Wynn had paid him. He must include the gentlemen inning, the resistless might of steam, they scatter abroad light, this neighbourhood and district, the gentlemen who had so nobly come forward with subscriptions when it was necessary to obtain a large fund to enable the Society to hold a great meeting. The local committee must also be included, and also the honorary secretary, who had made such perfect arrangements for the comfort of the visitors, and he begged to thank those gentlemen connected with the railways for the liberality with which they have made preparations for the accommodation of the public. As to the agriculture of the neighbourhood, he (the Mayor) would claim credit to the Cheshire farmer. It was a trite saying that he who made two blades of grass to grow in the place of one, was a benefactor to mankind, and the Cheshire farmer, by the free use of bone manure on farms that at one time fed only twenty head of stock, now fed forty (Hear, hear). During the last week, they had seen trials of steam ploughing. Those trials had not been decisive, but he hoped the makers would go on, and improve their machinery. When a boy, he had been obliged to pay a £5 note to travel to Westminster School in twenty hours, but since he had had the honour of being connected with the Royal Agricultural Society, he had travelled to London in 4 hours and 50 minutes, for one guinea. He, therefore, called on the makers of steam implements not to rest satisfied until they had brought out a machine which would do the work in one-fifth the time and at one-fifth the cost. Earl Powis proposed "Agriculture, Manufactures, and Commerce." It was to their manufactures they were indebted for their richness, while it was to the other branches of the community they were indebted for the consumption of their commodities. Long might the union between agriculture, manufactures, and commerce continue, like the three Graces of old, who were united by one common bond of amity and love (cheers). Sir E. KERRISON proposed the health of the Labourers of England, a toast which was never received in any part of the kingdom but with the greatest applause. They had seen the animals in the show to-day, but they should not forget that it was mainly to the labourers they were indebted to the care with which they had been tended. He would ask them to whom were they indebted for the means by which the stock had been brought to them by the railways? why it was the labourer of England, and if there were any means of repaying them, it would be by elevating their social condition. They wanted to advance him in his social condition, and if he remained in their neighbourhood, and agriculture advanced in improvement, then the labourer should keep pace with that improvement. There was another subject to which he wished to allude, and if they wished to improve the labourers, they should so far improve their dwellings, that when they came home to a comfortable house they should have no desire to leave it. "The labourers of England." M. de TREHONNAIS said, the toast I have to propose is, "The Railways." If our age wanted an appropriate emblem to stamp its peculiar character in the annals of history-if a great fact was wanted-who, among the living generations of mankind, would for a moment hesitate to proclaim with grateful and exulting acclamations, the word "railways," a mighty engine of peace, civilization, and progress. Like living arteries, they propel through the land life, judgment, and activity. They equalize the remunerations of our labour and industry by bringing the best markets to the door of our barns and the gates of our paddocks. With the swiftness of light knowledge, and morality. They bring near distant men and things; they throw the broad light of comparisons into hidden corners, and deep-rooted prejudices which, beneath their benign influence, melt like the wintry snow before the beams of the spring sun; and raising our speculations to a more solemn and more exalted sphere, are they not the mighty instruments of God's providence, in promoting grace and good-will among men by fostering general acquaintances and connections between communicaties, and bringing within the ready reach of our wants and comforts all the treasures and luxuries which nature, the work of his almighty hand, has so bountifully scattered in endless profusion and variety all over the world? If as members of the great human family, we are bound to revere this toast with an enthusiasm commensurate with its merits, are we not more so, as agriculturists, as Englishmen or foreigners, and especially as members of the Royal Agricultural Society? Without the existence of railways, could the truly magnificent spectacle we now contemplate under the ancient walls of this city, have been displayed to our delighted admiration? Could the vast concourse of people which have flocked from this densely-populated neighbourhood, from your blue Celtic hills, and even from foreign lands, have gathered together within the frail enclosure which contains such valuable riches? And, lastly, let us contemplate with a moment's thought, the great influence this spectacle cannot fail to exert over the agricultural population of this district-an influence which, without the existence of railways, would have been confined and narrowed into a limited circle (loud cheers). Mr. TITHERINGTON, as Chairman of the Birkenhead Company, acknowledged the toast, and expressed a hope that the railway companies would take lessons from the Royal Agricultural Society in the united manner in which its efforts were carried out. Mr. JOHN FOWLER, juu., proposed the "Stewards and Judges of the Show." In his opinion, the duties of the judges, at the present show, had been performed in a very satisfactory manner. Mr. BRANDRETH GIBBS responded to the toast, and traced the operations of the Society year by year, showing that the Society was in a very promising condition. In answer to a call from the Chairman, Mr. SHACKEL, as one of the Judges, stated his opinion that the improvements in machinery were very great, and he hoped before long to see steam power used in ploughing. He and others had been for the past few days examining implements for agricultural purposes, and it was for them to say which was the best means of cultivating the land, and it would be for them to decide which was the best mode of farming, but he must think steam power would be a great boon to the farmer. Before leaving home, he had mowed 20 acres of oats, which by this time had been harvested; and, instead of paying 5s. an acre, it did not cost him more than 1s. 6d. to 1s. 8d. Mr. Shackel concluded by bearing testimony to the desirability of giving comfortable cottages to farm labourers, seeing that they would, as it were, have an interest in the farm, and do their work all the better. Lord DELAMERE proposed "The Health of the Duke of Marlborough, the President-elect." A domestic affliction had prevented his Grace from attending, but it was to be hoped he would carry out the office as well as it had been carried out during the past year. The CHAIRMAN said it had slipped his memory to thank the cheese-makers, but he would thank them now most heartily for the cordial manner in which they had received the Royal Agricultural Society during the present meeting. There can be no doubt that the high prices of labour, rent, manure, taxes, and rates are the principal evils with which the agriculturist has to contend, and it is to a reduction in these particulars that he must look for relief. In the present article it is not, however, our intention to dwell upon the by-gone question of free-trade in corn, or argue the repeal of the malt-tax, still less to discuss the present system of taxation; but merely to give a brief statement of what farming was sixty-six and thirty-six years ago. It would be a work of supererogation to point out what it is at the present day, for the reader will probably be more conversant with the subject than the writer, whose live stock (to quote the lines of Sheridan) consists of a pony and a pointer, and whose land may be found in the mignonette-pots outside his window. Being, however, of an inquiring mind, I have taken the trouble to refer to documents of former times; and being in possession of the accounts and expenses incident to a farm which has been held by a friend of mine since the year 1790, I purpose laying before my readers an account of the prices of grain and labour, of the expense of cultivating a given portion of the land in 1792 and 1822, and of rent paid and poor-rates levied on the farm in question. This farm, I must premise, is about 300 acres, of which about 180 acres are under the plough; the remainder upland pasture. First, then, the rent was per annum— In 1792........ £300.... Poor-rates...... £ 30 It was free of great tithes. Prices for labour paid in 1792 and 1822 were 100 AS IT WAS. LORD WILLIAM LENNOX. 32 2 6 Poor-rates.. 1 10 0 3 6 5 1 10 £48 12 6 2 3 1 6 1 8 Sold 35 qrs., at 20s. 6d. per qr... 1 0 6 Deduct 10 0 1822. In 1792 the average price of wheat was 43s. per quarter, but Ditto, new white I am unable to lay my hand upon that of rye, barley, and oats. I therefore proceed to the average price of the following description of produce for December, 1821, and following months: ........ 25 to 28 In APRIL the highest price of the best wheaten bread throughout the metropolis was 94d. the quartern loaf of 4lbs. 5 ozs. In mutton there was a slight increase, and a reduction in veal. Lamb sold at 6s. to 8s. per stone. In MAY hay advanced to 66s. to 80s., clover 75s. to 87s., and straw 268. to 36s. per load. Pork was reduced to 28. 8d. to 4s., and lamb to 4s. to 5s. per stone. On JUNE the 7th bread and wheat remained as per last, Barley, beans, and peas rather increased. The price of meat was as follows: Per stone of 8lbs. Hay. Straw. 2 MEAT. Beef 4 0 Average price of wheat in December, 1856, was 59s. 8d. per quarter. Between that month and September, 1857, the lowest price was 538. 2d. in April, and 628. 7d. in July, 1857. The price of meat for the same period was as follows:Beef, prime large ox, 4s. 2d. to 4s. 8d.; mutton, prime Southdown, 48. 10d. to 5s. 10d.; pork, neat small porkers, 49. 8d. to 5s. 2d. per stone. MALT AND HOPS. As the main staple in the production of our malt liquors is grain, the statistical parliamentary papers recently issued relative to brewing and distillation are deserving of notice and analysis. One return issued last month furnishes us with details of the number of persons engaged in brewing, or in the sale of beer. From this statement we learn that there are in the United Kingdom 2,453 licensed brewers, of whom 2,217 are in England. 83 of these carry on business in London. Manchester stands first in the number of provincial brewers, 102 being returned for that district; Cambridge ranks second, having 92. Then follow Surrey, 79; Liverpool, 77; Durham, 76; and Hants, Hull, and others gradually smaller. Passing to Scotland, we find there are 129 brewers, the principal locations being Edinburgh and Stirling-21 each; Haddington, 16: then follow Ayr, Dumfries, Aberdeen, &c. Ireland has 107 brewers: of these 14 carry on business in Dublin, 12 at Naas, 9 at Newry, and 8 at Waterford. But besides these brewers par excellence, we have in the United Kingdom 91,484 licensed victuallers, of whom 25,143 brew their own beer. About 39,600 beer retailers, who are licensed to sell their beer to be drunk on the premises, and of these 12,000 make their own beer; and 820 out of 2,743 beer-shop keepers, who have no licences for drinking on the premises, also brew beer. Last year's return shows a slight decrease on these numbers, the A second return, however, places the consumption of lows: England 4,142,587 qrs. Now, taking the average of a quarter of malt for 3 England Ireland Total 13,669,929 This decrease would seem to arise from a greater degree of temperance in the consumption of fermented and distilled beverages, for it is not counterbalanced by any increase in the manufacture of British spirits, or in the imports of wines and foreign spirits. The value of the beer and ale exported has largely increased, keeping pace with the emigration of our countrymen. The value has risen from £229,824 in 1835 to £558,794 in 1850, and £1,592,130 in 1857. Compared with other countries, our drinking propensities, thirsty souls as we are represented to be, is exceedingly moderate. Although our consumption of beer is comparatively large, yet ardent spirits is proportionately less indulged in than in many countries. Five thousand gallons of distilled liquors are stated to be used daily in California, or the sixth of a gallon per head per diem. In New South Wales the consumption to each man, woman, and child is 3 gallons of spirits, 24 gallons of wine, and 6 gallons of malt liquor per annum; in Victoria 6 gallons of spirits, 3 gallons of wine, and 4 gallons of malt liquors; while in TasIn the United Kingdom Equal to the average consumption per head is about one gallon Viewed relatively in the proportion of malt made, the consumption of beer and ale per head would be as follows, in the three countries, after allowing for the beer exported, which we will even assume to be all English make: ENGLAND.-Malt made (deducting therefrom that re- SCOTLAND.-No certain criterion can well be arrived annum. Belonging properly to this inquiry would be the cor In the United States, the proportion of grain used for malting and distillation, according to the last census, was as follows in round numbers: 11,000,000 bushels of distilled Indian corn, or in the ratio of 1 in 54 to the whole crop; 3,200,000 bushels of rye, or 1 in 5 bushels; 57,000 bushels of oats, or 1 in 2,618 bushels; barley malted 3,788,000 bushels, or 3 in 5 bushels, and 1,294 tons of hops malted. The products from these were 44,134,000 gallons of whiskey, 6,500,000 gallons of rum, and 1,778,000 gallons of ale; and considerable quantities of beer, wine, and spirits are also imported. There are two other Parliamentary returns bearing on the subject under notice, which relate to the culture and trade in hops. By one of these, we find that the number of acres under culture in hops last year was 50,975, and that 47,717,561lbs. were charged with duty; the total sum realized being £417,526, at an average of £8 33. 9d. per acre. The exports of Britishgrown hops last year amounted to 1,450,104lbs., and of foreign hops 375 ewts. We imported of foreign hops, in 1857, 18,711 cwts., of which 14,426 cwts. were entered for home consumption at the duty of £2 58. the cwt.; and there were in bond on the 1st of January this year 9,873 cwts. of foreign hops. NUTRITION OF PLANTS. INFLUENCE OF THE PHOSPHATE OF LIME OF MANURES UPON VEGETABLE PRODUCTION. Translated expressly for the "Mark Lane Express” from the French of Boussingault. In a paper communicated to the Academy of Sciences at the meeting of the 11th of May last, I showed the influence which the soluble nitrogen of manures exercises upon vegetable production, when it is united with phosphate of lime and alkaline salts; but to appreciate completely the importance of calcareous salt, there remained to determine how a nitrogenous manure would act upon vegetation without the help of phosphate of lime. To clear that point, I have cultivated plants in a soil of pure and calcined quartz, to which had been added either nitrate of potash or carbonate of ammonia, taking care to remove every trace of phosphate. As the cultivation of these plants was to take place in the open air, it was necessary to determine the share which the soluble nitrogenous principles of the atmosphere should bring into the results, by cultivating comparatively in a soil destitute of organic matters the same kind of plants which were to be grown with the exclusive help of the nitrate of potash or the ammoniacal salt. I took advantage of that necessity to study with the greatest attention the gradual development of Helianthuses, when, on account of the absolute bareness of the soil upon which they grew, they absorbed from the atmosphere all the elements of their organization. I showed in my first paper, that in such conditions of existence, a plant, endowed at first with a certain vigour, rapidly fades and declines as soon as the cotyledons are withered; then the green parts become discoloured, the leaves that first opened fading away as soon as new ones appear. From that time it is easily perceived that new organs are formed at the expense of others that wither and die. These are the true signs that there is no manure in the soil. It appeared to me interesting to determine the weight of the matter developed at the various phases of that languishing and sickly vegetation in a plant, whose diseased condition is not perhaps without some analogy to that languid state to which young animals are reduced from want of proper nourishment. FIRST EXPERIMENT.-Vegetation of Helianthuses in the Open Air, in a Soil of Calcined Quartzy Sand, containing Phosphate of Lime and Vegetable Ashes. Four flower-pots, previously washed and calcined at a red heat, were filled up with the prepared soil. In each of them, No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, two seeds of Helianthuses, weighing 1.732 grains, were deposited. Twenty-one days after, the plants were about 3 inches in height; the two first leaves were developed; the second leaves commenced to appear; the cotyledons were of a pale green colour. The plants in pot No. 1 were removed: after being dryed, they weighed 4.7275 grs. The two plants, the flower-pot, and the soil were then analyzed, and the following quantities of nitrogen were found. In the two plants. Total..... In the seeds there was... Gain in nitrogen during twenty-one days of Nitrogen. Grains. 0-05115 0.00279 0-05394 0-05146 0-00248 0.00124 in pots Nos. 2, 3, and 4 were about 4 in. high. The After thirty-one days' growth, the plants remaining second leaves were developed; the cotyledons discoloured and withered; the third leaves were spotted at their extremities. The plants in pot No. 2 were removed, and after being dried, weighed 6-0450 grs. The soil and the plants were analyzed as before, and gave the following results: In the two plants ...... .... Total... In the seeds there was. Nitrogen gained in thirty-three days of vege tation in the open air, by the two plants.. Nitrogen. Grains. 0-05015 0.01829 0-06844 0-05146 001698 0-00849 Nitrogen gained in fifty-two days of vegetation, by something less than plants in pot No. 3, removed twenty Analysis as before brought out the following results : |