The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-21 00:00:00

MR. mEca-rs AGRICULTURAL GATHER-
ING AT TIPTREh BALL.

The system of high farming which has been pursued by
Mr. Mechi for so many years under the most unfavour-
able circumstances has proved so eminently successful
that those who looked upOn his efforts with considerable
doubt are obliged to admit that be has struck out a
path which the agriculturists would do well to follow,
so far as their means will enable them to do so. The
garden-like appearance of Mr. Mears farm, in the cen-
tre of an almost 'barren clayey district, excites the admi-
ration of all those who have the pleasure of paying it a
visit, and is an astonishing proof of the improvements
which' may be effected by a judicious employment of la-
bour and capital. The crops produced on this model farm
are most luxuriant, and present a striking contrast to
those grown in the immediate neighbourhood. And if his
method of culture renders the land increasingly prolific
his mode of attracting visitors is equally successful,
for year by year his "agricultural gatherings" are mere
numerously attended, both British and foreign deeming
it a privilege to be allowed to inspect the industrial ope-
rations of a gentleman whose efforts to promote the in-
terests of agriculture have gained for him an almost Eu-
ropean reputation. Thenumberof visitors on the preterit
occasion exceeded 600, the greater number of whom went
down by special train from the Shoreditch station ; but
the close of the Royal Agricultural Society's meeting on
the previous evening induced several of the most distin-
guished colonial and foreign agriculturists, who had as-
sembled at Chelmsford, to take advintage of the oppor-
tunity to examine Mr. Mechi's improvements, and at the
same time to partake of his hospitality.
'Amongst the distinguished guests we observed :—M.
le Comte .de K-ergorley, -Le .4-43eunt .Charles de Bon ille,
Robiou de la Trehonnais, Col. Sykes, Chairman East
India Company ; the Hon. Mr: Cameron, Sir J. Duke,
Ald., M.P., Herbert Ingram, Esq.. M.P.. Hon. Mr.
Campbell, D. Waddington, Eerie M.P., T. °bailie, Esq.,
Ald., M.P., J. C. Cohbold, Esq.., M.P., W. Williams,
Esq., M.P., W. Tite, Esq., M.P.,W. Cubitt, Esq., Ald.,
M.., E. Ball, Esq., M.P., Mr. Sergeant Glover, Rev.
Sir J. P. Wood, Bart., Sir C. D. Crossley, A. Crossley,
Sheriff Elect, -- Arcedekne, Eeq., High Sheriff of Suf-
folk, Prof. P. L. Simmond, Prof. Pepper, Dr. L. A.
Ritterbrandt, Dr. S. Stnitb, the Ven. Archdeacon Bur-
ney, J. Cooke, Esq., Mayor of Manchester ; J. G. Ap-
pold, F.R.S., Wyld, Esq., J. Wood, Esq., G. Pye,
Esq., D. W. Harvey, Esq., J. Payne, Esq., F. Hobbs,
EKI., R. Morley, Col. Western, Capt. W. Peel, R.N.,
F. Smedley, Esq., High Bailiff of Westminster, Mr.
Ald. and Sheriff Rose, Mr. Ald. Sidney, Mr. Ald. Finnis,
W. Pritchard, Esq., High Bailiff ofSouthwark, F. Keats,
Esq., Sheriff Elect; R. Ransoms, Esq., E. Hopkins, W.
Chance, Esq., Birmingham, S. Morley. Esq., G. W. K.
Potter, Secon dare, of London; T. H. Baylis, Esq., B, T. B.
Gibbs, Esq.,F. Crisp, Esq.,T. Glover, Esq., H. Lake,Esq.,
J. Farrance, Esq., T. Harris, Esq., Rev. Dr. Booth,
President of the Society of Arts ; Rev. T. Beames,
Rev, R. Whittington, Rev. C. Mackenzie, Rev. H. B.
Burney, Rev. E. Sydney, M.A., Rev. G. Wilkins, Rev.
C. Davis, Rev. C. Marshall, Rev. B. C. Sanger, Rev.
T. Henderson, Rev. D. Moore, &c,
The guests, preceded by Mr. Mechi, made a minute in-
spection of the farm, which consists of 170 acres, the
whole of which has been thoroughly drained by means of
3-inch iron pipes, laid two feet deep, the cost of which
was about 4/. ss. per acre, but at the present time the
cost would be about 61. per acre, in consequence of the
increase which has taken place in the cost of iron. These
pipes extend a distance of about two miles. Behind the
farm buildings a large tank has been constructed,
which receives all the sewage and animal matter. The
liquid thus obtained is forced through pipes into the
centre of each field by means of an engine of six-
horse power, and is then distributed over the surface
by irrigating jets which throw out about 80 gallons per
minute ; and the supply is such as to afford 60,000 gal-
lons per day. In the event of the supply being short,
guano is thrown into the tank for the purpose of increas-
ing the quantity. The farm will support 400 sheep and
30 hullociss ; and four horses and a pony are employed
for farniing purposes. But, in addition to these animals,
Mr. Mechi keeps two other horses for his private use.
Having given this general description of the farm, we
may mention a few details which were given by Mr.
Mechi in the course of the perambulation which took
place. From one field of Italian rye grass three crops
have been taken during the present year, and a fourth
crop is rapidly progressing. In reply to a question as
to whether the cattle would eat the grass readily after
the liquid manure had been applied, Mr. Mechi replied
that they would feed upon it in the course of five or six
hours. One field which bad been laid down in rye
grass for two years was put down with turnips in
the following year, and in the succeeding year
was sown with wheat, the produce being from five
and a half to six quarters per acre. In another field
seven good crops of wheat have been raised in 14 years,
and this in the least improved part of the farm, the
field being only rented by Mr. Mechi. We observed one
field of wheat which looked most luxuriant, the result of
a manure recently discovered by Dr. Ritterbrandt, and
Mr. Bower, of Leeds. The manure is formed of the com-
mon clinker of coals ground to a fine powder, mixed with
sulphuric acid and animal matter. The cost of the article
is about Si. per ton, and the quantity used per acre is
from 3to 4 cwt. It has been applied to some extent in
Yorkshire,. and the result of experiments show that it
has eradicated the potato disease, which arises from the
want of a sufficient supply of potash, which is found in
considerable quantities in this new manure, and the dis-
coverers are sanguine that it will have an equally bene-
ficial effect in curing the disease which, in some quar-
ters, has manifested itself in the vine. Another
field which was visited has produced ten quarters of
wheat per acre for the last two years. This field was
manured with guano at the rata of 2 cwt. per acre, and
Mr. Mechi observed that although it was perhaps hardly
right to use land in such a manner, the prices had been
very tempting. In another field of wheat the estimated
produce is six quarters peracre. The field last year yielded
from 30 to 40 tons per acre of mangold-wurtzel. Another
wheat field, which last year was in beans, and which was
manured with guano and liquid manure, will yield about
six quarters per acre. In one field, which last year was
sown with wheat, we observed a flue crop of beans. This
field has received no solid manure for four years, but has
been treated entirely with liquid manure. A field of barley
promises a produce of something like 8 qrs. per acre. Last
year it was planted with reangole-wurtzel, and has re-
ceived no manure except the leaves whioh were ploughed
in. The quantity of wheat generally sown in is about 41
pecks per acre, and the average produce of 70 acres has
been 5 qrs. short of a bushel per acre,
A steam thrashing machine, a patent expanding
plough, several drills, and a variety of other agricultural
implements were open to inspection and excited consider-
able interest. One gentleman exhibited two loaves made
of equal proportions of flour and marigold-wurtzel, the
taste of which was by no means unpalatable.
Having conclut7ed the inspection of the farm, the
company assembled in a spacious marquee to partake of
the entertainment which had been provided for them
under the superintendence of Messrs. Bathe a ,d Fu„ go,
of the London Tavern. At the conclusion of the repast,
at which Mr. Mechi presided, he proposed " the Health
of her nsjesty, Prince Albert, and the rest of the Royal
Family, which was drunk with the usual honours,
Mr. MECIII then said he bad a toast whioh would ap-
peal to their warmest feelings. They would not have
been so comfortably situated on the present occasion if
a lot of hungry Russians had the power of appropriating
to their own use the good things of which they bad just
partaken. (Laughter.) And what had prevented the
Russians from doing so but our gallant army and navy.
(Cheers.) It was a remarkable but a proud fact for Old
England, that although our troops were half starved
and half clad from neglect, it did not quench the r spirit
and that love of home which encouraged them to fight
even in the fangs and jaws of death. (Cheers.) He
begged to 'give ." The Army and Navy," coupling the
toast with the names of Colonel Sykes and Captain Peel.
(Loud cheers.)
Colonel SYKES said that, as an old soldier of some fifty
years' standing, he was somewhat out of place in re-
sponding to such a toast ; but he might be allowed to
say that there never was a period in the history of
the country in which the pluck of the British soldier had
been manifested in a more remarkable manner than
during the last two years. (Cheers.) He had heard Sir
John Burgoyne, who commanded in the trenches, say
that the 10,000 men there employed had performed the
duty of 50,000. (Cheers.) After the heroism and
bravery which the army had displayed, they were en-
titled to the thanks and gratitude of the country.
(Cheers.)
Captain PEEL, R.N., felt 'much gratified that the
health of his profession had been received with so much
good feeling, and that his name had been associated with
the toast. He felt the compliment the more deeply be-
cause he was painfully conscious that in the late war
they could point to no great naval achievements. He
had served in the trenches before Sebastopol, and could
say, on behalf of the Naval Brigade, that no body of
men bad ever displayed greater courage at their guns,
greater contempt for death, or more love of fighting.
(Laughter.) Such men only only required good officers
to lead them on, and they would achieve victories as
great as any which had distinguished them in days of
old. (Loud cheers.)

The Count DE KERGORLEY, in proposing " Success to
agriculture, British and foreign," said he had great plea-
sure in expressing his sense of the admiration which the
examination of English agriculture had produced in his
mind. There was a time when the introduction into
England of an ounce of French or German bread, or
butter or meat, would have been considered dangerous
to the welfare of English society. That time had passed
away, and the Eiglish agriculturist of the second
part of the 19th century did not fear any competition
whatever. The Erglish people now consumed a very
large quantity of French and German bread and meat—
and looking at the crop which they had examined that
morning, and knowing the crops which were produced
throughout the country, they must be convinced that
English agriculturists had nothing to fear from foreign
competition. The late campaign had shown that the two
nations of England and France could enter into a cor-
dial alliance, and his countrymen pre-ent joined most
heartily in sentiments of sympathy and admiration of the
English army and people. England and France- had
shown that when they determined that the peace of the
world should be maintained, it was not in the power of
pay eoyoreigu, pot even the Noveror of All the &lulu,