The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-19 00:00:00

TIIE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL

SOCIETY OF ENGLAND.
SHREWSBURY, THURSDAY, JULY 17.—The attendance to
the exhibition of implements yesterday was greater than that
of the preceding day, and the sale of the articles was com-
mensurate with the numbers at the show.
The council dinner took place in the Music-hall of the town,
in Market-square, at five o'clock. The dinner, which was
supplied by Messrs. Bathe and Breach, of the London Tavern,
was of the first description, and was served up in an ad•
mirahle manner. Three hundred noblemen and gentlemen
were present.
His Grace the Duke of Richmond (the President of the
Society) took the chair, the vice-chair being filled by Earl
Spencer.
The cloth having been withdrawn, the Noble CE•tema at
gave the usual loyal and patriotic toasts.
The Noble CHAIRMAN then read the award of the judges
in relation to the cattle to be shown to-morrow..
The Noble CHAIRMAN then said, that having read the list,
it now became his duty to propose the health of the successful
competitors in cattle, and as the Hon. Mr. Nugent, of Hybam-
ground, had gained the greatest number of , prizes, he pro.
I posed to couple his name with the toast.—(Hear, hear.) He
was in hopes that he should have had to couple the name of his
Noble Friend Lord Hill with this toast, but as it was know n
that his Lordship disliked speaking very much—(Laughter)—
he had no doubt he willingly gave up any right he might have
is this respect to the Hon. Gentleman to whom he had already
referred. He gave, " The Hon. Mr. Nugent, and the success-
ful competitors in cattle."—( Applause. )
The Hon. Mr. NUGENT acknowledged the toast. He most
cheerfully came forward, though at the same time he could not
forget that he stood there in the glare of a nobleman, who was
not only one of the most successful competitors in this depart-
ment, but who was the representative whose memory would
ever remain unstained in the affections of the people of that
neighbourhood.—(Applause.) It was of course a matter of
exultation and pride, to know that he was called upon to speak
to this toast, because he felt that he owed it to his attempt to
improve the breed of long-horned cattle, which had almost been
forgotten.—( Hear.) He had fostered that breed under
peculiar circumstances, and at considerable expense, but he was
pleased to find that their importance was now generally
acknowledged, and that they were now in a position to main-
tain their capabilities and points along with the other breeds of
this country.—( Cheers. )
Earl SPENCER next rose. He said he was sure the com-
pany would not think he did his duty as their Vice-Pre-
sident if he allowed the Noble Chairman to propose the next
toast, which would otherwise fall to him, and need not tell
them, that when it was found, as the last list of awards
proved, that his Grace was the most successful competitor
in the award, it would be rather awkward to call on the
Noble Duke to propose his own health.—( Laughter, and cries
of " Hear, hear.") He was sure that under such circumstances
they were all satisfied that their Noble Chairman's health ought
to be drunk coupled with the toast of the successful competitors
in sheep. He-bad acted as steward in this department, and
in that capacity he had seen all the stock, which scarcely any
body else had done ; and he would tell them that it was no mean
honour to have won a public one. The show of Southdown this
year was equal to any that they bad ever had, and the whole
show, although it might not be so numerous as on some former
occasions, was equal to any former one in the excellence of the
specimens shown ; and he was sure every gentleman wt uld
say, when he saw them to-morrow, that there never was a
show more worthy the attention of the agriculturist than
this was. He begged, in conclusion, to propose " The
health of the Duke of Richmond, and the successful com-
petitors in sheep."—( Great applause. )
The Duke of RICHMOND said he was extremely obliged to
his Noble Friend for having proposed his health on that occasion.
He was about, when interrupted by his Noble Friend, to pro-
pose the health of Mr. Handley, who had gained more prises
than he had for sheep ; but the Noble Earl having proposed his
health, and the company having responded to it in so marked
a manner, he could not but feel much gratified at the circum-
stance.—( Hear.) In reply to such a compliment he begged to
be permitted to say that he was proud on every occasion
to send stock to the shows of the Royal Agricultural Society,
because he believed by doing so, and by sending that stock
from a distant part of the country to this looslity, they would,
by comparing, think their own stock not so good as they might
otherwise suppose them to be. He bad gone that day with his
Noble Friend, the Earl of Powis, over a portion of his estate
better farmed estate he bad not seen in any part of the
country—and doing so they called upon one of the Noble
Earl's tenants, who showed them his sheep. He (the Duke
of Richmond) observed that the sheep were not of the most
perfect symmetry. The farmer denied this, and offered to
show as good wethers as any that he (the Chairman) could
produce.—(A laugh.) He recommended him to salt till he
had seen his, the next afternoon, and he would venture to say
that when he had seen them, he would be obliged to him for ant
entering into the bargain which he had proposed.—(Loud
laughter.) • It was natural for every farmer to think that the
stock he was daily in tke habit of seeing in his own farm-yard
were the best in the world, and it was only by comparison that
they could see the mistake under which they laboured. This
was one of the great advantages of this society, and he believed
much good bad resulted to the country in consequence. He
had long been a Southdowner. He had shown his stoat on
many occasions. He had often been beaten, and he had won
sometimes. He would still continue to show, whether
beaten or otherwise, because that by showing he did good
to the agriculture of the country.—( Hear.) He had told
them that he was proud of being a competitor there, but be
felt more pride at receiving from gentlemen to whom he was,
he might say, unknown, such a mark of their esteem as that
which they had displayed towards him that evening. He hoped
they would accept from him the expression of his heartfelt gra-
titude for the compliment they had paid him.—( Applause. )
The Noble Chairman having read the prizes awarded respect-
ing pigs, said that the contest was a " (lead heat" between Lord
Hill and Mr. Fisher Hobbs, who was, by the way, as honest
and straightforward a tenant-farmer (as any in England. Ile
had great pleaslue in proposing the healths of Lord Hill and
Mr. Fisher Hobbs.

Lord Hitt expressed his acknowledgments, and said that
but for the existence of the Royal Agricultural Society, he'
should not have done anything to advance the interests of
agriculture.—( Hear.) '
Mr. FISHER Horses ilso expressed his acknowledgments.
Mr. (hussy GORE proposed " the health of the exhibitors
of implements." In doing so, he said, in reply to the argu-
ment used as to the use of machinery being calculated, to di-
minish labour, that, on the contrary, it bad, wherever it was
brought into operation, increased the demand for manual
labour.—(Hear, hear.) He had no hesitation in saying that
the more improvements,t.hat were made, and the more valuable
the implements became, the greater would be the call for
manual labour.—(Hear, bear.) The engines employed in
agriculture had been used with great advantage in our colonies,
and the result was, that hundreds and thousands of acres
had been brought into useful operation, which would not
otherwise have been the case.—( Hear.) He congratulated
them upon the very great exhibition of implements which had
been shown on the present occasion.
Mr. RAacsowa, of Ipswich, expressed his acknowledgments,
on the part of the exhibition. He proposed " the health of the
stewards of departments."—(Applause. )
Mr. SHILLEY, on the part of the stewards, returned thanks.
The CHAIRMAN said that Lord Kenyon had offered a pre-
mium of 201. for the best essay on the use of gorse as food for
cattle, horses, and sheep, and the award was now about to be
read. [The seal of the letter which contained the award was
then broken, when it was found that the successful essayist was
Mr. 0. Robots.] In continuation, he said-be was sure that
they would agree with him in thinking that this was a subject
of great importance in a healthy district, and one that.had not
hitherto occupied much of the attention of the agriculturist.—
(Hear.) He would here observe that when the British army
were engaged in the Peninsular war, they were, frequently
without corn or hay for their horses, and without having much
experience as agriculturists, they gave them what they could
get, and that was only bruised gorse. The essay would be
published in the journals of the Society, and he had only now
to propose: the health of Lord Kenyon, who had so liberally
come forward with a premium in reference to a subject, the
exposition of which must be of great value and importance to
his neighbours and tenants.—( Hear, hear.)
Lord KENYON returned thanks. The compliment which
had been conferred upon him was greatly increased in conse-
quence of the source from whence it had emanated.—(Hear,
hear.) The motive that influenced him in giving the prize
was, that it was important to the small farmers of Wales, being
adapted to the soil, and requiring nothing but labour. Though
neglected at home, it was not so abroad, for in the Peninsula.
where the Noble Chairman had fought side by side with the
great men who had preserved the liberties of Europe—
(Cheers)—in that country they had a saying, " That an acre
of gorse was better than an acre of oats."—( Hear. )
The Hon. Mr. Cit.rvz proposed the health of Earl Spencer.
—(Cheers.) Whether as President or Vice-President of the
Society, or as Steward of the Yard, or indeed in any situa-
tion in which the Society was interested, there would the
Noble Earl be found, working out its welfare. The Society
did good in various ways. By these annual meetings they
formed friendships—they removed prejudices, and caused an
interchange of opinions ; and, in short, they brought farmers
from all parts of the kingdom to become united together ; and
he would remind them that the tenant-farmer would not be ex-
pected to undertake experiments unless there was a prospect of
his being remunerated thereby. —( Hear, hear.) It could not
he supposed the farmer would expend his means for the benefit
of the country, without any regard to his own interests. Let
the landlord then endeavour to promote the welfare and comfort
of the tenant by an improved understanding between them.
There should be a fair understanding in the way of agreements,
which would enable landlord and tenant to be united in carrying
out these advantages. He was in hopes that an opportunity for
this would shortly be offered.—( Hear, hear.) Let them en-
deavour to follow the example which had been set for them by
the Noble Earl, whose health he was about to propose, by ex-
tending the sphere of usefulness through the districts in which
they might reside creating a spirit of emulation from ono
and to the other.-(Hear, hear.) lie begged most cordially
to give the health of Earl Spencer.—( Loud cheers. )
Earl SPENCER said he was much gratified by this mark of
their esteem. if credit was to be given to him for endeavour-
ing to promote the success of the Society, he would only say
that he would continue to deserve that credit by every means
in his power. He felt how important it was to the agricul-
ture of the country that meetings of this kind should be
held, to promote the cultivation of the soil, and thus to better
the condition of the people.—( Applause.) The Society, he
was happy to say, was now in a most flourishing condition, and
every one admitted that it was useful and beneficial to the in-
terests of the country. Mr. Clivo had alluded to the mechani-
cal skill which had been brought to bear upon the interests
of
science
etingd tthat
agriculture. He believed that almost every
be
brought to bear upon their profession:but he was s
mechanical science would accomplish the
to impress upon the
all. There was one point which he wished
greatest good of them
bine ou ht to
Society, and that was, that the
price of a mac g
to it, because, if their
be considered in awarding a prize
othernot afford
sscience
ctoe
of the country, they must
object was to improve the condition
buy.—( Applause.) fie believed not encourage implements wh.ichitei°t
ethfaatuneevrecr7hl
thanks and to assure t em tat he
would benefit by these meetings as well as agriculture.tur lie
begged again to re
to assist the county to the utm h oat of his
should ever be readyw
Loud applause.)
po;ehre. ("Judges of the Show," " His Grace the Duke of
Richmond, President of the Royal Aprieultural Society of
England, and thanks to him for presiding over us," and other
toasts, followed.
His GRACE returned thanks, and concluded by giving "The
Ladies," which was warmly responded to.
I The company then retired.
ad

ROYAL BIRTH AT PAISLEY.—In days of yore
Paisley and its neighbourhood were occasionally favoured as the
residence of Kings and Queens, and royal births, under peculiar
circumstances, have taken place there. The birth referred to in
the present notice is not, however, amongst the sovereigns of the
human race, but the kings of the forest. On Saturday morning,
about four o'clock, Mr. Wombwell's fine lioness Duchess whelped
three fine cubs in the County-square, which, with the parent, are in
good health. We learn that this accession to Mr. Wombwell's
wild family numbers about two hundred of the lion species which
have been whelped and reared under his care. It is the first occur-
rence of the kind that has taken place in Paisley—we may not only
say during the memory of the oldest liver, but since it has existed.
The father of the young family Is the majestic lion Wallace, one of
the progeny of the famous animal of the same name, which was
one of the first lions whelped in Scotland, an occurrence w hich took.
place In 1817.—Glasgow Argus.
GRAVESEND AND ROCIIESTR RAILWAY --Traffic
returns for the week ending July 12 ;—Pialenpri (10,690)
mu. 16s, 9d.