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Che Eraminer.

\ WEEKLY JOURNAL OF POLITICS, LITERATURE AND NEWS.

a

EDWARD WHELAN) <= y Vou. V.

RKMPORT

OF THE |

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, | For the year ending 7th March, 1856.

( Concluded.)

Your Committee, ina former portion of this report, adverted to the difficulties and very serious losses attending the impor- | tetion of stock ; and deeming it their duty to be in a position, at the next annual meeting, to suggest some better method in lieu of the one now in operation—they passed the following | resolution appointing a sub-Committee to draw up a report on | the subject, which, along with the copy of a petition to the Legislature, they beg to submit :—

TO THE HONBLE, THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY. The Memorial of the Royal Agricultural Society of Prince Edward Island.

Reseectrutty Sneweru——

That the increasing demand made upon the Society by the Agriculturists of this [sland for Lmproved breeds of stock, together with the very serious losses repeatedly sustained ia the Importations of stock, has caused your Society to direct its

Chis is true Liberty, when

_CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, MONDAY, APRIL 21, 1856.

| establishments are successfully conducted in other places ;

attention to tie practicability of adopting some plan which will enable it to keep pace with the enlarged requirements of the country, and at the same time avoid a continuation of | the severe losses and disappointments to which experience has | shewn it must be subject from a continued importation of stock from Great Britain. That with this view the subject was referred toa special Committee of its Directors, who, | after carefully considesing the matter made their Report, re- commending the establishment of a Farm, under the direc- tion of the Society, for Breeding Improved Stock, and raising Seeds, which is hereto annexed, and to which, for full par- ticulars of the estimated cost of stocking and working the} preposed farm, your memiorialists respectfully beg leave to refer your Honorable House.

Your memorialists will not trouble your Honorable House by recapitulating the reasons urged in the Report in favour of the proposed establisiment, but would call your attention to the fact that it appears that the sum of £1,500 is neces- | sary to stock and put the said farm in operation.

Your memorialists are aware that some may object to the sum as large; your memorislists answer, that the agricul- tural interests, which the proposed farm is peculiarly intended to promote, are also large, and claim an importance second to none which can be advanced; io addition to which, your memorialists would call attention to the fact that of the grant of £1,000 made lasi session for the importation of Horses, ouly £500 has been as yet drawn from the Treasury, so that in case of so large av appropriation being deemed under the circumstances inexpedieut for that purpose, the £500 yet unexpended might be allowed to form part of the £1,300 now required. Yet assuch an arrangement would, for the present, deprive Prince and King’s County of the Clydesdale Horses inteuded to be imp@ted with it,—it is much to be desired that the whole £1,300 should be granted, leaving the £500 yet undrawn, to be applied as originally intended.

Your Honorable House will perceive by the Report, that, for the first three years, the Socicty will require that the rent of the Farm should be provided for by Legislative grant.

Your memoriualists deew this necessary, inasmuch as those who take a leading part in directing the Society’s affairs would be unwilling to cnter into engagements which the So- | eicty might possibly be unable to fulfil. The Governor aud Couneil might, however, be empowered to withhold the Grant, if from the accounts of the farm it was found not to be really required.

The readiness with which applications of the Agricultural Society have always been responded to by your Honorable House, couvinces your memorialists that it is unnecessary on the present oceasion to dwell at large on those arguments, which to a body less alive to the importance of agricultural | improvement might be necessary to secure for this applica- | tion the serious consideration which its importance demands. Your memorialists may, however, be permitted to observe, | that the system pursued by the Legislature of this and all, other Colonies in appropriating, from time to time, consider- able sums of money for importation of stock, while it proves the necessity of such expenditure, also shows that it must and will be continued to be incurred; but when the risk at- tending these importations and the diseases so frequently | contracted by animals during a long sea voyage 1s tuken into account, it becomes necessary to consider whether some u ode atonee more economical and more efficacious may not be adopted ; your memorialists believe, that by the farm which they ask funds to commence, both these desirable objects will | be attained. ‘ ;

The Special Report sets forth the importation for the last three years, and the losses sustained ; but to bring the matter more forcibly forward, your memorialists would briefly call attention to the mode now pursued with respect to stcck pur- chased in the Island. Well bred bull calves, after being examined by some of its members, are (if approved of) entered at the Society’s office aud sold to Farmers requiring them, the Society paying a part, usually half the price. Ram Lambs are bought up, and wiutered at the expense of ihe Society,.and the next autumn distributed through the country for sale; but although a Cowmittee from the Society visit the different flocks early in the season, they were last year only able to obtain 18 Lambs, and this year 13, and many of these not quite pure bred.

It is now universally acknowledged that to breed success- fully, one of the parents must be of pure breed, hence in endeavoring to improve the breed of any description of stock generally throughout the country, it is of the first import- ance to supply the farmers with pure bred male animals.

By reference to the Special Report it will be perceived, that (particularly with respect to Sheep) the Society would be enabled, from its farm, to send out a much larger number of Rams than it can now, and these aJl pure bred. In ad- dition to which, it would still eontinue to buy up the best pure bred Lambs from breeders, and thus a large number would every year be distributed through the country ; indeed your memorialists are convinced, that with the facilities the farm would afford for breeding superior Rams, added to the

plan now in operation, they would in six years doyble the

average yield of wool, and adda quarter to the average |

weight of sheep through the Island; when it is recollected, |

Feee-born Men, having to advise the Public,

may speak free.—-EURIPIDES.

— —————— ae

and they cannot admit the people of this Island less capable than those of other Colonies; and they think the agricul- tural interests sufficiently important to warrant semething being risked to carry out any measure by which they are likely to be materially advanced; and they might also re- ark, that the same kind of prophetic objections, if listened to, would have prevented the organization of the Society itself—not that your memorialists would deny such pro- phecies to have been in part fulfilled. Mismanagement and error are inseparable from every human undertaking, and those who conduct the Svciety’s affairs acknowledge a full share of those failings associated with its transactions ; but with all this mismanagement, error and short-comings, they can point to vast benefits conferred on the farmer and great improvements introduced, not in one locality, but through the length and breadth of the land, and with no small gratifi- cation do they perceive iis usefulness is appreciated ; and that its operations have, on a recent occason, been publicly approved of, both by the head of the Executive and your honorable House.

Should your memorialists be enabled to set the proposed establishment in operation, they are not so sanguine as to suppose, but that on reviewing each year’s transactions, they will find some things mismanaged, some errors committed, and many things, which, if to be done over again, might be done better, and that the , or whoever may conduct it, will receive a liberal allowance of blame for things that really deserve to be commended; but they believe that, like the Society itself, it will be found a useful and important public institution; which each year’s experience will moald into better order, and which will, in the end, effect a large saving of public money.

Some may think that a smaller sum than is asked for

| would be sufficient te stock and put the farm in operation,

but the caleulations have been carefully made, and your me- morialists are of opinion, that a less sum would not be sufficient, and that in the same way as an individual who should commence to build a ship or any other undertaking

without the means of finishing it, would be sure to lose, the

attempt to commence such an establishment with insuficient or stinted means, would only lead to failure and dicappoint- ment.

Your memorialists will trouble your Honorable House, with but one further 1emark. Previous liberality is some- times arrayed against renewed applications. To this they answer, that it is the nature of such institutions as the Agri- cultural Society, when rightly conducted, to be progressive, never stationary, but continually extending the sphere of their usefulness, so as not only to keep pace with, but to be con- tinually in advauce of the requirements of the day ; hence the necessity for renewed pecuniary aid to such institutions to enable them to expand their operations, so as te meet the exigencies which their own success has created.

The infant efforts of this Society, chiefly directed to arouse the dormant energies of the Farmers, to awaken a spirit of enquiry and a desire to improve, have been largely success- ful ; but that very means has brought new claims upon it. Hundreds, by its exertions shows, and representations, con- vineed of the importance of improving their stock, now desire to be supplied ; thus its suecess has rendered the demand on it much larger than it canmeet. To enable it to adopt means to meet this increased demand in the most economical manner, is the object of the present application, which your memo- rialists now respectfully submit to the consideration of your Honorable House.

Your memorialists therefore humbly pray, that the sum of £1,300 be granted to the Society to enable it to put the pro- posed Farm in operation; and that the further annual sum sufficient to pay the rent of the said farm for the first three years, be also appropriated for that purpose.

Henry Lonawortu, Vice President, Daniet Hopason,

Tuomas Periick,

Srerpuen Rice,

Wittan Swasey,

James H. Perens,

Cuartes Haszarp,

Joun JOHNSON.

W. W. Invina, Secretary.

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. Committee Meeting, February, 12, 1856.

Present.—Judge Peters, Hon. J. Warburton, Hon. Capt. Rice, Wm. McGill, Esq., Henry Longworth, Esq., Chas. Haszard, Esq., Geo. Wright, Esq.

Read minutes of last meeting.

Judge Peters presented the Report from the Committece appointed to ascertain the advantages likely to acerue to the country by renting a Farm for the Breeding of Stock, Xc., which was agreed to and ordered to be printed.

Moved and seconded

That the same Committee who drew up the Report—viz., Judge Peters, Messrs. Henry Longworth and W. W. Irving, be appointed a Committee to draw upa Petitioa to the Legisla- ture now in Session, on the subject.

By order, W. W. Irvine, Sec’y Royal Agricultural Society. Committee Room.

REPORT.

The following Resolution having been passed by the Com- mitte of the Royal Agricultural Society, viz :—

Resolved—That Judge Peters, Mr. Henry Longworth and Mr. W. W. Irving be appointed a Committee to make en-

| quiries and report on the practicability of purchasing or renting

a farm to be conducted by the Society, for the Breeding of Improved Stock, growing Seeds, &c., to be distributed throughout the country, and also as to the probable cost of such an establishment, and the probable saving it would effect, with relation to the system of importing stock now pursued. Your Committee beg to report that they have given the said Resolution their fullest consideration, and have come to the conclusion, that notwithstanding the great benefits which have already been conferred on the farming community of the Island, by the exertions of the Society, the time has now arrived when an entire change in the management of the

that our soil and climate are peculiarly adapted to that de- Society's business would be advisable, to enable the country scription of stock, this matter alone is one of no small im-| to keep pace with the demand for improved stock.

portance to our agriculturists,

In consequence of the unremitting attention which the

Your memorialists have heard it remarked, and may an-/| different Committees of the Royal Agricultural Society have

ticipate its being repeated, that such an establishment would bea very good thing, if well managed, but fearing the con-

always displayed in tneir endeavours to procure the best

description of Stock by importation and the intelligence of

trary, some, with extreme caution, would refuse it a trial. | mdny of the Breeders, the Island has acquired a character as To such objections your memorialists answer, that similar|an Agricultural Colony of considerable moment, which it is

the interest of the farmers to maintain, and the neighbouring Provinces now look to us for a supply of improved stock. This character can oaly be kept up by the fostering care of the Society, aided by the Legislature, which has, at all times by the liberality of its grants, shewn the great estimation in which it holds everything connected with Agriculture.

Your Committee regret, that, owing to unfortunate cireum- stances, over which it was impossible the Society could have any control, such as losses at sea, &c..&c.,the different amounts

| granted by the Legislature for the importation of Stock have

not been productive of so much good as was anticipated. To prevent disappointment and obviate these serious losses in future, your Committee would recommend the establishment of a farm under the direction of the Society, for the purpose of breeding Stock, growing Seeds, Xc., fordistribtion through the Island, and for affording practical information in matters connected with an improved system of Agriculture.

Your Committee are of opinion that many of the animals imported, are, from superiority of climate and natural delicacy of constitution, caused by excessive care and high feeding, not so well suited to withstand the rigour ofour climate, as would animals of the same description bred and raised in the Island.

For the above reasons, and in order that the Society may have it in their power to give a larger supply of animals to the country at a much less cost, it would be necessary and highly desirable to rent a farm of from 100 to 200 acres of land in the neighbourhood of Town, to be devoted entirely to the breeding and rearing of improved stock and growing seeds for the services of the Colony, and yonr Committee beg to submit the following calculations as to the expense of stocking and working the same, with the probable aunual income.

On looking over these calculations, it may be observed, that there is no charge for management ; this is trve, but they are made under the supposition, that the Secretary will reside upon the farm, and that apart from his present duties, he will be able to devote a few hours in the morning and evening to its superintendance. It will be seen also, that a liberal allowance is made to the head ploughman, who will be com- petent to sow the different seeds, and take daily orders from the Secretary, who will again be guided by a committee of management. The foliowiug is a list of Stock required to commence the Farm :—

» HORSES:

1 Entire Clydesdale, £172 10 Q 2 Mares do. 225 0 0 1 Blopd Mare, 140 0 0 1 Island bred Mare, 30 0 0

—— £567 10 0

CATTLE: 8 Cows, Island bred, at £20, £160 0 0

2 do. imported, at £50, 100 0 OU ——— £260 0 0 SHEEP: 20 Ewes, Island bred, at £5, £100 0 0O

20 do. imported, at £10,

200 0 Y 1Ram_ do. 25 0 0

—— £325 0 0

P1IGS8:

2 Sows, imported at £10, £20 0 0 1 Boar, do. 12..0:90

itd vem 2 D

IMPLEMENTS:

2 Carts, £20 0 0 2 pair Harrows. 40 0 2 [ron Ploughs, 15 0 0 1 Turnip Cutter, 315 0 1 Boiler, > =e 1 Threshing Machine, (complete) 5716 4 1 Horse Hay-Rake, 20° 9 12fland = do 315 0 Box Sleighs, 7. o 1 Wood Sleigh, 110 0 1 - Roller, 7 ee 2 1 Turnip Drill, c-—.? 1 Moulding Plough, 110 90 Sundry [mplemenis, 8 0 0

|

HARNESS, &¢: 2 complete Setts of Cart Harness, £6 0 0

2 pairs Backbands and Chains, 2) H« O 2 Collars, Bridles and Hames, 210 0 Cattle Ties, &c., &e. 1 6°

£11 15 0

ee eee

£1821 11 4 ANNUAL COST OF WORKING THE FARM:

Rent, ! £100 0 Taxes, 5 60 Labour, 195*- 9°" 9

Fencing, £10 Interest on £50 at 6 per cent. 3 —_- 13 0 0 Blacksmith, Carpenter, and Saddler, -. © Implements, Harness, &c., £127 1 4, Interest on above implements 7a. 0 Loss on implements in ten years,

£84 14s. 4d. (3d of cost.) Annual

loss ie il

m6 TD

is is on the supposition, that the imple- ments ordered would be worth one-third of the first cost at the end of 10 years.] To interest on £894 10.; being price of im- ported Stock, at 6 per cent. £53 13 5 To do. on £290 on Island bred, 17 8 O

ent eo ye

Annual Expenditure,

> ANNUAL INCOME ARISING FROM. FARM.

HORSES:

Services of one Entire, say, £80 0 0 1 Colt, at one year old, . 66 0 0 1 Filly do 30 0 0 CATLUR: Services of 2 Bulls, st 0 5 Bulls, at 1 year old, at £710s. 57 10 0 3 Yearling Heifers, at £7 10s, 2210 0 —--——- 8) 0 0 SHEEP: 20 Rams at 1 year old, at £3, 60 0 0

20 Ewes at do.-

asunder, 45 0 9

£125 6 4|

£413 3 4

(EDITOR ann PUBLISHER.

_ coo otiamititiiall

10 (old) killed, at 50s., Wool sold annually, 48 0 0

ries:

40 Pigs sold annually at 10s., 20 0 0

Annual Income £423 0 0

With respect to the foregoing statement, your Committeo would remark that they have been careful in making their estiniate to underrate the probable income arising from the farm ; they have in fact confined the sources of revenue en- tirely to Stock and Wool, and_the services of the stallions and bulls, assuming that the produce will be consumed on the farm, they have done this partly from uncertainty as to the quantity of grain which will be required for the breeding stock as well as froma desire not to exaggerate the advantages of the undertaking. although they feel confident that a large amount will be annually realized from the sale of milk, grain, &e. which they have not taken into account.

Your Committee would here briefly recapitulate the princi- pal advantages which must-result to agriculturisis from the proposed establishment.

One great object of the Society has been not only to intro- duce new varieties of sced, but also, by importations of sceds, such as Oats, Wheat, Barley, &c. to furnish the farmer with frequent changes of seed, which a law of vegetable economy seems to render necessary. The cost of seeds so obtained is such as to forbid their importation ona large scale; the Society is contivually importing small qnantities, but having no farm under its control on which to sow them, is necessarily dependent on private individuals, to do it for them. The ‘risk of keeping small quantities separate, is such that the produce of seed so imported is rarely obtained back quite pure. ‘hus after the expense incurred, the endeavours of the Society to distribute varieties or ¢hanges of seed is in a great measme frustrated ; the proposed farm would entirely obviate this difficulty. All the Oats, Wheat, Barley and Potatoes raised on it should be from seed recently imported, or from the most approved varieties, would each year be sent to the Socicty’s store—such portions as are required for con- sumption on the farm being replaced by grain purchased in the country ; thus instead of imported seed becoming mixed, the Society would be enabled every year to distribute many hundreds of bushels of different kinds of sced-grain and potatoes, each pure of its kind, through the Island.

Another advantage would be that by careful observation, the Society would be enabled to ascertain the varieties of seed best adapted to our climate, and thus be enabled to afford valuable information to the farmer.

Another great benefit will be, that the establishment wil! enable the Society at a much smaller expense than is now in- curred, to distribute a greater number and superior descrip- tion of Stock than can be done under the present system, as

will appear from the following statement of the Stock transac- tions jor the 1aSt Unres yeas,

For 1853--The loss on Horses imported, caused by death of some at sea, and Joss on re-sale of those that arrived, was

Loss ou Rams imported, caused by death at sca, and loss on re-sale of those that arrived, 146 0 0

Bor 1855—-Loss on Horses imported from U.S., 216 17 8

Loss on Rams imported, caused by death at sea, and loss on re- : sale of those that arrived 909 15 6

Loss on Stock produced ia the Island and distributed through the country during the last 3 years, inclading cost of keep and incidental expenses, aud

| including £27 paid William

ae . ‘

| Sgrabey forkeepof Ram Lambs, 146 0 |

|

Se ee

£1000 0 9

£1599 13 2 At this loss viz: of £1599 14s. 2d., the amount of Stock ‘sent through the country, during those 3 years is as follows : 7 Entire Horses, 46 Bull Calves, 22 Rams, 8 Pigs, and 3 Balls and 1 Ram, | yet owned by the Society, and now stationed as follows, viz,-— 1 Bull in Town, 1 at Lot 5, and 1 at New London; and 1 Ram at Mr. Chas. Haszard’s. By the statements before made, it ‘will appear, that the estimated annual expenditure of the ‘Farm will be £413. 3s, 4d, which in three years would ‘amount to £1239 10s. Od. By reference to the statement | of the estimated annual income of the farm, it will be perceived ‘that in 3 years the Society would receive from it for distribu- ‘tion as follows, viz : 3 entire horses, 3 fillies, 15 buils, 9 heifers, (60 rams, 30 ewes, 120 pigs, which would realize on sale, at

the lowest estimate as follows : 3 Horses, £180 0 0 2 Fillies, 99 0 0 15 Bulls, 312 10 0 9 Heifers, 67 10 0 60 Rams, Js0 0 0 30 Ewes, 60 0 0 120 Pigs. 60 0 9V £750 0 0

| Thus this stock would at the low rates estimated produce

| £750. If this be deducted from the estimated cost of manage-

‘ment for 3 years, as above shewn, it would stand as follows :

| Cost of farm for three years, , £1239 10 0 Amount realized from stock, sent to the

Country for sale, 70 0 0 | £489 4" 0 stock

| ‘Phas by the proposed plan the larger amount of st ‘would be furnished at a loss of £489 10s. Ud., instead of £1599 13s. 2d.

In this last statemeft, your Committee assume the farm to be a separate establishment, kept up merely for supplying ‘the Society with stock for distribution, instead of having it supplied as at present by imporiations and purchases from private individuals, and for that purpose the Society paid to

but the stock above mentioned, and is merely intended to give a comparative view of the advantage of the proposed plan over that now in operation, even on that assumption. But by reference to the estimated annual procecds of - farm, it is evident that even this comparative smal] loss Vi not be actually ineurred ; as according to that statement ¢ , amount which in 3 years the Society would receive oves *

above the £750-—for stock. for the services of entire animals,

(¢ ‘oncludcd on last peg’ )

i