122 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



The attention of his own firm had been directed to the sub- 

 twelve or fourteen years since : they had made a costly series 

 of experiments ; and looking at the thing in a commercial 

 point of view, although they were perfectly willing to adopt 

 all that might fairly belong to their position, the cost of 

 bringing the implement to perfection had appeared to be far 

 too great. Suggestions had been thrown out in various di- 

 rections. One proposition was to propel the implement by 

 winding it up by a fixed engine ; another was to drag it behind 

 an engine travelling before it. These schemes had been fairly 

 and impartially discussed. Mr. Fowler had worked with the 

 heart of a lion, in endeavouring to carry out that which he be- 

 lieved to be the best plan. Mr. Boydell and those with whom 

 he was associated — among whom was an eminent maker in 

 Nor.'olk — had been equally active ; and there was now a pro- 

 bability that the practicabiUty of steam-power would be fairly 

 and thoroughly tested. The thing was now fairly launched, 

 and he trusted the question was within the reach of solution. 

 There had been a time when all the trials made only led to 

 discouragement, but he hoped now before very long to see a 

 large portion of the country ploughed by steam. He did not 

 advocate the application of steam to agriculture on economical 

 grounds only; but he held it would be especially valuable in 

 securing a class of tillage by means of the great power which 

 could be brought to bear, for which the power of horses was 

 insufficient. He looked upou it as likely to introduce a large 

 system of deeper culture. With reference to Mr. Keary's 

 remarks, he believed the days for the introduction of novelties 

 were, not unwisely, gone by. It would be far wiser and better 

 for the implement-makers to bring into aa economical and 

 perfected form the implements now produced, than to seek 

 merely to amuse their customers with novelties. Adverting 

 to some remarks recently made by Mr. Caldwell at another 

 meeting, Mr. Ransome said the implement-makers submitted 

 to the most severe and critical tests at the leading agricultural 

 meetings, and he thought that they ought not to be subjected 

 to similar trials at local shows. 



Mr. Caldwell defended his previously expressed opi- 

 nions, and urged that as judges and implement-makers were 

 subject to mistakes, fresh trials were necessary, aud they ought 

 not to say, " We are so perfect that we want to go no further." 



Mr. Ransome offered an additional prize for hackneys, 

 expressing his surprise that he had not seen more of that use- 

 ful class of horses at the meeting, and stating his opinion 

 that a premium should be awarded to young, useful, and 

 marketable animals (applause). 



Lord Walsinguam in complimentary terms proposed 

 " The Health of the President, Lord Bernera." The toast 

 was drunk with three times three. 



The Pkesident expressed his grateful thanks for the warm 

 receptiou he had experienced among his old friends. With 

 reference to the remarks with which the meeting had been 

 favoured by the judges aud others, he trusted breeders would 

 always remember the importance of securing good constitution 

 in their animals, for without constitution they had not the 

 aptitude for fattening, and those qualities which were most 

 profitable to the producer and the consumer. The whole 

 kingdom was greatly indebted to Mr. Ransome and the othfr 

 implement-makers for the advance they had made in the im- 

 provement of implements. With reference to steam cultiva- 

 tion, it would enable the farmer to put the plough into the 

 ground as soon as the crop was severed, and he believed it 

 would eventually be the means of improving the cultivation of 

 the whole kingdom. With respecno the reaping machine, it 

 would, no doubt, be of great benefit on a light soil and sandy 



surface ; but on his own property, which was a cold, retentive 

 clay, the machine was set fast in 4^ feet. He mentioned this 

 fact that it might be a stimulus to the [implement-makers to 

 find a remedy for the evil. In conclusion his Lordship said 

 he should consider it a great honour if some of his old an" 

 valued friends would come and see what had been done at 

 Keythorpe (applause). 



Mr. H. K. ToMPSON proposed the " Royal Agricultural 

 Society," aud offered to dedicate the prize which he had re- 

 ceived during the day to a premium to be awarded to the 

 gentleman who could exhibit at the next meeting the beat 

 heavy-weight»hunter, the pedigree to be exhibited. 



Mr. Anthony Hamond, who was received with loud 

 cheers, responded to the toast, and said he felt deeply in- 

 terested in the subject just mentioned by Mr. Tompsoa 

 (laughter). Hunters must not only have heart with substance, 

 but they must also have blood : blood without a good beast 

 was not worth anything. Mr. Ransome had ably discussed 

 another subject ; and a speech that gentleman made some 

 years since at Derby had made a deep impression on him. A 

 noble lord, who was, alas ! now no more, took a fancy to make 

 implements; and Mr. Ransome said, at Derby, it was very 

 easy for a lord to become an implement-maker, but it was not 

 so easy for an implemetit-maker to become a lord ; and, with 

 that gallantry which belonged to hin), Mr, Ransome added, 

 " I stand by my order." What has been the result since ? A 

 rise in the order of implement makers to a very high rank in 

 the country. To the implement-makers the farmers were in- 

 debted for improvements which ten years ago they never anti- 

 cipated, and for a gentlemanly feeling which was only the 

 result of a superior education. He had been connected with 

 the implement department of the Royal Agricultural Society 

 for four or five consecutive years, aud he had never received 

 greater courtesy from any men than the implement-makers. 

 There had that day been produced in the humble town of 

 SivaQham such a show of implements as was not to be seen iu 

 the whole aggregate of the kingdom twelve or fifteen year* 

 ago. Twelve or fourteen years since he waded up to his neck 

 through rubbish that he could not possibly put a name upon ; 

 the difficulty now was to see which was the best. And he 

 believed the advance was to be attributed to the quiet, gentle 

 system of the Royal Agricultural Society. That Society had 

 endeavoured to calm down the excitement for novelty, for it 

 was not novelty that was wanteJ, but good, sound, practical 

 sense. There were certain men with very vague ideas and 

 very little practical knowledge, who had a great anxiety 

 for notoriety and to push and cram forward new things in 

 a way which no wise man would follow and adopt. The 

 implement-makers had, he was happy to say, the honestj', 

 the integrity, and the stubborness to resist such a course. 

 Attacks had been made upon the Royal Agricultural 

 Society by persons who liked to build up a reputation by a 

 sort of busy-bodyism which did a great deal more harm 

 than good, and was always asking for novelty. Novelty, to 

 a certain extent, was a cuise : it led men on to unnecessary 

 expense, and often to error and disappointment, diverting 

 them from that which would have been of permanent and 

 practical good to th'em. There had been an attempt to 

 draw a line between the practical farmer and the theoretical 

 farmer; but in his opinion the pursuit of farming was a 

 very high one, and he saw no reason why a farmer should 

 not be a gentleman, and why a gentleman should not be a 

 fanner (applause). Was it a disadvantage that a man of 

 education, a man who had devoted many years of his life 

 to the study of elegant literature, should, after his arrival 

 at a certain time of life, turn his attention to the chief of 



