The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-17 00:00:00

THE GROWTH OF COTTON.

The scarcity of cotton caused by the continuation
of the civil war in America, united with the desire
expressed by the French Government that cotton
should be cultivated in Algeria, has been a singular
good fortune for that colony. Within the last year
the increase in the land planted with cotton has
been considerable. In the province of Oran it
has doubled in less than a year, and amounts now
to 2,669 hectares. The cultivation would have ex
tended still more had the colonists found land capa-
ble of being irrigated. It is to be further remarked
that, of the 2,669 hectares planted with cotton trees,
561 hectares are growing cotton plants of the second
year, but in general these plants have not realised
the expectations entertained of them. Notwith-
standing the precautions adopted to preserve them
during the winter, many of the plants perished, and
it became necessary to replace them by hand labour,
as a plough could not be emptoyed. The greatest
❑umber of cotton plants of the second year are to
be found in the plain of the Sig. Some of the plan-
tations of the second year have given as much as
1,000 kilogrammes of long silk cotton the hectare ;
bat this is the exception, for more than 300 hectares
of old cotton plants perished in the plain of the
flabra in consequence of the winter rains. The
growing crop in the province of Oran presents a
very favourable appearance, and, under the influence
of the high price of 230 f. and 250 f. the 100 kilo-
grammes given for long silk cotton not dressed, the
cultivation will be considerably extended next year,
to case the profits already realised should enable
the planters to irrigate fresh lands.
Accounts just received from Palermo state that
the cultivation of cotton in the island of Sicily has
become very general within the last two years. It
Piss become a source of wealth for the inhabitants of
the district of Terra Nova, besides giving employ-
ment to a number of idle hands. The crop of
the present year is estimated at 1,269,472 kilo-
grammes, which were exported under the national
fig to Naples, Genoa, Messina, and Malta to be re-
shipped for England and France.

Full benefit of reduced duty obtained by pur-
:lasing Horniman's pure Tea; very choice at 3s. 4d. and
Is. "High Standard" at 4s. 4d. (formerly 4s. Bd.), is the
strongest and most delicious imported. Agents in every
town supply it in wickets.

GARIBALDIDECLINING A MONUMENT.—The Pro-
vincial Council of Potenz s (one of the Neapolitan
provinces afflicted with brigandage) a short time since una-
nimously voted a subsidy to the Polish revolution and a
monument to Garibaldi. Garibaldi, in a letter published in
the Diritto, applauds the subsidy, but declines the monu-
ment. "As to the monument to me," he says, " I beg you
will dismiss the thought of it, If you insist you will put
me to the pain of saying that I will not accept it. As long
as the soldiers of two foneign armies riot on our soil, as long
as a stream of civil blood flows from the Tronto to the
Strait, as long as the glorious remains of our national battles
die of hunger or by their own hand in the midst of the in-
sane rejoicing of our cities, as long as the boy wants a
school and the orphan an asylum, as long as there are in
Italy misery, chains, and darkness, speak not of monuments,
least of all of a monument to me.,,
CURIOUS FREAK OF LIGHTNING.—The lightning
a few days ago produced a curious effect upon the
church of St. Aphrodise, in the town of Beziers, in the
South of France. It struck the roof and went through it.
No great damage was done to the roof ; but it lighted all
the wax candles placed in the choir and at the altar; and
when the attendant at the church opened it in the morning,
he found all the candles at the altar lighted just as they are
when grand mess is celebrated.—This is the statement of
the Gazette du Midi.—Correspondent of the Building News.
SCHOOL FOR COOKERY.—The art of cookery,
which, as a rule, should form a department of female
education, especially among the middle classes of society,
is unfortunately greatly neglected in this country, and the
consequences are often glaring!y apyarent. An ill-cooked,
and as a matter of course indigestible, dinner is in many
families a misery of almost daily occurrence. Every effort
to counteract this serious evil is therefore deserving of
encouragement, and we are glad to observe that a step has
been taken in the right direction by the establishment of a
school for culinary instruction. Thisinstitution is now in
practical operation at No. 111, Great Portland-street, under
the able management of Mrs. Mitehell, who, wo heartily
hope, will meet with success is her very useful and much-
needed undertaking.

THE BANK OF ENGLAND covers a whole parish,
and the minister of that parish gets £7OO a
year, a berth that many would find juet suited to their
capacity and comfort. The congregation would sometimes
consist of a dozen. Those who have visited the Bank have
no
.2oubt noticed in the central area a small grass plot and
one or the
trees. That was once the churchyard. There
is a
room in
!he Bank which is held to represent the church,
up the living and its emoluments.
for the sake of k:ePing
ADLTCH AT DRAUGHTS
ANOTHER has been
", Herd Laddie" (Mr. James
areangtd betweeg tb-0
itsoert Martin, London. Play is
Wylie, LeVeh) and Mr.
to commence in alttegow ort gcliday, Jan. 18, and the trial
of skill is to last for GI games. The match is to be for £lOO
a-side, and a bat of L 5 on essb game ; and the articles set
games that the result
forth such conditions of °Pellstirlif the
tho case of the last match
can scarcely be a " draw', a
"
between these celebrated playu'rs.
",.')LONEL CRAWLET.
THE COURT-MARTIAL
ON V.
—The trial commenced this morning, buo up to threelihraouiny
rarof
going to press the procesdinge Were only of P charges
character. Colonel Crawley protested that the the
were at present too indefinite for him to answer, but .
inquiry proceeded,