The Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England

in some of the countries of Europe. The ordinary measures of precaution adopted here may, however, be regarded as being sufficiently protective, except when the disease is very widely spread.

Passing from foreign to home diseases of a contagious nature it has to be stated that scab in sheep has been exceedingly prevalent during the year. This disease is essentially parasitic in its nature, the analogue, in fact, of itch in the human subject. It is not difficult of cure, and many of the popular remedies are often sufficient for the purpose. These, however, often fail of effecting a cure, as will even the best-chosen remedies, for want of sufficient care in their application. Each sheep in turn should be well examined, and the agent applied to every spot where the disease is found to exist. In all places, indeed, where "scabs" are met with, they must be well broken up by the fingers before the agent is used, otherwise neither the acari nor their ova will be destroyed.

Many seizures of sheep affected with scab have been made by inspectors acting under the provisions of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, the provisions of which seem well adapted to keep in check all contagious diseases of cattle, sheep, and pigs. Much, however, depends on the practical application of the measure by the Local Authority; and hitherto there has not been that uniformity of action which is necessary to secure success. Persons totally unfit to act as inspectors have been appointed in numerous instances. This is a subject well worth the attention of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society, upon national grounds. None but thoroughly educated veterinary surgeons should hold office as inspectors, and even with respect to such persons their acquirements with regard to the laws which govern the spread of each infectious or contagious malady should be ascertained prior to their receiving the appointment. With a view to limit the number of inspectors, each county should also be divided into districts or departments, and an approved inspector appointed for each.

The number of pupils who entered the college during the past year was seventy-one, being an increase of six on the number admitted in the previous year. Seventy candidates presented themselves for examination by the Court of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and of these fifty were admitted members of the incorporated profession. All the candidates for admission as pupils of the Royal Veterinary College were, according to the regulations of the Institution, submitted to a matriculation examination as to their educational acquirements before being admitted to the curriculum of the College. This preliminary test, which was established five years since, has been so fruitful

of good results that it cannot but be satisfactory to the Council to know that the Governors of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons are using their utmost efforts to secure the extension of the system, which this Institution initiated, to the Colleges of Edinburgh and Glasgow. Should this object be attained, an important step will have been taken towards the country being supplied with veterinary surgeons whose knowledge of scientific principles gives system to their practice, and great progress will have been made towards the permanent elevation of the veterinary profession.

Before they conclude this report, the Governors desire to assure the Council, although they trust that experience must have rendered the renewal of this assurance almost unnecessary, that they have anxiously sought and will continue to seek to render the means at their disposal thoroughly available for the object which is mutual to the two institutions, "the advancement of science in the practical treatment of the diseases of cattle, sheep and pigs."

The Governors would, however, venture to remind the Council that there are limits to their means. The primary object of the Royal Veterinary College is the special education of young men who intend to devote their energies to the veterinary profession; and it must be obvious that the Governors cannot consistently with this duty undertake to provide general or public instruction to an extent that would be injurious to the profession which the students at the College are about to enter. Another limit is presented by the known impossibility of collecting in the metropolis an aggregation of disease among cattle, sheep, and pigs, such as is exhibited to the students of medicine and surgery as applied to mankind in the various London hospitals. The sanitary regulations of the metropolis, the absence of space and of the large funds which would be requisite for the establishment of an extended hospital for diseased cattle, and other circumstances, forbid the idea of such an undertaking. The Governors, while encouraged by the general progress in veterinary science which the profession has of late years manifested, are convinced that they must be content with persevering in the development of the course which their Institution has hitherto pursued in the inculcation of those branches of science which are essential to the due organization and direction of the practice of future veterinary surgeons throughout the country.

The Governors are nevertheless fully aware of the value of demonstrations in surgical and medicinal education. Indeed it cannot be denied that explanations of the kind give point and life to instruction which would otherwise be felt by many students to be cold, abstract, and uninteresting. The Governors

will therefore be grateful for any help which the Council may think fit to afford them in procuring specimens of disease in cattle, sheep, &c., and on their part they will provide all the means at their command for turning them to practical use, without losing sight of the fact that the greater part of the knowledge and skill which are essential to the success of veterinary surgeons, such as aptitude in the detection of the premonitory symptoms of disease, promptitude in forming an early diagnosis of its primary stages, and facility in devising methods for the effectual application of remedies, can only be developed by continued observation and extended practice in the country.

March, 1870.

(Signed) C. N. NEWDEGATE, Chairman.

XXV.-Report on the Trials of Implements at Oxford.
By JOHN COLEMAN.

In our report on the Bury Show in 1867, where much the same classes of machines were tried as at Oxford this year, the unusually large entry of nearly 5000 articles is commented upon 'as without parallel in the annals of the Royal Agricultural Society.' At Oxford the Catalogue describes 7851 entries, shown by 359 exhibitors, and occupying many miles of shedding. Such a collection looks well on paper; but it is, in reality, overgrown, and defies the most energetic and indefatigable student who desires information. The evil, which is as yet small, will grow unless checked, and the Society is therefore giving this subject serious consideration. One simple way whereby the Show would at once be materially reduced, would be a stringent rule as to the exclusion of duplicates: that is to say, a maker must bring only one machine of precisely similar construction, and the same make of machines must only be shown by one firm. This would effectually shut out agents as exhibitors. The first stand in the Catalogue-that of Mr. Phillips, of Banbury— numbered 180 articles; and we can say that not more than a dozen emanated from the exhibitor, all the rest were implements shown by the makers themselves. One maker contributed a long row of winnowing machines, which appeared precisely alike, looked very neat, but occupied a most unnecessary area.

At present the agricultural implements-pur et simple-constitute only a portion of the collection. It is quite evident that the miscellaneous department, comprising as it does so much that cannot be included as strictly pertaining to agriculture, admits of considerable reduction. The extent of this is a

question requiring careful consideration. It would add very

much to the convenience of the visitor if the miscellaneous implements could be collected together, and not mixed up as now. Something has been done in bringing the carriage department together with manifest advantage, and we hope that further alteration in this direction may be attempted another year. The Show-ground was unavoidably laid out less consecutively than usual in consequence of a brick-field interfering. The absence from the Catalogue of a plan of the ground giving the shedding was an omission that should be rectified. Such a plan was issued with the Implement awards on the Monday, but it would have been more convenient if bound up with the Catalogue.

Owing to increased competition, consequent on the growth of the implement trade, the Society have thought it desirable to alter the Prize-sheet, by omitting the Class of Portable Engines and Threshing-machines, the trials of which are deferred for another year. The following list, with the names of the Judges in each department, may assist the reader in following the Reports -

Judges.-E. J. BRAMWELL, C. E., 37, Great George Street, London.
E. A. COWPER, C. E., 6, Great George Street, London.

SECTION I.-Fixed Steam-Engines.

CLASS 1.-For the class of Fixed Steam-Engines of 4-horse power,
with boiler combined

£23

CLASS 2.-For the class of Fixed Steam-Engines of above 4-horse
power, and not exceeding 10-horse power, to be worked by an
independent boiler

CLASS 1.-For the class of Steaming Apparatus for the preparation
of food for Stock

Judges.-H. B. CALDWELL, Monkton Farleigh, Bradford-on-Avon.
H. STEPHENSON, Throckley House, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
JOHN OGILVIE, Mardon, Coldstream, N.B.

SECTION III.-Mills.

CLASS 1.-For the class of Mills, with Stone Grinders, for grinding
agricultural produce into meal, by steam or horse power
CLASS 2.-For the class of Mills, with Metal Grinders, for grinding
agricultural produce for feeding purposes, by steam or horse

power
CLASS III. For the class of Mills, with Metal Grinders, for grinding
agricultural produce for feeding purposes, by hand power

SECTION IV.-Crushers.

CLASS 1.-For the class of Corn Crushers by steam or horse power £15
CLASS 2. For the class of Corn Crushers by hand power
CLASS 3.-For the class of Linseed Crushers by steam or horse

power