412 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



REVIEWS. 

 RICHARDSON'S RURAL HANDBOOKS. 



ILLUSTRATED, ONE SHILLING EACH. 



RURAL ARCHITECTURE ; 



A SERIES OF DESIGNS FOR RyRAL AND OTHER 

 DWELLINGS, &C., &C. 



London : Rogerson Sf Co., Strand. 



This work has already, in a former edition, received the 

 approbation of the public, evinced by its rapid sale ; and it is 

 now re-issued at an appropriate period, when the domeBtic 

 condition of the rural peasantry, and of the operative classes 

 generally, is under serious consideration, with a view to their 

 moral and physical improvement. 



In many parts of the country the dwellings of the agricul- 

 tural labourers are a disgrace to our boasted civilization ; and 

 it would appear, from them, as if some of our landed proprie- 

 tors, while they expend thousands in ministericg to the com- 

 fort of their dogs, horees, &c., look upon the farm labourer aa 

 below them in consideration, and suffer them to reside in 

 hovels to which they would not consign a bullock, or even a 

 pig, and which are a blot upon their estates. 



On the other hand, the subject has been taken up by some 

 of our leading nobility and gentry, who witii a liberality and 

 promptness worthy ot imitation, have expended large sums in 

 the erection of cottages for the labourers on their estates, 

 which, while they form highly picturesque embellishments of 

 the property, tend to raise the moral character and feeling of 

 the class for whose welfare they were designed; and et the 

 same time they contribute to their physical comfort and 

 sanitary welfare. 



The work before us affords ample information with respect 

 to the beat mode of building rural cottages, as well as farm- 

 houses and outbuildings, &c. It contains thirt3'-one plates of 

 plans and elevations of different kinds of structures, drawn 

 with a reference to " fitness or utility, expression of purpose, 

 and uniformity of design." The heading of the second chap- 

 ter gives a sufficient idea of the scope oi the werk, embracing 

 " the general principles of constructing houses, site for a 

 country residence, and the importance of employing an archi- 

 tect in all building undertakings." The rest of the body of 

 the work treats of the rules for arranging the different parts of 

 a building, &c., and on the vaiious materials to be employed. 

 The appendix is appropriated to the subject of labourers' 

 cottagers, with an express reference to sanitary considerations, 

 illustrated in the report on cases of fever at Great Horwood, 

 Bucks, in 1858, by Dr. Acland. 



The first editions of this work sold immensely, and we ven- 

 ture to say that the present one will not remain long on hand. 

 It ought to be in the bands of every landowner and farmer in 

 the kingdom, and would be of no little use to the labourer. 

 In our opinion the question of the moral and material welfare of 

 the peasantry is involved in the subject of it, and these are 

 connected with the prosperity of the lauded interest to a far 

 greater extent than many of our gentry are aware of. The 

 Legislature has removed one of the greatest obstacles to this 

 species of improvement of entailed estates, by enabling 

 the possessors to borrow and expend money (under the 

 provisions of the Drainage and Improvement Act) in the 

 erection of labourers' cottages, the repayment of which is 

 charged upon the inheritance. There is, therefore, no excuse 

 now for a landowner letting his poor dependants live in hovels 

 he would not think good enough for his greyhounds, or even 

 his swine. 



Fortunately this subject has been so well ventilated of late 

 years that it can no longer be ignored or laid aside. Fresh 

 evidence of its importance is daily being elicited ; and, it is 

 gratifying to add, fresh advocates of weight and influence are 

 as daily coming forward to promote the object. The Duke of 

 Bedford has set a noble example, and his success has stimu- 

 lated others to adopt his plan. We hope that before long the 

 estates that remain in statu quo will form the exception, and not 

 the rule ; and that the condition of the rural peasantry will 

 Boou be viewed as one of the most important consideratione in 

 the management of a landed property. 



DAIRY STOCK: ITS SELECTION, DISEASES, AND 

 PRODUCE : With a Description of the Brittany Breed. 



BY JOHN GAMGEE. 



Edinburgh: Thomas C. Jack, 92, Princes-street. London: 

 llamillon, Adams, and Co. 1861. 



This is a useful publication, which enters into the subject 

 of the choice of cattle for forming a dairy, pointing out the 

 peculiarities of the prevailing breeds in rej'ard to their milk- 

 ing properties, aptitude to fatten, and constitutional endur- 

 ance. It also treats of the diseases to which they are subject, 

 the symptoms and cure, with a scientific dissertation on the 

 qualities and composition of milk, the diseases o! cows which 

 affect their milk, &c., &c. The system of Guenou, of judging 

 of the milking quality of a cow by the scutcheons, or that re- 

 markable appearance on the hinder part cf the cow above the 

 udder, on which the ha r is turned the wrong way or upwards, 

 and which is common to all the bovine races, is fully explained, 

 and wood-cuts of the tea different forms it assumes are also in- 

 serted in the work. The description and qualities of the re- 

 cently introduced Bretonne cow are also given, as well as of 

 the character of the people of Brittany, and of the country it- 

 self, forming a short but entertaining conclusion to the little 

 volume. 



BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND SOCIETY.— 

 The usual monthly meeting of the Council of the Bath 

 and We&t of England Society was held at Waghorn'a 

 Railway Hotel, J. W. Bullcr, Esq., M.P., president of the 

 Society, in the chair. The following members of the Council 

 were also present: Messrs. E. S. Drewe, H. G. Mojsey, 

 J. Beltield, J. Widdicombe, J. Gould, R. May, G. Langdon, 

 W. Thompson, J. S. Poole, R. Bremridge, J. Bailward, J. 

 Lush, R. K. M. King. C. Bush, H. A. F. Luttrell, D. Adair, 

 and John Gray. The Mayor of Wells attended aa a deputa- 

 tion from that city, and stated the arrangements that had been 

 made, and also the guarantee fund for expenses. A deputa- 

 tion was appointed to meet at Wells on the 3rd May to in- 

 pect the lands proposed to be used for the show-yard and for 

 the trial of implements. The mess committee reported that 

 satisfactory arrangements hud been made with the proprietor 

 of the Red Lion Hotel, Truro, for the accommodation of the 

 members of the Council, and that reasonable prices would be 

 charged. A set of the Journals of the Society was ordered to 

 be presented to the Taunton and Somerset Institution. The 

 following new members were elected : Messrs. C. F. Perkins, 

 The Grange, Kingston ; P. Palmer, St. Erny, Landrake, 

 Cornwall ; E. Marshall, Plymouth ; W. H. Harford, Wrington ; 

 W. Watts, Newton St. Loe, Bath ; W. James, Newlyn East, 

 Cornwall ; G. and H. Stephenson, Plymouth ; T. Pearse, Ivy 

 Bridge ; and T. Webber, Kingsbrompton. 



THE NORTHAMPTON HORSE SHOW. — As pre- 

 viously stated, the prize for the best stallion for agricultural 

 purposes was not awarded, in consequence of the animals 

 shown either being unsound or not of sufficient merit. The 

 judges, however, made their award in favour of a Suffolk 

 horse, which Mr. Owen Wallis has recently bought of Mr. T. 

 Crisp, of Butley Abbej'. This stallion was warranted sound 

 when sold, Mr. Wallis' own veterinary surgeon also passed 

 him, and the judges of the show considered him sound ; but 

 Mr. Stanley, of Leamington, who was the appointed veterinary 

 inspector, rejected him as having thorough-pins, his hocks 

 being a little enlarged and full from being capped, and rather 

 sprained by his covering at two and three years old. His 

 owner and many others still deny that the horse is unsound. 

 Other professional opinions are to be taken about him ; while 

 it is proposed for another year that the veterinary inspector 

 shall simply report to the judges, who shall then use their own 

 discretion as to rejection or not. Mr. Stanley condemned 

 four, out of the five exhibited, as unsound ; and the other had 

 no merit. The judges were Mr. C. Flesher, of Cold Ashby, 

 Northamptonshire, Mr, W. Gulliver, of Swalcliffe, Banbury, 

 and Mr. W. Tindall, of Wheatley, Doncaster. The same kiud 

 of thing occurred at Waterford two or three years since, wheu 

 the horses selected for the premiums were rejected by the 

 inspector, although cue of them at least was generally pro- 

 nounced eligible, 



