[ 76 ] 
[Aug. 1, 
MONTHLY AGRICULTURAL REPORT. © 
— 
SINCE the 2d of the month, the wind 
has been in general Westerly, with 
almost daily showers, and, with few ex- 
ceptions, a mild temperature; in conse- 
quence, all the crops have, in various 
degrees, been benefited. From the 
drought and cold of last month the grass 
was exceedingly backward in growth, 
and the scythe was withheld, perhaps 
generally, in the hope of rain and increase 
of bulk, The rain has fallen propitiously, 
but with the drawback of unfavourable 
weather for haymaking. The quantity 
however, if not great, will, in the ultimate, 
be much greater than was expected last 
month. Take the country generally, and 
the crop both of wheat, spring corn, and 
pulse, will be considerable. Much smutted 
wheat is expected, from the nature of 
both the spring and summer _ seasons. 
The warm rains have promoted the growth 
of straw in the corn. Beans promise a 
great crop. The potatoe-plants were 
checked, and indeed injured, by the cold 
winds; but have recovered, and are ina 
very flourishing state, where kept clean 
and aerated by the hoe. It may prove 
an abundant crop, and reduce the price 
of wheat. Harvest will be three weeks 
later than last year. News from the bop- 
districts more favourable since the rains. 
The summer fruits are in universal plenty, 
although deficient in flavour, from too 
small a share of the genial solar heat. 
Autumnal fruits promise highly. In fine, 
after all the recited disadvantages of 
season, the present, it is now probable, 
will sustain the character of a fruitful 
year. Under such signal advantages, 
pauperism still disgraces the country. In 
districts where weeds are literally eating 
up the corn, the labourers have been 
compelled to apply to the overseers! An 
old Salopian Correspondent of these re- 
ports, on the foregoing topic, thus ex- 
presses himself: ‘God gave us a good 
country, but the devil sent public manage- 
ment.’ Wool sheared very badly, both as 
to quantity and condition; in a great 
measnre owing to defective English winter- 
treatment of the flocks, Pigs have re- 
ceded considerably from the late advance 
in price. A reduction of price, in all 
country-produce, may very well happen 
after harvest, the Peninsular war affording 
no longer any ground for speculation. 
We shall have no settled weather until 
the winds become more steady. Through- 
out the month, the wind has been shifting 
almost daily, between the S.W. and N.W. 
the temperature changing simultaneously, 
and affecting vegetation in opposite de- 
grees. ; 
Smithfield: —Beef, 3s. to 48s. 6d.—Mut- 
ton, 2s. 8d. to 4s, 4d.—Veal, 3s, to 4s. 6d. 
—Pork, 2s.6d.to 4s, 2d.—Lamb, as. 4d. 
to 4s. 6d.—Bacon, —.—Raw fat, 2s. id. 
per stone. 
Corn Exchange: — Wheat, 46s. to 70s. 
—Barley, 3is. to 58s.—Oats, 20s. to 32s. 
—London price of best bread, 4ib. for 
93d.—Hay, 95s. to 110s.—Clover, do. 
90s. to 130s.— Straw, 42s. to 54s. 6d. 
Coals in the pool, 29s. 6d. to 43s. Gd. 
Middlesex ; July 21. 
REPORT OF CHEMISTRY AND EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHY. 
—— 
R. JoHn Oxroryv has discovered, 
that naptha, or purified essential oil 
of coal-tar, on being saturated with chlo- 
rine gas, is changed from a yolatile toa 
fixed cil, of a claret-red colour; so much 
thickened, as to form a jelly in cold wea- 
ther; with this oil, two parts of white- 
lead, one of washed whitning, (or purified 
chalk,) and one part of the charcoal of 
coal-tar, are to be ground up together, and 
a paint formed. ‘Two coats of this paint 
will effectually protect wood-work from 
the attack of dry-rot, or other decay. 
Tarpaulins, and other canvass articles ex- 
posed to the weather, are alike preserved 
by it; and fences, or articles of iron, 
painted therewith, obstinately resist rust- 
ing, according to the allegements of the 
discoverer. 
A dark brown snake, 43 feet long, was 
lately killed at Natchez on the Mississippi, 
which had two short legs within eighteen 
inches of its tail; on which, when attacked, 
it reared itself three feet high for resist- 
ance. Another of the species was seen, 
This reptile unites the snake family with 
the lizard. 
The London Astronomical Society has 
awarded its gold medal to CHARLES BAB- 
BAGE, esq. for his very ingenious and im- 
portant invention of the application of ma- 
chinery to the computation of tables. 
Dr. BREWSTER, in some experiments 
which he has described to the Royal 
Society of Edinburgh, has discovered, in 
the numerous minute cavities within a 
specimen of the transparent mineral 
called chrysoberyl, a limpid fluid, which 
appears almost like water, at ordinary 
temperatures, and until the specimen be 
slightly heated, (as by enclosing it in the 
hand for some time,) to about 88° of Fah- 
renheit,. when the fluid rather suddenly 
expands, (30 times more so than water 
expands 
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