; . 



U I IIKMIMKV. 



AGRICULTURAL INSTI ITTI- 



136 



performance, would form the subject of long Irgol disquisitions, and 

 would here be obviously out of place. 



There are two different remedies for breach of an agreement to 

 which the injured party may resort, according to the nature of his 

 CUM. He may either seek a pecuniary compensation in the shape of 

 damages for the breach in a court of law ; or, in owes where such com- 

 pensation is inappropriate or insufficient, he may obtain from a court 

 of equity a decree that the party offending shall perform his agreement 

 p. ! i ]h 



AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY. [CHKMISIBV, AS APPLIED TO 

 AGRICULTURE.] 



AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, AND SOCIETIES KuK 

 TH K PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURE. The effect of legislative 

 enactments which have for their object the advantage of agriculture 

 are treated of under AURUTLTUKAL STATISTICS and elsewhere. The 



improvement of every branch of rural economy has been largely i 



moted by agricultural institutions; and those which have been, or are 

 at present, most active in this way, may here be briefly noticed. 



Tlu- Board of Agriculture, established chiefly through the exertions 

 of Sir John Sinclair, and incorporated in 1 793, wan a private association 

 of the promoters of agricultural improvement ; but as it was assisted 

 annually by a parliamentary grant, it was regarded by the country as 

 in some sort a semi-official institution. One of its first proceedings 

 was to commence a survey of .til the English counties on a uniform 

 I Jin. which lirought nut. for the information of the class most interested 

 in adopting them, improved practices, originating in individual enter- 

 prise or intelligence, and which were confined to a particular district. 

 Tin- Surveys ' are many of them imperfectly executed, but they wen- 

 useful at the time, in developing more rapidly the agricultural resources 

 of the country. During the years of scarcity at the end of the last and 

 beginning of the present century, the Board of Agriculture took upon 

 itaelf to suggest and, as far as possible, provide remedies for the dearth 

 by collecting information and making reports to the government on 

 the state of the crops. The statistics which the Board collected were 

 also at times made use of by the minister, or at least were believed to 

 be so, in connection with his schemes of taxation. The Board encou- 

 raged experiments and improvements in agriculture by prix.es : ami the 

 influence which it possessed* over the provincial agricultural societies 

 excited and combined the efforts of all in one direction. The Board of 

 Agriculture was dissolved in 1816. 



The Suiithfield < 'attic Club, which has been in existence above sixty 

 years, and some of the provincial agricultural societies, especially the 

 Bath and West of England Society, which commenced the publication 

 of its ' Transactions ' nearly seventy years ago, have been very useful 

 auxiliaries, if not promoters of agricultural improvement. Until within 

 the last few years, the exertions of Agricultural Societies have been 

 lusively devoted to the improvement of stock. 



With the establishment of the ' Royal Agricultural Society of 

 England ' a new sera commenced in the history of institutions for the 

 improvement of English agriculture. This society, when it was estab- 

 lished in May, 1838, consisted of 466 members. At the first anniver- 

 sary, in May, 1839, the number of members had increased to 1104 ; 

 and it continued to increase and to prosper. 



On the 2ttth of March, 1840, the society received a charter of incor- 

 |H>ration, "ii which it assumed the designation of the ' Royal Agricul- 

 tural Society of England.' By the 22nd rule of the Society, " No 

 question "hall be discussed at any of its meetings of a politii -;d t. -ml. -m -y. 

 or which shall refer to any matter to be brought forward, or gliding. 

 in either of the Houses of Parliament;" and this rule is made p. rma- 

 in-ill by the charter of incor]>oration. The objects of the society, as 

 ill in the charter of moorpontton, are: 1. To embody such 

 information contained in agricultural publications and in other scientific 

 works as has been proved by practical experience to be useful t the 

 cultivators of the soil 2. To correspond with agricultural, horti- 

 cultural, and other scientific societies, both at home and abroad, and to 

 select from such correspondence all information which, according to 

 the ..pinion of the society, may lie likely to lead to practical benefit in 

 the cultivati n of the soil. 3. To pay to any occupier of land, or other 

 person, who shall undertake, at the request of the society, to a- 

 l.y any c.t|rimcnt how far such information leads to useful results in 

 practice, a remuneration for any loss that he may incur by HO doing. 

 4. To encourage men of science in their attention to the improvement 

 of agricultural implement*, the construction of farm-buildings and 

 cottages, the application of chemistry to the general purjxwes of agri- 

 culture, the destruction of insects injurious to vegetable life, and the 

 eradication of weeds. 6. To promote the discover}' of new varieties of 

 grain, and other vegetable*, useful to man. or for the food of il 

 animals. 6. To collect information with regard to the management of 

 wood*, plantations, and fences, and on every other subject connected 

 with rural bnynrroMnt 7. To take measures for the improvement 

 of the education of those who depend upon the cultivation of the soil 

 for their support. 8. To take measure* for improving the veterinary 

 art, a* applied to cattle, sheep, and pigs. 9. At the meetings of the 

 society in the country, by tin- distribution of pri/.c, and by other 

 means, to encourage the best mode of f.uin initiation and the breed 

 of live stock. 10. To promote the comfort and welfare of la> 

 .oi.l ii> encourage the improved in-in 'geiuent of their cottages and 

 gal dens. 



The society hai already directed its attention to nearly all the 

 above mentioned. The country meetings of the society, which take 

 place annually in July, have perhaps been more serviceable in Minm 

 lating agricultural improvement than any other of the society's opera- 

 tions, by concentrating the attention of 'the soeiety u]>oii each part of 

 the country in succession, and by exciting the attention of each district 

 to the objects which the society is intended to prom I and 



Wales are divided into nine great districts, and a place of 

 each is fixed u|n about a year l>efoichand. In IM'. 1 , the 

 was held at Oxford, at which -'! agricultural implement 

 bited. Meetings have In-eii held since at Cambridge, Liverpool, I 

 Derby, Southampton, Shrewsbury, Newcastle, Northampton. 

 N"iv. ii-h, Exeter, Windsor, Lewes, Gloucester, Lin. ..In. ' 

 Chelmsford, Salisbury, Chester, and with varying fluctuation*. The 

 number of implements exhibited had increased hi 1858 to 3,438. 



There can be no doubt that the mechanics of agriculture have made 

 great progress since the establishment of the society. The opportunity 

 of contrasting and estimating the utility of \.ni.m.- implements used 

 for similar purposes in different district* or in different - 

 fail to extend improvement from one district to an. ' -i tin 



principal results effected by such institutions as the Royal Agricultural 

 Society is to introduce the best practices of husbandry from i 

 tricU where agriculture is in its most improved state into those win n 

 it is most backward. Attached to the society's house there is a reading- 

 room, and a library, to which has been added by purchase the l-..k- 

 forming the library of the late Board of Agriculture. As a im 

 diffusing information on agricultural subjects, the publication ..I the 

 Journal' of the society was commenced in April, 1839, and it has at 

 present a circulation of nearly 10,000. The prize essays and all oth.-r 

 communications intended for publication in the ' Journal,' are r. 

 to the Journal Committee, who decide u]>on the arrangements of the 

 work. The ' Journal ' contains besides, very valuable contributions of 

 ,1 practical as well as scientific character. 



The success of the Royal Agricultural Society has revived the spirit 

 of existing associations, or led to the formation of new ones. lYrhaps 

 in no department of industry or sci. 'here exist so general a 



spirit of improvement at the present time as in the kindred bram-h. - 

 of agriculture and horticulture. Some of the provincial agricultural 

 societies are on a scale which, a few years ago, could scarcely have been 

 anticipated of a central and metropolitan society. The Yorkshire 

 Agricultural Society holds its annual show in the different towns of th.it 

 county iu rotation, a plau which is very successful in rendering them 

 attractive. The Bath and West of England Society in like manner 

 meets annually in a fresh district of its province; and publishes a 

 valuable annual volume of Transactions. | u the I'uiU-d Kingdom theie 

 are now about 450 local agricultnr.il societies : including fanners' clubs, 

 which have also become numerous. They are eminently pi... 

 but the local results which they collect and discuss may become appli- 

 cable to other parts of the country placed under similar circumstances 

 of aspect, soil, and situation. It would stimulate the exertions of 

 these clubs, if a department of the ' Journal of the Royal Agricultural 

 Society" were reserved for some of the best papers read at their 

 meetings. The annual report of e\ -' club should be trans- 



mitted to the secretary of the Royal Agricultur.il Society ; and tin- 

 title at least of all ]ia]x-rs read at the meetings during the year should 

 l>e given in the ' Journal.' 



Th.- agriculture of Scotland has been largely indebted to t i 

 which have been established at different ]>enods for its improvement. 

 A " Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture ii 

 land" was established in 1 7-". and some of its Transactions wrn- 

 published. The society becoming extinct was succeeded by another in 

 1755; and the society which now stands in the same relation to 

 Scotland as the Royal Agricultural Society to England was extal.li-h.-d 

 iu 1784. It is entitled the " Highland and Agricultural 

 Scotland." The constitution and proceedings of the society are as 

 nearly as possible similar to the English society. The 

 publishes quarterly a very excellent Journal of its Ti.insac -lions, 

 whi.-h has at present a circulation of '2300. The Agricultural 

 Museum at Edinburgh was assist"! in 1844 by a pwliaim-ntarv grant 

 of 50nn/. 



In 1841 the ' Royal Agricultural Improvement Society of Ireland' 

 was establish. .1 on the plan ..f the I!. .yd Agricultural 

 England; and in May, 1844, the number of subscribers was 581. 

 Since ita establishment great progress has been mode in the formation 

 of local societies in communication with tin- initial .,.,-i,-t\. win- i. i 

 the beat menu of ensuring the supjKirt and ... ..p.-iati..n of the agri. ul- 

 tural class iu every partof the coiinti \. Inl-n nK twenty 



three of these bodies in existence ; in 1858 there were sixty -nine. A 

 \.-r\ judicious arrangement ha- i..-cn mad.- i.-l.iti\.- t<> th<- pii. 

 tributod at the local meetings, which are nw given fr op. i^; 

 husbandry only, the premiums for stock I., ing fiiniisln-d by thl 

 association. The society has established an agricultural museum in 

 Dublin for the reception of implement* of husbandry, seeds, grasses, 

 circulate* pia.tical infoimaiioii connected with hnsl.andiy l>y 

 means of cheap publications : and on.- of it objects is the organisation 

 of an agricultural college. There is also the lioyal |)ublin Society for 

 the Promotion of Husbandry, itc., which holds a cattle show and give-. 

 prizes annually for stock and agricultural improvements, and which 



