398 Agricultural Meetinr/ at Paris of 1856. 



French soil. The soil of the trial-field was naturally a light 

 friable loam, in a state of fallow, or preparation for green crop, 

 hio-hly manured, and almost in a state of garden culture. There 

 were no difficulties to overcome, no resistance in the soil, no turf 

 to deposit, no stubble to invert, none of those impediments which 

 test the merit of implements. But this is much the case, I be- 

 lieve, generally throughout France, The soil is naturally lighter 

 and generally drier than in England, It is scarcely ever seeded 

 for pasturing with stock, which increases still more its friability. 

 In England the soil, naturally tenacious, is rendered more so by 

 the humidity of the climate, and from the quantity of the stock 

 kept upon it. The English ploughs have been successively im- 

 proved to overcome these difficulties, which I think would prove 

 quite insuperable to any, foreign plough seen at Paris. These 

 differences in the conditions of soil, and mode of cultivation, 

 in England and France, have doubtless an important bearing on 

 the implements to be used, and I concur in the opinion expressed 

 by all my colleagues that the same implements are not equally 

 applicable to both countries. It will be well for the English 

 makers to give this point their serious consideration. The 

 general form and construction of their ploughs is so superior, 

 that, if they were divested of all the wheels and apparatus which, 

 though necessary in England, are not required in France, the 

 cost would be reduced, greater simplicity secured, and their use 

 much extended. It must be obvious to all who saw the bulk of 

 the foreign ploughs that the great demand on the continent is 

 for a light plough, capable of being drawn in free soils by a 

 single horse. If our best makers will turn their attention to the 

 production of a simple, but well-formed and well-constructed 

 plough, they need fear no competitors who exhibited at Paris," 



"The distinction in the soil of the two countries did not affect 

 the other implements. The operations of harrowing, rolling, and 

 cleaning, are much the same in both, and here the English im- 

 plements of established repute showed their great superiority, 

 and took the first prizes in each class. Howard's harrows, 

 Crosskill's roller, and Coleman's cultivator, had no competitors 

 worth notice in their respective classes ; but in these I would 

 suggest that implements should be produced which are better 

 adapted to small occupations, that being the prevailing condition 

 through vast districts of the Continent." 



Ageicultural Produce. 



Sir A. Macdonald reports that the collection of produce was 

 very extensive and full of interest. His attention was chiefly 

 directed to corn and seeds, which were delegated to his section 

 of the jury. The principal prizes for cereals and seeds were 

 awarded as follows : — 



