Jersey, Farl of, Middleton Park, Bicester. Jones, Alfred, Ramsey, Hunts.

Keen, John R., Chewton Farm, Chewton Mendip, Bath.
Kidner, William, Fennington House, Kingston, Taunton.
Kirkwood, James M., Gow Court, Maidstone.
Langton, Stephen Gore, Newton Park, Bristol.
Maddison, Henry, The Lindens, Darlington.

Morgan, Richard Thomas, 8, Hall-street, Llanelly, Carmarthen.
Naylor, G. B., Scaftworth, Bawtry.
Nelson, Charles, Kenilworth.

Nelson, George H., The Lawn, Warwick.
Newton, Alfred, Coleshill, Amersham, Bucks.
Nunnerley, James A., French Farm, Ellesmere.
Ord, John Robert, Haughton Hall, Darlington.

Parham, James N., The Glebe, Sutton Veny, Warminster.
Parsons, Valentine, Slough, Chepstow.
Peflin, George, Castle Grove, Bampton.
Pryce, Thomas, Scafell, Newtown, Mont.

Ratcliffe, John Morris, Silverdale, Newcastle, Staffs.
Ravenshaw, Henry, Ash Hall, Whitchurch, Salop.
Sanders, F. W. A., Pilton, Pinhoe, Exeter.

Sharp, Henry, Packington, Coventry.

Shepperson, Joseph W., Forty-foot Bridge, Ramsey, Hunts.
Steele, John, Bridgwater Arms Hotel, Ellesmere.
Steward, T. L., Crudgington, Wellington, Salop.
Stokes, Sidney W., Headington, Calne, Wilts.
Stunt, Frederick, Higham, Rochester.

Tompkin, Samuel, Wood House, Newcastle, Staffs.
Whitfield, Thomas N., Lostford House, Market Drayton.
Woolrich, Joseph, Old Marton, Oswestry.

FINANCE. Col. KINGSCOTE, M.P., presented the report, from which it appeared that the secretary's receipts during the month had been duly examined by the Committee, and by Messrs. Quilter, Ball, & Co., the Society's accountants, and found correct. The balance in the hands of the bankers on June 30 was £2,371 5s. 7d., and £1,500 re

mains on deposit. The quarterly statements of subscrip

tions and arrears to June 30, was laid on the table. This report was adopted, with the addition of the following resolution :

That the candidates for election as members of the Society, whose names have just been read, shall be entitled to the privileges of memberships at the Taunton meeting on paying their au scription for 1875, and signing the usual conditions.'

JOURNAL.-Mr. DENT (Chairman) reported that the conditions of entry for the farm prize competition in connection with the Birmingham meeting had been approved by the Committee, and that the judges recommended at the last meeting had accepted the office. This report was adopted.

VETERINARY.-The Hon. W. EGERTON, M.P. (Chairman), reported that the Committee had placed before the Council the following minutes of the Conference between the Governors of the Royal Veterinary College and the Veterinary Committee of the Society.

Edinutes of a Conference between two Representatives of the Royal Veterinary College, and two Members of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society, with the Secretary.

Present-On behalf of the College, Mr. Newdegate, M.P., and Professor Simonds. On behalf of the Society, Hon. W. Eerton, M.P., Mr. Wells, and the Secretary.

1. The College can no longer permit Professor Simonds to act as Veterinary Inspector to the Society.

2. The Governors of the College will undertake to furnish to the Society two reports annually, on days to be named by the Council, but cannot give quarterly or interim reports.

3. The Veterinary Department of the Privy Council can furnish information to the Society on the prevalence of disease from time to time; and the College consent to their Principal advising the Society upon the information thus obtained; but as the Governors of the College also obtain their information from the Department they cannot furnish the Society with any additional information.

(Professor Simonds will furnish the Society with a copy of the information received from the Veterinary Department previous to its publication in The Veterinarian.)

4. The professors of the College do not attend cases in the country as officers of the College, but as part of their individual rivate practice.

5. The College can probably provide for the attendance of the consulting veterinary surgeon or his representative, at the meeting of the Council and the Veterinary Committee of the Society.-H. M. JENKINS, Secretary.

Observations on the preceding Minutes by Mr.
Newdegate, M.P.:

3, Arlington-street, Piccadilly, June 14, 1875. Sir, I am obliged by the copy of your notes of the Conference which took place on Thursday last in the office of the Royal Agricultural Society.

With reference to your note No. 1, I stated that it is inconsistent with the terms of the appointment of Professor Simonds to the office of Principal of the Royal Veterinary College, and with the duties of that office, that he should hold the appointment of inspector, either under the Privy Council or the Royal Agricultural Society, but that I saw no objection to the principal's being appointed consulting veterinary surgeon to the Royal Agricultural Society, because that appointment would not entail the principal's being sent away from the College, or, at all events, out of London.

With reference to your note No. 5, 1 stated that the Governors of the Royal Veterinary College would be willing that the principal should attend the meetings of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society, as consulting veterinary surgeon, except when detained by his duties in the College, and that believed the governors would facilitate arrange. ments for some other professor's attending the Council as the representative of the principal, whenever he might be detained in the Royal Veterinary College.

With reference to your note No. 3, I begged the representatives of the Royal Agricultural Society to bear in mind the altered position of the Royal Veterinary College, arising from two facts-first, the full establishment of the system of governepidemic, contagious, and other diseases among cattle, under mental inspection, and the collection of information as to the Veterinary department of the Privy Council; and the second fact, that Professor Simonds was obliged to resign the inspectorship he held under the Veterinary department, when second professor in the Royal Veterinary College, in order to [accept] his appointment as Principal of the College. I stated that the Royal Veterinary College has no longer any system of inspection of its own, but depends for information as to the outbreak of disease chiefly upon information received from the Veterinary department of the Government, which ought to be equally accessible to the Royal Agricultural Society. I further stated that the professors of the College are occasionally, but very rarely, sent on missions of inspection by the governors or the principal, but more frequently the attendance of some of the professors is requested by persons in the country, when permission is given to the professors to comply with such applications, if their doing so will not seriously interrupt the discipline and course of the College: in such cases their going into the country is treated as though it were a matter of private practice in their profession, and their expenses are paid by the persons who request their attendance. With respect to the desire that the officers of the Royal Veterinary College should report all cases of disease immediately to the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society, I stated that the governors had found that they had undertaken more in this respect than they could satisfactorily perform, without a violation of the confidential communications between the principal and professors of the Royal Veterinary College and members of the veterinary profession, who consult the officers of the Royal Veterinary College upon cases which are under their own personal and immediate charge; that therefore the governors could not be bound to furnish the occasional reports as apparently contemplated by the Council, but that I believed the governors were willing that the principals should exercise a discretion as to unofficial communications of information, that in his opinion might be interesting to the Council, and to the publication by which he saw no objection.

With reference to your note No. 2-I stated that the Governors found that they could not satisfactorily to themselves or to the Royal Agricultural Society, furnish more than two reports-one each half year. I begged the representatives of the Royal Agricultural Society to remember that these halfyearly reports are not the reports of the Principal of the Royal

Veterinary College, but reports from the Governors of the Royal Veterinary College to the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society. The Governors found they could not superintend the compilation of these reports more than once every half year, so as to ensure their containing matter worthy of publication in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society. I added, the Governors are aware that there has been irregularity as to these reports being furnished to the Royal Agricultural Society in time for publication, and that I was directed by the Governors to request that the Council will appoint a certain day in each half year on or before which they expect the MS. reports of the Governors shall be delivered, and on this being done the Governors will undertake the punctual delivery of their reports on or before each of these days. I generally expressed the desire of the Governors of the Royal Veterinary College to meet the wishes of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society in every respect, so far as they can do so consistently with maintaining the system and discipline of the Royal Veterinary College. I remain, sir, yours faithfully, C. N. NEWDEGATE.

A. M. Jenkins, Esq., Secretary to the Royal Agricultural Society, 12, Hanover Square.

The Committee were of opinion that the proposals of the Royal Veterinary College do not sufficiently meet the requirements of the Society, and they therefore recommend that, from and after the 31st December, 1875, the grant to the Royal Veterinary College be discontinued, and that a notice to that effect be given to the Governors of the Royal Veterinary College.

The Committee are further of opinion that the grant for veterinary purposes should be devoted

1st. To giving members of the Society the opportunity of obtaining the best veterinary advice in the case of any extensive or serious outbreak of disease.

2nd. To providing for experiments being made in the treatment of diseases.

3rd. To the scientific investigation of the causes and nature of diseases of animals belonging to the farm.

The Committee hope to be able to submit in the autumn a scheme which shall carry out these objects.

The Committee had considered a letter addressed by Sir Henry Wilmot, M.P., to the Chairman on the subject of an alleged cure for pleuro-pneumonia.

Letters in reference to this system and certificates of its success having been handed to the Chief Secretary for Ireland, and by him referred to Professor Ferguson, the Committee recommended that an official application for Professor Ferguson's report thereon be made to the Irish Government.

Pending the receipt of such report, and in view of the probable desirability of investigating this system, the Committee give notice that at the next monthly Council they will move for a grant of £25 for that purpose.

In moving the adoption of this report, Mr. EGERTON expressed the opinion that the minutes of the Conference had prepared the Council for the recommendation of the Committee. Since the establishment of the Veterinary Department of the Privy Council, the Society had not been dependent upon the College for such information as was furnished in the reports of the Governors, who treated the information which they received from veterinary surgeons throughout the kingdom as confidential, and not to be communicated to the Society. It also appeared that the Council could not have the services of Prof. Simonds as veterinary inspector, and, although they might employ other professors, it must be as one of the public, and as a matter of the professor's private practice. He thought that the time had come when the Society should do something for veterinary science, and it seemed that there was a wide field open, although with regard to the ordinary investigation of disease as a matter of veterinary practice, Prof. Simonds was of opinion that there was nothing more to be done. The higher class of investigations as to the causes of disease cannot be carried out in the midst of practice, but required special appliances, and

he thought that the Council ought specially to encourage such investigations. The Royal Veterinary College ap-peared to devote attention almost entirely to horses; and the Privy Council would not devote money to the furtherance of scientific investigation, although the con.. current testimony of Dr. Williams and Professor Ferguson> showed that investigations into pleuro-pneumonia were of the utmost importance at the present moment. The Committee had been in communication with both the Royal Agricultural College and the Brown Institution, bat at present he was not in a position to discuss future arrangements, to the consideration of which the Committee would devote themselves in order to report in the

autumn.

Lord ESLINGTON, M.P., was glad that the grant to the Royal Veterinary College was to be discontinued: For some years he had looked upon it as like throwing so much money out of the window. He was afraid that the Society would not obtain any assistance from the Government in reference to scientific investigation; but he thought that they should themselves encourage researches into the causes of disease, and for that purpose he would advocate an alliance with the Brown Institution. The Society might also, he thought, secure the services of a competent veterinary surgeon at a moderate retaining fee.

Mr. DENT thought that the Council were much indebted to Mr. Egerton for infusing some energy into the Veterinary Committee. With regard to the future, he was of opinion that of the objects mentioned in the report of the Committee, the first two could be best carried out by the Royal Agricultural College, or by the Society's own veterinary surgeon. The third object-scientific investigation-he looked upon as the most important of all, and as likely to be best carried out by the officers of the Brown Institution. He considered it a disgrace to veterinary science that there was no cure for pleuropneumonia, and he was of opinion that the Society could not spend money for a better purpose than endeavouring to discover one.

Mr. BOWEN JONES asked whether the investigation mentioned was to be confined to one system of treating pleuro-pneumonia, and Mr. EGERTON replied that it would depend upon the evidence laid before the Committee how far they would recommend the Council to investigate the system of treatment referred to, or any other that might be brought under their notice.

The PRESIDENT expressed his regret at the severance of the connection between the College and the Society; but at the same time, looking at all the circumstances, he thought it was a wise conclusion.

The report was then adopted, and the secretary was instructed to communicate the decision of the Council to the Principal of the Royal Veterinary College.

GENERAL TAUNTON.-Sir W. W. WYNN reported that the Committee recommended that the butter and chees at Taunton be judged on Tuesday, July 13; that the members of the Shorthorn Society be allowed to meet in the members' tent in the showyard on Monday afternoon, July 12; and that the Association of Agricultural Engineers be allowed to erect an office in the showyard at their own cost.

This report was adopted, after a conversation, in which Mr. Dent expressed the opinion that it was unwise to establish the precedent of allowing members of other societies to meet in the showyard, while Mr. Milward, Mr. Shuttleworth, and others, thought it very desirable that the Royal Agricultural Society should become as much as possible the centre and focus of agricultural institutions."

HOUSE.-Colonel Kingscote, C.B., M.P. (Chairman), reported that the Committee recommended that the Secre

tary be authorised to have the usual house-cleaning, and certain painting, papering, &c., done during the vacation. This report was adopted.

SHOWYARD CONTRACTS.-Mr. Milward reported that the surveyor had certified that the contractor is entitled to £1,000 on account of the works at Taunton, and that they recommend that this sum be paid to him. This report was adopted.

EDUCATION.-The Duke of Bedford (Chairman) reported that applications from the Head Masters of the Newcastle Grammar School and the Aspatria Agricultural School in reference to the examinations for Junior Scholarships had been laid before the Committee. In the absence of information as to these schools, the Committee recommend that the applications stand over until November. This report was adopted, and Lord Eslington, M.P., undertook to obtain the necessary information with regard to the Newcastle Grammar School.

IMPLEMENT.-Mr. B. T. BRANDRETH GIBBS reported that the Committee recommended that the Secretary prepare the following preliminary list of prizes for implements in connection with the Birmingham Meeting, for consideration by the Committee at Taunton :

Class 1. For the best Reaping Machine with self-delivery £ in sheaf, clear of the horse-track

For the second best

30

20

10

30

20

10

15

10

5

15

10

5

20

10

SELECTION.-Colonel Kingscote, C.B., M.P. (Chairman), reported the recommendation of the Committee, that Mr. R. Stratton, of the Duffryn, Monmouthshire, be elected a member of the Council, in the room of the Earl of Lichfield, elected a trustee. This report having been received, Mr. Stratton was unanimously elected a member of the Council, on the motion of Colonel Kingscote, seconded by Mr. Horley.

SPECIAL CHARTER AND BYE-LAWS.-Mr. Wells reported that the Committee had had under consideration the amended draft of the bye-laws as prepared by themselves and by the solicitors, and have discussed with Mr. James the most important amendments which he had made in their draft. They have also made some few alditional alterations in conjunction with him. Copies of these drafts have been already sent to each member of the Council, and the Committee recommend that members having further amendments to propose should give early notice of them in writing to the Secretary, so that these, together with the amended draft, may be sent to each member of Council before the November meeting.

The question of the inherent right of each general meeting to decide for itself upon the mode in which the members of Council shall be elected has been discussed by the committee and the Society's solicitor, who has been instructed to take counsel's opinion on this point. This report was adopted,

A list of the special prizes offered for competition next year by the Birmingham Local Committee was read, and the opinion of the Council was asked as to the conditions attached to three classes of prizes. No objection was raised to the condition that agricultural stallions winning the special prizes should travel during the season 1877 in the county of Warwick. With regard to the prizes for harness horses, "to be shown in harness with suitable vehicle," Mr. Dent moved the omission of those words, while their retention was moved by Col. Kingscote, seconded by Mr. Cantrell, and carried with two dissentients. As to the prizes proposed to be offered for cheese made in the county of Warwick, the Secretary was instructed to inform the Birmingham Committee that it is a fundamental rule of the Society that all prizes shall be open to general competition. A letter from the Director of the Meteorological Office, inquiring whether, in the opinion of the Council, it would be expedient to attempt the organisation of a service of weekly reports on the progress and growth of the crops, was referred to the Society's representatives on the conference with regard to the observation of phenological phenomena-viz., Mr. Whitehead and the consulting betauist.

A letter was read from the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, enclosing an extract from the Journal Officiel, relating to the establishment of an Agricultural College in France.

A letter was read from Mr. Clement H. Hill, expressing the regret of His Highness the Seyyid of Zanzibar that he could not accept the President's invitation to visit the Society's show at Taunton.

A special Council was ordered to be summoned for each day of the Taunton meeting, from July 12 to 16 inclusive, at 1 r.m., a Meeting of the Implement Committee on Tuesday, 13th, at noon, and of the Veterinary Committee on Wednesday, 14th, at noon.

RESOLUTIONS AND DIVISIONS.-At a meeting of the Council of the Notts. Chamber of Agriculture the following letter was read: "There is a point I very much wish to bring before our Chamber-that we should never divide in published, do very great good. Our divisions do no good resolutions or amendments. I consider our discussions, if whatever, but a great deal of harm, in my judgment. I will try to illustrate this. At a meeting of 70 members a strong resolution is carried by 60 to 10. At another meeting this very resolution is reversed by 10 to 5, only 15 members attending. The public appearance of this is that the Chamber, decision to be final or to be closed, but members will not as a Chamber, has quite altered its opinion. I never wish any attend over and over again to obtain or keep a victory in a division. Secondly, tenants do not like to vote against the declared opinions or known sentiments of a good landlurd; and, if their sincere sentiments are desired, the ballot is the only means. But I am opposed to all divisions on subjects, and I wish the freest possible discussion.-Yours truly, CHRISTOPHER NEVILE." In a second letter Mr. Nevile wished to know how to bring the subject of avoiding political discussion before the Chamber. The Council directed the letters from Mr. Nevile to be acknowledged, but took no action upon them.

Sir George Hodson was re-elected chairman, and the Hon. C. Trench vice-chairman.

THE BREEDING OF HORSES IN IRELAND: The CHAIRMAN observed that the first matter that was to be considered was the resolution of which Mr. MacFarlane had given notice, as to the breeding of horses in Ireland. Mr. MacFarlane was at present in England; but he had written a letter to Captain Thornhill requesting that it might be brought forward by some member of the Council, the subject being a most important one, and deeply affecting the interests of this country.

Major BORROWES said what Mr. MacFarlane, as he understood, proposed to insert in the report was the following paragraph: "Your Council view with much interest the proposition made by Lord Calthorpe for supplying the farmers of the United Kingdom with sound, thoroughbred horses, of superior quality and strength, and consider that an intimation to that effect should be conveyed to his lordship, enclosing a copy of the address presented to Her Majesty from this Society in 1864, giving reason for a royal commission to inquire into the cause of the deterioration of horses in Ireland, and adding that a horse breeding committee still exists in connection with this Society, who possess much local and practical knowledge, could supply important informa tion, and who would gladly assist the movement." The Royal Dublin Society had done all that might be considered necessary in this matter, but as a member of the Royal Agricultural Society he conceived some action ought to be taken in it by them.

The CHAIRMAN said he fancied that the matter came before them to ascertain if they would subscribe to the fund origi nated by Lord Calthorpe.

Major BORROWES remarked that he came there to-day to ask the Council the desirability of taking into consideration the movement which had been set on foot in England by Lord Calthorpe for the introduction of stallions into England and Ireland by an annual subscription from a certain number of the gentry and agriculturists of both countries. That Society, he believed, had done nothing practical towards carrying out this object. He had had a conversation with several gentlemen who were interested in this movement in England; one or two asked him what they were doing in this country, to which he replied that, not having been in Ireland for six months, he could not tell. What now gave him a status to bring the matter before the Council was a tabular statement which he had copied from the Farmers' Gazelle of last Saturday, taken from Mr. Donuel'y's returns of the number of thoroughbred stallions that were in this country in the years 1864, 1868, and 1871. In '71 there were 1,333 stallions of all kinds in the country, against 1,034 in '61, being an increase of 299. In dealing with this movement of Lord Calthorpe's, he did not think it necessary to call their attention to more than the thoroughbred and half-bred horses. The point he wanted to bring before them was this-that in Ireland there were in square miles 32,518, including water. The statute acres were 20,815,111, and there were nearly 3,000,000 of bog, so that there were 17,985,111 acres of arable land, or land on which horses could be reared and if they took the number of thoroughbred stallions at 427 for the year '71, there appeared to be only one for every 42,120 acres, or 65 square miles. Of half-bred stallions there were 476, which gave one to every 37,784 acres, or 57 square miles. That would make 903 stallions, and give one to every 19,217 acres, or one to every thirty-one square miles. It would be thus seen that a stallion would have to travel 31 miles, even supposing that they were in the centre of the country, which was not thecase. This was putting the matter plainly before the Council, and this was a state of these things which ought not to exist. There was only one lot of these figures which could be cavilled at, and that

was that he had not deducted the acreage for water in Ireland. That would reduce the calculation by one mile. Now, until they had some data to go upon as to how many stallions were in the country, and what was their travelling circuit, they could hardly ask the public to contribute their money for the object in question. In taking this matter into consideration, it should be borue in mind that those stallions were not placed in the centre of the 31 miles, and he believed he was correct' in stating that there were large districts in Ireland where no stallions were procurable. In London he was informed that there were some good mares which would produce valuable foals, but the want of a good class of stallions was felt. They would not be doing honour to Lord Calthorp if they did no take some action in reference to this movement which he had set on foot, which was a very simple one. If the money which he proposed could be collected-namely, £5,000 a year, a number of stallions could be bought and sent over to thiscountry, which would be the commencement of a work which, he hoped, would be continued for years and years. In conclu sion, he moved the adoption of the following resolution: "That the Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland feel the importance of showing their desire to support and aid in the valuable suggestion of Lord Calthorpe, to introduce into Ireland, by annual subscriptions, a sufficient number of thoroughbred stallions, that the far-famed credit of Trisir breeders may be reestablished; and they hope that sufficient funds amongst the members of the Society will be collected, by annual subscriptions of 10 guineas for five years, to allow the Society to join in the movement, and set an example to others interested in the welfare of Ireland to follow and support a movement so valuable to the landed proprietors and large farmers of the country." He had been absent from the country for some months, and during that time he read a report of the proceedings of the Council which led him to fear that the funds of the Society would hardly allow of the subscriptious to Lord Cal thorpe's scheme.

The CHAIRMAN said he feared that was the case.

Major BORROWES said he was quite prepared to increase his subscription to the Society by £10 a year for five years, if nine or nineteen members would do the same.

Mr. OWEN seconded Major Borrowes' resolution, and said the statistics mentioned were certainly very suggestive.

Mr. YOUNG ooserved that this was an agricultural society; but the scheme comprehended only thoroughbred horses, excluding agricultural horses.

Mr. COLTHURST VESEY, D.L., thought it would be best to refer the matter to a committee.

Mr. LEOPOLD CUST said the definite scheme of Lord GAL thorpe was to have a subscription of £1,000 for five years, he undertaking to give one thoroughbred stallion to Ireland each year, so that at the end of five years they would have five stallions. His (Mr. Cust's) idea of supporting the movemens was to have combined instead of isolated action in the matter. Mr. OWEN asked how was that to be accomplished..

Mr. CUST said it could be done by the Council of that Society taking the initiative and inviting co-operation. Better that all should pull together than that each should pull in a particular way.

Major BORROWES did not think the plan of having five stallions at the end of five years sufficient for the emergency. £100, and in five years they ought to be able to have more The average cost of such a horse as they needed was £300 or

than five.

Mr. CUST moved as an amendment the appointment of a committee to act with the horse committee of the Royal Dublin Society for settling the details of Lord Calthorpe's scheme, and trying to get subscriptions to support it.

Mr. U. TOWNSEND seconded the amendment. He thought they would make a better appearance before the English public with united, not single action. The Royal Dublin Society was already stirring in the matter.

Major Borrowes, Colonel Vesey, and other members expressed an opinion that it would be best for the Royal Agricultural Society to act in its own name, on its own behalf.