The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-16 00:00:00

ing machines were destroyed in consequence of
jealousy of the flail men. The other day when I
was down in Herefordshire I was told by a farmer
that the labourers considered the flail too severe an
employment, that they would not thresh by the flail,
but only by machinery. Then comes the question of
ploughing. The steam plough is a recent and modern
application of science to agriculture. I cannot help
thinking that it is destined to spread generally, so
es to be of the greatest possible service, and although
it may not be within the scope of the resources of
all farmers to go to the expense of buying a steam
engine and its necessary apparatus, why shculd not
persons procure the necessary apparatus and let it
out as they do thrashing machinery, and thus im-
prove the cultivation of the country. The great ad¢
vantage of the steam plough is that it ploughs deeper
than can be done by any other process, and enyone
knows that the deeper you go the more you will let
in the air and all other fertilising influences, and
thus increase the produce. Again, modern science
has lightened greatly the vehicles used in agricule
ture. We no longer see those enormous masses of
timber which well) formerly drawn by horses in the
shape of carts and waggons, which in themselves
were heavier than the loads which they were intended
to convey,which it was quite unnecessary to m Ake so
large and heavy, which were not stranger by reason
of their weight, because their weight destroyed their
usefulness, and which were dearer. A great improve-
ment has taken place in that respect. (Cheers.)
Many complaints have been made this year that
the crop of turnips has been scanty, not because the
crop of charlock has been scanty, (Laughter, and
cures of Hear.) I have seen a good deal of the variety
of colours that ornament our stubbles, and I think
if there is cue thing to which the energy of our
agriculturists may be devoted more than another it
is to the extirpation of these weeds, which draw
from the soil these elements of growth which ought
to be devoted entirely to corn, grasses, and other
useful things. (Cheers.) I will not detain you
longer, except to say that I am very proud of hav-
ing the honour to preside on the present occasion.
I trust this is a fresh point of departure for Rome
sey, and that we shall be able to mark this day as a
day of increasing progress in agricultural prospe-
rity in this-district. (Cheers.) I now propose " The
Health of the Chairman and Committee of the Rom-
sey Corn Exchange, and Prosperity to that Instia
tution." (Loud cheers.)
The toast was responded to by Mr Purchase, and
Mr Cressey acknowledged the toast of the honorary
secretary,
Sir C. RAWLINSON then proposed " The Health
of the Members of the County"—mentioning the
names of the Hon. Mr Dutton and Mr Sclater.
Booth, (Loud cheers.)

Mr DUTTON, in responding to the toast, congrae
tulated the town on the possession of such a build-
ing as the Corn Exchange, and hoped its inaugura-
tion would be the inauguration of a season of pros-
perity to agriculture. At the present moment the
times were somewhat depressing. A short time ago
Mr Disraeli made a speech on agricultural matters,
the effect of which had been, according to the state..
ment of a friend of the right hon. gentleman, to
Bend down the price of wheat 2s per quarter.
(Laughter.) When it got down it had been kept
down, and he could not flatter himself there was
any prospect of its rising at present. (Hear, hear.)
Connected with this question there was another of
no less importance—the agriculturists wore turning
their attention to the breeding and fattening of stock,
and he wished to congratulate all present on the
present exhibition, which was far above the average
in Romsey. (Cheers.) He believed that for the
future the farmers would have to turn a good deal
of their corn into meat. Many large farmers, in-
stead of sending their grain to market, had ground
it into malt, and sent it up in the shape of meat.
(Hear, hear.) Although he believed that wheat and
all sorts of grain could be sent into our markets at
a lower price that we could grow it, still it was a
Net that English beef and mutton could not be sur-
passed in any part of the world, and sent into our
markets at a remunerative price. (Cheers.) As long
as our stock was kept up, he did not think we should
nave much reason to complain, and if the Cnancellor
of the Exchequer would grant a relaxation of the
restrictions upon barley, he had no doubt the farmer
would go on with every prospect of success. (Cheers.)
Mr. SCLATER-BOOTH also responded to the toast,
and, in doing so, said that the eight years which he
had represented the Northern division of the county
in Parliament had been characterised in the main
by a remarkable absence of party conflicts in the
House of Commons, and by a still more remarkable
absence of political acrimony among people oat of
doors. (Hear, hear.) That was a happy state of
things. Although there were some discontented
people telling ns we ought to be uneasy because
there was nothing to he uneasy about, that was not
his opinion. He considered that that happy state
of quiescence was due in a great measure to the fact
that during a great portion of the eight years we
had been living under the mild and temperate sway
of the noble lord now at the head of her Mas
jesty's Government. (Cheers.) He said this without
the slightest afGctation of wishing to present him-
self in the light of one of the noble lord's habitual
supporters. He sat in a quarter of the House which
yielded to no other in respect to Lord Palmerston's
character and position, and from which, one
way or another, his lordship had received, and no
doubt would hereafter receive, a considerable
amount of moral support. (Cheers.) Congratulating
the frequenters of Ramsey market on the accommo-
dation which had been provided for them, he begged
to assure the noble lord net if he would visit
Basingstoke on a similar occasion he would receive
as hearty a welcome as that which had been
accorded to him on the present occasion. (Cheers.)
Lord PALMERSTON, in responding to the toast of
" Lady Palmerston," said—l beg, on behalf of
Lady Palmerston to return Sou my most sincere
thanks for the manner in which that toast has been
received. (Cheers.) I beg now to propose the
last toast, and when I mention the word which re-
presents the toast I am sure you will feel that in that
one word more is contained than in any other word
in our language. The toast which I give you is
"The Press." (Cheers.) Permit me to say that
1 we who live in a free constitutional country know
that the press is the true support of civil and re-
ligious liberty. (Cheers.) Without a tree press
liberty of this kind would be bat fleeting; with a
free press that never can be destroyed, and I may
say with regard to the free press of this country
that it is deserving the admiration of mankind for
the ability with which it is conducted, and for the
high and exalted principle by which it is animated.
(Cheers.) The press of England does honour to the
nation, and I am sure that all present will have
great pleasure in combining with me in drinking
~ The Press," connecting with the toast the name
of Mr. Falvey. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. FALVEY briefly responded, and the company
then separated.