The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-10-05 00:00:00

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE FOIL 1838,

On the ninth anniversary of the Liverpool Agricultural Society
the committee have again the pleasure of reporting the state of
their funds, and the progress which the society is making towards
the advancement of the objects which it has in view. With re-
spect to the first of these it is a matter of congratulation that the
subscriptions have not diminished, and that the receipts for ad-
mission to the show-yard have considerably increased. The ba-
lance due to the treasurer appears more than it was last year, but
this may he accounted for by some debts for printing having been
discharged which belonged to a previous year.
The following is an abstract of the treasurer's account :
Dfsnuasmnixrs. - r s. d.

For Premiums and Medals awarded at the annual meet-

in
'''AidvenlBrt3ilFor ing. Printing, Sze
For salaries of Secretary, Treasurer, and Inspectors
For expenses of Committee, and Booms for Annual

313 18 0
87 0 8
89 5 0

Fol‘rieeextpleine Meeting,
......of Judges .
For Fitting-up of Show Yard
For Miseellaneous Payments, including expenses of the
Ploughing Match, Postages of Letters, &c...

35 6 0
25 8 1
14 8 5

.. 18 5 5

583 17 7
Balance due to the Treasurer, 31st July, 1837

£662 0 0

RECEIFTS.

Subscriptions
For Admission of Non-Subscribers to the Show Yard,
in 1817 135 13 6
For Entry of Lire Stock, Implements, &c., in 1837
For Non-Subscribers' Dinner Tickets lB 0 0

:)17 16 6
114 3 6

Balance due to the Treasurer, 31st July, 1838

£662 0 0
The committee state witlr pleasure that the reports received
from the inspectors of this society betoken a gradual but marked
improvement in the greater breadth of land under green crops—in
the application of composts—in the extirpation of weeds—in the
laying down of lands for permanent pasture—and in irrigation.
The number of live stock exhibited in the show-yard this day
is ereater than on any former occasion, and the quality much su-
perior.
The claimants for REWARDS continue sufficient in number to
keep up a fair competition, and the committee feel call, d upon to
acknowledge the liberality of Lord Lilford, who has very hand-
somely added another premium to this class.
The committee cann.it be satisfied with the above statement of
facts without again directiag the attention of the public to the
objects and claims of the society, which seem to call for some re-
marks on the present occasion.
One of the great objects which the Liverpool Agricultural So-
ciety has had in view is the improvement of lands, so as to render
them as productive as possible, and thus to increase the quantit3
of food fir supporting the community.
It is evident that the interests of the empire at large mit-t he
advanced by the increased fertility of the soil, so that provisions
of all descriptions may be as abundant as possible. In this object
the agriculturist and the manufacturer are mutually interested.
Every thing in the world is undoubtedly purchased by labour,
and therefore the more that we find a nation such as Great Britain
abounds in manufactures and mechanic arts, so much the more
is it incumbent on the proprietors of land, as well as the farmers.
to study agriculture as a science, and to redouble their industry
and attention. It is also the duty of the merchant and manufac-
turer to afford every encouragement to this exertion, as the in-
creased production arising from the labour of the one is exchanged
for the commodities of the other ; so that the interest of the mer-
cantile world is greatly concerned in the advancement of agricul-
ture, and by promoting and assisting, by every means in their
power, such societies as the present. In making this allusion we
have to acknowledge with gratitude and thanks that the merchants
and manufacturers, the tradesmen, and other inhabitants of large
towns, and of the town of Liverpool in particular, have contri-
buted, by their annual subscriptions, very greatly in support of
" The Liverpool Agricultural Society."
The subject of agricultural improvement is one of no modern
invention. In all ages the cultivation of land and the advance-
ment in animal production has engaged the attention of mankind.
No occupation can be more honourable in itself, or contribute
more to health and happiness, than that of a farmer, and there is
no reason, in the nature of the case why his moral and intellectual
improvement should not keep pace with that of other men.
It must be confessed,—and the Committee have to state the fact
with regret,—that although the Liverpool Agricultural Society
has been supported by several influential noblemen and• gentle-
men, it has not yet received that general and cordial support from
the proprietors of land which it might naturally have expected,
and for which it has been ever solicitous. It must be obvious,
that the interest of the land owners, in the production of the
soil, is greater than that of any other class ;—it is equally obvious.
that their example must have great weight with the occupiers,
and, perhaps, the apathy which, the committee regret to state, so
visibly prevails amongst the farmers, may reasonably lie traced,
in some measure, to the want of countenance the society experi-
ences from the land owners themselves. .

It is true the society receives the support of many farmers ; and
while the committee acknowledge with satisfaction this support,
they feel bound to state, few came forward in comparison with
their numbers as a class ; and the committeee fear that prejudices
still exist amongt them, which, they trust, time, and a better un-
derstanding, will remove.
The age in which we live, is.an age of improvement, generally ;
and it is impossible for any man to stand still, without limbo,' him-
self surpassed by others. If he does not advance, he musCretro-
grade. It is therefore manifestly ridiculous to suppose, that the
knowledge which we now possess, is all that we can possibly at-
tain, or to inculcate the notion that we must pursue such and
such plans, merely because our ancestors have done so before us.
Men of talent and of genius are continually finding something
new ; and it is the interest of the community to encourage all
speculation which may ultimately tend to improvement. These
observations are made to counteract the sluggish remark which
we have to encounter from many farmers, " that the old way is
the best, and that what their fathers had practised before them,
they would follow." An axiom this, winch, if carried into effect,
would go far to put a stop to all improvement and would encour-
age the notion, that the present state of the world, both moral
and physical. is the best state of which it is capable.
Another remark we -wish to make upon a very absurd idea
whi,th prerslls among many farmers, viz : that by encouraging
this society, they may bring things into such a state, as to induce
the landlords to raise their rents. Now, nothing can be more
plainly a matter of fact than--this:--that the great landed proprie-
tors of Great Britain let their lands at moderate rents, and have
not evinced a grasping disposition to increase them ; and it is no-
torious that, generally speaking, an iNntisrarous farmer is en-
couraged by his landlord, and is usually enabled to hold an ho-
nourable and respectable situation in society.
It is believed that objections are raised by some farmers against
societies of this description, not because they dislike improvement,
but because they do not wish that improvement, or the mode by
which it is effected. to be made public. This is a very selfish
notion, and one which we hope will soon be removed. In Scot-
land, where the fanning and labourini, classes are in general better
educated, and where an Agricultural Society upon an extensive
scale has flourished for many years, the difficulties and prejudices
which the Liverpool Agricultural Society have to contend with,
have long since been eradicated. Let those whose greatest interest
it is to support this society emulate the zeal and liberality shown
by members of the Highland Society of Scotland, and we shall
soon perceive its good effects in an improved system of cultivating
the soil ; rn a greatly increased production, and in the enlightened
state of our rural population
THE DINNER.

The dinner was held in the large room of Lucas' Reposi-
tory, in Great Charlotte-street, and was attended by all the
principal gentry, and farmers, of this district. The light
lion. Lord Stacley, the President of the Association, pre-
sided with his accustomed ability, and distributed the various
prizes with that piquant humour for which he is distinguished.
The dinner was attended by about 500 gentlemen, It is greatly
to our annoyance that we are prevented from laying before
our readers a detailed report of the dinner. We took every
means to obtain a full report of the proceedings, but the gen-
tleman whom we engagel to furnish the report (our own re-
porter being fully occupied with the Protestant meeting,
which took place in the Ifternoon) contrived to get himself
" most unbecomingly drunk," and utterly incapable of fur-
nishing us even with an outline of the proceedings. We can-
not help it; and we trust our friends will take our will to
oblige them for the deed.

RELIGIONS OF THE POPULATION OF ALGIERS.—The Ton-
lonnais states 01;0 there are now in Algiers 60,000 persons,
including the army, professing the Homan Catholic religion,
the offices of which are celebrated in ten churches 01 chapels;
the chief is at Algiers, being a mosque, abandoned by the
Mussulmans, and converted into a church i❑ 1.832. There
are also, according to this journal, about 1000 Protestants,
who have their niinisters, and nearly the same number of
Jews, who have their synagogues and rabbis, the Liam being
much in the same state as before the Conquest.

M AN. —There is no truth in the report that M. de
Beriot is going, shortly to be married to Miss Paulina Garcia.
They are both at Brussels at this moment, but rt ill go in a
few days to Paris, whore Miss Paulina wilt, perhaps, stay,
with an engagement, in the Theatre Italien, or will go lo
Italy. Al. De Beriot intends to visit the south of France,
whence he will return to Brussels, and afterwards go to Rus-
sia, This journey' will take at least six months.