Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-10-05
Our European Letter.
LONDON, Eng, September 20. 1881

LONDON, Eng, September 20. 1881.
This has been bad season for the bar
vest. Wheat is standing in the fields soak
ed with the continual rains, and if there is
not rapid change for the better there
will he many an acre unfit !or the barn or
Tor anything in the shape of food. Fortu,
nately, in some parts of the country the
brilliant weather of July matured the
crops early, and the farmers lost no time
in securing their harvests. Such was the
case in many parts of Norfolk, and the
consequence is that at Norwich Market
prices did not advance, while in many
places there was general rise, showing
what week or two of wet and stormy
weather will do in altering the price OF
food. Unquestionably prices will be high
all through the coming winter. Mean
while, many agriculturists are discussing
how they can in future provide against
these sudden changes of our tickle climate.
No doubt farmers have depended too
much upon the chances of fine week or
wo at harvest time, while those who study
the seasons declare that our climate is be.
coming even more changeabe tnan of old
They paint two facts-one week blazing,
another wintry and stormy. 1t would be
great boon, not only to the farmers, bur
70 all consumers If the crops could be
projected against these sudden changes
In the mountain valleys of the Tyrol.
switzerland, and elsewhere, raised scat
foldings are used, open at the sides, and
with light covering at the top. Into
these temporary but useful constructions
the crops are thrown as soon rs they are
cut, and lett to dry; because, as farmers
admit, dryuess is the great necessity. The
crops will be in good condition ifthey can
only be secured without damp, and, thus
oosely housed, will ripen Of themselves
Swiss and Bavarian farmers use these
contrivances for hay, as well rs more
valuable crops. and many acres are got
under cover in single fine day.
The saddest topic of the week is the lam
entable wreck of the steamer Teuton
which has been lost between Cape Town
md Agoa Bay. There were more than
two hundred passengers on board, and al
though, according to the later intelligence,
more lives have been saved than it was
anticipated would be the case on the first
receipt of the sad news, still the loss will
be great, probably two-thirds of the entire
passengers and over. Queens Point,
where the vessel grounded was known to
ne dangerous, for in 1875 fine vessel
he Celt belonging to the Union Comp,ny.
was lost at the same place. but all her
crew and passengers were saved
The pharmacists who lately assembled
in this city seem to have made little pro.
yress towards the establishment of an in
ternational pharmacopacia. The desira
hiltly OF instituting universally recogniz
ed classification Of patent drugs has long
been admitted by those whose business it
is to dispense them, and the chief difficulty
in the way of accomplishing the proposal
appears to be the settlement of the ques.
ton as to what language appears to grow
more and more averse to internationalism
Notwithstanding the remarkable scientific
progress which has characterized the las
century, it is remarkable that as soon a
the progress commenced the once universe
language of science was abandoned. Tn,
tendency clearly is, therefore, to discard
Latin altogether for scientific purposes
Yet. as one of the speakers at the lat
congress suggested. Latin would undoubt
odly DO the most convenient language tina
could be adopted for the internationa
pharmacopacia. The Russians would
doubtless, not object to the adoption of tn
French language, but probably the Ger
mans and certain of the Italians, woul
never consent TO it. II, therefore, tn
pharmacopacia in Latin at time whe
that language appears to be getting NOR
and more into disrepute with scientists