THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



167 



influence, thus Cuulributing hi the best possible manner 

 to the welfare of this country. He wished to propose 

 the toast without any formality — even as they had been 

 received that day by their noble host; for they had 

 wandered through his meadows and admired and praised 

 what they had seen, and were now come to his home, 

 and therefore he wished to propose his health in no 

 formal speech, but with all cordiality and sincerity. 

 (The toast was drunk, standing, with great enthusiasm.) 

 Mr. Raymond I3arker rose to support Mr. 

 Trebonnais in his vote of thanks to Mr. Herbert, and 

 he did so as the representative of the Royal Agricultural 

 Society. 



Mr. Herbert, in reply, said — I am extremely 

 obliged to you for the kind and cordial manner in 

 which you have done me the honour of drinking my 

 health. So far as thanking me for hospitality is con- 

 cerned, I consider that the favour is entirely the other 

 way. Gentlemen, I feel indebted to you. I must say 

 a special word in reference to this subject to both those 

 gentlemen who have so complimented me. It is par- 

 ticularly gratifying to me to find so many gentlemen 

 from foreign countries attending these meetings. There 

 was a time when rivalries existed, which bred enmities ; 

 there was a time when there were rivalries between 

 England and Fiance, which brought Frenchmen and 

 Englishmen face to face ; but there has arisen a rivalry 

 since which has brought them side by side. As we have 

 found them trusty and valiant allies in time of war, so we 

 shall find them the most intelligent, most formidable rivals 

 in the arts of peace. And I must also tender my hearty 

 thanks to that veteran agriculturist, Mr. Raymond 

 Barker. Allow me, gentlemen, to propose to you that 

 we drink the health of those foreigners who have this 

 day honoured us with their presence, in the good old 

 English fashion. (Drank in bumpers, with three-times- 

 three cheers.) 



The Marquis of Tweeddale then proposed the 

 health of Mr. W. Robson, and in doing so, said he felt 

 confident that after what they had this day seen at the 

 Home Farm, everybody would feel a desire to express 

 their admiration of his system of management. 



Mr. Robson replied in a short speech, that displayed 

 him a man of sterling sense and genuine modesty. 



Mr. SauARRY then read an interesting paper on the 

 subject of irrigation, which we must reserve for next 

 week's issue. 



The company then separated, the evening being far 

 advanced. Everyone was delighted with the day, and 

 will possess a pleasing reminiscence of Wilton House, 

 and the urbanity of its occupier. 



VISIT TO THE FARMS OF MR. STEPHEN 

 MILLS, AT ELSTON. 



To afford some of the strangera who have been staying ia 

 the city and neighbourhood duriog the Royal Agricultural 

 Society's meeting an opportunity of seeing the general manage- 

 ment of the lii;ht laud of Salisbury Plain and its results, 

 Mr. Mills, of Elstou, issued, through the medium of the 

 Royal Agricultural Society's advertisement, a general invita- 

 tion to the council and members of the society, as well as to 

 any other gentleman who might be disposed, to visit and in- 

 spect his farm on Friday. The recognised reputation of Mr. 

 Mills as one of the best, as he is one of the largest, 

 farmers of England, would, we had supposed, have attracted 

 a large party to accept his most hospitable and valuable in- 

 vitation. 



The party comprised some of the leading agriculturists and 

 gentlemen of distant and adjoining counties, amongst whom 

 we noticed Major Heathcote, Messrs. Leyland, Wood (Sussex), 

 Green (Marlow Lodge, Tmdlow), J.Sraythies (Shropshire), Fry 



(Somerset), Pearcc (Devon), Ellm.aii (Glynde), Spencer, Danger, 

 Fouracrea (Bridgwater), Galpiu, Cull, Moore (Dorset), Marriott 

 (Northampton), Croft (Warwickshire), Farraut (Somerset), Rev. 

 Prebendary Lowther, Revds. J. H. Penruddocke, Wardlaw, 

 Vowles (Somerset), W. Hyde, &c. St. ; George Lowther, 

 Nicholls, Wansbrough, Hilder (Kent), R. M. Wilson, Wm. 

 Humphries, James Rawleuce, Ed. Squarry, &c., &c. 



From Mr. Mills' house the party proceeded to inspect the 

 rams and ram-lambs of the Southdown breed. It may well be 

 supposed that from his immense flock Mr. Mills is readily 

 enabled to select some most perfect auimals, and acting upon 

 the high and honest principle that he will only reserve his 

 best aminnh ns ram?, he was enabled to show his visitors 

 about 100 lambs auJ sheep of a quality which elicited marked 

 admiration from all, whether breeders^of SouthJowns, Hamp- 

 shire downs, Leicesters, or Cotswolds. 



The company next proceeded to view the arable farming, 

 extending iu an unbroken area over 4,000 acres — Wheat fields 

 with their level and now golden surface of 120 to 130 acres, 

 bending with unusually heavy crops — Barley-fields of a growth 

 wonderfully even, bountiful, and uniform, and extending in 

 one piece to nearly 200 acres — Turnips, in their long, straight, 

 and regular lines, which however they might rejoice in the 

 genial rain which has been so long expected, yet through the 

 liberal supply of artificial manure vouchsafed them by Mr. 

 Mills look vigorous and strong. Clover, sainfoin, indeed 

 every crop, bore tcsiinouy to the wonderful adaptation, whe- 

 ther on the largest scale or iu the minutest detail, of the prac- 

 tical and scientific knowledge of him who overlooks and 

 governs the enormous area comprising the Elston, Orchestou, 

 and Tilshead farms. 



The party, en route, saw the wether lambs (about 700), bred 

 on one portion of the farm, which bore strong evidence of the 

 quality, evenness, and general excellence of Mr. Mills' flock. 

 They were also favoured with a sight of the draught ewes, 

 whose beauty and perfect adaptation to the requirements of the 

 county iu which they are kept were fully appreciated. Several 

 flocks equal to the stock of most ordinary farms were unvisited, 

 from the long period occupied in seeing what we have vaguely 

 mentioned, and when, in passing, the company casually in- 

 spected the substantial and elegant mansion which Mr. Mills 

 is now erecting on the Elston estate, they universally ex- 

 pressed a wish and hope that he might long live to enjoy it. 



On the return of the visitors to Mr. Mills's residence, a 

 cold collafion, comprising everything which hospitality could 

 furnish, attracted their full attention. The charming ride over 

 the breezy downs afforded an excellent excuse for the full 

 justice which this entertainment received. 



After dinner, a few speeches on the practical agricultural 

 questions of the day, from some gentlenieu whose opinions 

 were deserving of deep attention, were delivered. The toast 

 of the day, however, was that of the worthy host, whose 

 courtesy and lucid explanation of his agricultural manage- 

 ment gave occasion to his guests to observe that they had 

 passed, through his hospitable invitation, one of the most 

 delightful and instructive days of the Royal Agricultural So- 

 ciety's visit to Salisbury. 



We will only add, iu conclusion, that Mr. Mills's efforts to 

 entertain and instruct his visitors were ably secouiled by his 

 son. It was through the judicious arrangement of his own 

 and Mr. Mills's stud, that so large a party was comfortably 

 deposited on the broad acres of this fine estate. 



LEWES WOOL FAIR.— The wool fair was held last 

 .Tuly 20, at the Star Hotel, where an excellent dinner was pro- 

 vided by Mr. Kemp for an unusually numerous party, about 

 130 being present, under the presidency of John Ellman, Esq. 

 After the usual toasts, the Chairman said: "The nobleman 

 who held the oflice at Chichester which I do here, contented 

 himself with giving two toasts before going to business. I can 

 quite see why he did that : but being in the county of Sussex, 

 I must give you a third, and it is, ' The health of the Duke of 

 Richmond'" (loud cheers). The Chairman said, that really 

 any observations from him as to the market being brisk or 

 lively would be eiitirely thrown away. After explaining that 

 he had been misled by a report in a Wiltshire paper — an ex- 



