The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-11-11

iation than now exist France, he says, may double
her population, when she shall have learned how 70
cultivate her SOIL Spain Portugal, Prussia, Poland,
may triple theirs, and Turkey and Russa increase
theirs tenfold; and then he enters mnutey into the
details of the manifold errors which, IN agriculture
prevent the soil from rendering all the riches man
has bu, 70 demand from it.
Out OF Europe, M de Lavergne gives the highest
praise to America, and occupies himself naturally
enough with the present state OF Algeria. Last
year, above and beyond her own consumption, Alge
ria exported 100000 hee.olitres of wheat 500 900
hectolitles of barley 100000 kilogrammes Of -Four
and 900 900 kilogramiGes OF bread and biscuit
dy made. :" la ITSELF says the writer, this may
he little; but We must remember that, few years
ago. Algeria imported all her food" Another ad
vantage, too, is that the Algerian harvests take
place early in June, thus coming beforehand with
the mother country, should she need supplies Cot
ton and silk, too, come remarkably fine from this
part OF Africa, but there seem to be doubts as to
either OF these products being made available in any
important quantities for trade. Here, owing to eli
mate and oidestablished customs the laborer fails
and this colony, easily rich in what touches paso-
raj or agricultural wealth. will find, probably, great
difficulty in bringing to any degree OF developement
what requires any manual labor. Corn, WOOD, Oh,
and cattle, these are what M. de J4avergne looks
upon as the grand staple commodities Of Algeria
and he says when the Arab shall have learned what
the culture of grass means, and what the value Of
hay is, the Algerian markets may furnish half Eu-
rope with butchers meat.
The last ten pages of the article auude to are
consecrated to the examination OF machines for
and distinctly point out the inappcabty OF certain
superexcelent processes adopted by our agricutur-
lists to the culture OF land go subdvided that often
full-szed patent ploughshare would be hardly able
to turn round in the whole extent OF mans corn
field. The benefits of irrigation and draining are
counteracted in the same way, and rendered equally
inapplcable in many instances. Besides this the
state of the soil itself requires immense improve
ment before these are to be thought Of with land
iii titled and i'll manured, is land in France, at
least for q good three-quarters, says our author,
we should, from even the best draining system get
but comparatively insignificant results"
The aim of NJ de Lavergne is twOIold:-- First, to
infuse into his countrymen the desire of throwing
their capital plentfuly into the soil itself, and with
the conviction that agriculture is the genuine, the
indestructibe wealth and power of country; and
next to persuade agr :uturiss that two things alone
are unprecedented and meat, corn and hay. Corn
in all its varieties, and forage, are, as he repeats
over and over again, the marrow and sinews of
people; they represent Bread meat, population,
health, strength-and compared TO them, what he
calls the Industrial cultures, superfutes, 1bjes
de fantastic. Abiding to the present almeatary
good. Ihope, for the future the folly will be felt Of
taking capital away from agriculture. Heaven send
that the intensity OF the evil bring reaction.
vast place is open to agricultural enterprise on one
hand, corn and meat beyond all price on the other
hand, dirt cheap, and new processes Of culture OF
hundred sorts all found good in practice. If one
day capital returns to the SOIL and its application be
guided by the new discoveries of science, we shall
unsuspected and, defyng the variability of seasons
even, shall assurediy repeat, which recalling the
distress which provoked late return TO the beue
fits Of agriculture out of evil comes good.
From the London News oct. T.
Are we to have Maine Liquor law in England
We ask tue question or the simple reason that the
advocates of such law arc taking position which
will force the Legislature to enter at least, into an
examination of their claims. II may be very posi-
la hiatt hara areiu all
social condition, which will Interfere with ire
sistble power TO prevent the enactment OF such law
that established in Maine, but it is no less true
that the advocates Of such an enacment are prepar
ing with no slight degree Differentiation, to make
light OF such obstacles Sir Walter Trevelyan, who
presided on Wednesday over a meeting at Manches
ter Of the council OF 1.-The Unided Kingdom Alliance,
for the total and immediate legislative suppression
Of the liquor traffic. told his numerous auditors
that the movement had made considerable progress
during the past year. and That nc congratu-
lated the council on the attacks made them
(which had proved useful to them" The report OF
the council spoke largely aud scoaiidenty Lof the
adhesion OF persons OF note to their cause and o. the
general persuasion amongst judicial authorities that
legislative interference would be necessary to check
the fearful consumption of spirits which led to The
frequent commission OF awful crime. Mr. Laurence
Hcywolth, the chairman OF q subsequent meeting
at The theatre in the evening, felt that the men
of Manchester would soon call upon the Legislature
10 prohibit the sale of Intoxicating drinks. Several
peTsons sent apologies for absence; amongst whom
was Mr.. W. j. Fox, of Oldham, who said that, iii
proposed in Parliament he should cheeriu!'y sup
port fair and full inquiry into the 7Dera-
ton Of the Maine law in America, an. thai
of restrictive legislation in this country" We
could give several other instances Of the import
which the subject is assuming III public estfma
ton. We are willing 10 confess that there are cir
crmstances which throw into strong light the adj
vantages which would result from the total absti-
hence from Intoxicating liquors There's more mo
ney paid for drink than is paid in taxes Ii wretch
ir,tf FOR hal tpttrf
lie certain he is drunkard. Drunkenness pauper>
ises large portion OF our population, prevents the
OF the efforts Of philanthropsts enpties
cur schools, and fills PRISONS Ii the Maine law
were synonym for successful mode OF preventing
drunkenness, we might, although having much even
then to urge against its enactment, reconcile our
selves TO see it become the law Of the country The
success of the law would perhaps, countefbaance
some defects in ii which seem to Us TO lin against
the first principles Of moral independence.
But would it succeed? No argument can &C
drawn from the small experience which we have
had OF its effects in the government OF Maine. No
| statistics can be relied on which do not carry us
| through period OF some years. II we were TO con
| fine attention To the time OF Father Mathew 5
minstrations in Ireland, in endeayoring TO make up
our minds as to the efficacy Of the Temperance
movement, we might he inclined TO ascribe Ia that
movement an efficacy which subsequent experience
has in no degree confirmed. IL will be much more
10 the purpose il we examine what has been
the effect OF aDtecelent measures which nave
had the same tendency as prohibitlve laws, and
inquire how far they have been successful. Per
| haps no example Of this nature can be more
pregnant than that Of the operation o. the
Irish distillery laws, rs they existed some years
! back. These laws not enacted, indeed for the
| purpose Of checking drunkenness. They were In.
tended solely for the protection of the revenue. Bat
their effect was TO make the price of good spirits
dearer, ard their acquisition difficult. The
government, in order to facilitate the collection of
| The revenue, multiplied means for throwing the
trade into the hands of the great capitalists For the
4 san crr
made, interfering with the free action of the manu-.
iac'urer. All this tended to increase the price OF
spirits aud consequently encouraged the Of Illicit
processes. The result was that |" Parliament whskey"
stunk in the nostris of the Irish population. Here
surely was an end which tectoalism will never attain.
lftbe tcetotasts could create in the minds of drunk
ards disgust for the liquor offered " them for sale by
they might obtain their ends AZ efectuay as by lie.
gisatye interference. II all the gin in all the public
houses in England were tomorrow raised in price