THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



163 



tricts; but ere this we must liavc many cliauges, and 

 farming companies must do tliat wliich individual capi- 

 talists cannot. But, sir, we have now to deal with the pre- 

 sent, not with the future, and for the present Smith's is 

 the only system for ijeueral adoption. I look upon Mr. 

 Smith as the pioneer, the hardy backwoodsman to lead 

 tlie way for less energetic, less practical, though, perhaps, 

 more scientific followers ; in short, sii', 1 look upon Mr. 

 Smith as the man for us. He ia no blind follower of his 

 idol steam ; he knows that steam is far more economical 

 than horse-power, where applicable, but he knows full well 

 that it cannot euth-ely supersede it. His advice is this : — 

 " Do all your hea^'y work, all the subsoUing and first deep 

 smashings by steam, then pack up your apparatus, and let 

 your horses do the light work; don't fritter away the time 

 and power of steam over light work any more than you 

 would make your horses plough up little corners and odd 

 slips where the spade and fork can work cheaper." 



And now, sir, we arrive at a question equally natural 

 and important. VVhy is not Smith's system of ctUtivation 

 more generally adopted? I answer without hesitation. 

 Because it is not sufficiently known; I am aware that 

 there arc many other most cogent reasons why it is not 

 adopted in individual cases. The tenant farmer who 

 adopts steam cultivation, must be furnished with a toler- 

 ably level farm, a long lease, a security of tenure, capital, 

 practical experience, and intelligence, together with many 

 more f[ualifications, such as the ability to overcome the 



prejudice of the men ; this catalogue excludes vei^ many, 

 but it includes so numerous a body of farmers, that I still 

 confidently affirm that Mr. Smith's system needs but to 

 be better known to bo generally adopted. 



Should I, in these remarks, seem over sanguine, I can 

 only say, let those who entertain that opinion not rest satis- 

 fied with mere opinion and assertion, but let them go and 

 seethe practical working, and judge for themselves; a 

 heavy land farm, free from couch, and in a capital state of 

 cultivation after such a Summer, speaks plainer to a prac- 

 tical man than volumes could do. 



I have avoided all statistics as to the cost of subsoiling, 

 smashing, &c., because they have been thoroughly investi- 

 gated at our great agricultural meetings, and prove unan- 

 swerably that steam is very far cheaper than horse-power ; 

 my endeavour has rather been to show that the plan is 

 practical and simple, and perfectly within the grasp of our 

 ordinary farmers ; and if this; be so, surely the outlay of 

 i£500, one-half of which goes for a common generally use- 

 ful 8 horse-power engine, is not so enormous as to frighten 

 our agriculturists. 



Steam-cultivation is no longer a mighty incomprehen- 

 sible something looming in the distance, but it is a fact 

 before our eyes, and landlords and tenants will be wise to 

 give it their earnest attention, for it is a matter of vast and 

 immediate importance to both classes. 



I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, 



W. B. 



NORTHUMBERLAND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



PLOUGHING AND HEDGE-CUTTING MATCH. ; 



The Northumberland Society held its annual ploughing 

 and hedge-cutting match upon Kothill Farm, in the 

 occupation of Mr. Caull, and on the estate of Lord 

 Eavensworth, in the neighbourhood of Whittingham, eight 

 miles west of Alnwick. The weather was extremely 

 favourable, and although the entry of competitors showed 

 a slight falling-off' in numbers, the meeting was most 

 successful. A large and highly respectable company, in- 

 cluding the principal landowners and agricultmists of the 

 neighboui'ing county, attended, and appeared to take a 

 lively interest in the proceedings. There were twenty- 

 seven competitors for the first-class prize, given to the best 

 ploughman ; seven for the second-class prize, given to the 

 best ploughman under 18 years of age : and seven for the 

 third-class prize, given to the best hedge-cutter. The 

 judges were Messrs. S. Donkin, Bywell, Feltou; W. Turn- 

 bull, Horton, Wooler; and W. Bum, Broomhill, Ackling- 

 ton. At nine o'clock in the morning the " tug of war" 

 commenced, and in the manly efforts put forth by the 

 various competitors a spirit of determination was manifested 

 which was unmistakable. Never were the bold peasantry 

 of the North better represented, and never perhaps were 

 a nximber of men brought together between whom it was 

 more difficult to award the laurels. Theii* robust appear- 

 ance and stalwart frames contrasted strangely with their 

 coui'teous and humble demeanour. The decisions which 

 the judges declared, after a long consultation, were as fol- 

 lows : 



Ploughmen of any age : First, a silver 'watch given by 

 Sir Matthew White Ridley, Bart., M.P. (President of the 

 Society), and £^ by the society — Andrew Brj'son, servant 



to Mr. E. Carr, Eglingham, whose brawny hand the wor- 

 thy Baronet warmly shook, at the same time congra- 

 tulating him on "the enviable position which he now 

 holds as the champion ploughman of the county. 

 Second prize £,i, William Telford, servant to Mr. Gibson, 

 Intakes, Alnwick; third i£2 10s., Edward Charlton, Beacon, 

 hough, Gateshead ; fourth £,'2, William Cairns, son of Mr. 

 Cairns, farmer, Branton, Alnwick; fifth i'l 10s., Thomas 

 Kinghorn, with ]\[r. Caull, EothUl; sixth ^1, Andrew Staf- 

 ford, Broomhill. 



The best ploughman under 18 years of age : First ^3, 

 James Heslop, with Mr, Tumbull, Fanwick, Stamford- 

 ham ; second ^2, WiUiam Tate, with Mr. Cowley, the 

 Mountain, Whittingham ; third ^1 10s., Eobert Wilson, 

 with Mr. T. Smith, Chillingham New Town ; fom-th 10s. 

 Edward Ions, with Mr, Stephenson, Thrunton. 



The best hedge-cuUer, the man who cuts, cleans, and 

 fences fourteen yards of hedge in the best style : First £^, 

 William Thompson, servant to Mr. Tliomas Eogers, Em- 

 bletou ; second £1 10s., WUliam Jobson, Glanton ; third 

 ^1, Robert Glaholme, with Mr. Caull, EothiU; fourth 15s., 

 Walter Eedpath, with Mr. Stephenson, Thrunton ; fifth 

 10s., Thomas Metcalfe, White Mare Pool. Metcalfe was 

 doing his work admirably when he unfortunately cut his 

 hand, and although he went through his work apparently 

 undiscouraged by the mishap, stiU it was not performed as 

 perhaps it otherwise would have been. 



The dinner in celebration of the day's proceedings was 

 held at Mr. Clarke's, the Bridge of Aln Inn, and was at- 

 tended by a most respectable company. Biyan BurreU, 

 Esq., of Broom Park, presided ; the vice-chair was filled 

 by the Rev. E. W. Goodenough, vicar of Whittingham. Sir 

 HI. W. Eidley, Captain Burrell, H. CressweU, Esq., and 

 other gentlemen were present, and an entertaining even- 

 ing was spent. 



