The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-28 00:00:00

Mr. Bernal Osborne at Liskeard.

At the annual meeting of the East Cornwall
Agricultural Society, on Tuesday, Mr. BERNAL
OSBORNE , in responding to the toast of " The Mem-
bers," said :—Sir Colman Rashleigh, Mr. Vice-Pre-
sident, and Gentlemen,—l can assure you few
few things can be more agreeable to my feelings
than to meet around me the representatives of agri-
culture in this part of England. (Hear, hear.) By
a wise rule of this, and most other agricultural
societies, although you have drunk my health, and
those of the members for this county in our repre-
sentative capacity—l bow in obedience to the rule
which excludes political subjects. I shall omit
altogether any reference to that assembly with
which lam more immediately connected. Sir, I
have the happiness to own the acquaintance of
both members for this county. Of Mr. Robartes I
need not say anything. His character speaks for
itself. And of Mr. Kendall I may say a better
man of business or a more agreeable gentleman does
not sit in the House of Commons. (Cheers.) Now,
gentlemen, I am in the habit of residing for a
great portion of the year in a country which
is famous for bulls—(laughter)—probably bulls
not of the description we have seen to-day—not
so fat or so round. (A Voice--" You mean
Irish bulls," and laughter.] I have yet to learn that
Irish bulls are not as good as any that can be pro-
duceel in East Cornwall. (Hear, hear, and oh.) And
while I am on the subject of bulls—(renewed laugh-
ter)—allow me to say that whatever my disappoint-
ment may have been by seeing so scanty an attend-
ance of stock to-day—for I must say it was more
like a parish bull than the bulls of East Cornwall
—(laughter)—still I am somewhat compensated by
the excellent attendance of breeders and proprietors
of bulls—(oh, and laughter)—whom I see before
me. Dr. Johnson said—
" Who breeds fat oxen should himself be fat,"

(Oh, oh.) I must say I never saw a set of gentlemen
who were in such excellent condition without verg-
ing upon obesity. (Considerable laughter.) I could
have wished, gentlemen, that there had been a large
show to-day. At the same time as a brother
chip. (A laugh.) Oh ! gentlemen, lam a farmer.
(Hear.) I am one of those formers that don't under-
stand my business as well as I ought. lam sorry
to say that my profits have not been on the credit
side for the last two years. (Oh.) But still I intend
to go on. (Hear, hear.) I have in other times made
money, but owing to the past two or three bad sea-
sons I have been on the black side of my banker's
books. (Laughter.) With reference to the stock
which I have seen to-day, I must say I have been
especially delighted with the specimens of North
Devons, which are quite unknown in my part of the
world. No one can see them without saying that
they occupy the place among cattle that the
thoroughbred horse does amongst horses. (Hear.)
As a farmer, without meaning to reflect upon the
umpires, I think that in one case they hardly did
justice to a bull which I saw only got the second
prize. Ido not mean to throw in the apple of dis-
cord, but I was particularly struck with a bull I
saw. 1 allude to the bull of Mr. John Sobey.
This may appear to be a little selfish on my part,
as I lost a shilling in betting that he would get the
first prize. (A laugh.) I was glad to sea an old
friend, Mr. Ruby, triumphantly asserting his claim
to get a prize with his mulch cow. She looked
in excellent flesh, and perhaps next year she will
be put on the table. I believe you are not in the
habit of eating cow beef. In Ireland we eat it
the same as that of bullocks, and I do not think that
many of you would tell the difference. If there
was a piece of Mr. Raby's cow on the table you
would eat some of it. (Hear.) With respect to
your sheep, I was rather disappointed with them.
Being a breeder of sheep myself, I may probably be
conceited. I think I can beat your sheep, although
I cannot beat your cattle. I think your practice of
not washing your sheep before shearing has rather
a slovenly and dirty appearance, and I am sure you
do not play a winning game by not washing them.
Ireland is not particularly famous for cleanliness—
(a laugh)—but Ireland is famous for mired parcels
of wool, and which fetch higher rates in the market.
The grain is bad, but we will hold competition with
any other nation for wool in consequence of the
great carefulness and cleanliness which are bestowed
upon it. I know nothing so productive, if you
have the land, as sheep farming. My sheep puled
me round when 1 had losses in grain. You will
find this to be the case, especially when you look
at the gradually rising price in wool. See how it
has risen up during the last 10 years. I remember
beginning at 12s. 6d. per stone of 16Ibs. Last year
it was got up to 265. per stone; and this year I
won't sell till I get 30s. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.)
For in consequence of the great rot there has been
amongst sheep, particularly in Scotland and the
West of Ireland, I can tell you farmers not to sell
your wool in a hurry. I am informed on good
authority that wool will fetch ls. 7d. per lb. Don't
sell in a hurry, for depend upon it you will realise
good prices. (Hear, hear.) As to your pigs—(a
laugh)—though very nice looking animals, I am a
little disappointed with them. You are running too
much into fineness. (Oh!) I go a little more for
bristles. Think of thecobbler. (Renewed laughter.)
Your fine skinned pig at a show is a pretty animal,
but I know it is a difficult animal to rear. (Hear,
hear, and No.) Oh ! forgive me ; I say yes.
I may speak as an Irish farmer. We have not all
the appliances and means to boot, which you have
in this country; and notice to quit in Ireland is a
different thing from what it is here. It involves
the contemplation of a blunderbuss—(fresh laugh.
ter)—and therefore you can well understand the
difficulties of my position. But if an Irishman knows
anything in the world, he knows how to breed, it
not to eat, a pig. (Applause, and a laugh.) Well,
gentlemen, I come now to one other thing—an ani-
mal lam particularly fond of. I think your show
of horses most inferior. I cannot give you 21 years'
leases—though I would if I could. If any one will
leave me some property in this country, I will pro-
mise to give you 21 years' leases, and not only pre-
miums for your best fields of turnips, but I would
do a much better thing for you. I would keep in
each district the best bull I could get—(hear)—and
the best agricultural sire I could get. (Hear.) That
is the way to benefit a county by introducing a
better breed. (Applause.) And surely you want
a better breed of horses. Such things I never saw
in my life. And the judges must have been nearly
put to their end—not to find out which was the best,
but which was the worst. (Oh, and a laugh.) Now,
gentlemen, there is one other thing which I am
sorry to see. We have been talking about tenant
farmers and tenant right. I think we have omitted
at this meeting to speak of the condition of the
labourer.

" That bold peasantry, their country's pride,
Which once destroyed, can never be supplied."
(Applause.) How do you treat them at this meeting
of the East Cornwall Society ? I do not wish to
hurt your feelings. (A laugh.) As some of my
friends will probably be telling me the truth to-
morrow, allow me to tell it to you now. (Hear.)
In your list of premiums you have "Brood mares,
fit for agricultural purposes, £l," and " Agricultu-
ral labourers, who have maintained the largest
family without receiving parochial relief, and who
can produce a good character, £1 !"—making him
a sort of brood mare. (Oh, oh.) Without re-
ceiving parochial relief, and producing a good
character, £l, Why, gentlemen, this is almost
expecting too much. (Hear, and laughter.)
the
He is to produce a good character, have
largest family, keep from the parish,conditions
as andaa
you put him on the same. ases
Great
agricultural mare for breeding.
laughter.) I think some. reformd purposes.
'here. If
is needed
them off the
a man gets a large family, an.
parish, I think you ought to give him the best prize
as you give the best bull. (Loud laughter.) There
is a great difference of opinion, and there have ap.
peared articles in the papers as to whether it is wise
or right to give these
prizes. I am of opinion that
you ought to encourage the labourer in this way.
But you ought to give a larger sum of money to
the labourer whom you place in these difficult cir-
cumstances, whoisto bring
up a family without
going
to the parish, and who is to have a good cha-
racter. Cheers.) I hope that there will be a higher
(
sum given at the next meeting, and I trust I may
be able to attend at others,
somebod(Cheers.) I hope that
y
may be induced to leave me a little pro.