The End of the Second Series of the Journal. 
785 
XXXVI. 2'/te End of the Second Series of the Journal. 
By the Editor. 
The issue of this half-yearly Part completes the last volume of 
the Second Series of the Journal, which, with the earlier Series, 
makes up a total of fifty goodly volumes. Trom its commence- 
ment in 1839 until now, the Journal lias not only supplied the 
members from year to year with particulars as to the proceed- 
ings of the Society in its varied spheres of usefulness, but has 
chronicled and recorded the progress made in agricultural know- 
ledge and practice, affording information derived from the most 
trustworthy sources on almost every conceivable topic of interest 
to those who are engaged in the varied pursuits of agriculture. 
In the words of Earl Cathcart (Vol. X. 1874, page 527), the 
Journal has been " a half-yearly epistle from Hanover Square to 
the agricultural world ; the record for the focus of the widest pos- 
sible induction — a bond of union that unites the members of a 
great national Society." 
The twenty-five volumes of the Series which now ends form 
a unique compendium of agricultural literature, and reflect all 
the varying phases of agricultural opinion during the past 
quarter of a century. They contain discoveries which have 
become historic, and writings which have become classical. 
The presiding genius, so to speak, of the First Series of the 
Journal was Mr. Philip Pusey. The Second Series commenced 
under the scarcely less potent influence of Mr. (afterwards Sir 
Harry) Thompson. In the last volume of the First Series Mr. 
Thompson had written a chronicle of " agricultural progress 
and the Roj-al Agricultural Society," which, like Mr. Pusey's 
article in the first volume of all, forms a landmark for the 
historian. At the time the first volume of this Series appeared, 
in 1865, Mr. Thompson had been the guiding spirit of the 
Journal for ten years, having been appointed Chairman of the 
Journal Committee in 1855, when the continued indisposition 
of Mr. Pusey (ending the same year in his death) had com- 
pelled him to resign that office. Mr. P, H. Frere, of Cambridge, 
was the paid Editor working under Mr. Thompson, and the 
following gentlemen constituted the very strong Journal Com- 
mittee of the period : — 
Earl Cathcart 
Earl Fortescue 
Right Hon. J. E. Deuison, M.P. 
(afterwards Viscount Ossington) 
Sir J. V. Shelley, Bart., M.P. 
Sir J. V. B. Johnstone, Bart., M.P. 
Sir E, C. Kerri3on, Bart., M.P. 
Sjr A. K. 3Iacdonald, Bart. 
Mr. T. Dyke Acland (now the Eight 
Hon. Sir Thos. Acland, Bart.) 
Mr. Edward Holland, M.P. 
!Mr. C. "^^'ren Iloslcyns 
Mr. Richard Milward 
Mr. H. S. Thompson, M.P, 
Mr. Owen Wallia 
