THE FARMER'S MAGAZLNE. 



283 



sentences worth notice. Mr. Gurdon, M.P., in responding 

 on behalf of the county members, nrged the propriety of 

 attention to all improvements calculated to improve the soil 

 and cheapen the cost of production. Mr. T. Barton, refer- 

 rinpf to a statement made last year by the judges, that the 

 roots then shown would not keep, stated that mangel-wurzel 

 had never remained in better condition than during the past 

 season. The same gentleman, also alluding to a statement 

 made in some journals, that if yellow flowers were planted 

 among potatoes they would not become diseased, said he 

 had tried the experiment with the perennial sunflower, and 

 there had been no disease. Mr. Kersey Cooper, in return- 

 ing thanks for the judges, expressed his opinion that several 

 animals in the j'ard were worthy of more extended com- 



petition. Mr. Gayford, of Wretham, who responded for the 

 successful competitors, remarked that the show was a de- 

 cided improvement on last year, particularly as regarded 

 the neat stock and sheep, with the exception of the rams. 

 The cart-horses were not very superior to those shown last 

 year, although it was a point of great importance to the 

 farmer that his cart-horses should be powerful and active 

 animals. He feared Norfolk farmers had rather neglected 

 the breeding of cart-horses, and that they had to some ex- 

 tent lost the Norfolk stock. " Prosperity to the town of 

 Watton" exhausted a rather lengthy toast-list, in which 

 the healths of the noble president and a number of compli- 

 mentary toasts were of course included. 



PROPOSED WELSH NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



[The following letter has been circulated throughout the Principality.] 



Sir, — So eminent and so acknowledged has been the suc- 

 cess of the various National Agricultural Societies of England, 

 Scotland, and Ireland, iu improving the shape, and conse- 

 quently the value of the native stock, while they diffuse a new 

 current of enterprise and useful information throughout the 

 farming interest, that the question naturally arises, why 

 should not Wales have her Society, presided over by her 

 Prince, supported by her noblemen, gentry, and yeomen, of 

 whom many are already so distinguished for their stock and 

 style of agriculture ? 



At a period when the great English breeders are at their 

 wits' end for new elements of improvement (see Professor 

 Brown's "Report on Live Stock at Newton," Vol. VI. West 

 of England Society's Journal), the Principality has a com- 

 paratively virgin soil to work. That she is alive to the ad- 

 vantages of such an exhibition, witness the crowds at Cardiff : 

 witness the unprecedented gathering of the Royal Agricul- 

 tural Society at Chester, where at every third st?p you met a 

 Welsh gentleman or farmer. At Cardiff the great feature of 

 the meeting was the collection of Welsh Ponies, " miniature 

 pictures of perfection" {Mark Lane Express) ; surpassed not- 

 withstaading, as all can testify they might have been, who 

 have travelled the Black Mountain district, or remember the 

 old Rflg strain of North Wales. 



In London prices almost fabulous are obtained for the first- 

 class Welsh pony, with its hunter points, its blood-like head, 

 square action, and indomitable spirit. 



At Chester the mountain pony-stallions were "highly- 

 commended," as a class, throughout, and spoke of with ad- 

 miration by the judges. 



The blood-hack, again, bred between the Welsh mare pony 

 and the thorough-bred horse, is ever a subject of eager com- 

 petition. 



At the Chelmsford Meeting of the Royal Agricultural 

 Society, a leading attraction of the show was a little Carmar- 

 thenshire mare, " one of the most handsome cobs ever seen" 

 (Mark Lane Express), subsequently sold at an advanced age 

 for one hundred guineas. 



' There is, again, the spirited, compact carter, found along 

 the hill side (of just the stamp the Yorkshireman loves), which 

 needs only size and careful breeding to rival the Clydesdale 

 and Suffolk. 



For hunters let Pembrokeshire speak alone. Only a few 

 weeks since, one London dealer took a stringof seventy from 



that county ; while the peculiar Shropshire type of horse is 

 said to owe its best characteristics to a dash of the Welsh 

 pony blood. 



Not a few indeed of the fine English horses are due to 

 Wales in another point of view : having been bought as suck- 

 ers at the Welsh autumnal fairs from the small farmers, and 

 subsequently forced on rich fen pasture in England. 



Here then is material for the enterprising improver, when 

 we consider the reckless way in which at present the Welsh 

 horse is bred, and how grievously starved in youth. 



Then, as regards the native sheep, look what judicious se- 

 lection and attention have done for the Exmoor breed, so 

 faultless as they were at Cardiff. Already indeed in the spe- 

 cimens exhibited annually at Sir C. Morgan's Tredegar Show 

 there is an indication of what may be done for the Welsh. 

 Interested breeders of other stock may smile ; but greatly es- 

 teemed as Welsh mutton is iu the " Metropolis, and command- 

 ing an extravagant price" {Mark Lane Eipress), there is a good 

 prospect of profitable returns to those who, disregarding pre- 

 judice, will patiently adopt such reasonable principles as 

 regidated the early cultivation of the Down and other fashion- 

 able breeds, 



" Whatever you do," said Mr. Torr, at the dinner of the 

 Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, a few days 

 since — " whatever you do, don't neglect the native breeds of 

 Scotland. Depend upon it the nation does not possess more 

 valuable animals than those native breeds." 



And why should Wales depend on others any more? At 

 Chester the black cattle were acknowledged to be admirable. 

 On this head again hear that distinguished authority the 

 Mark Lane Express : " But the Welsh cattle stood in the 

 greatest prominence here ; and it is only a national meeting 

 like this that can demonstrate how far they may be actually 

 improved. Colonel Pennant's stock are very different to the 

 ' runts' we are accustomed to, good even as they are, and it ia 

 very evident that with a little more care the black cattle of 

 North Wales may become a favourite breed. At present it ia 

 said the farmers take little or no pains with them ; the land- 

 lords however are setting them an excellent example, and 

 something must come of it." Surely in the cultivation of 

 this field there is only needed enterprise and union, and it 

 were a new firm bond of a decaying nationality. 



With Devonshire, Herefordshire, and the Short-horn 

 country at hand, there need be little fear of a limited entry in 



