THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



109 



tented, and that the money was of greater service to those 

 having families. 



Messrs. Kilraister, Barter, Ford, with other members, 

 took part in the discussion. Their sentiments and expres- 

 sions in a great measure coincided with the statements 

 before made. 



The following resolution was then passed : — 



" Resolved — That the best means of establishing confi- 

 dence, and imparting a mutual understanding between agri- 

 culturists and their labourers, is to provide sufficient cottage 

 accommodation, conveniently situate for the regular staff of 

 labourers required on the farm ; that it is the duty of every 

 employer to ameliorate the condition of his labourers as far 

 as he can, by acts of kindness and attention to their wants 

 and necessities, and to point out to them by precept and 

 example the benefits and comfort that would accrue from 

 leading a moral, civil, and contented life ; that labourers 

 should be fairly remunerated for their toils according to 

 merit, and not one uniform rate ; and that their wages 

 should be paid wholly in money, instead of part in beer or 

 cider." 



Mr. Blackwell proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Bur- 

 nett for his able and important paper, which was heartily 

 accorded to him by all present. Thus the proceedings ter- 

 minated. 



LONDON, OR CENTRAL FARMERS' 

 CLUB. 



A meeting of the Committee was held at the Club House, 

 New Bridge-street, Blackfriara, on Monday, January 2nd — L. 

 A. Coussmaker, Esq., of Westwood, the Chairman for the 

 year, presiding. There were also present Messrs. R. Bond, 

 C. J. Brickwell, W. Cheffins, G. Cobb, T. Congreve, J. Cres- 

 singham, W. Fisher Hobbs, James Howard, J. G. King, B. 

 Little, E. Purser, B.P. Shearer, J. B. Spearing, James Thomas 

 and H. Trethewy. 



The minutes of the December Committee Meeting and of 

 the General Annual Meeting were read, and the usual 

 monthly statement of the Club acoonnts received. 



The following Members were elected— 



R. Scott Burn, Stockport. 



S. Clapham, Stackhouse Settle. 



E. Edmonds, Rngby. 



E. K. Fisher, Market Harborongh. 



G. Martin, Hubert's Bridge, Boston. 



H. E. Murrell, Wallbrook. 



J. Pickering, Trethlingboro' Grange, Wellingborough. 



J. W. Robinson, Wyberton, Boston. 



J. Thornbury, Washingborough, Lincoln. 

 Some other names were read for the first time. 



The following subjects we.*e eelected for discussion at the 

 monthly meetings during the ensuing year — 



February 6. — " The Sewerage of Towns, as it affects 



British Agriculture" ; proposed by Mr. Alderman Mechi,, 



Tiptree Hall, Kelvedou. 

 March 5. — " The Over-Preservation of Game" ; by Mr. H. 



Corbet, New Bridge-street, Blackfriars. 

 April 2. — "The Merits of Pure-bred and Cross-bred Sheep" ; 



by Mr. C. Howard, Biddenham, Bedford. 

 May 7. — " Wheat Growing on the Lois-Weedon System"; 



by Mr. J. Algernon Clarke, Long Sutton, Wiabeach. 

 June 4.—" To what extent is the Farmer benefited by the 



substitution of Steam Power for Ho-se and Manual 



Labour?" by Mr. J. Wells, Booth Ferry House, Howden. 



November 5.— "The Public and Private Trials of Agricul- 

 tnrr.l Implements — Can they be made more Efficient?" 

 by Mr. W. Fisher Hobbs, Boxted Lodge, Colchester. 



December 10. — The Condition of the Labourer in England 

 and Scotland, and his state on the Continent''; by Mr. R. 

 Scott Burn, Stockport, Cheshire. 



A letter was read from Mr. Brandreth Gibbs, the secretary 

 of the Smithfield Club, suggesting that, as the Smithfield Club 

 dinner in tl'/" shov; wetk iiad been brought forward to the 



Tuesday, that of the Central Farmers' Club should now be held 

 on the Monday ; upon which the following resolution was 

 passed, the Secretary being requested to communicate it 

 to Mr. Gibbs— 



"The Committee of this Club much regret that the Smith- 

 field Club should have fixed its dinner for the same day aa 

 that on which the Central Farmers' Club has for many years 

 held its annual dinner ; and the Committee trust that the 

 Smithfield Club will reconsider the subject. 



"As the Fanners' Club has invariably a discussion on the 

 Monday evening of the Cattle Show, no other day during that 

 week is so suitable for its annual dinner as the Tuesday ; and 

 the Committee consequently determine to hold the dinner on 

 that day as heretofore." 



A letter was received from the Rev. Andrew D. Stacknoole, 

 the vicar of Writtle, Essex, announcing the death of Mr. 

 Robert Baker, of Writtle, and upon which the following reso- 

 lution was passed — 



"The Committee of the Central Farmers' Club desire to 

 express the deep regret with which they have heard of the 

 death of their excellent friend and member, Mr. Robert 

 Baker, of Writtle. They feel that, by his decease, the Clnb 

 has lost one of its most valuable members, and they beg sin- 

 cerely to condole with Mrs. Baker and her family under their 

 severe bereavement. The Committee feel assured that their 

 sentiments will be shared, not only by the other members of 

 the Club, but equally so by the whole of the agricultural com- 

 munity." 



A recommendation from the last General Annual Meeting 

 that the salary of the Secretary be increased, was unanimously 

 adopted. 



WILL THE EWE BREED TWICE IN THE 

 YEAR? 



In these stirring days of agricultural progression 

 one may be forgiven for travelling a little out of one's 

 way to acquire information, even upon subjects which 

 appear to all the agricultural world as having had 

 their quietus long, long ago. I am, however, an old 

 practical farmer, and have lived to see so many and 

 such great and important changes in my business as a 

 farmer, that I see no bounds to our advancement. 

 Matters that were most assuredly derided one or 

 two generations back, are quite the prevailing fashion 

 now. " Nothing equal to true-bred animals,)" said 

 our fathers. "Nothing equals the improved half- 

 breds," say our sons ! "Never bring up the hungry 

 clay," said our fathers. " Deep cultivation is the 

 salvation of clay lands,'' say our sons ! Who is to 

 judge when we ari'ive at, and what is, "the acme of 

 perfection " ? 



Well, experience and scientific research are now our 

 teachers; I want the result of both, upon the simple 

 question proposed above. Will the ewe breed twice 

 in the year ? I believe she will, and I beg that some of 

 my readers will kindly give, through the columns of 

 the Farmer's Magazine, their experience or record 

 of any cases or facts of this double bearing in any part 

 of their flocks, or that may have come under their no- 

 tice ; and also how the animals were treated, and with 

 what result ? It is certainly a subject of no little im- 

 portance ; and in these days, when fat lamb is in such 

 extraordinary denicand, I again say I may be forgiven 

 for making such a singular enquiry. It cannot have 

 escaped the notice of the most casual observer of our 

 different breeds of sheep, with what rapidity some will 

 fatten their lambs, how others will fatten themselves; 

 what prolific breeders are some, what excellent sucklers 

 are others; and, then, look at the extended range of 

 cross-breeds, who knows to what good account these 

 may be turned ? I see no impossibility in the way. 



