The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-21 00:00:00

TIPT.REE FARM.

Mr. Mechi held his annual gathering of agriculturists
yesterday, andit went off as pleasantly as ever. On no
former occasion has the attendance been so numerous,
the crops in better order, or the spirits or volubility of
the host more high. He was everywhere, had a warm
welcome to give to everybody, and explanations of pro-
cesses, reproaches against bad farming, hopeful antici-
pations of its future, and diSquisitions and statistics on
the experiences of Tiptree, fell froth him as thick as
the leaves from a foreskin autumn. Whatever may be
said or thought about the practical character of these
meetings they certainly are among the most agreeable
and characteristic of the agricultural year. In no
other country could the spectacle be presented of a
prosperous and enterprising tradesman stepping out of
his sphere, and drawing around him such an assem-
blage to see and criticise what he has achieved in im-
proved cultivation. He gives his annual lesson in the
most fearless and uncompromising manner, yet savoured
with a good humour which is quite unextinguishable, and
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the farm, the large quantity of house-fed stock, the
great tank with its accumulations of liquid manure, the
iron-pipes permeating every field, and carrying cheaply
and in an easily digested form the food of plants, the
whole land thoroughly drained, cleanly cultivated, and
covered with most luxuriant crops—these and many
other improvements will probably, ere long, be adopted
by many other agriculturists near the metropolis. Even,
however, when Tiptree is rivalled, Mr. Mechi and his
annual meetings, we hope, will remain. Having sur-
I mounted a good deal of ridicule, and the progress of
events having shown that, in the main, he was working
in the right direction, the public are well disposed to
make him their agricultural favourite. When improve-
ment was considered a forlorn hope he stood in the
breach. He lectured, he wrote, he taught by practice
as well as precept ;—he may be even said to have
" bled " for the cause. Now that it is in the ascendant
his friends are well inclined to pat him on_ his back for
his pluck, to countenance his self-complacency at Tip-
tree, to ramble with him over his fields and farm-yard,
to partake of his hospitality, and to hope that it may be
long before his shadow grows less.
Mr. Mechi entertained 300 guests yesterday, every
one of whom must retain most agreeable recollections of
their Visit. The day was fine, and the first three hours
el the day were spent in examining the state of the
crops, and in testing the latest novelties in agricultural
implements. Whatever may be the effect of a very un-
propitious season elsewhere, at Tiptree it has done no
harm there ; and while the agriculturists there seemed
to be generally' of opinion that the harvest would be
short and late, not a grumble about the weather fell
from their host's lips. He has this year very excellent
wheat; and in other respects the produce of his farm
promises a good average ; but the two points on which
his management shows strongest and to the best ad-
vantage are his clover and his rye grass. These beaiun-
mistakeable testimony to the value of the new system of
liquid manure irrigation which Mr. Mechi has adopted,
and in the details of which he has carried out many
valuable improvements. The clover is a second crop, and
the rye grass a third, and both are exceedingly luxuriant.
It may therefore be regarded as the chief feature of the
present gathering at Tiptree that it furnishes, within
easy reach of the metropolis, a remarkable confirmation
of the large results which have been already obtained
in Scotland from liquefying the manure of the farm,
conveying it through iron pipes to every part of the land,
and by gutta percha tubing attached to hydrants, distri-
buting it liberally either upon the fallows or upon the
growing crops. Such a system not only saves the heavy
expense of cartage, but presents the plants with their
natural food in the most convenient, direct, and effective
form. It is a great step in advance ; and, being no
longer an experiment, but fairly adopted by the most
enterprising farmers, is paving the way for the introduc-
tion of that larger and still more important change, -by
which the sewage of the towns will be made to fertilize
the country, and, instead of breeding fever and pesti-
lence, will help to increase the supply of food for the
people. The next important point of any novelty
brought forward yesterday was the trial of Samuelson's
digging machine. We had a better opportunity of ex-
amining this new implement at Tiptree than at Glocester,
and the result confirms the favourable opinion we then
formed of it. It is rather too much for horse power within
any moderate limits, but the manner in which it raises
and pulverizes the land, and the depth to which it is
capable of acting, encourage us to hope that the time is
not far distant when we shall have that most deiirable and
valuable of all implements, and which has been so long
sought for—a steam-digging machine doing the work of
unskilled agricultural labour, and relieving our peasantry
from the bondage of toil, the conditions of which are com-
patible with the grossest ignorance. The same influences
which are pressing upon the attention of the farmer
the importance of a good reaping machine, are also now
urging him to consider how he can secure deep disinte-
gration of the soil by more effectual means than the
plough, and yet without recourse to the spade. Mr.
Samuelson's invention, in its present form, can only be
regarded as an improved grubber, but it suggests the
practicability of what is so ardently sought, and in that
point of view possesses an interest much beyond its ac-
tual and proved merits. In the management of his stock
Mr. Mechi has made some advances upon the practice of
former years. By a coating of limewash he has got rid
of the swarms of flies that used to torment his cattle,
and the same simple expedient tends to keep his feeding-
sheds cool and sweet. His tank regularly every morning
draws off the accumulation of the manure during the pre-
vious day, which are washed into it and liquefied. He
now keeps upon the produce of the 170 acres, of which
his farm consists, 360 sheep and 40 bullocks. He has also
about 160 pigs, which, however, are fattened off with
purchased food. His stock is not so large as perhaps it
might be ; the open boards upon which the cattle stand
are set rather too far apart for their comfort ; and there
are other criticisms to which this part of his manage-
ment is subject; but it must not be forgotten that he is
only in the second year of the new system of irrigation,
that his whole plans are altered by it, and that he as-
pires to be an experimenter as well as a practical farmer.
Without some things that are apparently wild and
extravagant, Tiptree would soon subside into the hum-
drum routine of ordinary cultivation, and its owner set-
tle down into a fat stolid man in gaiters, without any-
thing mercurial in his temper or venturesome in his ideas.
It would be almost a public loss were the place or its
owner to become entirely shaped to the true agricultu-
ral fashion. The spirit which draws such a character
from his shop in Leadenhall-street to improve the agri-
culture of his country is more creditable to him than the
ambitions of many people whom society places far higher
up in her ranks. Mr. Mechi, if he never produces a
favourable balance-sheet, has done great service to the
cause which he has striven so vigorously to promote.
He has, in very difficult circumstances, and with unvary-
ing good humour, been a chief connecting link between
the practice and the theory of farming. Claiming,
and even insisting to be, recognised as practical, he still
inclined his ear to the speculative,-,--some said the
visionary. When events had opened a chasm between
the two, he adventurously and good-humouredly
helped to span it, and now he is doing all in his power
by these annual gatherings to cement the union so
effected. The names of the people he invites to Tiptree
sufficiently indicate this motive, for there wo found yes-
terday men eminent in a number of departments, kindred
more or less to the pursuits of agriculture, all brought
into friendly communication with many of the best agri-
culturists not only in this country but from France and
America. The Earl of Harrowby, Lord Kinnaird, and
Viscount Ebrington, fairly represented a liberal-minded
landlord interest favourable to improvement. Viscounts
de Courzay, M. Boreal, the Hon. Stephen Salisbury,
M. Gourdier, M. Allier, and Professor Nash gave a
suitable idea of the interest with which foreign countries
are watching our progress both in the practice and the
science of agriculture. The mayors of Gloucester, Hali-
fax, Colchester, and Bridgenorth were present to lend a
municipal sanction to thenrogress of enlightened opinion
in farming. Then Mr. kechi had invited Mr. Chad-
wick, Dr. Southwood Smith, and the leading officers of
the General Board of Health, to show his anxiety for
the union of sanitary reform and increased fertility.
With the same object the chief members of several
local boards were also present. Mr. Raymond Bar-
ker might be regarded on this occasion as the deputy
of the Royal Agricultural Society, with which his name
has so long been connected. Such names as those of
Mr. Samuel Gurney, Mr. Charles Knight, Mr. Bohn,
Captain W. Peel, R.N., Mr. Waddington, M.P., Colo-
nel Leslie, Captain Owen, R.A., Mr. Warren Delarue,
Mr. Fuller, and Mr. Bird, may appear somewhat out of
place on such an occasion ; but when it is remembered
bow widely-spread the taste for rural pursuits in this
country, it cannot be considered inappropriate that Mr.
Mechi should have included them in his list of invita-
tions. Besides, he took care to have present a number
of our most enterprising farmers, breeders of stock, and
implement-makers. Among these we may mention the
names of Mr. Jonas Webb, Mr. Fisher Hobbs, and Mr.
Garrett. Last, but not least among the guests, was
Professor Way, whose recent researches in agricultural
chamistry have attracted such great and deserved atte_rn-
tion. When the survey of his farm was over, M-
Mechihi invited the large party which he had assembled
around him to a substantial and well-provided luncheon
set out in his barn, where, after the claims of eir appe-
ad been
titer, sharpened fresh th
by air and exercise,h
appeased, toasts went round and speeches were made
chiming in well with the spirit of thegathering.
-

ynew knight
held yesterdayin the
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at
THE MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY.—The general
the London Tavern, mr. this.
The actuary, Mr. Brown, having. read the usual
account
half-yearly meeting of
Vsaolecnietti
of receipts and payments, the chairman, in the course of
his address, briefly stated the progress of the society.
The number of proposals for assurance during the last
half year amounted to 112 ; of that number, 80, assuring
the sum of 39,3741., had been accepted and completed ;
seven for assuring 3,499/. had been declined ; and the
remaining 25, for assuring 14,0501., had not been com-
pleted at the close of the half-year. During that period,
the assurances in force had increased from 931,0281.105.
to 957,254/. 10s. • the number of policies had increased.
from 1.492 to 1,5:49 ; the income of the society increased.
from 39,3161. 16s. 3d. to 40,5241. 18s. sd. ; and the in.
vested capital from 199,1551. to 212,0001. He announced.
that the directors, having taken into consideratiOn the
great reduction of the stamp duties, had resolved not to
charge for stamps on policies issued after the 6th of July.
The retiring directors having been, with the retiring au.
ditor (Mr. Reeves), re-elected unanimously, thanks were
voted to the chairman, directors, and actuary, and the
meeting separated.