8M1TIIF1ELD CLUB.] MODEliX ENGLISH lAKMlNC. 



[lUUNIP CHOPS. 



their prufc't^sion. Owing to tlio ulterLtl liubita 

 of" Hocifty, tlicro is now lesa likeliliooJ tliaa 

 lifntoforc, of such youn^ pL-r.soiis us we are 

 rt'frrriiig, to, being subjeitcii to the arauous 

 tiviining to bodily labour, wiiich was onco the 

 inii\iM\<al jtractico ; and hcnro tlio necessity 

 i'oi- an appropriate course of study to take 

 pliice. * * * It is al^^o couinion loi^'such 

 youths to be sent to .luiinburji;l» for a winter 

 or two, to attend a class of agriculture, and, 

 perhaps, also of chemistry and the veterinary 

 college. This is well enough in its way ; yet 

 there is wanting in it an adequate guarantee 

 that there is real study — the actual perform- 

 ance of daily mental work. * * * After 

 enjoying the benefits of such a course of 

 training as we have here indicated, young 

 men would be in circumstances to derive re;ii 

 advantage from a residence with some ex- 

 perienced practical farmer, or from a tour 

 through the best-cultivated districts of the 

 country." 



Enough to show what the present age 

 requires in the young farmer to rise or be suc- 

 cessful in his profession. 



THE LITTLE SMITHFIELD CLUB. 



In order to come clearly down to the present, 

 we must look a little way into the past. In 

 170S, the Duke of Bedford, Lord Somcrville, 

 and several others, with Arthur Toiiug as 

 Iionorary secretary, formed the "Little Smith- 

 fiLdd Club," with the view to the exhibition of 

 fat stock at Christmas-time. A specification 

 of the food upon which each animal had been 

 kept was to be given, and prizes were to be 

 competed for. This society has wonderfully 

 grown in strength, and has rendered incalcu- 

 lable service to the interests of agriculture, by 

 making known the kinds of food most favour- 

 able to the rearing of cattle for meat, and by 

 educating both the grazier and the butcher up 

 to the knowledge of the best form of animal. 

 In ISOG, a toast of Mr. Coke, of Ilolkliam, 

 afterwards Earl of Leicester, was — '' Small in 

 size, and great in value." But notwithstanding 

 the far-sightedness which, even at that time, 

 in the face of great proclivities, he exhibited 

 in his judgment of cattle, the tallest ox con- 

 tinued to take the prizes. Long legs have 

 long been reckoned a serious fault, as they arc 

 the most profitless parts of tiie beast. In 

 5 X 



1S50, a little Devon ox, of aa egg-liko »hape, 

 whicii is tho modern heau-idral, gained the 

 Smithfiehl gold medal, in competition with 

 gigantic Hhort-horna, and llereforda of ele- 

 phantine proportions; uud, iu IbGA, a large 

 animal of Sir Harry V'ernoy's wua puased over 

 without even the compliment of a commenda- 

 tion, because ho carried on his carcaso too 

 much olTal, and nionj threepenny than uinc- 

 penny beef. Tho Smitlilield Club is now a 

 great institution, bringing annually together 

 all the best breeders and cattle-judges iu the 

 country. 



TURNIP CROPS. 



In order that the improvement ot cattle 

 might extend generally, as far as possible, 

 throughout the country, and not mostly be 

 restricted to rich grazing districts of the 

 midland counties, it was felt that some ad- 

 dition to the usual supply of food was neces- 

 sary. Already had the finest, most productive 

 arable laud, of the kingdom been exhausted, 

 by the years upon years of cultivation it had 

 undergone ; whilst the barren fallow, w hieh 

 annually absorbed one-third of tlie soil, was 

 inadequate to the task of restoring -ts fertility. 

 In this emei'gency a new source of agricultural 

 wealth was discovered. Turnips sprung into 

 notice, and were received with a sort of geiicral 

 enthusiasm in the farming districts. Tiiey 

 were found to answer the purpose of a fallow 

 crop, which cleaned and rested the old arable 

 land ; they were excellent food for fattening 

 cattle in winter ; and when raised on light 

 land, and afterwards eaten down by sheep, 

 which pressed the soil into firmness with their 

 feet, led the way for corn crops on wastes 

 which had before been hopelessly assigned to 

 the rabbits. By this means the heatiis and 

 wolds of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, with 

 some assistance from marling and tho travel- 

 ling sands of Norfolk, jN'ottingiiamshire, and 

 Bedfordshire, were gradually recovered and 

 peopled by the race of farmers, who have been 

 first to adopt all the improvements in English 

 a;:^riculture for the last century. The nev»- 

 system, however, required capital ii: both the 

 landlord and the tenant. Erom the landlord, 

 it required barns and yards, and houses 

 suitable to the wants, habits, and tastes of 

 first-class men, with high means. But when 



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