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THE JOURNAL OF THE ENGLISH AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.-VOL. I. PART. I. 1829.

AMONGST the various Societies instituted in this country, for the advancement of science and the promotion of the useful arts,—we know of none more likely to produce essential good to the community, than "the English Agricultural Society;"-formed we believe last year, under the most favourable auspices,-and from whose steady yet zealous exertions, all the practical improvements in the tillage and draining of lands, in the breeding of stock, in the formation of the implements of husbandry, in the application and effects of various substances as manure,-in short, all that can tend to render the produce of the earth, and of the animal kingdom for man's use, copious, rapid, and valuable--will we discussed, encouraged, and publicly and widely disseminated. We hail the report now before us, being the first part of the Journal of this excellent Society, with the deepest feelings of hope and satisfaction. In our own humble pages, we never experience more pleasure in the insertion of a favourite paper, than when the object of that paper is to conduce to the improvement and comfort of the most valuable branches of the animal creation. Of course, it does not fall within our province to treat particularly, of the breeding and rearing of stock; but we never omit the opportunity, when the means are afforded to us, of pointing out the best modes of breeding horses and dogs, as well as the happiest methods of rearing them, and rendering them useful. In our number for March, we treated of the popular stallions of the day, and ventured suggestions as to the best admixture of blood for healthy and valuable produce. A careful, judicious, practical paper on this subject, from a sensible and observant breeder, put forth under the sanction of the English Agricultural Society, and widely disseminated, not only amongst the owners and regulators of English studs, but throughout the race of the farmers of this country, would be of incalculable weight and utility. The gathered experience of such breeders as Lord Jersey, the Marquis of Exeter, the Duke of Grafton, Mr. Thornhill, Mr. Nowell, &c. &c., submitted to one thoroughly competent to weight, select, and condense; would form a manual for breeders of horses (perhaps, one of the most important kinds of produce in this country) which would render further speculations and suggestions useless. We venture to hint this with all respectful earnestness to Earl Spencer, a Nobleman whose leisure, ability, as well as bias of mind, eminently qualify him for

a task, which would be easy to him, as all parties interested, would cheerfully submit the results of their experience to such an Editor, and which would be pleasant to him in the performance, as it would be beneficial to the interests of his country and mankind.

The English Agricultural Society was instituted, as we have intimated, last year-and in December, the committee of management (appointed n the previous June) made a short, but clear report-shewing the effective means taken to insure the stability and well-being of the institution, and stating the measures adopted, in the way of annual public meetings and prizes, for the encouragement and promotion of its objects. The number of governors and subscribers is about 700, comprizing in their list the highest and most influential land owners, and scientific, as well as practical, agriculturists, in the kingdom. A correspondence has been partially opened, and is being gradually enlarged, with the several societies of a similar nature at home; particularly with the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland; as well as with the Royal and Central Agricultural Society at Paris, the Royal Agricultural Society at Lyons-and the Societies at Geneva, Lille, Toulouse, and Bordeaux; thus will the practical improvements of England be contrasted with, and tested by, those of other countries, and knowledge be communicated from mind to mind with the beneficent generosity which invariably attends upon true knowledge.

In 1840 there is to be a meeting at Oxford, at which prizes will be offered for the best essays on storing turnips, admixture of soils, early spring seed, insects injurious to cereal crops, plantations, underwood, rotation and crops, weeds in meadows, gypsum as a manure, and diseases of wheat; ten subjects of varied interest and importance. Prizes are also offered for a draining plough, and a gorse cutting machine, as well as for a satisfactory application of the subsoil plough-and for subsoil and trench ploughing. The breeders of stock are also invited to try their excellence, and growers of wheat are called upon to exhibit the best samples of the white and of the red. The funds of the society are such as to enable them to make the prizes an object worthy of a farmer's consideration; if the approval of such a society were not in itself the highest excitement towards success.

Our limited space prevents our going into the papers contained in this report, as carefully as we could desire; indeed, our anxiety to give a brief detail of the valuable institution from which the report emanates, has deprived us of the means of indulging in several quotations, marked in the book for extracts. There is a straightforward lucid paper by the President, Earl Spencer, "On the selection of male animals in the breeding of cattle and sheep," which, without containing any great novelty, is so concise and conclusive, that it cannot fail to be useful

amongst breeders. With this passage, to evidence the unaffected style of the author, we must close the pamphlet.

"As I am writing for the use of farmers, it is quite unnecessary for me to attempt to give a description of what is considered a well-shaped bull or ram; it is also obviously impossible to express in words what is meant by good handling. It is sufficient to say, therefore, that no male animal is fit to be used at all as a sire whose handling is not good, and that the more perfect his shape is the better. The above observations apply to breeding generally; for, whatever may be the sort or size of the animal intended to be produced, there is no doubt but that good health, propensity to fatten, and good shape, in all cases, ought to be aimed at. But there are not only different breeds, both of cattle and sheep, but experienced and very good farmers differ very much in opinion as to which peculiarities of shape and size are to be preferred, even among animals of the same breed. It is, therefore, very desirable, before any man commences to breed either cattle or sheep, that he should make up his mind as to the shape and qualities he wishes to obtain, and steadily pursue this object; if he does so, there is very little doubt but that he will succeed in having a herd of cattle or flock of sheep possessing the characteristics which he at first intended they should possess; but if, on the other hand, he breeds at one time with the view of obtaining animals possessing one sort of shape, and at another time with the view of obtaining animals possessing a different sort of shape, the probability is, that his stock will possess neither the one nor the other in any degree of perfection. Having made this decision, he should take care that the individual male animal which he uses shall possess the qualities which he requires. In addition to this, it is of great importance that these qualities should have been characteristic of the family from which the animal is descended; and if he is old enough to have been the sire of any number of offspring, it is of a great deal more importance still that they should possess them. Because all the perfections of shape and quality which the best judge may wish to find in a male animal are, after all, only indications of what the stock got by him will probably be the seeing, therefore, what they really are is much more satisfactory.

"There are few breeders, of cattle more especially, who breed upon so large a scale as so to enable them to keep many male animals at the same time in use. A man, therefore, can usually only look at the general qualities of the females which he possesses, and observe what are the faults most prevalent among them; these he should be particularly careful to avoid in the male which he intends to use. It is sometimes said that a male animal ought to have no faults, and undoubtedly it would be very desirable that this should be the case; but, unfortunately no such animal exists. All a man can do, therefore, is, to avoid putting a male and female together whose imperfections are the same, so as not to increase the fault already existing in his stock. If a man breeds upon a large scale, and uses several males at the same time, he can, of course, attend to this more effectually than if he uses only one. In this case, he should select and put together the males and females individually, so as to endeavour to correct any imperfections which either of them shew. Most breeders of sheep, indeed, do use more than one ram, and all who pretend to take any pains in improving their flock divide

their ewes, so as to put them with the ram who will most probably effect this object. I need not say that those (some of whom, I am sorry to say, still exist) who turn two or three rams of different shapes and qualities into a field with all their ewes, without attempting to make any selection among them, have no right to expect to be successful breeders; and if they do expect it, will certainly be disappointed. I believe the general opinion of breeders is, that it is disadvantageous to endeavour to correct any fault in the shape of a female by putting a male to her who possesses, in extraordinary perfection, the merit in which she is deficient, but who in some other part of his shape is faulty. My experience leads me to say that this mode of endeavouring to correct a fault is frequently successful. It would be better that none of the females from which a man intends to breed should be faulty in shape to any considerable degree, but it almost always will happen that some animals, possessing an excellent constitution, good blood, and a great propensity to fatten, and therefore such as the owner would very unwillingly cull, will fail decidedly in some part of their shape. I would say that, when this is the case, it is worth while to try the experiment of putting to them a male remarkable for his perfection in this failing part; and, in my opinion, such a male will be more likely to correct the fault, than one who shows no one part of his shape very superior to the rest.”

We must however observe (before we quit the subject) that the Journal contains an interesting communication, by Sir James Graham, on the subject of Mr. Smith's system of draining at Deanston in Scotland, muc hresembling the furrow-draining of the Midland counties of England. A plough is used, that, at the depth of 20 inches, breaks and crumbles the subsoil, without bringing it to the surface; and it is contended that the soil, is thus made pervious to air and moisture, and in the course of time (five years) becomes mellow and friable, and fit to be advanced to the top. Sir James mentions an experiment he made in 1838 on eight acres of poor wet-land-the draining was complete, and a potato crop exceeded the average crops of the neighbourhood. He has also directed 20 acres of good dry land, cropped out by a bad tenant, to be treated with reference to the subsoil. The field lies on the banks of the Esk-and a crop of turnips is to be taken. We shall be curious to hear the result.

It is interesting to see Minds that have been heated and agitated in the ministerial anxieties, and political struggles of England, thus finding, leisure as well as industry and delight, in advancing the quieter, yet not less useful réforms, in the Agricultural operations of their country.

THE FLY-FISHER'S TEXT BOOK;

OR, THE SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF FLY-FISHING FOR SALMON, TROUT, &c.

"His glittering armour shined far away,

Like glauncing light of Phœbus' brightest ray.

Athwart his brest a bauldrick brave he ware

That shind, like twinkling stars, with stones most precious rare.

Thereby his mortall blade full comely hong."

FABRY QUEENE.

CHAPTER III.

ACCORDING to promise, my dear Herbert, I proceed to accomplish your knowledge of tackle by describing the particulars of rods and hooks; at the same time again reminding you, that I reserve the consideration of Flies and some few other articles till we meet.

Now as to FLY RODS IN GENERAL let me premise, that in them particularly, the strength of every inch is put to the test more or less on each cast of the line, and therefore they require the best workmanship, and most careful selection. In choice of them, you must very minutely examine the grain of the wood of which each piece is formed, observing that it runs, as nearly as possible, straight from end to end up each joint; if it crosses or if you find any knots or the slightest appearance of crack or other blemish, it should be at once condemnatory. Moreover never be beguiled into trying a rod merely inside a confined shop; rather carry it into the open air where you can freely try its elasticity, and other qualities. In Liverpool and elsewhere, they make salmon rods of East India bamboo, of which I cannot approve, though they are certainly lighter and very strong; yet they are mostly too stiff and can never be made to play and work so pleasantly or equably as those made of the materials I shall mention. The wood of which a rod is to be composed, should be first well seasoned four or five years, at least, in log; and then should be cut into slips for joints, which should remain at least two or three years more, before they are finally worked up into form. This will at once show you the importance of dealing at an old and well established shop, as no small dealer or manufacturer can sink his capital thus long; and also convince you of the wisdom of not

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