THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



J. G. King, C. J. Morton, T. Scott, C. Howard (Beds), T. 

 Twitchell, E. H. Bentall, C. J. Brickwell. G. H. Ramsay, 

 R. de Trehon.iais, \V. Cheffias, J. Wells (Yorkshire), G. S. 

 Harrison, S. Skelton, G. Hammond, W. Eve, J, Parkinson, 

 &c., &c. 



The subject for discussion, entrusted to Mr. J. C. Nesbit 

 to inttodnce, was put on the card in the following terms : " The 

 Mechanical and Chemical Principles which should properly re- 

 gulate the Practice of Drainage." 



On the table, in front of the Chairman, were placed a 

 service of silver plate and a microscope, purchased by the 

 promoters of the fund raised for the purpose of presenting a 

 testimonial to Mr. Nesbit, for the services which he has ren- 

 dered to the cause of agriculture. The service of plate — 

 which whether for beauty of design or excellence of workman- 

 ship has not often been excelled by testimonials of a similar 

 character — consisted of the following : A tea and coffee service, 

 a very large salver, two smaller salvers, a cake-banket, an egg- 

 frame, a butter-cooler, four tankards, a mahogany case contain- 

 ing twelve pairs of silver and dessert knives and forks with 

 carved pearl handles, and about a hundred spoons and forks. 

 The whole was supplied by Mr. Durraot, of No. 40, Cheapside. 

 On the princip»l salver is engraved the following inscription, 

 explanatory of the object of tlie presentation : — 



" Presented, together with a Service of Plate 



and a Microscope, 



to 



Mr. J. C. Nesbit, F. C. S., &c.,&c., 



Principal of the Agricultural and Chemical College, 



Kenninglon, 



By Members of the Central Farmers' Club, and others 



interested in the Cultivation of the Soil, 



In appreciation of the valuable services rendered 



by him to the Cause of Agriculture. 



December 7th, 1857." 



It may be added that the microscope, by Ross, was an ad- 

 mirable specimen of that species of instrument, and powerful 

 enough to admit of the reading of the sixty-thousandth part 

 of an inch. 



The Chairman in opening the proceedings said — Gentle- 

 men, before we go to the discussion of the evening. I have a very 

 a^reeible and pleasing duty to perform on your behalf, namely, 

 that of presenting to Mr. Nesbit the handsome testimonial 

 which you see on the table, as a mark of our appreciation of 

 the services rendered by him to the agricultural community of 

 this country (cheers). Mr. Nesbit has, as you are aware, on 

 several occasions introduced discussions in this room, of a most 

 valuable and instructive character ; and whenever he has been 

 amongst us he has answered any questions which may have 

 been put to him, relative to agricultural subjects, most unre- 

 servedly and kindly (renewed cheers). Neither have his ser- 

 vices been confined to the members of this club. I believe 

 there is scarcely an agricultural club of any importance in the 

 country, which has not availed itself of the same source of in- 

 formation, and all have, no doubt, profited by the instruction 

 afforded to them. At the close of the last discussion which 

 was introduced heie by Mr. Nesbit — it was, I think, in April 

 last year — it occurred to several members of the club that the 

 time had come when the acknowledgment of the services thus 

 renbered should assume some more substantial form than the 

 customary and matter-of-course one of a vote of thanks. It 

 was suggested that a subscription should be set on foot, with 

 the view of purchasing a suitable testimonial ; and this sug- 

 gestion was immediately acted upon (cheers). Although the 

 design originated with members of this club, it was hoped that 

 the subscription would not be confined to them, and I am 

 happy to say that that hope has not been disappointed (Hear, 

 hear). The very handsome sum of £280 has been collected 

 throughout the country on account of the Testimonial Fund. Of 

 this sum I believe about £12 has been disbursed in defraying un- 

 avoidable expenses: the remainder has been expended in pur- 

 chasing the very handsome and useful service of plate, and the 

 very beautiful and powerful microscope, which are now on the 

 table. This testimonial appears to me the more gratifying be- 

 cause it is an additional proof to the many which we have 

 happily seen in the present age, that Science is no longer looked 

 upon with doubt and distrust (Hear, hear), but is generally 

 recognized as the haudraai;! of Practice, and its safest and surest 

 guide. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, I will not take up any more of 

 your time, knowing that many of you are anxious to visit Baker- 

 itreet in the course of this evening, and knowing, too, that 



you fire all desirous of hearing the remarks which Mr. Nesbit 

 has to make in introducing the approaching discussion. I will 

 now, with your permission, therefore, in the name and on be- 

 half of the numerous subscribers to this handsome testimo- 

 nial, request Mr. Nesbit's acceptance of it, as a mark of our good 

 will and grateful feelings towards him ; only adding the ex- 

 pression of a sincere hope that he may be enabled to enjoy 

 what is now presented to him, and that his life may long be 

 spared, not only for the sake of his family and friends, but 

 also that he may continue to labour iu the great field of science 

 (loud cheers). 



Mr. Nesbit, who on rising was very cordially received, 

 spoke as follows : Mr. Chairman and gentleman, I assure 

 you it is with very considerable difficulty that I can even at- 

 tempt to tell you how deeply I appreciate the kind and muni- 

 ficent present which you have bestowed upon me this evening. 

 I accept it as a sign that the farmers of this country no longer 

 think that science can be of no assistance to them, but are 

 disposed to take science as an aid by which the art of agri- 

 culture may be improved (Hear, hear;. Although, as a mark 

 of personal respect for myself, I receive this testimonial with 

 as strong a feeling of gratification as any man could possibly 

 entertain under similar circumstances, and although I cherish 

 a feeling of deep gratitude to those friends who have come 

 forward to express their opinion as to the humble services 

 which I have rendered to the cause of agriculture, I yet assign 

 to this testimonial a much higher meaning than that ; 1 regard 

 it as a testimonial from the agricultural public to the scien- 

 tific body. I view it not merely as an acknowledgment of ser- 

 vices which I myself may have rendered, but also as a recog- 

 nition on the part of agriculturists generally of the services of 

 all who have been endeavouring to apply science to the ad- 

 vancement of agriculture (cheers). It is, therefore, gentlemen, 

 not in my own name alone that I return thanks for the beau- 

 tiful testimonial which you have presented to me, I return 

 thanks in the name of all who have been fellow-workers with 

 myself, of whom there are many both in England and abroad. 

 I return thanks, I say, in their name as well as my own, for 

 this testimony from the art of agriculture to the practice of 

 science (cheers). I would only say in conclusion that I feel 

 deeply indebted to all the subscribers for the very handsome 

 testimonial which has just been presented to me, which I 

 trust will cause me to redouble my efforts for the advancement 

 of aericulture (much cheering). 



The Chairman said they would now proceed to the discus- 

 sion of the evening. He was quite sure they would all be as much 

 edified by Mr. >'esbit'8 remarks on that occasion as they had 

 been by his previous efforts ; and, without tak ng up any more 

 time, he would now call upon that gentleman to open the dis- 

 cussion. 



Mr. Nesbit then rose and said : Mr. Chairman and 

 Gentlemen, — 1 really feel that I am placed in a position 

 of some difficulty this evening. There are so many prac- 

 tical drainers around me, who have been working in the 

 soil with deep drains and shallow drains, and every variety 

 of drains, that I cannot help feeling that one who does not 

 even profess to be a practical drainer,mightby some be fairly- 

 considered to be presumptuous in appearing before such an 

 assembly. We have had many excellent lectures on this 

 subject, including the philosophical lectures of Mr. Parkes 

 and the able disquisitions of Mr. Bai'.ey Denton. _ We have 

 our deep drainers and we have our shallow drainers, Mr. 

 Bailey Denton representing the one on this occasion, and 

 Mr. Bullock Webster the other ; and I must declare at 

 once that I do not belong to either class. I come before 

 you to-night, not to advocate deep draining or shallow 

 draining, but to endeavour to deduce from the nature of the 

 soil itself the laws which ought to govern the art of drain- 

 ing in different localities. Beyond that I do not presume to 

 go. I shall lay down certain principles, and leave those 

 who have the practical management of drainage operations, 

 so far as they may find these principles consistent with fact, 

 to modify their practice by them. Now, in the first 

 place, setting aside the different modes of carrying on 

 .drainage, let us look for a moment at the difference between 

 a drained and an undrained soil. Let me remark, at the 

 outset, that I have no wish to ignore what has been done by- 

 others in relation to this subject ; but I feel that, in a 

 lecture like that which I have undertaken to give, I ought 

 to begin, as it were, with first principles, and not to take 

 everything for granted. I am perfectly well aware that 



