Domestic Notices. — England. 229 



AUSTRALASIA. 



New South Wales. — The cultivation of sugar appears to make a rapid 

 progress in this colony. Two vessels laden with sugars of the new crop 

 sailed for England in June last. Other improvements of the settlement are 

 still in progress. Mr. John Macarthur has been indefatigable in bringing 

 forward improvements in agriculture, and particularly the wools of the 

 colony. 175,000 acres of land on this side the mountains are to be mea- 

 sured forthwith, and appropriated as a glebe to the Australian Church. 

 This quantity is independent of the grant, for the like use, over the moun- 

 tains. 500,000 acres also, at Van Dieman's Land, are destined to become 

 the property of the Church. An order was made by Sir Thomas Brisbane, 

 previous to his departure, for the appropriation Of 20,000 acres of land to 

 the use of the Wesleyan Missionaries, who are employed in the conversion 

 of the aboriginal natives of this country. In mentioning the improvement 

 of these distant colonies, we should undoubtedly notice the advance in po- 

 liteness. The Van Dieman's Land papers state, that the female convicts 

 lately landed " are quite of a superior class of society," and pass many 

 compliments on their personal appearance and accomplishments. {Brit. 

 Farm. Chron.) 



Art. II. — Domestic Notices. 



ENGLAND. 



The Botanical and Horticultural Society of Durham, Northumberland, and 

 Newcastle-upon~Tyne,was founded in 1824. " The principal and ultimate ob- 

 ject of this Society, when sufficient funds can be obtained, is the possession of 

 a garden for a botanical collection and arrangement of plants ; and for ex- 

 periments on the cultivation of fruits and vegetables, including flowers ; also 

 to promote and improve, by every other proper means, the same objects : for 

 these purposes prize medals, or other premiums, shall be awarded annually, 

 to such persons as shall be declared, by proper judges, to be entitled to the 

 preference." It " consists of four classes of members, three of ordinary, 

 (at \l. Is., 10s. 6d. and 5s. per annum,) and one of honorary and corres- 

 ponding members." We alluded to the prizes given in 1825 and 1826 in 

 last Number, and the secretaries, Messrs. Falla, jun. and Lambert, have 

 since sent us a copy of the laws, reports, &c. and a specimen of their (very 

 handsome) silver medal. We observe that the London Horticultural 

 Society have presented the Newcastle Society with their large silver medal, 

 to be given to the member who best merits such a mark of distinction, and 

 promised a continuation, as in the Dumfries Society, annually ; a proceeding 

 which we think in the true spirit of the duty of the parent society. This 

 medal for the year 1826 has been given to Mr. Thomas Smith, gardener to 

 Matthew Bell, Esq. for his exhibition of gooseberries, apricots, plums, apples, 

 and strawberries. Our correspondent, Mr. George Gledston, of Nether- 

 witton, (p. 1 57.) on the 24th of August, exhibited and received a medal 

 for a winter melon of the following extraordinary dimensions : — " Length 

 from the stalk round the crown end, five feet nine inches ; girth, five feet five 

 inches ; and weighing seventeen pounds and a half. It was beautifully and 

 very regularly formed and netted, and was allowed, by every one who saw 

 it, to be the finest ever seen in the neighbourhood." Mr. G. also received 

 medals for celery, and the best pine apple. In 1825 Mr. Stephen Maughan 



2 3 



