The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-29 00:00:00

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LONDON, FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 1865.

An interesting entertainment took place at Hert-
ford yesterday, on the occasion of the Herts Agri-
cultural Society's annual dinner. The members for
the county attended, and the affair went off very
successfully. The Earl of VERULAM presided, and
when he proposed " Success to the Society" he made
some very wise observations on the subject of the
pestilence now hanging over the cattle throughout
the country. There is no doubt -whatever that the
wretched manner in which the poor animals were
treated had a great deal to do with the cattle
plague, and nothing can possibly excuse those
who neglect to profit by the warning thus
imparted to them. Not only during the
period of their transit from one place to
another, but also while they are stationary in
their several localities do these poor creatures have
to endure great evils. As the noble earl stated, the
houses in London in which they are placed are
often overcrowded, they are badly ventilated, and
the animals are thus " doomed to much . sufferina "
0
The practice of keeping them without water when
on their passage and after landing is a most bar-
barous one.

::sir E. B. LTTrON, in responding to the toast of
the County Members, made an impressive speech,
and dwelt at some length on the difficulties that
beset his way in endeavouring to make a speech on
such an occasion as the one before him. In
the first place, politics are supposed to be
directly excluded, and therefore it is very
awkward to proceed far on any topic, when
constant obstacles present themselves in the shape
of 'differences of opinion and so on, which must not
be touched upon lest the harmony of the meeting
be disturbed. Yet, as the right hon. Bart. plain-
tively observed, " When you say to a member of
Parliament, Mind, not a word of politics,' he is
like OTHELLO : his occupation's gone." In conse-
quence of these prohibitions, there ras nothing left
for the speaker but to plunge into agricultural
subjects, and make the desperate venture of enter-
ing into such matters before an assembly chiefly
composed of practical farmers. It must be ad-
mitted that the right hon. baronet acquitted himself
very well of his arduous task notwithstanding his de-
preciatory remarks on the matter. He excited much
amusement by declaring that it would be a very
good thing if the farmers themselves addressed the
meeting, and stated their opinions upon various
matters, such as " deep ploughing,' " thin sowing,"
" deep drainage," &c., and also intimated what ad-
vantages were derived from the modification of the
malt tax.

?To doubt, as the Right Honourable Baronet I
sad, there are uses in the recurrence of
these scientific meetings and exhibitions, which
are not evident at first sight to those
who read the speeches in the papers, because a great
deal is discussed in private, and many are fortunate
enough to return home with old prejudices partly
shaken and with the germ
of new ideas. It would be
indeed difficult to exaggerate the advantages of
these societies, as they afford opportunities for the
diffusion of thought, and also induce persons to
come forward and impart the result of their disco-
veries, which otherwise they might be slow to do
without incentive. Besides this an impetus is given
to the prosecution of the several labours and pur-
suits from the emulation created by the bestowing
of prizes, and the general excitement of the exhibi-
tions. Sir EDWARD made allusion to the pro-
posal recently made by Mr. DISRAELI, to the
effect that the area of competition should be
widened in the Agricultural Society of Buck-
inghamshire!, which the right hon. baronet
described as a great county, " the history
of which certainly derived an additional lustre from
being represented by a man of so brilliant a genius
and so eminent in the position to which that genius
had exalted him." SirEDWARD gave it as his opinion
that there would be great benefits derived from this
plan if it were practicable in improving public spirit
and competition. The imperfect state of the rail-
ways in Hertfordshire would, however, he feared,
detract from its likelihood as yet.

The great calamity of the cattle plague; Jtts the
right hen. baronet aptly designated it, of courge.,-
engrossed seine portion of his speech ; and indeed,
no one can nowadays po‘-cibly discourse upon agri-
cultural 4-abject.l without touching upon this inc-