I4i 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



presicled over by one of our county members, and having 

 at the head of the table an lionoured class of gentlemen 

 whose interests are identical with those of agriculture, is 

 sufficient proof of the benefits to be obtained from this 

 society. It is impossible to meet here and carij on dis- 

 cussion withotit some benefit accruing from it. We may 

 differ in politics, and with regard to county finance, 

 boards of county expenditure, and the new way-rate 

 bill ; but no harm can ever come from discussion. 

 With reference to this society, this day twelve months 

 I told you that we had had some up-hill work previous 

 to that occasion ; but we wished, through the instru- 

 mentality of this society, to introduce into this neighbour- 

 hood some reaping machines. We all know that of late 

 there has been a good deal said about new implements of 

 husbandry. We do not anticipate seeing the steam plough 

 worked in Cornwall. But a reaping machine has been 

 found adapted to the cutting of grain in this neighbour- 

 hood ; and as it is a novelty in Cornwall, and as we have 

 not the opportunities here of seeing repeated trials, as 

 may be seen in the midland counties, we think we cannot 

 do better than to introduce a reaping machine into this 

 neighbourhood through the medium of this society. We 

 therefore resolved to withhold giving farm prizes for two 

 or three years, so that we might be able, by accumulation 

 of funds, to introduce a reaping machine into this neigh- 

 bourhood. I am happy to tell you that there is in the 

 treasurer's hands about ^£20 — ample to buy one of the 

 smaller machines. There are many such — Cuthbert's, 

 Wood's, M'Cormick's, Humphrey's; and we have sufficient 

 funds to purchase one of these. But it would be of no use 

 to introduce any machine that was not in every way 

 adapted to the district ; and it is the opinion of some 

 gentlemen that we ought to have one of Burgess and 

 Key's. I understand that a company in the neighbour- 

 hood of Probus introduced one just before the late har- 

 vest : they found it answer their purpose, and were 

 greatly pleased with it. Although our funds at present 

 will not enable us to purchase one of these (it would cost 

 between £40 and £50), I think we might, by advancing a 

 portion ourselves, or by paying a year's subscription in 

 advance, devise some means by which, before next harvest, 

 we might be provided with one of Burgess and Key's 

 reaping machines. Whether it would be judicious to lay 

 out the money we have in purchasing a smaller machine, 

 remains for gentlemen to determine. My belief is that, if 

 we have a machine at all, we should have a first-rate 

 article. I know there are gentlemen in the neighbour- 

 hood who are waiting to join our society when we have a 

 reaping machine. But I would remind parties that it 

 would be unfair that they should come in, and have the 

 benefit of the machine, by merely paying the ordinary 

 yearly subscription. If they come in, to have the benefit 

 of the reaping machine, it is only fair that they should 

 pay, as entrance fee, the same that we have paid indivi- 

 dually towards" the acciimulation fund for its purchase, 

 since we have been withholding the farm prizes. I be- 

 lieve the best way of introducing any new and expensive 

 machines into this district will be through the society. 

 We know that some few years ago the Probus Farmers' 

 Club introduced a comparatively new breed of cattle — 

 the shorthorns. It would have been a loss for one indivi- 

 dual to have incurred so great an expense and risk. 

 But in a company, if loss occm-red, the loss to individual 

 members would not much matter. 

 Mr. OLivEn, in responding as a successful competitor, 



said he had been a regular subscriber to the club, and a suc- 

 cessful competitor ever since he came into the neighbour- 

 hood, 18 years ago. Grass, he thought, demanded more 

 than ordinary attention at this time, since cattle and sheep 

 were more remunerative than grain, particularly in the 

 humid climate of Cornwall, where, in consequence of mines 

 and other kinds of employment, labour was higher than in 

 most other counties. In order to increase the quantity of 

 grass on his farm, he had for several years past Bown 

 two cwt, of the N.C.F.M. Co.'s Superphosphate per 

 acre with his grass seed, on which the efi'ect was very 

 apparent as well as in the barley crop, either of which paid 

 him for the outlay. He also applied greater part of his 

 farmyard manure on grass land, and by so doing was 

 enabled to keep a much larger amount of stock than he 

 could otherwise. He thought more of the best land in 

 Cornwall could be profitably laid down to grass ; but in so 

 doing, it should be well seeded out, and manured two or 

 three years on the green, in order to produce a thick sward. 

 He was sorry to find that this club, as well as several other 

 meetings in the county, was ,in a languishing state. He 

 thought, however, it was easily accounted for. At our 

 seats of learning, in our army and navy, as well as in the 

 civil service, merit was rewarded by promotion ; but such 

 was not the case with the agriculturists in Cornwall, where 

 land generally was let by tender to the highest bidder) 

 irrespective of his qualification as a farmer. Some one 

 perhaps would say, you are rewarded by the prizes offered 

 by those societies; but he contended that the winners 

 were generally direct losers. Those who had obtained 

 prizes at that club for the best - managed farms 

 had invariably employed unnecessary labour, and 

 incurred other expenses that made it unprofitable; othersi 

 who took prizes for breeding-stock at exhibitions of that 

 kind, generally were at considerable expense in obtaining 

 the prize animals, which were seldom sufficienlly appre- 

 ciated by Cornish farmers, many of whom would breed from 

 indifferent animals to save a shilling in the expense of 

 driving a few miles ; whereas, a? in some other counties, it 

 was common to receive from II. to 51. for the hire of a bull, 

 and to sell young auimals of the kind at 100/, that would not 

 fetch 201. in this county. Under those circumstances, he 

 said there was no chance of Cornish breeders competing 

 profitably at the Bath and West of England meeting shortly 

 to be held at Truro. Now, to remedy this state of things, 

 he would suggest to landowners the propriety of doing 

 away with the present system of letting farms by tender, 

 by having a fair price put thereon, and then selecting the 

 tenant who could produce the best testimonials. Meritori- 

 ous farmers would then be encouraged and rewarded, so- 

 cieties of this kind strengthened, and agi-icultural improve- 

 ments rapidly progress. As things stood at present, he 

 considered that the greatest blessing accruing from those 

 societies was their annual gatherings, which afforded social 

 intercourse ; tenants had their opportunities of meeting 

 their landlords and expressing opinions affecting their 

 united interests; constituencies had opportunities of meeting 

 their representatives, and discussing county business and 

 other matters afi'ecting their interest, instead of holding ex- 

 clusive meetings at.boards of guardians, where many unjusti- 

 fiable charges had, through ignorance of the laws, been 

 brought against magistrates, whose only duty was to see 

 them carried into effect. If our laws were defective, ho 

 said, prudent persons would go the head of the well, and 

 request their representatives in parliament to get theva 

 amended. 



