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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE 



dinner in the De Grey Rooms ; Lord Greenock, the pre- 

 sident of the society, in the chair. 



After the usual loyal toasts, the healths of the Hon. Col. 

 Duncombe and the Lord Mayor were given. The noble 

 Chairman then gave, in an appropriate speech, " Success to 

 the Yorkshire Agricultural Society." 



H. S. Thoimpson, Esq., responded, observing that he had 

 a most cordial wish for the success of the society, because 

 he believed it was an association well calculated to do, and 

 really had in a great measure promoted very much the im- 

 provement and progress of agriculture in that county. He 

 directed attention to the high price of food and tlie com- 

 parative scarcity of cattle in this country, and stated 

 what he thought would be to the advantage of the con- 

 sumers as well as the farmers. He then alluded to the fact 

 that sufficient attention was not paid to the improvement 

 of grass laud, and suggested that wherever the land had 

 any strength in it, they ought to drain it first, and then till 

 it ; but lie recommended that land of a light sandy quality 

 should be ploughed up. He also advised farmers to keep 

 their manure for arable land, but to use hand tillage for 

 grass, to the extent of one cwt. of guano and one cwt. of 

 nitrate of soda to the acre. In the third year after this 

 application, land that was previously only fit to keep animals 

 in a growing state would then fatten them, and the land 

 •would be as different in quality as grass land could be. 

 Mr. Horsfall, of Burley, near Otley, had caused strong wet 

 land, with rushes growing upon it, to produce what was 

 worth £16 per acre, whilst the average produce of the grass 

 land of that county would be worth only about £4 per 

 acre, but ratlier below than above that sum : that which 

 was not worth £4 per acre might be made to be worth]£8. 

 If they adopted the plan he had suggested judiciously, 

 none of them would be disappointed in the result. 



Lord Wenlock said he quite agreed with all that had 

 fallen from Mr. Thompson with respect to the importance 

 of more attention being paid to grass land, for he felt as- 

 sured that the farmer was neglecting his best friend in not 

 trying more than is done to improve it. He, however, had 

 risen more especially for the purpose of proposing the next 

 toast — the health of their noble president, Lord Greenock. 

 That was a toast which he knew would be received with 

 enthusiasm by the company, not only as Yorkshireraen, but 

 as Englishmen, because the name of Cathcart was one which 

 at once aroused their feelings of gratitude, on account of 

 the benefits which those who had borne it had conferred 

 upon this countrj', in diplomacy, and still more in war. 



The noble Chairman, in returning thanks, expressed a 

 hope that he should never do any discredit to the name of 

 those who had gone before him. He assured them that he 

 had no pretensions but to an endeavour to do his dutj', not 

 only by being a good cultivator of the soil, but also by cul- 

 tivating kindly and friendly relations with his neighbours 

 and with his fellow-men. 



Lord Bolton then gave "The Council of the Society," 

 to which J. W. Childers, Esq., returned thanks, and gave 

 " The Judges," to which Mr. Croft returned thanks. 



Sir J. V. B. Johnstone, Bart., said, in some respects, as 

 regarded aj;riculture, he had not a lucky star on him that 

 eveninff. At Salisbury he was not well enough to partake of 

 Mr. Sidney Herbert's hospitality, or to witness Mr Boydell's 

 traction engine ascend the tremendous hill there, of which they 

 had all at least heard; and since then he had been delayed in 

 Loudon in order to attend to his parliamentary duties, not the 

 least important of which had been that of assisting in the en- 

 deavour that was being made to retain in York the registry 

 for wills in the North and East Ridings. He had only lefc 

 London that morning at eleven o'clock, and had therefore little 

 opportunity of seeing anything here which enabled him to 

 epeak of the present meeting. Nevertheless he had no hesita- 

 tion in proposing the next toast on the list, viz., "The Royal 

 English, Highland, and Irish Agricultural Societies," with the 

 former of which he had been connected almost from the date 

 of its foundation. After enlarging on the importance of these 

 three great societies, attributing to their operations the success 

 which had attended the efforts that had been made to pro- 

 mote improvement in the cultivation of the soil and the rear- 



ing of stock, the worthy baronet proceeded to offer some 

 remarks on the complaints that have been made recently with 

 respect to the arrangements of the Royal Society, more espe- 

 cially aa regards the annual dinner, and expicssed his regret 

 to find that the only let-down at York seemed to be, judging 

 from the amallness of the attendance at this dinner, that the 

 farmers of Yorkshire had lost their appetites. He assured 

 the company that the council of the Royal Society were always 

 ready to receive any practical suggestions or good advice ; and 

 then said a few words on the subject of the introduction of 

 steam in connection with agricultural pursuits, expressing a 

 belief that though its progress may not be fast, still it is 

 certain, and that the day wdl come when steam will be found 

 a very important auxiliary in the carrying out of agricultural 

 operations. 



D. L. Milne Howe, Esq., said, on behalf of the Royal 

 Society, of which he was a member, on behalf of the High- 

 laud Society, of which he was a member and a director, and 

 on behalf of the Irish Agricultural Society, of which he was a 

 sincere friend, he rose to acknowledge the toast which had 

 just been received. As one who was not unacquainted with 

 agricultural exhibitions throughout the kingdom, he congra- 

 tulated the society upon the great success, he might almost 

 say the splendour, of the show they had had that day. The 

 'Yorkshire Society, though nominally provincial, was truly 

 national in its character and usefulness, drawing forth, by its 

 liberal premiums and judicious commendations, exhibitors of 

 splendid stock and of ingenious implements from all parts of 

 the kingdom. 



The Hon. Colonel Duncombe gave the healths of "The 

 successful competitors." 



S. Wiley, Esq., responded to the toast, and congratu- 

 lated the society upon the improvements which they 

 effected year bj' year. He was pleased to say that he had 

 exhibited a few animals which had met with the approba- 

 tion of the judges, who were very scientific judges; and 

 he hoped to be equally successful, if spared, another year. 



Lord Teignmouth proposed " The unsuccessful compe- 

 titors." He expressed his pleasure that the council had 

 decided to hold the next meeting of the society at North- 

 allerton, near to which town he resided, and where, he 

 believed, a warm and kindly reception would be accorded 

 to them. 



The Rev. R. Brook, of Gateforth, Selby, responded on 

 behalf of the unsuccessful candidates, whom he charac- 

 terized as a patient and enduring body of men. He called 

 them patient, because it was the characteristic of a patient 

 man not to be deterred by a first mischance, but to watch 

 and wait for an opportunity to come forward again under 

 better conditions, and with more assured prospects of 

 success. Like Antreus— if his classical recollections served 

 him right— rebounding from his mother-earth, he is re- 

 freshed and renewed from every successive defeat. He 

 called them much enduring, because, after they had reared 

 stock which was the pride of their district and the admira- 

 tion of their neighbours, they had come to the show, and 

 been unsuccessful. But, though defeated, they were not 

 disgraced ; and they might hope to be successful another 

 time. 



J. Greenwood, Esq., gave "The labourers"; after 

 which, he proposed the hejuth of the indefatigable Secre- 

 tary of the Yorkshire Society. 



Mr. Hannam, in acknowledging the compliment which 

 had been paid to him, said that the success of the present 

 exhibition was not to be attributed solely to his individual 

 efforts, but was to be traced, in no small degree, to the 

 exertions of the local committee and the local secretaries, 

 from whom he had received every assistance. He also 

 offered his acknowledgments to the noble Chairman of the 

 society, for the readiness with which he had given him 

 advice upon any questions of difficulty ; and assured them 

 that he was rewarded by their kindness for any exertions 

 he had made. 



The noble Chairman then gave the last toast on the 

 list— "The ladies"— and the company separated. 



