The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-09-18 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.
MR. DOIIRON, M P., ON AGRICULTURE.
Mr. lbsbion, Ml'., presided at Bart:owl* harvest 1
home on Thursday. Over three hundred sat down, the
farmers and landlords combining to make the event a
holiday in the parish. In proposing success to their
harvest home the right hon. gentleman said. The
wheat produce of England was greater than of any
other country in Europe except Russia and France.
Italy however, ran na very close. The greatest wheat-
prolucing country in the world was the United States,
England bolding the fourth position. In the production
of barley and oats we stood respectively third and
fourth. As regarded the number of cattle, it could not
be expected that England could compete with the '
boundless tracts of the United Staten or Russia, which
extended indefinitelv into Asia; but we hail more
cattle than any other European country except '
France, and we were only ii very little behind them.
England had more sheep than any other c ,nutry,
excepting Ruasia. Some might suggest Australia, but
that country was composed of several different '
colonies, and therefore it seemed hardly fair to reckon
the entire continent as one. Of horses we hail &greater
number than any other country, excepting again
Ruse's and the United States. Some of those present
might have beard the story of the Yankee who came
to Enchant and mid it made him nervous to walk out
after dark, the country was so small lie WWI afraid of
falling out ait (laughter.) There was no doubt, how-
ever, that comparatively we had a very limited extent
of territory; we hail only very moderate soil, and •
very indifferent climate. How came it then that
England had obtained such a very high issition:in the
industrial world, not only is. regarded agriculture,
but in manufactures, minin'4, and every other large
branch of industry ? lie did not think we were en'itled
to lay the flattering unction ti our emits that we were
more quick witted or more clever with our fingers than
other p.iple ; he was certain, also, that we were
entitled to claim the credit .4 being less wasteful in
our habits than the inhabitants if other comitriea.
The war we had obtained our ...sition had been
because Engliah people hail an uneinuillel power in
irenteverance in work (cheers) It hail been by sheer
enemy of brain and muscle.

GoRED TO DFATR DT A (111 r.

Thumlay the Conmerof 'lle4er, held an inquest on
the holy of Mr. William Weave, farmer, of Manley, ,
Cheshire. On Saturday night the deceased :from-
panied by a dog, went to one of his cornfields to eject a
number of cows which were treaspasaing, when one of
them becoming infuriated attacked him in a very
violent manner, inflicting such dreadful injuries on the
lower part 11 his body that he succumbed on Monday
evening to mortification. The coroner commented on
the fact that after the injuries were inflicted the
deceased man was driven some six miles to we a
sutgeon, when ,me should have been brought to him,
and intimated that this must have aggravated his
already serious condition.
PARTRIDGE SHOOTINO.

It acems to be generally agreed—anal, indeed, one
need not go any farther than the poulterere' windowe
for confirmation of the fact—that, in the majority of
counties. partridge', were very email on the let of
September, and that it would be on the whole far
better if St. Partridge chould become in England, as
it iN in other countries, a movable feast. It may be
pointed out that it is not long ago mince the date of
blackcock chanting wme changed from the 12th of
August to the let id September ; no that at all events,
If a movable feast cannot be managed. it might be at
least poseible to defer the "let" until the "12th,"
_ TIRE GOLDIN SHORTHORNS.

It in only a few years since that • cow if the Duchess
tribe from the (mimed " pastures of 0 -nova, Illinois,"
fetched seven thousand guineas at the historical sale in
the States. In 1075, at the great Aylesbury sale, Mr.
Ton's herd eighty, all bred on the farm, were sold for
over forty thousand pein-ls, that is, an average of five
hundred pounds fir all ages; mitt within the last week we
have seen these prices capped by an average of five
hundred and ten pounds for Mr. Cochrane's Canadian
herd ; while for one heifer four thousand three hundred
guine is were cheerfully given, and for another fonr
thousand one hundred. But these were sisters of the
direct line from Bates Duchese, a family for which no
sum seems too high in the estiuiation of those who love
fashion alive all things. It is a curious conridence that
the highest-priced females 1,1 the age should have both
come to us from the other side of the Atlantic, certainly a
proof that the climate over the way has n I hurtful
influenc-• on the Bates tribe, which the "Nestor of Short-
horns' and his Booth followers looked upon as delicate
and worn out by in-breeding. At all events, Lord Bective,
Mr. Loder, and • few others who dearly love the beautiful
Duchess proportion., showed no fear id this at the Great
Weetruereland gathering last week. These two, with Mr.
Alsopti to oppose them, isale the sale; and it will Indite
told by the northern breeders and their wives, whe sat I
around that charnied circle on the bill by RlWlleS`'. that
laiks down on Windermere and the pleasant vales of
Troutbeck antl Anilileside, over which the cold calm l'row
of the lied tierces keeps watch and ward, how the hidding
on, not by guineas and tens hetween these three, but,
like the thundering shots from heavy artillery, • hundreds
guinea charge at • time. Up to a certain point the
skirmishers were allowed to run with pottering fire, and
among these there was not • pause until the first thousand
hat leen reached_ Then the rank and file began to fall
off one by one, the big guns were brought up, anti only
two intrepid leaders could stand the heavy fire any
Longer. Messrs. Lxler and Alsopp exchanged shots, while
the people looked on, half amazed and hid( amused, and
Mr. Thornton hardly raised his sand-glass until the
bidding had reached four thousand. At four thousand
one hundred Mr. Asopp would have no more, arid
Whittlebury was the destined home of Third Duchess of
Bathurst. When the sister walked proudly into the
enclosure, Lard Bective, who evidently believes in the
moral effect of a good beginning, joined the fray at once
with • thousand-guinea bid. Mr. Lotter capped this with
another thousand ; then Mr. Alsopp chiruned in and
helped to run the score op to three thousand three
hundred: at which point Lord Bective quietly dropped
another thousand-guinea shell among them, and in the
midst of the surPrise creator' be this decisive stroke the
sand ran out in his lordship's favour.

The season for salmon net fbhing in the Tweed closed
Friday. The produce on the whole has been better than
that of the last two or three years. Salmon and trout
have been more numerow, and the yield of these is about
an average.
The Selretlelrent has appeared again—this time in the
channel of the Clyde. Several excursionists on board
Lord Glaspow's screw yacht Valetta declare that they
sighted the monster four times, and give minute accounts
of his appearance.
THE International Rifle Match was concluded at New
York in favour of the Amer Casio. the British team being
beaten at the POU, SOO and l 001) yards distsnce.
THE Countess of Hard wicke's residence at Hamble. near
Netley Hospital, Southampton. was entered during •
dinner party on Thursday evening.
The Duke of Cleveland owns the racecourse of Wolver-
hampton, and the people want it for a public park. He
offers fifty acres in the middle on lease at a little over £3OO
• year for 63 years, with the option of purchase then at
1.400 an acre. Much enthusiasm prevail,. The offer will.
it is supposed, be formslly accepted next Thursday.
As • pleasure party were proceeding down the river
Tivy Fridm, from Cardigan Boy the boat was upset and
Bee person belonging to the Collegiate School were
drowned.
THE Rev, H. C. SPLIKISON ON OPEN Jan PIRACITING.
Friday evening the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon presided at the
annual meeting of the Eveagrlical krociation and in
the course of an address to the members, he alvised thole
who preached, especially in the open air, to he natural.
He had writen • book, giving sketches of preachers he
bad lien. and he hoped all young men who engared in
this work would read it. Some preached in prige-llghthlg
utyle a. threatening with their fists, while they said
"some unto me.' Then others used the pump-handle
style- Some time lino, he had seen a men preaching at a
Minot corner, having with him a Inhle big enough to need
wheel-harrow to carry it. and he WM preaching the
ipeapal to • little dog (his sole auditor). Let them in
perching in the streets, be nabthal and earnest, and let
thew raid oddities, for there was no small danger of the
r eatity .sof the preacher being remembered while his
was feegotien.