54 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



was complained that the coal waa wretched. Well, they tried 

 four engines, and they took six hours and a-half in getting up 

 the steam. But the judges procured an old engine of 

 Horusby's, and with the same coal they got up the steam in 

 forty-two minutes. This seemed to be the weak part of the 

 exhibition ; and when the great mauufaeturera stayed away, and 

 prizes were awarded to engines which were inferior to others in 

 the kingdom, the judges betrayed the interests of the public if 

 they did not make it plain that the prizes were only a mark of 

 comparative merit, and not the badge of perfection. The next 

 thing the judges went to see was the finishing thrashing ma- 

 chines. He was no believer in them. He was told, after they 

 had tried with barley three — two of which made mistakes — 

 and if the big makers had come they would have made exactly 

 the same mistakes — that the barley was grown. The barley, 

 after it came off the straw, had to be separated. The judges, 

 before they awarded the prizes to these implements, tested the 

 samples furnished by them through a dressing-machine, and 

 showed it to the manufacturers, and asked them what they 

 thought the corn-dealers in Norwich and Ipswich markets 

 would say of it ? — it was very nearly one-third of dirt when it 

 went through. There had been a great improvement in 

 ploughs and scarifiers; and bis opinion, was, that it was bet- 

 ter at a quiet dinner to speak a report that the reporters 

 could take down, than to wait for twelve months for the sake 

 of having a good novel. He liked to see the report published, 

 but he did not like to wait a year for it. However, he hoped it 

 would be understood that he entertained great respect for the 

 Professor and the writers in the Journal. At meetings like 

 theirs they might come and see the best implements, but they 

 would not see the " combination manufacturers." Who were 

 these "combination" men? Such societies as the Bath 

 and West of England Society has made little men into 

 big men, by giving prizes for the machines they turned 

 out. These big men then turned on the agricultural societies, 

 defied them, and said, " We will have a show of our own. But 

 we also could combine ; ws even here in South Devon, 

 might beat them in their own implements." He (the speaker) 

 must say these South Devon exhibitors had a great deal of 

 energy, aad, what was at the bottom of most Englishmen — 

 more '■ pluck " than there was in any other fellows in the 

 world (laughter). A great many small men had shown imple- 

 ments in which there was a good deal of merit. There were 

 some good chaff cutters exhibited, but there being no dyna- 

 mometer to test them, the judges had been obliged to do as 

 well as they could with their arms. Many men present were 

 stronger men than he was, and the force they could have 

 brought to bear v;ould have been more effectual in the trial ; 

 but he thought he should not be far wrong if he advised them 

 to buy the machinery that had had prizes awarded to them. 

 They had had a little examination into the working of a steam 

 plough on a hilly country. He must congratulate the Bath 

 and West of England Society for being so liberal as to let Mr. 

 Towler try the principle by working that plough ; the persons 

 who had gone to see it had paid their shilling, and he hoped 

 the same would be for the benefit of the society. After eu- 

 logising Mr. Gray, and again returning thanks for the judges, 

 Mr. Caldwell concluded, by proposing the healths of the 

 Stewards of the Society, begging to convey to those gentlemen 

 the thanks of the judges for the able, kind, and competent as- 

 Bistauce they had rendered them (applause). 



Mr. MoYSEY, the junior steward, returned thanks. 



Mr. Palk, M.P., gave "Lord Portman and the Royal 

 Agricultural Society of England." 



His Lordship, in reply, s^id, I have seen for the bat fifty 



years great progress in the farming of this country. I have 

 seen that which has given me great delight. I have seen a 

 steady advance — not a jumping over the fence — not a trying 

 to get on to the end of the next field — but an anxious desire 

 to try and find out that which is to pay ; for, after all, it is of 

 no use for a farmer, or for a manufacturer, to employ capital 

 and labour, unless they gain for themselves a return, and con- 

 fer a benefit on the whole of the community. And unless that 

 which is for the good of the whole community is made to pay 

 by the man who is to do the work, he will not continue to do 

 it. Many men have cried down high farming — I cry down 

 low farming; for I am quite sure of this, that you may err on 

 the side of excess as well as on the side of too little. It is 

 perfectly right that it is the duty of the man who has the 

 capital to try experiments for the advantage and information of 

 those who are not able to go to the expense of making these 

 improvements ; but it is the duty of those men to inform their 

 neighbours not only of their success, but also of their failures, 

 by which a benefit is conferred upon other members of the 

 community. That is the great use of the Royal Agricultural 

 Society of England — it is, by its association with men of all 

 parties in the kingdom, that information is diffused. The 

 Bath and West of England Society is the oldest 

 society in the kingdom. If the members of the so- 

 ciety look back to the old Journals, they will find a 

 great deal worth reading; and if our Journal Committee 

 have been a little late, I would recommend to the members 

 that if they cannot get a new Journal they should turn over 

 the pages of the old ones, and I am certain they will find a 

 good deal of useful information there. A good deal of feeling 

 was evinced when this society was formed. It was said that 

 we were going to put an end to smaller societies. It was said 

 that the Royal Agricultural Society and Bath and West of 

 England Societies were going to swallow up all the other 

 societies that were to be found in this kingdom. These people, 

 however, soon found out that we had no such gormandizing 

 propensities— (laughter) — and that we were, in point of fact, 

 endeavouring to assist them in eveiy possible way. We have 

 found out that our best allies are the local societies. They 

 make their improvements, bring their cattle together, find out 

 which are the best specimens, and extend their benefit from 

 west to east, and the small men help the great men, and the 

 great men in their turn help the small men ; and when we are 

 embarked in the same vessel, then we shall not want the Great 

 Eastern to take us over the waves, but we can ssy " It is not 

 the Great Eastern or the Great Western, but the Great Britain 

 is to swim." 



Mr. Kekewich gave the "Railways"; and the Chair- 

 man " the next Meeting" — at Cardiff — after which the 

 party broke up. 



THE ANNUAL MEETING 



was held in a tent in the show-yard, cu Thursday, Lord CouR- 

 TENAY presiding. Among those present were Lord Portman, 

 Sir J. T. B. Duckworth, Messrs. J. Sillifant, Voelcker, J. Gould, 

 T. Hussey, J. Creed, C. Gordon, jun., J. E. Dymond,T. Wills, 

 John Brown (Bridgewater), — Hussey, jun,, John Gray, Jona- 

 than Gray, Edward Douding, J. Belfield, Danger, R. K. M. 

 King, Cotterell, Farrant, Adder, Gillett, H. G. Moysey, Fry, 

 J. D. Davy, Knollys, Hole, Amury, Bullock, T. E. Grenville, 

 G. Poole, &c. 



The Secretary (Mr. Henry St. John Maule) read the 

 annual report of the society, which was as follows : 



