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vol. m.— No. i.] 
Saturday, January 7, 1854. 
[Price Qd. 
AGRICULTURAL TALK. 
T IIE year 1853 will be memorable ill the agricultural 
annals of Britain. It broadly marks the end of a politi- 
cal contest of seven years’ duration, which temporarily but 
deeply affected agricultural interests, and the commence- 
ment of a rise in prices of all the commodities produced 
by the farmer which will give a help on to agricultural 
progress, more decided than any amount of advice 
or legislation. Between May and November wheat rose 
from 40s. to 80s. a quarter, in the face of an importation 
of foreign grain exceeding eight millions of quarters, that 
is to say, within three million quarters of the amount im- 
ported in the famine year of 1847! In 1843 the importa- 
tion was under two millions of quarters. And so with live 
stock; in the first ten months of 1853 nearly ninety thou- 
sand oxen, cows, and calves, and one hundred and seventy 
thousand sheep were imported, being an increase of more 
than twenty-five per cent, in two years, in a trade which 
has only existed since 1842 ; yet, in spite of this importa- 
tion prices have risen, and been steadily maintained in all 
our meat markets. 
The rise in the price of grain is easy to explain — there 
has been a short harvest throughout, almost the whole of 
Europe — France and the Italian States, from which we 
recently received large supplies, have been this year 
our competitors in the markets of the world — wheat 
even now, is dearer in French than in English ports, and 
it is probable, looking at the season, that these prices may 
not only bo maintained, but enhanced until the opening of 
the Baltic and the frozen rivers of our North American 
possessions opens to us new' sources of supply. 
The rise in the price of meat can be traced to nothing 
else than increased demand among the working classes, 
with whom hitherto employment has been so plentiful that 
for the first time within our recollection prices as high as 
those which at present obtain, have not been accompanied 
by threatening outcries of a distressed unemployed labour- 
ing population. 
It Is in those rural populations far from towns where the 
labourers exceed in some degree the demand, where the 
facilities and temptations of railway or manufacturing 
employment or emigration have not thinned the ranks of 
those whom an ancient, vicious poor law system concentrated 
in one spot— that the present high price of food and fuel, 
coming in the quarter where agricultural labour is least 
needed, will be most felt. We suspect that when the 
winter expenditure of poor-rates comes to be paid, there 
are many landowners and land-occupiers who will begin 
to take an interest in a more equitable re-arrangement of 
the law of settlement, and the relieving powers of home 
or colonial emigration. 
But although common sense tells those who think at all, 
that the high prices of grain cannot be maintained for 
another year, much less lor a series of years, unless the! 
curse of a general war should be inflicted on Europe, 
there is no doubt that, the high prices of all kinds of agri- 
cultural produce will help amazingly to fructify the seeds 
of good advice and intelligent, experiments On agricultural 
activity and agricultural improvement, which the true 
friends of the agricultural interest have been busy so win v 
for some years past. 
Rents are well paid. Well-paid rents encourage land- 
lords to execute improvements, the value of which they 
only know theoretically. Never were draining works- 
tile very root and foundation of aU good farming — carried 
ou so actively as in 1853; but we venture to prophet 
that they will be pushed on still more vigorously in 1854. 
Landlords and tenants are alike in good spirits ■ the sub- 
ject is better understood— both the advantage of, and the 
mode of executing tlu* operation. The price of .tiles of 
all descriptions has been materially reduced by machinery* 
and, most important of all, several Public Companies have 
obtained powers, which enable them to execute drainage 
and other permanent improvements on the estates of those 
who either from holding only a life interest, or b ein g encum- 
bered with charges and mortgages, are unable to execute 
them themselves ; and the cost can be spread over a num- 
ber of years. 
These Public Draining Companies will, if well managed, 
be advantageous to public interests, by causing many per- 
manent improvements for increasing the productive 
powers of land to be executed, which could not bo com- 
menced without such assistance ; but there is no reason 
why the ■ ifficulties of obtaining a private act of parlia- 
ment should throw a virtual monopoly into the hands of 
the three companies which are already established. If 
the powers granted to tlio General Drainage Company 
are powers fit to be entrusted to any company, they ought 
not to be made a matter of favour ami interest, but should 
“AUTOCRAT," THE FIRST FAVOURITE FOR THF. DERBY, 1854 Drawn dy II. Hall. 
Autocrat, a bay colt, by Bay Middleton out of Express by Emilius. His performances are as follow : - At Ascot, carrying eat. 71b., won the Now Stakw. * • ^ ‘ f _ ^ |15 , 0 Lj v o 1,1 portrait. 
Two-year-old TrlonnJal, T. Y. C. At Goodwood, carrying 8st. 71l>., won the Third Bentinck Memorial Stakes, T. Y. C. - The position wlii?U this splendid c 
