Some Laic Conirlbutoi't< to the Journal. 
085 
In consequence of this letter he worked on to the last, and took 
an active part in our deliberations three short weeks before his 
death. 
For twenty-seven years I worked with him on the Council, 
and took an active part sometimes in accordance and some- 
times in partial disagreement with his views ; and the impression 
left on my mind, and I believe on all who came in contact with 
him, is that a finer type of an intelligent English agriculturist 
never existed. He saw things rapidly, he felt their importance 
or their insignificance very strongly, he had a vigorous power of 
utterance of his opinions, and he never shrank from saying what 
he thought was right, even if the language in which he did it 
was at times somewhat forcible. But he was always fair, and 
never uncourteous, to an adversary, and his memory will be dear 
to his colleagues as that of an Englishman indeed ! 
(6.) Sonie Late Contributors to the Journal. By the EDITOR. 
It is a noteworthy but melancholy circumstance that in the 
short space of six months the three leading professional writers 
on agricultural subjects — each an old and trusted contributor 
to this Journal — should have been gathered in by the Great 
Harvester. If those oflicially connected with the Society — 
such as the successive chairmen of the Journal Committees, the 
late Editor, and the late Dr. Voelcker — be left out of the account, 
probably no three writers have done more to advance agricul- 
tural knowledge through articles in this publication and in 
other ways than John Algernon Clarke, John Coleman, and 
John Chalmers Morton. 
It is not proposed on this occasion to attempt any elaborate 
biogi'aphy of these men, or any critical analysis of their life and 
works ; but it has been felt by those in authority that they 
should not be allowed to pass away quite unrecorded in the 
Journal to which they devoted some of the best efforts of 
their brain. The present writer is indebted solely to his official 
position as Editor of the Journal for the privilege of writing a 
brief tribute to the memory of these departed worthies of the 
Society, and he must plead, in extenuation of any imperfections, 
want of personal knowledge of those whose lives he attempts 
to portray. As, however, this obituaiy notice is mainly con- 
cerned with the triad in their relations with the Journal, less 
disadvantage than usual will, it is hoped, arise from the cir- 
cumstance that it is penned by one who had little or no personal 
acquaintance with them. 
