THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



157 



ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND 



At a Weekly Council, Lord Walsingham, President, 

 in the Chair. Present : Earl of Powis, Lord Bridport, 

 the Hon. Col. Hood, the Hon. A. Vernon, Mr. Ray- 

 mond Barker, Mr. Denman, Mr. Frere, Mr. Brandreth 

 Gibbs, Mr. Maddison, Mr. Slaney, M.P., Prof. Si- 

 monds. Prof. Spooner, Mr. H. Wilson, and Prof. 

 Wilson— 



The names of Candidates for admission were read. 



The following correspondence relative to Dates and 

 Carob Beans as articles of cattle food was read : — 



"Office of Committee of Privy Coancil for Trade, Whitehall, 

 23rd June, i860. 

 " Sir, — i am directed by the Lords of the Cotamittee of 

 Privy Council for Trade to transmit to you, to be laid before 

 the Committee of the Royal Afrricultural Society of the United 

 Kinf!;dom, the enclosed iuformatioa which has been received 

 through the Foreign Department from her Majesty's Consuls- 

 General at Tangier, Tunis, and Tripoli, in reply to some 

 inquiries emanating from Professor Liudley relative to the 

 price, quality, and quantity of Dates procurable in those coun- 

 tries suitable for the purpose of feeding cattle. — I am, sir 

 your obedient servant, "J. Ejierson Texnent. 



"The Secretary of the Royal Agricultural Society of the 

 United Kingdom." 



TUNIS, 



" The mobt inferior quality of Dates used for cattle food is 

 produced at Gabres (on the eastern coast of this Regency), and 

 may be obtained at from £4 ISs. to £5 per ton free onboard. 

 Tne quantity to be obtained of course depends upon the crop. 

 The above qualtity is also used for human food, and there is 

 besides another inferior quality produced at Nyfyanah (in the 

 interior of the Regency), but the charges of transport are 

 much heavier than its first cost. The quantity produced can- 

 not be given. Prices would probably rise much in the face 

 of a large demand. It is impossible to form any idea to what 

 extent, but it is most certain it will rise iu proportion to the 

 demand. The rate of freight to England at from 25s. to 30s. 

 per ton." 



TRIPOLI. 



" The common price of Dates of inferior quality fit for cattle- 

 food varies from £3 to £3 lOs. per ton of 2,2401bs., but when in 

 demand at Malta, as is often the case, prices increase in ratio to 

 thec3usumption, and frequently reach to £5 and £7, to which 

 must be added 16 per cent, for export duty and all other ex- 

 penses free on board. In good crops the exportation is calcu- 

 culated from 10 to 15 vessels of 80 tons burthen, at a small 

 reduction from the above, the quality being the same. Prices 

 would ris'i in face of and in proportion to the demand. There 

 beiu< no direct trade with England it would be impoasible to 

 state the freight; but from 12a. to ISs. per ton for Malta. 

 With the exception of Barley and Carobs, the country pro- 

 duces no ottier cattle food for exportation on a large 8cale. 

 The prices of Barley are regulated by the markets of Europe ; a 

 few cargoes of Carobs have been sold this year for exportation 

 at the rate of £1 8a. and £1 lOa. per ton, expenses not 

 included." 



TANGIER. 



Tangier is not a port where dates are sent for exportation 

 in any laige quantities, as the date tree does not grow in the 

 Northern Province of Morocco. Though I believe at Zsafilitt, 

 and other parts of the interior of this country, dates could be 

 obtained iu large quantities and at a low price, yet I fear that 

 the cost of transport would be so great that the price of that 

 fruit would be found too high by British agriculturists for the 

 purpose of feeding cattle." 



A conversation ensued respecting the value of the 

 date to feeders of stock, in which the probability of the 



Cai'ob bean being the El Charob, translated " husks " 

 of the parable of the " Prodigal Son," was advanced. 



Mr. Frere e.xhibited specimens of the yellow and 

 blue lupines, with which he was making an experiment 

 on some light blowing sandy land resting on a subsoil 

 of chalk, and reported that whether from the wetness 

 of the season or from some other cause, the crop so 

 far did not exhibit a promising aspect. He observed 

 if this crop had really suffered from excess of wet it 

 was the only agricultural plant within his knowledge 

 that on such land could suffer from rainfall. 



A Monthly Council was held on the 4th July, 

 Lord Walsingham , President, in the chair. Present: 

 the Earl of Powis, Lord Portman, Lord Tredegar, Sir 

 E. Hulse, Bart., the Hon, Col. Hood, the Hon. W. G. 

 Cavendish, M.P., Mr. T. Raymond Barker, Mr. Bram- 

 ston, M.P., Mr. Brandreth, Col. Challoner, Mr. Foley, 

 M.P., Mr. Frere, Mr. Fisher Hobbs, Mr. Humberstone, 

 M.P., Mr. Milward, Mr. Torr, and Mr. Wightwlck, 

 Mayor of Canterbury. 



The following new members were elected :— 



Earl of Winchilsea, Eastwell Park, Ash ford 



Earl Grosvenor, M.P., 25, Princes Gate 



Sir John Montague Burgojne, Bart., Sutton, Potton, Beds. 



Edward C. Tompson, Dromenagh, Iver, Bucks 



Gerard Barton, Fundenhall, Norfolk 



Charles Frederick Clements, Hasmond's Lodge, East Hoathly 



Douglas Brown, 15, Hertford-street, May Fair, London 



William Robinson, Heatley, Lymm, Cheshire 



E. H. Lyon Winder, Valnor Park, Berriew, Shrewsbury 



Sir Walter Charles James, Bart., Betteshanger, Sandwich 



Mrs. Cadogan, Brenkburn Priory, Alorpeth 



Philip Halse, Holland, South Moltou 



Joseph Ruston, Lincoln 



Major Deedes, Hillhurst Farm, Hylhe 



Thomas Phillpotts, Risca, Newport, Monmouthshire 



Mark Taylor, Cleeve, Goring, Readine: 



Lieut.-Colonel T. Arthur, Misterton Hall, Lutterworth 



Thomas Kibble, Greeu Trees, Tunbridge 



Michael Lewis Brown, Cliff Ville, Stoke-on-Trent 



Thomas Bostock, 9, Hill Farm, Burslem. 



Thomas Wood, Littleton, Chertaey, 



The names of Candidates for election were then read. 



Finances. — The Hon. Colonel Nelson Hood 

 presented the report of the Finance Committee, from 

 which it appeared that the current cash balance in the 

 hands of the bankers on June 30th was i,'3,647 6s. lOd. 

 The Secretary's receipts had been duly examined by 

 Messrs. Quilter, Ball, & Co., and were found correct. 

 Messrs. Hammond & Co., of Canterbury, had consented 

 to act as bankers to the Society during the period of the 

 forthcoming show. 



Veterinary. — Mr. Thomas Raymond Barker, V. P., 



presented the report of the Veterinary Committee : — 



The Committee report that they consider the arrangement 

 for the visits of the Veterinary Inspector to be capable of 

 material improvement, as the members generally do not avail 



