198 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



mcnse quantities aro made in Southwark, in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Ulvcistoue, and in North Wales, of Iieath 

 and bircli. In tlic United States the manufacture of 

 brooms from a b]).cie3 of millet-stalk, termed " I>raom 

 corn," has now become an immense trade; and they 

 are shipped to European and Australian markets, and 

 even to California. One firm in Albany ships 80,000 

 or 90,000 dozen annually : they are principally made 

 in Schenectady, New York State. In the Turkish town 

 of Adrianople as manj as half a million dozen of 

 brooms are sold annually, at 3s. a dozen. In Sardinia 

 there is a large manufacture of brushes from the 

 trilobo, or Piedmontese heath sprigs. 



Plaiting of straw, grasses, and chips into hats and 

 different articles for wear, is far from being confined 

 to Europe or to civilized countries. The art is indeed 

 found to obtain, in dilFerent degress of extent and ex- 

 cellence, in nearly every part of the world. In the 

 southern provinces of China, where in summer the 

 population use no other head-covering, and where the 

 mandarins wear those hats with tremendously wide 

 brims, the quantity of straw pluited is prodigious. 



" When on a journey," says Thunberg, " all the 

 .Japanese wear a conical hat, made of a species of grass, 

 plaited, and tied with a string." But, in addition to 

 this extensive use, the Japanese hardly ever wear any 

 shoes or slippers but such as are made of i)laited rice- 

 straw. They cost a mere trifle, are found exposed for 

 sale in every town and village, and the pedestrian sup- 

 l)lies himself with new shoes as he goes along, while 

 the more provident man always carries two or three 

 pairs with him for use, throwing them away as they 

 wear out. 



These details, in connexion with a perusal of the 

 paper we have referred to, which is ample and instruc- 

 tive in its details, will serve to impress upon us the 

 importance of treating nothing as insignificant. If a 

 dust-heap has been given as a noble fortune by a father 

 to his daughter ; if a waste collector in Paris can retire 

 with a competency, in a few years, from his gains; 

 and if a bone-dealer in our own metropolis can make 

 a princely income out of the utilization of this waste, 

 there is scope enough for others to enter upon the wide 

 field, inviting industry, thought, and skill. 



ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. 



A Monthly Council was held on Wednesday, the 

 2ad of February. Present : His Grace the Duke of 

 Marlborough, President, in the chair ; Lord Walsing- 

 ham ; Lord Feversham ; Lord Leigh ; Sir Charles G. 

 Morgan, Bart. ; Hon. Col. Nelson Hood; Hon. W. G. 

 Cavendish, M,P. ; Mr. Dyke Acland ; Mr. Amos; 

 Mr. Raymond Barker ; Col. Challoner ; Mr. Brandreth 

 Gibbs ; Mr. Fisher Hobbs ; Mr. Wren Hoskyns ; Mr. 

 James Howard; Mr. Hudson, of Castleacre ; Mr. 

 Wm. Ilutton ; Mr. Lawes ; Mr. Lawrence; Mr. Mil- 

 ward ; Mr. Pain ; Mr. Pope ; Mr. Shuttleworth ; Prof. 

 Simonds; Mr. Slaney, M.P. ; Mr. Banks Stanhope, 

 M.P. ; Mr. Thompson; Mr. Torr ; Prof. Voelcker; 

 Mr. Jonas Webb ; Mr. Wilson, of Stowlangtoft ; and 

 Mr. Fuller Mailland Wilson. 



The following new members were elected : 



Amhurst, W. T. Aiuhurst, Didliogton Park, Brandon. 



Anderton, George, Jan., Howdeu, Yorkshire. 



Bidgcr, W. H., Sjercote Manor, Tamworth. 



Baker, James, Drayton Baasett, Tamworlh. 



Birljorr, Robert, Holesworth Castle, Tatteuhall, Cheshire. 



Bloomer, (i. B . Moreton Hall, Chirk. 



Brooks, J. Msrshall, Mosley-street, Manchester. 



Brown, George, Riborougli House, Barnstaple. 



Bushell, Thomas Richard John, 1 17, Crawford-street, London. 



Byrd, Sampson, The Leese Farm, Statford. 



C inning, George Henry, SluLtcry, Stratford-ou-Avon. 



Cnapman, William, Cornhill, Ipswich. 



Corderay, Edward, 24, Tooley- street, Loudon. 



Crofts, Thomas William, I/iwford Hill, Rugby. 



D.'iichfieki, John, Aston Abbotts, Aylesbury. 



Bevas, Horace, Alvastoii Field, Derby. 



Deva9, Charles Frederick, Bromley Lodge, Kent, 



Dix, George W , Howden, Yorkshire. 



Green, Richard, Knighton, Radnorshire. 



(Jrillin, Alfred Wrlliam, IVIi Wall Hall, Market Drayton. 



Hiytcr, Tom John, West Woodgate, Salisbury. 



Hurlstone, William, Heathcote, Wa^pertoii, Warwick. 



Johnston, John Liudsay, Crondall, Faraham, Surrey. 



King, John G , Beever, Newbury. 



Lsne, John, Broom Court, Alcester. 



Legerton, John Stock, Shelfurd, Braintree. 



Moore, Thomas William, W^arham, Wells, Norfolk. 



Morris, Thomas, jun., Walcot Field, Lutterworth. 



Pain, John, Popbottom, Basingstoke. 



Plant, T. Berley, Sheftield. 



PettensoB, Captain W. H. T., Iborndeu, Biddenham, Bedford. 



Riley, Luke, Meriden, Coventry. 



Rist, Isaac, Tatlingstoue, Ipswich. 



Rogers, John Pope, Penrose, Helstone, Cornwall. 



Root, William, Chipping Warden, Banbury. 



Sharpe, William, Mavis Eoderby, Spilsby. 



Stedman, Joseph, Hall Green, Birmiugham. 



Stoneham, Frederick, Crayford, Kent. 



Strickland, J. W., Joyce Grove, Heuley-ou-Thamea. 



Sladen, St. Barbe, 4, Cranley-place, Brompton, Middlesex. 



Schwann, Frederick Sigismund, North Houghton Manor, 



Stockbridge, Hants. 

 Scoo'ies, Henry Basham, Fowle Hall, Brcchley, Kent. 

 Spofford, Edward, Boothby (JrafToc, Lincoln. 

 Starkey, Major, Wrenbury Hall, Naiitwich. 

 Tauner, Joseph, Mudeford House, Christchurch, Hants. 

 Thomas, Edward, The Farm, Bleddfa, Knighton, Radnorshire. 

 Townsend, Henry, Rydinghurst, Cranley, Surrey. 

 Worsley, John, Lower Clopton, Straiford-on-Avou. 

 Walliugton, George, Little Hill, Wellaboiirue, Warwickshire. 

 Watson, Charles, M.D., 27, Alfred-place, Bedford-square, 



I.>ondon. 

 Wemyss, Hoy, W^emyss Castle, N. B. 

 Willoughby de Broke, Lord, Compton Veruey, Warwick. 



Finances.— Mr. Raymond Barker, Chairman of the 

 Finance Committee, presented the report on the ac- 

 counts of the Society, from which it appeared that the 

 current cash-balance in the hands of the bankers was 

 £3,026. The Chairman further reported that the 

 authorities of Warwick had transmitted to the Society, 

 towards the expenses of the ensuing country meeting to 

 be held at that place, in the week commencing Monday, 

 the 11th of July next, a subscription of £1 ,500, which 

 was included in that general balance. He also laid on 



