156 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZLVE. 



ject of the Society ia rather to extend the knowledge of agri- 

 cultural progress than to bring money into its own exchequer, 

 their visit to Canterbury will have well answered their pur- 

 pose, because it must certainly be the means of introducing 

 among our agriculturists mauy important improvements. I 

 wish I could speak in terms of even qualified approbation about 

 the number of visitors to the showyard ; but I must say, that 

 the attendance both yesterday and to-day was not of the kind 

 to give one an impression that much interest was taken in the 

 meeting by the mass of the people in East Kent. At the 

 same time, let me observe that we are essentially a corn- 

 producing county, and have comparatively little interest in the 

 different breeds of cattle. But there is an idea abroad that the 

 principal object at these shows is the cattle ; and this perhaps 

 may have acted as a check on the number of visitors. We 

 feel the greatest interest in the implements ; and had 

 it been generally known what a splendid collection of these 

 might be seen at the yard, I think probably the attendance 

 would have been much larger. 



Mr. Nevihe Grenville said, if he had, like the noble 

 lord, carried off a prize for five Southdown ewes, he should 

 have felt no difficulty in addressing them ; but under the 

 present circumstances he should be content with simply' 

 calling upon them to drink to the health of the stewards 

 and judges of the show. (Applause.) The Earl of Win- 

 chilsea had spoken most disparagingly of the horses. Novv,he 

 observed very prominently displayed in the Hall the Kentish 

 horse— or rather, from the gender of the motto, " Invicta," 

 it ought to be a grey mare (laughter) ; and he had no doubt 

 that in the course of a little time the breed of horses would 

 considerably improve. (Hear.) There had been a good 

 deal said about the steam plough, but he could not htlp 

 recollecting the nice light sandy soil which the Suffolk 

 plough-horses got over so well, whereas he and some of his 

 friends round the table could tell them curious " chronicles 

 of a clay farm." (Laughter.) He was sure that the stewards 

 and judges had had very arduous labours to perform, and 

 they well deserved the thanks of the company. 



Mr. MiLWARD briefly returned thanks. Not a single 

 beast had been missed in going round the stands. With 

 respect to the horses, the show was usually a bad one, but 

 this year the worst he had ever seen. Many of the hand- 

 somest horses had been pronounced by the veterinary surgeon 

 unsound. 



The Marquis of Conyngham proposed, as the last 

 toast, the health of Earl Powis, the president-elect. 



P^arl Powis said : I hope and believe that you will not 

 suffer all your interest in the Society to cease with the pre- 

 sent proceeding ; on the contrary, I look forward to seeing 

 some of you at least next year at Leeds. We shall not, 

 indeed, be able to attract you by offering any prizes for 

 Romney Marsh sheep or Golding hops ; and yet, I think 

 in spite of this, we may fairly say that the Leeds show will 

 present peculiar attractions for you. Your local committee 

 has this year given special prizes for the best fleeces of 

 wool. Let me ask you, that being the great staple branch 

 of agriculture in tiiis county, to visit the locality where 

 your principal customers reside — to come to the great 

 woollen manufactories at Leeds and Bradford, and other 

 neighbouring counties. I venture to say you will find the visit 

 both amusing and instructive ; and that the most busy man 

 here, the most strict man of business, will not have wasted 

 the time which he devotes to visiting the great market which 

 gives a value to your produce. 



THE GENERAL MEETING 



Was held on Thursday morning at the Town Hall, when 

 Lord Walsingham took the chair. There were also present 

 Lord Powis, Lord Berners, Lord Leigh, the Hon. Colonel 

 Hood, the Mayor of Canterbury, Messrs. Neville Grenville, 

 T. Pain, C. Harnett, R. Milward, W. Fisher Hobbs, E. 

 Pope, James Howard, J. Shuttleworth, J. Clayton, B. T. B. 

 Gibbs, Munn, W. Murton, G. P. Tuxford, H. Corbet, Lee, 

 Wilson, Voelcker (the chemist of the Society), Frere (the 

 editor of the Journal of the Society), and H. Hall Dare (the 

 secretary of the Society). 



On the motion of Lord Powis, seconded by Colonel Hood, 

 a vote of thanks was passed to the Mayor and Corporation 

 of Canterbury for the reception given to the Society, and 

 which the Mayor acknowledged. 



On the motion of Mr. Barnett, seconded by Mr. Milward, 

 a vote of thanks was passed to the different railway com- 

 panies for the facilities they had afforded. 



And on the motion of Mr. Fisher Hobbs, seconded by 

 Mr. Brandreth Gibbs, a similar compliment was paid to the 

 Local Committee. 



The Chairman then rose to present a Testimonial on 

 the part of the Society to Mr. Brandreth Gibbs. This con- 

 sisted of a handsomely-bound portfolio, having the gold 

 medal of the Society inlaid on the cover, and bearing the 

 following inscription : 



" The Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of Eng- 

 land on tbe 1st February, 1860, unanimously passed 

 a vote of thanks to B. T. Brandreth Gibbs, Esq., for 

 his valuable services to the Society as Honorary 

 Secretary, and also as Honorary Director at the An- 

 nual Country Meetings. 



" Walsingham, President." 



In presenting this. Lord Walsingham stated that Mr. 

 Gibbs had been unwilling to receive anything of much pe- 

 cuniary value, and the .Council consequently determined on 

 offering the highest honour they could bestow — the award 

 of the gold medal of the Society. This testimonial was 

 offered to Mr. Gibbs not merely as a memento of his tem- 

 porary services at a time of great need, when he acted as 

 honorary secretary of the Society, but also for the con- 

 tinued assistance they received from him as Director of the 

 Annual Show. 



Mr. Gibbs becomingly responded, and in doing so dwelt 

 especially on the many agreeable associations to which his 

 office as conductor of the Show had conduced. 



In reply to an enquiry from the Chairman as to whether 

 any member of the Society had any suggestions to offer, 



Mr. Neville Grenville gave notice of a proposition 

 for holding the Summer halt-yearly meeting of the Society 

 on the Wednesday in the Show Week. 



Major Munn then proceeded to comment on the general 

 character of the meeting, and to express his opinion as 

 to the success of the Show, the railway accommodation, 

 and the too bigoted notions entertained as to Kentish 

 ploughs and Kentish sheep. But he more especially 

 referred to the line of conduct recently adopted by the 

 great implement makers in declining to exhibit at the 

 meeting. This might be taken as something of an 

 insult to the county itself; but he could tell these gentle- 

 men, however great they might be, that they could not 

 dictate to the Society or their customers; Jind as they 

 had chosen to withdraw, the public would prefer having the 

 Society's introduction, and give their orders elsewhere. 

 He knew numbers of Kent men who had already determined 

 to do so. Still, although these large firms did not exhibit, 

 they had been sending round circulars to say they 

 themselves should come to the Meeting ; and he was told 

 their agents were doing what business they could. But he 

 thought farmers would not be inclined to submit to this kind 

 of dictation, and that the trade would go into other chau- 

 nels. 



Major Muon's observations were not taken up by any of 

 the implement makers present ; and the proceedings termi- 

 nated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman. 



