The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-23 00:00:00

INJURY TO THE APPLE CROP.

TO THE EDITOR OF TZIE SUN.
Sin,—lt must be of the highest importance at the
present time for the people to be accurately informed of •
the state of the plague of aphides which has fallen
upon us, that we may be prepared beforehand for any
failure which is likely to occur:
During the last few days it has become manifest that
the aphides infesting the apple-tree have committed
most serioas damage. In some instances they have en-
tirely killed the leaves and young shoots, the fruit being
dried up or fallen off. Many apple-trees are so much in-
jured that they are not expected to bear fruit for two or
three years, and one market gardener at Enfield assured
me that upon the most moderate computation two-thirds
of his crop was destroyed. -
With respect to the potato plant, the disease in the
underground stem, from the mischief inflicted last year,
has lessened round London, and the general appearance
is good. The aphis vastator, however, is increasing all
over the kingdom, and if n.}thing occurs to destroy it,
the insect may be expected to evince its injuries next
month.—l remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
ALFRED SMEE.
P.S.—Communications upon the potato plant, and the
ravages of aphides are solicited.
7, Finsbury-circus, June 21, 1347.

NEW ZEALAND.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—In The Sun of Monday I noticed an account of
the " extraordinary " produce of some New Zealand
seed wheat. I beg to inform you that such production
in the colony is not by any means considered extra-
ordinary. Not long since I saw on the farm of Mr.
--, on the banks of the Hutt• River, near
Wellington, such a crop of wheat, then being reaped,
that would do an English farmer's eyesight good. A
neighbour of his offered me heavy odds that it would
average 55 to 60 bushels per acre, and 631bs. weight
per bushel. In England 40 bushels are considered good
average quantity, and 60 lbs. per bushel good weight.
Potatoes are taken from the ground for use nine
months out of the twelve. When I left the natives were
bringing in large quanties in " kits " (baskets made of
the flax leaf), from 40 to 60 lbs. weight, which they
sold at 6d. per kit. Ido think it would not be a bad
speculation to import a quantity of seed of a new stock
from Van Diemen's Land or New Zealand. From both
places excellent " stocks " can be had. To cultivate
from tubers is artificial and unnatural. 11 we breed
" in-and-in " the breed (or stock) mast deteriorate, and
will eventually be destroyed.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
N. Z.
London, June 22, 1247.

FOREIGN CORN and the HARVEST.
DANZIC, JUNE 11.—Freights seem to have at-
tained their highest standard. There is at this mo-
ment no demand for ships for corn. A few days ago
265. was paid for London, to-day 255., and future
bargains have concluded at 245. per load.
GOTENRURG, JUNE 12.—There is a great want of
ships for freightage here, and consequently our ship-
ments were very inconsiderable last week.
ODESSA, JUNE 4.—ln consequence of the fall of
grain in the corn markets of Western Europe the de-
mand of ships for England and the harbours between
Hamburg and the Havre have visibly decreased, al-
though only very few vessels have come in. Three
Russian ships, which are now going from here to
England, were freighted for return and reloading.
Our imports of corn from the interior are very nume-
rous, but as the number of ships for transporting
them is insufficient, it is said that in our corn and
grain store there is an accumulation of 500,000 chet-
werts.
BRESLAW, JUNE 12.—1 t is very evident that the
further rise in the prices of corn can be checked
only by the extraordinary influx of corn from the
interior, and this is the more confidently to be ex-
pected from the circumstance that at the reduced
price there was profit. Much anxiety has been ex-
pressed with respect to the seed, but even if the
present cool weather keep back the vegetation of the
late rye, yet the copious fall of rain has been very
beneficial to the summer seeds. We learn from
foreign markets that the rise of prices in England
has again given impulse both to wheat and rye, while
in France, Belgium, and Russia, there was a decline.
Our market was very active.
HAMBURGH CORN MARKET, JUNE 18.—We are
not doing much business, there was a slight rise in
the prices of wheat since Friday, but favourable
accounts from England again occasioned a fall. For
rye, too, there has been a fall, but there are
not many buyers, as a still further reduc-
tion is still confidently expected. Peas and
vetches have likewise fallen ; linseed cakes rather
higher. Wheat flour maintains its price, but every-
thing seems to indicate an approaching fall. There
is an ample supply of fresh Russian wheat, which
has evidently declined within the last eight days.
WESEL, JUNE 10.—The very favourable change in
the weather, and the cheering prospects of the ap-
proaching plentiful harvest, have produced an aston-
ishing effect here, so that poverty is gradually dis-
appearing. This is evident from the fact that, within
the last week the public authorities which furnish the
poor with soup and provisions have had three hundred
less applications than hitherto. The soup society will,
remain in operation so long as the wants of the
poorer classes call for it.
ST. PETERSBURG, JUNE 3.—Bread has been rising
here for the last fortnight. The general Government
has therefore resolved to let the flour dealers and
bakers have flour from the store-magazines of the
city at a reduction of six silver rubles on condition
that the bread shall be sold according to the tax. In
consequence of the above-named rise his Majesty
issued a command that there should be a conference
of the corn-dealers, which in fact took place a few
days ago. In this conference the Minister of
Finance communicated the desire of his Majesty that
the corn-dealers should keep back a tenth part of the
1
-quantity intended for present exportation, in order
that the poor may have bread at as low
a rate as possible. All the corn-merchants
who were present instantly declared, without
discussion, not only in their own name, but in that of
the corn-dealers, who were absent, that they would
gladly, respond to the noble design of the Emperor, to
the full extent of their power. They accordingly
placed in the hands of the Minister two Acts, signed
with their signatures, by one of which they pledged
themselves faithfully to adhere to the wishes of the
Emperor; and by the other, bound themselves to de-
liver the tenth part kept back in reserve,lto the inha-
bitants of St. Petersburgh, at very moderate priced.
Immediately on receiving these important documenti
from the Minister of Finance, the Emperor wrote
with his own hand the following words :—" Assure
the merchants of my sincere thanks, and tell my noble
brethren I expected no other line of conduct from
them, for I know their sentiments, and I am proud of
them."

FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAINE, JUNE 14.—The con•
siderable rise in the price of corn which has taken
place in Munich, Augsburg, Erding, &c., is by no
means general, indeed, it is an exception to the rule.
In Wierzburg, Stutzgardt, Stettin, Rostock, Baden,
Cologne, &c., there is a continued and very perceptible
fall, which promises to be prominent and general
from the magnificent prospects of the approaching
harvest and vintages.—Hamburg paper, June 19.

TUE FARMER AND ms Visrrons.—A friend of
ours has several relations who are wealthy farmers in
the vicinity of Northwich. One of these informed him,
a few days ago, that he had received a visit in the
preceding week from a party of Liverpool gentlemen 4
who requested permission to go through his
potato fields. He directed them to extensive
breadths of the favourite root, flourishing in green luxu-
riance. " They went through th' fields," said he, " pull-
ing up first one set and then another, and looking at
'em all through a burnin'-glass (meaning a magnifier),
an' then they threw 'em down again as if they couldn't
find what they wanted. At last I asked one of 'em what
they were looking for? Oh,' said he, we are
looking for a Fides' (aphides). A Fides! I thought—
what's a Fides? I never heard tell o' such a

thing. At last I asked a servant lad, as was
walking behind 'em, what they were looking for?
They're come to look for a vast tater (vastator), as I
heard 'em say.' A vast tater,' says 1, 6 that's a big
'un I suppose; but they cannot expect to find any big
'uns yet.' So I said to one of 'em, If it's a big potato
you're looking for —.' No, no,' said he, we're
looking for the potato disease." Oh,' said he, ' you'll
find none of it here, thank Heaven! Only look at 'em
and see how they are growing; it does one's heart good
to see 'em. But they did not seem over much pleased
either, and they went on pulling up and looking and
turning over, till at last they found one with rusty spots
on the leaves and a black spot on the stem, such as I
have seen many a time twenty years before the potato
disease was heard of • and so they seemed satisfied, and
they pocketed that chap and walked off with it.—Liver
pool Albion.
WOULD You LIRE TO KNOW ?—A country woman
asked one of the letter-carriers the other day if he had
got a letter for her. After much interrogation as to her
name, residence, and other particulars of address, the
prying,.
impudent nature of which, as it seemed to her,
was beginning to nettle her, he discovered that he had
none. Do you think then, she said, you will have ono
to-morrow 9—lnverness Paper.
ORIENTAL BANK.--A meeting of the proprietors
of the Oriental Bank was hold yesterday, at their office:.
in Walbrook, when the now regulations for the govern-
ment of the bank, which were adopted at the annual
general meeting in December last, were confirmed as the
laws for their future direction.
FEVER VESSELS.—In emnplianee with a request to
the Government, the Admiralty have ordered two ships
at Pembroke to be immediately cleared out and fitted as
fever ships for Liverpool, to which port they are to be
towed by steam vessels as soon as they
are ready. The
Saturn, old 74, is one selected, and will be fitted as soon
as possible.
SUPPOSED SUICIDE or a FEMALE.—Yesterday
morning, about seven o'clock, the body of a female,
about eighteen
floating years of age, and five feet five inches in
stature, with fair complexion and dark Bair, was found
in the Regent's Canal, near Cat and Muttob
Fields, Hackney.
She was dressed in black. The body,
which had apparently been in the water several days,
I was taken to the Sportsman, Margaret-street, Hackney-
road, to await a coroner's inquest.