July 1 6, 1874] 



NATURE 



201 



As regards the practical protection of fislieries, whetlier 

 in sea or river, the case of the Americans is aUnost iden- 

 tical with our own ; and the remedies to be adopted must 

 be the same in both countries. As regards the scien- 

 tific side of the question, relative to the habits and distri- 

 bution of fish, there is much that is new and valuable in 

 the Commissioner's report. Indeed, the greater share of 

 the volume is devoted to such questions, and to the 

 scientific classification, not only of fish proper, but of the 

 various other forms of life found in the waters, and 

 important as either providing food for the useful fishes 

 or as preying upon them. 



The various invertebrate animals which form the prin- 

 cipal diet of fishes appear to exist in profusion, so that the 

 scarcity of food-fishes cannot be attributed to the want 

 of natural sustenance. Some of these animals which 

 serve as a prey to fish when young, in their turn become 

 aggressors when full grown. An interesting account is 

 given of the destruction caused by various kinds of 

 Cephalopoda, which commit great havoc amongst the 

 schools of mackerel and herring. In attacking the 

 mackerel "they would suddenly dart backward am.ong 

 the fish with the velocity of an arrow, and as suddenly 

 turn obliquely to the right or left and seize a fish, which 

 was almost instantly killed by a bite in the back of the 

 neck with the sharp beaks;" and yet these same 

 " squids," when young, themselves aftord abundant and 

 favourite food to fish. 



The subject of sea-bottom is nowhere of such import- 

 ance as where oysters exist, and Prof. Baird's researches on 

 this point are most valuable. His remarks, which we 

 have not space to quote in full, might be studied with 

 advantage by those who are interested in oyster culture 

 in England and in France. 



Nearly 300 carefully executed engravings of the rare 

 and more valuable forms of invertebrata conclude a 

 volume of which but a faint outline has been given. 



BALDWIN'S "IRISH FARMING" 

 Iiiirodtictioii to Irish Farming. By Thomas Baldwin 

 M.R.I. A., Superintendent of the Agricultural Depart- 

 ment of National Education in Ireland, &c. (Lon- 

 don : Macmillan &; Co., 1S74.) 



IT is only by the spread of thorough technical educa- 

 tion among our farmers that the most will ever be 

 made of the comparatively small area which in these 

 islands can be devoted to agricultural purposes ; only by 

 a scientific knowledge of the material with which he deals 

 will the farmer be enabled to improve to the utmost the 

 quantity and quality both of his crops and live stock. By 

 careful selection and suitable feeding vast improvements 

 have within recent years been made in the quality of the 

 latter ccmmodily, and by a scientific study of the various 

 kinds of crops, of soils, and of manures, natural and arti- 

 ficial, rapid progress is being made in forcing " the 

 earth to yield her increase'' in greater and greater 

 quantity and of richer and richer quality. No doubt as 

 the reign of science becomes more and more universal, 

 'farming, like all other human pursuits, will be followed 

 with more and more of skill founded on accurate scien- 

 tific knowledge, and will become gradually less a matter 

 of blind rule-of-thumb. In many instances this is the 



case in Great Britain and in Ireland even now, many of 

 our farmers bringing to bear upon their pursuit a know- 

 ledge of the results of the most extensive and exact scien- 

 tific investigation. It will be long before such an intelli- 

 gent knowledge becomes universal, we fear ; and meantime 

 such manuals as Mr. Baldwin's are of use in spreading 

 among farmers, large and small, who have had no technical 

 training in their occupation, a knowledge, conveyed in 

 popular language, of what can be attained by scientific or 

 skilled farming. 



The work comprehends much in comparatively small 

 compass. It treats first of manures, and the necessity 

 of their application to supply the waste in the land 

 caused by cropping. Without going deeply into the chemi- 

 cal properties of soils and manures, it affords plain directions 

 which the unscientific man can clearly understand and 

 appreciate ; and considering the general character of the 

 large class which the author essays to enlighten, he has 

 taken the most efficient method for attaining his purpose. 

 His remarks on farmyard manure are just, but he might 

 have expressed his preference for covered yards more 

 strongly, as, besides other advantages, these preserve the 

 manure from rain-water ; and, where fodder is in plenty, 

 the liquid is absorbed and utilised in a way which it can- 

 not be to equal advantage when applied by itself. It is 

 well ascertained that dung made in such yards is much 

 richer than in ordinary yards, as from being gradually com- 

 pressed by the treading of the cattle the ammonia cannot 

 escape, nor any appreciable waste occur. The author's 

 estimate of the quantity of the manure made from one 

 cow in the year at twelve tons is certainly too great if 

 quality as well as quantity is desired. 



The second chapter is devoted to the culture and 

 management of green crops and cereals, including 

 potatoes, carrots, turnips, mangold, &c., and the ordinary 

 corn crops. Specific directions arc given as to what kinds 

 to sow on particular soils, and how to manage them in the 

 fields and in storing them, each variety being specially 

 referred to in its comparative productiveness and utility. 

 The author's remarks on hay-making are well worthy 

 of perusal. There is no crop so mismanaged as 

 this, especially in Scotland, and considering its extent 

 and value, no censure can be too strong on the negli- 

 gence and want of skill so generally manifested in 

 securing it. 



The third chapter is devoted to live stock, and here the 

 author seems to have studied the various phases of breed- 

 ing and fattening with a practical eye. Ireland is pecu- 

 liarly well fitted for rearing stock, and the yearly supply 

 it afibids to Great Britain is marvellous. With a 

 moist climate and an alluvial soil, the Jrish farmers 

 possess facilities in their fresh swards and luxuriant 

 giecn crops which we do not possess on this side of the 

 Channel ; until at all events we go across the Tivecd, and 

 not even there in sufficient breadth and measure, for 

 permanent grass meadows are seldom to be seen. The 

 quality of the various breeds of cattle and sheep is 

 discussed ; but it must be remarked that a great complaint 

 on this side of the Channel is made as to the want of 

 quality and growth in much of the supply afforded us: 

 this is no doubt owing principally to the careless selection 

 of breeders, and to too much indiscriminate crossing. The 

 author's remarks on poultry deserve special attention, not 



