THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



359 



possible, alternately in all the four provinces of the country, 

 at one of which we are assembled here to-day. The second 

 was connection with and assistance to be given to local socie- 

 ties ; and the third was the issue of such publications as would 

 prove conducive to the diffusion of agricultural knowledge. 

 With respect to the first of these objects, I shall not take up 

 your time by dwelling at any length upon the value of those 

 annual shows. Irrespective and apart from the knowledge 

 given to, and the bringing together of all classes of society in 

 friendly intercourse — of briugiug together people of all conceiv- 

 able shades of opiuion, who here for the moment forget their 

 differences in the pursuit of a common advantage upon which 

 all are bent ; and iudependently of such advantage, I think no 

 one can go through such a sccue as I have witnessed this day 

 without feeling the great advantage it presents to the agri- 

 cultural districts in which it is held. The farmer of the 

 county of Cork has here brought almost to his own door, 

 for inspection, the best specimens of all the most im- 

 proved breeds of stock, and he has the opportunity of seeing 

 practically tested the best specimens of improved agricultural 

 instruments. He has also an opportunity of meeting and 

 holding personal intercourse with agriculturists from all parts 

 of the kingdom, of the largest experience and highest skill ; 

 and I think it is not, therefore, too much to imagine that a 

 man of inquiring mind, who comes to those shows for infor- 

 mation, cannot fail of carrying away with him the solution, 

 probably, of some difficulty which has previously perplexed 

 him, and, certainly, many an idea to be worked out and de- 

 veloped by him, conducing to his own benefit, and probably, 

 by his example, to that of his surrounding neighbours. With 

 respect to the show of this day, gentlemen, I think we may 

 consider it as a great success. Murmurs— very slight mur- 

 murs, it is true — I have heard, but then we know that the far- 

 mer has a prescriptive right to grumble ; and in this instance 

 the shorthorns, the great objects of our veneration, have been 

 supposed to be in some degree slighted, not in quality, but in 

 numbers. But, however that may be, there is no doubt that 

 on the article of sheep, this show has been most excellent, 

 and that this country has nobly sustained its pre-eminence, 

 so much so that we find — which is certainly a great triumph 

 — that the prize sheep at Canterbury has been beaten by the 

 home-grown animal. With respect to the implements, all I 

 have got to say is, that I believe this show has been hardly 

 ever equalled, certainly never surpassed, by any of those that 

 have been registered on the annals of this society. I come 

 now to the second object of this society, the connection with 

 and giving assistance to local societies. It is perfectly ob- 

 vious that those local societies, when well managed, must be 

 of the greatest use in the districts where they may be located, 

 and, as branches from the parent stem, are well calculated for 

 the spread of agricultural knowledge through the more 

 remote parts of the kingdom. With regard to the 

 third object, I have only to express my regret that we have 

 failed in carrying it out ; but this failure has not proceeded 

 from want of will on the part of the society, but, I regret to 

 say, from want of funds ; and I still look forward to the time 

 when we may become more wealthy, and be enabled to issue 

 such publications as those which reflect so much credit on the 

 sister-societies of England and Scotland. But, within the 

 last two years, a fourth object has been added to those which 

 I have already enumerated. I allude to the encouragement 

 which we have already afforded to the improvement of la- 

 bourers' dwellings in Ireland. This is a subject of the very 

 utmost importance. I think it is a point on which we are 

 deficient, and one which merits our most serious attention. I 

 trust that an active response will be given by the country to 

 this movement on the part of our society, and more especially 

 at^ this moment ; for it may lessen in some degree that spirit 

 of emigration which seems rapidly reviving. Atone time we 

 looked complacently on emigration, when we thought it was 

 an outlet for a redundant population ; but better times have 

 now come upon us, and we begin to be alarmed, and justly 

 80, for we cannot but feel that something is wrong somewhere, 

 when, to use a hackneyed, but not less expressive phrase, we see 

 the bone and the sinew, the true capital of the country, when 

 justly employed, flying away from us. Now, I cannot but think 

 that if the alternative of a well-founded and remunerative 

 labour could be teudered to those about to leave, many a 

 stroug arm and enterprising spirit — and depend upon it these 

 «ure the materials that are going from us— I say many of those 



might be content to remain and give their labour to their own 

 country instead of carrying it to a foreign land. Without 

 meaning the slightest disparagement to those who had already 

 competed for our prizes, to whom on the contrary I think the 

 greatest credit is due for leading the van of what I hope to see 

 a great national improvement, yet I am bound to state my 

 conviction that our object will not be gained by a few cottages 

 erected here and there of beautiful architectural design and 

 construction, and highly ornamental no doubt, but far too ex- 

 pensive to be adopted as an example. The problem to be 

 solved is how to obtain the largest possible accommodation, 

 with the smallest possible expense ; and I think the Com- 

 mittees that have been appointed Tor adjudicating the prizes 

 have done wisely when they recommended that in future mo- 

 deration in expense should be a great criterion in the exami- 

 nation of plans—not that I wish to put this great scheme of 

 improvement before you in the light of a great commercial 

 speculation, by which I mean a speculation which will pay a 

 large interest for the money laid out. I do not believe that 

 the rent the labourer could afford to pay will ever amount to a 

 large interest upon the money expended on his cottage, go 

 about it as economically as you please ; but I hope we should 

 find no small return in the satisfactory feeling that we have 

 endeavoured to raise the social position of a large number of 

 our people, and also in the hope that that social position being 

 so raised, and habits of self-respect and independence engen- 

 dered, the labourer would apply himself to the improvement 

 of his skill, in which as a general rule ne is now deficient, and 

 would forego his prejudices in favour of his old and cumbrous 

 tools, begin to appreciate the advantages of more improved 

 ones, and thereby give a better return of labour to his em- 

 ployer than he has of late been able to accomplish. In the 

 county in which I reside I firmly believe that half the intrinsic 

 value of a cottage would be made if it could be erected, I will 

 not say to the memory, but to the oblivion of the present ter- 

 rible long-handled spade and unwieldy crowbar, which I should 

 like to see buried deep in its foundations. There is also at- 

 tached to this society a chemical department. I am not going 

 to lead you into any chemical dissertation, but I must remark 

 that when we remember the money wasted in spurious ma- 

 nures, when we remember the money that might have been 

 saved by knowing the proper analysis of the soil we were about 

 to till, I need not go any farther in explaining to you the use- 

 fulness of this department ; and when I add that it has been 

 confided to the care of Dr. Apjohn, I think that is quite sufli- 

 cient. I have laid before you the objects of this society, and 

 I ask for it your cordial support. Time was when we looked 

 lightly upon agricultural pursuits : time was when wise and 

 practical men despised such a pursuit ; in fact, they considered 

 it rather in the light of an operation calculated to relieve a too 

 full purse of its plethora ; they looked upon it as an amusing 

 pastime only fitted for that class which was described by a wit 

 of by-gone days as " having nothing to do, and plenty of 

 money to do it with." But those times are gone by : within 

 the last few years rapid strides have been made in agricultural 

 science ; chemistry and manufacturing powers have been 

 brought into action, and the cost of production has been very 

 much diminished. He, therefore, who would not be last in the 

 agricultural race, must be contented to regard agriculture as 

 an advanced art, and be governed by its laws ; and he must 

 learn the use of those many novel designs which mechanical 

 ingenuity has supplied us with. I ask then for support for a 

 society devoted to the diffusion of agricultural science ; I ask 

 it because I believe the objects of this society are just, practi- 

 cal, and useful ; I ask it because unless some support is given, 

 a society of this kind must be defective ; but give it the ear- 

 nest and cordial support of all classes, and I believe there are 

 materials within it, in the energy and intelligence of its council 

 and officers— materials to enable it to cauy out its great mis- 

 sion, and that mission, gentlemen, I believe, if fully carried 

 out, to be most conducive to what we all have most at heart 



the welfare and prosperity of our country. 



Lord Talbot de Mal.\hide responded for the Royal Dub- 

 lin Society, which, he said, was one with which he was proud to 

 be connected ; for of all the societies that had been promoted in 

 Europe, he believed it was the most ancient for the purpose of 

 advancing agriculture, combined with that of the industrial 

 pursuits and fine arts. It might be thought at present that 

 this was too wide and extensive a programme to carry out ; 

 but the Royal Dublia Society had done much to carry out all 



