The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-21 00:00:00

"The Artists' Annuity and Benevolent Funds," and
other toasts baying been drunk, the company separated
about half-past 10, the collections of the evening
amounting to 5501.

The Musical arrangements were under the direction
of Mr. Hobbs, who was most ably supported by Miss
Eyles, Miss Emma Phillips, Mr. Francis, Mr. Manvers,
Mr. Cummings, and Mr. H. Phillips.
We may observe that, by an arrangement peculiar to
the stewards of public dinners, the representatives of
the press were placed at so great a distance from the
speakers as to make it a matter of great difficulty to
catch even the import of what fell from the chairman or
the other gentlemen who addressed the company.

THE WORK OF HUSBANDRY.

(From, the Economist.)
From week to week the varying character of the
weather gives an unusual amount of interest to the ope-
rations of husbandry at this season, commonly one of the
most critical of the husbandman's year. The very late
season, the backward state of all kinds of farm-work,
and the extraordinary severity of the March weather,
have combined to render the lets and hindrances to the
anxious toil of the farmer—this year more numerous
than usual—more worthy of frequent notice than in
ordinary seasons. That there must be a deficient breadth
of wheat is now beyond doubt, and unless the season
should prove such as to produce an exuberant yield,
the quantity of wheat grown in England this year will
necessarily be below an average. We do not profess to
regard this prospect with serious apprehension, either
in regard to the prospects of the farmers or the con-
suming public. As to the farmers, they will in many
instances be compelled this year to rely less than hitherto
on their wheat crops, and, from the favourable state of
the stock-markets, they will be induced to increase their
breadths of green cropping, and thus, by a sort of com-
pulsion, learn that there are surer and safer roads to
profit in husbandry than by grasping too eagerly at corn
growing. As to the consumers, a steady and unrestricted
foreign trade will now supply any deficiency which may
exist in our domestic produce of wheat. The result of
the past and present years has placed this beyond doubt.
Though it is probable the quantity of wheat yielded by
the last harvest was not less, and was perhaps beyond
an average, the quality has in general proved so in-
ferior, that for all practical purposes there has been a
considerable deficiency of wheat suitable for the manu-
facture of flour. Well, though the price has been higher
than last year—and the range of prices between the best
and the worst wheat has been very much greater—there
has been no such an advance in wheat as to seriously
affect the consumers. Yet the rise of price has been
sufficient to induce large importations. Thus, for the
three months ending the 26th of March, 1853, the im-
portation of foreign wheat has been 138,919 quarters,
against 63,700 quarters in the corresponding three
months of 1852 ; and of flour the importations of the
same period of 1853 have been 49,107 sacks and
61,783 barrels, against 16,133 sacks and 49,979 barrels
in the first three months of 1852. In barley and oats
though both have been relatively higher than wheat,
there has been no great increase of importation ; thus
showing that it is wheat we can most really obtain from
abroad. This is a lesson, if rightly read by our farmers,
which should warn them against too much reliance on
large breadths of wheat. Let their object be a large
acreable yield of wheat. to accomplish which their wheat
land must be in high condition and well prepared. The
necessity of draining and other permanent improvements
is becoming forcibly felt and strongly expressed by far-
mers, and such expression is to some, though most in-
adequate, extent responded to by the owners of
The following passages from some of the local agricul-
tural notices will afford information similar to that we
supplied last week in different districts :
In South Yorkshire it is stated, that " the crops gene-
rally present anything but a cheerful character. In the
first place, the wheat plant has received partial injury
by the extreme frosts ; and in no place does it present
that exuberant and pleasing appearance we have of
late years been wont to see. The breadth sown was
considerably diminished by the rains in the three con-
cluding months of last year. It was hence desirable
that, with an open spring, advantage of a favourable sea-
son might be taken, and the land left unsown last year
receive the seed as early as possible this. With very
few exceptions, no such opportunity has presented
itself and other crops will have to take the place of land
intended for wheat. The frost has likewise been a great
drawback upon sowing beans. We shall have, therefore,
a much larger quantity than usual of land under barley
and oat culture. So far the lambing season has been
very partial in its success. With many farmers the
general average has been good ; while others have lost
not only the lambs but also the ewes : we are afraid the
result will prove unsatisfactory. The quantity of stock
held by our farmers is not only less in numbers than in
former years, but the weight is likewise considerably de
ficient, arising from the unfavourable season for fatten
ing.

In Somersetshire the account is somewhat more
favourable. There, it is said, " altogether the season
has been very beneficial to the arable lands ; and al-
though the wheat-plant has been put back, it has, on
the whole, come up better than was expected, and there
is less deficiency in the winter-sown than we anticipated.
That which has gone in since the frost and dry weather
have set in, has come up, and is coming nicely. The
land is working remarkably well. A good deal of
Nursery and Talavera has been put in this month ; and
now April wheat has been in demand for seed, and a
much larger quantity than usual will go in. Winter
beans have been very much cut by the frost, and were
injured by the wet. The prospect is not equal to
former years. A great many spring beans have been
well put in, mostly large ones. Oats and barley are
now in progress of sowing ; and the land is very kindly."
In this country there seems to have been a consider-
able loss of both sheep and lambs, but other stock has
been healthy. Here, too, a good dual of attention has
been called to the deficient drainage of the low lands,
and a general assent exists as to the necessity for doing
something to prevent the recurrence of such floods as
they have suffered from during the past winter.
From Berkshire we learn that " the long-continued
wet weather and the frosts have much retarded field
operations, and but little spring corn has as yet
been sown ; but the land is getting into a good state,
and every hour and hand must now be made the most of.
The autumn and winter-sown wheats continue looking
looking very blind ; and as much of the plant has failed,
it is now being mended with Talavera and other spring
wheat, many pieces of which have been sown. The
Nursery kind seems also much in favour, and millers
speak well of it. Beans and peas are being planted, and
we have observed a few fields of oats and barley being
sown. Rye and tares appear rusty, but the plants hold
good. Winter beans are sadly cut up, and where the
floods have been over them they are quite a failure.
Few winter peas have been sown this season. The
young grasses are much cut."
Stock, as elsewhere, is the farmer's present hope :
" The stock of beef and mutton in the farmers' hands
is short, and, should the weather be more favourable for
shearing, it is expected that there will be many more
tegs come to market, 'as the price of wool is tempting.
Many have prudently held back, rather than expose
those newly-shorn sheep to the late inclement weather.
The rapid rise in the price of bacon and pork has
brought forward a better supply, and the prices have
somewhat receded. Pigs being fatted much quicker
than beef or mutton, a deficiency in the supply is
more easily made up ; the top price is now 10s. 6d.
per score. Store sheep met a brisk sale. The tegs
do not come to market and fairs in a condition so
good as usual, but there is no fall in the price. Cow
stock of all kinds sells readily at fair rates, as all kinds
of store pigs. Useful horses meet ready purchasers.
Hay is scarce and dear. The lambing season is now
concluded ; and in the eastern part of the county, where
the flocks are small, and the breeding for the sale of fat
lambs is pursued, the result has been favourable. An
unusual number of twins has been produced; but the
accounts from the larger flock-masters have not been
so propitious, as we have heard of some losing many
ewes, and that the lambs are affected with scouring
about three days after birth, which has carried off a
great number."
In Norfolk it is reported that "the weather could not
well have been more unpropitious for spring cropping ;
sharp frosts at night and daily snowstorms, quickly
melted by the powerful influence of a warm meridian sun,
rendered even the lighter soils so soft, loose, and spongy.
that it has been impossible to work them. Field-work
of every kind is unusually backward, and very little
spring corn sown at present. Fewer beans and peas will
be grown than usual, as it is now full late ; indeed,
quite out of season for either. Oats will now be put in
as quickly as possible, to be followed by barley."
In Dorsetshire, it is said, "farmers' wheat is in re-
quest at fully the prices it would have realised a month
since. Our millers are keeping light stock generally,
and farmers are disposed to hold the wheat in their
hands until nearer harvest, as the present prospect is
backward, and quantity sown very short of an average.
The early-sown wheats are looking very favourable;
some of the late-sown will require sowing again."
In Cornwall, since the 30th of March, when the wind
shifted to the south-west, " vegetation made great pro-
gress. The seeds and old pastures have already assumed
a spring appearance, and the wheats, were not affected
by the wire-worm or injured by the frost, are rapidly
wisenlln,lyanind
and other spring wheats ; but little barley has been
hasss improving.uo charbtenheavntett takencl areeeyßsyi enn fa foundsnhade wt
feeirnlevttdoe
fir sanoi netaustwast
dayseai Tr .ne 1,
otEoand
Every nroygwi t a drrvaai na
vt an gr
ae
tilled, or oats, except on light lands. Swedes and
turnips of all kinds are nearly exhausted, but they kept
better than for some years past. Although a large
portion of hay is consumed, it does not advance
Theßeed
lambing for thatching,
anniudchlii
inhaasstreiorawagrontoteonaenctliolysef,avannudratbhlen.reports from the flock-
ciennehStrinawreisqusecaatr.ce.
In Sussex the flocks have now nearly finished iambi/le.,
tnt ,r
but with various. success. Some have been exceedingly
fortunate, more particularly those who lambed early;
but some of the late flocks have sustained very severe
losses both of ewes and lambs. We have heard of an
instance in one flock where as many as fifty ewes. have
been lost. It is somewhat difficult to account for
these periodical losses ; but a great deal may be attri-
buted to the manner in which the ewes are kept during
the winter. From experience we have found it best to
keep them in moderate condition, the greatest losses
generally falling on those kept too high, and on others
that are badly kept.

REPRIEVB OF WILLIAM TYERELL.—At a late hour on
Tuesday night we received a telegraphic communication
to the effect that William Tyrrell, the youth at present
lying under sentence of death at Kirkdale, and about
whom so much interest has been excited in this neigh-
bourhood, had that day been reprieved.—Manchester
Examiner.