The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-10-01 00:00:00

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LIGHT AND VEGETATION.

At one of the evening flies of the Royal Horticul-
tural Society some two or three years since, when the
tents containing the plants exhibited at the great
summer show were first illumined by the electric light,
we were struck by the probability of a great future for
the electric light for cultural purposes. Our
enthusiasm was at the tune shared by but few ;
nevertheless, the subsequent march of events has
certainly justified our hopes, and we can now look
farward even more confidently to the future than
was then possible. The results hitherto obtained
have not carried conviction home to the mass of prac-
tical gardeners. It is obvious that at present no prac-
tical result in the sense of direct pecuniary profit
can be hoped for. The matter must be much further
threshed out in the laboratory of the experimenter
before practical men can hope to obtain success from
their point of view. All that can be said at present
is that the results already obtained are such as to
hold out reasonable hope that the operations of
forcing may in due time be accelerated, and the
grower rendered in a measure independent of the
defective light which we in this climate suffer from.
Heat and moisture and other elements of plant
food are already more or less under our control.
It remains to be seen whether we shall be able to
obtain like control over light. Every one must
wish all success to the experimenters, the more so as
it is certain that no established fact of pure science is
likely to remain sterile of practical results. All
experience indeed goes to prove the contrary, and to
show that experiments made in the first instance from
the point of view of pure science, are ultimately far
more productive of practical utility. than those which
are undertaken solely WM a -ViewiltOliiitrudliate re-
sults. Patience then, and a cordial support to those
willing and competent to undertake the cost and
labour of such experiments as we have alluded to, are
imperatively requisite.— Gardeners' c h,rontele.

Lord Spencer, President of the Council, presided at
a luncheon held in connexion with the Northampton-
shin:: Agricultural Society, at East Haddon, nea•
rl
Northampton, on Tuesday, and, in proposing,. ,
"Success to Agriculture," said men were anxiously
looking for improving times for agriculture. Agricul-
ture Lad been going through great depression during
the last few years. He was really almost afraid to trust
himself to go into the subject without wide reflection,
but there were many parts of it which no doubt they
might like to hear 'discussed and to know what he
might have to say on them. What he thought he
might say was this—that what they chiefly wanted
for success in agriculture was what man had no con-
trol over—namely, good weather. They saw in various
papers from day to day various nostrums with regard
to agriculture. It was said on one hand that the
foreigner caused the depression in agriculture which
was complained of; again, it was said that local rates
were the cause of it ' • and, again, it was the result
of the high rate of wages. But they must re-
member there was a proverb which said that
it was the last straw that broke the camel's
back. Many a man, perhaps, would find it was
his rates, another that it was his labour bill, and
yet another that it was the prices, which were
affected by foreign competition, which caused his
difficulties ' • but they must not be misled by anything
of this sort. They must take a broad view of what
really was the cause of the recent depression. He would
not say that all these things had not had some effect
on agriculture. No doubt they had; but what they
really did want was fine weather. Many of them had
much more experience than he had in these matters ;
and if they would calculate what evil the absence of
sunshine and the quantity of rain had done to the pro-
duce of farmers generally, they would at once see that
that had been the cause of their distress during the
last few years. If those who grew corn lost a quarter
and a half or two quarters per acre, that would make
an enormous difference in their receipts for the year.
They must hope that things would change, but there
was a caution he should like to give them. They heard
a great deal now of what was called fair trade, and
there were some who went so far as to seriously advo-
cate a return to protection. But he must tell them he
believed that was a broken reed for farmers to depend
upon. (Cheers.) He was quite sure they would not succeed_
in getting any duty placed upon foreign corn. That
was an impossibility. They must remember that
it was not only their own interests they had to con-
sider, but the interest of this large kingdom, and
anything that would create a difficulty or impose an
.aaition tthA mice of bread in the large towns would
certainly be rejected byrarnament. chats. ssia,
i farmers n different parts of the country had a leaning
towards some remedy bordering on protection, it was
only right on that occasion to warn them against
seeking to restore protection. Then they heard a
great deal about diseases brought by foreign cattle.
That was a matter in which he took a special interest,
because at that moment he had the honour of pre-
siding over the department of the Government that
had to do with cattle diseases throughout the country.
There was no doubt that from time to time how-
ever strictly they might carry out their regula-
tions, they did get an importation of disease.
But he would say that anything that would per-
manently increase the price of meat, such as total
prohibition, would be so much opposed that it
would be almost impossible to carry it through
Parliament. What they did want was to carry out
as perfectly as possible all the regulations they had
with regard to that trade. A great deal had been
done in that direction, and he was happy to state that
during the last few months they had perfected mea-
sures with a view to prevent the disease coming from
the wharves where the foreign animals were landed.
They had not nearly got to the end of what they might
do to pre vent the disease coming out from those wharves.
They had passed only three weeks since some very im-
portant Orders in Council, but it was impossible to
shut the disease up completely, though the pro-
bability of disease coming out from those wharves
had been very much diminished. Of course, the
question of the regulations in the country was a
very important one. Some of those regulations were
exceedingly annoying and vexatious, and often caused
great annoyance to those who were subject to them.
But he thought they had been very succe,.l.l in
checking the disease and in confining it to a very small
space. Unfortunately, a part of that county had suf-
fered very much, and he sympathised sincerely*with
those who had been living in those districts that had
been placed under severe restrictions. But in the
country at large their application had been limited
and whole districts and counties had been saved from
any disease at all. That was a matter upon which he
should like to hear what they, as farmers, had to say.
As to the continuance of those regulations, he sincerely
wished that before many months were passed they
would be able to say they had a clean bill of health in
the country. They had diminished the disease im-
mensely since the winter, and they had prevented it
going to Ireland and Scotland. That was a thing of which
they might boast to some extent, and it showed that
the measures which Parliament had passed had done a
great deal of good in that direction. They had met
in an agreeable way to promote the skill of agriculture.
They all knew that in those days not only must they
Ink to gl.od seasons, but thy could not hope to be
successful unless the work done on their farms was
of the hest possible quality. They required, as they
knew, an immense deal of drainage after those wet
seasons. The old system of drainage he fancied had
been almost broken up by the severe wet they had had
of late. They had all had to do a great deal. Not only
the tenant farmers, but the landlords had had to come
forward as they ought to do to help to improve their
land. (Hear, hear.) If the land were not well drained,
they would not have healthy stock, their grass would go
off, and they would not be able to conduct their busi-
ness in a proper manner. They had seen some drainage
that day and some hedge cutting, both of which were
necessary for good farming, and last of all they had
seen the ploughing. That was also, he believed, Li most
important thing at these matches, which were yearly
occurrences, and did a great deal to promote good
agriculture in the country. They might depend on it,
that the more they could promote good agriculture,
the more chance they had of carrying on the competi-
tion which they as agriculturists, like all others in
i
business, must n those days expect. They would
not be able to compete successfully, unless they had
the beat style of cultivation, and did everything in
the best way. (Applause.) He was sorry they had
not many landlords there that day, but he was quite
sure the landlords must come forward and take their
share in the difficulties that agriculture had to go
through. They had to bear their share just as much
as the farmer, and it behoved them to give every pos-
sible assistance, which out of their capital they were
able to do, in order to enable the tenant farmers to
meet the dilEculties that they had to contend with.
(Hear, hear.)
They heard in different parts of the country that a
Land Bill was required for England and Scotland (con-
tinued the noble lord). He should have been glad to
hear the views of farmers on that subject, but he knew
that the positions of English and Scotch farmers were
exceedingly different from that of the Irish farmers.
What he thoughtthey did want in this country was that
every possible arrangement should be given to tenant
farmers to carry out improvements, and when they did
improve their farms they should be liberally and justly
dealt with by their landlords. (Cheers.) To carry out
such a line of policy as that would be of the greatest
possible importance, and whether it were adopted
next Session or within the next few Sessions,
Parliament, no doubt, would have to turn its at-
tention to the subject, because it was (one of the
most important things to help the farmers of this
country. He proposed to them "Success to agri-
culture '—success, not only to the tenant farmers
and to the landlords, but also
.to that large class
with whom the tenants had to do—namely, the agri-
cultural labourers, without whom agriculture could
not be successfully carried out. He hoped the best
possible feelings would exist between the farmers and
their landlords, and if all three classes worked
harmoniously and energetically, he was quite sure
that, with good seasons, they would again see agricul-
ture in England prosperous. (Loud cheers.)
The health of Earl and Countess Spencer was subse-
quently drunk with enthusiasm.

An AUSTRALIAN VIEW of PROTECTION.
The Melbourne .Argus says :—" The joy of colonial
protectionists over the anticipated conversion of the
mother country to their antiquated views on pro-
tection would be somewhat modified, we imagine, if
they would think for one moment of the effect which
such a change would produce on their own fortunes.
If England were to levy 25 per cent, duties on Austra-
lian wool, flour, meat, fruit, and other produce manufac-
turers wouldsoon findthat their articles were not in the
same demand as formerly. Consumption would be
checked, prices would fall, and 'Producers here would
have less money to spend. We do not anticipate that
the English people as a whole will ever again do any-
thing so foolish as enhance the cost of their own food
by levying protective duties or by endeavouring to
enforce reciprocity. But even if the prospect of her
doin; so were fifty times as favourable as it is, we
cannot for the life of us see what cause for rejoicing
the colonial protectionist would have."

THE GREAT AMERICAN BALLOON.
Professor 5. A. Ring began his long experimental voyage
In his Mammoth Balloon, ranch talked of in America, clu the
12th., inst. starting from Minneapolis, for the Last COOL
The New York Hoed says :
"The weather had been very favourable for the un-
dertaking, and the Professor, with his little band of
assistants, was busily engaged from early dawn in
getting everything in readiness for the ascent in the
clouds. The immense bag was fully inflated by half-
past five o'clock last evening and the little baud of
ascensionists began stowing their lunch, liquids,
ballast, &c., and finally themselves in the little wicker
basket. The balloon is pure white, surrounded by
the usual netting, and was inflated to its fullest ex-
tent. Its vast and b,,alitiful proportions were much
admired, and when at last—at twenty minutes to six
p.m.—Professor King called out, Let lose all,' the
balloon rose gracefully and majestically towards the
clouds amid cheers from thousanae and the waving of
innumerable handkerchiefs."
One of the party writes as follows :
"When we rose from the Fair grounds the air was
soft and the rays of the sun struck the bosom of Lake
Menetonka and threw a Llinding light into our eyes.
On being loosened the balloon ascended to a height of
3,000! t., and began to drift, in a south-easterly course,
towards the Mississippi river, which wound in and out
of the surrounding forests like a huge silver anaconda.
It was just seventeen minutes to seven o'clock p.m.,
Washington time, when we commenced the voyage.
Just as we were beginning to feel the poetry of our
situation, and while one of the members of the press
was working himself into a frenzy of sentiment, Pro-
fessor King unloosened the neck of the balloon, and a
black mixture of glue and glycerine poured down the
back of his neck and spattered over the clothes of the
whole party, completely ruining them. The height to
which we had risen caused the balloon to discharge a
quantity of gas and weaken its ascensive powersa that
we began to descend rapidly when we were not more
than a thousand yards away from the point of ascen-
sion. A bag :of sand ballast was poured out, and
gradually we rose upward again, the sky meanwhile
flaming with sunset colours. A hundred feet of our
drag rope was then paid out, and allowed to dangle
below as a precautionary measure. The Mississippi
River was directly underneath us, and as we continued
to hover above it the fact that the balloon was
stationary became evident. We are becalmed ! '
shouted the professor, from his perch high up among
the ropes. The balloon soon began to descend again,
and this time continued until we dipped in among a
clump of trees near the Fort Snelling road. Despite
the trailing rope, down we went into the shady boughs
awl whink cranked an _broke while
affrighted birds darted out from their reefing es.
Ballast was rapidly thrown over the sides, causing the
great white monster to leap into the air again, leaving
in the branches of an oak tree the shelf used for the
scientific instruments. Two and a half bags of sand
had been thrown out, and the needle of the baro-
meter began to move until 3,000 feet were registered.
The scene which opened up before our eyes at this time
was beautiful in the extreme, though, doubtless, dis-
tance lent enchantment to it. A low, flat country,
checked with farms and two goodly cities, were in
full sight. Fort Snelling was seen in the distance,
and the smoke of St. Paul shaded a field dotted
with corn sheaves, giving it the appearance of a
bivouacked army. The tints of gold in the western
sky had faded out, and a single bright star showed
itself in the north. Another descent followed, and
soon we heard the shouts of farmers as we neared
the earth. One of them announced that were in
Ramsay county, and another invited us down to
supper. In return for this courtesy Professor King
asked him climb the drag rope and take tea with us,
which, it is needless to say, he declined. There was
evidently considerable excitement in the neighbour-
hood, for men and women could be seen rushing from
all sides. Soon, however, the falling darkness shut out
the scene and were obliged to come to an anchor.
As the balloon had been hovering over one place nearly
half an hour a goodly crowd had collected, and, at
the request of the professor, the farmers readily took
hold of the car and pulled it across the field to a road,
when a halt was made and the car heavily loaded
with huge stones from the roadside, enabling the
voyagers once more to place foot upon the ground.
The •pantators were evidently wary cf the huge
air vessel, and one of tne tanners, who was reauested
to sit in the basket and help to hold the balloon down,
grinned from ear to ear as he said. 'No, siree ; none
of it in mine. My business is farming. Do you catch
on to my meaning ? ' By the aid of a few stout arms
the balloon was made fast by a cable to a post and
tree, and Professor King announced that we would
remain until a breeze sprung up. A guard was set
over the ship, and, after a tramp through ditches and
puddles to a farmhouse in the vicinity, the party sat
down to a most welcome supper."
On September 13, at six p.m., Professor King's
balloon was still anchored, waiting for a favourable
wind.