The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-18 00:00:00

THE HARVEST AND THE POTATO

DISEASE.

DUBLIN, JUNE 15.—The accounts of the potato crop,
in the provincial journals, are again conflicting; some
stating that the plant is actually infected—others, on the
contrary, declaring that there is yet no symptom of dis-
ease. That there are appearances, justifying apprehen-
sion, there can be no doubt; but it is certain that, up to
this time, no case is clearly and positively established, in
which the tuber has been rotted or destroyed by a disease
similar to that of the two preceding years. But the
blight was not apparent last year until the second week
of July, and then, certainly, the work of destruction be-
came rapid, and almost universal.
A very remarkable circumstance has been communi-
cated to us by a gentleman resident in the county of
Carlow. He states that his potato crop was examined
a fortnight since, and pronounced to be decidedly af-
fected by black spots on the lower part of the stalk; but
up to yesterday the disease, if disease it be, has made
no further progress, and on scraping off the blackened
surface, the stalk underneath appeared to be healthy.
In fact, this gentleman begins to think that his potatoes
may do well after all.
The Dean of Achonry has addressed the following
letter to the Dublin Evening Post :
" The Deanery, Ballymote, June 14.
" Dear trust that the fears of some of your
correspondents respecting the potato crop may not be
realised. lam happy to be able to report that, in this
neighbourhood, I have not heard of any failure or
symptom of disease. I have potatoes now in
blossom. I planted in November, January, February,
and March. Some of these were grown in my
own land last year ; some purchased from a merchant
in Sligo, who had imported them from France ; and
some sent to me from a friend in Jersey. All are doing
well. I have this day examined them minutely, and
have not been able to discover a symptom of disease in
any case. Wheat, oats, and bere also doing well, and
meadows promising an abundant crop. In the rye alone
there is a partial failure. With the exception of one
district in this parish, the land is well cropped, and all
promises well, under Providence, for an abundant
harvest.
" The poor being now fed, without being compelled to
spend their time (rather than their labour) on the public
roads, they have been enabled to till the land, are now
cutting the turf, and will be ready in due time to gather
in the harvest.—Yours faithfully,
"EDWARD N. HOARE, Dean of Achonry."
The Cork Examiner of yesterday states that the ac-
counts of all the crops in that extensive county are
highly encouraging. Only one case of potato disease is
noticed, in a field near Youghal; but the fields adjoining
still look quite healthy. It is inferred that at the worst
the disease may be only partial in its operaticn. Excel-
lent new potatoes, grown in the open air, are on sale in
the Youghal markets.
KING'S COUNTY.—The potato crops in parts of the
King's County have been examined, and the disease
appears in the form as described in the Agricultural So-
ciety's circular.
COUNTY OF FERMANAGH.—The Enniskillen Chronicle
says:—" We can state, from our own observations,
that there never was a finer prospect of an abundant
harvest in this country than the present. There is not
the slightest appearance of a blight in the potato crop,
and wheat and oats aro everything that the farmer can
desire."
COUNTY OF Down.—The Downpatrick Recorder says,
" In general the potatoes planted in this neighbourhood
look healthy and vigorous. We are just aware of two in-
stances of supposed disease—the one from our personal
examination, the other on the authority of a faith-worthy

-
correspondent. Specimens of potato plants, of the descrip-
tion called Egyptian pinks,' which grew in the garden of
Mr. J. Martin, of this town, were exhibited to us on Thurs-
day. They were apparently greatly affected with disease,
for the leaves and stems were blackened, and the roots
discoloured and decaying. The seed was as sound as
could be procured. In some cases of disease it is proba-
ble that the seed was unsound. We subjoin the follow-
ing communication from an intelligent young gentle-
man:—" I regret to say that the potato disease has
again appeared in this county. On Wednesday last I
was in Farrell and Co's nursery, near Belfast, and the
foreman mentioned that it had that day made its appear-
ance for the first time. The plants attacked were strong,
well grown ones, and a few leaves on each Were visibly
infected. At pi esent the disease is only to be seen on
these plants which are in an advanced state, though I
have not a doubt that it will soon attack all.' "
EARLY WHEAT.—We have seen some ears of wheat,
taken from a four acre field of George Roe, Esq., of
Nutley, near this city, which are splendid specimens of
the progress of the crop. The grain is rapidly filling,
and, with moderately favourable weather, will be ready
for the sickle within a month.—Dublin Evening Post.
BLIGHT IN CLOVER.—The following letter has been
received in Dublin from a resident landed proprietor in
the county of Cork. It is dated June 9, and mentions
a very singular fact respecting a blight in clover :
" You ask my opinion about the potato. As far as I
can hear and see, no appearance has shown itself as yet
of blight. On the contrary the gardens are most luxu-
riant. Interested people have tried to spread reports of a
failure. I had a whole field of clover blasted some days
since, as if it were scatched with lightning, the crop
became partially withered, and its growth is checked, if
not stopped. Any thing of this kind I never saw before
affecting clover. May not the potato blight have been
last year of the same nature."

CHARGES AGAINST PUBLICANS.
At the Manchester petty sessions, Mr. James Milne,
publican, of the Duke of York Inn, Shaw, was charged
by police-sergeant Farlam, with having twelve persons
drinking in his house at a very early hour on Sunday
morning. As it appeared that police-sergeant Farlam
had been altering the date in this and several other sum-
monses, Mr. A. Schofield, magistrate, asked him by
whose authority he had altered the summonses.—Mr.
Jones, chairman of the bench, remarked that it was most
disgraceful conduct on the part of the officer, and he
should certainly acquaint Mr. Fowler with the circum-
stance.—Mr. Worthington, magistrate, said he should
refuse to sign any precepts for police-sergeant Farlam, if
he continued to alter them.—Sergeant Farlam promised
that in future he would not take such liberties with the
summonses. The policeman stated that the company in
Milne's house were rather noisy, and were in two rooms.
Mr. Ashcroft, solicitor, contended on the part of defend-
ant, that the company were quite orderly, and the pub-
lican was attempting to get them out, when the police
arrived, for he had not supplied any liquor for some time.
—Two witnesses spoke to the company being orderly.
The case was dismissed on payment of costs.—At the
same sessions, Samuel Howard, publican' of Shaw, was
charged by police-sergeant Farlam with having thirty-
three persons drinking in his house at an early hour on
the morning of the 2d instant —The policeman said the
day before there had been several processions of sick
clubs at Shaw, and on that account the publicans had
kept their houses open later than usual ; at defendant's
house there had been a dance attended by a large com-
pany, which did not break up till nearly two o'clock.—
Two county policemen corroborated the evidence of Ser-
geant Farlam.—Mr. Ashcroft, solicitor, contended, on
the part of the defendant, that as the day before had
been Trinity, which was observed at Shaw as the anni-
versary of several sick clubs, and a sort of ball had been
held at defendant's house on the night in question, the
defendant had kept open to a later hour than usual, but
the company had been both respectable and orderly.—
o the
character Mr. James Barlow Crompton, one of the principal inha-
bitants fneighbourhood,ar
o ter o
f the
ogavecompany
p evidenceaoy
at
as to
defendant's
ot he
strictly orderly
house.—The case was dismissed on payment of costs.—
I At the same sessions, John Milne, publican, of Shore,
• Edge, was charged by police-sergeant Farlam, with sell-
• ing beer on his premises during the hours of divine ser-
' vice, on Sunday the 6th of June. Policeman Whittaker
gave evidence as to the circumstance. The defendant
said that on the day in question a quarterly meeting of
a women's sick club had been held at his house, but dur-
ing service time he had sent them to a neighbour's
house, and he was sending a bottle of beer to them when
the policeman arrived ; but the club were going to give
up the practice of meeting on Sundays.—The defendant
was convicted in a penalty of 10s. and costs.—Manches-
ter Guardian.

ARRIVALS FROM IRELAND.—The change of wind
has effected the arrival of vessels from all parts, which
had been delayed by the contrary state in which it has
remained almost stationary for some time past, but in
no particular has it been more conspicuously evinced
than in the arrivals from the sister island. No less
than seventeen vessels arrived in the Thames on
Monday from Ireland, laden with grain and pro-
visions, including the following :—The 61ayflower, from
Cork, with 650 quarters of beans ; the Rebecca, from
the same port, 560 quarters of beans; the Clementina,
from Limerick, 1,000 quarters of oats; the Ganges, from
Limerick, 225 quarters of wheat, and 456 sacks of flour;
the Grace, from Limerick, 740 quarters of wheat ; the
Friends, from Limerick, 595 qrs. of oats, and 65 qrs. of
wheats the Aurea, from Ballina, 715 quarters of wheat;
the Elizabeth, from Londonderry, 30 cwt. of oats, and
220 tierces and 60 barrels of pork ; tho Dolphin, from
Sligo, 825 barrels of flour; the Adroit, from Sligo, 700
quarters of oats, and 78ewt. of peas ; the Ardent, from
Sligo, 500 quarters of wheat; the Erin Lass, from Gal-
way, 285 quarters of beans, and 350 quarters of wheat ;
the Preussicher Adler, from Cork, 341 boxes of eggs,
644 firkins of butter, 625 boxes of soap, 490 barrels
of meal and flour, 119 casks of general provisions,
47 casks of hams, 107 bales of bacon, 130 casks of lard,
90 of salmon, 50 boxes of lemons, 32 calves, 72 head of
cattle, and various other articles ; the Citizen, from
Dublin, 111 casks of bacon, 14 casks of lard, 6 of ham,
70 of pork, 155 of paper, 88 boxes of eggs, 24 casks of
whisky, and 41 of porter ; the Frith, from Galway,
1,000 quarters of oats ; the Victoria, from Galway,
250 quarters of rye, 160 quarters of peas, 700
barrels of flour, 50 bags of beans, 20 of rice, 53 packages
of bacon, 63 of middles, 44 of pork, and 18 of bacon and
lard ; and the Perthshire, from Galway, 750 quarters of
wheat. These numerous arrivals has not been preceded
by a dearth of importations from that country, for there
was during the past week a more than proportionately
large quantity of supplies from Ireland at the ports of
London and Liverpool, in comparison with those which
took place during the period from foreign states.
TILE ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION. Returns
moved for by Mr. Evelyn Denison, respecting the Ecclesias-
tical Commission, show that the fees and emoluments paid to
counsel and solicitors by the Commissioners amounted. in
1845 to 3,637/., and in 1846 to 4,770/. The amount paid. to
architects was, in 1845, 6931., and in 1846, 1,0101., of which
Mr. )V. Railton, of London, received 1,0001. The amount
paid to agents and surveyors was, in 1845, 2,3631., and in
1846, 5,5211. In 1845 seven sees were augmented to the ex-
tent of 8,3491. altogether; and in 1846, eiEht sees to the ex-
tent of 12,9051., viz., Chichester, 6311. ; Hereford, 1,3J9/.;
Lichfield, 8251. ; Oxford, 3,463/.; Peterborough, 1,116/.;
Ripon, 2,1351.; Rochester, 1,820/. ; and St. David's, 1,553/.
t a thie sr
.purchased
etho the a
an ano amount
witheorfv2io4l,y7ool.
Reversions have been sold to the amount of 38,257/, and es-
. yesterday, at tilt Ilome-oface. Sir George Grey