3t6 Journal of the English Agricultural Society. 



Part of its Journal 'is in every way worthy of such a bod}'. The following are 

 the titles of the papers which it contains : — 



I. Some Introductory Remarks on the present State of Agriculture as a 

 Science in England. By Ph. Pusey, Esq., M.P. 



II. On the Selection of Male Animals in the breeding of Cattle and Sheep. 

 By the Right Hon. Earl Spencer, President of the Society. 



III. On Deanstonising, as distinguished from and compared with the furrow- 

 draining and deep ploughing of the Midland Counties of England. By the 

 Right Hon. Sir James Graham, Bart., M.P., F.R.S, &c. 



IV. Report of several Operations in Deanstonising at Oakley Park, Shrop- 

 shire. From the Hon. R. H. Clive, M.P. 



V. Account of Subsoil Ploughing on a dry Soil, Heckfield, Hants. By C. 

 S. Lefevre, Esq., M.P. 



VI. Account of an Experiment on the relative Values of several Varieties 

 of Wheat. By John Morton, Esq. 



VII. On Gas Water as a Manure. By John Paynter, Esq. 



VIII. An Essay on the Analysis of Soils. By the Rev. W. L. Rham, 

 A.M. 



IX. On the Progress of Agriculture in Scotland since the Formation of the 

 Highland Society. By Mr. John Dudgeon. 



Miscellaneous, including the rules and regulations of the Societj', prizes 

 offered, list of governors, list of members, &c. 



In the first article the subject is handled both statistically and scientifically. 

 After stating the gross produce of cultivated lands, and the average produce of 

 wheat, the author says : " If by a better selection of seed we could raise this 

 average produce from twenty-six to twenty-seven bushels per acre, we should 

 add to the nation's annual income 475,000 quarters, which would be equal to 

 a capital of twenty-four millions sterling, gained for ever to the country by a 

 trifling increase in the growth of one article alone, and that in England and 

 Wales only." We are sorry we cannot spare room to abridge this article, 

 which is the most generally interesting of the whole. The next so is the last 

 article, which may be designated A History of Agricultural Improvement in 

 Scotland from the Commencement of the eighteenth Century to the present 

 Time. It is exceedingly well drawn up, from the most authentic sources, 

 and in part from the writer's own experience, he being a practical farmer in 

 the neighbourhood of Kelso. The other essays are all more or less interesting 

 and instructive ; and, on the whole, Part I. of this Journal is a very favourable 

 specimen. 



We have more than once stated in this Magazine, that the farmers of Eng- 

 land were the only class who did not read, and that till they became a reading 

 class they would remain stationary as agriculturists. We are satisfied of the 

 correctness of this opinion, from our own observation. In the year 1806, 

 with a practical knowledge of the best farming in the Lothians, in Berwick- 

 shire, and Northumberland, we made a six months' tour in England and Wales, 

 and we have subsequently repeatedly been in the same districts, and found no 

 change whatever in the mode of cultivating the soil. The same cumbrous 

 plough, drawn by three or four horses, with a driver going at a snail's pace, 

 and turning up a furrow of 5 or 6 inches in depth, may now, as then, be seen 

 in many parts of the country. The pockets of the landlords, however, for 

 some years past have been sensibly touched, as, indeed, have those of all classes 

 since the peace of 1815; the consequence of which is, that we have become a 

 comparatively thinking people; with the single exception, we should say, of a 

 certain proportion of the farmers, who are incompetent to derive improvement 

 from reading and reflection. The Journal of the English Agricultural Society 

 will induce many country gentlemen to become practical farmers; which will 

 at once afford them a rational and profitable source of recreation, reform the 

 practices of their tenantry, ameliorate the condition of farm labourers, and 

 add to the beauty, and increase the agricultural produce, of the country. An 

 immense deal, we think, will be gained by bringing the country gentleman in 

 more close contact with his tenants and with country labourers. At present, 



