The Sun.
London, England, 1868-09-24 00:00:00

A HINT FOR ENGLISH FARMERS.

The opinion is vei y prevalent (the Daily News observes)
that it is advantageous to reap corn before it is completely
ripe, or at least that no loss is likely to accrue from
early reaping. Those who advocate this course point
out that the fully ripened grain is easily shaken out of
the ear, and thus a certain loss is experienced. This
does not happen when the grain is still soft, when also
it is in a milky state, yellow, larger, and heavier.
It is argued, further, that when the corn is reaped
early the straw is better fitted for the use of
cattle. M. Isidore Pierre, professor of chemistry at,
Caen, and well known for his important botanical
and agricultural researches, has subjected the question of
early reaping to a very simple and satisfactory test, with
the result of shewing that the farmer commits a great
mistake who reaps his corn before it has reached maturity.
From the same field he cut a certain quantity of ears of
corn on the 6th, 11th, 15th, 20th, and 25th of July in the
present year, extending his operations on each occasion
over an equal space of ground. On the Gth the corn was
rapidly increasing, on the 25th it was perfectly ripe, and
was, in fact, being reaped in the usual course. M. Pierre
carefully dried the corn he had thus collected, and
then compared the several lots by weight. The result was
remarkable. The weight of the corn reaped on the Gth
was little more than half that of the corn reaped on the
25th, the exact proportion being 15 to 27. The corn
reaped on the other days exhibited a progressive increase
of weight as the date of reaping was later and later. M.
Isidore Pierre calculates from the results of his experiment
that during the three weeks preceding the arrival of the
corn at a state of perfect maturity, the crop experiences a
daily increase of one hectolitre per hectare, the weight of
a hectolitre being one kilogramme. Hence, for every day
by which the date of reaping precedes the date at
which the corn arrives at perfect maturity, the farmer
suffers a loss of about twenty francs per hectare. Since a
hectare contains about two acres and a half (more exactly
2.471 acres), it follows from M. Pierre's calculations that
the loss for every day corn is reaped earlier than the full
period of maturity is nearly 7s. per acre. But this is not
the only disadvantage which results from early reaping.
During the last few days before the corn reaches
a state of perfect maturity, important chemical
changes are taking place in the state of the
grain. These changes are of such a character as
to render the corn day by day better fitted for our use.
Grain which has not become perfectly ripe is deficient in
nitrogenous substance and phosphoric acid, and less able,
therefore, to serve as a heat-supplier and flesh-former.
Attention is also drawn to certain important conclusions
respecting the cultivation of wheat experimentally esta-
blished by Professor Church. He found that an average
increase of about thirteen shillings per acre in the return
may be obtained by submitting the seed-wheat to a
process of selection, founded on the following observed
facts :—First, seed-wheat of the highest specifio
gravity produces seed-wheat of similar quality; secondly,
seed-wheat of the highest specific gravity yields the largest
amount of dressed corn ; thirdly, seed-wheat of medium
specific gravity generally gives the largest number of
ears, but the ears are poorer than those from seed-wheat
of higher specific gravity ; fourthly, seed-wheat of medium
specific gravity generally produces the largest number of
fruiting plants ; and, fifthly, seed-wheat of a less specific
gravity than 1.247 (the specific gravity of water being 1)
are of very little value, yielding on an average only
34.41 b. of dressed corn for every 1001 b. yielded by seed
of the highest specific gravity. Professor Church pointed
out that a very high standard of specific gravity is not
required to secure the extra return ; the exclusion of
about 20 per cent. of the seed-wheat would in general be
sufficient for the purpose, nor would the process of selec-
tion be difficult or expensive. Professor Church also
pointed out that "an acclimatised seed-wheat yields a
heavier crop than wheat grown under different conditions
of climate and soil."

SEVENTY-SEVEN SHEEP KILLED BY LIGHT•
NING.—On Sunday night last a terrific thunderstorm
passed over the centre of Wiltshire, and on Cheverell
77 sheep, the property of Mr. Robert Hooper, were killed
and three sheep were wounded.

FIRE AT A SHEFFIELD MUSIC HALL.--On Monday
evening part of the scenery at the Pavilion Music Hall,
Sheffield, caught fire during the performances. A panic
at once ensued among the audience, and a rush was made
for the entrance. Fortunately nobody was injured, and
the fire was extinguished after causing only slight damage.
-

On Tuesday morning Mr. Slater, of the firm of Slater
Brunt, and Co., Borussia Steel Works, Shoreham-street,
was shot by his partner, Mr. Brunt, in the office,
where a dispute would seem to have arisen between
them. Mr. Brunt fired a pistol loaded with shot at Mr.
Slater, at three or four yards' distance. The pistol was
aimed obliquely, or the effect must have been fatal. As it
was, most of the shots entered the wall behind Mr. Slater,
but he was badly wounded. Immediately after firing Mr.
Brunt gave himself up to the police. For soma time past he
has been suffering from cerebral and nervous excitement aris-
ing from over-application to business. A short time ago he
made an attempt on his life; up to this time he was a
preacher among the Methodists. lie is stated to be a man
of very temperate habits—indeed a teetotaller.

THE,QUEEN'S VISIT TO SWITZERLAND.—an inha-
bitant of Switzerland writes to the Salut Public of Lyons
in these words :—" An article appeared some days past in
several Paris journals mentioning that Queen Victoria
felt much annoyed during her stay at Lucerne, it,
consequence of the uproar caused near her Majesty's
villa by persons playing at skittles, and this, too, on a
Sunday. The paragraph added that the Queen's request
to put a stop to the noise was not attended to. All this
account is completely erroneous. I wrote to Lucerne to
make inquiries on the subject, and have just lea,rne
from a sure source, namely, M. Pfifler, proprietor of the
villa in which her Majesty remained, that every regar
due to her rank was shewn, and that on the Sundays
especially great tranquillity reigned in the neighbourhool
of the royal residence, not broken by the sounds of any
game whatever. This declaration of my correspondent has
been confirmed by a countryman who was at Lucerne
during the Queen's sojourn. •As a native of Switzerland 4
cannot permit such 44 moneoue imput4;92u to incumb on
my cp.nntry.."_.;