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CENTRAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In our last number, we erroneously gave the title " Royal" to the 

 " Central Agricultural Society." We were led into this error, partly 

 from having heard that a letter had been laid before his Majesty, re- 

 questing him to honour it with the light of his countenance by becoming 

 its most gracious patron. The statement made to us seemed to be con- 

 firmed by the appearance, on the 4th of January, of " The Agricultu- 

 rist's Journal," which was understood to be the official literary mouth- 

 piece of the society. This first number was surmounted by a crown, 

 emblem of royalty, and hence the confirmation of our error, till a letter 

 from Sir Herbert Taylor set lis right. It was previous to the publica- 

 tion of this journal, or rather weekly paper, that our article was penned, 

 and it will remain to be seen to what extent the view we then took of 

 the subject was correct. The objects of " the Association," were 

 stated by us to be, to force government to alter the metallic standard of 

 value and to issue a few millions of one and two-pound notes ; with the 

 intent to create an artificial and unnatilral rise in the prices of land pro- 

 duce, and consequently, of rent ; we, at the same time, submitted ouf 

 opinion as to whether the prices of land produce were not afiected ra- 

 ther by the laws of demand and supply than any thing else. Nothing 

 that has yet appeared in " The Agriculturist," has made us change that 

 opinion a single shade ; since, however, the state of the currency may 

 and does afiiect prices of produce, it equally does so with reference to 

 the productions of the loom as of the plough ; and if corn figures at a 

 disproportionately low sum, as at present, it does so chiefly in conse- 

 quence of a greater quantity being brought to market than the coii- 

 sumers of the article require. It is all very well — nay, vastly fine, for 

 wise-acres to shout out, " what's the use of parliament if it be not omni- 

 potent ? parliament can do anything, we are told, and yet it cannot or 

 will not force wheat up to 80s. the quarter ?" To this we answer, " why 

 does it not order snow, when the farmer wants it to protect his wheat, 

 or rain, when a drought is drying up his turnip soil ?" Now, truly, the 

 one is scarce less ridiculous than the other. Parliament can, at 

 this present moment of writing, no more do the one than it can 

 do the other ; the wheat and potatoe produce of the soil of Great 

 Britain and Ireland has more than doubled since 1795, and knowing 

 such to be the fact, we confess we are not a little surprised that the 

 real cause of the present low price of wheat should be so studiously mys- 

 tified. What, then, is to be done ? A word in your ear, friend " agricul- 

 turist :" — work out the Poor Law Amendment Bill ; demand Poor Laws 

 for Ireland ; ask for a commutation of tithes ; get the consolidated fund 

 to pay all county rates for things made use of by the country at large ; 

 and finally, — si dis placeat — a property tax, but not a graduated one ; 

 which done, the currency question — as a bookseller would eay — might 

 be " shelved," at least for the present season. 



