render a more extensive accommodation indispensable. The committee appointed last year to seek for larger premises has made a report, and we doubt not, that before the next show more convenient premises will be obtained.

The exhibition of seeds and roots by Messrs. T. Gibbs and Co., of Half-Moon-street, Piccadilly, was very superior. They had some exceeding ly fine specimens of mangel wurzel, Swedish and other turnips, Kohl Rabi, a large collection of specimens of the most approved grasses for laying down land to permanent grass, and a sample of a new blue pea, called the Whitmore Blue Pea, which is only adapted for poor light land. The selection of seeds of all kinds is of the highest importance to the farmer, and too much encouragement cannot be given to those persons engaged in the seed trade, upon whose correctness in that branch implicit confidence can be placed, an observation which will strictly apply to the house above named. Although not forming part of the exhibition in Sadler's yard, yet being prepared for the examination of those agriculturists who visit London, we cannot omit noticing the collection of roots now exhibiting by Messrs. Cormack, Son, and Oliver, at their Bedford Conservatory, Covent Garden, and at the same time expressing our conviction, that agriculturists would be much gratified by an inspection of the particularly fine specimens of turnips, globe mangel wurzel, &c., and the permanent pasture grasses in their natural growing state.-Mark Lane Express.

ON THE TROTSWORTH LIQUID
MANURE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MARK LANE EXPRESS.

SIR,-Observing an advertisement in your last number, announcing the intention of Mr. Kimberley to publish his long looked for pamphlet containing a description of the Trotsworth liquid manure, I beg to offer a few remarks on that subject that may not be uninteresting to your agricultural readers, who like myself are anxious to obtain a knowledge of the ingredient, with a View to apply it to our own benefit.

In consequence of the very high opinion entertained of the value of this manure, (as described in Bell's Weekly Messenger, Dec. 25, 1837) by many of the first practical farmers in the county, numerous applications were made to Mr. Kimberley by persons who had an opportunity of witnessing the flourishing state of his crops for some years past, to know how they were to obtain a supply of the mixture, at the same time offering to subscribe any reasonable sum for that purpose; but, as the manure could not be conveyed in a manufactured state to any distance without considerable expense of carriage, &c., and as the inventor of the composition was not desirous of maintaining a monopoly of the article in question, it was suggested that a public subscription at a remunerating price should be offered for the purchase of the recipe; but the proposition was genetously objected to by Mr. Kimberley, on the ground rhat he would not accept any payment until the value of the manure should be clearly ascertained. To effect this object, some gentlemen in his immediate neigh bourhood were permitted to witness the application of the manure by the side of horse dung, on different fields and soils at Trotsworth, and to observe the progress of the several crops at intervals during the last season: the results of these experiments has been perfectly satisfactory, the crops at harvest maintaining a character equal to those dressed with horse manure, and

at a saving of four-fifths of the expense as compared with the latter material.

The locality of my own land to Mr. Kimberley's farm enabled me, through his kindness, to procure several cart-loads of his liquid, with which I made a variety of experiments too numerous to insert in this letter; but the results of which I have communicated to that gen

tleman, and I shall exceedingly regret, considering the great boon held out to the nation at large, and the very moderate terms on which it may be obtained, that the development of this important discovery should be retarded or withheld for want of a prompt and liberal spirit on the part of those who are so deeply interested in the economical cultivation of our native soil.-I am, A SUBSCRIBER Sir, your obedient servant,

to the pamphlet above-mentioned. Egham, Surrey, Dec. 14, 1838.

ANSWER TO W. W's. QUERIES ON THE COMPARATIVE MERITS OF SHEEP.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE.

SIR,-Among the many interesting questions of your Hertfordshire correspondent, W. W., I find one on the comparative merits of the Down and halfbred sheep, which are hardiest, best to fold, come earliest to maturity, &c., &c.? Having been a breeder of a cross very similar if not altogether like the one he alludes to, (which I believe to be hardier than the Leicester) the improved Cotswold and in it with the express view of producing a distinct Down Ewe, for eight years, and having persevered breed of sheep, I may probably be enabled to give bim some little interesting information on this important subject; but, as it is not my wish to trespass on your columns at too great a length, now that they are filling with the accounts of the different Christmas cattle shows, I beg to refer him more particularly to the Farmers' Magazine for January last, or the Mark Lane Express of the 4th December, 1837, where he will find my opinions, founded on the results of then seven years' experience and unceasing watching, fully expressed. I presume the object at which W. W. aims, is to be made acquainted with the description of sheep, the most profitable; now this must necessarily involve two questions, viz., which are most profitable for breeding, and which for fattening? or is there a description of sheep, which beyond any other, will pay the breeder on the average of soils, and the feeder on any system better than another? I hold that there is, and that on any soil where folding is required, except that of the poorest nature, and which consists of a wild range of poor Down land, where no large sheep of any breed can be kept to advantage, the half-breds will beat any other folding sheep yet known: the farm on which I keep them has this autumn been valued at eighteen shillings an acre, (exclusive of tithe) for the arable, with a moderate portion of water-meadow, of course higher; part of it is farmed on the four field and part on the five field system. The flock for many weeks in the autumnn travels frequently nearly two miles from the fold, and the same distance back the same day, and every successive year more strongly confirms the opinion I have so often publicly expressed, and as often sought to have tested (as yet in vain) by a fair, impartial trial, that no breed of sheep will pay the breeder so well, or return to the grazier so much wool and mutton, in value, in proportion to the food consumed.

By the cross the wool is rendered very superior to the original long wool, while it loses little, if any in weight; it is also of more value per lb. than

Down wool, and at least two-fifths heavier, averaging for shearling or teg wethers nine pounds each fleece, taking a hundred together; the carcass at from 15 to 15 months old is allowed to be riper, or in other words, to bear a better proportion of fat and lean, and more equally distributed both internally and externally, than any other young mutton; the size at this age will vary according to the object of the breeder-whether he aims at size or not. I am now breeding somewhat smaller, and pasturing the same numbers of half-breds on an equal number of acres as my neighbours do of the Hampshire downs; but I have bred them weighing nineteen stone (of 8lbs.) five pounds, at fifteen months old, fed by Mr. Cannon of Maidenhead, Berkshire, who sold one hundred of that age, (or under,) in April, 1836, at or nearly an average of four pounds each, a price, I believe, unparallelled, unless for fancy stock.

With regard to the next question of W. W., "whether the cross of the long woolled sheep with the Down ewe, or the Down ram with the long woolled ewe, is best," I submit the former is far preferable, inasmuch as the offspring is generally impressed with more of the qualities existing in the male, than in the female, and length of wool, width of carcass, and aptitude to fatten, being more conspicuous in the white-faced breed than in the Down, it follows the first named method is much to be pre. ferred. With the view, as before stated, of perpetuating a distinct breed, (in which attempt, though in a different sheep, I have the satisfaction of seeing myself followed by no less a person than Lord Western) I have been for eight years breeding halfbreds from half-breds, a practice always condemned by theorists, but which experience of the above number of years, enables me confidently to maintain is the best, indeed, only efficient way of arriving at the desired points, viz., a uniformity of wool of superior value, of mutton of middle quality between Leicester and Down, with close resemblance in the feature and colour of the flock; this I am now fast accomplishing, in my late bred sheep it is already accomplished to my satisfaction, and my shearling ewes or tegs are of such a description, that any breeder of sheep would be pleased to see, and I could wish, by way of friendly competition, to exhibit them upon equal terms against any breed the kingdom produces, as possessing a combination of qualities the most useful and profitable. If W. W. is acquainted with Mr. Betts, who lives near Watford, Herts, he will there find 150 lambs which I sold him, 100 being of my breed, and the 50 of the same description, but a little coarser, from these 50 tup lambs were selected, with them are 100 second cross lambs from Down ewes by my half-bred rams, which I understand are particularly handsome.

To W. W's. eighth question I am unable decisively to speak, never having tried either the pure Leicester or Lincoln, but probabilities strongly incline me to the opinion that the new Leicesters, or improved Cotswolds (which latter is a cross on the Cotswold ewe by the new Leicester ram) possess by far the most approved qualities, both of wool, symmetry, and mutton, and my reasons for preferring the improved Cotswold of the two, are, that while it bears a heavier, longer wool, with the same beautiful symmetry, and equal disposition to arrive at early maturity, it is bred on bills as poor as the vale of Leicester is rich, consequently we have every reason to calculate that a greater hardihood of constitution will be a leading characteristic in the progeny. I am, Sir, your's respectfully, J. T. TWYNAM. Whitchurch, Hants, Dec. 11, 1838.

THE CORN LAWS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE.

SIR,-In your last number of the "Farmer's Magazine" there is an address to the landowners and occupiers of West Somerset on the subject of the Corn Laws. It is from the mischief arising from the efforts of such avowed friends of the agricultural interest that we have chiefly to guard against. There are too many who are inclined to give way to a supposed clamour against the Corn Laws, and to advocate a Don Quixotish abandonment of protection for fear it should "too often be repeated" that the Corn Laws were for the protection of the agricultural interest only. Why this affectation of ignorance on the question? Is there any one so foolish as to disbelieve that the Corn Laws are for the protection of the agricultural interest only. For what purpose else could they be framed, and what landed proprietor or statesman would fence from the avowal of that being, the full and only purpose of them? Surely none but those who would by deceit endeavour to miscal a measure to disguise the real design of it, and thus shew an unfitness for their station as statesmen, or for the enjoyment of a property they cannot or dare not defend openly. It is time to cast away such truckling to expediency and clamour. Let the question be openly and fearlessly debated on its just grounds, and we need not fear for the result, but thus to work the way of what is now only an opposition from a weak minority is folly. As an example of what injury the agriculturists may expect from the adoption of an insufficient fixed duty I will beg to refer to the growth of rape. What has been the effeet of the low fixed duty on rape on its growth in this country? There was an influx of foreign, which reduced the price one half, from about 401. per last to below 201., and in consequence English growers became tired, and then the foreigner exacted nearly the former price of 401., till again the English growers competed, when the price once more declined so as to drive our cultivators out of the field, and once more the foreigner sacked high prices. The great bulk of high priced rapeseed will I am convinced be of foreign growth. What would have been the effect on our cultivators if they could not have resorted to the growth of grain, and what could they have recourse to if our legislature were to give the same facility to the consumption of wheat as they have to that of rapeseed? It is the surplus of other countries that we must look at, and that surplus would under a fixed duty come in at the lowest rate of price. Wheat might be bought to come here at 10s. duty to be afforded at 21. a quarter in the face of our harvest, and the more the price is lowered the more is the cultivator compelled to sell his produce, so that we might be compelled to sell our new wheat even lower than 40s. per quarter. In times of real scarcity also 10s. duty even would not be maintained as greatly enhancing the cost to the consumer. average system has worked much better than any fixed duty we can obtain. From our heavy burthens in taxation our prices must be higher than those of other countries free from them, and we shall

The

always be able (frost or war excepted) to get supplies by paying greater prices than the average of prices in those countries, and higher prices are necessary here in time of scarcity to prevent distress at home. An inadequate fixed duty is sure to reduce our prices to the average of other countries plus that duty a graduated scale will, in expectation of low duty, and the necessity of a scale of prices ranging here to obtain that, raise prices abroad to an approx