452 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



[July 6, 



yard dang has a fair trial or no ? that is, whether the 

 dung is from a heap such as Mr. Gyde would find in his 

 black horsepond yard, out of which all the gravy of the 

 meat, if I may so say, has run away; or from a heap 

 upon which all the juice has been pumped back, and 

 ■which has had all its ammonia fixed and been made up 

 •with all the advantages which a modern muck-heap ought 

 to receive ? Because, unless it is a dung-heap of such a 

 character, I contend that it does not stand a fair com- 

 parison with the other manures. Mr. Gyde in his ad- 

 mirable papers tells us, that the urine, &c, of cattle 

 contains all the ingredients which render guano and 

 other manures so valuable ; therefore, unless the farm- 

 yard manure is composed of all the drainage and sweep- 

 ings from the stables and yard, properly made up, to try 

 it against the host of fertilisers which have all their 

 strength concentrated and made the most of, it cannot pro- 

 perly be a true test of its powers. Experimenters shoul I 

 state what sort of farm-yard manure theirs is, as in 90 

 cases out of 100 I believe it would be found to be good 

 of its sort, but not half so good and strong as it ought to 

 be and is entitled to be.— H. W. [Our correspondent's 

 complaint is a very just one ; the farm-yard manure 

 which is used as a standard of comparison in experiments 

 on the value of guano, &c, is rarely what it ought to be ; 

 it is generally much the worse for having its insoluble 

 ingredients washed out of it. And there is another fault 

 in these comparative experiments : a farmer applies 

 manure to his land perhaps once in four years ; the 

 crops of all these four years ought to be measured and 

 weighed before the value of the manures as fertilisers can 

 be ascertained.] 



Vetches. — I think the practice of the father of the 

 late Mr. Webb Hall worthy of attention, even in these 

 more enlightened days. As soon as the Wheat crop was 

 cleared, he prepared for Vetches, and laid on all the 

 manure intended for the subsequent Turnip crop ; the 

 Vetches, of course, were most luxuriant ; and he was 

 thus enabled to feed them off in good time for sowing 

 Swedes, the land being in excellent condition, and 

 having, moreover, the benefit derived from the increased 

 quantity of manure from the sheep, in consequence of 

 the superiority of the crop of Vetches. — Lusor. 



Smut in Wheat. — About 10 or 50 years ago a Mr. 

 Roger Treffry, of Beer Alston, professed to be in pos- 

 session of a secret for preventing the smut in Wheat. 

 Accordingly, about seed time, he made a tour of several 

 of the midland counties, offering to sow seed from the 

 most infected sample, but prepared by him ; also he 

 would take the cleanest seed, which he also prepared : 

 these were both sown, and next year at harvest he called 

 on those farmers who permitted him to try the experi- 

 ment ; when, if the smutted seed was found to produce 

 clean corn, and the clean seed smutted corn, he was to 

 receive three guineas for the secret : this he did, as 1 

 understood, without an exception, and realised a very 

 handsome sum. His secret for disinfection consisted 

 simply in thorough washing in pure water ; and on the 

 other hand, he infected the good seed by thoroughly 

 rubbing it with the contents of smut-balls. After all, 

 his method was not generally adopted ; nor do I believe 

 it certain of success without extreme care. I once pre- 

 pared the seed for a field by well washing in two waters, 

 and skimming off the light corn which floated ; and yet 

 the crop was more than half smutty. I am of opinion 

 that heat is necessary to destroy the vegetative power of 

 the sporules, and therefore adopted the following plan, 

 which was perfectly successful, for I was never after 

 troubled with smut. I placed the seed intended for the 

 next day's sowing in a heap ; upon the top of this was a 

 vessel of boiling saturated solution of common salt, into 

 which was thrown a sufficient quantity of fresh-burnt 

 lime, the slaking of which raised (the temperature far 

 above that of boiling water, and it foamed most furiously 

 over the vessel, and ran down amongst the Wheat ; 

 the whole was then carefully turned over several times, 

 till thoroughly mixed; the heap dressed up neatly, and 

 left till morning, when it was quite dry enough to drill. — 

 Lusor. 



Wide Drilling. — In your Leading Article, p. 413, you 

 invite the communication of the experience of your 

 readers on this subject. I am therefore induced to men- 

 tion an experiment I tried, "long, long ago." I planted 

 two acres of a very rich garden-loam with Wheat ; one 

 acre was dibbled in 3-feet rows, and 9 inches from hole 

 to hole, with "2 corns in each ; the other at 18 inches, 

 and 9 inches from hole to hole. The plants grew very 

 luxuriantly, but never covered the ground ; the ears 

 were very long and loose, and the sample thin and 

 hungry. I have no memorandum of the product, but I 

 considered the attempt to give Wheat so much room a 

 complete failure. Adjoining these two acres I drilled 

 two other acres at 16-inch intervals, which produced 70 

 bushels of very good Wheat.— £wsor. 



Bt., M.P. ; Rev. E. C Keene, J. Kinder, Esq. ; Sir F. 

 Lawley, Bt.; Sir C Lemon, Bt., M.P.J Col. Macdouall ; 

 J. W. L. Naper, Esq. ; Sir R. Price, Bt. ; W. Shaw, 

 Esq.; W. R. C. Stansfield, Esq., M.P. ; and V. 



Stuckey, Esq. 



Viscount Alford, of Carlton Terrace, London, and 

 Ralph Creyke, Esq., of Rawcliffe Hall, near Selby, York- 

 shire, were elected Governors, and the following gentle- 

 men Members of the Society : — 



Pilgrim, Charles H., Kingsfield, Southampton 



Pilgrim, Charles, Kinirsfield, Southampton 



Beauon, Rev. Frederick, NorthStonebam Rectory, Southampton 



Seamark, Richard, Mount St. Alban's, Caerleon, Monmouth- 

 shire 



Streeter, William, Sanderstead, Croydon, Surrey 



Carson, William, Seaforth, near Liverpool 



Prosser, George, Elvaston Farm, Harewood, Ross, Herefordshire 



Crouch, John, Cirencester, Gloucestershire 



Mitford, Charles, Pittshill, Petworth, Sussex 



Rutler, Hon. Sir Edward, Chilworth, Southampton 



Altherly, George, junr., Southampton 



Shuttle'worth, Geo. Edmund, Tottenham Green, Middlesex 



Waddington, John Thomas, (High Sheriff, Hants.) Twyford 



Lodge, Winchester 

 Biel, William, St. Leonard's Farm, Beaulieu, Southampton 

 Charteris, Hon. Francis, Armisiield, Haddington, N.B. 

 Parsons, John, 5, Anglesey-place, Southampton 

 Dobree, Harry, President of the Agricultural Society, Guernsey 

 Bestc, J. Richard, Hotleigh Grange, Southampton 

 Brough, John, Shaw Farm, Overton, Marlborough 

 Bourne, Right Hon. W. Sturges, Upper Brook-street, London 

 (ii n, Robert, Bagshot, Surrey 

 Olliver, George, Kingston, Arundel, Sussex 

 \ ansittart, Captain Robert (Coldstream Guards), 11, Halkin-st. 



West, Relgrave-square 

 Trudgen, Henry Hodge, Trevilley, Penzance, Cornwall 

 Mahnesbury, Earl of, Heron-court, Christchurch, Hants 

 Waddington, John H., Langrish, Petersfield, Hants 

 Miles, John, Wexcomb, Great Dedwin, Wilts 

 Craven, Henry, Wickham Hall, Bromley, Kent 

 Pin horn, Humphrey, Fordingbridge, Hants 

 Tice, William, Sopley, Ringwood, Hants 

 Raymond, Henry Archer, Harrow Weald House, Harrow, Mid- 



(licSCX 



Mitchell, John, 5, Hawley Road, Kentish Town 



Binstead, Henry, Wicor Farm, Wareham, Hants 



Knight, John Harvey, High-street, Southampton 



Thompson, Thomas, St. Mary-street, Southampton 



Grey, Thomas Robinson, Norton, Stockton-on Tees, Durham 



Stone, William, Stonebridge, Framfield, Cucfcfield, Sussex 



Huddleston, Thomas, Stedcombe House, Colliton, Devon 



The names of 18 candidates for election at the next 



meeting were then read. 



Finances. — Mr. Raymond Barker, Chairman of the 

 Finance Committee, laid before the Council the Monthly 

 Report of the Committee on the state of the Funds of 

 the Society ; from which it appeared, that at the end of 

 last month the amount of invested capital was 7700/., 

 and the current cash balance in the hands of the 

 bankers' at the same date 3457/. Mr. Barker explained 

 to the Council that this balance included 800/., on ac- 

 count of the Southampton subscription, of which the 

 Committee had recommended a further sum of 500/. to 

 be paid to meet the expenses already incurred in making 

 the requisite preparations for the ensuing country meet- 

 ing at that place, leaving 200/. of the subscription of 

 1000/. originally remitted from Southampton still re- 

 maining in the bankers' hands, and available for further 

 claims on that account. 



DlU AUg., Will UC IUC gltai, uaj si,u o|;au ao ^ 



general show of cattle, horses, sheep, swine, 

 whole of the articles exhibited on Wednesday. 





societies. 



ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY of ENGLAND. 

 A Monthly Council was held at the Society's House, 

 in Hanover-square, on Wednesday last, the 3rd of Julv, 

 present — His Grace the Duke of Richmond, K.G.,inthe 

 chair; Marquess of Downshire, Earl Beauchamp, Vis- 

 count Torrington, Lord Camoys, Lord Hatherton, Col. 

 Austen; Thomas Raymond Barker, Esq.; John R. 

 Barker, Esq. ; Geo. R. Barker, Esq. ; J. Benett, Esq., 

 M.P. ; S. Bennett, Esq. ; T. W. Bramston, Esq., M.P.} 

 W. R. Browne, Esq. ; F. Burke, Esq. ; Col. Challoner ; 

 F. C. Cherry, Esq.; H. Colman, Esq. ; E. D. Davenport, 

 Esq.; J. H. H. Foley, Esq.; Capt. Forbes, R.N.; B. Gibbs, 

 EBq. ; W. Fisher Hobba, Esq. ; Sir John Johnstone, 



Colonel Challoner, Captain Forbes, and Mr. Benett, 

 M.P., and Mr. S. Bennett, favoured the Council with 

 the results of their trials to effect the extirpation of rats 

 from their respective premises ; Colonel Challoner taking 

 that opportunity of correcting a misapprehension of his 

 statement at a former meeting as to the extent of his ex- 

 perience of Mr. Meyer's preparations. At that time, his 

 application of those preparations had been limited to a 

 broad Holly-hedge in his Hower-garden, where they were 

 found to be perfectly successful. — Mr. Manning, con- 

 tractor of the Society's works at Southampton, addressed 

 a letter to the President in reference to the site of the 

 Pavilion ; Messrs. Drummond, of Stirling, and Messrs. 

 Morion, of Edinburgh, replied to the inquiries of the 

 Council on the subject of Braby's draught-machine. The 

 Rev. C. J. James, of Braintree Rectory, called the 

 attention of the Council to the condition of agricultural 

 labourers, and the intentions of the Committee ap- 

 pointed to report to the Council on that subject ; and 

 the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland an- 

 nounced the reservation of tickets for members of the 

 Royal Agricultural Societies of England and Ireland who 

 might be induced to attend the ensuing meeting at 

 Glasgow. The Marquis of Downshire invited the attend- 

 ance of members at the ensuing meeting of the Royal 

 Agricultural Improvement Society of Ireland at Dublin, 

 where the authorities were prepared to receive them with 

 every attention. Mr. Brandreth Gibbs presented copies 

 of the Prize Sheet of the December Show of the Smi.h- 

 field Club. 



The Council then adjourned to Wednesday next, the 

 10th of July. ^^^ 



HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



At a late meeting of Committee, for making the ne- 

 cessary arrangements for the ensuing great Agricultural 

 Meeting at Glasgow, the following Report was read : — 

 The local Committee, upon their appointment in January, 

 1843, commenced operations by taking steps to unite the 

 adjoining counties of Lanark, Renfrew, Dumbarton, 

 Ayr, Argyll, Bute, and Stirling, in constituting the Show, 

 and are happy to state that all these counties agreed to 

 combine for the purpose, with the exception of Stirling- 

 shire, which declined to have any connexion with the 

 Show. The local Committee have given their best en- 

 deavours to frame a list of premiums to" be awarded for 

 stock, which should be properly adapted to the different 

 breeds deserving encouragement iu the districts compos- 

 ing the Show ; and they hope that the list which has 

 been published, which was drawn up with the aid and 



under the superintendence of the Edinburgh Committee 

 will afford satisfaction. The premiums advertised amount 

 to 1575/., being the largest sura ever offered for compe- 

 tition at any of the Society's Shows ; and it is expected 

 that the number and liberality of the premiums will 

 attract an unprecedented display of stock from all parts 

 of the country. The requisite funds are not yet fullv 

 realised, but with a little exertion there is no doubt of 

 the sum subscribed being perfectly sufficient to meet all 

 liabilities. The 7th, 8th, and 9th days of August hare 

 been fixed upon as the most eligible time for holding the 

 Show, avoiding alike the Goodwood races, at which the 

 Duke of Richmond and the Earl of Eglinton must be 

 present, and the commencement of the shooting season. 

 Part of the public Green of Glasgow has been kindly 

 granted by the magistrates as the site for holding the 

 Show, which is peculiarly adapted for the purpose, and 

 will afford abundant accommodation. It has been re- 

 solved, instead of building a temporary erection, to have 

 the public dinner within the City Hall of Glasgow, which 

 can, at comparatively small expense, be fitted up to ac- 

 commodate 1800 people with comfort. A plan of the 

 Green, and the portion allotted for the Show, at 

 the Flesher's Haugh, was exhibited. It seemed to 

 satisfy all present, and it was left to a committee that 

 were appointed to make every proper arrangement for 

 securing the grounds, and for the necessary accommoda- 

 tion of the committees, the judges, and all concerned in 

 the proceedings. The following are the plans for the 

 three days of the Show :— Wednesday, 7th Aug — The 

 exhibition of agricultural implements, dairy produce, 

 roots, seeds, and plants ; to conclude with the Commit- 

 tee's dinner, and a grand ball in the evening. Thursday, 

 8th Aug., will be the great day — set apart as it is for the 



and the 

 The bu- 

 siness will be wound up by a grand public dinner in the 

 City Hall, with the Duke of Richmond, president of the 

 Society, in the chair. Friday, 9th Aug.— This day will 

 be employed in the exhibition of the prize stock, imple- 

 ments, &c. It was also arranged that Mr. Smith, of 

 Deanston, and Professor Johnston, should, either at the 

 public breakfast, or at some other time during the pro- 

 ceedings, deliver lectures on draining and agricultural 

 chemistry. It was stated that the City Hall would ac- 

 commodate 1800 at dinner, and it was agreed that tickets 

 should be on sale, to members only, until the 27th July 

 —thereafter the public to be served as they applied ; a 

 certain portion, until a particular date, bein- laid aside 

 for the gentlemen belonging to Societies in England and 

 Ireland. t 



FARMERS' CLUBS. 

 Chelmsford Wool Fair.— Mr. Towers, who presided 

 at the public dinner on this occasion, made the following 

 remarks on the state of the wool trade. He stated that 

 the buyers had said there had been a material rise in 

 wool over last year, though not in proportion to wnat 

 was stated, but still a material rise ; and they would see 

 that it was impossible it should not be so when he de- 

 tailed the fact that in 1843, advancing from sever £ for- 

 mer years, the export of wool to Belgium and Jranae 

 was 8,000,000 lbs.-6,302,000 lbs. to the former and 

 1,677,000 lbs. to the latter-as was shown by he return 

 on the wool-trade made on the motion of Mr. M i«. 

 Now, in fact, this had been going on at the same tnne 

 with a decrease in the import of wool If they Rooked 

 back to the same document, they would find ^tha :ftom 

 1836 to 1840, the average import o(^P^^ m 

 54,406,049 lbs. ; but from 1841 to 1843 the average i m 

 port wis only 50,410,902 lbs. Therefore, her ha b een 

 in the last three years a diminution of about 4,000 0UU kl 

 in the import of wool, which had taken place at a perio 

 when, from the extension of mechanical skill in _the po 

 duction of machinery, the competing power ottw ^ 

 facturers had been largely increased ; and, s r g 

 tell, the sales of perfect and comple ted """^ 

 goods during that time, had only maintained the ave * 

 of little more than five or six millions How was ^ 

 to be accounted for ? By this extraordinary lac , 

 there had been of late not only an export of W w f odd 

 of their wool against an im port o 50 mi hon . ^ 



thousands, but an export of British woollen and wont 

 yarn to the amount of 7,306,392 lbs. being an in re 

 on the former year of 1,423,262 lbs. There had, he ^ 

 fore, been a double export of the raw mater ial, ^ 

 ool, and then of woollen and worsted ^yarn ,* 

 ie first manufacture from the wool ; and this 



our w 



was the 



was the hrst manuracture »u«* — * . mK . 



fallen so heavily upon the reduced imports, that t rf 

 nufacturers of the country were found to be in 

 wool to meet the magnitude of their options. ^ 

 should be unwilling to check the desire of the sell 

 sell, yet as the proceedings of *»™"°*™ r ai 8 rs , it 

 forth to the country, and giving a tone to other 

 would have been wrongjn him not to have state 

 lively the situation of the buyers and 8 e ler«. ^ 

 were points in the current year most favourab ie i . q 

 P the buyers were consulting their »*«■ 



sellers 



genera; mo ^; w * »~.~ ^ tprmS idcj 



buying their wools on the most favourable ^term 

 wolld offer them ; and he did not believe **t*J M 

 ing back and speculating on the price, the g™"" k th(J 

 be consulting their own interest for he , did no l* 

 farmer had a right to be a speculator. But let in dic . 

 be aware of thi,, that he had placed ^Zl^ V"' 

 tion that it was their interest to make P"™^ V U t 

 vided they received offers favourable to their v« 

 him call attention to the fact, that in Belgium and ^ 

 the manufacturers admitted that British *. 001 "* {oT m 

 greatest importance to them, as they require. i ^ 



the warp for their finer wools, in making the clot 



