AN EPITOME OF EXPERIMENTAL AMD PRACTICAL AGRICULTURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2582, 9 September 1903, Page 71

AN EPITOME OF EXPERIMENTAL AMD PRACTICAL AGRICULTURE.

THE JOURNAL 07 THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF LXGLAXD. Vol. 63. 1902. London: John Mumy. The Journal is. in form a i=olid. laige octavo voluiik, well and liberally illustrated, printed in faultless style, and well bound— in short, an excellent example of Sir Murray's usual thoroughners in the matter of bookmaking. The widely varied contents include a gieat deal that jV of the first importance to practical farmers, breeders, and liorciculturists. Tho Royal Agricultural Society of England has now •beea in existence for a period of- 64 years, end during that time it must have done v Vast amount of good work in the interests of British agricultural .generally. In addition to all year-book information in the shape of Repot ts, Accounts of Proceedings, Tables, etc., the present volume contains many articles on special subjects con.tributed by members and officials of tbe society. Such matters as Maggots in Sheep, Recent Evidence as to the Identity of Human and Boviue Tuberculosis, Action in Harness Hor&es, Milk Blended Butter, The Quality of NW Milk, Agiicultural Co-operation in Italy, Dicliaid and Fruit

J Bush Pests, and How to Combat them ; the Production of British Wool, etc. . being dealt with by practical, educated experts, cannot but have much value for those whose interests are concerned. Of the Reports furnished by the consulting chemists, botanists, geologists, and zoologists of the society, as also of the several Reports from Experimental Stations upon manures, wheat-rearing, etc., the same must be said. An exhaustive and fu'.ly -illustrated account of the society's annual show, held at Carlisle in July, 1902. is given, and one sees from "the beautiful photo-engravings that some magnificent results of horse and cattle breeding were there exhibited. Along with such matter-of-fact Transactions, anything of a literary kind need scarcely be looked for, but in this way a remarkable exception will be found in the article upon William Cobbett, which occupies the place of honour in the volume. Probably no man ever did more to stimulate .intelligent advance in fanning methods than the subject of this most able biographical essay' — one of the brightestlninded and most vigorous sons of the soil of Old England, to whom his fellow countrymen may justly point with pride. Cobber's record as a practical and experimental farmer is such that one may well find it difficult to realise the many parts he played in life. "The son of a small farmer, he became successively an attorney's clerk, a private soldier, an ardent Tory, a red-hot j leformer, a newspaper editor and proprietor, an agriculturalist, a pol.tical economist, and a member of Parliament. Not only did he play many parts, but in each he , achieved success ; and at the present day, when we'l-nigh 70 years have elapsed since liis death, his rame is- still remembered ;.? one of the foremost pioneers in the srragqle for the reform of our Constitution." As a, frontispiece a finely-executed photogravure of Cobbett's portrait after the engraving by Bartolozzi is given. Dixoaxis.