<&32 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



poses, he was told that it would all be used up in three 

 or four months, and he believes it was used for human 

 food. The usual plan is to put it through the stones, 

 and it comes out apparently quite fresh. In many 

 cases it is mixed with sound flour. Some of the Ame- 

 rican flour becomes acid, but that does not materially 

 deteriorate it: the colour is always good, although 

 there may be a few insects in it. But there is some 

 which is musty and full of insects, from maggots an 

 inch and a-half long downwards, and when that is put 

 through the stones, they are all ground up." 



One of the great difticulties in the transport and 

 preservation of flour and meal, is their liability to fer- 

 ment and become sour after a short time. Many a 

 cargo has been rendered wholly worthless from this 

 cause. When large quantities of flour or meal are 

 packed together, as in flour barrels, the material heats 

 and fervents, beginning at the centre of the mass, 

 where no air can gain access. This is now prevented 

 by using an open tube running lengthwise through the 

 centre of the barrel, which circulates air, and prevents 

 the meal or flour from heating. The flour acquires no 

 musty smell or taste, however long it may he kept. 



There is continual discus-ion and controversy going 

 on in the American papers respecting the official in- 

 spection and branding of flour barrels. There are 

 ^'fipp," "superfine," and "extra" brands or barrels 

 of flour J bu* ""'hat is the meaning of these terms ? Do 



they indicate the quality of the flour ? That is the in- 

 tention ; but we are assured they do not determine it, 

 and these marks are entirely disregarded by the dealers. 

 What is a proper standard of the quality of good sweet 

 flour? Is fineness the test of quality, or colour, or 

 what ? Definite information on this point would be of 

 great use to the whole community, as there is an almost 

 total want of knowledge regarding the quality of flour 

 and the means of judging it by the inspector's mark. 

 The grades of flour and the signification of the terms 

 used difler materially in New ^"ork, in iXew Orleans, 

 and in Montreal ; and it would be very desirable if the 

 same word described the same thing in every part of 

 America. 



The brand, if used at all, should be a warranty ; 

 upon the faith Of it the purchaser deals and pays his 

 price. It is assuredly important, and in fact necessary, 

 for men sending flour abroad, to send it with some 

 evidence of its having been officially inspected. The 

 miller must be assumed to be acquainted with the dif- 

 ferent qualities of the flour he manufactures, and, when 

 he brands a barrel of a certain quality, must be taken 

 to have exercised his judgment, and aimed at the con- 

 clusion that the barrel so branded deserves to be de- 

 scribed as branded. Upon the faith of this brand the 

 purchaser deals and pays his price. If the brand is 

 untrue, the purchaser is deceived. This has been held 

 to be the law of the case in Canada. 



THE OXFORD FARMERS' CLUB. 

 TESTIMONIAL TO MR. THOMSON, THE CHAIRMAN. 



Notwithstanding the sound progress and increasing 

 influence of the central body, our Farmers' Clubs 

 generally have but an ephemeral existence. Many of 

 them. open promisingly enough; and some, indeed, 

 with almost too much dash and spirit. They go on 

 capitally for a year or two, have full meetings, inte- 

 resting discussions, and — "then are heard no more." 

 The simple fact is, that without some master-mind 

 amongst them it is a matter of considerable difficulty 

 for the same set of people to keep up the excitement of 

 the thing. The subjects for consideration fail them ; 

 or, a man having descanted on his favourite topic^ 

 cannot often bo induced to touch on another with 

 which he may be less familiar. Again, the con- 

 tinual introduction of a little new blood is very requi- 

 site, while some occasional action in any business im- 

 mediately connected with the neighbourhood has been 

 known to do a deal of good. In a word, those local 

 Institutions require some very nice management. It 

 is easy enough to set them going, but the point is to 

 retain them as the useful and becoming organs of the 

 agriculture of their several districts. 



Of course the secret of any such success is to be 

 found in the earnestness with which the farmers them- 

 selves enter upon the experiment, A Club that looks 



chiefly to the five-pound notes of Lord Lieutenants 

 and County Members, with a hip-hip dinner once 

 a year, cannot be booked for a very long life. Nothing 

 is so enervating to such societies as the too active pa- 

 tronage of great people. We would not for a moment 

 have the tenant bar out the country gentleman on 

 these occasions. Let him come by all means, if he so 

 wishes; but let the conduct of a Farmers' Club be in 

 the hands of farmers. Let these find their own officers, 

 and do their own work. They will take to it all the 

 better when they divide it amongst themi-elves ; and so 

 let there be no hunting up of Lurds and Squires for 

 Chairmen and Presidents. One of the best signs of the 

 London Club is that it has always a plain practical 

 man in the place of honour ; and we do not quite 

 despair of the day when even the great show dinners 

 of county Agricultural Societies shall be presided over 

 by farmers, with county Members and county Magis- 

 trates right and left, il'you please. 



AVe have now lor many years past had to no- 

 tice the proceedings of a local club that has 

 continued to live on with every credit to those 

 in whom its management has centred. The Oxford 

 Club is in reality what it professes to be — the repre- 

 sentative of the Oxfordshire farmers. Nearly all the 



