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Important New Theories in Agricultural Science. 167 
gies diminishes the amount of human sickness in proportion 
as he, by means of his device, economizes the labour of his 
fellow-creatures.” 
_ The tables shew that the liability to sickness runs up to 
a temporary maximum in the young man, and then declines, 
and does not attain the same percentage until advanced 
years. This sick mazimum of early manhood—the effect of 
a primitive demand on the bodily vigour—is in the period 
from 18 to 21, except in the class engaged in outdoor heavy 
labour, in which it appears to be at 14. The same per- 
centage is reached, ever afterwards to increase, at the age of 
48 in the class who have indoor heavy labour, 51 in the case 
of indoor light labour, 57 with outdoor heavy labour, and 65 
with outdoor light labour. 
These last remarks relate to the Bere of persons sick, 
not to the duration of the sickness. The duration of sickness 
does not decline in manhood, but increases with the age. 
The severity of the railway employment, according to these 
tables, tells upon the constitution ; the men, it is said, get 
*‘ weather-beaten.” In the police there is a marked increase 
in the amount of sickness after 40, as if the service broke 
down the men at an earlier age than other occupations. 
Important New Theories in Agricultural Science. 
__M. Baudrimont, professor of chemistry at the Faculty of Sciences at 
Bordeaux, has just published a work, ‘On the Existenceof Interstitial 
Currents in Arable Soil, and the Influence which they can exert on 
Agriculture ;”’ in which, after a long study of the subject, he states, 
that there is a natural process at work by which liquid currents rise 
to the surface from a certain depth in the ground, and thus bring up 
materials that help either to maintain its fertility, or to modify its 
character. Many phenomena of agriculture and of vegetation have 
at different times been observed ; which, hitherto inexplicable, are 
readily explained on this theory. Such, for example, the improve- 
ment which takes place in fallows; and there is reason to believe 
that these currents materially influence the rotation of crops. 
. In Germany, Schleiden is attracting much attention by his mas- 
terly views on the phenomena of vegetation; and it will surprise 
many to hear that he admits of no relation between the fertility of 
a soil, and the quantity of fertilizing matter expended upon it— 
“ The goodness of the soil,” he says, ‘‘ depends upon its inorganic 
