The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-10-02 00:00:00

0 B'ER. 2 1835,
NIT c

LIVERPOOL AGRICULTFRAL SOCIETY

This society held its fifth annual meeting yesterday,
and the. encouraging tone of last year's report was fully
justified in the result of the day's exhibition. A very
considerable number of claimants appared for the seve-
ral premiums, and it was gratifyir gto remark, that not
only did the winners evince much excellence, but there
were scarcely any instances of very inferior animals being
iixhibited as heretofore. This is a circumstance of much
importance, proving not only the introductionnf better
stock into the district, but also a more matured judg-
ment amongst our farmers, who have now in somedegree
learned to estimate the qualities of their stock at home,
without submitting them to the condemnation of a public
exhibition. These remarks apply peculiarly to the cat-
tle, many of which would not disgrace any exhibition in
counties where the. production of superior animals has
longer been an object of attention. With respect to this
portion of the exhibition, we cannot avoid expressing a
hope, which is by no means intended as a censure, that
as the members of the society, and other exhibitors, ad-
vance in the knowledge of stock, they will become sen-
sible of the absurdity of preparing their animals for
.exhibition by a mode of feeding which competent persons
'declare to be destructive. Great injury is done by this
proceeding, which in fact answers not even the purpose
intended. Skilful and unprejudiced persons are ap-
pointed as judges, and can discriminate at once the
superior merits of a good animal in store condition. In-
deed, such men are always rendered suspicious that there
has been much defect to hide where so great pains is
taken to lay on fat. The exhibition of pampered ani-
mals has also the bad effect .of discouraging the less
wealthy breeders, who imagine they have no chance of
success unless they resort to artificial measures; and it
not unfrequently justifies, in their own estimation, those
,who withhold aid from such societies, because they
wrongly imagine they tend to encourage extravagance
and waste. We trust these remarks will be taken as
they are intended, in good part. It is not our intention
'to particularise where all was so good, but we cannot
,avoid making one exception in favour of a stallion, the
property of Mr. Greenall. We have heard much of
horses for general purposes, and on inspection of ths
candidates have generally been disappointed. The
:horse in question is the very thing. He possesses great
_power without the slightest clunisiness—beautiful light
action, and though• strong enough for every description
.of draught, is sufficiently • easy and quick in his paces for
-the saddle. This desirable union of qualities, so rarely
combined; must render him a great acquisition to the
.neighbourhood.
Lancashire has been hitherto little appropriated to the
breeding of sheep, but there are doubtless many farms
'on'which small flocks would be advantageously intro-
duced, We were therefore glad to see a considerable
• increase in the number exhibited, and also an improve-
ment in the quality. The pigs were, as usual, mon-
..strous as to fat, and the head of one that took the prize
-last year, exhibited in a preserved state, exceeded any-
we had ever seen.or conceived of obesity.
The exhibition of implements was small. Mr. Skir-
ving had a splendid assortment of dried grasses, cab-
bages, roots, &c.' .Mr. Whalley produced some very
:superior specimens of apples ; and Mr. Gibbs, from
Half-moon street, Piccadilly, had a good collection of
grass seeds for laying down lawns and permanent pas-
ture, as well as seeds and grasses of other descriptions.
The following is the
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE FOB, 1835.
The sixth anniversary of the Liverpool Agricultural Society
~brings the committee once mote before its subscribers and the
public, with a repetition of the satisfactory assurances contained
in the report for last year. Every expectation then held out
has been amply realized—new subscribers have been enrolled-
-newe prospects of advancement of the society's best interests
continue to open upon its friends—improved methods of culti•
vation are-daily gaining ground, and an exhibition of stock, &c.
has to-day been presented, on the character of which it is un-
necessary to comment. The public is well able to form its own
approving estimate. •
Where all connected with the society is of an encouraging
description, it would be superfluous to dwell upon particulars;
Amt there is one subject, the importance of which may justify
the committee's solicitude, and a more marked notice. It is im-
possible for any one at all conversant with farming to sui vey
the district embraced by the society's boundary without recog-
nising the, absolute necessity of very great exertions in drain-
ing, to bring much of the land into anything like a productive
state, or to justify the application of capital or skill in any of
the iuiproved modes of cultivation which the society may be in-
- strumental in recommending. The committee is therefore par-
..ticularly anxious to impress, equally on the landlord and to-.
nant, that draining is the first 'essential step towards improve
ment and profit; and that until it has been extensively and efic-
malty accomplished, skill, labour, and manure are alike unpro-
fitably expended on the soil. .
To such members of the society as are not cognizant of the
fact, it 7ill nut be superfluous to state, that a ploughing match,
under the auspices of the society has taken place at Newton,
-attended by circumstances higtily.gratifying.and eucourat,ging
as regards the number of competitors.and spectators, as well as
the manner in which the ploughing was performed. This in-
teresting and- useful application of a-. portion of the society's
,energies and funds is proposed to be continued annually, and
as it must tend to improve and perfect one of the most important
~operkt,ioo4uf.agricil.ture, scrit,is trustekhe ploughing matches
to be held in future will obtain that attention and countenance
`-to which they are manifestly entitled. •
The thank; of the committee are again due to the Mayor and
corporation of Liverpool for the accommodation of the yard in
which the exhibition has been held, and to Mr, Lucai for the
use of the Commodious room in which. the society and its friends
dined together.