The Press.
London, England, 1853-07-23 00:00:00

Vol.

THE TrentEE FARl4.—The annual " inspection" of
Mr. Mechi's agricultural establishment, and the im-
provements on his Essex farm, came off on Wednes-
day last, and attracted a numerous muster of men
eminent in rank, and interested for agricultural en-
terprise, among whom were many distinguished fo-
reigners. A majority of the invited company travelled
by special train from London, reaching Tiptree-hall
about noon. After partaking of luncheon, which was
provided in a marquee on the lawn, where also were
lying scattered about sundry monster bulbs of man-
gold-wurzel, and some score of stalks of wheat, all
growing from one root, duly labelled as the results of
irrigation, the company proceeded, under the guidance
of their host, on a tour of inspection through his
fields, where two men were hard at work in the pro-
cess of irrigation—that is to say, directing • stream
of liquefied manure upon the clover from gutta
percha hose, precisely in the same way as a fireman
directs a stream of water upon a fire. Mr. Mechi
has sunk on his farm a large circular tank, into
which all the soil refuse and droppings of his farm are
conveyed, and mixed up with spring water, of which
he requires 40,000 gallons a day. This mess is kept
continually stirred up by a stream of air injected into
the tank by a steam-engine, which keeps the mass
in constant motion, and effectually prevents the more
solid particles settling down at the bottom. The
same steam-engine forces the fluid, into which the
most obstinately solid materials are resolved sooner or
later, through a set of iron pipes laid down over the
whole farm to the extent of two miles of piping on a
farm whose whole area does not exceed 170 acres.
There are two" hydrauts,"or manure-jets, set up in the
proportion of one to every eleven acres, and a gutta
percha tubing, being attached to one of these, en-
sures, under the guidance of one man, an artificial
shower of manure, applied in such a way as to sink
down at once to the roots of the plane, and penetrate
the subsoil to such a distance that, according to Mr.
Mechi, the ordinary tile-drains of the farm, though
sunk to the depth of six feet, frequently smell of it.
The condition of the grass left no question of the
efficiency of this mode of applying manure. The
sheep employed for feeding off the crop were con-
fined in iron birdies mounted on low wheels, which
can be shifted with the flock by one man in less than
a quarter of an.kour. Mr. Mechi states that by this
Wien he is mailed to grow wheat every alternate

JULY .13, 1853

year, so that it is no uncommon affair with him to
get forty-three tons of mangold-wttrzel from au acre
in one year, and five quarters of wheat the next.
These results, splendid as they are, can hardly be
fairly appreciated without comparing them with the
crops grown in the immediate neighbourhood, and
the heath closely adjoining, of which the farm at no
distant period tormed a part, growing nothing but
some grass and stunted furze-bushes. Some of the
great implement-makers had sent down their reaping
and other machines which have lately attracted so
much attention in the agricultural world. Among
these there was the model of the automaton reaper,
by Mr. Garrett, of Saxmuudham, and one of Mr.
M'Cormick's rea ing-machincs,which Mr. Mechi good-
naturedly alowed to cut down several flu raws of his
rising wheat, in order to test its powers. The ease
and rapidity with which the crop was cut. down, the
evenness of the straw, and the cleanness with which
the whole was removed were the theme of general
praise. On another part of the farm Mr. Samuelson's
digging-machine was at work, drawn by five stout
horses. The work of the machine was tolerably satis-
factory, but the depth to which the implement pole-
trated was not very great. Mr. Mechi, however, was
hearty in its praise, and declared that the implement
would yet supersede the plough. About three o'clock
the company were assembled in a long barn, deco-
rated or festooned for the occasion, where a cold col-
lation had been spread for them by their generous
host. In the course of the conversation that took
place after dinner, Mr. Mechi alluded to his published
balance-sheet, which he said had been pointed to
as proving that he farmed at a loss ; but ho would
be able to show this year that the loss was now
turned into profit. This statement was received with
great cheering.
AN ESTABLISHMENT FOR GENTLEWOMEN during
illness has for some time existed in London, though
hitherto but little known, and restricted in utility by
the narrow limits of a small house and insufficient
income. Efforts have, however, been made to ex-
tend the sphere of its operations ; and on Wednes-
day a meeting of the patrons and supporters of the
establishment was held in a new house in Harley-
street, where the society have taken larger premises,
and hope to render their exertions beneficial among
a wide circle of recipients. The Bishop of London
presided at the meeting, and resolutions declaring
the usefulness and advocating the cause of the estab-
lishment were unanimously adopted.
THE Futsr STONE of some extensive buildings de-
signed as an addition to the Commercial Travellers'
School, at Pinner, near Harrow, was laid on Wed
nesday lest with appropriate ceremonies by Mr. J.
Masterman, M.P. A hundred and twenty-two chil-
dren, the orphans or necessitous offspring of com-
mercial travellers, are already receiving education
and maintenance in this establishment.
LORD A. FITZCLARENCE, Commander-in-Chief in
Bombay, is seriously ill, insomuch that it was feared
lie would be forced to return to England when the
last accounts were despatched from India.
BY THE MILITIA ESTIMATES for the year ending
31st March, 1854, it appears that the numbers pro-
posed are 91,812, in which are included 86,0(X) for
/f_lngland and Wales, 2,538 permanent staff for Great
Britain and Ireland, and 1,884 out-pensioners ; and
the amount required is 478,7401. The numbers for
the current year are 56,746 officers and men, and the
charge is 386,715/.
THE DEATH OF THE EARL OF PORTSMOUTH WAS
announced in Exeter on Sunday. The Hon. Newton
Fellowes, of Eggesford, in Devonshire, succeeds to
the title and estates.
THE NORTH DERBYSHIRE ELECTION terminated
in favour of Mr. Thornhill, Tuesday's poll having
placed him in a majority of 514. Mr. Evans de-
clined to protract the contest for a second day and
retired. Some serious rioting took place on the
morning when the poll opened among some of the
factory hands at Glossop who were out "on strike."
Special constables were sworn in and quiet restored
before any lives were lost.
Fon AN' est' CORNWALL Mr. M. Williams, of Trewince,
was elected on Tuesday without opposition.
MR. CHARLES Guile, member of the Peace So-
ciety, and unsuccessful candidate for Perth at the
late election, will, it is stated, present himself to the
electors of Canterbury as soon as the new writ is
issued for that borough.
THERE IS A FURTHER DECREASE in the MORTALITY
of London. In the week that ended last ¶aturday
the deaths that were registered were 904 ; in the
preceding week they were 925. The actual number
of deaths in last week is less than the estimated ave-
rage by 200.
COLONEL BENTINCE is progressing satisfactorily,
and has been pronounced out of danger. Mr. Wild-
bore, surgeon of his own regiment, remains in con-
stant attendance upon him. The gallant colonel is
still at Hyanes-lodge.
ANOTHER bill, for limiting the hours of employ-
ment of children in factories, is now before the Com-
mons, brought in by the Home Secretary.