The Press. — London, England, 1854-10-07 00:00:00

946 AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. AMONG the papers read in the " statistical section " at the meeting of the British Association was one by Mr. J. T. Danson, on the " cost and current prices of wheat in England during the last ten years." The chief design of the paper was to show how much the fanners themselves are interested in promoting the collection of agricultural statistics: — The lecturer argued that the agriculturists were really the greatest sufferers from the want of some system which would enable them to prevent the fluctuation iu the price of corn and better to adjust the supply to the demand. It was of great importance to time better the supply of corn to our markets ; and Mr. Danson suggested whether it would not be advisable for small farmers, whose limited capital compelled them to send their produce to market immediately after thrashing, to place it in the hands of some capitalist who could wait until the most advantageous time for sale. The materials of the paper were obtained almost entirely from the Gazette returns of the prices of corn and the tables published by the Board of Trade. They were so arranged as to lead the writer step by step to the following conclusions:-1. That the average price actually paid to the English producer for his wheat during the ten harvest years extending from September, 1843, to September, 1853, was about 48s. Bd. per quarter. 2. That during the first five of these years the price exceeded this average so much as to give to the producer an aggregate sum of about 37,000,0001. sterling, more than he would have received had the price been steady at the decennial average during those five years. 3. That during the se cond rive years the price fell short of the average to a pre cisely equal amount 4. That, consequently, if the average price of the ten years gave, as it may reasonably be supposed to have given, to the farmers no more than a reasonable amount of profit, the prices of the last five years must have been quite inadequate to defray the cost of cultivation. 5. That though the uncertainty of the seasons must, in the present state of agriculture, be deemed the chief cause of these fluctuations, there are several others which a complete system of agricultural statistics, by acquainting us, early in each season, with the stock in hand, and the breadth of land prepared for or sown with corn, would enable the community to grapple with and gradually to remove. In the discussion which followed the reading of this paper, - - - - Sir J. BOILEAU, as a resident in an agricultural county, expressed his belief that the collection of agricultural statistics which had been practised in Norfolk and Hamp a lire last year would, if generally carried out, be a great boon to farmers. With regard to the capital employed in agriculture, Sir John remarked that, if three times the present amount of capital were employed upon one-third of the land at present under cultivation, it would be better for the country and for the farmer himself. THE Corrox HARVEST having now closed in Americ some estimates have been formed of the result on which the prosperity of so many important branches of British manufacturing industry is certainly dependent. The total yield of cotton during the season 1853.54 appears to have been about 2,930,00 U bales, being a decrease over those of the two preceding years of about 33'2,882 bales less than it was in 1852.3, and 85,029 bales less than in 1831-2. The average price for the same period is given as 8f cents per lb. against 9 cents in 1852.3, and 8 cents in 1831.2, a return which, considering the partial interruption given to the manufacturing trade of England and Europe generally, by reason of the war, in conjunction with the generally inferior quality of the crop, arising from the combined effects of bad seasons (unseasonable rains and subsequent frosts), will possibly be considered satisfactory by the cotton•planters of the United States. The damage sus tained by frosts appears to have been more severe than usual, and for the injured portions of the crop the sale proved extremely difficult. The general character of the mop, when brought to market, proved also to have been carelessly and hastily picked, for complaints were made of the greater preponderance than usual of the lower grades. The almost entire suspension of the trade with Russia, however, tended to check the demand for the finer sorts. EVERY man who lives in a house, especially if the house be his own, should oil various parts of it once in two or three months. The house will last much longer, and will be much more quiet to live in. Oil the locks, bolts, and hinges of the street•door, and it will shut gently, with luxurious ease, and with the use of a small amount of force. A neglected lock requires great violence to cause it to shut, and with so much violence that the whole house, its doors, its windows, its very floors and joists, are much shaken, and in time they get out of repair in all sorts of ways, to say nothing of the dust that is dislodged every time the place is so shaken. The incessant banging of doors, scrooping of locks, creak ing and screaming of hinges, is a great discomfort. Even the bell•wire cranks should sometimes be oiled, and they will act more certainly and with such gentle force that there will be little danger of breaking any part of them. The castors of tables and chairs should be sometimes oiled, and they will move with such gentle impulse, and so quietly, that a sleeping child or old man is not awakened. A well oiled door•lock opens and shuts with hardly a whisper. Three pennyworth of oil used in a large house once a year will save many shillings in locks and other materials, and in the end will save many pounds in even the substantial repairs of a house ; and an old wife living and sleeping in quiet repose will enjoy many more years of even temper and active usenilness. Housekeepers, pray do not forget the oil. A stitch in time saves nine, and a drop in time saves pounds.—The Builder. THE PRESS. Volitual nub' Otrarat. TEE inauguration dinner of the newly-elected ieriffs for London and Middlesex, Mr. Alderman .....--. _ , Muggeridge and Mr. C. D. Crossley, took place on Saturday evening last, at the London Tavern. This entertainment, which in ordinary times is merely a convivial reunion, at which the civic officers receive their friends and their friends' friends, was rendered memorable on this occasion by the announcement to the assembled guests of the glorious victory obtained by the allied armies in the Crimea. This joyful in telligence elicited demonstrations of enthusiasm, in dicated by loud, general, and repeated cheering on the part of the company. More than 250 gentlemen were present at this banquet. THE SUSPENSION OF MR. JAMES MITCHELL, an ex tensive woollen-manufacturer, of Bradford, Yorkshire, has been announced. The amount of liabilities is not known, but they are supposed to reach 100,0001. SALES OF CORN BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH are DOW not unusual. During the present year, when Mark lane was feverish and excited, a message has been flashed from London to East Lothian—nearly 400 miles distant—on receipt of which the steam-engines of certain farmers have been put in motion ; ricks of wheat, yielding twenty to thirty quarters each, have been thrashed, dressed, measured, and bagged (the one machine performing all the operations simulta neously), the grain conveyed to the railway, carried to London, delivered at King's cross, and sold within thirty-six hours of the time when the message to " thrash immediately" left this metropolis. AN EXTRAORDINARY CROP OF WHEAT has been grown this year in the partsh of Sessay, near Thirsk, North Riding of York. The field in question has been the admiration of every beholder, rich and poor, from distant villages, who have heard of this splen did crop, having, through curiosity, gone miles to see it. Some of the straws, when standing, exceeded six feet in length, and the average length of the straws in the field would far exceed the average height of a man. Many of the ears were upwards of half a foot in length, and well filled, yielding betwixt five and six score full-grown corns. This field of wheat belongs to Mr. Smithson, of the Church Farm, Sessay, and is upon the estate of the Right Hon. the Lord Viscount Downe. The seed of this prolific wheat was first introduced a couple of years ago by the agent of Lady Frankland Russell, of Thirkleby park, near Thirsk. PARLIAMENTARY RETURNS Show that in the month ended the sth ultimo there were 786,487 gallons of wine imported, and in the eight months ending on that day no less than 7,243,590 gallons. From France the quantity was 632,058 gallons. In the same eight months the declared value of beer ex ported was 939,4951. Large shipments of the article have been made to Australia. THE BOARD OF TRADE RETURNS for the month and eight months ended the sth of September last have been issued. With regard to the value of the shipments of British manufactures and produce, they show a decrease during the month of August last, as com pared with July, of 655,9291.; but, when contrasted with the exports for the corresponding period of the past two years, an increase of about 500,0001. over 1853, and of about 1,900,0001. over 1852. Our ex port trade during the first eight months ci the present year shows a return of 67,396,3501., being the value of shipments, against 58,158,7291. for the same period of 1853, and 47,009,1461. in 1852. RESPECTING the potato disease, Mr. Grantley Berkeley gives the following results of his recent experience : In a letter to Lord Derby, and published in pamphlet shape, I last year set forth my successful treatment and cure of the disease by lowering, for a time, the productive qualities of the land. Last spring, on replanting the same acres, I manured highly, in an endeavour to restore the strength of the soil, but with a doubt in my own minds if by so doing I should not also increase the " feverish vege table epidemic." The result, however, has been far other wise : I have doubled my crop, and, at the same time, even lessened the already faint appearance left of the epidemic. The crops of last year and this, on the same four acres, stand thus :-1853, 55 sacks, not a bushel of diseased ones ; 1854, 110 sacks, not a bushel of diseased ones. The crop, now housed, is open to public inspection, and the potatoes of quality sufficient to compete for a rrize. The sorts consist of the " second earlies," the " Irish cup," the " Jersey blue," the " *shied kidney," and the " black potato." THE FREEDOM OF ABERDEEN was presented to Mr. Hume, M.P., on Saturday last by the magistrates and council of that city. The Town-hall, in which the ceremony took place, was crowded on the occasion, and Mr. Hume returned thanks for the compliment in a long speech. THE WIGAN ELECTION terminated on Tuesday, when Mr. Acton, the Liberal candidate, succeeded in obtaining a narrow majority of 5 over Mr. Powell. The numbers at the close were—Acton 239, Powell 234. FOR FROME, Mr. Donald Nicoll, the London tailor, and late sheriff, has declared himself a candidate, and has issued an address soliciting the suffrages f the elector' on the Liberal interest. SATURDAY, Obituarl The Countess of HOPETOUN died at Edinburgh on Sunday last, in her 52d year. The deceased was daughter of the late and sister of the present Lord Macdonald, and by her marriage with the late Earl of Hopetoun, in June, 1820, had issue the present earl. DR. ROUPELL died from cholera on the 29th nit., at his residence in Welbeck-street. The deceased was summoned a week ago to Boulogne to visit a re lative who had been seized with cholera, with whom he remained until Sunday week. He felt unwell be fore he left Boulogne, and, on his return to town, his indisposition increased until decided symptoms of cholera became evident on Thursday evening, and, notwithstanding the exertions of several professional friends, he expired within twenty-six hours after the first symptoms of developed cholera had appeared. The awfully-sudden death of ROBERT POTTER, one of the members for the city of Limerick and a soli citor, is announced in the Dublin journals. The honourable gentleman had been staying at a board ing-house near Kingstown, and up to Saturday night was in the enjoyment of good health. On Sunday morning he was attacked with apoplexy, and died within an hour and a half after he first complained of being unwell. The deceased gentleman was one of the ci-devant Irish party in the House of Com mons, of which Mr. Lucas, the editor of the Tablet, is the acknowledged chief. M. PAGNEIRE, the well-known publisher of Paris, died on the 29th ult. at his country seat near Pon thoise. After the revolution of 1848 the deceased took a very active part in public affairs, and was se cretary of the Provisional Government. The Courrier de In Gironde announces the death of ISAAK TOUSSAINT - LOUVERTURE, the youngest SOU and last descendant of the celebrated General Tous saint-Louverture, who accomplished the revolution of St. Domingo. M. Isaak Toussaint-Louverture has been residing in great retirement at Bordeaux for many years. He was in the enjoyment of a consi derable pension from the French Government. THE CHOLERA. The weekly report of the Registrar-General states that cholera is now rapidly declining in London, and. the deaths by it have fallen from 2,050 in the first week to 754 in the last week of September. The present epidemic eruption began later than the eruption of 1849, and it has latterly been more fatal; but the aggregate mortality will yet probably be less than it was in 1849 ; for the deaths by cholera in that year down to September 29 were 13,098, while the deaths by the present epidemy down to Sept. 30 have been 9,707. Yet the loss of nearly 10,000, or, including the deaths by diarrhea, of 12,000 lives, within a few weeks, in the chief city of the empire, is an appalling fact, demanding the strict investigation into all its details which the Board of Health has directed to be instituted. Is London to continue every five years to he attacked by pestilence, and to lose so many thousands of its inhabitants? Cannot the conditions in which disease is fatal be determined, and cannot they be removed ? The 2,210 deaths from all causes registered in the week include the deaths of many persons on whom inquests had been held in previous weeks, but the returns relating to which were not presented until the close of the quarter. THE SCOTCH BROTHERS.-A tale of two Scotch brothers —more moving by far than that of the Corsican Brothers — has reached us. They met in London : the ono rapidly winging his way homeward from the Continent, the other rushing in hot haste to India. One night only had they time to interchange endearments—to talk over old times —to conjecture the future—to " take a cup o' kindness yet for auld lang syne." But the night of their meeting was Sunday, and they were lodged at different hotels. Touched by the peculiarity of their position, one of the Bonifaces ventured nevertheless to set a bottle of wine before them. But at the witching hour of night Policeman X entered with the Beer Act in his hand and found them hob-nobbing with the last glasses. The tender-hearted publican was summoned to the police court, where the magistrate laid down the law as follows :—" The innkeeper has served out refreshments to two persons of a Sunday night after ten o'clock. But one of the parties was a lodger, and did not count ; the offender must, however, pay for the other." If only the resident brother had partaken of the wine—had the other been a teetotaller and looked on—the innkeeper might have escaped, What a pity the two brothers did not drink after the fashion of Sir Adam Ferguson and John Kemble. One morning Sir Adam called upon Sir Walter Scott, and in the course of conversation informed him that he bad sat up till four o'clock with John Kemble drinking wine and water. "Wine and water!" exclaimed Scott in astonishment, who had never suspected his fr iend of being addicted to such thin potations. "Yes" rephet Sir Adam, " I drank the wine and he drank the water. But perhaps water is a refreshment " in the sense of . the act :" in that case the act would run counte r to Scripture, which enjoins the charity of " a cup of cold water" witheat limitation of days.