The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-07-23 00:00:00

The report was read at length by Mr. Handley ; but, as tt usual practice of public bodies—not excepting even the as sembled representatives of the country—is to allow the re porters for the press access to all public documents, and nc anticipating a different course would be pursued at thi meeting, no notes were taken of the report. On one of th reporters applying to the ex-member for the document, firE of all a shuffling excuse was made that it was not in a fi state for publication, and subsequently a positive denial c the loan of the document was given, on the ground that i was to be kept for the exclusive use of the society's publica Lion. We are therefore unable to present our readers wit] a copy. The CHAIRMAN next announced that the three prize essay had been obtained by Mrs. Gardener and Mr. Cuthbert W. Johnson. The first was furnished by a lady of practical experience, and was as to the best mode of improving the food of agricultural labourers. The second and third, by Mr. Johnson, were upon the use of lime as a manure, and upon the improvement of peat soils. After a brief pause, the CHAIRMAN rose, and, after a few words of commendation, proposed the health of Earl Spen cer, which was received with loud applause, and drunk with three times three and one cheer more. Earl SPENCER, on rising to respond to the toast, was re ceived with loud cheers. His lordship said he thanked them for the high honour they bad conferred on him by drinking his health, and for the manner in which the toast had been received. But if he was obliged to them for that mark of their approbation, he was still more obliged to them for the increased support they had given to the society. He felt highly gratified at • the increased number of members who now belonged to it, and at its extension throughout the king dom. (Hear, hear.) He (Earl Spencer) had stated at the first formation of the society, that even in those parts of England where the best mode of farming was adopted, im provement might still be made ; and the result of the opera tions of the society had fully borne out his observation. (Hear, hear, and loud cheers.) The president had told them of the progress of the society, but as yet they had not done enough to deserve the name of such a society. They had, however, done a great deal by directing the attention of farmers to the subject of improving the mode of cultiva ting their farms; they had done that which lie was sure all of them who like himself were in the habit of frequently mixing in the society of farmers must rejoice at—they had extended the desire of knowledge. (Loud cheers.) Whether, however, the society would now or within a year or two lead to any great result w as more th an h e cou ld say ; b ut one thing was certain, it must ultimately be beneficial to all classes. (Applause,) When the epidemic which had spread among cattle first became general, his lordship thought the society ought to circulat e amongs t th e f armers a paper which would teach them how to treat it. They applied to some of the most eminent persons in the country, and having obtained their opinions, a paper on the subject had been cir culated, and it had been attended with the best possible effect. (Cheers.) He (Earl Spencer) thought,. from the great num ber of cattle attacked. that by receiving reports from dif ferent parts of the way in which the disease had affected cattle, some conclusion might be come to as to the mode of treating it. (Hear, hear.) They had heard the report read, which had been founded on the communications received from the most competent men in the country to give their opinions on the subject. Those reports had been placed in the hands of Mr. Sewell, than whom no man in the kingdom was more capable of giving an opinion on the subject ; but from the contradictory, and conflicting statements which had been m ade, the society h a d no t b een a bl e t o e ff ec t any great good; but although the society had been linable to accom plish any great good, it had prevented many of the farmers from trusting to the quackery of horse and cow doctors, who did so much mischief to the farmer. With respect to the other points referred to by his honourable friend, he could say that the society had collected a mass of information of the highest importance. They had a report respecting the turnip fly, which showed the fallacy of the common notion that the fly existed in the seed. The fly was an insect of hard skin, did not grow, and consequently would not be formed in the seed. That report showed the natural history of the fly. It was traced through its different stages, ant the best means were pointed out to counteract the mischief it inflicted on the crop, and perhaps eventually the society might be able to point out means to counteract its ravages 1 FOP there were scientific men in the society who were assisting in the investigation, and they might depend upon it that effects would be produced quite incalculable at the present time. (Applause.) His lordship said he did not repent of the course he bad taken in recommending the forrnatipn of the society—it was impossible, after seeing that meeting, and when he contemplated the splendid assemblage he expected to witness to-morrow, to do so. He should always have great pleasure in looking back on that period of his life, ant should feel the greatest happiness in reflecting on the fact of his having been the first person to propose the society, (Loud cheers.) His lordship concluded by again thanking them for the honour done him , and sat down amid loud cheers, The CHAIRMAN then proposed the health of Mr. Smith, a gentleman from Scotland, who had passed his life as au agriculturist, and whose experience and intelligence had been of great service to the society. (Loud cheers.) Mr. SMITH returned thanks for the honour conferred upon him. Whatever services he had done the society were amply repaid by having his health drank in such a meeting as that— by having those services appreciated by the Royal Agri cultural Society of England, and by the farmers of England. (Loud cheers.) He had turned his attention from cultivating the manufacturing arts to agriculture. He had no doubt the farmer, like the manufacturer, if he had better tools his work would be better done, and it was quite evident, on viewing the Implements which had been exhibited that day, there was a wide field for improvement. (Applause.) He felt assured that if the mechanical skill of England were directed to that point, and he had no doubt it would be by that society, a vast improvement would soon be the consequence. (Cheers.) He felt proud to think that they had been able to contribute something of advantage to the English farmer from his poor country of Scotland. He felt also gratified in believing that the society had been formed in some measure on the High. land Society of Scotland—a society which had produced considerable advantage in that country by bringing into a better state of cultivation the poor land of his country. He had no doubt that in this country, where there was more capital than in the north, ere long England would become a perfect garden. The improvement of the agriculture of this country was most important to the commercial and manu facturing interests. (Cheer.) They cried out for cheap bread, and justly so, too ; but how so well were they to get cheap bread as by the improvement of the lands around them? (Continued cheers.) Every farmer knew well there was nothing so good in agriculture as the consumption of his own produce on his own soil. (Hear, hear.) The same principle which was good in small things would also hold good in larger. (Loud cheers.) It was to the advantage of the farmer that the grain he required should be produced at his own door, and there consumed ; and it was equally beneficial that the manufacturer should have his manufactures con sumed in his own country, leaving its enriching influence on the ground. (Cheers.) This country had been able to bid defiance to the cheap labour of all other countries on the earth, and so would she continue. (Hear, hear.) In the improvements which had been made, no doubt they had been led on by a selfish feeling to a certain extent, and in all ques tions of public benefit no doubt such &feeling must exist. People must look to their own interests or they would do little for the benefit of the public. It was, however, quite clear, that in order to have bread cheaper, the best mode was to produce a greater quantity, because the more that was produced the cheaper it would be to the consumers. (Hear, hear.) He would advise the society, if he might be allowed, to avoid two errors into which societies of that kind cona !nonly fall, not to discourage persons who came forward with improvements, nor to be too hasty in rejecting such as were offend to their notice. Ile had frequently seen things of fered to the notice of such societies which at first appeared exceedingly absurd, but in the end turned out to be really the germs of the greatest improvements. At the same time he would advise competitors, if at first their implements were not noticed as they might imagine they deserved, not Nbe discouraged, but to persevere, and eventually tirey might de pend on succeeding. (Cheers.) In taking a survey of this county, and more especially in this neighbourhood, there was great room for improvement, but that meeting would doubt less sow good seed, and in due time an abundant crop would be reaped. (Hear, hear.) There was no principle for pro ducing improvements better than the itinerating principle— it excited a spirit of inquiry, and, by the converse with ()piers, it improved men's minds, and by competition facul ties were brought into exercise which would otherwise have lain dormant. It was, therefore, that he approved of plough. ing matches and other modes of competition amongst farmers and their servants. (Cheers.) He had had the good luck of bringing forward some implements on the present occasion, and if spared, he hoped on future occasions to exhibit still further impro v ements. (Loud cheers.) 'The chairman and the principal portion of the guests then left the room, and, after a vain attempt to induce Mr. Hand ley to accept the chair for a short time, the meeting separated THE SHOW GROUND YESTERDAY. Yesterday morning, at an early hour, the precincts of the show-yard began to exhibit an animated appearance, curi osity having been excited amongst our vast population by the appearance amongst us of an unusual number of strangers, many of them distinguished individuals in the senate or in the " ploughing" field. A number of additional refresh ment tents had a l so r i sen up roun d th e y ar d, th e crea ti on o f a night. The company, toward noon, began to muster pretty strongly, but the assemblage inside never amounted to what may be termed a throng. A number of flags were displayed on the comarativeiy minute erections outside, but not a single rag of bontain was shown in or belonging to the yard itself. We suggested, on Tuesday. the propriety of a few flags, as not only decorative, but requisite, to invite public attention. But the " council," par excellence, of this nota ble society appeared to shriek from even showing their colours. We could have lent the " Royal Association" a Union Jack, or perhaps a " Royal" Standard, and its ex hibition, we trust, would not have offended, but rather pleased, every true Englishman, whatever politics he might profess. The conduct of this society, indeed, towards our Lancashire public, reminds us of that of certain functiona ries sent down from London to the Custom-house here, some years ago, to introduce amongst us, benighted and untortunate creatures as we are ! " the practice of the port of London." Some of these wiseacres objected to the entry of " cow and ox hides," and would not do the needful until the gender of the hide was most uncavallierly reversed to "ox and, cow hides, for which they merited a sound hiding. The present worthies have, throughout, manifested an equal discourtesy towards us. They have come upon the mere assumption of a name — the " Royal Ag r i cu l tura l So ciety of E - gland"—and treat us as if it were a mighty b oon on their pa tto visit us at all. They will take no hint fro m so paltry a own as Liverpool ; they will only condescend to take our cash. The show, however, by force of fortuitous circumstances, was good ; though not so good by half, through force of their perversity in not giving sufficient public notice, as it would otherwise have been. The implements shown were nume rous. and, on the whole, most ingenious, — demonstrating, indeed, a high degree of intellect, study, and perseverance, on the part of our brethren in agriculture in various parts of the kingdom. In the complicated machinery for sowing, the " southerns" have exce lied at this exhibition ; in the simpler, but perhaps more valuable, department of ploughing, our " northern" neighbours, the Scotch, have borne off the palm. The difficulties of access to information, of which we have to complain in common with our brother journalists' must plead our apology for not entering into long details , or parti cularizing more 'than a few names : Amongst those who showed implements were Messrs. Gar nett and Son, Leiston works, Sazmundam, who brought a variety of working impl emen t s , as we ll as b e autiful models of drilling-machines, &c., in mahogany and brass and copper work. _ Messrs. J. R. and A. Ransome, of Ipswich, exhibited a variety of fine implements, particularly ploughs and drilling machines. Mr. Wilkie, of Uddington, near Glasgow, exhibited se veral excellent ploughs, and a capital brake or scarifier, effecting great saving in expense and draught. Mr. Hornsby, of Lincolnshire. obtained the £lO prize for a corn, seed, and manure drill. Mr:Jos. Brewster, a premium of £2, for a turnip cutter. Mr. Michael Lea, of Liverpool, for an oval tubbed double acting vertical churn, with a large fly wheel,—a capital con trivance, £2. M r. Wedlake, Essex, for the dibbling machine, which was shown on the Race Course. The same gentleman also ob tained a prize for a cheese turner. Mr. Townsend, Leicestershire, for his field turnip cutting cart, (before noticed,) £5. Mr. Glover, for his turf and stubble paring plough ; also 4 1,9 at the Race Course. Messrs. Garrett and Co., for a crusher for corn, &c, £2. A horse hoe, £5. Mr. John Howard, of Bedford, for a plough, £5. The Earl of Ducie, for his horse hoe, shown on the Race SEEDS, &C Messrs. Thos Gibbs and Co. 'showed fine samples of seeds of all natural grasses for permanent pasture, dried plants ; specimens of wheat in the ear, and straw, and a variety of roots; also, on the part of the society, numerous and highly interesting models of premative agricultural implements, &c. Mr. G. Gibbs, London, a variety of scarce and valuable seeds. Mr. Cormack, of Manchester, specimens of naturalgrasses, dried and in the growing state ; also agricultural seeds. Mr. William Skirving, of Walton nursery, Liverpool, roots and trees, and samples of seeds; specimens of Swede turnips, introduced by himself; also specimens of the arau caria imbricata, or Chili pine tree, which has been proved sufficiently hardy for any part of England and the Highland of Scotland—is handsome, and produces valuable timber, and requires nearly the same treatment as the Scotch fir ; also a specimen of the new manure called " guano," from South America, which has shown the wonderful effects stated in yesterday's proceedings. Amongst the machines shown was a capital marble thrash ing mill, worked on the ground by a five-horse steam engine, shown by our townsman Mr. Cartmel, who also exhibited many excellent implements and machines. CATTLE, HORSES, &C. The show of beasts, horses. sheep, and pigs ' was excellent, and in quality, as a whole, superior to anything before seen in this district. So far we are bound, in justice, to say ; but had the management of the Agricultural Society been in other hands, the exhibition would have been infinitely more gratifying, and the numbers perhaps doubled. The horses, in particular, were few, very few in number, in consequence of the niggardly operations of the " council" of the association. They never advertised the premiums in any one of the Liverpool, Manchester, or Lancashire papers. The result was, that parties who had animals to show heard of the tatter merely casually (if they heard it at all) ; and as the Ist of the present month was the last day of entry, the greater portion of them were of conse quence entirely excluding from all competition. Although Lancashire is famed for draught horses, there were few or none shewn, so far as we could ascertain, with the exception of two —one a horse of, we believe, the Suffolk breed, and the other a mare of the Clydersdale breed—both the property of the Earl of Derby—and both of them won prizes ! Many parties brought their horses, but were told that they could, not enter: The Scottish Agricultural Society. give, on the contrary, due notice of six months, through the whole of the newspapers •and otherwise of a coming exhibition. Our English " royal" worthies give no notice at all, in the fin mediate district which they pretend to come down to for its en couragement and benefit! The breed of draught horses in this ' town, and, indeed, throughout the county is proverbially ex cellent ; but we were regularly cut out from competition. This may be " the practice of the port of London," but jt won't, we repeat, do a second time in the port of Liverpool. Amongst the horses, we noticed three beautiful animals belonging to Messrs. Taylor, Almond, and Co., coal-propri etors, of this town and Standish. One of them; a spotted grey, was of Herculean form and symmetry ; the other two were scarcely inferior, and, to the unpracticed eye, still finer. A fine heifer, belonging to C. Tempest, Esq., obtained prize of 5 sovs. It was 5 years and 3 months old, ai girthed under the fore legs, 8 feet 7 inches. The attendance at the show was numerous throughout t day. GRAND DINNER IN THE PAVILION The grand dinner of the members of the society took place yesterday, in the spacious pavilion in the yard of the Old Infirmary, which is described in the supplement. Four o'clock was the hour appointed, but long before that time the spacious structure was crowded. The arrangements were admirable, both for ingress and egress. The accommo dation for the press was excellent, and the representatives of it were treated with courtesy. We have the greater pleasure in mentioning this facts, because we have felt it our duty to censure the officers of the society for the miserable arrange ments for their accommodation in every other respect. The dinner, which was of course cold, was supplied by Mr. Radley, of the Adelphi Hotel. It was excellent. We un derstand that 2900 guests sat down. Shortly after four o'clock, the chairman of the society, Philip Pusey, Esq., M.P., entered the building, accompanied by the principal guests, and took the chair. At the same moment the vice-chairman, Henry Handley, Esq. entered. and took bis seat as vice-president. On the right of the President were seated—the Mayor ol Liverpool, Lord Sandon, M.P., the Earl of Denbigh, Lord Ingestre, M.P., Lord F. Egerton, M.P., Earl Spencer, Sir Charles Burrell, M.P., Sir Charles Morgan, Lord Lis burne, Sir Thomas Brancker, J. Wilson Patten, M.P., and Professor Daubeney. On the left of the President were—Lord Stanley, M.P., Earl Talbot, the Earl of Chi- chester, Professor Buckland, Lord Mostyn, Professor John stone, the Earl of Aylsford, the Hon. L. Mostyn, M.P., Sir John Mordaunt, M.P., Robert Palmer, M.P., Viscount Emlyn, M.P., and Lord Blantyre, &c., &c. Thos. M. Milnes, Esq., M.P., The following gentlemen officiated as glee-singers, and contributed much to the enjoyment of the evening :—Mr. George Holden, Mr. Ball, Mr. Boothby, Mr. George Lunt, Mr. Hornby, Mr. Earnshaw, Mr. Richardson, Mr. William George, Mr. Davies, Mr. Andrews, Mr. J. Lunt, and Mr. Stott. The dinner concluded about a quarter past five. The cloth having been withdrawn, and Non nobis domine chaunted, The PRESIDENT rose to propose the first toast. He said, Mr. Handley and Gentlemen ! Let us drink our first toast, that toast which, as loyal and dutiful subjects, we are bound to drink, and which we are ready and glad to drink "the health of our Sovereign, Queen Victoria, with loyal, and dutiful, and hearty honours." (Three times three.) National Anthem, " God save the Queen." The PRESIDENT said the next toast which they were bound to drink, and which they were most ready to drink, was the health of Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, the Prince Albert, and the rest of the Royal Family. (Three times three) Lord STANLEY then rose, and was greeted with loud cheers. His Lordship said, Mr. President and Gentlemen,—l have weived not the permission but the command of the Presi- dent, to propose to you a toast ; and I can venture to assure you, in all sincerity, notwithstanding the kindness of the re ception which you have given me personally, that nothing short of that authority, and of those commands, would have induced me to obtrude myself upon the attention of a meet ing like the present, upon a subject such as the present, and upon which I am deeply and painfully conscious that it would be the height of presumption in me to hope to think I could add anything to the information of such an assemblage, and which I have attended in the earnest desire of manifesting my concurrence in the great objects which this meeting has at heart ; and, in the hope not of conferring, but that I might myself receive, much practical information by so doing. (Hear, hear.) But, gentlemen, it is impossible for me to look around me, at this splendid assembly , which I see here . collected, without congratulating you—without congratulat ing the country at large—upon the probable, nay the certain, effects of the institution of this valuable Society ; and I feel . . convinced, that in proposing to you to drink "Success and prosperity to the Royal Agricultural Society of England," in your zeal and enthusiasm for the toast, you will, if you can- not forget, at least forgive, the deficiency of the proposers. Gentlemen, let me, in the first place, congratulate you in the name of English feeling, and in the name of sound national sense, upon the practical proof which you have this day obtained of the wisdom of that, which is, as I hold it, the fundamental and the essential rule of the proceedings of this society, that all that pertains to political contentions and questions be altogether banished. (Loud cheers.) It is matter of no little congratulation that at a moment when the country is recovering, and hardly recovering, from that ferment inseparable upon a dissolution of parliament, and a general election ; men of all sentiments, of all political parties, of all opinions, are met together here in harmony, and in concert, to deliberate and to consult upon the great national interests of the empire; and especially upon the present occasion, and in this place; and gratifying must it be to find that in this, the greatest commercial town of this country, of the greatest commercial country in the universe, (Cheers) an assembly unprecedented in point of numbers, unrivalled in point of respectability, and character and sta tion, is met together, and graced by the presence of the principal magistrate oithis great commercial town, (Cheers) for the purpose of doing honour to the cause, and of sup porting the interests of English agriculture. (Loud cheers) Gentlemen, in such a meeting it would be idle in me to des cant upon the immense national importance which attaches to the agricultural interest, upon the immense importance of that noble and honourable profession or science, call it which you will, upon which devolves the arduous but at the same time the vitally essential task of producing the first necessaries of life, meat and bread, for a population redundant to excess, and increasing its members in this wealthy, commercial, and manufacturing country, at the astounding rate of little less than a thousand in each day that passes. (Hear, hear.) But, gentlemen, I must freely say to you that in my judg ment and in my conviction, so far from looking übon it as a discouraging, I look upon it as a most encouraging symptom and character of the times, that our agriculture, at least in science whatever it may be in practice, and in these matters science and practice must be intimately combined, with regard to its probable results upon this great object is yet, we may almost say, in the infancy of its condition. (Hear, hear.) We look back at the present period with a smile of indulgent pity upon the feeble efforts of agriculture at a time not long gone by ; and we may look with some in dulgence, but also with some surprise, at the limited views we now venture to entertain compared to what, half a century hence, I firmly believe they will have accomplished. (Hear, hear.) And, gentlemen, let us give praise and honour where praise and honour are due. (Cheers.) I believe that to our northern brethren we are mainly and in a great degree in debted for the progress which of late years has been made in the science of agriculture. (Cheers.) Labouring under the dis advantages of a soil of certainly not more than average fertility, of a climate even yet more ungenial and more variable than ours,—nay, perhaps, gentlemen, upon account of these very disadvantages—the prudence, the foresight, the perseverance, and the skill of Scotland, led them to contend with natural obstacles, successfully to compete and overcome them, and to set to us, their southern brethren, an example of what may be done by perseverance against difficulties of every class. (Hear.) Gentlemen, I give to the agriculturists of Scotland the credit which I believe to have been done to them ; but I give also to the agriculturists of England the credit which is due to them, for no display of ungenerous jealousy, or of hostile rivalry, or of absence of unwillingness to follow a good example freely set before them. (Hear.) From the time that Scotland took the lead, we were not ashamed in this southern portion of the empire, to begin to inquire for Scotch bailiffs, for Scotch ploughmen, and to in quire into the Scotch system ; and having begun to inquire, the agriculturists of England were not slow to follow, where practical experience, combined with science, proved to them they mi g h t follow safely and with advantage to themselves, and to the interests of the country. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, the first step, the great step, the step without which improvement is hopeless, was achieved, when agricultu rists, both landlords and tenants, began to be sensible of the deficiencies of their own system—when they began to believe that there might be something better, something more advantageous, something cheaper to themselves, something more productive to the country than they had heretofore fol lowed,—(hear, hear)—and when they began by generous rivalry to endeavour to compete with those who they hitherto considered as their instructors. (Cheers.) There was the first step, and it was the great step of practical improvement. (Hear.) That step was met by cordial concurrence upon the part of all classes of British agriculturists ; it was met in various parts of the country with various successes, but in none without great and merited success by the exertions of local agricultural societies in the different districts, Perform ing within th eir limi ted sphere, and upon a smaller scale; that, or a great portion of that, which th e R o y a l Agricultural Society of Engl and now performs upon a larger, a more ex tended, and proportionably a more useful sphere. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, when I say a more exte n d e d, and proport i ona bly a more useful sphere, I mean to re f er to the extended com petition which is the basis of all knowledge of improvement, and the best stimulus to successful exertion ;—(hear)—and in h i s ne i g hbourhood, is m a t er i a ll y inclined, if he as each individual fa rmer, w here there is no agricultural society takes any pride at all in his own stock and in his own land, to be soon self satisfied with his own improvements and his produce, so the local agricultural societies of this country, con fined within a small s phere, proportionably li m it th e i r powers of competition, and proportionably create an undue degree of self applause in those who in their limited sphere find them selves superior to their neighbours ; but when by general emulation throughout the whole country competition is ex tended far and wide ; arid looking at the immense facilities given by those extended means of conveyance which now bring the bulkiest of articles from one portion of this em pire to the most distant quarters of it, in an almost incredi ble short space of time, the Royal Agricultural Society of England has at once the power to combine in one spot, to show in one place, specimens of produce, such as I venture to believe, it would be very difficult for the world to match, and show to each Agricultural Society, in their own district in turn, how much they have to do even to achieve that de gree of perfection which has been achieved by their neigh bours in other districts. (Hear, hear.) It was impossible tor the most unpractised eye to have visited the show yard this day, without being struck with the immense superiority of the stock then exhibited, over any that upon former oc casions, many of those whom I have now the honour of ad dressing, have, together with me, seen exhibited upon the spot upon which lam now standing to address you. (Hear, hear, hear.) But, gentlemen, I would be very far from saying that this was the main object, that this . was the princi pal advantage ; upon the contrary, I say it is a very minor portion, a very inferior object, a very secondary consideration for the Agricultural Society of England, the exhibition of stock, and of the improved produce of cattle which they exhibited in the Shew Yard. One great object. 1. hope, may be accomplished by this exhibition. I know how in competent I am upon this subject to offer any advice (Cries of no, no) or opinion, but I know in this neighbourhood— and I doubt not it is the same in many parts of the country, that a great and grievous error prevails among the farmers of preferring, when they are breeding; either horses, or bulls, or rams, whose services 'may be obtained at a cheap rate, rather than choosing an animal of the greatest merit and quality. (Hear hear) I would venture to say that a more fatal error cannot be committed; (Hear) it is the strongest illustration that I know of the "penny wise and pound foolish." (Hear hear) It is the saving in the first instance of a few paltry shillings which makes.the difference, and it is the incurring of the whole after expense of breeding, in reference to which those few shillings are as nothing, the re sult of one, being, that after all your expence, you obtain a worthless, and in the other a valuable produce. (Hear, bear.) But, gentlemen, I have said that I considered the exhibition of Stock to be a very second-rate consideration in the objects contemplated by the Royal Society of Agriculture. I have said that I believe, in reference to its possible capabilities, to be yet in its infancy : and I am firmly persuaded that the man who should at this time form a correct estimate of those improvements in the capabilites of our productions, which I believe will be seen within a century hence, would be deemed not a rational calculator, but a visionary enthu. siast, and a man who speculated upon impossibilities. (Hear hear.) Why, gentlemen, the practice of agriculture, nol many years ago, would hardly have been dignified with the name of a science. It would have been considered as ar easy sort of matter to obtain a provision, that it might be taken up and carried on by any upon the good old hum. drum principles which they had seen adopted by their father and grandfathers, carried on with the rudest machinery with the least possible economy of labour and expense, bu producing possibly what it had produced for years and cen .uries before, and that what was good enough for thei sthers and grandfathers was good enough for them. (Hew tid laughter.) Gentlemen, I hope a better time has come let in the capabilities of the soil, and in the means riculture, what did satisfy our fathers and our grand 5 ars, will not satisfy us ; hear,) and if that satisfie it will not satisfy our children and our grandchildren Applause.) I hold it to be one of the most importan, points connected with this great assembly, that it was just at the period at which the spirit of enquiry and improvement commenced to take deep root in the minds of the agricul tural population—that at that precise and most favourable moment, my noble friend, the Earl Spencer—(loud cheers) — whom I now see near me—a name which I perceive that you agree with me in thinking never could be mentioned without respect and cordial approbation—(renewed cheering)—in an assembly of Englishmen who know how to value sound, practical sense, the most intense and universal benevolence, and the soundest and strictest integrity. (Cheers.) It was at that fortunate moment that my noble friend conceived the project of instituting the English Agricultural Society, and of extending thereby the benefits of mutual information and of mutual competition throughout a larger sphere than had ever formerly been attempted in this country. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, even in our most ordinary farming operations, is it not a subject for regret upon one hand, but is it not also a subject from which we may derive hope for the future upon the other, that though much has been done—and I do not deny that very much has been done—within the last twenty years, yet much remains undone, and yet to be accomplished that in the departments of science as connected with agriculture much remains yet not only to be made known, but even to be explored and investigated? (Cheers.) Take the very simplest operation—take that which is the foundation of all agricultural improvement— take that without which outlay is thrown away, and is better not laid out at all—examine generally the state of England, and of these parts, I believe I may say of England generally. I know I may speak it with regret and shame of my own and some of the neighbouring counties—l venture to say, that water courses choked up—drains imperfectly constructed, if constructed at all — combined with a soil of natural tenacity and extreme retentiveness, overflowing the whole with a superabundance of moisture, diminish to an extent that would hardly be credible the productiveness of the soil. They extend over a large surface of ground, and contribute, in my conscientious belief, to alter the very character of the climate, if not of the atmosphere itself; and while they di minish the productiveness of the soil, retard also the produce of the country, and the quality of the crops when they come to maturity. Well, gentlemen, we are here not to pay com pliments, but to speak the truth ; and have we not in this acknowledged defect—the very root of the syAtem which is carried on in this neighbourhood—grounds for regret at the supineness which formerly prevailed, and at the same time grounds of confidence in the results that will follow a more enlightened system? (Hear.) The man would be thought to have conferred no trifling benefit to this country, who should add one hushell to the quantity of wheat produced by the wheat lands of England ; yet 1 am confident I speak within compass when I say there are hundreds of thousands of acres which are capable by improved cultivation and atten tion to drainage of producing five, ten, or fifteen bushels per acre more than they do. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, I feel that in dealing with this subject, I am running the risk of wearying this vast assembly—(cries of " No.")—who are more competent upon this subject to instruct me than I am to speak to them ; and yet it is not of importance that we should see what may be achieved without any extraordinary means, but by the ordinary exercise of that knowledge which if we do not all possess, is within the power of all to acquire. (Cheers.) lam aware that the process of draining is an ex pensive process, which requires an outlay of capital, which, if we were to take the total of even a single county in Eng land, would strike every man as something marvellous, and almost appalling; and yet I am satisfied of this, that while no landlord could expect a tenant to engage in operations so expensive, without his concurrence and assistance (Cheers) and without his bearing, let me add, even the :principal portion of the original outlay. (Cheers) lam also firmly persuaded of this. thatithere is no bank in the whole country, no commercial speculation, no investment so safe, so sure, so profitable, as that in which even borrowed capital may be engaged by investing it under the ground of your own soil. (Cheers) Now gentlemen, the next to drainage, in point of importance, probably would follow the subject of manures. Upon this subject then, much is there for all to learn. How much is science gradually adding to our stock of information, —how much may practice add to the means of composition, and the advantageous employment of all those substances which tend to fertilize the earth. (Cheers) Yet gentle men, ordinary as this may perhaps seem, how very great are the doubts, how very many are the problems which yet remain to be solved, and which require the inves tigation of the highest branches of science, which call in aid of practical agriculture the most refined and philosophical speculations, in order to ascertain in what manner and in what proportions—having regard to the chemical affinities of the soil, looking to the particular time, at their propor tions—they should be applied, the manner in which they must be economised, the mode in which their fertility may be increased. Let men, then, learn the apparently humble, but really vital subject of the application of manures to the lands 9f this country. (Cheers.) And, gentlemen, if upon the surface we are yet in some doubt, if even day by day science is,discovering fresh manures applicable to different soils, and for applying them in different cases under different rules, if within the last two months a manure wholly new and hitherto unheard of has been imported into this very part for the advantage of English agricultdrists—if a ma nure which is the deposit of sea-fowls in the islands of the Pacific ocean, has been with advantage and with probable profit imported to fertilize the fields of England, what a field does this open for future speculation and further enquiry ;—(loud cheering,)—if even upon the surface we have this much to learn, who shall say what fresh investiga tions may discover in the relations hitherto uninvestigated and untried between the various subsoils in this country, and in their action upon the superincumbeut soil above them. (Loud cheers.) Here is a field wholly new, almost untrod den, almost uninvestigated, and yet it is a field which pro mises largely in its practical results, thus practically being extended by the theoretic investigations of men of the most learning and science in this country. (Cheers.) I pass by many other topics—ordinary topics—upon which much has been done no doubt, but upon which how much remains to be done? (Hear, hear.) The due selection of seeds, the in vestigation of those mysterious laws of nature by which not only a due rotation of crops appears to be carried on, but by which, after a certain cycle of years it appears evident that an alteration in the accustomed rotation becomes necessary. I pass by these topics; I psss by the selection of best seeds; I pass by the application of the best manures to the tom h o t st e fi i t m ti n nf ensed soil; but c l e a s sk th r t h ua a g v a e beintoentumrnadyeo, and your attention, httione, immense advances which yet remain to be made in the appli cation of mechanical power to diminish labour and reduce expense and facilitate the cultivation of the soil. (Cheers.) I hold it to be one of the most encouraging symptoms of the present day that men of the highest eminence for mechani cal genius, and for mechanical talent, are turning their at tention, with great and deserved success, to the improvement of those implements of husbandry, which former times con sidered were capable of little or no improvement, but which, by their improvements, by the saving of labour and of ex pense I am confident are capable of adding enormously to the productive powers of this great ccuntry. (Cheer.) Gentle men, I do not speak of those diseases which are incidental to cattle, a stock of every description, or of the vegetable productions of the soil ; but is there not much to learn in the history of these ? I can hardly call them less than plagues—by which the farmers' hopes are liable to be blighted year after year,—the wire -worm, the fly, and all the various plagues, which, after the best application of industry, may blast and defeat his expectations. I have thus passed sum marily over some principal topics, yet see what a field is opened ! Agriculture not a science ! Why, there is hardly a science that is not handmaid and subservient to the pro motion of agriculture! (Cheers.) Zoology, botany, geology, chemistry, in a most essential and competent degree, mecha nical science—all are connected with it, but the great practi cal problem which this country has to solve is that of giving the speediest return to the cultivator, and of producing the largest amount of produce at the smallest proportionate ex pense. But you will say, in what way is the Royal Agricul tnral Society of England to assist us in this case ? Much in every way. It collects from every quarter information from practical and advice from scientific and theoretical men; and while there is no man so high in the walks of science who can think himself degraded by applying his talents and mind to a subject of such general interest to the country, there is no man so humble, on so small a scale, or in so low a situa tion, who may not confer a signal benefit to the country, if he will only communicate to the Royal Agricultural Society of England, fully and entirely, all the circumstances the results of any proportion of his own practical experience in his own line. (Hear, heer.) Gentlemen, it is not to be ex pected that the writings of scientific men should at once come into general circulation, and be in the hands of the farmers of this country ; but fortunately these are farmers— fortunately for this country there is a class of men of whom I would speak in terms of the highest honour, a class of the gentlemen of this country, men of inte grity, of education, and of refinement, capable of weighing the scientific speculations of the wise, and with means, and the inclination to apply those means, to a practical investiga tion of the results of those theories. (Hear.) Whlie you have such men as my noble friend, to whom I have already re ferred—(cheers)—while you have such men in the country as my noble friend the Duke of Richmond—(loud cheers) — whose absence from this meeting, and the cause of it, I am sure will call forth throughout the agriculturists of the coun try, and from all the well feeling and the well disposed por tion of the community, one sentiment of universal regret, and the deepest sympathy—(hear, hear)—while you have such men as my hon. friend the president of this society— (hear)—while you have such men as the hon. gentleman whom I see opposite to me, the president elect of this so ciety, (cheers) you need not fear but that the speculations of men of science will have in them impartial and able judges, will have in them also persons who will practically test the merits of their experiments, and in whom, each in their re spective neighbourhoods, may place implicit confidence in the farmers, as they cannot expect to risk the loss of capital in hitherto untried experiments, they will, I am satisfied, at no distant time, b e content to follow. Gentlemen, I have been more lengthy than I ought, and much more im perfect than I desired in sketching out to you very summarily some of the many benefits which are likeiy to be conterred upon the agriculture of this country, by the Royal Agricultural Society of. England (Hear.) In wish ing it prosperity, I may congratulate you upon its increased, and I 10 may add, unparalleled prosperity at the present mo ment. Last year, the end of two years from its foundation, it numbered about 2,500 members; in the present year its numbers, without distinction of situation and party, or of any consideration, except an earnest desire to support the agriculture of this country, no less than 5,000 subscribers have doubled its numbers in the course of that time. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, it rests with y ou w hether this society shall b e enabled still further to extend the sphere of its usefulness— whether it shall be able to go on proportionably increasing its means and extending its benefits ; but, from the assembly I see around me, I fear nothing—at least for the neighbour hood of Liverpool and for the county of Lancaster (Hear.) I feel confident that the men who have here attended will not feel satisfied with the compliment of their presence, but that they will give more substantial marks of their approba tion, and that in adding themselves to the number of sub scriber, they will feel another year additional and more lively pleasure in drinking that toast, which I now propose to them,—" Success to the Royal A g ricultural Society of Eng land." (Tremendou s chers during which the Noble Lord returned his seat.) Earl SPENCER then rose, and his reception also was most enthusiastic. He said that if now, or at any period of his life, he had felt anything like rivalry with his noble friend in his eloquence and his power of speaking, he should rise at the present moment with the greatest possible distrust and diffidence, after such a speech as that which they had jitst heard from him. But he (Lord Spencer) had no pretensions of that kind. He came before them simply to propose to them that in which he knew he should have their entire con currence in his proposition, and he knew that they would concur in the toast which he was deputed to propose to them, with as full satisfaction and as much cordiality as if he were able to propose it with the most powerful eloquence, (Ap plause.) The toast which he was deputed to propose to them was, " Success to agriculture, to manufactures, and to the commerce of the country." (Cheers.) He knew enough of those whom he was addressing—he knew enough of their feelings towards their fellow-countrymen—he knew enough of their feeling for the general benefit of the community at large—to believe that if he were only to appeal to then, to drink success not only to the line and to the profession and science in which they were themselves engaged, but also to those in which others of their fellow-subjects were engaged, he knew that they had such sympathy for the general welfare of their fellow-countrymen, that it would not be at all neces sary for him to add any comment, or to do anything to in duce them to concur with him in that toast. (Applause.) But even if he had felt any doubt of this—which he did nit* —he would say that he addressed them, and asked them to concur in this toast for their own individual interests. (Hear, hear.) It was for the interest of agriculture in this country that the country should be wealty—that it should be prosperous in every branch, and throughout its whole extent. He therefore believed that there was no toast on the paper laid before them more consistent, or more closely united with the objects of this society, than that which called upon them to drink success as well to commerce and manufactures, as to the agriculture of the country (loud applause) ; for how could they hope to carry into effect the objects of this so ciety, which was to extend scientific and improved agricul ture throughout the country, without wealth and capital to be applied to the improvement of agriculture? Every thing, therefore, which promoted the wealth of the country— every thing which increased the wealth of the consumers in creased the prosperity of that business in which they were all engaged. (Applause.) He would, therefore, detain them by pressing this fact upon their attention, but permit him to say some few words on the present state of this society, and on the exhibition which they had had at their present meeting. His noble friend had most properly stated that the main and principal objects of this society were not confined to shows of cattle, or merely to the improvement of stock, but it was, undoubtedly, one of the naainobjects of agricultural improve ments that they should Improve the stock which they reared, and should be enabled to bring it to market early, and at a cheap expense, the animal produce which they brought for ward. These shows, therefore, though certainly not the principal and main object of the society, were of great im portance amongst the objects which they had in view. They were important in themselves, as they showed what skill and attention could do in improving the breed of domestic ani mals, and they were important as a means of collecting to gether such an assembly as he had now the honour to address. With respect to the present show he should say, that, in his opinion, it was the best show they had had at any of their exhibitions. He knew there were some who doubted this, but he was quite sure that if there were such even, they must admit that there had been no falling off. (Hear, hear.) In his own opinion the show was greatly improved. They had had in some of the classes an exhibition of stock which bad surpassed any thing that he had seen in those classes, and if he might be allowed to trespass on their attention he would allude to some of them. He was speaking now as a practical farmer, he was speaking from hi s own p rac ti ca l experience, and whilst he was willing to leave to the able and eloquent speech of his noble friend the general interest of the society, he (Earl Spencer) felt more in his own sphere, more in his own element in speaking to them practically on the stock which had been laid before them. He would mention one animal, and he was sure they must have observed it as well as himself. He called their attention to a yearling bull, of the Hereford breed, exhibited by Mr. Walker. He thought that young breeders would do well to examine that bull, for in it they would see all the points which should be sought in such an animal. With respect to breeding-stock he would call their attention to a cow, bred and exhibited by Mr. Booth. With respect to sheep—both South Downs and Leicesters—there were many of extraordinary merit. One in class 8, exhibited by Mr. Logan, was one of the most ex traordinary animals of that breed that he ever saw. Some of the South Downs exhibited,—a very large proportion of them indeed, were excellent, but he would particularly call their attention to one of the shearling ewes, exhibited by Mr. Webbe. If they looked at these animals tlicv would see to what perfection breeding could be brought. Those who wished to improve themselves in the knowledge of what ani mals could be brought to, need only look at these animals, and he thought they would see in them what, in shape and quality, they ought to endeavour to obtain. Having said thus much with respect to the stock, he ought to address them on another part of the exhibition, the exhibition of imple ments,—but his own practical knowledge was not sufficient to enable him to give them any practical information on this subject. With respect to implements, however, they had seen to what mechanical skill and science had brought the ploughs, which their ancestors thought incapable of improve ment. The implements exhibited, both for their number, variety, and excellence, were well worthy of the attention and well worthy of the encouragement of all who were engaged in farming. It was undoubtedly with great satisfaction that he had seen such a meeting as the present. It was most satis factory to him that, coming into the greatest commercial city of this empire, they had been able to show the earnest desire of the farmers of England to improve the cultivation of the soil,—that they had been able to show that from every part of the united kingdom, the farmers had come to show the in terest they took in the improvement of agriculture, to meet those engaged in the same line with themselves,—to commu nicate information and to receive information from others in return, because it was undoubtedly one of the merits of this kind of life in which they were engaged, that they never en deavoured to conceal their discoveries from one another. (Hear, hear.) Whenever they discovered any thing impor tant in the cultivation of the soil, they were always most ready to communicate it to their neighbours in order that they might follow the example,--and if they had a fault, it was that they were sometime more angry than they should be when they thought that they were not imitated so quickly as they ought to be. It was therefore of great importance that the farmers should come together at such meetings as this, — a meeting so numerous that he could hardly wish to see it more so. (Applause.) He hoped it would continue year after year such as he now witnessed it, exempt from every feeling which could produce difference of opinion,—united in one great object,— the improvement of agriculture throughout the united kingdom. His lordship concluded, amidst great applause, by proposing " Success to the agriculture, manu factuses, and commerce of the country," [drank with great applause]. The CHAIRMAN said he had next to propose a toast which he was sure required no argument to enforce it. They had been most hospitably received in this noble city of Liverpool, upon their third meeting, and he was sure they would agree with him that their council had properly selected the place for that meeting, and if they looked to what quarter they could pay their debt of gratitude for that reception, there was but one to which they could turn, and that was the chief mag i s trate of this city. (Loud applause.) The Mayor of Liverpool had exercised the most liberal hospitality towards the cou ncil, they had themselves seen in how well regulated a city they had met together—the merit of those regulations must rest with the mayor,----and, without one word more, he knew enough of English gratitude, and of the gratitude of farmers, to propose at once, with all their hearts, and with the utmost honour which they could pay, " The mayor and Corporation of Liverpool." (Drunk with all the honours.) TO MAYOR, (Thos. Bolton, Esquire,) rose to return thanks, and was very warmly received: He said he was deeply sensible of the kind wanner in which they had been pleased to notice ally little attention which the Mayor and the Town-council of Liverpool had had it in their power to show. He only regretted that they had not more within their command, and he begged, on behalf of the people of Liverpool, to express their gratitude to the noblemen and 'entlemen constituting the council, for selecting Liverpool as eir place of meeting. (Applause. Though he was himself Acquainted with the science of agriculture, he had that day - sed a noble show of cattle, and an exhibition of the of a goad system of draining—mentioned the improvements in the mode invented by the Marquis of Tweedale and Mr. Beard, of Huntingdonshire, and then expressed a hope that they would avail themselves largely of both these discoveries, and that in the course of a few years they would cease to see the water from the skies all over their furrows and spoiling half their produce. When they had attained to this improve ment, they w ou ld h ave done for one-half of England what Mr. Coke, of Norfolk, did for the other. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Coke had enabled them to grow wheat on the light lands of the country ; let it be the object of this society to do as much as one individual had done,—let it be their object to improve the other half of their country. (Applause.) He had mentioned subjects which conveyed some imputation of blame—he would now turn to others of a more agreeable nature. Coming from the south of England, he had seen with great satisfaction excellent crops of Swedish turnips, which might be seen on all sides of Liverpool. He was told that it was not unusual to grow 35 tons of Swedish turnips upon a single acre. Those farmers who came from the south, when they had grown 20 tons, thought that they had done pretty well. He was afraid that the climate was rather against them, but at least let them try, in fair rivalry, to equal their northern brethren. After commenting on the great importance of increasing the means of feeding stock, by improved cultivation, he said that the great assembly would shortly be dissolved, and he hoped every gentleman would return to his home with an agreeable recollection of the meeting at Liverpool, and with some increase of practical knowledge which he might be enabled to apply to his own farm. For his own part he should carry to his home in Berkshire a deep and lasting remembrance of the kindness which bad been shown to him on this occasion by the farm ers of England, and Ile had this additional satisfaction that, if he were still allowed to conduct their organ, which he be lieved to be of great usefulness to the society, he should still have the privilege of applying to all farmers for information on any subject on which he thought the public required in formation. He knew from experience that that information was not withheld by any narrow feeling of jealousy but was cheerfully given, and when he ceased to be their president— an office for which he felt his own want of ability (" No, no") —he still hoped that he might be the organ of their opinions. (Applause.) He felt great satisfaction in hoping, that when he left that chair he was not quitting their service. (Much applause.) The VICE-CHAIRMAN said, that in proposing to them as a toast the " Highland Society of Scotland," he was con scious of his own inability to do justice to it; feeling that to the enterprise, skill, and industry brought to bear by that society, nature had been conquered in her most rugged forms, by the successful attempts which had been made in Scotland to counteract the sterility of the soil and the incle mency of the climate. It was the landed proprietors and tenantry of Scotland who had given a national character for the first time to agricultural societies. The success of the Highland Society of Scotland doubtless encouraged his noble friend Lord Spencer to propose to the farmers of England the establishment of a similar institution, and most grateful ought they to be for the example. They must look to the Highland Society of Scotland in the light of a parent, and he trusted that that society would see no reason to be ashamed of the offspring now presented to their notice. (Applause and loud laughter.) It was a common thing to wish that such a one might be a better man than his father; and he was quite sure that the Highland Society would rejoice if, in the progress of friendly rivalry, they should even outstrip it, and at all events they would rejoice to hear of the successfui meeting that day. Nothing remained for him but to propose to them the continued suc cess of the Highland Society of Scotland, with which he begged leave to couple the name of Professor Johnstone, (drunk with great applause.) Professor JOHNSTONE, in replying to the toast said he had formerly reason to be proud of the honour conferred on him, unexpectedly, by the Royal Agricultural Society of England, in electing him an honorary member, in virtue of which be was entitled to appear before them that day ' • but he did not ex p ec t th a t t h at a ddi t i onal honour would have been conferred on him to return thanks for the toast then proposed, and which they had received in so cordial a manner. He could only account for it on consideration that he was situated at Durham, about half way between the Royal Agricultural Society and the Highland Society of Scotland. Although he would have an opportunity at the meetingof that society, in Berwick, of addressing them on the connexion between that science to which he had been devoted and the art of agriculture, yet he did not consider himself en titled to represent that society which existed long before he was born, and of the members of which there existed some who were deeply acquainted with all that the art of agricul ture could lay before them before he had studied the elements of the art. When he had an opportunity of addressing them, he would tell them that in formerly an inimical country, England, there were men more friendly towards them than words could tell—men not only willing to give them credit for what they had done, but, what was a greater indication of friendship, willing to follow their example. (Applause.) He was surprised that the Highland Society of Scotland should have existed for sixty years without the agriculturists of England following in their footsteps. The learned pro fessor then proceeded at some length to advocate the utility of bone dust as manure, and to show the benefits derived by agriculture from science, but the meeting got very impatient, and he concluded by thanking the meeting in the name of the Highland Society. Lord FRANCIS EGERTON said he had to request the largest measure of their indulgence, not, indeed, for the toast he had to propose, but for himself. It so happened that public engagements yesterday at Manchester, occupied with private circumstances, had prevented him execuiing his own wish in attending this celebration at an earlier period, and he only arrived at Liverpool that day in time to cast a cursory glance over the splendid exhibition in this neighbourhood, and to arrive in time for that festivity. On entering that large building, an old and valued friend had put a toast into his hand, on reading it he felt somewhat consoled, for he felt that it required no adornment of language to recommend it to the meeting. If he had had all the time since the last meeting to prepare this speech, he could not have done better than just to name " The Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland." He saw many around him, in every . consideration better entitled to offer so distinguished a toast to their attention. It might be that the committee recollected that some years ago he was in some measure connected with that country. Perhaps they knew the fact that in no place was a temporary residence—whatever be the object of it, or whatever be the colour of a man's coat, be it blue or be it red—more sure to make a person depart with a sensible value of the better fea tures of the character of its inhabitants, of the kindness and liberality, the gratitude and indulgence, which they were wont to exhibit to - the strangers who visited them with what ever purpose, provided he maintained an average character for integrity in his dealings towards them. (Loud cheers.) In conclusion, his lordship said, that in receiving that toast from him, they would forget the unworthiness of one who, in an agricultural subject, had not a right to mingle. He came there with a hope and intention of learning much, but not with a vain and presumptuous hope of raising his voice amongst them. He hoped they would drink to the success of the Royal Agricultural Improvement Society of Ireland. A Gentleman from the sister country, whose name we could not learn, briefly returned thanks. ROBERT PALMER, Esq., M.P. for Berkshire, proposed the toast, " The town and trade of Liverpool," and hoped the trade and commerce of this great town would continue to flourish. Si.-- THOMAS BRANCKER returned thanks. After the many eloquent speeches delivered that evening, and at that late hour, it would be presumptuous in him to attempt to de tain them at any length, even if he possessed the ability to do so. He would simply return them thanks, as an old inhabi tant of Liverpool, and to express, on behalf of the inhabi tants, their high gratification at seeing so numerous an assem blage in the town, consisting of the noble and wealthy of the land, and many of the most intelligent farmers of the king dom. The occupation ;of the inhabitants of Liverpool they knew to be chiefly commercial, but they were deeply con cerned in the agricultural concerns of the community. In fact, it would be absurd to separate the one from the other. (Applause.) If one languished the other would languish also ; and if one flourished the other would not be long be fore it participated in its advantages. (Applause.) Dr. RUCKLAND said he was much too anxious to do every thing in his humble power to promote, in the smallest de gree, the interests of that great association, not to accept readily the task suddenly imposed on him of performing a duty which, from his situation as Professor of Geology in the University of Oxford, he was very unfit for,—it was to pro pose the health of the Stewards of the Yard and of the Judges of the Stock. The stewards of the yard were well known in dividually to them ; they were their first Noble President, Earl Spencer, Mr. Ducie, his own' neighbour, who co operated so ably with the society at Oxford, and the secretary of their own local agricultural association. These were names which required not one syllable of recommendation from him. The judges of the stock were too many to be personally enu merated, but they would forgive him if he suggested to them the propriety of placing the prize animals on platforms, so that they might be visible to every one, a practice which he had seen advantageously usedat Aberdeen. and of producing some gentleman skilled in stock, and universally respected for his skill, to lecture to the surrounding farmers, and to point out wherein consisted the excellence of the stock. After a few remarks on the benefit of draining, he concluded by again naming the toast. P. W. S.-Mites, Esq., M.P. for Bristol, rose to return thanks, but as it had become nearly dark, part of the cover ing of the pavilion was removed to allow the light to enter, but this produced such a draft that it drove the persons from their seats, and those who remained, buttoned up their coats and put on their hat s . A scene o f great confusion ensued, and bawling and shouting was continued during the greater part of the time Mr. Miles was speaking. The CHAIRMAN then called for Mr. Grey, of Dilston, but that gentleman not answering, the chairman rose again and proposed what he conceived to be one of the principal objects of the society, " Success to the agricultural labourer." From the confusion which prevailed, this toast passed off un noticed, except by a few who received it with marks of dis approbation. Amidst the disturbance which prevailed, The CHAIRMAN bawled out that there was only one toast more-,-the health of his successor, Mr. Handley. He (the chairman) left the affairs of the society in his (Mr. H.'s) hands, and he left Mr. Handley in the hands of his friend, Lord Ingestre. Lord INGESTRIE, amidst great uproar, said he craved their indulgence for two or three minutes while he proposed to them the toast which had been committed to his charge. After attempting to be heard for some few minutes, he con cluded by proposing the health of the " President elect." Mr. HANDLEY rose to reply, but was treated as unceremo niously as was the Noble Lord who preceded him. Most of the company had departed before he rose, and the remainder were moving off as fast they could whilst he was on his legs. The toasts of the evening having been gone through, the Chairman vacated his seat about half-past eight IRISH AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. A deputation from the Royal Agricultural Improvement Society of Ireland, consisting of the following gentlemen : Colonel Crishton, and James L. Napier, Esq.. Vice-Presi dents; Gustavus Lambart, Charles Roper, James R. Jack son, John Robinson Price, Sir Thomas Butler, Bart., David Charles La Touche, Henry Ryan, Thomas Bolton, Marma duke C. C. Roberts, William Francis Finn, Acheson Lyle, Esq., and Peter Purcell, the original founders and promoters of the Society, and Edward Buller the Secretary, yesterday waited upon the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England. His Grace the Duke of Leinster was also pected - to be present, but was detained by being in attend ance on her Majesty, but the deputation was most graciously received, and experienced the utmost attention and con sideration from the members of the Council. [We have now got to the close of the proceedings of this useful but grossly mismanaged society. We have elsewhere bestowed a sufficient notice upon the arrangements which the " Council" have deemed it fit to make for their meeting in this town ; but we hope, when the Association again as sembles, the members of it will receive at the bands of the Council more often tion, and the public greater liberality, whilst the press, we are proud to say, can afford to be com pletely independent of their mean and paltry attempts at belt . - aggrandisement and distinction.] MATES' BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.—This promises to be one of the most excellent institutions in the town. The objects of it are the bettering the condition of the officers of our merchant marine.—lt is to be hoped that all who have an interest in shipping, will offer this young society a warm support. We cannot spare space to enlarge upon the subject this week s but we probably may do so in our next publication. THE FINE ARTS.—We beg to refer to an advertisement of some pictures on sale, which will be found elsewhere in our paper this day. Course, 43. witnesse most perfect implements of husbandry, and when he coma dered that this meeting was co mposed of perso ns f rom var i ous parts of the kineom, and that these specimens of cattle and these instruments of husbandry would thus become known i to every part of the kingdom,t was a mo s t grat if y i ng th i ng to congratulate and thank the gentlemen of the C ounc il f or making this the place from which so much useful knowledge might be distributed. (Loud applause.) Af ter an allusion to breeding stock his worship spoke of the great increase which had taken place in the population of Liverpool. During the last forty years, from which period he had resided here, the population had increased by upwards of 200 , 0 00 souls. and he need not mention the great increase and extension of commerce and the enlargement of the portwhich had t a ke n i place. Manchester had also ncreased Its population from various tributary streams, and it was a remarkable fact that notwithstanding this increase, and notwithstanding the great improvements in machinery, and the great diminution which they produced in the amount of labour, there had been, up to the present time, as great a demand for labour as there ever was, and every year, until the last two or three years, had given snore employment to human beings than the year which precededit. (Loud applause.) Much had been justly said of the capability of increase for a better mode of agriculture, and he believed that the same remark might be made with regard to the increase of the not l ess use f ul art of commerce and manufactures. After advertin g t o th e great i advantages possessed by this country n coals and minerals, and in the skill, industry, and enterprise of the inhabitants his worship again expressed his thanks tor the kind mantle in which the toast had been proposed and received. He then said that he had a pleasing duty to perform, it was one w id en he should not have assumed 'to himself. It was one which had been suggested to him, and by their call he most willingly responded, it was to propose the health of their most excellent president. (Loud applause.) The CHAIRMAN said he was unable to return thanks as he ought, for the houour done to Inin, and therefore he trus ted that they would accept the will for the deed. He had endeavoured to do his duty to the utmost of his power, in the office to which they elected him a year ago, and h e re j o i ce d most sincerely to see around him the evidence that the inter ests of this society had not s uffered by his i nexper i ence. (Applause.) The more he saw of British farming the more he was pursuaded that it occupied the first station in the agriculture of the world, and because he knew and believed it to be so good, he entertained the hope that it would be bet ter still. His hope was founded on this, that they were all agreed to learn from each other. He could tell theta nothing which they did not know much better than himself, but there were one or two points to which lie would just allude. In travelling from their homes to this place, they had passed a great variety of district, and they could not but have ob served how great a portion of the land of thi s country must defy the utmost energies of British farming so long as it re mained in its present state—so long as it was saturated with moisture. (Hear, hear.) He commented on the necessity THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL A§SOCIAT/ ON ENGLAND. Those who have perused the remarks made from time to time in the columns of our journal, and particularly in our last number, will readily accede to our very modest assumption, that we are the warns advocates of the home grower, and that we consider any improvement in agricul ture as a national advantage. In furtherance of this feel ing, we several weeks ago gave an account of the Show Ground and the Pavilion, while they were yet in embryo ; anticipating, as we thought, the wishes of the Society. When those buildings arrived at completion, we published a further and more detailed description, at a cost of consi derable time, trouble, and expense, and forwarded th views of the Society. And how have our gratuitou labours been rewarded ? In common with all ou brethren of the press in this town, of whatever politica principles, we have been treated by this notable " council' as mere aliens and outcasts. Our reporter, in endeavour. iug to obtain information that would gratify the public, and forward the alleged views of the society, has been driven from pillar to post, or repudiated as one who had no right or title even to make inquiry, however gentlemanly his tone. He belonged to the Press, but not to the press of their choosing. He belonged not to the Mark Lane Ex press (a good paper we admit), nor to the Bell's Weekly Messenger. That was enough. He was not of the pet press of the Royal Agricultural Society of " England." There was no printing, no advertising to be done by the society in Liverpool, to any extent, and that only beyond what they could help. The doors were yesterday beset with distributors of bills to the effect that the former paper would contain the only true and full report of the meeting: and the few placards that appeared were brought down, cut, and dried frbin London,—albeit, this county was fixed upon to be mainly contributory to the exhibition. We do not complain of this individually, in a pecuniary point of view; but, as showing a partiality, not very honourable to the parties concerned. The reporters of this town have not, as is usual in such cases, been admitted without cost to the show ground. On the contrary, they, as well as others, were required to pay five shillings, on the morning of the first day, to see not half of the implements alone, the better half having gone to the trial ground ; and our reporter was told that if he once entered, and went to see the experiments, he would not again (though he had but one hour to stop) be admitted without an additional sum of the same amount! He of course declined the honour of paying ten shillings to in spect a few subsidiary implements, the sight of which was not worth a shilling. But the conduct of the council• to the public is as repre hensible as to the press. They gave no due notice to the agriculturists of this county of the meeting. The only paper in which the prizes were advertised was the Mark Lane Express, and the parties in this districts, who could have sent prime horses, beasts, &c., were left in the dark, until it was too late for them to enter, the first of July being the last day. - After this will the society have the assurance to say, that their object really was the encouragement of agricultural pur suits in this country? The whole affair, in fact, from beginning to end, has been most shamefully managed ; and if the society has pecuniarily succeeded, they must place it to the forbearance and hospitable feeling of those amongst whom they have 'thrown themselves, and not to any merit on their own part DOCK Comstrrrsx. YESTERDAY.—Present—Messrs. Benn, Hors fall, Aikin, Holmes, T. Holt, Quayle, G. Holt, Bulley, Tobin, Evans, and Ripley, The Sub-committee of Works reported that the deep ening of the Queen's basin had been completed.—Mr. Shipton, who rents a small basin from the Corporation, applied to be accommo dated with room for his river craft on the east side of George's basin, at the period when his notice to quit his present place should expire. The general opinion of the committee was, that they could not grant any exclusive privilege to any person within the docks, and especially that portion of the trade which contributed nothing to the dock estate.-i Mr. Tobin again introduced the subject of closing the Canning and Salthouse Docks at the same time, and, after a good deal of conversation, he ultimately moved, that the Canning Dock should not be closed, but worked through the George's at the time the other alterations were going on, but his motion was not seconded, and the subject dropped.—A letter was read from the Master of the Formby Light-ship, stating, that on Wednesday last that vessel was run foul of by the barque Levenson, and some little damage done. He said lie thought also that it should be generally known that parties are now liable to a penalty of t'2o for damaging light-ships —David Morgan, one of the crew of the Liver tender, was appointed third keeper of the Rock Lighthouse, in the room of Thomas Hughes, discharged for neglect of duty.— The Comet duplicate light-ship was ordered to be brought into dock, and several improvements made in her.—A new life-boat, on the model of the Liverpool one, was ordered to be built for the Hoylake station. INSTRUCTION IN SINGING.—MT. VCllableS, who is well known as an able and excellent instructor of music and singing, has left Chester to settle amongst us. He is very capable in his art, and can produce good recommendations. We have heard him well spoken of, and from some little ex perience can give testimony to his merits. THE ALPACA.—A portrait of this remarkable animal, which excites no little attention at the agricultural show, has been, we perceive, drawn and lithographed by Mr. Machre. and published - by Mr. Waring Webb, of this town. The introduction of the a/par:a-into England will be the forerun- ner of a great improvement in the produce of wool. A very clever treutise on the subject of the alpaca has been pub lished by Mr. Waring Webb, and the attention of agricul turists is particularly drawn to it. A perusal of it will be highly instructive, as well as interesting, and will convince all who are sceptic - al, that this sheep can be reared to advan tage in this country. PRESENTATION. —On Wednesday evening, a few gentle men met in the Clyde Hotel, and presented Captain M'Arthur with a❑ elegant Silver Tea Service, bearing the following in scription :—" Presented to Captain John M'Arthur, of the Princess Royal, steam-ship, by the passengers and a few friends, as a memorial of that vessel's first voyage from Greenock to Liverpool, on 11th of June, 1841, performed in the unprecedently short period of fifteen hours and twenty five minutes ; and, also, to mark the respect in which he is held as an excellent sailor and a worthy man."—Glasgow Herald. ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.--This evening a grand gala will take place at these beautiful gardens. Very great exertions will be made by Mr. Atkins to render the fete more than ordinarily attractive and entertaining. The pyrotechnist proved himself, on Monday, an artist of great ability and ta lent. Some of his fireworks were novel and extremely fanci ful, as well as beautiful. We recommend strangers and visitors to attend the fete, they will be highly pleased. The capital band of brass instruments adds greatly to the enjoy ment of the scene. SUTTON, NEAIL EAcTIIAM.—This pleasant little village has been the scene of festivities during the present week. On Monday the friends of Sir P. G. Egerton and Mr. Tol lemache met together at the house of Mr. Thomas Porter, to celebrate the return of the above gentlemen to Parliament, when a numerous and highly respectable party sat down to dinner, which was prepared in a manner fully to bear out the culinary fame of Mrs. Porter. During the evening aquan tity of loyal and conservative toasts were drank, and after an evening delightfully spent, the party separated. The mem bers of the Loyal Brotherly Society, assembled at the house of Mr. Warburton, to celebrate their anniversary, when, after walking in procession, they sat down to a very excellent dinner, prepared in first-rate style by the worthy hostess ; when, after enjoying themselves, they adjourned to meet their wives and sweethearts in the maz y d ance , w hich they kept up with vigour until the morning dawned. BEART'S COFFEE POT.—No wonder that this Coffee Pot should have become so universally in request, when we having tested its merits, recommend it to the use of our sub scribers. It is decidedly the best contrived of the present day, and one that will become yet more extensively in use. DEAFNESS.—The great number of cases of nervous deaf ness successfully treated with warm medicated vapour by Mr. Cronin, has attracted so much attention that we are in formed it is becoming the general treatment of every dis pensary where diseases of the ear are properly attended to in this country. When it is recollected that warm ;vapour and baths are constantly recommended for nervous affections of other parts of the body, we are not surprised at the decided success attending Mr. Cronin's practice in Chester as else where. We beg attention to the remarks of some of our contemporaries in our advertising columns. TRIAL OF SKILL AND SPEED. Yesterday, a most amusing and interesting contest took place, on the river, be tween one of the Seacorne steamers and the New Brighton. Both the packets started from the pier -head, for their re spective destinations, about eleven o'clock, when the captain of each vessel was determined to try his skill and the speed of the respective boats. They started even, and kept close together until midway across the river, when the old Sea combe, one of the most useful vessel on the river, shot a head, and maintained its position to the Seacombe slip ; in fact winning, as our horse-racing friends would say, in a canter, amid the loud cheers of the spectators. The betting was 5 to 4 on the New Brighton. STEAM-SHIP PRESIDENT.—A lecture for the benefit of the widows and orphans of the crew of this mysteriously-ab sent vessel, is to be delivered on Wednesday next, at the Liver Theatre, by Mr. Mackie. Mr. Raymond has kindly given the use of the theatre on the occasion. We trust that the friends of humanity, the benevolent and the kind-hearted will not fail to use their most strenuous endeavours to fill the house to overflowing. THE BARON DE COSSON'S PICTURES. — Amongst the crowds of visitors in Liverpool at present, there must be a great many who possess a love of art and are picture fanciers and picture purchasers. To such we can confidently recom mend a visit to Mr. Lacey's rooms, in 80ld -street. where the Baron de Cosson's pictures are now on view for sale. We have noticed these very superior works of art in a late number of the STANDARD, therefore further comment upon them is unnecessary, Since that notice many of the pictures have been disposed of. Of those left there are works that need not be hidden when placed alongside of first class pic tures. LAUNCH OF THE TROUBADOUR.—The launch of this su perb vessel, the largest iron steam-ship yet built in Liverpool, took place on Wednesday last. Great interest has been created by the building of the Troubadour, in the minds of those interested in the introduction of iron as a substitute for wood in the construction of ships ; and, notwithstanding the unpropitious state of the weather, a great concourse of spectators congregated together, on the morning appointed for the launch, in the yard of Messrs. Vernon, Hodgson and Co., the spirited and enterprising builders of this beautiful specimen of the art of ship-building. A few minutes before one o'clock, just at the top of the tide, the last props or stays were knocked away, and she glided off the stocks into the broad bosom of the Mersey with the most perfect smooth ness ; not a vibration to the right or the left was discoverable ; and, when fairly floating on her destined element, the was as true in her trim as the most fastidious skipper could desire= a gratifying proof of the correctness of her lines, and of the truth of the principles upon which she has been constructed. After the launch, a cold collation was given to the chief of the company present, in the moulding-room of the establish ment, at which the utmost conviviality prevailed. Th e healths of Messrs. Vernon and Co., Messrs. Redmond and Co. (the owners), Mr. John Vernon, the lovely sponsor of the vessel, together with success to steam, iron ships, &c., &c., were given with enthusiasm, and called f or th from ap propriate parties some pertinent and well-timed o b servat i on s. Previous to the ship quitting the stocks, s r e inspected 1 • carefully, and feel justified in asserting th a t for com he r carefully, compactness of jointing, excellence of finish, and for skill in so disposing the berths that each one shall contribute its n uotum of ser vice to, and at the same time assist, its neighbour, think her equal exists—certainly not hersuperior. we do not line, This noble steamer is intended for th e I r i sh and Bristol is the property of Messrs. Red mon d and Co. Captain;_i nanntd, a gentleman distinguished f or hi s lectures on marie law, and in whom are combined the sturdy, undaunted British sailor with the man of education and polished manners, is chosen for her commander ; and we predict for the Troubadour a career of renown to her builders, of credit to her coin manders, and of profit to her owners. After considerable labour, we have succeeded in obtaining every particular relative to the proceedings of the Royal Agricultural Society, now taking place in this town. Every obstacle has been thrown in the way of the press, and all the information we have procured has been obtained at the expense of the greatest personal trouble. The object of the Society seems to have been to procure, for their own pub lication, an exclusive report of the events of the last few days, and to prevent the local organs of the town furnish ing any account of them whatever, in order to dispose of a few extra numbers of their accredited publication. It was at one time determined to exclude the press altogether ; but, for some reason with which we are at present un acquainted, one gentleman from each newspaper has been admitted, and we therefore hope that any inaccuracies in our reports will be attributed to the niggardly determina tion of the Society. The arrangements throughout have been wretched : no information was afforded to the public, from whom the loudest complaints have justly been called forth. EXHIBITION AT THE BOTANIC GARDEN As a splendid show of plants &c., flowers will take place this afternoon at the Botanic garden, some account of the ground and the conservatory will, we presume, be acceptable to strangers : The Liverpool Botanic Garden was established by sub. scription, and was opened in 1803. The original site, from which it was removed about five years ago, was at the top of Oxford-street, near Edge-hill. Mr. Shepherd, the curator, is a gentleman of much botanical research, and politely com municates his knowledge to enquiring visitors. From the increase of the town it became necessary to remove the plants, &c., to a greater distance from its smoke, and the present appropriate site in Edge-lane was fixed upon. The ground is nearly level, and is surrounded by interesting rural objects and buildings. it comprises eleven acres, in an oblong square, and is laid out in a moat tasteful and appropriate manner. After the fatigues of a day devoted to the cares, toils, and confinement of business, we know of nothing more calculated to recruit the physical, and to soothe and refresh the moral powers, than a stroll through this delightful retreat. The walks are of great width ; some of them straight, and some winding; on each side of them is thick short grass, which may be said to form the groundwork of the whole, in which there are numerous clumps or divisions, in a variety of forms, of flowering and decorative shrubs and flowers. At the bot tom or south end, there is an oval pond, edged with stones, and on each side are large rockeries, with appropriate mosses and other creeping plants. Here, too, are numerous species of grasses. On each side the garden, at some dis tance from and parallel with the respective walls, rims a straight walk throughout its whole length. The garden is yet comparatively new, and being nearly level, with a gentle inclination to the south, has an appearance of flatness, but the shrubs are making rapid progress, and will, in a few years, do away with the sameness of the ground, arising from the want ofundulation. There is a tilled border under the walls, in which blossom many choice perennials, and other plants and flowers. Many fine specimens are also trained against the walls, including climbing roses and magnolias. The bo der under the north wall, which has the full advan tage of /Ise sun, is peculiarly rich in this respect. Near it we observed a rare and curious plant of the fir tribe, resembling at a short distance a small spruce tree, but thicker and darker coloured in the stem and branches. This is the Araucaria imbricata, from South America. It is covered all over with dark-green thick pointed leaves, standing nearly straight out from the stem and branches, and so strong and sharp that they seem as if cut out of metal. The tops of the branches are turned upwards, and terminate in hard tufts, not unlike an unripe thistle. Like that plant too, it is not harshly tan gible with impunity ; and the Scottish motto might with eqnal Propriety be written under it—"Netno me impune lacessit." This is becoming a favourite decorative plant amongst the nobility, and obtains high prices. The Duke of Devonshire has several fine varieties of it, and there is one in the Royal Gardens at Kew of a rare kind, of which the leaves are more flat or prostrate. The Arancaria is found at high and in hospitable altitudes on the mountains of the Southern Ame rican continent, where it is seen spreading its dark branches over the rocky and broken surface. The Conservatory comprises the hothouses and greenhouse, ' the whole front, roof, and ends are of glass, is an erection of a hundred yards in length, and of considerable width. The centre division, for the larger tropical exotics, is about 24 feet in height, with a semi-circular facade. In front of this erection there is a spacious terrace-walk, bisecting the ground at about a third of its length from the north wall. From the middle there is a central walk down the green. An or namental parapet wall of hewn stone, runs the length of the conservatory. The terrace walk is occasionally covered in, opposite the building, by an awning, forming a magnificent tent, for the holding of ladies' bazaars, and other similar Purposes. Here, last year but one, was held a meeting of the British Medical Association, during their week's stay at Liverpool. The Greenhouse occupies the eastern portion of the con servatory, and is nearly fifty yards in length. Here a great portion of the plants are from New Holland, and (with others) form a very extensive collection. These plants, like the animals of that country, bespeak, when felt, the generally sterile nature of the soil from which they are derived. They are invariably harsh,:and hard of feel in their foliage. We observed a fine specimen of the camphor plant, " camphor volatile," the leaves of which arc of a fine vivid green, and when rubbed together emit the well-known odour of the truly volatile, extraordinary, and valuable drug of that name. This plant has already reached the full height of the roof. The minor plants and flowers are of great variety, and so numerous that they appear to be rather crowded. An addi tion to the conservatory at each end would on this account be desirable. The Hothouses are in three divisions. The central and eastern are devoted to the growth of tropical plants and flowers. Here, those who have visited either of the Indies will immediate ly recognise several of their most striking and peculiar trees and plants, characterized by the immense size and beauty o f t h e i r leaves. We observe the cocolobo pubescens, a tall West Indian plant, with a hard-wood stein and large cerated leaves, growing from branches at the top. This is known to the natives of the islands producing it as " the sea-side grape." Some of the leaves of this identical plant, before its removal from the old garden, (which gave it a check, from which, however, it is rapidly recovering,) measured eighteen feet round, including the indentations ! The fruit which it bears is not held in much esteem. Perhaps the finest plant here is the Australitzia Augusta, so called in honour of the house of Austerlitz. It is a native of South Africa, and somewhat resembles the Banana, but is very dif ferent in several respects. The stem of thickly-jointed appearance, is not formed of the successive leaves, like the Banana, but is self grown. The leaves grow from sterns or stalks, proceeding from the top, and from two opposite sides or points of the compass only, and as these are one over the other and close together at the converging point, the tree is of a flat form, not unlike an Indian dusting brush. The leaves are from four to five feet in length. The lower and larger leaves hang downwards like those of the Banana. The present specimen is remarkably fine, being about twenty seven feet in height, but it is compressed in stature, the upper leaves having some time reached the roof, some of the glass in which it once broke in its strength of vegitation. In its native clime this plant attains a height of about fifty feet; but it is stated as remarkable, by a gentleman who has visited South Africa, that the leaves are not so large or so fine as those which it throws forth in this country. In the western division may be seen a plant called after Captain Bligh, the " Bliyhia Sapida," the African Ada, which bears a large fruit, the pulp of which resembles marrow : also the Pandana in great perfection. Amongst the smaller plants and flowers there are many that are deemed curious. The Cephalotus 'bile:dads, or pitcher plant of New Holland; and the Bengal pitcher plant, Nepenthus distilatoria are remarkable, particularly the latter. At the end of its tendrils it bears cups, hanging perpendicularly, of a long shape, terminating in a scroll, and with a leaf forming a half-open lid at the top—not unlike in form to a . Scotch horn snuff-mull. This cup, or picker, in the native country of the plant, contains about a gill of water, which is supplied not by the rains, but by the distilling properties of the plant itself. Dr. Traill, when he resided in this town, analysed some of the liquid, and found it to be pure water. There are various speculations as to the purposes of this aqueous depositary, some conjecturing that it is to supply the thirsty traveller in the torrid regions where the plant flourishes; others, with the greater semblance of accuracy, that it is for the support of the plant itself, by reabsorption, during long droughts. The Dionea Musipula, is perhaps a still more remarkable plant. It requires united warmth and moisture, and even in the hot house is covered with a glass. It rises but little above the soil, and has leaves (or rather appendages to the general leaves,) two and two together, about the size and form of a cockle shell when opened, and with small sharp thorns or spikes at the edges pointing towards each other like teeth, and reminding one of an iron rat-trap. It is not at all improbable the form of that useful instrument was taken from this plan . There are three little spines in each lobe of this little trap, so sensitive, that if a fly drops in, it immediately closes, as if on its prey, and retains its captive Touched in the spines by a bit of sprig or anything else, it closes obediently to the hand of the visiter, the thorns or teeth fitting between each other. Mr. Sbephard one day ob served an earwig, a very strong insect for ,its size, secured in this trag, and, unable to make its escape, it was after wards found dead. There are also a variety of other interesting plants, but we have not room to particularize them. The show of plants, flowers, and fruits, at this Horticul tural Exhibition, (which will commence at two o'clock this day), will, it is fully anticipated, be rare and magnificent. The preparations made are on an extensive scale, and all the principal growers and amateurs fin the neighbourhood, for many miles round, will contribute their choicest specimens, to add to the gratification of the visitors. The two im mense margees belonging to the garden are already erected in front of the Conservatory on the terrace walk or prome nade. Here, in addition to the interior accommodations in the buildings, large tables are placed for the display of fruits, flowers, &c. On one of them will be founds beautiful model of a romantic flower garden—if we may so term it, with a foun tain spouting up in the centre, a rock-work summer house and other addenda to complete the pleasing miniature landscape. In front of the semicircular centre of the conservatory, the fountain will be in full play ; and, on each side of the beauti ful sward, east and west of it will be seen a fine classical and appropriate figure in sculptor. At the bottom of the garden there will be a jet, from the rocky pedestal of the figura of a water Nymph, the " guardian of the lake ;" upwards of a hundred beautiful flags will be displayed, and a fine band of music will be in attendance. The ground, too, is already enlivened by marquees and tents, so placed as to produce a pleasing effect. Two of the latter will be appropriated by Mr. Lynn, of the Waterloo Hotel, for the dispensing of re freshments to the visitors. The whole will form a delightful fete chanzpetre ; and, as the object is to stimulate the friends of the delightful and valuable science of botany, the attend ance will, we doubt not, be numerous and fashionable. MR. SALTER'S PICTURE OF THE WATERLOO BANQUET. This picture has been one of the lions of Liverpool this week, and has literally drawn crowds of visitors. A great many names have been added to the list of subscribers to the engraving, which will do honour to the artist—do honour to the engraver—do honour to the publisher—and, lastly, reflect credit on the man who hangs it up in his dwelling. On the Waterloo battle-field, the peace of Europe was . - decided. Let Prussia claim the victory if she will ; let all our allies put in their demand for having turned the tide ; but they " cannot rail the seal from off the bond ;" there stands the man they all looked to in those eventful hours, and there are the gallant sons of the islands that they confided in, and without whom another crown of victory would have been added to Napoleon's bloodstained brows. That mall is in his second grave, and there let him sleep ; his conqueror, thanks to Providence, is living, and well. Napoleon would have deluged " la belle France," or any other lovely country with blood, so that he could slake his thirst for ambition. What was it to him that the mother wept for her son, the child for its father, the wife for the husband, or the girl for her brother, or lover ? What cared Buonaparte that a river of blood ran in a sanguine stream from French or any other hearts ? Not a rush, while he shouted for "La belle France et la gloire," and could infatuate thousands to cry, " Vive Entpereur! vive Napoleon !" What was it to him that the household comforts of his followers were exiled, and that the sword dr an k d eep aroun d . R ead the records of his career, either En g li s h or F renc h vers i on , an d " blood, blood, blood !" stares you in the face, till the heart aches, and o a n t d erl t o h o e eyes grow dim with looking at the crimson prisoner ins far land. sealed Buonaparte's fate ; he perished a genius to immortalize an anniversary of the glorious His conqueror lives, and the painter, too, r who will find the men seated d_ _ hm day th . e and surely a record of bly mentioned , opposite to us honour!' Who ever reads the annals of England them should be kept ev ery English home. We do hope e nailed in number and respecta bility, will be attainedsay, that, in Liverpool, where we ' are so f u o n r ti the . " W . aterloo Banquet ;'' and ay that Mr. 114 °° 11 rn if,, e we have done honour to the great by becoming possessed of his portrait f Wellington name o t than any other town in the kingdom, renter extent to a g strongly cons.erva WATERPROOF JACKETS.-Mr. Berdoe's shooting jackets° we believe, can be highly recommended for durability and xcellence. His advertimnent appears elsewhere.