THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



79 



bleues3 of seudiug in good practical subjects between that 

 time and January, in order that the committee might have a 

 sufficient range for selection, and that next year's topics 

 might be such as would prove interesting to agriculturists in 

 general (cheers). 



Mr. Stokes said they were all aware of the great value of 

 a good working committee in an association of that kind, and 

 how much prosperity depended upon their labours. They 

 were fortunate in having a committee who attended well to 

 their duties ; and he felt great pleasure in proposing as a 

 toast, " The Committee of the Central rarmers' Club" 

 (cheers). 



Mr. W.Bennett, in responding, said it was due to the 

 committee to say, that they had, at all events, done their best ; 

 that they had endeavoured to promote the interests of the 

 Club in every possible way, and thereby to benefit the agricul- 

 tural community in general. He thought that Club wS.s cal- 

 culated to do a much larger amount of good if it was properly 

 supported. When he heard, as he sometimes did, the reproaches 

 against the Club of not having done all that it aimed at, he 

 replied with the question, " Will you assist ua to do better ?" It 

 was often au advantage to be spoken against. Without a little 

 opposition a Club like that might not excite so much interest. 

 Opposition roused the spirits of its members, aud induced 

 them to make increased exertions on its behalf. He repeated, 

 that a Club like that was calculated to do a much larger amount 

 of good than it had been enabled to do hitherto ; all that it 

 needed for that purpose was support adequate to the import- 

 ance of the objects it contemplated. One means of obtaining 

 for it increased support had been adverted to by the last 

 speaker, namely, the proposing to the committee good subjects 

 for discussion. Occasionally, perhaps, they had been unhappy 

 in their topics, or in the manner in which they were discussed, 

 (they could not alwajs be successful), and it was highly im- 

 portant, therefore, that efforts should now be made to secure 

 a good selection of subjects for the ensuing year. Agricultural 

 topics were second to none in the world in real practical 

 interest. The best means of cultivating the soil and the 

 development of its powers in the most successful manner, 

 was a beaeiit not merely to those who were engaged in 

 the work, but to the whole community — surely that was one 

 of the most interesting and important questions to which the 

 attention of rational and patriotic men could be directed 

 It was well said by an eminent man of a past generation, 

 that he who made two blades of grass grow where only 

 one grew before, was a benefactor to his country ; and although 



the occupation of a farmer was often looked down upon, he 

 must say that the man who was successfully engaged in the 

 cultivation of the soil was promoting the best interests of bis 

 country, and deserved the respect of his fellow-countrymen 

 (cheers). These were pretty much the sentiments which 

 actuated him and his late excellent brother, when at the 

 formation of the Club some fifteen years ago, they consented 

 to join it. He had a distinct recollection that, in talking 

 over the matter at Bickerings Park, his brother said, " If, 

 William, I thcTught the object was merely to form a central 

 place of festivity, I would not join it. But I can couceive, 

 that to meet a number of intelligent agricultural friends from 

 different parts of the kingdom, and give our individual expe- 

 rience in farming, might be materially beneficial ; it is, in 

 fact, one of the most pleasurable things belonging to the fann- 

 ing business that we have no secrets (cheers). But in mak- 

 ing communications wc increase our own stock of information. 

 I think a club of that kind might materially benefit agricul- 

 ture, and through it the country at larse." You thus see, 

 gentlemen (continued Mr. Bennett), what were the objects of 

 some of the early promoters of this Club ; and he would hope 

 that even so far great benefit had ensued, and doubtless by 

 persevering efforts far greater would yet be attained. He 

 hoped, in giving the foregoing remarks of his late excellent 

 brother, he sliould not be misunderstood. For himself, he 

 had no objection, occasionally, to a little good cheer ; in fact, 

 he thought it hard if, after upwards of three hundred days of 

 fag aud toil, and gloom, we, as farmers, may not have one 

 bright day of sunshine in the course of the year (laughter and 

 cheers). 



Mr. Wilson proposed the health of the Secretary Mr. 

 Corbet, in a highly complimentary speech. 



Mr. Corbet returned thanks. 



Mr. Tretiiewy proposed " The Press," and in doing so 

 dwelt on the immense advantages the Club derived from the 

 able reports of the proceediugs given in the Mark Lane Ex- 

 press, and Bell's Weelcly Messewjcr. 



Mr. G. P. TuxFORD briefly acknowledged the compliment. 



Mr. Kbynolds proposed the better health of Lord Berners, 

 one of their oldest members, and most constant frequenters of 

 this annual gathering. In company with some other members 

 of the Club he (Mr. Reynolds) had recently experienced his 

 Lordship's hospitality at Keythorpe, and could speak from this 

 visit to the great and active interest taken by Lord Beiners in 

 the pursuits of agriculture. 



The company having duly honoured the toast then broke up. 



LORD TREDEGAR'S AGRICULTURAL SHOW. 



This great exhibition of live farming stock — at which 

 also many prizes are given for other matters connected 

 with improvements in agriculture — took place during the 

 second week in December, at Newport, commencing 

 with a private view to the representatives of the press and 

 a favoured few besides, on the Monday, and closing on 

 the Wednesday. Rapid and wondrous as has been the 

 progress in all departments of agriculture, the first and 

 greatest of sciences and arts, the county of Monmouth 

 has reason to be peculiarly proud of the improvement 

 which has taken place in its agricultural system ; for, 

 fostered by the noble Lord's unremitting liberality, and 

 answering that liberality by strenuous exertions, the 

 farmers have struggled with and overcome many natural 

 disadvantages of soil and position, and now rank in the 

 A 1 class of cultivators and producers. Not that we 

 are so servile as to say, or so foolish as to think, that 

 this great result has been arrived at exclusively through 

 the support of one individual, or one family, however 

 influential or well-intentioned; but Lord Tredegar's 

 interest in agriculture is not confined to offering the 

 annual prizes initiated by his progenitor, for no branch 

 of practical farming is exempt from private encourage- 

 ment emanating from him, Yet all this good seed 



would have been fruitless had it fallen on barren soil, and 

 it required the characteristic energy and perseverance of 

 Britons, directed into a bucolic channel, and infused 

 among many resolute men, to work that notable reform 

 which has placed the agriculturists of Monmouthshire 

 in their present high position. Not alone in the prize- 

 lists of the national show do these men stand out con- 

 spicuous : the stranger traversing their district sees 

 such admirable order and obvious care in the arrange- 

 ments as he little expects, and finds that Nature, here 

 geologically obstinate, has been mastered with great 

 pains, but with corresponding success. No doubt here, 

 as elsewhere, the premiums offered to the tenant farmers 

 for best crops of roots have done much to promote this 

 state of things, by stimulating and encouraging increased 

 efforts in that most vital branch of farming operations. 



LIST OF AWARDS. 

 Silver Cups given by Lord Tredegar: 



For the best yearling bull. North Devon breed— Mr. 

 James Merson, Brinswortliy, North Molton, Devon. 



For the best two-years-old heifer, ditto—Mr. James 

 Merson, Brimsworthy, North JMolton, Devon, 



