The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-12 00:00:00

SCOTTISH AGRICULTURAL

REPORTS.

(From the Caledonian Mercury.)
EAST LOTHIAN.— During the first three weeks of the
month showers were both frequent and heavy, the total
fall of rain in October being three inches and four-tenths.
On the morning of Monday last the ground was white
with hoar frost, a thin coating of ice covered the small
pools of water on the road —still the weather, on the
whole, has been very mild for the season of the year, the
thermometer generally ranging from 45 to 55 degrees. A
few fields were sown with wheat at the close of last
month and the commencement of this ; but, from the
continued wetness of the land nothing more has been
done until within the last two or three days, when some
farmers have been making a beginning by sowing the
last ploughed or driest portions of their bean land. What
has been done is neatly finished off, but notwithstanding
the earliness of the harvest, there is scarcely as much
sown as there was last year at this time. However, dry
weather for another week or fourteen days would allow a
great deal to be sown, as a large proportion of the land
intended for winter wheat has been already ploughed.
There is also a greater breadth of stubble turned over
than is usual at this period. The mild weather has been
favourable for the growth of the turnip crop. The
Swedish variety generally have improved considerably,
though the late sown of all kinds are a light crop still.
Where stock have been already put on them, it is under-
stood that they are not standing anything like the same
amount of eating as they have done for the last two
years. Pasture grass is more abundant than it has been
for many years. The quantity of keep that has been got
from young grass has allowed old pastures to get well
up, so that should the winter prove tolerably open, fewer
turnips than usual will be required for sheep stock, and
which may tend to make the inferiority of this crop less
felt. From the wet state the land has been often in, it
has been at times rather difficult to remove turnips even
from the driest soils, and sheep, where folded on them,
have had frequently to be removed to pasture fields.—
Oct. 31.

WEST LOTHIAN.—In consequence of the pre-
dominance of rain during this month, the sowing of
wheat has been considerably retarded, and unless the
weather assume a more favourable aspect, in many cases
the seed will not be got into the ground this season.
Early-sown wheat, however, looks well, and, if any-
thing, threatens to be a shade too rank. The turnip
crop has turned out better than expected, The alarm
regarding it has passed away, and all varieties may be
pronounced to be in a healthy state, growing apace, and
a fair crop generally. During this month pasturage has
been luxuriant beyond usual at this season, and the
young grasses thick and thriving. Wheat is a fair yield,
and may be averaged at 34 bushels per Scots acre, sound
in quality, and weighing from 58 to 63 lbs. Barley at
40 bushels—from 50 to 51 lbs. ; and oats at 48 bushels
—from 38 to 39 lbs. Beans are much under an average.
Oats are found to meal well, but distillers complain that
the produce from barley is below that of ordinary years,
weight for weight. In no part of Scotland has the de-
struction of the potato been more complete than in West
Lothian. But we do not despair of this crop, as it is
probable that the disease will run its course and disap-
pear.—Oct. 30.
FIFESIIIRE.—The few patches of grain which were
outstanding at the beginning of the month have all been
secured, after having suffered from sprout and otherwise.
The weather has been exceedingly wet. very unfavour-
able for all out-door work, and little or nothing has been
done to the wheat seed. We never, within our recollec-
tion, saw so little wheat sown at this season. The
wheat after fallow is looking well, except on some damp
spots, where the seed has perished from excess of mois-
ture. The weather, although wet, has been warm.
There have been only one or two frosty mornings, which
have had almost no effect in checking vegetation, and
the pastures are everywhere as green as if it were mid-
summer, Turnips upon thick dry ground have been
improving, but there has been too much rain for them
in general, and they are a light crop, and small in the
bulb. The potatoes may be said, especially in the north
of Fife, to be a complete failure. The few that remain
in the ground will not pay the expense of lifting—and
they are only taken up in many instances to get rid of
them as a weed. The potato failure is of a much more
serious nature than was generally anticipated, and its
effects are only now beginning to be felt, not only in the
want of the potato itself, but in the want of the pig,
the high price of provisions, and in the scanty meal of
many.—Nov. 3.
KINCARDINESHIRE.—It is very fortunate that the har-
vest was got so early and well secured, for, had it been
as late as usual, it is more than probable a large portion
of the crop would have been much injured, as since the
19th of September, the weather upon the whole has been
excessively wet, with a mild temperature. At that pe •
Hod the land was remarkably dry, indeed drier than we
recollect to have seen it at that period of the year, and
the turnips were suffering much from want of moisture,
but they at last got a proper soaking, and for sometime
bygone those on undrained land have been kept far toe
wet. The heavy rains, however, put a stop to the mil-
dew with which a good many of the early fields had be-
gun to be effected ; and as most of the withered leaves
have now fallen down, the crop has a more
fresh appearance than it had a month ago.
The late turnips have improved a good deal)
since harvest, and may yet turn out a middling crop ;
but there are complaints that the bulbs of both the early
and late are increasing but slowly. The grass fields
are still quite fresh and green. Very few of the field
potatoes are yet taken up, or are considered worth the
labour of raising and picking. Little can be added to
what we formerly stated regarding the corn crops. They
are generally allowed to be yielding fair to the straw at
the thrashing mill, but that the bulk in the stack-yard
is a good deal less than that of last year. As to quality,
early barley, off good soils, weighs about 53 ns. per
bushel, and a small portion of the best from that to
541- lbs. Oats are fully as varied in quality; and, where
injured, a 5 they were in some cases by rust awd mildew,
the return will be very deficient, and the grain decidedly
bad.—Nov. 4.

SOUTH DISTRICT OF FORFAREHIRE.—AIthough during
the first three weeks of this month an extraordinary
quantity of rain fell, and, in consequence, wheat sowing
has been put a stop to, yet at the period we write, the
work of the plough and general field operations are well
advanced. The new crop of wheat continues, from
most accounts, to thrash out well, although, as might
have been expected, the quality is a good deal affected
by the damp weather. Although there is little specu-
lative inquiry, and in the face of considerable deliveries,
this valuable article continues to bring high prices—but
this is not surprising, when it is admitted at all hands
that a great increased consumption is at present going
on. A feeling being now generally prevalent that our
barley crop is of inferior yield, has caused an unusally
spirited demand for this article, which, since our last
report, has in consequence advanced from Bs. to 10s.
per quarter, the price being 395. for 53 lbs. per bushel.
If the trade in this article may seem somewhat too spe-
culative and unhealthy, it cannot be so said of wheat
and oats, the supplies of which seem pretty nearly suited
to the consumptive demand.—Nov. 3.

FRENCH ACADEMY of SCIENCES.
SITTING OF NOVEMBER 2.
Most of this day's sitting was occupied with commu-
nications on the recent discovery of the mode of render-
ing cotton explosive. Our readers are aware, that since
the first announcement of this discovery having been
made by M. Schonbein, M. Otto, of Brunswick, and at
least a dozen other persons, have declared that they
have done the same thing, and some of them have even
published the process by which they render cotton ex
plosive. The truth is, that there was nothing so very
wonderful in the mere announcement of the discovery,
for it has long been known to chemists that any vege-
table matter would acquire explosive properties when
treated by nitric acid; and a French chemist long ago
announced that, by operating upon starch with nitric
acid, he produced a fulminating power of great force.
The wonder lay in the perfection to which M. Schon-
bein was said to have brought his preparation, the
secret of which he still keeps to himself as regards the
modus operandi. If we are to believe the statements
that have been made by persons of high respect-
ability, the explosive cotton of M. Schonbein is a per-
fect substitute for gunpowder, possessing weight for
weight, much more strength than that article, and, at
the same time, being free from the many serious objec-
tions which attend the manufacture of gunpowder. On
the other hand, it does not appear that any of the spe-
cimens of other discoverers have given fully satisfactory
results, that is to say, they are by no means of so de-
structive a property as the cotton of M. Schonbein.
Many charges of illiberality have been brought against
that gentleman for not making his process known, and
endeavouring to make a good speculation of it for his
own interest, under the protection of patents. We do
not join in this outcry. If M. Schonhein, who is re
ported, we know not how truly, to have disposed of
his patent right in England for 40,0001., could make a
million sterling of his different patents, we should not
think him too highly rewarded, if it be true that his
cotton is so much more powerful than that of his com-
petitors, as his friends represent it to be. The man
who invents the most rapid and the, most effectual
means of destruction as regards war, is the greatest
friend to the interests of humanity. Before gunpowder
was invented war was a very favourite pastime of the
rulers of nations, for it served to gratify their bad
passions with"ut presenting the chances of utter ruin to
them. By risking a portion of the money derived from
the labour of their subjects, and sacrificing a few hun
dred lives, they were able to play at the game of ambi-
tion, and, having always the hope of success before them
they had a constant excitement to violence and outrage.
Nor did the pastime cease with the invention of gun-
powder. The scale on which it was carried on was
greater ; but in a few years, when military tactics had
been improved, and fire-arms had been made on surer
principles, the game became too hot for the gamesters,
and they were glad to retreat at length from the struggle
of vain glory. The bow and arrow work of the ancients
was nothing more than child's play to the fields of Aus-
terlitz and Waterloo, and when once a suspension of hos-
tilities had taken place, Government began to reflect
that the game was too costly. Thirty years of peace
have served to give birth to better ideas ; but there is
every now and then an indication of a desire to in-
volve nations in warfare. We aro quite sure,
however, that if any man could invent a
means of destruction, by which two nations
going to war with each other would see large armies
destroyed and immense treasures wasted on both sides
in a single campaign, they would both hesitate at enter-
ing upon another. We repeat, therefore, that in this
sense the greatest destructor is the greatest philanthro-
pist ; and, supposing what is said of M. Schonbein's in-
vention be true, we think that all Governments will, in
the event of differences, try all possible means of conces-
sion and conciliation before coming to a trial of strength,
in which the strong as well as the comparatively weak
must be such great losers. We must return, however,
from this digression to the question before the Academy.
M. Otto, of Brunswick, has stated that he preducee