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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



aud on these the ladies had to centre their affections. 

 There was neither fruit uor flowers nor poultry nor 

 music to entertain them ; and, fortunately for them- 

 selves, they were not suffered to sit down to the dinner. 

 But all this may be amended by another year, and there 

 is nothing in the proceedings of the Bedfordshire So- 

 ciety requires amending so much. Let the toast-list be 

 cut down to one-half ; let something like due attendance 

 be secured, and another as efficient a President as Mr. 



Hastings Russell be elected. And then, as the crowning 

 point in this advancement, let the ladies not be " per- 

 mitted" merely, but be specially " invited" to attend, 

 as they are at the Sparkenhoe Club, at Burton-on-Trent, 

 and everywhere, in fact, where civilization is really ex- 

 erting its proper influence. In such a presence slow 

 speakers brighten up or sit down, while a half-glance or 

 a whispered cheer has warmed up many a faint heart into 

 glow of eloquence. 



NORTH WALSHAM AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The annual meeting of this society on Wednesday, Oct.3, was 

 scarcely ao successful es the corresponding gathering last year, 

 the uufavourable season having thrown something of a damp 

 over the agricultural mind, while many farmers were absent 

 in couaeguence of their being bent on making an effort to secure 

 during an interval of fine weather their long exposed and 

 sadly deteriorated barley. The show of stock was small, tak- 

 ing into account the rich resources of the district, which is 

 one of the most fertile and kindly spots in Norfolk ; in fact, 

 in several of the sheep and pig classes there were no entries. 

 There were a tolerable number of agricultural horses on the 

 ground, the Cart Mares class being well represented. Mr. W. 

 Cubitt had a handsome cart stallion eight years old, stated to 

 be constantly worked oa his farm at Bacton Abbey. Lord 

 Suffield, who has been something more than a nominal president 

 of the society, and who is accounted a pretty good authority 

 in horseflesh, gave a prize of £5 to encourage the exhibition 

 of hackneys for riding and harness purposes ; and this pre- 

 mium was taken off by a five-year-old shown by Mr. W. L. 

 Jex Blake, and bred by that gentleman, Mr. Blake's horse 

 had fine action, and appeared to have some good blood in him. 

 He was much admired, and as he succeeded in beating a three- 

 year-old bred by Lord Suffield, Mr. Blake expressed himself 

 at the dinner in terms of high glee at the result. In cattle, 

 the horned cows were a pleasing and attractive class, especially 

 a Devon shown by Mr. R. Wortley ; a Shorthorn by Mr. J. 

 A. Storey ; and a white cow, bred by Mr. H. K. Thompson, 

 by Omar Pasha, dam Termagant, by Ruby. The "gems" of 

 the cattle classes were, however, two fat steers, bred by Mr. 

 Beare, one of the oldest and most respected member's of the 

 society. These steers were of the polled breed crossed with 

 the Shorthorn, and aa North Walsham lies near the sea, the 

 strong saline air could be readily discerned in the yard on 

 Wednesday. It is contended by some that it is desirable, in 

 order to secure a hardy breed adapted to the climate, not to 

 neglect the Norfolk Polled element. Mr, Beare's steers took 

 prizes almost as a matter of course, for nothing else shown in 

 the yard came near them for breadth, depth, general symmetry, 

 and condition : aud a wish was expressed at the dinner, 

 although it did not transpire with what result, tha'they should 

 he shown at the approaching exhibition in Baker-street. As re- 

 gards sheep, there were only a few hoggets on the ground ; 

 and in pigs there was nothing remarkable. Considering the 

 extraordinary character of the season, the roots were good. 



some of the swedes and white turnips being of extraordinary 

 size. Lord Suffield took the prize for wheat, but his sample 

 was cold and rather indifferent ; indeed, the Noble Lord hand- 

 somely intimated hia intention of returning the prize under 

 the circumstances. 



The dinner at the King's Arms was thinly attended, and 

 the speaking had little reference to agricultural topics, not- 

 withstanding a well-meant attempt on the part of Mr. Beare 

 to get up a few speeches on such subject?. The "great gun" 

 of the evening was Lord Wodehouse, Under-Secretary for 

 Foreign Affairs, who talked hopefully about the Continental 

 situation, the volunteers, the past session, bis admiration of 

 reaping machines, and the progress of agriculture — dealing, 

 however, in generalities. Colonel Coke, the Whig member for 

 the county, made three speeches on the volunteers, his brother 

 the Lord-Lieutensnt, and his legislative position. Mr. Howes, 

 the conservative member, was great on the Italian crisis, and 

 eloquent in his aspirations that the love of agriculture might 

 never wax cold in the British heart. And the Rev. P. Gur- 

 don spoke at least half a column, beginning with the Holk- 

 ham sheep ahearings, and ending with the recent visit of 

 Prince Napoleon to Norfolk. Mr. Beare in his " practical" 

 remarks enforced the importance of Norfolk farmers breeding 

 to a greater extent their own stock. He had been told, he said, that 

 Norfolk was not a breeding county ; but there were few farmers 

 who did not keep some cows, and he would ask them whether 

 it would not be better not to sacrifice calves when they were 

 two months old, but to rear them upon their farms instead of 

 going to market for every head of cattle they wanted ? He 

 considered also that hundreds of cattle bought off Norwich 

 Hill, and brought into the neighbourhood, were sent away 

 carrying 20 stone of beef less than they ought to carry, a loss 

 both to the farmers concerned and the community at large. 

 Hundreds of cattle also became victims to diseases from mis- 

 management ; cattle as soon as bought were put into loose 

 boxes, and forced, ao that they might as soon as possible give 

 place to another lot ; the consequence was that they were 

 strained beyond what they were able to bear, became diseased, 

 and died. If people would pay greater attention at the be- 

 ginning of feeding, there would not be so many losses ; " for 

 everything," said the speaker, emphatically, " should be 

 brought on by degrees." Mr. Beare invited discussion on 

 these points, but failed to eUcit it. On the whole, we scarcely 

 thought the meeting up to last year's mark. 



