250 Chronicles of Science. [April, 
for the utmost care being maintained in disinfecting every person, 
place, or thing that has once been in contact with the disease 
wherever it has unmistakeably declared itself. Sheds, utensils, 
recovered animals, clothes, yards, manure, must be carefully disin- 
fected or the plague will come again. 
The disease has at length everywhere created fright enough to 
ensure the adoption of careful measures, and a wholesome public 
opinion having at length grown up, has declared itself in extremely 
stringent legislation, and we may therefore hope with some reason 
that we shall be able at Midsummer to report a diminution of the 
lague, 
, “Among the other topics of agricultural interest which have arisen 
during the past quarter, we may name the first general attempt to 
collect the agricultural statistics of the country. Returns of the 
number of heads of various farm stock are being made this month 
by every occupier of land; and we shall soon know, with some 
degree of certainty, what are the numbers on which we depend 
for food, and what proportion to our actual stock is borne by the 
losses to which cattle plagues and other epizootics make us hable. 
A commencement haying at length been made, we may hope that 
measures will by-and-by be taken for ascertaining and publishing 
from year to year the food-producing power of the country in the 
other important departments of its agriculture. 
Mr. Alderman Mechi has read a paper before the London 
Farmers’ Club on the tillage of the country, in which he declares 
its insufficient depth and general lack of efficiency in order to the 
full development of fertility, Plants go great depths for their food ; 
and young crops are obviously benefited by hoeing and stirring the 
land during their growth, ‘These are the two facts on which he 
bases his argument for the greater depth and thoroughness of 
tillage operations. The extension of cultivation by steam-power is 
one chief end to be desired, as being in itself the principal means 
to the attainment of such fertility as thorough tillage can develop. 
Mr. Denton, C.E., and Mr. Grantham, C.E., have called atten- 
tion to the great need of storing up in country places, for farm and 
village use, the drainage-waters of the neighbourhood. The want of 
water in many places, especially where either deep clay or deep 
chalk exists, is a very heavy agricultural burden and a great social 
calamity ; and on both grounds the drainage-water, which is the 
very best available in such cases, ought to be stored in winter time 
against summer drought. The excessive rain-fall of the past season, 
following as it has two very dry summers, the difficulties arising 
from the drought of which will not soon he forgotten, makes the 
urgency of this question all the more apparent. 
The Educational Committee of the English Agricultural Society 
haye published the results of their first year’s experience. No fewer 
