The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-06-12 00:00:00

BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND
AGRICULTURAL EXIIIBITION.

DORCHESTER MEETING.

[A portion of the following report will be found in au
edition of tine .lay week, but.. for the sake of COM-
plvtauesa, we have given the whole account.]

A science, upon the right understanding of which the
cultivation of the soil of • country and the maintenance
of its peeple materially depend, cannot but be one of
deep And vital interest to all classes of the community.
The increasing of the comforts and conveniences of life,
the advancement of commerce, and the elevation of
society by diffusing • love of art, are all deserving of
every encouragement which the mind and energies of
man can bring to bear upon them ; but even these must
yield iir importance ti the cultivation of the soil, upon
which the human family ia located, and to which it must
look as the resource for the supply of its daily food.
And as the population of a country increases, if it would
retain its position in the wale of nations, se also does
the necessity exiat that the soil should be made more
productive than heretofore. To effect this object, a
better mirlo of cultivation must be adopted, more eill-
,m.nt 11,11 St be elaiployed, and aciaswo oud
Ipractice must join hand in band.
It is true that in a certain sense the agriculturist must
rely upon his industry and skill fur success, but lie mart
not stop here. If we look into the history of the past,
we shall Mid that men engaged in pursuits—whether for
war or for peace --whether for religious, moral, scien-
talc, literary, or artistic purposes,—bave in all ages and
under every circumstance acted upon the principle of
mutual association and combination. There is scarcely
any great result which has tended to advance civiliza-
tion, to spread refinement, and to promote the social
and physcial welfare of mankind, which has not been
mainly owing to time efforts made and concentrated by
societies established for the purpose of cam eying such ob.
jecta into effect. This principle is in generally recognised
in the preent day that it has come to be • predui ll ll ant
feature in our social system. It is this which giver
stability end effect to the various bnuiclies of study in
which men are engaged, fanning as it dues a nucleus—a
point to wl ich they bring their experience and the
result of their investigatiou* to bear, and thus, by
commirison, to contribute to the elucidation of truth.
But although so much practical good has resulted (non
the formation of societies for the advancement of
various studies, it appears an anomaly that one of the
most important of all sciences, namely, that of agri-
culture, (upon which so many others depend, which is
the foundation of commerce and the precursor of arta
of civilization), should have, until a comparatively recent
period, struggle en unaided, and without that syatensatic
cu-operation which has given so gnat a stimulus to

every other.
The establishment of" the Beth Agricultural Society'
—now changed to that of " the Bath cud West of
England Agricultural Societe—was, perhaps, the find
step taken in that direction in this country. lt was
called into existence, we are told, in 1777, by a 11r.
Edward Rack, a gentleman who was far in advance of
the times in which lie lived, and who was its fiist
secretary ; and under the preiidencies of the Earl of
Ilchester, the Earl of Aileihary, and the celebrated
Duke of Bedford, more especially, the society increased
in intluence and impurtince. After the Duke of
Bedford, who was snatched away by death in 1802, in
the full career of his usefulness, the Society was
presided over successively by Sir Benjamin Hubhouso
and the Marquis of Lansdowne; but amidst the
establishment of other societies of a kindred character
it lost touch of its former high prestige, and was growing
" small by 'degrees and beautifully less," when tile
happy idea occurred to extend it. sphere of action, and
I reconstruct it soniewhit after the model of the Royal
Agricultural Society ; and thus, by widening its basis,
to increase its influence mid importance.
The idea of this important step originated, we believe,
about ten years since with Thomas Dyes Ackland, Esq.
and she first meeting under the new regime took place
at Taunton in 1852. Since then its annual meetings
have been held at Plymouth is 1853 ; Bath, 1854, Tiver-
-4,0.1855 ; Yeovil, 12456 ; Newton Abbott, 1857; Cardiff,
1858; and Barnstaple, 1839. The publication of its
transactions and numerous prize essays have done much
in promoting Agrciultural improvement ; and number-
ing as it dues, at the present time, upwards of 1,380
governors, life members, and annual subscribers, it has
become one of the most important and flourishing
agricultural societies in the whole kingdom, and bids
for at the present time, to take the lea 4 even of the
Royal Agricultural Society.
That the Bath and West of England Society should,
in an abort • period of time, hive coininanaled so large
an amount of success, need not for a moment excite our
surprise, when vre remember that the benefits which
have resulted, and which will continue to result from
this and kiiiiired societies, are of a two-fold nature—to
the public in geoeral and to the agriculturists in particu-
lar. The fundamental principle of the society is to in-
crease the productive powers of the moil, to lessen the
cost of productior by the use of more efficient iniule-
meats, acid a better system of cultivation; and toencim-
mge the ineprosement of stock both in breeding and
feeding. As the writ'', of a country depends so Largely
on its produce, it follows that ea eryelass in the column-
eity is benefited, in a greater or leis degree, by this im-
proved state of things, and as such deeerres the support
and encouragement of all classes as far MS their several
circumstances will allow. But we cannot now stay to
dwell on Clime point*. Our object is not at present to
write an eve,' on the hen-fits of agricultural societies,
but to report the ',recreating* of the Bath and West of
E:ig'alid Society of the present year. At the meeting at
Baum...plc last year, it was resolved to hold the next
annual meeting of the society at Dorchester, and force-t-
-rying the object iutu effect, &local committee was formed
for the purpose of raisuuig the necessary funds, and for
making other important and necessary arrangements.
Al Taunton the loc.al contributions amounted to 4'210, at
Plymouth to £450. at Bath, £430, at Tiverton, £450, at
Yeovil, 42450, at Newton Abbot, £7OO, at Cardiff, £BOO,
and at Dm est/tole Co 1.1100, while at Dorchester, accord-
ing to the ruleertised list of last week, we perceive
upwards of £1,509 have been raised for all purposes.
This large aniouni, we think, augurs well for the great
interest the inhabitanta of this district have taken in the
exhibition of 181 M, and shows not silly that these large
annual exhibitious are growing in favour, but that the
, people gesierilly are alive to the great importance
I attached to improved agriculture.

THE APPEARANCE OF THE TOWN.
For some weeks past the inhabitants of Dorchester,
beim; fully alive to the great importance and utility of
the West of England Society's Exhibition, and aware
of the great influx of visitors to be expected on the occa-
sion, have been using their best endeavours to give éclat
to the event. In the principle streets and thorough-
fares artisans have been employed cleaning, painting,
an.l renovating the exterior of the houses and shops,
while in several instances plate glass has supeiseled the
old fashioned sashes ho greatly prized by our ancestors.
Everything betokened the resolution of the townspeople
to receive their guest* in holiday attire, sod alto-
gether in a way conformable to the taste of modern
times.