The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-06-08 00:00:00

RE-APPEARANCE OF THE APHIS VASTATOR,

Our readers may probably remember that, some time
ago, in reviewing one of the quarterly publications, we
noticed particularly a work by Mr. Alfred Smee, in which
the origin of the potato disease was attributed to the ra-
vages of an insect called the aphis vast ator. Our opinion
was given with tolerable distinctness, that there was, at
least, a calorable ground for the conclusions arrived at by
Mr. Smee. The potato fields, he showed, were affected
with disease, and along with that disease the insect ap-
peared. The mode, too, in which the plant and root were
destroyed was consistent with the devastation which such
an insect would cause. It is therefore with great regret
that we hear of its re-appearance in the country, as an-
nounced in the following letter addressed to the editor of
the London Times ;

"SIRS I regret to announce that the aphis rastafor re ap-
peared last week upon the potato plant in every district round
London. At present it may be found sparingly upon the under
surface of the leaf, and though within the last few clays it has
multipliedtwentyfold, several plants must be examined before
it can be detected. _ _

" The hot weather is highly favourable to the rapid multipli-
cation of this pest, which, coupled with its early attack, must
lead us to have the worst apprehension for the crop this season.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant, " ALFRED SMEE.
" 7, Finsbury-circus, June 4."
Elsewhere in our columns will be found notices of the
alleged re-appearance of the disease itself in various parts
of the country, and contradictions of that fact, the latter
of which we incline to believe. The evidence, indeed, is
in favour of the belief that the crop) as yet, is sound ; and
Mr. Smee's announcement that the destroyer has just ap-
peared, does not militate against that evidence. But we
must not be sanguine that disease may not yet be in course
of growth. It would, perhaps, be worth the while of
horticulturists to examine the leaves of their plants, and,
should the insect be found upon them, to see whether any
chemical appliances can be used for its destruction.

ASSAULT.—Yesterday, at the Police-court, q young man
named Nicholas Ellard, was fined 40s. and costs, for
assaulting Mr. Inspector Chew.
COMMITMENTS FOR TRIAL AT THE SESSlONS.—Yester-
day were committed Margaret Burns, (alias Ryley), for
stealing a portable writing desk, the property of a person
named Thurstville; and Ann Cahill, for stealing on Thurs-
day night 12 sovereigns and £l2 in silver, from Thomas
German, by breaking open a trunk.
INQUEST ON A CHILD UNKNOWN.—Yesterday an in-
qnest was held on the body of a female child, unknown,
which was found on board of the ship Yorkshire, at the
Brunswick Dock on Saturday evening, by a police officer.
Mr. Woods, surgeon, examined the body, and found that
the cause of death was congestion of the lungs, the result
of natural causes.
THEFT FROM A SHor.—At the poliCe court yesterday
a woman named Mary Gannow was charged with stealing
three pieces of cotton and woollen plaid from the shop of
Mr. Lewis, Great George-street. The quantity was 18
yards, and it was worth £2. The prisoner, who was
taken into custody by a police-officer, on suspicion, had
taken the goods from the shop-door, at which they were
fixed by a chain. She was committed for trial at the
sessions. _ _

__THEFT BY A MAN AND A FEMALE SERVANT.—At the
Police-court, yesterday, a girl, named Margaret Dillon,,
aged about 16, and a man, were charged by the girl's
mistress, Mrs. Hodgson, who keeps a boot and shoe shop.
in Paradise-street, with stealing £4O in money, £33 in
gold and the remainder in silver. She had left the town
after the commission of the offence, and was apprehended
in Hollins Vale, near Bury. She had purchased a variety
of articles of dashing wearing apparel, &c., which were
produced in a new trunk. She had also taken a watch
and other articles. They were committed for trial.
FATAL ACCIDENT.—An inquest was held yesterday,
before the borough coroner, on view of the body of John
Ellison, aged forty-six, a labourer at Messrs. Fawcett and
Preston's foundry, in York-street. On Saturday after-
noon deceased went to a lathe which is worked by steam
power, for the purpose of wiping the " rest " of the ma-
chine. At the time there was a large piece of iron
revolving on the lathe, and while deceased was in the act
of wiping the rest, he placed his head too close to it, and
was drawn in by the machinery, and got his head com-
pletely crushed. There was no blame attributable to any
one. He was taken to the Southern Hospital, where he
died in an hour-and-a-half after the accident, from frac-
ture of the skull and face. Verdict, " Accidental death."
THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.—The weather for
the past week has, in this quarter, been rather propitious,
with strong sunshine generally through the day, and dew
in the mornings. The crops continue to look well and
promising : but in light and dry soils a fall of rain would
be highly advantageous, though the drought has scarcely
yet retarded vegetation. The wind has been variable,
and, during the last few days, rather strong, chiefly from
the northward. Some rumours that the blight has seized
breadths of the potatoes, in this vicinity, have received
no confirmation. Indeed, we never saw the crops of this
article generally look finer, and although it is possible
that, where the best seed has not been employed, some
future disease may appear, we deem it quite improper to
anticipate such an evil. There is, generally, a fine show
for fruit, and all kinds of garden stuffs.
OBTAINING NEWSPAPERS UNDER FALSE PRETENCES.
At the police-court yesterday, a boy who gave his name
as Henry Horan, alias Sheppard, was brought before Mr.
Rushton, charged by Mr. William Fell, clerk at the Li-
verpool Chronicle office, with this offence. It appeared
that on Saturday last prisoner went to the office, and ob-
tained four dozen of papers, by means of an order pur-
porting to be signed by Mr. Shephard, news-vender, Scot-
land-road. He returned in the course of the afternoon
for another lot, and being suspected, was apprehended.
Mr. Sheppard stated he was not acquainted with the pri-
soner, and that he had not signed the order, (produced.)
or authorised the boy to receive papers in his name. The
prisoner said that his father's name was Shephard, and
sold newspapers. This assertion did not extenuate the
offence, and the prisoner, (who we believe has obtained
papers in a similar manner from other offices') was corn.
mitted for trial at tile sessions.