The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-10-14 00:00:00

CHARD AORICELTURAL SOCIETY.

The sixth annual exhibition of the Chard Agri•
cultural Society took place on Monday in a field
nearly at the bottom of the town. The show was
much smaller than that of late years, but this is in
a great measure to be accounted for by Weyhill
fair falling on the same day. The deficiency in
numbers, however, was fully compensated by
quality, some of the specimens exhibited being of a
tirst-rate description. The attendance of spectators
to the show yard was very limited, and fell far
short of previous years. The number of entries in
the various classes were but small, and some met
with no competition, but in the majority of the
classes the competition was good. The hrirses were
much admired, and were of a very superior de-
scription. The show of cattle was not very large,
but the competition was good, the animals being
beautifully proportioned. The number of sheep
was large, and were remariabie for their symmetry
and the quality of their wool, and the judges had
much difficulty in awarding thp prizes. Of pigs the
entries were rather large. The boars were very
fine animals, and the same may be said of the sows.
The show of implements was not on a very exten-
sive scale, but Messrs. Smith exhibited several hand
and horse-power chaff-cutting machines. Messrs.
Wightman and Denning also coltributed to the ex-
hibition. The arrangements of the yard were
excellent, and great praise is due to Mr. H. Apline,
the indefatigable secretary of the society, for the
manner in which the show was conducted. The
judges were Mr. Dampney, of Ilchester, Mr.
Brooks, Brinsmore Tree, Yeovil, Mr. if. Coate,
Sherborne, and Mr. Jennings, Martock.

THE DINNER
took place at the George Hotel, when about eighty
gentlemen sat down under the presidency of the
Hon. W. W. Addington, one of the vice-chairmen
of the society, to partake of the good things pro-
vided by Host Corner, who in his usual well-
known style had amply provided for the accommo-
dation of his guests. The room presented a very
pretty appearance, being gaily decked out with
flowers and appropriate mottoes, among the most
completions of which wete " Suceesa to Agricttl-
titre,' "Prosperity to the trade of Chard," God
sate the queenin "pd the Plough;" "Pt**
Welcome, and Plenty.*' Amongst -Hoak, ptedent
we noticed the Rev. W. Thompson, vicar of Chard;
W. Dommett, Esq.' Chard; N. Spicer, Esq.,
Chard; E. Clarke, Esq., W. W. Clarke, Esq.,
Messrs. Dommett, Broadwinsor ; Jennings, Mar-
toek ; Maynard, Taunton ; Hickvrorthy, Dminster ;
Clapper, Tainiton; , Lang, Ilminster ; Richard
Dolernah, Cricket; Harris; Attiple Btirrotke, Park
Farm, Donyatt; Henry Coate, Sherborne ;
Wyatt, Partingdon ; W. Holland, Wayland; J.
Bartlett, Cricket St. Thomas; W. Snell, Midwell ;
A. Hull, Chillington ; C. Paull, Taunton ; R.
Welch, Stocklinch ; C. Franklin, Breckenhall ; J.
Cannaeott, Shelbear ; It Coleman, Cricket Mal.
liarhie; Bradford, lingebetry j Hicks; Weston ;
H. Chapman, Dillington ; Minson, ilminster;
Burch, Bristol, ecc. . .

Grace having been said, and the cloth removed,
The CHAIRMAN gave "The Health of the Queen,"
and in so doing said he was aware that during the
last few years it was customary to drink this toast
With as fest wcirds as pa:Sable; but he thought it
would be doing sin wit of injustice if he sat doWn
without expressing his approbation of Her Majesty's
conduct. (Cheers.) Although she had been op-
pressed with duties and cares, which she has most
faithfully discharged, she had endeavoured for her
subjects to do theirs. Alluding to the death of the
Prince Consort, the Chairnian said he tffought there
was no one Who would look baCk It the death of
that nobleman without regret. They bad never felt
his loss until he had been taken away from the
midst of them (cheers,) and they would all agree
with him that a great lows had been sustained by
the nation in his death.
The Citainstaft next gaqe "The Health of the
Prince a vr ilea and the rest of the Royal Family:"
In doing robe observed that the events which had
occurred during the past twelvemonths was not
to be considered as nothing. These was not an
Englishman in the room who was not. proud of t4e
approaching niarristge of His Itota.l Elighnesti. He
(the chairman) thought it would be one of great
advantage, and the event would be looked forward
to with more interest in England than had been the
pass for miuly years. The chairman, then passed a
hI gh eillogium upon the Prinees of Denmark; and
said that the Prince of Wales appeared to have
acted in a very judicious manner, and was About to
place upon the throne a princess; in every way
calmilated to fill the high positicin in which She
would be bladed. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN next proposed the bealths of "The
Bishop and Clergy of the Diocess. He said that vihen
they met on occasions such as that which brought them
together to-day, it was a cheering circumstance to see
amongst them Ridge whose ditties it wits to attend not
only to their spiritual welfare, but who mixed up with
them in festive gatherings. (Cheers). They met them
almost on every occasion like the present, and be
thought there were very few who would not agree with
him ip saying that it was in a great measure through
the clergymen's exertions that they °Wed runeh of
their prosperityi and be wag piways teTt happy to see
them at such meetings, (Chefs). The Chairman
concluded by proposing "The Health of the Bishop and
Clergy of the Diocese coupling with the toast the
name of the Bev. 11. Tholupson, vhiar of Chard.
The Rev. H. Titonesoa responded. He said he was
sorry that he was the only clergyman present, as perhaps
some one would have been kind enough to have respon-
ded for him; but under the circumstances it became
his ddty to respond td the Wrest. With regard do the
Bishop theta was a strong feeling xtrevailing come Aloft
time since of what he might call mingled hope and joy,
that he was about to be removed from their diocese
and promoted to the Archbishopric. They all felt
that a better man there could not be for the office, but
at the same time he was afraid there was a sort of
selfish feeling among them when they found bow
matters stood. (Cheers), their bishop was well
known, and was respected and beloved, and there were
no meetings which he attended with greater pleasure
than those connected with agriculture. He (the vicar)
trusted that the clergy would always follow in the steps
of their Bishop. Their duty was to attend to the
spiritual wants of mankind, but they were always ready
to engage in any work that would tend to do good.
Christianity was not only a religion for the next world,
but it became their duty to promote any object that
would benefit mankind. (Cheers.) In alluding to
agricultural societies, the rev. gentleman said that there
was nothing which was more likely to tend to the good
of mankind than such societies as theirs. He had
been connected with the society for some time, and be
hoped that as long as he lived he should be considered
the friend of the farmer, and that in return they would
always look upon him as their freind, (Cheers). The
rev, gentleman concluded by thanking the chairman
and oompany for the kind and flattering manner in
which the healths of the Bishop and Clergy had been
received.

The CHAIRMAN then rose to propose the toast
of "The Army, Navy, and Volunteers. In doing
so he expressed a hope that none of them would ever
live to see the time when they would be called upon for
active service. (Cheers). Alluding to the immense
preparations for war going on in foreign countries, he
said that when they looked around them and saw the
vast preparations made by other nations for arming, he
thought it woo incumbent for England to be on the
alert. If they went into foreign countries, like lie had
recently, they would see armies composed of 300,000 or
400,000 men, but for what purpose they were inten-
ded he could not tell. He thought they would be
better employed in improving their native land. How
long this state of things would last was impossible to say,
hut he thought it was our duty to protect our own shores
(Cheers). Referring to the Whitworth gun the Chair-
MBA said that perhaps they would soon hear of • gun
'that would blow up arje without going across the
%titer. (Laughter). He did not knew which were the
Isest—theArmstrong, or Whitworth guns; for by putting
!Ittitl Inks oliarge in tooll t two they WoOl4 blow
• .