The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-22 00:00:00

AN OPERATIC DE IfONST RATION.

A. private letter rom Sienna, of the 10th inst.,
gives the following account of a demonstration
there in favour of the celebrated artiste Maria
Piccolomini

" SVe left Florence 'yesterday to be present at the
benefit of Piccolomini before her departure for Mantua
and Paris. A great many Florentines were with us,
bound on the same errand as ourselves, and the railway
station was positively encumbered with bouquets of white
and red camelias, ordered by her admirers, said 'o have
been to the value of more than $lOO. The theatre was
densely crowded ; every passage was choked by pedple
who could not find sta,miog room in the pit—far more, iu
fact, than the house was ever intended to hold. The opera
was Verdi's "Trovatore." After the fir:tee:Abe people lost
all control over their feelings ; they continued constantly
applauding their favourite before the curtain, and shower-
ing bouquets at her feet. This was repeated at the con-
clusion of each act, and at the finale it appeared as if
they never would cease. For half an hour she was
obliged to remain and receive this boisterous homage.
She was deluged with bouquets, crowned with garlands,
and, amid waving of handkerchiefs, clapping of hands,
shouting of vicar, acconaputied with balloons sent from
the boxes, and gold leaf and ihwers thrown on the stage,
she was at length ado wed to retire, but not before the
lights were being extinguished. At the door she was
received by the gent'emen of Sienna with candle., who
formed a processio❑ to light her home, preceded by a
band of music. It was truly a rno,t intereting sight,
and one that must have been deeply felt by the person in
whose honour it took place."

THE ANTI-CHURCH-RATE PARTY AND
THE GOVERNMENT SOBEILE.

The view takes of Sir George Grey's proposals by the
Committee of the Society for the Liberation of Religion
from State patronage and Coutrol, will be seen from the
following resolution just passed by that body :
"That this committee, retaining the conviction, that
the entire repeal of the law of Church rates would be
most consistent with sound policy, and conducive to
the interests of religion, is earnestly desirous that the
bill introduced for that purpose should receive the sanc-
tion of the Legislature.
"That having examined the amendments in such bill,
of which notice has been given by the Home Secretary,
it finds that they, in effect, entirely abolish Church rates
iu a large number of parishes—give power to other
parishes to retain or to abolish them, at their discretion
—and, where rates may continue to be levied, exempt
from payment all who may think fit to declare them-
selves not to be members of the Church of England.
"That as these provisions are in harmony with, though
falling short of, the objtct aimed at by this committee,
and do not preclude further proceedings fur securing its
complete realisation, the committee deems it expedient
to support the Government in its efforts to carry the
bill, as so amended, through both Houses of Parliament.
"That in arriving at such determination, this com-
mittee holds itself at liberty, in the event of the rejection
of the measure, as so modified, to take any steps for
giving complete effect to the principle already affirmed
by successive and increasing majorities of the House of
Commons."

TEE CULTIVATION OF THE JERUSALEM

ARTICHOKE.

M. Belle, the secretary of the Agricultural and Sta.
tietical Society of Roanne (Loire), has just published a
report strongly recommending the cultivation of Jeru-
salem artichokes (helianthus tuberoses). It is. one of
the alimentary plants, he says, which requires the least
care, and it thrives in any climate er in any soil, the
only thing which injures it being excessive humidity.
Auy kind of manure is suitable for this tubercle, as it
draws the greater part of its nourishment from the air.
It is one of the vegetables which produce the most at the
least expense of manure or labour. Instaeces have oc-
curred of persons having derived a fair crop both of
roots and stalks on the same ground for thirty years
without any care or manure ; but if it be wished to
have an abundant crop, it is necessary that they should
be replanted, and the ground manure(' every two
With fifty kilogrammes of stable litter, 100 kilogrammesyears.
of tubercles may be obtained. The ground is pre-
pared just as for potatoes, and the mode of plantation
is the same, care being taken not to plant such tuber-
cles as are shrivelled. If they are large, they are placed
singly, but three or four small ones may be placed to-
gether. The time for planting is in March; they are
put down in rows, one metre apart, with a distance of
two teet between each root. The stalks and tubercles
are not gathered at the same time. When the stalks
are intended for dry forage they must not be cut until
the latter end of September. This operation is effected
with a strong reaping-hook with which they are cut,
and then tied up in bundles to dry. The digging up the
tubercles is dens in the same manner as fur potatoes
any time between September and A prig. Their remain-
ing in the ground the %hole winter does not injure
there, unless the weather should prove very wet. In
places where the Jerusalem artichoke is cultivated with
care, the average yield is about 27,061 kilogrammes per
hectare (2i acres). These tubercles are considered ex-
cellent food for mulch cows, to which they are given
mixed with beetroot, potatoes, and dry forage. Horses,
sheep, and all other animals also thrive well on them.
On being distilled 100 kilogrammes of this vegetable
yield 23 kilogrammes of pulp, and 5 litres 20 centilitres
of spirit of 90 degrees of strength.