THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



395 



tributed to the increase and excellence of our live stock, in 

 a truly marvellous degree — a profitable result. Agri- 

 cultural statistics have been the subject of many at- 

 tempts ; but although we have had many interesting state- 

 ments with regard to agricultural produce, the move- 

 ment has not been received very graciously. Time 

 alone can show how far an altered taste may lead to 

 different results in future years. — Irrigation is a practice 

 which, although chiifly confined to the western counties, 

 has deserved well of the farmer. It has done its part 

 in the production of green food in early spring, and 

 abundance of bay at shear time, at a nominal outlay. 

 This practice is well worthy the attention of proprietors 

 and tenants of hilly districts, " where the plough can- 

 not penetrate," but " the rippling stream can How." 

 At the request of Mr. T. Dyke Acland, a paper " On 

 Water Meadows as suitable for Wales and other moun- 

 tain districts" was prepared by Mr. T. Barker, of Pusey 

 (agent on the Pusey Estates), for the last Journal of 

 the Bath and West of England Society. I mention 

 this because the paper is not only well worthy the 

 attention of all "hill farmers," but is about to be 

 reprinted for general use, especially for the prin- 

 cipality of Wales and the Westmoreland Lake districts. 

 The grass lands of England have also received some 

 attention of late, but by no means in an even ratio with 

 the favoured arable lands. There is indeed, a nice point 

 of distinction to be drawn on this head. Can we im- 

 prove moderate grass land by top-dressing to a profit ? 

 or are they such as would pay best for cultivation ? 

 Local circumstances can alone decide, climate being 

 the ruling power. As regards the tenure of land, the 

 question of an equitable arrangement for ensuring good 

 cultivation versus loss of time and capital, when tenants 

 are changing farms, has been freely and fully discussed 

 of late, and discussion is happily resulting in a better 

 understanding of the necessity for such an arrangement. 

 Progress will effect much in this way ; and although we 

 may be met in the outset by opposition and by surprise 

 that there should be such a term as "tenant right," 

 equity and improved culture will ultimately become 

 the universal practice. In fact, the principle is being 

 acted upon in present lettings, to a considerable extent. 

 The subject of " agricultural customs and covenants" 

 has been fully before the council of the Bath and 

 West of England Society, and the result will shortly ap- 

 pear in the Society's forthcoming Journal. Deep cul- 

 ture by the aid of steam-power is yet in its infancy ; 

 but, as a consequence of progressive art, it will ulti- 

 mately do much for agriculture, by deepening the tillage 

 earth of countless acres which cannot be profitably moved 

 by any other power. This leads me to the remark that 

 there is yet wanting a better comparative knowledge of 

 the several powers engaged in agriculture, such as steam, 

 horse, water, and manual power. On the subject of 

 " horse power," we have an excellent report in the last 

 Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, by Mr. 

 Morton. It should be well read, and weighed against 

 the present papers that are being daily written upon 

 steam-power, lest our zeal for " things new" should 

 carry us out of our depth — or we might say below our 



depth. As regards manual labour, we are daily seeing 

 it surplanted by mechanical aid. From my present 

 acquaintance with water power in a hilly country, I can 

 strongly recommend it to all who have the power of 

 water within reach of the farmstead. The enormous 

 additional weight of green food that has been produced 

 of late has rendered practicable the maintenance of larger 

 herds of cattle, increased flocks of sheep, &c., and thus 

 supplied an additional weight of animal food for the 

 growing wants of the people, and the increasing foreign 

 trade in English animals ; while the fact that the price 

 of meat keeps up, while corn has fallen, has happily 

 falsified some doleful forebodings. The practical value 

 of these increased products is best illustrated by a quo- 

 tation from Mr. Middleton's work. He observes, 

 " that every acre would support its man, on vegetable 

 food ;" but, says he, " only let him change his diet to 

 one meal per day of animal food, and he will require 

 the produce of four acres." In connection with root 

 crops may be mentioned the intrinsic value of mangold- 

 wurtzel. It is being cultivated to an enormous extent, 

 and has happily come to the rescue of many a farm 

 where the Swedish turnip has become less hardy than in 

 former years, or, more properly speaking, less inclined 

 to flourish on the same soil, once in four years, under 

 the four-course system of husbandry. Autumnal cul- 

 ture has stood the test of experience, and remains as a 

 valuable saving in the cost of clean farming ; but as 

 respects light lands, the practice is yet a doubtful one. 

 This class of remarks might be carried on for an hour : 

 there are indeed so many plans for every branch of our 

 art, that I had better conclude by referring members to the 

 pages of the Royal Agricultural Society's Journal, and 

 those of the Bath and West of England Society's Journal, 

 as records of all that is good and worth recording. 

 The extension of commerce and manufactures has 

 proved a valuable adjunct to the increase and consump- 

 tion of agricultural produce. More raw materials, as 

 flax, wool, &c., are required, manures from foreign 

 lands are exchanged for goods, and we must not omit 

 the precious metal, and its abundance to this country, 

 whereby all things agricultural have shared in the 

 golden harvest so unexpectedly supplied. The ulti- 

 mate results of the gold discoveries it would be 

 unsafe to predict; suffice it to say that the effects 

 of the increase of gold require the serious fore- 

 thought of the statesman. Amongst the fa- 

 cilities that have recently been aflbrded to agriculture, 

 we may mention the Government Drainage Act, the 

 the Inclosure Act, the New Poor Law Act, and the 

 Tithe Commutation Act. The advantages afforded by 

 the Fire Insurance offices, the Drainage, Building, Hail, 

 and Cattle Insurance offices, have each in their way 

 helped along the well-being of those that are promi- 

 nently interested in them. — Thus far, I have given a 

 glowing account of the " progress of agriculture" from 

 the early ages to the present time. But what shall I 

 say of our disappointment and misfortunes? We have, 

 in truth, had our vicissitudes and losses by the diseases 

 of our live stock, wet harvests, failure in our root crops, 

 and low prices for our cereal produce, while the cost of 



