224 
MAGAZINE OE SCIENCE AND ART. 
should be rewarded. It is by means 
of the skill thus acquired that Switzer¬ 
land has been defended with such efFect, 
and it was by means of sharp-shooting 
volunteers that the British army was 
repulsed at New Orleans. We hope 
our legislators, when they come to deal 
with this question of national defences, 
will give their earnest attention to the 
American system, which trains the whole 
male population to arms, and has been 
found effective when tried in actual war¬ 
fare. “ If we wish peace we must be pre¬ 
pared for war,” and that, it is very 
evident, this colony is not at present. 
We have little faith in pressed militia men, 
or in dandy volunteer corps. Our reliance 
must he in the arms of our citizens, and it 
would be a good thing if their practice in 
their sports caused them to be dreaded in 
war. At present one-half, if not more, of 
their number would be useless, if not 
dangerous, to their friends when armed. 
There is another recreation almost un¬ 
known in this colony. There is not a 
single English gymnasium in the city. We 
will not ask where the majority of our 
young men spend their leisure hours, but I 
we may express our deliberate conviction 
that the occasional practice of athletic 
exercises, such as swimming, running, 
wrestling, cricket, and fencing, would 
render them more healthy, happy, and 
more moral members of society. 
We have left ourselves little space to 
treat of other recreations, such as the cul¬ 
tivation of a garden, the rearing of domes¬ 
tic animals, experimental farming, etc. 
These pursuits are quite in unison with 
the objects of this magazine, and will be 
found ably treated in our pages by pro¬ 
fessional hands. We cannot now descant 
on the pleasure to be derived from the 
cultivation of music, the indulgence in 
which constitutes the chief amusement of 
the colony, nor can we stop to enquire 
into the cause of the decline of the drama, 
which has in Sydney almost ceased to 
rank as a popular recreation. 
We have endeavourr d, in the above im¬ 
perfect remarks, to point out some inno¬ 
cent and useful methods of supplying a 
great public necessity, that of recreation 
for the people ; and we are convinced that 
in the solution of this problem will he 
found much of a nation’s greatness and 
prosperity. 
The subject of the intellectual recrea¬ 
tions of the people we shall reserve for 
another occasion. 
TRANSACTIONS OF THE AUSTRALIAN 
HORTICULTURAL and AGRICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 
FIFTEENTH MONTHLY MEETING. 
Held in the Hall of the Chamber of Com¬ 
merce, Sydney Exchange. 
Tuesday, April 6th, 185S. 
Mr. O. Ottley in the chair. 
Members of Council present:—Messrs. 
0. Ottley, W. M'Donell, F. Creswick, E. 
K. Silvester, P. L. C. Shepherd, J. 
Graham, Dr. Houston, W. Deane, Hon. 
Secretary ; and several members and their 
friends. 
MINUTES. 
Minutes of last meeting read and con¬ 
firmed. 
PAPERS READ. 
Paper read from Mr. L. Markham, on 
the Pastoral Pursuits of this Colony. 
Mr. E. K. Silvester considered the latter 
part of this paper of too political a cha¬ 
racter to allow of discussion. 
Paper read from Mr. Robert Meston, on 
the Pastoral Interest, and General Exhi¬ 
bition of Live Stock. 
Mr. Silvester said that the principal 
reason for reading papers was to invite 
discussion, which he conceived to be the 
object of the writer of this paper. With 
regard to the first part of the paper, he 
would rather leave to Mr. T. W. Shepherd, 
who would be able to deal with it in the 
same good humoured way in which the 
writer had done. With regard to the 
latter part of the paper, he (Mr. S.) dif¬ 
fered entirely from Mr. Meston. It was 
almost impossible to divide the colony 
into districts for the purpose pf holding 
exhibitions. Who would they get to at¬ 
tend ? They could not expect the people 
to go to Brisbane, even from Armidale. 
Agriculturists were glad to get the capital¬ 
ists of Sydney to see their exhibition, and 
he feared they would find few persons who 
would go out of the metropolis for this 
purpose. The ultimatum, he mignt say, 
of the Society was to establish a model 
farm, which lie believed, when in full cul¬ 
tivation, and under proper management, 
will induce people to come from the in¬ 
terior to see it. 
Mr. Wm. M'Donell said there would he 
no difficulty in affiliated local societies 
showing at the firm. 
