Antarctic Discoveries. 
409 
in remedying the crowded condition of our pastures, and that 
many advantages might be adduced in its favour. At home the 
principal supply is from abroad, or from the bones of animals 
carefully collected, and the presence of part of the human frame 
at the mills show, that the demand will sometimes lead to the 
desecration of the habitations of the dead. Here bones lie 
abundantly in every direction. When animal food forms such 
a large proportion of the diet of the community, the mere trouble 
of throwing the bones separately into a receptacle would in 
itself produce an immense quantity. The bones of whales 
lie in incalculable numbers on our shores, and are yearly 
increasing, while about every farm quantities are to be seen, at 
present useless and unsightly. All these, at a comparatively 
trifling expense, might be converted into one of the best elements 
of our riches and prosperity, and would do more to shut out 
the foreign meat than the most stringent fiscal regulation. One 
advantage, and that not the least, is in their portability. Our 
farmers have often been accused of unthrift in not carting out 
their manure. But whoever has experienced, as we have done, 
the slowness with which this operation is performed, compared 
with the same operation at home, and the small quantity of 
manure produced in consequence of the dryness of the climate, 
will be induced to consider the omission a more venial fault than 
it would at first appear. Bone dust lias the great advantage that 
it may be used in small quantities, is readily applied, and in one 
manuring lays the foundation of a second—even more effective 
and plentiful. We have no doubt that could some enterprising 
capitalist enter on the speculation, he would be amply encouraged. 
Its benefits have been already experienced with great success, 
although tried in the rudest manner; and the cost of carnage 
being so trifling (not more than from Is. to 10s. per acre for ten 
miles), the demand would be extended to a considerable distance 
inland. From the number of the different, points to which the 
manure could be conveyed by water carriage, and from the low 
price at which it could be furnished, on account of the plentiful 
supply of bones and the simplicity of the machinery necessary, 
we are confident that, if once fairly tried, it would be eminently 
successful. 
ANTARCTIC DISCOVERIES. 
Notice of the Magnetometric, Geographical, Hydrographical 
and Geological Discoveries or Observations made by the 
Expedition under the command of Captain James C. Ross 
R.N., F.R.S.; being extracts from a Despatch addressed to 
the Secretary of the Admiralty. 
H.M.S. Erebus, Van Diemen’s Land, April 7 ,1841 
I have the honour to acquaint you with the arrival of Her 
