The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1869-01-05 00:00:00

itantpobire.

Astareeterrutae Meese roa ffsnl.glirltn.—ne peat
sewn has been of an entirely exceptionel charaeter,and
will long be remembered in the souls of agriculture on
amount of the extreme drought which prevailed
through the whole of tbe summer months, and,
In consequence, the great deerth of cattle food,
which was felt most severely upon all Deihl
not only as regards the arid and useless con-
dition of the uses lands, but also upon the arable lands,
on which it was quite impossible to grow anything like
the uaual products of root food for cattle. The bay
crop, on the whole, warn under an average, and for •
time fetched • very high price, but has receded some-
what in valee as the winter advanced. It is to be hoped
that the fear as to provision being found for utile and
sheep stock has now abated, owing to the extremely
favourably autumn, the mildness of the weather having
to • considerable exteet mitigated the evils of • general
scarcity ; and it meet be very gratifying to the agrioul-
turel interest that Provident* has thus, up to the
end of the year, so far oompenuted them for the
difiktalties which beset them during the summer. la
referring to the health and condition of cur flown/ and
herds we find it much better than could have been
expected under such trying circumstances., but the dry
season has no doubt had the effect of holding in
the foot lainenus, to which flocks of sheep have been
subject fora number of years; in fact, it has prevailed
ore or lege ever since the year DNA, and we fear that
the constitutions of oar sheep are so impregnated
with the epidemic and foot laxgegess that they will
not be entirely free from attach for a long period when
the seasons are wet and mild, for we find that numerous
flasks have fallen IWO, within the last week, caused, no
doubt, by the prevailing wet weather. Neu cattle
seem to have been very free from disease in thiseonatry,
which may to some extent be attributed to the extreieo
rigour of Orders in Council applied to the cattle trade
during the cattle plague, and also through not allowing
any cattle to come out of the London market alive, and
it is to be hoped that tide view of the matter will lot
be loot sight of in any future arrugemente connected
with the cattle trade, both English and foreign. This
is now the third favourable Lambing season we have
had to report of the early horned ewes, the present
being the best we con ever reoolle* both as regards the
number of lambs saved and the general good health and
condition of the ewes, and it is to be hoped tnat the
Hainpahire Down flocks on the hill farms will have
equal success, as the few early Down ewes we find
have lambed equally as well as the horned ewe,.
The supply of fat stook for Christina, markets has
exceeded our expectations both in numbers and quality,
and upon the whole moat be coneidered satistectory in
prices obtained for them, nor has the sweetening public
any right to complain, considering the scarcity of food
which prevailed. It may be worthy to remark tho
great success which has attended the cattle auctions
throughout the kingdom, for not only has the auction
this Christmas held at Southampton astonished people
I generally, but It is to be noticed that auction, for the
' sale of stock are increasing rapidly, and finding favour
with the agriculturists in nearly all the leading rumba
towns of the Midland and other mintier. and it may he
confidently anticipated from the direction that public
opinion Is now taking that they will continue to theme°
and prevail, and chiefly because auctions poseses se
many and great advantages aa compared with the
ordinary open markets. It is to be toticed that steam
cultivation has made considerable progress during the
past year. There are now a number of sets of tackle on
hire in venous parts of this county, and they have been
in full employee long as the weather proved favourable,
and it is to be seen during the rainy season how readily
the water passes Into the subsoil and coupes on stunt-
onitivated lend, whereas on land under ordinary culture,
the wets, is seen on the surface on all the strong soils,
very much to the injury of the crops and future tillage.
The agriculturists of this county ught to feel gratified
that daring the past year the Hampshire Chamber of
Agriculture has siantesed so prominent and promising •
tweiticie in the advocacy of their interest,, and it is to
be hoped that the Chamber will derive further support
by • large increase of members, and that although the
Chamber has hitherto met only at Basingstoke,
Winchester, and Runny, that its meetings will ho
extended to other towns, like Andover, Southampton,
Perelman, Yetersfield, Alton, and Ringwood. By such
mum a large accession to minters would be obtalued,
and no doubt if gentlemen in the neighbourhood of these
towns would send their armee. stating their willingness
to open dismission, to be approved of by the Council,
that the meetings would become migratory, and
consequently more advantageous to the agriculturists of
the county ; and, when we consider that almost every
county haa and will during the next year have Its
Chamber of Agriculture, we can easily anticipate the
means at oesurnand of influencing the legislature in
favour 01 any fair and reasonable changes in our laws
for the benefit of the owners end occupiers of land.—
.106IPH BLONDILL, Southampton, Dec. diet, 18613.