The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-14 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL PROSPECT.).

The favourable turning point has been reached,
and the closing part of the week has been every-
thing that the agricultural heart could desire—
abundance of rain, soft and penetrating, and a very
liberal allowance of hot sunshine.
The Northern Whig has an equally satisfactory
report :
The fodder famine is fast passing away, and
as has ever been the case when prices run into ex-
tremes some of the holders of hay have been caught
in the reaction. Only a short time has passed
since the rates had attained such fancy figures that
the great puzzle of farmers was how mueh to ask
for hay or straw. At one period the quotations
were 10s. to lls. for prime upland hay in Belfast,
and those rates fell considerably below the prices
ruling in less amply supplied markets. Large im-
ports from different parts of the Continent have
been made, and, although the quality of the fodder
thus brought in did not equal that of home pro-
duce, it seemed to bring down the prices, and the
additional supplies had the best effect in making
requirements in those districts' where the famine in
fodder had been keenest. We have heard of se-
veral cases in which extensive holders of hay re-
fused 10s. 6d. the cwt. for all their stock, and are
now anxious to sell at something under 7s. Prices
for the last, two or three days have gone down to
58. for prime lowland hay, and for the higher
qualities 6s. rule sales. Straw is still very dear,
and will be so until the harvest, but the admirable
weather for meadow and grass lands has given the
promise of abundant produce in the one case and
rich pastures in the other that hay will likely come
down considerably from its present prices before the
close of the month. The great dearth of keep caused
stock owners to send their cattle out to grass much
earlier than usual, and in some cases this will be
diadvantageous to the growth of herbage ; but, as
were readily
Da
diEbinlri
the lands in pasture have had almost total
rest since November last, there is little doubt of the
present rapid spring soon making up for premature
stocking of grazing farms. Prices of dairy cows aro
quality of springers has been sol
exceedingly hig4. During thed week the
or
rhleB best
gui-
neasguineaesacwLheo, •
p.seaciodl.l,(,liclass cattle 12 to 14
IRlbli TENANTRY.
P A correspondent of the Tipperary Free Press
writes :—" Lord Derby is about to build a house
' and offices for the parish priest of Solohead, the
' Rev. Thomas Mahony, which is to revert to each.
a about: at
about
merely a nominal
an
successive pastor of that parish. To the house will
no i
aa
rent,
enttnis lord ~hip
12 acres
of land
is also
acre of ground for a chapel and yard, together with
the use of a splendid quarry and sand fer the build-
ing gratis, and I shall not he surprised if he should
give a handsome donation likewise to that object.
I am in no way connected with the Derby estates,
and a love of t' jus ice alone compels me to record
those acts of kindness "

A STEAmER ON I'IRE.-11ARTLEPOOL, May 1.1.
The screw steamer Norinaribv' Captain Child, from Ham-
burg, which arrived here at -6 p.m. yesterday, took fire in
her cargo at one this inorning. The decks forward are
burnt, and the cargo all forward'damaged by fire or water.
EXCISE. PROSECCTIONS.—A Parliamentary return
has been printed, Stating the number of Excise prosecutions
against traders during the last three years. In England
there has not been a single prosecution against a distiller in
that period. Against the paper makers of the whole of the
United Kingdom there were 17 prosecutions, and in 15 of
them a conviction. There was a considerable number of
prosecutions (356) against liceuNed traders for using illegal
materials or adulterating, aniuchlarger numberfor neglect-
ing to renew the licence; and the largest number of all for
carrying on business without a licence. The whole num-
ber of prosecutions in the United Kingdom in the three
,years was 3,802, and. in 3,39B,cases a conviction followe
-8.
,d.
Of alit eases in Which there was no conviction all but
were yorosecutio
yns for being without a licence, in many of
which, probabl, a compromise made.