THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 



1C3 



depeud upon it the reporters would not uotice them. Another 

 thing required was au infuaioa of a greater number of practical 

 farmers on the council of the society, the feeling being that it 

 aow comprised too many gentlemen and too few working men. 

 Again, with the number of implements entered for trial, it was 

 impossible they could be properly tried unless they had a paid 

 field-steward to superintend the arrangements, as they could 

 not expect geutlemen, however zealous they might be, to give 

 their time and attention to all the details, so well as a regular 

 field-steward could do. 



Mr. Robert Smith thought it was somewhat inappro- 

 priate to make these complaints at the close of a meeting 

 which was admitted to be a brilliant success. 



Lord PoRTMAN was obliged to Mr. Sidney for hia sugges- 

 tions. With regard to the periods of holding their meetings, 

 there were great dirtieulties in holding them. The Christmas 

 meeting they could only hold on the Saturday lest they should 

 interfere with the Smithfleld Club ; and this meeting could 

 not well be held otherwise than on the Friday, at the close 

 of their meeting. The meeting of the 22d of May was the 

 one which the original founders had desigiied for the dis- 

 cussion of their general business, and it was held at 12 

 o clock in the day as the most convenient for all parties. 

 He would say, however, that it had been under the consideration 

 of the council to hold the show meeting at a different period of 

 the meeting, and the distribution of the prizes at the same 

 time ; but they had not found it convenient to carry it out 

 this year. With regard to the dinner, the council could not 

 justify the expenditure of half the society's income for such a 

 purpose, as it appeared they could not get up a large dinner 

 without a large expenditure, and besides, it was thought 

 it would more benefit tuem to encourage a number of 

 dinners all over the week. With regard to the journal, 

 he was sure the matter would be duly considered by the jour- 

 nal committee, as it was well known that stale news was no 

 news at all, and when kept became of no value. It had always 

 been their desire to have one-balf of the council practical 

 farmers ; but though several good men had been put on at 

 different times they could not be prevailed upon to attend 

 more than once or twice, and they were therefore obliged to 

 keep those who would work. In May the whole of the vice- 

 presidents, trustees, and half the council went out of office, 

 not necessarily for re-election, but the subscribers had then an 

 opportunity of putting in office who they pleased. With 

 respect to the field-steward, that was opening up a large ques- 

 tion ; but he believed it was generally admitted that it was 

 desirable such an officer should be appointed ; as well as 

 another lo take the more general superiutendance of the show 

 yard, as it would not do to depend too much upon voluntary 

 services, however valuable they might be. He was convinced 

 his noble friend the new president (Lord Berners) would do 

 his best to promote the interests of the society, and he trusted 

 the subscribers would continue their coufideuce in the council 

 until the meeting in May next (Hear, hear). 



Mr. Neville Geenville knew that out of doois there 

 was some dissatisfaction at the management of the society. 

 Their society was a company with the largest number of 

 shareholders in the kingdom, whilst they had the smallest 

 voice in the management. He knew that the members of the 

 council could do no wrong, and probably they agreed with a 

 noble lord who had expressed an opinion that the most perfect 

 of all governments consisted of ministers who were elected for 

 life, and nominated their successors (laughter). He agreed 

 with a good deal of what had fallen from Mr. Sidney. Now, 

 with regard to the holding of the general meeting after the 

 show, he would suggest that it be held in the same manner as 

 the meeting of another society, with which himself and the noble 

 lord in the chair was connected— the Bath and West of Eng- 

 land Agricultural Society. That society held its meetings in 

 the ground ; and though there was a good deal of general con- 

 Tersation, he had no doubt it mainly contributed to the pros- 

 perity of the society. He was one of those who was disap- 

 pointed at the abolition of the Pavilion dinner. Luckily he 

 lighted on good quarters, bnt he knew several of his friends 

 came from Salisbury yesterday with the intention of attending 

 the dinner, and weie obliged to go hungry away. He agreed 

 with the chairman that it was not justifiable to expend a large 

 portion of their funds upon the dinner, but any material loss 

 under that head, he believed might be avoided by proper ma- 

 nagement. He would again direct attention to the Bath and 



West of Eugland Society, where they erected a canvas pavilion 

 for £15, and, as they received something from the coutractoi- 

 for the dinner, instead of losing anything they were something 

 in pocket (Hear, hear). He would bow take the liberty of 

 calling attention to the future. Next year they were to hold 

 their meeting at Chester, where they would have the support 

 of all Manchester and Liverpool; and, as they would have 

 plenty of funds, he hoped they would endeavour to make the 

 show as attractive as possible to the general visitor. However 

 perfect their show was in useful and good stock, he thought 

 there was a deficiency of eccentricities. At Norwich a noble 

 relative of his, who took great interest in such things, exhibited 

 some of the large Roman cattle, and though they might not 

 possess such good points as the shorthorns, he believed they 

 were much more attractive. He would suggest, also, that as 

 they would be next year so close to Wales, they should offer a 

 prize for ponies — one of the most beautiful animals in the pre- 

 sent exibition being a pony, which did not obtain a prize 

 There was another animal, and one which the poor man could 

 keep, which they ought to look to, he meant the donkey 

 (laughter). He was prepared for that laugh. The donkey 

 had no attention paid to it ; it was badly bred, over-worked, 

 and much abused, and he should like to see prizes offered for 

 the best donkey, to go into the pockets of a labourer (cheers). 

 Again, when present at the distribution of the Victoria Cross, 

 the othsr day in Hyde-park, of which, by-the-bye, he saw very 

 little, he could not help being'struck by the mganificence of the 

 mules drawing the ambulance waggons, and he did not think 

 it would be out of place to give prizes for the best mules. 



Lord PoRTMAN said they could not propose prizes in an- 

 ticipation of their receipts at Chester. Where they expected 

 the most they often got the least ; for instance, the show at 

 Liverpool was the worst they ever had. 



A Subscriber. — You must recollect that was 15 years 

 ago. 



Mr. Raymond Barker stated that the local society of 

 Chester was itself going to give £1,500 for special prizes next 

 year. The losses upon the dinners had arisen from their 

 having to contract for 1,000 persons when perhaps not more 

 than 600 or 800 attended. The total receipts at Chelmsford 

 last year were only £3,700, whilst their expenditure wai 

 £5,500. 



Mr. AcLANU in proposing a vote of thanks to the Chairman 

 advocated the continuance of the dinner; and in doing so re- 

 ferred to Mr. Jonathan Gray, a gentleman connected with the 

 West of England Society, as one who might be consulted 

 with advantage. Mr. Gray had a plan for putting up almost 

 any amount of canvas covering, at the most trifling expense. 

 This method had already been adopted by the Govenimeut, 

 and he (Mr. Acland) was quite sure that Mr. Gray, as a 

 private gentleman, would be happy to give every assistance in 

 his power to this society. Mr. Acland proceeded to say that 

 it was highly important that this society should have the 

 opinions of the practical farmers to guide and influence them, 

 and that everything should be done to insure their attendance 

 at their general meetings. At the same time the council 

 should be careful to notice whence complaints really emanated. 

 They were too often, with some people, but the excuse to make 

 for themselves a little petty importance, or to indulge in the 

 opportunity of delivering a fine speech (Hear, hear). 



The vote of thanks to the noble Chairman having been duly 

 given, the meeting broke up. 



THE 



BULBRIDGE WATER-MEADOWS 



AND 



THE WILTON MODEL FARM. 



Irrigation, the first application of science to agricul- 

 ture, is of such growing importance, that our readers 

 will perhaps be glad of a few prefatory remarks before 

 we proceed to describe our visit of inspection to the 

 water-meadows now in the occupation of the Right Hon. 

 I Sidney Herbert. 



