The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1841.

THE FARMER'S ALMANAC FOR 1842.

The Almanac of this year has been much im-
oved as compared with that of 1841, which was
the first number of a series to be continued an-
nually. In addition to the calendar, lists of the
Membersof the two Houses of Parliament, stamp
duties, post-office, law terms, and the usual in-
formation for the agriculturist, arranged under
each month of the year, grain tables, the dif-
ferent agricultural societies, with the places of
meeting, and the names of the secretaries, to-
gether with complete lists of all the fairs in the
United Kingdom. The following is an extract
from the General Monthly Notices :
Frost and snow are the usual accompaniments of De-
cember ; but in our fickle clime they are varying in
their degrees of intensity, sometimes lasting uninter-
ruptedly for months ; while in other winters the farmer
complains that he has not had frost and snow sufficient
for the fertilization of his land. Many erroneous ideas
were formerly entertained of the causes of the fertilizing
properties of the snow ; it was supposed that snow con-
tained saltpetre, and poetry failed not, in its assistance,
to perpetuate the fiction.
" Is not thy potent energy unseen,
Myriads of little salts ?" * * * *
* * * " While through the blue serene,
For sight too fine, the etherial nitre flies."
But modern philosophy has shown other reasons for
the good effects produced by snow upon the lands of the
farmer. Melted snow is extremely prejudicial to the
numerous animalculm of the soil ; for snow water is se
totally free from vital air or oxygen gas, that even fish
perish if placed in it.
In the year 987, the frost, which sot in on the 22d of
this month, lasted 120 days ; and that of 1729, which
lasted nine weeks, began on the 24th. But the great
frosts which have visited England have generally com-
menced much earlier ; the greatest frost of which we
have any account, that of 759, set in on the Ist of Oc-
tober, and lasted till the 26th of February.

ANTICIPATED METEORIC PHENOMENA.—
Should the evenings of the latter end of the week (about
the 12th and 13th of November) prove clear, the appear-
ance which has of late years attracted so much attention
—that of falling stars in great numbers, may be looked
for, especially as the absence of all moonlight (it being
then the change) renders this year particularly favour-
able for their observation. Similar appearances have fre-
quently been observed at another period, about the 11th
August, and this year there occurred in Hungary a very
extensive shower of meteoric iron, in millions of small
fragments, from the size of mere grains to that of peas.
MR. JUSTICE BOSANQUET.—We are happy
to hear that Mr. Justice Bosanquet, within the last few
days, is considerably improved in health, and hopes are
now entertained that his Lordship will, in a short time,
be enabled to resume his judicial duties.
GTHE REVENUE COMMISSION.— The Com-
missioners appointed by the Crown to inquire into the
expenses of collecting the revenue, met at the Treasury
yesterday at one o'clock, and commenced their investi-
gation. Lord Granville Somerset presided.
We have heard upon rood authority that one of
foe Middlesex Magistrates has in his possession sixteen
Exchequer bills fir the sum of 1,0001. each, not one of
which agrees with the counterfoil.
A family, consisting of a man, his wife, and
two children, came, some short time ago, from Havre to
Paris, to seek employment, and took up their abode in
the Rue du Faubourg St. Antoine. After a while it
was observed by their neighbours that not one o
had been seen to leave their room for several (art;st,haennid
at length some great disaster was suspected. Breaking
the door open, the whole family were found nearly teix-
piring from starvation. They related that the father
and mother might have gained
a livelihood by carding
wool, but had no means of procuring the necessary im-
plements. This drove them to despair, and they had re-
solved to seek relief in death by starving themselves.
Their neighbours immediately supplied them with sus-
tenance, and have since subscribed to purchase what was
required to enable them to undertake come employment
which has been offered them.