244 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Society in December last, it appears that the number of mem- 

 bers was 4,882. Its funded property about $4G,0u0. Its income 

 about $10,000 from subscriptions. 



Weekly meetings of Councils of the Royal Society are held in 

 London, at which from twenty to thirty or forty members are 

 attending. These Councils discuss all agricultural matters, much 

 in the same way as our Farmers' Club. 



The London Farmers' Magazine says, " that from the various 

 statements in history, it may be safely concluded that the discov- 

 ery of butter is attributable neither to the Greeks nor Romans, 

 but that the former were made acquainted with it by the Scythi- 

 ans, Thracians, and Phrygians, and the latter by the people of 

 Germany, 



It appears, says Beckman, that when they had learned the art 

 of making it, they employed it only as an ointment in their baths, 

 and particularly as a medicine. It is never mentioned by Galen 

 and others as food, though they have spoken of it as applicable to 

 other purposes. 



No notice is taken of it by Apicius, nor is" there anjthing said 

 in that respect by the authors who treat on agriculture, though 

 they have given accurate information regarding milk, cheese, and 

 oil. This may be easily accounted for by the fact that the an- 

 cients were entirely accustomed to the use of good oil. In like 

 manner butter is very little employed, at the present day, in 

 Italy, Spain, Portugal, and the southern parts of France, but is 

 sold in the apothecaries' shops for medicinal purposes. During 

 the ages of paganism, butter appears to have been very scarce in 

 Norway. Mention is made by liistorians of a present of butter so 

 large that a man could not carry it, and it was considered a very 

 respectable gift." 



It is a curious fact that the milk of mares and asses, though 

 considered to be highly nutritive, affords scarcely any cream. 



HIGH LIVING IN LONDON. 

 In the year 1363, an alderman had a dish of eels so cooked as 

 to cost $400. In 1550, at the annual Spittal feast, the cost to the 

 sheriff who gave it, for wine only, was more than $6,000. There 

 were drank, (best wines,) 48,000 bottles. In 1554 the common 

 council tried to restrain such intemperance and cost. So they 

 ordained that no mayor, sheriff, alderman, or commoner should 

 have, at dinner or supper, more courses than one, and no more 

 than six dishes in a course, hot or cold. Some reservations, how- 



