The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-22 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 22, 1863.

HE.RTS AO.RICULTURAL SOCIETY.

mast say that if manufacturers bad stuck to old customs as
long as agriculturists had done, instead of enveloping the
world in calico, they would every one of them perhaps
have wanted a pair of breeches. (Laughter.) Millions had
been expended is inventing and producing the implements
employed in the manufacture of a tingle yard of calico.
Was he, then, to be pooh-poohed because he wanted steam
be employed in the cultivation of the sox: ? As an honest
man he could not, and would not shrink from
telling agriculturists of their faults. As to his balance-
sheet, he maintained that he was right—(laughter)—but
the question whether he were right or wrong did not affect
the great principle of agricultural ptogreseion—(hear, hear)
—it did not affect the questions to which he had alluded—
questions which must force themselves, and were forcing
themselves on the consideration of all thinking and calcu-
lating men. (Hear, hear.) There could be no doubt that
the more they introduced the use of steam, the more
capital they invested in the soil, the more they would ele-
vate the character of all who were connected with agricul-
ture. Let him not be told that the thing could not be done
He knew that the existing landlords were an
improving body. The landlords who would not im-
prove, were making way for those who would; and,
in many instances, land was passing into the hands of per-
sons who came from our towns. Happy was it that such a
state of things was arising; for the multiplication of the
population absolutely required the change. Let them all
take courage and go on. (Hear, hear.) As a society they
were improving ; he hoped they would continue to improve
—there was plenty of room—(laughter)—and that when he
next visited them, he should see a town engineer making
engines for them, and half a dozen engines, of from three
to ten horse-power, smoking away, and doing nearly all
the business of the farm. (Cheers.)
Among the remaining toasts were " The Agricultural
Labourers," proposed by Mr. Meelti; "The Successful
Candidates," etc.

The annual meeting of this society was held yes-
terday at Watford. In the corning a ploughing match
took place in a field bclence.ng to the Earl of Ewe ; and
there was also a prize shrys, of stock and implements in a
meadow adjacent to this town.

At four o'clock, the membets dined together ins spacious
tent; Mr. It. CLT.TS:TIRIII:Ca presiding. Upwards of 160
persons sat down among whom were the following—Rev-
J. Clutterbuck% Bon. and Rev. W. Capel, Sir A. Dal-
rymple, Mr. J. Mechi, Mr. G. F. Whittingatall, Capt.
WhittinossrA
Cape Cowan, Mr. Puller, Mr. Bosanquet,
Mr. C. Hall, Mr. W. Philimore.
After On usual loyal and patriotic toasts, and that of
Lord 1( erulam, the Lord Lieutenant of the county,
Vets CHAIRMAN proposed "Prosperity to the mimes-
Urn." He commenced by referring to a letter from the
'sal o 1 Estee, in which his lordship stated that illness
would prevent him from attending, as he had undertaken
Ito do, to preside on the occasion. He then said he was sure
all present would agree with him that the legitimate object
of all such societies as that was the elucidation, of truth and
the investigation of the causes which influenced the opera-
lieu of agriculture. The degree of escellence attained
under any system was generally to be measured by sim-
plicity in details ; and to that rule agriculture certainly
formed no exception. The real basis of agricultural im-
provement was, he believed, clean and deep cultivation—
(hear, hear)—and all the implements employed, and the
whole system of husbandry, were valuable in proportion as
they conduced to that end. It was • cardinal rule of that
society that all questions bearing on politics should be es-
eluded. He must observe, however, that if a pilot, after
being taken on board a vessel, looked only towards the
stern, set one would estimate his skill very highly.
(Laughter.) There were many men, even in the present
day, who in agricultural matters were constantly looking
backwards. Ile maintained that agriculturists must look
ahead—(hmar, hoar)—they must regard history as a guide
for the future ; and if they found any system in operation
which impeded improvement, and prevented them from
providiug food for an increasing population, they must
throw it overboard at once. (Cheers.) An immense advance
had been made during the last ten or twelve years. It
was impossible to say where improvement would stop. At
all events, truth must be investigated in everything, and,'
instead of pausing, they must persevere till they had ar-
rived at sound results. There were two things which were
especially dangerous to them : one was perfect satisfaction
with what they had done; the other was prejudice against
those who presented anything new. (Hear, hear.) By
steering clear of these dangers, and persevering in a course
of improvement, they would secure prosperity for agricul-
ture. (Cheers.)
The toast was drunk with enthusiasm.
Mr. BeicenzLn proposed " The members fur the county."
Ile felt the more pleasure in doing so, he said, because
those gentlemen were not to be classed among the political
weathercock. of the day. (Loud cries of " Order.") They
were tried any staunch friends of agriculture.
"The Chairman" and "The Earl of Essex" were then
drunk in succession, the latter being acknowledged by Mr.
Humbert.
The CHAIRMAN next proposed " The Visitors and Mr.
Mechi," and in doing so eulogised the gettleinan named
Ass his zeal and energy as anagrieultural Improver.
' After a cordial response to the toast,
Mr. MecHl said, as an attentive observer of human
na-
tare, he felt quite sure that while there were many gentle-
r men present who partially concurred with him, and ap-
: (predated the motives which hail iueluced him to spend his
I money in trying to improve his farm, there were also
• some who differed from him very materially with regard
• to his practice. On the invitation of the chairman, he
came down there on the previous day to partake of his hoa-
pitality, and to see what they were doing in the way of
r stock and agricultural progression. It was only fair to say
: that the show of stock did the society great credit, whether
as regarded the pigs, which could not have been better, as
r regarded the short-horned cattle, or as regarded the sheep,
• particularly those of the Earl of Essex. The horses did not
' appear to have any decided character, though there wire
several very gal enes ; and having seen • good deal of the
I Suffolk breed, he considered this the weariest part of the
' show. (Hear, hear) He was sorry also not to see more
I implements. (Hear.) He referred especially to steam-el:Tines ;
I and two American gentlemen whom he brought down with
• him had expressed the same feeling. However,he was gratified
to find that they were getting a little into steam—
• (laughter) ;—and he thought they would very shortly get
deeper into it. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) Seven or
I eight years ago, whey he first .put up • steam engine, his
I neighbours thought him crazy; now steam-engines were
I becoming quite common, and a couple of individuals in his
village were absolutely so busy in making them for the
• vicinity that they were about to build a new workshop.
He felt bound to say that he m:asured the agricultural pro-
' grunion of a district by the quantity of steam it possessed.
• (Laughter.) He said this seriously. (Hear.) When he went
I into Limeolashim or Norfolk he found many men with two
or three engines on their farms; and when he observed
the position which they occupied in society, and the means
r which they possessed, he felt quit sure that their employ-
' sent of steam was not with them a matter of fancy, but a
matter of calculation and profit. In travelling about the
country, nothing astonished him more than to find en im-
plement which was used with advantage in one place con-
demned In another a it stamped that district, in hie min&
as somewhat low in the scale of agricultural progression.
(Laughter.) He entertained hope however, as regarded the
future. It was quite clear, for example, that if men found
that they could have corn thrashed for Is. per bushel
instead of 29. (idler Ss., they would soon get the work done
I at the lower rate, and set labour free for other purposes.
I With regard to oultivation, they had no doubt all heard
that he was having constructed, on public grounds, a steam-
engine which was designed to cultivate the soil and to sub-
serve certain other purposes. It was not his own invention,
I but that of a Canadian gentleman of great talent, and would
I cost, he believed, about 20W. When finished it would be
tried on his farm, and he would take care by special adver-
tisement to give all agricaLturiste an opportunity of coming
to witness the trial. (Cheers.) No doubt they were aware,
too, that Mr. Usher, of Edinburgh, who, by the way, was
a brewer—(laughter)—had invented a similar ent
He could have wished that Mr. Usher had te
a farmer. (Laughter.) That gentleman had in-
vented • steam plough which bad been at work in Scot;
land, and had ploughed land without horses ; and he was
about to form • company for the purpose of carrying out the
invention. He (Mr. Mechi) had written to Mr. Usher
to the effect that it would be only just to his southern
countrymen for him to bring his plough down from Scot-
land to be tried on his farm at the same time as the Cana-
' than plough ; and further, he had offered to give 61.
tower* the expense of bringing it, in order that they in
the south might be enabled to form sound opinions on the
question. (Cheers.) This was, in fact, a great question.
There was no branch of manufactures which had esceped
the introduction of steam. (Hear, hear.) They came down
from London with the power of 160 horses condensed
into a piece of machinery not longer than that table ; and
if they could have such a mighty power, occupying so small
• space, applied to cultivation, the effect upon agriculture
must be very great. They all knew that horses were at
present the great basis of agricultural operatlona. If they
wanted to plough thirty inched deep instead of five, they
would be obliged to employ six horse.. What was the
result ? Why that the great weight and proems of six
horses counteracted their efforts, and the additional expose
was ruinous to the farmer. If the coat of ploughing could
be reduced to ten shillings per acre, agriculture wesM,
he believed, benefit to the extent of estaetbdag
tike ten million pounds per annum. BseYse,the
saving of expense there would be an morsels of
production. There was teething stagisel in plot=
depth of only four or five inches. The reason why
' not plough deeper was that which he bad already mss
' tinned; and if he succeeded in concentra the power of
10 or 15 horses, as he hoped to do, in a ilse well/Wog
' onl ens ton and three. quarters, they sight depend upon
it that cultivation by steam would be seeded la to a vary
great extent. (Hear, bear.) Though he Alt great plea-
sure in attending meetings like the present, be could not
help remarking that the exhibition of fat stock was, after
all, the sunny side of-agrieulture. (Hear, hear.) It was
impossible for any man to witness, as he had does
is many parts of the country, the waste of manila
hear)—the great want of intelligence, the
e of terms with little fields and great know..
—(liew, bear)—the unmechanical waggons, the %media-
Wad sedition of most of the peasantry, and which,
some please, was such that nine men out of ten could
neither read nor write—it was impossible, he said, for any
one to Ha all this and not feel that the exhibition of fat
'Ma was the sunny side of agriculture. (Hear, hear.)
These evils could not be removed without " a long pull, a
strong pull, and a pull altogether." For this cud there
must be hearty co-operation between landlord and tenant.
He had sera • great deal of both these parties. He had
beard • landlord declare that be could not improve because
he had no money to lay out. If • landlord thus situated
had 10,000 acres, why did be not sell half and ex-
p•nd the proceeds on the remaining half. (Hear,
hear.) That course was pursued by the late
Mr. Coke, and had been followed up by his successor. He
had heard that one-fourth of the splendid estate of the pre-
sent Earl of Leicester—an estate yielding a rental of
40,0001. a year, was being employed is erecting or improving
farm-buildings, and making various other improvements.
Lord Derby, and other landlords were pursuing • similar
course, and the more their number increased the better
would it be for agriculture and for the country. (Hear,
hear.) On the other hand, he had heard landlords say, "It
is all very well for me to erect new buildings, and to make
improvements, but my tenants do not like to pay me inte-
rest for the money expended." No doubt that was true
in some instances; and then was therefore room
for amendment on the part both of landlord and tenants.
They all knew that the thing must be done. The people
of this country must be fed by them, otherwise they would
get food from abroad ; and when capital was boiling over
and millions were being spent in making foreign railways
surely money might find a legitimate and a national seat at
home. (Cheers.) As regarded himself, he would observe
that when he put up brick and slate buildings and did
many other things for which people at the time called him
• fool—(laughter)—he did so because he thought it would
prove profitable to himself as well as beneficial to those
whom he employed. He maintained that it was not
profitable to set up board, and that the buildings, re-
quired to be renewed or repaired at great
cost, every fourteen or fifteen years. (Hear, hear.)
Had the towns beea built on such a system THE MAYORALTY AND THE SIIRIETALTY.—There
every one would have thought the builders very foolish. is • great deal of talk in the City about "astir" upon the
(Hese, heir.) On this pint Mr. Caird had opened up day of the swearing in of the new sheriff', as well as of an
views which were not at all favourable to agriculture ea agitation on the day of election of • Lord Mayor for the
compared with trade and commerce; and he (Mr. Mechi) ensuing year.