The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-04 00:00:00

'THE WEAT frER A :y:D' citoPs;.:'

f

BEDFORbSFURE.—Wheat ha 3 very much improved in
,ppearanee during the last week. Beans look exceed-
'ngly promising. The hay harvest in this county is now
niched, and, generally speaking,- the crops Lave been
soured in prima condition.—Bedford Times.
CAISBRIDGF,SELIRE.—Every sort.of crop is healthy, and
n abundant harvest is rapidly approaching. The turLip
raps, such as have escaped the fly attack, are growing
wed, but within the last week dreadful havoc has been
paused by a raDre destructive insect called the black cater
illar, or locust. The insect appears in swarms, and l:ay.
ling attacked the leaf,' adheres till every particle, except
tt'ie stamina, or vein is consumed, and then regular,}
!proceeds to the next, sometimes eating the produce of
laeres in their course. Potatoes appear to turn out plea-
!tifully, and without doubt will tie very cheap, as at pre-
sent tbame appears to be no symptoms of the old disease.
!--Cambridge liidependent.
i DURHAM.—The meadows have rapidly fallen under
`soy, he, and a large quantity of excellent hay has been
made safe. The crops almost invariably good, and in
'improved,
cases very heavy. he wheat crops have greatly
'improved, and are at present assuming a much more pro.
Imising aspect. In a )me places the crop is light, but is
;looking Very healthy, and, should thepresent fine weather
!continue, they will rapidly approach maturity. - Tureips,
where sown under favourable circumstances, are lookinL,
!very well, but in many cases the wet continued so lone
:that the land conld not be sown. Planting out is going
lon to some extent where practicable. Potatoes look
;well, and although the disease is not extinct, we have
'not heard of the prevalence of it to any great extent.--
Durhcon County Advertiser.
CIIMBETLAND:--the crops appear to be in splendid con-
Idition, and should the fine weather continue, harvest ope-
!rations will riot long .be delayeJ.—Carlisle journal.
1 ' KENT.—The crops generally look most luxuriaht, and
itheir.appearance.has had a sensible effect upon the roar-
ikets. • We cannot hear of any blight in the potatoes in
'this neighbourhood. They are generally of good quality,
and are already. sellinz .at. moderate prices. A field VI
[oats belonging to Mr. -Spong, aliFsinisbury, was cut and
stacked, this week, in tine condition.--: flaidstone
!Journal.

LANCASITIIth.—The weather which has prevailed dur-
ing the present week has been really beautiful, and every
,day of its continuance must add thousands of pounds to
114 e wealth of the nation. As we stated in our last, the
heavy rains of last week were lees], for in other parts of
the kingdom there was a lack of moisture ; but thew,
rains have done little or no injury to the growing crops,
while the hot sunshine of the present week is ripening
the produce of the earth in the most satisfactory manner
possible.—Liverpool Chronicle.
DEVONSHIRE.—The harvest prospects of this county are
the most cheering possible. In the neighbourhood of
Exeter, and the fertile districts of Txnes, Ashburton,
Ktngsbridge, and throughout the whole of the South
Hams, the grain crops are most luxur'ant, and indicate
an abundant harvest. Potatoes also 'ook well, and will,
there is every reason to believe, be of a usual prolific
crop. The disease has shown itself in some districts,
but so partially and in such a slight form as not to ex
cite alarm. Throughout the districts of Crediton, Barn-
staple, South Molten, and the fertile valleys of North
Devon, the same cheering prospects present themselves,
and if the present fine weather continues the corn har-
vest is expected to be general in a week or ten days.
The hay harvest has been most satisfactory.
NORTHUMBERLAND.—The weather since our last ha,
continued exceedingly propitious, and a great quantity
of hay has been safely housed this week in excellent con
dition. A large proportion, however, still remains in
the fields. The crops of cereals are advancing rapidly
towards maturity, and under the influence of fine wea
therand anticipated abundance the corn markets through.
out the country have declined considerably, and show
every appearance of a further fall.—Newcastle Chronicle
YoaxsurßE.4*Wheat is looking remarkably healthy,
and well, and affords the promise, if genial weather con-
tinue, of a full average yield. Other kinds of grain ex-
hibit a no less satisfactory appearance. Potatoes and
turnips are growing luxuriouslr.-- Wakefield Journal.
OXFORDSHIRE. —The weather has been sunny, very
hot, and everything that can be desired for the corn.
The wheat on the heavy land is ripening very well, and
shows a rich yellow colour, and that on the lighter soil
is just at the edge of harvest, and in a few instances the
hook has been at work, the ear is well filled, and but
little blight appears. The barley, of which there is a
small breadth growing this year, looks well on the good
soils, where it was planted early, and promises to be of
fine quality and good crop.
RUSSIAN CROWN DIADIONAS.

(Front Galignani's Messenger.)
The Crown treasury of the Czars at Moscow contains
precious stones of considerable amount. The two most
considerable are diamonds, one the size of a pigeon's
egg, cut in rose. The Russians have given it the name
of the Orloff. The other has the form of an irregular
prism, and is of the size and almost the length of a little
finger ; it bears the name of the Shah, and its history is
as follows :—lt formerly belonged to the Sophie, and
was one of two enormous diamonds which ornamented
the throne of Nadyr Shah, and which were designated
by the Persians by the names of " San of the Sea" and
"Moon of the Mountains." When Nadyr was assassi-
nated his treasures were pillaged, and the precious stones
divided among a few soldiers, who carefully concealed
them. An Armenian, of the name of Shrafrase re-
sided at that • period at Bussora with his two
brothers. One day an Affghan came to him, and
offered for sale the large diamond the Moon of
the Mountains, as well as an emerald, a ruby of fabulous
size, a sapphire of the finest water, called by the Persians
the Rye of Allele, and a number of other stones, for the
whole of which .he asked such a moderate sum, that
Shafras suspected that they had not been honestly come
by, and told him to call again, as he had not the money
in the house. The Affghan, fearing Shafras was going
to act with treachery towards him, left the place and
could not again be found, although the three brothers
made every search for him. Some years afterwards the
elder brother met the man at Bagdad, who told him
that he had just sold all bis precious stones for 65,000
piastres and a pair of valuable horses. Shafras had
the residence of the purchaser, who was a Jew, pointed
out to him, and he went to him and offered him double
the price be had given for them, but was refused. The
three brothers then agreed to murder the Jew and
rob him of his purchase, which they did, and on
the following day poisoned the Affghaes, and threw
both the bodies into the river. A dispute soon
atter arose between the brothers as to -the dieision
of the spoil, which terminated in Shafras getting rid of
his two brothers by poison, after which he fled to Con-
stantinople, and thence to Holland, where ho made
known the riches he possessed, and offered them for sale
to the different courts of Europe. Catherine 11. pro.
posed to buy the Moon of the Mountains only. Shafras
was requested to come to Russia, and he was introduced
to the court jeweller. The terms demanded by Shafras
were—letters of nobility, a life annuity of 10,000
roubles, and 500,000 roubles payable by weekly in-
stalments in ten years. Cunt Panin, who was then
minister, delayed the settlement of the bargain as long
as possible, and in the meantime had the Armenian
led into such extravagances that he fell into debt, and
when the minister found that he bad no means of
paying what he owed he abruptly broke off the nego-
tiation. Shafras, according to the laws of the country,
could not leave until his debts should be paid, and the
court jeweller prepared to take advantage of his ern-
bairessinents, and intended that the diamond should
fall into his hands fora fourth of its value. Shafras, how-
ever, discovered the trap that had been laid for him, and
disposing of some of the less valughle stones among his
countrymen, paid his debts, and disappeared. Agents
were sent after him, who bad even orders to assassinate
and rob him, but he escaped time. Ten years after,
while he was at Astrakan, renewed offers were made to
him, but he refused to enter into any negotiations unless
the bargain should be settled at Smyrna. Catherine
accepted, and became the possessor of the diamond
for letters of nobility-600,000 roubles, and 170,000
paper roubles, making together about two and a half
millions of francs. Shafras, not being able to return to
bis country, where he would have had to give an ac-
count of two homicides and two fratricides; fixed himself
at Astrakan, where he married a countrywoman of his,
and had seven daughters. One of his sons-in-law poisoned
him for the sake of possessing his share of his pro-
perty. The immense fortune which the murderer had
acquired (from ten to twelve reillions) was divided, and
soon spent, by his successors and several of the grand-
children of Shafras are now living at Astrakan in abject
misery.