268- 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



[1855 



of Wheat, in largo abundance, than ereii the far-famed Genesee Dis- 

 trict of the neighbouring State of New York. 



" In this extensive range of country, (bounded by the great Lakes.) 

 tliere is absolutely no land that is naturally sterile ; and, probably, 

 there is no other tract of equal area on the North American Continent, 

 so well adapted, from circumstances of soil and climate, to the general 

 purposes of Agriculture. This interesting region has already been 

 materially benefited by the opening of the Great Western, and the 

 Ontario, Simcoe, and Huron Railways ; and is rapidly settling by a 

 persevering and industrious class of people. It will in a few years be 

 the Garden of Canada, if not of North America." 



LITERARY AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF 

 QUEBEC. • 

 LITERARY OR STATED MEETING. 



Wednesday, 4th Aphil, 1855. 

 The following gentlemen were proposed as Associate Member's, viz : 

 Charles Walker, and Hammond Gowan. 



A Paper wasreadby Lieut. E.Ashe, R.N., F.ll.A.S, " On the Connec- 

 tion between Astronomy and Navigation." 



The thanks of the Society were ordered to be given to Lieut. Ashe 

 for his paper, which was referred to the Class of Science. 



Mr. A. R. Roche's Paper on " Russian America" was recommended 

 for publication by the Class of Literature. 



MONTHLY GENERAL MEETING. 



IIth Apkil, 1855. 

 The following gentlemen were elected members: — 

 The Hon. John A. Macdonald, Attorney-General for Upper Canada ; 

 F.T.Roche; George Desbarats ; Charles Walker; Hammond Gowan ; 

 Walter Sericold, late Captain 66th Regiment ; William Chessell. 



As Corresponding Member: — T. E. Campbell, C.B., late Major 7th 

 Hussars. 



STATED OR LITERARY MEETING. 



Wednesday, 25th Apkil, 1855. 

 (Wednesday, vhe 18th Api-il, being the day of Humiliation, the 

 meeting was adjourned to the following Wednesday, 25th April.) 



A Paper was read by Mr. F. N. Boxer, giving a description of the 

 River Saguenay, Lake St. John's, and surrounding country. 



The thanks of the Society were ordered to be given to Mr. Boxer 

 for his paper, which was referred to the Class of Literature. 



HENRY E. STEELE, 



Recording Secretary. 



Notices of Hoo]ks> 



Journal and Transactions of ilie Board of Agriculture of Upper 

 Canada. No. I. Vol. I. — April, 1856. 



We most cordially welcome the appearance of the First Number of 

 the " Transactions of the Agricultural Association and Board of Agri- 

 culture of Upper Canada." It has long been an undeserved reproach 

 to the industry and intelligence of this magnificent farming country 

 that no effort has hitherto been made to furnish the public with an 

 official record of the progress of our Agricultural industry, and the 

 efforts which have been made for many years past by the Government, 

 by Societies, and by individuals, to encourage farming enterprize and 

 elevate the standard of Canadian Husbandry. 



The "Journal of the Board of Agricultui'e" will supply this want, 

 and if we may judge from the appearance and contents of the number 

 before us, a very important and valuable aid to the Scientific and 

 Practical Farmer, has commenced its career. 



The present number contains a brief sketch of the rise and progress 

 of county and township Agricultural Societies, together with a notice 



of the various Provincial enactments which have modified the organ! 

 zation of such Societies up to the time of the Institution of the Board 

 of Agriculture. The organization of the Agricultural Association of 

 Upper Canada is described ; and a sketch given of the operations of 

 the Association as connected with Annual Provincial Exhibitions, &c., 

 up to the year 1850. It is proposed, in the second number of the 

 Journal, to continue the account of the proceedings of the Association, 

 and to publish the records of the Organization and Transactions of the 

 Board of Agriculture, as well as the Prize Essays and County Reports 

 to which premiums have been awarded by' the Board, 



TJte Canadian Literary JSfetos Letter and Booksellers' Advertizer; B. 

 Ramsay, Montreal, and A. H. Armour <& Co., Toronto. 



It is a very encouraging proof of the progress of Literature in Can- 

 ada, that the present demand for new works issued in the United 

 Kingdom and the United States, should warrant the publication of 

 the " Canadian Literary News Letter." 



Even were the project seemingly one of doubtful commercial advan- 

 tage to the publishers, it would still be gratifying to know that it gave 

 promise of future success. We note, therefore, with much cordiality 

 the progress which has been made during the shortperiod of five months 

 in the issues of the Literary News Letter. In the first number we were 

 promised a circulation of 2,500 copies monthly, in the May number 

 (fifth) we find that 3000 copies are circulated throughout the Province 

 and 500 addressed to the leading Booksellers and Publishers in the 

 United States and Great Britain. We hope this rapid increase will 

 prove as advantageous to the publishers as itis to the Canadian Public. 



It may happen that some of our readers are not familiar with the 

 design and object of the " Literary News Letter :" we shall therefore 

 endeavour to give a brief account of the contents of the Jlay number. 



The inducements held out to the publishers by the frequent applica- 

 tions made to the Colonial Trade generally for the prices, sizes, and 

 standing of new works issued in Great Britain and the United States, 

 were sufficient to lead them to establish such a medium as would satisfy 

 to the full, the demand continually made upon them. One Division of 

 the Literary News Letter is devoted to editorial reviews of new books 

 and periodicals. A second Division furnishes a monthly list of the books 

 published in the United Kingdom, and is partly occupied by reviews of 

 the works named, from the London Atlienceum, the London Literary 

 List (Bents) etc., &c. A third Division refers more particularly to the 

 United States — and besides giving a list of the new publications, fur- 

 nishes also brief reviews from Norton's Literary Gazette, (N. Y.) &c., 

 &c. Then follow Literary Notices, Miscellaneous Announcements, 

 and a large number of Publisher's advertisements. 



The " Literary News Letter" will prove a valuable and acceptable 

 monthly gift to the Canadian Public. 



Kicc I^ake Bridge. 



In the present number of the Journal we publish a very interesting 

 description of the Rice Lake Railway Bridge. The cost of the struc- 

 ture has already been enormous, yet it is far from being entirely ser- 

 viceable or safe. It is doubtless an experiment much too costly for 

 the people of Cobourg, and should never have been hazarded. We 

 have no hesitation in saying, although somewhat in opposition to the 

 last paragraph of Mr. Clarke's paper, that whether viewed in its 

 mechanical construction or design, its location, or even its necessity, 

 a greater engineering or commercial blunder can scarcely be found in 

 the Canadas, or one which reflects less credit on the judgment of all 

 concerned. The public are largely indebted to Mr. Clarke for collect- 

 ing the facts, and for observing and recording the effects of ice during 

 the past ■winter. 



