699
THE ESTATES GAZETTE
April 29, 1899.
Spanish-American war of last year had something to do with this. His firm had made some very good arrangements for this season’s supply early last year, but when the war broke out all the contracts were repudiated, or whatever the technical expression is, and they had to make fresh contracts for !the raw material, and this time they could not do it on such advantageous terms. On large arable farms, where hundreds of acres of roots are grown each year, !the price of superphosphate and other artificials makes a considerable difference to the cultivator.
The schedule of prizes for the Great National Horse Show at the Crystal Palace on June 3, 5 and 6 has been issued, and shows the total amount of prize money offered as £1,000, the classes including hunters, hackneys, harness horses, Arabs, ponies, and chargers, with several jumping competitions. The entries close on Monday, May 15, but post entries, at double fees, will be accepced up to the following Monday. The manager of the show is Major F. Herbert, Crystal Palace. S.E., of whom copies of the schedule of prizes, entry forms, etc., can be obtained.
Professor Wortley Axe contributes an interesting article on !that disease so troublesome to flockmasters—sheep scab—in the Journal of the Bath and West of England Agricultural Society. With regard (to curative measures, which is the part of the paper which is especially of use to practical farmers, Professor Axe writes that the object of treatment will be to destroy the parasite which causes the disorder, and to restore /the skin to a healthy condition. The scab acarus is an egg producing creature, and in the course of propagation deposits its eggs upon the skin of the sheep. To kill the free parasites, !that is the adult and the young ones already hatched out, all that is necessary is to immerse them, as in the ordinary process of dipping, in a poisonous solution. This, however, while checking the progress of the disease and affording temporary relief, falls far short of effecting a complete cure, for !the eggs, whose hard impermeable shells have protected their more or less matured contents from the poisonous effects of the dressing, will still remain uninjured, and in due course each nest will hatch out its young blood and set up the disease afresh. Reproduction soon becomes active in the new colony, and !the skin will swarm again with parasitic life.
If, therefore, the disease is to be thoroughly eradicated, dipping must be repeated, in order that the newly born acari may be destroyed, and this should be done before they have acquired the power of reproduction, or they, like their parents, may also leave behind eggs to hatch out after the second application. To guard against this, not more than fourteen days should be allowed to elapse between the first and second immersion. In carrying ou/t a course of dipping, it is common practice to take the sheep from the flock as they come, and to run them together afterwards without any regard to the state of their skins. It is not generally recognised that while in the slighter cases the poison will have direct access to the parasites, in the more severe ones it may be intercepted by the thick dense scabs which afford more complete shelter and protection. In this way two or three badly affected animals may keep the disease alive, and in careless hands become a source of endless trouble and annoyance.
To protect the flock from this source of possible reinfection, any sheep that are badly affected with the disease should be picked out from the rest and kept together. In dipping, they should be dealt with last, and for some time after the final immersion they should be kept under close observation, and, if necessary, subjected to further treatment. Besides local treatment it will be to the interest of the farmer to uphold the general condition of the flock by liberal feeding, and, if the season demands it, shelter and protection from bad weather should also be provided. Where wasting and weakness have resulted from the disease, or from previous privation, the daily administration of tonic and restorative agents, such as sulphate of iron, salt and a little liquorice powder and aniseed will prove a useful adjunct to good living. These are sound practical remarks on the subject from an eminent authority, and farmers whose flocks are infested with the terrible disease should take them to heart and acit upon them.
Corn markets during the last week or so have somewhat improved, and wheat may be quoted quite Is. per quarter dearer. Imperial averages for the week ending April 22 were returned as wheat, 24s. 8d. ; barley, 25s. 2d. ; oats, 17s. Id. per quarter.
The ESTATES GAZETTE can be obtained of our City Agents, Messrs. POTTLE and SONS Royal Exchange.
to Hugh Despenser. Subsequently the estates were transferred to Sir Charles Somerset, afterwards created Earl of Worcester. The title of Duke of Beaufort was conferred on the Somersets in 1682, the heir presumptive retaining the ramie of Marquis of Worcester. The estate is still held by the family.
Prior to the departure for Bristol and London, tea was partaken of at the Beaufort Arms, Chepstow.
A large party of visitors also left Bristol at an early hour for Wells, where they were met by Mr. Edwin H. Hip-pisley (Fellow), and proceeded by special train to Glastonbury to view the abbey. After luncheon, whieh was served at the Swan Hotel, the members were conducted over the cathedral, bishop’s palace, etc. Bristol was reached on the return journey about 7 o’clock.
Jfarm antr Jirlir.
BY A LAND AGENT.
[SPECIALLY CONTRIBUTED.]
Low temperatures and cold showers have been the sources of grumbling amongst us during the early part of the week, and the cold spring of last year seems ■to be repeating itself, but with greater intensity. The season is very backward, the grass׳ has hardly started growing, and the trees show but little signs of green, the horse-chestnuts being about the only ones to make believe it is spring. The heavy rains which we have experienced locally have checked the work on arable farms, and men and horses will have to put in some long days when the fine weather does come, to keep the tillages up. Wheat plants are thick and strong, oaits and barley are looking well, but are much checked by the cold winds and frosty nights. Live stock is generally healthy, but the soddened state of the pasture lands causes scouring to be rather prevalent. The trade for store stock of all descriptions in our local markets is anything but brisk, beef, however, is finding a better sale. With regard to pigs, the trade maintains a fair level, 8s. 6d. a score being about the run for baconers, but a decline in prices is foretold. The general w’sh is for nice genial growing weather, April showers and plenty of sunshine, which we trust we may soon get.
“ Home sweet Home ” is a happy cry, and probably must account for the desire whieh most of our farmers have to get into a farm at all costs if they think it at all suitable to their requirements. They seem to push in anywhere they can, and will put their names to any agreement the landlord or his agent lays before them, not knowing in the slightest the contents, so long as they can only enter into possession. They agree to keep and leave in repair the house, buildings, and every stick and stone on the place, and bind themselves to do a thousand and one other little things which are specified in some long document. Nothing is done for them on entry to put ihe place in decent condition; perhaps the agent has a look round and makes a few notes of gates off, window fastenings wanted, a ceiling or two requiring whitening, etc., and the tenant fondly imagines all these little items will be attended to, but, alas! he hears no more about it and has to put up with the place as it is, or do the little jobs himself. Everything goes smoothly until the end of his tenancy comes, then round comes the agent, with ,a very big notebook this time, and an extra pair of spectacles, and the tenant is served with a dilapidation claim of about thirty or forty pounds, “under his agreement.”
“Yes; but you never did anything for me when I came in, and I’ve farmed very well and done a lot of repairs in and out myself, and never asked for an allowance,” he expostulates. “But you signed this agreement,'־ the agent says, “ and you bound yourself lo do all these little things; and I require them done.” Then !the poor tenant thinks he is a very hard-used man, and goes to consult a valuer ito get him out of the mess, who ;ells him that he should have asked his advice years ago, before he entered the farm. Not a very exaggerated picture, though some land agents may think it rather highly coloured; but I could name scores of instances that would fit in without much alteration. As a valuer, I have often to champion the cause of a farmer, and I know from experience that they generally come to us when it is too late, though they really do not deserve much pity, as their diifi-eulty is due to their own foolishness. As a friend of mine says: “ They’ll sign their own death warrants,” whieh I think is a very expressive way of saying how ready they are to put their names to any agreement of tenancy.
Artificial manures, which for some years have been at very reasonable prices, have this season gone up considerably in value, owing to scarcity of the raw material. A leading manufacturer told me the other day that the
ing sword,” which was found to be of 14th century date ; the pearl sword, so called because the scabbard is supposed to have been embroidered with seed pearl®; and the Lent sword, so called because it is borne before the Judges at the Lent Assizes. Special attention was drawn to a silver gilt basin, which, during the riots that took place in Bristol in October, 1831, was stolen by one James Ives, who out it up into 167 pieces, and offered some of them for sale ׳to a Bristol silveramith, telling ׳him they were part of some old family plate. The silversmith, suspecting his story, requested Ives to call again the next day, and bring the remaining pieces, which he did. He was then arrested and sentenced to 14 years transportation. The silversmith, after some trouble, succeeded in fitting the pieces together, with the exception of two small bits that were lost, and riveted them on to a silver plate, whieh now forms the back, and bears an inscription recording the history of the recovery of the salver.
The party was driven in carriages to view St. Peter’s Hospital, the Church of St. Mary Red-cliffe, the Cathedral, the Cabot Tower, Clifton Suspension Bridge, and Durdham Tower.
A VISIT TO TINTERN ABBEY.
Between 50 and 60 members left the Bristol joint station on Thursday, booking for Tintern. On arrival they were met by Mr. S. H. Oowper Coles (Fellow), estate agent to the׳ Marquis of Worcester, who conducted the party over the famous abbey. Standing in a. secluded spot on the banks of what is probably the most beautiful river in England, Tintern Abbey owes its fame to the rich endowments of nature, quite as much as ׳to the Claresi and the Bi׳go׳d׳s, or the genius of its Cistercian builders.
Of the work of its׳ founder, Walter de Clare, no remains are now to be seen, but the greater part of the church ■as it now stands׳ was built between 1269 and 1288 by Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk. Architecturally, therefore, it belongs to the end of the Early English period, when simplicity ׳of moulding and ornament was beginning to develop into the more ornate and elaborate style of the Decorated period. The western end of the church and the aisle of the north transept are decidedly Decorated in style, and probably were built later.
In plan the church is cruciform without any central tower, the transepts had aisles only on the eastern side, and there may be stall seen the remains of the stone screensi which formerly separated the nave and the chancel from the aisles, and divided the two chapels׳ in each transept.
At the conclusion of the vist to Tintern, ,the members were entertained in a most hospitable manner by the Marquis of Worcester, by whom an excellent luncheon ■was provided at the Beaufort Hotel. Mr. S. H. Oowper Coles, agent to the estate, presided.
The health of the Marquis was drunk with the utmost, enthusiasm, Mr. W. J. Glutton, of York,׳ to whom the toast was entrusted, expressing, on behalf of the members, their appreciation of the Marquis’s generosity and kindness, and the delight which the visit to Tintern had afforded them.
Mr. George Langridge, of Tunbridge Wells, also spoke of the Marquis of Worcester’s kindness in complimentary !terms, and the toast was responded to by Mr. Cowper Coles.
The party suibseauently enjoyed a most delightful drive in carriages to the Wynd Cliff and
CHEPSTOW CASTLE, where they found much to interest them.
To William Fitzosbom, the chief commander of the Normans at Hastings under William the Conqueror, is ׳ascribed the foundation in1067 ׳ of the Castle of Chepstow or Strigul, and portions of the old masonry of the 11th century are still present in! the lower part of the two end walls of the great hall. The gatehouse belongs ■to the latter part of the 13th century, and the windows in the banqueting ball ׳are of Early Decorated style, about the time of the second Edward. Max-ten’s Tower is ■one of -the most effective parts of this grand old monument of feudal power, the outer wall being 12ft. thick. The chapel is Early English, with some good oak flower moulding, and there was a rich screen! of the same style of architecture at the upper end of t'he great hall. The ruin is most picturesquely situated on the top of a lofty limestone crag overlooking the river Wye, which flows at its base, and was in early days an effective barrier against enemies, while it was separated from the town by a deep foss now grown over with trees ; the principal front with its massive round towers is well seen from the Tintern road. The founder of the castle, Fitz-usborn, was killed in Flanders, a.d. 1070, and on the death of his son it passed to the family of Clares, one of whose members, Walter Fitz-Richard, founded Tintern Abbey, where he was interred 1139. The estate passed to Stroingbow, Earl of Pembroke, and ¡thence through the female line to the Earl of Norfolk, who surrendered it with other honours to Edward I. Edward II. granted the castle and town of Chepstow, in 1312, ■to Thomas Brother-ton, who, ten years later, transferred the same
delight to those and other members of long standing to find that a membership of 45 bad now risen to 3,000. (Applause). Those figures in themselves showed what the Institution was and what it had done. (Applause). They owed much to the energy always displayed by their energetic secretary¿ Mr. Rogers—(applause)— upon whose shoulders much of ׳the work had fallen. Their ■secretary was deserving of every credit, for he carried out his duties to׳ the satisfaction of everybody. Having remarked that they were about to open, in London, a building second to none in everything requisite for their profession, Mr. Dolling concluded by remarking that they had greatly honoured both the Irish branch and himself by asking 'him to propose that important toast.
The President responded, and said he was sorry to say there were only three members of the Council remaining who were associated with the Institution at the start. Their first President, the late Mr. John Glutton, was׳ the first to ׳take the lead, !and with the assistance of other gentlemen, one of whom was Mr. John Horatio׳ Lloyd, he launched the boat in the hope that they were doing a great service to their profession. (Applause). He believed the Institution had been a great help to ׳the profession, and the older members were- proud that they had built up what the younger members would most certainly find a- great advantage to them.
Mr. Julian C. Rogers also responded, and thanked Mr. Dolling for the very kind words he had spoken of Mm. I׳t was within a few weeks of 30 years since the Council, in a moment ׳of impulsive benevolence—(laughter)—appointed him as׳ secretary. (Applause). All he could say was that he had always done ■his best—(applause)— and be was happy to think that by good fortune he had m!aai׳age׳d to get well connected with a profession which seemed to be entirely devoid of any feeling of hostility towards those who served it. (Applause). Happily he bad not made an enemy of any single member. He had listened ■to the speeches! ■that evening with very great interest. Mr. Dolling omitted to mention one subject, and that was the examination®. He thought nearly all the members present were fully cognisant of the extensive scale upon which the examinations׳ were conducted. He might mention that 2,500 examinations had been conducted since the Institution was established.
Mr. Daniel Watney submitted the health of the Provincial Committees, more especially the Somerset, Gloucestershire ׳and North Wilts Provincial Committees. There were, !he said, 19 provincial committee® in England and Wale®, a branch in Ireland, and a newly-formed branch in Scotland. Through the committees they breathed, and they looked to them for information on all local matters. The Institution was indebted to the local committee for the hearty reception of its members, and in this connection he referred to the services of Mr. W. Sturge, Mr. Hood Daniel, Mr. P. Addie and Mr. Theodore Sturge. (Applause).
Mr. William Sturge acknowledged the toast, remarking that the Reception Committee had done their best to make the Bristol meeting a success, the members enthusiastically joining in the work devolving upon them.
Mr. John Shaw gave in complimentary terms “The Health of the Guests!,” for whom Mr. Newton, Mr. Yabbicorn and Mr. Dyke replied Each of the speakers expressed pleasure ■at the Institution’s having visited Bristol, and the hope that there would be a return visit at no distant date.
Mr. Hartley proposed “ The Health of the President,” Mr. Kirby afterwards! speaking to the toast ; ׳and the President’s reply brought the speeches ■to a close.
THE CORPORATION PLATE.
The city of Bristol may safely lay claim to possess a® fine and interesting a collection of plate and civic insignia as any other town or city in Great Britain. It cannot, of course, pretend to compare with London in the enormous value of plate belonging to׳ that city, and in some respects1, perhaps, the artistic merits of the Norwich insignia are׳ superior, but certainly no city, not even York, or Lincoln, ■or Exeter, can show such grand swords of state, and there are few towns that possess' such an interesting and early series of pieces! of plate. These the visitors, who were met by Mr. H. A. Hood Daniel (Fellow) at the Council House, on Thursday morning, had the honour of inspecting, and the members manifested ׳the greatest interest in all they saw. The insignia, etc., consist of four swords of state, a cap of maintenance, nine mace«’, a silver oar, a mayor’s chain and badge, a deputy water-bailiff’s chain and badge, four waits’ collars and badges, four city trumpets, a bellman’s staff, a city exchange keeper’s staff, and city, mayoral and other seals. Although none of the city charters mention either the swords or the sword bearer, Bristol has possessed swords of state since the 14th century. The visitors were particularly interested in the oldest of the four swords, known ׳as the “mourn-