92 THE 
AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 
[Frs. 7, 
Hocieties. 
ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY or ENGLAND. 
A monthly council was held at the Society’s house in 
Hanover Square, on Wednesday last, the 4th of Feb. ; 
present, the Right Hon. Lord Portman, president, in 
the chair, Earl Grey, R. Archbold, M.P., Thos, Raymond 
Barker, Esq., J: R: Barker, Esq., S. Bennett, Esq., H. 
Blanshard, Esq.. W. R. Browne, Esq., F. Burke, Esq., 
Col. Challoner, F. C. Cherry, Esq., Sir T. Drake, Bart., 
A. E. Fuller, Esq. M.P., H. Gibbs, Esq., C. Hillyard, 
Esq, W. Fisher Hobbs, Esq., John Hudson, Esq., G. 
Kimberley, Esq., J. Kinder, Esq., C. Pocock, Esq., 
F. Pym, Esq., Professor Sewell, W. Shaw, Esq., J. V. 
Shelley, Esq., Geo. Turner, Esq., T. Turner, Esq., 
T. R. Tweed, Esq., H. Wilson, Esq., and W. B. 
Wingate, Esq. 
The following new members were elected : 
Pugh, William, Coalport, Ironbridge, Salop 
Chapman, Charles, Exton, Stamford, Lincolnshire 
rmston, Robert, Newcastle-on-Tyne 
Glover, William, Nor treet, N tl Tyne 
Anderson, William, Bent House, South-Shields, Durham 
Grenfell, Charles Pascoe, 38, Belgrave squ; 
Wollen, Joseph Wedmore, Cross, Somersetshire 
Buller, James Wentworth, Downes, Exeter, Devon 
Keen, Thomas, Croydon, Surrey 
Machin, John Vessey, Gateford Hill, Worksop, Notts 
Knipe, J., Eccleston street south, Belgrave square 
Reeks, James, Standen, Hungerford, Berks 5 
Coxe, Lieut. James (27th Foot), Newton Lodge, Hungerford, 
La Beaume, M., 11, Argyll-street, London 
Curties, Rev. Thos, Chandler, Linton Vicarage, Bromyard, 
r 
Mertiok, J., Windsor, Berkshire 
The names of 26 candidates for election at the next 
meeting were then read. 
FiNaNcEs.— Mr. RAvwoNp Barker presented to the 
council the report of the Finance Committee, from 
which it appeared that the amount of capital invested 
in the public funds stood at 8,2007., with a current cash 
balafice in the hands of the bankers of 1,695/. The 
council fi d the dation of the Finance 
Committee, that 1,2007. stock should be sold out of the 
funded property of the Society for the purpose of re- 
moving the temporary i i ioned by the 
Farmers’ Clubs. 
SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION. 
8. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF RAILROADS TO 
AGRICULTURE. 
See Report of the meeting of land agents and land valuers in 
the Mark Lane Express of Dec. 29, 5. 
Consider that from 1500 to 2000 acres are swallowed up by 
every 100 miles of railroad ; our increasing population can il! 
spare so large an absorption of corn-growing land, Consider 
also, how the employment of so much capital in this way takes 
out of the money market those means which might be more 
profitably spent in draining land, or in other agricultural im- 
provements : and consider that the maintenance of the present 
turnpike roads will be thrown on the parishes through which 
they pass, if a diminished traffic upon them should reduce their 
tolls below their expenses. 
consider again: (1.) Will railroads diminish the num- 
ber of horses? If so, the lands which formerly grew Oats for 
row Wheat for man. Consider (2) that rail- 
roads require great numbers of men for their construction, who 
lands in their neighbourhood. 
equivalent to the bringing of good markets nearer producing 
dis And above all (6), that the cheap, easy, and rapid 
travelling which they offer will destroy that isolation under 
which the farmer has hitherto suffered, and by which, more 
han in any other way, the progress of agricultural improve- 
ment has been hindered. 
ut the diseussion may turn upon local considerations ; and 
the question may be—‘‘ What effect will railroads have on the 
agriculture of this district ?” and local peculiarities must then 
be considered. And let them be discussed in the spirit of the 
debate which took place at Harleston, Norfolk, on the 14th of 
May, 1845. See 8th Annual Report of Harleston Farmers’ Club. 
Sr. PETERS: Tenants’ Rights—Mr. SwEED said he 
had been requested to introduce to the attentive consi- 
deration of the Club the subject of Tenants’ rights. It 
had been discussed at length at the Farmers’ Club 
House, London; the report of which discussion had 
been forwarded to him, with the request of the Secre- 
tary of that Society that the subject might be considered 
here. The President of this Club had also requested 
him (Mr, Smeed) to introduce the subject to this meet- 
ing, which he would therefore do without further 
apology. 1st, He presumed the meeting would be fully 
agreed in his first statement, viz.—That every possible 
excess of the expenditure over the receipts at the 
Shrewsbury meeting chargeable on the funds of the 
Society, and which at that time had amounted to 1,6007. 
independently of the 1,0007. contributed by the town of 
Shrewsbury towards the expences of the meeting.— 
n the motion of Mr. H. Ginzs, the various finaneial 
returns (of which a detailed statement was given in our 
last report) required in his notice of motion, of the 3d | 
of December last, were ordered to be laid quarterly on | 
the table.—On the motion of Colonel CHALLONER, a 
statement of the ordinary income of the Society for the 
past year, apart from income arising from the payment 
of arrears of subscription, should also be prepared. | 
The council ordered further that a list of all members | 
in arrear of subscription should lie constantly on the 
council table for public inspection. 
Newcastte Mesrinc.—The President having laid 
before the council a communication from Sir Matthew 
White Ridley, Bart,, Chairman of the Neweastle Local 
Committee, on the subject of the date of the meeting, 
it was unanimously decided by the council that the 
annual county meeting of 1846, for the Northern Dis- 
trict (comprising the counties of Northumberland, Cum- 
berland, Durham, and Westmoreland, and the town of 
Berwick-on-T weed) should be held at Neweastle-on- Tyne 
in the week commencing on the 13th of July next ; the 
principal day of the show, and that of the pavilion din- 
ner, being Thursday the 16th of that month. 
A letter having been read from Mr. Frere, in refer- 
ence to railway accommodation and conveyance to the 
place of meeting, the Secretary was directed to enter 
into communieation with the various railway companies, 
andthe Newcastle local committee, on the subject, and 
toreport theresult of his enquiries to the council at 
heir next monthly meeting. 
The following communications were received :—A 
letter from Mr. Pusey, M.P., to the President, an- 
nouncing the preparation of a report by the Analysis 
Committee, on the best eourse to be pursued in the 
present state of the inquiry respecting the Ashes of 
Plants. Letters and Specimens of Draining Tiles, ad- 
dressed to the Duke of Richmond, by Mr. Johnson, of 
Northampt A dation from Mr. Thomp- 
son, of Moat Hall, that the county of York should form | 
one of the districts for the country meetings of the So- 
ciety. A suggestion from Mr. Martin, of Kingston 
House, Dorchester, that engravings should be published 
of the prize implements of the Society. A printed re- 
port from Mr. Dean, of the Proceedings of the Land 
Agents’ Society. A letter from Dr. Dewhurst, offering | 
to deliver lectures before the Society. Plans from Mr. 
Harrison, of Devizes, of Cattle Sheds, Manure Tanks, | 
&c. Papers from Mr. Dickson, on the Cultivation of 
Flax. Anoffer from Mr. Stothard, Medal Engraver to 
the Queen, of unappropriated medal dies for a royal 
medal. An offer of services from Mr. S. Curtis, of New 
South. Wales, in reference to the promotion of the ob- 
jeetsof the Society. Andan intimation from Dr. Cal- 
vert, that if the arrangement should be approved by the 
ouneil, he would willingly communicate, in a Lecture 
to the members at the ensuing Newcastle Meeting, the 
result of his inquiries and practical trials on the subject 
of the best Grasses for cultivation. 
The Council then adjourned to Wednesday next, 
the llth of February. P 
rj 
arrang should be made to secure good farming. 
Rents eould not be kept up without it : the heavy ex- 
pences of the tenant could be met under no other sys- 
tem ; the increasing population of the country rendered 
it necessary ; and this alone could secure the full em- 
loyment of the agricultural poor. 2d. It was not 
likely that the capital and skill of the agriculturist, and 
the capabilities of the soil, would be fully developed un- 
less due attention was paid to the relative position of 
landlord and tenant. Indeed he thought it should be 
forcibly felt by all elasses engaged in agriculture that 
their interests are mutual; that they rise or fall to- 
gether. He was of opinion rents are in but 
few cases too high under circumstances over which 
landlords or tenants have any control. In some cases 
he thought them too high under existing circumstances 
over which they have control; but in very many might 
they be raised, and yet the tenant would be encouraged 
and benefited if these circumstances were altered. 4th. 
e believed seeurity of possession to be most important to 
every occupier of land. Improvement in the condition 
of the soil is to the farmer what improved machinery 
is to the manufacturer; nor can there exist pro- 
per inducements to the necessary outlay in either 
case, unless a fair chance is given of obtaining 
adequate remuneration. A farmer, under any cir- 
cumstances, risks his outlay; and he has many 
angers and difficulties to contend with unfelt and 
unknown to mercantile men, but uncertainty of tenure 
places him at once in circumstances infinitely disad- 
vantageous, It will be sure to operate on every reason- 
able mind in the i ion of a parsimony, incom- 
patible with the best interests of the landlord, the 
labourer, and the country. On these grounds leases 
are desirable. 5th. If farms are taken on a yearly 
tenure, there should be given two years notice to quit, 
and care should be taken, in the agreement, that the 
landlord is not left with a starved farm, nor the ser- 
vant without remuneration. 6th. He thought that a 
tenant leaving should stand on quite as good terms as 
the in-coming tenant, and he knew of no better plan 
to secure the interests of both these, and those of the 
landlord, than the following :—(1.) That the out-going 
tenant be paid for all work done on the land after his 
last harvest, (2.) That all straw, fodder, and manure 
found on the farm at Michaelmas be taken at its full 
value. (3.) That half the value of manures applied the 
preceding year be paid to the out-going tenant. (4.) 
That all buildings erected by the tenant, or purchased 
by him of his predecessor, be taken by his suecessor. 
(5.) "That the real value of these items be fixed by fair 
arbitration.—7th. He thought the effects of this and simi- 
lar meetings, would beof more importance if they brought 
thesubjeet before the parties immediately concerned, toan 
if they promoted any legislative interference Judicious, 
voluntary arrangements between landlords and tenants 
would do more good than Acts of Parliament. Still 
something was needed to meet cases where persons 
found in possession of farms, are not protected by 
any sort of agreement with their landlords about the 
treatment they are to receive on quitting, but are left 
to the “custom of the country.” A legal standard of 
appeal would be exceedingly useful under such 
circumstances. Now, the tenant must take just 
what the landlord pleases to give him, or enter 
on a contest to which he is quite unequal, and the 
very ground on which he stands is as unstable as a float- 
ing iceberg. He hoped gentlemen would speak freely 
on the subject this evening, but would recommend to 
wait till the London Farmers’ Club had collected the 
information it was seekimg, and they felt themselves 
in possession of more light, before they proceeded to 
petition Parliament on the subject.—Mr. W. MANSER, 
the President of the Club, said, “ I quite agree in all that 
has been said by Mr. Smeed. I think the greatest ob- 
stacle to good farming is the non-employment of capital, 
arising principally froni uncertainty of tenure ; and if 
any means can be devised to overcome this, so that the 
tenant farmer can feel secure that he shall be rèim- 
bursed for every judicious outlay of capital on quitting 
the farm, it will be a great boon, not only to tenants, but 
to landlords, and the country generally. In my opinion 
the out-going tenant is entitled to compensation for any 
increased value that his system of cultivation may have 
iven the farm he has occupied. Were he secure of 
obtaining this, I feel confident the intrinsic value of 
landed estates would rapidly increase. I think there 
are many things that the out-going tenant ought to be 
paid for by the landlord, which ought not to be charged 
to the incoming tenant in any other way than by an in- 
crease of rent. For, in very many cases, if the tenant 
(who may be an industrious, practical, and persevering 
man) has a large sum to pay on entering the farm, he 
may be so crippled in eireumstances as to be unable to 
improve the estate, and yet (in justice) he could not 
object to pay inereased rent for the benefit received. 
This plan would give accommodation to many tenants, 
and also prove a goodi for landlords—iner 
ing the real value of their estates, while it improved 
their rent roll. For the advantage of all parties I would 
recommend that such a per centage should be paid 
(whatever the extent of the lease might be) as would 
wipe off both principal and interest by the end of the 
term. Then the tenant on leaving would, in justice, be 
paid by the landlord for all work done for the benefit of 
his successor, and for all l d imp " 
as Mr. Smeed has stated. But above all, the full value 
should be paid for straw, fodder, and manure; and 
every inducement should be given to secure good farm- 
ing to the end of the lease."— 4A. long discussion ensued, 
at the close of which it was proposed by Mr. J. C. Ben- 
NETT, seconded by Mr. N. BnapLEY,and carried unani- 
mously— 'That, as the opinion of this Club is fully em- 
bodied and expressed in what has been delivered by 
Mr. Smeed and Mr. Manser,the secretary be requested 
to forward their speeches to the secretary of the Lon- 
don Farmers! Club, as explanatory of their views on the 
subject.” 
MarpsroxE.— The following are the resolutions of this 
Club as embodied in its report for the past year :— 
* That it is desirable to drill Swede Turnips about the 
middle of May, in high exposed situations, and about 
the middle of June, in low warm situations; white 
rounds a month later; that Mangold Wurzel should be 
dibbled in 30 inches apart, from the middle of April to 
the middle of May.” It was mentioned by a member 
whose land was subject to fly, that he had with suecess 
drilled in alternate rows of white rounds between the 
Swedes, to protect the latter from the fly, which had 
always attacked the white rounds first. June.— That 
in the opinion of the members, the way to make the best 
meadow hay is to cut early, and to expose as little as 
possible to dew ; as soon after mowing as practicable, to 
put it into very small cocks, opening the same the fol- 
lowing day, again putting it into cocks of a larger 
size before any dew falls ; and pursuing the same course 
until ready to carry. A cheaper, but not so desirable, 
yet very common mode practised, is to allow the Grass 
to remain unbroken in the swathe, turning it once or 
twice a day, until nearly ready to carry, when it is shook 
abroad in the forenoon of the day intended for carrying, 
and taken up in the afternoon, taking care to finish 
before any dew falls. If the whole is shaken and cannot 
be carried before next day, it should be put up in secure 
cocks, Seed hay should not be shaken out, but should 
be turned in the swathe until ready to carry; but if too 
large a crop to admit of the hay being made in the 
morning it may be slightly opened in the swathe. Tare 
hay is very difficult to make good ; it is best to open 
the swathe in a fine day, and eare should be taken to 
allow it to remain exposed as little as possible. Sufli- 
cient hands should be at command to put all into cock ' 
every night, or at the approach of rain. It is desirable 
to cause hay of all descriptions to heat in the stack as 
little as possible.”  J'u/y.—'* Thatit had been found de- 
sirable to cut Wheat before it becomes sickle-eared, 
and other grain rather green. That if men can be got 
to bag Wheat well, it is best to bag ; the next best plan 
is to mow ; but both bagging and mowing must be done 
well, or dirt will get into the sample from the stalks 
which are torn up by the roots. That corn should 
always be made up in small sheaves. ‘That when winter 
thrashing is required, Wheat threshed after having 
been kept in a barn, is generally better than that kept 
in stack, but that for summer-thrashing the sample is 
rather improved by being stacked. In that month, the 
members of the Club having reported last year on the 
State of the farm of Mr. Hewitt Davis, received & 
general invitation from that gentleman to inspect his 
crops just before harvest. About 20 of the members 
availed themselves of the invitation on the 9th of July, 
and again inspected Mr. Davis’s crops. In August, 
Mr. Davis accepted the invitation of the Club to pay 
them a return visit ; but Mr. Davis’s engagements only 
permitted his attendance at the monthly discus- 
sion. The subject originally arranged for discussion 
was — improvements in farm buildings: but the 
