FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 
373 
FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 
By the steampacket Acadia, we have received our 
European journals up to the 19th November. Among 
them, we are indebted to Mr. P. L. Simmonds, foreign 
newspaper agent, in London, for the Belfast Northern 
Whig, containing the proceedings, at length, of the 
annual meeting of the Belfast Flax Society; also for 
two numbers of the Gardener’s Chronicle. 
Markets. — Ashes were in good demand. Cotton ad¬ 
vanced on the 13th, from | to |d. per lb.; but on the 
arrival of the steampacket Hibernia, with more favor¬ 
able news of the crop, receded to the old prices as per 
our last dates by the Caledonia, and was slow of sale. 
Beef of last year’s packing dull—the new was looked 
for with interest. Pork and Hams in request. Lard 
and Lard-Oil have advanced with brisk sales. Cheese , 
of the better qualities, brisk. Tallow in limited de¬ 
mand, though firm in price. Linseed-Oil , fallen a 
trifle. Oil-Cake much inquired after. Naval Stores 
dull with a downward tendency. Flour limited trans¬ 
actions. Rice but little doing. Tobacco steady. 
Money was rather more in request, and temporary 
loans had advanced from 2 to 3 per cent. First-rate 
paper, the money returnable at call, could still be done 
at the lowest rates. 
American Stocks. —The transactions in these very 
limited. 
Cheese. —Messrs. George Wright & Co., in their cir¬ 
cular, say, that American Cheese, to suit the English 
market, must be firm, free from pasture flavor, rich, and 
above all things, shipped and arrive in good order. 
This latter point is only to be gained, by a free circu¬ 
lation of air during the voyage. Fine cheese shipped 
in conformity to the above, is sure to find immediate 
sale. 
Hams. —The same firm say, we hope to be able to 
place American Hams on the same footing as West¬ 
phalia. To effect this, they must be well-cured, sewed 
in canvass, and shipped loose. 
American Provisions in London. —A large sale took 
place on the 15th November, and went off tolerably 
well. The great complaint about the Beef was, that 
the breed of animals from which it was made was not 
as good, nor was it as well fatted as the English. 
Mr. Colman. —In answer to the numerous inquiries 
about Mr. Colman, our last letter from him was dated 
at London, November 14th. He was still prosecuting 
his agricultural tour, and writes that his health was 
good, and every facility afforded him in his inquiries 
throughout Great Britain. He had gathered a large 
fund of information, which he was rapidly condensing, 
and will in due time be given to the public. His ad¬ 
dress is, at present, to the care of Messrs. Baring, 
Brothers & Co., London, to whom all letters should 
be forwarded, prepaid. 
Yorkshire Gazette. — Extraordinary Pig. —A per¬ 
son of the name of Croft, who resides in Petergate, has 
now in his possession a gilt pig, one of a litter of four¬ 
teen, which has six eyes in the centre of its face, a pro¬ 
boscis of about two inches projecting from the fore¬ 
head, and a tooth from the mouth, the former resem¬ 
bling an elephant’s trunk, and the latter a tusk. The 
nostrils of another of the same litter, which is still liv¬ 
ing, are inside the mouth. The former is certainly a 
most remarkable curiosity. 
Preston Chronicle. — Deterioration of the quality 
of Cheese , by Bone-dust on Pastures . —At the meeting 
of the Preston Agricultural Society, it was stated that 
the application of bone-dust to the land, had affected 
the taste of cheese. One of the members present ac¬ 
counted for it thus: In stall-feeding of cattle, which 
had been much recommended, the milk of cows was 
equal in quantity, but not in quality, to those allowed 
to roam at large. How happened this? Cows not 
only required proper nutriment, but a variety of it, and 
they required exercise as well. With bone-dust there 
might have been a luxuriant crop, and the cows en¬ 
abled to feed abundantly without taking any exercise 
in search of their food, and, having sooner got a full 
belly, lay down to rest. One kind of manure produ¬ 
ced only one or two, or at most three kinds of grass, 
but changing the manure produced a variety. If they 
used not only bone-dust, but guano and gallaxoide, 
they would have a greater variety of herbs than if they 
used only bone-dust. This variety of grass induced 
the cow to walk about to pick up the food that best 
pleased her, and by so doing took the exercise that na¬ 
ture required. 
Liverpool Mercury. — A Monstrous Cabbage. —A 
cabbage of the common kind was last week cut from 
the garden of Mr. Johnston, at Saunder’s Bush, in the 
parish of Arthuret, of the following enormous dimen¬ 
sions : circumference, 15| feet; diameter, 5| feet; and 
weight, 4^ stones. 
We suppose the stones here meant are 14 lbs.; if 
so, the cabbage weighed 63 lbs.! 
Paisley Advertiser. — Garlic a Preventive against 
Rats and Mice in Grain-Stacks. —A farmer in this neigh¬ 
borhood has, for some time past, put garlic in the bot¬ 
tom of his grain stacks, and since he has adopted that 
plan, has never been troubled with vermin. Before 
adopting this plan, on taking down a stack of grain, the 
assistants never killed less than from 15 to 20 rats, and 
above 100 mice. This is a very simple, cheap, and 
effective method of preserving grain in stacks. 
New Farmer’s Journal. — Utility of Geese and 
Asses to the Farmer .—It has been long remarked, that 
cattle of all kinds are never unhealthy where geese are 
kept in any quantity; and the reason assigned is sim¬ 
ply this, that geese consume with complete impunity 
certain noxious weeds and grasses which taint more 
or less, according to their abundance, the finest pad- 
docks depastured by horses, bullocks, and sheep. 
Most farmers are aware of this, and in many placey 
where the beeves appear sickly change is tried, and 
the soil which the cacklers tread is converted for the 
time being into a sort of infirmary. The pasturing of 
two or three asses with sickly cattle has also been 
found productive of the best effects, from a similar 
reason. 
Wheat-Stack secured from Vermin. —Lord Western 
writes : I enclose you a draught of one of my wheat- 
stacks, with the specification in detail of its dimen¬ 
sions. Ten thousand sheaves are secured in that stack 
against all sorts of vermin, upon seven stack-stones 
and a frame. This I beg to observe, is accomplished 
by superior skill, and not by great labor, and at an 
expense only of about 13/. for the stones and frame. I 
invite the inspection of my stack-yard both here and at 
Rivenhall, and I think that the advantages of cultiva¬ 
ting and encouraging the art of stack-building will be 
obvious to everybody who sees them. 
Aviary at Windsor. —Among the fowls in this 
choice and curious collection are five Cochin China 
pullets, (five hens and two cocks,) imported direct from 
Asia. Such is the extraordinary size of these birds, 
that when full grown they will stand upon the ground 
and feed from off a table 3 feet in height; their usual 
weight being from 22 lb. to 24 lb. per couple. Their 
eggs, the shells of which are of a dark mahogany col¬ 
or, possess a peculiarly delightful flavor, and are high- 
