The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-10-23 00:00:00

WA REHM&

LOC A L FORRIUL —We understand that a daughter
of oar late respected townsman, Mr. C. Groves, has
presented to the University Museum, Oxford, some
leeWl lesses from tits clay pits near Wareham.

• a-
ENSII:7I Peeroy, of the 2nd Dorset, has bad the
distinguielsed hocour of being presented to the King
and Queen ,f the Belgians in state with the other
officers of the English, French, sad Dutch rifle corps,
at Brussels.
Illawtab or BRA VILRY.-011 Saturday last the
Mayor received from the Royal Humane Society's
secretary an bakers/7 certificate of thanks awarded
to George Thorne, • young lad, who saved tbe life
0/another little hey named Willis Geoid, by jump-
ing very bravely into as feet depth of river near
She Priory.

WAREHAM AND PIT HERM LAROURERW
AND SERVANTS' FRIEND SOCIETY.
Tb. mama gathering of the friendsand suppoeters
of this society took place on Thursday lamout
'unpropitious weather attended the event, end Lb.
number present wee more limited than the einsioter
and standing of the society warrant. Of amuse, bac
weather may in some measure have occasioned this
paucity in the attendsoos, but it &Ppm". to In a
matter of fact that many of the &grim:demist@ of the
neighbourhood are 'content simply to. give their rub-
mriptione to the society, and inantNit no farther
intermit in it, nor share In the active duties incident
to it. aoccessful operation. Now this ought not
to he the case ; yet, knowing the keen competition to
which fanners in theme days are subject, and that
thi-v have plenty to do to maintain their coins in the
nottem, we hesitate to blame them ; we would
math, r stimulate their interest in the moiety by
reintading them that it Is established For the encou-
ragement of skill and Ludastry amongst their ,
labourers—qualifications en essential at this time to
attain to successful farming, and that the agricull-
ler ids holding,as they do,asemi-patriarchsl position
in rigaril to their labotweni, have upon ilsemasive•

much responsibility in regard to their condition, and
to whatever eitbmt they may have the power to
improve their state iii. their duty so to do. And
here is • society eminently calculated to benefit
them, which does not attain that abundant swam
which it ought to do, because it lack. the personal
interest—more valuable than pecuniary help, be that
never so important—of the farmers of the district.
We trust that in the ensuing year the excellent
honorary secretary (W. C. Lacey, Esq.) will be
enabled so to stir up the interest of farmers in the
society, and they in turn stimulate their labourers to
become able to oompete honourably with their
fellows, that next summer and autumn Mr. Leocy
may fled himself overwhelmel with entries in the
various departments of labour for which prizes are
offered, and we feel satisfied that nothing will afford
him greater pleasure, or more conduce to the beet
interests of all classes in Wareham and the isle of
Purbeck.

The trial of skill in ploughing took place on Mr.
Lsoey's farm, at Binegar, on Thursday morning.
The land selected for the purpose was a clover ley
On a light soil, which was in excellent ooirlition for
the work in consequent* of the heavy rain of the
previous night, aid, though the competition was not
,luite so great as could ho desired, it is gratif)ing to
learn from the judges that, "taking the work alto-
gether, • better bit of ploughing could not be seen
in the county." The weather cleared up till the
work was nearly completed, when it rained again
heavily and continued to do so for several hours.
The judges of the ploughing were: Mr. J. A.
Damen, of Winfrith ; Mr. 0. -Redden, of Monlen ;
and Mr. T. E. Dowden, of Rake, Sere Regis. The
prise winners in the various competitions during the
year were provided with • substantial dinner at the
Red Lion Hotel, which was attended by the Pre-
sident (J. H.Calcraft, req.) and the Secretary, and
after the labourers bad done justice to the good
things provided for them, the prises and certificates
they were entitled to ware delivered to them, as
follows :