The Press.
London, England, 1856-10-18 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL MEETINGS.

THE BRIDGNORTH AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION held
their third annual meeting last week in the town. The
show was well sustained in all its departments, and
in the number and quality of the stock exhibited there
was a decided improvement over previous shows.
The usual dinner took place in the evening at the
Town.hall, under the presidency of Mr. M. G.
Benson. Covers were laid for 110, and among
those present were Viscount Newport, M.P., Mr.
Henry Whitmore, M.P., Mr. John Pritchard, M.P.,
Mr. Wolryche Whitmore, &c.
The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the toast of the
evening, referred to the great progress made of late
years in the practice of agriculture, and stated that
there were at present 400 agricultural Associations
in England, a vast proportion of which had been
started within the last fifteen years. There were in
addition no less than 150 farmers' clubs, at which
subjects appertaining to the cultivation of the soil
and the breeding and rearing of stock were dis-

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cussed. Turning to the "politics" of agriculture, he
said that two important questions had occupied the
attention of the Legislature during the last session,
oue having reference to tha collection of agricultural
statistics, and the other as to whether England
could produce sufficient corn for its own population.
As regarded the latter, he did not think the problem
would be satisfactorily solved in the present generation.
If the population remained stationary, he thought
wheat enough for home consumption might be
grown in this country; but as the Population in-
creased with the improved system of cultivation he
much doubted whether it could be done. There
were 11,000,000 acres in the country not cultivated
which were capable of producing cereal crops, and
he thought that the land now under cultivation
might be made one-third more productive. In
reference to the subject of agricultural statistics,
though he was strongly opposed to any inquisitorial
prying into the private affairs of the agriculturists,
he thought the measure a wholesome one, and cal-
culated to benefit the farmer as much as anybody
else. He thought the late bill went a little too far,
and that it would have been better had it provided
for " divisional " instead of " parochial " returns.
On the Government devolved the responsibility of
providing food for the people, and he trusted that
means would be devised for putting them in posses-
sion of this necessary information. The chairman
then alluded to the condition of the agricultural
labourer, who, in many instances, was badly housed,
and his children ill-educated. He strongly im-
pressed upon the landowners the importance of im-
proving their labourers' cottages, and eloquently en-
forced the duty devolving upon landlords and occu-
piers of the soil to aid in providing a practical
and sufficient education for the children of their
labourers.

Mr. W. WHITMORE (who for many years repre-
sented Bridgenorth in Parliament) proposed " The
Health of the Members for the County."
Viscount NEWPORT briefly replied to the toast. In
reference to the late bill for the compulsory adoption
of the system of agricultural statistics, the noble
lord stated that he, for one, most sincerely rejoiced
at the fate of the bill :

In his opinion, the bill was hastily conceived and
objectionable in many particulars. In the abstract
he entirely approved the principle of agricultural
statistics, as he conceived that the acquirement of
statistics in any form must be useful in a civilised
country; but he veotuted to think that the information
should be obtained by a voluntary, and not a compulsory,
mode. Ile thought the return should be confined to large
items, without entering into smaller details, and that the
inquiry should be conducted by means of local authority
and local arrangements, made by those for whose benefit it
was made, and from whom it was intended to collect in-
formation.

Mr. PRITCHARD, M.P., replying for the " Borough
Members," agreed with the chairman in his remarks
on the value and importance of agricultural statis-
tics, but he despaired of their being obtained in any
other way than by a compulsory mode.
Mr. EVAN DAVIES, in proposing the " Health of
the Labourers," made a few remarks on the unpracti-
cal nature of the instruction given in the district
schools. Alluding to a recent examination at the
Quatt school, at which he admitted that the pupils
showed great proficiency in geography and
grammar, he said :

But, gentlemen, I very much doubt if one in ten of
them could tell you whether a cow gets up on her fore or
bind legs first—if one in twenty could tell on which jaw
of the cow the nipper teeth are placed—if one in fifty
could tell the difference in the masticating process of the
cow and the horse—if one in a hundred could explain the
germinating process of the wheat, barley, and oats,
which it will be their province hereafter to scatter
upon the ground—or one in a thousand describe the
nature and habits of those insects and fungi which infest
and destroy those crops which they will be called upon
to cultivate and protect ; and whilst I have no doubt
many of them could solve a problem of Euclid, and have
travelled over the ass's bridge, yet I very much doubt if
one of them could tell at what angle a furrow should be
laid to expose the greatest amount of surface to the
action of the harrows, and the ameliorating effect of the
winter frost. Again, with regard to the girls, I have no
doubt they acquitted themselves well in the knowledge of
those things which would fit them for the parlour, but I
very much doubt if they were well up in those things
that would fit them for the kitchen and the brewhouse. I
very much doubt if any one of them could tell the principle
on which the milk is extracted from the cow, or describe
the process of turning that milk into cheese and butter ;
and surely, gentlemen, these are things that the future
labourers and labourers' wives should not be ignorant of;
but I have little hopes of improvement here until the
entire class of books in our agricultural schools are for-
gotten and a new compilation takes place, not only for
labourers, but fur farmers, laud agents, ay, and landlords
themselves.

THE DUTIES OF FARMERS TO THEIR LABOURERS
were adverted to by Mr. Whitbread, M.P., at the
meeting of the Bedfordshire Agricultural Society, at
Woburn, last week. Ile said :

I know of no man whom I think better qualified than
Lord Leicester to speak on the welfare of the labouring

M

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classes. Gentlemen, some of you may have read a speech
of his delivered at a meeting in Norfolk a year or two ago.
I well remember reading it, and was forcibly struck by the
simple truths conveyed in every line. He said, you cannot
materially improve the state of the labouring classes
unless you can give them good roomy cottages—that is
essentially necessary. Good schools for the young and
adult schools are of very great importance, and well-orga-
nised benefit societies are a great help ; but when all this
is done you have only then placed it in the power of the
tenant-farmer to improve his labourers ; and unless the
tenant.farmers are prepared actively to co-operate with the
landlord—unless they bear this object constantly before
them—unless they are content to take trouble and spend
time in encouraging, warning, and advising individuals
around them, your societies will fail, your schools become
useless, and no comfort will dwell by the hearths of your
cottages. Gentlemen, this is a great and proud responsi-
bility, and happy are those among you who discharge your
duties toward them. They are your prop and your stay,
and every association shall endear them to you. Their
grandfathers, gentlemen, have lived. toiled, and died on
farms to which your fathers succeeded, and their sons
have transmitted to you the race of men who now labour
for you with scarce a holiday throughout the year. Oh!
then, let it be yours to see that each succeeding genera-
tion adds yearly something to the happiness of the labour-
ing man. The vice-chairman, in a speech this evening,
has very gracefully referred to the schools and cottages as
being in part the cause of the world-wide reputation which
the Duke of Bedford's estate enjoys. It is true, gentle-
men, you have the implements to work with ; I say, let
them not rust in your hands. I was sorry to see by a
return which accompanied the last census that Bedford-
shire did not stand high in the scale of education, but I
trust we shall soon improve in that respect. But the
happiness of the labouring class depends not solely upon
schooling, and I am happy to say that I believe the poor
of our county are well cared for apd contented in corm
parison with those of other counties. lam proud to know
some tenant-farmers—and I believe and trust there are
many more—who have that spirit which I have en•
deavoured to point out as the mainspring of the welfare of
the labouring classes.

Mr. BLAKSMORE, M.P. for Herefordshire, was
present at the Hay and Wyeside Agricultural Meeting
last week, and, in acknowledging the toast of " The
County Members," expressed the following opinion
upon the question of agricultural statistics :

What he contended for in his place in Parliament and
elsewhere was, that agricultural statistics, if they were to
lie gathered, should be gathered fairly and impartially, and
not inquisitorially. No man was more anxious than he
was for the collection of agricultural statistics upon a fair
and equitable system ; but for the farmer to be subjected
to inquisitorial visits in his house, his dairy, his farm-
yard, his corn and turnip fields, and his garden, to that
he did object, and contended that the returns should be
general and individual. His constituents, therefore, he
trusted, would not be angry with him if he voted for a
fair general return ; but to anything in the shape of an
inquisitorial return he would never submit. As a farmer
to the extent of 1,000 acres, he should hare no objection
to give a general return, for he believed such returns would
be of importance and value to the farmer; but he wished
to effect at the same time an improvement in the present
manner of taking the corn averages, which all must admit
to he required.
THE WALTHAM AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY held its
annual meeting on Wednesday. The show of stock
was considered superior to any hitherto exhibited.
In the evening the usual dinner took place in the
Agricultural Hall. The Marquis of Granby was un-
avoidably ab-ent, owing to the delicate state of
health of the Duke of Rutland. Mr. Norton, of
Elton, presided, and in proposing the toast of the
evening alluded to the successes of the society,
which had throughout been substantially supported
by the Duke of Rutland. With respect to the great
question of the day among farmers, agricultural sta-
tistics, Mr. Norton agreed with Lord Stanley, M.P.,
that the measure, to be effectual, roust oe carried
out by a system neither vexatious, irritating, nor

THE EcursE OF TUE Moorr on Monday was seen
under tie most advantageous circumstances. With
the exception of a slight scud now and then passing
"full soon," the sky was perfectly clear and the moon
shining with intense brightness, when about 9.21
the first shadow touched the eastern limb. 8y10.54
only a small edging of the moon's upper limb was
free from the earth's shadow, which threw a colour
like that of a strong wash of Indian ink over the
moon's surface. For a quarter of an hour, says a
letter from Mr. Howell's observatory, at Hove—

The moon remained almost entirely buried in the
earth's shadow, hut still visible, the larger portion being
of a coppery glow, but towards the upper limb dissolving
nto orange, this again into blue, and the very ama 1
segment at the top into yellowish green. The appearance
of the moon was now very peculiar, like a transparent
body crossed by coloured zones, parallel to our horizon.
As time proceeded, the moon was seen slowly rising
above the shadow (at one time looking like a crescent
with its horns turned downward), and, as more of the
illumined surface came into view, the colours gradually
faded away in reverse order, until the umbra finally dia.
appeared at twmty-seven minutes after midnight, at the
south west edge of the disc, the obscuration baying
lasted just three hours nix minutes.

THE PRESS.

gond ant intim'.

Her Majesty the Queen, accompanied by Prince
Albert, and attended by the Court, left Balmoral on
Wednesday, slept at Holyrood for ,the night, and
arrived safely at Windsor on Thursday evening.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cam-
bridge and the Princess Mary arrived in town on
Saturday afternoon from Frankfort. Their Royal
Highnesses subsequently left town for Cambridge-
cottage, Kew.

His Excellency the Ambassador of France and
the Countess Fersigny have arrived at Albert-gate
House from Buckenham-hall, near Thetford, Norfolk.
General Sir George Brown, G.C.8., has arrived in
town from Elgin, N.B. The gallant general con-
templates passing the appteaching winter in Italy.
The marriage of Colonel Biddulpli, Master of the
Queen's Household, and the Hon. Mary Seymour,
one of her Majesty's Maids of Honour, is reported
as shortly to take place.