THE FARMER'S MAIjAZINE. 



429 



(laughter). The simple queatiou was whether farmers could 

 afford, under present circumstances, to pay a tax of 100 per 

 cent, upon their barley. He did not consider that the land- 

 lord interest was against them ; if they did not get rid of the 

 malt-tas they must be prepared with somethiug else, for blood 

 could not be drawn out of a post, and the thing was becoming 

 more oppressive every year. The demand for fine ales had 

 rendered barley one of the most precarious crops to the 

 farmer; and perhaps it would have to be looked to, rather than 

 wheat. Foreign competition was becoming more severe every 

 year, and lie thought farmers were bound to demand the re- 

 peal of the present tax altogether. After the repeal of the 

 corn laws, the Duke of Bedford called the attention of Lord 

 John Russell to the subject ; and his lordship said the farmers 

 might have then had a repeal of the tax if they had asked for 

 it, but they were then so imbued with protection, of which 

 they thought the duty a remnant, that they did not ask for its 

 repeal. Mr. Hawkins moved " the appointment of a committee, 

 to consider the practicablity_of establishing an Anti-Malt-tax 

 Association." 



Mr. H. BiDDELL, in seconding the resolution, called upon 

 the agricultural interest generally to give a cordial and hearty 

 support to the movement. 



The resolution was unanimously adopted. 



Mr. A. Packard proposed that the resolutions should be 

 printed, and sent to every member of the House of Commons. 



Mr. Skeet seconded the motion, wiiich was agreed to. 



Mr. Perry moved a vote of thanks to those gentlemen 

 who had called the attention of Parliament to the question. 

 Mr. Perry stated that Sir Fitzroy Kelly proposed to submit 

 two or three resolutions on the subject to the House of Com- 

 mons ; and that on the following day a deputation from the 

 Club would have a conference with Sir Fitzroy at his country 

 residence. The Chantry, near Ipswich. 



Mr. RiST seconded the vote of thanks, which was adopted 

 nem. con. 



Mr. EvERiTT proposed that a subscription should be com- 

 menced, to defray any preliminary expenses which it might be 

 necessary to incur. 



It was agreed that this should be done. 



Mr. Haward suggested that the committee appointed 

 should confer with such gentlemen as Mr. EUman, of Sussex, 

 Mr. Ball, M.P., Mr. Bramston, M.P., Mr. Fisher Hobbs, Mr. 

 Bass, M.P., &c., so as to make the movement a general one. 



A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings of 

 the evening. 



The following is the circular issued :— 



Ipswich, April 14th, 1860. 



Dear Sirs,- -At the request of a numerous body of gentle- 

 men at a public meeting, we the undersigned were elected a 

 committee for the purpose of getting up Petitions to Parlia- 

 ment in favour of a Repeal of the Malt Tax. Assured that 

 your feelings on this question, affecting as it does our labourers 

 and ourselves, are identical with ours, we earnestly solicit 

 your co-operation in the movement. 



We therefore venture to ask you to get the accompanying 

 pelition signed as numerously as possible by all classes in your 

 parish, and to forward the same to Mr. R. Bond, Tavern-street, 

 Ipswich, on or before Thursday, April 19th, in time for Sir F. 

 Kelly's motion in the House of Commons. 



We remain, gentlemen, yours respectfully, 



RoBT. Bond, G. Hare, 



ROBT. COBBOLD PeRRY, R. L. EVERETT. 



J. M. Dawson, 



P.S. When the petitions are received by Mr. Bond, 

 written headings will be Eubatituted for the printed ones. 



THE MALT TAX. 



Sir, I have read with great satisfaction the letters you 



have published in your truly agricultural Journal — of Mr. Col- 

 cott and Mr. EUman, on the malt-tax, a pressure, under which 

 we farmers and the agricultural and manufacturing labourers 

 of England are suffering. 



I question whether any of the Members of the House of 

 Commons, who make our laws, and impose the taxes upon us, 

 ever made a calculation of the amount of money the produce 

 of an acre of barley pays in the shape of malt duty ; therefore 

 I will take the liberty just to iuform them. 



An acre of Norfolk land, rented at 259., will produce 5 qrs. 

 of barley, which being made into malt, the duty is £1 Is, 8d. 

 per qr. and 5 per cent., or £5 13s. 9d. per acre. 



Now, I grow 200 acres of barley every year, which at the 

 above sura of £5 ISs. 9d. per acre, amounts to £1,137 10s. 

 The rent of the 200 acres of land the barley grows upon, is 

 £250, making a difference of £887 lOs. 



The malt-tax is about equal to the rent of the whole farm. 



Where are the poor man's friends, Mr. John Bright, M.P. 

 and Mr. Richard Cobden M.P. ? They consent to please the 

 palates of the rich man, by admitting French wines at a low 

 rate of duty, but oppress the poor man, by making him pay 

 a high duly upon Ms beverage, " beer ;" for the man who drinks 

 the pot of beer pays the duly. 



I am, Sir, yours truly, 



Castleacre Lodge, Marck29. John Hudson, 



The Corn Averages. — A letter was recently read at the 

 Ipswich Farmers' Club on this subject, by Mr. J. Mayhew 

 Dawson, of Bucklesham. The discussion was followed by a 

 deputation to Sir Fitzroy Kelly, M.P., who received it on the 

 fifth of this month at his town residence. The result of the 

 interview was a determination to present a petition from every 

 parish in East Suffolk, praying (or an improvement iu the 

 present syatem of taking the returns, 



THE WIRE FENCE. 



No. 2. 



Having the first straining post prepared and fixed in the 

 ground in the manner described in our former paper, the next 

 operation is preparing and setting another straining post, the 

 distance of which from the first must be regulated by the 

 variety of wire intended to be used. If old colling rope, as 

 heretofore described, the distance should not exceed 50 yards, 

 as the strain of it on the posts is very great ; but a distance of 

 80 or 100 yards may not be too great if the round single 

 strand fencing wire is used. The usual way of procedure, 

 when the first and second strainers are set, is to put in the 

 intermediate small post, but when the fence is a continuous 

 straight line, it is a much better plan to put in the former the 

 entire length of the fence, before commencing to place the 

 intermediates. 



In an ordinary four-feet fence the small posts will require 

 to be set two feet in the ground, and consequently must be 

 6 ft. in length. Should the fence be contiguous to the man- 

 sion, or in auy conspicuous place, the posts should be sawn to 

 measure 3 in. by 4 iu. ; but in ordinary cases, where appear- 

 ance is not a primary object, the thinnings of young larch or 

 oak plantations, set with the bark, does quite well, and makes 

 a tidy and durable fence at a very low figure. I may say that 

 during the last year I have had soaie considerable lengths of 

 this description erected at an entire cost of 6d. per yard of 

 4 feet fence. The usual plan is to dig holes, and beat in the 

 small posts ; but, in all cases, I prefer to drive them with the 

 puling hammer, being convinced that in the average they will 

 be found firmer, and at about one-half the cost for labour, than 

 by the former method. A piece of iron must be made to fit 

 rather tightly the tops of the posts, to protect them from the 

 action of the hammer while being driven, and with a handle 

 about three feet long, so as to act as a lever to keep them per- 

 pendicular. Before putting the intermediates iuto the line of 

 fence, have two strings fastened through the top and bottom 

 poles'of the first straining post, and tightly stretched through 

 and secured at the holes of the second, and which will repre- 

 sent the exact line of the top and bottom wires, and will serve 

 as guides to the true keeping of the posts as the work proceeds. 



Bmcot Park, Faringdon, W. J. M. 



