that was done in the north was because they went over the ground twice. In Kent, in- stead of paying £1 a week to men living in the house they used to pay £10 to £30, and even then they found they could not put up with men living in the liDuse, and it would be difficult to find any farmer iu Kent now who liad any of his men living in tbe house. Professor Wrightson had spoken of the cost of labour on farms in the nor;li being about 25s. an acre, but he could not imagine how they managed it. He paid £1,000 a year in wages on about 100 acres of land, or at the rate of about £10 an acre, besides what he paid for liop picking. His frieud near him had ju^t told him that the labour on his farm cost him £3 an acre, instead of and he had no bops. With rents getting up as well as tbe other expenditure connected with farming pursuits, he had no doubt tbey all ought to try their utmost to eonoinise their labour bills, for if they did not they would have to give up farming. Mr. Troutbeck said the lecturer, in stating that the labourers in the north did double the amount of work to those in the south for the same money, had omitted to tell them what were the hours that the iabourers worked. Some twenty years ago lie had the matiagement of a farm in tbe north, and then tbe practice was to work the horses from half- past six to 12 o'clock, and from one to six. The produiHioa of riiots was, no doubt, the staple of the farming iu the north of England, and this, with the.tr large pastures, enabled them to carry out the system which had become so celebrated. In K(^ut, nowever, the principal cultivation was that of hops and fruit, and there was not so much attention given to roots and grass. One cause of the diminished cost of labour was the extensive employment of women; and,if tbey could get womea to do their work for Is. 4d. a day, they would not employ mea at 4iirteil Ibi- tlio twelve months lias been 114 millions— ec.vo, 2^ million fp's. mo^c than I expected ; but as the slocks iu the hnniis of the trade on the 1st September this year were about 21 million (ps. more than last September (1 estimate them at about 1 milliou qrs.)> ^^Y calculation has turned out about correct. France. — Larger breadth of land sown witlx wheat ; crop much iiilerior to last year's, beiiii^ considerably under sn averaffR yield ; quality prt^tty good in the South and in the Centre, a little inferior in the western districts, and niiicli so ill the Nortli-west aud the North ; weisht 7-i kilos., and colour rather brown. J-iye an average crop, but tlie quality sntfered from rain end of June and the greater part of Jnly; colour d«rk. Barley unsatisfactory in quantity and quality. Oats, maize, and potatoes good crops. N.B. — When such celebrated authorities as MM. J. A. Barret, Barthelmy Estienne, C. UukcI, i^ie Echo dgricolc, Jd'iriHil de rAi/ricnllure, and M. Waldmeier, one and all ditlor in opinion as to the yield or result of this year's wheat- crop in France (thoixgh they are unanimous in their opinion a; to the stock of old wheat on the 1st September being con- Biderable', one feels rather ditlident in giving an opinion; taking, however, into con^iideration the larger breadth of land— viz., 6,823,631 hectares (the breadth of land sown with wheat varies from 6,500, 000 to 6,900,000 hectares, conse- tpiently the last year's brtadtli is nearly equal to the largest of tho two, whicii, in my opinion, is equal to 5 million hecto- litres), the vei-y large stock left over from the crop of hs71— further, that the harvest has been fourteen days later than usual (which is eiiual tiS.j million hectolitres), and the yield has been a full average in the regions that produce about 70 pefceut. of the whole produce in France, I think I shall not be going far wrong when I estimate the probable total export- ing power of France this campaign at afiout equal to 4 million qrs. wheat aud flour, of which, of course, the U.K. will get the lion's share. I may here add that, according to statistics, a bad crop in France yields 10 hects per hectare, and a splen- did one 17 hects. per hectare; further, that tho ditference iu the yearly consumiitiou iu a bad and good year is in the former one and a-hall', and in the latter two and one-tenth — riji), a difference of ten to twelve million hectolitres. Holland. — Wheat: 10 to 13 per cent, more land sown than last year; yield about an average ; good quality, and condition and colour satisfactory, also weight. Rye : 10 to 15 per cent, less land sown ; yield 6 per cent, below an average ; quality, condition, weight, and colour satisfactory. Bnrley : ilore sown (owing to rapeseed being ploughed up, haviug suffered during the winter), and a large and excellent crop. Oats about an average. Buckwheat a short crop. This cereal is being yearly less cultivated, as it is cultivated only on sandy sol, which so soon as improved is taken for other purposes. On the other hand, flax and potato cultivation is on the increase yearly. Potatoes a good crop. Rape all but a total failure ; this is particularly the case in the Groningen districts, where the produce is only 200 to 300 lasts, whereas an average crop is 11,000 to 12,001 lasts. Peas and bf-ans short, particu- larly the f jiiner. Hay aud grass very deficient, scarce, and dear. N.B. — Holland will require about tho same imports of cereals as last year, but considerably more of rape and Eubsen. Belgium. — Rather 1 sland sown with cereals. One culcu- lates in Belgium that, owing to the continued increase of popu- lation (eonspquent'.y change in the area of land) a yearly redncti.in of 3 to 4< percent, takes place in the breadth of Innd sown with cereal produce. Wheat, 20 per cent, less yield than la>tyear; quality various ; weiffht GOlbs. to G-llbs. per bush. Rye a small average ; quality satisfactory. Oats satisfactory. Barley short crop ; quality various. Malting barley scarce. N.B. — Belgium will require about 10 per cent, more foreign aid than last year. Switzerland. — Crops under an average in quantity and quality ; this is particularly the case in the Northern districts. Hay is about the best crop of the season. N.B. — Switzerland require!?, even in average years, an import of 4. IQ million cwts. of grain; this year, owing to the Bhin-t yield of potatoes, Switzerland will req'uire 6 million cwts. of grain from abroad. Germaky : Bavaria and Southern District.^. — With the exception of B ivaria, where the cereal crops in general are very satisfactory iu every respect, the barve.st in Southern Germany, as far as regards wheat, rye, and barley, is deftclive in qu u ity and qualify (suffered from rain and smut); oats good; m.iize moUerale ; potatoes more or ie.-iS defective. The stocks of old grain on the Ist September, beinz lirge (for in- stance, in Wurtemburg equal to three months' consumption), will, however, fully compensate for the deficient yield. SaXON'K and TllURINGIA (CENTRAL GeRMANV).— Wheat about 20 per cent, less than last year's abundant crop, and yet iliero will be some wheit to spare for export. R^p, barley, and oats good in quantity a id quality, so that of rye less will he required to be imported. I'otatoei tolerably good. Berlin Districts.— Wheat 78 per cent. ; rye 73 ; barley 80; oats 90 ; potatoes 80 ; mixed corn an average. Feeding stuffs, f-uch as hay, clover, &e., 30 per cent, of an avcrajie ; quaii'y various. Ko.M(;sberci Districts.— Witli the ex- ception of oilseeds, which are very deficient, the crops in general are good in every respect. Danzig Distuicts.— Wheat, quantity tolerably satisfactory ; quality leaves much to be wished lor, rust being very prevalent, but the colour and condition mos;ly good ; weight 56 to G61b. R)e middling quantity, quality good, and weight 56 to 581b. Peas and barley small crop ; barley good colour, weight 48 to 561b. per bushel, llav and straw nearly a failure, so thst the farmers are obliged to buy such for their cattle, and they are selling those they can spare. Maize is being imported Irom lluugar), aud the prices of oats, hay, and straw have ris'-n eiiorn'ou»lv, whereas the prices of liorses and oxen have faUen. Oats f yield. Posi!,i\ or Prussian Poland Districts.— Whe^t 62 per cent, in yield ; quality tolerably good. Rye 69 per cent., quality also good; barley 61 ; oats 63 per cent., quaii'y not so good. Potatoes very good crop. Silksta — Wheat under an averaue in yield; quality varions ; fine quality a rarity. Rye good average. Barley also unler an average, aud quality various; fine malting scarce ; common giades a^e m\\n[ Willi sprout and smut. Oats good yield, but quality middling, being smutty. Potatoes tolerab'y good. Rape.sied good quality, but yield deficient. Upper PojieeaniaJT AND Stettin Districts. — Wheat in Pomerania and Uekermark very various, in quility mostly niiddiiog, whereas really fine quality is scarce ; average weight 80 to 8 lib. per wipel ; quantity 25 per cent, below an average, or 50 per cent, less than last year. In tlie Oderbrucli the qimlity is even worse, and condition f oft ; yield 25 per cent, below average ; eiyo the Oderbruch districts will not have wheat for export' this campaign. Rye in all ditricts about the sime as wheat in yield, but quality satisfactory, and average weight 80 to 81 lbs. per wispel. JJarley good crop in Pomeiauia and Uekermark, good quality, average weight 70 lbs. per wispel. Oderbruch barley, rain did great harm to the quality, colour, and berry, weight 08 lbs. per wispel, aud quantity 25 per cent, short of an average. Peas 25 per cent.- less than iu 1874, quality satisfactory. Oats 15 per cent, below an average, middling quality, weight 48 to 49 lbs per wispel. Lower Pokerania (Anclam, Wolgast, Griefs\volu, Demjiin, Island of Rugen, Stkalsund, AND Bartii Districts). — Wheat about 30 per cent, less than last year, or about 20 per cent, below an average ; quality, condition, and colour satisfactory, weight 78 to 90 lbs. per wispel. 11} e 16 per cent, below average, condition and qualiiy good, weight 8U to St. lbs. per wispel. Barley bttter than in 1S74, and about 90 per cent, of an average, quality good, weight 70 to 76 lbs. per wispel. Oats 20 per ceut. be'ow average', quality good, weight 44 to 53 lbs. per wispd. Peaa 85 per ceut. yield, quality satisfactory. Tares 65 per cent, of an average, quality good. Potatoes about an average, although some few complaints as to qualiry. Hay t,nd clover — Hay 83 per cent., clover 55 per cent, short, good qunlity. Rostock AND WisMAR Districts. — About tlie usual breadth of wheat sown— suffered much from rust, and is therefore very defective ; this applies chiefly to the autumu-sovvn, whereas the. .^p'ieg- sown (which is, liowever, only a very small breadtb) is belter. Ptye 10 per cent, below au average : both wheat and ije short iu the straw. Oats and barley good average, also peas and potatoes. Meadows and clover short ; oilseed short; qnility of wheat various; condition of all cereals good; average weight of wheat 61 lbs., rye 37 lbs., oats 37 lb. barley 52 Ibsi. per bush. Turnips and beeiroot satisfactory. Lureck Di.stkicts — Wbe.it in quantity and quality scarce an average, R_\e about ai erase, quality good ; oats average crop ; birl.-y large cnqj and fine quality. Hamburg Distrh'Ts. — Wiieat Jitlle, grown, but yield a full average. R\e very good. Oats ra^ de- rate average, oue-lliird less than than kst year. Piuaioes K 2 11^ THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. alnindant, and good qualify. Clover and hay rather short. ■Qaality and couditiou of all grain good. IIolstfin AND SCHLESWItt DiSTElcTS. — Wheat, quantity and qu-ility satisfactory, thouijli, of coui>e, not equal to 187-i. Rye, quan- tity satisfactory, quality excellent. Barley and oats good in every respect. Oilseeds small in comparison to last year, bnt quality satisfactory. Potatoes moderate. Bremen and Oldenburg Districts. — Crop on the wlvole an average yield, of good average quality, and the same may be said of potatoes and pulse. Straw iiere and there sliort. Emdun and Leer Districts — The same as in Bremen and Oldenburg. Westpualian Disti.-icts. — Crops on the wiiole salisf-act.Dry. Hanover and Bkonswick Districts. — With theexcppiion of hay and clover, whieb are very short, so that feeding-stud's, such as maize, will be required, the Ci"ops are most satisfactory in every ri'spcct. and though wheat is not equal to llie brilliant crop of 1874-, yet there will be some to spare for export. Rhine Districts. — V\heata moderate average. Rye sliort up. Barley little grown ; but, like oats, is very satisfactory. Rapeseed very deficient, having been nearly all ploughed up. Potatoes sutfercd from heat and wet in July, aud are therefore more or less deficient. Alsace and Lorraine Districts. —On the whole tolerably satisfactory, the previous splendid hopes and the later-ou-expressed fears heing equally divided. N.B. — Though the crop of wheat in Germany 13 not by far equal to that of last year, which, was an exceptionally briiliant one, yet I think the consuming countries may reckon upon ge'ting nearly as much as last campaign on the average, and I think, provided prices suit., that the U.K. may safely reckon upon one million quarteis of wheat and flour. Scandinavia, PATtTicuLAULi Denmark. — The crops of cereals are very satisfactory in every respect, even Sweden {that is the southern district), will this year have wheat to spare. Hay poorish crop. Feeding-stuffs will keep propor- tionately high, owing to the increase of cattle in Denmark. Oilseeds not much cultivated, aud only one-half the yield of 187i. N.B. — I censider the crops in Scandinavia on the whole not far short of last ,vear, and fanc.y that the exports of wheat to the U.K. will amount to 250,000 qrs. wheat and flour. Russia. — Crops, on the whole, suffered more or less from •3roughl Kiid the rain. In the south and south-western jiro- vincps (the grain charah>rs, as it were, of Russia) «heat is in some districts partly middling, in some partly iusuthcient, and in others partly a failure. Rye only middling. Barley and oats tolerably good crops in ciuautity and quality. Hay very poor yield ; thus cattle food is very scarce and dear, and farmers have had to part with their cattle to a certain extent, so that during the three months ending September the price of cattle fell 20 per cent. South-eastern provinces : Crops of wheat various in quantity and quality. Rye, on the whole, satisfactory, and large export expected. Pulse a good crop ; oats ditto, particularly in quality. AVesfern provinces tolerably good. Central various, mostly satisfactory, but in some dis- tricts must bs a failure. North; Rye an average crop, weight 6Glb. per bushel. Wheat and oats not very satisfactory. North-eastern and North-weatern provinces tolerably fair. N.B. — The official report of the harvest states : In the north and nonh-eastern and Baltic provinces yield not quite a moderate average. Kuss-au Poland, with few exceptions, not enough for home irse. The frost in spring and hail in summer did harm in the provinces on the Weichsel to the extent of IJ million roubles. In the Central Governments only an average on the whole. The wheat in the South and South-west was at one time coji'^idered lost, but the rain ■which fell later on greatly improved the same, so that Odessa and the other ports in the Black Sea will lie able to export freel.vthis season. It is true locust did here and there harm. On the whole, the crop of 1875 is a medium one, and, as therefore stated, large exports of wheat, but only a small one of r.ve and barley, may be safely reckoned upon. Fiom the 1st January to the ISth September the total grain exports from Russia were 16.9.58,000 chetwerts, against 17,610,000 the same time last J ear {ergo 3f per cent, less wheat is a mere nothing) — viz., of wheat 7,003,000 ayainst 3,979,0U0 chetwerts in 1874, evffo 76 percent, more wheat j on the other hand rye 3,802,000 against 7,396,000 chetwerts, ert/o isi per cent, less ; oats 1 1 per cent, more ; other grain less. According to a St. Petor.sburg report, the export from Russia depends less on the yield than on the demand from .abroad. To what extent the export is dependent on the crop the following will show : Crop. Chetwerts. 1S70 30-l,s94,00a 1871 213,570,000 1872 266,531-,0t,0 1873 267,980,000 187-1 300,3i8,000 ■Grain Exports, Chetwerts. 21,063,702 23,732,288 15, 6-18,183 20,704,136 The writer calculates, on the basis of the three.years' average, that the export of 1876 must amouut to 21,6:i5,000, and for tha year 1876 there need not be any fear that the export will be so very far short of the five years — that is not below 16 million chetwerts. For my (T. Carr's) own part, taking the country tViroughout, 1 consider the wheat crop about 25 jjer cent, below that of 1874, or 17 to 20 per cent, below an average ; rye J to f of avera<-:e. The Soulh-western provinces have suffered most, I confirm, and which has since been fully coi roboraied, all I staied iu my N.B. of last year, " as to the yearly inci'easiug stHte ol'agiicultural railwa,ys, as in Russia, that stocks wfre IsTge in the Southern districts, even of old wheat, 7331 tieulacly at Odessa, where nrouetar.y matters are in a very criiieal slate, and where supplies continue to pour in by laud and water; hirge L-upplies may therefoi'e be es- pec'.ed iromBu'isia, provided piioes keep high enough to pay the transit (or thedisiance. l^ast (1874) year's experience teaches us that, in spite of partial or even an entire failure iu some Goveinments, theie lemaius always a la.rge surplus, of which a large portion is forwarded by lUe increased and increasing railways ; on the olher hand, the Russians have often duiing cheap .years stored up their stocks for years, until tiiey could sail at a profit." I have stated the SoutU-westera Governments have come off worst, and li-om all accounts the prospects for the coining crops in said Governments are very far from cheering. It appears large quantities of locusts' eggs, which will of course become locusis iu the spring, are lying in the fields in the East of Moldavia and Bessa-vabia. Measures are of course being taken to destroy this plague, but ihe result, it is said, a-i)pear3 doubtful, as to obtain the requisite labourers at hand, &c., an immense sum of money is requisite, which in the present very criiieal state of the Russian money market will be no easy ma ter to get together. For instance, as in the ye^r 1858, locust eggs were found on only 3,500 dessatinen (I de-saiini eiiaal to 0.092 hectares. No fewer than 24,000 labourers were emplo.ved to destroy the said eggs, with 22,0i.'0 horses, 2,350 stone-rollers, 2,500 thorn harrows, 5,600 thorn brooms, 2,3J0 wheelbarrows, 2,600 shovels, and for no less time Ihan a month ; er(/o what must be the trouble and expense of destroying the eggs cov( ring 3>,W0 dessatinen, which is rhe quantit.y said at present to inf"st the fields on the east of Moldavia and Bessarabia? I put down the exporting power this campaign of Russia t o the U.K. at 3 million qrs. wiieat. Austria and her Provinces (Galicia, Bohemia, Moravia, and Hungary) ; the Provinces of Uppeh and Lower Austria. — Wheat, barb-y, and rye about an average in yield, but quality mostly light and shrivelled; the heaviest weight is to be found in the Theiss, the average weight being 571b. to 601b. for wheat ; rye 571b. ; barley 491h. to 501b. ; Oats moderate average in yield and quality. Galicia and BuckowinA; Deficient crop, the result being worse than was expected in August. Wheat, rye, and harley much under an average in yield and quality, and it is thought that the said provinces will not have any of the above cereab to spire, but on the contrary, will require assistance from Hungary, &o. Oats about au average. Maize good yield. Pulse bad. Potatoes rather short, and here and there diseased. Bohemia and Moravia; Wheat, rye, and ba ley about an average. Oats good average. Pulse and rapeseed fatisfactory. In wheat smut and rust is more or less prevalent. Barley and oats fair quality. Maize good crop. Hungary : Wheat, barley, and oats unsatisfactory in quality and quantity, rust aud smut being prevalent in the wheat; weight 801b. to 86lh. per Lower Austrian metzen. Rve poor yield ; quality and colour good. Barley poor in quantity and quality ; weight 661b. to 73ib. Oats deficient and ligitt in weight — 351b, Oilseeds nearly an average yield, and quality good. Official accounts state wheat to have yielded 26,000,000 cwts. to 30,000,000 cwts., rye 20,000,000 cwts , and barley 12,000,00i) cwts. ; aud that Hungary will export more than iu 187i-5, stocks of old grain being large at the time of harvest. N.B. — The crops suffered more or less from drought ia April, cold easterly winds and night frosts in May, and then from the excessive heat in June (on the 2Blh of that month they had in Pesth 26 degs. Reaumur in the shade), then again from storms, accompanied by heavy rain and bail. Fine 621b. qualities of wheat are only to be found in some districts of Slovatia, on the Theiss, and in Deardifils, and of barley in some districts in Bohemia, aud o»ts in Moravia. THE FABMER'Jii MAGAZINE. UT Maizo is the best crop of the season, hein^ eroocl in the wholo of the empire. The fniit crop beui^ abundant, it is said, will reduce the consumption of ^rain C(|ual to about 20 per cent. ; this applies chietiy to Huufiary. Tlie following is an exlnict taken from the report of the committee of the Congress held by the members of the grain trade fromall quarters olEiirope, in Vienna, on the 2()th August last, whicU is very interesting. " Cis-Leith.vnia : Wheat nearly an aveian-e, as thedeficieni'y in the whole of the countries m this part of Austria only gives 300,000 cwt. below an average. The countries under the Hungarian crown are worse, there being a deficiency of two million cwts. The (piality in Cis and Trans-Loithauia i.s 4 per cent, below an avei'age, which is eijual to 1^ milli 'n ewts. Thus an export would seem impossible, if we take as a. guide the export during the ten years at 5 million cwts., and provided we had twelve months' consurapi ion to cover ; but there being only eleven months, as the past month has been covered b ,• old stocks, and there were still stocks on hand then, end of August, the monihly reiiuiremenis of the Austrian Empire are 4 million cvp-rs. Thus, as we have only eleven mouths to go, we maybe able to export 63 to 6 million cwts. wheat. Rye is better: the deficiency in Cis-Leithania is 100,000 metzen, and in Trans-Leithauia TOiXOOOlmelzen ; the diffiTcnf-e in quality in the two ('Ms and Tians-Leithania) is 3 per cent., and taking into consideiationolds.ocks, we may export 3 million cwts. Barley not fa vourai.>le; the deficiency in C!is li million metxen, and in Trans-Leitbania 1\ million me'zen ; qr.ality greatly under an average ; colour defecdve, also the natural weight. We may export from Cis and Tran^- Leithania 1 million mctzen only. Oats : Ois, 400,000 metzcn above an average ; Tians-Leithania a deficiency of 2, -lOO.OoO metzen ; but owing to large stocks of old we may do without an import, even though the quality is 4 to 5 per cent, below an average. Maize splfndid croj). Potaiees satisfactory, though here and there diseased." Taking evei'ytbing into Consideration, I think I shall not be far wrong in estiraatuig the probable exports from the Austro- Hungarian Empire 10 the I'nifod Kingdomat l.J million quarters of wheat and flour. Within the last few weeks tlie trathc on the Austrian and other State railways has been so lively that it reminds one ol the abundant years 1>(?7 and 1808; about 1' '0,(^00 cwts. of grain daily pass the Austrian frontiers ej; ro'ite for Germany, chielly Saxony, and I hear flour is be ng freely exported to the United Kingdom. Maize is coming freely per rail to Berlin, Stettin, Danzig, and to Mecklenburg for Austria. Turkey and Danubian Districts (Moldavia. Wal- laciua). — Turkey: Grain crops ;,'oo(l, Bulgaria: On tlie average poor cro[is, owing to much rain. Koumelia: Excellent crops, ami will export very much. Thessalia: Splendid crops. Moldavia and Wallaciiia : The crops in general suffered from heat in June and raius in July and August. Wheat and maize full crop in yield, but tlie quality inferior to that of former years, particularly wheat, wfiiih is poor iu quality and condition, in Wallaciiia and Moldavia. llye and barley middling on poor Boils, owing to the drought. Rapeseed tolerably fair. N.B. — Considering that the yield has been pretty fair, and that stocks of old grain were large at harvest time, fixrther, that the ports along the seaboard, Ibrail, Galatz, and Giur- gevo were said to be glutted with cereal produce, I think the United Kingdom may pretty safely reckon upon receiv- ing from the Turkiish and Danulhan Principahties three- quarters of a million quarters of wheat. Egypt. — Wheat an abundant yield, N.B. — Egypt will this campai,i million bushels larger tha4i last year. Fu. iher, the fact of the prospects for the next crop being favourable, with larger breaoih sown, is no great in- ducement for farmers to hold on. The cultivation of the s<-il in (California will increase rapidly, considering that emigra- tion is pouring into the country, consisting of agriculturists of means anxious to get settlements. Another very important point, not only to Anierica, but to tho trade at large, is thirt; the Congress on the 2"th May last voted 24 million dollars to pay for making the mouth of the Mississippi deeper, in order that large shqDS may pass through loaded. According to my calculation 1 think the Uniied Kingdom may reckon upon, receiving from the Atlantic ports 25 million quarters wheat and flour; from Calilornia li ditto ; Oregon J ditto ; Canada f ditto ; Chili J ditto, and Australia 1 million quarteis : iu all 6^ million quarters wheat and flotir. India. — The crops in East India have been so favourable that unaccustomed supplies have been arriving into the United Kingdom. N.B. — I think it probable that the United Kingdom may- reckon upon a supply of wheat to the exoent of a quarter mil- lion qrs. from this our new source for wheat. Stocks. — On the 1st September in the hands of the farmers, and the trade iu general in the United Kingdom I took to be 4 million quarters of wheat aud flour, but in tlie various continental ports they were also very cousiderabiy larger than last year at this time. AVhen one reads tliat the warebou-ps at the various ports in tlie United Kingdom ar.) " crammed " full as it were, it brings or reminds one of " oh en times," when the sliding scale was in force, and speculaturs were holding on their stuff in the hopes of having it chared iu sooner or later at the lowest duty of Is. per qr., to oblaia 11-: THE FARMjCR'S MAGAZINE. whicli "consummation devontlj to be wished," the " oracle was worked," that is the averages " rigged," just the same as now prices are olXea " rigged " in the " term." market., tu the profit, or loss and dismay of novices iu the trade. Be this as it may, I am glad to fi'id that the British are employing their capital in building warehouses, importing grain for own account, or hawing them filled with grain on consignment, instead of liaviug their capital locked up in rotten foreign state, or other paper of no value ; and 1 trust my native countrymen, and others residing therein, may go on in that way and prosper, and by so doing raise old England to the s'.anding she ought to hold or occupy — namely, " the gr^in emporium" for the world at large. Seeu-tijie. — With the exception of the United Kingdom aud Fiance (where, and particularly in the United Kingdom, tlie harvest was late, and the seed-time so protracted that many tliousand acres intended for wheat must now lay over tillsprirg; the autuniu seed-time, therefore, mu«t be con- sidered unfavourable, and spring-sowing is always more pre- carious even than winter; thu- the foundation for the crop of 1S7G is not favourable in t'le United Kingdom, and not much better in Frat ce), the autumn-sowing lias been t'HVourably carried on and fi lished, ergo, in said countries where tliis lias been doue augurs well for the future. Freigiits are likely this campaign to rule about the same as last. Insurance. — I refer to and confirm the remarks I made in my reports of last year and 187i. Money. — Although at present the market is very unplea- sanly stringent, I think, with the new year or towards spring, we shall see a better state of affairs in general, and I hope !,nd believe that the rates of discount will, in 1876, rule lower than iu 1875, upon the average. For years past, and long before the " Wolf" appeared, I warned the Britis-h not to invest their money in Foreign Bonds, such as the rotten Turkish and the American Riiilway Bonds, &c , but to invest their money at home or in the British Colonies or possessions; and now tliat the " Widt" is there, parties having burnt their fingers in Tnrlisli, Spanish, aud repudiated American Bonds, the "great, gun'*," such as the Times, und other English mwspaper writers, are crying " VToll !" most louf'ly. If the British v\ill speculate in Fori-ign Stocks or Shares, then they will find scope enough in Gt-rmany, in which case I shall be ghid to watch their interests here in Berlin, and other nearer ar. home countries If the Britislikeep their money at home, tliey will do more to keep peac-'i at home and abroad than it the British army and navy be double what they are at present. Politics. — The political horizon, though not so satis- factory as list year, as the " Turkish rumpus" has been added to that of the Spanish, yet I think and hope, for humanity's sake, the said rumpus may soon be ended, and that the world at lirge may be blessed with " peace and plenty." I here repeat for tlie third lime in tViis report, let England wisely keep her money at home ; stop the supplies, and the fighting will soon cease, depend upon it. Should the Oriental affair extend further, so as to cause other forces to join in the bloody ciiorus, then, of course, the grain trade might be seriously affected ; but if reliance can be and is to be placed on the asser- tions of the Emperors, there appears every chance of peace being soon proclaimed. '•Tekjiin," or Delivery Trade. — I can only confirm what I stated in ray last year's report, aud shall be glad to give my friends any further information they may require in this line of business. Why don't you Speculate? — On looking over my various b H.ks of statistics and other business memoranda, compiled frim various sources during the last thirty years, I (ound an article headed under the above style, concocted by me from some old Amsterdam aud other reports, and from a very useful and a'lly-written treatise, entitled "American Gold Book ;" findiug that the said article contains many very useful hints to specu- lators, aud likely to be of service to " termin " operators, I most respectfully beg to give a full copy of said article, wliich I do as ftdlows : "As yet no law or rule has been found by which speculators may be clearly governed or safely guided, aud I will therefore only give some of the predominating rules, &c., to the best of my personal knowledge and experience, aided by tlie hints given by others. B.-fure all, it must be re- ninrked tliat fortunate business specuktion is, in general, not owing to 'luck ;' a party must think and calculate. A block- head will gain by meditation and calculation more tlian a witty fellow without either. S*condly, it must not be for- gotten that there is a wide and vit.il ditference between specu- lation and genuine legitimate business and trading, only one too often mistakes tlie one for the other, as well iu tlie theory as in the practical part thereof, for, although the aim of bottl is ' riches,' yt their ways aud means to obtain such are widely different. The hgitimate trader goes on by degrees, by hard work and thriftiue.-s. The speculnfor is (|uite another being — he goes ahead neck oi nothing. The tr.-.der depends on his customers; the speculator has none. The trader keeps liis eye on a small but sure profit ; the speculator looks ouly for a sudden change upward. One can trade v/i'h many tilings, but the itpeculator only with some. For instance, one cannot sieculate with washing-tubs and mice-catchers, as those things (washing-tubs and mice-catchers) can be got in any quantity when wanted ; the same applies to all articles of raHUttlacture. Only with the raw materials, and iu tiiose only when the prospects are not over good,raust one operate. The best for speculators are grain, flour, oil, cotton, sugar, tea, coffee, and tobacco ; tiiose are articles enough by whicli a specu- lator can gain or lose a fortune. A thorough speculator must be versed in statistics, look to great political changes, state of the money market, rates of freight, stocks, and the ups and downs or fluctuation in any important article — for instance, an article of general consumption, such as wheat, or any other grain (or, although the grain trade may be and is often sick, it will never die), and calculate its average for a number of years (escluding the highest and lowest), and when the price fails below the said average, then buy. Grant- ing novv that said wheat stands well to-day, and the price be very depressed, and tlie crop turns out deficient in spite of this (good prospect and depressed prices), then joii gain ; and evea siiould the crop turn out good, it is not to say that jou must lose. Sell, and replace the old store with new, or keep tl'.e old iu case it will stand the keeping. In case the price continues to fall, then it might be well to act as dealer until the cro| s become worse, or the consumption increases ; by this means One keeps the same quantity on hand, and so soon as a bad crop sets iu, thtn the speculation is ripe, and one must sell at tlie profit. What I iiave said about wheat applies equally to wool, cotton, &c. Two properties the article must have in whicn a speculator operates : it must fluctuate often up and down to a certain point. In truth speculation is only an ex- ception in busiues, arising from the fluctuation of trade, or tie impossibility to ascertain the exact production iu compari^on to tlie required wants. Iu the meanwhile speculation is useful to trade, as it assists it, as speculation generally helps to b ilanceand bring matters to their proper state, 'to prevent ex- orbitant, uncalled-for prices, and rice versa to put a stop to too low prices.' So much is certain, when prices are low much is bought, as there is then a chance of an advance, and prices are generally low, aud lall when much produce is iu the market. Legitimate trade varies little, whereas speculation raises its hiad only then, when the opportunity is favourable; this proves that the one (the former) is more sure than the latter. Ou the other hand, speculation has a wide field, as it seldoJl or ever happens that some article or other of production is wanting, or at least that it is scarce. As it often requires a long time ere a speculation is rife, one would do well to operate iu various or different articles which are likely to end at different times (in this respect the 'termin trade' offers a good chance or field) so that one can at all times dispose of his capital, by which movement the speculation becomes, as it were, nearly a regular legitimate trade, as it is based on an average chance of profit, free of too much profit and vice versa loss. The main thing is to know when tiie higiiest and lowest prices take place 'or have taken place, and wliere prices have found their lowest or turning point. How is one to know when prices have seen their highest or lowest point ? Perhaps when they begin to rise or lall? The best guides are statistics, and taking the average as before stated. VVlieu prices are high it is a proof that a great demand exists and business is lively; if they fall, then the demand ceases and the article is flat. The former encourages or provokes the latter, aud acts rice versa on the nerves. Coolness and courage are highly requisite fur a THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 113 speculator. A eood speculator mut go against tlie stream, buy and sel when no one else will— , you make some remarks which 1 consider strengthen ni'terially my argument in favour of "judging by points." Y'lU express your admiration of Shoi thorns, and then proceed to say : "Most people know that tiie strongest poin' of the Si'orthorn does not present itself in the pure-bred animal's own carcase in a fat-stock stiow. Li4ie the Leicester sheep, the great valtie of the Shorthorn lies in its wouderl'ul faculties of improving other breeds with which it ma> be crossed. Tiiat is to say, crosses from the Shorthorn o tea carry more and better beef than the pure-bred animal. Now, while in a hreed- ing-stock showyard we could sympathise with judges giving preference to Shorlhorn breeding an'mals over beasts ol perhaps any other variety, we cannot say so much in regard to fat-stock exibitions. In the latter we hold that the indi- vidual merits of the respective animds in the rice should be the primary consideration, the qnesiion of which is the best or m ist popular breed being cbietli-, if not wholly, left to the breeding shows." 1 quite agree with all this. You next sav that, had such been the ca^e in recent years at the Smithfield Sh.ows, the result of the awards to first-prize animals would have been very dillereut. You then ask, " Why should this be so at such an admirably-conducted meeting as that of the Smithfield Club is well known to be ? The reason is this. It so hanpene 1 that last two or three years, when the three sets of cattle judges — nine in all — mustered in the main avenue to award the cups to the best male and female animals the Shorthorn interest was greatly the most powerful. There is naturally on such an occasion an effort on the part of even judje to get the animal of the breed to which he devotes his special attention to the front, if the beast is feasibly good, as it generally is at Smith- field. It is not dilficult to see, then, that the element which can swamp the others on a vote wiU win. So far as we can recollect, in 1873 there were only six judges of cattle — at least there were u^t more than two in the enlarged adjudicating body who had any special leauing towards the Shorthorn. And what was the result? Why, thoui-h the interest referred to had a more creditalile card to play in Sir Wm. de Capell Brookes' three-year-old Shorthorn ox than has since appeared in the male clashes of that breed, a Sco.ch polled ox gained the day, with a Devon for 'reserve number.' .... C'karly tor the satisfaction of the general body of exhibitors some change is necessary. The nature of that change, we think, lies in the direction wiiich in our report of the show this year and last we teok the liberty of pointing out — viz., that three men be specially nominated for the select ion of the best male, the best female, and the champion beast." You suggest the reduction of the number of the judges to three, or the same number that is appointed at every show in the kingdom. Surely this will be little improvement, as it is well known how unsatisfactory in many instances are the decisions of three judges at shows of breeding stock. As I said in my letter of November last on the suhjeet ol judging by points, it is easy to foretell, when the numlier of cattle to be judged were reduced to a few, which would get the prize, hy seeing who was the leading or man of strongest will among the judges, aud learning his favourite sir.iin of blood. Judging by points is the only way to arrive at an ( quitable decision, whether for pure bred or for fat stock. As I have before said, the plan is adopted ia Jersey and on the coutiucLt of America in judging cattle, and in this country at Cog and poultry shows, and in judging implements — the lat'er most sueressfully. (See the report on the trials of implements at I'aunton in the Society's Journal, where the system is- extol' ed and the scale of points given.) Mr. Howard, of Bedford, advises me to persevere in advocating the system,.but at my time of life it is not very encouraging, as he says that it is fourteen, years since he wrote a pamphlet on the prise system of the il.A.S E., in which he at^vo-ated a scale of points fur judging imileraents; and, though it was ridiculed at the tune, and said to be imp issible, yet now we see the satisfactory lesull of the system at Taunton. If agricultural journals will only take the matter up and expose, as you do, the unl^airness, not to say the absurdity, of the present sys'em of judging, there will be some chance of my living to see the prejudice against adopting the system of judging cattle by poin-s overcome — a system which has been in other cases and other countries so siiccessluL Yours, KiiNNAiKD. DEATH OF MR. OUTHAVAITE'S VIVANDIERE.— Mr. John Outhwaite, the well-known Y'lrkshire Shorthcru breeder, has sustained a very serious loss by the death of his celebrated prize covt Vivandiere, in caUing. To prlicularise her honours would be ra'her a difbcult task. SulHce it to say that slie was never beateu from winniug at the Koyal at Bed- ford in the IST-i^ season, aud only on two or thrte occasions between 1874 and 1870, in which year she commenced her show career, and was once or twice placed second. I tliis\ear she won £55, and in 1871, when three jears old, she began her cycle of victories by netting £211. In 1873 her winnings were £80 ; in 1873, £235 ; 1874, £234 ; and in 187i, £345 ; or a total up to the time of her death of £l,OOU. On three suc- cessive occasions Vivandiere carried ( tF the chief laurels at the Royal Show. She began to breed in 1371 as a three-year-old, and up to the time of her death had five calves. They, how- ever were most unfortunate, 'ihe two year-old sou — Prince of Bainess"", hy llojal Windsor — won his spurs the first time lie was exhibited, and high hopes for the future were centred in him. He was considered by his owner to be a trump card^ 'or the showyards, but unluckily succumbed to the efiects of foot-and-mouth disease. Vivandiere was bred hv and the pro- perty of Mr. John Outhwa'te, Bainesse, Catterick, near Rich- mond, Yorkshire, and was by Messrs, Booth's Biigade Majin- (21313), dam Rosamond by Apollo (9?99), g.d. Ruth by Albert (77fi3), g g.d. Rachel by Noble (4579), g.g.g.d. Ijy Covelli (3481).— Xm/* Mercury. 114 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. "PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE." POOT-AND.MOUTH AND OTHER CONTAGIOUS DISEASES AMONGST CATTLE. The following letter, addressed to llis Grace the Duke of Richmond, Lord President of the Privy Couucil, has been forwarded to us for publication : To His Geace the Duke of Richmond. My Lord Duke, — la common with the public generally I have read witli much interest and satisfaction your remarks ou tlie prpvailiiig cattle diseases, and the raeasnres adopted for their repression. Tiie present system of eradicating sncii discHSft, bv the desfructiou of the animal affected, I cannot help thinking is not in harmony with the dictates of science or sound reasoning. If it is true that "prevention is better than cure," and that "cleanliness is godliness," tlien it would beera the principle of "stamping out" is an inconvenient, Wf.steful, and extravagant process, and that our efforts should be more directed to disinfection and promoting comfort and cleanliness amongst cattle in transit, whether by rail or by sea. Tiie promotion of comfort and cleanliness amongst animals is a matter that n quires do definition ; but the question of disinfection is a matter thut must be subject to tlie laws and experience of science. The public mind is at this moment soraewhet puzzled by confounding the terms " disinfectants" and " deodorants " with each other, whereas I believe their functions are quite distinct ; the object of the one is to destroy those invisible organic germs which constitute contagious matter, wliilst tlie other is simply by chemical action to de- compose or alter the character of a gas, and at the same time change its natural odour or smell : the latter action is ex- plainable by the merest tyro in chemistry, whilst the action of disinfectants is pait explanation ; all that can be said is that experience teaches that they do destroy or kill the contagious organism. If, then, tliis definition of disinfectants and deodo- rants is acceptable as true, it follows that in the matter of contagious disease — whether of man or animals — the two things must not be confounded, and that, however agreeable it may be to be rid of unpleasant smells by the action of oxidising or deodorising agents, we are in no degree by their eraphjymeut defending ourselves against the deadly attack of the germs of contagion : one is the business of a perfumer — or, more properly, anti-perfumer — whilst the other is a battle of life ;" it is a test of wliat Darwin would call the power of the fittest to survive. Who shall say that epidemics and contagion, after all, are only vital storms to blow away feebleness, that health and vigour may have a better and larger field for existence and development. The natural ten- dency of feebleness without protection is to succumb to disease, and create consequent contagion, whilst the more powerful forces of health and energy act as an invincible armour of defence. How often in the vegetable kingdom, especially observable in agriculture, do we accuse the myriads of insect-lie of destroying the plant, when in reality the dis- p ised vegetable is the origin of its own army of scavengers 1 When our turnip and other crops are eaten up by mildew or green fly, may not the originating cause be a dry and un- fai'ourable season? But from whence do these millions upon millions of germs of insect-life come, if not from the atmos- phere, thus showing what powerful — yet invisible and de- structive— agents the air we breathe may at all times carry, ready, like the " Constantinople dog," to eat up decay, test the fitness of life, and too often impregnate with the contagion of foot-and-mouth, rinderpest, typlius, small-pox, and other terrible forms of disease and corruption ? It is, then, to wholesome food, ventilation, and comfort amongst animals, during transit from place to place, added to cleanliness and disinfection, that we must look for protection against the diseases that human and other flesh is lieir to ; and until these common laws of nature are truly and duly obeyed we must expect to pay tlie various penalties imposed by negliyience and disobedience. What would be said of the discipline and management of those splendid forms of charily, our hospitals, infirmaries, &c., if the beds occupied by patients iifftcteJ with contagious fevers were never cleansed, disinfected, or removed, but were used for fresh^coming patients with impunity, saturated as they would be with contagious matter? Again, what are we to say of railway, ship, and steam-boat management under similar circumstances ? Is it to be expected that healthj cattle are to be crowded and stoved in railway trucks, the holds and decks of ships, that have only a few liours before been tenanted by a mass of diseased animals, and not escape contagion, and thus hand it on to other cargoes, and so on until the whole country becomes infected ? These are chief a'nongst the propagating sources of toot-and-mouth and other contagious diseases, yet how simple and little costly is the h -s* remedy : to cleanse is a mere matter of labour, and to disinfect is only a matter of syringing witn a common garden- engine, and with a fluid that would not cost more than a penny per truck for railways, and for the holds and decks of ships probably ten shillings or a pound per voyage. Such disinfectants are supplied by science, and may be had in any quantity, and at the cost I have named — they are mostly con- stituted of the ai:tive principles obtained from products known in science as " tars." It is true they have this peculiar yet healthy odour, but such is their nature, aud it is probable to this may be attributed in some degree their valuable effect ; to change this or to deoderise them would be to destroy their intrinsic character altogether. I am inclined to think tiie arrangement most acceptable to importers and exporters, cattle dealers, butchers, farmers and graziers, and the public would be tliis : All infected stock suitable for human food when found in public places — and this would include roads, markets, fairs, landing places in the case of imported stock, &c. — should be slaughtered and dis- posed of; all store stock under the same conditions should be taken in charge by an inspector appointed lor that purpose, and placed in quarantine, when they would be fed, treated, and disinfected at the owner's cost until a clean bill of health could be given by the inspector ; strict adherence to this plan would impose a sutticient penalty ou persons negligent or knowingly breaking the law, and at the same time would not vexatiously iuterfere with the trade in fat aud store animals. My Lord, in conclusion I beg to apologise for constituting myself one of a host that daily attack our Government oflicers with advice gratis or not, as tiie case may be, and against whose attacks a disinfectant is probably required even more than for our mute and sutferinj animals — beast, sheep. &c.— but I have had bitter and costly experience from foot-and- mouth, pleuropneumonia, and rinderpest, and shall be only too glad if I can in any way promote the adoption of the best and most permaneut remedy, as I am a firm believer that in all cases of disease " Prevention is better than Cure." I am, &c., The Hall, Ileckiiigton, Lincolnshire. W. Little. CAMBRIDGESHIRE CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. — The annual meeting of the Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Chamber of agriculture was held at Cambridge. Mr. Hanslip Long presiding. Mr. Charles EUis, of Meldreih, was appointed chairman for the year, and Mr. 0. C. Peil vice-chairman. The chairman, and Messrs. Hicks and Pell were appointed deputed members to the Central Chamber. Mr. Fetch, who was a deputed member last year, complained that the local and Central chambers were so constituted that tenant-farmers had practically no voice or influence in them. Under such circumstances it was not surprising that their financs fell off. The complaint was passed by in silence. The repoit of the council stated thaf, owing to the continued unsatisfac- tory financial position of the chamber, they had been unable to make the usual contributions to the funds of the Local Taxa- tion Committee or to the Cattle Defence Association, which was to be regretted ; and they hoped that an effort would be made to meet llm strong claims to further support which those two useful bodies had upon the chamber. Tiie Clare Seweli THE FARMER'S xMAGAZINE. 115 R-ad Testimoniiil rund was mentioned, Imt no action was taken therefn. Mr. Hunter llodwell, Q.C., M.l'., had written to Bay that, unless prevented by weather, tie lioped to be pre- sent at tlie meeting, as he should he glad te liave an inter- change of thouglit with some of them upon two or three matters which he hoped would tarn up, connected with njiri- cultural questions, when Parliament meets. Mr. lUidw-11 ^¥a» not piesent, but the hon. gentleman and the other county members will be invited to the dinner of the chamber, to be lield in the course of a week or two. LADY PIGOT AS AN AGRICULTURIST AND SHORTHORN BREEDER. Under the healinp of " Noteworthy Agriculturists," the AgricnUiiral Gazette gives a good portrait of Emily Lady Pigot, con'routed, however, by a miserable representation of her ladyship's faraius prize^winning lieiter Zvesda. Lady Pigot's Shorthorns liave for a consider^ible number of years been well known to embod.v the best of Booth blood, and they have been very successful in the show}ard. Our contemporary says : Her ladyship has, indeed, long been honourably known in tlie agricultural world as a successful exhibitor of Shorthorn cattle, and some public notice of her agricultural career was inevitable ; but of the many who are already familiar with her acliievements ou the farm and in the showyard, compara- tively few, we dare to say, are equnliy acquainted with the far more extraordinary illustrations of energy and activity which lier life has given iu other directions, and in connection with Rltogether different pursuits, Known among our readers, perhaps only as a lady who has long taken great interest in Shorthorn breeding-, she is celebrated in other circles as at once the most cultivated and the most courageous of women. Adventurous traveller, heroic nurse, energetic politician, admirable village philanthropist— known in many a foreign land, on many a battlefield, m many an election fight, in many a school-room and religious meeting — she is at the vame time one of the most gifted and accomplished in all that charms tile home circle aud the drawing-room. We msiy be per- mitted to complete the merely personal picture by a quotation from her ladyship's own words, which we have before us : " Altogether, mine has been a curious life, from ray spoilt and petted childhood followed by my married life, with its various social and political interests, its wanderings and joiirneyings — now for months in all the rough simplicity of a Norwegian hut, cooking for myself from sheer necessity — now riding over trackless parts in North Morocco, or painting the fierce camels of Algiers, surrouuded by chattering and curious Arab women — again, in Venetian gondolas, where I have idled away the glorious summer nights ; or, yet again, exploring wild caves iu Corsica, Sardinia, and Hungary — on battlefields, in hospitals — ever restless, ever working ; always endeavouring to crowd into the twelve working hours of life's day^more than could by most be done in eighteen. Thus have I gone on, with a heart very alive to sulfeting in man or beast ; especially sensitive to the woes of little children, and to the neglect in which so many are reared. Keenly appre- ciating the beauties of nature, passionately fond of music and the fine arts, rejoicing over all i hat is good and pure and holy, with a soul full of gratitude to the One above, 1 have lived, as I believe few do, a life of real enjoyment, because of work, and because I find interest and amusement in almost every- thing, also because I have never forgotten my own maxim — namely, ' To succeed iu liTe two things are absolutely neces- sary— to be in earnest about what you are doing, and to per- severe in that doing.' " Her ladyship's own words respecting her farming and cattle breeding career are interesting, and are are thus appended: "I had been the owner of two or three West Highland kyloes, bought during a summer's residence in Argyleshire ; but one day, I think in 1856, some one sug- gested that I should look at Blr. Jonas Webb's cattle; accord- ingly Sir Robert and myself went there, and I was so struck with the massive character of the Shorthorn, that I said, ' Here are the sort for me,' and after much consultation, hesitation, and debate, I finally bought a heifer called Happi ness for 280 gs. She had only, what I should now call, a very mixed pedigree, but she was a grand animal. I sent her in 1858 to Dublin, where she won the first prize, and the £20 gold medal as best female iu the yard ; but she died from inflammation caught on her journey home. Mr. Wethcrell's sale in 1859 was the first I was ever at, and Stanley Rose the first Shorthorn I bid in person for. Stanley Rose I also sent to Dublin, and again took the same lionours ; but she too died ou her return, tkrougii au accident to her truck. Aud 1 soou began to realise the facts that Shorthorn breeding is not all coideiir dc ruse, for I am certain that 1 lost £2,0 )0 by deaths and iuexiierience during my first three years. In 18G0 I undertook wlint, for a woman, was a large farm — 530 acres of heavy hind — and being aware that, to be able to approve or find fault in a work, you Uiust know how it should be done yourself, I went through all the opeiatious of the farm under the supervision of my friend, Blr. John 13. Booth, of Killerby, where I learnt how to plough and to drain. I had a great desire tiiat all on my farm should be of the very best, and I bought cart mares at over 100 gs. I bought Suulhdowns from Jonas Webb, but ray land was so cold and wet, they soon had foot-rot, and I was compelled to sell them all off. I then went in for Lincolns, and bought rams of the late W. Torr ; but their heavy flt-eces got clogged with our clay, and they did not thrive. I accordingly sold them off, a great many going to Germany. Mr. Preece and liis favourite Shropshires were then brought into sight, and for a time tliei-e heavy carcased and thick-wooled sheep did well. 1 found, however, that it was ruinous to keep a Shorthorn herd where there was so much timber, consequently sour grass, and on such a cold unproductive clay, and so far from a railway station, and so heavily rented as I was. So, in 1870, I gave up my farms, and sent the herd to Wythara-on-lhe-Hill, aud for the first three years my cattle made wonderful improvement; but last summer and winter, owing to the drought and consequent scarcity of fodder, they were starved, and they arrived here iu May in a very woe-begone state ; and all this summer we have been struggling against want of food, and that pest of Short- horns— tlie flies— wliich are ten times more uuiuerons here than even in the densely wooded park at Branches. My land is poor, and soil light, but we have some good water meadows, and I have just taken an additional farm of 250 acres from the Earl of Lovelace, which lias some fair pastures." The herd numbers between 90 and 100 animals, including representa- tives of the famous Mantalini, Bliss, and Farewell tribes. There are fourteen Mantalina females and four Bliss fein;ih's. " Except at Aylesby, no such succession of fine Buoth sires have ever been in use iu any herd." — Ttic North Britinh Agriculturist. A HORSE CENSUS.— According to the last census taken n the whole German Empire, as it is at present constituted, on January 10, 1873, the number of over three-year-old horses amounted to 2,903,829, or 86 per cent, of all the equine quad- rupeds. The number of young horses under one year was 152,582, between one and two years 162,543, between two and three years 133,272. There were no less than 108,7^8 army horses, or 3'2 per cent, of the whole; and 96,286, or 29 per cent, of the w-hole, saddle or light draught horses of civi- lians, wliich would become under the compulsory law saleable to the army admini-tratiou in case of war. The Empire pos- sesses besides 2,347,775 (70 per cent ) agricultural horses, 338,363 for locomotive and industrial purposes, any of which may be also picked out and bought for ready money at prices fixed by experts for purposes of mobilisation of troops. There are in Germany 12,367 entire horses for breeding purposes, and from 1869-72 the average yearly import of foreign horses sur- passed the export by nearly 30,000. There was in these four years an average yearly export of 31,518, aud an import of 58,215. Prussia possesses 11 Government studs, with 1,639 stallions. There are among those owned by the Slate 120 thoroughbreds, 204 hunters, 70? for breeding heavy cavalry remounts, 401 for breeding carriage and cart horses, 110 of the Osfriesland and Oldenburg races, 39 Percherons,17 Sutfolks, 4 Pinsgauers (a native German race), and 34 Aydesdah's. Since the prohibitory Imperial ordinance of last year appeared the exportation is jealously watched by the police. 116 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. At tlie last meetinpc of the Borouglibridge Farmprs' Club Mr. J. Dent Dent, of llibstoti HhII, in the chair, Mr.T. Uigh- MOOR read a paper on " Tlie Contusions Diseases (Animals) Act as affecting the Breeding and IVeding of Cattle." He believed the present a very opportune time for considering this subject, as it bad lately been brought prominently before the public. They bad lieard of it at almost every agricultural dinner of late; and tliere bad been the resignation of Mr. Kead, wliich would do niore towards the good of the stock in Ireland than anything tiiey could say on this subject. The t'oot-and-raouth co.nplaint was the most troublesome of all contagious diseases. It si-emed to hnflie and defy every regu- lation of the Privy Council and all the skill of veterinary sur- geons ; whereas pleuro pneumonia, cattle plague, and other diseases, were kept within very small limits by the regulations in force for that pupose. Since its first cuthreak, a good many years ago, it had continued more or less in our midst, and was likely to continue, unless it died a natural death, or some more stringent measures were taken for its suppression. ]\Iany people were of opinion that the loss through this di-ease was very small, because the prnportion of deaths was only six in 1,000. It was their duty, however, as breeders of stock, to dispel that illusion. The official returns up to June showed that not less tlian one-si xih of ihe live stock of this country had been affected during the year, and lie ihou^ht if they esti- m-ted the L>ss on dtileat £3 per head, and on sheep and pigs at 10s. per head, they would be much belBw the mark. S|ieakingnext of the question as affected by the regulations at present in 'orce, he sail! there was a clause in tlie Act which said that " this Act shall not extend to Irelanu." This was one great point which tliey had to consider. Cattle were imported from Ireland, and were a fruit- ful source of infection. He saw no use, therefore, in submitting themselves to harassing regulations for tlie pur- pose of stopping the spread of disease v^lnlst at the same time they bad an ever-recurring source of infection by tlie importa- tion of Irish cattle, lie was convinced that a great deal of disease was spread throu<;li tlie country by the trade in Irish catde, and therefore they ought to be protected by the exten- sion of the Acts to Ireland, and by a s)stem of inspection at the ports of debarkation. What advantage had tliey received from the raeasuiBs as they are now in force? Had they not, as breeders of stock, tece'ved tlie sra;illest possible advantage coupled with the greatest amount of annoyance and worry P This had been caused to some extfnt by the divided action of local authorities, for in one county there was a certain set of restrictions, in another a different set, and in several others there were no Orders at all. Ke'erring next to the importa- tion of foreign cattle, Mr. Higlimoor (pinted the oiiicial re- turns for October, which showed that 263 animals suffering from disease were brought into England from " scheduled " countries, and slaughtered ; and through coming into contact with these, 6,286 healthy animals were destroyed under the Orders of the Privy Council. From " unscheduled" countries there were 2,121 imported into England suffering from disease, and slaughtered ; and through coming into contact wirh these, 37,803 healthy animals were destroyed. Now tliey liad no wish to injure the trade, nor to see unnecessary measures put in force, but he thouglit trade would he carried on with advantage by the establishment of dead-ment markets in Loudon, Hull, and other ports of debarkation. The Irish cattle trade and the importation of Ibreiau cattle were the two most important points to consider, and until they were put on a satisfactory footing, and the slaughter of all foreign animals at the ports ot debarkation enforced, they should resist the imposition of any further restrictions on the movement of stock in this country. Tlie stoppage of fairs and markets had not been put in force by tlie Privy Council, but migiit be tried in conjunction with the restrictions he had mentioned tor a limited period — probably two months. Mr. Be:^nett tiiought the present regulations were quite ineffectual in checking the spread of the contagious diseases. How they Were to be stopp(>d he was no*^ prepared to say, but he did not agree with Mr. Highmoor in thinking that stopping the public markets for a time would do it. He thouglit, how- ever, that the Act should extcud to Iielaud, and that all im- ported animals affected with disensa' should be slaughtered atf the port of debarkation, instead of bi-ing allowid to carry disease amongst healthy animils. He did m.t think that the loss from foot-nnd-moutli disease could be calculated at so high a figure as £2 per head. Mr. AValuram, whilst in favour of extending the Act t* Ireland, thought we could never do without the importation of Irish cattle. Mr. Hariand said they must bear in mind, in addition to tlie immediate loss through disease, the injury done to the breed of oa'tle. The question of milk was imported also, for when disease affected a herd of cows, their milk must be thrown away,thereby causing considerable loss. With regard to stamping out the disease, he did not think they could go back to the old system, so beneficial in the time of the rinderpest. j\Ir. TfiTLEY said that the present regulations were totally ineffectual in re-tricling the spread of disease, and though the markets were entirely thrown open, it would not be worse than at present. Unless the restriciions were more elfectual, the sooner the markets were thrown open the better it would be. He was surprised that veterinary science had been unable to- give them assistance in the mutter. After some remarks from the Riv. C H. SaLI;, Tlie Chairman said he h^d had somethinii to do with the passing of the Act of 1869 relating to this subject, and he sat on the Committee appointed in 1873 to inquire into the opera- tion of the Cuntagious Diseases (Aaimals) Act. He was then in favour of stringent legislation with respect to pleuro- pneumonia and toot-and-raoutli disease, as well as to rinder- pest ; hut the result of his observations, both in and out of rinderpest, and that the less legislation the farmers had respect- ing the other forms of disease the better. He would have the most stringent regulatious to excUule rinderpest from tlie country ; and if it did get in, he should deal with it in the most decided maniiHr to stamp it out. With regard to pleuro- pneumonia, it did not, he believed, prevail to any great extent, but notwithstanding the regulations iu force, tliere seemed to be no great diminution in tlie number of animals attacked. He believed, therefore, that it was not in all cases produced by infection, but that, like consumption, it often came spontane- ously. This was to soine extent proved by the fact that it was.- found that the disease appeared in the spring after tlie animala had been turned out early to grass, and in the cold, bleak weather of the North. The question of expenditure had been a very serious one. In the West Riding alone the sum paid as compensation for animals slaughtered from September, 1873, up to the present time amounted to £6,916, iu addition to other expenses amounting to over £2,000. He questioned whether the expense at present incurred in slaughtering the animals should be continued, because he found that between 35 and 39 tor Parliament, had convinced him that we should legislate only or 40 per cent, of the animals attacked recovered, and that about 37 per cent, were killed by the owners. It might therefore be as well, or even better, to leave the farmer to guard and to act for himself. "With regard to foot-and-mouth disease, he thought that losses from it were represented to be more than tluy really are. The disease itself was carried all over ftie country by the trade in Irish cattle, which were driven up and down great oistances, badly fed and badly care for. He there- fore sympathised with Mr. Read iu the action he had taken, alter being snubbed by Mr. Disraeli ; and he was sure the loss was more to the Government than to Mr. Read. It was a dis- grace to veterinary science that it knew so little of this disease. By medical examination and research we had learnt to deal with smallpox and with fevers of all kinds in a very different manner from wliat we used to do, and he was satisfied that further investigation wou d show us how to deal with tiiis disease. He hoped the Royal Agricultural Society were now in a fair way to make an inquiry of this character. In the meantime he urged that more care might be taken by breeders in the isolation of new stock. In spite of all regulations he found that the practice of buying Irish cattle was more pre- valent than ever, which justified the conclusion that the pre- sent Act should be repealed, and an Act passed keeping up the macliinery to deal with rinderpest whenever it appeared, leaving tlie farmers to deal with the other dise;ises themselves. THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. 117 "Mr. Scott said lie did not know whether the existing regu- hiiiims were uaelul or not with respect to pleuro-pneuiuouia, but as to fout-aiid-mouth disease tliey were not. After some furtiier discusMou.a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. lligliiuuor lor his paper. Tiiia concluded the business. THE AGRICULTURAL CHILDREN ACT. On Thursday, Jan. 6, at the Norfolk Qnarter Sessions, Mr. C. S. Head, M.!"., put a question to Colonel Black, the cliief constable of the county, with reference to the Aijricultural Cliildren Act. The bon. member comid:iiiied tlr-tt luitliing had practically been done to carry out the Act in tbe di-tnct. lie contended that it was tbe duly of the G'jvernment to enforce tbe measure in the same manner as the Worksliops llegiilition Act or the Factoiies Acts, and all other measures relating to tbe education of tbe young. As be saw that the Prime Minister had on tbe jireceding day voted against the police being emplojed to enforce the Agricultural Children Act, he hoped Eer Majesty's Government would see fit to appoint general inspectors to carry out tbe Act tbrougliout tbe country. lie wished to ask Colonel Black whether be saw any oljection to the police being emjiloyed tj enforce tbe Act. He was aware that tbe police were primarily employed to protect life and property, but they were also inspectors of weights and measures, a d sundry other duties had been recently imposed upon them, wbicb they performed to the satisfaction of the public. Colonel JSlack said the Court liad decided nine inonlhs since that the county police siiould not be employed to carry out tbe Agricultural Children Act, but he saw no objection to their performing that duty, and he believed that a few examples wonld suffice. The Earl of Kimberley said it was not creditable that the Act having been passed by Parliament, should be permitted to remain a dead letter. He would ratlier, however, see it enforced by inspectors, in tbe same way in which tbe Fac- tories Acts were, than liave recourse to the police. It would be an invidious thing if the police were employed to regulate agricultural labour, and he hoped that steps would be taken for tl\e appointment of speei il inspectors for tlie purpose of enforcing tne new Act. He hoped tbe Gi'v. rnraent would take the wliole matter into consideration, and place all la*s relating to the regulation of labour upon the same general fooling, care being taken to [irovide for such modifications as might seem expedient in the case of particular trades. The enforcement of laws relating to the regulation of labour was a difficult and delicate matter which required careful handling, and it was import;'nt that tbe Government and Parliament should have accurate information upon it. This information could not be collected without the assistance of inspectors, who were constantly going round tbe country. If there were no prospect of the Government taking the matter in hand, he should be inclined to have recourse to the police rather than allow the Act to remain a dead letter; but he believed that tbe matter would be dealt with in the ensuing session of Parliament. At East Suffolk Quarter Sessions, lield at Ipswich on Thurs- day, a resolution was carried, on tbe motion of Lord Hen- iiiker, that the county police be instructed to prosecute in all cases where it appeared tb'*t children were employed in viola- tion of tbe Agricultural Children Act. Lord Henniker said that in other counties where the police had been similarly inst'ucted it had been necessary in only a very few cases to prosecute, but without this resolution the Act appeared to be inoperative. At tbe Northampton Quarter Sfssions, on Thursday last, the chief constable reported that, in accordance with the order of the Court at tbe late October sessions, notices had been given to tbe fathers and others interested that the police had been instructed to take proceedings under tbe Act. No pro- ceedings had, liowever, taken place, as in the few instances v\ here children were employed in contravention of the Act the fathers, on notice being forwarded, at once ceased that eraployruent. ^—^— At the Buckinghamshire Quarter Sessions a motion "That the police be instructed to pr-'secute in all cases in which it appears that children in this country a^e employed in violation of the Agricultural Children Act," was rejected by IS votes tu 13. Tlie llight lljn, Benjamin Disraeli was amongst those present, and voted in the majority, although he did not speak on tbe subject. TO THE EDITOR Of THE D.iILY NEWS. Sir, — May I venture to call your attention to an error into wbicli you and your correspondents have fallen, in taking ns for granted that the farmers of this country are opposed to education? What they do object to is that tlie hnrden of educating the rural population should lall so heavily and unfairly upon them. In many parishes the contributions of the squire and clergyman to the school-rate are insignifu-aut compared with those of tbe farmers. Take my own case as an illustration. Last year our school-rate was a shilling ia tbe pound. On a farm of 5U0 acres iny share of the rate was £33 I6s. 8d. Now there are many men in towns whose income is tenfold that of a tenant farmer viho do not pay as many shillings as I do pounds. Need it be wondered that there is no desire on tlie part of farmers to increase this tieayy and unfair taxation by compulsory attendair e ?— I am, Sir, yonrs, &c., GeoKGE STKEi,T. Muulden, Awptliill, Beds, Jan. 6. THE FARMERS' CLUB. At a meeting of the Ooinmittee of the Farmers' Club, the following subjects for discussioQ for the prtseut jtar were decided upon : February. — Our Meat Supply. By Mr. James Howard, of Clapham-park, BedCwdshire. March.— Green Crops for Sheep Feeding. By Mr. Robert Russell, Ilorton Kirby, Darlford, Kent. April. — Local Taxation. By Mr. James Trask, of Orcheston, Devizes. May. — The Administration of the Poor Law, especially in Reference to Oiit-door Relief. By Mr. J. K. Fowler, Prebemlal Farm, Aylesbury. November. — Fashion in Breeding. By Mr. Robert Masfen, Peudelbnl, Wolverhampton. December. — The Agricultural Labourer, his Position and Prospects. By Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., of Houingham Thorpe, Norwich. The resignation of Mr. Henry Corbet, who had held the position of Secretary to the Club for a period of twenty-nine years, was tendered, the most sincere regret being expressed by the members at the loss of his services. The" Chairman, Mr. Horley, was requested to write to Mr. Corbet, expressing the feeling of the committee, and enclosing a cheque for one hundred guineas as a mark of their regard. JERSEY CATTLE.— If the value of Jersey stock is to rest on colour, deterioration will surely follow of those useful quali- ties that are far more noticeable in the good old-'"ashioned parti coloured cow, than that which will be found among tl e generality of fine, high-bred, whole-coloured fawns, greys, or foxey, so-called Jerseys. I have owned hundreds of acclima- tised Jersey stock and have never, as a rule, found the whole- coloured such large producers as many parti-coloured ones ; in fact by far the most butter producing cow I have ever pos- sessed was not only parti-coloured, but the most ugly and un- gainly beast of tbe lot, yet her stock have never failed to show their large butter-making qualities. The true type of a Jersey cow is in fact an animal that will not make meat. I do not say that this is not improved upon, by aec'imati-^ation and a slight introduction of a hardier breed, of which what are termed Chichester Jerseys are the best description, neither do I say that Jersey breeders in the Island itself liave not in some instances a breed that shows a disposition to make some flesh, and very probably miy then be folloning up tbe require- ments of fasliion,yet I maintain that a pure Jersey should throw the bulk of iier feeding properties into butter, and with little to flesh. The parti-coloured gojd cow may have but a 118 THS FARMER'S MAGAZINE. white spot, especially under the belly, but throughout the body the rich yellow skin, uuder any coloured hair, will be found, black, white, or fawn. I have seen the commencement of a whole-coloured herd, the property of a uohle Duke, to ohtain which I have seen wealthy and large producing cows sold off to prevent an animal remaining with the slisjlilsst stain of other than one colour. I liave heard from good authority that usefulness has been sacrificed for fashion in tliis instance, which, if followed up, as it ra;iidly is, I have no doubt that the future rich Jersey will be beef, not butter, as it was. — Dairy, Sussex. TITHE COMMUTATION— SEPTENNIAL AVERAGE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MARK LANE EXPRESS. Sir, — As the result of the Corn Averages for the seceyi years to Christmas, 1875, published in the London Gazette of January 4 — viz. : s. d. Wheat 6 6J per imperial bushel. Earley 4 10 ditto. Oats 3 2i ditto. I beg to state that each £100 of the Tithe rent-charge will, for the year 1872, amount to £110 14s. lid., or Dearly 2 per cent, less than last year. The following ehovrj the worth of £100 Tithe rent-charge for the last seven years : ^ £ s. d. for the year 1870 104 1 Qi „ 1871 lot 15 1 „ 1873 108 4 OA „ 1873 110 15 lOi „ 1874 113 7 3 „ 1875 113 15 6f „ 187fi no 14 11 The average value of £100 Tithe rent-charge for the 40 vears elapsed since the passing of the Tithe Commuta- tion Act is £102 6s. 4id. I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, MoNTAGt-E jMaKRIOTT, Editor of " Willich's Tithe Coramutatiou Tables." 26, Montpelier Square, Loudon, S. }F., Jan. Uh, 1876. NOTTS CHAMBER OF AGRICULn^RE.— Oa Satur- day, Jan. 8, the annual meeting of the Notlinghamshire Chamber of Agriculture was held at Nottinghain under the pre- sidency of Mr. G. Storer, M. P. The following resolntiou was passed: "That this Chamber desires to record its hearty approval of the course taken by Mr. Clare Sewell Read in with- drawing from the Government, and expresses its sympathy with him in his unsuccessful attempts to persuade the Privy Council to adopt reasonable and just measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases amongst English CMttle." Subsequently the Duke of St. Albans presided at tiic annual dinner, and, in proposing the toa4 of tlie evening, his grace said he thought they might upon this occasion safely consider what had been the result of the last year with respect to agriculture, and what work they might usefully eng:ige in during the coming session. He was afraid that nianv of the expectations which had been formed by his friend Mr. Storer had not been realised ; be was afraid that the malt-tax still pressed heavily, that his wishes regarding local taxation had not been realised, and that a Minister of Agriculture still had no scat in the Cabinet, lie believed agriculturists had not made up their minds upon many of these questions, but upon certain mattery such as local taxation, he believed that chambers of agriculture were united. With regard to last session, they had before them an Agricultural Holdings' Bill which was introduced into the House of Lords by the Duke of Kichmond, and the speech he made to an assembly of landlords was somewhat an apology for liis introducing it at all. There were many who dislikt-d the bill beii>g introduced, and the speech of the Duke of Kichraoud n-mindcd us rather of the story of the invalid who refused to have the gun-case in- troduced into the room. On being assured that there was- iiolhing in liie gun, the invalid replied : " Perhaps there may be nothing in it, but perhaps it had better not be iuiroductd at all." However, the bill went to the House of Commons as it was. A great many alterations were made in it. He thought they might look upon the bill as useful, inasmuch as the commercial transactions regarding land had begun to- attract the attention of Parliament and of the country at large. We had heard a great deal lately about the importation of CHttle from Ireland, and he had lately spent some 'irai- in Ireland. He had talked with some of the must intelligent breeders of catile, and he believed it was the opinion of the great breeders in that country that, by a good system of boats and trains, meat might be slaughtered in Ireland and brought to English markets in a better condition than at present. He thought this question would occupy the attention of Par- bament, and he thought they should be glad ihat tlie agricul- tural iutere-t wonkl be well represented by Mr. Read. He felt ceriiun that when that gentleman undertook a Govern-- ment office lie did it from a wish to beni'fit bis constituents Yet none who had held uffice could be ignorant that i necessarily put a gag into the mouths of individuals. Look ing upon Mr. Read as the representative of tiie tenant-farmers they might rejoice that he had taken such an independent slep. His grace urged his hearers to look rather to their own exer- tions than to any parliamentary assistance. Crops and flocks- were not to be made by Acts of Parliament, and, whilst recom- mending agriculiurists to have such machinery as tliese cham- bers presented to bring their wishes before Parliament, they would do well to remember that it was upon their own energies they had to rely. TENANTS' IMPROVEMENTS.— The establishment of two estates in land — one the ownership, the other the i.se — may be traced to the piyment of rent to the Couian commonwealth, for the ager puhlicHS. Under the feudal system the rent was of two clas-es — personal service or money ; tlie latter was con- tidereJ base tenure. The legislation of the Tudors abolished tiie payment of rent by personal service, and made all rent payable in money or in kind. The land had been burthened with the sole support of the array. It was then freed from this charge, and a tax was levied upon the community. S->rae writers have souglit to define rent as the difference between fertile lauds and tliose that are so unproductive as barely to pay the cost of tillage. This far-fetched idi-a is contradicted by the circumstance that for centuries reut was paid by labour — the personal service of the vassal ; and it_is now part of the annual produce of the soil, inasmucli as land will be unproductive with- out seed and labour, or being pastured by tame animals, tlie re- presentative of labour in taming and tending them. Rent is usually the labour or the fruits of tlie labour of the occupant, lu some cases it is income derived from the labours of otiiers. A broad distinction exists between the rent of laud, which is a portion of the fruits or its equivalent in money, and that of improvements and houses, which is au exchange of the labour of the occupant given as payment for that employed in effecting improvements or erecting houses. The hitter, described a» messuages, were valued in 1794 at six millions per annum ; in 1814 they were nearly Ji flee ii milliuiis; now they are valued at eighty millions. The increase represents a sum considerably more than double the National Debt, of Great Britain, and uuiier the system of leases the improvements will pass from the in- dustrial to the landlord class. It seems to me to be the mis- take in legislation to encourage a system by which these two fuuds merge into one, aud tint hands the income arising from the expenditure of tlie working classes over to the tenants-in- fee wiibout au equivalent. This proceeds from a straining of the maxim that " wiiat is attached to the freehold belongs to the freehold," and was made law when both Houses of Parlia- ment were essentially landlord. Tint maxim is only partially true : corn is as much attaciied to tiie freehold as a tree ; yet one is cut without hindrance aud the other is prevented. Po- tatoes, turnips, and sucli tubers, are oi^ly obtained by disturbing the freehold. Tlie maxim was at one time so strained that it applied to fixtures, but recent legislation and modern discus- sions have limited the rights of the landlord class and been favourable to the occupier, and I look forward to such altera- tions iu our laws as will secure to the man who expends iiis labour or earnings in improvements an estate in p.rpetuo tiierein, as I think no length o: user of that which is a uian's own — las labour or earn.ngs — iln-uld baud over h.sitpie^euia - THE FARMER'S MAGj^ZINE. 119 tive improvrments "to any oflier porson. I aprec with those writers wlio niuintHin that it is prejudicial to tiic Stute tliat tlie rent fimd sliould be enjoyeii by h corap.iratively siii'ill nurab(^r of persons, and tbiiik it wuiild be, advantaj^eous tc distribute it, by increasing the number of tenants-iii-fee. Natural biws forbid middlemi'D, who do nothlnjj to make the land productive, and yet subsist froui the labour of the farmer, and receive as rent part of tiie produce of liis toil. The land belongs to the State, and should only be subject to taxes, eit)ier by personal service suoii as serving iu tlie miiitia or yeomanry, or by money pay- ments to the State." — Fcshet's Uislory of Landkolding in England. THE CHEVIOT HILLS.— The ridge of high ground that separates England from Scotbind is not, like many other liilly districts, the beloved of tourists. No guide-book expatmtes upon the attractiveness of tl\e Cheviots; no cunningly- worded hotel-puffs lure the unwary vagrant in search of lie-iltli, or sport, or tlie picturesque, to tlie quiet dells aud pastoral uplands of the Uorders. Since tlie biographer of Dandie Dinmont, of joyous memory, joined the sliadfs, no luagic sentences, either iu verse or prose, have tamed any appreciable portion of the annual stream of tourists in the direct'ou of the Cheviots. The scenery is not of a nature to satisfy the desires of those wjio look for something piquant — «ometliing "sensHlional," as it were. It is tberel'ore highly improbable that the primaeval repose, of these Border uplands will ever be disturbed by inroads of the "travelling public," even should some second Burns arise to render the name of hills and streams as familiar as household words. And yet tliose who cau suare the lime to make themselves well acquainted wilh that region should do so. They will have no reason to regret their visit, but very raucli the reverse. For tlie scenery is of a kind which grows upon one. It shows no claimant beauties — you cannot have its charms photographed —the passing stranger may see nothing in it to detain him ; but ouly tarry for a while amongst these green npl mds, aud you will dud a strange attraction in their soft outlines, in their utter quiet and restfulriess. For those who are wearied with the crush aud diu of life, I cannot think of a better retreat. One may wander at will amongst tlie breezy hills, and inhale the most invigorating air ; springs of the coolest and clearest water abound, aud there are few of the brooks iu their upper reaches which will not furnish natural shower-baths. l)id the reader ever indulge in such a mount lin-bath ? If not, theft let him on a summer's day seek out some rocky pool, sheltered from the sun, if possible, by birch and mountain-ash, and creeping in below the stream where it leaps from the ledges abc've, allow the cool water to break upon the head, and he will confess to having discovered a new aqueous luxury. Then from the slopes and tops of the hills you have some of the finest panoramic views to be seen in this island. Nor are there wanting picturesque nooks and striking rock scenery amongst the hills themselves ; the sides of the Cheviots are seamed with some wild, rugged chasms, which are just as weird in their way as many of the rocky ravines tiiat eat into the heart of our Highland mountains. The beauty of the lower reaches of some of the streams that issue from the Cheviots is well-known ; and few tourists that enter the vale of the Teviot neglect to make the acquaintance of the sylvan Jed. But other streams, such as the Bowmont, the Kale, the Oxnam, and the Rule, will also well repay a visit. In addition to all these natural charms, the Cheviot district abounds in other attractions. Tliose who are fond of Border lore, who love to seek out the sites of old forays and battles and romantic inci- dents, will find much to engage them ; for every stream, and almost every hill, is noted in tale aud ballad. Or, if tiie visitor have antiquarian tastes, he may rival old Moukbarus, and do his best to explain the history of the endless camps, ramparts, ditches, and terraces which abound everywhere, especially towards the heads of the valleys. To the geologist the district is not less interesting — Gooi Words for January. THE DIGNITY OF THE FARMER'S LIFE.— There is a higher dignity than that of poetry or painting that attaches to the farmer's profession — a dignity which should make him walk erect, aud look the blue heavens as proudly in the face as any man who treads the earth. No industry to which human hands were set since the first pair were made is deserving of higher estimation than his, for of all the toilers of the earth he stands in the closest co-partnership with Divine Providence in the realm of nature. See now the conditions of this co- partnership, the capital which each invests in one summer's crop. Here, for example, is a cullivifetl farm of one hundred acres of laud. Tlie Creator migiit have made that land hear s'out crops of wheat and oilier corn, all of itself, without man's hel[) ; but He did not, and would not. He condescended to admit mm to a partnership with Him, in variegating the verdure of those acres, in covering them with waving grain and yellow harvests. He would not let nature produce any crops for human sustenance without the co- working of hiiiniin sinews. The wheel of seasons might turn on for ever, scattering rain, dew, light, and heat, and every germinating influence ; but unless it was belted on to man's industry it would not turn out, a sheaf or a loaf of bread . But see what comes of the connection when a pair or two of hands and hoping hearts join iheir activities to the revolutions of that wheel — generously nature divides with man the honour and joy of the crop! Won she works with all the sublime mule economies of the seasons in this partnership of toil! The very shape of the earth's orbit, and all its million-miled many stages arouud the sun, as well as the dew distillery of the evening's sky, are bronglit to bear upon the production of tlie fields. See how the light and heat are graduated to the growth of these acres of lulian corn. See tlie lemperature that nursed it into the blade, then into the sta'k, then into the silken setting of the ear. See what purple curtains are huuff around tlie liorizon — what drying, jucuud, full wiads blow ; what a ruddy-laced hue glows upon tlie ripening ears, redilen- ing- them to Indian summer tints, as they peer from the white lace drapeiy that enfolded them! Look at the siglit, and never let a murmur of discontent stir your lips when you talk of merchants, niaiiufaetiirers, or joiut-slock companies, or any occupation or profession whatever. Joint-stock companies, indeed ! What company of that sort ever formed on earth can compare with I he joint-stock compauy that carries ou the smallest farm ? What a diver.-lty of capital is invested in the enterprise! What sympathy and co-Wi)rking ! Where falls one drop fioni the mo stened brow of the farmer, there fall a thousand of germinating dews from heaven ; and the combina- tion touches the life of every plant and blade with a new vitality and verdnre. — E'ihii Bcnilt. A. GliNlillOaS LANULOaD.— Mr. F. J. S. Foljambe, M.P., of Osbertou Hall, near Worksop, taking into coiisidera. tion the unfavourable character of the la^st season, has in- structed his agent to remit to the whole ol'the tenants on hi- estate 25 per cent, off their rents. This generous act on tlie part of Mr. Fidjambe has given great satisfaction to the tenants. — North Britisk Agriculturist, SALE OF THE BUTTON HOUSE SHORTHORNS.— Mr. John Thornton of London, dispersed the remainder of the small but select herd of Shorthorns, the property of Mr. J. M. Richardson, of Hutton Hou^e. The pedigree animals were only nine in number, and they realised iu the sggregate 333 guineas. The cow Alexandra Wind-^or, by Prince of Wales, was the favourite, and brought tiie highest price — viz., G3 gs., Mr. Lazonby being the purchaser. Comfort, another thick, good heifer, with grand quality, was bought by Mr. Toppin for 50 gs. One of the bulls brought 43 gs., and the other 26 gs. The company present was not large, but the competition for the cattle was considered good. — Carlisle Patriot . AYR NEW-YEAR'S-DAY FAIR.— The most important Horse Fair of the year at Ayr was held on Thursday last. The weather was flue, and there was a large display of good horses. Dear although prices have been for some time, the rates for good young Clydesdales were higher than ever, and dearness was not checking business. There was the usual attendance of dealers, and at noon they had generally sold a large propor- tion of their lots. A fourytar-old cnlt belonging to Mr. Wilson, Old Mill, attracted attention. The price asked for him was £150, and it was said that an offer of £125 had been re- fused. He was sold io Ayr Fair a year ago by Messrs. Carslaw at £105. Mr. Wjllie, Orchiltree, sold a colt of the same age to-day at £100, and Messrs. Carslaw two powerful five-year-olds for £233. Plain useful horses were changing hands at from £60 to £80, and good colts rising three years at similar figures. Oil horses were less in request, and they seemed fewer iu number than we have seen at former fairs. — Jan. 10. 12) THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. THE CHILIAN INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION. A correspondent at Santiago writes, that the Exhibition w'licli was opened by the President of the Republic on the I6tii of September last, has been declared open to the public to-day, and from the present date goods not actually within the precincts of the Esliibitinn, or in ttie course of discharge from on bonrd ships now in Valparaiso Bay, will be excluded from compttition for awards of merit. In connection with this public opening, the coramisbioners have promoted a fete in 1) n our of Belgium and her goods. There was a concert of classical music, tollowed by performances of promenade bands in tlie grounds of the Exhibition, aud a banquet to the Belgian commissioners and jurors. On Sunday last a /.?/(? was given in honour of the Sou'h American nations contriim'ing to the EKhibition, and a like honour to each nation is to follow, as ar- rangements can be made. The En'jlisl; /s/'eis no*, yet definitely fixed, but will probably be held in Ueceinber. Since the open- ing, much good has been done towards completing the display of foreign goods. The pas't practictUy in his own matiagement. liy cutting up straw in large quantities, and storing it away in !>ouie capiicious old ham or storage-house, miu^^ling with it t 'ill layers ot green chaff, and the whole trodden tlown firmly, and sprinkled abundantly with h..ndry of a hirge proportion of its occupiers has undergone a radical change (luring that period, irom the sustein of taking several corn crops in succession until the land got foul, and of their seeding it to clover or grass, to be renewed after tliree or four years with jiaring and burning. The aovanc d manaKf " m*, now all but universally practised, &nd which is very much based on the four-course system, is lar less exhaustive, keeps the land cleaner in condition, and yieli'.s a greatly augmented quantity of grain proiluce, besides the increased number of live stock now kejit, and the profits made from ment production. Splendid crops of mangolds, Cubbages, kolil-rabi, turnips, t;trcs, and clover arc raised on ihis fen country, and the practice of converting tliem to meat by llie aid of oilcake feeding has wonderfully increased in recent yea's. The district has, as may be suj'posed, a l.irge superabundance of straw, which is now made into really goi.d farmyard ii;auure, the practice of many being to cart off a portion of the routs to be consumed by fattening cattle iu the yards in tiie winter season with auxiliary food. In some eases sheep also are fed in the yards throughout the winter, and aid in converting a large bulk of straw to excellent manure. But another practice which has gained still more general adoj 'ion latlerly is that of taking young cattle, dairy cows, and iiorned stock from other districts to keep in tlie straw-yards through- out tiie w utcr. Kot on the old starvation method of exclusive straw feeding, bi.t on a system which is mutUiUy advantageous to the cattle ti.emsehes, their owners, and the fiirm occupiers who t;.ke theiu in to keep. Tlie latter afford unlimited straw- supply gratuitously, on the condition that the stock receive^ about olb. of oilcake per dpy at the expense of their owners — an outlay only too cheerfully borne, on account of Ihe thriving conuilion in vihicli the animals are sustained thereby, while their rich droppings yield full compensation to the farmer for his straw. BENEFIT SOCIETIEF. At a mfteting of tlie Essex Chambf.r of Agriculture, on Friday last, Mr. James Round, M .P., lead the loUowing piper upon this su'iject: Having understood, at a recent meeting of the Council ol this Ciiamber, that it was desirable that the subject ol benefit clubs should be brought forward, I consented to introduce it ; and 1 will say, at the outset, that I do not pretend to any special knowledge or, indeed, to such an amount of acqu lintance, with the ques'ion as would justify mc in reading a paper, or, as I heard it described last week, in giving a L cture on Trovldent Societies. The fact simply was that I felt the disposition of agricultural labourers to insure against sickness was a topic in which those who fre- quent the meetings of tbia Chamber take a deep interest; and th-.t it might appropriately be introduced at the present time, alter the recent discussions at St. Stephen's, during the 1-ist two Session!!, resulting in the FrieuJly Societies Act, 1875. Whatever d.fl'erence of opinion there may be as to the best kind of benefit society, there can be no doubt that it is highly desirable to encourage our poorer neighlwurs to become meni- b'-rs of well-managed benefit clubs, whose object is to provide funds for them iu sickness, iu old age, or at death. It is, iiid ed, sometimes said that benefit clubs do not iilFord the best provision for a man to make, because bis insurance is lost to hiin, that is to say, be is crta'iug no cipital. It is true that if a man (aud the best-paid class of sgricullural labourers might do this) saves from Gd. to Is. per week, and b; gan at 2'), such a rate of saving ineain, at con. pound interest in Con- S'ds, fn m £100 to £2UU at GO. I hcpe the time may come wh.'n the agricultural labourers may be capitalists; but at present, the dilficul'y is what is he to do iu time of sickness during these 40 years ? Eew will possess immunity from ill- health, and it almost of necessity follows that the prudent man turns his thoughts to tlie nearest benefit club, which offers the desired relief in time of sickness, or when an accident renders him unable to work. It is stated that the tendency of the English is more to spend than to save ; and thai tliough the wage-earning classes of England have an in- come calculated at 3uO millions per annum, that 30 millions of this is wasted in excess of drink and tobacco. It is satis- factory to turn from such stateinents as these, which have more or less truth in them, to the fact that three or four millions of the working-ela'ses have spontaneously organised themselves into voluntary associations for the purpose of mutual support in lime of sickness, and that the Registrar of Erienilly Societies, in his report for 1859, states that since the passing of the first Friendly Societies' Act in 17'J3 to 1858, the number of societies enrolled aud Ctrl ified is 28,000. A reviewer iu The Qiiid/crlij {}^ 1864 says: '■ These associations appear] to us to allord highly favourable iuJicitious of the soundness of character of the common people of England. They are the outgrowth, in a great measure, of the English love of selfgovernm'iiit and social indej endence, iu illustration of which remark it nsay be stated that whereas iu France only one person in 70 is lonnd belonging to a benefit society, and in B( Igium one in Gi, the proportion in England is fouud to be one in 9." The reviewer goes on to state that the early history of benefit societies is somewhat obscure ; but that the claims of some writers in behalf of the Loyal Ancient Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows of having been founded A.D. 55, in the reign of the Emperor Nero, will not bear investi- gation. Although most of tliese societies have comparatively a recent origin, they delight in titles savouring of antiquity, as appears from the names of the Aucient Order of Foresters^ the Ancient Druids, the Ancient Mariners, the Ancient Britons, the Loyal Ancient Shcpl erds, and eveu an Ancient Order of BulT.ihies. The history of friendly societies is not altogether a happy one; too oft( n the r;ites of contribuiiou have been inadequate; too often sickness p;.yinents ha^e• merged into superannuation allowances, when the rates only allowed the former ; too often lax or unskilful mauigcment lia> brought them to ruin, and the wel-intentioned elforts of the best of our working classes have proved valueless at tlie very period when they most wanted the benefits they had tried to insure. Some present in this room may be familiar wi'li the answer of aged labourers in the Union House, v\hcn the question is puf, " ^Vhy did you not belong to a provident club?" " Yes, I did, for a number of years ; but I had bad luck and failed." When one thinks how most of this sad ex- perience might have been avoided, had sound and well- inanagi'd benefit clubs been the rule and not the exception, such recollection should make every employer of labour, every man who takes an interest in the wellare of thote around him, encourage only such clubs as are well managed, with tables of contributions and benefits calculated by competent actuaries. Parliament has from time to time passed laws, with a view of giving encourageniput and protection to the members o( friendly societies. The legislation of the pre- sent century does not appear to have been very fortunate. Well inteutioned it may have been, but while its mere inter- ference with them produced a popular reliance on clubs, many of which were unsound, it did nothing to secure their solvency. For some time the State gave great help in one way — -.iz., by allowing a high ra:e of interest — £-4 lis. 3d. per cent. — on the funds invested ; tut this privilege it withdrew iu 1850 aud 1855, and reduced it to three per cm*. The amonut of interest obtained by investment of the funds of these societie* is iiiOot iiiqiortant, uo h-ss so than the amcuut of contribu- tions. Just as it is reckoned thai every delicient penny per 128 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. week in a member's payments continue at compound interest during tlie 40 years, between 20 anil 60, must then annount at the end of that period to a deficiency in the i'unds of £15 or £16 for that member alone, so the rate of interest at which tie capital of a society is invested will most materially affect tlie funds. Thus, if £100 be invested at £5 per cent, "compound interest, it will double itself in about 14 years ; but it would take 18 years to effect the same object if the interest was reduced to 4 per cent. The resolution I liave put on the agenda paper, points to the Jbest way that, in my bumble opinion, the State can assist these societies — viz, by increas- ing the rate of interest now given. It may be true the S^ate has in the past incurred losses by this course, but the State is composed of ratepayers, and there is to be considered the expense of maintaining in the unions those poor men who liave been members of rotten clubs, let alone the indirect loss resulting from the non-cultivation of provident habits among the people. In lS73-i the Royal Commission, which had been appointed in 1871, made their report, and early in 1873, Sir S. North- cote, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, bronglit in a bill to consolidate and amend the laws relating to friendly societies- It did not pass intj law in the first Session, as is freiiuently the case when bills dealing witii important siihjpcts are brought forward. The time was not lost, for the discus- sions that took place in both Houses, and the ventilation of the snbject during the recess amongst those interested, must have proved an assistance to llie Government wiio desired to )i-gislate. Consequently, in 1875 the bi!l was re-iii'roduced, Willi some differences ; one, that the powers propf^s' d to be given to the chief registrar by the first bill were curtailed in t'le second; a'so tlie proposal to establish. Jocal courts nf reg's- tratioa was abandoned for economic reasons. The princi|iles of legislation were stated by Sir S. Northcote to b^, " That Government ought to interfere as little as possible with tiie voluntary action of those who weremanigin? friendly societies, that it should supply information by publishintr corre t tables, but that it would leave this good work, which lial spruu? from the people, to be carried on by the people themselves." The Act has now come into effect, and, perhaps, amongst its most valuable provisions are the following : " Once in every year every registered society is bound to submit i's accounts to a proper audit, and once in every five years there is to bs a valu:itiou of the assets and liabilities of each society, and a report of the valuer is to be sent to the registrar." It is true tliat tlie Act chiefly affects those large societies, such as the IManchester TJnity, with nearly half-a-million of members, and the Ancient Order of Foresters, with 3,651 lodges and 388,000 members ; but that the provisions which I have adverted to will be of great benefit to smaller societies, such as exist in this county, I cannot for a moment donbt. There are several flourishing provident clubs scattered over this and the adjoin- ing counties, and several branches of the larger societies, such as the Loyal Stour Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which appear to be in a healthy position, as ascribed by its chairman at a recent meeting at Manningtree. There are others, again, who have recently passed through times of dilTiculty. There is one in ray own neighbourhood, culled the Aldhara and United Parishes Insurance Society, with 1,600 members and £21,000 in funds, which was founded in 1826. Tills society, which was pronounced solvent twenty years ago by the late Mr. Finlaison, has lately submitted its affairs to a thorough investigation at tiie hands of two competent actuaries. Their reports pronounce the assets of the club to be deficient by £10,000 — the old rates having worked badly as the members grew old, and the sickness for some years past having proved excessive. The committee lost no time in taking the only course that the rules of the Society allowed, aud ordered an increase of rates for all members. They felt that every month wou'd render the deficiency more difficult to grapple with, and that any delay on their part would be most unjustifiable. That the iuHuring members found much fault at first witli having to increase tlieir monthly payments, cannot be wondered at, but that not a few should preler to leave the club, instead of assisting to place it ou a sound footing under the best actuarial advice, is much to be regretted. By far the great majority, however, liave been wise enough to recognise their true interests, and have accepted the new rates ; aud within the last few days delegates from the various parishes have met a snh-coii- mittee for the revision of tlic rules, and agreed upon a revised code, which will be submitted iu due course lo the approval of a general meeting of insuring meniLcrs. Que feature of this club is, that the expenses of mana;ieiuent are defrayed from an honorary fund. The new rates will be settled according to Governinent tables, and I recommend all agricultural labourers in the district to join the clnh, if they are not already membeis. There is ano'her society, well known as the Essex Provident, whcse funds were reported by Mr. Nelson to be £80,000 deficient. Nut ttiat this sura (^or the £10,000 deficiency in the case of the Aldham Club to wiiich I have adverted) was actually lost or run away with by tlie committee, as some members appear to have thought, but the society's accumulated funds, for it to be financia'ly sound, should be increased by at le-ist the above amount. Grfat credit is due to the managers and members of this provident club for the prompt way in which they set to work to remedy tliis state of tilings ; and I am informed by a gentleman who takea great interest in its welfare that by a reduction of the sick allowance 12i per cent., by abolition of funeral payments on the death of members' wives, by reduction of tlie time of full-pay allowance from 26 to 18 weeks, by having a special levy for management expenses, and by a sligiitly higher rate of interest for the funds, they have more than provided for the declared deficiency. The question how far the State should take upon itself the function of making any provision for the objects now simed at by friendly societies, is one of great delicacy and dilliculty, say the Commissioners in their rt-port. Ic is said that the Sta e should estab- blish a national insurance Society, managed and gn- - r^nteed by Government, and tlie advantages of lliis proposal are set forth in paragraph 8-15 of tlie above report. I do not profess to have iavestigatpd the sutiject sufiiciently to give a very decided opinion, but it does seem io me that the objections urged by the commissioners to a Slate Iriendly society, are oillicult to meet, the main argn- ni'iit put forward by them being, that it would he imjios.sihle for Government officials to check impo^iion. The Poor-law system has many points of contact with the working of friendly socie ies. I am one of those who think that v. hen a member of a provident club is compelled to apply to the guardiius for relief, he should meet with special consideration. We are told that out-relief will be abolished in the future, but till tiiis is the case, 1 think it might be granted to a member of a club in some cases where it might be refused to others. In conclusion, 1 would impress upon those connected with benefit clubs, the follov\ing most important considerations : 1st, That Government tables should be used in every case ; 2nd, That there should be a good committee of management, partly composed of men not immediately interested in the relief afforded ; 3rd, That in no case should any sick benefit be assured a'ter tiie age of 65, as it is next to impossible to dis- tinguish between simple infirmities of age and those which arise from disease. If these points be adhered to, if, as I cannot doubt, a stimulus has been given by the recent Act to the encouragement and growth of benefit clubs; and if the employers of labour and others accord their moral and pecu- niary support to the best societies, we may hope that failures may become rare in the future, that the working classes may become more independent in the highest sense of the word, and that a brigliter page may be added to the history of the agricultural labourer. In conclusion, Mr. Hound submitted the following resolution to tlie meeting : " That iu the opinioa of this Chamber, it is desirable that more direct encourage- ment should be given, iu the shape of Government secuiity, in order to induce the labouring classes' in larger numbers to insure in provident societies." Mr. P. O. PafilloiN seonded the resolution. Mr. Joseph Smith, sen., proposed, as an amendment, " That a national benefit society be established under Govern- ment authority, whereby all may make provision wgiiinst old age or sickness, with tlie certainty of enjoying whht they make provision for, thereby enabling the Poor-lnw to be more sirictly enforced, and outdoor relief to a great extent abolished." The amendment was supported by Mr. W. E. Bear. A discussion followed, in the course of which The Rev. F. A. S. Fa?je said it was one thing to lead a horse to water, and another thing to make it driiik^ and ex- pressed an opinion that they would never get the agiicnltural labourer to joio a benefit society until the Poor-law, upon which he relied, was repealed. Mr. J. CiiKisTY seconded tlie amendment. Colonel BiusE, M P., said if Mr. Smith would leave out the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 1:9 word " sickness," from liis araendraent. l.e might vote for it ; for lie WHS perfectly conviuceJ, after reading llie report of tlje Coinraissioiiersupou tlie suhj.-ct, Hut it was utterly iniposMble tl.at any national benefit society could be formed in tbis c luiitry to provide for sickness. Tliey could not guard agaiust imposition in sickness, and lie was cjuite of tl,e opinion that th y could not do better than leave their benifu societies to the people themselves. Compulsory registration and set tables were advocated by some, but lie believed tlie opinion ot he country generally was totally at variance with this course. _Ue advocated the encouragement of the labouring classes to join sound benefit clubs as one of the best meaus ol improving upon the present state of things. , ^ o 1 -n ■ Mr. Pavillom agreed in the main with whattol. lirise had said, and that the dillioulty of establishing a national benefit society was almost insurmountable, though he did not believe it was so insurmountable as Colonel Bnse thought, because he bdicved men could he fouud.in each district who could prevent imposiiion. The truth was, they wanted some- tilne more direct in the way of registration, and 111 his ojiuion no ben. fit society should be allowed to exist which did not submit in some ^Impe to registration. The main dithculty in persuading the labouring classes of the present day to join benefit societies lay in ;the fact that the Po.ir-law, as at present administered, tended directly against the development andencouragemeut o( these societies; and until they coiild in some way make the administration of that law so unpalatable and disao-reeable as to make the benefits of benefit societies int benefit club would work, in consequence of the imposition which would be practised, and the cumbrous machinery wliicli would have to be employed in its working. Mr. E. Garuiner spoke on the same fide. Mr- Round, in replxing upon the discussion, bore out the remarks which had been made against the possibility of a Go- vernment benefit society, and remarked that while there wera a grent manv people who did not think much of imposmg upon their neighbours, tiiere were a great many more who would not think anytliing at all of imposing upon tlie Government. The amendment was then put to the mcfctiug and earned by 9 to 7. ^ ,. ,, In accordance with tlie usual order of proceeding, ttie amendment was then put, as a substantive proposition, and was lost by seven votes to five, an apparent contradiction wliich may be accounted lor by the fact that several members imagined ilint the matter was disposed of on the amenduieut being carried and left the room. A vote of thanks to Mr. Round fnr his paper, and to tlie President for liis occupancy of the chair, coHcluded the pro- ceedings. THE AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS ACT. A meeting of the Framlinghara Farmers' Cub was held f,r the purpose of discussing the subject of the Ai;ricultnral Holdings Act, introduced by Mr. F. G. Ling, of Framlingliam. Mr. F. S. Coi ranee occupied the cliair. Mr. Ling said the Act was passed with the intention of b.-nefiting the tenant-farmer by giving to him (what lie did not beiore possess) some legal security or guarantee for compen- taiing him for unexhausted improvemfnts efficted by him upon his holding. The Act was a new measure, and hitherto there had been no statutory enactment on the subject. The landlord was originally, strictly speaking, entitled under the common law to the advantage of unexhausted improvements effected by the tenant, although his rights had in some respects been considerably modified by custom, and limi'ed by agree- ment. But although we had not till now an Act of I'arlia- ii.ent on the subject, we must not suppose that the question had escaped attention or consideration in agricultural quarters. On the contrary, great interest had always been tiken in it, and it had receivid much attention and grave consideration ; and so far back aa 1848, Mr. I'lisey obtainrd a Select Com- rcitfeeof the House of Commons, and the result of the action which had been taken at different times was the present Act, which contained many provisions based upon the report of that Committee. In the last Farliament Messrs. Howard and Read brought in a bill, the object of which was declared in a letter wri'leu to the press by tiiose gentlemen. The 13th clause was the cause of the rejection of the hill, and it had been omitted from the present Act, leaving the question of the freedom of contract open. He (Mr. Ling) believed that the gre.-.t reason why we had not had complete security for un- exhausted imp'-ovements beiore was the dilficnlty felt that any Parliamentary enactment on the subject nnght have the effect of warping and destroying the feeling of mutual confidence between landlords and tenants. He (Mr. Ling) coi.ld imagine there could be nothing more gratifying to a landlord or tenant than to feel that each enjoyed the confidence of the other ; and such a feeling must tend as much as anything could do to ensure good farming and consequent advantage to both landlord and tenant. He, however, did not think the Act which they were now discussing would tend in any way to diminish the confidence hitherto exiting, the maiu feature in it being that it was not a compulsory measure ; it was per- missive, and theie was no necessity why it should allect any contract of tenancy if parties agreed that it should not apply to their contrac'. He did not intend to imply that if the Act were adopted difficulties would not arise. Mr. Ling quoted extensively from the Act of Parliament, commenting especially on the provisions which affected tlie tenant-farmers. lie pointed out that where a tenant was under its provisions he was entitled by the '.erms of the Act to compensation in respect to nineteen subject?, divided into three heads or classes viz., permanent, durable, and temporary. Permanent im- provements included drainage of knd, erection and improve- ment of buildings, and laying down of permanent pasture and the like. Durable improvements included the boning p.nd chalking of land, &c. : and temporary improvements embraced application to laud of purchased artificial or other purchased manures, and consumption on the holding by cattle, slieep, and pigs of cake or other feeding stntf not produced on the farm. As regarded improvements ofihe first class, claim to coinpens'- tion conli not be made except within 20 years from the year the improvement was elfected, and seven years for improve- ments effected in the second class, and two years for those which come under the tliird class. As to improvements of a permanent characttr, the written consent of the landlord must be obtained, and in those of a durable nature the tenant must give notice not more than 42 nor less than seven days, of his intention to execute such improvement, or where it vias given after the tenant had given or received notice to quit, unless it was executed with the jirevious consent of the landlord. Perhaps the most important feature of the Act was, whereas six months' notice, expiring at the end of the current year of the tenancy, was required to determine the tenancy, twelve months' like notice must now be given. In conclusion, he reminded the meeting that the question for them to consider was whether they wished to come under the Act, or whetlier they would leave themselves under the custom of the country. He must say that in many ca^ es they got more by the custom of the country than they would do uuder the Act. Mr. RoiiEKT Gariiard said he had not studied the Act very closely, but from what he had lieard to-night and on other occasions, he had come to the conclusion that it was a measure wliich did not very g-eatly concern the Eastern Counties, and for his own part he should most certainly advise his clients to place themselves under the old Suffolk covenant. As to farming in this part of tlie country uuder that Act of 130 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. rarhameut in its entirety, it seemed to liira to be altogether out oftlie (juestion for some reasons, amongst tliem beinpftliat the farmer would make no valuation at all. lie i bought it CTtremely likely tbat tlie Act would be found uselul iu some parts of tbe country, wliere land was reclaimed, bills levelled, pastures made permanent, and there the Act woul 1 doubtless prove u 3ful, inasmuch as it would encourage the tenant to spend ■. iiiey, but as he had said there was litih; nefd for such a me;.s' re in the Eastern Counties. Commenting; upon the Act, bl:. Garrard pointed out with regard to artificial manures, that I re was to be an allowance for tbat used iu the last two y' iis, but there was a clause which practically cut one out hy specifying the roots to be grown, such as potatoes, &o. Lnder the Act yon could only claim for the arlificibl manure used in the root crop for that year. The provision as to tbe notice to quit was, he thought, the best feature ol the Act. He_ had always advocated a twelve-months' notice to quit, and he had often seenths harrowing effects of a six-'iionilis' notice. Taking the Act altogether, he tbougbt there was little to be feared from it either by landlorls or tenants. If ihey commenced under the Act say next February, unless they gave a month's notice before their valuation was made they could not claim under tiie Act ; and if they did, it seemed to him that the valuation would be finished by about Christmas. Having had a great deal to do witli valuations during many years, lie must say that he v\ds much enamoured with tbe old Suffolk covenants, and his belief was that nothing better could possibly exist. He never had much faith iu larming under an Act of Parliament, and hs felt sure that tbe one under consideration would not greatly interfere titlier withihe landlords or the tenants in Suffolk. The Hev. C. T. Corrance said there were one or two points of importance to be considered in connection with ibis Aet. As Mr. Ling had stated, thr're was undoubtedly a gro*inK feeling before the p.issing ot;the Act.that the tenant should be compcu- sated for tbe imjiroveiuents he might make in the course ol his lease; andthisperraissiveActonlygavecirect to the feeling which was widely spread throughout the country, and whicli fouud vent in the customs which had been introduced into Lincoln- shire and other places, and had been embodied iu this Act of Parliament. Tiiere were a few things which it was necessary to remember. The Act applied at preseut to two cate^ in the absence of notice to the contrary, and tenancy at will or yearly tenancy, but it did not apply to anv othtr holding or undertaking except prior to the lUh February, 1876. It was very important to recollect where the Act ap[died and where it did not. JN'o lease drawn up after that date would be subject to the operation of this Act unless there was a special clause iu that lease exempting it, or unless tenant or landlord gave notice that they did not wi>h to be under its operation, lie agreed with Mr. Garrard that the most important part of the lull was that having reference to the notice to quit, but some misapprehension was likely to arise. Tbe r v. gentleman read a quotation bearing upon part of tiie Act, showing how circumstances might arise so tbat the landlord if he wi.-hed to get rid of a.tenant would practically have to give a two-years' notice. The President : That may prove .by-and-by a nice^'little nut for the lawyers to crack. The Rev. C. T. Corrance continued : Tliey had heard the dilTurcnt lieads under which improvements came, but la the schedule of the Act there was a very meagre list. He had no doubt that the drainage included iu the durable improve- ments meint cnly tile draining, as it would not be safe for anybody to give compensation for anything but tile draining ; and besides, bush draining was rather a loeal custom, and did not prevail extensively over other parts of the country. Tile draining was more general, and it was likely tliat the Act of Pi-.rliaraent, which applied to the whole country, would refer to a general custom rather than to a local one. Mr. Jeai'freson asked wiiether, supposing his tenancy expired two years hence, and he bu^h-drained this year, sh Hild he be allowed anything? The llev. C. T. Corkance ; Not as a permanent improve- ment. Mr. Jeaefreson : Under what liead should 1 be allowed then? Tbe Rev. C. T. Corrance : I suppose you wou'd come under the custom of the country. Looking through the !i,-t of first-class improvements he did not see that many of them applied to this part of the country. Tenants in buli'jik were not called upon to erect buildings at their own exprinse. The rale for obtaining first-class uuBxhaustel improveuunts was s very simple one. Say tiiat the permanent improvement cost £100, notice, of course, being first given to the landlord that he wished to effect the improvement. If the tenant left the liolding in ten years, lie would have ten years to count, it being a 20 years' improvement. Therefore if jou divided the 100 by 20 the product was five, and then by multiplying the product by ten that gave the tenant £50 as the sum to which lie was entitled for ilie unexhausted improvement wliich ten years before cost hiin £100. The seeoud-class impr jveraents ouly lasted for seven years, so jou had only to substitute the figure seven for twenty and reckon in exacily the same way. With regard to the third-class or temporary improvement, lie thought considerable difficulty might arise — here, in fac', tiie difficulties would be found to reside. For instance, he did not see how it was to be ascertained how much feeding stuff had been consumed upon a farm during the last two or ibree years of the tensni's occupation. It had been truly ssid that under this bill valuations would be manufactured. During the last year a large amount of artificial manure would be usedjon food given to stock in order to swell the valuation. It was, however^ spread over three years, so that you couid not simply take the last year. Another difficulty suggested itself. VVas any hay sold off tlie farm, and if so what was the value of the manure which such hay and straw would have made ? This was ii most theoretical question, and one fertile in all nianner of quairels and liw suits. The constructors of tlie Ai;t had not apparently forgotten to make ampb provisions lor the legal difficulties to whicli the Act would certainly give rise, Tiiere was a detailed form of procedure, and there would be plenty of litigation upon this point. Bnl there was no reason prac'ically why litigation should arise ; if the laiijlords and tenants were honestly to determine to come to an agreement with each other as business men, they might certainly safely come aider the operation of this Act. Besides this they need not allow the whole of the Act, if they did not wish to do so, to apply to their lease. It would be sufficient if a part of it only were introduced, specifying wliat part should apply, and under these restrictions he thought the Act might have a very benefii^ial effect. Ail would, he thouglit, a.iirce that llie Act was brought forward with a iona Jlde intention, to supply a recognised grievance, and to recognise in law Uie principle that tlie tenant was entitled to some co.npeusition for what he laid out on his land, and to encourage, therefore, good farming to the end of iiis lea>e. Mr. W. B. Kent said, if he rightly understood Mr. Cor- rance, that gentleman had stated that the compensation for permanent improvements was to be on a graduated scale. It should be reinembeied that the improvement in the second ten years would not be so valuable as in the for.ner t'U. He should like to know whether he should be entitle! to the same rate of compensation m the nintteentU year of his tenancy as in the second. The Rev. C. T. Corrance said he thought the definition he had given to that part of tbe Act was a right one. Pro- portionally the tenant would be entitled to the co npeusa'ion in the niueteentli year as he was in the first. As to laud under the ownership of trustees, the trustees were made parties to tbe lease, and must therefore be made parties to any a';tion as against the tenant ; but this did not appear to be the case as against landlords or charity trustees, for the Act said in effect, " The powers that this Act confers on tlie landlord shall not be exercised by trustees for ecclesiastical or charitable purposes, except with the previous approval in writiug of the Charity Conmissioners of England and \Vales." Mr. Paul Read said perhaps the best thing that could be said in referenca to this Act was that it was capahle of being amended, lie hoped none present would forget that it was the first statutory Act acknowledging the tenant that had ever been passed. If farmers would o ily work together, they had it in their power to make the Act anything they pleaseii. (A voice: "And a bad job too.") Mr. Read quoted Mr. M'Conibie, one oftlie cleverest farmers in Great Britain, who said in the House that the bill gave nothing and it took nothing away, and it was altogether the most innocent mea- sure ever introduced into Parliament. Speaking on the ques- tion of the supply of food, Mr. Read argued that in that respect we iu England stood upon very critical groand, and that it was ([uite ]ios-ible lor circumstances to arise under which the people of this couutry would be half-itarved. The THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 131 poiinlry was so situated tlnit it was of tlie utmost iraportHiice fo produce as niiicli food as possible. We were in a sort of i'ool's paradise in regard to our food supply, wlueli iiiiglit lie seriously interrupted. lie contended that tlie A;J!ricultural Holdings Bill sliould have been made compulsory, and so con- structed that people could not con'.raet themselves out of it. He must also say that a bill of this kiml which did uothiug to restrict tlie over-preservaliou of game was of little use. Mr. Gkay asked whether, if a tenant thought proper to eo:ne under the Act, a written coveuaut or agreemeut would be necessary'? Jlr. Pkesident : No agreemfnt. Mr. Gray : It seems tliat there are many things omitted that tlie landlord would wish should apply. What about the cropping of the land — could I crop it tis T pleased if 1 came under this Act ? Jlr. Lino : That would be ruled by the custom of the country. The President then summed up the discussion, remarking that, with Mr. llt-ad, he should like to see an Act made cora- pulsury, but not sucii an Act as this, lie had no wish to see aujthing which would disturb the U'rangements of either land- lords or teiiauts. With regard to the improvements in the first class he, as a Imdlord, should be sorry to have anyone come upon his land, erect buil.lings, plant orchards, and do a great deal of the other work specitied without consi-nt, and at the expiration of the letting to have compensation for it. This would simply be a great act of tyranny. He obji'ctedto such an elaborate Act as this one, but possibly he might have no objection to a smilh'r one, and he should have uo objection to compulsory provisions as to the tenant's fixtures. Trades- people in towns liaJ allowances mide for trade fixtures, and why should not agriculturists have it? There were many broad features in the Act to which he entertained no decided ol'jfction ; but if they were to have aa Act of 60 clauses drawn up, with a view of covering the whole ground, he Ihuuglit it should be au experimental Act, applied according to the consent of the two parties. L^t them see, in thf^ first place, what such an Act would bring forth, and if it were likKl by both sides, then the Act, or something like it, should be made compulsory. One thing that would militate against its being made compulsory was the number of points which ad- mitted of legal doubts, and all present knew what legal doubts meant, viz., that it would be necessary to consult the lawjers ; and this was to he guarded against as much as possible, ilo thought tb.cse dillicultits would afford strong temptations to landlords to place themselves out of the operation of the Act, and tie would not be suriirised to find that the larger portion of the landlords of England would like to see an experiment of thess legal doubts — as was said in the classics on viie i)er- sons, ill corpore fill.. Landlords contracting out of the Act would, he thought, be wise to bring themselves within the law as nearly as could be, by taking those clauses which were plain and clear, and refusing to be bound by the doubtful clauses. If a tenant, on taking land, meant to lay out his money upon it, don't let him do it under the sanction of the Act. but let him have a lease properly drawn out, with certain clauses of the Act included, and in that lease to specify what lie might and what he might not do. By adopting this plan, he would have a sound guarantee that he would get his mouey again when he went out of the farm. Mr. Ling replied, remarking that he thought the Act had been conceived in a wise spirit, the guarantee of which was that it had been so long in coming. It was not complete, but as had been remarked much might be done towards making it so by the power of amendment. He trusted that the mutual confidence existing between kndlord and tenant would con- tinue, and then there would be no necessity to have ^recourse to au Act of Farliameut. On the proposition of Mr. jRAFFRESONa hea'ty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Ling for having introduced a sul - ject so iinporlant to the farming community, and a similar vole having been passed to the President, the proceedings termi- nated. THE AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS ACT AS IT AFFECTS LANDOWNERS. [From the Sollciturs' Jvurniil^ Very many of our readers, in their capacity of confidential alvisers to landowners, will have put to them within the next few weeks the question. What shonld be done about the Agri- cultural Holdings Act ? "In the first place," the client will say, " I want to know whether I am affected by the Act. L I am, what course should I take as to excluding or admitting its operation ? I can judge for myself as to the main grounds on wliicli the measure is supposed to recommend itsell lo the adoption of landowners. 1 think it for the advantage, in the long run, both of myself and my tenants, that the latter should receive compensation on quitting for unexhausted improve- ments ; but I am in doubt as to whether it would be well to allow the whole of the Act to come into operation as regards my tenants, or simply to adopt the provisions relating to com- pensation ; or whether a still better course would not be to provide for this myself, instead of trns:iug to the Act lo do it. Give me the data for tormiug a judgment on this question by telling me exactly what liabilities I shall incur, and what remedies I shall obtain, if I permit myself to be brouglit under the Act." We shall attempt to give brief and plain answers to these questions : Are you affected by the Act ? Tliat de- pends upon the nature of the holding, the kind of tenancy, and the time at which it commenced. Is the property let an agri- cultural or a pastoral holding ? If it is not, or if it is less than two acres, jou need not trouble yourself further ; the Act does not affect you. If the holding is agricultural or pastoral, and exceeds two acres, the answer will differ according as the inquiry is put with reference to existing or future tenancies. To tenancies for fixed terms commencing before the 14th of February, IS7f3, the Act does not apply. To tenancies from year to year or. at will existing before the lith of February, 1876, the Act will apply unless excluded by landlord or tenant. To all tenancies corameucing alter that date the Act will apply unless excluded by Undlord and tenant. Now comes the question, What rights and li^tbilities will be acquired or incurred by the landowner by simply allowing the Act lo come into operation ? Let us take, first of all, tenancies from year to year, and con- sider the practical etl'ect of the clauses relating to notice to quit. If the Act is not excluded, the result will be that when the landlord desires to put an end to the contract he will have to give a year's notice expiring with some year of the tenancy. That is lo say, if the tenancy originally commenced at Lady-day, and the tenant has committed some act of gross mismanagement of the land between Lady-day and Midsummer, lie cannot, except in case of bankruptcy or composition, be got rid of for one year and three-quarters. Practically a letting from year to year lo which the Act applies will be a letting for two yi ars certain. The relations brtween landlord and tenant where the former has given the latter notice to quit are not usually very friendly ; nor is land generally considered the better for the tenant's management during the period which elapses between the giving of the notice and its expiration. But in the case of a half-year's notice the mischief thai can be done is comparatively little. The farmer generally enters ou the land either on the 2nd of February or the 25th of Marcli, and notiie has to be given with reference to these dates ; hence the period covered by the notice is that during and after the harvest ; the crops have been sown, the manure has been put in ; in the case of grass lands the spring manure has been laid ou before the tenant knows that he is to have a notice to quit. But under the Act all this will be different. From the 2nd of February or 25th of March the tenant will have warning that during the whole of the next j ear he must get the most he can out of the land and do the least he can lor it. Landowners know how much some tenants can do in this way without rendering themselves practically liable uud^r the cove- nants in their leases. The best tenant does not feel any very enthusiastic interest in his land during the last year of his tenancy. Moreover it may perhaps be found that a new temptation will be afforded to test the validity of the notice to quit. If he succeeds in establishing its invalidity, he will be safe for another two years, for the landlord cannot give a new 132 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. niticp c]iirin;:f tlie currency of the old one, or he will waive it, and when llie old notice expires it will be too late to give one for the ensuing year. Any one familiar wilh the subject knows hiAV msiiy grounds of objection may be raised to a notice to quit. Was it given in proper time — that is, v^iih reference to the expiration of a current year ot the tenancy ? That depends miou when tlie tenancy commenced, a question sometimes very diliicult to decide — e (/., when fresh agreements at increased rents have been entered into hetweeo landlord and tenant ia the course of the tenancy. Was the notice expressed wilh due certainty and niven by the proper person? did it come to the knowlediie of tlie tenant ? was it subsequently waived by tlie 1 uid ord ? — ail these questions may be raised by the tenant when stimnlited by the prospect of obtaining two years' further eiij'jy luent of tlie farm, or of getting the payment which the landlord will often make rtther than run the risk of that result. We may discuss hereafter the advantage to the tenant of the prolonged notice to quit; as regards the lnn(llurd, we are unable to suggest any benefit from the adoption of this provision, except that it may perhaps induce the tenant to htsitate less about expending money on his farm, inasmuch as he raaj think he bas a prospect of a longer holding. 13ut if proper provision is made for compensation fur unexhausted iiuprovemeiits, will there be any ground for reluctance on the part of the t nant about expenditure on the farm? If he 1 aves before he lias got the full benefit of that expenditure , he will be recouped the unexhausted value of the improvement, and the more he spends the less chance there will be of his being disturbed. The special lights acquired by the landlord from year to year under the Act consist of a modification of the old and just rule that a notice to quit cannot be given for a part of the demised premises. The landlord may give a valid notice to quit a part only of the hulding, provided (1) the notice is given " with a view to the use of land" for certain specified purposes, an.l (2) "the notice to quit so states." We may have occasion hereafter to draw attention to the loose- ness with whicn the clause is drawn ; we simply say here that it enables the landowner to obtain possession of portions of land on which he may want to build farm-labourers' cottages, etc., to plant trees, or to open quarries or pits, etc. But in order to do so he must make up his mind or " view," as to the use of the lind, more than twelve months before he can carry out his purpose ; he must be prepared to have the whole machinery of the Act as to compensation put in force against him by the tenant with reference to the piece of land taken off the farm ; and, when the value of the compensation on this score has been settled, there will remain to be determined the proportionate reducti )u to be made in the rent (I) iu respect 'of the land com- prised ia tiie notice to quit; (2) iu respect of any deprecia'ion of the value to the tenant of the residue of the holding caused by its withdrawal ; and (3) in respect of any depreciation of the value to the tenant of the residue of the holding caused by the use to be made of the land withdrawn. And, alter all, the sole benefit derivable by the landlord under this new provision ^\\L., that lie can obtain possession of a part without having to grant a tresh lease of the remainder — may be swept away ; for the tenant is entitled to give notice tlmt he accepts tlie notice to quit the part of the farm " as a notice to quit the entire liolding, to take effect at the expiration of the then current year of tenancy, and the notice to quit shall have effict accordingly." So that if the landlord has given a notice to quit a jiortion of tlie farm for one of the specified purposes two days before the 25th of March, 1876, so as to make sure that the notice is given iu ample time to be a good and valid year's notice for the 25lh of March, 1S77, hemay receive next day a notice from the tenant which, if the language of the clause is to be taken literally, will actually have the effect of determining the tenancy on the 25th of March, 1876 — i.e. two dajs after the notice to quit has been given. What is the practical course a landowner who has let his farm from year to year would take at present if he wanted to obtain possession of a part of the larra for one of the purposes specified in the Act? Is it not something like this P He goes to the farmer, and says, " Jones, I want a piece of Blackacre to build some labourers' cot- tages upon. I don't want to distuib you, or to give you notice to quit ; tjut I shall have to do so if we don't agree ; what re- duction in rent will you want if you give up the piece of land P" Jones ol course haggles and protests that Blackacre is his best field, but he knows to a nicety the real value of the land to liim, and how much the wortii of the residue of tiie farm will be diiuishcd by taking it off, and he has no tjmptaliou to stand out for a fancy valne ; lie is aware that if he does not come to reasonable terms he will have a half-year's notice to quit the entire farm, an I upon its expiration may be subjec'ed to com- petition viith other bidders for the residue of tlie farm on the reletting. The result will usually be t' c settlement of the matter without difficulty, and the giving up po>session of the piece of land at once. Will the process be quite so easy if the tenant can say to the landlord, ''If you want tlie piece, you must give me notice under the Agricultural Holdings Act ; and you cannot get it for at least 12, or possibly 23, mouths" ? THE AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS ACT.— A large number of the representatives of the principal North of England landowners met on Thursday, Jan. 12, at the Town-hall, Preston, to confer as to the Agricultural Hold- ings Act. Mr. W>att presided. Amongst the gentlemen present were representatives of the Earl of Derby, the Uuke of Devonshire, Lord Skelinersdale, the Earl of Stamford, the Earl of Bf ctive, the Duke of Buccleuch, Sir T. H. F. Hesk^h, Bart., Sir T. D. Archibald. Sir H. de Tiaff.rd, Sir H. de Hoghton, Mr. W. J. Legh, M.P., Colonel Fielding, Mr. J. Foster, &e. The total land repre^ented was close upon 3U0,( 00 acres. In the course of the proceedings ;Mr. Willacy re- intrked that, if it were practicable, it would be one of the grandest things that could possibly be for any county to have a universal agreement. It would be a manifest advantage if they could Jiave this general basis, and would do away with private agreements. — Mr. Hall, agent to the Earl ol Stanford, thought the Act was entirely of a prospective cliaracter, and he proposi d in all future tenancies to iiave a written agree- ment, aud probably, as time and convenience served, to have an agreement with the past tenants. — -The Chairman said Clause 56 meant that there must be a written agreement. — Mr. Hall remarked that the 57th Clause said tliat the Act should not apply if within two months after the commence- ment of the Act the landlord or tenant gave notice in writing to the other to the effi-ct that he desired the existing contract of tenancy between them to remain unaffected by the Act, and so the statute was absolutely inoperative wilh respect to tenancies so long as these relationships subsisted between them. Il they had tenancies in which they did not wa'it to disturb the existing arrangements, there was no occasion to do so.— The Chairman remarked that he was not of the opinion ihat it would be possible to get any form of lease or agreement which would do for general adoption, but he did think it would be possible to adopt a clause, with respect to unex- hausted improvements, which would be universal in the dis- trict, and he thought they might also gtt certain clauses ia regard to outgoings, &c., which might work__very_well gene- rally.— Mr. Hall moved, "That a committee of twelve, w'lth pow er to add one to their number from each hundred in Lan- cashire, be appointed to decide on the best clause with regard to unexhausted improvements, aud suggest any other clausj which they deem possible to be universally inserted in Lan- cashire a,'reeinents." With respect to outlying and unex- hau^led improvements, he believed a form of clause should be adopted by I hem wliich would apply to almost any farm in the county. — Mr. Pardey, representaiive of Mr. Legh, M P., pointed out that, under one of the clauses of the present Act, It was competent for a tenant, having received a short notice 10 quit say oue perch only of his land for the sake of some improvcmeut being carried out, to accept such notice as a notice to quit the whole. This and many other points would require the attention of the committee. — Mr. Forrester, agent to Miss Farriugton, thought three committees from various parts of the county would be much better than one. He was of opinion that they could not frame oue set of clauses for the whole county, aud the suggestions ol the committee miglit form a basis lor future legislation upon the matter, 'the tenant-farmers ought to be consulted in the matter. — The Chairman said tl ey would be represented on the committee. — Mr. Pardey said there was no general custom in Lancashire, aud it was time that they found one. — Mr. Hale, agent to Lord Derby, said that the action of the committee, aided by the services of the tenant-farmers, would tend to the obtaining of soTie agreement that should be universally acceptable to Lancashire. What they wanted to realise was simply that which was fair between man and man. — Mr. Clare, agent to Mr. il. J. Aspiuall, did nut think it would be a difficult thing THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 133 to frame a sctk of compensation clauses that would suit tlip county. Tlioy cmlJ imt frame an aj^freemoiit to suit, tlic whole of the county. — Mr. Drury, agent to the Duke of Dcvuushire, said the better plan would be tn report iipnn a certain class of compensation chmses opijiicable to alh — At'ler a discussion a co.umittee was appointed. THE PRESERVATION OF FOOD BY FREEZING. The followino paper, on "The Preservation of Food by Freezing, and the Bearins; it will have on the Pastoral and Agricultural Interests of Australia," wag,read hy Mr. MoRT, at the meeting of llie Agricultural Society of New Suuth Wales, at Sydney, on the 3rd of Novemlx r lust. Your Excellency and Gentlemen, — It will be well to in- form you, by way of corainenceraent, that luneli of the iufor- raation which I am about to lay be'bre you may sa\our of a twice-told tale, hut many of my friends having specislly in- vited me to put what I said verbally, on the occasion of the meeting at Lithgow, some two months ago, into a (orra which would render it capable of distribution among the members of your Society, I have deemed the most appropriate way of doing that to he by accepting the invita'ion to read a paper before yuu, in which the whole of the imjortant subject under con- sideration should be brought to bear. AViih this ol ject; in view 1 liave not hesitated to re;ieat much of what I said on the oc- casion referred to ; and if ray hearers should find it tedious to listen to it, they must charge those who have asked me to commit myself to tliis plan with the whole of the blame. It was in tlie year 18G6 that my friend, Mr. Augustus Morris requested me to permit a me. ting to be called at my rooms, for the purpose of cousideiing the leasibiliiy of conveying our sur- plus stock to Europe in the sliHpe of frozen meat. I'iie meet- ing was called by circular, but few responded to the call, as the idea was looked upon as abt-urd and visionary, but to me the knowledge of what had been done in nature appeared ground- work sufficient to rest an imitation in art upon. It was at this time I was introduced to my talented friend Mr. Nicolle, who fully conllrmed the views I had ail opted, and I committed myself to the task, which I hope, thanks to Mr. Kicolle's genius and my own desire to succeed, is not now far from ac- complisbncent, and that task was — liow sajel;/, siti!]i!i/, and eco- nomkalhj to convey animal food, in a perfectly natural con- dition, from one country to another. Wi'hin a little more than a twelvemonth I was enabled, by Mr. Nieolle's improved method of prodisciug cold, to experiment on a large scale witii fish, flesh, and fowl, thereby laying the foundation of that con- fidence which has never forsaken me, that that which had till then been generally pronounced impossible was at least feasible. Tlie machine which enabled me to do tliis was con- structed for using ammonia, by the gasification of which the cold was produced in spaces surrounding the substance to be frozen. We worked this machine for eight mouths, during which period, as many present will remember, we froze every description of food in considerable quantity, and proved be- yond question that the bad cliaracter which frozen lood had, IQ theory, in England and elsewhere, was not to be justified by fact; but of tliis I shall say ffore presently. It was during the eiglit months, working of this machine Idiscovered that it vranted one of the elements which I had in the beginning set down as essential to success, and tliat was safetij, for, owing to the high pressure at which we had to work in hot weather, leaks showed themselves at intervals, which, on board ship, would, in all probability, have been fatal to life, and, although Mr. Micolle's confidence in his own powers to overcome this difficulty at sea induced him to offer to take home a cargo Under that plan, I declined to accept the responsibility of allowing liim to do so, and reluctantly abandoned that which, in its initiation, I look upon as the means of accomplishing my object. And here, in justice to Mr. Nicolle and myself, I think I ought to mention that the information required was only to be obtained by practical experiment, no travelled road being open to guide us, for we knew that ammonia was preser- vative of iron ; but ammonia cold, and ammonia under heat and pressure, were different things, as the sequel proved ; and, wherever there was a weak point in the iron, in process of time there was a leak, and, as an escape of aminouiacal gas, equal to the volume only which could pass through a pin hole, wou'd, under such a pressure as must he exerted to liquefy iu liot weather, in all probability be fat'il to life, we started the journey auew. This time we selected air as the agent to be employed, by the compression and subserinent release of which we iioped to obtain the cold required ; and we so far perlected this invention as to induce me to accept the invitation to lay our plans before a very influential meeting of gentlemen at the Chamber of Commerce, at which the late Sir Cliarles Cowper presided. That meeting took place on the 4th February, IStiO, and it has beeu owing to the assurance 1 then gave that I have not over and over agiin since beeu tempted to creep from under a burden which the indifferent health of Mr. Nicolle, and my own illness, coupled with the difficulty and disappointments which must ever attach to experiments in an untrodden region, have made most wearjing and oppressive. During the wliole of this period, and even to wifliin a twelvemonth ago, iufor- mation of the most depressing kind was continually appeHriiig in the scientific jourrals and other public prints, which led my friends to cold-shoulder my project iu such a way as to call lor more philosophy than I could at all times summon, convinced though I was of the trutli which lay at the bottom ol the well I was endeavouring to fathom. It may not be without aii- vantiige if, in their proper place, I trouble you with a fc>v of tliese extracts, as they will serve to show how utterly unre- liable public statements sometimes are, and how necessary it is to ex'imine, and to prove the truth or (alsity of things; for, upon the sp c:al point to which they allude, that of tiie in- jury to t!;e (lUiility of meat by freezing, the opposite has been so thoroughly demonstrated, as is so well known to many now- present, tliht contradiction is no longer needed. The air arrangement involved the waste of much precious time in the nianul'acture of costly machinery, and I was thankful that Mr. Nicolle's fertile brain led me to abandon it, as I did some twelve months after that meeting, lor I am quite satisfied that, under the very best conditions, it must have lacked another and most important element in ray requirements, namely— economy. The plan for which I decided to abandon the air machine was that of obtaining cold by the liquefaction of ammonia by its affinity vpith water, under low pressure. In this I fancied I saw the end of my trouble, and, if no belter plan had offered, I should have ventured to sea under it, but on the very day that I took Mr. Nicolle over to my engineering works, to set the large machine (which we had manufactured there) a-going, the work commenced anew. The machine was in moliou, and the cold was being producnl, bu, to my aonovance, my friend had evidently lost interest iu it. He made no suggestions for improvement ; he siin[ily gazed ab- stractedly at it; and it was only upon my taxing him with his indifference that he coolly told me that it owned the same defect in the degree that belonged to all machines where a mechanical vacuum had to be obtained, and that by a dif- ferent, a totally different, employment of the same agent, we could do away with the air pump, multiply the cold obtained enormously, and at a price which would be ranch below that at which it could be obtained by the piston and cylinder p'an, or by any other plan; in tact, that he could theoretically obtain unit of cold for unit of heat expended, which, of course, we cannot go beyond. To rest at the point I had reached would mean that all past expen- diture and labour would be thrown away, as others would be sure to discover wliat Mr. Nicolle had himself that day dis- covered. This was a blow which it required all one's courage to bear up against, and tn go on seemed too much for human nature ; but the thought of those Chamber of Commerce re- presentations, and the low price of wool (for at that time wool was so low that the only w pcial machinery, it is well calculated for the pur- p-.ses to which we have assigned it. It- has not taken long to give you the outline of the history of my travels in search of t'le Hgent required to accomplish the oliject with which I set out}; but believe me, the road has been a v^eary one, for inven- tion is a plant of slow growtli. it is first the blade and then the ear, and in process of lime may come the full corn in the ear; but in invf-ntion as in other growtli there sometimes comes a frost which kills the root of your plant just as you think you are about lo harvest your grain, aud you have to go over your ground again aud sow afresh. It is well perhaps that it has b' en so arranged, for if we could at one bound leap out of darkness into liglit, what disorder might not arise ! Nay, it is doubtful if such a condition would not be antagonistic to all progress, for if the invention of to-morrow could displace the prociss of to-day, I question if we should not, from very fear of our enterprises being overturned, cease to enter upon them at all, and thus we should become so conservative that our march would be retrogade instead of forward. On reflection, I think we must all admit that it Ivs been ordered wisely from the beginning, for as it was then even so it is now — there is a fossil period as well as a transition one, and the time occupied in attaining to the perfect development it would seem must necessarily be more or less tedious. All this I say by way of apology lor the long delay which has taken [dace since we first broke ground, for I cannot but feel ashamed, in spite of all that can be said to justify the delay, that lookers-on have had much reason for doubting whether eventual success would ever be accomplished or not. My earnest determination is to carry it to that end, and if the means be within my reach, and health be spared Air. NicoUe and myself, 1 liave not the smallest liesitation in sayiug that this time next year will see a'l that has been aimed at an established fact. Having said so much in connection with the history of the work in which I have been engaged, I now come to that p nut which a good many of our housekeepers are anxious about, namely, tlie utcessity of exporting meat at all, consii'eringhow dearly the Colonial con- sumer has had to pay for it for some years pist. In speaking to this import matter, I trust I may ht pardoned by our good premier, Mr. Roberison, if, in the course ot my remarks, Ire'er to the position under wliich onr meat producing pastures are belli, as 1 feel I may do so without fear of offence lo the farmer of the Land Act, or liis colleagues, as those gentlemen we alt know were foremost in meeting the lequiremenfs of the agriculturists, and, we may be quite sure, will net be behind in devising means by which ojr production of fresh meat may be intlefinitrly increased when ilie power to trans- port it is provided. But before speaking particularly to that point, I will refer to our present position in regard to the momentous question of meat supply under existing conditions. The Government returns are so incomprehensible that it is necessary to take a period of at least seven years to arrive at anything like a fair estimate of progress, so I have taken the last seven shown in the return?, that is from 1867 to 187-t. The population o'' the four Colonies — of New South \^'ales, Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland — has increased during that period from 1,371,900 to 1,7<)0,>55, or, in round numbers, one-third. The catile during the same period have increased from 3,4.4-1,573 to 5,61-8,709, whilst the sheep in the like time have gone up from 36,585,067 to 47,821-,C99, the addition to the numbers of tlie former being considerably more than one-half, aud to the Ja'ter a little less tluin a third. 'I'his increase has been made in spite of the fearful losses by droiiuhf, plturo, and worm disease, which many will painfully reiiiera'ier played sugIi sad havoc amongst our flocks and herds during the years 1SG3 to 1870. During a pnrt of this septenary the slaughter for tinned meats, aud also for tallow, ruusea no iud n- bideraljle inroad into their numbers, whilst in tlie beginning of this period large numbers of she^p were withheld from breeding owing to the exceedingly low price of wool then ruling. To arrive at a really correct position as to numbers, we must add the increase iu the Colonies for the years 1874; and 1875, which will only show in the returns for 1875 aud 1876, lor it must be understood that the returns for any year mean the numbers of the year immediately preceding — at least, so I am (jiven to understand. But without going in'o pro- blematical numbers, I will take those shown m the statistical summaries of the different Colonies for 187i, which are as folio'A's — viz. : New South Wales Victoria South Australia .. Queensland Population. 584.,278 808,137 204,623 163,517 1,760,855 Cattle. Sheep. 2,856,099 956,668 185,312 1,650,000 22,872,883 11,225,206 6,120,211 7,606,000 5.648,709 47,824,259 The increase in cattle iu Queensland for the past year has been over oOO.OlJU, whilst the increase of sheep in New South Wales during the last fourteen years has been over 17,000,()00, the numbers having advanced from 5,615,854 to 22,872,882, or, in oilier words, they have quadrupled themselves iu spiie of consumption, boiling down, and disease. With '.liese figures before us, we may form some estimate of tlie annual excess of increase over consumption, and therefrom make a tolerably correct deduction as to the surplus which will be available tor export. Wy estimate of consumption is that each man, woman, and cliild in the Colonies will, including a liberal allowance for waste, consume 1 lb. per head per day, or say 350 lbs. per aniuini, which quantity, multiplied by the population, will give 610,299,250 lbs. As 1 have shown, the cattle of the four Colonics consist of 6,618,709, and the sheep of 47,821,299. Take one-fi'th as the annual increase, and we have 1,129,742 cattle and 9,561,859 sheep. If we multiply the former by 650 — the reasonable average wtight of a beast — we have 734,332,300 11)8.; whilst the latter, at 501bs. each, will give 478,242,950 lbs., making together 1,212,575,250 lbs.; Irom which deduct the requirements for the population — say, 016,299,250 lbs., and we have as a surplus for export 596,276,000 lbs., or nearly 300,000 tons ! But whilst these figures show how large is the excess of our production of animal food over our own wants, how insignificant that excess is in yiew of the wants of Europe, the United Kingdom having stomach for not only the wliole surplus, but, if consumption were calculated on the basis of our own consumption — namely, 350 pounds per lieid per auuum for forty millions of pcoj.le. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 135 ur snrplns would have to bft multiplied by twenty times to meet liie English demand alone. Before dismissiMjj thia part of my subject, I have to refer to the causes wliicli liave h d to the liitrh prices of meat duriu,^ the past year or two, and the fep.rs entertained by many iu respect of the retail prices of meat bein:; unduly raised in the colony if Inrpc shipments are Riade toother countries. Tl\e causes which liave led to the hijjli prices of fat stock during the last few years are easily explained : If anyone will turn ilieir reeolleclions b'u-k to tiie years 1S(58, 18o'J, and 1870, tiiey will remenilier tliat piruro raged with unwonted violenc, and in some pans of the colony ttnd tliroughout Queensland a very serious drought prevailed. The losses during those years were enormous — more than many cliose to own — and it has really been rather suliject for sur- prise than otherwise that fat stoel: has not been liigher during tlip years which tho-^e years stood to provide for — viz., 1873, ]87+, 1875. After 1S70 the seasons changed, and e\ery year up to tiie present has yielded an increase sucli as the colonies liave never known before — for the breeding has been upon a broad basis aa to numbers, and stimulated also by liigh prices for fat stock of both kinds. Another cause of short contings of fat sheep to market has been the high price of wool, which lias tempted many to hold them back for the fleece. The stocking of new country wilii cattle has also operated in favour ol' hisjli prices for females, which have beeu more or less r. fle ted upou the males. Our pastures are, as a rule, however, r.ow stocked to danger-point, and " pastures new" are not to be had as hitherto ; so that if seasons are at all propitious, a lirger amount of fat stock must be got rid of iu the future than lias ever had to be dealt with siuce the colony was known. And in vvh^it way is this stock to be got rid of? I fear largely by boiling and tinning — the latter, as is well understood now, being an adjunct only to the former — for the powers of my estahlishmeiit, even under the realisation of ray fullest expecta- tions, will not be erjual to more than a few thousand tons a year, or about one-liundreth part of what I have estimated as surplus. Of course these works could be indefinitely extended ; but this will take time, aul therefore, in my opinion, the " pot" will, for a considerable period, be tlie destination of a large amount of our surplus stock, always provided we have pood seasons. As I have stated, 1 am aware that there are many of the townsfolk who look upou my process as likely to l-ad to scarcity and high prices ; but I think they may. with far more reason, look in the direction of drought for the realisat'on of their fears. Any plan which will take off the annual increase of the stations at a profitable rate will lessen the temptat'on to overstock, and, in my opinion, tend to secure a good average price for meat, rather than an extravagant one. But to those who dread famine-prices in the colony, as the result of my operations, 1 would say, for their comfort, that the moment the rates of stock go up beyond a very reasonable price, other countries will furnish the supply which it may now fall to us to provide. Witli the adtlition which will have to be added for exportation charges and profit, the wliolesale prices of fresh meat must advance considerably in England before prices can be materially affected in the colony ; for even now the public institutions at home are supplied at sixpence a pound, although " friction," as Tke Times calls it, which has to be added in its passage fromtlie wholesale depart- ment to the private consumer, is so enormous as to more than double that price. Of course prices will equalise, as has been Ihr case in the articles of milk, butter, poultry, &c., since rail- ways have come into existence ; but 1 have yet to learn that even should an advance take pUce iu the value of meat, unless arising from adverse causes, it will tend to our injury ; fur I have ever noticed that with the prosperity of the pastoral interests every one prospers, exceptin^r, perhaps, those only who live on fixed incomes; and of course the wage-earning clas'-es are not included in them. That this vast continent is destined to become one of the great sources of supply for England and other paits of Europe, I have not in my own mind the smallest doubt ; but to become that source, I am equally confluent that great changes must take place iu reference to the occupation of our pastures, so that the holders thereof may have every inducement to increase their capabilities, and to husband their powers to the utm.ost, instead of, as is the case at present, taking all they can out of them at as small a cost as possible without reference to tlie injury done to tliem — knoving,a8 the squ Uters do full well, that|evcry improvement they make, is, as a rule, a snare and a pitfall ; or, in other words, a temptation to outsiders to sit down upon tliat very portion of their run which their improvements had been made to utilize. How the country has been murdered by overfeeding let the now mtiny indilferent portions of it which were once ren^iwiied for iheir fattening properties speak. The " goid bite" which ought to be, and is llie prevailing characteristic of every properly managed feeding ground, is lost sight ol, and the harvest wiiji- out seed time is as confidently expected as in other countries it is expected with. This is miinly owing to a desire to get all that is to be got out of the land as quickly as may be — the sure result of a sliort and uncert.iin tenure ; and the conseqiiPiice is, tlie natural grasses are destroyed and weeds take th-ir place, thus becoming worm-producers instead of fat-mnkers ; and where plenty and profit reigned in the be.'inuiui:, loss a^d insolvency appear in the end. The wholesale cutiinj down of forest is being largely carried on in Ibis country in llie form of ring-barking — an excellent thing in its way, un- questionably ; but where carried out indiscriminately, it is ruinous. Sliade in summer is as essential to th:; well being of stock as shelter in winter, and iu some places 1 have pjs ed by, not even an ornamental tree has been spared, and the cattle have had to content themselves with the little shelter afforded by a two-rail fence. Having said so much in respect of the supply and demand for sheep and cattl •, 1 need not, 1 am sure, make any excuses to a society like yours for calling its attention to the question of small breeds of catlle as against large, as the same bears directly upon the sort of meat to ex- port. Iu doing so, I feel that I ought to place my remarks before you with much deference, as there are so inuiy of my fellow colonists who are engaged in breeding large stock, and who may be presumed to know much better than I do vvliidi de>cription is the most profiable, that to do what I am a')out to do would appear to savour of presumpti'm. I'rom the charge of presumption however, I shelter myself by the follow- ing quotation from the letter of a colonist on i visit, to the Highlands of Scotland, to a friend out here, and which ap- peared in one of the public prints some time ago. It is hs ioUovvs : " la another p irt of the estate, where rather m^-re timber had been spared, my host poin'ed out a sradl heul if West Highlanders, of which he was evidently proud. Tuese black and dun shag^iy cockhorued, ra'her fierce-looking gem ry, would have been looked upon with smill favour by Mr. LJeu-oii Beanstalk, if he had fa'len across them, while out on tlie rua in S;illbusliland, while the siiiht of the somewhat aggres^lve patriarch of the herd, as that individual gave a short bellow, and advanced menacingly, would have caused him to faint, or to call aloud for his rifle. Black is a colour which lam afraid an Australian stockowner will never take kindly to as an ex- ternal covering for any choice type of imported stock. Our prejudices are, in that matter, strong and inflexible. Neverthe- less, the West llighliind rs are verypayhiij siock. They fat en well, are very hardy and easy to keep, and the quality of tiieir meat ,is so unquevtionably superior to that of ilie larger aud coarser breeds — Shorthorns and others — that it fetches t^io pence and three pence per pound more in the Lonrion and leading English markets." Accepting the pertinent fact abi'ue alluded to, I venture to other reasons for advocating the adoption of a smaller race of catlle fur our Australian p.lied that, even if I should not be spared to see the first cargo landed in Europe, enough has been done to ensure its being acco-n- plislied by some o le, and that before very long, for the ditfi- culties are nut on hoard ship, but on the shore. It, is no easy task to freeze 500 tons of meat, containing, as it does, 375 tons of water ; but to raaintiiu the cold in that quantity of meat in a well-protected chamber is easy eiiou.;h. Yes, gen- tlemen, I now feel that the time is not far distant when the various portions of the earth will each give forth their pro- ducts for the use of each and of all ; that the over-abundance of one coun'ry will make up for the deficiency of another ; the superabundance of the year of plenty serving for the scant harvest of its successor; fur cold arrests all change. Science his drawn aside the veil, and the plan stands re- vealed. Faraday's magic wand gave the key note, and inven- tion lias done the rest. Climate, seasons, plenty, scarcity, distance, will all shake hands, and out of the com ningluig will come enough lor all ; for " the earth is the L ird's and the fulness there if," and it certainly is within the compass of man to ensure that all His people shall be partakers of ihat fulness. God provides enough and to spare for every creature lie seuds into the world ; but the conditions are often not in accord. Where the food is, the people are not ; and where the people are, the food is not. It is, however, as I have just stated, within the power of man to adjust these things; and I hope you will all join me in believing that the first great step toward the accomp.ishment of that end has its commencement in what has been done in New South Wales — a colony whose proudest boast it is to belong to that old country which we must all most fervently h'ipe will be as large a partaker of the benefits which we trust will rcsu't from our labours as we hope to be ourselves. It is possible that I have left out many points in my paper, upon which some of tho-e present may wish to be informed ; if so, I have only to express my hope that members will not hesitate to ask questions in re ereuce thereto, as I am most anxious that all existing doubts may oe made known, and, if possible, set at rest. Thanking your Excellency, and all present for the patient hearing you liave given me, I have much pleasure in introducing my talented coadjutor, Mr. E. D. Nicolle, who, upon my special entrea'y, has consented to place his more scientific information upon the matter before you, at your disposition. Mr. Nicolle : Your E\celleucy and Gentlemen, — One of our old philosophers said, " There is nothing new under the sun." Is'o doubt he spoke the truth, as, up to the present time, we have not discovered anything really new, but, rather, have scientifically applied old things to our present wants. I need not tell you that even steam, now the inlispensable help of man, was not invented by any efforts of man's ingenuity, the elements surrounding us proving the contrary. The great astronomical discoveries made during the past centuries have no significance as to the discovery of any new things, for we only now begin to understand the old liws which have governed the universe for unknown ages. Chemistry, witii its amazing wonders, also reveals to us nothing new. Geology, that old bo jk, in opening its pages, presents to us this great fact; therefore, as men, we only apply oil elements, iu obedi- ence to liiedlavvs, which we strive to discover and to understand, and if our application of these laws is true, we succeed — if false, we fail. The subject I am about to enter upon briefly, is not a new one, either ; nor is the agent we employ to elfect our purpose new. I refer to the lu-eservation of food by regulated temperature, the importance of which will be felt more and mere as the population of the world increases. Tnat the human family is increasing in number, is an undeniable ftct ; and what resources have we iu Europe at co-nraind to meet the increasing demand for food? The cultivated land there is well occupied, for agriculture, assisted by science and engiueeriug, has reached a high rauk in the scale of modern improvements, both as regards esonomy and increase of returns ; but, like everything else, it has its own limits, and, therefore, we cannot expect much more from it to keep np the neocssrry balau e to supply human food. But, although this is the case in other coantries densely populated, it is not the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ]-67 case with us here, hut quite the reverse. We liave a large territory, c:ip.tble of produciug immensely, owing to 1*^8 liig'ily favoured ami gpniul climite. Science and engineering, us regards production with us, are not yet wanted, for we li-ive sjiare, wliich answers instead. Tiiat we can and will produce mueli n^ore tlian we require, is not a mere tiieory, but a ()lain iact. But now comes tlie great qnestion, if we e:nploy our liiid to ])rudnce more than we re(iuire, liuw can we disjiose of O'lr pro-luce ? Tlie dist;e in cold climates, where tlie natural tem- perature of the atmosphere freezes the pores of the meat soon after the animal is killed, preventing the escape of its vapours ■wiiile warm, which may probably produce this ert'ect. But with refert-noe to tiie artificial process in our rlinnte, no s'lch etfect takes place, but on the contrary. Meat frozen will keep longer tlian meat unfrozen, and that according to the number of degrees of temperature it is below that of the unfrozon meat. I will now conclude these few notes by adding that the time is not far distant wlien the preservation of perishable food for supplying large cities will be nhued under the care of this simple agent, and also when the exportation of fresh meat in its natural state to the antipodes will be an ac- complished fact ; for then, smd only then, will waste cease. I have no doubt, also, that, by the proper application of this ag?nt in regulating the fermentation during the process of wine and boer-making, the result rau4 prove higlily successful, as without the full control of temperature during fermentation it is a dilficult task to achieve. As my friend Mr. Mort has given you the history of our labours, trials, and disappoiut- ments during these past years, I need only say tliat the success we iiave so far attained, and the prospect of fulfilling our .promises, will make the remaining part of my labour an agreeable one. 1 cannot bring this suliject to a close witiiout expressing my very sincere esteem and admiration for Mr. Mort. F'ew men have toiled together and passed through such a labyrinth of difficulties as we have during eight years. Had it not been for his liberality, energetic enterprise, and love of progress, we should not have reacheil our present stage of ad- vancement ; but it is gratifying that Science sometimes finds her disciples amongst such noble minds who willingly sacrifice p'casure, rest, and even fortune for her cause. And now, gcntf men, allow me to thank )ou for the kind indulgence and a'tention with which you have listened to me during the reading of these notes. — Journal of the Agriculiund Society of 2inv South Wales. SOUril DURHAM AND NORTH YORKSniRE ClAMIiEll OF AGillCULTUilE.-Oa January lUth a meeting of this Chamber was held at the Central BuilJIngn, Dirlmg'on, lV[r. Backhouse, M.P., President of the Chamber, presiding. The subject of Lical L^axalion was introduced, and it was resolved to adj lurn its discussion till the annual meeting. Tlie following resolutioas, proposed by Mr. Row- landson and seconded by Mr. Coates were carried : " 1. I'liaf, witli reference to the Contagious Diseases Aiiinials Ac^", this Chamber highly approves of the manly, straightforward course of Mr. C. S. Read, and thinks he deserves the unaniaious support of all tenant-farmers. 2. That the regulations of tiie Privy Council having signally failed in their object of pre- venting the spread of the foot-and-mouth disease and pleuro- pneumonia, this Chamber wishes to call the attention of the Givernmeiit to the trafiic in Irish cattle, and liopes that it will place Irish cattle on the same footing as other imported cattle, especially paying attention to the cleansing of riilway trucks and ships, and that it will also give more power t ) the local authorities, requesting them at the same tune to isriie siinilar restrictions in any particular district." The resolu- tious were agreed to alter a very short discussion, and the Chamber adjourned. THE;Y0'RKSIIIRE agricultural society.— The quarterly meeting of the Council of the Yorkshire Au'ricu!- tural Society was iield in the Council-room, Blake-street, York, on Jan. 12, Lord Auckland presiding, and 22 members, being present. The secretary reported that the members' ledger corrected to the 15th inst., showed the Society to consist of 67 life members and 503 annual subscribers, only 21 of whom were in arrear. The finance committee met in the raoriiiog and paid all demands against the Society for the past year, and the clieques drawn tliat day, when presented and paid by the treasurers, would leave a balance in favour of the Society of .£525. The value of the Society's plant had by various additions increased during the year, and now stood at £108 6s., being £8 l 12s. in excess of the valuation at the end of IST-l- The li-t of prizes to be offered at the sli >w to be. lield at Skijiton next August was then agreed upon, the total amount being as follows : For cattle £1')5, for horses £!)j8,tor sheep £325, for pigs£ 1 13, for shoeing smiths £ 13 ; tola' £1.800, of which sum £400 is contributed by the local committee of Skipton. Mr. Fairley, the Society's chemist, read his annual report, which will sliort'y be published amongst the proceed- ings of the Society of 1875. GOVERNMENT AND THE FARMERS.— The Londoa corresponlei.t of The Manchester Gnard'ain writes : " Rebellion continues to spread in the ranks of the teuant-'armers. If the resoliifion passed by the Nottinghamshire Ciiamber of Agriiulture, approving of Mr, Clare Read's witlidr iwal from the Government, were not significant enough on this point, there is no mist ikiiig the cheers which greeted the rem irks of the Duke of St. Alban's in presiding at, the subsequent banquet of the Society. His grace told his hearers that they must look to tlieir own exertions, and rely on their own eneigies in providing the machinery which should effeciually represent their wishes before Parliament. The 'aKrieul- turists' present, to whom he speciJly addressed this advice, applauded him to the echo. Similar convictions are alre.idy bearing fruit in the southera counties. In Dorsetshire I learn that tiie tenant-farmer candidate, Mr. Fowler, is certain to be returned should Messrs. Dgby and llambro both persevrre in going to the poll. It is true tliere is a rumour tliat if Mr. Hambro gives way Mr. Fowler would retire also, and allow Mr. Digby to walk over; but even this concession is only an instance of tlie prudence which ' recide pour mieiix sauter' and would require in compensation that should Mr. Portmaii, the present senior member for the county, succeed to the peerage, no opposition would be made by the Conservative paity to the candidature of a tenant-farmer representative. If Mr, Digby declines to divide the Conservative interest, Mr. Fowler will light Mr. Hambro to the last; and as he would in that case have all the Liberal vote.s, as well as those of the agricultural party, he would in all probability win tlie seat. The spirit of discontent has spread like a caitigiou to the neighbouring county of Wills. Tiie Local Chamber of Agri- culure will hold a meeting at Warminster on the 19th instant, ostensibly for tlie purpose of e.'jpressing sympathy for and approval of Mr. Clare Rend, but it is well understood tiiat ar- rangements for starting a tenant-farmer candidate for Wilts at the fir>t availalile opportunity is the true obj^'ct of the gather- ing. In North Sliiopshire the popular feeling seems turning strongly iii favour of Mr. Stanley LfiijlitoUj eutiiely owing to THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 139 liis ^jpitifj rp^srcl^d as the ' fanners' ' candidate ; and in Eist Suffolk tlie Conservatives are reported to be at llieir wits' end in tlie selection of a noiiini'e, knowing as tliey do that unless tliey ciin provide a very 'strong' man tlie Tenant Furmers' Association will bring forwHrJ«a candidate against tliein. It is no slight proof of the gr.idiial increase of this feeliog lliat tliere are reasoHS tor expecting the testimonial fund to Mr. Clare Read will amount to £20,000. But (he tenant-farmer i» not Mr. Disraeli's only source of trouble. His recent, selection of peers, while satisfactory enongh so far as it goes, lias caused bO much disappointment to certain of the influential menihers of tlie party that the creation of aiiother small batcli may he expected at no distant day.— Carmarthen Journal. THE AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS ACT. On lire Hth inst. a special meeting of the members of the D rbysliire Agricultural Society was held in the Guildhall, at Derby, lor ilie purpose of hearing Mr. John Shaw, estate agent of Sir John Harpur Crewe, and other gentlemen, read a papi-r on "The Agricultural Holdings Act." Mr. J. G. Crom itoii, chairmau of the co niuittee, presided, and there was an unusually large attendance. The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said that in performing the duty which devolved upon him in taking the chair on that occasion, it was necessary lor liim to say but few words iu introducing Mr Shaw to them. It would, how- ever, perhaps be remembered that at their last meeting he ventured to throw out the suggestiou that the Derbyshire A.i;ricultural Society might ai'd materially to its usefulaes; if gentlemen of experience could be induced from time to time to inipait the information which they had acquired, in the shape of a lecture on p iper, to those persons connected with agriculture, «ho had had fewer opporUinities than the.'uselvcs of becomiu;; acquainted wit'i the subject in all its delals. That sugg''sliou appeared to have been based on very 50und ground, as ihe large attendance of members that day testified, for he did not remember having seen so large a meeting of the iutellijj-pnt agriculturists of the district, as there was on that occasion, for a long time, and it indicated very clearly that tlie su'ijeet about to be discussed was oae which interested d 'eply the minds of all agriculturists and the public in general. Mr. SiiAW then read the following paper: Tne Agricultural iloUliags' Act, i675, may, 1 tliink, be considered oue of the most impjrtant Acts ever passed by rarliament with reference to laud, arid one which may, ulti- mately, very materially atlect the relations between landlord and tenant. Tne discussion of this Act must, therefore, be a ma'ter of great interest to the members of the Derbyshire Agricultural Society ; aud I can culy regret that the subject has not fallen into abler hands than mine to introduce. BaX being, as you all know, very largely engaged in the manage- inei.t of esiates in this aud adjoiuing counties, I have cire- fuUy examined t!\e Act with the view of dealing with it practically, and I have tliouglit it desirable to state ray views ojieuly, so as to iuvite discussion from others — particularly from tenant. farmers — and I feel sure that this cannot better be done th.m by bringing the subject fully before the menb -rs of this S leiity. Various opinions exist as to the advantage or utiliiy of the Act, but it may be considered, at all events, an atieiipt to remove difficulties wliicli have, from time o time, spiU'ig up between the owners and ocuipiers of land, aud a'so to secure to the tenant compensation for improve- meii's which he could not hitlierto claim except by special arrangement. The scope and ubj ct of the A^.t appear to be imperlrctly understood, and to be considered from various points of view. There are some persons who would isnore the Act, and treat it with contempt, as being non-compulsory, and as falling short of their own ideas of what oiiglit to be done; and, on the other hand, there are those who speak of the Act as a dangerous innovation — full of complexity and diiReulty, and who, under any circumstances, propose to cou- traet themselves out of it. There are others, and I must confess to have been one of the>e until I made myself better acquainted with the sul3Ject, who, nh 1st believing much good to be in the Act', thought it necssary, at the outset, to con- tract out of it. I a n, however, inclined now to modify those vieivs, and am prepared, as far as possible, and so far as the circumstances of each case will admit, to deal with the Act practically at once. It is unnecessary to refer to the various attempts to legislate upon the queslioa of Tenant-llight— thirty jears ago by that eminent agriculturist the late Mr. I'usey, and recently by other exi'erienced men — but it may be well to call your attention to the great improvements which have been made during the last quarter of a century in the construction of agreements for letting farms in this and other counties, many of wiiich agreements have been made as liberal to the tenant as circumstances would permits, and have been generally well received. I have myself, personally, during a long practice, paid much attention to the question of Tenanl-Kight, and liave, whenever opportunity offered, introduced the most liberal tenancy agreement I could con- sistent wi h fair security to the landowner; some of the orapenstti >n clauses of which (and of other agreements which I could name) are really more liberal than the Act now under consideration ; bnt there are, on the other hand, many contracts of tenancy where the protec- tion is all on one side, and many o'hers where there are no wii ten agreements at all. Before considering the Act iu question, it may be well to direct atfeution shortly to the Common L.r.v of Agriculture a.id the custom of the country, which at present affect the relations of landlord and tenant. " The Common Law annexes to the relations of landlord and tenant many rights and obligations ; thus, witliout any express covenant between the owner of the farm and the tenant to whom he lets it, the law w^ill impose upon the owner the duty of allowing tha tenant quietly to enjoy tlie premises without let or hindrance, and upon the tenant the duly of paying the rent reserved, keeping the farm in a proper state of repair, cultivating it in a husbandlike manner — doing no waste — aud rendering it up at the termination of his tenancy. These are material duties which the law considers to arise from the mere relations of landlord and tenant, and when parties enter into that rela'iou the law ajsuraes, iu the absence of some special proof to the contrary, that the observance of these duties was a pcrtion of their agreement. The obligation of an agricul- tural tenant as to repairs, cultivation and waste depend on the custom of the country ; but the law forbids the tenant to commit waste. An Act was passed in 1851 (14 and 15 Vic, cap. 25) which enaced that, where by permission of the land- lord in writing, a tenant at his own cost and expense erected on any tarm any building or macliinery, either for agricultural purposes or for the purpose of trade and agriculture, all sued buildings and machinery should be the property of the tenant, and should be removaljle by him (on his first giving oue mouth's previous notice in writing to the landlord of i'is in- tention to do so), unless the landlord or his agent should theii elect to pnrciiase and take them at a valuation, io be settled by arbitration in the usual way. The custom of the country upon an agricultural tenancy is continual and all-importan'', and the rights which custom gives to the tenants are excep- tional to the general common l*w. Custom governs tiie rela- tion of landlord and tenant unless excluded or modified by express stipulation The tenant, in the absence of special stipul itions, must take, till, and quit according to the custom of the country. Wiiere a custom is found to exist it is appli.. cable to all tenaneips, in whatever way created, whether verbal or iu writing, unless expressly or impliedly excluded by the wri'^ten terms thereupon, and by stipulations incopsisten* witH the custom. Ail agreements and leases therefore which are inten, ed to comprehend all the rights una obligations of the parties should liave a clause expressly declaring that the parties i .tend to be boiind by no local custom, bu' that the whole terms of the contract are to be read iu the words of the instrument, and in the obligations of the generallaw." Agricultural cus'oms throughi>ut Eigland are very various, and, in some districts, vagu», Atjd uneeitain ; but, as we all kuoiv, there are many customs wiiich are well understood and readily pro\ed, and which have an important bearing upon an agricultural tenancy. It will thus be seen that uutil the Agricultural Holdings Act comes into operation, the tenancie* M 140 THE FAEMER^S MAGAZINE. ■Bre governed (witli the exception of the short Act of 1851) l)y thecomnioii law and the custom of the country, where uo written agreement exists; and in other cases by agreemtnt and custom, except wliere tlie custom is expressly or impliedly excluded. With reference to the Act of 1875, I think it may be convenient to classify the sections somewhat differently to the order in whioli they are printed, to enable us to under- stand more clearly tlie bearinij which one part has to anotlier ; and to connect together more prominently the various features of the Act. 1 therefore propose to take — Firstly, CLiuses 1 to 4, whicii are preliminary, and Onuses 5-t to 60, which show the general application of the Act; secondly, Clause 51, as to notice to quit,, (Clause 52 as to resumption of possession of portions of the liolding for improvement, and Clause 53, as to fixtures ; thirdly, Compensation Clauses, 5 to 19 ; fuU'thly, Procedure Clauses, 21) to 41 ; lastly, Clauses 42 to 44, which give power to a landlord to charge the holding in respect of corapeDsation paid toatenant, and to obtain advances from an improvement company ; Clauses 45 to 50, which provide for "the application of the Act to Crown and duchy and ercle- ■aiastical and charity lands. Firstly, then — Clauses 1 to 4. These clauses are preliminary, and give an interpretation of terras, but section 2 fixes the commencement of the Act from and immediately after the 14th February, 1876. Sections 54 and 55 : Under these clauses tlie landlorJ, or tenant, or intend- ing tenant, may enter into any agreement they think fit, and may adopt all or any of the provisions of the Act, but there is a proviso that wlieu the landlord is not absolute owner no .charge shall be made on the luddiug under this Act — by any agreement — greater than might have been made thereon under this Act in the absence of such agreement. Section 56 makes the Act imperative upon every contract or tenancy commencing after the 14th February, 1876, unless the land- Jord and tenant a?ree Jin writing that the Act, or any p>irt ^of it, shall not apply to the contract. Section 57: lu a .tenancy from year to year, or at will (but not otherwise), current, that is in existence at the commeuceraent of this Act —the Act sliall not apply to the contract if within two . months after the 14th February next the landlord or the -tenant gives notice in writing that he desires the existing contract to remain unaffected by the Act — or, in other wordj, either of them by noiice to the other, may contract himself out of the Act. Section 58 excepts non-agricultural and small holdings. Section 59 ; Tliis clause, if in operation, prevents a tenant from claiming under any agreement or custom in respect of the same tiling. Section 60 : This is the last clause of the Act, and requires careful reading and consideration. " Eicept as in this Act expressed " notliiiig ehall take away, abridge, or affect any existing power, riglit, or remedy of a landlord, or tenant, or any other person, under any Ar^t, or law, or custom of the country in respect of a contruct of tenancy, or of any impro?emeut, waste, emble- ments, tillages, awaj-going crops, fixtures, tax, tithe, rent- charge, rent, or any other thing. In point of fact, it is, I think, clear that all existing rights and privileges, except those which are distinctly dealt with by the Act, are to be preserved; and this proviso is important, as there are so many matters of ;CustDm and practice necessary between Imdlords and tenants which are not notified in the Act, and which it would be tiitncult to dispense with. At the same time there does not appear to be any necessity fur legislation upon there customs, tut to leave them as heretofore ; or, what is far better, to provide for them in a written agreement. The clauses ireferred to in this first division will explain the general ^appUcation of the Act, and show how far the Act is iiuperative, and bovy tar it may be adopted or applied in part or in full to existing and future tenancies, and also how far provision is' made for securing existing rights and interests not dealt with by the Act. Secondly, Clause 61' as to notice to quit. Tliis sdt on substitutes a year's notice to quit for the usual six raontlis' notice, but the Act does not •.<, ana 1 see uo objection to this, except in the case of dtatii or bankruptcy. In the event of tlie decea-e of the tenant, I think it should be stipulated that the tenancy may be ter- jninated by an ordinary six raontlis' notice; and, in the case of bankruptcy or assignment, that the tenancy shall expire at ■the end of the year in which such bankruptcy or assignmeut jnay arise, withoat anf notice to quit. It may also be uecef- *ary in some pases to make an exception to tlie twelve montha' notice wliere any serious breach of covenant has been committed, or where there has been a failure in the payment of rent. Section 52 : Tlie notice in this case for the resumption of pos- session of part of the holding for the erection of cottages and other improvements, or for .any of the purposes mentioned, appears to me to be twelve months previous to the end of the year, as in the preceding section. 1 think three months' notice at any timi; should be sufficient under this clause, as there is ample provision for compeusatiou to the tenant, and a longer delay might prove a considerable loss and inconvenience to the landlord. Sec'iuu S3 : This section provi^-Cs for the removal by a ten?nt of any machinery or other fixtures belong- ing to him on certain couditi'ms, but excepts a steam-eugiue erected by the tenant without notice to, or consent, of the landlord. Thirdly, Coinpeusation clauses. By Section 5, where a tenant, after the 14th February, 1876, executes cer- tain improvements on bis holding, he will be entitled, under the Act, to compensation as set forth in the various classes mentioned — tli;tt is to eay : In the first class, where such im- pruvements have been carried out with the previous consent in writing of the hinillord, but not otherwise, the improvement shall not be deemed tob« unexhausted fur 20 jears alter the out- lay has been made ; and the compensation due on the deter- mination of the tenancy shall be the sum laid out by the tenaut, with a deduction of a proportionate part thereof tor each year of its existence, and with a further deduction lor any necessary expenditure for putting the same into good repair. There is a proviso that in case the landlord is not absolute owner the compensation shall not exceed a cap'tal sum fairly repres'-utiui the additions to the letting value of the holding at the tenniuation of the tenancy. As to some of the works particulari-ed in the first-class 1 think they should be done by the LmdLitd, but where this is not possible I see no objection to ao allowance for 20 years on such improve- ments as the erection of buildings and other |iermanent works of a like nature. I do not, however, agree that the terra ot 20 jears should apply to some of the items, such as the making of ozier beds, gardens, and orchards, nor, except in special cases, to the drainage of land, the making of fences, and the laying down of permanent pasture ; but as the previous consent in writing of the landlord is absolutely necessary in respect of every work so doue, this part of the Act must, I think, rera;iiii entirely permissive, and should not be put in force without a special agreement iu each case. In the second class, improvements which have been done after notice in writing to the landlord of not less than 7 or more than 42 days are such as may be deemed to be exhausted for seven years, and the compensation to be paid at the expiration of tlie tenancy shall be the sum properly laid out, deducting a proportion for every year of its enjoyment by the tenant after the outlay has been made, but there shall be no allowance for any improvc'eent made after notice to quit, except by consent in writing of the luidlurd. This second class of compensation I should be pre- pared to admit in its eutirety, with the provision that the allowauces under it tor boning and liming should only apply to pasture (bone and lime applied to arable laud to be otiier- wise provided for on a different scale). The notice required from the tenant will enable the landlord to satisfy himself that the work is properly doue; but it would also be desrable to stipulate that vouchers or certified copies thereof should be delivered by the tenaut to the landlord within a limited time after the eonipletion of the work, iu order that a record may be kept from year to year, which would materially as»i,-t aa arbitrator in making a fair award at the expiration of the tenancy. In the third class, the compensation to be paid to a tenant on quitting his farm is limited to two years, and it is to be the proportion of the sum properly laid out on the im- provement, as f.drly represents the value, to the incoming tenant; but no compeusatum is due under tliis class where a crop of corn, potatoes, hay, or seed, or any o;her exhausting crop has been growa, neitlier shall there be taken into account any greater outlay rturiug the last year than the aveage ol the three preceding yeiirs of the tenancy. There is a'^o a proviso that nothing shall be paid for the consumpiion of cake or other purcliased K.oJ f r cattle, wl.'ere under any custom or agreement the tenant is entiticd to, and cU ms piyment for tlie additional value of the manure left on the form, and if any hay, straw, or root croj'S have been sold off tl e liolding witliia the last two years ol iha tenancy (foi which no return 1ms been provided) a deduction shall be made for the valu-! of the iiiaau e whicti wculd have been produced therefrom ^if coa- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. U\ »«mfil on the premises. There are deductions to l;e made for the taxis, titlie rent-charge, rent, and Inndlord's comppusation uiide' llie Act, and also for any allowance by ihe landlord to the tenant in consideration of any improvement ; and these deiiuctii'iis are to extend to any tenant's compensation under tiie Act (see sees. 15, 16, and 17). I see no objection to the tenant's compensation in the third cl;isi>, except that a more dcriiiite node of ascertaining it would be preferable. It appears in the Act to be left entirely to the judgment of tlie valuers, only limiting the time in which any allowance is to be made to two years, and pruliibiting any compensation after a crup of a certain description lias been taken. In many agreements whit'i 1 have settled a more liberal scale of com- jieusation under i his head has been adopted. But there is something to be gained by making the scale as einiple as pos- sible. There is, liowever, as we all know, a practical diliicuily ill ascertaining the real value of artificial manures or artificial food for cattle. The proviso that the outlay shall be limited to the average of three years is, I think, fair, aud it would in my judgment be desirable, in any case of compensation arising under this class, if an annual statement (verified by vouchers if required) could be delivered at a stated period by the tenant to the landlord. The restrictions in section 15, and the de- ductions in section Itl, with the set-off in section 17, are, I consider, fair. Siction 18 : A tenant is entitled to coinpeuaa- tion from the landlord in respect of any breach of contract. This should be enlarged by giving the landlord the same right. Sectidii 19 : Where a tenant commits or permits to waste, or commits a breach of covenant, and claims compensation in respect of an improvement, then the landlord may make a counter claim, but not otiierwise, for any such waste or breach committed within the four years of the determination of the tenancy. This clause is an important one, but does not, I think, do justice to the landlord (except that it may be found the laudloru's remedy for waste under tlie common law still exists), as it will be observed that under the Act the landlord can only put in a counter claim for waste when the tenant first claims compensation for improvement. This is a matter which requires alteration, as it is only fair that a landlord should be as fully protected by having his farm and premises kept in good order and repair as a tenant is secured in obtaining compensation under the Act or otherwise. Upon this point I feel strongly, and shall certainly enlarge the clause so as to provide as far as possible for com- pensation for all dilapidations or waste, in any agreements I may make embodying the Act. We now come to tlie Troce- dure Clauses, No. 20 to 41. Clauses 20 to 'tO: Tliese sections relate to proceedings to be taken under the Act for the purpose of awarding compensation, and where the parties do not agree the diflerens.' is to besettled by arbitration. 'J'he mode of appointing arbitrators is particularly set forth, and where one party fails to make an appointment, the County Court, on the application ot the other party, may appoint a refi rce or umpire (as the case may be), or where two referees are appointed, either party may, by notice in writing on appointing his re- feree, reiiuire tne umpire to be appointed by the Enclosure Commissioners for England and Wales, or otherwise by the Judge of the Couuty Court having jaristiction ; hut if the other pnrly dissents from an appointment by the Couuty Court, then the umpire shall be appointed by the Enclosure Commis- sioners. The method of procedure is also particularly set forth in the various sections, with full directions as to the award, which is to be given in detail. Section 41 provides a simple and inexpensive mode of serving notices. These provisions ate very important, as by the Act there will be no difficulty in obtaining an award by one mode or other. But the question of expense will have to be carefully watched, and it would be desiruble, if possible, to have a graduated scale of charges fixed. The Lord Cliancellor, by section 40, may prescribe a scale of costs of proceedings in. the Couuty Court, but in other cases the costs will be subject to taxation by the Registrar of the County Court and to revision by the Judge. Sections 42 to 44 : These sections empower the landlord to charge the holding in respect ol compensation paid to a tenant, with rs- strictions where the landlord is not absolute owner, and jower is also given to obtain advances from any improvenieut com- pany. Sections 45 to 50 : These sections apply to the Act to Crown and Duchy Lands, and also to Ecclesiastical and Charity Estates, and are important. 1 believe 1 have now exhausted the Act, and have endeavoured to classify the various sections 80 as to explain them in relation to each other as clearly and int lligibly as I could, and also to show as far as p-ssible the, practical operation of the Act. It will be remembered that the Act comes into operation immediately after the 1 1th I'ebnia-y, 187G, but either landlord or tenant (on certain condition>) may CMutract out of it, or out of any part of it, and the Act does not (excjpt as therein expressed) interfere with any existing right or custom between landlord and tenant. A year's notice, except; in case of bankruptcy, is substituted in lieu of the ustial six months' notice. Tower is given to resume the possession of land fur improvements and for other purposes on certain con. dilions. Provision is made as to fixtures ; and the Compensa- tion Clauses provide for three distinct classes of improvements. The proceedings under the Act are very fully set forth, and powers to limi/gd owners, and the application of the^Act to Crown and Duchy Lands, and to Ecclesiastical and Chanty Estates are provided for. My remarks upon the various sections and divisions of the Act will have explained the views I entertain with reference to them, and, with the exception L have mentioned, and the alterations and additions 1 have, named, as in my judgment desirable, I think the Act may bo adopted wi h fairness and advantage to both landlord and tenant. But at the same time it is iinporlaut to bear iu mind the various matters of custom and practice between laud- lord and tenant, which are not noticed in the Act, and wliicli still rest upon the old Common Law of Agriculture (the Act of 1851) and the custom of the country, except, in so far, aa the same may be affected by this Act or by any written agree- ment. It will thus, I think, be manifestly most importaut that proper agreements, in writing, shall in all cases be entered into, so as to embody all those clauses of the Act which are desirable, and also to provide for ail other matteru and tilings requisite for an agricultural tenancy. If this be done in a fair spirit, I fully believe the Act will ultimately prove the basis of most agricultural tenancies ; and, although permissive, it may have the effect, practically, of satisfying those who ask for more compulsory legislat'on, whilst, at thi same time, the good feeling between landlords and tenants, which I am glad to know exists upon so many estates, may b.; preserved. Aly task is now ended. The subject is one ot great practical importance, not only to those interested iu land, but to the country at large. I am fully aware of the imperfect manner in which I have introduced it, but 1 hiiva been guided by a sincere desire to consider the whole question fairly and impartially, and to deal with it in the most practicil manner. The Chairman said the assembly contained not only land- lords and their agents, but they were favoured vvith the presence of some of the most practical agriculturists and emiuent occupiers of land in the immediate neighbourhood, and it would be very gratifying to hear an exprensiou uf opinion upon the Agricultural Holdings Act by those who were intei'ested iu land. Lord D£rKJiA:N siid that when the Act was before the House of Lords, it certainly seemed to him tliat six montlis' notice was better than twelve, if landlords and tenants found ic necessary to part. The question now seemed to be whether they were to torm a good contract under the Act, or to contract out of it. Various opinions had been expressed with regard to tlie measure itself, Mr. Storer, of Nottingham, having expressed his opinion that the Act was quite spoiled iu the House of Lords, and Sir W. Harcourt, at Oxford, that it was a mucli more liberal measure when it left the House of Lords than when it left the House ol Cummons. As had already beeu remarked, it was a very intricate measure, and require^d to be Vtry closely studied before its details could be mastered. Mr. Shaw had evidently considered it with great care, and thi time he thought should be given to the preparatiuu of agree- ments between landlords and tensnt'<, seemed to indicate tha: those must be the basis of their dealings iu the future. This was by no means a teitlod qui jflou, the Act h.<.ving been passed at the close of a Session, which there was a contant pressur; upon the Guverument to teru.inate sooner than was, jierlia|8, desirable lor tlie proper di-cussion of a measure of this import- ance ; and if the Act whi- li they were attempting to pass i i Scotlind for the ren u leration ot the tenant, iu tl;e^ raattfr ot" improvements, should prove a better one thaa theEu^h-ti Aei, he hoped the latter would be araeudei in the same di ectiou, so as to do perfect justiie betwefii landlord and tenant. He was quite certain that both landlord and teuau. had the same interest in the land; and if the nnUiT- standing was that they were btth to do their duty to U2 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. it, and to receive proper remuneration for so doing, the result must prove a bcnelici;il one to all parlies. lie did trust that alihou>;li this Act provid(-d for the period of uolice •to be given in the event of tlie tenant quitling liis l-mil, that not a sinfile tenant in this district would hold Ids land for a hit lrt>s time in consequence of this Act, but rather that it would tend to promote the pennaneucy of their holiiuffs. Ills lord^hip then referred to an erniuent service rendered to agriculture by •men whose naraea were juitly honoured in this county ; and notably by one iiol)lenian, who told him at llolkhara, many years a^o, tliat the land there, when he came of age, was only worth '2s. Gd. an acre, whereas its value had now been in- creased, by proper cultivation, to a very much larger figure. He trusted that in this country a good understanding might continue to prevail between Lindlord and tenant, and tiiat tlie necessity niiglit never arise for such a measure as had been passed lor Ireland. He hoped, too, that whether the Act >vas adopted or not, or used wholly or in part, as the basis of our agreements, everytbiog would be done fair and above board, and that the landlord, the consumer, and, above all, the tenant, who was the food producer, might all be benefited together. Mr. S. RoBSOM, Melbouine, said he was not going to make a speech, but there were two matters touched upon iu Mr. Shaw's paper, with reference to which he wished to say a word or two. The first point to which it seemed to him there was some objection, was that a tenant should not be allowed to underlet. He agreed with Mr. Shaw that in ordinary coiirse of things this was not desirable, but in the last year of a tenant's occupancy, he might want to sell i.ff his stock some weeks before he gave up possessiou, and, if this principle was adopted, he could not let his graziug for the four or six weeks lie remained on the farm. The incoming tenant might say that he did not want to take to those six weeks' keep, and tlie person quitting would consequently lose the produce of his land for that period, althoujih lie was paying rent for it. The other point was that the tenant, before he could recover eora- pensation for manure, sliould be bound to give annually, before the 25th March, a written statement to bis laudlini of the amount used on his farm during the year. It occurred to him that some of them might not like it to be known that moie had been used in any particular year; and that, although it was no doubt desirable that some guaran'ce should be given that the articles claimed for had been bi ught, the plan sug- gested would have a tendency to make their affairs rather too public. Lord Vm^iON, who was applauded on rising to address tlie meeting, said he was not at all astonished that there should be any hesitation on the part of those present in off'ering observa- tions upon the subject, when he saw certain land agents of eminence around him who hesitated to give them tl:e benefit of their experience, and remembered that Mr. Coke had declined to do GO when called upon, althouili he had more knowlerlge of farming in his little finger than he (Lord Vernon) had in his whole body. He also saw around him a number of leading farmers ot Derbyshire who were far more conversant with agriculture than he was himself, and as they had not ventured to offer any observations he was not surprised that other gen- tlemen had hesitated to do so. As he anticipated when he en- tered the meetins;, a large proporiiou of those present had at- tended to hear about the Agricultural Holdings' Act for the first time, and it was not therefore fair under the circumstances to call upon people to give an opinion upon a very momentous question liliuess-like looting. He was glad to find, as wasnoticd in Mr. Shaw's papir, that it was possible to adopt the main principles of the Act with niMd'ficalions which might make the Act palatable both to landlords and tenants, and he cousidered th;it the Govern- ment deserved credit from all classes of ag iculturists, whatever party they might belong to, tor having faced a question of very greit difficulty, and which might have involved them iu considerable discredit amongst those who had usuiUy supported their poiioy. He considered they went bravely to their task, and he thanked them for their effvirts in that direction. The ranin principles of the Act, which was introduced into farlia- raent, were in the first place, and this was important whether people managed-their land under the Act or not, that agree- ments must become the rule and without any exception what- ever. Secondly, the authors of the bill insisted that the principles of freedom of contract between landlord and tenant should be universally preserved, and inasmuch as pmvisioa was made that the Act might be adopted or not, it might be adopted with or without modifications. They also insisted that if the Act was adopted the tenant farmer should hold his land under a year's notice, and he might say with regard to this that although he felt thsre might be ditiiculties here and there with respect to relinquishing larms, and landlords might lose here and there by a year's notice, taking a broad view of the question he thought the balance would be decidedly ia favour cf people holding under a year's notice. A cordial vote of thanks was given to Mr. Shaw, and the meeting then adjourned. MR. G. F. STATTER'S SALE.— On Tuesday, Jan. 18, Mr E. Telford, auctioneer, of this city, was engaged, at Red House farm, from ten in the morning until after dijrk iu tlie evening, in disposing of the stock, crop, implements of husbandry, Src, the property of Jlr. Statter, of Broom hills and Red House farms. The stock included 51 Shortlinrn cattle, some of which were of high-class pedigree ; 2tJ0 pure-bred Border-L^iceste^ sheep, many of which were prize-winners at local and other shows ; 14 strong horses and 13 light horses, amongst which were several prize takers; and IS pigs of the celebrated Duck- ering breed. The stock comprised 9 stacks of lea and meadow hay, 19 stacks of grain, 9 of beans, and upwards of 25 tons of mangold wurtzel. The implements were a numerous lot, and all of the most modern construction. The attendance at the sale was extremely large, tlie competition brisk, and every- thing sold remarkably well. The sheep were put up in lots of five each, and Mr. Wright, of Worksop, who is a large breeder of border Leicester sheep, secured the first lot at £8 each ; Mr. Wright also paid £10 10s. each for two border Leictstir tups and £5 5s. for the third. Some of the other lots sold as high as £5 10s., £5, and £i each. In the cattle class tie highest priced animal was knocked down to Mr. Nicholson, Barkhouse, for £28, and several others ranged from £16 to £19 each. Mr. Mitchell was the higliest bidder in the hors-e department, securing one strong aniuial at £93 ; Mr. Thomp- son, of Burgh, paid £82 for another ; whilst the third and fourth brought £66 and £56 respectively, two others selling for £35 14s. and £34 each. 81 guineas was the highest price reached iu the light horse class, and was paid by Dr. Hodgson, of Carlisle ; Mr. T. Statter, Stand Hall, securing the second for 49 guineas. The total result of the da\ 's sale wag as follows: Horses, £848 12s. 6d.; cattle, £519 2s. 6d.; sheep, £782 18s.; pigs, , £78 8s. ; implements, £231 7s. ; crop, £658 18s. fid. ; total, over £3,000. There were also four acres of Swede turnips sold, but these, with several other things which were sold, are not included in the above figures. Ample provision was made, as is the usual custom, for the genert.l public attending the sale ; but Mr. Statter allowed every one to partake of his hospitality ; and we hear that certain par ies w ho would have been better away, tended in bome degree to spoil the eutertainiuent. — Carlisle Patriol. THE FARMER'S MAGAZIKE. 148 AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. TO TUE EDITOR. OF THE DORSET CUROHICLE. Notice has been gi-en by the High SlieriCf (Mr. Moyscy) and Sir A. Uood Ih a tiny will ruuveat the next session to ordi^r tlie iiolice to pro - cu'e foi iniraction of tlie Airiciilttiral Cliildrens' AcK Sj '-ir as this shows a desire to exiend tiie education oC the working clusses one ciiniiot but synipathise witli it entirely, but various circumstances «hicli I will endea- vour to (xplain make me eiger to ask these old friends of mine not to persevere with tiieir motion. Two Acts received I he lloyal assent on tlieSlb of Ansust, 1873, to apply compulsion to education. Tliis one, c. 67, laid down liie limit of tw^lve as the age within wliicli uo child sliotilJ be "jniployed wlio lias uot attended school during tlie previous -year a c;ert»ia number of times. And the Act creates an awkward iieeessi'y offtniiing time for school along with work until the cnild is eleven, and is embarra-.sed besides w t'l proviso and exceptions very proper in themselves, and c- rtaiii dilli ulties of detail which it is liesf not to explain, which will make the working of it dillicull, though it may be g lod to guiile our prac ice general'y. The other Act, c. 8G, makes edu( ation a condition of relief up to 13, so that a poor widow with many children, or a man with a broken leg, cannot have outdoor pay at all unless they pay tliemselves for the schooling, which they cannot do, or have 8|)i cial reliel for the purpose, which is altogether oljectionahle; and in either case they lose the labour of the eldi:r children. It is strange at the very least tliat the education of paujier children is rigorously extended to 13, vtliile tint of ntn-pauper rli'ldren ceases altogt ther at eleven, and Ir.ira s"ven may, or r it li'ir must from eigiit, have been only half-time. This last law seems to rae thoroughly bai. - Children must be f ■ d he'ore they cm be taught. And this brings rae to the great difficulty of the first measure. In the early part of last year an intluen- tal fanner irujuiied of me whether he was safe in not dismiss- ing the children of a labourer, who, with a sick wife, could not live without the children's labcur. I could only tell him to wait and see what was done ; that in the first place we should probably not infli. t a pmialty, biit only explain the law and th-it he was safe until then ; and I gav [what advice occurred to lue generilly as to the Ai-t anil the administration of it, and begged hiin to consult his neiglibours. To this I got a hearty ri spouse : " Every employer," he said, " of children whom I have met (and I have talked with a good many), inclulinf; myself, concurs in the opinion expressed by you — that wliere the parents can educate their children they ought to do so, but whtre the family is long, and in some cases where a widow has boys, it would be a great hardship to prevent their beintj euililoyed, and would ultiraatdy drive many to the parish." Here then is the view I have formed — thtit this law had better serve us generally as a guide, and may be made to work in a safe and wholesome way by the help of upiglibours, and the general consent of society, without prosecutions. A friend of mine tells me be has just made his Cniistmas distribution of meat and coals depend on tli's educationaltest, and he is right. What I would advise is that the clergyman of each parish, who lias now by general consent the chief care of education, sliould consult with the principal farmers, who have the power in their hands, subject of course to the law and its penalties, and ftitree with them in what cases the Act must be put in f'ree, and in what cases it should be relaxed. They know among them the means and necessities of their poorer neighbours, and will have ample power — so much indeed that I am rather fearful of it, for I do not like cuupulsion, except when it is brought to bear on the vicious part of mankind. Let my old friends, to whom I am now appealing, and the clergy — who are very rightly eager to make the pour educate their children, whether they will or no — let them think that they are really copying the work of the late Liberal party, who v/ire content with no measures but those of strong compulsion, and ridicule the tameness of the legislation of the last two years. My friends can remember, as I dn, when the Liberals were for the liberty of the subject, but now Liberals are another thing; tliey have been in power and have tasted the pleasures of it, and have had well-merited experience that the people will not support a policy of ci mpulsiou. The democratic eoiupul- sioQ of the majority is much the same as the old feudal com- pulsion ; if anything, it is worse, fur it 13 more difficult fo defy or elude. As to education, there can be no doubt that our poorer iieighbours will gradually avail themselves of its advan- tages, and herea'tiT possibly to a greater extent than we liave any notion of now, and beyond what these Acts provide as tu age. We must uot (orce it on ihem: we iiad better recom- mend it, and encourage them to au on, and it is well to sliow them that the law which they and we and the clergymen and the farmers are all alike bound in conscience to obey says, and rigbt'y so, that their children are to be taught. ¥. 11. DiCKINSOX, P.S. — I find there is an impression that the parent where a child is employed in contravention of the Act, c. G7, is under a denalty of kl. This is not so unless be has deceived the em- ployer. THE AGKICULTURAL CHILDREN ACT AND THE RUKAL POLICE. — ')^\\e. Maidstone Jui/rnal nays: Kent was one of the first of the farmin;; counties of England to discover that the Agricultural Children Act contained no clause declaring by whom the new law was to be put in motion, and it at oncn sought to supply the omission, liut the task was surrounded with contid rab'e difficu-lty. The most natural channel of in- spection was, of course, tlie county police, but there were o'ljeclions against the use of this agency, which we pointed out at the time, and which succeeding events have only tended to strengthen. The police were already engaged in several ways whicli were foreign to the imme.liate purpose of their enrol- ment; and the additional part they have been required to play under the Cattle Disease Old rs has afforded a pretty clear instance of the prejudice which they have to encounter when travelling out of the more immediate circle of their duty. It has been said thai wherever a law is broken it is the duty of the police to bring the olfender to justice; but this is an opinion which we by no means endorse. If the constabulary are to be saddled with every conceivable kind of duty, criminal and civil, some of their work is certain to be ill done. 13ut even this is not the cli ef evil to be apprehended. We fear that there is a growing feeling, especially among the lower classe=, that the police, instead of being the natural protectors, are the natural enemies of the public. This has bcea brought about, in a great measure by the entirely novel turn which recent legislation lias given to their duties, and by wliuli they have been constituted spies in all kinds of uncomfortable businesses. The consequence is that, when seeking informa- tion as to strictly criminal matterji, they are in danger of being r^ielled from quarters where ready assistance ought to be given them. Under these circumstances we are glad to find that the Court of General Sessions has seen its way to the adoption of a middle course iu reference to the proposal which Mr. L. J. W. Fletcher mideon Tuesday last, "that the police be instructed 'to enforce' the provisions of the Agricultural Children Act," The Court decided to warn parents ad employers that the law will be enforced, and await the result of such caut:on. They tlius avoid com- mitting themselves to a course which would he locally irritating, and which there is also reason t) suppose would uot be legal. Prosecutions could not be conducted without expense, and, as the Chief Constable remarked, there is no rate from which money could legally be drawn to be devoted to purposes not sanctioned by Act of Parliament. TENANT-RIGHT IN SCOTLAND— The Glasgow Uerald reports that the farm of Barholm Mains, Kirkcudbrightshire, which has been a long time occupied by Mr. James Muir, a widely-respected agriculturist, 1 is just been let by order of Mrs. Grant, of Barholm, to Mr. Ciaik, from Nratli, Glauior- ganshire,at an increase of rtnt equivalent to a rise of i75 on the old rent. As Mr. Muirwasan oiTerer, and had no intention of leaving the farm, his renn.val caused considerable excite- ment throughout the sgricultural world of GaKovay, Mr» Muir being well known and widely respected. Ataiunting of the Penninghame, Miunigalf, and Kirkmabreck Ploughing; THE FAEMER'S MAGAZlNiJ. H4, Sooi ty, the matter was warmly canvassed. la proposing flie lieahh o Mr. .uuir, Mr. Kerr, banker (who is alfics. Botli sorts of sheep are lonjier in their bodies, and stand higlier on their lejjs than true Leicesters, and for both claims have been made by tlieir brfeders of being more remunerative In their returns of meat and wool. The only defect in the comparisons is the cer- tainty that the Devon Long^wool ii the result of Leicester eiigra''tpd on an ancient native stock, whereas tlie Nortii- country hreeders claim for their breed purity of origin from tlie Bakewellian stock. The old Bamptou is the original stock from which Drvon Long-wools were derived, and it was TTell known throughout the XVest of England in the last cen- tury. Mr. 11. Pioctor Anderson, in a letter published in Arthur Young's " Aniials of Asriculture for 177^^," designated it. '• the best breed in Devonshire," and stated that it had existed in the di'-trict round Bamplon " from time iuiraemorial." T e description he gives of the Old Hamptons in this letter is ai follows: "They are gt^nerally whitefiiced ; the best breed more like the Leicestershire than any other, but larger-boned, and longrr in the legs and the body, yet not so long as the "VViltshires by which tliey iiave been crossed, nor so hoal- btcked as the Leicesters. A fat ewe rises to 20 a quarter on the average^ and wethers to Solhs. or 35lbs. a qmirtrr at two years old. Eiglitcen lbs. of wool have been shorn from a ram of this breed that was sujiposed to be 40lhs. the quarter. The carcase is coarser than that of the Dorset, and the wool rheaper." Billingsby, also, in his "Agricultural Survey of Somerset," published iu 179S, mentions Binipton sheep as "a valuable sort, not nmch unlike the Leicester, well made, and covered with a thick fleece of wool, weighing in general 7 or 81hs., and they sometimes reach even the wti:.,'lit of l'21lis." On the management of these sheep at that period he dv*: '"The sale ewes are cut to the ram about the end of July, and the flock ewes about a month after. Young ra:u8 are preferred, as it is supposed that old ones degenerate ill quality and weight of their wool. The wether of this breed, when fattened on turnips, at two years eld attain the weight of SSlb'i. per qi;ar er, aiid being driven to Bristol market, a distance ol about .lixty miles, are sold without their tleeces in the months of M;iy and June." Vancouver, in his Survey of Devon, published by the Board of Agriculture, iu 1808, says: '■ The sheep most approved in the division of Tiverioo are the Bampton-Notts, the wether of which breed will at twenty months old weigh 221b?. per quarter, and shear GjHs. of wool to the fleece. The sari.e sheep, well wintered, and kept on for another twelve months, will average 281b3. per quarter, and yield 81bs. of unwashed wool to the fleece." In the same ptper Vancouver remarked that the first cross of the breed with tnat of the new Leicester or Dishley was getting much into favour, and becoming very generally to be adopted. The reason why he s ates to be, " Trora its improving the form, and bringing the, animal three months earlier to market." A stronger infusion of Disliley blood was, however, deemed pre- judicial to the interests of Devon flockmasters at that period, and Vancouver had been informed it sliould not extend beyon I Jialf Bampton and half Leicester, as otherwise the lambs and young sheep would be less hardy, and become ill-adapted for ihe districts where the old Barapton had been accustomed to thrive. In some parts of l)evon this apprehension gradually disapi eared, and the flockmasters drew closer to the Leicester type as the present century advanced, until they had well-nigh refined away the Bampton altogether. At the present day there are almost as many L-icester flocks in Devon as descendants of tlie Bampton cross; thtt county having become one of the strongholds of the legitimate rie- scendfuts of the breed Bakewell created. The result whicli always occurs more or less whenever two breeds of near kindred alfinity are propagated close beside one another in the same part of the kingdom, is not absent here, viz., a great variety ot gradations in characteristics, according as the fluck is brouglit close to or allowed to diverge widely from the one or the other. As in Yorkshire all sorts of crosses between the L°ioe»ter and Lincoln Long-wool manifest themselves, so in the West of Lngland the Devon Long-wool in one man's hand may repre- sent a very different kind of animal to what it d'les in those of another. Some critics at the Royal Taunton Siiow last July declaimed loudly against the diversity of type appnrent in the Devon Long-wools exhioited there. Bnt there is, perhaps, do help for this. Some farms require stronger and more hardy animals than others, and their occupiers, no doubt, find it a wise policy to ada])t the stock to the peculinriaes of soil, climate, and situation, rather than that of laying hold of one particular type, and insisting on propagating it, w hatever cir- cumstances may stand in the way. \ ery different names have also been apjilied to these sheep. It is only during the past seventeen or eighteen jears that they have, by general conselr^, ^ received the appellation — Devon Long-wools. Previously they ' were not unfrequsntly termec' Leicester Long-wonis, End at a still farlier period were known as "Devon-Notts." But as • " a rose with any other name would smell as sweet," so does it matter very little what these sheep are called, th -t not at all detracting from thrir usefulness. A west-countrunan knows what he wants, and in nine cases out of ten he would pick out the best of this breed at a market or faii, as beiug the most thrifty and remunerative sheep for the redland arable farmg of Devons and West Somerset. Neither are any other kind so well fltted for the Somerset marshes. Colonel Luttrell, of Bridgewater Court, about fifteen yenrs ago, tried an experi- ment by running Devon and Hampshire hoggets together on'~ some of his best low-lying marsh lands. But he v\as surprised- to find that while his Devons laid on fat rapid'y and became ripe for the shambles, the llampsbires made lit h^ or no prr- gress, and a second lot of Loug-wools were plac«'d against the SJime Short-wools in the autumn with a similar result. "On. October 28th," he says, " I put the thirty Downs witii thirty of the next best Devons on a piece of after grass. 1 had both lots weighed, and I again Weigiied them November 28th, when' I found that the Downs had increased in weight 2+3 lbs., whereas the Devons had increased 4i(5 lbs." No oue wilt wonder, then, why, in many districts oftiie west, long-wooUed sheep are preferred to short-wools, be they Ranri shire, Shrop-- shire, or Southdown, and there are several reasons why this- descri|ition of long-wool suits many districts best. Tiiey are- more hardy than Ihe Leicester, in the first place, and are alio' longer and larger-framed, which allows thera to yield heavier weights of flesh. The mutton has always been considered very juicy, and not being quite so tallowy as that of L^cester, is of better quality. Tlien; again, as regards viool, there is a decided advantage in Devon Lonj^-wools over Leicesters in the BverHgi^ weights of fleeces, the quality being about ejml. The Leicester is, no doubt, a liandsome fheep ■ smaller honed, and more refim-d in symmetry and sliape He will also come a little sooner to maturity, iilthough' not mach, rapid flesh-forming being brought to a high state of perfection in the best flocks. Oi course the renl-payingr farmer cannot afford to sacrifiice much to beauty. lie gene- rally selects the sort which is most reniunerativp, and there are scores of places in the West for which this would natu- rally be the Devon long-wool. In the past history of this breed tliere appear facts and evidences which justify the con- clusion that many experiroents have been made with it. Mr. Wilson was eviden ly of that opinion when treating on the various breeds of sheep in his article in the Royal Agricul'ural Society's Jouninl for 1855, for he says, " they are now so in- termixed with Leicester blood as to partake more of the clia^ racter cf that breed than of the old stock. Crosses with the Lincolnshire snd with the Exmoor breed are also met with. Mr. W^ilson might also have added the Southdown with some show of reason, some being of opinion that there must have been a slight infusion of that blood at some period or other tff- account for the grey faces of the Devons which were far inorec general bal'-t century ago than they are now. Mr. Andrev^ Hosegood, tii« occupier of a large lariu nc»r WiJliion, andt.- 115 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. father to Mr. Obed Ilose^ood, winner of the Royal prize for . Somerset farms, once iufornied me that the Bami'tou sheep had grey faces in his youth, and that they were very hardy, and excellent in their returns of mutton and wool. Another old-established breeder has also stated that about forty-five years ago tlie blue tint iu the face got to be preferred, and became very general. Experience eventually proved, iiowever, that animals with this characteristic were thinner in both flesh and wool, exhibiting likewise indications of weakness of constitution. Consequently, the practice of breediu;; towards the grey-faced type was discontinued, and it is now a compa- ratively rare circumstance to find Dc;von long-wools with grey countenances. Taking the best bred flocks alone intj consi- deration, the conclusion may safely be arrived at, that few, if any, experiments have been made in them by infusing foreign blood during the past quarter of a century, at least. The well-known ilock of Mr. Richard Corner, of Torrweston, is not only one of the most celebrated of tbis breed, but probably the oldest in existence. It can be traced back to a v. ry early period in the centurv, for Mr. Corner inherited it of his own father some thirty-eight years ago, who had at that period brought it to a high state of perfection wiihont having em- ployed any foreign cross beyond the legitimate one, Leicester or Bamptou. Mr. Corner, sen., appears to have disposed of one of his rams for seventy guineas, quite half a centiiiy ago. He was well-nigh as celebrated a ram breeder as his son is at the present day ; and it can be proved that rams have been Tegularly sold from the flock for over sixty years p :st. On one occasion Mr. Corner, sen., sold a ewe and two of her off- springs for 100 guineas, the produce con.^isting of two rams, one a shearlinsr, and the other a lamb only four months old. Mr. Richard Corner is, at the present day, accustomed to make VI ry good prices of his rams, which are generally disposed of by auction at Taunton Fair, when a number consisting of thirty or forty usually realise averagfs amounting to from til teen to twenty guineas each, wiiilehis best shrep yield fom fifty to seventy guineas. Mr. R. Corner is a West Somerset breeder, and so are Mr. Bird and Mr. R. Fartliing, who are likewise noted. There are several breeders of renown in the cuunty of Devon, among \Uioni Sir Ileathcoto-Amory, MP., has recently verv much distinguished himself, for ire wun all the Royal and Bath and West of England first prizes last year, although having Mr. R. Corner for a competitor, who liid previon^'y earned all bt-fore him. ]\Ir. Corner was, howcvpr, in some respects beaten with bis own weapons, as Sir J. Ileathcote- Amory has, undoubtedly, rande considerable use of bis i)l')od. The other leading Devon breeders are Mr. John Wippel, of ]">arton ; Mr. John Drew, of Eseter ; Mr. Partridge and Mr. William Wippel, of Tliorverton ; and Mr. G. Rrdraore, of Court Ilajes. The wellser slreep of this breed are irsually fattened on turnips the first winter, and go to the shambles iu the montlis of March, April, and May, at weights ranging from 221b'<. to 251bs. per i)r. When shorn they cut from 91hs. to lllbs. clean washed wool^ although shorn a< lambs the previous year. Nor is much oilcake or corn needi d to pro- duce sucli results. The ewes of the best flocks often clip eight or nine pounds of wool each, and fat ewes from Mr. K. Corner's flock have often averaged from 35. bs. to 40 bs. per qr. A considerable quantity of wool is also eli|ipf(l from the lambs tfre first year, for tb^y yield to fh". extent oi from if lb'*, to 3^lb<. each, which is qiite as much as Souhdown ewes were accustomed to clip not many years atio. Alihongh lambing often commeuc.-s with the new year, it is by no means general until tow.irds the end of Jannary or Ireginning of February. The lambs are weaned accurdiug as they are well or ill kept, sometimes as early as the middle of April, and occasionally as late as Juue, but about the first or secorrd wetk in May is the usual period. If the lambs were fed with oil- cakes from the first, as is lire case o'^teu in shurt-wooUed flocks, the wethers would came ripe for the shambles long before Christmas. Leicester bh'od is seldom infused at the present day into many of the flocks. Mr. R. Corner has n^ed n ithing but the best Devoc long-uo(d rams for many yeai-s pa^t, and it is seldom be can obtain them any better than (roui Iris o«ik stock. Some of the leading flocks have been kepf free l'ro:u the slightest forei;in impress for twenty jears at l^-ast. But it must be admitted there are others surh as the Court ll'iyca flock, in the management of which tlie rule instead of the ex- ception has been the employment of Lt-icester rrras. Tbi-", probably, de'racts somewhat from a fixed t_\pe, al'I'ough ii is pretty geuerallv well known among practical meii in West Somerset and North Devon what a Devon long-wool sheep ought to be. — 7%e Lice kt^tcJi Journal. PAUPERISM AND CHARITY. At a meeting of the members of the Botley and South Hants Farmers' Club, held on Monday, Mr. W. Warnrrin the chuir, Dr. Griffin read a very elaborate paper deali' g with some points in connection with Poor-law and Charitable Relief, from which we take the folluwing : Perhaps nothing has more fostered pauperism than the faith that a truly Christian duty is performed in giving, without inquiry, immediate relief to the apparerrt wants of any ai>pli- c:int. At the same time, the fear of being called cruel and iuhuman has gradually taught boards of guardians to become more and more lenient in tlieir treatment of paupers, until at last the labouring classes have been brought to look upon parish relief as tlieir right, and it is now consequently sought for by them and obtained when any difficulty arises. Without doubt, this view of the labourer is, iu fact, a lingering relic of the old Poor-law, which was, to a great extent, a rate iu aid of wages. One ill efi'ect of being able to obtain relief at the first moment of distress — and that relief of a kiud neither mentally olfens'ive nor bodily irksome — has been the production of absolute unthrift, improvidence, and a reckless expenditure of their earninis in a large prnportiou of tire workioK classes. The Poor-law has shown them that, however thrifty tliey may ho, iu their old age or in their time of need t!iey will be no better off" than others who squander all their wages in the b?er-shop. The ill effec'; has been increased by the pro''useness of indiscriminate charity, both of a public aud a private kind, and by the labourers' want of faith in provident societies, which, through ignorance of the laws that ijovern sickness and mortality, and the desire to make them attractive, led their projectors to off'er advantages which it was impissible fur them to fulfil. Belore pauperism can be very materially reduced, many of these causes will have to betaken in hand and altered. If we intend to obtain a successful issue, vte should eudeavour to handle them all at one and tlie same time. This can on be effected by an organisatiori of all the agencies through which relief of every kind is given. With regard, however, to pauperism itself, there is nuu h need for change in i's trent- ment. Originally the new Poor-liw intended to make parish relief of so deterrent a cbaiiictir that none but the absolutely destitute would apply, and that tire recipient would be so dis- satisfied with lire way in which it vtas given, that be would, when in work, do his best to prevent himself falling into such a position as to be compelled to apply fcr it. A wisePoor-1 iw, foreseeing that a hard-i>nd-fast line would occ isioually cause an act of cruelty, permitteil certain exc ptions. Uuforinuately iu most places that which should be exceptir^nal is now the rule, and vice versa. This is especially exemp ified in tne matter of out-relief, and particularly of partial out-relief. Partial relief is a form of re'ief which is most desiruciive to habits of thrift and independence. By partial relef recipients, to enable them to live, are compelled to sup|leraent tie relief by other means ; indeed, nearly all outdoor relief, when it is given, is known by the guardians to be insufficient for main- tenance; if supplemented, as it often i", by begg-ng, tlre'i the parish 'pay becomes an ollicial certificate of the recipienl'ii poverty, a legal licence to impose on the charitable, or a live- lihood IS made up by thieving, by vice, by relatives, by cbatity, or by work. If by work, then it lowers wagis, for the recipieLl, being subsidised by the guardians, is enahbd to sell his l^bou' at a lower rate than others, and the cousi^qiimce is that many are unable to earn sufficient to .be provident. It must always be kept in mind that the duty of the Pour-law is to relieve only the absolutely destitute. Those wl.o are poor or in straitened circumstances should be taken care of by charity. True and organised charity will find them ovt ; indeed, the opinion which is gaining ground is that Poor-law THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 147 relief should confine itself strictly to relief ia the workhouse, (itid tliut orgtniseil cluirit^ shuulJ provide temporary and special esses wiiii liie necessary assistance at lioine. Induor relief, theu, sliould be the rule, outdoor relief the exception. At once a cry is raised df the greater expense of Keeiui^ a pauper ia the workhouse than outside, and the inhunianily of breaking up a horae. Now all stitistics and experience prove that the more (lU'-relief that is given tlie greater is the amount of in- door relief tliat uliimately follows. Out-relief is the parent of iu-rtliff. TliB Rev. N. Bury, in his report to the Local Government Board, gives a few facts, which sliow viluit etr. ct a systematic plan of olfering relief OTily by tlie workhouse c^u do io the short space of one year. In the tJrixworth Union ic w»s determined to olfer the workhouse, on the 1st of January, 1S73, to a large number of paupers in receipt of oul-relief. Tlie lollowiug table will show tiie result : Date. lu-paupers. Out-paupers. Cost. January Jst, 1873 67 917 £5,704 Jauuary i^t, 187± 73 5i2 ^i.'iio Thus in twelve mouths there was a diminution of 375 ont- piupers. witii only an increase of six in, and a saving of £1,279. Mr. Bury further shows that not only is the pecu- niiiry gain great by such an actiim, but that on the score of liumauity there is much to be said, and he gives the condition of ihose who were not allowed to be | aipers. lu the r.-port of the Local Government Board for 1873 there is a long argu- ment to show the utility, kindness, and humanity of a per- sistent application by guardians of the wurkhouse test. In cuusidering the case ol widows wi'li dependent children, who constitute no less thin 33 per cent, of o.ir outdo ir piuperisTi, the great dilhculiy is the sympathy whicli is expressed fur them ; so great has this been the case that amongst the labouring cla>s a widow is supiio-ed to he justly entilled to a ptu-ion Irom the poo'-rate. Huiiianitariaus siy the woman has become a widow through no fault of hers, liut forget the baneful etfect which her relief by tlie parish Ims on the tliiiit and provideiit linhits of the working class, and the indnc- ment it holds out to the recipifnt to relax iier efforts to obtain an indepeiideut livelihood. Mr. Loigley, ader advising tliat if support is required the children should he sent into the workhouse, and the widow left out to gain her livelihood, and showing what a double advantage this is to the children, says, " It is notorious that a large number of widows of the poorer diss (io m-iiiitaiu and bring up large fiinilies independently of Po r-law relief. Again, it lias invariably been found that when out-relief has beeu refused to widows with faiirlies, a large portion of tlitsm have, under this pressure, loniid it pos- sible to ob'ain an independent livelihood." lie strongly advises their employment by the hoarJ as paid and iudepeudent servauts. la a union where the workhouse test was applied last year with ranch strictness to widows in receipt ot out- reliet, the guardians offered the-n regular employineut as scrubbers in the infirmary, at 9s. a week, tlie work ending on each day at 1 p.m. In every instance the offer was relused, on the ground that they " could do better for themselves." South Stoiieham would do well to consider the matter of out- relief, for I find that on January 1st, 1875, there were in receipt of relief no less than 1,721 paupers, out of a popula- tion, according to the Census of 1671, of 32,201, or 1 to 18 of the population ; whereas for the same day, fur the whole of England, the average was only 1 to 28 — that is, oue-third less, or a matter of GtJO paupers on one day in South Stouehara more than the average for England would give hi r. Again, of 'he 1,721 paupers, no less ihm 832 were outdoor and ab'e- bodied, or 1 to 2 ; whereas for the whole of Eugland the ratio of out-door able-bodied paupers in receipt of relief, on the 1st of Januaiy, was 1 to 3. If we look still closer, and take only the adult able-bodied outdoor paupers, we shall find th.at in the South Stoneham Union their ratio to the total number is 1 to under G, but for the whole of Ennland it is 1 to 9. No mere accident of locality can account lor this, for in a neigh- bonriua union, that of VViuchester, with a population in 1871 of 26,697 on January 1st, 1875, there were but LO-l-t paupers, or 1 to 2i5 of the inhabitants, of which only 267 of the out- door paupers were able-bodied, or not 1 to 3, aud of the adult able-bodied only 87, or 1 to 12 — just half of the ratio in South Stoneham. Indeed, the ratio of adult able-bodied out-door paupers to paupers relieved, on January 1st, 1875, was 1 to 10 in llavant, Portsea, Lymiugton, Ringi^O'id, New Fore^t, aud Sfockbridge Unions, aud only 1 to 27 iu \Vlutuhurch. In Atchara Union, with 45,565 inhabitants, there were but 587 paupers on January 1st, uf which only 4 were oa'dni.r adult able-bodied, or 1 to 118 instead of 1 to 6. Again, the rat o of the cost per head of the lopi.lition for out and in-inaiiiten nice only is. in Atclimn, Is. lUd. ; in Stoneham, 5-. ; in Atcham,nut-Miaiutenance only, 5£d ; in South Sioneham it is 3id. Y( t Atcluim i> a rural union, in which the wages aver- age 10s. to 12s. a week, hut forethought, fru. ality, and s.l'-help have been there systemi'ically inculcited by the gu'.rdian-. Again, every day 1 hear of the difficulty wiiich misir.-sses have in obtiiiiing d. niestie servints, yet in South Stoni ham on Jan. 1st there were in receipt of outdoor reliel 229 adu't able-bodied women, and in the whole of Hampshire no less than 2,()i8 ; in addition there were 468 indoor able-boi ie ', or 3,116 healthy women capable of work, jet kept by tlit p or- rate, when plenty of well-paid, well-fd work was al iiaud waiting to be done. In out-relief I include lueilical relief. Medical rci^lief is the most prolific source of pauperism. Seven out of ten paupers have become paupers through sick- ness. It is not so much tliat disease makes paupers tron its incapacitatiug character, as it is that sickness, being looked upon as one of the ills that " flesh is heir to," has readily granted to it a medical order, and it becomes the fir,-,t step on the downward road. Medical orders freqneutly tend to gra'its of meat and stimulants. These react and increase the number of applicants lor medicnl orders. The latter bee nne so numerous that the medical officer is oecisionally compelled to neglect his patients. In ntnrn, he finds ih« w;iy snioothel by a recommendation for meat or slimulnnts. The meat ir stimulaiits are ordered by the relieving otfii^er in retail quan- tities, sufficient for a week, on some sm 11 shopkeeper, who has to fUDplv a quantity up to a certain value, which is sup- posed to last the week. These tickets are sometimes si hi, exchanged, and more rarely have beeu disconnttd for money at a sum less than the vnlue named. If o tained eorrec'ly' the more comujon wny is for 'he healthy ones of the family to eat the meat, and to give tlie water in wliich it has been boiled tth.de to the sick niember. The stiuiulants are not always obtained of the sauie kind as rc^oni mended by the doctor; are seldom, if ever, given to the pa'ient as or 'ered tiy the doctor, and very f'-equently are nea ly all drunk by other than the sick. If the guardians give meat aud spirits 1 1 out- door paupers, they ought to supply then from the workhouse stores, aud purchased wholesale. Meat should he given as the doctor orders it, as heef tea or broth, and daily. If they are wise. Boards of Guardians will not, except in very rare cases, allow meat and stimulants to he g ven to outdoor paupers, certainly no'- beyond the next hoard meetii'g If an outdoor pauper require meat and stimulants, it is almost an impossibility lor him to get them, as ordered, outside the workhouse infirmary ; so that the guardians should give the applicant an order. There will in lime be no hardship iu practically abolishing outd lor relic*', for there is no con- tingency against which there is less diffieulty for the poorer classes to make provision than sickness, and what liitle ditii- culty there is proper y directed charity can easily overcome. Anyhow no medical order for a casual pauper ought to have a duration longer than the interval between the meetings of the board, and at each it shoull be renewed, discontinued, or an order for the workhouse infirmary substituted for it by the guardians. Iu many unions whce relief in confinements and burials has been granted to the casual poir only on loan, the success has been most marked. The labour-yard is open to much abuse. It supplies with money many an idle, dissolii'e fellow, who is content to let his wife slave away for the family while he is performing an amount of work which is not really worth what he is paid for it. Too often the moii-y is at once spent in the neighbouring beer-shop, and even the bread is not always taken home. I^i some unions the guardians have been so impressed with the evil of the labour- yard that they have done away with it. Mr. Longley says : " Stories are rife in thos' unions of paupers who remiined at work in the stone yard for two or three years consecutively, and in one union a relieving officer assured me that there were a hundred men in the union formerly employed in the stone- yard, but now earning their own living, who would infallihlr have been still receiving relief in the stone-yaid had it still remained open." Mr. Longley adds that he hims If had found in the labour-yard ol one union a man who bad been there for two years. Relief offered only in the workhouse soon teaches these luen where work is to be found. Wiien one lemciubers 118 THE FAKMiSR'S MAGAZINE. that our law compels a liouseholder, however poor, to pay u poors'-rate, it seems to me that tlie ratepayers h"V8 r perfect riglit to insist that tiie guardians should lav bef tre tliera, in the fullest manner, iiow tlie fund to whicli th^y have been forced to contribute has been spent. The very f ct of the pauiiers k owing that their names, addresses, ages, the dates, and the cost of the relief which they receive, will be jiublished to ilieir ne.ighhonrs and their emi.]lo)erR, will pr-*- vnt a very lar^e number from applying. In the Bisingsloke Union this is now done iulf-yearly. The wurkhouie, too, must be made a workhouse, and not an almsliouse. If boards o guardians will carry out in their integrity tiie principles of the n w I'oor-law, heed the frequent advice tendered by the ceutial au'hurity, and act upon the warning voice yearly uttered by the various inspectors of the Local Government Biard, then only the truly destitute will reci ive relief at their lia^ids, and thas relief will be of a deterrent character. The pii die must remember that it is their ignorance and their f lise views )f charity which have taught working men in the r tine of ne 'd to lely upon the parish. Unthrift has, as it were, betn thrust upon them. At the present moment rhanly is nut ready for the entire abolition ot out-relief. When it is abolished it will be a briglit day for the wurkiii? man. Eut tiie poor will always be with us, and must be helped by some charitie.o, and instructed to think of the future. In no short time, for they are very apt to learn, as a million of Odd IVllows and Foresters aloue show, they will invent methods to help t'leraselves. It is requisite to give iielp in such a manner t'lat the poor man sees lie is helping himself, and to con- c' naively sliow liiin that if he try he will, as a rule, succeed, and that if he does not try, only uncertain chanty or an uncom- fortable, not a cruel, workhouse is in store for him. At pre- sent the knowledge that a lazy, a dishonest, and a squandered life is as well rewarded by our laws, and by indiscriminHt>^ charity, as a steady, hardworking, frugal one, is a L'reat check t > individual efforts of providence and thrift. Pari passu, with a determined and unswerving adupticm of a deterrent form of relie*^, an organisation of charity and Poor-Uiw must Take place. Tne Local Government Board has sunc'ioiied it, toe dri't of modern thought and experience favours it, and the voice of coinmon honesty and justice demands it. Want of acouratfi information and intellierent invesiigatiou are the cur?ft of tlie I'ojr-law system. Poor-law and charity have stojd haughtily apart, neither caring to know anything of ea;h other's work. In those places where the Poor-law and cliirity have united in their work amongst the poor, the success is most encouraging. In 1871 the Local Government Boird sent Mr. Doyle, one of their inspectors, to report on the system pursued at Elberfield. This system consists of a combiualion of a very strict Poor-law with a very thorough and considerate examination of cases. A very large number of Volunteer visitors are enlisted, each havinsr charge of only four f imilies, o'whig- every circunisance they iufor n the guardians. This system had been, in 187U, in practice for nine'een years. In 1852 the population was under 50,UUU, and the number of psuiiers over 4',000, or one pauper to twelve of the population, and the expenditure was over £7,000. In 1857 the popula- tion had increased to nearly 5:3,000, while the number of paupers had decreased to 1,528, or one pauper to thirty-four, and the cost had decreased to £3,623. In 1870 the population wa< over 70,000, but the paupers hid diminished still further to 1,063, or one pauper to sixty-four ot the population ; in other words, a co-operation of charity with Poor-law made, in nineteen years, four paupers out of every five inde- pendent persons. On Mr. Doyle's arrival home he endeavoured to establish something like the Elberfield system at Macclesfield, with the result of reducing, at the end of the first three months, the nutnber of cises of ouf- reiief from 490 to 239. In the Metropolis, during the last three years, nearly forty charity organisation societies have been established, each coterminous with the Poor-law Union, and in the same three years the weekly pauper-roll has been rr- from 105,000 to 83,003. All employers should insist upon those who work tor tliem belonging to some benefit society. In such cases where it is impossible, on account of age, &c., they uliould iaiti-ite one for them, and make them pay to a provident dispensary for their families as well as themselves. This plan i-i not new in England. Many large firms and railway com- panies do 80, notably the firms round tlie North Staffordshire Hospital, to which all the employed are compellnd to have deducted from their weekly wages O^d. if it be under 7s. ; if over 7s. and under ISs., O^d. ; if over 18s. and under ^O--., Id* Tnese small subscriptions last year am )unted to above £2,5U0» and entitled them — working men aud their families — to medical attendance at any time at this hospital. The Bavarian Poor-law empowers the communal authorities to require workmen and labourers to pay as regular contributors toward* such a fund, in return for wliich the contributors acquire a right to hospital assistance. By tlie same law large employers of labour may be called upon by the Poor Relief (Jouncil to provide for a-sistance to their work-people in cases of sick- ness, and such employers may then establish in their manu- factories a special sick fund, and require the work-people to contribute to it. In Austria and the whole of North Grmanr the working-people are compelled by both local and general law to subi-criije <^o sick aud death funds. Hid charity and Pour-law worked in unison in the Stortkbridge Union, there Would not have occurred at East Tytherli-y the scandal of a child being allowed to die without its father having been ab'e to ub'ain medical assistance. The guardians, logically, were right in refusing to continue to give medical orders to carteri in full employment. A provident dispensary exited in this village to meet the requirements of such cases, but there was a scnndaloiis failure, .simply because eitiier Cannons' mind was incapable of appreciating his duty, or liis wages were not suflicieut for a large family. The first ciuse should have beea met by a concerted action of both charity and Poor-law, through which Cannons should have been gradually taught the necessity and righteousness of helping to help himself. The second, either by an increase of wages, or if they wern of the ma'-ket value, and the family too large for him to be wholly pro- vident, then charity slioul I have been ready to assist in pay- ing to a di-pensary the contribution necessary for the whole family. Relief given by way of loan would tide over the di'-^ ficulty. Penny banks,, clothing clubs, benefit societies, and branches of provident iustiiutes are required in every parish, &c., but there must be an organisation of them all. While out-relief is in a transition state, relief given by the guardians on loan would, perhaps, be an easy way to tide over a tem- porary dilfi ulty. To those who say that the English labourers cauhot afforii to be m-'mbers of sound benefit societies, I tell the II, then, that either ihrir wages are not sufficient for them, a id their employers snpiilement them by rates wrung from others poorer than themseKes, who have no iutere>t in their gains, or that they are, as a rule, sufficient for provident hihits. The general consensus of opinion s that never wera wages in a more satisfactory condition than at the present time. £mplo}er and employed have yet to learu that they must know each other, and care for each other better than they do now. Too often each sees little else than the selfish trait.s in the othert.' character. It is tlie duty of the upper class to first hold out the hand to a closer acquiintance-liip, and to per- severe, even if the hand be at first rudely repulsed. We must help the poor by personal example, by personal sympathy, and by personally teaching them the way of thrift. No nation caa long continue in prosperity with a wide gulf between employer and employed — a gulf from either side of which not seldom comes up scarcely any other cry than that of '' Money, money f reciprocal advantages ! mutual concession ! " Personal sympa- thies aud the fostering of the semi-charities cannot tail to bridge it over, and help to bring an ebb in the tide of unthrift, improvidence, and pauperism. The reading of the paper was listened to throughout with great interest. Mr. Spooxer said he thought he should be right in con- cluding that there was a universal feeling of indebtednnss to Mr. Gritfin for so kindly bringing the subji-ct forward, for a more important one could not possibly be in- troduced. If there were any ground of complaint it wa» that the question was so large that it would be found ira- possilile, during any single afernoon, to do justice to ita consideration, and, therefore, probably the best thing to do under the circumstances would be to address themselves to some of those salient points which might contain the pith of the matter, leaving the paper for further consideration till after they had seen it in print. It appeared to iiim that there could not be a doubt as to the correcmess of the principles endeavoured to be est iblished, but there was a C'-rtain weak point. Go where tiiey would, they would find that it had been said — " It is plainly far more economical to give a little tem- porary relief than to b-eak up a man's home and make liim ^o into the workhouse," There vvas a great deal of truth »n THE FARMER'S MAGAZII^E. 11^ Hi 'li (in argiimenf, and it was because it had not 'leen siiffi- cifutly III' t by tluit system of cliaritable iustitutious in which mpM might co-operate together lor their own good, and by a strict;',r superintendence as to each particular case whicli might come before the ffuarjians of the poor, llo iiad been particularly struck wirh some facts brought forward by Mr. Tra-ik at a meetinif of agriculturists at Silishury, wlieu he s'lowed that in Wiltou the a'uouiit of tlie I'oor-'aw relief was almust greater than in any otlier p iriih in England. Those who were cognisant of llie parish knew tliat it consisted moitly of good farms and good lands, th.vt tliere was an excellent landlord, who had well man-iged estates and good cottages, and yet they founil that the amount of Poor-la* Tfliel and outdoor relief was almost greater than in any other parish in England. Kow the niore tliey studied that fact the more they must be convinced that there must be something radically wrong there, and it was an evil that should be met. No doubt the guardians, in many instances, had been lax in their exertions, and they had not made sufficient inquiries into the cases whicii had come before thorn. It was urged that in agricultural parishes the guardians kai'W the circumstances of every family, and, therefore, that they were the proper men to determine whether the cases were proper cases for outdoor reliei ; but all preseut at that meeting knew wliat jiuman nature was They knew that a man did not like to be unpopular — that he liked to have the character, and probibly deserved the cha- racter, of being disposed to be kind. The maxim, to", tint a nun had bftter err ou tiie side of charity liad, un(brtun:itely, been too current for many years. Abuidoning justice, and allowing charity to preponderate one year afier another, liad introduced that system wnich now so unfortuna'ely prevailed. Uut since the rise in wages, in conseijuence of the greater demand for labour and the nrevalencc of emiirralion, anil the number of men in small parishes being much le?s now than formerly, it had bee i felt that the time had now arrived when a check must be pu to the system, and remedies must be provided. lie couourred entirely in Dr. Grifliu's statement — that charity was hardly prepared to take the subject up, and, therefore, all they could now do was to make outd lor relief a strong exception, iu the hope that gradually charity might be introduced, and that any cases of debility and sickness would be sulfieiently provided for by the system, aided by the main o'lje t itself. He should have liked to see more explana'ions (but lliey could not expect them) from the introilucer as to the priui iples of the society intended, in a great measure, to take the place ol outdoor relief. It was very desirable to encourage charitable institutions, bat he liad no doubt that pauperism had been aided and promoted by the indiscriminate distribution of charity. Mr. Blundell said that he had been much pleased with tlie paper read, and they were all extremely obliged to Dr. Gr ffiu for the pains he had taken and t'.ie detailed manner in which he had gone into nearly all parts of the subject, which could not fail to have their effect and weij^ht on society generally. It seemed to him, however, that there were mariy cases relieved in which the parties were not really deserving of relief — not cases of necessity. It frequently happened that parties received money from the parish when they were a great deal better off than some of those wlio paid the rates, and he thought it would be very advantageous if the names of all who received out-door re'ief were published every week or every month, and if tliat list were published in some conspicuous p'ace — on the church tr chapel-doors, in order that all persons I'lijfht be able to see who were in receipt of relief and thus to form an estimate of the case". People would then learn that others as well or better off than themselves were in receipt of relief would remonstrate with them, and they wonlrt thus assist the guardians in meeting the cases on their merits. Dr. Gritfin had made the remarkable statement that in South Stoneham Union there were 229 adult able-bodied females receiving outdoor relief, whilst the iuhabitants of towns experienced the greatest difficulty in getting servants at all. A Voice : We have the same difficulty in the country. Mr. Blundell said that the statement was positively a-toundiiig that iu the union in which they lived there were so many women capable of domestic service who were receiving parish relief. That showed some great and important change was necessary ; otherwise it would lead to the subversion of society a'togetlier. He thought some steps ought to be taken to spjiirate the poors'-rate proper from oilier charges paid With it. It was now a handy basis for Parliament to Hi a rate upon for almost anything. Education, the highways — almost everything now became chargeable and was based on the poor-rate, but such matters should be kept entirely separate. It had been affirmed that relief in aid of various charges should be obtained frotn G ivernment, and this had bc^n partially etf cted ; but he entirely objected to such a system. Th'Te was now an enormous mass of property in the country that paid no'hing at all to local taxation, and, if tliey bad to take the charges referred to from the general taxation, did not tliey pay them a second time ? No doubt they did, and bow came it that tliero were so many wealthy persons who took no interest in the amount of rates? Because tliey lived on the interest of that which paid little, or nothing at all, and, therefore, it was no wonder that there were so many drones and wasps as they found novv. He lioped that the Charity Organisation Society would succeed, and that it would not forget the wealthy who paid scarcely anything towards the rn^e-. These were tlin parties who ouglit to come forwird, for they had their pockets full of money, and it was extremely unfair that the middle and trading classes of this country should be called on to pay the enormous rates they did when so inaiiy paid none at all. JMr. Smith, seeing several guardians of the S 'Utli Stoneham Union preseut, a-ked if any of them could explain what was stated with respect to the women in Dr. Griffin's paper. It might be (hat many of the able-bodied woineu refeired to were old women. The Rev. J. M. Lee, one of the guardians, said he thought there must be some mistake in the figures put before the Club, and, if that were so, the arguments based ou those figures fell to tlie ground. He quoted a number of the figures cited by Dr. Griffin, and compared them with the official returns from the Union, the result being a very wide difference as to the numlier of psnpers and the expenditure for their relief. This difiiculty led to an irreconcileable difference, and it soon became quite apparent that any intelligent discussion of the affairs of the Suutti Stoneham Union was totally imp"s- sible, as either the figures of the Poor-law Board were not understood, or something was included in their returns which was not included in the returns of the Union. Eor instance, the returns from the head-office gave the number of able-bodied paupers receiving outdoor relief in the Union at 832, whereas it was stated that they did not now know in the the Union what it was to give relief to able-bodied men (uit of the house. There was elso some confusion in the discusfionas towhetherit was 832 " men," or " paupers," in the paper. The latter, it will be observed, was the correct term used. It would also seem that the same remarks apply to the number of women receiving relief. Dr. Griffin said he would send the returns to the press, and they would show whether the figures were right or wrong, or whether the returns of the clerk to the guardians or the Poor-law Board were incorrect. The returns he liad quoted were for 1875. The Rev. Mr. Lie thought it would be undesirable, on account of the expense, to publish tlie lists so frequently hs suggested. He explaiied the allowances to widows and children in the Union, and the mode of the allowances. When a woman became a widow they allowed her 5s. a week for the first month, and after that nothing, but they gave her Is. a week for her children if under age. There were a great number of children receiving the shilling a week, but their mothers got nothing at all. The guardiaus of the Union, at their list meeting, determined that a list of the names of different persons receiving relief should be placed on the table, so that the guardians of the diffi'reut parishes should see the names of those in receipt of relief. Mr. Blunbell said he should like the public to see the list. The Ret. Mr. Lee said the numbers now receiving relief were not so large as they had been, ei.her in the house or out of it, and the rating was less, although other items had been added to it, If these things were true, he could not under- stand how they could be so badly off at South Stoneham. They must be paying an enormous number of people with no money at all. Something had been said about relief by way of loan. They had tried it several times, but could not get the money back again. Many considered receiving relief as much a right as receiving wages, 'ihey said, perhaps, that they had paid rates for so m*ny years, and that, therefore, they were entitled to recive relief if necessary. Ke should like to see public notice given that, after a certain time from the present day, no 150 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. r li' f stiould be given out of the lio'ise, except in cases of sick- ness. Tlien people, perliaps, wuuld take care of tliemselves, stud would euier Ijeuetit clubs, and, tlierrfore, no great hard- si.p wuuKl be inflicted if out-relief were refused them. Many, liu.vever, had been mi'mbers of clubs which had become bank- ri.pt. They were uuw too old to enter other clubs, and it w.iiild hf. a great hariiship to say to such that no relief should b^ sliven them, exc-pt iu the house. Mr. L.^e likewise ex- p aiu-d thai it was not persous wlio paid the pours' rate, but property. Mr. John Gater remarked tint there could not be the •liihtest uuubt as to the iuiporlauee of the paper read by Dr. Grirtin. The very fact ol its inducing the guardi-ins of the t-outh Stonehain Union to speak m the way they had proved afr once Us iiupurtince, because, whether Dr. Grilli I's tii^ures were derived Iroui a correct source or not, it was very ivident tiiai the guirdiaus of that uuioii did not entertain the same cjuvicli)ris of them as he did. It appeared to hiin, however, t.iat llie large nuiub-r d' paupers referred to as men, wo nen, and ciiildreu in tlie union ol SouUi Stunehaui must lie alto- g^tlier wrong, and he could not help thinking that tiie number must include all the men, women, and cliildren who were re- ce.i.iug relief by certifica'e from the medical otficer. As to til re being so many able-bodied nien and women as vt^tcd, lie was quite sure that there were not so many. He MAS, indeed, coufideut that there were not a tenth of the ii umber, aed he was not sure that there were not a hun- . dred. T.iis question was a matter of such great im- ponance that lie hoped it would be adjourned, and that the guardians of South Stoneham wuild attend the next luteliiig for the discussion of the subject. It always seemed 1 1 him a most diflicult thin^ to determiue as to vvho slumld be entitled to outdoor relief and who should not be. It was Chen impossible to determiue betveeu real and feigned want, e.'^ce^)t by com^ielling per^ons to give up all their outside tie", and compelling them to enter the house. Still, there were ca-es in wliicli a few weeks' assistance had been kuoAu to k ep people from going info the workhouse, and thus preventing loem trom becoming, as it were, Hcchraalised in the union. The difficulty appeared to him to be that they so oft^n were declined by those who applied for out-door relief, seeing that tiiey had such limited means of ascertaining tlie facts of the Ctses. They must depend upon the relieving oftioer, or they must investigate the cases for thera-elves ; but, although guardians of the poor miiflit be very zealous iu their work, and howtver much time might be at their disposal, still if was practically impossible that every guardian should be able to mike himself thoroughly acquaiated with tlie circnmstances of every poor person in his di?.tric^ Therefore he thou;ht they should have some means of making known to the public at large vvho were actually in receipt of relief, for it was a man's neighb(jurs— perhaps, in about the same position in life as liimsel — who were best acquainted with his circumstances, and whether he had that in his home and about him which ought to prevent him from receiving parish relief. They ■wanted some plan as little obnoxious as possible to place before the r.itepiyers the kuoAledge which the guardians required, and he believed that tlie South Stoneham guardians had adopted a system which, if not so extended as it might b. come, would supply the want which was now felt. All rate- payers should consider it their duty to go to the Union to inspect the list of those in receipt of relief, when they would hi able to acquaint the guardians with the facts of any case tiiat might come under their notice, and which called for observation froai them. Mr, Barford thought it shouM go forth from the meeting tliHt they had the startling fact that iheoflieial conclusions fuj- nished by autiiority from head-quarters had been eome to en false bases. The actual figures wt re tot illy dilferent from those supplied by that authority. With respect to publishing the proposed lis's, he thought that such a system would do an infinite amount of good. He also referred to the abuses created by giving relief in kind. In many instances where stimulants were recommended for a patient, he hid no hesita- tion iu stating that the patient had never received them at all. If would be a great improvement if they had a store at the nnion, instead of giving ticb-ts to patients to get what they required from small shopkeepers, for there was no abuse so great and universal as that proved to be. Mr. T. Warner observed that it would not do to go to the Toor Law Board aud tell them that they had isiued erroneous statements. Perhaps their figurpg might be correct, but the easel had not been properly classified, ll was probably in that way that the mistakes arose. They should be classilicd to sho* the infirm, the olJ, the young, the sex, and every other pir- ticular, which would probably make up the numbers given by the Boatd, He agreed that people sliouli be required to pro- vide lor " rainy days," and not apply for relief at the eleventh hour. Mr. Smith suggested that the numbers :;iven by the Poor Law Board might include persous rccei\ing medi al relief, and he tlioug it that when they ca ne to examine into the sub- ject they would find that the Board was right a'ter all. The IHAIRMAN said that the subject had been so fu'ly discussed that little was necessary for lam to add; but, v\ hat- ever error or inaccur.icy had occurred, ii did iiot lessen the interest in the subject generally. He thougl t that the i'lor- law, whatever its intentions mi^lit be, had bien much abused, particul iily in cases of ont-door relief. There were many cases iu which men who had been receiving good wageo lor several mouths beeiine ill, and the next day they applied for relief. But they ought to be members of some club, or save eomethiiig, to meet ca^es of that character. The law of the. land now was such that any destitute persrm could demand relief. Still, he thought it shoulj be given by way of the liouse, or by way of loan, to be repaid in a certain time, tor then, if a man were to forget to repav the -noney advanced, he would be chary of coming again. The system, too, worked disa.lvantageonsly wiih respect to the medical man, who was expected to attend a patient in sickness without receiving any payment from him, but as a part of his oflieial duties. Many of these people, however, could, if they p'eased, afford to pay for such services themselves. They might join a medicMl c'uh, and then, in sickness, they would be entitled to tl e attend mce of a doctor. Tiiey did not do so now, an 1, if lh« doet ir were cal ed on to visit thein, lie knew that if he did »u v(itliont an Older from the relieving offi: er lie would not be paid. He held that every m;iu should be encourage 1 to become a member of some benefit society, and if en^plnyers of labour were to tell their men, in case of their ta'ling ill, that th-y would not assist them unless they beloniied to such a society — if they made it a condition that unless the men tried to help them-elrps, they would throw them on the par sh »t once^ irobably it would induce a great many to belong to a benefit society. With respect to the list of recipients, he should like to see more publicity given to it. He had been a church- warden and overseer, bu; had not seen one for twenty years. Dr. GiiirriN, in the course of his reply, said that he fVlt rather sorry that he had instanced the case of the South Stouehana Union, as it had diverted attention from the general discussion of the subject, to which thev ought rather to have adhere'', and not to have kept to tlie partcular instance in question. He n commended that the names of the paupers, th' ir disease, the amount they received in relief, &c , should b« punlislied every six months. The Rev. M. Lee produced a piinted book, and said the guardians I'ad done it every six months. Dr. Gkieein said that was the fiist he had heard of it. A resolution was about to be proposed, when Mr. JoiIN Gater said he thought the meeting should be a journed m ord r that the guardians of the South Stoneham Union miglit have the opportunity of reading Dr. Griffin's paper, and also of going into the statistics adduced by him. Dr Shield remarked that there was not an able bodied man in his district who had relief. It was then unanimously agreed that the meeting should be adjourned. 'IMie proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to Dr. Griffin for the able manner in which he liad introduced the su'ject, aud to Mr. W. Warner for presiding at the discussion. LORD BEAUCHAMP AND HIS TENANTS —Lord Beauchamp has always been c inspicuous for his earnest desire to promote high farming on his estate, and an announcement we are able make to-day will entitle him not only to tiie gratitude of his tenants, but the esteem of the general public. The past season has been an unusually trving one in most agricultural districts ; the prevalence of disease among stock, the extraordinary amount of rain, and the greatly enhanced cost of labour matarially interfering with tlie THE FARMSR'& MAGAZINE. lol rrtiirns. Tii order to relieve his teii'ints of any undue l.iirdiMis, L inl Braiichainp instriic'fid a Wf'll-kiio«ii valuer in tlie Jlulhind Ciiuiities to visit his e'tales and to furnish iiiin willi a carel'ul valuation. Whi-re the rent Iris been in excess of the vilnatiin it has been reduced, but where the vilnation was liiahiT than the rent no clunfje has been made. This act of liberal consideration will not fail to secme warm apprecia- tion, but Lord Beauchanip has tak n oilier measures to encnnrajfe bis tenaits. A' the rent audit, at the Crown Hotel, in Worcester, on Wednesday eveninfr, Jlr. Lakin siinonnced that liis hjrdbliip would give sever. tl valual)le prizes to ib'ise tenants whose nianagi^ient was most inciitorions. The handsome snm of £100 will be awarded for the Ijesf- nianaged fanu of more thau 100 acref, and £200 will be divided into Ibroe rq.ial pii/.es for the three next best farrns, irrespective of exti nt, on the estate in 1877. Tlie j..dires will he men of tried aptitude, and in every way euliiled to the confideiice of the tenants. As m ly be supposed, Lord Be.ju- champ's geneious proposnls have been received with some- thing very like enthusiasm, and we look forward lo a most spirited contest. Several of his tenants ure known lar and near for their knowledge and success as farmers, and and r such eucouriigement as this will doubtless show w hat enttr- ptisp, determination, and sound judgment can do. Such a landlord deserves a liearty response 1 1 liis elfurts to improve his estates and advance the interests of bis tenants, and that he will meet with sui-li a response is a foregone conclu ion.— Berruuin Worcester Journal. NOUTU-EIDING TENANT-FAEMERS AND CONSEEVATIVE LEGISLATION. A quarterly meeting of the Bedale Chamber of Agriculture was held on Tuesday, Jan. 13. Capt. Claike, president, occupied the chair, and tlie attendance of members was large. After the usual routine bus'nt-s?, a paper was read by ]\Lr. Robinson, of MHUnhy, Tbirsk, on " (Vgncultural Legislation for J 875." He commenced by saving tliat he did not speak as a politician, but as a tenant- larmer, and if he appeared to attack the policy of Mr. Disraeli's Government it was not from any party feel- ing. He divided bis remarks under two heads — the work that liad been done, and the work that ought to have been done hut had not been done. The first amounted to a minimum, notwithstanding Mr. Disraeli's promises, and the fact that a tenant-farmer had been a member of the Government. The Agricultural Holdings Bill was the only legislation that had, during 1875, resu'ted from the Premier's promises. Mr. Robinson, having pointed out how the various clauses were arranged, went on to say that in clnuse 7 they were shown the way iu which improvements of the first and second class were to be valued. In each case tlie sura laid out by the tenant on the improvement was to form tlie basis of the calculation, and from that sum was to be deducted a certain portion for each year, supposed to represent the actual benefit arising to the tenant from such improvement. JN'ovv, although that seemed very straight, it was iu fact a very one-sided way of putting the matter. At the end of twenty, or seven years, as the case may be, the tenant was supposed to have received back the full value of the improvements ; but where, be asked, was the interest of the sum expended all the while ? If a tenant ex- pended say £iJO on a permanent improvement, he was supposed to receive tiie amount from the benefit arising therefrom in 20 years, or at the rate of L\ a year ; but over and above that he ought to have received iu that time £10 as interest upon the original outliy. But that idea did not seera to have been present with the compilers of the bill. Clauses 9 and 10 were entered as s;ifrguards fur the landlord. By clause 9 tlie tenant shall not be entitled to compensation for an im- ■provenient of the first class, unless he has executed it with the consent of the landlord in writing ; and 10, as the improve- ment of the second class, unless he has given notice in writing to the landlord of bis intention to do so, he shall not be entitled to compensation. Mr. Robinson then said : My opinion is that both these clauses are bad, and in either case a tenant who had accidentally forgotten to carry out either of these two clauses, might be robbed out of that which was partly his due. I think that with the sole exception of the erection of buildirgs, it should not be imperative that the tenant shoul i have the conseit of his landlord to the improve- ments in order to obtain compensation for tliem, but that if such improvement was in accordince with good husbandry, and had increased the value of the lioldiug, then the tenant should reeeive compensation acrordiogly. Sir. Robinson next dealt ■with clauses respecting the making of ageemeuts, which he strongly condemned. Practically, Mr. Robinson continued, the Act will cause little or no change. Acts of Parliament are intended to remedy grievances or defects in the law. In this case we know and feel there is a grievance, and a very legitimate one, and it was acknowledged by the speakers in the debates ; but, as us'ial, the farmers had to go to the wall, and that squirearchy which Mr. Disraeli so profoundly respects still held their own, and the country was treated to the richest piece of humbug that this geueraliou has seen. But after all the farmers were rightly served, for it was well nigh impos- siljle to get farmers to combiLe for any purpose, while, if they were but united, it would be an easy matter to obtain tbeic rights. But he trusted there was a' better day dawning, and that for defence of their rights farmers would combine. Having touched upon what bad been, Mr. Robinson pro- ceeded to consider what ought to have been, but bad U't been done. No relief bad been accorded them in the way of lojal taxation, but the farmer still bears the entire burden of local rates; and the magistrates are still allowed, without any check, to increase the salaries of the olhcials. Another was that respecting the restrictions upon tlie trade in foreiija cattle, and the orders of the Privy Council relating thereto. As the loss arising to the grazier from imported diseases vias greater than the value of tlie stock imported, the farmers were entitled to the greatest protection ; but instead that idea was pi'ob-poohed by the Government; and the tenan'-farinera' re- presentative, after being snubbed by his chief, bad resisjned the post which he held, thereby sensibly weaken-ng iMr. Disraeli's administration; and he (Mr. Robinson) thoui;ht they ought that day in some way or other show their appre- ciation of Mr. Read's action ; and may the day speedily come when they would be more largely represented! Had the tenant-farmers been properly represented, that sham of shams, the Agricultural Holdings bill, would m ver have seen the light. Mr. Robinson concluded by trusting that farmers wonld not sit down under defeats, but struggle on until iliey were in a position to develop the meat-producing and corn- growing capabilities of this country to the greatest extent; In the course of the discussion which followed, The Chairman approved of a great many of the points upon which Mr. Robinson had touched; but respectiiij; the permanent improvement, those in tlie first-class to expire in twenty years, he was strongly of opinion that those were landlords' improvements. Mr. Smith agreed entirely with Mr. Robinson, but differed from the chairman respecting the twenty years' improvements. In some cases there were poor landlords who could not put up buildings whilst the tenant could. But he did not find fault with the fact that any building put up by a tenant, at the end of twenty years became the landlord's sole property. Mr. Trotter did not agree with Mr. Robinson that the bill was a sham of shams. The present Government was the fir.st wtio had acknowledged that the tenant-f.rniers had a grievance, and it was somethiugto have a "case" only. They ought to be thankful for what they had got, and strive lor more. It was, he contended, right and proper that a landlord should have power to withhold his consent to the erection of buildings on his land, if such were unsuitable or fancy ones. What the present Government had done for them was a " leaven," and it lay with the tenant-farmers to work it up. On the proposition of the Chairman, seconded by Captain Other, a cordial vote of thanks was psssed to Mr. Robinson for his paper, and the same was ordered to be printed and circulated amongst the membera. The Chairman drew the attention of the meeting to the presentation to be made to Mr. C. S. Read, who bad resigned his position in the Government. He cordially endorsed the action of Mr. Read, who, on the Agricultural Holdings Bill, had been " muzzled" by the Prime Minister; and iu the 152 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Contagious Diseases Animals Act had not been treated with fund, together with a vote of thanks to Mr. Read for hi» the consideration he deserved. serfices. After n Tote of thanks had been accorded to tlie Chairman, After some discussion it was resolved, on the motion of the meeting broke np, it being determined to call a special Mr. Other, seem led by Mr. Smith, that three guineas meeting of the Chamber fur the 22ud i'^ebruary, to discuns shuuld be sent from the Chamber to the Head testimonial the question of local taxation. REVIEW OE THE CORN TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. '\^nth the opening of the year 1876 the wheat trade commenced' under very peculiar circumstances. The post year began favourably, with the prospect of an early season, as well as a good one ; but the winter loitered, making the spring backward, causing the issue to be doubtful. The blooming time came late, and when we wanted sunshine and calm in the month of July, which ■we reckon to be high summer, came a deluge of rain, putting all calculation out of course. It was soon apprehended, by men of experience, that we should sutfer; and so we hare, for our wheat yield only turns out five-sisths of an average, and of but poor quality and weight. Speculation, which for a long time had been dormant under the abundance of 1874, suddenly woke up, and the orders that went out on English account were so numerous that our stocks at the close of December, dating from the 1st of September, were 50 per cent, beyond what for a long time had been known. The remnant of the good year 1874 was forgotten, and with a good harvest time, after a bad peiiod of bloom, it was thought matters were then rectified; prifcs went back, and have since been kept down by the surplus imports. But the weekly deliveries so fully confirm the Mark L«ne Exp'ess' estimates of the crop that, bad as things are, we still look for a rally, more especially as, through unfavourable circumstances, little more than half of the future crop has been sown. The late holidays added to the dulness of the trade, which has further been injured by the damp, mild weather, which has generally lowered the quality of samples, so that on that score alone prices have lately been weakening, without any marked declension. This last week, indeed, the London averages show an improvement of Sa. 5d., simply from the fact of the frost having returned ; for, on the previous week they were only 45s., which was actually Id. below the general averages, so that to send to London, under such circumstances, was to lose money. In France and all over Europe there has beeu a dulness as well, and tendency downwards • but as we drift into March brezes our prospects may brighten, and trade resume its animation. In Australia as well as at New York prices have lately been advancing. We herewith give the quotations for wheat at different ports, as recently made : White wheat at Paris 48s., at Bor- deaux 47s. ; Marianopoli at Marseilles 45s. 4d., Danube 38s.; best native wheat at Brussells 49s., at Courtrai46s., at Louvain 48s., at Liege 46s., at Amsterdam 44s., at Maestricht 453.; best at Hambro' 50s.; native at CJogne 448., at Mayence 46s., at Petersburg 42s., at Danzig white 50s., Stettin (for April and May) 43s. 6d., Berlin 43s., at Vienna 41s., at San Erancisco 52s. 6d. c. f. i., at Adelaide 43s., No. 1 spring at New York 40s. per qr. The first Monday opened on a small supply of English wheat, but there was a fair arrival of foreign. There were but few fresh samples during the morning from Essfx and Kent, and the damp weather then ruling greatly dtteriorated most of the samples. The few that were dry went off quietly, at the rates of that day fortnight, the previous Monday having been a holiday, but the rest were extremely difficult to place. The foreign trade was still very inactive ; holders were not generally disposed to press sales, which would certainly have rather lowered prices. With numerous arrivals of floating cargoes very little demand was experienced, but prices were nominally the same. The country remaining uoder the influence of the holidays and damp weather, very little business was passing ; but as the week closed frosty so the latest markets were more firm, but with the exception of Liver- pool, which was 2d. per cental cheaper on the week. Edinburgh and Leith were without change, but Glasgow gave way Is. per qr. At Dublin the wheat trade ruled heavy, both for native and foreign qualities. On the second Monday there was a small increase in the English supply, while that from abroad was doubled, free contributions coming from America, Australia, India, and the Baltic. The show of fresh samples from the near counties was again limited, hut after the frost the condi- tion was somewhat improved. The dry and saleable ])or- tion went off pretty freely at unaltered rates, lower sorts being quite of uncertain value and almost impossible to place. The foreign trade evinced no improvement, either in value or demand, but nobody seemed inclined to press sales. Though floating cargoes were numerous they experienced an improved inquiry, at previous rates. The renewed frost having rather improved the condition of country samples, there was more activity in the sales, at fully previous rates ; though where the condition was bad, business was still difticult, with prices rather lower; but Li- verpool this week recovered its position, having effaced the decline of the previous week. Though Edinburgh and Leith remained dull, Glasgow noted an improved inquiry, at fully previous currency. Dublin again very dull, and rates generally 6d. per barrel down. On the third Monday the native supplies were still small, and those from foreign ports fell oft' greatly, Adelaide being the principal source of supply. A thaw having for a few days again appeared, the condition of the fresh- brought samples went back, and but very few were found fit for millers' purposes. Such only sold slowly, at un- altered rates, the rest being of uncertain value, and quite neglected. But though foreign supplies had so materially lessened, there was no revival of the market, and the very little done was at unchanged quotations. Floating cargoes, in spite of free arrivals, sold readily. The wheat trade in the conntry lost its upward tone, from the return of damp mild weather, though white sorts improved at Spilsby Is., and good red was firm at Lynn and Gainsborough. Liverpool on Tuesday was unaltered. On Friday the market was Id. to 2d. lower per cental. Leith, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen were much the same for wheat, but Glasgow was rather lower. Native wheat remained dull at Dublin, but there was a rather improved demand for foreign, at fully previous rates. On the fourth Monday there was another moderate supply pi English wheat, but the foreign arrivals were THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 153 fair, and about half from Southern Russia and the Prin- cipaliiies ; India, New York, and Adelaide doinij pood service. There were hut few fresh samples tin's inoniing from the uear counties, and they were generidly iu poor condition. Only those that were dry found buyers, and that slowly, at the previous rates, the remainder being passed by. The foreign trade remained on a small scale, and to have forced sales would have lowered prices. Float- ing cargoes of .fine old kept their value, but not iuferior sorts. The imports into London for fonr weeks were 19,938 qrs. British Wbeat, 94,104 qrs. foreign, against 22,608 qrs. Engli.^h, C6,1G8 qrs. foreign in 1875. The imports into the kingdom for the four weeks ending loth of January, were 4,100,949 cwts. wheat, 517,210 cwts. Hour, against 2,619,312 cwts. wheat, 532,677 cwts. flour for the same period in 1875. The London exports for four weeks were 1,995 qrs. wheat, 50 cwts. tlour. The general averages opened at 45s. 9d., and closed at 44s. 7d. The London averages commenced at 47s., and ei.ded with 47s. 5d. The quotations of flour during the first month of the new yea,r showed but little change, though country sorts gave way at the opening Is. per sack, bringing Norfolks down to 33s. for the best, made of old wheat, and 30s. to 31s. for that made of new, while foreign barrels at the same time yielded in a like proportion. With the temjjeratiire so continually varying, the market has hardly been fixed as to values, and business throughout has been dull, though the top price of town-made has steadily been kept to 47s. per sack. Iu Paiis, too, the trade lias been lieavy, and the best marks for consumption did not.exceed 37;'. 3d. per sack. The imports into Loudon for four weeks were 77,591 sacks country sorts, 6,815 sacks, 30.142 barrels foreign; against 83,544 sacks country, 12,886 sacks, 26,200 barrels foreign iu 1875. Malting barley has found but a moderate demand, the •Scotch supjdies having kept up well ; but prices cannot be said to have gone back for fine sorts, though dull enough for secondary qualities ; and grinding foreign has been reduced 6d. to Is. per qr., and coutiuues to be the elieapest feeding-stnlf on the market, useful SOlbs. sorts being procurable at 25$. At this price there is no induce- ment to make free imports, and, as the season advances, we rather look for some improvement in the price. The four weeks' imports into London were, iu British qualities, 16.548 qrs., iu foreign 27,673 qrs. ; against 15,854 qrs. Eritish, 101,751 qrs. foreign for the same time last year. So there is a considerable falling-ofF in foreign imports. the malt trade all through the month has been inactive, aid only the primest qualities maintained their previous value, holders getting more anxious to sell. The imports of maize, without being heavy, have been filly equal to the demaud, and new qualities have given wny Is. to 2s. jier qr.. not being worth over 30s. for flat A'liCrican ; but fine old round sorts were still held at 32s. to 33s. The month's imports amounted to 43,868 qrs., against 59,009 qrs. for the same time last year. The oat trade, with moderate supplies, has undergone but slight fluctuatious during the month. Uu the secoud Monday, when the supply was moderately heavy, prices advanced about 6d. per qr. ; but on the following week, when the quantity was somewhat less, they lost as much, and since then no change has been noted, leaving rates much as they commenced. SSlbs. swedes are worth 23s. 6d., 401bs. 26s. ; 3Slbs. old Kussiau 24s. 6d., 40Ibs. 273. ; and as uottiing now can be expected from Russian purls, the probability is that they will contiuue at about this ransje, iu consequence of the large demand. The imports for four weeks into London were 5,lGi qrs. English, 384 qrs. Scotch, 102,602 qrs. foreign; against 1,626 qrs. En-libh, 477 qrs. Scotch, 100 qrs. Irish, 120,437 qrs. foreign, for the ?ame time last year. The supplies of beans have been fair, including foreign ; but prices have not materially changed. New English have niven way Is. to 2s., aud old, of all sorts, on the third Monday were reduced Is. A large demand for the country has kept up the value of this grain more than might have been ex])ected, good dry new harrows being still worth 47s., old Egyptian 40s., old Italian 43s. to 44s, The imports into London for four weeks were 3,787 qrs. native, 10,729 qrs. forei({n ; against 3,219 qrs. native, 4,394 qrs. foreign iu 1875. English peas have been in moderate supply, but foreiga have fallen off; and the fiost not lasting long enough to create an extra demand for boilers, these, as well as those for hog-feed, have given way Is., without activity in the demaud. The new English white are very poor, and not many worth over 38s. ; while Canadian are worth 42s. and hog-feeding sorts 393. Maize and barley, both being relatively cheaper, have, in many cases, supplied their place. The imports into London for four weeks were, iu English sorts, 2,822 qrs., in foreign 1,927 qrs. ; against 1,568 qrs. English, 30 qrs. foreign in 1875. We have had unusually free imports of Linseed, and of fine quality, from India, which have served to reduce values Is. to 2s. per qr. ; the arrivals in four weeks being 68.563 qrs., against 20,479 qrs. last year. In red Cloverseed occasional sales have been made, at enhanced prices for fine French and German sorts, though but very little English has come to market, and that not so fine as expected. It has, however, sold readily; aud as the supplies from America are neither expected to be large or low-priced, dealers have shown rather more con- fidence in the trade. White seed and tiefoil have also been rather on the move, and Alsike as well. Spring tares have been placed at full rates ; and though reported scarce at Hambro' aud 2s. to 3s. dearer, more are beginning to appear, and were saleable at 5Ss. to GOs. per qr. REVIEW OF THE CATTLE TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. The most interesting event in the cattle trade dnriug the m.nth has beeo the arrival of a moderate quantity of dead meat from America. The present operation is merely tentative, but it has proved so successful that there is no doubt that tliis new braiich of enterpiise will be extended. The cousignments have come to iiaiid iu excellent condition, and have beeu di.sp'ised of at such urices as to render the operatinu profitable. The meat is kept sweet by the cold dry air process. The cattle trade has on the whole been quiet. At one time very full prices were obtained, but these currencies were uot altogether supported. As rtgauls beasts fair supplies have been received from our own grazing districts, and ahliougU second-rate animals liave been rather plentiful, there has been a better sliow of clioice deicri) tiims. Scotland has coutrihuled over 1,P00 excellent beasts, but the arrivals from Ireland have as usual beeu of iudili'erent quality. The Norlolk stock has come to hand in tolerably Ko^d condition. The show from tlie Continent has beeu cliiefly made up from Denmark, Hofland, Spain, and the condition of the receipts lias been about an average. As regards trside, at one time much firm- ness prevailed, and 6s. 4d. to Gs. 6d. per Bibs. was. paid for the lest Sco*s and crosses, but liter on the market became weaker, and 63. to 6s. 2d. per Slbs. was the extreme rate. The sheep pens have been pret*y well filled, but the in- crease in the supply was due to the greater liberality in the foreign receipts, Eiijilish breeds being rather scarce tlian otherwise The market on the whole was firm, but without being active, nor were tlie best (irices maintained up to tlie close. The choicebt Downs and half-breds have sold at 73. to 7s. 4d. per Slbs. Calves were firm at full prices. 154 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. P'ga steady. The total imports of foreign stock into London last month ei'e; Head. Beasts 4 443 Sheep 32,04.7 Calves 663 Pigs 236 Total 37,988 Corresponding period in 1875 .. 15 914 1874 .. 29,513 1873 .. 19,889 1S72 .. 17,850 1871 .. 10,298 1870 .. 21,727 18G9 .. 12,214 1868 .. 20,0 jO 1867 .. 24,084 1866 .. 28,838 1865 .. 16,953 186J. .. 9,967 1863 .. 11,893 1862 .. 8,753 1861 .. 2,708 1860 .. 6,760 1859 .. 9,264 The bullock arrivals from our own grazing districts, as well as from ScDthmd and Ireland, thus compare with tlie three previous jears : Jan. 1873, Jan. 1874. Jan. 1875. Jan. 1876. Norfolk, Snff..lk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire 4.000 5,100 5,200 8,500 From Lincolnshire, Leicester- shire,and Nortliamptoushire 800 400 1,300 800 Other parts of England 2,020 3,000 1,600 1,560 Scotland 584 909 550 1,071 Irelmd 1,855 1,000 450 1,3S4 The follovfing figures show the total supplies of stock exhihited and disposed of at the Metropolitan Cattle Market during the month : Head. Beasts 18,590 Sheep 108,500 Calves 1,390 Pigs 145 Comparison of Supplies. Jan. Beasts. 1875 14,021 1871 16,850 1^73 14,940 1873 18.141 1871 15,028 1870 19,251 1869 19,880 1868 17,620 1867 18,150 1866 24,620 1865 20,669 1864 19,412 1863 20,455 1863 20,680 1861 17,613 1800 20,500 1859 19,805 1858 20,313 Calves. Piers. 930 235 1,435 515 1,376 575 818 438 314 365 1,127 965 654 1,201 520 1,610 756 1,508 1,754 2,325 1,095 2,370 1,019 2.567 1,637 2,456 853 2,850 677 2,000 1,067 2,045 921 2,400 1,103 1,756 Be.ef from... 4 Mutton 5 Vesl 5 Pork 3 8 to 8 6 to 7 G to 4 3 8 to 4 10 J an., 187 2. 8. d. 8. d. 3 6 to 5 10 4 4 to 7 0 4 6 to 6 0 3 8 to 5 0 Sheep. 78,350 82,260 64,300 78,128 73,840 91,700 91,930 86,820 82,400 89,390 73,714 80,230 83,423 82,160 75,240 92,426 90,520 80,743 Beasts have sold at from 4s. 6d. to 6s. 4d., sheep 4s. 6d. t > 7s. 4d., calves 4s. 6J. to 7s., and pigs 4s. 6d. to 53. lOd. per 81bs. to sink the off.,1. Comparison of Pkicfs. Jan., 1875. Jan., 1874. Beef from... 4 4 to 5 10 4 6 to 6 4 Mutton 4 6 to 6 10 5 0 to 7 0 Veal 4, OtoBlO 5 6 to 6 10 Pork 4 2 to 5 0 .... Jan., 1873. '■' s. d. s. d. 4 to 6 2 .... 0 .... 4 ... IMPERIAL AVERAGES For the week ending Jan. 15, 485 6. Wheat 48,413| qrs. 418. 7d. Barley 6:i,2ati „ 343. 3d. Oats 3,915i „ 239. lOd COMPARATIVE AVERAGES. WHEAT. Teara. Qrs. s. d. lo7i... 56,8tt2i... 55 8 1873... 51,18H| ... 55 9 1874... 55,.528J ... 6i 6 1875... 67,08 'i ... 44 6 1876... 43,4121 ... 41 7 BARLEY. OATS Ors. 5.6L)S| ... 5;i91i ... 5,141| ... 3,32S ... 3.9 iSi ... AVERAGES Fob thb Six Wbbkb BiTDcira Dec. 11, 1875 , Wheat. 9. d. 46 1 46 7 45 9 45 3 45 1 41 7 45 7 44 9 Barley. 8. d. 35 4 35 4 31 9 31 6 34 5 34 3 34 9 44 S Oat«. 8. d, 24 9 Dec. 18, 1875 'J4 10 Dec. 25, 1875 25 4 Jan. 1, 1876 21 4 Jan. 8, 1876 23 10 Jan. 15, 187S 23 10 Aggretjate Avg. of above. The same period in 1875..., 24 2 29 5 FLUCTUATIONS in the AVERAGE PRICE of WHEAT Dec. 25.iJan. l.i Ja.n. 8. Jan. 15. Pbicb. Dec. 11. Dec. 18. 463. 7d. ( 46s I'i. „. 1 45s. 9d. I. 45s. 3d 1.5s. Id. 41s. 7d. CURRENT PRICES OF BRITISH GRAIN AND FLOUR IN MARK LANE. Rhnimes per Quavt er WHEAT, BBsex& Kent, white old 49 to 55 new 48 to 62 „ „ red ... old 47 „ 50 new 42 47 Norfolk Linclnsh., and Yorkah. red old 50 new 41 47 BARLEY Chevalier new 37 43 Grinding 23 31 Distilling 34 37 MALT, pale 63 66 old 69a brown .. 62 66 RYE 42 44 OATS, English, feed 25 to 26 Potato — — Scotch, feed 00 Irish, feed, white 22 Ditto, black 21 BEANS, Mazagan ...44 Harrow 46 PSAS, white, boilers.iO 00 Potato — — 00 Fine — — 00 Potato — — 45 Ticks 43 41 62 Pigeor, old .. 64 56 41 ..Maple ...44 to 45 Grey 39 40 FLOUR, per sack of 2801b8., best town hoaeeholds... 43 47 Best country household?, old 37 40 Norfolk and SuETolk, old ...., 30 33 FOREIGN GRAIN. Bhillinga per Quartnr WHEAT, Dantzic, mixed 52 to 51 extra — to 67 Konigsberg 49 52 extra — 64 Rostock 47 — ....old — 50 Bilesian, red 46 43 white.... 49 51 Pomera.,Meckberg.,and Uckermrk....red 46 49 Ghirka 45 tol7 ...Russian, hard, 42 to 4o Saxonska 46 60 Danish and Holstein, red 46 49 red American 45 49 Chilian, white 51... Califomian 53 ... Australian 62 66 BARLEY, grinding 25 to 29.. ..distilling 30 34 OATS, Dutch, brewing and Polands 23 to 27 feed 21 24 Danish and Swedish, feed 23 to 26....Stral8und... 23 26 Canada20to24, Riga23to26, Arch.23to26,P'Bbg. 24 27 TARE?, Spring 60 ei BEANS, Frieslandand Holstein 42 43 Konigsberg 46 to 47. ..Egyptian .39 40 PEAS, feeding and maple. ..40 — ...flne boilers 40 42 MAIZE, white 30 32. ..yellow 30 31 FLOUR, per Back, French. .00 00... Spanish, p. Back 00 09 American, per brl 23 21.. .extra and dble. 25 26 Printed by Uazbll, Watson, k Vijney, 265, Strand, Loudou TO AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT MANUFACTURERS, ESTATE AGENTS, &c. C, H. M A Y, 18, GEACECHFECH STREET, LONDON. ESTABLISHED 18i6. APPOINTED AGENT TO THE ADMIRALTY, TRINITY HOUSE, &c., &c. ADYEPiTISEMENTS INSERTED IN ALL THE LONDON, PROVINCIAL, EOREIGN, AND COLONIAL PAPERS. TO LANDOWNERS, FARMEES, AND OTHERS. EVERT DESCEIPTION OF TEE FINEST WINES AND SPIRITS SUPPLIED BY WESTON T. TFXFORD k CO., IMPORTERS, 48, FENCHURGH STREET, LONEON, RC, ESTABLISHED 18^7. SAMPLES FORWARDED FREE OF CHALGE ON APPLICATION. LONDON AND COUNTY BANKING COMPANY. ESTABLISHED IN 1836, AND INCOaPOKArSD IN 187i UNDER "THE COilPANIBS ACT, 1362." SUBSCRIBED CAPITAL... £3,750,000, in 76,000 SHARES of £50 EACH. PATD-UP CAPITAL l,20n,000\ n, .„k ^^n INSTALMENT ON NEW SHARES 223.700 ]" ^^'^^^'^^^ RESERVE FUND ^ 525,000\ n^ofi rqc INSTALMENT OF PREMIUM ON NEW SHARES 111,895/ *'^'^o,oy* T. TTRTNGHAM BETINARD, Esq. ROBT. ALEX. BROOKS. Esq. TnO?.IAS STOCK COWIE, Esq. rREDERTCK FRANCIS, Esq. Joint General Managees- CHIEF INSPECTOR. W. J. NORFOLK, Esq. DIRECTORS. EREBERICK HARRISON, Esq. \ WILLI A'M NICOL, Esq. VVM. CHAiVIPION JONES, Rsq. A. HODGSON PIIILLPOTTS, F.SQ. E. HARBORD LUSHINGTON, Esq. WILLIAM HENRY STONE, Esq. JAMES MORLEY, Esq. ' JAMES DUNCAN THOMSON, Esq. WILLIAM McKEWAN, Esq. and WHITBREAD TOMRO.sr, Esq. CHIEF AO'OUNTANT. SECRETARY. JAMES GRAY, Esq. GEORGE GOUGH, Esq. HEAD OFFICE, 21, LOMBARD STREET. Manager— WHITBREAD TOMSON, Esq. | Assistant Manager— WILLIAM HOWARD, Esq. THE LONDON AND COUNTY BANK opens— DRAWING ACCOnNTS witli Commercial Houses and Private Individuals, either upon the plan usually adopteil by ether Bankers, or by charging a small Commission to those persona to whom it niay 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 ia allowed for such peri >d3 and at such rates as may be a.free 1 upon, reference buias^ had to the state of the Money Market. CIRCULAR NOTES AND LETTERS OP CRfiiDIT are issued, payable in the principal Cities and Towns of tho Con- tinent, in Australia, Canada, India, and China, the United States, and elsewhere. The Agency of Foreign and Cnuntry Banks is undertaken. The Ppkchasb and Salb of Government and other Stocks, of Bnghsh or Foreign Shares effected, and Dividbsdb, AwNUiTiBH, &0 , received for Customers of the Bank. Great faciUties are also atfcrded to the Customers of the Bank for the receipt of Money from the Towns where the Com- jjany has Branches. The Officers of the Bank are bound not to disclose the transactions of any of its Customers. By Order ot the Dii-ectors, WM. MoKE WAN, ■) Joint General WHITBREAD TOMSON, ) Managers. IMPORTANT TO FLOCKMASTERS. fpHGMAS BIGG, Agricultural and Veterinary I 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 Fanners and Gjaziers to liis valuable SHEEP and LAMB DIPPING COMPOSITION, which reciuires no Boiling, and may be used with Warm or Cold Water, for eflcctually destio\ing the Tick, Lice, and all other insects injurious to the Flock, preventing the alarmmg attacks of Fly and Shab, and cleansing and purifj'ing the Skin, thereby greutly im- proving the Wool, both in quantity and quality, and highly Contributing to the general health of the aninial. Prepared only by Thomas Bigg, Chemist, &c., at his Manu- factory as above, and sold as toUows, although any other quantity may be had, if required: — i ib. for 20 sheep, price, jar included £0 2 6 lb. 30 8 1b. 40 10 1b. 50 30 1b. 100 801b. 150 40 lb. 200 601b. 250 60 1b. 300 801b. 400 LCO lb. 600 (Cask and measure included) 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 10 0 15 1 0 1 3 1 7 1 17 2 5 Should any Flockmaster prefe>r boiling the Composition, it wUl be equally efJective. MOST IMPORTANT CERTIFICATE. From Mr. Hebkpath, the celebrated Analytical Chemist : — Bristol Laboratory', Old Park, January 18th, 1S61. Sir, — I have submitted your Sheep Dipjaing Composition to aaalyt^is, and find that the ingredients are well blended, and the ^xtme neutral. If it is used according to the directions gi ve^ 1 i uel satisfied, that while it efiectually destroys vermin, ilwiU not injure the hair roots (or "yolk ") in the skin, the fleece, or the carcase. I think it deserves the numerous teetunonials published. I am, Sir, yom-s respectfully, William Hbeapath, Sen., F.C.S., lic, Ac, To Mr. Thomas Bigg Professor of Chenxistry. i^ THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, AND MONTHLY JOURNAL or THE AGRICULTUEAL INTEREST. SeUttatrt TO THE FARMEKS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. LONDON : PUBLISHED BYROGERSON AND TUXFORD, 265, STRAND. PBICE TWO SHILLINGS. HAZELL, WATSON, & VINEY] [PRINTERS, 266, STRAND LONDON AND COUNTY BANKING COMPANY Established in 1836, and incorporated in 1874, under " The Companies Act, 1862." SUBSCRIBED CAPITAL —£3,750,000, in 75,000 Sliares £50 each. REPOUT Adopted a.t thk Annual General Meeting, 3ed I'ebruaky, 1S76. The Directors have pleasure in submitting to the Proprie. tors the Balance Sheet of the Bank for the Half-year ended on 31st December last With reference to the exceptional loss arising out of the failure of Messrs. A. Collie & Co., mentioned in the report to the Proprietors in August last, the Directors have, after careful consideration, transferred £75,000 from the balance then carried forward, to the special account previ- ously opened, which wQl, in their judgment, fully cover the ■tvhole of the deficiency. This transfer of £75,000 leaves the balance brought from last account £13,856 12s. 3d., including £6,093 15s. reserved t^ meet interest then accrued on New Shares. The Net Profits for the Half-year, after paying interest to customers and all charges, aUowing for rebate, and making provision for bad and doubtful debts, amount to £142,874 6s. 3d., which, added to the above balance of £13,856 123. 3d., produces a total of £156,730 18s. 6d. Out of this sum the Directors have added £25,000 to the Reserve Fund, raising that Fund to £699,522 lOs. They recommend the payment of a dividend of B\ per cent, for the half-year, and that the balance of £14,730 18s. 6d, remaining (after providing £15,000 for interest on new shares) be carried forward to Profit and Loss New Account, The present dividend, added tb that paid to 30th Juno, will raake 16i per cent, for the year 1875. The Directors retiriug by rotation are James Mori- y, Abraham Hodgson Phillpotts, and James Duncan Thomson, BsQuires, who, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election. The Dividend, £1 14s. per share, free of Income-tax, will be payable at the Head Office, or at any of the Branches, on or after Monday, 14th February. BALANCE SHEET of the London and County Banking Company, 31st December, 1875. ' Dr. To capital paid up £1,200,000 0 0 To instalments received in respect of new shaxes 299,045 0 0 To reserve fund 525,000 0 0 To instalments received in respect of new shares 149,522 10 0 To amount now added 25,000 0 0 To amount due by the Bank forcustomer3'balance8,&c. 21,399,784 6 4 To liabilities on acceptances, covei-ed by secm-ities 2,162,095 7 0 ^0 profit and loss balance brought from last account, less £75,000 referred to in tliereport 7,762 17 3 To reserve to meet Interest accrued on new shares 6,093 15 0 To gross profit for the half- year, after making provi- Bion for bad and doubtful debts, viz 395,530 1 6 699,522 10 0 ■23,561,879^3 4 Less amwint added reserve fund to 409,336 13 8 25,000 0 0 384,396 13 8 Cr. By cash on hand at Head Office and Branches, and with Bank of England £2,735,258 10 By cash placed at call and at notice, covered by (securi- ties 3,375,270 15 Investments, viz. : ■ By Government and guarau-" teed stocks 2,336,754 16 9 By other stocks and securities 60,805 11 11 -£6,110,529 5 4 By discounted bills, and ad- vances to customers in town and country 14,805,785 3 4 By Uabilities of customers for drafts accepted by the Bank (as per contra) 2,162,095 7 0 2,417,560 8 8 -16,967,880 10 4 By freehold premises in Lombard-street and Nicholas-lane, freehold and leasehold pro- perty at the branches, with fistm'CS and fittbigs 441.137 14 By interest paid to customers 77,/ /6 19 By salaries and all other expenses at head- office and branches, including income-tax on profits and salaries.... 129,948 19 0 £26,144,833 17 0 Pbotit and Loss AccorNi. To interest paid to customers, asabove £77,776 19 To expenses, as above 129,918 19 To rebate on bills not due, carried to new account 44,929 16 To amount added to reserve fund 25,0i.)0 0 To intd'rest on new shares 15,000 0 To dividend of 8^ per cent, for half-year 10^,000 0 To balance carried forward 11,730 18 7,762 17 3 6,093 15 0 £409,386 13 8 By balance brought forward from last account less £75,000 refeiTcd to in the report By reserve to meet interest accrued on nesv shares By gross profit for the half-year, after making provision for bad and doubtful debts 395,530 1 5 £409,386 13 8 We, the undersigned, have examined the foregoing Balanc® Sheet, and have found the same to be correct. (Signed) WILLIAM NOBMAN, EICHARD H. SWAINE STEPHEN SYMON aNE, > ws, ) Auditors, By Order, GEO. GOUGH, Secretary. London and County Bank, 27th January, 1876. £26,144,833 17 0 LONDON AND COUNTY BANKING COMPANY. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a DIVIDEND on the Capital of thi:^ Company, at the rate of 8i per cent, for the Half-year ended December 31st, 1875, will be PAYABLE to the P'roprietors, either at the Head Office, 21, Lombard- street, or at any of the Company's Branches, on or after Monday, the 14th instant. By Order of the Board, W. McKBWAN, WHITBRBAD TOMSON -,} Joint General ilanagers. 21, LoiiBAED Steeei, February 4th, 1876. I\ ^ I ^" ^ ^ THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. MARCH, 1S7G. PLATE. TEEDEGAR, a "Royal" Hereford Bull, the property op Mr, William Taylor, OF Showle Coukt, Ledbuky. THE FARMER S" CLUB. OUR MEAT SUPPLY. My object in the preparation of this Paper has not been to throw impediments in the way of the importation of cattle from foreign countries — much less from Ireland — but, on the contrary, to suggest tho adoption of such measures which, if put in force, would speedily rid the United Kingdom of diseases of modern origin, and thus pre- pare the way for the adandonment of all restrictions. The present regulations are notoriously inefficient : they satisfy no one, they cause anxiety to, and embarrass the foreigner by their uncertainty ; and they harass the home producer, without affording him the needful protection. It will be seen, by reference to page 160, that I advocate the adoption of more thorough measures, or the abandon- ment of the inoperative regulations now in force ; substituting, in lieu, penalties for moving, or exposing for sale, animals suffering from contagious diseasea. I have been led to write this short Preface to correct misconceptions which have arisen in the minds of certain newspaper critics, who have probably been misled by the abridged reports of the Paper which appeared the morning after its delivery. Clajpham Park, Bedfordshire, Feb. 14, 1876, JAMES IIOWAKD, The first meeting for the year took place on Monday evening, February 7th, in the new room at the Caledonian Hotel, Adelphi, the Club having recently removed from the Salisbury Hotel, where it had been located ever since the hotel was erected. On the same occasion the new secretary, Mr. Druce, barrister, son of Mr. Joseph Druce, also made his first appear- ance in the office of Secretary, in which he had just succeeded INIr. Henry Corbet, who, after having held the post for nearly 30 years, had been compelled by ill health to resign. There was a very large attendance. The above subject, " Our Meat Supply," was to have been intro- duced by Mr. James Howard, in whose name it appeared on the card, but, as will be seen from what follows, that Old Skries. gentleman being indisposed, the opening paper was read on his behalf by his brother, Mr. Charles Howard. The cliair was taken by the President for 1876, Mr. T. HoKLEY, juu., who, in his opening reraarks, commenced by apologisiug lor the late period at which the meeting began, namely, seven o'clock, instead of the usual hour of six. This delay was, he observed, owing partly to tlie fact tliat the Committee had that day to perform the important duty of electing a new Secretary, whom he had now the pleasure of introducing, and who he was sure every member of the Club would feel great pleasure in seeing in that posi- tion, lie felt quite certain that gentleman would do his utmost for the benefit of the Club, and would prove agreeable in the intercourse which the members might have with him. The delay was also partly owing to the fact that on that occasion the dinner preceding tlie meeting had been attended t)y as many as 80 or 90 gentlemen. Tlie subject to be introduced tliis evening was deeply interesting both to N Toi. LXXIX.— No, 3, 156 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE S British aericulturists and to the tpcming millions of popu- lation. The ptice of meat was a matter for very serious con- sideration, and anything which could be done to show liow the supply might be increased would be welcome to the F.ritish farmers, and conduce to the prosperity of the country (Hear, hear). He was sorry to say Mr. James Howard was prevented by indisposition from reading his paper himself ; but he liad a very good substitute in his brother, Mr. Charles Howard, and he had no doubt that the paper would lead to valuable discussion. A Member having observed that the Chairman had not mentioned the name of the new Secretary, the CiiAiRMAiM an- nounced the name of Mr. Drnce. Blr. C. HcwAKD, after remarking that his brother had for two or three raonths been deprived of the proper use of his voice, and that he had just telegraphed to him from Bristol that he did not feel able to come up for the meeting, and adding that he hoped that, like some public men, he would be found able to read another man's productions — (laughter) — proceeded to read the following paper : The subject selected by theCommittecof the Club for the open- ing of the present year's discussions, whilst being one of great moment to the British farmer, possesses an interest extending far beyond the bounds of the agricultural circle. The meat supply of the country is a question which comes home to every house- hold ; indeed, it has become one of the most pressing domestic questions of the day. It may almost be said to be a vital question, for not only does the population rapidly increase, but meat among all classes has become much more an article of diet than formerly. Scientific men tell us that meat is not so nutritious, weight for weight, as some kinds of vegetable food —Scotch oatmeal, for instance — but owing to its being more tempting to the appetite and stimulating in eifect, those who can afford it are content to pay far more for the luxury than its intrinsic value. Evidence was given before a Parliamentary Committee in 1873, that owing to the increase in mining and manufacturing, andth.e consequent rise in wages, the consump- tion of meat in (ierraany, Belgium, Holland, and other countries on the Continent had become much greater than formerly. Seeing however, how many aspects will present themselves for remark or discussion, I will not waste time in introductory remarks, but plunge at once into the subject, which, for convenience, I have ranged under the following heads : 1, Prices, Consumption, Waste ; 2, Home Production, Foreign Supplies; 3, Cittle Diseases: their Origin, Effect and Danger; 4, Legislation: its Defects and llemedies ; 5, Stockowners' Prudence, and Hindrances to Production. PiiK^ES. — Within the Hmits of the present generation, the normal price of meat was about 6d. per lb. I can remember several periods when prime joints were sold in the country at much less than that sum. From the examination of the books of a large country butcher, placed at ray disposal, I find that during the past 25 years the retail price of meat has increased 4d. to 5d. per lb., and, singularly enough, it has risen by gradual steps ; at the end of each five years tlie advance has been just about Id. per lb. Of course, during this long period there have been occasional checks to this upward tendency, but these have invariably been of short duration. I may say that, from inquiries I have made, the advances in London butchers' prices correspond closely to those I have named. From a table I have given in an appendix it will be seen that between 1853 and 1863 an advance of 20 per cent, took place, in the Metropolitan Market, in the price of prime beef in the carcase, and as much as 30 per cent, in mutton. In the follow- ing 10 years— viz., to 1873— the total advance was 33 per cent. in beef and 42 per cent, in mutton. Tlie prices in 1875 were higher than in 1873, beef being ^d. and mutton ^d. per lb. higher. The butchers' profits have, unquestionably, been re- latively higher than when prices were lov/er ; but it must be Temembcred that the butchers' profits, per stone, must be greater when the carcases cost 6s. per stone than when they are to be bought at 43. ; still, talcing the greater risk and the greater capital into account, it cannot be denied that the correspon- dence between the prices charged by the butcher and the prices realised for the animal has been upon tlie side of the retaikr. An important element in dealing with prices is quality ; but I do not think it necessary to go into this subject further than to remark there can, I think, be no questicn that the average quality of home-produced meat is far higher since our improved breeds of cattle, sheep, and pigs have extended themselves so widely thronghout the country. j\^owadays, in wliat are known as low neighbourhoods, both in London and in the provinces, one constautly sees meat of such quality as formerly was only expected to be met with at the West End or at first-class butchers. What is the average consumption of animal lood by the British beef-eater? although a curious, interesting, and important question, is not one that could be easily answered with exactness, even if our agricultural statistics were not so imperfect as we findthem— a factwhich intelligent farmers beg n to deplore ; still, we are not altogether without data to go npon. The members of the Club will not forget the interesting and ela- borate paper (in 1872) by Mr. Jenkins, Secretary of the Royal Agricultural Society, who went so fully, I may say exhaustively, into the question. In the appendix to my paper, to which 1 have thought it well to relegate all statistical matter, a number of tables* will be found. From the information which these afford, I have arrived at the. conclusion that the average yearly consumption of meat is about OGlbs. per head, which at Bd.per lb , taking the population for 1875 at 32^ millions- amounts to the enormous sura of 101 millions per annum. Although not strictly within the limits of my subject, I would say that to these figures it would perhaps be sale to add 20 per cent, as representing the value of the fish, fowls, birds, game, raUbi's, pigs (not enumerated), goats, &c.,riquirfd to satisfy the national appetite. Before concluding this part of the subject, I would say just a word upon waste of animal food, for notwithstanding its dearness, the waste which takes place is proverbial ; nor is this confined to the kitchen or the house- hold, a waste that has so often been pointed out by students of cookery, and lately brought so prominently before the public by Mr. Buckmaster — but the waste in bad weather from putre- faction is enormous. It has occurred to me that at our meat markets, and large butchers' establishments, some such plan as that recently adopted in transporting carcases across the Atlantic might be introduced with no little advantage. I shall refer to this new feature of the trade presently. Such a device would not only save much valuable food from being wasted, but the possessors of such an appliance would be enabled to supply well hung meat, an advantage which could not fail to be appreciated, and that .-ipeedily. Kotary fans could be constructed for small establishments, which would only require winding up like a clock. I have at my house in Bedfordshire an American fan of this kiud, used for making what is termed air-gas. When I come to the importation of live animals, I shall have to point to another source of waste. Having therefore said thus much upon prices, consumption, and waste, I will pass on to the more important and perhaps interesting questions of Home PRODtiCTiON. — TSTo greater change in the con- dition of English agriculture has taken place than in the production of meat : an English farm is now regarded as a meat manufacturing establishment, quite as much as for its corn growing capacities. If we had the means of ascertaining, how deeply interesting it would be to know tliiC increase in the product iou of auimal food since the commence- ment of the present century ! Here again we feel the loss of agricultural statistics, for we have no data to go upon. Some idea may, however, be formed of the growth of our meat pro- duction, from the fact that nearly 2,000,000 homegrown cattle are annually slaughtered, and no fewer than 11,000,000 sheep' besides 5,000,000 pigs. The total annual value of animal food produced in the United Kingdom cannot be estimated at less than from 85 to 90 millions sterling. Notwithstanding this apparently large production there can be no question, as I shall point oat in conclusion, it could be enormously increased were all the impediments to production swept away. My observations on home production may he considered brief; to those who would pursue the subject more in detail, I refer them to Mr. Clarke's tables already alluded to, and which hava * Most of the tables I have given were prepared by Mr. J. Algernon Clarlje for the Select Committee on Contagious Diseases (Animals), and subsequently published in the report, as well as in the Chamber of AgricuUure Journal. I consider the country owes a debt of obligation to Mr. Clarke for his great pains, and the valuable information afforded. Had these tables attracted the notice of the Statistical Society, I hj e no doubt Mr. Clarke would long since have had the privilege conferred upon him by putting F.S.S. at the end of his name. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 157 rpudpic'd any Icngtliened observation oa this branch of my 1 siilijpct unnecessary : I will tlierefore pass on to the question of FoRErriN Supplies. — When Sir Robert Peel's tariff was introduced, liirowiup; open our ports to foreiifn animals no little consternation was created in the minds of liritisli farmers liy the proposal. That tlu-y were about to be exposed to the rii^ours of (ree trade in corn seemed inevitable, but stork owners were taken by surprise when it was proposed to extend tlie principle to livestock, and many regarded the latter as a calamity the worse of the two. I well remember the dismay which the memorable tariff caused. The fears, however, turned out to be groundless; for, owintr to the enormous growtii of our tr ide and commerce, to the rajiid increase and prosperity of the population, all the meat winch we could produce at lioine, all the foreigner could spare us, was wanted, and prices, instead of receding, steadily advanced. I would take occasion here to remark upon what has recently been said by some of my political friends about British agriculturists seeking to re- store the principle of Protection by hampering the trade in foreign cattl?. 1 have no hesitation in saying tiiat such utter- ances display ignorance, and are neither more nor less than libels : the present race of agriculturists have acceiited the principles of Free Trade, and this as cheer fully as any other branch of tlie community : they desire nothing in the shape of protection or monopoly. (These sentiments met with the loudest applause from the audience ) Free imports of meat must not, however, be eonfoui.ded with unchecked importations of disease. What is demanded, in respect of importation of disease, I shall speak of presently. There are few subjects of which lean claim as much knowledge as Jlr. Bright; but I am quite sure tliat ttie right honourable gentleman, who is both a political and personal friend, would be the first to acknowledge that upon agricultural and rural subjects, upon the views and the opinions of the agriculturists of England, I have the right to claim as full a knowledge, and even a more intimate ac- quaintance. I will therefore say, I deeply regretted that Mr. Bright was tempted to write upon a subject of which, be con- fessed, he bad but an imperfect knowledge. The other day I saw in a Manchester paper the report of a speech expressing similar views by another friend of mine, Mr. P. llylands, late M.P. for Warrington, which was far more offensive than Mr. Bright's letter, because more dogmatical and denunciative. I was sorry to find such a man descanting upon a topic he really knew nothing about. The Table, iu the Appendix, showing the importations of live and dead meat for the past 35 years is the best answer to these insinuations and charges. A glance at the figures will show to what proportions the foreign trade in live an m;iL and dead meat ha sattainfd. To show is ex- pansiveness, I will refer to the two past years : in ISVi our imports of cattle, sheep, and swine vere 1,068,107, valued at £;;,'25(J,i..OO; in 157^ they rose to 1,313,4'S9; showing an iucrrasa iipon the y'^ar of nearly 300,000 animals. The value o! im- ported animals iu 1875 was £7,330,i20, showing an increase over the previous 3earormo''e than £2,000,000. The importa- tions in 1875 of dead meat, in the shape of baeon, hams, and oilier meat, fresh, salted, or preserved, amounted to 3,431,512 cwts., which, taken at 60s. per cwt., gives the total value us £10,2!) I-,()2G. Large as the figures I have qioted may appenr, it will be seen, by reference to the tables appended, that the supply of live animals from abroad bears but a small — a very small — proportion to the home production. If due allowance be made for the greater weight of the British animals, to say nothing of quality, the forei(;n proportion of the whole supply may be put down at 5 per cent. As London takes the great bulk of the foreign supply, the proportion for the Metropolis will be far higher. In making a com- parisju between home production and foreign supplies, it will be seen from the above statement that imported di^ad meat bears a much larger proportion than live animals, yielding in proportion to the home supply sometliing I'ke 12 per cent. A very large addition to the importation of fresh meat may now be expected, for it appears tliat nature has at jea^tli yielded up her secret, how meat may be kept fresh for an indefinite, at all events a protracted, period. Several consignments ot fresh meat have already been received from America-, the vessels bringing over the carcases are fitted, it appears, with rooms kept cool by currents of cold, dry air, from a fan : a full description of tliese compartments, and the whole process, will be found iu The Farmer of Jauutuy 10. The cV'^^r r>f this ably-conducted journal states that " the meat iias stood every test, not only ot the salesman, but of consumers, and both City and West-cud speak favourably of it. Not only is it fresh, but it has that quality which housewives know as 'old killed,' so often wanting in our home-killed meat." For my part, I have great doubts about the quality. During my journeyings in America I never was fortunate enough to meet Willi eii her beef or mutton that was not only dry, but com- paratively tasteless. However, the discovery of the process, if the shipments should pay the projectors, will, unquestionably, have an iiiduence upon the dead-meat trade to this country, the extent and importance of which we can scarcely recognise or anticipite. Not only will the vast capabilities of Texas and other cattle-rearing states receive a vast stimulus, ^ut, if it is found profitable and safe to send fresh meat across the Atlantic, the present trade in live animals from the Continent will speedily become a thing of the past, and a trade in dead meat take its place — a consummation to be greatly desired by the British f:iruier. With respect to this so-called American process, it is well known that our own countryman, Professor Gamgee, has for years past been working in the same direction, and I have reason to believe that no small %harc of the credit of the invention is due to his exertions, and to the experiments he made wit h reirigerators and cool rooms when out in Texas, sonic seven years ago. I was much impressed by a statement made before the Parliamentary Committee (1873) as to the enormous waste of meat attending the ioreign trade m live animals. Vlt. llobinson — an importer I shall again refer to — informed the Committee that the waste in a 12-cwt. bullock, five days at sea, is no less than 2 cwt., and this notwithstanding that these bullocks have all the food and water they will take. Such rapid waste seems almost incredible, but as the animals in question were weighed when embarked, and again upon land- ing, there was no doubt of the fact. Again Mr. Robinson spoke ol it as about the average waste. What an additional and powerful argument is this in favour of the dead-meat trade ! Having now treated, as briefly as I well could, of price, consumption, and supply, I will proceed to the more knotty and thorny questions involved in that of Cattle Diseases : Their OraciN, ErrECT, and Danger. — The question of the origin of cattle diseases, more particularly of foot-and-mouth complaint and pleuro-pneu- raonia, has given rise to much discussioa and a good deal of halted controversy. Having for years watched the strife, I have observed that the preponderance of scientific opinion and the evidence o!' facts liave been tending s'owly and gradually to the (OQcIiisiiu that both diseases are of foreign origin. It will not he forgotten that when the cattle plague (rinderpest) suddenly broke out in this country, and created such conster- nation Ijy its fatal consequences and the rapidity of its march, wo were gravely assured by professioaal men, and by pro- fessional writers, that the malady was generated in the London diiries, through the confinement, the dirty and unnatural c ndition, in which the cows are kept. The opinions, as to its Ioreign origin, of such men as Professor Simouds, Professor Gamjree, and others — founded upon experience gained abroad — stood for nothing : the whole profession was condemned for its incapacity to cure the disease, and the views expressed as to its foreigri origin were regarded as unscientific and the effects of prejudice. When, however. Government at length stepptd in to save the cattle of the country from annihilation, and adopted the " stamping out" policy all along advocated by tl:e veterinary professors, it was seen by the results that they were not only right in their theory as to the foreign origin of rinder- pest, bnt that their views were also correct as to foot-and- mouth and pleuro-pneumonia being imported diseases; for in stamping out cattle plague, the latter diseases were simulta- neously extirpated : not a case, too, appeared again in England un'il some time after the cattle-plague restrictions were removed, and importations freely resumed, I would not maintain that under no possible circumstances could these disea'es be gene- rated in England ; I simply maintain that not only is the bali-ce of evidence against the theory, but that there is little or no evidence on the other side — 'tis all opinion. So far as I have been able to ascertain, these maladies arc no more indigenous to this country than are yellow fever, leprosy, or cholera morbus. In support of this position, I will give two or three facts. In certain districts m remote parts of Ireland he foot-and-mouth complaint has never appeared. In a '"oeat letter of Mr. 11. 0, Priugle, of Dublin, author of " Live N 2 ns THE F^EMEE'S MAGAZINE. Stock of the Farm," I find the following statement : " There are many extensive cattle rearing districts in Ireland where foot- and-mouth disease is unknown, siinply because no strange cattle are ever taken into these parts of the country, the breeders being exclusively exporters. When, in 1874', pleuro-pneumo- nia was prevalent ia England and Scotland, the official report stated that uot a single case had been re[)orted from Wales, also an exporting country. Again, the isolated countries of Norway and Sweden, which are non.imporliui; countries, have eujoyed au imrauuity both from faot-aud-niouth and pleuro- pneumonia. Similar cases could be quoted from the antipodes, from America, Canada, and other countries ; but it is now Well known that disease everywhere follows tlie lines of cattle- traffic, and that the animals themselves are the chief carriers, the old theory of these contagious diseases being " in the air" ' is entirely exploded. Agnin, it is a very significant fact that ■ the old teteriuary writers appear to have known nothing of the foot-and-mouth or pleuro-pueumonia diseases. I have in my possession the agricultural portion of the library of the late Mr. fisher Hobbs. The other day, when looking it over, I found, "Pearson's Horse, Cattle, and Sheep Doctor," published in 1811. The authar,'a veterinary-surgeon of thirty years' stand- ing, treats of some sixty diseases of cattle and sheep, hut no mention is made of either of the diseases in question, or of any ; akin to tliera. The late Professor- Youatt traced the first out- break of foot-and-mouth disease to two lots of some bovine ■ species brought over in 1839 for the Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park. Clater, again, in his earlier editions of his "Cattle iJoctor," says nothing about these diseases ; but in the 10th edition (1853) 1 find the following remark : " Since the eighth edition of this work was pubhslied, a nev/ disease (foot- and-mouth) has appeared among cattle and sheep, and for the last twelve years has spread through tlie kingdom, scarcely sparing a single parish." So, again, of pleuro-pneumonia : in the same tenth edition Clater states that, although long known to exist upon the Continent, its first appearance in this country was in the winter of i815-4'3. One word upon the tlie theory ■ of exposure inducing contagious diseases. Many in this room remember tlie time when cattle and sheep were sent up from fiistant-oounties to London in droves. They also know the heat, the dust, the wet, the cold, the hardships, and the fatigue which animals in those days had to undergo. How many a '" dropped bullock" have I seen in my younger days ! but who- e-.er heard of these exhausted and often cruelly-'reated animals dropping with foot-aud-month complaint? Who, again, in tliose days, ever thought, when tlipy brought home a fresh lot >'0f bullocks from a fair, of putting them into quarantine, . aithougli they might have known that the animals had been ' driven hundreds of miles from fair to fair ? 1 should not have dwelt so long upon the origin of disease, but that interested persons — importers, dealers, butchers, and others — have so •persistently urged the opposite view, and have induced so many to beli^ ve their statements. However, the fact that somehow or other these diseases have got amongst our flocks and herds is of more practical importance than the theory of their origin. Still more important and practical questions are. How they are be heldin check ? How to extirpate them ? What are the means to he adopted to prevent their recurrence? Before, however, ■ I pass to the consideration of these points, and as arguments in favour of vigorous measures, I would first call attention to the grave danger which exists of these maladies becoming ^nitural- • istd among our animals, for a closer study and a growing knowledge of tlie facts of epidemiology are constantly adding more and more .support to the view that diseases not naturally inherent may, by their prevalence in generation alter genera- tion, become indigenous. To my mind, this is one of the most serious aspects of the whole question, fur it v/ould be converting naturally healthy flocks and herds into unhealthy ones, subject at any time to outbreaks of contagious diseases. If, as we are assured, there is danger of such a calamity, it tehoves Government — it behoves all concerned — to make -a determined and united effort to stamp out and to keep out so dire an enemy. I would further point to the direct money loss the nation has sustained through cattle disease, to the enltanced cost of meat to the consumer, and to the grave consideration of tlie permanent effect in checking breeding and production. . I know how tedious to a meeting like the present are long lists of figures or statistics, and I therefore shall give general resulta instead. .The country is mucliiudehted to a former ueighbour of -mine. Captain Johnes Smith, for the zealous manner in wliioh he lias dischatged liis duties as chief constable of Cheshire in relation to cattle diseases ; also for the abiliy and care displayed ill the returns he has obtained and published. For the year 1872 I fiud from Captain Smitli's tables that no fewer than 52,000 cattle were affected in Cheshire with tie foot-and-mouth complaint. Chesliire being a breeding and dairying county, the number of cows aiid heifers is large in proportion, as would be the loss also. In this county alone to say nothing of sheep and pigs, the loss cannot be estimated at less than £150,000 to £160,000 for the year. An old member of this Club, Mr. Duckham (v^idely knoivn to the editor of the "Hereford Herd Book"), gave very ira portant evidence before the Parliaraentary Committee in 1873^ This was a most important committee, moved for, it will be remembered, by our friend Mr. C. S. Read. I remember I never rose to speak in the House with greater pleasure than in support of the motion for its appointment. Mr. Duckham also hauded to tlie Committee a paper and returns (published at p. ^S-i in the Report of the Committee), showing the direct money loss sustained in the year 1873 by the stock owners of Herefordshire from foot-and-mouth disease. Mr. Diickhara in this paper showed that if the loss was as great in other parts of the United Kingdom, it would amount to the astound- ing sum of £20,-000,000, a sum exceeding by four times tl « total value of our importations of live-stock. So great a loss as this has proha'ily never taken place in any year ; but if taken for the disastrous year in question at one-half or one- third tliis amount, the magnitude of the evil is sufficiently apparent. I need not dwell upon the effect which such an amount of disease has upon the price of meat, for, striking, as it does, at the root of production, its influence is obvious — cheap meat and diseased stock cannot go together. Last autumn T/ie Daily Telegraph, which has not always written with wisdom on the suljject, t(jok steps to inform itself by obtaining reports from correspondents in various parts of the country. The publi- cation of thsse reports, from 70 different centres, showed iiow important an element iu the price of meat is disease. Serious, however, as are the din^ct money losses to Uie nation, and the immediate effect iu raising prices, the influence of disease in checking breeding is far more serious, iuasranch as it is cumu- lative iu its effects. I have heard farmers make light of foot- and-mouth complaint — as did Mr. Dent Dent in a letter to The Times last autumn. It is well known that there are two types of the disease. Those who have had experience of the more virulent form have reason to regard it with considerable a|ipreheiision ; whether, however, in respect of store stock, it is a subject to be treated lightly or not, the serious effect upon breeding stock is unquestionable. The York Chamber of Agriculture— Mr. Dent's own county — in a string of resolu- tvons passed at its meetin? last September shorted how fully alive its members wwe to its serious character, and with what difffrent views they regarded it to the former member er Scarborough. The Times — whatever opinions we may enter- tain as to its general policy — is seldom wrong when facts and scientific principles are involved. In a recent article on the subject of foot-and mouth disease it was very forcibly pointed out that the effect must not be measured by " tlie compara- tively trivial nature of the disease as it affects a single animal.^' The writer fullv recognised, as he termed it, " the magnitude of the evil," and advocated horoughly practical and efficient measures for the speedy extinction of the malady. That foot- and-mouth complaint is a fruitful source of abortion, barren- ness, and drying up of the milk, every man of experience knows too well. Let any one who entertains a doubt read the evidence of Mr. Duckham and other witnesses before tlve Parliamentary Committee. Were the materials at hand for making the calculation as to the extent to which our stock of cows has been kept down by the death of cows, heifers, and heifer-calves, as well as by abortion or barrenness, the cumu- lative effect would stand out in proportions so large as to be altogether startling, even to the authorities of ihe Privy Council. That there is no full or official record of the losses the nation has sustained is to be deplored. Had one been kept, I have no doubt it would have revealed the faet that our losses from disease far exceeded the total amount of the importation of live animals : one million head of cattle in the six years preceding the outbreak of rinderpest perished from pleuro- pneumonia alone, whilst the total importations during the tame period were only about half a million. THE FARMER'S MAOAZINB; 159- Lkcislxtion : its Defects akd Remkdies. — It was my iiitenlioii to give an outliue of the legi>littion upon tlie cattle trade and cattle diseases, but 1 came to the conclunion that the time would be better spent in considering and discussing- what further legislation and regulations are needed. I will therefore briefly state that the importation of cattle was prohibited in the last century, but the rule was, for exceptional cases, at times suspended, nnd occasionally a few animals were allowed to enter by special Customs permit ; others, it is said, were run in without, lu 1812, Parliament rescinded the prohi- bition and put on a duty ol lOs. to 20s. per head. In 1846 this duty was repealed, and our ports thrown completely open. Theouthre;ik of cattle plague led to the pas>iug of the Cattle IJisenses Prevention Act (1SB4). Tliis Act mainly dealt with rinderpest, and did nob touch the main home difHculties. The Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act (18G9) was next brought in and passed ; this, as is genernlly known, invested the Privy Council with powers to deal with every kind of cattle disease by the issue of Orders in Council, classified thus: (1) Local Orders, relating to particular places in the United Kingdom ; (■2) General Orders extending to all parts of Great Britain ; (3) Foreign Orders. The Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, consideriutr the great dilKeulties surrouading the subject, and the still greater prejudices which had to be cotitended with, was a wise and well-oousidered measure : its great defect was that it left too much power ia the hands of the Privy Council Department. At all events, lam sure you will concur with me that the powers- given uuder the Act have not been as wisely used as ihey might have been, or as Parliament had a rit;ht to expect. !'• can testify how desirous was Jlr. Forbter, during the passing of the Ait, to avail himself of the opinion of our friend Jlr. C. S. Read, upon the clauses and amend- ments, and how often he said, in relation to particular points. " What are Head's views?" The working, or, more properly speaking, the marring, of this Act by the Veterinary Depart- ment ol the Privy Council has shown, perhaps more thanany other circumstance, the necessity for an Agricu'tural Department of Government, presided over and worked by men practically acquainted with the work and duties of such an ollice. Mr. Read, as President — or Vice-President if a peer must be at the top — would certainly have been more at home, and able to render the country better service, than at the Loc^^h Mr Read, was simply amusing. The casual listener or reader might be at a loss to imagine who the darts of the noble duke were being aimed at, for the individual was nameless. His Grace seemed to bs addressing " the man in the moon," and altogetheroblivious of the existence of such a being as the Secretary of the Local Government Board. The travelling inspectors paraded by his grace for the first tirao with such pomp had long ago been urged as necessary ; before the Parliamentary Committee in 187^ their appointment was urged as indispensable to the premier carrying out of the regu- lations in force. How often Government was subsequently appealed to upon this and other points, we shall perhaps learn when Parliament meets. The results of the recent cases of prosecution against the railway companies and the General Steam Navigation Company conclusively show that the resistance to the appointment of travelling inspectors was a blunder. Again, the plea that the Irish would not submit to the same regulations as were imposed in England met at onco with a prompt reply from the other side of the Channel. Th» Irish Cattle Defence Association immediately passed the following resolution : " That it is most desirable that the regu- lations with regard to contagious diseases in animals should be uniform in Great Britain and Ireland." This and other resolu- tions upon the suhject were at once endorsed by ?,8soeiationa in Ireland, north, south, and west ; it wculd therefore, appeac thatGovernraentwasabsolutely without any defence f)r the posi- tion it had taken up. With respect to further legislation or Orders in Council, I believe the fact is, that the Government, past and p;esent, has been afraid not only of Irish opposition, but of the clamour raised by cattle-salesmen, shipj>ing. agsnta-^ butchers, and importers, who, to serve their o-wn ends, hav& corns forward as the champions of chwip meat for the people. Singularly enough, leading men, populous places, and a portion of the press have been induced to liste.n to the wily talk, and to believe the unsupported statements of these disinterested individuals as to the high price of meat bei^g the result of n strictions adopted more to keep out contagion. A glance at the tables annexed will show how unfounded are these asser- tions. Whilst the English continues to be the highest market — as it long has been — and the demand most regular, the surplus meat from other countries will find its way to British ports. The only period when foreign supplies have to any extent been diverted from the English market was during the Franco-German war; the combataats were tbea for a time competing customers. I will now refer to the provisions and regulations I deem necessary and desirable : 1. That in order to avoid the present diversity of action, all Orders in Council or legislative enactments, bearing upon the trade and disease in animals, should be imperative, and not permissive ; further, that their application should extend throughout the United Kingdom. 2. That provision be made to secure the practics of inspection throughout the three kingdoms being more thorough ; to this end a sufficient number of q-.valified men should be appointed by Government to act as itinerant inspei • tors, who should be cliarged with the duty of visiting fairs, markets, and ports, to see that local authorities, railway com- panies, wharfingers, shipping agents, local inspectors, &c., attend to the respective duties imposed upon them by Orders in Council or Acts of Parliament. Further, a sufiicient number of veterinary inspectors should be appointed at the ports of Great Britain and Ireland, to make a proper examina*- tiou of animals before shipment or landing. 3. That » universal system of local officers be establislied, such ol?icer» (farmers or veterinary surgeons) to be armed with powert to enter at all reasonable times upon farms and premises , ^sw 110 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. order isolation of discaBP.d animals, as well as those in contact with them, also to give orders as to tlie treatment of infected places ; the owners of cattle or occupiers of premises to possess the right of refusing admittance to such officers until they have undergone the process of disinfection. 4. That the owner of any animal affected with a contagious disease should be com- pelled to give immediate notice of such case to tlie local officer nor should such animal, or those which have been in contact, be allowed to be removed until the inspector reports them free from disease. 5. That upon the outbreak of contagious disease in any locality the local inspector should have the power, subject to the local authority, of prohibiting the move- ment of animals without an order, not only from the infected farm or premises, but from any adjoining farm or premises the local inspector may deem requisite. 6. That whenever foot aud-mouth disease or other contagious maladies become general or dangerously prevalent it shall be the imperative duty of the Privy Council to order a temporary stoppage of fairs and markets for store stock, and the adoption of other regulations enforced during the time of the cattle-plague. 7. That in respect of pleuro-pncumonia all affected animals be immediately slaughtered ; that compensation be made to tlie owners at the rate of three-fourths the value of each animal, the salvage to belong to the owner. That the remainder of the held be isolated for a period of not less than five clear weeks ; that tliey also be immediately inoculated for the disease at the ex- pense of the local authority. 8. That, as the success of any regulations depends mainly upon the action and co-operation of cattle-dealers, tiicy should be required to take out a licence, and which should be liable to be suspended or revoked by the magistrates io the event of such dealer being convicted more than once of olTences against the Act or Orders in Council. 9. That in respect of animals from Ireland or other of the British Isles, so long as such islands are free from contagious disease, no restrictions should be imposed upou exportation or importation ; animals coming therefrom should in all re- spects be treated as English, Welsh, or Scotch cattle, or animals arriving coastwise at one British port from an- other ; but in the event of contagious disease being reported to exist in either of these islands, all animals before leaving such island should be passed by an inspector at the port of embarkation, and the owner should be called upon to produce a certificate from the local authority of the district the animals come from that such district is tree from conta- gious diseases. Should the animal be unsound, or the owner fail to produce a satisfactory certificate, such animals not to be embarked until they have been subjected to such quarantine as the inspeptor may order, or in accordance with rules to he issued by the Privy Council, 10. That all vessels used for the importation of animals be certified by the Board of Trade as to space, ventilation, convenience, &c. ; and that regulations I'ur the efBcieut cleansing and disinfecting of such vessels be issued and rigorously enforced. II. That all foreign animals intended to be slaughtered for meat should be landed at speci- fied ports and sent to markets separate from those used lor home stock. That all such animals should be branded or marked on landing, and not allowed to be removed alive from the place of debarka- tion. 13. That proper quarantine grounds should be pro- vided by Government for foreign store stock arriving from " unscheduled" countries, which stock should not be re- moved therefrom until seven clear days have elapsed. In the event of contagious diseases breaking out among any lot thus placed in quarantine, the whole should be slaughtered with the least possible delay. Should cattle arrive at an English port from any country where pleuro-pneumonia exists, such cattle should either be slaughtered upon arrival or be subjected tJ a quarantine of not less than 28 days, and imme- diately inoculated for the disease. The suggestions embo- died in the above list may appear rather a formidable array of restrictions and regulations. To any who may be of opinion that they are too numerous or too strin- gent, I would point out tiiat their object is to stamp out disease with the least possible delay, and to destroy the virus. The existing regulations have been tried long enough to show liow totally inoperative they are ; I therefore maintain that as they are harassing without being effective, they should either be supplemented by some such plan as I have suggested or swept away altogether, and, in lieu, severe penalties im- posed for moving or exposing for sale animals suffering from contagious diseases, or that have been in contact with affected animals. I would further point out that if the proposed machinery is as effective, as 1 believe it would prove to be in ridding the country of the contagion and its germs, nearly the whole machinery could then be stopped and laid aside, like the scaffolding of a building, uutil again required. It was ray intention to give reasons for each of the foregoing proposals. My paper has already run to great length, and I believe the necessity for most of the suggestions will be obvi» ous to members of the Club. I shall be prevented taking the ordinary course of defending ray proposals in a reply after the discussion, having lost — 1 hope but temporarily — my powers of speech. There is one knotty question I would say a few words upon — viz., Irish cattle. It has been urged of late that they should be subjected to the same re- strictions as are advocated for foreign animals. Home rulers would look upon such a course as an additional argument for their cause. I am not for dissevering the two countries ; on the contrary, I advocate, as far as possible, uniform laws and equal privileges. Ireland must, in tnis matter, be recognised as au integral part of the United Kingdom. The Irish may object to tlie proposal for inspection and quarantine on their i-ide, but I maiutciiu that they can liave no grounds for valid objedion, remembering how rigorously they shut their own ports against English cattle during the time of the rinderpest, and this, I believe, until some time after England could show a clean bill of health. The regulations proposed would be an additional incentive to active local efforts for extirpating contagion in the sister isle. With respect to the proposal for separate markets for foreign stock, I always thought that the late Go- vernment made a mistake in yielding to the Corporation of London upon the foreign cattle market question, and I remem- ber, with satisfaction, that I did my best to prevent it. All imported animals intended for immediate consumption should have been sent to the Depttbrd market for sale and olaugh- lered there ; at present only cargoes of animals from scheduled (suspected) countries are sent tUere. If the entire foreign supply were sent to this market, no restrictions whatever would be necessary, either in respect of inspection or quarantine ; tlie whole might at once be abolished, and thus aa end put to all controversy. I know that it is objected that two markets are incovenient to cattle salesmen and the trade : this might be alleviated by holding the foreign market on a separate day. Whilst the convenience of a class should be consulted, it ought not to be allowed to outweigh far graver considerations, Theu aguin, it is objected that there are fewer buyers at Deptford than at the Metropolitan Market. With the present fitful and irregular supplies, this is doubtless the case, but with a more regular and larger supply, the market on a separate day, com- petion would increase, and the necessary number of buyers would assuredly be attracted. Perhaps there is no man in this country belter acquaited with all the bearings of the loreiga trade in animals than Mr. Anthony George Robinson— a large importer, merchant, and shijjper of foreign cattle. To those who would gain a full knowledge of this subject I commend the admirable evidence he gave before the Select Coniniittee (1873). Mr. Robinson advocated water-side markets for all foreign cattle, and maintained that if slaughter at these markets were made universal and compulsory, it would not injuriously affect the trade in foreign animals, nor diminish the supply, but on the contrary ; for in answer to a question from the chairman (Mr. Forster), Mr. Robinson said, " I think we should have a steadier trade, taking it all through, even with our Spanish cattle, if they were slaughtered at the water-side." The foreign trade, he said, was interfered with by the uncertainty which our regulations caused, and by the present marktt arrangements. Mr. Robinson's testimony is all the more valuable becr.use of the financial interests he has at stake, and which would be jeopardised by unwise regulations or re- strictions. Further, Mr. Robinson is a Liberal — a member ot the Reform Club— and therefore politically opposed to restric- tions which would hamper trade ; I may say that having had the pleasure of Mr. Robinson's acquaintance for some years, I put great faith in his opinions : he is a man that can look at both sides of a question. A.s to quarantine for store animals, I regret that there is no separate record kept of the number of store animals imported from foreign countries, but as the number is known to be very small, the carrying out the siigi gestiou for providing quarantine grounds is surrounded witli the less difficulty. The great bulk of imported store animals THE FARMER'S MiiGAZlNE. 161 Is (rora Ireland, I have always felt the dilliculty of providiuK (luarantine grounds for so large a number as come from Ire- land, hence I came to the conclusion that arrangements for guaranteeing England against disease from tlie sister country should be curried out by tiie Irish themselves. Twice I pointed out, when in the House of Commons, that Irish cattle were often depreciated to the extent of £1 to £2 per head, tlirouj w M-d 1^ g 1^ iii'5 S-B p 300,000 Heifers, 270,000 Heifers 250,000 Cows 230,000 Cows 210,000 Cows 200,000 Cows 1,460,000 190,000 _ in calf. ill milk. in milk. in milk. in milk. in milk. Second Quarter of the Year 300,000 Heifers, in milk. 270,000 Heifers in milk. 250,000 Cow^s in milk. 230,000 Cows in milk. 210,000 Cows in milk. 1,260,000 200,000 Thu-d Quarter of the Year 50,000 Heifers in calf. 50,000 Cows in calf. 60,000 Cows in calf. •10,000 Cows in calf. 40,000 Cows in calf. ... 230,000 40,000 Fourth Quarter of the Year 150,000 140,000 130,000 120,000 110,000 60,000 710,000 50,000 — — — Heifers Heifers Cows Cows Cows Cows in calf. in milk. in milk. in milk. in milk. in milk. Total 800,000 730,000 680,000 620,000 570,000 260,000 3,660,000 50,000 240,000 190,000 480,00 TABLE B. — Showing the Number of Calves Dropped per Year, and Number Probably Killed FOR Veal. Nominal Number of Dams to Calve per Year. Mortality after the bLt, 3 fl o fl 02^2 U 0-.2 ■5" K iive Calves ; deduct- t. from the 'number r Dead Calve and nt. Mortahty before Id. .o » ■" > fa o w2 3I| « g .-,5 ts2 a eS 3 , 32 o erated as under one- the First Census, r four months old at per cent, per yea)', a o . M § M •« a p o >.§ cSEci ^la' g2» > oS.te 1=§ 2 2 1^. lerated as one-year- r two years at the s ; with Age at the s. as a « M Census in June deducted. S a £ K ° Is a 11 |o| '^ « a > a CD a > a o.a 1i o o . '3 fc a o a» c/: aO a'^'Scg o ;^ ID (B H CU 0) f-J .£:gS m S <" o> §2 ilJI oMCQ a° a ^ Hi . Hgg .Co 1st Quarter— 1190000... 950000 860000 170000 170000 670000 670000 620000 _ 620000 1290000 1 Mortality, 6 per cent. Mortality, 2 pcrcCTit. 3 to 6 mnths.old \\ to IJ years old. \\ to H years old. 2nd quarter— 1160000.. 930000 840000 170000 100000 70000 740000 670000 620000 — 620000 1360000 Mortality, 8 per cent. Mortalitj-, 0 per cent. 0 to 3 mnths.old 1 to 1^ years old. 1 to li j'ears old. 3rd Quarter— 220000... 180000 160000 30000 30000 — 120000 120000 110000 40000 70000 190000 Mortality, 2 per cent. Mortality, 7 per cent. 9 to 12 mnths.old IJ to 2 years old. IJ to 2 years old. \l to 2 years old. 4th Quarter— 630000 ... 500000 450000 90C00 90000 340000 340000 320000 lOOOOO 220000 560000 Mortality, 4 iier cent. Mortality. 5 per cent. 6 to 9 mnths.old U to If years old. \\ to If j-eara old. U to 15 years old. 3200000 2560000 2300000 460000 390000 70000 1870000 1800000 0 to 12 1670000 1 to 2 140000 IJ to 2 15300(X) 1 to 2 3400000 0 to 3 1 1 mnths.old years old. years old. yeais old. years old. 16t THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE TABLE C. — Showing the Numbee of Cattle at diffeeent Ages peobably Killed for Beef. QJ 3 (O 620000 li to n years old. 620000 1 to li ycirs old. 7>iO0O IJ to 3 years old. 220000 li to IJ years old. 1530000 1 to 2 years old. "S CO ja si's •^ jq o o » o .0)0 ■- iOOOOO 300000 lOOOO 50000 (iOOOOO s.g si a "A a J:iOOOO J20000 60001 170000 S70000 el lOOOO 10000 30000 H to2i years old. .y "u-g ^ "Jl M o § *^ Ci o ^ ^ S *^ a te Mr''; 300000 2J to 2^ years old, 300000 2 to2i years olil 60000 2t to 3 years old, 160000 2i to 2| years old. 830000 3 to 3 years old. iOOOO 30000 10000 20000 IOOOOO 3i to35 years old. Pi ro cs g o) fl s ^ o « S — a Pi 3 — 12; otj o 250000 3J to ii j'ears old. 2(5uO0O 3 to3i years old. 50000 3Ho4 j-ears old. liOOOO 3i to 3i years old. 700000 3 to 4 years old. fli 400000 31 to 4^ years old. ■as C3 >5. .0 ^ .a 290000 4 to 5 years old. a^ A to 230000 l.i years old and above. u m' a g t. 340000 5 years old and above. .9 o o rt ^a H a 1750010 N.B. — From a comparison of other tables, prepared by Mr. Clarke, and of estimates by other authorities^ I conclude the number of Cattle killed for moat in 1875 to be about 3,000,000.— James Howabd, TABLE D. — Showing the Numbees and Dead Weight of Cattle, Calves, Sheep, Lambs, and Pigs, Probably Killed for Me.vt. Animals Killed. Averge. Ago when Killed. Number. Dead WeigUt per Head, Imperial Stones. Weight of Meat in Imperial Stones. Weight of Meat in Tous. Price per Ton. Value of Meat. Cattle .. years .. years .. years U to 2^ 2i to 3i 3^ to 4i Older 30,000 100,000 400,000 280,000 480,000 30 (420 lb.) 40 (560 lb.) 50 (700 lb.) 50 (700 lb.) 46 (644 1b.) 900,000 4,000,00. 20,000,000 14,000,(XK 22,0-0,000 - £ £ Cattle Cattle Cattle, Bulls, &c Total Beef 8 to 12 1,290,000 460,000 1,750,000 47i (662 1b.) 7 (98 lb.) 60,980,00< 3,220,000 — — Veal, Calves weeks Total Beef and Veal 36| (514 lb.) 64,200,000 401,250 70 "id. per lb 28,087,600 heep and . weeks .. year.s Lambs (10 per cent, of 10,610,000, Total S 12 to 16 Aver. 25 1,110,000 9,500,000 3 (42 lb.) 54 (77 lb.) 3,420,000 47,600,000 = - ... 10,610,000 4| (67 lb.) 50.920,000 318,250 84 9d. per lb. 26.733.000 months ., years Aver. 5 Aver. IJ 1,820,000 3,026,000 4| (65 lb.) 17J (250 lb ) — — _ 4,846,000 9H1341b.) 46,039,000 287,731 65 7d. per lb. 18,702,515 at Total Home Supply of Mc 1,007,231 73,523,015 N.B.— The weights of the animals given above arc considered by many practical men to be much too low.— Jameb Howabd, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 165 T.\BLE E.— Showing tub Total Estimated Meat Sui-ply to the relative proi-ortion Fur.nisiied by Home and by Foreign Animals. Animals Imported iu 1872. Number. Dead Weight per Head, Imperial Stories. Weight of Moat iu Imperial Stones. Weight ol' Meat iu Tons. Prico l^er Tou. Valno of Meat. 110,537 aa,8io 33,525 40 (68tlb.) 10 (.5150 lb.) (Cattle -111) (6261b.) 7 (9S lb.) m (5241b.) 4 (56 lb.) 7 (981b.) 5,084,702 1,153.600 231,675 0,172,977 3,239,263 112,707 40,455 20,215 704 £ 70 (7id. per lb) 81 (9d. per lb) 65 (7d. per lb.) £ — Total Cattlo 172,902 809,817 16,101 2,831,8-.0 1.760,583 Piers 45,760 Total Imported Foreign Animals 1 61,Wl i 1 4,638.190 Summary. Home Supply of Meat Foreign Animals in 1872 Foreign Dead Meat— Bacon, Poi'k, Hams, Beef, and other Meat in 1872 Total Meat Supply Population of the United Kingdom, 1871 Weight in Tens. 1,007,231 61,401 112,574 1,211,209 31,009,910 Per Cent. 83-ltJ 5-07 11-77 6 '09 Imperial Stones of Meat per head. Mr. Meciii said he was sure they were all agreed that they had had a very intelligent, interesting, and instructive paper (elicers). As regarded the increased prices of meat, lie thought it would be wrong to assume that that meaut increased value iu relation to other productions. The prices of otlier things had risen in proportion, as any oneraight see from Uoulilediy's Financial History of England, in which was shown tlie ell'ect in tliat respect of the great gold-finding of a former age. He was very much pleased with what he had heard read towards tlie end of the paper. They lieard a great many complaints, iu the present day, about foreign stock, and yet they were told that only sis or eight per cent, of the entire consumptfon of the country came from abroad. They must look, not abroad, but at liome for such a large increase of animals as would feed the people more abundantly, if not more cheaply. It was notorious that the capital invested in live stock was now at a minimum iustead of a maximum. Mr. Howard cited a case ill which the amount thus employed was £5 aa acre, and in bis (Mr. Mechi's) case it was £!• ; but, taking the whole country, they would find, on examiualion, that the production was less than £2 an acre, and the amount might certainly be increased 50 per cent, or doubled, with advantage to the farmers and to the country at large. The quantity of manure made was an important element in the production of corn, and liad a most important bearing on the production of meat. That brought| him to the large question of freedom of action, or the encouragement of the investment of capital in the soil. That was one thing which was greatly needed to make meat cheaper. Many of the old customs connected with agricul- ture were not consistent or compatible with the large increase of production. Farmers must endeavour to change them- selves as well as their landlords. The whole system of agri- culture required enlargement, and without that it was impos- sible to liave that increase of production which would enable it to keep pace with the growing population and wealth of the country. With regard to murrain among cattle, to hear many persons speak one might almost suppose that it was a quite new thing, but that was by no means tlic case. If they read the history of the industrial system of England, or that part of it wliicli related especially to agriculture they would find that there iiad been days when there was no roast beef at Christmas, because the cattle had to be slaughtered as soon as the grass had ceased to grow, there beiug no cake, turnips, or clover in those days. It was recorded that, at one period, one-third of the cattle perished during winter from inurraiu and other causes. They had not yet arrived at such a state of things as that (Hear, hear), and he believed that, with the exception of the evil arising from climatic influence, disease was DOW chiefly generated by want of proper provision for the health of animals. They heard a great deal about Irish cattle. Ireland was a country which had a very mild climate — a country where you hnrdly saw snow at all in winter, and where animals might be left exposed to the atraospliere at that period of the year without stilTering evil effects. What did Enghsh agriculturists do with Irish cattle ? They took them from a country whose climate was rendered mild by the Gulf Stream, brought them to a country which was much colder, and turned them into the fields. What was the conse- quence ? Why, that these animals became affected, as they themselves would be under such treatment, with pleuro- pneumonia (Cries of "No, no"). He repeated that, and lie would add that the putting of animals iu vessels witiiout proper arrangements, the placing them in a railway without proper protection against the east wind, and the subsequent turning them out in a country where the climate was unpro- pitious, was one of the chief nources of the present complaints. The mischief did not arise in the ease of Welsh or Scotch cattle, but it constantly arose iu tlie case of Irish cattle, and, seeing that, after they had been carried by ships and railway in the manner he had indicated, they were not properly sheltered, and fed, it was no wonder tliat disease spread, and the price of meat increased. They ought to look at home in that case as well as abroad. They must take science for their guide, and it was unscientific to expose animals iu the way he had mentioned, and expect them to do well. He believed the time would come when British agriculture would show a much larger production of meat than it did at present (Hear, hear). Sir. Eraser Mitchell said lio had listened with great attention to the able paper of Mr. Howard, but there was one thing wliich he regretted not to hear mentioned, 166 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. and tliat was tlie T.rong inflicted on farmers by their being prevented from usinff malt freely in the feeding of cattle. (Cries of "Questioii.") He had five-and-thirty head •of cattle which were diseased last September, and he did all he cjulj to nourish them properly; but he was exposed to great disadvantages by the cause to which he alluded. Justice ought to be done to farmers in reference to that matter, and he was sure tliat they were not asking too much in asking for the free Bse of raalt. (Renewed cries of " Question.") Mr. Alfred Crosskill (Beverley) said.that, before making a few remarks on that subject, he wished to add his testimony to that of Mr. Mechi to the exceedingly able manner in which it had been introduced. Some persons might object to one implfment-maker praising another, but he could not help say- ing that, while Mr. Jamej Howard was known throughout the world as a grea implement-maker, he was also widely known as one of the best practical farmers in the country, and there- fore any opinions which he expressed on that subject might fairly be regarded as opinions which were shared by practicnl farmers generally, and as likely, if proper atten'ion were paid to them, to lead to beneficial results (Hear, hear). He was very much pleased that Mr. Howard had drawn attention to a point which required to be made much more prominent before the public than it had been hitherto -namely, the very smallpro- portion which the quantity of imported cattle bore to the quau- t ty of cattle produced by English farmers (Hear,hear). Not long before his death Mr. H. S. Thompson, who had for nxany years taken an active part in the proceediugs of the Royal Agricul- tural Society, wrote a paper in which he stated that the import- ation amounted only to 5 per cent., the production of the Brit sh farmer being 95 per cent, of the total consumption of beef in this country. That statement seemed almost incredible, and he believed that many persons who read the paper thought the statistics were not quite correct ; but he was glad to find that Mr. Thompson in the main was confirmed by Mr. Howard —that, allowing for a small increase in the foreign importa- tion, the British farmer supplied at the present moment more than 90 per cent, of the entire consumption of live stock in this country (dear, hear). Why did he dwell on that point? Why was he anxious-, natthe facts should be thoroughly known and understood ? Because they had to deal with that question in a general point of view (Hear, hear). They there repre- sented a large majority of the British farmers, notwithstanding ■what had been said by Mr. Mechi. representing as he did, per- il ips, a small minority (laughter). The great bulk of the farmers, and of those who supported them on that question, believed that the larger proportion of the disease from which they sutfered was imported from abroad (Hear, hear). That ■was the strong conviction of the vast majority of the English farmers, and they were supported by evidence, while the other side were supported by little else than sentiment. That being the case, the farmers thought that more restrictions ought to be placed on the importation of cattle. When they expressed that opinion publicly they were met by the outcry that they did so solely for the purpose of keeping up the price of their own animals ; and the point whi3h he wanted to see impressed on the English public was that the saving of home cattle from disease would have a far greater effect iu keeping down prices than any amount of importation from abroad which could reasonably be expected. So far as that question was concerned, it did not matter politically whether there was a Conservative or a Liberal Government. They wonld never succeed iu their efforts unless they made it known that they did not take the course they were taking simply for their own interests, and unless they based their position on the broad ground of the national and general welfare (Hear, hear). They should endeavour to convince some of the Radical members of Parlia- ment representing large populous towns — men who, as some persons would say, appealed to public opinion, or, as others would say, excited public clamour ; for, without such aid, they would hardly expect to impress their views on the community at large. Mr. T. DucKnA.M (Bayshara Court, Ross), said he fully en- dorsed the opinion expressed by Mr. Crosskill, that the question raised that evening was a grave one for consumers as well as for producers. The maintenance of the health of the stock of the nation must tend to keep down the price of food, while the supplementary introduction of food from abroad — which was intended by the Legislature to conduce to the same result — if it brought contagious diseases could not but be seriously prejudicial to home herds and flocks, and proportionately enhance the cost of meat. The introduction of foreign disease must interfere with the application of tnat grand principle which was so earnestly advocated by Mr. Mechi, the affording proper security for capital invested in the soil, and lessen that desire to produce food on the part of breeders and feeders, inas- much as it sweptaway annually millions' worth of animal food. Mr. Howard had mentioned that he (Mr. Duckham), in some evidence which he gave before the House of Commons, over- estimated the loss sustained in 1872 by foot-and-mouth disease, which he put at about £'30,000,000, or four times the value of the importation ; he did not consider that he had over- estimated it, and he was glad to find that his estimate of the value of the importations last year was in accordance with Mr, Howard's own view of the matter. That day he had read a report o a discussion in which the los from foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in 1873 was estimated a £33,000,000, Soon after his own evidence on the subject was given, the Leicestershire Chamber declared that in their opinion his estimate was rather below than in excess of the actual loss. But, in additioa to the loss in the amount of the food of the country, there was injury to the health of the people. They all knew that the milk of a cow suffering from foot-and-mouth disease often killed its calf ; pigs, too, died from its use, and even cats have been killed by it. That day he had read in the Birmhujham DaUy Post an account of a frightful disease among a number of people living in a Midland town which was attributed to foot-and-mouth disease. It was there stated that the inhabitants of whole sides of streets had been affected, and the symptoms appeared to be similar to those which marked the existence of animals suffering from foot- and-mouth disease. As regarded remedial measures, iu this country they wanted uniform regulations, instead of regulations widely differing in different parts of the country. Oue side of a hedge was under one set of local authorities, and the opposite side under another, and the regulations were not even similar. Mr, Thornton said, with regard to Irish cattle, that a genleman in County Meath had, since the year 18i3, been in the habit of receiving bulls from Yorkshire, and returning them annually ; on no occasion had disease broken out at either end of the journey, merely from taking care that the vessels in which the cattle were shipped were properly cleiinsed and disinfected. He believed Ireland was a nvrsery of slock for England ; but in the transit from railways to tlie ports and on shipboard animals were so tightly packed they could scarcely move, and the heat and sweating arising from this close packing prevented them taking food, and brought ou cold and fever, rendering their system more liable to the disease which was in course of time engendered on board ship. Foot-and-mouth disease might be made much worse by ex- posure and cold. An old Irish breeder had told him things would be all right "if they will only leave us alone," but restrictions were necessary, and, above all, it was most neces- sary that drovers and dealers should be licensed. With respect to the capital invested in stock, to which allusion had been made by Mr. Mechi, there was a gentleman on his left (Mr. S. P. Foster), farming about 700 acres, who had just in- vested £3 per acre in one animal. There being loud and reiterated calls for Mr. Read, M.P., Mr. C. Howard observed that he believed an understanding had been come to that that gentleman should reply on behalf of his brother. Mr. H. Neild, (The Grange, Worsley, Manchester), said he felt the great importance of the dissemination of Mr. Howard's paper at Manchester. At the present time he held in his hand a report of a speech delivered recently in the Free Trade Hall, in that city, by Mr. Jacob Bright — a speech which was fraught with mischief in relation to that question of the meat supply. He was not going to read tlie whole of it (laughter), but he could not help remarking that it illustrated the fact that con- sumers generally greatly needed enlightenment on that question. (Hear hear), Mr. Bright there spoke of the complaints about foreign disease as a protectionist dodge, but there was not the smallest pretence for such an assertion. A great deal of mis- chief has been done by imperfect legislation. He had himself suffered to the exteut of 96 head of norned stock from foot and- niouth disease. Some farmers in his part of the country were thinking of giving up the breeding of cattle in consequence, of the losses which had been sustained. As to the Agri- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 167 cultural Holdings Act, it would seem to be regarded as mere waste - paper. A very large number of persons had contracted themselves out of tiie law, and the otlier day a meeting of land-agents in Lancasliire, representing 300,000 acres, agreed that any tenant who refused to do that should have his farm revalued. Farmers must have justice and fair play, whicli were at ]iresent deuied to them (Hear iiear). Mr. C. S. Rf.ad, M.P., said he liad had an unexpected oflice imposed upon liim, that of replying to the remarks made on the paper read by ins friend, Mr. Charles Howard, on behalf of iiis talent'il brotiier. On some points of detail lie dilfered a little from Mr. James Howard, but, regarding it as a whole, he thoroughly and heartily endorsed it. He would not go into tiie Agricultural Holdings Act, because there might perhaps be a good deal of difference among them with regard to it. There was, in fact, very little for him to reply to. What Mr. Cross- bill said about it was most important, and so alasps uuh'ss there were contagion in the neighbourhood where they were driven or kept. If Mr. Jleclii were right, they had bet- ter have no restriction at all ; but what he (Mr. Read) wanted to impress on the meeting wiw that it was impossible for loot- aud-mouth disease, or plt-uro-pneumonia to spread, or to be produced by ill traatment, unless ihe germs of those diseases already existed. Mr. Tliorntou attributed to Mr. Hnvvard the opinion that Ireland niiglit be left to take care of itself. He believed that what Mr. Howard did say was, that if there were equal laws for England and Ireland they might rely upon it that the Irish people would loyally work the law, and carry it out. A great deal had been said about the extent of the losses arising from foot-and-montb disease. lie held in his hand a letter from a gentleman, who was well known in the eastern counties, Mr. William Gurdon, of Essex,. BIr. Gurdon had taken tiie trouble to ascertain the loss by weight which animals affected with foot-and-mouth disease underwent in a month. Ten Irish heifers became afllieted with thatdiseise in the beginning of October,and most of them quickly recovered. Since then the increase per month of two animals which had the disease very badly, averaged only 2^ stone ; the increase per month of two that had it very sliglitly was 5| stone ; and the increase in the case of the remaining six which were affected in a moderate degree, was 3^ stone. Thus, tliere was a difference between the highest cases and the worst of no less- than 3 stones in a month. Taking the dead weight at two-thirds, the result showed a very considerable amount of damage, not only while the cattle were sufferers from disease, bu also for some time after they had recovered. They all knew perfectly well that diseases were transmitted by filtli, cruelty, and privation, and that such treatment rendered animals more liable to be affected ; but let none run away with the idea that Mr. Mechi was right when he said that those- diseases from whicli farmers had suffered so much cjuld be engendered by ill treatment. The Chairman, in proposing a vote of thanks to Mr. James Howard for his able paper (wliich he observed contained a great deal of practical good ense) said they sliould all do every- thing in their power to eradicate the idea tliat the diseases especially referred to were not contagious, adding that if they yielded at all on that point they would thereby weaken their position very much indeed (Hear, hear). The motion having been seconded by Mr. 11. Neild, was put and carried unanimously and, with a brief acknowle,ds;meut from Mr. C. Howard on behalf of his brother, the proceedings terminated. At a meeting of the Committee held prior to the general meeting of the members on the 7th inst., Mr. Corbet, who had resigned the office of Secretary to the Club, through ill health, was, in recognition of his long connection with the Club» elected an honorary life member. Caledonian Hotel, Adelphi, W.C., Feb. 8, 1876. Neav Members. Colonel Agg, The Hewletts, Cheltenham. "William Beale, Esq., Chiddington, Edenbridge. Charles Courtoys, Esq., Little. Heath, Old Charlton, Kent. J G. Edwards, Esq., Broughton, Stockbridge. r. K. Lenthall Esq., Begselsleigh Manor, Abingdon, Berl«8. Henry Sheosley, Esq., Samuel Street, Woolwich, Kent. THE TERRITORIAL PROPRIETARY OF ENGLAND. The " Domesday Book " of William the Conqueror has been repeated in the reign of her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, and the circumstances under which the two documents have been compiled present as wide a con- trast as the different periods in English history. In the year 1085, as old chroniclers inform us, it was the fear of an invasion of the kingdom by the Danes, and the diffi- culty which the King then experienced in putting the country ia a satisfactory state of defence, that led him to undertake a general survey, to ascertain the quantity of land held by each person, and the quota of military aid which he would be enabled to summon to his assis- tance, each man to be called upon according to the extent of his holding or his stake in the realm For the purpose of securing accuracy, commissioners were appointed, with ample powers to ascertain " upon the oath of the several sheriffs, or others, accord- ing to the nature of the place, what was the name of the 168 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. place, who held it in the time of the Confessor, who was the present holder, how many hides of land there were in the manor, how much meadow and pasture, what mills and fish ponds, with other particulars, and what vras the gross value in King Edward's time; what the present value, and how mnch each free-man or soc-man had or has." All this was estimated. First, as an estate was held in the time of the Confessor ; secondly, as it was bestowed by the King himself; and, thirdly, as its value stood at the time of the survey. These were the particulars ascertained, the commissioners sending in returns for each county separately ; and in such manner Domesday Book, or the General Register for the whole kingdom was compiled. Notwithstanding, however, the very stringent measures taken for insuring accuracy, there is no doubt that the commissioners did not always obtain or furnish correct in- formation, and that sometimes, as in the case of the pre- sent return, the statements of what weshould now designate as the "gross estimated rental," and the " estimated rental," arc not altogether reliable. Owing, likewise, to tlie different designations in use at that time, it is difficult to distinguish those persons who may be properly con sidered as owners from those who were in the possession of land as mere occupiers only. According, however, to the best approximate, there were at the time 54,813 landholders exclusive of 7,9G8 burgesses, who held land either individually or in a corporate capacity, and there- fore would not be counted. Moreover, the villeins to the number of 108,407 are omitted, because it is quite certain that, when they occupied small portions of land, they did so on sufferance only. In fact they were regarded as mere chattels, which could be bought or sold, and they were not allowed by law to acquire any property, either in land or goods. The Domesday Book, although a most valuable landmark in English history, was still further imperfect by the omission of the present counties of Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmoreland and Durham. The present survey originated in the desire to settle, if possible, a controversy which has been held for many years past between two opposite classes of theorists with regard to the actual number of the present owners of land. Upon the authority of a former census, it appeared that only 30,000 such persons existed ; and although this return admitted of an easy explanation, yet the bare statement, as it stood, favoured the opinion of those who held that the soil was owned by an infinitesimal number of persons. The case is clearly stated in the words of Earl Derby, in the House of Lords, on the 17th February, 1872. His lordship then asked " Whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to take any steps for ascertaining accurately the number of proprietors of land and houses in the United Kingdom, with the quantity of land owned by each proprietor. They all knew that out of doors there was from time to time a great outcry raised about what was called the monopoly of land, and in support of that cry the wildest and most reckless esaggei-ations and mis-statementa of fact were uttered as to the number of persons who were actual owners of the soil. He entirely disbelieved the truth of the popular notion that small estates were undergoing a gradual process of absorption in the larger ones. He apprehended that, through the agency of the Local Government Board, it would be easy to obtain statistical information which would be conclusive in regard to this matter." The Government having, as was intimated at the time by Lord Halifax, determined upon such a return being made, it has since been prepared, and now, after some delay, makes its appearance with the data contained. We have some explanatory matter by the compilers with regard to the machinery employed in its collection. All the statements and information, with the exception of the addresses of the owners, arc derived, it appears, from the various lists which are made out for the purposes of rating in every parish. As the valuation lists of the several parishes are deposited with the clerks of the unions, ap])lication was made by the Local Government Board to those olhcers to prepare and furnish tho particulars so far as regarded the parishes in their respective unions, cor- rected as far as practicable from information within their reach, or which might be obtained from the paro- chial officers, with tho addition of the addresses of the owners. The return thus obtain ed comprises the wholeof England and Wales, exclusive of the Metropolis, and some estimate may be foi'med of the labour expended in its compilation when it is borne in mind that the information had to be supplied in respect of nearly 15,000 parishes, containing about 5,000,000 separate assessments. Certain inaccu- racies may, therefore, hereafter be discovered, but tho main facts as disclosed must be taken as correct. The results, upon a cursory glance, seem completely at variance with the loudly-asserted opinions of those who advocate the petite culture systems of France and Belgium with regard to the monopoly of landed properly assumed to exist in England. Instead of the 30,000 per- sons held forth as the territorial proprietary, it will be seen by this return that the number of owners of one acre and upward is 209,547, and the number of owners below one acre 703,289, making a total of 972,830, or nearly one million persons — a much nearer approach to a fair pro- portion of the whole population. The publication of these figui'es will, no doubt, be a source of great annoy- ance to those extreme reformers who ask for a great deal more than tho I'cmoval of the artificial trammels which impede the free sale and cheap transfer of land; but the Domesday Book of 1875 is at the present moment, from its bulky size and the nature of its contents, both for them and for others, a portentous fact, and one that needs further inyestigation to ascertain its correct bearings. THE ART OF BREEDING HORSES.— One of the most ardent lovers of horses iu the couatry is the Rev. W. .H II. Murray, of Boston. At the recent meeting of the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture, Blr. Murray made an address on the Art of Breeding Horses. As his positions are of universal interest wherever the nobility of the horse is maintained, we quote for our readers the following abstract of the address from the Bos- ton CuUivalor : " Mr. Murray bpgim by remarking that tlie propagation of life organisms is one of the most beautiful and di»ine mysteries of the universe, and the discussion of it should be in a grave, reverential spirit : thus he approaclied it, and thus had he learned what he knew of the subject lie found the bottom fact of his subject in the Bible — lliat 'every- thing shall produce of its kind, according to its seed.' Find your typical horse of each sex, and tlien you may realize the idea of the 'perfect horse. ' No business can succeed until its laws are so well understood that results can be known before they appear. From whatever cause. New England has hitherto made a failure of breeding fine stock. His idea of the cause was that it was igonrance. He thought ignorance at the bot- tom of nearly all failures. Breeding is generally done by men who have neither time nor capacity to study the subject witli the careful studentship v.'hich it demands. As a rule, extraor- dinary offspring were the results of extraordinary parents. Yet it often happens that a good sire and dam produce a poor colt. So another step must be taken, and we must decide that pRr- ents must complement each other in temperament. A sire to be desirable must be a good horse. He must not be chosen simply on account of his special beauty iu any one direction, but of his perfection as a whole. Tlien, after that, he must have the particular point you wish in your colt in proraiuencp. Thirdly, the sire being good as a whole, and specially good in in certain points, he must have that mystic power of reproduc- ing himself which is the rarest among horses. He did not know of over twenty or twenty-three iu America and eleven in THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 109 New Kngland Uiat Iiad tliis power. The lii|i;liest typo in this diroclion, he had no hesitation in saying, was Justin JVlorgan, a little horse which stamped its image on all its descendants, and not only tliat, but also gave to its decendants the power to transmit the same image. The (juestion is often asked, which influences the colt more, the sire or dam ? The Arabs have it that tlie foal fidlows the sire. Tliey have kept their breed of horses for 3,000 years in perfection unchanged, and that is proof that they have known and obeyed the laws of breeding for that time. He was inclined to believe that they were right. I'robably it was nuderstood in that maxim that such dams only sbould 1)0 chosen as wou'd not interfere with the sire's trans- mitting himself. Then they chose only the very best stock hor.ios.'ond treated them like kings, as thej deserved to be. A principle that should always Iw followed is never to breed to an utrly sire or dam. The oll'spring will always rollect the chara- tiT of the parent-!, and it is a crime to breed an ugly-tempered colt. Again, breeding should never bo allowed except in pro- per nervous condition. Never when the sire is kept fat like a hog ; never when he is drawn out fiuc for some great nervous feat. Size, colour, liealtli, temperauient, and speed are the great essentials of a good stock horse. The speaker sought for beauty lirst in iiis colts. The time was when a horse was considered valuable if ho could 'go,' uo matter how lie looked. ]?ut now beauty is cjusidered of more importance. So he bred first for beauty, secondly for docility, and thirdly for speed, lie had been asked to tell what it was that made a horse trot. He would say what it was not : it was not the whip, nor was it the way the horse was driven. The best way to urive a horse is to let him alone. He wished it was the custom (o drive without reins. There were a few gifted, pro- phetic men, like Charlie Green, Budd Doble, WoodrulT, who knew more than both of them, who knew exactly what to do, but for common drivers the best way was to let the horse alone. If a horse be a trotter he did not need bo made one : he would show It, If he was not a trotter, he, Mr. Murray, did not want to have anything to do with any attempt to make him one. — Pucijic Rural Press. KINGSCOTE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, DISCUSSION ON TEE AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS ACT, At the last monthly meeting of tliis association, held at Hunters' Hall Inn, Kingscote, in the absence of Col. Kings- cote, M.P, (who was detained in London), the chair was taken by Mr. H. C. Iliyward, the vice-president, Mr, HoLBOiiow (VVillsley), who opened the subject for discussion, said he had been requested by the secretary to the association (Mr. Burnett) to read a paper at this meeting, and as he had engaged to give one to the Cirencester Chamber of Agriculture on Monday, it was thought it would be well to discuss the same subject at the meeting of this association. He regretted that his paper did not apply to the vale as v^^ell as to the hill-country, so as to make it more applicable to the Kingscote district, but the principle in each case was the same. and the details in each case did not materially differ. The C1IAIRMA.N, in inviting discussion, said he had never liked the Agricultural Holdings Act well enough to be able to Bay much upon it, and from the explanations given by Mr. Holborow it was very clear that its provisions were very deficient. He hoped the subject would be well discussed iu all farmers' associations, as the more it was discussed the better ffospect there would be of a revision of the Act. Mr. Barber said ,he did not see any need for this parental ifgislation. In his opinion the Act was a farce. The land- lord and tenant should make a fair agreement, and then abide by it. Why should the Legislature step in between them and make a contract for them ? It was a slur on the common sense of Englishmen to say that .they wanted this Act. He could not think why on earth it was ever thought of. There were certain parties who required certain restrictions ; but surely if a tenant did not like the contract drawn up, he was at liberty to leave it. Mr. Burnett sai^j he was very glad the Act had been passed, although it was not what farmers had wished. One thing he considered very hard was that if a tenant was leaving at Lady- day and refused to prepare the land for roots the incoming tenant or the landlord should not be allowed to do it. The sooner that system was abolished the better. He thought one good result of the Act would be that good agreements would be made — agreements fair and honest— between both parties. Although there were no landlords present, he felt bound to say this, that all round the Kingscote neighbourhood the land- lords wanted to do what was right and fair. Mr. Barber had said the Act was not wanted ; he (Mr, Burnett) was quite sure none of the landlords in this neighbourhood wanted it. It was passed by a pressure from outside. A cry was got up, ' We must have security of tenure : we must have security for investing our capital ;" and it ended in the cry, "We must have an Act of Parliameut." He believed there was not a landlord or tenant in this neighbourhood who could not meet and make out a fair agreement. One hard thing according to custom was this, that a tenant got no more for his root crop if lin left at Michaelmas than he did if he left at Lady-day, and yet if he left at the latter date the roots would be con- sumed. Surely the roots at Michaehtas would he worth some- thing to the incoming tenant ? and yet the outgoing tenant would get no advantage. That ought to be altered. He con- fessed that the more he looked at the Act the less he likeil it. Col. Kingscote did not wish to come under the Act, and so had drawn up a new agreement. Mr. Holborow said he had seen the agreement, and it was one of the most liberal he htid met with anywhere, even mire liberal than that drawn up by the Marquis of Lansdowue's agent, with which he (Mr. Holborow) had had something to do. Mr. Burnett said he was pleased to have Mr. Holborow's good opinion, and he should be pleased to let any one see the agreement. He agreed with almost everything Mr. Holborow had said w'th respect to the Act, and was certainly of opinion that in its present state it could not be practically worked. The Chairman agreed with Mr. Burnett that if the Act in- duced contracting parties to make better agreements it would be of use. At the same time he thought with Mr. Barber that landlords and tenants were quite capable of making their own agreements. The Act seemed to deal with agriculturists as if they were children. Mr. Gooi.D (Didmarton) said that as far as he could see the Act encouraged high farming, the object apparently being to get what a well-known statesman once said was wanted— two blades to grow where only one grew before. He thought the best thing to be done was to draw up a fair and liberal agreement. Mr. Garlick said it was rather un-English for Parliament to step in in this matter. As a rule agreements were drawn up by stewards who were not men of business, who knew no more about farming than he (Mr. Garlick) did of law. and that was precious little. Mr. Garn : The fact is they are chiefly made by lawyers. Mr. Holborow said landlords often selected their agents from one of four classes. The first wiis some poor member of the family, who wanted an income, and knew as much about, farming as the landlord himself. The second was tha City man, who had no sympathy with the tenant who simply visited them in a rigid manner twice a year to get their rents, and gave a promise to give what they asked for but never fultilled it. The third was some old favourite household servant, though a few of these were first-class men. The fourth was the family attorney, wlio generally let things get into such a bad condition that in the end somebody found out to their cost what a bad policy had been pursued. Mr. B. Drew thought the effect of the Aet would be that in the course of two years there would be more leases and agreements than had ever existed. That, in his opinion, would be the great advantage of the Act, 170 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, Mr. Cox said one advantage of the Act was tlint it ^ave to the outgoiDf; tenant compensation for the expense lie had been to in bluing feeding-btutfs — a compensation which in tiiat form custom liad not generally provided for. If all landlords and tenants were honest this Act would not be wanted, nor would it have heen called for; but he could not agree with Mr. Bather that no legislation on this ma*:ter was necessary . No donbt Mr. Barber had a good landlord and a good land- lord's agent. But suppose his landlord were to cease to hold his farm, and in his stead came some grasping, money-making man, who said he must have good interest for his money, and doubled the rent ; Mr. Barber would then leave, and as his agreement with his old landlord did not affect the new cue, he would in leaving lose the money he had put into the land. 35y the provisions of this Act tlie new landlord would be bound to give him compensation, so that in such a case legislation would be greatly to his benefit. He did not think the Act was a good one, and he was rather inclined to take Mr. Holborow'g view that it protected the landlord rather than the tenant. He admitted, however, that the Act gave advantages to the tenant in regard to building, especially in cases in which the landlord had only a life interest in the farm, as hitherto the tenant could in such cases get no security for the money he chose to lay out in erecting buildings, even with the landlord's consent. In such cases tlie Act was beneficial to landlord and tenant. In reference to manures, Mr. Cox said some manures vyere only worth one year in compensation when applied to the root crop, and nothing when applied to a corn crop. He admitted that sanfoin improved the land, but when, as he had known cases, everything was taken off for eight or nine years, com- pensation ought not to be allowed. Speaking of the Act altogether, he thought there was some good in it, but not all the good that was required. He could not agree with Mr. Barber that the Act was not wanted. If all landlords and tenants were honest it would not be wanted ; but there were grasping parties on both sides, and where custom did not allow to each what was right and f^ir the Act would be of great service. Mr. Burnett pointed out that Mr. Cox's argument as to the possible results to the tenant of a change of landlord was not altogether a sound one, especially with reference to arti- ficial manures and feeding-stuffs. As to buildings, he thought that was entirely a landlord's matter, and even if he had only a life interest in the farm he could make the necessary outlay by getting a loan from the Enclosure Commissioners and charge the tenant five per cent, upon it. Mr. Barber said a yearly tenant would be foolish to put up buildings without proper security. Mr. HoLBOROw said a loan from the Enclosure Com- missioners became a mortgage upon the property, and the property could then only be dealt with with their sanction. To get this sanction was a long and tedious process. i\Ir. Rich objected to tlie Act being called a Landlords' Protection Act. It appeared to him that the Act gave the tenant more privileges than he had hitherto enjoyed by cus- tom. He believed that, like the Irish Land Act, it would have this good effect, that it would make landlords and tenants more careful to have proper leases and agreements. He cer- tainly thought the 19th clause was in favour of the tenants, for if the tenant had committed waste the landlord could only claim for it by a counter claim ; so that if the waste of the tenant more than balanced the improvements he had made, he would not put in a claim, and the landlord could only recover hy taking legal proceedings. Was it not also an advantage to the tenant to have twelve months' notice instead of six? He thought the Act was a good one, and certainly not one which favoured the landlord more than the tenant. Mr. HoLBOROW, in replying on the discussion, said a neces- sity had existed for an Act of Parliament, and this Act cer- tainly did not meet the necessity. He agreed with the principle laid down as to first-class improvements, and it was only lair that the tenant should obtain the landlord's sanction before making permanent improvements. The principle of the second class was also tolerably fair, though Cotswold farmers would not be much affected by them. But as to the third-class im- provements he must say that what was given, and reasonably given, in the 9th clause was most absurdly taken away in the 13th. Tlfe result would therefore be that the tenant would be dishonourably treated. He had no hesitation in saying that the 1.3th clause was a delusion and a snare. It was a snare eiaiply because it was easy for a tenant to be deceiyed as to the working of the two clausea. He was sorry to say it, but he knew as a fact that many tenants did not know wiiat was in their agreements until they were obliged to refer to them. He said the Act was a Landlords' Protection Act, because in several most important points it gave great protection to the landlord, while in several important matters it did not protect the tenant. As to the 19tli clause referred to by Mr. Rich, he thought that was upset by the 60th. It was perfectly fair that when a tenant claimed compensation for improvements the landlord should also claim compensation for waste. But if the tenant did not make that claim and the landlord could not make a counter-claim, hewa^ in exactly the same position he was in before the Act was passed — he could enter an action against the tenant. In the Kingscote district they were in a district of first-rate landlords, and they had no ground of complaint against the land-agents. But that was not the case in other districts, where it was a very common thing to find estates managed by gentlemen who did not understand their business, the consequence being that first tenant, then farm, and finally landlord had to suffer. He did not wish to refer to politics, but he must say emphatically that he did not agree with John Bright in his desire to da away with the entailment of landed property in England. He firmly believed that if they were once to see that done they would begin to see agriculture in England go down, down, down ; and then away would go the tenant-farmers, the men of capital, men competent to deal with the soil as it should be dealt with, to breed cattle and sheep as they should be bred, and they would get on and on in the direction of the condition of the Irish potato-farmer. He trusted he should never see the law of entail done away with. Votes of thanks to the chairman and to Mr. Uolborovsr closed the proceedings. EFFECTS OF ELECTRICITY.— The most certain and painless death known to science is caused by the lightning stroke, or by, what amounts to the same thing, the electric shock. When a powerful discharge of electricity is received in the body, existence simply stops, and the reason is obvious. Helmoholtz has proved that for any vibration which results in sensation to reach tli» brain throush the nerves, one-tenth of a second of time is required. Eurthermore, time is also needed for the molocules of the brain to arrange themselves through the effect of that vibration, through the motions and positions necessary to the completion of consciousness, and for this an additional period of one-tenth of a second is expended. Consequently, if, for example, we prick our finger with a pin, it takes two-tenths of a second for us to feel and recognis* the hurt. It can easily be conceived, therefore, that if an injury is inflicted which instantly unfits the nerves to transmit the motion which results in sensation, or if the animating power is suddenly suspended by an injury to the brain before the latter completes consciousness, then death inevitably fol- lows with no intervention of sensibility whatever. Now a rifle bullet, which traverses the brain in the one-thousandth of a second, manifestly must cause this instant stoppage of existence, and proof of this is found in the placid faces of the dead, and in the fact that there is nothing more common than to find men lying de«d on battle-fields, shot through the brain, but with every member stiffened in the exact position it was in when the l3ullet did its work. But the rifle ball is slow beside the electric shock. Persistence of vision impresses a lightning flash on the retina for one-sixth of a second, but itg actual duration is barely one-hundred-thousandth of a second. The effect of the shock on the system is excellently described by Professor Tyndall, who, while lecturing before a large audience, inadvertently touched the wire leading from fifteen charged Ley den jars, and received the other discharge through his body. Luckily the shock was not powerful enougli to be fatal ; but as the lecturer regained his senses he expe- rienced the astonishing sensation of all his members being separate and gradually fastening themselves together. H« says, however, that " life was blotted out for a sensible inter- val," and he dwells with much stress upon the opinion that " there cannot be a doubt that, to a person struck by lightning, the passage Irom life to death occurs without consciousness being in the least degree implicated." — Scientijic American, THE FARMER'S MA3AZ1NE. 171 LECTURE BY At a recant mecling at ClielmsforJ, under the auspices of the i<;>sex and Chelmsford Museum, Mr. Mkcui delivered thi; follovving; lecture. Sorn« twoiit'-'.hrefi years ago I had the plpay Itte friend, your loTusru^n, Mr. James I3dade', had thirty years ago c ivered and pnclo;ed cattle-javd^, and was a'.so a very deep cultivatir by forsing the laul under the plough, and thus grew immense ro )t-crops — in one instance 37 tons an acre o'' white carrots, beating Mr. Robert Baker's rival swedes, and winning the w:iger of ten guineas, Mr. Beadt-1, Sen., and his late partner, Mr. Ch luce.lor ('.vhora I am gl id to see present) have erected a greit many capial covered liom^steiils. The in''ection has Reread in my neighbourhood; for Mr. Edward II trvey has a first-class cov. red, enclosed, and paved cattle-^lied, recently e'Pcted by Mr. Grimes, of Colchs^■ter. Mine has been in use fir 30 years. The time wid come when no landowner will permit an open farmyard. Anima's are always more healthy in the covered yards. We sliall all, I think, agree that the most i i portaut of all the arts is that of producing fo^d. Those who doubt it should go without tlieir meals for a week, and they would soon come to a more sound conclusion. This ait, previous to this century, was here and elsewliere merely e iipirioal or experimental. Effects were seen, butcauses were n known. Tiie calf growing and tliriving on its mother's m ik seemed quite natural, but nobody knew what uiude its bones, aad tiial if there had been no bone earth in the foil which produced the plant food of the cow the animals could htve iiad no bone — in fact, no existence, or a very rickety, imperfect one. Pdckety children owe tiieir imperfeetiou to the Use of food deficient in bone eartii (phosphate of Utc). A friend of mine, whosa wife had twins, told me that the babes v/ould not thrive on London milk, but grew famously when they took the genuine Swiss milk in tins. This was a coin- pir^tively recent affair. Science explains all this — Viitiiout science effects are seen (often too late), but causes are un- known. In 1820, Sir ilumphrey Davy, and in 18iO Bari)n Liehig, first gave to agriculture a scieniitic basis. I would strongly recommend, not only to agriculturists, but as a br.ok lor every libriry, " Liebig's Familiar Lef'ers on Chemistry," as a profitable means of greatly enlarging knowledge and ktimulafiiig tliought ; for tiiat great man not only treats abundantly of agriculture, but numerous other subjects of vast interest. I have in my library his works as follows : (1), " Chemistry An its Application to Agiiculture and Piiysiology ;" (3), Principles of Agricultural Chemistry;" (3), Letters on Modern Agriculture;" (4), "The Natural Laws of Ilus- baudiy ;" (5), '• Familiar Letters on Chemistry." But what is scieute ? Is it not perception, observation, comparison, re- fl-ction, and inductive reasoning, with a view to trulhlul con- clusions ? Newton, on seeing the apphj fall from a tree, a.iked himself why it did not go up instead of down, and then aro-^e our astronomical knowledge. So it was with Giii'eo and our revolving glebe, and Torricelli and the diameter. Water, the least compressible of any substance, when converted into ste;>ra, beeoaics more compressible. Someb )dy who saw and relleoied upon its power wlien li ting the lid of the bubbling pot or kettle, applied that power to most important uses and mechanieal science, thanks to \Va*t, Stephenson, Fowler, Arkwright, aud otiier philosophers, ^ho h.we giviiu us uiiliions of J. J. ME CHI. willing, but unsuffcrlng and untiring slaves, wh.ich labour night aud day for our use, comfort, and profit. Il.irvoy, by reflection, discovered the circulation of our blood. Jenner preserved liu'uan life aud beauty by observation, rellcc- ti in, and inductive reasoning. Formerly a beautiful woman miglit, in a few weeks, become plain or hideous from small- pi)x. In my early days mo^t persons were more or less dis- figured by it. Jenner asked himself which class of society, or which trade or occupation, was mist free from this pest, and he louud thut dai^'yroaids generally escaped. Theu he asked himself wliy, and ascertained that when milking, if they had a cut or inju'y on the fingers or hand, the pimple or pock on the cow's udder caused a similar outbreak on the wound, and so we got covv pock vaccination. This was science, and a blessed science too, but how fiercely it was opposed and dis- believed ! 1 remember seeing, in caricatures, covva' heads, covvb' horns, cu.vs' faces, ail shown on paper as resulting frorn intro- ducing this cow disease into the human frame. Time and truth, lio.vever, at length prevailed, and we are no longer shocked aud pained as we used to be. Franklin brought dowu 'i?htning iron the clouds ; and now, if the Emperor of China happens to have a fit of sneezing, lightning brings it by telegrnni to our breaki'ast-table next morning in the steam printed si.eet — e'e.trical seicace and steam have all but an uihikted time and space. Everything natural is done well and wonderfully without th« aid of man, but our ell'orts ^hould be directed to inquire how they are so well and perfectly done. Happily, chemical analysis and philosophic sagacity at last enlightened us. Liebig justly says, in his dedication to the British Association of his " Chemi.'-try in its Application to Agriculture and Physiulogy," "But it is not the mere practical utility of these truths which is of importance. Taeir iuilneiice upon mental caltare is most beneficial ; and the new views acquired by (he knonleige of them enable the mind to recognise, in the phenomena of nature, proofs of an infinite wisdom, for the unfathomable profundity of which language h.is no expression." The time has arrived for some- thing, iu British agriculture, more than the mere practical man. Liebig says in his " Modern Agricnltare," published ia 1859, p. 232, "Agriculture is, of all industrial pursuits, the richei.t ia iacts and the poorest in their comprehension." " Facts by the^raillion cannot be bequeathed, but scientific prin- ciples, which are expressions for these facts, may be so, be- cause they are immutable in their ua'nre. Facts are like grains of sand which are moved by the wind, but principles are these same grainsccmeuted intoroeks. Afact simply tells us of its existence, but experience ought to inform us why it exists. Perfect agri- culture is the true fouudation of all trade and industry : it is the (onndaiion of the ricl ei of states. Bat a rational system of agriculture cat. not be formed without the application of scientific principles ; for such a system must be based on an exact acqu■^iDt:^nce witii the means of nutrition of vegetables, and with 'ho infiuence of soils, aud action of manure upon them" (Liehig's "Chemistry in its Application to Agricul- ture and Psytiology," p. 173). But as a means of gaining knowledge we must have education, whicli, although it does not give tlie mental field, cultivates it, a.id enables it to pro- duce its crops in proportion to its natural fertility. As a u^ition we have been sadly behind iu this matter of mental cul- tivation, Scotland alone excepted, for there John Knox gave them bj law, 300 years ago, schools in every parish, provided by the heritors or landowners ; so we find Scotch stewards, gardeners, bailiffs, and successful Scotchmen everywhere. The want of early education in England is made very evident to me by my extensive agricultural correspondence; which, in many cases, ia very imjjerfect, aithaugh the writers arc, no doubt, naturally intelligent anl able. The clear aud well-written Scotch, c donial, aud American correspondence proves to me tliat edu -ation there has been much earlier and more general than in England. My labourers, and most others of 50 years of age, are unable to rf a! or write, and tliis is tile case of some of the snail tradesmen ; because when they fi^^t came into our large parish there was only a wretched dame's school. Here let me commend the Royal Agricullural College at Cirencester, which instructs youths, previou>Iy well educated, in the high'T departrRents ofcl.eoiistry, the veterinary art, botany, surTeyiiij-, i72 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. &e. Many of its students now rank high in a?riculfure and other callings requiring intellectunl as well as t-clinical kuow- ledi-hig, in iiis " FamiliHr Letters on Chemistry," No. 30, says, " Every one knows that in the immense, yet limited expanse of the ocean, whole worlds of plants and animals are mutually dependent upon, and suc- cessive to, each other. Tiie a imals obtain their constituent elements Irom the plants, and restore them to the water in their original form, when they again serve as nonrishment to a new genaration of plants. The oxygen which marine animals withdraw in their respiration from the air, dissolved iu sea- waier, is returned to the water by the vital process of sea- {'iants; that air is riclier in oxygen than atmosplieric air, con- taining 33 to 33 per cent., while the latter only contains 21 per cent. The oxyj^en now combines with the products of the jiutrefactiou of dead auiiial bodies, changes their carbon into carbonic aoid, their hydrogen into water, while their nitrosen assumes again tlie form of ammonia. Thus we observe thiit in the ocean a circulation takes pfice without any addition or subtraction of any element, unlimited iu duration, althou^jh limited iu extent, ina'^much as, in a confined spare, the nourisii- meut of plants exists iu a limited quantity." We well know that the marine plants cannot derive a supply of humus for their nourishment through their roots. Look at the great sea- tang, the i^«(7;<*^/i70';tinf; of thb chamber was held at the Ansjel Hotel, Bury St. E I'liuud'rt, on Wednesday, the su'iJRfts for discussion beinu ''Tiie present rpjulatioua r-gardins Diseased Cattle," and the resitination of Mr. C. S. Read, M i"." The chair was occupied by Mr. Willi un Biduell. Tlie PRESiutNT said, having been unable to find a member to introduce the subject of cattle diseases, he had himself drawn up a short paper, tbinkinsf that the matter was cne that ghouM be discussed. The President said : I propose we discuss it only in connection wiih t'ootand-month disease, for the lung disease I do not consider infectious. At the same time I am tuliy awiire many peop'e do not share in this opinion. Tliere appears no imm'diate dan.;er of our being visited by the cattle plagu-, to stamp out whicli no regulations can be too stringent. Tlie points upon which I would e'-pecially invite tlie discussion Hre — l>t, Are the present re^ulati^'ns sufEciently effective to justify their exp^nce and continuance ? 2ud, If n('t, can they be improved sufficientl) to make them so ? And Snt, What improvements can be suggested ? Lnok'ng at tlie prevalence of the disease I am uneertaiu whether our pre^eut regulations have been really beneficial. Tiiey have now been in force some time, and yet, comparing correspond- ing seasons of the ye-ar, the disease I understand has not abated. I speak but vaguely on this point as I have no statis- tics to guide me. In some cases they have tended to increase the disease by rendering it impracticable to treat the! animals Buffering from it with propiT comfort and nursing, wliicli I liave I'ouiid the best way of quickly gi-t'ingthem tiirou>-h it A ca-e of this kind occurred after last 'Woolpit fair, where a denier bought a lot of good cattle which next dny wrre dis- covered to in the early stage of the disea e, and wore accord- ingly ordered to remain where tliey were until free from it. Food had to be carted to tliem, and I do very much doubt whether the necessary traffic from tlie meadow did not spread the di>ease more tlian if the bullocks had been alloved in this early stage to have gone to a farm where food and comfort would have been at hand. Upon the whole I am of opinion that unless the regulations can be rendered more effectual they are not worth acting upon, unless, perhaps in most flig- rant cases. 2nd, Can our regulations be sulilfiently improved to make tliera worth retain'ng ? The impo^sibiilty of detect- ing tlie disease ia its earliest stages presents a great difficulty ill dealing with it. Another is, the authorities in market towns are reluctant to carry any severe measure into action lest they should prevent the dealers attending their mirkels, they being men of the most liberal expenditure, consequently those the towns like best to entertain. It appears to me that as three-fourths of the beasts grazed in this country come from Irrland, it is there the disease should be first dealt with. The best plan I can see is that every lot of bullocks, before being sent over here should be in quarantine and under inspection — such a plan would entail considerable expense — at the same time Ireland must be freed from tht: disease before we can expect to be free. No one can say anything agaiust closing our markets when there is no trade going on, but in busy times, wlien only it could do good, the stopping the supply and demand is a much more serious matter than it at first sight appears. It would frequently lead to animals in one part of the kingdom suffering from want of food, whilst in other parts food was wasting for want of oxen to eat it. An Irishman, having to keep his oxen six weeks, say, longer than he had providi-d food tor them, of necessity has to put them on short commons, from which na progress is made, thus entailing a greater loss than the disea-e itself, as that would generally be covered by a mouth's keep. Ten shillings a head annually on Irish cattle imported would, I thibk, fully represent the loss arising from the disease amongst them. If very severe restrictions are put in force, the price to the graz.ier here would be fully enhanced by that amount, for the dealer, finding himself liable to be mulcted in heavy penalties, or by the stoppage of his catile, would only trade snbjpct to getting much heavier profits. Therefore, setting aside the loss the restrictions entailed on the seller, the buyer would have to pay 10s. a head for his oxen more than if trade was unfettered. If I lose, as I have no dou'it I do, £50 a year by the cat'.le d. ease, aud if under severe restucl'.ous my cattle to graze cost rec £50 a year more, I airi no gainer, even sup- posing all are kept from disease ; but ratlier a loser, as 1 have in part to pay for the inspection. The Magistrates' Cora- raittee, I see, recommend that dU maiket trucks, &c , should be compulsorily cleansed and disinfected. Well, this is all very well ; but, to take this town, is it practicable to disin- fect, say 15 or 20 (or near this) layers where bullocks are taken in before and after market, these layers occupying between 20 and 30 acres ? Cuming tired into these of a night, cattle are, I think, more likely to take the disease here than in the markets. The aggregate loss arising from ilie foot-and- mouth disease is euorraou-, and nosaor fice hardly would be too great to permuiieuily get rid ot it. I despair of doing this, and am of opinion that the severest regulations would act ou'y as a check, and be not worth the expense and inconvenient a they occasion. In fact, the mitigated cure is worse than the disease. I am quite prepared to have the soundness of n.y opinion questioned, and, indeed, to have this Chamber decline to eudorse them. Mr. T. TiiORNHiLL, M.P., said he might perhaps be allowed to take this opportunity of offering his apology for not having . been seen so often at the meetings of this Chamber as he should have liked to have been. But the fact was he had had a great deal of trouble and sorrow at the death of his beloved father, and he had a great deal of business to trans;iot in con- sequence, lie migiit have a great deal more to do yet, and if lie could not for'a time attend meetings of this character with a regularity which he desired, he hoped due allowance would be made for the position in which he was placed. Ho was very triad to be able to be present to-day, bccau'e he thougiit'the subject under consideration was a very important one to all classes of society, not only to the farmer as pro- ducers, but to the pabiic at large as consumers, who were interested in keeping the prices as low as possible. The foot- and mouth disease seemed to him to be a very capricious disease, and sometimes affected animals otherwise than by contagion. He mentioned the case of two calves at Barniugliam that were kept together in tile same yard in which they were bom, but they were attacked with that disease, whereas the cows, though driven about ihe roads, never had it. Mr. Thornhill also mentioned the ca^e ot some hoggets which fell down with the diseas?, whilst some ewes in the next field escaped altogether, and that in the face of tlie fact that one of the ewes was in the hab.t of jumping over the hurdles and going amongst the affected hogt;ets and returning amongst the ewes. Not only did the ewe escape, but it did not communicate the disease In the rest of the ewes. At his own place at Pakenham he had been in the habit of having the months of his stock washed with carbolic acid and water, and the animals had never had the foot-and-mouth disease, although his friends had had it on their farms very close to his. It s-emed to him, from what he had seen ot the disea e, tlat it would be impossible to entirely stamp it out with the present regulations. As to pleuro-pneunionia, which was a much more dangerous disease, the restrictions could not perhaps well be too strict in order to stamp it out. But with regard to the (oot-and-mouth disease, he considered the restrictions might perhaps be so far relaxed that persons might be allowed to move affected stock from one part of the farm to another. The mater was one that re- quired to be very carefully considerel, in order to know the best course to adopt, so. that the interests of all parties con- cerned might be fairly taken into account. Being a large farmer himself, farming about 1,500 acres, he knew the im- portance of obtaining stock cheaper, for not only was it of benefit to the farmer, but to the public at large. He did not think it would he advisable at present to interfere with fairs and m.arkets, but he agreed that the rules and regulntions having reference to the cleansing markets, and other phices where cattle were brought together, could not be too stringent. Happily in Leland, where a good many of the store cattle came trom, cattle disease was not so prevalent — at leist, there waa no rinderpest, which was the kind of disease which we in England had to dread amongst cattle coming from farms there, especially as there was not the same machinery for guarding against diseased cattle there as in England, there being, aiuong>t other things, a great want of 176 THE FARMEB,'S MAGAZINE. inspaclors. This was a subject on which he did not want to pledge himself, as it was one that would soon i)e brought forward ia the House of Commons, and until the discussion Irid tak:n place it would be impossible for him to pldge him- self as to what was best to be done ; but his friends might rest assured that, interested as he was himst4f in rttiricuh^ure, he would do the very best to promote the cause of agiiculuire. Mr. lloDWELL spoke at some length on the bu ject, and in the course of his remarks he alluded to the mcet'ng of the Executive Committee at Stowmarket, when certain rpgulations having reference to the foot-and-mouth disease were drawn up. The meeting was a small one, but he did udt know th^t it was the worse for that, for amongst the gentlemen present was Lord Ilenniker, who had taken infini'e pains to master the subject. Some difference of opinion prevailed, and the subject was well discussed. He for one thouglit it was per- fectly unnecessary to recommend any restrictions so btrong as t lose recommended in Notl'oik. The conimittee came to the resolutions to which Mr. Biddell had referred, lie had been a buffsrer from the foot-and-mouth disease amongst liis flock ; and this was a subject which he felt bound to siudy, not for liimself so much as fur those whose interests he had to watch in matters of this kind, and he had come to the conclusion that in cases where it was ascertained to be simply foot-and- mouth disease, it was better to liave no restrictions whatever, but that it should be left to the buyer and seller to make tlieir o,vn bargains, the buyer to exercise the greatest precaution lie p )ssibly could. As had been said they bad to consider the iu- t-irests of the consumer as well as the producer, aud if a nimber of restrictions had to be imposed the value of the 8 lund article — or tlis article that was not suspected — would be enhanced, and we should probably have to pay more tiian we should if we ran the risk of purchasing animals that had this particular disease which, excepting in the case of cows and sheep, was not so formidable that it might not be dealt with, as it had been in numbers of instances, very successfully. It should be remembered that in legislating upon this subject tiiey had a strong public feeling to encounter against restric- tions in the manufacturing and other districts of England. Mr. Rodwell quoted a letter written by Mr. John Bright on the subject, which protested strongly against restrictions of the kind carried out in Norfolk, which he said was simply done by the county members to curry favour with their con- stituents, and for the sake of keeping up the price of meat. This, Mr. Itodwell said, siiowed that there was a feeling on the subject by residents in large towns, and it was one of the difficulties that would have to be contended against. There- fore, he thought it would be better, where it was simply a case of foot-and-mouth disease, to have no restrictions, but to let persons take all the care th.ey could in buying, aud that there should be a law which would punish any person who knowingly sold an animal which was diseased. He hardly knew why the system of warranty should not be introduced, as was often done in the sale of a horse. Possibly the buyer would have to pay a little more for a warranted animal, but he would have the satisfaction of knowing that if the animal did not turn out sound the seller woud have to return the money. He did not recommend this course, as it might lead to an almost endless amount of litigation, and tlie County Court Judge would probably have a great deal more to do than he had at the present time. He (Mr. Rodwel ) thought it. possible that if there were no restrictions the buyer would be more careful than he was at present not to buy unsound animals ; and he considered it a g;eat mistake that compen- sation should be given under the present imperfect restrictions, because the effect was to make people less cautious, because they knew if an animal turned out unsound and died they would ret a certain amount of compensation. Considering tiie d fliculties that surrounded the whole subject, he thought the course he liad suggested would be the simplest sulutiou of tlie whole question. People now knew better how to treat tlie foot-and-mouth disease than they did formerly. The present sort of panic feeling which existed throughout the country resulted from the feeling of apprehension wliich ex- isted at the time the cattle plague was so prevalent. JBut the foot-and-mouth disease was a very diffi-reut one, and he cer- tainly thought it would be better to leave peojjle to do as they pleased in reference to it. Mr. W. N. King meationed two instances which had come under his notice to illustrate that the disease did not always arise from contagion. One was tkc case of five sheep brought to his farm in September, but the disease did not break out until January, pnd singularly enough, though these five fed with the others, and were with them, they escaped the disease altogether, Mr. King exfiressed his concurrence in the ob- servations of Mr. Hodw. 11 iu reference to tfie restrictions as to tiie foot-and-mouth disease. Tlie public wore sometimes put to great inconvenience without any compensating ad- vantages. Mr. J. E. 'VVRifiHT pointed out that if there were no restrictions a man migtit drive dis-a-.ed animals from one end of the country to another, scatterinij the seeds of the disease broadcast. It was quite true that the disease mijiht not be contagious in every case, but it was very olten couta ious, and he was apprehensive that if tliere were no restrictions tliere would be great danger of the disease being much more pre- valent than it was at tlie present time. Tlie_e ou^ht surely to be sone ratans of preventing diseased animals being driven about the country with impunity. Mr. lloDWELL said he would make it an offence punishable with a fine or imprisoumint for any persun kiiowint;ly to drive diseased beasts from one pi ice to another, just as in the case ot a man sending diseased meat to London. Mr. Manfield, alluding to the regu'ations issued by the Executive Committee of Suffolk, pointed out that farcy in in horses was included under the head of contaj^ious diseases, and he said he thought this must be a mistake, as farcy was not contagious. Several gentlemen expressed a similar opinion, Mr. Gay- rORD remarking that he had known horses having farcy to rain;;le with otiiers for li or 15 years without communicating the dnease. Mr. Manpield remarked that he took a more serious view of the foot-and mouth disease than did some gentlemen pre- sent. He had had it on his farm four different tim-'s, and each time it had broken out amongst fresh stock he had bought at Bury market Beasts having the disease were placed on the meadows and other places outside the town of Bury. Other beasts went into the same places, aud up to within a month hH thought it was next to impo--siule to go to Bury market and buy cattle that had not the disease. There should be a thorough inspection of other places as well as the markets. It frequently happened that animals were driven to Bury having the disease, and those tliat were apparently sound were bronjiht on to the market, while others were lelt behind. The difficulty that he saw was in detectins; the disease in its early staue. The beasts that he bought had fallen down with the disease the morning after he had got them home, Tlie discussion was continued at considerable length. Mr. lloDWELL reraarkeu that they must either take very stringent measures, as in the case of the cattle plague, and stamp the disease out, or have no restrictions at all. Unless the thing were done thoroughly, it were best left alone. Mr. Salmon, the Town Clerk of Bury, said the Town Council were very anxious to do all that was possible to prevent diseased animals being brought to the market and other places in Bury, and with tliat view they had appointed a gentleman to fill the office of inspector, who was well qualified for the position. Mr. E. Greene observed there was no doubt that the disease was sometimes contagious and sometimes epidemic, and he thought it was one of those diseases that would in time wear itself out. He also pointed out the difficulty of detecting the disease in its early stage, and he gave some instances in point wliich had come under his own observation. He expressed his belief that it would be better to take, away the present restrictions, and leave persons knowingly sending diseased cattle from place to place to be dealt with by the common action of the law. If they cleansed the markets, ia was impossible to cleanse the layers, and it was from these places that most of the disease was propagated. Mr. RoDWELL proposed tl e following resolution : '■ Tliat as it would be impracticable to close the mark-'ts through the kingdom with a view to stamp out the foot-and-mouth disease, it would be expedient to remove the exi.^tiug res-rietions, which have proved inoperative and harassing to the trade, and if the present law is not sufficient, it should be enacted that any person knowingly driving along the ruads, or ex- posing for sale, any animal sufierint; Irom disease, or having recently been in contact i\'it\\ a. diseased animal, should be liable to fine or imprisouincul." THE FARxMEK'S MAGAZIXE. 17T Colonel Parker said his nxperienco — which, however, was not, pcrlmps, so great as niaii) in that room — was that some restrietious were necessary. He could not nn(l< ritanci llie propriftv of witlidrawing tiie restrictions and tlirowiiig the reapoiisiljility of taking action npon tlie shonldi ts of orhers tliaii tliose whose busiii''S3 it was to see that diseased cattle were not moved about from place to place. If the law was inoperative, or was i.ot so stringent as it sliould he, let ir be altered. It seemed to him necessary that there should be restrietioiis as to the inspection of markets and other places, and that it .should be the duty of the inspector to bring the law into operation in cases were it was being oll'eiided aj^ainst. The regulations which were drawn up the otiicr day by tlie Executive camniittee seemed to him to be wise and moderate, and thero was, at least, nothing in them so sweeping as the suggestion wliich was now made to the Clumber. There were, no doubt, dilliculties attending the whole matter, but that was no reason why steps should not be taken to prevent as ''ar as possible the spread of the disease. Mr. TuoRNHii.L said he tlicught some addition ought 'o be made t) Mr. Rod well's resolution, to the effect that trucks, market-places, &c., sliould be from time to liiue thorouglily cleansed. Mr. Henry Stanley expressed iiis apprehension tltal the effect ol tlie rcsolu ii.u would be to check importation of cattle, which would, of cjurse, be a great evil. It had been admitted that tiiere was a great difficulty in detecting the disease in it^ early sta^^e, and it not uiifrequently broke out in course of transit, and if pers ms were to be liahle to fine and i iiMrisonment it would be considered dan^reruusto move stock i'lto tl e country, and the result would be to clieck importa- tion of c ttle into the o uuty. Mr. Hod WELL replied that in no case would a ram he con- victed uuleas he knowingly moved diseased cattle from place t ) place. Other gentlemen having spoken on the subject, Mr. Manfikli) moved an amendiiieiit to the effect — " That the regulations issued by the Executive Committee should be aihered to with the exception of striking out farcy under the head of contagious disea>es. Jlr. Stanley seconded the amendment. The CuAiiiMAN put the aiiieudment, and three voted for it and ten against. It was therelore lost, and Jlr. ilodweli's mition was carried, thirteen voting for ami three against. i\lr. Giic. Gayeokd, sen., then brought forward the subject of Mr. Clare Sew ell liead's resignation. He said lie had some conversation with tlie President oa the subject, and he (Mr, Gaylord) having expressed his opinion that it ought to be taken up as an asrricultnral question by an agriculiuial chamber, Mr. liiddell suggested that it slmvild be brought f..rward at to-day's me-jting. He (Mr. Gayford) therefore now brought it forward as a tenant-farmers' and an agricultural question. A few years since it occurred to the farmers that they ought to be a little more independent politically, not having, as a class, been fairly represented. The tanners of Norfolk took tlie initiative in sending a man of tlifir own class, one who well understood the practical parts ol agricul- ture, and what were the requirements ol tlie tanning com- munity. They chose Mr. C. S. Head as their represemaiive, and they soon discovered that they had taken the right course, and that they had chosen a man who could represent them honestly and well. lie soon began to make his presence lelt in the liou-e, and those who held the reins of power said by tlieir actions, if not in actual words, " Tiiis Mr. Read will become a troublesome man, so we must put him into some snug little box, and keep him there, so as to prevent his talking about the farmers' KrievancfS." Mr. Read had declared that he only accepted office on condition that he should be at liberty to act as he thought proper, and according to his conscience on agricultural subjects. Alter a time Mr. R^-ad spoke a little more phiinly than some of his cbiels liked, and he was rebuked, and he was told that he was nut to taik quite so plainly. It was just possible that Mr. Read spoke more plainly and warmly upon one subject which affected the agricultural in'ercst than he would do if he had bis time over again. He was, no doubt, a little perplexed about the Tenant-Rig lit B'll, and the question discussed when he was in office was whether the measure was to be permissive, or that nasty word, com- pulsory— or, in otlier words, whether it was to be of use or no Use. That was slipped over, and he did not tliiuk Mr. Read's couscience was quite quiet about that. When he gut to work ajjain, he sa d, " I'll be a farmprs' man, and I'll giv,-; up the position I occupy." There were few iubu who were si thoroughly lionest as Mr. Read was, aiid there were Very few who would have been prepared to make tlie sacrifice which that gentleman bad done. Most men would have said, " It is only my one voice, and my one vote, and I shall put this i.1400 or £l,5J0iuto my p-jcke;." Mr. Read, on the other liand, said, " I am sent here to represent the farmers' interest, to advocate the farmers' independence, and no money shall tempt me to swerve from my duty." He was rebuked a second time, and tlien he determined to have uo more of it, and tendered his resignation. Now was the tira^ for farmers to unite and show they would support honrst men, men wlio would work for the fanners' interests, and he hoped tliia Chamber would take some steps to show Mr, Read that the farmers of the neighbourhood highly apjiroved of liis coLduct. Some notice ought to be taken by those interested in agricul- ture to testily their approv.l of Mr. Read's couise of action. As to whether it should be uone by a testimonial, or in what form the reco^inition should be made, he (Mr. Gayford) would leave for the Chamber to decide. He had done what he thought was ouly right under the circumstances, in having introduced the matter to the Cliamber, Mr. RijPWELL said lie regretted that his friend Mr. Gayford sliouid have brouglit this subject before the Chamber. He alsj regretted that Mr. Read should ever have resigned, be- cause they had now drilted somewhat into a discussion as to Mr. Read's merits. Ue was in liop(*S that this kind of discus- sion might have been spared, and that these expressions of opinion would not have been called for ; but he thought he should not be acting frankly and lairly ir he did not say at ouee tiia' he concurred in a great deal that Mr. Greete had said in this matter. Re (Mr. Rodwelt) did not think Mr, Read iiad any enemies, and no one could detract from tiis merits as an iiu.elatigable cneinber of the Ilou^e of Commons, and that he was a gentleman who discharged his duties thoroughly and honestly towards his constituents. But as to the matter in question, he (Mr. Rodwell) declined to sit in judgment as to the motives which induced Mr. Read to resign. It miyht have been a little bit of temper — he was not here to say it was not, and he did not lose siglit of this fact when he heard so much said with reference to Mr. Read's independence. Eor the lite of him (Mr. Rodwell) — and he made the remark in con-equeuce ot Mr. G^yibru's statement — he could not un- derstand wiiy Mr. Read should have retired from office on a minor and unimporiact question in which his office was not so much concerned when he sat through the whole of the Session and voted to a certain extent against — that was to say, voting for a measure which was against his own conviction, aud which Mr. Gaylord and Mr. Read was the promoter of in the Chamoer ot Agriculture. 1 do say this, continued Mr. Rodwell, that Mr. Read has, to use his own words, been paraded throughout the country against his own wish and inclinations ; and nutniog more generous and - more handsome than Mr. Read's disclaimer of any wish contrary to the wish of the present Government was ever uttered. He has said " I have quarrelled witii the chief, and though I leave the Government, it is ti'e Government I will uphold when I go to Parliament, because 1 know a Conservative Goverumeut is the ouly Government we as agriculturists can look to for help." He has taken pains to let the public know ttiat he is well inclined towards the present Government, and he h.as let the world know that he will be an acive supporter of the present Governiceut. I think he has shown the most generous behaviour under the temptation to which he has been exposed. Who do I find are the principal patrons of Mr. Read ? ft-ho are those who aie upholding liim as a martyr ? who are they that are using Mr. Read's name so freely ? Why, tliey are the political opponents of Mr. Read. 1 defy anyone who has been watching the newspapers to be otherwise than satisfied, as I am, that the opposition or the Liberal party have communicated with the lauded interest in this county, the teuant-farmers and other.", and liave used Mr. Read's name and held him up as a martyr much against Mr. Read's own wish. At least, that is the way 1 read it. Mr. Rodwell proceeded to say that he honoured Mr. Read because he knew he would not lend himself to a movement which he (Mr. Rodwcli) believed emanated a great deal from political opponents, who wished to weaken tlie Con- servative party by sowing discord and disunion into its ranks. I should be ashamed of inysc.f, Mr. Rodwell continued, if I THE FARMEB'S MAGAZINE. ("id not frankly say v.lvAt iny feelings upon tlie subject are, and 1 d J not thiuk I stand aloLe in this opinion. Tlie subject will be talked of more scod, atid I think you will see that my words ■dva prophetic. I think you will see iu the course of the nest tiirre montlis whether this is not all fiot up for the P'lrpoje of weakeniQt; our party — not bejaase they love Mr. ll-ad, but because they iuite the Conservative party. Thctt being the view I take of the matter, wliy am I, living out of tlie county which Mr. Eead represents, to assist my political opponents to n>ake political capital out of a man who does not like it him- self, and who repudiates and comphuus of beiujf paraded tliroughout tliC country as a martyr? In conclusion, Mr. }lodivell said if there was any man who had a rigbt to admire the courage and independence of the teuant-farir;ers, it was liimself, and he would be the lust person to do anvtliing or to siy one word which would suggest that he wi s un uindiul of what the tenant-farmers had done ; but, after all, the ten«Ht- farmers must recollect that there wpre other large interests which a Government had to attend to in its dealings with public affairs. Let it be borne in mind that Mr. Head had said that the Conservative party was the only party to which tlie landed interest could look for help, and Mr. Head would be the last person in the wosld who would wish anything done which would tend to v/eaken the party of which he had been, and would continue to be, so (lira and strenuous a supporter. After some further dis'jusssion the matter dropped, it being understood that gentiemr-n wishing to subscribe to the testi- monial to Mr. Read could do so by handinij subscriptions to Mr. Ilenry Stanley, or paying tliem into Mr. liuddleston's- bank in t"hat gentleman's name. The meeting then bioke up. THE HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND. At the last half-yearly meeting of the Highland and Agricultural Society, there was a lirge attendance of members. Tiie Eirl of Glasgow occupied the chair, and was supported by the Duke of Buccleuch and the Earl of Mar and Kellie. The Earl of Glasgow &aid that, in the absence of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, it fell to him, as one of the vice-presidents, to take the chair. He would not trouble tlie meeting with an-: introductory remarks from the chair, as they had a long and important programme of business belore them, and he would at once proceed with it. 13i new members were tlien ballolted for and elected. The Secretaky read the following list of new office-bearers in p'ace of those retiring by rotation : Vice-Presidenls. — The E\rl of Strathmors ; the Eaii of Kin to re ; the Earl of Aber- deen ; the Earl of i'ife, K.T. Ordinary Direcfors.— Sir John Marjoribanks, of Lees, Bart. ; Jas. Cochrane, Little iladdo, Aberdeen ; Robert Copland, Millof Ardlethen, Ellon ; Thomas EiTguson, Kinuochtry, Conpar-Angus ; Andre^v GiUon, of Wallbouse ; Alexander Forbes Irvine, of Drum ; James Towns- e.id Oswald, of Dunnilier; Adam Smith, Stevenson Mains, Ildddingtor. Extraordinary JDirevlors. — The Lord-Provost ofAberJeen; Sir James Horn Burnett, of Leys, Bait.; Sir J .ha Ogilvy, of Inverquharity, Bart. ; Sir Wilfian Forbes, of Craigievar, Bart. ; Sir James Dalryraple Horn E'phinstoue- ot Horn; and Logic Elphiustone, Bart., M. P.; Sir Thoraa- Gladstcne, of Easque, Bart.; Robert William Duff, of Ee(- teresso, M.P. ; Lieutenant-Colonel G.^orge Eerguson, of Pit- tour ; John Gordon, of Cluny ; Lieuteuaat-Colouel William W'Inroy, ofThe Bath. The list of office bearers as proposed was then agreed to. Mr. Murray, of Dollerie, submitted the aecouns of the So;iety for the year 1S74-75, which were approved of. Admiral Maitland Dougal laid on the table the ac- counts of the Argyll Naval Fund for 1874-75, which were agn ed to. Mr. Ord Mackenzie read a report suggesting tl-.e purchase of an eligible site in the New Town, on which to erect a suit- able hall and chambers for the Society. After some conversation, it was agreed by a large majority that the Society should remain in its preseut premises. Mr. Gii.LON (Wallhouse) read the following reports re- garding the Glasgow, Aberdeen, and EJinburgii Shows :s " Glasyow Show, 1875. — After the full reports which ap- P'ared iu the newspapers at the time, it is unnecessary for me to occupy the time of the meeting by any lengthened state- ment. It may suffice to report that, from the accounts which have just been submitted to the meeting, it will be observed that tlie Glasgow Show proved iu a financial point of view a great success ; indeed, I may say by fur the most successful 1 ver held under tiie Society's auspices, the estimated surplus being no less than £3,316. In other respects I may state thortly that the show was also very prosperous, the stock generally being of a superior character, and many of the implements very creditable ; while the forage-yard on this decision was stated by all parties to be admirably supplied by ?»Ir. Buchanan, Glasgow. I have nosv the pleasure of moving a series of resolutions of thanks to the noblemen and geutle- me 1 to whose co-operation and exertions the Society is so much indebted. L.Tliat the tliauks of the Society be given to ili8 Most Noble the Marquis of Bute, vice-president, for his attendance at the Glasgow Show, and for oflici;iting a's clu.irman at thf> president's dinner in the r.navoiduble absence of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. 2. That the thanks of the Society be given to the right hon. the E-irl of Glasgovv, vice-president, for acting as croupier on the same occasion. 3. That the thanks of the Society be giveu to the Comnnssioners of Supply lor the counties of Lanark, Ayr, Argjll, Rsufrew, and Bute, for the liberality with which tlie auxiliary fund was provided. 4. Tliat the tlianks of the Society be given to the Hon. James Bain, Lnd Provost, and to the magistrates and Town Council of Ghisgow, for tiie ex- cellent accommodation afforded for the show-yard by the free uve of the Green, and for the liberal contribution ot £-200 in aid of the auxiliary fund. 5. That the thanks of the Society be given to Sir Michael R. Shaw Stewart, of Blackball, Bart., c .UTcner, and to the other members of the Commiitee of Superiuteudence, for their very efficient co-operation in the duties devolving upon them. Aberdeen Show, 1876. — I have further to report that the arrangements for the Ab rdeeti Show, so far as yet completed, are in a highly satisfactory state. The premium list and regulations, as prepared by the General S tow Committee, and approved of by the directors, were submitted to a meetiug of members, held at Aberdeen, on the 17th of December, and again to a meeting of the board, when premiums were agreed to to the amount of £3,423, or £832 aliove what was offered at Aberdeen in 1868. That list is now upon the table. The competition for the premium of £50, offered by the Society for the best thoronglibred stallion, to serve in the district of the show, will take place in the market sti-.uce, King-street, Aberdeen, on Friday, the 4tli day of February. All entries must be made on or belore the morning of the Show, witii Mr. Alexander Yea's, secretary of the Royal Northern Society, 89, Union-street, Aher. eea. The only matter of regret I have to bring before you is in regard to the date of the Show of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, which has this year been tixed to be held at Birmingham from the 19th to the 24th July, both inclusive; while the Aberdeen Sliow ta ,es place from the 25th to the 2Sth July, both inclu ive. The matter was carefully considered by the board on the 5th of January, when it was resolved to adhere to the date fixed for the Aberdeen Show, believing that any alteration to a later date would not be advisable, I may add that if the Show is held the week following, it will clash with the Irish an i York- shire Shows. Ed'mburyh Show, 1877. — I have iiually to report that the dirtctors some time ago received applications, numerously signed, from members and others in the three Lothians and in the city of Edinburgh, requesting the Society to hold the Show for 1877 at Ed'nburgh. The directors have pleasure iu recommending for the approval of i\\u meeting that the Show, for thatyear should be held in Edinburgh Tlie classes of stock for which premiums will al'lerwar is be offered were named by the General Show Committee. Tne li t was subsequently laid before a meeting of members, and afiersome emendations received the approval of the board at its meeting on the 5lli of this month. That list as adjusted I now haxetolay before you ; and beg to move that the recommendations of the directors be adopted, and that it be remitted to them to make the usual arrangements. I may add that the directors received a circular from .the M^yor of Carlisle proposing that the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 179 i'iiij^lis'i and our Show should be held tog;ether at Carlisle ia 1677, but alter careful cousiJeratiou the directors deemed it iutxpedieut to enlertaiii the proposal." The reports were adopted. Mr. A. Campbell Swi^'ton gave in the report in regard to district couipctiiioiis. It stated that the money premiums awarded in lb75 amouuted to £453, bcsiiles 10 silver, 2i6 medium, and 1S2 plough medals ; and that the premiuuis to be oll'ered iu 187G consisted of: l\)ur distiicts for cattle at £20, one silver and three lucdium silver medals each, £S9 10s. ; three distiicts for cattle (iuterraediatn year), one silver aud tliree mediuui silver medals each, £7 2s. 6d. ; six districts for stallions at £25 each, £150; fuur districts for mares at £8 and one medium silver mtdal each, £3-i 23. ; five districts lor olts aud fillies at £iy aud four niedium silver medals each, £105 10s. ; six districts for slieep at £18, one silver and four medium silver medals each, £125 8s. ; sis dis- tricts for sheep (in intermediate year), one silver and four medium silver medals each, £17 8s. ; special grants — Edinburgh Christmas Club (£50 and medium gold medal), £56 2s. ; Glasgow Agricultural Society, for thoroughbrtd stallion, £50; Ayrshire Association, £20 ; Urist Society, £10 ; Westray Sociity, £3 — £80 23.; medium silver medals, sixty districts, £100 ; ploughing coiupetitious, £50— making the total amount offered £818 2s. 6d. In reply to a question by the Hon. G. Waldegrave Leslie in regard to eucouragrment to be given to get the best breed of ClydesJale horses. Mr. CA..UPBELL SwxATON said that the committee would be glad to receive suggestious iu regard to the carrying out of the report. Mr. II. IvI. Inglis gave in the report in regard to compe- titions for Cutt-iges and garJeus. It was as fuUovcs : ''• Awards in 1875. — The mouey-prfiuiums awarded amount to £16 iOs., besides 16 luedium silver medals and 18 minor silver medals, making the. total amount expended £30 63, Frenuums io be offered 1)1 1876. — The directors suggested the following grants lur 1876— viz., 7 parishes at £3 and 4 medaia each, £29 8s. ; 10 flistricts at 2 medium silver medals each, £10 IOs.; 2 gold medals for improving existing cottages and building uew cot- tages, £20 — making the total amount offered, £59 18s." The report was adopted. Mr. HowATSON (Uoruel) brought forward a motion, of wliifih he had given notice, with regard to the issue of the Transactions, He stated that the whole of tlie members, especially those who joined the Society since ISGG, joined it on the distinct understaud'.ng that they would be supplied with these Trausactious. He moved, " Tiiat the recoinmendatiou of the directors in their report on the chemical department and agricultural education, to the general meeting in January last, relating to the discontinuance of the free issue of the Trans- actions to the members, he rescinded, and that the gratis issue to members ou application be continued." Mr. |Mae.tin, jr. (Auchendennau) seconded the motion. He thought that if thi'v were able to give £5,000. for a new hall, they could continue to give the Transactions free to members. Provost DoNCAN (Rothesay) thought the Transactions should be sent to all members of the Society who paid their sub- scription. There were many of the poorer and more backward meiiihers who would not think of sending for the volume, and would yet be glad to get it. It would be much valued in the country, where books were few enough, aud so tfud to popularise theSocie'y, as well as to increase its resources. Mr. Milne Home (Wedderburu) said that he agreed with his brotlier-directors ou this question, although he had differed from them on other matters. The committee appointed to ascertain how the expenditure of the Society could be econo- mised and the funds liberated for olher purposes, found tiiat there were £131 a-year being spewt on the Transactions, aud they recommended that they should be reduced to £200 or £250. The directors ajiproved of the report, and submitted it to the general meeting iu January, 1875, which also approved of it. Again, at the last general meeting in June, 1S75, Mr. Irvine, of Drum, stated that if no objection was taken the free distribution of these Transactions would cease from that time or shortly after. No objection was taken, so that they would require to proceed with considerable caution in a pro- posal to upiet the opinion of the directors and two general meetiugs. Their object wis to apply these lunds to greater purpose— such as the establishment of cspcriiueutal slatiuns^ bursaries for education, and other things -than distribution of tlie Transactions, which contained no original papers, but merely reprints o' essays which reci-ivcd jirimi.ims, and pro- cpediuiis of the Society. If there was any value in thesa Transactions, those who got them should not grudge the 3s. 6d. wliich they cost, especially when they saw that it put the Society in the possession of £250 additional income. Mr. M'LaGaN, M.P., said that this was one of the few societies in the country that compell-'d its members to pay tor a copy of their own Transactions. The societies of England and Scotland all distributfd these gratuitously to thiir mem- bers, and he did not see that tlie members of the H'gliland and Agricultural Society of Scotland should be put to a disadvan- tage as compared with the members of the lloyal Agricultural Society of England, and cojipelled to pay lor their Trans- actions. Colonel Innes, (Learney) pointed out that this was not a recommendation of the directors that was dealt with. VVhat they were really wanted to do was to rescind a resolution of last general meeting. The directors were by no means unani- mous on the matter. The Duke of Bucclexjch also called attention to the fact that there was an error in the motion. They might rescind their own decision on any matter, but they could not resc ud a recommendation of the directors or a committee. The resolution was then put as follows, aud carried by a large majority : " That the resolution of tlie general meeting in January last, relating to the discontinuance ot the free is>ue of the Trausactious to members, be rescimleJ, and that tlio gratis isi-ue to members on application be continued." The Secretary said that in consequence of the decision of this meeting he had to intimate- (1) That the volume will bo sent to all members who hitherto liave receiv. d it, without further appllcatiou ; (2) that it \^ill be sent to those who have for the fiist time made application by reluming the recent circular ; (3) that those members who have paid for the volu ne will immediately receive back the amount in postage-stamps ; (4) that all meii.b.rs who have never made application for the Transactions at all will receive the volume if they apply before 1st Eebruary ; (5) that back-numbers or volumes will be sup- plied to members on application to Messrs. William Black- wood and Sons, 45, George-street, Edinburgh, at the following rates: Fourth Series, 1866-71, six numbers, 43. each; 1872-75, four volumes, 5s. each. Mr. Irvine of Drum reported that Volume VIII. of the Transactions was partly in type, and that as many of the prize essays which will be announced to-day will be included as, with the Proceedings aud the Premium List for 1876, will make the volume tlie usual size. Mr. Colin Mackenzie (Portmore), in absence of Sir Thomas Hepburn, read the report of the directors of the Che- mical Department. He remarked that a great deal of acerbity had been introduced into this matter, and much had been said out of doors about the propriety or impropriety of the steps they were now taking. He begged to assure the meeting that whatever the Society, after mature deliberation, entrusted to the directors, they would loyally carry out ; and it was only af er anxious consideration that they had come before tlie Society, and again asked it to reconsider its decision. He concluded by moving that the meeting authorise the directors to organise such experimental stations as they may find practicable with the funds at their disposal, aud appoiut a properly-qualified chemist as an officer of the Society. Professor Balfour seconded the motion. They could not get on well, he said, unless they followed this arrangemen*, and he was quite sure that they would get an efficient chemist for the purpose at the sum they proposed. Mr. Greig (of Messrs. Fowler and Co.) doubted the com- petency of the committee bringing up this question again, seeing that it was not remitted to them at the last meeting. A Member : The whole matter was remitted to them. The Hon. George Waldegrave Leslie : Will this che- miiit have to give his whole time to the Society, or will he bs allowed to do other work ? Mr. Binning Home (Agaty) asked how these experimental stations were to be conducted? Were they to be conducted by individuals who were to undertake! farms under the direc- tion of the chemist, and have the results reported to him ; or was it the Society that was to undertake tlie working of these ex- prrnieutal farms ? He could not see how it was possible tliat such experiments could be worked to any extent without a 180 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. monstrous outlay. Such Pxperiments,'raade under tlie auspices ot tl'.e Society, would no doubt be a gr^ at blessinff to the Country at large ; but if they were confiued to small patches in given places, he could see no benefit that would accrue. Mr. Macicenzie : These are matters of detail tliat eau be more pro'jeily dca't with after we liave got the machinery. The Hon. "G. AValdegrave Leslie : I sliould like to get an answer to my question — whether the chemist would give liis while time to the Society, as Dr. Voelckcr gave to the Koyal Eiiiilish Agriculturid Society? Mr. Macicenzie '■ We think tliat should be so. Colonel I.NNES (Learne},) said that a good deal of the difference of opinion that bad for several years prevented their coming to a conclusion on this matter had arisen from the want of a distinct understanding as to what the duties of this person whp was called a scientific chemist should be. He pointed out, from the facilities now existing Ibr obtaining analyses, that there was not tiie same necessity now as tliere Was in tlie earlier period of scientific agricultural chemistry for the Society engaging a scientific chemist to analyse manures to protect fanners from imposition ; and then went on to abk, What is tlie bent fit the directors expect to have from a chemist ? They had an example of what had taken place in an association formed in the county of Aberdeen. Tiiey had eng:iged a scientific man, whose duties were to orgnnise and snperintfnd thti coudncliugof these exp-riraental stations, and afterwards, by analyses and scieutitic investi- gations, to biing out tlie results. Tliat was. he understood, what the directors were to engage this ofticial to do. The question therefore was, whether his duties should be limited to these functions or not? If the Highland and Agricultural Society established experimental staiions, to be conducted directly by their own ofiicials, they would fJi very far short of wiiat wa" necessary if they did noi also take steps to generidise and compare the results they obtained themselves with the ex- periments obtain-'d by oiher associations. Differences would arise from ci-^cumstanees of climate and of soil, anJ the various observttiuns would extiibit very considerable variation. I no means were taken by a pn vious arrangi^ment to get at tlie average results of these different experiments, they would, instead of arriving at any useful conclusion, only obscure and raystiiy the results. It might be necessary for them to take the function of a great national socitty, and bring into o-ie common focus the experiments instituted in all parts ot the country. That would be quite sufficient emp'oyment for any one man. If they offered to any competent man of high attainments such employment as that, and gave him a certainty that it would last for a certain period of years, lie bad no douljt a comparatively sm ill direct payment of salary woubl secure the services of the man they wanted, because the con- duct of such experiments on such a large scale, and the character he would establish by obt liidng larije and useful results, would of itself be a great reward. He moved, " Th t the mteting approve of the report of the directors, subjfct to the condition that the engagement of a chemist shall be for a liaiited period, and shall embrace the entire services of the person employed, and that his emplojraeut shall be limited to the or;anitaiion and management of the stations established by the Hi;ililand and Agricultural Society, and to the arrange- ments which it may be necessary to make with other associa- tions, and the necessary analyses and scientific investigations required ; and further recommend that the application of the A erdeeushire Association for aid may receive early and favourable considerat on." Mr. WiLSOJ^J (Eiing'on Mains) said that they were now d'.s ussi 'g this question under dilferent couJiiious from what were before theiu at last meet'ng. Some who opposed the proposal then had the idea that they were to go on the old footing of appointing a chemist at the salary of ,£300 a year, who was only to devote a certnin portion of bis lime to the services of theS ociety, and was to have very much at his own choice the time be was to give them. They tried that system for a whole generation and the result was literally nothing. He bad no doubt that a chemist of the Society would furnish to the individuals who sent liim samples a reliable report ; hut there Wire local associations emplojing chemists, who not only afforded the individuils applying to them the result of their anaylses, but sent a coufilential communication to every member of the association, making them aware of the whole facts ; and when any fraudulent sales were reporled among loll) Of li ty laniars in a locali'v, it made the district loo hot for the scoundrels, who bad to betake themselves elsewhere. The Highland Society could not do more. The directors bttd hitherto shown very prudent caution in doing what the English Society did — publishing through the papers the number of fraudulent transactions that came to their know- ledge. Tliey were like the canny Scots, trying to keep them- selves on the windy side of the law. He, could not much blame them for thaf. Eut there was the work being done iu the important districts of Sco land by these associations, and it would be a work of supererogation altogether for the Highland Society to appoint a man for what could be done otherwise. It seemed to bim that the proposal put heforetherawas self-contradictory. The) viere,as lie understoo'l, to set apart £700 a-year for these joint purposes ; and then, in administering the £700, they began by appointing a chemist at £300 a-year, and another functionary, whose duties he did not well understand — a practical as;ricultural inspector — who was to get £150, and another £50 for travelling expenses. There was £500 of the sum gone. It renii ruled one of Fal-tafPs intolerable deal of sack to a halfpennyworth of bread. To eat up £500 in salaries, and start experimental stations with £2U0 a-year, was ludicrous pltogether. Mr. Lawes, of Rothamsted, had been devoting for some time past £2,OuO a-year on these experiments fancy the idea of the Highland Society giavtly proposing to go into these experi- ment.il stations, and expending on them the magnificent sura of £2U0 a-year ! He thought they had b( Iter employ the whole £700 in subsidising those Aberdeenshire friends who were setting themselves to work on their own resources, and apiiarently conducting thein with prudence and energy, as was their wont. The prsued. The report was adopted. Captain Tou reported that the preliminary examination in botany, chemistry, and anatomy, for the Society's veterinary certificate, took place on the LUh and lith July, when thirty- two btudcnts entered their names for examination — viz., 13 from the Edinburgh Veterinary College, It) from the New Veterinary College, Edinburgh, and 3 trom the Glasgow Vete- rinary College, and that 16 liad obtained the certificate. Mr. Irvine (Drum) reported the following awards in 1875, and premiums to be offered iu 1876 : £30 to James Macdonald, Scofsnum reporter, Aberdeen, lor a Report on the Agriculture of Eife ; the Gold Medal or £10 to Thomas Farrall, Aspatria, Carlisle, for a Report on the Ayrshire Brei d of Cattle ; £15 to George Armatage, The Bank, Hertford, for a Report on the Causes of the Septic, Anthrax, or Carbuneiilar Fevers amongst Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and fiis ; the Gold Medal or £10 to George Armatage, The Bank, Hertford, for a Report on Inoculation as a means for tlie Prevention of Pleuro-Pneunionia ; the Gold Med.il or £10 to Gilbert JMur- ray, Elvastou Estate Oflice, Derby, for a Report on tlie Management of Grass Lands in England; the Gold Medal or £10 to David Robie, LausdowneiVrrace, Bedford, for allepo.t on the same subject; the Medium Gold Medal or £5 to Mrs. Roger, 38, Union-street, Dundee, for a Report on how to Raise and Cultivate the P tato; the Gold Medal or £10 to Giloert Murray, Elvaston Estate Office, Derby, for an Im- proved Cattle Truck. Premiums offered in 1876. — Siihjecfs connecied with ike Science and Practice of AyricMnre: On the Agriculture, Jiic, of the Counties of Edinburgh and Linlithgow, £30; on the Agriculture of the County of Argyll, £30 ; on the Agriculture of the Counties of Ross and Cromarty, £30 ; on the Plivsiological Distinctions io the Condition of the Scottish Peasantry iu different Districts, £30 ; on Agricultural Experi- mental Stations, £-20; on the Advantage of Ploughing-in Manure at once on being spread, £5 ; on Manures produced by Different Kinds of Feeding, £30 ; on Manure made with and without Cover, -f 20 ; on Improved Varieties of Agricultural Plants, £50 ; on Cultivation of Cabbage as a Field Crop, £10 ; on Vegetable Productions of India, China, and America, £10 ; on the Best Modes of Housing Fattening Cattle, £20 ; ou Different Descriptions of Food for Stock, £20 ; on theBreed- ingof Horses for the Road or Field, £10 ; on the Adaptaljiii'y of the various Soils to the Breeding and Rearing of Horses £10 ; on the Effect of Sewage upon the Animal System, £10 ; on the Comparative Return from Capital invested in Cropping, Grazinjr, or Planting Land, on Hill and Moorland, £20 ; on Rural Economy Abroad susceptible of being introduced into Scotland, £10. Estate Improeemenis : On the Cultivation of Land of Inferior Quality by Proprietors or Tenants, £2U0 aud £150 ; on General Improvements of Estates by Pro- prietors £10 ; on most approved Farm Buildings by Proprietors, £10 ; on Keclamation ot Waste Land by Tillage by Projirietors or Tenants, £10, £10, and £5 ; on Improvements of Natural Pasture without Tillage by Proprietors or Tenants, £10, and Minor Gold Medal Machinery : On the Invention or In- provement of Implements of Husbandry, £50; on Midline for Cutting Turf by Steam Power, £20; on an Improvid Cattle Truck (or Feeding and Watering Animals in Transit, £20. Dr. Cleghorn reported the following Forestry awards : The medium gold medal of £5 to John Nisbet, junior, Assist- ant or Conservator of Forests, British Burmah, tor a report on the Value for Economical Purposes of the Corsican Fir ; tl e medium gold medal of £5 to Piobcrt Hutchison of Carlowrie, Kirkliston, for a report on the Pinus pinaster or Cluster Pine ; the medium gold medal or £5 to Robert Hutchison of Car- lowrie, Kirkliston, for a report on the efl'ects produced on tl e various Species of Forest-trees by Smoke from Public Works ; the medium gold medal of £5 to Christopher Young Michi-, forester, CuUen House, CuUtu, lor a report on Tliiuuing 1' 182 THB FARMER'S MAGAZINE. tition3. rremiums Offered in \%1%. — On Extensive Planting liy Proprietors £10; on the General Management of Plan- ti'ions by Practical i'oresters, £10 ; on Plauting on Peat Bog, £5 ; oil Porest Trees of llect-nt Introduction, £5 ; on the Management of Picpa Norilraauuiana, or R>'d WooJ, £3 ; on tiie Culting and Transport of firewood, £5 ; on Charcoal- producin^; plants, £5 ; oa the Perthshire Woods, Porests, and Torestry, £ 10 ; on the Russ-^ldre Woods, Forests, and forestry, £10; on the L'tilisftiou of Waste Produce of Porests iormuk- iuL' an Artificial Fuel, £10. The Se(;reta.ry, in the absence of Mr. Dundas of Arniston, reported that, pnrsaant to the instructions from the last general meeting, a depu'ation from tlie Society waited upon Lord Henry Lennox, M.P., the Pirst Commissioner of Wo.ks, at the House of Coiiuiions, for the purpose of presentiag a memorial and asking for a Government grant to complete the unfiaished sur- vey of Scotland. Among those forming the deputation were : the E;irl of G.iUoway, Lord Elphinstone, Sir Gnihara Montgo- mery, Bart., M. P. ; Sir James Elphinstone, Bart., M.P, ; Sir H. D.ivie, Bart, M.P. ; Mr. Baillie Cochrane, M.P. ; Mr. Ch.rles D.iljrymple, M.P.; Mr. 11. W. Duff, M.P. ; Mr. Orr Ewing, M.P. ; Mr. Praser Mackintosh, M.P. ; Mr. Malcolm, M P. ; Mr. John Ramsay, M.T. ; Mr. Mark Stewart, M.P ; Mr. Dwndas of Arniston, Mr, Erskine of Cardross, Mr. Watsou Lyall, and Mr. P. N. Menzies, secretary. A'ter the reading of tlie memorial, and some remarks by Mr. Dundas, Mr. Mnlcolm, and Mr. Riiiisay, tiie First Commissioner, said the subject of the memoiial would have his best attention. A letter from the secretary to the Coraraissioaer of her Majesty's Works was then read, in which was the following : " Tlie coat of replotting the counties in Scotland referred to, containing an area of 3,230 square miles, is estima;ed at £jl,')80 ; and, for the rea-ons already stated, the First Commissioner \Tould not feel justifiea in appropriating to that object at present any portion of the ordinary grant for the surveys of tlie. Uuiled Kingdom. The Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury are averse to sanctioning any special addition to the vote for the purpose ill question, inasmuch as Yorkshire and Lancashire, contain- ing an area of 7,828 square miles, have an equally strong claim to be replotted ; and their Lordships couM hardly consent to an addition to the vote in respect of Scotland without making a corresponding or even still larger addition in respect of the greater area incladed in the two English counties. Under these circumstances, the Pirst Commissioner regrets that he is unable to depart from the decision arrived at in the matter by his pre- decessor. He desires m?, however, to invite the attention of the Higliland Society to the fact already slated, that the survey of Scotland is conducted in no exceptional manner. It is being carried on uu'ler precisely the same orders and regulations as the survey of the other parts of Great Britain, and tliere has been no interruption to the publication of the plans of Scot- land." Captain Tou (Howden) then read the following memorial to Government on the subject of the foot-and-mouth disease : " Unto the Right Honourable the Lords of her M:ijesty's most Honourable Privy Council, ihe Memorial of the Highland and Agri_ultural|Society of Scotland, incorporated by royal charter, in general meeting assembled, ehovveth. That your memorialists, as representing the landed proprietors and tenant- farmers of Scotland, have for many years taken an active lead in all veterinary matters connected with Scotland, and have a deep interest m whatever conduces to the preservation from disease of the farm live stock of the kingdom, and have closely watched the operation of existing legislation in regard to foot- aud-raoutli disease, the rapidlv-increasing losses by which they observe with alarm. That your memorialists have carefully considered the subject, and are of opinion that the present existing laws have proved insufficieut to eradicate the disease or prevent its spreading, and that there is a want of a proper system of organisation enforcing uniformity of action, ■whereby the present diversity of practice among local autho- rities in neighbouring towns and counties might be averted, and a more stringent, uniform, and regular system enforced. Tl.at your memorialists are agreed, and fully believe, from evideuce and experience, that foot-and-raoutli disease is largely introduced by the importation of foreign cattle, and they are of opinion that all imported sheep and cattle should be either slaughtered at tlie port of debarkation or undergo such a period of quarantine as to prove them healthy, and thus prevent disease being spread by them. That your memorialists would further chII attention to the number of outbreaks of this disease amongst cattle brought frpeared tluU the warm milk acted first as a local irritant, and then the specific germ of the disease was carried into the blood, and determiued to the lungs, kidneys, and tongue ; there was an excessive outpour of fluid into the bronchial tubes, and tlie animal died, for the most part suffocated, but partly also from the impure blood circulat- ing in the nervous centres. Deaths of tiiis kind in the ani- mul world were indeed analogous to those occurring in the human race in times of pestilence. He had alluded to the milk of foot-and-mouth disease, fur it was a subject attracting much attention, as it appeared to induce a disease in men. He would not go into tlie evidence, except to state his belief that it was fairlj proved it caused in children diarrhoea and apthiw, one or both, and in adults apthous ulcers in the mouth, slight lever, and general malaria. As to the propagation of the foot-and-mouth disease by other means, no one who liad watched an ox affected with ordinary severity, would have failed to notice a continual frothing at the mouth, which fell in great flakes on the field, the surface of the road, the hedges, or gates. But this was not the only infectious discharge ; there was a continual oozing at the feet, and in cows a drop- pmg from the udders. A b uUock infected with the disease distributed in twenty-tour hours a bucketful of infectious dis- charge, and the feet of men, dogs, poultry, the feet and fur of rabbits, in going tliruugh infected pastures, took up the dis- cliarge, and carried the infection for miles; the insect world, too, played its part in conveying the infection by aid of the coloriy of parasites aud flies which attach themselves for a time to an infected animal. Another important and frequent method of propagation was running water — cattle stood in it, not only to drink, but to bathe their sore and heated months and feet, and a regular stream of infection was created. It was possible also for the infectious discharges to be dried up aud carried by the sun, but he thought this a rare occurrence. But by the fc-. t of the shepherd, the inspector, the butcher, the sporcsraan, by denizens of the air, by the physical agency of w;iter, and by a thousand aud one dtvious channels, by the mi])st dissimilar agencies, was this disease propagated. Yet it was wonderfully under control. The main carriers of the disease were the feet of men and animals and water, tlie infec- tion carried by birds, insects, and wind being but occasional and exceptijnal. In this disease they 'had to deal with a poison of remarkable povver. If a wisp of straw that had passed through an infected animal's mouth was so much as touched by another, it might catch the disease. The run of an infected hare or rabbit through a pasture formed a line of intense infection, and whether a sheep, goat, or bullock browsed upon it, it was almost sure to get the disease. The infection was not alone intense, but it was one that also endured a long time, and he mentioned an instance in which itiwas conveyed from one farm to another by means of ordinary field feeding racks. Coming to the practiaal part of his paper, as to how the propagation of the disesbC was to be controlled, Dr. Blyth recommeded the fol- lowing action : Directly an animal was affected, separate him from the rest of the cattle in the field, tether him by a rope or chain round the horns to a firm stake in the ground, and surround him with a fence, which must at least be five yards off the farthest length of the tether. A ring a yard broad of coal tar aud ashes must be placed around on the outside and inside of the fence, and wetted daily with carbolic acid and water. Fodder is to be thrown in without touching the fence, and water given in a trough, filled daily. In no case should any animal be put in a pasture with access to running water ; if there was a stream it must be fenced off, and in all cases a separate and distinct water supply must be provided. In cases where it was most 'convenient to isolate ,the cattle in sheds, they should stand in saw-dust, which must be rt^gularly burnt. In all cases the tar mixture must be diligently applic d an iuch or so in depth to the ground in front of the cow-sheds. All in attendance, whether veterinary surgeons, farmers, &c., should, before seeing the animals, be provided with either goloshes or a pair of shoes large enough to go over the ordi- nary ones, and on arriving at an infected place, and before leaving, the soles should he scraped and dipped in some dis- infectant. In the case of death from the disease, tlie animal must be immediately buried and not given to dogs. These rules were capable of extension, but thry indicated the direction which must be taken if an impression on the disease was to be made at all. His views of the propagation of the disease were either true or false. Their value might be tested by experiment, which he confidently challenged, but which, being too costly for private individuals, must be instituted by the Government or public bodies. Should his views of the pro- pagation of the disease be correct they would stand, and it would follow as a strict logical sequence that the method of inspection hitherto followed had not alone been useless, but had also, to a great extent, disseminated the disease. Mr. MoiiTiMER said he was sure the members of the Chamber must leel deeply indebted to Dr. Blyth for his v»lu- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 185 able paper. It h^d Ijren liis jjool fortune never to liave cx- jicrieiiced tlic diMnse on his own fiuin, but siill tiie pMper was one most deeply intiresting: to liiin, and lie had siillicieut con- fidence, in the author to believe that if his insi ructions were carried out the spread of the disease would be in a great measure prevented. lie had iiiueh pleasure in proposing a vote of thanks to Dr. Blyth for hij able paper. Mr. Upcott seconded the moiioD. The CuAiiiM.vN, in supporting the motion, said the paper contained not only the resu't of much seientific researcli and practical experiment, but it iilso gave them much practical in- Btniclion, and he regarded the reading of this paper as a great fact in the history of the Chamber. From it lie thought practical men would see that there was much practical and useful inforniatiiin to be obtained by members of this Chamber. Dr. Bljth h td rendered them much good service, such service as was entitled to the grateful recognition ol the Chamber, and he suggested that the Council should be re^juested to consider in what manner best consistent with their rules tliey could ell ct hini an honorary member. Mr. May suggested that the paper should be printed. H^ shoud like to read it through. Tiiere were some things in i' with which he did not acree, especially the insinuation that the tenant-farmers kept their farms in a very bad state. He thought the condition of farms was due very much more to the landlords than the tenants, for the former should give the latter suitable buildings and proper accommodation. He thought the paper had as much bearing upon the cattle plague as the foot-and-raouth disease, but it was a very elaborate and weli-got-up paper, aud lie sliould much like to have it in his hands. Dr. Blyth said he shoull liave no objection to the publica- tion of the paper. In acknowledging the vote of thanks he remarked that the kind reception given his remarks was an ample reward for any little trouble he might have taken. He had omitted to st ite the money loss from feet-and-mouth disease. The last attack in 1872 cost the country £32,000,000. Now if this was like anything correct he thought the Govern- ment might very well spend a couple of thousand pounds in experimenting on anything at all reasonable that had beea supported by experiment and arguTient. Earl FoRTESCUE said he quite agreed that the blame for the filthy condition of so many of our farmyards did not ex- clusively rest upon the teniuit, nor, on the other hand, did it exclusively rest upon the landlnrd. A great deal might be done by both to improve the present state of things. He re- membered in one place seeing a heap of garbage and all uasti- ness placed directly under the window ; he thereupon asked the tenant if he was legally bound to put this refuse on this spot, and suggested that if he was not tied down strictly to this spot by the words of his agreement he should remove his refuse to some other spot. There was some room for improve- ment left for both landlords and tenants, the former for pro- viding proper buildings and drains, and the latter by turning them to account. On the motion of Mr. Roa.ch, seconded by Mr. Upcott, a hearty vote of thanks was given to Earl Fortescue for his aervices as president durins the past veir, and for the active interest he had always shown in the affairs of the Chamber. The proceedings then terminated. THE AGRICULTURAL CHILDREN ACT.— To the Editou of the Lincoln Mercury. — Sir, — If you are not inundited with correspondence upon the above subject at this juncture of magi.vterial interposition, will you favour me with space for a few observations ? I liave been greatly interested in reading the discuisious of the Lindsey and of the North and South Holland benches of magistrates upon the enforcement of the Act. 1 think their discussions were laudably cautious and temperate, evidently showing tlieir desire to carry it out in as unobjectionable form as possible. I am one of those who lliiuk that more time should yet be given for its voluntary working. There is something un-English iu the word " com- pulsion" as applied to true Enjlishmen, and I don't like its too early application to this Act. My bick always rises a little when i think of the poor man who has a large family being compelled to send all his children to school, although lie may have several workers capable of aiding in tlieir uiftinten- ance. I could not myself line such a man for an al iiost necessary tr.iiisgression of the law. To my mind it is a real positive wrous; done to the poor parents of large families to compel them to send their children who are well alile t) earl tlieir subsistence to kcIiooI. To this cless I would hold out every inducement and facility to gain inttuction, but I would leave much to the di'crelir;n of tiie parents. I am willing to adopt strict enforce iiect of the Act lor all poor children not exceeding ten years of age ; they can .scarcely be better takeu careof, andean learn much. I tliink a child commencing at four years iu the int'aut-school and working up to ten years in the higher schools cm attain a sullicient educational staidard to fit him for " that station in lite in which it has pleaseu God to call him." If not, I can only say the child must he a veritable dunce. Bjys — yes, and girls too in my district — cau at very early ages earn suitic eiit wages to provide themselves with ample foud — a most substantial help to a poor family. I recollect my early days : I lived in the war times. Bojs then had almost to do men's work. I did myself stack iny first stack (of 30 qrs.) of wheat ere I reached my thirteenth year. Whit boys did then they are able to do now. From what I observe in these magisterial discussions, I gather that they would be very reluctant to enforc- fines in such excep'ionable CHses, and I thank them for it. Well, I hipe matters will be let alone awhile longer yet. Mr. Forster himself said in the House of Commons tiiat the omistiin to provide for the enforce- ment of the Act was almost intentional, in order tliit time might be given to test its operation. In Lincolnshire the population is comparative y thin and widely dispersed. Iu the fens and marshes it is almost impossible to carry it out ; in most cases it is inconvenient owing to the intersecting of parishes. I really think all is working very creaitabl> by the poor, who well appreciate its advantages, but deeply feel its liardships. Now, let me say a word on behalf of the employers of "agricultural children" and their unfortunate position in- curred through the passing of the Education Act of lb70. In the parish in which I live we soon adopted the Act, and lormed a School Board. Our population being divided some three miles apart, necessitated two separate establishments, so that we had to provide for two mas'ers aud four mistresses, whose salaries and other sundries amount to about £600 per year. The pari.-h is agricultural, and contains 9,313 acres. Large breadths of roots — i.e., potatoes, mangolds, turnips &c. — are grown. In illustration of " their unfortunate position," I take one farm on which was grown last season 53 acres of potatoes and 25 acres of mangolds, all to be harvested in good time. Prior to school Board Ri gulatious, very much of the work iu harvesting these crops was done by boys and girls working with women at moderate wages. Now the farm r is deprived of the services of these children, ana has to pay to the women from 30 lo 40 per cent higher wages, and to employ instead men in such work. In addiiion to this, he has to pay a heavy School Board rate of sixpeuce-halfpenny in the pound, amount- ing to £18 17s. 6d. annually, for which he gets no return in rent or otherwise, so that he loses the benefit of the cheaper children's work and has to pay the above for their schooling. Tills is only one of thousands of cases in degree. I always contend that this School Board rate is wrong, and is a gross imposition upon the rateable property of the kingdom (whicli amounts to £110,000,000) instead of upon the £326,000,000 assessed to the Income-tax, or that the education of the poor should be the burthen of the Cousoliaated Fund. One word more, and I have done. I wonder in what " business" our police will next be engaged. I was indignant when they were made gamekeepers. I think now my back will " set up" when I sec one of them come amongst my potato-pickers to take down the various ages of the young pickers. Well, I don't envy Captain Bickuell. It is a high aud most important responsibility to be imposed ujion any one individual. I have every confidence in Capt. Bicknell. He will do his best, I am sure; but what a wide field lor his superintendence ! How is he to decide justly as to the cases he would recommend for prosecution ? Policemen are not all discreet. I hope it w ill be a long time yet before I read of one prosecution. Apolo- gising for the length of the letter, I am, yours sincerely, JiNO. Clarke. — Lony Suiioa, January, lS7o. TnS FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ROMSEY LABOURERS' ENCOURAGEMENT SOCIETY. The twenty-second annual distribution of the premiums of tlds association took place on Monday, and this was preceded by the usual dinner to the successful candidates. Tiie President, Mr. Cowpeh-Temple, having discharged the pit a^iiig duty of ['resenting the iiremiums, said : They xwre rathfr later this year tliaa usual with tlieir meotiuK, and he lioped they were not disappointed. There was an old sayiut?, *' Better late thin never," and he tliouglit, perhaps, in this instance it was hettcr late than earlier, for no doubt they would recoUi-ct at tluir last meeting, when tlie Bishop of Winchester showed so much sympathy and interest in tlieir procet dings, and when lie gave them such good advice, that they had snow va the ground, and it was a cold, hiit^^r day, with a leadeu sky, while tliat day they had the sun to give them a warm welcome for those who had invited tiiein there. Tliey all felt a lit'le more cheerful that day in consequence of the bright weather. That society, year after year, brought before their notice thosK who had been distinguished by skill in the ditTercnt businesses in which they had been employed in agriculture, and those who were recommended in respect of their good conduct and for their general cliaracter. In short, they had those who came before them year after year, who were a sort of model men and women — a very pleasant thing to see, and lie hoped those models would be followed, aud that the younger generation would take note of the respect paiil to those who were older in years, and who showed by tliair skll and good conduct that they were entitled to receive the resppct entertained tor them lie thought there were many pleasant fbatures in the society, aud one was in having these moJel men and women, for at the present time there was much aud general complaint made of the falling off, of the deteri ration of the working people of all descriptions, whether it was the meclianic or the agricul- tural laboure!-. And people were apt to feel that the rising generation would not do that work — that steady and per- severing work, done by those who had gone before them. Indeed, they saw, as the result of all businesses, the want of leally good, steady, persevering work. They found among bricklayers and carpenters, masons, and also on iarms, that often the place of foremen went a-begging just because un- happily th"y were unable to get those meu who were tho- roughly trustworthy, aud in agriculture, as well as other occupations in lite, there was a good opportunity for any one mau who would hke to strive to advance in the business he had undertaken. But he supposed that at the present day young men found a great deal in a direction away from their homes. They were apt to get restless, aud thought they could do a great deal better by going further off. Some went to Loudon and other towns, and there they had higher wages than they could get in the country. But while this was true it was only half of the truth, because they had to consider not only the better wages but also the way in which the money went out. In London wages were larger than they were in the country, and so far so good. But then there was an in- crease in the expenses although they had greater wages. As far as he knew 15s. per week as an average in the country would give as many comforts, and possibly more enjoyment, than 18s. or £1 per week would in London. Just let tiiem recollect the dilfere.iee there was iu house rent. In London a man who wanted to live in two rooms in any comfort and decency had to pay 6s. or 7s. per week for them, but in the country they could get a capital cottage for one shilling per week — or perhaps two — so that tliey would thus see that the rent in London made a considerable hole in tlie larger wages. Tlieu there was another thing — they had a lot of enjoyment in the country wldch they had not in London. Aud this was not only so with the labourers, but with their richer neigh- bour^j, as the landowners did not get ho much money cut of their land as they might if ttiey went into another business. If a person bought land he did not generally get more than 2 1 per cent, for his investment, whereas if he put it into some other business he would get a great deal more than that. But tlien he saw there was something besides the mere money gain — he had the enjoyment of living in the country, he had heilth, he had (he opportunity of living different, and of help- ing in the promotion of the happiness and welfare of his tenants and the people who were dependent on the land. He got so many enjoyment* out of the land that he was wiUiiig to take a luile less money for a little more pleasure. And the farmers did not get sd much money out of their occupations as tliey would if they went into some trade or commercial enter- prise in the great towns. He supposed if a farmer were a successful mau — and he spoke in the presence of many larniers, and who were better judges than he was — that he did not get more than 8 or 10 per cent, on his capital, but with the same amount of intelligence, capital, and skill applied in another business he might get double or treble tlie amount of interest tor his money. But then he felt there was something worth his while to do this. He hid the pleasure of living in the coun- try ; he had his horses and an agreeable mode of lite — in short he had what a country gentleman liked, a variety of occu- pations, aud he found it wortli his while to do it. Aud so it was with the labourers. They had the advantage of living in the country, and which they could not have in the large towns. Let them look at the dilferent modes of life of those who lived iu the country and in L:indon. The labourer in the latter place got up to go to his work in the morning, and instead of seeing the sun shining gloriously, perha^js he had to encounter a dark red-yellow fog. He went out to his work a long way off — through dingy, dirk, and dirty streets, aud saw nothing but red bricks — not very often red, but a sort of brown, or he might say dirt colour. He saw the same sort of thing day alter day ; lie had no variety, and when he returned home at night, instead of finding his wile cheerful, she was overdone with the work and the b^d air, the ciiildren were pale and wan, tliey were ill, and a long doctor's bill waiting for him. He found, perhaps, the room full of clothes, hung- up to dry. He had no garden or place to hang them out — no drying-ground or place of that kind — or garden to go to of an evening, whereas the labouring man iu the country weut out in the morning into tiie fresh air ; he got his lienlth, for he always had pure air; lie haJ a pleasant walk over fields ; he weut to a variety of occupitions, as he was not always doing the same thing ; and when he came home at niglit he found a clean and comfortable cottage ; he had more health among his children ; he had a garden where he could go to of an evening; and his meal was made the more pleasant and agree- able by the skill he brought to bear in the prockice from his garden. A great deal was to be made out of the proper cooking of tlie vegetables. Then they must recollect the temptations of the towns. Men living in London and other great towns bad very little pleasant occupation of an evening. Tliey had not got a comfortalile pi ice in which to sit down. Many were obliged to live in a single room, and this room had to serve the various purposes of the family. Under these circumstances it could us't be expected but that men went from their homes to the public-house, which seemed to be the on'y refuge for some, and although they might be naturally temperate, still they had to drink for the goodwill of the house, and these were the foundation for or the beginning of habits which led to the ruin of men's health and their moral character as well. If they went into a union or workhouse in the town, and asked, perhaps, the master, " How is it I ste men here who have had a good position in life, men who have been steady in their day, men who have had the opportunity to lay by against this?" probibly the master of the work- house explained all in a monosyllable. He just said " Drink." It they went to a gaol and saw men who had filled responsible positions in life, and if they asked how it was these men were there working on the trealwheel or shut up in a cell, the governor of the gaol answered "Drink." If they went to a lunatic asylum they would see men there born by natnre healthy, with good brains, clever minds, by nature sane— they asked, ■' How came these mea in this demented state, tliat it requires that they should be confined in the walls of this asylum?" and again the head of the establishment would give them the same monosyllable — he answered, " Drink," it was that that brought him tliere. He was sorry to think that two-thirds of those who were confined for lunacy were so shut up by drink. He said that when they were comparing the town with the country they must rf collect the great adTan'..age THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 187 of f(-es'i and pure a>'r. Many pprsons really took to drinking iu towns bfCiuse tlie air was so foul, so depressiup, and so injurious to men's minds, that they (Vlt bound to take some Bt umlaut, and they got into a habit of taking theni really because tiiey were quite unable to resist tiie pressure of the air. Some of these things they liad not to bear in the coun- try. They hitd fresh air, which gave tiiem lieBlth and Rtreugtli, and tliercfore that temptation did not exist, lie lately lind in bis house a very distinguished gentieraan, as his pnest, wbo had been accustoiued to press upon people's minds, through books he had published, theereat necessity there was for men and womcu wbo lived iu these days by their brains of also doing something witli their hands, and he also urged upon those wlio had to live by their hands taking a little exercise for the br lin. Mr. Cowpec-Temple explaiued this was Pro- fessor Ruskin, and having explained bow he got some under- ffaduatcs at Oxford together, and went far with them wi.h pickaxe and shovel to raeud the roais and drain a swamp, so as turn a vilhiLie into a comfortable place, he proceeded to tell liis liearers tiiat it was of the utmost importance that they should give tlieir children the best education they possibly could. There could be no complaints now about the school baing to ) far oil They hid now a school in nearly every village, t!ie greatest distance from a selijol b^ing two miles — that was the greatest distance they would have to walk. Then there was another enactment — the Agri- cultural Children Act — by which childien employed iu agriculture were to attend school during the time of year when they were not specially wanted for agricul'ural work, but the children had to leave scliool so early that their education cou'd not be honestly and fairly carried out without an evening school, which he hoped to see 'more widely diffuted in that neighbourhood and country. If these were established they could do much good, as young men could learn a great deal at them after they had done thfir work. What they got at the first school was not quite enough ; therefore sometliing more was needed, and that could be isupplied at the evening Bchool. He was glad to find prizes were still given for the cottages and cottage-gardens. He did not know anything more interesting to see than tiie way in which some women lived in a cottage, although there were many diiliculti.'s in the way. 'So'netiaies it must be very dilScult for a woman — the wife, the mother of a good many childreu — to keep her cottage generally as she would like to see it, and make her children and husband comfortable, and he was sure there were a great many women living about there who commanded their sym- pathy and respect for what they had done. And there were ways iu which the wife could help to enlarge tiie wages of the husbaud. Tliere was one thing by which they might do so, and it was by knitting wool. A great quantity of the knitted vool sold in their shops was sent from Germany by females. The wool was maniifactnred iu England — in Lancashire and o'h: r places— and sent over toGermay, where it was distributed about tlie villages and towns, and knited by young women and children into various articles, sent back to London aiid all overE igland, and sold at very good price, and if it was worth while for the German people to kuit these articles he could not see why it could not he doue by our own cottagers at home. Then there was something else out of which he thought a little might be got for the cottage — and it was poultry. If any one went into the Southampton Docks they wou'd see cases upon cases coming out of the ships — millions of eggs, in fact he was afraid to say iiow manyj as he should certainly astonished thera. These eggs were from the fowls reared by the peasants and libouring classes in France, who found it worth while to kefp poultry, which laid the eggs, which brcught them a remunerative price in addition to the charge paid for taking them to Euglaud. He sometimes thought a little en- couragement might be useful to a person in this way, and enable him to eke out a living by keeping poultry and selling eggs. And then he thought the making of soup lu a cottage would be a very beneficial thing to a man coming home on a cold d 'y. Some of the vegetables not wanted at the table niiglit be put into the soup. There was, perhaps, some dilUculty about it, but his friend Mr. Briscoe Eyre had pub- lished a book wiiich would show them how to make a capital bowl of soup out of things which were now thrown away. He (Mr. Cowpe -Temple) wanted to see more labourers having a cow. There was some difficulty about it, but it might be overcome. It would be a great convenience if a mm could get a run for & co>v. If a wan saved a little and got a start with a|cow, his wife could milk it — hut he was afraid there were not many who knew bow to milk — and he thought by a little arrange- ment the cow could be got over with very little help indeed. He had t'i d it with one of his men, and had given him a bit of grass for his cow. He found it to do exceedingly well, and there was very little difficulty about it. He was reminaing thera just now that when the Bishop of Winchester was there he dwelt on tlie n( cessity of kindness to animals, and liow import- ant it was, particularly with children,that they should be pre- vented from geiting into iiabits of thouglitless cruelty and tor- ture to animals. Tliey did not think much of it at the time, but it resulted iu a liad habit and feeling, and if they were unkind to animals they would be to others as well. They iiad two classes in the society — shepherds and teamsraen — men who had a great many animals dependent upon them. He did think that the teamsraen about there, as a whole, were very considerate and kind to their animals, and they deserved credit; but there were a few exceptions, and they ought to be looked after. Ho was often pained to see a horse unable to draw a load in a cart because the light bearing rein kept his head high in the air, and he was unable to throw his neck iiito the collar. lie hoped he should find fewer bearing-reins, and where they were neces- sary, that they should be looss enough for the horse to have his head, and put his shoulder to the collar. Having alluded to the donkey show recently held iu London, and the presenta- tion of a donkey to the Earl of Shaftesbury, the right hon. gen- tleraan sa'd they should lead their children to respect animals, look to upon themas God's creatures,and they should be treated properly. He was pleased to find that the skill of their ploughmen,rickmakers,thatchers, seedsmen, and drillraen were quite up to former years. lie was glad also to have the pleasure of giving away premiums for long service in certain families. He liked to see those ties kept up between master and servant. Those relationships were fast passing away, and were becoming less than what they were before. Respect was gained for the master by his kindness, consideration, and his willingness to help iiis servant in various ways, and respect for the servant was obtained by kindness, by study and looking after the master's interests, and doing all he could to make the ties betvieen them stronger and stronger. But now there seemed to be a change in tliis matter. There was not so much friendly relationship, but the servant and the master looked upon each other in another light — the man seemed to be looked upon as worth a certain price, and the master was thought to be only an employer for a time — it was a bargaining, a mere buying and selling. The man gave so much work, and the master so much money. A servant came, and if he did not like a place he tried another and another, aud thus there was a loss of cl at feeling which should exist. He thought this was a misfortune for both parties, for he believed a good master made good men, and that very often good men would make a good master. He hoped the prizes given there would remind them of the feeling between master aud man — between employer and employed — which oujlit to exist. It was very pleasant for him to see there James Mills, who for the last 57 years had been on the estate at Broadlands, and under the late Lord Palmerston, who was as good a master, and as conside- rate a man as we could desire to see. As each year passed away they had the same cases. They had George Bell, who had been 35 years in the service of one family, and who had not lost those happy ties between master and servant. Let thera all corJiallyencourage these mutual relationships; let them each feel that they were so many members of one family; and if that Society did nothing else than improve the relations between master and man, he thought the Society would have doue a good work. The right hon. gentleman tlien resumed his seat, amidst much applause. OVER BRED AND OVER EED STOCK.— Doubts begin to be expressed pretty freely as to whether high breeding has not a're idy been cultivated to excess. It appears to be ad- mitted on all hands that Shorthorn cattle, for instance, have decreased in size, while it seems also certain that the fecundity of these highly-bred animals is not so great as it was ; for it is said that certain tribes have become celebrated for the barren- ness of their females, while at the same time a delicacy of coustitution has been developed, which unfits them for " roughing it," and requires luxurious arrangements to pre^ serve thera iu health. As in our racehorses we have, accord- jug to some authorities, sacrificed stoutness pf Ccnstitutio4 188 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. and capacity of endurance over long courses for the sake of obtaining high speed over a short distance, so in our cattle the desire for fineness of bone and rapid development of meat has brought into fashion animals which have lost many of the valuable properties of their ancestors. Such breeds cannot exist when subjected to the rough weather which prevails on the exposed hill-sides and moors which are so valuable as breeding- grounds and nurseries for stock ; and, perhaps, it is for this reason that Ireland, which is prolific in cUtle-rearing without shelter, fails to send us anytliing wliich can obtaiu a place in our exhibitions. No doubt Ireland possesses first-class cattle ; but these are bred, sheltered, and fed under the same conditions as those to be seen at Islington. And the consumers have sometliiiig to say also in the matter, as there is beef and beef. They prefer, and justly prefer, the meat of the Devon or the Scot, whose young days are spent in croppiug the scanty herb- age of the moor or mouatain, because the meat has more flwour than that of the rapiJly-forced stall-fed ox, which has been crammed with corn and linseedcake from its calf hood. So that, even if it be true, as the breeders of the delicate animal coatend, that their meat can be produced more eco- nomically, because more rapidly, than those of other races, let them remember that in losing stamina they restrict the area upon which the beast can be reared, and that we want flavour in our meat, even if we have to pay a price for it. — TJie Saturday Review. THE TAX ON COLLIE DOGS. A meeting of the members of the Penrith Farmers' Club was recently held to discuss the subject of the Dog-tax, Sir H. E,. Vane, Bart., presiding. After some preliminary business had been transacted, Mr. Tyson proceeded to read his paper — " The Dog-tax, with Special Reference to Collies." He said : "To adjust the burdens of taxation to the backs of the bearers, to tax luxuries instead of necessities, to ease the springs of industry, to give every freedom to agriculture, manufacture, and commerce, and to facilitate locomotion by the repeal of repressive duties, are the principal tendencies of our legislation ; and in these respects we may well be proud as a nation for what has already been accomplished. Still there are many matters that require alter- ation, and I beg to express an opiuion that the dog-tax is one of them. Previous to 1866 this tax underwent various muta- tions, to which I need not refer ; suffice it that then the im- post was 12s. per dog, and the duty assessed and collected by an antiquated system that afforded great latitude for evasion, especially when coupled with the just and proper immunity of farmers' and shepherds' dogs. This exemption opened the duor for a great amount of fraud, but the fault was in the system pursued in levjing and coileciiug the tax. At the time I have just menlioned, the late Lord Derby's Government came into office, and found a bill prepared by their predecessors trans- ferring the incidence of the tax from the cumbrous assessment of, and uncertain collection by, the assessed tax commissioners to the sharp and decisive licence system of the E^ccise, reducing the tax from 12s. to 5s. per dog, and abolishing all exemptions, which latter was so much abused that apparently half the dogs in the country, exclusive of " collies," escaped taxation. The bill was taken up and passed with little more than this variation, that the pre^ent Premier licensed the owner, wiule the late Premier wished to license the dog, by causing it to •wear a stamped collar. For the financial year endiugr April, 1866, the dog-tax realised £319,313, equal — allowing for compounding— to about 370,000 dogs, and for the twelve months entilng April last the licences isssued numbered 1,271,938, and produced £317,9Si 10s., a difference of £98,671 10s. in amount, and 9Ul,938 in number. This extraordinary increase may be ascribed to, 1st, the salutary change in the method of collection; 2nd, the reduction of the tax from 12s. to 5s. ; 3rd, the abolition of all exemptions ; 4!th, the increase in the number — over two millions — as well as the prosperity of the great body of the population. If we take a look at the annual returns of our imperial revenue, we find that about half the amount is derived from the taxation of two luxuries, or what a gieat number of well intentioned people would call unnecessaries — viz., liquor and tobacco ; and this fact is the more remarkable if we consider the ratios of the cost of production of these articles of such immense consumption, and the taxes levied upon them, especially withjregard to the " Ira- grant weed," which might be sold at about a tenth of its present price if free from duty. And the equanimity with which we permit our luxuries to be taxed affords a strong contrast to the iierce fight for the so-called "cheap breakfast-table," as in- stanced by untaxed bread, sugar, and, sooner or later, tea and coffee. Now, I beg to raise the question. Is the keeping of a dog a luxury or a necessity ? With a majority it is the former, with a minority the latter, and this last embraces the principal and essential portion of the agricultural community. In these days of dear beef and mutton anything that tends to foster, aid, and asbifit the breeding, rearing, and transit of cattle should receive every encouragement. In the mountainous districts of Soot- land, Wales, and our own North country, from whence we de- rive such large supplies of ovine food, the collie is absolutely indispensable, and I scarcely think I shall be deemed rash in venturing an opinion that if the breed of collies became sud- denly extinct, one-tliird, if not oae-half of our annual supply of mutton would become extinct too. From the nature of their hard work, collies are short lived, and the number required to be reared,and kept causes tlie tax to fall very heavily upon sheep- farmers in fell districts. We are informed that a very distin- guished financier and ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer has recently been employing some of his leisure by indulging iu the practice of wuoJ-cutting. What a desirable consummation it would be if this gentleman's immediate successor could spend a week or ten days of his leisure on a large Highland sheep farm ! Sir Stafford Northcote stated in his last budget speech that he had a horror of increasing taxation, and to a deputation that waited upon liim in respect to tiiis tax that there was some difficulty iu distiuguishing dogs that were sheep preservers and sheep destroyers. I do not suppose he would destroy the equlibrium of his next budget by doubling the tax upon dogs kept for pleasure and sport, and aholibhiDg it on tlio^e kept for agricultural purposes ; and his other objection would be met by a declaration that the applicant for a free dog-licence mainly aud generally followed one or rao:e of the occupalionsof farmer, herdsman, shepherd, butcher, or drover, aud that his dog was of the well-known expressed and defined breed of collie or shepherd ; a false declaration to be punished by either fine or imprisonment. Doubling the tax would soon free us from the swarms of half-starved mongrel curs that invest both, town and country, reduce the frightful and incurable malady of hydrophobia, and greatly tend to promote purer breeds of the can'ne race, whilst the abolition of the duty on collies would be a boon to the agr'cultural world and indirectly to the consumers of beef and mutton. This matter is one that apper- tains to the great question of local taxation, for if you tax an assistance to production you not very indirectly tax the laud. It may be said by some that the tax is only a small matter, and of the nature of a sentimental grievance, put it will be found that sentimental grievances are the cause of far more distur- bances in this world of ours than material ones. A noble poet wrote — " But the poor dog;, in life the firmest friend, Tlie first to welcome, foremost to defend ; Whose honest heart is still his master's own, Who labours, fights, lives, breathes, for him alone." This may be mostly true of a Scotch colhe, but certainly not of the thousand and one pampered pugs and poodles you meet with; though I am here reminded that our friend is now the reiguing canine favourite in the world of fasluon. Many a " Luatli" has recently been transported from his native heath and the cottage home of his whelpdom, and exchanged the glee- some fondlings of the shepherd's bairuies for the soft caresses of fair mistresses of pa'rieian abodes. If I need any excuse for introducing this matter to you, I beg to refer to the very recent utterance of a statesman who enjoys the confidence of all classes of his countrymen to a greater degree than any one, Lord Derby who stated at Edinburgh on Friday last, *' Since we must have taxes, taxes that fall upon luxuries are probably the fairest of all." My arguments are therefore fortified by the inferential opinion that " taxes that fall upon necessities are probably the unfairest of alL" He concluded by moving the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 189 followinpt resolution : " That in tlic opiuion of the Chib, the tax upou coUies or shejjherJ-dugs, solely eiuplojed lor the purpose of agricaltuie, should be remitted !" Mr. Hksketx : lie doesn't iucrease the tas on the other do^s. Mr. Jameson : No ; he is silent upon that. Mr. TysoN : I have merely suggesied^ Mr. HjssKETT seconded the motion, and, in doing so, said he had to congratulate the Club on llie very able paper read by Mr. Tyson iu t';ivour of the poor unfortunate collie do;;a ; though at the same time ho didn't think tiiat if the cuUie dugs were extinct we should lose oue-halt of our supply of mutton. He thought we would still have a fair proportion of mutton Without them, though he must admit they were useful animals in the hilly districts, especially in Scotland ; and it would be a great boon to shepherds if ihe tax were removed. The only dillieulty he could discover in the matter was that the GoveriiMient were liable to be imposed upou. Mr. Si'E.xcER felt that the motion was a very good one, and he quite agreed that ttie farmers ouglit to have their do/a free. When he said dogs, he meant dogs that would be useful upon the farm ; but there oughl to be a line drawn, because if a farmer iiad a small farm one dog was quite as many as he had work for ; but mauy small farmers kept two or three dogs. He would also make a distinction as r.^garded stock and corn farms, and the number of acres in each. The Secuetary -. How many dogs would you allow to the acre ? Mr. Spencer: I shouldn't allow one to the acre. If one dog was enough, let one be kept, and no more. Mr. JA.MESON : 3ow would yoa arrive at that ? Mr. ScENCEE : Some farmers keep dogs to please their sons, and some to please their daughters. Mr. Heskett : And some to please themselves. Mr. SrENCEU : What I want is, that a farmer may be allowed to keep dogs that are useful upon his farm, and not have them taxed. Mr. TiiOMrsoN said it would be most difficult to draw the line in regard to these dogs, and he was entirely opposed to exemptions where there was difficulty in defining them. In fact, tlie gentleman who had just sat down seemed to show clearly that the difficulties would be almost insuperable. How would he draw the distinction between cur and shepherds' dogs ? If a dog was useful, Ss. per annum would not be an excessive charge for it ; whereas it they abolished the tas it would doubtless lead to a great amount of unpleasantness, which would neutralise any advantage the farmers might obtain from the abolition of the tax. He saw no reason why they should be relieved of the dog-tax. Shepherds' dogs were use- ful animals ; and that was another reason wliy owners should not feel the burden a heavy one. The Secretary, having alluded to Young Norval of the Grampians as a great authority on the matter, said he believed the shepherds of Scotland provided their own dogs. In that case, the abolition of the tax would be a relief to the very poorest of the Norvals. Perhaps Mr. Tliom might be able to enlighten them. Mr. TuoM thought the tax a very great hardship upon the farmers and shepherds, lie took a different view from Mr. Thompson on this subject, and thought sporting dogs ought to be taxeX at a much higher rate than they were. As Mr. Bobinson had said, in Scotland the shepherds found their own dogs ; and it fell very heavily upon a poor man when he had to pay for five or six collies which were necessary to him in his work. A farmer in the country had to pay just as much for a sheep-dog as a great gentleman had to pay for a sporting dog, add the ladies' dogs about which Mr. Tyson had been speaking. It appeared to him that the present was a very favourable opportunity for ventilating the suliject, because the present Government put on the tax. If they did their duty they would take it oif again, and he should certainly vote (or its being taken off. Mr. Thorn then referred to sporting dogs, and the dogs kept by navvies for poaching purposes, which roamed about the fields, and did an incalculable amount of damage. He thought that instead of such dogs paying 5s. they ought to pay £1, bscaase they were the animals which did the most damage to the farmer. They worried his sheep, made Ihe ewes cast their lambs, ate the young sheep, and sometimes the poachers took a fancy for a lamb themselves. Mr. Jameson : I believe before the last dog-tax collies were exempt ? Mr. TvsoN : Yea. Mr. jAMiiSON said he believed that other dogs then paid a higher duty. lie was not certain who it was that made the tax payable for all dogs. Mr. TiiOiU : It was the Government now in power. Mr. Jameson : No, no. I believe it was found that great inconvenience arose from the exemption of shepherds' doga from the tax, and a uniform tax of Ss. per dog was agreed upon. Now, they were simply wanting to go back to the old system, and that seemed to him rather odd. Mr. Tuck : I cannot see that collie dogs ought to he e;;- empted from taxation. If we exempt collies because they are peculiarly useful, other people would say " We have dogs quite as useful iu their calling as shepherds' dogs." The dogs used by ratcatchers were useful dogs ; so were those kept to guard over a house, or chained to the cart of a carrier to pro- tect property. Another question arises— What is a collie dog ? Any one might say his dog was a collie if it would run after sheep. The present tax was a very light one ; and when those paiticular dogs were so very useful, owners could hardly feel heavily burthened with a tax of 5s. per annum upon them. Mr. BowsTEAD said when shepherds' dogs were exempt from the tax the collection of the money was a source of very considerable inconvenience; and now that it fell upon a large number of individuals, it would be felt very lightly indeed. Mr. Tyson had said that luxuries were not necessaries ; but he (Mr. Bovvstead) thought the matter had been so much re- duced that it would hardly be possible to improve it. Mr. Tyson reminded the gentlemen v.'ho supported the tax that there were only 370,000 dogs taxed when the shepherds' do2;s were exempt ; but now there were about a million and a quarter. He had no wish to reply further to the remarks of the different speakers. He had been urged to bring the subject before the club by several farmers, not because he (Mr. Tyson) was a farmer, but because they felt the tax to be a grievance. He had no interest in the matter, as he was not a practical farmer, and did not keep a shepherds' dog. Therefore he was not actuated by pecuniary interest ; and ha hoped after they had heard the discussion those gentlemea to K'hom he had referred would pocket their grievanca. The Chairman spoke in support of the tas. On the votes beicg taken there v/ere twelve for Mr. Tyson's motion and 7 against. On the motion of Mr. He'Tcett, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Tyson; and on the motion of Mr. H. P. Howard, a similar compliment v/as made to the chairman. CHEESE FACTORIES IN AMERICA. The factory system of making butter and cheese, an industry of great and growing commercial importance, and the history of which is full of interesting and uselnl lessons, has grown up ia this country within the last quarter of a century from small beginnings. Prior to 1851 Herkimer and Oneida counties, in Central New York, had become somewhat famous for their cheese products, their dairies being then managed by individual owners, with varying and somewhat uncertain success. Jesse WiUiams, a dairyman, living near Rome, in Oneida county, had achieved a reputation for making cheese of the best quality, and ^hen, in 1851, one of his sons was married and went to live on another dairy-farm in the neighbourhood, Mr. Williams endeavoured to contract for the sale of cheese made by his son at the enhanced price paid for his own products. He recognised the fact that to secure this the cheese must be as good as his own, and he determined, after some considera- tion, to have the milk from his son's dairy brought to his owu place, there to be manufactured into cheese. This was the origin of associated dairying, and for three years Mr. Williams and those who took their milk to him were the only ones who profited by a system that secured uniformity in the product, the concentration of skill, and a great reduction in the cost of labour and supplies. But, the success of the system once assured, the growth was quite rajiid, and in 1866 there were more than 500 cheese " factories " in operation in the state oi New York. Cheese-making, once monopolised by the rich counties of Central New York, has since then spread to other parts of the state, and the factory system is now adopted in some degree iu Illinois, VYisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, and other Western r 2 190 THE FABMiCR'S MAGAZINE. Btates, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Massacliusetts, Maine, and Canada, and lias even spread to England and Russia. lu 1873 Canada manuiaclured 20,000,000 pounds of cheese by the American method. The scheme of the Oneida farmer of 1851 to secure uniformity in the products of t«o dairies has repro- duced itself in several thousand establislimeuts, emplojiug au estimated capital of twenty-five millions of dollars, and pro- ducing each year one hundred and fifty millions of doUars'- vrorth of the manufactured article. The receipts at New York from the interior arao.mtpd in 1863 to 281,318 boxes of cheese, m lS7-i to SjSOK-iGi hoxts. The exports from New York in 1863 were 38,577,357 pounds; in 1874 they were 96,831,691 pounds. This return will give some idea of the rapid growth of the industry, ar,d of its great importance to the commerce of the country. A committee of the Nesv Yurk Butter and Cheese Excliange estimates the annual product of butter in the country at ^ ,440,000,000 Ids., of which 53,333,333 lbs. are exported. Tiicse statistics of the trade derive their chief interest frora tlie fact tint the enormous busiuess they represent has grown up frora the earnest efforts of a single man to make large quantities of a good article which he was already making in small quantities. If he had resorted to trickery and deception, he might have achieved a temporary success, but he could never have laid the -foundations of such a great industry witli any other corner-stone than that of houes'y. A very full and rendable description of tlie processes of making butter and cheese is published in tlie November number of Rarpei's Monlhhj Mayazine. Of these we can only say tiiat they liave been the subject of study by chemists and practical dairymen of the higliest culture, and that, althouiih the latter know how to make good cheese, neither they nor the chemists understand precisely how it is done. Oue hundred parts of milk are made up of about eighty- ■ seven and one-half parts of water, three and one-half parts of butter, three and one-eighth parts of caseiae or pure curd, five and one-eighth parts of sugar, and less than one part of mineral matter. In cheese-making the design is to harden the caseine or curd, and to do it in such a way as to imprison globules of butter-oil in the curd. To coagulate the milk the eiieese-maker pours a solution of " renuei" into the milk, and then begins the operation he does not understand — the ■*" digestion" of the milk. The curing of tlie cheese is regarded as a further process o' digestion. Cheese factories, as they are now built, are great buildings supplied with steam power and steam h.-ating apparatus, and are altogether unlike the dairies of a qnarler of a century ago. The cheese-maker is an educated workman ; his associates, the dairymen, are scarcely inferior in knowledge, and it is said that the treasurer of a " factory association," liiraself a dairyman, must attain such matlie- rnatical accuracy as to be able to demonstrate that it took 9 746-lOOOponndsof milk to make a pound of cheese, and tiiat he who delivered a pound of milk to the factory is entitled • therefore to 1 274-1003 cents., at the then ruling price of cheese. — PhiladeljjJtia Ledger. BREEDING OP CLYDESDALE HORSES. For some years past the number of stallions of the Clydes- dale breed imported into Ireland has been steadily increasing, and last year several valuable animals of this class were pur- cb.ased for service in this country at the stallioa show of the Glasgow Agricultural Society. Those horses were purchased on private accnaut ; bui in Scotland it has become the rule that local farming societies subscribe a sum, varying froni £60 to £100 and upwards, which, with a guaranteed number of m^res at a fixed rate, is ofi'ered for the hire of a stallion to tr^X^l during the season in each society's district. A deputa- tion of the members of each society attends the stallion show at Glasgow, selects a horse, according to the meaus at their . disposal, and arranges with the owner. In this way a vast improvement has been effected of late years in the breed of asricullural horses all over Scotland. This is a matter of great importance to farmers, owing to the very high r:ites which are now current for horses suitable for heavv draught. Efeu raw, unbroken colts of the Clydesdale breed fetch as much as £80 to £100, while fillies that promise well for breeding realise much higher ratea. £800 to £1,000, and up to £1,500, have been paid for first-class Clydesdale stallions, and there are horses of that description at present iii Scotland which the owners would not part with sveu at the highest figure we have named. Tiie next annual stallion sliow of the Glasgow Agricu'tural Society has been adveriised in our cohimns. It will be held on 22ud February, and no less than £150 is offered as the Society's prsmium, along with a silver medal, lor ilie brst stallion, f'ualed beiore Ist January, 187i, and not above ti n years old, which will be exhibited on that occ :sion. 'ihe unusual amount of the prize is a sufficient indication of the estimation in which first-class stallions of the Clydesdale brted are held iu Scotland. Vfe have no doubt but that on the 22ud of next month there will again be persons from Ireland iu Glasgow on the k.ok-out for Clydesdale siallions of a useful class. We sincerely trust they may be successful, but no one need go to Glasgow ex- pecting to get a stallion for a song. It will take "a hatful of money " to buy even a medium horse. Nevertheless, in good hands it will pay ; and breeding horses fit for heavy draught is a far better speculation than breeding weeds, whicli are never good for anything except to feed hounds. We know that the Scotch plan of hiring the services of a stallion for the season has been a good deal discussed in several parts of Ireland, particul irly in the South, where there are already some very useful Clydesdale stallions ; but we have not learned whetlier any socitty or private company of breeders has decided to try the plan this year. At all events, people who are interested in the matter should go over to the Glasgow show : they will ham much at it, and the knoivledge so acquired will be au ample equivalent for their expenses. One of the grandest sights we ever saw was the parade of Clydesdales on Gla'^gow Green, when the Highland Society's show was held there last July. It was worth going a thousand miles to see. We know there are some persons who pooh-pooh the idea that draught horses are worth lookii.g at ; but such folks have a deal to learn ; so, by vi'ay of alford- ing them, as well as others, a liitle inl'oriiiation on the subject, we avail ourselves of some remarks which appeared in the Glasgow News on the occasion of the last stallion show of the Glasgow Agricultural Society. The writer, who is remarka'ily well posted up in this particular matter, referring to the show, said that "the prosperity of this feature of the Society's work has really been most astonishing. But a few years ago it had scarcely deve'oped into the form of an exhibition at all — a number of breeders, according to advi rtiseraent, merely bring- ing forward their stock, from which the ccramiltee tried, on behalf of the Association, to select an animal suitable to travel the district. By-aud-by, Clydesdale horses increased in value, English and colonial farmers began to appreciate tlieir suit- ableness for draught purposes, premiums were increased, and the result was keener compeition. In time dealers came about the show-ring and made large purchases, and the spring show of draught stallions devehiped into a large and impnrtant hiring and selling fair for breeders. Looking at the central position of Glasgow as regards the Clydesdale breeding dis- trict, and the great commercial demands of the city for draujihc horses, this exaltation is not to be wondered at. No doubt the rapid and cheap means of railway transit has almost neutralised the importance of horse fairs and cattle trysts ; but the dealing and hiring of stallions is quite a different trade from that which is carrii d on at this ancient style of market. A single entire horse may serve oue-half of a county ; so there is not, after all, a great home demand for Clydesoale stallions. At the district shows, therefore, which are held from time to time, the competition is almost entirely confined to the local breeders, and so holders of mares who desire an infusion of new blood into their stock have their eyes directed to other counties. To ask breeders to bring horses perhaps two or three hundred miles to compete at such small shows, with the prospect of having their animals, perhaps, defeated by p' home-breds,' would be a little too ruucli ; so the custom has originated of sending out deputa- tions to examine horses, and, if suitable, make selections thereof. Tlie Glasgow show was naturally, therefore, the field most generally in favour ; and so from the two or three representative bodies who, four or five years ago, originated the system, the number annually increased, till, yesterday, no fewer tiian 31 deputations were present, many of which had come from England. The directors of the Glasgow Agricul- tural Society, it must be said, were not slow to recognise the THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. lei- advantages of tlie situation, and encouraged by every possible mefins tliR development of tbeir exhibition, whicti may now well be descrilicd as 'the best spoke in llie wheel' of tlie Association. The premiums have been raised from time to time, as also tlie service fee ; so that to liave the selected horse of the Glasgow Society means not the scoring of a mere barren honour, but a direct pecuniary gain, with stepdy- flowing interest from the stamped reputatiou of the stock. — Irislt Farmers' Gazeiie, THE SOCIAL ASPECTS OF AGRICULTURE. THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES (ANIMALS) ACT. Part I. A history of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act down to the present time, with the practical ell'ects of its various clauses and provisions as they came into force, would alfmd useful negative information to the agricul- tural world, and, at the same time, prove an interesting chapter of sociological study. This, however, is no part of our present intention ; but si(n])ly, as part of our sub- ject, to endeavour to point out the persistency with which the Privy Council, pist and present, have disre- garded the existence of evils that have given rise to daily comments, constant protests, petitions, and deputations, and that have been denounced by hostile criticism as a disgrace to any administration for at lea^t ten years past. Whilst, therefore, public opinion is directed to the bearing of this Act upon the meat supply of the country at large, the metropolis, and the densely-populated manufacturing districts of England, by the siguiticaut action of the mera- bt-r for South Norfolk (who is also member for agriculture in general, having a constituency that couiprises all between John-o'-Groat's and Land's End), the consideration of the social aspects of agriculture may opportunely be initi- ated by placing in juxta-position the state of affairs exist- ing at the close of the year 1872 relative to the suppression of the contagious diseases of auimals ; and the state of atfairs existing at the eud of the year 1875 with regard to the same subject. It is not within the scope or intention of this paper to recount instances of the working of an Act which has come to be painfully familiar to all connected with agriculture, and a single impress of public opinion at each date will suffice for our present purpose. In the Contemporary Review for .lannary, 1873, in an article foreisn to any agricultural question, one of the greatest thinkers of the day (Mr. Herbert Spencer), after pointing out various instances of incapacity or neglect on the part of authorities holding public oOTices, remarks, on page 173, "Th^t tlie State which fails to secure the heijtli of men even in its own employ should fail to secure the health of beasts might, perhaps, be taken as self-evident, though possibly some, com- paring tlie money laid out on stables with the money laid out on cottages, might doubt the corollaiy. Be this as it may, however, the recent history of cattle diseases, and of legiskflon to prevent cattle diseases, yields the same lessons as are yielded above. Since 1818 there have been seven Acts of Parliament bearing the general titles of Con- tagious Diseases (Animals) Acts. Measures to ' stamp out,' as the phrase goes, this or that disease, have been called for as imperative. Measures have been passed, and then expectation not having been fulfilled, amended measures have been passed, and then re-amended measures ; so that of late no Session has gone by without a bill to cure evils, which previous bills tried to cure, but did not. Notwithstanding the keen interest felt by the ruling classes in the success of these measures, they have succeeded so ill, that the foot-and-mouth disease has not been ' stamped out,' has not even been kept in check, but during the past year has spread alarmingly in various parts of the kingdom. Coniinually The Times has had blaming letters, and reports of local meetings called to condemn tlie existing laws and to insist on better. From all qiiarters there liave come accounts of ineffective regulations and incapable officials — of policemen who do the work of veterinary-surgeons, of machinery described by Mr. Fleming, veterinary-surgeon of the K lyal Engineers, as ' clumsy, disjointed, and inetficient.' " In a note, page 173, he further remarks, " Let me here add what seems to be a uot-imposaihle cause, or, at any rate, apart-csuse' of the failure. The clue is given by a letter in The Times signed ' Landowner,' dating Tollesbury, Essex, August 2nd, 1873. lie bought 'ten fine young steers, perfectly fiee Iroia any symptom of disease,' and ' passed sound by the inspector of loreign stock.' They were attiicked by foot-and-mouth disease after five days passed in fresh paddocks with the best food. On inquiry, he found that foreign stock, however healthy, ' mostly all go down with it' after the passage. And then, in proposing a remedy, he gives us a fact of which he does not seem to recognise the meaning, lie suggests ' that instead of the present quarantine at Harwich, v/hicli consists in driving the stock from the steamer into pens for a limited number of h .urs,' &c. If this description of the quarantine is correct, the spread of the disease is accounted for. Every new drove of cattle is kept for hours in an infected pen. Unless the suc- cessive droves have been all healthy (wliich the very institution of the quarantine implies that they have not been) some of them have left in the pen diseased matter from their mouths and leet. E/en if disinfectants are used after eachoconpation, the risk is great, the disinl'cction is almost certain to be inade- - quale. Nay, even if the pen is adequately disinfected every tune, yet if tliere is not also a complete disinfection of the landing appliances, the landing-stage, and the track to the pen^ the disease will be cnmmuuicaled. No wonder healthy cattle ' mosty go down with it' after the passage. The quarantine regulations, if they are such as are here implied, might pro- perly be called ' regulations for the better diffusion of cattle diseases.' " This is how matters stood, from a disinterested outsider s point of view, three years ago. Passing over the interim, let us see liow they staud at the end of the year 1875, taking for our guide the impress of public opinion in The Murk Lmie Express, of December 20, 1875. We find thi^reiu an account of a speech made by Sir W. Barttelot, at aa . agricultural meeting at Arundel, in which he is reported to • liave said, speaking of the foot-and-mouth disease, " I know that at Chichester, which is the best market and the largest lu tlie South of England, every precaution has been taken, so far as human knowledge can go, to prevent and to stop any in- fection in that market. Their inspector has visited most minu'ely all the auimals coming into that market, they have disinfected ail the places where auimals are penned, and they have done everything they can to stop the spread of the disease. But, nevertheless, and 1 am bound to say it, because as sen-ible men, we are bound to own, with both these fac'L, in the face, that the disease is not stopped, and is still spreading. Now, the other day a Government inspector came down to Chichester, and most minutely examined all the animals coming into that market, and on their way from Coshain to those lairs in the neighbourhood of Cliichester, whtre they generally stay the night before the market. He also most carefully examined al! tiie animals in the market, and he pronounced that never in his life had he seen animals so healthy as those he saw there., Tliat was on Wednesday, Nov. 3rd. What happened ? Those very animals, many of them, that had been inspected by the Government Inspector, were sold to different persons in that and other localities, and our inspector was called in to see tliem, when, on the Saturday following, they were down with the disease. If I mistake not, there is an lion, friend of mine in this room who bought as many as three lots on that day, and 1 believe they were all affected by the disease. Now, I mention this to show how difficult it is to know when animal* are infected, and it shows us that unless we can stop this disease at the fountain head, it is utterly impossible to over- come it." A few days after this mei-ting at Arundel there was one held al Chichester, at which the Lord President of tka i:2 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Council, the Duke of Richmond, is reported (on tlie sanae page of The Mark Lane Express) to have said — speaking of the foot- and-mouth disease — " la consequence of the representations made to me that a considerable number of diseased cattle were brought over from Ireland, I thought it would be desirable to have a better inspection of cattle vessels trading from that country, and I determined that, in addition to the ordinary inspectors, there should be a travelling inspector, vifhose duty it should be to go about to inspect lairs,, pens, aud trucks, and cattle-carrying ships. Such an inspector was appointed, and what has been the result?" His Grace here details certain penalties imposed on various railway companies, &c., who have, through the instrumentality of inspection, been caught, in- faffranii delicto, and goes on to say, " Therefore, without as- cribing too much to myself, I think that in this matter of ad- ditional inspection I adopted a very practical mode of checking the progress of the disease." After reviewing several proposed remedial measures, the Lord President continues, " The result of all this must, I think, be to show you how very difTioult it is to deal with this foot-and-mouth disease, and that the country is not prepared for more restrictive measures than are now in operation. I believe that better inspection, better cleansing, and better disinfection, are about the best means of putting an end to the disease. As I have already mentioned, the travel- ling inspector whom I appointed last year, did a great deal of good ; and that being so, I thought that if I could have four travelling inspectors, I might at least quadruple the good effected by one. I went to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and I suppose my experience was not peculiar when I found that a demand for money was received by my right hon. friend with a very long face; but he allowed me to appoint the ad- ditional inspectors, of whom two have already been appointed." It will be refreshing at this stage of our enquiry, and before offering any comment on the proceeding, to refer once more to the Conlemjiorary Review for January, 1S73, and at pige 176 to listen again to Mr. Hcibert Spencer. Generalizing upon the data ha has supplied, he says, " Yet as fast as there come prjofsof mal-adfflinistr.ition there come demands that adminis- t atlon shall be estcaded. Just as, in societies made restive by despotism, the proposed remedy for the evils and dangers brought about is always norc despotism ; just as, along with the failing power of a cTcc'jing papacy, tliere goes, as the only tit cure, a rc-asscilicn of papal intallibility, with emphatic obligato from a council; so, to set right the misdoings of State-agency, the pr:;oasr.l always is more State-agency. When, after long continuaiirs of coal mine inspection, coal mine ex- plosions keep reciiaug the cry is for more coal mine inspec- tion. _ -When railway jxcidents multiply, notwithstanding the oversight of oSciab appointed by law to see that railways are safe, the unh^<aling demand is for more such ofScials, Though, as Lord Sulisfaury lately remarked of governing bodies deputed by the State, they begin by being enthusiastic and ex- travagant, aid they are very p,pt to end in being wooden— though, through the Press, and by private conversation, men ar« perpetually reminded that when it has ceased to wield the new broom, each deputy governing power tends to become either a king-stork tiiai; does mischief, or a king-log that does nothing; yet racre deputy governing powers are asked for with_ unwavering faith. While the unwisdom of officialism is daily illustrated, the argument for each proposed new depart- ment sets out witli the postulate that officials will act wisely. After endless comments on tlie confusion and apathy and delay of Government offices, other Government offices are advocated. After ceaseless ridicule of red-tape the petition is for more red- t ipe.'' And now, at the enpiration of three years, it is in- teresting and instructive to find the truth of Mr. Spencer's logic in the fact, that in the face of innumerablp proofs of the utter ineffectiveness a,nd worthlessness of inspection, per se, as a pf'^ventive, curative, or even palliative of any contagious, iufectious, or epizootic disease amongst animals, we are semi- officially tuld by the head of the department that what we want, and all we want is " more inspection ! " He wants it quad, ruplcd, and has already got it doubled. The Times of Dec. 13th, 1875, describes the question as being simple in the ex- treme ; perhaps it is this very distressing simplicity that has been such a stumbling-block to the Privy Council ; be that as it may, Mr. 0. S. Read has declared that otherwise immacu- late department, to be " utterly unfit to order and regnkte any- thing connected with the flocks and herds of this country," and we believe him, fully and completely. At this juncture, it will be convenient to assure our readers that no political bias has dictated any of the foregoing remarks, nor will in any way in- fluence our further consideration of this subject ; in proof of which we commit ourselves to the opinion that, if by any combination of circumstances the question should assume a political instead of a social aspect, the apathy of the past would be charged — i/i ictii ocnil — into an enthusiasm which might astonish all but the driest and most sceptic il of philosophers. We have seen, then, that epizootic aptha, commonly called f)ot-and-mouth disease, exists and sp'tads, and is likely to spread ; we may also le-^rn, if we care to do so, that it was not known in Engknd until 18o9 ; that like all other, or at least miny other, epidemic and epizootic diseases, it bad an Eastera origin, and was known on the Contiaeut bei'ore it reached us. Professor Brown, in an article on this disease, in 18'>9, published in the Bath and West of England Society's Jinirnnl, tells us that " the channel through which it came to our shores has never been satisfactorily ascertained and a critical investigation of this pai-t of the subject is not likely to repay the inquirer." Now, that we have it through- out the length and breadth of the land, it is useless to spend time or attention in ascertaining \\ow we came by it, other than as a guide to us in our attempts to get rid of it ; on this pjint the professor informs us: " In 1831 the malady appeared in Hungary and lower Austria, and spread to Bohemia, Saxony a-^d Prussia; taking a norl;h-east;erly direction it entered Germany, and thence advanced to Holland and France, reaching England in August, 1839." It is then plainly shown that the disease was not engendered in England. In tracing its progress through years of grea'^er or less severity, we come to the cattle-plague time, and the professor tells us that "hundreds of cattle affected with tliis malady w&m seen in the beginning of 1866, but when the restrictions ujioa cattle traffic were carried into effect, with an iacreaain? deg'ee of stringpncy, as the cattle-plague made incU'MOUs to new districts, foot-and-mouth disease and pleuro-pnenmonia de- clined ; and when the iraniinence of danger led to the almost total stoppage of fairs and markets, and the move- ments of cattle all over the country, these diseases almost ceased to exist, or, at least, assumed propoitions which prevented them being specially observed. For a period of sis months, in the summer and autumu of 1867, eczema was seldom seen ; and the cattle in the Metropolitan Market and the lairs were free from the alTection, and a like immunity from its attack was enjoyed by aaimals all over the country. Isolated cases might be met with, but it is certain that at the time of the cessation of the cattle plague, the live- stock of the LTuited Kingdom were more entirely exempt from infectious diseases than they had for niiuy years." So, then, in stamping out the more serious disease called cattle-plague, the lesser evil of fool-auJ-mouth disease was incidentally stamped out too, or nearly so. Surely, in this we have a else to its successful treatment in 1876, But, let us quote the professor again, we cannot have a better or higher authority. Speaking of preventive measures he says : " Sanitary regula- tions of the most stringent character are necessary in respect of foot-and-mouth complaint, in consequence of the short period which elapses between the time of infection and the declaration of the disease, which allows but little opportunity for the action of prophylactics. The means which arc avail- able for the purpose of arresting thb spread of the affection, have reference to the introduction of diseased animals, either from the Continent, or from any part where the affection may prevail, and the regulation of the movement of such animals ; with the establishment of a system of isolation and disinfection. The first essential is the separation of diseased or infected animals on the premises where the affection exists. Considerations of convenience or profit have no place whatever in a discussion of the sanitary aspect of the ques- tion, and it is idle to attempt to reconcile things wliich in their nature are opposed. It may be true, at least it need not be disputed, that restrictions upon the free movement of animals are inimical to the interests of commerce ; it is, on the other hand, absolutely and demoustrably true that free movements of infec*ed animals means unlimited extension of disease. The present inquiry does not refer to the best means of extending the cattle trade, but to the most certain method of preventing disease, and the argument cannot conveniently be encumbered with collateral considerations, which are foreign to the main issue. Isolation of all diseased and infected animals in the locality where the disease is detected is the first necessary THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 103 precaution, in the neglect of nliich all others are iopfTec- tiial It must be distinctly eauQciated, that by just so much as tiie severity of the necessary precauiious is re- laxed tlie danger of the spread of disease is increased." So said Professor Brown, as Veterinary luspector to the I'rivy Council in 18')9, and so he has recently said, as Chief Inspector to the Privy Council in 1875, before a Committee ol the House of Commons. Jiut the opinions of tlie professor and his colleagues appear to have but little weight with the department to which they are the professional auvisers, so far at least, as home regulations are concerned. Mr. Forster, M.P., tells us that the committee, of which he was chairman, which sat two years ago on this cattle disease question, c ime to the conclusion that with regard to any home action in respect to foot-and-mouth disease, "the only measures that would be really effectual would be such an inter- ference with trade, and a stoppage of affairs in the market that the remedy would be considerably worse than the disease ; in fact, it could not be stamped out w^ithout almost as mucli in- terference as was dune in the case of the ctttle-pkgue. It was felt that the producers would not think that worth while. Consequently the rec'jin.neud.itiou of that com uittee was that there should be no attempt to interfere with the disease amongst the home or English cattle, except if they were found travelling." And so it came to pass, that when the Lord President of the existing Council took office, there were, as he tells us, " no restrictions." Speedily, however, there came deputations, pointing out the only one thing, as his Grace remarks, upon which all parties are agreed — \iz., the ej:isfefice of the disease. They made suggestions, showed cause for action of some sor', and the result was an Order in Council, puiting strong powers into the hands of the local authorities, to be used at their discretion, as occasion miglit require throuifh the agency of an inspector, or any olfioer they might authorise. Tlie enumeration of these powers, when duly considered in connection with tiie known capacities lor dis- crimination possessed by local boards, and the universally acknowledged high intellectual status of their ardhorised officers — t':e police — is startling in the extreme. One almost feels tirankful they are seldom carried out ! and then only in an imperfect manner. In fact, being discretional, they are worse than usel»>ss, in some instances causing serious incon- venience : for instance, his Grace tells us of a gentleman, within his own knowledge, who " could not take his dogs out witti him when he wanted them for sporting purposes, because they had been kept in a place where there was a cow wliieh had been attacked with foot-and-mouth disease." This clearly cannot be within the meaning of any reasonable Act, neither can the country be expected to put up with monstrosities of this kind. After this comes another difficulty. Ireland to the front again ! Foot-and-mouth disease is said to be there, and said also to be sent here free of duty or inspection. Mr. Read says so ; Pro- fessor Brown says so ; so does Dr. WiUiaras ; so does Mr. Waller ; and so does the Lord President of the Council. And yet, when inquiries are made, Ireland indignantly denies the imputation. The Lord President disregards this statement, and, in spite of difficulties (made only to he surmounted), notwithstanding that Irish Orders in Council proceed from the Irish Privy Council, and the Irish Privy Council belongs to the Irish Government, and the Irish Government is in Dublin, and Dublin is (alas !) in Ireland, and Ireland is diffi- cult to deal with : notwithstanding all this his Grace has declared that such things ought not to be, and that he will deal with Ireland — to-morrow ! So far, then, we have had a bird's-eye view of the way in which we have dealt, and are dealing, with foot-and-mouth disease, now we have got it, and quite independently of fresh or con- tinuous sources of supply. These may be classed simply as two — Irish and foreign. For Irish cattle there exist no re- strictions at all : they do not come within English jurisdic- tion until they get to England. This is charmingly simple. When the disease arrives here we may at once deal with it as the law provides and directs — viz., if part of the eargo be found infected, such portion is detained or slaugh- tered, the remainder being free to any market in England. For foreign cattle there are, and have for some time been, far different conditions. When a cargo arrives they are in- spected. If no disease exists, or rather is apparent, they are free to proceed to any market in England ; but '• if of, say, 500 animals landed in this country the disease is found to exist in any one of them, the whole must be slaughtered at the port of debarcation." This is tlie Lord President's statement, and it is highly important to notice that to it he append^' the definite opinion that it "appears a severe restriciiou." Now, this being a crucial point, and strange to say, nest to the Irish difficulty, the most vexed part of the question, we are fortu- nate in having Mr. Forster's opinion, lie tells us that, " if the difference in the treatment of the sel'er of foreign cattle and the seller of home cattle is so great as to throw the burden of proof upon the foreign importer too much, the preseot provisions cannot be kept up ;" but, in a consideration of the question, it must not be overlooked that " every animal with the disease is a centre of infection" — which may be fairly interpreted to mean that, in the lace of so many apparently conflicting interests, he would rather not say what he really did tiiink. It remains to inquire. What are the consequences of this disease? There is great diversity of opinion on this point. Some say it results in the loss of millions sterling, whilst others think it so trilling as not to be appreciable. One agricultural speaker says, " it the animals do not get over it in four days they ought toP Another says that usually it causes " no loss," the animals are " not a penny the worse for it," and " pick up ground faster than they lose it." Our own prac- tical experience has been that animals do not usually die of the disease, but they do not unfrequently die, or have to be destroyed, from its effects. When they are in good condition, and are in circumstances of comfort and plenty, with careful, judicious management the loss and inconvenience may ob- viously be reduced to a minimum ; but when the disease affects stock in low condition, and its tendency to become virulent is fostered by unsuitable food, exposure, unintelligent treatment, and culpable neglect, then the result may reasonably be ex- pected to be a loss which in some instances would be lessened by the animals dying outright. We have had it amongst dairy cows. In some the secietiou partly ceased, in others entirely so ; some have lost one quarter of the udder, one had to be destroyed. We have had it amongst bullocks that were being stall-fed, and nearly ready for market. They had it in a comparatively mild form, and yet they lost flesh, they lost " touch," and the market for which they were intended. The extra time and food was thrown away ; they lost time and money. Blore than this, they consumed food that was in- tended for others, thereby throwing all our arrangements out of gear. Let us hear what Professor Bro.vn says (in 1869) : "Although mouth- and-foot disease is not in its ordinary form a fatal malady, an animal affected with it in its virulent form is a pitiable object ; and there is no doubt that the amount of suffering endured is often excessive, from the partial separa- tion of the hoof, and the extensive excoriations of the mem- brane of the tongue and mouth. Even when the vesicles are nei her numerous nor large, tViere is often present an irritable condition of the mucous membrane, accompanied with exuda- tion beneath the epithelium, causing it to become loosened and fall off, leaving the sensitive parts exposed. A painful instance of this accident occurred a short time ago. While the at- tendant was endeavouring to secure a diseased animal's tongue, in order that it might be examined, the entire cuticular cover- ing of the anteror part of the organ came away in his hand, leaving the bleeding membrane exposed, and causing the animal to tremble with paiu Between the mild form of the disease, and the most virulent, there are an infinite number of grades which depend upon constitu'^ional peculiarities and variation of surrounding circura^taiices. Sometimes the bursting of the vesicles is followed by ulceration and extensive loss of structure. Tlie hoofs slough off, and even the ligaments of joints in the vicinity of the foot become disconnected from the bones, causing open joints. Deep abscesses form in the mammary gland, the secretion of milk is almost or even entirely suppressed, and the acute disease degeneiates into a low fever, which continues for a long time, inducing debility and extreme emaciation, and in some cases ending in death In ordinary instances the du atiouis not more than a week, but alter the disease has begun to decline, there is a period of convalescence of some length, during which the animals suffer from debility. When the appetite is quite restored the improvement is very rapid, and, as in the case of febrile diseases generally, the recovered animals thrive more than the healthy beasts which are placed ni der similar circumstances of feeding and management. A second attack of the disease is not an uncommon occurence- . . . Sjme animals have been known to suffer a third tims I'M I'HB FARMER'S MAGAZINE. . . . To prove how great a loss is constantly being sustained in consequence of the ravages of this mal idy, it is only necessary to refur to its effects. First, there is the diminution of the quantity of the milk, which varies according to the severity of 1 lie attack. . . . The general loss will vary from one-^third to two thirds tlie usual supply Again, the deterioration of the quality of milk, and its poisonous action upon young tiiumals, are even more serious than the diminution ol quantity. .... Loss of condition is another ill consequenc^ which affects the grazier even more than the dairyman. The excessively infectious character of the disease, and its rapid extension to nearly all the animals on a farm— cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry— must be placed among its objectionable peculiarities, and the list is completed by the addition of cer- tain seqnalcc, which often render valuable auima'.s entirely useless; for example, loss of hoofs, sloughing of ligameu's, mortiiicatioa or induration of the udder, or a pottion of it, inflammation of the tongue {glossith)^ and sometimes indura- tion of that organ. Iq fact, taking a comprehenjive view of i-ll the circumstances, it may be asserted with truth that no fcisease of the lower animals is more deserving of serious attention tlian is the mouth-and-foot complaint." These results are ceitainly serious, if regarded only in a monetary point of view, but there is a social point of view, that we have not yet considered. If the statements we have just read are as applicable to the disease as it exists now as they were to the disease as it existed when they were written in 1869 (as may be affirma- i;.vely proved any day, and if it can be proved that from tliat eime to the present, and at the present, no etrne4, practical, ( xhaustive attempts have been made to root it out, as results prove affirmatively, tlien the legislature have been guilty of a neglect which has entailed results which are a disgrace to l.umanity. This will probably be regarded as mere sentiment. Very well, let us take another social aspect of the question that perhaps will not be considered open to that objection— the public health. May the flesh be eaten with impunity? Experience, so far, says yes, providing always that it be pnperly cooked, a proviso which necesbilates meat being ex- posed to a temperature at which morbid products of disease, {psorosperms), and even the cysts of that dreadful parasite, Tnclmia Sjnndis, are practically found to be readered innoc- nous, or destroyed. This question is entirely out of our province, and we leave it in the hands of professional men who are giving their attention to it. But there is, or appears to be, suUicient of j)nmafacie danger in the fact of a febrile f.-ver having raged in the blood of an animal to make us uncomfortable about its flesh, even whea properly cooked. One cannot help being frightened even at shadows after the awful disclosures of Dr. Spencer Cobbold with regard to internal parasites. At all events there is sufH- cierit oidoiiLt about the matter to warrant us in sajiug it should at least act as an incentive toward the extirpation of the disease. Then there is milk. It will be needless to recount tiie very many ways in which milk plays a conspicuous part in the economy of nature. How greatly the rate of niortaUty amongst children is in direct proportion to the conditions of itssupply. How necessary it is to the invalid. How largely It is au absolute necessity to rich and poor^ and how greatly O'lr well-being, comfort, and to some extent luxury, depends I'pmit. A shorteued supply, then, becomes something more than an inconvenience, and an expense. But how shall we estimate the deleterious effects of impure milk ? Listen again to Professor Brown . " Specimens of milk obtained from cows in various stages of the disease have been submitted to micro- ^copic inspection repeatedly, for the purpose of accertaming, if possible, whether or not any change seems in the constitution of the fluid likely to be injurious to the health of those wlio partake of it There were invariably found lar'^e granular cells, or white corpuscles, having the general character of the pus globule. The milk from onecow wasesamiued from the commf-ncement to the termination of the disease, and for three weeks after recovery, and it was observed that the pus- like bodies remained dnnng the whole time. At the worst period of the affection the bodies were numerous, and as the disease declined they became fewer in number ; but some were seen on the last examinatiouj three weeks after recovery. M)nsds and Bacteria were also detected in every specimenj iand these bodies remained unaffected, either in their form or rapidity of movement, by boiling Milk taken in the evening from diseased animals, gave evidence of the commence' ment of decomposition on ths following morning ; this was, in some measure, due to the iiigh temperature which prevailed durin<; tiie time the observations were made. When boilei the milk remained good for four-and-twenty hours, under tlie same circumstances, and at the same time What influence the numerous pus-like globules and granular cells, wiih the, living organisms in the form of Monads and Bacteria, may exercise upon the health of the human subject, it is impossible, in the absence of direct experiments, to determine ; bui the evidence in respect of its effects upon the youns? of the lower animals, is very conclusive. Professor Simouds lost three valuable calves in one day by allowing tliem to suck a covr suffering from the disease in an early stage. He aho produced aczema in pigs, by giving them milk immediately alter it has drawn from a diseased cow. Continental observers also allude to instances of the poisonous action of the milk on young animals Tliere is too much reason to apprehend that, to the young of the mammalia in general, the milk from cows affected with foot-and-mouth disease is highly deleterious. The abnormal condition of the secret'ons may be a subject full of interest to the pathologi t, but it is sickening to know that such morbid matter is used to swe'.l tlie general bulk of the morning and evening qnaidiun of milk which is supplied to the population, who, if any suspicion is aroused are quite reassured by the dairyman's entirely romantic state- ment, that ' when cows have the disease all the milk dries up ' " Surely, "Simpson" is preferable to milk from diseased cosi's, provided both sources of that compound be pure, perhaps under any circumstances, for it would be hard to show the water to be the most dangerous of the two. Be that as it may. Much has been written about the metier since 1869, and wliat we wisli to point out to our readers is t'le undeniable fact, that the Privy Council had this identical information before tliem from that time to the present, — that Professor Brown is still their professional adviser — and that foot-and-mouth disease >•«««?««, Is nob>.dy to blam.e for this P A'^ow, by way of repoitiug progress, we have seen, so far, 1st. That foot-and-mouth disease exists. 2ud. That there are certain restrictive measures in operation in England under control of tlie Local Authorities. 3rd. Tliat we may obtain a Iresh supply of it from loreign sources, provided there is no indication ol it when the animals arrive here. 4th. That we may obtain infected animals ad Vdntum from Ireland. Affected animals being allowed only so far as the port of debarcation. 5th. Inspection has failed even to check it. 6tii. ^^'^o— Inspection is to be rehed on in future ! Thus far we have not taken into consideration any of the difficulties attending legislation on this question of foot-and- mouth disease. But we have not ignored them, and it is our wish to give the attention that is their due. In doing so, we shall have to notice anomalies of quite as startling a character as those already specilled, and perhaps the greatest anomaly of all is that the interest of the community at large cannot in this matter be seen to be the true interest of the individual. It is not to be supposed that any one class directly interested should willingly and voluntarily offer themselves up as a sacri- fice for the benefit of society, neither do we see that such a thing is necessary ; but we do see that it is the duty of all classes concerned to submit promptly and cheerfully to such share ol inconvenience as may be awarded them by a thoroughly effective measure for the public weal. If all were ready and willing to do their duty, very little of diificulty would remain ; but, instead of this, we have abundant proofs that in very many instances the vociferous appeals to the Privy Council are dictated by party-interest aioue, and sometimes in direct antagonism to the public good. For instance, London is largely dependent on foreign supplies of meat. Meat to the consumer is dear. When cargoes of infected animals are slaughtered at Deptford certain parties are inconvenienced, and, under exist- ing circumstances, certain losses accrue to consignors. When this is represented to be one of the principal causes of the high price of meat, a loud wail is at once set up by the daily press, and the Privy Council is clamorously petitioned to allow infected animals to go throughout the length and breadth of the land, slaughtering only the affected ^oxUon of the cargoes at Deptford. Can such a proposal as this be dictated by a desire for the good of the community? We should think not; eertainl^ not if the probable result were clearly understood. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 195 And yet men of liigli position and unquestionable honour an^ intefirity of purpose listen to this proposal. Mr. Forster is undi'cideil about it ; at least, we attach that meaniuf? to his words iu Kood faitli. Tiie Duke of llichinoiid says distinctly tiiat he considers tiie restriction a severe one. But if a cargo of 500 auimals contains o«e alfected a-iraal, how are vye to loriii an opinion which animul or auinials out of the remaining 499 are free from infection, or if «//^ of thera are P Will inspection do it ? Not unless it is of a very different kind to that with which we haVe become acciuninted. We believe it to be out of the power of the best possible inspection. Again, can it be for the interest of the community tliat diseased cUtle should be allowed to c.ime here from Ireland wUhoiil reslnclwni' Anotlier anomaly will be found iu the fact tliat English agri- culturists are divided in opinion, to au incredible degree, respect- ing the matter. Some are satisfied with things as Ibey are, otfiers would have all restrictions removed, so as to have per- fect free trade amongst animals and disease too; but several classes are represented by the terra Agiiculturist. Then, again, we shall find classes with directly opposite intentions and ap- parent interests, fighting madly against each otliev, and shouting the same battle-cry, " Cheap meat!" whereas, if that really be their desideratum^^ they are obviously seeking it in diametri- cally opposite directions. Cheap meat— that is, meat at a price proportionately lower than other articles of food— has had its day m England. We consider wiiat is called the " high price of meat" is due to the demand for it having increased in a dis- proportionate ratio to its supply, and that I'oot-and-mouth disease can only be ciiarged with being accassory in a very much smaller d'egree than is generally supposed. But of this we will speak presently. Let us consider the various classes who are directly interested in the matter, regarding the com- munity at large, as consiiiuers, to be indirectly interested, yet as being directly interested in any question that exerts any influ- ence whatever on the piiceof food. Beginning at home, there is the breeder. The man who spends his time, money, and intell?ct in the breeding and rearing flocks and herds, cannot reasonably be supposed to sanction any measure that would be likely to bring disease to his premises. He is a seller and producer of animals, not a buyer beyond the requirements of a change or repleuisbment of blood. He does not endanger his ueisjhbour's property, and simply asks that his neighbour shall not^ be allowed to endanger his. He considers himself of sufficient importance to his country to be entitled to protection from foreign evil, and as far as possible from home danger too. Breeders dispose of their produce at periodical fairs mainly, therefore fairs are a necessity and a convenience to them. If it could be shown that fairs and markets must be temporarily closed as part of an efi'ective measure to stamp out the disease, would these men — this class— be likely to agree to it? We think yes, almost to a man. Nest come graziers, and stall- feeders, occupiers ot grass farms and arable farms. We may take the two together, as one class. They are buyers of home and Irish bred store stock in the spring and autumn (we were not aware, until reading the speech of the Lord President of the Council, that foreign siore stock occupied any appreciable position in England, except as dairy animals). These men buy «nd sell largely in fairs and markets more or less throughout the year ; it is, therefore, of the greatest importance to them that markets and fairs, and ships aud trucks, and inspectors, should he free from infection. They know them all to be satu- rated with it ; but would thei^ agree to a stoppage of fairs ? We expe?t some would aud some would not ; just as they might be situated at the time of the proposed cessation. They are all pretty much of an opinion about Ireland, and have all an idea that we should not import any more disease at present from abroad ; still, we are inclined to think that, as a body, they would agree to it. Next come cattle-dealets, and, as they are very frequently graziers as well, we may consider them as representing a divided interest. In case of a cessation of fairs and market^, the larger dealers would do about the same business as before, acting as commission-agents, inasmuch as animals would change hands to about the same extent as before. We are not supposing a stagnation of trade, therefore we may suppose the comparatively tew large dealers would vote for such a measure, and the great bulk of smaller men would vote againstit. Butchers we may divide into town aud country. Tue town butcher has virtually but one market, and very naturally he is opposed to any measures which tend to give him en uncertain supply in that market. Hand-to-mouth, regular supply, at times price, ia the foundation upon which he builds his trade. He cares nothing about disease, very little about price — he can charge accordingly, all he wants is a regular supply. He will not object to any measure, for any purpose, so long as you fill hh market rcgvlnrttj ; you may draw a cordoa round it, and stop all the country fairs and markets ; but if there is any uncertainty with regard to his supply, he will object to everything. Tlie country butcliHrg, remei.iberio;? with fond regret the good old ti-nes of the cattle p'ague, would probably not object to liaving things a little more in their own hands for a short time ; but farmers are getting better generals than they used to be, their pockets have become lighter and their wits keener, and auctioneers and sales- men have become butchers' bankers, in consequence of those butchers who did not retire alter the cattle plague era not having had an opportunity of doing so since. We may safely say that, as a class, both in town and in country, they are greatly averse to restrictions, and very apt to evade them if possible. SalesTiien coming between the farmers aud the butchers, and having to study the interests of both, may reason- ably be supposed to be in favour of temporary restriction, lio-v- ever severe, with the ultim.ite view to the removal of all impediments to the trade. During the time they would still be the agen's of both classes, but in auilf'rent manner. Foreign consigners of cattle are, of course, anxious to secure a good mark, t ; they cannot be supposed to be in favour of measures which cause them loss or inconvenience. They would not be affected by our internal regulations, but we are decidedly of opinion that arrangements for the slaughter of all foreign stock at the ports of debarcation would be favourably regarded by consignors. These, then, are the classes who are interested ift the provisions of the Contagious Diseases (Aninuls) Act, and we have endeavoured to form an opinion as to how they would be likely to regard any very restrictive measure. All classes alike are consumers, and, as such, are on common ground, and should be alike subservient to the common goo'. Should the breeder be disregarded to serve the interest of the butcher aud dealer ? Should the latter be impeded in their business, harrassed aud annoyed by useless and vexatious half- measures ? Should the connimers in large towns and manu- facturing districts be considered t) the detriment of the con- sumers in the couutry— the country at large? We think not. And yet this is what many are asking for. The farmers, as a whole, desire in some way to be protected from the disease ; but a portion of their number do not care very much about it, and would rather let things remain as they are than be put to any very great inconvenience. The other classes engaged in the trade in animals may, as a whole, be said to be averse to restrictive measures; and the pulilic — those who are not directly interested either in agriculture or the trade in animals— do not care about the matter at all, excepting that they have been by contending parties persuaded that some- thing must ne done before they can expect to have " cheap meat." The other day a deputation waited on Mr. Forster, M.P. They wanted to know why meat was so dear. The right hon. gentleman told them he could not exactly say. He was not at all surprised at the question, and should rather like to know himself. But one thing he tried to impress upon their minds — viz., that " he did not believe any one ot tiie restrictions upon the foreign importation of cattle had so much to do with it as was generally supposed, nor did he think the particular restriction of slaughtering at Deptford had as much to do with the rise in the price of meat as was imagined." With this sentiment we most cordially agree. Mr. Forster points out, that in proportion to late years the importations have not diminished, and this is a significant fact. Yet it is openly said that foreign snpjdy is checked, and home producers have raised the price of their article in consequence. This is quite out of the producers power to do. Wiien his animals are ready tbey must go. They make the times price, which de- pends upon supply and weather. The difference bet-veen town aud country iu this respect is very great, and one of the roost patent of all the anomalies of our subject is that London con- ditions of supply aud demand being daily ventilated by the press, are in consequence, taken to represent the country at large. A most erronious impression prevails respecting the re- lative proportion foreign meat bears to that produced at home, in respect to the total consumption of the country. We have often asked the question, and have found replies to vary Ironi a moiety to three-fourths. This idea obviou-ly is derived from metropolif.AU returns. In the absence of positive' information, we may obtain an approximate idea by estimating the totiil 196 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. foreign supply to be equal to the total consumption of London. This would make it about 12 per cent, of the whole. But we doubt that it would do so, and are inclined to think 10 per cent, cunsidfrably in excess of the actual tiuth. London has many claims upon the provinces, but not we think to the extent that the agricultural interest of the entire country should he sacri- ficed to feed her four millions of people. That is what it really amounts to. The country, per se, is self supplying, and does all it can to supply London and the manufacturing districis. These markels are to be supplied; and the demand now isj that if a portion of the supply of London can be spared for the manufacturing districtsit is to be sent — disease and all. In other words they ask to be allowed to send a portion of a diseased carg ), all over England ! May the Privy Council forbid ! Let us look into this London trade a little. Those who want statistics and averages cun see them every week in The Mark Lane Ejpress, and other papers. We need only speak ge jeral ly. There is a sufficient, and tolerably even supply of live stock from home districts and foreign ports according to the various seasous of the year. A large proportion of the carcases to be seen every morning in the Lead Meat Market is slaughtered in London. Bought alive, and sold dead by the meat salesman. Dead meat is sent from various parts of Euilaud and Scotland ; also from Holland. There is always eiwur/h, sometimes too much. Now, how does the country producer stand affected by this state of things? We can speak from experience. We have ready, say a score of pood bullocks. We watch our cliHoce as well as we can. AFe take advantage of promising weather, and we send them for the following Monday's mar- ket. Monday comes, and so does a mild choking fog. The Dead Meat Market is full we are told, and we know meat wont keep. The butchers buy dead meat largely at low rates, and live cattle sparingly ; unlil late in the day tiieir offers are ac- cepted ; and next morning we receive a cheque from tiie sales- rain about £50 less than we expected, and an assurance irora him that he has done the best he could for our interest, which we do not (or a moment doubt. This does not always liappen, but it dues happen, sometimes oftener than we like, and it mny happen any market. Take another instance. The Lord Pre- sident's hypothetical cargo of beasts arrive at Deplford. There are 500. One is affected. All are slaughtered there (where there is every convenience and accommodation). What is the result of this ? Mr. Forster says they are simply slaugh- tered ^/<«'e instead of at various other ahbattoirsvi and around London. And this is the simple fruth. The supply of food they represent ultimately reaches the consumers at exactlj the same price it would have done had the animals reached the Metropolitan Market alive. But there is a loss. Oh yes ! Lar^e contractors and salesmen step in, buy "the lot" at emergency price, and butchers are shut out. Batchers and consignors lose this time. Contractors and salesmen win. In the former instance butchers and contraclors won, and we (country consignors) lost. We contend that in neither case do tlie public, as consumers, reap either advantage or detriment. A short time ago, to our certain knowledge, when a dismal cry was being raised by the London press about the price of meat, and the prospect of the future, at thai very time, supplies were 80 good numerically, and the weather so bad, that anything sliort of the primest quality was worth very considerably more iu the country than it was in London. And such is frequently the case. In fact, the demand being strictly hand-to-mouth, and subject to the influence of the weather, any violent fluctua- tion of supply brings a corresponding fluctuation of |)ricps. These variations do not affect the consumer, and as a rule the retail price of meat is fairer than in the country, inasmuch as there is a quarter difference between the price of prime and rough. To sura up, those who are engaged in supplying Loudon with live stock or dead meat, meet with serious losses, and as a rule " do not get very fat at it." We have heard it called a " cruel trade," and certainly do not consider the term a misnomer. In the country, on the average, meat is as dear as in London. Labour of all kinds is paid for at a higher rate than formerly, and more animal food is consumed. Not only so, but the classes who used to be purchasers of inferior joints, now buy the best, because (especially in the country) it is the cheapest. Steaks without bone, and chops with superfluous fat trimmed off, is the class of meat most in request by the artisan class. When what may be termed the working classes can afford to pay the butcher to trim their mutton chops, and chargfe them a price that enables the trimming to be sold for tallow at a price rarely exceeding 3d. per lb., we may fairly ask the question if the butcher cannot send his in- ferior joints to gentlemen's houses what is he to do with them ? Depend upon it there are causes operating on the price of meat that do not appear on the surface. Country towns, then, with the exception of certain large centres of iudu^try, are depen- dent on the home resources of the country, and have not the advantages of a foreign supply. If their marl els are glutted, the superfluity is sent home again to wait another demand. Nearly thirty millions of people are fed in this way. Are their requirements to be disregarded while providing for the convenience of London ? During the last few years adverse seasons, and the fear of disease have had the effect of sendinjf a large bulk of our home-bred stock to market in an unfinished condition. This is a great loss to the consumer, and if the present price of stores is any criterion we have quite as many as we can do with. Sheep are an exception j good stores are very dear, being constantly sent forward as three-parts-doae muttoii at a high price. But sheep are produced more rapidly than bullocks, and a turn in the tide may shortly be expected. Therefore, with due deference to the opinion expressed by the Lord President of the Council, we mny safely leave out of consideration, for the present, any quf stion relative to the importation of foreign store cattle. We have not as yet referred to pleuropneumonia, and a short notice will suffice. It appears to have been imported in the year 1842. In 1865 Professor Murray says, respecting it " having been introduced into Australia, the legislature of Victoria has lately passed an Act authorising the CJovernment inspectors to slaughter all cattle affected with pleuro-pneumonia, and it is to be hoped that the success of the raeisures adopted in Australia may lead to some method being adopted in Britain, to extirpate, if possible, a disease which has caused such im- mense loss to agriculturalists." We quote this for its signifi- cance. The cattle plague came, and its machinery has been since used with certain modifications for p'euro, with tolerable success, so far as home cenVes of the disease are concerned. Affected animals are slaughtered, and their infected companions isolated. Ratepayers make good part of the loss occasioned thereby. Eut importations of pleuro-pneumonia from foreign ports stand on the same footing as foot-and-mouth disease, and fioin Ireland we can and do obtain any amount of it without tlie slightest difficulty. The Times char:icterises this as a simple "defiance of reason and justice,",iu which sentiment most of our readers will agree. Diseased animals are allowed to be sent to us from Ireland, and when we get them, we have to pay for their being destroyed ! If this were not monstrous it would be almost laughable. Mr. Read tells us that nearly nine-tenths of the animals grazed in Norfolk are of Irisl origin, and that £6,000 was paid last year in Norfolk alone for compensation. The Lord President of the Council and Mr. Forster both attach great importance to this malady — they both say so. It is interest- ing and instructive to know that in Ireland, at the present time, there exists a machine for dpaling with pleuro, and it is worked — Heaven bless the mark 1 — by a policeman ! The Duke of Richmond tells us that " in Ireland tlie persons who carry out the Act are not gentlemen selected for the duty in consequence of their veterinary knowledge, but policemen. The Irish policeman is the authority who gives the order for an animal to be slaughtered, and the compensntion for all ani- mals slaughtered by order of the policeman comes, not out of a local, but out or a general rate." Before commenting upon this startling information, it will be well to remember that iu England there exists a Contagious Diseases Act other than that for animals, and this terrible engine is also driven by a policeman — a man chosen for his inches and not for his in- tellect. Surely the next step may likely be to set him to direct and control the Bank rate of discount 1 Our subject cannot be closed without a retrospective glance at the cattle plague. It made its appearance in 1863, and Professor Simonds, who knew it well, at once sounded tiie trumpet of alarm, and — was laughed at I It spread with fearful rapidity. " 2,000 cows perished before it was a month old." People were frightened. The Privy Council, goaded to madness, issued order upon order, like buUeti>is from the sick chamber of a king. They began to slaughter all animals affected with the disease. No avail. The plague emptied cow-houses, destroyed herd after herd of animals — the work of many a man's lifetime. The Privy Council were in despair, and advised a commission to ascertain the »riyhi and nature of the disease! Meanwhile it raged with incretsed fury. Tlie commission reported and adviaed ; the Privy Council, as THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 197 Ufual, were afraid to act ; so they transferred the power to local autlioritics, exactly as the Priv.v Council have recently dene with regard to ibot-andmootli disease, and tlie result was a cessation of action, and leml'iil increase of disease. It hegau to double, like the old story of ilie nails iu a hoisc's shoes. Tiieu came curative measures. All sons of thiua's were tried, from honucopathy to ou'oiis. Still 't increased ! 12,000 cases per week ! And then cnine the si'nple remedy— the poleaxe for affected cattle and inlecied centres — a short reign of terroi- — Ijlood and cold sleel. Grass grew in ilie market-places, and the c;'Ule plague brcarae atliinjj of the past. May it loug remain so ! We have condensed this re- port from an excellent an icle on the caltle pl.igue W'ii'pn by Mr. Howard Reed, and published in the Iloval Agrici'liU'^l Society's Journal, ISttG, and our own recullecilons a^e vividly refreshed thereby, although we weie not siilTerers. He muit have had a presentiment of future evil wiien he re'naked that he was writing, " not only fortiie present inqnuei', but also for him who years hence may find ready access to tlie pages of this Journal, when Orders in Council, Acls of Pailiameot, and 'he ephemeral pubhcatitins of the day are th.ast ioLo a coiner, and buried beneath tiie dust." We have seen, iu our coiisidera- tion of Ihe working of the Con.agious Disee. Had the bill been })assed into law, with Clause 5 remaining as it was in the origina' bill when introduced by the Duke o: ]v,ichmond, with|itsleading principle iu which the tenanlb' rights to com- pensation for unexhausted improvements were so fully recog- nised, it would have afforded some tangible security to the occupiers of land, but after the bill was rfeo-'.^ed into the House of Commons, the Government quietly eliminated that valuable clause therefrom, and substituted what Mr. Disraeli called "a principle giving compensation for unexhausted im- provements with macliinery," said machinery being so com- plicated and adjusted that in its working it secures the major part to the landlord ; and, further, it provides such a fruitlul field for litigation that few farmers would oare to enter or hear the expense, irritation, and annoyance for all they were likely to get at the end. Indeed, in its present sh;»pe, to use the expression of anotlier, " with its machinery giving a right to compensation so limittcd in its endurance and circumscribed in its range as to render it extremely doubtful v.iiether under it the occ^ipier would pocket n.ore than a mere moiety of the compensation it professes to secure," I would have no lie»ita- lion in advising tenants to contract theniselv(;s out of the bill, for it is a sham and a delusion. .No wacder, sir, that the rigiiteous indignation of Mr. I'limsoU was aroused when the Govfrnmcnt postponed legislating for the better safety and preservati'jn of our sailors, aud wasted time tinkering at this bill whicti nobody wanted and few will have. Well, gentle- men, what we have said of the English bill is equally applica- ble to the Scotch one, for they are drawn on the same lines, the same principle runs through both. There is the same quasi acknowledgment of certain privileges which tenants should have for unexhausted improvements, but no power is given to ns whereby we may obtain the same. Our claims for compensation rest entirely with the will of another, whether lie liked to accede to them or not. As has been well said by some one else, " This was no law, it was merely a bundle o' suggestions which they could suggest privately without a bill." Well, gputh men, I do not think you can call this very honour- able treatment we are receiving at the bands of the Govern- ment, in regard to tliose agricultural grievances which they tliemselvps acknowledge to exist; aud I make bold to say that they dare not have treated any other class of her Majesty's sub- jects in til's cavalier fashion. Just look for a moment what it involves. Tl.e Governmant in introducing this bill, come forward and s ly (at least in substance), " Well, gentlemen, we admit that you ought to have greater security for your cipital, and tliat you have a just right to compensation for such and such improvements, but nevertheless we will take al! ways and means to prevent your obtaining the same." Is not t' at the short and long of the whole matter ? In case some of you i-hould think that I am too sweeping in my conclusion, just look for a litll; at Clause 5 of the bill, where it is said that all improvcments'in the first class shall bo deemed to be exhausted at die end of twenty years. Now take for example the erection of buildings. Suppose, Mr. Chairman, that you had, at the beginning of a lease nineteen years ago, erected a cottage for a ploughman (and such buildings are very much wanted in this county, vide Commissioners' Report, 1S71), at a cost of £100. Well, I believe that said cottage, if you were to sell it at present, would bring £150, but we shall put it at £100, for which the bill says that you are oaly to receive one-tweulieth, or a five-pound note, whilst the landlord is to get the hundred-pound house. Surely that is class legiJation with a vengeance, and as near as may be to the present unsatisfactory state of things. Then, as regards the third class of improvements, you will observe that we are scheduled tlovn to two years, or get nothing at all, if a crop of corn or potatoes has been taken. Could anything bo more ridiculous ? A tenant may have laid out a great deal on labour aud manure during the lease to improve the condition of his farm, but he is only to get payment for the last two years. Thru we here in Scotland are in the habit of ap- plying with the green crop the manure intended to keep up the fertility during the whole rotation of four or five or more years, and so if we take a crop after application of the manure, ac- cording to this precious bill we are to get nothing, in fact, to be snulfeil out altogether. This is iu striking contract to Clause 11. — viz., 'the landlord's compensation for waste or breach of contract — which embraces the whole length of lease, in fact, is unlimited, and as it at present stands, might be ruinous to a tenant. Such, gentlemen, are a few samples of the legisla- tion which is proposed for us under this bill, aud I hope it will be found that the members of this Club do not cousider it to be in any way calculated to give that measure of relief which the tenant-farmers of Scotland require, and which in common fairness they are entitled to receive. Novv I think we ought to make it plain to the Government that no bill, however equitably framed, shall be satisfactory to the occupiers of land unless it gives them a legal claim for all unexhausted improve- ments which add to the letting value of the subject; in other words, we want a compulsory measure, without which it will be valueless ; but we are told with au air of solemnity that this cannot he, for that would be interfering with private con- tracts. Sir, this phrase,/rtWow of contract, has become of late very sacred in the mouths of some people, who tell us that they are prepared to support any well-considered measure for amending the land laws, but there must be no interference with freedom of contract. Now what is freedom of contract? Have you got it now ? It may be interesting to look at these points for a little. Freedom of contract implies that both parties in making a bargain are on equal footing. Is that so at present ? I trow not, for first, there is the law of hypothec, which gives the landlords an enormous leverage against the tenants, who are placed at an unfair disadvantage ia making the contracts. Then there arc those laws which enable the landlords to secure all buildings and perimuent improvements which have been performed by the tenants, without payment. Do you call that freedom of contract ? I call it freedom to confiscate the just rights and property of the tenantry of Scotland. To say that there is freedom of contract when the landlord has the sole power to dictate the terms of contract, is to say what is not in accordance with truth, and I say again that there can be no true freedom of contract until all these laws of privilege and unequal presumption adverse to the pro- ducers of food are eiTeetuaMy removed out of the way. There is just one other point to which I would refer in order to corrrct au erroneous opinion which has goie abroad, and which had 1204 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. l)een promnlgated by the landlords, that this measure which is | proposed to be passed by Parliament is solely to the advantage of the tenantry. I deny that in toio. 1 was sorry to see that the Duke of Richmond himself gave prominence to that view. , When speaking at an aarricultural meeting recently, he said : " I am proud that in tlie House of Lords — an assembly composed principally, if not entirely, of landlords — there should have been such unanimity in favour of such a measure. On both sides of the House of Lords only one feeling was shown, and that was a desire to make the bill as perfect as possible, thougli it was one not in the interest of the landlords, but in tliat of the tenantry of the country.' That is a most erroneous view of matters. I am astonished that landlords should be so short- sighted, for all past experience shows that there is no improve- ment in agriculture, whether it be the improvement of imple- ments and machinery, or the introduction of new fertilisers, but ultimately tends to the advantage of the landlord. What ■we want, Mr. Chairman, is righteous lejislation and rishteous dealing with one another, for the great Lawgiver and Judge of all the earth says it is rigliteousness that exalteth a nation. Members having as usual been called upon for their opinions, Mr. D. Cun::t useful, and he might add that the establbhment of the Devonshire Chamber was initiated by himself. That Chamber had gone on fairly well up to the prt-sent time, and be was very hopeful of its prospering still more in the future. It seemed to him most desirable that there should be agricultural institutions in wliichthe owners and occnpicrs of land mi^ht meet in frank and friendly counsel upon matters non-political and practical affecting the landed interest. A good deal of -inisunderstanding between them might be removed t)y each becoming aware at their meetings of the fact that there was j-ather more to be said on the other side thsn the tenant- farrrer, on the one hand, wight learn from conversation at the market table, or the landowner, on the other, could learn from conversation with landowners at the club. In fact, he believed tliat nolliing tended more to promote a good under- standing than frank and fearless reasoiiing and statements of facts in the prosrnce of those who were not alti'gethi r incHnpd to agn-e with one; and uj.on that ground, poliiical Chambers. Amongst tl'cra the Newbury Chamber was of opinion that tliere sliould be one authority in each district for poor-law, sanitary, and highway purposes, elected for three years ; that county finances should be controlled by representative boards; that there should be one basis for imperial and local taxation ; and that the definition of gross value sliould be altered to the annual rent which the property might be expected to produce if let upon advantageous terms. Tiie Herefordshire Chamber considered that the cost of the police, prisons, and asylums sliould not be borne by rates paid on one description of property, but be an imperial obligation ; and that all poor-law, sanitary, and highway administration should be under one authority. The Nortliamptoushire Cham- ber were in favour of relorm in the direction indicated by Captain Craigie's resolution. The Essex Chamber held tliat any general reform of local government should be directed towards the establishment of representative county boards. The Warwickshire Chamber requested its representatives to support tlie resolution of Captain Craigie, and tliat of which Mr. J. S. Gardiner had given notice — viz., " Tliat in all elections of local anthorities administering rates, the voting qualification shall depend on tlie payment of rates by the electors, and tliat the scale of voting shall be that adopted in tiic Act 7 and 8 Vie, cap. 101." The Lincolnshire Cbambcr's view was, that it was desirable to consolidate the administrative authorities and ci>nslltute representative boards; whilst the West Riding Chamber entertained doubts as to the expediency of uniting the administration of the poor-laws, highways, and sanitary- laws under one authority. Mr. F. S. CoiUi..\NCE, while generally supporting Cajitaia Craigie's proposal, urged the meeting not 1o lose sight of the necessary preliminary to the establishment of representative boards — namely, the equalisation of the standard on which local rates are at present paid. Professor Bund considered that as long as the greater pari of the expenditure was controlled by statute, county boards, ;f^ formed, would really be nothing better than highway adminis- trators. What was wanted was a bourd which should liave some voice in deciding wlut should and what should not be done within its own area. Mr. Ci.ARTt S. Read, M.P., thought the latter part cf Cap- tain Craigie's resolution more important than tiie first. If they were to wait for county boards until such lime as all minor grievances were redressed, and all conflicting areas were rectified, in all probabihty they would have to wait until doomsday. If, however, good county boards were established moct of the desired results would speedily follow. All ques- tions concerning cattle disease should occupy the attention of- such boards, which should also be the valuation boards of the county. Then tlie maintenance of the public thoroughfares and bridges should bo within their province. They should also deal with lunatics. Those were all matters which mi^iit fairly be taken from the Courts of Quarter Sessions. He would not, however, interfere in any way with the judioial prerogatives of magiotrates at Quarter Sessions. County boards should have the superintendence of Died cal ofllcers of health, and he thought arterial drainage might also engage their attention. In the matters he had pointed out there was ample work for a county board to do, and tlie sooner it was obtained the better, because every year new conflicting authorities were springing up. He did not think there could be any very great difficulty in obtaining county boards, and he hoped before the present Session of Parliament passed away something definite would be heard from the Government about county boards, and thai; a measure to establish them would be passed. Mr. Trask could not agree to the formation of a country board which would have the administration of the poor-law ; but was contented that it should have the management of the highways and county rates. Baron Dimsdale had acted ns a member of the Finance Committee for his own county lor the last 16 or 17 years, and he thought the present system was an eminently unsatisfactory one. If there were central boards they would be a power su''- ficient to enable thera to coHtend against a central authority which at present they could tot do. It could not be a good- system for the management of county finance in which the owners of the land were ranged on one side, and the oc- cupiers on the other. One of the most important questions that could be brought under the management of boards, such as it v\as proposed to establish, was tiiat of roads. He was not altogether satisfied with the adoption of the Highway Act, so far as regarded small areas. If the power therein conferred was granted to a board representing a large arta, they wouli be a body more independent, more free from little local influences. With regard to arterial drainage, they had in Hertfordshire been pestered with the Conservancy Act, one of the greatest disadvantages of which was that it imposed stringent provis- sions on particular localities — a thing which must be avoided in a general scheme. As to the constitution of this county board, he thought a separate representation of owners and oc- cupiers would be a mistake. An artificial separation would be injurious to the interests of all parties. If they trusted to the representative system they would find the best owners and the best occupiers of land Ireely elected by the ratepayers, and he would be prepared to advocatf' tbe^e views before the Chamber he represented. Members oi Parli.iiaent frequently expressed themselves in favour of a county board, but was not the time come when the views which they advocated should be carried out ? In the capacity of an owner of land, and one taking tna deepest interest in the welfare of occitpiers, he supported Captain Craigie's resolution. If during the ensuing Session some measu'^e in the direction indicated were passed, it would be of great interest to the agricultural community, S08 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINB and redound to the credit of the Government, which was supposed t: have the confidence of that community. Major Paget, M.P., said the resolution was comprehensive and complete. Looking the difficulties of the question fully in the "face, they must be convinced that to do half or quarter what was proposed would tax the efforts of the strongest party in the House of Commons. Success must be achieved in detail, and therefore such matters aa highways and turn- pikes were the particular details which afforded the most satisfactory ground for advancing in the direction desired. For these purposes it would not he a matter of very great difficulty to form a board of management, and one could judge from its working how a board with more extended powers would com- port itself. By pressing for too much they were in danger of of altogether losing a useful reform. Mr. Pell, M,P., considered the views of Captain Craigie in accordance with the majority of the Chamber and of those who had given much thought to the question. In one matter, and that of a sanitary nature, they had found great difficulty iq the county which he represented in bringing together per- sons interested in such affairs so as to take united action in tlie appointment of officers to have the general control over sanitary matters in the county. This a central board would remedy. The Local Government Board was in considerable difficulty with regard to training ships, simply because they knew not to what authority to entrust thera. Finally they handed them over to the only body competent to take them in charge — the Metropolitan Asylums Board. With regard to tiie term " local authority," it was made use of in the Endowed Sihools Bill in 1868 or 1869, and the idea which they were now considering was mentioned in what was, probably, the most valuable part of that bill. One provincial authority dealing with the poor-law would be one body dealing with numerous others on the same principle as had been found so saccessful in London. It might be then possible to re-arrange our workhouse and compel them to take charge of tlie poor aad aged imbeciles. If such authorities as these had been established some time ago, the demand made on the rate- payers for new infirmaries in workhouses might have been avoided, for the unoccupied portions of existing workhouses might have been better used. This was as important a question as financial redress, because that would follow administrative reform. It would, therefore, be his duty to press forward in the House of Commons in the old lines in which Sir Massey Lopes had so gallantly fought. It would be the business of the Local Taxation Committee to endeavour to make Govern- ment either contribute more largely for the administration of justice or to take the entire charges of that department of state. If in the Queen's Speech there was no reference, or no satisfactory reference or promise in tlie direction they all desired, he would take the earliest opportunity, probably that night, of giving notice that he should ask the attention of Parliament to the continued imposition upon rate-payers. Earl EoRTESCUE had heard with great satisfaction the dis- cussion, and had read with great pleasure Captain Craigie's valuable statement on this subject. He most uufeignedly re- joiced that the very important question of local administration was engaging the attention of such an influential and practical body as the Central Chamber of Agriculture, lie agreed with Mr. Read that it was desirable to have some organisation out of a most disorganised system, or rather practice, for he could scarcely dignify it by the name of a system, and that the first preliminary step, which was most likely to lead in the speediest manner to the reform of the rest, was that of establishing a county representative assembly. The principles on which it might be organised were very simple. He could not agree ■with Baron Dimsdale that there was in principle any objection to some separate representation of the landowners and land- occupiers, because it was found to work extremely well in the administration of the Poor-law. He did not find in that board which he had zealously attended for more than thirty years, that ex-o-fficio members differed among themselves, or that there was so much difference amongst those who attended board of guardians as, a priori and theoretically, might be imagined. The ratepayer was too apt to wish to get things done as cheaply as possible, making shift for the time being and ignoring the future, and the interest of the landowner was to get things well and permanently done. It was advisable that both these elements should be represented in an assembly that was to do both present and permanent work. Under eitlier Bjistem they should get an enormous improvement on the pre- sent state of local administration. Not that he believed it would be so much more economical or better, but it would be stronger iu the confidence, respect, and affection of tlie people of the county and, of the public generally. Thus they would not merely be able to do their work, but they could always rely on the support of public opinion, and so stem the silent but rapidly-advancing encroachments of centralisation. He was speaking vrith grey hairs on his head, and when lie con- trasted tiie state of things now with what they were forty-one years ago when he entered Parliament, he was quite startled. The degree of minuteness with which Government inspectors meddled with affairs by virtue of their office — and they were bound to prove that their services were required — would, if yielded to passively, teud to make local bodies mere regi^t^ars of the decrees from Downing-street, instead of independent and efficient local administrators. Unless administrative bodies were trusted, they were rarely found to be trustworthy ; and if this of which he complained were continued, they would get that meddlesome aud irritating iuterfereuce which he was often pained to witness among foreign nations. Provincial autiiori- ties would be emasculated, and there would be a habit cul- tivated of looking to the ^Metropolis and executive Government for everything. M. Guizot said, in a very profound remark, " You can find no support in a body which can oppose no re- sistance." Tn one instance a Government inspector had ordered each pauper child in a certain workhouse to have a separate bason and a towel. It was then ascertained that not only had the elected guardians not themselves eujojed this privilege, but a number of the ex officio guardians had not either. This and similar instances were but straws thrown up to show which way the wind blew, and he was sorry that they as Englishmen were beginuing passively to submit to such things. One advantage of a county assembly was that it would be strong enough to face Uowning-street ; highway boards and sucli-like were not sufficiently strong to hold their own against opposition. His de>ire was to see something of the hierarchical principle — to have provincial authorities for the road, high-ways, Poor-law, and sanitary administration, and there would be wanted a central authority to ensure something like unity of principle. The first step in this seemed to him to be the establishment of representative county boards. He rejoiced to find so important a body as tlie Central Chamber, representing agriculture throughout the country, speaking strongly out as to the necessity of improving our chaotic local administration, and that it seemed disposed to give full prominence to the establishment of representative county boards. Mr. Hodges said that, with regard to Earl Fortescue's re- mark as to the representative system, he thought that system pure and simple should be relied on. Speaking as a tenant- farmer, he said it would be an extreme discouragement to that class if, after spending considerable time and labour in inform- ing themselves on subjects, and extending their influence, their decisions were set on one side by ex officio members whose visits were infrequent. On boards of guardians such members were very useful ; but in such assemblies as were proposed the proper tiling was to have representatives freely chosen from both classes of agriculturists. Earl EoRTESCUE said he never contemplated that all the magistrates should be ex officio members of the county board, but only that they should have the power of electing a certain number out of their own body. In Ireland one-third were elected on Poor-law boards, and he thought that was a fair number. The President said they had had an interesting and instruc- tive debate on the question, and they were much indebted to Captain Craigie for his valuable contribution to the cause of local government. That every detail should be carried out was more than could be expected, for, naturally a subject of this importance induced a number to form their judgment upon it before an opinion could rightly be formed. Some had doubted whether the whole should be carried out, or whether it was desirable to proceed by details. If a pro- vincial board were to be formed in the county, they must get a good deal to do, else it would be scarcely worth forming. Unless trunk-road, disused turnpikes, and such like, were under county management, they could not hope fcr any im- perial contribution towards their support. Yet it was right that such a contribution should be made, because formerly the expenses of turnpikes were entirely borne by the general public. As the ratepayers now had to support them, it was THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 10^ only fiiir that they should liave some power over Iheiti. Cattle disease mi^lit come under 8ucl\ a board as wa/s proposed, and police, tiuaiice, and other matters. The manaijemeiit of finance by provincial represeulatives was so entirely in har- mony with the dictates of justice and fairness that he thought in theory it could scarcely be controverted. There were great diliiculties iu carrying out the scheme suggested, but as they had fairness and right on their side, no great time could elapse before it was elfected. Captain Craigie, in reply, said that, if his remarks were Ti>;l\tly understood, it would be seen tliat the suggestion that the propo^CLl county board would have little to do could scarcely be correct. He proposed to increase, rather than diminish, county functions, except in one direction, which was purely imperial, and should be managed by Crown officers, for which the Crown should pay. Contrary to Miijor I'aget, who said that one of the first objects of such a board would be road management, be imagined that one of its most essential provinces would be valuation and assessment. He strongly protested against the forming of a new board for every admin- istrative function. As Mr. Corranee had pointed out, if the subject was now surrounded with difficulties, those difficulties would be greatly increased in the course of two or three years more. One point he would call their attention to — namely, the unnecessary contests forced by some individuals at the expense of the ratepayers for the School Board elections. By the establishment of county boards there would not be a great change in the persons who administered the finances, but there would be a great change in principles. As to police, he thought they should be entirely left under the management of Government. The motion was unanimously adopted. Mr. J. S. Gardiner moved, " That iu all elections of local authorities administering rates, the voting qualification shall depend on the payment of rates by the electors, and that tlie scale of voting shall be that adopted by tlie Act 7 and 8 Vict., cap. 101." He said that this Act, passed in ISlt, was entited " An Act to Regulite Vestries," and was based on a preceding Act. It enacted that an owner of property should be entitled to vote in local elections once, if his property were rated at less than £50; if less than £100, two votes; and bo on until, if over £250, he were entitled to six votes. Under this Act were elected churchwardens, waywardens, and guardians, according to the good old English axiom, that they who con- tributed the money should have the power of spending it. The School Board Act reversed all this, and the lowest people were now found to put forward their creatures, and often they were elected. For instance, he held twenty-two cottages in a vil- lage, and each of the tenants occopying those at a School Board election had a vote, while he, the owner and large rate- payer, had only one also. Jlr. Ellis, who seconded the motion, said he had seen the same thing carried out in his own district. Professor Bund moved the following amendment: "That in all elections of local authorities administering local rates the voting qualifications shall depend on the contributions to the funds of such authorities by the electors, and that the scale of voting shall be that adopted in the Act 7 and 8 Vict, cap. 101." He agreed with the principle enunciated by Mr. Gardiner, but,objected to the sweeping character of his motion. Tliey wanted to unite the small ratepayers and the large rate- payers, and this might have a directly contrary effect, in the event of a combination among the former. A conversation ensued, in which Mr. Nield, Mr. Gardiner, Earl Fortescue, Mr. Jabez Turner, Professor Bund, and Mr. Muntz took part. Sir Thomas Acland, M.P , remarked that, with the recollection of the recent introduction of the ballot, they should not be in a hurry to give expression to their opinion on so important a subject. Mr. E. Hicks said all Mr. Gardiner asked was that the abstr;ict principle should be affirmed, that the rates should be exjiended by the men who contribute the money. Earl FuRTESCUE repeated the advice of Sir Thomas Acland. The motion proposed to alter the system of election for every municipal corporation in England. In land drainage the principle was recognised in a large succeesion of private Acts, and every one was convinced of its justice ; but it was not recognised in their political constitution. It was scarcely seemly for tiiat Chamber to lay down a principle wliieh com- prehended all the municipalities of the kingdom — London, Dublin, Edinburgh, Liverpool, and so forth. U.', theretorr, thought the subject was worth being more fully considered. Alter a few remarks from Mr. Stratton, Mr. II. Biddell, Mr. NevilU-GrenviUe, M.P., Mr. Duckhara, and Mr. Corranee, wiio thought the Council was dealing with a subject hardly within its province, the motion was carried by 21 votes to 8. Mr. SxKATTON said that with regard to the (luestion of contagious diseases all they could at present do was to pass a vote of thanks to Mr. C. S. llead. lie, tiierefore, proposed that they should offer that gentleman their hearty approval of his lionest and consistent conduct in sacrificing office in order to uphold the trust reposed in him by the agricultural interest. Mr. Dunn seconded the motion, which was cordially adopted. Communications were received from various chambers, in which approval of 5Ir. Head's conduct was expressed, and uniform treatment advocated in nlation to diseases. Mr. Jajxes S. Gardiner moved "That law Si, relating to payment of railway fares of elected Council members, be re- scinded." A discussion followed, but the consideration of the question, upon being put to the vote, was adjourned until the annual meeting in December. Several subjects were proposed for future discussion, among them being " Contagious Diseases," " The Anomalies of Local Taxation and Local Government," and "Tlie Education Question." It was eventually decided to leave the settlement of subjects for discussion to the Business Committee. The Chamber then adjourned. THE AGRICULTURAL CHILDREN ACT AND THE TENANT-FARMERS. — At the county petty sessions Mr. William Lenton and Mr. George Green, both of Alconbury, farmers, appeared to a summons charging them with having, on the 6th of January last, employed certain children above the age of eight years in the execution of agricultural work, whose parents had not obtained and exhi- bited the certificate of school attendances in the form set forth in the schedule annexed to the Agricultural Children Act, 1873, or a form similar thereto. A number of farmers were in court, as invitations had been sent by post asking them to attend. Both defendants pleaded guilty. Mr. Green said that the boy he had employed was not a regular boy, having been at work for him only a week. The Act, he said, made a difference to hira of £3 per week, and recently he had ten horses lying still because he could not get one to go with them, which entailed a still further loss of £12. His land was of no use to hira, and the landlords, who made the laws, would have to occupy the farms themselves, or make fresh arrange- ments with their tenants. It was a very unfair law. Tlie Chairman (the Rev. R. P. Rooper) said they, as magistrates, liad only to put laws in force as they were. Mr. Green said they must do as they would, but they would soon have the land on their own hands, and the sooner the better. Mr. Lenton said he knew many farmers who at the present time were keeping their sons away from school, because they could not get boys to go to plough. The Chairman : We do not make the laws, and we know that we must incur some un- po])ulanty by having to carry out this law, which we are bound to do. Mr. Lenton : I think you can repeal it. The Chairman : No, we are not the House of Commons yet. As you have pleaded guilty, there is nothing left but for us to conviet. It is the first case that has come before us, and we will make it as light as we possibly can by putting a nominal fine of 6d. and remitting the police fees. The expenses, there- fore, will be 9s each. Both the defendants declared that they would not pay, and distress warrants will be issued. Mr. Newton, of Alcoubury, requested permission to ask a question. At the present time, he said, the only three boys his father had driving plough were under 12 years of age. They were making one attendance at school per day, but had not com- pleted the required number. He wished to know whether in such cases the law would be carried out, as if so his father would be without a boy to drive plough. The Chairman said that of course it was an infringement of the law, and that was all he could say. It was very far from the wish of the magis- trates to strain the Act in any way. Mr. Newton : You are not compelled to employ the police to give information. The 210 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Chairman : That was done iu quarter sessions. Superin- tendeut Marson said that otlier occupiers had complained that boys they had discharged had been employed by otlier larmers. Mr. Kevvton said the Act pressed liardly upon farmers in general, and landlords would find out that it will affect the rents. His own plonghcd land costs him 6s. per acre more to cultivate than it did three years ago. Tlie father of the boy employed by Mr, Lenton said the Act was as liard on families as on farmers. He used to have 13s. per week for seven of them to live upon, and now he should have ouly 10s. He hoped the magistrates would alter the law if tliey could. Perliaps they might, he said, if they " rit up to rarjiameut." SMITHFIELD CLUB. A Council-meeting was held at the Agricultural Hall, on Tuesday, Feb. 1st. Present : The Tiight Hon. Lord Chesliara, President of the Club, in the chair ; his Grace the Duke of Bed- ford,the lliglitHon.LordWalsingham, Vice-Presidents ; Edwd. Bowly, Thos. Brown, A. Crosskill, A. F. Milton Druce, Josh. Druce, Thos. Duckham, Walter Farthing, Henry Fookes, John ford, Robt. Game, John Giblett, Thos. Horley, jun., Chas. Howard, Ilobt. Leeds, R. J. Newton, Henry Overman, R. C. Ransome, W. Rigden, H. Trethewy, H. Woods ; B. T. Brand- h Gibbs, Hon. Sec. The minules of the last Council meeting were read and con- rmed. The report of the Veterinary Inspector respecting the health of the stock at the last show was read. Mr. Hugh Gorringe (of Shoreham, Sussex), and Mr. F. M. Jonas (of Chrishall Grunge, Saffron Waldeii), were elected Stewards of Live Stock for the enstiing three years. Mr. Josh. Druce and Mr. Robt. Leeds were re-elected Stewards of Implements for the present year. The report of the Prize Sheet Committee was read, and the following decisions were come to. That the following special rules be continued for this year's Show : 1. — That no animal (cattle, sheep, or pigs), exhibited at any other show within one month previous to the 1st of December, 1876, be allowed to be exhibited at the Smith- field Club's Show this year. 3. — That each exhibitor be required to certify that any animal to be sent by him for exhibition at the SmithfieLl Club's Show this year has not been, and will not be, shown at any other exhibition within one month previous to the 1st of December, 1876. That the exhibitor shall send with each animal a certi- ficate that it has not been, for fourteen days previous to its leaving home for the Sinithlield Club's Show, in contact with any animal sufferiug from contagious or infections disease. That all animals under»;o a veterinary examination pre- vious 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. That the Extra Stock Cattle be abolished, and that the follow- ing classes be established in lieu thereof: 1st. — For steers or oxen not qualified to compete in any of the other classes, and that the age be re- stricted to 4 years and 6 months, first prize, £20 ; second, prize, £10. In this class, if the breeders' ctrtilicates are not obtainable, the exhibitors must produce such evidence as shall satisfy the Stewards of Live Stock that the animal does not exceed the prescribed age. 2nd. — For heifers or cows not qualified to compete in any of the other classes ; heifers not having had one live calf not to exceed 4 years old ; cows above 4 years must have had at least one live calf; first prize, £20 ; second prize, £10. With the same rule respecting the breeder's certificate as the preceding class. It was resolved : That in the Cattle Classes esliibitors be allowed to make two entries in any one class. That in all the Heiler and Cow Classes the same condition be introduced — viz., that any cows shown above 4 years old must have had at least one live calf. That the breeders' medals be given only to such breeders as are not the exhibitors of the animals winning the first prizes, and that no breeders' gold medals be given. That tlie Extra Stock (Sheep) for one siugle slieep be abolished. 3. 4. That exhibitors be allowed to make two entries in tlie Sheep Classes, That all the classes for 3-year old sheep he abolished. That the prizes in the Lamb Classes be iuereased : first prize, £8 ; second prize, £4. Several alterations were made in the wording of the rules and regulations, so as more clearly to define their intention. It was resolved : That no animal having once won the Champion Plate, or any of the cups, can compete for the same again. It was also resolved : That there be a cla^s for a single pig of any age, in place of the Extra Stock. Resolved : That the removal of animals after the Show slnll com- mence at six o'clock iu the morning of the Saturd ly alter the close of the Show, and go on up to six o'clock iu tlie evening, except animals going by train on F'ridny evening, in which case they must be removed in charge of the exhibitors' own servants. Any other aniniais not re- moved between the prescribed hours on the Saturday must remain till the Monday following, and be removed between the same hours. It was resolved : That tiiere be an office provided for salesmen. It wns resolved as follows : 1. That each distinct set of Judges of Cattle be requested to Select an animal which, in their opinion, is best cal- culated to compete for tlie Champion Prize. 3. That, after the three auimals have been selected, each set of judges shall depule one judge from their own body to assist in making the final award. 3. That similar regulations be adopted for awarding the Cliampiou Prizes in the Sheep Classes. That in future the judges be furnished before commencing with the weight of all animcls, pigs included ; also, that all pigs be sent in crates, and that the stewards be requested to make the necessary arrangements as to weighing machines, &c. The Trustees were empowered to sell out £300 from the reserved annual income to meet the excess of last year's prizes, &c. It was resolved to continue the fines for the non-exhibition of live stock entered but nut sent for exhibition ; that the Show be held according to the usual rule, which will bring the first day this year on Monday, Dec. 4th. Various letters were read, and were referred to the Stewards or Committee under whose department they came, and replies ordered to others. Mr. Crosskill's name was added to the Committee for making Arrangements for Cattle Conveyances. The Implement Committee was re-appointed, with the addition of the name of Mr. R. C. Ransome, and with the same powers as heretofore. The following were elected members of the Club : Edwd, Baunton, West Kington, Dorchester ; Jas. Case, Testerton, Fakenham ; T. Case, Street-place, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex ; Thos. Chambers, Colkirk, Fakenham, Norfolk ; Henry S. Coleman, Clielmsford, Essex ; Jas. Culverwell, Classey Farm, North Petherton, Bridgewater; Sylvanus Eddiugton, Chelms- ford, Essex ; R. England, Beuhaui, Wells, Norfolk ; Douglas Ilenty, West Gate, Chichester ; Samuel Kidner, Bickley Farm, Milverton, Somerset; Edwd. Marshallsay, I'errystield, Oxted, Surrey ; Alfred G. E. Morton, Chelinslord, Essex ; William Newton, Preston, Crowmarsh, Walliugford ; Geo. Oakley, Lawrence End, Welwyn ; Jonah Oastler, Bloxwood House, near Horsham ; Charles Walter Schroeter, Tedford House, BiJlingshuret ; Edwd. Tingey, Rudham, Brandon, Norfolk. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 211 It \raa resolvnj : Tlial the collection and publication of the dead weights of auiiiLuls be discontinued. Tlie meeting tlien Kdjoiirned til! three o'clock on Tl.ursday, May 4tli, uulesa the date should be altered by order of the President. ON THE ATMOSPHERE IN SOME OF ITS RELATIONS TO ANIMAL LIFE. At the annual meeting of the Uexham Earmprcj' Club the President (Major Nichoi.so.n) read tlie following paper : Tlie globe wliicli we, in common witli the lower animals, inliabit is a mass of matter suspended (if I miy use the ex- pression) in ^p:lce by a form of attraction existing among the planetary bodies. While our earth is maintained in its place in the solar system by this great power, it lias an attractive iolluence of its own by which it confines its component parts wilbin its own sphere. This terrestrial force is the " attrac- tion of gravitation," which is exerted on all things found on its surface. Jleuce the atmosphere is held in its place as an aeriiil envelope to the globe, in opposition to the law of re- pulsion existing in, and characteristic of, all gases. The atmosphere is calculated to be about forty-five miles in lu ight, and to press with a weight equal to about fifteen pounds on the square inch, at the level of the sea. In ascending liigh mountains the weight decreases, and in descending far below tiie surfice a corresponding increase, of course, is ob- served. If it be remembered that the atmosphere is kept in its place by the attraction of the earth, aud that this force is exerted in the inverse ratio of distance, you easily understand that it will become thinner and ligliter as you ascend. The composition of the atmosphere has been frequently ascertained by well-managed experiments, snd it is now looked upon as one of tlie settled facts of physical saieuce. Atmospheric air, freed from moisture and c«rbonic acid, consists of nitrogen and oxygen, in the proportion of 79 of the former to 21 of the hitter. Nitrogen and oxygen are, the essential components of the air we breathe. But you can have no doubt that a medium which receives the emanations from the soil, the evaporation from seas and their tributaries, the exhalations of animals, and the smoke of combustion, must contain several other elements beyond those I have mentioned. Hence, in addition to the oxygen and nitrogen, we find watery vapour and carbonic acid gas invariable constituents. Nitrogen, oxygen, watery vapour, and carbonic acid gas may be, then, assumed to be the ordinary elements of atmospheric air, and to be in the following proportions : Nitrogen 7S8, oxygen 197, watery vapour 11, carbonic acid 1. Though the first two are invariable in their quantities, the watery vapour and the carbonic acid are liable to some slight variation, dependent on circumstances of a local nature. Such are the proper constituents of the air ; but it is to be borne in mind that it occasionally and not untrequent ly contains other elements, due to decomposition, and the putrefac- tion of organic substances, such as nitric acid, ammonia, and sulphuretted hydrogen. They are, indeed, found only in very minute quantities, and to be regarded as extraneous and foreign to the atmosphere itself. They are important, nevertheless, in as far as they may be offensive to smell, or productive of disease ; and some of them are recognised as contributory to vegetable development and growtli. Without further notice, however, 1 pass them over as rather belonging to tlie domain of sanitary science and vegetable physiology. In like manner I pass over ozone, which is but a modified condition of oxygen. On ex- amining the atmosphere as a part of our terrestrial constitution, we see many circumstances which are intimately concerned in the existence and protection of animal life. One of these is the weight with which the aerial mass presses on each individual at the earth's surface. It will appear somewhat incredible to liim who has not before heard of the fact, that his body is bear- ing a load- of atmosphere equal to about 14 tons, provided that lie is of ordinary stature. He can make the calculation for liimself. He has only to multiply the inches of corporeal sur- face by 15 (15 being the number of pounds of atmosphere on the square inch), and the result will be the entire weight of atmosphere resting on his body. Put by far the most import- ant matter belouging to the subject now under discussion is the process of respiration — a matter which embraces the chemic.xl action of the air on the blood, the dependence of life on the blood'a aeration, and the deterioration of atmosphere produced by it. The process of respiration consists of the alter- nate movements of inspiration and expiration, by wliich fresh air is admitted, and vitiated air is exhaled. It is necessary to premise that the nutrition of the animal body is accomplished by a su!licieut supjily of arterial blood ; and that this fluid be- comes altered in its vital as well as in its physical properties, when it has gone the round of the circulstion. Hence the differ- ence in what is called arterial and venous blood ; the former being on its way to supply nutrition to the tissues ; the latter, the same fluid, on its way buck, after it has done its work. Ic is in the lung that arterialisation is elTected, which is the ad- mision of atmospheric oxygen, and the removal of carbonic acid. The two conditions of Hood are distinguished by the colour they present, and take their special names from the vessels by which they are contained and carried. What, then, are the purposes of the absorbed oxygen in the animal system i* It is to be conveyed to all parts of the body by the blood, and to enter into coinbiuation with those combustible elements, presented to it, in every part of the frame, for the production of animal heat. This is one of the most beautiful of the many provisions known to be con- stantly at work in the economy of the animal machine. The food on which the animal lives contains not only such components as maintain the fabric of the living frame, but also those which are required to evolve heat, on meeting with the oxygen of respiifition. Thus, in every re- spect, is there an analogy betweentkefunctionof respiration and the ace of combustion, as seen in the common fire. The com- bustible elements placed in the grate or furnace, like the combustiule matter in the blood or tissues, unites with the oxygen of the air, and, as happens in the aniuiril organisation, heat and carbonic acid are produced and evolved. Aud while the fire is the raeansof house or chamber ventilation, the lungs, through respiration, elTectually accomplish the " ventilation of the blood." If then, we have such indubitable evidence of a fixed and determined relation between oxygen and carbon in producing carbonic acid, there must also be an existing relation between the requirements of the animal economy and the sur- rounding atmosphere. Man breathes, in an ordinary way, from 15 to 20 times in a minute, and at each inspiration a definite quantity of oxygen is taken up. This act can only be interrupted for a short time without danger to the life of the individual. Hence the importance of ventilation. Each respiration is accompanied by the same result — viz., the evolu- tion of carbonic acid. Eut the quantity contained in the expired air is contingent on the time consumed in the act, and the purity of the surrounding medium. Observation, however, shows that 100 volumes of expired air, in normal respiration, contain from 3 5 to 5 volumes of carbonic acid, and from 1(J to 15 volumes of oxygen. In the change elTected, the air h.as lost, according to these figures, one-fourth or one-fifth of its oxygen, and put carbonic acid iu its place. If the same air continued to be breathed for a longer time it would, at this rate of deterioration, soon become a negative poison, and unfit for animal respiration. We may find an approximation to the amount of fresh air required by a healthy person, by ascertaining the average quantity admitted into the chestat each inspiration, at the same time bearing in mind the relation this has to the deterioration eflfected by brea'hing, as just shown. Ileckon 15 respirations in the minute, and the inhalation of 30 cubic inches of air each time. On the supposition that fresh and pure air is inhaled at each inspiration, there will pass through the lungs about 380 cubic feet of the medium breathed every •2i hours. The amount of carbonic acid exhaled during this period, according to this computation, will be about I'J cubic feet. " In a closed space," says Liebig, " eight feet high, nine feet long, and eight feet wide, a man could not breathe for 2i hours without uneasiness. At the end of that time the air would have the composition of expired air, and if the patient remained longer in the same air, a morbid state, and fiiially death, would ensue." Ig- norance of such facts has produced the most fearful and cruel consequences. 1 may cite, lor example, the seiious 212 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. accident which befel the unfortunate prisoners] huddled toge- tlier in the Black Hole of Calcutta, in 1756. 146 persons of both sexes were sliut up in a prison, consisting of a cube of 18 feet, walled on all sides, to the almost entire exclusion of fresh air. They were confined in this place from evening until dajbreak ; and when the door was opened, it was found that 123 had died during the night, of sutfocation. This sad event is narrated hy one who escaped this horrible deaUi, by the accident of being near to a small opening, through which a little air was admitted. To comprehend, therefore, the ar- rangement necessary to avert such consec|uences is of first im- portance to every one anvious to protect health and life. Let us then turn to the subject of ventilation, which naturally suggests itself at this point of our subject. The product of respiration and combustion is, in every instance, carbonic acid —an element specifically heavier than the atmosphere. Does it accumulate where it is generated ? is a question which stands.iu our way and requires explanation. Without consideration of the attendant circumstances, we would be led to answer in the affirmative ; and the apparently natural inference is supported by the amount of this gas found in old wells, in ill-ventilated mines, and at the bottom of the brewer's vat. But in these instances it is evolved nearly pure, and is left for a time to obey only tlie law of specific gravity. Wliere, however, carbo- nic acid has once mingled with a considerable proportion of atmospheric air, it does not again separate from the gases witli which it has blended in consequence of its greater weight; nor yet is it removed except by the presence and operation of some strong chemical agency capableof developing its peculiar attrac- tion. To which, then, of these conditions does the vitiated air of respiration belong P Certainly not to the former ; for I have already said that it issues from the chest in a state of mechanical but intimate admixture with oxigen, nitrogen, and watery vapour. It, therefore, obeys not the " law of eravity," but " the law of the diffusive power of gases." Water is amenable to the same law of diffusion, though we describe it, as we find it, to be a fluid of some density and stabiiity. It rises iu continual evaporation, until it loads the air to gatura- tion ; and theu condensation ensues, which returns it to the earth as rain, hail, snow, or dew. The analysis of the atmo- sphere also demonstrates the presence of carbonic acid in the highest regions attained by balloon ascent. This could not be if the difl'usive powers of the gas did not overcome its tendency to fall according to its own preponderance of weight. And what would be the result it carbonic acid fell according to its specific gravity ? Inevit- able death ; for a stratum of it would settle down on the earth's surface, as is found at the bottom of the Grotto del Cane, in which neither animal nor vegetable life could exist. Nature in this, as in all things else, displays the foresight and design of creative skill. While the gas is separated from the economy of man and the lower animals as a noxious excre- ment, it is taken up by the atmosphere, to cecome afterwards the food of plants. Such instances as this contrast strongly with the greatest efforts of human contrivance ; for In human w-ork, thongli laboured on witli pain, A tliousaiid movements scarce one purpose gain ; In God's one single can its end produce, And serve to second, too, some other use. Having thus briefly, but I hope intelligibly, explained the manner in which the carbonic acid of respiration spreads itsell through the atmosphere, I next proceed to the conditions required to remove the vitiated air from the apartment in which it is generated. It is necessary that movement of the air is produced. This is the point on which the whole question of practical ventilation rests. All the apparatus invented and employed for the removal of vitiated air act by putting it in motion. You are aware that the air wliich has been breathrd is, in reality, heavier — cccteris jxriibus — than the pure air of the atmosphere ; hence, an influence must be in operation at the time it passes out of the mouth to counteract its tendency to descend. This agency is heat. The vitiated air of respiration is heated by the lung, and, when expelled, being lighter on that account, it rises in the colder atmosphere until it reaches a point where the medium is of its own weight. The application of heat to gases immediately produces an increase of volume ; in other words, they are tliereby rarefied. Rarefaction, consequently, is employed to occasion motion in the air of a building, iu order that the vitiated atmosphere may by its greater lightness be withdrawn, and a purer medium made to take its place. In those buildings where lire- places and chimneys exist, as in dwelling-houses, there can be no difticulty in their perfect ventilation, because the fire heats the air in the chimney, which becomes rarefied, and escapes as smoke. The fire draws to itself; and, as nature abhors a vacuum, fresh air is admitted into the apartment by such apertures as are found to exist. But where a building is oh a larger scale, ventilation must be secured by a separate arrange- ment. Take, for example, a church or theatre. There must be a contrivance for the admission of air, and one for its exit. It is true, where you have a crowd of people, the heat evolved by them will be sufficient to cause the air about them to ascend. But when it reaches a certain point it would accumulate to a dangerous extent, if there were no contrivance by which the motion could be con- tinued and tiie air removed. A heating apparatus is usually so placed as to produce an ample column of rarefied air, with a chimney to secure its escape. The large chandelier seen at the top of the theatre serves the double intentiou of light and ventilation ; for the high temperature generated by such a brilliant and powerlul illumination is sufficient to heat the upper air and make it escape by an aperture provided for the purpose. The ventilation of farm-buildings is a matter in which the members of this Club have a special interest. Where cattle and iiorses are housed there are no fireplaces, or any other means at hand by which the air can be put in motion by artificial heat. To secure a proper and sufficient supply of fresh air to such building, many appliances have been invented, some of them entirely useless. The " fan," bo often seen in the windows of stables, is of this category. The ventilation of this class of building is to be efi'ected almost solely by the rarefaction of the air of the place, consequent on the action of the heat generated and given off by the bodies of the animals present. The vitiated atmosphere is thus made to ascend to the upper part of the builiug, where there ought to be a proper arrangement to enable it to escape. At the same time, there must be a carefully devised scheme for the admission of fresh air, to take the place of that which is escaping. The fresh air must gain the interior of the build- ing at a point not much above the level of the floor, and must be so admitted as not to be felt as a " current ot cold air" blowing on the animals. This system of ventilation by beat is an exemplification on a small scale of the great " priuciple of ventilation" employed by nature in the ventilation of the universe. The winds which blow are currents produced by the quick expansion of air at some poiut ; and, like wat er seeking its own level, the atmosphere on all sides rushes to fil the partial void, with a force and velocity proportioned to the acting influence. The well-known " trade winds" blow from the poles to the equator, with only such variation as is given to them by the rotation of the earth on its axis. The occurrence depends on tlie smaller degree of obliquity with which the sun's rays fall on the equatorial portion of our globe. The air which finds itself over the equator is thus heated and made to mount tiie highest strata of the atmosphere. This is re- placed by tresh portions of the surrounding air, which come under the same influence, and ascend in like manner. In this way is a constant ascending current established at the equator, and air is made to stream in from the more temperate regions, both north and south, to supply its place. On the other hand, while our senses are cognisant of the trade winds blowing w itb impetuous violence from the poles to the ecjuator, we are led by inductive science to infer the existence of counter- currents in the upper region of the atmosphere, blowing with like force, and bearing with them their heat from the equator to the poles. You easily understand that it is essential that nature should possess the power to restore atmospheric equilibrium, wliich is constantly liable to be disturbed by causes in operation at the earth's surface, and it is equally important that the air should be in frequent motion. I need not tell you that a stagnant atmosphere would be destructive in time to all forms of life. Under such circumstances, there could belittle advantage in the elements having peculiar affinities and attractions, because they could only be exercised to a very limited extent. In conclusion, gentlemen, the student of nature is aware of the extent to which one force is balanced by another, and that the laws of the universe maintain equilibrium by natural action. If expansion were not the general result of increased temperature, and diminution of weight the conse- qnence of expansion, there would be an accumulation of heat wliere it is generated, while other parts would suffer from its absence, so that death would result from intensity of heat in THB FARMER'S MAGAZIICE. 21 S tlie first case ; and ia the latter there would be a condition of coldness incompatible with vital existence, Elaborate and perfect, therefore, is creative skill in the means adopted to accomplish the distribution of temperature and the. maintenance of atmospheric composition. Not less conspicuous is the adaptation of the atmosphere to the requirements of animal and vegetable life. And in profound admiration and astonish- ment we should be anxious to learn the lessons of the Creator, an d to study with ardour and intent the open book of nature ; for 'Tis avs^eet to muse npon Ilia skill displayed — Infinite skill— in all that He has made. THE AGEICULTURAL HOLDINGS ACT. Tlie stateraenl of Sir William Harcourt to the effect that the land agents of the country almost without exception had advised their employers to set aside the Agricultural Holdings Act, appears to be in course of verification. At a recent meeting of the agents in Lan- cashire, representing the owners of nearly 300,000 acres of land, a brief account of which we gave in these columns a fortnight ago, the following resolutions were passed : 1. " That this meeting, though fully recognising the principles of the Agricultural Holdings Bill, that outgoing tenants are, under certain conditions, to be paid for unexhausted improvements, yet considers it would be more advantageous to regulate the terms of that com- pensation by private agreement." 2. " That this oppor- tunity should not be lost of insisting that tenants who have no written agreements should take one embodying the principle of the Act, and that the clause respecting unexhausted improvements, where not already existing, should be inserted in present agreements." 3. " That a committee of twelve, with power to add oue to their number from each hundred, be appointed to decide on the best clause with I'egard to unexhausted improve- ments, and to suggest any other clause which they deemed possible to be universally inserted in Lancashire agreements." Another resolution was moved by the chairman, Mr. Halifax Wyatt, agent to the Earl of Sefton, which, as it denotes the view taken by a consi- derable minority of the agents present, we also repro- duce : " That the choice of being under private agreement, or being under the Act, be offered to the tenants, with the distinct understanding that, if they elect to be under the Government Act, it will necessitate a large portion of their farms being re-valued, as a basis for any future arbitration." It is well that this resolu- tion, with its ungenerous threat, was rejected by the majoritj'^ of the agents present. As farming goes at the present time, we are by no means sure that tenant- farmers need dread a re-valuation of their occupa- tions. Certainly if rents were fixed in propor- ion to farmers' profits thei'e should be a reduction throughout the whole country ; for, with expenses of all kinds enormously increased, and with prices of the produce of arable laud seriously diminished, the profits of farmers Lave for some time been getting small by degrees and alarmingly less. But there is no doubt that the threat is supposed to be a terribly deterrent one, and we are afraid that its effect would be as great as expected. Rising rents have been so much the rule in recent times, that tenants who have an attachment to their homes and their holdings are possessed with a nervous dread of a re-valuation. Taking this fact into consideration, we are almost inclined to think that the Agricultural Holdings Act has come upon us a few years too soon. Another decade like the last will undoubtedly reduce the premium at which tlie occupation of laud has so long stood, even if something of the nature of a land panic does not occur. If our markets are to con- tinue to be flooded with foreign corn, whether our home harvest be good or bad, and if our flocks and herds are to be decimated by virtually unchecked disease, it is absurd to suppose that the demand for the occupation of laud will not be greatly diminished. However unable the pre- sent geueration of farmers may be to find any other way of getting bread and cheese than by farming land at a great and increasing expense, and selling the produce at reduced rates, it is certain that they will not long contiuue to train their sons to the same uuremunerative business. The advance of education already helps them greatly, and will in the future do bo still more con- siderably, in choosing a more advantageous career for their boys than is offered by modern farming. If, then, the tenant-farmers of Lancashire could read the signs of the times, they would hardly scruple to accept the challenge which Mr. Wyatt proposed to them, aud elect to have their farms re-valued, aud to come under the Agricultural Holdings Act. It may be objected that we are making too much of the threat of a re-valuation of farms, seeing that the resolution which contained it was not passed at the Preston meeting ; but any one who has read a full report of the speeches made, as reported in the local papers, will have seen that although the majority were gracious or discreet enough to reject the resolution, it was generally agreed that a re-valuatiou must precede the adoption of the Agricultural Holdings Act as a whole. Why ? " As a basis for any future arbitration," we are told; but the Lancashire laud- agents must have studied the Act with but little intelli- geuee if they have not noticed that the principle of com- pensation under it altogether ignores the letting value of land, excepting in the case of limited owners. Improve- ments are to be valued in relation to the unexhausted proportion of their cost, and not in proportion to the in- creased value which they may have given to the farm. The principle is the same with respect to land owned by limited owners, only in their case there is the additional proviso that if the unexhausted proportion of the cost of an improvement exceeds the increase of letting-value which it confers upon an occupation, the excess is not to be reckoned. It is clear, then, that there is no necessity for a re-valuation " as a basis for any future arbitration." A rather curious admission was made by Mr. Wyatt in the excuse which he gave for not having called the meeting sooner. It should have been held, he said, three months ago ; but he " thought the landowners themselves would probably have taken the initiative," and he con- sidered it " quite right and courteous that the opportunity should be given them." " Bother your courtesy," we fancy the Lancashire landowners would say if they lived in the Palace of Truth, and were thus under the necessity of always speaking their thoughts ; " What do we keep agents for, except to do our disagreeable work for us ? " The landlords are wise not to court unpopularity by taking the initiative in setting aside an Act passed admittedly as a bar-e measure of justice to the long-wronged tenants of this country. It is well for them that the obloquy of the proceeding should be by courtesy supposed to rest in the first instance upon the agents who, with the natural hardihood of men who have nothing to fear as long as they please their employers, "advise their 'clients' to con- tract out of the Act." We congratulate the Lancashire landowners upon their representation hy such able diplomatists as Mr. Wyatt 2U THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. an J his fullowers. It was wise to " recognise the prin- ciple of the Agricultural Holdings Act" with, or without " certaia conditions," since no one has the hardihood to deny its justice. It was prudent to insist tfiiit all future farm agreements should he in writing, because, without a written document as a preservative, a landowner might at any time iind himself a victim of the terrible Agricultural Holdings Act. We should even say it was generous to urge that a clause respecting unexhausted improvements, where not already existing, should be inserted in present agreements, if we had any reasonable assurance that the clause would be fairly drawn. But how can we have any|3uch assurance when we see that no farmers were invited to be present at a meeting which was to decide upon tbeir fate as tenants, and that the proposal of one gentleman, to the etfect that the tenants sliould have a voice in the matter, fell flat as dish-water, and met with no response ? The Committee that is to draw up the clause to provide compensation for unexhausted improve- ments is to consist exclusively of land agents, and the tenant farmers, whose capital, as Mr. Forrester remarked, ' they had to get at after all," are simply to open tlieir mouths and shut their eyes, and see what the bountiful providence of agents will send them. What the measure of that providence will be we have little to eanble us to judge ; but if the remark of the Chairman of the meeting be any indication, we should not imagine that it will be of too lavish a nature. After recommending that a private arrangement between landlord and tenant should be made before the latter commenced to carry out any permanent improvements, he added, " And I think when you have m ide that arrangement you need not be bound to twenty years — pa'-ticularly in the matter of drainage — when you know, and the tenant himself knows, that the draining of one held will be recouped or repaid in tive or six years, while that of another may not be repaid in ten or twelve." What has being repaid to do with compensation for unexhausted improvsments ? The true principle of Tenaut-llight is that a man should be paid for what he leaves behind him when he quits an occupation, not for so much of his expenditure as he has failed to get back. If a tenant, with the consent of his landlord (necessary under the Act) carries out at his own risk improvements of a permanent character which the landlord should make but does not, surely it is hard enough to limit his compen- sation to that proportion of the actual cost which it is as- sumed will not have been exhausted within a given period arbitrarily imposed, without further limiting the extent of remuneration for a wisely directed expenditure of capital under an estimate of the probable period within which that expenditure will have been returned. In the supposed instance if the tenant's investment turns out badly he alone will be the loser as long as he holds the farm, although he has made it with his landlord's consent, and probably to some extent under the super- intendence of his landlord's representative. If, then, the investment happens to be profitable, it is palp;ibly unfair to deny him any further remuneration than a bare return for his outlay. In these columns we have always insisted that the landlord, and not the tenant, should carry out improvements of a permanent character. But if a land- lord deputes to his tenant a duty which he is unable or unwilling to perform, theu we maintain that the fairest arrangement would be for the former to say, " You may carry out this improvemeDt at your own risk ; if you fail, you alone will be the loser, and if you succeed you shall reap the full advantage.'' The Agricultural Holdings Act does not go so far as this in its recognition of the true principle of compensation for the uneihausted value of tenants' improvements. It imposes an arbitrary term within which an improvement is supposed to be exhausted, and theu consistently makes the landlord as well as the tenant responsible for the success of an investment which the latter can only carry out (with a view to compensation uuder the Act) with the consent of the former. This is not all that we could wish. It is a hap-hazard expedient, imposed for the sake of convenience, and possibly unfair to one of the parties concerned. But it is at least better than a principle of so-called " compensation" restricted to the payment of just so much of the cost of an improve- ment as it is estimated the tenant has not recouped him- self for within a given period. People do not usually invest capital with the expectation of mei-ely getting it back again without profit. The man who invests capital always risks it ; and if he runs the chance of loss, he ought to have the full benefit of the gain But, after all, it is the exclusion of the farmers of Lan- cashire from their due share in the arrangement of the future code of Lancashire farm tenancy that is chiefly to be objected to ; and if our criticism of the proceedings at the meeting of the land agents be thought to be un- necessarily severe, the reason of that severity is thus to be accounted for. We can quite understand that a land agent may honestly believe that he can draw out a farm agreement more fair to landlord and tenant alike than the arrangements of the Agricultural Holdings Act would provide. If tenants had an equality of contracting power with their landlords, we should say that they could easily make better terms for themselves than tlie Act will secure for them. But when a union of land agents in a county meets to arrange the terms on which the land of their ' clients," the landowners, shall in future be let, without deigning to admit a single tenant to share in their de- liberations, we do say that the prophecies of those who advocated a compulsory Act are fully verified. They said that a permissive Act would be set aside, and that the landlords would dictate terms of letting to their tenants This the landlords, through their agents, are already doing, and the argument for compulsory legislation has thus been provided with a new illustration. THE AGRICULTURE AND TRADE OF SERVIA, Among the provinces of European Turkey Servia forms nearly an independent Principality, governed by its own hospodar, or prince, and owing but a nominal subjec- tion to the Porte. The whole of its surface belongs to the basin of the Danube, and is roughly estimated at 20,000 square miles. The whole country is very mountainous, being traversed by the ramifications of the three great mountain-chains of the Carpathian, Balkan, and Diuaric Alps. The summits seldom exceed 3,000 feet, except on the frontiers, where a height of over 4,000 feet is attained. Between these niountaia-ranscs are manv narrow and several wide valleys. The whole country has a genera slope towards the north, and in that part of ths Princi- pality near the Save and Danube plains of considerable extent occur. The soil of Servia is fertile and productive, is well adapted for the vine, for cotton (in the warmest spots), for tobacco, rice, maize, hemp, flax, and for the common cereals almost in every quarter ; but three-fourths of its surface are uncultivated. The mountainous districts are generally covered v/ith forests of excellent timber- trees, among which the walnut is conspicuous. In the valleys and plains, especially those open to the south and sheltered by the hills to the north, the climate is warm ; THE FAHMEE'S MAGAZINE. but the clianges of temperature are both frequent and great. In winter tlie thermometer ranges from 6 ilcgs. to 14 dcgs. Fahr. The country is w«ll watered by Ihu Danube, Save, and other rivers, with tlieir numerous branches. i\Iany of these streams might be turned to valuable account, both for agricultural and niauufaeturing purposes ; but almost every branch of industry is in a backward btate. It appears that no information with regard to the com- merce of the Priiicii)ali(y has ajipcared since the year 1869, when a review of the trade to 18()5 only was published ; but from a scries of consular reports we find that the pig trade amounts to ueaily one- half of the value of the whole exports of the country. In 1804 the number of pigs exported was 158,745 ; iu 1805 it was 251,777; in 1870 it reached 308,313. Compared with former years, the exportation of 1872 in this, the chief industry of the country, shows much improvement, the number exported being 47"^, 700, valued at £030,702. The value of these exports, it appears, may vaiy with the condition in which the animal, whether fat or lean, may reach the depot at Steinbriick, near Pesth, in Hungary, where more than 500,000 pigs from various parts are fattened yearly. According to a report published by the Hungarian Com- pany, to whom the feedine-place belongs, thtre were fattened there in 1870 a total of 540,820, the whole valued when killed at 35,385,000 Austrian paper florins, or about £3,000,000 sterling. All these pigs were melted down for their fat. They are not what is called a " flesh" race, and so are useless for salt pork for the navy. Pigs, such as the Russian, Polish, and English races do not seem to be appreciated iu these countries, the pigs being simply valued for the quantity of lard they can be converted into. Jlost of this fat is consumed in the Austrian Empire. The Servian pig seems to hold its place well, as, though there is more bone and oll'al com- paratively than with liner breeds, sliU it seems to fa't n better, taking into consideration the weight and quality of the food. Age also may have something to do with it, as the pigs are generally two years old when exported from Servia. During September, October, and November tlie pigs are fed on acorns ; but their chief food, when a searcily occurs, is such pasture as the fielils afford during tlie remaining nine months. They are also fattened ou uiaizi when the season is favourable. In such a large extent of country, with a fertile and productive soil and great navigable rivers, the commerce ought to be very extensive ; but these advantages ofl'ered by nature are too often frustrated by injudicious regulations, and the want of population, native skill, and industry. The exports of grain during 1872 amounted only to a thiid of the total exports, but the importation was three times larger. Of the imports of corn and Hour, four-liflhs are ilour which has been sent to be ground in the mills on the Austrian bank of the Danube. A few mills, working by steam-power, have lately been erected in Servia, which are likely to cause a great improvement in this department of trade. A good harvest does not generally increase the exports of grain, as the surplus is consumed by the pigs. Wool is largely exported, but it is of a middling quality, and unwashed. Honey, sheep, cheese, dried plums, &c., are included among the exports, but for a very small amount. Servia is very rich in minerals, including argen- tiferous copper, lead, and iron. In ancient times silver was worked, and there is still some gold-washing on the banks of the rivers Timok and Pek. The copper-mines of Maidanpek belong to an English company, and aie now producing about £13,000 worth of copper yearly. CATTLE DISEASES AND THE SUPPLY OF MEAT. Mr. James Howard's paper, read before the Farmers' Club, is a valuable contribution to a question that is just now attracting a large amount of attention, not only amongst farmers and cattle dealers, but also amongst the great body of consumers. It was a source of great regret to the members of the Club, assembled in their new quarters for the first time in unusual force, that Jlr. James Howard was Unable to be present ; but his place was ably tilled by his brother, Mr. Charles Howard, who, in any case, would have undertaken the physical labour of reading the paper. It is generally known that Mr. James Howard is sulfering from what every one will hope is only a temporary failure of his vocal powers, so that although if the weather had been favourable he would have been present at the meeting of the Club, he would not have been able to read his own paper. In most respects there is a striking similarity between the views upon the cattle disease question advanced re- spectively by Mr. Howard and a contributor to our columns, whose article we published in our last number. There is, however, this important difference, that whilst our contributor would treat Ireland as a foreign country, as far as our mode of dealing with her cattle sent to this country is concerned, Mr. Howard would treat her as an integral portion of the Kiugdom, and subject her farmers and dealers to precisely the same regulations and restrictions as he wishes to see established here. Upon this point of the qiestiou we do not hesitate to say that we agree with Mr. Howard ; but probably the apparent difference betw^een the two writers only arises from their regarding the difficulty to be met from different points of view. Our conttibutor is uo doubt right in proposing to treat Ireland as a foreign country as long as she is vir- tually in the same position as far as our regulations for the prevention of the spread of disease are concerned, and we are satisfied that he would agree with Mr. Howard in wishiug to treat her as a part of the Kiugdom with respect to the removal of cattle, provided that she were subjected to the same restrictions as England. Although iMr. Howard commenced his paper by en- larging upon the conditions of the supply of and demand for meat in the past as compared with the present, the chief interest of his essay centres iu his remarks upon the cattle disease difficulty. Very properly he prefaced his remarks upon this branch of his subject by exposing the fallacy advanced by ignorant and interested persons to the effect that in opposing the importation of cattle disease the farmers of this country are in an underhand way fighting against free trade. Never was a more unfounded aspersion promulgated; and it cannot be too strongly protested that what British farmers oppose is not an unrestricted supply of foreign meat, but an unchecked propagation of foreign disease. All the best autho- rities agree that the slaughter of foreign fat stork at the ports of debarkation would in all probability rather increase than diminish the supply of meat from abroad ; while, as for the asked-for quarantine of foreign store stock, if that would diminish the supply, it ia certain that PInglish graziers won d be the chief sufferers, and only the breeders, a small minority of the farmers of this country, would be benefited. Mr. Howard also admiuid- tered a just rebuke to Mr. Bright and Mr. Rylands by stating that they did not understand the subject they were talking about when they endorsed the fallacy to which we have just drawn attention. It really seems that the 116 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. farmers have been able to overcome their former prejiuliee against free trade more easily than the survivors of the aati-Corn-law leaguers, and their modern friends can clear their minds from a sense of antagonism to everything that is advanced in the interest of farmers. This survival of the ill-feeling created by an old feud is very discreditable to such men as Mr. Bright and other politicians, who ou most questions are clear-sighted and unprejudiced. Pro- tection in this country is " as dead as Queen Ann," and all attempts to conjure up the ghost of it with a view to frighten the ignorant masses, who can so easily be induced to believe in it, are to be attributed either to an ignorance which should keep a man's mouth shut, or to interested motives which render utterance obviously disgraceful. For an account of the measures for the stamp- ing out and keeping out of cattle disease advo- cated by Mr. Howard, we must refer our readers to his paper, j)rinted on another page of this journal. Strin- gent as they undoubtedly are, we are inclined to think that the farmers as a body, in their present state of alarm at the terrible prevalence of disease, would not object to have them tried at least for a time ; but if their consent were gained we fear that the ignorant clamour of the people of the towns, as manifested^ for instance, at the meeting in Exeter Hall, reported in our last number, and the selfish objections of an interested clique, would frighten the Government from their adoption. Every one admits that the existing regulations are almost useless — that with a maximum of expense and inconvenience, they effect a minimum of good; and Mr. Read's demand for stringent restrictions, or the abolition of all restrictions, is endorsed by the great majority of the breeders and graziers of the country. Let Mr. Howard's propositions be fully discussed in our agricultural clubs and chambers, and improved upon, if possible, and then we shall see if the farmers of this country can for once come to a substantial agreement upon a •question that so seriously concerns their interests. We are unable to enter into a detailed examination of those proposals on the present occasion, because we deem it of especial importance to make a few remarks upon a pro- minent feature of the discussion that ensued upon the reading of the paper. If the evidence cited by Mr. Howard and our own ■contributor to show, first, that pleuro-pneumonia and the foot-and-mouth complaint are of foreign origin, and secondly that these diseases are, as far as we can judge by ■careful observation, propagated solely by means of contagion, does not produce conviction, we despair of producing it. The origin of these diseases in this country has been clearly traced, and it is admitted that they were not known here forty years ago, and that many non-importing countries and districts are still exempt from them. It is further admitted that when these diseases were unknown in this country cattle were much more overdriven, exposed, and in all respects more badly treated than they are now. Yet we find two of the most eminent members of the Farmers' Club, Mr. Mechi and Mr. John Thornton, giving their countenance to the fallacy of the spontaneous generation of these diseases by means of over-driving and exposure. We are not so much surprised at Mr. Mechi's remarks, because it is well- known that in his agricultural discourses he is always more concerned to " point a moral" in support of his own views than to sift evidence in an impartial manner, and the lesson which he was endeavouring to inculcate the other evening was the waste and danger risked by turning animals out in the fields, instead of keeping them warmly housed — useful teaching enough, if not pushed to an unpractical extreme, but altogether foreiga to the question of the best means of preventing the spread of contagious diseases. But we must confess that we were not prepared to find Mr. Thornton taking the same line of argument. Of course every one agrees with these gentlemen that it is a bad practice to keep cattle in a stifling atmosphere on board ship, and then, im- mediately on their landing in a heated and exhausted con- dition, to run them rapidly over the rails, through the cold air, in open trucks. Such treatment is injurious, no doubt, and should be improved upon ; but has it ever been known to produce a case of pleuro or foot-and-mouth disease where the conditions of contagion were demonstrably absent? No such case has ever been substantiated; and until one has been, it is simply trailing a red herring across the path to enlarge upon these evils as possible causes of disease, when known causes, sufficient to account for all the disease that exists, are being discussed, with a view to their removal. Mr. Read simply administered a de- served rebuke to Mr. Mechi when he said that, although that gentleman prided himself upon his faith in science as the most reliable directress of agriculture, he was en- tirely unscientific in his treatment of the question under discussion. Every scientific authority who has studied the nature and incidence of pleuro-pneumonia and foot- and-mouth disease has come to the conclusion that they are propagated solely by means of contagion, and have never been known, at least in this country, to arise other wise. The experience of practical farmers who are old enough to remember the time when these diseases were unknown here supports the same conclusion. It is idle to ask how these diseases first originated, and to say, as Mr. Mechi and Mr. Thornton said, that they must have had a beginning. To inquire how a contagious disease first came into existence is about as profitable as to discuss the origin of evil, or to spend time in debating whether the egg or the hen came first in the order of creation or evolution. We do not know how measles or small-pox oiiginated ; but we do know, as cer- tainly as we can know anything, that now they are propagated solely by means of contagion ; and the evidence is just as conclusive in the case of pleuro-pneumonia or the foot-and-mouth complaint. All that Mr. Mechi and Mr. Thornton advanced on the opposite side is pure theory, without a tittle of evidence to support it ; and, by taking the course which they have adopted, these gentlemen are, no doubt unintentionally, placing a hindrance in the way of cattle-disease prevention, and playing into the hands of men who, like Professor Rogers, Mr. Odger, and Mr. Jacob Bright, would, by abolishing all restrictions, let disease run riot amongst our flocks and herds, and so diminish most lamentably the meat supply which, in their ignorance, they vainly imagine they are working to increase. — 3Iark Lane Express. THE EGGESFORD PERIODICAL CATTLE SALE AND MONTHLY MARKET of Wednesday met with more than an average supply of fat and store cattle and sheep. A lot of fat bullocks were sent in by Dr. Budd, of North Tawtou ; ]Mr. J. Risdon, Monkokehamptcn ; Mr. R. S. Luxton, Brushford ; Mr. Milton, Kinpsnyrapton ; Mr. Webber, Stone, Chulraleigh ; Mr. Drake ; Mr. Challice, and others ; good Devon cows and calves, supplied by the Earl of Portsmouth, Mr. Wills, of Colleton, Chulraleigii ; 20 hogg wethers were sold by auction by Mr. Hannaford, for Dr. Budd, 30 ditto for Mr. R. G. LustoQ, and 21 Cheviot sheep, ditto for Mr. G. Luxton, Wiukleigh. Prices may be quoted as follow : Fat beef 13s. to 13s. 6d. perscore, fat wethers 9|^d. to lOd. per lb., fat ewes 8d. to 8|d., barreners from £10 to £19, steers £13 to £22 each, cows 8ad calves from £15 to £23. A cart-horse was offered by auction for Mr. Seldon, of Bondleigh,£55 being refused, consequently not sold. Wheat os. 6d. to 5s. 9J., barley 43. to 43. 3d., oats 23. 9d. to 3s. per bushel, wool Is. per lb. There was a large atteadauce of cattle dealers, corn and manure merchants, implement makers, &c , and business was brisk. Upwards of £600 worth of stock was sold by auction. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 2ir COUNTRY DOCTORS. The life of a country'doctor is too coraraouly one of either stagnation or overwork. If he has a small practice and uo private property, he is a poor man, and his life is dull althougli not necessarily unhappy, since leisure and quietness arc to some natures the greatest of blessings, lie may be a natural- ist or a literary student, and then his time is pleasantly occu- pied. He may even devote himself to some extent to sport ; but it would injure his professional prestige if he went out too often, and would also involve reciprocal hospitalities and other expenses which he cannot afford. Too probably he is a dis- appointed man, and one who has lost a great deal of the zest of living through the failure of his hopes. Perhaps he was deceived when he entered into his practice, or has missed some local appointments jwhicli he expected to obtain. In such a case, with a growing family and the barest possibility of in- creasing his income to any considerable extent, it is no wonder if he takes a gloomy view of things. When once he has got into that state, there is but little to divert him from his cares. His poverty shuts him off from social pleasures, the few amongst his neighbours with whom he lias got kindred tastes and interests being chiefly wealthy people, who are too apt to look down upon the poor professional man, and with whom were it otherwise he could not visit on terms of reciprocity. If he surrenders himself to drink, his course down hill is rapid ; he soon loses the few paying patients that he has, and his only course then is to take an assistant's p'ace, and that lie can only keep by giving up his evil habit. It is seldom, how ever, that the poor medical man becomes a drunkard. In the great majority of instances he just manages to gain a liveli- hood, and, by dint of ruuch pinching, to give his children a fair education. If he is clever in his profession and attentive to his duties, his earnings are at least not likely to diminish as he grows older and his expenses increase, whilst the death or removal of a popular competitor may open the way for better things ; but it is tedious work at the best to increase a country practice, especially as the etiquette of the profession prohibits anything like pusliing or trenching upon a rival's ground. A young surgeon, therefore, cannot be too earnestly warned against making a bad start in so unpromising a field. On the other hand, the country doctor with a large practice often earns what in the country is considered a handsome income, though he has had to work hard for it. Out at all hours of the day and night and in all weathers, either driving in an open vehicle or riding on horseback, he needs a good constitu- tion to stand the strain, and many break down under it. The roads are too bad, the distances too long, and horseflesh is too dear to allow of liis taking his ease in a close carriage as his well-to-do town brother may. As it is, he often knocks up three or even four horses in the twenty-four iiours when work comes all of a heap, as it so frequently does to the medical man ; so that driving a pair — which the use of a close carriage would necessitate — is quite out of the question with a country practitioner who has no other resources than his professional earnings to rely upon. It is true that he has not to live in so much style as the fashionable town doctor, and his house-rent is lower ; but he has to keep more horses, and horse-teep is so very costly an item in the present time that he is obliged to economise it as much as possible. He can, and commonly does, keep an assistant ; but the best of his patients expect the principal to attend them, so that it is not until he becomes eld and independent that the country doctor can insist on taking a fair amount of rest and leisure. The most harassing contingency of a doctor's work is that he never knows when it is done. After going his entire round, having been out perhaps from ten till four, it often occurs that he has only just made up his medicine, and is about to sit down to dinner, when his presence is urgently called for in some distant farmhouse or cottage, where he may have to stay the whole night. Then he must hastily swallow his meal and hurry off on his cheerless drive. If he has a few friends to dine with him it is all the same ; he must leave them to entertain eacii other. Life or death may depend upon his prompt attention to the case to wliich lie is summoned, and considerations of personal comfort and the claims of hospi- tality sink into comparative insignificance. When it is so, lie does not grumble at the sacrifice he has to make ; but wlim the call that takes him from his fireside and his friends is merely the result of a nervous and baseless fear, or morbid fiincy, as it very frequently is, he finds it hard to keep his temper. It is natural that patients who, ignorant of physiology and pathology, never know when the symptoms of their complaints are dangerous or trivial should have little consideration for the comfort or convenience of their medical attendant. Their life is important to them, or at least they think it to be so, and they cannot afford to risk it. The more ignorant a patient is tlie more nervous he commonly feels about himself, and thus it happens that the poor are much more troublesome to the doctor than the rich. A club-patient, who pays the magnifi- cant sura of eight shillings a year for medical attendance and medicine for himself and his family, is more likely to summoa the doctor in the middle of the night on a needless errand than the patient who pays a hundred pounds within the same period. This too is natural, and not to be complained of, for the poor labourer's life is his all, just as the rich man's is his. Generally enjoying robust health, such a man ia all the more put out of his reckoning when he feels sick, and a sharp attack of indigestion is so unaccustomed a phenomenon to him that it may cause him to fear that he is at death's door. Similarly, when any mem- ber of his family is in pain he knows not in the least what degree of danger there may be, still less how to relieve the symptoms. Better educated neople are commonly their own doctors in the case of a trifling ailment; but the labourer's medicine-chest generally contains nothing besides pills and epsom-salts ; and these he nsually doses himself with when he is in perfect health, resorting to the doctor's advice and medi- cine when he really requ'res to be dosed. The post of health- ollicer under tlis Sanitary Acts is a new one open to the country doctor, but it is a mistake ever to allow a general practitioner, who relies cliiefly upon private practice for his income, to take the appointment. If he dors his duty, he will be certain to get into " hot water" and to lose patients. There is nothing which more certainly rouses the anger of the squires and farmers than anything which threat- ens to add to the rates, and of course all sanitary improvements have that result. Before the recent Sanitary Acts were passed — before even the old inspectors of nuisances were appointed — the country doctor, as the only man in the parish having aiy knowledge of the laws of health, often felt it liis duty to exprse some flagrant instance of disease-breeding filth ; but he seldom did so without raising a storm about his ears that most men would shrink from calling forth a second time. The old race of farmers thought a "good stink" was rather healthful than otherwise, and would often triumphantly tell how they, their fathers, or their cottagers had lived for sixty or seventy years in the best of health with a ditch-drain of the most odoriferous character close to the back-door ; evidence conclusive, they thought, of the baselessness of the new-fangled fancies of the medical man. Since then the schoolmaster has been abroad, and the motto ' Sanitas sanitatura omnia sanitas,' has been promulgated ; but tiiere is still the same indisposition to iu- crease tlie rates, ai.d a very sluggish appreciation of the bene- fits of cleanliness and pure air. Socially, the country doctor is to some extent a link between the cliques, if not between the classes, into which country society jis divided. If he is an agreeable companion, is wsll-to-do, and especially if he is a good shot, he commonly visits not only with the clergy, but also with those who either by right or by courtesy are styled the gentry of his neighbourhood, w hil^t at the same time he is on friendly terms with the more cultivated of the farmers ; and when he entertains, in his turn, the gathering is generally of a more composite character than is to be found in any other liouse in tlie parish. Thus it happens 218 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. that ppople wlio would not otherwise visit ench other are brought together at. tiie dortor's parties, andget their prejudices flissipa'ed bj finding that they have more in comraou than they had before supposfd. As a guest, tlie country doctor is most unsatisfactory. Ask him to a sliooiinjj-party, and llie chances are that he comes too late for the best of tlie sport ; or if he is by rare good fortune able to come in fair time, it is a mere toss-up as to whether he will not be sent for before the day is over. Invite him to a snug little dinner, and, in spite of his acceptanei^, he may at the last moment be prevented from keeping his appointment. When he does come, however, there are few visitors more welcome at the country house than the country doctor. lie always knows all the local gossip, whilst on topics of more important interest he is generally one of the best in formed of those present. — The World. IMPORTANT TO POTATO MERCHANTS. Supreme Covrl ol Judicature, Jant/ary IS : Court of Appeal. Howell v. Coupland. Tills case raised a curiou? and important question as to failure to complete a contract in consequence of some disturb- ance of nature. The defendant, a farmer at Wliaplode, in Lincolnshire, in March, lb7'2, agreed to sell to the plaintitF, a potato merchant at Hulbeach, £00 tons of Rfg.'nt potatoes, grown on his land in Whaplode, at a certain price, to be paid ou delivery in the autumn. At that time the farmer, the-de- fend int, had 25 acres actually sown with potatoes and 43 acres ready for so-ving. The 43 acres were afterwards sown, and the whole together were amply sufficient in ordinary circumstances to produce 200 tons. In August a great part of tlie crop was injured by disease, and the farmer could only deliver 80 tons. Tbe plaintiff sued for non-completion of the contract to deliver 200 tons, and at the trial before the late Chief Justice liovill at tiie Lincoln Spring Assizes, in 1873, it appeared that in July the plainliff selected two of the defendant's fti-lds in Whap- lode from which to take the 200 tons. In August heavy rains occurred, accompatiieJ by tbuiuler--torm=, which produced a disease among the potatoes, and, among others, the defendant's potatoes were attacked. The plaintiiT took the whole of the marketable potatoes produced upjn the defendant's fields at Wliaplode, and the defendant also allowed him to take the potatoes produced on his land in llolbeaoh, witli some exceptions, imt the whole of tlie potatoes received did not exceed 80 tons. The jury fuund for the plaintiff for £ 1'33 damages, the price per ton being £3 12s. 6J. The Court of Q if en's Bench, on appeal, constituted of three Judges — Mr. Justice Blackburn, Mr. Justice Quain, and Mr. Justice Archibald— were of opinion that the defendant (the farmer) was excused from the complete performance of the contract by vis major, or the act of God. 'J'lie contract, said one of the learued Judges, " is subject to the condition that a sufficient quantity of potatoes sliall be produced on the land, and, if from some cause which comes within the description of vis major, or the act of God, the potatoes are not produced in time to satisfy the contract, tbe defenlant is not liable : " and so the Court gave judg- ment for the defendant. From that judgment the plaintiff appealed. Mr. Digby Seymour, Q.G., and Mr. Waddy, Q.C., appeared for tbe plaintiff in support of the appeal ; Mr. Herschell, Q.C., and Mr. Beasley appeared for the defendant in support of the judgment appealed from. Ri^liance was placed by the counsel for the plaintiff (the ap- jjellant) on the older cases, which ate very rigid as to the obli- gation to perform a contract being legally binding in spite of any obstacles or natural impossibilities intervening — our law being very rtrict on this subject. But the authority of these old cases was to a great extent got rid of by a recent judg- ment of the Queen's Bench in the case of a music-hall which was burnt down, and the lessee of which was held to be re- lieved from his contract by the destruction of the subject matter. Lord Coleridge pointed out that this decision established distinction on the ground of an impliea understanding that the subj-'ct matter of the contract should continue to exist ; and it was admitted that, if this decision applied, it was against the plaintiff. Lord Justice James said the contract here was for the crops of particular fields, and if they failed was the farmer re- sponsible ? Lord Coleridge : The conlract was for the delivery of the 200 tons of potatoes grown on this laud if they should exist, and if tliey did not exist then the principle of the recent case is app licable. Was it not an implitd condition of the contract that 200 tons of potatoes should be produced from this land? It vias urged on the part of the plaintiff that there was an implied warranty that the land would produce that quantity, and that the pota^oe disease was so common that it was a con- tingency which must have been foreseen. Lord Justice James and L ird Justice Mellish, liowever> observed that it was expressly stipulated tliat the potatoes were lo come from certain particular land of the plaintiff's evidently brcause he did not mean to enter into a positive con- tract for a supiily of the specified quantity of potatoes, butonly in the event of that quantity being produced by that land of his. Lord Justice Mellish : la the case of a man selling all the apples of his orchard, they being then on the trees, in the event of their being destroyed by a storm or disease befo'e the time of delivery it is clear that, according to the recent decision, tlie party would be excused for non-delivery. And can it make any difference that the apple-trees are only in blossom ? After hearing the counsel for the plaintiff fully, The Court consulted together for a few minutes, and with- out calling on the coiincil for the defendant proceeded to give judgment in his favour, affirming the judgment of the Court below. Lord Coleridge, in ^^iving judgment, said the contract was for potatoes to be grown on certain laud of the defendant, either actually sown or about to be sown, and amply siifliciciit under ordinary circumstances to supply the quantity contracted for. The potato disease, which no skill or care could guard against, attacked the crop in the autumn and destroyed the greatest part of it, and it was too late to produce another. The Court below decided tliat the dafendant was excused on the ground that it was an understood condition that the potatoes should exist to be delivered. They had existed, but were de- stroyed by causes over which the defendant had no control, so that it was impossible for him to deliver them, and that was the true ground of the decision. There was not an absolute contract to deliver 200 tons of potatof^s, but only to deliver them if they should be produced on the plaintiff's land, and this judgment was quite correct. Lord Justice James concurred. It was a question of the construction of the contract, and it was a contract not with a warranty that the quantity should be produced, but to deliver that quantity if they should be produced. Lord Justice Meilisli concurred. There was no warranty that the potatoes should be produced. If there was a contract to deliver a specific article, and it was destroyed by the act of God, the contractor was excused. Such would be the law clearly if the potatoes had existed at the time of the contract, and it could make no difference that they were only sown or about to be sown. Lord Justice Baggallay also concurred, as the contract only related to the produce of paiticular land. Baron Cleasby likewise concurred, observing that he pre- ferred to put the decision rather on the construction of the con- tract than on the doctrine of the " act of God" rendering per- formance impossible. He doubted whether the " act of God" would affurd a defence if the contract was absolute; but here it was not so, and both parties understood that it was conditional on the potatoes being produced on the particular land of the plaintiff. Judgment of the Court below affirmed in favour of the defendant. THE PARMER'S MAGAZINE. 219 THE SOCIAL ASPECTS OF AGRICULTURE. Part 1 1. AGRICULTURAL TRODUCTS. We have aomewliere seen a statement to the effect that crime li;is increased and decreased jia'i passu with tiie iucrease and decrease in llie price of l)read. If this can be ^jroved a natural aeqnence, we ni.iy look to the Jlarit Line and proviacial mar- kets as biroin-itrical indices of tiie niortil atnio-iph»re of Eng- land. But man, in the asgregite, in England, does not live on bread alone, aud if Mark Laue be ia any way guilty, Islington canujt be wholly innocent. Leaving such questions as tiiese to those who may choose to make them their study, we may safiily assert, without fear of contradiction, tliat proper and sulQcient nutriment is essential to the efllcient discharge of our mental and physical functions. To the large majority of the inhabitants of E iglanJ, at least, bread is literally the staff of life, whilst to children, and in connection with milk, it may be said to be life itself. The present aspect of the wiieat mar- ket, with its indicative future, is therefore a leading feature of agricultural sociology. If the cumulative experience of the last ten years has taught one truth more clearly than another, it appears to us to be that the e.iteut and quality of the growth of wlieat in Great Britain has very little to do with the price of our daily bread. The value of vvheat in England is in direct proportion to the quantity aud quality of the real and estimated supply from foreign sources. We import yearly what- ever we require in excess of our home growth, but the jjrice of oar home proJuce is decided and regulated by foreign stocks. The quantity, quality, and market value of the wiieat crop of 1875 should be sufficiently convincing, and yet, so stions;ly im- planted in the agricultural mind does the belief that "wheat milind, 9 in Wales, and 28 in Scotland. The horses used solely in ogriculture, and tliose still unbroken to work, were distributeJ amongst the different classes of holdings iu the following proportions: Upon holdings of and under 50 acres 19 per cent, iu England, 27 in Wales, and 20 in Scotland ; upon holdings of from 50 to 300 acres tliere were of such kinds of horses 57 per cent. ia England, G7 in Wales, and 57 in Scotland ; and upon hold- ings of above oUO acres 24 per cent, iu England, 6 per cent, ill Wales, and 17 percent, iu Scotland. Of the total stock of cattle of all ages, the following were the per-centage pro- portions upon the different classes of lioldiugs. Upou boilings of aud under 50 acres there were 23 per cent, iu England, 30 per cent, in Wales, and 27 per cent, in Scotland ; upou hold- ings of from 50 to 300 acres tlicre were 57 per cent, in Eng- l»ud. Go per cent, in Wales, and 57 per cent, iu Scotland; and upon holdings of more than 300 acres, the pir-centage propuitions of th.e stuck of cattle were not higher than 20 per ceut. in England, 5 in Wales, aud 16 iu Scotlanrl. As regards the distribution of sheep upon ho'diugs of different sizes, it must be ob^erved that the proportion for sheep upon the small Ixddings are much larger in \\'ales and Sc>)tl:.n(l than iu Eng- laid, owing to the occupiers of small holdings iu Wales and Sjutl.uid having in addition to their cultWated acreage, wliich is alone included in the Agricultural Returns, tracts of rough pasture upon whicli they keep a lirge number of their sheep. Subject to this explanation, the per-centage proportions of sheep upon holuings of different sizes were, upon holdings of and uuder 50 acres, in England 9 per ceut., in Wal^-s 28 per cent., and in Scotland 33 per cent. ; upon lioldings of from 50 to 300 acres ttic proportions were 51 per ccut. in England, 63 per cent, in Wales, and 40 pt r cent, in Scotland ; aud upon iiohiiugs of more than 300 acres, the proportions were 40 per ceut. m England, 9 per cent, in Wales, and 23 per cent, in Scotland. These results .show that, whilst in each division of Great Lritriin the nun. her of small holdings, or those of the diss of aud under 50 acres iu extent, largely predominate over tbe medium and large-sized holdings, it is the occupiers of lioldiujtsof Irom 50 to 3©0 acres who cultivate more thau one- half the land, aud who own more thau one-haif of each detcrip- tiou of hve stock. A special return of the number of garden allotments detached from cottages or oiher houses, and of the quantity of land occupied by allofmerits, wt'S obtained and published with the Agricultural Returns for 187'\ when the io'rA numb r of allotments in Great Britain amounted to 21-6,398, and the total extent of Innd lield in allotments was 59,631 acres. The total quautity of laud returned in 1875 as under all kinds of crop-, bare fallow, and grass, amounted for Great Britain to 31,416,000 acres. Eor Ireland the returns obtained by the Registrar-General show a total of 15,775,000 acres ; aud the returns collected iu the Isle of Man and Chan- nel Islands show totals of 92,000 aud 31 000 acres respec- tively. Tnus for the whole of the United Kingdom the cul- tivated area in 1875 was 47,314,000 acres, exclusive of heath and mountain pasture laud, aud of woods and plantations. This total is larger than it was in 1S74 by 171,000 acres ; and between the years 1868 and 1875 1,659,000 additional aeres were returned as under cuM-.ation in the United King- dom. The chief part of this increase, to the extent of 1,460,000 acres, was returned for Great Britain, in the pro- portitm of 1,074,000 acres for England, 192,000 for Wales, and 194,000 lor Scotland. It cannot, however, be reckoned that so much waste or previously uncultivated land has actually been added, within the period named, to the area used for agricultural purposes, as an allowance must be mads for more correct and complete returns by occupiers of laud in the more recent years. But after allowing for au in- crease o' acreage from this cause, a not unimportant addition to the productive area of the country must liave been made within the last seven ye'ars. The officers who collect the returns are able by tiieir own observations and inquiries iu many counties to notify an increase of acreaj-e by the inclosure and reclamation of waste lands, although they cannot report the actual extent of the increase. The total acreage returned fur Great Britain in 1875 compri>ed 18,104,000 acres of arable and 13,312,000 of permanent pasture. Tiie figures for the arable acreage in 1875 were about the same as iu 1874, hut they slmw a decrease of 325,000 aj compared with the figures of 1872, up to whicli year, from 1868, tliere was au increase in the acreage of arable laud. Permanent pasture sIioas an increase of 134,000 acres in 1875 over 1874, ana of as many as 736,000 acres since 1872 ; much of this increase was, however, due to more correct returns and to new iuclos-ures of down or open pasture lands. Tlie high prices of meat and dairy produce, aud the increased cost of labour are not so frequently alluded to as causes of the conversion of araHle into grass hind iu the reports of the collecting officers in 1875 as iu 1874. A table of the acreage of arable land and permanent pasture returned for each division of Great Britain for each year from 1868 to 1875 is given iu the Appendix to this lliport. Of the total quantity of arable land iu the United Kingdom in 1875, 11,399,000 acres were devoted to corn crops of all kinds (including pea.s and beans) ; 5,057,000 to greeu crops (including potatoes) ; 570,000 to b^ire tail iw ; and 6,337,000 to rotation grasses. The correspouding particular.s, with their pcr-centage propor- tions for each d, vision of the kingdom, will be found in the first table of the lleturus. Of the 11.399,000 acres under cora crops in the United Kingdom iu 1875 there were 3,514,00 i acres appropriated to wheat, 2,751,000 to barley or here, 4,176,000 to oats, 65,000 to rye, 675,000 to beans, and 318,000 to peas. The piincipal corn crops occupied the following per-ceutage proportions of the had used for corn ijt the several divisions of the kingdom. Wheat was grown upon 41 per cent, of the corn land in England, 22 per cent, in Wales, 7 per ceit iu Scotland, 8 per cent, in Ireland, 26 per ceut. iu the l^le of Man, as mu.jli as 83 per rent, in Jersey, aud 44 per cent, in Guernsey. Of the land under corn the per- centage proportions for barley were : in England 28, iu Wales 30, in Scotland 19, in Irsland 12, in the Isle of l\Ian 25, ia- Jersey 5, and in Guernsey 27. Oats were growu npan 19 pet cent, of the corn land iu England, 46 in Wales, 71 in Scotland, 78 iu Ireland, 46 in the Isle of Man, 10 in Jersey, aud 23 in Guernsey. The laud under gnen crops ia the United King- dom in 1875 which amounted to 5,057,000 acres, was thus divided : lor potatoes 1,432,000 acres, turnips and swedes 2,485,(J00 a^es, mangold 405,0i)0 acres, carrots 19,000 acres, cabbage, kohl-rabi, and rape 231,000 acres, and fur vetches, lu-'erne, and any other greeu crop, except clover or otlier artificial grasses, 483,000 acres. The acreage of the several kinds of greeu crops in each division of the kingdom will be found iu the secoud table of the Returns, as well as the per- centage proportions, the priucip-d of which ma} b , quotfi here : Upou the land used for green cropsjof all kinds, potatoes were grown to the extent of 11 per cent, iu England, 34 in Wales, 23 in Scotland, 66 in Ireland, 30 in the Isle of Man 55 in Jersey, ami 36 in Giieru>ey, Turnips aud swedes were grown to the ex'ent of the following per-centage proportions : 55 iu England 54 iu Wales, 73 in Scotland, 24 iu Ireland, 66 in the Isle of Man, 24 in Jersey, and 6 in Guernsey. Man- gold was grown in England to the extent of 12 per cent, of the acreage under gretn crops, which was more than double the proportion fur any other division of the kingdom. As tO' other kinds of green crops it may be observed that for cabbage,. kohl--abi, and rnpe the pei-centage proportion of acreage was about half that tor mangold in England, and but very small in other parts of the kingdom. Tlie per-centage proportions of the acreage under vetches and luci rne may be said to have been about the same as tlie proportions stated for mangold, except in Guernsey, where nearly one-half of the green crop acretige was returned as uuder vetches and lucerne. T'lie extent of orchards in 1875, or of arat)le or grass land returned as used also for fruit trees of all kinds, was 154,584 acres, of which 150,600 were in England, 2,535 in Wales, and 1,449 in Scotland. Tlie quantity of land returu'd in 1875 as occupied by market gardeners for the growth of vegetables end other garden produce was 35,364 acres in England, 713 acres in- Wales, and 2,881 acres in Scotland. And nursery grounds for growing trees, shrnh-*, &c., occupied iu 1875 9,837 acres m Eughind, 463 acres iu Wales, and 1,742 acres in Scotland. The extent of land occupied by woods aud plantations is stated for Great Britain in 1875 at 2,187,000 acres, according to a Return obtained in a former year, the means used lor ascer- taining annually the particulars of agricultural laud uot being available for wood-land. Tlie acreage of woods, coppices^ and plantations (inclusive of garden grounds) is stated at 1,325,765 acies for England, 126 823 for Wales, aud 734.190 for Scotland. Eor Irehmd the laud so occupied is return, d a* 325,173 acres. As regHrds the number of e;'.ch kind of live stock iu the £24 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. "Unilei Kingdom, the returns for 1875 show the following results : With respect to horses, as only Uui iiumber of such as are used for agriculture and of young and unbroken horses can be ascertained for Great Britain through the agricul- tural returns, the number of other horses until lately i-uhject to licence duty in Great Britain must be added in order to obtain an aggregate of the stock of horses in the kingdom, which, computed in this way, would amount to about 2,7'JO OO'J, of which about 2,264,000 belonged to Great Britain, inclu'ding the Islands, and 526,000 to Ireland. The total stock of cattle of all ages in the United Kingdom was 10,162,787, of which Great Britain, with the Islands, possessed 6,050,797 and Ireland 4,111,990. The total stock of sheep and lambs in the United kingdom numbered 33,491,943, of which 29,243,790 were in Great Britain and tli£ Islands, and 4,248,158 in Ireland. The total number of pigs was 3,495,167, of which 2,245,932 werein Great Britain and the Islamis, and 1,2 19,235 in Ireland ; but tlie pigs kept in towns and by cottagers are not included in the returns for Great Britain. The wheat crop of the United Kingdom in 1S75 occupied 3,514,000 acres, which is the lowest acreage for that crop in the eight years for whicli returns have been obtained, from 1868 to 1875. In Great Britain the land under wlieat in 1875 was 288,000 acres, or nearly 8 per cent, less than in 1874, and 346,000 acres below what it was in 1869, the year of the largest wheat acreage between 1SG8 and 1875. The decrease in the cultivation of wheat in 1875 was chiefly owing to the low price of wheat iu the autumn and winter of 1874. Barley, on the other hand, was more extensively cultivated iu the United Kingdom in 1875 than in 1874, or iu any one of the years for wliich returns have been obtained since 1868. The 2,751,362 acres under that crop in 1875 exceeded the corresponding area in 1874 by 244,232 acres. But there is not so much land under barley in 1S74 as in some previous years, and the acreage of the crop in 1875, compared with the highest acreage in a previous year, 1870, shows an increase of I2S,000 acres instead of 244,000 as against 1874. There was, however, an increase of 403,000 acres in 1875 as compared with 1868, the year of the lowest acreage under barley during the eight years from 1S6S to 1875. The oat as well as the barley crop had a larger acreage in 1875 tiian in 1874. The increase for the United Kingdom amounted to 88,000 acres, of which 65,000 acres were in England. But notwithstanding this increase in the quantity of laud under oats in 1875, the acreage of the crop in that year, both in Great Britain and in Ireland, was still below the acreage for 1873, which showed a falling acreage for the oat crop as compared with previous years. The acreage of tlie other com and pulse crops— rye, beans, and peas— was rather larger in 1875 than in 1874, but less as regards beans and peas than in 1873. There was rather more laud under the various kkids of green crops in 1875 than in 1874, both in Great Britain and Ireland, but the acreage of green crops was lower in 1874 than in some previous years. In 1875 potiitoes were planted upon 623,000 acres in Great Britaiu, and 800,000 acres in Ireland, showing a small increase of 2,200 and 8,000 acres respectively over 1874. But the acreage under potatoes in 1875 was below what it was iu 1871 by 104,000 acres in Great Britain, and by 158,000 acres in Ireland. The extent of laud culti- vated with turnips and swedes in Great Britain in 1875 was 2,143,000 acres, against 2,133,000 acres in 1874, showing an increase of 10,000 acres in 1875 ; but although more tur- nips and swedes were sown in Great Britain in 1875 than in 1874, and also than in 1873 and 1872, there were 67,000 (ewer l acres under those roots in 1875 than in 1870. The plant of mangolds was much larger in 1875 than in 1874. The 362,000 acres under that root in Great Britain in 1875 were 39,000 acres more than in 1874, but the acreage under mangolds was rather low iu 1874 and the two preceding years, and the acreage in 1875 was not more than 1,100 acres in excess of the acreage of mangolds in 1871. The cultivation of mangolds is increasing in Ireland. There were 43,000 acres of mangolds in Ireland in 1875, showing an increase of 5,000 acres over 1874, and double wliat the acroi'^e under mangolds was in that part of the kingdom in ISCJ. The other kinds of green crops, including cabbages, kohl-rabi, rape, vetches, and luceme, were grown to a larger extent in 1875 than in 1874. The acreage returned for the sugar beet in England continues to be very small. The growth of the flax in Great Britain is still diminishing. There were only 6,751 acres under that crop in 1875 against 9,394 in 1874, and 24,000 acres iu 1870. Low pnces are reported as a cause of the falling off in the cuKiva- tion of flax. The acreage under hops in England, which was larger in 1874 than in any recent year, shows a further in- crease in 1875. There were 69,171 acres of hop plantations in 1875 against 65,799 acres in 1874, and 64,455 acres in 1868, the year of the largest acreage before 1874 as ascertained by agricultural returns. Favourable price'* are said to have led to an increased ! for Agricltre.^ „ Ditto, Un- broken, aud Mares, for breeding Cattle I 2750636 ,, Kheep (l0o0(i;<7M ,, Pigs I 90277'- 159819 47-8 2374155 4fl77 60575 33920 649626 389398 126601 14C7834 9114261 972579 England. 52-2 226 THE FARMjSR'S MAGAZINE. The naiial tables to show the state of agriculture in the various British possessions have been compiled from the official retnrns of the several colonies pullishiug agricultural statistics. The most complete and regular returua of this d>'scription are those of the several Australian colonies. Some particulars relating to the agriculture of Canada were collected when the census of the Dominion was taken in 1871. According to the latest returns, gene- rally for the year 1874), the Australian colonies, including Tasmania, but not New Zealand, with a total population of about 1,891,000 persons, had an area under cultivation for all kinds of crops, and of grass for hay, of 3,243,000 acres, or in the proportion of about one acre and three-quarters per head of the population. Of the 3,243,000 acres under cultivation there were 1,823,000 acres under corn crops of all kinds, and of the acreage under corn rather more tiian three fourths, or 1, 434,000 acres are under wheat. New Zealand is excluded from these totals because an exceptionally large acreage is returned in that colony for what is called " permanent artifi- cial grass." The extent of land under cultivation in propor- tion to the population varies considerably in the several colo- nies of Australia. Tlius Victoria, witlia population of 808,000, has a culiivated area of but 1,012,000 acres, and Souih Aus- tralia, with a population of not more than 205,000, has as many as 1,330,000 acres under cultivation. The quantity of land under wheat in the year ended 31st of March, 1875, in each of the Australian colonies, was: In New South Wales 167,000 acres ; in Victoria, 3j3,000 acres; in South Austra- lia, 840,000 acres ; in Western Australia, 23,000 acres ; in Queensland, 3,500 acres ; in Tasmania, 68,000 acres ; and in New Zealand, 106,000 acres. Barley is only grown to a small extent in Australia; the largest acreage for that crop was 30,000 acres in Victoria, in 1874-5. Oats are more largely cultivated, and in 1874-5 there were 157,000 acres of oats in New Zealand, and 115,000 acres in Victoria. Of maize there were 11S,000 acres in New South Wales, 21,000 acres in Queensland, and but a trifling acreage in the other colonies. Tlie cultivation of tlie sugar-cane is increasing in Queensland and New South Wales, in which colonies there were, respec- tively, 14,400 and 8,500 acres under that crop iu 1874. The growtii of cotton, on the other hand, is fulling off iu Queens- land, the only Australian colony lor which it is returned. There is no increase shown in the last returns of the ai reage of land used for vineyards in Australia ; the aggregate number ol' acres so cultivated was about 15,000. The extent of land under the various crops in the South African colonies is in- cluded in the tables of colonial returns, but the information, unfortunately, is not for similar years, the Cape of G jol Hope returns not being given for a later year than 1865, and those of Natal being for as recent a year as 1874. Wheat is the chief corn crop at the Cape of Good Hope, and maize at Natal. At the dates mentioiied tliere were 202,000 acres under wheat at the Cape, and 105,000 acres under maize at Natal. The vineyards at the Cape occupied 16,000 acres, and the sugar cane at Natal 8,000 acres. The cultivation of the sugarcane at Natal is increasing, but that of cotton appears to have been almost abandoned, asjonly llfacres were returned for that crop in 1874, against 1,875 acres in tlie year 1871. I'ollowiug the tables of the acreage of the various crops in the several colonies are table s showing the estimated total and average quantities of the crops produced iu the colonies. In the year ended 31st of March, 1875, the wheat crop in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand amounted in the aggregate to 21,000,000 bushels. This yield gave an average supply of about 10 bushels per head of the total population of those colonies. But, taking the yield and the population of each colony separately, the average sup- ply per head would vary from 4 bushels in New South Wales to as much as nearly 50 bushels in South Australia — a rate of supply which would afford a good margin tor export bejond the requirements for home consumption. The quantity of wheat produced at the Cape of Good Hope in 1865, the date of the latest returns, was 1,390,000 bushels, or at the rate of abou^^^ 2h bushels per head of the population. Iu the Dominion of Canada, in, 1871, the yield of wheat was returned as 16,724,000 bushels, which would give nearly 5 bushels per head of the population. As regards other kinds of corn than wheat the crops aie not of importance in Australia, but the Canadian returns for 1871 show a production of barley to the extent of 11,000,000 bushels, and of oats to the extent of 4-2,000,000 bushels. The crop of maize in Natal in 1S71-5 is returned as yielding 1,346,000 bushels. V/itli respfct to the average yield per acre of the corn crops in different cjlonies, it will be observed that in Australia, in 1874-5, the average yield of wheat ranged upon the mainland from 11^ bushels in South Australia to 14^ bushels in Victoria. In Tasmania the average was 18|- bushels, and in New Zealand it was as high as 28 busiiels per acre. These averages appear to represent ttie yield of fairly good harvests. Tlie table of the number of live stock in various British possessions distinguishes the number of horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs. The stock of horses in all the Australian colonies numbered, according to the returns, 868,000 in 1875 against 700,000 in 1870, which figures show an increase in four years of 168,000 horses, or at the rate of 24 per cent. New South Wales heads the list with 347,000 horses, and Victoria comes next with 180,000. Tor the Cape of Good Hope the number of horses returned in 1865 was 227,000; and for the Dominion of Canada 837,000 horses were returned in 1871 . As regard- cattle, the stock continues to increase in the Australian colo- nies, the total number according to the last returns (generally for the year ended the 31st of March, 1875) having reached nearly six million head, which is about 235,000 more than in the returns for the previous year. Nearly one-half of the stock of cattle, or 2,S57,ti00 head, belonged to New Sontd Wales. Queensland stands next, with 1,343,000 head, and then Victoda, with 959,000. The returns from colonies in other parts of the world show that Natal, in 1874, had a stock of cattle numbering 501,000; the Cape of Good Hope, in 1865, 692,000 ; and the Dominion of Canada liad 2,624,000 head of cattle in 1871, against 2,256,000 in 1861. In Canada tlierefore, the stock of cattle increased 368,000, or by 16 per cent., in the ten years from 1861 to 1871. The agricultuia, wealth of some of the colonies, especially in Australia, is raoie marked in the number of sheep they possess than in that of any other kind of live stock. The aggregate stock of sheep iu all the Australian colonics in the year 1874 amounted to no less a number than 61,650,000, which exceeds the nunib;;r for the previous year by 3,600,000, or 6 per cent. Of the large' total just mentioned, about 23 million sheep belonged to New South Wales, rather more than 11 million each to Victoria and NeA' Zealand ; and South Australia and Queensland owned respectively Irom 6 to 7 million. The increased com- mercial wealth derived by the Australian colonies from tlieir flocks of sheep is shown by the extent of the imports of Australian wool into the United Kingdom. In the last three years, 1873, 1874, and 1875, these imports amounted to 186 million, 225 million, and 239 million lbs. weight, of the value of nearly 12 million, 14 million, and 16 million £ sterling. The number of sheep in tlie Cape of Good Hope colony was nearly 10 millions iu 1805, and as the imports of woi.1 into the United Kingdom from the Cape have increased, the nuiu- ber|of sheep in tliat colony must be now larger tlian in 1865. The number of sheep in the Dominion of Canada was 3,155,000, according to the returns for the year 1871, against 2,400,000 in 1861. The supplies to this country of preserved meat from Australia continue to be smaller in quantity than they were in 1872. Tables are given for various foreign countries, with the latest statistics of agriculture that could be obtained through the kind assistance of the Chief of the Statistical Department iu each country. More recent information than tiiat published in the agricultural returns for previous years is given for Sweden, Wurlemburg, Holland, Italy, and the United States. Statistics of the agriculture of Hungary and Egypt are included in the tables for the flrst time. In the table relating to tlie acreage of crops it will be seen that in Hungary, according to returns for 1872, nearly 5 million acres were allotted to the production of wlieat, and between 3 and 4 million acres to the production of maize. The extent of laud u>ed for vineyards in Hungary was about one million acres. For Egypt the laud returned in 1871 as under wheat was 1,103,0U0 acre<, and 700,000 acres were returned as planted with cotton. The. re- turns for the United States ia 1874 show neaily 25 iiiillion acres for the wheat crop, 11 million acres tor oats, and as many as 41 million acres for maize. The land under cotton is stated at 9,350,000 acres. These figures, compared with those given for the United States in 1869, show an increase in 1874 of 6 million acres under wheat, 4 million acres under maize, an.i 1.^ million acres under cotton. The estimated }ield of crops in the various foreign countries is slionn in a table following the table of the acreage of the crops, but exact THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 227 oniparisons of the quantities of particular crops produced in (lill'ereut countries canuot be made, owiug to tiie vsriation ia tlie years for which these statistics are givcu. The yiflJ of wlieiit and other crops iu Russia, Frauce, aud some other couLitties of Europe is repeated from the data published iu the Agricultural Returns last year, as iuformatiou for a later date has not been received from those couutiies. The quantity of wheat produced in Austria in ISTi is slated at 40 million bushels, and tlie quantity produced in iluugary in 18/2 at not quite 43 million bushels. Tlie yield of wheat in Egypt in 1871 is returned as amounting to about 17 million busliels. In tlie United States iu 1874 as many as 303 million busliels of wheat were estimated to have been iiar- vested, which is about three times as much as is produced in Great Britain in an average season. The production of wbeat in the United Stales is now approachiug the large quantity grown in France, and it probably exceeds what is produced in Russia. The estimated average yield per acre of the various kiuds of corn and p'jtatoes in different countries is stated in a separate table. The figures there given show tliat the production of wheat per Englibh statute acre iu the countries specilied was highest in Holland, where the average yield in 187'5 was stated to be 23.6 bushels, against 19.3 bushels iu France in the year 1872 ; 15.2 bushels in Austria in 1874 ; 8.6 bushels in liuugary in 1872 ; 15.4 busliels in Egypt in 1871 ; and 12.3 bushels in the United States in 1874. It appears, so far as can be ascertained from available Btalistics, that the average yield of 28 bushels of wheat per acre in Grea*^ Britain is much above the average yield in all (oreign countries. The uumber of each kind of live stock iu foreign countries is stated in a separate table, as completely and up to as late a date for each country as t:»e information could be obtained. These staiisiics lurnisli inlormation as to the actual resources of va'ious countries in their home supply of animals for food, and for the furtherance of agriculture ia various ways. It will be observed in looking at the number of cattle and sheep, that, as a general rule, cattle bear a larger proportion to sheep in foreign countries than in Great Britain ; this may be accounted for partly by dill'erent systeua of farming, and partly by the necessity iu colder climates of pro- viding shelter for sheep in winter. It is a question oi some interest, in connection with the supply of foreign live stock and meat to this country, whether any and what amount of increase is taking place iu the number of live stock in countries from which we chiefly receive our supplies. The following figures show for some of these countries, so far as can be ascertained from the last and previous returns, tiie variations in the number of cattle and sheep. Denmark had 1,194,000 head of cattle in 18G0, and 1,238,000 in 1871 ; and in the same years 1,875,000 and 1,842,000 sheep. rru>.sii had of cattle 7,995,000 in ISfifi, and 8,612,000 in 1873 ; and of sheep 22,262,000 in 18C6, and 19,624,000 in 1873. Bavaria had of cittle 3,162,000 in 1863, and 3,066,000 iu 1873 ; and of sheep 2,040,000 in 1863, and 1,342,000 in 1873. Holland had of cattle 1,402,000 in 18';9, and 1,432,000 in 1873 ; and of sheep 927,000 in 1869, and 9Ul,()00 iu 1873. France had of cattle 12,733,000 in 1866, and 11.284,000 in 1872; and of sheep 30,386,000 in 1866, and 24,689,000 in 1872. A part of the decrease in the number of cattle and sheep in France was due to territorial changes ; but so far as relates to the other countries, it would apiiear by these fif^ure* that cattle have increased and sheep decreased iu number. I have the honour to be, my Lords, Your Lordships' most obedient servant, R. Valpt. Sfalistical and Commercial Department , Board of Trade, Whiiehidl, Decernber, 1875. LANCASHIRE FARMERS' CLUB AND CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. A meeting of this association was held at the Lion Hotel Warrington, to discuss the Agricultural Holdings Act, and particularly to express an opinion upon its compen- sation clauses, and on the period of notice to quit. The chair was taken by Mr. G. C. Hale, of Knowsley, and there were also present — Messrs. W. B. Ilulton, J. S. Hutchinson (Warburtou), R. Whalley (Bold), W. Scotson (Aigbutth), R. Leigh, S. Cook, H. INeild (Worsley), J. Hatton, W. Owen (Weir), W. Longton, E. Rothwell, R. Atheiton, W. Johnson, VV'. Maudsley (Pennington), J. Wright, Thomas Rigby (secretary), &c. The SiiCRETARY, having refld the minutes of the last meet- iug, and the notice convening the present meeting, said he had been requested by Lord Wiumarleigh to aniiouuce that he was unable to be pieseut with them. He had also recfived the following letter from Mr. Forrester, bearing upon the object of their meeting : "Layland, Feb. 14lh, 1876. " Dear Sir, — As I do jiot expect to be with you on Wednesday, pf rliaps you will kindly allow me to allude to the subject of tlie meeting. You are aware that there has been a meeting of agents, k.c., lately at Preston upon the same subject iu its application to landlord and tenant, and that it was remitted to a committee to report to them upon it. The committee have met and gone so far, and though not yet reported, the result will be as follows : They recommend a total entry upon the 2nd February. They recommend a twelvemonth's notice to quit. Also, they adopt the clauses of the Agricultural Holdings Act for compensation as far as the two first, and the third does not quite meet the case, and must be remedied in the cropping clauses. They will recommend freedom of culti- vation under certain safeguards and limitations, and they con- sider the landlord should arrange with the outgoing tenant, and also with the incoming one. If the Chamber should see its way clear to support the above ideas, it will certainly be a step in the right direction. " VV. Forrester. '■ Mr.T. Kigby." The CiiAiKiiAN said he was present at the meeting to which reference had been made in Mr. Forrester's letter, the object of which was to cousider whether some unilorm practice could not be adopted iu the county of Laueastir, iu regard to the time for giving up possession of farms and other matters. He thought it would be advisable for the report of the sub- committee to be submitted to the genera] committee belore being made public, inasmuch as the object in view was to act fairly between man and man in regard to the working of the Agricultural Holdings Act. The inquiries which had beeu made iu various parts ot the country went to show that it was almost impossible to establish uniformity of action, and until the report of the sub-committee had been adopted by the |:enerai committee it would be premature to say more upon the subject, except to show the direction which their efforts had taken to bring about a plan of general adoption in the couuty. There were several things iu the Act which did not apply to the county of Lancaster. Mr. 11. Neild said he wished, in referring to the meeting of land-agents at Preston last month, to do so with moderation of leeling and sentiment, and in the belief that they were actu-ited by a desire to do justice to all parties concerned. At the same time he could not help uttering a protest that it was an in- judicious proceeding of the laud-agents not to take into their council the tenant-larmers iu whose interest they were pre- sumably acting. Tliere were plenty of first-rate farmers in the couuty who were well able to enlighten them upon what was best to be done in the interest ot agriculture generally ; and the fact of the meeting in question having altogether ignored them had been sevf rely commented upcm. He was forcibly struck with the remark, or rather the apology, that was made — that the initiative had not been taken by the landlurds. In many cases landlords had called their tenants together, aud discussed the various matters in which they were mutually interested, and much good had resulted therefrom. He thought if it were more often done than at present it would be productive of advantage in many ways ; iu too many cases they did not kuow their landlords, nor did their landlords kuiiW them. He willingly accepted the chairman's assurance that the object of the Preston meeting was to promote the farniing interest; but when he read the report he was thunder-struck at the assertion made that if the Act had been in operatiou during the last 20 years, the landlords iu the county of Lancaster would have had a claim against their tenants. He considered that it was both ungenerous and unjust for any one ! to make such a statement. Wlieu hs looked aroMrul and .saw j the largely increased rentals of their farms, he wf.s prompted lo 323 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ask. Would that hare been the case had it not been for the skill auu enterprise of the kolders ? He repeated that it was an ungenerous and unjust insinuation upon the farmers. He had no wisli that his remarks should have a personal application, but lie referred to it upon general gronnds. He had been a Eiemljer of the Central Cliamber of Agriculture for a period of nine years, aud liad devoted a great deal of time aud wiiat little ability he possessed to further the interests and to im- prove the social status ol bis fellow-agriculturists without re- ceiving fee or reward, and in the belief that lie was doing his duty. It was therefore with some degree of pain and surprise he fouud that they were spoken of as agitators by a gentleman whom they hitherto had regarded with esteem and respect. They were fortunate in having some land-agents who were actuated by the feeling and principle of doing as tbey would have others do uuto them ; but there was a large number of exceptions which he could, if it were necessary to do so, adduce to the contrary, aud which would very much astonish them. Having male these preliminary observations, he would address himself more immediately to the object of their meetiug — namely, to discuss the Agricultural Holdings Act. He regarded il as the first Act of Parliament nliish had been passed lor the direct benefit of tenant-farmers within the last half-ceutury. There liad never been an Act passed worth sixpence wliich so immediately concerned itself with their iuterests. He was privileged, as one of a deputation from the London Farmers' Club, to wait upon Mr. Disraeli before the Agricultural Holdings Bill was introduced into Parliament, and l.e believed tiiat no oue could have been influenced by a more sincere desire to benefit the tenant-farmers of this couutry than Blr. Disraeli was. In the conrse of that inter- view he revived his intercourse with Mr. Philip Pusey, who was the great champion of Tenant-Right 25 years ago. Mr. Disraeli gave his tenants two-years' notices, and was- m other ways oue of the most liberal landlords in this couutry. He said that it ever he could liave contemplated the prospect of carrying a Tenant-Right Dill, he would have waived what he had done, for he felt tliat their views and ideas were mo!^t rea- sonable. Tlie week following that interview the Duke of Rich- mond brought in the Agricultural Holdings Bill. And what was the meaning of that bill ? It said that the occupying tenant should have a hona-Jide and legal security in the pro- perty in his farm. No private arrangement .could give the same kind of security, and this, coupled with a twelve- months' notice to quit, were two grand things for tlie security of the farmer. He looked upon the Agricultural Holdings Act as an earnest and sincere desire on the part of Govern- ment to do justice to tenant-farmers, although they could not fail to obterve that it was drafted in such a way that some landlords could contract themselves out of it. It was a Bhuttlecock-aud-battledore affair ; and it was a serious question whetlier tliree-fourths of the time of Parliament was to be wasted in passing measures, if they were to be made of none effect. Tliey were accustomed to see the ingenuity which was displayed by those connected with trades' unions to evade the law ; but what could they think of a body of gentlemen com- bining together lor a like purpose ? How would they as a chamber of agriculture stand affected? Their president was a pillar of the Government which brought in the bill, and their vice-president, whom they equally respected and esteemed, lauded the language of the bill. They were ham- pered with the bugbears of compensation and arbitration, but when did they hear of the need of such things where there was a right feeling between landlord and tenants ? If a landlord had no confidence in a tenant, he ought to get rid of him, aud there would be five good tenauts to fill his place. A man who possessed skill, capital, aud " go" deserved to be supported and encourageu ; but under the present system a good tenant was made to suffer for the misconduct of the inferior tenant. They did not find that their prize farms were those vhere the tenants were tightly bound in the swaddling- clothes of covenants and conditions. In his own case he had conditions which he never read, but he knew that so long as he farmed honourably he would not be interfered with. On the subject of freedom of cultivation he had been much im- pressed with some remarks of Dr. Voelcker made at a meeting of the London Farmers' Club. He said : " The longer I live the more deeply I am convinced that great progress in agri- culture is only consistent [with perfect freedom. No amount of legislation, no amount of rules binding a landlord to give tertain compensation lor what are called uucihaustcd improve- ments, will ever make up for the loss sustained by a truly in- telligent tenant farmer through his not being allowed to do what is profitable to himself, and as I believe in the long run prove couducive to the property of the landlord. The interests of landlords and tenants are not divided : what is for the per- manent interest of the intelligent tenant is also for the lasting benefit of the landlord. But let the truth be confessed. Mary landlords do not want improving tenants ; they want tenants who will do precisely what they are told to do, who will be satisfied with their lot in life, and never strive to improve their position. Many landlords oliject to any change in the system of farming on their estates." He (Mr. Neild) thought these were truths which could not be gainsaid. He proposed " that this meetiug recognises the Agricultural Holdings (England) Act as a valuabk acknowledgment by Parliament of the prin- ciple of tenant right being conseded to agricultural tenancies,, and legalised by statute." He thought it was due from tlietn as a farmers' meeting to make this acknowledgment in regard to the Act which had been brought in by Government. Mr. RoTiiWELL said he understood the object of that meet- ing was to express antagonism in regard to the Agricultural Holdings Act. In his opinion they were not called upon to express an opinion as to the merits of the Act, but to discuss any innovations or improvements upon it. Mr. W. ScOTSoN seconded Mr. Neild's proposition. He said that meetiug had in part originated in consequence of what took place at the meetiug of land agents at Preston. It was felt by some members of the Club that as that meeting repre- sented the landlords' interest, the tenant farmers as represent- iag the agricultural interests generally sliould express an opinion upon the Agricultu?al Holdings Act. At the Preston meeting there were agents present who represen'ed 300,000 acres of laud; and when they reflected that something like 10,000 tenants and three millions of capital belonging to them were interested in the question under consideration, tliey had a fair claim to be heard. All that he had ever contended for was that a farmer should be free to expend his capital so as to get a fair and legitimate return from the land he cultivated. With regard to Mr. Forrester's letter, he was doubtful whether twelve months' notice to quit would be equitable in the case of farmers who having manured their land heavily for a green crop, were looting forward to having three or four otiier crops. A man who planted 20 acres with a green crop, manured his land to the extent of 40 or 50 tons the Cheshire acre, and he expected to derive some benefit from it for tlie next two or tliree years. He agreed with whit Mr. Neild said, that if a tenant could not be trusted to farm his land properly, he ought to be sent away. He had much pleasure- in seconding the resolution, and thought that some prjiclual good would arise from it. Mr. R. WiiALLEY said he was one of those who after read- ing the report of the meeting at Preston thought it nothing but right and proper that they shonld have an opportunity of discussing vvhat had been said. He thought the gentleiiiaa who asserted that looking back upon the past 25 or 30 years the amount to be deducted for dilapidation and depreciation would exceed the amount to be paid for compensation, knew very little of Lancashire and the estate for which he was agent. He knew a faim — Gilmoss — on that very estate, close to the Hall, which was a wilderness 22 years ago ; but now it was a perfect garden and produced the most luxuriant crops. Was it tlie landlord or was it the tenant who had brought it into such high cultivation ? He would take another farm, the Grange, winch was formerly occupeid for many years by a widow. He should have liked it had it been at liberty, and after the occupant's death he went over it and never saw such a wilderness. The remark he made was that rather than have such a place he would prefer going to Australia. But now there was no farm in Lancashire which produced more luxuriant crops. There were others present b side himself who kuew the farms he referred to, and his only reason for mentioning them was because they were on the estate for which the gentleman who made the remark about the depre- ciation being in excess of compensation, was agent. He would take the township of Bold, and would assert without Jcft of contradiction that one-third to double the amount of produce was raised compared with 22 years ago. In Burtonwood three times as much was produced, and taking the whole of Lanca- shire one-third more at least produce was raised than tiiere was 25 to 30 years ago. He was pleased to see the amicable feeliug which existed between tenants and land-agents at Liver- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 2"i9 pool the other day, and he hoped and trusted that in future there would be more harmony of action between landlord, ageut, aud truant than iu the past. The Chaikman said what Mr. Wyatt intended by urging a re-valuation, was merely to have a record of the condition of a farm, so that when it clianjjed hands it would be a starting point for arbitration where necessary. One of the great ob- jects he sought to avoid was litigation, and tliis was likely to be achieved, by ascertaining the present condition of a farm so that a tenant would know exactly wliat compensation he was entitled to in any gtvenyear, Mr. WiiALLLY said tiiere was no necessity for re-valuation inasmuch as the Act already limited the number of years over wiiich compensation was to esteud either in regard to build- ings or improvements in the land. Tlie CtAiRMAN said he vras quite sure Mr. Wyatt had been misunderstood fur tlie reason no doubt that re- valuation had in- variably been associated in the minds of farmers with raising tlie rent. The object of revaluation in this iustauce was to have placed on record the present condition of tiie farm as a startiug-poiut for simplifying the working of the Act. Mr. W. 13, HuLTON, of Hulton Hall, said he was the heir to an entailed estate. I'ersouklly he iiad no wish to contract himself out of the Act, nor did lie think that landlords generally liad a disposition so do so. No doubt the alarm winch farmers fc-lt at re-valaation arose from the association it had with raising rents ; but in arriving at the valuation of auything they must have a basis from which to subtract or add to. He remembeied a meeting at Preston three years ago at which Mr. Scotson read a paper, in which lie said that what tenant farmers wanted was freedom of cultivation, compeiisalion for unex- hausted improvements: whilst the land-owner wanted — his rent in due time, protection from deterioration, and a sharp clear clause so that he could get rid of a bad tenant. In the discussion which followed attention was directed to the ques- tion of permanent and temporary improvements, and the Act which had been passed embodied in effect all that was said on that occasion. He did not think that landlords as a rule ob- ject to pay compensation for money luid out, for which the teiiaut had not received an adequate return. It was quite right for the laud-aeents to meet together and discuss the operation of the Act, whilst the interests of the farmers would r.ot suffer so long as tliey had such enlightened and independent spoktsmen to look after them as Mr. Scotson, Mr. Whalley, Mr. ]Neild,and others. Mr. Whaxley said he had spent three thousand pounds in improving bis larra, and he did not think it was right that he and hundreds of others who had done the same thing should sit down quietly under tliese remarks about depreciation amounting to more than compensation, without contradicting them. If they did they had not the spirit of a man in them. The resolution was then put and unanimously carried. Mr. Neili) suggested that when the land agents committee had decided upon their report and resolutions, the Chaitinan should report the propriety of submitting them to a committee of the farmers' club for their opinion. It would be a very graceful act, and no doubt the resolutions would receive unanimous approval. The CiiAiRJiAiM said he would prefer that the secretary, Mr. Kigby, should be instructed to officially communicate their request to the commiHee referred to. This course was accordingly agreed upon. A general conversation then took place in reference to an amendment of the clauses of the Agricultural Holdings Act dealing with unexhausted improvements. It was decided that a meeting should be shortly held in "Warrington to discuss the provisions of the bill about to be brought in by Mr. Sclater-13ooth dealing with the question of local taxation. The Seceetajiy announced that he had received an intima- tion from the London Farmers' Club that it was intended to present Mr. C. S. Head with a tettimonial in recognition cf his efforts to advance the interests of tenant-farmers. Mr. Scotson said lie had already received sundry subscrip- tions toward the proposed testimonial. It was thought that Mr. Scotson had better receive and forward any further subscriptions from Lancashire in one sum, which he undertook to do. A vote of thanks to the Chairman brought the business to a close. — iraninglon Guardian, OWNERS OF LAND IN ENGLAND AND WALES. As the result of between three and fou» years' labour, the Local Government Board has completed a modern " Domes- day Book," under the title of a " Return of owners of Land in England and Wales, exclusive of the Metropolis." It con- sists of two quarto volumes, containing together about 80'J closely-priiitc'd tabulated pages. The following table, compiled from, but not forming part of, the return, shows the number and relative percentages of owners below an acre and of an acre and upwards in each county: Divisions and Counties. Number of Owners. j Percentage of Owners. Below one acre. One acre and upwardb' Total. Below one acre. 1 acre & up- wards. South-Easihrn. 12,712 26,9 i5 14,675 21,236 4,172 4,581 7,758 5,059 6,235 3,068 17,293 34,683 19,734 27,471 7,210 73.5 77.6 74.4 77.3 57.6 26 5 23.4 25 8 Southampton Berks 22.7 42.4 Totals 79,720 9,006 9,556 6,120 6,833 10,010 1,816 5.302 6,6/7 26,701 2,875 2,831 3,283 3,344 4,455 2,087 2,382 6,496 106,421 11,881 12,387 9,708 10,177 14,465 3,903 7,681 13,173 74.9 75.8 77.1 66.1 67.1 69.2 46.6 69.0 6't.7 25 1 South Midland. 24 2 Hertford 22 9 Buckingham Oxford 33.9 32 9 Northampton Huntingdon 30.8 53.5 31.0 49 3 Totals 55,620 14,833 12,511 16,552 27,758 7,472 6,765 10,096 83,378 22,305 19,276 26,648 66.7 66.5 64.9 62.1 33.3 Eastern. 33.5 Suflolk 35.1 37.9 Totals 43,896 9,635 7,494 21,647 8,717 2,0370 24,333 4,378 3,409 10,162 5,149 12,395 68,229 14,013 10,903 31,809 13,866 32,765 64.3 68.8 68.7 68.1 62.9 62.2 35.7 Sobth-Westben. Wilts 31.2 31.3 31.9 37.1 37.8 Totals 67,863 29,280 9,085 7,281 33,672 16,008 46,894 35,493 8,425 4,616 4,838 9,689 5,796 4,622 103,356 37,705 13,731 12,119 43,371 21,804 51,516 65.7 77.7 66.2 60.1 77.6 73.4 91.0 34.3 West Midland. 22.3 33.8 39.9 Stafford 22.4 Worcester 26.6 9.0 Totals 142,220 8,921 861 13,768 9,891 12,874 38,086 4,927 561 16,729 4,628 6,992 180,246 13,848 1,425 30,497 14,519 19,866 78.9 64.4 60.4 45.1 68.1 64.8 21.1 NoETH Midland. 35.6 39.6 54.9 Kottiugham Dei'by 31.9 35.2 Totals 46,615 17,691 76,177 33,840 6,029 12,558 80,155 23,720 88,735 67.8 74.6 85.8 42.2 NoKTn Westebn. 25.4, 14.2 Totals 93,868 59,496 15,012 10,115 18,587 17,417 4,564 6,198 112,455 76,913 19,576 16,313 83.5 77.4 76.7 62.0 16.5 York. WestRiditig 22.6 23 3 North Riding 38.0 Totals 84,623 31,205 10,036 9,617 1,714 28,179 3,112 2,221 5,896 2,662 112,802 34,317 12,257 15,513 4,376 70.5 90.9 81.9 62.0 39.2 20.5 NOKTHEKN. 9.1 Northumberland Cumberland Westmoreland ... 18.1 38.0 60.8 Totals 53,572 4,970 16,155 15,467 13,891 2,841 10,830 9,068 66,463 7,811 26,985 24,536 79.1 63.6 69.9 61.1 20.9 Welsh. 36.4 Suuth Wales North Wales 40.1 38.9 Totals 36,592 703,289 22,739 269,647 59,331 60.8 39.2 Grand totals 972,836 72.3 27.7 ♦ JSxclusivo of the Moiioiioha. 230 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Of this grand total of owners there are twelve counties i^hich show a percentage of over 75 of owners below an acre — nan;ely, Warwiclc, 91 : Durham, 90.9; Lancashire, 85.8; Korthiitnberland, 81.9; Gloucester, 77.7; Kent, 77.6 ; Staf- ford, 77.6 ; West York, 77.4; Soulliampton, 77.3 ; Hertford, 77.1 ; Eist York, 76.7 ; and Middlesex, 75.8; wliile of the counties showing tlie smallest percentage there are hut three under 50 — namely, Huntingdon, 4G.5 ; Lincoln, 45.1; and Westuiorelaud, 39.3. The residue range from 50.7 to 74.6. REVIEW OF THE CATTLE TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. The cattle trade generally has ruled quiet during the month- The supplies of stock have been moderate, and sufficient for re- quirenieuts — in fact, towards tlie close quotations were de- pressed. As regards beasts, the receips from our own grazing districts were on a fair average scale, and 'he condition also was improved ; consequently the actual weight of meat exhi- bited was rather large. Scotland exhihited more freely, and the q\iaiity of the stock was quite equal to previous occasions, bat the liahstock was not worthy of special comment. The foreign receipts were chiefly made up from Lenmaik and Holland, but there were a few G.-rraan and French beasts de- tained at Deptford. A novel feature has been the arrival of a few Texan beasts. These were purchased in America at the rate of £3 10s. per head, and forwarded hither witli the object of testing the market. Tl\ey reached fair prices, and as a commercial transaction were a success, but the quality was too rough for a permanent footing to be obt^ined for this class of stock. The dead meat trade between this country and Ame- rica appears to be developing, and vessels are now running between New York and Glasgow. With reference to trade, the best Scots and Crosses have at times made 6s. per 81b8., but latterly, with a tailing dffmand, 5s. lOd. and even 5s. 8d. has been accepted. The sheep pens have been fairly filled, and the supply has in- cluded a full average proportion of choice stock. Generally speaking, the demand ruled steady. The top price for the best Downs and half-breds has been 63. lOd. to 7». per 8 Ihs. A few lambs were offered at from 7s. 6d. to 83., but they uid not meet with a ready sale. Calves realised very full prices. Pigs were quiet. The total imports of foreign stock into London last month were: Head. Beasts 5,902 Sheep 38,563 Calves 1,033 Pigs 63 Total 45,650 Corresponding period in 1875 4U,053 1874 26,882 1873 30,469 „ 1S72 34,986 1871 16,157 1870 21,384 „ 1869 27-9SS 1868 4,877 1867 26,206 „ 1866 29,241 „ 1865 22,904. „ 1864 12,228 „ 1863 10,500 The total arrivals from our own grazing districts, as well as from Scotland and Ireland thus compare with the three pre- vious years : .„ , Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. 1873. 1874. 1875. 1876. Norfolk, Suffolk, Esses, and CMuihridgeshire 4.650 5,750 6,700 7,900 Other parts of England 1,200 2,500 1,750 1,780 Scullaud 490 650 553 837 relaud 210 4J0 500 600 The following statistics exhibit the total supplies of stock offered and sold at the Metropolitan Cattle Market during February : Head. Beasts ' 16,910 Sheep 102,460 Calves 1,3+5 Pigs 160 Comparison of Supplies. Feb. Beasts. Sheep. Calves. Pigi. 1875 15,650 119,180 1,430 310 1S74 15,465 88,275 1,685 5i'5 1873 14,230 70,8^0 1,254 399 1872 14,860 80,220 978 681 1871 15,825 72,690 644 525 1870 16,322 10U86 858 350 1869 22,066 -111,600 1,331 1,200 1868 Ifi,8t0 83,480 593 1,670 1867 17,140 79,710 1,081 1,979 1866 21,240 S5,i)70 1,125 1,213 1865 21,158 66,590 1,196 2,714 Beasts have sold at from 4s. 6d. to 6s. Od., sheep 4s. 6d. t ■ 7s. Od., calves 43. 6d. to 7s., and pigs 4s. Od. to 5s. 4d. per 81bs. to sink the off.il. Comparison of Pricfs. Feb., 1875. F.-b , 1874. Beef from... 3 6 to 6 4 5 0 to 6 2 Mutton 5 0 to 6 10 5 6 to 7 0 Veal 5 Oto7 0 5 4 to 6 6 Pork 4 0to5 0 3 6 to 4 8 Feb., 1873. Feb., 1872. 8. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Beef from... 4 4 to 6 0 3 2 to 5 6 Mutton 5 8 to 8 0 4 8 to 7 4 Ve«l 5 Oto6 6 4 0 to 6 0 Pork 3 4 to 4 6 3 8 to 5 0 DUMFRIES CA.NDLEMAS t'AIR.— This horse fair com- menced on Tuesday. The weather was favourable, and the show of hordes fully an average as to numbers. In regard to quality, the fair has not been surpassed by previous ones. The stock was mostly in the hands of dealers, the local dealers having for weeks been scouring the country making pur- chases. Few horses were shown by lariners. Jlessrs. H. and A. Johnston, Dumfries, including a number sold on Moud ly evening, h:id about 170 animals, many of which were first- class. Mr. M. Teenan, Dumfries, had 85, including some of the heaviest horses in the market. Mr. Thomas Currie had about 40, including some very high-priced horses. M'. D. Riddell, Kilbowie, had a lot of first-class animals. Mr. .1. Carslaw, Mearns ; Messrs. Wm. and J. Crawford, Beith; Mr. Hugh Crawford, Kilbarchan ; I\lr. John Brown, Bigg r, and other West-country dealers, had large studs. On Mon lay evening, after dealers had returned from Ca.stle-Douglas Fair, a good de.'il of business was done at the stables of local dealers. This morning business commenced early, but was never brisk. Holders had purchased in the country at very high prices — some advance on those of the Rood Fair — and could with d'fficuliy in most cases get a higher figure than they had bought at. The market was consequently very stiff and slow, busin^3S being mostly between dtalers. Few farmers were purchasing, as fi -Id Ltbour is unusually forward for the period of the yea..-. Prices for youcg and powerful horses for railway lorries aud similar heavy work, £80 to £120, and in some instances up to £U0. First-class mares, £80 to £180; useful, but lijihter buries, £55 to £75 ; two-year-old colts and fillies, £45 to £90, and in rare cases up to £110 ; Messrs. R. and A. John- ston sold at £80 to £110; Mr. M. Teenan at £50 to £lt''.>, two entire colts rising two years at £300, and a filly foal at £50 ; Mr. T. Curne sold at £50 to £130 ; Mr. J. Carslaw sold at .£65 to £120 ; Mr. W. Wyllie, Ochiltree, bought and sold from £40 to £94 ; Mr. Adam Dunlop bought and sold at prices from £70 to £130 ; Mr. D. Riddell sold at £70 to £160 — the sum got for a four-year-old mare ; Mr. Hugh Crawford sold at prices from £65 to £110 ; Mr John Brown, Biggn.-, srdd a number of youug mares from £80 to £90. Mr. R. Allan, G'asgow, bought and sold at prices from £10 to £60; Messrs. W. and J. Crawford scld at figures from £60 to£llii; Mr. J. Foster, Carlisle, sold at £50 to £70. Prices of first- class draught hftrses, £80 to £130; lighter animals, £55 to £75; two-year-old colts and fillies, £50 to £85; saddle and harness horses, £10 to £80. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 2?1 REVIEW OF THE CORN TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. Our last report ending on January 21, we commence with Monday, Jan. 31 as the first of the present month. The accounts from Mark Line stand aa follows : The first Monday, the supplies were : English wheat, 5,771 qrs. ; foreign, 24, CSS qrs. Exports, 410 qrs. The show of fresh samples from Essex and Keni was limited ; condition still inferior, and only line dry sam|)le3 sold at previous rates. The remainder were neglected. The foreign trade was very inactive, and those who wanted to sell ex ship found they must take less money. Country flour, 16,583 sacks; foreign, 4,641 sacks, 10,652 barrels. The trade was vei-y much hindered by the mild, damp weather, and hardly previous rates were realised. In fine foreign there was a quiet trade, at previous prices. English barley, 2,.5S8 qrs.; Scotch, 1,818 qrs.; foreign, 2,414 qrs. The tendency of prices was certainly downwards for malting descriptions, and even grinding scarcely obtained the same money. The malt trade was again quiet, with- out much change. Maize, 21,289 qrs. The business in this grain was limited, and new American was 6d. cheaper ; but small old round was in fair demand. English oats, 8,064 qrs. ; Scotch, 155 qrs.; Irish, 550 qrs. ; foreign, 20,026 qrs. Without any quantity to oppress the market, there was a dulness from the idea that the ports would soon re-open, and prices were rathei- in favour of buyers, say 6d. cheaper on the week. En^ilish beans, 556 qrs. ; foreign, 2,275 qrs. The trade was quiet, and prices lower, Is. to 23. English peas, 440 qrs. ; foreign, 28 qrs. Peas generally quoted Is. cheaper. Linseed, 21,307 qrs. Ex- ports, 876 qrs. With good supplies the market kept dull. Cloverseed was in fair demand, it having risen in Paris 5 francs, and Tares sold pretty freely. On the second Monday, the supplies were : English wheat, 5,633 qrs. ; foreign, 25,465 qrs. The show of samples from the home counties was but moderate; con- dition middling. No advance was made in prices. The foreign trade was fair at about last week's rates. Country flour, 18,839 sacks ; foreign, 2,497 sacks, 7,550 barrels. The trade in country flour was moderate. In foreign a steady trade was done, at no quotable advance. English Barley, 2,175 qrs.; Scotch, 1,800 qrs.; foreign, 8,189 qrs. The demand for best malting descriptions was moderate, at late rates. Grinding sold slowly. The Malt trade was dull at about late rates. Maize, 11,275 qrs. Business in this grain heavy. New American 6d. cheaper. English oats, 153 qrs. ; Scotch, 400 qrs. ; foreign, 54,300 qrs. Exports, 136 qrs. The trade was generally pretty free ; good samples held their value. English Beans, 484 qrs. ; foreign, 2,581 qrs. No great improvement was made on last week's prices. English Peas, 529 qrs. ; foreign, 47 qrs. For white peas the demand was rather better. Linseed, 17,688 qrs. Exports, 766 qrs. Trade was quiet, and no advance in price made. Cloverseed sold freely at its full value. All red clover advanced Is. to 2s. from last Monday's prices. Tares were an active trade, at full prices. On the third Jlonday the supplies were : English wheat, 6,525 qrs. ; foreign, 26,892 qrs. Exports, 495 qrs. The trade is very firm, and here and there a tine sample of English makes Is. more money. Foreign is held for some improvement ; but only the fine Austra- lian white wheat is Is. per qr. dearer. Country flour, 17,956 sacks ; foreign, 2,467 sacks 3,856 barrels. The trade has been firm, and full prices have been made, but without much activity in the demand. English barley. 3,667 qrs. ; Scotch, 2,400 qrs. ; foreign, 133 qrs. Tiie trade for malting barley is very slow, without change iu prices. Foreign meets a limited demand, at previous rates. The malt trade continues to be very quiet, aud sales are made slowly. Maize, 14,83J qrs. The de- mand is somewhat improved, and prices are the turn higher. English oats, 746 qrs.; foreign, 54.092 qrs. Though the supply is rather large, the trade is firm at full prices, and Swedish are dearer. English beans, 497 qrs.; foreign, 1,309 qrs. The price remained unchanged, and the demand slow. English peas, 624 qrs. ; foreign, 4,220 qrs. The trade is steady at previous rates. Lin- seed, 1,646 qrs. Very little doing ; prices the same as last week. The demand for cloverseed is checked by the severe weather, but prices are maintained. Ou the fourth Monday the supplies stood as follows : English wheat, 5,834 qrs. ; foreign, 30,729 qrs. Ex^ ports, 799 qrs. The trade very quiet, with little demand, and prices iu buyers' favour. Country flour, 20,341 sacks ; foreign, 12,613 sacks and 12,495 barrels. Exports, 177 cwts. The trade is quiet, at last week's prices. English barley, 1,485 qrs.; Scotch, 1,127 qrs. ; foreign, 8,485 qrs. Exports, 11 qrs. English' barley is quiet, at late rates ; foreign steady, but demand smal'. Malt, 24,447 qrs. Exports, 1,564 qrs. The trade remains in the same dull state as of late. Maltsters would gladly sell at fair prices, but there is little demand. Maize, 12,962 qrs. Exports, 1,008 qrs. Demand slow. Prices in favour of buyers. English oats, 1,140 qrs. ; Scotch, 272 qrs. ; Irish, 4,090 qrs. ; foreign. 21,331 qrs. Very dull. Euglish beans, 309 qrs. ; foreign, 6,008 qrs. English trade quiet ; foreign rather lower to sell. English peas, 790 qrs. ; foreign, 5,478 qrs. Quiet at last week's prices. Linseed, 11,272 qrs. Very quiet. The demand for cloverseed has revived with the return of mild weather, but buyers do not like to give the advance asked. From The Mark Lane Exj^ress of Jan. 2l3t, we quote the following, pertaining to the foreign corn trade : The Paris flour market lost the improvement noted last week as quickly as it gained it, dropping to the old level, or nearly so, directly the frost yielded. The eight marks for the current month are now 57 francs (363. 7d. per 2801bs.), for May and June 59 francs (38s.), and for ^lay and August 60 francs (38s. 7d.). Superior flour for February, 54 f. 50 c. (34s. lid.), May and June 57 francs (363. 7d.), May and August 58 francs (373. 3d.). Offers are abundant, and the sale is difficult, hut at the present low rates holders are not willing to make conces- sions. Rye is inactive, but the price is firmly maiutained. Barley is still in slow demand, and holders are rather inclined to take their samples home than accept the low prices offered. Oats are more freely offered, and prices rather easier. Iu the country markets supplies have been fair, the demand inactive, and prices a little lower. At Lille the supplies were good, and wheat sold at 50c. decline. At Marseilles the arrivals during the week have been very small, amounting to only 2,500 qrs. Business has been more active, and prices firmer, with a good demand for the interior and for Switzerland. For for- ward delivery sellers were scarce. Towards the end of the week the market became more quiet. At Angers business was calm, offers were few, but enough for the demand. At Bordeaux, as elsewhere, the activity of the previous week has given place to great quietude, and little business has been done this week. Iu Belgium 233 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. there has been little change. Antwerp reports a dull trade, under the influence of mild wet weather. At Liege sellers had to submit to some decline in order to make sales. Eye was a trifle higher, but witlibut much demand. At Bruges the supplies were very small, and there was little disposition for business. At Amsterdam the reports are chiefly of the weather — a mild temperatui-e and rain having followed the hard frost and snow of the previous week, and the trade being affected as usually by the change. There has been some demand for forward delivery, which was readily met. Some demand was espeiieuced for rye for the interior, while the offers both from the South of Europe and from St. Petersburg were on a limited scale ; but any rise at once brought in sellers. Barley was dull. Azoff barley offered from off the English coast- did not find buyers. At Berlin the frost had been very severe, succeeded by a milder temperature and rain. Wheat was flat. Rye rather lower, and oats steady at full prices. The Term market was more active, some wheat having been purchased on Austro-Hungarian account. At Rostock the navigation was still closed by ice. The young wheat plant was well covered by snow. Some offers had been received for wheat for shipment to the United Kingdom and Belgium ; but holders had a good opinion of the future, and were disposed to hold rather than accept the prices offered. From Montreal heavy snowstorms are reported, which were considered beneficial to the country. Little or no trade was yet doing, but merchants were looking forward to a better trade in the spring. Philadelphia reports a quiet market. Prices were relatively higher there than at Liverpool, and what was going forward was on speculators' account. Win- ter wheat was in small supply, and held firmly, with a steady demand from the local millers. Spring wheat was neglected, and sprouted and unsound wheat was selling at very low prices. The winter in the West had been unusually mild.^but there was nothing unfavourable in the prospects for the future. The flour market remained in a very stagnant condition, foreign advices being very dis- couraging. At New York shipments still proceeded on a liberal scale. The visible supplies were still very large as compared with previous years. Whether this really indi- cates larger stocks in the West and larger spring supplies than usual is a matter of question. Tt is held by many to be susceptible of other explanation. If not, it is mysteriously at variance with the general belief in a short crop. Maize continues to be freely offered, and the shipments to the United Kingdom are on a large scale. LONDON AVERAGES. Wheat 1,261 qrs. 43s. 6d. Barley 766 „ 393. Id, Oata — ,1 —3. Od, COMPARATIVE AVERAGES. WHEAT. Years. Qra. s, d. 1872.,. 45,746^... 65 7 1873... 50,939^ ... 56 8 1874... 43,0151 ... 63 2 1875... 58,932J ... 41 11 1876... 46,3611 ... 43 0 BARLEY. Qrs. 8. d, 57,503f ... 38 8 46,965 ... 40 6 54,520 ... 43 9 49,622i ... 44 5 57,6721 ... 33 7 OATS. Qrs, 8, 5,216 ... 23 6,197J ... 22 5,665 ... 28 4,588J ... 29 4,556 „. 24 d. 0 8 1 6 6 AVERAGE S Fos IKH Six Wbxks BKOIHS Jan. 8, 1876 Jan. 15, 1876 Jan. 22, 1876 Jan. 29, 1876 Feb. 5, 1876 Feb. 12, 1876 Aggregate Avg. of above. The same period in 1875.... Wheat. 8, d. Bar B. ley. d. 45 1 34 5 44 7 34 3 44 9 34 2 44 2 35 0 43 7 34 1 43 ; 0 33 7 44 2 34 3 43 6 45 1 Oats. B. d. 23 10 23 10 23 10 25 4 FLUCTUATIONS in the AVERAGE PRICE of WHEAT Feb. 5. Feb. 12- Pbicb. Jan. 8. 45s. Id. — —1 413 9d. ... 1 44s. 7d. ... ^ 44s. 2d. 43s. 7d. 438, Od. Jan. 15, Jan. 22. Jan. 29. FOREIGN GRAIN ENTERED FOR HOME CON SUMPTION DURING THK WEEK. ENDING FEB. 19. Wheat cwts.106930 Barley „ 22651 Oats „ 60566 Beans 23900 Peas cwts. 12333 Maize 27994 Flour „ 195S1 CORN IMPORTED AND EXPORTED For the week ending Feb. 13. Engl'd. ported into , Bxpol •ted. Scotl'd. Ireland British. Foreign VHieat... Cwts. 470579 113147 166578 21471 35278 304951 Cwts. 83666 25810 9350 14692 2590 14337 Cwts. 207029 97662 Cwts. 3397 1561 3858 208 Cwts. 4783 Oata 3169 Rye Indian Corn Buckwheat 2287 Total 1112004 150525 304681 ; 9021 10239 Wheat Flour Oat Meal 86614 7146 100 '17 36014 1252 3555 70 174 i ... 129 Bean Meal Ind'n Corn Meal Buckwheat "i Total 93877 1205881 37266 187791 3555 308236 244 9268 J 2011 130 Grand Total .. Malt qrs. 10369 Irish, feed, white 22 Ditto, black 21 BEANS, Mazagan ,..44 Harrow 46 PEAS, white, boilers.lO CURRENT PRICES OF BRITISH GRAIN AND FLOUR IN MARK LANE, Shniinus per Quartsr. WHEAT, Essex* Kent, white old 49 to 55 new 48 to 53 „ „ red ... old 47 ,, 50 new 42 47 Norfolk Linclnsh., and Yorksh. red old 50 new 41 BARLEY Chevalier new 37 Grinding 23 31 Distilling 34 MALT, pale 63 66 old 69s brown... 52 RYE 42 OATS, English, feed 25 to 26 Potato — Scotch, feed 00 00 Potato — 00 Fine — 00 Potato — 45 Ticks 43 62 Pigeon, old ... 64 41... Maple ...44 to 45 Grey 39 FLOUR, per sack of 2801bs., best town houaeholda... 43 Best country household?, old 37 Norfolk and Suffolk, old ■, 30 FOREIGN GRAIN. BhiUings per Quarter WHEAT, Dantzic, mixed 62 to 51 extra — to 57 Konigsberg 49 52 extra — 64 Rostock 47 — old — 50 Silesian, red 46 43 white.... 49 Pomera.,Meckberg,,and Uckermrk....red 46 Ghirka 45 to47 ...Russian, hard. 42 to 45 Saxonska 46 Danish and Holstein, red 46 49 red American 45 Chilian, white 51... Califomian 63 ... Australian 52 BARLEY, grinding 25 to 29.. ..distilling 30 OATS, Dutch, brewing and Polands 23 to 27 feed 21 Danish and Swedish, feed 23 to 26....StraIsuud... 23 Canada 20 to 24, Riga 23 to 26, Arch.23 to 26, P'sbg. 24 TARES, Spring 60 BEANS, Frieslandand Holstein 42 Konigsberg 46 to 47. ..Egyptian 39 PEAS, feeding and maple.. .40 —...fine boilers 40 MAIZE, white 30 32...yellow 30 FLOUR, per sack, Frenoh..00 00...Spani8h, p, sack 00 American, per brl CO., .23 24.. .extra and dble. 25 47 4-3 37 56 44 Pr iKted by HiaiLL, Wi.T»(»r, & Timbt, 265, Strand, LwidoM THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. CONTENTS. MARCH, 1876. P L A T E.— TREDEGAR, a "Royal" Hereford Bull, the property of Mr. William Taylor, of Showle Court, Ledbury. The Farmers' Club : Our Meat Supply Lecture by J. J. Mechi ..... West Suffolk Chamber of Agriculture The Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. FoOT-AND-MoUTH DISEASE : NeGLECT OF VETERINARY HygIENE RoMSEY Labourers' Encouragement Society The Tax on Collie Dogs ..... Cheese Factories in America ..... Breeding of Clydesdale Horses .... The Social Aspects of Agriculture. Part L — The Contagious (Animals) Act. Part II. — Agricultural Products Warwickshire Chamber of Agriculture The Royal Agricultural Society of England : Monthly' Council Shorthorn Society of Great Britain and Ireland Ayrshire Farmers' Club ..... Central Chamber of Agriculture .... Smithfield Club ...... On the Atmosphere in some of its Relations to Animal Life . The Agricultural Holdings Act .... The Agriculture and Trade of Servia Cattle Diseases and the Supply of Meat Country Doctors ...... Alleged Breach of Contract. — Important to Potato Merchants Tenant-Farmers and the Agricultural Holdings Act. The Agricultural Returns of Great Britain for 1S75. Lancashire Farmers' Club and Chamber of Agriculture Owners of Land in England and Wales Review of the Cattle Trade During the Past Month. . Review of the Corn Trade During the Past Month Market Currencies ...... Diseases Pasre. 155 l7l 175 178 183 186 188 189 190 191, 219 . 197 . 198 . 202 . 203 . 206 . 210 . 211 . 213 . 214 . 215 . 217 . 218 . 222 . 222 227 . 229 . 230 . 231 . 232 TO AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT MANUFACTURERS, ESTATE AGENTS, &o. C, H. M A Y, 18, GEAOECHUECH STREET, LONDON. ESTABLISHED 1816. APPOINTED AGENT TO THE ADMIEALTY, TRINITY HOUSE, «5fc., &c. ADVERTISEMENTS INSERTED IN ALL THE LONDON, PUOVINCIAL, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL PAPERS. TO LANDOWNERS, FAUMErxS, AND OTHERS. EVERY DESCEIPTION OF THE FINEST WINES AND SPIRITS SUPPLIED BY WESTON T. TIJXFORD k CO., IMPORTERS, 48, FENCIIURCH STREET, LONDON, E.C, ESTABLISHED 181-7. SAMPLES rORAYARDED FREE OF CHARGE ON APPLICATION. LONDON. AND COUNTY BANKING COMPANY. ESTABLISHED IN 1836, AND INCORPORATED IN 1S74 UNDER "THE COMPANIES ACT. 1862." SUBSCRIBED CAPITAL... £3,750,000, in 75,000 SHARES of £50 EACH. PAID-UP CAPITAL 1,200,0001 n, .o^ •yor* INSTALMENT ON NEW SHARES 223.790; ^^^^^^'^^^ RESERVE FUND 525,000 \ ^fto^ aot; INSTALMENT OF PREMIUM ON NEW SHARES 111,895/ *''^i^ THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. MAY, 1876. PLATE. A "ROYAL" OXFORD DOWN RAM, The Property of Mr. A. F. M. Druce, Twelve Acre, Ey^sham, Oxford. Mr. Druce writes : " I have uamed the old ram 'Burghfield;' he was a four-shear last year, and took first prize at Taunton ; two of his sons took first and second prizes at the same meeting in the shearling class, and some of the first prize shearling ewes were also by him. The name of my first prize shearling (1875) is " Freeland ;" he took first prize and cup at our Oxford show, first at Bath and West of England Society last year, as well as first at the Royal. He was let last season to Mr. Treadwell for 50 guineas. My ewes took first prize at the Smithfield Club in December last." THE FARMERS' LOCAL TAXATION, CLUB. The monthly meeting of the Club was held at the Caledonial Hotel, ou Monday, April 3, Mr. T. Horley in the chair. The paper was entitled " Local Taxation," and was read by Mr. James Trask, of Orcheston, Devises. Tlie Chairman, in referring to the recent deputation on ■ca'tle diseases in conjunction with the Central Cliambfr of Agriculture to the Lord President of tlie Council, said be tlioujibt that on tiie whole they might look on it with pa'is- iiction. He looked equally with satisfaction ou tlie recent fiiscussioa in the House of Cominoas, and the way ia which their champion (Mr. C. S. Ilf^ad) was received ia the House. Vie himte'.f did not regret taking part in the de|)utation, be- cause he believed it strengthened the hands of their sup- porters in the House, and if that was the only result lie thought they had been amply repaid. They were still in com- munication with the Central Chamber of Agriculture on this subject, and be hoped some further steps would be taken, and that it would not be lost sight of till a little more sympathy was shown to stockholders iu regard to their herds and flocks at the liands of the Government (eheer^). Mr. J. Trask then read the following paper: The subject which the committee selected for this evening's cliscusgion is one that has, as you all know, been most pro- minently before the public for soiue years past. Unfortu- nately, liowever, it cannot be said as yet to have made but little progress towards a satisfactory settlement ; but it would be a great presumption oh my part to suppose for araomeut thai I am competent to solve so great and intricate a question as tliat of Local Taxation is universally admitted to be. I thing I may venture to say, however, that I am tolerably well acquainted with the evils of the existing system, having had several jears' practical experience of it, but I can only sug- gest, in the limits of this paper, the direction by which I hope to see a reform of it proceed. It may be desirable at the out- set to recall jour attention to the well-knowu fact, pro/ed in many instances by actual experience, that if any trade or oc- cupation is unduly burdened by taxation, it will decline more or less rapidly, or may even be extinguished altogether, la the case of Holland many years ago, we are told that the op- pressiveness of taxation caused the prosnerity of the country gradually to decline ; and in more recent times in tliis country it was stated in the report of the Poor-law Commissioners on Local Taxation (1843J that when it was the practi^ie of rating the stock-ia-trade of the woolstaplers and clothiers of the South and West of England " the ancient staple trade ra- pidly declined there, and withdrew itself still more rapidly into tlie northern clothing districts, where no such burden was ever cast upon the trade." The report went on to state that " whether this transfer of business was in any wuy aided by tl>e imposition of the burden of the poor rates, county rates, highway rates, and other rates upon stock-in-trade in the one district, and tlie exemption in the other, cannot now perhaps be distinctly proved.; but it is undeniable that the operatioa must have been in effect a discriminating tax of very con- siderable amount against the trade of the one district, and therefore proportionately in favour of the trade of the other. In both districts the industry was of ancient growth, but iutherto the southern district had bad the advanfa^^e ; lor the natural and acquired advantages of the two di-.tricfs were ia most respects such as rather to have favoured the sc^ithera district." The injurious efl'ects of the imposition of undue burdens on the business of farmiug are, in my opinion, quite as great as on any other industrial occupation. The taille which was levied on the cultivators of the soil in France prior to the llevolutioa has always been represented by French writers as " the main causa of the backward state of agricul- t-ure, and of the wretched condition of the rural population" of that country. Of course, I do not mean to say that the burden of Local Taxatioa on occupiers of land here is as onerous as flhe 'aille iu France seems to have been, but I feei quite sure that it has became sufficiently onerous to in» juriously affect production from the soil lu this coJiatry, and, Z Vol. LXXII.— No, .5, a 2 THE FAEMEE'S .MAGAZINE. hS a cons-'qiienc, causing a stimulus to production from tlie soil of otlier count rifs; and it has been pi iuied out "that a migra'ion of au iudustry, and the atteudxnt capital, from Great Britain to a colony, or to somn foreign country, is B^'arcely attended with more difBcultiea now tliat a migration from one district of England to another a hundred years ago.* Tiie R ght Hon. J. Bright, from his spe. ch to the elect-ors of Birmingham last January, apparently views with great satis- faction the fact that the food of iialf our population now ■corass from somewhere bejonj the seas; aud it may be tiiat the right hon. gentleniau would be much more satisfied if, instead of half, (he whole of our population were fed with fweign produce, and if there are any who share the same feelinsf, they may he gritified to know that we are progressing towards that result. There was a smaller acreage of wheat iu England last year than ia any preceding seven years, and Mr. Briiht has been informed on good authority that it was the worst crop we have had for forty years. But it may be said •that It was an exceptionally bad season fur wheat last year, which I admit, but we had also a large diminution in the nu nbers of cattle, sheep, and pigs last year, as compared with the year before. This refers, however, to one.year only ; surely, if we tak-e a period of seven years we may hope to show satis- -fiC'ory progress. But no, we had last yearnearly two millions ■■of sheep in England less than we had seven years ago, and al- ■^though our stock of cattle shows au increase in the same period t)the comparatively small number of some 400,000, we had 335,000 acres less of arable laud last year tiian we had three yarsago. I think I have given snfRcient evidence to prove to you that the business of farming is not in a progressive state, and I think those most conversant with it will say that our agricultural industry is in a declining sta'e; this is the opinion of some friends of mine of much more experience than I have had, but I entirely agree with them, [t was only on Saturday last that a valuer of great experience made the re- mark to me that it was astonishing in walking o'-er the farms, as he had lately done, to see how cultivation h:;d gone back, and how fonl the land was becoming. But you may ask, whnt has this to do with Local Taxation? Well, I have •endeavoured to show you that the effect of placing •undue burdens on any trade is to cause that trade to decline, and drive it away into other parts •n^here it is not subject to such burdens. I believe, as I said before, that this is rjuite as true with regard to the busi- ness of farming as with any other trade or calling. It is not the opinion, however, of some of our leading statesmen. Mr. ■Gladstone has recently written a letter iu which he states '• that of all the economical changes I have lived to witness, the increase of agricultural wages is that which gives me the most lively and unmixed satisfaction— unmixed, I mean, with any fear of injustice to others. If it be ever found to press 'jpon the means of the employer, he will find his remedy in ■ more careful inspection of work, in general economy of methods, in the extension and improvement of machinery, and in further transition from arable to pasture." Now I -am not ^ihont to take you into the wages question ; but you cannot fail to see that if these economical advantages, which Mr. Gladstone -says will follow from the pres'-ure of in- - creased wages upon the means of the employer, they will -ioliow also under the pressure of increased taxation. The opinions of Mr. Gladstone, however, are not at all origi- nal, they were held by French ministers of finance many years ago. I have referred to the effect of the burden of the iaiUe on the cultivators in that country, and in Alison's " History of Europe" it is stated that the " burdens imposed for the maintenance of the highways in France an- nually ruined vast numbers of tlie farmers." I feel quite sure ■ that the saraa causes operate in the same diredion \n \\\\% . country, and that whatever theory any one may hold to the coutary, I know in practice that, whenever any uudue pressure is placed on the means of the occupier of land, it is im- mediately followed by a contraction of his operations. He sells a few more sheep or cattle than he otherwise would, and he recoups himself by cutting down his expenditure in every direction to the lowest possible amount, and especially in his labour bill by the discharge of every hand that he can possibly do without. Why, the increased wages which are beiujj now p.iid to our agricultural labourers, is being neoessasily fol- ewed by the process ol their more or less rapid extinction ! If • E, H. J. Palgrave. Pri^e Essay on Local Taxation. evidence be desired of this, the Returns of the RegistrsfT ■ Gei.eral can he referred to. The Times referred to them in af leading article on the lith of January last. " Tlie Returns, from tlie General Register Olfice for the first week of this year, puhlised yesterday," said the Times, " proclaim eiuphati- cally that this is au age of large towns. We have conie to that distribution of the people, and are advancing rapidly on the same lines." And after referring to the immense number who lived in only twenty-three of the largest cities of these ishs, thus alluded to L')adou : — "Tiiat there slionld bn 4,5)0,0' 0 thus ftirly capable of being described as the popu- lation of our Bletropolis, is a fact to suggest the most serious considerations. It is a growing fact ' Greater Lo ulon' — vre are told it is demonstrable — attracts from the outside world — that i«, from all parts of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Continent — 30,000 a-year, or the population of a good-sized city, in addition to its own natural inert ase. The actual in- crease year by year, from all causes, is uearly 80,000. In all proliahilitv, therefore, the population of ' Greater London' will be 5,000,000 at the next Census." The Times said farther : " But tliere certainly are ahead of us changes which it is not possible to contemplate without misgiving. The rural, and even the small town populauion of these I^les is fast dimin- ishing. There are not an many persous brought up ui the liHrd school of agricultural labour. There are not so many to guide the plough, to wield the scythe, the sickle, the bill-hook, or the spade ; to trudge with weighted boots tlirough lieavy clay; or to move about fearlessly among hoofs and horns in the stable and the yard. Art and Science may do much for us, but it remains to be seen whether the cultivation of the soil will not always require a large amount of rude inartificial labour. The Army draws its best men from our villages, and may find the supply run short when most needed." Well, these remarks of the Times appeared to me to deserve the greatest attention. I have read of a city of unlimited paper, but of limited liability. I have not time, however, to moralize on this aspect of the question, but let us take it for granted that it all rests on a perfectly solid founJation ; yet I do not hesitate to say that the population who are leaving our rural vil ages are leaving an occupation that sadly needs mo e la- bour rather than less. But it does not pay to employ it oa I he poorer til'age soils of this country. All this may appear tj the dairyman or grazier a matter of indifference, but you would not go to Belgravia to look for poverty. It is the thin corn and turnip soils which require a large amouut of la- bour to make them productive, that is first affected by any un- due pressure on the occupier. It la from these soils mostly that the loss of nearly two millions of sheep have occurred in the past seven years ; aud if such soils are sown down to grass, it will result iu a still further diminution of the rural popn- lation, and of a very large decrease also in the production of food for the people. But there need be no fear of not having enough, for if our food is not produced in our own country the business of fanning flourishes abroad, and America can supply all the food we may require, both in corn and meat, no long as we can find the money for it, but if the farmer in this country is saddled unduly with taxation or other burdens, ha will contract his business and the foreigner will have the honour of supplying this country with the greater amount of food. Well, I have been endeavouring, though very imper- fectly I fear, to show you what I believe is the effect of placing an undue amouut of tilxation on any industry ; r.nd this brings me to the qnes ion, is the farming industry unduly taxed ? 'Pliat is generally admitted, but it may, perhaps, be as well if I jnst glance at the increase which has taken place in our local burdens since the abolition of the Corn-laws. I consider that comparisons of expenditure between the present time of periods an'erior to the passing of the new Poor-laws, are useless for all practical purposes. Because wages were, to a large extent, virtually paid from the rates before tliat time. I consider the fairest period to start from is from the passing of the Corn laws in 1816. In that year £4,95 KSOi was the total amount expended in relief to the poor; iu 1874 the amount so expendtd was £7,664,957, an increase of nearly 55 per cent., and it is worthy of remark that over 24 per cent, of this increase took place under the operation of the Union Chargeability Act of 186fi, in a period of only sis years of its operation. The expenditure for purposes tuieoH- neded with relief amounted, in 1846, to £l,453,5f;9 ; in 1874 the amount was £1,568,142, an increase of £3,114,573, or a little over 214 per cent. Of this amount £777,141 was ex- THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ;i3 P ndfd ia ISTtby Highway BoarJs ; but tiie great, hulk of the increase liaa been incurred by the coiiuty aud pulicp ratrs. We see very clfarly, therefore, wliere a rcCorra of our system of Local Taxation should begin. But before I proceed to tliia question ol a relbrm of our existing syf-teni, which everybody (idmits must take place, I must refer to the great dilFerence iu the iiicidcHce of local lales ou rural as coiuiiared with urban districts, and I cannot illu-trate this better than by quoting two actual cases in cojuparison. The London School lioard rates, it appears, are exicting some public attention from their luagDilude, but from a letter of Mr. Potter in the Tiines of the loth o( February last, it seems that the rate is tinly 4id. in the pound, aud Mr. I'otter is of opinion that the (ducation (iiven " is worth all tlic money that has been spent to oLliiiu it ;" a sfateuient that I have uo wish for a monieat to dispute. But a (riend of mine in a rural parish has also lad to bear an education r.ite, and he tells me it amounts to exactly i|d. in tlie pound, like the London School Board rate. Now, mark the difference in the in- cid( nee ol the two rates in these cases. The London tradesman, or merchant, cr mechanic, as the case may be, is rated only on the auuual value of the house or premises ia his occupation ; and I think it would be a very moderate estimate to take the annual value of a house or premises in Loudon as representing not more, certainly, than a fill h part •of the income of the occupier ; thus, a tradesman, or broker, &c., occupying a house or premises of the annual value of £50 or £100 a year, would hardly be making less out of iiis business than £250 or £500 as the c;tse may be. They would be highly indign:mt> uo doubt, if anybo.y told them they made less than this. Taking this estimate, then, the ra*e at i^d. in the pound is equivalent to a trifle less thm a penny in the pound of income-tax in London. Well, the farmer is assumed to get an inconie to the amount of one half his rent, but he is rated on the whole amount of his rent, or double the jaraouut of his income. The new education rate in the case of the farmer, therelore, is equivalent to a new income-tax of niaetjence in the pound for doing the same tiling that is clone iu London, or auy other large town, at somftliiug less than one penny in the pound. This illustration, I think, sliows the great difference in the incidence of local taxation as between town aud country. " Bat," says the Times, " the awkward fact in this matter is that a great part of the fourpenny-halfpenny rate now to be levied on the metropolis will be wrung from small householders, who are just able to keep their heads above water, who liave a pride iu ludepei.dence, who educate their own children at their own cost, or at least, notwithstanding the aid of eudowineuts " — which by-tiie-bye, the farmer raiely ever has atiy advantage from — " is at a lar heavier cost tiian the fees exacted in Board Schools, and wli ) grudge very btterly a heavy increa e m their rates for the e. ucation of the class immediatfly below them." Well, I tliink, most people will be disposed to agree witli these sensible remarks of The Times. But we hive "tiie awkward lact in this matter" immensely intensified in the rural districts, for the recently issued A;y." Well, the occupiers of the land are assumed to get an income of half the amount ol their reut ; this, then, reprpseiit< the measure of their "ability to pay" — the occupier half as much as the owner, or the latter two-thirds and the former one-tliird. Now, this does iiot compare very widely with the system that prevails so success''ully in Scotland, for there, not only does the owner, as Major Dushwood pointed out, pay all the county rates, but half of the poor-rate and highway-rate, and the ■whole of tlie education rate. By such a systnu as this the means of the occupiers are raercilully spared the undue pressure which we feel, and their capital is thus left for em- ployment in fructifying the soil, where it yields an increased produce for the country, as well as an increased return in the Bliape of rent to tlie owners. It may not, however, be wise to turn an old-established system lik-j that which prevails in England, although it is not a good one, upside down all at once, but it appears to me that a very favourable opportunity presents itself for adopting the best system with regard to the forthcoming Road Bill. No improvements can be made iu our roads, no hill lowered, no bridge strengthened or rebuilt to enable our agricultural locomotives to pass over them with safety, without the cost falling exclusively on the occupier, and as they have only a temporary interest in the property they hold, they very naturally decline to have lh?se improve- ments made at their sole cost, however necessary they may be. I have seen numerous instances of ihis. 1 believe the county to be the best area for road management, carried out on the contract system as in Ireland, but not with all the peculiarities of the Irish system. I should therefore establish a county board composed of owners and occupiers, in proportion to the amount that each class contributes to the rates; and, if they contribute according to their abili'y to ■pay, the board will be composed of two-thirds owners and oue- ■third occupiers. I would give the management ot the county finances to such aboard as this, as well as the iiianagfment of tiis roads, and these rates, the couaty and road rales to begin w'tb, I should levy strictly according to the long-acTcuowledgad principle of Adam Smith, that everyone should contribute acconling to liis ability to pay, and that is, as I Irive said, occupiers to c ntribute one-third and owners two-thirds ; under such a systsm there would be no d fSoulty in effecting necessary improvpnients without the cost fai'iiig unduly on any one class, and especially as it does at present on that class which is least; able to bear it. It has always been considered by our most eminent writers on political economy to be one of the duties oiaStite to make and maintain public roads for the benefit of the nation; and the most equitable mode of raising' funds for this purpose was by payment of toll hy all persons in pro- portion to the wear aud tear which they occasion to those roads. Certainly it has never been held by authority that the duty of iiiHintaining public roads could be justly borue by any one class of property in particular, and assuredly not by the small class wlic happen to be the temporary occupiers of land. Tlie ihrovi'irigof the burden of the mainteuauce of public roads, which have hitherto been kept up by the public by the payment of tolls, on the occupiers of land has always ap- peared to me to be most unjust, and I think we have a great claim on the Sta'e for assist-ince in the maintenance of the roads and ; if the roads were kept in repair by persons who publicly contracted to do so under proper sale- guards, I believe the public would have confidence that any craiit iu aid from the St;ate for this purpose would not be was'ed. I Would embrace all roads in the new measure that led from ons place to auotiier; footpaths and byero^ids could be eas'ly kept in rep lir by the pariah by funds raised under the sanitary rate. If we can get such an eciuitable system established with re- gard to highway and connty administration and expenditure, we shall have gained a ff eat step, I believe, towards asolutioa of this imporlant question. I have, I fear, detaiupd you al- ready at too great a length, for which I must apologise, but I can hardly conclude a paper on Local Taxation without alluding to the question of the valuation for the a-- sessment on which all local rates are to be levied. The bill now before Parliament dealing with the questiorx has been assailed, on the ground "that it was nothing less than another attempt by the central power to annihi- late local authority tliroughout the kingdom." Well, I am sorry to differ with Mr. Head, who holds this opinion ; but the only hioal authority which the bill proposes to annihilate is the anih(.rity which the Quarter Sessions now exercises of making a useless and olteu costly valuation for the purposes of thf county rate. Surely there ought to be one valuatioa which should he adopted for all purposes, aud this is what the Government bi!l proposes to do. Previous to the passing of the Assessment Committee Act (186'3), competent surveyors were generally employed to make a survey and valuation for parochial purposes when necessary, and the result generally was an equal vahrition, so far as the parish was concerned, but when the Union Chargeability Act was passed, it became necessary to secure, if possible, an equality of valu- ation throughout the Union. But now it becomes neces- sary to obtiiu equality ot valuation throughout a couuty, especiilly as the county charges have increased so much, and, as I hope to see, the maintenance of the roads becoiiie a county charge. What then is the most satisfactory method of obtainiug an equality of valuation throughout; a county ? I admit that equality of vfiluation is best secured by a competent surveyor, making an estimate of value of each hereditament, but it must be admitted that this would be a most tedious and costly proceeding if it were adopted through- out the cc uuty, and then you could not be sure that eaclv Mirveyor wou d value according to a uniform basis, or hold identical views as to the value of dilTerent properties. We know v-ry well indeed that widely different views are held hy thera ou tliis matter. I have come to the conclusion, there- fore, that although a competent surveyor can make a parish valuatiim very fairly, he could not do so for a county, much less for the whole kingdom ; and this valuation is to be adopted for imperial purposes throughout England and Wales. The only reliable basis of value, therefore, th-it will secure the object to be obtained is that which is fixed by competition for the different lioldings, and that is rent. That is what the bill proposes to adopt, and it is what is generally adopted in the county of Wilt.i, and indeed generally in the West of England. I am a member of an assessment committee where it iss'.rictly adopted, aud it is satisfactory to the ratepayers. The Govern- ment bill will make no alteratioa whatever in our uuiua THE FARMER'S MAGAZlIN^. n^ Then if is objpcfeJ [tint the surveyor of taxes is totiave* h voice ill tlie inaiter; Wfll the valuation is lor iinperi'J taxes as well Ks locil rates, and at present the surveyor of ttx'^s li .s ex- clusively to do with the valuation tor imperial (axes ainl the representatives of the ratepayer* have nothing to do witli it. Row, it IS proposed thit they shall be united tor the purpo e of making the valuation for both purposes, and I cont'ess I can see no valid objfctiou to it. But it is said tlte bill invests the surveyor wiih arbitrary power, and I coul'ess that this is to so.i:e exteiit true, but this may be easily nioiiifted in com- mittee, and I believB it will be so modified ; but this is not, a reason for denouncing the bill in tufo. With reiraid to tlie nppeals providrd by the measure, I confess I slioiild prs fer to see a ready appeal provided (aller a second appeal is lipard by the romraitlep) to the coim'y couit. Many owners ot property are also occupiers, and tiiere is no fixed rent in these cases by competition in these cases and I tliiiik it is only fair that a ready appeal should be. pr.rviilcd by the bill to a perfectly disinterested and impartial authority, and, I believe, that will bj the best secured by an appeal to tne county court. It must be borne in mind that it is of the utmost importance to pass a ValuaMon Bill, because, as it lias been pointed out many times, it must precede the refurm of onr locil taxation system wliich we so much want. I hold, tlien, that it is highly desirable that every effort sliould be maJc to make this a satisfactory measure, which I feel sure may be done, aud get it out of the way for other more important re- forms to come. Gentlemen, I have done, bat 1 will say iu conclusion, that I believe the present time is one of greater depression ia fanning pursuits than has ever been known sin'-e the effect of the abolition of the Corn-laws passed a*av ; I lie best labour is leaving it as I have p'jinted out, because it can- uot be profitaldy e.nployed, and 1 comnieud this fact to the seripus consideration of owners. '• It the rod be bent t lo much one way," says the proverb," iu order to make it s'.raight you must b--nd it as much the other;" and I sometimes tliink tbat we shall have, sooner or la*er, to bend the rod bui'k again almost to protection, perhaps, ill order to maketbivgs straight. '• The establishment of perfect justice, of perfect liberty, and of perfect equality, is the very simple secret," we are told, " vvhicii most efTectual'y secures the highest degree of pros- per ty to all classes." It is not, therefore, the interest of any class to cast undue burdens on another. I believe itut undue burdens liave heen thrown very largely on the occupiers of land, and I have come to the ,aine conclu^ion as tlie telect Com- mittee of the House of Coiunioiis came lo oa this rjueslion — VIZ., "That it is expedient to make owners as well as occupiers directly liable for a certain pro|i0riion of the rates," and I tlii .k this proportion should be tstahlished strictly according to the old maxim of Adam Smith, " That each should contri- bute in proportion to his ability to pay." Wlien this is done yon will slso establish what is infinitely more to be desired than anyshing else — a real identity of feeling between laud- lord and tenant. Mr. Joux Walker (of Mattersea) said he was a 8* ranger iiere, but he was not a stranger to the question of local taxation, for 20 years ago he was nicknamed " Local Taxation Walker" (laughter). He had listened vi ith at ca- tion to the paper, but it did not embrace the question at all ; it went to the question of owner and occufier, and foruot ttie large area of floating capital which re) resea ^d 9-lOhs of tlie wealth of England, and which ought to Lear its hurJen. lie contended that everyone ought to pay in luo tiegree, and tint nothing short of a fairly -adjusttd income-tax wuuld Co this, so as to cover the wlio'e local taxation. If fairly adjusted, an income-tax ot ■2d. iu the pound would cover the wnole local taxation of England altogether. He believed that the owner ought to pay on his rental, and I he tenant on his income, and that all should pay in their degree, and accdrding to tlieir ability. He should like to know why the merchants shipowners were to be allowed to miss the area of local taxation, and why a man who had thousands of capital in- vested iu mortgages secured on land should escape the obliga- tion of paying local rates [■ Ail the humbug they heard in Parliameut on this question was not wurth considering. Ue did not care for parly, though be had al.vays voir d with tlie Conservatives (laughter). All he wanted was that the question should be dealt with fairly and well. Mr. Disraeli knew ibis well enough, and the right lion, gentleman had played a cowariUy part to shirk the question now. Thirty years agn he (Mr. Walker) proposed tiiat if they had free trade, it should be carried out fairly, by knocking off the Malt-tax, and pu'tin? all indirect taxes on the manufactured articles, so as to leave production free, and putting on a fair income-tax for everything, whether imperitl or lucal, which would come fairly up to the mark, according to cviry mail's (ibility. This coula be done easily enough, and the reason why it had not been done was that the Liberal party consisted of floaliug capitalists chielly, and the Conservative party did not like to do it, because it might do away with some of the feudal holdings wlbcli, in some degree still sur- vived, and misbt further lead to a redistribution of seats (laughter). Now local ta.\es belong to all income alike, a^id if the poor received, when sick or needy, from a self helping fund to which they themselves contribu'ed in their biiiinter bours, the name of pauper would di.appear — the employing power being Ireed from the unequal pressure of Ihe unem- ployed would pay the employed well, and no ou^^ could point out injustice in tl;e matter. The owner would pay on tlie rental, the tenant on his income and interest, the mort;. Seven years ago, this very month, he read a paper on this snbj ct before this Club, and he was glad Mr. rrask approved o'' it. He could, perhaps, not do belter iban read some extracts from that paper, for he thought farmers waiited to know more on this subject, aud the tins Mr. Trask had taken was a very valuable one. He said : Since my paper on Local Bating appearesT seven years ago, the late Government brought forward a bill embodying the haif-raliiig there a.lvocaled. And alth lUtrh the change is only in the aclmini.stration, and the f^.ct that any charge paid by the tenant is a diminution of rent to the landloni, still many see the change in the light ol the introducoionof a new- burden on the land. 1 am glad to .see the haif-ating (in Knglaud, a new principle) g;iining ground, for amcasurethJit shall bring rating more direcily to the consideration of tho landlords will make them see how much they are iutere-ted in theexoenditure.and will bring them into active co-opeiatioa wivh their tenants, and iu this way the iuterest of bothvrdl be jointly worked to the advantage of the country. The tenant at the present time is made ttie agent of the landlord in administering the rates, but as the tenant's interest la temporary, whil-'t that of thelandlord is permanent, questions will coati'mially a.-iss where tlie conflicting interests wi 1 tell to the prpjudice of the owner and of the public. I think th placard p aced beiore vou may be found useful in showing the differeLt systems of Local Rati og in the three divisamsof our country, of which difference so few people seem aware. Wi-hout this system of half- rating may I ask. How is it possible to enlist i he co-operation or owners and of occupiers of property, boih lai-ge and small? "We will take 2s. (id. in the pound as being the amount of all the ra'es in the three countries, aud we will assume each rate to be in the same proportion — say poor-rate Is. 3d , highway rate 9d., county rate ed.— total 28. Gd. And the result is, that in Eii'^land the owner (directly) pays nil. The occupie-' jjays^ the whole— namely, 23. 6d. In Ireland the owner pays halt the poor-rate, "id.; the occupier halt the poor-rato, /.'d , and all the county and highway rates. Is. 3d. — makiug a t' ■tal of Is. lO^d. In Scotland the owner pays half the poor-rate, 74d. ; half the highway rate, iid. ; all the county rate, rtd.— making a total of Is. 'od. The occupier, half the poor-rate, 7.1d. ; half the highway rate, iid.— making a total of Is. Mark the important diflerence : CWJfEE rAT3 OCCUPIER PATS In England ... Nil , . 2s. (id. In Scotland ... Is. 6d. . . Is. Od. In Ireland . . . Os. 7^d. . . Is lOid. We cannot now be astonished that we hear little, if any, grumbling as to the rates in Scotland— somewhat more m Ireland— and so much in England. No wonder that iii England owners have not had brought home to tlicm the Bscessity of taking their proper share in the adnaini.-roperty, with their lasting interests, and on whom these charges really fall, in tiie average of years, are bv the present legislation made to leave then- interests and duties to their tenants, and they are thus practically shut out from the management of the poor and highway rates (which in my union and district,in Oxfordshire, are as fom--fifths to the one-fifth of the county rate, which is managed by the ina-;istrates as owners). When one di,- covers that the attending at Quarter Sessions as regards the rates is to look after only the one-fifth (which one-flfth is much controlled by the State), does not the imoortance attached to the formation of financial boards for the county rate alone appear to be rather enaggerated? The owners are often magistrates, and as Buoh can attend the Board of Guardians and of Highways in trie distru-t in wh.ch ihey reside, and one-third of the members of asspssment conn.ittees may be composed of magistrates ex-qffirio ; but as these owners do not pay directly any of the e rharges oti their property (except for land in hand or for cottages), the importance of such matters is not brought to their notice; neither do they, when they attend at their respective boards (which is, comparatively speaking, Beldomor, at aU events, not for a continued period), carry that weight which their ly.sting interests reprejent, in fact, they are looked on as interlopers, which the law has practically made them , and thus, through the non-payment of the rates, both the highe.-t and lowest c. asses are excluded from taking interest in and sharing in this work. The occupiers, on whom, as ratepayers, the business really devolves, as a rule, do their best, for which they often get abuse instead of co- operation. Having only temporary interests their manage- ment is necessarily parsimonious rather than economical, and they naturally oppose any change that may increase the annual charge, as they know all present expenditure for a future benefit will fall directly on themselves; as, for in- stance, in such cases as the Union Rating and Highway District Bills (we well know the opposition these bills met with), and n-hich is now working against the Education Bill. I know a landowner who on making fresh agreements with hi3 tenants has agi-cod to pay half of the Education Rate. Through the education arising partly from the half rating, the Irish landowner will invariably be found more ccgiiisant of his duties in this Une than the English landowner — at least, this is the exi.eiimce of myself and others. Does not blame rest with the system that causes such ignorance? It. speaks for itself, that it must be the system that is at fault, as we all know that many of our owners of property would be rjady to join in such work if they felt called on to do so. The owners have most leisure — the attending the numerous Boards and Committees, which is becoming a heavy tax on the occupiers' time, and some expense. Landlords who at present take no interest m the chargei paid by their tenants would probably be startled to find their property is taxed as follows : If at 3s. fid. in the £ the yearly charge ira £100 rateable value is £i2 10-., and on £l,oiiO the sum of £12.5, the half rate would be £62 10s. The average of all rates in England and Wales is 3s. 4d. in the £, and 4d. paid by the State. At this 3s. 4d. in the £ the yearly charg-e on £10brateab'e va'ue would be £1H 13s. 4d., ditto on £i,000 £166 13s. -id, the half-rate would be £8t6s. 8d."— The (.'ha-j- man of l>i6J (Mr. Newton) agree i with Captain Dashwood that it would be extremely arivantaffeous to get as many persons as possible rated perscnally. That would tend to the closest supervision, for when parties had to pay rates, they acted very properly, as a check to unjust claims on the part of otlitrs. He th'iuglit the principle of rating landlords was a. sound one. Some speakers seemed to consider it impractic- able to get landlords to pay. A'l he could say in leterence to that C|uestion was that, at the time when the cattle plague was devastating their herds, landlords who had to contribute their share of the burden arising from the loss exercised a very active supervision, watching the expenses, and helping to keep them down as far as possible ; and ho could not but think th.at the paynent by them of piart of the permanent local rates would produce a similar effect. — In conclusion. 1 beg to say I do not think much of the small contribution towards the cost of police and lunatics given in Session 1874. It is a slight boon to us temporary occupiers. It is a real addition to the value of poperty. Before making any altera- tions in Local Taxation it appears to me the old English Act of Local Self Government requires re-establishing somewhat as proposed by Mr. Goschen's Bill of l^?!. If there was a Parochial Board in every parish it would teach all classes their local responsibility, and by accustoming representatives of all classes to work together for public but non-political objects, it would strike at the root of those class prejudices mainlj' springing from mutual ignorance. In these days of Trades Unions the necessities of such leach- ing is forced upon us. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P. (Norfolk) : M;y happy inderil to lend my aid to them ; but I don't tliink in tliut way we should fcniu any very substantial assis- tance. Now Major Dashwood iiss said that the Cliainbers of AgriciiUnre have been altogether wronif in wliat tliey have advocated. We]], they have not advocated what' Major Dash- wood proposed seven years ago — namely, this division of rates, and lie therefore tells us we are all wron?. May 1 ask, when he informs us there has beeu a great growth of public opinion ill his favour, where Can he point to it (Hear, heur, Hnd laUfihter) ? One would fancy he would look to Parliament. Has rarliament done anvthing of the sort? Parliament passed what I believe to be a most unrighteous measure, inflicting the wh(de burden of the Education rate on the occupier. That surely would have been a very good opporlnnily lor betiniiing this system, but Parliament turned a deaf ear to it, and inflirted the wlio'e of th'it rate not only for the euucaliui of the community, but for providing land and schools, absolutely upon the tenant (Hear, hear). 1 am at a loss to know — but perhaps Major Uashwood or Mr. Trask can tell us — of some Act tliat has beeu passed lately that in any »ay carries out their favourite panacea. [Mr. Tra.sk : The Sani- tary rates.] Well, the Sanitary rates in the country don't seem to be divided ; I riou't pretend to know what hanpeus in towns, but 1 do know this, that the sanitary rates in ihe coun- try fall excliisively and entirely upon tiie ten nt. [A. Voice: Altogether.] Then Major Dashwood says we shall never get any reform in local taxaiion until we recur to the old Consti- taiional principle, but I e did not say what that Constitutional prmciple was. Well, I always thought it was that rejiresenta- tion and tnxa ion should go together ; hut he immediately a'ter Slid, " What would be the use of County Fiiiancial Boards?" Why County Financial Boards would very muchcatry out the o'd Constitutional principle of representation and taxation. I think Major Dashwood and Mr. Trask have both pointed out Wiat very little of the actual payment of the county rate de- pends upon the will of the magistrates, but depends more entirely upon statute, I believe eighty per cent, of the cuunty rate is obligatory upon the magistrates. They cannot help ex- pending if. On the other hand that has nothing at all to do with County Einancial Boards. I don't suppose we shall gain in economy cne halfpenny in the pound all over England. I believe, and I have stated it previou-ly in this room, and el-e- where, that the county rates are as economically managed by ilie maai.sf rates as they would be by r.ny financial board in the world ; but there are so many tilings cropping up which belong to the county rather than to the village, or to ihe union, that roust eng ige the attention ot Parliara nt, with which I be- lieve (I say it with all deference) the Quarter Sessions has not the capacity to deal, because they are uot a represeutative body. Therefore I say, " Get a good board: there are lots ol things eropping up which will be sure to engage its attention, most legitimately I believe, for the benefit of all concerned." 1 think Mr. Trask said the Education rate in Scotl nd was paid by the landlords. [Mr. Trask : Yes.] I think Mr. Trask has uot seen the bill that a Conservative Government passed a jear or two ago. [iMr. Tuask: I quoted from Major Dash- wood ] Yes, but tiiat is seven years old. You will find in Hansard that the rate lor the better education of the Scotch people ('A bom we thought were particularly well educated before) has now to be paid by the occupier as well ss by the owner ; and therefore that seeiua to be ratlier a retro- grade step. Kow we really come to another matter which is more important still, because it direc'ly atfects us at the present moment, and that is the Valuation Bill ; a'.d that has been spoken of i:i terms of great ani decided appro- bation by Mr. Tras-k. That is the first time I have ever heard any body say anvthing in its favour in an agricultural nieeting, and I hope Mr. Trask will find some backers in this room, h1- though on the whole I believe he will be in a very treat minority. [Mr. Thask : Well, we act on it ] No, Mr. Trask does not act upon it, and nooue acts upon it. Mr. Trask sjrys in his union they take rents ; but the Valuation Bill is not going to take rents. If the Valuation Bill prescribed that the rent should be the ass^essment, I should not »ind the bill and the surveyor of taxes, but the bill says this — that in no case shall the sssessmmt be less than the rerit (Hear, hear), and it may be as much higher as the surveyor of taxes can make it ; and what is that ? Siaiply this — a perpetnal screw-j^ck to ex- tort from tlie owners and occupiers of real property a greater amount of rates and taxes. If that is not what the bll nit-an", tell me what it does mean ! Why, if Mr. Trask would go to Scotland— and he seems to be ei5amoured of that system, and 80 does Major Daahwood — I say as Ur aa regerds the princi- ple of assessment I am quite with them. 'Ili?y take the.e actual rents— not only rent paid by a yearly tenant, but rent paid by a man under a 31 j ears' lease, A farm r may enter on a tarm in a had state of cultivation, and may pay £1 atr acre a-year for it, and may increase the value by tbeespeiidituro of hia own capital, from ^Os. to Sos. or 30s. an acre. But what is tllere^ult: that during the whole term of that L-ase hs does not pay upon an assessment of more than the actu.il rent. But what is the case wiih this Valuation Bill? Why we are to have a supplementary assessment every year. K I drain a piece of land and afterwards steam dig it and really knprove the staple of the soil, I am at the mercy of the ovei- seer and the surveyor ol taxes, and a kind neiifhbour perhaps, to bring my case up before the assessment committee, or i etty sessionh, or llie Quarter Sessions, which ever they may thiut- fit. I don't want to troulile this meeting with any lensjlheuHi details, but I say this— th:at if you take Ireland, and if yoa- take Scotland, as Major Dashwood has said, they are botli in advance of England in this respect. Wnat have you iu Ireland? You have an assessment made on one uni'onn basis by a Government olticial. Sir Richard GrilBths, some years- • ago, through the aid of able assistants, valued every hereditr. ' ment in the whole of Ireland. Now what do you get there? Why>ou get uniformity; and that is what 1 should like to- liave in England. 1 should jlike to have a good imperial valuation of the whole country, but who will pay for it ? Not the Giivernraent. I- the Government would do it honestly aud well, I would guarantee the ratepayers should pay half of it, but Government won't have that, and they won't have rent, though thty take it in Scotland and a valuation in Ireland ; but they are going to give us the benefit of both, aud when the rent is not enough they will take the valuation, aud when the vahia- tirn is not enough they will taketlie rent. That is really aud truly the bill. [Mr. Trask : " No, no."] If Mr. Trask or. any one else can prove the contrary I shall be very mucli indebted to him. Why, it is very good indeed to say we should have one basis of y^alnation for both imperial and locnl taxation. T agree— that is, if the basis is a right one ; but if I understand the basis of valuation for local taxation, it has generally been a basis of uniformity. First of all it used to be between property in the parish, then between parishes in the union, and now we are going to try and get uniformity of valuaiion in all the different unions within the country. Very right and very proper; but I don't like the means that are em- - ployed, because the means are these — putting everybody up to a higher level. Now with regard to the other point — the uuilorniity of imperial taxation.'^I have alwajs understoo 1 that to be this— to extract the uttermost farthing from everybody who are fools enough to pay taxes (laughter). I am uot aware that the surveyors of taxes have ever gone upon any other line. It is the privilege of an Englishman to suppose that lie is honest, aud that he is presumed to be honest till he is proved to be a ro.jue ; hut I believe the principle of taxation is that everybody is presumed to be a rogue until he has proved himself to be an honest man (laughter) ; and really if that is the principle that is to be brought into our asse sineut commr tees, I dou'i see why the surveyor of tixes should be a different man iu tne assessment corainiltee to what he is out of it ; and I say that the introducion of him with the powfj that is given him is nothing less than a subversion of local self-government altogether. Now Mr. Tra«k says: " Who ig • subverted?" I will tell him who ate subverted, and that is the assessment committees throughout the country. Iwih- just say how they will be subverted. A little ignorant rural overseer is pitted against a sharp intelligent surveyor of taxes, - They come togethei in the most amicable w:iy, but it is £100 to Is. iu favour ot the surveyor. But supposing the overseer ia endowed with that obstinacy which is characteristic of soma rural people, and does- not submit to the judgment of the surveyor, the overseer is to make out a valuation of every hereditament of the parish, and forward it to the surveyor for his comments. The surveyor has in this valuation list a. column put for his special figures, and whatever he puts down in thit oluran— now this is the point 1 so strongly obj-ct to, and I think Mr. Trask objects that— it is considered to be right until the contrary is proved (laughter). Now, surely that is upsetting the authority of the Assessment Co.nmitle*- altoge.ther. [Mr. Trask : Alter it in committee.] No; I- want to bhow vou the ««/>•«* which vu.derlies the whole bill..- )i3 The J'ARMER'S MAGAZlIJ^E. You may aKer it in cornmitfee if you will, bat you see what Ihe central government would do to local iuterests if it had its own way ; see how it would tread us under foot and hand us over to some great local government office. Why, i know what it is very well (Hear, hear, and laughter). I have been there myself; and therefore I know this — that however good, and great, and generous may be the ruling powers in any public office, still the wliole tendency of modern legislation and modern government is to bring up everything here to London, and to have everything drawn by wires from the central authority (Hear, hear). Well, now, having said all this, I just pass toonepleasingsubject whichi am sureyou wiil be glad to hear; and that is, t!iat our esteemed friend, Mr, Trask, who has introduced this paper with so much ability, is to be an officer under the Local Government Beard in' the country (Hear, hear). I say ttiat appointment lias given me more satisfaction than this paper (laugiiter). I think it is a very capital appointment. I am sure that in the country districts generally it would be very popular. You take a man here wlio is thoroughly conTersaut and been iutimately connected for many years with the adiiiinistration of the Poor-law and local government, instead of goin? to some man learned in th_? law, for the purpose of auditing our accounts ; and 50U bring a msn before the local authorities who really has gympatliy with them; and who knows very well the evils which attend tlie present admiuistralion of the Poor-law. 1 hope ths appoititinent of Mr. Trask is eminently satisfactory to himself. I am quite sure it is a very excellent appointment on the part of my right hon. friend the President of the Local Giverument Board, and I believe that it vi ill be a very great alvaniase not only to the Local Government Board, but to the local authorities throughout the district in which Mr. Trask is to work (applause). Mr. W. Stratto::^ (Wilts) said that he was not an authority on this question, but his sympathies went with Mr. Walker. It seemed to him what they wanted was to bring other pro- perty into the area of local texation, and that the question of the division of rates between landlord and occupier was only a vrry small part of the question, and was only that certainly which would be merged in the greater one raised by Mr. Walker. He quite agreed with Mr. Walker that there should he no difficulty in taxing all property towards local rates. It was not for farmers to point out the details of such a scheme, but be thought that men who were conversant with the matter could draft a scheme on the lines laid down oy Mr. Walker which 'souU be eminently satisfactory. He could not agree with Major D.'.shwood, that the Loual Taxation Comraiitee liad gone wron?, for he believed they had worked on tlie right lines. He had no desire to see a division of rates between the owner and occupier, for he was sure that the result would he that pointed out liy Mr. Read, that the occupiers would get in a worse hole than they are now. Mr. P. Piiipps, M.P. (Northampton), was sorry he had not heard the paper read. lu the present state of affairs, when the prospects of farmers, especially on cold land, was not a very flourishing one, the question of local ta>ation was of very great importance to them. He was under the impression, though it might be a false one, that tlie Government, whatever its politics, for many years had tried to make the In.perial Budget as small as they could, at the ex- pense of the Local Budgft. Tliere were many matters which any man of common sense could see were thrown, for the sake of conveuieiicc, upon local occupiers, with the view to lessen imperial taxation (Hear, hear). That, he held, to be altoge- ther wron?. There ought always to be in the minds of those who had the destinies ol this country in their hands, a distinct opinion as to what were local and what imperial taxes. He had seen it stated soraewliere that farmers appeared always to have small-pox more than other classes, for they had to pay ail the vaccination rate (laughter). Then, again, it was stated that the farmers appeared to be looked on as unedu- cated, and as a consequence of being uneducated, the imperial Legislature cast upon them the pleasure of paying for tlie education of the people (Hear, hear, and laughter). Many years ago he stated at a public meeting that it was the duty of the farmers to put their foot down, and say that, whatever might be the consequences, or how good tlie proposal, they were determined that nothing should be carried that would put another feather ou the back of the camel, which had almost too much now to carry— he meant the tenant-farmer ( hear, hear). Althoagh he had heard it said tiiat evening that the Local Taxation Committee, in connection with the Chamtef o*" Agriculture, had not done much good; he did not believe there was a single institution in this country that had done more for the tenant-farmers, directly and indirectly, than the Local Taxation Committee had done. It had, to his owii knowledge, been the means of preventing many measures being passed, that if passed would hate increased the local rates; and it had, by its effect on public opinion and on the opinion of the House ot Commons, caused the Government to do what they could towards lessening the burden of local taxation, by making considerable subventions in their fayour. Pie differed from the expressed opinions of some agricultural bodies, when they considered that the pre- sent Government had not done wliat they could. He consi- dered the subventions the present Government had made entitled them to the gratitude, or at least to the recogni- tion of the tenant-farmers. They must recollect the whole world were not fanners, and tliat the Government had to take into consideration, not the welfare of a particular section of the people, but " the greatest happiness of the greatest number." Local taxation, no doubt, wanted relorming, and he wonhl reform every wrong; at the same time he would maintain every old institution of the country that vyas fit for the ohject it had in view. There was no man he respected more than Mr. Read, but they agreed to differ, and he could not see the Valuation Billjn the same light as Mr. Read. He believed if there was a curse in this country more than another, it was the modern form of Assessment Comraiitee. He might be wrong, but lie knew tliat when he had inquired into tho riting of the Assessment Committee, he found, at all events, that they were not rated higher than their neighbours (laughter). He believed Mr. Re-id was quite right in regari to county financial boards (Hear, heir). He believed that as a principle, representation and taxation ought to go together, Mr. Read would concede that a greater pnit of the revenu-a dispersed by the magistrates were, at the present moment, dispensed under statute, and there'oe could not be differently dealt with under a county board ; at the same time it is tiio great pi iuciple of tliis country, and it will be a grest safeguard to this country to get as many men as possible, of all classes of society, to take an interest in the poliacal welfare ot tlii^ country (lleir, hear). He believed it was their duty to do all they could to prevent centralisation rather than increase it (Hear, hear)— and to do all they could to promote local repre- sentation. He hoped the Valuation Bill would be the means of affording iometliing like uniformity in laxa'ion, and that the Poor-law Amendment Bill which had been iiitroluced would tend to produce uniformity of county area ; and he trusted the ultima'e result would be county financisl boards in which all ni'glt have confidence ; and though they might spend more money than at present, it would only be spent in accordance with the feelings of the ratepayers. The Chairman said if no further remarks were made Mr. Trask would reply. He was sure they all agreed that Mr. Trask's recent appointment was a very SHtisTactory one, and he wished to congratulate liim upon it. Mr. Trask was a very old member of the Club, and tliough tliey might not see hi'n so frequently at the meetings, yet he hoped they would see liim often for mwny years to come (Hear, heir). Mr. Trask, in reply, thanked Mr. Read and the Chairman for their congratulations. He had Iiot entered on his new duties yet, and therefore he w-as not breaking offieial rules by discussing a subject connected with the Department he was about to join (Hear, hear). In regard to the question of rating per.sonal property, he thought that queition was dead and buried (Cries of " No, no"). It was considered ten or eleven years ago, and the difficulties of rating were pointed out. It was discussed recently in the Chamber of Agriculture tor South Wilts, and the Marquis of Bath, who supported Mr. Andrews at the outset of the movement, said tliat he was ■ obliged reluctantly to give it up, because it was impractical, and equivaleiit to adopting another income-tax for the relief of local burdens, and no government at the present time would ever propose a second income-tax for that purpose. Pope said — For forma of government let fools contest ; Whate'er is best administered is best. He should like to know, if the whole income of the country was to be rated at 2d. in the pound to provide for thesfl local burdens, ^vho would have the spending of the money? THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Sid It would be utterly fatal to local authority, and he be- lieved it would be utterly impractirable. riiererore he did not refer to it in his paper. Mr. Phipps had referred to the disposition of Parliament to relieve Imperial taxation, and to push it off ou local burdens, llis opinion was tliat if the Lords and Commons, who were chieHy landowners, paid their fair proportion witli the occupiers, they would take care of these things ; bat becriuse the occupiers only paid they were indifferent. He did not know that he dillered irorri Mr. Read on any point but tliis Valuation Bill, lie was a icemlier of an assessment commiUee where they adopted rent. Mr. Read said tire terms of the bill were " not less than the rent." No- body wanted it to he more. fMr. Read: The surveyor of taxes would.] He would ask, did any one know a surveyor of taxes put the vairre above the rent ? (Cries of " Yes, yes"). He never did. [Mr. VValkek. : Write to the surveyor of Gainsborough, and ask wliether it has been done.] It was tlie fault of the occupier if lie paid more than his rent (Cries of " No, no"). Then it was under very special circum- stances. He would s:iy, as he said just now, that to Borne extent it was perf ctly true this bill was an arbitrary measure. According as the hill was drawn now, the tii?ures which the surveyor of taxes laid down must be conclusive evi- dence; but that would no doubt be modified, and he thought Mr. Read drew upon his imagination lor his reasons wheu he cnndemned the hill in ioio. Mr. Read : I don't coudema the bill in, toio, but I condemn two points of it, and those are the arbitrary power of the sur- veyor of taxes and the miniiium rent. Mr. Trask said he was sure this, or some valuation bill, must be passed before there would be any further progress with regard to local taxation. It was in the interest of the rate- payers that this valuation bill sliould be passed. [A voice : Not in its present form] Well, it might be modified in committee, and there was every disposition, he was sure, in the House to pay respect to any suggestion by Mr. Read. He objec'eu to the bill in regard to an appeal to Quarter Sessions (Hear, Irear). He did this because owners were to a large extent occupiers themsr-lves, and there was no competition (ixirig their rents. There was an appeal to Special and Quarter Sessions, hut that was the owners themselves, and he thought there ought to be a ready appeal to an independent court, such as the County Court. Mr. Dkuce pointed out that if appeals were made to County Courts sorrre provision must be .nade for remunerating the judges, who were already overworked. Mr. Tb ASK said he thought there v;onld be very few appeals ; indeed, the ctTect of a ready appeal to a Coun'y Court woiild operate with the assessment committee, and render them more ready to do justice to all parties before any appeal became neoessary. Ou the proposition of Mr. Little a vote of thanks was ac- corded to IMr. Traik for his parser, and a vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the proceedings. AGRICULTURE IN VICTORIA. The Third Annual Beport of the Secretary of the Department of Lauds and Agriculture for Victoria is full of interest, as showing; the great progress made iu the Colony, and the growing iuterest iu improved methods of farming. The report is for the year eudiog March 31st, 1875, and comes, therefore, somewhat late to hand, but it is not on that account less interesting. The Secretary commences his remarks by coagratulatirig the Minister of Lands and Agriculture, to whom they are addressed, upon the satisfactory results of the season 1874-5, which he says was marked by a general immunity from disease among the crops, the cereals being free from rust, and the vines from o'idium and black spot. The yield of grain was uj) to the average of recent seasons, whilst that of the viueyards far excelled any former vintage in point of quality, and in most eases was beyond an average as to quantity. The agriculture of the colony is also said to be undergoing a rapid change, "the spendthrift system of continuous grain-growing fast giving place to a rational course of husbandry, into which the keeping of sheep enters largely." The Secretary next calls attention to the need of improved labour-saving machines iu the colony— a need which the farmers of Victoria feel at least as strongly as those of the Amerioan Continent. With a view to meeting this want, he recommends the appointment of a specially-qualified person to inspect and report upon the agricultural machinery department of the Philadelphia Exhibition. lie then refers to a previous report, iu which attention had been called to the subject of agricultural education, and remarks with natural satisfaction that, since the time of that report, steps have been taken to secure sites for agricultural colleges. Many of the characteristics of British farmers at home appear to cling to them when they emigi-ate, and to be transmitted to their descendants at the antipodes. For instance, the Secretai-y remarks : " Although farmers, as a class, are numerically more powerful than any other section of the community, yet how few among their number take an interest in public matters that affect their position collectively !" " This," he continues, " is not as matters should be. Farmers should not be dependent upou peraoiis to represent them iu public who cannot fully know or appreciate the raquiremeuts of the ugrienl- tural iuterest ; they should 1 e so educated and trained as to qualify them to perform such work for themselves." This little homily is as suggestive to us on this side of the world as it is to the agriculturists of Australia. Only here we require a training in independent thought and feeling rather than in qualifications for taking part iu public life. It is not so much capable representatives of the agricultural interest who are lacking here, as intelli- gence and courage on the part of the county electors. The organisation of farmers' clubs is also recommended for the colony, not only for the purpose of spreading agricultural knowledge, but also with a view to educating the farmers iu the art of public speaking and in the cul- tivation of their minds. There are already three flourish- ing clubs in Victoria, and some of the papers read during the past year are given iu the volume which is before us. Oae paper is upon " Shorthorns," another oa " Farm Homesteads," a third on " The Growth and Con- sumption of Mangel Wurtzel," and a fourth has the sug- gestive title, " A Farmer : What should he be ? " In order to afford a clear idea of the gradual develop- ment and present proportions of the farming iuterest in the colony, the Secretary pr-oceeds to give a n. nher of statistics. From these we learn that between the 1st of March, 1869, and the 31st of March, 1875, horses on farms (as distinfuished from mere squatMng stations) have increased by 41,498, cattle by 307,577, sheep by 3,286,149, and pigs by 4,746 — a total increase of live stock ou settled farms of no less than 3,639,970 head. This is an increase of nearly 100 per cent, in six years, although the area of land occupied has increased only by 62 per cent., 6,491,363 acres being appropriated to farms iu 1875, against 4,032,302 acres in 1869. This increase in the number of stock on farms must not, however, be regarded as the net increase for the whole colony ; for during the period referred to the live stock on stations has decreased by 1,872,722 head. The net increase for the colony in the six years is, therefore, 1,767,248 head. The Secretary regards the fact that there is now more live stock on farms than on stations as eminently satis- factory, denoting as it does a development of squatting into settled farming. The advantage of this develop- rso THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. ment is to some extent apparent from a comparison of the numbers of stock and the area of land belonging to farms and stations respectively. Thus, on 10,523,665 acres occupied as farms, 6,789,655 head of live stock are kept; whilst 25,971,039 acres held as stations main- tain only 5,708,231. head. Similarly the number of hands employed on farms has increased, whilst the number employed on stations has decreased within the period under review. Amongst the useful efforts for the advancement of the colony to be credited to the Department of Agriculture, we may mention the establishment of a system of exchange in agricultural reports and other publications, and in seeds of corn, vegetables, and shrubs, between the De- partment aud the leading Agricultural Societies of foreign countries. Under the auspices of the Dfpartment a National Exhibition of Live Stock, Implements, Dairy Produce, &c., was held at Melbourne, in November, 1874, with great success. Special attention is directed by the Secretary to the great progress of vine-growing in Victoria. He says : It is most satisfactory to report that our wines con- tinue to meet with high commendation at the bauds of European connoisseurs. The position that they took at the Vienna Exhibition, and the laudatory remarks of the jurors, particularly upon the sample of Hermitage sent' from Victoria, which they confessed their inabiiit;» to dis- tinguish from the famous wine of the Dronne, will assist greatly to permanently place the Australian wines upon the English market. In no country does the vine flourish' better than in Australia, aud in none is a greater range of climate to be found within a comparatively limited area. Victoria alune possesses, between the sea and the river Murray, every variety of soil and climate that is to be met with in the wine-growing countries of Europe. The vineyard interest of Victoria increases in importance every year; and it may, I think, be confidently said that the day is not far distant when this important industry will have overcome the difficulties which always attend the establishment of new undertakings, particularly when these take the form of luxuries for which it is sought to procure a permanent market." All this is very hopeful- for the Victorians, and v^e hope the sanguine expecta- tions of the Secretary may be realised. Great things are also expected from the cultivation of silk and flax, which the Department encourages in a substantial way. Alto- gether the Report is one upon which we can sincerely congratulate our fellow-countrymen — if we may so call them — in one of the most important divisions of "' Greater Britain." AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY AT THE PALAIS DE L'INDUSTRIE. The Dehats in its agricultural review mentions the general prevalence of bad weather during the month of March throughout almost every part of France, and the consequent interruption to field operations, so that fears are entertained with respect to the prospects of the crops, the oat more especially. In many of the Departments the overflow of the rivers has caused much distress and inconvenience to the population who dwell along their b.inks. The columns of local newspapers have been filkd %vith heart-reuding descriptions of the misery that has ensued upon these inundations, and subscriptions are announced to assist the sufferers, whose losses cannot, however, be fully known until the season of the harvest. The vine districts have been more fortunate, and should no severe frosts intervene during April, an abundant vintage may be anticipated, although it will be diflicult to exceed the results of 1875, which can now be reckoned at 83,632,391 hectolitres. The heavy rains have been favourable to the growth of the forest trees planted in February, and large proprietors canuot be too much im- pressed with the advantages that are likely to arise to them from this method of treating their unproductive lands. It has been shown by recent statistics that nearly five million hectares are completely unproductive, whilst many soih cannot be made to yield a fair profit without an extravagant expenditure upon manures. When planted with the pine, which gives at the lowest estimate 80 francs per hectare, the national property would be in- creased to the extent of 150 million francs. And in addition to a return of four per cent, upon the capital expended, the populations in the vicinity of such planta- tions would become supplied with employment during the winter months, as is now the case in the Sologne and the Landes, both classic countries for the maritime aud sylvan fir tree. An account has already appeared of the collection of fat aud breeding animals that took place at the Palais de ITudustrie, and it would be impossible to pass over in ei'eucethe exhibits of machinery attached to this most suc- cesslul gathering. Even the casual visitor may well feel astonished at the rapid strides that are made annually in the development of machinery in counectioa with French agriculture. It is not too much to say that the cele- brated implement makers of Prance, Eigland, and America were represented by examples of their must powerful locomotives, mowers, reapers; in a word, by inventions which their genius has brought in aiii of the cultivator, by superseding the labour of the hand. The writer then refers to the most recent inventions ^hich commend themselves to the notice of the landed pro- prietors and farmers of France. Amongst these he mentions the improvements in the "Smyth" drilling machine, whereby greater regularity is obtained in the snriukling of the grain ; aud the implement can ba adapted to its work without the necessity of employing a- blacksmith, who was formerly required to remove the rivets. The "Kirby" horse-mower exhibited is in- tended to obviate the difficulty experienced from the excessive weight of former machines aud their liability to fracture upon trill. The inventors, relying upon the high quality of the cast iron- used in the construction of this new model, guarantee that its use will not be attended by such drawbacks, and the next hay season will test the accuracy of their predictions. Amongst the reapers attention was drawn to the " Fran- 9aise," constructed by M. Gumming, at Orleans, which obtained a prize last summer at the Versailles Exposition where all who examined it were alike struck with its solidity and the regularity of its operations. Messrs. Howard, of Bedford, exhibited a new reaper, the " Sim- plex," which combines every known improvement ; and this will, without doubt, be often seen at the provincial gatherings. Another novelty of the same description, and of American mauufacture, was exhibited by M. Anson Wood. This machine, which can be made to act at the height of forty centimetres, is well adapted for coun- tries where long stubbles are one of the necessary condi- tions of agricnllure. The locomotives of Head and Schemioth were likewise much remarked upon by visitors to the Palais de 1' Indus- trie, from their ability to work without the use of coal; All vegetable substances, such as straw, rushes, stems of maize, that abound in places where wood and coal are deficient — these sutlce to create a flame that will generate THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. S21 steam, and raise it to a power equal to that which is ob- taiueJ from the best coal. Hut it is evident that a great quantity of vegetable matter is needed to create the neces- sary caloric : thus four quintals of straw must be con- Bumed in O'^der to produce the same result as one quintal of coal. M. Iliijnette, the inventor of a well-known and highly ingenious instrument for cleansing grain, exhibited an apparutus of this description which concentrates all his previous inventions. This machine cleanses, riddles, and sorts the cereals and other grains confided lo it, in such a iiianuer that all extraneous matter is eliminated as if by magic. Especial attention was directed to the miniature railway constructed by M. Decanville. The rai's, level crosbings, turnstiles, points, carriages, &c., in fact every part, was complete, with the exception of the steam engine. This was intentionally omitted, since the in- ventor proposes to traverse the fields and to move the waggons either by hand or by horses ; and the rails being moveable they can be brought to the centre of the harvest- field, or amongst the beet-root, when but a small amount of labour will be required to convey the produce either to the farm or to the place of manufacture. CLOSE OF THE SEASON FOR SPRING SOWINGS. The fears wc expressed in a former communication to he Mark Lane Express as to the possibility of accom- plishing our intended spring sowings in seasonable time, ■will be fully realised. la many localities there will be considerable acreage of heavy land that, in our opinion will be better not sown at iiU to corn than sown badly end late. We have repeatedly noticed that late sowings on such soils are seldom if ever productive of prfofitable results. As soon as the sun obtains power, in all but exceptionally wtt seasons, the ground becomes hard, dry, and hot, on the surface, exactly in proportion to its pre- vions coldness and wetness, and the shallow rooted spring sown cereals are forced iuto premature ripeness, which is attended by serious loss of- quantity and quality, both of straw and grain. This stale of affairs is particularly noticeable where a long-continued system of shallow );loughing (generally on live-turu ridges) has formed a " pan" or floor, as hard as rock itself, and almost as im- pervious to air, water, or the roots of plants ; under these conditions the four or five inches of cultivated soil is saturated with the stagnant water during winter, cold and wet in the spring, and parched up by the heat of summer. Steam-cultivating machinery, the usual pre- cursor of more approved systems of agriculture, although easily available in some districts, where it has become an indispensable agent, has not yet made its appearance, or rather has not yet become appreciated, in more localities than tnight generally be supposed by the readers of The 3lark Lane E.rpress, and until it does, very little will be accomplished towards altering this state of things. Horse labour is too expensive, both in time and money, to be applied to sy tematic subsoiliug, but unless clay and is drained, and discreetly subsoiled, the very ele- ments of success are wanting in its cultivation. The greatest unwillingness exists, both among farmers and ])luughmen in some districts, to break through this " floor" into the subsoil, probably because in most instances in which it has been attempted it has been improperly carried out by bringing the subsoil to the surface, followed by unfavourable results, as might be expected, and plough- inen are very generally averse to harder work than usual for themselves and their horses — chiefly for the sake of their horses we admit, for we have repeatedly known men alter their ploughs when the master's back was turned, rather than " take it out of their horses" as they ex- pressed it. Time will change all this, and rapidly too, DO doubt ; but meanwhile these circumstances exist to a very great extent, and what we wish to point out is, that it is precisely under these circumstances that spring work is most hopelessly behind in this exceptional and trying season. The thin soils on gravel and chalk are usually in a high state of cuftivation from sheep farming, and are also so easily worked at nearly all times that they are comparatively little aff"ecled just now. The well cultivated deep loams will admit of a liberty being taken with them ocGasionally, and especially iu a season like this ; J)ut on nndrained, shallowly ploughed clays we do not hfititate to express an opinion that it will be wiser to give lip all idea of sowing any more corn. It is just possible that under the conditions of which we have been speaking it might be found advisable to sow a field or two of some quick growing pea, such as the maple, a plan wfi have adopted in late seasons on the London clay. Although a very uncertain crop they are more likely to succeed than barley under these circumstances, and tha value of pea-haulm (when well saved) in the stock-yard, and when put through the chafl'-cutter, is a temptation we can seldom withstand. We have found it a good plan to soak peas before sowing at a time like this although they do not drill quite so well. There has been great difficulty in obtaining a good seed- bed for bailey this season, and that will seriously affect the sowing of the clovers and grasses. As it is of the greatest importance that the intended acreage of seeds should not be diminished, it will in many instances be found a good plan to seed a portion of the wheat. We have experienced that mixtures of clovers and grasses do better with wheat, on clay lands, than either barley or oats, and the harrowing and rolling is a great advantage to the young wheat plants : they are firmly rooted, and very few are torn out even when severely treated, but the Cambridge roller should follow at once then the seeds, and bush-harrow. The greatest care should be taken in the selection of clover and grass seeds, both as regards their cleanliness and vitality, and also their suitability for the kind of soil and cliniaie of the district. It is cheapest in every way to buy the best, and as guarantees are now given by some of the largest and most noted of our seedsmen of the jier- cenl age of vitality in each sample, there is no practical difficulty in obtaining a reliable article. In cases, how- ever, where small seeds are purchased from farmers and seedsmen who are not growers, the germinating power should be carefully tested. The best way to do this is to count out a hundred seeds, and spread them carefully ou some fine mould iu a sin all flower-pot, barely covering them with a pinch of mo Breeds : K. Glancy, Skehard, Creggs ; T. MHunseli, Ercall Park, Wellington ; J. Keating, Cabra, WoNoahy. Kerries and Dexteus: G. Hewson, Ennismore, Lis- towel ; E. Rae, Keel House, Castleraaine ; B. Hayden, Grenagh, Fossa. Fat Cattle : A. Darker, Burn Hill, Clonsilla ; J. Sirason, Cloona Castle, Holljmount ; D. Kellett, Virginia. Pigs : A. Warburton, Kill, Stralfan ; J. Brucp, Miltown Castle, Charleville ; S. Mnwbraj, Kilh'any, Mountrath. Frieze and Tweeds : R. Sexton, Dawsoii- street ; J. Reside, Coliege-green ; J. W. Switzer, Graftou- SHORTHORNS. Bull of any breed over two years and under six, was won by Mr. Chaloner's Shorthorn roan bull Anchor, by King Jamps. Bull, calved in 1873.— First prize, M. Gumbleton, Glana- tore, Tallow (Lord Shannon) ; second, Earl of Dai try (Killfrljy Lamp) ; third, J. Motfatt, Balljhyland, Enniscorthy (Uou Carlos) ; lourlh. Captain Crosby, Stradbally Hall. Bull, calved in 1874i. — First prize, 'R. Chaloner (Auchor) ; second, J. Moffatt (Dictator) ; third, J. Downing, Ashfield, Fennoy. Bull, calved in or prior to 1873. — First prize, H. L. Barton, Straff^n (Conqueror) ; second, Major O'Reilly (Piince Royal). Heifer, calved in 1875.— First prize, M. Gumbleton; second. B. Dickson, Gilford. Heifer, calved in 1874. — First prize, Capt. Cosby ; second, W. J. Digby, Wojlmoh. Heifer, calved 1873. — Prize, Earl of Courtown. Cow, of any age. — First prize. Representatives of the lata R. F. Duulop ; second, W. Johnson, Carlow. HEREFORDS. Ball, calved in 1875. — First prize, G. N. Pardon, Killucan (also best of the Hereford bulls, prize £30). Bull, calved in 18/4. — Prize, P. J. Kearney, Miltown House, Clonmellon. Bull, calved in or before 1873.— Prize, G. N. Purdon. Heifer, calved in 1873.— Prize, J. A. Farrell. KERRY. Bull of any age. — Fjrst prize, J. Robertson, La Mancha, Malahide ; second, J. Smith, Oak Park, Castleskuock. Heifer, calved iu 1874.— Prize, Earl of Clonraell. Heifer, calved iu 1873.— Prize, Earl of Clonmell. Cow. — First prize, G. HoUwey, GreenvUle House, Dublin ; second, J. Robertson. Cow. — Prize, W. H. Henry, Oaklands, county Dublin. FAT CATTLE. Shorthorn ox, calved before 1873. — First prize, W. Peyton, D.L., Carrick-on Shannon. Cow of any age.— First prize, Lord Clermont ; second, A. S. Drake, Athboy. Heifer not exceeding four years old. — First prize, Marquis of Drogheda; second, O'Connell L. Murphy, Trim. Hereford ox, calved in 1873. — Prize, P. J. Kearney, also best of the prize fat oxen. Ox, calved before 1873.— Prize, P. J. Kearney- Cow, of any age. — First prize, P. J. Kearney (also best of he prize fat cows) ; second, R, W, Reynell, Killucun. n24 THE FARMER'S ^MAGAZINE. Ili'ifer, not exceeding four yeara old.— Prize, E. J. Briscoe (il>o best of the prize fat lieifers). Dcvoa 01, calved before 1873. — Prize, R. S. Fetherston- hau:jb. Kerry cow of any age. — First and second prizes, S. Garnett, Arcli Hall, Navaa. Heifer, not ejceedioff four years old. — First prize, Earl of Erne ; secuud, Earl of Clonracll. Ayr^hire heifer, not exceeding four years old. — Prize, Earl of Erne. Os, of any other pure or cross breed, calved in lS7i. — Prize, R. W. Reyuell. Ov, of any other pure or cross breed, calved prior to ISJi. ■ — First and second prizes, S. Garnett. Cow, of any otlier pure or cross breed, calved prior to 1874. — First prize, Marquis of Headfort ; secoud, R. and H. Doughty. Hf ifer, or any other pure or cross breed, calved prior and hoiiS fide worked as plough bullocks up to May, 1875. — Prize, T. Winders, KiUaderrig, Ashford. PIGS. COLOURED BREEDS. Boar, six months, and not exceeding twelve months old. — First prize, J. Dove ; second. Lord Clermont. Boar, exceeding twelve, and not exceeding twenty-four monihs old. — First prize, J. Dove ; second. Lord Clermont. Boar, exceeding twenty-four, and not exceeding thirty-six months old. — First prize, J. Dove. Breeding sow. — First prize. Lord Clermont. Tiiree breeding pigs. — First prize, J. Dove ; second, Lord Clermont. Litter of not less than six pigs. — First Prize, J. Molloy ; second, Captain Cosby. ■WHITE BREEDS. Boar, sis months, and not exceeding twelve months old. — First prize, J. L. Nipier; second. Earl of Clonraell. Breeding sow. — First prize, J. Molloy ; second, J. Dove. Three breeding pigs. — First prize, J. Dove ; second, J. L. Naper. Litter of not less than six pigs. — First prize, Earl of Clon- mel ; second, J. L. Naper. Three pieces of Irish manufactured tweeds. — First prize, M. Mahony and Brothers, Cork; second, J. and J. Reed, Rath- fain ham. The Shelbcurne Hall, the Court-yard, the Agricultural Hall, and the galleries present what to not a few of the general public will prove the most interesting part of the exhibition. Almost every inch of available space in the very commodious premises of which the Society has con- trol, is utilised, and the exhibits are of the most diversi- fied kind. Among the contributors are most of the leading English and Scotch manufacturers of agricultural implements, while the leading Irish houses have come forward iu such force as to lead to the inference that past enterprise in this respect has not gone unrewarded. One of the most extensive collections iu the court-yard — the chief locale of agricultural machinery, and of all that passes uuder that general title — is that of Messrs. Keunan and Sous. The list includes wire, fences, gates of all kinds, sawing machines, rustic seats, horse hoes and rakes, Howard's ploughs, portable a earn en- gines, lawn mowers, and thrashing machines, &c., &c. Messsrs. Edmundson and Co., Capel-street, exhibit, inter alia, a patent atmospheric gas engine and other inventions relating to the production and burning of gas. They also show garden engines, galvanised wire garden arches, ornamental garden vases, and washing machines. Messrs. T. Dockrell, Sons, and Co., of South Great George's- «treet, ofTer for inspection beautifully-carved chimney- glasses, marble chimney-pieces, close fire ranges and speci- mens of decorative painting and graining, and of paper- hangings of superior quality. Messrs. Whyte and Sons, of Marlborough-street, have two stands — one containing specimens of Irish manufactured glass and china, and another in which they exhibit specimens of Irish manu- factured china, from Belleek Works, Fermanagh ; speci- mens of newest designs iu glass opaques, for table decora • tious; and the triple patent duplex seven-night well lamp. Messrs. W. and J. Ritchie, of Ardee, exhibit; a collection of agricultural implements, including improved double- furrow ploughs, winnowing machines, mowing and reaping machines, &c. The specimens of carriage buildin;^ exhibited show the gre^t advance which has been uiide in this branch of industry in Dublin of lale yeara. Messrs. H. E. Brown and Co. show their patent angular safety cab, and the Waldcgrave landau and Prince Arthur brougham. Messrs. Colclough and Sous also exhibit specimens of their Victoria landau, and other carriages. Altogether, the show-yard proved well worthy of a visit, even from those who take but little interest in agricul- tural matters. — Abridged from The Duily Express. CARM.\RTHENSniRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. — The annual exhibition of entire horses iu connection with this Society took place in the Catile Marl-et, CHrniarlhen. A very large entry was n^ade, and the weather being brijiht and suiumerlike, an unusuilly large nu;nber of persons attended the show-ground. There were tour classes iu which competitions took phice, and the prizes in thesi were stoutly coutesti'd for. The judges were Mr. Price, Glandiilais, Ll'iudovery ; and Mr. Price, Bridgend ; assisted by Mr. Essex Harries, Scolton. Their awards, althongli the competition was so brisk, received general commendation, and were often greeted uitti cheers. In the first class, in wliich prizes of £7 and £3 were given for the best thoroughbred stud horses, which, in the opinion of the judges, are best calculat-d to im- prove the breed of horses iu the county, Mr. Broad, of the Angel Inn, Carmar; hen, easily carried off the first prize with his' splendid horse •' lleinlrid ;" Mr. Rice James, Haverford- west, took the second vr ith " Free Trade ;" and " Egremont," the proprrty of Mr. Rees, Llanboidy, was highly conimended. These were the only entric. Tliere were ten entries for the two prizes given for the best stallions for agricultural pur- poses— namely, £7 and £3. In this class the result of the awards was as follows : First prize, Mr. D. Davies, of Forth, Llansawel's "King Tom;" second, Mr. Broad's "Honest Tom;" and highly commended, Mr. Tlioma", of Derllys'a " Prince Arthur.'' For the prizes offered for two best hackney stallions the competition was very close, and many thought the second prize horse equal to, if not better, than the first. There were twelve entries, and the result of a long and careful examination of the two best stallions showed that Mr. Brond gained the first prize of £t with "Quicksilv?r" and Mr. E»ans, of Cefncae, L'angeitho, received the second of £1 with " Alonzo the Brave." Mr. Broad also offered a prize of £5 for the best stallion calculated for carriage purposes, and tliis was gained by himself with " Melbourne." " Matchless," the property of Mr. Howells, of the Boar's Head Hotel, Cow- bridge, was higiily commended. The Secretary of the S )ciety, Mr. D. Prosser, rendered valuable service iu the exhibition- ground, and the police arrangements were highly Siitisfactory. — CarmarS hen Journal. RIPON CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE.— A meeting of this Chamber was held at the Unicorn Hotel, Ripon, when Mr. T. Scott, of Grantley, presided. There were also a number of other members present. After the minutes of the last meeting had been read, a discussion fol- lowed on Mr. Sclater Booth's bill to '-Consolidate and Amend the Laws relating to the Valuation of Property for the purpose of R ites and Taxes." Mr. Lomas tiiought the surveyor of taxes had not tlie arb trary power given him under the bill which some people imagined he had, as it was competent for the Assess- ment Committee to appeal to the Court of Quarter S^ssions-as well as the surveyor of taxes, and Mr. Lomas was of opinion that the surveyor's powers had been somewhat exaggerated, and that his opinion was not conclusive. Mr. Benneti and other memhers were of an adverse opinion. Mr. Lomas admitted that the onus of disproving the surveyor's statements rested with the Assessment Committee or the party aggrieved. He moved, " That this Chamber, while approving of uniformity of assessment, most strongly object to the admission of the sur- veyor of taxes as a party to the rating authorities as at pre- sented constituted." Mr. J. T. Pearson seconded the motion, THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE 325 Tiliich was cariiej unanimomly. Mr, Bennett moved, " That tiiin inectiiiij is i.f opiuiuu tliat no bill nil! he s.>tisfi'ctnr}' unless rcdliaed personal properly becomes liable to be rated." Mr. 11. Pearson seconded tbe motion, which was carried uuanimously, Mr lliglnnnor indved, and Mr. Tutinp; seconded, a vjte uf 1 hunks to the chairman, which closed the proceedings. THE EDUCATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL CLASSES. The Eirl of TortsmouMi, Lord Lvmington, Mr. W. E. Forster, M.P., Professor Bryce, of Oxford, and Professor Adams, of Cambridge, were among those who took part in a hirgely-aiteuded middle-class education meeting at North Ta« ton . The Earl of Portsmouth, alluding to the Royal Titles Bill, said, in giving the toast of " The Qmen," he preferred to use the old title in asking them to drink her Jlajestj's healtii — a title by which she was known and beloved by her subjects, and a title associated in the minds of all with the sovereignty of a great and free people. Mr. FoKSTER, in proposing "Success to Middle-class EJucatioii," said tliat sehool afforded an example wiiich the remainder of England might well copy, inasmuch as the pro- moters had succeeded in snpp'ying a great want, uamely — cheap, efiicient, aud sell-supporting boarding schools. From tiieir position farmers liad been unable liitherto to give their c'lildren the ei,ncalir)n they really required. On the one iiand great public schools were beyond their rea(;h,;and on the other the elementary schools were insulllcient. Schools of the class of those at Norih Tawton supplied the want. He noticed that hoys generally came there when about ten years of age and remained five y.-ars. Prior to coming th^re be supposed they went to tlie village sshool, and he was glad to believe that, because it showed tin* good sense of the farmers in assum- ing tliat iheir clnldren, in their early education, would not be injured by receiving it from the same source as the offspring of their labourers. That lanners' children went to elementary Sfhools was the greatest guarantee that those most able to secure it would see that the instruction there given was effi- cient. He procreded : I am very glad to find myself amoug B'lme of the farn:ers of the country, for I cannot express how Birongily I feel the importance of the educational movement for the Dinners of Eiglnnd. Do not suppose that I mean to convey any kind of impression than farmers want education more than men in the same position of li*'e among the manu- ficluring and other classf-s. I do not think so. I believe that, man for man, the farmers at present would be able to rank very well with, and probably to beat, iu educational ac- quirements, mas'er-manufHctiirers of the same position and of the same opportunities for culture. But I confess that I think there is no class in England to whom it is of more im- portance, looking at tlie probable future of the country, that their children should be well taught. You know you have to keep your azric'.iltural position amongst civilised countries. We hope that this " Ti; lit Little Island," will continue to be the best- fanned country in the world — as I believe it is, generally Bpeaking, at this moment — and we can only maintain our posi- tion iu agriculture by aspiring to be the garden of Europe, indeed the garden of civilisation. I am glad to see that your children are getting a good teaching, that will be of use to them in their farming trade ; but I am also very glad to see it is a kind of education that will enable them so get their living ou'side the farming trade, that will enable them to make their ■way in the colonies if they choose to gothere aud show the vigour and energy of that Devonsliire spirit which was shown a cen- tury ago, when you were the great colonisers of the world — the great pioneers of English enterprise. If your sons are enterprising enough to go into the colonies 'hey ought to have that kind of education which would give them a chance iu that bold and difficult kind of work. I do not know whether what I am goins; to say applies at all to this audience, but in some parts of England there is great competition for farms in consecjuence of farmers feeling that their sons could do no- thing but farm. I do not think this applies to you at all, but it is a very great disadvantage wherever it does apply. One of the chief means by whiob you can prevent it is by letting the boys have such a kind of training that they are not com- pelled to follow in their fathers' footsteps, and if there are three or four sons in a family that they shall not all be obliged to compete for farms. It would appear to be rather tu the interest of the landlord that there should be tkis great competition, but that is just that kind of apparent advantspe which turns out to be a real disadvantage, and the result is tliat you have a riither lo^'er kind of tenant than you oth-rwiso would have. It would be a great thing if in all districts thty were to fcdlow your example and pet thoroughly good farmers* schools througboutthe country. There is another reason for which I cannot but look with interest on the edncational movement amongst the farmers. You have difficidt es just now, and those (iilficulties are not likely to diminish for a tim<^. The labour ditfieulty has now come to you. We have had it in our manufacturing districts for many years past'; and what- ever they may tell you to the contrary, we are now getting over the difficulty in tliose districts. The ditficulties we have had have now come to you. I believe you will gtt over them much more easily and rapidly than we did in the manufactuiing districts. I think so le ause you have tlie advantage of our experience, and 1 think there is at tliis moment a more healthy feeling throughout the country than there used to be on all questions of master and man. But there is no denying that the f-irmi-^g interest generally throughout the country is in a transition state, r.nd that, the labour dilficuUy is a question the dealing with which will require very great moderation and much knowledge. I am not sure the difficulty will not cren last until the time has arrived when your sons will be able to take part in the management of the sons of your labourers. I think you will all admit that good real education — not merely tlie giving of knowledge, but the training to habits of self- control — will be an advantage in the settlement of this dis- pute. I am now getting to a rather delicate question, that of rates. I find that if people do not feel about anything else they generally do about a rate. I think, therefore, it is very good of you to receive me so kindly as you have to-day, be- cause I believe I am looked upon as a dreadful bugbear in many districts, having had a good deal to do with the educa- tion rate. I do not mean to say that in the education rate there should not be every economy, and I am not going to enter into the question as to whether the incidence of the rate shonld not be d fferent ; but I will assert this, that there is ro part of your expenditure, whether upon yourselves, year wives, your daughters, or jour sons, for which you will get more tliau you do from the education rate. If you fully look at what is got from that rate, you will admit it is money you should not grudge. 1 may be told " It is rather hard ; wages are rising, rates are rising, and the result is, that as the labourer is better able to take care of himself and to get emp'oyment elsewhere, he is more difficult to deal with." But that will not last. Depend upon it, the very best thing that can happen for the farmers of Enslaud and the employing class generally is, that those whom they employ sliall be educated and independent. But whether it will be a good thing or not we must look forward to it. It will happen, aud I am thankful to say that I think nothing on earth cm stop it. I do not know what the pre- sent Government will do. I believe they are desirous of pushing the movement forward, but whether they do so or not it is only a question cf two or three years, and then we shall have education throughout the country, so that all the work- people, manufacturers or agriculturists, working in mills or in tilling, the land will be able to obtain for their children at least the rudiments of education, reading, writing, and cypher- ing, and I lirpe a little more — some knowledge of history and g-eography, aud above all, some knowledge of their Bible. Without entering upon politics, I may say that whilst nothing can stop the progress of education, so nothing can stop the agricultural labourer from having the same voiie in the government of the country as have the labourers of the towns. Whether we wish it or not, we must look for- ward to this as something that will become a fact, and that too in a very sliort time. Do not let employers and farmers be downhearted on account of this. In the long run it will be an enormous advantage to have an educated peasantry. The way in which the farmers must guard against difficultie* is by getting a much better education for their own children. THE FARMER'S ^MAGAZINE. Hnd learning to become as independent of tlieir landlordsastlieir labourers are of tliem. None will nore, rejoice ia that tlinn the large body of laodowuers of England. 1 canuot sit down without congratulating you upon your success in one other matter. You have met the religious difficulty here. I have hfen complained of an several occasions for having said that the religious difliculty only required to be met to disappear, but I tliink tliis is a case in which it has been shown tliat facing it is all that is wanted. The difficulty your committee had to deal with was this : " The parents of our children are of different denominations. How can we give them religious education without there being those disputes, those diffi- culties which prevent a school going on in peace and har- iiiony." Tlie way in which your committee have met the diffitulty has been successrul, and wherever it has been so met this difficulty has always disappeared. Your com- mittee asked themselves, " Wiiat is it the parents really want ?" Tliey want two things. First, in this Protestant, Cliristian country (for such this conntry mainly is) the parents desire that their children should liave an instruction in the Bible and in the great truths of Christianity. This above all they desire, and there never was a greater mistake than to suppose that any amount of jealous controversy among members of different denominations would prevent the lar ge body of the fathers and mothers in England desiring a religious education for their children. They aie also very anxious for this, aud they ought to be auxio'is for it— that no advantage ebould be taken of their need and desire for education, and above all for religious education, to swell the number of one denomination and one sect rather than another; and conse- quently there is a jealou-^y, a well-founded, most reasonable and just jealonsy, agaiut any kind of attempt at schools and by reason of schools to obtain advantage for one denomination at the expense of another — either Church over dissent or dissent over Church. What has happened in your school is this — that you insist upon reading the Bible, and not merelv upon reading it, but upon teaching it ; yon insist upon learning the Belief, the Apostle's Creed, the Commandments, and man's duty to God and bis neigiibour — the first part of the Cliurch Catechism — to which no one can object. The final result is that you have had no religious difficulty whatever. On the con- trary, had yon done otherwise, you would have had a religious difficulty. A boarding school upon the secular system seems another absurdity, because the master occupies the place of the parent, aud how can he hope to obtain moral or religious control over the children, to whom he stands in the position of parent, without being allowed to give them religious instruc- tion? Bat, as you have worked it, you have had no difficulty, and therefore I go away from this school with an additional confirmation of what I have long lield, that the religious difficulty is one made by controversialists outside the real work of education, and disappears immediately men set to work to get a school upon principles which actuate ptrents generally in England, and disappears because they set to work to give them that kind of religious instruction in which all can unite and which all desire for the children. Several other gentlemen addressed the assemblage. — Sia/tdard. IRISH AND SCOTCH RENTALS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES, Si a, — Permit me, writing from the North of Ireland, to corroborate the statements in T/ie Times of Friday in.ide by Mr. Hussey, writing from the South, as to Irish and Scotch rents. Mr. Hussey refers to arable land. I will state the case of mountain pasture. This year, some pasture farms of a relative of mine in the south of Scotland fell out of lease. They had previously been let for about £1,000 a-year. They were immediately re-let by tender, the highest tender no being necessarily taken, for £1,300. The extent of ground is about 4,000 acres. I recently let about 7,000 acres of not dissimilar grazing in this county for £50 a year, which I was glad to get from a Scotchman, having held tlie land for some years in my own hands because I could find no Irishman willing to give me so much. But this is not the worst. This occurred before the days of the Land Act. If that Act had then passed, I could not have taken these mouutain acre* into my own hands nor liave got a poor £50 a year for tliem ; nor could my excellent tenant the Scotchman, have got a good thing, winch lie understands how to usp, unless I paid for luy own land considerably more than its fee simple value. Writing from the South of Irel lud, Mr. Hussey consider- ably understates the case of the unfortunate landlords in the North.- As he says, "the average selling value of laud in Ireland is 19 years' purchase." 1 have before me a news- paper with a report of the decisions of the " land chiims" in tliis county during the past week. I must premise that "the Chairman" who made these decisions is a man of unimpeach- able integrity. In three out of ihe of these cases, 22 years' purchase of the rent was given against the landlord. In the otiier two cases I do not think less was given to tlie tenant, but I am unable, from the da/a, to calculate the exact num- ber of years' purchase. But when tenants themselves underlet to others, then I grant that The O'Donoghue's statements as to high rents in Ireland are perfectly correct. It is true that subletting forfeits " Tenant- Right " by Clause 3 of the Land Act, but it is held, at least in this county, that this clause may be evaded by the superior tenant stipulating that he may put a horse or a cow each year on the land after the crop has been removed. 1 will give you a case in point which came under my own observation : A tenant sublet fur two years a fourlli of his farm, at a rent m^re than double what he paid to his landlord lor the whole farm. The land'ord in conse- quence gave him "notice to quit," but told hira that if he woi.ld pay for the whole farm the same rent that he charged an under-tenant for one-fourth of it, and would cease to underlet, he might remain in possession. The man refused these terms, brought his claim into the Land Sessions, and was awarded by the Ciiairman 23 years' purchase of the rent and costs. Twenty-two years' purchase appearing to be what a landlord must in this county pay for his own land, 19 or 20 years' purchase being all that he probably would get for it if he were to sell the fee simple, I will ask what course a landowner can take who may inherit a property crowded with tenants, on farms so small that they scarcely afi'ord a sub- sistence. I have before me a list of 311 tenants on one pro- perty who each pay less than £2 a year rent, many of them less than .£1. Formerly he was considered the best landlord who, under such circumstances, assisted some of his tenants to emigrate, and enlarged the farms of those who remained. Not so now. Any attempt to remedy this national evil, to provide against the danger of fu;ure famine, would result in long litigation, in payment of more than the fee simple value JO the property as " Tenant-ilighi" and costs, and in the fact being apparent that Irish properly is not longer in the hands of its owners, but in those of gentlemen from Dublin, who, ai the Knight of Kerry says in his able letters to you, '• know as little of the equities between landlord and tenant as of the tenets of the faith of Vishnu." Now, I would put it to your readers, How can any country prosper under such conditions? In all the past attempts at coercion and couciliat'on, all the class legislation, all the trampling upon one class after another {ride Mr. Froude), finishing with the only body m Ireland entirely devoted to the English connexion, the landowners, one party has never been considered, and that party is Ireland. There is much to account for this. I will mention one point : To being accounted one of the Irish people there are two obstacles — ■ one, with some exceptions, is the being a Protestant ; the other, with hardly an exception, is the being an owner of Irish land. In Ireland a creed or a class s'ands for the Irish nation, with the professors of tliat creed or the members of that class. We are a divided people, and we show our unfit- ness for self-government by our contests, whether in Church synod?, O'Connell celebrations, or processions on the 12th of July. We are at the mercy of political charlatans. Year after year breaches of tlie ordinary laws of political economy are proposed, each deeper and wider than the last accomplished. Poverty is now stereotyped in vast districts of the country ; aud, as we know that much which has been done cannot be undone, all we can say to the Legislature is, " Leave us soma portion of that stability which has made England and Scot- Innd what they are ; let what is left to us of English custom and English law be tampered with no more." I am, Sir, your obedient servant, LlFFOKD, Md'n Ghu, Counfy of Donegal, April IS. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. THE AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS ACT. MEETING OF LAND AGENTS IN PRESTON. Annexed will be found an account of a meeting of Lancashire land-agents, with two or three farmers privileged to hold consultation with them, held to take into consideration the report of a Committee appointed iQ January last " to suggest the best clause with regard to uuexhausted improvements as contemplated by the Agricultural Holdings Act, and other clauses which they may deem possible to be universally inserted in Lancashire agreements." The proceedings which resulted in the appointment of this Committee were commented on at some length iu our issue of January 31st, and we had occasion then to object to the arbitrary manner in which it was proposed to draw np a model agreement without giving tLe tenants a voice in the matter. Whether our remonstra'-ce had any efi'ect we cannot tell ; but we see that at the second meeting one tenant-farmer from each hundred iu the county was allowed to be present. The Committee recommended that the date of entry to house and buildings, as well as to laud, should for the future be the 2nd of February, and this was agreed to at the meeting. The next suggestion was too liberal for the majority of the agents pi'eseut. It was that the term of notice to quit should be extended from six months to twelve, and the proposal was Tejected by twelve votes against six. The third suggestion is a very fair one — namely, that the 53rd section of the Agricultural Holdings Act should be extended to all fixtures not the property of the landlord. The recommendations with respect to unexhausted improvements are practically an acceptance of the provisions made for the drst and second classes of improvements by the Agricultural Holdings Act, with the extra limitation of making the landlord's consent necessary with regard to the second as well as to the first class, and without that risk of litigation which is so great a drawback to the Act. On the whole, this is a fair and reasonable concession, consideriug that it is made to a helpless class by men who know that they possess arbitrary power over the conditions of contracts. The other recom- mendations of the Committee do not call for any com- ment. Before the meeting closed, the Chairman, Mr. Halifax Wyjitt, made a long speech in reply to what he considered the unwarrantably severe comments made in The Mark Lane Express and Ike Farmer upon the proceedings at the first meeting. !Mr. Wyatt has somewhat misappre- hended both the point and the temper of our remarks, as any reader who will refer to our leading article of January 31st will see. But probably the warmth which Mr. Wjatt displayed is chiefly due to a mistaken notion as to the authorship of the article of which we may al once relieve him. He stated, as if he were absolutely certain, that " the writing of these articles took place not fifty miles from Preston." We do not know to whom Mr. Wyatt alludes as the supposed writer, but we can assure him that his guess is utterly wide of the mark as far as our own article is concerned. We cannot of course answer for our contemporary, but if Mr. Wyatt thinks that our article was written by some local indi- vidual who has a personal bias against him and his friends, he is entirely mistaken, and he may therefore withdraw from the unfortunate person whom he thinks he has " spotted" the full measure of his indignation against him. Many other remarks of Mr. Wyatt were as wide of the mark as far as we are concerned, and we cau with confidence leave our readers to judge between our article regarded as a series of comments upon the first meeting of the Lancashire land agents, and Mr. Wjatt's spce;-li iu reply. What we chieily objected to was, first, the summary way in which the Agricultural Holdings Act was disposed of, without giving the tenants any voice ia the question ; second, the threat of a revaluation if the Act were adopted ; and third, the cool manner iu which the agents proposed to frame a cut-and-dry agreement, without consulting one of the parlies to the contract. We are told now that the tenants have been consulted ; but as far as we could judge from the report of the first; meeting we had every reason to suppose that they would not be. Possibly our strictures may have had some effect, and if that is the case we can very well bear the imputa- tion of having been over-harsh in our judgment. W^e will even admit, by way of a peace-offering, that the bark of the Lancashire land agents is worse than their bite, and that they have made greater concessions than the tone of their "first discussion could have led any one to expect. But perhaps for these mercies the tenants have in some measure to thank those agricultural papers whose remonstrances, whether justified or not, appear at least to have been strongly felt. On Thursday, ilarch 23, a second meeting of the agents of the principal land-proprietors in this county took place iu the Towu-kall, Pteston, for the purpose of considering tl;e report o? a committee appointed at the previous meeting on the 13th of January, " to suggest the best clause v.'ith regard to unex- hausted improvements as contemplated by the Agricultural Holdings Act, and any other clauses which they may deem possible to be universally inserted iu Lancashire agreements." The report of the committee stated that, " Iu accordance with the feeling expressed at their prelimiuary meeting on the 13th January, they had taken the opinion of some of the principal tenant-farmers in the hundred they represented ou the subjects they were about to discuss, aud that a tenant- farmer trom each hundred was appointed to attend at Preston. Tlie committee, having taken into consideration the objects for which tliey were appointed, find it impossible to frame clauses applicable to the whole county, with its various modes of husbandry and varieties of soil, climate, and custom, and have tlierefore coufmed themselves to enunciating principles which tiiey believe may be universally adopted and embodied iu the farm agreements suitable to each locality." Mr. Halifax Wyatt (agent to the Earl of Sefton) was voted to the chair, and in opeuing the meeting said tliey were met to take into consideration and, if the meeting thought fit , adopt the report of the committee appointed at their first raeetiug. That meeting was appointed to consider a clause witji regard to unexhausted improvements, and any other clauses which they might think advisable to be adopted universally in Lancashire agreements. He must apologise because of th« report of the committee having been sent out so late, thus allowing very little time to consider it before the meetiug took place ; the reports, however, were delayed on the way to bini, which accounted for their tardy distribution, aud probably also accounted for the attendance that day not being so largp. They would see from the report that the committee had carried out the wishes that were expressed at the general meeting of agents, and he thought they had, to the very best of their ability, associated themselves with t'le principal tenant-farmers of the districts they re])re8ented, and, as a result of their investigations, he would read tiie report, after which they could tike in detail the various points mentioned therein, and come to what deci-iions they thought best. TuE Date or Entry on Paems. — Af:er finishing the reading of the report, the Cuatkman a?ked them to take up the different matters in the order iu wliicb they wore nifn- tioued. Tlie first was the date of entry, and iu one respect it was the most important matter tliat would come uudcr their coasideratiou, because it entailed a decided cliauge of custom A A 328 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. roin wlmt liad obtained in Lmcasliire before. Tlie observa- ti JUS of the eoramittee upon the point were tliese : " A strooK feeliug from every hundred, except North Lon8(hile, was exhi- biled itt favour of doiiifr away with the present custom of entering on tiie land iu February, and the house aud buildings in May. The 2ad of February was decided on as tlie best time for entering on both house, buildings, and laud. The com- mittee strongly advise au effort being made to adopt this system in all tlie districts except North Lonsdale, as tUey believe it would be most satisfactory both to tenants and laud- ords." He himscU thought the 2nd February would be a very convenirnt time, ■ Mr. G. C, Uale (agent to the Earl of Derby) said the suliject of entry had been discussed not only by the committfe but iu other places. He himself had heard in other places strong e.'iprossions of opinion in favour of the change, which he believed would be advantageous to the country at large, as well as of great advantage to the farmers themselves. Mr. 6. llopER (agent to Lord Skelmersdale) was also strongly in favour of the proposed change, but thought unless it was adopted by all the principal landowners in Lancashire it would be useless to attemfit to carry it out. Mr. T. Fair did not expect that the tenants would offer aay objection to the change or cauae any difficulty to the carryiui; ol it out. If the priucipal landowners in the county agreed to make the change, then the smaller landlords would find them- selves compelled to follow their example. Mr. Blundell (of Weeton), a tenant-farmer, speaking on behalf of tenants, said lie had had conversation on the matter with a good many of them, and they were all of one opinion — that the ciiange would be a good thing. Mr. J. W. Fair said that as the majority of the large land- owners were represented at that meeting, if ihey decided to carry oat the change then there was little doubt but that the Bmaller owners would do the same for the sake of their own interests. Mr. Hale said they miglit accept it as the general wish of the agricultural community. Mr. Howard spoke in support of the proposal, as also did Mr. Willacy. Mr. Veevers expressed his concurrence with the com- mittee's suggestion, but feared it would not be practicable without a short Act of Parliament to carry it out, as the voluntary principle had been tested already for above 100 years, the result being now that we had New Candlemas and New May Day, Neiv Candlemas with Old May Day, aud Old Candle- mas with O.dMay Day. The CnAiRjfiAN thought the question of compensation to outsfoiiig tenants who left their holdings before May Day ought to be settled afterwards, not by that meeting. He thought some resolution ought to be come to, and he would suggest that the members of the committee obtain the names of the principal landowners who were willing to adopt the clause in their tenancy agrtements. This suggestion was seconded and carried unanimously. Notices to Quit. — The second clause submitted to the meeting had reference to the duration of notices to quit, and the committee recommended the principle of twelve mouths' notice to quit instead of six months'. Mr. Roper thought it was the weakest point in the bill. At the present time, if a landlord wanted to get rid of a tenant it would be two years from now before that tenant could leave his farm, and it might be that he would not want to run the risk of pajing two years' rent. Now, that in a large holding was a very serious item, aud if there was any disagreement or dispute between a landlord and a tenant, the latter might so arrange his affairs through the length of time which miglit end in an actual loss to the landlord. On the other hand — on the tenant's side — it various family or other matters might arise through which the tenant might wish to give up his farm, he would be required to give that notice, v/hieh would be a very great inconvenience. He (the speaker) thought six months was quite long enough, and he considered that twelve months was very objectionable, and ought not to be adopted, and he proposed by way of amendment a six-mouths' notice. 'Ihe amtndirent was seconded. Mr. Storey was quite of opinion that it would be as binding cu the landlord as it wan on tbe tenant. Since the last raeetiu!? lis bad had au instance iu which a tenant caiae to him aud said he had t;ikeu a farm near Rochdale, and that his family were giiing to Work iu the mill, adding that he hoped he would not be bound to keep on the farm which he now occupied. He (ihe speaker) ttld him, as he was a deci»nt kind of person, that he would be sorry to go against his iuterests, but he would liave to find another tenant. Now, it would be very hard to keep that mar for two years on the farm. He could give them other instances showing that if a bad tenant did much against the interest of his landlord, they could not turn that man out within two years. Mr. Moubert considered that twelve mouths' notice would be obji-ctioiiable. Mr. Cook (tenant-farmer, Litherland) said the tenants would not as a rule, feel injured by the longer time of notice. His own opinion was that 12 months was a short enough period. In his district that was practically the custom. Mr. Forrester could not see, although the fault was possibly his own, how there could be a tw^o-y ears' occupation after twehe months' notice liad been given. They gave notice on the 2nd of February, and there was only a year to run after that date. For himself, he should he really sorry to think that tliey could not trust a tenant twelve months. In his district, they liad nineteen years' notice, and of course if they could trust a tenant so long they could surely trust him a year. The whole aim of their discussicu, he took it, was to give the teuaut-farraer a little more eiicouiajeraent to farm well. Now a farmer did not turn out badly all in one year, and there was strong reason to think the ai;ent would soon discover when he began to do so. The recomniendati lU had been drawn up to give more encourage- ment to the tenants; but if the meeting did not see fit to adopt it, of course it was right to say so. He could not, however, say that anything he had heard on the subject had altered hi» opinion. Mr. Blundell (tenant-farmer, Weeton) thought tbo agreements should be pretty liberally drawn. He had spoken to some 60 or 60 tenants on the question, and their opiuiou was that it would be injurious to adopt the pnuoiple of sis months' notice. ; Mr. Hale felt bound to support the recommendation of the committee, who had considered the matter closely. Mr. Willacy said that as far as he had had an opportunity of taking the opinion of the tenants he found they did not look on the clause as a concession, but as simply a question between the outgoing and incoming tenant. Mr. Hale remarked that he should certainly stipulate for a certain course of cropping durinij the last year. That point he considered to be of the utmo-it importance. Mr. UowARB (agent to Col. Feilden) said the meeting ought not to overlook the fact tliat neglect in a tenant arose from different causes — sometimes, perhaps, for want of means for carrying ou, operations aud others, possibly, from a death ia the family. Having illustrated these conditions, he added that in nineteen cases ol twenty it was not necessary to give a tenant more than six months' notice. The Chairman said all the gentlemen who had spoken to the amendment had missed the strongest point — what, indeed, he considered the real advantage of a six- months' notice- namely, there was a custom in this county that the whole rent should be due ou the 24'th of June, aud therefore if they had a bankrupt tenant or a bad tenant they had the opportunity of securing the rent fairly due. That was one of the strongest points why there should be a six-months' notice. He was, however, very strongly inclined to think that the whole matter was brought to them as an exception to the rule, and it was a question whether they ought to make a rule against an exception, or vice versa. His own idea was that tliere should be a twelve-months' notice ; but whether that mode of agreement would result in any great advantage to the tenant he did not take upon himself to say. As a matter of fact, a good tenant never brought himself into a position necessitating notice to quit; and all they as agents had to do in adverse cases was to look after ^he landowner's interest a little more closely than before, and if need be to give the tenant a little hint. That was one reason he voted for a twelve-mouth's notice, and he was inclined to think it would be the most desirable course. Another reason was that the subject had been discussed by a higher tribunal than theirs, where the opinion was in favour of twelve months. As far aa they con-cientiously could he thought they ought to try to follow, ns much as possible, in the principles of the Agricul- tural Holdings Act, whilst endeavouring to improve iha THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 320 macliinery for calrryingitout ; andhetliouglittiiat, altliougli the twelve-moutlis' notice might be prejudicial iu a le* casps to the interest of the landlord, it was their duty to tale into con- sideration the wishes of the tenants, and tliat waswhy he went for twelve months. A division then took place on the amend- ment, which was carried by 12 to 6 ; and tiiereupon the principle of sis mouths' notice was held as generally desired. Other Cl.vitses. — The following clauses or recommenda- tions of the committee were passed seriatim, and without set discussion : Fixlums. — The committee recommended with regard to fixtures that the 53rd section in the Agricultural Holdings Act bo extended to all fixtures, such as grates, bjilers, &c., not tiie property of the landlord, so as to give him an opportunity of purchasing the same, and avoiding, as is sometimes the case, the outgoing tenant selling by auction. Gardens. — The tenant not in any case to remove from the garden any plants or shrubs, or any trees that have been planted to replace others, or any that have borne fruit. Unexhausted Improvemciifs. — The committee approve of the schedule of works and maximum time given for compensation iu the Agricultural Holdings Act, botli in the 1st and 2nd classes, but they consider that, to avoid the expense of arbitra- tion and litigation, the following rules should be adopted : 1st. That any improvement, and the estimated cost thereof, shall be sanctioned by the landlord or his agent before com- mencement, aud the time over wliich the allowance is to extend then settled, but in no case siiall any allowance extend beyond 20 years or 7 years respectively. 2nd. That the improvement must be passed and sanctioned by the landlord or his agent when completed, aud the sanctioned cost then entered either in a schedule attached to the agreement, or in a certificate, a copy of which shall be given to the tenant. The committee considered that the provision fojr compensation for such im- provements as are described in the Agricultural Holdings Act, as 3rd class, together with the restrictions thereon, do not apply to this county, and would recommend that each district, according to its cultivatioa, should introduce such clauses respecting feeding stuffs and manure as would be an eucourage- inent to outgoing and protection to incoming tenants. Deterioration . — The committee considered that, in every case where clauses for unexliaused improvements are given, a clause should be inserterl to give compensation to a landlord for waste and depreciation of premises or laud, caused by neglect or de- fault of the tenant, or by non-observance of convenants ; but they recoramo-nd that any claim, &c., should be made within a reasonable time after tuch waste or breaches of covenant have taken place. Cidtivation. — There was no furraal resolution arrived at upon this point, but the general opinion was that frefdom of cultivation siiould be recognised and allowed, under certain limitations, as to approved systems of husbandry and keeping up the fertility of the soil during a tenancy. Outgoing Clauses. — The committee recommend that in agreements, some arrangements, iu conformity with the cultivation of each district, should be made, in order to do away with the present objectionable custom of dividing the wheat crop in the last year of tenancy between the outgoing and incoming tenants, and, to effect this, that the landlord shall guarantee the estimated value of the wheat crop shall be paid, the valuation to be made during the month of July. On the latter clause only was there any discussion, and the latter part of the seuteuce was added as the result of remarks to the eflcct that what was sought was to avoid a collision between the outgoing and the incoming tenant. Lord Sefto^n's Age:nsion teudiug to an extreme view in an opposite direction. I have heard it contended on behalf oi the landlord that he ought not to be answerable for any compensation to a tenant unless it can be shown that his laud is improved to the extent of the sum claimed as compensation. In fact, the principle of the letting value stood in the bill wlien first introduced as a pro- tection to the landlord in every case. It has been said that, aa the Act iu its final form does not protect the absolute o.vner, the referees ough.t to protect him in their award agaiust any chum iu excess of the value addfd to his land. I venture to say that this view of the case is unten- able, and that, if it were advocated in the name of landlords, it would shake the confidence of the tenants, and produce a feeling of injustice. If a landlord gives his formal consent to an improvement in the first class, he, in fact, borrows money of ids tenant, or becomes a partner in a speculation wliich is expected to bring imra'idiate profit to the tenant, and ultimate increase of rent to the owner. Tlie landlord can make his own conditions as to the total amount to be laid out, or for which he will be answerable, as to specifications, contract, and superin- tendence, and as to the time for the exhaustion of the claim. All this he cau do before he gives his consent in writing. Without such consent in writing no compensation for an improvement of the first-class can be claimed under the Act. If the a'- tempted improvement does not answer the expectations of its promoters, I do not think the owner can equitably turn round on the tenant and invoke the protection of the referees to release Inm Irom what was, in fact, a bargain. In the case of the limited owner, the State intervenes for the protection of the remainderman or reversioner, because he had not been a party to the transaction. I confess I think the Act goes fur- tlier in this direction than is necessary ; but the absolute owner can have no claim to similar protection, independent of tiis own action. As to claims in the second class, although the Act does not make the consent of the owner necessary, still it ist open to any owner to refuse either to adopt the Act, or to let a farm, without a special contract making the content of the landlord to an improvement under the second class indispens- able to a claim for compensation. As to tlie third cla^is — if the landowner is unwilling to give unliaiited discretion o the valuers — it is open to him to stipulate by contract that the compensation for nianure and food shall not, without his con- sent, exceed a fixed sum, say £3 per acre, the sum which you mentioned as the average in Lincolushire. I may be allowed to say, in conclusion, that the searchinff discussion to which the Act has been subjected by the practical surveyors, and by the legal gentlemen who have so ably assisted them, cannot fail to have a most beneficial effect in clearing up doubtful points sooner or later. It will, probably, cause many of the landowners and tenants to pause before they con- sent to adopt the Act, and, therefore, to give notice that, for the present at least, they wish tiieir existing covitracis to re- main unaffected by the Act. But I have little doubt tlwt those who have not already good written contracts will see the im- portance of defining their relation to each other, and to the land. With g( od professional advice it will not be dilUcult to frame contracts iu the form best suited to particu'ar districts, enil)odying the substance of the Act, in fact to contract within the Act, instead of contracting out of it. It will be no small advantage, bolli to landlords and tenants, if one result of the Act shottld be to take the valuations between outgoing and in- coming tenants out of the hands of inferior persons, and to iecure the appointment, by public authority, of umpires quaii-- fied both by professional knowledge, experience, and reputation, to deserve the confidence of all the parties interested. I am, dear Sir, yours faithfully, T. D. ACLAND. The President of the Institution of Surveyors. TIIE AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS ACT.-Tlie" Marchioness of Westminster has given her Dorset anil Wiltshire tenants notice that she prefers existing coutractj' to remain rather than her estates should come under ths- clauses of the Agricultural Holdings Act. — Dorset Chronicle. im. GLxlDSTONE ON FAP.II LABOURERS AND THE DISESTABLISHMENT OJf THE CHL'KCH.— Mr.. Gladstone has replied to a letter from Mr. G. Miiclicll," One-- from the Plough," asking him to present petitions to the" House of Commons iu favour of tlie Disestablishment of the Church of England. Mr. Mitchell, in his letter, said f " Though there are individual clergymen who arehui>iane and' kind-hearted Christians, yet I can assure you, from an inti- mate acquaintance with a large number of rural parishes, that many of the clergy of the Established Church are tyrants of the worst class — cruel, hypocritical, selfish, and empty- headed. This could not continue if the Cluirch were dis- - established — if there wore no ' royal road' to the pulpit ; for then men would have, to preach to live, and would have to. conciliate their parishioflers, and not be their autocr.its. Our. grand annual demonstration on Ham-hill, Yeovil, Soinersot, will beheld next Whit Monday. May I ask you to come and address 15,000 to 20,000 persons iu the old Roman Amphi- theatre? Or, if that be impossible, pray write us a letter to let the world know that you are the friend of the poor, oppressed, under-fed agricultural labourer." In his reply to Mr. Mitchell, under d^te 4, Carltou-gardens, the lltli inst.,,. Mr. Gladstone said : " Sir, — With regard to your intended meeting on Ham-hill, I do not now attend any public assem- blages, except in cases with which I have some special con- nexion. So far, however, as it aims at the improvement of ■ the condition of the agricultural labourer, and most of all in. soutli and west, I heartily wish it well, and I hope the means, adopted or favoured may be as effective and judicious as the, end is laudable and beneficial. I. may repeat here what I have publicly said elsewhere — that, of all the economical changes I have lived to witness, the increase of agricultural wages is that which gives me the most lively and unmixed satisfaction — un- n.ixed, I mean, witJi any fear of injustice to others. If it be- ever found to press upon the means of the employer, he will find his remedy in more careful inspection of work, in general economy of methods, in ths extension and improvprnput of machinery, and in further transition from arable to pasture ; but he will not, I trust, seek for it in any attempt t) intertere. witii liberty of action on the part of the l^bour^r. I need, hardly add that I continue to be lieartily favour^hle to his. political enfranchisement. With regard To the petitions which, you wish me to present, I have no objpction to do this with reference to such as do no more than pray for the disesta- blishment of the Church, or set forth reasons for it in terms not involving injustice ; but I cannot promise concurreucR in their prayer. In my opinion, the Establish aicnt of Eng- land (not of Scotland) represents the religion ot a con- siderable majority of the people, and that they do not seem to desire the change you recommend. This being so, the only other question I need now ask myself is whether th.e civil endowment and status of the Church are. unfavourable to the elTective maintenance and pro;iagation of. the Chrijtian faith. If and when I am convinced that they, are so, I shall adopt your conclusion, but not before. I hope, you will tike my plain speaking as a proof of atlacbiuput to- the plain dealing which Englishmen love, and of real respect, for those on whose behalf you write. Advancing a ttrp- further in this direction, I must tell you that I cannot uuder- take to present those of the peti'ious which ('enounce tho Establishment as 'idolatrous,' and likewise pray that 'ilin arrogant Popish priests of the Anglican Church may \t'\ longer use Governmculal powers to per.'-ecute and insult.' 3:2 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. la ray opialon the conception of the clergy expressed in these petitions and in your letter is unfounded and unjust. Among the classes of our mixed society, I hold that the clergy are with reference to their training, manners, and social station as a class, rather under than over paid ; and that they are a!so, as a class, the most self denying and the most devoted to tlie education, consolation, and elevation of their poorer trethren. Within this description there is plenty of room for the exceptional faults and foolish language of individuals which, in certain cases, no language can be strong enough adequately to condemn. Nor do I deny that more generally the clergy may exhibit some desire for power. But in this case they resemble most oilier classes and profrssions, only with tills excuse, and with tins guarantee for the welfare of the community, that the other classes are sufficiently ready upon occasion to combine against tliern ; and the love of liberty is too strong, and has too much place in the laws and institutions of the Cliurch itself, to leave room for any gene- ral or serious encroachment within her communion. I think it therefore my duty to show them reasonable respect and deference, to abstain from anything that resembles railing accusation, and rather to esteem them highly for their works and their Master's sake." — Times. THE AGRICULTURAL GEOLOGY OF MAIDSTONE AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. A lecture has lately been delivered to the members of the Mi^idstone Farmers' Club by Professor T. Rupert Jones F.R.S., F.G.S., upon the above subject. Tiie Chairman having introduced the lecturer, Professor Jokes commenced by stating that the agricultural geology of a district might be divided into two heads — the soil and subsoil, or substrata. They could not, liowever, think of soils without referring them to their origin, and tliat would lead them to treat of the strata exposed, or those which lie above the surface. To begin with tlie substrata, if tiiey were to look at the map of Maidstone and its neighbourhood (opened out before them), they would see several patclies of gravel spread over the sniface of the country. There was a con- siderable variety of strata, coming out in the green sand, and many acres of gravel were to be found here and tliere. These also were accompanied by a wide-spread coating of loam, and clays and clayey sands all over the country. The Wealden clay is mixed with a certfsin amount of sand, which about Tunbridge 'Wells and East Grinstead makes the soil of a sandy nature, while north of that district is an area traversed by the Medway, and where a lot of beds of alluvial or river gravel mark out and define the border of the valley vfhich has been run over by the river and its floods, and towards the mouth spreads out over what has been a wide estuary. The chalk spreads over it all, and extends through the country from Dover to Croydon, while underneath it lies the Hastings sand. These chalk cliffs have remained the longest amid the wearing away of other materia!. The other materials have been vt'orn away by tbe action of water, of frost, and of the sea, but the chalk formation has ret:iined its position on account of the closeness of the material. Chalk is a very soft substance, but yet it stan.ls up iu the hills. Why does it do this ? Because chalk is homogeneous — it is all of one consistency, and all its particles support themselves equally, except the flints wliich are found in it, and which are so small that in such a mass they do not alfeet it. They all stand shoulder to shoulder, like Briti-.h soldiers, and, however relatively soft to ragstone, can only be taken away or renewed by solution. Ragstone, when atl'ected by wet or by frost, has fissures created in it, and it splits up in all directions. Sand is not so homogeneous as clnlk, and much more friable, aud much more easily washed away than chalk. The broad lagocns which form the valley of the Medwaj v/ere a long time ago a mass of mud, and they could form very little, notion from what was seen in cultivated ciuntrirs of the action of rivers. There was a great set of rivers running into tbe sea in this neighbourhood, forming great estuaries and lagoons and deposits of mud, aud animals which lived upon the nt-ighbouring hills walked across this mud and left their footprints and their bones in it. Tliey had an instance of tliis in the ignanodon which was found in Mr. Bensted's quarries. These animals came down from the hills, were rushed out to sea, aud became buried in the deposits of the neighbourhood. The Weald of Kent has very little traces of towns, for the mud would have been so soft that it would have been very difficult to traverse, arid there they found large quantities of fossil lake-shells, but they occurred only iu bands. They must imagine a great lake there, with the river bringing down continually deposits of mud, aud covering up and burying the shell-lish ; and even now the black marks which tliey found in the Sussex marble show that animal life was in the shells when tliey were overwhelmed by the mud and were fossilised. The stilTuess of the clay was due to the non-presence of fossils, which interrupt and prevent close cohesion. Nearly all the towns and villages situate in this clay are destitute of water, except superficial water, because water cannot sink deep inta the clay. At Maidstone they had to sink 500 or 600 feet, till they got to the siiuds beneath, before they found any water. On the Giult clay they would have to go down 150 feet, and in London clay 400 feet, before they would have any right to expect to find water. He then related some instances of tlie disappointment of engineers who had not been aware of this. Going from the clay to the ragstone, they found a different kind of thing, clay deposited over Iresh-water areas, those of lakes, lagoons, and rivers. The whole of Holland was the delta of the Rhine ; and iu former times vast spaces, such as the Weald of Kent, were lormed in this manner. Sandy lime- stone was formed in a district where the currents of the ocean conveyed sands and shells, and formed a calcareous deposit. They could not burn it and form lime for manure, because it contained a large proportion of sand, which was of no us-e to land, arid it they were to look at the hassock which was found in ragstone, they would find it was formed of sand, with scarcely a shell in it. This showed that the ragstone was formed in a shallow sea, where there were few shells, but where the water was not deep enough for the full deposit of calcareous matter. Then they came to the iron sands, and which were necessarily formed in shallow water. Too much sand was brought down after a time, even for shell-fish to live, and so among these sands, most of which were white at first, in some places they found mixed green filicate of iron sand, some of which becomes rusted and gives the sand a brown appearance. Oaks grow on clay as well as sand, but they will not grow where there is no n ater. On the clays their roots strike down and find water in the fissures, but they could tell directly by the character of the vegetable productions of a district where the clays were and where the sands were. Many of the Gault clays were full of deposits of shell-fish and ammonia, and so are full of ani- mals. Men speak, when taking a farm, of the soil being foimed ot sands and clays, but it makes a difference in its pro- ductiveness what sort of clays and sands they are. At last the chalk arose above these deposits, not being actually raised, but because the other portions of the soil which formed the sea- bed went down. The chalk hills were portions of what was once the sea level, and which gradually accumulated as the surrounding ooze went down ; but the particular area of which he was speaking was a portion of wliat was once a broad, coastless sea. When chalk was formed there were two great East and West Oceans. Likes, rivers, and estuaries gradually took the place of these seas, aud accumulations were formed, and large glaciers probably ploughed their way, bringing occasionally large stones with them, to the level of the sea. The chalk, while these things' were going on, through its homogeniety and non-variety of its materials, held up ; and sand, because it is partially homogeneous, has also kept up to a certain extent. The best bricks were made of the soil in hollows, where some of the sand has been washed into the clay and the rain has brought down some chalk. When there was nothing but clay they could not do auytliing with it, and to make good bricks they rau^t have chalk witli it brought down from the Downs. In the sandy soils they mnst have loam to mix with it. The lecturer concluded by expressing a hope that what he had said would impress upon his hearers the importance of knowing, before they took a farm, the cliiracter of the clays aud sands which they wore goiug to cultivate. THE Fi-EMER'S MAGAZINE. 333 Mr. BARtiNO expressed his dhappointinent at the geological features of the neighbourhood being: dwelt upon more than its agricultunil aspect, and said he dirfi-rcd entirely with the Professor as to the orif^in of the formation of tliesiiilsof the neighbourhood. The lecturer liad said that the exposed strata of Gault, ragstone, and weald clay found beyond DKbtliug was formed by the subsidence of the soils and the upholding of the chalk, B:it liis (Mr. Barling's) idea was that chalk at one time formed tlie whole, that its surface hftd bepn shivered, and the action of water or somethiug else penetrating the fissures, had forced up tlie otiier portions and exposed the other strata. The ragstone lie did not think had been broken up precisely in the way which had been described. There was good evidence to show that the strata had been exposed to enormous force, and had got broken up and t^visted about, 'i'lie chalk had been broken up, and water had removed por- tions of it, but had not removed the whole of the evidenc3 of the presence of chalk, because in the clays in some places packets of flints were found and they remained as an index of the action which had taken place. The agricultural geology of the neighbourhood of Maidstone wa,s a compound one. There was every evidence to confirm him iu the belief that long after the disturbance took place by which the clialk was removed the action of water in the direction where the river runs now had brought down a qnantity of matter from Sussex, and had formed what may be called the gravel-beds. Tiie loam on both sides of the Medway was much deeper in some places than others. The loam was very seldom high above the level of the river : it might rise as high as from 100 to 120 feet, but in most places it was mucli below that level. The fissures or faults in the rag-stone were caused by violent separation, and the after-action brought down loam from a distance, even from beyond Sussex. But the value of the Und iu this neighbourhood for agricultural purposes depended upon the matter which was brought down to fill up the &^- sures in the rag, or overlie the rag itself. There was aKo another action ; chalk was deposited simultaneously with the •disturbance of the layer of clay now called Gault. In Gault elay they had 80 per cent, of alumina, and 20 per cnt. of carbonate of lime. The local evidences were to his mind con- clusive that it was not by any wearing away and lowering of the beds that ilie strata of the neighbourhood were now ex- posed to us, but by a violent upheaval. There was no district at an equal distance from the Metropolis so rich in geo- 1 igical interest as the neighbourhood of Maidstone, and he should have been glad if its agricultural, more than its general geological, features bad been explained by the lecturer. After a few remarks from Professor Jones, in reply to the strictures of Mr. Barling, a vote of thanks w-as given to the lecturer, and the meeting came to a close. PENRITH FARMERS' CLUB.— At a meeting of the meuibers of thia club, held at the Club Room, Penrith, Mr. Ft. Montgomery, the newly-appointed analyst to tiie club, read a paper on '' Chemistry in its Relation to Agriculture." The chair was occupied by Mr. W. Heskett, of Plumton H.ill. After some preliminary business liad been disposed of, Mr. Montgomery read his paper. At the close of the lecture, Dr. Taylor said the members of the Club were to be congratulated on having such a well-informed gentleman as Mr. Montgomery associated with them. It showed an in- clination on the part of the majority of the members of the Club to cultivate the science of agricultural chemistry. The lecturer dealt with general principles more than with particular details; and therefore the lecture did not admit of much criticism. Perhaps on another occasion Mr. Montgomery would give the Club a lecture on some particular dei artmeut —some particular department of agricultural chemistry which would afford them better scope for discussion. With reference to Liebig it must never be forgotten that he was rather too didactic in his views, and forgot to separate facts from theory; and there were many points in Liebig's doctrine — of which he could give examples, both in animal and vegetable chemistry — wliicli had been overthrown by more recent researches, though it was to him we were much indebted tor the great spread of the principles of agricultural chemistry ; but was agricultural chemistry at the present day a perfect s-cience ? He questioned |very ^much that it was ; indeed, he thought it was hardly quite ripe for general application to agriculture, and he did not think that agriculture was quite ripe for the adoption of chemical science. Mr. Mitchell also m.ide a few observations, chii-fly in corroboration of the lecturer's views, With reference to Mr. Montgonery's remarks on the care that was needed in the maintenance of plant life, he said that when he bad the oversight of the Earl of Miuto's estate, and had charge of a large home farm, he gave instructions to the ser- vants to put down a large manure heap adjacent to a fine plantation. In the course, the liquid from the manure (lowed down to the roots of the trees, turee of which shortly after- wards showed i-igns of drooping and decay. They were pointed out by Lord Minto, and of course he saw that the trees were dying, and they were cut down instantly. They were fully 30 feet in height, and on the tops of each of tlieio there were dark stains, wliile the idfutical odour of the manure heap escaped from them. That to him just showed that how- ever much a large quantity of liquid manure m'giit have helped the growth of some plants, it proved to be the death of those trees. The speaker went on to show that the action of the atmosphere upon vfgetab'e life was of the lli);he^t im- portance, and as a practical agriculturist spoke of the feeding properties of nitrate. Mr. Barker said it would seem that tlie old times they so often heard of were passing away before the modern grey coats of Westmoreland and Cumberhmd. He had no wish to ridicule those who held so tenaciously to the science of "muckology," for farmyard manure formed the basis of successful farming, but they all knew that the supply ol that material was quite inadequate to meet the growing demands of the age, and they muit look for somethiug else to meet the increasing necessities of the times. A certain great lord was reported to have said to a farmer on one occision that the time was not far distant when he could carry in his picket sutlicient manure to fertilise an acre of land. But the old grey coat was incredulous, and he was reported to have replied that when that day came he would be able to carry t! e produce of the farm in his hat. Probably they would think with him that the old grey coat had the best of the argument, Mr. Barker concluded by referring to the advantages that would be derived from the study of agricultural chem'stry. The Lecturer, in reply to Mr. Mitchell, said he was by no means insensible to the beneiicial influence of the atmosphere upon plants, assisted by the application of manure. Votes of thanks to the lecturer and the chairman terminated the meeting. A SUBSTITUTE FOR MALT IN BREWING.— At a meeting of the Chemical Sec'ion of the Society |of Arts, Professor Williamson, F.E.S., in the chair, Mr. W. G. Valentin, F.C.S., read a paper on " The Preparation of Dextrine-Maltose (Malt-Sugar), and its L^se in Brewing." The subject ot the communication is a material the manufac- ture of which has been jointly patented by the author and by Jlr. C. O'SuUivanj'cliemist to Messrs. Bass and Co. A'ter some observations on the value of chemistry as applied to the art of brewing, and the disadvantages ot blin lly adhering to mere empirical processes, the paper furnished a general outline of the chemical reactions or changes that take place in the manufacture of beer. These were not very numerous, but were still rather imperfectly understood, the true composition of malt and the reconstitution which its components undergo during the three stages of malting, mashing, and fermenlatioa having until recently received comparatively little elucidation. The '• wort" obtained by the mashing process contained two substances, formed by the transformation of tl-.e st.irch of the barley — dextrine and maltose — upon the presence and relative proportions of which rested the efficacy of the subsequent operation of fermentation. The latter substance— maltose — was a readily-fermentable variety of sugar, the former — dextrine — being a material not yielding alcohol during the original fermentation, but remaining in the beer and exerting important influences upon its subsequent quality. Until quite lately the general body of chemists had erroneously considered maltose as being dentical with ghiccose or grape-sugiir. Its individual and characteristic properties had, however, been now placedbeyoud th f pale of controversy. The sweet taste of malt had (or a long time led to the supposition that the starch of the grain was converted into sugar during the malting process. Starch, however, could be isolated from the malt as well as from barley, and on investigation was found to be changed into sugar only durin the process of " niaBhing " — by the action, 354 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, R8 it had been p-esumed, of an alburoinoua body called diastase. There were, however, certain particulars in which even this view required modification. A description of various materials iutroduced as malt-substitutes — such as cane-sugar, glacose, and so-called " saccharines" from various artificial sources — was theu given, the action of each in brewing being explained. The objection that had arisen with regard to all of them was their rapid fermentation, and the ultimate attenuation of the beer which they produced. Besides the low per-centage of fermentable sugar contained in many of them, a strong condemnatory feature was the absence of dextrine, a compound invariably found in malt-wort. What had really been wanting was a substance liaving a composition approximating to ordinary wort, and this the author, in con- junction with Mr. O'Sullivun, had been able to obtain by the action of warm dilute sulphuric acid upon starch — preferably ground rice. The detdils of the manufacture were related — the efficacy of the process resting on the stoppage of the operatioa at tlie stage vvheu the infusion has attained the requisite com- positiou. By careful preliminary observation and the employ- ment of constant quantities of materials, this point may be easily ascertained, as the conversion of the starch takes place with great regularity. The acid having been neutralised with chalk, the liquor is run off and evaporated in vacuum pans, leaving a residual cake containing about 67 per cent, of maltose and 3S per cent, of dextrine. It is in virtue of the latter ingredient that this substance — called " dextrine-maltose" — differs from the so-called " grape-sugar" ordinarily made from starch. When dissolved in the requisite quantity of water, " dextrine- maltose" yields a liquor of much the same properties as malt- wort, with a suitable proportion of which it may be mixed and fermented in the usual way. A discussion followed the reading of tlie paper, after which votes of thanks were passed to the author and to the chairman. THE LOCK-OUT OF FARM LABOURERS IX ESSEX. It 18 a subject for regret amongst all classes of the com- munity that the friendly relations which have existed between the farmers and their employes in the Tendring Hundred have suddenly had a rupture through the iustrnmentality of an organization calling itself the Labour League, having its head quarters in Lincolnshire, and its ultimate end in one or other of the various emporiums for the reception of emigrants from England. Objerving a Central News telegram to the effect that one hundred farm labourers had been locked out in the neighbourhood of Colchester, and four hundred more were ex- pected to be treated in a similar manner, I re-comraenced my mission of inquiry, suspended since a couple of years ago, into the differences between employers and employed, now unhap- pily reopened. My last inquiry was in reference to a mission of reconciliation between farmers and laboureis, undertaken by the agitator, Mr. C. Jay, but although this was its osten- sible purport, agriculturists in this locality know full well that the " mission" was in reality directed to that residuum of labourers who had not availed themselves of the flattering offers held out to them to emigrate to a new field of labour abroad. 5Iauy of those who had gone before, either to the tnauuracturiug districti, or to Canada, or New Zealand, re- gretted the move, while others wrote kome glowing accounts of their improved prospects. Those who still lield on to the scene of their youthful labours were actuated by a variety of emotions. Some had connections of a tender nature in the locality ; some were loth to sever themselves from aged rela- tives to whose support they were contributing ; while others were content to remain in idleness so long as they received the pay of the Labourers' L'uion. With the '• mission" of Mr. Jay came tlie crash. The labourers on the books of the Union ■were told flatly that if they did not " move on" to the fields of labour open to them in New Zealand and elsewhere the Union would stop payment. Tho-e who had irretrievably forfeited the confidence of their employers did " move on," and went to swell the last cargo of labourers from England, whose mission abroad was to contribute to the wealth of other lands. Those ti-ho remained at home, frightened at the reports of the misery undergone by their felloiv labourers who had emigrated, threw tip their connection with the Union, and were taken on again ty the farmers. The movement amongst the labourers has DOW been at work about a fortuight in an entirely new district in the neighbourhood of Colchester. The operations of the Labour League are confined to the Tendring Ilundrefl, whereas the agitation fomented by the Afjricultural Labourers' Union was Chiefly in the Lexden and Winstree Division. Whether the modus operandi will be the same or not it would be unfair to the League, and it would perhaps be premature to surmise, but there is no doubt about the fact that " migration and emi- gration" is manifestly one of tlie objects of the movement, and so. long as agents in advance of organisations of this descrip- tion are pecuniarily interested in rendering dissatisfied, and ultimately shipping off,- agricultural labourers to countries where their thews and sinews are needed for the development of internal resources, and for the acquisition of whom the colo- nies concerned are ready and willing to pay a liandsorae royalty per head — so long as this is the case, so long will the philan- hropic principles of " agitators" be questioned, aud it will become the duty of the press to guard benevolent individuals from subscribing towards organisations of this description. Passing through the village of Myland, one of the outlying parishes of Colctiester, on Saturday morning, I met on the road about twenty-five fine young fellows dressed in their Sunday clothes, and each distinguished by strips of yellow ribbon round their arms and hats. They were marching in twos headed by a leader carrying a wand. I piilhd up and asked what they were doing. They replied that they were tue locked-out men from Langham, and were going to Colchester, What for it was easy to perceive — they intended making a demonstration. In the afternoon and evening the little con- tingent from Langham was considerably scattered, and from what I afterwards heard I do not think they had a profitable journey, or that they returned to their native village witli the military precision with which they set out. The Langham Fox is the head-quarters of the movement. You will perceive that every facility will be offered to labourers to emigrate. A similar placard I saw at Waltop-on-tlie-Naze a few days ago, fixing the dates of meeting for next week in the neighbourhood of Dovercourt. In that locality the League has not made headway at present, and if they should ever do so, a lock-out will be inevitable, the farmers having formed a league of their own, each member ofwhich, I understand, pledges himself to farfeit the sum of £50 if he employs any labourer subscribing to an organisation of this description. At Dedham the League have secured a number of members, all of wliom have been locked-out as a natural consequence. A small farmer gave me his opinion, that this is a clever emigration movement, and said it would be a bad day for England when we lose the tillers of the soil. We ought to think of our own country before we think of others. Without men, what are we to do if a nation rises up against us ? I hinted that the agricultural labourers ought to be able to think for themselves, but he replied that the poor man wa» easily led, and added, " Wiiat do you think, sir? Don't yon think it will come to a 'bustle' afore long?" Glancing over the mantel-shelf I observed a placard, which seemed an appro- priate answer to the query. It was a notice offering £50 re- ward— " Whereas on the night of the 30th January last, the farm premises occupied by Mr. G. Gifford, situate at I'ark- lane, Langham, were wilfully set on fire. Notice is hereby given that the above reward will be paid to any person giving such information as shall lead to the apprehension and con- viction of the offender. Information to be given to Mr. George Gilford, Langham, or to Superintendent Daunt, County Police Station, Colciiester." I was told, however, that the circumstance to which tiie notice referred occurred before any disruption took place between the farmers and the labourers. Tiie farmer expressed his opinion that much of the present trouble was owing to the " schoolin'." ft was a difficult matter now to get a boy to work on the land at all. What with heavy rates, heavy rents, and increased wages the farmer did not know what to do, and it was time the landowner took a share of the burden. Twenty men were locked out in the Manningtree district. Several men had given up their tickets at Bromley Lawford and Ardleigh and returned to their work. Capital, another farmer said, would beat labour any day. Around Bury they are paying 3s. a week less than in Essex, notwilhstaudmg the agitation of a couple of years ago in THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 335 Suffolk. Iq the Tendring Hundred about 10 per cent, of the men have joined the League. He gave all his men clearly to understand he slioiilil not employ a member of the League. If they joined they were at once discharged. The rules of tlie League, he said, plainly told the men tliey could work on at their present wages until haysel, when they would strike at a time when they could not be spared, for 3s. or is. a week more. The object of tiie League was to make the men dis- satibfied first and then make tiiem emigrate, thus getting a profit out of them. A profit would also be got out of the philautliropic public. "So you see," he added, "the knife Tuta both ways." — Essex Telegraph. THE CHILTERN HILLS.— Toiling up Caversham Hill with a ghastly chalk-pit on one side, and a Stoke-Pogis- looking old church on the other, you begin to realise the gracelul undulations of the Chilteru Range. The neigbour- )\ood of Reading being eligible lot building sites, land owners seem purposely to have deformed its natural beauty by cutting down the trees. In less than a mile, however, you escape from this bareness. The roJid first becomes a pic- turesque avenue. Then you remark that the woods close in on your path, like the Russian cannon at Balacklava, to the right and felt. At last you are fairly immersed in the beecli- woods and cau imagine yourself Ilobinhood, Friar Tuck, or,; if in a loftier vein, Sir Gawain on a wild-goose quest. We term this tract of country, in accordance with its own modest pre- tension, the beecit-woods. It would, however, be far more ac- curate to designate it forest ; for a noble forest it is, stretching from Whitcliurch, opposite Ii*angbourne, right away to Stokenchurch in Buckinghamshire, its greatest latitude being about eight miles, between Henley and Nuffield. The soil is for the most part chalk and flint, with oases of gravel. The population is abnormally sparse ; but the pheasants and hares, being much the reverse, attract gangs of poachers, whose nocturnal enterprise helps to supply Leadenhall Market. The first place of considt-ration you pass along the road is Cane End, the seat of H. Vanderstegen, Esq., who has inherited the acres of the Brighams, an ancient and honourable county family. If you were Sir Boyle Rochie's bird, and could be in two places atjOnce, you might, without severe locomotion, catch a glimpsa of Hardwick, a genuine Elizabethan mansion, tlie property of Mr. Powys-Lybhe, the representative of another good old stock ; or of Blount's Court, so called after the Blouuts, who still adhere to their ancient habitation, and moreover to their ancient faith. In fact, Chilternia is covered with arraigerous folk who have never made up their mind to sell manorial rights, which every fresh decade becomes more aud more prized and precious. Erom Cane End — still following our guidance — you walkthrough a leafy paradise to "VVoodcote, where you get a peep of the Berkshire Downs aud tlie White Horse Range. Erora thence, a short half mile, to Checkendon, a handsome church of Norman outline, con- taining a splendid mediceval brass of Sir E. Rede. Having sitisfied your archaeological lust, if you have any, Shanks's mare is gently spurred, aud you march off to Scots Common, tlie loveliest spot, beyond doubt, in this line of territory. To call it a common seems a mere fafon de parler. It is indeed a golconda of greenery, such a bit of foreground las would re- joice the^heart of Mr. Vicat Cole. At the entrance of the farmyard abutting on the common stands the shell of a giant «iak, planted, at a gness, by some Saxon ere ever Bassett the Norman constituted himself lord paramount of these hundreds, or Marmyon, the king's cup-bearer, to be afterwards immor- talised in poetry, perhaps by virtue of his euphonious name, cribbed the adjoining liberty of Stoke. In passing by the Ipsden woods, second to none in deusity and variety of foliage, you come upon a queer three-cornered plot, styled the " Devil's Churchyard." The monks, so runs the legend, had a fancy to remove Ipsden Church, which lies two miles west in the valley, and they did accurately commence a new edifice on tiiia very spot. .Mephistopheles, however — who we suspect was a Norman of the Bassett variety — took what there was of the new church bodily and popped it down in its present position. Hereabouts, if yon could only reproduce tke le- gends destroyed during the wild excesses of the Reformation, would be found plenty of liistoriettes of older England. For, on the adjoining promontory of hill-land culled Berlins Hill, after St. Birinus, founder of Dorchester Abbey eight miles distance along the Oxford road, was a Roman station, the pre- sent evidence whereof is well, whereunto as they say, hangs a tale. * * * No marvel that Birinus pitched his tent in view of this splendid panorama rivalled only perhaps by the delicious view of the Otmoor vale from the altitude of Elsfield. Before you lies the valley of the Thames, meandering by Goring, Mouls- ford, Mongewell, or St. Mungo'a Well— wells in tins district were of yore more prized than rubies— Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Bensington. In the farthest distance range the Cotswolds, a bleak desolate region, with Cumnor Hurst, like a tall sentry guarding their van. To the left behind the river towers Streatley Hill, whilst in the foreground beneath your feet nestles the exquisite village of Ipsden, the birthplace of Charles Reade ; and apart, in solitary dignity, the lowly parish church, where lies buried his gitted and adventurous nephew, who tempted the African desert jnst once too olten. Well, if Shanks be not tired with this nine miles of easy stroll- ing amid the purest of pure atmosphere, yon can righ'-about- face ,and walk back, via Stoke Row and Witheridge Hill, to Henley-on-Tliames, whence the Great Western Railway will conv.y your carcase townwards ; or, if you prefer a briefer route, strike across country to Goring station. At Henley, how- ever, we can promise you the excelleut hospitality of the Red Lien ; whereas Goring— a sweet spot for fishing— does not offer the delicacies of LucuUus, or, indeed, auglit, edible ex- cept bread-and-cheese. — Compton Reade, in Beljravia for March. HORSE SHOW AT CAMBRIDGE. — Lately a large and well-attended show of entire horses was held in Mr. Moyes's Field, Hills-road. The competition was open to all England ; aud a prize of a silver cup given by the Hon. Eliot C. Yorke, M.P., with £35, was offered for the best cart s'allion. This class. No. 1, attracted the largest number of entries (the age being fixed at three years and upwards) no less than 23 being in the catalogue. Not only was this the largest class, but it was pronounced by competent judges to be the best. The first prize, £35 and cup, was awarded to Mr. Alfred Richardson, of Torpey House, Mepal, for his bay horse Young Samson, five years old, by Samson. He was sold at the conclusion of the show tc Mr. Street, of Somersham, for £500. The second prize wa.s awarded to Mr. II. Bultitaft, of Bedwellhay, Ely, for his bay five-year-old King Tom, by Honest Tom, bred by the exhibitor. There was a close run between this horse and the one to which the " reserve number" was given — a bay six-year-old, exhibited by Mr. Henry Stanley, of Bury St. Edmund's. Mr. Drage Camps,^ of Haddenham, was highly commended for his bay horse King ol the Feus, five years old. Two animals were commended— Mr. Thomas Briggs's (of Bibrahara) Heart of Oak, another bay, five years old, who was awarded the prize as the best horse in the yard at IJedford, in IS?*; and Mr. Henry Cockle's (of Hilrow), Honeft Tom, a dark brown horse, five years old, bred by the exhibitor. In Class 2, for cart stallions under two years old, one prize (£10) was offered, and was awarded to Mr. Joseph Martin, of Highfteld House, Littleport, for Ajax ; ho also receiving " reserve " for Hector, both horses being by Hercules, and bred by the exhibitor. There were three other entries. There were nine entries of nag stallions. Mr. William Wilson, of Wormley, Herts., taking the prize (£15) with his bay horse Hotshot, 13 years old ; Jlr. Thomas Grainger, of Haddenham, was selected for the " reserve number" with his dark bay five-year-old. Young Perfection, and Mr. J. B. Wilkinson, of Godmanchester, was highly commended for his Mullatto, a black-brown horse, four years of age. On the whole the show was a most successful one, and will, most probably, not be the last of its kind in Cambridge. — Tbejudges were— Class laud 2 : Mr. Plowright, of I^lanea, and Mr. Manning of Northampton ; Class 3, Mr. F. Gordon, Thorn Haw, Wansford.and Mr. Bennett, Husband Bowick, Rugby. ' SOUTH DURHAM AND NORTH YORK CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE AND THE VALUATION BILL.— A meeting of this Chamber was held at Darling- ton, Mr. J. Feetham in the chair, to consider the Valuatioa Bill. — Mr. Hodgson explained some of the alterations in the proposed bill ; and was followed by Mr. Graham, of Staindrop, who objected to the appeal to Quarter Sessions, thinking there should be instead financial boards. He had been greatly annoyed at this Valuation Bill, especially to see that the surveyor of taxes was set over the asscstmcut committee. He 33(3 THE FAEMER'S MAGAZINE. tlioiii^Iit that if tliis were persisted in the assessment coni- niittees would take no part in the matter. Like the Agricul- tural Holdings Bill, this Valuaiion Bill was an absurdity. He lield that tlie farmers should combije together and then tliey would make themselves a power in the country. It would be necessary at another election to vole for measures, not men. They would have to look after the agricultural iuterests, as every other profession was represented in Pailiament but that. — Mr. Rowlandson said that the Surveyor of Taxes might summon the Assessment Commissiouers to any place as often as he chose. He had no objection to the surveyor of taxes sitting as other members, but not with the omnipotrnt powers which were conferred upon liim by the bill. Mr. Pease had written to him to say that such was the dissatisfaction with the bill tliat he did not thiuk it would pass. If any simpleton chose to give double the value for a farm, then it was in the power of the surveyor to place the same valuation upon another farm adjoining, which might not p:iy more than half the first one. He moved the fallowing resolution: "Tint this meeting, while approving of the uiiilormity of assessments^ strongly objects, first, to the arbitrary powers proposed to be conferred upon the surveyor of taxes by the Valuation Bill ; secondly, to the provision making the annuhl rental the mini- mum of gross viilue ; thirdly, to the courts of final appeal. It also further obji-cts to any bill on this subject being passed until we have properly constituted couuty tiiiancial boards, checked by the ratepayers, to which boards appeals could be' made instead of the Quarter Sessions." — Mr. C. Middletoa seconded the resolutiou. — Jlr. Wooler said he wonld hardly trammel the (question with country boards. Tiiis bill struck at the root of their liberties. — Mr. Caates also opposed the bill. — On the result beihg put it was carried unjnimously. — Mr. C. Middleton moved, and Mr. Graham seconded, that five guineas be veted to the Clare Sevfell Read Testimonial Fuud, which was agreed to, and the meeting a 'journed. THE AGRICULTURAL RETURNS. The Agricultural Returns for 1875 have been issued re- cently, with the usual interestingsummary by Mr. Valpy prefixed. They give, like their predecessors, much valuable information PS to the state of the country in what is still lis most impor- tant industry, and would be yet more valuable than they are were cultivators of land conscientious in sending in their r.-turns. Considerable improvement has been eff cted in recent years in that respect, but much is still wanted to make the information perfectly complete and trustworthy. No doubt as f;vrraer8 become more alive to their duty in this respect this ground of complaint against them will Le removed. Were it nut, however, borne in mind in dealing with these returns, we fhould be misled at the outset, for we find that the tttal acreage returned for the United Kin'/dom as under cultivation showed an increase in 1875 over 1871' of 171,000 acres, and the increase against 1868 was no less than 1,659,000 acres. Wece that all due to reclamations of waste lands, enclosure of c imiuons, and such like, it would be a most remarkable fact in mire ways than one. But it is not due to any such activity, at least not anything like wholly due to it. Probably the larger purt of this seeming increase is owing to more tho- roughness on the part of cultivators in sending in their returns. At the same time the reclamation of waste lands has no doubt proceeded at a rapid pace. High prices and the ever-increasing press of the population make that a matter of course. As returns should be sent in from every separate holding of cul- tivated land above one quarter of an acre in extent (except gardens and allotments), exactitude in filling up the informa- tion required ought to enable a most accurate gauge to be takeu of the yearly increase. Until that is attained the matter must remain to a certain extent guess-work. The total quantity of laud returned as under crops or in bare fallow and under grass in 1875 was 31,41(3,000 acres for Great Britain, and 15,775,000 fcr Ireland. For the whole of the United Kingdom, including the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, the cultivated area was 4-7,314,000, exclusive of heath, mountain pasture-land, woods, and plantations. Of the total for Great Britain alone 18,10 1,000 acres were arable land, w'hich was about the same as for 1871, but a decrease of 325,000 acres as compared with 1873. The pasture-land has, of course, more than proportionately increased, but it must Eot be concluded from this that cultivation of cereal or other crops is rapidly on the decline, and cattle-breeding on the in- crease, The altered figures are due in this case also, Mr. Valpy says, "to more correct returns and to new enclosures of down or open pasture lands." Of the 11,399,000 acres re- turned asunder corn crops in the United Kingdom, 3,511,000 were appropriated to wheat and 4,176,000 to oats ; barley, beans, and peas taking up the rest in unequal proportions. Wheat grew on 41 per cent, of the corn-land of Eagland, 8 per cent, in Ireland, and only 7 per ceut. in Scotland ; but it formed 83 per cent, of the corn crop of Jersey and 41 of that of Guernsey. Oats formed only 19 per cent, of the corn crop of England, but it was 71 per cent, of that of Scotland, and 78 per cent, of that of Ireland. Turnips occupy the principal jilace among the green crops, of which a total of 5,057,000 acres was grown. There were 150,000 acres returned as orchards in England, but the orchard-land of Scotland reached oiily 1,44& acres — a contrast due, perhaps, as much to difference iu the habiti of the peoples as to climate. Nursery gardens are in extent more in accordance with the wants of tiie popula- tions of tliese tivo parts of the kingdom, but Scotland here also lags behind. Woods and plantations occupy 2,187,000 acres in Great Britain, of whicli 1,325,765 acres are in Eng- land, 734,490 in Scotland, and the rest iu Wales. Ireland has 325,173 acres in timber-lands. Tlie total stock of horses in the United Kingdom is com- puted at 2,790,000, iucludiug horses subject to licence duty, and of that number 526,000 are placed to the credit of Ireland. Considering the enormous quantity of butchers' meat wh!ch is now consumed weekly in the country, it is almost surprising that the total stock of cattle of all ages in the kingdom is but 10,162,728, of which 4,111,990, is in Ireland. There are, however, 33,491,918 sheep and lambs, and 3,495,167 p'gs, exclusive of those kept in towns and by cottagers, so that the number of live animals of all the kinds used for food U nearly double the number of the populatioa of all ages. There are, however, considerable importations of both horses and cattle, which appears to show that the home stock is in neither case up to requirements. The class of hoi sea used for agricultural purposes has only increased about 12,000 in five years over Great Britain, while in Scotland alone the number has slightly decreased. The chief increase in horses is among the classes kept for breeding and unbroken horses, which have increased from 314,000 in 1871 to 388,000 in 1875. A good many horses are brought to England froai Ireland, but not so many now as there were some years ago. We export a few horses, but in the past year nothing like the number imported. What we do export are, however, about twice as valuable as those we buy, the average price in the one case being about £77, and in the other £37 per head. The stocks of neat show last year in several instances some reduction in quantity over those of 1874. The number of cows and heifers in milk or in cslf was less by 20,000, and the young stock of animals unJer two years of age had fallen off by 168,000, but there was an increase of 76,000 in the chief beef-producing class of stock. Taking the years 1874-5 together, and comparing them with 1869 70, there is, however, a general increase, varying from five per cent, in the case of cows and heifers to 22 per cent, in the case of young stock. The reduction iu this latter class in 1875 is attributed to the severe winter of 187 t and the consequent scarcity of fodder. This scarcity has also had a most marked effect in diminishing the stock of sheep and lambs, which was less by 1,146,000 last year than in 1874. The lambing season, too, was said ta have been unfavourable, particularly in the hilly districts. Some interesting notes are made, as usual, on the agricultural returns of the Colonies and oue or two foreign States. Tliey are not, if we except some of the Colonies, sufficiently accurate or minute for purposes of comparison, but their information is interesting. We find, for instance, that the Australian Colonies, including Tasmania, but excluding New Zealmd, with a population of about 1,891,000, have an area of 3,243,000 dcree under cultivation for all kinds of crops. This is in the TEE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 337 proportiou of about If acres to every head of tlie population. Of this total, about 1,823,000 aores are under corn crops, more tlian three-fourths wheat. New Zealand has a large area uuder permanent artificial grass, and the proportion in whicii land is cultivated varies considerably for the dilTiirent Colonies. Victoria, with a population of 808,000, had in 1874 a cultivated area nf hut 1,012,UU0 acres, while South Australia has onl/ 205,000 people, with a cultivated area of 1,330,000. South Aubtralia p;ive3 as large an average of wlieat as allthe other Australian Colonies put together. New Z-'aland included. Tew other grain crops are raised regularly, or to a large exteut, except oats, which occupy a considerable acreage in New Zealand and Victoria. All tiiese Colonies together had 1,5-37,500 acres under wheat in 1874, or rather more than lialf the acreage grown in the United Kingdom. The produce was last year about 21,000,000 bushels ; tliey ate therefore in a position to be considerable exporters of grain, and will, no doubt, come more on the markets of the world in that capacity. Cotton-growing in Queensland does not seem to make progress, nor is there any increase in the acreage under vines. The returns of the South African Colonies are mostly too varied in date and too remote to be of any value, those of Cape Colony being only given up to 1865, while Natal, with commendable promptness, gives its returns up to 1871. Maize is tha chief crop of the latter colony, and it also cul- tivates 8,000 acres of sugar-cane. Cape Colony, on the other hand grows mostly wheat, but had also in 1865 16,000 acres of vineyards, or 1,000 acres more than Australia. Canada, again, is rather backward in its agricultural information, the latest returns being for 1871, according to which the Do- minion produced 16,721,000 bushels of wheat aud 42,000,000 bushels of oats. The average production of wheat per acre appears, so far as the Australian group of the Colonies are concerned, to range highest in New Zealand, where it was 28 bushels per acre ; and it was lowest in South Australia, reaching only 11 J bushels. Nearly oue-half the stock of ca'tle in Australia belongs to New Soutli Wales, whicli has 2,857,000 liead out of a total of about 6,000,000 ; Queensland comes next, and after it Victoria. New South Wales alone had more cattle in 1874 by 233,000 than the whole Canadian Dominion in 1871. It is in sheep, however, that the great wealth of tiie Australian coloniesconsists ; their flocks having at- tained the prodigious number of 61,050,000 in 1874, an increase of 3,600,0'JO, or 6 per cent, over the previous year. New South Wales possess 23 millions of this total, Victoria more than 11 millions, and the other colonies own from 6 to 7 millions each. The value of tiie wool exported from these flocks to the United Kingdom reached £16,000,000 last year, land its weight was 239,000,0001b. None of the other colonies possess anything like the same wealth in sheep except the Cape of Good Hope, which had 10,000,000 head in 1865 ; and the only foreign couutries that have large flocks are Prussia, France, and Russia. According to these returns, the flocks of both France and Prussia show a considerable decrease since 1866. ■ — limes. " THE WOOD - PIGEON AND ROOK NUISANCES." The protest against wood-pigeons and rooks, of which we read in Land and If'afer of tiie 4th inst, is deserving attention, having been signed by landlords as well as influential tenants in Easter Ross, and addressed to the landowners of the district. There can be no quesiion that it is the result of very serious grievances, and that the charges made against the rooks can be fully sustained, but we submit that they cannot with justice be said to be " at all seasons most injurious." Not only is the statement incorrect, but it ignores the existence of an evil over which we have very little control — the depredations of insects, wlpch, were they not kept in check, would doubtless destroy every cultivated plant of the farm. This result is effected by our feathered friends, foremost atnong whom is the rook. We do not wish to make light of the mischief they etft ct at seed-time and liarvest, or when the young plant is in its seed-lfaf : they are too palpable to be overlooked, but they may in f reat measure be prevented, or at all events be reduced to a minimum, by care and attention. What we wish to point out is, that during the remainder of the year they subsist mainly on the farmer's greatest enemies — insects. There are probably few of us who have not seen rooks busily picking up wireworms which have been driven to the surface of the ground by a judicious application of the ring-roller in the spring of the year; picking off grubs (larvae of the crane fly) from the young mangel plants ; following the plough and devouring the many forms of insect life (in a larva or (lupa state) then exposed to the light of day; searching carefully over the fields, digging here and tliere ; doing no perceptible harm and a viist amount of imperceptible good ; in fact, while their misdeeds are too evident, their good services arc often overlooked and seldom thoroughly understood. We do not for one moment wish to assert that the agricul- turists of Easter Ross are not justified in wishing to reduce their numbers, but we are anxious to enter our prote-t against the classification of rooks with wood-pigeons. Of the latter it may truthfully be said, in the terras of the protest, that " the injury done by them can be imagined;" but we tear not fully described. They do not dig up the seed-corn itself, after the manner of rooks, but leguminous plants are subject to their attacks as soon as they appear above ground. J]verybody knows liow they can deal with turnips, and they have a way of picking out the hearts of clover plants pecu- liarly tlieir own. At seed-time and harvest they thoroughly eclipse the rooks in the extent of their depredations ; and after many years of careful observation we are unable to credit them with one single redeeming fe iture. We look upon them as a bye-product of the preservation of game. Gentlemen are unwilling to have their coverts and woods disturbed in the breed- ing season for the purpose of destroyirig wood-pigeons. If they knew how large a proportion of the barley, &;c., put down in the preserves for the pheasants was consumed by the wood-pitteons, perhaps their keepers would receive orders to take efl'ective means for their destruction (which would be very simple), but we doubt if they would be carried out : keepers have their own reasons for a policy of laissez-faire when rabbits and wood-pigeons are in qacstlon. Unless landowners who are game preservers can be brought to see tliat it rests with them to relieve agriculture from this great incubus, we are likely to remain subject to it, for if the wood-pigeon be not destroyed in the egg, or in the nest before he can fly, the chances of the farmer being able to destroy him afterwards are somewhat apocryphal. We trust, in this respect, the cry from Easter Ross will receive the attention it deserves. Our object in tlie foregoing remarks has been to do justice to our old friend the rook, and to avenge tlie insult conveyed by the association of his name with that of the wood-pigeon. — G. T. T. CATTLE IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND EIGHTY YEARS AGO. An extract from a report of J. Bailey aud G. Culley to the theu existing Board of Agriculture, respecting the breeds of cattle in Northumberland eighty years ago, runs thus : The different kinds of cattle bred in this county are the Short- horued, the Devonshire, the Longhorned, and the wild cattle. The Shorthorued kind have been long established over the whole county, the other kinds are found only in the bauds of a few iudividuds, who have introduced them with a laudable view of comparing their merits with the established breed of the country. They difl'er from the other breeds in the short, ness of their horns, and in being wider and thicker in their form, consequently feed to the most weight; in affording the greatest quantity of tallow when fatted, in having very thin hides, aud much less hair upon them than any other breed (the Alderueys excepted) ; but the most essential diifereHce consists in the quantity of milk they give beyond most other breeds — there being instances of cows giving thirty-six quarts of milk per day, aud of forty-eight firkins of butter being male from a dairy of twelve cows ; but the more general quantity is three firkins per cow in a season, and twenty-four quarts of milk per day. The colour is much varied, but they mostly are an agreeable mixture of red and white. From their being in many places called the Dutch breed, it is probable they were originally brought from the Continent. They have been much improved of late years by the exertion and attention of enter- prising breeders, who have already improved them so far as to be sold fat to the butchers at threc-and-a-half years old. Tha weight of the carcase is in general from GO to 80 stone (lilb. 238 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. to the stone), but tliere are instances of individuals attaining much greater weiglit. Sir H. Grey bred and led two seven-year- old oxen that weighed 152 stone 91b. the four quarter only; and a spayed heifer, 133 stone 61b. ditto. Mr. Smith, of Togstone, a cow, 137 stone 111b. ditto. But large size is not now considered as an excellence — quick feeders, that lay their fat upon the most valuable parts, and have the least ofifal in the coarse parts, are the kind which every enlightened breeder wishes to be possessed of. The Longhorns liave been introduced from the improved stocks of the Midland ceuaties, at ditferent times and by different breeders, but have in most instances given way again to the improved breeds of Shorthorn. The Devonshire breed is only in the possession of "Walter Trevelyan, Esq., of Nether Wittoa, who introduced them about three years since : their oifspriug has not yet got to a proper age to form a judgment of their comparative merits. The wild cattle are only found iu Chillingham Park, belonging to the Earl of Tankerville ; and as it is probable they are the only remains of the true and genuine breed of that species of cattle, we shall be more particular in our description. Their colour is invariably white, muzzle black ; the wliole of the inside of the ear, aud about one-tliird of the outside, from the tip downwards, red ; horns white, with black tips, very fine, and bent upwards. Some of the bulls have a thiu upright maup, about an inch aud a-half or two inches long. The weiglit of the oxen is from 35 to 45 stone, and the cows from 25 to 35 stone the four quarters — 14 lbs. to the stone. The beef is finely marbled, and of excellent flavour. From the nature of their pasture, and the frequent agitation they are fiut into by the curiosity of strangers, it caunot be expected they should get very fat ; yet the six-year-old oxen are gene- rally very good beef, from whence it may be fairly supposed that, iu proper situations, they would feed well. This county cannot boast of its dairies ; those who live in tlie vicinity of Newcastle and other populous places make a handsome re- turn by the sale of milk, fresh butter, &c., but upon most of the large farms of this county dairies are not lield in much estimation. Breeding young cattle is practised in almost every part of the county. Upon the lar^e farms cows are kept more for this purpose than the profit of dairying : there are instances of fifty or sixty cows being brought up in one sea- son, by one farmer, who did not milk more ihan fifteen cows. Calves are certainly best reared with milk, but where such numbers arc bred many different things have been mi.^ed with, or substituted for, this nutritive and natural diet. Oats and bean-meal, oilcake, linseed, boiled turnips, &c., are used, and have their various advocates ; but linseed is most approved. £jg3 are excellent for mixing in the calf's food ; when cliciip, in the spring, perhaps they cannot be better employed. In the summer the calves are turned, to grass, and in the firet winter get turnips and straw. After being a year old, they are kept in summer on coarse pasture, and iu winter on straw only. Hiring bulls for the season is practised in this county ; as liigh as fifty guineas have been paid for a bull of the Short- horned breed for one season, and from tnree to five guineas given for serving a cow, but the more common premium is a guinea. PIECE WOUK. — At a meeting cauvened by the Social Science Association there was a discussion on the piece work as compared with time work. Mr. Leonard H. Courtney occupied the chair, and Mr. Frederick Hill, late of the Post-office, read his paper ou the subject above men- tioned, from his statement it appeared that Mr. Hill was in favour of piece work, aud stated that the opponents of pay- ment by piece instead of by time seemed to found their opposi- tions in a great measure on a belief that this system tended to rrduce the number of persons employed, aud as regarded a large portion even of those who did find employment to keep down their wages. He held this belief to be without founda- tion, and the fallacy appeared to be based on the assumption that the quantity of work to be executed in every knd of manu''acturR was fixed, as also the sum of money to be divided among .(he workpeople. But experience showed that this was so far from being the case that both the quantity of work and the payment for it were capable of vast and indefinite exten- sion. Mr. Mundella said the question was whether piece work was desirable or not. It had been assumed that it was deairablc and good for the operative consumer, but that tlio trades' unions and working classes gene;ally were opposed to it. This assumption was as wide of the mark as could beany misrepresentation made to the working classes, who were being constantly misrepresented. He was an advocae of piece work. Of the 34.0,000,000 of exports from this country fully 90 per cent, was the result of piece work. Our textile fabrics, iron and steel manufactures, haberdashery, and cutlery were all produce I by piece work. More piece work was done in England than any other country, and this had been the main cause of her market prosperity. The further it was carried' the better it would be for every one concerned. All that was needed was an amicable arrangement between employers and working men. Piece work could not be always resorted to, and time work should be in such cases adopted. In conclusion, he must protest against the injustice done to working men by the statement so often made that they protested against piece work. — Times. BATH AND WEST OF ENGLANI> SOCIETY A?JU SOUTHERN COUNTIES ASSOCIATION. At the usual monthly Council Meeting of the above Society, held at the Grand Hotel, Bristol, the cliair was taken by Sir J. W. Walrond, Bart. There were also present Messrs. R. Bieniridge, J. Gray, and J. C. Moore-Stevens, Vice-Presidents ; Messrs. C. T. D. Aeland, R. H. Bush, W. R. Crabbe T. Danger, John Daw, R. R. M. Daw, T. Duckham, Colonel W. R. Gilbert, Rev. John Goring, J. D. Hancock, H. M.' Iloldsworth, H. P. Jones, J. W. King, Colonel Luttrell, Henry St. John Maule, Henry Mayo, J. Murch, R. Neville, S. P. Newbery, James Quartly, Trevor Lee Senior, Henry Spackraan, Josei>h Strattou, W. Thompson, R. Whippell, and J. Goodwin, Spcretary and Editor. The Meeting or 1877.— Mr. Gray, as Chairman of the deputatoin appointed to visit Bath, wiih reference to the centenary meeting in 1877, reported in favour of Mr. Butler's farm, near tlie Bear Inn, Holloway, as the site for the Society's Show Yard, but left the selection of fields for the trial of implements an open question ; and the report having been accepted and approved by the Council, the Field Stewards undertook by the next meeting (April 25th), to furnish a supplemental report on several matters of detail. The arrange- ment for the Society's visit to Bath may therefore be taken as finally settled, HoUowray Farm being the site for the Show Yard. The late Mr. Gabriel Stone Poole. — Sir J. W. Walrond, speaking under the influence of deep emotion, said he hoped the Council would allow him, as an old friend of the late Mr. Poole, to express their deep regret at the sad intelli- gence of his removal from among them, and to propose that they join in an expression of sincere sympathy mith Mrs. Poole and family. Mr. Poole, until his late illness, was a very constant attendant at their meetings, and he (Sir J. W.) did not think thc?e ever was a gentleman among them who brought to bear more good sense, practical knowledge, and good temper on tl>e various matters that came before them for discussion. His loss would be very deeply felt not ouly as a citizen of the world, and an enlightened philanthropist, hnt as a member of the Council of the Society, holding several important offices, and discharging all his duties with exemphry ability, conscientiousness, and courtesy. — The resolution was seconded by Mr. Gray, and passed amid expressions of deep feelina', and the Secretary was directed, at the proper time, to communicate the same to Mrs. Poole and the family. New Members. — Mr. F. Piatt, Sugwas C'lurt, Hereford; Mr. H, J. Taylor, Holmer, Hereford ; Mr. Thompson, Breinton, Hereford ; Mr. John Spencer, Bovvood, Calne. MALT AND BARLEY.— Mr. Locke, M. P., has obtained a return, printed on Wednesday, from which it appears th.,it in the year ended the 31st of December last there were iu the United Kingdom 58,139,529 bushels of malt charged with duty, amounting to £7,88i,378 6s. 75J. Iu En^lnd the duty was £7,078,235 ISs. 4Jd. ; iu Scotland, £368,496 Os. lljd. ; and in Ireland, £437,<)46 12s. 2|J. The quantity of barley imported info the United Kingdom in the year was Il,0i9j476 cwt. being equivalent iu qiuirtcrs to 3,093,853. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. no9 niGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. AGIIICULTUIIAL EDUCATION. lu 185G tlie Society obtained a supplementary charter, under which it is empowered to |?rant diplomas in agriculture. The first examination took place in 1858, and since that period tweuty-nine gentlemen liave passed for tlie diploma, and eight for certificates. With the view of popularising the examina- tions, tlie Society has seen cause from time to time to alter its bye-laivs, and those at present in force (which embrace for the first time two classes of certificates) were confirmed at the general meeting in June last. The diploma examination is open to candidates wlio have completed their twenty-first year ; tlie first-class certificate examination to those who are not less than eighteen ; and the secoud-chiss certificate examination to those not less than seventeen vears of age. To pass the " second- class certificate examiaation" a candidate must be acquainted with the principles and practice of agriculture, agricultural chemistry, surveying and farm engineering, and farm accounts : To pass the " first-class certificate examination " a candidate must be acquainted with the subjects of the second-class certi- ficate, and any three of the following subjects : botany, geology, physics or mechanics, meteorology or climate, natural history, and veterinary practice. To pass the " diploma exami- nation " a candidate must -possess a thoruuih knowledge of the theory and practice of agriculture, of mechanics and mensuration, of the physiology and treatment of domesticated animals, and of the application of botany, chemistry, and natural history to agriculture. Sixteen gentlemen enrolled their names, and fifteen presented themselves for examination. Tlie examination resulted in the following passintj : For Diploma. — 1. Mr. R. Lang Anderson, MiUiken Park, Renfrewshire ; 2. Mr. Archibald A. Ferguson, Goslield, Essex ; 3. Mr. John Arthur ]\Iacoucliy, llathmore, Aaghnaclitfi', Co. Longford; 4. Mr. Alexander Sutherland, Kampyards, Walteii, Golspie. For First-class Certificate. — 1. Mr. Cecil C. Baker, 3, Bloomsbury-place, Loudon, W.C. ; 3. Mr. Robert Carr, Felk- ington, Norhara ; 3. Mr. Percy H. Cathcart, 16, Oakley- square, London, N.W. ; 4. Mr. John M'Caig, KiUiilt, Stran- raer ; 5. Mr. C. E. M. Russell, Ballielisk, Dollar. For Second class Certificate. — 1. Mr. Andrew Catton, Couston, Aberdour, Fife ; 2. Mr. John Fleming, Coates, Peni- cuik ; 3. Mr. W. J. Murray, Mailingsland, Peebles ; 4. Mr. John J. Sharp, Leaston, Upper Keith. The several examiners were as follows : 1. Profpspor Wilson, Mr. Hope (Bordlands), and Mr. Mike (Niddrie Mains), for the science and practice of agriculture; 2. Dr. Balfour, for botany ; 3. Dr. Aitken, for chemistry ; 4. Dr. Stirling, for natural History ; 5. Professor Williams, for veterinary surgery ; 6. IMr. David Stevenson, C.B., for field engineering and surveying ; 7. Mr. Kenneth Mackenzie, C. A., for book-keeping and accounts. THE SELECTION OF ROOT CROPS FOR THE COMING SEASON. Clay-land farmers have before them a season of un- Uiual ditlk'ulty. Not only is work of all kinds sadly in arrear, but the position is rendered still more unfortunate by th° fact that the strong retentive clays have not had the iniliience of dry frosts upon them, and are in conse- quence in a cold, tough, unworkable condition. The disintegrating action of frost is the one condition, above 11 others, upon which the successful cultivation of heavy land in the spring of the year can be based, and no amount of labour can take its place ; in its absence, a few hours' wind and^suu often suffice to change the wet clay into something very like brick. We have too often been unable to roll land that has proved too wet one day, and too hard the nest. Drainage and good farming are the only ameliorating influences that can be brought to bear upon such land as this, and meanwhile we must do the best we can with it. The few fine days with which we have hitherto been favoured have overwhelmed us with work, so that one scarcely knows what to do first. With the season so far advanced there can be little doubt but that our arrangements, in many instances, will have to be recast, and the elements have in a very remarkable manner forced us into a course of action we might other- wise have been slow to adopt. As in the autumn, so again in the early spring, the constant succession of rainy days have not only hindered work, but have posi- tively prevented the sowing of wheat to a very consi- derable extent, and much of the pulse and lent corn has been badly sown, or will be sown late. Under these circumstances we are inclined to think there will be a larger acreage of root and fodder crops grown this season, on such farms as have been thrown out of gear by the adverse influence of the weather. Many will probably adopt some such plan, on the principle of good roots being preferable to indiflfereut corn, but others will prepare for larger stock operations than usual, iu more direct accordance with the requirements of the times, and, while contemplating possible financial diffi- culties, try to derive consolation from the fact of their having been in a measure forced into such course o-f action by "circumstances over which they had no con- trol." But, whether our surmise prove to be correct or not, the present is an appropriate time to offer a few practical remarks to the readers of The Mark Lane E.rjjress with regard to the selection of root crops for the coming season. It has become a well-attested fact, that the difficulties attending the cultivation of turnips and swedes have greatly increased during the past twenty years, and are still increasing. In many districts these crops have be- come so uncertain that farmers are beginning to try others in their place : from the time the seed is deposited in the ground until the bulb is ready for consumption they are exposed to the depredations of insects whose name may rightly be called Legion; and should they live down all these, there are many species of fungi which attack them at various stages of their growth. The disease called " anbury," supposed to be fungoid, has become exceed- ingly prevalent in some localities, in others the bulbs are covered with the gall-like excrescences of the " turnip- gall weevil" and taking these two ail'ections only, as illustrating car subject, it appears to us that in such localities the soil may have become full of the spores of the fungus in the one case, and of the pupse of the insect in the other, thereby perpetuating the disease and pest, rather than that the soil has become " sick" of the plant. We do not of course imply that the prevalence of insect pests has ever been attributed to the absence of any of the constituents of plant-food in the soil, but mention it in connection with " anbury" because that disease has been attributed to the cause just cited. No doubt plants would become more susceptible to the attacks of fungi if any important element of nutrition were withheld from them, but the fuugus must exist before it cad attack them, and by repeatedly growing the plant it affects we simply multiply the fungus itself. We shall be glad to hear the opinions of others on this matter, which to us appears to be of great importance, If it can be sub- •40 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. stantiated, it is ia itself a powerful reason for substituting other plants for the turnip and swede ia the localities of which we have been speaking. But, whilst advocating sucli a change in such localities, we do not hesitate to express our personal reluctance to give up the turnip and swede to any great extent where such evils do not exist. We have the greatest appreciation of the kohl-rabi and cabbage, in their place as auxiliaries, or even as some- thing more than that, but on heavy land, and iudeed on all farms that are not devoted entirely to sheep, we prefer to have something like the usual relative propor- tion of turnips, swedes, and mangold as a basis for our operations. Agriculturists of all classes are indebted to Mr. Russell for the iuformatioa afforded by him of his ex- perience in the cultivation of the cabbage and its varieties. It will be strange indeed if we cannot all learn something from it — we hope a great deal ; but we do not all live at Horton Kirby — many of us very far off, both literally and figuratively ! and as the great majority of holdings in England are of medium size, and a large proportion of them on stiff and medium soils, suited and devoted to a "mixed husbandry," we cannot all of us follow Mr. Russell so far as we might otherwise gladly do. On such farms the requirements are very varied. In some instances sheep are not wintered at all, or a few only are bred ; in others the resources are devoted to rearing bullocks, or to feeding bullocks, or to breeding, or to dairying : and under these differing circumstances it is evident very different provision must be made. Cabbages will not answer all these purposes ; and if they would, there are other considerations which must not be over- looked. We have our straw to utilise and economise — a thing we are only just learning to do — chitfly by the aid of roots which have been taken off the laud and stored. This leads to another question of great importance. We are indebted to Dr. Voelcker and other scientific gentle- men for careful analyses of our fodder plants, by which we have learned the exact amount of nutriment they severally contain, and this knowledge is of the greatest value ; but in practice we find tnat a root — say a turnip — is of far greater value than its constituents would warrant us to suppose. So is straw. We are all familiar with that influence which farm-yard manure and marl has upon the soil, which is not due to its chemical composition — its mechanical action — and we are aware that a similar effect could not be produced by applying an exact chemical equivalent. It is the same with our fodder. "We cannot feed an animal by giving it the chemical constituents of its food — 91 per cent, of water, and the rest as per analysis, will not do in lieu of a turnip. The stomach of an ox is a very complicated affair, and must he filled before it will properly perform its functions. Hence we learn the very great utility of our bv.lhj fodder plants of low nutritive power. Our own experience has led us to the conclusion that, whilst the value of fodder crops, other than roots, for consumption on the land by sheep, or for soiling purposes, is yearly becoming more pronounced as we improve in our agriculture, the import- ance of our mangolds, swedes, and turnips has increased in even greater degree as we learn how to use them properly. We regard the chaff-cutter and root-pulper as the groundwork of mixed agriculture. On a medium-sized farm, whore there is generally something of everything in the shape of live stock, great waste often occurs both iu roots and straw from a reluctance to spend the extra money in labour. Of course, if there is an absence of sys- tem in the way in which a farm is stocked, and things are bred and reared without a definite object in view other than simply to grow something:, it can readily be under- stood that the animals should be allowed to " cut their own," to save trouble ; but such instances get to be fewer each year, and we have no doubt the majority of our readers will coincide with our opinion that chaffed straw and pulped roots, properly mixed and, perhaps, slightly fermented, is the most economical manner in which these bulky fodder plants can be utilised. All things considered, the mangold is probably the most useful root, not only in respect of its nutritive value, but as most affects our immediate subject, in point of being less subject to disease and injury. The cultivation of this root has very considerably extended during the last few years, and soils of very various natures have been found capable of producing remunerative crops. The North of England and Scotland do not appear suited in climate to the growth of mangolds, whereas swedes grown in these localities are of decidedly higher nutritive value than those grown in the southern counties. They are often of the greatest value in the spring, especially in a backward time, when a very awkward break is apt to occur in our sup- plies. The greatest attention should be devoted to lifting the crop. If the roots are pulled in an unripe state, ia wet weather, and badly stored, they will retain their acrid scouring properties for months; whereas if harvested when ripe, and iu dry weather, and properly stored, they may be used with impunity almost from the first. Horses are very fond of them, and it has been our plan to give a few in the spring: they prefer to bite them rather than to have them cut. Next to mangolds, swedes are, in our opinion, most useful ; nevertheless, it is at the expense of this crop and the turnips, that we may in many instances, and to a greater extent than heretofore, find it advisable to grow kohl-rabi and the varieties of cabbage. The former has many things to be said in its favour. It is safe from the greatest of all drawbacks to swedes and turnips — the " fly ;" it can withstand drought ; it can withstand the winter ; it can be stored and above all, it can be transplanted. We noticed yesterday a few of these plants which had been trans- planted among some swedes, which latter were covered with weevil galls ; there were galls on the roots of the kohl-rabi plants, but not on the enlarged stems we call " bulbs " for convenience. The swedes were rapidly decaying from the effects of the injuries inflicted by the larva3 of the weevils, but the I'abi plants were uninjured, neither had their growth been appreciably retarded. This is a matter deserving consideration, and speaks volumes in favour of the more extensive cultivation of the plant. A small seed-bed sown even now would probably furnish very useful material for filling up the gaps that will occur in our various root crops in the best of seasons, and many may think it advisable to drill a larger average than usual of this plant. W'e have found it iavaluabie for early lambs, and both the leaves and the stem are greatly relished by all kinds of stock. Unfortunately, rabbits and hares are especially fond of it. Of cabbage we have had comparatively but little personal experience, but have found them most useful in the small extent to which we have grown them. We hope to take a leaf out of Mr. Russell's book. On a sheep farm his plan represents a minimum amount of labour ; but while the bulbous roots cost more in preparatiou for the stock, and in hauling or storing, they enable us at the same time to utilise our straw, haulm, and rough hay, by filling a larger number of large stomachs. We hope to find that mangold and kohl-rabi will be grown to a larger ex- tent this season than usual. G. T. T, March Z\st. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. S4l THE MODE OF RELIEVING THE POOR IN HAMBURG. The peculiar position -which has been occupied by the small republic of Hamburg from the earliest times has had the efl'ect of preveutiiii; that sharp line of demarca- tion from being drawn between public and private charity which exists iu larger and less isolated communities. There is, therefore, no legal provision for the sujjport of the poor, nor any system bearins: a resemblance to the general operations of the English Poor-law. The relief being voluntary, there is neither a legal obligation on the pari; of the wealthy to contribute to any special fund, nor a legal claim on the part of the poor to assistance when destitute. Although local peculiarities have thus rendered poor-laws unnecessary, the relief of the poor has always occupied a large share of public attention. The administration of charity, previous to the Reforma- tion, was committed almost exclusively to the Romish clergy ; but among the numerous beneficial changes introduced at that period was the system of parochial relief, which appears to have attained the cud in view in a very admirable way. The intentions of the originators were carried out in a negligent spirit, so that towards the end of the last century the poor had become both demoralised and dangerous. To remedy these evils several influential citizens remodelled the regnlatious then to a small extent in force, and succeeded iu devising a system (or poor relief which, after serving as a model to several countries and towns iu Europe, has been con- tinued, iu a somewhat modilied form, down to the present day. With this organisation the town is divided into twelve districts, each of which is subdivided into sis sections, each section being placed under the care of two overseers. In addition to its twenty-four overseers each district has a physician, two or more apothecaries, a nurse to attend the sick, and one or two mes- sengers, according to the necessities of the various localities. Each district is also under the superin- tendence of an inspector ; and the . operations of the whole body are directed by a board of twenty-seven persons, composed of the inspectors or superintendents of the twelve districts, one of the managers of the general hospital, the lunatic and orphan asylums, and the work- house, with representatives from the financial department of the town council, and presided over by a burgo- master and a senator.. The overseers of the poor are elected for a term of three years by the inhabitants of the districts in which they live, whilst the super- intendents are chosen for ten years by the General - Board, and retire as their period of office expires. With these exceptions, the whole machinery is voluntary. The practical working of the system may be thus briefly described : A committee, consisting of eight dis- trict-superintendents, meet together weekly to revise the lists furnished by the overseers of persons receiving or applying for permanent or temporary relief, and to decide upon the general nature and extent of the aid to be con- timed or granted. No statistics are available as to the actual number of persons relieved at their own homes, nor is it possible to distinguish able-bodied paupers from the aged and infirm. The importance of such statistics has, however, been long recognised ; and measures are being taken which will remedy this defect iu future years. The recipients of out- door relief constitute by far the largest number of the persons receiving public charity, and are estimated to vary between 4,000 and 5,000, according to the season of the year and the state of trade. Owing to the anomalous character of the Board as a private and voluntary institution receiving considerable grants from the public treasury, it is difficult to arrive at an accurate account of the total suras raised and ex- pended for public charity. A large aniount of the fund thus squired used to be raised by voluntary donations and legacies. When the public found, however, that the deficiency of private contributions waa supplied by public grants, these contributions gradually decreased, and have latterlj ceased altogether. There are three public institutions iu connection wifh the General Board for the relief of the poor— namely, the general hospital and the lunatic and orphan asylums, all of which have been endowed to a certain extent by be- quests of property ; but as these endowments are not sulfi- cient to meet the claims made upon them, it is necessary to supplement them by contributions from the public exchequer, as is done with regard to the funds of tho General iJuard. The inhabitants are under no legal obligation to support their poor relations, but it is only in exceptional cases that aid is given to such persons. The isolated condition of Hamburg when surrounded, as was formerly the case, by a wall, and accessible only by gates, which were closed at sunset, made it possible to carry out very stringent regulations to prevent the influx of persoas who were liable to become destitute. O^ving to the precautions taken, the city has always been much freer from vagrants and beggars than most localities of the same character. The principle adopted with reference to the chargeability of individual paupers is now uniform throughout Germany, having been regulated by the laws of November 1st, 1SQ7, and June 1st, 1870. In con- formity with the provisions of these enactments, every German iu distress must be temporarily relieved by the authcities of the state or town iu which he finds himself. Should a person in distress not be entitled to a settlement in a state or town where he is living at the time, which settlement is acquired either by a continuous residence of two years after the completion of his twenty- fourth year, by marriage, or by descent, the local authorities have a claim upon the locality to which he legally belongs for the reimbursement of the expenses that have beea incurred for his relief. These laws have not been long enough in force to permit any reliable opinion being formed as to their practical working. The probable effect, so far as Hamburg is concerned, will be the accumulation of a great deal of poverty, which the laws hitherto in operation have effectually preveated. The eflfect of the system, described by Consul' Annesley, upou the welfare of the inhabitants in general may be said to be good, especially where the persons charged with carrying out the details devote a sufficient amount of attention and discrimination to the investigation of the various cases brought to their knowledse. The voluntary character of the organisation is commendable ; and the extent to which the feelings of those in destitute circumstances are spared, and their self-respect preserved, deprives the system of public relief in Hamburg from exposure to those charges of inhumanity or favouritism which are so frequently brought against the administra- tion of the Poor-law in England. I'rugaUty, temperance, and foresight are general characteristic of the German people ; and savings' banks, sick and burial clubs, and other forms of provision for old age and distress, are takeu advantage of by a large section of the population, evcu where their means are so low as to render saving a matter of great difficulty. 342 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, THE IRISH PRESS ON CATTLE DISEASE RREVENTION. Tt 13 clifficult to convince the meat cousumer that free trade in foreign cattle disease has liad nothiug to do with the hisch pricfs lie has been pajiug for his butcher-meat. Gradually, however, evidence is bfiiig accumulated to show that the introduction of foreign cittle disease is one of the main causes of that rise. Mr. James Howard, of Bedford, is the author of No. III. of a useful series of" Farmers' Papers," in which the topic of our meat supply is ably dealt with and elucidated by statistical tables and the discussion of collateral subjects. The pamphlet furnishes a good deal of evidence to prove that the rise in price lias been produced by the importation of infection from abroad. It proves, for instance, that while twelve per cent, of foreign meat is imported dead, and consequently without the introduction of disease, only five per cent, of our annual consumption is imported alive, and with it those diseases which have so damaged the hopes of the producer of home supplies. The remedy for all this is stamping out and keeping out. To this we must come sooner or later, not only with rinderpest and p'euro-pneumonia, but with foot-and- mouth disease — considered by many good authorities the most michievous of all. Mr. Howard considers the prepond- erance of scientific opinion and the evidence of facts tend to the conclusion that pleuro-pneumonia and foot-and-mouth disease are both of foreign origin. His arguments on this question are very clear and forcible, and his own opinion very definitely expressed. It is liiat these maladies are no more indigenous with us than yellow fever, leprosy, or cholera- raorbus. iSome of the facts cited in support of the contention are interesting to us. Thus, in certain remote districts of Ireland the foot-and-mouth disease never appeared. Again, Mr. R. O. Pringle, of Dublin, is quoted as stating that there are in Ireland many extenseve cattle-rearing districts where foot-and-mouth disease is unknown, " simply because no strange cattle are ever taken into these parts of the country, the breeders being exclusively exporters." One of the most serious aspects of the situation to the mind of Mr. Howard is the grave danger existing that these maladies, having got footing among us, may become naturalised among our animals. This would mean the conversion of our healthy flocks into uniiealtby ones, suliject at any time to outbreaks of the con- tagious disease. Increasing aquaintance with the phenomena of epidemilogy, or the study of infectious disease, shows that diseases not naturally inherent may by their prevalence in generation after generation become indigenous. This is theory on which Mr. Howard bases his views and calls upon Go- vernment and all concerned to make a determined and united effort tj stamp out and keep out so dire an enemy. The vast interest involved is perhaps not fully considered. It has been shown that if the money loss sustained in 1872 by the stock-owners of Herefordshire from foot- and-mouth disease was proportionately great iu other parts of the United Kingdom, it would amount to the sum of £30,000,OUO. This is a calculation wliich is well called astounding, for the sum given exceeds by four times the total value of the live stock imported into Great Britain. The provisions and regulations deemed necessary by the author of " Our Meat Supply" are twelve in number. He suggests, iu the first place, in order to avoid the present diversity of action, that all Orders in Council or legislative enactments bearing on the trade and disease iu auimals should be imperative and not permissive, also that their application should extend throughout the United Kingdom. More thorough inspection is urged, also' a universal system of local officials with considerable powers of action ; compulsory notice of disease ; temporary stoppage of fairs or markets in infected districts, or of movement of animals from infected localities ; immediate slaughter in cases of pleuro-pneumonia. It is recommended that Irish cattle shall be treated in a'l respects as English, Welsh, or Scotch cattle, or animals arriving coastwise at one British port from another. But in the event _of contagious diseases being re- ported to exist in Ireland " or other of the British isles, inspection at the part of embarkation and the certificate from the local authority of the district the animals came from are advocated. In case the cattle are unsound or the owner fail to produce a satisfactory certificate, the animals not to be em- barked till subjected to such quarantine as the inspector shall order. Mr. Howard declares himself for treating Ireland as I an integral part of the United Kingdom iu respect of legisla- tion ui)on cattle disease. With regard to the suggestion that cattle imported from this country should be subjected to the restrictions advocated for foreign animals, he observes that such a course would be an additional argument for Home Rule. Uniform laws and equal privileges for the Three Kingdoms form Mr. Howard's programme, wliich, he contends, has been sustained by the Irish Cattle Defence Association iu a resolution passed by them, declaring the advisability of identical legislation in reference to cattle disease for Ireland and Great Britain. — The Freeman. SALE OP THE MUS GRAVE HALL SHORTHORNS. On Thursday, March 30, Mr. Thornton disposed of the entire herd of Shorthorn cattle, the property of JI,r. J. C. Topping, of Musgrave Hall, Skelton, Penrith. The attendance was exceedingly large ; but the prices were much below the usual prices for high'class Shortborns. COVfS AND HEIFERS. Waterloo Duchess, calved May 1, 1865. — Mr. T. Hudson, 31 gs. Familiar 9th, calved June 26th. 1866.— Mr. Booth, 31 gs. Princess Royal, calved April 12, 1867. — Mr. Crosby, 28 gs. Princess, calved February 1, 1868. — Mr. Milner, 33 gs. Booth Duchess, calved October 31, 1868. — Mr. Davidson 39 gs. Emma's First, calved March 17, 1870.— Mr. Heskett, 71 ga. Familiar 10th, calved -March 29, 1870.— Mr. Wilson, 38 gs. Ruby Gwynne, calved April 10, 1870. — Mr. Thompson, 81 gs. Christiana, calved July 5, 1870.— Mr. Phillips, 73 gs. Familiar 11th, calved February 23, 1871.— BIr. White, 125 gs. Clarissa, calved February 23, 1872. — Mr. Dickinson, 45 gs. Violet, calved March 5, 1872. — Mr. Harris, 26 gs. Roan Duchess, calved May 1, 1872.- Mr. Mackay, 56 gs. Wild Eyes Gwynne 3rd, calved August 23, 1872. — Mr. Thompson, 100 gs. Lady of the Lake, calved October 5, 1873. — Mr. Parker, 45 ga. Agues Gwynne, calved November 9, 1872. — Mr. Thompson, 63 gs. Xmas Rose, calved December 25, 1872. — Mr. Scott, 47 gs. Primrose, calved January 20, 1873. — Mr. Mitchell, 60 gs. Queen of the Roses, calved March 26, 1873.— Mr. Wilson, 37 gs. Familiar 13th, calved August 23, 1873.— Mr. Scott, 60 gs. Ruena Gwynne, calved November 10, 1873. — Mr. Stauiforth, 60 gs. Princess Maude, calved December; 16,'l-873. — Mr. Bailie, 57 gs Medora Gwynne, calved Janury 12, 1874. — Mr. Jackson, 48 Lady of the Manor, calved January 20, 1874. — Mr. Fortesciie, 60 gs. Comlo'rt, calved June 14, 1874. — Mr. Hudson, 42 gs. Caroline, calved June 19, 1874. — Mr. Phillips, 51 gs. Familiar, calved August 20, 1874. — Mr. Davidson, 51 gs. Primula, calved December 1, 1874. — Mr. Taylor, 34 gs. Princess of Wales, calved December 10, 1874.— Mr. Mitchell, 22 gs. Peach Bloom, calved March 25, 1875.— Mr. Wilson 33 gs. Ada Gwynne, calved March 30, 1875.— Mr. Fortescue, 50 gs. Welcome Gwynne, calved June 4, 1875. — Mr. Smith, 75 gs. Pride of the Harem, calved June 16, 1875. — Mr. Lambert 28gs. Lady of the Isles, calved August 25, 1875.— Mr. Spencer, 42g8. BULLS. Iron Duke, calved February 15, 1869.— Mr. Phillips, 115g«. British Luight, calved Decembers, 1872. — Mr. Stauiforth, 300g8. Coventry, calved October 19, 1874..— Rev. J. 0. Wilson, 36g». Marksman, calved December 19, 1874. — Mr. Hodeson, 30ga. White Duke, calved July 18, 1875.— Mr. Lancaste'r, 28gs. Irou Chief, calved September 5, 1875,— Mr. Hudson, 18g8. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 3i3 THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. Monthly Council, "VVednesday, April 5, 1870. — Present : Lord Chesliain, presideut, in the chair ; the Duke of Bedford ; the Earl of Lichfield ; Viscount Brid- port ; Lord Si< elm ersdale ; the Hon. W. E^erton, M. P.; Sir. T. Dvke Acland, Bart., M. P. ; Sir Massey Lopes, Bart., M.'P. ; Sir A. K. Macdonald, Burt.; Sir R. C. Musgrave, Bart. ; Mr. Aveling, Mr. Ayliner, Mr. Bowly, Mr. Deut, Mr. Druee, Mr. Evans, Mr. Prankish, Mr. Brandreth Gibbs, Mr. Horley, Mr. Bowen Jones, Colonel Kingscote, M.P., Mr. Leeds, Col. Loyd Lindsay, M.P., Mr. Mcintosh, Mr. Martin, Mr. M.asfen, Mr. Milward, Mr. Pain, Mr. Pole-Gell, Mr. Randell, Mr. Ransome, Mr. Sanday, Mr. Shuttleworth, Mr. Torr, M.P., Mr. Jabez Turner, Mr. Wakefield, Mr. Wells, Mr. Whitehead, Mr. Jacob Wilson, and Dr. Voelcker. Earl Howe, Gopsall, Atherstone, was elected a governor of the Society. The following new members were elected : Allfrey, Goodrich H., Wokofield Park, Mortimer, Berks. Bower, Thomas White, Woodthorpe, Norbriggs, Chesterfield. Bulbtrode, William, Mount Farm, Cootliain Dean, Maiden- head. Chamberlin, J. K. R., West Field, Tuxford. Coker, James P., Eeetley Ildl, Dereliara. Dee, James William, Wionall, Bewdley. Dormer, Lord, Grove Park, Warwick. Dixon, Edvriu, Merridale Grove, Wolverhampton. Edwards, James, Woodliorn Grange, Morpeth. Evennett, Thomas, Tent Cottage, Conistou. rearnall, Richard, Lea Aldford, Chester. Forster, Charles Frank, Bishop Middleham, Ferry Hill, Durham. Fox, George M., Lincoln. Gelsthorpe, William, Aimesly Woodhouse, IMansfield. lIulbert,T. R., North Cerney, Cirencester. LawsOD, Sir John, Brough Hall, Catterick. Lester, William, Walford, Baschurch, Salop. Jjewis, W. Thomas, Mardy, Abertlare, Glnm. Mathews, John William, Acton Trussel, StiiflFord. McGregor, Paul M., Onston, Weaverham, Cheater. Morns, John, Llwynrhedith, Cliirbury. Neveit, Thomas, 18, Wiuckley-street, Preston. Parker, Cecil T., The Lodge, Stoke Saint, Milbro', Ludlow. Parker, Thomas, Churton Hall, Chester. Pearce, Charles, Thorney, Cambs. Potts, George, Rounton Grange, Northallerton. Powell, Thomss Philip, Marchamley, Hawkstoue, Salop. Ridley, John, Damerham, Salisbury. Santy, Arthur Henry, Castle Meadow, Xorwioh. Shallcross, Thos. R., Capeuhurht Grange, by Chester. Sly, Joseph, Waterhead Hotel, Coniston. Smith, Richard, Newton Great Barr, near Birmingham. Spencer, Sanders, Holywell, SI. Ives, Hunts. Stratton, Frederick, Alton Priors, Marlborough. Upton, Stephen, St. Benedict'a-square, Lincoln. Finances. — Col. Kingscote, M.P., presented the report, from which it appeared that the secretary's receipts during the past month has been duly examined by the committee and by Messrs. Quilter, Ball, & Co., the Society's account- ants, and found correct. The balance in the hands of the bankers on March 31 was £733 8s., and £2,000 remained on deposit. The quarterly statement of subscriptions and arrears to March 31, and the quarterly cash aerount, were laid on the table, the amount of arrears being £533. The Committee recommended that the names of seven members, whose addresses cannot be found, or whose subscriptions cannot from other causes be recovered, be struck off the books. The list of all governors and members having been pub- lished iu the last number of the Joiunal, the comuiiltee wish to draw the attention of members to it, with the hope that any errors observed by them may be communicated to the Secretary. This report was adopted. Journal. — Mr. Dent (chairman) reported that the cost of the last number of the Journal, including list of members and bye-laws, is — £ s. d. ForPriuting 579 11 6 For Paper 139 8 0 For Illustration 17 9 0 £736 8 6 250 more copies were issued this year than the last. They made a recommendation as to the live-stock report at Birmingham, and that a geological map of Denmark be engraved, to accompany Mr. Jenkins' paper on the agricul- ture of that country, at a cost not exceeding £20. This report was adopted. Chemical. — Mr. William Wells (chairman) reported that the circular letter respecting the purchase of manures and feeding-stuffs which was issued by them, with the sanction of the Council, shortly after the last meeting, h.nd been much appreciated by the members of the Society. The secretary had received a very large number of letters expressing the satisfaction of the writers at the issue of the circular letter, and their acknowledgment of the great service it would be to them. The " Cotswold Association " had had 1,000 copies printed and distributed amono;st its members. Several landowners and others had applied for additional copies for distribution in their respective neigh- bourhoods ; and a letter from Aberdeenshire spoke of the great boon it would be, and of its comprehensive, careful, and lucid directions. The Committee also di-ew attention to the last annual report of the " Kelso Analy. tical Association," in which the forms of guarantee origi- nally issued by the Society were recommended to the use of the members of that association. The report also con- tained copious extracts from Dr. Voelcker's various reports to the Society. This report was adopted. Quarterly Report. — 1. Dr. Voelcker directed attention to the risk which purchasers of low-priced artificial manures run if they buy such manures without a guaranteed analysis, and merely on the strength of taking names, such as fish and blood manures or Euglish guano. In illustratiou of this fact the following case was reported : A sample of artificial manure, sold as fish and blood manure or English guano, at £4 per ton, was sent to Dr. Voelcker by Mr. B. C. Bcuuett, of Idarston Trussell Hall, Market Harborough, and ou analysis found to contain in lOO parts : Moisture 42-86 ''Organic matter 31'99 Phosphate of lime 3 53 Oxide of iron and alumina 2'60 Carbonate of lime, &c 12 89 Insoluble siliceous matter (sand) 6'14 10000 * Containing nitrogen 1 34< Equa to ammonia l'C3 This manure, it will be seen, contains nearly 43 percent of water, only 3| per cent, of phosphate of lime, and yields only about 1^ per cent of ammonia. It is scarcely worth 253. per ton. 2. Mr. Henry Phillips, Brooklands Farm, P.rry Birs, near Birmingham, sent three samples of cake for an opinion of their purity. One, a linseed-cake, was sold iit £13 10a. a too ; the second, a feedina: r&pe-cake, at £8 10a.; and the third sample, a decorticated cotton cake at £10 lOs. 9(1. per ton. On examination, the liaseed-cake was not found to be •. pure ' B B 344 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. linseed-cake, but a cake from dirty linseed ; the cotton cake was genuine, but a stale and badly-made cake and not a first- class cake, whilst the rape-cake was found to be so fuU of mustard that it appeared to be unfit for feeding purposes, and only useful as a manure. The receramendation to buyers of feeding cakes issued by the Chemical Committee not having been adopted by Mr. Phillips, the committee do not feel jistified in publishing the names of the vendor and makers of these three cakes. S. Two samples of cake, one a linseed-cake and the other a ; rape-cake, were sent for analysis to Dr. Voelcker by a mem- •' -ber of tlie Society residing in the county of Lincoln, who desired to know whether the former was pure and the latter a fair feeding-cake. The linseed-cake on analysis was found to have been made from dirty linseed, and it moreover was adulterated -with the husks of the earth-nuts and gingelly or Niger seed. The rape-cake was found full of mustard-seed, and quite unfit for feeding purposes. In reply to the usual inquiry for vendor's name, &c., the member wrote to Dr. Voelcker : " Dear Sir, — I received your letter and analysis yesterday. I am so astonished at the result that I think there must be a mistake. I got it from a most respectable firm. The last you analysed for me, not long since, was from the same people. I have sent thera a copy of your letter, and when I hear their explanation I will write to yon again. I hope I shall find it is a mistake. I have another lot now on rail ; when it comes I will send you a sample of it." Subsequently the same member sent three more samples for analysis. They were all obtained from the same firm as the U&t sample, and were sent out of the mill to his other farms before the maker was acquainted with the result of the analysis of the first sample. These three samples, like the first, were, on analysis, proved to be adulterated with earth-nut cake, and made from dirty linseed, containing numerous small weed- seeds. The name of the maker of these adulterated cakes, and other particulars, were not given, but the member wrote to Dr. Voelcker : " If I had worked for the public, I should have filled up the form yon sent me, but I thought I ought to consult my own interest first. I got a very large return from the firm, and I think they have been punished severely in losing three custo- mars who were taking about 12 tons of them weekly." This report was adopted and ordered to be printed in the usual agiicultural newspapers. Report on Mr Ranueh^'s Motion.— The Committee have to report that they have fully considered the evidence taken by thera on the subjects connected with Mr. Randell's motion. They find, in the case of nearly all the witnesses exa- mined, a very decided opinion in favour of experiments to de- termine the manurial and feeding value of cakes and other feeding stuiFs. It seems to the Committee that the primary condition of any experiments to be conducted under the aus- pices of tiie Royal Agricultural Society should be that of their beijig thoroughly reliable, and of their results adding to the amount of knowledge previously existing ou the subject matter of the experiments. While some of the witnesses appear to see no difficulty in carrying out practical experiments of the kind indicated by Mr. Randell, the strongest possible opinions were expressed by the scientific witnesses that, although some special information of local interest might be obtained from them, tliey would be — in the words of one of the witnesses — " of no use whatever for establishing anything like a scientific b^sis or principle, which is so much needed when a general question, such as that of manure value, comes into play." But the ditficulties and doubts as to the possibility of these ex- periments being carried out in a trustworthy manner are not confined to the scientific witnesses. They are pointed out in the strongest manner by some of those most in lavour of these so culled practical experiments, one of whom, indeed, suggests their being instituted at places like the Universities, Kew, or Cirencester, adding that he does not know a single person in the three counties with which he is connected to whom he could entrust them. Another witness considers they ought to be under the direction of the Society's chemist and the Chemical Committee ; while it was generally assumed that those who might be willing to undertake the experiments ehould be compensated for their trouble and expense. The question of expense is one which the Committee are confident the Council wojild consider of comparitively little consequence if adequate results were to be expected ; but, althongli fully appreciaiing the object of Mr. Randell's motion, and the great importanee — especially with reference to valuHtions under the Agricultural Holdings Act — of adding to our kno wiedge of the value of artificial manures and feeding stuiTs, they feel they would only be justified in recommending experiments, the results obtained from which would be held by a general concurrence of opinion, scientific and practical, to be throughly exhaustive and worthy of confidence. An opportunity for carrying out experiments has been offered to the Society by the Duke of Bedford, and the Committee now recomend that Mr. Lawes and Dr. Voslcker be requested to draw up a scheme fir carrying on at Woburn such experiments as they, in communication with the Chemical Committee, may deter- mine on, it being understood that tlie experiments, when de- cided upon, shall be wholly under the control of one or both of these gentlemen. Although not prepared at present to propose — as being instituted under the auspices of the Society — any other experiments than such as may be determined on under the above recommendntion, the Committee are far from wishing to discourage experiments independently conducted by practical farmers, but, on the contrary, would be glad to assist them. Dr. Voeickrr expresses himself as anxious that such expe- riments should be made, and gives instances of some that might furnish useful information. It is therefore suggested that it may he of advantage if Dr. Voelcker be requested to draw np the plan of one or more of such practical experiments as he thinks might bear instructive results, lajing down for the guidance of such farmers as might like to try them, the neces- sary instructions and rules for conducting thera. With re- gard to the great advantage which, by the evidence of all the witnesses, there would be in the establishment of some one scale of valuation of unexhausted manures, which would be re- cognised and adopted generally in the country, the Committee found that none of the witnesses were unfavourable to Mr. Lawes' Tables of Manure Value, if confirmed by direct ex- periment. One, indeed, of the most important witnesses ex- presses his own reliance altogether on it as it stands ; while another s^ys he should in any case where there was no agree- ment most certainly adopt Mr. Lawes' table, modified by his own experience, and by considerations as to climate and soil. Inasmuch, however, as the evidence clearly shows that ex- periments instituted for the purpose, as suggested by Mr. Randell's motion, of corroborating or modifying Mr. Lawi*s' conclusions as to tlie mannrial value of cakes and feeding stuffs, should be carried on for several years, it appears to the Committee that, pending the completion of such experiments — should they be carried out — it is desirable for the Society to draw up and publish, with the assistance of Mr. Liwes and Dr. Voelcker, a schedule of the manurial value of these sub- stances, based upon Mr. Lawes' table, and on any other evidence that may come under their consideration. In moving the adoption of this report Mr. Wells dwelt particularly upon the course which the Committee had pursued in reference to Mr. Randell's motion. They had spent three days in taking evidence of practical and scientific persons. This evidence had been printed, and distributed among the members of the Council, in order that the report of the Committee thereon might be fully discussed. Objections had been raised in committee to the clause of the report which ran as follows : " Bearing this in mind, they cannot recommend, as emanating from the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society, the insti- tution of experiments conducted by and under the con- trol of practical farmers ;" and although he remembered that the great object of the investigation which the Coin- miltee had undertaken was to ascertain whether, by a union of practice with science, the object of Mr. Ran- dell's motion could be attained, he was now, on behalf of the Committee, quite ready to admit the objectionable clause. The evidence given by the scientific witnesses was apparently a little contraditory, but this was capable of explanation, if it were remembered that those gentle- men had in their minds two kinds of experiments, the one purely scientific, and the other a combination of practice and science, and that the apparent contradiction of their opinions arose in cousequence of the same terra being THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 345 applied to both kinds of experiments, lie regnrdcd as of liigh value tbe experiinciits which it was hoped would be conducted at Woburu, ou the principles of those which had beea carried out for so many years at Rothamstead ; and he concluded by drawing special attention to the suggested schedule of the values of unexhausted manures, referred to iu the last paragraph but one of the report of the Committee, lie then moved the adoption of the report. Mr. Randell held that the conclusions of the Com- mittee were not consistent with the evidence which they had received, and that Mr. Lawes' conclusions No. 1 and No. 3 were more iu accordance with that evidence.* lie therefore complained of the report on those grounds. The report cited the evidence of one gentleman who suggested that the experiments should be instituted at places like the Universities, Kew, or Cirencester, and who did not know a single person in the three counties with which he is connected to to whom he could entrust them; but he (Mr. Randell) thought they ought to have cited the evidence of other practical witnesses who held a ditferent opinion. Mr. Randell then quoted from the papers in the Society's Journal written by Mr. Lawes aud Doctor Voelcker, showing that they held that there was comparatively little difference in the feeding value of foods which are included in what may be called the same class, lie thought those values had been ascertained by analysis and not by direct experiment. At the time when Mr. Lawes wrote his paper the price of cotton-cake was £10 10s. per ton, and liuseed-calie£12 lOs. per ton, so that if !Mr. Lawes' opinion had been endorsed by practical men, the price of decorticated cotton-cake ought to haveincreased, whereas in the interval it had decreased to its present price of £7 15s. per ton. lie regretted that science, after having had nothing to do with practical results, was content to step iu and explain them ; and he wished that eoience, instead of following practice, would attempt to lead it. lie disliked the report, but submitted to the decision of the Committee, and, therefore, he did not at present ask the Council to do more than accept the Duke of Bedford's liberal offer. But he objected not only to the paragraph which it was proposed to strike out, but also to the next paragraph but one, commencing with the words, " although not prepared." As a practical man he did not want Dr. Voelcker's assistance in carrying out experiments, aud therefore he would ask the Council to strike out that paragraph. He believed that practical farmers knew more about animals aud feeding them than both Mr. Lawes and Dr. Voelcker. There had been already too much soreness on the question treated of in the paragraph to which he objected, and therefore he moved to strike it out. Mr. Dent had sat on the Committee during the first two days, but had not been able to be present subse- quently. l(e testified to the pains and industry which Mr. Wells had shown in preparing the report, and felt quite sure that he had never intended to cast a slur of any kind on practical farmers. At the same time he admitted that the paragraph to which Mr. Randell so strongly objected appeared to him to have been not quite ca efully worded. He had, therefore, prepared an amendment which he hoped would serve aa a message of peace to the * The following are the conclusions referred to : " 1. That it would bo desirable to conduct experiments to ascertain the actual and comparative feeding value of the i )ur cakes named by Mr. Randell, and that they [the wit- nesses] did not see any difficulty in the way of getting such es-periments carried out successfully by practical farmers." " 3. In reference to the tables of the value of the manure obtaine'i by the consumption of diSerent artcles of food published by Mr. Lawes, they felt but little confidence in Buch estimates, and thought that they should be tested by direct experiments iu the iioW," Chemical Committee and Mr. Randell. He differed from Mr. Randell in considering that science had been behind practice, for the evidence taken by the Committee showed that practical men corroborated science unconsciously ia many instances, and he should be extremely sorry that anything which went forth from the Chemical Commit- tee or the Council of the Society should cast a slur on scientific agriculturists. He therefore moved the follow- ing amendment : Although not prepared at present to propose— as being instituted under the authority ot the Society— any other e^xjie- riments than such as may be determined on under tlie above recommendation, the Committee feel that all agricultiiral experiments, carefully conducted, have their value as contribu- tions to scientific knowledge, and will be glad by advice or suggestion to assist in their independent institution. The Hon. W. Egekton, M.P., seconded Mr. Dent's amendment, as he thought that the paragraph to which exception had been taken was unnecessarily harsh upon the practical farmers. He thought that a great deal of this tone was the result of a confusion in the use of the word " experiment." He referred to the diflicuHy of carrying out such experiments in different districts, having differences of soil and climate ; but if tbe para- graph were amende thoop of 'Rncl'"'! ^jj„ia oe by keepmg their corn and meat at home. This was said in fun, but it expressed a sober truth neverthe- less. Unless it is proposed in some way to rig the corn or labour markets, we do not see what common interest English and American farmers can have. Nor is it at all more easy to understand what benefit the establishment of Granges could be to English farmers as a separate body. All the matter-of-fact work that the Granges profess to do, and more besides, is done here by means of Farmers' Clubs, Chambers of Agriculture, and Agricultural Supply Associations, and done too, in a plain and business-like manner, without the paraphernalia of grotesque orders, or the mysterious flummery of secret nonentities. By belonging to a Farmers' Club the English husbandman may discuss husbandry to his heart's content, and mure exhaustively than in the " shop " talk which usually pre- vails at market tables and social gatherings ; by joining a Chamber of Agriculture he can express his views on questions of agricultural politics, and make them known to the powers that be by resolutions or petitions ; and by becoming a member of an Agricultural Supply Association he can get goods at wholesale prices. It is true that none of these institutions profess to " enlarge his views of Creative wisdom and power ;" nor u.o any of them ofi'er him the advantage of an introduction to attractive repre- sentatives of Ceres, Flora, or Pomona. He must go elsewhere for his religion, as well as for his flirting ; but Englishmen generally prefer to keep these things separate from business. Mr. Wright has protested against a real or imaginary diBposition on the part of some English critics of the Grange system to be prejudiced against it on account of its being an American institution. We can assure him that no such prejudice affects us to the very slightest extent. On the contrary, before we inquired about the Granges we were predisposed to think much of them. As to Mr. Wright personally, we have nothing but friendly welcome and sincere respect to offer to him. As far as we have been able to judge he has conducted his " mission " so far with ability and fact. He is our guest, and we trust that no one will treat him otherwise than with the courtesy that his position as the representative of the farmeis of America, and his obvious earnestness and disinterestedness entitle him to ; but we really cannot see what good the Granges would do here. Almost the only want of the associations of British farmers is some organisation for obstinacy of parents should be allowed to stand in the way of the education of their children ; but we do pro- test against the gross misstatement so constantly made that the poor labourers are anxious to be forced to send their children to school, and that the greed of farmers and the Conservatism of squires are the only hiudrancea to the spread of education in our villages. APRIL AND OTHER FOOLS.— Now to whom does the epithet April Fool best belong — to the jester or his victim ? That depends upon the spirit of the joke. You are not necessarily a fool because, being invited to a funeral, you find there is none to take place, or, being a child, you are sent for a pint of pigeon's milk or a jug of stirrup-oil ; or, having paid for a parcel, you discover it to contain potato-parings ; or, beinfj frightened by a shriek in the nursery, you encounter only laughter and grimace ; or, being advertised for as heir-at- law to a rich uncle, you learn that he is yet alive, though hopelessly indignant ; or breaking an esg at breakfast, you start away from a swarm of spiders. " Better a witty fool than a foolish wit." A most subtle distinction. And then to connect a small bit of traditioa, which may have its effect up- on serious minds, with the subjetit. It was Dean Swift wlio argued, ajj,„jju<, uf uolingbroke, that on the 1st of April a " pungent lie" was permissible ; but it was on a 1st of Apiil that Bolingbroke told the lie in which his work of self-ruia began. And on the same anniversary the Emperor Napoleon committed the blackest falsehood of his life, by marrying. Marie Louise. Even then the Parisians forgot not to nick, name him a Poisson d'Jvril. " He who lives without folly is not so wise as he imagines," is an axiom of Rochefoucauld, who adds, " It is a great folly to affect to be wise by one's self." At any rate, the thing itself represents a real and essential element in manners, difKcidt though it might be to ofTi-r a sufficient definition of the social fool. lie is represented, how- ever, by a number of varieties; and these again by a literature of anecdote, hhe or true, that may perhaps serve as well. It is impossible to set down in any other category those wlio pretend to sit in the porch, and to be above all huraaa emotions, whether of surprise, alarm, or pleasure. In vain. No amount of eyeglass can raise them to a level with the great men of former days. Poi/r savoir : he who, when his wife had been calcined by lightning, summoned his servant, and said, "Mumbo, sweep up your missis ;" he who, when his man had been killed, like Carker, on the railway, observed to the guard, " Find me the piece that has my keys on it ;" she who told her friend, when the mutiny was in full swing, " There is nothing to put yourself ont about, they are only shooting yonr husband ;" and a fourth — but he was a bishop — who, having a glass of wine thrown in his face by an exasperated contro- versialist, remarked, " That was a digression." Of course, the stories are all equally untrue ; but the very fact of their inven- tion explains agood dealof what on thepart of inferior genius vie sometimes see. Vis-a-vis with youug Stoic sits the philosopher of disparagement, who could perceive " nothing" iu the crater of Vesuvius. You hear him quote with rapture or vulgarity of the American traveller who, after crossing the Alps, admitted that he thought they had passed over some rising ground. Him THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. S57 would deliirlit the /»7 a^wHwi of that utter and painful fool 1 who, when asked, « How long did you stay at Rome? who considered that " the best tiling about St. Peter's at Rome answered, " Only to change horses. By all means place seat was its snugness ;" or that other, quite ou a par with hira. for these gentlemen — or, were they ladies ? — Belgravia, ; seats THE DUKE OF ARGYLL ON THE AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS ACT. [From The Murk Lane BxpTess'\ In the current Number of the Contein-^orary Review, the Duke of Argyll has published an elaborate attack upon the principle of legislative Tenant-Right as embodied in the Agi-icultural Holdings Act. His Grace argues that compensatory provisions for the security of the tenant's capital by Act of Parliament are not needed, and that if they were needed they would be ineffective. The prin- cipal portion of the Duke's paper is directed against com- pulsory legislation ; but any one who reads the article attentively will see th?tt the arguments as a whole are distinctly opposed to any legislative control over agricul- tural contracts whatever, since the only benefit that he admits will result from the passing of the Act of last session is that every landlord and tenant must for the future enter into a contract in writing, in the framing of which the Duke thinks the tenant can look after his own interests far more effectually than Parliament could secure them for him. In the space at our commaiad it is im- possible, to enter into a detailed reply to the arguments of the Duke, and we shall therefore have to content our- selves with a review of the main objections upon which His Grace's opposition to the principle of legislative con- trol over contracts of land-tenancy are based. The Duke argues, then, that compulsory legislation is neither needed nor to be desired — first, because agricul- tural tenants already " enjoy greater security for all the capital they invest than almost any other professional class ; " and secondly, because " in the long run, better security cannot be given by any legislation of the kind proposed." In support of the first of these positions the Duke insists that tenant-farmers have ample security for their capital, either under long leases or by means of pre- ference rents — that is, rents below the fair letting value of their farms. Now, under a long lease we fully admit that the tenant usually enjoys sufficient security for the capital which he actually invests, although some very striking exceptions might easily be quoted ; but how is this general security obtained ? Simply by a very careful abstention from improving farming during the latter years of the lease, unless it is renewed some considerable time before its termination. This is not enough ; for the advocates of legalised compensation for unexhausted im- provements have never rested their case entirely upon a demand for security for capital invested in the ordinary course of farmiug as at present pursued, but also upon the plea that a more liberal expenditure on the part of the tenant than it is at present safe for him to make should be encouraged by giving him a legal claim to all the unexhausted Capital which he has sunk in his land- lord's property, as assessed in an impartial valuation at the time of his quitting his occupation. "With respect to preference rents, in the cases of farms let from year to year, it is an obvious fallacy to represent that they either secure or encourage a liberal expenditure of capital by the tenant, since under them the poor and the high farmer are treated precisely alike. No doubt a man who gets his farm at five or ten per cent, less than it would let for if put up to public competition has ample remuneration for an average system of farming ; but it is equally indis- putable that one who sinks his capital in permanent or durable improvements gets no compensation for their uuex- h:\usted value in the shape of a discount off the rack rent oi his occupation, which he would receive if he had uot made those improvements. As a matter of fact, we believe that the assumption that agricultural land is generally let at too low a rate will before long be some- what rudely shaken. Taking into consideration the pre- sent state and prospects of farming, with workiug and living expenses and taxation immensely increased, with losses by cattle disease, and with low prices for corn, we are convinced that rents on the average are far too high to enable farmers to secure a fair return for their capital and their enterprise. This, hov.ever, is somewhat beside the line of argument ia which we are following the Duke of Argyll. Until recently, we may admit that on some of the large estates farms have been let at a lower rent than could be obtained for them if they had been put up for public competition — a process which we are given to understand the Duke of Argyll has some experience of. But what theu ? We have shown that low rents do not secure compensation for unexhausted improvements, or encourage liberal farming. Besides, low rents almost invariably go with restrictive covenants, or over-preserva- tion of game, or both — sometimes, we fear, with political coercion as well — and their advantage to tenants is immensely overrated. The Duke of Argyll, in a general way, is in favour of free trade and the commercial prin- ciple ; and it is difhcult to avoid the suspicion that, if he were not a landlord, he would wish to see them applied to farming as completely as to all other professions. The per- quisite system, to whatever class it applies, is altogether out of joint with modern progress, and we are convinced that its continuance is as distinctly antagonistic to the interests of tenant-farmers in the long run as it is undoubtedly opposed to the advantage of the community at large. It may be that the passing of such a measure as the Land- lord and Tenant Bill of Messrs. Howard and Read would do away with the perquisite of preference rents; but those who are most competent to assess the comparative advantages of a system of approximately exact payment for results, and one of haphazard perquisites in the form of preference rents, will be the first to see the superiority of the former to all concerned directly or indirectly. There is no need to assume that a hard-and-fast schedule of compensatory allowances must be prescribed. The advocates of legislative Tenant-Right would almost unani- mously consent to the adoption of the elastic principle that provisions fixed in the case of the absence of contract might be overruled by any individual bargain which, in the opinion of competent and impartial adjudicators, would give adequate security for a tenant's invest- ments by some indirect arrangements, such as a long lease with compensation for temporary improvements in the event of non-renewal, or a low rent on an improving lease ; but it is for the advantage of landlord, tenant, labourer, and consumer alike, that, in the absence of lease or agreement efTectually securing to a tenant in oneway or other compensation for the unexhausted value of his improvements, the law should prescribe conditions which would make payment for value received imperative. In this way the utmost freedom of contract that is consis- tent with such a strict regard to 7neii?n and tutim as in the commercial world is not commonly regarded as a hardship might be allowed. No English advocate of legislative Tenant-Right wishes a landlord to pay compensation twice over, as the Duke of Argyll says he would have to THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. pay ia sonic instances if a compulsory Act were passed, lu the Landlord and Tenant Bill it was expressly stipu- lated, " That, in making their award, the arbitrators shall, in reduction of the claim of the tenant, take into consi- deration any benefits which the tenant may have received from the landlord in express consideration of the iraprove- meuts made." Some such clause as that would sufficiently guard against double payment. But the Duke of Argyll not only contends that tenants already enjoy good security for their outlay, but that no better security could be given by compulsory legislation. He says: " If under the new law it is found that the chances are that he (the tenant) will be able to make up a book of charges, say to the amount of £2, or £4, or £5 per acre, the elfect of competition will be to make each offerer couut upon this chance as rendering the contract worth so much more thau it would have been without it. Consequently, the whole prospective value of this new privilege would be discounted in the rent market." Now it is no doubt true that farms would be worth more to hire if every tenant were assured that his investments would no longer be liable to confiscation as at present ; but it by no means follows that all the benefit would be discounted in the rent market. A tenant might agree to pay a few shillings an acre more rent for his security, but if his liberal investments, rendered safe for the first time in the history of laud-tenaucy in this country, were remu- nerative, he would reap an advantage far in excess of the increase of rent. AVe have before now had occasion to show that the old argument here used by the Duke of Argyll, if pushed to its legitimate conclusion, would prove that nothing can possibly benefit a tenant-farmer, because as soon as he gets any benefit competition for farms in- creases, and rents rise. If this be true, agricultural improvement, good prices, low taxes, and economic management are all useless to the tenant-farmer — which is something very like a redaci'w ad ahsurdam. We cannot now follow the Duke of Argyll any further, though if we had space we believe we could show that most of his arguments, however specious, are fallacious. "We must not conclude, however, without pointing out the suggestive fact that the Duke very prudently refrains from dealing with the important question of the interest of the nation at large in providing the utmost inducement to the investment of capital in agriculture. Whatever they may be to the few tenants who pay them, pre- ference rents are obviously of no advantage to the con- sumer, whose interest it is, not that land should be let at the lowest rate, but that it should be made to produce the largest possible quantities of corn, meat, milk, cheese, and butter ; and this object can never be attained until every landlord is compelled by law to yield up to his quitting tenant the equivalent of all the property which the latter leaves behind him. SALE OP THE LATE MR. FISHER'S SHORTHORNS, At Leconfield, on Wednesday, April 5tii, 1870. BY MR. THORNTON. There was a very numerous attendance, and the lots were competed for with great spirit, buyers from the West and East Ridings, as well as other parts of England, paying high prices. One animal was sold to Mr. Locke, of Hessle Mount, for £210, and Mr. J. Torr, M.P., of Aylesby Manor, Liverpool, who bought several lots, paid £141 153. for a roan cow. The total amount realised was about £2,800. COWS AND HEIFERS. Rock Rose 37th, by Lord Greta. — Mr, Bethune, Fifeshire, £19 73. Twilight 13th, by Lord Greta. — Mr. Atkinson, Ilelperthorpp, £35 lis. Rock Rose 41st, by Lord Greta. — Mr. Kirby, Market Weigh- ton, £58 163. Datithorpe Lady 7th, by Lord Grfeta.— Mr. T. C. Dixon, BrandesburtoQ, Barff, £84. Rock Rose 45th, by Lord Greta. — Mr. Bethune, £54 ISa. Pair Frances 8th, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. T. C. DixoD, £33 lis. Rock Rose 47th, by Sir Robert. — Mr. Robt. Thompson, Selby, £30 9s. Rock Rose 48th, by Genump Prince.— Mr. J. Torr, M P., Aylesby Manor, Liverpool, £ J9 18s. Rock Ro-e 50th, by Lord Greta. — Mr. Outhwaite, Bainesse, Catterick, £43. Rock Rose Sist, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. J. Torr, M.P., £39 18s. Heifer calf.— Mr. Dixon, £7 7s. Bull calf.— Mr. Dixon, £4 49. Isabel, by Lord Greta, out of Red Rose by Falstaff. — Mr. Torr, M.P., £141 15s. Rock Rose 54rh, by Lord George. — Mr, T. M. Ilopkinson, Worcester, £49 7s. Amelia 14th, by Genuine Prince.— Mr. J. Torr, M.P., £64 Is. Amelia 15tb, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. J. Torr, M.P., £05 3s. Lady Somerset 13tii, by Lord George 2nd. — Mr. T. Ludlow, Mansfield, £43 Is. Bull calf.— Mr. J. Crompton, £5 5s. Danthorpe Lady 10th, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. T. C. Dixon, £73 10s. Danthorpe Lady 11th, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. Laycock, Skipton, JE33 lis. Cowslip IGth, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. Smith, Goole, £43 68. Lady Somerset 13th, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. Laycock, £27 6s. Danthorpe Lady 13th, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. T, B. Locke, Hessle, £79 16s. Rock Rose 56th, by Roan Prince. — Mr. Hopkinson, Worces- ter, £34 13s. Amelia 16ih, by Roan Prince. — Mr. Shackleton, Kirby Moor- side, £33 12s. Amelia 17tb, by Roan Prince. — Mr. Outhwaite, £36 ISs. Rock Rose 57th, by Roan Prince.— Mr. Torr, MP., £64 Is. Amelia 19th, by Genuine Prinoe. — Mr. Locke, £84. Rock Rose 5Stii, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. Locke, £92 8s. Fair Frances lltb, by Genuine Prince.— Mr. Torr, M.P , £43 Is, Danthorpe Lady 14tb, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. Locke, £310. Amelia 20th, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. Bethune, £35 14j. Danthorpe Lidy 15th, by Lord George 3ud. — Mr. Rhodes, Pontefract, £36 5s. Rock Rose 59th, by Lord George 2nd.— Mr. Rhodes, £43. Lady Somerset 14th, by Lord George 3nd. — Mr. J. H. Ste- phenson, Liington, £37 16s. Rock Rose 60th, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. Joseph Thompson, An!aby,£43 Is. Rock Rose 61st, by Roan Prince.— Mr. Rhodes, £34 13s. Danthorpe Lady 16th, by Rosary Monk. — Mr. Dixon, £60 ISs. Cowslip 17tli, by Rosary Monk. — Mr. Dixon, £33 lis. Ruck Rose 63ud, by Rosary Mouk.—Mr. Torr, M.P., £35 14s Rock Rose 03rd, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. Croise, Flam- borougli, £'25 43. Rock Rose 64th, by Genuine Prince.— Mr. Dixon, £36 15s. Rock Rose 65th, by Rosary Monk. — Mr. Braikenridge, Somer- setshire, £64 Is. Isabella, by Rosary Monk. — Mr. Braikenridge, £79 I69. Danthorpe Lady 17th, by Rosary Monk. — Mr. T. C. Dixon, £42. Lady Somerset 15th, by Rosary Monk. — Mr. Thos. Dawson, Driffield, £38 17s. Rock Rose 66th, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. Shackleton, £27 6s' Amelia 21st, by Rosary Monk.— Mr. Torr. M P., £23 2s. Amelia 22nd, by Rosary Monk.— Mr. Torr, M.P., £38 17s. Rock Rose 67th, by Rosary Monk.— Mr. Smith, Goole, £31 lOs. Danthorpe Lady 18th, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. Crompton, ^£33 13s. Rock Rose 68th, by Genuine Prince. — Mr. Betliune, £28 7s. Amelia 23rd, by Rubicon.— Mr. Torr, M.P., £22 Is. Rock Rose 69lh, by Rubicon.— Mr. Dawson, Driffield, £13 ISg. THE PARMER'S MAGAZIKE. 35ii BULLS. Saucy Afonk, by Ilnsory Monk. — Mr. Dixon, £.CG Ss. lUickct, by llosary Monk. — ^fr. Dixon, £35 1-k. I'Vancisciin, by Genuine i'riuce. — Mr. Hopper, Kellcytliorpe, £5.3 lis, Doctor, by Rosary Monk. — Msjor Worsley, £53 lis. Expectation, by Gonuine Prince. — Mr. Dixon, £5'J 17s> Auditor, by Rosary Monk.— Mr. Rboiles, £52 10s. Royal j\Ionk, by Rosary Monk. — Mr. Lee, Gardam, £23 7s. Adju'ant, by Rosary Mouk. — Mr. Coulthurst, Somersetshire, £21. 3s. 11')UmI(1, by Rosary Monk. — Mr. Topham, £4S. Tindiill, by Rosary ]\Ionk. — Mr. Martin, £28 7s. Stiowllake, by Romulus. — Mr. Kirkpatrick, £13 13s. Don-ild, by Rubicon.— Mr. I'ark, Catterick, £10 10s. ElP5?aut I'rincc, by Rubicon. — ^Mr. Dixon, J£31< 13s. ^^lateur, by Rubicon. — Mr. Wilson, £6 6s. Roundabout, by Rubicon. — Jlr. T. Danby, Routli, £^ Os. SALE OF SHORTHORNS AT BROADLAND.— Tbe sale of tiic draft of cows, iirifers, and young bulls, from the Siiortliorn herd at Broadland, on Thursday, was largely at=- tended. Tlie postponement of the sale, owing to the late storm, was rather against the exposer, several buyers who were on their way to Broadland on the day first fixed not having been able to return. Still, there were plenty of buyers ; and, in spite of a rooist atmosphere, with a good deal of ploughing to do and commencement of sovving nut witliin sight, plenty of spirit was displayed. Jlr. Mitchell found brisk bidding, and the lots went, some under value, some above value, but on the whole at as safe rates for the buyer as for the exposer. Mr. Grant, Drunidelgie, acted as judge of the sale, and Jlr. Taylor, lluntly, was clerk. Tweuty'three females were cata* logued, and they all found buyers, bringing an average of £36 Is. M. Thirteen of the lot were cows, and they realised an average of £38 Is. Gd. Five were two-year-old heifers, which b'ougiit an average of £31 13s., and five were yearling heifers wiiich brougiit an averasre of £26 9s. 2d. Baron Killerby, wiiich was on hire from Fiainesse, lelt a doKen bull calves at Broadland. These were all catalogued for sale, and formed an unusually well-fleshed lot. For their age, the bulls had more substance and quality than are usually found in a lot of the SHUie number from herds in Aberdeenshire. One of the dozen was taken in, but all the rest found ready purchasers, realising an average of £4-3 145. 4d. Baron's Heir, bought by Mr. Cantlie, was the bull of most substance, and is descended from the Countess. The highest price was paid by IMr. Bruce, for a long, well-ribbed, and finely-coated red, from the Jenny Lind familv. Lord Clarence, bought to jMains of Orton, is also of the Jenny Lind family, and of much promise. The total flniount realised at the sale Was £1,358 lis., giving an average lor thirty -five auinials sold of £38 16s. 4 i. SALE OF MR. THOMAS BARBER'S SHORTHORNS. At Sproatley Rise, ukar Hull, on Thursday, April 6t!i, 1876. BY MR. THORNTON. Following closely after the dispersion of Mr. Fisher's herd came Mr. Thomas Barber's " thinning" sale, principally com. posed of Bates blood. Amongst those who were present at the sale were Sir Talbot Constable, Bart. ; Mr. Drewry, the llolker agent of the Duke of Devonshire; Mr. Coleman, agent to Lord Wcnlock ; the representative of the Earl of li-ctive ; Mr. John Tindall, representative of Mr. John Torr, M.P., Ajlesby; Mr. Groove, Kentucky, L' .S. ; Mr. Stone, Canada ; Mr. 15rownp, agent to Mr. Ayscough Fawkes, Farn- ley ; Jlr. Laycock, the Skipton agent to the Duke of Devon- shire ; Mr. Foster, Killow ; Mr. R. Scratton, Devon-hire ; Mr. R. Blegard, North Wales; Mr. Charles Miller, Shephera's Bush ; Dr. Keudell, Heatii, near Wakefitld ; the Rev. J. J. D. Stephenson. Tbickctl's I'riory, York; Mr. Botterill, Wanlby ; Mr. R. Fisher, Lccon field ; Mr. Taylor, agent to Colonel Gunter, Welherby ; Mr. Partington, Manchester ; Mr. Jolin Ferriby, Wootton Hall, Lincolnshire; Mr. Sharpley, Lincolnshire ; Mr. Crust, Mr. George Bland, and a number of the local gentry and farmers. Although the biddings were fccarcdy so animated as were expected, as soon as Jlr. Thornton got to work lie got through the forty lots in just over two hours. The highest price of the day was made by Bright Eyes 9th, for which Mr. Botterill struggled hard, but he shook his head at 300 guineas, and at that figure she was bought by Lord Bective to join the Uaderley herd. The two female nppcimeus of the Wild Eyes averaged 282^ guineas, Mr. R. Blegard purchasing the other one. Bright Eyes 4-th, for 205 guineas. The Wild Eyes bull, lot 31, remains in the neigh* bourhood, having been secured by Jlr. J. Wo^d, of Hun.ber- ton. In the catalogue there were originally four of the Wild E\es tribe entered for sale, but Lady Wild Eyes 3rd had dird since it was issued. The females of the Duchess Nancy tribe also made good prices, the five going for an aggregate of 1.05'5 guineas. Mr. Scratton purchastd na less tlian three out of the six. The two Tcllurias msde 175 guinf-as belwcen them, and the two Waterloo licifers 365 guineas. Two animals were purchased by Mr. Stone for exportation to Canada ; but although Mr. Groove was present, and cut in for several, he did not make any investments. Tlie total amount realised by the sale was £3,390 Us. The females averaged £103 13.-I., and the bulls £49 93. At the close of the sale a heifer-calf of the Waterloo tribe, belonging to Sir Talbot Constable, was offered, but as no advance was made upon the reserved priea of 200 guineas placed npoa her, she was bought in. SALE OF MR. BOLTON'S SHORTHORNS, At The Island, Wexford, on Tuesday, Ai'RiL 11th, 187G. BY MR. THORNTON. There was a large assemblage of farmers at the sale. though the weather was very cold and suowy. Most of the Bulls were good, but many of the Cows were old, and a little doubtful. The sale was lively, and prices fully up to expectation. COWS AND HEIFERS, Moll Gwynnc —Mr. C. M. Doyne, 19 gs. Buttercup. — Mr. R. Jefferson, 35 gs. Polly Gwynne. — Mr. J. J. Hetheriagton, 33 gs. Flora Gwynne. — Mr. H. Franks, 31 gs. Evelyn Givynne. — Mr. J. J. lletheriugton, 30 gs. Island Glossy. — Mr. B. II. Lane, 35 gs. [Her roan Cow-calf. — Mr. R. Jefferson, 15 gs.] Margery Gwynne. — Mr. J. M. Hopkins, 49 gs. Sail Gwynne. — Mr. W. Fox, 45 gs. Rosy Gwynne. — Mr. T. M. Hopkins, 53 gs. Bloom of the Heather. — Mr. W. Butler, 31 gs. Agnes Gwynne. — Mr J. J. lletheriugton, 31 gs. Glossy Gth.— Mr. J. Baldwin, 25 gs. Anty Gwynne. — Mr. R. Jefferson, 30 gs. Pauline Gwynne.— Mr. T. K. M'Clintock, 40 gs. Edith Gwynne. — Mr. R. Jefferson, 61 gs. Buttercup 6th.— Mr. R. J. M. Gurableton, 145 gs. Woodbine llth.- Mr. J. A. M. Cope, 65 gs. Ladylike.— Mr. C. M. Doyne, 50 gs. Glossy 8'Ji.— Mr. W. Walsh, 32 gs. Glossy 9th.— Mr. Hannan, 33 gs. Pretty Gwynne.— Mr. T. K. M'Clintock, ICO gs. Alicia Gwynne. — Mr. W. Burnyeat, 91 gs. Apple Blossom. — Earl F'ifzwilliam, 53 gs. Maude Gwynne.— Mr. W. Smith, 42 gs. Glossy 10th.— Mr. M. H. Franks, 35 gs. , Sarah Gwynne. — Mr. W. Fr x, 41 gs. Anna Glossy. — Mr. T. K. M'Clintock, 74 gs. Plum Blossom. — Earl of D.irtrey, 29 gs, F'anny Gwynne. — Mr. R. Jefferson, 30 ga. Troutbeck Gwjnne.-^Mr. A. Graham, £3 gs. Maria Gwynne.— Mr. W. Smith, 38 gs. Adelaide Gwynne.— Mr. W. Ta\lor, 20 g?. Buttercup 7th.— Mr. R. J. M. Gumbletou, 80 gs, Sylvia Gwynne. — Earl of Dartrey, 33 gs. Penelope Gwynne. — Mr. M. H. F>anks, 27 gs. BULLS. Alfonso Gvi7nne. — Mr. R. II. Farrer, 56 gs. Brigi'dier. — Mr. J. II. Jones, 41 gs. Pompadour Owjnne.— IMr. II. Eustace, 63 gs. Baron Dowse.— Mr. 11. Iligginbottom, 40 gs. C C S(^ THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. Arthur Gwynne. — Mr. C. M. Doyne, 41 gs. Paul Gvvjnne.— Mr. E. Hall, 41 gs. Lord t4ough (Pat. M'G ill's).— Coloael Allcock, 3i gs. Royalist.— Mr. J. ISIoflFatt, 50 gs. Phoebus Gwynne.-^Mr. S. C. PounJen, 17 gs. Roseberry.— Mr. VV. Walsh, S3 gs. Woodliouse Gwynne. — Mr. II. Bruin, 39 gs. ■Gjveruor.— Mr, Myles Smith, 21 gs. Generalibsinio (Mr. A. W. Connou%). — Mr. T. Slattery,27gs. Summary. £ s. A. £ s. d. 35 cowH and lieifers averaged 48 9 0 1,095 15 0 11 bulls „ 41 4 9 453 U 0 46 head 46 14 6 £2,149 7 0 AGRICULTURAL CORK COUNTY. [original] REPORT. 'Altliongh growth is far aJvanceJ for the season, and 'the pastures have assumed the mantle of green so sud- •denly as to appear almost instantaneous, even to the most attentive observer of natare, field work was never tnore behiud than it is at the present moment, there having been little possibility in the past of doing any- thing to good purpose, and up to the present the weather is so unsettled as to alfjrd small prospect of coucludiag the sowing of spring corn, and other crops for some time to come. The winter was entirely too fiue to give any ■ chance of a favourable spring, December, January, aud a portion of February having been almost summer-like in character, both as regards the temperature of day and night, and freedom from cold wind or heavy rainfall, the ■ description of the majority of the days' of the whole of that period being mild, genial, and delightfully fine. With •St. Valentine's day, however, the winter began to show itself in earnest, raw white frosts, with almost immediate heavy dashing rains becoming almost continnous, scarcely any interval of good weather of several days continuance occurring up to the present date. Lea-oats is the only crop t^at has been got in satisfactorily, being drier, more friable, and in every way sooner tit and easier worked than soft spongy tillaze land, and many fields now look "beautifully green. With broken land, the opportunities dor getting on it were so few and uncertain, even when • a beginning could be made, that an interval of a full week Elapsed between the sowing and final harrowing of a great many fields, there being no posibility whatever of getting near it, although looking at the seed actually starting into active growth. Witli the view of enabling the crop 'to resist the blight when it sets in, potatoes have been .planted in considerable quantity all through the month of March, when the slightest cessation of rain permitted the ■ operation to proceed, but much of the work has been done fbadiy, the glased and sodden-look of the fields so finished, •being highly suggestive of a hard-caked surface on the • approach of dry weather, and a poorly-grown, half- ' matured crop when taken up. Under almost any condi- tions or circumstances there is scarcely an excuse for going on the land in wet weather, even in the preliminary operations, performed it may be months be'ore the seed- ing season, as the labour is vastly increased, and the prospect of a paying crop materially lessened, the diseases ■whicb most seriously affect the swede being distinctly traceable to this very cause. The extremely opeu winter ■and spring has been very favourable to live stock of all kinds, and cattle which have never had one might under shelter, but the opeu canopy of heaven, appear at the spring fairs in capital store condition. Indeed it is something extraordinary in the face of the ery advanced views regarding the shelter and comfort of ■animals during winter, held by the bulk of stockowners at the present day, how grandly young stock do in the open field throughout the year, seemingly in practice defying all the deductions and conclusions of theory, however well supported by the promptings of common sense. Strange to say, if a comparison was made belweert two lots of cattle during the present month, when the winter treat-nent of each lot may be concluded to be nearly over, the one lot to have been wintered in sheds of houses, and the other in the fields, the chances would be altogether in favour of the latter; and that, further, if the decision required stronger confirmation, it would be conclusively determined by exposure in open market by superiority of value. It must not be supposed, however, that this highly satisfactory end could be accomplished by merely permitting the animals to roam over the pastures picking up the rough tufts of grass left during summer ; on the very contrary, they must have food carried to them rn great plenty — hay, straw, turnips, and mangolds, and this treatment begun not later than November. Some men are adepts at this mode of managing cattle, and would on no consideration alter or adopt the slightest modifica- tion of their favourite system, alleging, with arguments incontrovertible, that they have no occasion to do so, when they can turn out on the first week of May two- year-old bullocks fit for the butcher, or, if not quite so good, at the very least more presentible at any part of the spring than the cattle of their opponents, which were wintei-ed under apparently far more favourable conditions. Food has held ont well, few men being so short of pro- vision as to reqnir-e to help out the season by purchase of either roots or fodder. Llay is very abundant throughout the country, gr^eat ricks of many tons standing untouched in nearly every district ; and in some cases, although offered for sale, either by auction or private treaty, failing to secure a single oflFer. This state of things is in extra- ordinary contrast to this time twelve-mouths, when fodder was scarcely to be had at any price. Beef has been ia good demand all through the winter, at a good, but by no means a high price ; but many stalls being now cleared out, there is a very good prospect for the future for those who have held on aud can do so for some weeks longer. The trade in store cattle opened very briskly in January, and eont'nued for about a month, when it again languished, and is only now recovering animation. The dealers from Limerick, Tipperary, and Queen's counties have been able to take the best lots from the buyers f jr Bristol and Cardilf, having a much better market and less expense for carriage. " Strippers" of good quality make at present from £12 to £16 each; two-year- olds from £10 to £12, aud yearlings from £6 to £7"l09. Calving cows have been in good demand at high prices, young cows making easily from 18 to 21 guineas, aud old animals, fit only for town dairies, and to be fed on grains and wash, from £12 to £15. The whole of these figures refer only to cattle of good quality and condition, lean badly brought out stock of indifTcrent breeding being of no value, and are passed by with contempt, reading a wholesome lesson to those who, amidst so much facility for procuring good blood, are still so blind to their own in.'erests as to contiime breeding from cross- bred sires. The hi^h prices received for butter during TEE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. \]^■s closing inoulhs of iST-'j, has given an impetus to the business of the dairy which is likely to show itself in largely increased raauufacture during the year on which wc havB now entered. The past season has been an ex- ceedingly prosperous one in the Cork butter trade, and a largely increased business has been done, 431,803 tirkins, averaging 701bs. each, having passed through the Ex- change, as against 3GS,t83 in the, previous year; showing the enormous increase of 03,320 firkins. Taking the average price of butler to be only Is. a pound, wo have over one million and a-hajf pounds sterling as the pro- duct of this important industry passing through one market. The stringent rules enforced by the committee of butter merchants, as regards cleanliness of casks, over» salting, and general freedom from water and all other impurities, has greatly raised the standard of quality during the past few years, as makers have by the diligent insi)ection and serrows loss of quality which the slightest neglect unavoidably entails, been actually compelled to study their own interests by comj)lying with the rules of the market, and making butter of good quality. Con- trasting the enormous prices paid by the consumer in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, and other large shipping and manufacturing towns, producers have a strong feeling that the average they receive for their pi"o- •duce should be higher than it is, increased expenses of all kinds, servants wages, not being the least item, re-tidering it absolutely necessary that it should be so to cover the cost of production, and leave some little margin for profit. Sheep have been gradually getting scarce for about nine months, and there is now a famine of mutton, butchers being scarcely able to supply them- selves and meet the wants of their customers at any price. Wedder mutton touches Is. a pound in the wool, and they are bought at a word, although the price fixed may be certain to lose several shillings a sheep to the buyer — a bad way of doing business, but it must be occasionally done to meet the exigencies of the times, in the hope of better days to come. Store sheep, although high in price, are neither so scarce or dear as mutton, but as the season advances and keep becomes plentifid good sorts will command profitable rates. Although the weather was frightfully severe in the beginning of the lambing season, it passed off with few casualties, and lambs mostly everywhere were well spoken of as sturdy, well-conditioned, and round-backtd. The descrij)tion you give in your Leader of April 3rd of the apathy displayed by English farmers with regard to hiring land, and the extraordinary reaction which lias taken place in men's minds, in reference to the duties of the landlord, and the conditions under which a farm siiould be taken, illustrated by one land-steward having up to, or over twenty farms, going begging for suitable tenants, is in wonderful con- trast to the state of affairs in this country, where the rivalry is so great, that on a man retiring from his farm enormous sums are given for his interest. It matters not ' how low-rented a property may be, or how desirous a landlord to see his tenantry with their land at its fair market value, the system of selling the interest by public competition bids fair to sec, in a comparatively small number of years, a very large extent of the country rack- rented by the free act and will of the farmers themselves, baflliiig every effort of the " Home-rule " politicians in the contrary direction, the desire to occupy land engros- sing the minds of those who sec no other opening for their capital so completely, as to exclude every other con- sideration, whether political, religious, or commercial. This system, although largely in. favour of the out-going tenant, does not tend to improve either the condition of the land, or the man who holds it, as he too often ex- hausts his capital in the purchase of his farm, and is ever after comj)eIled to live from hand to mouth on borrowed 361 money, ample facilities for which are held out to him on the mortgage of his lease. Under such circumstances a mun has not much heart to spend money on improvements, and he tries at once to save himself by cutting olf the expense of labour, by establishing a dairy, letting the cows at so much per head per annum to a man who, with the assistance of his own family, does all the work, and henceforth lives a queer kind of half- idle life, supporting himself on the margin which remains after squaring ac- counts with the landlord, and the oliise which advanced the money. — April 12th. LORD ELCHO'S GAME BILL —A bill for amending the Ganre Laws, so lar as Scotland is concerned, has just been issued. It has been introduced by Jjord Elcho and Sir Graham Montgomery. The bill proposes to confer upon any tenant in occupation to the right kill and destroy hares upon land in his occupation where the exclusive riglit of killing ban s not specially reserved to the proprietor by the lease, just ;'s tenants in occupation are allovved now to kill rabhitc By Clause 4 it is provided that a tenant shall not require to take out a licence to kill hares or rabbits ; and by Clause 5 he is authorised to appoint one person who may also kill either hares or rabbits on his occupation without a licence, or with- out being liable to any duty of as-essed taxes as a game- keeper. The sixth clause of the bill empowers a tenant to recover comiieusation for damage by iycrease of Rame, and is as under : " From and after the passing of this Act, a tenant shall be entitled to recover compensatiou from his lessor fur any damages he may sustain in consequence of or by reason of the increase of hares, rabbits, or game unduly encouraged, or not duly prevented by the lessor on lands occupied by the tenant during the currency of his lease, provided that such increase shall arise subsequent to the passing thereof; and suck compensation shall be sued for and recoverable only in the Sheriff Court of the county wherein the lauds in respect of which the said damage is alleged to have been sustained are situate, and the judgment of the Sheriff-Substitute or Sheriff, in so far as the same consists of tludincrs in point of fact, or fixes tilt amount of damages, shall be final add not subject to review, it being competent to appeal from the decision of the Sheriff-Substitute to the Sheriff, but provide 1 always that the judgment of the Sheriff-Substitute or Sheiilf, in siS far as the same consists of findings in law, shall be subject to the review of the Supreme Courts." — .^yr Advertiser. THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES (ANIMALS) ACT.— At the IMansion-honse, the London, Tilbury, and Southend Hallway Company (Limited) were summoned before tlio the Lord Mayor for having on the 12th and 13ih of March last, at Thames Haven, unlawfully contravened a certain Order made by Her Majesty in Council, under the provisions of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1S09, in having placed 33S head of cattle in certain railway trucks which had not previously been cleansed, disinfected, aud limewashed in the manner tlieren prescribed. Mr. 'Wontner, solicitor, prosecuted at the instance of the Treasury ; Mr. Straight was counsel for the company. A formal plea of Guilty was recorded. Mr. Wontuer explained to the Court that under the very salutary provisions of the Order in question it was inaae illegal for any cattle truck to be used twice in succession, without being, meanwhile, thoroughly cleansed, washed, and disinfected. That was rendered necessary by the extensive importation of foreign cattle and for the prevention of the foot-and-mouth and other diseases to which cattle were liable. TUe Riilway Com- pany carried on a large cattle tratfic, aud it would be proved that not only on the days named iu the summons, but gener- ally from October to the present month, cattle had been con- veyed in trucks which had either not bren cleansed at all or improperly cleaused. Tlie G (vernment inspector had fre- quently commuuicated with tlie authorities of the cnnp:iny upon the mailer but without avail. On Sunday evening, the 13th of March, five trucks, all of them extremely dirty, left Thames ILtveu with 66' head of foreign cattle, and on the next day 215 trucks, with 273 beasts, were similarlv despatclipd Ue added that the company bad been trosteJ with greai |ei niency by the Government, and that they had till now put lo defiance the (Aiders in Council on the subject. Mr. Straight said that he had advised the company that they were techui- C C 8 862 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. rally liable under the summonses, but he denied, on their part, that thnre was any foundation for stating that tliey had been enj,'aged in a systematic infraction of the Order in Counc 1. The company fully recognised the wisdom and justice of t'lo provisions made to prevent the spread of cattle disease, and in these instances, while admitting tliat they were negligent, their servants had scraped, washed, and to a certain extent dis infected the trucks. He might state that during last year the ■company conveyed no fewer than 72,059 iiead of cattle, 20,3 ii calves, 4089 pigs, and 255,823 sheep, and he felt tliat if tlieir had been any cause for previous complaint it would long since have been made. The 12tii of March was very tempestuous, and the five trucks left unfinished by the men received a more effectual cleansing from tlie lieavens than they would other- wise iiave had. As for the otlier trucks, they iiad also been exposed to a thorough drencliiug, and besides, instead of ani- mals, they had been previously used for conveyiog bricks. The Orders in Council were now being minutely obeyed, and he thought that the case would be met by a most moderate penalty. In support of these respective statements, Mr. John Ward, Mr. llicketts, and Mr. Hancock, inspectors of the Veterinary Department of the Privy Council, and Mr. Artliur Stride and Mr. Joseph Lowth, ollicers of the railway com- pany, gave brief testimony. It was incidentally stated that all diseased cittle were slaughtered on lauliug, and the rest of tiie car^o immediately reshipped to the Foreign Cai'le Market at Dppt'ord and killed there. The company had attempted to wasli their trucks at a neighbouring station to Thames Haven but desi>ted because the farmers were afraid of the possible contagion being spread through the water running through tlie gutters and ditches. The Lord Mayor observed that ia his view the matter was a most serious one. The railway company, by their own showing, conveyed 332,000 head of cattle over their line last year, and their regulations for cleans- ing seemed to have been conducted in the most careless and indiffeieut way. Tlie mischief tliey might liave caused in ihe farms and liomesteads of England it was impossible to cal- culate. Tlipy were all the more responsible as being a public body, and, having large means, they ouglit to have been in a better position and the more ready to carry out tlie valuable provisions of tha statute in question. They had been warned time after time, and the greatest leniency had been shown them. He fined them £338, being a pound per head for the animals conveyed in the uneleansed trucks, and five guineas cost. The sura, £3i3 5s., was at once paid. — 'Times. SURREY CUSTOMS. TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE MARK LANE EXPRESS. Sir, — " Inquirer" wishes to know what the Surrey Customs are, " which are said to be so unjust and hurden- soine to incoming tenants." As lawyers differ in their opinions on commoa law, so valuers differ in opinion sometimes to what extent the custom goes ; but I believe the following is pretty near what Surrey customs are, but they are subject and subservient to covenants in agree- ments and leases, where such exist. First. The manure and sheep foldings are to be paid for ; also all fallows with the manure and labour thereon, and the expenses iueiirred in cleaning and setting out the root crops if any are sown, and including rent, tithe, and taxes of such land in fallow in which no crop has been sown since Michaelmas for sheep feed or other pur- poses— that is to say, it must have been a wiuter and spring fallow to be entitled to claim for rent, tithe, and taxes. Also half fallows, half mannres, including sheep foldings, but not artificial manures, except perhaps bones, which I believe are now pretty generally admitted to be unexhausted with the first crop. Also all leys are valued according to the state of eleannesa they are found to be in, and the tillages and manure expended on the previous •crops, varying from no value to that for which it is consi- dered the outgoing tenant ought to be paid. This custom applies to all old leys of the arable land when not ex- cluded by covenant. The hay and straw to be valued at •fodder price, and not market price, excepting when the out- going tenant can show by his valuation inventory that he paid the market price when he entered, or except there be anything in the agreement or lease which may be con- strued to the contrarj'. And now that steam thrashing is in use I believe that valuers are introducing into the custom that outgoing tenants shall stack aud thatch the ■atraw that is thrashed in the field. The foregoing are, I believe, the chief points of what are called the Surrey Customs, and I will offer a few •observations upon them. The principle involved in these customs is just and equitable ; it gives the right to an outgoing tenant to be paid for unexhausted outlay of capital and labour lying buried in the soil, and for which either landlord or incoming tenant ought to pay. Like most other good customs, in course of time abuses have crept in, gradually and uneventfully ; but having crept in nnder the cloak of the equitable customs, aud not being challenged soon enough iu the law courts, these abuses claimed to be part and parcel of the Surrey Custom, and time has given them the force of law. These abuses never could have gone to the extent they in some case^ have, if the valuers for the outgoing tenants had not advocated for their clients claims for compensation beyond what strict equity warranted, and the referees or umpires having sanctioned these claims in many instances, they were cited as precedents, and gi-adually were established as the cusiom. Valuers, like barristers, too much con- sider it to be their duty to obtain as much for their clients as tbcy can, and therefore think themselves justified iu stretching the really equitable custom beyond its fair a])plication. The consequence is, that the valuers of the present day consider they are bound to value ia accordance with the terms and payments of the outgoing tenant's valuation inventory, when he entered the farm, unless there should be special covenants in his agree- ment or lease, defining what acts of husbandry are to be paid for, and how the hay and straw are to be dealt with. It is, therefore, only in the absence of special covenants in leases and agi'cements, directing what shall be or shall not be paid for, that the cnstoms are considered to have the force of law ; for instance, except the outgoing tenant can show by his incoming valuation inventory that he then paid market price for the straw and hay, the custom only gives him fodder price, although in the agreement or lease nothing is said about them. These so-called Surrey customs I be- lieve run into the West Kent chalk hilly district : the ■ land is of the same character. They no doubt originally arose from the covenants inserted in old leases, and con- tinued to this day on some estates where the landlord has not bought up all the half-fallows and half-dressings of the farms. The object of the landlords, without doubt, was for the purpose of having the farm well cultivated, and left in better condition on change of tenancy ; and to effect this they bound themselves to pay for half-fallows and half-dressings, and also leys, rightly considering that farmers could not be expected to leave buried in the soil more than they could avoid. The principle and the in- tention were both good, and valuers onght to have set their faces against these abuses of half-fallows and half- dressings M'hen they found sny fields were not in a clean state sufruuent to warrant the supposition that they had not been properly fallowed aud cleaned, and only allowed THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 30a what tbey considered the state of tlie land wan-iuitcd ; that is to say, between nothing and the full claim if the state of the land justified it, and this view ought to he more exercised in the present day than it is. I don't think it will be much out of place if I make some allusion to two or three clauses of the Agricultural Holdings Act which have some little relation to the foregoing observa- tions. The 5th and fJth clauses enacted that compensa- tion for tillages and bought manures and food should not extend heijond two years. Now, in my humble opinion, if Clause 13, instead of shortening the time for compensa- tion to one year and one crop only in all cases — manifestly an injustice — bad confined that one year to lands from ■which root crops had been carted off from where they had been grown, and specially enacted that in the other cases it should be left to the judgment and discretion of the valuers whether any and what amount of value was left iu the land after the first crop had been taken, and if it became necessary to refer the case to an umpire, then his decision should be final ; but before such umpire could act. he should be sworn by a magistrate to do justice to the best of his power between the parties. No valuer, however high his standing ra'ght be, ought to object that such a proceeding would be an imputation upon his honour. Magistrates and gentlemen of the highest stand- ing ia society are sworn as grand jurymen. Of two evils — a court of law or a final decision by a valuer (as a class a more respectable and honourable body of men does not exist) — whose technical knowledge of the subject enables him to render justice better than the court of law — is by far the least evil, and fewer wrongs will ensue, and expenses will bear no comparison. Whether the Surrey custonis are right or wrong I will not enter ui)on, but that as a tenant entered his farm and paid, so in strict justice he should be repaid again upon leaving. It is tjie fault of the valuers if injustice be done. I am. Sir, your obedient servant, April \Wi, ISTGj A Tenant Rvrjiei'.. FANCY AND FASHIONABLE SHORTHORNS OF AMERICA. TO THE EDITOll OF THE M.A.UK LANE EXPRESS. Sin, — I see by your last issue that a Toronto correspond- ent hds been criticising the fanciful " Sliorthoni Specu- litors" with much truth. I am very glad to see that your paper is open to have all breeds impartially diss cussed, allowiug no families, fashions, or fancies to have any advantage over those of less note, and who possess more real merit under sound practical judgment. Pedi- gree has such a strong hold on certain fancy men, that form, quality, and substance is of no consideration, and money, crcdU, and partial transfers from herd to herd coming under the hammer, has become so glaring that price is no criterion, nor can it be viewed in any other light than that of lottery, the pool-box, or that of the gambling-table. I have seen so much of this fanciful way of doing business in this country that I have looked upon the mania a& a perfect farce, and reasonable men view it with suspicion. I have always said that the best Shoi thorns were very superior animals ; but when you talk of "pure pcdi'jree," from whence is it derived. Is it possible for " in-and-in breeding" to produce symmetry, quality, substance, and constitution ? I say not, notwith- standing what visionary scribes, and the palaver they have made about it, imagine ; any practical breeder can see plainly where the various crosses have been made, from the red Galloway cow, or the West Highland heifers. The Devon cow has converted Bnrharas into dark red, and the frequent cropping out of the whites shows plainly the descent from the whites of Chilliugham Park. You cannot deceive a practical breeder conversant with these breeds. The long hair, thick mellow hides, and quality, are derived from the Galloways, the West Highlands, and Chillingham — the original Durhams had none of them — and either of these breeds have reduced their extreme coarseness. The fancy men of Bates' are exceedingly anxious to note the long hair, but are very shy of telling from whence it sprang. Let me ask if it is not derived from that "hcautifal cross-hved heifer" Mr. Bates pre- sented to Mr. Colling, in his friendship of 1805, or others of the same sort, from his own breeding, and clandes- tinely brought into his herd ? Will not Mr. Bates's own testimony of this valuable cross, and improvement in his Shorthorns, justify me in believing and stating this ? Head his confession in " Bell on Bates," and no ])ractical man can be otherwise than convinced where the improve- lufiit of his Duchess tribe came fioni. The nearer you get to the two Bcots and the Chilliugham crosses the better the produce. Mark the whites in all prominent herds. and they are more frequently the best in them. The roans spring from, the whites, the spotted Teeswaters, and the varied colours of the West Highland, the dark red from the Devon, that being a race, hold to the colour, which is a new feature in Durhams. I have yet to dis- cover a good symmetrical dark red Shorthorn of quality. I think I have given your readers a fair text for dis- cussion, therefore allow all men who will confine them- selves to facts, a fair field and no favour, to show their praclicabiUti/, regardless of profit or loss, and fearlessly meet those visionary, fanciful, fashionable schemers, who suppose the high prices they give for animals, with pedi- gree only as their endorser^ to be the animals desired. Such shortcomings ^.x^Wi^xvixw n'i good brecdln-g, and I can only say that if such prices as the press has pro- claimed, and as 1 have seen knocked down to popular in- dividuals at auction, have actually been realised, I cannot help saying that those gentlemen have more money, or credit, than brains. Good judgment is out of the question when visionary schemers back each other beyond the bounds of reason for the sake of notoriety, or to obtain an advertisement by their silly extravagance, which rea- sonable and practical men have no desire to maintain. As long as this visionary mania exists, farewell to good breeding. It is this principle that has created this general panic in this country. Let me tell you where I consider these fanciful men at fault — their lunacy for slgllsh, coarse Bake Bulls. Let me instance a few of them. Bates never bred a Duke but was long and coarse in the leg, deep and narrow in brisket, flat in sides, light in crops, scant iu twist, heavy in rumps (called fool's fat), high bare hi])3, hide thin, and paunchy, until he pro- nounced the West Highland cross so great an improve- ment over his Shorthorns. He knew where the long hair, the thick mellow hide, quality, and constitution came from; hence this visible cross iu his herd. Whether he derived it throtigh Ceilings from the " beautiful heifer" presented to him, or clandestinely bred it into his own herd from similar heifers selected, was Isest known to himself. Who registered the one presented to iMr. Col- ling, in the English Shorthorn Herd Book ? As Mr. L, ¥. Allen, in preface of American Shorthorn Herd Book, volume second, represents Mr. Colling as a " closet man,'' and as Mr. Bates and Mr. Colling were so extremely Inti- mate, as the former as frequently expressed it, might they not have been silently and confidentially combined in this great improvement? anu 361 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. with Mr. Coates, liaJ so much control over the pedigrees ill the first volumes of the English Herd Books, they might have registered these animals to show iu-and-in breeding, while tlie sucking calf might be changed from one dam to another, and thought no harm when pedigree was not of so much importance ; thus making the out, and none but themselves would be any the wiser. IMy impression is, that outs must be made in all so-called ^jwre breeds, and it is this, though done in secret, that has made the Short- horns. You will excuse me for bringing a few of the Dulces to your notice, not with a desire to injure any breeder, for I esteem many of them higtily. Mr. Alex- ander's Duke of Airdiie was a fair bull, not possessed of what I should call quality, was not symmetrical; still he had obtaiued a great name. His son, bred by Mr. A. Reiiick from a very superior cow, excelled him far. Ills long hair, thick mellow hide, quality, and sym- metry, on shoit logs, all of which was transmitted to his otfspring, although not in aristocratic keeping, he established his real worth, and his breeder reaped his true reward. You may call this practical breeders' herd, "pure Bates,^' Bootli, Knightley, or Stevenson, but my impression is, that there is a mixture of all of these noted breeders. I will go farther. In my opinion there does not a better herd exist, in America or Great Britain, and all of his own breeding, therefore the credit rests on the good practical judgment of its bo7i(i jide owner. Wliat was 17th Duke of Airdrie ? Is there a " pure breeder" who can pronounce him auything but a plain, coarse, overgrown brute, without either symmetry or quality, running back to that coarse sort of original Dukes and Duchesses, with nothiug but a name to sustain them, I 8iw one of his sons at Counsel Blulf's, Kansas, a facsimile of his sire, but so stricken in poverty, that this over- grown Duke, as he walked, looked as it he was going to fall to pieces, or wandering staggeringly abroad, iu search of his title, for his support. He had been pampered in his youth, and sold at a fancy price by his noted breeder; while, in his poverty, his eyes, which were sunk in his head, shed tears to relieve him iu his forsaken and for- lorn condition. The Colonel purchased him for his title and pedigree, combined with the low price asked; but before he had long known him, was amazed at the amount of food he consumed, without any prospect of remuneration. His thin, short-haired hide, stuck to his llat ribs, as if ghicd there, and his paunch filled with prairie hay, and ludian-coru in the ear, looked as if it was equal to a bay in the barn, or a limited corn-crib. This was the Colonel's "/ sif love" for a Shorthorn, for he had no other. He represented one of Bates' heat pedi- f/rees. 9th Duke of Airdrie was of similar stamp to that of 17th Duke, only, if possible, still more coarse and rough. 23rd Duke of Airdrie, although full of Uesh, could not hide his family faults. Duke Balder is another so-called Bates' pedijrcc, much of the same character, and has had continual pulling from an editorial scribe, who accompanied an exceedingly kind breeder to purchase him, and a heifer of Mr. Thom. This vain scribe allowed fashion to lead him by the nose, and shaped his articles to meet the views of fancy men, and it was he who led this good man astray in the purchase by his want of juJgment. Had this most worthy pioneer, honest in all his dealings, and upright in all his trans- actions, never seen these animals, he would have been one of the best breeders in the State of Michigan. The heifer never bred but one calf, which this scribe, alter hearing of his birth, hastened to the good man's house, to rejoice over the prize, as he was the prime mover in his obtaining him, therefore he must have the pri- vilege of uamiug him, and persuaded the good man that he should have a title above duke or lord. He named him King David, which was announced in his paper with " ap- propriate remarlcs" to meet the occasion. After keeping his dam three years without breeding, she was sold to a butcher iu Detroit, and a more uneven, flabby carcase of beef I never saw hang up in shambles. Her lean black flesh was unevenly covered with flabby fat — unsightly, un- profitable, and unpalatable for butcher and consumer. The fat would not set except when frozen, notwithstanding she was bred by Mr. Thom, and was " high Bates." Now for her only son. King David, who has been so highly extolled by this scribe on account of his pedigree. Having puffed him to extreme — and this noted scribe had used all the influence he possessed to persuade this worthy breeder to use him, telling him that pedi>jree was everything/, and Bates v:as oll-in-all — he very rclactantlif put him to two heifers. One of them produced a dead calf, and the other was so inferior that a neighbour, and a good judge and breeder, advised him to shoot it on the spot, but it still lives, a disgrace to its companions and We. family nrhxe. The sire at five years old, after being fed on meal and grass all last summer, was sent to Detroit for sale. He was kept in the market three weeks before an offer could be obtained for him, and he was ultimately sold for 5 1 dollars — about 3 cents per pound for Bates' beef, while the best was selling for G cents. A worse looking animal I never saw iu the shape of a Shorthorn. This King David and Duke Balder has had sufficient puliiing to make either sell for ten thousand dollars — if this scribe could have gulled a Bates man into such a speculation. This constant puthng has done this good man more injury than can be imagined, not only in a pecuniary way directly from his pocket, but seriously in his herd, and it will take him a long time to recover. Had the first article been put in stereotype it would have answered for the whole puffing ; had this breeder kept to a cow he had called Gipsy, and selected the heifer- calves from the seventeen she produced him — although her pedigree ran back to Mrs. Mott, ot ihe importation of 1817 — and coupled them to proper bulls, he would have had a herd hard to be sur[>assed, and I know no man more deserving, I have not written this with any design to injure any breeder, but there are many such cases as this of Duke Balder and King David that could be illustrated to ad- vantage, and to encourage good breeding. There are some editors in this country who put!' for the sake of the pay, no matter of what class of auimals they are puthng, and if you make a reply to such, and it conflicts with them, it is scratclied out, giving them the advantage over correspondents. Others dare not tell the truth, fearing the loss of a few subscribers, while the truth touching this Bates mania would add double to the number. Many cases like this are apparent. Wm. H. Sotham. Cass Hotel, Detroit, mchigan, March 20th, 1S76. WHIPPING IN THE KITCHEN.— The object of this note is not to adTOca'e corporeal punishment, or bring before the reader aoything of a more paiuful nature than the general neglect of whipping in the kitchen. That T may not be su.s- pected of frivolity, I will say at once tlial the theme is at least not lighter than a lieavy pudding, and one of its purposes cer- tainly is to promote the perfection of custards. Now, why doi 8 the book — I mean the Cookery Book — recommend that eggs, cream, &c., &c., should be whipped? I hope Mr. Buck- master — whom I have not heard, but have only heard of — iias explained and enforced on his pupils the necessity of whipping. Let us compare a sample of cream as it comes from the dairy with another sample that has been well whipped. The dif- ference between them consists in this — that the latter is in a sublime state of froth, owin^ to the admixture with it of a large body of atmospheric "air. Now, in this result of whip- ping, we have entangled atmospheric air, and that is one of the secrets of the difl'eieuce between good and had coukerj. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE; 3«^ You provide a couk with a certain allowance of rg^ra, milk, and SO' forth, and she brings you in due time a tuislHrd or a pudding- as lieavy as lead and as indigestible. You provide another cook with the same ingredients, and you obl; the roots of the plant — the vigour imparted will be extraordinary, showing itself most distinctly in about ten days, in a broad soft leaf, of an intensely green colour, aud covering every portion of the field with healthy verdure. "Wheat will stand a dressing of 40s. worth of nitro.-phosphate to the statute acre, and give with ease, under favoui-able con- ditions, a clear return to the farmer of the same amouut after paying all expenses. I may |here remark that, to obtain the utmost possible advantage from chemi- cally-pi'epared manures, the land amstbe only in moderate condition : in point of fact, the poorer it is the greater will be the result, unless in a complete state of exhaus- tion ; and, iu the corresponding scale, the higher the ma- nurial condition of the land to which it is applied just so much the less will be the benefioial result of the tup-dressiug. Turther, it is quite possible to sustaiu a serious loss when rich laud is dressed with artilicials, as, if the season proves wet, the luxuriance induced by a rich soil aud a highly stimulative manure will cause the crop to lodge at a most critical period of its growth, to the subsequent injury of both straw and grain. Geutlemen, I consider it right to thus place before you both aspects of this very important ques- tion, and do so with all the greater confidence as I have experienced both the results I have now described. On the light land of West Cork there is comparatively little danger of injury from excessive luxuriance, and 1 there- fore consider that this style of farming is particularly suitable to this immediate district, aud may with safety bo adopted by the farmers of an extended area, to their very great protit. To glance for a moment at ihe beueficial results which accrue from this expenditure, we may, as previously noticed, assume the value of the extra straw as that of the manure required to force it, and taking 30s. as tiie average sum Liid out per acre, we have ou a breadth of corn extending to, say, fifty acres, £75 vsorth of valuable manure-making material of the very best kind, over and above the ordinary crop, the additional comfort it gives to the auimals during the months of winter still further increasing its value. How different this mode of filling the yards, or bedding down the cattle, from the laborious digging up and carting in soil from the head- lands, or, as is too often done, from a trench cut through the centre of the Held about to be broken up, iu the vain hope that by allowing it to remain iu a pool of rain-water for several months, it will by some mysterious chemical or mechanical process be turned into a manure, capable of imparting to the field ou which it is afterwards placed all the elements of fertility. It surely does not require much intelligeiice, or a lengtheued experience in farramg, to know that this is a delusion, and that the time and labour both of men and horses in drawing this in too many instances poverty-stricken soil is a dead loss, aud can by no possibility give a profitable return. I am sorry to say that the small farmers seem to regard this as the principal source of mauure, as by so doing they materially retard their success iu life, aud lose much comfort which^ THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 3C7 under a more cnligbleneJ system of management, they might uudoiibtcdly enjoy. Durhip; the year the laud is in green crop the most strenuous efl'urts should be made to thoroughly cleanse aud deeply stir the soil, as well as to treat it with manure, both liome-madc and artiiiuial, iu the most liberal manner, as not only docs the success of the crop in hand depend on the treatment now given, but also quite us much iu degree the live remaining crops of the course. It is evident to almost the most unob- eervant that if the laud is negligently worked, or poorly treated for this crop, it must of necessity remain in the same miserable condition until again broken up ; whereas when, liberally treated for the green crop, the succeeding corn, hay, and pasture, responding to the previous generous treatment, will not fail to give a corresponding return. It is excellent policy to plough the stubble deeply as soon as practicable after the harvest, so that the soil may be broken up, aud otherwise beuellted by the action of the atmosphere. I am very fond of putting three horses to the stubble plough, so as to get well down, and not only deeply stir the soil, but get up a little virgin earth to the surface, as at no other period of the year can this be done with safety. If weeds are uuforlunately abundant, it is a great saving of time and labour iu the future to grub first, both lengthways and across, harrow well, then j)lough deeply with threo horses, when it will be found by the time the spring-work begins, that with this treat- ment the perenuial weeds have been thoroughly eradi- cated. Any of the improved grubbers of the present day (it matters not by whom made), when fitted with duck-footed shares of medium size, perform this operation capitally, aud the saving of spring labour is something immense. In preparing the soil for the reception of the seed, it is especially necessary, with every variety of green crop, that it is rendered very fine and free from lumps, as if this is not attended to, much disap- pointment will be the result, many blank spaces occur- ring, and the plants that remain have not sufficient vigour to form bulbs of large size. The mangold crop suffers considerably by careless or hasty preparation, and a large per-ceutage of the seeds often lie dormant, on account of the soil not being sufficiently Hue to cover nicely, and exclude the air ; hence a patchy aud irregular crop of mangolds is, in some seasons, more the rule than the exception. This is much to be regretted, as this root is becoming every year more valuable, aud ou account of the tendency to premature decay exhibited by the swede on very many soils, is greatly more to be depended on. Its excellent keeping quality adds largely to its value, and I consider that this feature of its character recommends it highly to the farmers of this district, who keep dairy and other stock iu such large numbers, as it enables them to keep the cattle off the fields until the grass is sullicieutly advanced to afl'ord them a full bite. The leading varieties of this bulb (mangold) are too well known to require description ; but there is a variety new to our district, the merits of which were called atten- tion to by our honourable and respected Chairman, with- out giving it at least a passing notice. I allude to the sugar-beet, aud from what I have seen of its feeding qualities during the past season, I feel satisfied that it is worthy of a permanent position in the list of green crops. Altogether apart from its value in the manufacture of sugar, it is at ouce a palatable, wholesome, aud nutritious article of food for live stock of all kinds, and horses in particular. For the latter it seems peculiarly adapted, as it is a firm, solid food, does not affect the bowels in the slightest degree injuriously, and during the winter months a horse may be kept at full work with a very small al- lowance of oats, while receiving as great a weight of this beet as he likes to eat. The specific gravity is extra- ordinary, aad is strikingly evinced whca a moderate sized root is taken in the hand for the first time, the great weight to the size being at once apparent. Visiting an agricultural friend last January, I was struck with the extra good condltiou of the horses I saw at work, as they were, to use a familiar and expressive phrase, " hog-fat." Ou asking my friend why he was feeding so highly, he replied that 1 was greatly mistaken as totlie high feeding, as he had never fed more economically in his life. Ou requesting to be favoured with the particulars, he told me that 121bs. of oats, as many sugar beet as they would eat, and chopped furze in the same ratio, was their entire allowance for the twenty-four hours. The roots were given whole, although I consider that it would be an im- provement to have them pulped, and mixed with crushed oats, bran, or even chopped.hay. I'rom what I have seen, therefore, of the good qualities of sugar-beet, I would strongly recommend every farmer present to give it a trial during the coming season, so as to be able to jiulge for himself. By manuring highly, and thinning out to tlie usual distance, when not specially grown for tlie manufacture of sugar, a great weight can be erown to the acre, the extreme density aud solidity of the bulbs, as I have before observed, giving an immensely greater weight when lifted than could possibly have been anticipated by the appearance of the crop when growing. Unlike all other varieties of field beet, this variety forms the bulb under the surface of the soil, and would in this way dis- appoint those who had formed their opinions of its merits as a heavy cropper if their experience wis confined to seeing it merely during the period of growth. Its value in the sugar manufactory must be largely increased by this very feature and habit of growth, as the exclusion of light and air tends in no sliglit degree to the development of the saccharine property, and thereby adding to the per- centage of merchantable produce. Although fearing I have already detained you too long, I cannot close without calling your attention to the value of furze as a forage plant. It gives such a large supply of food at a minimum of expense, that it deserves not only the notice but the earnest attention of every stockmaster, from the humble owner of one horse and a couple of cows, to tbe wealthy possessor of several hundred head. Horses and cattle, when accustomed to it from youth, eat it in astonishing quantity, and when given not as the sole article of diet, but in conjunction with roots, thrive well on it, main- taining good condition and vigorous health throughout the most trying period of the whole year. In the culti- vation of furze as a forage plant, it is a supreme mistake to assume that it is fit only for poor land, as, on the very contrary, the better the laud on which it is grown just so much the more successful and bountiful will be the crop, always providing that the soil, locality, and climate are all favourable to the growth of furze, and that the plant is indigenous to the district in which its culture is attempted. It may, and probably does, suit the small far- mers of hilly or mountainous districts, who are low- reuted, whose families do all or most of their labour, and to whom the smallest assistance in bringing their stock through the winter is hailed as a wind-fall ; but to the man with a large stock, and whose labour must be all paid for in ready cash at the end of the week, the crop grown on poor land would not pay the wages of the man who mowed it. To render its growth profitable to the general farmer the land must be so good as to give a full crop every season : nothing less will pay, and it is a serious loss both of time and money when a heavy cut can only be secured every alternate year, altogether apart from the question of inferiority of produce. In the first place when this is done each crop must pay two rents, a tax which the most sanguine supporter of furze would scarcely expect it to do ou any laud worth holding, aud the labour of cutting the strong growth of two seasons adda no iu- 338 THE FARMEE'S MAGAZINE. considerable item to tlie expense of preparation. Some writers on the subject have allirmed that it is wrong both in theory and practice to cut every year, as such manage- ment will soon destroy the plants ; this, however, is an altogether mistaken view, as I have nearly twenty years' experience of a furze-meadow, which has been cut every year during that time, without even missing one, and the crop cut from it during the past season, finishing on the 31st iMarch, was simply enormous, and probably one of the heaviest of the entire series. It is of the utmost importance to notice that in mowing it should be cut as close as possible to the ground, as if the stumps of the spray are left for even one year, it becomes next to an impossibility to cut the crop close afterwards, and the meadow is in imminent danger of being spoiled. So highly do I esteem this humble and generally neglected, though at the same time beautiful plant, as a plentiful and economical source of winter fodder, that I would not hesitate to devote five acres to the hundred to its cultiva- tion on every suitable farm, and consider it by no means an immoderate breadth to be permanently occupied by such a useful crop; and further to stimulate the roots and keep the meadow in full bearing, I would and do top- dress occasionally, either with good rich friable earth, when it can be got handy, or with a phosphatic manure. ^Vheu taken into consideration that it shows on analysis a greater amount of nutritious and strengthening food for the animals of the farm than any of the roots specially cultivated for them at enormous expense, some estimate of its great value may be obtained. Dairy stock thrive well on it ; and if in milk, it has a surprising eflfect in sweetening the butter and neutralising the abominable taste imparted by the essential oil of the turnips. To give you a bit of every-day experience, I find that ten acres of well laid down and intelligeally managed furze- meadow will, in conjunction with a very small daily allowance of turnips, supply fodder iu great abundance for fifty cows of medium size during five months of the year — viz., November, December, January, February, and March, which is the duration of the furze season. As with all other food, care should be taken that nothing is wasted by giving too large a quantity at once. I prefer, therefore, to feed often, giving a moderate quantity at each feed — the turnips twice and the furze four times daily, by which arrangement it is truly astonishing how large a quantity the animals will get through in a day, eating it clean, and leaving nothing for litter, to which end a stranger to its value would at once say the largest half of it wbuld ultimately tend ; but in practice, with animals accustomed to its use, this is by uo means the case, and litter must be provided from some other source. It is most interesting to observe the complete process of maceration to which it is subjected before being swallowed, which can be easily done by removing a portion from the mouth. If this is done at the moment it is about to be swallowed it will be found that the process of tritura- tion has been complete, and that the whole has been reduced to a glutinous or jelly-like substance, admirably prepared for passing on to the stomach, with- out detriment to the delicate membraae of the gullet, injury to which, by supposed imperfect reduction of the spines, has been often urged as an insuperable objection to the extended or continuous use of furze as cattle- food. Young cattle may be brought through the winter with a morning aud evening feed of chopped furze and a run on a coarse pasture during the day, when available, and will reach the first week of April iu strong healthy condition, with wealth of thick curling hair ; this mode of wintering young store cattle proving itself as economical as has ever yet been devised. Farm horses will work well for not less than four months of winter and spring on furze and u moderate allowance of oats, maintaining during the whole time good condition and a noticeably sleek coat. On a farm possessing a properly laid-down and ])roduc- tive furze meadow, of the extent to its acreage which I have already indicated, less hay need be grown if con- sidered desirable, and what is grown is spared for late spring aud early summer, when horses being on full work with a loug day, and probably pushed somewhat, require a generous diet ; and milch cows, having calved, are the better of a bountiful supply of uitrilious clover and rye- grass hay, an article which would probably have been exhausted weeks — nay, perhaps, mouths belbre — but for the contents of the furze meadow. A piece of land thus permanently under a productive crop, and giving annually such a large amount of food, adds in no small degree to the supply of manure for those portions of the farm, which are manured by rotation, and its beneficial inliu- ence in this direcliou will be both considerable and highly acceptable. With regard to its preparation for placing it before the cattle, the hand-worked machine is, of course, the only one admissible on small holdings, rising to ma- chiues worked by one or two horses on lai'ger occupa- tions, the ordinary cluitT-cutter, fitted with two kuives„ making it suflicicutly line for both horses and cattle. Machines intended to bruise furze into pulp seem to have- become almost obsolete, and there is really no necessity for them whatever, as stock, after becoming habituated to its use, do not at all object to its being placed before them coarsely cut, but, on the contrary, in some cases,, seeming to relish it all the better ; many horses, for in- stance, refusing to eat it when cut fine, but eating it greedily when a knife is removed from tiie machine, the length of cut being thus doubled, and the taste of the animals apparently exactly hit by this simple expedient.. Where steam-power is used on a farm, the furze machine can be capitally worked by a belt; but this power being. 80 little used by our western farmers in any way but the portable form, I need not say a word more about it,. Water-wheels being, however, plentiful, and in constantly increasing favour for their simplicity and extreme economy,. I may mention that their use in furze-cutting effects an immense saving of labour — actually so great as not to ba understood till seen ; and every man who can possibly procure water for this purpose, either by " pond" or " running stream," should avail himself of it. It is richly worth any one's while to inspect the driving and cutting, machinery erected a few years ago for the preparation o6 furze by Mr. Ben Scott, of Roughgrove, every expedient to save labour being availed of, and the expense of bring- ing it to the necessary state of comminution reduced to the lowest possible limit. The machmery was erected by the Messrs. Mackenzie, of Cork, but Mr. Scott having a talent for mechanics of no mean order, had the arrange- ment of the buildings and the disposition of the machinery so admirably managed in every detail as to render the- labour of carrying it to the animals almost unimportant. Those conversant with the preparation of furze by power- ful machinery will at once understand the convenience and saving of labour which he secures by having the cutter erected on an upper floor, the chopped furze dropping, down through a pipe into a room underneath, to be takea as required ; thus at once cutting off the attendance of a person to clear it from the machine by an extremely simple arrangement. I venture to predict that any of you pay- ing Mr. Scott a visit, will, after being shown round, and- having heard his description and explanation of his mode of working, and his experience of furze as food for stock, be both pleased and instructed. I have thus hastily sketched the leading points of a most important and interestiuj^ subject, and before closing would strongly jsress upon you the necessity of adhering to a well-defined and intelli- gently-worked rotation, as closely as circumstances, and the alteratioud incidental to the times, will permit, as by THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 365 80 doing you will secure many advantages altogether un- known to those who are continually changing, with tho professed object of having the article to sell which is for the time being highest priced and most in demand. It is almost needless to say that such an aim is nevei ful- lilled, unless by the veriest chance, as by the time the crops are grown, or the cattle lit for sale, which were grown or reared for this ostensible purpose, markets have, by the inexorable law of supply and demand, completely changed ; and the price of the commodities on hand may be so depressed as to render their possession a serious loss, instead of even a moderate profit. By sticking to one arrangement pretty closely, a farmer knows as nearly as is possible the quantity of pasture he will have avail- able for the summer months, and the probable amount of I'oots and dry fodder for winter, regulating the number of stock for each season accordingly. By having the p o- portion of corn grown, and cattle bred and fed equalised, he has something to turn into money at all seasons, and can meet all cla,ims as they fall due, escaping the humilia- tion of having to ask his landlord, or any other creditor, for a longer day. Moreover, he is almost sure of a fair average for his products, through every successive season, as everything is not depressed at the same time, and the high-priced article, whether it be corn or cattle, balances that which happens to be low j whereas if he has com- mitted himself to all corn, or all cattle, a sudden and continuous depression of prices might, if not actually ruining him, yet cause such a serious loss as would em- barrass his pecuniary affairs for a number of years. From the experience we have had of corn-growing for a good number of seasons in succession, and the extreme disap- pointment which has in numerous instances resulted, both in the weight of marketable corn, and the amount of money it made, it is impossible with any show of reason to advocate its growth in considerable breadth with a view to profit. I truly believe that corn in this country, for many years to come, can only be grown as a means to a certaiu end, that end being the comfort and food of live stock, and a source of manure, the whole profit of the farm, directly and indirectly, coming from the cattle and other stock. This seems to me to be the uuiversal opinion of the Irish farmers of the present day, strikingly exemplified as it is by the declension of the great marts for the sale of corn, the empty sheds echoing every foot- fall, the grass-grown courts, where twenty years ago all was bustleand activity, and over and above all, the weekly receipts for tolls reduced to such a low ebb as scarcely to pay the expenses of management, however economically conducted. Gentlemen, my concluding advice to all is to fix on the system most suitable for the permanent good not only of your land, but your own interests, as they are identical and inseparable; and having fixed on it, stick to it with all the energy of which you are capable, never tiie of feeding the land, apply in as great quantity as you possibly can collect, farmyard and other manure, bones crushed and dissolved, all and everything used as fertilizers in the practice of modern husbandry, and there is no fear but it will give you a profitable return. The land in this barony is mostly sharp, and consequently may be styled hungry ; but it is at the same time grateful, and responds quickly to the action of manure, spare cash thus expended by the tiller of the soil proving a good investment by the percentage it returns. It is my firm belief, and it is borne out by the opinions of many old farmers with whom at different periods of my life I have been on terms of intimacy, that the farmer was never yet broken or sold out whose leading business idea was the collection and application of mauure. REPORTS 0¥ THE ROYAL AGRICUL- TURAL SOCIETY. Two important i-eports were received, one being wholly and the other partially adopted, at the last Council Meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society. The first was tlie report on Mr. RandeU's motion, in favour of the institu- tion of a series of field experiments, for the purpose of ascertaining the manurial value of various kinds of cattle food. ^Ir. Raudell wished that these experiments should be carried out by practical farmers ; but the Committee, after taking voluminous evidence upon the question, decided that it would be a waste of money, and ia other respects objectionable, to have scientific experiments con- ducted by unscientific men, and recommended that the trials should be made by Dr. Voelcker and Mr. Lawes upon land kindly placed at the disposal of the Society by the Duke of Bedford. The Council adopted the report, aud de- cided to act upon its recommendations, and we think they have decided wisely. It is not easy to understand the soreness of Mr. Kandell and his friends at being tolJ that farmers are unfit to carry out the proposed experi- ments. It is no more of a slight to tell a farmer that he cannot-fVoperly conduct a trial that requires the know- ledge of a chemist for its satisfactory management than to tell him that he cannot make a respectable coat or a presentable pair of boots. Field experiments, even when managed by the most competent men, are apt to be de- ceptive unless they are spread over a long course of years; but there is nothing more delusive than the rtsults ob- tained under any circumstances by a number of inexpert experimentalists operating on various descriptions of soils aud under the influences of different climates. I The results of such experiments as Mr. Raudell desired to promote would in all probability have been contradictory, whilst they would certainly have been unreliable. The other report to which we have referred is that of the Committee appointed to discuss the proposals of the Agricultural Engineers' Association relative to the regu- lations observed, or recommended for adoption, at the annual shows. The report as a whole appears to be well considered and discriminating ; but only two clauses of it were adopted by the Council, the rest being left for further coisideration. Of the two clauses adopted, one relates to the grievances which exhibitors of implements have against the railway companies, and the other is as follows : " Separation of Agricultural from Miscella- neous Articles. — The Committee fully recognised the advantage it would be to both exhibitors and the public that this should be done, aud therefore recommend that the Steward of General Arrangements should direct the Surveyor as to the position of the stands in the yard, and that they be placed as follows: (1) Agricultural machinery ; (2) Mixed stands ; (3) Miscellaneous stands." Visitors to the shows, and reporters of the implement exhibits, will alike rejoice at this decision. People who visit an agricultural show to see the stock, or to note the improvements in agricultural mechanism, and those whose time is precious, will be glad to find that they are no longer obliged to spend half the day in ironmongers' shops aud fancy bazaars. 370 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. TRADE UNIONS AND BENEFIT SOCIETIES. The combination of trade-unions and benefit societies is in many respects objectionable, even when separate accounts are strictly kept. A trade uuiou in extremis through a prolonged strike or lock-out would be strongly tempted to draw upon the funds of its benefit branch, and might be able to induce the majority of its members to consent to such a course being taken. Under such cir- cumitauces a trade-union benefit society is utterly unsafe, and certainly ought not to be i-egistered, although, as long as similarly rotten and delusive associations are permitted to exist, to the great loss of ignorant people, it cannot be prohibited. Is it possible that registration would be giveu to a society formed with such arrangements as are suggested by the General Secretary of the National Agri- cultural Labourers' Union in a scheme drawn out b^^ him aud published in the English Lahotirer of April 8 th ? Here aje some of them : " Although no one will be permitted to join the sick fund who is not a member of the Union, a Union member will not be compelled to contribute to the sick benefit, and as the Society will be registered under the ' Trades Uuiou Act,' a member who ceases to belong to the Uuion — trade benefit — will have no further claim on any beuefit whatever. Separate accounts shall be kept of sick and trade benefits, so that the sick benefit shall not be imperilled by strike or lock-out assistance — unless under extreme cases, for tohick the L'otaicil shall make 2J>ovision." It will be observed that however long a member may have paid into the benefit society, he loses everything if, I'or any reason, he retires from the trade society. This is a monstrous proposal, but we believe it is carried out in other trade unions which profess to be benefit societies as well. If any association with such a rule is able to obtain registration, the sooner au Act of Parliament prohibiting the sanction of such an abominable wrong is passed the belter. But what we wish especially to call attention to in the above extract is the passage we have italicised. Here the danger which we have above stated to be inherent to a combination of trade union and beuefit society is plaiuly hinted at, and virtually admitted. What is intended obviously is that whenever the Labourers' Union happens to be on the verge of ruin, as it was during the lock-out iu the Eastern Counties, the Council will have the option of appropriating the funds of the benefit branch for the purpose of paying members on strike or locked out. Now wc do not hesitate to say that to induce farm labourers— the majority of whom cannot read — to subscribe to a benefit society which is liable to have its funds confiscated in an emergency, is very little dill'erent from direct fraud. Tlie poor men do not understand their dauger, and it will be shameful if they are to be deluded by the suppos- ition that they are making provision for sickness and old age in belonging to such a society as Mr. Taylor has planned. The Lincolnshire Labour League, which has recently been pushing the trade in Essex, has a benefit branch. AVe should like to know whether the funds of that branch are liable to be used for trade union purposes in " extreme cases," as Mr. Taylor proposes ia the case of the National Uuiou. THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER AND ITS TENANTS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MAliK LANE EXPRESSv Sir,— The other day, in taking up a copy of your paper, 1 caught sight of a letter headed " The Duchy of Lancaster and its Tenants." llaviug been a tenant upon the property for nearly forty years, will you allow me tO' point out one small error your correspondent has fallen into ? That is, what moneys have been expended in the drainage of the low-lying part of the property tie tenants have not paid any interest upon, but all build- ings upon the property the tenants have been charged 5 to 6 per cent, upon the outlay. The other portion of the letter is quite correct, although the language is rather strong. Col. Taylor must have been most grossly misin- formed, or he could not have said what he did in the House of Commons. For any outlay by the tenants in improved farming or claying the low-lying parts of the estate, or in making roads, or planting, or uuderdraining the high land, there is no allowance made, or any help given, in any way whatever. With regard to the treat- ment of the tenants for the last three years since the present gentlemen took office, it has been veiy unfair and unbusinesslike, to say the least of it, and highly displeas- ing. I could say much more upon the subject, but enough for the present. I beg to subscribe myself. Sir, Yours most obediently, Airril 10. An Old Tenant. THE VOICE OF SPRING. I come, I come ! ye have called rae lon^r, I come o'er the mountains with litrht aud song ! Ye may trace my step o'er the wakening eartli, By the winds which tell of the violet's birth, By the primrose-stars in the shadowy grass, B)i the green leaves opeaing as I pass. I have breathed on tlie Soutl), and the chesnut- flowers. By thousands, have burst from the forest-bowers, And the ancient graves and the fallen faucj Are veiled with wreatlis on Italian plains. But it is not for me, iu my hour of bloom. To speak of the ruin or the tomb. I have passed o'er the hills of the stormy North, And the larch has hung all his tassels forth. The fisher is out on the sunuy sea, And the reindeer bounds through the pasture free, Aud the pine has a friagr! of softer green, Aud the moss looks bright where my step has been. I liave sent through the wood-paths a gentle sigh, Aud called out eacli voice of the deep-blue sky. From tlie night-bird's lay through the starry lime, Iu the groves of the soft Hesperian clirae. To the swan's wild note by the Iceland lakes, When the dark fir- bough into verdure breaks. From the streams and founts I have loosed the chain; They are sweeping on to the silvery main, They are flashing down from the mouutain-brows. They are flinging spray on the forest-boughs. They are bursting fresh from their sparry caves. And the earth resounds with the joy of waves. The summer is hastening, on soft winds borne. Ye may pluck the grape, ye may bind the corn ; For rae, f depart to a brighter shore — Y'e are marked by care, ye are mine no more ; I go where the loved who have left you dwell, Aud the flowers are not Death's — fare ye well, farewell ! Mus. IIjiMAISS. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 371 AGRICULTURAL MEETINGS IN 1870. MAY .— GlnspfOw Agricultural Socletj'.— Meeting at Glas- pow. Entries close most probably April 19. Preaidcut, Sir Wiuliara C. J. Carinichacl-Aiistruthor, JI.P. Secre- tary, Mr. J. Dykes, jun., 79, St. Vincont-sircet, Gla.si::inv. MAY 21 and 2.j.— Oxfordshire Aj^ricultural Society.— ifcet- ini;^ at Ileiiloy-ou-Thames. Entries cloise May 1. Pre- sident, Iloltbrd C. Risley, Esq. Socretarj', Mr. T. F, Plowman, 1, St. Aldate-strcet, Oxford, MAY 21, 25, and 26. — Devon County Agricultural Society. — Meeting at Tiverton. Entries closed. President, Sir •T. H. Ileathcoat-Amory, M.P, Secretary, Mr. J. L. Winter, Bridgetown, Totnes. MAY 25. — Royal Jersey Agricultural Society. — Meeting at St. Helior's. Entries close May 22. President, Clapt. T. Saumarez, R.N., 0.13. Secretary, Fra. Labey, Le Patri- moine, Jersey. JUNE 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.— Bath and West Of England and Southern Counties Agricultural Society. — Meeting at Hereford. Entries closed for Stock, lmi)lcments, and Arts; for Poultry, entries close May 6. President, The Earl of Ducie. Secretary, Mr, J. Goodwin, 4, Terrace- walk, Bath. JUNE i:j, 1-1, and 15. — Gloucestershire Agricultural Society. — Meeting at Cheltenham. Entries close May 1. Secre- tarj', Mr. E. W. Triuder, Cirencester. JUNE 13, li, and 15.— Royal Cornwall Agricultur.il Asso"Bia- tion. — Meeting at Liskeard. Enti ies" close May 3. Pre- sident, Captain Evelyn Boscawen. Secretaiy, Mr. HI Tresawna, Probus. JUNE 11 and 13.— Norfolk Agricultural Society. — Meeting at Swaffham. Entries close May 6. President, Sir W. H. B. Pfolkes. Secretaiy, Mr. J. Bacon, Attleborough. JUNE 15, 16, and 17. — Preston Agi-icultural Society.— Meet- ing at Preston. Entries close May 20. President, Ed- ward Hormon, Esq., M.P. Secretary, Mr. T. Nevett, 18, Winekley-strcet, Preston. JUNK 20.— Thirsk Agricultural Society.— Meeting at Thirsk. Entries close June 5. Pres dent, C. Elsley, Esq. Secre- tari", Mr. F. Hutchinson, Market Place, Thirsk. JUNE 22 and 23.— North East Agricultural Association of Ireland. — Meeting at Belfast. Entries close May 15. President, Lord Lurgan. Secretary, Mr. G. G. Bingham, Ulster-buildings, Belfast, JUNE 22 and 23.— Suflfolk Agricultural Association.— Meet- ing at Saxniundliam. Entries close June 2. President, Sir Richard Wallace, M.P. Secretary, Mr. R. Bond, 6, Butter Market, Ipswich. JUNE 23 and 29.— Essex Agricultural Society. — Meeting at Colchester. Entries close May 29. President, James Round, Esq., M.P. Secretary, Mr. R. Emson, Halstead. JUNE 2S and 29.— Peterborough Agricultural Society.— Meeting at Peterborough. Entries close Juno 10. Pre- sident, The Earl of Carysfort. Secretary, Mr. J. B. Little, Minster Gateway, Peterborough. JUNE 2S, 29, and 30.— Doncaster Agricultural Society.— Meeting at Doncaster. President, James Brown, Esq. Secretary, Mr. J. D. Snowden, li. Corn Market, Don- caster. JULY 4.— Ripon and Claro Agricultural Society. — Meeting at Ripon. Entries close June 17. President, The Mar- quis of Ripon. Secretary, Mr. J. Wood, Ripon. JULY 4 and 6. — Herts Agricultural Society. — Meeting at Watford. Entries close June 13. President, The Earl of Essex. Secretary, Mr. George Passiugham, Benger Temple, Ware. JULY 4, 5, 6, and 7. — Royal Counties (Hants and Berks) Agricultural Soeietj-. — Meeting at Abingdon. Entries close June 5. President, Sir'N. W. G. Throckmorton. Secretary, Mr. H. Downs, Basingstoke. JULY 11. — Banffshire Agricultural Association. — Meeting at Cornhill. Entries close July 1. President, The Earl of Fife. Secretary, Mr. G. Cumming, Banff. JULY 12, 13, ar.dl4. — Limolnshire Agricultural Society. — Meeting at Lincoln. Entries close June 10. Presitlent, The Hon. Alex. Leslie Melville. Secretary, Mr. S. UiJton, St. Benedict's-square, Lincoln. JULY 19, 20, 21, 22, and 21.— Royal Agricultural Society of England. — Meeting at Birmingham. Entries close, fur Implements, May 1 ; for Stock, June 1. President, Lord Chesham. Secretary, Mr. H. M. Jenkins, 12, Hanover- square, London, W. [There will be no separate show of the VVarwickshire Agricultural Society this year.] JULY 22. — Cleckheaton Agricultural Society.— Meeting at (Ueckhcaton. Entries close July 15. President, H, Mann, Esq. Secretary, Mr. B. Bastow, Cleckheaton. JULY 25, 26, 27, and 28.— Highland and Agi'icultuval Society of Scotland. — MeetiuGf at Aberdeen. Entries close June!). Presiilont, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales. Secretary, Mr. F. N. Men/.ies, 3, George IV. Bridge, Edinburgh. JULY 26. — Huntingdonshire Agricultural Horicty. — Meeting at Ramsey. Entries close July 11. President, Ed%var(l P'ellowes, Esq., :m.P. Secretary, Mr. J. Dilley, Market- place, Huntingdon. JULY 26. — Durham County Agricultural Society.— Meeting at Sunderland. President, Sir Hedworth Williamson, Bart. Secretary, Mr, Thomas Wetherell, 32, Claypath, Durham. JULY 27. — Cleveland Agricultural Society. — Meeting at South Stockton. Entries close July 12. President, Joseph Dodds, Esq., M.P. Secretary, Mr. T. Gisborno Fawcett, Stoclvton-on-Tees. JUIiY 28.— South Durham and North Yorkshire Horse and Dog Show. — Meeting at Darlington. Entries close July 11. President, The Earl of Eldon. Secretarj', Mr. W. Sjwcll, Darlington. AUGUST 1, 2, and 3.— Yorkshire Agi-icultural Society.— Meeting at Skipton-in-Craven. Entries clRse Julv 1. President, Lord F. CavendLsh. Secretaries, Mr. T. Par- rington and Mr. Marshall Stephenson, Croft, Darlington. AUGUST 1, 2, and 3.— Shropshire and West Midland Agri- cultui-al Society. — Meeting at Oswestry. Entries closo . Secretary, Mr. W. L. Browne, Hill's-lane, Shrewsbury. AUGUST 3 and 3.— Glamorganshire Agricultural Society. — Meeting at Cowbridge. Entries close July 5. President, John Samuel Gibbin, Esq. Secretary, Mr. W, V. Hunt- ley, Welsh St. Donatt's, Cowbridge. AUGUST 2, 3, and 1.— Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland. — Meeting at Cork. Entries close June 19. President, The Earl of Bandon. Secretary, Mr. J. B. Thomhil), Upper Saokvitle-street, Duljlin. AUGUST 10.— Northumberland Agricultural Society.— Meet- ing at Berwick-on-Tweed. Entries close President, Earl Grey, K.G. Secretary, Mr. Jacob Wilson, Woodhorn Manor, Morpeth. AUGUST 10.— Whitby Agi-icultural Society. — Meeting at Whitby. Entries close July 27. President, Colonel the Hon. Octavius Duncombc. Secretary', Mr. William Stone- house, 2, Esplanade, West CUff, Whitby. AUGUST 10.— Richmondshire Agi-icultural Society.— Meet- ing at Leybum. Entries close July 14. Secretary, Mr. J. Wetherell, Richmond, Yorkshire. AUGUST 10.— Worsloy and Swinton Agricultural Society.— Meeting at Worsley. President, The Earl of Ellesmero. Secretary, Mr. Alfred Spencer, Worsley, near Man- chester, AUGUST 23.— Lythara and Kirkham Agricultui-al Society.— Meeting at Lytham. Entries close August 12. Presi- dent, J. Talbot Clifton, Esq. Secretary, Mr. Joseph Parkinson, 5, Chapel-street, Preston. AUGUST 26.— Halifax and Calder Vale Agricultural Society, — Meeting at Halifax. Entries close August 12. Pre- sident, Lieut.-Col. Sir Henry Edwards. Secretarj-, Mr. W. Irvine, 13, Cheapside, Halifax. SEPTEMBER 4.— Leominster Agi-icultural Society .-Meet- ing at Leominster. Entries close August 18. Pi-esident, John H. Arkwright, Esq. Secretarj-, Mr. B. Gregg, Leominster. SEPTEMBER 5, 6, and 7.— Royal Manchester, Liverpool, and North Lancashire Agricultural Society. — Meeting at Southport. Entries close August 1. President, Lord Skolmersdale. Secretary, Mr. T. Rigb5', 1, Old Ropery, Fenwick-street, Liverpool. SEPTEMBER 6.— North East Somerset Farmers' Club.— Meeting at Brislington. Entries close August I. Pre- sident, The Earl of Warwick. Secretary, Mr. John Tudball, Chew Magna, near Bristol. SEPTEMBER 6.— Derbyshire Agricnltnral Society.— Meet- ing at Derby. Entries close August 7. President, John Gilbert Crompton, Esq. Secretary, Mr. G. Corbett. Derby. SEPTEMBER 8.— North Shropshire Agricultural Society.— Meeting at Wellington. Entries close . Pre- sident, Thos. Charlton Meyrick, Esq. Secretary, Mr. W. D. Green, >Iarket Drayton. SEPTEMBER 12.— Cariow Agricultural Society.— Meeting at TuUow, Co. Cariow. Entries close Sept. 6. Secre- tary, Mr. Thos. P. Butler, Ballia Temple, TuUow, Co. Cariow. ^n TfltJ I^ARMER'S MAGAZINE. SEPTEMBER 12 and 13.— Northamjitonahire Agricultural Society. — Meeting at Brackley. Entries close August 12. PrcsidPiit, The Earl of El'lcsmere. Secretary, Mr. John M. Lovoll, Harpole, Weedon. SEPTEMBER 13 and 14.— Wirral Agricultural Society.— Meetinsj at Birkenhead. Entries close President, Richard Barton, Esq. Secretary, Mr. A. F. Gardiner, 86, Hamilton-street, Birkenhead. SEPTEMBER U.— "Waterford Farming Society.— Meeting at Waterford. Entries close Spptember 7. President, The Marquis of Waterford. Secretary, Mr. Robert S. Blee, Waterford. SEPTEMBER 16.— Tarporley Agricultural Society.— Meeting at Nantwich. Entries close September 2. President, Baron von Schroder. Secretary, Mr. William Vernon, 4, Lane-end, Tarpoi'ley. SEPTEMBER 19.— North Lonsdale Agricultural Society.— Meeting at Ulvcrston. Entries close Sept. 7. Patron, The Duke of Devonshire, K.fi. Secretory, Mr. Thos. Postlethwaite, Smith's-court, Ulver&ton. SEPTEMBER 20.— Norton Farmers' Club and East Derby- shire Agricultural Society.— Meeting at Chesterfield. Entries close Aug. 30. President, Lord Edward Caven- dish. Secretary, Mr. J. N. Jephaon, Knifesmith Gate, Chesterfield. SEPTEMBER 20.— Carmarthenshire Agricultural Society,— Meeting at Carmarthen. Entries close Sept. 8. Presi- dent, David Pugh, Esq. Secretary, Mr. D. Prosser, Carmarthen. SEPTEMBER 20 and 21.— Staffordshire Agricultural Society, —Meeting at Stone. Entries close August 19. President. The Hon. E. S. Parker Jervis. Secretary, Mr. W. Tom- kinsou, Newcastle, StalTordahire. SEPTEMBER 29 and 30.— Cheshire Agricultural Society.— Meeting at Chester. Entries close September 1. Pre- sident, Sir P. de M. Grey Rgerton, M.P. Secretary, Mr, J. Beckett, Oulton Pool Cottage, Tarporley. SEPTEMBER .-Lauderdale Agricultural Society.— Meet- ing at Laude--. Entries close September . President, The Earl of Lauderdale. Secretary, Mr. T. Broomfield, Lauder. SEPTEMBER .—Merionethshire Agricultural SocietJ'.— Meeting at Harlech. Entries close about August 20. President, Lord Harlech. Secretary, Mr. T. Ellis, Heii- blas, Bala. NOVEMBER 23 and 24.— Chippenham Agricultural Society. — Meeting at Chippenham. Entries close November 17. President, Sir John Neeld. Secretary, Mr. E. Little, Lanhill, Chipjienham. [No Implements exhibited.] DECEMBER i, 5. 6, 7, and 8.— Smithfield Club Fat Cattle Show, in the Agricultural Hall, Islington. Entries close, for Implements, October 2 ; for Stock, November 1. F^re- sident, Lord Chesham. Secretaries, Mr. B. T. Brandreth Gibbs and Mr. D. Pullen, Half-moon Street, Piccadilly, London. DECEMBER .'^.-Carmarthenshire Agricultural Society's Fat Stock Show, at Carmarthen. Entries close Nov. 18. Secretary, Mr. D. Prosser, Carmarthen. DECEMBER 6.— Edenbridge Fat Stock, Corn, and Root Show, at Edenbridge. Entries close Nov. 14. President, Lord De L'Isle and Dudley. Secretary, Fred. Stanford, jun., Edenbridge. Kent. DECEMBER 6 and 7.— Rutland Agricultural Society. — Meeting at Oakham. Entries close November 17. [Xo implements.] Secretary, Mr. Edward Wortley, Hid- lingtou, Uppingham. DECEMBER 8 and 9.— Canterbury Fat Cattle Show. — Meeting at Canterbury. Entries close November 4. President, Lord Sondes. Secretary, Mr. George Slater, Canterbury. DECEMBER 12, 13, and 14.— Yorkshire Society's Fat Stock Show, at York. Entries close November 23. President, ■the Earl of Zetland. Secretary, Mr. J. Watson, Lendal Bridge, York. DECEMBER 13. 14, 15, 16, and 18.— Birmingham Agricul- tural Exhibition Society. — Meeting at Bingley Hall, Bir- mingham. Entries close November 14. Secretary, Mr. John B. Lythall, Bingley Hall, Birmingham. [AVe shall continue the occasional insertion of this Lis throughout the year, and add to it as other Societies make their arrangements, of which we shall be obliged by early notice. — Editor, M.L.EJ] ON THE THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL VALUE OF PURCHASED FOOD, AND OF ITS RESIDUE AS MANURE. By Dr. AUGUSTUS VOELCKER, F. R. S. From the Journal of the Royal Agricullural Society of England. Tn the capacity of Consulting Chemist to the Royal Agri- cultural Society I frequently receive for analysis samples of oilcakes, cereal-grains, and other kinds of food for stock, and am requested not only to determine their nutritive value but also to express an opinion with regard to their money-value. The questions put to me may appear simple enougli and not difficult to answer ; and yet I am bound freely to confess tliat no iquiries are, in ray judgment, more difficult to answer satisfactorily tlian those with respect to the comparative money-value of various articles of food. There is lio diiliculty in determining by analysis with tolerable precision the fertilising and commercial value of guano, sulphate of ammonia, nitrate of soda, superphosphate of lime, and other portable manure's, because the commercial value of artificial mauures depends mainly upon their composition. The amount of ammonia, nitric acid, soluble and insoluble pliospiiate of lime, or potash, in a manure, can be ascertained with certainty by analysis. The various constituents upon which the fertilising properties of the various kinds of artificial manures mainly depend may either be bouglit separately — some in the form of simple saline compounds, others in commercial products, wliich, like dried blood or wool-refuse, owe their fertilising properties to the nitrogen tliey contain — or they may be purchased in articles of commerce, whicli, like bone- dust, contain more than one manuring element. In either case, we have to do with commercial products, the money-value of which is regulated by the kind and amount of tlie real fertilising constituents contained in them; and althouKh the market-price of ammonia or of phosphate of lime, &c., is subject to fluctuations, the money value of compouad artificial manures can, nevertheless, be ascertained by analysis with sufficient precision to guard the purchaser against frauds on the part of the dealer. But a far more difficult case is sub- mitted to the agricultural chemist when he is requested to analyse an article of food and to give an opinion ol its nutritive and money value. By appropriate analytical processes the proportions of starch, albumen, gluten, oil, woody-fibre, and other constituents which enter into the composition of feeding-stuffs, may be determined readily enough; but as these constituents are not sold separately in a form in whicli they may be used economically by the feeder of stock, it is not possible to assign a separate money-value to them. Jlost kinds of caitle-food, such as cereal grains, oilcakes, and roots, are compounds containing variable proportions of starch, sugar, oil, albuminous substances, woody fibre, and mineral matters. Their market-value does not, simply depend upon the proportions of their food-constituents, but also, and to a very large extent, upon the economical use which can be made of various kinds of food in common life, or in farm-practice ; and as we .do not know exactly to what extent the starch, or the sugar, or the albuminous substances in foods, severally con- tribute to produce tl:e total practical effect which follows from their use, it seems to me that the requisite data are wanting from which the money-value of various articles of food can be calculated with anything approaching precision. Attempts have repeatedly beeu made by agricultural writers to place a certain money-value upon the starch, sugar, albumiuous sub- stances, and other food-conslituents ; but as all such attempts have brought to light inconsistencies and discrepancies between the calculated and actual price at which various articles of cattle-food are solid in the market, I need not dwell further upon the practical mistakes of those who have proposed certain scales or rates for a given weight of starcli, oil, sugar, albumen, &c., in estimating tiie money-value of purchased foods. In the earlier periods of the history of the trade in artificial manures, valuation scales were used with much benefit u Tns FAtiMEU's magazin:^!:' nr! checking unscrupulous tlealiiip;a; and even at the present time Bucli scales maleriRlly assist tl\e agricultural che.iiist who is ■eitlicr a mere calonlatiug machine nor apuely theoretical man, and who makes a discriminate nse of tliein to give a trustworthy opinion of the proximate and the cimparative money-value of artificial manures wiih-h may be silhmitted to liini lor analysis. In a paper "On the Commercial Value of Artificial Manures," published in this Journal in 1863, I directed attention to a n.uinber of practical considerations wliich have to be taken into account in estimating the commercial value of artificial mauures, and showed that serious mist ikes w ill be made, and possibly undeserved injury to honest traders may be done, if such estimates are entirely based npou the figures given in valuation tables. Dillicultiea, no doubt, occur sometimes when the agricultural and commercial value of some kinds of artificial manure is sought to be determined with great precision ; but far greater and more numerous are tiie obstacles which present themselves in attempts to put a money-value upon articles of food ; and it may be as well to state, in plain language, that the money-value of cattle-foods cannot be determined simply by analysis. Nevertheless, the chemical examination of feeding-stulfs must Eol be regarded as void of all practical interest, for it enables us to get at least some insight into their characters, and atfords useful hints to the stock-feeder in the selection of the most suitable iood which he may require for fattening stock, as well as for working-horses or milch-cows. In oilcakes, corn, hay loots, and most articles of food) we find the following group of food constituents : 1. Nitrogenous, or albuminous com- pounds, as flesh-formii g matters. 3. JS'on-nitrogeuous, or fat and heat-producing compounds. 3. Mineral matters, or ash- constituents, 1. The first class includes : Vegeiahle Albumen, a substance identical in composition and chemical properties with the whi e of eggs. Glidcn, or vegetable fibrine, a componnd occurring in considerable proportions in wheat, and in smaller proportions in other cereal grains : it closely resembles the ti brine of blood and the substance of lean flesh and muscle. Vecjdahle Casein, or legumin, a substance identical in com- position with the casein of milk. Like milk-casein, legumin is curdled or precipitated from its solution in water on the addition of dilute acids, but is not coagulated like albumen on boiiiuif. It occurs in large quantities in peae, heaus, lentils, and otlier leguminous seidi. The nitrogenous compounds constitute a remarkable class of organic substances. They all contain about IG per cent, of nitrogen, and small quantities of sulphur or phosphorus, or both, in or^janic combination. Vegetable albumen, identical in composition and properties with animal albumen, may be regarded as the type of this im- portant group of compounds, which frequently figure in scientific works or in food-analyses under itie generic name of albuminoids or albuminous compounds. They are also called flesh-forming matters, because they not only closely resemble muscular fibre in composition and general properties, hut are absolutely necessary for the formation of the substance of lean flesh. Teas, beans, and all leguminous seeds, linseed, rape, cotton, and other oilcakes, are rich in flesh-forming matters or albuminoids ; and most cereal grains also contain considerable proportions of such compounds ; whilst roots, green produce, straw, chaff, aud similar bulky feediug-materiala are, comparatively speaking, poor in albuminoids. No food entirely destitute of albuminous compounds is capable of sup- jwrting life for any length of time, for direct experiments have proved beyond dispute the fact that the animal organism does not possess the power inherent in plants of tianslorming saline, or other compounds containing nitrogen, into flesh-forming matters. Thus it has been shown that animals fed eiclusively upon starch, sugar, fat, and other food entirely destitute of xlbuminous compouuds, rapidly lose flesh, and die at the end of the fifth or sixth week, or but little later than they would have died if no food at all had been given, llecent experi- ments, moreover, have established the fact that albuminoids, like starch and other non-nitrogenous compounds, are capable of becoming oxidised in the animal system and furnishing anim.il heat ; and it has likewise been shown that the ■Ibumiuons compounds of food, in addition to their power of forming muscle, have the property of becoming split up into fat and urea during the process of digestion. Indeed, some physiologists maintain that the fat of animals is mainly, if not entirely derived from this source, and not from starch or sugar, or anil' goui non-uitrogenous constituents of food. ili'Ocnt physiological experiments with reference to the formation of fat from albuminoids, however, are not quite decisive ; and they certainly do not invalidate the well-established experience; that a large proportion, at all events, of the fat of animals U derived either from ready-made fatty substances, or from starch and other readily assimilable non^nitrogenous compounds in food such as is given to fattening oxen, sheep, and pigs. Whichever view may be entertained with regard to the fat- producing power of albuminoids) they are certainly a most important class of compounds ; and it may be laid down as « fact, established alike by practice and science, that the nutritive valus of fued depends in a great measure Upon a certaia amount of albuminous compounds, which may be more or less, according to the description of the animal, of the purpose for which it is kept on the farm. 3. The non-nitrogenous, or fit and hpatprodncing sub- stances, may be conveniently divided into three groups : a. Keady-made fat; b. Carbon-hydrates; c. Woodj-fibre, or cellulose. Heady-made fats and oil are by far the most valuable of all food-constituents in an economical point of view, for oil or fatty matters fetch a higher price than any nitrogenous compounds, or than starch, sugar, or any other non-nitrogenous substance. Oil and ready-made fatty matters are particularly well adapted to the laying on of fat in animals, inasmuch as the composition of vegetable fats is analogous to that of the several kinds of fat which form part of the bodies of animals. The fatty matters of food, without undergoing much change, are therefore readily assimilated by the animal organism, and, when given in excess, are stored up as animal fat. The proportion of carbon in tat amounts to about 80 per cent., and is rauch larger than m starch or sugar. In round numbers, one part hy weight of fat or oil is as valuable a feeding material as 3^ parts of sugar or starch. Besides this, fat serves important functions in the processes of digestion and nutrition. It has been shown by actual experiments, that albwminous substances deprived of fat remain longer in the stomach, and require more time for their conversion into cells and rauscnlar fibre, than vi^hen associated with fatty matters. There is good reason for believing that fat is largely concerned in the formation of bile, and that the digestive power of the pancreatic fluid is due, in great measure, to its presence. Fat certainly possesses high digestive powers, and appears to assist the solution of food, and its absorption into the blood. Colourless blood-corpuscles receive, perliaps, the first impulse of their formation from the metamorphosis of fat, and thus it may be an important aid in the formation of blood, fat thus takes an active part in the processes by which the nutritive constituents of food are converted into butchers' meat. Not only is it concerned in the formation of new tissue, but it also pervades, and finally disintegrates, the older structures, especially when their vitality is low. In this manner it helps in the solution of elFete nitrogenous products and their subsequent removal from the animal body. Starch, gum, muci- lage, and sugar are appropriately called carbon-hydrates, for in them carbon is combined with the same relative proportions of oxygen and hydrogen in which the two latter elements form water. In ttarch, sugar, and analogous carbon-hydrates, the hydrogen is therefore fully oxidised, and the carbon only is capable of oxidation, and of generating animal heat by its oxidation or combustion. As already slated, the heat-producing power of fat or oil is about twice and a-half as great as that of starch or sugar. The carbon-hydrates ot food not merely generate animal heat, which is, in reality, the final result of their oxidation, hut they likewise give rise to lactic and other organic acids, which perform important functions in the diges- tion of food. The presence of lactic acid in the stomach ap- pears to be essential to the digestion of the albuminous com- pounds of food, and its occurrence in the juice of flesh probably assists the solution of effete tissues. AVhen food rich in starch or sugar is given to animals in larger quantities than is required to suppo t respiration, and to generate animal heat, the excess of the carbou-hydrates supplied in the food is con- verted into fat, which is stored up in the body. It was dmied at one time that animals possess thepower of eliminating from starchy compounds and analogous substances the elements which are subsequently reconstructed into fat ; but Boussia- gault's, Liebig's, and Lawes and Gilbert's experiments have clearly proved tliat fat may be, and always is, derived from the carbon-hydrates of the Iood of fattening stock ; and common experience fully confirms the results of these experiments, for it is well known that the meal of cereal grains, and of other ^4 TEnff food rich ia sugar, is iiiglily esteemnd as good fattening matp- rial. Cellulose, or woody fibre, according to its condition of digestibility, dependinur upon the more or less matured state ot the vegetable contaiuing it displays similar, or the same, functions in the animal economy as starch and sugar. The tender cellular fibre of unripe straw, or of hay, is certainly assimilated to a very large extent by herbivorous animals, whilst the hard woody fibre of over-ripe grass or straw is digested less perfectly, and rejected in larger proportion in the dung. Oxen appear to be capable of digesting cellulose, and deriving nourishment from it in a larger measure than sheep ; but it appears doubtful whether pigs are able to digest cellulose or woody fibre at all. Thus a bulky food, containing much straw- chaff, may be given with more advantage to cattle than to slieep. 3. The saline or mineral constituents of food are largely concerned in the metamorphosis of matter, for it is a special function of those substances to fcive a soluble form to the plas- tic coubtituents of food and of the animal tissues. They are, in fact, tlie chief, if not the only, media for the transfertuce of organic matter from place to place in the animal body, being on tlie one hand the conveyers of nutritive materials into the system, and on the other the carriers of eflete sub- stances out of it. The sahnc or mineral constituents of food thus play an important part in the phenomena of digestion, assimilation, and secretion, being required for the formation of blood, the juice of flesh, and other animal secretions. A considerable proportion of the mineral constituents of food consists of earthy pliospliates : they not only supply to the animal body tlie materials of which the greater part of bones consists, but they also enter into the composition of flesh. Nearly the whole of the mineral matters of food pass into the liquid and solid excrements, only a small proportion being re- tained in the system, except in the case of young growing animals, which, requiring much phosphate of lime for the growth of bone, extract the earthy phosphates from food to a greater extent than full-grown fattening stock. The soluble portion of the mineral food-constituents, consisting principally of common salt and potash salts, is constantly rejected in the urine ; whilst the insoluble portion, consisting chiefly of phos- phate of lime and magnesia, carbonate of lime and silica, passes away in the solid excrements. It is hardly necessary to state that no animal can live, for any length of lime, exclusively upon starch or sugar, or upon albumen. The requirements of the animal body necessitate a mixed food containinfr all the constituents, to the functions of wliich brief notice has bieu made. With the exception of treacle, which is occasionally used for feeding purposes, there is no feeding-stuff which cou- sists entirely or mainly of one group of alimentary matters. All feeding materials, whether they are cereal grains, legu- minous seeds, roots, grass, or chaff, are mixed foods, containing variable proportions of nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous or- ganic matters, and of saline and phosphatic earthy compounds. In its natural state the animal eats no more than the necessary amouut of food to provide, firstly, carbon for the support of respiration and for keeping up the animal heat; and secondly, enough nitrogenous and mineral constituents to keep in healthy action the complicated processes of digestion, assimilation, and secretion. A full-grown animal, in a state of perfect healthy neither increases nor decreases in weight when it is allowed to lielp itself with as much grass, or whatever else may be its natural food, as it pleases, uncontrolled by humiu agency. The larger portion of the non-nitrogenous constituents of the food is oxidised, and passes off as carbonic acid from the lungs, whilst the mineral maters contained in the food are ejected from the system almost entirely, either in the urine or in the solid excrements. The nitrogenous coustiluents of food are decomposed more or less completely before they are ejected by the animal. As the result of this decomposition, two new classes ot substances are produced. One class comprehends compounds containing all, or nearly all, the nitrogen of the decomposed albuminoids, united with comparatively little hy^ drogeii, carbon, aad oxygen; the second class contains the re- maining quantity of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Urea, uric, and hippuric acids are the principal highly iiitrogenisrd organic products ; lactic acid, fatty matters, and some other combinations of a less definite chemical character are the pro- duets desitute of nitrogen which result from the decomposition of the albuminoids of food. Whilst thus the greater part of the non-nitrogenous constituents of food is wasted in the ex- halations from tlie lungs, nearly the whole of the mineral and nitrogenous constituents of food pass into the solid and llijuiil excrements of animals. As a rule, food rich in nitrogen is also riuli in phosphate of lime and otlier animal matter ; and hence the excrements of cattle fed upon such food are both richer in ])liosphates aud in nitrogen, and possess a greater fertilizing value, than the excreta voided by cattle fed npoa less nitrogenous and more carbonaceous food. Mo^EY-VALUE OF THE OoNSTITUEJ^TS (jr ARTIFICIATj Food. — Having considered the functions of the several eou- stitueuts of food in the animal economy, I will offer a fevr remarks on their comparative practical or money-value. Oil and Fatly Mailers. — A.s indicated already, oil and fatty matters are by far the most valuable aud expensive ingredients of feeding stuffs. In round numbers, one part, by weight, of fat or oil ia worth as much for feeding purposes as 2j parts of starch or sugar. In examining various articles of food for the purpose of obtaining an insight into their nutritive value, it is necessary, therefore, to determine accurately the amount of oil or fatty matter which they contain. The fattening value of some kinds of cattle food in a great measure depends upon the amount of ready-made fat which they contain. Eor in- stance, the feeding and commercial value of palm-nut meal or cake rises or falls with the percentage of fatty matter which the oil-crusher leaves in the meal or cake. Some crushers tx-" tract the fat from palm-nut kernels much more perfectly than others ; and as the commercial value of this kind of food is regulated in a large measure by the percentage of fatly matters, palm-nut meal is sold at Irom £6 5s. to £8 8s. per ton, the difference in the price being caused solely by the smaller or larger proportion of fatty matter which has beea left in the expressed palm-nut kernels. The cheaper kinds of palra-nut meal, selling at from £o 5s. to £6 10s. per ton, usually contain from 3 to G per cent, of fatty matter, wliilst the more expensive and more valuable palm-nut meals contain from 15 to IS per cent, of fat, and no more, or rather less, albuminous compounds than the cheaper kinds. Assuming ready-made fat to be worth 3d. per lb. for fattening purposes— and this perhaps is too low an estimate, considering that 1 lb. of fat is worth as much as 2| lbs. of starch or sugar, and that the latter cannot be bought in the cheapest kinds of food at a cheaper rate than Ijd. to l^d. per lb. — the difference in the fattening and commercial value of the poorest samples of palm-- nut meal, containing only 3 per cent, of ready-made fat, and the richest yielding IS per cent., amounts to about £4 per ton, or £1 more per ton tliau the difference in the actual selling price of the cheapest and most expensive samples. It therefore follows that the higher priced palm-nut meals at £8 per ton are comparatively cheaper, in reality than those vhich contain only 3 per cent, of fat, aud are sold at about £5 per ton. A practical proof of the commercial value of oil or fat is presented to us in dried brewers' grains and rice=raeah Notwithstanding the large amount of husks in both these feeding-stuffsj they find a ready sale at about £7 per ton ; and as they contain only a moderate amount of albuminous compounds, but from 5 to 8 per cent, of ready-made oil and fatty matter, and have been icund in practice to be well worth the money for which they are sold, there can be little doubt that it is the comparatively large amount of oil and fat contained in tham which enhances their feeding value, 8iarck, Uian, and Sugar. — In the next place we hare to consider the practical value of starch, gum, and sugar for feeding purposes. Next to oil and fatty matter these are probably tlie most valuable constituents of food; Starch is readily transformed into gum and sugar ; aud direct feeding experiments have shown that starch and sugar, and analogous carbon-hydrates, weight for weight, have practically the same value as constituents of food. In the shape of treacle sugar is used occasionally for rendering straw-chaff, or insipid badly made hay, more palatable. A solution of treacle in hot water, poured over straw^chaff, no doubt gives a greater relish to cattle for such bulky and innutritions food ; but the question may well be raised wliether the practical benefit of this treat- ment of straw-chaff is commensurate with the expense; Trea-^ cle, or molasses of a quality usually sold as cattle-food, and costing about £0 per ton, contains on an average i'rora o-l to 00 per cent, ol sugar, the rest being water and saline and other impuritiesi A ton of sUgar in the form of molasses thus costs from £15 to £16 12s. j on an average; aud this is about one- half more than the price at which wheat, beans; oatSj or barley meal can be boughts It is evideut, therefore, that the price of treacle is far too high to admit itsbeing employed feCOnomically for feeding a^ fattening ptitppsB?, It msy be sulii tU(it ftlthouahi TEE FAllMER'S MAGAZINE. S 5 treacle is deir in comparison with the msrket price of other feeding stufl'a, it nevertheless is a very useful suhstance to stock ft^ederc, who have plenty of straw to spare, and whonqnirea sweetening substance to indace cattle to consume a larger quan- tity of straw chaff than they would eat if it were not made more palatable ; and that for that purpose not a very larp;e quantity ot treacle will meet the requirements of the case. This may be so ; but a farmer, who has at his command a good supply of well matured mangolds or swedes, surely may attain the same object if he mixes straw chaff witli pulped roots, and allows'.tlie mixture to lieat to some extent, bj keeping it for twelve hours before giving it to liis cattle. In well ripened mangolds, swedes, or carrots, as is well known a large proportion of the solid feeding matter consists of sugar ; and unquestionably it is in the shape of root crops that sugar is employed for feeding and fattening purposes in the most economical manner. It root crops have been more or less a failure, or if a sufficient breadth of land cannot be put into roots, and tiie root supply is in con- sequence too scanty to meet the requirements of the stock feeder, especially if he wishes to consume much straw chaff, I would recommend him to buy locust beans, and to sweeten the straw chaff with an in''usion of these palatable be:in pods. They need not be ground into powder, but it will suilice to pass them through a chaff-cutter, or to cut them by hand into half-inch or inch pieces. Boiling, or even moderately warm, water poured upon tlie broken locust -beans, and allowed to remain in contact with thera for a couple of hours, readily extracts the sugar in which tl ese bean-pods aie very rich ; and this infosion, together with the more or less exhausted locust beans, may then be poured over straw chaff, which thereby will be rendered quite as palatable to stock as by employiugsjrup as a sweetener, if not more so. Locnst beans, as will be seen by the following analysis, which was made in my laboratory some time ago, and whicli fairly represents their average composition, contain in round numbers fully half their weiglit of sugar. Inconsequence they are very palatable, and much liked by every kind of farm stock. AVERAGE COMPOSITION OF LOCUST OR C\ROB BEANS. Moisture 1711 Oil 1-19 Sugar 51-42 Mucilage and digestible fibre 13-75 •Albuminous compounds 7'50 Woody fibre (cellulose) 6'01 Mineral matter (ash) 3'03 100-00 ♦Containing nitrogen 120 Wnght for weight, locust beans contain nearly as much sugar as molasses. In addition to sugar, they contain a little oil, a moderate amount of albuminous or flesh-forming matters, and about 14 per cent, of mucilage and digestible fibre, or altogether 83 per cent, of solid feediug matter ; whereas treacle contains no appreciable amount of albuminous substances, and only from 54 to 60 per cent, of dry feeding matter, consisting mainly of sugar. At present locust beans can be bought at about £7 10s. per ton, whilst treacle or molasses of good quality costs about £9 per ton. Locust beans are thus not only much cheapfT than molasses, weight for weight, but they likewise possess a higher nutritive value, and are equally well adapted to the sweetening of unpalatable bulky food. Nilroegenotis I'ood-consiUuenis. — In the next place we have to consider the nutritive value of the albuminous or nitro- genous constituents of food. It is admitted on all hands that a certain amount and proportion of nitrogenous matter is essential in the food of all animals. Foods, like locust beans, or rice meal, or dari grain (a species of sorghum), which con- tain less than 8 or 9 per cent, of albuminoids, are too poor in nitrogenous substances to suit the requirements of the animal. Hence these and a few other feeding materials equally poor in nitrogen should not be given to fattening stock in too large proportions, or without the addiiion ot other meals, or of oilcakes, richer in nitrogenous compounds. In wheat, oats, and barley, however, the proportion of aliiuminous substances is sufficiently high to meet the requirements of fattening stock ; and in legniniuous seeds (such as beins, lentils, and ffa-), and in oilcakes, the proportions of these compounds jire eonsiderably in excess of the requirements of the animal. According to the Tiew« of not a few writers on agriculturBl c'lemistry and physiology, it is chidly the proporlion of the nitrogenous, or so-called flesh-forming substances contained in different kinds of food, which determines their comparative value for feeding purposes. If I am not mistaken, it wa3 lioussingault who made the first attempt to construct a theo- retical table of the nutritive value of articles of focd, bastd unon the amount of nitrogen they contain ; but it is due to this most careful observer to mention, tiiat in testing tlie correctness of Ids own tables by actual feeding experiments, Boussingault frequently found the results of the experiments at variance with the theoretical indications of his tables ; and he frankly confessed that the amount of nitrogen in a feeding substance must be regarded as one factor only in estimatireaiing its nutritive value. I'resuming that the proportion of nitro- genous substances in the food given to falteuing stock is about the same as tliat in which we find tiiera to exist in cereal grains, it may be asked, what will be the effect upon the animal when it receives in addition feeding materials rich in nitrogen ; or, on the other hand, when ii is more liberally supplied with food which i», comparativdy speaking, poor in nitrogen, and rich in readily digesiible starchy or sugary coir- pounds? Will the increase in the live weight be determiaed by the excess of the nitrogenous, or by that of the nou- nitrogenous constituents (the carbon-hydrates) of food? These questions can only be answered satisfactorily by experience ; and numerous carefully conducted feeding experiments, as well as the experience of fatteners of stock on a large scale, havs clearly decided the fact, that the comparative feeding value of most of our stock foods depends more upon the proportion of the digestible non-nitrogenous substancss (ot carbon-hydrat's) which they contain, than upon their ricliness in albuminous or nitrogenous compounds. A few examples will show that it is not the proportion of nitrogenous matter in articles of food of the same or similar kind which regu- lates their comparative nutritive value. Tail wheat is richer in nitrogen than fine plump wheat, yet nobody 1 suppose would use tail-wheat for fattening purposes if he could get wheat rich in starch, producing much flower in the mill, at the same price as inferior samples. I well remember that, a good many years ago, the late Mr. Henry Stephen^, author of the " Book of the Farm," sent me, f jr analysis, two samples of wheat, and requested me to determine their com- parative value. My report was made in accordance with the then all but general theory, that the proportion of nitrogen in diBFerent samples of the same kind of food regulated their comparative value; and having found a good deal more nitrogen in one than in the other of the two samples of wiieat, to my surprise I was subsequently informed by Mr. Henry Stepliens that the sample which [ pronounced to be a good deal the more nutritious, in point of fact was tail-wheat, and the other a much superior and more highly priced wheat. Again, grass from irrigated meadows, or Italian ryegrass grown with sewage, invariably contains more nitrogen than grass from dry pastures, or ryegrass grown without manure ; but no good farmer prefers the grass from irrigated meadows, or ryegrass forced by town sewage, to the better matured and less nitrogenous produce of non-irrigated land. The same re- marks apply wi*h equal force to the comparative feeding value of mangolds, swedes, turnips, and other root crops. It is not the proportion of nitrogenous matter in roots, but their percentage of sugar and other equally digestible non nitro- genous constituents which regulates their comparative feeding value. Thus the percentage of nitrogen in monster roo s, weigliing over 151bs., is larger than that in roots of the same kind, but weighing only from 3 to 4 lbs., and everybody knows that abnormally big roots possess very little feeding- value. Or if we compare the practical feeding value of beans and peas on the one hand, with wheat or oats on the other, we do not find the fattening qualities, or the power to produce butcher's meat, of leguminous seeds superior to those of the cereal grains men- tioned, although the lormer contain about twice as large a pro- portion of nitrogenous compounds as the latter. Again, the nutritive or fattening value of various kinds of oilcakes does not depend so much upon the relative proportions of album'.n- ous or nitrogenous substances in them, as upon the larger or smaller amount of readily digestible non-nitrogenous food- constituents which they severally contain. If it were other- wise, decorticated cotton-cake, which contains fuLy ^ per cent, more nitrogen than the best linseed-cake, would have been found m praclico more valuable for feeding purposes than the latter which we know is not tho case; and rape-caka uUa ED b7o THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. woulJ li.we to be regarded as superior to liuseeJ-cake in feeding I va'i'.e. Woc'hj Fibre. — The least valuable of the coostitnents of cattleluoJ is woody fibre. Bulky feeding materials, such as stra* and chaff, and certain kinds of mill-refuse obtained in prepariiig wheaten flour, oatmeal, rice &c , for human consuinp- tion, contain considerable proportions of woody fibre or cel- lulose. The larger the propoition of woody fibre, and the more indurated its condition, in articles of food, tlie less is tiieir practical feeding vahie. The tender cellular fibre of \» ell-ripened turnips, mangolds, and otlier root-crops, the cbUular fihre of grasses, and the woody fibre of the straw of cereal crops, reaped somewhat green, or liefore the cereal -grains have arrived at full maturity, however, is digestible by herbivorous animals in a large measure, and to a larger extent by horned cattle than by sheep. Consequently it possesses a certain nutritive value vrhieh is greater or smaller according to the degree of induration in wliicb it occurs in the food . 3Uncral Const'duentt of Food. — Although the mineral or ash-coustitucnts of food play an important function in the animal economy, as explained already, we need not take special Hc 'ouut ot them in considering the comparative nTjtritive value of the various lood-coustituents, for atl our oidinary stock foods contain an ample supply of mineral matter to meet the requirements of the animal. It is worthy of observation, how- ever, that articles of food, such as the seeds of leguminous plants, ricli in nitrogenous constituents, and specially well adapted as food for young growing stock or for milch cows, contain more phosphate ot lime than feeding materials which are riclier in non-nitrogenous substsnces, and therefore more suitable for fattening stock. Provision is tlius made, in food which is rich in nitrogenous substances, to meet the extra demand of young stock for the mineral matter of the bony structure. Fnim the preceding observations it will be gathered that the following is tlie order of the nutritive value of the constituents of food. 1. Oil and fatty matters. 2. Sugar, starch, and an- alogous carbon-hjdrates. 3. Albuminous or nitrogenous com- pounds. 4. Digestible cellular fibre. 5. Indigestible woody fibre. 6. Ilineral matters or ash. Manurial Value of Purchased Foop. — Practical; men are well aware that the manure produced by fattening stock libe'-ally supplied with corn or cake possesses greater fertilis- ing powers than the dnng from store-cattle ; and they also know iu a general way that the manure produced by cattle or sheep ted upon cake in addition to roots is more valuable than that of animals fed upon roots and hay alone. In the selec- tion of purchased foods for stock, it is important to consider how much of the cost price of the food should be charged to the manure account, and how much should be allowed for its feeding value. This is by no means an easy matter, for although it may be ascertained which are tlie elements of the food that pass into the dung, and their relative proportions raay be determined with tolerable precision, the practical benefit resulting from the use of the dung produced from various kinds of food will greatly vary on light and on heavy land, and on different soils varying much in their physical and chemical properties. Hence it is difficult to put upon the manure a niouey-value which will be generally accepted as correct. However, the only way to escape from this difficulty appears to be to value the fertilisingcoustituentsof the food which pass nto the dung at the rates at which they can be severally bought in the manure-market, and to adopt snbsecjuently such m edifications of the total estimated value as may be suggested by the experience of farmers residing in different localities. Generally speaking, different articles of food of the same class differ far less in their feeding value than in their manure value. For instance, it will make compar- atively little diff'erence, so far as the increase in the live weight of the animal is concerned whether, in addition to a liberal supply of their ordinary bulky food, such as straw and turnips, a ton of linseed-cake, or a ton of decorticated or of uudeeorticated cotton-cake, or a ton of corn, be given to fattening oxen or sheep ; but the value of the manure resulting from the consumption of a ton of each of these foods will show great differences. The mauurial value of food depends maiuly on the amount of, 1st, nitro- genous matter, 2ud, potash, and 3rd, phosphoric acid which passes t' r mgh the body into the dung of the animals. Prac- iicttll) »|>eakmg, the whole of the potash and iihosphoric acid contained in the purchased food pass into the dung of fatfeaing gtouk. The loss in nitrogen wyiich the food sustains passing tlirough the animal has been variously stated by diffi rent ex- perimenters. By some it is estimated at one-tenth, by other* at one sixteenth part of the total amount of the nitrogen ia the food ; the former estimate probably is the more accurate. On the whole, no great mistake will be made if it be assumed that 90 per cent, of the total amount of nitrogen of such con- centrated lood as oilcake, when ^iven to fattening-stoek, is re- covered in the solid and liquid excrements, presuming that these CHu be collected without loss. In the case of young stock or milking-cows not over well supplied with concen- tiated purchased foods, the duntr will not be quite so valuable as that ot fattening-stock, inasmuch as a small proportion of the nitrogenous and phosphatic food-constituents will be stored up during the increase in the live-weight of the young animal, or will he expended in the production of milk ; still, even in the case of growing store-cattle or inilkiug-cows, by far the htrger proportion of the nitrogen and the phosphates of the food will be rejected in the solid ard litpiid excrements. It is well to bear in iniad that the estimated manure-value of pur- chased foods has nothing to do with mere speculation, but rests npon well-aseytained facts, brought to light by numerous feeding experiments in this and other countries. The rate of valuation that may be adopted by different persons may vary j but the statements that the food of fatteniug-stock, in passing through tiie animal, losses little (if any) of its nitrogen by ex- haluiou, and none of its mineral constituents, and that, prac- tically speaking, the whole of the mineral matter and about nine-tentlis of the nitrogen of the lood are recovered in the dung and urine of the animal, are based on carefully ascer- tained facts. In this country, a long series of most careful. y conducted and intelligently conceived feeding experiments have been made by Mr. Lawes, of Rothamsted. These ex- periments extended over several years, and they were carried out at great expense, with a variety of feeding-stuffs which were given to oxen, sheep, and pigs, care being taken to pi»t up a sutTicent number of fattening animals to eliminate the irregularities arising from the different feeding capabilities of individual animals. The food consumed was carefully analysed, the gain in the live-weight noted, and the loss in food by respiration ascertained ; and the araouut and quality of the manure produced by the consumption of various foods were determined by laborious weighings and analyses. Iq illnstratiou of this part of my smbject, 1 may be permitted to qaote the following tabulated results (Table I.), which are co|)ied from one of Mr. Lawes's important and highly interesting published papers relating to experiments upoin fatteuing heists, sheep, and pigs. It will be noticed that the greater portion of the nitrogenous and mineral matters of the food is recovered in the manure, and that the greater part of the non-nitrogenous substances is lost by respiration and other exhalations, whilst a comparatively small proportion of tlie nitrogenous substance and of the mine- ral matter of food is retained in the increase. It will further be observed that for a given amount of increase produced, oxen void more as manure, and expend more in respiration, &c., than sheep ; and sheep very much more than pigs. And lastly, that for a given weiglit of dry substance consumed, oxen void more as manure than sheep, and sheep much more than pigs; but oxen respire rather less than sheep, and sheep rather less than pigs. The proportions of certaio constituents in a ton of various articles of food which are stored up in the animal, and the proportions which pass into the manure by the consump- tion of a ton of different kinds of food, have thus been ascertained with toleratile precision by actual experiments. If, therefore, the composition of the vrjrious kinds of food hat are given to fat- teniiiiT-animals is k unvn, we can determine beforehand, with- out actually anal)si"g the manure produced from the cou- snmpiior* of a ton ■ f each kind, how much nitrogen, potash, and phosphoric acil existing in the food will be recovered iu the manure produeetl. And as nitrofren (or its equivalent ex- pressed as ammoui), potash, and phosphoric acid (or its equivalent expressed as phosphate of lime) have a certaia market-value as manuring constituents, we can likewise ascer- tain the money-value of the manure produced from the con- sumption of a ton of any of the ordinary stock foods, the average composiiiou of which has been ascertained. By allowing 8d. per lb. for ammonia, 2d. per lb. for potash, and 111. per |l). for phosphate of lime, rates which fairly represent the prtseiit marke'.-value of tlieio fertiliiing constituents, tha THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. value of the minure obtained by the comumplion of di.fereut articles of food may thus be estimated with suilicient ac.mracy to ba of cousiJenible service ia a practicil poiut of vifsr. In illustration of the mode ia which the manunal aud money-value of the vano h teeiliug-stutt's nwhtioncd ia Mr. Lawes'a tables haa been estimated, I wish to direct TABLE I.— Showing the Amount op Food, Incuease in Weight, Manurb, &c.,o? FiTTENiKG ANiir.4.i.s (r^AV/ES). 250 lbs. Oilcake ") rirndnt-pi IflOlbq 600 lbs. Clover ChaflT [ ^ increase 3.5vO lbs. Swedes ) increase, and supply 100 Total Dry Substance of Food supply Amount of e;i:-!i •' ni- stituent stored up for 100 of U consumed. ^-^ooa\^Ynl^J^: lu Manure. IS,„^-PJ,-- In Increase. In Manure. In Respira- tion, &c. lbs. 218 808 83 lbs. 90 58-0 1-8 lbs, lbs. 1 3230 636 ( 81-4 0-8 5-2 0-2 1 29.1 7.4 57-3 1 4-1 Non-nitrojrenous substance ... 7-2 1-9 Total dry substance 1109 6S-6 404.4 1 638 6-2 3(3-5 57.3 l^l^bt:Sil,"vt^Chafr "I P-S^e^''^- 4,000 lbs. Swedes ) increase, and supply 100 Total Dry Substance cf Food ' Amount of "supply. each Con- stituent stored ut) In Food In 100 lbs. Increase. In Manure. In Respira- tion, &c. In Increase. In Maiuire fr. Po-,-,;vc for 100 of it ^^ion,^rc." — -«^- lbs. 177 671 61 lbs. 7-5 63-0 20 lbs. [ 229 62 lbs. 543'5 [ 0-8 7-0 0-2 25-1 1 6-8 60-1 ( il 3-1 Non-nitrgoenou3 substance ... 1 Total dry matter 912 72.6 2■ from 1 toQ of food 3 la Dpcorti- cv ed Cotton-cake. £ 3. d. 5 6 1 0 11 6 0 12 5 III Bar meal ey. £ 8. 1 5 0 2 0 2 d. 6 0 6 6 10 0 110 0 In a similar manner the manure value of a ton of undecorti- cated cotton-cake has been estimated at £3 ISs. 6d. ; that of rape-cake, at £4 ISs. 6d. ; and that of barley-straw at lOs. 9d. per ton. The present price of linseed-cRke in London is £12 10<. per ton ; of decorticated cotton-cake £10 per ton; nnde'-or'icated cotton-cake £8 ; rape-cake £3 1.5s., and bailey meal £9 .is. per tou. It will be seen that whilst the estimated value of the manure resul'infr from the consumption of a ton of rape- a'ke, in comparison with tliose in manure rape-cake selling at £,^ per ton, will be worth to him one-half more, or £9 per ton ; and, consequently, decorticated cotton-cake at £6 lUs. or £7 a ton will be a much cheaper manure than rape- cake at £6 a ton. Manure rape-cake presents an example showing that the theoretical or estimated manure-value of the cake does not necessarily coincide with its practical value or its ac'ual price on the market. In the cast of rane-eake the estimated manure-value amounts only to abiut £t lOs. per ton, wliereas £6 is ac'nally paid for it by f.irmers who are in the habit of using it for manuring purposes. On the other hand, the practical money-values of the manure produced from the consumption of various foods, I am inclined to think, are much below the estimated values as given in Mr. Lawes's table. In attempting to get some better insight into the com- merci il manure-value of various foods, I beiieve considerable deductions will have to be made fron their estimated money- value. My reasons for entertaining this view are the follow- ing : In the first place, the niirogenous constituents of fooi which pass into the manure of fitteniug-stock occur in it only partially in the form of ammonia-salts, by far the greater part existing in a variety of organic combinations, yielding their nitrogen in the shape of ammonia less rapidly than the salts of ammouia, though some more rapidly than others ; whereas the estimated manure-value of purchased foods is calculated on the supposition that the whole of their nitrogenous constituents which is recovered in the manure exists in it in the shape of ammonia. Now the practical fertilising effects of nitroj;en in the loriii of ammonia, it is admitted on all iiands, are more enirgetic, and manifested by a more rapid action on vegetation than the same amount of nitrogen applied to the land in the shape of nitrogenous organic matters. In other words, nitrogen in the shape of ammonia-salts has a greater money- value than nitrogen in combination with organic matter. A higher price, for instance, is paid for the nitrogen in sulphate of ammonia than for the nitrogen in blood or for the nitrogen in shoddy. Too high a value for practical purposes, there- fore, is put upon the manure-constituents of purchased foods il tlie calculation is made on the supposition that the whole of the nitrogen recovered in the manure from their consump- tion exists as ready-formed ammonia, for which an a!lowance at the rate of 8d. per lb. is made. In the second place, I would notice that 8d. per lb. is the market price at which ammoiiia is sold at present in concentrated portable manures, but tiiat its money-value is much less when offered for sale in bulky fertilisers, in which a comparatively small amount of ammonia, say 2 per cent., ha? to be taken with a large pro- portion of water and bulky materials of no great fertilising value. The manurial residue of 1 ton of linseed-cake given to feeding beasts with straw and roots would be distributed through several tons of farmyard-manure. After purchasing such voluminous manuring matters, expense must be incurred for c»rriage and for their distribution upon the land. All this is saved to the farmer who buys the ammonia lie wishes to apply to his crops in the shape of concentrated portable manure, which admits of ready application to the land, and I can be placed upon it where it is most wanted, that is, in more dirfCi contact with a starting crop than is the case with farmyard or bniky conmost manures, which have to be plough- ed and mixi-d with a laije portion of the soil. The practical advantages obtained tjv the use of conceutrated or portable manures, in enabling the farmer to incorporate them with only a small portion of the soil in more dire';t contact with j the starting crop, receive a practical acknowledgment in ' the higher conpaiative price which practical men find it answer their purpose to pay for ammonia in concentrated ammoniacal manures than they have to give for the same amount of ammonia in bulky manures. A reference to the composition of ordinary farmyard-manure, and the price at wliich it is nsiially soL.i, I trust will put this arguiueut itt a THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. S79- citfar li^cht. Acoording to analyses made by ire inauy years ago, the conip'isitiuu of fresh and rutteu laririyard-iuiiuurf', beinjif the uiiied mauurv of horses, cows, auil pig?, is the following ; Composition of Farm-ta.rd Majiure (composed of Horse, Cow, AJND Fig-Dung). Water "Soluble organic matter S >lut)le inorgaaic matter: boluble silica J'hosphate of lime 3--ime Magnesia Potash Soda Chloride of Sodium Sulphuric acid Ci..rbonic acid and loss tTnsoluVjIe organic matter lusolable inorganic matter : Soluble silica JiW'iluble siliceous matter Oxide of iron and ah'.mina, > with phosjihate S Containing phosphoric acid Equal to phosphate of lime I.imo Magnesia Potash Soda Sulphuric acid Carbonic acid andlosa '. •Containing n'trogen Equal to ammonia tContaining nitrogen Eq ual to y mmonia Total nitr gen Equal to ammonia The manure contains ammonia in ) a free state j The manure contains ammonia in 7 form of salts j Fresh i Rotten Dung. 1 Dung. 6017, 75 ii 248 3 71 •237 •251 ■299 •383 •066 •117 •on •047 573 •4tS •051 •Oi3 ■030 •037 •053 •05-) 218 •108 . rsi 1^4- 2576 12^b2 •9fi7 r424 •661 I^OIO •598 •947 Cl?'^) (•27+) (•38n) (■57.'.) V120 1^6r)7 •143 091 •099 •045 •019 •061 •4S1 4^05 ■03S •063 V295 6^.59 JC0 03 lOUOO 6ilb. of soluble pliosphateof lime, worth.at 2d.perlb. 1 8 J „ insoluble phosphute ofliite, /, Id. „ 0 13 „ potash, „ 2d. „ 'Z Nitrogen equal to ITJ lb. of ammonia, calculaling ) ^ ammonia at 8d. pi r lb 5 149 •297 131 •360 494 •3119 599 •375 6t3 •6"6 780 •735 It will be observed that both fresh and rotten farmyard mauure contain but VFry small proportions of eitlier free or couibiafJ ammonia. Nearly the whole of the nitrogen in the dnuji exists as nitrogenous o-ganic matler. In fresh dung the greater portion of the ntrogenous substances are insoluble in water, and in the rotten dung about one-lialf of the nitiogenous matters are soluble, and the other half insoluble in water. As the ma-jure analysed was produced by well-fed animals, liberally supplied with cake and corn, in addition to hay and cl aff, we may presume that manure obtained by the consumption of a'l kinds of purchased food, in addition to ordinary farm produce would be of a similar character, and approach in composition the Iresh and rotten dung analysed by me, and consequently would contain very little ammonia, either in a free stale or in the form of ammonia and salts. Now, if we express tiie whole of the nitrogen in dung in its equivalent of ammonia, and alu 'A' 8 I. per lb. lor ammonia, and estimate the potash in the manure, at the rate of 2(1. per lb., soluble piiosphate of lime ai i2d., and insoluble phosphate of lime at Id. per lb. — which citainly are moderate rates for these constituents when they occur iu concentrated artificial manures — and at these rates calcuU'e the nioneyvalueof a ton of fresh and rotten dung, we obtain the following results. According to the preceding analysis a ton of lotteu farmyard manure contains : Si lb. of Bolublephosphateoflime, worth, atSd.perlb. 13 „ insoluble phosDhatt; of lime, „ Id „ 11 „ potash, " „ 2d. „ Nitrogen equal to Ifi^ lb. of ammonia, calculating ammonia at 8d. per lb Total estimated money value of a ton of rotten dung... 15 4 In a ton of fresh farmvard manure we have ; 8. d. 1 5 1 1 1 10 !■' 0 Total calculated money value of a ton offresh dung... 15 7i It thus appears that if we estimate the money value of good farmyard manure according to the same rates at which the' principal fertilising constituents in the dung can be boU'iht in concentrated artificial nriuiire;-, 1 ton of farmyard mRnura would be worth iu round numbers los. However, good (lung can be bought in many places at 5s. per ton, or one-third its estimated money value ; and probably the highest price Mliich a farmer wouM be iuelined to pay lor good dung would not evci ed 7s. 6d. per ton, or one ha'f its estimated money value. The difference betwef n the estimated money value of farmyanl manure (calculated at the market rate of the constituents whea' sold as concentrated aitficial manures), sod the actual market" price, may be faiily taken to represent the difference in practi- cal value caused by the greater expense of the carriage and • afiplica'ion of farmyard manure, and the less vigorous action oi organic nitrogenous compounds as compared with ammor.ii s.ilts. It is evident, therefore, that the mauuring-conslituen's of purchased food, wlrch are lecuvered in the manure from farm- stock in tliis bulky and less available form, possess a much- lower practical or market value than the estimated manure- - value which different stock-foods are assumed to possess in Mr. Lawes's table. Mr. Lawes's estimate of the manure- - value of different kinds of feeding stuffs, however, are based ou carel'iily ascertained fact'', and, so far, have a permanent value, affording important and useful data fr r compHative valuations. But m their application in practice, it apiiears to • me that we shall be nearer the mark if we deduct fr(3m 30 to 4-i) per cent, from the estimated money-value which is given in the tib'e to the niauuie constituents of a ton of the several articles of food, in order to arrive at the additional practical ■ value ill the land winch is given to several (or a good many, , say, 15 to 20) tons of farm yard manure ly the con umption- of a t^ n of those several articles of food. Mr. Lavves is fully ahve to the fact that it is not possible to recover in prac- tiie the full estimated manure-valce of purchased Jood, (or in his valuable paper ou the " Valuation of Unexhausted Manures," in I'arl I., Vol. XT. of the Journal, he says, et paite 12, " If purchased food be consumed with a root-croo by the outgoing tenant, and he take no crop grown by tho manure produced, he should be allowed conpeusation at the rate of 17s. for every 20s. of the original manure-value of tha food if it have been consumed on the land, or 16s. if- con- sumed in the yards." Mr. L^iwes thus makes a deductiou of 20 per cent, from tlie calculated manure-value of purchased food ; whilst I am inclined to allow the larger deduc'ion of from 30 to 40 per cent., if the food be'made into bulky farni. yard-manure, the market-value of which, we have seen, is scarcely one-lialf that of its c ilculated money-vaiue. Ou the other, if the food be consumed by sheep, with a rootcrop, practically no loss in manuring elements is sustained wli-n the urine and solid excrements of sheep are spread at once, on tlie- land, without being first put up irj'o a dung-heap, like the ex- crements of cattle kept in yards or feeding-stalls; no ad- ditional expense is incurred in carting, distributing, and plouybing-in the manure, and in that case 51r. Lawes's es- tim-dted manure-value cf linseed and siaiilar concentrated nitrogenous articles of food, witii a deduction of 20 per rent ,. I believe, cives a fair and correct estimate of the pracical manure value of oih'ukes, and similarly constituted fond. Tho composition of feeding materials certaiuly all'ects their nutri- tive and mauurial properties ;at the same time the mere prox- imate analysis of an article ol food does not give a suliicieut in-i«lit into its real economical value. There is nothing, lor instance, on the face of comparative analysis of linsei-d and rape-cake which affords any indication of the great differencti in the money- value of the two kinds of cake, llape-cake contains neirly as much oil as linsteJ-cake, and rather inorrt alhuaiiuous substancs, and not a much larger proiiortion of iudigestib.'e fibre; and there is nothing in the anal) fieal re- sults representing the composition of the two cakes comrary to the .s'lppjsilion that tlie one is as ta'ua'de a feeding rakees ■ the other; iiid yet the mark' t price ©fliuseed-cakc is £1-2 lOs.,, 933 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. and tha' ot feeding rape-caTce about £S IO3. to £3 ISs. per ton. For certain purposes it is true that rape-cake is quite as useful as linseed-cake. Fur instance, for young growing stock, or as an auxiliary I'ood for milch-cows, rape-cake goes as far as an equal weigiit of linseed-c^ke ; hut general preference is given to the much more expensive liuseed-cake as a food for fattening-stock. This preference cannot reasonahly be ascribed to blind prejudice ; for surely fatteuers of stock would prefer to buy rake at £8 IO3. per ton, if it answered their purpose as well as cake which is sold at £13 10s. per ton ? The reasons which decide men to use liuseed-cake in preference to rape-cate, in order to fatten off oxen or sheep for the butcher, lie close at hand, it we look practically into this matter. The art of getting an animal ready for the butcher iu the shortest ))ossible time may be said to consist in pateing through it the largest possible amount of well selected, pro- perly prepared, aad readily disgeslible food. These conditions are given in a mixed food, of which liuseed-cake forms no considerable item. Fattening. oxen or sheep are fond of this cake, do well upon it, and consume lirge quantities. On the other baud, accustomed to palatable, readily aigestible food, fattening-beasts dislike t!ie bitter, and somewhat acrid, taste of rape-cake, and in consequence do not eat more of it than they can help ; and altogether do not get on so well upon rape-cake as upon linseed-cuke. Bearing ia miud that fully one-half of the weight of the food supjilied to animals is ■wasted by respiration and other exhalations, and that thn longer an animal is kept in the feeding-stall the larger the waste in food, it is clearly a good policy to give to fattening- stock a food which agrees with their appetite and digestive powers. Notwithstanding its liigher price, linseed-cake in the end is a more economical food than rape-cake, if it be used in the l-ttter stages of the latteuing process, as a means of bring- ing on the animal rapidly for the butcher. Similar purely practical considRrations frequently decide the choice of feeding matters, aud in a 1 irge measure influence their market-vain?. Another examjile illnttratiug the truth of the preceding remarks is presented to us iu cotton-cake. On comparing the com- position ot decorticated v»ith that of undecorticated cotton- cake, it will be noticed that the former contains on an average li per cent, of oil, 40J per cent, of albuminous substances, and only 6j per cent, of indigestible woody fibre, whilst unde. corticated cotton-cake contains only 6 per cent, of oil, 22^ per ceut. of albuminous matters, and as much as 21 per cent, of indigestible fibre. There i;; thus a great difference in the apparent feeding properties of the two kinds of cake. More- over, the estimated money-value of the manuring matters produced by the consumption of a ton of decorticated cntton- cake amounts to £6 lOs., whilst the estimated manure-value of the undecorticated cake is only £3 18s. 6d. per ton ; the difftrence in manuring-va'ue alone of the two cakes thus amounts to £2 123. 6d, We might tlierefore expect that the decorticated cotion-cake would be sol 1 at a much higher price than undecorticated ; but tie actual market-price of the former is £10 per ton, and of the latter £8 per ton. Thfi difference in the manure-value alone of the two kinds of cake thus is greater than the difference in the price at which the two are .'■old st present, while the much higher feeding value of decorticated cake is not represented in the market price. The explanation of this apparent anomaly is in part found in the circumstance that decorticated cotton-cake is too rich in albuminous substances to suit tiie constitution of herbivorous animals, aud iu consequence is too indigestible to be given to stock in the same way in which linseed-cake is usually administered. Most agriculturists have as yet to learn how to make the most of this species of cake, whicli is produced on'y to a limited extent, and not so largely employed for feed- ing purposes as undecorticated cotton cake. Want of experi- ence in the economical use of decorticated cotton cake no doubt accounts, at least partidly, for the fact that it is sold at present lielow its real value. The hard husks of cotton seed have no i'ltruisic feeding value, but when reduced to a coarse powder, in tlie act of crusldug the seed for oil, tjiey act as a useful diluent of the extremely rich aud too indigestible kernels ; and hence the practical feeding value of cake made from whole seed has been found greater than might be supposed, in comparison witli the theoretical value ot decorticated cotton cake. More- over, the hard woody shells cf cotton-seed possess an econora, ical value, in virtue of the astrin2:ent principle they contain which renders whole seed or Pjiglish cotton cake very useful to tMltlc out on pastures at periods of the year when they are apt to become affected by scoUr, as well as to stock fed upon ail abundance of succulent food, which has a tendency to keep tfie bowels in too loo'-e a state. In snch cases Eugbsh cotton cake acis medicinally as a corrective, and this useTul property gives a certaiu value to the undecorticated cake, which that made from the shelled seed does not possess. Other examples might be readily quoted iu support of the fact that the practical or market value of feediug stuffs is dependent in a large measure upon the us<} which the farmer has found by experience to maka of them ; but sufficient evidence, I trust, lias been given»|in this paper showing that the real market value of purchased food is affected by purely practical considerations, and that the proxi- mate composition of articles of food, although giving useful hints to the intellij{ent stock feeder, does not afford a lull insight into their relative merits, uor supply data for estimat- ing with precision their market or money value. TANNERY REFUSE AS MANURE. [TRANSL.iTED FKOil THE " JOUllNAI, d'aGRICULTURE PK.\.TIQUE.] The industry of tanning is widely diffused ia the west of France, more particularly ia Brittany, from Nantes and Reimes at the oue extremity to the Departenoeut of Fiuistere at the other. It is in the latter district that tauaeries are most niimerous. The processes of this in- dustry yield a certain quantity of residues which are susceptible of a more free utiiisatioa in agriculture thau has hitherto been attempted. These residues admit of a natural division into animal waste and vegetable waste. Agricultitre cau only profitably employ as manure those residues which cannot be used for any other purpose, as competition would render the prices too high for farmers. The animal residues are much the richer as fertilisers. Their source may be thus described : In the tanneries, tbs fresh skins are first submitted to the prolonged action of milk of lime. They then undergo two operations, which provide the manure under consideration. The hair from the outer side of the skia is first removed, and remaius, of course, largely mixed with lime. The second opera- tion is, the removal of the flesh adherent to the inner surface of the hide, and also the thin cuticle. These waste matters are mingled, aud placed in heaps till sold. They contain on au average — water 75 ^ per cent,, aud dry matter 24 J per cent. The dry matter is composed of 84^ per cent, of organic, and 15^ per cent, of mineral matter. Ia 100 parts of the latter there are 3^- silica, ITa phosphate of lime, and 69 lime, besides 10 of various salts; while the mean amount of nitrogen is nearly 7 per ceot. For the most part the heaps stand fortvso or thrte months, in which case they lose one-fifth of their volume of water and three-tenths of their nitrogen. This loss is due to the rapid decomposition of the animal matter under the action of the lime. The manure is afterwards priced at 3 francs to 5 francs per cubic metre. It is verj beneficial to fruit-trees, aud on the farm is available on all non-calcareous land, but is most useful on light soils, where its decomposition is more speedy. It has been tried at the School of Irrigation at Lezardeau, with ex- cellent results, for the nitrogen enriches the soil, while the lime is beneficial to vegetables. Hay has been more abundant, and of superior quality. It must be consider- ably decomposed before it is spread, as otherwise the hair might remain ou the land, to be raked up with the ensuing crop, when it would prove injurious to stock. Perhaps the best mode is to mix it with farmyard manure. The vegetable residues are the result of the process proper of tanning, which take* place subsequent to the preliminary treatment above described. This process is aohieved by means of the employment of oak-bark, re- duced to a tine powder, layers of which are placed between the hides in the pits, after which water is admitted. THE FARAIER'S MAGAZINE, 381 Tannia is tlie active priiiciijle in the operatiou, posseisini, a* it does, the property of forming, in coiijutictiou with the luiimal matter, combinatious favourable to the pre- servation of the latter. Great quantities of bark are thus «;eJ, and when exhausted, are, naturally of no furtlicr Value for the industry of tanning. The fibrous and spongy appearance of the refuse suggests the idea that it is capable of absorbing much liquid ; hence the advantasje of using it it iu the form of litter for farm stock in dis- tricts where that commodity is scarce and dear. Tiie exhausted tau contains an amount of water varying in accordance with the length of time which has elapsed during the process, its mass, and the season of the year. It further contains in 100 parts of its substance 'J-t 9 parts of organic aud 5'1 parts of mineral matters, 'ihe minerals subsist iu the following proportions : Fotash 0 &, soda 02,, lime 37, magnesia 0 2, phosphoric acid 0 3, sulphuric acid 0"1, and silica 01 — 51. The pro- perties of this refuse are such that it will, when mixed with wheat or oat straw, absorb more than double its owu weight of water. It is of insignificant weight, of easy trausporfc, and obtainable at a low price. It is requisite that it should be mixed in this mauncr, because ot its acidity, which, however, may be combated by mingling ■svith it lime., phosphates, or ashes ; while another effect of this would be to hasten its decomposition. Above all, if it be mixed with the animal refuse obtained from the preparatory processes of preparing the hides, it forms a most excellent m'mure. It may be mentioned, in con- elusion, that tan has already been applied in horticulture, with most happy results, as it is found that it checks evaporation, and the consequent desiccation of the soil, whether it be applied in its normal slate or iu a prepared form. AGRICULTURAL REPORT. SOUTH LINCOLNSHIRE. [grlgix.vl.] It i< extremely |)er|ilexing, for I know not liow to givs any- thing like a cornet report of this di.strict at tlie prcsmit juncture. Tlie w-catlisr has- been so variable aud iucleuieut as to stop all farm operations connected with srable culture. On Thursday last, the 15th instant, the fall of snow was so licavy and coutinuous as to cover the wlule country for several inches iu thickness, aad the rapid tluw on the following: day saus^'d the inujidation of almost all lands, wliicli the heavy and frequent sliowers which have iuperveued since ke.^p sorely saturated. What is to be the consequence it is painful to contemplate. At present all iield-work is tliereabouts sus- pended, and to finish the spring sovviuijs and potato plantings under such conditions is all bat impossilile, an.l nimdi remains to be done. The wheat plant is suffering ranch from a pro- loujjed saturation, aud the pothtoes already in are iu d lUiier of rotting. A livid of spring-sown coru is scarcely to be seen up anywhere, and when the fallows will be in a fair st.ite lor v/orking no one c:in tell, as the rain continues to fall daily. Verily, it is one of tKe most perplexing and disastrous seasons ever known. The grazing lands are showing evident syuiptoius of danger — every Hat or hollow is under water, and should '.he forthcoiniug season continue warm and showtTv, much loss frani shepp-rotting may be expected. Graziers will do well to look inimeiliately to this. The great prefentive is glutting rid of the water; but if this is too difficult, by all means supply the sheep ttith rations of dry food — i. e., cake, corn-meal, \e. Change of pasture in certain holdings may do mucli. Sheep- rut is the great danger this spring ! Graziers, be forewarned : don't delay your remedies ! — April 20. "COWHOUSES." To THE EUITOK OF THE TIMES. Sir,— Theppideniio at Eigloy caused by the impurity of tlia milk supplied from a neiijhbuuring farm i$ of such i^uportnuce tliat 1 have vent^rtid a few reuiarks on ;he treat'neut of cuv^'?, from a sanitary point of view. I have lately visi;ed sv^vsral large dairy farms in some of the Northern counti-8 and in L-^ncashireand Cheshire. In most cases I found tiie 1 irm luiild- ings and premises in which cattle are stored and fed iu a deplorable condition. The cowliouses occupied by tlie milch- co>vs are about seven feet high, tlie room above is used for- storing hay and corn; the width behind tiie cows from thrp.T to five feet. The liea Is of the cows are placed against a wail in which is a siuill opening for food to be served ; the breath of the cow rehouuding up)n hcrseU'. The drinking ponds for the cattle are generally so placed tiiat the refuse water frcn the yard aud buildings runs into them, and in some instances I found soakage from the manure heap mixed «-ith the wale-, aud in every case the water was stagnant and filihy. Tiie raauure heap is gener dly placed in the middle of the yard, the efDnvium arising therefrom making its May into the e,ow- honses, so that the cattle live in a foul, acrid, and most un- wholesome attnosphere proceeding from the decay of their own excreta. It is a truism that milk and butter are affected hy the nature of the food aud water given to the cow^ ; and the cow herself is affected by noxious vapours, and often casts her calf from the ixpuiiiy o! the place in which she lives. I hava a small home farm iu ray own possession of about '200 acr.-s, and have generally a herd of 50, half of which arc milch cows, the otlier half young heifers of ray owu breeding. I do not allow more than It cows in one place; iu front of ihe eow^ there is a flagged passage four feet wide, ventilated at each end to prevent the reljound of their breath; behiad the cows au open spjce of seven fe*t, with channel stones, and a tap o'" Whter at the head of the place for flushing the drains. T:.r cowhouses are open to the' roof, with three slate ventilators in each plice. There is a drain from every building, which carries off all liquid into a tank in a fiehl below the farm pre- mises. The manure heap is aw;iy from all the buildings, and enclosed with a stone whII. The water is brought in pipes • into large stone troughs fixed in the yard, out of which the cattle drink. These are kept pure aud clean. I have a hos- pital on the premises for sick cows. I am glad to ssy LI.hvb liitle occasion for if, Iu towns where the Public Health Ace ' is enforced the Local Anthoriiy «ill not permit houses of any description to be erected unless the plans are first submilted and approved by them. The width and height of each room and the sanitary ami ventilation reqairaments are strictly, adhered to. Is it not equa ly necessary to protect thesanifary condition of animals who contribute produce so essentially necessary to the v/ell-beiug of the rising population ? Spac ous, well-drained, and ventilated cowhouses improve the health aud , condition of the cattle, and to a great exi cut prevent those diseases among them which aillictcd the country aud caused the high price of meat. If the Government would bring iu a short bill empowering local authorities in every parish and district to enlorce sanitary measures iu farm buildings, by a thoronph inspection of the premises, and restrictions »s to tiie character of the huildings, we should hear le^s of epidemici among cattle, their condition and he.ilth would be improved - aud restored, the producii.m would be increased in quuiti'y and qiality, and, instead of the cow being disposed of f'^r sl.iU;jiiter alter having produced four or five calves, she vtoild coutiiiue useful and prodnctive until 14: or 15 years old, therf hy increasing block iu the country and reducing the price of anima; fooj. Henri GARTsiut. Wkarmloii Tmoer, Saddleicorih, April \^ih. BURGH FAIR. — This was one of the smallest ever retnem- bereil for the April fair. The show of stock was renuirkably small, and buyers were scarcely to be (onnd. The day was one of the most unfavourable we have known in the ni0;t uu- f .vourable spring. Trsde was Hlmost a nullity. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,— As a dairy fa.rmer with 30 years' experiencp, I en dorse all that Mr. G.irtside, your correspondent in The Tinua of to-diy, sajs. Cmld what he sut'eests be carried out, b .tli "thecjws" and "the public" would be Rreat eaiuers ; hut legislation must go a lonj; way furiher before ^ucll epidemics- as we have latelv liad at Eagley ».nd els-where, can-ed ly polluted milk, can be prevented. Tuese epidemics hive U'.C arisen from unhealthy cows, or because the cows have lieen ill. kept, but from the treatment the iwlk has received and tn& 332 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. influences to wlilch it lias been exposed after being taken from the cow. Milk may be polluted either by beiiig put into vessels tliat have been washed with polluted water, by having polluted water added to it, or by being exposed to the in- fluence of polluted atmosphere. The extraordinary power of absorption from the surrounding atmosphere possessed by milk is well known to medical ani scientific men. No aiticle of food is 60 easily tainted. Now, in London and other large towns, how is milk treated ? In niue cases out of ten the 8; Uiog of milk is a sort of refuge for the destitute, or, at all events, the trade is in the hands of " little people," who, if they do not try to earn a scanty living from selling a few gallons of milk daily, combine the sale of milk with their other wares, as recently described by the medical oQicer for Marylebone in his report. If it is necessary to license public- houses and sUiushter-houses, it appears to me ten limes more necessary to require that all places in which milk is stored or sold should be subject to inspection, and that the trade be not carried on in any unfit place. It is well known that most of the milk vendors obtain their supply from contractors or middlemen, who import from the farmers. The vendor pur- chases on the arrival of the midnight trains the milk he is going to supply to his customers the next morning ; and vvhat in mapy cases does he do with it for the five or six hours it is in his possession ? He carries it liome, and it is eiiher kept in liis shop, or, perhaps, what would otherwise be the kitchen has been turned into a sort of dairy. In either case, the house being closed, and shop or cellar communicating directly with the dwelling rooms in which he and his family live and sleep, the milk is exposed to all the tainting influences pro- ceed.ng from the position. In a word, milk stores ought not to communicite with dwelling-houses. With regard to selling milk from unhealthy cows, say cows suffering from foo-and- mcuth disease, I would imprison, without the option of a fine, any person who should draw the milk from any animal so afl'ected info any vessel. Let the cow be milked on to the ground. Apo'ogiziug for troubling you with so long a letter, I am, Sir, your obediently, An Old Dairy Farmer. Ths Farmers' Club, Adelphi-Urrace, W,C., April 20. SALE OF SHORTHORNS, THE PROPERTY OF LOED FITZHAEDINGE, LORD MORETON. MR. J. W. LARKING, AND MR. H. U. DE VITRE, At Berkeley Castle, Gloucestersiiire, on Wednesday, April IOtii, 1876. BY MR. THORNTON. The widespread interest attaching to the sale may be gathered Imm the fact that not only were the most eminent breeders of Great Britain either present or represented, but foreign nations had also their representatives, and some of the best lots will be taken abroad. America was represented by Mr. Croomc, and Canada by Mr. E. W. Stone, names well knonn in the agricultural world. Tliere were abnut 2,000 peop'e present, including Lord Bective, Colonel Kingscote, M.f., Colonel Blathwayt, Lord Moreton,Dnke of Mandieiter, Lord Fi'zliarJingp, E^rl of Ducie, Lord Callhorpe, Colonel Guutp.r, Sir William Miles, Captain Henry, Major Turherville, Captain WiUiari:s, General Hale, Captain Youn?, Rev. W. 11. Beever, Blessrs. J. W. Larkin, E. Bromley, H. Beaufort, Stone, Broom, C. Williams, T. iMace, G. Game, Lovett, T. Morris, W. VViiodward, H. D. de Vitre, Thompson, Noiris, F. liuruelt. Bland, Sheldon, J. Rolt, R. B. Duvies, O. Lm^, E. Bowlv, Savage, Ch'ipman, JetTerson, Brassev, Richardson, A. C. Wheeler, H. W. Brutt.n, J. M. Butt, J. Richards, Ash- bnrner, Diinning, Sheepway, R. Jakeraan, llulbert, Pedler, Y^illand, Lan^hain. Blizurd, Matthews. Jobbins, Eirnshaw, 1 arker, Bennett, Whiteside, Hattil Foil, B. St. John Ackers, Captain Su nner, L>. Mclnlo&h, R. S. llullbrd (Market Ilar- borough), F. Harvey, H. Jeuner, Horafray, H. Mousell, II. Theyer, W. Butt, T. Tanton, D. Vick, T. Lawrence. W. Sur- m»n, J. Chandler, D. Phelps, H. Awre, D. L. Willey, T Ricke'ts, D. Pliillimore, 0. Robinson, J. Watts (Norton (^ourt), Daniel Long, T. Nicholas, J. Cun^rains, J. Cadle ( A'estbury), and many olliers. 'I he weather was very un- fa-ourable during the auction, heavy showers of ruin lalling i.t 'utervals. The catalogue comprised a large number of very choice animals of the fashionable Bjtes, Knighlley, and Towneley strains. About equal numbers were contributed from the Berkeley herd, from Lord Moreton's, at Tortvi'orth Court, and from Mr. Larking's, at Ashdown House. Amonj those from Berkeley were some excellent specimens of the Wild Eyes and Blanche tribes, originally from Kirklevington ; the Musicals, from Siddington ; and the Ursulas, from Didmarton. The Knightley strain comprised some very good animals of the Primrose, Ro^y, and Walnut tribes ; tlie Sweethearts, frotu Edenbridge; the Vestrises, originally from Towneley, but bred for several years at Preston Hall ; and the Florentias, from D.dmartou ; v»hilst among those from Tortworth were several descendants of Earl Spencer's Nelly, and Mr. Wilkinson's Lydia tribe, from Lenton. There were also some very choice animals of the Towneley blood from Mr. de Vitre's herd at Charlton House, Wantage, including three of the Blanch tribe, one of the Acomb lamily, and one of the late Mr. East- wood's favourite Rosette tribe. Included in tlie remainder were a few capital specimens of the Knightley bl)od from Brailes, as well as some of the Honey tribe, so favourably known at Kingscote. The bulls at this sale were about the largest and best bred lots that iiave been offered together for some time. They were headed by Grand Duke of G-neva (2875G), of the unrivalled Duchess tribe, and were nearly all by the most fashionable sires — viz., the Earl of Dunmore'a Sixth Duke of Geneva (30959), the Earl of BecVire's Duke of Underley (33745), and Second Duke of Tregunter (3o02-3), Colonel KuigscutK'a Duke of Hillhurst (28101), Mr. Bowly's Third Duke of Clarence (23727), Mr. Coleman's Tbird Duke of Gloucester (33653), Seventh Duke of York (17751.), and Second Duke of Co'lingham (23730), all of the Duchess tribe, while others were by Mr. Ol'ver's Gritnd Dukes, the Duke of Devonshire's Oxford sires, as well as other first-class bulls. Many of the cows and heifers were in calf to the Duke of Connaught (33604), purchased by Lord Fitzhardinge at the Dunmore sale for 4,500 guineas, who was exhibited during the sale, and to Tliiid Duke of Hillhur4 (30975), purchased by Mr. Lurking at the same sale for 3,000 gs. Mr. Thornton, in opening the business, said they bad met again in that place to disperse the produce of that grand herd of Shortborns that his Lordship had collected at Berkeley. The top figure was that obtaitied for Lord Fitzhardinge's Lidy Wild Eyes, which fetched 555 guineas. It was expected, however, that this magnificent animal w ould have fetched a good deal more money ; and it was stated on very gr>od authority that only a few days ago his Lordship refused 800 guineas for her. Summary. £ s. d. £ 8. d. 51 cows averaged 81.13 2 4,817 12 0 33 bulls „ 60 3 0 1,924 13 0 83 head 75 4 2 £6,242 5 0 Quite a gloom was cast over Berkeley on Wednesday by the sudden death of Mr. Woodward, an elderly gentleman, said to reside in the neighbourhuod of Tewkesbury. Mr. Woodward had been at the sale, and had purchased two or three lots. He was returning to Berkeley, and when nearly opposite the Ca>tle he fell down on the pavement, and was picked up a co'pse. SALE OF SHORTHORNS AT THE NOOK.— The euiire herd of pediirreed Sbortliorns and sheep, the proppity ot Mr. G. J.Bell, of the Nook, Irthington, was brought to llie hummer ; and the circumstances attracted not only the principal agricul'urists of the di-.trict, but many others from a distance. The 28 cows, heifers, and calvfs renlised £302 4.S., an average of £38 13s. ; II bulls brought ig273, an average of £24 16s. 6d. The ewes n ade as far as seven guineas. Cows and heilers : Lucy, Mr. Dagger, Ken- d7I, 33gs. Miller's Daughter, Mr. Forster, Westward Parks. 21gs. Triplet, Mr Askew, Kirkby Stephen, 27is. Belle of Irthington, Mr. Jlilburn, Wragmire House, 25g9. Elvira 13th, Mr. Fotheriill, Uld.ile Hall 36-3. Rosy, Mr Wau- nop, Broaiiwath, 31gs. Princess Jjouise, Mr. A. Gralnm, Yiinwatli, 36gs. llaz'etop, Mr Parkin, Blealhwaite Hall, 3l\a. Lucy 3rd; Mr. Mitchell, H'lwgid Castle, 25g8. Early THE FARMER'S MAGAZl^^E. 3.<^ E'lrly Binl 5tli, Mr. Nelson, Caddie, Preston, 29gs. Royal Biittertly Princess, Mr. D^tltoii, Cummersdale, Gigs. Village Belie, Mr. Ho^rarth, Julian Bower, 32g9. Wliite Legs, Mr. Ricliardsou, Newton, 27g8. Jessie Eglinton, Mr. Dixon, Irton, 28gs. Pearl Necklace, Mr. Parkin, Blaithwaite House, 22gs. Trip the Dai^y, Mr. llichard.son, 37gs. Silver Heels, Mr. Hutcliinson, Brougham Castle, 27gs. Kate Kearney, Mr. Hutchinson, 21g<. Lnoy Bertram, Mr. Patterson, Ter- roua, 23gs. Kahy B'rd, Mr. Mitchell, 18gs. Elsie Raby, Mr. Holliday, The Tarns, 30gs Lady Elvira, Mr. Mitchell, 27gs. Patience, Mr. Nelson, 21gs. MaiJ of Lome, Mr. Graham, 29gs. Diamond Necklace, Mr. Milburn, 2()gs. Magenta, Mr. Graham, Faugh, 27g3. Lucy Neil, Mr. Gra- ham, l+gs. Jessie Thorndale, Mr. Smith, Cotehill, Ogs. Bulls. — Duke of Thorndale, Mr. Hutchinson, Brougham Castle, 58^s. Tom King, Mr. Milburn, 20gs. King Tom, Mr. Milburn, 25gs. Harry Bertram, Mr. Laidman, Bramp- ton, 21gs. Major Webb, Mr. Elliott, Clift, 26jj3. Captain Boyton, Mr. Story, Bleatarn, 49gs. High idea, Mr. Hogarth, lOgs. Julien Adains, Mr. Hogarih, 9gs. Butterfly Duke, Mr. Laidman, 16gs. British Yeoman, Mr. Armstrong, Lanercost, 12^gs. Sim Reeves, Mr. Graham, IS^gs. SALE OF SHORTHORNS AT PRESTON HOWS.— On Wediiesday, at Pieston Hows, near Whitehaven, Mr. Thornton Bold some young animals belonging to Mr. Robert Jefferson's higli-class ^tock ot Shorthorns, and at the same time a few belongini; Mr. Fox, of St. Bees Abbey. There was a large attendance of breeders from all parts. It was a poor sale, not a few fine animals realising little above butchers' prices. The thirty cows and heifers brought 1,174 gs. ; and fiTteen bulls brought 605 gs. The two highest prices in the former class were 110 gs., given by Mr. Phillip"!, ofHiybridge, for a four- year-old roan by England's Hero ; and 71 gs., given by Mr. Scott, of Aberdeen, for a five-year- old cow by Lord Plymouth. T'he rest averaged between 30 and 40 gs. Mr. Twenfynian gave 3S gs. for Belle of the Cot- taee, seven years old ;,Mr. Todd gave 25 gs. for Cestus, calved 1872 ; Mr. W'lson gave 30 gs. for Golden Link, calved in 1872 ; Mr. Watson gave 36 g-^. for a t*o-year-old bull ; Mr. Wood got a bull, calved in December, 1874, for 34 gs. ; Mr. Foster bought two excellent cows at 43 and 30 gs. THE CIRENCESTER CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE. EXPERIMENTAL DEPARTMENT. Professor Wrightson has sent us the following letter and circular for publication : SiR,^ — The accompanying synopsis of results will show you that we hitve arrived at certain conclusions regarding the general effects of artificial manu'es upon the swede crop in this neighbourhood. Before leaving the subject of swede c.lture, it has been proposed and approved by the committee to institute some trials upon the best method of applying artificial manures to this crop, and a series of exiieriments to illustrate this and other points is at present under ccfnsidera- tion, and particulars will shortly bs forwarded to those genile- men who are wishful to co-operate with the committee in trying them. It is proposed to continue the experiments commenced last year upon Cobbeti's l,000fold Acclimatized Indian Corn. Seed ripened upon the CotswolJs last season will be furnished to any gentlemen who would like to give it a further trial. The attention of members of the Chamber is also directed to the results obtained by drilling barley at double the ordinary width, and with half the usual quantity of seed. It would be satisfactory if members would undertake further experiments upon this point. Your attention is also directed to the 1,000-headcd Kale, to be sown in April for October feed, and again in October for April feed. Public atten- tion has been called to this forage plant by Mr. Robert Rnssell, of Horton Kirby Kent, before the Central Farmers' Club, and the experience ofthis well-known agriculturist is highly favourable to its more extended cultivation. You are requested to fill up and return the enclosed slip after deter- mining upon one or otlier of the above experiments. I am, Sir, yours obediently, JprU \Q(h, 1876. Jon.N Whighxso-n. SCHEME or SWIDK IXPERIMKZfTS. (Subject to modification). Two plots un manured. Two plots superphosphate, drilled with seed, with water. Two plots superphosphate, half to be drilled and half incor- porated with soil previous to drilling. Two plots superphosphate, drilled, and nitrate of soda, top- dressed subsequently. Two plots Stroud sewage manure. Two plots phospho-guano. GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESULTS ARRIVED AT BY EXPERI- MENTS CARRIED ON FOR SEVERAL SEASONS BY ME.MBERS OF THE CIRENCESTER CUAJIBER OF AGRICULTURE. The following results obtained upon the swede crop com- mend themselves to the attention of members of the Ciren- cester Chamber, as having been obtained in their own neigh- bourhood; and as bein^ in each case backed by the unanimous verdict of a large number of experiments carried out upon a uniform plan by agriculturists of position. Bearing in mind that in each case it is the swede crop which is specially referred to, we find : 1st. That poor land, and in poor condition, derives tho greatest benefit from artificial dressings. 2nd. That land in high condition has been proved in many casi'S to derive little or no benefit from the use of artificial dressings. 3rd. That land in this neighbourhood appears to be easily satisfied with moderate dressings, and the use of heavier dressings is not attended with coinmeusurate results. 4th. That 3 cwt. of ordinary mineral superphosphate per acre has given the best economic result during several years' experience, extending over hundreds of plots. 5th. That guano, nitrate of soda, organic matter, and even faniyHrd dung diminish the germinating power of swede seed, and cause a blankiness in the crop when they are brought into contact with tlie seed. 6th. That guano and nitrate of soda applied to the growing swedes increase the crop, but scarcely to an extent to warrant their general use. 7th. That the average increase in swede crops from the use of 3 cwts. of superphosphate amounts to 5 tons 6 c^t. per acre. That in some cases the increase has been nil, while in others it has been as much as 14 tons per acre. In experimenting upon corn crops, we have found : Ibt. That barley may be sown 16 inches apart, and with half the usual quantity of seed, without -injuring the yield • although some doubt exists as to the qualify of the grain. 2nd. That wide drilling and thin seeding is more applicable to barley than to wheat in this neighbourhood. (Signed) John Wrightson, Secretary of the Experimental Sub-Committee. April IQlh, 1876. THE GOVERNMENT VALUATION BILL. An adjourned meeting of the Bedale Chamber of Agricul- ture was held on Tuesday at the Black Swan Hotel, Be lale, the subject for discussion being the Government Valuation Bill. Cnptain Clarke, president of the Chumber, occupied the chair. The subject was to have been introduced by Mr. Teall the lion, secretary, but, owing to family afliicfion,"he was un- able to be present, and it was introduced by Mr. R.>bin->ou, who quoted from the Act at some length, objec ing- principally to the clauses relating to the powers given to the surveyor of taxes — viz., the 7th, " for the purpose of correctly making the list, the overseers stiall communicate with the surveyor of taxes, and wherever returns are hereinafter-mentioned, allow him to inspect them, and shall, as far as practicable, agree with him upon the hereditaments «nd eross value thereof to be inserted in the valuation list, and shall allow him to iuspect the valuaiion list before it is signed by them ; and the sur- veyor of taxes shall, to the best of his power, assist the over- seers in making the valuation list correct." This the speaker objected to, as he considered it was introducing one of the worst features of the income-tax. He also objected to the clauses relating to tiie Assessment Committee to be appi)inted by the Court of Qnar'er Se,.«sion«. The 25i|i section oi Clause 13 — " The surveyor of taxes may object to a valuation libt in I THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, manner aforesaid , and moreover, any entry made by a sur- veyor of taxes ia the duplicate of tlie last sent to liiiu of any hereditaments appearing to him to be omitted, or"of a gross value for an hereditament different from that inserted by the overseers, shall be deemed to be objections by him, and in fi'her case he shall, within the time liereafter-meotioued in ihis Act, serve notice of such objection on the occupier of the liereditam?iit," aud Clause 32, res^pecting duration of valua- tion list. But wliat he objected to most was Clause 3S, that " a declaratioa of a surveyor of taxes in auy valuation signed by him, or any notice of objection or of appeal given by him, as to the amount in his judgment of the gross value of any hereditament referred to in such list or notice, shall be deemed conclusive evidence of such gross value (which shall be adopted in the valuation list accordingly), unless the contrary is proved to the satisfaction of the Assessment Committee at Special Sessions or Court of Quarter Sessions, after hearing the sur- veyor of taxes, or giving liim an opportunity of being heard, and in case of the valuation list such declaration may be made with respect to all or any of the hereditampats in such list by a declaration at tlie end of such list." Tliat left tlie onus of proof on the owner or occupier, and he aruufd it was a most objectionable clause. Let a surveyor of taxes, for any reason wliatever, object to the valuation list, and disprove " his judg- ment of tlie gioss value" would be dillicult. Mr. Ro'iinson concluded by expressing his regret that the Chamber bad not had more time to examine this bill, which would be most iu- furious to the interests of the farmers. The Chairman condemned the bdl for several reasons. He agreed witn Mr. Robinson's objections ; but there were others nearly as bad. It was also a bill of pains aud psnalties. The Ass;ssment Committee had power to require llie production of b'loks, documents, and returns, and a tendance from overseers, tax collectors, and also returns from owners and occupiers ; and if these requirements were not to be complied with, penalties could be enforced ranging from £5 to £50. He also bi.terly complained of the valuations of various kinds of pro- perty, but it was the fault of landowners and their agents that the system of valuation had not been altered years ago. Could anyihiii^ more unfair be conceived than the allowances from the rateable value. Houses with a gross value under £20, one-fourth, or 25 per cent., was allowed. Erom houses under £iO value, one-fifth, or 20 per cent. ; houses and pleasure- grounds, upwards of £iO value, one sixth, or IB per cent. ; laud with biiil lings, net houses, oueteutb, or 10 per cent.; l.»iid without b'lildings, one-tweutieth, or 5 per cent.; mills, liiaDuf;:ctories, blast lurnaces, kilns, &c., one-lbird, or 33J per cent. o(r. That system was a gioss imposition. Land was allowed only 5 per cent, off, whilst mills, manufactories, kiln?, &c., making ten times as much money, were allowed 33J oif. He blamed the owners for that more than any one else. Captain Other also condemued the bill, and argued that it was not rt-quired, and that counties should be .sliowed to manage their own affairs. They could do it belter than per- fcons at a distance. Mr. J. Smith said the bill was brouirht in for the purpose of equalising ratine;. It was well known to all that the rating was not fair ia any sense. Farms in the same Union were unequally rat-d, aud one Union was rated higher than another. Had Uiium Ass 'ssraent Comaiiitees done their duties, tliis bill would not have been required. But some men were " cleverer"' than others, and kept down the rateable value of their Unions, consequently the men who were liouest had to piy for the deverer ones. Mr. RoBi>'SJN proposed that, as the n'erabers had had such little time to consider the bill, the discussion be adjourned. The proposition being seconded, was carried ; aud a vote of thanks to Mr. Robinson closed the proceedings. A meeting of the Devonshire Chamber of Agriculture took place Ht Exeter to discuss the Government Valuation of Property Bill now belore Parliament. Among those who took part in the proceedings were Earl Fortescue, Mr. W. E. FiTster, M.P., Sir Thomas Acland, M.P., and Sir John Kennaway, M.P. — A paper on the bill was read by Captain Acland. — Earl Fortescue, in the course of his speech, said he felt sitisfied that the advantages of the introduction of the surveyor of t ixes into this matter in the way proposed in tlie bill outweighed the disadvantages. But though lie approved of this leading priuciple of the bill, yet lie certainly did think thai the machinery of it w»» not well drawn. He dieagreed with the assessment committee, who were the moit acoep'a' fe' bodies in each union for deciding questions of value, being set; aside in favour of a body of justices under the name oi special sessions, iu the way proposed. It would have been far better to have adopted the proposal of two former bills, and esta- blished county valuation boards, to which both owners and tenants vrould be elected. An appeal to sessions would be" an appeal solely to magisfrat-es, who were chiefly landowners, and this would not be satislactory. He thought that in intro- ducing this bill the Government had not availed themselves- of the opportunity which presented itself for strenglheniog and invigorating county government and administration. Speaking of the bill generally, he considered its leading prin-- ciple valuable, yet it would want a great deal of improvement in committee before it would be fit to occupy a place in the statute-book. — Sir J. Kennaway spoke against the proposal' that the rent paid should be the »o\e' basis of valuation, be- cause very different circumstances might determine the rent paid to different owners. Mr. Forster elicited some informa- tion as to whether the appeal from tlie unions to the pe'ty sessional divisious would not be an appeal from men in one capacity to the same men in another ; but it appeared thnt ia the locil divisions no two were conterminous. A resolution was passed recognising the bill as an attempt to estalilish * uniform and equitable assessment for local and Imperial tax- ation throughout the country, nnd recording approval of its main principles, although the Cba^nber was of opinion that much remained to be done to place on a satisfactory basis local mausgenient of county finance. — T/ie Standard. Important Announcement. — Speaking at a Conservative election meeting in North Norfolk, Mr. C. S. Rk demand at the following prices : Siiortliorn ttetrs and heifers, warranted free Irom the foot-and-moutn complaint, and adapted fi.r grazing purposes, £13 to £18 a head ; Devous, good blood,. £15 to £16 ; Welsh cattle, £9 to £13 ; and biasts in full con- dition, £19 to £24. Large (rained well-bred cows, in full milk, £18 to £26 ; Alderney diito, £1-1 to £20 ; cows do«a calving, £15 to £18 ; dairying heifers, £10 to £16; jearling s ock, £6 to £8 per ditto. S^eep, store tegs, 4-6s. to 61s. a head ; four-tooth wethers, 66s. to TOs. ; and Scotch sheep, 2is. per ditto. Horses, nags, and roadsters, 18 to 28 guineas ; saddle horses of superior stamp, 35 to 40 gs. ; cobs and harness ponies, 10 to 25 gs. ; horses suitable for vans, omnibus, and town purposes, 25 to 40 gs.; harness horses of superior stamp 50 to 65 gs. ; cart horses of good stamp, 30 to 40 gs., and inferior, 15 to 20 gs, ; Welsh pony colts, 7 to 12 gs. CAISTOR PALMSUN FAIR. — The atlenlance of buyers was equnl to the supply. Ho^gs came to hand iu good condition, and prices, lhou;ih not so high as on some previous occasions, were fairly remunerative, and steady progress was made in selling until al no-t a complete clearance Was effected. The great bulk of the peus made be- tween 60s. and TOs., but many me'ul making hoggs did not THE FARilfiil'S MAGAZli^iS, i8'9 ifeacli Uie former figure, and only a few choice lota exceeded the litter. Tlie exhibitors for the cup offered by Messrs. Smith, Kllisca, and Co., to the owner (being hIso the breeder) of the be4 pen of 58 Wether hojrgs, were Mr. C. R. Fieldseud, Mr, R. Fieldsend, Mr. Joseph Burkenshaw (Grasb) ), and Mr. Wriglit (North Kelsey). The laiter won I lie priae, and credit was due to him, as liis exhibits were drawn out of 63 and tne otliets out of perhaps 150 to 200. Sir. Edmund Dctvy, of Worlaby, Mr. Robert Walk' r, of Somerby, and Mr. Robert Johnson, of Scawby, acted as tlie judge,?. Tlie prize hoggs would fetih about SOs., and were a grand sample of Noith Liucolu excellence, both as regards fleece and ibUtton. The I'aasjt lair was also a large one, the staple being, as usual, yard eteers and drapes for grazing, most o! wliich were fairly sold. Tlie horse, trade was on rather a small scale. Really good cart horses made from £4;0 to £50, while inferior sorts were diflicult to dispose of, at even low rates— £18 to £20 being about the average price for this kind of animals. In uag and blood horses prices were unaltered. HOWDEN APRIL HORSE EATR.— At tins annual fair the show of horses was not large tlie atteiidmce of buyers was cjuite as numerous as we expected under the cir- cumstances. The April lair is at all times of much smaller dimensions than the one held in September, and the occur- rence of Good Eriday, or what ought to have been the priucipiil day of the fair, caused great uncertainty as to when it ought to be held. Tiie horses shown were principally nags and riding and driving horses, with a small selection of team liorses, and but few first-class animals of any kind. Mr. J. H. Eielder, of Bristol, one of the leading dealers in the West of England, has, with his local agent (Mr. Thomas Eland, of Howden), recently bouglit 28 harness horses of quality and action. Amongst the London dealers we noticed Mr. Bl ick- nian, Mr. Bramlej, and Mr. Erist. The la^t-named gentleman buys largely for the English army. Mr. Robinson, of Hull, has a good selection of useful animals. Mr. Cuthill, of Edinburgh, Mr. Smith, of Hull, Mr. Stephenson, of Cotting- ham, Mr. M. Kirk, of Newport, and a number of other dealers were also present. VVe only observed two foreign buyers, and they did not appear to be purchasing very largely ; in fact, the show of horses was so much below that of many former years that the business doing was necessarily on a limiled scale. In heavy horses, suitable for vans, teams, lurries, &c., the prices were very high, one being sold on Wennesday lor £110. At the stock sales recently held in the district consequent upon changes of tenancy on farms the high prices of the better cUss of agricultural horses was the subject of universal comment. Many reached figures varying from £60 to over £100, these amounts being more than double their value a tew years ago. LEICESTER PALM CATTLE FAIR. — The Lficester Palm Cattle Fair was held at the New Cattle Market Ayleston-road. There was a good show of beasts lor the season of the year, and they were generally in very good con- dition. Trade on the wliole proved active, at firm prices. Milch cows were a good show, there being some very good use ul Shorthorns. The demand, however, was prioeipally forfyoung milching cows, and the best sold speedily at £28 each, ami secondary sorts at £25 each. Shorthorn bullocks Bold at £18 i3s. to £17 lOs., and young heifers at £5 each. Several good lots of Herefords sold at £16 per head, and secondary lots at £13 to £13 10s. each. Irish bullocks were a good show, and so'd well at from £8 10s. to £19. Irish barren cows changed hands less freely, at from £13 lOs. to £17. Best Welsh cews sold at £li, aud runts at from £8 10s. to £12. Sheep were a good siiow, and met with a fair demand. Ewes and lambs sold at about 55s., and hoggs at from 'i5s. to 50s. The attendance of buyers was large, and at the close of the f lir scarcely anything was left unsold. Stock at fair : Beasts, 1,109, sheep 756, pigs 70, calves 16, horses 36. LYNN HOGGET FAIR. — The show of hoggets at our fair was equal to an average, and numbered about 14,000 animals. The quality was equ-il to former years, and there appears to be every prospect of a good wool crop. Mr. Charles Young, of I'artney, exhibited for several eminent graziers in the district, and received a large share of patronage, most of the lots entrusted to liis care receiving buyers. Although of a good description, the hoggets did not surpass in value those shown a week or two previous, when 738. 6d. per head was freely given, whereas to-day 70s. was the top price given, aud iSs. the lowest. Tlie raiui of Mon- day and Tuesday, together with the present excellent conditioa of the grass laudc, caused graziers to buy freely, and at the close of the market very few pens remained on offer. Fat Sheep were a good show ; trade was brisk and firm, prices remaining at from 10s. to lOs. 6d. per stone- A few stoie Cattle were on offer in the market, making from £10 to £20 per liead. Fat Beef was plentiful ; trade lively, at from lOa to 10s. 6d. per stone. Fork was in fair supply and ra.iderale request, aud prices remained at the reduced lates ot last week viK., from 8s. to 8s. fid. per stone. NOtiWlCH TOMBLAND FAIR. — The sun was just beginning to make liis appearance to chier the dismal aspect of Norwich Hill, with slush ankle deep and a fog hang- ing over the pens from the steaming jackets of the sheep, for it had been snowiug continuously Irom five o'clock in the morning, and several inches of snow had fallen. Under such circumstances, with the fair at Lynn beforehand, it is not much to be surprised at that ihe number of sheep was but little above that of some good ordinary market days, for it certainly was not more than from 11,000 to 12,0U0. Messrs. Makins were the largest exhibitors VI ith about 2,500, Mr. Stannard was next with somethiug like 2,0oO, aud then in a graduating scale stand Messrs. Yiiuells, Messrs. Goss Patteson, Messrs. Sutton and Sons, Mr. William Allen, Mr. Warnes, Mr. John Cross, &c. The quality of the sheep was ouly midJIing — iu fact, there was scarcely a prime pea in the show ; but the trade was active, and clearances were being effected at prices ranging from 35s. to 57s. There was an exceedingly good show of store cattle, with but a solitary Irish lot ot 49 on offer by Mr. T. Dolan. Horses, of which there was about the usual number, were but slightly in demand, for offers were few and far between. Messrs. Speliiian submitted to auction something like liO of all sorts and kinds. RUGBY APRIL CHEESE FAIR.— This fair was held on April 11, when the pitch of cheese was haidly up to the average. The attendance ol merchants was aLo limited, and a cousiderable quantity failed to attract purchasers. Best quality dairies realised 70s. to 703. per cwt. Inferior quality dairies sold at 56s. to 65s. per cwt. A quantity of American cheese was also offered. STAMFOHD SPRING FAIR, April 11th.— There was, as usual, a very poor show of Beasts at this fair, and buy»ra were not very numerous. Good fresh scores realised high figures, but those iu middling condition were difficult to dispose of. There was about an average number of Slicep penned, aud a brisk trade was done, at an advance en the prices of the Midleut fair. A pen of splendid lambhogs, fit for the butchfr, belonging to Lord Avtland, made as much as 70s. per head ; and some very fine ones sluivvn by Mr. Jelly and Mr. H. Whincap respectively, fetched 63s. and 62ii. per head. VVEYHILL SPRING FAIR.— This fair was held on April 13, and was attended by the principal dealers and far- mers in the neighbourhood. The supply of sheep was quite up to the average, between 6,000 aud 7,000 being peuued, !or the most part in good couuition, aud amongst them tome ex- cellent pens of tegs and wether sheep. Trade was both dull aud dear, aud the greater part of the business was transacted in the most severe weather, snow falling at intervals, the iiilh around being covered with what had lallen but a tew hours previously. The appearance of everything was somewhat dis- couraging to all concerned. Yzt the sheep seemed to have stood the weatlier well, and no indication of a decline in prices was disceruible, and imaginary notions, therefore, respecting a fall in mutton may, for the present at any rate, be set aside. Mr. T. E. Fowle and Mr. T. Child had some handsome wethers. Mr. Bailey, Appleshavv, made 60s. for his fat ewes, while Mr. Davis, Clanville, refused 5S3. Jlr. Jones, Little London, sold couples at 60s. Mr. Green, Charlton, sold 200 tegs at 52s., and Mr. Webb, 100 at 49s. BINGLEY SPRING FAIR, April 4.— The hnlf-yearly fair for the sale of cattte, sheep, pigs horses, &c., was held to-day. There was a good attendance of buyers. The show of geld and la^iug-off beasts was good, and there was a ready sale. The show of sprng calvers was also good, but they hung rather, as the rates quoted were high. The pig show was good, chiefly store pigs. Prices were liigh, and the fair quick. Of sheep a moderate show, and few changed hands, although rates quoted were a little lower. The hor.se (air m the afternoon was better than any ever lield before at Bingley, both as regards quantity and quality. Owners held 5S6 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. firm, and buyers demanded lower rates. Tliis being the case, not n;any changed liaufls. DUNCASTER FAIR, April 5. — Tliis fair, which is invariably the best of tiie year, was held to-day. The show of horses was not a very good tine, though most of them were useful ones. Tliere was a fair attendauce of fHrmers and dealers, and trade was tolerably bribk. A few good drauglit horses realised from £100 to £110 a head, and cariiage horses from £120 to £liO per pair ; but the majority of the former class only fetched from £10 to £70, and the latti-r from £S0 to £100. Nags sold at from £20 to £50, and pouies from £3 to £16 each. Beasts were not so numerous as tlipy have been on several former occasions, the neighbouring farmers only having sent a small number. Anything giod was easily sold, but in'erior descriptions hung on hand. Tlie quotations were as follows : Eresh drapes £12 to £18, milch cows £18 tj £30. Sheep were scarce, and prices varied from 38s. to 56s. a head. Kates were generally rather higher than those obtained at recent markets. GLOlJCESTEa EAIR, April 5.— This fdir was well at'ended by f'armars and dealers, but trade in some descriptions of stock was quiet. There were nearly 300 horses on offer, which is quite the average for this (air. C.irt horses were in good demand, and sold at from £50 to £fiO each. Irish and Welsh horses were in sliort sepply, and tlie best detcr'ptioa of animals sold at high prices. Tliere were 710 cattle oil offer, about the same number as last year, and quite au average. Calvinj beilers sold well, at from £18 to t25 each, and all of liie best quality quickly changed owners. Bullocks found a slow sale, at from £18 to £25 each. Thire was about tl'.e usual number of bulls, but prices were not so good as in former years. Sheep were not numerous, the auction sales oa Monday sbeing generally well supplied ; the total {penned was 6W, which was only about half the number of last J ear. Best tegs made from 48s. to 52s.; ewes and lambs from 50s. to 65s. a couple : sale slow. There were only 4.;8 pigs offered, but these were in excess of the demand, and at the close mai y remained unsold. Mi ssrsBruton, Knowle^', and Bruton sold several bulls at fair prices. Mr. J. Villar sold 10 bu Is f .r Mr. C. Hobbs at an average of 28 guineas ; three for Mr. T. Hewer, average 26 guineas ; five lor the executors of the late Mr. W. Hewer, average 21 guineas ; five for Mr. W. J. Ednionils, averag? 22 guineas; three for Air. J. II. Elwes, average 20 guineas ; three for Mr. T. Walker, average 89 guinea^ ; one for Mr. T. 11. Ilulbert, and one for Mr. C. lliib, eai h at 25 gu-neas. IIOIINCASTLE SPUING MART.— The show of sheep was large, a little over 13,000 being the actual number penned. Tliere was a very good attendance of buyers, and many pens of splendid boggs were exhibited, and sold very early, several sales bi-iiig effected by 7 o'clock. The trade at first was very brisK, but later on a lull ensued for a time, sellers being rather too elated, and buyers rather cautious ; as the day wore on busit.ess transactions became general, but not at such hijih prices as in the early morning, though alter then the prices ranged considerably liigher than at any previous fair : some lots were turned out unsold. The following is a list of the h ighest piic>-s realised for really good hoggs : Mr. J. Walter, Tliimbhbv, sold 100 hoggs at^73s. 6(i. per head; Mr. J. Rub^rtH, kevebby, 80, at 73s. ; Mr. Rt. Harrison, Ilorncastle, IO,at 72^.; Mr.E Longstatf, High ToNutou, 130, at71s.; Mrs. SA'alJow, Toft Grange, 127, at 70s.; Mr. Redmore, Hemingby, 70, at 68s.; and Mr. Robinson, Edlington,190, at 67s. per head. The show of beasts was scarcely an average one, about 050 head of cattle being exhibited. Buyers were pleiiiful, and amongst the best animals higli prices obtained. Mr. Robert Martin, Asterby, sold a lot of flue bullocks for £31 each ; Mrs. Swallow, Toft Grangp,a lot of U for £29 5s. 8d. per head. Mr. Rt. Kemp, Thimbleby, exhibited a splendid bull, weighing 23 cwt., which sold for £48. Mr. Pariirh sold by auction 20 young beasts, the property of Mr. Ward, Baumber. ILSLEY SUEEP FAIR, April 5. — Colnbrook fair being held to-day somewhat affected the attendauce of buyers, but there was a large number of sheep on offer, considering the time of year. Store working tegs sold at about the same fi^'ures as last market, while best mealy tegs were Is. to 2s. per head cheaper. A prime lot of Down sheep realised nearly Sh. per couple. A good supply of beas's, and best things sold at full prices. Midilling and inferior stock were dull •Ale, at prices in favour of purciiR^ers. A number of cart- liorses were gold by auction by Mr. D. Ntw, at prices varying' from 30 to 70 guineas each. MALTON I'ALMSUN HORSE FAIR, April 4.— • This aunu.l fair, which extends over the wtek preceding Palm Sunday, began on Monday, when tlieie was very little doing and a small attendance. This morning the town presented a little busier aspect, though horses for sale are by no means numerous. Among the dealers present were Mr. Moore, of Hull; Mr. Johnson, of Brigliam ; Mr. Quaile, of Liverpool ; Mr. Nelson, of Barton-hill; Mr. Grsyson.of Pickering; Mr. Swales, of Pickering; Mr. Richard Barkir, Mr. Pextou, Mr. Adams, and other local dealers. Few horses have yet been shown, and these mostly draught horses, with a spiinkling of saddle horses and young ones. Best draught horses fetch from 38 to 50 guineas, aud those of the next class from 20 to 25- guineas. Saddle horses make from 20 guineas upwards. There are no high cliss animals in the fair, tiiey being bought up privately be'oreland, all the great dealers, both home and foreig-n, having represeuta'ives in the district. NEWARK STOCK FAIR.— Good Beasts met a ready sale at high pricis. Cows £21 to £28 each, in-calf heifers £15 to £18, ra Iking heifers £17 to £18, three-year-old bullocks £18 to £20, two-year-old strcrs £13 to £14, and calves 30s. to oOs. each. Ewe shei p 54^. to GOs., store lioggs 30s. to 59s., and ewes with lambs 70s. to 90s. A moderate show of horses^ including some very valuable animals one of « hich, a carl horse,, made £120 : others fetclied hit:h prices. TIllRSK LADY-DAY FAIR, April 5.— There was a moderate show of beasts and sheep at this fair, and »• fair attendance. Fat bullocks brought up to 9.s. 6d., two years old bullocks 10s. to 11-., heifers 93. 10 !. to lOs., fat bulls up to 8s. Od. per stoufs ; calven cows £16 to £20. A limited fupply of hogas, which brought up to 67b. each, whilat half' bred lioggs ranged from 30s. to 403. REYIEW OF THE CATTLE TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. There has been no feature of importance in the cattle trade during the niontli. Throughout business has progressed very quietly, still quotations have been tolerably steady, although they do not leave off at their best points. The condition of the stock has improved, and there has in consequence been a greater choice of primer animals. From our own grazing dis- tricts the receipts of beasts have been rather larger thau for the corresponding month last year, and Scotland has also coa- tributed more freely, the latter coming to hand in good condi- tion. As regards trade, the better sorts have generally com- manded a full average amount of attention, and occasionally 6s. per Bibs, has been paid for the best Scots and crosses, buir the top price has mostly been 5s. iOd. per 8Ib8. Secondary qualities have moved off quietly. The foreign receipts have been considerably less than last year, and have cliiefly been composed of arrivals from Denmark, Holland, and Spain. The sheep pens have bien rather less freely supplied, owing to the diminution in the loreig.u receipts, the show of home- bred stock being quite up to the average. A rather larger proportion thau usual of choice stock ha» been noticed, cou.se- queutly the show has proved rather satisfactory. Ahliough at times rather quiet, the traiie has presented a healthy appear- ance, and for the best Downs and hall-breds, clipped, 6s. 4d, to 63. 6d. per Sibs. has been paid. The lamb tr^de has continued steady, full prices being paid for all qualities. Calves of choice quality were in demand at full prices otherwise the trade was quiet. Pig? were a slow sale. THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, The importi of foreign stock ia'o Lindon daring A.pril of the current and three previous jeara Iihvk be.en as uno'er : 1873. Beasts 4, +80 Sheep and Lambs... 48 Sii Calves I,4t4 Pigs ^... 173 187-i. 1875. 3,281 .. . 6,303 37,216 . . 71,21)2 1,213 . . 1,095 5.015 . . 1,093 1876. 3,783 ^s.ooa 3ns 165 The arrivals of beasts from our own grazing districts, as well as from Scotland and Ireland, have been as under : 1873. 1874. 1875. Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and C:imbridgesliire 6,800 7,100 7,400 Lincolnshire 104 80 — Other parts, of England 1.250 1,700 2,000 Scotland '245 356 300 Ireland 600 200 50 — The total supplies of stock exhibited and sold at the Metro- politan Cattle Market during April of the current and three previous jears have been as under : 1876. 8.900 1,980 743 1873. lS7i. 1875. Beasts 16,010 16,420 17,060 Sheep and Lambs ... 132 750 137,760 168,270 CaUes 1,970 1,770 1,905 Pigs 410 355 431 Comparison or Pkices. 1873. s. d. s. Beasts 4 6 to 6 Sheep 4 10 to 6 Lambs 8 0 to 8 Calves 4 10 to 6 Pigs 3 Beasts 3 Sheep 4 Lfinitjs 6 Calves 4 Pigs 4 8 to 4 10 4 1875. C to 5 10 4 6 to 6 0 4 Oto8 6 8 6 to 5 10 5 Oto5 6 4 387 1876. lC,+20 131,610 1,910 180 187i. d. s. d, 4 to 6 0 2 to 5 8 4 to 8 6 0 to 5 10 0 to 5 0 1876. 4 to 5 10 6 to 6 6 6 to 9 « 6 to 6 8 6 to 5 10 REVIEW OE THE CORN TRADE DURING THE PAST MONTH. As the month of April drew to a close, the tempera- ture, although still low, recovered from the unusual depression previously n ticed ; and quoting from Mark Lane JExpress, " the suow-storms have been succeeded by those geuial showers which are characteristic of the present mouth. Under such revivifying influences vege- tation has recovered from the temporary check caused by the sudden return of winter, and the tardy spring has once more brought us fine growing weather. It cannot be denied that, in spite of the improvement shown in the as|)ect of the country after the brief period of sun- shine, it is still very backward for the time of year. Even iu the most favoured localities on the southern coast the landscape is scarcely yet adorned with the verdant tints of spring, whilst in many parts the dull monotonous brown of barren soil and leafless trees is still the leading feature. With the exception of harrow- ing there is little active field work going on, which indi- cates that the seed-corn is now fairly consigned to its bed. The autumn-sown crops, although backward, are making a fair show, aud do not appear to have suffered 80 much as was thou>lit probable from the eft'ects of the protracted winter. The wheat plant is somewhat thin and sickly on the heavy lands, but with a warm May will, doubtless, make fair progress, although a heavy crop can scarcely be expected. It i» on the low-lying heavy lands especially that the want of the drying winds of March has been most felt, and the superabundance of moisture received by the soil must necessarily take some time to subside. The deficiency of the acreage under wheat this year, 'whilst no doubt attributable, in some measure, to the bad seed time, is also due to the im- probability the farmer foresees of being able to cultivate the crop remuneratively, now that the low price and rapid transit of wheat from India render competition more severe. The heavy shipments of wheat from Cal- cutta have formed a very marked feature in the trade this season, and the facility with which this class of grain is saleable shows that to the miller it must possess grinding qualities of no mean order. Add to this the fact that the price ranges little over 40s. per qr., and it must be patent to all that, with the enormous resources of land and cheap labour in India, the prospect of selling English wheat at an average price of 50s. is rendered rather dubious. Now that such facilities are offered for the transit of wheat from the East, the low-class grain from America and Russia is almost entirely neglected, and the influence thus brought to bear on the course of prices is a matter for careful consideration. As some quantity of Calcutta wheat has recently been taken for the Continent, it is plain that millers there begin to appreciate the ariicle, and an extension of English trade iu this direction may possibly be looked for." From the same source pertaining to the Continent we have the following remarks : " The weather has been of a cold and boisterous character, and although it has some- what moderated it is still far from being of tbat warm and spring-like nature which is looked for at this time of year. There have been considerable falls of snow in France, and in the neighbourhood of Bordeaux the vines are said to have suffered considerably. In Germany the temperature has been very low, with heavy storms of rain and snow. Spring sowing is going on as rapidly as circumstances will permit, but warm weather is much wanted for the winter-sown crops. At Paris an improvement has taken place in the prices of both wheat and flour, the former realising 50 to 75 centimes more money. Oats have al.so advanced 25 to 50 centimes, but other grain is unaltered. The demand for flour has been quiet. At Nantes the weather has been very harsh and cold, but as vegetation is but little advanced in this district no apprehension of danger is felt. In spite of the holidays prices of wheat have maintained their level, and ordinary red is now quoted at 43s. 9d., and superior 44s., both per 4801bs., free on board. Rye is rather cheaper, and barley quiet, with very little business passing. At Amiens wheat con- tinues in small supply but fairly active demand, at an advance of 50 to 75 centimes. At Marseilles there has been an active business doing in wheat, and prices are very firm. At Antwerp considerable depression was lately manifested in the grain trade, but the continued inclemency of the weather, and the report of higher prices in Paris, produced increased activity, and a good business ■was done in wheat at former prices. Rye and barley were quiet, and quotations were unaltered, but oats met an active demand at full prices. At Groningen the wea- ther has been very boisterous lately, and with small sup- plies there was a good demand for the interior, as well as for export to Belgium and the Rhine, at a decline of 3d. per qr. on the week. Barley was quiet and rather easier, whilst oats were in demand for the northern ports of France at an improvement of 3d. to 6d. per qr. Quota- tions are, for superior red winter wheat 50s. 9d., fine white wheat 50s. 9d. per 504lbs. ; undried Polaud oals 3S3 THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 283. to 28s. 9J. per 3361b9., cost, freight, and insurance to London. At Berlin wheat on the spot has ruled quiet, and rye has fluctuated somewhat. Fine qualities of oats have sold steadily at former quotations. At Hamburg the weather has been of a very wintry character, checking vegetation. At Konigsberj;; the grain trade has been active, and the market closes firm for all articles. Wheat has advanced Is. per qr. on the week, and owing to scarcity all feeding stuifs were 6d. per qr. dearer. There has been some important business doing in fine red and high-mixed wheat for export to the North of England, and as the demand for the Rhine provinces continues, sellers are holding very firmly. The weather has been fine but frosty. At Leipsig trade has been much inter- fered with by the holidays, and transactions have been on a very limited scale. Only the best qualities of wheat met with any attention, whilst rye was quieter, owing to increased supplies. Oats and barley were rather dearer. At Ibrail the weather is fine, but the farmers want rain, and business has been tolerably active for wheat at about late rates. At Alexandria there has been no alteration in the trade, and there is but little ready wheat offering, the Government not having yet delivered their March contracts. Beans are rather dearer, and have beeu in better supply, but other feeding corn is unaltered. At New York the visible supply of wheat on April 15th was 15,375,000 bushels, and of maize 5,100,000 bushels. The market for spring wheat has been unsettled, and prices are rather lower — winter is also slow, but without quotable change. Flour has been quiet, and maize, with light receipts, and stocks nearly exhausted, has again advanced in price. At Monteal the thaw has set in, and most of the recent heavy snowfall has disappeared. The wheat trade has been marked by great inactivity, and flour has been dull, and the turn lower for fine qualities, whilst coarser grades have main- tained late rates. At Chicago the supplies of wheat keep pace \.ith the demand, and the future course of prices must depend mainly on the necessities of other markets, but at present they are above a reasonable shipping mar- gin. The growing winter wheat is reported to look thoroughly healthy, and is now strong enough to stand any weather that may be experienced without injury. At Milwaukie the weather has been so severe that seeding is much delayed by the continued frost. Everything seems to indicate a late spring, and with the roads in an almost impassable condition, farmers are disposeed to hold their wheat for the present. Although advices from other markets report dulness, wheat has remained steady, and stocks are firmly held in the hope of more remunerative markets. The shipping demand has increased, and No. 1 hard wheat has advanced slightly. The market is un- changed for flour, and maize and oats are in fair request at advancing prices. At Valparaiso the receipts of wheat from the interior having increased prices have given way, and in the event of freights going up, sellers will pro- bably reqiiire a further concessioa. There is no export demand for flour, and quotations are entirely nominal. Barley is in fair request, and prices are firm. The weekly accounts from Mark Lane are as follows : The first Mond^iy the arrivals were — English wheat, 4,681 qrs.; foreign, 13,073 qrs. Exports, 3,699 qrs. There was a moderate attendance of millers ; and ■with limited arrivals of both English and foreign wheat, the trade ruled quiet, at nominally last Monday's prices ; although where sales were farced, rather less money had to be taken. Country flour, 19,04G sacks ; foreign, 4,029 sacks and 830 barrels. The demand was quiet, bat prices were steady. English barley. 3,392 qrs. ; Scotch, 1,591 qrs. ; foreign, 6,463 qrs. A very slow sale for English deacriptions; malting declined Is. per qr. ; grinding was dull at about late prices. Malt ; English, 22,S16 qrs.; Scotch, 679 qrs. Ejpcrts, 435 qrs. Th» trade ruled quiet without quotable change. Mnize, 9,546 qrs. Owing to scarcity, a further advance of 6d. per qr. was established, with a fair inquiry. English oats, 529 qi-s. ; Scotch, 141 qrs.; foreign, 39,540 qrs. An im- proved demand was noticeable, and Russian descriptions realised an advance of 3d. to 6d. per qr. on the week. English beans, 194 qrs. ; foreign, 5,171 qrs. Sales progressed steadily, at last Jlouday's prices. Linseed, 15,574 qrs. Exports, 2,964 qrs. No alteration in value. There is no change in the price ot cloverseed, but the demand is somewbat quieter. All descriptions are held firmly, as the improvemeut in the weather is expected to give a fresh impetus to the trade. Mustard and rapeseeds very scarce, and dearer. Canary, with improved supplies, ruled dull and cheaper. The second Monday : English wheat, 8,653 qrs.; foreign, 31.104 qrs. ; exports, 3,219 qrs. There was a small supply of home-grown Wheat fresh up to market, and samples in good condition realised last Monday's prices, but inferior sorts were neglected. Of foreign the arrivals were to a fair extent, and a quiet consumptive demand was experienced, at a decline of Is. per qr. on the week. Country flour, 19,255 sacks ; foreign, 2,097 sacks and 10,800 barrels. There was very little business doing, at about previous prices. The top price of town-made was reduced from 47s. to 43s. per sack. English barley, 2,235 qrs. ; Scotch, 398 qrs. ; foreign, 2,487 qrs. There was no quotable alteration in the trade. Malt : English, 20,304 qrs.; Scotch, 1,474 qrs.; exports, 290 qrs. A slow demand was experienced, but prices are steady. Maize, 321 qrs. Quotations advanced 6d. to Is. per qr. since last Monday owing to scarcity, but the amount of business passing was very limited. English oats, 524 qrs.; Scotch, 50 qrs.; foreign, 39,415 qrs.; exports, 747 qrs. There was a quiet consumptive de- mand and prices were steady. English Beans, 392 qrs. ; foreign, 1,409 qrs. The trade ruled quiet at last week's prices. Linseed, 20,054 qrs. ; exports, 2,753 qrs. Without alteration. Monday the 17th being Easter there was no market held at Mark Lane. Ou Monday, April 24, the arrivals were — English wheat, 3,754 qrs. ; foreign, 34,965 qrs. Exports, 1,308 qrs. The supply of home-grown fresh up to market this morning was moderate, and fine samples met an im- proved demand at fully previous prices. Of foreign the arrivals were above an average, and with a good attend- ance of millers a steady consumptive demand was ex- perienced, at about late rates. Country Flour, 15,923 sacks; foreign, 5,358 sacks 7,960 barrels. Very little business doing, at unaltered prices. English barley, 839 qrs. ; Scotch, 288 qrs. ; foreign, 3,53i!. qrs. Malting descriptions steady, grinding quiet. ]\Ialt : English, 20,407 qrs. ; Scotch, 730 qrs. Exports, 210 qrs. There was no alteration in the malt trade. Maize, 22.809 qrs. In rather slower demand, at a decline of about 6d. per qr. on the week. English oats, 293 qrs.; Scotch, 20 qrs.: foreign, 53,248 qrs. Exports, 11,771 qrs. In good request at an advance of about Cd. per qr. since last Wednesday, chiefly owing to the export demand. English beans, 314 qrs. No change in value or inquiry. Linseed, 15,427 qrs. Exports, 2,045 qrs. The trade rules quiet, but fairly steady. IMPERIAL AVERAGES For the week ending April 15, 1876. Wheat 4O,90Oi qrs, 458. Id. Barley 18,776i „ 333. 7d. Oats 2,100| „ 253. ad. Printed by Hazell, Watson, & TiWEy,26o, Strand, London. THE FARMEK'S MAGAZINE. CO N T E N T S. MAY, 1876. Plate. -A "ROYAL" OXFORD DOWN RAM. The pRoPEarv of Mr. A. F. M. Druce, Twelve Acre, Etnsham, Oxford. The Farmers' Club. — Local Taxation . Agriculture in Victoria ... Agricultural IMaceiinery at the Palais dk L'Industrie. Close of the Season for Spring Sowing Rdyal Dublin Society's Cattle Show . The Education of the Agricultural Classes . Irish and Scotch Rentals .... The Agricultural Holdings Act — Meeting of Land Agents in Preston The Agricultural Geology of Maidstone and its Nbighbourhood The Lock-out of Farm Labourers in Essex The Agricultural Returns . . . . . The Wood-pigeon and Rook Nuisances Cattle in the North of England Eighty Years Ago . Bath and West of England Society and Southern Counties' Associatio Highland and Agricultural Society — Agricultural Education The Selection of Root Crops for the Coming Season . The Mode of Relieving the Poor in Hamburg The Ikish Press on Cattle Disease Prevention Stock Sales .... The Royal Agricultural Society of England — Monthly Ccunc Shorthorn Society of Great Britain and Ireland Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill Central Chamber of Agriculture The Valuation Bill ..... The Use of American Granges The Duke of Argyll on the Agricultural Holdings Act Agricultural Reports. — Cork County — South Lincolnshire Surrey Customs ..... Fancy and Fashionable Shorthorns of America The Rotation of Crops Reports of the Royal Agricultural Society Trade Unions and Benefit Societies . The Duchy of Lancaster and its Tenants Agricultural Meetings in 1876 On the Theoretical and Practical Value of Purchased Food, and Residue as Manure. — By Dr. Augustus Voelcker, F.R.S Tannery Refuse as Manure Cowhouses .... The Cirencester Chamber of Agriculture The Government Valuation Bill Agricultural Intelligence Review of the Corn and Cattle Trades During the Past Month Market Currencies ...... Pasje* . 31) . 319 . 32a . 321 . 323 . 32 3 . 3 26 . 327 . 332 . 334 . 336 . 337 . 337 . 338 . 339 . 339 . 341 . 342 342, 358, 382 . 343 . 349 . 349 . 350 . 354 . 355 . 357 360, 38), . 362 . 363 . 365 . 369 . 370 . 37o . 371 op its . 372 . 380 . 381 . 383 . 383 . 384 386, 387 . 383 LONDON AND COUNTY BANKING COMPANY, JtSTABLISHED IN 1836, A:SU INCX)RPOaATSD IN 1874 UNDER "THE COMPANIES ACT, 1862." SUBSCRIBED CAPITAL... £3,750,000, in 75,000 SHARES of £50 EACH. PATD-ITP CAPITAL 1,200,000 0 0\«,.qqo,, ^ INSTALMENT ON NEW SHARES 299.045 0 o / *- ^ '*^ "'" *^ "^ ■RESERVR FUND 550,000 0 0\ />f,oo v>5 10 INSTALMENT OF PREMIUM ON NEW SHARES... 149,522 10 0 J *''^^'»'*^'* ^" '0 T. TTRINfiHAM BEUNART), Esq, IiO»T. ALEX. BROOKS, Esq. THOMAS S'TOCK COWIE. Esq. rUEDERTCK FRANCIS, Esq. Joint General Managkes- CHIKF IN8PROTOR. W, J. NORFOLK, Esq. DIRE0T0R3. FREDERICK IL^.RRISON, Esq. J WILLT.\M NICOL, Esq. WM. CHAMPION JONES, Ksq. 1 A. HODGSON PHILLPOITS, Fnq. E. HA.RB011D LUSHINQTON, Esq. l WILLIAM HENRY STONE, Esq. .TAMES MORLElf, Esq. I JAMES DUNCAN THOMSON, Esq. "WILLIAM McKEWAN, Esq. and WHITBREAD TOMSONT, Esq. CHIEF ACCOUNTANT. SEORKTARY. JAMES GRAY, E^q. GEORGE GOUGH, Esq. HEAD OFFICE, 21, LOMBARD STREET. MA5AGBE— WHITBREA-D TOMSON, Esq. | Assistant Manager— WILLIAM HOWARD, Eaq. THE LONDON AND COUNTY BANK opeua— DRAWING ACCOUNTS with Commercial Houses and Private Individuals, upon the plan uaoaUy adopted by other Bantora. DKPOSIT ACCOUNTS.— Deposit Receipts are issued for gums of Money placed upon these Accounts, and Interest ia ai'iowm for such peri ds and at, siieh rates a^ ra.tv be aijreeil upon, reference being had to the state of the Money Market. CIRCUIxAR NOTES AND LETTERS OP CtifCDIT are issued, payable in the principal Cities and Towns of the Oori- tJnent., ip Australia, Cauada, India, and China, the United States, and elsewhere. The Agency of Foreign and Country Banks is undertaken. T1j6 Pdeceasb and Salb of Government and other Stocks, of English or Foreign Shares eflfected, and Dividbhdb, AirauiTiBB, &c , received for Cu.st<3mer8 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* pftoy has Branches. The Offlcera of the Bank are bound not to disclose the transactions of any of its Customers. By Order of the Directors, WM. MoKB WAN, ") Joint General WHITBREAD TOMSON, J ManHKers. IMPORTANT TO FLOCKMASTERS^ THOMAS BIGG, Agricultural & Veterinary Chemist, By Appointment to his late Royal Highneea The Prince Consort, K.G„ LEICESTER HOUSE. GREAT DOVER STREET, BOROUGH,- LONDON, BEGS to call the attention of Farmers and Graziers to bis' valnable SHEEP and LAMB IJIPPING COMPOSITION, which requires no Boiling, and Biay be used with Warm or Cold Water, for effectually •lestioyirig the Tick, Lice, and all other in.sects injurious to ttie Flock, preventing the alarmuig attacks of Fly and Shab, and cleansing and purifying the Skin, thereby greatly im- proving the Wool, both in quantity and quality, and highly Contributing to the general health of the animal. Prepared only by Thomaa Bigg, Chemist, &c., at hia Manu- fifcctory as above, and sold as loUows, although any other tjuRatity may be had, if required : — 1 lb. for 20 sheep, price, Jar included £0 2 0 6 lb. 30 „ „ „ 0 3 0 8 1b. 40 „ „ , 0 4 0 10 1b. 60 „ „ „ 0 6 0 20 lb. 100 „ „ (Cask and measure 0 10 0 801b. 150 „ „ included) 0 15 0 40 1b, 200 „ „ , 10 0 60 1b. 250 „ ., 13 6 601b. 300 „ „ „ 17 6 801b. 400 ,. „ „ 1 17 a 1001b. 600 „ „ „ 2 5 0 Should any Flockma.<*ter prefer btjUing the Composition, it wllJ be e^