The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-27 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS.

The week opened with a very heavy fall of snow ;
tried E. to B.E. ; some nin fell at night, but before the
following day • aight frost was experienced. Oe Monday
morning there was a dense fog, and this lasted for some
time, as one or two hours it was thick and dark, the day
proving of a vary doubtful character. Os Tuesday a
thorough thaw set in, and the now was fast diaappearieg,
but so ran fell ; wind 8.E.• thermonietee 45 deg. • baro-
meter, 29.70 inches. Outdoor work ea the tans was
le emsequence completely stoppsd, sod the low district@
would have an increase of inter from the sadden melting
of the WOW, bet still we hest of firmer@ hung to fetch
water from a dithenee, and at a greatexpeam, as indeed it is
probable that the ponds and weds will not be filled until
winter has goes by and much mon now expansion& The
wheat plant will have received a check from the cold
nights, but may be more beonited than hurt by this
&sage in the temperature. The sudden in the
atmosphere are much against the thrashing of wheat,
greatly affecting the condition, sad whilst there in no
encouragement in prices, the lees this core is exposed to
the sir the better. When the host returns It may be is
time to go tto work again, sad after • while amelioration
in condition and in vane may be simultaneous, as foreign
imports are and will be very limited for some months
to come. It is high time a turn took place, sad the
long monotony of the corn trade ought to be wetly over,
as with the coming year it is to be hoped that sgri-
cultural waverer will be brighter and more cheering
tine they ban been for a long time past. On We:needy
the owning was damp and wet ; wood ruled to the 8. W.-
thermometer, 40 deg. ; barometer 30 Inches ; all again
condition and demand. Oa Thenday the wind bed gone to
the R.N. E., and it became much colder again; thermometer
35 deg. ; barometer, 30.20 iochee, and steadily rising. The
morning was cold and dry, with 2 deg. of frost, whilst at
Rotterdam 13 deg. were registered, and • Wee front ap-
peared to be returning. fieturday morning we kern cad
cold • during the previous night 6 deg. of frost were regis-
tered, and the atmosphere looked threatening, sad some
more snow may sot be far off, although the baro-
meter was up to 30.50 inches. W ithout • cover-
ing, this black frost may be too sharp for the wheat plant,
hardy as it is ; for sudden changes from now to
welting moisture. and then to frost again, will try it.
This weather must cacao a good demand for provender of
every ducription, and the farm-yard will require and °beak
a considerable marks of cattle, as there is nothing in the
fields for them, and the homestead will be fall where Umw
is plenty of stock kept, the most paying commodity sow of
any, and aiding the poor prices of corn of every description.
The manufacture of malt duty free for the use of cattle is
likely to prove a failure ; in the lint place, the price is too
high, for 121. per too cannot be afforded. One gentleman
who has goes to considerable expense in erecting maltiess
under the restrictions of the act, has found much trouble in
disposing of the manufactured stuff, and such farmers who
have complained of the price he has invited to seed him is
wheat or barley to manufacture in conformity with the.provi.
'loos of the act. H. has, however, not bad one application, in
°magnolias of which he has petitiocod the Commissioners of
Exc.'se to allow him to use the premises for the manufacture
of welt in the usual way sod to pay the duty therein, and
the new system will consequently be • mieteke as far as
regards Chic attempt to bung it into notice. Others may be
more pereeverhig ; but none, we bsli.vs, will be encouraged
if the price remain as high as 12/. per ton. There is a
supenouudsoce of barley suitable fur the purpose at a very
cheap rate ; and one-third wheat, one third barley, and
one-third linseed cakes. will make the best provender for
beasts, elide this compound is already being resorted to
extensively in many counties.—Mork-lanc Nsprr-ss

The annual distribution of prizes in the School
of Art took place on Saturday, at toe Royal Dublin Societe,
in presence of the Lord-Lieutenant see a ouwerote mama-
blade. Dr. Steele read the annual report, which was of
' highly satisfactory sod encouraging character, and the
summate' pupils were brought forward to receive their
rewards. The Lord-Lieutenant, in returning thanks for the
• compliment paid to him, expressed his gratification at the
evidence of success sod progress which the pupils exhibited,
and pointed out the great advantage of cultivating a prate
tical knowledge of the fine arts in connexion with maws.
facturiog pursuit.. He noticed with Oriente, the fact
that ninny pawned diatioctions lave bees borne from the
deportment of S,lvoce and Art in London by pupae of the
Dublin school, that female eoespetiLf..• formed a large
proportiou of the socoeseful candidates during the year.
OUTRAGE BY U•RuITABB AT SHEA'.
EIELIA —A very aggravated case of garotte robbery was
reported at Sheffield on Friday night. The town has been
infested for several weeks by a gang of burglars and mot.
tete, who have committed a number of tiering robberies and
outrages ; but the 11106 i de/jig of their exploit, is that which
we have now to report. A gentleman waved Burnaby, of the
GM of Burnaby and Wood, cord swots, nod agent to Earl
litzwilliam's collieries, lives in Bromeliad-perk, oo the out.
skirts of Sheffield, sod although the place is very secluded he
has beim in the habit of carrying a satchel ...mediator the
day's receipts at the office to his house at night. This
must have moon» kuown to a gang of garotter., and they
ees lent brut nu Friday night. FoHonet. !y. Mr. Burnaby
had found no Friday eight that the strap of the satchel was
broke., and he sent the money home in care of a buy, who
or-riveo safely et the Louse. Mr. Burnet.), however, was
not so fortunate, for on arriving within a few yards of his
house he heard a footstep behind him, awl Le was instantly
.e.Lvd by the throat from behind, in the gra.B of a garotter.
Another men came in front. and struck Mr. Burnaby several
heavy blows on the face and chest, but he coetrived to get
his neck free, and cried out " Murder." The garotters,
who appear hot to have hesitated to noire themselves
by murder, struck him with I.li.dgeoee. end
ittlicted fearful wounds on his heed aid over his
right eye. He still struggled, and the man who had hold
of him behind riled out to his accomplices, Kick him."
Immediately afterwards, Mr. Burnaby received • violent
kick or a blow over the heart, which prostrated him at
once, and he fell. The ruffle's then robbed him of his gold
watch and several pounds in gold, and made off. Several
persons were coming up the road at the time, sod they
saw the men run away. A joiner, who non et work in an
unfinished house clew by, heard Mr. Borhaby's screams,
hut did nothing. Surgeons WIMP called ie. sort they found
that Mr. Burnaby had received such serious Injuries on the
heed that he was in insteibent danger. fie was attended
during the eight by two surgeons, end was not allowed to
deal for a long time. The uefortunote gentleman was
I not ob:e to give a description of his assadanto.