The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-04-12 00:00:00

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FARM MEMORANDA.

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to a rid clayey loam of the highest value for the
growth of wheat, bean.,
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lying patch of several fields, now laid in one consists
of nearly 40 acres, 30 of which are now in ;heat and
beans, and the remainder lies for steam cultivation for a
root crop. Taking the
acres, whch is now in wheat, the cropping for the last
this
10 years runs thus : 1, wheat; 2, beans; ' wheat;
i ou uo
4, clover, 5, wheat; 6, bean.; 7, oat.; 8 pea.; 9
barley ; 10, beans; 11 (1859), wheat. Since the oat
crop an 1855 it has been cultivated by steam. Alli the
30 acres now in crop were cultivated Bor 9 inches
deep by steam in one week last autumn. It lay a
month, and the wheat was then drilled 13 inches apart,
1 bushel to the acre, and r.ow looks exceedingly well.
Eight acres of this plot were ridged up by hones in
ridgelets 30 inches wide, and beans, dibbled along the
line of each ridge, are now up and proniising well.
of the whole 110 arable acres 76 are this year in
corn, viz., the above 20 in wheat, and 24 on the richer
losm nearer the farmstead, than which nothing can pro-
mise better; 211 acres in oats which are just coining up,
and 12 in barley about to be sown. The /deem cultiva-
tor is employed to break up wheat stubble for beans and
bean stubble for wheat; and Mr. Smith saves more
than one-third of his horses by the employment of the
seven-horse engine and cultivator for about 45 days in
autumn.
Mr. Smith's neighbours are adopting his system, and
six or 'even steam cultivators are in zeration around
him. It has nut hitherto been aupt that Bucking-
hamshire agriculture is ahead of t at of other counties,
but in this particular it certainly is; and we do not
know of any history so illustrative of energy and enter-
prise as that of one of these neighbours a Mr. Smith.
He owned • drill and used to contract for the sowing of
corn per acre—he then purchased a horse threshing
machine, and ultimately owned more than one: these
he sold when steam power in locomotive engines were
employed for this purpose—and he became the purchaser
of a locomotive engine and threshing machine : thia on
its first starting lie hawked from one end of the county
to the other without finding a customer—to find indeed
on his return that his neighbours in his absence lied
voted him unworthy of their confidence as not knowing
when to let well alone: lie now owns several steam
threshing machines, and has at length adopted Mr.
Smith's cultivating apparatus, and would not return to
the ordinary system on any account.—Apricultairal
Gazette.

INSPECTOR'S JunGmEsT As To I)ineAmED CATTLE.—
The annexed letter relates to a grievance strongly com-
plained of by the importers of foreign cattle, and which
is likely to exercise an injurious influence on the inter-
ests of the British consumer. Precautions are very pro-
perly taken against the introduction of diseased animals
but it appears that the duty of enforcing these precau-
tions is confided by the Customs to • single inspector,
whose vrill is aboolute, however much his views may be
at variance with those of a number of competent judges.
The claim of the importers is that there should be some
power of appeal, and this is strengthened by an instance
now quoted to show that the inspector—against whom
there seems to be no personal objection—is not infallible.
If the Customs objected on the score of expense, the im-
porters, rather than he subjected to their present uncer-
tainties, would probably defray it, Some remedy should
unquestionably be adopted, or the public may suffer
from a dituunition of the only existing check to the high
prices of meat. It is not that the sending back of an
occasional cargo is in itself a serious loss, except, per-
haps, to the individual engaged; hut that the knowledge
of the risk existing in every ease I nay dirncourage ship-
pers generally, and affect that steady growth of the trade
which every one desires to witness.

London, April 2.
Sir,—lt is to be regretted that the oh...mations in the
Times of Tuesday, in reference to the Customs' regula-
tions for the inspection of imported cattle, have not
found a more prominent place in its columns than the
Metropolitan Cattle article. The latter is seldom read
except by the trade, and yet the subject to which those
remarks relate is one that concerns the public even wore
than the importer. The question at iSsile is simply this
—ls the decision of one man, no matter how expe-
rienced, as to the existence of disease in imported cattle
to be final? The Board of Customs say, it i 4. You
think differently; no will the public if you will only put
the facts prominently before them.
In the article alluded to it is stated, that although
each of the 104 head of cattle imported last Wednesday
week was pronounced by Professor liiimuunds and five
or six of the first veterinary surgeons to be free from
disease, the obstinate adherence of the Customs' Inspec-
tor to the opposite opinion determined the importers to
reship the cattle. It will enhance your estimate of the
conduct of the Board of Customs in refusing an appeal
from that functionary's fiat to learn that a further
examination of those animals took place on their return
to Holland, and that they were again pronounced, each
and all, to be free from disease.
The loss to the British consumer of 161 head of sound
cattle and the consequences which have followed their
reshipment will, it is hoped, be deemed by you result*
sufficiently serious to justify your insisting upon a
change in the present system of cattle inspection by the
' Customs' officers.

!&w, Sir, your obedient servant, "M."

DONCASTER GREAT HORSE FAIR, April s.—nn
Tuesday, this fair, which is one of the chief horse
marts in Yorkshire was held. The supply of horses
was by no llWilli in excess of that of previous
fairs, but the show comprised seine very splendid and
high bred animals, and there being a considerable
demand for first-class horses very high prices were
obtained—well matched pairs of young and sound
horses, adapted for carriage purposes, made from 120 to
140 guineas ; ditto, broken to double harness, ISO to
220 guineas the pair; ditto, well-seasoned young horses
for single harness, 65 to 75 guineas ; neat and compact
high stepping horses, suitable for phaetons and
broughams, 55 to SO guineas; well bred cattle, for
saddle and harness, 40 to 65 guineas ' • hacks, 24 toll
guineas; strong weight carrying cobs, i 8 to 40 guineas;
roadsters, 18 to 2.1 guineas; ponies, IS to •.N) guiness,
and choice selections, 25 to 30 guineas ; short-jointed
and well-boned horses for van and heavy work, 30 to 45
guineas • blood stock and horses of high pedigree sold
well ; blood 'tures 18 to 30 guineas ; ditto, stinted to
horses of celebrity, 24 to 35 guineas ; ditto, with foal
at foot, 28 to 40 guineas; and yearling colts, Li to t)
guineas; ditto, fillies, 14 to IS guineas. A large portion
of first-class horses were bought by London dealers and
jobmastem, among whom competition ran high, which
was productive of remunerative prices to the breeders of
first-class cults.

1.T11.11.1.tT10N OF SICWAGE MANCRE.—A correspondent
of the Agriedlural Gazette says—l beg to recommend
the plan of placing reservoirs at certain distances along
the line of the proposed new London sewers to receive
the solid matter, so that it may be available for the
localities through which it passes ; and I have also to
suggest that the manure may be deodorised, formed into
cakes, dried like mushroom bricks which contain the
spawn, and so become a valuable article of commerce as
in I %in n.

..... „
Poidsit Auttieri.reur..—The Agricultural Society of
the kingdom of Poland having decided to hold an annual
agricultural meeting. at which a leading feature should
be trial of implements, applied to the Council fo..
atatement of the principles on which the trials of the
Royal Agricultural Society of England had been carried
un. The Council at their meeting on the :kith ult.
orderereil wide* of the several report.; on the trial of
implement* at the Society'acountry meetings, along with
Prise Sheets for the current year. and a atatement of
the prospective arrangement for the trials during the
ensuing four years. with an explanatory letter from the
Secretary, lobe forwarded to the Agricultural thetiety of
Poland.