A HISTORY OF DURHAM 



The Darlington Chamber of Agriculture was formed and admitted to 

 the Central Chamber in 1884. There are now over three hundred and fifty 

 members, who represent a large area of the county. There is a club-room 

 at Darlington, where lectures on agricultural subjects are given, and it holds 

 annually an Entire Horse Show and also a Seed, Grain, and Potato Show. 

 The Marquis of Londonderry provides the chamber with a Clydesdale entire 

 horse, for mares owned by the members. 



The Stockton Chamber of Agriculture, formed in 1888, is also affiliated 

 to the Central Chamber, and has about three hundred and fifty members. 

 Lectures are provided for the members, regular meetings are held for 

 agricultural discussions, grain and root competitions are conducted, and 

 much other work is carried out. 



The Farmers' Protection Association has its head quarters at Darlington, 

 was founded in 1899, and with its branches at Bedale, Barnard Castle, and 

 Lartington, has now about six hundred and fifty members. This body is 

 doing most valuable work in giving mutual protection to farmers in all 

 business matters ; assisting also in settling difficulties with servants, with rail- 

 way companies, in connexion with the sale of grain or live stock, and the 

 purchase of feeding stuffs and manures and other substances. 



The Newcastle Farmers' Club was formed in 1 846 (although preceded 

 by older clubs), and has nearly three hundred members, of whom many are 

 from Durham. This club has long enjoyed a high reputation for the ex- 

 cellent and practical papers read before its members, and its ' Scale for 

 Compensation for Unexhausted Improvements ' has long had the confidence 

 of the north of England agriculturists. 



The Northumberland and Durham Dairy Farmers' Association has a 

 large number of members, many of whom are dairy farmers in north-east 

 Durham. Excellent work is done by this body in providing lectures on 

 dairying and in providing its members with information as to the production 

 and sale of milk. 



These associations have a great influence on the agriculture of the 

 county, and three of them are the real founders of the North-Eastern 

 Agricultural Federation, an influential body which has for its main object 

 the formation of a compact agricultural party in all rural constituencies. 



The Durham County Agricultural Society has been in existence since 

 1786. It now numbers about four hundred and fifty members, offers about 

 700 in prizes at its annual agricultural shows, subsidizes four horse clubs 

 which provide good entire horses in different parts of the county, and acts 

 as a medium for members, obtaining analyses of feeding stuffs and manures at 

 modified fees. At the annual shows prizes are offered for cattle (mainly for 

 Shorthorns, but some for Polled Angus and for dairy cows), for agricultural 

 horses (Shires and Clydesdales), Hunters, Hackneys, Dale and other ponies, 

 and for sheep, Border Leicester, Half-bred (Leicester- Cheviot), Black- 

 faced . and Oxford Downs. There is usually excellent competition in all 

 the classes. In the poultry department also all the principal breeds are 

 well represented. 



There are besides local agricultural societies, which hold shows annually 

 at Barnard Castle, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Sedgefield, Stanhope, Wolsingham, 

 and at other centres. 



372 



