16 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



Mr. S. Sidney proposed " Prosperity to the local 

 agricultural associations of EngUmd." England was, 

 he believed, almost the only country in Europe where 

 there was not a Minister of Agriculture, and where the 

 Governmeat did not expend money to promote agiicul- 

 ture. It was fortunate for theni that they were not 

 dependent on the Government — not bound to take their 

 plans of improvement from a theoretical functionary. 

 In every parish almost — certainly in every important 

 county or district— there was a society, which was 

 exerting itself in the cause of agricultural progress by 

 such means as it could command, and it was, in fact, the 

 operations of the local societies that suggested the for- 

 mation of that leading one which had convened them 

 that evening. The Central Farmers' Club and the local 

 clubs represented the essential difference between the 

 government of this country and the governments of con- 

 tinental countries. In this country men were left to do the 

 work of improvement themselves, aud hence every man felt 

 bound to exert himself to the utmost to promote the general 

 welfare. He believed that if there was one reason more 

 remarkable than others why EngUsh agriculture had made 

 such rapid progress, it was that there was not a man in 

 England who did not feel more or less interest in the pur- 

 suit. In other countries they found here and there agricul- 

 turists of extraordinary talent, who were labouring to 

 advance agriculture either in colleges or as model farmers, 

 but they were entirely separate from the rest of their coun- 

 trymen. In this country, on the contrary, there was hardly 

 any class of society which did not take an interest in agri- 

 culture. It was not only those farmers who, like their 

 excellent chairman, had, by themselves or their ancestors, 

 occupied the s\me farm perhaps for a century, that felt 

 interested in agricultural pursuits ; even workinj^ men were 

 attracted to them ; and many a man who had made a for- 

 tune in a colon}% came here to apply his acquired wealth in 

 the engagements of agriculture. He would associate with 

 his toast the name of Mr. Spooner, a gentleman who was 

 connected with one of the most intelligent local agricultural 

 societies in England. 



Mr. SpooNEs, of tha Botley Farmers' Club, said his 

 title to the honour was founded on the fact of his liav- 

 iug for many yeaM acted ns the secretary of a 1'jc»1 

 club, wliich had just published its fourteenth anuual report. 

 It muat not be supposed that during the period which had 

 elapsed since that club was first called iuto existence it had 

 pursued an uudeviatiiig course of success. In their early his- 

 tory they had to encounter many diffieuUiea ; they had to ruu 

 the gauntlet, with prejudice ou the cue side, aud ridicule ou 

 the other; and uo ridicule was so stinging as that which ttiey 

 had met with from their brother-farmers. Many persona, who 

 had aiace become active: and useful members of the society, at 

 that time thought that when farmers met together for discus- 

 sion, they were as much out of their elemeuc as a fish out of 

 water, or a shorlhoru bull in a chiua shop (laughter). It was 

 afterwards fouud that agriculture was a pursuit h hich cot only 

 required capital and experience, but a vast amount of uieutal 

 study aud the collection of numerous facti, aud, he might 

 adii, the aasistauce, directly or indirectly, of luany of the 

 sciences; aud hence it was no longer a subject of ridicule that 

 farmers should ass-cia'e together and discuss agricultural 

 topics, lie rccollec'ed very well that at an early period in 

 the history of the society they discussed the question whether 

 a given amount of money could be most advantageously ex- 

 pended iu the purchase of artificial manures or of odcake to be 

 given as food to cattK'. It was then supposed that those two 

 kinds of expenditure were directly opposed to each other. On 

 the occasion to which he referred, the question was decided iu 

 favour of artificial manures ; but that question could no longer 

 be entertained, it being perceived that there was no antagonism 

 between the two metliods of procedure. If such a question 

 was proposed at the present time he did not know how it 

 •could be answered better thnn by the relation of a little anec- 

 dote which he heard some time ago with regard to a membtr 

 of the Society of Friends. That person, having been unfortu- 

 nate in business, and lost all his property, and having pre- 

 served his hono\ir and his credit, several members of his Irater- 

 nity determined to assist him. With this view they convened 

 4k meetiug, to which all who were invited were to briug as 



much of their surplus capital as they could spare, iu order to 

 set up their friend Obadiah again in business. At the meet- 

 iug the chairman, addressing the party principally concerned, 

 said, " Obadiah, thy friends have got together the goodly sum 

 thou seeat ou the table to assist thee ; how much of this large 

 sum do thy necessities require ?" ObaJiah was a iuan of 

 short speech, aud holding his hat with his left hand, with his 

 riglit he swept the whole sum collected iuto it, saying, 

 "Friends, I have need of all." The moral of this story was 

 not ditlicult to understand. If farmers apostrophised the laud, 

 aud said to it, " Dust thou want artificial manures, or oilcake, 

 or any other substance?" the laud would answer in a voice of 

 iuspiration, " Farmers, I need them all." Those who had had 

 most experience in such matters were found to be most liberal 

 iu their expenditure uuder both heads, it having been found 

 that while oilcake would not supply the place of artificial ma- 

 nures, neither would artificial manures supply the place of oil- 

 cake (Hear, hear). He was here reminded of that great 

 society which brought such large numbers of agriculturists to 

 the metropolis at this season of the year. That was one of the 

 olJest, if not the very oldest of the agricultural societies of 

 this kingdom. Many years ago — in 1831— it was said to have 

 per.''ormed its mission, having shown the country aud the 

 world which were the best breeds of animals to be selected for 

 fattening. Few, he believed, eveu now took that view of the 

 Smithfield Club ; but the question was sometimes mooted in 

 the country whether, for the benefit of those who had neither 

 the mouey nor the abdity to perform the task themselves, it 

 might not advantageously institute inquiries with the view of 

 ascertaining what was the best aud most nutritious food for 

 animals — iu what form that food should be presented — how 

 much should be given, and what variety there should be — aud 

 what was the profit and loss attending a particular course of 

 action? He could not but think that some of the surplus 

 funds of the society would be well employed in the solution of 

 problems which so deeply concerued agriculturists (cheers). 



Mr. W. Bennett proposed " The Vice-President and Pre- 

 sident-elect for the ensuing year — Mr. John Thomas, of 

 Bletsoe, Bedfordshire." A more practical, a more en- 

 lightened, or a more intelligent farmer than that gentleman 

 there was not, he said, in this or in any other country ; and 

 the committee had acted wisely in electing him to fill the chair 

 (cheers). 



Mr, Thomas briefly returned thanks. 



The next toast which was proposed by the Ciiairman was 

 " The Committee of Management, coupled with the name of 

 Mr. Cuthbert Johnson." 



Mr. C. Johnson, in replying, congratulated the assembly 

 on the growing prosperity of the club, and said it was in a 

 more satisfactory position than it had ever been before. Un- 

 like clubs in general, it had money in the funds, and its 

 finances were in a flourishing state. 



The Rev. T. James proposed "The agricultural labourers." 

 The labourers, he remarked, wanted not charity, but employ- 

 ment ; and there ought to be no lack of employment while 

 there was so much land not brought iuto cultivation, and so 

 much more which was not cultivated adequately. Far more 

 attention ought to be paid to the physical condition of 

 labourers and the state of their dwellings. The homes of 

 many of the peasantry were at present a disgrace to the laud 

 (Hear, hear). There was no possibility of cleanliness; and 

 the sexes were so mingled together that it was impossible to 

 observe the common decencies of life. He hoped that 

 efl'ectual eiforts woulii speeilily be made to do away with that 

 state of things, for it was useless to talk of the diffusion of 

 education or religion while vice, with ail its evil consequences, 

 was all but inevitable; nor could they suppose that the super- 

 structure of society was secure while the foundation was so 

 defective. 



The concluding toasts were " The Visiters," acknowledged 

 by Mr. Mitchell; "The Secretary," proposed by Mr. Stokes, 

 and answered for by Mr. Corbet ; aud " The Press," with 

 which the name of Mr. Tuxford was coupleJ, and who duly re- 

 plied to the compliment. 



Mr. A. Smith, of Tupwood, Red Hill, materially contributed 

 to the pleasure of the evening by singing three or four of his 

 wcU-sclccted i.oags iu his beat roauuer. 



