THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



75 



the proceediuga of the Club ; and he would venture also to 

 congratulate hia lordship that he had entered on the duties of 

 his office at a period when the Club was certainly in a more 

 prosperous condition than it had ever been before,3ince it was 

 established (cheers). With respect to the future he could say 

 but little. They were, of course, all aware that a mnjority of 

 the members of the Club had decided that the show should 

 be removed to a new building to be erected at Islington. He 

 trusted that by this time next year all the preliminaries would 

 be in so forward a state that he would be able to address 

 them at greater lens;th on that subject. On that occasion he 

 would merely say that he thought that when such a question 

 had been settled by a majority, the minority ought to fall in 

 with the views of the majority, put their shoulders to the 

 wheel, and unite their efforts with those of others for the 

 common goo I (loud cheers). For himself, he could only say 

 that he should always be ready, and it would afford him the 

 greatest pleasure to give the directors of the new company 

 any suggestions and any information which it might be in 

 his power to afford, with a view to the erection of such a 

 building as would at once do credit to them, and meet the 

 increasing demands arising from the growing prosperity of 

 the Club (cheers). 



Mr. ToRR proposed "The Health of Mr. C. T. Tower, of 

 Weald Hall, the Senior Member of the Club," who, however, 

 was not present. Mr. Torr, in doing so, dwelt on the im- 

 proved character of the breeds of stock, and that early matu- 

 rity which the proceedings of the Club had done so much to 

 develop. 



Mr. G. P. ToxPORD said he had been requested by the 

 Chairman to propose a toast of very great importance, viz., 

 "The Royal Agricultural Society of England." The late Sir 

 Robert Peel, in proposing that toast in another place, declared 

 that it was his glory and pride to have been pre- 

 sent at the birth of such a noble institution ; and 

 when sucli was the feeling of that great statesman, 

 who accomplished such vast changes in the financial system of 

 this country as to produce a temporary paralysis in agricul- 

 ture \ and when another eminent statesman, the late Lord 

 Spencer, so uobl^' fostered and supported the society during 

 the early part of its career, considering, no doubt that 

 the best interests of his country were promoted by the 

 adraucement of agriculture, in the pursuit of which 

 he passed so much of his own time, and found, as he declared, 

 some of the greatest pleasures of his existence — when such 

 were the views of those distinguished men, he (Mr. Tuxford) 

 might well be proud of the opportunity then afforded to 

 him of proposing continued prosperity to the society. 

 He was delighted also to see so many noblemen 

 and gentlemen devoting themselves, in connection 

 with that society, to the cause of agricultural progress, not in 

 any narrow class spirit, but with a patriotic desire to assist in 

 feeding a growing population, and supplying a nation's wants 

 (cheers). To accomplish such an object to the fullest extent, it 

 was of course essential that reforms and improvements should be 

 gradually introduced into the executive and management. Where, 

 indeed, should they find a constitution or machinery that was 

 perfect ? (Hear, hear). The stimulus which had been given 

 to agriculture during the last five-and-twenty years, 

 through the medium of that society, had produced 

 more fruit than had resulted from the operations of 

 any other institution. Moreover, the beneficial effects 

 were not confined to our own shores — they extended 

 to distant countries. In fact, it was not too much to 

 ascribe universality of character to the proceedings of that 

 great society of which he was speaking (Hear, hear). Hence 

 it was that the awards of the judges were-of such vast import- 

 ance ; hence it was that intelligence and integrity on their 

 part were so indispensable. The decisions pronounced in the 

 show-yard exercised a powerful influence, not merely in our 

 numerous colonies, but throughout the civilized world. When 

 a particular breed of animals had an adjudication in its favour, 

 there was abroad as well as at home in the — colonies as well 

 as in the mother-country, intense anxiety to possess it ; and, 

 in like manuer, let an implement be stamped with the approval 

 of the society, and that approval was regarded far and wide, 

 and especially in our colojial empire, as a sign-manual of 

 excellence (Hear, hear). Hence the society, though con- 

 cerned with agriculture alone, gave indirectly a powerful im- 

 petus to trade, and created a demand for stock and machinery 



which it was sometimes almost impossible to meet. (Hear, 

 hear). In conclusion, he would express a hope that those 

 who took a leading part in the Royal Agricultural Society 

 would continue their useful efforts on its behalf, and that at 

 the close of their career, before they were gathered to ti eir 

 fathers, they would have the satisfaction of knowing that the 

 society had lost nothing in their hands, but that, as good 

 stewards, they had left the estate better than they foucd it 

 (Cheers). 



Mr. Robert Smith replied, as one of the Council of the 

 Royal Agricultural Society. The next toast was " The 

 Butchers," but, as usual, it passed unacknowledged. 



Mr. Sidney, in proposing "The labourers," said the 

 interest now generally felt in the condition of the labourer 

 had been illustrated that week st the Central Farmers' 

 Club, wiiere the question had been ably introduced and 

 earnestly discussed. It was highly important that in the 

 improvement and elevation of society in general the la- 

 bourer should not be forgotten. Time did not permit him 

 to enter into the question at length, but he was sure all 

 present felt a deep interest in the amelioration of the con- 

 dition of the labouring classes, and more particularly of 

 those who were engaged in cultivating the soil. 



Mr. Eaton felt glad to have an opportunity of return- 

 ing thanks, as, without this important class, agriculture 

 would be at a standstill. He then proceeded to give 

 some account of the effect of an agricultural society 

 at the Cape of Good Hope, and of his own fifteen years' ex- 

 perience there as an agriculturist. It took five years to gain 

 sufficient experience to make ends meet : the first two were 

 spent with a large practical farmer, and during the others, 

 which were on his own account, he lost £700 ; but that sum 

 bought that experience which led to his subsequent pros- 

 perity. About fifteen years ago there were comparatively 

 few English farm implements in the colony. The labour was 

 unadapted for machinery or implements requiring careful 

 usage ; and an agricultural society was only kept alive by the 

 indefatigable perseverance and assistance of some few, amongst 

 whora was one of its most staunch friends throughout, Mr. T. 

 B. Bayley (nephew to the late Mr. Butterwortli Bayley), who 

 imported throrough-bred horses, sheep, and other stock to a 

 very large extent. The colony reaped rich harvests from these 

 and similar importations. Wool is now exported largely ; and, 

 during the mutiny in India, the Cape supplied upwards of 6,000 

 horses, which had been very highly spokeu of in India. 

 About thirteen years ago Mr. Bayley imported a few of How- 

 ard's double-furrowed ploughs, one of which he (Mr. Eaton) 

 used that season, as well as an American and the old clumsy 

 Dutch plough, which required eight horses. He need not 

 mention the result ; but still the Dutch farmers were so pre- 

 judiced in favour of their fathers' and grandfathers' ploughs, 

 that it took years for them to see their own interest; but the 

 ploughing matches were too convincing, and now his (Mr. 

 Eaton's) agents alone had imported upwards of a thousand 

 of Howard's, besides many from Ransome. With regard to 

 thrashing machines, which were almost unknown to most of 

 the Dutch a few years ago, a trial of the few there had 

 the effect of causing the farmers to come forward to order 

 machines and join the society, and now they were becoming 

 quite general. These improvements had also convinced them 

 of the value of improved labour ; and now our Parliament 

 has granted £150,000 for the importation of labour of that 

 sort. Men with inclination to drink had better stay at home, 

 as the Cape wine was cheap, wants few, wages good, and labour 

 always in demand ; but those who went, determined to resist 

 this temptation, might work with the pleasant prospect of them- 

 selves becoming masters of comfortable homes in a few years; 

 Mr. Eaton concluded by expressing his desire to leatn more 

 as to stall-feeding, which he thought ere long must be adopted 

 in the colony. 



The Chairman then gave "The Visitors," with which the 

 proceedings terminated. 



MEETING OF THE MEMBERS OF THE 



SMITHFIELD CLUB. 



HELD IN THE YARD DURING THE SHOW 



WEEK. 



Tuesday, Dec. 11th. 



The Eail of Hardwicke, aa senior Vice-president, occupied 



