FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 
61 
FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 
By the arrival of the steamship Britannia, we are 
favored with our usual files of journals up to the 4th 
of January. In addition to these, we are indebted to 
Mr. P. L. Simmons, foreignnewspaper agent, London, 
for a file of the Sussex Express, and Illustrated News. 
Our journals are rich in all sorts of matters appertain¬ 
ing to agriculture, and we would be glad of ten times 
the space that we have to spare this month for making 
extracts, for our readers would find them of absorbing 
interest. 
Markets. — Ashes were held for higher terms. Cot¬ 
ton has advanced from |d. to fd. per lb., and was ex¬ 
tremely firm. Speculators and the trade were eager to 
purchase, especially of the common and middling qual¬ 
ities, and a large business had been done the preceding 
month. During the first four days of January, 50,000 
Pales changed hands at an advance of fd. per lb. 
Stock on hand on the 1st of January, 653,900 bales, 
against 456,600 bales at the same period last year, and 
429,830 the year before. The consumption of cotton 
in England in 1843 has increased about 150,000 bales. 
Wheat and Flour have undergone a slight reduction of 
price, although it is acknowledged that the harvest in 
Great Britain last year was a deficient one, and that 
considerable importations of bread-stuffs will be need¬ 
ed. It is the general opinion that wheat and flour 
must advance soon. Incendiary fires of wheat-stacks 
continue throughout the south of England. Provisions 
were in good demand, and the operations the past year 
in American, have been heavy. A year since to the 
great body of the English people, our provisions were 
scarcely known, and the trade is yet only in its infancy. 
They have now completely established themselves in 
the English market and overcome prejudice. The 
finer qualities of cheese were brisk; Beef, Pork, and 
Lard, in moderate request. The latter article has 
fallen a trifle. Naval Stores were in tolerable demand. 
Mice and Tobacco quiet and without change. 
Money continues very abundant, and capital is ac¬ 
cumulating in large masses, and seeking investment at 
the lowest rates of interest. The gold mines of Rus¬ 
sia have been uncommonly productive the past year, 
and the precious metals seem to be in abundance every¬ 
where in Europe. 
American Stocks of those states which have faithfully 
paid their interests are rising. 
Business generally is in a prosperous condition. 
Death of Mr. Loudon. —This celebrated agricultural 
writer died at Bayswater, on the 14th December, in his 
60th year, and has left a void no other man in Great 
Britain will easily fill. 
Death of Dr. VanMons. —This excellent and scientif¬ 
ic horticulturist, died at Louvain in September last, in 
the 78th year of his age. He was the possessor of a 
nursery and garden for a long time in Belgium, and was 
celebrated for his new varieties of fruits, especially 
pears, and we believe produced also many new flowers. 
Smithfield Cattle-Show. —The great event of the 
month was the annual show of fat stock at the Smith- 
field market, which began on the 6th of December, and 
continued till the 9th. The Illustrated News gives us 
portraits of the prize animals, and the show is said to 
have eclipsed all others which have gone before it. We 
notice the Short-Horns are well in the ascendant this 
year. A cow of this breed, bred by Sir Charles R. 
Tempest, took the gold medal; and an ox of Earl 
Spencer’s took the silver medal, being the first prize in 
Class I. A Hereford ox belonging to Mr. Watson, stood 
second, while the Short-Horns gained the third and 
fourth prizes. In Class II. the Short-Horns were first and 
fourth, the Herefords second and third. In Class III. 
a North Devon steer took the first prize, and a Here¬ 
ford the second. In Class IV. the same. In Class V. 
a Hereford took the first prize. In Classes YI., VII. 
and VIII. for cows, the Short-Horns took all the first 
and second prizes. The show of sheep and pigs was 
good, but we have not room for details. Prince Albert 
was among the exliibiters, though he took no prizes. 
This could hardly be expected for so young a farmer, 
and we can only wish him better luck next time. He at¬ 
tended the show in person, handling the stock as usual. 
There were an unprecedented number of visiters pres¬ 
ent, they being calculated at upward of 60,000. 
M. L. Allen. —We notice that the communication of~ 
Hints for the Management of Hens, of our correspon¬ 
dent above, is copied at length in the British Farmers’ 
Magazine for January. 
Prolific Potatoes. —A friend of mine sent me a potato 
in April, and mentioned at the same time that it was a 
very prolific variety. The potato weighed about 6 oz. 
I planted it whole, and last week took up the produce, 
which weighed 29 lbs., and consisted of 66 potatoes, 
26 of the largest weighing 21 lbs. The above is the 
largest return I have ever seen. 
Blackberry Jelly. —Put the fruit into a jar, tie paper 
over it, and stew in a sauce-pan of boiling water, or 
by putting the jar into the oven ; strain off the liquor, 
and to every pint of juice, add a pound of loaf-sugar s 
put all into a preserving-pan, simmer and skim it. 
When it will jelly upon a plate, it is fit to be put into 
jars for use. 
Cure of the Mange. —This may be effected by wash¬ 
ing the animal occasionally with the water in which 
potatoes have been boiled. 
Breeding Bulls. —In an excellent article on this sub¬ 
ject by Mr. Goodwin, in the Veterinarian, he claims 
docility of temper as an important point; and in illus¬ 
tration of the merit of this, gives the following anec¬ 
dote :— 
The other day, on looking over the well-arranged 
and well-managed portion of the agricultural depart¬ 
ment of the Little Park, at Windsor, a fine short-horned 
bull, in the shafts of a cart, attracted my attention. 
Mr. Ingal, the judicious manager of that establishment, 
observed that he was truly valuable, not only as the 
best and most useful slave about the premises, being in 
the continual practice of drawing from two to three 
tons weight in a cart alone, but as an animal possessed 
of the finest temper possible. Mr. Ingal, in continuing 
his narration, said that on one occasion he was turned 
into an adjoining pasture with another bull, when one 
of the farming men, in his usual occupation, had occa 
sion to pass not far from them: one of the bulls com 
menced a furious attack on the man, got him down, and 
was on the point of tossing him with his horns. This 
ever-to-be revered and celebrated beast, seeing what 
was passing, set off at speed to the scene of action, not 
to assist the monster in the bloody work he had begun, 
but to the aid of the defenceless man within his grasp. 
Feeling confident in his power, he charged the ferocious 
brute, and was instantly victorious. The man, during 
this conflict, lay prostrate in a state of fear and insen 
sibility. On the return of his faculties he found him 
self still within the reach and power of a bull, but not 
the vicious beast that had first assailed him, but his 
fellow-slave, who, after his victorious conflict with the 
monster, had returned to him, and, in order to pacify 
him and convince him that he had not anything to feai„ 
the docile creature began to lick him. The man soon 
perceived that it was his old friend, and got up an>d 
heaped on him a load of caresses, and returned to his 
usual occupation without much injury. 
