The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-01 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSCPR, THURSDAY. - The •Queen and Prince
Albert took their usual early morning walk.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales Prince
Alfred, and the Princess Alice, took walking ex(roise
this morning on the Eastern Terrace and grounds adja-
cent to the Castle. •

Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge, Prince George and the Princess Mary, his
Serene Highness Prince Frederic of Hesse, the Lady in
Waiting of the Duchess of Cambridge, the Earl and
Countess of Lincoln, and the Gentlemen in Waiting on
the Duke of Cambridge, are expected to arrive at the
Castle to-day, on a visit to her Majesty.
His Excellency the Chevalier Bunsen, his Serene
Highness Prince Lowenstein, and Lord Edward Howard
left the Castle to-day.
The band of the Ist Life Guards attended during
dinner.

The Queen had afterwards an evening party at the
Castle. The following had the honour of receiving. in-
vitations :—Lord James Murray, Colonel and Lady
Emily Seymour, Mr. G. E. and the Hon. lira. Anson,
Sir George and Lady Couper and Miss Couper.
Her Majesty's private band attended.

Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge, accompanied by her Royal Highness the
Princess Mary, and his Serene Highness Prince Frederic
of Hesse, and attended by Lady Augusta Cadogan and
Baron Knesebeck, left their residence, at Kew, yesterday
afternoon, for Windsor Castle.
_ _

Mr. Arthur Anderson had an interview with the Right
[lon. Thomas Milner Gibson, yesterday, at the Board of
Trade, relative to the fisheries of the Orkney and Shet-
land Islands.

Dispatches were received yesterday, at the Colonial-
office, from the Governors of the North American Pro-
vinces.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
TATTERSALL'S—Tnu RSDAY.
From the subjoined return it will be seen that the
business was limited in extent, the investment, with two
or three exceptions, on a small scale, and the prices in
accordance with those last quoted.
NEWMARKET HANDICAP.
A few bets have been made in the course of the week,
but in such small sums as to be quite unworthy of quo-
tation-33 to 1 was offered on the field.
CHESTER CUP.
1000 to 20 agst Mr. Griffith's Newcourt—taken twice
1000 to 20 agst Mr. Hessletine's Fitzalien—taken
1000 to 20 agst Mr. S. Herbert's Antler—taken
1000 to 15 agst Mr. Wilson's Punch—taken twice over
1000 to 15 agst Mr. Wilson's Crown Prince—taken
1000 to 15 agst Lord Chesterfield's Pam—taken
1000 to 10 agst Mr. Meiklam's Bannockburn—taken
DERBY.
13 to 1 agst Mr. Bowes's Epirote—taken
16 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Planet—taken and aft offered
25 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Glentilt—t and aft offered
33 to 1 agst Mr. Bowes's Lunedale—taken and aft offered
40 to 1 agst Duke of Richmond's Red Hart—taken to
upwards of 3001
1000 to 25 agst Lord Stradbroke's Marpessa colt—taken and
afterwards offered.
2000 to 50 agst Mr. Mostyn's Miss Martin coltt—akten and aft off
1000 to 20 agst Mr. W. Scott's Christopher-
-500 to 10 agst Mr. Pedley's Cogsack—taken
600 to 10 agst Mr. Irwin's Horn of Chase—taken
2000 to 20 agst Mr. Fuller's Oxonian—taken
1000 to 10 agst Lord
oSotathnelerVms Benoriosnreidn.g—
taken
OAKS.
10 to 1 agst Mr. Payne's Clementina—taken to 2001
14 to 1 agst Mr. J. Day's The Farmer's Daughter—taken

PRESENT EXTRAORDINARY TO THE KING AND
QUEEN OF THE FRENCH.--A Bouquet de Gibier monstre
a la Soyer was forwarded from London to Paris on the
21st of December, by the well-known gastronomic rege.
nerator, M. Soyer, of the Reform Club, and presented to
Lheir Majesties on the 24th in the morning, at the palace
of the Tuileries. Their Majesties were delighted with
the novelty and elegance of the composition, and, after a

long examination, the King ordered it to be carried to
the apartments of her Majesty the Queen of the Belgians,
who was exceedingly pleased with it, and afterwards the
whole of the Royal Family were summoned to see the
bouquet. To give an idea of the compoSition of this'
splendid innovation, the following description, perhaps,
will be interesting to the public!. The height of it was
about 10 feet, and wide in proportion ; the frame was
richly covered with Christmas holly, laurels, missletoe.
and evergreen, with a great variety of winter flowers.
There were 22 head of game, consisting of larks, snipes,
woodcocks, teal, French and English partridges, grouse,
widgeons, wild ducks, blackcocks, pheasants, a leveret, a
hare, and golden plovers. The interstices were lightly
filled with wheat and oats, the whole ornamented with
tri-coloured ribbons. And to give a still more pleasing
effect, fancy birds of beautiful plumage (so 'abundant in
England) were spread in different parts of the nosegay.
It is reported that his Majesty intends to have a similar
bouquet carved in wood for the grand side-board of the
magnificent banquetting hall of the palace of the Tui-
leries. At the same time, a splendidly boundivolume of
the Gastronomic Regenerator was presented to her Ma-
L jesty the Qua, who was gaciously pleased to accept it.

THE USES OF FItOST TO THE ,
FARMER.
We extract from Bell's Weekly Messenger the follow-
ing article, written by Cuthbert W. Johnson, Esq.,
F.R. S. :
" The effect of the low temperature of whiter is useful
to the farmer in several
ways. As, however, the good
which the frost produces is not so generally understood,
or its power so commonly assisted as is desirable, let us
at this period of snow and ice address ourselves to the
subject. The farmer of the heavy
adhesive clay soils,
which are reckiced to a sufficient degree of fineness only
by the most laborious exertions, is the man to whose
soils the frost affords the most valuable assistance.
.The
ivaeteirncoantaloinw ed
in
these clays, during its conversion into
i
temperature of the atmosphere, expands
withc a force which nothing can resist. As, therefore, the
ice pervades every particle of soil, its expansion, as a
natural consequence, reduces very completely the clay
into a very finely divided state. The farmers of such
soils, therefore, are much befriended by a hard winter,
like that with which we are now visited, since the frost
readily accomplishes that pulverisation of the soil which
the plough and the clod-crusher can only very imper-
fectly and laboriously imitate. The action of frost on
many varieties of such soils, it may be here remarked, is
most materially aided by the land being deeply
ploughed, and laid up in higher ridges than are
commonly thought nece-sary. By this plan, the frost
penetra'es deeper into the earth, and thus not only is the
soil more thoroughly and deep'y pulverised, but the de-
struction of grubs and other insect vermin is rendered
much more extensive and effectual. Many of these, it
hr ell known to the entomologist, retire deeper into the
soil as winter approaches, and remain torpid during the
intense cold of the season, in places, beyond the ordi-
nary depth to which the frost extends. It is, therefore,
very desirable, that the usual effect of a very low tem-
perature should be facilitated as much as possible. The
action of frost upon even fish is well known, those in
stagnant fish ponds being peculiarly liable to be de•
stroyed in severe winter. This arises from two causes—
first, because, when the pond is completely encrusted
with ice, a supply of the atmospheric air, so essential to
the existence of fish, is intercepted; and secondly, be
cause not only is the absorption of the air by the water
prevented, but the escape of the carburetted and sulphu-
retted hydrogen gases, always more or less copiously
generated in stagnant waters abounding with organic
matters, is entirely stopped ; and as these gases are ex-
ceedingly noxious to fish, this also conduces to their de-
struction. The gardener, therefore, knowing these
things, is careful to have openings in the ice daily re-
newed, through which the gases of the pond can escape,
and those of the atmosphere have access to the water.
There is no soil, perhaps, upon which the frost ope-
rates more rapidly and completely than upon those com-
posed of chalk. Chalk, when nearly saturated, we fine
by our own experiments, contains about 23 or 24 parts
of water ; and we can hence readily see how it is that
when such a large proportion of water is converted into
ice, it thus by its expansion so rapidly and effectually
pulverises the chalk spread over the land. It is to this
levelling effect of the frost that we may, perhaps, attri-
bute the peculiarly rounded smooth surface commonly
possessed by the downs of chalk formations. These
facts explain, too, why it is that the farmers who have
the most successfully practised the excellent system of
chalking, marling, or claying light lands, have remarked
that this operation never succeeds so well as when the
earth is spread over the land, and allowed to remain on
the surface exposed to a winter's frost. The essential
condition, in fact, to the successful permanent addition to
the soil of such dressings is, that the adhesive earths
should be so finely divided as to be intimately combined
with the lighter and more sandy and gravely soil. If this
object is not effected—if the marl or clay is not thus al-
lowed to remain exposed to the action of the frost, and is
ploughed in in lumps, but little geed is derived from their
employment. The farmer then tells you that it does no
good to the land, that it remains uncombined with the
staple of the soil, and that " it sinks down" into the
land. This, therefore, is another instance of the success
of earthly dressings being sometimes entirely prevented
by the mere neglect of a due attention to the mode and
period of the year at which this most valuable operation
is best performed; and it is to this source that many er-
roneous statements, and much injury to the more
general adoption of one of most certain modes of per-
manently improving light lands, are owing. The owner
of such soils will do well to consider with attention these
important facts. The expense of marling or claying, if
these earths are conveniently situated, is much less than
is commonly believed. Mr. F. W. Overman, of Moulden,
in Norfolk, (who uses about 40 loads, of 40 bushels each,
per acre, on his sands and gravels) remarks:—" Land
will not always show the benefit it derives from clay in
the first crop, which is the reason it is condemned by
some persons; others dread the expense, which after all
is but little. A man to carry on his business well, and
to be always in season, must have a sufficient force of
horses; this will enable him to clay his land. He will
always find men ready to fill and spread at 3d. per load,
costing the small sum of 10s. per acre for the permanent
improvement of his land." And he adds—" To sum up
the benefits of clay to land in various ways, it is by cor-
recting the acidity (the clay in Mr. Overman's land is,
in fact, a marl—that is, a mixture of clay, chalk, and
sand) and giving solidity; by stiffening the straw, and
increasing the quantity and quality of the corn; by pre-
ventingmildew, which this farm was always subject to, but
which since I have clayed it it has not been; by preventing
the turnips from being diseased by graping, and adding
that to the soil which the clover likes, more particularly the
white or Dutch clover." (Jour. Roy. Agric. Soc.,
vol. iii., p. 235.) The correctness of the view of the
theory of claying and marling which we have taken is
also supported by the observations of Mr. Chas. Burness,
of Woborn. lie tells us (ibid, p. 233)—" My system
has been to put the clay on the clover leys as early as
the crop is off, and then to get it broken in pieces as
much as possible before it is ploughed its for wheat. I
also lay it on the turnip fellows early in the winter, so
that it may have the chance of the winter and spring
frosts to get well pulverised before it is ploughed down.
This I prefer to claying on clover leys. In January,lß4l,
I flayed some land, which was going to be a turnip fallow
the following summer, and in the month of April, when
I began to harrow and plough the land, the clay broke
down, and slacked like lime, and worked in with the soil.
I did not see much difference that summer in the turnip
crop, as the other part of the field was sown at a diffe-
rent time, and I was not able to tell the difference ; but
this year (1842) the barley looks much stronger and
stiffer in the straw, and stands much more upright than
on the land which was not clayed. The quantity per
acre is generally fifty loads ; if more than this is ap-
plied, I should recommend it to be done at twice, as in
my opinion more at once would do harm, Nearly all the
light soil on the farm of the Duke of Bedford at this
place has been clayed, and a great deal of it twice, and
in every instance we have found its beneficial
effects. The clay may be dug from the pit at
any time when most convenient to the farmer, and if
turned over once or twice will aaix much better with the
soil, but will be attended with more expense. My plan
has been generally to dig and cart the clay on the field
at once." The good effect of thus exposing marl during
the winter on the surface of the land has in fact long
been remarked. Arthur Young, in speaking of the
marling of the land at Houghton, the seat of Lord Orford,
remarked (Annals of Agric., vol. xii., p. 51), " In marl-
ing or clay* he has found that the longer it is kept on
the surface of a layer the better; the method he prefers
is to spread it on a ley of one or two years old (the latter
best), and to leave it for a year.' The period during a
hard frost is therefore that in which the operation of
marling is with most advantage accomplished, for not
only, as we have already seen, is the intimate mixture of
the clay or other adhesive earths by its action then more
rapidly accelerated, but the labour of the horses in draw-
ing it on to the land is very materially reduced. The ex-
tent of this reduction of labour to the farmer's teams,
from having this work performed when the surface of the
frozen ground is level and hard, is not very generally
understood. The results of some careful experiments
made some time since may therefore be usefully intro-
duced in this paper. The following little table, then,
shows the average force, in pounds, required to draw a
light four-wheeled cart, weighing, with its load, 1,000 lb.
over the surface of different descriptions of ways :
Force required to Stove
Description of Road. the Carriage.
Turnpike road, hard and dry
'rho same when dirty
Hard compact loam
Ordinary bya road
Turnpike road newly gravelled
Loose sandy road

" These facts may be useful, too, in other ways to the
farmer than that for which they are hero adduced, since
he may hence very reasonably conclude, that the wear
and tear of conveying heavy manures of all kinds, espe-
cially those brought from a distance, is much better ac-
complished during the period when the roads are ren-
dered hard by the frost, than at. any other period of the
year. Tho action of a low temperature upon vegetation
is very interesting, and to this action of frost upon plants
I hope to be able, on another occasion, to direct the far-
mer's attention."

INTERESTING DISCOVERY.—In levelling some
ground last week at Bec-Helloun (Seine Inferieure),
there was found a leaden box containing some bones,
and bearing the following inscription engraved on the
lead

" Ossa illustrissirna D. D. Marliiidle
Imp-ratricit infra majore altare rorerta
2 mart : 1684, in eodem loco collecata
Eode ruense et anno."
Matilda was daughter of Henry I , King of England and
Duke of Normandy. She was the widow of Henry
Emperor of Germany, and mother of Henry 11., King
of England and Duke of Normandy. She died Roue
in 1167, and was buried in the church at
of the priory of
Notre Dame, where her tomb born the following
epitaph :
" Ortu magna Tiro major, see maxima Part
u
Hie jacet Henrici filia sponsa Parens,"
According to the chronicles of the Abbey of Bee
Helloun her remains were removed to that abbey, and
buried near the altar.—Puris Paper.
COMFORT TO SECOND-CLASS PASSENGERS PORITID-
DEN.—The directors of the Eastern Union Railway have
I ately placed on their lino second-class carriages of a
greatly improved construction, and in which the comfort
oft he passengers has been studied, in a manner worthy
of imitation. They are inclosed with glass, and the seat 3
are of stuffed leather, and they altogether approximate
much nearer to the English elysium—comfortable—than

those in general use. But, unfortunately, the Eastern
% Union authority extends only 17 miles of the 65 between
47: Ipswielr toil London ; and, on Tuesday, a peremptory
order from the magnates of Shoreditch was received at
7, the Colchester station, that the new Eastern Union
c- second-class carriages should not; be suffered to proceed
beyond Colchester. The passengers were accordingly
5,,,,„ obliged to resign their warm seats in tho Ipswich car-
s.riages, and locate themselves in the Eastern Cuunties
\i4......,
Railway tumbrils for the remainder of the journey. The
4: comfortable Second-class carriages will, therefore, for the
resent, be only available fur the local traffic between
Colchester, 'peach, and bury. Ipswich journal.

~~i I:+_