The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-01-04 00:00:00

Sgriculturt.

FOREIGN GRAIN 1111N/ItTED INTO During
the post fortnight the duty paid on foreign grain im-
ported into Hull has been as follows :—£so 175., on
2,517 qur. of wheat; 1:102 lie., on 13,84 S qrs. of barley;
ell 125.. on 212 qrs. of osts ; 1:131 45., on 2,6:34 qrs. of
beam; £l3 18,., oh 278 lin'. of i.eas ; Lit IIM., on 173
qrs. of Indian web; £ll3 Os. lid., on 6.11.13 cwt. of
wheat dour ; and £3 334 i cwt. of potato-flour.
Total duty, £1,015 4s. Gd.

(testi-11es or f;ualx.—lf you examine two samples
of corn, the one grown under circumstances favourable
for its full maturity and development, and the other
produced under adverse circumstances, it may be from
poverty of soil, deficieucy of manure, or unfavourable
climate, there is a manifest difference in their appear-
ance and weight j.er bushel, but the difference does bot
end here. Hidden within the corn we have the mate'
nab which are to be brought into action in the system
of the animal, and there to be used or rejected accord-
ing to their character and use. In the former case we
have a well.forined seed, richly stored with meal of high
feeding character containing starch and oil, bodies
capable of producing fat, as well as nutritive matter
adapted for forming flesh ; but the latter sample, whilst
it halt produced as it were the husk and cells ready for
this nutritious store, has not been able to secrete the
materials upon which its value mainly depends, except
in small proportions and of inferior quality: and hence
equal weight by no means represents equal feeding
value. In each cast the less valuable portion, the shell,
is present, but in one only is the more precious store to
be found. Thus we see why experienced feeders in
selecting grain for food always choose a sample produ-
cing a large proportion of meal. It will for these
reasons be at OUCE clear to the reader's mind why corn
produced in districts favourable to its growth, whether
at beuats, barley, rye, peas, or beans, is generally mole
highly valued as food an those neighbourhoods than in
mkt r parts, where, in consequence of unfavourable cir-
cumstance'', the quality is inferior and the general
results consequently less satisfactory. The judicious
employment of food manifestly indicates the use of the
better quality of produce as the most economical in its
results. It sometimes happens that a special value is
attached to a sample of corn in C011114,111e001: of its colour,
which gives it a higher position in the market than
another sample of darker colour which may be equally
valuable as food. We have known instances if] which
Kerley from strong land has been rejected as unfit for
malting purposes, though it was decidedly more nutri-
tious than other *ample* selling at higher prices in the
same 'market. Discretion nand, therefore, be exerciaed,
40 that whilst &good sample of food is selected, produces'
under circumstances favourable for its perfect growth,
and a preference is given to it even at a higher price,
yet we should be guarded against those conditions which
raise the price without being accompanied with an
inocease ol feeding value.
THK TURNIP Fir.—A neighbour of mine has suc-
ceeded in getting a good plant of turnips for several
years when many have failed. He accounts for it (min
his adopting the following simile plan : He dissolves a
pound of sulphur in water, and sleeps a gallon of seed
in this for 24 hours ; he then lays out the rard to dry,
and sews or drills. I have tried this experiment this
year, and with complete success, both for swedes and
ciumuon tnriiips whereas there are two fields adjoin-
ing where the seeds were not thus treated (drilled ..anie
time) with only a very thin plant. Whether the sulphur
penetrates the outer rind of the seed to the tender
enclosure, which forms the " melding leaves," thus ren-
dering them •inpalatable to the insect, or how otherwise
it may be amounted for, I leave to your inure scientific
uurrespondenta to inquire and decide: but that the Ay
• ben not eat the plant to any extent I can testify as a
(mt.—datum It. iioNNY.
PURR Ate te ts rot( A USTI' A.—Letters have been
received at liellmurne by o !colitis firm, announcing
that 3414 pure alpacas. belonging to Mr. Ledger's duck,
had been safely shipped Iron Valparaiso for distribution
in Melbourne and Sydney. As we have before inti-
mated, the stock in question has been brought to the
we'd by Mr. Ledger at great expense, sod we sincerely
trust that the many years of anxious thought and labour
lie has devoted to the undertaking will be amply repaid
not alone by their successful iutrmluction into Austndut,
but also by the gratitude of the colonists, who will all
more or less benefit by the nee source of wealth which

is now being opened. Letter,' received a short time
since from Mouth .%inerica lipoke of the shipping arrange.
ments being perfected, under Mr. Ledgers superinten.
dunce, but that a large number had perished on the
journey to the coast fur want uf water.

THE PRESERVATION or EGus.—ln ray household we
have for years been accustomed to preserve eggs in lime
water, and with complete success. They will keep
quite good for 12 months. and are greatly preferable to
imported eggs, many of which are so old by the tium
they get into the bands of the consumer as to be quite
spoiled. The process is very simple. The eggs, which
should be as fresh as possible, are carefully placed in
any suitable vessel, and water fully saturated with
quick lime poured over them so as to cover them. As
water takes up a very small quantity of lime, • pound of
the latter will saturate many gallons. I have just
opened six eggs from a lot which have been in lime
water since last Jame, and found them perfectly good.
I applied a delicate chymical teat to the whit., to ascer-
tain if they emitajned any lime, and could not find the
least trace of it, nor was it at all likely that I should. Egg
shells are pervious to air, which soon begins to pass
through, forming a bubble at one cad, and after being
kept for some tittle, it spoils them as every one knows.
If air can be excluded from the first, eggs will keep
good for • long time. This may be effected by a coat
of varnish or grease • but the liniewater rrocess is the
simplest and cheapes'it. As newly laid eggs may be had
iu abundance early in the summer, it is well worth
while to lay in a stock at that time for use in the winter
when fresh eggs can hardly be procured at all—
A PATEREAMILIAs.

LONDON MARKETS.

(BT ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)

MARK-LANE, MONDAY, JAN. 3.

We had a moderate supply of wheat and oats
at our market to-day, and the arrivals of barley
were large.

Wheat was from one to two shillings dearer.
Barley unaltered.
Oats sixpence dearer.

METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET.

MONDAY. JANUARY 3.
Our market wiui supplied to-day with four
thousand beasts, and nineteen thousand sheep.
Trade improved.
Beef, best quality 5 0
Mutton, ditto