THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 
20—1846.] 
325 
OYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENG- 
LAND.—The GENERAL MEETING will be held atthe 
Society's House in Hanover-square, on Fripay, the 22d inst., 
at One o'clock precisely. 
By Order of the Council, James Hupson, Sec. 
London, May 6, 1846. 
HE LONDON MANURE COMPANY beg to 
offer Genuine PERUVIAN GUANO, delivered direct from 
the Importers' bonded warehouses :— 
Nitrate of Soda, Fine Bone Sawdust, 
Sulphate of Ammonia, Sulphurie Acid, 
Superphosphate of Lime, Sulphate d Soda, 
ypsum, etre Salt, 
And every article of Artificial Manure in the most genuine 
State,—No. 40, New Bridge-street, Blackfriars. 
. Epwarp Porser, Secretary. 
BY HER 
MAJESTY’S : 
M‘NEILL & CO., of Lam! 
L London, Manufacturers and only Patentees of 
THE PATENT ASPHALTED FELT FOR. ROOFING, 
a 
b’s Buildings, Bunhill- 
London, and in different parts of the country, to wl 
ence is made, This Felt is composed of the strongest and most 
durable materials, and is saturated with the BEST OF AS- 
PHALTE OR BITUMEN (THE SAME AS SELECTED AND USED 
BY SIR IsAMBERT BRUNEL FOR THE THAMES TUNNEL, BEING 
FOUND THE MOST ELASTIC AND EFFECTIVE RESISTER OF WET), 
NO OTHER FELT HAS THIS ASPHALTE BUT F. M‘NEILL 
& CO.’s, and which renders it impervious to rain, snow, an 
frost, and a non-conductor of heat and sound. Its advantages 
are Lightness, Warmth, Durability, and Economy. — Price 
NE PENNY PER SQUARE Foor. 
es, with Directions for its Use, and Testimonials 
of seven years’ experience (which contain much useful informa- 
tion), from Noblemen, Gentlemen, Gardeners, Architects, and 
uilders, SENT FREE to any part of the Town or Country, aud 
orders by Post executed, 
The new Vice-Chancellor’s Courts, the Offices attached, and 
Passages leading to Westminster-hall, Dr. Reid's Offices, and 
other Buildings at the New Houses of Parliament, are roofe: 
with F. M‘NEILL and Co.'s Felt, andis known by its having the 
appearance of lead roofs. 
The Public is respectfully cautioned against misrepre- 
sentation, as the only Works in Great Bri where the above 
Patent Roofing is madeis F. M‘NEILL & Co.'s Manufactories, 
Lamb’s-buildings, Bunhill-row, London. 
The a gricultural Gazette. 
SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1846. 
MEETINGS FOR THE TWO FOLLOWING WEEKS. 
a 
Agricultural Society of England. 
Waownspay, May 20f fis society, Bellas g! 
THURSDAY, — $1—Agricul.uràl Imp. o. of Ireland. 
FarpAY, = Agricultural Society of England. 
rie 
gricultural Society of England. 
TuunspAY. = Agricultural Imp. Soc. of Ireland. 
LOCAL SOCIETIES.—Shropham and Guiltoross — Renfrewshire. 
FARMERS: CLUBS. o 
May 18—Botley ay ?7—Newton 
=m 19.B ove — Plympton — 28—Ottery St. Mary 
a i —  s9—Rhins of Galloway 
=  35—Welli? gton 
Wapxxspay, — 
Tue growth of vegetables is a branch of the 
farmer's business much better understood than the 
conversion of them into beef, mutton, pork, &c. 
he experience of farmers on the former subject is 
much more generally known. We are in possession 
of many well-established facts regarding the agency 
of drainage, cultivation, and manures ; while as 
regards the process of feeding, we have but few 
details of individual experience. There are not 
many published experiments on the relative nutritive- 
ness of different kinds of food. This should induce 
us to place greater value on the few worthy of our 
reliance which we do possess. And among these 
we have no hesitation in naming those by Dr. 
Tuomson on THE VaLuE or Marr as Foon ron 
ATTLE. 
We have observed that most of the agricultural 
periodicals in which the Government report of these 
experiments has been noticed have dissented from 
its conclusions on the ground that the experimenter 
not being a farmer was unqualified for his task; 
and a correspondent makes the same assertion on 
similar grounds in the last Number of the Agricul- 
tural Gazette. But let us consider what this ob- 
jection is really worth. The account given of these 
experiments in the report is most detailed and par- 
ticular. Why have objections not been made to the 
treatment which the cattle received? It is all 
stated in fullest detail. Why has fault not been 
found with the trial because of unsuitableness in the 
animals or unfairness in the cireumstances in which 
they were placed. The results of the experiment 
are necessarily the consequence of certain causes 
acting either in accordance with, or in spite of the 
will of the experimenter. Why have dissentients 
Not pointed out the operation on the animals of 
Causes besides those to which Dr. Tuomson attri- 
butes his results? No doubt, many have searched 
diligently for them through the bulky report of the 
investigation, for it was not to be borne that the 
main prop of the Anti Malt-tax agitation should thus 
be knocked away from under it: but the search 
was fruitless—the experiment was carefully con- 
ducted, its results were accurately recorded. It is 
the only piece of exact evidence, we believe, that 
exists on the subject; it is founded on a lengthened 
and careful investigation ; it is in accordance with 
the preconceived opinions of intelligent man. How, 
then, can it fail to bring conviction ? 
It is objected that Dr. Tuomson, not being a 
farmer, was unable fairly to conduct the experi- 
ment. Well, but here is a full report of the investi- 
gation. Point out the fallacy in his results—where 
is the mistake into which he has fallen? Suppose, 
however, that we admit the objection. What does 
it amount to? It is said that had a farmer had 
charge of this experiment its results would have 
been trustworthy. Now, we are persuaded that all 
whose opinion on the subject is worth anything will 
agree with us in saying that nothing requires a 
more careful previous education than the art of 
observing. Now, Dr. THomson stands confessedly 
at the head of British chemists—at the head of a 
body whose science has been laboriously worked 
out by constant experiment, whose occupation 
indeed consists in experiment, in applying causes 
and measuring effects, A practical chemist is the 
man of all others to conduct a quantitative experi- 
mental investigation, let the subject of it be what it 
may—the whole habit of his mind fits him for this 
task. And, for whom is Dr. Tuomson, the first 
practical chemist of the country, to be set aside? 
For a practical farmer—one, on the other hand, of 
a body low in the scale of profession, as regards the 
habit of observation and experiment, and therefore 
possessed, and especially in the branch of it her 
concerned, of but few well established data on 
which to found anything like consistent practice. 
What does Mr. HoxTARLE say in the late Number 
of the * Journal of the English Agricultural 
Society "? — * The of accurate weights 
and measurements, and therewith of just valua- 
tion, is the great opprobrium of English agri- 
culture.” Now, looking at the present condition 
of their respective professions, which is likely 
to be the more competent to conduct a nice investi- 
gation, the chemist, whose science, in consequence 
of his labours, may now be called “exact,” or the 
farmer, of whose art, in consequence (must we not 
say) of his negligence, there is hardly a point which 
is not obnoxious to the widest diversity of opinion ? 
We are persuaded that the experiment could 
not have been placed in more competent hands 
than those of Dr. Tuomson ; where inexperience 
in any respect disqualified him, as in the purchase 
of the animals, &c., he had the assistance of the 
ablest practical men in the west of Scotland, and 
as to keeping the animals free from the action of 
causes disturbing the results of the investigation, 
no one was better able to direct that than himself. 
e 
We have often had occasion to point out THE 
Lease for a term of years as the only beneficial 
bond of connection between landlord and tenant. 
It is, we are persuaded, the only kind of tenure 
under which the high cultivation of land can be either 
induced or maintained, and notwithstanding that 
there are landlords who will not grant leases for 
lengthened periods, and that there are tenants who 
will not accept them, it certainly must be for the 
national good that this mode of tenancy should more 
readily obtain. Farmers may fear being tied for 
more than one year to a bad bargain ; this only ex- 
hibits a want of energy, and of enterprise, and of 
confidence in their own judgment. Landlords may 
fear abandoning their estates for so long to incom- 
petent tenants; they forget that when a farmer is 
tied to the land for so many years, his interest in 
maintaining its fertility is equal to, if not stronger 
than that of its owner. And itis capable of demon- 
stration, both on d priori grounds and by an appeal 
to fact, that the increased profit of both parties, de- 
pendent asitis upon the exercise of capital and in- 
telligence in the cultivation of the land, ean be 
looked for only in those districts where the fruits of 
high farming are secured to the farmer by a suffi- 
ciently long lease. 
How, then, must it be where neither intelligence 
nor capital are abundant amongst farmers? Why, 
then we fear they cannot look for more than yearl 
tenancy. This, fortunately, is to them no hardship ; 
for where there is not capital to carry out, nor in- 
telligence to direct the higher cultivation of the 
land, there is rarely enterprise desirous of any 
change from things as they are. Nevertheless 
here, also, it will be for the landlord's interest to 
state openly and publicly his desire, whenever these 
shall appear in his tenants, to give them the security 
ofalease. Andit is only under protest that tenancy 
at will is a great national evil, though, unfortunately 
at present, in some cases, an unavoidable one, tha 
we proceed to consider how it may be turned to the 
best account. 
The object of the landlord in settling the terms on 
which his land shall be let necessarily is, to induce 
the thorough cultivation of it; he is urged to this 
not merely by self interest, on the ground that 
thereby the value of his estate will be increased, but 
also by his care for the labouring population, for 
whom employment is to be found. He must get 
his tenants to exert themselves, and this can only 
be done by ensuring to them a reward for their ex- 
ertions. He declines to secure this reward to them 
by lease; it must be done, therefore, by an agree- 
ment, in which, reserving the right to give six 
months' notice to quit, he binds himself on the 
tenant'sleaving to pay him for such improvements 
over and above the common “custom of the coun- 
try,'as may then remain unexhausted. There is 
no doubt that in practice this involves great diffi- 
culty and perplexity, but it appears to us that no 
other alternative offers. Isthe connexion between 
landlord and tenant to be such as shall tend to the 
better cultivation of the land? Then farms must 
be let so as to secure to their occupants a full re- 
turn for every extra-ordinary exertion they may 
make. And we do not see how this is to be done 
unless the landlord shall either give up the control 
of the land on certain conditions for a term of years, 
or, under a system of yearly tenancy, acknowledge 
to the fullest extent the justice of what has of late 
been termed “tenant right." The best method of 
developing this subject in an agreement between a 
landowner and his yearly tenants is a matter likely 
to excite some discussions; we shall give a form of 
agreement next week, and hope that our readers 
willsuggest any alterations that may appear advis- 
able. The main points in which the tenant should 
be bound, appear to be to cultivate his land on the 
alternate system, and to take nothing off his farm 
but grain, and the produce arising from the con- 
sumption of his green crops. And the chief point 
in which the landlord should bind himself, is to re- 
pay on a certain stated scale all improvements made 
with his sanction, which may remain unexhausted 
when the tenant leaves. 
Our readers will have seen that the Committee 
appointed by the Council of THE AcnicurTURAL 
Socrgry, to report on the propriety of adopting a 
plan of operations at their annual meetings some- 
what similar to that of rue BRITISH ASSOCIATION 
FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF ScIENCE, has recom- 
mended that the two subjects—Drainage, and the 
Chemistry of Manur hall be di d at the 
ensuing Newcastle meeting, under the guidance 
respectively of Mr. Panxrs and of Professor Jonn- 
ston. This is but a timid step in the direction 
pointed out to them some weeks ago by Mr. Tuomr- 
son, and alluded to at page 257; but there can be 
no doubt of these discussions being an admirable 
substitute for the Council dinner, the place of which 
they have taken; and we heartily hope that the 
success of this step may induce a bolder one in the 
same direction another year. 
* ENGLISH AND SCOTCH FARMING. 
Tux following very impartial statement is somewhat 
abridged from a communication which lately appeared 
in the columns of the Galloway Agriculturist :— 
When you asked me to report on English farming, 
I believe both of us thought that my report must be al 
against English farming, particularly in this and other 
central counties, when compared with Scotch farming, 
Wewere both very much mistaken. In passing hurriedly 
through these central counties of England, as we haye 
formerly done on our way to London, we see little of 
the details of farming, and form our opinion of the state 
of agriculture chiefly from the great clumsy waggons, 
the heavy and inefficient ploughs, and the expensive 
i ppli jon of pow: which meet our eyes on 
all sides, and which we hastily conclude must belong to 
an age of prejudice and general ignorance. But these 
are only the outside defects of the machinery, and a 
minute examination of the farm leads to a very different 
conclusion as to the details of English farming. I 
hesitate not to say, that the farming in many parts of 
Warwickshire is as good, er better, than in Wigtown- 
shire or Ayrshire: though it is much in the same way 
as I would say a man is a good walker if he beats 
another on a road, at great cost of physical power—al- 
though loaded with his great grandfather’s boots, which 
happened to weigh each a hundred weight. 
I do not mean to say that an English farmer is able 
to pay more rent for his farm ‘han a Scotch farmer 
would do—quite the contrary; bit he grows better 
crops on the same quality of land—feeds better—raises 
more manure—puts on more composi—keeps his land 
more clear of weeds, and his houses, farm roads, and 
fences, in better order—so that in my opinion, the 
English farmer only requires to throw off his grand- 
father's great cumbersome implements to bea us both 
in neat and profitable agriculture. 
