THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



201 



prospects as agriculturist*, he thought it would be extremely 

 interesting to hear from some of the practical men present 

 what they were about to do in the way of providing a substi- 

 tute for the deficieuey in the crop this year (Hear, hear), lu 

 his own part of the country scarcely any regular ploughing 

 was doue in October, aud consequently many of the stubbles 

 were quite unprepared for wheat. One impression produced 

 on his mind by what he witnessed last autumn, was, that ou 

 account of the various other changes which had taken place, 

 it was necessary to make a change in the rotation of cropping 

 (Hear, hear). He now saw, that instead of its heiuj^ desirable 

 in all cases to adhere to the four-course system, and grow 

 wheat alternately with other crops, there were certain districts 

 where it would be better not to grow wheat at all, p.ud where 

 oats and barley might advautageonsly be substituted for it. 

 This was a point which he considered well worthy of considera- 

 tion (Hear, hear). 



Mr. Bailey Denton (Stevenage) had to remaik on a sub- 

 ject which was embraced in the able paper which had been 

 read, and a point with which he was familiar. He meant the 

 law resting to the drainage of lands. Alderman Mechi said he 

 thought the most recent decision was favourable to the drain- 

 age of lands. He (Mr. Denton) was sorry to say that such 

 was not the case. The decision of Mr. Baron Alderaon gave 

 a man a right to drain his own land if there were uo defined 

 channel and no constant spring ; whereas, on the contrary, by 

 the recent decision of Vice-Chancellor Stuart, it was declared 

 that no man could be allowed to extract uuderground-water 

 from the land if it might be fairly assumed to be passing 

 from a higher to a lower level. That was a most important 

 decision as affecting draining in modern days, and therefore 

 be had thought it right to mention it. 



Alderman Mechi said the first decision relating to the 

 river Wandle was giveu by the twelve judges. He wished to 

 know whether it had been upset? 



Mr. B. Denton replied that it had not been upset, but 

 Vice-Chancellor Stuart had given a more recent decidon in 

 opposition to it. 



Mr. T. Owen (Clapton) shared in the disappointment which 

 had been expressed that Mr. Mechi had said little or nothing 

 hbout the future. The past was gone and could not be recalled ; 

 the present they knew was every day improving ; what it 

 most concerned them to consider was the future. He rejoiced 

 to hear Lord Bernera express the opiuioutbat it must change 

 the system of cultivation. He was glad to hear that noble 

 lord say, in effect, that a departure from the old four- course 

 system was desirable in order that farmers might have wider 

 scope for improvement, and he trusted that other landlords 

 would be found following his example. They all knew what 

 great improvements were offered by machinery. One of the 

 most important questions for the farmer in reference to the 

 future was what his farm was best adapted for, whether for 

 atock or for corn, and he hoped that landlords would give 

 their tenants opportunities of farming in the manner which 

 was most beneficial to them. (Hear, hear.) 



Mr. G. SnACKEL (Erleigb Court, Reading) said there were 

 several points connected with the future, which as agricultu- 

 rists it became them to consider well. In ths first place he had 

 no doubt that many farmers present had found, as he did, that 

 their expenses were gradually increasing in various departments 

 of outlay (Hear, hear), concurrently with which there was an 

 increasing scarcity of labour. In the county to which he him- 

 self belouged, namely, Berkshire — and the cise was the same 

 elsewhere — the taxation, both general and local, was be- 

 coming increasingly heavy. They were constantly being called 

 upon to contribute to one expense or another, and the matter 

 had now assumed a very serious aspect. As these burdens 

 Mere increasing at such a rate, they must devise means of aug- 

 menting their production proportionately. A foreman whom 

 he employed on his farm once remarked to him " Master, your 

 expenses seem to be always increasing, and how ia it that, 

 while you lay out so much money on oilcake and other artificial 

 manures, you don't crop and produce more " ? (Hear, hear). 

 Well, that" led him to turn his attention to the matter. Since 

 that time — the remark was made four years ago — he had 

 learnt to produce by his four-field system corn enough for his 

 horses, and he still adhered to that mode of proceeding. He 

 fwrmed upon a warm gravel soil, and heuce, perhaps, could do 



more than many gentlemen present. He could produce a 

 turnip crop after oats. His cultivation was increasing, and he 

 felt that he must endeavour to make up for a deficiency of 

 labour by having recourse to steam and to improved machinery 

 It was no use for farmers to sit still and wish for improve- 

 ments : they must endeavour to bring every available improve- 

 ment into practical operation. He believed that steam 

 ploughs would one day be almost as common as thrashing 

 machines were at present ; and he thought it highly desirable 

 that the noble landlords aud wealthy men to be found in 

 many districts should turn their attention to the introduction 

 of steam ploughs on their farms, ss Mr. Benyon, the member 

 for Berks, had done in that county. He was quite sure that it 

 was to improved implements, steam machinery, aud artificial 

 manures, used with judgment, blended with strict economy, 

 that they must look, to enable them to pay their future ex- 

 penses, and obtain a fair return. 



Mr. J. A. NocKOLDs (Stansted, Essex) said, Aldermm 

 Mechi had reminded them that, if they would have a greater 

 command of machinery and steam-power, they must endeavour 

 to promote education and intelligence among labourer?, and 

 that there must be an improvement in labourers' cottages. To 

 this he would add, that homesteads must be better adapted to 

 modern requirements, and there must be proper facilities for 

 sheltering machinery — there was great need of improvement 

 in that respect. Even the great model homesteads were no 

 longer applicable to the future of agriculture. 



Mr. G. DoBiTO (Cropley Grove, Newmarket) would be 

 glad if the worthy alderman would state on what authority 

 he alleged that nine-tenths of the people of this country were 

 engaged in manufactures (Hear, hear). 



Mr. J. Coleman (Park Farm, Woburu) thought it pro- 

 bable that some persona had been drawn there in the ex- 

 pectation of having a chance shot at the worthy alderman 

 (laughter). Ou that occasion, however, he had thrown oil on 

 the troubled waters ; and there was very little in his paper 

 with which any practical farmer could find fault (Hear, hear). 

 As regarded steam-cultivation, the question was one of pro- 

 duction ; and it was for farmers to consider whether they 

 would incur a certain outlay in order to obtain two quarters 

 of wheat where hitherto they had got only one. The 

 practical farmer, whose letter Alderman Mechi had read, 

 had, he believed, done more to promote steam-cultivation then 

 all the landlords of this country. Tenant-farmers would pay 

 more attention to the words of one of their own class than to 

 the advice of landlords. In such matters they ought to com- 

 bine, and to communicate with each other. A few years ago, 

 a system of drilling turnips with liquid-manure was placed 

 before agriculturists. He (Mr. Coleman) procured a liquid- 

 manure drill, and, rather unthinkineily, used guano with it ; 

 the result of which was that he spoilt thirty or forty acres of 

 turnips. A neighbour of his afterwards told him that if he 

 had consulted him, he could have saved him from that loss, 

 having spoilt twenty acres of turnips in the same way in the 

 previous year. One of the greatest obstacles to the improve- 

 ment of agriculture was, that men who lived close to each 

 other, fearing, perhaps, to expose their ignorance, kept their 

 experience too much to themselves (Hear, hear). It was a 

 peculiar advantage of that Club that it tended to remove that 

 evil. He should be very glad if farmers generally would 

 apply their miuds to the question of steam-cultivation. There 

 were many districts which would, he felt certain, be vastly 

 benefited by the application of steam-power. There were 

 many heavy lands that might be cultivated profitably with 

 steam-power, although it would take all the land would pro- 

 duce to mamtain sufficient horse-power. 



Mr. J. A. Williams (Baydon) said: The paper read that 

 evening by the worthy Alderman appeared to him more an 

 essay on commerce than on agriculture. If we went back to 

 the past of agriculture, it commenced when Adam was driven 

 out from Paradise : from that time to the present, more espe- 

 cially of late years, it had been rapidly advancing in science ; 

 and, as his friend Mr. Shackle had observed, the past had 

 taught them a lesson — it had taught them that the Biitiah far- 

 mer must endeavour to produce more and more. He agreed 

 with him ; but at the same time he would appeal to any one 

 present whether, with hig utmost endeavours to produce large 

 crops JQ the last year, the want of sua had not beaten him ? 



