[Miscellaneous]
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FRUIT TREES ON GRASS LANDS.
HOW TO GROW FRUIT TREES ON GRASS LANDS.
WE take the following from the Handy-book on "The Best Method of Saving Seeds" (now out of print), by A. McEwin: --
In a fine climate like New Zealand, where all kinds of fruit trees that are common to Europe are so easily propagated, and of such rapid growth--they may be easily grown on pasture lands without injury to the grass, and as a source of profit to the owners from the fruit, and also ornamental and useful as a shade and shelter for sheep and cattle. Fruit is likely to command a remunerative price for a number of years in New Zealand, from the fact that orchards have not been planted to supply the increasing demand that may be expected, and there being other ways of making the fruit marketable apart from selling it green or in a ripe state. In South Australia, where fruit is now so plentiful, some of the more enterprising have erected large Jam Manufactories, which are now repaying them well for the outlay; great quantities of fruit are also dried in Australia, and will keep a length of time, is very marketable, and can be used in a variety of ways in the culinary department. When apples become plentiful they can be manufactured into cider, and pears into liquor called perry. It is a great acquisition to the settler to have plenty of fruit, as it can be used in a variety of ways in domestic cookery, and is very conducive to health when used in moderation. In planting out fruit trees on grass lands, a judicious selection is the first thing to be considered. A variety of plums, pears, apples, cherries, mulberrys, loquats, and even the orange and lemon, I think, may be introduced with success, as we find they are quite hardy enough to stand the winter, and our summer is long
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enough, to ripen their fruit. In planting large tracts of grass land, forest trees may be introduced for shelter at intervals of every five or six rows; fruit trees that have been budded are preferable, as they form finer and straighter stems in a shorter space of time than those that have been grafted; they should be left standing in the nursery until they are trained six feet high, with a single stem. The training is performed by cutting off all lateral branches that make their appearance, leaving nothing but the leading shoot to grow, and repeatedly tying it up to a stake, every five or six inches of growth that it makes. When the stems have got to six feet high, and pretty strong, the trees are fit to plant out in the proper season, which is in the months of June or July. I would recommend the trees to be planted at from forty to fifty feet apart, which would always leave ample room for the sun and air to penetrate between the rows, to keep the grass in a healthy state for sheep or cattle. In planting all kinds of fruit trees, it is of the greatest consequence that they be not planted too deep. Open for each tree a circular hole or pit about five feet wide, commence by cutting the turf out in square pieces about two inches in thickness, and lay them carefully aside, then dig about three inches in depth of soil out, and lay it carefully aside; throw about ten pounds of coarse bone-dust into the hole, and dig the bottom of the hole well over to mix the bone-dust with the subsoil; procure some well rotted stock-yard manure, and mix it up with the soil that was thrown aside until it is well pulverised, throw a little of it into the hole, then set the tree carefully in the centre and spread out the roots and fibres with the hand, at the same time filling in more soil, and pressing it gently in amongst the roots until it is finished; then proceed to place the turf on the top as near as possible in the same state as before it was taken out--finish by patting the turf over with the
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back of the spade to firm it; drive in a good strong stake to each tree, and tie up with some soft ligature to prevent the bark from being wounded; the top of the leading shoot must be pruned off, and leave only three or four buds to form the tree. The next proceeding is fencing in; three posts and nine rails are sufficient for each tree; they are put up in triangular shape, leaving the tree exactly in the centre, the lower rail may be raised higher from the ground than usual, to admit of cattle feeding a little way under. After this the tree will require very little care, except thinning out the wood where it is too crowded, and keeping the fence in repair, giving each tree a top dressing of liquid manure every three years:
SEEDS REQUIRED TO SOW GARDEN PLOTS.
Asparagus, bed of 15 square yards, 1/2 pint; Beans, broad, per row of 80 feet, 1 quart; Beet, row of 50 feet, 1 ounce; Broccoli, per 4 square yards, 1/2 oz.; Brussels Sprouts, per 4 square yards, 1/2 oz.; Cabbage, bed of 8 square yards, 1/2 oz.; Carrots, drill of 120 feet, 1 oz.; Carrots, bed of 12 sq. yards, 1 oz.; Cauliflower, 4 square yards, 1/2 oz.; Celery, 4 square yards, 1/2 oz.; Cress, 3 square yards, 1 oz.; Endive, 4 square yards, 1/2 oz. Kale, 4 square yards, 1/2 oz.; Kidney Beans, row of 80 feet, 1/2 pint; Leek, 2 square yards, 1/2 oz.; Lettuce, 4 square yards, 1/4 oz.; Mushroom, 7 square yards, 1 bush.; Onions, 9 sq. yards, 1 oz.; Parsley, row of 80 feet, 1 oz.; Parsnip, drill of 200 feet, 1 oz.; Peas, early, row of 60 feet, 1 pint; Peas, large late, row of 80 feet, 1 pint; Potatoes, row of 30 feet, 1/4 peck; Radishes, 4 square yards, 1 oz.; Savoy, 4 square yards, 1/2 oz.; Spinach, 10 square yards, 1 ox.; Spinach, drill of 120 feet, 1 oz.; Turnip, 4 yards square, 1/2ounce.
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SEEDS REQUIRED TO SOW AN IMPERIAL ACRE.
Barley, 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 bushels; Beans, 2 to 2 1/2 bush.; Buckwheat, 1 1/2 bush.; Cabbage, Drumhead, to transplant, 1 lb.; Canary, 3 pecks; Carrot in drills, 8 lbs.; Clover, 6 to 10 lbs.; Kohl Rabi (Turnip-rooted Cabbage) to transplant, 1 Ib.; Kohl Rabi, drilled, 4 lbs.; Linseed, for flax, 2. 1/2 bush.; Linseed, for seed, 1 1/2 bush.; Lucerne, broadcast, 20 lbs.; Lucerne, drilled, 15 lbs.; Mustard, white, 1 peck; Mangold Wurzel, 5 lbs.; Oats, 3 to 4 bush.; Parsnip, 8 lbs.; Rape or Cole, 8 lbs.; Rye, 2 1/2 to 3 bush.; Rye Grass, 1 to 2 bush., if drilled, one-fourth less; Saintfoin, 2 1/2 bush.; Tares, winter, 2 1/2 bushels; Tares, spring, 2 to 2 1/2 bush.; Trifolium incarnatum, 24 lbs.; Turnip, 2 to 3 lbs.; Turnip Stubble, 4 lbs.; Wheat, 2 1/2 to 2 1/2 bushels.
SEEDS REQUIRED FOR A GARDEN OF ONE ACRE.
Peas, 5 quarts; Beans, 2 quarts; Kidney Beans, 1 pint; Scarlet Runners, 1 pint; Cabbage, early, 2 oz.; Savoy, 1 oz.; Brussels Sprouts, 1 oz.; Cauliflower,. 1/2 oz.; Broccoli, 2 oz.; Borecole, 2 oz.; Cabbage, red,. 1/2 oz.; Cabbage, late or Drummond, 1 oz.; Kohl Rabi,. 1/2 oz.; Onions, 4 oz.; Carrots, 2 ox.; Turnips, white, 2 oz., yellow, 1 oz.; Celery,. 1/2 oz.; Spinach,. 1/2 pint; Beet, red, 1 oz., silver,. 1/2 oz.; Leek, 1 oz.; Parsnip, 2 oz.; Salsify,. 1/2 oz.; Skirret,. 1/2 oz.; Scorcenora,. 1/2 oz.; Endive, 1 oz.; Lettuce, 2 oz.; Radish, long, . 1/2 pint; Radish, turnip,. 1/2 pint; Mustard,. 1/2 pint; Cress, . 1/2 pint; Parsley, curled,. 1/2 oz.; Potatoes, early, in two sorts, 1. 1/2 bushels, late, in two sorts, 2 bushels; Jerusalem Artichokes, 1 gallon; Garlic,. 1/2 lb.; Shallots, 1 lb.; Sweet and Pot Herbs, of sorts, 1 oz.; Rhubarb, of sorts, 25 roots.
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STATUTE ACRE IN YARDS, ETC.
DIMENSIONS OF A STATUTE ACRE IN YARDS,
FROM 1 TO 100 YARDS BY LENGTH.
NUMBER OF PLANTS CONTAINED IN AN ACRE OF LAND.
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TO ASCERTAIN THE NUMBER OF YARDS, FEET, AND INCHES IN ANY NUMBER OF THE LINKS OF THE IMPERIAL CHAIN.
NUMBER OF PLANTS CONTAINED IN AN ACRE OF LAND.
Multiply the distances into each other, and divide by it the square feet in an acre, or 43,560, and the quotient is the number of plants.
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PLANTING AND SOWING.
PLANTING AND SOWING.
A TABLE FOR PLANTERS.
Showing the Number of Trees required per Imperial, Scottish and Irish Acres,
From 1 to 30 feet distance between each plant.
WHEAT. --It is sometimes recommended to dry the wheat crop well in the field, but this is a mistake: let the farmer when he sees the knots of straw getting a greenish yellow cut at once, run it into windrows, that is two rows of sheaves heads turned inwards, end of windrow north and south, eight feet high, one sheaf capping the two; save the grain all you can from the weather.
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WEIGHT OF PRODUCE PER ACRE.
TO ASCERTAIN, BY WEIGHING 20, THE WEIGHT PER ACRE OF POTATOES, TURNIPS, CARROTS, &c.
EXAMPLE. --If the produce of 20 potato stools, or if 20 turnips-growing 12 inches apart from each other, weigh 0.642 of a lb., then the produce per acre is 1400 lbs.; if 1.285, then 2800 lbs. per acre; and so on. The second column shows the number of plants per acre: at 12 inches distance each way, the number is 43,560.
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MISCELLANEOUS.
THE VALUE OF A GARDEN. --I hold that any farmer, who is worthy of the name, will prepare a small plot of ground for his wife and daughters, and that he will, out of love to them, make it all they can wish or desire. It is these little things that makes home pleasant and happy; and it has been the lack of these that has driven many a loving heart out into the world and away from a sterile barren home. Give the wife and daughters a place to plant, tend, and rear their flowers; help them if needs be, although it may take an hour sometimes that is hard to spare, and you will a thousand times bless God for so ordering your mind that you did it. What husband or father, rugged though his nature may be, does not fondly linger round a home made so bright and cheerful by the fairy hands of his wife and daughters, scattering, as it were, in his way, the beauties of their little plot! What son or brother ever forgets his home who has found his room daily perfumed with flowers, which have been raised by the hand of a fond mother or gentle loving sisters, and placed there through the promptings of their own affectionate hearts? What daughter ever forgets the home where she has cultivated her little garden, and year after year been so happy in the blossoms which have been borne upon the plants she has watered and tended with such patient care? Parents, brothers, sisters, the dear old home--all come back to her though years may have passed away, in the scent or bloom of every flower. The family is seldom unhappy whose dwelling is surrounded with shady trees, and whose garden is gay with cultivated plants. Do not then, I beseech you, forget the little flower garden.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO. --Captain Cook said of New Zealand-- "The quality of the soil is best indicated by the luxuriant growth of its productions, for the hills are one continuous forest of lofty trees, flourishing with a vigour
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almost superior to anything that imagination can conceive, and affording an august prospect to those who are delighted with the grand and beautiful works of nature. The agreeable temperature of the climate no doubt contributes much to this uncommon strength in vegetation, for at this time (February), though answering to our month of August, the weather was never disagreeably warm, nor did it raise the thermometer higher than 60 deg. The winter also seems equally mild with respect to cold, for in June, which corresponds to December, the mercury never fell lower than 48 deg., and the trees at that time retained their verdure as if in the summer season, so that I believe their foliage is never shed till pushed off by the succeeding leaves in spring. The weather in general is good, but sometimes windy with heavy rain, which however never lasts above a day, nor does it appear that it is ever excessive. I have observed in the four different times of my being here that the winds from south-eastward are commonly moderate, but. attended with cloudy weather and rain. The south-west winds blow very strong, and are also attended with rain, but they seldom last long. The north-west winds are the most prevailing, and though often pretty strong, are almost constantly connected with fine weather. In short, the only obstacle to this being one of the finest countries upon earth is its great hilliness."
THE MOON'S INFLUENCE. --If the tides of the vast ocean are raised from their fathomless bed by lunar power, it is not too much to assert that the tides of the atmosphere are liable to similar influence. This much is certain, that in low land of tropical climates, no attentive observer of nature will fail to witness the power exercised by the Moon over the seasons, and over animal and vegetable nature. As regards the latter, it may be stated that there are certainly 13 springs and 13 autumns in Demerara in the year; for so many tunes
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does the sap of trees ascend to the branches and descend to the roots. For example, the wallaba (a resinous tree common in the Demerara woods, somewhat resembling mahogany), if cut down in the dark a few days before the New Moon, is one of the most durable woods in the world for house-building, posts, &c.; in that state attempt to split it, and, with the utmost difficulty, it would be riven in the most jagged and unequal manner that can be imagined. Cut down another wallaba (that grew within a few yards of the former,) at the Full Moon, and the tree can be easily split into the finest smooth shingles, of any desired thickness, or into staves for making casks; but in this state, applied to house-building purposes, it speedily decays. Again, bamboos as thick as a man's arm are sometimes used for paling, &c.; if cut at the dark Moon they will invariably endure for ten or twelve years; if at a Full Moon, they will be rotted in two or three years. Thus it is with most, if not all, forest trees. Of the effects of the Moon on animal life, very many instances could be cited. I have seen, in Africa, newly-born children perish in a few hours at the mother's side, when exposed to the rays of the Full Moon. Fish become rapidly putrid; the meat, if left exposed, incurable or unpreservable by salt; the mariner, heedlessly sleeping on the deck, becoming afflicted with hyctolopia or night-blindness--at times the face hideously swollen, if exposed during sleep to the moon's rays--the maniac's paroxysms renewed with fearful vigour at the full and change, and the cold damp chill of the ague supervening on the ascendency of this apparently mild, yet powerful luminary. Let her influence over this earth be studied--it is more powerful than is generally known.
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RURAL CHRONOLOGY.
B. C. --4003--Sheep named, Gen. iv. 2; tillage named, Gen. ii. 5, iii. 23. 2409--The first cultivation of corn attributed to Ceres. 1998--The Chinese attribute the origin of husbandry to Ching-Noung, Emperor of China. 1921--Cattle named as property, Gen. xiii. 2. 1749-- Wheat mentioned, Gen. xxx. 14. 1706--Horses and wagons named, Gen. xlv. 21, xlvii. 17. 1520--Harrows mentioned, Job xxxix. 10. 1491--Barley, rye, and flax named, Exod. ix. 31, 32. 1451--The plough first mentioned, Deut. xxii. 10. 1093--Plough-shares and coulters named, 1 Sam. xiii. 20. 404--Ale was known.
A. D. --100--Cherry trees first planted in England (about). 245--A great inundation of the sea in Lincolnshire. 272 --A dreadful famine, the inhabitants obliged to eat the bark of trees. 300--A dreadful famine in Scotland. 310 --A great famine, 40,000 persons perished. 340--Saddles in use. 353--A great inundation of the sea in Cheshire. 481--Horses' shoes first made of iron. 531--Pens first made of quills (about). 550--Wheat supposed to be introduced into Britain by Coll ap Coll Frewi. 640--Parishes first made; then 45,000 in number; reduced to 9,700 in 1527; amounted to 14,563 in 1776. 688--Ale-booths set up in England. 739--A dreadful famine. 759--The greatest frost on record began Oct. 1, ended Feb. 26. 786 --Tithes first named in an English law. 823--A dreadful famine. 884--Tithes first granted to the English clergy by Ethelwold. 886 --Fairs and wakes instituted by Alfred. Bricks first used. 954--A great famine. 987--A frost for 120 days, began Jan. 22.
1016--An excessive famine. 1035--A severe frost on June 21, the corn and fruits destroyed. 1063--The Thames
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frozen 14 weeks. 1066--Horses first generally shod (about). 1076--Frost from Nov. till April. 1078--Fairs established, and called Feriae by Gregory VII. 1079-85-- The New Forest made by William I. 1087--A great famine.
1100--4,000 acres of land inundated in Kent. The Goodwin Sands formed. 1125--The first park (Woodstock) formed in England. 1130--The ordinary value of a sheep, fourpence. 1135--Rents first made payable in money. 1191--Coarse woollens first introduced (about).
1200--Woollen cloths made in England (before). Chimneys first introduced; only one in middle of building till about 1300. 1205--Frost from Jan. 15 till March 22. 1234--Straw still used for the king's bed; Tiles first made in England. 1253--Linen first made. 1266--The price of corn first noticed in an Act of Parliament. 1284-- Cider first made. 1286--Wheat sold for 1s. per qr. 1288 --The first general repair of the roads directed. 1299-- The price of two pullets, three half-pence; a partridge or two woodcocks, three half-pence; a lamb, sixpence.
1300--Wine sold as a cordial by the apothecaries. 1303 --The English acre first made standard, to contain 4,840 square yards; before this time the acres of different parts of England differed in size. 1313--A fat oxen was worth £2 12s.; a sheep, 5s. 1315--A dreadful famine. 1335-- A dreadful famine from excessive rains. 1347--Wheat first imported into England. 1352--Hay-makers paid 1d. per day; mowers, 5d.; reapers, 2d. and 3d.; threshers, 2 1/2d. per qr. for wheat and rye; 1 1/4 d. for barley, oats, beans, peas, &c.; thatchers, 3d. per day. 1380--Sidesaddles first used. 1389--A bailiff had 13s. 4d. per annum and a suit of clothes; the master hind, 10s.; the carter, 10s.; shepherd, 10s.; ox, cow, and swine herds, 6s. 8d.; a ploughman, 7s.; a woman, 6s.
1400--Wine sold for 12s. per pipe. 1428--Hops peti-
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tioned against "as a wicked, weed." 1434--The Thames frozen from London to Gravesend, from Nov. 24 to Feb. 10. 1438--A dreadful famine. 1441--The cypress-tree introduced. 1445--A bailiff's wages, 23s. 4d. per annum; and clothing, 5s.; shepherd, 20s.; a common labourer, 15s. 1460--Corn first allowed to be exported. 1463--First corn-law restraining the importation of wheat, unless selling at 6s. 8d. per qr. at the place of import. 1466--A license granted by the king to transport a flock of Cotswold sheep into Spain. 1483--A general plantation of yew-trees, for the use of archers, directed. The Severn overflowed its banks, and caused immense damage. 1497--Almanacs first printed in England, by Richd. Pynson (about).
1509--Gardening introduced. 1510--Cabbages introduced. 1515--Thomas Tusser born. 1520--Mulberry-trees came from Italy. 1521--Inclosures restrained. 1522 --Roses first came from the Netherlands, apples from Syria, plums from Italy. 1523--Turkeys came. 1524-- Hops introduced. 1528--Grapes came from Portugal, and mignionette from Italy. The use of hops in beer prohibited. 1530--Strawberries came from Flanders. 1532 --An Act passed for the destruction of crows. 1533--Firs first planted. Currants came from Zante. By the 25th Henry VIII., c. 13, no person was to keep more than 2000 sheep, except on his own land, and that no tenant should hold more than two farms. The exportation of corn prohibited. Beef and pork sold for one half-penny per lb. 1534--Geraniums first came from Flanders. 1538-- Cucumbers introduced. Parish registers introduced. 1540 --Apricots came from Epirus, and gooseberries and carrots from Flanders. 1548--Rosemary and the fig-tree introduced. 1554--Corn allowed to be exported when wheat sold at 6s. 8d. per qr. 1560--The tamarisk came from Germany. 1562--Peaches and nectarines came from Persia. Corn not to be exported till wheat sold at 10s. per
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qr. 1563--Potatoes first brought from America by Sir John Hawkins. 1565--A great famine. Corn first grown in Ireland about this time. 1567--Auriculas introduced from Switzerland, and pinks from Italy. 1568--A farm labourer's daily wages 4d. Carnations came from Flanders, and pine apples from the Brazils. Lavender came from the South of Europe. 1571--An average price of corn first directed to be ascertained (13 Eliz. c. 13). 1576--Laburnums introduced from Hungary. 1578--The tulip came from Vienna. 1581--The evergreen oak came from the south of Europe (before). 1588--A newspaper first published in England. 1592--An export duty of 2s. per qr. imposed. Corn not to be exported till wheat sold at 20s. per qr. (35 Eliz. c. 7). 1596--The laurestina came from southern Europe.
1603--The silver fir came from Switzerland, and cauliflowers from Cyprus (about). Corn not to be imported till wheat sold at 26s. 8d. per qr. (1 James I. c. 28). 1606-- The Severn overflowed, and caused an immense flood, more than 100 persons drowned. Cider orchards first made in England (about). 1610--Tea first brought into Europe. 1620--A labourer's wages per day, 4 1/2 d. 1621--Alehouses first licensed. 1624--The growth of tobacco forbidden. 1629--The walnut came from South America. 1632--A labourer's daily wages 6d. 1640--Acacia introduced into England from North America. 1642--New Zealand discovered by Tasman. 1647--A labourer's daily wages 10d. 1652--Poor Robin's Almanac first printed. 1656--Bread first made with yeast (about). 1660--Duty first imposed on ale. Wheat allowed to be exported free when under 40s. per qr.; at a duty of 5s. 6d. when under 44s.; and when above 44s., 6s. 8d. (12 Car. II. c. 4). 1661--Wine licenses first granted. 1662--A labourer's daily wages 6d. 1663--Importation of Irish and Scottish cattle prohibited. Turnpikes first erected. Wheat allowed to be exported
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when selling at less than 48s. per qr. at a duty of 5s. 4d. (15 Car. II. c. 7). Covent Garden market-square built. 1666--Remarkable hailstorm in Suffolk. Tea first brought into England. 1667--A duty on. malt first imposed. 1670 --Average price of wheat at Eton 37s. per qr. Wheat allowed to be exported when averaging less than 53s. 4d. per qr. at a duty of 1s.; to be imported at a duty of 16s. when under 53s. 4d.; at 8s. when above 53s. 4d. till it averaged 80s.; then free (22 Car. H. c. 13). 1673-4-5 --Deficient harvests. 1684--Turnips first mentioned as food for sheep. A very intense frost. 1688--A labourer's daily wages 8d. 1689--A bounty of 5s. per qr. granted on corn exported. 1691--The scarlet oak came from North America (before). 1692--The weeping willow came from the Levant. 1694-5-6-7-8-9, 1700-1 --Very deficient harvests. 1696--The Balm of Gilead fir brought from Virginia (about).
1697-- Amount of bounties paid on exported corn, £14,712. Winchester bushel ordered to contain 2150.42 square inches.
1698-- A labourer's daily wages, 8d.
1700--Average price of wheat at Eton, 32s. 5d. per qr. 1703--The "great storm," Nov. 26; multitudes of cattle drowned, and in one level 15,000 sheep destroyed. 1704 --Celery introduced. 1705--John Evelyn died, Feb. 27. 1707--Bounties on corn exported, £38,997. 1709--A frost with heavy snow, from December till March. 1713-- Moore's Almanac first printed. The laurel came from Alexandria. 1715--John Ray died, Jan. 17. 1716--A labourer's daily wages 9d. A severe frost from Nov. 24 to Feb. 9. 1720--Average price of wheat at Eton, 32s. 10d. per qr. 1720--Society of improvers of agriculture in Scotland formed. 1724--Moss roses introduced. 1727-- Bounties on corn exported, £48, 756. 1729--A hard frost for nine weeks,, began Jan. 24. 1730--Average price of wheat at Eton, 32s. 5d. per qr. The chesnut leaved oak came from North America (before). 76,210 head of cattle
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sold, this year at Smithfield market. Porter first brewed (about), 1731--Sage came from the Cape of Good Hope. 1732--The grand juries at Sessions were directed to fix the average price of corn. 1735---The Turkey oak came from the south of Europe (before). 1736--The birch brought from America. 1737--Bounties paid on corn exported, £102,511. 1740--Jethro Tull died, Jan. 3. Average price of wheat at Eton, 48s. 10d. A labourer's daily wages 10d. A severe frost, which lasted nine weeks. 1741--Remarkable hurricane at Bluntsham, in Huntingdonshire, about sixty barns blown down, Sept. 8. 1746--Roads first made in the Scottish Highlands, by General Wade. 1747-- Bounties paid on corn exported, £127,011. 1748--A considerable famine. A swarm of locusts visited England, August 4. 1749--Dublin Agricultural Society formed. 1750--Average price of wheat at Eton, 28s. 10d. 1757-- Bounties paid on corn exported, £22,658. 1760--A labourer's daily wages, 1s. 1762--102, 831 head of cattle sold at Smithfield. 1766--Deficient harvests. Quartern loaf sold in London at 1s. 6d. A severe frost. 1767-- Bounties paid on corn exported, £8,156. Remarkable hailstorm in Hertfordshire, May 4. 1768--Gypsum first used as a manure, by M. Meyer. 1770--Corn returns first ordered to be made weekly. 1771--Average price of wheat, as published by receivers of corn returns, 47s. 2d. The great or Ripon flood in Yorkshire. 1773--Cook planted several places in New Zealand with European seeds. 1775 --Crushed bones first used as a manure by General St. Leger. Remarkable dry spring and summer. 1777-- Bounties paid on corn exported, £45, 029. Bath and West of England Society formed. The Hessian fly ravaged the wheat crops of England. 1780--Average price of wheat, 35s. 10d 1784--Highland Society instituted. Tax on riding horses first imposed. 1787--Bounties paid on exportation of corn, £50,916. A great inundation of the
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river Liffey, in Ireland. 1788--Linnean Society founded. Merino sheep first imported by George III. A labourer's daily wages, 1s. 4d. 1789--China roses introduced. The Thames frozen over; the frost lasted from Nov. to Jan 1790--Average price of wheat, 53s. 2d. per qr. Professorship of Agriculture founded at Edinburgh. 1792--107, 348 head of cattle sold at Smithfield. 1793--London Board of Agriculture established. 1795--Robert Bakewell died, Oct. 1. A great scarcity of food in England. 1796-- Smithfield Club instituted. Intense frost throughout Dec. Tax on dogs first imposed. 1797--Bounties paid on exportation of corn, £62.
1800--Average price of wheat, 110s. 5d. Great hailstorm in Bedfordshire, Aug. 19. 1801--A scarcity of food in England. Wheat averaged in March, 151s. 2d.; barley, 90s. 7d.; oats, 47s. 2d.; in June, 129s. 8d.; in December, 75s. 6d. Population of England and Wales, 8,331,434; of Scotland, 1,599,068. 1802--Francis Duke of Bedford died, March 2. Average price of wheat in December, 57s. 1d. A great inundation of the river Liffey, in Ireland, causing great damage. 1803--Dahlias introduced from China. 1804--Mangel-wurzel introduced by Dr. Lettsom. The London Horticultural Society founded. 1807--Dr. Priestley died, Feb. 6. A remarkable hailstorm in Suffolk, May 2. 1808--A dreadful hailstorm in Gloucestershire, July 15. 1809--The Edinburgh Horticultural Society founded. A dreadful hailstorm at Horsham, March 28; and in Middlesex, May 19. 1810--Average price of wheat, 103s. 3d. Dreadful hailstorm at Windsor, July 15. Average rental per acre of England and Wales, 17s. 3 1/2d. per acre; of Scotland, 5s. 1 1/2d. 1811--A remarkable hailstorm in Denbighshire, April 23; at Melton, April 29; at Sheffield, May 10; at Birmingham, June 8; at Bury St. Edmund's, June 8. 1812--Board of Agriculture discontinued. Remarkable hailstorm at Southend, June 21. In August,
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wheat, 155s.; barley, 79s. 10d.; oats, 56s. 2d. 1813-- After harvest, wheat, 73s. 6d. 1814--Bounties on corn exported ceased. Intense frost, the Thames frozen over. A scarcity of food in Ireland. Remarkable hailstorm in Leicestershire, July 28; and at Coventry, Sept. 24. At the peace of 1814 the right of Great Britain to New Zealand recognised. 1816--Scarcity of food in Ireland. Inundation at Strabane, in Ireland, Jan. 2. 1817----The Dublin Horticultural Society founded. Dreadful hailstorms at Dublin and Glasgow, Feb. 27; at Dunkeld, June 10; in Gloucestershire, June 21; and Perth, June 23. 1818-- M'Adam's system of road-making introduced. Remarkable hailstorm in Middlesex and Bedfordshire, April 26. 1819 ---Lord Somerville died, Oct. 5. 5,000 acres of land inundated in the Fens, June. 1820--Average price of wheat, 65s. 10d Arthur Young died, aged 79, April 12. Farmer's Magazine commenced. Dreadful hailstorm devastated North Essex, July 30. 1821--Dreadful hailstorm in Cheshire, June 20. Population of England and Wales, 11,261,437; of Scotland, 2,093,456. 1822--142,048 head of cattle sold at Smithfield. A scarcity of food in Ireland. Dreadful hailstorm in Middlesex, May 25. 1824--Dreadful hailstorm, May 22, in Somersetshire; another, causing great devastation, in Herts and Essex, July 14; 3,487 acres of corn destroyed or materially damaged. 1826---A remarkable hailstorm in Hertfordshire, June 27. 1828--London Corn Exchange opened, June. Remarkable hailstorm near Gravesend, Sept. 12. Sir James E. Smith died. 1829-- Sir H. Davy died, May 29. Remarkable hailstorm at Dover, July 14. 1830--Average price of wheat, 64s. 3d. British Farmer's Magazine commenced. Remarkable hailstorm in Norfolk, June 25. 1831--A scarcity of food in Ireland. Remarkable hailstorm in Suffolk, July 14. Population of England and Wales, 13,897,187; of Scotland, 2,365,114; of Ireland, 7,767,401; there were 1,055,982
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agricultural labourers in Great Britain, and 1,131,715 in Ireland. 1832--166,224 Lead of cattle sold at Smithfield. John Ellman died, Nov. 22. Baron Cuvier died, May, aged 63. 1834--Remarkable hailstorm in Essex, July 8. 1835 --Sir John Sinclair died, Dec. 20. 172,919 beasts sold at Smithfield. 1838--Royal Agricultural Society instituted. 1839--Meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society at Oxford, July 17. Wooden paving introduced in London. 1840-- Average price of wheat, 66s. 4d. Meeting of Royal Agricultural Society at Cambridge, July. Professorship of Agriculture founded at Oxford. Farmers' Insurance founded. 180,041 beasts sold at Smithfield. 1841--Great inundation at Brentford, Jan. 16. Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland instituted. Population of England and Wales, 14,995,508; Scotland, 2,620,610. Guano first introduced into England. Dreadful hailstorms in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, causing an enormous destruction of crops, in July and August 1843--Two inches depth of rain fell, Aug. 24. The Rev. W. L. Rham died, Oct. 31. J. C. Loudon died, Dec. 14. 188,268 beasts sold at Smithfield. 1844--The London Cattle Insurance Society founded. Corn-law Act passed, June 26. Dreadful thunder and hailstorms, Aug. 1. 1847--General failure of the potato crop. Great scarcity of food. Famine in Ireland. Average price of wheat, last week in May, 102s. 5d. Corn duties suspended, July. Navigation laws suspended for the importation of corn. Great reduction in the price of corn. Average price of wheat, in week ending Sept. 18, 49s. 6d. 1849--Corn admitted at a nominal duty of 1s., Feb. 1. General agricultural distress. Prices of corn very low. 4,835,280 qrs. of wheat and flour imported. Average price per qr. for week ending Dec. 29, wheat, 39s. 4d.; barley, 25s. 9d.; oats, 15s. 6d. 1850--J. Smith, of Deanston, died, June 10. Average price of wheat in week ending Dec. 28, 38s. 10d 1852--Reaping machines introduced.
