AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 197 



GOOD NEWS FROM ENGLAND. 



[London Farmers' Magazine, December 1858.] 



Not many years ago the landlord was simply the recipient of rent, with 

 very little knowledge of the details by which this rent was created. How 

 great is the change in all this ! It has come to pass with a rapidity almost 

 inconceivable — from the Prince Consort to the Governor of the Scilly 

 Islands — from the Woolsack to the youngest Bishop — from the Speaker to 

 the last Peer's son, borough born into the " House" — through every grade 

 of upper life, farming is a thing more familiar than the catechism — far 

 more generally practised than the Decalogue. 



I have seen Ireland's first Duke stand over a tank, on a model farm, ex- 

 quisite in its extreme filth, while one of England's best classic scholars, 

 eloquently, as a labor of love, gave to us the primary compounds of the 

 horrid composition. 



Vast progress is made — the beef, mutton and corn are now literally the 

 result of system based on pure science. Great improvement in tenants and 

 landlords. The care-worn soil may indeed deplore the days of long fal- 

 lows, easy farming — for it knoios no rest ! — but it is grateful. 



One article in the Journal impeaches the theory of close keeping of ma- 

 nures. Asserts that barn-yard manure exposed on the field to rain, snow, 

 wind and all weathers — bean straw serves that purpose as well — has in 

 every case proved superior to manure used in the ordinary way. This 

 clashes with the doctrines of chemistry. 



A farmer on the Wabash made 400 gallons of molasses from one acre of 

 Chinese sugar cane, this season. It is worth 50 cents a gallon ! 

 [AtheniEum, London, November 1858.] 



Van Thaer, founder of scientific agriculture in Germany — a monument is 

 being made. Statue of bronze, by Ranch, on a proper base. 



FAIRS. 



France has held twelve large ones since 1798 — that was attended by 110 

 exhibiters ; in 1819, there were 1,G62 exhibitors ; in 1819, 4,491 exhibit- 

 ers ; in 1855, 9,790. French exhibiters only. 



The Royal Agricultural Society of England, has held twenty consecutive 

 fairs from 1839 to 1858. 



A great Metropolitan exhibition of cattle and implements, is contem- 

 plated for 1861. 



The Royal Agricultural Society of England, ofi"ers the following prizes 

 for 1859 : 



1. Microscopic investigation — -fifty sovereigns for the best report on 

 the results of the microscopic observation of the vegetable physiology of 

 agriculture. 



3. Steam cultivation — twenty five sovereigns. 



4. Tillage, a substitute for manure — twenty sovereigns. 



5. Modifications of the four course system — twenty sovereigns. 

 7. Failure of the turnip crop — twenty sovereigns. 



