474 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



Uugeuud devoted his attention to agiicultuie ; and, guided 

 by the law just mentioned, avoided tho losses in haj', time, 

 and vintage, which niauy of his neighbours experienced. 

 When governor of Algiers, he never entered on a campaign 

 until after the sixth day of the moon. His neighbours at 

 Excideuil and his lieutenants in Algeria would often ex- 



claim, ' How lucky he is in the weather !' AVhat they re- 

 garded as mere chance was the result of observation. In 

 counting the fourth and sixth days, he was particular in 

 beginning from the exact time of new moon, and added 

 three-quarters of an hour for each day for the greater length 

 of the lunar, as compared with the solar day." 



THE PROFESSION OF AGRICULTUE. 



IPSWICH FARMERS' CLUB. 



The first meeting of the members of this Club took place in 

 the large room of the Golden Lion Inn, on Tuesday, May 17, 

 There was a very Urge attendance, with Mr. M. Biddell in the 

 chair. 



Mr. R. Bond, of Kentwell, read a paper " On the Profes- 

 sion of Agriculture, practically and politically considered," from 

 which we give the leading points. Mr. Bond, having congratulated 

 the meeting on the formation of the Club, thus proceeded : — 

 In treating this subject, I will not forget the pounds, shillings, 

 and pence considerations, and I propose to answer the following 

 questions, viz. : — What is the actual per-centage position of 

 agriculture? Can the position of agriculture be improved socially 

 in the relationship of landlord and tenant? Can it be improved 

 politically? Can it be improved practically byimproved practice? 

 First, What is the actual per centage position of agriculture? 

 I believe it is an allowed fact, of which we are all well aware, 

 that agriculture, though a pleasant and agreeable business, is 

 one from which the average per-centage profit is comparatively 

 small. Whither I shall turn to meet with agriculturists of 

 equal proportions as corn or cattle lords — whither I shall turn 

 to find fabulous hoards of wealth derived by the cultivator from 

 the cultivation of the soil, is a task in which I must ask your 

 assistance. I know of but few such cases. Agricultural accu- 

 mulation is usually a slow game of patience, and although 

 there are many men who are well to do enough, and possessed 

 of ample capital as tenant farmers, yet I much question whether 

 one agricultural lord can be found who has risen to fortune 

 and an exsUed position in society by the large per-centage 

 returns of his agricultural investments. Again, gentlemen, if 

 we leave the extremes of success, and descend to the medium 

 indications of prosperity, what do we find ? Who retires from 

 the toils and the struggles of business crowned with success, 

 to spend an old age of competency in the quiet and peaceful 

 enjoyment of that wealth which years of labour have accumu- 

 lated ? I know the country life of a farmer militates against 

 such a course ; but with all due allowance, the retirement of 

 Bucccessful tradesmen is comparatively beyond all proportion- 

 it is as 100 to 1. The thought of a farmer retiring almost ex- 

 cites an involuntary smile, and I am convinced that in 99 cases 

 out of 100, this charitable world of ours would pronounce it 

 to be from necessity, and not from choice. Upon aTicultural 

 prosperity, or the want of it, I may even say more ; I may 

 venture the assertion that there are thousands of painstaking 

 careful, business men throughout the kingdom, who, in the 

 average of years as farmers, make no progress; their per-centage 

 affords them a subsistence, but not an accumulating surplus ; 

 year after year their position is one of stagnation rather than 

 of progression. Now, gentlemen, why is this ? I have taken 

 some pains to inquire ; and, first, as to trade, I have corresponded 

 largely with friends and gentlemen to ascertain the average per. 

 centage returns from the various trades and manufactures, both 

 in town and country, and whilst I can find, from the most reli- 

 •ble aourccB, that money thus invested pays a per-centage yary- 



ing, according to the nature of the business, from 15 to 

 25 per cent., agriculturally the return is not 10 per cent., 

 inclusive of personal supervision. Noiv, gentlemen, why is 

 there this marked difference, and why is it that capital 

 invested agriculturally does not make a better return ? The 

 truth is, competition explains the whole secret. The competi- 

 tion is extreme. The truly agricultural class would compete 

 for farms as a business investment and as a business occupation ; 

 but the wealthy tradesman, ou behalf of himself or his son, 

 competes in part to secure the recreation and advantage of 

 green fields and fresh air •, and although to such capitalitts 

 per-centage return is generally a secondary consideration, com- 

 pared with the freedom and comfort of a country life, yet 

 trade usually competes in ignorance, and under the false notion 

 that agricultural profits range high. Gentlemen, too, farm for 

 amusement, and when business as a pleasure competes with 

 business as an investment, it increases the competition at 

 heavy odds, and greatly tends to reduce the per-centage re- 

 turns. Did you, gentlemen, at any previous period know of 

 such competition for farms as at the present moment? Thus, 

 gentlemen, independently of farming being a pleasurable busi- 

 ness, which greatly induces competition, we have increasing 

 wealth, increasing population, and a limited supply of land, 

 all assisting to add to the competitive demand. I fearlessly 

 assert, from investigation and comparison, that agriculture is 

 the most competitive business pursued. But to the honour of 

 the landlords of England it may generally be said that compe- 

 tition is not allowed to work to its utmost extent. I believe 

 'n cases where the gojd mixed soil pleasurable farms of the 

 kingdom have been thrown into the market, and let by tender 

 to the highest bidder, not l-3rd per cent, is the annual return, 

 which, after allowing for the tenant's supervision, makes the 

 investment a heavy losing speculation. Upon the present 

 basis, and the present position of matters, I urge the fathers 

 of England to pause before they determine to import their sous 

 by wholesale into a business low in its per-centage returns, 

 and whereby already the actual and the expectant farmers are 

 ready to cut up the present pecuniary profit by an overwhelm- 

 ing competition for laud. 



" Can the position of agriculture be improved socially, in the 

 relationship of landlord and tenant?" I am of opinion that 

 the relationship of landlord and tenant may be materially im- 

 proved. Such an improvement would be mutually advan- 

 tageous ; and it is my conviction that the improved cultivation 

 of the kingdom at large materially hinges upon the just set- 

 tlement of this question. I observe that tenant farmers em- 

 ploy the largest invested capital of any class in England, and 

 I cannot understand the justice or the propriety of withholding 

 from them just protection to their investments. I know it 

 may be said, " Why, what can be done ? it is a delicate and 

 difficult subject, and you cannot interfere." Now I have no 

 wish to interfere, in the ordinary acceptation of that word, but 

 I have no sympathy with such placitude. I have no sympathy 



