220 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



Flax Seed— It is extraordinary to what lengths pre- 

 judice will carry men. In your report of M.CIaussen's 

 explanation of his experiments upon Flax a short time 

 since, the Chevalier is stated to have intimated that 

 Flax might be saved for se< d in England ; and we have 

 had letters from Ireland begging for Riga barrel seed 

 for sowing, and have heard lately of a man's giving 

 15*. per bushel for Riga seed ! Why, Sir, for years we 

 have sold only English grown seed for sowing, fearing 

 to trust to foreign ; and we have by us now Flax grown 

 from English saved seed in the county of Clare, which 

 beats by a foot Flax grown from Riga seed upon pre- 

 cisely the same land, and under the same circumstances, 

 upon Mr. M J. J. Donlan's plan. We believe the 

 English grown seed to be far preferable to Riga seed, 

 and trust fhat you will promote its growth in the United 

 Kingdom, where so many thousands of acres of suitable 

 land lie uncultivated, especially now that by recent 

 discoveries its value is so much increased. A Seed 



Merchant. 



Skylark, a Merciful Plea for the. — Mr. A. Shilmalier, 

 who, in the last Number of the Agricultural Gazette, 

 takes up the cudgels so unmercifully against my good 

 friend, the skylark, for feasting on his young growing 

 Wheat, is yet so courteous, whilst speaking of myself 

 and of my writings, that I cannot but reply to his 

 invocation of my aid with marked civility and attention, 

 at least. To combat his views at any length in a news- 

 paper, with a pen nimble as mine, would be an imprac- 

 ticable matter. My arguments, fairly urged, would 

 occupy half your whole space. However, let your 

 desponding correspondent join me some fine Sunday 

 morning in my walk to church, either to Acton, Ealing, 

 Kew, or Richmond. As we saunter alon^, with corn 

 fields on our right and left, the "object" of our dis- 

 course shall be before us, behind us, on each side of us, 

 and " above" us. His load, happy, joyous " Thrr-upp ! 

 thrrr-np r /''shall greet us at every step; and as he rises, 

 poised on air, leisurely to chant his hymn of praise to 

 the Creator, in a voice of pure, clear melody, soaring 

 aloft till u Heaven s gate" opens to give entrance to his 

 anthem — tiies will we together plan the readiest means 

 to bring about his destruction ; then devise how best 



we can blow him and all his fraternity to pieces— with 

 hollow iron tubes. 'Twere indeed a project worthy of 

 us both ; for we are both men, and born, no doubt, with 

 common feelings of humanity. I grant your corre- 

 spondent has some cause for complaint *; so have all we 

 busy mercantile mortals pent up in London, when those 

 gigantic, Mammoth organs « play up" before our doors, 

 in office hours. The hideous, unearthly noises emitted 

 from these "infernal machine," do fearful damage to 

 the human frame ; they are indeed more than a fair " set 

 off » to the ravages inflicted by the larks. Yet have we 

 eo redress, save to laugh "in spite of our teeth." Let 

 Mr. S. do the same, and his sorrows over the "trials of 

 life" will sit lighter. I could with ease propose an 

 efficient remedy for the destruction of the larks, but it 

 would be inconsistent with my dutv 

 with my avowed principles. Let your worthy corre- 

 spondent wait patiently until Christmas. He will then 

 have full revenge. Two-thirds, perhaps, of the sky- 

 larks which now torment him, and, unbidden, share h 

 bounty, will be found slaughtered ; lying « cheek by jowl 

 m the poulterers' window, and awaiting the still further 

 indignity of a wooden skewer, which will most assuredly 

 be run through each one of their individual gizzards 

 I n declining to assistMr. Shilmalier, I do so 

 but deprecatingly. 



Mu-tjrave, Christopher, Claverdoa, Warwick. 



Lobb, Georare, Lawhitton, Launceston, Cornwall. 



Hatchard, Rev. John Alton, Lee Priory, Win,' ham, Kent. 



Smythe, Frederick, Tenbv, Tembrokeshire. 



Hayward, Henry Scott. Folkinsfton, Willin<r1on, Sussex. 



Honywood. William, Chilton Lod^e, Hun^erford, Berks. 



Brett, J., Corfe Lod^e, Wimborne, Dorset. 



The names of 1 1 candidates for election at the next 



meeting were then read. 



Finances.— Mr. Raymond Barker, Chairman of the 

 Finance Committee, laid before the Council the Report 

 of the Accounts of the Society, to the end of the previous 

 month ; from which it appeared that the current cash 

 balance in the hands of the bankers was 203S7. (in- 

 cluding 819?. on account of life-compositions). 



Chemical Investigations.— Mr. Pusey, M.P., Chair- 

 man of the Chemical Committee, laid before the Council 

 the following report, which was received and adopted. 



REPORT. 



Your Committee have to reporf, that since April 1850, about 

 120 analyses have been executed, at the request of members, at 

 the Laboratory. Though this number is not unsatisfactory, 

 they observe wrh regret that, of these, only 20 have been 

 analyses of guano. In the hope that members may avail them- 

 selves more largely of this only becurity against the heavy loss 

 arising from adulrera'i >n, the Committee recommend, that 

 Mr. Way's spontaneous offer of reducing the charge for a 

 partial analysis ofgumo from Is. 6<f. to 5s., and tor a complete 

 analysis from 20s. ro 10s., be accepted ; and they recommend 

 to members of the Society, t-e adoption of this easy defence 

 again At fraud.-— Of the subjects adopted for inquiry last year, 

 "The absorptive properties of soils" has bsen carried on, 

 and the results have appeared in a lecture delivered by 

 Mr. Wav, and in the Journal. The Committee recommend 

 that this novel and interesting subject be pursued further, 

 with reference especially to time and to the mode in which am- 

 monia is set free a/ain in soils, for the support of vegetation ; 

 on which branch of the inquiry Mr. Way is prepared to ileiiver 

 a lecture before the Society.— f he analysis of marls has been 

 compVt^d. and the Committee recommend as a new subject, 

 " The Torrefaction of So'ls," that is to say, the c-iuses of the 

 manuring proper. ies of burnt clay in certain districts ; and 

 they hope that members residing in such districts will sen i 

 immediately to the secretary ppecimens of such fertilising 

 cla^s. in the raw and in the burnt state. It would be also 

 very desirable that specimens of ciavs which have been found 

 to fail as manure, after burning, should be forwarded.— The 

 examination of 'he nu r ritive properties of Grasses has been 

 carried on to a considerable extent, and it appears to the C »vn- 

 mittee desirable that it should be continued iu the ensuing 

 year, with a view to a complete examination of the subject. 

 Anril 1, 1851. (Signed) Philip Posey, Chairman. 



Country Meeting of 1851. — The Council were 

 favoured by the attendance of Deputations from 

 Kingston-on-Thames and Windsor, who kindly explained 

 to the Council the advantages respectively possessed by 

 Bushy Park and the Windsor Home Park, as sites for 

 the Society's Country Meeting to be held in July next. 

 The noble President having thanked these Deputations 

 for their personal attendance, the information they had 

 communicated, and the various plans and other docu- 

 ments they had laid before them ; they retired from 

 the Council Room, when the Marquis of Downshire 

 brought forward, and Sir Robert Price, Bart., M.P., 

 seconded, the motion of which his lordship had given 

 notice, that the Home Park at Windsor should be the 

 place of the Country Meeting, instead of Bushy Park, 

 irreconcileable ! as previously intended. The whole subject received 



last year :— The Directors have much dIp,T~ 

 ing to the general meeting the hHilvWVT c^^ 1 

 of the Glas-ow Show, which, whetK*^' 

 or character, may be regarded as th* J?° mt of e *fc* 



meeting ever held under 



th 



a * the most 



suec^ 



:r '?i of *• ss 



of entries was 1489. 

 to 1845. 



The exhibition, on the largest scale previous' , 

 which took place at Glasgow in 1844, wh. £ • **•** 



On the last occasion tlL D 



The quality of the stock^dS? ***** 

 evidence that the valuable pure breeds of th gl * W * i * 

 both in cattle and sheep, are progressively ' Q °^ 

 the exhibition of implements far exceeding aS? 6 

 the kind previously witnessed in Scotland and ^^ 

 as to justify the increased encouragement J!-*!** 

 Society has of late given to this important d - h * 

 The Directors conceive this to be a fittin* J paitla * 

 for considering the time and place of the JKlj 

 The Society is aware that there now exists a rM 

 viding that shows shall be held triennially. This ^ 

 ment was rendered necessary at the time by IhSf 

 culty and expense of maintaining annual meeting. iJ 

 in deference to a desire generally expressed 5 iS 

 it was resolved to anticipate the triennial Deri J L 1 

 holding the Glasgow Show in 1850 ; and, in like man * 

 the Directors are prepared, if sanctioned by the Soc 

 to respond to the desire so strongly expressed b d 

 parties at Glasgow, by making arrangements for a** 



With this view they propose to publish 



in 1852. 



meeting in June. 



the forthcoming premium book, a list of the claa^irf 

 stock, &c, for which prizes will be offered, with any. 

 mation that the place of the show and the amount of fU 

 different premiums will be announced at the geJJi 



The Directors have no hesitation ■ 

 expressing their opinion that Perth is the proper pta 

 for the meeting. The Society has not visited jW 

 locality since 1836 ; it is accessible by railway from 

 parts of the country ; and though its immediate Dai 

 bourhood may not depend principally on stock it isftj 

 centre of a great breeding and agricultural' district 

 Last year the Directors were memorialised by a numb* 

 of influential proprietors, in Perthshire to fix ameefc 

 or the present year, but it was considered expedients 

 defer it, on account of the Great Exhibition in London : 

 many of the memorialists have again expressed their 

 willingness to support a meeting in 1852, and a 

 numerously-signed requisition to that effect hu 

 just been received from the western district of 

 the county. If approved of by the Society, the 

 Directors would willingly endeavour, before the 

 next general meeting, to make the necessary arrange- 

 ments with the counties of Perth, Fife, Clackmannan, 

 and Kinross, which would constitute a compact and 

 convenient district. — The Duke of Buccleuch said it 



18 



5> 



-not rudely, 



w ..- w . - J seek t0 make a « convert" of him. 



What mU he say, when I come to treat of the Skylark, 



and write his « Natural History" in my weekly « Treatise 



on British Song Birds ?" W. Kidd, New Road, Ham. 



mersmith, April 3. 



from the Council the maturest consideration, and it 

 was finally carried, on the motion of Sir Thomas Acland, 

 Bart., M.P., seconded by the Hon. R. H. Clive, M.P., 

 and after full discussion of the various points and 

 bearings of the question, that the same Inspection Com- 

 mittee that visited Bushy Park, should be requested to 

 visit the proposed sites and localities at Windsor, offered 

 to the Society by the gracious permission of Her Majesty 

 and Prince Albert ; and that the President should be 

 desired to direct a special Council to be summoned for 

 the purpose of receiving their report and rescindin 



or 



&otittit&. 



ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETT OP ENGLAVD 



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

 Hanover- square, on Wednesday last, the 2d of Anril • 

 present, his Grace the Dnke of R,chmon D , K.G.! 

 President m the chair • Marquis of Downshire, Lord 

 Camoys, Lord Berners, Lord Southampton, Lord Brav- 

 brooke Lord Bndport, Lord Ashburton, Hon. R. R 

 Sw p •' Sl ' lh °™«Dyke Acland, Bart. M.P., Sir 

 iSSi&XSO^ -ft **» Y- B. Johnstone, 



* .- ,, „ ,- Cholmeley, Bart., M.P., Col. 



Austin, Sir. Raymond Barker, Mr. C. Barnett,' Mr 



Brandreth Mr. Burke, Mr. W. G. Cavendish, kE 

 Col. Challoner Mr. Evelyn Denison, M.I\, Mr. S 



aSS'^ r 'a^d U Z Mn *"■*** Brandreth 

 Gibbs Mr. Grantham, Mr. Hamon.l, Mr Fisher Hobbs 



Mr. Hudson (Castleacre), Mr. Joni, Mr. Kinder^! 



ProT 3 Sowe r | . M x "S M 5; Puse * M.P., Mr. S«dW 

 .111 ^ M ' c?\, Sha « < London )> Mr. Shaw (North- 

 ampton), Mr. Shelley, Mr. Siliifant, Prof. Simonds, Mr. 



Simpson, Mr Slaney, M.P., Mr. Stansfield, MP.,' Mr 



KSfTftrf w S* r T < Barton )> Mr - C- Hampden 



™f J u • y ' Mr> J ° na8 Webb ' and Mr - W^on. 

 Ihe following new members were elected • 



Cummin*, Lachlan, MonBeld, by Inv 

 T nrner, C. J., Staplegrove, Taunton, 



verness. 

 8omerset 



• Although I am perfectly aware that his eon«tRnt fcv«« *» 

 quo » the corn-field, ; yet, this is the very fir 8 J )*%*l ew 



the ravages of the -ky. 



... -v. „ l nave always understood trut »» 



this reason, his food comiited almost wholly of the wirewonS 



heard of a similar complaint touching th 

 Jark among growing corn. 



ask i?wi?h »lf H ,a ™ <* «"•«*■■ May there not be-I 



£rt. « t L , et ", 8 h °£ e . § °- Jt U difficult t0 Imagine that the 



to theffhaWtt! lD EDgland ' should differ *° vUely ?*?» «K* Meeting in 1852. 



the resolution of the Council, by which Bushy Park was 

 decided upon as the locality of meeting, with a view to 

 the substitution of the Home Park of Windsor in its 

 place. The President at once acceded to this request 

 and directed such a special Council to be summoned' 

 for Wednesday, the 16th instant. 



Country Meeting of 1852.— Memorials, and the 

 requisite plans of sites connected with the Country 

 Meeting of the Society, were laid before the Council 

 from the authorities of Lewes and Maidstone, in refer- 

 ence to the Country Meeting of 1852, to be held in the 

 South-Eastern District, comprising the counties of Kent 

 Surrey, and Sussex. Mr. Raymond Barker Mr. 

 Brandreth,^ Mr. Brandreth Gibbs, Mr. Fisher Hobbs 

 Mr. Jonasjtfr. Mil ward, and Mr. Shaw, were appointed 

 an Inspection Committee to visit these localities, and to 

 report their respective accommodation and advantages 

 to the Council on the 7th of May, when the decision°of 

 the place of meeting would be made. 



Steward of Cattle Yard.— On the motion of Mr. 

 Brandreth, Mr. Mil ward was appointed a Steward of 

 the Cattle Yard at the Country Meetings of the Society 

 in the place of Mr. Hudson, of Castleacre, who retires 

 this year by rotation. 



Communications were received from a public meeting 

 which was held at Sough, the Royal Bucks Ar " 

 cultural Society, and the Great Western, the South- 

 western, and the South-Eastern Railway Companies 

 as .well as from various parties making inquiries on 

 points connected with the ensuing Country Meeting of 

 the Society. ° 



The Council th en adjourned t o the 9th of April. 



Highland and Agriculturai^fTcotland, Jan. 14. 

 -The half-yearly general meeting of the Highland and 

 Agricultural Society of Scotland was held in the Society's 

 Hall, Albyn-place ; his Grace the Duke of Roxburgh 

 the President of the Society, presided. The Ohxsgow 

 n w *■„,.„,. - mm The Secretary read the 



now devolved upon him to allude to the latter part of 

 the report which had been read, and to submit a motion 

 in regard to the proposed show in 1852. It had, at one 

 time, been suggested that a meeting should be held this 

 year at Perth, but after full consideration, it was con- 

 sidered more advisable to postpone the show till liw 

 on account of the Great Industrial Exhibition which 

 takes place this year in London. This great exhibition, 

 it was naturally thought, would attract parties to London 

 from all quarters of the country, and consequently 

 materially injure the more humble, but not less useful 

 exhibition of the Society. It was proposed, therefore, 

 to hold the next meeting: at Perth, in 1852. It wis 



ill' 



now many years since an exhibition had taken place id 

 that city ; and he had no doubt, when it did take place, 

 that it would be a most successful one, and he did not 

 know a county in Scotland better fitted for such a meet- 

 ing than Perth. 



It was now, from the net-work of rail- 

 ways, in all directions, accessible alike to their agri- 

 cultural friends in the south and north; and being itself, 

 and the districts around it rich in agricultural produ 

 tions, as well as distinguished for its rearing oi stoc 

 he was confident that the show would bean excellent 

 one. (Applause.) The motion which he had to submit 

 was as follows :— " That the Society shall hold a sb)* 

 in 1852 ; that, in the opinion of the meeting, Pertfl is 

 the fittest place for the purpose ; and that a remit w 

 made to the directors to prepare a list of premiums, 

 and to endeavour to make the necessary arrangements 

 with the county and city of Perth, and with the counties 

 of Fife, Kinross, and Clackmannan: , This motion wj 

 unanimously adopted, Monthly Meetings.— -Proiesso 

 Low said, I am gratified to be able to report,^ 

 respect to these monthly meetings instituted bj 

 Society, that they continue to meet with fcf ^JJj^ 

 receive increasing support. The subjects latel) ^ 



with 



the 



Vgri- 



_pport 

 cussed at the monthly meetings, have been - , ^ 

 advantages or disadvantages of subsoil ploiigtiing^ 

 of trench ploughing. 2d, The best and most econom 

 mode of feeding farm-horses. 3d, The best vane ^ 

 of Oats to sow. 4th, The best varieties o W ne f 

 sow, quantities of each, and comparative advanw^^ 

 drilling, dibbling, or sowing broadcast. *«- in 



stances which 



Of — — n 



can be most 



profitably em 



ploved as 

 ^ " 6th, 



I following report regarding the Society's Show at Glasgow 



auxiliary to Turnips in fattening cattle and *^- ff ^ 

 The best mode of preparing and applying the ai 



I believe I » 



hall but 



manures prouucea on me incut. ^ ~ nropo* 4 



anticipate the wishes of the meeting, when 1 P I ^ 

 vote of thanks to the intelligent S entleme ", !L vise co- 

 taken part in these discussions, or who have otiie ^ 

 operated with the Society in supporting th ^^ in for- 

 Mr. Maconochie said he was convinced that in ^ 

 mation was derived from the late meetings w»» ^ d 

 any that had taken place during the last two y • fl , 

 he could onlv express a strong wish that *J ' ^ 

 in England as had a few weeks ago heen 'y^^ 

 Scotch farming, had had an opportunity or 



