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TtiE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



ground of under-drains may not be any way affected by 

 the non-eflSciency of the trunk or trunks; the stoppage 

 may not reach the height of the situation, nor be large to 

 inflict damage anywhere. But in many situations of 

 several fields of small drainage delivering the contents 

 into open cuts, rivulets, brooks, and even into rivers, 

 the least degree of insufficiency in the trunks of convey- 

 ance will rise into damage. Tn these places a small fault 

 may cause a large damage, and spread a wide devastation ; 

 in higher situations a large deficiency may do little hurt, 

 or none at all, by reason of the circumstances of the po- 

 sition. But in every case of high or low grounds, of flat 



or elevated positions ; the immediate receiving trunk of 

 the small drains must be in the top level of its water, 

 below the bottom of the ramifications, in order to convey 

 away freely the discharged contents. If the current 

 does not flow from the orifices in a purling stream, any 

 stagnation must not rise to cause a reflux into the small 

 drains. This is the chief accident to be prevented, and 

 it forms the main purpose of trunk drains. The atten- 

 tion paid to it is equal to the care of small drainage, and 

 it must precede any operation of the latter kind. The 

 object is twofold — the collected water is received and 

 carried away, and stagnations are removed. 



FORMATION OF AN AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION IN ESSEX. 



A meeting of the committee appointed on the 18th of 

 December to consider the best means of applying the £336 — 

 part of the surplus subscription for the Royal Agricultural 

 Society's Meeting in 1856 — to the advancement of the agricul- 

 ture of the county, was recently held at the Shire Hall, Chelms- 

 ford. C. Du Cane, Esq., M. P., presided; and there were pre- 

 sent— W. M. Tuffnell, Esq., Colonel Brise, W.F. Hobbs.Esq., 

 Mi. J. Clayden, E. Round, Esq., J. W, P. Watlington, Esq., 

 J. 0. Parker, Esq., J. S. Thompson, Esq. ; Messrs. Christy, 

 R. Baker, K. Viall, Burrell, Page, &c. 



The Chairman having read a letter from Sir John Tyrell, 

 in reply to an invitation to attend, and another from Mr. Gur- 

 don Rebow, expressing their approbation of the proposal to 

 establish a county society, said he thought it would be unneces- 

 sary for him to make any lengthened introductory remarks on 

 the object for whioh they were assembled, as they must be all 

 aware that in consequence of the liberal response made by the 

 county of Essex in aid of the great meeting of 1856, a surplus 

 fund of £540 remained. At a meeting of the general com- 

 mittee held on the 13th of December last, it was resolved, 

 after some discussion, " that the surplus funds, &c,, after ap- 

 plying £200 for the erection of a pedestal for the Sebastopol 

 gun, in the High Street of Chelmsford, be devoted for the ad- 

 vancement of agriculture, and that a committee be formed for 

 carrying it into effect." It was also resolved that a number of 

 gentlemen named should be a committee for carrying out that 

 object. As chairman of that committee, up to the commence- 

 ment of the present meeting, he had power to make additions to 

 it, and accordingly he had added the names of Mr. T. Kenible, 

 Mr. T. B. Western, Mr. Cornell, Mr. Mechi, and Mr. Perry 

 WatlUngton. Now they were assembled here again to day, to 

 discuss and decide upon the application of the surplus of £336 

 to agricultural purposes ; and if he for a moment thought 

 there was likely to be any difference of opinion as to the method 

 of applying it, he might be inclined to leave the suggestive part 

 of the business to others, and sit down ; but as he was in hopes 

 they would all be unanimous, and believing that all thair 

 thoughts ran in the same channel, he ventured to take the 

 initiative, and to state at once that he thought the possession of 

 this sum, contributed for an agricultural purpose, presented 

 them with an excellent opportunity for the institution of that 

 which was a desideratum in the county — an agricultural asso- 

 ciation (Hear.) Considering the size and importance of the 

 county, the high rank it held amongst the agricultural comties 

 of England, the great names to be found amongst its agricul 

 tural men, he might say renowned throughout Euglaad for 

 agricultural and practical skill, he thought an association of 

 this kind could not fail to be a great boon to the county at 

 large. Of course it would not be his province to enter into 

 the details of such an association. These would be matters 

 for serious consideration on subsequent occasions. But perhaps 

 he might state the kind of association he had in his mind's eje. 

 It was founded on the model of those he saw established and 

 working successfully in Suffolk and Norfolk, meeting once 

 a-year for the distribution of prizes for agricultural stock aud 

 implements, and such other branches of agriculture as might 

 be determined on by the committee. He also thought there 

 was another point which would be material— that was, that the 

 annual meetings should itinerate to the different towns in the 

 county, auch towns being selected as might be hereafter named 



by the committee. He was aware that objections might pos- 

 sibly be urged to the course he recommended them to adopt. 

 It might be urged that the experiment had been tried, and had 

 failed ; that not long since there was an agricultural society in 

 this neighbourhood, which, after dragging on a lingering 

 existence for a few years, died a natural death. But he would 

 say to those who adduced this argument that 14 years ago 

 and the present time were two very different periods in the 

 agriculture of the county. We had witnessed great changes — 

 great progress had been made ; and in nothing had this taken 

 place more than in the agriculture of the United Kingdom. 

 Therefore he would hope that an agricultural association, esta- 

 blished at the present period on the basis named, would meet 

 a very different fate from that of its predecessor, and would 

 probably enjoy a long and prosperous career of general utility 

 (cheers). There was, however, another objection of a more 

 serious character — that the establishment of one grand county 

 association might have the effect of checking the career and 

 cramping the means of the numerous Labourers' Friend Socie- 

 ties established throughout the county, and now pursuing so 

 useful a course. He should be losth to recommend a plau that 

 would in any way retard the career of those societies, convinced 

 as he was of the great practical good they effected amongst 

 the labouriog classes ; but he thought by confining themselves 

 in this great society to the branches of agriculture he had men- 

 tioned, aud steering clear of those branches of husbandry 

 which it was the province of the Labourers' Friend Societies to 

 foster and promote, they should indirectly, if not directly, con- 

 fer on them a great benefit; for the higher the perfection they 

 arrived at in agricultural implements, the greater would be the 

 demand for well-skilled labour, and^he more would be valued 

 that industry and sobriety amongst the labouring classes 

 w hich it was their object to promote (Hear). Such was an out- 

 line of the scheme he proposed to them, and he should be happy 

 to receive their suggestions, assured that at whatever end they 

 arrived, it would be creditable to themselves as a committee, 

 and conducive to the cause of agriculture in general (Hear). 

 Mr. J. Clayden (of Littlebury) said he came from a 

 distant part of the county, and having taken pains to 

 inquire the feeling upon the subject in his district, he 

 thought there was a prospect of fair and continued support 

 for an association of this kind, and if well formed it would 

 certainly be likely to succeed. They had had in their dis- 

 trict a good society, which was certainly defunct, but its 

 machinery still remained, to promote the object of an 

 association of this kind. Much, however, would depend on 

 the support of the landed proprietors ; and he wonld sug- 

 gest that they issue a few circulars, canvass the different 

 districts of the county, and adjourn to March, when it 

 should be seen what support they were likely to receive ; 

 for they would require a tolerably good sura, £500 or £G00 

 a-year he should say, to support an association of this kind. 

 If the proposition met the support of the landowners, the 

 farmers, he believed, would respond to it heartily, and he 

 earnestly wished to see it carried out. Perhaps i'lsse.K was 

 not so much a breeding county as some others ; but with fat 

 and store stock united he thought they might have a good 

 show, and a good society ; he 'should say, let it not be too 

 circumscribed ( Hear). He moved " That the surplus fund 

 of £336, arising from the subscriptions to the meeting of 



