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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



commendation for a prize, however small — the word 

 *' prize" being a sort of talisman to customers. 



I think no one knows, but the actual judges, with what 

 intense anxiety, for the most part, exhibitors contend 

 for the prizes. I have seen many so agitated as to be 

 unable properly to adjust their own implement or ma- 

 chine, and have had to do it for them. On the other 

 hand, the precision, dexterity, and careful attention to 

 every detail in others has been most admirable, and 

 almost ensured success. The winning of a prize is the 

 cause of great elation to many. " You have made my 

 fortune," says one; "It's worth thousands tome," 

 says another. The telegraph, carrier-pigeons, and other 

 quick and available means are resorted to, in order that 

 "our people at home may know." I have also been dis- 

 tressed to witness the despondency of other men, who 

 have exhausted all their means to bring out and patent 

 some novel invention of more than doubtful utility, 

 trusting that the judges will award it a prize, and thus 

 make a way for its sale or the disposal of its patent 

 rights. I have known these fail, and the makers return 

 home to be made bankrupts. These are important 

 considerations to be taken into account ; and from them 

 I would argue the desirability of upholding a system 

 that has grown up with the progress of our improve- 

 ments, that has worked so admirably, that has brought 

 out such a vast amount of talent and enterprise. I 

 trust that no speculative alteration will retard the on- 

 ward movement. What would our inventors of imple- 

 ments for steam cultivation have thought of a poor cer- 



tificate of merit rather than the ^'500 prize? If I know 

 John Bull aright, he does, and ever did, prefer to replen- 

 ish his breeches-pocket. Small money prizes pay some- 

 j thing, and is a consideration with many. What would 

 the honest, hard-handed workman think of his certificate 

 after spending months in bringing out a clever, useful 

 implement? He looks for immediate benefit, and it is 

 I this hope of reward that has nerved him for the task. I 

 have every confidence in our great society, and believe 

 [ it will not lightly give up such a stimulus to inventors. 

 ! I would much rather such prizes were doubled — not to 

 ' benefit the established firms, and almost unconquerable, 

 inimitable houses; but to bring out latent native talent 

 of humble origin — some George Stevenson in agricul- 

 ture, and the like in mechanics. I am a firm believer in 

 the prize system. It works well, from the dame's school 

 I to the highest collegiate honours ; from the humble 

 I ploughboy to the princely exhibitor of cattle. It is 

 thorough English. John Bull will do anything under 

 I encouragement of a cash stimulant. Let us, then, set 

 : our faces against any retrograde movement. British 

 1 agriculture has attained its proud pre-eminence under 

 the prize system ; let us rather extend it to every be- 

 j nighted district, than curtail it in a single one. 



[It must be clearly understood that the West of Eng- 

 ^ land Society will not give even a certificate of merit. 

 There will be neither trials nor awards. Manufacturers 

 , may show off their wares in work if they please, but the 

 : Meeting itself will be merely an exhibition. — Ed. 

 I F. M.] 



THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY'S JOURNAL. 



At this comparatively quiet season a number of the 

 Society's Joj'.rrtal will be received with a far better wel- 

 come than it would command in the middle of harvest. 

 One can picture a man then just breaking the cover, and 

 throwing- the goodly volume aside, perhaps never to re- 

 turn to it again. Now, however, with a long eveninpr 

 before him, he is almost certain to give the new number 

 some attention. At a little after date there is one just 

 ready to his hand, the general ii-sue of which has taken 

 place. This is in some respects a remarkable part ; 

 curious, in the first instance, as not containing a single 

 prize paper. We miss, accordingly, the County Reports, 

 which by this time are no doubt nearly exhausted. Still, 

 any such omission must not be taken as altogether telling 

 against the character of the contents. If there are no 

 prize essays, there are the names of many writers who 

 have distinguished themselves in this wise. Mr. Clare 

 Sewell Read, for one, claims the opening article on the 

 recent improvements in Norfolk Farming ; Mr. Robert 

 Smith reports on the exhibition of live stock at the 

 Chester Meeting; Mr. Henry White has a similar paper 

 on the Cheese Show ; while Professor Votlcker 

 not only instructs us on the use of licjuid manure, but 

 has another and more attractive article on the 

 composition and value of cotton cake. Then Mr. 

 J. C. Morton estimates the cost of horse-power; 



Professor Henfrey talks aptly on the structure of roots ; 

 and Messrs. Lawesand Gilbert detail some further ex- 

 periments with different kinds of manures. All these 

 gentlemen, if we recollect aright, have been successful 

 competitors for the premiums of the Society. They 

 are associated here with Sir Archibald Macdonald, 

 who, as the senior steward, introduces the several re- 

 ports from the judges of implements at Chester, and 

 with Messrs. Ransomes and Sims, who supply some ac- 

 ceptable directions for working portable steam 

 engines. In another division, Monsieur Trehounais 

 writes on horse labour in France; Mr. Herbert 

 furnishes some statistics of the cattle sent for con- 

 sumption to the metropolis ; and Mr. Wright gives a 

 very good essay on the management of a herd. It 

 will be seen from this that the favours of the number 

 arc very nicely distributed, and that implements and 

 stock have each alike proper consideration allowed 

 them. Still there is no one great article ; and useful 

 as this issue will be found, it is as a whole by no means 

 up to the high-water mark of some former parts. 

 Amongst its more especial recommendations is the 

 absence of any too long or too learned treatises — a mis- 

 take the conductors had latterly been rather prone to 

 admit of. Indeed nearly all our quarterlies are more 

 or less liable to the same charge; and a subject must 



